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COMMEMORATIVE 
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD 
 
 OF THE COUNTIES OF 
 
 
 Huron and Lorain, Ohio, 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 Diogpaphical BketchE? oT Ppon^inEnt ai^d I^EpFESEi^tativE GitizEi^g, 
 ai^d oT raany ol i\[z Sarly BEtlled Fan^iliB?. 
 
 IliLiUSTt^flTED. 
 
 CHICAGO: 
 
 J. H. BEERS & CO. 
 
 1894. 
 
r 7 
 
 BARLOW-SINCL^IR PRINTING CO 
 CHICAQO. 
 
^I^BPAGE. 
 
 THE importance of placing in book form biographical history of representative 
 citizens — botli for its immediate worth and for its value to coming generations — 
 is admitted by all thinking people; and within the past decade there has been a 
 growing interest in this commendable means of perpetuating biography and 
 family genealogy. 
 
 That the public is entitled to the privileges aflorded by a work of this nature needs 
 no assertion at our hands; for one of our greatest Americans has said that the liistory 
 of any country resolves itself into the biographies of its stout, earnest and representative 
 citizens. This medium, then, serves more than a single purpose: while it perpetuates 
 biography and family genealogy, it records history, much of which would be preserved 
 in no other way. 
 
 In presenting the Commemorativk I'iograi'hical Record to its patrons, the pub- 
 lishers have to acknowledge, with gratitude, the encouragement and support their 
 enterprise has received, and the willing assistance rendered in enabling them to sur- 
 mount the many unforeseen obstacles to be met with in the production of a work of 
 this character. In nearly every instance the material composing the sketches was 
 gathered from those immediately interested, and then submitted in type-written form 
 for correction and revision. The volume, which is one of generous amplitude', is 
 placed in the hands of the public with the belief that it will be found a valuable addi- 
 tion to the library, as well as an invaluable contribution to the historical literature of 
 northern Ohio, fHB PUBLISHERS, 
 
^-</W>^ 
 
HUROI 
 
 OHIO. 
 
 JOHN GARDINER, 
 
 NORWALK, OHIO. 
 
 LOHN GARDINER was 
 born September 15, 
 1816, at Gardiner's 
 Point (formerly known 
 as " Millstone Point "), 
 New London Co., Conn., 
 where he spent his boy- 
 hood days. He is a de- 
 scendant of Sir Thomas 
 Gardiner, Knight, of the 
 county of Kent, England, 
 whose youngest son, Jos- 
 eph Gardiner, came to this 
 country with the early set- 
 tlers, and took up his resi- 
 dence in the colony of 
 Rhode Island. Sir Joseph 
 was born in the county of Kent, England, 
 A. D. 1601, and died in Kings county, 
 Rhode Island, in 1679, aged seventy-eight 
 years, leaving six sons and four daughters. 
 Beroni Gardiner, the oldest son of Jo- 
 seph, was born in Rhode Island, and died 
 in 1731, aged one hundred and four years, 
 leaving live sons, of whom William, the 
 eldest, was born in 1671 and died at the 
 homestead at Boston Neck, Rhode Island, 
 December 14, 1732, aged sixty-one years. 
 William Gardiner had seven children, of 
 whom John was the eldest. John was 
 
 born in 1696, and for his first wife married 
 a Miss Hill, and, for his second, a Miss 
 Taylor. By his first wife, Mary Hill, he 
 had two sons and one daughter. He died 
 July 6, 1770, aged seventy-four years. 
 His eldest son, Col. Thomas Gardiner, was 
 born in 1724, and married Martha Gard- 
 ner (different family), who was a daughter 
 of Henry Gardner, Esq.," of Block Island. 
 He died on Plum Island May 21, 1786, 
 and was buried there. His wife was born 
 July 20, 1731, and died at Millstone Point 
 February 21, 1793, at the home of her 
 son, Benajah Gardiner. Col. Thomas 
 Gardiner had six sons and one daughter, 
 of whom Benajah, the second son, was 
 born in Rhode Island March 8, 1754. 
 Benajah married, April 10, 1783, Miss 
 Charlotte Raymond, of Montville, Conn., 
 born October 14, 1762, a daughter of 
 Joshua Raymond, and who was a great- 
 granddaughter of Elias Hyde. 
 
 Benajah Gardiner, with his father. Col. 
 Thomas Gardiner, and his wife, moved 
 from Rhode Island to Plum Island, in the 
 eastern part of Long Island Sound, where 
 he remained a few years, and, after the 
 death of his father, removed in the year 
 1787, with his family, to Millstone Point. 
 Millstone Point, which is situated five 
 
8 
 
 iiURoy COUNTY, onio. 
 
 miles west of New London, Conn., is 
 washed by the waters of Loner Island Sound 
 on two sides and front, and steamers and 
 sailing vessels continnally pass each waj 
 to and from New York. '1 he farm pur- 
 chased hy Benajali Gardiner consisted of 
 about three hundred acres of good tillable 
 land, under a high state of cultivation, 
 and the point extending into the sound 
 contained very choice granite stone, and at 
 the time of the purchase was considered 
 almost worthless except as a sheep pasture, 
 but about the time of his deatii the quarry 
 was opened, and has now been worked for 
 over sixty years, and but little impression 
 has been made in the quantity of stone, 
 whicli may be said to bo almost inexhaus- 
 tible; the quarry affords a large annual 
 income to Henry (iardiner, the present 
 owner, who is a second cousin to the sub- 
 ject of this sketch, a gentleman of leisure, 
 an artist by profession, and the only male 
 descendant from the other branch of five 
 sons and four daughters of I'enajah Gardi- 
 ner, the original purchaser of the Gardiner 
 homestead in Connecticut. [The name of 
 "Millstone Point" was derived from the 
 fact that millstones were quarried there at 
 an early day from granite blocks, and 
 transported to other points for grinding 
 wheat, corn, etc., before the French Burr 
 stones came into use, the granite being of 
 superior quality for that purpose.] Ben- 
 ajah Gardiner, Esq., died at Millstone 
 Point June 10, 1S28, aged seventy-four 
 years, and his wife died at the same place 
 April 26, 1854, aged ninety-one years. 
 They had five sons and four daughters, of 
 whom Capt. Lebbeus W. Gardiner was the 
 oldest. Capt. T^ebbeus was born on Plum 
 Island April 30, 1785, and married, March 
 31, 1813, Eunice Latimer, a daughter of 
 Pickett Latimer, of New London, and who 
 died September 21, 1819, aged twenty- 
 seven years, leaving three children, viz.: 
 Charlotte E., borir February 20. 1814; 
 John, the subject of this sketch; and Julia 
 A., born July 28, 1819. Charlotte E. 
 Gardiner married October 13, 1837, at 
 
 Millstone Point, Jairus Kennan, Esq., an 
 attorney at law of Norwalk, Ohio, making 
 their residence in that city. Mr. Kennan 
 died June 16, 1872, aged fifty-nine years; 
 Charlotte E., his wife,^died May 13,'l888, 
 aged seventy-four years, and was buried in 
 Woodlawn cemetery beside her husband. 
 They had seven sons and two daughters. 
 Julia A. in 1849 married Henry L. 
 Kellogg, of Hartford, Conn., and died at 
 Newington Junction, near Hartford, Feb- 
 ruary 10, 1804, leaving one son, Henry L. 
 Kellogg, who is still living at said place. 
 
 On the death of their mother, in 1819, 
 the children of Capt. Lebbeus W. Gardi- 
 ner separated, John and Julia living with 
 their grandparents at Millstone Point, and 
 (Charlotte E. with her grandparents, the 
 Latimers, north of New London, the 
 father, Capt. L. W. Gardiner, following 
 the sea as captain of clipper schooners, 
 which he owned at difierent times, sailing 
 from New London to Baltimore, Wil- 
 mington, New Orleans and South Amer- 
 ica in the coastwise trade. He died at 
 Norwalk, March 9, 1862, aged seventy-six 
 years and ten months, and was buried in 
 Woodlawn cemetery. 
 
 As soon as Mr. Gardiner was old enouffh, 
 he attended a district school at Dnrfee 
 Hill, which was about a mile from his 
 home, across lots, and which was kept 
 about six months in the year, the teacher 
 boarding around with the families who 
 furnished the scholai-s. When not attend- 
 ing school he worked on the farm sum- 
 mers, going fishing occasionally with the 
 fishermen who lived in the vicinity and 
 made fishing their business for the sup- 
 port of their families. In 1831 Mr. 
 (iardiner went to school at Bacon Acad- 
 emy, in Colchester, Conn., where he re- 
 mained a year, making navigation his 
 principal study, with the intention of fol- 
 lowing the sea, as New London was at 
 that time prosperously engaged in the 
 whale fishery and West India trade, send- 
 ing a fleet of ships annually to the Pacific 
 Ocean for whale oil, and to the North Sea 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 9 
 
 for whale and seal. At. Bacon Academy 
 Mr. Gardiner forined the acquaintance of 
 M. R. Waite, afterward chief justice of the 
 United States; the Hon. John T. Waite, 
 afterward member of Congress from New 
 London; Hon. Lyman Trumbull, who was 
 afterward a United States senator from 
 Illinois, and Mr. Rogers, afterward com- 
 modore in the United States navy, and who 
 were then preparing for college. 
 
 Ill the fall of 1832 Mr. Gardiner was 
 persuaded bj his uncle, John M. Latiujer, 
 Esq., to visit Oiiio, which in the end 
 chancred his whole course of life. About 
 three thousand acres of land near Belle vue, 
 in Huron county, had been given by the 
 State of Connecticut to Pickett Latimer, 
 the grandfather, for losses sustained by 
 fire, when New London was burned by the 
 British during the Revolution, which 
 grant had already brought Pickett Latimer, 
 an uncle, to Huron county, where he was 
 engaged in mercantile pnrsuits at Nor- 
 walk. Leaving New London_ by steamer 
 early in December, 1832, before the days 
 of railroads, Mr. Gardiner journeyed west 
 to Albany, where he took stage as far as 
 Hamilton, N. Y., where he remained dur- 
 ing the winter, and attended school at 
 Hamilton Academy. In the early spring 
 of 1833 he left Utica by canal boat for the 
 West. Arriving at Buffalo the last days 
 of April, he embarked on the steamer 
 " Uncle Sara," the first boat to leave Buf- 
 falo that spring for Detroit and interme- 
 diate ports. At that time nearly the whole 
 south shore of Lake Erie was skirted 
 with primeval forests, and only occasional 
 glimpses of light were discernible in the 
 evening from the log cabins of the settlers 
 along the line of shore, while the city of 
 Cleveland contained only some two thou- 
 sand inhabitants, living mostly below the 
 public sqnare, and was without street im- 
 provements and sidewalks. Scrub oaks 
 were then growing on the present public 
 square, and Superior street was a sand 
 bod. On the first of May the steamer 
 arrived at the port of Huron, which was 
 
 then quite a shipping point, and a hack 
 driven by a man by the name of Sweat 
 carried Mr. Gardiner to the place of his 
 future home. Noi'walk at that, time con- 
 tained about four hundred inhabitants, but 
 not a person or animal was visible in the 
 streets on his arrival, and the village wa^ 
 entirely surrounded by forests, except 
 where the roads were cut through. Wild 
 deer frequently crossed the road at each 
 end of the village, and the county was 
 dotted over with the log cabins of the 
 early settlers, while the roads were almost 
 impassable during the winter and early 
 spring. 
 
 Mr. Gardiner immediately commenced 
 clerking in the store of P. & J. M. Lati- 
 mer (who were doing a large business in 
 general merchandise and produce, which 
 latter found a ready sale in Detroit to 
 supply the early settlers of Michigan), at 
 a salary of seventy-tive dollars a year and 
 board, which a young man of seventeen, at 
 the present day, would think a very small 
 compensation for his valuable services. 
 In the spring of 1834 Mr. Gardiner was 
 solicited to take a clerkship in the Bank of 
 Norwalk, an institution which had com- 
 m.enced business in 1833 with a special 
 charter from the State of Ohio, with the 
 Hon. Ebenezer Lane, president, who was 
 one of the supreme judges of the State, 
 and Martin Bentley, cashier. During the 
 summerof 1834 the cashier died very sud- 
 denly, leaving Mr. Gardiner, then hardly 
 eighteen years of age, in charge of the 
 bank for nearly two months, when George 
 Mygatt, Esq., was appointed to the va- 
 cancy. At this early day this was the only 
 bank in northwestern Ohio, and its busi- 
 ness extended south to Mount Vernon, 
 Mansfield, Marion and Bucyrus, west to 
 Fremont, Toledo, and Perrysburgh, and 
 north to Milan, Huron, and Sandusky, 
 bringing Mr. Gardiner in contact and 
 acquaintance with all the leading business 
 men of that region of the State, who then 
 came to Norwalk for their bank accommo- 
 dations. The bank went through success- 
 
10 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 fully the panic of 1837, and was one of the 
 
 tirst institutions of the kind in Ohio to re- 
 sume coin payments, after the failure of 
 tiie Government deposit banks, and the 
 Bank of the United States, and finally 
 closed up, paying back nearly all its capi- 
 tal stock to its original shareholders, and 
 selling its franchise to Burr Higgins and 
 liis associates. 
 
 In 1835 and 1886 emigration was push- 
 ing itself west by every leading road, and 
 long lines of emigrant wagons were daily 
 passing westward, the occupants in pur- 
 suit of new homes, and the western land 
 fever had seized upon nearly all classes of 
 citizens. Mr. Gardiner, not yet of age, 
 proceeded to the western counties of Ohio, 
 and the eastern counties of Indiana, on 
 horseback, over muddy roads and trails 
 through the forest, and purchased some 
 tracts of Government land. But as the 
 panic came upon the country in 1837, 
 sweeping all speculation before it, pros- 
 trating banks and business men, it took 
 over fifteen years for Mr. Gardiner to 
 close out his investment in land, and then 
 without much profit, after paying taxes 
 and interest. The whole western country 
 after the collapse of 1837 was land-poor. 
 Mr. Gardiner, having finally been ap- 
 pointed cashier of the bank, witii John R. 
 Finn, president, and the bank, owing to 
 adverse legislation, about closing its busi- 
 ness, resigned the office of cashier in Sep- 
 tember, 1840, and commenced the business 
 of merchandising at No. 1, Brick Block, 
 keeping a general stock of merchandise, 
 and dealing very largely in produce; so 
 much so that his combined business in 
 
 1844 had reached over one hundred thou- 
 sand dollars per annum. In the spring of 
 
 1845 Mr. Gardiner took into business with 
 him Kicliard I). Joslin, his brother-in-law, 
 and leaving hiin in charge of the business 
 went to New York, with the intention of 
 engaging in the wholesale dry-goods trade 
 the following January. But after spend- 
 ing the summer in the city with a dry- 
 goods firm, and not being satisfied with 
 
 the prospects of the trade, he returned to 
 Norwalk in November, and continued the 
 mercantile business with his partner until 
 the spring of 1847, when he disposed of 
 his interest to Mr. Joslin, and with some 
 friends established the Norwalk Branch of 
 the State Bank of Ohio, with a capital of 
 one hundred thousand dollars, afterward 
 increased to one hundred and twenty-five 
 thousand dollars. This bank commenced 
 business in May, 1847, with Mr. Gardiner 
 as cashier and manager, and for eighteen 
 years did a prosperous and successful 
 business, and notwithstanding large losses 
 consequent upon the panic of 1856, and 
 failure of the Ohio Life Insurance and 
 Trust Company, the bank's New York 
 agent and depository, and the general sus- 
 pension of the banks in the United States, 
 the bank closed up its business in 1865, 
 returning its capital to its shareholders, 
 after having paid in dividends over two 
 hundred and twenty-eight thousand dollars. 
 In March, 1865, Mr. Gardiner with some 
 other friends organized the Norwalk 
 National Bank, with a capital of one hun- 
 dred thousand dollars, which succeeded to 
 the business of the Norwalk Branch of the 
 State Bank, and has up to this period 
 (1893) done a successful business with 
 Mr. Gardiner, president, and Charles W. 
 Millen, cashier, having paid in dividends 
 two hundred and fifty-one thousand dollars, 
 and having over forty thousand dollars of 
 undivided profitson hand. Mr. Gardiner, 
 in 1847, was elected a member of the 
 board of control of the State Bank of Ohio, 
 that distinguished body consistino- of some 
 of the most prominent lawyers, bankers 
 and business men in the State, and contin- 
 ued a member thereof until 1865, when 
 the State Bank finally closed its business 
 and was superseded by tiie national banks. 
 While banking has been Mr. Gardiner's 
 principal occupation, and in which he has 
 lieen actively engaged for over half a cen- 
 tury, probably longer than any other man 
 now actively engaged in the" business in 
 the State, he has not omitted other enter- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 11 
 
 prises connected with the improvement 
 and development of the conntry. He 
 was one of the first to move in obtaining 
 the charter of the Toledo, Norwalk & 
 Cleveland Railroad Company, granted 
 by the Legislature in 1850, and was one 
 of the original incorporators of the com- 
 pany. After the road was constructed 
 and in operation, it was, in 1853, con- 
 solidated with the Junction Railroad 
 Company, forming the Cleveland & 
 Toledo Railroad Company, of which 
 company Mr. Gardiner was elected a 
 director in 1856, and president in No- 
 vember, 1860. At this latter date the 
 company was carrying a large floating 
 debt, and its securities were very much 
 depressed ; so much so that its stock was 
 selling at twenty cents on the dollar. But 
 under Mr. Gardiner's supervision, and con- 
 sequent upon the war and the large issue 
 of paper money by the Government, and 
 large increase of business, the floating 
 debt was paid off, dividends resumed, the 
 earnings of the company more than 
 doubled, and the stock advanced in the 
 market to one hundred and fifty cents on 
 the dollar. In 1865, the capital stock hav- 
 ing changed hands, Mr. Gardiner was su- 
 perseded in the presidency, though he 
 remained a director until the road was con- 
 solidated in 1869 with the Lake Shore & 
 Michigan Southern Railway Company. 
 The Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark Rail- 
 road was one of the first roads of which 
 construction was commenced in the State, 
 and was intended for the transfer of pas- 
 sengers and freight to and from the inte- 
 rior towns, in connection with the lake, and 
 struo'sjled through financial difficulties un- 
 til 1863, when Charles L. Boalt, Esq., was 
 elected president, and Mr. Gardiner one of 
 its directors. They proceeded to form a 
 line for traffic from Sandusky to Balti- 
 more and Washington by the Central Ohio 
 and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroads, 
 which arrangement met with such success 
 that they were enabled, in 1869, to lease 
 the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark Rail- 
 
 road to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad 
 Company, since which time it has done a 
 successful business as a part of the Balti- 
 more & Ohio line to the lake at Sandusky, 
 and to Chicago, in connection with its 
 Chicago division. On the death of C. L. 
 Boalt, Esq., in 1870, Mr. Gardiner was 
 elected president of the Sandusky, Mans- 
 field & Newark- Railroad Company, and 
 is still its president, having served in 
 that capacity for twenty-three years. Mr. 
 Gardiner, in 1863, was elected a di- 
 rector of the Columbus & Indianapolis 
 Railroad Company, which road was in- 
 tended, when completed, to form a line 
 between Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapo- 
 lis, Ind., and after being completed and 
 consolidating with various lines, finally 
 embraced about 600 miles of road under 
 the name of the Columbus, Chicago & In- 
 diana Central Railway Company. In the 
 winter of 1868 Mr. Gardiner and ex- 
 Governor William Dennison, with the 
 president, B. E. Smith, were appointed a 
 committee to negotiate a lease of the road 
 to the Pittsburg, Cincinnati & St. Louis 
 Railroad Company and the Pennsylvania 
 Railroad Company, which lease, after much 
 negotiating, was made on the 22d day of 
 January, 1869, and duly ratified by the 
 companies; though it was amended one 
 year after, it was continued until finally a 
 consolidation of the lines west of Pitts- 
 burgh was eflPected, and it is now operated 
 as one line. In Mr. Gardiner's railroad 
 connections he became acquainted with 
 most of the leading railroad magnates of 
 the day — including Commodore Vander- 
 bilt, of the New York Central; J. Edgar 
 Thompson and Thomas A. Scott, of the 
 Pennsylvania Central, and John W. Gar- 
 rett, of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad — 
 for many of whom he still entertains a 
 high appreciation for their energy and 
 great ability in managing the large enter- 
 prises committed to their charge. 
 
 In 1879 Mr. Gardiner purchased at 
 Sheriff's sale the XX Furnace property in 
 Perry county, Ohio, comprising about 
 
12 
 
 HUBOy COUN^TY, OHIO- 
 
 800 acres of coal land and a blast furnace, 
 and organized tlie Sliawnee 6z Sandusky 
 Coal and Iron Company, associating with 
 himself Mr. Francis Palms, of Detroit, 
 and A. II. and J. O. Moss, ot Sandusky. 
 Mr. Gardiner was president of the com- 
 pany. The Furnace commenced making 
 pig iron in tlie spring of 1880, but as iron 
 ruled low in price, and the business did 
 not prove as profitable as was anticipated, 
 in July, 1881, Mr. Gardiner sold the prop- 
 erty to a Boston syndicate at a good profit, 
 and closed up tlie concern. In 188(j Mr. 
 (iardiner erected in IS'orwalk tiie "Gardi- 
 ner Block," a building one hundred feet 
 scjuare, with a front of cut stone and 
 pressed brick, three stories higli, with four 
 stores on the ground Hoor, offices iti the 
 second story and a large Music Hall in 
 the third. The Music Hall is equipped 
 with a stage and fine scenery, is seated 
 with opera chairs, and is handsomely fres- 
 coed and fitted up as a place of amuse- 
 ment and recreation, more, as Mr. (irardi- 
 ner intended, for the gratification of the 
 people of Norwalk than for profit to him- 
 self. Mr. Gardiner's business enterprises 
 have generally been successful, particuhirly 
 when under his own personal management 
 and direction. By industry, integrity and 
 perseverance he has accumulated a hand- 
 some fortune, and is one of the largest 
 laud owners in Huron county, having four 
 farms under good cultivation and embrac- 
 ing about fourteen hundred acres of land. 
 Mr. Gardiner was married at Norwalk, 
 Ohio, on the 31st day of July, 1843, to 
 Miss Frances Mary .losliii, who was born 
 at Troy, N. Y., on the 13th day of Au- 
 gust, 1817. She was the daughter of Dr. 
 Benjamin A. and Frances C. (Davis) Jos- 
 lin, the latter of vvhoni was a daughter of 
 Richard Davis, Jr. Mary Geer, the 
 great-grandmother of Francis C. Davis, 
 was one of the settlers at "Wyoming, Penn., 
 and escaped from the massacre, July 3, 
 1776, by secreting herself and children in 
 the woods, while her house was burned 
 and her husband killed by savages; and 
 
 after the massacre she made her way 
 through the woods to Poughkeepsie, N. 
 Y. Four children were the offspring of 
 Mr. Gardiner's marriage, viz.: Edmund 
 G. Gardiner, born August 23, 18-4-1:; Jolin 
 Gardiner, Jr., born February 28, 1847; 
 Lucy Jane Gardiner, born June 4, 1848, 
 and died April 12, 1854, and William L. 
 Gardiner, born June 24, 1857. Of these 
 Edmund G. Gardiner married Miss Susie 
 J. Barnes, at Norwalk, June 13, 1872, and 
 has four children: Charles Barnes Gard- 
 iner, born December 26, 1874; Frances 
 Mary Gardiner, born October 27, 1879; 
 Annie Helene Gardiner, boru May 11, 
 1885, and Lucy Agnes Gardiner, born 
 September 17, 1886. John Gardiner, Jr., 
 married Miss Louise Woodward, of Belle- 
 vue, Huron Co., Ohio, October 3, 1877, 
 and has three children: Amos W. Gard- 
 iner, born at Bellevue September 12, 1879, 
 John Joslin Gardiner, born at Norwalk, 
 Ohio, September 12, 1881, and Douglas 
 Latimer Gardiner, born at Norwalk, De- 
 cember 28, 1887. William L. Gardiner 
 married Miss Sarah Alice Althouse in 
 New York, February 4, 1880, and has no 
 children living. The Gardiner mansion 
 on AVest Main street, in Norwalk, was 
 purchased by Mr. Gardiner in 1848, and 
 was occupied by his family March 20 of 
 that year. He has added to the buildings 
 from time to time, and increased the quan- 
 tity of land, until he now owns a farm of 
 160 acres, almost wholly within the cor- 
 porate limits of the city. 
 
 During nearly half a century that Mr. 
 Gardiner has occupied his home, a gener- 
 ous hospitality has always been extended 
 to his friends, and all made welcome by 
 his genial wife, and during this period 
 many distinguished statesmen have en- 
 joyed their hospitality, amongst whom he 
 mentions, with great pleasure, the Hon. 
 John Sherman, senator of the United 
 States from Ohio, and Secretary of the 
 Treasury during Mr. Hayes' acfministra- 
 tion; Hon. Salmon P. Chase, Governor of 
 Ohio, Secretary of the Treasury during 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 13 
 
 Mr. Lincoln's administration, and Chief 
 Justice of the United States; Hon. James 
 G. Blaine, M. C, United States senator, 
 and Secretary of State nnder President 
 Harrison; Hon. Rutherford B. Hayes, 
 Governor of Ohio, and President of the 
 United States; Hon. James A. GarHeld, 
 M. C, and President of the United States; 
 Hon. M. R. Waite, Chief Jnstice of tiie 
 United States; Hon. Charles Foster, Gov- 
 ernor of (Jhio, Member of Congress, and 
 Secretary of tlie Treasury under President 
 Harrison ; besides many other public men of 
 the Republican party, in whose successful 
 career and devotion to the interests of the 
 country Mr. Gardiner has always felt a 
 just pride. Politically, he was an original 
 Henry Clay Whig, but when the Whig 
 party merged into the Republican Mr. 
 Gardiner went with his party, has always 
 remained a Republican, and contributed 
 with his influence and means to its suc- 
 cess, but without ever seeking an office, or 
 soliciting the votes of his friends or party 
 for political preferment or position. He 
 was elected a trustee of the City Water 
 Works in 1870, and remained a trustee for 
 three years, during the construction of the 
 works, and contributed to their success by 
 advancing the city means until it could 
 dispose of its bonds on favorable terms. 
 Mr. Gardiner also served on the board of 
 education of the city some fourteen years, 
 during which time the schools reached a 
 high state of proficiency. For many years 
 Mr. Gardiner has been a vestryman in St. 
 Paul's Episcopal Church, of which his 
 wife has been a lifelong member, though 
 he has only belonged to the paying side, 
 and this church seems better adapted to 
 his liberal views of church matters than 
 any other denomination. 
 
 Self-reliance is one of the strong char- 
 acteristics of Mr. Gardiner, and in his 
 business enterprises he has always relied 
 upon his own judgment for results rather 
 than upon the opinion and advice of 
 others; and when his opinion has been 
 once formed, he is never afraid to express 
 
 it, without waiting for the views of others. 
 Mr. Gardiner has lived in Norwalk 
 sixty years, during which time he has ap- 
 plied liimself to business pursuits, without 
 wavering or faltering in his onward 
 course, or ever failing to discharge his pe- 
 cuniary obligations, and without a blemish 
 on his business character or integrity, and 
 during which time great changes have 
 taken place. The early pioneers of the 
 county, men of sterling integrity, with 
 nearly all of whom he was acquainted, 
 have gone to their long homes, having 
 stamped their principles of industry, in- 
 tegrity and perseverance upon their chil- 
 di-en and successors. The business and 
 leading men of that day are nearly all 
 dead, but have left behind pleasant recol- 
 lections of their honesty and fair dealing 
 in their business transactions. The log 
 cabins of the early settlers, in whose homes 
 all received a hearty welcome, have disap- 
 peared from the country, and good farm 
 houses have taken their places, occupied 
 by as thrifty and intelligent a class of peo- 
 ple as are to be found in any other section 
 of the United States. Mr. Gardiner grate- 
 fully remembers many acts of kindness of 
 these early settlers and friends, who oc- 
 cupied positions which enabled them to 
 assist him in his early business career, and 
 who were ever ready to lend him aid in 
 carrying forward his business enterprises, 
 and to whose generous support, friendship 
 and assistance he attributes much of his 
 ultimate success. 
 
 TIMOTHY R. STRONG, a leading 
 criminal lawyer of Norwalk, pos- 
 sesses a strong individuality which 
 has proved most effective in his pro- 
 fession. He was born April 7, 
 1817, in Cayuga county, N. Y., a son of 
 William and Lura Strong, and received his 
 education at a seminary in Onondaga 
 county and at Fredonia Academy, Chau- 
 tauqua county, same State. 
 
 After reading law for some time he was 
 admitted to the bar in 1843, and began a 
 
14 
 
 HURON COUXTY, OHIO. 
 
 general practice at Norwalk, Ohio. He 
 has conducted many extensive and difficult 
 cases of a civil nature, but is especially emi- 
 nent in criminal law. Possessing an in- 
 exhaustible fund of dry humor and keen 
 sarcasm, combined with a wonderful power 
 of moving his audience at will, to laughter 
 or tears, he is in great request as a pleader. 
 He is undeniably the shrewdest and most 
 vivacious lawyer of the Norwalk bar, hav- 
 ing won success by native acumen, inde- 
 fatigable application and characteristic 
 genius. 
 
 Mr. Strong was married April 3, 1845, 
 to Ann Eliza Smith, a native of Tompkins 
 county, N. Y., whose parents were born 
 and married in AlbaTiy, X. Y., and to this 
 union four children have been born as fol- 
 lows: William H., a railroad man; Clara, 
 wife of Dr. D. 1. McGuire, Alice, and 
 Charlotte. Mr. Strong in his political 
 predilections is a stanch Republican. 
 
 d JUDGE FREDERICK WICKHAM, 
 Norwalk, one of the editors and pro- 
 ) prietors of the Norwalk Befertor, 
 may be classed as one of the oldest 
 newspaper men in the State in active life, 
 and is to be found at his desk and at the 
 case daily. Ue was born in New York 
 City, March 11, 1812, a son of William 
 and Catharine (Christian) Wickham, of 
 English descent. 
 
 In the veins of the Wickham family is 
 mingled the blood of the Winthrops, 
 Wantons and Saltonstalls, some of the 
 illustrious of the New Englanders of Co- 
 lonial times. William Wickham, above 
 named, was the son of Thomas Wickham, 
 whose wife was Elizabeth Wanton. Will- 
 iam was born in Newport, R. I., in 1778, 
 and being of a race of adventurous sea- 
 men he was before the mast in 1796, at 
 the age of eighteen. In the year 1800 he 
 sailed from rhiladelphia as master of a 
 ship; at one time he was 0!i board a gov- 
 ernment vessel, and late in life he received 
 a land warrant for his services, which he 
 
 located on land in Kansas. At one time 
 he was a pro.^perous AVest India merchant, 
 of the firm of William & Thomas Wick- 
 ham, of New York, engaged in the India 
 trade, and gathered great wealth for those 
 days. Wlien the embargo was laid, they 
 had ships loaded with molasses, either in 
 Havana or on the way home, which were 
 seized, and ships and cargoes confiscated. 
 His fortune wrecked, he was persuaded to 
 go West, in the hope of retrieving a por- 
 tion of it. Gathering up the remnants, 
 with his family he went to western New 
 York, and stopped at Great Sodus, on Lake 
 Ontario, now in Wayne county, and which 
 was then the most promising point on the 
 southern shores of the lake. Soon after 
 he had settled there, in 1812, the war of 
 that year having broken out, the English 
 landed a force and burned his store and 
 residence, with all outbuildings. Again 
 everything he had in the world was de- 
 stroyed, and becoming advanced in life he 
 was left to his fate. To the shame of our 
 Government, that boasts the largest pen- 
 sion roll the world ever saw, it has persist- 
 ently refused to recompense this old-time 
 patriot. 
 
 William Wickham married Catharine, 
 daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth 
 (Hodgkinson) Christian. Her ancestors 
 were from Scotland, the name being oricr- 
 inally Erskine, changed to Hodgkinson, 
 and of this family was the Earl of Mar. 
 William and Catharine "Wickham had 
 seven children: Elizabeth (Mrs. Alden S. 
 Baker), John, William, Thomas, Samuel 
 Christian, Frederick (subject) and Samuel. 
 
 The Wanton family are pretty well 
 written of in Dean's " History of Scituate," 
 published in 1881. Further particulars 
 are gained from a manuscript book in the 
 possession of Judge Wickham, which was 
 examined by the writer. Edward Wanton, 
 gentleman, as the records show, was in 
 Boston in 1G58, having come from 
 London, where, so tradition informs us, 
 his father died of injuries received at the 
 great London fire. Edward Wanton be- 
 
/X A/. 
 
 /o^Vt^-<-^ 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 17 
 
 came an officer in Massachusetts, and had 
 to witness the execution of tlie Quakers in 
 1661, and tlie horrors of the persecutions 
 made a Qna]<er of him. Of the sons of 
 Edward Wanton were William and John. 
 William Wanton married Ruth Brj'ant; 
 became a distinguished soldier, and was 
 elected governor of Rhode Island in 1732, 
 re-elected in 1733, and died at the end of 
 his term of office. His successor in the 
 gnbernatorial chair was his brother, John, 
 elected in 1734, and re-elected six times. 
 In 1769, Joseph Wanton, son of William, 
 was elected governor; he was re-elected 
 seven times. Governor Joseph Wanton 
 married Mary, daughter of Gov. John 
 Winthrop. His daughter, Anne, married 
 Winthrop Saltonstall; his daughter Eliza- 
 beth married Thomas Wickham. Another 
 daughter married William Browne, gov- 
 ernor of the Bermudas. This is a record 
 for a family furnishing governors, and 
 their frequent elections, that is unparalleled 
 in our history. 
 
 Frederick Wickham, when a boy, pur- 
 sued a variety of occupations, clerking in 
 stores and working on a farm in Wayne 
 county, N. Y., whither his parents moved 
 from New York City. At the age of 
 twenty-one he associated himself with a 
 brother who. had a stock of goods in a store 
 in New York, and came to Ohio, locating 
 in Norwalk, Huron county. Here they 
 opened out a commercial business, and 
 about a year afterward Frederick went on 
 the lakes in the capacity of second mate 
 from which he was soon promoted to mas- 
 ter, the brother taking charge of the busi- 
 ness during his absence. Meanwhile our 
 subject was married, January 15, 1835, to 
 Miss Lucy Bancroft Preston, a native of 
 ISashua, N. H., born March 27, 1814. 
 She is a daughter of Samuel Preston, one 
 of the originators and proprietors of the 
 Huron, Refl.ector, published at Norwalk; 
 and lie concluded, being so prevailed on 
 by his young wife, to abandon his roving 
 sort of life on the lakes, and settle down 
 to one of comparative domesticity. About 
 
 the winter of 1840-41 Mr. Wickham en- 
 tered the office of the Reflector, then 
 owned by Samuel and Charles A. Preston, 
 his father-in-law and brother-in-law, re- 
 spectively, and here he has ever since re- 
 mained, rising step by step from "devil" 
 to editor and proprietor, having on the 
 death of his father-in-law in 1852 bought 
 the establishment. The style of the paper 
 has been changed to Norwall' Reflector, 
 and in recent years a regular daily issue 
 has been published from the office, entitled 
 Norwalk Daily Reflector. The judge 
 now (as he has for years) sits at his 
 case, and, without any previous writing 
 or preparation, sets up from a column 
 to a column and a half of editorial 
 matter for his paper, a feat which but few 
 men are capable of performing, and a most 
 remarkable one for a person who has 
 reached and j^assed the advanced age of 
 four score years. His brain is as active 
 as it ever has been, and his physical con- 
 dition as strong and vigorous as with most 
 men at sixty. During all these years of 
 his useful life in Norwalk, Judge Wick- 
 ham has been universally honored and re- 
 spected. All his life he has been an 
 indefatigable worker, both in his business 
 and in the political arena, and in all his 
 dealings with his fellow-men he has main- 
 tained the strictest integrity, and has been 
 the soul of honor. 
 
 As a Whig and Republican the Judge 
 has been a leader and a worker in his own 
 party, no one having done more hard and 
 constant lal)or for the success of his party 
 principles than he. During his residence 
 in Norwalk he has held with characteristic 
 care and ability several public positions of 
 trust and honor. He was first elected 
 town constable of Norwalk and village re- 
 corder; served as deputy sheriff of the 
 county two terms; was appointed associate 
 judge of the common pleas court, and 
 served to the entire satisfaction of the peo- 
 ple. In the latter years of the Civil war 
 he represented iiis District in the Ohio 
 Senate A few years ago, after he was 
 
18 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 seventy years of age, lie was elected mayor 
 of Nor walk, and made so good an officer 
 that lie had to jjereniptorily decline a re- 
 noiiiiriatioii. 
 
 Judge and Mrs. Wickham have had 
 thirteen children, forty grandchildren, and 
 nine great-grandchildren, all living but 
 six who (lied in their infancy. Their 
 twelve living; children are as follows: 
 Charles Preston Wickham, e.x-judge of 
 the common pleas court and ex-Congress- 
 man; Katherine (widow of Thomas Chris- 
 tian); AV. S. Wickham; Frederick C. and 
 John T., twins (the latter deceased); Mary 
 E. (wife of Lieut. -Col. E. K. Kellogg, of 
 IT. S. A.); Sarah L.; Lucy P. (Mrs. A. J. 
 Minard); Albert W. ; Carrie (Mrs. James 
 G. Gil)l)s); Emma W. Peters; Jessie (Mrs. 
 C. L. Merry), and Frank 1). Wickham. 
 The family is the largest and one of the 
 oldest in the city. Mrs. Frederick Wick- 
 ham. beloved, honored and respected, has 
 lived in Xorwalk seventy-two years; and, 
 from a wilderness inhabited and trodden 
 by savages and but a few white men, has 
 seen tlie place grow into a handsome and 
 thriving city of nearly ten thousand souls. 
 
 jri( LONZO L. SIMMONS, one of the 
 Lj^ wealthiest as well as one of the 
 Ir\^ most highly respected citizens of 
 ■^J Fairfield township, is a great-grand- 
 
 stin of. Edward Simmons, who was 
 a miller in Uehoboth, Bristol Co., Mass. 
 He was a soldier in tlie Revolutionary 
 war, serving as captain in the Continental 
 line of Massachusetts until the linal vic- 
 tory at Yorktown insnred both peace and 
 liberty to the Colonists. Eetnrning with 
 the honors of a veteran, he found that the 
 enemy had destroyed his mill and home; 
 but unmindful of the financial loss, he 
 again went bravely to work, and reared his 
 family in comfort. Of his children, Ed- 
 ward settled in New. Hampshire and be- 
 came a Judge; Noble was a blacksmith 
 and settled in New York State, where he 
 
 died; Eliphalet B. is referred to below; 
 William died in Massachusetts. 
 
 Elifihalet B.Simmons was born in 1773 
 in Bristol county, Mass., and passed his 
 youth and early manhood there. In 1804 
 he moved to Delaware county, N. Y., 
 where for thirteen years he carried on the 
 lumber business with quite a degree of 
 success. Durincr his residence here be 
 married Esther, daughter of Capt. Charles 
 Brown, of New London, Conn. In 1817 
 he started for the " Firelands " of Ohio, 
 making the journey to Huron county by 
 wagon, and arriving July 12. He pur- 
 chased land in the second section of Green- 
 field township, and took up his residence 
 on Lot No. 22, where his grandson, John 
 N. Simmons, now resides, and became a 
 pioneer in the wilderness. He vvas a man 
 of great industry, coupled with honesty of 
 purpose, and good practical judgment, and 
 eventually acquired a large pi'operty. His 
 selections of real estate made in that early 
 (lay in Greenfield and Fairfield townships 
 have stood the tests of time, and stand ap- 
 proved as the best individual farms to this 
 day. He was twice married, and had a 
 family of four children, viz.: Harlon E., 
 Charles B., Albert and Washington L. 
 Eliphalet B. Simmons died at his home in 
 Greenfield January 26, 1836, in the sixty- 
 third year of his age. In politics he was 
 a Democrat, and took an active interest in 
 party matters. In religion he was a Bap- 
 tist. Of his children two are still living, 
 viz.: Charles B., at North Fairfield, Ohio, 
 and Washington L., a resident of Kansas. 
 
 Harlon E., son of Eliphalet B. Simmons, 
 was born December 14, 1798, in Eeho- 
 both, Bristol Co., Mass. His youth was 
 passed there, and like most boys of that 
 period his time was divided between school 
 and farm; for youths then were treated 
 mostly to one-third school and two-thirds 
 farm. At the age of twenty-one years he 
 determined to make a home for himself in 
 the then far-away West, and as his father 
 and the balance of the family had miorated 
 to the "Firelands" in Ohio some two 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 19 
 
 years previous, that locality at once became 
 his objective point. Thus in October, 
 1819, with the accmnnlations of eight 
 years work by the month, one horse and an 
 open wagon, he started from Massachusetts 
 alone to make the journey, arriving at his 
 father's residence in Greenfield township 
 in December following, thus making the 
 trip in about six weeks. He purchased 
 land adjacent to his father's home, and 
 located on Lot No. 21, and in time added 
 Lots Nos. 17 and 20, and parts of Lots 
 Nos. 16 and 28 to the home farm. In 
 1827 he returned to Massachusetts, and on 
 July 17 was united in marriage with Ann 
 Ide, daughter of Joseph Ide, of Attleboro, 
 Bristol county, and she accompanied him 
 to their new home in Ohio. To this nnion 
 si.x children were born, viz.: Kufus A., 
 Abby N., L. Curtis, Alonzo L., Emily and 
 Ann, of whom Rufus A., Emily and Ann 
 are deceased; Abby N., now wife of G. T. 
 Stewart, resides at Norwalk, Ohio; L. Cur- 
 tis, at Hastings, Minn.; Alonzo L., at 
 North Fairfield, Ohio. Mr. Simmons 
 came to the " Firelands " as a pioneer, and 
 brought, as did many of those early 
 settlers, sterling qualities, and with the 
 helpfulness of wife and family a beautiful 
 home was developed on what was in 1819 
 a wilderness, in which he lived about fifty- 
 five years, and where he died March 21, 
 1875, aged seventy-seven years. Had his 
 life been spai-ed a few months he would 
 have reached the forty-eighth mile post in 
 wedded life. He was universally esteemed 
 for his integrity of character, and virt.nes, 
 in all the relations of life. In business he 
 was successful, and as his children settled 
 in life he was able to present each with a 
 purse of four thousand five hundred dollars 
 without encumbering the home. We are 
 told that the first singing school, as well 
 as choir, in the township, was organized 
 under his leadership, and in after years the 
 home life was full of music, containing as 
 it did a quartet of both instrumental and 
 vocal (members of the family), and led by 
 him. From the discourse of Doctor H. 
 
 L. Canfield at his funeral we quote the fol- 
 lowing appropriate tribute to liis memory: 
 " For more than fifty-five years he lived 
 in this township, and you who have known 
 him best know how much his strong arm 
 and tireless industry have done toward the 
 removal of the primitive forests, and the 
 development of the material prosperity of 
 this region. But never in his devotion to 
 material things did he forget the higher 
 interests of life. Whatever tended to pro- 
 mote moral or intellectual culture, or 
 social reform, found in him a warm friend 
 and ready helper. He was always to be 
 found on the side of whatsoever things 
 were true and honest; whatsoever things 
 were ju.%t and pure; whatsoever things 
 were lovely and of good report. Well may 
 the thread of such a life run evenly, and 
 hope be its constant inspiration." In poli- 
 tics Mr. Simmons was in early life a Jack- 
 sonian Democrat, but in 1856 swung into 
 the Republican ranks, and kept pace with 
 its progressive movements. 
 
 The companion that had left her New 
 England home and friends sotne fifty years 
 before, and added her efforts to his in 
 building this earthly home, survived bin: 
 a little over two years, and on May 30, 
 1877, she, as we trust, again joined him 
 and the multitudes that have gone before, 
 to agttin add her efforts to theirs in the 
 work beyond. As regards religious views 
 we may as well speak in the plural, as their 
 hopes were practically the same. They 
 cherished the broader views, ever believ- 
 ing that to be a Christian was to become 
 Christ-like. That a true religion is always 
 a practical religion, and shows itself in all 
 that its possessor does. 
 
 Alonzo L. Simmons, youngest son of 
 Harlon E. and Ann I. Simmons, was born 
 in Greenfield township, December 6. 1835, 
 and like most boys of his time, whose 
 lives as men have been helpful in the 
 community in which they have lived; 
 helpful in creating higher public senti- 
 ment; helpful that they have made the 
 community in which they have lived the 
 
20 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 better for their having lived, his youth 
 like theirs was passed on the farm, guided 
 by good parental care, with plenty of work 
 to teacli the important lessons of care tak- 
 ing in early life, relieved in winter by a 
 term at the district school. Thus the 
 routine went on, varied by one term in 
 graded school at North Fairfield, and one 
 at the hii;h school at Xorwalk. In 1854 
 he changed from attendant to teacher, and 
 the new order continued some seven 
 winters, first in the district and later in 
 the graded schools. In the sprino; of 1855 
 his father placed him in charge of an out- 
 lying farm of KiU acres, which position he 
 filled until the spring of 1859. when, by 
 request of his parents, he returned to the 
 home farm, and bought 200 acres of the 
 same, receiving a receipt for four thousand 
 five hundred dollars in part payment. The 
 house on the home farm was destroyed by 
 fire in March, 1858, and no permanent 
 one rebuilt until the summer of 1861, 
 when a larrfe double brick residence was 
 constructed by the joint efforts of his par- 
 ents and himself. 
 
 On April 24, 1862, Mr. Simmons was 
 united in marriage with Elizabeth M., 
 daughter of John E. and Lydia F. Meiiges, 
 then residents of Greenfield, and in due 
 time the double residence had double occu- 
 pants; and thus the two families dwelt 
 peacefully side by side until the lieaper 
 came in 1875 and called the father home. 
 
 In 1871 Mr. Simmons bought an inter- 
 est in the Phoenix mill, became interested 
 in that business, and still retains his inter- 
 est in it. After the father's death he 
 bought his mother's and two brothers' 
 interests in the old home, and at that 
 time, without doubt, expected to pass the 
 balance of his life there, amidst its familiar 
 scenes. But in the spring of 1883, begin- 
 ning to realize that so large a farm home 
 must in time become burdensome to him- 
 self as well as Mrs. Simmons (they two 
 comprising his family), and having au 
 available opportunity to sell the home, 
 wisely as it would seem, did so, and re- 
 
 purchased another equally pleasant, though 
 smaller, near the village of North Fair- 
 field, where they now reside. Mr. Sim- 
 tnons was one of the incorporators of the 
 JSIorwalk Savings Bank, and is a stock- 
 holder and member of its board of direct- 
 ors. His life work, however, has been 
 that of a practical farmer, one who has 
 found pleasure in the performance of his 
 labor, and in leading a wholesome, inde- 
 pendent life. Ever holding to the theory 
 that whatsoever is worth doing at all is 
 worth doing well, he has aimed to put its 
 principle into practical effect, and in a 
 broad sense has carried out this principle; 
 and as a result, success, not only in ma- 
 terial things but in the higher walks of 
 life as well, has crowned his efforts. Suc- 
 cess comes to no one by the mere revolu- 
 tion of the wheel of fortune; to be obtained 
 it must be coveted, striven for, and won. 
 None may wear her laurels save those who 
 have a strong earnest desire. But desire 
 alone will never win; an aim that is high 
 and honorable, a will and purpose that are 
 unbending, an uncompromising integrity 
 with untiring industry and economy — • 
 these with other characteristics must unite 
 with desire to win the trophies of success. 
 Mr. Simmons is regarded as one of the 
 substantially worthy men of his section, 
 kind to all, generous to those in need, and 
 honorable in all things; a man of strong 
 convictions of right and wrong, and fear- 
 less to speak or act his convictions when 
 duty requires. In politics he is a Re- 
 publican, coming upon the stage of action 
 as he did when bleeding Kansas was the 
 bone of contention between the then two 
 leading parties, he cast his lot in the ranks 
 of that party, and has ever been loyal to 
 its principles. 
 
 Any account of Mr. Simmons' life to 
 those who have known him so long and 
 heard him so oft, would be incomplete, if 
 its musical features were omitted. Like 
 the father, his home life has always found 
 relief from its routine of duties in litera- 
 ture and music, and for upwards of forty 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 21 
 
 years his voice has been heard in song at 
 the majority of the social, festival, 
 church and funeral gatherings in his 
 locality. 
 
 / 
 
 CHARLES B. STICKNEY was born 
 at Moira, Franklin Co., N. Y., Jan- 
 uary 20, 1810, the eldest of twelve 
 children — six sons and six daughters 
 — of Charles and Betsey Stickney. 
 
 Cant. Charles Stickney, father of sub- 
 ■ject, was born at Cornwall, Addison Co., 
 Vt., May 17, 1785, and his mother, whose 
 maiden name was Pierce, at JStew Salem, 
 Franklin Co., Mass., April 11, 1790. 
 They were married in the town of Dickin- 
 son, Franklin Co., N. Y., April 11, 1809. 
 Both are noAv dead. They were of English 
 descent. His father's earliest ancestor in 
 America was William Stickney, who 
 came to this country in 1637 from Hull, 
 Yorkshire, England, and settled with his 
 family at Rowley, Mass. From him it is 
 believed that all bearing the name of 
 Stickney in America are descended. 
 
 Mr. Stickney's early years were required 
 by his father on his farm, where he re- 
 mained until his twenty-lirst year, en- 
 gaged in hard work, and receiving only a 
 district-school education, when he was 
 given his time, live dollars and fifty cents 
 in money, and the blessing of his kind 
 parents with which he started forth to 
 seek his fortune. He entered the academy 
 at Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., then 
 in charge of Rev. Asa Brainard, and here 
 he remained nearly four years, supporting 
 himself in the meantime by teaching 
 school winters. 
 
 His health having become impaired from 
 close application, he reluctantly left the 
 academy and came to Ohio. He reached 
 Ashtabula county, where he was taken 
 sick at the house of his maternal uncle, 
 Jesse Pierce, in the town of Saybrook, his 
 sickness continuing for nearly six months. 
 Recovering his health somewhat, he 
 adopted the teaching of penmanship as a 
 
 means of livelihood, and taught in differ- 
 ent places in western Pennsylvania, Vir- 
 ginia, and southern Ohio. On his arriving 
 at Wheeling, AV. Va., in 1835, Judge 
 Stickney was by its directors elected 
 principal of an academy there, conducted 
 on the Pestolozian system of education, 
 which he managed with credit to himself, 
 and to the approval of its patrons for 
 about two years. 
 
 In 1841 he visited his brother, Hon. E. 
 T. Stickney, at Scipio, Seneca Co., Ohio, 
 and meeting with a former fellow-student 
 of Potsdam Academy, the late Jairus 
 Kennan, Esq., who was then practicing 
 law at Norwalk, he was induced to enter 
 his othce, and commence the study of law. 
 He arrived at Norwalk November 13, 
 1841, and pursued his studies with Mr. 
 Kennan; was admitted to the bar August 
 1, 1844, and subsequently to practice in 
 the Federal courts, at Cleveland, April 12, 
 1860. During his term of study he was 
 associated with the late Ezra M. Stone in 
 the preparation of a large number of 
 cases in bankruptcy, under the then exist- 
 ing bankrupt law of the United States. 
 After he commenced practice he was sev- 
 eral times a candidate for prosecuting 
 attorney, always running ahead of his 
 ticket, but not being able to overcome the 
 party odds against him. The new consti- 
 tution of Ohio created the Court of Pro- 
 bate, and upon its going into operation, 
 in 1851, Mr. Stickney was nominated on 
 the Democratic ticket for the new office of 
 judge of said court, and was elected over 
 his competitor, Hon. F. Wickhatn, by 
 thirty-one majority, having run ahead of 
 his ticket about five hundred votes. He 
 performed the duties of his office faith- 
 fully and satisfactorily to all for the term 
 of three years, and was again nominated 
 in 1854. The newly-formed Republican 
 and Know-Nothing parties swept the field, 
 the general majority of the party in 
 Huron county being about sixteen hun- 
 dred, but the majority for his competitor, 
 Hon. F. Sears, was cut down to about 
 
22 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 eight hundred. Mr. Stickney has served 
 several terms as a member of the common 
 council, and in April, 1874, was elected 
 mayor of Norvvalk, in which office he 
 served two years, being an acceptable and 
 popular officer, lie was for several years 
 school examiner for Huron county, and a 
 member of the board of education of the 
 Union school for four years, during wliich 
 time he was clerk of the board, lie has 
 at all times taken a deep interest in edu- 
 cational matters. lie is also a member of 
 the Whittlesey Academy of Arts and 
 Sciences, of which he has been president. 
 
 On Aj)ril 30. 1845, he became a mem- 
 ber, by initiation, of Huron Lodge Xo. 
 37, I. O. (). F., and has been a prominent 
 and respected member of the Order, hold- 
 ing man}' of its important offices. On 
 February 20, 1856, he was elected most 
 worthy grand master of the Grand Lodge 
 of (Jliio, serving one term with distin- 
 guished ability. For his faithful and 
 efficient services in this office he received 
 from the (irand Lodge its beautiful and 
 costly medal. 
 
 In 1858 Judge Stickney was apjjointed 
 assistant adjutant-general, with the rank of 
 Lieutenant-colonel, on the staff of Maj.- 
 Gen. James A. Jones, Seventeenth Divi- 
 sion Ohio Volunteer Militia, and was com- 
 missioned by Gov. Chase. He also acted 
 as Inspector-general of Division. On 
 coming to Norwalk he became a boarder 
 at the "Mansion House,"' then kept by 
 Obadiah Jenney, Esq., and, to the surprise 
 of all, has remained unmarried, and a 
 constant boarder at public hotels there 
 now over fifty- two years. Though not a 
 communicant, the Judire has long been an 
 attendant at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 
 Norwalk, and has served several years as 
 vestryman and clerk of the vestry, jet 
 cl)arital)le and liberal in his reliirious 
 views toward all church organizations. 
 
 Judge Stickney has always had an ex- 
 tensive law practice, and been especially 
 successful as a collection lawyer, and, in 
 the settlement of estates and matters of 
 
 guardianship, he has been, through his 
 professional life, regarded as an upright 
 man. He is a gentleman of taste and 
 culture, kind and benevolent, esteemed by 
 all who know him, and is an eminently 
 popular member of society. He is now 
 one of the oldest residents of Norwalk. 
 His name is a household oracle here. He 
 is perhaps the only living man in northern 
 Ohio who has shaken hands with Daniel 
 Webster. Henry Clay and Andrew Jack- 
 son. He is as already stated still a bache- 
 lor, and in spite of liis age feels young. 
 Of him the Norwalk Reflednr of March 
 2, 1892, said: " What an interesting tale 
 could be written of Judge Stickney's social 
 life in this city. His name and face are 
 indelibly and pleasantly connected with all 
 our homes where sociability and good 
 cheer abound. The genial Judge is a 
 necessary part of all the social gatherings 
 in our city, and he is as young and frisky 
 as ever. Long live the Judge!" 
 
 LIVER RANSOM was born at 
 Lyme, Conn., November 3, 1800, 
 or near the close of the eighteenth 
 centuiy. He grew to manhood in 
 his native place, and at the age of nineteen 
 wedded Rachel Hollister, who was fifteen 
 years of age at the time. They commenced 
 housekeeping at Bolton, Conn., the bride's 
 home, and here two of their children were 
 born. 
 
 In 1822 the still youthful couple pio- 
 neered westward, and li.xed their wilderness 
 home at Warrensville, Ohio, a little east 
 of Cleveland. They made the trip in a 
 lumber-wagon with o.xen, and were forty 
 days on the lonesome way, bivouacking 
 after their arrival until he could build 
 their little pole cabin. Here the last seven 
 of their children were born. AVhen their 
 labors had opened a fine farm of 400 acres, 
 the American spirit that ever has carried 
 the star of empire westward induced them 
 to sell, and go to Elkhart, Ind., where they 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 23 
 
 made investments that would have soon 
 made them wealthy. Mr. Kansom's health, 
 however, became so seriously impaired, 
 that they felt it imperative to sell at a 
 sacrifice and return ; and they purchased a 
 farm near Berlin Heights, in Erie county. 
 Except the three years in Indiana, Mr. 
 and Mrs. Ransom lived on their farm at 
 Warrensville thirty-two years, and at Ber- 
 lin Heights twenty-one years. In the year 
 1877, both feeliuii that their business af- 
 fairs were such they could well afford to 
 retire from the peaceful pursuits of agri- 
 cultural life, they came to Xorwalk and 
 purchased their pleasant residence on 
 Whittlesey avenue, which has since been 
 the family home. They parted with the 
 title of their fine farm of 400 acres in Ber- 
 lin Heights, one of the best improved in 
 the county. Mr. Ransom had then reached 
 the age of seventy-seven, while Mrs. Ran- 
 som was seventy-three; neither one in the 
 "sere and yellow leaf," but rather in the 
 serene afternoon of their days, when was 
 numbered fifty-eight years of their mar- 
 ried life, both I)lessing and beina; blessed. 
 This family brought to Norwalk the frank 
 and sincere friendship of a host of friends; 
 and not only found in their new place of 
 residence a comfortable home, but drew 
 new friends, new circles of pleasant asso- 
 ciations, and new ties of life such as only 
 reward the broad and generous natures of 
 those who make this world both good and 
 wholesome. Mr. Ransom departed this 
 life March 3, 1891, at the unusual acre of 
 nearly ninety-one years; which year was 
 the seventy-second mile post of their mar- 
 ried life. Suppose the youthful couple, 
 when they plighted their lives on the mar- 
 I'iage altar, had been permitted a perspec- 
 tive view of the seventy-two years that at 
 that moment was opening before them! A 
 span of life so rich in the world's history, 
 so infinitely richer in the unwritten joys 
 of "two souls with but a single thought, 
 two hearts that beat as one!" The vener- 
 able husband and father was followed to 
 the grave by the love of family and friends, 
 
 as well as the highest respect from all in 
 the community. A man of long life and 
 strong character; whose death at the ripe 
 age of nearly a century came to all in the 
 community much as a personal loss. 
 
 The brave little gii-1 who at fifteen had 
 stood at the boy-husband's side and 
 plighted her love and her life, never fal- 
 tered, never in the hour of severest pioneer 
 life knew a twinge of doubt or despair, l)ut 
 was the real heroine, comforting, encour- 
 aging, sustaining, with a faith and work 
 sublime, both husband and children. The 
 accounts of pioneer life, of the days that 
 tried men's souls, are brightened and hal- 
 lowed by the far more tragic and sublime 
 stories of the true, brave and loyal wives 
 and mothers, whose unfalterincr courao-e 
 were the shield and anchor of the physi- 
 cally stronger men. 
 
 Rachel (HoUister) Ransom was born in 
 Bolton, Conn., November 14, 1804; mar- 
 ried September 13, 1819; died December 
 9, 1893; in faith a Methodist, and all her 
 life an exemplary professor thereof. Up 
 to about the time of her death her mind 
 was unimpaired, her memory as clear and 
 quick as if yet below the half-century mark 
 of life. She had a family of ten children, 
 of whom nine grew to maturity, as follows: 
 Lucina (Mrs. Asa Dunham) had two chil- 
 dren, Ludd and Lloyd; Lovisa (Mrs. Hervy 
 N. Addison), of Michigan, had six children, 
 Rachel, William, Isola, Nina, Bertha and 
 Mary; Cornelia (Mrs. John Perkins) has 
 three sons, Floyd, George and Earl; 
 Weltha first married Andrew Taylor, and 
 by him had one child, Marion, and after- 
 ward married Erastus Ives, by whom she 
 had one child, Maud; Philura (Mrs. Will- 
 iam Gleason) had five children, William, 
 Mary, Nora, Anna and Eddie; Mary (Mrs. 
 Charles Lane) bad two sons, Gerdon and 
 Morrill; Gerdon married Anna Jenkins, 
 and had six children, Sarah, Emma, Elgie, 
 Ella, Lucy and Myrtie; Sylvester (deceased) 
 married Clarissa Allen, and left no chil- 
 dren; Miss Eunice A. is unmarried. 
 
 Miss Eunice A. Ransom, the youngest 
 
24 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 child, was compelled to take much of the 
 burdens of financial affairs from her father's 
 shoulders for ten years preceding his death, 
 and in tliis respect she became the head of 
 the house. She was the companion and 
 aid to her father from her early girlhood 
 times, and through thus growing into 
 strong healthy business ideas she was soon 
 able to relieve him of all cares. Her 
 father must have detected the bent of the 
 girl'.* talents, and he gave her the com- 
 panionship and fatherly training which he 
 hoped would some day fit her to take up 
 his work; and he lived to see his fondest 
 hopes in this respect fully realized. 
 
 IfffON. GIDEON TABOR STE'PT- 
 r5^ ART. The law gives us one of 
 I !_ the learned professions, and in 
 •^ many respects it is calculated to 
 
 best equip the young man for dis- 
 tinction in social, business and public life. 
 Lawyer Stewart may be named as "the 
 father"' of the Huron county bar. He 
 takes this place by virtue of his age and 
 his long and successful practice liere, as 
 well as by his intimate knowledge of the 
 subtleties of the law. These are not the 
 mere idle words of a panegyrist, but they 
 are verified by the general judgment of 
 his cotemporaries; a man holding an en- 
 viable place among the distinguished 
 members of the bar of northern Ohio. 
 During the last twenty five years he has 
 been employed in more cases from the 
 "Firelands," in the District, Circuit and 
 Supreme courts, than any other lawyer. 
 Some who studied law in his office have 
 become eminent in the profession. Hon. 
 S. W. Owen, who was judge of the Su- 
 preme court, studied law with Mr. Stew- 
 art. To excel, even in the ordinary vo- 
 cations of life, is a proud distinction, but 
 in the abstruse mazes of the law it marks 
 a mental equipment of rarest excellence. 
 Thoroughly grounded in the fundamentals 
 of the law, he tries every case before he 
 enters the court-room, and this careful 
 
 preparation is backed by a tenacity of pur- 
 pose that will brook no hint of ultimate 
 defeat. In many positions of life rare 
 genius may carry all before it, but pre- 
 eminence at the bar must add to even un- 
 usual gifts, those patient tasks of "the 
 slave of the lamp," which bring the " pale 
 cast of thought" to the devotee. 
 
 The paternal ancestors of Mr. Stewart 
 came from the North of Ireland, origin- 
 ally from Scotland. On both sides his 
 people were of the cultured classes. His 
 paternal grandmother was a noted educator 
 and scholar of her day, having taught the 
 first school in Schenectady, N. Y., and 
 founded the first academy of that place, a 
 famed school, that was in time succeeded 
 by Union College. His mother was a 
 daughter of the eminent divine, Rev. 
 Nicholas Hill, Sr., who was father of the 
 distinguished lawyer, Nicholas Hill, Jr., 
 of Albany, head of the eminent law firm 
 of Hill, Cagger & Porter, and who at his 
 death, which occurred just before the 
 Civil war, was pronounce'd by the New 
 York World " the greatest lawyer of 
 America." Another of his mother's 
 brothers, John L. Hill, is a leading law- 
 yer of New York, and was a prominent 
 counsel in the famed Beecher-Tilton trial. 
 His brother James F. Stewart, one of the 
 oldest and most esteemed members of the 
 San Francisco, Cal., bar, died on Novem- 
 ber 17, 1893. His eldest brother, Merwin 
 Hill Stewart, graduated at Union College 
 with the highest honors, but died when he 
 was about entering on the legal profession. 
 
 Mr. Stewart was born in Johnstown, 
 now in Fulton county, N. Y., August 7, 
 1824, and was named from Gideon Tabor, 
 a judge of the courts there. When about 
 eleven years old, in the fall of 1835, he 
 removed with his parents to Oberlin, Ohio, 
 where he was a student in that college ex- 
 cept a year in the Elyria Institute. He 
 began the study of law at Norwalk, Ohio, 
 in the spring of 1842, but the next year 
 he went to live with his brother, Alex- 
 ander A. Stewart, a merchant at Columbus, 
 
HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 27 
 
 and tlicre entered the law office of Swayne 
 & Bates, of which hrin Hon. Noah H. 
 Swayne afterward became a justice of the 
 United States Supreme court. WhilQ 
 there, when nineteen years of age, he wrote 
 a poem on the occasion of the visit of ex- 
 President Joim Qnincy Adams to Ohio, in 
 November, 1843, to lay the corner-stone 
 of the Cincinnati Observatory, which poem 
 was published in the Ohio State Journal, 
 entitled " Ohio's Welcome to John Qu'ucy 
 Adams," and with some other poems from 
 his pen was favorably received by the 
 public. Tiie next year he entered actively 
 into politics, was chairman of the " Young 
 Men's Henry Clay Club," and published a 
 campaign paper at Columbus in aid of the 
 Whig party. In the fall of 1844, being 
 in ill iiealth, he went to Quincy, Fla., and 
 spent about eighteen months with his 
 brother Nicholas Hill Stewart, who was a 
 lawyer and an eminent teacher at tiie head 
 of the Quincy Academy, the leading edu- 
 cational institution in the territory. In 
 tiie following year, 1845, Florida was 
 admitted into the Union, and, having 
 become of age, he cast his first vote 
 at the first election held in that State. 
 He had strong inducements to remain with 
 his brother and go into business there, 
 but he could not consent to become a 
 slaveholder; and, returning to Oliio'in 
 the summer of 1846, he was admitted to 
 the bar of Ohio, on the 18th day of Aug- 
 ust, 1846, and began the practice of law 
 at Norwalk. He was also editor of the 
 Refiecto7\ the Whig organ, for about three 
 years, and in 1850 he was elected, by 
 the Whigs, county auditor, to which of- 
 fice he was re-elected in 1852 and 1854, 
 the last time on tiie same ticket with 
 Hon. John Sherman, who then for the 
 first time was elected to Congress. He 
 purclm-ed half of the Toledo Blade in 
 1856, but remained in the law practice 
 at Norwalk, and in about three years 
 sold his interest in the Blade. He went 
 to Dubuque, Iowa, in 1861, where he 
 bought the Daily Times, the onlyUnion 
 
 Republican paper then in the north half 
 of that State, and published it until near 
 the close of the war. He spent a winter 
 at Washington in law business, and then 
 became one of the proprietors of the 
 Toledo Daily Coinmercial, of which he 
 took the business management for the 
 greater jjart of the year; then selling at a 
 profit, returned to Norwalk and i-esumed 
 his law practice at that place. On Janu- 
 ary 26, 1866, he was, on motion of Hon. 
 Caleb Gushing, admitted as an attorney 
 and counsellor of the Supreme Court of 
 the United States. 
 
 Aside from twelve years spent in the 
 auditor's office and on the press, Mr. Stew- 
 art has been in law practice over thirty- 
 five years. A long time to devote to ac- 
 tive professional work, a prolonged period 
 of trials and triiimpiis, vicissitudes and 
 victories; labors ranging from the sacred 
 claims of home, or the exactions of a pro- 
 fession, to the occult problems upon whose 
 just solution hangs the permanent weal or 
 woe of the human race. So methodical in 
 his mental movements was he that lie 
 found rest and recreation from the exact- 
 ing duties of his profession in the ec|itoria\ 
 chair, and in discussing from the hustings 
 the absorbing questions of civil govern- 
 ment. In 1855 Mr. Stewart was a dele- 
 gate to the State convention which organ- 
 ized the Republican party in Ohio, and 
 there took an active part. While he was 
 from early life well grounded in the prin- 
 ciples of anti-slavery reform, yet he was 
 broad enough in his views to see there 
 were other evils in society appalling to 
 contemplate, one of them the grim and 
 hideous Gorgon of intemperance. In 1851 
 and 1853 he took a prominent part in the 
 anti-license and Maine-law campaigns of 
 those years. In 1857 a State convention 
 met at the capital of Ohio to organize a 
 Prohibition party, and Mr. Stewart was 
 made president of the convention. The 
 machinery of a new party was framed; 
 every step was taken and work set afoot, 
 when the Kansas anti-slavery troubles 
 
28 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 earae and Civil war became the supreme 
 (piestion of the hour. Salmon P. Chase 
 was up for election as governor, and he in- 
 terviewed the Prohibition State committee, 
 before whom he urged the perilous condi- 
 tion of the country, pledging himself that 
 if elected, he would in his message recom- 
 mend to the Legislature a Prohibitory law 
 against the liquor drink traffic. His prom- 
 ises were accepted (which he afterward 
 fulfilled), the new jiartj juovement was 
 postponed, and thus he was elected by a 
 small plurality. The Kansas- Nebraska 
 troubles were soon followed by the dread 
 throes of war, convulsing our nation and 
 unhinging the order of society from cen- 
 ter to circumference; when men, like 
 storm-tossed mariners, advantaged the first 
 calm to take their bearings anew. The 
 temperance cause, for the time suspended, 
 was renewed in politics. Mr. Stewart was 
 three times the standard bearer of the 
 Prohibition party for governor in Ohio; 
 eight times its candidate for supreme 
 judge; was its representative on the Na- 
 tional ticket for vice-president in 1876; 
 many times its nominee for Congress and 
 also for circuit and common pleas judge, 
 and often in local, county, State and Na- 
 tional conventions he has been a repre- 
 sentative delegate of that party. 
 
 He was present and a delegate to the 
 convention in 1869, M'hich organized the 
 National Prohibition party, and was made 
 a member of the National committee, of 
 which he was chairman four years and a 
 leading member fifteen years, serving un- 
 til 1884, when he retired, feeling it neces- 
 sary to give his unrestricted time to his 
 profession. In 1876, 1880 and 1884 the 
 Prohibition State convention of Ohio unan- 
 imously instructed the Ohio delegates to 
 present him in the National conventions 
 of those years as their choice for Presiden- 
 tial candidate, but each time he refused to 
 hare his name offered. At the National 
 convention of 1892 it was presented by 
 the Ohio delegates in his absence, at which 
 time he received next to the highest vote 
 
 on the first ballot, and he would have been 
 nominated if there had been a second bal- 
 lot. Each time that he was a candidate 
 for governor he campaigned the State, vis- 
 iting, in one season, forty counties, and 
 addressing meetings in all of them. His 
 voice was heard in the hustings, and his 
 vigorous pen found a prominent place in 
 the literature of the day. He was grand 
 worthy chief-templar of the Order of 
 Good Templars three terms. As long 
 ago as 1847 he was one of the charter 
 members of Norwalk Division, No. 227, of 
 the Sons of Temperance, which still exists, 
 there being now but one older division in 
 the State. His numerous nominations by 
 the Prohibition party were unsought, and 
 were accepted by him only as symbols of 
 sacrifice, not of selfish aspiration. He re- 
 gards public office as a public trust, and 
 that the man who solicits it is unworthy 
 of it. Hence he was never an applicant 
 to Government for office, and never asked 
 the personal support of a delegate or a 
 voter. He has been identified with other 
 reforms, moral, social and political. He 
 was several years president of the Ohio 
 Woman Suffrage Association, and drafted 
 its first platform of resolutions, adopted 
 at its first State convention, held at Co- 
 lumbus in 1870. 
 
 He has long been a public advocate of 
 civil service, industrial and educational 
 reform, of prison reform, and the 
 abolition of capital punishment. Many 
 of his speeches and writings on re- 
 form topics have been published and 
 widely disseminated. He was in 1856 one 
 of the founders of tlie " Firelands Histori- 
 cal Society," one of the oldest historical 
 local Societies in the Northwest; he was one 
 of its officers at its founding, a life mem- 
 ber, and is now its president. He was 
 also one of the foundei's and first offi- 
 cers of "The Whittlesey Academy of 
 Arts and Sciences," which gave Nor- 
 walk the well-known " Whittlesey Hall," 
 for many years the common meeting- 
 place and foster-mother of the city's 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 29 
 
 growth in schools, the arts, science and 
 eenenil literature, and from this came 
 many courses of public lectures and the 
 present public library, with its 6,000 se- 
 lected volumes. Of these enterprises Mr. 
 Stewart has been one of the active authors 
 and promoters, and he has been busily 
 interested in various other public move- 
 ments. He spent much of his time and 
 over three thousand dollars of his means, 
 without compensation, through ten jears 
 of doubtful struggle, to secure the con- 
 struction of the Wheeling & Lake Erie 
 Eailroad, and was one of its early stock- 
 holders and directors. He and his wife 
 are life members of the American Bible 
 Society. He is a pioneer member of the 
 Scotch-Irish Society of America, a tri;s- 
 tee of the Western Reserve Society of the 
 Sons of the American Revolution, and 
 president of the Huron County Law Li- 
 brary Association. 
 
 Mr. Stewart is of a race of men and 
 women of prominence and of intellectual 
 and moral progress, and has so outlined 
 his own life and reared a family that has 
 added thereto, rather than, as we so often 
 find, detracted therefrom. Pliysically he 
 is a little below the medium in stature and 
 weight, with a personal toilet clean and 
 careful as has ever been the garniture of 
 his mental operations. He looks the man of 
 books, the student of man who communes 
 much with his own thoughts. Just such 
 a man whom you would readily know had 
 sacrificed for half a century his time and 
 toil in behalf of his fellows, and for all his 
 services in public reform lias never ac- 
 cepted the least financial compensation. 
 Such, briefly, are the outlines of a life 
 that may well be honored of men, respected 
 abroad and beloved at home — a blessing 
 to the one, a benefaction to all. 
 
 On March 30, 1857, Gideon T. Stewart 
 was united in marriage with Miss Abby 
 Newell Simmons, of Greenfield township, 
 Huron county, daughter of Harlon L. 
 Simmons and niece of Hon. Charles B. 
 Simmons (former State Representative), 
 
 of that place, both prominent pioneers of 
 the " Firelands," and e.xtensive farmers. 
 Of this happy union there were born three 
 sons and one daughter, viz. : Charles Hill ; 
 Harlon Lincoln, at present the youngest 
 member of the Ohio State Senate; George 
 Swayne, of the ISTorwalk bar; and Mai-y 
 Stewart. In the literary and temperance 
 work of the father, the daughter with her 
 graceful pen has been his valuable assist- 
 ant. In the polite and benevolent circles 
 of the city she has a wide and appreciative 
 circle of friends. 
 
 The mother was born and reared on her 
 father's farm, one of the largest and most 
 beautiful in the county; and, notwith- 
 standing the fact that for twelve years 
 she has been afflicted with paralysis, de^ 
 priving her of the power to walk, she has 
 continued to own and operate her valuable 
 farm near the city of Norwalk, though 
 living in the city, and has educated her 
 three sons to practical agriculture. She is 
 very fond of reading, and well informed in 
 history, current literature and public af- 
 fairs. She is social, sympathetic, kind 
 and charitable, and is warmly esteemed by 
 all who have known her from childhood to 
 old age. She was active in the famous 
 Woman's Temperance Crusade, and has 
 been so in its outgrowth, the Woman's 
 Christian Temperance Union, which now 
 extends its grand organization around the 
 world. Through many years the Nor- 
 walk LTnion has held its regular meetings 
 in her parlors. 
 
 EORGE SWAYNE STEWART 
 
 , was born March 25, 1866, in Du- 
 buque, Iowa, the youngest in the 
 family of four children of Gideon 
 T. and Abby N. (Simmons) Stewart. 
 Our subject was reared to manhood in 
 Norwalk, Ohio, whither, when he was but 
 an infant, his parents had removed. He 
 was educated in the graded schools of the 
 city, and graduated from the high school 
 
30 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 in 1884. Leaving the high school, he 
 pursued a special course of studies at 
 Oberlin College, Ohio, after which he 
 took up tlie study of law in his father's of- 
 fice, and was admitted to the bar March 8, 
 1888, being then hut twenty-one years of 
 age. He then entered upon the practice 
 of law with his father, continuing in the 
 same for about two years, when he gare 
 up his profession for the more active tield 
 of business life to which he seemed 
 naturally inclined. He inherited a taste 
 for agriculture from his mother, and on 
 her farm near Norwalk his vacations were 
 spent in early school life, and here his first 
 business instincts were cultivated. From 
 working a small area on shares, he grew 
 to be manager of the farm, establishing a 
 dairy and maintaining his interest in farm- 
 ing matters to the time of this sketch. 
 
 In 1890 he became interested in the 
 C. W. Smith Co., manufacturers of hard- 
 wood and furniture specialties, and as 
 secretary and treasurer of this company 
 helped to build it up into one of the suc- 
 cessful and substantial business enterprises 
 of the city, affording employment to nearly 
 one hundred people. In addition to his 
 manut'aeturing business, Mr. Stewart is 
 also associated with W. H. Price, presi- 
 dent of the Norwalk Savings Bank, in the 
 manufacture of building brick, under the 
 style of The Norwalk Brick Co., and, as- 
 sociated with other young men, is a dealer 
 and contractor in stone and fire-brick, and 
 has constructed extensive street-paving im- 
 provements in Sandusky, Elyria. Bellevue, 
 Norwalk and other cities. Mr. Stewart is 
 also director and stockholder in the Nor- 
 walk Savings Bank, and stockholder in the 
 Arcade Savings Bank of Cleveland. 
 
 Politically Mr. Stewart has never been 
 identified with any party, but is indepen- 
 dent, and, aside from being interested 
 with his friends regardless of party, he 
 takes no active part in politics. He has 
 abandoned the practice of law, his atten- 
 tion being given to the many enterprises 
 with which he is identified. 
 
 On January 10, 1893, Mr. Stewart was 
 married to Cora lsal)el Taber, of Norwalk, 
 Ohio, daughter of B. C. Taber, of that 
 city. They had enjoyed an extended wed- 
 ding tour in Europe, and were comfortably 
 settled in their pleasant home in Norwalk, 
 with all the prospects of a happy married 
 life before them, when the Angel of Death 
 spread his somber wings over their happy 
 home and took from it its chiefest bless- 
 ing. Mrs. Stewart died September 28, in 
 the year of her marriage, from the recur- 
 rence of a previous severe attack of peri- 
 tonitis. She was of the purest type of 
 Christian character, and a member of St. 
 Paul's Episcopal Church of Norwalk, to 
 which Mr. Stewart was also admitted to 
 membership shortly after her death. 
 
 LEANDER L. DOUD, secretary of 
 I the A. B. Chase Co., of Norwalk, is 
 \ a native of Huron county, Ohio, born 
 
 May 20, 1838. He is the eldest in 
 the family of seven children born to 
 Samuel and Philura (Niles) Doud, only 
 two of whom are now survivinor: Maria 
 (Mrs. Stoner, of New Loudon, Ohio) and 
 Leander L. 
 
 The elementary educational advantages 
 enjoyed by the subject of this sketch were 
 such as were common to farmer boys in 
 the early days of this section of the country. 
 At the age of five years he might have 
 been seen, daily, walking a mile and a half 
 through the woods to reach the school- 
 house which was situated in the midst of a 
 dense forest, with no other evidence of civi- 
 lization insight; but so faithfully did heim- 
 prove these opportunities, that for the first 
 two years he lost only altogether eight days, 
 and at the age of seven was the champion 
 speller of that section of the country. As 
 the forests were cleared up, the log school- 
 house gave place to something more pre- 
 tentious; as the children grew up. the 
 spelling school was superseded by the 
 literary society, and the Nineveh school- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. > 
 
 31 
 
 honse became the center of moral and in- 
 tellectual culture for miles around. Many 
 who received their first lessons in forensic 
 and literary work there have occupied 
 prominent positions in Church and State. 
 
 Amist such influences. did young Lean- 
 der grow to manhood. At the age of 
 seventeen he commenced teaching district 
 school, winters, " boarding round " among 
 the scholars, as was then the almost uni- 
 versal custom. His summers were spent 
 at some institution of learning — either at 
 Savannah Academy, Ohio Wesieyan Uni- 
 versity, Delaware, or at Baldwin Uni- 
 versity, Berea — frequently boai'dinghimself 
 to save expense. This " hit or miss " 
 kind of school life, while not specially 
 conducive to intellectual strength in any 
 one direction, was more of the practical 
 order, developing in our subject an apti- 
 tude for making the best of opportunities 
 offered, and aiding him in making life a 
 success. A commercial course of study, 
 completed during this time in Baldwin 
 University, served him to good purpose, 
 later, as secretary and treasurer of the A. 
 B. Chase Company. 
 
 Dropping educational matters for a 
 time, Mr. Doud, in 1860, commenced his 
 more active business life. For three years 
 he was engaged extensively and success- 
 fully in sheep husbandry. Three years he 
 spent in general farming in Greenwich 
 township, and eight years in various mer- 
 cantile pursuits in New London. In 1875 
 he moved to Norwalk, and took an active 
 part in the organization of the A. B. Chase 
 Co., for the manufacture of musical in- 
 struments. He was elected secretary and 
 treasurer, which dnal position he held for 
 ovei- sixteen years, and is still (1893) 
 secretary of the concern, having relin- 
 quished tiie treasurersliip January 1, this 
 year. Mr. Doud has seen the institution 
 grow from its inception until it has become 
 one of the leading factories of the kind of 
 America. He always attended to the office 
 work, was a potent factor in the develop- 
 ment of the industry, and n,ot a little of its 
 
 success has been due to his intelligent and 
 unceasing efforts. 
 
 In 1863 Leander L. Doud was united 
 in marriage with Miss Harriet B. Eberiy, 
 and to them were born four children, two 
 of whom — Louie' N. and Harry L. — are 
 still living, the others having died in in- 
 fancy. At the age of fourteen Mr. Doud 
 united with the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, and has always taken an active 
 interest in everytiiing pertaining to the 
 Church and Society. At the present time 
 he is Siinday-school superintendent, dis- 
 trict steward, and secretary of the official 
 board of the M. E. Church; president of 
 the Huron County Bible Society; secretary 
 of the Huron County Sunday-school As- 
 sociation, and a trustee of Baldwin Uni- 
 versity. 
 
 Samuel Doud, father of subject, was one 
 of the " Fireland" pioneers, and of him 
 the F'm'eland Pioneer of June, 1892, says: 
 
 Samuel Doud was bora at Seinpronius, N. Y., 
 May 3D, 1813, and died near New London, Ohio, 
 December 11, 1880. In the summer of 1823, his 
 father, Solomon Doud, came to Ohio, cleared off 
 a small piece of ground, and built the first house 
 ever erected at the center of GreSnwich township, 
 and returned during the winter to the State of 
 New York, on foot, it is said, walking the entire 
 distance, three hundred miles, in six days. The 
 following spring he brought his family to Ohio, 
 and they settled in their new home in the wilder- 
 ness. 
 
 Samuel was at this time ten years of age, and 
 with the exception of a single year spent in Berea, 
 Ohio, he never lost a residence in Huron county 
 from that time until the day of bis death. The in- 
 cidents of the journey to Ohio; the nine days 
 voyage from Buffalo to Sandusky City ; the journey 
 from there to Greenwich with an ox-team and a 
 wagon, across the unbroken prairie and unbroken 
 forest; their trials, privations, hardships and dan- 
 gers from hunger, fierce animals and wild Indians 
 were the common lot of all new-comers in this 
 county, and furnished a fund of incidents that all 
 pioneers have to relate and enjoy listening to. 
 
 The educational advantages of those early years 
 in this new country were very meager indeed, and 
 the subject of this memoir enjoyed but a few 
 months of school life; but he learned to read, write 
 a little and cipher to some extent, This, supple- 
 mented with close observation, and quiet reading 
 through life, enabled him to pass as a man of fair 
 education. In habits of economy, industry and 
 expedients to inake a living, he was decidedly 
 well-educated. His schooling in this direction was 
 not neglected nor unimproved. He could wield 
 the axe, or scythe, could graft fruit-trees, buy and 
 
32 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 sell cattle, bogs, sbeep, or tuin bis band to any- 
 thing else Willi satislactioD to otbers and profit to 
 hioii-elf. Witb bis axe be hoiigbt bini a farm of 
 over one bundred acres in tbe soulbeast corner of 
 Greenwich township; cutaway tbe limber, built a 
 house, and in l^aO marrieil Philura Niles, and set- 
 tled in his own house. Here be lived twenty- 
 eight years, raising a family of six children. In 
 1864 he sold bis home to move to Berea, to edu- 
 cate his children. But bis active nature could not 
 endure the dull life of a college town, and after a 
 year's trial he moved l)acl< to Huron county and 
 purchased the James Washburn farm, just south 
 of New London, in ISUIi. Here he lived until 
 death called bim away. Always active in anything 
 that pertained to the jiublic good, he never sought 
 official promotion, nor accepted political preler- 
 ment. Eminently social in his tendencies, a good 
 judge of human nature, a judgment clear, prompt 
 and decided on all malters coming before it, an ex- 
 tended acquaintance in this section of the country, 
 he was olten imporluned to accept posilions of po. 
 litical power, but steadily refused. His word was 
 as sacred as his bond ; he never promised a man 
 his money but he received it the day it was due. 
 He carried out tbe apostolic injunction. "Diligent 
 in business, lervent in spirit, serving tbe Lord." 
 
 Soon after he was first married, recognizing 
 the claims of tbe Christian religion upon his 
 life, be gave his heart to Christ, and joined 
 tbe M. E. Church with his wife, who had for 
 years been a devoted Christian lady. Their 
 home then became tbe borne of the early 
 itinerant preachers, and their house or barn fre- 
 quent preaching places. He subsequently received 
 a license as a local preacher, and continued to 
 preach as occasion offered, with great acceptability 
 where be was best known up to tbe time of bis 
 death. A great lover of children, he was always 
 active in Sabbath-school work, and took a special 
 interest in looking after tbe neglected and desti- 
 tute children of the neighborhood. His religion, 
 while partaking of the true spirit and devotional 
 tj'pe, was eminently practical. Very few ever 
 found a home in bis family for any length of time 
 who were not led to Christ. His obligations to bis 
 Church were as sacred to him as his duties to bis 
 family, yet they were never allowed to conflict. If 
 money or time was needed for either it was given 
 freely and without question. One of the hardest 
 years of labor in his life was given toward the 
 building of the M. E. Church at New London, and 
 tbe success of the enterprise was very largely de- 
 pendent upon bis energy, ability and personal de- 
 votion to the work. In fact, he felt it to be tbe 
 closing work of his life; be bad frequently ex- 
 pressed a desire to live to see it comideted and paid 
 for, and beyond that had no care how soon the 
 JIaster called him. He saw the Church completed 
 and dedicated, out of debt, within one year from the 
 time the first subscription was taken; and within 
 three months from the time tbe last subscription 
 Was taken be was stricken down witb heart disease. 
 He rallied for a few days, but frequently said it was 
 only temporary; that bis work was done, and he 
 would soon enter into rest; ail was peace— sweet 
 peace. * * * He entered into rest the evening 
 
 of December 11, 1880. He was buried, at his re- 
 quest, in tbe East Greenwich burying-ground, in 
 the midst of bis family who bad gone belore, in sight 
 ot tbe church be had helped to build years ago, 
 and among bis friends and neighbors he had lived 
 and labored with in early life. 
 
 El THAN ALLEN PRAY, Esquire. 
 This gentleman is entitled to high 
 I rank among the many intelligent 
 
 atid public-spirited citizens of Nor- 
 walk, for iiis energy and enterprise have 
 been of the kind that tend to enrich any 
 eection of country in which such as he is 
 to be found. 
 
 He is a native of Connecticut, born 
 January 15, 1813, in the town of Kil- 
 lingly, county of Windham, a son of Jacob 
 and Jemima (Bowen) Pray, both natives 
 of near Providence, R. L, the former of 
 whom was, in boyhood, a cotton -factory 
 operative, but in later life was a farmer. 
 They died, the naother in 1874, the father 
 in 1881, the parents of eight chikiren, of 
 whom Ethan A. is the eldest, and thought 
 to be tlie only one yet living. His ]iaternal 
 grandfather, a native of Rhode Island, who 
 was a miller and horse breaker and trainer 
 by occupation, was over eighty years of 
 acre when he died: he married a Miss 
 Carpenter, and they were the parents of 
 fourteen children. Lowe Carpenter, father 
 of grandmother Pray, was a sea captain 
 and slave dealer. Our subject's great- 
 grandfather was Jonathan Pray (or Preigh, 
 the original spelling of the name in Eng- 
 land). On the mother's side. Squire Pray 
 comes of Welsh ancestry. 
 
 When the subject of this memoir was 
 four years old, his father moved with his 
 family into Cayuga county, N. Y., mak- 
 ing a permanent settletnent there, Ethan A. 
 remaining until he was in his twenty-si.xth 
 year. He received a liberal education at 
 common and normal schools, also at 
 Skaneateles Academy, in Onondaga 
 county, and on completion of his studies 
 commenced teaching school, gradually 
 raising by merit, until, when he was but 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 33 
 
 twenty-one years old, he was appointed in- 
 spector of the common schools of Scott 
 townsliip, Cortland county. While teach- 
 ing there he was visited by Gov. Seward 
 of New York, with whom he was well ac- 
 quainted, and accompanying Mr. Seward 
 was Joshua Sanders, author of the spelling 
 book bearing his name. 
 
 lu 1839, Mr. Pray came to Huron 
 county, Ohio, locating first at Fairlield, 
 where lie tarried some six months, at the 
 end of which time he moved to Fitchville, 
 in the same county, remaining there till 
 the spring of 1855, when he was appointed 
 superintendent of the Huron County In- 
 firmary, an incumbency he filled six years, 
 or till the spring of 1861. He was then 
 elected justice of the peace for Norwalk 
 township, in winch capacity he served 
 with characteristio ability twelve years, or 
 up to April 1, 1873. During the war of 
 the Rebellion he was captain of a company 
 of National Guards from the time of its 
 organization, and in tiie spring of 1864 
 they were sent to Cleveland, where they 
 spent one month in camp. While the 
 fratricidal struggle was going on between 
 the North and South, Squire Pray acted 
 as mayor of the city of Norwalk, and as 
 justice of the peace for the township, serv- 
 ing in the first mentioned capacity six 
 consecutive years, besides two years subse- 
 quently. During his mayorship, he 
 materially assisted in laying out many of 
 tlie streets in Norwalk. He studied law, 
 and was admitted to the bar in 1873 — • 
 somewhat late in life — with no special in- 
 tention of practicing law, but rather to 
 prove his ability to his opponents. For 
 two years he held the office of city solicitor, 
 and he then practiced law, chiefly in the 
 way of making collections, etc., and he 
 built up considerable business for himself 
 in the probate court, to which he was not 
 restricted, for he practiced in all the courts. 
 
 In 1837 Squire Pray was married to 
 Miss Amanda C. Clieney, a native of Ovid, 
 Seneca Co., N. Y., who was at one time 
 his assistant teacher in Cayuga county. 
 
 Five children were born to this union, 
 viz.: Frank E., M. D., practicing medicine 
 at Dayton, Ohio; Cecilia A., married to 
 James L. VanDusen, superintendent of 
 Huron County Infirmary; Adelia E., wife 
 of George W. Cole, machinist in tlie 
 Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad shops at 
 Norwalk; Sarah, wife of Frank L. Bates, 
 of Sacramento, Cal., and Lydia M., wife of 
 Joseph Gasper. Politically Squire Pray 
 was originally a Whig, favoring the Free- 
 soil party, and on the organization of the 
 Republican party he enrolled himself under 
 its banner, becoming what w^as known as 
 an " Anti-saloon Republican." In 1836 
 and 1840 he cast his first Presidential 
 votes for William H. Harrison, whom he 
 remembers seeing, and also Henry Clay 
 and Gen. La Fayette. At this present 
 writing (November 30, 1893) he is a jus- 
 tice of the peace and township trustee of 
 Norwalk township, Huron county, Ohio. 
 He is actively engaged in the Masonic 
 Orders in Norwalk, holding at present 
 the following offices, to wit: Chaplain of 
 Mount Vernon Lodge, No. 64, F. & A. M.; 
 Secretary of Huron Royal Arch Chapter, 
 No. 7, R. A. M.; Recorder of Norwalk 
 Council, No. 24, R. & S. M.; Treasurer of 
 Norwalk Commandery, No. 18, K. T. 
 
 M. CLEVELAND. Among all the 
 
 I w eminent and deservedly popular 
 \1 business men of Huron county, 
 ^11 there is and has been none whose 
 name ranks above that of this gen- 
 tleman, because none is more thoroughly 
 identified and honorably connected with 
 the business interests of the county. 
 
 Mr. Cleveland was born in tlie State of 
 New York January 11, 1816, a son of 
 Benjamin and Lucretia (Bonney) Cleve- 
 land, the former of whom was a native 
 of Litchfield, Conn., born in 1769, the 
 latter of Daubury, Conn. They were the 
 parents of eight children, of whom G. M. 
 is the youngest, and the only survivor; 
 
34 
 
 IIUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 two died when over eiglity years of age; 
 one when seventy-nine and the fourth 
 when eixtj-eight, and all the deceased sons 
 died ill the order of their birth. The first 
 ancestor in this country came from Eng- 
 land in 1635 and settled in Woburn, 
 Mass., where some of his descendants are 
 yet living. The paternal grandfather of 
 the subject of this sketch lived, married 
 and died in Litchfield, Conn., and the lat- 
 ter has in his possession a copy of his 
 grandfather's will dated 1777. He was a 
 merchant and farmer, his pioneer lite be- 
 ing a busy one. Benjamin Cleveland, the 
 father, practiced inedicine for some years, 
 and had the reputation of being a physi- 
 cian of considerable ability, but he ulti- 
 mately retired from medicine to embark in 
 the lumber business. He died August 10, 
 1840, in Seneca countj', Ohio, whither he 
 had moved in 1829. He was a Whig dur- 
 ing the greater part of his life, and in 
 Church connection he was a Presbyterian. 
 G. M. Cleveland received a liberal ele- 
 mentary education in the public schools of 
 his native place, and when thirteen years 
 of age moved with his father to Seneca 
 county, Ohio, where he grew to maturity. 
 The first business we find him engaged in 
 was the manufacturing of fanning mills, 
 which he carried on some years in Savan- 
 nali, Ohio, prior to coming to Huron 
 county in 1844. Here he embarked in 
 the milling business at Norwalk, buying, 
 in 1866, the Maple City Mills, which he 
 remodeled and improved, changing it into a 
 a roller mill in 1881. He does a larcfe 
 
 o 
 
 amount of custom work, and the mill now 
 manufactures from thirty to forty thousand 
 bushels of wheat per annum into the very 
 best flour to be found in any market. 
 
 On April 14, 1842, Mr. Cleveland was 
 united in marriage in what is now Ashland 
 county, Ohio, with Miss Sarah Mefford, 
 and three children were born tothem, viz. : 
 Helen (wife of George W. Knapp), D. 
 Pitt and Dwiglit. Mr. Cleveland in poli- 
 tics was originally a Whig, and, on the 
 organization of the Republican party. 
 
 enrolled himself under its banner. His 
 first presidential vote was cast for W. H. 
 Harrison. In November, 1857, our sub- 
 ject was elected to tlie office of county 
 sheriff and re-elected in 1859, being the 
 full time allowed under the Constitution. 
 D. Pitt Cleveland was born, in 1844, in 
 Clarksfield, Ohio, and received his educa- 
 tion at the public schools. In 1874 he 
 was married to Celia Wright, of Des- 
 Moines, Iowa, daughter of one of the 
 most prominent men of that State, and 
 two children have been born to them, 
 Edna and George Wright. On January 
 13, 1887, D. Pitt Cleveland was called 
 from earth. His widow is a woman of 
 rare executive ability, and transacts much 
 of the business connected with the Maple 
 City Mills. Belbre his death her husband 
 was partner with his father, and she re- 
 tains an interest in the business, attending 
 to it in a masterly manner. 
 
 THEODORE WILLIAMS. In after 
 years, a history of the growtli and 
 
 spreat 
 Norw, 
 
 alk could not well be written 
 without containing considerable ac- 
 count of the enterprises, as well as the 
 public improvements, with which the name 
 of this gentleman has for so many years 
 been identified. 
 
 Mr. Williams is a native of Norwalk, 
 Ohio, born on the third day of January, 
 1820. He is a son of James and Sarah 
 Matilda (Hunt) Williams, natives of New 
 Jersey, where they were married, and 
 whence in 1816 they catne west, making 
 tlieir new home in Huron county, Ohio. 
 His father was a lawyer of prominence, 
 ranking in liis professional standing with 
 tlie ablest members of the bar at a time 
 when many able jurists from all parts of 
 the State were pitted against each other in 
 our local courts in legal combat, and was 
 for several years the Prosecuting Attorney 
 of the county. Ill health compelled him 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 37 
 
 to retire from the practice in tlie later 
 years of his life, and he devoted much of 
 his time and attention to agricultural pur- 
 suits. He died October 4, 1869, in the 
 home he had so long occupied. Politically 
 he was a Henry Clay Whig, and was a 
 delegate to the National Convention held 
 at Baltimore in 1832, that nominated Clay 
 for President, performing the long journey 
 to that city at that early day on liorseback. 
 
 Mr. Williams' maternal grandfather, 
 Major David Hunt, was an othcer in the 
 Revolutionary war. 
 
 The subject of this sketch, who is one 
 of a family of seven children, four of 
 whom ai'e still living, was born in the 
 early years of the existence of his native 
 town, which then consisted of a few scat- 
 tered dwellings surrounded by a dense for- 
 est. His elementary education was ob- 
 tained at the district and private schools 
 of that early day, and was completed by 
 a thorough course of instruction in the 
 " Norwalk Seminary," nnder the superin- 
 tendence of Prof. Jonathan E. Chaplin, 
 than whom few abler instructors have ever 
 occupied a like position. 
 
 In 1834 Mr. AVilliams commenced clerk- 
 ing in tlie store of P. & J. M. Latimer, in 
 Korwalk, where he remained over a year, 
 when he again resumed his school; in 
 1887 he again entered upon a clerkship, in 
 the store of Milton W. Goodnow, suc- 
 ceeded in a short time by the firm of 
 Goodnow & Edwards, in Norwalk, where 
 he remained until the firm dissolved in 
 1842, when Mr. Edwards removed to 
 northern New York, and Mr. Goodnow 
 continued the business here. At this time 
 Mr. Goodnow offered Mr. Williams an 
 equal partnership in the business, though 
 Mr. Williams was without capital; but 
 knowing that the responsibilities of the 
 business must devolve largely upon him, 
 owing to Mr. Goodnow's declining health, 
 he preferred remaining another year as 
 clerk. The following year, however, upon 
 a renewal of the proposition from Mr. 
 Goodnow, he accepted the partnership, and 
 
 in September, 1843, became an equal part- 
 ner, and made his first visit to New York 
 to purchase goods. This partnership con- 
 tinued until January, 1851, when by the 
 death of Mr. Goodnow it terminated, and 
 Mr. Williams purchased Mr. Goodnow's 
 entire interest in the business, taking it at 
 the full appraisal, and agreeing to pay for 
 it in four years with interest; on tlie day 
 tire four years expired he paid the entire 
 sum, as the result of his business industry 
 and energy. 
 
 Mr. Williams continued in the business 
 of merchandising until 1885, a period of 
 forty-two years, diligently at his counter 
 and desk, and with constantly increasing 
 financial success. His business relations 
 over a wide range of country had made 
 him acquainted not only with the people 
 of his own county, but with many in the 
 adjoining counties; and wherever he was 
 known his high character for integrity, 
 and business honor and responsibility, 
 were clearly recognized; and his ability 
 and clear-sighted judgment in all his many 
 business transactions have given him a 
 prominence amongst his fellowmen of the 
 county, at once flattering to his manhood 
 and marking him as one of her representa- 
 tive meti. 
 
 Upon Mr. Williams retiring from mer- 
 chandising, he found himself the owner of 
 two merchant flouring mills — one located 
 in Norwalk, the other near Toledo — and 
 these, together with the management of 
 his several farms, and of his other financial 
 interests, occupied his entire time and at- 
 tention. In 1882 he was elected President 
 of the First National Bank of Norwalk, 
 remaining in that position to the satisfac- 
 tion of the stockholders for eight years, 
 and was again unanimously elected to that 
 position, but declined serving, as the de- 
 mands upon his time in the management 
 of his own business made it impracticable 
 to serve longer. 
 
 In September of 1861 Mr. Williams was 
 united in marriage with Miss Mary Isa- 
 bella Goodnow, a native of Vermont, but 
 
38 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 residing at the time in Henry ville, Canada 
 East, by which union six children — one 
 daughter and five sons — were burn, of 
 whom the following is a brief record: 
 Louesa died at tiie age of eight years; Ed- 
 ward T.. the eldest son, was educated at 
 the public schools in Norwalk and at 
 Kenyon College, Gambler, Ohio, and is 
 now engaged with his father in business; 
 James H., the second son, after attending 
 the public schools of Norwalk for many 
 years, entered "Riverview Military Acad- 
 emy" at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., from which 
 school, on graduating, he entered Harvard 
 University, where he now is; Charles G., 
 the third son, also went from the public 
 schools of Norwalk to " Riverview Military 
 Academy," from which he graduated in 
 1891, and then entered the Massachusetts 
 School of Technology in Boston, where he 
 is still a student; Theodore Williams, Jr., 
 the fourth son, after leaving the public 
 schools of Norwalk, also entered tiie 
 " Riverview Military Academy," but has 
 not yet completed iiis course; Walter R., 
 the fifth son, is still attending the public 
 schools of Norwalk. 
 
 Mrs. Williams, the mother of this family, 
 departed this life on November 21, 1877 
 (at which time the youngest son, Walter 
 R., was an infant), leaving the entire 
 charge of rearing this family upon Mr. 
 Williams; and how well and faithfully he 
 has acquitted himself of this great re- 
 sponsibility, his neighbors and friends bear 
 ample testimony. 
 
 Mr. Williams in his political predilec 
 tions is a stanch Republican, and has taken 
 considerable interest in all public matters, 
 but has declined political office, excepting 
 perhaps in a few exceptional instances. In 
 1870 he was elected to represent his Sen- 
 atorial District in the State Board of 
 Equalization, and has for several years 
 held the position of "Chief Deputy" of 
 the State Board of Elections for Huron 
 county. For seventeen years he was a 
 member of the Board of Education of the 
 Public Schools of Norwalk, during a large 
 
 part of which time he occupied the posi- 
 tion of President of the Board, and it was 
 during his occu])ancy of this position that 
 the beautiful High School building, in 
 which the citizens of Norwalk take so 
 much pride, was erected, and for the erec- 
 tion of which they award him a full share 
 of the merit. 
 
 For thirteen years past — from 1881 to 
 1894 — he has been President, Secretary, 
 Treasurer and Superintendent of the beau- 
 tiful "Woodlawn Cemetery," embracing 
 129 acres of land admirably adapted to the 
 purpose, and has so managed its finances 
 as to accumulate a fund in perpetuity — 
 guaranteeing its continuous care and atten- 
 tion when the present and succeeding gen- 
 erations shall have passed away. 
 
 In church connection Mr. Williams' 
 affiliations are with the Episcopal Church; 
 he is a liberal contributor to its support, 
 and has for many years been a member of 
 its vestry. 
 
 Mr. Williams stands prominently among 
 the able financiers of Huron county, and 
 the several institutions and departments 
 of business that have been under his 
 management attest his eminent qualities 
 in this respect, in their unbroken line of 
 successes. 
 
 J|OSEPH SMITH, one of the most eu- 
 I terprising and prosperous of Huron 
 ' county's native-horn citizens, is sen- 
 ior member of the widely-known 
 extensive lumber firm in Norwalk, Smith 
 & Himberger. 
 
 John Smith, father of our subject, was 
 one of the oldest German pioneers of 
 Huron county. He was born November 
 19, 1803, in Berns, a little village in the 
 Rhine Province of the Kingdom of Prus- 
 sia, then known as the Department of the 
 Rhine, of Napoleon I French Empire. 
 He received a common education in the 
 public schools of the village, and at the 
 age of thirteen commenced his apprentice- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 39 
 
 ship as a tailor. At the age of twenty 
 he was drafted to served his time in the 
 Prussian army. On March 6, 1832, he 
 was united in marriage with Maria Glas- 
 ner, of the same village, born October 20, 
 1808. In the spring of 1833 they emi- 
 grated to the United States, their destina- 
 tion being Schenectady, N. Y., where they 
 remained two years. In 1835 they moved 
 farther west, and located in Bronson town- 
 ship, Huron Co., Ohio. Mr. Smith made 
 the acquaintance of some of tlie early 
 settlers. Being a man without much 
 means, he experienced some very severe 
 struggles, and was forced to seek employ- 
 ment of liis neighbors. In two years he 
 was enabled to buy ten acres of woodland. 
 His time now was devoted to working for 
 neighboring farmers, clearing his land and 
 building a log hut for himself and family; 
 later on he bought fourteen acres more of 
 land, and replaced the log hut with a larger 
 and better one, which was replaced in about 
 1846 with a frame building which stands 
 now, and in which he died, December 9, 
 1893, at the remarkable age of ninety 
 years, after enjoying a long, healthful life, 
 which was only darkened the last five years 
 by total blindness. His wife preceded 
 him to the grave by a little over eleven 
 years, her death occurring February 13, 
 1882; if she had lived two weeks longer, 
 they could have celebrated their golden 
 wedding. Their married life was blessed 
 with ten children — live girls and five boys, 
 viz.: Margurite(I), John, Joseph, Margurite 
 (II), Maria, Louise Minnie, Katharine, 
 Alphonse, Peter and Nick. 
 
 Of this family of children the following 
 is a brief record: Margurite (I) was born 
 in Berns, Prussia, February 1, 1833, and 
 died August 15, 1835, in Schenectady, N. 
 Y. John, born in Schenectady, N. Y ., 
 March 22, 1835, learned blacksmithiiig; 
 he served through the entire Civil war as 
 a volunteer in the Twenty-Fourth O. V'. I., 
 receiving an honorable discharije; he 
 made Memphis, Tenn., his home; Nov- 
 ember 6,1865, he married Katharine Greh, 
 
 in Memphis, and one child was born to 
 them; John died July 10, 1877, after two 
 day's illness. Joseph is the subject proper 
 of this sketch, and special mention of him 
 will presently be made. Margurite (II) 
 was born December 30, 1838, in Norwalk 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, and died Au- 
 gust 18, 1844. Maria, born July 10, 1840, 
 in Norwalk township, Huron Co., Ohio, is 
 the wife of George Whitmill, in Michigan. 
 Louise Minnie, born January 16, 1842, in 
 Norwalk township, Huron Co., Ohio, is 
 the wife of Robert Wetzstine, residing in 
 Norwalk, Ohio. Katharine, born Decem- 
 ber 18, 1844, is the widow of Henry 
 Brown, and is living in Peru township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio. Alphonse, born Au- 
 gust 15, 1846, in Norwalk township, Ohio, 
 is a carpenter by trade; he served through 
 the entire Civil war in the Fifty-Fifth O. 
 V. I. under Capt. "Wickham; married 
 Sarah Bechler, of Sandusky, Ohio, June 
 18, 1871, and is living in Norwalk, Ohio. 
 Peter, born July 13, 1848, in Norwalk 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, is a farmer in 
 Norwalk township; on November 7, 1871, 
 he married Katharine Zippfel. Nick, born 
 March 17, 1851, in Norwalk township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, is a carpenter by trade; 
 he served in the regular army live years, 
 and shortly after his discharge he married, 
 August 10, 1879, Dora Naner, of Cincin- 
 nati, Ohio; he is now residing in Norwalk. 
 Joseph Smith, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, was born December 4, 1837, 
 in Bronson township, Huron Co., Ohio. 
 He received a liberal education in the com- 
 mon schools of the home neighborhood, 
 and in early life learned the trade of house 
 carpenter, later on also that of cabinet 
 making. On May 5, 1863, he was united 
 in marriage witli Katharine Riinal, who 
 was born in Hildenhausen, in the then 
 French Province of Lorraine, and had im- 
 migrated to this country with her parents 
 at the age of live years. Six sons and one 
 daughter were born to this union, viz.: 
 Frank J., born March 11, 1864; Louise 
 K., born October 19, 1865; William P., 
 
40 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 born October 2, 1867; Otto J., born March 
 25, 1872; Charles T.. born February 10, 
 1877; Edward, born February 14, 1880; 
 Albert R., born September 6, 1884. Of 
 these, Louise and Otto died, the former 
 from sickness, the latter from an injury 
 he received through a wagon running over 
 him. 
 
 In 1873 Mr. Smith started in business 
 with P. D. Wiiloughby, the firm name 
 being Willoughbj kt Smith, manufac- 
 turers of sash, doors, blinds and mouldings, 
 the style being later changed to Smith & 
 Co. In 1880 Mr. AV. Himberger entered 
 as partner, the firm name becoming Smith, 
 Himberger & Co. In 1886 Mr. Wil- 
 loughby retired, since when the style of 
 the firm has been Smith & Himberger. 
 In connection with the manufacturing of 
 sash, doors, blinds and mouldings, the firm 
 have a convenient lumber yard. 
 
 TfJfON. JOHN A. WILLIAMSON, 
 IpH son of the late James Williamson 
 I 1| and Fhebe Williamson, and, on the 
 •JJ maternal side, grandson of Abizah 
 
 (Iriftin, one of the early settlers of 
 Greenwich township, was born September 
 25, 1842, in the township of New London, 
 Huron Co., Ohio. His parents were na- 
 tives of the Empire State, having been 
 born and reared in Hunter, (jreene Co., 
 N. Y., and, removing to Ohio at a com- 
 paratively early day. were here married in 
 the year 1839. His father was a farmer 
 by occupation, and the subject of this 
 sketch was reared at the family homestead, 
 upon which the Williamsons originally 
 settled, and which lies in the townships of 
 New London and Fitchville. 
 
 Mr. Williamson's youth was passed in a 
 manner of life similar to that of many 
 farmer boys, but, possessing a more than 
 usually vigorous constitution, together 
 with bright and acute intellectual qualities, 
 he began early in life to manifest those 
 traits of mind and character which, in 
 
 their mature development, have rendered 
 him enjinent, professionally and politically. 
 His was naturally an ambitious nature, 
 and so it happened that he could not be 
 satistied with the education gained in the 
 common schools, but, when he had passed 
 through their course of study, chose to 
 avail himself of further opportunities and 
 fit himself for the occupation of higher 
 positions in life than he could attain to 
 without so doing. 
 
 At the age of sixteen years he entered 
 upon a course in the preparatory depart- 
 ment of Oberlin College, and two years 
 later he became a member of the Fresh- 
 man class of that institution of learning. 
 He remained until the completion of the 
 Sophomore year (1862), when that one ot 
 many exciting war alarms, the news that 
 tlie Confederate Gen. Kirby Smith was 
 about to make a raid on Cincinnati, was 
 flashed through the loyal North, and a call 
 was made for the Minute-men of the State 
 to rally to the protection of its chief city. 
 Mr. Williamson, being a strong supporter 
 of the Union sentiment, and feeling that 
 he should do anything that lay within his 
 means to assist the overthrow of the power 
 which menaced our free soil, notwithstand- 
 ing the reluctance of parental solicitude for 
 the safety of an only child, went out as 
 one of that hastily-summoned and quickly- 
 prepared body of men, as did also many of 
 his class. 
 
 After returning from the service of that 
 brief campaign (which by no means, how- 
 ever, promised to be short), he asked for 
 and received an honorable dismissal from 
 Oberlin, and became a member of the 
 Junior class at Yale, from which college 
 he graduated with honors in the year 1864. 
 Immediately after finishing his academic 
 course he entered upon the study of law 
 in the Law School of the University of 
 New York, at Albany, from which he 
 graduated in 1865. The time intervening 
 between this date and 1867 was spent in a 
 law office in Cincinnati, and in traveling 
 and general reading. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 41 
 
 On February 9, 1867, he became deputy 
 clerk of courts in Huron county, under A. 
 B. Gritfiu, Es<[., clerk, which position lie 
 held until his resignation, in 1868, for the 
 purpose of entering into a partnership for 
 the practice of law with Hon. S. W. Ten- 
 nant, at East Saginaw, Mich. In 1869 he 
 removed from East iSaginaw to Toledo, 
 where he resided until tlie spring of 1871, 
 when he removed to Norwalk, in his na- 
 tive county. He engaged in the practice 
 of his profession, and followed it assidu- 
 ously and uninterruptedly until 1877, when 
 he was elected to the Legislature as a 
 member of the House of Representatives 
 from Huron county. Politically Mr. Will- 
 iamson is a Republican — an earnest sup- 
 porter of the men and measures of that 
 party. He has been a worker for the suc- 
 cess of principles and of the best men in 
 the party, rather than a seeker of political 
 preferment for himself. He has not 
 sought place, and in accepting it has only 
 done so in response to the clearly ex- 
 pressed will of his friends, and the sutfrage 
 of the people. 
 
 In 1879 he was re-elected to a second 
 term in the Legislature; was chosen 
 speaker jpro tern, of the House of Repre- 
 sentatives upon its organization in 1880, 
 and served in that capacity during the Sixty- 
 fourth (xeneral Assembly. He ha.s since 
 been engaged in the practice of his pro- 
 fession, and became interested in the busi- 
 nes.^i, particularly banking, in Huron and 
 adjoining counties. He is vice-president 
 of the Huron County Banking Company 
 of Norwalk, and is now, by appointment 
 of Gov. McKinley, member of the board of 
 trustees of the Ohio Institution for the 
 educfition of feeble-minded youth. In 
 1888 he made a European tour, spending 
 the entire summer abroad. 
 
 On January 19, 1869, Mr. Williamson 
 was married to Miss CelestiaM. Tennant, 
 of Camden, Lorain Co., Ohio, who died in 
 1880. In 1882 he wedded Mrs. Sallie R. 
 Manahan, daughter of the late Jeremiah 
 Rundell, a prominent citizen of Bronson 
 
 township, Huron county. They have one 
 child, JNellie V., now (1893) seven years 
 of age. 
 
 Mr. Williamson is a man of line as well 
 as forcible intellectual qualities, an exten- 
 sive reader and close thinker, of a remark- 
 ably practical cast of mind, and yet, withal, 
 alive to whatever there is of beauty in the 
 many refinements of surroundings and of 
 being. He is cautions but firm in his 
 judgment, and reliable. In manner he is 
 social and friendly, and possesses qual- 
 ities that readily win admiration and 
 respect, whether from his political com- 
 peers, or his private companions and 
 acquaintances. He is now one of the 
 active moneyed men of Norwalk, and 
 is interested chieHy in handlinghis capital. 
 [In part taken from AYilliams' "History 
 of Huron and Erie Counties." 
 
 LMON B. COE. In 1634 tiiere 
 immigrated to America from Eng- 
 ^ land one Robert Coo (as the name 
 was then spelled), whose grand- 
 father suffered martyrdom during 
 the reign of Queen Mary. A piece of 
 furniture (a sideboard) which once belonged 
 to him is now owned by Julius Coe, who 
 for nine years was postmaster at Norwalk, 
 Ohio, and now resides in New York City. 
 .Robert Coe, Jr., came to America, 
 bringing with him his family, consisting 
 of wife and three sons — Robert, John and 
 Benjamin — and from these are descended 
 the numerous family of Coe in America. 
 
 Israel Coe, grandfather of the subject of 
 this sketch, was born July 22, 1756, at 
 Granville, Mass., and was reared to farm- 
 ing, a vocation he followed tii rough life. 
 He prospered, owned a large tract uf land 
 and a sawmill, and several years before his 
 death gave to each of his children a good 
 farm. In 1809 he came to Ohio, locating 
 in Portage county, on land located in 
 Rootstown. He married Miss Artemesia 
 Wright, who bore him six children as 
 
42 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 follows: Samuel; Harvey, who became a 
 promitieiit iniuibter of the Congregational 
 Church; Betsey, Mrs. Hall; Fannj, Mrs. 
 Chancy Newberry; Bela, father of sub- 
 ject; and Israel D., all now deceased. 
 The father of these died in 18 21, the 
 the mother in 1813. He was a very large 
 man, standing six feet, two inches in 
 height, and well proportioned, but at the 
 age of sixty was unfortunate enougii to 
 lose one of his limbs in a sawmill. When 
 he came over the mountains from Massa- 
 chusetts to Ohio, he brought with him 
 four oxen and four horses, with wagons. 
 
 Bela Coe, father of Almon B., was born 
 April 24, 1795, in Granville, Mass., 
 where he was reared and educated. When 
 the family crossed the AUeghanies into 
 Ohio, he drove one of the ox-teams, young 
 as he was. He was reared a farmer, and 
 having received a very fair education for 
 those early times, taught school. At 
 Eootstown, Portage Co., Ohio, he married 
 April 24, 1819, Miss Maria Hill, born 
 March 30, 1795, in Middlebury, Conn., a 
 dausxhter of Isaac Hill. She came to Ohio 
 M'ith her parent.s in 1818, and they located 
 in Portage county, where her father, who 
 was a blacksmith, foUo'ved his trade; the 
 later years of his life were passed in AV^ake- 
 man, Huron connty, he dying there in 
 September, 1860, at the age of eighty- 
 eight years; his father reached the ])a- 
 triarchal age of ninety-nine years, sjx 
 months. Bela Coe and his wife came to 
 Wakeman, Huron county, in February, 
 1827, and he here bought a tract of land 
 covered with a dense forest and thicket, 
 which after years of labor he succeeded in 
 clearing. Mr. and Mrs. Bela Coe had but 
 one child, Almon B. The father died 
 October 5, 1850, at the age of fifty-tive 
 years, the mother on October 25, 1866, 
 aged seventy-two years, and both are 
 buried in Wakeman cemetery. They were 
 members of the Congregational Church, 
 the father from the age of eighteen years. 
 He was of Puritan stock, a man of sterling 
 honesty and the loftiest integrity. In 
 
 his political leanirtgs he was a Whig, no 
 office holder, however, although a very 
 popular man, one of sound judgment; but 
 it is said of him that a certain justice of 
 the peace always consulted with him in 
 difficult and complex cases that came be- 
 fore him. 
 
 Almon B. Coe, the subject proper of 
 these lines, was born November 6, 1820, 
 in Portage county, Ohio, and was six years 
 of age when his parents brought him to 
 Wakeman township, Huron county, where 
 he has ever since had his home, with the 
 exception of one year he lived in Illinois. 
 His education was as thorough as the 
 earlier schools of Huron county would 
 permit, but owing to failing health his 
 studies were prematurely brought to a 
 close; being a great reader, howevei', and 
 possessed of a remarkable memory, he 
 amply made amends for any shortcomings 
 in school lore. In his youth he learned 
 the trade of a cooper, at which he has 
 worked; has also taught school a number 
 of terms. At the breaking out of the 
 Civil war he enlisted in the Union army, 
 but was rejected on account of physical 
 disability, which was a great disappoint- 
 ment to him, as he was most anxious to 
 serve his country. 
 
 On June 1, 1843, in Edinburgh, Portage 
 Co., Ohio, Mr. Coe married. Miss Mariette 
 M.' Bostwick, born in that county Au- 
 gust 7, 1820, a daughter of Edmund Bost- 
 wick. Children, as follows, were born to 
 Mr. and Mrs. Coe: William H., born 
 July 3, 1844, died July 26, 1850; Edwin 
 W., born January 31, 1849, now cashier 
 of the Los Angeles (Cal.) National Bank; 
 Justin B., born August 26, 1851, now a 
 merchant of Florence, Erie Co., Ohio; 
 Arthur B., born July 14, 1854, died 
 February 9, 1873; Aurilla M., born Sep- 
 tember 1, 1857, now Mrs. A. 11. Rice, of 
 Wakeman; and Alice M., born July 14, 
 1862, died September 15, 1866. The 
 mother of these departed this life De- 
 cember 15, 1865, and is buried at Wake- 
 man; her death occurred in Illinois, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 43 
 
 whither Mr. Coe had moved his family in 
 that year. She was a most estimable lady, 
 one of whom it can truly be said: "To 
 know her was to love her." On August 
 13, 1868, our subject married Miss Nancy 
 A. Russell, daughter of Isaac Russell, a 
 native of Bristol county, Mass., who 
 moved to Ripley township, Huron county, 
 in 1834, and in 1847 came to Wakeman, 
 where he died May 1, 1890, at the age of 
 eighty-three years. The children of this 
 union were five in nun)ber, as follows: 
 Mary A., born Aiigilst 13, 1869, now Mrs. 
 Charles M. Kenyen, residing at Florence, 
 Erie Co., Ohio; Frances O., born June 3, 
 . 1871, living at home; George A., born De- 
 cember 15, 1874, operator on the Lake 
 Shore & Michicran Southern Railroad; 
 Harriet E., born October 24, 1875, died 
 May 15, 1886; and Alida, born March 18, 
 1878, residing at home. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Coe are members of the Congregational 
 Church, and in his political preferences he 
 is a stanch Republican. 
 
 JOHN WILSON, importer and grower 
 of fruit, while a citizen of Nor walk is 
 yet one whose enterprise and busi- 
 ness intelligence is hardly circum- 
 scribed by a continent. 
 
 His place of nativity is Derbyshire, 
 England, where he was born August 27, 
 1832, and when aged eighteen he came to 
 America, in the search of broader fields 
 for his strong and active nature. He is a 
 son of James and Lydia (Jackson) Wilson, 
 a family of that sturdy English stock who 
 make a splendid graft on the restless 
 American civilization. The young man 
 stopped about one year in New York State. 
 Working along, but taking in a very broad 
 view of the situation, he went to Central 
 America, where during the next twenty- 
 three years he was engaged on the Panama 
 Railroad as commissary of supplies, and 
 tlien was a contractor in Costa Rica, build- 
 ing a portion of the railroad from Limon 
 
 to San Jose, as a member of the firm of 
 Wilson & Keith. During the progress of 
 his railroad work, he commenced merchan- 
 dising at Limon, and this branch of his 
 business suddenly grew to great success, 
 so much so that he soon saw that his whole 
 attention should be given to his new line of 
 trade, and he withdrew from the contract- 
 ing concern. He then opened a branch 
 house, dealing in fruits at Bocas Del Toro, 
 Republic of Colombia, and the new mer- 
 cantile firm became the "John Wilson 
 Company," which is in prtisperous exist- 
 ence at the present time; there is another 
 branch house at Bluelield, Nicaragua. The 
 other houses are mostly in the line of 
 fruits, shipments being made to all points, 
 but largely to New Orleans, where is 
 another house of the firm; and this is now 
 the headquarters of Mr. Wilson, who con- 
 stantly travels between that city and Cen- 
 tral America, besides often attending to 
 the firm's affairs in New York, (^f its 
 kind, this is one of the largest concerns in 
 the United States. The firm in their busi- 
 ness charter several fast steamboats, and 
 recently one of their steamers, named the 
 "John Wilson," landed at New Orleans 
 22,000 bunches of bananas. 
 
 John Wilson and Miss Virginia Law- 
 rence were intermarried at Zanesviile, 
 Ohio, January 22, 1876; she is the eldest 
 of ten children born to Rufus and Mary 
 Ann (Sharpe) Lawrence, the former of 
 whom died in 1881. The mother, who is 
 yet living, for a time passed her widow- 
 hood in Milan, Erie Co., Ohio, where Mr. 
 Wilson purchased an extensive and ele- 
 gant stock farm, which he still operates; 
 although in the seekiiig for a more congen- 
 ial family home, good schools, society and 
 all the advantages for his children, he se- 
 lected Norwalk for his place of residence. 
 Here he purchased an elegant home on 
 West Main street, where are domiciled his 
 happy household. 
 
 Mr. Wilson has been twice married, the 
 children by his first wife being Nellie E. 
 and James. The family of children by his 
 
44 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 present wife are as follows: Minor Keitli, 
 Russell Iloadley. Frederick AVesson, Lydia 
 J., Marion, Margnerita and Don Rufus 
 Lawrence. There is little of the hiinidrnm 
 of ordinary life in the record of John Wil- 
 son. His is a mind to conceive and expand 
 with two continents, backed by a strong 
 physical nature that could defy the rapid 
 changes from the temperate north to the 
 torrid tropics. He is the architect of his 
 own fortune, as well as the avant courier 
 of that intercommunion and knowledge of 
 foreign nations that is the pledge and glory 
 of every civilization. 
 
 LBERT N. READ, M. D., the old- 
 est and one of the most prominent 
 physicians of Huron county, was 
 born in Berkshire county, Mass., 
 September 16, 1815. His parents, 
 Ira and Mary (Smith) Read, were also 
 born in Berkshire county. 
 
 The father, Ira Read, was a typical pio- 
 neer of his day, removing from his home 
 in Massachusetts when the subject of this 
 sketch was a year old, with a colony of his 
 neighbors and relatives, to Asthabula 
 county, Ohio. Their first point of desti- 
 nation was Williamsiield, their route tlie 
 old military road made by Gen. Harrison, 
 and such was its condition that at one 
 period of the long journey tiiey were three 
 days making the distance of nine miles. 
 On the third night, the year-old baity 
 being threatened with croup, it was with 
 its mother taken forward to an old de- 
 serted log hut, for better protection than 
 the wagons afforded. Ira Read, then a 
 vigorous, powerfully-built young man, six 
 feet tall, was accompanied by his parents, 
 Nathaniel Read and wife, the former of 
 whom was also a native of Berkshire 
 county, Ma.ss., by trade a blacksmith, and 
 widely known as an honorable and uprigiit 
 citizen; his wife was of the well-known 
 Sedgwick family of New England. 
 
 After more than four weeks wearisome 
 
 journey, they reached Williamsfield. their 
 destination. In this new iiome, amid 
 rough pioneer surroundings, Albert spent 
 his early years, learning practical lessons 
 in farming in out-door association witli his 
 thorouglily practical father; and within 
 the home from his creritle mother, those 
 lessons which a woman of a deeply relig- 
 ious nature, a cultivated mind and heart, 
 will teach consciously and unconscionsly 
 to those in the intimate associations of 
 home life. From her the boy learned not 
 only to be thorough in acquiring a knowl- 
 edge of the studies within his reach, but 
 to love the work of acquiring for its own 
 sake; to form those habits of thought, of 
 studying into the relations of things, both 
 in nature and in daily life, which tended 
 to make him the student he continued to 
 be in mature life; and led his professional 
 brethren to rely upon him for thorough 
 knowledge of his profession, and good 
 judgment in the j^ractice of it. That, 
 meanwhile, his mother did not neglect the 
 cultivation of his spiritual nature, may be 
 inferred, if we can receive one of the tra- 
 ditions of his childhood, which runs, that 
 when he was five years old he recited, in 
 the Sabbath-school, the entire Shorter 
 Catechism. 
 
 His early education was, of course, lim- 
 ited to such instruction as could be 
 obtained by attendance during the brief 
 term of log-house school; but his habits of 
 thoroughness enabled him to master the 
 foundation studies while learning to plow 
 and plant, and harvest; he raised and 
 handled stock at a much younger age than 
 most boys even of that period. Among 
 his earliest recollections of that primitive 
 life is an incident that he refers to as the 
 first " bear movement in pork." A huge 
 bear visited in the night his father's pig- 
 pen, and carried off its one inmate, the 
 household's anticipated pork for the com- 
 ing winter. The dismay may be partly 
 appreciated as we learn that pork that year 
 was held at thirty dollars per barrel, and 
 that other necessary of life, wheat, was 
 
IIUROJr COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 47 
 
 three dollars per busliel. But while food 
 for the body, from its scarcity, commanded 
 fabulous prices, not so food for the intel- 
 lectual powers; as we learn from anotlier 
 of the Doctor's reminiscences. lie was 
 sent on a horse, riding a side-saddle, to 
 fetch to the district the teacher, a sister of 
 the well-known Judge Caldwell, of Cleve- 
 land, wliich lady tiiught a very good school, 
 for the princely salary of seventy-five cents 
 a week, one half of which was to be paid 
 in flax, a kind of silver certificate of that 
 day. The prevalenceof high prices for wheat 
 led the fatlier to hire a man at twelve 
 dollars a month and board, to help clear 
 off ten acres of land and sow it with wheat. 
 A fair crop was raised, but could not be 
 sold for cash. He said in after years that 
 the payment of the wages of that hired 
 man was the hardest job of his life. There 
 was plenty of work to be found in the 
 country, but no money in circulation. To 
 receive a letter, and pay the twenty-tive 
 cents postage, was a serious family affair. 
 But all these unpromising circumstances 
 did not dishearten the boy, Albert — his 
 aim was an education and a profession; 
 and at length, after instruction in the best 
 academy and select schools, supplemented 
 by private tuition in a clergyman's family, 
 he began to read medicine in the office of 
 Dr. Peter Allen, at Kinsman, Trumbull 
 Co., Ohio. After four years of study he 
 began the practice of his profession, and 
 continued four years with more than the 
 usual success; then feeling dissatisfied 
 with his qualifications, heattended a course 
 of lectures at Willoughby College, where 
 he graduated in 1841. Taking up his, abode 
 in Andover, he there practiced other four 
 years, after which he attended another 
 conrse in Jefferson Medical College, Phila- 
 delpliia, where he graduated, and then re- 
 turned once more to Andover. In 1851 
 he looked about for a wider field — cou- 
 sit^ered the plan of joining a colony to St. 
 Paul, then only the beginning of a town — 
 hut the plan was abandoned, and by the 
 advice of President Pierce of the Western 
 
 3 
 
 Reserve College, he went Norwalk, where 
 he formed a partnership with Dr. Moses 
 C. Sanders, at that time a leading physi- 
 cian of the State. This co-partnersliip 
 continued during the life of Dr. Sanders, 
 and afterward with his son, Dr. John C. 
 Sanders, until the latter removed to Cleve- 
 land, and the present firm of Drs. Read & 
 Ford was formed. 
 
 Dr. Read has been twice married, first 
 time to Janet Beman, of Trumbull county, 
 Ohio, who died in Norwalk, leaving two 
 children — a son and daughter. The Doctor 
 afterward married Elizabeth Cook, of New 
 York State. 
 
 During the summer of 1861, the Civil 
 war having broken out, Dr. Read, in com- 
 mon with all loyal citizens, desiring to 
 serve his country in her need, considered 
 the question of joining the army as sur- 
 geon; but while still undecided, he was 
 called to attend his father, in what proved 
 his last illness, and the day after his return 
 to his home, he was called to the service 
 in the United States Sanitary Commission, 
 under the management of Dr. Newberry, 
 of Cleveland. He spent that winter mainly 
 in Kentucky, with headquarters at Louis- 
 ville, following with his assistance our 
 army under Gen. Buell, ministering to the 
 sick and wounded after the terrible battles 
 that interrupted its march to take posses- 
 sion of Nashville. To indicate somewhat 
 the work he and his helpers were doing, 
 durincr those dreary months of suff'ering 
 to so many of the dear boys of our land, 
 he recalls an incident that occurred at 
 Elizabethtown. The army liad moved on, 
 leaving many sick, greatly needing care, 
 with neither beds nor suitable food. From 
 the stores hurried on from Louisville, tliey 
 were speedily placed in comfortable beds, 
 and fed with the delicacies sent by the 
 home friends. One boy, delirious from 
 fever, taken from the floor and placed upon 
 the clean cot, soon fell into quiet sleep, 
 from which he awakened rational, and 
 looking about him said: "Where am I? 
 It seems as if mother had been here." The 
 
48 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Doctor says that incident was an inspira- 
 tion in much of his after work. After the 
 occupation of Nasliville, in the spring of 
 1862, Dr. Head was made inspector-in- 
 chief of the Department of Cumberland, 
 with a corps of assistants, and headquar- 
 ters in Nashville, which position he tilled 
 nntil the close of the war. He regards his 
 work for the soldiers during those four 
 years as the greatest work of his life: es- 
 tablishing soldiers homes, beginning in 
 Louisville, afterward at Nashville, then all 
 along our army lines, fitting up hospital 
 cars, wherein the sick and wounded might 
 be conveyed with the least possible dis- 
 comfort; givino' out, thrf)Ugh his numer- 
 ons assistants, the abundant stores so freely 
 provided by the home people of the North 
 for their suffering dear ones. Soon after 
 the close of the war Dr. Read returned to 
 liis professional duties. 
 
 Early in his professional life the Doctor 
 was made a member of the American 
 Medical Association, and also of the State 
 Medical Society of Ohio. In 1858 he was 
 prominent in originating the Delamater 
 Medical Association or Norwalk and 
 vicinity, which Society had an active ex- 
 istence of thirty years. He has been a 
 member of the Congregational or Presby- 
 terian Church since his student days. 
 
 L 
 
 E ROY HOYT, a descendant of one 
 of the pioneer families of Connecti- 
 cut, is a great-grandson of Eliphalet 
 Hoyt, M'ho was born in Connecticut 
 in 1773. He was the son of one of two 
 brothers — Walter and Simeon — who came 
 from Germany early in the seventeenth 
 century and found a home in the '• Nut- 
 meg State." In his youth he learned the 
 carpenter's trade. He was married to 
 Miss Lois Starr, of Danbury, Conn., and 
 Some time later moved to Saratoga county, 
 N. Y., where he worked at his trade for a 
 number of years. Subsequently the family 
 moved to Owasco township, Cayuga Co., 
 
 N. Y., where a farm was purchased and 
 improved by the fatiier. This property 
 he lost through signing a two-years' limit 
 bond for a merchant. The merchant fled, 
 and the bond becoming forfeit the young 
 farmer had to surrender his property to 
 satisfy it. In 182G the family moved to 
 Ohio and located on rented land in Fair- 
 field township, Huron county, where the 
 father died in 1831. His five children 
 were Sally, Almira, Lois, Silas (who died 
 in youth) and Walter. In politics Eli- 
 phalet Hoyt was a Democrat. 
 
 Walter Hoyt was born in 1802, in Cay- 
 uga county, N. Y. Reared like other pio- 
 neer boys of that time and place, he grew 
 to manhood there and accompanied his 
 parents to Ohio in 1826. He was nomi- 
 nally the head of the family, all the prop- 
 erty being in his name. The same year 
 he married Caroline M. Benson, a daughter 
 of Abijali Benson, a tanner of Skaneateles, 
 N. Y., who was a soldier in the war of 
 1812 and captain of a company in the 
 United States service. 
 
 After coming to Ohio Walter Hoyt en- 
 gaged in agriculture and became the 
 owner of 593 acres. His wife died liere 
 in 1838, and in 1841 he married Betsy, 
 daughter of Doniinick Cole, a millwi'io-ht. 
 To the first marriage were born three 
 children, of whom Ichabod, Elmon and 
 Mercy grew to maturity. To the second 
 marriage were born three children: Brad- 
 ley, Alma and Charles. To each of his 
 sons he gave a farm, and when he died, in 
 1862. he left personal property valued at 
 ten thousand dollars to be divided among 
 the heirs. In political opinion lie was a 
 stanch Democrat. He was a most indus- 
 trious citizen, and a man who would earn 
 and hold property in any place and under 
 any circumstance. 
 
 Elmon Hoyt, the second son of Walter 
 and Caroline Hoyt, was born August 29, 
 1829, in Fairfield township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio. His father being a lifelono- acri- 
 culturist, taught his sons by actual exper- 
 ience in that avocation. The lessons 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 49 
 
 taxiglit him in boyhood and early man- 
 hood of stfict obedience to duty and labor 
 have followed him throui^h his successful 
 life. When about to embark in life for 
 himself he cleared a space in the then 
 dense forest for a place to build a home; 
 then realizing the need of a helpmate he 
 married October 24, 1854:, Miss Elizabeth, 
 daughter of Phineas and Rachel (Terry) 
 Guthrie. As a result of this marriage 
 live children were born: Wilber, Harry 
 H., Le Roy, Ralph and Clayton, all of 
 whom are still living. 
 
 While Mr. Hoyt has always given per- 
 sonal attention to his business at home, he 
 has always been ready to promote any en- 
 terprise for the good of his town or com- 
 munity. Mr. and Mrs. Hoyt having toiled 
 together for nearly forty years now realize 
 together that, toil and energy have their 
 rewards. Feeling that something ought 
 to be done to relieve the monotony and 
 isolation of the farmer, and being ready ' 
 to do anything they could to promote a 
 social and intellectual advancement among 
 the agricultural class, they signed an ap- 
 plication for a charter for the organization 
 of The C-irange in 1874, and became char- 
 ter members of that oraanization. To this 
 Society they have always been active mem- 
 bers, going up with the different degrees 
 of the Order, and often being delegated to 
 represent their Grange at the State meet- 
 ings. In March, 1878, The Huron County 
 Mutual In -surance Company was organized, 
 Mr. Hoyt becoming one of its early mem- 
 bers, and he was elected treasurer of the 
 Company, to which otHjce he has been re- 
 elected every year since, and still performs 
 the duties of that ofiice. 
 
 To his son,s he has been a great help in 
 starting them successfully in business. 
 For thd eldest one (Wilber, who chose 
 agriculture), he had a farm for him, upon 
 which Wilber has succeeded well. With 
 his second son Harry (who chose mer- 
 cantile business), Mr. Hoyt became in- 
 terested in business in North Fairfield, there 
 building the large brick store room, where 
 
 an extensive business was very success- 
 fully conducted. In a few years, Mr. 
 Harry Hoyt, wishing to engage more ex- 
 tensively in business, he proposed to start 
 a store in Norwalk. Mr. Elmon Hoyt 
 saw in this two favorable features, viz.: 
 That it would give Harry an opportuTiity 
 to extend his business qualifications and 
 also place LeRoy, his third son, in charge 
 of the North Fairdeld store, and Mr. 
 Hoyt became interested in both stores. 
 The two younger sons remain on the home 
 farm. Thus Mr. and Mrs. Hoyt have 
 lived a useful and successful life. 
 
 LeRoy Hoyt, the subject of this sketch, 
 is the third son of Elmon and Elizabeth 
 Hoyt, and was born October 6, 1862. His 
 youth was passed on the fartn with his 
 parents, and his time divided between 
 duties at home and attendance at the union 
 school in the village of North Fairtield. 
 
 He then devoted two years of study in 
 Oberlin College, and during this time ac- 
 quired a liberal educatioti, after which he 
 entered liis father's store as clerk, remain- 
 ing there two years. Then he was given 
 full management of a branch store at Peru, 
 Ohio, which he conducted successfully for 
 two years, when the branch was sold, as 
 his atteutiot) was required at the North 
 Fairfield store, which he again entered, 
 becoming its personal manager, and, later, 
 equal partner with his father in the mer- 
 cantile business. 
 
 On January 6, 1886, he was united in 
 marriage with Anna F., daughter of Maj. 
 William B. Sturges, of Fairfield, a sketch 
 of whom immediately follows this, and in 
 this union one child, Nelka, has been 
 l)orn. As a business man Mr. Hoyt has 
 been most successful, and to-day carries 
 one of the finest general stores in this sec- 
 tion. That he merits this success, his 
 social, moral and business standing in his 
 native county are the best evidences. 
 
 Politically he is an earnest, active Re- 
 publican. In 1891 he was member of the 
 County Executive Committee, and person- 
 ally secured and presided over one of the 
 
50 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 largest meetings ever held in the county. 
 He made the welcoming speech, and in- 
 troduced the present governor of the State, 
 William McKinlej', to the people. So 
 perfect was the success of this meeting 
 that Mr. Hoyt wished to repeat it. Ac- 
 cordingly, the ne.vt year he visited Senator 
 John Sherman at his home in Manstield, 
 and secured him to come to North Fair- 
 lield and deliver a speech to a very large 
 audience. Mr. Hoyt was recognized as 
 the principal promoter of his political 
 faith, and was chosen chairman of this 
 me'itiug. He has served his township as 
 postmaster for four years well and faith- 
 fully, and secured at its close a reward of 
 the higiiest grade by the United States 
 inspector. 
 
 He wields a strong political, social and 
 commercial influence not otdy in Fairfield 
 township, but throughout the county as 
 well; and while he is yet young to furnish 
 a history for publication, he lacks only 
 time and opportunity to convince all that 
 he is one of the most progressive men of 
 his time. He is one to whom the hand of 
 deserving charity was never presented 
 without receiving, the recipient going 
 away with a lighter heart and a fuller 
 hand. In whatever tends to build up, to 
 elevate humanity, be it in the material, 
 social, moral or educational, in him is 
 found a ready helper. In religious faitii 
 he is a member of the Disciple Church, 
 and lives, in harmony with his profession, 
 a helpful life. 
 
 -fj 
 
 IV/ffAJOR WILLIAM B. STURGES 
 ^\ was born October 12, 1828, in 
 1| New York City, grandson of 
 Josiah Sturges, who was born in 
 Connecticut, of English descent. 
 The latter married Kebecca Cooper, and to 
 their union were born the following named 
 children: Jonathan, Josiah J., Ann 
 Eliza, Mary, Julia, Arabella, Deborah, 
 Joseph and Henry A. C. Mr. Sturges first 
 
 conducted a packet line running between 
 Savannah (Ga.) and New York, and for 
 Some time resided in Savannah, subse- 
 quently removing to New York, where he 
 passed the remainder of his life. He was 
 there engaged in the mercantile business 
 with Thomas C. Butler and a Mr. Harris, 
 and fi)r some years was inspector of cus- 
 toms at the port of New York. In reli- 
 gious faith he was a member of the 
 Moravian Church, and his children were 
 all educated at Bethlehem (Penn.) and 
 Nazareth (the latter being the school for 
 boys). 
 
 Henry A. C. Sturges passed the days of 
 his boyhood in New \ ork, and was edu- 
 cated to business life, afterward working 
 in his father's store. He was united in 
 marriaije with Jane, daughter of David 
 and S. Cargill, of New York (yrho were of 
 Scotch ancestry), and to this union were 
 born children as follows: William B.; 
 Anna F., Mrs. Lyman Spencer; David G., 
 who was for nearly thirty years an ap- 
 praiser of customs at New York; Caroline; 
 Harry C; John G., and Thomas. In 
 1835 Mr. Sturges and his family came 
 westward to Ohio, going by river to 
 Albany, thence by way of the Erie Canal 
 to Buffalo, and from the latter place by 
 lake to Sandusky, Ohio. He came first to 
 Norwalk, shortly afterward settling in 
 Greenfield township, Huron county, where 
 he became a leading farmer, and passed the 
 remainder of his days. In political 
 opinion he was a Whig. 
 
 William B. Sturges passed his youth 
 on the home farm, and received his 
 education at the Seminary at Nor- 
 walk. On June 5, 1851, he was mar- 
 ried to Josephine, daughter of Elias 
 Thomas, and they became the parents of 
 children as follows: Wilson N., now a 
 resident of St. Louis, Mo.; Flora C, Mrs. 
 K. B. Kellogg; Jay, a ranchman of Gunni- 
 son county, Colo.; Napier, of Fairfield 
 township, Huron county; Jessie M.; Guy 
 S., in Colorado with his brother Jay, and 
 Anna F., Mrs. Le Eoy Hoyt. Mr. Sturges 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 51 
 
 enlisted in the Civil war at the outbreak 
 of the conflict, and on April 28, 1861, was 
 commissioned second lieutenant of Com- 
 pany A, Twenty-Fourtli O. Y. I. With 
 the exception of a three weeks' leave of 
 absence he was in continuous service 
 throughout the war, tigiiting with the 
 army of the Cumberland. He participated 
 in tlie battles at Shiloli, Stone Itiver, 
 Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and also 
 in many minor engagements, and during 
 all this time was wounded but once, in 
 1861, when his horse fell, severely injur- 
 ing his right knee. He was on the staff 
 of various generals, among whom may be 
 mentioned Gen. Palmer and Gen. Stanley, 
 and during his service was promoted to 
 first lieutenant, then to captain (in whicli 
 capacity he had command of his company 
 for the last six months of the war), linallj 
 rising to the rank of major. 
 
 In 1865 he engao-ed as a traveling sales- 
 man, carrying a line of tobacco, etc., in 
 which he continued for twenty-six years. 
 In 1883 he removed to his present resi- 
 dence, where he is now living a retired 
 life. Politically he has been a lifelong 
 Republican. 
 
 I[ EDUARD ERF. The Erf family 
 k. I are of Dutch origin, and many years 
 \^) ago settled in Germany, whence the 
 grandfather of the subject of this 
 sketch, with his family, emigrated to 
 America and settled in Huron county. 
 There he took up a tract of land and lived 
 up to tlie time of his death in 1889. Of 
 liis children only two sons survive, and 
 they are now living in the western part of 
 the county. 
 
 J. Eduard Erf is the eldest son of An- 
 thony Erf, and was born in Lyme town- 
 ship, Huron county, in December, 1861. 
 His early life was spent like that of all 
 farmers' sons, namely in going to school 
 and working on the farm, only with this 
 difference that while the sons of too many 
 
 spent most of their time in working on 
 the farm, and a short time only in going to 
 school, it was his fortune to spend most of 
 his years in school, and only in vacations 
 doing farm work. It is fortunate, too, 
 that his father took a great deal of interest 
 
 o 
 
 in educational matters, and through his 
 efforts was not a little due the fact that the 
 school where he attended was of a higher 
 grade than that of many other country 
 schools. He can well remember that, 
 while in some districts school was taught 
 only three or four months in the year, at 
 the place where he attended not less than 
 nine months was the usual limit of the 
 school year, and the best of country teachers 
 were employed. At an early age lie en- 
 tered the high school of the neighboring 
 town of Monroeville, and a number of 
 years later prepared himself for college, 
 afterward attending the University of 
 Minnesota, a western college that has re- 
 ceived great prominence among the State 
 institutions of higher learning. Both at 
 the academy and at the university he won 
 several prizes in oratory, and in the Fresh- 
 man year won the first prize at the ora- 
 torical contest, also taking second rank at 
 the State contest. 
 
 As with many other young men, it was 
 a question with him whether he should 
 study for the ministry or for the bar. 
 Finally deciding for the latter, he began 
 the study of law with Russell & Rice, of 
 Cleveland, and later in the office of Judge 
 Blandan, of the same place. He was ad- 
 mitted to the bar in 1891. Where to locate 
 he had not decided upon, although for the 
 time being he remained in Cleveland, and 
 launched out for himself. Finding after 
 the first month's experience that his outlay 
 was largely disproportioned to his income, 
 he decided to change his location, and 
 finally concluded to settle in Norwalk, Ohio, 
 the seat of the county of his birth. While 
 making preparations to locate, in a con- 
 versation with Senator Harlon Stewart the 
 idea was suggested to him that he siiould 
 assume the editorship of the Oermania, 
 
52 
 
 HLFBON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 the only German paper printed in Huron 
 county. Having bad some experience as 
 a newspaper writer and manager, and also 
 Laving a practical knowledge of tlie German, 
 as he iiad niade that language one of his 
 specialties at college, he looked favorably 
 upon the proposition. At second thought it 
 was suggested to liini that if he was to be- 
 come an editor of a paper for some one else, 
 why not become the editor of his own paper? 
 Immediately negotiations were entered into 
 for the sale of the weekly, which, in part- 
 nership with his brother, he purchased in 
 May, 1891. Working with energy and 
 entliusiasra, the circulation of the paper 
 was doubled within four months. In ad- 
 dition, also, the advertising was largely in- 
 creased, bringing tlie paper a very good 
 income, and placing it upon a sure financial 
 footing. In the winter of 1892, the 
 brothers, having resolved to take up the 
 job pi-inting business, purchased a con- 
 siderable amount of plant, including a 
 large cylinder press for the publication of 
 their paper, which heretofore had been 
 pi'inted by the Experiment- News. 
 
 When the Norwalk Press was launched, 
 Mr. Erf was asked to assume the position 
 of editor of that paper, and also to take 
 an interest in the enterprise. This he did, 
 and with Mr. James Mullin began the 
 publication of the Norwalk Press in 
 March, 1893. Later on a corporation was 
 formed under the name of The Erf Bros. 
 Publishing Co., witli J. E. Erf, Gustavus 
 Erf, James Mullin and others as stock- 
 holders, which company now publishes the 
 Norivalh J'ress and the Gerinania, besides 
 doing a general job and publishing business. 
 From a small l)eginning, occupying in 
 May, 1891, a small room 10 x 15, and em- 
 ploying one man, their business has in- 
 creased so that to-day they occupy three 
 floors of the Stewart block, employing 
 from sixteen to eighteen persons. Mr. 
 Erf's duties as editor are of such a nature 
 and so laborious that he has had very lit- 
 tle time while in Norwalk to practice his 
 profession. In fact the journalistic work 
 
 seems to hold so much in store for him, 
 that both circumstances and his own in- 
 clination for literary work incline him in 
 that direction rather than toward tiie bar. 
 In politics he is an ardent Democrat, 
 and has always defended, both by speech 
 and writing, the Democratic faith. He is 
 a Democrat from principle, believing 
 tlioroughly in the fuijdamental principles 
 of that party. A short time after locating 
 in Norwalk he w'as placed on the Demo- 
 cratic ticket for the office of prosecuting 
 attorney of Huron county. He made an 
 active canvass of the county, speaking in 
 almost every township, and although de- 
 feated ran ahead of iiis ticket by three 
 hundred votes. Practically in active busi- 
 ness and the professions only a few years, 
 he is well liked, has made many friends, 
 and is making for himself a place in the 
 community as an honorable and public- 
 spirited n:an. 
 
 QUSTAVUS ERF. The subject of 
 , this sketch, one of tiie junior mem- 
 bers of The Erf Uros. Publishitig 
 , L Co., and a brother of J. Eduard 
 Erf, was born in Lyme township, 
 Huron county, in 1805, the third son of 
 Anthony Erf. Like his brother, he spent 
 his early life in going to school and work- 
 ing on the farm. After having completed 
 his studies in the district school, he at- 
 tended, the Monroeville high school, and 
 later on- went to Cleveland, where he did 
 some work on a mechanical journal as 
 solicitor. Coming to Norwalk, he, in 
 company with his brother, bought the 
 Norwalk Germanla, which they continued 
 to publish. Later on a job office was 
 opened. When the firm of Erf Bros, was 
 lately consolidated and merged into The 
 Erf Bros. Publishing Co. he became .^ 
 prominent stockholder. Mr. Erf is esr- 
 pecially connected with the business man- 
 agement of the concern, in which he takes 
 an active interest. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 53 
 
 In 1892 our subject was married to 
 Miss llosa Frenz, who presides over his 
 pleasant home on Olive street. Though 
 young he is active and energetic, well 
 liked by his business associates, and lie 
 has before him a prosperous and bright 
 career. 
 
 JF. BEELMAN, editor and proprietor 
 of the Plymouth Advertiser, was 
 born July 31, 1847, in Richland 
 county, Ohio. His ancestors in 
 America, both paternal and maternal, may 
 be traced back to the early Colonial days of 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 Andrew Beelman, father of subject, was 
 a native of Franklin county, Penn., where 
 he grew into manhood and married 
 Christiana Cain, a native of the same 
 county. He learned the cabinet maker's 
 trade in Pennsylvania, and in 183-, when 
 he removed to Plymouth, Richland Co., 
 Ohio, he found sufficient work in this 
 trade to occupy his attention until liis 
 death in 1867. He was a Whig until the 
 orcranization of the Republicans, when 
 he joined the new party and gave it his 
 un(jnalified support. Though his convic- 
 tions were firmly fi.xed, he was not active 
 in public affairs, his disposition being to 
 attend to his own trade and let others 
 attend to their business. 
 
 J. F. Beelinan is the fourth in a family 
 of four sons and one daughter born to An- 
 drew and Christiana Beelman. He was 
 educated in the public schools at Ply- 
 mouth, and at the age of fourteen years 
 entered a more practical school, as ap- 
 prentice in the office of the Plymouth Ad- 
 vertiser, where he served three and a half 
 years. After this long term in learning 
 the "art preservative," he entered the dry- 
 goods establishment of S. M. Roltinson, 
 where for four years he was employed as 
 salesman. In 1869, in partnership with 
 M. Webber, he purchased a book and no- 
 tion store at Plymouth. In 1872 he dis- 
 
 posed of his interest in that store, and as- 
 sociated himself with his brother J. M. 
 Beelman, in the office of the Plymouth 
 Advertiser. In December, 1876, he be- 
 came sole owner of the office, to which he 
 has since given close, personal attention. 
 
 The Plymouth Advertiser was founded 
 in 1852 by a Mr. Sanford; later D. R. 
 Locke, better known as "Petroleum V. 
 Nasby," became proprietor, and in its 
 pages began to build up his reputation as 
 a humorous political writer. This journal 
 has always been and is now devoted to the 
 interests of Plymouth and vicinity with- 
 out regard to politics. It is well edited 
 and printed, and enjoys a heavy advertis- 
 ing patronage as well as a large circula- 
 tion. The office is equipped with job and 
 cylinder presses, steam power is used, and 
 altogether, the paper reflects tiie progress- 
 ive spirit of the town. 
 
 Mr. Beelman was married, on October 
 8, 1874, to Miss Fraidv Gipson, a daugh- 
 ter of H. B. Gipson, of Plymouth, Ohio, 
 and they are the parents of one child, 
 Grace W. Our subject ranks among the 
 leading and influential men of this division 
 of the State, and, in his relations to the 
 people as a newspaper man and citizen, is 
 recocrnized as one who has contributed 
 largely to the material and social advance- 
 ment of Plymouth and tributary district. 
 For eighteen years he served as secretary 
 of the Plymouth Agricultural Society, and 
 has filled various local offices. In Church 
 connection he is a Lutheran, and he is a' 
 gentleman of strong moral convictions. 
 
 GH. GOVE, of the C. H. Gove & Co. 
 foundry, Norwalk, is a native of 
 Washington county, N. Y., born 
 August 24, 1828. He was reared 
 and educated in Onondaga county, same 
 State, after two years of age attending the 
 public schools there, subsequently taking 
 a course in the academy. His parents, 
 David and Mary (Burbank) Gove, were 
 
54 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 descendants of colonists who came to 
 America from London in 1G40, locating in 
 Deerfield, Connecticut. 
 
 David Gove was born in 1794, in Wil- 
 mot, Merrimack Co., N. H., became a 
 fanner, and died in Onondaga county, N. 
 Y., at the age of forty-live years. He was 
 a man of strong character, and in politics 
 was a Jackson Democrat. His wife, Mary 
 (Hurbank), w^as born in 1797 in Salisbury, 
 N. H.; she became the mother of eleven 
 children, eight of whom were by her last 
 husband, David Gove; two of her sons and 
 two daughters are yet living. David Gove's 
 father, Nathan Gove, was born on the old 
 farm in New Hampshire, and Nathan's 
 father was born in Concord, Connecticut. 
 
 C. H. Gove, the subject proper of this 
 memoir, commenced taking his lessons in 
 the foundry business in 1846 at Syracuse, 
 N. Y. After learning the trade he came, 
 in 1850, to Huron county, where he en- 
 gaged in the molding business, and was 
 for fifteen years in managing charge of a 
 foundry. He had charge of the Bay City- 
 Foundries at Sandusky two years, and of 
 the Lake Shore Foundry at Elkhart, Ind., 
 for some time. He then returned to Nor- 
 walk, and took charge of the foundry here. 
 In 1887, in company witli his son, Ernest 
 D. Gove, he established his present 
 foundry, and now carries on a prosperous 
 business, doing the exclusive casting for 
 the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad. In 
 187(3-77 he was a member of the Norwalk 
 city council. 
 
 On July 14, 1851, C. H. Gove was 
 united in marriage with Sarah L. McGor- 
 gan, who was born May 11, 1833, in Sen- 
 eca county, Ohio. Their children were as 
 follows: Charles E., at present superin- 
 tendent of the Vermillion (Ohio) schools; 
 Enimett P., a machinist; Ernest D., with 
 his father in the foundry; Otis G., a 
 moulder by trade; Frederick W. ; Frank; 
 Mary B. (deceased); Ida B.; Nellie, and 
 Sadie. The Gove family is widely respected 
 inthecityand county. |Siiicethe above was 
 written C. H. Gove & Co. sold their 
 
 foundry business April 1, 1893, to Otis 
 G. Gove and David Higgins, and Mr. Gove 
 settled upon a farm at Kipton, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, where he expects to pass the remain- 
 der of his days.J Mr. C. II. Gove desires 
 to have here recorded the following: 
 
 MY LAST REQUEST. 
 When in the grave my friends have laid me, 
 
 And lovini; lips have breathed adieu, 
 Let DO one dare to upbraid me, 
 
 Or draw my frailties forth to view. 
 
 But lay my faults in the grave beside me, 
 
 Then let the clods upon me fall ; 
 And as they from the cold worldhide me, 
 
 Let them hide my faults and all. 
 
 Let there be joy instead of weeping. 
 That rest is found for heart and head ; 
 
 Then leave me to my Savior's keeping. 
 For if He lives I can't be dead. 
 
 Oiily dead to sin and strife 
 
 And Soon shall wake to endless life. 
 
 C. H. Gove. 
 
 y/ 
 
 jJfON. CHARLES PRESTON 
 ''H W I C K H A M, attorney at law, was 
 1 born in Norwalk, Huron county, 
 Ohio, September 15, 1836, the 
 eldest of thirteen sons and daugh- 
 ters born to Judge Frederick and Lucy 
 (Preston) Wickham, both descendants of 
 New England Puritan stock, and of his 
 paternal ancestors can be enumerated Gov. 
 Winthrop, of Massachusetts. The family 
 even remotely come of a strong and sturdy 
 race, tnen and women of that rugged na- 
 ture that was fitted to the often cruel exi- 
 gencies in the transplanting of civilization 
 from the Old World to the New. 
 
 The jiioneer into the wilderness from the 
 New England coast was William Wickham, 
 a native of Rhode Island, grandfather of 
 Charles Preston Wickham. He naturally 
 made his way to the regions of the lakes, 
 impelled by that strong instinct for the 
 sea that ran through generations, and he 
 settled on the shores of Lake Ontario, at 
 Sodus Point. His three sous, John, Fred- 
 erick and Samuel, nurtured within sight 
 and hearing of the blue, dashing waters of 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 57 
 
 the great lake, in their westward journey- 
 ings could not leave the sea forever behind 
 thein, and so took up their dwelling place 
 at Huron, one of Lake Erie's natural 
 harbors. The youngest brother, Samuel, 
 sailed the lakes, and died while still en- 
 gaged in pursuing his chosen vocation. 
 John, the eldest, engaged in lake com- 
 merce, and at one time owned one of the 
 largest tish-packlng establishments on 
 Lake Erie; while Frederick, though never 
 forgetting his lakeside birthplace, located 
 at Korwalk, his present home, and became 
 the proprietor of the Norwalk Iteflsctor, 
 established as the Ilw'on Reflector by 
 Samuel Preston, whose daughter, Lucy, 
 became his wife. In the great old- 
 fashioned house in the center of the town, 
 whose upper floor served as a printing 
 office in the olden days, were born their 
 thirteen children — six sons and seven 
 daughters — twelve of whom grew to ma- 
 ture life. Sons and daughters alike were 
 taught the printer's art, serving a good 
 apprenticeship. 
 
 Charles, inheriting from both father 
 and mother a taste for books and love of 
 learning, took advantage of all that the 
 then meager public schools and the excel- 
 lent Norwalk Academy could afford. He 
 longed for a college education, but the 
 many younger brothers and sisters made 
 the fulfillment of the desire impossible. 
 He was permitted, however, to attend the 
 Cincinnati law school, from which he was 
 graduated in April, 1858, and was ad- 
 mitted to the bar by the district court of 
 Hamilton county in the same month. 
 Full of hope and enthusiasm in his chosen 
 profession, he located in Norwalk and 
 opened his law office. In August, 1860, 
 he was united in the sacred bonds of wed- 
 lock with Emma J. Wildman, daughter of 
 Frederick A. and Mariett (Patch) Wild- 
 man, both natives of Danbury, Conn., who 
 had removed to Ohio, locating at Clarks- 
 field, but afterward coming to Norwalk. 
 In April following this happy marriage 
 came the tocsin of war, thrilling the civil- 
 
 ized world, and blasting many youthful 
 prospects, and bringing a long and sad in- 
 terruption to thousands of others. Full 
 of patriotic courage, and upheld in his 
 purpose by his young wife, Charles P. 
 Wickhain enlisted, in Septeml)er, 1861, in 
 the Fifty-fifth Regiment O. V. I., and a 
 short time after bade farewell to home 
 and the few months-old babe he was 
 never to see again, and with his command 
 marched to the front. During the suc- 
 ceeding four years the young soldier en- 
 dured all the hardships and dangersof piti- 
 less war, ever at the post of duty, and with 
 eager intelligence heeding the commands 
 of his superiors. As brave as he was dis- 
 creet, his devotion to his country's cause 
 could not but attract the attention of those 
 in authority, and the dashing young pri- 
 vate soon received the well-merited pro- 
 motion to first lieutenant, then successively 
 to captain, major, and lieutenant-colonel of 
 his regiment; the further promotion 
 while he was major coming direct from the 
 hands of the President, as lieutenant-col- 
 onel of volunteers by brevet, for " gallant 
 and meritorious service in the Carolinas." 
 The unbroken severity of his service is to 
 some little extent manifest in the skeleton 
 record of the marches, battles and sieges 
 that follow the name of Charles Preston 
 AVickham on the country's war records. 
 Among others in which he participated 
 were the battles of Second Bull Run, Chan- 
 celiorsville, Gettysburg, Mission Ridge, the 
 battles from Chattanooga to Atlanta, in- 
 cluding Resaca, Peach Tree Creek, Siege 
 of Atlanta, March to the Sea, Averysboro 
 and Bentonville. These are briefly the 
 main battles, and only to the veteran does 
 the enumeration convey any true idea of 
 the four years of hardships, exposures, 
 trials and sufferings of an active soldier's 
 life. Of the millions who in the heyday 
 of young life entered their country's serv- 
 ice, but few equaled and none surpassed 
 this one in the tented field, where are made 
 such heavy drafts upon tiie moral and phy- 
 sical courage of those who do their duty. 
 
58 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 In all his long service in the army he es- 
 caped the demoralization, so common to all 
 large aggreojations of men, by the upright 
 tenor of his bearing and the rectitude of 
 his conduct. 
 
 Four years, and grim-visaged war had 
 smoothed his wrinkled front; and when 
 the angel of mercy and peace had spread 
 her white wings across the land, and the 
 army, having saved the Union, was being 
 mustered out to return home. Col. Wick- 
 ham's command was ordered to Cleveland, 
 and July 19, 1865, the ragged, sun-burned 
 veterans, but fire-tried heroes all, were 
 honorably discharged from the service. 
 And now came the crucial test of the Ameri- 
 can character, namely, that of suddenly 
 turning a great army into free inhabitants, 
 from destroyers to builders up; from sub- 
 jects of the law as thundered from the can- 
 non's mouth, to the upholders of peace and 
 the civil law. The storm of blood was 
 spent, and the birds built their nests in 
 the cannon's cold lips. And here the vet- 
 eran's record is one of ever added new 
 laurel wreaths to the trophies of war. 
 
 At the close of the service Col. Wick- 
 ham returned to his iiome in Norwalk, and 
 resumed the practice of his profession. He 
 was elected prosecuting attorney for Huron 
 county in 1866; re-elected in 1868, and 
 after the end of his terra was called by the 
 suffrage of his people to the office of judge 
 of the comtnon pleas court, of the Fourth 
 Judicial District, in 1880; served a term 
 and was re elected in 1885; resigned in 
 October, 1886, to become the standard- 
 bearer of his party as a candidate for Con- 
 gress from the Fourteenth District; was 
 triumphantly elected and served with dis- 
 tinguished eminence; re-elected in 1888. 
 This is something of the record of a citi- 
 zen of Huron county, distinguished in 
 peace as in war. A bright ])aragraph in 
 history, a more precious legacy to poster- 
 ity than the wealth of the whole world. 
 
 Col. Wickham is in height about live 
 feet nine inches; of fair complexion, erect 
 carriage and fine presence. In manner, 
 
 though ever dignified, reserved and un- 
 demonstrative, he is courteous, gentle and 
 sympathetic, and possesses the most perfect 
 control over a naturally quick and high 
 temper. The prime impulse of his life 
 has ever been devotion to duty and the 
 furtherance of the kingdom of God. A 
 member of the Presbyterian Church from 
 early manhood, he has been an elder 
 since about the year 1866, and no press of 
 business or public duties, nor the impaired 
 health which is his as a reminder of the 
 war, have ever deterred him from regular 
 attendance upon divine service, or checked 
 his activity in and devotion to all branches 
 of Christian work. The dearest wish of 
 his life is that the six living children of 
 the nine born to him may become well- 
 equipped Christian men and women. 
 Upon the integrity of his private life, his 
 warmest political enemies have never even 
 held a question. A devoted son and 
 brother, he is the pride and stay of his 
 parents and the friend and adviser of 
 
 brothers and sisters — a lovinor and tender 
 
 ^ CD 
 
 husband, a lather whose love knows no 
 limit in self-sacritice. His children have 
 never heard from his lips a harsh or un- 
 kind word, and hold him in their hearts as 
 their ideal of a noble manhood. His ten- 
 der heart can never hear unheeded a cry 
 from the needy or unfortunate, and, 
 though one of that profession supposed by 
 some to be nearly pitiless, his conscience 
 has never allowed him to exact more than 
 his just dues in lawyer's fees. 
 
 The unsatisfied longing of his boyhood 
 days for a college education has made him 
 unwearying in the pursuit of knowledge, 
 and while devoting himself with untiring 
 industry to the study and practice of the 
 law, he has found time for wide general 
 reading and for travel, that best of all edu- 
 cations, in all parts of his country. He and 
 his wife — his helpmeet, adviser and aid in 
 every project — were the ones to suggest 
 and plan for the public library of his na- 
 tive town. He is an enthusiast on the 
 subject of education, and is the guide and 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 59 
 
 inspiration to his children in their studies. 
 In all walks of life he has won the admi- 
 ration of his fellows for his abilitj^, indus- 
 try and the conscientiousness which never 
 allows him to neijlect the least of his du- 
 ties. Noted in the army for chivalrous 
 bravery that was only equaled by his 
 ever-tender regard for the welfare of those 
 in his charge. His walk in the mazes of 
 the law has been along the higher paths 
 of the profession, where there is always 
 room and to spare for the inspiration of 
 genius. A large and lucrative pi-active 
 has been his from the first. An ardent 
 advocate of temperance, he has ever had 
 the courage of his convictions on this 
 question, and in his private walks and in 
 his official life has never spared the de- 
 stroyers of the home. Upon the bench he 
 was the wise and just judge, eminent for 
 his . impartiality, dignity and courteous- 
 uess, carrying with him the respect of 
 the bar and contidence of the people. 
 This is evidenced by the fact that in his 
 second election to tiie bench, though op- 
 posed by his able predecessor, and that, 
 too, in a strongly Democratic district, yet 
 he was easily elected. Nothing can add 
 to tlie strength of this statement as to the 
 man's standing with his people. His po- 
 litical affiliations have been with the Re- 
 publican part^', to which, while never 
 offensive to the opposition, he has been 
 ever standi and true. He has investi- 
 gated deeply the economic questions of 
 government, and the public weal has been 
 the loadstar A his political life. As a 
 speaker he is clear, earnest and logical, 
 possessing that rare trait of holding the 
 attention of an audience by the importance 
 of what is being said and the forcible 
 manner of its expression. Powerful and 
 convincing in argument, he has made him- 
 self felt at the bar and won respect in the 
 halls of Congress. And though for years 
 accustomed to public speaking, he lias 
 never been able to conquer a natural diffi- 
 dence and modesty, which makes him 
 dread anew each public appearance. 
 
 While pre-eminently successful in the 
 political field, yet he has none of 
 the equipments of the successful poli- 
 tician. Rather than having been hon- 
 ored by the offices he has tilled, he has 
 shed luster upon them, controlled by the 
 high purpose of bequeathing to liis chil- 
 dren and posterity that richest of all lega- 
 cies, a name honored and unstained. [The 
 foregoing is, with a few immaterial addi- 
 tions, from the graceful pen of an affec- 
 tionate daughter, Mrs. Grace W. W. Cur- 
 ran. — Editor. 
 
 TfJfON. F. R. LOOMIS, editor and 
 f ^ proprietor of the Norwalk Chroni- 
 I 11 c^e, was born in Lodi, Ohio, Septem- 
 •fj ber 3, 1841. The lineal descendant 
 
 of the Loomis family is from one 
 Joseph Loomis, who came from Braintree, 
 England, to Connecticut, in the year 1632. 
 The subject of this sketch is the sixth 
 in the order of birth of eight children 
 born to Milo and Lucy A. (Greenly) 
 Loomis, both natives of Jefferson county, 
 N. Y., people of prominence and wealtli, 
 who came to Ohio in 1832, making their 
 home in Medina county, where they passed 
 the remainder of their lives. Our subject 
 resided in his native place until his nine- 
 teenth year, when he entered the Union 
 army, in which he served faithfully three 
 and one half years at the front, 
 
 ment being the 
 
 Eighth 
 
 O. V. I. He 
 
 his regi- 
 was 
 
 promoted consecutively to first sergeant, 
 second lieutenant and first lieutenant, and 
 was assigned to the staff of Gen. S. S. 
 Carroll. He was severely wounded at the 
 battle of Autietam, and again at Gettys- 
 burg. On his return home at the close of 
 the war he was appointed postmaster of 
 his native town, Lodi, an incumbency he 
 filled ten consecutive years, at the end of 
 which time he resigned to accept the posi- 
 tion of member of the State Legislature, 
 to which the suffrages of the Republicans 
 of his county had called him. lie served 
 his term acceptably, and declined a 
 
60 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 renoinination. In 1876 he pnrcliased a 
 lialf interest in the Medina Gazette, and 
 was one of the editors and proprietors 
 thereof until 1870, when he sold his in- 
 terest in that paper and purchased the 
 Norwalk Chronicle, of which he is now 
 sole proprietor and editor. 
 
 Mr. Looinis is an ardent Tieptibliean, a 
 prominent and respected leader in that 
 organization, and has been called frequentlv 
 to the councils and posts of trust and re- 
 sponsibility in its interests. In religious 
 faith he is a Congregationalist, in the 
 church of which denomination he has been 
 an honored member for many years, and 
 as delegate has represented it at important 
 State meetings; he was Moderator of the 
 North Ohio Conference for a term; was 
 president of the Huron County Bible So- 
 ciety several years; was for some years pres- 
 ident of the Huron County Sunday-school 
 Association ; was also president of the Ohio 
 State Sunday-school Association two years; 
 and was secretary of the Third Inter- 
 national Sunday-school Convention, held 
 at Atlanta, Ga. Socially he is past cona- 
 Hiander of M. F. Wooster Post, JMo. 34, 
 G. A. R., of Norwalk; he was three times 
 elected colonel of F. H. Boalt Comtiiand 
 No. 17, Union Veterans Union, of Nor- 
 walk; was elected department commander 
 of Ohio Command of the Union Veterans 
 Union, serving one year; declining a re- 
 election as commander, he was elected 
 chaplain of the Department. For several 
 years he served as chairman of the Execu- 
 tive Committee of the National Command 
 of the Union Veterans Union. He is a 
 director and trustee and a prominent 
 member of the FirelaTids Historical So- 
 ciety, and has been its biographer for 
 several years. 
 
 While Mr. Loomis is a strong, earnest 
 and ever-active party man, he never for a 
 moment has foi'gotten that correct prin- 
 ciples are stronger and more important 
 than party claims. 
 
 On January 10, 1865, F. R. Loomis 
 was united in uiarriage with Catherine C. 
 
 Kilmer, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and to tiiem 
 was given one son, whose young life 
 brought to liis fond parents' hearts the 
 light and joy of the sunshine. Clare R. 
 Loomis was born March 16, 1871; reared 
 in the atmosphere of a refined and loving 
 CJhristian hotne, he developed those ami- 
 able, bright and strong (jnalities of soul 
 and mind that marked him most eminently 
 and wove the golden chain that endeared 
 him to a wide circle of admiring friends. 
 He had a brilliant promise of life when he 
 left his father's home to accept a responsible 
 position on the editorial staff of the Chi- 
 cago Inter Ocean, but the hand of disease 
 was suddenly laid upon his bright and 
 noble young life, and he died of typhoid 
 fever at his home in Norwalk, Fel)ruary 
 9, 1892, leaving desolate the now childless 
 parents, and creating a void in their hearts 
 which can never be tilled. 
 
 Among the the temperance advocates of 
 Ohio, Hon. F. R. Loomis stands forth 
 prominently. Here, as elsewhere, his con- 
 victions are strong, but are always equaled 
 by his courage in the expression of them. 
 His paper is the reflex of the man, battling 
 ever for the supremacy of principle, for 
 the right though the heavens fall, and in 
 this regard it is the reflex of its editor's life. 
 
 IfRVING J. BROOKS, editor and pro- 
 prietor of the Greenwich Enterprise, 
 _[ son of Franklin and Ann Eliza (Ken- 
 nedy) Brooks, natives of Huron county, 
 was born April 15, 1857, in Bronson 
 township. His paternal grandfather was 
 a native of Vermont, his paternal grand- 
 mother of New York State. The mater- 
 nal grandfather was a native of Ireland, 
 and maternal grandmother a native of 
 Scotland, belonging to the well-known 
 McPherson family and a cousin to Gen. 
 McPherson. They were pioneers of Bron- 
 son township, where the first named re- 
 sided for forty years, dying in 1872, and 
 the last named died in 1844. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 61 
 
 The name was originally spelled Brooke, 
 and the family of that name in America 
 are descended from Englisli ancestry. 
 The historical Say-Brooke fort, built at the 
 mouth of the Connecticut river in 1635, 
 was named after Lords Say and Brooke, 
 who were the proprietors, and, in company 
 with others, held the grant of the territory 
 of Connecticut. Lemuel Brooke, youngest 
 Son of William and Esther Brooke, was 
 born at Entield, Conn., February 20, 
 1748. His father, William Brooke, who 
 owned and controlled the Enfield ferry, 
 was a great-grandson of Lord Brooke, of 
 England. He (William) taught in different 
 schools and colleges thirty-three years; 
 served four years in the war of the Revo- 
 lution, acting in the capacity of quarter- 
 master. He was employed by the United 
 States Government to survey, on the 
 Western Reserve, a tract of land in north- 
 eastern Ohio set apart by the Government 
 for the people whose homes were destroyed 
 in the Revolutionary war. His surveys were 
 made in Lorain and Cuyahoga counties. 
 
 RetnrniiiD- to Vermont he emigrated 
 with his family in 1817, traveling the 
 whole distance with an ox-teara, and settled 
 in Greenfield, Huron Co., Ohio. Owing 
 to the scarcity of steel at that time in this 
 new country, his sword was made into 
 butcher knives; his regimentals, etc., to- 
 gether with most of the family records, 
 including the coat of arms of the Brooke 
 family, a silver helmet, buckler, etc., were 
 destroyed by fire at Greenfield, Ohio, in 
 1838. William Brooke married Keziah 
 Haskill January 5, 1775, and seven chil- 
 dren were born to them, viz.: Lemuel, 
 Melicinda, Kezia, Aurelia, Homer, Selma, 
 Virgil. Of these, Lemuel, born August 
 7, 1776, was twice married, and by his 
 second wife, Esther Sprague, whom he 
 wedded February 13, 1806, he had eight 
 children, to wit: Lemuel Sprague, Har- 
 rietta Esther, William, Philo, Celia, Ne- 
 liemiah, Irena and Jertisha. The father 
 of these died in Greenfield township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, in 1831. 
 
 Lemuel Sprague Brooke was born in 
 Marlboro, Windham Co., Vt., October 29, 
 1806. When ten years of age he rescued 
 his brother Nehemiah from a well, and 
 was all his grown life a man of superior 
 muscular power. In 1888 he married 
 Almira Adams, of North Fairfield, Ohio, 
 and to them two children were born — 
 Franklin (father of the suljject proper of 
 this sketch) and Esther. He died in June, 
 1838, from cancer in the face, and was 
 preparing himself for the ministry at the 
 time of his illness. 
 
 Franklin Brooke was born January 13, 
 1834, in Greenfield township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio; was married November 1, 1855, to 
 Ann Eliza Kennedy, of Bronson township, 
 Huron county, by whom there were four 
 children, named as follows: Irving J., 
 Gardiner A., Frank Alexander and Anna 
 Elmira. 
 
 Irving J. Brooks passed his boyhood in 
 New Haven township, and received a pri- 
 mary education in the district school. 
 Subsequently he studied in the Normal 
 schools at Lebanon and Ada, Ohio, and 
 after obtaining a practical literary train- 
 ing taught school several terms, and en- 
 tered the Clu'oiiicle office at Norvvalk in 
 1881. Subsequently lie worked in the 
 offices of the Da'ihj Wews. at Norwalk; 
 was assistant foreman of the Dalhj Jour- 
 nal, at Battle Creek, Mich.; foreman of 
 the Enterprise, at Cherokee, Iowa, and 
 foreman of the Journal, at Mankato, 
 Minn. Returning to Huron county in 
 November, 1888, he purchased a half in- 
 terest in the Greenwich Enterprise, and 
 in February, 1891, became sole proprietor. 
 This newspaper is an independent journal, 
 presents a good typographical appearance, 
 has a large local circulation, and is a good 
 advertising medium. To the editorial and 
 news columns of the Enterprise he gives 
 close, personal attention, and by his in- 
 dustry has made the office profitable and 
 the paper useful. On April 15, 1886, Mr. 
 Brooks was united in marriage, at Chero- 
 kee, Iowa, with Miss Lydia R. Ruggles, 
 
62 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 who was born in Waverly, Van Buren 
 Co., Mich., August 21, 1865, a daugliter 
 of Charles D. and Henrietta C. (Hobart) 
 Kuggles. Her father's people pride them- 
 selves in their blood, they being an old 
 family. Her mother is of Puritan descent, 
 tracing a direct line of ancestry to John 
 Alden and his wife Priscilla. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. I. J. Brooks are members 
 of the Episcopal Church. He is a member 
 of the Masonic, Knights of Pythias and 
 National Union Lodges of Greenwich; a 
 Royal Arch Mason of New London Chap- 
 ter; a member of the Sons of Temperance 
 of Norwalk, and also of the International 
 Typographical Union of Toledo. 
 
 EN. FRANKLIN SAWYER (de- 
 ceased) was born in Auburn, Craw- 
 ford Co., Ohio, July 13, 1825, a 
 Al son of Erastus and Sally Sawyer, 
 natives of the State of New York. 
 His father's ancestors emigrated to this 
 country from Lancashire, England, and 
 his mother's (whose maiden name was 
 Snider) from Holland. His parents were 
 pioneers in that then wilderness country. 
 He had one brother, Albanus, older, and 
 one sister, Mrs. Lucy Kellogg, younger, 
 than himself. 
 
 Upon his father's farm he remained 
 until his seventeenth year, employed in 
 the hard work of the new country, and at- 
 tending the common school of the neigh- 
 borhood when there happened to be one. 
 In 1843 he was a student at Norwalk 
 Seminai-y, and the next year at Granville 
 College, supporting himself during this 
 time, and while studying law, by teaching 
 school winters. In 1845 he commenced 
 the study of the law at Norwalk, was ad- 
 mitted to the bar in 1847, and soon found 
 himself in a respectable practice. In 1850 
 he was elected prosecuting attorney, which 
 office he held two years, during which 
 time he was successful in breaking up a 
 noted gang of horse thieves, counterfeiters 
 
 and professional witnesses who infested 
 the county. In 1854 he formed a part- 
 nership with George H. Safford, which 
 continued until both threw up the profes- 
 sion to enter the army. 
 
 In 1860, at the instance of Gov. Denni- 
 son, Mr. Sawyer organized a military com- 
 pany known as the Norwalk Light Guards, 
 and on xVpril 16, 1861, was ordered into 
 service for three months, and reported 
 with his company at Camp Dennison as 
 Company D, Eighth Ohio Volunteers. 
 The regiment soon re-organized for three 
 years; he was promoted to major, and 
 soon after to lieutenant-colonel. In July 
 the regiment went to Western Virginia, 
 and participated in the campaign of that 
 summer. S. S. Carroll, of the U. S. A., 
 was appointed colonel, and took the regi- 
 ment into the valley in the spring of 1861, 
 where it fonght conspicuously in the 
 battle of Winchester. Col. Carroll was 
 there given the command of the brigade, 
 and from this time the regiment was in 
 command of Col. Sawyer. It was then 
 ordered to Harrison's Landing, and be- 
 came part of the Second Corps. He com- 
 manded the regiment in the battles of 
 Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellors- 
 ville, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Morton's 
 Ford, the Wilderness, and Spottsylvania, 
 and in innumerable skirmishes. In most 
 of these battles he was assigned to diffi- 
 cult positions, and in every instance was 
 complimented by his superior officers for 
 his gallant conduct. At Gettysburg, he 
 was ordereii to drive out a rebel force 
 posted in an important position in front 
 of Hancock's battle-line, which was hand- 
 somely done with the bavonet, though at 
 a heavy loss. This position he maintained 
 for two days unsupported, and far in ad- 
 vance of the line, although three times at- 
 tacked by superior force; and finally, 
 charging an advancing column of rebels, 
 took a number of prisoners and three bat- 
 tle-flags. In this battle, and also the 
 battle of Antietam, over one-half of his 
 men engaged were killed or wounded. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 63 
 
 His horse was shot from under him at 
 Antietain, Chaneellorsville, and Locust 
 Grove. He was severely wounded at 
 Gettysburg, Morton's Ford, and Spottsyl- 
 vania, at the latter place the wouud dis- 
 abliiicr him from further service and 
 partially paralyzing the left side. During 
 the draft-riots he was sent to the city of 
 New York with his regiment, and occu- 
 pied a position on Brooklyn Heights until 
 the consummation of the draft. 
 
 Promotion was several times tendered 
 him, but he preferred to remain with his 
 "gallant old Eighth." His popularity 
 with his men was unbounded, his ability 
 as an officer was conceded, and his absolute 
 bravery in battle unquestioned. Tlie rank 
 of brevet brigadier-general was conferred 
 for meritorious conduct during the war. 
 
 In the fall of 1864 he vLsited the Ohio 
 troops on the line of the Mississippi, New 
 Orleans, Kentucky, Tennessee, Northern 
 Alabama, and Geoi'gia, on a special com- 
 mission from Gov. Brough. He then 
 acted as assistant judge advocate in the of- 
 fice of Judge Advocate Gen. Holt, at 
 Washington, until the close of the war, 
 and the triumphal return of the Union 
 army to Washington, in June, 1865. 
 
 Ill 1865 he was elected representative 
 to the Legislature for Huron county on 
 the Repuhlican ticket, and served two ses- 
 sions. Was a member of the committee 
 on linaiice, schools, and the agricultural 
 college fund. The Cleveland Leader, in 
 a review of this Legislature, said of him: 
 "Few men in the State achieved alirighter 
 reputation in the recent war than Gen. 
 Sawyer, the member for Huron. As a 
 legislator he is chiefly distinguislied for 
 his ability in presenting his case and 
 'dumbfounding' his adversary, if anybody 
 has the temerity to oppose hini. For real 
 humor, as well as solid argument, he has 
 few superiors. Sometimes his rare blend- 
 ing of humor and argument would con- 
 vulse with laughter the entire house, and 
 upset the gravity of everybody within 
 hearing." 
 
 In May, 1867, he was appointed one of 
 tlie registers in bankruptcy for the North- 
 ern District of Ohio, which office he held 
 during the existence of the act, a period of 
 over twelve years, being regarded as a 
 careful and impartial officer. He also dur- 
 ing tliis period continued successfully in 
 his law practice. Gen. Sawyer always 
 took a lively interest in the prosperity of 
 Norwalk. He was a trustee of the Nor- 
 walk Institute for several years, and until 
 it was discontinued on account of the non- 
 popular public-school system, and was 
 then for fifteen years a member of the 
 board of education of tlie union schools. 
 As a lawyer he occupied a prominent posi- 
 tion at the bar, and was regarded as a man 
 of strict integrity; he was an interesting 
 speaker and ready debater, and a thorough 
 student of literature and history. 
 
 Gen. Sawyer was married January 30, 
 1848, to Luciuda M. Lathrop. who died 
 June 12, 1854. On November 29, 1855, 
 he was married to Elizabeth B. Bostwick, 
 of Delaware county, N. Y., who died 
 January 6, 1878. He has one son, Frank. 
 The General died of paralysis in 1893, at 
 the residence of his son in Norwalk, at 
 the age of sixty-eight years. [Compiled 
 from Williams' " History of Huron and 
 Lorain Counties." 
 
 dlOHN A. RYNN. Among the most 
 popular citizens of Norwalk is this 
 ) genial representativeof the Hibernian 
 race. His parents, Thomas and Mary 
 (Burns) Rynn, were both born in the 
 Emerald Isle, where they were married, 
 soon afterward emigrating to America. 
 The father died when his son John A. 
 was a little over two years of age, having 
 been killed in a railway accident, and the 
 mother then married John Mullen. Four 
 children have been born to her second 
 marriage, vi^: James, Bernard, Sarah 
 and Owen. 
 
64 
 
 IIUJIOX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 John A. Rynn was born April 6, 1853, 
 in Norwaik, Huron Co., Oiiio, and at- 
 tended tiie public schools. He then took 
 a course at the Spencerian Commercial 
 College of Cleveland, and after finishing 
 his education entered the employ of a 
 wholesale grocer in Toledo, Ohio. The 
 following autumn he returned to Huron 
 county, and in September, 1873, estab- 
 lished his present grocery tmsiness, which 
 has grown to extensive proportions. In 
 1890 he became a member of the city 
 council and in 1891 was elected president 
 of that body. He is county delegate of 
 the Hibernian Society of Huron county, 
 and in April, 1892, was sent to Xew Or- 
 leans as a representative of the local organ- 
 ization. Mr. Rynn is no less prepossess- 
 ing in personal appearance than in his 
 genial manners, and wins hosts of friends 
 among all classes. 
 
 DOCTOR AMOS WOODWARD, of 
 Bellevue, Ohio, was born February 
 ^' 11, 1824, on what is known as the 
 
 "Woodward farm," near Bellevue. 
 He was the second son of Gnrdon and 
 Mary S. Woodward. 
 
 His father in the spring of 1817 located 
 his farm in Lyme township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, where he built a log cabin, and be- 
 ing a man of unusual physical strength, 
 coupled with indomitable energy, he soon 
 cleared off the heavy timber and opened 
 up the farm for cultivation. He then re- 
 turned to Utica, N. Y., and married Miss 
 Mary Savage, one of the brightest and best 
 of Utica's daughters, who came to their 
 new home in the West to adorn it with 
 her graceful charms of head and heart. 
 The home was widely known as " Wood- 
 lawn," and for many years was noted for 
 its generous hospitality. 
 
 There were three brothers by the name 
 of Woodward, who came from England at 
 an early day, one settling iij Connecticut, 
 one in Pennsylvania and one in Virginia — 
 
 men of strong distinct characteristics, and 
 prominent citizens where they lived. 
 
 Abishai Woodward, the grandfather of 
 the subject of this sketch, was born in 
 1749. He was an architect and leadino- 
 contractor in New London, Conn., then 
 one of the tionrishing cities of New Eng- 
 land. A prominent and highly esteemed 
 citizen, he was for many years an alderman 
 of his native village; he died in 1809. His 
 wife was Miss Mary Spicer, a lady belong- 
 ing to one of the best families in Connecti- 
 cut, and their family consisted of five sons 
 and six daughters. Two of the sons, Abi- 
 shai and Eben, settled in Louisiana, and 
 three in Ohio — Gurdon and William in 
 1817, and Amos in 1820 — locating in 
 Lyme township, Huron county, on what 
 is known as the " Firelands," a tract of 
 land which was given by the State of Con- 
 necticut to sufferers by tire at New Lon- 
 don during the Revolution, when Benedict 
 Arnold with the British soldiers captured 
 and burned the city, and massacred the 
 gai-rison after its surrender at Fort Gris- 
 wold. 
 
 When a boy, Dr. Woodward went to 
 live with his Uncle Amos and Aunt 
 Rachel Woodward, who havina; no sons of 
 their own urged his parents to let them 
 have the boy. As their farms joined, they 
 consented, and there he spent his boyhood 
 days, attending school winters, and help- 
 incr on the farm summers, until 1841, when 
 on the death of his uncle, he bid adieu to 
 farm life and commenced the study of 
 medicine vfith Dr. Lathrop, of Bellevue, 
 one of the leading physicia'is of the county. 
 Being of an active and observant mind, he 
 made rapid progress with his studies, and 
 after attending lectures two winters at the 
 Medical College in Cleveland, <TiMduated 
 in 1849. He immediately commenced 
 practicing medicine with Dr. Lathrop at 
 Bellevue, and from the commencement 
 had a large and extensive practice in the 
 town and adjoining counties. Possessing 
 the qualities of tenderness ami sympathy 
 in an eminent degree, and gifted with 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 07 
 
 quick perceptions, a good judge of human 
 nature, and prompt in diagnosis, lie was 
 called in all important cases, especially in 
 consnltation with other physicians, and 
 had he continued in his profession would 
 doubtless have been at the head of the pro- 
 fession in nprthern Ohio. His love for 
 his profession was unusual, and long after 
 he gave up the practice, even up to the 
 time of his death, he was ever ready to be 
 consulted with and to j^ive advice, and 
 many of his old patients would come to 
 him, having such confidence in his skill, 
 that they thought no other physician 
 could prescribe for their ailments. 
 
 Dr. Woodward was married on June 25, 
 1851, to Miss Arabella Chapman, eldest 
 daughter of Judge Frederick Chapman, of 
 Belle^'ue, one of the earlier settlers and of a 
 vei-y prominent family, socially and other- 
 wise. Judge Chapman, at the time, was 
 a large landowner, extensively engaged in 
 business pursuits in Bellevue and vicinity, 
 and required just such a practical man as 
 Dr. Woodward to assist him in his busi- 
 ness. Finally, in the year 1857, he per- 
 suaded him to take an interest in his 
 business, which was thereafter carried on 
 in the Hr.ii name of Chapman & Wood- 
 ward, with great success and profit until 
 the death of Judge Chapman, April 26, 
 1861. Alter that date the settling up of 
 the estate of Judge Chapman, and closing 
 up the business of the firm devolved upon 
 Dr. Wooiward, in which position he 
 brought to bear his good judgment and 
 usual energy and ability, to the satisfac- 
 tion of all parties, leaving a handsome 
 property for the heirs of Judge Chapman. 
 Dr. Woodward, as surviving partner, suc- 
 ceeded to the business of the firm, and 
 with his energy and perseverance was 
 successful in acquiring a large and valu- 
 able property in and around Bellevue, in 
 real and personal property. Fie was one of 
 the original stockholders of the Norwalk 
 National Bank, of Norwalk, Ohio, and a 
 director of the same from its organization, 
 in March, 1865, until his death, during all 
 
 of which time he aided said institution 
 with his sound advice, sterling integrity 
 and good judgment. He was also con- 
 nected with tlie First National Bank, of 
 Bellevue, Ohio, from its organization in 
 September, 1875, until his death. He was 
 elected cashier of this bank June 22, 1883, 
 and under his management the institution 
 was eminently successful, doing a large 
 and prosperous business, having the confi- 
 dence and patronage of the community 
 to a high degree, and making regular 
 semi-annual dividends. In this position, 
 also, his friends appreciated his ex- 
 traordinary business ability. It was a 
 prominent trait in his character that what- 
 ever he undertook to do, he did well, and 
 was untiring in his efforts until the desired 
 result was accomplished. He was also a 
 close observer of things and their sur- 
 roundings, and after a trip across the coun- 
 try, it was very interesting to hear him 
 describe the incidents of the journe}', the 
 soil, climate and general appearance of 
 things at every point. With a well-culti- 
 vated mind he taught for himself, and ex- 
 pressed his own opinions. True to his 
 friends, true to his principles, and unyield- 
 ing in his defense of right and justice, his 
 high character and integrity were appre- 
 ciated by all who knew him or had any 
 business relations with him, and he stands 
 prominent as one of the best examples of 
 American citizenship. 
 
 Dr. Woodward left two daughters. 
 Louise, the elder, married John Gardiner, 
 Jr., of Norwalk, Ohio, October 3, 1877, 
 and has three sons, viz.: Amos Woodward 
 Gardiner, born September 12, 1879; John 
 Joslin Gardiner, born December 6, 1881, 
 and Douglass Latimer Gardiner, born De- 
 cem'oer 28, 1887, and is now a resident of 
 Norwalk, Ohio. Belle Woodward, the 
 second daughter, married, October 27, 
 1880, William C. Asay, a lawyer of Chi- 
 cago, III., and has two daughters, viz.: 
 Marguerite Louise, born December 19, 
 1884, and Pauline Clemence, born De 
 cember 17, 1886. As a husband and 
 
68 
 
 HUBOy rorXTY. OHIO. 
 
 father Dr. Woodward \sas always kind and 
 indulgent, providing ample means to pro- 
 mote the happiness of the family circle. 
 The residence of the family was purchased 
 of J. Ij. Highee in 1871, and was greatly 
 improved, the grounds and lawns hand- 
 somely laid out and the house elegantly 
 furnished. His widow still resides there 
 with all the pleasant surroundings and 
 comforts requisite to make life hapjjy on 
 earth, with one missing in the family circle 
 whom nothing can replace. 
 
 In politics the Doctor was a Democrat. 
 In relio'ious views, he was attached to the 
 Protestant Episcopal Church, and was a 
 liberal contributor to the creation of a 
 house of woi'ship in Believue. He was 
 alwaj's a cheerful giver to its financial sup- 
 port, though his giving was not confined 
 to the Episcopal Church, but, with his 
 liberal views on the subject, his hand was 
 ever ready to assist other organizations; 
 and as he disliked outward show, he gave 
 quietly and without display or ostentation. 
 
 After a lingering illness, which he bore 
 with manly patience, continuing to attend 
 to business up to the day of his death, he 
 departed this life September 23, 1S91, at 
 the age of sixty-seven years, seven months 
 and twelve days, and as the words "He is 
 dead " passed from lip to lip, the whole 
 community was filled with genuine grief, 
 that one of its leading citizens — wliose ac- 
 tive life had aided in building up the vil- 
 lage, who had spent his whole life with 
 his townsmen, and who was one of the 
 pioneers in the progress and improvement 
 of the county — had gone to his final rest. 
 "Then shall the dust return to earth as it 
 was, and the spirit shall return unto God 
 who gave it." 
 
 GOL. JAMES II. SPRAGUE, senior 
 member of the firm of Sprague & 
 French, manufacturers of umbrellas, 
 Norwalk, is a native of New York 
 State, born in Cayuga county, February 
 15, 1845. lie is a son of James and 
 
 Catherine (Grosbeck) Sprague, the latter 
 a native of New York State, the former of 
 Rhode Island, and a descendant of Gen. 
 John Sprague of the same State. 
 
 Our subject was privileged by his 
 thoughtful parents to have given him ex- 
 cellent educational advantages, and after 
 i-eceiving a solid literary substratum at the 
 common schools of his native place, lie at- 
 tended Union Academy, Red Creek, where 
 he graduated in 1857. He then, in 186-, 
 entered Pulaski Academy in Oswego coun- 
 ty, N. Y., subsequently taking a course at 
 the Waterdown University, which he left, 
 however, in order to respond to his coun- 
 try's call for loyal men to preserve the 
 Union. According to the records in the 
 adjutant-general's office, New York, and 
 those in the War Department at Washing- 
 ton, our subject entered the Sixteenth 
 Regiment New York Infantry as drum- 
 major, serving in the first battle of Bull 
 Kun, and all through the campaign of 
 1861. His regiment was then changed 
 from infantry to light artillery, and he was 
 appointed sergeant of Battery F. At the 
 storming of Fort Wagner he volunteered as 
 leader of a "forlorn hope" of twenty men, 
 at which engagement Col. Shaw, of the 
 Eleventh New York Battery, was killed, 
 and Sergeant Sprague thereupon received 
 promotion to junior second lieutenant. In 
 that capacity he took charge of the battery, 
 and commanded at Honey Hill, S. C., 
 besides in other engwgements leading up 
 to the capture of Charleston, S. C, where 
 he also commanded a battery, and was the 
 first man to cross the bridge into the city 
 during the siece. The next engagements 
 in which he participated were those of 
 what is known as the Georgetown raid and 
 the battle of The Cowpens, after which his 
 command wasordered back to Hilton Head, 
 where he was mustered out after having 
 done gallant service from April, 1861, to 
 June, 1865. 
 
 After the war Col. S[)rague returned 
 north to New York, and was thei'e ap- 
 pointed by Gen. John A. Greene, adjutant- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 69 
 
 general of the State, to a majority in the 
 One Hundred and Fourteenth New York 
 National Guard, in which capacity lie 
 served some three years, resigning in or- 
 der to accept the position of general man- 
 ager of McLean's circus. In 18(38 he ee- 
 tired from the last named incumbency, and 
 coming to Ohio accepted the position of 
 traveling salesman for the house of Ber- 
 nard Courtwright, whom he represented 
 until 1872, and then entered the employ 
 of F. B. Case, of Norwalk, as traveling 
 salesman for his tobacco business until 
 187('). In that year he took charge of col- 
 lections for D. M. Osborne, of Auburn, N. 
 Y., manufacturers of harvesters and bind- 
 ers, and with this firm remained till 1882, 
 at which time he accepted a position with 
 the Piano Manufacturinfi; Company of 
 Chicago, 111., as manager of their business 
 in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, remaining 
 as such till 1884, when he l)ecame in- 
 terested with other citizens of Norwalk in 
 the '• Hexagon Postal Box Company." 
 Subsequently he embarked in the manu- 
 factnrinii of advertising novelties in the 
 same city, an enterprise he made a great 
 success of. In 1886 Col. Sprague, with 
 Mr. C. L. French, commenced the manu- 
 facture of umbrellas, the well-known 
 '•Tourist" Ijelng his specialty, in connec- 
 tion with which he has a series of im- 
 proved patents, prominent among which is 
 his unequalled adjustable handle and tip. 
 In a brief period they have bnilt up this 
 industry from comparatively small begin- 
 nings to its present mammoth proportions. 
 In 1887 they bnilt the factory, and they 
 now employ during busy tinges of the year 
 over 150 hands, ten traveling salesmen 
 being constantly kept on the road, to push 
 their trade into every corner of the United 
 States. Col. Sprague has also manufac- 
 tured machinery for making umbrellas, 
 and in all of his undertakings he has 
 proven himself a representative business 
 man and true American "hustler." 
 
 Col. Sprague was married, in Norwalk, 
 Huron county, to Eliza A. Cunningham, 
 
 of that city, and they are recognized lead- 
 ers in Norwalk society. Politically the 
 Colonel is an active worker in the ranks of 
 the Republican party, and, though retired 
 from the army, his usefulness in military 
 affairs is far from gone, for after coming 
 to Ohio he was inspector of artillery on 
 the staff of (tov. Charles Foster four years. 
 In social organizations he is also promi- 
 nent. He belongs to Mt. Vernon Lodge, 
 A. F. & A. M., Royal Arch and Chapter, 
 Norwalk Council, and is past eminent 
 commander of Norwalk Commandery; is 
 member of all the branches of the I. O. O. 
 F., and of the Royal Arcanum; is deputy 
 department commander of the IL Y. U. of 
 Ohio, and past commander of the G. A. R. 
 Post. He is also a member of Alcoran 
 Temple of the Ancient Arabian Order of 
 the Mystic Shrine, at Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 ^' EORGE N. SIMMONS. This well- 
 known citizen traces his genealogy 
 to five brothers who sailed from 
 Hamburg, Germany, to Plymouth, 
 Mass., years ago. Among their descen- 
 dants is mentioned Senator Simmons of 
 Rhode Island, a cousin of Henry, father of 
 George N. 
 
 Henry Simmons was born May 16,1791, 
 in Rensselaer county. New York, near 
 Troy, where his youth was passed. He 
 was a lifelong farmer; in politics a Demo- 
 crat until Scott ran for President, when 
 he united with the Whig party, afterward 
 becoming a Republican. Mr. Simmons 
 married Mary Ham, daughter of Conrad 
 Ham, both residents, at the time, of Troy, 
 N. Y., and the children of this union were 
 Elizabeth, Catherine, Sarah, William H., 
 John J., David L., George N., Mary J., 
 Emeline, Frances A., Clara, and Julia A., 
 all of whom lived to adult age. Mr. Sim- 
 mons was a soldier in the war of 1812, 
 serving with Gen. Eddy at the battle of 
 Stillwater. He died February 2, 1876; 
 his widow on March 9, 1889, both mem- 
 
70 
 
 HURON^ COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 bei's of the Methodist Church. They lie 
 buried in the liome cemetery. 
 
 George N. Si in in on s was born July 12, 
 1825, in Grafton township, near Troy, 
 N. Y., and was educated in the common 
 schools. Jn 1853 he moved to Chicago, 
 and was conductor on the Lake Siiore & 
 Michigan Southern Railroad some seven or 
 eight years; was also on the Ohio & Mis- 
 sissippi Kailroad, and the Cincinnati 
 Southern. In 1859, accompanied by three 
 other men, lie crossed the Tlains, and was 
 the first to discover gold in Colorado, on 
 what is known as the " Chicago Bar."' He 
 then returned east, took in two partners, 
 and conveyed the first quartz mill, ever 
 used in Colorado, across the Plains on 
 wagons, there being at that time no rail- 
 roads west of the Missouri river. The mine 
 was the well-known "Black Hawk Co." 
 The capital of the company being 
 insiifiicient to carry on the business, Mr. 
 Simmons again returned to secure more 
 funds, but the war breaking out, he 
 entered the service as scout in the Union 
 army. Meanwhile his partners, to whom 
 he had given power of attorney, sold the 
 mine and disappeared with the proceeds, 
 of which Mr. Simmons never received one 
 cent. This mine was afterward sold to 
 an eastern company for seven million dol- 
 lars, together with other property which 
 Mr. Simmons and his partners had located. 
 After his return from the war George Sim- 
 mons resumed woi'k on the railroad, which 
 he followed tor several years on both north- 
 ern and southern routes of the Lake Shore 
 & Michigan Southern. After resigning 
 his position on the railroad, he went into 
 the packing business in Chicago, on Ran- 
 dolph street. He had goods stored in 
 Underwood's Provision Store House, and 
 all was destroyed by the fire of 1872. He 
 then abandoned that business, and, decid- 
 ing to begin in fresh fields, opened a real- 
 estate office in Chicago, in " Parker's 
 block," the firm being Carter & Simmons. 
 Prior to the panic of 1873 his business 
 was worth several hundred thousand dol- 
 
 lars, but at that time he shared the com- 
 mon fate, and after amassing three 
 fortunes, was again left to begin the 
 world anew. But knowing no such word 
 as " fail " he found temporary employment 
 astconductor on the railroad, and in 1879 
 went to Leadville, Colo., where he was 
 one of the locators and owners of the 
 famous "Col. Sellers Mine" at that place. 
 Some of the mines are paying fair divi- 
 dends, while others ot equal value are 
 closed down on account of depreciation in 
 silver currency. Returning east in Janu- 
 ary, 1880, Mr. Simmons has since resided 
 in Norwalk. He occasionally travels be- 
 tween Colorado and the East, tratisacting 
 business in relation to his gold, silver and 
 lead mines, some of which are leased and 
 yield a good percentage. 
 
 On October 12, 1850, Mr. Simmons was 
 united in marriage, in Albany. N. Y., 
 with Miss Mary Barnes Chester, of Massa- 
 chusetts, and children as follows have been 
 born to them: Lucretia Josephine; Nel- 
 lie G. (Mrs. Roe), now a resident of Milan, 
 Ohio; George H., and Fred B. Formerly 
 a Whig, Mr. Simmons has been a Repub- 
 lican since the formation of that party. 
 
 IjOEL BLACKMAN, one of the oldest 
 
 ^ I citizens of northern Ohio, is a eon of 
 
 \j) Josiah Blackman, whose parents 
 
 were natives of New England, in 
 
 after years coming west with their children. 
 
 Josiah Blackman was born in Massa- 
 chusetts, and lived in New York for some 
 time, coming to Erie county, Ohio, Just 
 after the close of the war of 1812. He- 
 was married to Tryphena Smith, who died 
 two or three years after they settled in 
 Ohio, followed by her husband at the age 
 of about seventy years. He was a farmer 
 all his life, and in politics voted with the 
 Whig party. They were the parents of 
 ten children, viz.: Clarissa, Allen, Ansel, 
 Harvey, Ira, Chester, Simeon, Joel, Hiram 
 and Sally. Of these, eight are deceased; 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 71 
 
 one is living in La Porte county, Ind., and 
 Joel is the sniiject of this sketch. 
 
 Joel Blackinan was born March 13, 
 1801, in New York State, and in 1815 
 came with his parents to Ohio, locating in 
 Florence township, Erie county. After 
 his business, that of farmincr, was estab- 
 lished on a firm basis, he returned to 
 Connecticut, and on September 12, 1880, 
 was united in marriage to Welthy Tilden. 
 The young couple began wedded life on the 
 farm in Erie county, and here resided in 
 peaceful prosperity until 1867, when they 
 came to the present home in Norwalk, 
 Hunm Co.. Ohio, where she died March 
 19, 1879. Joel Blackman is known as a 
 business man of integrity and good judg- 
 ment. In politics he was originally a 
 Whig, and has been a Republican since the 
 
 religion he 
 Three 
 
 children were born to him, of whom, in 
 the order of their birth, the following is a 
 brief record: Mrs. R. A. Watros was 
 married October 15, 1869, and April 14, 
 1881, and is now living with and carincr 
 for her father; she has one child, Grace 
 M. Packard. William Blackman was mar- 
 ried June 10, 1862. Maria was the wife 
 of William Kellogg, and died July 28, 
 1871, leaving four children, as follows: 
 Charles C, who was married April 4, 
 1891, and died October 19, 1893; Fred B., 
 who was married June 12, 1888, and has 
 two children, Mai-ia and Florence; Will- 
 iam G., married February 15, 1891, and 
 Florence W. [Since the above was writ- 
 ten Mr. Joel Blackman, the subject of the 
 sketch, died at the home of his daughter, 
 Mrs. R. A. Watros, the date of his death 
 being November 20, 1893.— Ed. 
 
 organization of that party: in 
 is a member of the M. E. Church 
 
 FETER HERMAN, senior member 
 of the prosperous firm of Herman 
 & Sons, in Inisiness at Norwalk and 
 Monroeville, was born September 
 12, 1835, in Peru township, Huron 
 Co., Ohio. He is a son of F. J. Herman, 
 
 whose parents were natives of Baden, 
 Germany, where the grandfather followed 
 carpentry, and was accidentally killed by 
 tailing from a building. The grand- 
 parents were members of the Catholic 
 Church. 
 
 F. J. Herman was born in 1799, in 
 Baden, Germany, where he grew to man- 
 hood and followed the carpenter trade. 
 He was married to Waldabnrga Barhle, 
 and in 1834 they came to America, lo- 
 cating in Peru township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio. The mother died in 1850, aged 
 fifty-five years, leaving seven children, of 
 whom Peter is the only one now living. 
 For his second wife F. J. Herman married 
 Anastosea Eidel, a widow lady who had 
 two daughters by her former marriage, 
 viz.: Mary and Elizabeth Eidel, natives 
 of Huron county, Ohio. Mr. Herman 
 voted with the Democratic party, and in 
 religious faith was a member of the Cath- 
 olic Church. He died in 1883, followed 
 by his wife in the following year. 
 
 Peter Herman was reared and educated 
 in Huron county, Ohio; then learned the 
 carpenter trade which he followed fifteen 
 years, assisting also with the farm work. 
 He and his step-sister resided under the 
 same roof from 1851 to March 5, 1859, 
 when their fraternal affection was changed 
 by an arrow shot from Cupid's quiver, and 
 the young couple were married. To this 
 union have been born the following named 
 children: Theresa, wife of L. Meyers; 
 Frank J., in partnership with his father; 
 Emma, married to George Meyer; An- 
 drew, employed in the bottling works at 
 Norwalk; Tillie, wife of J. Greenfeller; 
 Flora J., living at home; Charles, a ma- 
 chinist employed in the Leipsic Machine 
 Works; Frederick, Albert and Edward. 
 The family are all members of the Cath- 
 olic Church, and all speak the German 
 lantrnage. The sons are business men, 
 and with their father vote the Demo- 
 cratic ticket. 
 
 Peter Herman first began his present 
 business by selling agricultural imple- 
 
72 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ments, and in 1875 opened an establish- 
 ment at Monroeville, dealing in carriages, 
 wagons, buggies, steam engines, threshing 
 machines and otjier agricultural imple- 
 ments. One brancii of tliis business yet 
 remains in Monroeville, but in 1892 
 another establishment was opened at Nor- 
 waik, which will be the future central 
 point, and he also conducts his farm in 
 Peru township. 
 
 ^J 
 
 '{\ ON. O. T. MINAKD. Descended 
 'sH on liis mother's side from lievolu- 
 1| tionary stock, while his father had 
 been a soldier in the war of 1812, 
 the subject of this sketch lias 
 coursing through his veins true patriotic 
 American blood, originally, as the family 
 name would indicate, coming from an an- 
 cestry of " La Belle France." 
 
 Mr. Minard is a native of Connecticut, 
 born May 10, 1822, a son of Lynde and 
 Experience (Miner) Minard, also of the 
 "Nutmeg State," the former of whom 
 was born June 30, 1793, and died May 
 10, 1878, the latter born May 9, 1793, 
 came to Oliio in 1831, locating in Erie 
 county, and died October 8, 1862. They 
 were the parents of thirteen children, 
 nine of whom attained their majority, and 
 three are yet living. O. T. Minard had so 
 few school advantages in his boyhood and 
 early youtli, that after he was old enough 
 to vote he attended for a time the old 
 Norwalk Academy. His first business 
 venture was merchandising in Birming- 
 ham, Erie county, in partnership with a 
 l)rotber, and he was so employed seven 
 years. At the end of that time he termi- 
 nated his interests in the store, and re- 
 moved to Huron township, Erie county, 
 where he was engaged in the same line of 
 business till 1861, in which year he came 
 to Norwalk township and here purchased 
 land where he has since had his home, 
 carrying on farming operations. In 1888 
 he bought his elegant residence in the 
 
 suburbs of tlie city of Norwalk, and has 
 become one of the strong real-estate 
 owners of Huron county. 
 
 A man of strong likes, suave in man- 
 ner, fearless in his advocacy of the higher 
 and purer privileges of Democracy, Mr. 
 Minard has drawn about him a strong 
 Cordon of friends, whose partiality in his 
 favor is told by their electing iiim, in 
 1880, in a Republican city, mayor, and in 
 re-electing him in 1882. Tiiey also re- 
 peatedly made him, by tiieir suffrages, a 
 member of the board of education; a 
 member of the water-works board, and at 
 times placed him in other positions of re- 
 sponsibility and trust, in all of which 
 incumbencies he more than met the antici- 
 pations of his warmest friends. 
 
 On October 31, 1850, Mr. Minard was 
 united in marriage with Miss Emily 
 Chandler, daughter of Daniel and Sarah 
 (Somersj Chandler. No children have 
 been born of this union, but three little 
 ones of others found the love and bless- 
 ings of the good home whose kindness 
 and hospitality are proverbial. Two of 
 these foster children of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Minard — A. J. and E. S. Minard (nephews) 
 — are now prominent business men of 
 Springfield, Missouri. 
 
 Tiiis is one of tiie highly respected fami- 
 lies of Norwalk, whose circle of sincere 
 friends but widens as the fleeting years 
 roll by. Mrs. Minard is a consistent and 
 devout member of the Baptist Church. 
 
 /^ 
 
 H[ARTWELL R. MOORE, superin- 
 I tendent of the A. B. Chase Com- 
 i pany, Norwalk, is a son of George 
 P. Moore, who was born in New 
 Hampshire, December 6, 1818, and was 
 united in marriage with Hannah Tennant, 
 in 1843, in Clinton county, N. Y. She 
 was the daughter of Samuel Tennant, born 
 January 5, 1820, in Clinton county, N. Y. 
 Their children were seven in number, five 
 of whoH) are living: Hartwell R., Samuel, 
 
HUEON COUNT r, OHIO. 
 
 73 
 
 Elizabeth (Mrs. Albert Mason), H. P. 
 Moore, and Minnie. When George P. 
 Moore was but ten years of age, he with 
 his parents, Samuel H. and Clarissa 
 (Morse) Moore, removed to New York, 
 where he orrew to manhood and met and 
 married Miss Tennant, as already related. 
 
 H. R. Moore was born April 23, 1844, 
 in the State of JN'ew York, and was reared 
 and educated in Peru, Clinton county. In 
 18G1 he left home, and served an appren- 
 ticeship to the piano manufacturing trade, 
 in the case department. In tlie spring of 
 1863 he went to work at his trade in Chi- 
 caffo, and in 1864 entered the organ fac- 
 tory of Jacob Estey & Co., remaining in 
 their employ until the great lire of 1871, 
 although the property had changed hands 
 prior to that disaster. On December 25, 
 1865, he was united in marriage with 
 Catlierine Andre, daughter of the eminent 
 music composer of that name, herself an 
 accomplished musician. She died May 19, 
 1891, leaving the following children: 
 Lillian (Mrs. Lampkin), William Andre 
 (assisting bis father), Jessie, Grace, Amee 
 and Eva. On July 18, 18U3, Mr. Moore 
 married Lucy M. Kennedy, of Holyoke, 
 Massachusetts. 
 
 After the Chicago tire H. R. Moore 
 went to Battle Creek, Mich., in the inter- 
 ests of Rilej Burdett & Co., organ manu- 
 facturers, to start up the making of cases, 
 cabinet benches, etc. This firm afterward 
 moved their ^^lant to Erie, Penn., and be- 
 came widely known as the Burdett Organ 
 Company. Mr. Moore was with this com- 
 pany until 1875, when he came to Nor- 
 walk, at the time of the first organization 
 of the A. B. ('base Company, in order to 
 accept his present position as superinten- 
 dent. He has planned and erectetl all the 
 extensive factory buildings owned by the 
 company, also superintended the construc- 
 tion of all instruments manufactured by 
 them, besides purchasing the necessary 
 materials. When they first opened busi- 
 ness the firm hired but thirty or forty men, 
 and now over two hundred hands find 
 
 regular employment in their factory. Mr. 
 Moore has been a stockholder and director 
 since the business was first incorporated, 
 and has invented a large number of im- 
 provements for both pianos and organs. 
 He was a member of the council at Nor- 
 walk for four years, and has been presi- 
 dent of that body one year. 
 
 EPHAS TAYLOR, a well-known 
 retired citizen of Norwalk, was born 
 December 28, 1822, in Sempronius, 
 Cayuga Co., N. Y., son of Joseph 
 and Sallie (Potter) Taylor, both of whom 
 were natives of Massachusetts. Immedi- 
 ately after marriage the parents removed 
 to New York, thence coming to the West 
 and locating in North Fairfield, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, where they spent the remainder 
 of their days. The father died about 
 1848, aged seventy-six years; the mother 
 died about 1855, at almost the same age 
 as her departed husbancl. They had a 
 family of nine children, all of whom grew 
 to maturity, and our subject is next to the 
 youngest in order of birth. 
 
 Cephas Taylor came west in 1839, locating 
 in North Fairfield, where April 18, 1850, 
 he was married to Eunice Chei'ry, a native 
 of that township, who died in Norwalk, 
 June 5, 1887. Mr. Taylor's second mar- 
 riage was with Mrs. Roda E. Zeller. He 
 first settled on a farm in North Fairfield, 
 but after several years hard work there his 
 health became so seriously impaired that 
 he retired to recuperate. With renewed 
 health he went to Wood county, Ohio, 
 and again went to work on his farm, re- 
 maining there until the Civil war broke 
 out, when he sold his farm in Wood county 
 and returned to North Fairfield. In 
 January, 1870, he went to Bledsoe county 
 Tenn., and for nearly six years lived 
 among the Cumberland mountains, where 
 he entirely regained his health. While in 
 Tennessee he engaged chiefly in stock 
 dealing. On his return to Huron cuunty 
 
74 
 
 HUROX COUXTY, OHIO. 
 
 in 1876, lie concluded to retire from active 
 life, and in 1879 removed to ]S'orwalk, 
 where he has since made his home, al- 
 though spending several winters in the 
 South. Mr. Taylor now recalls with 
 evident pride, the fact that he was a Re- 
 publican long before that party was or- 
 ganized or even named, never failing to 
 vote the Free-soil ticket when opportunity 
 offered; he is also a strong Prohibitionist. 
 Mr. Taylor is of English descent, both his 
 paternal grandfather and grandmother 
 having been natives of England. In re- 
 ligions faith he is a Baptist. 
 
 Iff ON. LEWIS C. LAYLIN, £x- 
 pH Speaker of the Ohio House of 
 11 4i Iit'presentatives. It is conceded 
 ^ that to the citizen of our Republic, 
 
 no higher honor can be accorded 
 than that conferred by his constituency in 
 choosing him as a representative in State 
 or National assemblies. This is pre-emin- 
 ently trne when election is the result of 
 official titness to hold a piiblic trust. 
 
 It is a fact gratifying to the elector that 
 men of the highest character are exerting 
 an extended influence in political circles, 
 and are constantly being called from their 
 professions to till public offices. An illus- 
 tration of this class — one possessing not 
 the slightest taint of the proverbial word 
 "politician"' — stands the subject of this 
 biographical sketch. 
 
 Lewis C. Laylin, a son of John Laylin, 
 a pioneer of the "Firelauds," was born in 
 Norwalk, Ohio, September 28, 1848. He 
 attended school and worked on his father's 
 farm, alternately, until his graduation 
 from the Xorwalk High School in 1867. 
 Having obtained the elements of an Eng- 
 lish education, he further disciplined him- 
 self by entering the profession of teaching. 
 He taught two years in the country schools, 
 at the end of which time he was elected 
 superintendent of the public schools of 
 Bellevne, Ohio, and was unanimously re- 
 
 elected to the same position by the board 
 of education, for six consecutive years. 
 Abandoning school work, he commenced 
 tlie study of the law, under Judge C. E. 
 Ponnewell, now of Cleveland, Ohio, was 
 admitted to the bar March 13, 1876. and 
 it is at this period that his career proper 
 commences. The public seems to have 
 recognized in him trom the outset a safe 
 man, and how well their confidence has 
 been placed can be best judged by the 
 number of positions wliich he has filled, 
 and the length of time he was retained in 
 places of public trust. 
 
 He was elected city clerk of Xorwalk, 
 and served two years; appointed a member 
 of the county board of school examiners, 
 serving twelve years; and was president of 
 the Norwalk board of city examiners three 
 years. He was secretary of the Huron 
 County Agricultural Society three years, 
 and has always been actively identified with 
 its interests. In 1879 he was elected prose- 
 cuting attorneyof Huron county, and served 
 three terms — a period of seven years. 
 He was a member of the county Republi- 
 can Executive Committee eleven years, its 
 secretary four years, and its chairman three 
 years. He was a member of the Republi- 
 can Congressional Committee of his Dis- 
 trict eight years, during a portion of which 
 time he served as chairman of that body; 
 and he has served as a member of the State 
 Central Comnjittee. For several years he 
 has been secretary of the Firelands His- 
 torical Society, and a member of its board 
 of trustees. 
 
 Mr. Laylin was elected to the State 
 Legislature in 1887. and during the 68th 
 General Assembly he was a member of 
 the standing committee on Judiciary, was 
 cliairman of the committee on Institution 
 for the Blind, and served on the State 
 Centennial Committee. He was unani- 
 mously renominated for representative in 
 1889. was elected a member of the 69th 
 General Assembly, and was chosen as 
 candidate for the speakership by the unani- 
 mous action of the Republican minority. 
 
IlUllOy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 77 
 
 He was reappointed a member of tlie com- 
 mittee on Judiciary, also a member of tlie 
 committee on Insurance, and of the com- 
 mittee on Rules. 
 
 In September, 1801, he was again nom- 
 inated for the Legislature by the unanimons 
 vote of the Republican delegates of Huron 
 county, was elected, and on January 4, 
 1892, he was elected Speaker of the House 
 of Representatives of the 70th General 
 Assembly. His administration as the 
 executive officer of the House was in the 
 highest degree creditable to him, and is 
 commended liy both Democrats and Re- 
 publicans. He is an excellent parliamen- 
 tarian, prompt in his rulings, and clear in 
 his reasonings. During his entire term 
 as Speaker not one of his decisions was ap- 
 pealed from. 
 
 In his characteristics Mr. Laylin is not 
 possessed of that bold aggressiveness which 
 forms so large a part in the characters of 
 many of our public men. He is never of- 
 fensive, to even his greatest adversary. 
 The strong elements of his nature which 
 have marked hiin as a party leader are his 
 deliberation and his powers of organization. 
 In this regard he is essentially a harmon- 
 izer of factions; while his gentility, his in- 
 tegrity and well-known moral and Chris- 
 tian manhood commend him to the 
 individual. Notwithstanding the fact that 
 he has been almost constantly in office since 
 he was admitted to the bar, he has found 
 time to build up a lucrative law practice. 
 As an 'advocate he is pointed, logical and 
 forcible, and inanv of his discourses, both 
 at the bar and before public assembly, have 
 been complimented as master-pieces. 
 
 Mr. Laylin was married Noveml)er 3, 
 1880, to Miss Frances L., daughter of 
 John F. Dewey, a prominent citizen of 
 Huron county, and three children have 
 been born to this marriage, viz.: Clarence 
 Dewey, Robert Weyl>urn ana Lewis Fair- 
 child. Our sul)ject is past eminent com- 
 mander of ISTorwalk Commandery K. T. ; 
 past master of Norwalk Lodge, F. & A.M., 
 and past master of Bellevue Lodge F. & 
 
 A. M. He is a member of the First 
 Methodist Episcopal Church of Norwalk, 
 and of the official board of same. 
 
 J 
 
 OHN LAYLIN was born in West- 
 moreland county, Penn., May 22, 
 1791. His parents removed to 
 Beaver, Penn., in 1796. In March, 
 1810, his father sold his farm and started 
 for the " lake country," taking with him 
 all his family except John, who remained 
 behind until June of the same year to re- 
 ceive a payment for the farm, which be- 
 came due at that time. 
 
 John hired out during the summer to a 
 farmer at ten dollars and fifty cents per 
 month, and attended school during the fol- 
 lowing winter. In the spring his grand 
 father, Abraham Powers, and Hanson Reed 
 decided to follow John's parents to the 
 frontier. Accordingly they started over- 
 land through the wilderness, taking with 
 them such household goods and other prop- 
 erty as they could can-y. John accom- 
 panied them, assisting in driving stock, 
 and in other ways rendering them aid dur- 
 ing their long, tedious journey. The party 
 at length arrived at Cuyahoga portage. 
 They then learned that John's father and 
 mother had stopped there the previous 
 spring, on their way to the frontier, and 
 raised a crop of corn, and in the fall had 
 removed to the mouth of the Black river, 
 on the lake shore. John remained with 
 his grandfather's party until they reached 
 Greenfield, Huron county, where they 
 settled. He remained with Hanson Reed 
 one month, to assist him in planting corn. 
 He then started alone and on foot, by In- 
 dian trails, to join his father's family, near 
 Black river. While on this lonelv journey, 
 sleeping on the bank of the Vermillion 
 river, he was surrounded by wolves, but, by 
 the greatest vigilance, and kindling a fire, 
 he kept them at bay until morning. In 
 October, 1811, the family removed to West 
 Berlin, Erie coimty. During the fol- 
 lowing winter, Mr. Laylin taught school. 
 
78 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 receiving his board and one dollar and a 
 quarter tuition per scliolar,a8 compensation. 
 
 In the spring of 1812 war was declared 
 between England and the United States. 
 A meeting of the citizens of that and the 
 surrounding counties was held to provide 
 means for defense. A petition, asking for 
 assistance from the governor of Ohio, was 
 forwarded, and a company of " Minute 
 men" was organized for home defense. 
 Mr. Laylin joined the company, and on the 
 next day it marched to the peninsula otf 
 Sandusky, to ascertain if there were any 
 Indians in the vicinity. Mr. Laylin was 
 prevented joining this e.xpedition by severe 
 sickness. From the entire company of 
 thirty, only four or five survived the expe- 
 dition. Notliing was heard of the poor 
 fellows until their whitened bones were 
 found in the following September by a de- 
 tachment of Commodore Perry's victorious 
 troops. In August, Gen. Hull surrendered 
 to the British, wiiich was not known among 
 the settlers until a small British fleet ap- 
 peared otf Huron, from which some of the 
 prisoners taken were sent in small boats to 
 the shore. The greatest consternation pre- 
 vailed. In the panic which followed, the 
 family fled to lEount Vernon. At Mans- 
 field, they met a regiment hastening to the 
 protection of the citizens on the border, 
 and Mr. Laylin joined these troops. 
 
 After Ids term of enlistment had ex- 
 pired, he rejoined his father's family at 
 Mount Vernon. Here he learned the ma- 
 son's trade. He was fond of reading and 
 study and, not being confined closely at 
 his trade, found time to avail himself of 
 the advantages of a public library. He 
 became a great student of ancient and 
 modern history. He also watched with 
 deep interest the great discoveries in 
 science and the inventions of genius. It 
 was during this time tiiat his most lasting 
 political and religious opinions were 
 formed. In the meantime, his father's 
 family had removed to Norwalk, but he 
 remained in Mount Vernon until 1817, 
 when he was called home by the death of 
 
 his father. In October, 1818, he married 
 Olive Clark, wife of Daniel Clark, of 
 Bronson. Mr. Laylin then settled near 
 Norwalk, on a farm which he had pre- 
 viously bought, where he passed the most 
 active and useful portion of his life. Dur- 
 ing the years that followed he was a most 
 zealous worker in the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, having made that the church of 
 his choice. He was appointed superin- 
 tendent of a Sabbath-school in the neigh- 
 borhood, which position he filled for a 
 number of years. During the year 1841 
 he was sorely bereaved in the death of his 
 wife and two children. There remained 
 of the family six children — two sons and 
 four daughters. Six years afterward Mr. 
 Laylin married Mrs. Mary Weyburn 
 States, of Hartland, who proved an excel- 
 lent wife and mother. In the strength of 
 her affection she gathered into her love the 
 remains of two broken families, and was a 
 true mother to them all. Soon after his 
 second marriage he removed to a residence 
 on Medina street, Norwalk, where he re- 
 mained until his death. 
 
 His faithful wife died April 16, 1877, 
 after a long, painful illness, which baffled 
 skill, love and care. For several years her 
 husband's infirmity, and his desire to have 
 her by him, confined iier to the precincts ol 
 home. She was its light and strength. 
 Her worth was manifest in the high es- 
 teem and reverence in which she was held 
 by all her family. Mr. Laylin survived the 
 death of his wife but a few days. He died, 
 peacefully, April 26, 1877. There remain of 
 his children: Elvira, Mrs. Richard Elliott; 
 Celestine, Mrs. W. W. Hildreth; Olive, 
 Mrs. M. L. Carr; Marriette, Mrs. F. Card; 
 Marie, Mrs. Frank Evans, and his sons, 
 Theodore C. and Lewis C, residents of 
 Norwalk. 
 
 Mr. Laylin was a man of untiring en- 
 ergy and perseverance. Favored with few 
 early advantages for mental culture, he 
 availed himself to the utmost of what he 
 had. Strength and definiteness were lead- 
 ing characteristics of his mind. He held 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 79 
 
 decided and independent jiidginents on all 
 religious and political (questions that from 
 time to time stirred public thought during 
 his long life. 
 
 AMUEL P. DeWOLF (deceased) was 
 a descendant of an oid New JEng- 
 land family. He was born October 
 15, 1832, in Wellington township, 
 Loraiu Co., Ohio, and resided there until 
 1861, when he located near the village of 
 Clarksfield, Huron county. 
 
 IHs father, AVhitman DeWolf, was born 
 January 22, 1802, at Otis, Mass., where 
 lie grew to manhood. He was married 
 January 4, 1827, to Alice Pelton, also a 
 native of Otis, born April 9, 1798. Her 
 fatlier, Samuel Pelton, was born May 9, 
 1757, at Granville, Conn., and her mother, 
 Mary Pelton, was born January 21, 1761, 
 at Grotou, Conn. Seventeen days after 
 their marriage they started for the "Far 
 West," accompanied by Mathew DeWolf, 
 his wife Mary, and son Homer, then a lad 
 of twelve years. The record of the jour- 
 ney, as made by Mrs. Alice DeAVolf, is 
 given as follows : 
 
 On January 12, 1837, we, a little New England 
 band Irom Berkshire County, Mass., left our native 
 home lor Ohio, the " Far West;" and who were this 
 choice few? Matthew DeWolf his wife and son, 
 my husband and myself. We were just one month 
 on the road, with Scotch plaids and camlets belted 
 around us; fur capes and hoods, muffs and tippets, 
 and Covered sleighs. Thus we all started, leaving 
 dear friends behind. We were brought safely 
 through; found kindness in every stranger, with 
 the lamiliar salutation " Bound for Ohio." 
 
 Whitman DeWolf purchased lands in 
 Wellington townsliip, Lorain county, from 
 the State of Connecticut, made a clearing 
 and erected a cabin thereon, one mile and 
 a half west of the village of Wellington. 
 When the two brothers and tlieir families 
 arrived they found shelter in that cabin, 
 and there the following named children 
 came to Whitman and Alice DeWolf: 
 James S., born March 11, 1829, a resident 
 of Clarkstield; Samuel P., subject of this 
 
 sketch, and Melville W., born September 
 28, 1834, now connected with the Erie liail- 
 road in the office in New York City. The 
 father died September 3, 1850, on the 
 farm whicii he reclaimed from the wilder- 
 ness, and was buried in Wellington ceme- 
 tery. His life of twenty-three years in 
 Ohio was a successful one, not only as a 
 farmer, but also as a stock-dealer and 
 trader, in all of whicli he exhibited un- 
 usual business ability, and won success. 
 His widow, who resided with her son 
 Samuel, died September 18, 1871, and was 
 buried by the side of her husband. 
 
 Samuel P. DeWolf passed his youth 
 after the fashion of boys of the period, at- 
 tending the winter school and working on 
 the farm. While yet a lad lie would ac- 
 company his father on trips to the West 
 to purchase live stock, and thus he became 
 himself an acknowledged judge of cattle. 
 His health, however, opposed an active 
 agricultural life, and consequently he 
 entered the hardware store of J. S. Reed, 
 at Wellington, where he was employed 
 about one year. The following year he 
 worked for iiis cousin, Samuel Jones, then 
 conducting a general store at Brighton, 
 Lorain county. After this insight into 
 mercantile life, he returned to the home 
 farm, purchased the interest of the other 
 heirs, and began a successful agricultural 
 career, continuing therein until 1861, 
 when he removed to the larger tract which 
 he purchased just south of Clarksfield 
 village. He was united in marriage 
 July 20, 1872, with Sarah Fo.x, who was 
 born February 4, 1847, in Hopewell town- 
 ship, Seneca Co., Ohio. Her parents, 
 David and Jane (Johnson) Fox, who were 
 married in Seneca county, moved to Wis- 
 consin, thence to Iowa, and returning to 
 Ohio in 1861 settled in Clarkstield town- 
 ship, Huron county. The children born 
 to Samuel P. and Sarah DeWolf are Alice 
 Mae, Mrs. Willis Yiets, of Clarksfield 
 township; Jessie L. (Mrs. H. E. Seeley, of 
 Clarksfield township), born November 10, 
 1875, and Bessie M., born January 16, 
 
80 
 
 UURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1883, residing at liome. The father of 
 this tainily died April 2. 1889, in his home 
 near Ciarketield, and was buried in the 
 cemetery of the neighboring village. 
 
 He was a very extensive stock dealer, 
 and the owner of a beautiful farm of 260 
 acres, besides other real estate, including 
 two store buildings. Politicallv he was a 
 Republican, and gave to the party a loyal 
 support. He was not a politician in the 
 sense of being an office seeker, but one 
 who favored safe principles and good offi- 
 cials. Well known and highly esteemed, 
 his death was mourned by a large number 
 of sincere friends. Mrs. Sarah DeWolf 
 has managed the estate with more than 
 ordinary ability, proving that woman pos- 
 sesses e-xecutive and business tact, when 
 circumstances or necessity call for their ex- 
 ercise. Slie is a member of the Congre- 
 gational Church, and popular in social cir- 
 cles in the township. 
 
 yllLLIAM HENRY MITCHELL. 
 ' In the publication of the biotc- 
 raphy of W. H.JJCitchell, we will 
 revert briefly to the personality of 
 his grandparents. 
 
 Jethro Mitchell was born on the island 
 of Nantucket, Mass., January 27, 1784. 
 Mercy Green was born in Rhode Island, 
 January 31, 1785, and was a daughter of 
 Thomas Green, wiio subsequently moved 
 to Nantucket. Jethro Mitchell and Mercy 
 Green were married to each other at Nan- 
 tucket, October 5, 1805. As the result of 
 this marriage twelve children were born — 
 six boys and six girls — one dying in in- 
 fancy, and the others all living to manhood 
 and womanhood. All but the youngest, 
 Mary, were born at Nantucket, she being 
 a native of Brooklyn, N. Y. The tenth 
 child was Walter, who was born November 
 14, 1819, and who is the father of the sub- 
 ject of this sketch. 
 
 When Walter was but four years of age 
 his parents and family moved to New 
 York City,thence,jafter a year, to Brooklyn, 
 and tlience. after eight years, to Cincinnati, 
 where Walter continued to live for a period 
 of seventeen years. From 1845 to 1848 
 he was a student at Lane Theological 
 Seminary, Walnut Hills, Cincinnati, Ohio, 
 graduating in the latter year. He was 
 licensed to preach by the Presbytery of 
 Dayton in a meeting held at Dayton, Ohio, 
 April 6, 1847. He has preached succes- 
 sively at Greenville, Ohio, at Bedford and 
 Boonville, liid., at Moscow, New Rich- 
 mond, Hebron, Marysville, Gallipolis, 
 Russellville, and Wilmington, Ohio, in all 
 a period of over forty-four years. On Oc- 
 tober 31, 1848, he was married to Miss 
 Mary Eliza Evens, at the home of her 
 father, Piatt Evens, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 Piatt Evens was born in Herkimer 
 county, N. Y., June 13, 1792, and was mar- 
 ried March 30, 1816, to Miss Eliza Ann 
 Murray, at Albany, N. Y. The latter was 
 a native of Vermont, and was born at Rut- 
 land, October 24, 1798. In 1817 Piatt 
 Evens and wife moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, 
 where they continued to reside until both 
 were removed by death. Three children 
 were born to them, the third of whom was 
 Mary Eliza, who became the wife of Wal- 
 ter Mitchell, and the mother of Walter 
 Piatt, Theodore Jethro, William Henry 
 and Anna Louisa, the third of whom, 
 William Henry, was born in Boonville, 
 Warrick Co., Ind., August 3, 1853, and 
 all of whom are still living, except Anna 
 Louisa, whose death occurred June 19, 
 1869, at the age of fourteen years. The 
 family is distinguished for health and 
 longevity. Jethro Mitchell's death at 
 forty-eight years of age was the result of 
 an accident, a fall through an elevator 
 shaft of a building in Cincinnati in which 
 he was doing business. His wife, Mercy 
 Mitchell, lived to be seventy-four. Piatt 
 Evens lived to be eighty-one. and his wife, 
 Eliza Ann Evens, was upward of eighty at 
 the time of her death. Walter Mitchell 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHTO. 
 
 81 
 
 and Mary Eliza Mitcliell are still living, 
 and bid fair to equal if not exceed the 
 limit of life attained by their parents. 
 
 AVilliain Henry Mitchell continued to 
 live wiih his parents until seventeen years 
 of age, when, having completed his high- 
 echool course at Gallipolis, Ohio, he en- 
 tered Marietta College, at Marietta, Ohio, 
 in September, 1870, and four years later, 
 in July of 1874, before he was twenty-one 
 years of age, graduated fi'om the classical 
 course of that thorough institution with 
 the degree of A. E., and three years later 
 received therefrom the degi'ee of A. M. 
 Following his graduation Mr. Mitchell en- 
 tered at once upon the work of teaching, 
 and although he located at Gallipolis, Ohio, 
 the home of his boyhood, he was soon 
 elected to the Principalship of Gallia 
 Academy, an institution then of thirty 
 years standing, and chartered with full 
 college privileges, even to the conferring 
 of degrees. Mr. Mitchell's success in the 
 inanacrement and control of the affairs of 
 this school, together with his otherwise 
 recognized ability, secured for him, in 
 1876, appointments to membership on 
 both the Gallia County and the Gallipolis 
 City Boards of School Examiners, in the 
 orcranization of each of which he was 
 elected to the clerkship, and all of which 
 honorable and imp<irtant positions he con- 
 tinued to hold until he became ineligible 
 by non-residence, in 1883. In 1878 W. 
 H. Mitchell bought of the Hon. S. Y. 
 Wasson, at Gallipolis, Ohio, a book and 
 stationery store, which he continued to 
 operate as the sole proprietor, doing a 
 large and lucrative business until 1888, 
 wlieii he disposed of the same at private 
 sale, that he might again give his entire 
 time and attention to teaching, the profes- 
 sion of his choice. 
 
 In 1871:), after the requisite five years of 
 successful experience in teaching had i)een 
 served, Mr. Mitchell received, upon appli- 
 cation, at the hands of the Ohio State 
 Board of School Examiners, a strictly first- 
 class teacher's certificate, good for life. 
 
 and 80 comprehensive in character that he 
 is empowered thereby to discharge the 
 duties of any public-school position in the 
 great Commonwealth of Ohio. 
 
 On May 1, 1879, W. H. Mitchell was 
 married to Clara Cooley, youngest daugh- 
 ter and child of the late William Henry 
 and Caroline Miller Langley, of Gallipolis, 
 Ohio, the former being widely and promi- 
 nently known as the first president of what 
 is now the Columbus, Hocking Valley & 
 Toledo Railway. Clara Cooley Langley 
 was the eighth child of her parents, and 
 was born April 20, 1857. A fact worthy 
 of note here is that her second sister, 
 Mary Frances, born July 16, 1851, is the 
 wife of Theodore Jethro, her husband's 
 second brother. To William H. and Clara 
 L. Mitcliell have been born two children — 
 a daughter and a son. The first, Caroline 
 Langley, was born April 25, 1885, and the 
 second, Walter Evens, December 3, 1888, 
 and at this writing both of these are men- 
 tally and physically strong, heilthful chil- 
 dren, with every prospect of long and use- 
 ful lives. 
 
 In June of 1883, Mr. Mitchell, being 
 desirous for a change from the scenes and 
 surroundings which had been familiar to 
 him for fifteen years, and to his wife from 
 her l)irth, sought and secured the position 
 of superintendent of the public schools of 
 Monroeville, Huron Co , Ohio, and from 
 that time to the present has continued to 
 discharge the responsible duties of that 
 important trust. He has also served as 
 the principal of the High School, and for 
 nine years as clerk of the Board of Educa- 
 tion with which he has been associated, 
 and is still the incumbent in all of these 
 capacities. In 1885 he was appointed by 
 the Probate Court a member of the Huron 
 County Board of School Examiners, a little 
 later was elected clerk of that body, and 
 is thus officially still serving Huron county. 
 
 Educationally in his county and section 
 Mr. Mitchell is a recognized leader, hav- 
 ing repeatedly served as president of 
 Teachers' Associations, and having again 
 
82 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 been the past year president of the lu- 
 Btitute. As a siuniner school and institute 
 worker his services are sought and ever 
 appreciated. He has filled positions on 
 the programme of State and National 
 Teacliers' Associations; has contributed 
 liberally to the public prints, and is con- 
 ceded to be a fluent and forceful speaker, 
 an active and earnest educational worker, 
 and a facile and finished writer upon 
 themes educational and ethical. 
 
 Masonically, our subject has likewise 
 achieved distinction and honor, having had 
 conferred upon him all the degrees of the 
 blue lodge, chapter, council, and com- 
 mandery, and having in these bodies filled 
 numerous ofiicial stations. At this writ- 
 ing he has entered upon his third term as 
 Worshipful Master of Roby Lodge, No. 
 534, F. & A. M., of MonroeviUe. 01iio,and 
 is thereby the hicrhe.st ofiicial and the 
 acknowledged head of the order in his 
 home town. Politically he is a Republi- 
 can, and in politics as in all things else is 
 active and energetic, though sufficiently 
 conservative iis not to be offensively par- 
 tisan. His voice is heard in the conven- 
 tions of his party, and in the Huron 
 G<innty Convention of 1892, the largest 
 and most remarkable in the history of the 
 county, he was both the temporary and 
 permanent chairman; and a prominent 
 Cleveland daily, in giving an account 
 thereof, published his portrait and biogra- 
 phy, and added the comment that, "witii 
 malice toward none, and charity for all, 
 we will venture the assertion that the 
 Huron county perspiring patriots, in con- 
 vention assembled, could not have selected 
 from all their hosts a more competent 
 man than Sup't. W. H. Mitchell, of Mon- 
 roeville, to preside over their deliberations." 
 Religiously, W. H. Mitchell is a Presby- 
 terian, having in mature mauliood been 
 received into that church by his father, 
 and having later transferred his member- 
 ship to the Presbyterian church of Mon- 
 roeville. He is president of the Board of 
 Trustees of the church of his choice, and 
 
 is an active and useful member in the 
 management of all of its affairs. 
 
 As an educator, Mason, citizen and 
 Christian, William Henry Mitchell may 
 be recorded as a manly man. An honor 
 to his profession, an example to bis fra- 
 ternity, a credit to his community, a sup- 
 port to his church, and withal a dutiful 
 son, affectionate husband, and kind and 
 indulgent father. 
 
 lILLIS H. PETERS, than whom 
 there is no more enterprising and 
 popular citizen in the fair city of 
 Norwalk, is a native of the place, 
 born September 1, 1853, a son of Eli and 
 Mary Jane (Weed) Peters. 
 
 Eli Peters was born of pure Holland- 
 Dutch descent, in Union county, Penn., 
 where he was reared and educated. In 
 1853 became to Norwalk, and at once em- 
 barked in the clothing business, which he 
 followed during life, and died December 
 12, 1890, at the age of sixty-five years. 
 His parents having died wlien he was yet a 
 boy, he had to shift for himself; and his 
 remarkable success in life, considei'inir his 
 advantages, was entirely due to his plod- 
 ding perseverance, sound judgment in all 
 business transactions, and unquestioned 
 integrity. It has truly been said of him 
 that his character was without blemish, 
 and his lienor pure and unsullied. On 
 December 15. 1852, at Wooster, Wayne 
 county, lie was mai-ried to Mary Jane 
 Weed, a native of Wayne county, Ohio, 
 and a relative of Thurlow Weed, by which 
 union there were born two children. Mr. 
 Peters was a member and senior warden 
 of the Episcopal Church at Norivalk for 
 many years, and in his political sympathies 
 he was a Republican. 
 
 Willis II. Peters, of whom this bio- 
 graphical sketch is written, was educated 
 at the public schools of Norwalk, and 
 afterward took a course at the Speiicerian 
 Commercial College, Cleveland. When of 
 
imiWy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 83 
 
 proper age lie was taken into his fatlier's 
 store, serving at lirst as clerk, and later, 
 in 1877, was admitted as a partner, tlie 
 style of the tirm being E. Peters & Son 
 for over ten years. At the death of his 
 father he succeeded to the business, and 
 has since carried it on with tlie same de- 
 gree of care, attention and scrupulous 
 dealing which characterized it during his 
 father's lifetime. The Peters Clothing 
 Company is the largest house in that line in 
 'Norwalk, and gives steady employment to 
 some twenty-seven assistants, the stock 
 consisting of gents' furnishings, clothing, 
 bats, caps, etc., in addition to which 
 merchant tailoring is a specialty. Mr. 
 Peters is a member of a syndicate of 
 twenty-nine merchants combined for the 
 better purchasing of clothing. 
 
 On May 17, 1892, Willis H. Peters 
 was united in marriage with Miss 
 Corinne Barrett, of Santa Anna, Cal., who 
 for many years was principal of a school 
 at Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Peters is a mem- 
 ber of the Episcopal Church, and in poli- 
 tics is a stanch Republican. Socially he is 
 a member of the A. F. & A. M. (in which 
 he has attained the thirty-second degree), 
 of the Ancient Scottish Rite, also of the 
 Mystic Shrine and of the Order of Elks. 
 As a citizen he is much esteemed, and his 
 popularity is unbounded. 
 
 E 
 
 -DGAR MARTIN, M. D., the 
 
 eighth child of Gilbert and Ilan- 
 
 j nah (Washburn) Martin, was born 
 
 in Fitch ville, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 
 October 10, 1826. In 1851 he came to 
 
 Townsend, and commenced the practice of 
 
 medicine. 
 
 In 1853 Dr. Martin married Miss 
 Mary J. Chapman, of Townsend, and they 
 have had six children, viz.: Marie, Fred 
 D., May, Clarence E., Mary E. and Edgar 
 G., of whom are living Marie, May and Ed- 
 gar G.; Clarence E. died at the age of five 
 
 years, Mary E. when aged nine months, 
 and Fred D. at the age of thirty-seven 
 years. Marie married T. JI. Bain, and 
 lives in Topeka, Ivans, (they had one 
 daughter, now dead); Fred D. married 
 Bessie Kellogg, and died July 8, 1893 (he 
 practiced medicine, his sjiecialty being the 
 eye, ear and throat); May married Charles 
 A. Smith, and lives in Spokane Falls, 
 Wash, (they had one daughter); Edgar G. 
 is attending college. 
 
 Dr. Edgar Martin took his degree from 
 the Cleveland Medical College in Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, in the year 1856, after five 
 years of practice. lie practiced medicine 
 from 1851 up to 1883, in Townsend and 
 adjoining townships. In 1859 he was 
 elected justice of the peace, and has held 
 the office for thirty years — twenty-four 
 years in Townsend and six in Norwalk, 
 and is enjoying his third term in that 
 town. In the early part of the Civil war 
 he was commissioned first lieutenant in 
 the One Hundred and Twenty-third Reg- 
 iment O. V. I., and was soon promoted to a 
 captaincy in the One Hundred and Sixty- 
 sixth Regiment 0. Y. I. In 1873 he was 
 elected to the State Lejjislature, serving 
 therein two years. In early life Dr. E. 
 Martin was an Abolitionist, and in 1852 
 voted for John P. Hale, for President. 
 He has been a stanch Republican since 
 the organization of the party. 
 
 The Doctor sprung from a Quaker an- 
 cestry, which will explain to some extent, 
 at least, his pronounced anti-slavery con- 
 viction in his early manhood. To prop- 
 erly estimate such a character we must 
 bear in mind that the church society and 
 the two great political parties were in- 
 tensely pro-slavery, and all alike ready to 
 rend the man who had the temerity to 
 stand and talk and vote for human rights. 
 To remember those in bonds, as bound 
 with them, created the bitterest antagon- 
 isms as well as social ostracism, and was 
 considered sufficient cause for personal 
 abuse and cruel persecution in many cases, 
 both in the church and out of it. This 
 
84 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 fact will add a special lustre to the early 
 maidio(jd of Dr. E. Martin. Socially he 
 IB a Knight Templar, and a member of 
 the G. A. R. Post, East Townsend. 
 
 \ILLIAM H. PKICE. The true 
 standard by which to judge a 
 community is the character of its 
 prominent citizens. Progress is 
 rarely, if ever, the result of chance, but 
 always the execution of well-laid plans 
 l)ased on a thorough comprehension of the 
 laws of l)usiness. It is only by keeping 
 in view the lives of men who are ever as- 
 sociated in the busy marts of commerce 
 that we can .I'udge of the importance of de- 
 velopment, and the possil)ilities of progress. 
 Thus it is, that from the commercial, more 
 than the literary or political side, the most 
 valuable lessons of life are to be extracted. 
 In this connection, as a gentleman whose 
 bu^ines8 qualifications are of the best, as 
 indicated by tlie numerous enterprises 
 which he has brought to a successful issue, 
 a brief biographical sketch is given of 
 William H. Price, president of the Nor- 
 walk Savings Bank (V>mpany. 
 
 He WHS born in Herefordshire, England, 
 in 1845, a son of Henry and Elizabeth 
 (Harris] Price, the former of whom is a 
 farmer of Herefordshire, and both the 
 Prices and Harrisses are of Welsh descent, 
 comincr from the line of ancient Britons. 
 Samuel Price, the father of the Henry 
 Price above mentioned, and also the great- 
 grandfather of the subject of this sketch, 
 
 Grenow, were both born at the old 
 
 family English home, in Herefordshire, 
 which is still in the family possession. 
 The Prices were stock dealers and farmers, 
 while the maternal branch of the family 
 were seafaring men and miners; two of 
 them were sea-captains, sailing from Swan- 
 sea. The venerable parents of subject are 
 still happily residing on the old hoinestead 
 
 — the beloved father and mother of seven 
 living children. 
 
 W. H. Price reached his manhood in 
 his parental home, receiving but a fair 
 business education in the public schools of 
 the vicinity, after which he served an ap- 
 prenticeship to the droving and slaughter- 
 ing business. At the age of twetity-one 
 he came to America with Mr. William 
 Prowbert, of the firm of William Prow- 
 bert & Co., Cleveland, who was a friend of 
 his father, and who in his day was one of 
 the leading business men of that city. 
 Mr. Price was associated with Mr. Prow- 
 bert two years, having charge of much of 
 the firm's business, especially the buying 
 of stock for slaughtering purposes; after 
 two years' service in this capacity he be- 
 came manager of the firm of E. Cadle & 
 Co. in a similar line of business. Con- 
 tinuing four years with this company as 
 manager, he organized the firm of W. H. 
 Price & Co., closing with the old firm. 
 During the next six years the new firm 
 did a leading wholesale and retail slaugh- 
 ter business in Cleveland, at the end of 
 which time Mr. Price again sold and re- 
 tired, on account of failing health, caused 
 by his over-zealous attention to their ex- 
 tended affairs. He sailed for Europe in 
 the early part of 1878, and again visited 
 the familiar scenes of childhood, and those 
 of the dear old parental home. This change 
 and total relaxation of all care continued 
 through the season, and brought a happy 
 restoration of health and strength. It is 
 proper enough to her5 say that this was 
 his second severe sickness in this country. 
 Soon after he first came to America, and 
 when he had only been fairly launched in 
 business, an unfortunate accident liefell 
 him that finally sent him to th>; hospital 
 for a long terra, and where be had to 
 undergo a dangerous surgical operation, 
 from which he barely emerged with life. 
 The young man had come with but a lim- 
 ited capital, and his sickness had exhausted 
 this and all his earnings, leaving him more 
 than one hundred dollars in debt — mis- 
 fortunes that would have quite vanquished 
 many a young man, especially' if far from 
 
V /. / ^^d^ 
 
HUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 87 
 
 home and family friends. While the jouncr 
 man's energy ontran his physical natnre, 
 yet he haJ resolute will — a soul undaunted 
 and a i)urpose high, he moved ever for- 
 ward. On his return from Europe he or- 
 ganized the tirm of Price & Chandler, 
 which did an exclusively wholesale and re- 
 tail business, furnishing meat to the retail 
 dealers, and many of the public institu- 
 tions of Cleveland, Mr. Price visitinj^ 
 Chicago and St. Louis, purchasing the 
 stock of the firm. His solicitude and con- 
 stantly painstaking labor, in whatever 
 capacity he acted, again told upon his 
 health; and after the lirni had enjoyed 
 three years of very prosperous business he 
 found it necessary to retire from active 
 life in order to allow his energies to re- 
 cuperate. With this view he sold out his 
 interest in the firm and removed to a farm 
 in the suburbs of Norwalk, where after 
 two years of quiet and outdoor exercise he 
 found much of his former vigor regained, 
 and soon again plunged into business. In 
 1884 he was associated with C. H. Stewart 
 in a real-estate partnership, and during the 
 five years they were actively thus engaged 
 they laid off four additions to Norwalk, 
 and the rapid growth of the place then 
 commenced, as they sold more lots and 
 built more houses than i^U the other deal- 
 ers in the place, helping many workmen 
 to buy homes, as they would sell to them 
 on the installment plan. The period from 
 1884 to 1889 was marked as the improve- 
 ment era of Norwalk, and much of this 
 was due to the energy, foresight and liber- 
 ality of this firm. 
 
 In 1889, in connection with C, H. 
 Stewart and W. O. Monett, Mr. Price 
 organized the Norws^lk Savings Bank, a 
 copartnership concern until 1891, when it 
 was reorganized and was chartered as a 
 joint-stock company. Mr. Price has been 
 president of both organizations, and this 
 is now 01(6 of the most successful financial 
 institutions in this part of Ohio, with a 
 capital stock of one hundred thousand dol- 
 lars. Mr. Price is a stockholder in the 
 
 5 
 
 First National Bank of Norwalk. In the 
 early part of 1892 the people of Norwalk 
 became deeply interested in the question 
 of electric motive power for street and 
 road ti-ansportation. As the rapid develop- 
 ment of the use of electricity as the hand- 
 maiden of man, street railroads became a 
 leading question, and a road connecting 
 Sandusky, Milan and Norwalk was mooted. 
 This called out people of greatest enter- 
 prise. A company was soon formed, the 
 project put on its feet, and was rapidly 
 pushed to completion. Mr. Price is a 
 prominent stockholder and director, and 
 was by the unanimous voice of the owners 
 called to the most important place in di- 
 recting its movements, the conipany all 
 feeling that with him at the helm there 
 was ample guarantee of assured success. 
 Another enterprise of moment to the city 
 was also launched in 1892, when a com- 
 pany was formed to build the Norwalk 
 Foundry and Machine Works, now a suc- 
 cessful plant, and again Mr. Price was 
 called by his fellow stockholders to the 
 leading place of president. In the organ- 
 ization of the Arcade Savings Bank Com- 
 pany, of Cleveland, he was a prime mover 
 and is a stockholder; was active in estab- 
 lishing the Garfield Banking Company, 
 whose place of business is located in Cleve- 
 land and owned by Price & Stewart; he is 
 a stockholder in the Dime Savings Bank 
 of Cleveland, president of the Norwalk 
 Nursery Company, and president of the 
 Norwalk Brick Company, two of the im- 
 portant industries of tlie city, whicii may 
 well look to him as their foster-father, as 
 they received the benefit of his intelligent 
 judgment and financial resources. He is 
 vice-president of the Smith Specialty Com- 
 pany, one of the flourishing factories of 
 the place; stockholder and director of the 
 Norwalk Metal Spinning and Stamping 
 Company, and stockholder of the Lake Erie 
 Tobacco Company, of Norwalk. As stated, 
 he has opened four additions to the city of 
 Norwalk, on whicli he lias bnilt over 150 
 houses, and in addition to these many 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 important interests Mr. Price operates two 
 farms; and it is not to be wondered it is 
 said of him that he is one of the busiest of 
 busy men. 
 
 The chief elements of Mr. Price's success 
 lie in his competency to plan, coupled 
 with his executive ability and shrewd fore- 
 sight. His mind is never easy except 
 wjien the channels of each enterprise with 
 which he is connected are clearly defined. 
 It is in the fog that the ship strikes upon the 
 shoal or rock, and is wrecked. Business 
 natures have their misty days, and it is 
 then that a hand at the helm, familiar with 
 the way, saves from collapse. It may 
 well be said that no enterprise with which 
 Mr. Price has been associated has ever 
 proven a failure. He gives personal 
 supervision to every detail of his business, 
 and tiie wonder is that he succeeds in doing 
 so, considering the extent and variety of 
 his occupations. In person he is of strong 
 frame and medium stature. During his 
 youth he was quite an athlete, and met 
 few men his equal in physical strength, 
 but on just entering into his business 
 career a severe spell of sickness left results 
 that have impaired his physical vigor. He 
 has since been forced to guage his accom- 
 plishments to his strength. In reviewing 
 his life and early associations, and recall- 
 ing many who started equal in the race 
 with him, but whose lives have fallen short 
 of success, he has been prone to speculate 
 as to whether his physical disability has 
 not been a main cause of his keeping him- 
 self aloof from the entanglements and dis- 
 sipations which have proven destructive 
 to many others. Yet it may be safely held 
 that men of Mr. Price's stamp, who have 
 a definite aim in life, are hard to swerve 
 from their course. They go straight to 
 the end, surmounting obstacles as if driven 
 by the hand of destiny. However, after 
 having made life a inarked success, it may 
 be well said of him that he has achieved 
 all under adverse circumstances. 
 
 William H. Price and Catharine A. 
 Wheaton, daughter of Daniel and Anna 
 
 (Meyhew) Wheaton, natives of Cambridge, 
 England, were joined in wedlock May 15, 
 1872. Mrs. Price was born in the old 
 English home, and came to America with 
 her people when but three years of age, 
 the family locating in Norwalk, where they 
 made their home. Mrs. Wheaton died in 
 1878. To Mr. and Mrs. Price were born 
 six children, as follows: Harris Wheaton 
 Price, born April 25, 1874, now teller in 
 his father's bank; Bessie M. (deceased); 
 Anna Meyhew; Bessie Louise; Wesley 
 Hildreth, and Olive Edna. The family is 
 Protestant in faith, and Mr. Price, while 
 he may be classed as affiliating with the 
 Democratic party, has always been in fact 
 independent in his voting, preferring the 
 best men and public weal to mere party 
 claims. 
 
 11 Il-J\ILLIAM SANDMEISTEE, 
 
 V/\V/ ^^' ^■' ^ pop'ilfii' and rising young 
 
 V/ly physician of BelJevue, is a son of 
 
 Dr. Charles Sandmeister, who was 
 
 for many years one of the most prominent 
 
 members of the medical profession ia 
 
 Huron county. John George Sandmeister, 
 
 the grandfather of subject, was a native of 
 
 Hersfeld, Hessen-Cassel, Germany, was a 
 
 merchant in that city, and died there 
 
 in 1853. 
 
 Dr. Charles Sandmeister was born Febru- 
 ary 22, 1831, in Hersfeld, Hessen-Cassel, 
 Germany, emigrated to the United States 
 in 1851, and studied medicine at Tiifin, 
 Ohio. In 1855 he commenced the prac- 
 tice of the profession, and in 1864 gradu- 
 ated from the Eclectic Medical Institute 
 of Cincinnati. On October 22, 1860, he 
 was married to Lena Wygant, of Sandusky 
 City, and to this union five children were 
 born, two sons — of whom, Charles, yet liv- 
 ing, has graduated in pharmacy at Chicago 
 College of Pharmacy — and three daughters, 
 one being deceased. Dr. Charles Sand- 
 meister died in 1888. He was a member 
 of three medical Societies, the National, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 89 
 
 the State and the Northwestern Eclectic 
 Medical Associations. In 1877 the Doc- 
 tor visited Germany, and brought his 
 mother to this country, where she died in 
 April, 1882. At the time of his death he 
 owned 237 acres of line land in Thompson 
 township, Seneca county, and had a large 
 income from his practice, for he was 
 recognized as a most competent phj'sician 
 and surgeon, and one of liberal professional 
 views. In politics he was a Democrat; 
 in reliaious faith, a Lutheran. 
 
 Dr. William Sandmei?ter was born 
 January 23, 1865, at Belleviie, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, and received his elementary educa- 
 tion in the public schools of his native 
 city, afterward attending the Capital Uni- 
 versity, Columbus, Ohio, whence he gradu- 
 ated in 1886. Next entering Western 
 Reserve College, Cleveland, he was 
 graduated from that institution in 1889, 
 in which year he established himself 
 in practice at Bellevue. In September, 
 
 1891, he visited Europe, took a general 
 course in medicine in the great hospitals 
 of Vienna, Austria, returned in June, 
 
 1892, and resumed practice, in which he 
 has since been continuously engaged. 
 Though young in years, he is already 
 thoroughly experienced in the profession. 
 The teachings of his lather, no less than 
 his father's high reputation, have made his 
 journey to professional success compara- 
 tively easy. His thorough studies of 
 medicine both in this and foreign lands, 
 together with his industry, qualify him to 
 take the place in professional and popu- 
 lar estimation held by the late Dr. Charles 
 Sandnieisler. 
 
 If ff E. HILL. This representative pros- 
 
 fsH perons citizen, and leading business 
 
 I 1| man of Monroeville, is a native of 
 
 ■fj Ohio, born in Berlin Heights, Erie 
 
 county, December 11, 1840. 
 
 Noah Hill, his grandfather, who was of 
 
 English descent, came from Connecticut 
 
 to Ohio in 1817, bringing his wife and live 
 
 children. They were veritable pioneers of 
 Erie county, where Noah, who iiad been a 
 cloth dresser in the East, ftdlowed the 
 trade of ship carpenter, becoming a master 
 builder and a very expert workman. He 
 was also a well-to-do farmer, owning at 
 one time over 400 acres of land, all ac- 
 cumulated by hard work, and for part of 
 which he remained in debt some forty-live 
 years, but eventually succeeded in paying 
 off the last penny. In 1850 he disposed 
 of his property and retired, making his 
 final home in Berlin Heights, where he 
 died in 1864. He was a large, well-built 
 man; a Republican in politics, formerly a 
 Whig, and served as a justice of the peace. 
 By his wife, Snkey (Butler), he had chiU 
 dren, as follows: Horace L., Edwin I., 
 Elihu P., Benjamin L., Henrietta, Mary 
 Ann, Hester, Sarah, Greorge S., Sterling 
 and Noah. 
 
 Edwin I. Hill, father of subject, was 
 one of the live children of Noah Hill who 
 became pioneers of Erie county. He was 
 born in Guilford, Conn., in 1S09, and con- 
 sequently was eight years old when he came 
 to Ohio. He learned the cooper's trade, 
 which he followed as long as it was profit- 
 able, and then took up farming, in which 
 he continued many years. He was thrice 
 married, first time to Lucy A. Tenant, 
 who bore him children as follows: Horace 
 C, killed at Resaca, Ga., May 15, 1864, 
 while a member of the One Hundred and 
 Third O. V. I. (his brother H. E. was also 
 in the same battle, totally ignorant of 
 Horace being also there, as he had not seen 
 him since enlistment; the interment of 
 Horace took place before H. E. knew of his 
 death); Benjamin I., a farmer, of near 
 Berlin Heights; Alpha A., now Mrs. 
 Charles Tillinghast, of Berlin Heights; 
 and H. E. The mother of these dying 
 x\ugust 31, 1842, Edwin I. Hill mar- 
 ried, in 1844, Miss Catherine Wen- 
 dail, by which union was born one 
 child, Lucy, who died young. This wife 
 passed away in 1855, and for liis third 
 spouse Mr. Hill wedded Miss Sallie Pea- 
 
90 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 body, by whom there are two children: 
 Sterling L., superintendent of schools at 
 Berlin Heights, Erie county, and Louise, 
 at present attending Oberlin College. 
 Edwin I. Hill departed this life January 
 24, 1888, and was buried at Berlin 
 Heights, Erie county. In his political 
 sympathies he was first a AVhig, afterward 
 a Ilepuldican, and was well read on all 
 public issues. 
 
 H. E. Hill, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, received his primary education at 
 tiie cummoi) schools of his native place, 
 later attending a seminary at Berlin 
 Heights, in those days an educational in- 
 stitution considerably in advance of others 
 in northern Ohio. He was but eighteen 
 Tiiontlis old when he lost his mother, hut 
 he was adopted by an aunt, Mrs. Horace 
 L. Hill, who reai'ed him, and was as kind 
 to him as the kindest mother could be; her 
 husband also treated him with great kind- 
 ness, and took inucli interest in him. On 
 April 20, 1859, his foster-father having 
 given him two hundred dollars in gold, our 
 subject set out, in company with five 
 others, for Pike's Peak, taking rail to St. 
 Louis, thence boat to Leavenworth, Kans., 
 where they secured their outfit, including 
 provisions, three yoke of o,\eii, wagons, etc. 
 In tifty-one days they reached Denver, 
 Colo., at that time a ragged collection of 
 rude huts, the route of the party being 
 across prairies where they saw vast herds 
 of buffalo, some of which fell to their rifles, 
 thus supplying them with plenty of fresh 
 meat. The summer the party j-pent in the 
 mountains, and in the fall they made their 
 return trip homeward. 
 
 At Huron, Ohio, April 19, 1861, Mr. 
 Hill enlisted in Company E, Seventh O. 
 V. I., three months service, and from San- 
 dusky they proceeded to Cleveland, where 
 was completed the organization of the 
 regiment, whicli then moved to Camp 
 Dentiison, near Cincinnati, Ohio. About 
 the middle of June, 1861, the three months 
 term having expired, Mr. Hill, along with 
 the majority of the old members, re- 
 
 enlisted into the Seventh. The regiment, 
 which was attached to the army of tlie 
 Potomac, being ordered Soutli, crossed the 
 Ohio river at Bellaire into West Virginia, 
 where at Cross Lanes it experienced its 
 first general engagement with the eriemy. 
 The next campaign was in the Shenandoah 
 Valley, in which, owing to illness, Mr. 
 Hill was unable to participate. He was 
 sent to the convalescent camp at Washing- 
 ton, D. C, for a few weeks, and on his 
 recovery he rejoined his regiment. He 
 ■was present at the battles of Culpeper 
 Courthouse, Cedar Mountain and Antie- 
 tain; thence marched to Fredericksburg, 
 after which came the two-days' battle of 
 Chancellorsville. From there the regi- 
 ment proceeded to Gettysburg, where early 
 on the morning of the third day of the 
 memorable battle there he was wounded 
 in the left arm. After lying ten days in 
 the field hospital, he was removed to 
 Philadelphia. In January, 1864, he once 
 moie joined his regiment, in time to take 
 part in the battles of Dallas and Resaca, 
 from which latter locality the command 
 was ordered to ChattaiiDOga, where it re- 
 mained till the end of June, 1864, and 
 July 6, following, our subject received an 
 honorable discharge at Cleveland, Ohio, 
 returning to Berlin Heights, having served 
 three years and three months. He was 
 promoted to sergeant, and at Gettysburg, 
 Cedar Mountain and Chancellorsville he 
 is reported as having " served with valor." 
 Havinir now resumed the vocations of 
 peace, Mr. Hill took a course at the East- 
 man Business college, Poughkeepsie, 
 N. Y., and April 3, 1865, he made his 
 residence in Monroeville, where he entered 
 the freight ofiice of the Lake Shore & 
 Michigan Southern Railroad, as clerk, re- 
 maining as such until August 1, 1873. 
 On January 1, 1874, Mr. Hill embarked 
 in the grain elevator business, becoming 
 associated with Mr. Fish, his present 
 partner; but some time afterward he 
 abandoned this industry and commenced 
 in mercantile trade at Berlin Heights, in 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 91 
 
 partnership with Mr. Webster, under the 
 iinn name of IIill& Webster. In the fall 
 of 1878 he once more removed to Monroe- 
 ville, where he opened up an extensive 
 grain trade, and July, 1881, havinji; again 
 become associated with Mr. Fish, bought 
 the present flourishing business, the firm 
 becoming on the first day of the following 
 September, Skilton, Fish ife Hill; in 1886 
 it was changed to Fish & Hill, its present 
 style — a firm of high standing. 
 '^^On December 10, 1878, Mr. Hill mar- 
 ried Miss Louisa B. Harter, born in San- 
 dusky, Ohio, a daughter of Charles Harter, 
 and the children of this union are Horace 
 C, Ruth T., Marcus H. and Anna L. 
 Mrs. Hill is a member of the Presbyterian 
 Church. A Republican in politics, Mr. 
 Hill takes an active interest in all matters 
 tending to the welfare of his country. 
 State, county and town; he is a member of 
 the village council, aTid while a resident 
 of Erie county served his township as 
 treasurer. He is a past master of Robv 
 Lodge No. 534, F. & A. M. 
 
 /George E. wood, editor and pub- 
 I w. lisher of The Bellevue Ne^os, w^as 
 \J^ born in Walworth county. Wis., 
 ^^ August 3, 1860. His parents, J. 
 G. and Almira (Mills) Wood, were 
 born in New York, and at an early date 
 settled in the West. 
 
 After an extended residence in Wiscon- 
 sin, they again looked westward for a 
 home, and in 1867 located at Monticello, 
 Jones Co., Iowa, where the subject of this 
 sketch grew to manhood. In 1890 they 
 removed to Bellevue, Ohio, and took up 
 their abode with their son George. J. G. 
 AVood died at Bellevue June 28, 1892; his 
 widow is still living. 
 
 George Elmer Wood completed his edu- 
 cation at the State Agricultural College, 
 at Ames, Iowa, and for some time after 
 leaving engaged in school teaching. Later 
 he entered upon the study of law, and 
 
 while so engaged was chosen justice of the 
 peace and re-elected. He was admitted to 
 the bar of Iowa in 1884 before the State 
 Supreme Court, but soon relinquished the 
 practice of his chosen profession to move 
 to Anamosa, the county seat, and till the 
 position of acting county recorder, to 
 which he was appointed. For fourteen 
 months he served in that capacity, and then 
 resigned in 1885, to accept the position of 
 county superintendent of schools, to which 
 he had in the meantime been elected. In 
 April, 188S, Mr. Wood came to Bellevue, 
 purchased the Local News office, improved 
 the appearance of the paper, built up a 
 really local newspaper, extended the cir- 
 culation, abolished the old naiue, and in 
 1890 adopted the present title. The Belle- 
 vue News. The paper has a local circula- 
 tion among 1,300 subscribers, and is a 
 first-class advertising medium. It was 
 established in 1875, without political 
 affiliations, and has continued independent 
 to the present time. Mr. Wood is a young 
 man, energetic and ambitious, and by well- 
 directed industry has widened the influ- 
 ence of his journal, and succeeded where 
 others failed. 
 
 Our subject was united in marriage 
 August 29, 1888, with Miss Jessie Deni- 
 son, a native of Anamosa, Iowa, and 
 daughter of A. M. and Liicy A. (Roberts) 
 Denison, both natives of the State of 
 New York. 
 
 HARLES W. ARNOLD, M. D., who 
 
 for the past several years has con- 
 ducted a eeneral mercantile business 
 at Townsend Center, was born Au- 
 gust 11, 1825, in Oxford, Chenango Co., 
 N. Y., the eldest of two children born to 
 James and Emily (Cook) Arnold, the 
 former of whom was a native of Norwalk, 
 Conn., the latter of Dutchess county, N. 
 Y. Both were of English descent. 
 
 James Arnold received in his youth but 
 a limited school training, but in after 
 years he succeeded by his own exertions in 
 
92 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 acquiring a good practical English edu- 
 cation, and a wide and varied stock of gen- 
 eral information. He was all his life a 
 close reader, and was well posted, not only 
 on current topics, but also on general his- 
 tory — ancient and modern — and the vari- 
 ous sciences. His character was formed in 
 the practical school of experience, and this 
 rendered him broad and liberal in all his 
 views. In early life he learned carriage- 
 making at Utica, N. Y., with a man named 
 Lloyd, serving an apprenticeship of some 
 three years, after which he followed the 
 trade for a time as a journeyman. On 
 November 14, 1824, he was united in mar- 
 riage, in North Norwich, N. Y., to Miss 
 Emily Cook, and in 1831 migrated west- 
 ward to Ohio, coming via the Erie Canal 
 to Buffalo, N. Y., and thence on a lake- 
 boat, the ''Sheldon Thompson," one of tlie 
 earliest on the lakes, to Sandusky (then 
 Portland). On the same boat was a com- 
 pany of Wyandot chiefs, who were return- 
 ing from a trip to Washington City. 
 
 Mr. Arnold located at Milan, Erie 
 county, where he opened a carriage and 
 wagon shop, and continued to follow his 
 trade for Some three or four years, wlien he 
 removed to Townsend, Huron county. 
 Here he purchased wild land, and cleared 
 and improved a farm, and was for sev- 
 eral years engaged in agricultural pur- 
 suits; then, in 1849. lie bought a slightly 
 improved farm near Townsend Center, on 
 which stood an old blockhouse. He built 
 the first frame house in Townsend Center 
 (where he subsequently engaged in general 
 merchandising), and also the first sawmill, 
 which lie sold to William and Dudley S. 
 Humphrey. For many years he was post- 
 master at East Townsend. For several 
 years he was in partnership, in the general 
 mercantile business, with his younger son, 
 who later bought out his father's interest 
 ■in the store, and removed the business to 
 New York, after which Mr. Arnold led a 
 retired life until his death, which occurred 
 March 26, 1882. He was one of the old- 
 est Masons in the county, having for a 
 
 number of years been a member of Mt. 
 A'"ernon Lodge No. 64, F. & A. M., Nor- 
 walk, and afterward a charter member of 
 East Townsend Lodge No. 322, and he 
 was buried with Masonic ceremonies. His 
 father was a soldier in the Kevolutionary 
 war, rendering gallant service throughout 
 the entire struggle, and at the battle of 
 New London, Conn., was taken prisoner 
 and confined in the famous sucfar-ware- 
 house prison in New York. By profession 
 he was a civil engineer and surveyor. 
 
 The ancestors of the Arnold family were 
 among the hardy and patriotic pioneers of 
 the old Hartland colony, and took an ac- 
 tive and honoral)le pai't in the affairs of the 
 comtnouwealth during Colonial days. Mrs. 
 Emily (Cook) Arnold died January 20, 
 1885, an ardent, lifehmg member of the 
 Baptist Church. Her fatlier, Joseph Cook, 
 who was born in 1751, was also a soldier in 
 the Continental army, having entered the 
 service at an early age. He participated in 
 the engagement at Flattsbnrg and many 
 other battles. 
 
 Dr. Charles W. Arnold, whose name 
 opens this sketch, received in his early 
 years a fair common-school education, and 
 was employed on the home farm until he 
 attained his majority. He then commenced 
 the study of medicine under the preceptor- 
 ship of Prof. B. L. Hill, of Berlin Heights, 
 Ohio, completing his professional educa- 
 tion at the Eclectic Medical Institute, Cin- 
 cinnati, whence he graduated with high 
 honors in 1850. Entering upon the duties 
 of his profession at Townsend Center, his 
 old home, he remained there several years, 
 and then practiced in the vicinity of Cold- 
 water, Mich., for six or eight years. From 
 there he removed to Athens, Calhoun Co., 
 Mich., where he continued to practice 
 about three years, after which, in 1874, he 
 abandoned his profession and returned to 
 Townsend Center, to care for his parents, 
 who were becoming aged and feeble. Sub- 
 sequentto theirdeath,in 1886, he embarked 
 in his present business, wliich he has since 
 successfully carried on. In September, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 93 
 
 1845, Dr. Arnold was married to Miss 
 Eliza Jane Proctor, who was born in Ohio; 
 her parents were natives, respectively, of 
 England and Vermont. To this union 
 came two children: Horace S., who at the 
 at;e of eii^hteen, in 1863, enlisted in Loomis' 
 Battery, from Coldwater, Mich, (he died 
 April 4, 1864, at Huntsville, Ala.), and 
 Ida G., who died June 10, 1854, when 
 aged four years. Mrs. Eliza Arnold died 
 June 4, 1854, a Universalist in religious 
 faith, and on October 17, 1873, our sub- 
 ject wedded, for his second wife, Miss 
 Jennie L. Howard, wJio was a native of 
 Michigan and of English-Germau extrac- 
 tion. In politics the Doctor is a Democrat, 
 and served for several years as postmaster 
 at East Townseud. Socially he is a mem- 
 ber of the A. F. & A. M., East Townsend 
 Lodge No. 322, and also of the I. O. O. F., 
 Subordinate Lodge and Encampment. 
 
 \ILLIAM M. HUSTED, Norwalk. 
 Edward E. Husted, father of this 
 gentleman, was born in Danburj, 
 Conn., December 27, 1805, and 
 came with his father's family to Huron 
 county, Ohio, in 1810. Samuel Husted, 
 father of Edward E., was the first settler 
 of Clearfield township, in that county, and 
 died there during the Civil war, at the age 
 of eighty- two years. 
 
 Edward E. Husted grew to tnanhood in 
 Huron county, and was married in 1832 to 
 Miss Debora Gray, a native of Danbnry, 
 Conn., by which union were born children 
 as follows: Edwin G., machinist in rail- 
 road shops; Elmer E., postmaster at Well- 
 ington, Ohio; J. Frank, w^ho died in 1890, 
 aged fifty years; Edward L., bookkeeper 
 for G. M. S. Sanborn, coal dealer, Nor- 
 walk; Emma G., Mrs. Abner Baker; Will- 
 iam M., and Ella J., Mrs. J. H. Husted, of 
 Chicago, 111. The mother departed this 
 life September 26, 1884, at the age of 
 seventy-two, an active. Christian woman, 
 and member of the Congregational Church, 
 
 prominent in its affairs. Her brother, 
 Erastus Gray, opened a shoe store in Nor- 
 walk, in 1832, and afterward became a 
 partner of Edward E. Husted, the style of 
 the firm being Husted & Gray, which was 
 afterward changed to Gray & Husted, and 
 finally to Husted & Son. Mr. Gray, who 
 was a native of Connecticut, and one of the 
 first settlers of Norwalk, reached the age 
 of seventy-six years. Edward E. Husted 
 died December 25, 1878. He was an up- 
 right, intelligent and valuable citizen, and 
 a merchant of wide repute, keeping a shoe 
 store in Norwalk until 1857, which was 
 established by Husted & Gray, as already 
 related. He was first elected sheriff of 
 Huron county in 1840, at which time he 
 moved from his fine farm to Norwalk, and 
 served his term, not only to the satisfaction 
 of the Democratic friends who had elected 
 him, but of the entire community, and was 
 re-elected. Afterward he was elected, on 
 the Republican ticket, two terms as county 
 treasurer, and in this office was equally 
 successful in pleasing his constituents. He 
 was an Abolitionist, and is said to have 
 kept a "station" on the "Underground 
 Railroad." For many years he was a con- 
 sistent member of the Congregational 
 Church. 
 
 IfSAAC HARRISON CHANDLER, of 
 Norwalk township, was born Decem- 
 J ber 2, 1830, in Madison county, N. Y., 
 a son of Ebenezer Chandler, who was a 
 son of Simeon, who was a son of Benjamin. 
 Benjamin Chandler, great-grandfather 
 of subject, came to America with Gen. La- 
 Fayette, in the French army, in which he 
 was serving as captain. He took an active 
 part in the Revolutionary war until its 
 close, and afterward settled near Hartford, 
 Conn., where he foUowed farming. He 
 had three children. 
 
 Simeon Chandler, son of Benjamin, was 
 born in Connecticut. At the age of four- 
 teen years, he fell on the ice, injuring his 
 knee so badly as to cripple him for life, 
 
94 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 and this accident may be said to have ma- 
 terially govei-ned his future life. He be- 
 came a shoemaker, and learning the violin 
 became a player of no small repute. He 
 married Miss Louise .Benjamin, a lady of 
 Welsh descent, and seven children were 
 born to them, all growing to maturity, 
 viz.: Simeon, Benjamin, Rebecca, Fannie, 
 Louise, Parmelia antl Ebenezer. 
 
 Of these Ebenezer was the father of the 
 subject of this sketch. He was born in 
 1800, in Connecticut, and there received 
 buta limited education, as he had to remain 
 at Jiome in order to assist his widowed 
 mother, besides working out at whatever 
 he could find to do. At the age of eight- 
 een years he left his native State for New 
 York State, locating on a farm near Per- 
 ryville Falls, Madison county, where he 
 engaijed in agriculture. He was there 
 married in 1822 to Miss Lydia Post, a 
 daughter of Isaiah Post, a farmer of that 
 locality. In 1836 they came to Ilartlaud, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, settling on a farm, 
 where he died in 1877. He was originally 
 a Whig, later a Republican, and held nu- 
 merous township offices. His wife died in 
 1891. They were the parents of ten chil- 
 dren, viz.: One that died in infancy; Luret- 
 ta, deceased; Dolly, now Mrs. Truman, of 
 Clarkstield, Huron county; Cornelia, de- 
 ceased; Isaac H., our subject; Ebenezer, 
 in Erie county, Ohio; Joseph E., a resi- 
 dent of Fitchville, Huron county; Amelia, 
 deceased; and Arvilla, now Mrs. R. Bar- 
 rett, of New London, Huron county, and 
 Frank B., of Colorado. 
 
 Isaac H. Chandler, whose name opens 
 this sketch, was six years of age when he 
 came with his father to Huron county, 
 where he attended the common schools and 
 was reared to farming pursuits. The 
 country was yet very wild, abounding in 
 deer and turkeys, many wolves yet roam- 
 ing about in search of prey. He com- 
 menced business life as a lumberman, 
 spending some time in the lumber re- 
 gions of Michigan, whei-e he met with suc- 
 cess. Returning to Huron county, he 
 
 l>ought a sawmill at Hartland, and later, 
 in 1868, a second one on what is now the 
 Fries farm, in Norwalk township. This 
 he operated till 1874, when the boiler 
 burst, killing his eldest son, then about 
 twenty-one years of age, our subject him- 
 self liaving a narrow escape. In 1876 he 
 rebuilt the mill, and has kept it in partial 
 operation since. In 1863 he hitd bougiit 
 the faim of sixty acres on which he lives, 
 and in 1866 moved thereto. 
 
 In 1853 Mr. Chandler was married to 
 Miss Catherine D. Rumsey, daughter of 
 George Rumsey, of New London, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, and seven children were born to 
 them, as follows: Homer, who was killed 
 in the sawmill; Charles H., a bookkeeper 
 in Cleveland; Lewis, a farmer of Fitch- 
 ville township; Frank, deceased in in- 
 fancy; F. H., who lives on a farm adjoin- 
 ing his father's; Clarence C, married, re- 
 siding with his father; and Clara May, 
 deceased when four months old. In his 
 political preferences Mr. Chandler is a 
 stanch Republican, and he has held various 
 township offices. 
 
 ^J 
 
 HENRY P. STENTZ, president of 
 the First National Bank of Monroe- 
 ville. This gentleman is prominent 
 in the array of leading financiers 
 and capitalists of the State, and 
 one of the most widely-known, respected 
 and prosperous of her citizens. In Mon- 
 roeville, and indeed in the whole county 
 of Huron, there is no name that ranks 
 higher than tliat of Henry P. Stentz, in 
 all those qualities which constitute good 
 citizenship; and there is none more de- 
 serving of an exhaustive biographical 
 record in the pages of this volume. 
 
 Mr. Stentz was born in Middletown, 
 Penn., February 26, 1838, and is descended 
 from sturdy, honest German stock, from 
 wliich be inherits in a marked degree the 
 characteristic energy, good judgment and 
 other biisiness qualities that have made 
 him the successful financier he is. He is 
 
^^f^^^^ ■fe> 
 
IIUEON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 97 
 
 a son of Peter and Catherine (Keller) 
 Stentz, natives of Pennsylvania, who re- 
 moved to Huron county, Oliio, in 1840, 
 thence, after a brief stay, proceeding to 
 Plymouth, Richland county; but the 
 greater part of their lives was afterward 
 passed at Gallon, in Crawford county, 
 whither they removed in 1853. 
 
 Receiving his education at the Union 
 schools of Plymouth, Ohio, Mr. Stentz 
 at an early age entered the employ of Mr. 
 A. Atwood, a mercliant and banker in 
 that town; and true to his nature as evi- 
 denced in all his business career, young 
 Stentz put his whole soul into the business, 
 his remuneration at tirst being but eight 
 dollars per month. His close attention to 
 business, and devotion to every detail of 
 his employer's affairs, soon gained for 
 him the esteem and confidence of Mr. 
 Atwood, who did not fail to give substan- 
 tial recognition. 
 
 Mr. Stentz remained in this connection 
 until during the Civil war, when he 
 severed iiimself from it, and launched out 
 on his own responsibility, speculating in 
 various articles of merchandise, such as 
 cotton, hemp, sugar and molasses. This 
 necessarily involved a good deal of travel- 
 ing in the South, and business of this kind 
 and magnitude, requiring as it does tlie 
 application of shrewd finessing, cool 
 judgment, and bold, fearless push and 
 action, Mr. Stentz found himself well 
 adapted to by nature. 
 
 But in these commercial enterprises he 
 does not claim to have made any fortune, 
 no doubt for the reason that in tliose 
 feverish, unsettled times the markets were 
 too capricious; yet it was in this exper- 
 ience that he added capital to his already 
 no small stock of business tact and acumen. 
 At the close of the war he retired from the 
 field of speculation, and in 1866 came to 
 Monroeviile to fill the position of cashier 
 of the Exchange Bank of that town, as 
 successor to Mr. S. V. Harkness. In 
 1879, this bank was organized as the 
 " First National Bank of Monroeviile," 
 
 with a capital of fifty thousand dollars, 
 and Mr. Stentz continued as cashier of 
 same until 1889, when he was promoted to 
 the presidency. Mr. Stentz, during the 
 time of his wide commercial relations, 
 organized the First JSJational Bank of 
 Gallon, Ohio, one of the first institutions 
 v{ the kind established in Ohio under the 
 new regime, and he subsequently assisted 
 in the organization of the National Bank 
 of Plymouth. In addition to his banking 
 business, and aside from it, he is largely 
 interested in real estate, owning some 
 one thousand five hundred acres of tine 
 farming land in the vicinity of Monroe- 
 viile. He has never married. Though 
 not a professor of religion he is an ad- 
 herent and supporter of the Presbyterian 
 Church in Monroeviile. 
 
 Henry P. Stentz furnishes a striking 
 illustration of a conservative and success- 
 ful business man. Assuming the respon- 
 sible duties of cashier of the Monroeviile 
 Exchange Bank when a young man of 
 twenty-eight summers, he, by close atten- 
 tion to every known duty connected with 
 that institution, and making himself 
 thoroughly conversant with all the details 
 of its working system; by strict and honor- 
 able dealing and by careful and wise 
 management; by all these and more, Mr. 
 Stentz succeeded in elevating it to the 
 highest point of excellence attained by any 
 institution of the kind in Huron county. 
 And since, in order that its interests 
 might be extended, the Exchange Bank 
 was, through his efforts, organized into 
 a National Bank, he has brought it to 
 such perfection as a financial institution 
 that it now ranks among the soundest and 
 best managed banks in northern Ohio, his 
 name being identified with it as a leading 
 capitalist and business man. It has now 
 an annual deposit account of one hundred 
 and seventy-five thousand dollars, and paj's 
 a dividend of five per cent, semi-annuallj'. 
 From a recent issue of the Monroeviile 
 Weekli/ Spectator we quote some portions 
 of an article written during the wild panic 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 of the sninmer of 1893: "During a com- 
 mercial crisis like that through which we 
 are now passing, when doubt and distrust 
 are apparent on every hand, there is sweet 
 consolation in the thought that the solvency 
 of onr own home hank is unquestioned. 
 While hundreds of similar institutions 
 throughout the length and breadth of the 
 land are being forced into suspension or 
 failure, because of the existing lack of con- 
 tidence, the First National Bank of Mon- 
 roeville stands and will stand a monument 
 to the integrity, judgtnent and fidelity of 
 the efficient manairement it has ever en- 
 joyed, and which to-day is identical 
 with that under which it began its career 
 oyer twenty-seven years ago. * * * 
 The present crisis finds it in better 
 eonditidU than ever before to cope witli 
 panical problems, and it will speedily and 
 satisfactorily solve all that are presented, 
 provided they legitimately come within 
 the sphere of its action. * * * Mr. Stentz 
 has been the moving spirit, the power be- 
 hind the throne, the manager from the or- 
 ganization to the present time, and to his 
 efforts are chiefly attributable thelongcon- 
 tiniied prosperity and substantial growth 
 that have characterized the bank's career, 
 and the enviable reputation, standing and 
 confidence which it now enjoys." 
 
 Mr. Stentz has not accumulated his capi- 
 tal by speculation — far from it — but 
 tiirough the well-recrulated conservative 
 rules of legitimate business. His marked 
 success in, comparatively speaking, so un- 
 pretentious a town as Monroeville,. is a 
 lesson for every young man setting out in 
 life on a business career, with naught to aid 
 him save honesty of heart, integrity of pur- 
 pose, a good courage and, withal, a willing 
 pair of hands and a level head. 
 
 GHAELES HILL STEWAET, attor- 
 ney at law, Norwalk, is a native of 
 the place, born November 6, 1859, 
 H son of Hon. Gideon T. and Abby 
 (Simmons) Stewart. 
 
 Our subject was reared amid generous 
 and pleasant surroundings, and while he 
 was born with no doubt the averaae allot- 
 meut of youthful barbarism, yet the civiliz- 
 ing precepts and examples of a refined 
 home, the lessons of the school and the 
 ever-vigilant eye of the community, with 
 its searchlight thrown upon the conduct 
 and bearing of the young, were enough to 
 bear bim successfully to that time of life 
 when the youtii becomes the father to tiie 
 man. The boy went the rounds of the 
 public schools with success, mixing in the 
 days with the usual riot of a vigorous boy's 
 life, as well as a turn as printing office 
 boy, hunting " the type-louse," or on an 
 errand for the " devil's shooting-stick." 
 Like a sensible man, he regards his time 
 ill the print ing-oflice as days of his life not 
 ill-spent —barring a sigh of regret at the 
 way, boy-like, he would go down the stair- 
 way at about two steps, always bringing 
 the frightened occupant of the lower floor 
 out to see if any one was killed. These 
 perilous but happy times were not entirely 
 ended by his transfer to the Ohio Wes- 
 leyan University at Delaware, Ohio, where 
 he remained until well along in his junior 
 year. Returning to his home he com- 
 menced the study of law in his father's 
 office, and on June 6, 1882, he was licensed 
 to appear in the courts as attorney. While 
 reading law he took his recreation in edit- 
 ing and publishing the Dally ifews of 
 Norwalk, a vigorous and spicy paper, in- 
 dependent politically. This he sold to 
 his brother, and it is now part of 
 the Experiment- Nexos. Graduating out 
 of the publishing business into the law, 
 he then spent a year seeing with his 
 own eyes something of the wild life 
 of the West, a large part of tlie time 
 in the Dakotas and the Indian Terri- 
 tory. Of all his years of schooling this 
 was perhaps the necessary sand -papering — 
 a polishing process of incalculable value. 
 
 On his return to Norwalk, he opened his 
 law ofiice and set about the real business 
 of life, which was crowned from the start 
 
HUHON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 99 
 
 with more than tlie average professional 
 success. Soon he was operating in real 
 estate, and in this line his record is re- 
 markable for its brilliant achievements. 
 It is proper to explain that his operations 
 in real estate were commenced soon after 
 his marriage, his first venture being the 
 purchase of a plot and laying it off in lots, 
 which he sold on the installment plan — • 
 introducing in Norwalk the favorable 
 scheme of helping the poor man to own 
 his home. Disposing of this, he next laid 
 out an addition on Harris avenue and 
 Olive street, followed by another on Grand 
 avenue and Spring street, another on 
 Courtland street, and still another on Carey 
 place. During all these years he has built 
 from five to twenty-five houses each sum- 
 mer, selling many on the installment plan, 
 and retaining many, until he is one of the 
 most extensive landlords of Norwalk. Of 
 itself this tells iis of the importance this 
 young man has been to the city's develop- 
 ment. In other lines, however, he has 
 been still more active and efficient. He 
 was one of the promoters of the " Home 
 Savings & Loan Company," and its attor- 
 ney and appraiser. Resigning his official 
 connection with this company, he helped 
 to organize the "Ohio Loan, Savings & 
 Investment Company," of which he is a 
 stockholder, director and attorney; he was 
 one of the founders of the Norwalk Sav- 
 ings Bank, of which he is vice-president; 
 is president of tlie Norwalk Gaslight 
 Company; was one of the active organizers 
 of the C. W. Smith Company, of which 
 he is director and treasurer; one of the 
 organizers of the Lake Erie Tobacco Com- 
 pany, of which he is director and treasurer; 
 helped to organize the Norwalk Metal 
 Stamping & Spinning Company, of which 
 he is manager and director; is treasurer 
 and director and owner of one-half of the 
 Bellevue Electric Light & Power Co.; also 
 assisted in the organization of the Norwalk 
 Foundry & Machine Company, of which 
 he is a director; established with others 
 the Norwalk Brick Company, of which he 
 
 owns one-third, and is one of'the manag- 
 ing operators; also owns one-third of the 
 C. H. Whitney Nursery Company, of 
 which he is director and one of the man- 
 
 agement. 
 
 Mr. Stewart has been associated with 
 Mr. William 11. Price as his partner in 
 most of his real-estate operations, and in 
 several of the companies named. While 
 they have been" actively engaged in real- 
 estate deals in Norwalk and Huron county, 
 they have carried on their real-estate busi- 
 ness in the city of Cleveland, owning busi- 
 ness blocks on Euclid avenue, Sheriff 
 street, and other property in that city. 
 They also assisted in organizing the 
 Arcade Savings Bank of Cleveland, and 
 are directors. 
 
 Combined with his dealings in real 
 estate, here is a record of which our oldest 
 and most successful business men need not 
 feel ashamed, but "Charley" — that is the 
 term used by everyone, with a kindly ac- 
 cent of tone — is yet but at the threshold 
 of life; the future is before him radiant 
 of promise. 
 
 Charles H. Stewart and Miss Mayme 
 Carey, of St. Louis, Mo., the daughter of 
 Gen. Man. M. G. Carey, of the Wabash 
 Railroad, were united in wedlock, Nov- 
 vember 26, 1884. This happy marriage 
 was the outcome of the young lady's visits to 
 herrelatives andfriendsin Norwalk, and the 
 whilom ti'ans-Mississippi school-girl pre- 
 sides with rare accomplishments over their 
 pleasant Norwalk home, where were born 
 their four children as follows: Olive, De- 
 cember 19, 1885; Carey, September 18, 
 1887 ; Abby, September 7, 1889; and Mary, 
 January 26, 1891. 
 
 Mr. Stewart served as captain of 
 Company G, Fifteenth Regiment Ohio 
 National Guard, but ])ressare of business 
 matters compelled him to resign. He has 
 been a working Republican for many 
 years, and takes an active interest in poli- 
 tics. He served for several years as presi- 
 dent of The Young Men's Republican Club 
 of Norwalk; has acted many times as dele- 
 
100 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIQ. 
 
 gate to State and District conventions, and 
 to State and National conventions of the 
 National League of Republican Clubs (in 
 which he takes a warm interest). He is 
 now a member of the Congressional C!om- 
 niittee in his District, and at the last con- 
 vention nominating a common pleas judge 
 in liis District, was the choice of liis 
 county for the position, l)ut at his request 
 his name was not presented to the conven- 
 tion, lie says lie is too busy to accept 
 office for himself, but is always ready to 
 assist his friends. 
 
 f(J[ ON. HARLON LINCOLN STEW- 
 
 r!!^ ART. This gentleman's name 
 
 I 1| cannot escape becoming a perma- 
 
 ■^ nent part of the history of Nor- 
 
 walk, of which beautiful little city 
 
 he is a native. 
 
 Mr. Stewart was born December 12, 
 1861, a son of Hon. G. T. and Abbj 
 (Simmons) Stewart, and was reared in the 
 pleasant social atmosphere of a refined 
 home, and the cultured circle of the city of 
 his birth. He passed tiirough the public 
 schools, afterward taking a special course 
 in tiie State University at Columbus, and 
 when he had gained the necessary mental 
 discipline to engage in the preliminary 
 reading of a professional life, he became a 
 law student in his father's office. A touch 
 of his active nature, however, soon found 
 him at the genial pastime of founding, in 
 connection with his brother, a daily paper 
 — The News, a bright and newsy journal 
 — which was carried on a year by the 
 founders. After a successful year's ex- 
 istence, it was sold, and the young news- 
 paper man resumed the reading of the law 
 in his father's office. But the pleasant 
 aroma of the editorial tripod lingered, ami 
 " Blackstone's Commentaries" soon dulled 
 in interest; so another paper was launched 
 on the uncertain sea of journalism — the 
 Sunday J^ews — which became an inde- 
 pendent supporter of Grover Cleveland in 
 
 the Presidential campaign of 1884. In a 
 little while this was consolidated with The 
 Experiment, the veteran Democratic paper 
 of Huron county, established in 1835, and 
 named after President Jackson's famous 
 campaign against State banks, and his ad- 
 vocacy of a new system which he called his 
 "experiment." The consolidated paper, 
 which was named the E xperi ment-y ews, 
 was a weekly until 1889, when was added 
 a daily edition, which in 18'J3 was sold 
 and continued as the Daily Press. 
 
 The Experiment- News, greatly im- 
 proved,, was continued as a weekly, re- 
 ceiving Mr. Stewart's entire attention. 
 At all times the strong and facile pen of 
 the editor attracted wide attention, while 
 on the stump his voice was heard, and 
 everywhere his earnestness of purpose and 
 convincing logic were part of the supreme 
 work that contributed much to the steady 
 gains of his party in this part of the State. 
 The young editor and orator soon forged 
 his way to a pronounced leadership in his 
 party, his sudden celebrity coming to him 
 in 1888, when in company with Hon. D. 
 H. Wadsworth he participated in the first 
 systematic speaking campaign in behalf of 
 Democracy that was ever made in Huron 
 county. In 1891 he was chosen chairman 
 of the Democratic Executive Central Com- 
 mittee of that county. In the campaign 
 of 1892 he was nominated on his party 
 ticket, in the face of a strong list of as- 
 pirants, as standard bearer for the office of 
 State senator from the Thirtieth District. 
 He was elected, and served through the 
 Seventieth General Assembly; and, al- 
 though the youngest member in the Sen- 
 ate, was a recognized leader. In 1893 he 
 was prominently mentioned by the press, 
 generally, as a candidate for lieutenant- 
 governor, but declined to permit the use 
 of his name. He was renominated for 
 senator, receiving the unanimous vote of 
 the convention, but in the following elec- 
 tion, though running ahead of the general 
 ticket in all parts of the District, he was 
 borne down in the overwhelming tide of 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 101 
 
 defeat tliat engulfed his party in the elec- 
 tion of 1893. 
 
 Hon. H. L. Stewart and Cora Nile Par- 
 ker, one of the accoinplislied leaders of the 
 best social circle of the city of Norwalk, 
 were joined in wedlock January 7, 1891. 
 
 HARLES B. SIMMONS, a promi- 
 nent retired citizen of Fairfield town- 
 ship, is a direct descendant of the 
 family who emigrated, it is sup- 
 posed, from Wales, and settled in an early 
 day in Bristol county, Massachusetts. 
 
 Edward Simmons, the grandfather of 
 our subject, owned large flouring mills in 
 Eehoboth, Bristol Co., Mass., which were 
 burned by the British during the Kevolu- 
 tion, but were afterward rebuilt. He was 
 a soldier in the Revolutionary war, serv- 
 ing as captain in the Continental line, and 
 he was an intliiential figure in military 
 matters. Of his children, Edward settled 
 in New Hampshire and became a judge; 
 Noble, who was a blacksmith, died in 
 New York State; Eliphalet B. is referred 
 to below; William, who owned the mills, 
 died in Massachusetts. 
 
 Eliphalet B. Simmons was born, in 
 1773, in Bristol county, Mass., and passed 
 his youth and early manhood there. In 
 1804 he moved to Delaware county, N. Y., 
 where for thirteen years he carried on the 
 lumber business, meeting with quite a de- 
 gree of success. During his residence 
 here he married Esther, daughter of Capt. 
 Charles Brown, of New London, Conn. 
 In 1817 he started for the " Firelands " 
 of Ohio, making the journey to Huron 
 c<iunty by wagon, and arriving July 12. 
 He purchased land in the Second section 
 of Greenfield township, and took up his 
 residence on Lot No. 22, where his grand- 
 son, John N. Simmons, now resides, and 
 became a pioneer in the wilderness. He 
 •was a man of great industry, coupled with 
 honesty of purpose, as well as good 
 practical judgment, and eventually ac- 
 quired a large property. His selections 
 
 of real estate made in that early day have 
 stood the tes-ts of time, and stand approved 
 as the best individual farms to this day. 
 He was twice married, and had a family of 
 four children, namely: Harlon E. (de- 
 ceased), Charles B., Albert (deceased), and 
 Washington L. (a resident of Kansas). 
 Eliphalet B. Simmons died at his home in 
 Greenfield January 26, 1836, in the si.xty- 
 third year of his age. In politics lie was a 
 Democrat, and took an active interest in 
 party matters. In religion he was a Bap- 
 tist. Mrs. Simmons died in 1830. 
 
 Charles B. Simmons was born August 
 2, 1806, in Delaware county, N. Y., ob- 
 tained his education in the common 
 schools, and in 1817 came with his father 
 to Huron county, where he worked on the 
 home farm. On July 5, 1829, he was 
 married to Maria P. Hanchett, a native of 
 Wayne county, Peim., where her father, 
 Reuben Hanchett, was a farmer, and for 
 six years the young couple lived in a log 
 house. Mr. Simmons then sold his farm, 
 and purchasing the home place removed 
 thereon, taking; care of his invalid father. 
 He had 337 acres of tine land, among the 
 Ijest in this section, and he engaged ex- 
 tensively in raising Merino sheep, keeping 
 as many as 400 at one time. He also 
 reared a laro-e number of iiorses. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Simmons had nine children, 
 viz.: Jeremiah Cole, a farmer of Indiana; 
 Esther, who died young; Lewis C, a lum- 
 ber merchant of Minnesota; Volna E., a 
 merchant, who resided in Indiana, de- 
 ceased in 1879; .lohn N., who owns the 
 old farm in Greenfield township, and a 
 sketch of whom immediately follows; 
 George D., who died when one year old; 
 Emily I. and Mary, who died in 1849, 
 and Harlon, a resident of Kansas, who is 
 in the railroad business. Mrs. Maria 
 Simmons died September 24, 1850, and 
 September 20, 1852, our suiiject wedded 
 Miss Aura K. Palmer, daughter of George 
 Palmer, who at one time was a farmer in 
 Richland county, Ohio, and later resided 
 in Oberlin. To this marriage have come 
 
102 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 two children viz.: Fraiil^ P., who died in 
 infancy, and Sherman E., a physician of 
 Norwalk. Mr. Simmons in his political 
 predilections is a stanch meaiber of the 
 Republican party, has held every ofhce in 
 the gift of his township, justice of the 
 peace, etc., and served one term, 1858-59, 
 in the Legislature. In 1876 he retired 
 from active life, and since that time has 
 made his home in North Fairtield. 
 Though now over eighty-seven years of 
 age, he is still active and vigorous, and is 
 one of the most highly respected men in 
 his section. 
 
 JOHN N. SIMMONS, son of the 
 above, was born August 28, 1842, in 
 ' Greenfield township, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 of which locality he is a prominent 
 farmer and stock grower. 
 
 His education was received in the dis- 
 trict schools of the neighborhood, his at- 
 tendance thereat being confined to a few 
 months in winter time. He commenced 
 farming under the direction of his father, 
 on the same farm \vhich he now owns and 
 resides upon, and remained with his par- 
 ents until August 28, 1863, when he en- 
 listed, at Sandu^ky, in Company M, 
 O. V. H. A., joining his command at 
 Loudon, Tenn. He served through Geor- 
 gia, Tennessee and Alabama, and at the 
 close of tlie war returned home to Huron 
 connty, where he commenced agricultural 
 pursuits on his father's farm in Greenfield 
 township, renting same for ten years. On 
 Septeml)er 30, 1868, Mr. John N. Sim- 
 mons was united in marriage to Miss 
 Elizabeth A. Richards, who was born in 
 Norwich township, daughter of John 
 Richards, who came to Huron connty with 
 his parents in 1816. To Mr. and Mrs. 
 Simmons has come one child, George B., 
 born August 7, 1869, who resides with his 
 father on the home farm. 
 
 In September, 1875, Mr. Simmons pur- 
 chased his present farm, where he has 
 since made his home, following general 
 
 farming and stock growing. He is practi- 
 cal and systematic, and has made a decided 
 success in agriculture. Politically he is a 
 Republican, and his ideas have consider- 
 able weight in the local council of that 
 party. He has filled various township 
 offices. An outspoken, sincere man, he 
 has hosts of friends who know, understand 
 and adnaire him for his many sterling 
 qualities. He does not affiliate with any 
 religious body, but takes the Golden Rule 
 for his guide. 
 
 B. KEEPER, prominent in bank- 
 ing and business circles in Chi- 
 cago Junction, was born Septem- 
 ber 9, 1848, in Fairfield township, 
 Ilui-on county. His great-grandfather, 
 Walter Keefer, emigrated from Holland 
 during the eighteentti century, and, it is 
 supposed, settled in New Yjrk. 
 
 Walter Keefer, father of our subject, 
 was born in 1810, in Vermont, a son of 
 Walter Keefer, also a native of that State, 
 received a primary education, atid was 
 trained to farm work. In 1835 he ac- 
 companied his parents to Sandusky county, 
 Ohio, and afterward resided at various 
 places in the State. Some time in the 
 "forties" he located iti Huron county, 
 but subsequently moved to Erie county, 
 and there made his home until 1853, when 
 he located in New Haven township, 
 Huron county. On March 10, 1836, he 
 was married to Lydia Wiles, and to them 
 eight children were born, namely: Mason 
 S., Herman, Frank E., W. B., Wilber, 
 Mary A., Homer and John S. Mason S. 
 died at the age of two years, Hei-man at 
 thirteen, and Wilber at three; five aro now 
 living and residing in Huron county. In 
 religious faith Mr. Keefer is a member of 
 the M. E. Church, in politics a Republican. 
 W. B. Keefer received a primary educa- 
 tion in the schools of New Haven. At 
 the age of sixteen years he was crippled, 
 and seeing that this militated against his 
 engaging in manual labor, he wisely 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 103 
 
 directed his attention to a preparation for 
 business. He attended the school at Nor- 
 walk for one session, neglecting no oppor- 
 tunity to obtain a practical education, and 
 at the age of twenty-three years he taught 
 school for one term, after which he traveled 
 one year for a sewing machine company. 
 Subsequently he learned telegraphy, and 
 was appointed yard clerk at Chicago Junc- 
 tion for the Baltimore & Ohio Kailroad 
 Company. "When the postoffice was es- 
 tablished at Chicago Junction he was ap- 
 pointed postmaster, and held tlie ofhce for 
 thirteen consecutive years. In 1877 lie 
 opened a jewelry store at Chicago Junc- 
 tion, which he carried on until 1888. 
 
 In August, 1888, Mr. Keefer founded 
 the Commercial Bank of Chicago Junc- 
 tion; this is a private banking house, and 
 is one of the recognized financial institu- 
 tions of the. county, enjoying as it merits 
 the confidence of the citizens. On Feb- 
 ruary 13, 1888, Mr. Keefer was married 
 to Miss Eva L. Shepard, of Hillsdale, 
 Mich., and they are the parents of one son, 
 Walter Dale. Mr. Keefer is a Republican, 
 and takes an active interest in town and 
 township political affairs. He is an ideal 
 self-made man, and having earned the 
 wealth he possesses, understands thor- 
 oughly its true management and value. 
 
 JOHN G. SHERMAN was born in 
 w I AVakeman township, Huron Co., 
 %^ Ohio, November 11, 1830. Ilis 
 father, Justin Sherman, was one of 
 the first settlers in Wakefield county, and 
 adescen4ant, in direct line, of Hon. Samuel 
 Shei'uian, who came fr(jm Dedham, County 
 of Essex, England, in 1634. 
 
 The entire life of our subject was spent 
 on the farm where he was born. His early 
 years were devoted to the nsual round of 
 duties of a farmer boy, and a few months 
 each year spent in the district school fur- 
 nished him ''ojood enough" education for 
 a full-fledged farmer. In the spring of 
 1851 he married Miss Julia E. Beecher, 
 
 daughter of Cyrenius Beecher, an early 
 settler of Florence township, Erie Co., 
 Ohio, and began farm life in earnest. 
 After six years of labor together, Mrs. 
 Sherman died from an attack of dropsy, 
 leaving her husband and one daughter to 
 mourn her early death. In 1858 Mr. 
 Sherman married, for his second wife, 
 Miss Elizabeth I). Miller, daughter of John 
 Miller, a substantial farmer in New Lon- 
 don township, Huron county, she taking 
 up the household duties and the care of 
 the daughter who had lost a mother's de- 
 votion. This union resulted in the birth 
 of oue son and two daughters, who, with 
 the exception of one daughter, together 
 with Mrs. Sherman survive Mr. Sherman, 
 who died May 27, 1893, from the effects 
 of heart disease. 
 
 In the active years of his life Mr. Sher- 
 man was successful as a farmer. Crops 
 well cultivated; stock well bred and cared 
 for; farm implements housed when not in 
 use — in short everything done in season 
 and in first-class order — formed the ele- 
 ments of his success. He was a close ob- 
 server, a great reader of farm publications 
 as well as the current news, and endeavored 
 to keep well informed on all matters per- 
 taining to his occupation as well as the 
 political, social and religious news of the 
 day. He gave more or less attention to 
 local and State politics; was frequently a 
 delegate to conventions, notably to the Re- 
 publican National Convention at Philadel- 
 phia in 1872, to renominate President 
 Grant. Social in a high degree, he enjoyed 
 the esteem of a large acquaintance. Re- 
 ligious, with a deep sense of duty, the 
 outgrowth of an early experience and 
 training, he was for years an active mem- 
 ber of the Congregational Church at 
 Wakeman, and one of its deacons at the 
 time of his death. For years he took 
 great interest in its Sunday-school, and 
 assisted in its work as superintendent and 
 teacher, ever giving it liberal support. 
 During all his years of farm life, with its 
 demands, he always found time to enter- 
 
104 
 
 HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 tain friends or enjoy a clay with his family 
 at Fecial gatherings. At the close of day, 
 for over thirty-five years, he recorded in 
 his diary his failures or successes; the 
 condition of the weather; the crops, when 
 in season, and all the events that go to 
 make up a family history. More notable, 
 possibly, was the service he rendered for 
 over filteen years as newspaper reporter. 
 On more than one occasion did he take 
 down, in lon^ hand, a verbatim report of 
 political speech, or testimony given in 
 court, and mail to paper for publication 
 without rewriting. His crop and weather 
 reports were regularly mailed for many 
 seasons. 
 
 In domestic life Mr. Sherman was a de- 
 voted husband and father — temperate, 
 attentive to all home duties, thorough in 
 his undertakings, economical, yet given to 
 acts of kindness and deeds of charity. 
 
 EV. T. F. HILDRETH, A. M., 
 
 / D. D., is a native of Tompkins 
 i^. county, N. Y., born November 29, 
 1826, the third son of Benjamin 
 and Susan Hildreth, the former of 
 whom was born in Monmouth county, N. 
 J., the latter, whose maiden name was 
 Colegrove. born in Schoharie county, New 
 York. 
 
 The parents came with their family to 
 Huron county, Ohio, in 1883, and here 
 passed the remainder of their lives, the 
 father dying September 20, 1852, in his 
 fifty eighth year, tlie mother March 15, 
 1855, in her sixty-first yeai'. Tlie family 
 consisted of nine children — four girls and 
 five boys — the subject of this sketch being 
 the sixth in the order of their birth. 
 
 Dr. Hildreth was in liis seventh year 
 when his parents settled in Huron county, 
 and his education began in an old school- 
 bouse a mile and a half from home, in the 
 summer helping what he could in clearing 
 up the farm, and in the winters attending 
 the district school till his nineteenth year, 
 when he took two terms in the Old Nor- 
 
 walk Seminary, which at that time was 
 under the supervision of the Baptist 
 Cliurch. He was converted when but 
 eleven years old, but did not unite with 
 the Church till in his sixteenth year. As 
 his parents were Methodists, lie united 
 with the same Church, and from the date 
 of his conversion he was the subject of deep 
 convictions regarding his duty to enter the 
 Christian ministry. However, before he 
 had fully decided as to his life work, he 
 entered his name as a law student in the 
 office of the Hon. Samuel T. Wooster, of 
 Norwalk, then considered one of the ablest 
 attorneys in the State. Before he had com- 
 pleted the coui'se of study necessary to ad- 
 mission to the bar, he had been licensed 
 as a local preacher in the M. E. Church, 
 and having been recommended by his 
 Quarterly Conference, he was received on 
 trial in the North Ohio Conference at its 
 Session held in Bellefontaine, August 22, 
 1851. Dr. Hildreth occupied several of 
 the leading appointments in his Confer- 
 ence till the fall of 1864, when he was 
 transferred to the New York Conference 
 and stationed at Trinity M. E. Church on 
 Thirty-fourth street. During his pastorate 
 in New York his health became so im- 
 paired that he was obliged to resign his 
 charge, and in the fall of 1867 he returned 
 to his home in the bounds of the North 
 Ohio Conference. After a year of rest, 
 his health being greatly improved, he was 
 given charge of the M. E. Church in Nor- 
 walk, of which he was pastor three years, 
 and then hy special request of the church 
 in Ionia, Mich., he was transferred to the 
 Michigan Conference and stationed at that 
 place. 
 
 Tlie Doctor held three successive appoint- 
 ments of three years each, ami then, by 
 reason of impaired health, returned again 
 to his home in Norwalk, and once more 
 took his relation to the North Ohio Con- 
 ference. When the pastorate of the Rev. 
 Dr. Mendenhall expired, by the request of 
 the Norwalk Church Dr. Hildreth was 
 again appointed its pastor, and again 
 
j3^^t<f*^ffrr 
 
 7 / 
 
 //yyiC^<-^t^Z^ 
 
 'A 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 107 
 
 served it for three years. At the close of his 
 term in Norvvalk, he was appointed to tlie 
 Lorain Street M. E. Church in Cleve- 
 hiiid, Ohio, but at the end of one year lie 
 severed his connection with the North 
 Ohio Conference, and took charge of the 
 People's Tabernacle Church, at Music 
 Hall, an nndenotninational Society, com- 
 posed of such persons of the various churches 
 as desired more particularly to do Gospel 
 temperance work. In this field the Doc- 
 tor remained two years, and upon the 
 death of its founder and chief patron, Hon. 
 W. H. Doan, Dr. Ilildreth resigned his 
 position and returned to his own quiet 
 home in Norwalk. 
 
 In 1863 the Ohio Wesleyan University 
 conferred upon the Doctor the degree of 
 A. M., and in 1887 the same institution 
 honored him with the degree of D. D. Dr. 
 Hildreth's popularity as a speaker has ever 
 caused him to be much sought after at the 
 dedication of churches, believing, as the 
 people did, that he was always eminently 
 successful in securing church debts. His 
 sympathy for the soldiers caused him to be 
 frequently called upon on memorial oc- 
 casions, and as a lecturer few have excelled 
 him in popularity on the platform. His 
 style is purely extemporaneous, never read- 
 inj^ either a lecture or sermon, and seldom 
 using even a brief. While Dr. Hildreth is 
 well versed in metaphysics, and literature, 
 his ianguai^e is simple, and his methods of 
 presenting truth easy to follow. His 
 imagination is often brilliant, and at times 
 he sways his audieiice.s with the grandeur 
 of his imagery. I^e has written many 
 poems of merit, and some of them have 
 received from the press the hiu;hest com- 
 mendations. Thoujjh not now the regular 
 pastor of any church, the Doctor is con- 
 stantly engaged either in the pulpit or on 
 the platform, and retains in a high decrree 
 the vigor both of his body and mind. 
 
 In 184:9 Dr. Hildreth was married to a 
 most estimable lady. Miss Eudolphia C. 
 Cherry, whose quiet unassuming life and 
 sterHnj' worth have ever been a tower of 
 
 strength to him all through their years. 
 They are spending their evening twilight 
 in quietness and peace in their own cozy 
 home, surrounded with many friends. 
 
 TEPHEX F. CLARKE, a "success- 
 ful fanner of Lyme township, has 
 all his life been engaged in agricul- 
 tural pursuits, and is to-day prom- 
 inently identified among the progressive 
 and wide-awake farmers of Huron county. 
 His father, John Clarke, was born in 
 Ashelworth, Gloucestershire, England, 
 July 19, 1794, and was married May 5, 
 1823, to Miss Elizabeth Lloyd, of Tibber- 
 ton, Worcestershire, England, who was 
 born January 26, 1801. Of this union 
 eleven children were born (seven of whom 
 are still living), namely: Mary Lloyd, 
 born September 17, 1824; Catherine L., 
 born October 18, 1825; John S., born 
 February 17, 1827; Christopher, born 
 August 30, 1828; Frederick, born Decem- 
 ber 28, 1829; Elizabeth E., born April 15, 
 1831; Edwin, born July 22, 1832; Lucy, 
 born October 15, 1833; Philip, born April 
 29, 1835; Stephen F., born Decem,ber 19, 
 1839; and Theodore E., born April 12, 
 184^. John Clarke was a farmer from 
 his youth, and in 1836 moved to Ohio, 
 where he followed this occupation, ranking 
 liigh in the esteem of his neighbors. He 
 was a great Church worker, l)einur one of 
 the founders of Lyme Trinity Episcopal 
 Church; was also lay reader for years after 
 the church was first organized, and during 
 the remainder of his life he was senior 
 warden. He died May 2, 1877; his wife 
 passed away November 10, 1861. 
 
 Stephen F. Clarke was born on Pipe 
 creek, in Erie county, Ohio, and was five 
 years old when his parents moved to the 
 homestead, where he now resides. He at- 
 tended the district school in the vicinity 
 until the formation of the union school in 
 Bellevue, where he continued his studies, 
 afterward completing them at Oberlin, and 
 
108 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 at Heidelberg Collej^e, Tiffin, Ohio. At 
 an early a^e be inaDifested a talent for 
 agricultural pursuits, and bas devoted his 
 time exclusively to farming, having lived 
 on the property where he now resides since 
 1845. He owns eighty-five acres of valu- 
 able and well-cultivated land, situated 
 about one mile from Bellevue, and each 
 year adds many improvements, in the way 
 of buildings, new farming implements, and 
 in putting into execiition new methods for 
 carrying on his work. He was proficient 
 in music, and was a member of various 
 bands for years, playing also the trombone 
 in church at Bellevue several years. 
 
 On September 9, 1868, Stephen F. 
 Clarke married Sarah Rosa Stults, daugh- 
 ter of Kalph and Ann Stults, who lived 
 on a farm about two and one half 
 miles east of Bellevue. She was an active 
 member of Lyme Trinity Episcopal 
 Church and choir. Her life was cut short 
 hy an early death from childbirth, passing 
 away March 30, 1872, at the age of 
 twenty-three years; the child, Edith R., 
 was born March 2-1, 1872. On Septem- 
 ber 4, 1878, Mr. Clarke was married to 
 Minnie Louise Anderson, daughter of 
 James Emory and E. Louise Anderson, on 
 both sides descendants of Scottish ances- 
 try. The first seven years of her life 
 were spent on her father's farm (the sec- 
 ond one from where she now lives), after 
 which her fathei' sold his farm, and with 
 his wife and daughter moved into the 
 town of Bellevue, where he ensased in the 
 grocery business. He is now manager of a 
 large orange grove in Daytona, Fla. Mrs. 
 Minnie L. Clarke attended a select school 
 for three or four years, and then entered 
 the public scliool at Bellevue, where she 
 completed her studies with the class of 
 '78. To her marriage with Mr. Clarke 
 have been born three children, viz.: John 
 A., born October 19, 1879; M. Louise, 
 born October 20, 1881, and A. Bessie, 
 born May 16, 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Clarke 
 are members of the Congregational Church 
 at Bellevue, of which they are liberal sup- 
 
 porters. Mrs. Clarke has been a member 
 of the choir for over sixtpen yeal'S, not- 
 withstanding her many family cares. 
 
 Alvin Anderson, grandlather of Mrs. 
 Minnie L. Clarke, was born July 28, 1800, 
 in New York State, of Scotch descent, his 
 parents having come from the land of 
 Scott and Burn.s at an early day. In 1820 
 he married Miss Harriet Baldwin, who was 
 born July 24, 1800, the eldest daughter of 
 Dr. Baldwin, of Newark, N. J. The 
 young couple then lived on a farm near 
 Honeoye, N. Y., where five children were 
 born to them, viz., Adeline, September, 
 1822; Martha, April 30, 1825; Alvin 
 Clark, February 18, 1830; Emily, 1833 
 (deceased in infancy); and James Emory, 
 August 13, 1836. " In 1838 Mr. and Mrs. 
 Anderson, with their young cbildren, left 
 tbe East to seek their fortune in tiie West 
 (as Ohio was then considered), they having 
 to drive the entire distance, as in tliose 
 days tiiere were no railroads through these 
 parts, the country being entirely new, and 
 as a consequence they endured many hard- 
 ships. Neighbors were poor and far apart, 
 and the dense forest teemed with wild ani- 
 mals, including ferocious wolves that 
 " made night hideous " with theif bowl- 
 ings. The family settled on a tract of be- 
 tween four and five hundred acres of land, 
 situated one mile and a half east of Belle- 
 vue, toward Strong's Ridge. This was in 
 course of ti?ue cleared and cultivated, and 
 sold ofl'to new comers, and other farms and 
 town property bought. 
 
 One by one the children married, and 
 had homes of their own, the father giving 
 each a share until the youngest, James 
 Emory, came to marry. The parents then 
 moved into their town "Cottage," giving 
 James Emory the homestead, whither he 
 brought his handsome and accomplished 
 bride — E. Louise (Pennell) — from Hone- 
 oye, Ontario Co., N. Y., they having mar- 
 ried January 27, 1859. She was tbe eld- 
 est daughter of Dennis Pennell, an exten- 
 sive dealer in pianos, organs, etc., who 
 gave to each of his children every advau- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 109 
 
 ta»e money could procure (wliicli in those 
 days was considerable), sending three of 
 his daughters to Music Vale Seminary, 
 Salem, Mass., where they graduated in 
 music in all its branches. They afterward 
 became teachers for over thirty years, 
 their duties never interfering^ with family 
 cares and society work. Two children 
 came to brighten the home of J. Emory 
 and E. Louise Anderson, viz.: Miimie L., 
 born May 26, 1860, and Ciiarles E., born 
 April 13, 1868, now on the "Nickel 
 Plate" Railroad, his home being in Belle- 
 vue. On May 24, 1891, he married Pearl 
 Jessie Kline, of Flat Rock, Ohio. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Alviu Anderson jour- 
 neyed thi-ough life together over sixty-two 
 years, and in 1870 they celebrated their 
 golden wedding. In 1882 this " blessed, 
 good, kind old lady, beloved by every one" 
 (as affectionately described by her grand- 
 daughter Mrs. Clarke), received a paralytic 
 stroke, the second one in her old age, 
 from the effects of which she died witliin 
 a few days, the date of her demise being 
 August 30. For the first five years after 
 the death of his wife, Mr- Anderson made 
 his home with his son J. E., until the lat- 
 ter moved to Daytona, P^la., in 1887; he 
 then lived alternately with his two daugh- 
 ters — the late Mrs. J. B. Higbee, of Belle- 
 vue, Ohio, and Mrs. Basil Meek, of Fre- 
 mont. Mrs. Meek and two sons — J. E., 
 and A. C. (of New Bremen, Ohio) — sur- 
 vive him. 
 
 Alvin Anderson died March 5, 1898, at 
 the home of his daughter, Mrs. Meek, 
 aged ninety-two years, seven months, 
 seven days. He was possessed of much 
 strength of mind, a wonderful spirit of 
 endurance inherited from his Scotch an- 
 cestry, and was a man of great industry 
 and integrity. Liberal of his means, he 
 contributed largely to the support of the 
 churches with which he was connected, as 
 well as educational institutions, especially 
 at Lima, New York, Berea, and Delaware, 
 Ohio, and cheerfully gave his children the 
 advantages of the above named institutions. 
 
 LTpon arriving at his new lionae in Ohio, 
 in 1839, and finding no Methodist Church 
 in Bellevue, and only two or three mem- 
 bers besides his parents and sister of his 
 own denomination, he gathered them to- 
 gether, organizing them into a Methodist 
 class, which became the nucleus to the 
 present Methodist Church in the town. 
 He was a loyal Methodist, but liberal 
 toward all other denominations, and his 
 honored name will ever be held in grate- 
 ful remembrance. 
 
 L 
 
 O. SIMMONS, the genial mayor of 
 Monroeville, also editor and proprie- 
 \ tor of the Spectator, is one of the 
 most prominent and popular citizens 
 of the place. He is a son of George and 
 Mary (Whaley) Simmons, both of whom 
 were born in England, and, immigrating to 
 America many years ago, settled in Huron 
 county, Ohio. Their other children were 
 Susie C, Mary, Fannie, Frank and Louis, 
 livino-, and one daughter — Belle — and one 
 son — George — -deceased. The father died 
 in 1873. 
 
 L. O.Simmons was born September 16, 
 1867, in Monroeville, Huron Co., Ohio, and 
 attended the common schools of his native 
 town, afterward the high school, from 
 which he graduated. While pursuing his 
 literary work during regular school hours, 
 the ambitious youth also devoted every 
 hour of spare time to private study, and 
 after leaving school learned the printing 
 business in Cleveland, Ohio. In April, 
 1886, he purchased the Monroeville Spec- 
 tator, and began business in that then dull 
 little town, which owes the greater portion 
 of its present prosperous condition to the 
 enertretic efforts and enterprise of Mayor 
 Simmons. On June 20, 1889, L. O. Sim- 
 mons, wisely deciding that >'two were b&tter 
 than one," married Miss Margaret Fan- 
 nincr, and their union has been blessed 
 with one daughter, Viola B. 
 
 In April, 1892, Mr. Simmons was 
 elected mayor of Monroevillej and has per- 
 
110 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 formed the several duties of that responsi- 
 ble position with rare judgment and to the 
 entire satisfaction of liis constituency. He 
 is a member of the I. O. O. F., also of the 
 Junior Order United American Mechanics. 
 His paper is independent in politics, a 
 spirited exponent of its editor's principles. 
 
 L 
 
 E. BARKER, justice of the peace, 
 dealer in real estate, and insurance 
 agent, of Greenwich, is widely 
 known in Huron and adjoining 
 counties. 
 
 He was born in 1848 in Huron county, 
 Ohio, was educated in this county, and at 
 the age of seventeen years went to Michi- 
 gan. He remained three or four years in 
 that State, returned to his native county in 
 1872, and located at Greenwich, where he 
 waS' connected with the dry-goods business 
 until 1881. In 1884 he engaged in the 
 insurance business, and now represents no 
 less than seven leading companies. At 
 the same time he established as a real- 
 estate agent, buying, selling and trading 
 lands, town lots and other property on 
 commission. Mr. Barker served the 
 municipality of Greenwich as clerk for 
 two terms; was elected mayor of Green- 
 wich in 1889, and in April, 1892, was 
 elected justice of the peace. He was 
 united in marriage on December 16, 1875, 
 with Mary Sypher, a native of Des Moines, 
 Iowa, and daughter of Reuben and 
 Jennie (Armour) Sypher, the former a 
 native of Pennsylvania, the latter of 
 Indiana. Her mother died sixteen years 
 after marriage, and her father died at 
 Des Moines, Iowa, in 1879. Their daugh- 
 ter, now Mrs. Barker, was sent to Oxford, 
 Ohio, when seventeen years old, to attend 
 school, and remained there for two years. 
 To her marriage two children were born, 
 namely: Echo Armour and Ethel Adeline. 
 Nelson and Adeline (Hinkley) Barker, 
 parents of Justice Barker, were born in 
 New York State, the former in 1819, the 
 
 latter in 1822, and are now residents of 
 Ripley township, Huron Co., Ohio. Their 
 parents came to Huron county about the 
 year 1834, and here Mr. and Mrs. Barker 
 were married, and live children were born 
 to them, three of whom are living. Dr. 
 I. N., H. W., and L. E. 
 
 Joseph Barker, the grandfather of the 
 subject of this sketch, who was of English 
 descent, resided here from his coming in 
 the " thirties " until his death. The ma- 
 ternal grandparents, natives of Connecti- 
 cut, who settled in Huron county, resided 
 here until death removed them from the 
 circle of old settlers. The Hinkleys are 
 of French descent, grandfather Hinkley 
 being a cousin of Salmon P. Chase; his 
 wife, Laura, was Scotch-English. The 
 father of L. E. Barker, "Nelson Barker," 
 died July 81, 1893, and L. E. Barker's only 
 sister, L. Delia, was appointed administra- 
 trix of the estate uf Nelson Barker, was 
 taken sick on October 4, 1893, and died 
 October 17 following at the age of thirty- 
 seven years, five months, twenty-five days. 
 
 OMMODORE O. H. PERRY, well- 
 known and respected in Peru town- 
 ship, where he is a j)rosperou8 
 agriculturist, is a native of New 
 York State, born in Cayuga county April 
 12, 1829. 
 
 Joseph Perry, father of sul>ject, was 
 born in Orange county, N. Y., in 1785, 
 and was there educated and reared. Some 
 time after marriage he was induced to go 
 to Cayuga county, N. Y., and there re- 
 mained until 1832, when he came to 
 Ohio, settling in Peru township, Huron 
 county. The journey was made by boat 
 from Buffalo to Sandusky, and from there 
 by wagon to Peru, where Mr. Perry took 
 up wild land and cleared same. In New 
 Jersey he married Miss Sarah Seward, a 
 second cousin of Gen. Seward, and the 
 children born to this union were Horace, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Ill 
 
 Emeline, Catharine, Daniel S., Eliza, 
 Julia. Sally A., Joseph and C. O. H. The 
 motlier of these children died in October, 
 1861, the fatlier on May 31, 1859; he was 
 a hardy pioneer of steriin* worth, much 
 respected, and in politics he was first an 
 Old-line Wilier, later a Republican. 
 
 The subject proper of this sketch re- 
 ceived his education at the common 
 schools of his native place, and was 
 reared to farming pursuits. He was three 
 years old, as will be seen, when he came 
 to Huron county, and has ever since lived 
 on the home place in Peru township. On 
 June 27, 1867, he was united in marriage 
 with Frances J., daughter of W. H. Sny- 
 der, of Peru township, Huron county, and 
 the children born to them were: (1) Fan- 
 nie, married to J. C. Wheeler, by whom 
 she had three children. Perry, Alto and 
 Mary; and (2) Oscar, deceased at the age 
 of two years. The mother of these being 
 called from earth on May 31, 1892, Mr. 
 Perry married Miss Mary M., daughter 
 of S. P. Towne, of Norwalk, Huron county. 
 A Republican in politics, Mr. Perry has 
 served as county commissioner six years, 
 commencing in 1886. He was a most 
 efficient and popular officer. He is a 
 member of the Presbyterian Church of 
 Peru, of which he has been an elder for 
 eleven years past. 
 
 Prompt and decisive in action, practi- 
 cal and steadfast in purpose, industrious 
 and painstaking, a man of judgment and 
 probity, he is held in high esteem by 
 his neighbors and wide acquaintance. 
 Social and lively in temperament, with a 
 keen sense of the humorous, which is ap- 
 parent in many a droll and witty re- 
 mark, " Uncle Com," as he is familiarly 
 called, is welcomed everywhere as "good 
 company" by young and old. His hos- 
 pitality is unbounded. He is a model 
 farmer and a natural mechanic, and has 
 always been noted for his fine stock. 
 Always busy himself, he has no sym- 
 pathy for the shiftless and idle, but to 
 the unfortunate he is a kind and help- 
 
 ful friend, whose sympflthy is shown in 
 acts rather than words. In any plan for 
 the advancement of his community, iiis 
 active co-operation is relied upon. 
 
 DN. CARPENTER, the popular 
 mayor of Chicago Junction, was 
 born October 18, 1833, near Bell- 
 ville, Richland Co., Ohio, a son of 
 Samuel and Eunice (Phelps) Carpenter, 
 natives of Genesee county, N". Y., and 
 Vermont, respectively, and who were 
 early settlers of Richland county, having 
 come hither with their parents in youth. 
 In 1847 Samuel Carpenter removed to 
 Richnjond township, Huron county, with 
 his family, purchasing a corner lot, where 
 he resided until the period of the Civil 
 war, when he established his home at Defi- 
 ance, Ohio, and there remained until his 
 death. Politically he was a Whig until 
 1856, when he became a Republican. Of 
 fourteen children born to Samuel and 
 Eunice Carpenter, eleven grew to maturity, 
 of whom five sons and three danghtei-s are 
 livincr. Three sons and one daughter re- 
 side in Ohio; another daughter in Ten- 
 nessee; one in Indiana; and a son in Wis- 
 consin, all heads of families. The sons are 
 all large men, D. N. Carpenter, who stands 
 six feet in his stockings and weighs 170 
 pounds, being the smallest of all in stature. 
 Our subject was the eldest son in the 
 family, and consequently became inured to 
 work from childhood, continuing on the 
 home farm until twenty-two years of age. 
 But little attention was given to his liter- 
 ary education, but his natural intelligence 
 more than compensated for the lack of 
 school knowledge. On December 10, 1854, 
 Mr. Carpenter was united in marriage with 
 Sarah A. Smith, daughter of John Smith, 
 of Seneca county, Ohio. Immediately af- 
 terward he purchased a sawmill in the 
 southwest corner of Richmond township, 
 Huron county, which he operated for ten 
 years, when he sold the property. He then 
 commenced work for Philip Caruthers, who 
 
112 
 
 HUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 paid hiin one dollar and seventy-five cents 
 a day for the first month, two dollars a 
 day for the second month, two dollars and 
 twenty-five cents a day for the third and 
 fourth month, and so on until he finally be- 
 came a partner, and they worked together 
 two years, when Mr. Carpenter retired 
 from the business to give attention to his 
 contracting and building interests. In 
 1880 he settled at Chicago Junction, where 
 he has erected a large number of houses, 
 including some of the finest buildings in 
 the town. Politically he is an active Re- 
 publican, and is now serving his fecond 
 term as justice of the peace of Richmond 
 township, on the line of which he resides. 
 In the spring of 1893 he completed his 
 second term as mayor of Chicago Junction. 
 For three terms before movincj to town he 
 served as trustee of Richmond township, 
 and in the fall of 1892 he was candidate 
 for the office of county commissioner. Mr. 
 Car^ienter, on locating at Chicago Junc- 
 tion, purchased a house and two vacant 
 lots, and in 1885 he built a commodious 
 residence, where he resides with his family. 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter have come 
 children as follows: J. W.., yard engineer 
 at Chicago Junction, in the employ of the 
 B. ct O. Railroad Company; A. A., a car- 
 penter, contractor and builder; Mary, wife 
 of I. M. Croninger, a contractor and 
 builder; Lou, wife of Dr. Kauffman; 
 Emma, wife of B. F. Fink; and one child 
 that died young. Mr. Carpenter is a mem- 
 ber of the United Brethren Church. He 
 is very prominent in municipal affairs, is 
 a man of excellent ability, and a citizen 
 who is worthy of the name. 
 
 / 
 
 MjAJOR L. B. MESNARD, sur- 
 veyor, Norwalk, was born in 
 J Huron county, Ohio, December 
 31, 1837, a son of Eri and Harriet 
 (Baker) Mesnard, the former of 
 whom was born October 16, 1797, in Nor- 
 walk. Conn., where he grew to manhood. 
 
 Eri Mesnard received his education at 
 Ithaca, and became a practical engineer. 
 He was assistant engineer in the location 
 and construction of the Ithaca & Owego 
 Railroad, one of the first railroads built in 
 the State of Kcw York. On June 11, 1835, 
 he was married to Harriet Baker, and in 
 1837 came to Huron county, Ohio, pur- 
 chased a tarm. sold it, and then bought 
 property in Korwalk township, on which 
 he made his permanent liome. In 1850 
 he was elected county surveyor of Huron 
 county, and was several times re-elected, 
 holding the office for fourteen consecutive 
 years. He was originally a Democrat in 
 politics, but in 1856 voted for Fremont, 
 and ever after remained a Republican. 
 He was one of the most prominent men in 
 Huron county, higlily honored by his 
 neighbors for his well-known probity and 
 nobility of character. In religious faith 
 he was a member of the Methodist Episco- 
 pal Church. He died January 29, 1879. 
 Mr. Mesnard was a descendant of the 
 French Huguenots who left Rochelle, 
 France, about 1700, came to America and 
 settled Xew Rochelle, near Saratoga, N. Y. 
 The immigrant Mesnard married a dauo-h- 
 ter of Judge Hoyt, who was a judge in the 
 Colonies by appointment from the English 
 crown. Mrs. Harriet (Baker) Mesnard, 
 mother of our subject, was a native of 
 Massachusetts. She was married in New 
 York, and bore her husband three daugh- 
 ters and one son: L. B. (subject of this 
 memoir), Mrs. Ellen M. Mead, Mrs. Mary 
 A. Wood, and Celestia H. 
 
 L. B. Mesnard grew to manhood under 
 the parental roof, and received his educa- 
 tion in the public schools of the vicinity 
 and Norwalk Seminary, exhibiting special 
 aptness in mathematics. He aftei-ward 
 became his father's constant companion, 
 even when a small boy attending him on 
 many of his surveying expeditions; and he 
 had thus many advantages, both in the 
 line of mathematics as well as in practical 
 surveying, etc. Ending his school days in 
 1859, he followed the profession of teacher 
 
IIURO]Sr COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 113 
 
 until the breaking out of the Civil war, 
 when he enlisted, in September, 1861, in 
 the Fifty-tifth Regiment O. V. I., serving 
 in the army of the Potomac, taking part 
 in rhe battles of South Mountain, Second 
 Bull Kun, Fredericksburg, Chancellors- 
 ville, and Gettysburg, where he was se- 
 verely wounded. He subsequently went 
 west with the Twentieth Corps, under 
 Gen. Hooker, and participated in the en- 
 gagements at Missionary Ridge, Lookout 
 Mountain, and the siege of Knoxville. 
 He then received a veteran furlough, and 
 while at home raised, at Norwalk, a new 
 company, which was mustered in as Com- 
 pany B, Twenty-fifth O. V. I., of which 
 lie was commissioned captain. He went 
 with his command to AVashington, thence 
 to Hilton Head, S. C, in the Coast divis- 
 ion, and served till the close of the war, 
 at which time they were at Charleston, S. 
 C, and was commissioned major of the 
 Twenty-fifth O. V. I., some three months 
 previous to its muster out of service, June 
 18, 1866. During his service in the ranks 
 at the front he carried a musket 3,500 
 miles, filling the important position of 
 first sergeant of his company for a year or 
 more, and during his long service in 
 the army was always present iov duty 
 except when absent, wounded. After the 
 war he engaged in farming in the south 
 part of Norwalk township, which he fol- 
 lowed till 1880, when he was elected 
 County Surveyor, in which office he is 
 now serving his fifth term. 
 
 Maj. L. B. Mesnard and Hattie Baker, 
 of Syracuse, N. Y., were united in mar- 
 riage, in December, 1865. Two sons, 
 Howard W. (now at the Rensselaer 
 Polytechnic Institute of Troy, N. Y.) and 
 Ralph E. (a senior in the Norwalk High 
 School) have been born to this union. 
 
 EV. J. M. SEYMOUR, pastor of 
 the Presbyterian Church at Nor- 
 walk, is a native of the Buckeye 
 State, having been born in Portage 
 
 county, February 3, 1842, a son of Erastus 
 and Mary A. (Chapman) Seymour, natives 
 of Connecticut. 
 
 The family are of English descent, those 
 members of it, under immediate consider- 
 ation, being descended from Richard Sey- 
 mour, who made his first trip to America 
 before the "Mayflower's" time, locating 
 in Maine; then revisited England, and re- 
 turning to America finally settled in Con- 
 necticut. Our subject's paternal grand- 
 father came in 1820 as a pioneer to Portage 
 county. Ohio, bringing his family, Erastns 
 being one of them, and the journey was 
 made, by some on horseback, by others in 
 wagons, in which were also stowed their 
 household effects, their '■'■Lares et Penates." 
 The father of Rev. Seymour died in Port- 
 age county in 1883; the mother in 1892. 
 He was a strong Republican, and in church 
 connection he was a Congregationalist. 
 Our subject's maternal great-grandfather 
 served in the Revolutionary war. 
 
 Rev. J. M. Seymour, in early boyhood, 
 and before the war of the Rebellion had 
 called a "magnificently stern array" of 
 troops into the field, attended school at 
 Rootstown, in his native county, and at 
 Mansfield, also Hiram College, of which 
 latter James A. Garfield was president at 
 that time. On the breaking out of hostil- 
 ities, our subject enlisted in the Forty- 
 second O. V. 1., of which Garfield was 
 colonel, and served in Virginia, Kentucky 
 and Mississippi, participating in the battles 
 of Middle Creek (Ky.), Cumberland Gap, 
 Chickasaw Bayou, Port Gibson, Cham- 
 pion's Hill, Black River Bridge and the 
 siege of Yicksburg, besides many minor 
 engagements. In 1864 he was honorably 
 discharged as sergeant, and returned home 
 to the more congenial pursuits of peace. 
 For some time he now applied himself to 
 study and school teaching, after which he 
 graduated from the Western Reserve Col- 
 lege, from which institution he went to 
 Andover Theological Seminary, where he 
 also graduated. Having now received a 
 license to preach, Rev. Seymour com- 
 
114 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 menced liis pastoral labors at Brookiield, 
 Mass., wliere he remained two years; 
 thence went to Fort Wayne, Ind., and 
 from there after filling a seven years' in- 
 cninljency came in 1884 to Norwalk, of 
 the Presbyterian Church of which place he 
 has since been pastor. 
 
 On October 1, 1877, Mr. Seymour was 
 united in marriage with Miss Edna Speaker, 
 a native of Stark county, Ohio, and one 
 child, Emma M., has been born to them. 
 Extremely popular among all classes, Mr. 
 Seymour is admired for his scholarly at- 
 tainments, ability as a preacher and his 
 hijjh moral standing. He is far-famed for 
 his powers of oratory, purity of language 
 and deportment as a Christian gentleman, 
 and is much sought after to grace the 
 platform on public occasions by his pres- 
 ence and elegant addresses. In the Church 
 and Sabbath-school he is a hard worker, 
 and outside these duties he takes an es- 
 pecially active interest in the welfare of 
 indigent old soldiers, widows and orphans. 
 He is a member of M. F. Wooster Post, 
 G. A. E. 
 
 DW. VAIL, M. D., Norwalk, ( 
 the proinitient and influential 
 zens of Huron county, of wlii 
 
 one of 
 tial citi- 
 I'liich he 
 is a native, is a son of David Vail, a 
 descendant of early Puritan stock. 
 
 The father of our subject was born in 
 ISTew York, October 2, 1811, and is a resi- 
 dent of Olena, Huron county, a prosperous 
 farmer, ripe in years and rich in the re- 
 spect and conlidence of the many friends 
 and neighbors among whom he has spent 
 liis life since coming; to Ohio in 1837. He 
 was united in wedlock in 1845 with Al- 
 mira Adams, daughter of Peter Adams, of 
 Connecticut stock who came to Huron 
 county as early settlers in Fairfield town- 
 ship, and of this union were in the order 
 of birth the following children: D. W. 
 Vail, L. A. Vail, J. J. Vail, Alice (Mrs. 
 Eobert Lambert) and C. W. Vail. David 
 Vail reached legal age at the time when 
 
 Andrew Jackson was forging his way to 
 the front as the great American representa- 
 tive Democrat, and became one ot his most 
 earnest adherents. To this day lie has 
 iriaintained, as a Jacksonian Democrat, the 
 unflinching courage of his early political 
 convictions, and in his religious views he 
 is a Baptist. 
 
 In the list of the family of children 
 above given, it will be noticed that the 
 gentleman whose name commences this 
 brief notice is the eldest. He was reared 
 on his father's farm, where he was born 
 June 3, 1847, and received the rudiments 
 of an English education in the common 
 schools of the place. "When prepared he 
 entered Oberlin College, and, completing 
 his literary education, began the study of 
 medicine utider Prof. Thuyer Cleveland, at 
 Western Reserve College. Cleveland, Ohio, 
 where he was graduated in the class of 
 1869. As an evidence of the young stu- 
 dent's diligence, it may be here stated that 
 he was fully prepared for graduation two 
 years before he attained the customary age 
 of graduation in the institution. Im- 
 mediately on reaching his majority, he 
 opened an office for the practice of his 
 profession at New Haven, in Huron 
 county, where be was employed the next 
 fourteen years, a period of professional 
 success and eminence, both at home and 
 abroad. In 1883 he removed to his pres- 
 ent place of residence, Norwalk, and from 
 that time to the present has been actively 
 engaged in important business affairs that 
 have practically withdrawn liim from his 
 profession. He was an active member of 
 a company wliich established the Post- 
 office Box factory at Norwalk, which was 
 being successfully operated till it and eon- 
 tents, with several other buildings, were 
 destroyed by fire, entailing a serious loss; 
 the factory has never been rebuilt. Dr. 
 Vail is president of and was a chief factor 
 in the erection of the plant of the Incan- 
 descent Light and Power Company, that 
 is furnishing and lighting the city of Nor- 
 walk, one of the most important improve- 
 
^^^^y^^lXct^UL 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 117 
 
 iiients in tlie place. It was established in 
 1891, and at present is supplied with ma- 
 chinery of 350 horse-puwer. He is also 
 president of the Norwaik Metal Spinning 
 and Statnpincr Company, which was estab- 
 lished in 1890, the goods of which are en- 
 tirely of nickel and copper. Dr. Vail is 
 also president of the C. W. Smith Manu- 
 facturing Company, of Norwalk, where is 
 made wood fabrics of great variety. This 
 commenced in a small way, making mostly 
 easels, and has been extended to include a 
 variety of products until at present it is 
 the second plant of importance in Huron 
 county; it has 150 employees. The out- 
 put the first year amounted to twelve 
 thousand dollars; second year, twenty- 
 eight thousand dollars; thii'd year, forty 
 thousand dollars, and the present year 
 (1893), eighty thousand dollars. Bur- 
 dened as he was with all these im- 
 portant affairs, the Doctor became post- 
 master at Norwalk, filling all its duties 
 thoroughly four years and one month, and 
 during his term became one of the co-pro- 
 prietors and editor of the Daily and 
 Weekly Experiment-News, of Norwalk, 
 purchasing a half interest in the paper in 
 January, 1890, and was with the publi- 
 cation more than a year. 
 
 Dr. Vail's political preferences have 
 been Democratic. At the age of twenty- 
 two he was elected justice of the peace, 
 and served a full term ; has held most of 
 the township offices where he resided; was 
 a member of the Democratic State Central 
 Committee; was a candidate on the Legis- 
 lative ticket, and suffered defeat with his 
 party; a candidate for Congress, and by 
 circumstances was cheated out of the nomi- 
 nation; was one term a member of the 
 Norwalk City Council; is at present a 
 member of the School Board; in 1888 was 
 appointed postmaster and served as already 
 stated. 
 
 This is something of the record of the 
 professional, business and political career 
 of one who is yet a young man, and before 
 whojii is still the promise of his best years. 
 
 Doctor Vail and Hannah Southard were 
 united in wedlock December 30, 1870; 
 she is a native of Tuckertown, N. J., and 
 a daughter of James P. and Mary (Stiles) 
 Southard, natives of New Jersey. She is 
 one of a family of ten children, all resi- 
 dents of Ohio. In the home of Dr. and 
 Mrs. Vail is one child, Harry. 
 
 Q, LIVER W. WILLIAMS. Among 
 the prominent citizens of Norwalk 
 ' this gentleman is recognized as one 
 of the most deservedly popular. 
 His thrilling experiences as a veteran of 
 the Civil war form a theme of conversation 
 which fascinates the younger men, to whom 
 the story of that bloody contest is a ro- 
 mance of " truth stranger than fiction." 
 
 Oliver W. Williams was born February 
 2, 1841, in Tiffin, Seneca Co., Ohio, a son 
 of Richard Williams, a native of Penn- 
 sylvania, whose father was a soldier in the 
 war of 1812. Richard Williams was born 
 in 1815, and when a young man married 
 Miss Eunice Randall, who was born in 
 1817, in Williamsport, Penn. In 1840 
 the young couple settled in Tiffin, Seneca 
 Co., Ohio, where he practiced law and 
 served both as county auditor and treas- 
 urer. He died in 1852, having been pre- 
 ceded to the grave by his wife in 1841. 
 
 Oliver W. Williams was reared and 
 educated in Seneca county, Ohio, and 
 when twenty years of age entered the 
 army. On June 18, 1801. he enlisted at 
 Camp Chase, Franklin Co., Ohio, in Com- 
 pany G, Twenty-fifth Regiment, O. V. I., 
 which regiment, of which he was appointed 
 hospital steward in November, 1861, did 
 gallant service from tiie time of its organ- 
 ization until mustered out of the service. 
 It was commanded by Col. James A. 
 Jones, and Company G fought under Capt. 
 Asa Way. On July 29, 1861, the regi- 
 ment entered AVest Virgina, where Com- 
 pany G assisted in guarding the Balti- 
 more & Ohio Railroad between Wheeling 
 and Grafton. They left the railroad 
 
118 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 August 26, and after reporting to Gen. 
 Reynolds at Beverly took a position on the 
 summit of Cheat Mountain. As cold 
 weather came on, it found many of the 
 soldieis without overcoats, shoes or blank- 
 ets, at the mercy of tlie freezing sleet and 
 heavy snow storms. On September 12 a 
 wagon train was sent into the valley for 
 provisions, and being captured on the way, 
 two companies were sent to overtake the 
 enemy. They drove the Confederates 
 back to tlie main lines, and on discovering 
 that Lee's army was in the vicinity, began 
 hasty preparations for defence. But about 
 this time the Union troops arrived from 
 tlie valley with a supply of provisions, and 
 the Confederates withdrew. On October 3, 
 the Twenty-fifth marched from the summit 
 with several other regiments under Gen, 
 Reynolds, to attack the Confederates at 
 Greenbrier, but returned without impor- 
 tant results, the Twenty-lifth having been 
 the last regiment to leave the field. In 
 November it went into winter quarters 
 at Huttonsville, and on the 31st of De- 
 cember went to Huntersville, marching 
 one hundred and six miles in five days, 
 and destroying a vast amount of Confed- 
 erate stores. This was one of the famous 
 raids of the war, and resulted in valu- 
 able aid to the Union forces. In April, 
 1862, the Twenty-fifth crossed Ci)eat 
 Mountain and the Alleghanies, arriving at 
 Monterey after marching one hundred and 
 twenty-tive miles through an unknown 
 region. They were attacked by Gen. 
 Johnston, who was repulsed and then re- 
 treated. The Unionists under Gen. Mil- 
 roy followed the enemy to McDowell, 
 where they remained until confronted by a 
 large force under Johnston and Jackson. 
 On May 8, the battle of Bull-Pasture 
 Mountain was opened by a gallant charge 
 from the Twenty-fifth Regiment. All day 
 the contest raged fiercely, and as darkness 
 fell the light from ten thousand muskets 
 illumed the night. First to lead the van, 
 the Twenty-fifth remained till all others 
 had left the field, then covered their re- 
 
 treat to Franklin. On June 8, they fought 
 in the battle of Cross Keys, and August 
 29 joined Pope in the second battle of 
 Bull Run, then went into winter quarters 
 at Brooke's Station. The Twenty-fifth 
 was transferred April 27, 1863, to the 
 Second Brigade, First Division, Eleventh 
 Corps of the army of the Potomac, and 
 it is a remarkable fact that they left 
 Brooke's Station with 443 men, and ar- 
 rived at Chancellorsville with 444. They 
 remained with the army of the Potomac 
 until after the battles of Chancellorsville 
 and Gettysburg, in which they were 
 prominent actors; then were transferred 
 to South Carolina under Gen. Q. A. Gil- 
 more, moved to Morris Island and assisted 
 in the siege of Fort Wasjner. 
 
 Mr. Williams re-enlisted, January 1, 
 1864, as a veteran, at Folly Island, where 
 he cast his first vote the previous October. 
 He received his discharge as hospital stew- 
 ard May 25, 1864, in order to accept the 
 position of second lieutenant of Company 
 C, and received a commission as first lieu- 
 tenant August 11, 1864, being mustered 
 in November 1, same year. The War De- 
 partment issued a special order " No. 188," 
 releasing all wounded ofKcers from duty, 
 and having been wounded at Chancellors- 
 ville, Honey Hill and Deveaux Neck, 
 Oliver W. Williams was discharged, April 
 26, 1865, untler this provision. 
 
 After the war Mr. Williams returned to 
 Plymouth village, Richland and Huron 
 Cos., Ohio. On March 5, 1864, during 
 his veteran furlough, he was united in 
 marriage, at Elk Rapids, Antrim Co., 
 Mich., with Miss Gertrude Baker, a na- 
 tive of Seneca county, Ohio, who has borne 
 him five children, namely: Addie J., 
 Eliza M., Henry B., Eunice H. and Roger 
 O. After locating in Plymouth Mr. Will- 
 iams served as justice of the peace for 
 some time, then entered the hardware 
 business. In May, 1877, he was nominated 
 treasurer of Huron county, beitig elected 
 in October of same year. He served four 
 years in that capacity, and in April, 1883, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 119 
 
 was elected city clerk of Norwalk, which 
 office he filled for six years, during which 
 time he hecame associated with the organ- 
 ization of the Home Savings & Loan Coui- 
 pany of that town, Laving been its first 
 and only secretary. He attended to the 
 clerical and general work of the Company 
 until 1891, since which time the loan 
 business has increased so rapidly as to de- 
 mand his entire attention. He has filled 
 the office of notary public since 1866. Mr. 
 Williams is grandson of a soldier of 1812, 
 and great-grandson of a soldier of the 
 Revolution. His wife is the daughter of 
 a Union soldier, the granddaughter of a 
 soldier of the war of 1812, and great- 
 granddaughter of a soldier of the Revo- 
 lutionary war. 
 
 FM. SHEPHERD, whose name is as 
 "familiar as household words" in 
 ^ the agricultural community of Wake- 
 raan township and surrounding 
 country, is a native of Ohio, born July 4, 
 1844, in Lorain county, near Wellington, 
 on the old homestead settled by his father. 
 Samuel Shepherd (grandfather of our 
 subject) and his wife Rachel (Taylor) 
 caine from England to America and made 
 a new home in what is now Belmont 
 county, Ohio, being among the first set- 
 tlers to commence farming in the then 
 wild woods of the " Far West," bears, 
 deer, panthers and other wild animals 
 being numerous. They reared a family of 
 eleven children, of whom are yet living 
 James, in Barry county, Mich., and Marv, 
 in Hendrjsburg, Belmont Co., Ohio. 
 Grandfather Shepherd, in 1822, then in 
 his fiftieth year, was killed by a falling 
 tree near where the town of Piedmont, 
 Harrison Co., Ohio, now stands. He was 
 a Whig in politics, and in religious faith a 
 Quaker, as was also his wife. 
 
 John Sheplierd (father of F. M.) eldest 
 son of Samuel Shepherd, was born in 
 April, 1812, in Brandywine, Md., and 
 when a twelve-year-old boy was taught the 
 
 trade of shoemaker in Flushing, Ohio, fol- 
 lowing same in Hendrysburg, same State, 
 several years. On August 4, 1838, he 
 married in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, 
 Jemima Organ, and for about four years 
 thereafter they remained in that county, 
 at the end of which time they came to 
 Wellington township, Lorain county, set- 
 tling on a farm of fifty acres, situated four 
 and one half miles southwest of the vil- 
 lage of Wellington, this farm being paid 
 for out of savings from his shoemaking 
 business. There were in those days neither 
 roads nor near neighbors, naught but ap- 
 parently insurmountable difficulties; but 
 bravely did these pioneers hew out a home 
 for themselves and future generations. A. 
 family of six children were born to them 
 in this wilderness, nanjely: Jessie, Mary 
 and Emanuel, all three now deceased, the 
 first named dying in Tuscarawas county, 
 the others in Wellington, Ohio; Lydia, in 
 Tuscarawas county, Ohio; Manuel W., now 
 residing on the old homestead in Spen- 
 cer township, Medina county, and F. 
 M. The father died in August, 1890, the 
 mother in 1889. John Shepherd was a 
 member of the Methodist Church for 
 twelve years in early life, but from that 
 time to the day of his death was associated 
 with the United Brethren Society; politi- 
 cally he was originally a Whig, later a 
 Republican. 
 
 F. M. Shepherd, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, received a fair education at 
 the common schools of his native town- 
 ship, and assisted on his father's farm un- 
 til he was eighteen years old, at which 
 time, September 16, 1862, he enlisted in 
 Company E, One Hundred and Twenty- 
 fourth 0. V. L, under Capt. Bullock, of 
 Elyria, Col. Oliver H. Payne commanding 
 the regiment. He was mustered in at 
 Cleveland, Ohio, and honorably discharged 
 July 9, 1865, at Nashville, Tenn., after- a 
 service of nearly three years. He partici- 
 pated in the engagements at Fort Donel- 
 son, Chickainauga, Mission Ridge, Resaca, 
 Buzzard's Roost, Kenesaw Mountain, 
 
120 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Peach Tree Creek, New Hope Church, At- 
 lanta, Jonesborough, Franklin, Nashville, 
 and many skirmishes between Chicka- 
 inauga and Atlanta, terminating with the 
 surrender of Hood's army. (Jur subject 
 was wounded in the fight at Dalton, and 
 was reported " dead," but after three 
 months confinement in hospital was again 
 reported, this time "convalescent." For 
 services at that battle he was promoted 
 from private to sergeant. On his return 
 home from the war he resumed farm life, 
 buying for himself a place of forty-seven 
 acres in the southeast corner of Wakeman 
 township, Huron county, to which he af- 
 terward added twenty-seven acres lying to 
 the west of it, and forty acres in Clarks- 
 field township. Here he has since been 
 actively and successfully engaged in gen- 
 eral farming, dairying and stock raising. 
 He has cut from the timber on his farms 
 4,(J00 cords of wood for the railroad, and 
 made 300 pounds of sugar from the iriaple 
 trees in the immediate vicinity of the 
 house. He has also made many substan- 
 tial improvements on the property, and in 
 1881 built a comfortable dwelling and 
 commodious outbuildings. 
 
 On February 25, 1866, our subject was 
 married to Miss Permelia A. Clifford, 
 daughter of George Clifford, the first male 
 white child born in Wellington township, 
 and who has lived his entire life on a 
 portion of the Clifford farm. Children as 
 follows were born to this union: Three de- 
 ceased in infancy, and Edith A., a school 
 teacher, living at home. In his political 
 preferences our subject is a Prohibition- 
 Republican, and has held various township 
 offices. Since he was seventeen years old 
 he has been a member of various denomi- 
 nations. 
 
 M. W. Shepherd is now living on the 
 old farm near where the subject of the 
 sketch was born, and is engaged in farm- 
 ing and the production of honey, being 
 the possessor of a large number of colo- 
 nies of bees. He made a trip to California 
 in 1891, and while there made the care of 
 
 bees a specialty, and upon returning home 
 settled down to spend the rest of his days. 
 The maternal grandfather and great- 
 grandfather of F. M. and M. W. Shepherd 
 were soldiers in the Revolutionary army, 
 the great-grandfather giving his life in 
 defense of his country at the battle of 
 Bunker Hill, being torn to pieces by a 
 cannon ball while standing beside his son; 
 the last words he uttered were " God bless 
 my country!" The paternal grandfather 
 was a soldier in the war of 1812, and an 
 uncle was one of Scott's soldiers during 
 the war with Me.xico; he was badly 
 wounded at the battle of Monterey; was at 
 the storming of the City of Me.xico, and 
 was paid one hundred thousand dollars for 
 previously entering the city as a spy for the 
 American troops. 
 
 ^\ILL[AM HUMPHREY JOHN- 
 \l STON, B.S., M.S., M.D., is a na- 
 i( tive of Townsend Center, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, born December 17, 
 1866, only child of Hon. Watson D. and 
 Delia (Humphrey) Johnson. 
 
 Hon. Watson D. Johnston was born in 
 Allegheny county, Penn., May 21, 1844, 
 the eldest in the family of five children of 
 Pev. John W. and Sarah (Murray) John- 
 ston, natives, the father of Pennsylvania, 
 the mother of New York State, and of 
 Scotch-English and Scotch-Irish descent, 
 respectively. 
 
 Rev. John W. Johnston received a 
 thorough classical education at Jeiferson 
 College and the Western Theological Sem- 
 inary of Allegheny, graduating from both 
 institutions with high honors. After com- 
 pleting his theological studies he was 
 ordained to the ministry of the Presbyte- 
 rian Church, and was pastor for various 
 congregations in the western part of Penn- 
 sylvania. In 1842 he was married in his 
 native State to Miss Sarah Murray; he 
 died in March, 1882, in his seventy-seventh 
 year. His father, Rev. Robert Johnston, 
 
HVEOy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 121 
 
 was also a lifelong Presbyterian minister, 
 ^nii was a veteran of the war of 1812, 
 having served in the Pennsylvania line. 
 Tiie ancestors of the Johnston family were 
 among the pioneers of western Penn- 
 sylvania, taking an active and honoral)le 
 part in the various struggles of that Com- 
 monwealth in the old Colonial days. The 
 Murray family were among the early 
 settlers of New York, the old family home 
 being in the vicinity of Albany. 
 
 Watson D. Johnston received his educa- 
 tion at the common schools in the vicinity 
 of his place of birth, at an academy and at 
 Oberlin College, all which advantages were 
 secured to him mainly by his own exer- 
 tions. After leaving college he taught 
 school tor about two years in Illinois, 
 after which he was employed in the office 
 of a rolling mill at Kirtanning, one year. 
 He then came to Townsend Center, Huron 
 county, where he has since been success- 
 fully engaged in a general mercantile 
 business, and has been postmaster of the 
 village for several years. He is a stanch 
 Republican, and represented the county in 
 the State Legislatui-e two terms, from 
 1883 to 1887; at various times he has 
 been clerk and treasurer of his township, 
 all of which incumbencies he has tilled 
 with credit to himself and satisfaction of 
 liis constituents. On March 15, 1860, he 
 was married in Townsend Center to Miss 
 Delia Humphrey, a native of Ohio, daugh- 
 ter of William and Sarah (Bierce) Hum- 
 phrey, both natives of Connecticut and of 
 English descent. One son was born to 
 this union, William Humphrey, subject of 
 sketch. The mother died in June, 1869. 
 and ibr his second wife Mr. Johnston was 
 wedded in June, 1872, at Bntler, Penn., 
 to Miss Caroline Walker, a native of Penn- 
 sylvania, born in April, 1844. This union 
 was blessed with five children, viz.: Robert, 
 Mame, Thomas, Emma and Maggie. Mr. 
 Johnston is a Royal Arch Mason, a mem- 
 ber of Lodge No. 322, F. & A. M., East 
 Townsend, of which he has twice been 
 worshipful master. 
 
 William Humphrey Johnston, after 
 several years attendance at the common 
 schools and academy of his native town, 
 entered the Scientitic Department of the 
 University of Notre Dame, near South 
 Bend, Ind., from which institution he 
 subsequently graduated with highest hon- 
 ors, in June, 1885, receiving the degree of 
 B. S. ; to him was also awarded the gold 
 medal, or first prize for English Essays; 
 the gold medal for original work in the 
 Biological Laboratory, and the gold medal 
 of the Scientific Association. During 
 the same year, 1885, he became a mem- 
 ber of the American Society of Micro- 
 scopy. After graduating he taught at 
 the University in the department of 
 Natural Science for some two years, and 
 at the same time took a medical and a 
 special or post-graduate course, receiving 
 the degree of M. S. in 1887. Dr. Johnston 
 then pursued his medical studies in the 
 Medical Department of the Western 
 Reserve University, of Cleveland, Ohio, 
 during which time he served as assistant 
 professor in the Departmentof Microscopy, 
 having charge and principal control of the 
 laboratory, and he was also first assistant 
 to Prof. C. B. Parker, M. R. C. S., pro- 
 fessor of surgery. He graduated with 
 high honors in the class of 1889, after 
 which he returned to the home of his 
 childhood, where, in the short space of 
 three years, he has succeeded in building 
 up an extensive and lucrative practice. 
 Tlie Doctor is fully equipped with all the 
 latest modern appliances, having beyond 
 a doubt the largest and best collection of 
 surgical and scientific instruments and ap- 
 paratus to be found in this part of the 
 State. His microscope, with its various 
 attachments, is one of the most complete 
 known to the profession. Aside from his 
 use of the instrument in the usual lines, 
 and as an aid to medical study and diag- 
 nosis, he has devoted much time to the 
 more delicate and difficult microscopical 
 technique, such as finds its application in 
 so-called "expert-work." In addition to 
 
12'2 
 
 UURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 his professional woriv, he also takes con- 
 siderable interest in agriculture, owning, 
 in the iininediate vicinity of Collins and 
 Townsend Center, a well-improved farm 
 of between three and four hundred acres, 
 which, however, is mainly operated by 
 tenants. On September is, 1888, Dr. 
 Johnston was married at Norwalk, Ohio, to 
 Miss Nellie E. DoUard, daughter of James 
 P. Dullard. She was born in Belleviie, 
 Ohio, August 12, 1868, and left that place 
 at about the age of four, residing first at 
 Collins, Ohio, afterward, and until her 
 marriage, at Xorwalk. Dr. and Mrs. 
 Johnston have one child, Donald Hum- 
 phrey, born May 8, 1893. Socially Dr. 
 Jonnston belongs to the Masonic Frater- 
 nity, being a member of East Townsend 
 Lodge No. 3-22, F. & A. M., Hnron Chap- 
 ter No. 7, E. A. M., Norwalk Council No. 
 24, R. & S. M., and Norwalk Commandery 
 No. 18 K. T. He is also a member of the 
 S. of V"., and Tent physician of the Town- 
 send K. O. T. M. His present residence 
 is the old Wm. Humphrey homestead. 
 
 ffJfON. O. A. WHITE, ex-mayor of 
 
 \^^ Norwalk, of which city he is a most 
 
 I 11 prominent, highly respected citizen, 
 
 ■^ was born in 1820 in New York 
 
 State. His parents, Abel and Polly 
 
 (Warren) Wliite, were natives of Vermont, 
 
 descended from pure English stock, and 
 
 were farmers by occupation. In 1849 
 
 they migrated to Ohio, where they passed 
 
 the remainder of their days. Tlie White 
 
 family were originally among the early 
 
 pioneers of New England. 
 
 Our subject was reared and educated in 
 liis native State, and at the early age of 
 seventeen commenced teaching school, 
 which profession he followed until he was 
 elected town superintendent of schools at 
 Gerry, N. Y., and then commissioner of 
 the county schools of Chautauqua county, 
 N. Y. He served in the latter position 
 for a term of three years, at the end of 
 
 which time became west, locating in Nor- 
 walk, Ohio, with the intention at first of 
 going into the manufacturing business; 
 but being urged, he accepted the position 
 of principal of the grammar scliool, and 
 served the city of Norwalk in that capacity 
 for the ne.\t five years, when in 1867 he 
 was elected mayor of Norwalk; was re- 
 elected in 1869, and again in 1876. He 
 became trustee of the Water-works, and 
 built the Works; has been civil engineer 
 for many of the public improvements in 
 and about the city, and has at all times 
 filled a prominent place in advancing every 
 enterprise of importance to his adopted city. 
 
 RAINAKD W. SALISBURY, one 
 
 of the representative men of Mon- 
 roeville, influential, progressive and 
 substantial, is a native of the State 
 of New York, born in the town of Theresa, 
 Jefferson county, May 17, 1846. 
 
 Percival B. Salisbury, father of subject, 
 was a son of Lodowic Salisbury, a native 
 of Massachusetts, who was married in the 
 town of Adams, that State, to Mary 
 Phillips, who bore him eight children — 
 seven sons and one daughter — of whom 
 six sons lived to marry and have families. 
 Percival B., the youngest son, was born in 
 Henderson, Jefferson Co., N. Y., July 27, 
 1818. His elementary education was re- 
 ceived at the subscription schools of his 
 native town, and he afterward attended 
 Watertown (N. Y.) Institute, where he 
 was fitted for the vocatioti of teacher, which 
 he followed for some years. On March 2, 
 1842, he was married to Stella Willard, of 
 Adams, N. Y. He then engage! as agent 
 for a lumber company, whose business was 
 in a wild part of Jefferson county, about 
 eight miles from Theresa. There he lived 
 a short time, and then moved to Theresa, 
 and engaged in mercantile pursuits. In 
 October, 1854, he came to Ohio, locating 
 in North Monroeville, Erie county just 
 
HUIiOX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 123 
 
 across the Huron county line, and for 
 seventeen years he was postmaster at this 
 place. 
 
 In Adains, N. Y., Mr. and Mrs. Salis- 
 bury had one child, Newell, born June 6, 
 1843. This son enlisted in Company E, 
 One Hundred and Twenty-third 0. V. I., 
 aiid was twice captured by the Confeder- 
 ates, each time at Winchester, Va. ;his 
 first imprisonment was in Belie Isle, and 
 also in Libby Prison. In October, 1863, 
 he was exclianged. In September, 1864, 
 he was wounded at Winchester, and again 
 captured by the enemy, but was released 
 at the time Sheridan retook that city, 
 September 19, 1864. He died just twelve 
 days afterward, and lies buried in the 
 National cemetery at that place. At 
 Tiieresa, N. Y., two children were born 
 to Mr. and Mrs. Salisbury, to wit: Brain- 
 ard W., subject proper of sketch, and 
 Emma A. Cowles, now living with her 
 widowed mother in Monroeville, Ohio. 
 Percival B. Salisbury died March 14, 
 18T9, and is buried in Monroeville ceme- 
 tery. Politically he was a Kepnblican, 
 and for year.s served as township clerk of 
 Oxford township, Erie county; was also 
 a justice of the peace at the time of his 
 death. In church connection he was a 
 Congregatioualist. 
 
 Brainard W. Salisbury, as will be seen, 
 was eight years old when he came with 
 his parents to Ohio. He attended school 
 in North Monroeville, his first teacher 
 being Ellen Young, and at the age of 
 seventeen he left the common school to 
 attend a mare advanced one in Belleville, 
 N. Y., where he took a business course, 
 after which he returned to Ohio. He 
 clerked for a time in various stores, and 
 later was employed in the Monroeville 
 postoffice. Some time afterward lie went 
 into the insurance business with A. S. 
 Skilton, after which he moved to Cleve- 
 land, where he found employment as book- 
 keeper in the office of the Howe Machine 
 Company. Here, however, lie remained but 
 a few months, and then took his departure 
 
 for Collins. Ohio, to take charge of the 
 books of the Union Bending Works, lo- 
 cated at that place. In May, 1876, he 
 came to Monroeville, where he was in- 
 stalled as bookkeeper for the Exchange 
 Bank (at that time owned by Davis, Crim 
 & Stentz). On the reorganization of this 
 institution in November, 1879, it became 
 the first National Bank of Monroeville, 
 and he continued in the same incumbency 
 until 1888, when he was promoted to 
 cashier, a position he lias since filled with 
 eminent ability, and to the complete satis- 
 faction of both the public and the 
 directorate. 
 
 On October 4, 1876, Mr. Salisbury was 
 united in marriage with Jane Todd, of 
 Port Chester, N. Y., a daughter of Will- 
 iam Todd, by which union there is one 
 child, Stella, born November 9, 1877, now 
 a most interesting young lady. Politically 
 our subject is a Republican, and has held 
 various offices; was member of school 
 board six years; was treasurer of Monroe- 
 ville school board three years, and treasurer 
 of Ridgetield township, one term. Socially 
 he is a member of Nachee Lodge No. 94, 
 I. O. O. F., Monroeville, and of Maple 
 City Tent No. 13, K. O. T. M. In re- 
 ligious faith he and his wife and daughter 
 are members of the Presbyterian Church, 
 of the Sabbath-school of wliich he is 
 superintendent, and he is a member of the 
 board of trustees and treasurer of the 
 Church. 
 
 F. STEWART, a well-known resi- 
 dent of Norwalk, of which city he is 
 a native, was born March 18, 1854. 
 His mother's death, when lie was 
 but six months old, was the cause of his 
 young life being spent in a family of the 
 name of Rnggles, on a farm, where as a 
 child and youth he remained till he was 
 seventeen years of age, receiving the les- 
 sons of the farmer boy, with an occasional 
 attendance at the common schools. 
 
124 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 He had learned to work, and at an early 
 age evinced a marked (piickness in me- 
 chanics, with a handy use of tools. When 
 he was seventeen years of age he quitted 
 the farm and found employment with the 
 Lake Shore Railroad Company, and, with- 
 out any other experience as a carpenter 
 than that of a boy on the farm, he went 
 with a carpenter's gang, and found no 
 ditHcnlty in competing with the best of 
 them. After about one year he quitted 
 this ein])loy, and jiroliting by his observa- 
 tion of the wants of wood workers, com- 
 Hienced to make and put upon the market 
 dowel pins. Keadily seeing that turning 
 these out by tiie slow process of making by 
 hand could be improvetl, he invented his 
 own pattern and machinery for making 
 them, and this he soon had in its present 
 perfected form. He then opened his fac- 
 tory, which rapidly grew to such import- 
 ance that the output for one year was 
 7,000 barrels of pins, which were readily 
 taken in the markets. He next invented a 
 machine to split the wood, and thus again 
 facilitated the tnakino- of them, while it 
 improved and cheapened the product. So 
 rapidly did this new industry grow and 
 spread that in July. 1890, Mr. Stewart was 
 jnstifie<l in changing this business from 
 making the pins to the more important one 
 of manufacturing the machinery for the 
 purpose, in which he is now engaged; and 
 lie is now in the control and operating of 
 one of the growincr factories of the citv. 
 
 His goods find no competition in the 
 market; the whole industry is one of his 
 e.vclusive creation, and his machines have 
 been introduced into many of the leadincr 
 factories of the country. The old process 
 was for each workman to make his own 
 pins as he had to use them, much as, ori- 
 ginally, all nails were made by blacksmiths. 
 A distinguished Englishman has said that 
 the really great men of earth are the dis- 
 coverers of new truths and the inventors of 
 new and useful machinery. To tiiese men 
 alone civilization looks in all its advances 
 onward and upward. The discoverers and 
 
 inventors blaze the way — they are the 
 children of the immortals, they deserve to 
 live forever. 
 
 As "all work and no play makes Jack a 
 dull boy," Mr. Stewart adopted the manly 
 sport of rifle shooting for recreation, and 
 became so e.xpert with his favorite arm 
 (The Ballard rifle) that he easily won the 
 honors for his native State at Toledo, in 
 competition with the noted crack shots of 
 the United States. The next year he 
 was declared "King of Sharpshooters" at 
 the Detroit (Mich.) rifle tournament, for 
 making the greatest number of " bullseyes" 
 in the two days' competition. This feat 
 he repeated at Newark, N. J., in 1888, 
 where nearly one thousand riflemen were 
 striving for the honor. 
 
 In 1879 Mr. Stewart was united in mar- 
 riage to Miss Helen I. Manahan. 
 
 CALEB HATHAWAY GALLUP. 
 From time immemorial the tradition 
 ' has been handed down by members 
 of an ancient family of the name of 
 Kolopp — residents of the Province of Lor- 
 raine, now in Germany — that one of their 
 number went to western Europe as a fol- 
 lower of William, Duke of Normandy, and 
 never returned. 
 
 As corroborative of this tradition, an- 
 other exists in the Gallup family of 
 America to the effect that the founder of 
 the English liranch came at the Ct)nquest 
 into England from France. The different 
 spelling of the name by the two families 
 is no indicaticm of a difference in origin. 
 " In those early days education was con- 
 fined to the monasteries, and family names 
 were perpetuated by the medium of their 
 children more than by written records. 
 Afterward, as education became more gen- 
 eral, and men learned to write their names, 
 the manner of spelling them was arbitrary, 
 depending upon the sound, or the fancy 
 of the individual. Kolopp is a correct 
 phonetic spelling of the German pronun- 
 ciation of Gallup." 
 
C. //. Geillup. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 127 
 
 In the year 1630 John Gallup came over 
 to this country from England, and made 
 his homo in Boston, then Ijut an infant 
 settlement. He was an English sailor, who 
 soon became a Massachusetts fisherman, 
 and with his little fishing smack became 
 historic in the Indian troubles of that 
 time. He died at Boston January 11,1650. 
 
 Soon after the settletnent of New Lon- 
 don, Conn., and a.bout 1648, his son John, 
 who married at Boston, became a resident 
 of that part of New London since called 
 Groton, where he brought up his three 
 sons, John, Beuadam and William, and 
 probably other children. In 1675 John 
 received warning; from a friendly Indian, 
 of the trouble soon to culminate in that his- 
 toric event known as " King Philip's War." 
 That warning came in the shape of the 
 present of a wampum belt, or, rather, a belt 
 made out of the long coarse hair of the 
 black bear, ornamented with white beads 
 set in the form of a W. This indicated 
 war. He raised a company of soldiers, 
 and took them into that " direful swamp 
 light " of December 19, 1775. The fol- 
 lowing is a succinct account of Gallup's 
 fate, as related in Barbor's "Connecticut 
 Historical Collections" and elsewhere: 
 " The Legislature of the colony, in a rep- 
 resentation of the services they had per- 
 formed in the war. say: 'In that signal 
 service, the fort fight, in Karragansett, as 
 we had our full number in proportion to 
 the other confederates, so all say they did 
 their full proportion of service. Three 
 noble soldiers — Seeley, courageous ]!i|ar- 
 shall and bold Gallup — died in the bed of 
 honor; and valiant Mason, a fourtl^ cap- 
 tain, had liis death wound. There died 
 many brave officers and sentinels, whose 
 memory is blessed, and whose death re- 
 deemed our lives.'" 
 
 Benadam survived the war, and lived to 
 rear a large family, including a son named 
 Benadam (2), who also reared a large 
 family of seven sons and four daughters. 
 One sor^, named William, removed from 
 Groton, Conn., to Kingston, Penn., in 
 
 7 
 
 October, 1774, and was living there at the 
 time of the Wyoming Massacre of July 3, 
 1778. His son Hallet was in the fight, and 
 escaped by floating down the Susquehanna 
 river, with his body under water and his 
 face protected from view between two rails 
 grasped in his hands. Two twin daughters 
 — Sarah and Haimah, born March 4, 1773, 
 at Groton, Conn., and aged about five 
 years — were captured and carried off hy 
 the Indians, painted and adopted by a 
 squaw, but were soon after ransomed. 
 Hannah was the Mrs. Hannah Jones 
 who died at Kingston, Penn., about 1860. 
 Sarah was the Mrs. Sarah Hoyt, who died 
 at JSTorwalk, Ohio, in 1858. She first mar- 
 ried Peter Grubb, Jr., and after his death 
 became the wife of Agnr Hoyt, and re- 
 moved to Danbnry, Conn., whence, in 1831, 
 they came to Norwalk, Ohio. She was the 
 stepmother of the late Agur B. Hoyt, of 
 Norwalk, and mother of William R. Hoyt, 
 now of Toledo, Ohio. Another daughter, 
 Mary, was engaged to be married to James 
 Divine, of Philadelphia. He went to 
 Kingston to visit her, and was one of the 
 victims of July 3, 1778. She never 
 married. 
 
 William Gallup (2), then a lad, escaped 
 the massacre, and at maturity married 
 Freelove Hathaway, sister of Capt. Caleb 
 Hathaway, mariner, of Philadelphia. Their 
 children were William (3), Hallet, James 
 Divine and Caleb Hathaway. 
 
 William Gallup (3) came to Norwalk, 
 Ohio, in 1818, and May 2, 1819, married 
 Sally Boalt, daughter of Capt. John Boalt 
 (the first marriage in Norwalk), and their 
 children were: William (4), lately de- 
 ceased in Cleveland, Ohio; Matilda (Mrs. 
 William Bombarger), now of Denver, 
 Colo.; Mary, deceased; Frances, who died 
 in Denver, Colo.; Ruth Ann (Mrs. Lafay- 
 ette S. Lyttle), of Toledo, Ohio; Eliza (Mrs. 
 Frederick Hunt), now of Ar^pen, Colo.; 
 George, who died in Tiffin, Ohio: Susan 
 (Mrs. Thomas Thresher), in New Mexico; 
 Samuel C, now of Pueblo, Colo.; James 
 Divine (2), now of Denver, Colo.; John (3), 
 
128 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 formerlyof Boulder, Colo., now dead; Rose 
 (Mrs. Albert Niisley), of Sandusky City, 
 Ohio. 
 
 Hallet Gallup (2) was born in Kingston, 
 Penn., in 1796, and upon his birth a rela- 
 tive at Groton, Conn., sent on to hie parents 
 the wampum belt (given by the friendly 
 Indian to Capt. John Gallup, in 1775), 
 with the request to name the child John. 
 That belt, still in almost perfect preserva- 
 tion, is in the possession of Carroll Gallup, 
 of Norwalk, Ohio. In 1812 Hallet (2) 
 joined Capt. Thomas' company of Peim- 
 sylvania volunteers, and served in the 
 artillery under Harrison. On being mus- 
 tered out of the service at the close of the 
 war, he, in 1816, moved to Bloomings- 
 villa, then in Huron county, and in 1818 
 came to Norwalk. In 1819 he was ap- 
 pointed collector of what was then Huron 
 county. On April 9, 1820, he married 
 Clarissa, daughter of Piatt and Sally Bene- 
 dict, and died July 11, 1877, at Norwalk, 
 Ohio, in his eighty-second year; his wife 
 died at the same place January 11, 1878, 
 at the same age. Their children were: 
 Catherine, formerly of Norwalk, now de- 
 ceased; Maria (Mrs. M. A. Dunton), now 
 living in San Diego, Cal.; Lydia, deceased 
 in childhood; Carroll, in Norwalk; Sarah 
 (Mrs. Henry Brown), also in Norwalk; 
 Eliza, deceased in infancy; Caleb Hatha- 
 way (2), and Lizzie Frances, both now liv- 
 ing in JJorwalk. 
 
 James Divine Gallup, third son of Will- 
 iam (3), spent the greater part of his life 
 98 a mining engineer, in the then just 
 developing coal regions of Pennsylvania, 
 and died unmarried at Mauch Chunk in 
 March, 1856, aged about fifty-eight years. 
 
 Caleb Hathaway Gallup, fourth son of 
 William (2), was born at Kingston, Penn., 
 in 1802; came to Norwalk, Ohio, in 1825, 
 ^nd opened a cabinet shop on the lot so 
 long occupied by the late John H- Foster. 
 He died at Norwalk, September 20, 1827, 
 un!narried. 
 
 Caleb Hathaway Gallup (2), the subject 
 proper of these lines, son of Hallet Gallup 
 
 (2), was born at Norwalk, Ohio, May 10, 
 1834. At Madison University, Hamilton, 
 N. Y., he graduated, in 1856, from the 
 Literary and Scientific course, and was the 
 first student upon wliom that institution 
 conferred the degree of Bachelor of Phi- 
 losophy. In 1857 he commenced the study 
 of law with AVorcester&Pennewell, of Nor- 
 walk, and in April, 1858, graduated from 
 the Cincinnati Law School with the degree 
 of Bachelor of Laws, shortly afterward 
 opening an othce in Norwalk. In 1859 
 he removed to St. John's, Mich., and July 
 19, same year, was admitted to practice 
 law in the courts of that State. The fol- 
 lowing summer he removed from St. 
 John's to Port Austin, Huron Co., Mich., 
 arriving there June 24, 1860. In the 
 fall of that year he was elected the first 
 prosecuting attorney of that county, to 
 which position he was re-elected for four 
 succeeding terms, holding the incumbency 
 till January 1, 1871, a period of ten years. 
 He also held the offices of circuit court 
 commissioner and injunction master dur- 
 ing most of the same period, as well as 
 that of township treasurer, and several 
 other minor offices. 
 
 During the war of the Bebellion, he 
 acted as deputy United States marshal for 
 the western district of Huron county, 
 Mich., was himself drafted, and instead of 
 being sent to the front, was ordered back 
 to duty as deputy marshal. In 1866 he 
 was elected a member of the Michigan 
 Legislature for two years; and while act- 
 ing in that capacity introduced and ob- 
 tained the passage of a joint resolution 
 calling on Congress to provide for and 
 construct a harbor of refuge at or near 
 Point au Barques, Lake Huron. He also 
 had printed and circulated, at the different 
 cities bordering the great chain of lakes, 
 a petition to the same end. This was the 
 first step ever taken to obtain such a 
 harbor, and did not meet with immediate 
 success; but it set the movement on 
 foot that eventually culminated in the 
 magnificent harbor of refuge at Sand 
 
HURON COUNTY, Oil JO. 
 
 129 
 
 Beach, Huron Co., Mich. Hundreds of ves- 
 sels, tliousands of sailors and millions of 
 dollars wortli of property now find safe 
 shelter there from the terrible storms of 
 Lake Huron. In 1867-68-69 he made re- 
 peated efforts to obtain an extension of 
 the Western Union telegraph line fi'oni 
 Lexington to Port Austin — seventy miles 
 — and with success. 
 
 On June 20, 1860, Mr. Gallup married 
 Miss Kate M., daughter of John V. and 
 Mary S. Vredenbiirgh, then of Peru, 
 Huron Ci>.. Ohio, by which union there 
 is one son, Ricliard Carroll, born Septem- 
 ber 2, 1861, at the Peru farm. His 
 mother was called from earth May 25, 
 1863, and November 3, 1869, Mr. Gallup 
 married Miss Helen A., daughter ofWill- 
 iam and Mary Glover, of Trenton, N. J., 
 and niece of Hon. Joel Parker, of Free- 
 hold, same State, the only person who has 
 twice held the position of governor of that 
 State. She died April 8, 1872, at Port 
 Austin, Mich., aged twenty-nine years, 
 and is buried at Norwalk, Ohio. The 
 issue of this second marriage are one 
 daughter — Mabel Parker, born September 
 17, 1870 — and one son — Herbert Alpheus, 
 born April 5, 1872, both born at Port 
 Austin. 
 
 On July 9, 1872, Mr. Gallup removed 
 with his cliildren back to Norwalk. Ohio, 
 his pre.-ent place of residence, and then 
 abandoned the practice of law, engaging 
 in general business as well as public enter- 
 prises, and taking care of his family and 
 the family estate. He has been identified 
 with nearly every public enterprise for the 
 good of his city and of the community at 
 large, that has been set on foot. He was 
 instrnmental in having the Lake Erie Rail- 
 road run through Norwalk, and subse- 
 quently visited New York City for tlie 
 purpose of advocating the locating of the 
 Railroad shops here. He has assisted in 
 securing the establishment of most of the 
 factories, etc., in Norwalk. In 1888 he 
 with others organized the Home Savings 
 & Loan Company in Norwalk, Mr. Gallup 
 
 beinor its first president, a position he 
 still fills; and it may be said tliat it is due 
 to his manatjement that this institution 
 has grown so vastly beyond the proportions 
 estimated by even the most sanguine. Asa 
 business man, Mr. Gallup is recognized 
 as possessing the highest ability, and is 
 called in council in all matters of pub- 
 lic moment. He is quiet and unobtru- 
 sive in his manner, but pushes all his 
 projects with characteristic energy, and 
 shows high e.xecutive power in the adjust- 
 ment of business. 
 
 FLATT BENEDICT. About the 
 year 1500, William Benedict, of 
 Nottinghamshire, England, had an 
 only son born to him whom he 
 called William; this William (2) 
 had an only son whom he called William; 
 and this William (3) had, in 1617, an only 
 son, whom he called Tliomas. 
 
 In 1638 Thomas Benedict came to 
 America and settled in New England; and 
 after remaining there for a time he re- 
 moved to Southhold, on Long Island, 
 where were born to him five sons and four 
 daughters, whose names were Thomas, 
 John, Samuel, James, Daniel, Betty, 
 Mary, Sarah and Rebecca. From South- 
 hold the family removed to Hassamamac, 
 from there to Jamaica, Long Island (where 
 Thomas was married), and from tliere they 
 finally removed to Norwalk, Fairfield Co., 
 Conn., where all the remaining children 
 were married. 
 
 Daniel married Mary, daughter of 
 Matthew Marvin, of Norwalk; was a sol- 
 dier in the "direful swamp fight," of De- 
 cember 19, 1675; after which, at a Norwalk 
 town meeting, January 12, 1676: "The 
 towne, in consideration of the good service 
 that the soldiers sent out of the towne in- 
 gaged and performed by them, and out 
 of respect and thankfulness to the sayd 
 soldiers, doe with one consent and freely 
 give and grant to so many as were in the 
 direful swamp tight, twelve acors of land; 
 
130 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 and eiVht acors of land to so many as were 
 in the next considerable service." Ac- 
 cordingly, there was granted by the plan- 
 tation, as a gratuity unto Daniel Benedict, 
 " being a souldier in the Indian warr, 
 tweife acors of land and lyeth in three par- 
 cels." In 1690 he sold his Norwalk prop- 
 erty, and removed to Danbury. His chil- 
 dren were Mary, Daniel (2), Hannah and 
 Mercy. 
 
 Daniel Benedict (2) married Bebecca, 
 daughter of Thomas Taylor, one of the 
 original settlers of Danbury, Conn., and 
 their children were Daniel (3), Matthew, 
 Theophilus, Bebecca, Mary, David, Nathan 
 and Deborah. 
 
 Captain Daniel Benedict (3), born 1705, 
 married Sarali Hickok 1728, and died No- 
 vember 9, 1773; their children were Dan- 
 iel (4), Lemuel, Noah, Sarah, Jonas, Aaron, 
 Ruth, Mary and Amos. Of these, Jonas 
 was born September 21. 1742; married 
 January 14, 1767, to Mercy Bougliton, 
 and died October 30, 1820. He was a 
 memlier of the General Assembly of Con- 
 necticut in 1809. Their children were 
 Elizabeth, Jonas (2), Piatt, Sarah. Daniel 
 (5), Mary and Eli. 
 
 Piatt Benedict, the sul)ject of this 
 memoir, was born at Danbury, Conn., 
 March 18, 1775, and was of the si.xth gen- 
 eration of Benedicts in America. He mar- 
 ried, November 12, 1795, Sarah, daughter 
 of Daniel DeForest, of Wilton, Conn. She 
 was born August 27, 1777, and died June 
 24, 1852, at Norwalk, Ohio. Their chil- 
 dren were: (1) Clarissa, born September 
 4, 1796; married Hallet Gallup, April 9, 
 1820; died January 11, 1878, at Norwalk, 
 Ohio, leaving two sons and four daugh- 
 ters, viz.: (Catherine (deceased), Maria 
 (wife of Marlin A. Duuton, of San Diego, 
 Cal.), Carroll, Sarah (widow of Henry 
 Brown), Caleb H. and Lizzie F., of Nor- 
 walk. (2) David Mead, born August 17, 
 1801; married September 24, 1833, to 
 Mary Booth Starr; and died June 16, 1843, 
 at Danbury, leaving no issue. (3) Daniel 
 Bridgnm, born June 1, 1803; died unmar- 
 
 ried September 9, 1827, at New Orleans, 
 La. (4) Jonas Boughton, born March 23, 
 1806; married October 8, 1829, to Fanny, 
 daughter of Henry Bnckinghatn; and died 
 at Norwalk, Ohio. July 29, 1851, leaving 
 one son, David DeForest (Dr. Benedict, 
 the present druggist of Norwalk, Ohio), 
 and one daughter, Fanny B., who married 
 Louis H. Severance, of Cleveland, and died 
 August 1, 1874. And (5) Eliza Ann, born 
 October 27,1812; married William Brew- 
 ster, May 1, 1832, and died August 17, 
 1840, at Norwalk, Ohio, leaving two sons, 
 both of whom died in childhood. 
 
 After his marriage Piatt Benedict re- 
 moved to North Salem. Westchester Co., 
 N. Y., where his daughter Clarissa was 
 born: from there he removed to Randal's 
 Island, in East River, where he engaged 
 in market gardening; in a few years he re- 
 moved back to Danbury. and was appointed 
 collector of that town, in which ca|iacity 
 he acted in 1812-13. In September, 1815, 
 he first came to Ohio to look up a new 
 home, and in the latter part of October, in 
 company with Elisha Whittlesey and Maj. 
 Frederick Falley, visited and examined the 
 present site of Norwalk. He then returned 
 to Danbury and negotiated the purchase 
 of about one thousand, three hundred acres 
 of land (now the site of Norwalk) on be- 
 half of Elisha Whittlesey, Matthew B. 
 Whittlesey, E. Moss White and himself. 
 In January, 1817. he again returned, to 
 take charge of and make iniproveujents 
 upon the new purchase; erected a log 
 house (which was the first Vmilding con- 
 structed by white men within the present 
 corporate limits of the village of Norwalk), 
 commenced a clearing upon the fiats south 
 of his new house, and on April 4 returned 
 to Danbury, arriving there May 4. 
 
 In July, 1817, he left Danbury with his 
 family, in a covered wagon drawn by one 
 horse, and another wagon loaded with 
 household goods, provisions, etc., drawn 
 by four oxen; also one saddle horse. After 
 seven weeks of fatiguing travel and hard- 
 ship, they arrived at the house of David 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 131 
 
 Gibbs and Henry Lockwood in Norwalk 
 on September 9, and then learned that 
 their house, built that spring, was burned 
 down. In this emergency, tlie open- 
 handed hospitality of frontier life was 
 extended to them by tlie families 
 of Gibbs and Lockwood, and there they 
 remained until a new house was erected. 
 Of the erection of that house, destined to 
 be the avant-courier of so many noble 
 structures and happy homes, Mr. Benedict 
 himself says: 
 
 On hearing of my house being burned, we 
 stopped with Messrs. Gibbs and Locliwood, who 
 very hospitably entertained us until I got my 
 house in a condition to move in. They were ac- 
 commidating Capt. John Boalt's family, nine of 
 whom were sick with the ague. We stayed there 
 from Monday until Friday, when we went iuto our 
 new home, a log pen twenty feet square, no doors, 
 windows, fire-place, and no furniture except some 
 cooking utensils used on our journey. Built a Are 
 aijainst the logs on one side of the shanty, made up 
 our beds on the floor, which was so green and 
 damp it spoiled the under-beds, which induced me 
 to fit up two bedsteads, one for myself and wife 
 and one for my daughters, placed in opposite cor- 
 ners of the shanty, by boring holes in the logs, for 
 the sides and leet, and one upright post put into a 
 hole in the floor, and fastened at the top, and with 
 basswood bark, made matting in the place of cord, 
 and when completed they were very comfortable. 
 I cut out two doors and two windows. The sash I 
 boueht but could get no glass, in place of which 1 
 used greased paper. Built an oven in one corner, 
 part in and part outside, with clay and sticks; also 
 a slick chimney above the chamber floor, had no 
 jams. After burning out three or four logs, I built 
 up the back part of the chimney of muck and 
 sticks. I chinked up and mudded between the 
 logs, which made it very comfortable. For a few 
 days we were almost without provisions; we had 
 green corn, turnips and milk. 
 
 The late Seth Jenning, of Milan, says: 
 I commenced splitting clapboards out of oak 
 timber to make the roof of. Every man that could 
 work was on hand to help and do his best toward 
 getting up the house. The women turned out and 
 brought up our dinners that day; but we got along 
 80 well with the house that the next morning Mr. 
 Benedict moved up, and Mrs. Benedict cooked our 
 dinners that day by a log near the house. 
 
 In " Scattered Sheaves, by Ruth," it is 
 stated: 
 
 There were present Levi Cole and his sons, 
 Maj. Underbill, David and Jasper Underbill, his 
 
 nephews, Lott Herrick, Sanderson, Daniel 
 
 Clary. Noah P. Ward, Elihu Potter, Richard Gardi- 
 ner, Reuben Pixley and his son Reuben, Henrjr 
 Lockwood, David Gibbs and others. Says David 
 
 Underbill, 2d., "Asher Cole, Sanderson and myself, 
 cut logs in the woods near, or on the ground now 
 occupied by the railroad buildings, and the water 
 was ankle deep; Lott Herrick drove the team. 
 Mr. Benedict regaled his fellow laborers with 
 Jamaica rum instead of whiskey, which was usually 
 furnished on such occasions. Mrs. Underbill fur- 
 nished, cooked the dinner, and sent it to us. It con- 
 sisted mainly of pork, potatoes, turnips and bread." 
 
 In an unpublished narrative, dictated by 
 
 Mrs. Benedict not long before her death, 
 
 she says: 
 
 Two miles from any neighbor our little 
 cabin stood; the floor of logs split in the middle, 
 not smoothed by plane or chisel; our chairs 
 made in the same rude manner; our table 
 was of pieces of boxes in which our goods had 
 been packed, and "saplings" fastened together 
 formed our bedsteads. On one side of our cabin 
 was a large fireplace, on the east, and west sides 
 were doors, on the north our only windows, in 
 which to supply the place of glass we pasted pieces 
 of greased paper. And many pleasant evenings 
 we spent beside that large fireplace, cracking nuts 
 and eating, not apples, but turnips. You need not 
 laugh, I tell you those raw turnips tasted good 
 when there was nothing else to eat, and as the 
 flames grew bright, our merry party would forget 
 that they were not in their eastern hcmie, but far 
 away in the wilds of Ohio. We heard the howl of 
 the wolf and the whoop of the Indian resounding 
 through the forest, for a favorite hunting ground of 
 these wild men was situated near our cabin, and 
 often would the Indians assemble and renew their 
 noisy sports, little dreaming of the tide of immigra- 
 tion which should finally sweep them away. One 
 night the loud barking of our dog attracted our at- 
 tention, followed by a knock at the door; on 
 opening which, in stalked a large Indian, dressed 
 in furs and blanket, and fully armed. The children 
 huddled close to me as he came near and asked 
 for "daddy." He was evidently intoxicated, and I 
 did not dare to let him know that "daddy " was not 
 at home. I asked him to sit down, but he pre- 
 ferred to stretch himself before the fire, where he 
 soon fell asleep. When he awoke he was nearly 
 sober, and quite inclined to be talkative. He told 
 me of the many wrongs the Indian had sufl'ered; 
 that the white man planted corn over his father's 
 bones; and the poor old Indian wept. Finally he 
 started up, exclaiming, "daddy no come, you no 
 sleep, I go to my brothers;" and he went away: 
 Sleep was a stranger to our eyes that night, we 
 kept ourselves in readiness for flight, for we ex- 
 pected the "red-face" would return with his broth- 
 ers to murder us all. The riches of a kingdom 
 would not repay us for another such night of 
 anxiety. But as time passed on we gained the 
 friendship of these denizens of the forest, and they 
 brought us many, many presents in their own 
 rude way. 
 
 From the date of Mr. Benedict's settle- 
 ment to that of his death, his history is so 
 completely intertwined with tiiat of tlie 
 
132 
 
 HUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 growtli and prosperity of the town, that to 
 give it here in detail would only be a repeti- 
 tion of a large part of the history of Norwalk. 
 On June 17, 1856, he married, as his sec- 
 ond wife, Mrs. Lavina P. Benton, of Ke- 
 public, Ohio, who survived him and died 
 February 9, 1875. 
 
 A few days before his death he attended 
 the Grand Encampment of Masons at 
 Toledo, became very much fatigued by 
 over exertion, was attacked by bowel com- 
 plaint, but so great were his physical 
 powers, and so determined his will, that 
 he returned to Norwalk, after which he 
 rapidly grew worse; yet, so remarkable 
 was his vitality, that he kept up and around 
 his room until within a very few hours of 
 the end. One of his last acts preceding his 
 death, only about six hours, was the dicta- 
 tion and signing a very salutary codicil 
 to his will for the benefit of his wife. 
 With all Ills faculties of mind clear and 
 distinct to the last, he quietly passed 
 away October 25, 1866, aged ninety -one 
 years, seven months and seven days. His 
 funeral took place on the following Sab- 
 bath, and was conducted by the Knights 
 Templar from various parts of nortliern 
 Ohio, who came in special trains run from 
 Cleveland and Toledo for that purpose. 
 His cherished and aged friend. Rev. 
 Samuel Marks, of Huron, Ohio, officiated, 
 and at the grave, in the presence of assem- 
 bled thousands, said: "Venerable man ! 
 May thy ashes rest in peace, and the clods 
 fall lightly upon thy bosom ! Thy virtues 
 will be embalmed forever in our heart of 
 hearts. Fare thee well." 
 
 Heii 
 
 ROFESSOR A. D. BEECHY, Nor- 
 walk, was born April 11, 1852. He is 
 a native of the Buckeye State, hav- 
 ing first seen the light of day in the 
 somewhat historic county of Holmes, 
 the fourth son of David and Judith 
 
 (\ oder) Beechy, who came to Ohio from 
 
 Somerset county. Pa., where the Beechy 
 family is now quite numerous. His an- 
 cestors came to this country from England 
 about 1767, and, like most people of those 
 times, engaged in agricultural pursuits. 
 His mother is a relative of ex-Congress- 
 nian Yoder, of Ohio. Both parents are 
 still living at this writing, and now reside 
 in Sugar Creek, Tuscarawas Co., Ohio. 
 
 Mr. Beechy's early education was very 
 limited, as in boyhood and early youth he 
 was occupied almost entirely in laboring 
 on his father's farm, attending only a 
 short winter term of district school each 
 year until he arrived at the age of thir- 
 teen years. From this time until he 
 reached the age of eighteen, all the oppor- 
 tunity he had for pursuing his studies was 
 that afforded by borne instruction during 
 the long winter evenings, rainy days, etc. 
 At these times hediligentlyapplied himself 
 to the study of arithmetic and reading of 
 history. In this way he worked his way 
 through several old arithmetics without 
 any assistance whatever. Mathematics has 
 ever since remained one of his favorite 
 studies, partly owing, no doubt, to this 
 early training in this line of thourrht. 
 While progress in the rudiments of an 
 education was necessarily slow under 
 these circumstances, the lesson of self- 
 dependence thus learned stood him in 
 good stead when better opportunities of- 
 fered later in life. 
 
 At the age of eighteen he attended a 
 term of seventy-three days of country 
 school, before the end of which he passed 
 an examination by the county board of 
 examiners, and received a certificate for 
 twelve months, the longest issued to ap- 
 plicants without experience in teaching. 
 The following year he commenced teach- 
 ing, in which profession he has ever since 
 been engaged with the exception of about 
 a year. After teaching two six-months 
 terms of country school, he attended two 
 terms, commencing the summer of 1874, 
 the Hayesville Academy, then under the 
 management of Dr. Martin. At the time 
 
HUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 133 
 
 it was a preparatory shool for Wooster 
 University. Soon after this he learned 
 something of the advantages offered to self- 
 dependent young men b}' Mt. Union Col- 
 lege, and directed liis studies with a view 
 to entering this institution, which he did 
 in 187(3, and from which he graduated in 
 the classical course in 1880. During each 
 of the years while at colleo-e, he taucrht a 
 term of scliool of four or five months, but 
 kept up with his class by private work and 
 taking the regular examinations. In 
 mathematics he stood first in his class. 
 
 During the following year he was prin- 
 cipal of the schools of his native town, 
 Berlin, Ohio. In December of this year 
 he went before the State board of exam- 
 iners, and was granted a life certificate, 
 being the youngest applicant, with one ex- 
 ception, to whom such a certificate had then 
 been granted. At this time only one grade 
 of certificates was issued, to be entitled to 
 which one had to pass an examination in 
 the common branches, all the higher 
 branches taught in any high school of the 
 State, and a certain number of additional 
 higher branches selected by the applicant. 
 It authorizes the holder to teach any branch 
 in any school in the State. The law has 
 since been amended so as to allow two 
 grades of certificates to be issued — high 
 scliool and common scliool. The following 
 year he was elected to the superintendency 
 of the schools of Louisville, Ohio, which 
 position he filled for four years. While 
 in this place he was married to Miss 
 Theresa Baumann, of Louisville, on De- 
 cember 25, 1883. One child, Ada May, 
 has come to cheer their home. 
 
 Prof. Beechy next purchased a half in- 
 terest in a semi-weekly and weekly news- 
 paper, The Alliance Review. In less than 
 a year's experience, however, he found 
 some of the work connected with its pub- 
 lication and management quite uncon- 
 genial. Besides, he could not agree with 
 his partner in some matters of honor and 
 right, as well as the political policy to be 
 pursued by the paper. He therefore sold 
 
 his interest to his partner for what seemed 
 a fair consideration, but which proved to 
 be a considerable loss. Determining to 
 return to the profession of teaching, he 
 was elected superintendent of the schools 
 of Elmore, Ohio, in which position he con- 
 tinued his work four years, rendering em- 
 inently successful services to these schools. 
 "While in this place he also conducted 
 a Normal School under the auspices of 
 the Toledo Business College, during sev- 
 eral summer vacations. In 1886 the de- 
 gree of A. M. was conferred on him by 
 Mt. Union College, he having completed 
 a post-graduate course of study in that in 
 stitution. In 1889 the subject of this 
 sketch was elected to the principalship of 
 the Norwalk Hio-h Schools. After two 
 years' service in this capacity he was 
 elected to the superintendency of the pub- 
 lic schools in the same place, for which 
 position his ability and experience pre- 
 eminently qualify him, and which position 
 he holds at this writing. 
 
 The Professor is a strong believer in 
 hard work, whether it concerns pupils, 
 teachers or himself. He owes his own 
 success almost wholly to the fact that he 
 was never disposed to shirk it. For the 
 boy or girl who is faithful to duty he has 
 an unlimited amount of sympathy and en- 
 couragement; but in truancy and idleness 
 he recognizes two of the greatest evils that 
 afflict the young, and with these he wages 
 eternal warfare. Realizing that the " child 
 is father to the man," he insists that, in 
 order to have citizens who will respect the 
 authority of the State, we must train chil- 
 dren to respect the constituted authority 
 of the home and the school. Discipline is 
 therefore insisted on in the schools under 
 his management. Although giving his 
 best thought and efforts to the schools of 
 which he is the head, Mr. Beechy has 
 found time to pursue a regular course of 
 reading and study in the post-graduate de- 
 partment of Wooster University. He has 
 just completed a very comprehensive 
 course of study iu social and political 
 
134 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 science, and received the degree of Doctor 
 of Philosophy. 
 
 While he is liberal in his views on poli- 
 tics and other subjects, as one who has had 
 his extensive reading could hardly lielp 
 but he, he believes that on nearly all the 
 great questions of national interest which 
 have divided the parties of this country, 
 the Republican party has been in the right. 
 In politics, therefore, he is a Republican. 
 His political principles were undoubtedly 
 intensified by the impression left on his 
 mind by the unpatriotic actions of many 
 of the adherents of the other party in 
 his neighborhood and county during the 
 Rebellion. 
 
 djOIIN A. PITTSFORD, superintend- 
 ent of public schools at Chicago 
 i Junction, comes of Welsh descent. 
 
 His grandparents, David and Ann 
 (Davis) Pittsford, were natives of Wales, 
 born in 1762 and 1773, respectively. 
 They were married in their native land, 
 and coming to America in 1798 (soon 
 after the birth of their eldest child), lo- 
 cated in Chester county, Penn. They re- 
 sided on a farm in that county until 1816, 
 then came to Licking county, Ohio, where 
 he purchased one hundred acres, other land 
 having been added to the original tract, 
 and the old farm now contains 160 acres. 
 The children born to David and Ann Pitts- 
 ford were as follows: William, who moved 
 to Indiana; Mary, wife of Isaac Price; 
 Isaac, who moved to Indiana; John, whose 
 sketch follows; Elizabeth, wife of Rev. 
 Thomas Hughes, and James, all of whom 
 were married and left children. 
 
 John Pittsford was born in Chester 
 county, Penn., October 2, 1802. He re- 
 ceived a good common-school education, 
 and afterward, in 1828 and 1829, attended 
 Kenyon College, near Mount Vernon, Ohio. 
 He married Mary, daughter of Philip 
 Peters, of Baltimore, Fairfield Co., Ohio, 
 who resided at Baltimore. After his 
 marriage John Pittsford supervised the 
 
 repairs of a large portion of the Ohio 
 canal. He then conducted a store at 
 Baltimore for two years, and in 1842 
 moved upon a farm in Licking county 
 which he afterward purchased and resided 
 upon until his death. He was a Radical 
 Whig in politics, and in religion was a 
 member ot the Presbyterian Church. He 
 died in 1847 at the age of forty-five years; 
 his widow is yet living with her son (John 
 A.) at the age of eighty-two years. After 
 the death of her husband Mrs. Pittsford 
 was married to Myron Merchant, and bore 
 him three children. He died, and she 
 then made a third choice in tbe person of 
 Alfred Hatch, who is also deceased. Eight 
 children were born to tlie union of John 
 and Mary (Peters) Pittsford, as follows: 
 Mary, deceased in youth; Martha, wife of 
 Isaac Finkbone, living in Licking county; 
 George, deceased in youth; Hiram, living 
 in Dayton, Ohio; Harriet, deceased in in- 
 fancy; Diana, wife of John Harritt, of 
 Findlay, Ohio; John A., whose name 
 opens this sketch; and Timothy H., who 
 died March 11, 1865, in the hospital at 
 Chattanooga. 
 
 John A. Pittsford was born April 12, 
 1844, in Licking county, Ohio. When he 
 was but a boy, three years old, he lost his 
 father, and soon after his mother's second 
 marriacre he went to live with an aunt, 
 Elizabeth Hughes, in Morrow county, Oiiio, 
 with whom he remained until he was sev- 
 enteen years old. At the age of fifteen 
 years he taught a three months' summer 
 school, and when in his seventeenth year 
 entered Denison University, at Granville, 
 Ohio. He then taught and attended school 
 alternately until 1866, when he entered 
 the National Normal University at Leb- 
 anon. While there he accepted a position 
 in a school near Lebanon, and continued 
 teaching and attending school about two 
 years. In 1868 he engaged to teach in 
 the A. Grammar school at Findlay, in the 
 meantime continuing his private studies, 
 and remained there three years. From 
 September, 1871, to 1873 he was superin- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 135 
 
 tendeut of the schools of Johnstown, Lick- 
 ing Co., Ohio. In 1873 he became 
 superintendent of a school at Mount 
 Blanchard, Hancock Co., same State, 
 whicli position he occupied six years, when 
 he was elected superintendent at Forest, 
 remaining there three jears. On July 25, 
 1877, he was united in marriage with 
 Josie R. Smith, native of Mount Blanchard, 
 and daughter of Rev. John Smith, a native 
 of Virginia, a pastor of the M. E. Church. 
 In 1882 Prof. Pittsford accepted tiie 
 superintendency of the schools of Carey, 
 Wyandot county, where he remained six 
 years. After the erection of the new 
 school building in Chicago Junction, in 
 1888, he was elected superintendent, which 
 position he still holds, having been recently 
 re-elected for a term of two years, making 
 seven in all. He has a corps of ten teachers. 
 He has held the position of County School 
 Examiner in Hancock and Wyandot coun- 
 ties for one and two terms each; and is 
 likely to receive the same appointment 
 soon in Huron county. 
 
 When but two years of age Mr. Pitts- 
 ford was injured by a fall, his hip being 
 dislocated, which crippled him for life. As 
 soon as he was old enough to realize this 
 fact he resolved to make teaching his pro- 
 fession, and possessing a naturally apt 
 mind, applied himself with earnest zeal to 
 preparation for his chosen calling. The 
 result of his efforts lias been evident since 
 the day that the crippled lad of fifteen 
 years taught his first school, which was 
 the beginning of an unusuallj' successful 
 life. He had no advantages save those of 
 a common-school education ; but the neces- 
 sity which rendered it imperative that he 
 should teach in order to secure an educa- 
 tion proved of valuable training to him. 
 He thus gained industrial habits and the 
 self-reliant ways which are so essential in 
 this profession. Few men are as well 
 qualified for their vocations as is Prof. 
 Pittsford, and through his untiring efforts 
 the schools of Chicago Junction now oc- 
 cupy a position second to none in the 
 
 county. The phenomenal growth in num- 
 ber has been fully met with enlarged and 
 sufficient facilities. He has been president 
 of the Huron C'ounty Teachers' Associa- 
 tion for several years. In politics he is a 
 Republican, and in religious matters he 
 has been an active member of and elder in 
 the Presbyterian Church since that denom- 
 ination was organized at Chicago Junction. 
 The union of Prof, and Mrs. Pittsford was 
 blessed with five children, viz.: Ernest 
 Cecil, Clarice Lelia, Lulu Grace, Lois 
 Mary and Bruce Eugene, the latter dying 
 at the age of nine months. 
 
 M. BEATTIE, a well-known mem- 
 ber of the Huron county bar, was 
 born June 10, 1853, in Ashland 
 county, Ohio. He is a son of John 
 and Isabel (Thorn) Beattie, both na- 
 tives of Scotland, the former of whom 
 came to America in 1836, the latter in 
 1837, both locating in Ashland county, 
 Ohio, where he became a prominent farmer 
 of his day. He died January 8, 1883, in 
 his sixty-eighth year; his widow still sur- 
 vives, now aged sixty-six. They were the 
 parents of eleven children, seven of whom 
 are now living, our subject being fifth in 
 the order of birth. 
 
 A. M. Beattie received his primary edu- 
 cation in the public schools of the vicinity 
 of his birthplace, afterward taking a course 
 in a Normal school. He then followed the 
 profession of school-teacher for some years, 
 and in the meantime commenced a system- 
 atic coarse of study of the law, under the 
 tutelage of Judge Curtiss, of Ashland. He 
 afterward took a course in the Law Depart- 
 ment of the State University of Indiana, 
 graduating in 1877, and in the spring of 
 1878 opened his law office in New London, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, the style of the firm be- 
 ing Laning & Beattie. The partnership 
 was dissolved in 1882, and Mr. Beattie 
 continued alone in the duties of his pro- 
 fession until 1884, when he was elected 
 
136 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 clerk of the courts of Huron county, fill- 
 inof this ofiice for the next six years. At 
 the end of his otticial term he resumed the 
 practice of the law, in which lie has ranked 
 from the very first as one of the leading, 
 safe members of tiie bar of northern Ohio, 
 prominent in his profession and widely 
 known as a leadin<r influential man. Mr. 
 Beattie at present is treasurer of the board 
 of education; lie is a stockholder in the 
 Laning Printing Company and its at- 
 torney, and attorney for the Home Savings 
 and Loan Company of Norwaik, Ohio. 
 
 A. M. Beattie and Dora Snllivan were 
 united in marriage April 15, 1879, and to 
 their union have been born two sons and 
 two daughters, namely: Blanche, Anna, 
 Walter and Homer. Mrs. Beattie was born 
 February 3, 1854, in Peimsylvania, and 
 moved with her parents to Ohio, while 
 quite young, making her home in Ashtabula 
 county, till her marriage. Her parents, 
 Josiah and Phebe A. (Hopkins) Sullivan, 
 were natives of Mew York State, where 
 they were both born in 1825. 
 
 EV. N". C. HELFPJCH, pastor of 
 the Presbyterian Churcli of Ply- 
 mouth, was born February 9, 1837, 
 in Crawford county, Ohio. Peter 
 and Margaret (Burnett) Helfrich, 
 natives of Germany, emigrated to Amer- 
 ica in the "twenties," and finding a home 
 in Crawford county, Ohio, engaged at 
 once in agriculture. Of their family of 
 five children — three sons and two daugh- 
 ters — the subject of this sketch is the 
 youngest. Peter Helfrich was an officer 
 in Napoleon Bonaparte's army, but after 
 settlin": in Ohio he gave all his attention 
 to pastoral pursuits. 
 
 N. C. Helfrich obtained a primary edu- 
 cation in the public schools of his native 
 place, which was supplemented by a course 
 in Iberia (now Central) College. He 
 graduated in 1868, and was appointed pro- 
 fessor of mathematics, a position he tilled 
 
 most satisfactorily for three years. In 
 1868 he entered Union Theological Semi- 
 nary, N. Y., and graduating from that in- 
 stitution in 1870 he was called to the 
 pastorate of the Presbyterian Church at 
 New Concord, Ohio, where he remained 
 six years. From 1876 to 1889 he served 
 the churches at Newton Falls, Hayesville 
 and Weston, and in 1889 accepted a call 
 to the Plymouth Church, of which he is 
 regular pastor, as he also was over his 
 other charges. Mr. Helfrich is a close 
 student and an earnest worker, and being 
 endowed with a strong constitution, he is 
 in every way well fitted for the profession 
 he selected. 
 
 His marriage with Miss Josephine Gra- 
 ham took place August 23, 1866, at 
 Gallon, Ohio. She died in 1873, and on 
 August 26, 1875, he married Miss Carrie 
 Marquis. Their home is the center of 
 Presbyterian unity in Columbus, Ohio. 
 He accepted a call to the West Broad 
 street Presbyterian Church of that city in 
 August, 1893. 
 
 W. GRAHAM. The subject of 
 this biographical memoir is a 
 typical American, not alone by 
 birth, but also because of his 
 characteristic push, energy and progress- 
 iveness; and of those whose names will 
 remain permanently associated with the 
 development of enterprises of magnitude, 
 there is none deserving of more promi- 
 nence in the pages of this volume. 
 
 Mr. Graham was born in Wayne county, 
 W. Y., in 1842, a son of Zachariah and 
 Lydia (Carrier) Graham, the former of 
 whom, a blacksmith by trade, was born of 
 Scotch ancestry, in Cayuga county, N. Y., 
 the latter being a native of New York 
 City. The father died in 1852, at tiie aije 
 of fifty-four years, the mother in 1888, 
 when seventy-nine years old; our subject's 
 paternal grandparents died at very ad- 
 vanced ages, the grandfather when ninety- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 137 
 
 seven years old, the grandmother when 
 one luiridred and four. 
 
 At the age of thirteen, W. W. Graham 
 left the paternal roof-tree, and turning his 
 face toward the setting sun, boldly ad- 
 vanced westward in the direction of the 
 fertile State of Illinois, arriving in 1859 
 at Urbana, Champaign county. For 
 twentj-two years he resided here, engaged, 
 the greater part of the time, in mercantile 
 pursuits. In 1861, on the first call for 
 troops to suppress the Rebellion, he 
 offered his service in the army to the 
 Union cause, but was rejected on account 
 of his youth; however, on the second call 
 for troops. May 1, 1861, he enlisted in 
 Company K, Twenty-fifth 111. V. I., under 
 Gen. Sigel, serving in the army of the 
 Southwest. The first battle in which he 
 participated was Pea Ridge, and afterward 
 he was quartered at RoUa, Mo., until the 
 following- spring. After eighteen month's 
 service, he was detailed for special duty, and 
 at the close of the war he was at Memphis, 
 Tenn., while his regiment was stationed at 
 Vicksburg, Miss. He was honorably dis- 
 charged at Sedalia, Mo., as corporal, and 
 returned to his home in Urbana, 111. He 
 was there engaged in the dry-goods busi- 
 ness until 1880, in which year he came to 
 Ohio, having been appointed paymaster 
 for the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad 
 Company. While serving in that capacity 
 he did some railroad contracting, and as 
 he could not be engaged in both businesses 
 at the same time, he in 1884 resigned his 
 paymastership, since when he has given 
 his almost exclusive attention to contract- 
 ing. He contracted for and built nearly 
 all the bridges, and furnished the bulk of 
 the ties, for the Wheeling & Lake Erie 
 Railroad; and within the past eight years 
 the amount of his contracting has reached 
 the large sum of one and one-halt' million 
 dollars. During the four years he served 
 as paytnaster on the road, he paid out over 
 three and one-half million dollars, without 
 ever making any mistake amounting to as 
 much as fifty dollars. During the past 
 
 year he built seventy miles of bridges for 
 the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. The Lake 
 Erie Tobacco Company had been organized 
 at Cleveland, Ohio, but on account of ad- 
 verse circumstances of some nature was 
 about to go into insolvency. This concern 
 Mr. Grabam and others bought and moved 
 to Norwalk, where they placed it on a firm 
 and promising basis, and it is now in a 
 flourishing condition. 
 
 In 1864 W. W. Graham was united in 
 marriage, at Urbana, 111., with Miss 
 Nellie M. Griggs, whose father was general 
 contractor for the Wheeling & Lake Erie 
 Railroad. In 1887 Mrs. Graham was 
 called from earth, leaving two children. 
 Maude and King. In 1890 our subject 
 married Miss Carrie M. Rude, of Sandusky, 
 Ohio. Mr. Graham is a F. & A. M., 
 32nd degree, and a member of the Mystic 
 Shrine at Cleveland. 
 
 ^Tr^EV. JOSEPH BLASER, pastor of 
 
 IJ^T^ St. Alphonsus Church, Peru, Ohio, 
 
 I \^ ^^® born November 8, 1846, at 
 
 J) Schlier, in the Kingdom of Wur- 
 
 temberg, South Germany, a son of 
 
 Anton and Crescentia Blaser, who belonged 
 
 to the agricultural class. 
 
 Their parents and ancestors for genera- 
 tions were farmers, perhaps as far back as 
 the time when tlie bearded and pious 
 Eberhard V was created Duke of Wur- 
 temberg, by Maximilian I, in 1494. The 
 youth, Joseph, received a practical educa- 
 tion in his native town of Schlier, and 
 when fourteen years old was so far advanced 
 in study as to warrant his parents sending 
 him to the famous Jesuit College at Feld- 
 kirch, Austria. There he completed his 
 study of the classics, and thence was sent 
 to Eichstadt, Bavaria, to study philosophy 
 and theology. In 1870, when he was 
 twenty-three years and six months old, he 
 was ordained priest, and l)ecame assistant 
 pastor at Basel, Switzerland. Six weeks 
 after he was appointed pastor at Klein - 
 lutzel, Switzerland, and there had charge 
 
138 
 
 HUIi02i COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 of a congregation of 1,100 souls, and 
 was director of three schools. For two 
 years he labored at Kleinlutzel, and here 
 won golden opinions. In 1874 Father 
 Blaser left Europe, then in a much dis- 
 turbed condition, called Culturkanipf, to 
 seek a home in the New World, and com- 
 ing to Ohio, found a resting place for a 
 time. 
 
 Some tin)e after his arrival at Cleveland, 
 he was appointed, by the late Rt. Rev. 
 Bishop of the diocese, pastor of the 
 churches at Nordridge and Mud Creek, in 
 Defiance county. At Mud C)'eek he built 
 a neat frame church, and, under his admin- 
 istration of three years, progress was 
 unmistakable. Bishop Gilmour trans- 
 ferred him to Millersville, Sandusky 
 county, where he erected an elegant resi- 
 dence and enlarged and restored the old 
 church. After ten years and eight months 
 of pastoral labor, he was removed from 
 Millersville and appointed, by Bishop Gil- 
 mour, to his present charge. His resto- 
 ration and enlargement of the church 
 building here, and its conversion into a 
 modern Gothic house, pronounce him a 
 luan of culture aud taste. 
 
 JOSEPH ROE Mcknight. The sub- 
 ject of this sketch, whose portrait is 
 seen on the opposite page, would, if 
 called upon, disclaim any of that kind 
 of modesty which would exclude him from 
 these pages; not that he is so egotistical 
 as to believe his own achievements entitle 
 him to public notice; but because he 
 deems it honorable and just to associate 
 liimself at all opportune times, both in 
 name and person, with good men and good 
 deeds. 
 
 His ancestral line, both paternal and 
 maternal, runs unbroken to what is known 
 as Scotch-Irish people. He was born on a 
 farm in Richland county, Ohio, on the 
 25th day of Decemlier, 1853. His father's 
 name was John Beard McKnight; his 
 mother's maiden name was Susanna Lori- 
 
 mor. The fifth one of eight children, he 
 is the only member of his father's family 
 living. His father died on the 16th day 
 of August, 1865; his mother on the 24th 
 day of May, 1893. His youth and early 
 manhood were spent on a farm, where les- 
 sons of industry are practically and continu- 
 ously taught. His educational training was 
 obtained at a country-district school, sup- 
 plemented by one year at Ohio Central 
 College, and a three- months' terra at Iron 
 City College. 
 
 Mr. McKnight was married to Sarah 
 Jeimette McCullough, on the 14th day of 
 April, 1874, at the home of her mother in 
 Mansfield, Ohio, and they immediately 
 went to house-keeping on the farm on 
 which he was born. Although inured to 
 farm life, it had always been distasteful to 
 him, which caused him to seek a favorable 
 opportunity to change his business, which 
 opportunity was found in 1880, at which 
 time he engaged in the 'drug business in 
 Shelby, Ohio. Having conceived a very 
 great liking for the law as a profession, he 
 commenced the study of it in connection 
 with the drug business, using what spare 
 moments he couid find, without neglecting 
 his other interests, in reading law. In the 
 summer of 1886 he disposed of his inter- 
 est in thejdrug business, and on the 5th day 
 of October, in same year, was at Colum- 
 bus, Ohio, admitted to the practice of law. 
 On "the 22nd day of November, of the same 
 year, in partnership with George T. Thomas, 
 he opened a law office in Norwalk, Ohio. At 
 first business came slowly, but an increas- 
 ing acquaintanceship bi'ought an increase 
 in clientage, and it was not long until he 
 had every reason to be satisfied with his 
 choice of profession and location. 
 
 No careful observer can well doubt that 
 the administration of the county prosecut- 
 ing attorney's office exerts a co-ordinate 
 influence which penetrates and inoculates 
 the sociology of its own and surrounding 
 counties, making it one of the most impor- 
 tant offices in a county. In 1891 Mr. Mc- 
 Knight was elected to this office in Huron 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 141 
 
 county, Ohio. Entering upon the duties 
 of the office on the first Monday of Janu- 
 ary, 1892, he has, witli the utmost in- 
 tegrity, faithfully and impartially adminis- 
 tered the affairs of the olKce. Ilis domes- 
 tic relations are congenial; he and his 
 wife have three children: Edna Ninetta, 
 John Eronsou, and Ethel Bird. 
 
 FEREY TILLSON, a representative 
 well-to-do agriculturist of Norwalk 
 township, was born in Peru, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, September 3, 1855, on 
 the farm where his grandfather, 
 Thomas Tillson, had settled in 1816. 
 
 Our subject is a son of the late Rufus 
 Tillson, who was born in Butternuts, Mass., 
 a son of the Thomas Tillson above men- 
 tiom.'d, a weaver by trade. Thomas mar- 
 ried Martha Stewart in his native State, 
 and in 1816 he came alone on foot to 
 Huron county, Ohio; two years later his 
 wife followed him, making the trip on 
 horseback, carrying in her arms her first 
 born, Rufns, who afterward became the 
 fatherof the subject of this sketch. Thomas 
 Tillson made a settlement in Peru town- 
 ship, where were born the rest of his 
 family, to wit: Stephen, who moved to 
 Chicago, 111., where he practiced law in an 
 early day, and died in Iowa; Harriet, mar- 
 ried to Alba 0. Turner, and died in 
 Wyandot county, Ohio; and Thomas, de- 
 ceased. The father of this family passed 
 tiie rest of his useful life in Peru town- 
 ship, dying in 1844, the owner of 450 
 acres oi land, the greater part of which he 
 had cleared himself. He had extensive 
 farming interests, employing a large num- 
 ber of hands; and beitig a o-ood manao-er 
 he made a success. His first dwelling was 
 the traditional log cabin, but later he 
 erected substantial and capacious build- 
 ings. He also conducted a tavern tor the 
 benefit of wayfarers — in those days 
 chiefly "freighters" and persons traveling 
 
 from the lake to the southern part of the 
 State. In politics he was a Wliig, in re- 
 ligious faith a Universalist. His wifesur- 
 vived him some years, and they lie side by 
 side in Peru cemetery. 
 
 Rufus Tillson, eldest son of Thomas 
 Tillson, was born in Massachusetts, May 
 19, 1818, and was, as has already been 
 stated, an infant when brought to Peru 
 township, Huron county. He received 
 such education as the subscription schools 
 of his boyhood days afforded, proving an 
 apt student, and, compared with the rest 
 oi the scholars, an expert mathematician 
 and good penman. He was i-eared to agri- 
 cultural pursuits, and continued to con- 
 duct the home farm till 1882, after which 
 he lived a retired life until his decease in 
 July, 1890; his remains were laid to rest 
 in Peru cemetery. First a Whig, later a 
 Republican, his maiden Presidential vote 
 was cast for William H. Hari'ison. He 
 was a great reader, intelligent above the 
 average, most unassuming and a despisei- 
 of shams. As an all-round farmer he made 
 a success, and took a close interest in the 
 many details of agriculture, including the 
 care of stock. Rufus Tillson was twice 
 married, first time, in 1841, to Miss Julia 
 Perry, a native of New Jersey, daughter 
 of Joseph Perry, and the children of this 
 union are as follows: Irving- a farmer of 
 Peru township, Huron county; Annette, 
 now wife of E. P. Snyder, also a farmer of 
 Peru township, and Perry, the subject 
 proper of sketch. The mother of these 
 died in 1873, and for his second wife 
 Rufus Tillson married Mrs. A. J. Canfield. 
 
 Perry Tillson passed his boyhood in 
 much the same way as most country boys 
 — working on the farm in summer and 
 attending in winter the district school, 
 where he received all his education, except- 
 ing what he gleaned dnrinjj a few terms at 
 the normal school in Milan, Erie county. 
 He has been a farmer all his dai^s, and 
 after marriage he and his wife purchased 
 the property where they now reside in 
 Norwalk township, near Norwalk, known 
 
142 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 as the old Lewis farm, it having been pur- 
 chased by Mr. Lewis in 1815, and was the 
 second farm settled in the township. 
 
 In 1881 Mr. Tillson was married to 
 Grace M. Clapp, daughter of Aro Clapp, 
 of Norwalk township, where she was born 
 February 12, 1860. The children of this 
 marriage were: Carl Dean, born May 6, 
 1884, died Febrnary 20, 1887; Howard 
 Clapp, born June 20, 1886, and Helen 
 Lucile, born May 16, 1893. Mr. Tillson 
 is a very successful farmer, and while he 
 raises considerable grain and potatoes, 
 makes a specialty of dairying, selling milk 
 to the milkmen for the city trade. In 1889 
 he replaced the old house (built about the 
 year 1830 by Mr. Lewis') with a handsome 
 residence, and in 1891 he put up a second 
 house for the use of his hired help. These 
 and other improvements, together with the 
 natural fine buildiog s]jot the farm affords, 
 make their place an ideal country home. 
 Politically Mr. Tillson is a Republican, 
 and, although not a member of any Church, 
 lie attends the TJniversalist, and contributes 
 to its support. 
 
 ARDNER roUXG. The rugged 
 hills of New England have seem- 
 ingly imparted a strength of charac- 
 <^ ter to those born and bred beneath 
 their shadow, which iiarmonizes well 
 with the aspect of Nature in the Granite 
 and Green Mountain States. Strong men 
 and true have breathed the bracing air of 
 New England, and gone forth from the 
 borders to found new homes, there im- 
 planting those principles of honor and en- 
 terprise characteristic of their native States. 
 From such ancestors is descended the sub- 
 ject of this sketch. 
 
 Josiah Young was born February 25, 
 1780, in New Hampshire, passing his 
 boyhood on the home farm, and in 1804 
 was there married to Mary Bardin, a native 
 of the same State, born in 1785. They 
 remained in New Hampshire until about 
 1812, when they removed to Rochester, 
 
 Windsor Co., Vt. On May 2, 1836, Josiah 
 Young, accompanied by his son, Gardner, 
 set out on an exploring expedition, intend- 
 ing to find a home in the then "Far 
 West." Tiieir route was from Whitehall, 
 N. Y., to Albany, thence via the Erie Canal 
 to Buffalo, from there sailing on Lake Erie 
 to a northern Ohio port, then proceeding 
 to Akron, Ohio, where they visited friends. 
 From Akron they walked to De Kalb 
 county, Ind., where the father purchased 
 land, and, leaving liis son Gardner in 
 cliarge, returned to Vermont for the fam- 
 ily. While en route to his new home, 
 Josiah Young was persuaded by some rela- 
 tives to locate in Ohio, and consequently 
 he bouglit 117 acres near North Monrue- 
 ville in Ridgetield township, Huron county, 
 wliere he died September 18, 1870, wiien 
 nearly ninety-one years of age. He was 
 an indulgent husband and father, finding 
 his chief pleasures in domestic life, and a 
 zealous member of the First M. E. Church 
 of Monroeville. He was one of the found- 
 ers of that Church, and in addition to 
 
 liberal contribution, made a valuable gift 
 
 .... 
 to the congregation. In political opinion 
 
 he 'was formerly a Whig, afterward uniting 
 with the Republican party, of which he 
 was an enthusiastic supporter. Mrs. Young 
 was laid to rest February 10, 1880, at the 
 age of ninety-four years, and was buried 
 beside her husband in the cemetery at 
 North Monroeville. Their children were 
 as follows: Reuben, who left Vermont and 
 went west, wliere all trace of him was lost; 
 Lorenzo, first married in Vermont (he 
 came west after the death of his wife, and 
 was married to Lena Mackey; he died in 
 Monroe county, Mich.); Orrilla, widow of 
 Mahlon Young, is living in Norwalk, Ohio; 
 Gardner, whose sketch follows; Sophronia, 
 who died August 23, 1893, while in Chica- 
 go attending the World's Fair (she was tlie 
 widow of Joel P. Brown, of Lenawee 
 county, Mich.); Mary, deceased wife of 
 Lewis Pearce; Martha, married to Isaac 
 DeWitt, of Ridgetield town^hip; Joseph, 
 deceased farmer of Ridgetield township; 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 143 
 
 Ellen, wife of Milton Margatt, of Oakland, 
 Cai.; and John, a resident of Norwalk, 
 Ohio. 
 
 Gardner Youncr was born Deceinber 23, 
 1815, in Koeliester, Windsor Co., Vt., 
 there receiving his early education. After 
 coming to Ohio he learned the cooper 
 trade, but followed it only a short time. 
 On September 6, 1847, he selected a life 
 coitipanion in the person of Martha, daugh- 
 ter of John and Hannah (Austin) Warren, 
 born in 1822, in Vermont, where the mar- 
 riage took place. The younuj couple im- 
 mediately came to Ridgetield township, 
 Huron county, Ohio, where he had pre- 
 viously pui'chased land. In 1870 Mrs. 
 Young met with a fatal accident. She 
 was returning from Mouroeville in a 
 buggy by lierself, when her horse became 
 frightened at a hand-car and ran away. 
 After running with iier nearly two miles, 
 8he fell from the buggy, was picked up in- 
 sensible, and lived but a few minutes. 
 She was the mother of the following chil- 
 dren: Henry J., a farmer of Sumner 
 county, Kans.; Clara A., deceased in early 
 youth; Charles S., a real estate man of 
 San Francisco, Cal.; Alice L. and Albert 
 W. (twins), the former a school teacher, 
 the latter a farmer in Colorado; Jennie, 
 who died in 1882; Jessie, living at iiome, 
 and Cora B., a resident of San Francisco, 
 California. 
 
 In 1880 Mr. Young moved to his present 
 home in Monroeville, where he lives in 
 semi-retirement, simply superintending the 
 care of his property. He has been a most 
 successful business man. In politics lie 
 is a loading Republican, formerly a Whig, 
 and has served in various local offices. All 
 of his children enjoy the advantages of a 
 college education. 
 
 I A. NICOLLS was born May 12, 
 k. I 1827, in Lock. Cayuga Co., N. Y., a 
 }^) son of John and Sarah (Peck) Nicolls. 
 William Nicolls, his grandfather, a 
 native of New York, was in the service of 
 his country during the entire seven years 
 
 of the Kevolutionary war. The father of 
 8ul)ject, also a native of New York, was a 
 soldier in the war of 1812, serving 
 tliri)Ughout that conflict, and was in the 
 battle of Fort George under Gen. Schuyler. 
 
 In 1837 John Nicolls came to Ohio, 
 locating in Bronson township, Huron 
 county, and cleared off a farm, becoming 
 a prominent farmer in the township, where 
 he died in 1845. His widow was after- 
 ward granted a pension for his services in 
 the war; she died in 1876, aged eio-hty- 
 five years. Tiieir children were seven in 
 number, as follows: William, who died 
 when aged twenty-five, unmarried; Lorina, 
 Mrs. Hagermann, of Bronson township; 
 Samantha; Newell Ray, who died in 1865, 
 aged forty-five; J. A., subject of sketch; 
 George, of Bronson township, and one de- 
 ceased in infancy. 
 
 J. A. Nicolls was ten years of age when 
 he came with the family to Ohio. He at- 
 tended the common schools of that period, 
 the days of the primitive log schoolhouses, 
 where eauli pupil furnished so much wood, 
 as well as paying the teacher. When he 
 was fifteen years old he commenced to 
 work out as a hired man at six dollars per 
 month, which money all went to help sup- 
 port the family. He thus labored four 
 years, tilling the land on shares, when he 
 went into debt and bought a farm. By 
 working hard and saving closely, and buy- 
 ing other land on credit, in the end he 
 paid off all the accumulated debts, to the 
 sum of over four thousand two hundred 
 dollars (including six years interest), with 
 several lucky years' crops. He continued 
 to follow farming till 1877. 
 
 On August 24^ 1870, J. A. Nicolls and 
 Miss Rosanna Fisher were united in mar- 
 riage by Rev. John Hawker, and to them 
 were born four children, as follows: Ralph, 
 Dean, Jessie and John A. lu 1877 the 
 family removed to Norwalk, and made ex- 
 tensive investments in real estate, at the 
 same time farming and dealing extensively 
 in stock. Mr. Nicolls has served accept- 
 ably as township assessor during seven 
 
144 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 successive terms; he was also township 
 clei-k, and for about three years was post- 
 master at Bronson, having his appointtneiit 
 (which was signed by President Fillmore) 
 still in his possession. One of his Nor- 
 walk entei'prises was the erection, in the 
 fall and winter of 1877, of the elegant 
 "NicoUs Block,'' whieii was burned in 
 September, 1888; but he rebuilt it at once, 
 and still owns the fine property; he also 
 owns 270 acres of land in Bronson town- 
 ship, and the elegant grocery house build- 
 ing on Benedict avenue, in Norwalk. In 
 1S76 he built his elegant residence on 
 Norwood avenue, where the fatnily now 
 resides, the grounds around which include 
 about three acies, tastefully laid out and 
 highly ornamented, making, altogether, one 
 of the finest homes in the city. Mr. Nicolls 
 did not go into the army to put down the 
 rebellion, having an aged mother and aunt 
 to care for; but he gave liberally of his 
 means to those that did enlist for their 
 country's protection. Politically he is an 
 active Prohibitionist, having enlisted with 
 the party at its commencement. 
 
 CHARLES M. NIVER, prominent 
 among the most prosperous and in- 
 fluential of the farmers of Norwich 
 township, Huron county, is a native 
 of the same, born in 1835. 
 
 C. B. Niver, father of the subject of 
 this sketch, came in 1833 from Orange 
 county, N. Y., to Norwdch township, 
 Huron county, where he settled on a farm 
 of 600 acres, part of which he sold to his 
 brothers, owning at the time of his death 
 250 acres of valuable land which he had 
 cleared. He was by trade a wagon maker, 
 but after coming to Huron county devoted 
 his attention exclusively to agriculture. 
 He married Miss Emily Moore, of Seneca 
 county, N. Y., and four children were 
 born to them, viz.: Laura J. and John M. 
 (both deceased), Albert E. and Charles M. 
 The father died in 1886, in politics a solid 
 Republican. 
 
 Charles M. Niver, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, was born on his father's farm, 
 and was there reared to agricultural pur- 
 suits, attetiding during the winter months 
 the public schools of the neighborhood of 
 his place of birth. He now owns 151 
 acres of prime land, where he successfully 
 carries on general farming. Politically he 
 follows in the footsteps of his father, being 
 an uncompromising Republican. 
 
 GALVIN WHITNEY. The flexibil- 
 ity of American genius — the ability 
 to project and successfully manipu- 
 late the details of a new business, after 
 having for a protracted period conducted 
 one, perhaps diametrically different in its 
 nature — is one of its distinguishing char- 
 acteristics. This easy transition from an 
 old to a new vocation may be said to lie 
 at the bottom of nearly all great material 
 development in the United States. 
 
 Capitalists, who for the most part are 
 discreet in their investments, embark in 
 new enterprises only when tlie way has 
 been carefully mapped out by this quality 
 of genius, and liberal returns are insured; 
 and, as a consummation of plans and ven- 
 tures of men of this type, on grass-covered 
 prairies have sprung up towns and cities 
 where the incessant hum and roar of in- 
 dustry in all its phases is the ^Eolian 
 music of commerce and trade. Thus capi- 
 talists, who furnish employment to the 
 masses by the establishment of such 
 enterprises, become our greatest bene- 
 factors — our practical philanthropists — 
 to whom the public owe no less a debt of 
 gratitude than to men of letters, to the 
 statesmen, or to the soldier. In this con- 
 nection we here introduce a brief bio- 
 graphical sketch of Mr. Calvin Whitney, 
 president of the A. B. Chase Company, 
 of Norwalk, one of the leading industries 
 of the kind in the country, and certainly 
 the leading one in the State of Ohio. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 145 
 
 The Whitney family are of English 
 origin, Henry Whitney, grandsire of the 
 branch of the family in tliis country, hav- 
 inor been born in the "ti<xht little island'' 
 about the year 1020. Immigrating to this 
 country, he became a pioneer of the, then, 
 New England Colonies, and the family 
 lived for successive generations in and 
 around the vicinity of Norwalk, Conn., 
 until the migrating therefrom of Henry 
 Whitney, grandfather of the subject of 
 this sketch, as will be presenlly related. 
 
 This last mentioned Henry Whitney 
 was born in 1791, in Norvvalk, Conn., 
 where lie married Miss Lucy Grumman, 
 afterward moving to the western border of 
 civilization, and, in 1819, settling in what 
 is now Shelby, Kichland Co., Ohio. To 
 this honored pioneer couple were born 
 eleven children, ten of whom lived till 
 after the youngest had passed the fiftieth 
 milestone on the highway of life. One of 
 these children, by name Charles, born Sep- 
 tember 23, 1812, in his younger days fol- 
 lowed blacksmithing and farming-, and he 
 is now a resident of North Fairtield, Ohio, 
 a hale and hearty octogenarian. He mar- 
 ried a widow lady whose maiden name 
 was Koxanna Palmer, and they became 
 the parents of si.x children, the eldest of 
 whom, Palmer, gave every promise of a 
 bright career, but at the age of nineteen 
 he enlisted in Company A, Twenty-fourth 
 Regiment O. V. 1., and after a gallant 
 service in the Federal cause was mortally 
 wounded at the battle of Shiloli; Anne, 
 the second child, died in infancy; Calvin, 
 John L., Richard B. and Idalia L. are yet 
 living. 
 
 Calvin Whitney was born in Townsend, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, September 25, 1846. 
 As a boy he pursued the usual vocations of 
 farm life during the summer seasons, in 
 winter time attending the common schools 
 of the neighborhood, where he developed 
 an ambition for learning, and exhibited a 
 special fondness for mathematics. He 
 proved an apt and diligent scholar, and by 
 close study at home by the cheerless light 
 
 of a tallow candle, and daily encouraged 
 by a loving, patient, painstaking mother, 
 he succeeded in mastering the elements of 
 an English education; and when at the age 
 of fifteen he found his school days termi- 
 nated, he had acquired a higher mental 
 discipline than many whose advantages in 
 that respect had been greater. Something 
 he learned also — the greatest lesson of life 
 — to think for himself. 
 
 At the age of eighteen Mr. Whitney 
 began business for his own account by 
 taking a farm to work on shares, but a hail- 
 storm came and destroyed his crops, which 
 disaster he interpreted as an ill-omen, 
 and concluding that Providence did not 
 design him for a farmer (to use his own 
 words), he determined to change his voca- 
 tion. Accordingly, in the fall of 1865, hus- 
 banding his means — some four hundred 
 dollars — he went West and opened out a 
 hardwood lumber business, on a scale such 
 as his finances admitted, soon established 
 a credit, and so made the venture a success 
 from the outset. Under his care the busi- 
 ness grew rapidly, and for several years 
 before he commenced to withdraw his at- 
 tention from it, and look after matters of 
 still greater magnitude, the lumber sales 
 aggregated from one hundred and fifty 
 thousand to two hundred thousand dollars 
 per annum. 
 
 But notM'ithstanding the extensive and 
 remunerative trade in this line of industry 
 which he had built up, Mr. Whitney was 
 ever on the '' qiii lu'tv," watching for pos- 
 sibilities in other dii'ections. In the fall 
 of 1875 lie assisted in organizing the A. 
 B. Chase Organ Company, for the purpose 
 of manufacturing reed organs, the capital 
 stock of the concern being then fifty thou- 
 sand dollars. Of this company he was a 
 director until April, 1877, when, on the 
 death of Mr. A. B. Chase, he was unani- 
 mously elected president of the same. 
 Now, after fifteen consecutive years of 
 assiduous duty, he still occupies the re- 
 sponsible position, and it may be added 
 that since his administration, the business 
 
146 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 has grown extensively in its proportions. 
 The following excerpt from the com- 
 pany's latest statistical statement speaks 
 for itself: 
 
 September 1, 1875. Charter was granted and 
 Company organized to manufacture Organs and 
 Pianos. January 1, 1876. First factory building 
 erected, 40 x 100 feet, three stories, frame. July 1, 
 1876. The first organ was completed. July 1, 
 lyyO. First addition, 40 x 80 feet, three stories, 
 completed. September 1, 1880. Entire factory 
 destroyed by fire. Loss, $05,000. January 1, 1881. 
 Brick factory erected, 40 x 200 feet, three storie?. 
 July 1, 1S8:J. Brick addition, 56x150 feet, three 
 stories, completed. January 1, 1886. Commenced 
 the manufacture of pianos. July 1, 1890. Second 
 addition, 56 x 85 feet, completed. 
 
 STATISTICAL RECORD. 
 
 At this date, January, 1892, about 200 men are 
 employed in the manufacture and sale of their 
 goods, 25 dillerenl styles of Pianos, and 70 different 
 styles of Organs are now being made; 200 Organs 
 and 100 Pianos are turned out each month. 30,- 
 000 Pianos and Organs have been made and sold 
 by this Company in the United States since it 
 was organized. $10,000 is paid out by them each 
 month for wages alone $1,250,000 has been paid 
 for labor in this county by this Co. since it com- 
 menced business. $2,500,000 worth of instruments 
 have been sold by them. These have gone into all 
 parts of the world, and the money returned to 
 Norwalk, where a large proportion of it has been 
 spent for labor and material. ^ 
 
 With superior business tact the sale of 
 the instruments has been pushed into not 
 only the rural districts, but into all the 
 great business centers, in the metropolitan 
 cities, in all parts of the United States, 
 besides a considerable export trade to Can- 
 ada, Australia and Europe. Mr. Whitney 
 gradually withdrew from the lumber busi- 
 ness, and for the past three years has given 
 his undivided attention to the manufactur- 
 ing business at JS'orwalk. 
 
 Calvin Whitney was united in marriage, 
 November 5, 18G8, to Miss Marian, daugh- 
 ter of Royal Cady and Marian (Smith) 
 Dean, of Townsend, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 and this union has been blessed with four 
 children, viz.: Marian Daisy, Ruby L., 
 Ida C. and Warren C. After spending 
 one year of married life in the West, Mr. 
 and Mrs. Wltitney removed to Norwalk, 
 where they now live in a comfortable and 
 commodious residence on West Main street, 
 
 surrounded by an interesting and growing 
 family, and an abundance of everything 
 that can make life worth living. 
 
 Although so natch pressed by business 
 cares, Mr. AVhitney finds time to attend 
 to social, domestic and religious matters. 
 He and his wife united with the First 
 Methodist Church of Norwalk in Feb- 
 ruary, 1875, and he is a prominent lay- 
 man in that Society. In 1884 he repre- 
 sented the laymen of Northern Ohio in 
 the general 'Conference at Philadelphia, 
 Peiin, and assisted in the electing of five 
 bishops. In 1888 he attended the general 
 Conference at New York in similar ca- 
 pacity, and assisted in the election of six 
 bishops. Mr. Whitney's parents were 
 members of the Baptist Church for over 
 fifty years, and have imparted much of 
 their religious zeal to their son. He do- 
 nated ten thousand dollars to the Church 
 Extension Society of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church, for the purpose of building 
 churches in the Far West; and in honor of 
 his beloved wife, this is known as the 
 "Marian Whitney Fimd." 
 
 John W. roorback, for over 
 k. I sixty years a resident of New Lon- 
 ^J/ don township, where he is held in 
 the highest esteem both as a loyal 
 citizen and an industrious agriculturist, is 
 a native of Orange county, Ind., born Jan- 
 uary 12, 1824. 
 
 John Roorback, his father, born in 
 Adams county, Penn., in 1796. married Miss 
 Ann Spooner, a native of Yates county, N. 
 Y., born in 1800, and five children came 
 to them, namely: Martha A., Mary B., 
 Frederick S., John W. and Jillizabeth, the 
 last named dying at the age of two years. 
 In 1825 John Roorback and his, then, 
 little family, moved to Yates county, N. Y., 
 and in 1830 came to Huron county, Ohio, 
 locating in New London township, at the 
 time when there were but eight voters be- 
 sides himself in the township. The 
 country was very wild, and turkeys, deer 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 147 
 
 and other animals were numerous, afford- 
 ing plenty of sport and supplying an un- 
 limited amount of food. John Roorback 
 died in 1S(!2, his wife in 1879. Martha A., 
 died in 1892. 
 
 John W. Roorback, whose name intro- 
 duces this sketch, attended the primitive 
 subscription schools of the neighborhood 
 of his new home in Huron county, at the 
 same time assisting his father in the clear- 
 ing of the land. In 1855 he married Miss 
 Rebecca J. JfcConnell, and one child was 
 born to them — Annie, wife of Reter Rob- 
 ertson, by whom she has three children: 
 Nellie J., John W., and Gordon. The 
 mother of these dying in 1874, Mr. Roor- 
 back married, for his second wife, in 1878, 
 Miss Eva Doty, by which union there are 
 two cliildren: Marie and Paul J. Our 
 subject in his political sympathies is a 
 straight Democrat, and has served with 
 great credit as township trustee. He is 
 enterprising and public-spirited, and is 
 ever to be found on the side of progres- 
 slveness and good government. 
 
 f[J ENRY F. BROWN, dairy farmer 
 IpH and milk dealer, is a son of Frank 
 I 1| Brown, whose father was born in 
 •J) Connecticut. The latter afterward 
 
 moved to New York, and pur- 
 purchased 300 acres of land near Bing- 
 hamton, where he died. 
 
 Frank Brown was born iu Counecticut, 
 afterward moving with his parents to 
 Broome county, N. Y^., where he followed 
 agricultural pursuits. When a young man 
 he was united in marriage with Susan 
 Rose, whose parents were of English de- 
 scent. Frank Brown in politics was a 
 Henry Clay Whig, in religion a member 
 of the Presbyterian Church. He died at 
 about the age of fifty-five years; his widow 
 is now living in Toledo, Ohio, in her 
 seventy-first year. They were the parents 
 of eight children, of whom Henry F. is 
 the eldest. 
 
 Henry F. Brown was born August 24, 
 1836, in Broome county, N. Y., and re- 
 ceived his education at the schools of 
 Binghamtou. About the year 1861 he 
 came to and settled in Norwalk, Ohio, and 
 was there married, in February, 1865, to 
 Ellen Brown, a native of Peru township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, of which locality her 
 parents were early settlers. Three sons 
 have blessed this union, as follows: George, 
 an engineer on the Wheeling & Lake Erie 
 Railroad; Hiram, livingat home, and Lewis, 
 attending school. After locating in Nor- 
 walk, Mr. Brown conducted a gristmill for 
 some time; then devoted his attention to 
 agricultural pursuits, which he has fol- 
 lowed in various localities. For the past 
 nineteen years he has resided on his pleas- 
 ant farm containing sixty-five acres, forty- 
 three of which are included within the 
 limits of Norwalk. He has conducted a 
 milk business about nine years, now own- 
 ing sixteen cows, and sells about one hun- 
 dred and fifty dollars' worth of milk per 
 month, buying milk also at wholesale to 
 furnish customers. Politically he is an 
 active member of the Republican party, 
 and in April, 1892, he was elected a mem- 
 ber of the city council from the Fourth 
 Ward. He has erected a pleasant dwell- 
 ing and commodious barn, ample evidence 
 in themselves of his prosperity. 
 
 ELSON O. ALLEN, son of Joseph 
 and Martha (I)evore) Allen, was 
 born in Richland county, Ohio, in 
 1858. Joseph Allen was a native of 
 the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, 
 and is a descendant of the pioneer Aliens of 
 the Valley of Virginia, whose names are 
 associated with agrarian affairs in Ireland 
 in the seventeenth and eighteenth centu- 
 ries, and with the Revolution here, in 
 M-hich many of them served their adopted 
 country. Martha (Devore) Allen is a na- 
 tive of liichland township, and the mother 
 of seven children, the subject of this sketch 
 being the eldest. 
 
148 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Nelson O. Allen grew to manhood in 
 Richland county. Less than a decade ago 
 he came to New London, and was engaged 
 as clerk in one of the honses there nntil 
 he became connected with tl)e D. J. C. 
 Arnold mannfactnring concern when it 
 was organized. His bnsiness ability was 
 so apparent that his connection with this 
 mannfacturing enterprise promised snc- 
 cess, and redeemed the promise. His 
 marriage with Josephine Reich, daughter 
 of Uriah and Mary Reicli, took place on 
 the eighth day of January, 1880, at New 
 London; she was born in Cleveland, Ohio. 
 Politically Mr. Allen is a Republican, one 
 of the most active members of the party 
 in Huron county. A representative of 
 his township in county and district con- 
 vention, and chairman of the New London 
 delegation in the county convention of 
 1891, he was nominated for sheriff on the 
 Republican ticket in 1892, and elected 
 ' sheriff in 1892. 
 
 In Society affairs our subject is a mem- 
 ber of the Independent Order of Odd 
 Fellows. He is a bright and progressive 
 young man, who can fill tlie dual role of 
 business man and politician with ease and 
 success. As sheriff of Huron county, the 
 administration of that office must be satis- 
 factory to all. 
 
 RTHUR. The families of this name 
 in Greenfield township are de- 
 scen<led from sturdy, honest Nortii- 
 of-Ireland people, for the most part 
 tillers of the spil. 
 John Arthur, grandfather of Robert 
 and William II. Arthur, of Greenfield 
 township, was a native of County Tyrone, 
 Ireland, where his son John was boi-n 
 February 18, 1795. This Joiin received 
 a practical education at the schools of his 
 native place, and was reared to agricultural 
 pursuits. He married Martha Easter, also 
 a native of County Tyrone, and to this 
 union was born, in Ireland, one child, 
 Margaret. In 1822 the family emigrated 
 
 to America, pushed westward from New 
 York to Huron county, Ohio, and settled 
 on a tract of land in Greenfield township. 
 There was a small clearing on this tract, 
 which was an extra inducement to the 
 stranger to purchase it for two dollars and 
 a half per acre. On this farm the other 
 children of the family were born, namely: 
 Ann J., who is now the widow of James 
 McPherson; Mary, widow of Thomas 
 Irwin; Robert and William H., sketches 
 of whom follow, and Catherine, who re- 
 sides in Greenfield township. Margaret, 
 the eldest child, married Alexancler Lewis, 
 and lived to be sixty-two years of age. 
 Tiie mother of this family died in 1879. 
 Joim Arthur was one of the most success- 
 ful pioneers of Greenfield township. His 
 farm grew from very small beginnings to 
 a tract of 700 acres, and wlien lie died, in 
 1888, this large place was highly improved 
 from end to end — the result of bis in- 
 domitable energy coupled with industry 
 and shrewdness. In political affairs he 
 aftiliated with the Democratic party, and 
 held various township offices, in which he 
 was always faithful in the discharge of his 
 duties. In religious matters he and his 
 wife were active members of the Congre- 
 gational Church, which they iielped or- 
 ganize, and were its main supporters in 
 this district. Mr. Arthur filled several 
 offices in this church. 
 
 Robert Arthur, eldest son of these 
 honored pioneers, was born March 4, 1829. 
 
 lie passed his lioyhood in the manner 
 common to pioneer children — farm work, 
 in one form or another, taking first place 
 in his training. On December 27, 1867, 
 he married Julia E. Cook, who was born 
 in Peru township, Huron county, daughter 
 of Wyatt Cook, a native of Mt. Holly, 
 Vt., who came to Huron county, Ohio, in 
 1818, settling in Peru township. Here 
 lie was married to Sophia Root, of Noi'th 
 Monroeville, and they resided in Peru 
 township until 1870, when they removed 
 to Fairfield township, where he died. 
 Their children were Sarah, Mrs. Spencer 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 149 
 
 Sumerlin; Chaimcey C, uow in Waterloo, 
 Iowa; Elma, deceased; Jay, deceased; 
 Anna and James, in Fairfield township; 
 and Jnlia E. In politics Mr. Cook was 
 originally a Whicr. afterward becoming a 
 Kepublican, and an ardent Abolitionist. 
 In religious belief he was from his youth 
 a member of the Freewill Baptist Church 
 at Greenfield. To Mr. and Mrs. Eobert 
 Arthur the following named children were 
 born: Mattie G., Clarence C, J. Vinton, 
 Laura A. and Fred K. Immediately after 
 his marriage he located on his present 
 farm. He is now the owner of 1,200 
 acres of choice land, and is the heaviest 
 tax-payer on real estate in his township. 
 In addition to carrying on general farm 
 work, he is also engaged in stock growing 
 and dealing in cattle. While he inherited 
 considerable land, he is personally deserv- 
 ing of great credit for the progress he has 
 made. Other young men could and would 
 liave dissipated the inheritance in a little 
 while; but over it and around it he has 
 built up a most valuable property, and has 
 become, if not the largest farmer in Huron 
 county, the largest, certainly, in Greenfield 
 township. Almost two square miles of 
 land tell of his acquisitions in a quarter of 
 a century, while his sheep and cattle speak 
 of the varied directions in which his agri- 
 cultural tastes run. A heavy wool-grower 
 and cattle dealer as well as an extensive 
 farmer, he appears to have developed the 
 very best principles of agriculture. His 
 residence is the finest in the township, 
 elegantly furnished and homelike. 
 
 A warm-hearted neighbor, and a most 
 lenient landlord, Mr. Arthur walks through 
 life unassumingly, as one who cannot 
 realize the important relation which he 
 bears to the community or the very high 
 place which he and his family hold in the 
 public estimation. Politically he is a 
 Democrat, and is an enthusiastic supporter 
 of his party. He and his wife are mem- 
 bers of the Congregational Church, in 
 which he has been a trustee for some 
 years. 
 
 William H. Arthur, second son of 
 John and Martha (Eastei-) Arthur, was 
 born February 20, 1831. 
 
 He received a fair education in the 
 common schools of his district, and snl)- 
 sequently labored on the home farm until 
 1867. when he married Jennie, daughter 
 of William H. Armstrong, of the same 
 township. To this marriage was born one 
 son, wlio died in infancy. Mrs. Arthur 
 died April 15, 1888, and was buried in 
 Steuben cemetery. After his marriage 
 Mr. Arthur located on the farm where he 
 now resides, but for the last quarter of a 
 century has not been actively engaged in 
 farm M'ork. Beyond the business of loan- 
 ing money on real estate, and collecting 
 rents from the tenants on his property, 
 his life is practically a retired one, so far 
 as business is concerned. He takes an 
 active interest in the success of the Demo- 
 cratic party; but althougli he has held 
 various township ofhees he is not a poli- 
 tician, and he has never sought office. 
 He is a member of the Congregational 
 Church, and for several years was a 
 trustee in that Society. He is a reader 
 and a close observer, conversant with the 
 times and manners, and well posted on 
 American public affairs. 
 
 ilLLIAM W. TWADDLE, one of 
 the most successful farmers of 
 Clarksfield township, was born 
 November 16, 1833, in Holmes 
 county, Ohio, the fourth son and twelfth 
 child of Alexander and Elizabeth (Ramage) 
 Twaddle. 
 
 William Twaddle was educated in the 
 district schools of Huron county (where 
 his family settled in 1836), a Miss Starr 
 being his first teacher. When school days 
 were over, he l)egan work as a farm hand 
 and ox driver at eighteen pence per day, 
 and from his savings he was enabled to 
 pay the shoemaker (Hinman) for the first 
 pair of boots he wore. On October 30, 
 
150 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1856, in South Milford, Iiid., he was mar- 
 ried to Sahra A. Pixley, who was horn in 
 October, 1838, in Clarksfield township, 
 daugliter of Eli and Czarina (Blackmail) 
 Pixley, who migrated from New York 
 State to La Grange county, Ind., and later 
 moved to Minnesota, where they died. 
 
 The following children came to the inar- 
 ch 
 
 riage of AVilliam W. and Sabra A. Twad- 
 dle: Herbert A., who married Sadie A. 
 Campbell, and lives in Clarkstield town- 
 ship; and Posa M., now Mrs. Xnland Lee, 
 of Lorain, Ohio. For about a year after 
 marriage they resided in an old log house 
 on the present farm. He then became 
 owner of the old Alexander Twaddle farm, 
 where he has since resided. For the last 
 two decades he has given much attention 
 to the dairy business, which he has carried 
 on in conjunction with general farming. 
 Since 18G7 he has been a Prohibitionist, 
 and voted that ticket when there were but 
 three votes cast for it in his township. 
 He has served as trustee of Clarksfield 
 township, and takes a deep interest in 
 local political affairs. His wife is an 
 active member of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, and both are highly respected 
 citizens of Huron county. 
 
 D.OPtR TWADDLE, a representative 
 I farmer of Huron county, was horn 
 ,'' March 28, 1852, in Clarksfield 
 
 township. He is a grandson of 
 Alexander Twaddle, and a son of John J. 
 Twaddle, who was born February 23, 1820, 
 in Jefferson county, Ohio. 
 
 John J. Tvvaddle passed his youth in 
 Holmes county, Ohio (where the family 
 lived from 1823 to 1836), and he experi- 
 enced all the hardships and privations in- 
 cident to the life of a pioneer boy, but he 
 was never found wanting in fidelity to his 
 parents or the work which he was called 
 upon to perform. He and his brother 
 Alexander purchased land in Clarksfield 
 township, Huron county, in 1835. Some 
 time after locating thereon John J. Twad- 
 
 dle married Julia A. Palmer, a native of 
 Westchester county, JSf. Y., who came 
 to Ohio with her parents when a girl. 
 After marriage the young couple resided 
 near Norwalk, Ohio, where he worked for 
 Isaac Underbill, a pioneer of that region. 
 While employed there he saved sufficient 
 money to pay for his land in Clarkstield 
 township, where he resided until his death, 
 December 28, 1885. His widow died No- 
 vember 8, 188U, and both lie buried in 
 Clarkstield cemetery. Of their children 
 the following record is made: Frank died 
 in infancy; Ella married J. T. King, and 
 resides in her native township; Dorr is the 
 subject of this sketch; Charlotte married 
 Eugene Fox, of Clarksfield township; 
 Leroy and Lillie A. (twins), the former of 
 whom resides here; Lillie A., Mrs. J. L. 
 Judd, lives in Marshall county, Kansas. 
 
 Dorr Twaddle entered industrial life on 
 the farm at a very early age, but his edu- 
 cation was not overlooked, for he attended 
 the school taught by Miss Delia Dunham, 
 who was his first teacher. At the age of 
 fifteen ye&vi he set out for Michigan, and 
 remained in that State three years, engaged 
 in various businesses. At the age of nine- 
 teen years he began learning the cheese- 
 manfacturing industry, and for four years 
 worked in Parker, Morgan & Hovey's 
 factory. Later he was appointed night 
 superintendent of the factory, and subse- 
 quently was given charge of it. Some 
 time after the last promotion he became a 
 partner in the concern, also taking a half 
 interest in another cheese factory located 
 in the southern part of Clarksfield town- 
 ship. For seven years he carried on that 
 factory, and later became the " Co." in the 
 firm of J. C. Kansom tV: Co., being known 
 to the cheese manufacturers as a most suc- 
 cessful operator. 
 
 Mr. Twaddle's marriage with Celia 
 Rowland took place December 30, 1874. 
 She was born March 16, 1856, in Clarks- 
 tield township, to Daniel and Harriet 
 (Chaffee) Rowland, and the children of 
 this union are Wanda P., William E. and 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 151 
 
 Jay C, all residing with their parents. 
 In 1882 Mr. Twaddle took up his resi- 
 dence on his present farm, and has since 
 been engaged in general farming; he also 
 gives some attention to the cheese raanw- 
 facturing business. Since 1882 he has 
 made many impi'overaents on this farm; 
 he is methodical in everything, and carries 
 on the difi'erent departments of his busi- 
 ness systematically. Politically a Demo- 
 crat, he is one of the leaders of his party 
 in this county. 
 
 WASHINGTON SANGER, promi- 
 nent amoncp the well-to-do asri- 
 lL[ cnlturists of Wakeman township, 
 is a native of New York State, 
 born in Oneida county October 7, 1821. 
 
 Richard Sanger, father of subject, a 
 native of Massachusetts, removed to New 
 Hartford, N. Y., and from there to Oneida 
 county, N. Y., where he was engaged 
 in mercantile pursuits during the rest of 
 his life. His eldest daughter married 
 Cyrus Bntler, and moved to Birmingham, 
 Ohio. After the death of Richard Sanger 
 his eldest son came to Ohio, being shortly 
 afterward followed l)y the rest of the fam- 
 ily, including our subject, who was then 
 between five and six years old. At the 
 age of eleven years he went to live with 
 John Carter, a farmer, in a part of Huron 
 county that is now in Erie county, and re- 
 mained with him until 1850, in which 
 year he married Miss Gitty J. Stryker, 
 sister of Judge Stryker, of Birmingham, 
 Ohio. After marriage they lived on a 
 small farm in Erie county, two miles 
 south of Birmingham, a couple of years, 
 and then, in 1843, Mr. Sanger purchased 
 eighty acres of wild land in Wakeman 
 township, Huron county, on what is now 
 known as the "Butler road." After Mr. 
 Sanger had paid for these eighty acres at 
 eight dollars per acre, he bought forty 
 acres more near his former residence, at 
 twenty-five dollars ])er acre, and set to 
 work to clear the land; but he experienced 
 
 adversity as well as prosperity. He had 
 eleven acres of this new land seeded to 
 wheat just after clearing it, and a heavy 
 June frost completely killed it. In addi- 
 tion to cereals he raised sheep, etc., and in 
 the long run became very successful in all 
 his undertaking's. Mr. Sanger has had 
 two children, viz.: Watson T. and Etta, 
 who died in 1870. His wife died in May, 
 1883. 
 
 In 1859 Mr. Sanger moved to Ashland 
 county, Ohio, and was there engaged in 
 mercantile business until 1861, when he 
 traded his stock in trade for a farm ; then 
 carried on a grocery in Oberlin for a time 
 (his farm being in the meantime conducted 
 by his son), after which he returned to 
 Wakeman, in which township he now 
 owns 120 acres of land. In politics our 
 subject is a Republican. 
 
 ||) RADLEY HAYES, a prominent 
 farmer and stock-raiser of AVake- 
 man township, is a native of Con- 
 necticut, born in New Fairfield, 
 September 24, 1828. 
 
 Sturgis Hayes, his father, was born and 
 reared in the same locality, and taught the 
 trade of wagon-maker. He married Anna 
 Wakeman, also a native of New Fairfield, 
 Conn., where for a few years thereafter he 
 worked at his trade, saving liis earnings. 
 Aljout 1830, with their four children born 
 in Connecticut, he and his wife came to 
 Ohio, locating in Clarksfield township, 
 Huron county, the journey being made via 
 Buffalo and Cleveland. Here the father 
 bought seventy-eight acres of wild land, 
 which he cleared and transformed into one 
 of the most productive farms in his sec- 
 tion. In later years he added 122 acres, 
 and in his success he was loyally assisted 
 by his amiable wife and stalwart family of 
 cliildren, of whom the following is a brief 
 record: Edward died in Missouri; Lewis 
 is a farmer in Kansas; Bradley is the sub- 
 ject of sketch; Eli is a farmer at Hickory 
 Grove, Mo.; Hanna and Phoebe are de- 
 
152 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ceased; Maria is the widow of Ezra Stone, 
 and lives in Ciarksiield, Huron county; 
 Harriet is tlie wii^e of Abrain Harris, also 
 of Clarkstield; Fi-ancis is deceased. The 
 father of this family died in 186'J, the 
 mother in 1880. 
 
 Bradley Hayes was two years old when 
 the family came to Ohio, and to Huron 
 county; and here amid the dense forest, 
 still haunted by wild animals, the boy was 
 reared and educated. Until he was twenty- 
 three years old he worked for his father, 
 and then commenced for hiujself, laboring 
 on a farm for three years on day wages tor 
 I. Underbill in a sawmill, while they had 
 water, and on farm the rest of the time. 
 From there he went to Branch county, 
 Mich., remaining one year, at the end of 
 which time he returned to Wakeman, and 
 for the following six years worked for one 
 Bissell. While in Michigan he bought 
 eighty acres of land there. 
 
 In 1857 Mr. Hayes married Mrs. Mary 
 A. Hanford, who was born October 17, 
 1828, in South Britain, Conn., a daughter 
 of Justus Wheeler. To this inarriage were 
 born Hinda J., who married Caiiarus V. 
 Clawson, and is now residing in St. Louis; 
 Jess. J., a resident of Wakeman township, 
 married to Uoxy C. Koss; and Hattie A., 
 deceased. Mrs. Mary A. Hayes was two 
 years old when she came from South 
 Britain, Conn., to Wakeman, Huron Co., 
 Ohio. Mr. Hayes is a stanch Republican, 
 and is respected by all as a useful, loyal 
 citizen. 
 
 DAVID FOX, son of David and Bar- 
 bara (Belts) Fox, was born July I'.l, 
 ' 1817, in Columbia county, Penn., 
 
 and when five years of age came 
 to Ohio with his parents. 
 
 David Fox, Sr., migrated in 1822 from 
 Pennsylvania to Ohio, and settled near 
 Tiffin, Seneca county, on a farm where, to 
 use a pioneer phrase, "there was not a 
 stick amiss." At that time the family 
 comprised Isaac, Peter, William, David, 
 
 Jr., and John. In Seneca county were 
 born Lizzie, Jacob. Margaret, Charles aiid 
 George. A brief record of this family is 
 as follows: Isaac was engaged in teaching 
 school and in farming until bis death, 
 which occurred at Madison, Wis.; Peter, a 
 bachelor, opened a fishery at Marblehead, 
 Ohio, where he was drowned; William is 
 a farmer of Seneca county, Ohio; David is 
 the subject of this sketch ; John served in 
 the war of the Rebellion, and suffered 
 much from fatigue and hardship in the 
 service (he is now a gardener at Muncie, 
 Ind.); Lizzie married Irviu Bums, and 
 died in Seneca county; Jacob, who resides 
 at Columbia City, Ind., lost an eye in the 
 service dui'iiiij the Civil war; Margaret is 
 the wife of Isaiah Hartley, of Seneca 
 county; Charles died in infancy; George is 
 a farmer of Whitley county, Ind. 
 
 David Fox, Sr., entered the Southeast 
 quarter. Section Fifteen, Township One, 
 Range Fourteen, now Seneca township, 
 Seneca A)unty, on June 3, 1823, and re- 
 sided thereon until his death in 1830. He 
 was in poor health for eleven years pre- 
 vious to his decease, and came to Seneca 
 county with the hope that the change 
 would check the consumption which was 
 wasting him away. His widow died in 
 July, 1851, and was buried beside her hus- 
 band in the little cemetery on Wolf creek; 
 he was the first person interred there, and 
 his brother-in-law, Peter Wagner, the next. 
 The farm was cleared by his sons, who 
 were earnest workers. 
 
 David Fox, the subject of this memoir, 
 was reared in Seneca county, where he at- 
 tended the school of his brother Isaac, 
 who after the father's death was appointed 
 guardian of his younger brother. Some 
 time afterward, Isaac was married, and for 
 some reason young David did not become 
 a favorite with his sister-in-law. The 
 youth left his brother's home and went to 
 Franklin county, Ohio. Isaac provided an- 
 other guardian for the boy in the person 
 of Chi'istian Mussetter, and for awhile 
 affairs ran along nicely; but the master 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 153 
 
 soon began to think that action ratlier than 
 words was necessary to the hoy's welfare, 
 and the "gad" or "birch" appeared. 
 David resented tliis, and in 1837 fled to 
 Canada, where he joined the rebellion 
 there of that year, serving some seven 
 months, and participating in the destruc- 
 tion of McCormick's property' (this Mc- 
 Corniick set fire to the steamboat 
 "Caroline," which contained provisions 
 and aininnnition for the rebels, and cut- 
 ting her moorings let her drift down the 
 Niagara river and over the Falls of Niag- 
 ara). David returned to Seneca county, 
 and Mussetter, glad to surrender liis 
 rights as guardian, allowed the lad to go 
 free. 
 
 Our subject tlien went to Bellevue, Ohio, 
 entered the brickyard of Barney Kline, 
 and remained in his employ for live years, 
 less one tnouth. On May 7, 1845, he 
 married Louisa J. Johnson, who was born 
 July 20, 1827, at Freedom, Cattaraugus 
 Co., N. Y., to Peter and Eliza Ann (Hose) 
 Johnson. Her parents went in 1834 to 
 Genesee county, N. Y.. tiieu to Harbor Creek 
 •township, Erie Co., Penn.; next in 1844 
 to Noble county, Ind . (where the fever and 
 ague warned them off), and in the same j'ear 
 to Sandusky county, Ohio. The children 
 born to David and Louisa Fox are Sarah, 
 widow of Samuel P. DeWolf; William F., 
 a farmer of Gratiot county, Mich.; George 
 R., a farmer of Clai-ksfield township; Alice, 
 wife of Joiin Kingsbury, of Hartland 
 township; Florence L., Mrs. Salmon 
 Haynes, and Alvah A., both of Clarks- 
 field township; Clara B., wife of L. M. 
 Kingsbury, of Hartland township, and 
 Elsie C, wife of D. L. Justus, of Clarks- 
 field. 
 
 Mr. Fox received fi'om his fatiier's estate 
 the sum of sixty dollars. After his mar- 
 riage he located on the home farm in 
 Seneca county, purchased the interests of 
 five of the eight heirs, and made his home 
 there until he sold the place and removed 
 to Rock county. Wis., the trip from Ohiooc- 
 cupying eighteen days. On his arrival he 
 
 purchased eighty acres, resided thereon 
 for three or four years, and then sold the 
 tract and bought other lands. Later he 
 purchased land in Delaware county, Iowa, 
 where he also resided three or four years, 
 until his health ur<red him to retire from 
 farm life. Renting the farm he removed 
 to Clinton, Wis., where he recovered his 
 health; then returning to Iowa he resided 
 there until 1861, when he traded his 320 
 Iowa acres for 120 acres in Ciarksfield 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, where betook 
 up his residence. In twenty-one years he 
 moved eighteen times, making a profit by 
 each move and improving his knowledge 
 of the country. Politically he is a Demo- 
 crat, but not a politician. The close personal 
 attention which he gives to agriculture 
 and stock growitig, in which he is largely 
 interested, militates against his political 
 interests, withdrawing him from public 
 circles. Mrs. Fox and the family liold a 
 high place in the esteem of the commu- 
 nity, while Mr. Fox is known and appre- 
 ciated far beyond the boundaries of 
 Ciarksfield township. 
 
 ^J 
 
 MAJOR SMITH (deceased) was 
 born August 17, 1809, in On- 
 ondaga county, N. Y., son of 
 
 Elisha and Margaret (Matthews) 
 
 Smith. 
 
 Elisha Smith was born in 1766 at 
 Plymouth, Conn., where he married Mar- 
 garet Matthews, who was born in 1776. 
 Thej^ lived at Plymouth, where Elisha 
 carried on his trade of blacksmith, until 
 1805, when the family moved to a point 
 near Syracuse, Onondaga Co., N. Y. In 
 1811 the father, mother, three sons and 
 one daughter set out from their New York 
 home for Ohio, traveling by wagon road 
 via Buffalo (N. Y.), and Erie (Penn.), 
 and then through the wilderness to the 
 settlement called Beef, on the Allegheny 
 river. There the father purchased a boat, 
 loaded thereon the wagon and team, and 
 then embarked with the members of his 
 
154 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 family for a voyage to Pittsburgh. Ar- 
 rived in safety, they proceeded to Cincin- 
 nati, Ohio (then a small place), whence 
 they journeyed by wagon road to Spring- 
 field, Ohio, where they rested after a trip 
 of.forty days. While tliere Elisha Smith 
 served* in the war of 1812 as artificer in 
 Gen. Harrison's army, shoeing horses and 
 oxen, and performing all the work assigned 
 to him. His wife died in Springfield July 
 28, 1814, he in September following, after 
 which tiie eldest son, Sherman, assumed 
 the direction of the family. 
 
 Major Smith was i-eared in the manner 
 of boys of that time and jjlace. After the 
 death of his parents, whicli occurred when 
 he was five years old, he was cared for by 
 his brother Sherman, and in 1815 accom- 
 panied his elder brothers to Huron county, 
 Ohio. The journey was made with a 
 wagon drawn by oxen, and was attended 
 by many hardships and privations; nor 
 did the hardships cease with their settle- 
 ment in New London township, for the 
 brothers had to work early and late and 
 under circumstances trying even to pio- 
 neers. Major resided with his brother 
 Sherman until June 6, 1831, when he 
 married Eliza Knapp, and settled on a 
 farm of twenty acres in Clarksfield town- 
 ship, which liis brother Sherman helped 
 him to secure. On it was a small log 
 house in a small clearing, but the im- 
 provements were so rude that its change 
 from the wilderness to a cultivated farm 
 must be credited to Mr. Smith, as also the 
 additions to the original farm. On May 
 6, 18G6, he located on the place where he 
 resided until his death, August 4, 18.85, 
 and it is now the property of his widow. 
 
 Mrs. Eliza Smith was born March 16, 
 1813, at Danbury, Conn., to Jolni and 
 Mindwell (Wood) Knapp. John Knapp 
 died at Danbury, and his widow afterward 
 married Simeon Hoyt, with whom she 
 came to Ohio in 1816, bringing her daugh- 
 ter Eliza, and settling in the southern 
 part of Clarksfield township. Simeon 
 Hoyt was the son of Comfort Hoyt, a 
 
 merchant of Danbury, who received from 
 Connecticut a large grant of the " Fire- 
 lands" for damages his business interests 
 sustained during the Revolution and the 
 war of 1812. He sent his son Simeon to 
 survey the tract in Huron county, and the 
 latter made his home here. 
 
 Major Smith was always a farmer, and 
 succeeded in biiilding up a valuable prop- 
 erty by his own labor and industry. His 
 illness in 1881 prevented the celebration 
 of his "golden wedding," for in June of 
 that year was the fiftieth anniversary of 
 his marriage. Politically he was first a 
 Jacksonian Democrat, in 1840 a Harrison 
 Whig, and in 1884 a Blaine Kepublican. 
 He took a deep interest in political affairs, 
 held various township otfices, and was es- 
 teemed in public and private life. The 
 only child of Major and Eliza Smith was 
 Dolly E., born July 27, 1835, who mar- 
 ried Wesley Smith (son of John Smith), a 
 native of Clarksfield township. He died 
 November 12, 1863, leaving one child, H. 
 A. Smith, who resides with his grand- 
 mother on the Major Smith farm. In 
 1866 his widow married W. F. Barnum, 
 and two children were born to them: 
 Charles P., August 4, 1866, and Jay M., 
 August 29, 1870, both residing at Mica 
 Bay, Kootenai Co., Idaho. Their mother 
 died April 11, 1875. 
 
 El LIAS EASTER. This gentleman, 
 who is. now living a retired life in 
 I the city of Norwalk, was for many 
 
 years a leading, progressive agri- 
 culturist of Greenfield township where he 
 was born Septemlier 19, 1834. 
 
 John Easter, grandfather of our subject, 
 was a well-to-do farmer and cloth manu- 
 facturer in the town of Berragh, near 
 Londonderry, Ireland. His son, Archi- 
 bald, was born in 1783 in County Tyrone, 
 Ireland, and received a very good common- 
 school education, as his parents were in 
 comfortable circumstances. When yet a 
 young man lie was sent to America on 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 155 
 
 business pertaining to some real estate 
 which they (the family of John Easter) 
 had in question, and, his business con- 
 cluded, he was about to return home to 
 Ireland, when he was prevented from so 
 doing by the "Embargo Act" in force 
 during the war of 1812. Being familiar 
 with the art of weaving, he obtained a 
 situation in some mills at Chambersburg, 
 Penn., where he' remained for three years, 
 during which time he was given the posi- 
 tion of foreman, a lucrative and responsible 
 situation, and one which, notwithstanding 
 his youth, lie was perfectly capable of fill- 
 ing. Returning to Ireland he stayed at 
 home a short time, and then again came to 
 America, landing in New York in 1817. 
 He came westward by canal and lake to 
 Sandusky, Ohio, thence proceeding to the 
 center of the State, arid locating on a farm 
 near Columbus, where he resided for some 
 time; this farm is now included in the city 
 of Columbus. Later he removed to Lower 
 Sandusky (now Fremont), Ohio, where he 
 owned some land, but the ague being very 
 prevalent in that vicinity he left his farm 
 and afterward sold it. Before purchasing 
 the tract at Lower Sandusky, Mr. Easter 
 rode around the country on horseback for 
 many months in search of land, traveling 
 throueh nine States, but the bottom lands 
 of the Sandusky river seemed so inviting 
 that he located there, as already related. 
 In 1819 he came to Greenfield township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, and purchased a farm 
 near the center of the township (which 
 tract is now occupied by Robert Arthur), 
 where he lived for several years. Here he 
 was married, in 1824, to Rebecca Easter, 
 who was born in 1801, in County Tyrone, 
 Ireland, daughter of James Easter. The 
 minister who performeil the ceremony was 
 " Elder John Wheeler," who, in observance 
 of a custom of those times, stood in his 
 shoes, but wore no stockings. Al)ont 1820 
 or 1821 there came from Ireland James 
 Easter (maternal grandfather of subject) 
 and family, John Easter (paternal grand- 
 father of subject) and family, and along 
 
 with them John Arthur and his family. 
 The latter had been persuaded to emigrate, 
 by Archibald Easter, who after their ar- 
 rival took considerable interest iu their 
 success, and aided them materially during 
 their first years in America. 
 
 To the union of Archibald and Rebecca 
 Easter were born six children, as follows: 
 Two sons who died in infancy; Elias, sul)- 
 ject of this memoir; Sarah, Mrs. John 
 McLane, of Greenfield township, Huron 
 county; Kezia, Mrs. Samuel Arthur, of 
 Greenfield township; and John, who was 
 drowned when a youth. About 1830 
 Archibald Easter settled on the farm 
 where he passed the remainder of his 
 days, and continued to follow agricultural 
 pursuits until 1860, when he retired, worn 
 out by a long life of unceasing industry. 
 He died May 1, 1867, and his wife sur- 
 vived him until June 6, 1884, when she 
 too passed away, and w'as buried by tiie 
 side of her husband in Steuben cemetery. 
 They were both members of the Congre- 
 gational Church. Politically Mr. Easter 
 was a Republican, originally a Whig, and 
 he was an ardent party man, well posted 
 in politics, in which he took considerable 
 interest. He was a great reader, thor- 
 oughly conversant with current events, 
 and through his business sagacity and 
 able management of affairs became one of 
 the leading farmers in the county in his 
 day. His father, John Easter, died in 
 Greenfield township at an advanced age. 
 
 Elias Easter received his primary educa- 
 tion at the common schools of his native 
 township, and afterward attended select 
 schools at various places. He was reared 
 to farm life, and resided on the home place 
 with his parents until his literary educa- 
 tion was finished, and also for some years 
 afterward, having charge of the farm for 
 several years prior to his father's decease. 
 On June 7, 1871, he was united in mar- 
 riage with Jennie E. McMorris, a native 
 of Greenfield township, daughter of John 
 and Nancy (Arthur) McMorris, who had 
 come from Ireland in an early day. This 
 
156 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 wife died November 25, 1876, and was in- 
 terred in Steuben cemetery. She was the 
 mother of two children: jNTancy, who died 
 in infancy, and Cliarles A., now a well- 
 educated young man. On June 14, 1888, 
 Mr. Easter married, for his second wife, 
 Mrs. Margery (Chilcott) Aiken (widow of 
 James A. Aiken), who was born March 
 30, 1846, in Union township, Huntingdon 
 Co., Penn., daughter of Ilichard Chilcott. 
 Mr. Easter remained on the farm until 
 May, 1892, when he removed to Norwalk, 
 where lie now lives a retired life, engaged 
 in no active labor, but still overseeing the 
 work of the farm, which is now in the 
 hands of tenants. In politics lie is a life- 
 long Republican, and has served in various 
 township otiices, tilling the positions of 
 trustee and justice of the peace with much 
 credit to himself and satisfaction to all 
 concerned. Mr. Easter is a member of the 
 First Congregational Church of Greenfield, 
 in which he has held office. He is very 
 fond of reading, and is well informed on 
 the topics of the day. 
 
 M. DAY, a well-known farmer citi- 
 zen of Clarkstield township, is a 
 October 20, 
 Day, who 
 
 IL^i native of same, born 
 
 1842, a son of Ephraim 
 was born May 26, 1804, in IJnderiiui, 
 Chittenden Co., Vt., a son of Samuel 
 Day, a farmer and "herb-doctor" of that 
 place. 
 
 When Ephraim was eight years old his 
 mother died, the family circle was broken 
 up, and he was obliged to begin life on 
 his own account, doing such work as a boy 
 of his age could. Whatever education he 
 had was ac([uired after he was eleven years 
 of age, though he continued to work. 
 When sixteen years of age he migrated to 
 Ohio, coming from Chenango county, 
 N. Y., where he had located a year pre- 
 vious. In February, 1821, four In-others 
 — John, Josiah, Ephi-aim and William — 
 started on foot for Ohio, with twenty 
 
 shillings each and a haversack full of pro- 
 visions, and arrived after a journey of six 
 weeks, having traveled over 700 miles. 
 The year previous Josiah Day had come 
 to look at the land, and had made arrange- 
 ments for coming, he and his brothers 
 John and William settling in New London 
 township, Huron county. The next year 
 the father of these boys, Samuel, came to 
 Ohio with the remainder of the family, 
 which originally consisted of eighteen chil- 
 dren, one of whom died in infancy. The 
 father gave John, Josiah and William 
 their time before they reached their major- 
 ity, but Ephraim was obliged to remain 
 on the home farm until twenty-one. Sam- 
 uel Day had learned much from an old In- 
 dian about the use of herbs, and was 
 known as "Dr. Day." He ])assed tiie re- 
 mainder of his life in New London town- 
 ship, where he died in 1840. 
 
 After coming of age E|)hraim Day pur- 
 chased an axe, and went to clearing land, 
 receiving fifty cents an acre, which took 
 four days to clear. He continued in this 
 for some time, and then with his hard- 
 earned savings purchased a small piece of 
 land in Clarkstield township, which he sub- 
 sequently sold. He then purchased eighty- 
 nine acres at three dollars per acre, which at 
 the time was all timber-land. On Decem- 
 ber 25, 1833, he was united in marriage 
 with Sarah Parker, who was born Novem- 
 ber 4, 1816, in Ontario county, N. Y., 
 daughter of Samuel and Kuth (Root) Par- 
 ker, who came to Ohio in 1817, first located 
 in Florence townsliiji, Erie (then Huron) 
 county; Mr. Parker was a "clothier and 
 dyer," and would dye and dress up the 
 homespun. After residing for some time 
 in Florence township he went to Birming- 
 ham, Erie county, where he conducted a 
 mill; then became a farmer in Clarkstield 
 township, Huron county, after which he 
 followed his trade in Elyria, Lorain county; 
 in later years he migrated to Wisconsin, 
 where he died. 
 
 After marriage Ephraim and Sarah Day 
 settled on his farm in Clarksfield which 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 157 
 
 he cleared and improved, and where he 
 passed the remainder of his life. The 
 children born to their union were as fol- 
 lows: George M., born October 4, 1835, 
 died Septeml)er 13, 1838; Harriet L., born 
 May 6, 1838, died June 0, 1865; Arriette 
 E., born August 18, 1840, who married 
 J. M. Rogers, and died in Clarksfield 
 township; Edward M., subject of this 
 sketch; Elmer P., born August 29, 1844, 
 died iSepteniher 2, 1850; and Isabel, born 
 November 12, 1848, died September 6. 
 1850. The father of this family certainly 
 fought well against adversity, and was re- 
 warded with success. Beyinnincr with a 
 capital of determination, he overcame every 
 obstacle, and left to his wife and children 
 one of the best improved farms in the 
 county, which at the time of his decease 
 comprised 300 acres. He passed from earth 
 June 14, 1872, and was buried in South 
 Clarksfield cemetery, since when his widow 
 has generally made her home with her son, 
 Edward M. He was a Jacksonian Demo 
 crat until 1850, when he cast his vote for 
 Fremont, and thereafter was faithful to 
 the Republican party until his death. He 
 was a lifelong member of the Baptist 
 Church, while his wife has always been a 
 Methodist Episcopalian. 
 
 Edward M. Day was reared in Clarks- 
 field township, and there received a pri- 
 mary education, the first school he attended 
 being presided over by Miss Fannie Bar- 
 num, and held in his father's house. He 
 completed his education in Milan Academy. 
 From boyhood until lS(i7 he worked on 
 tlie home farm, learning practical lessons 
 in agriculture under his father. His mar- 
 riage with Cynthia A. Waugh took place 
 March 29, 1867; she was born October 
 13, 1846, in Camden townshij), Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, daughter of Rev. Lansing and 
 Docia (Minor) Waugh. Mr. Waugh was 
 a minister of tiie Baptist Church, and gave 
 every opportunity to his daughter to be- 
 come well educated, sending her to the 
 school at Nor walk and the colleffe at Ober- 
 lin. To the marriage of Edward M. and 
 
 Cynthia Day came the following named 
 children: Nora M., born Septeml)er 22, 
 1869, now Mrs. B. E. Meacham, of Clarks- 
 field township, and Frank L., born April 
 23, 1872, died November 20, 1893. After 
 marriage Mr. and Mrs. Day settled on 
 their present farm, known as "The Upton 
 Clark Farm." In 1882 he erected there 
 one of the finest farm residences in the 
 township, and during the last decade has 
 proved himself a most systematic agricul- 
 turist and a thoroughly progressive citizen. 
 His first vote was cast for Abi-aham Lin- 
 coln. For twenty years he was recognized 
 as an able young Republican, but in 1880 
 he joined the Prohibition party, and has 
 since remained in their ranks; he is not a 
 politician from the office-seeker's point of 
 view. In religious affairs he affiliates with 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which 
 he is a trustee. 
 
 L 
 
 EVI HALES, a native of Ohio, born 
 in Lorain county, September 24, 
 1840, is a prominent and progress- 
 ive farmer and stock-raiser of New 
 London township, Huron county. 
 
 Lie is a son of William and Laura 
 (Blackham) Hales, the former of whom 
 was of English descent, and one of the 
 famous "Ludlow heirs"; he lived to the 
 patriarchal age of ninety years, and died a 
 charter member uf the Baptist Church of 
 Henrietta Hill, Lorain county. Eleven 
 ciiildren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hales, 
 nameil as follows: Lucy, Harriet, Levi, 
 Simeon, Ansel, Mary, Elon, Leah, Berton, 
 Etta and Sarah. Mr. Hales was a success- 
 ful farmer, owning 600 acres before re- 
 tiring from active labor. 
 
 Levi Hales, the suliject of this bio- 
 graphical sketch, received a common- 
 school education, and was reared on his 
 father's farm up to the age of twenty-two 
 years. In 1863 he married Miss Cather- 
 ine Haynes, from whom at the end of a 
 year and a half he was divorced, and he 
 remained single four and a half years. In 
 
158 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 18G9 he married, for his second wife, Miss 
 Arabella Lee, daughter of James Lee, of 
 New London. She died December 25, 
 1880, after a long illness, and September 
 24, 1891, Mr. Hales married his pi-esent 
 wife, Miss Carrie Monger, of Oberlin, 
 Ohio. On March 30, 1893, was born to 
 him his first child, a daughter named 
 Laura Elizabeth. 
 
 In 1882 Mr. Hales made a trip to Cali- 
 fornia, spending a year in traveling, and 
 on his return he took up his home in New 
 London, embarkino; in his present business 
 of buying, selling and breeding fine horses, 
 at the same time carrying on his farm. Po- 
 litically he is an earnest and active sup- 
 porter of the Republican party, and he 
 and his wife are members of the Congre- 
 gational Church. Mr. Hales is a thorough- 
 going business man, and enjoys the respect 
 and esteem of the community at large. 
 
 J'jILLIAM DENMAN, who in his 
 lifetime was one of the nnost 
 prosperous, wide-awake agricul- 
 turists of Wakeman township, 
 was born August 10, 1822, in that part of 
 the old county that is now included in Erie. 
 AVilliam Denman, grandfather of sub- 
 ject, was a native of Kent, England, and 
 when he came to America was a farmer in 
 good circumstances. He made his home 
 not far from Kingston, Ulster Co., N. Y., 
 and in the neighborhood of the Catskill 
 Mountains. He had married in England, 
 and was blessed with a family of uine 
 children. He died at the age of about 
 ninety-eight years, after a life of active 
 work. In England for eleven years he 
 had been a pastor in the Baptist Church, 
 but abandoned the ministry under the con- 
 viction that he had never produced any 
 good results. However, in this country he 
 preached the Gospel many years with 
 marked success. 
 
 John Denman, father of subject, was 
 born in England, and was si.x years old 
 
 when his father brought him to America 
 and to New York State. LTntil the age of 
 eighteen years his life at his new home 
 was spent working at whatever he conld 
 find to do — making shingles, chopping 
 wood, etc., and only attended evening 
 school six weeks. When he had been 
 safely piloted past the interesting age of 
 eighteen, he set out from the paternal 
 home to seek his fortune in the " wide, 
 wide world." When he was about twenty- 
 four years of age he came from Sullivan 
 county, N. Y., to Huron county, Ohio, on 
 foot, carrying on his back aqnantity of apple 
 seed, weighing about thirty pounds, which, 
 having secured and cleared a piece of land 
 in Huron county, he sowed, and this was 
 the nucleus to the first nursery in Huron 
 county. He then bought land; worked in 
 the salt works at East Liverpool, and from 
 his savings purchased oxen, wagons, and 
 other requisites for the proper conducting 
 of his farm and nursery. In 1819 he mar- 
 ried Miss Miranda Blackman, whose father 
 was a captain in the war of 1812, living in 
 Buffalo at the time that city was burned 
 by the British. Fourteen children were 
 born of this marriage, to wit: Edward, 
 in Wakeman township, Huron county; 
 William, Bul)jectof sketch; Roxanna (Mrs. 
 White), in Toledo, Ohio; Ann, deceased; 
 Laura (Mrs. Joseph Booth) and Charles 
 (a traveler) both in Pueblo, Colo.; Amos, 
 in Valparaiso, Neb. ; Miranda, who died 
 in Hampton, Iowa; Henry, in Des Moines, 
 Iowa; L. B., in Valparaiso, Neb.; John J., 
 of Erie county, Ohio; Mary Fuller, in Nor- 
 walk, Ohio; A. B., in Elyria, Ohio; and 
 Martin, in Elyria, Ohio. The father of 
 this large family was a Whig and Repub- 
 lican ; a member and earnest supporter of 
 the Methodist Church. 
 
 William Denman, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, was reared on the home farm, 
 and received his education at the district 
 schools. He remained under the parental 
 roof until he was twenty-one years of age, 
 and then moved to his late home in Wake- 
 man township. He had but three hundred 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 159 
 
 dollars when he first commenced for him- 
 self, and at the time of his deatli owned 
 183 aci'es of land in Huron county, 
 together with an elegant and comfortable 
 dwellino-and commodious outhouses. 
 
 On September 8, 1853, Mr. Denman 
 was married to Cordelia Hough, daughter 
 of John Hough, of Clarksfield township, 
 Huron county, and three cluldren were 
 born to this marriage, viz.: (1) William, 
 (2) Nellie, and (3) Ella Ann. Of these 
 (1) William was in the real-estate business 
 in various places in the West, making a 
 great success; in Kansas alone he bought 
 on speculation 13,000 acres of land which 
 he sold at a great protit; he owned stores 
 in Pueblo, Colo., and Boise City, Idaho, in 
 which latter place he was killed by a fall 
 from a horse, when he was thirty-four 
 years old. (2) Nellie married M. L. Dorr, 
 of Colorado Springs, Colo., and (3) Ella 
 Ann was drowned in a cistern in 1858. 
 The mother of tliese died in 1868, and in 
 1809 Mr. Denman married Miss Julia 
 Partello, daughter of W. P. Partello, a 
 farmer of near St. Louis, Mich. The 
 children by this last union are Julia; 
 Lester C, at home; and Freddy (now 
 eleven years old) at school. Of these 
 Julia was married to Harry G. Carter Oc- 
 tober 22, 1892, and lives on the east part 
 of farm. The father died December 12, 
 1892. Li politics he was a Republican; 
 in religious faith he had been a member 
 of the Methodist Church at Wakeman for 
 many years, and at the time of his decease 
 was tilling tlie ofKce of trustee. 
 
 E 
 
 DWIN S. PROSSER, well known 
 in Wakeman township as a pro- 
 I gressive and enterprising agricul- 
 turist, was born in Clarksfield town- 
 ship, Huron Co., Ohio, March 6, 1843, a 
 son of Daniel Prosser. 
 
 Our subject received his education at 
 the public schools of his native place, and 
 was reared to agricultural pursuits on his 
 father's farm. At the commencement of 
 
 the Civil war he enlisted in Company F, 
 Third O. V. C, Capt. O. G. Smith, in 
 which he served over a year. His regi- 
 ment was attached to the army of the 
 Cumberland, and participated in many 
 battles. At Shiloh Mr. Prosser was seized 
 with heart disease, but continued on duty 
 at the front in tlie advance on Corinth 
 until its evacuation. On May 30, 1862, 
 he was taken ill of a violent fever, was 
 sent to Cincinnati, Ohio, and was dis- 
 charged on account of heart disease, re- 
 turning home vei-y much emaciated. For 
 some years thereafter lie moved from place 
 to place, being for a time in Iowa and 
 Minnesota. 
 
 In 1871 he returned to Clarksfield town- 
 ship, Huron county, where he married 
 Mrs. Nancy J. Byron, daughter of Robert 
 and Mary T. Barnes, and widow of John 
 I'yron. Mr. Byron was a member of 
 Company H, Seventy-sixth O. V. I., and 
 died 111 Georgia, leaving a son, Frank J. 
 Byron, who was thirteen years old when 
 his mother married Mr. Prosser. They 
 moved to Minnesota in April, 1871, 
 locating on a farm he had bought some 
 time before marriage. Here they lived 
 until 1872, when Mr. Prosser sold out 
 and moved to Nebraska. On June 4, 
 1873, he entered a homestead of 160 
 acres, and eighty acres under the timber 
 culture Act; also, as guardian of F. J. 
 Byron, he entered 160 acres, all being 
 prairie lands, and all adjoining, in Frank- 
 lin county, Neb. While residing there 
 thev encraged in farming and the raising: 
 of live-stock, chiefly cattle, and tliere they 
 remained until 1882, in which year they 
 sold their stock and returned to Clarks- 
 field, Ohio, in July, same year. On Au- 
 gust 8, following, Mr. Prosser and Frank 
 J. Byron entered into copartnership and 
 bought a farm of 103 acres in Wakeman 
 townshi]!. In 1883, owing to impaired 
 health, Mr. Prosser sold his land in Ne- 
 braska, as did also Mr. Byron. They have 
 since added 170 acres to their property in 
 Wakeman township, and have now one of 
 
160 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 the finest farms in this part of the county. 
 Here, in addition to genera! agriculture, 
 they are extensively engaged in the raising 
 of stock, making a specialty of sheep, and 
 bestowintr considerable attention to fruit 
 raising. 
 
 Mr. Prosser has one child, Guy O., born 
 in Franklin county, Neb., October 14, 
 1884. Politically our subject is a Demo- 
 crat; socially, he lias been a member of 
 the F. & A. M. some twenty-live years. 
 
 djAMES L. VAN DITSEN, one of 
 Huron county's best known and 
 ) most highly respected citizens, was 
 
 born in Constantia, Oswego Co., N. 
 Y., January 27, 1835. 
 
 His father. Judo Van Dusen, and his 
 mother, Anna Van Dusen, are now both 
 deceased. By occupation they were farm- 
 ers. In 1837 the family moved to Wayne 
 county, N. Y., and subsequently, in 1849, 
 tliey removed to Ohio, having purchased 
 a farm in Fitchville township, Huron 
 county. Here, during the summer months, 
 James worked on his fatlier's farm, attend- 
 ing tiie sessions of the District school 
 during the winter months. At the age of 
 twenty-one years he was married to Cece- 
 lia A. Pray, a worthy and accomplished 
 lady, daughter of Ethan A. Pray, Esq. 
 The young couple purchased a piece of 
 land in Henry county, Ohio, a portion of 
 whicii land is now occupied by the village 
 of Liberty Center. Here they remained 
 for two years, succeeding admirably, not- 
 withstanding the many trials and difficul- 
 ties usually incident upon a settlement in 
 a new country. 
 
 In 18G1 Mr. Van Dusen was tendered 
 the office of Superintendent of the Huron 
 County Infirmary. He accepted the posi- 
 tion, disposed of his interests in Henry 
 county, and returned to Huron county to 
 un(k'rtake the discharge of his new duties. 
 AVliile at all times and in all respects 
 these duties have not been to his liking, 
 
 he has nevertheless in their discharge 
 reaped the honors and enjoyed the pleas- 
 ures of a noble work well done. For 
 nearly thirty-three years he has retained 
 this position of Infirmary Superintendent. 
 At the end of each terra his re-appoint- 
 ment has come unsought by him, and in a 
 manner clearly showing the unqualified 
 endorsement of the jieople of the county. 
 Under his management the Huron County 
 Infirmary has been made a model Institu- 
 tion of the kind, always referred to with 
 pride by local and State authorities. To 
 the accomplish]nent of this end he has at 
 all times lent his untiring energy and 
 splendid business and executive ability. 
 Although in public life continuously for 
 so long a time, not once has the voice of 
 scandal, criticism, or of suspicion, even, 
 been raised against him. This is indeed 
 a marvelous record — more marvelous be- 
 cause true — more worthy of mention be- 
 cause deserved. 
 
 While not a partisan in any sense of 
 tile word, Mr. Van Dusen has always been 
 a firm supporter of the Kepubliean party. 
 He is naturally modest and unassuming, 
 but nevertheless takes a decided interest 
 in all matters pertaining to the public or 
 private good, and never hesitates to advo- 
 cate and to do what he considers to be his 
 duty. His habits are strictly temperate. 
 
 About twenty-five years ago he united 
 with tiie First Presbyterian Church of 
 Norwalk, Ohio, and was soon after elected 
 one of the Church's Trustees. He served 
 as a Trustee for three years, and was then 
 elected one of the Elders, wiiich office he 
 now holds, by virtue of several re-elec- 
 tions. He is a faithful contributor to the 
 spiritual and material welfare of his 
 church. 
 
 For nearly thirty years Mr. Van Dusen 
 has been a prominent and active member 
 of the Masonic Fi-aternity, being a member 
 of Mt. Vernon Lodge, No. 04, F. & A. M., 
 Huron Chapter, No. 7, R. A. M., Nor- 
 walk Council, R. & S. M., and Norwalk 
 Commandery, No. 18, K. T. He has 
 
^/( 'i ^ /y.^^^^ 
 
IIUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 163 
 
 filled several offices in this Order with 
 great credit, notal)ly that of High Priest 
 of the Chapter and Eminent Commander 
 of Norwalk Comniandery. 
 
 In his private business he has been care- 
 ful and conservative, but has acquired a 
 goodly competence, and is regarded as one 
 of the financially sound men of his county. 
 While not given to extravagance, he is 
 generous, and is liberal to his family, 
 affording them every advan-tage. Three 
 children of the five born to him are now 
 living: Frank, an attorney, and now city 
 solicitor of Norwalk, Ohio; Wallace, a 
 student in the Medical Department of the 
 University of Michigan; and Clara, a 
 member of the senior class of the Norwalk 
 High School. 
 
 No biography of Mr. J. L. Van Dusen 
 would be complete which failed to make 
 mention of his most estimable wife. Side 
 by side, mutually encouraging and helpful, 
 they have thus far journeyed along life's 
 pathway — he a kind busband and indul- 
 gent father; she a faithful wife and loving 
 mother. Whatever success in life he has 
 attained, with her must the credit and the 
 honor be shared.' A countless number of 
 friends wish this worthy couple long life 
 and continued prosperity and lia])piness. 
 
 FRANK W. VAN DUSEN, Attorney 
 at Law and (!ity Solicitor, was born 
 _ Feb. 15, 18t)2, in Norwalk, Huron 
 Co., Ohio. He received his elemen- 
 tary education in thepublicschools, graduat- 
 ing from the Norwalk Hiffh School in 1879. 
 His elementary education was supple- 
 mented by a four years' course in Adelbert 
 College of Western Reserve University, 
 from which institution he craduated in 
 1884 with tlie degree of B. L., and was 
 subsequently honored by his Alma Mater 
 with the degree of A. M. In college he 
 was an excellent student, popular with his 
 fellows, and received many College Hon- 
 ors. He was a member of the well-known 
 D. K. E. College Fraternity. In the fall 
 
 of 1884 he began the study of law in the 
 office of Judge Stevenson Burke, of Cleve- 
 land, and at the September (1886) term of 
 the Supreme Court of Ohio was admitted 
 to the bar after passing a highly satisfac- 
 tory examination. In 1887 he opened a 
 law office in Norwalk, and has since been 
 in the active practice of his profession. 
 
 On August 22, 1888, Mr. Van Dusen 
 married Miss Kittie B. Thomas, a well- 
 known and accomplished lady. In the 
 spring of 1889 he was elected to the City 
 Council of Norwalk, Ohio, from the then 
 Third Ward of that city, he being the only 
 Republican councilman elected at that 
 election. His excellent and marked serv- 
 ices in that capacity won for him, in the 
 spring of 1891, the nomination for the 
 office of City Solicitor, to which office he 
 was elected by a large majority, notwitli- 
 standing the general triumph of the op- 
 posing political party at that time. In 
 the spring of 1893 he was unanimously 
 renominated as City Solicitor, and was re- 
 elected by a majority nearly double that 
 received two years before. Mr. Van- 
 Dusen is universally recognized as a com- 
 petent and expert lawyer. As City Solici- 
 tor of Norwalk, he has shown marked 
 ability, and has given general satisfaction. 
 
 In politics he is a Republican; socially, 
 he is a member of the Masonic Fraternity, 
 being an officer of Norwalk Commandery, 
 No. 18, K. T. He is a prominent K. of 
 P., and Captain of Norwalk Division of 
 the U. R. of that Order. He is also a mem- 
 ber of the Order of Elks, and of the Royal 
 Arcanum. In i-eligious faith he is a Pres- 
 byterian, being a member of the First 
 Presbyterian Church of Norwalk, Ohio. 
 
 \ EV. FREDERICK SCHULZ, pas- 
 
 J tor of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, 
 
 V\ Sherman township, was born in 
 
 Leisten, Prussia, March 17, 1860, 
 
 a member of an old and highly 
 
 esteemed family, and is the only one of 
 
 them who left the Fatherland. 
 
164 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 He received his primary education in his 
 native country, and after reaching Amer- 
 ica, in 1876, entered a college at Colum- 
 bus, Ohio, from which he graduated with 
 honors fonr years later. In the fall of 
 1880 he entered the Theological Seminary, 
 where he remained until Easter, 1883, at 
 which time he moved to Kandolph county, 
 111. He took charge of a church near 
 Chester in that county, and for six years 
 labored faithfully for the temporal and 
 spiritual welfare of his congregation. He 
 then took ciiarge of a church in Philo, 
 same State, remaining one year, and in 
 March, 1890, came to Sherman township, 
 where lie has since been pastor of St. 
 Peter's Church. 
 
 Rev. Schulz is a gentleman of noble im- 
 piilses and religious mind, and teaches 
 much of morality by his pious, godly life, 
 and by the deeds of charity and mercy that 
 characterize his actions. He is beloved by 
 his entire congre£;ation, and highly es- 
 teemed by the citizens of Sherman town- 
 ship. He is also instructor in the paro- 
 chial school four months in each year. 
 
 In 1889 Rev. Schulz was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Martha Sickmeyer, daugh- 
 ter of E. F. Sickmeyer, a prominent citizen 
 of Bremen, 111., and their union has been 
 blessed with one daughter, Hnlda, and one 
 son, Paul. The subject of this biograph- 
 ical memoir is very happy in his domestic 
 relations, and is devoting mnch attention 
 to the intellectual, physical and spiritual 
 development of his children. 
 
 D 
 
 S. WASHBURN. This gentleman, 
 one of the most prominent of Huron 
 ^mJfJ county's prosperous agriculturists, 
 deserves more than a passing 
 notice in the pages of this work. 
 
 Mr. Washburn traces his ancestry to 
 James Washburn, who was born about the 
 year 1760, was a weaver by trade, and had 
 his early home at Plainfield, Conn. As 
 the writer understands the subject matter 
 
 by data and traditions (such as he has been 
 able to obtain), he fully believes that 
 James Washimrn is a direct descendant 
 from John Washburn, who came over in 
 the " Mayflower,'' and was subsequently 
 secretary of the Plymouth Colony. He 
 had born to him nine children, viz.: Wal- 
 ter, Joseph, Robert, Henry, Phoebe, 
 Betsy, Hannah, Rosanna, and Sally Ann, 
 all long since gathered to their rest, and 
 their descendants scattered over many 
 States. 
 
 The eldest son, Walter, grandfather of 
 subject, was born, in 1790, east of the 
 Hudson river, in A\'^estchestercounty, N. Y., 
 whence in 1805 he moved with his father 
 to Ulster county, same State, remaining 
 there till 1833, in which year he came to 
 Fitchville township, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 M'here he passed the rest of his days, dying 
 in 1865, at the age of seventy-five years. 
 He was a lifelong and successful farmer. 
 In 1809 he married Miss Nellie Van Ben- 
 scoten, of Ulster county, N. Y., daughter 
 of Larry Van Benscoten, and they had six 
 children, viz.: Julia Ann, Henry G., 
 Louisa R., John, Hannali and Maria. 
 The mother of these died in 1825, and 
 in 1827 Mr. Washburn wedded Mrs. 
 Polly Van Benscoten, also of Ulster 
 county, N. Y. 
 
 D. S. Washburn, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, was born April 8, 1843, in 
 Greenwich township), Huron Co., Ohio, 
 and was reared from early boyhood to the 
 life of a farmer. His education was re- 
 ceived at the common schools of the 
 neighborhood of his place of birth, and at 
 the academy in Milan, Erie county, after 
 which he commenced to devote his entire 
 attention to agricultural pursnits. 
 
 In 1867 Mr. Washburn was united in 
 marriage with Miss Sarah J. McConilier, 
 of Ripley township, born March 30, 1845, 
 a daughter of Egbert McComber, by occu- 
 pation a farmer, a native of Westciiester 
 county, N. Y. From his younger boyhood 
 till shortly after his marriage with Miss 
 Anna Benedict, of his native county, he 
 
HUEOy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 165 
 
 had his residence in Cayuga connty, N. Y., 
 and tiieii moved to Ripley township. Here 
 they lived until 1870, in which year they 
 moved to Berlin Heights, Erie county, 
 where he died October 5, 1888, his wife 
 on March 30, 1892. After marriage Mr. 
 Washburn and his bride moved to the 
 farm whereon they are still living, and 
 which comprises over 300 acres of prime 
 land — -considered one of the best in Ripley 
 township. Five children have been born 
 to our subject and wife, of whom the fol- 
 lowino; is a brief record: Anna Maude, 
 born September 24, 1868, is now Mrs. 
 Oscar Hills, of Lorain county; Earnest 
 Linton, born Aug^ust 1, 1870, ie at home 
 with his father; Inez, born August 1, 1871, 
 is now Mrs. Warren O. Smith, of Rich- 
 land count}', Ohio; Wayne was born No- 
 vember 25, 1880, and Leo on August 6, 
 1883. Mr. Washburn, in his political 
 afliliations, has always been active as a 
 loyal member of the Republican party. 
 During the Civil war lie served in the 
 National Guards. 
 
 JOHN McDonald, a leading farmer 
 of Clarksfield township, was born 
 April 15, 1817, in Aberdeenshire, 
 Scotland, the son of Charles and 
 Barbara (Stratton) McDonald, both also 
 natives nf Aberdeenshire. 
 
 Cliarles McDonald was born in 1783, 
 and grew to manhood and married in his 
 native county. To his niarriage were born 
 three children, viz.: Margaret, who died 
 in Scotland when twenty-three years old; 
 John, and Charles. The mother of these 
 died in 1820, and Mr. McDonald then 
 took up his residence with his mother, 
 John (subject of this sketch) being con- 
 signed to the care of his aunt Margaret. 
 In 1838 Charles McDonald, brint^iiig his 
 son John and sister Margaret, sailed from 
 Aberdeen on the schooner "Nimrod," 
 landing, after a voyage of six weeks, in 
 New York City. The youngest son, 
 
 Charles, had emigrated three years pre- 
 viously; he taught school in Ashland, 
 Richland and Wayne counties, Ohio, 
 studied law at Mansfield, and after his ad- 
 mission to the bar moved to Lexington, 
 Ky., where he taught school until his re- 
 moval to Mississippi, where all trace of 
 him was lost. 
 
 Charles McDonald, Sr., traveled from 
 New York to Ashland county, Ohio, by rail- 
 I'oad, boat and wagon, the latter being tiie 
 vehicle of transportation from the port of 
 Huron to Savannah, Ashland county, then 
 known as the "Scotch settlement." Ow- 
 ing to the poor condition of his health, the 
 support of the family devolved upon John, 
 and he labored for all until death relieved 
 his father, February 12, 1843. His aunt 
 Margaret lived with him until her death, 
 which occurred February 19, 1859. 
 
 John McDonald was reared in the man- 
 ner then common to farmer boys in Scot- 
 land, beginning work as a farm hand when 
 nine years old, and during the winters of 
 Ills youth he attended the school of his na- 
 tive place. Onhisarrivaliii Ashland county, 
 Ohio, in 1838, he found work on a farm, 
 and was later employed as boss and time- 
 keeper on St. Mary's Reservoir in Mercer 
 county, Ohio. Within less than a year after 
 his arrival in the United States, in July, 
 1838, he had paid one hundred and fifty 
 dollars of the three hundred and twenty he 
 contracted to pay for a tract of forty acres 
 of land. Before the close of 1841 the 
 debt was cleared off, and a fertile farm in 
 Ashland county was his without ijuestioa. 
 To accomplish this, he accepted various 
 offers of work — farming, cutting wood and 
 laying stone. Strong and healthy, his 
 friends held for him work too heavy for 
 themselves, and paid for it at the rates 
 prevailing at the time. In 1847 he moved 
 to Clarksfield township, Huron county, 
 where he became owner of part of his 
 present farm, received in exchange for the 
 land in Ashland county. On April 7, 
 1855, he married Sally Phillips, daughter 
 of James Phillips, of New York, where 
 
166 
 
 HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 she was born June 26, 1836. When fif- 
 teen years old she accompanied a sister to 
 Huron county, and liere met and married 
 Mr. McDonald. The children born to 
 them are as follows: Charles M., bora 
 July 10, 1856, died at about the age of 
 twenty years; John, born August 5, 1858, 
 a farmer of Clarkstield township; George 
 W., born February 20, 1860, residing on 
 the homestead; and Jesse K., born Sep- 
 tember 1, 1862, a farmer of Clarkslield 
 township. The mother of these cliildren 
 died February 23, 1SG5, and was buried in 
 Clarkstield cemetery. On September 30, 
 1865, he married, for his second wife, 
 Mary A. Kingsbury, who was born in 
 Genesee, N. Y., June 8, 1835, daughter of 
 Lemuel and Jerusha (Durbon) Kingsbury; 
 she came to Ohio in 1838. To this mar- 
 riage came one child, Jamie, born June 4, 
 1874, who died July 21, 1876. 
 
 Since taking up his residence in Clarks- 
 field township, Mr. McDonald has followed 
 farming, grsidually adding to the original 
 place in Huron county, until now he owns 
 184 acres of fine land. This property has 
 been accumulated by his own efforts, 
 showing what can be done by industry 
 and good management. Politically he is 
 a Ivepiiblican; but while influential in the 
 party, he never took from his business a 
 moment's time which it appeared to re- 
 quire prior to his retirement from active 
 farm life in 1882. For forty years he has 
 suffered from rheumatism, but only with- 
 in the last decade could the disease make 
 any headway against liis naturally strong 
 constitution. He and wife are members 
 of the Congregational Church at Clarke- 
 field, and both are highly esteemed. 
 
 diOHN P. LEE, contractor and builder, 
 of Clarkstield township, was born 
 ' February 5, 1830, in Oswego county, 
 New York. 
 Thomas Lee, his father, was born Janu- 
 ary 17, 1799, in Franklin township, Herki- 
 mer Co., N. Y.; was brought up there in 
 
 the manner common to farmers' boys, and, 
 when a young man, obtained the position 
 of a "boss" on the Erie Canal. Subse- 
 quently he engaged in hauling wood to 
 Utica, N. Y., and still later worked on a 
 canal near Richmond, Va. In 1827 he 
 was married, in Oswego county, to Lucinda 
 Waugh, who was born there July 10, 
 1811, a daughter of 'Squire Norman 
 Waugh. To this marriage the following 
 named children were born in Oswego 
 county: Truman T., a farmer of Rock 
 county, Wis.; John P., the subject of this 
 sketch; and Margaret, who married Elan- 
 son Rose, of Camden township, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, and died in Norwalk in 1890. 
 After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Lee located 
 on a farm in Oswego county, and he was 
 engaged in agriculture there until 1833, 
 when with their three children they mi- 
 grated to Camden township, Lorain Co., 
 (_)hio, where the father had purchased, in 
 1832, 150 acres, at three dollars per acre. 
 On the Journey to Ohio, the Waughs and 
 Douglasses accompanied them, and the 
 three families occupied one log cabin until 
 Thomas Lee built a rude shelter on his 
 farm, which he occupied until 1S48, when 
 he built a commodious dwelling house. 
 During the first spring the family passed 
 in Ohio, the father suffered from erysipe- 
 las, the disease causing him the loss of his 
 left hand. He died in 1878, and was 
 buried in Camden township. He left his 
 widow and children a valuable property, 
 including the old homestead, on which she 
 resided since coming to Ohio. The chil- 
 dren born to her in Camden township 
 were as follows: George F., a farmer of 
 Rock county. Wis.; Philip E., who died 
 at Trinidad, Col., where lie had resided 
 for many years; Norman, a farmer of 
 Camden township, Lorain county; and An- 
 drew, who is also a farmer of Camden 
 township. 
 
 John P. Lee was a lad of three years 
 when he settled in Ohio, but he well re- 
 members the cooking of the first breakfast 
 in Lorain county. Forked sticks, bearing 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 im 
 
 a pole, frotn wliicli a kettle suspended over 
 the tire, tell more clearly than words coijld 
 of his primitive surroundings. He received 
 a primary education in Camden township, 
 his first school teacher being Elxperience 
 Gifford, who presided over a few pupils in 
 a log cabin not far from the Lee home- 
 stead. At the age of nineteen years he 
 was apprenticed to Edward Gager, with 
 whom be learned the carpenter's trade, his 
 progress in acquiring a knowledge of same 
 being very rapid. On January 23, 1856, 
 he was married to Sarah J. Rood, who was 
 born JMarcli 1, 1838, in Washington county, 
 N.Y. Iler parents, Lewis and Hulda (Mo- 
 sier) Rood, came to Stark county, Ohio, in 
 1841, and located near Masillon, whence 
 in 1847 they removed to Camden town- 
 ship, Lorain county, where the daughter 
 met her husband. The children born to 
 Joiin P. and Sarah J. Lee are named as 
 follows: Eva C. (Mrs. E. E. Rowland), of 
 Clarksfield; John A., a farmer of Clarks- 
 . field, married to Sarah E.Barnes; El ma 
 (Mrs. Almar McChaflin), of Eaton county, 
 Mich.; Nuland W., a mason by trade, 
 married to Rose M. Twaddle; and Lillie 
 K. (Mrs. Lewis Johnson), of Clarkstield. 
 
 For three years after marriage Mr. Lee 
 worked at his trade in Camden. In 1859 
 he purciiased a farm in that township, and 
 carried on agriculture in connection with 
 his trade until 1861, when he lost his left 
 hand. He had just signed a contract for 
 the erection of a dwelling house, and was 
 planing lumber for the window frames, 
 when he discovered that the adjusting 
 screw of the planer had to be set. While 
 setting it his thumb was drawn into the 
 machine, the hand receiving such injuries 
 that amputation became necessary. In the 
 spring of 1863 he located in Clarkstield 
 township, Huron county, on his present 
 farm, and gave closer attention than for- 
 merly to agricultnre, but later resumed 
 carpentry, leaving the care of the farm to 
 his family. Mr. Lee has been quite suc- 
 cessful as a builder and contractor; one of 
 the largest lime- kilns at Lakeside, Ohio, is 
 
 the result of his work, and several resi- 
 dences and barns, as well as the leading 
 cheese factory buildings in Huron and Lo- 
 rain counties, were built by him. He is 
 known as a conscientious contractor, who 
 will carry out his contracts to the letter. 
 A Republican in politics, Mr. Lee has 
 held the office of assessor for quite a num- 
 ber of years. In religious connection he 
 is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church. 
 
 ^ 
 
 l\ iff ARK MYERS, a typical German 
 \l/\ — honest, industrious and well-to- 
 ll do — is a native of Baden, born 
 April 14, 1820, a son of Joseph 
 and Agnes Myers, the former of 
 whom was a hard-working man in Baden, 
 where he lived many years, and, like most 
 married poor men, had a large family. 
 
 Joseph Myers was twice married, and 
 had three children by his first wife, and 
 ten by his second. In 1834, with his wife 
 and ten children (the others being yet un- 
 born), he set sail for the United States 
 from the port of Havre de Grace, France, 
 and after a stormy passage of tifty-two 
 days, during which the mainmast was car- 
 ried away, they landed at New York on 
 the Fourth of July. Hearing the firing 
 of cannon, the imraio-rants were somewhat 
 dismayed, imagining that war must have 
 broken out; but on learning that it was 
 only their "American cousins" celebrating 
 the anniversary of the Declaration of In- 
 dependence, their fears were at once dis- 
 pelled. On the ocean another child was 
 born, and was named Frank. From New 
 York the family proceeded to Ohio, via 
 the Hudson river and Erie Canal to San- 
 dusky, thence to Monroeville, Huron 
 county. In Ridgefield township Joseph 
 bought seven acres of land at six dollars 
 per acre, the payment of which exhausted 
 all his savings, as the expense of bringing 
 his family was very heavy. This land he 
 bravely set to work to clear with the 
 assistance of his sturdy sons, and his 
 
168 
 
 HURON COUNTY. OHIO. 
 
 not less robust and industrious wife and 
 daughters. Soon their efforts were crowned 
 with success, and the rugged wildwood 
 gave place to green fields and rich pas- 
 tures. Here Joseph JVIyers was gathered 
 to his fathers, dying on Easter Sunday, 
 1873, and was buried in the Underbill 
 Cemetery. Before his death the original 
 little homestead of seven acres had been 
 iucreased, by his unceasing dilligence and 
 perseverance, to 150 acres of excellent 
 farm laud. His wife was called from earth 
 in 18—. 
 
 Mark Myers, the subject of this sketch, 
 received a fair education in his native land, 
 and was fourteen years old when he came 
 to the United States with the rest of the 
 family. In Ridgetield township, Huron 
 county, he found employment at various 
 occupations, and all his earnings he gave 
 over to his father until he was twenty-two 
 years old. During part of this time he 
 worked on the Wabash & Erie Canal at 
 twenty dollars per month, and for eight 
 years was employed in a distillery at Mon- 
 i-oeville, carefully saving his earnings, so 
 that by the time of his marriage he had a 
 nice snug sum laid by. In 1849 he bought 
 land in Sherman township, to which two 
 years later he and his wife moved, taking 
 up their abode in a rude log house sur- 
 rounded with woods, where by dint of 
 hard work they effected a clearing and de- 
 veloped a farm. From this compai'atively 
 small beginning Mr. Myers kept on pros- 
 pering until his original small farm had 
 grown to one of 325 acres, a good part of 
 which he has given to his sons, all of whom 
 he assisted in their stai't in life. 
 
 On October 12, 1847, our subject was 
 married to Miss Mary Ann Harman, who 
 was born November 15, 1825, in Buffalo, 
 N. Y., a daughter of Henry Harman, and 
 who came to Huron county in 1835. Thir- 
 teen children were born of this union, 
 their names and dates of birth being as 
 follows: Kate, April 28, 1849; Mary, 
 December 23, 1850; Frank, December 30, 
 1852; Joseph, September 8, 1854; Gracie, 
 
 July 10, 1856; George, May 20, 1858; 
 Henry, October 16, 1859; Hannah, March 
 10, 1801: Lena, November 30, 1862; 
 Mark L., May 23, 1865; Ida, November 
 18, 1867; Mark AV., January 20, 1869; 
 and Rosa R:, May 13, 1871. Of these, 
 Mary died August 27, 1885, and Mark 
 died December 26, 1868. 
 
 Politically our subject is a Democrat, 
 but voted for Abrahani Lincoln, on account 
 of his views on the slavery question. He 
 has held various oftices of trust in his 
 township, where he is highly respected, 
 and with his wife is a wortliy member of 
 the Catholic Church. 
 
 'jT^j H. EMERSON, a resident of East 
 
 L^^ Norwalk, where he carries on a lu- 
 
 I \^ crative blacksmithing business, is 
 
 •fj a native of Yerniont, Ijorn in 1827, 
 
 a son of Thomas Einei'son, also a 
 
 native of the Green Mountain State. 
 
 The father of subject, who was a shoe- 
 maker by trade, came to Ohio in 1816, 
 locatinii' in Seneca euutity. In 1826 ho 
 married Miss Sarah Glick, and then moved 
 to Fremont, same State, where he resided 
 till 1839. in which year the family came 
 to Huron county, settling on a farm near 
 Monroeville. Five children were born to 
 Mr. and JNIis. Thomas Emerson, viz.: 
 Thomas E., Christian, Anna, Laurel, and 
 R. H. 
 
 In Monroeville our subject remained till 
 he was twenty-one years of age, when he 
 went to Milan, Erie county, same State, 
 and after two and one-half years' sojourn 
 there came to Norwalk and engaged in 
 blacksmithing, a trade he has followed 
 there some forty years. He also carries 
 on a farm of twenty-five acres. In 1864 
 he enlisted in Company B, One Hundred- 
 and Sixty-sixth O. V. 1., and served four 
 months and nine days, on guard duty, 
 after which he returned home, and for five 
 years following was a sergeant in the State 
 troops. In 1850 Mr. Emerson married 
 
nUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 169 
 
 Miss Jane Cortritflit, of Norwalk, who bore 
 him children as t'oliows: Sarah, wife of 
 Nelson Bailey, of Townsend, Ohio; Lon- 
 ella Norman; Lewis, in Michigan; Lanra 
 Trumbull, in East Norwalk, Ohio; JMary 
 Denman, of Townsend; Anna Sirls, of 
 Lakeside, Ohio; Lilly, iu Kansas; and 
 Melinda, who died, in 1892, in Michigan. 
 The raotiier of these died iu 1878, and for 
 his second wife Mr. Emerson wedded Mrs. 
 Sarah Bender, of Chicago Junction, by 
 whom tliere is no issue. Politically our 
 subject is a Republican, and he is a mem- 
 ber of the Methodist Ciiurch. 
 
 flOEL ROSS. This well-known influ- 
 k. I ential farmer and stock raiser of 
 y^j Wakeman township first saw the light 
 March 12, 1828, the locality of his 
 birth being the same farm where his father 
 was born March 5, 1799, in Groveland 
 township, Livingston county. New York. 
 
 Joel P. and Maria (Ordaway) Ross, par- 
 ents of the subject of this sketch, liad a 
 family of thirteen children, of whom are 
 living the following: Anna (Mrs. William 
 Jeffries), a widow, living in Hartland; 
 Fannie Jane, wife of William Harrison 
 Fletcher, living in Wakeman, Ohio; Ange- 
 line, wife of John Moon, and Charity, wife 
 of Melvin Gunn, both residents of Brighton, 
 Lorain county; and William, a farmer of 
 Michigan. When our subject was about 
 eighteen months old he came down the 
 Ohio river on a raft with his parents, and 
 his father moved to Scioto county, Ohio, 
 afterward coming to Lorain county, dying 
 in Brighton, March 9, 1881, at the age of 
 eighty-two years; for some time prior to 
 his death he had resided in Florence 
 township, Erie county. He was a lifelong 
 farmer; politically, he was a Republican, 
 and he was a member of the Methodist 
 Church, as is also his widow, who is yet 
 living in Brighton, Ohio, now in her 
 eighty-eighth year. 
 
 Joel Ross, whose name opens this sketch, 
 received his education at the common 
 
 schools of the vicinity of his home, at the 
 same time assisting his parents in the 
 work of cultivating and improving the 
 farm. When he was nineteen years old 
 he commenced working away from home 
 by the month, and, saving his money, paid 
 for fifty- thi-ee acres of land in Brighton 
 township, Lorain county. After live years 
 he went to California, where for four and 
 one-half years he was engaged iu mining, 
 driving team, etc., saving liis money with 
 judicious care. Returning to Huron county 
 he bought 150 acres of wild land in Wake- 
 man township, and leased the fifty-three 
 acres in Brighton to his father, who lived 
 thereon to the time of his death. Clear- 
 ing the land, our subject sold the timber, 
 built himself a comfortable log house, 
 barn, etc., and prospered. He now owns 
 150 acres, and successfully carries on gen- 
 eral agriculture, including stock-raising. 
 
 On November 25, 1858, Mr. Ross mar- 
 ried Miss Ann E. Haines, a native of 
 Bronson township, Huron county, daugh- 
 ter of George W. Haines, of Clarksfield 
 township, same county, and children as 
 follows were born to them: Anna (Mrs. 
 Hayes), living in Wakeman; Dennis, mar- 
 ried, and living near, working on the home 
 farm ; Ida, married to Charles Fletcher, 
 and living in Michigan; and Ella (Mrs. 
 Charles Whitney), residing in Clarkstield 
 township. In his political associations 
 our subject is a straight Republican, and 
 has served his township as school director 
 and in other offices of trust. 
 
 A. McCULLOW is a young and 
 progressive business man of Green- 
 wicli,en2;a2ed in the merchant tailor- 
 ing, clothing and men's furnishing 
 trade. He is a native of Huron county, 
 born in 1857, was educated here, and since 
 the close of his school days lias been en- 
 gaged in various mercantile enterprises. 
 In 1880 he and a Mr. Thomas estalilished 
 the present business, but in 1882 Mr. Mc- 
 
170 
 
 IIUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Cnllow purchased his partner's interest, 
 and for over a decade has carried on a suc- 
 cessful trade. On October 24, 1881, he 
 married Miss Lovezilla liiblet, of Cleve- 
 land, lioru in Galion, Crawford Co., Ohio, 
 adaugliterof David and Caroline (Mathias) 
 Riblet, the former a native of Pennsylva- 
 nia, the latter of Ohio. To this union one 
 child, Mable, was born. He is a Repub- 
 lican in politics. 
 
 J. E. and Agnes (Bartlett) McCullow, 
 parents of the subject of this sketch, are 
 old settlers of Huron county. J. E. Mc- 
 Cullow was born in Xew Jersey State, 
 came with his parents to this county when 
 a child, and was engaged in farming until 
 his retirement from active life a few years 
 ago. He lives at Greenwich, but still 
 owns the line farm near that town, known 
 as the McCullow homestead. He was 
 married twice, C. A. McCullow being the 
 only child of the iirst marriage, while to 
 the second marriage was also born one son. 
 
 C. A. McCullow devotes two Hoors to 
 his business, each 20 .x 52 feet in area. 
 Here a large assortment of domestic and 
 foreign cloths may be seen. From four to 
 six journeyman tailors are employed, and 
 an air of business pervades the whole 
 establishment. He is a member of the 
 National Union; and is popular in the com- 
 mercial aud social circles of Greenwich. 
 
 ILBERT L. JOHNSON, a promi- 
 
 .. nent representative agriculturist of 
 Clarkstield township, was born Feb- 
 ruary 26, 1828, in the town of Dan- 
 by, Tompkins Co., N. Y., a son of 
 Abraham Johnson, who was born in 
 Connecticut. 
 
 Abraham Johnson was educated in the 
 schools of his native town, and there 
 learned the two great branches of the 
 building trade, becoming a stone mason 
 and carpenter. When a young man he 
 migrated to Tompkins county, N. Y., and 
 located in Caroline township, where he 
 met and married Sally Walton, also a 
 
 native of Connecticut, who came to Tomp- 
 kins county, N. Y., when a girl, and re- 
 sided there until 184G, when the family 
 migrated to Ohio. The children born to 
 Abraham and Sally Johnson are as follows: 
 Ph(ul)e, who married Abraham Smith, and 
 died in Clarkstield township; Wesley, a 
 farmer of Crawford county, Penn. ; George, 
 who resides in Branch county, Mich.; Jane, 
 who married Anthony Shipman, and died 
 in Clarkstield township; Gilbert L., the 
 subject of this sketch; Emily, wife of 
 Aaron Thomas, of Henry county, Ohio; 
 Lewis, residing in Branch county, Mich., 
 and Amanda, who tirst married John Wil- 
 son, and is now the wife of Anson Wheeler, 
 of Henry county, Ohio. With the exception 
 of Wesley the wiiole family came to Ohio 
 in 1846, making the journey with a wagon 
 drawn by two horses. On this wagon were 
 packed the household goods, so that the 
 adults of the family had, practically, to 
 walk over rough roads from their old home 
 in New 1 ork to their new one in Ohio. 
 On arriving in Clarkstield township, Huron 
 county, they found themselves in the midst 
 of a dense forest, but a space for a cabin 
 was at once cleared and the erection of a 
 small log house begun. Before the structure 
 was completed a storm swept over the for- 
 est, blew down the trees on one side of 
 the little clearing, and one, falling on the 
 house, demolished it. Undeterred, the work 
 of building was resumed, and the pioneers 
 occupied their first home in Ohio. The 
 clearing away of the forest was then begun, 
 and there was soon another open space in 
 the wilderness. Subsequently the father 
 built for his family a frame house, and fol- 
 lowed his trades, giving much more atten- 
 tion thereto than to agriculture, until his 
 death, which occurred in February, 1866. 
 He was buried in East Creek cemetery, in 
 New London township, where the remains 
 of his widow were interred in 1872. Po- 
 litically he was originally a Whig, having 
 voted for William Henry Flarrison, later 
 became an Abolitionist, a Free-soiler, and 
 finally a Republican. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 171 
 
 Gilbe;'t L. Jolinson was raised in the 
 manner common to boys of the pioneer 
 period, attending school only as circum- 
 stances permitted. When twelve or thir- 
 teen years old he assisted his father in 
 making barrels, for the latter was a cooper 
 as well as a stone mason and carpenter. 
 When eighteen years old he accompanied 
 his parents to Ohio, and at once went to 
 work in clearing the farm, in which he 
 was engaged until 1849, when he com- 
 inenced to work for himself. He found 
 employment at eleven dollars per month, 
 cutting cord wood near Norwalk; and 
 having a knowledge of coopering, also 
 earned money at that trade, and steadily 
 advanced. Plis marriage with lihoda Cot- 
 ton took place March 1, 1855. She was 
 horn May 9, 1829, at Truxton, Cortland 
 Co., N. Y., a daughter of Jonathan and 
 Polly (Kingsley) Cotton, who settled in 
 Wayne county, Ohio, in 1832, where Mr. 
 Johnson met and married Miss Cotton, 
 while he was an employe of the Cleveland, 
 Tuscarawas Valley lV Wlieeling Railroad 
 Company, then in course of construction. 
 Mrs. Johnson was a schoolteacher in 
 Wayne county, Ohio, and Mr. Johnson 
 boarded at her father's house while work- 
 ing on the railroad in that section. The 
 children born to this marriage were as fol- 
 lows: Effie, now Mrs. Reuben Knapp, of 
 Huntington, Lorain county, Walton, who 
 died in 1864 at the age of six years; Lewis, 
 who married Lillie Lee, and resides in 
 Clarksfield; and Clara, now Mrs. Earl 
 Ketcham, of New London, Huron county. 
 After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Johnson 
 moved to Cold water, Mich., where he 
 worked at the trade of cooper until he 
 learned of the illness of his wife's parents, 
 when he and his wife returned to Wayne 
 county to care for them. For four years 
 he was engaged in farming in Milton 
 township. 
 
 In 1860 he removed to Hui'on county, 
 purchased a farm of forty acres in Clarks- 
 field township, and there lived until 1866, 
 when he took possession of his present 
 
 farm. This tract contains 120 acres, well 
 improved, with a substantial, well-furnished 
 house, good farm buildings, fences, and 
 large orchard, representing his savings 
 since the close of the Civil war. Mr. 
 Johnson cast his first Presidential vote for 
 John C. Fremont, and has ever since been 
 a Republican. He takes a deep interest 
 in political affairs, studies current subjects, 
 and is well posted on the issues of the d&y. 
 He and his wife are Free-will Baptists, and 
 he is trustee in the church. 
 
 T M. HARKNESS, leading liveryman, 
 k. I horse dealer and transferraan, of Nor- 
 }^)) walk, is descended from an old New 
 England family. 
 
 His father, Abner Harkness, was born 
 in Vermont, and became a pioneer settler 
 of New Haven township, Huron Co., Ohio. 
 He was married to Nancy Garrett, a na- 
 tive of Auburn, Cayuga Co., N. Y., and 
 passed the later portion of his life in Nor- 
 walk. He purchased the first sheep brought 
 to Huron county, having been a prominent 
 agriculturist; in politics he was originally 
 a Henry Clay Whig, afterward uniting 
 with the Republican party. He was a 
 member of the M. E. Church for over fifty 
 years, his family being also members of 
 the same. He was a strong man in earlv 
 life, but had poor health for over fifty 
 years. He died about 1870, at the age of 
 eighty-three, his widow surviving him 
 until 1877, when she passed away in her 
 eighty-third year. Of the children born 
 to this couple, seven grew to maturity and 
 five are yet living. 
 
 J. M. Harkness was born April 1, 1837, 
 in Norwalk, Huron Co., Ohio, and was 
 educated at the seminary in his native 
 place. He then learned the trade of tile 
 making, a business he followed till he 
 went in the service, as follows: He en- 
 listed for three months in Company C, 
 Eighty-eighth O. V. L, June 6, 1862, at 
 Norwalk, Ohio; mustered in at Camp 
 
172 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Chase, Ohio, June 10, 1862; appointed 
 second sergeant June 12, 18f32; promoted 
 to first sergeant June 27, 1862, and mus- 
 tered out with tlie company as such at 
 Camp Chase, Ohio, September 26, 1862. 
 Re-enlisted as private in Company F, 
 Tenth Kegriment, O. V. C, on the 1st 
 day ot November, 1862, at Cleveland, 
 Ohio; mustered in U. S. service for the 
 period of three years on the 15th day of 
 January, 1863, at Cleveland, Ohio; ap- 
 pointed first sergeant January 15, 1863; 
 commissioned second lieutenant June 14, 
 1864, and mustered as such July 19, 1864, 
 at Cartersville, Ga., to date June 25, 1864; 
 promoted to first lieutenant January 30, 
 1865; entered on duty as first lieutenant 
 and adjutant May 1, 1865, and mustered 
 out with i-egiment at Lexington, N. C, 
 July 24, 1865. He was with the regi- 
 ment in all its engagements from start to 
 finish, including Sherman's celebrated 
 march to the sea. 
 
 After the war Mr. Ilarkness returned to 
 Huron county, Ohio, and embarked in the 
 livery business; he has dealt extensively 
 in carriage horses, and also carries on a 
 transfer business. Politically he is a mem- 
 ber of the llepublican party, and takes an 
 active interest in all jnovements tending 
 to the advancement of the community. 
 On Aucrnst 18, 1856, he was married to 
 Julia I)uughtoii, a native of Lorain county, 
 Ohio, and they are the parents of four 
 children: George C, J. C, Willie and 
 Katie, the only idolized daughter, who 
 died in February, 1891, at the age of six- 
 teen years, deeply mourned by the be- 
 reaved parents and relatives. 
 
 rE. WILDMAN. A leading repre- 
 sentative citizen and prosperous 
 _^ merchant of West Clarksfield, this 
 gentleman deserves more than a 
 passing notice in the pages of this volume. 
 He conies of old Connecticut stock, the 
 homestead of liis great-grandfather, Sam- 
 
 uel Wildman, being now a part of the town 
 of Danbury. The following is a brief 
 record of the ciiildren of this Samuel Wild- 
 man: Esther, born in 1779, married Sam- 
 uel Husted, and they came to Clarksfield 
 township, being pioneers (she died at the 
 age of sixty-three); Satnuel died in Octo- 
 ber, 1842, in Danbury, Conn., aged eighty 
 years; Mary married Levi Stone, in Dan- 
 bury, and later moved to Kent, Ohio, 
 where she died in September, 1845, when 
 aged eighty-six years; Grace was married 
 in Connecticut to Hezekiah Rowland, a 
 Kevolntionary soldier, and she died in 
 Clarksfield, Ohio, in May, 1846, when 
 aged eighty-five years; Eli, who was a 
 farmer, died in Danbury, Conn., July 5, 
 1849, at the age o£ eighty-four; Ezra was 
 the grandfather of our subject; he had a 
 twin brother that died in infancy. 
 
 Ezra Wildman, grandfather of F. E., 
 was born April 20, 1775, on his father's 
 farm near Danbury, Conn., and learned 
 the hatter's trade. On June 10, 1798, he 
 married Anne Hoyt, who was born April 
 19, 1779, near Danbury, a daughter of 
 Comfort aiid Eunice (Mallory) Hoyt, the 
 former of whom was liorn May 4, 1751 
 (old style), the latter on March 23, 1751 
 (old style). After marriage Ezra Wild- 
 man continued his trade in Danbui-y, 
 where were born to him and his wife chil- 
 dren as follows: Mary Ann, born January 
 21, 1804, who married Daniel Stone and 
 moved to Clarksfield, Huron county, 
 where they both died; Cornelia, born 
 November 14, 1806, died at the age 
 of three years; William H.; Freder- 
 ick A., born June 5, 1813, ex-county 
 clerk, and a prominent citizen of Nor- 
 walk, Huron county; and Cornelia E., 
 born June 18. 1816, who married Alfred 
 R. Segar, and afterward became the wife 
 of S. G. Wright (she died in Kansas City). 
 Comfort Hoyt, Mrs. Ezra AYildman's father, 
 who was a merchant in Danbury, had his 
 store and contents damaged by British 
 soldiers during the war of the Revolution, 
 in coinpensation for which he was given, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 173 
 
 by the Government of Connecticut, a tract 
 of land in what was tlien known as the 
 " Western Connecticut Reserve," afterward 
 becoming the State of Ohio. This land 
 Comfort Iloyt divided among his children, 
 Anne's portion lying in what is nowClarks- 
 field township, Huron county, the same 
 being recorded as "Lot 10, Section 3." 
 Ezra Wildman made several trips from the 
 East to inspect this land, and iiave im- 
 provements made thereon. In May, 1828, 
 he and his son, William H., drove to Ohio, 
 arrivin'' on June 1 following, and here 
 the son remained, the father, after a brief 
 sojourn, returning eastward. In the fall 
 of the same year Ezra came finally witii 
 his enlii'e family, both single and married, 
 tiie journey being made by canal and lake, 
 the party arriving in Hnron county Octo- 
 ber 21, and they immediately took up their 
 residence in Clarksfield township, at the 
 home prepared for them, where they set 
 to work to clear the land and cultivate the 
 new soil. Grandfather AVildman died here 
 February 26, 1858, his wife in June, 1859, 
 after a married life of nearly sixty years. 
 Their remains repose in Clarksfield ceme- 
 tery, east of Hollow. Politically, Ezra 
 Wildman was originally a Federalist of the 
 old school, then a Whig, and finally a Re- 
 publican. 
 
 William H. AVildman, father of the 
 subject proper of this sketch, was born 
 July 23, 1810, in Danbury, Conn., and 
 was there educated, first attending sub- 
 scription school, afterward select school. 
 Wiien fifteen years old he commenced 
 learning the hatter's trade with his father, 
 and was eighteen years old when, as 
 already related, he came to Ohio, where, 
 in Milan, Erie county, he worked four 
 years at his trade for Henry Lockwood. 
 On April 20, 1831, in Fitchville, Huron 
 county, he married Miss Mary Ann Seger, 
 who was born Feliruary 27, 181-f, in Con- 
 necticut, a daughter of Eli Seger, an early 
 settler of Clarksfield township. This wife 
 died childless July 29, 1834, and was 
 buried in Clarksfield. On March 27, 1836, 
 
 Mr. AVildman was united in wedlock, in 
 Genesee county, N. Y., with Miss Fanny 
 Knapp, born February 11, 1815, in Dan- 
 bury, Conn., a daughter of Thomas B. and 
 Mercy (Seger) Knapp, highly respectable 
 farming people. The children born of this 
 union were as follows: Elbert K., born Au- 
 gust 3, 1837, died when three years and 
 nine months old; Alfred R., born August 
 31, 1844, now of Cleveland, Ohio, an at- 
 tache of the Cleveland Plain Dealer; and 
 Frank E.. the subject proper of this sketch. 
 Until 1880, Mr. and Mrs. William H. 
 AVildman resided in Clarksfield township, 
 on their farm, which was a part of the 
 Connecticut grant; afterward lived two 
 years in Oberlin, then seven in Wakeman, 
 and they now have their home with their 
 son, F. E., in West Clarksfield, respected 
 and honored by all who know them. 
 
 F. E. AVildman, whose name opens this 
 sketch, was born September 24, 1846, in 
 Clarksfield township, Huron county, where 
 he received a liberal education in part at 
 the common schools and in part at select 
 school. In early manhood he entered the 
 employ of Bates & Gilbert, millers at Xor- 
 walk, Huron county, as a helper; later went 
 west, and at Iowa Falls, Iowa, was engaged 
 in a general store as clerk. Returning 
 home, he resided for several years on the 
 farm owned by his father. In 1880 he re- 
 moved to Oberlin, Ohio, where he bought 
 a wholesale notion wagon, and carried on a 
 wholesale notion business. After a few 
 years he bought a stock of goods in Kip- 
 ton, Ohio, remaining there two years; then 
 in 1889 he removed to Clarksfield, same 
 State, and in 1891 to West Clarksfield, 
 where he has since been engaged in 
 merchandising, conducting one of the 
 largest general stores in the county. Mr. 
 Wildman's well-known pleasantness and 
 courtesy, together with his thorough busi- 
 ness principles, have won for him a wide 
 popularity. 
 
 In 1872 Mr. Wildman was united in 
 marriage with Miss Mary Akers, who was 
 born in Bii-mingham, Erie Co., Ohio, April 
 
174 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 2, 1850, a daughter of P. G. Akers, a 
 farmer and mechanic of that town. Two 
 children have blessed this union: William 
 II., clerking in his father's store, and Mary 
 Grace. Mr. AVildman is a stanch Repub- 
 lican, and April 1, 1892, he was appointed 
 postmaster at West Clai-kslield ; at present 
 with characteristic fidelity and ability he 
 is tillino; various offices of trust. An active 
 member of the Congregational Church, he 
 is a deacon in same, and for several years 
 was superintendent of the Sabbath-school. 
 
 Ill LBEIIT GAGE, an influential and 
 
 iLW progressive citizen of Centerton, 
 
 [r\i Norwich township, is a son of 
 
 ■^ George Gage, who was a son of 
 
 James, a native of Vermont, and a 
 
 descendant of the family of which Gen. Gage 
 
 was a member. He, James Gage, had a 
 
 family of eif;ht sons — James, Moses, John, 
 
 Georfre, Muiison, Rodman, Theodore and 
 
 Judah — and two daughters — Anna and 
 
 Lucy. 
 
 George Gage, father of subject, was 
 born about the year 1802, in New York, 
 at a place known as " the Grout," and there 
 his boyhood days were passed on a farm, 
 and in attending the subscription schools 
 of the neighborhood of his boyhood home. 
 He worked for a time in a salt factory, 
 and in 1834 came to Ohio, settling in 
 Lake county, where lie continued fanning 
 pursuits nntil his retirement from active 
 life. In 18 — lie married Miss Ph(ebe 
 Hatch, of Herkimer county, N. Y., and 
 they have three children, Albert, Adelia 
 M. and Sarah L. 
 
 Albert Gage, the subject of this sketch, 
 was born, in 1825, in Syracuse, N. Y., 
 and received a liberal common-school edu- 
 cation. When a youth he went on the 
 lakes as a common sailor, and was wrecked 
 several times. In 1850 he came to Huron 
 county, taking uj) his residence in Center- 
 ton, where for ten years he was engaged in 
 the lumber business. The Civil war hav- 
 
 ing then broken out, he enlisted, in 1861, 
 in the Fifty-fifth Regiment U. Y. I., par- 
 ticipated in the l)attle of Cross Keys, and 
 was discharged as sergeant in 1862 on ac- 
 count of disability. On his return home 
 he was taken sick, and was invalided till 
 1864, when he joined the One Hundred 
 and Sixty-sixth O. V. I., as orderly ser- 
 geant, remaining at the front one hundred 
 days. On his return once more to the 
 pursTiits of peace, he clerked two years for 
 Hester it Bank, merchants of Centerton, 
 Huron county, and then for Crow & 
 Miller, general merchants of same place, 
 one year, and after the death of Crow he 
 took over his interest by purchase. In 
 1873 he bought out Miller, and has since 
 been found at the same stand, doing a 
 flourishing and profitable business. 
 
 In 1854 Mr. Gage married Miss Eliza- 
 beth Van Horn, of Norwich township, 
 Huron couTity, and five children were born 
 to this union, viz.: Henry F., Eugene W., 
 Stanley, Frederick and Bertha. In his 
 political proclivities our subject has been 
 a stanch Republican, and has held various 
 township offices witli honor. 
 
 d I AMES BELLAMY, a well-known 
 farmer of Townsend township, was 
 _ 1 born August 12, 1839, in Hunting- 
 don, England, and is the seventh 
 child in a family of ten born to Samuel and 
 Susanna (Ilighiam) Bellamy, the former 
 of whom was born in Huntingdonshire, 
 England, and the latter in Glasgow, 
 Scotland. 
 
 Samuel Bellamy was educated and mar- 
 ried in England, where he was engaged in 
 agricultural pursuits for many years, in 
 fact most of his life. His educational ad- 
 vantages were very limited in youth, con- 
 sequently such literary knowledge as he 
 possessed was mainly acquired in the 
 practical school of experience. In Sep- 
 tember, 1862, he emigrated with his wife 
 and youngest child to the United States, 
 
HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 175 
 
 all the other members of the family having 
 preceded them. F'irst stopping with their 
 son, the subject of this sketch, in Huron 
 township, Erie Co., Ohio, they remained 
 until the following spring (1863) and then 
 ren)0ved to P'ord county. 111., where Sam- 
 uel Bellamy died August 3, 1863, when 
 in his sixty- third year. Both he and his 
 wife were consistent members of the 
 Church of England; the latter, however, 
 became in her later years a member of the 
 M. E. Church at Townsend Center, Huron 
 Co., Ohio. 
 
 William Bellamy, grandfather of our 
 subject, was a lifelong farmer in his native 
 England, where for many generations the 
 Bellamys were engaged in agricultural 
 pursuits. John Highiam, maternal grand- 
 father of our subject, was a non-commis- 
 sioned officer in the British army, all his 
 life being passed in the military service. 
 He was born at a military post (as were 
 also all his own ciiildren), his father being 
 a lifelong soldier, as was also his grand- 
 father, and the ancestors of the family for 
 generations. 
 
 James Bellamy, the subject of this 
 sketch, received but meager literary ad- 
 vantages in youth, never having attended 
 school more than two or three weeks in 
 his life, and that in England before reach- 
 ing his seventh year. He has, however, 
 since attaining manhood's years, succeeded 
 by his own efforts in acquiring a very fair 
 business education. He is a man of o-ood 
 judgment, quick perceptions aiul a close 
 observer of everything around him; and 
 he is also quite a reader, well informed in 
 current literature and in the Scriptures 
 and Bible literature generally. At the age 
 of sixteen, in 1855, he immigrated to the 
 United States, landing at New York City 
 on Christmas Day of that year, and arriv- 
 ing at his sister's home in Berlin town- 
 ship, Erie Co., Ohio, on January 1, 1856. 
 He immediately went to work by the 
 month on a farm in that neighborhood, for 
 a Mr. James Oates, with whom he re- 
 mained until the following spring. He 
 
 continued working out by the month or 
 day, occasionally taking a job of chopping 
 cordwood or ditching, until the spring of 
 1873, when he bought wild land in Town- 
 send township, Huron county. There were 
 only four acres cleared on the place, out of 
 which he has since improved the farm 
 upon which he now resides, and to which 
 he has added other lands, now owning two 
 well-improved ])laces. During eight or 
 nine winters he chopped 1,200 cords of 
 wood for Mr. Frank Pinney, in Townsend 
 township. Prior to his settling in Huron 
 county Mr. Bellamy had purchased wild 
 lands in Wood county, Ohio, and also in 
 Michigan, as a speculation, but never re- 
 sided on either tract. On April 22, 1861, 
 he enlisted in Company E, Seventh Regi- 
 ment O. V. I., for three months, and was 
 mustered out at Norwalk on August 22 
 following. 
 
 Mr. Bellamy was married December 14, 
 1860, to Miss Eliza Coultrip, who was 
 born in Kent, England, June 8, 1842, a 
 daughter of James and Sophia (Fulligar) 
 Coultrip, both of whom were also natives 
 of Kent. Two sons have blessed their 
 union, viz.: John Charles, born Marcii 
 17, 1862, and William Porter, born De- 
 cember 12, 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Bellamy 
 are devout members of the M. E. Church, 
 and are identified with the the class at 
 Townsend Center. Socially he is a charter 
 member of Townsend Post No. 414, G. A. 
 R., in which Post he has several tinies 
 tilled the office of chaplain. Mrs. Bellamy 
 is an active memljer of Townsend W. R. 
 C. No. 142, Auxiliary to Townsend Post 
 No. 414, G. A. R. In politics Mr. Bel- 
 lamy is a Republican, and he is one of the 
 enterprising, successful farmers of the 
 neighboriiood, as well as one of her most 
 prominent and respected citizens. 
 
 Mr. Bellamy's brother, William Bellamy, 
 in company with wdiom our subject immi- 
 grated to America, was employed, like 
 him, in working by the month, day or job 
 until the breaking out of the Civil war, 
 when he enlisted in the same company and 
 
176 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 regiment with our subject, and on the 
 same day. Soon after his discharge, in 
 September, 1861, he re-enlisted, this time 
 in Company C, Fiftytiith O. V. I., and 
 served with his regiment in all its marches 
 and entjacrements to the second battle of 
 Bull linn, in which engagement he was 
 killed by a cannon ball. No truer patriot 
 or braver soldier ever stood upon a battle- 
 field than he. He was always ready for 
 duty, never hesitating or flinching from 
 any post assigned him, no matter how 
 arduous or dangerous the work. He was 
 color bearer of his regiment, and fell while 
 in the front ranks. He left a widow, hav- 
 ing been married just before proceeding to 
 the front. 
 
 James Coultrip, father of Mrs. James 
 Bellamy, was a shepherd by occupation, 
 in his native land. In 1850 he immigrated 
 to the United States, first haltincr near Al- 
 liany, N. Y., where he was engaged in 
 chopping wood for one winter. The next 
 spring, 1851, he removed to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, locating near Avon, where 
 he was employed at shearing sheep and on 
 a large ditch contract, until the fall of the 
 same year, when he took a contract for 
 grading a part of the northern division of 
 tiie Lake Shore & Micliigan Southern Rail- 
 road in Lorain county. He completed the 
 same, but was defrauded of the fruits of 
 his labor, never receiving a cent of pay. 
 After this he was employed at any thing 
 which promised to bring him an honest 
 dollar. In the fall of 1852 he sent for his 
 wife and children, whom he had left be- 
 hind in Old England, and the family, 
 among whom was Mrs. Bellamy, then ten 
 years old, arrived in New York in No- 
 vember, that year, and came thence by 
 rail and steamboat to Berlin township, 
 Erie Co., Ohio. There they rejoined Mr. 
 Coultrip, who for several years afterward 
 farmed on rented lands in both Erie and 
 Huron counties. In about 1857 or 1858 
 he bought a farm in Townsend township, 
 Huron county, upon which lie remained 
 until the spring of 1868, when he sold out 
 
 and bought another place in Berlin town- 
 ship, Erie county. After a few years he 
 sold this place, and later rented in various 
 parts of Huron county. The last two 
 years of his life were passed with his son- 
 in-law, the subject of our sketch, at whose 
 home his death occurred January 5, 1878, 
 wiien he was aged sixty-three years. Dar- 
 ing the Civil war he served in the Nine- 
 teenth O. V. I., from October 3, 1864, to 
 June 8, 1865. He was not assicrned to 
 any company, and for a time did duty as 
 a cattle guard, and afterward as nurse in 
 a hospital at Moorehead City, N. Carolina. 
 
 FRANK J. RUFFING, a prominent 
 agriculturist of Sherman township, 
 _^ is a native of same, born September 
 13, 1859, a son of Joseph Rutting, one 
 of the pioneers of the county. His fatiier 
 numbered among those who came to Ohio 
 when it was necessary to clear in the forest 
 a place on which to build a log hut, and 
 make a home in the wilderness. 
 
 Our subject passed his childhood on his 
 father's farm, and remained there until he 
 was married. He attended the subscrip- 
 tion school of his neighborhood, receiving 
 such education as was furnished in those 
 days, when the schoolhouse was a rude log 
 hut, scarcely protected from the elements, 
 and furnished with benches nailed to one 
 side of the wall, and where the teachers 
 were but indifferently prepared to impart 
 information. In 1884 Mr. Rufling mar- 
 ried Miss Victoria Layman, daughter of 
 Balsor Layman, a well-known farmer of 
 Sherman township, and their marriage has 
 been blessed with three children, viz.: Al- 
 fred, I'ertha and Nora, all of whom are yet 
 living. Mr. and Mrs. Rutting are mem- 
 bers of the Catholic Clhurch. 
 
 Mr. Rutting is singularly fortunate in 
 his domestic relations, his children being 
 a great source of pride to him, and his in- 
 terest in educational matters is demon- 
 strated by the manner in which he controls 
 
UURON^ COUNTY, OniO. 
 
 177 
 
 and directs the intellectual necessities of 
 his children. He is public-spirited and 
 enterprising, and readily endosres any pro- 
 ject calculated to stimulate the develop- 
 ment and prosperity of the township and- 
 county in which he resides. He is gener- 
 ous and affable, his sympathies expressing 
 themselves in kindness to friends and in 
 charities when they are merited. It may 
 he said of him, that in all the relations of 
 life in which he is called upon to act, he 
 is trustworthy, constant and honest. His 
 habits of industry and application have 
 enabled him to accumulate a handsome 
 property, and he owns eighty-four acres of 
 valuable land, devoted to general agricul- 
 ture, includinir stock raising. He is 
 popular in political circles, and has served 
 as supervisor for several years. 
 
 T[ H. McELHINNEY, M. D., a mem- 
 V. I ber of the medical firm of J. H. & F. 
 }^Jj 13. McElHinney, of New London, was 
 born in Washington county, Ohio, in 
 1850, a son of Dr. Joseph M. McElHinney, 
 who was born within four miles of the city 
 of Londonderry, Ireland. 
 
 Brought to the United States when seven 
 
 years old, the father of our subject was 
 
 educated in Ohio, and while still a youth 
 
 began school teaching, presiding over a 
 
 school in the village of Newport, Ohio, for 
 
 eight years. During that period he read 
 
 medicine, and, enterinirthe Eclectic Medi- 
 co 
 
 cal Institute at Cincinnati, o-raduated, 
 afterward establishing himself in practice 
 at Newport. There he married Miss Ara- 
 bella Hannold, and made his home. He 
 served a term in the armv in 1864, as 
 captain of Company G, One Hundred and 
 Forty-eighth O. V.' I. 
 
 J. H. McElHinney, the subject proper 
 of this sketch, grew to manhood at New- 
 port, Ohio, received a practical education 
 in the schools there, and completed his 
 literary course in Marietta Colleire. When 
 not at school he assisted his father in office 
 
 work. School days over, he read medicine 
 under the direction of his father, and as- 
 sisted him in practice, even before entering 
 the medical college. He attended lectures 
 at the Eclectic Medical Institute, of Cin- 
 cinnati, and, graduating from that institu- 
 tion in 1873, returned home, where he 
 remained until his brother Frank won a 
 diploma. From that time until 1881 he 
 practiced at Hills, Washington county; 
 then moving to Ruggles, Ashland county, 
 and from there to New London, Ohio, in 
 1888, established himself at once as a skill- 
 ful physician. 
 
 In i877 Dr. McElHinney married Miss 
 Mary E. Greene, the second daughter of 
 Christopher and Mary F. (Wood) Greene. 
 Christopher Greene was born in Newport, 
 Ohio, in 1809, son of John Greene, one of 
 the tirst settlers of Newport, which was 
 settled soon after the settling of Marietta, 
 Ohio. He was fond of hunting in his 
 younger days; also spent considerable time 
 running flat-boats on the Ohio and Missis- 
 sippi rivers, in the capacity of pilot. At 
 tlie age of Hfty-five he entered tlie United 
 States service in Company G, One Hun- 
 dred and Forty-eighth O. V. I., under 
 Capt. J. M. McElHinney, in Gen. Benj. 
 
 F. Butler's corps on the James river, near 
 Petersburg, Va. He is still (1894) living 
 at Newpoi-t, Ohio. To Dr. and Mrs. J. 
 H. McElHinney have been born f(jur chil- 
 dren, namly: Mary A., Glenna E., Bessie 
 
 G. and Clare B. 
 
 The Doctor is a member of the Ohio 
 Eclectic Medical Society, and is now the 
 secretary; was a member of the Grand 
 Lodge of the I. O. G. T. for ten years, and 
 is a member of the I. O. O. F. A Pro- 
 hibitionist in politics, he is a consistent 
 member of that party. He is recognized 
 as an able general practitioner, and well 
 known as a most successful surgeon. With 
 the exception of tlie time devoted to field 
 sports, he gives close personal attention to 
 professional work. During certain seasons 
 he seeks out some good hunting and tisli- 
 ing grounds, and passes a short season in 
 
178 
 
 HURON- COUNTY, OniO. 
 
 the role of hunter and fisherman. The 
 trophies in his office speak of his success 
 as a [sportsnian. He was mustered out of 
 tlie United States service in the fail of 
 1864 when not quite fourteen years old. 
 He still has a fondness for target shooting 
 with the rifle, at which he is quite pro- 
 ficient. 
 
 F. STARBIRD, a druggist of New 
 London, was born in Stark county, 
 Ohio, October 24, 1844. His father, 
 Austin Starbird.anativeof Pennsyl- 
 vania, studied medicine at Cleveland, Ohio, 
 and graduated from the Medical College of 
 that city. About the year 1850 he located 
 in New London, and soon established him- 
 self as a physician and surgeon. His study 
 did not at all cease witli graduation. The 
 responsibilities of practice led him to 
 deeper studies and research, so that the 
 reputation he won, in the profession, was 
 based on a solid foundation; for his knowl- 
 edge of medicine and surgery, in both 
 tlieory and practice, was wide. He died 
 in the spring of 1877, his widow, Mary J. 
 (Fulton), in 1891. 
 
 B. F. Starbird is the eldest in a family 
 of five children. He received a practical 
 education in the common school of New 
 London, and completed a commercial 
 course in Oberlin College. When he was 
 of age his father presented him and brother 
 with a fully equipped drug store, and this 
 business he has carried on since 1867. In 
 the spring of 1890 he purchased his 
 brotiier"s interest in the store, at whicii 
 time the brother was appointed postmaster 
 at New London. The building in whicli 
 his business is carried on is 20 x 85 feet in 
 area, two stories liigh, with basement. 
 Throughout, it is fully stocked with drugs, 
 paints and oils. The prescription depart- 
 ment receives the close personal attention 
 of the owner, wlio gives general supervis- 
 ion to the whole establisliment. 
 
 In 1878 Mr. Starbird married Miss 
 Alice E. Kilburn, a daughter of one of the 
 
 pioneers of New London, where she was 
 born. To this marriage the followincj 
 named children were born: Mary Ella, 
 Burton Hoyte, Frank Kilburn and Mar- 
 gurite J. With the exception of three 
 years passed in Chicago, 111., and many 
 days in school at Oberlin, Mr. Starbird has 
 been a resident of New London since the 
 family moved from Stark county, Ohio, 
 and holds a high position in the social as 
 well as in the commercial circle. He has 
 held the office of township clerk for over 
 fifteen years. The beginnings of the fam- 
 ily in America were made in Maine, from 
 which center they branched out. The 
 grandfather of B. F. Starbird migrated to 
 Stark county, and carried on a farm there 
 until his removal to Maumee, Lucas Co., 
 Ohio, where he died at a ripe old age. 
 
 rjflRAM SMITH. Ranking among 
 jp^i the first and best of the early fam- 
 I 1| ilies of Huron county is the Smith 
 ■^ family, descended from the New 
 
 England pioneer, Erastus Smith, 
 and his wife, Fannie (Spencer) Smith. 
 
 Hiram Smith, although still superin- 
 tending, and not actively engaged in farm- 
 ing, is one of Huron county's largest 
 practical farmers and landowners. He 
 was born in Greenfield township, Huron 
 county, November 21, 1816. His father, 
 Erastus Smith, was united in wedlock to 
 Faimie Spencer on the 19th day of De- 
 cember, 1805, and of this union were born 
 seven children, viz.: Martin, Lydia, Tru- 
 man, Erastus, Lester, Hiram and Hen- 
 rietta. At the time of the arrival in this 
 county of Erastus and Fannie Smith there 
 was i)ut one cal)in in Greenfield township, 
 and in this Mrs. Smith stayed while her 
 husband built their log cabin. This brave 
 pioneer woman lived to the great age of 
 ninety-seven years, retaining in a great 
 measure her wonderful mental powers up 
 to the time of her death. Erastus Smith 
 died July 10, 1820. Hiram Smith and 
 
''c-^^^<^^Cp 
 
 /l^ 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 181 
 
 family are owners of 800 acres of finely 
 improved land in Greenfield township, the 
 development of which is almost entirely 
 the result of Mr. Smith's personal energy 
 and resolution in overcoming all obstacles. 
 
 In connection with his farming inter- 
 ests he, about the year 1850, engaged in 
 mercantile business at Steuben. In this 
 pursuit the results of his business sagacity 
 were as apparent as in iiis farming and 
 stock business. " Uncle Hi," as he has 
 tbi' many years been popularly addressed, 
 is well and favorably known among the 
 farmers and stock-raisers of Huron county, 
 as his wool and stock buying tended to 
 make his a familiar atid welcome figure 
 where his business called him in these 
 pursuits. 
 
 Mr. Smith is largely a self-educated 
 man, and an extensive and profound 
 reader. His views of political and finan- 
 cial affairs, fiuently and lucidly enunciated, 
 are eagerly solicited by many who admire 
 and repose confidence in his well-demon- 
 strated judgtnent in these matters. Among 
 his most striking characteristic traits is 
 his extreme fondness for children, his resi- 
 dence having been and being the chosen 
 and favorite resort for his grandchildren; 
 his presence and ever-open home preferred 
 by them to that of all others. His kind- 
 ness and genetosity, extended even to 
 those past the privileges of childhood's 
 claim, is proverbial. 
 
 Except as a matter of history, it is need- 
 less to state the esteem and confidence Mr. 
 Smith is held in, in a business way. His 
 honorable career has no blemish, and no 
 man can or does regret any dealing ever 
 entered into with him. In 1887 Mr. 
 Smith, fully justified in retiring from 
 active life, came to Norwalk, pni-chasing 
 his present residence o,n West Main street, 
 a quiet but luxurious home his exemplary 
 life so richly deserves. 
 
 Hiram Sinith and Polly Rockwell were 
 united in wedlock December 31, 1840; 
 she was the daughter of Thaddeus and 
 Polly Rockwell, then of Greenfield, but 
 
 10 
 
 formerly of New York State. To our 
 subject and wife were born six children (of 
 whom five are living), as follows: Emma 
 Fanette, widow of Harry C. Sturges, re- 
 siding with her parents; Hiram J., in 
 Steuben, Ohio, who has eight children, 
 seven of whom are living — three daughters 
 and four sons — having lost by death one 
 son, RoUin J.; Henry Dayton, a resident 
 of Washington, who has one child, a son, 
 H. J.; Sarah Frances (deceased); George 
 Rockwell, of Kansas, who has three chil- 
 dren — one son and two daughters; and 
 Fannie Eliza (Mrs. Frank Lamkin), living 
 in Norwalk, who has one child, a daugh- 
 ter, Mary Finette. Mr. Smith's imme- 
 diate family worship at the Universalist 
 Church, and are esteemed among the best 
 of Norwalk's citizens. 
 
 AMUEL C. TOUGH, traveling sales- 
 man, in the agricultural implement 
 line, with residence in Townsend 
 township, is a native of Huron 
 county, born November 11, 1845, in 
 Ridgefield township. He is the eldest of 
 two children born to Seth and Eliza(Fisher) 
 Tough, the former of whom was born in 
 Edinburgh, Scotland, the latter in North- 
 umberland county, Penn., of German ex- 
 traction. 
 
 Seth Tough was born March 25, 1807, 
 and received in his youth a very good 
 common-school education in his native 
 country. Soon after attaining his majority 
 he emigrated from Scotland to the United 
 States, settling in Ridgefield township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, where he was married 
 October 3, 1844. Here he engaged in 
 agricultural pursuits, in which he con- 
 tinued until his death, which occurred 
 October 10, 1853. Mrs. Eliza Tough was 
 born February 24, 1807, and was a devoted, 
 lifelong member of the Baptist Church; 
 she died October 13, 1879. Her father, 
 William Fisher, was born in Pennsylvania, 
 and received a fair English education in 
 his native State, where he married and 
 
182 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 engaged in farming pursuite. In about 
 1S55 he removed with his wife and family 
 to Huron county, Ohio, where he bouglit 
 a farm and successfully engaged in agri- 
 culture until his death. He was an earnesl 
 member of the Congregational Church. 
 
 Samuel C. Tough, subject proper of this 
 sketch, received in his early years a good 
 common-school and academic education, 
 and remained on the old homestead until 
 rtaching his majority. He then, lor the 
 next ten or twelve years, engaged in agri- 
 cultural pursuits, during which time he 
 also followed the profession of teacher. 
 Since that time he has been employed as a 
 traveling salesman in the agricultural im- 
 plement trade, with tlie exception of two 
 years, when he was engaged in the local 
 trade at Norwalk. For eight years he was 
 with the Bryan Flow Co., of Fryan, Ohio, 
 and for the past thrte years has repre- 
 sented the Genesee Valley Manufacturing 
 Co., of Mt. Morris, N. Y., having control 
 of northwestern Ohio and the whole State 
 of Michigan. 
 
 On October 1, 1867, Mr. Tough was 
 united in marriage with Miss Mary E. 
 Kile, who was a native of Huron county, 
 Ohio, daughter of Adam and Sarah S. 
 (Milkcs) Kile, and to this union have been 
 born two children, viz.: Percy Washing- 
 ton and Sarah Gladys. Socially Mr. 
 Tough is a popular member of Mt. Ver- 
 non Lodge No. 64, F. & A. M., and of 
 Huron Chapter No. 7, R. A. M., both of 
 Norwalk, Ohio. 
 
 E 
 
 UGENE L. McCAGUE, a promi- 
 nent young citizen of Bronson town- 
 ship, is a son of Thomas J. Mc- 
 Cagne, and a grandson of Thomas 
 McCague, whose parents, James and Janet 
 (Cochran) McCague, came to the United 
 States about the year 1784. They had a 
 family of four sons and four daughters. 
 
 Thomas McCague, son of this pioneer 
 couple, was born, in 1784, near Fhiladel- 
 phia, Fenn. He was there married to 
 
 Rosanna Coyan, daughter of Edward 
 Coyan, by trade a weaver, and also a native 
 of Ireland, and the young couple soon aft- 
 erward (in 1819) came to Columbiana 
 county, Ohio. There Thomas McCague 
 bought land, but same year moved to a 
 farm in Summit county, san:e State) which 
 he had bought. In 1839 they moved to 
 Holmes county, same State, remaining 
 there eleven years; then settled in Hart- 
 land township, Hui'on county, where lie 
 died in 1863 at the age of seventy-nine 
 years. He was a Democrat in politics; in 
 religion Mrs. McCague was a member of 
 the Presbyterian Church. She died in 
 1873, the mother of seven children, four 
 of whom were deceased in youth and three 
 are yet living, viz.: Samuel, living on the 
 old farm in Hartland township; Thomas 
 J., and Jane, wife of R. G. Bishop, of 
 Akron, Ohio. 
 
 Thomas J. McCague was born August 
 14, 1826, in Summit county, Ohio, and 
 passed his youth on the home farm. He 
 received a subscription-school education, 
 and when nineteen years of age began life 
 for himself by working on a farm for eight 
 dollars per month. He continued to fol- 
 low farming during his earlier years, and 
 was also employed in the sawmills. In 
 1850 he passed a year in Olena, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, and January 1,1851, was mar- 
 I'ied to Adeline, daughter of Bethuel Cole, 
 who was a son of Ebenezer Cole, for twenty 
 years justice of the peace in Vermont; his 
 son Bethuel was born in Rensselaer county, 
 N. Y. Thomas J. and Adeline (Cole) 
 McCague resided as tenants on a farm in 
 liartland township, Huron county, for 
 three years after their marriage. In the 
 autumn of 1854 they moved to the old 
 Cole homestead, where Bethuel Cole died 
 in 1874, aged seventy-seven years, followed 
 by his wife in 189t), who was ninety years 
 of aire. Mr. and Mrs. McCague continued 
 to reside on the place after the death of 
 lier parents. The farm contains one hun- 
 dred acres, \vhcre he conducts a general 
 agricultural business. Tliey were the par- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 183 
 
 ents of one son, Eugene L. Mrs. Adeline 
 (Cole) McOagiie died October 8, 189d, in 
 her sixty-eighth year. 
 
 Eugene L. McCagiie was born August 
 14, 1853, in Hartland township, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, and received a good practical 
 education in the county schools. On May 
 23, 1877, he married Mary E. Godfrey, a 
 native of Ruggles township, Ashland Co., 
 Ohio. Between the year.s 1881 and 1885 
 Eugene L. McCague was traveling sales - 
 man for dealers in agricultural implements. 
 He then learned the painting business, to 
 which he has since devoted s6me attention 
 in connection with farming. He is a 
 proninent member of the Republican 
 party, and is now serving his third term 
 as township trustee. The cliildren of Mr. 
 and Mrs. Eugene L. McCajjue are Ida 
 Vione, born January 14, 1880; Carleton 
 Eugene, born March 21, 1890; and Harold 
 B. Godfrey, born August 7, 1892. 
 
 P. CLTRTISS, son of Charles Cur- 
 tiss, and grandson on the maternal 
 side of Ebenezer Treat, was born 
 in Ashland county, Ohio, in 1841. 
 Charles Curtiss was born in New York 
 State, but passed his boyhood in Canada. 
 About the year 183S he migrated to Ohio, 
 locating in Ashland county, and erected 
 i>ne of the first saw and grist mills in 
 Ruggles township. Water power was used; 
 so that, as the country was cleared and the 
 swamps converted into fertile fields, the 
 water courses dwindled into streamlets, the 
 water-wheel became of little use, and tne 
 owner turned his attention to agriculture. 
 Charles Curtiss was married in New York 
 State, and ten children were born to him, 
 of whom eight grew to manhood and wo- 
 manhood, two being now residents of 
 Ohio. The father of this familj' died in 
 1865, aged seventy-three years, and the 
 mother, Jemima (Treat) Curtiss, died in 
 1872 at the age of seventy-two years. 
 Charles Curtiss was a Democrat down to 
 
 18P)0, when lie cast his vote for Lincoln, 
 being a stern Union man during the war. 
 W. P. Curtiss is an experienced manu- 
 facturer and employer. Raised on the farm 
 in Ruggles township, he was educated in 
 the school of his district and in the high 
 school at Savannah. At an early age he 
 ventured into the business world by oper- 
 ating a stone quarry on the home farm. 
 Ill 1864 he commenced the bondino- busi- 
 ness at New London, and this business 
 was carried on by him and his brother, 
 Charles L. Curtiss, for two years, when he 
 bought his brother's interest. He then 
 associated himself with W. R. Santley for 
 the terra of three years, at the expiration 
 of which Mr. Curtiss sold his interests in 
 the bending industry to his partner, and 
 commenced the manufacture of cheese 
 boxes, a business he carried on for four or 
 five years. He then added to his business 
 the inanufactui'e of butter tubs, and ao-ain 
 took his brother, C. L. Curtiss, as a part- 
 ner. This firm continued the business 
 about two years, when they organized a 
 joint-stock company for the purpose of 
 manufacturing cheese and buttei- packao-es, 
 and other cooperage stock and lu tuber. 
 The management of this then passed into 
 other hands, and was operated by them 
 some three or four years at a loss to the 
 stockholders of nearly the whole invest- 
 ment of which Mr. Curtiss and his brother, 
 C. L., owned a large amount. Durincrtiie 
 most of this time Mr. Curtiss was at work 
 for the luml)er firm of W. R. Santley & 
 Co., of Wellington, Ohio. About nine 
 years ago he purchased the old concern, 
 and commenced the same business again, 
 with Mr. O. C. Harvey (his nephew) as 
 partner, under the name of Curtiss & 
 Harvey. About one year later Mr. Harvey 
 died, and his widow (Mrs. Harvey) has 
 retained his interest with Mr. Curtiss until 
 the present time. The business of this 
 firm has increased to four or five times its 
 original amount within the past five years. 
 The buildings now devoted to this industry 
 comprise one two-story 34 x 88 feet in 
 
184 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 area; one 30x60 feet two-story, and one 
 28x30 feet; one large steam- lieated dry 
 kiln, and two sheds, each one hundred feet 
 in length; one seventy-five horse-power 
 engine is used for driving the machinery. 
 This is without doubt the most extensive 
 and best equipped butter tub factory in the 
 State of Ohio. Several of the machines 
 used in this factory were designed espe- 
 cially for the business by Mr. (Jurtiss, 
 some of which he has several patents on. 
 
 Being located in a section of the coun- 
 try where there is an abundant amount of 
 white ash timber of the very best quality 
 for butter tubs, tliis concern anticipates a 
 still greater increase in their business for 
 the next few years. The part this industry 
 has taken and now takes in tlie develop- 
 ment of this section of the country is an 
 important one, and worthy the study of 
 the economist. 
 
 The marriage of Mr. Gurtiss with Louisa 
 M. Fish, a native of New York, took place 
 October 17, 1871. To this union two 
 children — Mattie E. and William Ray- 
 mond — were born. William Raymond 
 died in December, 1882, at the acre of one 
 year and fifteen days. In social affairs Mr. 
 Cui-tiss is a Royal Arch Mason, and a 
 member of the National Union. As a 
 citizen he is enterprising and progressive. 
 
 FAUL WILLIAM PFRANKLIN, 
 proprietor of meat market, Bellevue, 
 was born at Venice, Erie Co., Ohio, 
 February 6, 1866, son of David and 
 Elizabeth (Reiser) Pfrankliu. The 
 parents were born in "Baden, Germany, 
 whence they came to the United States, 
 settling at Sandusky, Ohio, where the 
 mother still resides. The father died 
 April 29, 1888, aged sixty years. Of ten 
 children born to them, seven are yet 
 living. 
 
 Paul W. Pfranklin grew to manhood in 
 Sandusky, and received a practical educa- 
 tion in the German Catholic schools of 
 
 that city. When school days were ended 
 he entered a meat market, and there learned 
 all the details of the butcher's trade. 
 About two years ago he piirchased a half 
 interest in a meat market, later bought out 
 his partner's interest, and is now sole pro- 
 prietor of the house. By industry and 
 equitable dealing he has built up a large 
 trade, and is unquestionably the leading 
 dealer in fresh and cured meats at Belle- 
 vue. He carries in stock all kinds of meat 
 foods, while his abattoir furnishes fresh 
 meats to supply the daily demand. His 
 enterprise has made Mr. Pfranklin an im- 
 portant factor in the community. 
 
 II. PEASE. This gentleinan, 
 who by his own individual effoi'ts 
 has become one of the leading suc- 
 cessful citizens of Wakeman, is 
 a son of Sylvester' Pease, one of the first 
 settlers of Cuyahoga county, Ohio. 
 
 Sylvester Pease was a hatter by trade, 
 and part proprietor of the first hat store 
 opened in Cleveland, the firm being Dock- 
 stater & Pease, still within the recollection 
 of the older business houses of that city. 
 For many years he was a resident of Sum- 
 mit county, Ohio, and he had a family of 
 two sons (of whom one is living) and two 
 daughters — Mrs. Jnlia L' Ilommedieu, 
 living at Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and Susie 
 Case, of San Francisco, Cal. The father 
 of Sylvester Pease, by name George Pease, 
 was a quartermaster in the Revolutionary 
 war, with headquarters at Hudson, Ohio. 
 Ha was a native of New York State. 
 
 W. II. Pease, the subject proper of tliis 
 memoir, was born in January, 1839, in 
 Cleveland, Ohio, whence when six years 
 old he was taken to Cuyahoga Falls, Sum- 
 mit county, where at the age of twenty- 
 two years he enlisted in the Nineteenth 
 O. V. 1., Capt. Andi'ew J. Konkle's com- 
 pany, the regimetit being under the com- 
 mand of Col. Beatty. After three months' 
 service he was commissioned lieutenant in 
 
HURON COUNTY, OIIip. 
 
 185 
 
 the First Ohio Light Artillery, Battery D, 
 afterward transferred to Battery F as cap- 
 tain, and participated in all the engage- 
 ments of the Tennessee and other cam- 
 paigns, among which may be mentioned 
 Stone River, Mission Ridge, Knoxville 
 and Pumpkin Vine Creek, where he was 
 wounded and captured by the Confeder- 
 ates. He was confined in Libby Prison 
 for several weeks, then exchanged and re- 
 turned to his battery. On resuming the 
 pursuits of peace, Mr. Pease went on the 
 road as a traveling salesman, continuing as 
 such nntil 1808, when he went to Mil- 
 waukee, Wis., where for two years he was 
 employed in the telegraph office. From 
 there after marriage he moved to Chicago, 
 and after a year's residence in that city 
 came to Wakeman, Huron county, where 
 for two years he conducted a hotel. We 
 ne.xt find our snbject embarked in the in- 
 surance, furniture and undertaking busi- 
 ness, in which he is still prosperously 
 engaged. 
 
 On November 17, 1870, Mr. Pease was 
 married to Miss Josephine Bright, daugh- 
 ter of J. Y. and Fanny M. B. Bright, and 
 three children, as follows, came to their 
 union: James S., born in May, 1874, died 
 January 14. 1881; William L., born March 
 12, 1885; and Joseph B., born April 12, 
 1888, died April 9, 1891. In his politi- 
 cal predilections Mr. Pease is a Republi- 
 can, has held various township offices, and 
 for twelve years has been a notary public. 
 
 Peck, a 
 of nine 
 Ohio, 
 Huron 
 western 
 The 
 reared 
 
 ARREN M. PECK, a well-to-do 
 farmer of Wakeman township, is 
 a native of same, born September 
 10, 1834. His father, Henry T. 
 
 native of Vermont, was at the age 
 years brought by his parents to 
 
 where, in Clarksfield township, 
 county, they made their first 
 
 home. 
 
 subject of this brief notice was 
 
 to agricultural pursuits, and re- 
 
 mained on his father's farm till he was 
 thirfy-three years old, when he moved to 
 his present farm, at that time comprising 
 ninety acres, now 141 acres of prime land, 
 where he has since successfully followed 
 general farming, including stock raising. 
 His father aided him in a very substantial 
 manner when he left the paternal roof, 
 giving him one thousand dollars in hard 
 cash, of which he made good use, for he 
 has on his farm some as tine buildings as 
 can be seen in the county. In 1867 our 
 subject married Miss Millie J. Henry, 
 daughter of Mendell Henry, of Erie county, 
 Ohio, who was killed by "bushwhackers" 
 in Kentucky, during the Civil war. Two 
 children were born to this union, to wit: 
 Clarence W. and Harry M., both at school. 
 In his political preferences Mr. Peck is a 
 strong Republican, his first Presidential 
 vote being cast for John C. Fremont. He 
 served in the One Hundred and Sixty-sixth , 
 O. V. I., N. G., and is a member of G. 
 A. R Post No. 559, Wakeman. Edward 
 Peck, a brother, was a member of the 
 Twenty-fourth O. V. I., having enlisted at 
 the commencement of the Civil war, and 
 was killed at Pittsburgh Landing (Shiloh). 
 
 IjOHN HURST, who in his lifetime 
 
 k. Ii was a well-known and generally re- 
 
 }^J spected farmer of Wakeman township, 
 
 was a native of Canada, born 
 
 August 29, 1828, near Toronto, Ontario. 
 
 His father, also named John, was born 
 in Lancashire, England, and at the age of 
 twenty-one enlisted in the British army as 
 artilleryman, serving in all twenty-six 
 years, six months. His battery being 
 sent to America during the Revolution, it 
 was present at the battle of Plattsburg; 
 and at the conclusion of that struggle was 
 ordered to Quebec, whence it sailed for 
 Europe, to take part in the sanguinary 
 Napoleonic wars. Under Sir Arthur 
 Wellesley (afterward Duke of Wellington) 
 he served in the Peninsular war (in Spain 
 
186 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OUIO. 
 
 and Portugal), and among the many en- 
 gagements in wliicli he participated may 
 be mentioned tbe battles of Salamanca, 
 Albuera and Badajoz; under Sir John 
 Moore, in the same campaign, he was in 
 the memorahle six weeks retreat of the 
 Britisli army to the seaboard, the rations 
 served out to the men for four weeks being 
 one-quarter pound of biscuit and a gill of 
 rum, each, pei' day, to which the soldiers 
 added roasted or boiled acorns and chest- 
 nuts gathered in the woods as they passed 
 along. He also participated in the battle 
 of Waterloo a few years later, which under 
 Wellinirton decided the liberties of Eu- 
 rope. On his discharge from the army 
 Mr. Hurst came to Canada, where be mar- 
 ried Margaret Hislop, a native of Edin- 
 i)urgli, Scotland, a daughter of James 
 Hislop, a stonemason by trade, who died 
 in Canada at the age of over seventy years. 
 Eleven children were born to this union, 
 as follows: Isabella P., Ann, Jennette, 
 Mariai], Sarah Ellen, two daughters that 
 died in infancy, John (subject of sketch), 
 James (in Vermont), Thomas (in Town- 
 send, Huron county), and George (de- 
 ceased in 1802); four of tbe daughters are 
 living in the Province of Quebec, the other 
 in Vermont. 
 
 John Hurst, whose name opens this 
 sketch, passed the most of bis boyhood 
 days about forty miles from Montueal, 
 Canada, also in New York State and Ver- 
 mont. On March 10, 1852, he married 
 Miss Mary A. Longeway, daughter of 
 Nicholas Longeway, a native of Lower 
 Canada, whose father, John Longeway, 
 came from France; Mrs. Hurst's mother 
 was also horn in Canada, of Dutch ances- 
 try. To our subject and wife were born 
 children as follows: Elizabeth Parmelia, 
 Noble G., Margaret Hannah and Melvin 
 John. Of these, Elizabeth P. was married 
 February 11, 1871, to Charles E. AVeeks, 
 who died January 19, 1878; she passed 
 away June 21, 1880, leaving four orphan 
 childi-en — three boys and one girl, the lat- 
 ter of whom diea February 24, 1890. 
 
 Noble G. was married November 29, 
 1876, to Ida A. Pierce, who died June 16, 
 1883, leaving one child, Mabel E., who 
 was taken care of by her grandmother 
 Hurst until she was about two vears of 
 age; at that time her father married Miss 
 Margaret M. Morgan, of Camden, when 
 he moved from Wakeman to that place, 
 where he now resides; by this last mar- 
 riage there is one child, Edna M., born 
 July 23, 1887. Margaret II. manied, in 
 May, 1879, liobert McKiidey, a prominent 
 farmer of Ashland township, Newaygo 
 Co., Mich., to which union were born 
 seven children, as follows: Luhi, Perine- 
 lia, Robert, John, Estella, Nolde and 
 Mary. Melvin J. was married January 4, 
 1890, to Miss Mary J. Beecher, and they 
 have two children: Horace and John. 
 Melvin now resides on the farm his father 
 had l)ought in Wakeman township. 
 
 In 1855 our subject and family set out 
 for Ohio, locating in Lorain county, near 
 Kipton, where they arrived April 20. 
 Here he rented a small farm. After a resi- 
 dence here of six years he bought forty- 
 two acres, and then in Wakeman township, 
 Huron county, purchased eighty-two acres. 
 
 In 1871 he came to Wakeman, where, 
 having sold his farm in Lorain county, be 
 bought fifty-eight acres, and subsequently 
 another piece of land. Here Mr. Hurst 
 was successful in general farming and 
 stock raising. He died October 21, 1892, 
 a member (as are his widow and daughters) 
 of the Congregational Church; in politics 
 he was a Pepublican. In 1885 he took a 
 trip to his old home in Canada. 
 
 ] OBERT SLY, a representative agri- 
 -^ culturist of Townsend townsliip, 
 
 was born August 24, 1829, in 
 Montgomery county, N. Y., the 
 second in a family of seven chil- 
 dren of John and Philena (Titus) Sly, 
 both of whom were natives of New York 
 State and of English descent. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 187 
 
 John Sly, who was one of a family of 
 four brothers, received in his youth but 
 meager educational advantagres, but in after 
 years acquired an ordinary business train- 
 ing. He was married in his native town, 
 and in the spring of 1831 removed, with 
 his wife and faiuiiy, to what was tlien 
 the western frontier, near Buffalo, N. Y. 
 Here lie bought wild lands, and cleared 
 and improved a farm, where he was suc- 
 cessfully and extensively engaged in agri- 
 cultural pursuits until his death, which 
 occurred December 26, 1886, when he 
 was in his eighty-fifth year. Mrs. Sly, 
 also deceased, was a member of the Bap- 
 tist Church. Robert Sly, father of John, 
 was a lifelonjr farmer of eastern New York 
 State, where he died in 1855 in his eighty- 
 fifth year. Both the Sly and Titus fami- 
 lies were amontr the early Eno'lish settlers 
 in eastern New York State, and several 
 members thereof served with distinction 
 in the Continental army during the Revo- 
 lution. 
 
 Robert Sly, whose name opens this 
 sketch, received in his boyhood days a 
 limited education in the primitive frontier 
 schools of western New York, and never 
 attended a day after he was twelve years old. 
 He is in the main self-educated, is well- 
 informed on cnrrent topics and literature, 
 and has all his life been a careful and ex- 
 tensive reader. He remained with his 
 parents, working on the homestead farm, 
 until 1858, when he came to northern 
 Ohio and purchased a partially improved 
 farm in Townsend township, Huron county, 
 to which he has since made numerous im- 
 provements and additions, now having a 
 line farm of 130 acres, where he sucaess- 
 fiiUy follows agricultural pursuits. On 
 December 4, 1861, our subject was mar- 
 ried to Miss Jane B. Draper, who was born 
 January 25, 1837, in Bronson toMmship, 
 Huron county, daughter of Sheldon and 
 Clarissa (Cole) Draper, both of whom were 
 natives of New York State — the formei' 
 of Dutchess, the latter of Chenango county 
 — and of English descent. To Mr. and 
 
 Mrs. Sly have been born three children, 
 namely: Clarissa P., now Mrs. S.G. Evarts; 
 Arthur, and Nettie L., Mrs. A. T. Gam- 
 ber. Mrs. Sly is an ardent member of the 
 Baptist Church, and Mr. Sly, thougii not 
 a church member, is a firm believer in 
 practical Christianity. In politics he is a 
 Republican, stanch and uncompromising, 
 and is recognized generally as a leading 
 citizen in his community. In his early 
 years Mr. Sly was a member of the New 
 York Home Guards. 
 
 JM. STITLTZ, a well-known farmer of 
 Huron county, was born there on 
 ^ September 25, 1837, a son of Ralph 
 and Ann (Faniung) Stultz, and a 
 member of an old and highly respected 
 family. His grandfather, Blodgett Stultz, 
 was born in New York, but came to Ohio 
 at an early date, numbering among the 
 pioneers who cleared the land and trans- 
 forme 1 dense woods into fertile farms. 
 
 Ralph Stultz, father of our subject, was 
 born in 1806 in Ontario county, N. Y. 
 He moved to Ohio in 1833, locating in 
 Huron county, where he devoted his atten- 
 tion to manaffing his farm, which consisted 
 of 150 acres of valuable land. He was 
 married in New York to Miss Ann Fan- 
 ning, who was also born in Ontario county, 
 and their union was blessed with seven 
 children, three of whom are still living, 
 viz.: B. F., A. J. and J. M. B. F. and 
 J. M. served one hundred days in the 
 Civil war. Mr. Stultz was trustee of Lyme 
 township for a number of years, and also 
 served as assessor. II is family were mem- 
 bers of the Baptist Church, and always 
 took an active part in charitable work. 
 He died in 1856, his widow in December, 
 1891. 
 
 J. M. Stultz, the subject of this bio- 
 graphical memoir, received his primary 
 education in the schools of his neighbor- 
 hood, and for three years attended school 
 in Granville, Ohio, but before completing 
 
188 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 his studies was compelled to withdraw on 
 account of the Civil w^ar. He now owns 
 and lives upon the northern part of the 
 farm formerly owned by his father, and is 
 one of the progressive agriculturists who 
 realize that as much judgment, study and 
 executive ability are required by the farmer 
 as by any professional man, and each year 
 adds some improvement to his estate. On 
 July 7, 1869, Mr. Stultz married Miss 
 Ellen Seymour, daughter of John Sey- 
 mour, a merchant of Huron county, and 
 their marriage has been blessed with four 
 children: Sadie, Bertha, and Ealph and 
 Minnie (^twins), the last of whom died at 
 an early age. Mr. Stultz is prominent in 
 business, social and political circles. He 
 makes a specialty of raising Jersey cows 
 and line road horses. He iias been presi- 
 dent of the board of education, also school 
 director tor a number of years, and takes 
 an active part in all movements that have 
 for their object public advancement. 
 
 EiZRA S. JENNINGS, a retired 
 farmer, and one of the most es- 
 I teemed citizens of Fitchville town- 
 ship, was born near Bridgeport, 
 Conn., August 21, 1827. 
 
 Daniel Jennings, his maternal grand- 
 father, was born October 14, 1770, and 
 died March 14, 1840; his wife, Pha3be 
 Jenninsijs, was born February 14, 1773, 
 and died December 26, 1856. Their chil- 
 dren were as follows: Rhoda, born De- 
 cember 25, 1802, died March 12, 1869; 
 Eunice, born February 10, 1804, died April 
 13, 1881; Gregory, born May 7, 1805, died 
 October 12, 1805 ; Ezra, born September 
 1, 1806, died December 5, 1826; Abigail, 
 born April 30, 1809, died November 5, 
 1870; Daniel, born May 4, 1811; Gersham, 
 born May 29, 1813, died January 3,1887; 
 Sarah, born August 31, 1815, died De- 
 cember 27, 1856; Esther, born May 24, 
 1817, died September 27, 1873; Alva, 
 born November 16, 1819, died February 
 28, 1898. 
 
 Walter Jennings, father of subject, was 
 born May 31, 1798, near Bridgeport, Conn., 
 the fittii son in a family of nine sons and 
 two daughters, viz.: James (deceased Jan- 
 uary 28, 1846), Isaac, Nathan, Albin, 
 Walter, Elijah, Peter, Barlow, Nehemiah, 
 Anna and Esther. Educated in the primi- 
 tive schools of his time and place, Walter 
 Jennings saw in industry, rather than in 
 school, a way to succeed, and, at tlie same 
 time, win an education in the practical 
 work-a-day life. At the age of twenty-one 
 he began to learn the trade of carpenter 
 and joiner, and his inclinations running in 
 this direction, he made rapid progress in 
 acquiring a complete knowledge of the 
 trade. In 1822 he married Rhoda Jen- 
 nings, eldest child of Daniel and Phasbe 
 Jennings, as above recorded, and by this 
 union were children as follows: Mary A., 
 born November 1, 1824, married F. C. 
 Payne, and died in Ripley township De- 
 cember 25, 1889; Ezra S., subject of 
 sketch; Nelson B., born October 14, 1829, 
 now a farmer near Buffalo, Mo.; Daniel 
 G., born May 4, 1832, a farmer in Fair- 
 fiekl township; Sarah M. and Elizabeth S. 
 (twins), born April 1, 1834 (Sarah M. died 
 May 21, 1885, Elizabeth S. two days later); 
 these six children were natives of Con- 
 necticut, and in Ohio was born, December 
 27, 1836, one child, Sarah E., who became 
 the wife of James Young, of Chicago, 
 Ohio. The father of this family died I"el)- 
 ruary 12, 1843, the mother on March 12, 
 1809, and they lie side by side in Hinck- 
 ley cemetery, Fairfield township. 
 
 In Connecticut Walter Jennings was a 
 farmer, using his knowledge of the trades 
 he learned in improving his home and 
 farm buildings there. From his brother, 
 who was a shoemaker, he learned enough 
 of that trade to make shoes for himself 
 and family, and was thus possessed of a 
 knowledge of three useful trades, as well 
 as of farming. With confidence in him- 
 self lie set out, with the family, for Ohio 
 in 1835. Proceeding by wagon to Bridge- 
 port, the journey was continued by boat 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 189 
 
 to New Yoi-k and Albany, and thence by 
 canal- boat to lUiffalo. Here they re-em- 
 barked for Hnron, Ohio, but owing to 
 gales on shallow P^rie, the lake-boat could 
 not approacli the shore, so had to continue 
 on her way to Detroit. The sufferings of 
 the passengers during the storm, and the 
 disappointments, fears and fatigues of the 
 journey were never forgotten by the pio- 
 neers or their children. The twin sisters, 
 Sarah M. and Elizal)eth S., died shortly 
 after the landing at Detroit, the result of 
 exposure. Wlien the storm abated its 
 fury, the boat returned on its course and 
 landed the family at Huron, whence they 
 proceeded by team to Fairfield township, 
 Huron county. There they passed one 
 night at the home of John VVakeman, an 
 old friend of the family in Connecticut, 
 and nextdayAV^alter Jennings began active 
 life in Ohio. Purchasing a tract of eighty 
 acres at sixteen dollars per acre, with a log 
 cabin thereon, he worked hard at clearing 
 the tract and cultivating the new land. 
 8oon he built abetter log house, and made 
 many substantial improvements prior to 
 1839, when the hard work of four years in 
 the wilderness and the troubles of the 
 journey to (.)hio began to tell on his con- 
 stitution, and brought on the lingeriiia; 
 illness which ended with his death. The 
 early taking awav of the father left the 
 burden of completing payment for the farm 
 on the widow and her eldest son. How 
 bravely they battled to linish the work, 
 which Walter Jennings set going, was 
 known and appreciated at tlie time, and 
 how tiiey succeeded is told in the subse- 
 quent history of the family. Walter Jen- 
 nings was an Old-line Whig, and one of 
 the voters for Harrison in 1840. He and 
 his wife were members of the Methodist 
 Church at Fairfield Center. 
 
 E. S. Jennings, the subject proper of 
 these lines, received an elementary educa- 
 tion in Connecticut, aiul even after the 
 coming of the family to Ohio he attended 
 the school of the district at intervals until 
 he was eighteen years old. Being the eld- 
 
 est son, many duties devolved upon him 
 here. Owing to the failing health of his 
 father, the boy was compelled to play the 
 part of an able farm hand, and at the age 
 of fifteen years was really one of the most 
 industrious workers in his section of the 
 township. Through his labors the farm 
 was paid for, and at the age of twenty-one 
 years, when he went forth to work for 
 himself, his mother, brotiiers and sisters 
 were left in possession of a good frame 
 residence and a well-improved farm. In 
 1848 he began work for other farmers, and 
 within two years saved enough to make a 
 start in life. On November 28, 1850, he 
 married HaiTiet K. Godden, born at Utica, 
 N. Y., October 23, 1829, to William H. 
 and Lucina (Butler) Godden, who settled 
 in P'airfield township, Huron county, in 
 1834. 
 
 William H. Godden was born August 
 6, 1804, in Albany, N. Y., and at tlie age 
 of thirteen he went by raft down the Ohio 
 river with his married sister, landing at 
 Dayton, Ohio, where he lived with her and 
 her husband, learning the trade of njason, 
 and he became a stonemason, plasterer and 
 brick layer. At the age of twenty-one he 
 set out on foot from Dayton for the pur- 
 pose of visiting his parents in Albany, 
 walking as far as Sandusky, where he took 
 vessel for Buffalo, from which port he 
 traveled by canal to Albany. In 1828 he 
 married Lucina Butler, who was born June 
 19, 1809, in the town of Lee, Oneida Co., 
 N. Y., and they lived in Utieaafew years, 
 where were born to them two children: 
 Harriet li. (Mrs. E. S. Jennings) and 
 Elizabeth (born May 25, 1832). The 
 family then moved to Buffalo, where the 
 eldest son, John, was born August 17, 
 1834 (he died in October, 1841), after 
 wliich [\n 1834) they came to Ohio, set- 
 tling in Fairfield township, Huron county. 
 Here the remainder of the children were 
 born, to wit: Emory, June 5, 1837 (died 
 September 8, 1878); Mary, August 18, 
 1839; Jennie and Julia (twins), January 
 17, 1845 (Jennie died March 10, 1887, 
 
190 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Julia in infancy); Sarali. March 21, 1848, 
 and Lucina, February 14, 1850. The 
 father of these died November 2, 1856, at 
 the age of tifty-two years; the mother, now 
 (189i3j at the advanced age of eighty-four 
 years, is still active, retaining all her fac- 
 ulties. When the family catue to Ohio 
 the country was nearly all covered vrith 
 forest, there being but few clearings, and 
 Mr. Godden had to work hard, suffering 
 many privations and inconveniences. He 
 followed his trade as well as he could in a 
 sparsely settled district, in order to get 
 money to support his family, and clear up 
 his farm of one hundred acres which he 
 had taken up. He would walk nine miles 
 in the morning to do a day's work, return- 
 ing same night, and following morning 
 walk another nine miles in a different di- 
 rection tor a similar purpose. In those 
 pioneer days mills were a long way off, and 
 the settlers would send one man with a 
 load of their wheat to be ground; on one 
 occasion the carrier was so long gone that 
 the Godden family ran out of flour, so that 
 the father had to grind some wheat in the 
 coffee mill, with which the mother made 
 pancakes. Indians were still to be seen 
 in the neighborhood, and there was an 
 abundance of deer and great droves of 
 wild turkeys, providing ample food of that 
 description. 
 
 Mrs. Lucina Godden, mother of Mrs. 
 Harriet R. Jennings, is a daughter of 
 Jonathan and Lucina (^Wright) Butler, the 
 former of whoni was born August 1, 1781, 
 the latter on December 2;-3, 1779. Their 
 children were as follows: Ezra, born 
 September 12, 1804; Adin, born April 4, 
 1806; Lncina, born June 19, 1809; Har- 
 riet, born December 24, 1813; and Edward, 
 born July 4, 1818. 
 
 To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Ezra 
 S. Jennings the following named children 
 were born: Desseline, who died when 
 twelve years old; Byron E., a fanner of 
 Fairfield townsliio; Edwin K., a farmer of 
 Fitchville township; Mary L., Mrs. George 
 Pond, of Norwalk, Ohio; Edson G., who 
 
 was drowned when two years old; Herbert 
 F., a farmer of Fairfield township; Hattie 
 M., residing with her parents, and Lena 
 R., who died in infancy. After marriage 
 Mr. Jennings purchased a farm of fifty 
 acres in Fairfield township, leaving part of 
 the purchase money outstanding. This 
 tract he improved and, for seventeen years 
 to a day, made his home thereon; in 1876 
 he sold it to his sou Byron E. In 18(J8 
 he purchased the farm on which his pres- 
 ent home is located, and developed both 
 tracts up to 1890, when he retired from 
 active agricultural life, renting his la'ids 
 to tenants. While not a politician, Mr. 
 Jennings takes a special jiride in being a 
 stanch Republican. He and his wife were 
 formerly members of the Congregational 
 Church. Socially they are held in the 
 highest esteem in their neighborhood — for 
 their individual merits; for their share in 
 the development of Fitchville township, 
 and for the example of progress their lives 
 have shown. 
 
 E'LMER E. ROWLAND, one of the 
 most prosperous and best known 
 I young farmers of Clarksfield town- 
 ship, was born there in 1854, on the 
 farm which he now lives on and owns. He is 
 a grandson of the old pioneer, Aaron Row- 
 land, who came in 1818 from Danbury, 
 Conn., to Clarksfield township, and was for 
 many years the leading miller in that part 
 of the country. 
 
 Daniel Rowland, father of the suljject, 
 was born in September, 1822, in Clarks- 
 field township, lluron Co., Ohio, where in 
 his early manhood he took an active part 
 in the felling of the trees and making the 
 clearings necessaiy to bring about the 
 great change he witnessed in his lifetime 
 — the converting of the grim forests into 
 smiling farms, and the deep-tangled wild 
 wood into fruitful orchards, clover-clad 
 fields and meadows ripe with golden grain. 
 After his marriage Mr. Rowland and his 
 young wife commenced housekeeping a 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 I'Jl 
 
 short (iit^tanee from where he was living at 
 tlie time of his death. He built a new 
 house on the same spot of ground on which 
 the old loo; cabin used to stand, in 1877, 
 where lie died September 24, 1881, at the 
 age of lifty-nine years and twenty-four 
 days, his end, no doubt, being hastened by 
 hard work, wliich seemed to be a second 
 nature to him. He was first a Whig, 
 afterward a Republican, and served as 
 township trustee. His widow followed 
 him to the grave June 1, 1889, and they 
 now sleep side by side in Clarkstield cem- 
 etery. 
 
 On November 9, 1843, Daniel Rowland 
 and Harriet Chaffee were united in the 
 bonds of matrimony. She was a native of 
 the State of New York, born at the foot of 
 tiie Catskill Mountains, in the picturesque 
 town of Hunter, Greene county, a daughter 
 of George and Furdy (Richards) Chaffee. 
 Her father one day mysteriously disap- 
 peared, and was supposed to have been 
 murdered. He left a widow, one son and 
 four daughters. Some time later Mrs. 
 Chaffee married Ezra B. Gray, who after- 
 ward came with the family to Ohio, land- 
 ing at Huron, on Lake Erie, where Harriet 
 found employment in the millinery busi- 
 ness, which she had learned in New York. 
 The children horn to Mr. and Mrs. Row- 
 land were as follows: Emma, who died 
 March 30, 1853, at the age of two years 
 and seven days; Carrie M., deceased No- 
 vember 18, 1870, when aged eleven years, 
 ten months, and twenty-four days; Elmer 
 E., subject of tliis memoir; and Celia, 
 Mrs. Dorr Twaddle, of Clarkstield town- 
 ship. 
 
 Elmer E. Rowland, whose name intro- 
 duces this biographical notice, received liis 
 education at the common schools of his 
 boyhood period, and was reared to farming 
 pursuits under the preceptorship of his 
 father, with whom he continued to live up 
 to the time of his marriage. In addition 
 to his literary training lie took a course in 
 bookkeeping at Oberlin, Oiiio. On Oc- 
 tober 25, 1877, he was married to Eva (L 
 
 Lee, who was born, in 1858, in Camden 
 townsliip, Lorain county, a daughter of 
 John P. Lee, and two children have come 
 to brighten their liome: Ray L., born 
 November 7, 1879, and Ralph D., born 
 September 9, 1884. After marriage our 
 subject and wife located on the old home- 
 stead, of which since his father's death lie 
 has had charge. In addition to general 
 farming Mr. Rowland gives considerable 
 attention to the rearing of tine-bred sheep. 
 Politically he is one of the leading Repub- 
 licans of his township, and he has served 
 as trustee, and three years as justice of the 
 peace, declining to serve longer. His wife 
 is a member of the M. E. Church. 
 
 M 
 
 ARTIN BEEBE, M. D. (deceased), 
 was born September 1, 183(>, at Do- 
 ver, Lenawee Co., Mich. His par- 
 ^} ents, Mr. and Mrs. George Beebe, 
 
 migrated from Massachusetts in an 
 early day, and may be enumerated among 
 the pioneersof Michigan. About the year 
 1840 the family moved to Ohio, and set- 
 tled in Norwich township, Huron county. 
 Martin Beebe may be said to have been 
 reared in Huron county. Brought iiere 
 when a child, he received a primary edu- 
 cation in the school at Norwich, later 
 attended a select school and a seminary at 
 Norwalk, and subsequently taught schools 
 in Fairfield and Norwich townships. In 
 1863 he entered a medical college at Cleve- 
 land, where lie attendeil lectures, and 
 graduated in 1866. His marriage with 
 Miss Mary L. Barrett took place Decem- 
 ber 27, 1865; she was born October 29, 
 1843, in Clarkstield township to Augustus 
 and Clarissa (Cochran) Barrett, natives of 
 Monroe county, N. Y. To this union 
 came two children: Augustus C, born 
 January 12, 1807, a farmer, residing on 
 the homestead, and George P., born Oc- 
 tol)er 11, 1871, also residing at hi)me. 
 Early in 1866 Dr. and Mrs. Beebe located 
 near Wakeman village, but within a short 
 
192 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 time moved to Oberliii, where they re- 
 mained until the fall of 1S09, when they 
 came to reside on the "Peter Hoag; Farm." 
 During his residence there he was actively 
 engaged in the duties of his profession, 
 while liis leisure hours were given to the 
 direction of farm work. Politically a 
 Democrat, he was a man of influence in the 
 local councils of that party. In religious 
 connection he affiliated with the Disciple 
 Ciuirch. He was an active, energetic man, 
 whose soul was in his profession. As a 
 farmer, too, lie was most successful, and 
 socially he made many friends up to the 
 time of his death, March 28, 1890. His 
 remains were interred in the cemetery at 
 New Loudon. Since her husband's death 
 Mrs. Mary L. Beebe has managed the 
 estate with singular ability. Her home is 
 a modern house in its furnishings, and her 
 lands are as well cultivated and as judi- 
 ciously and economically managed as they 
 would be under the direction of an ex- 
 perienced agriculturist. 
 
 JOHN JAMES McGLONE, well 
 known and highly respected in the 
 community in which he lives in 
 Wakeman township, is a native of 
 New York State, born in Tyrone in 1822. 
 Mr. McGlone is a son of Patrick Mc- 
 Glone, who in 1833 brought him when a 
 boy of ten summers to Reed township, 
 Seneca Co., Ohio. Leaving home after 
 two years he w'orked on tiie canal near 
 Toledo, Ohio, at twenty cents per day, re- 
 ceiving a portion of his education from his 
 employer's wife, after which he attended 
 regular school. At the age of eighteen 
 years, having saved a little money, he went 
 to school one winter, and boarded with 
 Judge Lemon, in Attica, Seneca Co., Ohio, 
 after which he worked summers for Thomas 
 Keed, of Norwich township, Huron county, 
 until he attained his majority, attending 
 school in winter time. In 1843 he bought 
 out of his savings fifty acres of land in 
 Norwich township, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 
 which he resold for four hundred dollars. 
 Two years after he was taken sick, and 
 he was carried on an improvised ambulance 
 to Berlin Heights, Erie Co., Oliio, whence 
 he was conveyed by stage to Elyria, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, and on recovering found em- 
 ployment in Medina, Ohio, as porter in a 
 hotel, his pay being twelve dollars per 
 month and board. After a time he bought 
 fifty acres of laud in Litchfield township, 
 Medina county, about seven miles from 
 the county seat, and having improved 
 same sold it for seven hundred dollars. 
 He then bought a four-year-old horse, and 
 moved to Berlin Heights, Erie Co., Ohio, 
 wdiere the horse was attached for the debt 
 of former owner, but the horse being taken 
 sick, a lawsuit ensued which resulted in 
 his favor. In 1849 Mr. McGloue pur- 
 chased about fifty acres of land in Wake- 
 man township, Huron Co., Ohio, which he 
 sold in 1855, and bought and sold several 
 farms until 1884, when he bought the 
 farm known as the Cyrus Strong place, 
 where he has since resided. 
 
 In 1848 Mr. McGlone married Miss 
 Catherine Stryker, of New York State, 
 and children as follows were born to them: 
 Isadore (Mrs. Jackson), in Norwalk, Ohio; 
 Mary (Mrs. Hall), in Wakeman; John L. 
 (deceased at age of twenty-one years); and 
 Florence (deceased at the age of nineteen). 
 Mr. McGlone is now the owner of one 
 hundred acres of prime land in Wakeman 
 township, on which he has made many 
 improvements. Politically he was at one 
 time a Republican, having cast his vote 
 for Lincoln, but is now a Democrat. 
 
 EiDWIN L. PERRY, a prominent 
 and well-to-do farmer and stock 
 I raiser of Fairfield township, was 
 
 born November 13, 1841, on his 
 father's farm in Peru township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio. 
 
 Joseph Perry, grandfather of subject, 
 was born in Orange county, N. Y., in 
 1785, and was there educated and reared. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1<J3 
 
 Some time after marriage he was induced 
 to go to Cayuga county, N. Y., and there 
 remained until 1832, when he came to 
 Oliio, settling in Peru township, Huron 
 county. The journey was made by boat 
 from liutl'alo to Sandusky, and from there 
 by wagon to Peru, where Mr. Perry took 
 up wild land and cleared same. Iti JSew 
 Jersey he married Miss Sarah Seward, a 
 second cousin of Gen. Seward, and the 
 children born to tiiis union were Horace, 
 Emeline, Catharine, Daniel S., Eliza, Julia, 
 Sarah A., Joseph and C. O. H. The 
 mother of these died in October, 1861, the 
 father on May 31, 1859; he was a hardy 
 pioneer of sterling worth, much respected, 
 and in politics he was first an Old-line 
 Whig, later a Republican. 
 
 Daniel Seward Perry, father of Edwin 
 L., was born, in 1815, in Cayuga county, 
 N. y., and was reared to agricultural pur- 
 suits. He was married December 11, 
 1840, to Elizabeth Dowe Tilson, of Peru 
 township, Huron county, and children as 
 follows were born to them: Edwin L., 
 Charles H., in Nebraska; Seward N.. a 
 farmer, of Kansas; William D., in Ne- 
 braska; Dorcas A., Mrs. Wilcox, in Peru 
 township; and Annie L. and Libbie C. 
 (both deceased). The father died in 1866, 
 the mother in 1886; they were members 
 of the Baptist Churcli, and in politics he 
 was a straight Republican. He was a 
 hard-working, plodding man, and not only 
 assisted in the clearing of his father's 
 farm, but also developed his own from the 
 wild woods. 
 
 Edwin L. Perry, tiie subject proper of 
 this sketch, was educated in Peru town- 
 ship, Huron county, where he continued 
 to reside until 1876, when he moved with 
 his family to Fairfield township, settling 
 on the farm where he has since had his 
 residence. In November. 1866, he was 
 united in marriage with Miss Emily T. 
 RiilTSles, and there were ten children born 
 to them, seven of whom are yet living: 
 Ralph, Edith, Irene, Daisy, Oiaddey, 
 Branch and Thayer; those deceased are: 
 
 One that died in infancy, Floyd, and Beth- 
 beryl. Mr. Perry owns eighty-eight acres 
 of land, where he successfully follows gen- 
 eral farming and stock raising. Politically 
 he is a Prohibitionist, and, vvitii his wife 
 and family, he is an active meujber of the 
 Baptist Church. 
 
 IfSRAEL GREENLEAF, one of the 
 early settlers of Huron county, traces 
 _[ his ancestry to one Dr. Daniel Green- 
 leaf, a pioneer of Boston, Mass., where 
 his son was born. The latter was twice 
 married, and was the father of twenty-two 
 children. 
 
 Of this family Tille Greenleaf was born 
 in New Hampshire, and there learned the 
 blacksmith trade. He was married to 
 Mary Sparford, and when twenty-six years 
 of age moved to a farm in Oneida county, 
 N. Y., where his remaining days were 
 passed. Politically, he was identitied with 
 the Democratic party, and gave a liberal 
 support to the Presbyterian Church, of 
 which his wife was a member. She died 
 in her forty-seventh year, the mother of 
 seventeen children (of whom fifteen grew 
 to maturity), as follows: Anna, William, 
 Sophronia, Betsey, Lucinda, Melinda. 
 David, Abel, Emily, Israel, Mary, Harriet, 
 Maria, Joseph, Israel (whose name opens 
 this sketch), and two deceased in infancy. 
 After the death of the mother the father 
 married Elizabeth Dickson, who bore him 
 two children, of whom Levi is a physician 
 of Chenango county, N. Y. The father 
 died in 1850, at the age of eighty-six 
 years. 
 
 Israel Greenleaf was born June 8, 1813, 
 in Augusta, Oneida Co., N. Y., and on 
 New Years day, 1833, lie married Emily 
 Whitney, who was born October 16, 1810, 
 in New York. (Her parents were natives 
 of Vermont, and she was one of twelve 
 children). They resided in their native 
 State two years after marriage, and coming 
 to Ohio in 1885 located on a pioneer farm 
 near Charleston, Portage connty. They 
 
194 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 celebrated their golden weddincr on New 
 Year's day, 1SS3, and on the twenty-eighth 
 day ot the same January Mrs. Greenleaf 
 passed away after fifty years and twenty- 
 eight days of happy wedded life. On No- 
 vember 6, 1883, Israel Greenleaf was 
 united in marriage with Mrs. Piiilotlia 
 (Sparks) Movvrey, who died February 7, 
 1892, leaving the bereaved husband alone 
 and childless. Five children were born to 
 his tirst marriage, as follows: One de- 
 ceased in early infancy; John Whitney; 
 Sarah, married August 23, 1851, to A. L. 
 Curtis, and died June 29, 1871; Alcebe, 
 born August 7, 1840, died October 16, 
 1866; and Harriet, born July 5, 1848, 
 married March 6, 1867, and died in 1872. 
 Of these children, John Whitney was born 
 May 3, 1836, and grew to manhood on the 
 home farm. His father had bouc/ht but a 
 poor farm for him, which John, however, 
 converted into valuable property by dint 
 of assiduous labor. He was first married 
 to Martha Wadsworth, who l)ore him two 
 children: Sebe and Mark Israel, now living 
 in the AVest. After the death of this wife 
 John Whitney Greenleaf was married to 
 Mrs. Sarali (Strong) Mason, which union 
 resulted in two daughters: Ethel, born in 
 1864, and Mason, born March 5, 1881. 
 The father died December 2, 1887; the 
 mother is yet living. 
 
 The life of Israel Greenleaf has been 
 shadowed with heavy sorrows which none 
 but a strong and noble nature could have 
 borne so bravely. One by one he lias seen 
 his loved ones fall to rest by the way, 
 leavinjr him alone, though in the midst of 
 friends — for new friends cannot replace 
 the old. Although he appreciates tlie 
 kindly deeds of those who would cheer his 
 loneliness, lie is eagerly waiting till the 
 white-robed angel comes, and ''over the 
 river, the silver river," the boat will drift 
 to the loved ones on the other side. Home 
 is there now; and with the poet his heart 
 echoes tliose lines, which voice the grief 
 of evei'y mourner: "The hand of death 
 may rend asunder our dearest earthly ties, 
 
 yet faith unveils a world of glory, and 
 there we long to rise." His loved ones 
 sleep in tlie quiet churchyard of Charles- 
 ton, Portage Co., Ohio. In addition to 
 his domestic troubles, Mr. Greenleaf has 
 suffered several serious accidents, liaving 
 lost his teeth by a tree falling upon him, 
 and also has had his hip broken. He is a 
 member of the Congregational Church. 
 In polities he cast his first vote for Jack- 
 son; he was a strong Abolitionist, and has 
 been identified with the Republican party 
 from the time of its organization. After 
 his second marriage, in 1884, he retired to 
 his present home in Noi'walk, Huron Co., 
 Ohio. On February 7, 1893, Mr. Green- 
 leaf was married to Miss Wealthy Watros, 
 of Carlisle, Eaton Co., Michigati. 
 
 dlOHN M WHITON, a prosperous 
 merchant of Wakeman, Huron coun- 
 ' ty, is a native of Massachusetts, born 
 in Berkshire county, in 1830. 
 He is a son of J. M. and Sallie (Brad- 
 ley) Whiton, also of Massachusetts, re- 
 spectively born in 1781 and 1793, and 
 died in 1833 and 1867. The father was 
 a consistent Christian; the mother after 
 his death joined the M. E. Church, and 
 was a devoted member. They came to 
 what was then known as the ■' Western 
 Keserve," and settled in' Huntington when 
 our subject was a one-year-old child, and 
 he here received three months schooling 
 during a ^ew winter seasons, at the same 
 time learning the trade of blacksmith. For 
 his services his employer was to give him 
 one hundred doUai's and two suits of 
 clothes when he reached the age of twenty- 
 one; but at nineteen he left for California, 
 in various parts of which State he worked 
 at mining. In July, 1852, having retui'ued 
 to Ohio, lie commenced mercantile busi- 
 ness at Huntington, Lorain county, in 
 which he continued until 1855, and then 
 moved to Iowa, where he pre-em])ted and 
 bought land in Hardin county. In the 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 195 
 
 spring of 1856 he helped to organize 
 Pleasant townsliip, Hardin Co., Iowa, and 
 the winter of 1856-57 he passed in Platte- 
 ville, Wis., clerking in a store. Returning 
 in the spring of 1857 to Ohio, he engaged 
 in mercantile business in Brighton, Lorain 
 county, till the spring of 1872, at which 
 time he purchased a farm in Wakeman 
 township, Huron county, carrying same on 
 until 1880. In that year he moved into 
 the village of Wakeman, and opened his 
 |)refent mercantile business. 
 
 In 1800 Mr. Whiton married Miss Sarah- 
 Kimmel, by whom he has two children: 
 Eva and William W. Politically our sub- 
 ject was a Republican, having assisted in 
 forming the party; and wdien the Prohibi- 
 tion party was organized he became a 
 strong worker in their ranks. He is a 
 member of the Congregational Cluircii, is 
 an earnest Sunday-school worker and has 
 served many years as sup rintendent of 
 different Sunday-schools. lie is an active 
 member of the Firelands Historical Society. 
 
 rii D. STOTTS, a successful, repre- 
 
 /[\\ sentative agriculturist of Huron 
 
 Irl^ county, was born in 1822 in Bel- 
 
 ^J mont county, Ohio, and has been a 
 
 residentof Huron county since 1823. 
 
 Abram Stotts, grandfather of our subject, 
 was born in Scotland, and when a young 
 man immigrated to the United States, find- 
 ing a home in Maryland. After some 
 years he became owner of a farm in that 
 State, and there married Elizabeth Wine- 
 burner, a native of same, where were born 
 to them eigiit children, of whom John, the 
 fatiier of xV. I). Stotts, was the eldest. 
 
 John Stotts was born in 1794, and when 
 ten years old left Maryland for Ohio, and 
 located in Belmont county. He never at- 
 tended school and never learned to read or 
 write, but his natural aliility conquered 
 Bucli disadvantages, and he succeeded on 
 the farm. While little more than a youth 
 he married Miss Eafy Winters, a daughter 
 
 of Henry Winters, of Marshall county, 
 W. Va. Her father, who was a soldier 
 and officer in the war of 1812, was captured 
 by the Hritish and Indians, and held by 
 them for five years, until he escaped from 
 them near Detroit. Walking from Detroit 
 to West Virginia, he resumed farming, be- 
 came very prominent, and died about 1827. 
 After his marriage John Stotts resided for 
 a short time in Belmont county, Ohio, and 
 then settled in Ripley township, Huron 
 county. Of the nine children born to 
 them, A. D., the subject of this sketch, is 
 a native of Belmont county; while Isaac, 
 Elizabeth, Sarah, Jacob, Martin, Daniel, 
 Catherine and George are natives of Hu- 
 ron county. 
 
 As has been stated, our subject came to 
 Huron county with his parents about 1823, 
 and he had no opportunity to attend school 
 until he was ten years old. Huron county 
 was then a veritable wilderness; deer were 
 as common as sheep are now; the bear was 
 monarch of the forest, and Indians were 
 regular visitants. In his youth our sub- 
 ject acquired a good knowledge of mathe- 
 matics, geography and grammar, studying 
 mainly without a teacher's aid. On Octo- 
 ber 23, 1850, he married Miss Maryette 
 Bougliton, daughter of John Boughton, of 
 Fitchville township, and settled on the 
 farm on which he yet resides. He in- 
 iierited from his father about one thousand 
 dollars, and has added to his real property 
 at intervals, until now he owns over 500 
 acres of as tine land as can be found in 
 Ohio. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Stotts have been born 
 four children, namely: Flora, who married 
 John Hopkins, of Ripley township; Adilla, 
 wdio married T. A. Hilton, of Coldwator, 
 Mich.; Clarence, a grain merchant of Rip- 
 ley; and Elmer, who resides on the home- 
 stead. Mr. Stotts has beeti a stanch 
 Republican since the organizarion of the 
 party, has served on the board of county 
 commissioners for six years, and fiileil 
 many town.ship offices. In business mat- 
 ters, he is president of the fluron County 
 
196 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Faimers' Insurance Company, and lias held 
 that position since the organization of the 
 company in 187H. In religious connection 
 he is a member of the Baptist Church at 
 Fairfield, and is one of the best supporters 
 of that body. While Mr. Stotts inherited 
 considerable property, he may be consid- 
 ered a self-made man, one who by intelli- 
 gent industry has carved a fortune out 
 of the wilderness. The appearance of his 
 home testifies to his energy, for it is a 
 model one. In every branch of life with 
 which he is associated he has won success, 
 and to-day he is classed with the represent- 
 ative men of Huron county. 
 
 qEO 
 , . in 
 
 EORGE I). FULLER was a son of 
 Samuel Fuller, who was born in 
 'rattleboro, Vt., in 1793, and died 
 1828. Coming to Ohio about 
 the year 1825, Samuel located in 
 Strongsville, Cuyahoga county, where lie 
 bouglit a small improved farm on the 
 banks of the river, but the floods were so 
 destructive that he had to sell out and 
 move to near Cleveland, where he took up 
 a farm on which a few improvements had 
 heen made. In the morning of the day he 
 started from Vermont for Ohio he married 
 Lorinda Doty, daughter of Ellis W. Doty, 
 a Revolutionai'y soldier who enlisted in 
 the patriot army at the age of si.xteen. 
 Samuel Fuller died at the age of thirty- 
 five, a lifelong Whig, his wife in Middle- 
 burgh, Ohio, when tifty-eight years old. 
 
 George D. Fuller, whose name opens 
 this sketch, was born June 20, 1832, in 
 Cuyahoga county, Ohio, the elder of two 
 cliildren born to his parents, the younger 
 being Henry S. As will be seen, our sub- 
 ject was three years old at the time of his 
 father's death, and an uncle then took 
 charge of the farm and family. This uncle 
 died at the home of George D. some years 
 since. The latter received his education 
 at the subscription schools of tiie neigh- 
 borhood of his boyhood home, and was 
 
 reared to farming pursuits. He remained 
 on the old liomestead until about thirty- 
 five years of age, and then in 1867 came 
 to Ilartland township, Huron county,' 
 where he now owns a well-cultivated farm 
 of 167 acres. In 1880 they built a hand- 
 some residence, and made other substan- 
 tial improvenienfs on the farm. 
 
 In 1857 Mr. Fuller married Miss Lucy 
 A. Humiston, daughter of Willis Humis- 
 ton, a native of Massachusetts, and a 
 pioneer of Summit county, Ohio, who lived 
 in Huron county twenty-four years, dying 
 in May, 1891. Five children, as follows, 
 were born of this union: Frank H., an 
 engineer on the "Big Four" Railroad, 
 living in Cleveland; Hattie L., married to 
 Marion Hood, of Denver, Colo.; George 
 S., in Philadelphia, a veterinary surgeon, 
 and a graduate of the New York College 
 of Veterinary Surgery; Carrie E., residing 
 at home; and William W. D., at school in 
 Norwalk, Ohio. 
 
 GPIARLES W. MANAHAN. This 
 gentleman was born in Cayuga 
 county, N. Y., May 16, 1813, a son 
 of Thomas and Violetta (Silcox) 
 Manahan, of New Jersey, the former 
 born in 1770, the latter in 1780. 
 
 His grandfather Manahan was a school- 
 teacher in Ireland before coming to Ame-r- 
 ica; the Silcoxes were from New England, 
 and of those who came at an early day. 
 Thomas Manahan and family migrated 
 from Cayuga county, N. Y., to Nor- 
 walk, Ohio, in the spring of 1833, and 
 with them was their son Charles, twenty 
 years of age at the time. They were plain 
 farmer people, braving the severe trials, 
 dangers and the long self-denials of a 
 frontier life with heroic fortitude. Here 
 they passed the remainder of their honor- 
 able lives, the father dying in 1856, aged 
 eighty-six, the mother in 1874, at the ripe 
 age of ninety-four years. The family 
 were Methodists; in political connection 
 
'pLeA.-f'-T___ 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 199 
 
 the veneralAe head of the lionse was a 
 Jackson Democrat. They could give their 
 children but the meager school and other 
 advantau;es as the day aii<l time afforded. 
 In early life Charles was apprenticed to 
 the carpenter's trade, which had not heen 
 completed fully when he came with his 
 parents to Norwalk. Here, before he had 
 reached legal age, his first business trans- 
 action was to jiurehase fifty acres of land 
 near the town of xiorwalk. at the price of 
 three dollars per acre, to be paid as he 
 could earn the money. This was an object 
 lesson in the youth's life. Stopping one 
 year in Norwalk the young man went to 
 Monroeville. same county, then a mere 
 hamlet, and here made his home for a 
 long time. Both he and his brother 
 George had considerable mechanical in- 
 ventiveness, and as early as 1835, working 
 at their odd hours, and with the scan test 
 means, they constructed the first threshing 
 machine ever built in Ohio — the second in 
 the United States, all the work being done 
 by hand, not even having a lathe to aid 
 them. Such was their prevision that they 
 well knew the world's wants in this re- 
 gard, and it was only their very limited 
 ca|)ital that prevented them from starting 
 a great factory. 
 
 Charles then purchased a blacksmith 
 shop, building a wagon shop by it, and in 
 order to make this purchase he had to get 
 a couple of his farmer neighbors to go his 
 security for the purchase money. As 
 primitive as were the tools he liad,he soon 
 was doing quite a business; but everything 
 had to be " booked," and his debts were 
 accruing, and his credit must be ir^ain- 
 tained. He traded his book accounts, 
 notes and wagons for iiorses, and to sell 
 these he started to the nearest innrket, 
 which was Detroit, a long and terrible 
 journey tiirough the "Black Swamp," a 
 trip those of this generation can have no 
 idea of. At that time what is now Kala- 
 mazoo, Mich., was " Bronson's Land Of- 
 fice," where so many were then going 
 through the " Swamp " to enter land. 
 
 Without stopping to describe a trip 
 through the " Black Swamp," it is enough 
 to now say the yonng man successfully 
 made his -way there and sold his horses, 
 and after a three weeks' trip returned 
 iiorae witii money enough to pay every 
 debt, and had the princely sum of twenty- 
 five dollars left. His first financial ven- 
 ture was to purchase land on credit. 
 While this was characteristic, yet this sec- 
 ond financial transaction was quite as 
 prophetic of ids future life as was the 
 first. All his debts paid, and a cash capi- 
 tal on hand of no mean proportions for 
 that day, the young man began to enlarge 
 his business affairs, and we soon find him 
 also farmino; and beginnino; to trade in 
 stock. 
 
 The year 1886 marked the flood tide of 
 town speculation in the West, and througli- 
 out the country was a fever to go West 
 and get rich at a stroke. Milwaukee be- 
 ing the strong objective point, that year a 
 number of young men from this- section 
 had gone thither, and their letters back to 
 their friends raised a whirlwind of excite- 
 ment in the minds of the average ambi- 
 tious young and even old men. " Buying 
 and selling city lots^' was the dream of 
 all. During the winter one of tlie young 
 men had returned to Monroeville, and his 
 reports completed the fever of excitement. 
 And all believed that, like the valley brook, 
 this would "go on forever." In April, 
 1837, four young men, including Charles 
 and his brother Henry, were ready and 
 started to the promised land. The hour 
 of departure was a "red letter day" in 
 Motiroeville — to be eclipsed only by the 
 arrival of a circus. Levi Ashley and 
 James Handford were the other two young 
 men of the party of four who had provided 
 a three-spring wagon and a pair of ciiest- 
 nut or sorrel horses; and thus equipped 
 they sallied forth in high hopes, leaving 
 behind a sciire of young men sad of heart 
 that cruel fate compelled them to stay at 
 home. As propitious as was the outset, 
 they soon met trouble on the way. When 
 
200 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 they reached Lower Sandusky (now Fre- 
 munt) tliey began to hear of the awfnl 
 road throiigli the "Black Swamp." From 
 Fremont to Perrysburg is thirty-one miles, 
 nearly all the way through the terrible 
 " Swamp," and one of the stories of the 
 day was of the man found in the mud to 
 his waist, who, when help was offered, 
 said, " Fve a good horse under me, and 
 propose to go tlirough." They took two 
 days to journey from Monroeville to Per- 
 rysburg — fifty miles of hard traveling — 
 and strung along the way tbey saw sights 
 of others that were both laughable and 
 pathetic. In Michigan, such was the 
 scarcity of feed, that they gave their horses 
 wlieat to eat; and one was badly foundered ; 
 but here Charles Manahan's ready re- 
 sources and knowledge of the horse enabled 
 them to resume their journey with only 
 the loss of half a day. 
 
 The party stopped in Michigan City one 
 day, and traded tiieir team and wagon for 
 lots in Winnebago City (one of the 
 "boom" cities), on Winnebago Lake, and 
 with the "boot" money the young men 
 took the stage for Chicago. The stage 
 driver went out of his way to show them 
 a remarkable curiosity: In a tree some 
 twelve feet from tlie ground was a pair of 
 deer antlejs imbedded and nearly grown 
 over, the timber being all smooth and 
 solid around them. They found Chicago 
 a small, muddy and forbidding place, and 
 here they took a sail vessel for Milwaukee, 
 glad to get away from the future " Fair 
 city," and eager to reach the haven where 
 cities grew in a night. At the " Leiand 
 Hotel," Milwi^ukee, they found about 
 eighty millionaire boarders — all with beau- 
 tiful maps showing their lots for sale — 
 every one of whom seemed to own one or 
 more great cities, and tiieir wealth was 
 simply incalculable, yet not one of them 
 could pay his board bill. But they were 
 happy as clams, waiting for the "spring 
 run " of " suckers " to buy lots and get 
 rich quick. The landlord was waiting for 
 navigation to open, praying for it to be 
 
 early, or they would soon have to eat 
 million dollar lots, instead of bread and 
 butter. Happy day! a boat came and 
 among others landed eighty mechanics, ail 
 rich in hope of work and a quick fortune. 
 By tiiis time came the memorable financial 
 crash of 1837, and tlie speculative bubble 
 burst. Li less than ten days any of these 
 arriving mechanics could be hired for less 
 than half they could have got at home, and 
 one could have bought the erstwhile mil- 
 lionaires in "job lots" for a "grub- 
 stake" to help them on their way back to 
 where they came from. The one hundred 
 dollars "boot" money they had got in 
 their trade of team for the lots in the end 
 proved to be their good fortune. In the 
 scramble to get from under the financial 
 ruins, it was a question with nearly every 
 one how to save enough to return iiome 
 with. They had carefully husbanded the 
 one hundred dollars, and by so doing were 
 enabled to return, bringing the deeds to a 
 lot each in " Winnebago City," a metropo- 
 lis like the squal), biggest when first 
 hatched. They kept laid away their deeds 
 which stood them in lieu of one hundred 
 dollars each paid therefor, and in time 
 Henry sold his for an overcoat, while 
 Charles finally traded his for ten dollars to 
 a man who worked on his farm. 
 
 In the month of February, 1838, with 
 a younger brother, Charles and Henry 
 Manahan determined to revisit the scenes 
 of their birthplace. In order to pay ex- 
 penses of the trip they bought on credit, 
 having no cash, a lot of work oxen, and 
 were successful in buying twenty-four 
 yoke of cattle. They borrowed one hun- 
 dred dollars, at twenty per cent, interest, 
 to pay the expenses of the long trip, which 
 they made with forty-eight cattle, encoun- 
 tering deep snow, and occu}iying four 
 weeks on the way. When they reached 
 and crossed Cayuga bridge their funds 
 were nearly exhausted, but their hard task 
 was about accomplished. After they had 
 been gone a few weeks, one of the men of 
 whom they had purchased became uneasy. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 201 
 
 and began to throw doubts on their ever 
 payiiii^ for tlie cattle. He said " the 
 Maiiaiian lioys had bought all the oxen in 
 the couuty on credit." This was said in 
 presence of Daniel Williams, who assured 
 the man he need not fear, that the boys 
 would pay every cent; if they did not pay 
 him for his cattle that he, Williams, would. 
 Their trip was successful, and it was said 
 they brought more money back than had 
 been paid into Campbell A: Latimer's store 
 during the season. Tiie two trips men- 
 tioned give ample evidence of the young 
 men's ability and shrewdness as stock 
 traders. 
 
 While carrying on his shop, owing to 
 the great scarcity of money in the country 
 Charles Manahan would exchange wagons 
 for horses. When he had secured six head 
 he would, alone, ride and lead them back 
 to liis old home and sell them, and in this 
 way get money to pay on his land, having 
 sold his first purchase and bought 200 
 acres near Olena. On one of these trips 
 he first naet Miss Delana 13. Wiieeler, his 
 future wife. When he broueht his school- 
 girl wife to his home it was not the inten- 
 tion to live on his farm. She had been 
 tenderly reared on her father's finely im- 
 proved farm, with every comfort of the 
 times. They rented rooms on a second 
 floor in the viliao-e of Monroeville. He 
 took his wife to show her the farm, and it 
 was the brave little woman who said: 
 "Let us fix up this old cabin and live in 
 our own house." This squat old log house 
 was where Mr. Manahan had often kept 
 his horses when getting ready to go to 
 market. He went to work, cleaned it out, 
 spread abundant ashes, built higher the 
 stick chimney, turned the '• shakes," 
 cliinked and daubed the walls, and then 
 they moved into their own house. The 
 careful wife put down her new self made 
 rag carpet, but the rains descended and 
 the house leaked like a riddle, washed the 
 mud from the walls and nearly ruined the 
 carpet. The " loft," whicii was reached 
 by a ladder, was covered with loose boards, 
 
 one of which was quite broad, and by sit- 
 ting under this when it rained, if the rain 
 was not too hard, they could keep tolera- 
 bly dry. His recollection is now that they 
 had to raise the umbrella but on one or 
 two occasions. Her father had given her 
 one hundred dollars to buy furniture, but 
 instead of so spending it, the young hus- 
 band went into the woods, cut the timber 
 and aaade beech blocks, used to make car- 
 penter's planes, which he exchanged for a 
 bureau, bedstead, looking-glass and two 
 chairs. When they moved into their 
 cabin, he made their second bedstead — a 
 one-legged one, attached to the logs on 
 two sides — and altogether they got to be 
 very comfortable. Here were passed many 
 of the happiest days of their lives. In 
 time they were aware that they were 
 slowly prospering, and Mr. Manahan set 
 about the task of building a new house, 
 and being a carpenter commenced with 
 the material in the tree; and, except the 
 sawing of the lumber, with his own hands 
 built a nice frame cottao-e, even doiuir his 
 own plastering, laid the stone wall founda- 
 ti(jn, built his chimnies and did his own 
 painting. It was much of his labor for 
 eighteen months, but when completed they 
 had the satisfaction of moving from the 
 poorest cabin in the neighborhood to the 
 best frame house. 
 
 In 1849 they left the farm and went to 
 Ciena, where he engaged in merchandis- 
 ing. With the view of providing capital 
 ^ to buy good«, he had purchased, the fall 
 bef<ire, 300 sheep, fed them during the 
 winter, and took them to New York in 
 open cars, three days and two nights be- 
 ing occupied on the way, sold the lot and 
 purchased his goods. He had no experi- 
 ence in the business, but he liad faith in 
 himself, that self-reliance that is the crown 
 and glory of the highest type of true edu- 
 cation. The old gentleman would doubt- 
 less tell you with a sigh, that he had not 
 such advantages in schooling as those of 
 this favored time. Wliile the truth is of 
 the thousands of over- trained and misedu- 
 
202 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 cated of to-day, the most may ever regret 
 that they were deprived of nearly all the 
 opportunities of real education; such as 
 the circumstances that surrounded the 
 young life of Mr. Manahaii. 
 
 The most active part of his career was 
 now on; his .store, farm and trading in 
 stock. The war was raging, and the need 
 of the Government for supplies for the 
 army was urgent. lie filled an order in a 
 brief time for 200,000 walnut gun stocks, 
 the material loading 300 cars. He was 
 appointed to inspect the horses of tlie iirst 
 • company of cavalry raised in Norwalk. 
 He contracted to furnish cavalry horses, 
 and supplied between 1,200 and 1,300 
 prime animals, shipping to New York, 
 Columbus and Washino-toii. He has in 
 his possession an order, dated in the fall of 
 18G2, from John Cooper, of New York, to 
 furnish " si.xty horses delivered at New 
 York within eighteen days"; and iri that 
 brief time the order was satisfactorily 
 filled. 
 
 In 1862 Mr. Manahau was elected treas- 
 urer of Huron county, was re-elected at 
 the end of his first two years' term, and 
 served four years. When first elected he 
 sold out in Olena, removing to Norwalk, 
 and in 1807 was formed the partnership 
 of Parker, Manahau & Tabor, merchants 
 of Norwalk. Tliis was successful from 
 the start. Mr. Parker retired after six 
 years, and the next six years it was Mana- 
 han & Tabor, when Mr. Manalian sold and 
 retired from mercantile life. About this 
 time he platted and laid off an addition to 
 the city of Norwalk, which is now finely 
 built up, he owning the improvements, 
 and one of the principal streets of tlje 
 towii is '> Manahan avenue." 
 
 On February 18, 1841, Charles W. 
 Manahan and Delana B. Wheeler were 
 united in marriage, in the place of his 
 birth — Cayuga county, N. Y. She was 
 born at Fall River, Mass., the daugh- 
 ter of Cyrenus and Thursa (Evans) 
 Wheeler. Her father lived to the age of 
 ninety- live; he was the brother of Dexter 
 
 Wheeler, who made the first iron shovel 
 in the United States, at Lowell, Mass. 
 Cyrenus Wheeler, Jr., invented tli£ first 
 two-wheeled mowing machine. After 
 years of litigation he fully vindicated his 
 right to that important invention, and sold 
 his ])atents for the sum of three hundred 
 thousand dollars. The children of Mr. 
 and Mrs. Charles Manahan were as fol- 
 lows: Charles W. Manahan, born March 
 12, 1844; Jeroline, born May 30, 1847; 
 William Kendall IManahan, born October 
 6, 1857. Mrs. Delana 15. Manahan died 
 Marcli 29, 1887. William Kendall Mana- 
 han died April 23, 18U1. 
 
 Tp^DWARD DENMAN, prominent 
 ■ Ip among the progressive farmers of 
 JL^i Huron county, was born, in 1820, 
 in that part of the old county that 
 is now included in Erie, his father, John 
 Denman, having migrated thither in 1814. 
 His early training was that of a pioneer 
 farmer boy; hard and rugged work, in 
 clearing the land, his lot from sunrise to 
 sunset. His education was necessarily 
 very meager, as the schools were of the 
 most primitive kind, and his opportunities 
 of attending them were but few. Until 
 he was twenty-two years old he worked 
 for his father, and the latter tlien crave 
 him a start in life by presenting him with 
 a small piece of land to cultivate for his 
 own account; and also allowed him wages 
 for whatever work he might do on the old 
 homestead. Industriously he plodded along, 
 until at the end of about three years he 
 liad saved some eight hundred dollars. He 
 then rented 160 acres of his father for three 
 years, and stocked it with 400 sheep; then 
 bought 183 acres of land in the wc)ods of 
 Wakeman township, for eight dollars per 
 acre. In the course of time he cleared 
 this and sowed it to wheat, his first crop 
 yielding 575 bushels, which he hauled to 
 Milan, Erie county, distant about twenty 
 miles. Thus he continued- to prosppr until 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 203 
 
 lie found kimself the owner of one of the 
 finest farms in Wakeman township, one 
 hundred acres of which are of the highest 
 fertility. He has tliereoii a productive 
 orchard, grown from apple seeds planted 
 while working for his father on the old 
 homestead. In 1866 our suhject built a 
 handsome residence, and the entire sur- 
 roundings testify to tiie industry and judg- 
 ment of the owner. 
 
 On October 13, 1847, Mr. Denman was 
 married to Jane Archer, daughter of Joseph 
 Archer, of New York City, and seven 
 children were born to them, of whom a 
 son died in infancy. Their eldest son, 
 Joseph, resides in Wakeman; Addie, the 
 wife of Stanley Pierce, also resides in 
 Wakeman; John E. resides in Norwalk, 
 Ohio; Anna Belie, wife of Elmer Pierce, 
 is also a resident of AVakeman ; two daugh- 
 ters, Jennie and Louise, are living at home 
 with their parents. The family are all 
 well educated, the sons having attended 
 school at Berea and Oberlin. 
 
 Politically, Mr. Denman was originally 
 a Whig, later, on the organization of the 
 party, becoming a Republican. He has 
 served as school director and in other 
 offices of trust with commendable zeal, and 
 to the satisfaction of the community. 
 
 'jT^) HAENSLER, a well-known mer- 
 p^ chant of Bellevue, was born, in 
 If ^ 1854, in Baden, Germany. His 
 ■/) parents, Frank and Francesca (Egle) 
 
 Haensler, were also natives of Ba- 
 den, where the former followed farming 
 until his death, which occuri'ed in the 
 eighty-second year of his age. The mother 
 died November 24, 1893. 
 
 R. Haensler received the ordinary pub- 
 lic-school education in Baden, and at the 
 age of sixteen years immigrated to the 
 United States. Arriving at Monroeville, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, he found work on a 
 farm, and for the succeeding five years was 
 engaged in agriculture. Subsecpiently he 
 
 worked in the grocery store at Hunt's Cor- 
 ners, and in 1880 embarked in business 
 for himselfat Bellevue. In 1881 his mar- 
 riage with Miss Mary Urlan, a native of 
 Bellevue, was celebrated at Monroeville. 
 Five children have blessed this union, 
 namely: Rolertina, Edgar, Clarence, Marie 
 and Corenia. The family belong to the 
 'Catholic Congregation of Bellevue. Mr. 
 Haensler has built up a fine trade in gen- 
 eral groceries since 1881. Attending to 
 his own business closely, and dealing with 
 his patrons as he would wish to be dealt 
 by, he has made an enviable reputation, 
 and is regarded as a man whose business 
 methods are strictly upright and honorable. 
 
 d I AMES M. CAIIOON. In the front 
 rank of the influential, well-to-do 
 ^ agriculturists of Wakeman township 
 stands this gentleman, a grandson of 
 Joseph Cahoon, who was born on Block 
 Island, R. I., and was an extensive manii- 
 facturer in the East. He built a large 
 nail factory in Newark, R. I., and in an 
 early day came west to Ohio, settling in 
 Dover Bay, where he cleared laud at a 
 time when Indians and wild animals were 
 more numei'ous than welcome. He died 
 about the year 1838 at the age of seventy- 
 five years, a Whig in politics, and a hard- 
 working pioneer. 
 
 Samuel Cahoon, father of our subject, 
 was a native of Rhode Island, born in 
 1777, and received his primary education 
 in the primitive old-time log schoolhouse, 
 after which he attended Yale College, be- 
 coming a classmate of Perry Penfield. 
 When yet a young man he came to Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, and was there employed by the 
 Government in boat building. During the 
 war of 1812 he carried the mail for Har- 
 rison's army, traveling at night, sometimes 
 up streams, at other times over steep hills 
 or through deep valleys, meeting with 
 many adventures. After the war ho l)0Uglit 
 a small farm in Lorain county, at that time 
 
204 
 
 HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 covered with timber, which by dint of 
 liard labor he cleared. The Indians in those 
 restless days were very hostile to the white 
 man, and Mr. Cahoon organized a militia 
 company, of which he was made captain; 
 he also assisted in the building of Fort 
 Columbus in Lorain county. L)ocuments 
 show that he received two commissions as 
 captain from Gov. Wortliington. His wife, 
 Lucinda (Barnum), was a distant I'elative 
 of P. T. Ijarnum, and a daughter of John 
 Barnum, a native of Connecticut and a 
 well-known iron manufacturer, who when 
 well advanced in years came to Ohio, 
 locatinjjj in Cuyahoga county, where he 
 died a few years later. To Mr. ai\d Mrs. 
 Samuel Cahoon were born two children: 
 John, living on the old homestead in Lo- 
 rain county, and James M., the subject of 
 this sketch. The father of these died in 
 1862. Li politics he was originally a 
 Jackson Democrat, but during the later 
 years of his life he was a stanch Republi- 
 can. He was a devout Christian, a mem- 
 ber of the Disciple Church. Socially he 
 was a charter member of the F. & A. M., 
 of Elyria. His widow survived hitn sev- 
 eral years, dying at the advanced age of 
 eighty-five years. 
 
 James M. Cahoon, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, was born March 3, 1826, on 
 the old homestead in Lorain county, in an 
 old doorless log house, and was reared to 
 the arduous duties of the farm. In 1855 
 he married Miss Cynthia D. Parish, daugh- 
 ter of John Parish, a native of New York, 
 and shortly afterward they went to Wis- 
 consin, where he invested his few hard- 
 earned dollars in land, but the climate not 
 agreeing with him, he sold the land and 
 returned to Lorain county, where they con- 
 tinued to live from 1857 to 1863, at which 
 time they moved to their present home in 
 AVakeman township, Huron county. Here 
 Mr. Cahoon owns a farm of about 160 
 acres of as fine land as can be found in the 
 county, on which he has built an ele- 
 gant and comfortable residence, having no 
 superior for many miles around. He has 
 
 carried on general farming, and the raising 
 of large quantities of fruit. To our sub- 
 ject anil wife were born two children, viz.: 
 Fred P., a very popular young man, and 
 Julia, who died at the age of seventeen 
 months. Politicallv our subject is a Re- 
 publican, and before he was twenty-one 
 years old he served as school director. 
 Both he and his wife are members of the 
 Congregational Church at Wakeman, 
 
 ( LEXAKDER TWADDLE, Sr., may 
 [\ well be classed among the "sons of 
 the American Revolution." He was 
 born in 1782 in Allegheny county, 
 Penn., and was a son of the Twad- 
 dles who emigrated from County Donegal, 
 Ireland, to Pennsylvania about the time of 
 the Revolution, took a part in that brilliant 
 struggle for liberty, and died about the 
 beginning of this century, leaving nine 
 children, of whom the following is a brief 
 record: (1) John Twaddle, the eldest son. 
 died at Moore's Salt AYoi'ks, Jefferson 
 county, Ohio. He reared a large family, 
 nearly all of whom were blind at birth. 
 He received from the United States a grant 
 of land, which he iinpioved, and on which 
 he resided until his death. (2) Margai-et 
 Twaddle married a Mr. Deffenbaugh, and 
 they moved to Muskingum county. Ohio, 
 where she died. (3j William moved to 
 Muskingum comity, Ohio, in early days, 
 and was sheriff of that county for many 
 years; he died at Zanesville. (4) James 
 served in the war of 1812; after Harri- 
 son's and Perry's repeated victories, on 
 land and water, over the British and Indi- 
 ans, enabled him to j-eturn, he engaged in 
 the Ohio river trade, went down that river 
 on a flat-boat, and was never heard of 
 again. (5) Ale.xander, sketch of whom 
 follows. Of the four other children, Philip, 
 Archie, Mary and Sarah, but little is 
 known. 
 
 Alexander Twaddle was reared on the 
 home farm. He married Elizabeth Ram- 
 
HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 205 
 
 age, who was born September 23, 1788. in 
 Pennsylvania, and broiigiit her to Jefferson 
 coimty, Ohio, then on the frontier. lie 
 rented a farm near East Springfield, but 
 soon after moved to a place called Moore's 
 Salt Works, on Yellow creek, where he 
 was employed for six years. AVhile attend- 
 ing to his duties there, he was walking out 
 on a plank, between two rows of boilers, 
 when a false step cast him into one, scald- 
 ing him so severely from ankle to hip as 
 to make him a cripple for life. To him 
 and his wife were born eight children in 
 Jefferson county, namely: Jemima, born 
 JVovember 18, 1807, married Daniel Haley, 
 of Holmes county, Ohio, and died in Kan- 
 sas ill 1893; Abner, born December 11, 
 1809, died at Rochester, Lorain county, 
 where for several years he conducted an 
 ashery; Lydia, born October 22, 1811, 
 married Peter Justice, of Holmes county, 
 Ohio, and died in Clarksfield township, 
 June 1, 1873; Mary, born May 6, 1814, 
 married Robert Barnes, of Huron county, 
 Ohio, and died in Wakeman townsliip; 
 Alexander, born February 28, 181G; Eliza- 
 beth, born April 8, 1818, married Peter 
 Bevington, of Holmes county, Ohio, and 
 now resides in Clarkstield township; John 
 J., born February 23, 1820, married Julia 
 A. Palmer, of Westchester county, N. Y.; 
 and Sarah, born July 21, 1822, married 
 Adam Shank, of Holmes county, Ohio, 
 and now resides in Clarksfield township. 
 In the spring of 1823 the family left for 
 the West, as Holmes county was then con- 
 sidered. Locating in Paint township, thev 
 bought 200 acres at one dollar per acre, 
 occupied a log house which stood on the 
 tract, and began the work of clearing the 
 timber. Soon after Mr. Twaddle sold one 
 hundred acres to his brother-in-law, AbneV 
 Rainage, who had come from Pennsylvania. 
 In 1835 he sold the remaining one hundred 
 acres, and giving one hundred dollars to 
 his son, Alexander, Jr., and another one 
 iiundred dollars to his son Jolin J., as their 
 share or inheritau(;e, suggested the invest- 
 ment of the money in land. The boys 
 
 proceeded at once to Clarkstield township, 
 Huron county, purchased 170 acres in the 
 deep forest at three dollars per acre, erected 
 a log house thereon, and in the fall of 1836 
 invited the rest of the family to come to 
 the new land, which they found nntonched 
 by civilization. The father purchased fifty 
 acres from the sous, erected a log cabin, 
 and lived therein until within a few years 
 of his death, which occurred February 11, 
 
 1859, at the home of his youngest son, 
 Willianr. The children born in Holmes 
 county, Ohio, are named as follows: Susan, 
 born December 17, 1824, widow of Royal 
 Gridley, residing in Clarksfield township; 
 Marjjaret, born January 8, 1827, who mar- 
 ried Samuel Gaines, and died near Kinder- 
 hook, 111., being the first of the children 
 to die; Nancy, born January 27, 1830, now 
 widow of Elijah Minkler, residing in Mis- 
 souri (her first husband was Philip Mag- 
 lone); and AVilliam W., born November 
 Itj, 1833, a farmer of Clarkstield township. 
 The mother of this family died October 12, 
 
 1860, and was buried near her husband in 
 Clarksfield cemetery. The life of the father 
 was one of constant work. To provide for 
 his family he had to seek employment out- 
 side his farm, and with his son Abner 
 labored on the Beaver and Sandy Canal. 
 He was a Jacksonian Democrat, who always 
 found time to vote that ticket. 
 
 Alexander Twaddle, fifth child of Alex- 
 ander Twaddle, Sr., and oldest of the fam- 
 ily now living, was reared in Jefferson and 
 Holmes counties, and settled in Huron 
 county in 1835. Before locating here he 
 worked for four months on a farm near 
 Maumee City, but was stricken with fever 
 and ague. Returning to his father's home, 
 he set out with his brother to locate in 
 Huron county, where he has since resided. 
 His marriage with Sarah Lee took place 
 June 27, 1839; she was born February 5. 
 1816, in New York State, a daughter of 
 David and Mercy (Barber) Lee, who set- 
 tled in Townsend townshi]) in 1819. Her 
 father and mother died in Clarksfield town- 
 ship, the former in his ninety-ninth year. 
 
':o6 
 
 IIUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Alexander and Sarah Twaddle resided on 
 tlie farm until 1848, when he sold the pio- 
 neer home and located on liis present farm 
 of 211 acres. The children born to them 
 are named as follows : Abner D., who served 
 in Company D, Fifty-fifth O. V. I., and 
 was killed at Resaca, Ga., May 15, 1864, 
 where he was buried; John J., a farmer of 
 Glarkstield townsiiip; and Dorinda A., who 
 married Clark Auble, and died in Clarks- 
 field township. Politically Mr. Twaddle 
 lias been a Prohibitionist since 1872; his 
 first vote was cast for Andrew Jackson, 
 but in 1856 he l)ecame a Republican, and 
 affiliated with that party until 1872. In 
 church connection he is a member of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Society, and has 
 served as steward and class-leader for many 
 years. He was formerly superintendent of 
 Sunday-school, and has always been in- 
 fluential in church affairs. 
 
 ^J 
 
 t Jl R COLEMAN, New London, is 
 ^1 undoubtedly one of the n:ost en- 
 1] terprising business men of Hu- 
 ron county. Philip Coleman, his 
 father, was born in 1814 in New 
 York State, where he was reared on a farm, 
 and when a young man married Sarah A. 
 Haight, a native of Dutchess county, same 
 State, born in 1820. 
 
 Immediately after marriage Philip Cole- 
 man and his wife migrated to Ohio, and 
 settled on a farm near New London, Hu- 
 ron county, which is now in the possession 
 of their youngest son, the subject of this 
 sketch. Here five children were born to 
 them, three of whom are living. Mr. 
 Coleirian was a progressive farmer. Po- 
 litically a Republican, he was true to the 
 faith of that party down to the period of 
 his death, which occurred six years ago. 
 His widow resides with iier son at New 
 London. 
 
 M. R. Coleman was born in Huron 
 county in 1850. The territory was then 
 far advanced beyond pioneer condition, so 
 
 that as a boy he enjoyed advantages un- 
 known to older natives of that section. His 
 education was received in the common and 
 high schools of the district. About the 
 year 1870 he began business for himself, 
 and for eight or ten years was engaged in 
 farming. Then he estahlifehed himself in 
 New London as a hay merchant — buying, 
 baling and shipping tiiis staple to corre- 
 spondents in southern and eastern cities, 
 New York being his leading market. The 
 extent of his ti-ade may be learned from 
 the fact that in 1892 he shipped 250 car- 
 loads of baled hay. His flax mill is also 
 an important industry, and contributes its 
 quota to more than one American industry. 
 The product of this mill is principally up- 
 holsterers' tow, in which a laro-e trade is 
 done. With his hay and flax interests, 
 Mr. Coleman also carries on the farm, near 
 New London, giving to it a full share of 
 the attention it merits. 
 
 Politically a Republican, our subject is 
 influential among the men of his party; 
 while as a citizen he is a boon to the neitrh- 
 borhood in which he exercises his ])U8inesB 
 talents. 
 
 I[SAAC De WITT, a prominent and 
 much respected agriculturist of Ridge- 
 J field township, is descended from Dutch 
 ancestry, the pioneers of his family 
 liaving emigrated from Holland to New 
 Jersey many years ago. 
 
 Isaac DeWitt, the grandfather of our 
 subject, was an extensive landowner along 
 the Delaware river, and in Warren county, 
 N.J. He reared a family of eight chil- 
 dren, among whom is mentioned a son 
 named Jacob. 
 
 Jacob DeWitt was born in Warren 
 county, N. J., went to school in his boy- 
 hood, assisting also in the farm duties, and 
 then learned the trade of blacksmith. 
 While yet a young man he married Eliza- 
 beth Winters, a native of New Jersey, 
 who bore him six children, viz.: James, a 
 farmer of Perkins townshij), Erie county, 
 
HUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 207 
 
 Ohio, where he died in 1888; John, at one 
 time a boot and shoe dealei', of 8andnsky, 
 Ohio, who died in 1866; Catherine, wiio 
 was married in New Jersey to Barnett 
 Matthews, and died in Ohio in 1888; 
 Elizabeth, deceased in 181(0, in Hui'on 
 county, Ohio, wife of William Miller; 
 Margaretta, deceased wife of James Per- 
 son, of Belvidere, N. J.; and Isaac, whose 
 sketch follows. In 1837 the father of this 
 family, accompanied by his son Isaac and 
 some of the other children, started west. 
 They crossed the Alleghany mountains, 
 then, proceeding to Pittsburgh, crossed 
 the Oliio river and pushed westward to 
 Ohio. After a long, tiresome journey 
 they arrived at Milan, Erie Co., Ohio, and 
 there made a temporary location. But 
 this rude home in the wilderness offered 
 little "attraction for Mr. DeWitt, who had 
 always been accustomed to the luxuries of 
 civilization. He resolved to return to his 
 native State, and would have done so had 
 it not been for the persuasions of his son 
 Isaac, who used all his persuasive powers 
 to induce his fatlier to remain. The latter 
 finally concluded to do so, purchased land, 
 and foUow'ed his trade at Cook's Corners 
 (now North Monroeville). In politics he 
 was actively identified with the Demo- 
 cratic party, and in I'eligion he and his 
 wife were members of the Presbyterian 
 Church. She died in 1863, he in 1866, 
 and both are buried in Perkins cemetery, 
 in Erie county. 
 
 Isaac DeWitt was born September 17, 
 1816, in Warren county, N. J., where he 
 attended school. lie was an eager student, 
 and after leaving school fitted himself for 
 the profession of civil engineer, which he 
 followed for some time. After coming to 
 Ohio he devoted his attention to agri- 
 culture, and on December 23, 1840, was 
 united in marriage with Martha Young, 
 who was born August 18, 1823, in Roches- 
 ter, AVindsor Co., Vt. She is a daughter 
 of Josiah and Mary (Barden) Voung, 
 natives of New Ilauipshire and early set- 
 tlers of Huron county, Ohio. Soon after 
 
 their marriage Mr. and Mrs. DeWitt 
 moved from liidgefield township to Gro- 
 ton township, Erie Co., Ohio, and in 1843 
 purchased a farm in Ridgeiield township, 
 to which they removed. In 1857 he bought 
 the place which is now their home, and has 
 since been engaged in farming, with the 
 exception of a few years when he carried 
 on the grape industry on Catawba Island. 
 He has been an energetic and successful 
 business man, and though now far ad- 
 vanced in life is yet able to do a great deal 
 of work. He possesses remarkable vitality, 
 and knows nothing of sickness from per- 
 sonal experience. In politics Mr. DeWitt 
 has been a Republican since the organiza- 
 tion of that party, at the same time sympa- 
 thized with the Prohibition movement, 
 and is now a strong Prohibitionist. In 
 religion he and his wife are members of 
 the M. E. Church, with which he has been 
 connected fifty-six years. In 1890 this 
 couple celebrated the fiftieth anniversary 
 of their wedding day, on which occasion 
 they were the recipients of many beautiful 
 presents. They have had three cliildren: 
 Mary Ellen (deceased in 1867), wife of 
 James G. Fish; Isaac E., a successful 
 prospector and miner of Colorado; and 
 Burton L., formerly in business at North 
 Monroeville, now a traveling salesman for 
 several large wholesale houses of Cleveland. 
 
 E. SIMMONS, M. D., a well-known 
 practicing physician of Norwalk, 
 was born in Huron county, Ohio, 
 son of Charles B. and Aura (Palmer) 
 Simmons. 
 
 Our subject received his primary educa- 
 tion in the public schools, and subse- 
 quently became a student at Oberlin 
 College (Oberlin, Ohio), and also at Ohio 
 Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio. He 
 studied medicine with Dr. Keith, of North 
 Fairfield, Ohio, and graduated in Cincin- 
 nati, in 1881. The Doctor practiced his 
 profesbion in North Fairfield, Ohio, from 
 
208 
 
 HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1881 to 1883; then in Milan, same State, 
 from 1883 to 1891. In the latter year he 
 took a special course of study in Chicago, 
 and in 1892 came to Xorwalk, where he 
 is at present located, being surgeon to the 
 Huron County Infirmary. He is a mem- 
 ber of the Board of Pension Examiners; 
 a member of the State Homeopathic So- 
 ciety and of the National Society. 
 
 Dr. Simmons was united in marriage 
 with Miss Hattie Dimon, a native of 
 Milan, Ohio, and two children — Charles 
 and Mary — have been born to them. 
 
 EORGE M. DILLON, active in real- 
 
 estate interests in Bellevue, is a na- 
 
 r 
 
 \L_J tive of the State of Ohio, born March 
 ^l 19, 1851, in Zanesville. In 1854 
 he was taken by his parents to Min- 
 nesota, where he remained until 1864, at 
 which time the family returned to Ohio, 
 locating in Zanesville, but subsequently 
 settling in Chicago Junction, Huron 
 county. 
 
 George M. Dillon received hisedncation 
 in the common schools of Zanesville. He 
 then entered the service of the old Balti- 
 more & Ohio Railway Company, serving 
 for ten years as conductor on that division, 
 and he is to-day one of tlie great army of 
 300,000 raih'oad men in the United States. 
 In 1882 he entered the employ of the N. 
 Y. C. & St. L. R. R. Company, as passen- 
 ger train conductor, and he is at present 
 one of the most ])opular officials on that 
 division of the -'Nickel Plate." 
 
 On November 3, 1872, Mr. Dillon was 
 united in marriage at Zanesville, Ohio, 
 with Miss Jennie S. Ogier, who was born 
 July 12, 1850, at Cambridge, Ohio, a 
 daugiiter of John P. and Martha Ogicr, 
 natives of the Isle of AVight, England. To 
 this unio!i have been born five children, 
 viz.: Thomas E., George B., Edith P., 
 Sidney R. and Gracie M., all of whom re- 
 side with their parents. Politically Mr. 
 Dillon is a Republican; in religious 
 
 connection he is a member of the M. E. 
 Church. In social and benevolent affairs 
 he is a member of the F. & A. M. 
 (thirty-second degree), I. O. O. F., Royal 
 Arcanum, and of the Order of Railroad 
 Conductors. Since locating at Belluvue 
 he has been prominent in real-estate en- 
 terprises, owning considerable property, 
 and dealing generally in real estate. He 
 is the builder and principal stockholder of 
 the "Commercial Hotel" at Bellevue, and 
 is interested in many other projects. In 
 the spring of 1883 he was elected a mem- 
 ber of the city council, and with the ex- 
 ception of one year has since continuously 
 served in that capacity. The interest which 
 he takes in town affairs overmasters party 
 interests, for in this Democratic city the 
 people have elected and reelected him with- 
 out questioning his Republicanism. A 
 natural leader, he is popular among rail- 
 road men, for through him they have made 
 their influence felt, not only in Bellevue, 
 but also in the other towns on his division 
 of the "Nickel Plate." As a citizen he is 
 held in general esteem. 
 
 ENDRICK W. LAMOREUX. Tiiis 
 gentleman traces his genealogy to 
 natives of the "Sunny Land of 
 France." His pioneer ancestors 
 immigrated to America in an early 
 day, locating in Luzerne county, Penn., 
 where Joshua Lamoreux was born Atigust 
 30, 1793, and reared to manhood. He 
 was married to Martha Ives, who was born 
 July 24, 1796, and their children were 
 named as follows: Samuel A., Josiah, 
 Darius, Thomas, Elizabeth, Clarissa, AVill- 
 iam, Elmira, Lucy, Emily and Mary J. 
 
 Samuel A. Lamoreux, eldest son of 
 Joshua and Martha (Ives) Lamoreux, was 
 born October 11, 1815, on the home place 
 in Luzerne county, Penn. He attended 
 the schools of the period, and post^essing 
 marked mechanical al)ility followed various 
 trades. In 1837 he selected a life com- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 209 
 
 paiiion in the person of Amelia M. Skad- 
 den, wlio was born Marcii 12, 1819, in 
 Luzerne county, Penn., daughter of Anson 
 C. Skadden. After his marriage Samuel 
 A. Lamorenx located on a farm, and in 
 connection followed the lumber business, 
 working also at the trade of millwright. 
 His ciiildren were there born, as follows: 
 Joshua, Jannary 14, 1840, deceased in in- 
 fancy; Delia, November 6, 1841, wife of 
 W. F. Bradley, of Sandusky, Ohio; 
 Emnieline, January 0, 1843, living in 
 California; llendrick W., whose name 
 opens this sketch, January 30, 1845; An- 
 son, August 29, 1846, a carpenter of Mon- 
 roeville, Ohio; Benton L., January 23, 
 1849, now living in South America; Al- 
 bert and Absalom (twins, both deceased in 
 infancy), December 31, 1851; and Elmira 
 J., April 15, 1853, wife of David Wilkin- 
 son, of Norwalk. The parents of this 
 family left Pennsylvania December 25, 
 1854, locatinw; on a rented farm in Oxford 
 township, Erie Co., Ohio. Mr. Lamoreux, 
 being in limited circumstances, remained 
 a tenant four years after coming to Ohio, 
 and then bought a small tract of land. In 
 1874 he purchased a farm in Ridgetleld 
 tovvnship, Huron county, and in 1871) 
 n)oved upon it. He was actively interested 
 in politics, and was first a Democi-at, be- 
 cotning a Republican after the war; he 
 served in various local offices. He was a 
 member of the Baptist Cliurch for forty- 
 three years, and subscribed regularly to 
 The Examiner, a Baptist periodical which 
 had been known as the BajAist Re<jister 
 since 1837. He was an officer in the 
 church, and tauj^ht the Bible class for 
 twelve years. He died October 31, 1890, 
 leaving many friends to mourn his death, 
 who knew his worth as a Christian man 
 and progressive citizen. His widow is yet 
 living on the home farm with lu^r son, 
 Hendrick W. She has been a meitiher of 
 the Baptist Church for fifty-five years. 
 
 Hendrick W. Lamoreux was born on 
 the home place in Luzerne county, Penn., 
 where he attended the district schools. 
 
 On October 26, 1870, he was united in 
 marriage with Ruth H., daughter of 
 Daniel Fi'azier, and a native of Erie 
 county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Lamoreux 
 have resided on his father's farm in 
 Ridgefield township, Huron county, since 
 their marriage, where two children have 
 beer) born to them: Bertha E. and Wilbur 
 L. Mr. Lamoreux is a prosperous busi- 
 ness man, and takes an active interest in 
 the Republican party. He and wife are 
 members of the BaptistCliurch, with wliich 
 he has been connected twenty-two years. 
 
 (GEORGE SUTLIFF, who represents 
 , an old and well-known family of 
 
 r 
 
 \Ji\ Bronson township, is a son of Na 
 ~~^ than Sutliff, who was born near 
 Genoa, New York. 
 
 Nathan Sutliff passed his youth in 
 Cayuga county, N. Y., and in early man- 
 hood was there married to Loretta Law- 
 rence, a native of Genoa, same State. The 
 young couple resided in the home neigh- 
 borhood some time after their marriage, 
 and then came to Huron county, Ohio, 
 where Mr. Sutliff purchased 200 acres of 
 land. At the time of this purchase Bron- 
 son township was a wilderness, the only 
 njarks then evident of coming civilization 
 being two log cabins in Norwalk, and one 
 which had been erected the previous year 
 on the land now owned by Martin Kellog. 
 With these few neighbors to brighten the 
 lonely wilderness, Nathan Sutliff and his 
 wife set bravely to work and prepared a 
 home for those who followed. He was a 
 Whig in politics, and in religion was one 
 of the first members of the T'l-esbyterian 
 Church in Peru township. Some time 
 after the death of his wife this pioneer was 
 laid to rest at a good old age. They were 
 the parents of eight children: Alice, Sam- 
 uel, Mary, David, Loretta, John, Nathan 
 and George. 
 
 George Sutliff, son of Natiian and Lo- 
 retta (Lawrence) Sutliff, was born March 
 
210 
 
 IIUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 14, 1832, till the farm where he is now 
 living, in Iliiroi) countj, Ohio. He re- 
 ceived a limited country-school education, 
 passing his earlj^ youth on the home farm, 
 and then worked four years at the carpen- 
 try trade. On Fe])ruary 1, 1854, he was 
 united in marriage with Emily Fancher, a 
 native of Huron county, and daughter of 
 Daniel Fancher, who was married to a 
 Miss Mitchell, and settled in (rreenwich 
 township, Huron county, many years ago. 
 In the autumn following their marriage 
 Mr. and Mrs. Sutliff moved to De Kalb 
 county, Ind., where he bought eighty acres 
 of land (about si.xteen of which were then 
 tillable), afterward adding twenty acres. 
 He continued to farm on this place seven- 
 teen years, hut fiually returned to Ohio, 
 and purchasing the old homestead, consist- 
 ing of 104 acres, has since resided upon it, 
 and has made many improvements. Po- 
 litically he votes with the Hepublican 
 party. Mr. and Mrs. Sutliff have three 
 children: FUa S., Oberka F. and Ger- 
 trude L. Oberka F. was married January 
 8, 1887, to Clara Barto, who has borne 
 him two children: Lelia Gertrude and 
 Nathan Koy. 
 
 Ei) ARNETT ROE, one of the most 
 i\ p''t)gressive farmers of Greenfield 
 I) township, is a descendant of Thomas 
 
 Roe, the pioneer of the family in 
 America. 
 
 Thomas Roe, a native of Northampton- 
 shire, England, left his country in 1822, 
 and with his wife and seven children came 
 to the United States, locating near Flem- 
 ing, Cayuga Co., N. Y. He had eight 
 children born to him in England, of whom 
 one, Thomas, died there. The seven who 
 accompanied their parents to America 
 were Charles, married to Corinna Carver, 
 of Fleming, Cayuga Co., N. Y., who bore 
 him one daughter, Selina (Mrs. George VV. 
 Atherton),of Peru township, Huron county 
 (Charles Roe died in Peru township in 
 1891); Anna, who married Samuel Weeks, 
 
 and died at Pioneer, Williams Co., Ohio; 
 Mark, now residing at Granville, Ohio; 
 Joseph, a sketch of whom appears in the 
 biograpiiy of A. G. Roe, of Peru town- 
 ship; Barnett, a short record of whom 
 follows; Mary Ann, who married Hiram 
 Jjarnum, and died in Fairfield township, 
 and William, who was a farmer of Fair- 
 field township, where he died. While re- 
 siding in New York State, two more 
 sons were born: Thomas, now a resident 
 of Oregon, and Reuben, of Toledo, Ohio. 
 About 1834 Thomas Roe and his son, 
 Charles, came to Huron county and pur- 
 chased a tract of laud in Peru township. 
 The father remained here, while the son 
 went back to Cayuga county, N. Y., for 
 the remainder of the family, with whom 
 he returned and introduced to their new 
 home. Here the father and mother both 
 died. They were members of the Baptist 
 Church, and were much esteemed citizens 
 of the community. 
 
 Barnett Roe, son of Thomas, was born 
 in 1810, in England, and, accompanying 
 his parents to America, resided with them 
 in New York State, later moving with 
 them to Huron county, Ohio. His school 
 days were passed in Cayuga county, N. Y., 
 where he also began to learn the carpen- 
 ter's trade, which he followed with such a 
 measure of success that he was enabled 
 from time to time to invest in small tracts 
 of laud, in Greenfield township, increasing 
 his number of acres annually. While still 
 a young man he married Harriet Bright- 
 man, of Peru township, who was born in 
 1814, and the children of this marriao;e 
 are Elizabeth, Mrs. C. H. Strong; Anna, 
 Mrs. James White, of Cleveland; Barnett, 
 subject of this sketch; Maria and Mary 
 (twins), of whom Maria is married to 
 Theodore Niver, of Norwich (Mary died 
 at the age of five years), and James K., 
 who was a miner in Colorado, where he 
 met his death in his thirty-second year. 
 Immediately after marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
 Roe made the homestead their residence, 
 where he engaged in agriculture and 
 
imEOy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 211 
 
 carpentry. In 185(3 he erected what is 
 known as the rhrniiix mills in Greenfield 
 townsiiip, and operated same for twelve or 
 tiiirteen years with marked success. After 
 that long term in the milling business his 
 liealth failed, compelling him to retire 
 from active life. He resided on the farm, 
 now occupied by his son, Barnett, until 
 his death, which was the result of paraly- 
 sis.- His wife died January 27, 1851, and 
 both are interred in the Steuben cemetery. 
 He was a strong advocate of the principles 
 of the Republican party, held various 
 ofhces in the township, and also served as 
 county commissioner. He was one of the 
 most progressive citizens who ever lived 
 in Greenfield township. His farm, mill 
 and stone quarries were parts of his plan 
 for the development of the township, so 
 that the death of such a man was a serious 
 loss, not only to his family, but also to the 
 entire community. 
 
 Barnett Roe, whose name opens this 
 memoir, was born January 26, 1843, on 
 the home farm. He received a primary 
 education in the district school, and while 
 yet a boy began work in his father's mill, 
 where he continued to labor until 1864. 
 On Angust 29, tiiat year, he enlisted in 
 Battery M, First Ohio Heavy Artillery, 
 was mustered in at Sandusky, and pro- 
 ceeded at once to Loudon, Tenn., where 
 he joined his company. He served with 
 his command in all the spirit-stirring en- 
 gagements in which it participated, until 
 discharged, at Knoxville, Tenn., June 20, 
 1865. At Strawl)erry Plains, Dandridge, 
 Bean Station, and Greenville, Battery M 
 did good service, and on other fields 
 offered timely aid. Mr. Roe was taken 
 i-ick at Lead vale, and was taken to a 
 iieirro hut, where a colored woman, 
 known as '-Aunty Jane," nursed him to 
 convalescence. On his return to Ohio he 
 i-eentered the service of his father in the 
 mill, and there worked some three or four 
 years. On May 16, 1867, he was married 
 to Martha J. Lowther, who was born 
 August 5, 1843, in Greenfield township, 
 
 daughter of Capt. E. H. Lowther. The 
 children of this union are Earnest B., 
 born September 29, 1869: Frank L., born 
 November 2, 1871; Anna B., born Octo- 
 bers, 1875, and Alto F. and Otto J. (^twins), 
 horn February 14, 1884, all of whom are 
 living. After marriage the young couple 
 occupied the homestead, and here Mr. 
 Roe carried on the farm in connection 
 with a sawmill and other businesses. Iti 
 1880 he located on his present farm, and 
 has since given close attention to agricul- 
 ture and stock growing. Mr. Roe and 
 wife are members of the Disciple Church. 
 In politics he is a Republican, and has 
 served as treasurer and trustee of Green- 
 field township, proving himself, in every 
 particular, worthy of the confidence and 
 esteem of the people. 
 
 I[ Jl S. FANNING, a progre-ssive agri- 
 r!^| culturist of Clarkstield township, is 
 I 1| a native of the same, born Novem- 
 ■fj ber5,1864. His grandfather, James 
 
 Fanning, was born August 13, 1789, 
 and on January 2, 1809, married Sarah 
 Westbrook, who was born October 25, 
 1789. He died near Kushville, Onondaga 
 Co., N. Y., June 9, 1827, on which day 
 he was present at a barn raising for the 
 proprietor of a neighboring hotel. A rain 
 storm came up suddenly, driving the men 
 to shelter, but when the rain ceased all re- 
 sumed work. The water made the lieavy 
 timbers slippery, and one of the bents fell, 
 crushing Mr. Fanning's head, killing him 
 instantly. He left a widow, and eight 
 children all born in Onondaga county, as 
 follows: Ann, born October 23, 1809; 
 Eliza, born August 18, 1811; Richard, 
 born April 27, 1813; Asenath, born June 
 4, 1816; Julia, born May 2, 1819; John 
 C, born April 8, 1821; Benjamin (r., born 
 September 11, 1823, and William M., born 
 May 13. 1826. 
 
 In 1832 the widow, determined to seek 
 a wider field for her children, sold her 
 
I 
 212 
 
 HUliOy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 home in New York State, and migrated to 
 Huron county, Ohio. Her son, Richard, 
 who liad settled in Clarkstield township a 
 year before tlie family left New York, sent 
 glowing reports of the new country, and to 
 that township the family directed their 
 steps. Here Mrs. Fanning purchased a 
 farm of sixty-five acres, where she resided 
 for twenty years, or until her marriage (in 
 1842 or 1843) with Jonas Clark, with 
 whom she moved to Sandusky county. 
 She died there July 17, 1863, and was 
 buried in the cemetery at Townsend. 
 
 Beniamin G. Fanning came with his 
 mother to Ohio in 1832, and received a 
 primary education in the rude school of 
 the period. While a youth he left home 
 to learn the shoe trade from a man named 
 Long, in Lyme township, an old tradesman 
 of Huron county. Mr. Fanning was an 
 apt mechanic, and became as good a slioe- 
 maker as his teacher; but the trade did 
 not suit him, so he went into the fruit 
 business and became the owner of a farm 
 in Clarkstield township. Returning thither 
 he found employment in Sherman Smith's 
 shoe store, and while there engaged mar- 
 ried Sabra, daughter of Sherman Smith, 
 the wedding taking place July 4, 184G. 
 Sabra Smith was born January 12, 1829, 
 in Clarkstield township, a daughter of 
 Sherman and (Caroline (Knapp) Smith, 
 pioneers of Huron county. The young 
 couple settled on the sixty-five acres which 
 Mr. Fanning's mother purchased in 1832. 
 Leaving that, he bought himself a farm, 
 but preferring to travel as a patent-right 
 salesman, he left the care of the farm to 
 his wife and hired help. In 1852, how- 
 evei% he assumed charge of his land, and 
 resided thereon till his death, which 
 occurred -December 12, 1891. In 1880 
 he was stricken with paralysis, and suffered 
 much from the disease. He was a fluent 
 speaker and an able salesman, anil admira- 
 bly filled the two positions of fruit-tree 
 grower and sales agent. He was a man of 
 progress, always encouraging improvement. 
 A friend of the unfortunate, his kindness 
 
 did not consist alone in words; and when 
 his remains were carried to Butterfield 
 cemetery for interment, there was a host 
 of mourners present. 
 
 Mr. Fanning was a Whig until the 
 formation of the Republican party, when 
 he cast his political fortunes with them. 
 The children born to Benjamin G. and 
 Sabra Fanning are named as follows: 
 Escdorab, born March 11, 1847, died Au- 
 gust 26, 1850; A. S., deceased June 9, 
 1849; Ida B., born January 27, 1853, 
 wife of Theodore Clark, a soap and per- 
 fumery manufacturer, of Chicago, 111.; 
 and Henry S., who manages the home 
 farm, where he resides with his mother. 
 
 Henry S. Fanning was educated in the 
 common schools of his district. With the 
 exception of five years whicli he passed at 
 the home of Sherman Smith, his grand- 
 father, he has made the house where he 
 was born his home. His marriage to 
 Edith Day took place April 28, 1887. 
 She was born October 31, 1870, in New 
 London township, daughter of Hiram K. 
 and Sophia (Brenstul) Day, who were old 
 settlers of New London. To this marriage 
 one child was born August 18, 1887, named 
 Ruth D. Politically Mr. Fanning is a Re- 
 publican, and takes an active interest in 
 local, State and national affairs. Like his 
 father, he is a friend of progress, and a 
 most successful farmer. 
 
 |r^\ L. JUSTICE, a progressive, influ- 
 I ential farmer ci 
 
 Bl ential farmer citizen of Clarkstield 
 ^' township, Huron Co., Ohio, is a 
 
 native of same, born June 18, 1852. 
 His father, Peter Justice, was born July 
 23, 1796, in Milford township, Somerset 
 Co., Penn., son of Nathan Justice, who 
 was a distiller (then a very common pur- 
 suit), and manufacturer of linseed oil. 
 Peter received a common-school education, 
 obtained some knowledge of farming on a 
 place which his father owned, and when 
 yet a youth learned the trade of carpenter 
 
HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 213 
 
 and joiner. He enlisted in the war of 
 1812, but was not called into the service, 
 and after the close of that conflict worked 
 at his trade for five years. In early man- 
 hood he started for the West in company 
 with a cousin, Adam Mikesell, crossing 
 the Ohio river at Steubenville, and travel- 
 ing through Zanesville, Columbus and 
 Delaware toward Upper Sandusky, meet- 
 ing Indians and passing through Indian 
 villages around Delaware, thence to Fulton 
 county, Ohio, in search of land. He re- 
 turned to Pennsylvania (making the entire 
 journey, coming and going, on foot), and 
 for some time gave his attention to his 
 trade. Later he came to Holmes county, 
 Ohio, wliere, on December 13, 1827, he 
 was united in marriage with Miss Lydia 
 Twaddle, who was born October 22, 1811, 
 in Jefferson county, Ohio, daughter of 
 Alex, and Elizabeth (Kamage) Twaddle. 
 While living in Holmes county children 
 as follows came to this union: Thomas W., 
 born January 28, 1829, deceased April 27, 
 1862; Nathan, born May 4, 1831, mer- 
 chant and postmaster at North Morenci, 
 Mich.; George W., horn June 17, 1833, 
 deceased March 23. 1886; and Henry H., 
 born December 31, 1835, a farmer of New 
 London township, Huron county. 
 
 In 1837 the family moved to Clarkstield 
 township, Huron county, coming with an 
 ox team by way of Wellington, and as the 
 roads were few and very had they had to 
 pick out tlieir way by marked trees. He 
 purchased 116^ acres (which he paid for 
 by working out by the day), where he 
 passed the remainder of his life, and which 
 at the time of his settlement contained no 
 improvements but a small log house. Here 
 the remainder of his family was born, as 
 follows: John A., born January 10, 1839, 
 a farmer of Brighton township, Lorain 
 county; Susan, born August 25, 1841, 
 livino; on the old homestead in Clarkstield 
 township) (she has tieen blind all her life, 
 liaviug been born so); Royal F., born April 
 16, 1844, died September 23, 1891, in 
 Brighton township, Lorain county; An- 
 
 drew A., born December 24, 1846 (he was 
 born blind); and Daniel L., subject of this 
 memoir. Andrew uses horse power to cut 
 his fodder, and has a mill to grind his 
 feed. In winters he does all his own chores 
 alone, only in summers hiring some one by 
 the day to assist him. After the death of 
 the mother, Susan kept house for the fam- 
 ily, and all the work is now done by them 
 with the assistance of a hired woman. 
 
 Peter Justice was by trade a cabinet 
 maker, and for years made all the coffins 
 used in his section. The coffin for his eld- 
 est son was among the first factory coffins 
 brought to those parts, and after that he 
 gradually ceased to follow iiis trade, finally, 
 about 1875, discontinuing it altogether. 
 He was a very robust, well-preserved man, 
 and the day he was seventy-five he walked 
 fourteen miles and cradled over five acres 
 of wheat ground. In pioneer days he 
 would walk to Ruggles, Ashland county, 
 'taking his grist to the mill, where he 
 would ofteu have to wait over night, as 
 there were so many before him. Roads 
 were few and difficult to follow, and on 
 one occasion he got lost and wandered to 
 Troy, Ashland county, before he could tell 
 where be was. He was never sick, and 
 never had occasion to call a physician until 
 the illness which caused his death. Once, 
 while chopping in the woods, he was 
 struck by a falling timber, and received a 
 cut some inches long across his forehead, 
 which was sewed up by his wife, as there 
 were no doctors near. He passed away 
 March 7, 1881, preceded liy his wife on 
 June 1, 1873, and i)oth are buried at 
 Rochester, Lorain Co., Ohio. He was a 
 member of the Democratic party, Init never 
 took any further interest in politics than 
 to cast his vote at each election. 
 
 D. L. Justice was educated in the com- 
 mon schools of his vicinity, and was reared 
 to farm life. When a young man he 
 commenced to learn photography in New 
 London, Ohio, having previously read 
 much on this subject, in which art lie be- 
 came quite proiicieut. He remained on 
 
214 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 tlie home farm until March 23, 1890, when 
 he was united in marriage with Miss Elsie 
 C. Fox, who was born September 30, 18G6, 
 in Clarksfield township, daughter of David 
 Fox. Shortly afterward they settled on a 
 farm which he had owned for some time, 
 and where they have since made their 
 home. On October 30, 1893, a son was 
 born to them, named Peter A. Mr. Jus- 
 tice, who ia engaged in general agriculture, 
 is a well-int'ornied, intelligent, progressive 
 citizen of the community. In politics he 
 is a Democrat. 
 
 d'AMES GILBERT GIBBS, Norwalk, 
 is the lineal descendant of one of the 
 ^ earliest pioneer families that came 
 and settled in Norwalk township. 
 He is secretary, treasurer and manager of 
 the Reflector Printing Company, printing 
 the daily and weekly Refecf())\ which are 
 among the leading publications of north- 
 ern Ohio; also publishing several otlier 
 newspapers, and the Norwalk City Di- 
 rectory. 
 
 Mr. Gibbs was born August 7, 1852, in 
 Norwalk, where had lived his ancestors 
 since 1816, the date of their coming here 
 from Norwalk, Conn. He is a son of 
 Ralph M. and Mary (Higgins) Gibbs, the 
 former of whom was also a native of Nor- 
 walk, born in 1824, and died of cliolera in 
 August, 1854, then but thirty years of 
 age. David Gibbs, the paternal grand- 
 father of the subject of this sketch, was 
 born in Norwalk, Conn., became an officer 
 in the regular army in the war of 1812, 
 and did efficient service as Capt. David 
 Gibbs of the Thirty-seventli Regular In- 
 fantry. At the close of the war, having 
 meanwhile resigned from the army, he 
 came to Ohio and located where is now 
 Norwalk, at which time there were but 
 two other families in the township, and 
 the site of the ])resent city of Norwalk was 
 an unbroken wilderness. He came here a 
 licensed lawyer, and in 1820 was appointed 
 
 l)y the court as county clerk of Huron 
 county, in which service he continued 
 until his death in 1841. This fact of itself 
 points him out, not only as among the 
 first settlers, but as one of the most prom- 
 inent. His father-ill-law, Henry Lock- 
 wood, of Norwalk, Conn., was a wealthy 
 merchant of that place, one of those who 
 sustained heavy losses during the Revolu- 
 tion, through the raids of the traitor Bene- 
 diet Arnold upon the Connecticut coast, 
 and who received from the State, as recom 
 pense, lands in the " Firelands " of the 
 Connecticut Western Reserve. These 
 lands descended by inheritance to his pos- 
 terity, several of whom are residents; but 
 James G. is the only male descendant now 
 living in Norwalk of the Capt. Gibbs 
 branch of the Lockwood family. James' 
 mother came here in 1835 to make her 
 home with her grandfather, Rev. David 
 Higgins, pioneer preacher of the Presby- 
 terian Church, who at that time lived 
 here. His son. Judge David Higgins, of 
 the common pleas court, was the uncle of 
 Mary Higgins; the young man, Ralph M. 
 Gibbs, was a son of the clerk of the court, 
 and the young people formed an acquaint- 
 ance, then a friendship that in due time 
 ripened into the holier jiassion, and they 
 were joined in wedlock in 1846. Mrs. 
 Mary H. Gibbs is living, the beloved 
 mother of four children — three daughters 
 and one son, whose name heads this 
 article. 
 
 James G. Gil)bs, the father dying when 
 the boy was but two years of age, was 
 reared as a member of the family of his 
 uncle, Hon. Jose[)h M. Farr, who was the 
 founder in 1835 of the Narwall' Experi- 
 ment^ and who was also a member of the 
 Constitutional convention of 1850, that 
 formed the present State constitution of 
 Ohio. In this pleasant home the lad 
 passed his young days, and was given 
 more than the usual advantages of youth; 
 he graduated from the high school in 
 1869, and at once entered the Refeefor 
 printing office, to learn the trade of 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 217 
 
 setting type and the art of publishing and 
 editing a newspaper. Mastering rapidly 
 tlie mysteries of tlie " art preservative of 
 all arts," he laid down his " stick " and 
 entered Lafayette College, being enabled 
 to do so by the assistance of his uncle; but 
 his college course was much shortened by 
 the unfortunate death of this kind rela- 
 tive. On leaving college the young man 
 went to Chicago, where he was a reporter 
 on the Inter Ocean newspaper, under 
 Hon. E. W. Halford, since eminent as 
 President Harrison's private secretary. 
 In 1873 he returned to Norwalk and pur- 
 chased an interest in the Refieetor, becoui- 
 incr the associate of Judge Y. Wickham in 
 that publication, and has since continued 
 in tiiat connection. In 1881 the tirin was 
 changed to a joint-stock company, and 
 soon after tlie Daily lieflector was lirst 
 issued, the initial number appearing in 
 1882, and from the first number to the 
 present time it has had unusual prosperity. 
 The Reflector has long been the official 
 city and county organ of the party. As 
 printer, editor and publisher, the young 
 man soon rose to prominence among the 
 craft, and for a number of years has been 
 a member of the various newspaper asso- 
 ciations. His interest in his chosen voca- 
 tion is manifest by his unfailing attend- 
 ance upon each annual convention of the 
 National' Editorial Association of the 
 United States since 1889; and at the meet- 
 ing in Chicago, 1893, he was unanimously 
 elected its treasurer. He owns stock, and 
 is a director in several companies; is vice- 
 president of the (^hio Savings, Loan & 
 Trust Compan}' of Norwalk; a director in 
 the Laning Printing Company, who are 
 the State Printers of Ohio; has l)een presi- 
 dent, secretary or treasurer of numerous 
 organizations, and, more than all, in pub- 
 lic spirit and enterprise he is well estab- 
 lished as one of our foremost citizens, 
 widely respected at home and favorably 
 known abroad. He has been elected and 
 re-elected a member of the city board of 
 education. 
 
 James G. Gibbs and Carrie L. Wickham 
 were united in wedlock, June 30, 1880; 
 she is a daughter of Judge F. Wickham, 
 and presides with quiet grace over their 
 comfortable home. They have two inter- 
 esting children: Esther, a girl of eleven 
 years, and Ralpli, a lad of five. 
 
 ri( NDREWJ.MOREHEAD. Among 
 
 /[\\ the leading influential and repre- 
 
 lr\\^ sentative men of that part of Lyme 
 
 •fj township known as Hunts Corners, 
 
 there is no one who enjoys a greater 
 
 decrree of confidence and esteem than the 
 
 subject of this brief memoir. 
 
 He was born in Lyme township on the 
 28th day of May, 1836, and has never lived 
 anywhere else (only for temporary pur- 
 poses) since. He resides now where he 
 has lived for the last fifty-two years at 
 Hunts Corners, Lyme township, and only 
 one and one-half miles from where he was 
 born. He is now the oldest resident of 
 that noted burgh. His parents being poor 
 could only give him the benefits of a com- 
 mon-school education (and the schools were 
 not fine in those days). After getting 
 what education he could at these schools, 
 he was able to earn money enough to pay 
 his expenses at Oberlin College, where he 
 remained until he was satisfied with his 
 education, working through the summer 
 for farmers V)y the day to get money with 
 wliicii to pay expenses of a fall term at 
 Oberlin. 
 
 On leaving Oberlin he commenced 
 teaching school (and by the way he got his 
 first teachers' certificate at Oberlin). His 
 first school was a "select school," situated 
 less than a half mile from home. He then 
 rented lands, and worked on the farm 
 through the summer, teaching school in 
 the winter for five consecutive winters. 
 Finding that teaching was too confining 
 and enervating for one of his constitution, 
 he finally made up bis mind to try black- 
 smithing. His father owned a shop and 
 
218 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 tools, and Andrew had occasionally helped 
 his father in the shop. The latter was now 
 old and crippled. Andrew took hold of 
 this with a will, determined to succeed, 
 and by hiring at first competent help did 
 succeed in supporting respectably an aged 
 parent who had l)een a widower for many 
 years, and whose daughters had married 
 and left him. During this time our sub- 
 ject had served the township in several im- 
 portant offices, and in 1879 lie was elected 
 justice of the peace, whicli ofhce he has 
 held almost continuously since with great 
 credit to himself and satisfaction to his 
 fellow citizens. His most distinguishing 
 trait is that of a peace maker, there having 
 been less litigation during his administra- 
 tion than ever before tor the same length 
 of time. 
 
 About this time he contracted the asthma 
 in its worst form, consequently had to quit 
 bhicksmithing. He then turned his atten- 
 tion to gardening and bee keeping for sev- 
 eral years. Becoming less able to do hard 
 work, he next opened agrocery store at the 
 old homestead, and notwithstanding the 
 hard times that soon came on, is satisfied 
 with the trade that he has secured, which is 
 still increasing. 
 
 Bei)ig an original and independetit 
 thinkej-, and seeking to avoid popularity 
 or notoriety he has never joined any church 
 or secret society, but claims that he has 
 alwa^vs been a consistent Christian in the 
 true sense of the word. Having ever lived 
 a moral life, he says that he would not 
 "swap" his chances of future bliss with 
 nine-tenths of the modern "saints." Mr. 
 Morehead lias always enjoyed single 
 blessedness, but now that he is weaker and 
 wiser admits that one of the greatest mis- 
 takes of the many that he has made in life 
 was in not marrying early. 
 
 George Morehead, the father of the sub- 
 ject of this sketch, was born in Harrison 
 county, W. Va., in January, 1795. When 
 but a boy of seventeen or eighteen he en- 
 listed to fight the battles of his country, 
 and was sent witli other Virginia troops to 
 
 join General Harrison in order to help to 
 drive the British and Indians from their 
 forts along the Maumee. He had not pro- 
 ceeded much farther than the center of 
 this State, when he was stricken down with 
 the camp or swamp fever, and consequently 
 had to be left. After a long struggle be- 
 tween life and death, he recovered, but 
 only as a cripple for life. He then lived 
 for several j-ears in the southern part of 
 Ohio, where he became acquainted with 
 and married Miss Charity Patton. Of 
 this union were born three children, the 
 youngest of whom is the subject of this 
 sketch. The father came to Huron county 
 in about 1831, and moved into Lyme town- 
 ship about 1832. People have a good deal 
 to say now-a-days about hard times, but if 
 they were obliged to live as the pioneers 
 did in those days they would have some 
 cause to complain. All of the meat those 
 early pioneers got was procured from the 
 woods by their trusty rifles. Sometimes 
 they had to go twenty or thirty miles to 
 get a bushel of corn ground, with whicli 
 to make a johnnycake. Such was the case 
 when Mr. Moreliead first came to Huron 
 county. 
 
 The eldest child born of this union was 
 Mary, who afterward married Philip Hey- 
 raan, and now i-esides in "Wood county, 
 this State, surrounded by prosperous chil- 
 dren and grandchildren. The second eld- 
 est, named Emily, was married to Joseph 
 Morris, and now lives in Nebraska. Charity 
 Morehead died iu 1838; George Morehead 
 died in 1873. 
 
 ILBER G. FERVEK, M. D. 
 
 Among tlie most prominent of 
 Huron county's young profes- 
 sional men is the irentleman 
 whose name is here recorded. Although 
 not a native of the county, he has, in the 
 brief period of his residence here, estab- 
 lished for himself an enviable reputation 
 as a physician and surgeon. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 219 
 
 Dr. Ferver \vas born February 22, 1859, 
 in Lawrence connty, Penn., nt^ar the town 
 of Xew Castle, and his boyhood was passed 
 on his father's farm, in the successful con- 
 ducting of which he proved himself of 
 material assistance. At the age of seven- 
 teen, having graduated from the common 
 schools of the vicinity of his birth, he en- 
 tered the Edinburgh State Normal School, 
 and for the succeeding three years dili- 
 gently pursued his studies. He then at- 
 tended Allegheny College, Meadville, 
 Penn., one year, thereafter taking a course 
 in medicine and surgery at Jefferson Med- 
 ical College, Philadelphia, graduating 
 therefrom in 1884. The Doctor then at 
 once located at Worth, Mercer Co., Penn., 
 where for three years he successfully pur- 
 sued the practice of his chosen profession. 
 From there he returned to the place of his 
 nativity, and after a brief sojourn came to 
 Wakeman, Huron county, iu which thriv- 
 ing town and for miles around he has since 
 been in the enjoyment of a most successful 
 practice. 
 
 On June 15, 1885, Dr. Ferver was 
 united in marriage with Miss Emma V. 
 Goodge. They are iriembers of the Con- 
 gregational Church of Wakeman, and, 
 socially, enjoy the regard and esteem of a 
 wide circle of friends. Dr. Ferver is a 
 straight Republican, but is not active in 
 politics, his profession demanding and re- 
 ceiving his undivided attention. 
 
 JESSE E. WHEELER is a member of 
 the old and well-known family of that 
 name in Greenfield township. He is 
 a grandson of Rev. John Wheeler, 
 who came to Ohio in 1818, and settled 
 with his family in Greenfield township the 
 following year. 
 
 Rev. John Wheeler was born in Massa- 
 chtisetts, but when seventeen years old 
 moved to western New York, where he 
 studied for the ministry, and received 
 license to preach at a quarterly meeting of 
 
 the Free-will Baptist Church. While liv- 
 ing in Ontario county, N. Y., he married 
 Polly Fi-anklin,also a native of Massachu- 
 setts, and with her took up his residence 
 on a new farm in that connty. The young 
 preacher cleared iiis farm, and made it his 
 home until 1818, when, as previously re- 
 lated, he brought his family to Ohio. The 
 children born to him in New York State 
 are named as follows: Sylvester F., John 
 H. and Benoni, all of whom died in Huron 
 county; Aaron, now a resident of Norwalk, 
 and Calvin, the father of the subject of 
 this sketch. The children born in Green- 
 field township were Chauncey, who died 
 in Crawford county, Kansas; Almira, 
 widow of — Tucker (her first husband was 
 a Mr. Van Tine), and Samuel B., who 
 resides at Parsons, Kansas. 
 
 Calvin Wheeler, the fifth child of John 
 and Polly Wheeler, was born January 19, 
 1818, in Ontario connty, N. Y., and was 
 but an infant when his parents settled in 
 Ohio. He grew to manhood on his father's 
 farm, and made his home there until 1870, 
 when he established himself in mercantile 
 business at Steuben. In February, 1842, 
 he married Mary Richards, who was born 
 January 27, 1821, in Herkimer county, 
 N. Y., and came to Huron county, Ohio, 
 in 1837. Twelve children were born to 
 this nnion, a brief record of whom is as 
 follows: Nancy Genette, born January 15, 
 1843, married E. Trimmer, and died in 
 Kalamazoo county, Mich.; Agnes E., born 
 March 9, 1844, is now Mrs. Marion Par- 
 sons, of Shiloh, Ohio; David M., born De- 
 cember 29, 1846, is a traveling salesman, 
 his home being in Plymouth, Huron 
 county; Benjamin R., born November 20, 
 1848, is a farmer and stock buyer of 
 Greenfield township; Calvin G., born July 
 31, 1850, is a farmer of Peru township; 
 Chauncey B., born January 3, 1852, is an 
 engineer on the Chicago, Rock Island & 
 Pacific Railroad; Jason A., born January 
 22, 1854; Jesse E. (twin of Jason A.) is 
 the subject of this sketch; Alice, born 
 January 18, 1857, is the widow of Henry 
 
220 
 
 HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 BroiiBon, and is now engaged in mercan- 
 tile business at Cliicago Junction; Alfred, 
 a twin brother, born January 18, 1857, is 
 now a harness maker at Plymouth, Oliio; 
 Lillis, born November 14, 1861, is now 
 tiie widow of Dayton L. Green, residing 
 at Steuben, and Linda Belle, born October 
 3, 1863, is now Mrs. Elmer McMorris, of 
 Steuben. 
 
 Jesse E. Wheeler was born January 22, 
 1854, in Greenfield township, was reared 
 on tlie farm, and received his education in 
 tlie district schools. He made his home 
 with his father until 1875, when he mi- 
 grated to California, wliere he was engaged 
 in floriculture until 1885. In the last 
 named year he returned to Ohio, worked 
 in his brother's store, and after the burn- 
 ing of that place labored on the home 
 farui. In 1889 lie purchased from his 
 brother a stock of yoods, and his interest 
 in the store, which he had opened at Chi- 
 cago Junction, and in partnership with his 
 sister, Mrs. Alice Bronson, established the 
 present business in dry goods, notions and 
 wall-paper. Mr. Wheeler was married in 
 February, 1890, to Mary Keesy, daughter 
 of Kev. W. Allen Keesy, mention of whom 
 is made elsewhere in tliis volume. Mr. 
 Wheeler is an able business man, and takes 
 an active interest in all enterprises for the 
 benefit of his community. 
 
 K. CALLAGHAN, editor and part 
 proprietor of the Bellevue Gazette, 
 was born at Bellevue, Ohio, April 
 12, 1861. He was educated in the 
 public and parochial schools, and when 
 twelve years old entered a printing ofJice 
 here, and devoted his youth to the "art 
 preservative of arts." For some years he 
 worked at the case, mastering every detail 
 of the work in the office of a weekly news- 
 paper, and over eleven years ago became 
 interested in the Bellevue Gazette, pur- 
 chasing an interest therein, and'changing 
 the name of the firm to C. R. Callacrhan 
 
 & Co. The Gazette is well managed. 
 Neutral in political affairs, it is never 
 silent wlien a wrong has to be righted, or 
 a dangerous candidate unmasked. In 
 ordinary local affairs, the Gazette is an 
 authentic record. Cor it is the aim of the 
 editor to give all the news of the city and 
 tributary district. Its certified circulation 
 is 1,400, and its merits, as an advertiser, 
 are acknowledged by the number and 
 variety of businesses, etc., which seek pub- 
 licity through its columns. 
 
 On May 6, 1886, Mr. Callaghan was 
 united in marriage with Miss Johanna 
 Connors, who was born in Ireland, daughter 
 of Patrick Connors. 
 
 jlOHN E. MENGES (deceased) was 
 w I born in September, 1813, in Fayette 
 \j) township, Seneca Co., N. Y. His 
 youth was passed in the tnanner com- 
 mon to boys of that time and place, but 
 before his boyhood days were over he de- 
 veloped a rare mechanical genius, and 
 worked at several trades in his native 
 county. 
 
 In 1833 he followed his father, John 
 Menges, to Ohio. This John Mengeswas 
 drowned while crossing; Lake Erie, and the 
 son came hither to settle the estate and 
 take care of the property. After working 
 for some time on a farm in Greenfield 
 township, Huron county, he moved to 
 Seneca county, Ohio, where he purchased 
 land. On June 12, 1836, he was there 
 married to Margaret Seed, who was born 
 May 25, 1819, iu New York, and accom- 
 panied her parents westward to Venice 
 township, Seneca Co., Ohio. Mrs. Mar- 
 garet Menges died May 12, 1839, without 
 issue, and was buried at Attica, Ohio. On 
 April 27, 1841, he married Lydia F. Wil- 
 bur, who was born January 80, 1820, in 
 Cayuga county, N. Y. In 1826 her par- 
 ents, Nathan and Esther (Labarre) Wilbur, 
 settled in Sherman township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, where they passed the remainder of 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 221 
 
 their lives. The children born to John E. 
 and Lydia Menijes were: Margaret E., 
 Mrs. Alonzo Simmons, of Fairfield, Huron 
 county; Fhjra, wife of Frank Marriot, a 
 lawyer of Delaware, Oliio; and Desse, Mrs. 
 Frank R. Williams, of Toledo, Ohio. 
 
 In 1855 Mr. Menkes came to Huron 
 county, locating in Fairfield township; 
 thence removed to Greenfield township, 
 and in 1878 settled in Peru township, 
 where he died January 2(5, 1885. He was 
 a prosperous merchant at Attica, Seneca 
 county, and later carried on a successful 
 business at Fairfield, before establisliing 
 his farm in Greenfield township. AVhile 
 a resident of Peru he was engaged in vari- 
 ous enterprises, at that place, and was 
 known as a most active and enterprising 
 citizen. A Republican in politics, he was 
 also an Abolitionist, and carried his prin- 
 ciples into practice by harboring fugitive 
 slaves. In religious affairs he was a Wes- 
 leyan Methodist. Since the death of Mr. 
 Menges his widow has managed the busi- 
 ness successfully. The manner in which 
 she transacts the affairs of the estate stamps 
 her as a woman of executive ability, and 
 gives proof of what woman may accom- 
 plish in the business world. Mrs. Menges 
 attends the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 
 / 
 
 tyifRS. AMANDA J. SKILTON, 
 ^1 widow of Alvah S. Skilton, is the 
 1[ oldest child of John Sowers Davis 
 and his wife, Catharine Pasco 
 Nave. 
 
 Mr. Davis was born in Baltimore county, 
 Md., March 28, 1806. He was among the 
 earliest settlers in Ridgefield township, 
 having accompanied his grandparents to 
 this locality when a mere boy. He at- 
 tended school in the first school house 
 built in Ridgefield township. In early 
 manhood he removed to Lexington, and 
 thence, after a short time, to Gallon. He 
 lived in Galion twenty-eight years, and 
 durinjr his residence there was married to 
 
 Catharine Pasco Nave, May 17, 1843. She 
 was born in Path Valley, Franklin Co., 
 Penn., June 10, 1822, and moved to Galion 
 with her father's family in 1839. 
 
 In 1866 Mr. Davis with his family re- 
 turned to Monroeville, his early homcT and 
 there he lived until his death July 1, 1888. 
 In early life Mr. Davis was a farmer; in 
 middle life he was a merchant and banker; 
 his last years were spent in retirement 
 from active business. Mrs. Davis died at 
 the family homestead in Monroeville, Feb- 
 ruary 6, 1890. Four children were born 
 to Mr. and Mrs. Davis: Amanda Jane, 
 born at Galion, married Alvah S. Skilton; 
 Jolinnie and Kittieljell, liorn at Galion, 
 died in infancy; Mary Elizabeth, born at 
 Monroeville, married Thomas W. Latham 
 and now lives in her father's old home. 
 
 Elijah Steel Skilton was born near Wat- 
 crtown. Conn., May 17, 1800. When a 
 young man he left his boyhood home and 
 taught school at Hunter, Greene Co., 
 N. Y. Here he was married, April 4, 1827, 
 to Elizabeth Wilson, who was born at 
 Hunter March 5, 1805. Soon after their 
 marriage Mr. and Mrs. Skilton emigrated 
 to Ohio, and settled on a farm near Ra- 
 venna, Portage county. Five cliildren 
 were born to them: Lucy Cornelia, John 
 Wilson, Jeannette Parthenia, Melicent 
 Guernsey and Alvah Stone. Elizabeth 
 Wilson Skilton died near Ravenna October 
 3, 1836. Elijah Skilton was subsequently 
 married a second and a third time, and 
 died at his home near Ravenna, having 
 passed the age of three score and ten years. 
 
 Alvah Stone Skilton was the son of p]li- 
 jah Steel Skilton and his wife, Elizabeth 
 Wilson. He was born near Ravenna, 
 Portage Co., Ohio, April 12, 1836, and 
 when but six months old was left mother- 
 less. His father committed him to the 
 care of Jonathan and Catharine Thompson, 
 with whom he lived until young manhood. 
 At the age of twelve years he accompanied 
 them to Mercer county, Ohio, wdiere they 
 settled in a locality then a wilderness. 
 When he left the home of the Thompsons 
 
222 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 he entered the employ of the Bellefontaiue 
 et Indianapolis Kaih-oad Company, and 
 was soon made an engineer, retaining this 
 position utitil he entered the Union army. 
 On November 1, 1861, Alvah Skilton en- 
 listed in the Fifty-seventh Regiment, O. 
 V. I., and on the tenth of the following 
 Fehruary he was commissioned captain of 
 Company I of that regiment. Capt. Skil- 
 ton was severely wounded in tlie right 
 forearm at the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 
 1862, and returned to Ohio on sick leave. 
 When sufhciently recovered from the ef- 
 fects of his wonnd, he resumed command 
 of his company, and suljsequently partici- 
 pated in the siege of Vicksburg and in 
 many battles, among them being those at 
 Missionary Kidge, Kesaca and Kenesaw 
 Mountain. Upon three occasions he re- 
 ceived slight wonnds, and at the battle of 
 Atlanta, July 22, 1864, he was wounded 
 and captured. He was held a prisoner of 
 war at Camp Oglethorpe, Macon, Charles- 
 ton, Columbia, Asheville, Saulsbury, 
 Castle Thunder and Libby. He escaped 
 from prison several times, and was once 
 within sight of the Union camp iires, but 
 was recaptured and compelled to travel 
 three hundred miles on foot to Asheville, 
 North Carolina, where he and his com- 
 panions were confined in an iron cage. 
 Among his papers Capt. Skilton left a 
 diary wiiich he kept during his retention 
 as a prisoner of war, and this little book 
 tells a most pathetic story of prison life in 
 Dixie. Capt. Skilton was released from 
 Libby Prison April 2, 1865, and on tiie 
 13th of the same month was honorably 
 discharged from the military service of the 
 United States. 
 
 After his discharge from the army he 
 returned to Galion, his former home, and 
 engaged in the lumber business. On De- 
 cember 20, 1865, he was married to Miss 
 Amanda J., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. 
 S. Davis, and soon afterward the newly 
 married couple moved to Monroeville with 
 Mr. Davis and family. With the excep- 
 tion of one year spent; in Logansport, Ind., 
 
 Capt. Skilton resided in Monroeville the 
 remainder of his life. During the early 
 part of his residence here he was Express 
 agent for the Lake Shore & Michigan 
 Southern Kailway, but soon engaged in 
 the grain and commission business, con- 
 tinuing therein until the time of his death. 
 He died in Monroeville July 27, 1887, 
 aged fifty-one years, three months, fifteen 
 days, the cause of his death being a car- 
 buncle at the base of the bi'ain. In 1877 
 he was elected junior warden of Zion 
 Church, Monroeville, and served in this 
 capacity until he died. He was at the 
 time of his death chairman of the Huron 
 County Soldiers' Relief Commission. 
 
 Capt. Skilton was 'one of the charter 
 members and the first commander of Asa 
 R. Hillyer Rost, No. 532, G. A. R. He 
 was also a charter member of Roby Lodge, 
 No. 534, F. i!c A. M., and was its first 
 worshipful master. He was a member of 
 Huron Royal Arch Chapter No. 113, Nor- 
 walk Council No. 24, and Norwalk Com- 
 mandery No. 18. In politics Capt. Skil- 
 ton was a stanch Republican. 
 
 Four children were born to Capt. and 
 Mrs. Skilton — one son and throe daughters: 
 The Rev. John Davis Skilton, A. M., is 
 assistant minister in Saint Paul's Parish, 
 Cleveland; Elizabeth Roby, Mary Grace 
 and Catharine Amanda live with their 
 widowed mother in Monroeville in her 
 pleasant home, which embraces a part of 
 the original tract purchased by her ances- 
 tors when they settled in the wilderness 
 during the early part of the present century. 
 
 CHARLES A. SUTTON, a son of one 
 of the pioneers of northern Ohio, 
 was born July 4, 1844, in Green- 
 wich township, Huron county. 
 Aranson Sutton, his father, was born 
 April 1, 1802, in Cayuga county, N. Y. 
 While yet a boy his father died, and, 
 transferred to an uncle's care, the youth 
 received a practical training in farm work, 
 
HURON- COUNTY, OniO. 
 
 223 
 
 and the education whicli the early frontier 
 schools afforded. In 1822 or 1823 he 
 was employed ])y the Erie Canal Com- 
 pany at Lockport, N. Y., as bookkeeper, 
 liaviiig charge also of all the storehouses, 
 and keeping the time of all the workmen. 
 For his services he received twenty dollars 
 per month, and after accumulating about 
 three hundi-ed dollars he set out, in 1824, 
 for the '-Firelands" in Ohio, traveling by 
 canal and lake boat. He landed at San- 
 dusky, and proceeded on foot soutliward to 
 Huron county, where he passed his first 
 night in the cabin of Willis Smith, in 
 Greenwich township; thence he walked to 
 Ruggles township, Ashland county, where 
 he joined a twin brother and a man named 
 Carver in the purchase of a tract of wild 
 land. His marriage with Emeline Brady 
 took place in 1828. She was born in 
 AVestchester county, N. Y., in 1812, and 
 came to Greenwich township with her 
 parents when a child. The children born 
 to tliem are as follows: Charity, born No- 
 veinber 29, 182'.), married Hiram Town- 
 send, and died August ;J1, 1892, at Cleve- 
 land; Mary J., born March 9, 1832, is the 
 widow of Harvey Noble; Sarah A., born 
 September 2, 1837, married Dr. William 
 Reynolds, and died in April, 1885, in 
 Seneca county, Ohio; Louisa, born No- 
 vember 27, 1838, Mrs. James Fancher, of 
 Greenwich township; and Charles A., the 
 subject of this sketch. The father of this 
 family was accidentally killed November 
 17, 1870, by being run over by a wagon 
 loaded with wood. On January 28, 1873, 
 his widow died, in hospital, at Columbus, 
 Ohio, where she was under treatment; 
 both were buried in East Greenwich ceme- 
 tery. Aranson Sutton was a systematic 
 farmer. At one time he hauled a load of 
 wool to Greenwich depot which brought 
 him over two thousand nine hundred dol- 
 lars. He made money out of every other 
 venture as well as agriculture and stock 
 growing, and at one time was owner of 
 700 acres here. In politics he was a 
 Democrat, until the IVee-soil movement 
 
 won him. When the Republican party 
 was established in Ohio he cast his politi- 
 cal lot with it, and was faithful to its 
 principles until his death; lie tilled almost 
 every township office, and for fifteen years 
 served as justice of the peace, during wliich 
 time he performed more marriage care- 
 monies than any contemporary justice in 
 the southern half of Huron county, and 
 became a believer in secular marriage. He 
 was an exhorter in the Methodist Episco- 
 pal Church, and always held an importaiit 
 office in that body. A liberal contributor 
 to the religious organizations of his neigh- 
 borhood, lie won the reputation of being 
 both tolerant and benevolent. 
 
 Charles A. Sutton was reared in the 
 manner common to contemporary youth, 
 working on the farm for nine months and 
 attending school in winter until he entered 
 Berea University. He afterward studied 
 for eight months in Oberliu College, and 
 later took up telegraphy and bookkeeping, 
 and, refusing the offer of his father to 
 educate him in any college in the United 
 States he would select, returned to the 
 farm, preferring to be a useful rather than 
 an ornamental citizen. Ou April 28, 1870, 
 he married Ann E., dauirhter of Benson 
 and Esther (Rickard) Ellis, who came from 
 Onondaga county, N. Y., and settled in 
 Greenwich township. Mrs. Sutton was 
 born in this township, July 16, 1845, and 
 here, too, the following named children 
 were born to her: Edward A., born April 
 2, 1872, now residing at Oberlin; William 
 B., born May 30, 1875, and Charles D., 
 born February 17, 1880, botli residing at 
 home. After marriage the young couple 
 took up their residence in the Sutton home, 
 and the improvements which have been 
 made here since 1880 speak for the owner's 
 progressive ideas. In that year tlie capa- 
 cious barn was constructed, and in 1883 
 the elegant brick residetice which now 
 adorns the farm was erected, these being 
 the two jirincipal improvements. Fences, 
 small buildintrs and drainajje have been 
 carefully looked after and restored, and the 
 
224 
 
 IIUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 old farm revamped as it were, until now 
 it is as fertile as it was when first reclaimed 
 from the wilderness. Mr. Sutton is a Re- 
 publican in politics, and a Methodist in 
 cburcli connection. For the past twelve 
 years he lias served the townsliip as school 
 director, and has taken a personal, active 
 interest in all measures which appeared to 
 him to promise benefits to the township 
 and county. 
 
 -HARLES D. STONER, member of 
 tiie well-known lumber firm of Gross 
 & Stoner, Ijellevue, is a son of Jacob 
 and Hannah (Webb) Stoner, natives 
 
 of New York State, and grandson of 
 
 Stoner, who came to the United States 
 from Germany about the close of the last 
 century or the hecrinnins; of the present one. 
 Ciiarles D. Stoner was born in 1835 in 
 Chautauqua county, N. Y., and when fifteen 
 years old accompanied his parents to Wis- 
 consin, in which State he grew to man- 
 hood. In later years he made tlie trip to 
 Pike's Peak, and after his return located 
 at Conneaut, Ohio, where for several years 
 be was connected with tiie Conneaut Re- 
 porter. In 1876 he removed to Rellevue, 
 became interested in the publication of the 
 Gazette, of which paper he later became 
 sole proprietor. Over eleven years ago he 
 sold a half interest to Mr. C. R. Callaghan, 
 in partnership with whom he still conducts 
 the paper. Notwithstanding his mercan- 
 tile and manufacturing interests, he still 
 finds tia)e to devote to newspaper work, 
 and may often be found in the Gazette 
 office, busy at the case or at the editorial 
 talde. Some time after locating in Belle- 
 viie, Mr. Stoner established a boot and 
 shoe store, subsequently adding a full line 
 of men's furnishing goods, and he did a 
 most satisfactory business until 1888, when 
 he closed out the stock. In that year he 
 purchased a half interest in the lumber 
 yard and planing mill, and directed his at- 
 tention to the development of the trade 
 and industry. This is the only concern of 
 
 the kind at Bellevue, and is the supply 
 depot for a large area. The owners are 
 practical business men, who understand 
 the principles of low profits, quick sales 
 and prompt returns. Mr. Stoner takes 
 charge of the office, and directs the sales 
 department, while Mr. Gross gives direct 
 attention to the planing mill and stock. 
 
 Mr. Stoner was married at Conneaut, 
 Ohio, to Miss Mary E. Fowler, and to this 
 marriage was born one child, Susan, wlio 
 resides with her parents. Mr. Stoner is a 
 RepTiblican, and has at all times been faith- 
 ful to his party. He is well known in 
 Masonic circles. While not a Church 
 member, he is a strong supporter of re- 
 ligious effort, and always gives financial 
 aid thereto. As a citizen he is broad- 
 gauged and enterprising, and must be 
 credited with a large share in the develop- 
 ment of Bellevue's interests. (Since the 
 above was written we have been informed 
 of the sudden death of Mr. Stoner in his 
 office, January 16, 1898. — Ed. 
 
 tJIfATTHEW GREGORY, son of 
 
 \[/\ George and Polly (Warring) Greg- 
 
 1| ory, vvas born July 7, 1829, on the 
 
 J) same farm which he now owns 
 
 and resides upon in Clarksfield 
 
 township. 
 
 Geoi'ge Gregory, his father, was born 
 November 12, 1786, atWiltou, Fairfield Co., 
 Conn., and there attended school until ap- 
 prenticed to a saddle-tree maker, with 
 whom he remained until he learned the 
 trade. On December 31, 1810, he mar- 
 ried Polly Wari'ing, in the southeastern 
 part of Jiutchess county, N. Y., where she 
 was born November 25, 1792. In his 
 earlier years he was a very active man. 
 After his marriage he followed his trade 
 until 1828, when he set out with his 
 family for Ohio. The journey was made 
 by river and canal to Lake Erie, thence by 
 boat to Huron, Erie county, from which 
 point they came by wagon to Clarksfield 
 
IIUUON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 225 
 
 Hollow, ill Clarkstield township, Huron 
 county, lie learned that his trade was of 
 little value in northern Ohio, and resolving 
 to become a farmer purchased 112 acres in 
 the southern section of the township. 
 With the exception of fifteen acres, on 
 which stood an old and rude cabin, the 
 tract was completely wild, but the forest 
 was full of game, and accordingly there 
 was no lack of animal food. He worked 
 early and late in clearing this tract, and, 
 at the time of his death, June 16, 1865, 
 left a valuable property to his widow and 
 children. The widow died December 29, 
 1883, and was buried in Prosser cemetery, 
 New London township, near the grave of 
 her husband. 
 
 The children of George and Polly Greg- 
 ory were as follows: One child born Oc- 
 tober 22, 1811, died in infancy; James L., 
 born August 19, 1813, died in Clarkstield 
 township, July 11, 1863; Mary E., born 
 September 23, 1815, married llichard Fan- 
 ning, and died July 15, 1844; Peter L., 
 born May 11, 1818, resides at Minneapo- 
 lis. Minn.; Charles W., born February 27, 
 1821, was a blacksmith, and followed his 
 trade until his death in New London 
 township; Abbey L., born August 30, 
 1823, the widow of J. M. Darling, of 
 Sandusky, Ohio; Ann M., born December 
 3, 1826, who married L. J. Smith, died in 
 Clarkstield township; and Matthew, the 
 subject of this sketch. All were born in 
 the southeastern part of Dutchess county, 
 N. Y., e.xcept the last named. 
 
 Matthew Gregory is one of the few per- 
 sons in this county who can boast of living 
 on the home farm for so long a time as 
 from 1828 to 1893. He received a pri- 
 mary education in a school near his father's 
 house, and otherwise was reared in the 
 manner of pioneer boys. On May 11, 
 1854, he married Harriet C. Rogers, born 
 October 13, 1832, in Wayne county, N. Y., 
 a dangliter of Joel and Betsy (Ells) Rogers, 
 who came to Ohio in November, 1832. 
 Their entire married life has been passed 
 on the home farm, of which Matthew took 
 
 charge after his father's death. Republi- 
 can in politics, he is content to cast his 
 vote for the nominees of the party, witli- 
 out going into the maelstrom of the cam- 
 paign. In social matters he has always 
 taken a leading part; he is one of the |)il- 
 lars of Grange No. 1174, and except for 
 one year has been treasurer of the Associa- 
 tion since its organization. Lie is a sys- 
 tematic, practical farmer, successful in all 
 his undertakings; and he is now enjoying 
 the rewards of years of well-directed labor. 
 Mrs. Gregory is a member of the Method- 
 ist Episcopal Society of Barrett's Chapel. 
 
 llLLIAM E. BRAMLEY, foreman 
 
 in the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad 
 shops at Chicago Junction, was 
 born in 1848 at Nottingham, 
 England. In 1849 his parents emigrated 
 from their native country, and arriving in 
 the United States, located at Philadelphia, 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 Some time later the family moved to 
 Zanesville, Muskingum Co., Ohio, where 
 William E. was apprenticed to the ma- 
 chinist's trade, which he learned in the 
 shops where he subsequently worked as a 
 regular mechanic. His term of service 
 was three and one-half years, and in this 
 time he became a thorough mechanic. 
 Removing to Dennison, Ohio, he worked 
 in the shops there for two years, when he 
 entered the employ of the P. C. C. & St. 
 L. Railroad Company, as fireman. In the 
 course of fourteen months he was promoted 
 to engineer, in which capacity he served 
 that company for five years. In 1874 he 
 came to Chicago Junction, and at different 
 times worked in shops and ran a yard 
 engine. For several years he has been 
 foreman of the shops here, and in that re- 
 sponsible j)Osition has given satisfaction to 
 his employers as well as to his fellow em- 
 ployes. Sober, economical, industrious and 
 competent, he has accumulated a compe- 
 tence, and is the owner of a comfortable 
 
226 
 
 nUEON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 home just outside of the town. A strong 
 advocate of temperance, he encourages the 
 practice of this great virtue amoufj the 
 men with whom he is associated, and has 
 seen the good results of his example and 
 teachinuf. 
 
 Mr. Bramley has been twice married. 
 In 1876 he was united with Jennie C. 
 Lewis, who died in 1884, leaving three 
 children: Libbie, Loula, and Jennie (who 
 died when one year old). His second 
 marriage, which took place in 1887, was 
 with Mrs. Amanda (Miller) Halin, a daugh- 
 ter of Daniel Miller and a native of Chi- 
 cago Junction. Mrs. JBramley is an active 
 member of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
 and of the Woman's Relief Corps. Mr. 
 Bramley is a Republican, but not a parti- 
 san. He joined the Masonic Fraternity in 
 1876 at Plymouth, Ohio, and since that 
 time has become a member of the Chapter, 
 R. A. He desires it to be here recorded 
 that he has become a follower of Christ; 
 that under the revival of Miss Jennie 
 Smith he crave his heart to Cod, and 
 united with the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church with his wife. He is also a useful 
 worker in the Temperance cause, in con- 
 nection with which the organization known 
 as the '' Railroad Temperance Association " 
 was recently started. 
 
 QEORGE JOINER, than whom there 
 , is no more highly respected citizen 
 in Norwich township, where he has 
 , 1. his home, is a native of Huron 
 county, born in Greenfield township 
 in 1839. 
 
 Ralph Joiner, his father, a son of Will- 
 iam Joiner, was born in Slielburne Falls, 
 Mass., July 28, 1804. At the age of seven 
 years he was bound out by his mother, till 
 twenty-one years old, to one Smead, a tan- 
 ner and currier and shoemaker, with whom 
 he worked his full time, and then took a 
 sea voyage from Boston to Cuba and the 
 West India Islands, in the capacity of 
 
 ship's cook. After this voyage he com- 
 menced the trade of boot and shoe makinsj 
 in Deertield, Mass., continuing in same 
 five years. He then took another trip, 
 this time through the State of Illinois, to 
 New Orleans, down the Ohio river, and to 
 Sandusky City, Ohio, thence to Greenfield 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, to a brother's 
 (Osias Joiner), where he made his home 
 until he was married. In the fall of 1835 
 he took charge of a grocery store for Mack- 
 intire Beemer, at Greenfield Center, Ohio, 
 remaining a year and a half. On August 
 3, 1837, Mr. Ralph Joiner was married to 
 Miss Eliza liischo, born August 5, 1817, a 
 daughter of Robert Inscho, and to this 
 union were born nine children, their names 
 and dates of birth being as follows: George 
 (subject of this sketch). May 24, 1839; 
 Richard M., May 31, 1841 (deceased); 
 Ralph C, June 23, 1843; Harriet, June 
 
 28, 1845 (deceased); Charles, August 1, 
 1847; Charlotte L., April 28,1850; Frank 
 P., December 29, 1852; Benjamin F., Au- 
 gust 14, 1855, and Augusta Arminda, July 
 
 29, 1862 (deceased). The father of this 
 family died in 1877, of cancer in the hand. 
 The mother, now in the seventy-seventh 
 year of her age, is at the present writing 
 visiting her three sons, who are residents 
 of Hillsdale county, Michigan. 
 
 Robert Inscho, father of Mrs. Ralph 
 Joiner, was Iwni in New Jersey in 1765; 
 moved to Virginia in 1806, whence after 
 a residence there he canie to New Haven 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, settling on a 
 farm that is now owned by a grandchild 
 of his. Some time in the "forties" he 
 moved to Noble county, Ind., and there 
 died at the age of eighty-seven years. 
 
 George Joiner, subject of sketch, was 
 I'eared to farm work, and has ever since 
 been successful in his agricultural labors. 
 Before he was twenty years old he bought 
 thirty- eight acres of land in Greenfield 
 township, and in 1861 he came to Norwich 
 township, where he worked by the month 
 for Wesley Robinson, and also hauled wood 
 for the i-ailroad, making good wages. He 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 227 
 
 then took up fanning ou liis present place 
 in Norwich township, tirst buying eigiity 
 acres, to which lie has from time to time 
 added until lie now has 227i acres of as 
 tine land as can be found in tlie township. 
 In 1860 Mr. Joiner was married to Miss 
 Elizabeth Doncer, of Norwich township, 
 Huron county, daughter of George Don- 
 cer, and their home has been blessed with 
 five children, namely: Wesley C, born 
 August 8, 1861; Sarah J., boi'n February 
 4, 1864; Clara E., born August 12, 1867; 
 Alice I., born November 13, 1869, and 
 George Henry Harrison, born August 18, 
 1876. A Republican since the breaking 
 out of the Civil war, onr subject has held 
 some offices in his township with character- 
 istic abilit}' and fidelity — notably having 
 served on the board of education, and as 
 district clerk. Together with his wife he 
 holds to the tenets of the U. B. Church of 
 Chicago, Ohio. 
 
 dlOHN DRURY. Prominent among 
 the successful agriculturists of Huron 
 ^ county who till the soil and enjoy the 
 fruits of their labor, ranks the sub- 
 ject of this biographical sketch, who de- 
 votes his time and attention to farming, 
 and realizes that judgment and executive 
 ability are needed to successfully carry on 
 his chosen occupation. 
 
 His father, Jonathan M. Drury, was 
 born February 24, 1809,, in Worthington, 
 Mass., and inherited all of the energy and 
 ambition characteristic of that section of 
 the United States. His childhood and 
 early manhood were passed in his native 
 State, and he there leai'iied habits of thrift 
 that served him well through after life. In 
 1837 he visited Ohio, and in the following 
 year located in this State, and in 1844 he 
 took possession of the farm upon which he 
 and his son now reside. He has devoted 
 his whole life to agricultural pursuits, and 
 owns one hundred acres of valuable land, 
 situated a mile from Bellevne. Mr. Drury 
 wa.-i married in March, 1836, to Miss Abi- 
 
 gail M. Knowlton, of Vei'mont, and three 
 children blessed their union, viz.: John 
 (our subject), and Pollen and Carrie (both 
 of whom died at an early age). This wife 
 died May 8, 1847. He afterward married 
 Mrs. Clarissa B. Wrisley, of Massachu- 
 setts, who died December 20, 1887. By 
 his second marriage he has one child, 
 ]\Iyron M. (now located in Chicago). Mr. 
 Drury has been a member of the Lyme 
 Congregational Church for over fifty years, 
 and a deacon in the same for a great 
 length of time. 
 
 John Drury was born March 7, 1847, 
 in Lyme township. He has always re- 
 sided at the place of his birth, and has 
 taken a great interest in the religious, so- 
 cial and educational progress of the com- 
 munity. In 1871 he was united in marriage 
 with Miss Ida M. Cowle, of Bellevue, 
 daughter of John Cowle, who settled in 
 Huron county as early as 1835. Of this 
 marriage one child was born, a daughter, 
 who died in infancy. Mrs. Drury died in 
 1887. In May, 1889, Mr. Drury married 
 Mrs. Josephine W. Nims, a daughter of 
 Mr. and Mrs. John AVright. Mrs. Drury's 
 mother was a daughter of Rev. James 
 Ford, who settled on the Ridge in 1833. 
 Mr. Drury makes his home on the farm 
 once owned by his father, and every year 
 makes improvements both in the way of 
 building and in carrying out modern ideas 
 in his farming operations. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Drury are members of the Lyme Congre- 
 gational Church, of which they are liberal 
 supporters. He has been superintendent 
 of the Lyme Sabbath-school since 1882. 
 
 [f GRACE B. SILLIMxVN, who is a 
 son of ff oseph and grandson of Jus- 
 tus Sill i man, was born in 1832 in 
 Fairfield county. Conn. Justus 
 Silliman was a farmer of Fairfield 
 county. Conn., a descendant of English 
 colonists of New England. In early man- 
 hood he married Ruth Jennings, and to 
 
228 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 this union were born nine cliildien: Jo- 
 sepli, Isaac, Abijali. Daniel, Stephen, Abby, 
 Morinda, Sally and Ruth. Justus Silliinan 
 died on the faiin, where he and his wife 
 passed the greater part of their lives. 
 
 Joseph Silliman was born in 1790 in 
 Fairfield count}', Conn., was reared to man- 
 hood on the farm, received a fair educa- 
 tion in the school of the district, and later 
 taujjfht school there. In 1812 he married 
 Lucinda Banks, who was born in 1792 in 
 Fairfield county, daughter of Joseph 
 Banks, a farniei- of that county. After 
 marriage the young couple settled on a 
 farm in Fairfield county, where they re- 
 sided until death removed them. • Of their 
 three children, George migrated to Ohio, 
 settled in Fairfield township, Huron county, 
 and died on his farm ; Sarah married Cor- 
 nelius Benedict, of Connecticut, and died 
 in 1845; and Horace B. is the subject of 
 this sketch. The mother of this family 
 died in 1887. Josepli Silliman was a 
 slanch Democrat, and served as sheriff of 
 Fairfield county. Conn., and in nearly all 
 the ofiices of his township. 
 
 Horace B. Silliman passed his boyhood 
 (jn the farm in Connecticut, received his 
 education in the schools of his native place, 
 and in 1855 was there married to Miss 
 Abigail Hawkins, also a native of Fairfield 
 (iounty. The same year he came to Kipley 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, liringing with 
 him a capital of three thousand dollars. 
 How judiciously this capital was invested 
 may be learned from the farm and home 
 of Mr. Silliman, for his lands now com- 
 prise 225 acres of as pi'oductive a tract as 
 exists in the "Firelands" region. While 
 giving close personal attention to this 
 beautiful farm, he is also interested in 
 stock growing, and deals extensively in 
 fine cattle. A Democrat in political faith, 
 he has been elected to several offices, such 
 as trustee, in his township, in the face of 
 the fact that the Republicans are in the 
 majority there. Twice he was nominated 
 for county commissioner, once for county 
 treasui'er and once for Infirmary director, 
 
 and polled a very large vote. He is one of 
 the "wheel-horses" of his party in Huron 
 county. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Silliman have been 
 born the following named children: 
 Georgiana, J. W., Francis L., Dwight, 
 Edward, Clara, Mary, Ella; there were 
 others, who died in infancy; Georgiana is 
 deceased; the rest reside on the homestead. 
 
 P)ETER HOHLER. In 1834 John 
 Hohler and his wife, accompanied 
 by their four sons, emigrated from 
 Baden, Germany, and landed in 
 New York, September 14, 1834. 
 They there met an old actpiaintance who 
 had previously settled in Huron county, 
 Ohio, and through his representations were 
 induced to proceed thither. The trip was 
 made by way of Lake Erie, and on arriv- 
 ing in Peru, Huron county, October 8, 
 John Hohler bought ninety-six acres of 
 heavily timbered land in that township, 
 only a small portion of which was cleared. 
 With the characteristic energy of their 
 race, father and sons cleared the land, 
 erected a comfortable log cabin to which 
 they afterward made several additions, and 
 finally converted the cabin into a barn, 
 after building the present commodious 
 dwelling. The sons, all of whom united 
 their efforts on the old place until each one 
 had secured a home, were as follows: 
 Frank Joseph, who is supposed to have 
 been killed in the Mexican war; Peter, 
 whose sketch follows; Frederick, who died 
 in Peru township in November, 1863, 
 leaving seven children, two of whom are 
 living in Huron county, three in Cleve- 
 land, one in Kansas, and one in Alaska; 
 and Philip C, who died in January, 1804, 
 in Peru township. The father died in 
 1849, at the age of sixty-four years, and in 
 1864 the mother was laid beside him, after 
 having entered her eightieth year. Both 
 were members of the Catholic Church. 
 
 Peter Hohler, the only living represent- 
 ative of his family, was born July 12, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 229 
 
 1815, in Baden, Germany. He attended 
 the German schools, his knowledge of En- 
 glifch having been seemed solely by prac- 
 tical experience. When the old estate was 
 divided, he came into possession of the 
 liomestead, and from poverty rapidly rose 
 to attiuence, being now one of the wealth- 
 iest men of the community. In 1842 he 
 was united in marriage with Margaret 
 Glassnes, a native of Germany, whose 
 ])arents Ciinie to America in the same year 
 as the Ilohler family. Mrs. Holder died 
 in 1889, since which time Peter Hohler 
 has made his home principally witii Mrs. 
 Brown (a niece of his deceased wife), of 
 the German settlement in Bronson town- 
 ship, right opposite his old farm, which 
 after his wife's death he did not like to 
 have anything more to do with. He deeded 
 llOi acres to a son of his brother Fred- 
 erick, named Leo Holder, whom they took 
 (after his father's death) at the age of four 
 years, and brought up. In consideration 
 of this he has to pay to each of his 
 brothers and sisters a certain sum after the 
 death of Peter Hohler. 
 
 Our subject is a Democrat, and takes an 
 active interest in local politics; he iias 
 served as township trustee, assessor and in 
 other ofKces of trust. He is a member of 
 the Catholic Church. 
 
 TERRY, D. D. S., is the first den- 
 tist of Norwalk, and one of the old- 
 est living dental practitioners in the 
 State of Ohio. His paternal grand- 
 father was a corporal in the war of 
 1812, and his son. Ira Terry, was born in 
 Long Ishmd. N. Y. Ira Terry was mar- 
 ried to Fannie Skinner, whose parents were 
 natives of New York. 
 
 A. Terry, son of Ira and Fannie (Skin- 
 ner) Terry, was born in 1824, in Tompkins 
 county, N. Y., where he was educated in 
 the common schools and commenced the 
 study of dentistry. In the autumn of 
 1850 he came to Ohio, l)ut returnintr to 
 
 New York in 1851, he there remained a 
 few months, and then located in Plymouth, 
 Huron Co., Ohio. He soon afterward 
 moved to Monroeville, same county, and 
 the following June again returned to New 
 York. In 1853 he made a permanent lo- 
 cation in Norwalk, where he has since 
 resided. During the war Dr. Terry did 
 not serve as a soldier, but after the battle 
 of Gettysburg left his office in charge of 
 an assistant, and went to the field to aid in 
 caring for the wounded, paying hia own 
 expenses. He is a charter member of the 
 Northern Ohio Dental Association. In 
 early manhood the Doctor was united in 
 marriage with Miss M. I. Clapp, a native 
 of Ohio, who bore him five children, 
 namely: Two, Fred and Fannie, deceased 
 when young; Ida, wife of C. L. Rue; Al- 
 fred D. and Bessie, the latter being married 
 to J. E. Clive. 
 
 THOMAS W. LATHAM. Among 
 the wealthy young citizens and en- 
 ergetic real-estate men of Monroe- 
 ville, this gentleman occupies the 
 position of a popular leader. He is 
 a son of Hiram Latham, and a grandson 
 of AVolcott Latham, the latter of whom 
 was a pioneer settler of Huron county, 
 Ohio. 
 
 Hiram Latham was born in Huron 
 county, where he followed farming, and is 
 now a resident of Lyme. He was married 
 to Mary Evans, a native of England, who 
 has borne hira four sons and one daughter, 
 Thomas W. lieing second in order of birth. 
 Our subject was born October 17, 1864, 
 in Huron county, Ohio, and was there 
 reared to manhood, being educated at the 
 Ada Normal School, after which he took a 
 business course at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 
 After leaving school he passed two years 
 in Corwith, Iowa, being there coniiected 
 with his cousin, Frank Latham, in the 
 milling and grain business; and upon re- 
 turning to Ohio, entered a hardware estali- 
 lishment with R. G. Martin, selling out in 
 
230 
 
 JIl'RON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1887. Soon after this he opened a real- 
 estate and insurance l:)usiness, meeting 
 with signal success in this enterprise. On 
 June 2-3, 1S89, he was united in marriage 
 with Mary E., daughter of John S. Davis, 
 at one time president of the First National 
 Bank of Monroeville, and to this union 
 has been born one son, Davis Wolcott. 
 Mr. Latham owns several hundred acres 
 of tine farming land near Monroeville, and 
 deals extensively in all departments of real 
 estate. In politics he is prominently iden- 
 tified with the Republican party, being at 
 present a member of the county central 
 committee, treasurer of the corporation, 
 and a member of the school board. Socially 
 lie is a member of the Masonic Fraternity, 
 and also a member of the Norwalk Com- 
 mandery. Knights Temj)lar, Norwalk, Ohio, 
 lie is secretary of the Board of Industry, 
 an organization established for the im- 
 provement of Monroeville, and takes an 
 active interest in all matters of public 
 improvements. 
 
 In religious faith Mr. Latham is a mem- 
 ber of Zion Episcopal Church, of which 
 he is, at present, vestryman and treasurer. 
 He possesses an unusually energetic nature, 
 and well merits his reputation as an enter- 
 prising, prosperous business man. 
 
 TfffENRY S. ARNERT, one of the 
 |p4 successful farmers and stock grow- 
 I 1[ ers of nortliern Ohio, now a resi- 
 •^ dent of Fitchville township, was 
 
 born May 20, 1831, in Yates county. 
 New York. 
 
 Uriah T. Arnert (son of James Arnert, 
 who died in Ilartland township, Huron 
 Co., Ohio) was born March 12, 1806, in 
 Yates county, N. Y. The school and farm 
 were the tasks of his boyhood, and the 
 farm the work of his youth. In 1827 he 
 married Catherine Townsend, who was born 
 January 13, 1S09, in Yates county; N. Y., 
 near the birthplace of her husband. There 
 
 three children were born to them, as fol- 
 lows: George T., December 24, 1S27; Mary 
 E., March 21, 1829, and Henry S., the sub- 
 ject of this sketch. George and Mary, just 
 named, died in their native county, while 
 Henry S. was brought to Ohio early in 
 1832 by his parents. The journey from 
 Buffalo to Hui'on, Ohio, was made on the 
 "Sheldon Thomson," and from Huron to 
 Hartland township, Huron county, they 
 traveled in a wagon drawn by oxen. 
 
 Arriving here, Mr. Arnert purchased 
 eighty acres of wild land at twenty shillings 
 per acre. The tract was clothed with heavy 
 timber, and water submerged a large part 
 of the land, but the pioneer went bravely 
 to work, erected a rude cabin, and began 
 the task of clearing. His success was 
 assured from the beginning: a better dwell- 
 ing house took the place of the cabin, and 
 improvements were carried out until he 
 sold the place and moved to Townsend 
 township. About the year 1860 he located 
 in New London township, where he died 
 in 1863. He was buried in Ilartland 
 Ridge cemetery. 
 
 The children born in Ohio to Uriah T. 
 and Catherine Arnert are as follows: Sarah 
 C, born April 2, 1833, is the wife of 
 Thaddeus Sprague, of Wakeinan town- 
 ship; Phoebe J., born October 12, 1885, is 
 the wife of Birdsall French, of Erie 
 county, Ohio; Dolly A., born February 
 10, 1838, married AVillnir Jefferson, and 
 lives in Norwalk; Catherine C, born Oc- 
 tober 4, 1840, married Edwin Burney, and 
 died in New London; Uriah B., born April 
 4, 1843, enlisted at the age of nineteen 
 years, serving with Company B, Third 
 Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, until his death in 
 Tennessee, in 1862; Cyrus D., born Au- 
 gust 23, 1845, is now residing at Bir- 
 mingham, Ohio; and Frank, born February 
 12, 1852, died in 1860. Mr. Arnert was 
 a Whig prior to the organization of the 
 Republican party, of which he then be- 
 came a member. In Church connection 
 he was a Methodist. His success in Ohio 
 was a decided one, so that, at his death, he 
 
TlUIiOlsr COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 231 
 
 left to his family a valuable property. His 
 widow married Henry Riinyan, aud now 
 resides at New London. 
 
 Henry S. Arnert was bronght to Huron 
 county in infancy, grew to manhood here, 
 and became closely associated with its 
 affairs. He received a primary education, 
 his first teacher being Julia Ann Crine, 
 but the fact that he was the eldest son 
 militated against him in the matter of 
 education, for work on the farm had to be 
 attended to, in pioneer days, by the chil- 
 dren as well as by the adults of the family. 
 He worked on the homestead until he was 
 twenty-four years old. On February 27, 
 1862, he married Julia A. Barker, who 
 was born October 31, 1829, in Fitchville 
 township, in which township her father, 
 Joseph Barker, was an early settler. To 
 this marriage came one son, Frank B., 
 born September 20, 1863, a farmer of 
 Fitchville. After his marriage Mr. Arnert 
 purchased a fai-ni in Townsend township, 
 and resided thereon until 1872, when he 
 moved to Fitchville township, and located 
 on the "Elias Showers Farm." He now 
 owns 127 acres of excellent land, which 
 tract is under a high state of cultivation. 
 He is also a stock grower, and takes pride 
 in the appearance of his cattle, farm and 
 home. Prior to 1863 lie was a Republi- 
 can, but since tliat year has been a Demo- 
 crat. Before bis marriage he saved enough 
 from his earnings to purchase his first 
 farm, and his property to-day, which repre- 
 sents the savings of thirty years, is a monu- 
 ment alike to his systematic farming and 
 to his industry. 
 
 'HAUNCY WOODWORTH, a well- 
 known, native-born citizen of New 
 Haven, is a son of Jonathan Wood- 
 worth, a farmer, who was born in 
 Trumansburgh, Tompkins county. New 
 York. 
 
 Jonathan P. Woodworth, grandfather of 
 subject, was born July 15, 1775, in Con- 
 
 necticut, and was reared to farm life. He 
 became a minister in the Baptist Church, 
 and followed his profession with much 
 success. He married, and liad children as 
 follows: Abigail, born in 17'J7; Anna, 
 born in 1800; David, born in 1801; 
 Jonathan, born September 7, 1803; 
 Osaines, born in 1805; Cynthia, born in 
 1807; Chauncy, born in 1809; Herman, 
 born in 1811; Clarinda, born in 1814; 
 Salina, born in 1817; and William C, born 
 in 1819. Rev. Jonathan P.- Woodworth 
 served for many years as justice of the 
 peace. He died in Trumansburgh, New 
 York. 
 
 Jonathan Woodworth attended the 
 schools of his native place during his boy- 
 hood. He learned the shipbuilder's trade, 
 and early in life became a sailor on tlie 
 lakes, between Geneva and BufJalo. In 
 1835 he came west to Ohio, settling on a 
 tract of ninety-six acres in New Haven 
 township, Huron county, where he en- 
 gaged in general agriculture, in which he 
 met with considerable success, at one time 
 owning as much as 250 acres of land. He 
 was united in marriao-e October 27, 1S28, 
 with Miss Freelove Mott, of Shenango, 
 Penn., daughter of Burger Mott, a farmer, 
 who was born September 10, 1786. To 
 this union were l)orn fourteen children, as 
 follows: Herman, in 1830; E. C. . July 
 25, 1831; J. P., October 13. 1832 (de- 
 ceased); Mary A., March 19, 1835; So- 
 phronia, November 25, 1836; Chauncy, 
 December 8, 1838; William A., May 12, 
 1841; James G., August 16, 1842; Mercy 
 J., November 25, 1844; Salina M., April 
 22, 1847; Ellen H., August 14, 1848; 
 Cynthia, December 23, 1850 (deceased); 
 Arsula, October 23, 1853; and one that 
 died in infancy. In politics Jonathan 
 Woodworth was an active member of the 
 Democratic party, was a great debater, 
 and served several terms as trustee of his 
 township. In religious matters he was a 
 prominent member of the Baptist ('hurch. 
 He passed away April,16, 1867. He was 
 a man of large physiipie. 
 
232 
 
 IIURON^ COUNTY, OniO. 
 
 Clianncy Woodworth ])assed his boyhood 
 days on the home farm in New Haven 
 township, meantime receiving his educa- 
 tion in the common schools. He tlien 
 worked by the month for his mother for 
 twelve years. On October 6, 18G'J, he was 
 married to MissMaryetta Hartman, daugh- 
 ter of Peter Hartman, who was a success- 
 ful farmer of Bucks county, Penn., where 
 he was born. He had live children, viz.: 
 Maryetta (Mrs. Wood worth), Frank, Charles, 
 George and Ai'abelle. After marriage Mr. 
 and Mrs. Woodworth resided for two 
 years on a farm in New Haven township, 
 and he then bougiit a place in Kiclimond 
 township, Huron county, near Chicago, 
 where they also remained two years. In 
 1875 they came to their present residence, 
 a pleasant farm of sixty-four acres in the 
 suburbs of New Haven, on wliich Mr. 
 Woodworth has made numeious improve- 
 ments. In his political affiliations our sub- 
 ject is a Democrat, and takes an active in- 
 terest in the welfare of his party. He is 
 a substantial supporter of religious insti- 
 tutions, giving liberally of his means to 
 churches and church work. Mrs. and Mrs. 
 Woodworth have had two children, one 
 being still-l)orn, the other, a daughter 
 named Belle, dying at the age of three years. 
 
 ffffON. S. E. CRAWFOKD, Norwalk, 
 I^H is a native of Richland county, 
 I 1[ Ohio, born September 20, 1842. 
 yj There are strong evidences at hand 
 
 ]iointing to the fact that he not only 
 came into tliis world, but also to Norwalk, 
 under propitious stai-s. 
 
 Twice in succession was he called to the 
 office of mayor of that city by the suffrages 
 of ills old neighbors, the lirst time in 
 188U; and so favorable was his service that 
 he was re-elected, and was yet again the 
 unanimous choice of his party's convention 
 for a third term, chosen over the heads of 
 older citizens, and. it is not too much to 
 say, above all in Norwalk, because he is 
 and has been of the political party that is 
 
 in the minority in the city. Few men 
 ever receive such a compliment from the 
 voters as has come unsought to him; few 
 men are stronger than party ties, or live in 
 an atmosphere far above the active preju- 
 dices of the American voter. 
 
 Mr. Crawford is a son of David and 
 Margaret (Miller) Crawford, natives of 
 Pennsylvania and Maryland, respectively. 
 They were pioneers to Richland county, 
 Ohio, where they met and were married, 
 thence removed to Huron county, when 
 the suV)ject of this sketch was about five 
 years of age. The father died March 31, 
 1884, aged seventy-five; the mother Octo- 
 ber 1, 1885, at the same age. They were 
 Dniversalists in their religious views, and 
 were possessed of the united respect of 
 their fellow-men. Cominencinrc their 
 young lives together, they were but briefly 
 separated in death. The paternal grand- 
 father of our subject was a native of Ire- 
 land, and a pioneer of Beaver county, 
 Penn., thence moving to Richland county, 
 where he was a farmer. The paternal 
 grandmother, Mary Eckles, was of Scotch 
 descent, and survived to the advanced age 
 of ninety years. Mayor Crawford's ma- 
 ternal grandfather, Henry Miller, of Mary- 
 land, removed to Harrison county, Ohio, 
 when Mayor Crawford's mother was but a 
 small child, locating soon after in the 
 forests on the dividing line between Huron 
 and Richland oounties, four miles east of 
 where is now the town of Plymouth. Our 
 subject's maternal grandmother died in 
 the village of Peru, Huron county, at the 
 advanced age of ninety-three years. 
 
 S. E. Crawford is the fifth in a family 
 of ten children. Here he has lived his 
 life of useful years, receiving from the 
 common schools of his locality the funda- 
 mentals of an English education. When 
 old enough, he was apprenticed to learn 
 the wagon maker's trade, which he left un- 
 completed to enter the service of his coun- 
 try to aid in the suppressing of the great 
 Rebellion. He first joined Company C, 
 One Hundred and Sixty-sixth Regiment, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 235 
 
 O. Y. I., and served a term of four 
 months; then enlisted in the One Hundred 
 and Ninety-second Regiment, O. V. I., 
 Company A, and served in this command 
 eight months as first lieutenant, all the 
 titne being attached to the army of the 
 Potomac. When peace with her blessings 
 again came to the land, the young soldier 
 quit the tented front and repaired to 
 Bryan, Williams Co., Ohio, and again took 
 up the learning of his trade, completing 
 which he located, in 1867, in Norwalk, 
 and commenced making wagons and car- 
 riages, havincf established the firm of S. 
 E. Crawford & Co. In this lie continued 
 until 1872, when he sold his interest in 
 the cotnpany, and at once engaged in the 
 agricultural implement business. In a 
 short time he organized his present indus- 
 try — the manufacture of rui)ber buckets, 
 chain and wood force pump supplies. 
 
 In 1882 Mr. Crawford was elected a 
 member of the city council, and was re- 
 elected until 1889, when he was chosen 
 mayor, as already stated. He is a promi- 
 nent member of the I. O. O. F., Daughters 
 of Rebekah, Knights of the Maccabees, 
 National Union and G. A. R., in all of 
 which he is a ])ast officer. He is a director 
 of the Norwalk Metal Stamping and Spin- 
 ning Company, and is vice-president of 
 the Home Savings and Loan Company'. 
 On June 20, 1S93, he was elected a director 
 of the Sandusky, Milan & Norwalk Elec- 
 tric Railway. 
 
 On September 30, 1S69, S. E. Crawford 
 was united in marriage with Miss Mary 
 E. Harrington, daughter of Patrick and 
 Mary Harrington, formerly of Cleveland, 
 now deceased. 
 
 FW. SCHNEERER. M. D., Nor- 
 walk, is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, 
 ^ born June 27, 1850, of German 
 descent, the son of Fredrick and 
 Johannah (^Schwartz) Schneerer, natives of 
 Germany, wiio came to this country in 
 
 13 
 
 an early day, and settled in Buffalo, N. Y., 
 subsequently removing to Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 They had a family of ten children, and 
 of these the subject of this notice is the 
 fifth in the order of birth. He received a 
 good English education in the city of his 
 nativity, and after completing his literary 
 education, began reading medicine under 
 a preceptor, and became a student at the 
 Eclectic Medical Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio, 
 graduating therefrom in 1875. In the 
 same year he opened an ofhce for the 
 practice of hie profession, in Norwalk, 
 where he has since remained, commanding 
 a large and lucrative business, originally 
 somewiiat assisted in starting the prac- 
 tice by his thorough familiarity with both 
 the English and German languages, 
 which, followed Ijy eminent success with 
 clients, soon establisiied for him a fair and 
 wide reputation. 
 
 During the year 1892 Dr. and Mrs. 
 Schneerer spent the season traveling in 
 Europe, among the countries visited being 
 England, France, Germany, Switzerland, 
 Scotland and Holland. The doctor is a 
 member of the State Eclectic Medical 
 Society. On November 18, 1875, he was 
 united in marriage to Miss Abbie F. 
 Cahoon, and of this union were born four 
 children: Fredrick B., Car! E., Mary E., 
 and Theodore C. 
 
 HW. HOFFMAN, a son of George 
 and Margaret Hoffman, was born 
 _ Septeml)er 5, 1857, in Sandusky 
 county, Ohio. His parents, who 
 are natives of Germany, emigrated 
 to the United States in youth, and grew to 
 maturity in Ohio. George Hoffman was 
 twice married, three children being born to 
 each marriage, all residing in Ohio, and of 
 whom H. W. is the eldest. 
 
 H. W. Hoffman was reared in iiis native 
 county, and received all his literary train- 
 ing before he was eleven years old, his 
 father's circumstances not being such as 
 to warrant his giving his son any great 
 
■236 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 educational advantages. In 1868 lie was 
 apprenticed to a harness maker, and at the 
 age of seventeen established at Sandusky 
 his own saddle and harness shop, which he 
 carried on for three years. In 1875 he 
 removed to Chicago Junction, where he 
 continued in his trade. In 1886 he opened 
 a grocery store, just opposite his present 
 store, on Myrtle avenue, and in 1889 erected 
 the two-story brick building, 30 x 60 feet, 
 which he now occupies. Here he car- 
 ries a complete stock of standard and 
 fancy groceries; the establishment is well 
 fitted up, and the entire concern would do 
 credit to a much larger city than Chicago 
 Junction. 
 
 Mr. Hoffman was mari'ied, April 24, 
 1870, to Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob 
 Stahl, of New Haven township, and to 
 them four children were born, namely: 
 Lily, Rolson, Paul, and Herbert Henry 
 (who died at the age of ten yearsV Mr. 
 Hoffman is a member of Lodge !No. 748, 
 I. O. O. F., also of the local Lodge, K. of 
 F. No. 442, and Golden Rule Lodge 562, 
 F. & A. M. The facility with which he 
 changed a trade for a mercantile business, 
 and the success which he has won, are 
 noticeable points in Mr. Hoffman's career. 
 Few men could risk making tiie change, 
 and all he has accomplished must be cred- 
 ited to himself, and to his energy, good 
 judgment and business acumen. 
 
 ULLIAM W. DRENNAN was 
 born July 18, 1820, at Canton, 
 Stark Co., Ohio, a grandson of 
 David Drennan, a native of Ire- 
 land, who immigrated to America prior to 
 the Revolution, settling in Pennsylvania. 
 David Drennan was married at Carlisle, 
 Penn., to Jane Armstrong, a daughter of 
 a Protestant-Irish settler in that town, and 
 seven children were born to them — three 
 sons and four daughters — of whom James, 
 the father of suliject, was the second in 
 order of birth. Prior to 1781 David 
 
 Drennan was a "carrier of merchandise 
 and produce" between Carlisle and Pitts- 
 burgh. Settling in Beaver county in 1781, 
 he aided in its establishment, and in the 
 year 1805 was appointed associate jndge 
 of that county by Gov. McKean, vice Ab- 
 ner Lacock, resigned. In 1804 he was a 
 member of the first grand jury. Two 
 years before he and one James Drennan 
 were tax-payers of the original Reaver 
 township (later Ohio township), and Judge 
 Drennan was a most influential citizen, 
 and an intelligent judge until his death, 
 which occurred in Ohio township, August 
 12, 1831. 
 
 James Drennan was born at Carlisle, 
 Penn. At tlie age of fifteen years he was 
 apprenticed to a cabinet maker, and worked 
 for his master until his nineteenth year, 
 when he bought his freedom. Removing 
 to Steubenville, Ohio, in 1802, he worked 
 at his trade, and also as carpenter and 
 joiner, until he had earned sufficient money 
 to pay for his freedom, his master giving 
 him time to do so. AVhen twenty-one years 
 old he married Jane Patton, a native of 
 Pennsylvania, of Protestant-Irish descent, 
 and to them six children were born, of 
 whom David, the eldest son, became a 
 Methodist preacher, and died when about 
 twenty-three years old; Jane died unmar- 
 ried; John Patton, now over seventy-eight 
 years old, resides at Decatur, 111., where 
 his son ])ublishes a daily paper; the other 
 three died in childhood. In 1812 James 
 Drennan was commissioned lieutenant in 
 the recruiting service for eastern Ohio, and 
 organized two militia companies, the second 
 of which he commanded as captain; and 
 going to the front at once, they served in 
 Harrison's army. After his marriage Mr. 
 Drennan had worked at his trade in Can- 
 ton, Ohio, until called out to serve in the 
 army. After the war he, in partnership 
 with a wealthy German and a wealthy 
 Frenchman, organized the first banking 
 concern at Canton, of which he was cashier 
 until 1821. His first wife died in 1818, 
 and in 1810 he married Eliza AVolfe, a 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 237 
 
 native of Wilkes-Barre, Penn., then re- 
 sidint>; at MansHeld, Oliio, wlierc slie taught 
 school and conducted tlie military store in 
 tlie old Blockhouse. She had come to Ohio 
 witli her widowed mother in 1804, first 
 settling at Newark, whence they soon re- 
 moved to Fredericksburo'h,remaininir there 
 until Hull's surrender, after which Mrs. 
 "Wolfe joined her daugliter at Mansfield. 
 
 In 1821 Mr. Drennan resigned the posi- 
 tion of cashier in the Canton Bank, and 
 moved to Mansfield, where he speculated 
 in land, and engaged in aixriculture. In 
 1825 he came to Plymouth, same State, 
 where he worked at his trade and at differ- 
 ent times engaged in mercantile business. 
 He was postmaster at Plymouth for four 
 years, under William H. Harrison's ad- 
 ministration, and during his residence in 
 Stark county was justice of the peace. 
 He died in December, 1859, being then 
 over seventy-seven years old. His widow 
 died in 1870 at the age of eighty-one years. 
 Of the six children of this second marriage, 
 four are living, namely: William W., the 
 subject of this sketch; Artemisia D., now 
 Mrs. McDonough, of Plymouth; Kachel 
 C. Cook, formerly of Brooklyn, now of 
 Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; and Manuel J., a 
 professor in Vassar College, who was edu- 
 cated at Oberliu and in the New York 
 Presbyterian Theological Seminary. 
 
 William W. Drennan received a some- 
 what limited education. The school at 
 Plymouth from 1825, when iiis parents 
 settled there, to 1832, when his school days 
 ended, was truly a primitive one. At the 
 age of twelve years he entered a general 
 store at Plymouth as clerk, and afterward 
 served in the same capacity in different 
 stores at Mansfield and Zanesville, until 
 he was twenty-four years old, when he 
 established himself in business at Shelby, 
 Ohio. A year later lie and his father 
 opened a store at Plymouth, wliich they 
 filled witii a stock of general merchandise. 
 The father retired at various times, leavinjj 
 or selling his interest in the stoi-e toothers, 
 so that while W. W. Drennan w'as at the 
 
 head of the business until December, 1859, 
 he had several partners. At that time he 
 retired from mercantile pursuits, the con- 
 dition of his health requiring a rural life, 
 and for eighteen months he was engaged 
 in agriculture. In the spring of 1861, 
 when the war broke out, he was acting as 
 mayor of his town of Plymouth, and farm- 
 ing, but from that time to the 24:th of De- 
 cember, 1861, he gave more time to re- 
 cruiting soldiers for various regiments and 
 companies than he did to his office and 
 farm, and was very successful. He did 
 not enter the army himself because he was 
 pronounced by mustering officer unfit for 
 military duty. On December 24, 1861, 
 he was chosen by the officers of the Si.xty- 
 fourth Ohio Infantry as their sutler, in 
 which capacity he served the regiment con- 
 tinuously, faithfully and acceptably through 
 the war; and at tlie close of the struggle 
 he engaged in the commission business in 
 Cincinnati, doing a very successful trade 
 for about seven months, when he sold out 
 and returned to Plymouth, Ohio, where he 
 gave his attention to his farm and to specu- 
 lating in land for some years. 
 
 When a youth of from sixteen to nine- 
 teen years, our subject began the study of 
 law, giving up the few leisure hours at hi.s 
 disposal to that profession for throe years. 
 Five years after the war was oyer, he. re- 
 sumed the study, and in 1872 was ad- 
 mitted to the bar at Norwalk, Ohio, and in 
 Huron and adjacent counties he has since 
 been engaged in practice. During the 
 last eight or nine years he has enjoyed a 
 large ])ension practice. When he was ad- 
 mitted to the law circle in 1872 he had 
 1,100 acres of land in Huron county, the 
 greater area of which he improv^ed. For 
 nine years he was justice of the peace, and 
 has filled the office of notary public since 
 twenty-one years of age. 
 
 Mr. Drennan was married, in IMarch, 
 1850, in Cayuga county, N. Y., to Hannah 
 Brinkerhofif, a sister of Gen. R. Brinker- 
 hoff, of Mansfield, Ohio. Of six children 
 born to this marriage, two are living, viz.: 
 
238 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 George B., a traveling salesman for a 
 Philadelphia house; and Edith K., a sten- 
 ographer. Mr. Drennan has been a mem- 
 ber of the Presbyterian Church since 1840, 
 and since 1846 of the Plymouth Presby- 
 terian Society, in which he is au elder. 
 Politically lie is a Republican, ha\-ing been 
 an anti-slavery Whig prior to the organiza- 
 tion of the Republican party. 
 
 Before closing this sketch, the ancestors 
 of Mr. Drennap on the maternal side 
 should claim some attention. His great- 
 grandfather was Manuel Gonzales, a 
 Spaniard and a Protestant, who came to 
 Wilkes- Barre, Penn., and there married 
 £Vn English girl named Turner. Eleanor, 
 one of the daughters of their marriage, 
 wedded an Austrian Protestant by the 
 name of Wolfe, who found a home in Penn- 
 sylvania, where he was accidentally killed 
 in his Hfty-fourth year. Soon after this 
 sad event the widow and her four daugh- 
 ters and three sons moved to Ohio, where 
 the second daughter, Eliza Wolfe, married 
 James Drennan. 
 
 FRANK J. SMITH, who is a son of 
 Frank and grandson of Joseph Smith, 
 _^ natives of Baden, Germany, was 
 born in Peru township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio. Frank Smith, father of subject, 
 when a young man left his native land in 
 1829, accompanied by his bi'other Joseph, 
 and they landed in the United States. 
 Shortly after the brothers came to Massa- 
 chusetts, and while there concluded to 
 seek a home in the newer country beyond 
 the Alleghany mountains. They wrote to 
 the father in Baden, telling him of their 
 intentions, and asking him to take his 
 family to New York. 
 
 In 1832 the entire family met in that 
 city, and without delay traveled westward 
 via the Hudson river and Erie Canal. 
 Halting at Cleveland, Ohio, they found 
 that land could be purchased there at eight 
 dollars per acre, but learning that better 
 
 land, at lower prices, could be had farther 
 west, they set out on the journey which 
 ended in Peru township, Huron Co., Okio. 
 
 The incident which urged them to locate 
 here was a common one in the history of 
 the settlement of the western States. Halt- 
 ing at a spring to drink, they found the 
 water exceptionally cool and clear, the land 
 in the vicinity good, and the location on 
 the ridge, between the sources of the 
 Huron rivers, favorable to health and in- 
 dustry. The physical features of the 
 country corresponded with their correct 
 ideas of agriculture, and thev delayed not 
 in obtaining a title to the land. They 
 immediately erected a frame building on 
 the west side of the road leading south- 
 west from Monroeville, and there they re- 
 sided until the death of Joseph Smith 
 (grandfather of subject) and his widow. 
 
 Frank Smith, son of Joseph Smith, pur- 
 chased a tract of land from his father, 
 paying six dollars per acre for same. He 
 married Miss Generosa Ott, and to this 
 union the following named children were 
 born: Caroline, who died when thirty 
 years old; a sou who died in infancy; 
 Frank J., the subject of this sketch; John 
 J., a resident of Bronson township; Charles 
 S., of Peru township; Alvin P., of Fre- 
 mont, Ohio; Joseph S., of Pern township, 
 and Edward, who died in 1884. Frank 
 Smith, Sr., was a hardworking, intelligent 
 agriculturist, and a man of fine moral ideas. 
 He died in 1872. His widow, a kind, 
 wholesouled woman, died in 1888, in the 
 midst of her children, who merited and 
 won succes. Both were interred in St. 
 Alphonsus cemetery. Mr. Smith was a 
 member of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, 
 in which he served as trustee and in vari- 
 ous other positions. In politics he was a 
 Democrat, and from 1832 to 1S72 took an 
 active interest in national. State and local 
 issues, and filled many township positions. 
 
 Frank J. Smith, son of Frank and Gene- 
 rosa (Ott) Smith, was born March 3, 1840, 
 in Peru township, and received such an 
 education as the schools of the district 
 
UURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 239 
 
 afforded. Being the eldest son of a pioneer 
 family, no small share of work had to be 
 done by hiiu; but with all this he filled 
 the double role of pupil and farm hand 
 without complaining. He labored on the 
 homestead farm until 1867, when he mar- 
 ried Susannah Scharf, a native nf New 
 Wasliini(ton, Crawford Co., Ohio. This 
 marriatre was blessed with the following 
 named children: Frank W. (of California), 
 JMary C, Louisa C, Peter, Julia (a teaclier 
 in the convent), Alfred, William, Henry, 
 Jacob, John, Carl, Thei-esa and Hattie, all 
 residing at home. The parents and their 
 children are all members of the Catholic 
 Congregation of St. Alphonsus, to which 
 faith their ancestors have adhered almost 
 since the Romans named the cradle of the 
 family in Europe — -"Civitas Aurelia 
 Aquensis." In politics Mr. Smith is a 
 Democrat, but beyond matters relating to 
 his township and county, is content with 
 the constitutional right to vote. He de- 
 votes close attention to his agricultural and 
 stock growing interests, and is considered 
 one of the most industrious citizens and 
 one of the most systematic and intelligent 
 farmers of this rich pastoral district. He 
 is prominent among the people of German 
 descent, and his example and counsel are 
 appreciated by all within the circle of his 
 acquaintance. 
 
 FH. JONES, attorney at law, JMor- 
 walk. From the unanimous testi- 
 _^ mony of this cotiimunity, we may 
 well say that this gentleman is one 
 of the leading members of the Huron 
 county bar. He was born September 15, 
 1858, near Madison, Wisconsin, a son of 
 James and Sabra (Alvord) Jones, who mi- 
 grated from Massachusetts to the West, 
 settling in Wisconsin. After a time, how- 
 ever, they retraced their steps, returning 
 East and locating; in Bellevue, Huron 
 Co., Ohio. The paternal ancestors of the 
 family came to this country about 1700, 
 
 and settled on the island known as Martha's 
 VineyaVd; the maternal ancestors were 
 from England. 
 
 F. H. Jones received his early educa- 
 tion in the common schools, and then be- 
 came a student In Western Ee.serve Uni- 
 versity, Cleveland, where he received the 
 degree of A. B. in the class of 1882. 
 During the year 1882-83 he was super- 
 intendent of the public schools of Mentor, 
 Ohio. He then entered the Cincinnati 
 Law School, and in 1885 received his 
 diploma, conferring the degree of LL. B. 
 Locating first in Sandusky, Ohio, he there 
 commenced the practice of his profession, 
 but in a short time removed to Norvvalk, 
 entering into the law practice in partner- 
 ship with G. R. Walker. This firm was 
 subsequently dissolred, and Mr. Jones 
 opened out his present office, where he has 
 since been in active practice, gaining an 
 unusual degree of success. Pleasant in 
 address, a diligent student and graceful 
 speaker, his onward course has been the 
 inevitable result following strong and fixed 
 causes. He has the entire respect and 
 confidence of his professional brethren, and 
 the courts have designated their confidence 
 by appointing him referee in a number of 
 important cases. He has given special 
 study in the law to the subjects of equity, 
 corporations and realty, and his researches 
 in these lines have made him influential, 
 if not an authority, even with the older 
 men of the profession. Mr. Jones is yet 
 a young man; the future with its fairest 
 promises is all before him, and here his 
 closest friends may in confidence anchor 
 their fondest hopes. Li politics he has 
 always been an enthusiastic and active 
 Republican. 
 
 PjHILIP SEEL was born November 
 24, 1843, on his father's farm in 
 Nassau, Germany, and received his 
 elementary instruction in the pub- 
 lic schools of the vicinity. He 
 afterward took a thorough course of study 
 
MO 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 at a higher institution of learning, and 
 fitting himself for the position of civil 
 engineer, followed that profession for 
 some time in his native land. In 1870, 
 liaving saved a good sum of money, he 
 left Germany for America, embarking: at 
 Hamburg, on the steamer " Ilarmouia." 
 After landing in New York, he pushed 
 westward to Ohio, and renting a place in 
 Ilidgefield township, Huron county, com- 
 menced agricultural pursuits. 
 
 In 1871 he was united in marriage with 
 Louisa, daughter of Chris Knoll, who was 
 a native of (lermany and an early settler 
 of KidgeHeld township, Huron county. 
 After his marriage Philip Seel purchased 
 and moved upon a portion of the farm he 
 now occupies, to which he added year by 
 year, and the place is now one of the most 
 valuable in the township. It is adorned 
 with all modern improvements, including 
 a commodious brick residence, and other 
 substantial buildings. Politically Mr. Seel 
 is a Kepublican, and has served in various 
 local offices, having been school director 
 for seventeen years. The family are all 
 members of the Lutheran Church, and en- 
 joy tlie esteem of all who know tliem. 
 Four children have been born to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Seel, as follows: Otto W., Amelia, 
 Lydia, and a daughter that died in infancy. 
 [Since the above was written Mr. Philip 
 Seel died November 24, 1892, on his 
 forty-ninth liirthday. 
 
 rjflRAM D. DRAKE, a prosperous 
 IrH young farmer of Itidgetield town- 
 I 1; ship, is a grandson of Hiram and 
 ■^ Sarah (Ruggles) Drake, both of 
 
 whom were residents of Connecti- 
 cut, descended from English ancestry. 
 
 Salmon Drake, father of our subject, 
 was born April 9, 1827, in Plymouth, 
 Luzerne Co., Penn., and came to Ridge- 
 field township, Huron Co., Ohio, in 1848. 
 On June 17, 1850, he was united in mar- 
 riage with Cynthia Dickey, and the fol- 
 lowing autumn they located on the Dickey 
 
 homestead in Ridgefield townsliip. He 
 was a superior farmer, and devoted the 
 greater part of his life to that vocation; he 
 also had a practical knowledge of carpen- 
 try, which he followed during the earlier 
 years of his life. In July, 1807, Mr. and 
 Mrs. Drake and their eldest daughter 
 united at Fairfield, Huron county, with 
 the congregation of the Christian people 
 known as Disciples. In January, 1S68, 
 their membership was transferred to a sis- 
 ter church in Norwalk, where Mr. Drake 
 was at once chosen elder, and continued to 
 serve in that office the remainder of his 
 life. He was a zealous Christian man, 
 taking an active part in every good work 
 tending to the advancement of the moral 
 or religious growth of the community. 
 
 While one day traininiT a young horse lie 
 was injured in the left side, and having 
 contracted a cold in a storm soon after- 
 ward, it resultetl in a fatal attack of 
 typhoid pneumonia. He died April 3, 
 1877, and was followed to the grave l)y a 
 large number of sympatliizing friends. 
 Since the death of her husband Mrs. 
 Drake has continued to reside on the 
 home place, where her children were l)orn 
 as follows: Eliza Jane, July 5, 1852; 
 Hiram D., July 7, 1854; Charles W., 
 May 9, 1856; Imogene, April 29, 1858; 
 J. Omer, March 6, 1861; Geoi-giana, 
 November 3, 1862; Sterry A., March 19, 
 1864; and Ira, born October 4, 1865, died 
 January 18, 1872. 
 
 Hiram D. Drake i-eceived his early edu- 
 cation at the "AVebb settlement ■' school, 
 afterward attending a normal school at 
 Milan, in Erie county. After the death 
 of his father he began to cultivate a tract 
 (if land for himself, meanwiiile boarding 
 at the home of a neighbor. On March 28, 
 1887, he was married to Blanche I. Killey, 
 a native of Marblehead, Ottawa county, 
 Ohio, and a daughter of Robert and Mary 
 Killey. Since their marriage Mr. and 
 Mrs. Drake have resided on the home 
 place, in Ridgefield township, Huron 
 county, on which he has made many im- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 241 
 
 provemeiits. He is a progressive farmer, 
 and for the past few years lias been ex- 
 tensively engaged in small fruit culture. 
 He votes witli the Republican party, but 
 is not an active politican, as he gives his 
 whole time to conducting his private busi- 
 ness. Mr. and Mrs. Drake have two little 
 sons, viz.: Lewis Earl, born December 29, 
 1888, and Robert Eric, born November 
 27, 1892. 
 
 EORGE BURDUE, a prominent, 
 successful farmer of Townsend town- 
 ship, was born February 19, 1811, 
 in what is now Milan township, 
 Erie county. He is the second in 
 a family of eleven children (four of whom 
 died in infancy) born to William and 
 Elizabeth (Dlazur) Burdue, both of whom 
 were burn in Pennsylvania, the former 
 of French and the latter of German ex- 
 traction. 
 
 William Burdue, the father of subject, 
 was born November 2G, 1782, and received 
 an ordiiiary common-school education in 
 his native State, where he afterward en- 
 gaged in agricultural pursuits. Here too 
 he was married, March 28, 1809, and in 
 the fall of the following year (1810) emi- 
 grated with his wife and child to the then 
 extreme limit of the western frontier, the 
 almost unbroken and pathless wilderness 
 of northern Ohio. Settling in the northern 
 part of Lot No. 4, Townsend township, 
 Huron county, he entered wild lands, and 
 built a log cabin in the primitive manner 
 of those days, with clap- board or shake 
 roof, puncheon floor and wooden latches. 
 During the first winter after his arrival he 
 left his family in the country near the In- 
 dian villatre of Milan, while he busied 
 himself in getting his cabin ready for their 
 reception in the spring. Here, in the 
 dense forest, by which they were sur- 
 rounded for miles on every side, he com- 
 menced to carve out a home for himself 
 and family, subsecjuently clearing up and 
 improving an e.xcellent farm. On this 
 
 home the family experienced all the hard- 
 ships and privations incident to a frontier 
 life, mitigated, however, by the various 
 pleasures common to backwoods life in 
 those early days. The vast forest around 
 them teemed with wild game of all kinds, 
 wild honey was abundant, and maple syrup 
 and sugar easily obtained. Though their 
 white neighbors were few and far between, 
 there was a warm, hearty, neighborly feel- 
 ing existing among thein, and their social 
 intercourse at the frequent house raisings, 
 log rollings and quilting bees was of the 
 most friendly character. Soon after their 
 arrival the family made the acquaintance 
 of an old Indian in the vicinity, who sub- 
 sequently, by reason of the many favors 
 shown him, especially by Mrs. Burdue, a 
 lady of most excellent character, became 
 warmly attached to the family, and ren- 
 dered them many services. On one occa- 
 sion Mr. Burdue, having lost a span of 
 horses and a colt, was asked by this Indian 
 to show him their tracks; this being done, 
 the Indian carefully measured them with 
 his hands and went away, returning in a 
 few days and informing Mr. Burdue that 
 he had fouiul tracks answering to the de- 
 scription. He also learned that the In- 
 dians would, in a few days, go to Huron, 
 their usual trading point, and Mr. Burdue 
 requested his father, Nathaniel Burdue, 
 who was able to speak the Indian language, 
 to go to Huron and demand the surrender 
 of the animals. This he did, but the In- 
 dians refused to give them up without 
 compensation, the terms being a small 
 quantity of corn and whiskey, which were 
 promptly furnished and the horses re- 
 turned. 
 
 This same old Indian gave frequent 
 evidences of his friendship for the family, 
 the most important of which occurred 
 during the war of 1812-15. soon after the 
 surrender of Gen. Hull, when, partly by 
 signs, he made the family understand that 
 the savages were preparing to massacre the 
 settlers; that at the expiration of a certain 
 number of moons they would all probably 
 
242 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1)6 scalped if tliey remained in the country; 
 and at the same time lie enjoined upon 
 them the strictest secrecy as to the source 
 of tlieir information, assuring them that 
 death to him would be the consequence of 
 this friendly warning if known to other 
 members of his tribe. After this he went 
 away, and was never again seen in these 
 parts. Tlie family imnjediately prepared 
 for tficrht, first hiding some of their house- 
 hold and cooking utensils under the 
 puncheon floor of their cabin, and went 
 back to Pennsylvania, where they remained 
 until after the close of the war, returning 
 to their frontier home in the spring of 
 1816; and they found the articles hidden 
 under the puncheon floor undisturbed, al- 
 though the cabin had been occupied by the 
 savages. 
 
 Mr. Burdue brought with him, on his 
 return from Pennsylvania, two small buhrs 
 or stones for a hand-mill, which he set up 
 near one side of the cabin, and which was 
 used by the neighbors for several miles 
 around, and was for a time the only one 
 in the vicinity. He afterward sold the 
 mill to a potter in Milan, who used it for 
 grinding clay. For many years the wolves, 
 with which the woods were swarming, 
 were among their greatest pests, and would 
 carry off or destroy calves and young stock 
 of all kinds, unless it was secured under 
 the very eaves of the cabin; they were fre- 
 quently seen prowling about the spring 
 near the house in daytime, and on one oc- 
 casion destroyed the children's playhouse 
 near the cabin. Wild cats and panthers 
 were also quite numerous. Game of a 
 less dangerous and more useful character, 
 such as deer, wild turkeys, wild hogs and 
 squirrels, abounded. 
 
 One of the greatest difficulties of the 
 settlers in that early day was to procure 
 fabric for clothing and other necessary 
 household articles, everything of the kind 
 being very scarce and very dear; prints 
 and domestics were worth from fifty to 
 sixty cents per yard; hence they were 
 obliged to raise flax and manufacture linen, 
 
 and to weave linsey-woolsey and jeans for 
 domestic use; and not unfrequently they 
 manufactured various articles of wearing 
 apparel from the skins of deer and other 
 wild animals. Salt, too, was very scarce, 
 and at one time Mr. Burdue was obliged 
 to pay ten dollars per barrel for a very in- 
 ferior quality. Soon after his second ar- 
 rival he went back to Pennsylvania and 
 returned with several head of cattle, ail of 
 which died of bloody-murrain one after 
 another; their milch cows too died of the 
 same disease, until they had lost their last 
 cow seven different times. 
 
 For some time after they came to the 
 country there were no schools in the 
 neighboihood, and when a rude log house 
 was finally erected, the schools were of the 
 crudest, most primitive character for sev- 
 eral years. As to churclies, there were 
 none in the section, and, as usual in almost 
 all new countries, the Methodist itinerant 
 preachers, or circuit riders, were the pio- 
 neers in the religious field, holding ser- 
 vices first at one, and then another, of the 
 settlers' cabins. Both Mr. Burdue and his 
 wife were lifelong, earnest members of the 
 M. E. Church. His death occurred at his 
 home in Townsend township, October 23, 
 1834, and that of his wife March 29, 1868, 
 when she was in her seventy-seventh year, 
 her birth having occurred September 26, 
 1791. They reared seven children who 
 grew to maturity, of whom George is the 
 subject of this sketch; Nathaniel resides 
 in Norwalk; John and Benjamin are in 
 Linn county, Kans. ; Isaac B. lives in Ful- 
 ton county, Ohio; Jacob died August 5, 
 1874, in Michigan; and William W. died 
 July 22, 1886, at Collins, Ohio. 
 
 Nathaniel Burdue, grandfather of sub- 
 ject, emigrated to northern Ohio in abont 
 1808, settling in Berlin township, now in 
 Erie county, where he entered a large tract 
 of land (including the present site of Ber- 
 lin Heights), erected a cabin, and the fol- 
 lowing year went l:>ack to Pentisylvania 
 for his wife and family. Here he subse- 
 quently cleared and improved a farm, upon 
 
IIUKO.Y COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 243 
 
 which he resided until liis death, which 
 occurred when lie was over ninety years 
 old. He was born and educated in J'enn- 
 sylvania, where in early life he learned the 
 shoeniaker's trade. Being left an orphan 
 at a very early age, he was bound out till 
 lie attained his majority, soon after which 
 he married Miss Margaret Welch, also a 
 native of Pennsylvania. She also lived to 
 be over ninety years of age, and her death 
 was occasioned by an accident, her clothes 
 having caught fire, whereby she was 
 burned severely. She was a remarkably 
 active, vigorous and energetic woman all 
 her life, and was a lifelong, devout mem- 
 ber of the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 George Buvdue, whose name appears at 
 the opening of his sketch, received but a 
 very limited English education in youth, 
 such as could be gleaned at the primitive 
 schools, held in rude log buildings, of the 
 Ohio frontier in that early day. In after 
 years, however, he succeeded, by his own 
 exertions, in acquiring an ordinary busi- 
 ness education. He is possessed of good 
 judgment and a strong, active mind, and 
 is a close observer of everything around 
 him, thus gaining in the great school of 
 experience a fund of useful knowledge and 
 valuable information. He has also been a 
 constant reader, and is well informed. 
 Mr. Burdue owns, and has always lived 
 upon, the old home farm where his youth 
 and early life were passed, and where he 
 has been engaged in agricultural pursuits 
 with the most encouraging success. For 
 several years he was also engaged in manu- 
 facturing charcoal for the market, of 
 which he has burned and sold many kilns. 
 He is classed among the pioneers and be- 
 longs to the " Firelands Historical Society," 
 a pioneer association, lieiiig among the first 
 white children born in the northern part 
 of Huron (now Erie) county, Ohio. In 
 about 1844 he went to Green Springs, 
 Seneca county, thirty-three miles away, to 
 mill, but there being many others ahead of 
 him, he was obliged to leave his grist and 
 go back a second time, thus traveling 182 
 
 miles for one grinding. When a young 
 man our subject was quite a successful 
 hunter, and killed over a hundred deer, be- 
 sides wild turkeys and other game without 
 number. In 1830 he killed a very large 
 well-known deer (but a short distance fi-om 
 thehou.se), known as "Old Golden,'' which 
 other hunters had frequently tried but 
 failed to secure; his track was known by 
 his having lost one hoof. The antlers of 
 this deer, still in his possession, he keeps 
 as a relic of early days. 
 
 Mr. Burdue was married, November 20, 
 1838, to Miss Susan Hill, a native of Dela- 
 ware county, N. Y., born October 5, 1821, 
 daughter of Moses and Sally (Brooks) Hill, 
 both natives of New York State and of 
 English extraction. Two children — a son 
 and a daughter — have blessed this union: 
 Moses W., born March 13, 1841, and Sarah 
 E., now Mrs. Thomas E. Ricrccs, born June 
 25, 1846. Mrs. Susan Burdue's death oc- 
 curred March 17, 1885, when she was in 
 her sixty-fourth year. Though a member 
 of no church she was nevertheless a firm 
 believer in the Christian religion, and a 
 practical Chi'istian. Mr. Burdue now makes 
 his home with his son Moses W. and fam- 
 ily, on the old home place. He is and has 
 been an earnest, lifelong member of the 
 M. E. Church. In politics he was for 
 many years a Democrat, but is now identi- 
 fied with the Prohibition party, and is an 
 earnest advocate of the temperance cause. 
 He is one of the old pioneers, prominent 
 and representative farmers of the entire 
 county, as well as one of its most respected 
 citizens. 
 
 Moses W. Burdue, with whom our sub- 
 ject now makes his home, has always re- 
 sided on the old home farm, where he has 
 been engaged in agricultural pursuits, the 
 greater part of the time with good success. 
 In early life he learned the carpenter's 
 trade, at which he has been employed to 
 some extent and at various places. He re- 
 ceived a good English and scientific educa- 
 tion in youth at the common schools and 
 at the Western Reserve Normal School, 
 
244 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Milan, Ohio, and in his early manliood was 
 encased in teaching; for a time. He was 
 married, February 2, 1865, to Miss Mary 
 P. Vanderpool, a iiatis^e of Hamilton 
 county, N. Y., born May 27, 1842, a 
 daucrhter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Six- 
 bery) Vanderpool, both of whom were also 
 natives of that State, and of Holland and 
 English descent, respectively. Four chil- 
 dren have blessed their union, namely: 
 George M., Mary P., Susie E. and William 
 Earle. Mr. and Mrs. Burdue and the en- 
 tire family are active members of the M. E. 
 Church. Socially Mr. and Mrs. Burdue 
 are members of Townsend Grange, No. 
 1892. He is an earnest advocate of the 
 temperance cause, a Prohibitionist in polit- 
 ical faith, and one of the enterprising and 
 successful farmers of the community. 
 
 HfENEY C. PINNEY, a well-known 
 farmer of Townsend township, is a 
 _[ native of same, born April 11, 
 1842, the third in the family of 
 four children born to Hollibert and 
 Harriet (Fay) Pinney, both of whom were 
 natives of New York State, and of English 
 descent. 
 
 Hollibert Pinney first saw the light De- 
 cember 29, 1801, and received a good 
 common-school and academic education. 
 He was engaged in teaching for some time, 
 and worked on the old homestead in New 
 York until he attained his majority. In 
 1822 he was married to Harriet Fay, 
 whose parents were early settlers of west- 
 ern New York; then bought the home farm 
 and followed agricultural pursuits, also 
 working on the Erie Canal and in the salt 
 works. Ho was a member of the New 
 York State militia until 1835, when he 
 came with his wife and one child to tiie 
 far western frontier of northern Ohio, lo- 
 cating in Berlin township, Erie county. 
 He l)ought a slightly improved place ot 
 ninety acres, and selling it about three 
 years afterward, bought one in Townsend 
 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio. Here he 
 continued to improve and increase his pos- 
 sessions, finally becoming the owner of 
 255 acres of well-improved land. For 
 several years the family e,\perienced all 
 the hardships and privations incident to 
 frontier life, their few neighbors being 
 widely separated. On this farm Hollibert 
 Pinney passed his remaining days, with 
 the exception of short intervals. He was 
 for many years a justice of the peace in 
 Townsend township, also serving as trustee. 
 He belonged to no Church, hut was a firm 
 believer in the Universalist doctrine ; was 
 one of the most honored and respected 
 citizens of the county, and a purer, more 
 exemplary man in life and character it 
 would be hard to find. He died October 
 2, 1885. His ancestors were among the 
 early settlel-s of Massachusetts. Mrs.Har 
 riet Pinney was a firm believer in the 
 doctrines of the M. E. Church, and a con- 
 sistent Christian. Her death occurred 
 March 23, 1880, when she was in her 
 sixty-seventh year. 
 
 Henry C. Pinney, whose name opens 
 this sketch, received only a common-school 
 education in youth, never having attended 
 school after his seventeenth year. He has, 
 however, by his own exertions in later 
 years, succeeded in acquiring a very good 
 practical business education. He is a man 
 of good judgment and strong natural sense, 
 and is now possessed of a fund of general 
 information, having been all his life an ex- 
 tensive and careful reader. He was em- 
 ployed on the old home farm until he was 
 nineteen years old, soon after which, in 
 September, 1861, he enlisted, in Company 
 C, Fifty-fifth O. V. I., was mustered in, 
 and went south with his regiment January 
 22. 1862. They were assigned to duty 
 with the army of the Potomac, and our 
 subject participated in the battles of Cedar 
 Mountain, Bull Pasture, Second Bull Run, 
 and many other lesser engagements, in 
 fact he was with his regiment in all its 
 marches and engagements until the latter 
 part of August, when he had a severe at- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 245 
 
 tack of typlioid fever, and was sent to Mt. 
 Pleasant hospital, Washington, D. C, 
 where he remained for several months. 
 Still being unfit for active duty at the 
 front, he was transferred to the V. It. C, 
 and served with same at Washington until 
 the e.xpiratiou of his term of service, being 
 mustered out September 17, 1864. He 
 then retui-ned to Huron county, Ohio, 
 where he engaged in agricultural pursuits, 
 and has been so employed ever since, with 
 good success, now owning a well-improved 
 farm of 111 acres. 
 
 Mr. Pinney was married October 16, 
 1864, to Miss Sarah Jane Roberts, a na- 
 tive of Perlinville, Erie Co., Ohio, born 
 October 12, 1843. She is a daughter of 
 Thomas and Lucy (Baley) Roberts, both of 
 whom were natives of Pennsylvania, and of 
 German descent. To Mr. and Mrs. Pinney 
 have been born three daughters, namely : 
 Lucy Harriet (now Mrs. Charles Schreiner), 
 Ida Jane and Carrie Agnes. In politics 
 Mr. Pinney has always been a Repulilican; 
 in 1881 he was elected trustee of Townsend 
 township, serving four years, and was 
 again elected to the same oflice in the 
 spring of 1891, for a term of three years. 
 He belongs to no Churcli, but is a firm be- 
 liever in tlie Christian religion, and leans 
 toward the doctrines of the Universalists. 
 He was a charter member of Townsend 
 Post No. 414, G. A. R., in which he has 
 tilled the position of quartermaster ever 
 since its organization in April, 1885. 
 
 THOMAS HURST, a member of the 
 farming community of Townsend 
 township, is a native of the Province 
 of (Quebec, Canada, born November 
 10, 1843, a son of John and Mar- 
 garet (Hislop) Hurst. 
 
 John Hurst was .born in Lancashire, 
 England, a son of Thomas Hurst, a weaver, 
 who followed that trade in his native land 
 until his death, which occurred wheti his 
 son John was very young. John Hurst 
 
 received a very fair education in Englaiid, 
 and after his father's death commenced to 
 learn the weaver's trade, in which he con- 
 tinued until reaching manhood. He then 
 enlisted in the Pritish army, in the Royal 
 Artillery, in wliich he served continuously 
 twenty-seven and a half years, including 
 the period during which all Europe was 
 engaged in the Napoleonic wars, being for 
 a considerable time under the command of 
 the "Iron Duke." He also participated 
 ill the famous Peninsular war, in Spain 
 and Portugal, and while he was serving in 
 that campaign his mother died. Later on 
 — in the war of 1812-14 — his regiment 
 was sent to America (landing at Quebec), 
 and he was with the British forces at the 
 battle of Plattsburg, near Lake Cham- 
 plain. While engaged in garrison duty 
 at a fort located on an island in the Riche- 
 lieu river, some fifteen miles north of 
 Plattsburg, he first met and became ac- 
 quainted with Miss Margaret Hislop, a 
 native of Edinburgh, Scotland, to whom he 
 was soon afterward united in the bonds of 
 wedlock. After his marriage he remained 
 in the army several years, doing garrison 
 duty at various posts in Canada, among 
 them one near Niagara. Upon his final 
 release from military duty he was obliged 
 to go back to England, where he received 
 his discharge and other documents, return- 
 ing to Canada as soon as they were secured, 
 arid locating on a farm near the Richelieu 
 river, bought by his wife during his ab- 
 sence. Here he continued to reside, and 
 was successfully engaged in agricultural 
 pursuits until his death, which occurred 
 in October, 1854, when he was in his 
 si.xty-eight year. Both he and his wife 
 were lifelong members of the Episcopal 
 Church. 
 
 James Hislop, the father of Mrs. Mar- 
 garet Hurst, was twice married in his 
 native land, Scotland, first time to Miss 
 Park (a cousin of the noted traveler and 
 explorer, Mungo Park), who bore him four 
 children, amonw whom was the mother of 
 our subject. Mr. Hislop next married a 
 
246 
 
 UUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Miss Betson, and two sons blessed this 
 union. During the first years of the 
 present century Mr. Hisiop emigrated to 
 America, settling in Lower Canada. He 
 was a stone-cutter and carver by occupa- 
 tiou, and was universally conceded to be 
 one of the finest workmen in the country. 
 Shortly before the war of 1812, he, with 
 others, contracted with the English Gov- 
 ernment for the coiistriictiou of extensive 
 barracks and fortifications along the Cana- 
 dian and American frontier, many of 
 which works are still standing, monu- 
 ments of their skill and energy. Mr. 
 Ilislop continued to follow his trade until 
 liis death. For many years before com- 
 ing to America he was a prominent and 
 extensive contractor in the stone-cutting 
 business in Edinburgh, Scotland, during 
 which time he had in his employ a man 
 named Dixon, who, years afterward, be- 
 came inspector of the reformatory pri- 
 sons in Canada, one of which was built 
 by Mr. Ilislop on the same island in the 
 liichelieu before alluded to as the site of 
 the fort. Prior to his immigration lie was 
 a devout member of the Presbyterian 
 Church, but after his arrival in Canada he 
 identified himself with the Episcopal 
 Churcli. 
 
 Thomas Hurst, tiie subject proper of 
 this sketch, was the ninth in the family 
 of eleven children of Jolui and Margaret 
 Hurst, and received a very fair English 
 education at the common schools of 
 Canada in early life. After his father's 
 death, which occurred when he was only 
 ten years old, he remained on the old 
 
 ml 
 
 homestead with his mother until her death, 
 which occurred in 1857, when our sub- 
 ject was but fourteen years of age. Being 
 thus left an orphan at an early age, 
 he was thrown entirely on his own re- 
 sources, and compelled to begin the battle 
 with the stern realities of life alone. For 
 several years he was employed by the 
 month — generally on a farm — but was 
 neither afraid nor ashamed to turn his 
 band to any honorable employment that 
 
 offered an opportunity for making an 
 honest dollar. On September 1, 18G0, he 
 set out for the United States, and on Sep- 
 tember 3 found himself at Kipton, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, with two dollars and a half 
 in his pocket. Here he went to work 
 at anything that offered, usually farm 
 work, and in tlie spring of 1866 bought 
 a partly improved farm of sixty acres 
 in Wakeman township, Huron county, 
 having no buildings and only five acres 
 cleared; but during the folowing fall 
 he built a house, moved onto the place 
 March 13, 1867, and commenced farming 
 on his own account. On this place 
 he remained some fifteen years, when 
 he sold out and bought the farm of one 
 hundred acres in Townseud township, 
 Huron county, known as the Manville 
 farm (of which he is the third owner from 
 the original), upon which he now resides, 
 and where he has since been successfully 
 engaged in agricultural pursuits. Of Mr. 
 Hurst it may most truthfully be said he is 
 the architect of his own fortune, having 
 commenced the battle of life with no 
 friend save good health and an energy 
 that knew no such word as fail, and with 
 no inheritance save a stout heart and will- 
 ing hands; nevertheless, by strict atten- 
 tion to business, industry, economy, and 
 honest integrity, he has succeeded in ac- 
 quiring a very fair share of this world's 
 goods. He is a man of good judgment 
 and quick perceptions, is at present one of 
 the trustees of Townsend township, and 
 has held various other township positions. 
 Mr. Hurst took out his naturalization 
 papers and became a citizen of the United 
 States June 20, 1868, casting his first 
 Presidential vote for Gen. U. S. Grant in 
 November of that year. 
 
 On December 25, 1866, Mr. Hurst was 
 married, in Elyria, to Miss Alice M. Close, 
 a native of Henrietta township, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, where she was born May 9, 
 1847, daughter of Chauncey R. and Eme- 
 line (Ashenhurst) Close, the former of 
 whom was a native of Auburn, N. Y., 
 
iiuitoyr COUNTY, onio. 
 
 247 
 
 and of English descent, while the latter 
 was a native of Florence township, Erie 
 Co., Ohio, and of English-German ex- 
 traction. Four children have blessed the 
 union of Mr. and JVlrs. Hurst, viz.; Ernest 
 C, Amy M., Terry T. and Marion A. 
 Mrs. Hurst is a consistent ineinber of the 
 Disciple Church, and while Mr. Hurst be- 
 longs to no church, he is a believer in 
 practical Christianity. In politics he is a 
 stanch and unconiproinising Republican, 
 and is generally recognized as one of the 
 leading spirits of his party in this part of 
 the county, and one of its best workers 
 and organizers. He has always taken a 
 deep interest and an active part in the 
 political affairs of the country, local. State 
 and National, and is one of the prominent, 
 representative citizens of his county. 
 
 TEPHEN M. YOUNG. This 
 prominent and successful attorney 
 at law, who is held in the highest 
 esteem by both his confreres at the 
 bar of Huron county and the public at 
 large, has the distinguished privilege of 
 claiming descent from a variety of nation- 
 alities. Through his father he has inher- 
 ited the vigorous, hardy and courageous 
 blood of the Scot and Scotch-Irish; to his 
 mother he is indelHed for having in him 
 much of the vivacity and polish of the 
 French, beside the stability and conserva- 
 tism of the Holland-Dutch, whilst for 
 some generations back the family have 
 lieen wide-awake Americans. The Young 
 family are (as already intimated) Scotch- 
 Irish, and the maternal grandmother of 
 our subject was a Brennan. His maternal 
 great-grandmotlier was a cousin to Aaron 
 l>urr, 
 
 Mr. Young is a son of Downing H. 
 Younsf, who was born in Virginia August 
 6, 1816, one of a family of fifteen ciiil- 
 dren. At Shelby, Ohio, Downing was 
 married to Angelina Marvin, a highly edu- 
 cated hidy, and from her he received his 
 
 chief English education after marriage. 
 In early life he commenced the study of 
 law, and in due course was admitted to 
 the bar at Mansfield, Ohio, where he com- 
 menced the practice of his chosen profes- 
 sion. Moving to Norwalk, he here con- 
 tinued to conduct his law business, his 
 practice covering in all a period of ov'er 
 forty-five years. He and his faithful wife 
 are now passing the declining years of 
 their honored lives at the old homestead. 
 Eleven children were born to them, 
 Stephen being eighth in order of birth. 
 Four of his brothers were in the Federal 
 army during the Civil war, viz.: Andrew 
 J., who died' at Danville, Ky. ; Henry, 
 mortally wounded December 31, 1862, at 
 Stone River, Tenn., dying January 3, 
 1863; Samuel, who served six years in the 
 army, escaping wounds, and dying at his 
 home afterward; Howard, who served his 
 full time, and also escaped being wounded. 
 Daniel and George Marvin, brothers of 
 our subject's mother, were also in the war, 
 both being wounded, the latter several 
 times, but they escaped with their lives. 
 Charles and John Marvin also served in 
 the Union army, the former as surgeon. 
 B. Howard, husband of our subject's sis- 
 ter, was in an Ohio regiment, and died in 
 Anderson ville prison. 
 
 Stephen M. Young, the subject proper 
 of this sketch, was born in Mansfield, 
 Richland Co., Ohio, March 27, 1848. 
 When he was about seven years of age he 
 removed to Toledo, where he remained 
 till 1860, and then came to New Haven, 
 Huron Co., same State. He liad received 
 his elementary education at the common 
 schools in Mansfield, Toledo and New 
 Haven, after which he entered Oberlin 
 Colieo'e. On completing his studies, in 
 1867, he commenced teaching school, first 
 in Crawford county, Ohio; after which he 
 became assistant in one of the public 
 schools of Cincinnati, in which capacity 
 he continued three years, and then, in con- 
 sequence of impaired health, lie had to 
 abandon teaching. We next find him 
 
248 
 
 HUROX COUXTT, OHIO. 
 
 acting in the capacity of agent in Shelby, 
 Ohio, for tiie Merchants Insurance Com- 
 pany, of Chicago, before the great fire in 
 Cliicago, 1871, which among many other 
 calamities resulted in the closing up of 
 this company along with a host of others. 
 Mr. Young then engaged in a similar 
 capacity with the Underwriters Associa- 
 tion of Philadelphia. During all this time 
 he was industriously pursuing the study 
 of law, and in 1873 he was admitted to the 
 bar at Columbus, Ohio. After a brief 
 sojourn in Plymouth, Richland Co., Ohio, 
 he moved to Bucyrus, Crawford Co., same 
 State, where he commenced the regular 
 practice of law in May, 1875, continuing 
 till October, 1878, when he came to Xor- 
 walk, and has since here remained success- 
 fully practicing his profession, and build- 
 ing up a reputation as a learned and 
 shrewd jurist, in civil, criminal and cor- 
 poration law. 
 
 On July 29, 1877, Mr. Young was mar- 
 ried in Cleveland, Ohio, to Miss Isabella 
 Wagner, and five children were born to 
 them, viz.: AVall)urga, Henry, Don John, 
 Stephen Marvin, Jr., and Isabella Wagner. 
 In politics Mr. Young is a Republican; 
 socially he is a Freemason, and a member 
 of the Knights of Pythias. 
 
 EORGE SHEFFIELD, formerly of 
 New London, Conn., was born 
 April 4, 1786. In the summer of 
 1809 he came on horseback to Ohio 
 as far as the mouth of the Huron 
 river, returning the same way the follow- 
 ing autumn. 
 
 He followed his trade (shipbuilding) till 
 the beginnintr of the war of 1812. When 
 the British frigate " Macedonia " was 
 captured by Commodore Decatur, Mr. 
 Sheffield was a member of the Home 
 Guards. Early in the winter of 1813 he 
 married Betsey, daughter of the late 
 Abishai Woodward, of New London, and 
 on November 18, 1814, a son, George 
 
 Woodward. 
 
 was born. In June, 1816, 
 George Shettield left Connecticut with his 
 wife and son in a one-horse chaise, his 
 brother, J. B. Sheflield, boy, Orrin Harris, 
 and man with team following. At Dun- 
 kirk, N. y., the family boarded a 
 schooner, and after an uneventful voyage 
 landed at Huron, Ohio, some time in the 
 following August. On his land on the 
 Avest bank of (Jld Woman creek he built a 
 log house, where the daughter, Betsey, was 
 born in September. Soon after, the place 
 being very unhealthy, the family moved to 
 Huron, where Mrs. Sheffield died on the 
 18th of the following November. The 
 next spring Mr. Sheffield moved to Lyme 
 township, where he, with his brothers-in- 
 law, William and Gurdon Woodward, kept 
 bachelors' hall for two years, during which 
 time they were preparing separate homes. 
 In 1819 Mr. Sheffield, for his second wife, 
 married Thurza Baker, daughter of John 
 Baker, of Strong's Ridge. In 1820 he was 
 elected to the office of justice of the peace. 
 In February, 1822, his house was burned, 
 and in it his little daughter, Betsey, and 
 the boy, Orrin Harris, together with all 
 the household goods. His neighbors gave 
 him all assistance within their power. 
 About 1823 Mr. Siieffield sold his land in 
 Eldridge township (now Berlin) to Daniel 
 Benschooter. In 1825 or 1826 he was 
 appointed to appraise the "Firelands" for 
 taxation. In the autumn of 1831 he was 
 elected treasurer of Huron county, moving 
 to Norwalk, and he served in that capacity 
 until his death. On August 20, 1834, 
 Mrs. Sheffield was seized with cholera, and 
 died that night; Mr. Sheffield was taken 
 with the same disease, and died on the 
 2Brd — three days later. There were five 
 children of the second marriage, viz.: 
 James King, who died at the age of four: 
 Betsey; James Fredrick; Sarah T. and 
 Edward. 
 
 On June 14, 1846, George Woodward 
 Sheffield married Lucy, daughter of Gur- 
 don and Mary S. Woodward, of which 
 union there were seven children, viz.: 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 249 
 
 Mary, who married Henry G. Bramwell, 
 formerly of Belleviie (they now live in 
 Lincoln, 111.); George, who died in 1884 
 (lie luiirried Mary Gertrude, daughter of 
 the late Judge Joel Parker, of Gambridge, 
 Mass.); Rachel, deceased in 1885; Julia, 
 married to Ezra R. Oliver, of Norwalk; 
 James, married to Fannie A., daughter of 
 Samuel Bemiss, of Strong's Ridge; and 
 Lncy and Gurdon, the latter of whom died 
 in infancy. Mrs. Sheffield died in 1865. 
 Mr. Sheffield still lives upon his farm two 
 miles south of Bellevue, on the western 
 boundary of the "Firelands." 
 
 ^ILLIAM C. PENFIELD, one of 
 the prominent and prosperous 
 farmers of Norwalk township, is 
 a native of Huron county, born in 
 North Fairfield township in 1839. 
 
 His father, Samuel Penfield, was born 
 near Dani)nry, Conn., in ISOi, where he 
 passed his boyhood on a farm, and when a 
 young man learned the trade of wagon 
 maker. In 1827 he moved to North Fair- 
 field, Ohio, with his mother and two sis- 
 ters, a third sister with her husband and 
 family accompanying them. He Ijad pre- 
 viously walked from Connecticut to North 
 Fairfield, taken possession of a tract of 
 wild land inherited from his father, and 
 bnilt a log cabin upon it, and on the ar- 
 rival of the family they found this prim- 
 itive home awaiting them. He occupied 
 and improved the farm for a number of 
 years, during which time, in 1831, he was 
 married to Miss Clara A. Woodvvorth, of 
 North Fairfield, a native of Central New 
 York, and daughter of James Woodworth. 
 A few years after liis marriage he rented 
 the farm and moved into the village of 
 North Fairfield, where he worked at his 
 trade for a short time, and then enrjaged 
 in mercantile business for several years. 
 About 1846 he returned to the farm, and 
 there ]iassed the rest of his days, dying at 
 the age of fifty three years. There were 
 
 six children born in the family, namely: 
 Ephraiui P., Frances E., James W. (de- 
 ceased), William C, Charles (deceased) 
 and Henry B. (deceased in infancy). Of 
 these, Epliraim P., a physician, resides in 
 the State of Washington; Frances E. mar- 
 ried T. H. Kellogg, an attorney of Nor- 
 walk, Huron county; Charles enlisted in 
 the One Hundred and First O. V. I., at- 
 tached to the army of the Cumberland (he 
 was seriously wounded in the battle of 
 Stone River, and died in 1871). The 
 father of this fitmily died in 1857, in poli- 
 tics a stanch Alwlitionist, a strong temper- 
 ance man, and in religious faith a member 
 of the Baptist Church. 
 
 William C. Penfield received his ele- 
 mentary education in the common schools 
 of his native township, after which he at- 
 tended the Normal School at Milan, Erie 
 county, also a select school, and then be- 
 came a teacher himself, pursuing the voca- 
 tion three years. In 1860 he took a triii 
 to Pike's Peak, and for one year mined for 
 gold, with fair success. The following 
 year he returned home, and the Civil war 
 having broken out he enlisted for three 
 years in the Fifty-fifth O. V. I. He par- 
 ticipated in Fremont's campaign up the 
 Shenandoah Valley in pursuit of Stonewall 
 Jackson, ending in tlie battle of Cross 
 Keys; with Sigel along the Rappahannock, 
 the Second Battle of Bull Run, Chancel- 
 lorsville, Gettysburg, Peach Tree Creek, 
 and in numerous minor engagements. At 
 Chancellorsville he had some remarkably 
 narrow escapes, being struck by bullets no 
 less than three times in less than a minute 
 — one bullet drawing blood on his knuckle, 
 another striking his elbow, while a third 
 pierced his knapsack. At Gettysburg he 
 was taken prisoner, conveyed l)y way of 
 the Shenandoah Valley to Richmond, and 
 confined in Belle Isle prison. After his 
 exchange the following spring, he rejoined 
 his regiment on the Atlanta campaign. 
 At the close of his three years service he 
 was mustered out at Atlanta, but early in 
 1865 re-eulisted, being this time attached 
 
250 
 
 IIUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 to Gen. Hancock's corps, and was on duty 
 in Washington dnring the trial and at the 
 execution of the conspirators who took 
 part in the inurder of President Lincoln. 
 Ill 186(3 he was mustered out of the serv- 
 ice, having been in the army over four 
 years, and during all this time of service 
 he was never absent from his company ex- 
 cept while a prisoner. 
 
 On his return home from tlie army Mr. 
 Pentield went to Michigan, and was there 
 engaged in milling for live years, at the 
 end of which time he once more came to 
 Huron county and engaged in farming. 
 He has a nice property of about ninety 
 acres, just outside the city limits of Nor- 
 walk. In 1869 he married Miss Agnes 
 A. Perry, of that city, a daughter of Orfus 
 Perry, a farmer, and tliree children were 
 born to this union, viz.: Clara M.; Leah, 
 who died in infancy; and Louis P. Po- 
 litically our subject has always been a 
 stanch Republican, and he and his wife are 
 members of the Baptist Church. 
 
 IIARLES ROWLEY. In the career 
 
 of Charles Rowley we find one of 
 the best examples of the thrifty, 
 enterprising descendants of that 
 sturdy New England stock, which charac- 
 terizes the Western Reserve, and has made 
 it so justly famous as one of the great 
 centers of intelligence, morality and pros- 
 perity. He came from an old English 
 family, his quite remote ancestors being 
 among the very first settlers and pioneers 
 of Connecticut. 
 
 His grandfather, Eli Smith Rowley, 
 born about the middle of the eighteenth 
 century, was a man of strong character 
 and convictions, and thoroughly patriotic. 
 When but fitteen years of age he enlisted 
 in the Revolutionary war, and was cap- 
 tured by the British; but, though a mere 
 boy, lie managed to make iiis escape, and by 
 traveling at uij^ht again reached the Co- 
 loniid ranks, where, by his valiant service. 
 
 combined with his extreme youth, he ac- 
 quired a distinction that was truly de- 
 served. His military life was most ap- 
 propriately referred to by Hon. Peter 
 Dyckinan in an address delivered on July 
 4, 1876. at Jefferson, N. Y., in which he 
 said: "I know at least one Revolutionary 
 hero, taking his lasting rest among the 
 ever silent of yonder cemetery. Many are 
 the scenes he has portrayed before my 
 mind, in reciting 'deeds immortal' like 
 unto this. * * * Among the noble 
 patriots who have left a record of deeds of 
 daring and patriotism, we may upon this 
 Centennial Anniversary day inscribe upon 
 the banner of Liberty the name of Eli 
 Smith Rowley." At the close of the war 
 he engaged in the pursuit of farming, 
 which was conducted until at a very ad- 
 vanced age he quietly retired from active 
 life. 
 
 Edward Rowley, his son, was born Oc- 
 tober 23, 1788. When quite young he 
 left school to learn 'the cabinet maker's 
 trade, which, though later returning to the 
 family trait of farm life, he followed till 
 near his death, in April, 1S78. He was a 
 most excellent workman, and manufactured 
 the finest grades of household furniture, 
 cofHns and caskets to be found at that day. 
 His school days were quite limited, yet 
 being of a studious nature, and a great 
 observer, he became well educated, pos- 
 sessed an excellent address, and was a fine 
 musician. He was a prominent member 
 and an ardent worker in the Presbyterian 
 Church of Jefferson, N. Y., where the 
 greater part of his life was spent, always 
 taking an active part in the religious and 
 better side of life. In business affairs he 
 was successful, rearing and educating a 
 large family, then retiring in comfortable 
 circumstances. Of his first marriage three 
 sons were born: Frederick, the eldest, 
 joined the "forty-niners" in California, 
 and there accumulated much property; 
 returning, he served two terms as sheriff 
 of Schoharie county, N. Y., where he 
 spent the remainder of liis life. t)f the 
 
HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 253 
 
 other sons, Harvey is still living in west- 
 ern New York, and Edward, who went 
 South wlien quite young, became a wealthy 
 planter in Georgia, enlisted in the Con- 
 federate army, and was probably killed 
 dnrinix the war, as he has never been heard 
 from since. His first wife having died, 
 Edward Rowley, Sr., was again married, 
 this time to Miss Lydia Decker, who was 
 a member of an old family whicli has long 
 been prominent in the lumber and agri- 
 cultural regions of Michigan and southern 
 Canada. She was a woman of considera- 
 ble executiveabliity, especially in domestic 
 and church circles, yet of a mild, loving 
 disposition which was ever manifest. She 
 died April 27, 1877, at tiie age of seventy- 
 two years, at Stamford, N. Y., her hus- 
 band following her a few months later. 
 Of this union five children were born: 
 Elizabeth (Mrs. Edwin Sweet), now living 
 at Eminence, N. Y. ; Sarah (Mrs. James 
 Merchant), who died at Jefferson, N. Y., 
 in April, 1878; Eli, the elder son, who 
 was the first Tiian in Schoharie county to 
 offer his services to his country, at the be- 
 ginning of the Rebellion, did noble service 
 in the Union cause, where, by hard service 
 and exposure, he contracted a lung trouble 
 that ended in his death on July 24, 1867, 
 at the age of thirty-two years; Charles; 
 and Mary Jane (Mrs. Dr. E. W. Gallup), 
 now living at Stamford, New York. 
 
 Charles Rowley was l)orn in Jefferson, 
 N. Y., January 11, 1838, and died at 
 North Fairfield,Ohio, November 28, 1891. 
 Of his life and character perhaps no better 
 sketch can be given than the following, 
 which appeared in tlie Norwalk, Oliio, 
 Experiment-JSfews, shortly after his death: 
 "On a farm, in Jefferson, N. Y., in the 
 year 1838, Charles Rowley was born, the 
 youngest son of Edward and Lydia Rowley. 
 Tile name has since won for itself a re- 
 spect and confidence so universal that only 
 a most true and earnest man might hope 
 to win. It is the fact tiiat the life and 
 death of Charles Rowley presents every- 
 where iriodels of a pure life and a pure 
 
 quality of heart, so much so that the 
 Exjyerhnent-NewK has gathered the few 
 simple details of a life not great in glory 
 and tinsel of cheap fame, but rich in true 
 nobility of heart. 
 
 " What may have been the home train- 
 ing of Mr. Rowley on that New York 
 farm is best attested by his after life. We 
 do not gather figs of thistles; neither do 
 men of the noblest refinements of nature 
 come from other than noble parents. Nor 
 did the precepts of those God-fearing par- 
 ents fall on stony soil. Almost from 
 boyhood earnest industry, the plodding 
 step to success, marked the progress of 
 the youth in his studies. After several 
 terms spent in the best school of all, the 
 position of teacher studying the develop- 
 ing sturdy natures of scholars, Mr. Rowley 
 completed his education in the Franklin 
 Literary Institute, at Franklin, New York. 
 
 >' In 18G0 Mr. Rowley left his home for 
 Michigan, where he became secretary for 
 extensive inillino-and lumberin": interests, 
 owned by a cousin, Charles Decker, splen- 
 didly fitting him for the successful prose- 
 cution of his own business interests in 
 after years. In April, 1863, he was mar- 
 ried to Miss Elizabeth Stevens, of Ripley, 
 Huron county, and took his bride to 
 Michigan with him, this time to enter the 
 retail store of J. L. Woods, now President 
 of the Euclid Avenue Rank, of Cleveland. 
 In November, 188G, he came to North 
 Fairfield and engatjed in the mercantile 
 business, which was conducted most profit- 
 ably by him up to the time of his death. 
 He was also the owner of a fine farm near 
 the villao-e, the manatjement of which oc- 
 cupied much of his time and attention. 
 He was a director of the Norwalk Savings 
 Bank Company, and vice president of the 
 Huron County Mutual Insurance Com- 
 pany. In politics Mr. Rowley was always 
 a stanch Democrat, fearless in his opinions, 
 but not jjivincr offense bv advancing them 
 airaiiist contrary opinions. He was always 
 a faithful worker in the interests of his 
 party, and though in a community noted 
 
254 
 
 HUBON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 for its radical Republican sentiment and 
 with an adverse majority of three to one 
 against him, has been repeatedly elected 
 school director, till forced to decline to 
 serve longer because of ill health. He has 
 al^o held the offices of towns-hip clerk and 
 township treasurer, an almost impossible 
 accomplishment for a Democrat in Fair- 
 field. 
 
 " During his early life Mr. Rowley was 
 a member of the strict school of the Pres- 
 byterian Church. Of later years, and 
 since his residence in Fairfield, he has 
 been an active and devout worker in the 
 Congregational Church. As a sincere 
 Christian, firm in the faith, he met death 
 without fear and in calm and hopeful 
 resignation. His private life was without 
 reproach. In his family he was a loving 
 and always solicitous father, striving by 
 example father than precept to inspire all 
 about him with his own earnestness of 
 purpose. lie vvas liberal in giving thor- 
 ough educations to his (;hildren, denying 
 them nothing that would better fit them 
 for the struggle of life. Among his neigh- 
 bors no man shared more fully the public 
 confidence. It is related of liim that in 
 many cases large sums of money were de- 
 posited with him for safe keeping, the 
 owners showing a confidence that they did 
 not have in any bank or saving institution. 
 
 "At the time of his death Mr. Rowley 
 was a comparatively young man, but too 
 faithful devotion to business laid the 
 foundations of disease too deeply for hu- 
 man skill to rcTuove. For fourteen years 
 he has suffered in health, at times seri- 
 ously. Last spring an attack of grip fas- 
 tened its clutches onto him, developing 
 complications of disease which gradually 
 drew him down until he w-as forced to his 
 bed, nearly seven weeks before his death. 
 Nervous prostration in its worst form re- 
 sulted, and he quietly breathed his last at 
 6 o'clock A. M. November 28." 
 
 He leaves surviving him his widow; 
 four sons, of whom the eldest, Edward F., 
 is conducting the business he left, and is 
 
 pre.'^ident of the North Fairfield Savings 
 Bank; Arthur E., who after graduating in 
 the literary department of the University 
 of Michigan, and being admitted to the 
 bar, is now practicing law, in partnership 
 with Hon. G. T. Stewart, at Norwalk, 
 Ohio; two small boys, Charles Scott and 
 Leveret Alcott; and one daughter, Anna 
 L., now attending college at Oberlin. In 
 the quiet village cemetery at North Fair- 
 field his remains are resting in the beauti- 
 ful family vault erected shortly after his 
 death. 
 
 ?; A MITEL D. MORSE, of Norwalk 
 township, is a native of the city of 
 Norwalk, born in 1845. He is a 
 grandson of Asaliel Morse, who in 
 1818 came from Ontario county, N. Y., 
 to Huron county, locating in Ridgefield 
 township, at which time the country was a 
 veritable wilderness, wild animals and 
 Indians being still numerous. He was a 
 carpenter, a trade he followed up to the 
 time of coming here, after which he de- 
 voted his attention almost exclusively to 
 agricultural pursuits. 
 
 After three years residence in Ridge- 
 field township, he moved to Norwalk town- 
 ship, same county, where he owned in all 
 some 260 acres of land. He entered the 
 ministry of the Baptist Church, and for 
 about thirty years exhorted in the various 
 localities he lived in. His wife was Esther 
 Eaton, of Herkimer county, N. Y., and 
 they had three children, viz.: Daniel, 
 John and Elmira, the latter being deceased. 
 The mother of these dying, for his second 
 wife Asahel Morse married Miss Lucy 
 Rayniond, of Ontario county, N. Y., and 
 three children were also born to this union, 
 named respectively Esther (deceased). May 
 and Samuel. Asahel Morse's father served 
 in the Revolutionary war, himself in that 
 of 1812, in which latter he was a captain 
 stationed at BuflFalo, N. Y. 
 
 Daniel Morse, father of subject, was 
 born January 3, 1810, in Gorham, Ontario 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 255 
 
 Co., N. Y., where his boyhood days were 
 spent on a farm, and in attending the 
 schools of the neighborhood. llavino' 
 learned the trade of a tanner, he followed 
 same for some time, but farming was his 
 chief occupation; he owned the old home- 
 stead until 1857, in which year he came to 
 his present farm in Nor walk township, 
 comprising 108 acres. Mr. Morse mar- 
 ried Miss Joanna Danforth, of Barnard, 
 Vt., a daughter of Saiunel Danforth, 
 M. D., and they had six children, as fol- 
 lows: Oscar, Samuel D., Asahel, Alice, 
 Roland and Euphemia. The fatiier has 
 been a Whig and Republican in his politi- 
 cal sympathies, and he is a member of the 
 Baptist Church. 
 
 Samuel D. Morse, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, received a liberal education at 
 the common and high schools of Norwalk, 
 from which latter he rrraduated. He then 
 went to Toledo to fill the position of book- 
 keeper, and in that city enlisted, in 1864, 
 in the One Hundred and Eighty-second 
 Regiment O. V. I., serving one year, dur- 
 ing which period he was promoted to sec- 
 ond lieutenant. From 1865 to 1867 he 
 attended a commercial school at Pough- 
 keepsie, N. Y., graduating therefrom in 
 1867. Returning to Toledo, he kept books 
 there three years, and then moved to his 
 present farm in Norwalk township, Huron 
 county, where he has since carried on agri- 
 culture. 
 
 In 1867 Mr. Morse married Miss Elvira 
 Smith, daughter of Joel Smith, and one 
 child has blessed their union: Mary Alice, 
 living at home. Our subject is a member 
 of and deacon in the Baptist Church. 
 
 (ILL I AM B. HOYT, a leading 
 citizen of Ridgefield township, 
 Mj' was born March 4, 1820, in St. 
 Lawrence county, N. Y., a son of 
 John and Lydia (Plyinpton) Hoyt, the 
 former of wjiom was a farmer of St. Law- 
 rence county, and moved to Jefferson 
 
 county, same State, in 1832. They were 
 married February 26, 1810, and John 
 Hoyt died February 25, 1875, Lydia Hoyt 
 on May 16, 1855. 
 
 William B. Hoyt attended the common 
 schools of St. Lawrence county, and mov- 
 ing with his parents to Jefferson county, 
 remained there until 1844. He and three 
 sisters then joined a party bound for Illi- 
 nois, and following the canal to Buffalo, 
 N. Y., there embarked for Sandusky, 
 Ohio, on the vessel " Commodore Perry." 
 While on Lake Erie a storm compelled 
 them to land at Huron, Erie Co., Ohio, 
 and some of the party having intended 
 to locate at Cook's Corners, in Huron 
 county, they took a conveyance thither. 
 They persuaded William to accompany 
 them, and finally deciding to remain there, 
 he purchased and settled on a small farm 
 in the vicinity. On December 22, 1846, lie 
 was united in marriage with Mary Ann, 
 daughter of Edward and Rachel (CooJi) 
 Williard. She was a native of Adams, 
 Jefferson Co., N. Y., and having lost her 
 parents when young, came to live with 
 relatives at Cook's Corners, Huron Co., 
 Ohio. She then became a pioneer school 
 teacher in Ridgefield and Lyme townships, 
 receiving one dollar and fifty cents per 
 week as compensation for her services, and 
 "boarded routid" among the pupils. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Hoyt began wedded life 
 on a place near Cook's Corners, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, where he remained until 1869. 
 He then purchased the fertile tract of 225 
 acres where he is now residing, and his 
 parents, coming from New York, passed 
 their last days with this son. On arriving 
 in Huron county, William B. Hoyt had no 
 property, but by hard work and much 
 expense accumulated his pre.sent fertile 
 and productive farm, which is underlaid 
 with twenty-two miles of drain tile. The 
 children born to Mr. and Mrs. William B. 
 Hoyt are: Judson W., a farmer living 
 near Bellevue; W. Julius, an agriculturist 
 of Seward county, Neb.; Charles F., a 
 farmer of Norwalk township, Huron 
 
256 
 
 IIUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 county; Hubbard W., a physiciau of 
 Belleviie; John C, a real estate dealer of 
 El Dorado, Butler Co., Ivans.; Fred B., a 
 real estate dealer of Chatidlei-, Oklahoma: 
 Arthur and Edward W., both residing with 
 their parent.s. These children have all 
 received a college education, and are prov- 
 ing themselves worthy of the exceptional 
 advantages they have enjoyed. Mr. Hojt 
 takes a pardonable pride in the fact that 
 nine Republican votes were cast at one 
 time bv his family, as he is an enthusiastic 
 member of that' party, having served in 
 numerous local offices. He and his wife 
 are members of the Congregational Church, 
 of which he is a deacon. Mrs. Hoyt was 
 a charter member of the North Monroe- 
 ville congregation. 
 
 THOMAS DUiNMOEE, a well-known 
 inventor, and prominent citizen of 
 Norwalk, was born in Birmingham, 
 England, in 1841, a son of Joseph 
 and Mary (Mason) Dunmore, both 
 natives of England, of whose family he is 
 the only surviving member. 
 
 Thomas Dunmore emigrated to this 
 country in 1861, and immediately after 
 landing entered the jVa\:y, in New York, 
 remaining in the service four years and 
 three months. He was in New Orleans 
 just after its capture, and spent some time 
 at Key West. Mr. Dunmore has traveled 
 considerably, having crossed the ocean 
 nine times. In his native land he learned 
 the plumber's trade, and after the war set- 
 tled in East Boston, whence in 1866 he 
 removed to Cleveland, Ohio, remaining 
 there until 1881, when he came to Huron 
 county for the purpose of following his 
 trade of plumber and steam-titter. He is 
 the inventor of an improved system of 
 heating and ventilating houses. He is one 
 of the largest stockholders in the Norwalk 
 Incandescent Light and Power Company, 
 of which he was one of the chief organ- 
 izers and builders, and is one of the most 
 
 enterprising citizens of his adopted town. 
 His system of heating and ventilating is 
 covered by patents, and the testimony of 
 experts from all parts of the country is to 
 the effect that it is of the highest merit — 
 as often reiterated: "the best in the 
 world.'' He is master of his business, 
 and all the important contracts in Nor- 
 walk iiave been under Lis successful man- 
 agement. 
 
 In social life Mr. Dunmore is a memi)er 
 of the I. O. O. F. and K. T., and in poli- 
 tics he is a Republioan. At Birmingliam, 
 England, he was united in marriage with 
 Elizabeth Wright, aud to them has been 
 born one son, Walter T. Our subjeet's 
 grandfather Dunmore was one of the most 
 extensive farmers in Lincolnshire, Englaiul. 
 Mrs. Dunmore's father (Philip Wright) 
 was a soldier under Wellington, and was 
 in the front ranks at the battle of Water- 
 loo; one of his sons was in the English 
 army in India, and died in hospital. He 
 had been discharged, and intended upon 
 his return to England to come to America, 
 but he died a short time after reaching his 
 native country. 
 
 FJREDEPJCK RICHARD was born 
 November 18, 1818, in Saxony, Ger- 
 _^ many, and is a son of John Richard, 
 a tanner, who in his day was a well- 
 known tradesman in the Saxon community 
 where he lived. 
 
 Frederick Richard attended school in 
 Germany, and became a fair scholar before 
 he befan to learn the tanner's trade under 
 his father. In 18-17 he emigrated to 
 America, sailing from Bremen to New 
 York. Once in this country, he waited 
 not in the city, but pushed westward to 
 Bellevue, Ohio, where he worked at his 
 trade four years. In 1853 he married Anna 
 Yeager, a native of Saxony, who came to 
 this country alone when twenty-four years 
 old, and to this marriage the following 
 named children were born: John, a tanner 
 of Monroeville; Lena, Mrs. Fred Druner, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OSlO. 
 
 257 
 
 of Toledo; Lewis and Henry, at home; 
 Tillie, Mrs. August Falirenhach, of Mon- 
 roeville; and August, residing at liome. 
 After his marriatje Mr. Richard located 
 at Monroeville, and there enoraged in the 
 tanning l)iisiness for many years, con- 
 tinuing therein until he saw the tannery, 
 which he labored so hard to establish, grow 
 into an important industry. When lie re- 
 tired to his farm, he gave the business to 
 bis son, who now carries it on with marked 
 success. Mr. Richard now devotes his en- 
 tire attention to this tract, which contains 
 165 acres. In political affairs he votes 
 with the Democratic party. In religion 
 the entire family are members of the 
 Lutheran Church. His industry is re- 
 markable. His character is well exempli- 
 fied by the fact that with very little capital 
 lie established a manufacturing enterprise 
 at Monroeville, which subsequently de- 
 veloped into a most prosperous industry. 
 
 C. POST, the well-known liveryman 
 of New London, is a native of the 
 town, born April 6, 1841. He is a 
 son of Hizah and Ro.xanna (Culver) 
 Post, both natives of Madison county, N. 
 Y., the father born in 1808, the mother in 
 1826. They were naarried in New York 
 State, and about the year 1840 came to 
 Huron county, Ohio, locating in New 
 London township, where they engaged in 
 agricultural pursuits. The mother died 
 there in 1862, and the father afterward 
 moved to Wisconsin, making his home 
 there until about 1889, when he went to 
 New York, and there passed from eartii in 
 1892. 
 
 Their son, C. C. Post, the subject proper 
 of this sketch, received a liberal education 
 at the common schools of his native town, 
 and at the early age of twelve years went 
 on the "Big Four" Railroad as water boy, 
 from which position he was promoted to 
 brakeman, and ran the first sleeping car 
 that was run from Cincinnati, Ohio, to 
 
 Pittsburgh. Not long afterward he was 
 promoted to the ])osition of traveling agent 
 for the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago 
 Railroad, with headquarters at Indianapo- 
 lis, Ind., thence moving to Chicago, having 
 been appointed city passenger agent for 
 the Pennsylvania Railroad; then became 
 ticket agent, with office at the corner of 
 Clark and Randolph streets, same city. 
 His next incumbency was a yet more re- 
 sponsible one — general travel! ncr acrent for 
 
 ' c5 4 
 
 the same Company, over the United States 
 and Canada — a position he filled with 
 characteristic ability and energy five years, 
 after which he came to New London, 
 locating on a farm with G. W. Bissell, 
 father of liis first wife, Sabra L. (Bissell), 
 who died in 1883. He then bought the 
 livery business in the town of New Lon- 
 don, which he has since successfully con- 
 ducted. Our subject by his iifter marriage 
 with Miss Ella Gates had two children: 
 Clarence and Arline. 
 
 Politically Mr. Post is a Republican; he 
 served four years on the city council of 
 New London and four years as deputy 
 sheriff of Huron county. 
 
 d[ WHITBECK FOSTER, manager of 
 the Norwalk Incandescent Light and 
 / Power Company, is a son of John 
 II. Foster, who was a native of New 
 York, and in 1834 came to Ohio. He 
 was a school teacher, afterward a stockman 
 and drover, then served in the Civil war as 
 major of the Tiiird Ohio Cavalry. On his 
 return home from the war he conducted a 
 commission establishment in Norwalk for 
 some time. He was married to Nancy M. 
 Boardman, also a native of New York. 
 The father died in 1874 (his death being 
 hastened by his wounds and exposure dur- 
 ing the war), and was followed to the grave 
 by his wife in 1886. In their family there 
 are, besides oiir subject, two sons — Frank 
 B. and William S. — and one daughter — 
 Maria Louise — all yet living. 
 
« 
 258 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 J. Whitbeck Foster was born July 25, 
 184-1:, ill Norwalk, Huron Co., Ohio. He 
 attended the liigli schools of his native 
 place, then took a two years' commercial 
 course in Brooklyn, N. Y., graduating in 
 1865. After leaving school he returned to 
 Korwalk, and entered the sewing machine 
 business in partnership witi) N.S.C. Perkins 
 and W. A. Mack, with whom lie remained 
 until the firm dissolved; then, in company 
 with N. S. C. Perkins, manufactured the 
 Queen and Dauntless sewingmachines, until 
 they too went out of business. He afterward 
 became connected with the Norwalk Light 
 and Power Co., continuing wilh them un- 
 til April, 1891, and in April, 1892, he ac- 
 cepted the management of the N(jrwalk 
 Incandescent Light and Power Company. 
 
 On October 22, 1888, Mr. Foster was 
 married to Clare A. Morehouse, who has 
 borne him one sod, Vernon W. In poli- 
 tics our subject is a Republican, and has 
 served four years as a member of the coun- 
 cil, during which time he was very active 
 in securing electric lights for the city; also 
 served on many important committees. 
 He is secretary of the National Union at 
 Norwalk, and president of the City Poard 
 of Equalization. 
 
 llltlLLTAM HIMBERGER, one of 
 \Pvt/ *'''*^ representative, pushing, wide- 
 Mi ■( fiwake business men of Norwalk, 
 junior member of the firm of 
 Smith ctHimherger, proprietors of lumber 
 yard and planing mill, was born in the 
 Province of Nassau, Prussia, November 
 23, 184-1. He is the eldest in the family 
 of eight I'hildren of William and Minnie 
 (Horn) Ilimberger, the former of whom 
 was born in Prussia in 1816, and was ac- 
 cidentally killed in 1863, while his son 
 William was serving in the Union army. 
 The widowed mother, now seventy years 
 of age, makes her home with the subject 
 of this sketch. 
 
 At the age of fourteen years William 
 Himberger came with his parents to 
 
 America, and proceeding from their place 
 of landing on these shores to Huron 
 county, Ohio, they here made a settlement, 
 farming being their occupation, in which 
 they met with well-merited success. 
 Young William, after coming here, re- 
 ceived about ninety days schooling in all 
 of three successive winters, learnincr Entr- 
 lish; German and arithmetic, in which he 
 was proficient, he had learned iti his native 
 land. In 1861 he enlisted in the Federal 
 army, in Company C, Third Ohio Cavalry, 
 in which he served sixteen months; then 
 joined the Thirty-fourth Kentucky In- 
 fantry, serving in same till the close of the 
 war, the last two years as sergeant. His 
 regiment was attached to the army of the 
 Cumberland, and the company in wliich 
 he was enrolled were for the most part of 
 the time emj)loyed in provost duty. On 
 June 21, 1865, he was mustered out at 
 Knoxville, E. Tennessee, and he received 
 his pay July 12, following, at Louisville, 
 Ky., when he returned home to the pur- 
 suits of peace. 
 
 On February 14, 1866. Mr. Himberger 
 was married to Miss Mary Iluntsdorf, a 
 native of Hessen- Darmstadt, Germany, 
 born in 1845, who came in 1853 to Amer- 
 ica and to Huron county, her English ed- 
 ucation being received in Norwalk. Four 
 children have come to bless their union, 
 viz.: Minnie, Katie, and Dora and Julia 
 (twins). In 1868 Mr. Himberger entered 
 the lumber business as yard man and 
 salesman in D. E. Morehouse's planing 
 mill and lumber yard, where he worked 
 his way up, serving some time in the 
 office, then as sui)erintendent of the plan- 
 ing mill, finally liecoming salesman, being 
 there some three and one half years in all; 
 was in Brown & Goodnow's lumber yard 
 and mill, five years; in Lawrence & Gil- 
 sons lumber yard (present location of the 
 Smith cfe Himberger yard and mill), three 
 and one half years; and August 1, 1880, 
 commenced as a member of the present 
 firm. They do an excellent trade, and en- 
 joy the fullest confidence of the people, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 259 
 
 their patronage extending far and wide. 
 The firm have twice suffered heavy loss 
 throiij^li fire, the shop having heeii Inirned 
 out March 8, 1881, loss about three thous- 
 and dollars ; and October 30, 1891, the 
 lumber yard was burned with a loss of 
 about six thousand live hundred dollars 
 over and above what was covered iiy in- 
 surance. But tlieir credit remained intact, 
 and Plifsnix-like they arose from their 
 ashes, strengthened ratlier than weakened 
 by the calamities. 
 
 In politics Mr. Iliniberger is a Demo- 
 crat, tirin and loyal, and has served as a 
 uieniber of the town council two years, and 
 as president of the same, one year, being 
 elected in a Republican ward by a major- 
 ity of over fifty votes. Socially he is a 
 member of the G. A. E., U. V. U. and 
 Knights of Pythias; in Church connection 
 he is an Episcopalian. 
 
 If If M. INGLER, general foreman in 
 
 jpH the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad 
 
 I 1 Company's shops at Chicago Junc- 
 
 ■J/ tion, is a son of Joseph and Eliza 
 
 A. (Baldwin) Ingler, natives of 
 
 Maryland and Pennsylvania, respectively. 
 
 The father was a brick manufacturer, and 
 
 carried on that industry from youth to old 
 
 age. To Joseph and Eliza A. Ingler nine 
 
 children were born — five sons and four 
 
 daughters — H. M. being the second in 
 
 order of birth. 
 
 H. M. Ingler was born December 3, 
 1828, in Columbiana county, Ohio, where 
 he received his education. At the ao-e of 
 seventeen years he was apprenticed to a 
 machinist at Steubenville, Ohio, serving a 
 full term of four years in the McDevitt 
 shops. In 1850 Mr. Ingler joined a party 
 of Argonauts, and made the journey to 
 California, where he remained four years. 
 In 1856, some two years after his return, 
 he found employment in the shops of the 
 P. C. C. & St. L. Railroad, then known as 
 the Steubenville & Indiana Railroad, at 
 
 Steubenville, and in 1857 began work in 
 the B. & O. Railroad Company's shops, at 
 Wheeling, W. Va., since which time, with 
 the exception of five months, he has Ijeen 
 continuously in their employ. He worked 
 at Wheeling (W. Va.), Bellairo and Chicago 
 Junction (Ohio) and at Garrett (Ind.). For 
 twenty years he was general foreman at 
 Bellaire, and for six months master me- 
 chanic at Garrett. In July, 1885, he 
 came to the Chicago Junction shops as 
 general foreman. 
 
 On July 20, 1854, Mr. Ingler married 
 Mary A. Burt, daugliter of Isaac Burt, at 
 Wheeling, W. Va., and to their union the 
 following named children were born: 
 George Eldorado, who was killed by a lo- 
 comotive at Bellaire, Ohio; Viola E., wife 
 of W. A. Rang, a brakeman on this divi- 
 sion of the B. & O. R. R. (she was twice 
 married, first time at Bellaire, Belmont 
 Co., Ohio, to James McGraw, who was 
 killed at Bellaire while in the service of 
 the B. & O. R. R. Company as fireman, to 
 which union was born one daughter; after 
 a widowhood of eleven years, Mrs. Mc- 
 Graw married W. A. Rang); Kate T., 
 wife of G. AV. Deyarmon, owner of a paint 
 store at Bellaire. and also a contractor; 
 Florence, who died in infancy; Martha M., 
 wife of J. L. Milligan, a shoe merchant of 
 Bellaire; Emma, wife of L. C. Hess, form- 
 erly of Wheeling, W. Va., now of Chicago 
 Junction; Josephine A., wife of Sherman 
 Williams, a farmer of Huron county, and 
 Miriam E., Bessie M., Edna R. and Hirain 
 K., residing with their parents. 
 
 During the war of the Rebellion, Mr. 
 Ingler was a strong Unionist. He en- 
 listed in the Ohio National Guard, in 
 1861, for a term of five years, and in May, 
 1864, went into the United States army, 
 One Hundred and Seventieth Regiment, 0. 
 V. I., for 100 days service; was in active 
 service in the Shenandoah Valley until 
 September 30, 1864, when he was honor- 
 ably discharged at Columbus, from which 
 point he returned to his duties with the 
 B. & O. R. R. At Bellaire he was a 
 
200 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 member of the board of Water-works trus- 
 tees for three successive terms, aud one of 
 the promoters of the water system of that 
 city. At Chica<;o Junction lie was presi- 
 dent of the school board for three years, 
 and ever a strong advocate of line school 
 buildings. Politically a Republican, he 
 has always been loyal to the party. In 
 social affairs he belongs to the Order of 
 Good Templars, to tlie I.' O. O. F., to the 
 Masonic Fraternity, and to the Ancient 
 Order of Druids. The entire family affili- 
 ate with tlie Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 
 II. JACOBS. This well-known 
 citizen of Norwalk traces his an- 
 cestry through the dim vistas of 
 many years to a Frenchman of 
 the family name, who immigrated to Ver- 
 mont in early Colonial days. His son, 
 John W. Jacobs, who was born in Ver- 
 mont, fought under Gen. Putnam at Buu- 
 ker Hill, and was present during the sur- 
 render of Cornwallis at Yorktown. 
 
 His Son, Gustavus, was born in 1792, 
 in Middlebury, Vt., and in 1818 was united 
 in marriage with Harriet Perkins, a native 
 of the same place. They removed to a 
 farm in the New York colony, where he 
 died at the age of eighty-five years. They 
 were the parents of nine childi-en — seven 
 sous and two daughters — of which family 
 Henry was killed in the Civil war, and six 
 are yet living. The parents were members 
 of the M. E. Church. 
 
 Gustavus Jacobs, son of Gustavus and 
 Harriet (Perkins) Jacobs, was born, in 
 1828, in "Wyoming county, N. Y., where 
 bis youth was passed. He learned and 
 followed the boat-builder's trade in con- 
 nection with the lumber business, and 
 came to Huron county, Ohio, in 1863. 
 He was married to Sarah A. Roth, who 
 was born March 24, 1831, in Seneca Falls, 
 N. Y., a daughter of Jacob Roth, and 
 grandchild of Casper Roth, whose parents 
 were natives of Germany. Casper Roth 
 
 served throughout the Revolution, having 
 fought at Valley Forge, taking part also 
 in the battle of Eutaw Springs, and was 
 present at the surrender of Lord Corn- 
 wallis. His son Jacob was born in 1798, 
 in Pennsylvania, and was married to Cath- 
 erine McBeth. He was a soldier in the 
 war of 1812, and fought at Lundy's Lane. 
 After the war most of his life was spent 
 in New York, where he died at the age of 
 seventy-uine years. Gustavus and Sarah 
 A. Jacobs have passed their wedded life 
 in Huron county, Ohio, where he has ac- 
 cumulated a large fortune, aud is now 
 conducting a sawmill at Norwalk. 
 
 W. II. Jacobs, a son of Gustavus and 
 Sarah A. (Roth) Jacobs, was born in 1862, 
 in Norwalk, Ohio. lie attended the gram 
 mar school and high school of his native 
 place, and since his eighteenth year has 
 followed carpentry and contracting. He 
 and George Stewart have conducted a ijen- 
 eral business in that line under the firm 
 name of Stewart & Jacobs, for about one 
 year and a half. They engaged in all 
 classes of contract work, including paving, 
 the laying of sidewalks and water pipes, 
 and employing about twenty-eight men. 
 W. H. Jacobs is also interested in a saw- 
 mill. He was married to Miss Nettie 
 Hamilton, a native of Pennsylvania, who 
 has borne him one daughter — Maude — and 
 one son — Gustavus. In political opinion 
 Mr. Jacobs is a stanch Republican, and he 
 and his wife are members of the Congre- 
 gational Church. 
 
 FRANCIS B. CROSBY (deceased) 
 was a son of William Crosby, who 
 ^ settled iu Huron county, Ohio, at an 
 early day, but subsequently moved 
 to Kansas. William was born in Adams 
 county. N. Y. His first wife was Eliza 
 Stilwell, and for his second wife he married 
 Eliza Starkey, who accompanied her hus- 
 band to Huron county. 
 
 Francis B. Crosby was born September 
 16, 1833, in Ridgetield township. Huron 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 261 
 
 Co., Ohio, where he received a primary 
 education in the school of tiie district, and 
 sniisequently worked on the home farm. 
 On December 21, 1855, he married Ade- 
 line Franklin, who was born August 22, 
 1830, in Onondaga county, N. Y., and 
 tiieir cliildreii were as follows: Alice O., 
 married to Jolin Boweu, a farmer of 
 Greenfield township; William F. and Al- 
 bert W., residing at liome. The parents 
 of Mrs. Adeline Crosby were Reuben and 
 Tlhoda (Nobles) Franklin, wlio settled in 
 Eiclimond township, Huron county, at an 
 early day. Mrs. Franklin died in 1839, 
 Mr. Franklin in 1840. From the death 
 of her parents to the time of lier marriage 
 Adeline resided with her sister, Mrs. Rufus 
 Atherton. After marriage Francis B. and 
 Adeline Crosby made their home on the 
 William Crosljy homestead, which they 
 purchased, and where he resided until his 
 sudden death, April 1, 1880. After his 
 death the widow assumed charge of affairs, 
 and managed the farm and other interests 
 with consummate ability, until the legal 
 division of the estate. From 1880 to this 
 time Mrs. Crosby has lived in her present 
 home. She is a member of the Baptist 
 Church, and she and her children hold a 
 high place in the estimation of the people. 
 Mr. Crosby was a lifelong farmer and 
 stock-grower, and built up a valuable es- 
 tate by industry and attention to details. 
 Politically he was a Republican, and in 
 religion a Baptist. 
 
 rE. WILCOX, who was born Decem- 
 ber 4, 1843, in Peru township, is a 
 ^ grandson of Daniel Wilco.x. Asahel 
 Wilcox, father of subject, was born 
 September 2, 1805, at Gorham, Ontario 
 Co., N. Y., and migrated to Ohio in 1820. 
 On March 28, 1832, he married Emily 
 Adams, and they located in Peru town- 
 ship, Huron county, where, with the ex- 
 ception of a short time passed in Crawford 
 county, Ohio, he resided until his death, 
 
 which occurred during the cholera epi- 
 demic of 1849. His widow lives with 
 her son, F. E. Wilcox, on the home farm. 
 Mrs. Emily Adams Wilcox was born 
 September 27, 1814, at Kowe, Franklin 
 Co., Mass.; iier father, Henry Adams, was 
 born in 1790 in Marlboro town, ""tVindham 
 Co., Vt., and was, while still a youth, a 
 school teacher in that place. On October 
 14, 1813, he married Annis, daughter of 
 Simeon Barr, who was also born at Rowe, 
 Mass., and a year later set out for that por- 
 tion of Ohio known as the "Firelands," 
 leaving his young wife and infant daugter 
 Emily at Rowe, until he could prepare a 
 home for them in tlie wildnerness. He 
 took with liiiu, on this long journey, a 
 load of tinware, which he sold on his ar- 
 rival in Cleveland, and then proceeded to 
 what is now Peru township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, where he laid the foundation of liis 
 western home on a part of the farm now 
 occupied by his grandson, F. E. Wilcox, 
 and was tlie earliest pioneer of this divi- 
 sion of Huron county. Some time later 
 his wife and child and a party of relatives 
 arrived. Tiiey journeyed on a wagon 
 from Massachusetts to Buffalo, N. Y., 
 where the team "gave out," compelling 
 the young mother and the adults of the 
 
 ?arty to walk to the Adams settlement in 
 'eru. The original home was constructed 
 with poles and bark, but later a substantial 
 log cabin was built, near the site of the 
 present Wilcox residence. The children 
 born to Henry and Annis (Barr) Adams 
 were Emily, who married Asahel Wilcox; 
 Caroline, born in Peru townshijj February 
 27, 1818, married S. D. Seymour, and died 
 in Taylor county, Tex.; Levi, born De- 
 cember 27, 1820, died when seven months 
 old; Simeon F., born October 28, 1821, 
 died in infancy; Franklin L. C, born June 
 5, 1823, died in 1840; Jane, born April (1, 
 1S25, married Eliplialet Adams, and died 
 at Norwalk, Huron county; Levi, born 
 July 20, 1827, died in 1829; and Alonzo 
 and Melissa (twins), !)orn April 15, 1830, 
 the former of whom died May 29, 1865. 
 
262 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Mr. Adams resided here iiiitil his death 
 from paralysis, May 24, 1881. He settled 
 in the forest when there was only one 
 house at Norwalk and one at Sandusky, 
 endni'ed all the trials and privations com- 
 mon to the pioneer, and yet, beyond the 
 ordinary "chills and fever" which attacked 
 strong and weak without distinction, lie 
 never suffered from illness until paralysis 
 came to carry him off. He was not only 
 a pioneer in natne but also in fact. He 
 encouraged improvements in agricultural 
 methods, and was the first to introduce 
 mowers, reapers and other implements of 
 husT)andry into Peru township. He set out 
 the first seed for fruit trees, ordering the 
 seeds from Vermont. A consignment of 
 seeds went down in Lake Erie with the 
 vessel on which they were shipped, but a 
 day later the wreckers rescued the freight 
 and everything which escaped dissolution 
 in the waters was sent to its destination. 
 From a bag of seeds recovered at that 
 time, the fruit trees on the present Wilcox 
 farm sprung. Mr. Adams was a Demo- 
 crat in early years; but about 1856 he 
 joined the Whig party, and afterwai-d be- 
 came a strong Abolitionist. He was a 
 conductor on the "Underground Kailroad,'' 
 and had his own depot for concealing 
 refugee slaves. He taught the first school 
 in Peru township, assembling the pupils 
 in his own log cabin. He was one of 
 the earliest adherents of Methodism, and 
 helped to establish and sustain the house 
 of worship in Peru village, from 1824 
 until he joined the new denomination, in 
 which he remained to the period of hie 
 death. 
 
 F. E. Wilcox, whose name appears at 
 the head of this sketch, received his pri- 
 mary education in the schools of Peru 
 township. When he was six years old his 
 father died, and the lad was reared at the 
 home of his grandfather. On November 
 6, 1873, he married Dorcas A. Perry, who 
 was born October 15, 1848, in Peru town- 
 ship, a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth 
 (Tillson) Perry. The children born to this 
 
 marriage are named as follows: Frank T., 
 born September 9, 1874; Charles N., born 
 October 6, 1876; John N., born January 
 27, 1879; Perry E., born March 3, 1881 
 (died August 5, 1882); Fred E., born Feb- 
 ruary 27, 1883; Bert O., born March 14, 
 188o, and Fanny E., born April 17, 1887. 
 Since 1849 Mr. AYilcox has lived on the 
 old Adams homestead, giving close atten- 
 tion to agricultural affairs. Politically he 
 is Republican, and is actively interested in 
 the success of his party. In church con- 
 nection he is a leading member and officer 
 in the Methodist Episcopal Society, in 
 which he is class-leader, steward and 
 trustee. A descendant of the pioneers of 
 Peru township, and successful in all his 
 undertakings, he is a man of influence 
 here, one whose good citizenship has never 
 been questioned in any particular. He is 
 a great reader, and is thoroughly posted 
 on all matters relating to the United States. 
 
 \ILLIAM T. SMITH, one of the 
 
 leading farmers of Greenwich 
 
 township, and the most popular 
 
 of all the old residents, was born 
 
 June 17, 1823, in Cayuga county. New 
 
 York. 
 
 Willis R. Smith, his father, was the son 
 of Daniel Smith, of Westchester county, 
 N, Y., and himself was a native of that 
 county. AVhen a young man he married 
 Ann Underbill, also a native of West- 
 chester, and shortly after marriage re- 
 moved to Cayuga county, N. Y. There 
 the following named children were horn to 
 theni: Alfred, who died in his twelfth 
 year in Huron county, Ohio; Phcebe, never 
 married, who died when fifty years old; 
 Daniel, a farmer of Greenwich township, 
 died here, aged sixty-five; Amelia, residing 
 in Greenwich township; and William T., 
 the subject of this sketch. On May 6,1824, 
 Mr. Smith and his family arrived in Green- 
 wich township. He had been a school 
 teacher in New York, where he graduated 
 
HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 263 
 
 from a college, which profession he fol- 
 lowed after settling here, and from his 
 small earnings saved enough to purchase 
 one hundred acres of land. The condition 
 of iiis health permitted him to do but lit- 
 tle work on the farm, and this resulted in 
 his giving closer attention to school inter- 
 ests. Satisfactory to himself, his services 
 were most beneficial to the community, for 
 boys who became distinguished men re- 
 ceived their lessons in reading, arithmetic 
 and penmanship from this pioneer teacher. 
 In Huron county an addition of three 
 cliihlren was made to the family: Sarah, 
 living in Greeuwicli township; Mary, wife 
 of Edward Golden, of Ripley township, 
 and Ann, residing in her native township. 
 The father died on the original farm in 
 1871, the mother in 187-1:." They were 
 members of the Friends Church in which 
 Mr. Smith was a minister, and they were 
 buried in the Friends cemetery. He was 
 a mathematician of some note, and was as 
 well educated as any of his comtempo- 
 aries in the county. 
 
 William T. Smith was less than eleven 
 months old when his parents brought him 
 to Huron county. He received an ele- 
 mentary education here, and at the age of 
 twenty-two years began the carpenter's 
 trade under Marvin Atwater. Subse(]uently 
 the relation between employer and em- 
 ploye was reversed, and the former em- 
 ployer became an employe of Mr. Smith. 
 In 1855 Wm. T. Smith married Asenath 
 Rosco, who was born in 1831 in Green- 
 wich township, and to them came the fol- 
 lowing named cliildren: Charity, wife of 
 Wm. A White, of Colfax, Wash.; Celia, a 
 recorded minister of Friends living in 
 Dodson, Ohio, wife of Eugene P. Rollman; 
 Yana, who died December 3, 1890, at 
 Colfax, Wash., where she was teaching 
 school, and was buried in the Friends 
 cemetery in Greenwich township; AlvaR., 
 residing in Nebraska; Willis J., a farmer 
 of Greenwich township; Huron county; 
 Linna, residing at home, and baby (iarland, 
 who died July 2, 187-1. 
 
 After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Smith 
 located on the present farm, which was 
 purchased with money saved from Mr. 
 Sniitii's earnings. For over forty years lie 
 has followed agriculture in connection 
 with the carpenter's trade. In 1889, he 
 set out on a western tour, going by the North- 
 ern Pacific route, and returning by the 
 Union Pacific Railroad, making sliort stays 
 in the cities along each route, and on the 
 the Pacific slope. In 1892 he undertook 
 an eastern trip, but the condition of liis 
 health urged him to return shortly after 
 his arrival in New York City. His trade 
 has proven very useful in the successful 
 life of this pioneer, for his residence and 
 large barn are specimens of his own work. 
 Out of the wilderness he carved a fine 
 farm, and placed thereon costly improve- 
 ments. Politically he is a Prohibitionist, 
 having left the Republican party. He 
 took an earnest, active part in in the Pro- 
 hibition movement, and yet devotes consid- 
 erable attention toward developing the 
 idea. The family, religiously, are all 
 members of the Friends Church. [Since 
 the above was written, William T. Smith, 
 at the age of sixty-nine years ten months 
 twenty-three days, passed from earth May 
 10, 1893, after a short sickness, the im- 
 mediate cause of iiis death being dropsy of 
 the heart. Although his sufferings were 
 intense, yet he was always cheerful, and 
 often spoke edifying words about heaven 
 to the many who came to see him. He 
 dearly loved his family; yet toward the 
 last he had intense longing to depart and 
 be with Christ. The morning lie died, he 
 took his wife by the hand, and sweetly 
 commended her and the cliildren into the 
 loving care of the Heavenly Father. He 
 was buried in the Friends cemetery. 
 
 H ARIES HOMER FISH, one of 
 
 the progressive agriculturists of 
 
 Ridgelield township, is a son of 
 
 Sydney D., whose parents were John 
 
 and Lydia (Van Schoy) P^ish. 
 
264 
 
 nuRoyr county, ohio. 
 
 Sydney' D. Fish was born November 28, 
 18iy, in Licking county, Ohio, and wlien 
 three years of age came with his parents 
 to Huron county, Ohio. He there pre- 
 pared for school teaching, following that 
 vocation for some time, and then clerked 
 several years for Parkins & HoUister, of 
 Monroeville. In 1846 he married Harriet 
 Sherman, who was born April 4, 1825, on 
 the farm in Ridgetield township where she 
 died; she was a daughter of Daniel and 
 Laura (Hubbell) Sherman. Sydney D. 
 Fish built a tirst-class grain elevator at 
 Monroeville, in partnership with Mr. Sar- 
 gent, the firm name being Fish & Sargent. 
 In 1874 Fish & Sargent sold their interest 
 to Fish ct Hill, the former of whom is a 
 brother to Sydney D. Fish, and the busi- 
 ness has since prospered under the skillful 
 management of Mr. Fish. In 1866 he 
 moved to the farm, located one and one 
 half miles north of Monroeville, and con- 
 ducted the place in addition to the man- 
 agement of the grain elevator. During 
 the later years of his life he retired to the 
 farm with a comfortable competence, 
 which had been acquired by years of self 
 sacrificing industry. He was very popular 
 in social life, and in politics lirst voted 
 with the Whigs, afterward uniting with 
 the Republicans. He died September 4, 
 1887, followed by his wife October 22, 
 1890, who was a member of the Presby- 
 terian Church. Their children were as 
 follows: George S., a farmer of Ridge- 
 field township; Rozene, widow of R. G. 
 Miller; Allen, deceased at the age of four- 
 teen years; Laura J., wife of D. II. Drake, 
 of Kendallville, Ind., and Charles Homer, 
 whose name opens this sketch. 
 
 Charles Homer Fish was born Novem- 
 ber 9, 1859, in Monroeville, Ridgefield 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio. He grew to 
 manhood on the home farm, receiving a 
 common-school education, and in 1882 
 went to Mapleton, N. D., where he con- 
 ducted a hardware and lumber business for 
 four years. He then returned home, and 
 on December 21, 1886, was united in mar- 
 
 riage with Edna J. Van Horn, a native of 
 Monroeville and daughter of William H. 
 Van Horn. Since their marriage Mr. and 
 Mrs. Fish have resided on their present 
 farm, where he follows general agriculture 
 and stock raising, owning some very fine 
 Jersey cattle. He is an energetic farmer, 
 whose success is but the merited reward of 
 thrifty enterprise. In politics Mr. Fish 
 votes with the Republican party. Three 
 children have comjileted the family circle, 
 namely: Eugene. William and an infant 
 daughter named Clara. 
 
 Tp'J J. PEAT. Among the successful 
 Ip business men of Norwalk, this gen- 
 11.^1 tleman holds an enviable position 
 from many points of view. Sur- 
 rounded by a wealth of bud and blossom, 
 whose sweet perfumes fill all the air with 
 fragrance, his hands are busied with deftly 
 arranging and caring for the fragile plants. 
 While others wage fierce battle in the 
 political arena or wear out their lives 
 in dingy shops and crowded factories, he 
 ministers to the hunger of the human soul 
 for beauty and refinement. A pleasant 
 task, and one which ennobles all who share 
 its privileges. However humble a home 
 may be, when we see a little flower treas- 
 ured by the inmates, we recognize a kin- 
 dred feeling which softens the hardest 
 hearts, and so is this true of many homes. 
 Norwalk may well be proud to know that 
 a florist prospers within her limits, for no 
 surer test is possible of the culture and 
 innate refinement of her people. As the 
 missionaries in hostile, savage lands wel- 
 comed the rising spire of the Christian 
 church, and knew that they were among 
 friends, so the traveler who passes from 
 town to town welcomes the pure, sweet 
 flowers as tokens of a kindred sympathy 
 with nature. 
 
 E. J. Peat is a son of Edwin Peat, and 
 was born September 21, 1862, in Birming- 
 hauj, England. He came with his father 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 265 
 
 to America, and they first settled in Mon- 
 roeville, Huron Co., Ohio, where E. J. 
 remained until about eight years of age. 
 Tliey afterward moved to Toledti, Ohio, 
 remaining there two or three years, then 
 passed one year in Wauseon, finally set- 
 tling in Norwalk, Ohio, vvliere he attended 
 the public, schools. He was united in 
 marriage with Miss Katie Bepply, who has 
 borne him one son, Roy. In 1882 E. 
 J. Peat established his present business as 
 a florist, on a place then located two miles 
 from the center of the city, just outside 
 the corporation. He deals in cut iiowers, 
 and carries on a prosperous business both 
 in Erie and Huron counties. His father 
 is yet living, but the mother passed away 
 some years ago. 
 
 ffjf P. KOHLMYER, secretary of the 
 NH Metal Spinning and Stamping Com- 
 I 11 pany, Norwalk, is a native of that 
 •JJ city, born November 21, 1858, 
 
 near the spot where he now resides. 
 He is the eldest son in a family of six 
 children born to John H. and Gertrude 
 (Klegg) Kohlmyer, the former a native of 
 Germany, a tinner i)y trade, who came to 
 America in early manhood. He married 
 after coming to this country, reared a re- 
 spectable family, and by his thrift and 
 energy was enabled to surround his chil- 
 dren with the comforts and advantages of 
 the times. He and his family are resi- 
 dents of Norwalk. 
 
 H. P. Kohlmyer attended the public 
 schools of Norvvalk, and when well 
 grounded in the fundamentals of a busi- 
 ness education he learned the tinner's 
 trade under his father. After this he en- 
 tered a hardware store as clerk, in which 
 line he opened out on his own account in 
 1882. In 1890 he had succeeded in draw- 
 ing the attention of others to the impor- 
 tance of a new process of manufacturing 
 tin and other ware, and they organized the 
 Norwalk Metal Spinning and Stamping 
 'Company, capital stock twenty thousand 
 
 dollars, Mr. Kohlmyer taking seven thou- 
 sand dollars. The works were built, were 
 soon in running order, and had been in 
 operation about four weeks when they ac- 
 cidently caught fire and burned to the 
 ground. But by Decenil)er lii, 1891, the 
 plant was rebuilt, and the works were not 
 only running, but ready to make a ship- 
 ment of goods on that day. There are but 
 three metal stamping concerns in the 
 United States, and this is the only one 
 that makes the metal spun goods in nickel; 
 thus the products go upon the world's 
 markets, practically without competition, 
 the demand for them all continually out- 
 running the capacity of the works. Their 
 stamp to make tea-kettles, etc., weighs over 
 twenty thousand pounds; all tlieir machin- 
 ery is of the latest improved make, and 
 complete in every department. The fac- 
 tory in Norwalk is one of the institutions 
 in which the people take great pride, and 
 its existence is largely due to the untiriiio- 
 energy and intelligent persistence of the 
 gentleman whose name introduces this 
 sketch. 
 
 H. P. Kohlmyer and Emma P^ox, of 
 Toledo, Ohio, were united in the bonds of 
 matrimony, December 22, 1880, and to 
 them have come three children: Justice, 
 Cornelius and Adolph. Socially our sub- 
 ject is a member of the K. of P.; the 
 family worship at the Lutheran Church. 
 
 E 
 
 C. MORRILL, M. D. In the 
 
 practice of homeopathy, this gcn- 
 tleman is one of the oldest and best- 
 known physicians in the city of 
 Norwalk. He was born in Cuyahoga 
 county, Ohio, in 1842, a son of Dr. Charles 
 and , I uilith (Cate) Morrill, both of whom 
 were natives of New Hampshire. 
 
 Charles ilorrill graduated from an allo- 
 pathic college of medicine in Cleveland, 
 and after considerable practice elsewhere 
 located in that city, wiiere he passed from 
 earth in 1892. at the age of seventy-two. 
 
-'06 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 He was in continuous practice until that 
 time, having made sick calls the day 
 before his death. 
 
 E. C. ^[I'lrill was educated at Oberlin 
 College, and in 1862 left this school to 
 join the Union army. He enlisted in 
 Company C, Eighty-eighth O. V. I., and 
 during his four months term of enlistment 
 was at the front in Kentucky, after which 
 he, with his command, was mustered out 
 of the service. In 1864 he re-enlisted, in 
 the One Hundred and Sixty-sixth Regi- 
 ment Ohio State Militia, and was with 
 tiie army in defense of the city of Wash- 
 ington during this enlistment. On leav- 
 ing the service he resumed the study of 
 medicine, which had been interrupted by 
 his last enlistment, and after a thorough 
 preparation under a private tutor, entered 
 as student the Cleveland Homeopathic 
 College, where he was graduated in the 
 class of 1866. He at once engaged in the 
 practice of his profession at Kent, Portage 
 county, where he remained four years, 
 after which he located in Nor walk, where 
 he soon became one of the leading practi- 
 tioners. His lite has been that of a dili- 
 gent student of books and men, and his 
 many friends testify to his genial and 
 sunny disposition. 
 
 On July 17, 1872, Dr. Morrill was 
 mai'ried in Cincinnati to Miss Martha 
 Moore, by which union there were four 
 children, viz.: Alma Rebecca, born March 
 21, 1873; Charles, born September 27, 
 1877, died June 29, 18U0; Dee, born 
 January 21, 1879; and Judith Anna, born 
 February 21, 1883. 
 
 WILLIAM E. GILL, M. D., a well- 
 known homeopathic physician and 
 surgeon of Norwalk, is a native 
 of Huron county, Ohio, born in 
 1854. He is a son of Edward and Esther 
 (Young) Gill, the latter of whoju was a 
 descendant of a family who were early 
 settlers in Ohio. 
 
 William E. Gill received bis education 
 at the public schools of Norwalk, and after 
 linishing a course in the hio;h school be- 
 came a student at the Ohio State Univer- 
 ity. He then commenced a course of 
 medicine, reading for a time under a pri- 
 vate preceptor, and afterward entering the 
 Cincinnati Homeopathic School of Medi- 
 cine. He was graduated at a medical 
 college, in the class of 1877, and immedi- 
 ately returned to Xorwalk, where he 
 opened an othce, rapidly acquiring a lucra- 
 tive practice; he is still actively engaged 
 in the duties of his profession. He mar- 
 ried Sarah Kline. 
 
 MARVIN HIBBARD, practical 
 farmer in Fitchville township 
 _| from September, 1854, till his 
 JfJ death, November 4, 1879, was 
 
 born on a farm in Mansfield, 
 Windham Co., Conn., August 25, 1797. 
 
 Little is knowM) of his father, Andrew 
 Hibbard, save that he served honorably as 
 a company officer during the Revolution- 
 ary war; that he was married twice, and 
 reared seven children, two by his first wife 
 — a son (the late Gen. Daniel F. Hibbard, 
 of Mansfield, who died March 19, 1880, at 
 the advanced age of ninety-five years), and 
 a daughter (Betsey, Mrs. Park, formerly 
 of Canterbury). The other children were 
 John Loomis and William, who became 
 farmers in Cortland county, N. Y. ; Mar- 
 vin, the leading subject of this sketch; and 
 Burnham, who settled in Oneida county, 
 N. Y., but owned several canal boats for 
 years running from Cleveland to the Ohio 
 river. The daughter married Anthony 
 Weaver, of Tolland, where they lived and 
 died, leaving a numerous family. One of 
 the sons, W. A. Weaver, has had residence 
 in Fitchville township, Huron county, now 
 more than twenty-live years. 
 
 The remembrance of the familj' is that 
 Francis Hibbard, the Revolutionary sol- 
 dier and patriot, died, having fallen from a 
 load of hay, when his son Marvin was six 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 267 
 
 years old. This affliction caused tlie family 
 to 1)6 dispersed, and Marvin was appren- 
 ticed to a farmer and shoemaker in Hamp- 
 ton, who was a relation of the family. 
 Making shoes not a<i;reeing with his 
 health, he turned his attention to out-door 
 work. He beecan life for himself as a 
 hired man on the farm in this section of 
 the country. When he was twenty-nine 
 he had accumulated about six hnndi-ed 
 dollars, working for five to nine dollars per 
 month winters and summers. As the story 
 goes, he jilanned to go West to " Holland 
 Purchase," in New York, and buy a farm, 
 but while visiting an aunt in Randolph, 
 Vt., he purchased a farm and made ar- 
 rangements to improve it. Returning to 
 Connecticut, he married, August 29, 1826, 
 Zilpha Robbins, who was born September 
 2, l!i02, near Westford. Purchasing a 
 liorse, a yoke of o.xen and an ox cart for 
 conveyance, they immediately mia;rated to 
 their new home, 150 miles to the north. 
 The farm was in a bad condition, some of 
 it being so stony and covered with briars 
 and hedge trees that a townsman claimed 
 it was not worth a cent an acre. Yet this 
 land was reclaimed and became very pro- 
 ductire. While residing here twenty- 
 eight jeaj-s, nine children were born to 
 them, but six of them died very young, 
 the oldest dying when about eighteen 
 mouths old. The third child, Andrew 
 Chirk, born September 17, 1829, received 
 a good academical education at the Orange 
 County Grammar School, at Randolph. 
 He wa? teacher several terms in Vermont, 
 also in Fitchville, Ohio. In early life he 
 was engaged, on account of impaired 
 healtii, in the sale of sewing machines and 
 musical instruments. He is now a farmer 
 in Fitchville. He married November 12, 
 18<)2, Sarah Augusta Palmer, daughter of 
 the late Linus Palmer. They liave three 
 children: Edith May, Clarence Worden, 
 and Oramel Ernest, all living. 
 
 The fourth child. Albert Keyes (born 
 l^farch 15, 1881), received an education at 
 the before-mentioned grammar school, 
 
 and became a mechanic, and has excelled 
 in the manufacture of pianos and organs, 
 also as an inventor in his business. He 
 has been since 1854 connected with, and a 
 member of, the Mason & Hamlin Piano 
 and Organ Company, Boston. He has 
 had three children, two living at the pre- 
 sent time. 
 
 The ninth or youngest child, John 
 Loorais (born August 25, 1842), came 
 with the family to Ohio in September, 
 1854. It appears that in the spring of 
 that year, having sold his farm in Ver- 
 mont, Marvin Hibbard determined to go 
 west. He visited Huron county, Ohio, 
 and purchased a farm in Fitchville. The 
 price paid was thirty- two dollars and fifty 
 cents per acre, including personal property 
 valued at about two liundred and fifty 
 dollars. In this place he was engaged in 
 agriculture until his death, November 4, 
 1879. His widow died JIarch 10, 1884. 
 They were buried in the beautiful ceme- 
 tery in Fitchville, where a suitable monu- 
 ment is erected to their memory. They 
 were successful in the business of farming. 
 In politics he was a Republican. In re- 
 ligion they adhered in early life to the 
 doctrines of the Christian Church, but 
 later they were connected with the Advent 
 Christian Church, in which faith they 
 died. It is just to say that ^[arvin Hib- 
 bard was a ina!) of strong, quick impulses, 
 and of good integrity, while ^Irs. Hibbard 
 excelled as an economist, and she con- 
 stantly tangiit the art of living in her 
 family. 
 
 According to the family arrangement, 
 Joiin L. svas manager after 1802, and finally 
 came in possession of the home estate. 
 In the spring of 18G4 he enlisted in the 
 One Hundred and Sixty-Sixth O. V. I., 
 Coin[)any C; on May 15 proceeded to 
 Virginia with the command, and partici- 
 pated in the defense of Washington, as 
 one of the hundred days men of Oiiio, 
 until September 9, 1864* 
 
 On November 12, 1868, he married 
 Sarah Jane Hartman, wlio was born in 
 
208 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Carroll county, Ohio, in 1841, daughter of 
 Creorge W. Ilartman, a native of that 
 county, who moved to Fitchville, where he 
 died. There are six children, as follows: 
 George Marvin, now with his uncle Albert, 
 in Boston; Ora V.; Milo E.; Albert K., 
 and Alton L. and Alta J. (twins), all 
 living. Mr. Hibbard was executor and 
 administrator of the estates of his father 
 and his wife's father, respectively. In 
 political affairs he has been a Prohibition- 
 ist since 1884, having formerly been a 
 Republican, and he has held various town- 
 ship offices. In church connection he is 
 a Congregationalist, and has taken a very 
 active part in church work. Mrs. Hib- 
 bard is a Seventh Day Adventist. 
 
 As an agriculturist Mr. Hibbard takes 
 pains to increase the fertility of the soil; 
 he likes, too, to raise improved stock of all 
 kinds. Although he deals sometimes in 
 horses, he has several now on hand, direct 
 descendants of the " Morgan " mare bonght 
 by his father over sixty years ago. l^or 
 has he failed to pay considerable attention 
 to horticulture. 
 
 JAY F. LANING, the subject of this 
 sketch, is a son of John and Caroline 
 Laning, both early settlers of New 
 London, Huron Co., Ohio, the former 
 of whom was born in Middlesex county, 
 X. J., in 1819, his ancestors having set- 
 tled in that locality some time prior to the 
 Ilevolution. 
 
 John Laning came to New London in 
 1844. where he resided until his death, 
 which occurred September 24, 1887. His 
 wife was Caroline Wood, daughter of Gil- 
 bert and Sally Wood, wht> removed from 
 Putnam county, N. Y., to New London 
 township, in 1832. John and Caroline 
 Laning were the parents of three children, 
 two daughters — Sarah A. (now Mrs. Will- 
 iam Molsher) and Adilla E. (now Mrs. C. 
 B. Post), both residing at New London — 
 and one son — Jay Ford Laning, now resid- 
 ing at Norwalk, in the same county. 
 
 Jay F. Laning was born at New London, 
 May 15, 1858. He gained such an edu- 
 cation as could be obtained at the common 
 schools of his l)irthplace, by a short course 
 of study at an academy, and by self-culture 
 through reading and study at home. From 
 the age of fifteen to that of twenty-one his 
 time was spent in teaching school and at 
 manual labor. AYhatever spare hours he 
 had were devoted to tlic study of law, and 
 ho was admitted to the bar in 1875, enter- 
 ing upon the practice at his native place. 
 He followed this profession successfully 
 for eight years. During this period, what 
 would have otherwise been spare time was 
 spent in developing ideas which became 
 the foundation of the business in which 
 our subject subsequently engaged. 
 
 In 1882 he moved to Norwalk, from 
 which time he gradually abandoned his 
 law practice, and established the publish- 
 ing house with which he is now connected. 
 By energy, pluck, tact, bard work and 
 close attention, lie made the business grow 
 with rapidity from a very humble begin- 
 ning to one of widespread and extensive 
 patronage. Important among tlie publi- 
 cations of which he is the author are a 
 system of labor-saving books and devices 
 for facilitating tiie conduct of agricultural 
 fairs — a knowledge of which he gained 
 while acting as the secretary of the organ- 
 ization at New London — and a line of 
 school supplies embracing several educa- 
 tional books, the outgrowth of his experi- 
 ence as an educator. His knowledge of 
 the law has enabled him to prepare, also, 
 sevei'al useful legal books and forms which 
 have had an extensive sale. He is an 
 ardent Republican, and has always taken 
 an active part in local political work, 
 representing his ward for four years in the 
 city council. At the election of 1893 he 
 was elected as Senator to repre.=ent the 
 Thirtieth District, composed of Erie, 
 Huron, Sandusky and Ottawa counties, 
 in the General Assembly of the State. 
 He has also been actively interested in 
 all enterprises tending to the industrial 
 
cJ. r. LANING. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 271 
 
 or coiniaercial advancement of the city. 
 In 1875 Mr. leaning was married to 
 Caroline E. Sheldon, youngest daughter of 
 Hufus and Mary Sheldon, for many years 
 residents of Greenwich township, Huron 
 county, and the fruits of tliis union are 
 five children, viz.: Ford H., Joanna P., 
 John J., Mary G-. and Sheldon. 
 
 QEORGE L. GUILDS (deceased), son 
 , of Charles Childs, was born May 18, 
 1826, at Teinpleton, Mass., where 
 , I he passed his childhood. Charles 
 Childs was a cooper at Teinpleton, 
 Mass., until the reports of the development 
 of Ohio urcred him to move westward and 
 share in the work of building up tlie State. 
 
 About 1834 the family set out on the 
 journey to the "Fireiands," arrived in Hu- 
 ron county, and located at Greenfield, where 
 he carried on his trade in connection with 
 farming. For a numijerof years he operated 
 a chair factory at Greenheld, and was suc- 
 cessful in all his undertakings. Some years 
 prior to leaving Massachusetts he married 
 Roena Baker, and to this union four chil- 
 dren were born, namely: Otis, George L., 
 Thomas and Frank. The mother of these 
 children died in 1832, and the same year 
 the father married Ilepsey Baird, to whom 
 eight children were born, namely: Roena, 
 James, Calvin, John, Mary, Delia, Cynthia 
 and Marcius. The father died in 1875. 
 
 George L. Childs accompanied his father 
 to Huron county in 1834. The change 
 from Templeton was a radical one for the 
 boy, for he was transferred suddenly from 
 a town, where he had never seen a cow, to 
 a wilderness where the bear, wolf and deer 
 abounded. His youth was passed in the 
 manner common to pioneer boys, attending 
 winter >chool and working on the home 
 farm. Later he learned the tinner's trade, 
 and worked at same for two years at Ply- 
 mouth, Ohio, but returning to the farm he 
 labored there for one year. He tlien bought 
 an interest in the ciiair factory at Green- 
 
 field, and held that for about two years, or 
 until he lost the amount he had invested 
 in that industry. Purchasing three and a 
 half acres of land and the little log cabin 
 thereon, he engaged in farmitig for his own 
 account, and two years later bought a tract 
 of eight acres with a better house, to which 
 lie added twenty acres, and on which he 
 resided fourteen years. Movincr to Xew 
 Haven township he hought a farm of 160 
 acres, resided thereon for two years, and 
 next settled on a tract of a little over 100 
 acres in Ripley township, the boundaries 
 of which he extended until he had a beau- 
 tiful farm of 399 acres. In 1847 he was 
 married to Miss Ann M. Miller, daughter 
 of William Miller, who was a son of John 
 ]\[iller, of Chambersburg, Penn. To this 
 marriage eight children were born, namely: 
 Julia F. (married to J. N. Kiser), Anna 
 R.. (married to C. L. Harrington), William 
 C, Lizzie (married to G. R. Craig), Burt, 
 Othello, Henry and Edwin F. Of the sons, 
 Henry married Anna Howard; William C. 
 married Carrie Youn";; Edwin F. married 
 Libby Miller; Burt married Nettie Stevens. 
 The father of this family^ was a stanch Re- 
 publican, and one of the local councilors of 
 liis party from 1856 to the time of his 
 death. In religious affairs he was a mem- 
 ber of the Freewill Baptist Church, active 
 in its work, and particularly so in Sunday- 
 school matters. Out of his industry he 
 created wealth, and left to his widow and 
 children real and personal property valued 
 at twenty-five thousand dollars. 
 
 Mrs. Ann M. (Miller) Childs was born 
 in April, 1830, at Chambersburg, Penn. 
 Her father, William Miller, was born there 
 in 1806, learned the mason's trade, and 
 there married Elizabeth Swinard. He 
 worked at his trade at Chambersburg until 
 liis removal to Plymouth, Ohio, and re- 
 sided in that town until 1849, when he pur- 
 chased ahout 100 acres in New Haven town- 
 ship, Huron Co., Ohio. To his marriage 
 were born tiiree children: Jaco.b, Ann M. 
 and Charlotte. The mother died in 1834, 
 and in 1839 he married Magdalena Rook, 
 
272 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 who lived near Plymouth, Ohio. To this 
 union came five children: Peter, John, 
 Margaret, Eliza and William, all living. 
 As a farmer in Huron county, the father 
 made a success of life, leaving to his fam- 
 ily 240 acres of fertile land and a large 
 amount of personal property. Mrs. Ann 
 M. Childs is the only survivor of the chil- 
 dren by his first wife. She came to Ohio 
 when about three years old, and attended 
 school until her marriage in 1847. She 
 is a lady of good executive ability, and 
 manages the affairs of the estate with 
 singular success. 
 
 iT^EOPGE N. EOUNDS. a promi- 
 I w, nent, progressive citizen of Hart- 
 VLJ land township, is a native of New 
 ^ York, born October 12, 1820. His 
 father, Isaac Rounds, was the son 
 of a Vermont farmer, and grew to man- 
 hood on the home farm. 
 
 AVhen a young man Isaac went to 
 Ontario county, N. Y., and there married 
 Polly Waldron, who was Ijorn in that 
 county in 1802. The Erie Canal, which 
 was commenced July 4, 1817, was under 
 construction when he settled in New York 
 State, and there was little difficulty in find- 
 ing work to do on any of the sections. 
 Youncr Kounds went to work with a will, 
 and proved himself a most valuable man. 
 The foreman discovered that he could wheel 
 more clay in a barrow than any of bis fel- 
 low-workmen, and considered him a 
 model lal)orer. The children born to Isaac 
 and Polly Rounds in New York State 
 were: George N., the subject of this 
 sketch; Harriet, who married Aaron Pix- 
 ley, and died in Clarksfield township; 
 Mary Ann, who died when eight j'ears old 
 in New York State; Benjamin, who died 
 in Hartknd township, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 when young; Hiram, who died a few 
 weeks after; Isaac and Jacob (twins), 
 farmers of Hartland township, and Lydia, 
 the widow of James Conoley, of Hartland 
 
 township. After the removal of the fam- 
 ily to Huron county, the following named 
 children were born: Eleanor, widow of 
 Irkskine Horr, of Barry county, Mich.; 
 Olive, married to Joseph Briggs, died at 
 Keokuk, Iowa; Arvilla, Mrs. IVIatthias 
 McKin, of Iowa; Jane, who died just six 
 weeks after the death of the father, at the 
 age of eight years; and Armenthia, Mrs. 
 George Bostwick, of Prairie City. Illinois. 
 
 About 1835 Mr. Rounds and his family 
 moved to Cattaraugus county, N. Y., 
 where they resided until June, 1840, when 
 they made the journey to Ohio. Travel- 
 ing by wagon road to Buffalo. N. Y., they 
 embarked for Sandusky, Ohio, but while 
 on the lake a storm arose, and the boat 
 was driven into harbor at Erie. Pennsyl- 
 vania. Sailing again they found that a 
 landing could not be made at Sandusky, 
 and the captain headed the boat for De- 
 troit. After the hioh winds had subsided, 
 the return trip to Sandusky was made, and 
 the family landed. Without delay they 
 proceeded to Hartland township, Huron 
 county, where Mr. Rounds lented a tract 
 of land. Within a year or so he purchased 
 a small farm in Clarksfield township, and 
 later boucrlit a second small farm in Hart- 
 land township. The care of these lands, to- 
 gether with other tracts which he worked 
 on shares and laboring for others in clear- 
 ing land, occupied his attention up to the 
 time of his death, February 15, 1850, 
 when a tree fell upon him, crushing his 
 head to a pulp. The tragic affair cast a 
 gloom over the entire township; for the 
 father of a large family, and a most in- 
 dustrious man, was removed from the 
 circle of pioneers. Politically he was a 
 Wliig? and one who took a lively interest 
 in local and national affairs. [lis widow 
 afterward married Simeon Chandler, and 
 died August 81, 1878, in Illinois, where 
 she was buried. 
 
 George N. Rounds was about sixteen 
 years of age when he accomjianied tiie 
 family to Ohio. Already a bread-winner, 
 the change from New York to Ohio was 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 273 
 
 an agreeable one to liiin, ami in Huron 
 county lie worked vigorously to make a 
 home for the family. On December 25, 
 
 1849, he married Mary Elizal)eth Knapp 
 (a daughter of pioneer parents), who was 
 born in Hartland township in 1831. To 
 this marriacre came the followinir-named 
 children: George F., born November 7, 
 1850; Angie L., Mrs. O. T. Case, of 
 Clarksfield township, and a son who died 
 in infancy, unnamed. The mother of this 
 family died October 13, 1886, and was 
 buried in Hartland Ridge cemetery. At 
 the time of his marriage, Mr. Rounds had 
 practically nothing save good health and 
 strong arms. After his father's death, in 
 
 1850, he returned to the homestead and 
 took charge of the farm. To-day he owns 
 186 acres of good land, together with a 
 good home and excellent farm buildings, 
 distancing many of the men for whom he 
 worked prior to 1849, in the acquisition of 
 real estate. His success is due to inces- 
 sant toil, untiring industry and economy. 
 He now holds a place among the leading 
 farmers of the county, and no one is held 
 in higher respect or esteem. His life 
 goes to prove the logic of the old proverb, 
 " where there's a will there's a way," and 
 will stand a practical demonstration for 
 his descendants. They niay learn of the 
 hardships and privations of the pioneers, 
 but never can they endure them. After 
 seventy years of work, Mr. Rounds stands 
 like a giant tree in the forest of weather- 
 worn pioneer oaks. Years have been given 
 to him to witness the settlement and im- 
 
 firovement of Ohio, from river to lake, and 
 roni Pennsylvania to Indiana, and in sur- 
 veying the scene he may look round him 
 and say: "I have taken a man's part in 
 bringing about this change, and no one in 
 Huron county has labored for it more 
 earnestly than I have." In April, 1893, Mr. 
 Rounds again visited Cattaraugus county, 
 the scenes of his childhood, and while 
 there met an acqauintauce of his youth 
 in the person of Mrs. Sally Hopkins, a 
 widow, whom he brought back as a wife. 
 
 George F. Rounds (eldest son of George 
 N. Rounds) has now the entire manajje- 
 ment of the farm. For some years he 
 was a traveling salesman, and while thus 
 employed journeyed over a large area of 
 country; but in 1885 he returned to the 
 homestead, which has since claimed his 
 close personal attention. He is a musician 
 by nature, and his ability in this direction 
 is as well i-ecognized throughout this sec- 
 tion of the State as his ability as an ao-ri- 
 cullurist is in Hartland township. On 
 April 2, 1892, he was married to Jeanette 
 Jarvis. In politics he is a Republican. 
 
 RUSE, manufacturer of tile and 
 brick. New London, and a leading 
 spirit in the manipulating of the 
 affairs of the town, is a native of 
 Ohio, born in Plymouth in 1852. 
 He is a son of Andrew and Margaret 
 (Prame) Ruse, natives of Bohemia, Aus^ 
 tria, who came to the United States in 
 1851, locating in Plymouth, Ohio. By 
 trade Andrew Ruse is a stonemason, and 
 he now resides in Barry county, Mich., 
 whither he had moved in 1868. He is a 
 Democrat in politics, and a member of the 
 Catholic Church. The mother is yet liv- 
 ing. They were married in Bohemia, and 
 had a family of nine children, of whom 
 our subject is second in order of birth. 
 
 A. Ruse received the elementary part 
 of his education in Plymouth, Ohio, 
 whence when fifteen years old he moved to 
 Michigan, where he had his home some 
 five years. He then returned to Ohio, 
 and in Shiloh, Richland county, entered 
 into partnership with Y. J. Prame in a tile 
 and brick business, remaining in that con- 
 nection ten years, or until 18S3, in which 
 year he came to New London and estab- 
 lished himself in a similar business, which 
 he has since successfully conducted. The 
 shed for the tile works is 238 x 22 feet, and 
 that for the brick is 80 x 54 feet; the out- 
 put has been 100,000 brick, and about 
 
274 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 18,000 pieces of tile to eacli of fifteen 
 kilns, regular employment beinfj; given to 
 from seven to ten men. 
 
 In 1877, Ml'. Iluse was married at 
 Maple Grove, Barry Co., Mich., to Miss L. 
 M. Dillin, a native of Kno.\ county, Ohio, 
 and children, as follows, have been born to 
 them: J. H., Minnie and Bessie. Politi- 
 cally our subject is a Republican, and 
 he is a member of the F. it A. M. and 
 I. O. O. F. 
 
 FRANK M. LUTTS. Norwalk town- 
 is noted for its prosperous farming 
 _^ community, prominent among which 
 is the subject of this sketch, who 
 is a native of Huron county, born in 1S61 
 on his present farm in Norwalk township. 
 Conrad Lutts, father of subject, was a 
 son of Michael Lutts, who in an early day 
 came from Germany to America, first 
 locating in eastern Pennsylvania, and after- 
 ward moving to Niagara county, N. Y. 
 Being to poor to pay his passage across 
 the ocean, he was sold to a planter to work 
 out his expenses. In eastern Pennsylvania 
 he married Miss Ruth Dolph, and by her 
 had five children, viz.: Gideon, Conrad, 
 Jonathan, Michael and Annie. Michael 
 Lutts served in the war of 1812, but was 
 obliged to abandon his house on account 
 of the "Redcoats" and Indians. The old 
 flint-lock musket, minus part of the stock, 
 is still in possession of the family. He 
 had a great abhorrance for the British, al- 
 ways shooting them on sight, and was 
 termed a " bushwhacker;" he is buried on 
 the old hotnestead in Niagara county, 
 New York. 
 
 Conrad Lutts, father of Frank M., was 
 born in 1799 in eastern Pennsylvania, 
 whence he njoved with his parents to Nia- 
 gara county, N. Y. During the war of 1812, 
 owing to the hostility of the Indians, he 
 was obliged to leave the "clearing," to- 
 gether with his mother and the younger 
 members of the family, to a safe retreat in 
 another county, while his father remained 
 
 behind to protect their log cabin home. 
 After the war was over he returned to the 
 home which is still in possession of his 
 niece Mrs. Daniel Eaves, where the old 
 family burial place is located, and many 
 members of the Lutts family found their 
 last resting place there, but tlie dates upon 
 the slabs are not now legible. He became 
 personally acquainted with Gen. W. H. 
 Harrison duiiug this struggle, and after- 
 ward voted for him when he ran for the 
 Presidential chair, the only Presidential 
 nominee Mr. Lutts ever voted for, it being 
 a principle with him not to vote for any 
 one with whom he was unacquainted. 
 About the year 1818 he came to Huron 
 county, Ohio, where in 1822 he married 
 Miss Mary Fancher, five children being 
 the result of this union, viz.: William, 
 George, Michael, Julia, and Mary. The 
 mother of these died in 1833, and for his 
 second wife Mr. Lutts wedded, July 3, 
 1834, Miss Panielia West, of Greenfield 
 township, Huron county, who is yet liv- 
 ing. She is a daughter of Augustus AVest, 
 of Albany county, N. Y., a pioneer of 
 Huron county, a Democrat in politics, and 
 a very successful man in his business en- 
 terprises. Six children were born to this 
 marriage, of whom but two survive: 
 Augustus, in Allegan, Mich., and Frank 
 M. When Conrad Lutts came to Huron 
 county, a single small log cabin stood 
 within what are now the corporate limits 
 of the city of Norwalk. On his arrival 
 he had in his possession no more money 
 than would buy a barrel of salt, and for a 
 long time he made a living by hunting, 
 selling or trading the furs of the animals 
 he might kill. He met with many ad- 
 ventures in his pioneer experiences, and 
 liad some narrow escapes from death. His 
 rifle is apparently as good as when used 
 for killing the wild animals which sup- 
 plied his home with necessaries and other 
 things. 
 
 Frank M. Lutts, the youngest sou of 
 this brave pioneer, received a liberal edu- 
 cation at the common schools of his native 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 275 
 
 township, and at tlie early age of sixteen 
 he took charge of the home farm, owing to 
 his father's death, and here ho has since 
 continued to remain. In 1881 lie married 
 Miss Mary E. Soule, dangiiter of C. W. 
 Soule, at tliat time a prominent farmer, of 
 Bronson township, Iliiron county, now a 
 resident of Norwallc. To this union were 
 born five cliildren, viz.: Bertha, Conrad, 
 Nellie, Howard and Idel, all living. Mr. 
 Lutts is owner of one hundred acres of ex- 
 cellent land, in a good state of cultivation, 
 and all devoted to general crops and stock 
 raising. In politics he is a stanch Repub- 
 lican, and he is considered to be rather 
 above the average fanner in reading and 
 literature. He has a large and well-selected 
 library, to which he is constantly adding 
 standard works, it being his ambition to 
 be, some day, the owner of one of the best 
 libraries among the farmers of his county. 
 He has now in his possession the anvil and 
 vise which Michael Lutts used in his 
 blacksmith shop, and which have been in 
 use nearly one hundred years, in Huron 
 county fifty-six years, and they yet show 
 the hammer marks of the maker. 
 
 E. TERWILLIGER is descended 
 from pioneers of New England, 
 representatives of whom migrated 
 into New York State, where the 
 subject of this sketch was born. 
 
 William Terwilliger, the father of our 
 subject, was an old resident of Orano-e 
 county, N. Y., and there married Betsy 
 Monroe. In 1834 they moved with their 
 family to Cayuga county, N. Y., where 
 Mrs. Terwilliger died in 1836. 
 
 William E. Terwilliger was born De- 
 cember 15, 1829, in Orange county, N. Y., 
 and in 1834 accompanied his parents to 
 Cayuga county, where he was reared in 
 the manner commoii to boys of the pioneer 
 period. The subscription school, with its 
 fee of three dollars per term, was then a 
 luxury, which the circumstances of his 
 
 parents would not permit our subject to 
 enjoy. When ten or twelve years old he 
 lived out as a farm hand at three dollars 
 per month, and worked for several farmers 
 at that rate. Later he found employment 
 on the Erie Canal between Cayuga Lake 
 and Albany, serving first as a driver, 
 afterward as a steerer. Subsequently he 
 was a deck hand on one of the Cayuga 
 Lake boats, and thus was engaged until 
 he was nineteen years old, when he bought 
 his time from his father for one hundred 
 dollars, and followed boating on canal and 
 lake, until 1853, when he "caught the gold 
 fever," and set out for California. The 
 start was made from Auburn, N. Y., the 
 following-named forming the party: James 
 Sherwood, Oliver Booth, Charles Clark, 
 George R. Van Liew, Reuben Doty, 
 Jasper and AYilliam E. Terwilliger, .all 
 young men from the neighborhood. Th6y 
 sailed on the " Permetias " to Greytown 
 on the Isthmus, thence up the river to 
 Castalla Rapids, thence on foot to Cas- 
 talla, at the head of the rapids; from 
 there by lake boat to Virgins Bay, and 
 thence by mules, furnished by the trans- 
 portation company, to San Juan del Norte. 
 On this trip were 500 "argonauts." The 
 cavalcade was arranged in squads, each 
 squad being under direction of a driver, 
 who carried a great whip and kept the 
 mules in line. From San Juan del Norte 
 the party sailed to San Francisco, halting 
 only at Acapulco to take on coal. Arriv- 
 ing at San Francisco, the party of which 
 W. E. Terwilliger was a member rested 
 for one day, and the next pushed on to 
 Sacramento, where he found employment 
 at four dollars a day, carrying brick up 
 thi-ee stories, the first employment which 
 presented itself. He followed various 
 businesses in California, such as contract- 
 ing to cut 100 acres of barley for four 
 dollars per acre, his partner being a man 
 named Smith. Ultimately he bought a 
 gold mine, which he sold out, and returned 
 to New York in May, 1858. The journey 
 home was interesting in many ways. Tak- 
 
276 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ing passage on the "Golden Gate" at San 
 Francisco, the sliip proceeded on her way, 
 but when twenty-four hours out "broke 
 down," and had to return to port. Mr. 
 Tervvilliger, not to be delayed, was among 
 the men who then emliarked on the old 
 "Menetia," an unseaworthy craft, even 
 then condemned. However, she carried 
 the passengers in safety to the Isthmus, 
 the trip aci-oss which -was made without 
 accident, and the returning adventurers 
 took passage on the ship "Moses Taylor" 
 for New York. The voyage was made 
 in good time, and in May, 1858, he ar- 
 rived among his relatives in Cayuga 
 county, where he worked as a farm hand 
 until November, same year. 
 
 Mr. Terwilliger then resolved to leave 
 liis native State and seek a home in Oliio, 
 wliere his sister, Mrs. Silas Cain, lived, and 
 in November, 1858, he arrived in Clarks- 
 field township, Huron county, where in 
 the spring of 1859 he bought one hundred 
 acres of unimproved land at twenty-one 
 dollars. A log cabin stood on the tract, 
 but, such as it was, it could scarcely be 
 considered an improvement, and Mr. Ter- 
 williijer at once set himself to the clearing 
 of the forest. On January 2, 1860, he 
 was married to Elmira J. Ronk, who was 
 born August 27, 1839, in Orange county, 
 N. Y., daughter of George D. and Mar- 
 garet (Vandemark) Ronk, who now reside 
 in Brighton township, Lorain Co., Ohio. 
 She came to Ohio in 1853, and worked out 
 for her board and clothing, so that her edu- 
 cation was limited to a short school term. 
 After marriage the young couple moved 
 into a house which was not yet plastered, 
 so that he has, practically, accumulated 
 his present valuable property since then. 
 For over thirty years they have resided on 
 their present place, engaged in farming 
 and stock growing. For seventeen years 
 he extensively carried on a dairy business 
 without withdrawing his attention from 
 his farm. His industry is proverbial, for 
 at all times he finds something for his 
 hands to do, and his surroundings speak 
 
 of the constant care devoted to farm, stock 
 and home. As a Whig, he voted for Win- 
 field Scott. From 1858 to 1884 be voted with 
 the llepublicans, and since 1884 has been 
 in the ranks of the Prohibitionists; he is 
 not a politician, and seldom takes any in- 
 terest beyond casting his vote. Formerly 
 a Baptist, he became a Methodist, and is 
 now steward and trustee in the East 
 Clarksfield Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 of which his wife is also a member. 
 
 The children of Mr. and Mrs. Ter- 
 williger are as follows: Anna E., Mrs. 
 Frank McKenzie, of Brighton township, 
 Lorain county ; Alma C, Mrs. George 
 McDonald, of Clarksfield townsliip, Huron 
 county; George L, who married Miss Stella 
 Cowie, of Brigliton, Lorain county (they 
 reside on one of the farms). Mr. Ter- 
 willicrer is the owner of two farms, both of. 
 which are cultivated and improved to the 
 highest extent. 
 
 YRUS T. KING, D. D. S., a leader 
 in his profession, and a popular 
 member of the Northern Ohio Den- 
 tal Association, was born in Oswego 
 county, N. Y., in 1849. 
 
 Leonard King, his father, who was a 
 iiative of Rhode Island, when a young man 
 migrated to New York, whence in after 
 years he proceeded to Huron county, Ohio. 
 His wife, Julia (Tiirney) King, to whom he 
 was married in Oswego county, N. Y., was 
 a native of Connecticut. Of their three 
 children, Warner A. is a dentist of May- 
 ville, Ohio; diaries D. is a missionary of 
 the Baptist Church in India, and Cyrus 
 T. is the subject of this sketch. 
 
 Cyrus T. King came to Ohio M'itb the 
 family when he was six years old. Re- 
 ceiving a practical education in the schools 
 of liis district in Huron county, he com- 
 pleted a literary course at Granville, Ohio, 
 studied dentistry under Dr. Terry, of Nor- 
 walk, Ohio, and commenced the practice 
 of that profession. Later he attended the 
 (/incinnati Dental College, took the prize 
 
UUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 277 
 
 for the best itieclianical work, graduated 
 from the Dental School in 1882, and re- 
 sumed practice at New London. His 
 patients come from a wide district, for his 
 work is appreciated, and his name is well 
 and favorably known in connection with 
 the profession. 
 
 In 1873 Dr. King married Miss Addie 
 Knowlton, and three children were born to 
 them, namely: Harry L., Vinton and Ida. 
 Politically our subject is a Proliibitionist, 
 in relitiious faith a member of the M. E. 
 Church, and in Society aiiiliation he is 
 a Royal Arch Mason, well advanced in the 
 work of the Chapter. As before stated, he 
 is a member of the Northern Ohio Dental 
 Association, and he is as much esteemed 
 by his confreres as he is by his neighbors 
 and patients. In municipal affairs he is a 
 member of the board of health of New 
 London, and his knowledge has been of in- 
 estimable value in the administration of 
 that department of local goverment. He 
 has made his own way through life, and 
 may be classed among the self-made men 
 of Ohio. 
 
 OLOMON SILLIMAN, a worthy 
 member of the Sillitnan family of 
 Fairfield county, Conn., is a grand- 
 son of Justus and Rebecca Silliman. 
 Isaac Silliman, father of subject, was 
 born in 1792, in Fairfield county. Conn., 
 was reared on his father's farm, and re- 
 ceived his education in the school of the 
 settlement at Weston, Fairfield county. 
 On arriving at man's estate, he married 
 Abby Barlow, also a native of that county, 
 and to them were born three children, 
 namely: Polly, Catherine and Solomon, 
 of whom Solomon is the sole survivor. 
 The mother died about 1826, and the father 
 in 1840, leaving to his children a small but 
 valuable farm. 
 
 Solomon Silliman was born in Fairfield 
 county. Conn., July 26, 1824, lost his 
 mother when eigliteen months old, and at 
 the age of six years was placed in charge 
 
 of Isaac Sherwood, a very extensive farmer 
 of Herkimer county, N. Y. With him he 
 remained until 1840, when Mr. Sherwood 
 was killed by a falling tree. The youth 
 was then hired by George Sherwood as a 
 farm hand, the money consideration being 
 fifty dollars for seven months. Complet- 
 ing the contract, he attended school during 
 the winter months, and worked for his 
 brother-in-law during the other seasons, 
 the wages being eight dollars per month, 
 which in 1842 was increased to nine dol- 
 lars. In the fall of 1843, he migrated 
 to Ohio, locating in Fairfield township, 
 Huron county, and found employment at 
 ten dollars per month, with his cousin 
 George Silliman. A short time after, he 
 purchased a piece of wild land in Ripley 
 township, Huron county, and with his 
 trusty axe began the task of clearing 
 away the forest. For three or four years 
 he labored to create a farm out of the 
 wilderness, and by 1850, had succeeded 
 beyond his highest expectations. 
 
 Mr. Silliman's marriage with Lucinda 
 Peck, daughter of Isaac Peck, a promi- 
 nent farmer of Danube, Herkimer Co., 
 N. Y., took place April 21, 1850. They 
 began housekeeping on the new farm, 
 where were born to them four children, 
 namely: George B.. Emma L., Hattie L., 
 and Charles H., all of whom are now liv- 
 ing, liow these early settlers succeeded 
 is told by the fact that Mr. Silliman be- 
 came the possessor of 650 acres of land 
 clear of incumbrance. In the purchase of 
 this large tract of fertile Ohio land, the 
 owner did not incur one dollar of debt, pay- 
 ing for each extension of his farm as it was 
 made, besides laying by considerable 
 money. To each of his children he gave 
 a good farm. George B. resides near tiie 
 old home, and is married to Ada Long, of 
 New Haven, Ohio; Emma L. is the wife of 
 J. Quincy Adams, of North Fairfield, Ohio; 
 Hattie L. is the wife of Edwin C. Wood- 
 worth, of North Fairfield, Ohio; Charles 
 H. married Emma Kurtz, of New Haven, 
 Ohio, and resides on the old homestead. 
 
278 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Mr. Silliman, having retired from farm 
 life, has purchased a home in Plymouth, 
 Huron Co., Oliio, where he now resides. 
 The reputation of the father as a bread 
 winner, and a man who liewed a magnifi- 
 cent property out of tlie forest, honors his 
 children, and the history of his life en- 
 courages industry in the field. 
 
 JS. WHITE, Norwalk. The subject 
 of this sketch disclaims the possession 
 of any qualities that entitle him to 
 the mention which his friends believe 
 should be made of him; yet it is in no 
 spirit of adulation when it is said of him 
 that his life is illustrative of the success 
 that attends honest, well-directed endeavor, 
 industry, and conscientious adherence to 
 duty. 
 
 Mr. White's grandfather, Jonathan S., 
 and father, John C. White, natives of New 
 York State, came to Ohio in 1829, set- 
 tling on a farm near Mansfield. The last- 
 named married Xancy A. Taylor, in 1840, 
 after which they came to Huron county, 
 settling in Ripley township, where, on a 
 piece of laud entirely covered by the na- 
 tive forest, they built a log cabin, and 
 commenced housekeeping in true pioneer 
 fashion. 
 
 Here J. S. White was born in 1844, and 
 here followed the hard routine of farm 
 life from the time he was old enough until 
 grown to manhood. In the early fall of 
 1862 the One Hundred and First liegi- 
 ment, O. Y. I., was formed. Company C 
 being for the most part made up of re- 
 cruits from Ripley and Greenwich town- 
 ships, Huron county, and our subject was 
 one of the "boys" who enlisted in its 
 ranks. In August the regiment went into 
 camp at Monroeville, Ohio, and although 
 Mr. White had enlisted in good faith, ex- 
 pecting to be a soldier and do soldier's 
 duty, he was doomed to disappointment, 
 for when he came before the medical ex- 
 aminers, he was rejected as being too 
 
 slender to stand the marches and hardsJiips 
 incident to war. So, with a heavy heart, 
 homeward he trod his lonely way. But 
 conscious that he must do something for 
 his country, he subsequently joined an in- 
 dependent company, and in 1864, through 
 the call of Gov. Brough, he had the satis- 
 faction of going South and doing duty as 
 a soldier of the One Hundred and Sixty- 
 sixth O. V. I. 
 
 The educational advantages of Mr. 
 White's boyhood days commenced in a log 
 schoolhouse, the expenses of which school 
 were defrayed by private subscription; but 
 he was soon enabled to avail himself ot 
 the free schools, summer and winter, until 
 such time as his services were re<pi)red on 
 the farm. He also enjoyed a few terms ot 
 select school, and, being taught by compe- 
 tent teachers, he so far mastered the com- 
 mon branches that he became a teacher, in 
 turn, and for several winters successfully 
 tanght young minds how to procure an 
 education. 
 
 In 1869 Mr. White married Marietta 
 E. Barre, and they settled down to agri- 
 cultural pursuits on a small farm adjoin- 
 ing that of his father. Here they toiled, 
 enjoying the fruits of their labor and re- 
 spect of their neighbors until, in 1887, 
 they moved to the city of Norwalk, where 
 they have formed the acquaintance of 
 many new friends to add to the list of old 
 ones so dear to them. The children born 
 to Mr. and Mrs. White are James Edgar, 
 Blanche and John Gaylord, all at home. 
 
 Mr. White is one of those men to whom 
 the trite term "self-made" is appropriately 
 applied. Though lacking the advantages 
 of a higher education in college, yet he has 
 attained much of that most valuable edu- 
 cation of all which comes from observa- 
 tion, experience and general reading of 
 books. He has made for himself a char- 
 acter and reputation that place him in the 
 highest regard of the people who know 
 him best. The feeling of confidence in 
 his judgment and probity is attested by 
 the fact that he has not only been called 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 281 
 
 upon to serve in offices of trust in the 
 towtisliip that was so long his home, but 
 has been chosen to fill one of the most im- 
 portant offices in the county. In the year 
 1886 he was elected county auditor, tak- 
 ing his seat in September, 1887; was re- 
 elected in 1889, and now (in 1893) is 
 serving out the last of his second term to 
 the satisfaction of all parties ; and when he 
 retires into private life it will be with the 
 satisfaction that he has served the people 
 of the county in a manner that will elicit 
 naught but favorable comment. 
 
 Politically Mr. White has always been a 
 Republican, and has been an unswerving 
 supporter of the cause which that organi- 
 zation espoused. 
 
 AMUEL A. WARD, son of Samuel 
 and Ezuba (Bailey) Ward, of Oneida 
 county, N. Y., was born March 18, 
 1832, in Fitchville township. 
 Samuel Ward was born in 1790, and was 
 reared on his father's farm in Oneida 
 county, N. Y. He married Ezuim Bailey, 
 who was born in that county in 1793, and 
 to their marriage were thirteen children — 
 nine born in New York and four in Ohio, 
 namely: Mary, who married Daniel Will- 
 iams, died in Fitchville township; William, 
 deceased in Michigan; Elizabeth (widow 
 of (leorge Curry), residing in Henderson 
 county, 111.; David, who died in Kentucky; 
 Alpha, who also died at an adult age; Char- 
 lotte, who was first married to John Jen- 
 kins and subsequently to H. P. Starr, and 
 died in Erie county, Ohio; Gurdon, who 
 died in Michigan; James, who died in 
 Bronson township, Huron county, and 
 Martha, who married Benjamin P'ilkins, 
 and died in Fitchville townsliip; the chil- 
 dren born in Ohio are Samuel A., of whom 
 a sketch follows; Amos, member of a 
 Michigan Cavalry Regiment, who died in 
 the South during the war; Lucy, deceased 
 in infancy, and Adda, wife of A. H. Fox, 
 of Wakeman township, Huron county. 
 
 About 1830 or '31 Samuel Ward and his 
 family settled in Ohio. The journey from 
 Oneida county, ^. Y., was made by river, 
 canal and lake boats to the lake port, and 
 thence by wagon to Fitchville township. 
 Here he purchased 200 acres of wild land 
 at tliree dollars per acre, and entered at 
 once on its improvement, leaving his fam- 
 ily at his brother's house until the rude 
 pioneer cabin would be ready to shelter 
 them. Mr. Ward subsequently exchanged 
 this property for another tract, on which 
 lie resided until his death, in 1864. His 
 widow died in 1873, and their remains lie 
 in Fitchville cemetery. Mr. Ward ex- 
 perienced all the vicissitudes of pioneer 
 life, conquered every difficulty and won a 
 very high position among the pioneers of 
 Fitchville. In politics at first a Democrat, 
 the Free-soil principles of 1848 appealed 
 to his ideas and claimed his support. In 
 1856 he became a Republican, and gave 
 his adhesion to the new party until his 
 death. He and his wife were members of 
 the Congregational Church. 
 
 Samuel A. AVard attended a school 
 taught by Elder Hall, for a few months 
 each year, and while yet a boy worked on 
 the home place and became a valuable 
 farm hand. During his youth he moved 
 to Livingston county, Mich., where he 
 earned good pay, residing there until 1853, 
 when he returned to Ohio. On October 
 16, 1853, lie was married to Weltha Fil- 
 kiris, who was born March 18, 1831, at 
 Stockton, Chautauqua Co., New York. 
 
 John S. Filkins, father of Mrs. Ward, 
 came with his wife and seven children from 
 Chautauqua county, N. Y., in March, 1832, 
 the journey, part of the way, being made 
 in a sleigh. He purchased fifty acres of 
 wild land in North Fitchville, paying one 
 dollar and fifty cents per acre. His family 
 stayed with his wife's father, Zadok Weeks, 
 until such time as he could clear a place 
 and build a log cabin. He iiad much to 
 contend against, and many difficulties to 
 surmount in the daily struggle to provide 
 for the family; but he bravely stood up 
 
282 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 against all adverse circumstances. He had 
 to ioiirney to Wooster, a distance of fifty 
 miles, to buy flonr, and orj one occasion he 
 walked the entire distance in order to make 
 a purchase of iit'ty pounds of wool; and 
 after getting it carded into rolls and placed 
 in a sack, he shouldered his burden and 
 walked home! His wife spun this wool 
 into yarn, which in turn she wove into 
 cloth wherewith she made garments for the 
 family- She died of cholera in 1834, leaving 
 a sorrowing husband with eight children 
 on his hands, the eldest being a girl of 
 thirteen summers, who with her father's 
 help kept the family together two years. 
 ()f these eight children six are still living 
 besides Mrs. Samuel A. Ward, and a brief 
 record of them is as follows: Mrs. A. E. 
 Vandusen resides in Milan, Ohio; A. J. 
 Fiikins and Mrs. M. C. Brown are in Wis- 
 consin; Mrs. P. A. Whitsell resides in Cen- 
 terville, Iowa; B. Fiikins lives in Fitch- 
 viUe. Ohio; W. W. Fiikins in 1852 set 
 out for California by the overland route, 
 enduring many hardships on the trip; he 
 returned to his old home in 1876 for a 
 visit, and he is now a resident of Port- 
 land, Oregon. The mother of these, as 
 was also her hiisband, was a member of 
 the Baptist Church. In 1836 Mr. Fiikins 
 married Miss Betsy Lyon, who died in 
 184'J, leaving three children, all since de- 
 ceased, to wit: Mrs. Eliza J. Prosser, who 
 died in Hartland, Ohio, in 1864; Mrs. 
 Ellen A. Williams, who died in St. Paul, 
 Minn., in 1877; and Mrs. Julia E. Doane, 
 who died in Hartland, Ohio, in 1873. By 
 his third marriage Mr. Fiikins had three 
 children, viz.: S. M. and David A., both 
 engineers on the " Big Four Road," and 
 residents of Cleveland, Ohio; and Mrs. O. 
 F. Fish, living in Florida, her husband 
 being also a railroad engineer. In 1867 
 S. A. Fiikins went to California, returning 
 to Fitchville in 1872, soon after which, in 
 the same year, he met with an accident at 
 a barn raising which caused his death. 
 
 The children born to Samuel A. and 
 Weltha Ward are as follows: Eva B., born 
 
 October 13, 1854, died October 7, 1880; 
 Adalbert, born June 27, 1856, a farmer of 
 Fitchville township; Carrie A., born March 
 15, 1858, died November 16,1860; Albert 
 E., born July 16, 1862, a fanner of Fitch- 
 ville township; and Blanche M., born May 
 25, 1868, died August 13, 1881. After 
 marriage Mr. and Mrs. Samuel A. Wai-d 
 took up their residence in the Ward home. 
 and remained there until 1867, when they 
 entered into possession of their present 
 farm. Though now living a I'etired life, 
 Mr. Ward still directs the management of 
 the farm, which is worked by his sons. 
 The property is a valuable one, and in its 
 development the labor of Samuel A.Ward 
 and the economical administration of Mrs. 
 Ward have proved the most important 
 factors. Politically he is a Republican, 
 but he wastes but little time on politics, 
 as his farm and stock interests claim his 
 principal attention. Mrs. Ward is a mem- 
 ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 
 d[ L. HELLER, a prominent farmer 
 citizen of Richmond township, was 
 _^1 born March 27, 1842, in Northamp- 
 ton county, Penn., a son of Abraham 
 Heller, a native of Northampton county, 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 Abraham Heller married Susan Ann 
 Bower, by whom he had children as fol- 
 lows: Josiah. deceased in Luzerne county, 
 Penn.; William H.. of Ada, Ohio; a 
 daughter that died when two years old; 
 Maria, who married James Parks, and 
 died in Ohio; Jacob L.. subject of this 
 memoir; and Benjamin F., who enlisted 
 in 1864 in Company C, Forty-ninth Regi- 
 ment 0. V. I., and was killed Decemfier 
 16, 1864, at Nashville, Tenn., where he 
 was buried in the National cemetery. 
 Abraham Heller was born and reared in a 
 hotel, and conducted a hostelry for many 
 years in Northampton county, Penn. He 
 had been unfortunate in business, and the 
 worry over his affairs hastened his death, 
 
HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 283 
 
 which occurred in 18 — in Pennsylvania. 
 He was a mnch-respected citizen. In 
 politics he was a member of the Demo- 
 cratic party. After the deatli of the father 
 the widow kept tlie children together; she 
 was subsequently married, in Pennsyl- 
 vania, to David Mascho, a farmer, and in 
 185U the family came westward to Ohio, 
 locating in tiie village of Sulpliur Springs, 
 Crawford county, where tliey followed 
 farming and resided for some years. Mr. 
 Maschodiedin 1882; his widow now makes 
 her home at Ada, Hardin Co., Ohio. 
 
 J. L. Heller received a common-school 
 education, was reared to farm life, and 
 when seventeen years old came to Ohio, as 
 before stated. Here he commenced to 
 learn harness-making with George Co.\, 
 serving as an apprentice to that trade for 
 about six months, or until liis enlistment 
 in tiie Civil war. On August 15, 1861, 
 at Sulphur Springs, Ohio, he joined Com- 
 pany C, Forty-ninth Regiment O. V. L, 
 Col. William H. Gibson, and served with 
 his command to the close of the strua'O'le. 
 He was then detailed with the Fourth 
 Army Corps, which was ordered to Texas, 
 where he served five months, and was dis- 
 charged November 30, 1865, at Victoria, 
 Texas, tliough he did not reach home till 
 January 1, 1866. His brother, William 
 H., was a member of the same regiment, 
 the same company as himself, serving at 
 the same time and for the same period. 
 
 On August 30, 1866, Mr. Heller was 
 married to Uretsa Briggs, who was born 
 February 27, 1846, in Crawford county, 
 Ohio, daughter of Dr. G. A. and Olive 
 (Blowers) Briggs, and to this union have 
 come three children, viz.: Lillie M., now 
 Mrs. Edison Wilcox, of Henry county, 
 Ohio; Harry A., of Tiffin, Oiiio, and Hat- 
 tie M., at home. After marriage our 
 subject located on his present place, where 
 he has since continuously resided, engaged 
 in general farming. In his political rela- 
 tions he is a Republican, is one of the 
 local counselors and advisers of his party, 
 and has served creditably as township 
 
 trustee and in various other positions. In 
 religious connection Mr. and Mrs. Heller 
 are members of the Methodist Protestant 
 Church, in which he has been steward and 
 a teacher in the Sunday-school. He is a 
 prominent citizen and successful farmer, 
 and takes an active interest in the welfare 
 of the community in which he resides. 
 Mr. Heller has traveled considerably, and 
 has been all over the West. 
 
 llV/lfRS. LOUISA BOGARDUS, who 
 
 I VI was born November 12, 1819, in 
 
 I L Bly'"outh, Luzerne Co., Penn., is 
 
 ■fj a daughter of Truman and Clarissa 
 
 (Fuller) Atherton, and widow of 
 
 the late Hon. Evert Bogardus. 
 
 Hon. Evert Bogardus was a son of Jacob 
 B. Bogardus, whose father (also named 
 Jacob) was an extensive wholesale mer- 
 chant and importer, of New York, being a 
 representative of a very wealthy and aristo- 
 cratic family. 
 
 Jacob B. Bogardus was born November 
 24, 1785, and was reared in East Haddam, 
 Conn., where he grew to manhood and 
 was married about 1807 to Gertrude 
 Mosely, a native of the same place, whose 
 father, Jonathan Mosely, served six- 
 teen years in Congress. Mr. Bogardus 
 followed bookkeeping for some time, 
 then engaged in mercantile business, and 
 spent several years in the West. He died 
 November 24, 1868, at the home of iiis son 
 in Ridgefield township, Huron Co., Ohio. 
 Hon. Evert Bogardus was born Sep- 
 tember 15, 1813, in Lehman, Luzerne Co., 
 Penn., and, while receiving but a sub- 
 scription-school education, made the best 
 possible use of every opportunity. When 
 fifteen years old he was apprenticed to a 
 saddler in New York, but not liking the 
 business, he went to Philadelphia. He 
 then determined to secure a more general 
 education, and after spending a short time 
 in Kalamazoo, Mich., he followed book- 
 keeping in Williamsport, Penn. On No- 
 
284 
 
 UURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 veiiiber 17, 1840, lie was united in mar- 
 riage with Louisa Atlierton, and resided 
 on a farm in Huntsville, Luzerne Co., 
 Penn., for seven years, then located at 
 Wilkes-Barre, same State, where he fol- 
 lowed a commission business along the 
 canal. In 185G he came to Norwalk, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, and in the spring of 
 1S57 entered into partnership with a 
 brother-in-law. He tiien purchased land 
 in Ridgetield township, Huron county, and 
 devoted his attention for a time to agricul- 
 tural pursuits. In 1860 he opened a store 
 in Nortli Monroeville, Huron county, 
 whicli he sold in 1881, and afterward lived 
 in retirement. Evert Bogardus was a 
 Democrat prior to the war, at which time, 
 however, he joined the Republican party, 
 serving in various township and county 
 utHces. He represented Huron county for 
 four years in the State Legislature at Co- 
 lumbus, and served six years as county 
 commissioner. In religious faith he and 
 his wife were zealous members of tlie Con- 
 gregational Church at North Monroeville, 
 Huron county. They were the parents of 
 two children, William P., a hardware 
 merchant of Mount Yernon, Ohio, and 
 Emma G., deceased wife of H. C. Read. 
 The father died January 26, 1892, and was 
 buried in the North Monroeville cemetery. 
 After his death his widow moved to Mount 
 Vernon, Ohio, where she resides near her 
 sfni, enjoying the society of many friends. 
 
 RZA B. GILSON, Se., one of the 
 most prominent of Huron county's 
 ^ representative farmer citizens, and 
 one of the most prosperous, de- 
 serves more than a passing notice 
 in this work. 
 
 The first of the family to come to 
 America was his great-grandfather, wlio 
 arrived in New York from Ireland about 
 the middle of the eighteenth century. He 
 was one of two brothers, the other remain- 
 ing in Ireland. The one who emigrated 
 
 settled in Saratoga county, N. Y., and 
 there reared a family of thirteen children, 
 of whom one, named Joel, was born about 
 1750. The latter was a lifelong farmer in 
 Saratoga, his native county, and in con- 
 nection operated a sawmill. He was a 
 collector, in the service of the United 
 States Government, of Continental money, 
 and had, it is alleged, in his possession the 
 sum of forty-two thousand, eight hundred 
 and forty dollars worth of that scrip when 
 Congress repudiated the payment of same, 
 and he thereby lost all he had. In his 
 political affiliations lie was first a Federal- 
 ist, later a Whig, and he was a man of 
 considerable prominence in iiis section, 
 straightforward in his dealings, and highly 
 respected. He died in 1820. His wnfe 
 was a Miss Adams, of Saratoga county, 
 N. Y.,and they had a family of seven sons 
 and three daughters, named as follows: 
 Norman, Eli, Jonas, Joel, John, Asa, 
 Naum, Mary, Anna and Rhoda, all of 
 whom lived to a ripe old age, and are all 
 now deceased. 
 
 Naura Gilson, father of the subject of 
 this sketch, was born April 27, 1793, in 
 Saratoga county, N. Y., and received but 
 a limited education at the subscription 
 schools of the period, but by hard study at 
 home he became quite a proficient scholar. 
 In 1817 he came to Ohio, walking the 
 entire distance to Norwich township, 
 Huron county, and hewed out for himself 
 a home in the dense forest. He built 
 there the first known log house in the 
 towrtship to be used as a residence; put up 
 the first pair of rafters, and made the first 
 plow and harrow ever used in the town- 
 ship. At this time Indians and wild ani- 
 mals, including game of all kinds, were 
 numerous. He served in the war of 1812. 
 as did also his six lirothers and father. 
 His wife was Miss Sally Ormes, of North- 
 umberland county, Mass., a daughter of 
 Chauncy Ormes, a capitalist of that 
 section, and the children born to them 
 were Giles J., deceased; Marilla D. 
 Spaulding and Sarah A. Halliday, both 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 285 
 
 deceased; Eugenia M., now Mrs. Abrara 
 DeGroflF, of Grand Ledge, Midi.; Arza B., 
 subject of sketch; Elon W., of Norwalk, 
 Huron cnnnty, an ex-treasurer of the 
 county; and Ardelia A., now Mrs. S. W. 
 Owen, of Norwalk, Ohio. Tiie fatlier 
 died in 1864, mourned by all who knew 
 him. He was a man of ability and con- 
 siderable business tact. At one time he 
 was land-agent for John W. Allen, of 
 Cleveland, who owned a large tract of land 
 in Huron county; was township clerk 
 thirteen years, and postmaster at North 
 Norwich eighteen years, being the first 
 postmaster in I^orwich township He 
 entertained at his house the first minister 
 that came to the township, and was con- 
 verted by him on the occasion of his first 
 visit, bein» received into the fold of the 
 M. E. t'hurch. Politically he was origin- 
 ally a Whig, afterward, on the t'urTnation 
 of the party, a stanch Republican. 
 
 A. B. Gilson, the subject proper of 
 these lines, was born April 23, 1827, on 
 the farm whereon he now lives in Norwich 
 township. He received a fair education 
 at the public schools of the locality, and, 
 being an apt scholar and close student, 
 soon fitted himself for the position of 
 
 teacher. At the age of eighteen he com- 
 es o 
 
 menced teaching school, and continued 
 in that profession fourteen years; he also 
 taught vocal music tiiirty-five years. In 
 1863 he raised a company of 115 men, and 
 was elected captain of Company E. Sixty- 
 third Eegiment O. N. G. On May 2, 
 1864, this regiment was called upon by 
 the General Government for one hundred 
 days service, and on that day he was 
 chosen as major. On arriving at Camp 
 Taylor, Cleveland, this regiment was 
 joined by the Seventy-ninth Battalion 
 O. N. G. from Medina county, Ohio, and 
 was then known as the One Hundred and 
 Sixty-sixth O. V. I., the field officers of 
 which were Harrison G. Blake, Col.; Ran- 
 dolph Eastman, Lt. Col.; and Arza B. 
 Gilson, Major. He served the regiment 
 in this capacity until the twelfth of May, 
 
 1804, when by reason of an attack of 
 pneumonia he was relieved from duty, and 
 returned home. He was mustered out of 
 the regiment September 9, following, at 
 Cleveland, Oiiio. He then engaged in 
 farming, in which he has met with well- 
 merited success, now owning 228 acres of 
 land, besides property in Chicago, Ohio. 
 
 On February 8, 1860, Mr. Gilson mar- 
 ried Miss Eliza A. Baker, of Medina 
 county, Ohio, a daughter of Chauncy 
 Baker, and two children have been born to 
 them: Aida Belle, who was a pupil of 
 the Conservatory of Music at Cleveland, 
 Ohio, married November 22, 1893, to 
 John M. Elder; and Arza Baker, at home 
 and at school. Our subject, in addition 
 to his many other interests, is a notary 
 public, and pension attorney, in which 
 capacity he enjoys a large practice, cover- 
 ing several States. 
 
 THADDEUS S. FANCHER, farmer 
 and stock grower of Greenwich 
 township, was born April 8, 1809, 
 in Ulster county, N. Y., a son of 
 Thaddeus Fancher, a native of Eng- 
 land, where he was born in 1777, and where 
 he learned the harness maker's trade. 
 
 Emigrating to the United States, Thad- 
 deus Fancher found a home near Stamford, 
 Conn., followed his trade, and there mar- 
 ried Sally Mead, a daughter of Gen. Mead, 
 of Revolutionary fame. To that marriage 
 twelve children wei-e born, namely: Mary, 
 ('aroline, Daniel, Mead, Eliza, Thaddeus 
 S., Amy, William, Sarah, Mathew, Will- 
 iam and Varney P., of whom Sarah, Mathew 
 and Varney P. were born in Huron county. 
 About the year 1808 the family moved 
 from Connecticut to Ulster county, N. Y., 
 where the father followed his trade until 
 the war of 1812 called all loyal men to 
 arms. Mr. Fancher was drawn into the 
 maelstrom, and took up arms against the 
 troops of his native land. After the war 
 he resumed his trade, and resided with his 
 
286 
 
 UUEOiir COUXTT, OHIO. 
 
 family in Ulster county until 1815, when 
 lie set out on the long journey to Huron 
 county, Ohio, to see for himself whether 
 the olowiiio- reports about the "Firelands" 
 were reliable. The journey was made on 
 foot, and satisfied Mr. Faiicher that the 
 land was all that was claimed for it, how- 
 ever wild the country. He returned to 
 Ulster county, but in 1819 revisited Ohio, 
 selected a tract in Greenwich township, 
 Huron county, and went home to prepare 
 for the removal of his family to a new 
 home in a new land. In November, 1820, 
 the family started on the journey to Ohio, 
 a wagon drawn by a yoke of oxen with a 
 horse for leader beiiio; used during the 
 long trip, which occupied live weeks and 
 four days. When passing through Cleve- 
 land onl^' eight huts marked the site of 
 that now prosperous city, and along the 
 route via Oberlin and Fitchville Caucasian 
 life was scarce indeed. On Christmas Eve, 
 1820, the family found shelter in a cabin 
 occupied by a man named Waters. On 
 Christmas Day they arrived in Greenwich 
 township, and took possession of an old 
 hut, which stood on the farm now owned 
 by C. A. Sutton. Within a day or so 
 they had a visit from David Briggs, their 
 first neighbor, who lived about two miles 
 away, and in the walk over that short dis- 
 tance he killed seven deer. He informed 
 the new comers of his feat, and with Mr. 
 Fancher's help gathered in the game and 
 insured to his new friends enough meat to 
 supply the table for the winter. The father 
 died December 26, 1854, the mother May 
 1, 1857. He was truly one of the pio- 
 neers of northern Ohio, was a leading 
 Whig of this section, and though not an 
 adherent of the Democratic party the men 
 of that faction, who knew him, admired 
 him for his sincerity and honesty of 
 purpose. 
 
 Thaddeus S. Fancher came to Ohio with 
 his parents wdien eleven years old. There 
 were no schools in Huron county for six 
 years after his arrival, so that the boy was 
 compelled to tramp three miles to and fro 
 
 daily, in winter, to a school which had 
 been recently established in Ruggles town- 
 ship, Ashland county. He grew to man- 
 hood on the home farm, in the improve- 
 ment of which he assisted materially. On 
 September 8, 1833, he married Annie M. 
 Chapman, of Ilichland county, who was 
 born at Simsbury, Conn., October 8, 1817, 
 and came to Richmond county with her 
 parents, Cyrus and Ciiloe (Case) Cliapman, 
 in 1819. The children born to them are 
 named as follows: Reuben, of Lake county, 
 Ind., engaged in farming, real estate and 
 insurance; Louisa. Mrs. Albert Flint, of Em- 
 poria, Kans.; Lavina, widow of Warren, 
 
 of Chicago; Varney P., who served in the 
 One Hundred and Second O. V. I., suf- 
 fered the horrors of Libby Prison and lost 
 his health, dying in Missouri, after the 
 war; Salathiel, a real-estate man in Kansas 
 City; Lewis, also a resident of Kansas 
 City; George, a carpenter, residing at 
 home; Maria, Mrs. William Dennison, of 
 Topeka, Kans.; Stephen, deceased when 
 six months old; Orlando, who died when 
 three years old; Seniore, an attorney at 
 Crown Point, Ind., and Luella, Mrs. Alva 
 Tubbs, of Osawatomie, Kans. In Septem- 
 ber, 1833, our subject settled on part of 
 his present farm, increasing the area of his 
 lands gradually, until his large estate was 
 formed. In 1859 fire destroyed his build- 
 ings and much farm produce; insurance 
 had expired five or six days before, so that 
 he suffered total loss. He found himself 
 one thousand seven hundred dollars in 
 debt, but going to work with redoubled 
 energy he reached the front again, and his 
 progress has since been unchecked. He 
 provided well for his children, and to-day 
 enjoys the comforts which such a man 
 should have. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Fancher are the oldest 
 married couple in Huron county. They 
 well remember the days when the bear, 
 wolf and deer were ordinary visitors, and 
 when deer would come to browse on the 
 leaves of the fallen trees in the clearing. 
 Indians in parties of thirty-five or forty 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 287 
 
 often passed tlieir pioneer liome, e7i route 
 to tlie lumtinir iields of central Ohio. For- 
 merly a Whig, and a Republican since 
 1S5(), he has always been faithful to his 
 party, and he and his wife have been mem- 
 bers of the Methodist Cliurch forty years. 
 Both are identified with the pioneer his- 
 tory of northern Ohio, and are honored by 
 all, old and young, who know them. 
 
 DeWITT C. NORTON was born De- 
 cember 10, 1826, in Poultney, Yt., 
 ' a grandson of tSolomon Norton, who 
 
 was born in Connecticut in 1757, 
 and reared to farming, which he made a 
 success. 
 
 Grandfather Norton moved to Vermont 
 when a young man, bought a farm and 
 erected a saw and grist mill, all of which 
 lie carried on lor some years. He was 
 prosperous and became a very influential 
 man. At the age of seventy-five he re- 
 tired from active life, and with his wife 
 (his third one) moved to the town of 
 Shoreham, Vt., where he passed the re- 
 mainder of his days. He was first mar- 
 ried, in 1774, to Miss Sarah Re.xford, who 
 was born in 1757 in Vermont, and they 
 had thirteen children — seven sons and si.x 
 daughters. 
 
 James R. Norton, seventh child of Solo- 
 mon Norton, was born in Poultney, Vt., 
 in 1786, and was higidy educated; he at- 
 tended one of the best eastern colleges, 
 was a good classical scholar, a great reader, 
 and was possessed of a most retentive 
 memory. He married Miss Chloe Savage, 
 of Granville, N. Y., a daughter of Solomon 
 Savage, of the same place, and then em- 
 barked in mercantile business in Poultney, 
 in wliich lie continued until the passage of 
 the Embargo Act, which ruined his busi- 
 ness. He then commenced the trade of 
 cooper, and worked at same in Poultney 
 till 1834, in which year he came to Huron 
 county, Ohio, and settling in Norwalk 
 township bought a farm of thirty acres. 
 
 He still continued at his trade here, while 
 his sons farmed the place, and became 
 quite prosperous, owning before his deatii 
 147 acres of land. In politics he was a 
 strong Republican, one of the counsellors 
 and advisers of the party. Mr. and Mrs. 
 James R. Norton were the parents of six 
 children, viz.: Louisa, Charlotte L., Sarah, 
 James H., DeWitt C. and Henry C. 
 
 DeAVitt C. Norton at the age of eight 
 years came with his father from Poultney, 
 Vt., to Norwalk township. He received 
 his education at the high school of Nor- 
 walk, after which he taught school nine 
 winters. In 1859 he was united in mar- 
 riage with Sarah Henderson, daughter of 
 Joseph Henderson, of Connecticut. After 
 marriage he farmed with his fathei- until 
 the death of the latter in 1872, when he 
 bought his present farm, then of 147, now 
 
 of 177 acres, and commenced the rearing 
 ... ~ ■ 
 
 of fine sheep, an industry he continued in 
 
 some years with good success, and he had 
 the reputation of keeping the best sheep 
 in the county. He has now on his farm 
 several thorough-bred cattle. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Norton were the parents of four chil- 
 dren, viz.: Mary and Sarali L., both of 
 whom died young; Horace H., working ot) 
 his father's farm; and James P., a veteri- 
 nary surgeon in Fulton, Mo. In politics 
 our subject is a solid Republican, but has 
 never sought office. 
 
 ip? FORGE M. RYERSON was born 
 I J, March 10, 1821, in Sussex county, 
 \Jl\ N. J. His father, Peter Ryerson, 
 ^Ji follovved farming, and was also an 
 extensive tanner and currier in that 
 county. 
 
 During the youth of George M. Ryer- 
 son, his native county was surrounded by 
 pioneer conditions of even a more decided 
 character than he found existing in Huron 
 county, Ohio, in later years. He received 
 such an education as the subscription 
 schools of Sussex county afforded, and then 
 
288 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 learned the carpenter's trade, at which he 
 worked continuously until some six or eight 
 years after coming to Ohio in 1850. On 
 January 14, 1847, he was united in mar- 
 riajre with Miss Sarah C. Edsall, a native 
 of Sussex county, N. J., and to them the 
 follovving named children were born: 
 Elizabeth, who died in childhood; Sarah, 
 born October 22, 1849, who married 
 Charles H. Burg, of Paterson, N. J.; 
 Price v., born November 6, 1851, a 
 farmer of Greenfield township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio; Edsall F., born August 12. 1853, 
 in Huron county, also a farmer in the 
 neighborhood; Esther P., born January 11, 
 1856, wife of A. G. Roe, of Peru township; 
 George E., a farmer of Fairfield township; 
 Dora Elzie, married to Fred Mitchell, of 
 Bronson township: Delno P., a farmer of 
 Peru township; Kate, married to Free- 
 man Mitchell, of Greenfield township; 
 and Grace, the youngest child, who was 
 married November 15, 1893, to Henry T. 
 Graham, of Greenfield. The mother of 
 tliis large family died July 4, 1877, aged 
 fifty-three years, and was buried in Center 
 cemetery with the rites of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, of which she was a 
 member. On June 25, 1878, Mr. Ryer- 
 son married, for his second wife, Misa 
 Haunah Harrison, who was born February 
 11, 1837, in Huntingdonshire, England, 
 and came thence to Norwalk, Ohio, in 
 1867. The children of this marriage are: 
 Mabel B., born May 4, 1879, and Susie 
 A., born August 28, 1880. 
 
 In 1850 Mr. Ryerson, with his wife and 
 two children, made the journey from New 
 Jersey to this part of Ohio, where he 
 rented a small tract of land. Later he 
 purchased a larger tract in Peru township, 
 where he now resides. A farmer and car- 
 penter, he found work always waiting for 
 his hands, and his industrious character 
 did not permit a waste of time. A good 
 farmer and a good mechanic, he filled the 
 double role well, and accumulated a valu- 
 able property. His children were all 
 reared at home, and when each required 
 
 aid in beginning life's journey, he was al- 
 ways ready with will and means to assist. 
 Up to the Buchanan regime Mr. Ryerson 
 was a Democrat, but since that period he 
 has been a Republican. He has held vari- 
 ous township offices, and is thoroughly 
 versed in the principles of govern meat, 
 always taking a deep interest in the success 
 of his party, particularly in the manage- 
 ment of township and county affairs. He 
 is a leading member of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, in which he has held 
 several offices, and is one of its pillars and 
 most liberal supporters. His wife is a 
 member of the Baptist Church. The 
 family are well and favorably known here, 
 and Mr. Ryerson, himself, is held in the 
 highest esteem. 
 
 URI B. THOMAS, who has been a 
 resident of Huron county since 1846, 
 was born October 24, 1818, in 
 Otsego county. New York. 
 His parents, George and Adeline (Baker) 
 Thomas, bestowed care un the training of 
 their son, and gave him such education as 
 the common district school afforded. At 
 the age of eighteen years sickness com- 
 pelled him to abandon study, and for the 
 three following years little attention was 
 given bv him to school matters. Con- 
 valescent once more, he entered Clinton 
 Institute, Clinton, N. Y., in May, 1840, 
 the year he claims was the turning point 
 in his life, and being a studious young- 
 man learned quickly — grammar, algebra, 
 chemistry, surveying, philosophy and the 
 higher branches of mathematics, French 
 and Latin being particularly suited to hitn. 
 After a stay of four months and a half at 
 Clinton, he contracted to teach the village 
 school at Burlington Flats, the considera- 
 tion being seventeen dollars per month. 
 There were fifteen applicants for this posi- 
 tion, which entailed the instruction and 
 control of one hundred and five pupils. 
 This, his first school, began November 1, 
 
$r". 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^^'^^ 
 
 ^V-:^^^2'-2:^y, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 291 
 
 1840, and ended in March, 1841. His 
 success as teacher was pronounced, so 
 that wlien he established a select school in 
 the same village, parents gave him a lib- 
 eral support. For several years after Mr. 
 Thomas conducted scliool, and also found 
 time to attend Clinton Institute. In 1840 
 he walked nine miles to attend the Whig 
 convention at Utica, making the tow-path 
 of the Chenango Canal his road to and fro; 
 and in November of that year he cast his 
 first vote for President of the United 
 States. From 1840 to 1846 he wa.s steadily 
 engaged in school work, and in April of 
 the last named year he set out for Huron 
 county, traveling via the Erie Canal and 
 lake to Huron, Ohio, whence he proceeded 
 to his destination in Greenwich township. 
 His father owned a piece of partly im- 
 proved land in that township, half of 
 which tract (to the value of about five hun- 
 dred dollars) he granted to his son, pro- 
 vided the latter would clear and Improve 
 the whole tract. Uri B. went to work 
 earnestly, and though the condition of his 
 health scarcely warranted such labor as the 
 contract with his father demanded, yet his 
 venture was attended with marked suc- 
 cess. In the fall of 1846 lie purchased 
 110 acres of wild land for five hundred and 
 ten dollars, and gave his attention for 
 three-fourths of each year to the iiqprove- 
 uient of both tracts, being engaged in 
 teaching school here during the winter 
 terms. 
 
 On April 16, 1849, Mr. Thomas mar- 
 ried Ellen R. McOmber, a native of Cas- 
 tleton, Vt., born May 21, 1829. In 1848 
 a sister of this lady, by name Charlotte, 
 visited Greenwich township; she was one 
 of a party going through the country, 
 lecturing on mnemonics, or the science of 
 n)en}orv, and gave an exhibition in the 
 school, then conducted by Mr. Thomas. 
 She organized a class there, which her 
 sister was assigned to teach, and in this 
 way Mr. Thomas became acquainted with 
 her. They were married at the old '• Neil 
 House," Columbus, Ohio, by a Universal- 
 is 
 
 ist preacher, Rev. N. Doolittle, and to this 
 union were born the following named chil- 
 dren: Orr U., residing at home; George 
 T., probate judge of Huron county; Dora 
 E., who died young; a son who died in in- 
 fancy; and Luna A., who died young. 
 Mrs. Ellen R. Tliomas died March 25, 
 1861, and was buried in Fitchville ceme- 
 tery. On February 17, 1864, his marriage 
 with Myra B. Stowe, a native of Erie 
 county, Oliio, took place, and to them were 
 born: Walter S., who died in youth, and 
 Myra A., Mrs. Lewis A. Akelcy, a pro- 
 fessor in the University of South Dakota, 
 at Vermillion. 
 
 After his first marriage our subject 
 established his home on the old place 
 where he had resided since 1846, and con- 
 tinued there until 1864, when he moved 
 to his present residence. For a number 
 of years he w'as recognized as a leading 
 agriculturist, stock grower and wool dealer, 
 in the latter capacity buying wool through- 
 out northern Ohio. For over two years 
 he has led a semi-retired life, leavinu; his 
 lands and the management of the estate in 
 the hands of his eldest son. Mr. Tliomas 
 was a Den^ocrat until 1852. In 1848 he 
 voted the Free-soil ticket, and in 1856 
 voted the Republican ticket. He was a 
 justice of the peace for many years, but 
 stoutly refused other offices, even with- 
 drawing his name when presented in con- 
 vention of his party for representative in 
 the Legislature. He is thoroughly versed 
 in the political history of the United 
 States, and well informed on a great num- 
 ber of subjects. Possessing a good mem- 
 ory and the gift of language, he is a fluent, 
 intelligible speaker. Some two years ago 
 he sustained injuries from a runaway team, 
 which came near making him a cripple for 
 life, and to his own knowledge of anatomy, 
 more than to any other source, must be 
 credited his recovery. 
 
 On August 29, 1873, was organized a 
 corporate company, under the title of 
 " The Greenwich Land and Building Asso- 
 ciation," having purchased the farm of 
 
2^2 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 121. 44 acres where Greenwicli now stands, 
 for the purpose of growing the town. The 
 town of Greenwich liad in 1873 a popula- 
 tion of fifty within a radius of iBO rods 
 from the center of the C. 0. C. & I. K K. 
 tracks on Main street. In 1878 tlie popu- 
 tation of Greenwicli, within the same 
 radius, was over 1,000. Mr. Thomas iiav- 
 ing taken stock in said Association, at the 
 election of officers in September, 1873, he 
 was elected its president; re-elected to that 
 position annually to date, and the manage- 
 ment has been largely under his control. 
 
 El THAN C. LOVELL, a large land- 
 owner of Greenfield township, was 
 I born here June 17, 1819, where his 
 
 parents, David and Mary Chilcott 
 Lovell, were early pioneers. 
 
 David Lovell was born in 1763, in 
 Baltimore county, Md., which, according 
 to Bancroft, was " the only place in the 
 wide world where religious liberty found 
 a home." His ancestors came from Elng- 
 land, but whether with the Maryland or 
 Virginia colonists is not recorded. He was 
 reared on the home farm in his native 
 county, I'eceived an education in the school 
 of his district, and when yet a young man 
 removed to Huntingdon county, Penn. 
 There he married Mary Chilcott, also a 
 native of Baltimore county, Md., and they 
 resided in Trough Creek Valley until the 
 fall of 1815, when he sold his farm and jour- 
 neyed across the mountains with his wife 
 and four children. He made a short stay 
 at the home of a relative in Knox county, 
 Ohio, but the reputation of the "Firelands" 
 had penetrated to the wilderness of Knox 
 county, and soon the family started on the 
 journey to. Huron county. Arriving here 
 Mr. Lovell entered a large tract of land in 
 Greenfield township, butdidnot buildanew 
 cabin immediately, preferring the shelter 
 which the cabin of an earlier settler 
 afforded until he could select a favorable 
 site for a iionie. His land purchases were 
 
 not confined to Greenfield township, so 
 that he carried all he could handle. At 
 this critical time the buyer of the farm in 
 Himtingdon county, Penn., failed to pay 
 for it, and ownership had to be resumed 
 by Mr. Lovell. This circumstance com- 
 pelled him to sell, not only the old farm 
 at a sacrifice, but also some of his lands in 
 Ohio. After this troublesome deal was con - 
 eluded, he located on tiie farm where Ethan 
 C. Lovell now resides, and gave all his at- 
 tention to agriculture until his death, which 
 occurred November 16, 1830. His widow 
 died July 14, 1848, and both are interred in 
 Greenfield township. Politically he was 
 a Democrat, and religiously a member of 
 the Close Communion Baptist Church. 
 The record of their children is as follows: 
 Ruth, born March 8, 1804, died February 
 17, 1818, while her parents were visiting in 
 Pennsylvania, and was the first person in- 
 terred in Greenfield cemetery; Martha, 
 born November 2, 1806, is the deceased 
 wife of Edward H. Lawther, of Green- 
 field township; Kachel, born August 6, 
 1809, is the deceased wife of Phineas K. 
 Guthrie; Mary, born September 10, 1811, 
 died November 6, 1820; Eleanor, born 
 August 29, 1815, is the deceased wife of 
 Nehemiah Brooks; Ethan C. is the sub- 
 ject of this sketch. 
 
 Ethan C Lovell was born and reared on 
 the farm where he now resides, and his 
 education was such as the primitive schools 
 of that period aflbrded; geograpiiy was 
 the boy's favorite study. After the death 
 of his father his mother assumed charge of 
 the farm, and theson worked thereon. When 
 seventeen or eighteen years old he took 
 charge of the home farm of fifty acres, 
 and also of a farm of sixty acres in Peru 
 township, and carried both on with marked 
 success. He was married December 30, 
 1854, to Martha McKelvey, who was born 
 March 31, 1831, at Plymouth, Ohio. Her 
 grandfather, William McKelvey, was a 
 soldier in the Bevolutionary war. In 
 1811 he came to the "Firelands" of Ohio, 
 and settled in Greenfield township, Huron 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 293 
 
 county; liut .some time afterward, when 
 the news of Hull's treachery and the 
 capitulation of Detroit was heralded 
 through the settlements, William McKel- 
 Tey removed his family to Trumbull 
 county, and he and his son William joined 
 the army. When peace was declared they 
 returned to Greenfield, Huron county. 
 Matthew McKelvey, father of Mrs. Lovell, 
 was born January 30, 1791, in Westmore- 
 land county, Penn. He married Nancy 
 Adams, who was born July 30, 1798, at 
 Marlboro, Vt., a daughter of Bildad 
 Adams, an early settler of Huron county, 
 Ohio. Matthew McKelvey opened a 
 general store near Greentield Center; the 
 first dry-goods store at Plymouth, Ohio, 
 was established by him, and for a long 
 time he was the leading merchant in a wide 
 district, wliere to-day thousands are en- 
 gaged in trade. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Lovell located on the 
 present farm immediately after marriage, 
 and to-day possess one of the finest resi- 
 dences in the township. Having no chil- 
 dren of their own, they adopted two, who 
 bear the name of their foster-parents. In 
 political life Mr. Lovell, prior to 1856, 
 was a Democrat, of the Jacksonian school, 
 but since then he lias been a thorough Re- 
 publican; he is a strong and logical advo- 
 cate for protective tariffs. The valuable 
 property which he now owns is the direct 
 result of his own and his wife's industry 
 and perseverance. He gives to agricul- 
 ture and stock growing the care which 
 generally warrants success, and to-day he 
 ranks with the leading farmers of this 
 section of Ohio. 
 
 FHtLIP HAUXHURST, a success- 
 ful farmer and prominent citizen of 
 Huron county, was born October 4, 
 1829, in Ulster county. New York. 
 Samson Hau.xhurst, his father, 
 was born April 30, 1803, near White 
 Plains, N. Y., and was raised on his 
 
 father's farm until he was eighteen years 
 old. In 1821 lie was apprenticed to a car- 
 penter and millwright, with whom he 
 served five years. On January 1, 1829, 
 lie married Susan Briggs, who was born 
 February 22, 1806, in Wawarsing town- 
 ship, Ulster Co., N. Y., where her father, 
 Daniel Briggs, was a fanner. To this 
 marriage eight children were born, of 
 whom the three first named in the follow- 
 ing record were natives of New York: 
 Philip, the subject of this sketch; George, 
 born April 10, 1832, who died September 
 11, 1840; Martha, born January 1, 1834, 
 Mrs. J. W. Sprague, of Belgrade, Neb.; 
 Elnora, born February 2, 1837, wife of J. 
 S. Laughlin, of Golden Spring, Neb.; 
 Mary Jane, born September 9, 1840, 
 
 widow of Carscallen, of Oakdale, 
 
 Antelope Co., Neb.; Sarah, born Septem- 
 ber 9, 1842, who married Marcus Bacon, 
 and died December 14, 1873, at Wells- 
 worth, Mo.; Minerva, born August 1, 
 1844, Mrs. Herbert Mickey, of Fitchville 
 township; and Charles W., born Novem- 
 ber 8, 1846, died April 13, 1847. 
 
 In the fall of 1836 the parents and their 
 three children set out from Ulster county 
 for Ohio. From their home in the villao-e 
 of Ellen ville, to Kingston, thirty miles 
 distant, they traveled in a wagon, thence 
 to Albany, on a Hudson-river boat; thence 
 to Buffalo on canal boat; thence to Huron, 
 Ohio, on lake boat, and lastly in a wagon 
 to Fitchville township, Huron county, 
 w^here the family found a temporary home 
 with Robert Washburn, a brother-in-law 
 of Mr. Hauxhurst. Samson Hauxhurst 
 was not a stranger in the new country. In 
 1834 he had visited the West to examine 
 lands, and starting from Detroit traversed 
 southeastern Michigan and the two north- 
 ern tiers of counties in Ohio (east of Wood 
 county), on horseback. In Huron county 
 he found land to suit iiim, and purchased 
 140 acres at sixteen dollars per acre. After 
 locating here in 1836 he built a log cabin, 
 which soon after gave place to a log house 
 built by himself. From that time till 
 
294 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 October 23, 1880, wlien death removed the 
 pioneer, he gave all his time and attention 
 to the farm, seldom even exercising his 
 trade, when snch would take him away 
 from the place. Mrs. Hanxhnrst died in 
 June, 1870. Politically a Republican, he 
 was well posted on public affairs, faithful 
 to the party platform, aud tilled several 
 township offices most satisfactorily. In 
 religious faith he and his wife were mem- 
 bers of the M. E. Church, and ardent as 
 well as liberal supporters of same. Mr. 
 Hau.xhurst donated a house and lot to the 
 missionary cause. He held various posi- 
 tions in the church, and was, altogether, 
 one of its most zealous members. 
 
 Philip Hauxhurst was reared at Ellen- 
 ville, N. y., until he was seven years of 
 age, when he accompanied his parents to 
 Ohio. In boyhood he attended the Fitch- 
 ville high school, when Mr. DeWolfe, ex- 
 State superintendent of schools, was prin- 
 cipal of that institution. After school 
 days had gone with the past, he returned 
 to the farm. On May 4, 1804, he was 
 united in marriage with Julia A. Denman, 
 born Xoveraber 26, 1830, in Ulster county, 
 N. Y., daughter of Martin Denman, who 
 settled in Townsend township, Huron 
 county, in 1833. To this marriage came 
 children as follows: Carrie D., born Jan- 
 uary 12, 1856, died April 7, 1864; Louisa, 
 born December 7, 1857, died October 3, 
 1875; Annabel M.,born August 10, 1859, 
 wife of J. E. Bliss, of Fairfield township; 
 and an infant, unnamed, born P"'ebruary 8, 
 1863, who died a few days later. The 
 mother of these children passed away Sep- 
 tember 11, 1867, and Mr. Hauxhurst's 
 marriage with Mrs. Mary Webster, widow 
 of Guy Webster, of Ionia, Mich., took 
 place June 7, 1870. She died without 
 issue, February 13, 1889, and on June 3, 
 1890, our subject married Anna Filkins, 
 a native of Attica, N. Y., born February 
 22, 1835. After his first marriage Mr. 
 Hauxhurst located in his father's home. 
 This property he purchased in 1870, and 
 at once began the work of improving it. 
 
 The residence, whicli was built by himself, 
 is one of the finest in the township. Po- 
 litically a Republican, he has always been 
 true to the party. He has filled the office 
 of township trustee for a greater number 
 of terms than any other resident of the 
 township, and has also served in other 
 local offices. In religions affairs he is a 
 member of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, and steward of the M. E. Society 
 of Fairfield. 
 
 In May, 1864, our subject enlisted in 
 Company C, One Hundred and Sixty-sixth 
 O. V. I. (formerly of the Sixty-third Ohio 
 National Guards), proceeded to Virginia 
 with the command on May 15, and served 
 in the defense of Washington, D. C, 
 against Jubal Early's raiders. He prac- 
 tically escaped the sickness which attacked 
 the regiment, and receiving honorable dis- 
 charge, was mustered out September 9, 
 
 1864, and returning home resumed farm- 
 er 
 
 ing. His civil and military records are 
 without stain, and to-day he stands high 
 in the opinion of the people of Huron 
 county and his township. 
 
 ^jr^j M. WILLEY was born August 23, 
 
 l^^ 1828, in the county of Durham, 
 
 I \i England. He received but a com- 
 
 J) mon country school education in 
 
 his native land, and when yet a boy 
 
 emigrated to America, locating in Gunius, 
 
 Seneca Co., New York. 
 
 In 1854 he came to Ohio, and being 
 naturally adapted to mechanical work, 
 entered the employ of the Lake Shore & 
 Alichigan Southern Pailroad Company in 
 the road's pioneer days. After leaving 
 this company he went to Michigan, and 
 became an engineer for a sawmill, in one 
 of the great lumber camps. Finally re- 
 turning to Ohio, he was married, July 29, 
 1870, to Hattie J. Haskell, who was born 
 in 1843, in Worcestershire, England. She 
 is the daughter of George and Mary Ann 
 (Barber) Haskell, who came to America in 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 295 
 
 1850. locating in Erie county, Ohio. R. 
 ]\[. and Ilattie J. Willey were the parents 
 of one daughter, Gertie M., who now has 
 cliarge of tiie liome farm. On April 22, 
 1872, Mr. Willey mourned the death of his 
 wife, and she was laid to rest in the Nor- 
 walk cemetery. He passed his remaining 
 years on tiie farm in Ridgefield township, 
 Huron county, following general agri- 
 culture and stock raising, in which he was 
 successful. His death occurred August 4, 
 1890, when he was laid to rest by tlie side 
 of iiis wife. 
 
 When a joung luan Mr. Willey twice 
 sustained the loss of large sums of money 
 due him for labor, but not becoming dis- 
 couraged he again set to work, and at last 
 succeeded in acquiring a competence. He 
 Tiecame an eager reader, and spent most of 
 his time at home, where he could always 
 be found. Although very unassuming in 
 his manner, he was a very popular man, 
 and his friends were numbered by the 
 scores. In politics he was a Republican, 
 taking an active interest in the success of 
 his party. 
 
 T| L. SLAGLE, one of the prominent 
 w I railroad men of Chicago Junction, 
 \^ was born July 4, 1858, at Cassel, 
 Hessen-Cassel, Germany. The name, 
 in Germany, was originally von Schlagel, 
 but after coming to the United States the 
 father of George von Schlagel, grandfather 
 of our subject, changed the spelling to 
 Slagle. 
 
 George von Slagle was born in Gallia 
 county, Ohio, shortly after his parents had 
 emigrated to the United States. He re- 
 ceived a common English education, and 
 by his own labor paid for his education as 
 civil engineer and land surveyor. About 
 1856 he married a Miss Atkins, of south- 
 ern Indiana, and while thev were visiting 
 in Germany to settle an estate, the subject 
 of this sketch was born. They returned 
 in September, 1858, and settled in Wapello 
 county, Iowa. In 1861 George Slagle en- 
 
 listed as a private in Company E, Thirty- 
 sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and later 
 was promoted to corporal. Taken prisoner, 
 he was compelled for seven months to ac- 
 cept the tei-rible hospitality of the Con- 
 federate prisons, which, with thii'ty-seven 
 months in actual service, made his full 
 term of three years and eight months. 
 Since receiving honorable discharge he has 
 resided at Seymour, Ind., where he fol- 
 lows the profession of civil engineer, and 
 is engaged in contracting. He has three 
 children, namely: J. L., Frank, and Hattie 
 C, wife of Harry Wheeler, locomotive 
 engineer, of Seymour, Ind. The mother 
 of this family died nineteen years ago. 
 
 J. L. Slagle received a fair education in 
 the common and graded schools of Sey- 
 mour, Ind. At the age of nineteen years 
 he entered the employ of the Missouri 
 Pacific as fireman on the Kansas City & 
 Atchison division, in which position he 
 served eight months, when he was pro- 
 moted to yard engineer. After eight 
 months' service he resigned, returning to 
 Indiana, where he again found employment 
 as fireman, but in an accident of his road 
 he received injuries which incapacitated 
 him for heavy railroad work for three 
 years. He was able, however, to do cleri- 
 cal work, and traveled over the country in 
 various employments. In 1881 he re- 
 sumed railroad work, as fireman on the Bal- 
 timore & Ohio Railroad, but later accepted 
 a position as brakeman; was then promoted 
 to freight, and then to passenger conductor. 
 On July 23, 1886, he assisted in opening 
 the new division between Philadelphia and 
 Baltimore, where he remained nearly one 
 year, and in 1887 returned as freight-train 
 condiictor between Chicago Junction and 
 Chicago, making his home at Chicago 
 Junction. Since entering the service of 
 the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company 
 he has served in nearly every capacity on 
 tiie train — as brakeman, fireman, liaggage 
 agent, and freight and passenger conductor. 
 
 Mr. Slagle was married August 9, 1888, 
 to Kunnegunde, eldest daughter of Capt. 
 
296 
 
 HUROyr COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 F. J. Leydorf. They own a delightful 
 home on Spring street, and enjoy many 
 substantial friendships. Mr. Slagle is a 
 polished, courteous gentleman, popular 
 not only in railroad circles, but also among 
 men in every station in Chicago Junction. 
 In 1892 his name was presented to the 
 Republican convention, as candidate for 
 sheriff of Huron county, and he received 
 a flattering support. In the great raili-oad 
 system of this country promotion always 
 waits on such a man, slow it may be, but 
 Bure. 
 
 J JOSEPH SMITHLA, who was born 
 February 19, 1819, in Baden, Ger- 
 ^: niany, is a son of John and Mary 
 (Gross) Smithla, natives of that 
 division of what is now the German 
 Empire. 
 
 John Smithla was a miller, and died in 
 1826, his wife surviving him three years. 
 After the death of her first husband she 
 re-married, and Joseph resided with his 
 step-father during his minority. He at- 
 tended the schools of his native town, and 
 subsequently learned the baker's trade, at 
 which he worked until 1847. In that year 
 he sailed for America from the port ot 
 Havre in northern France, landed at New 
 York, worked one month at his trade there, 
 and then proceeded to Sandusky, Ohio. 
 He appears to have cast aside the baker's 
 ti'ade there in favor of an ordinary labor- 
 er's work, for he worked in the latter 
 capacity on the Newark & Sandusky 
 Railroad, which was then in course of 
 construction. In 1850 he went to Cali- 
 fornia, the journey occupying 103 days, 
 and was engaged in the gold diggings until 
 1852, when he returned to Ohio and made 
 his home in Huron county. 
 
 On May 2, 1853, he was married to 
 Helena Hiss, who came from Germany 
 with her parents in 1837, and the children 
 born to this marriage were Joseph, 
 Edward and Taophile (all three farmers of 
 Pern township); Helena, Rosa, Carrie and 
 
 Tillie, residing with parents, and Mary 
 and Paul (deceased). In 1853 Mr. Smithla 
 piirchased ninety acres of his present farm 
 of 187 acres, afterward adding the remain- 
 ing ninety-seven acres. This tract gives 
 ample evidence of the care which he has 
 bestowed upon it during tlie last forty 
 years. It is highly improved and intrin- 
 sically valuable, as well as being the 
 pioneer home of the SmithJas in America. 
 Like the Argonants of 1819-52, the owner 
 is a whole-souled, al)le-bodied, reliable 
 man, whose industry carved out of a 
 forest a valuable home. The family are 
 all members of the Catholic con(rreo;ation, 
 and, like the father, very much esteemed. 
 Mr. Smithla votes with the Democratic 
 party in State and National issues; and 
 even in local politics, where the man,* 
 rather than the party, is considered, it is 
 unusual for him to desert the nominee of 
 his party. The elegant brick residence 
 and farm buildings speak forcibly of Mr. 
 Smithla's relation to the community. 
 
 l"J\ILLIAM PERRIN, one of the 
 yjl leading representative business 
 ll[ men of Huron county, is' a native 
 of the Keystone State, born in 
 Wilkes-Barre, March 31, 1835, a son of 
 Gurdin and Polly (Church) Perrin, the 
 former of whom was born in Connecticut 
 in 1801, where lie was reared and educated. 
 In 1822 Gurdin Perrin moved to Penn- 
 sylvania where he followed farming till 
 1837, at which time he came to Huron 
 county, Ohio, and continued his life 
 vocation up to his death, which event 
 occurred about the year 1867. He was a 
 Presbyterian of the old school, in church 
 connection, and an uncompromising Wliig, 
 in his political predilections. About the 
 year 1824 he was married to Polly Church, 
 and they had a family of eleven children, 
 eight of whom grew to maturity, and six 
 are now living. The mother died October 
 5, 1855. 
 
HUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 297 
 
 William Perrin, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, was educated at the Huron 
 Institute, at Milan, Ohio, and when old 
 enough commenced teaching school . in 
 Huron county, in which he continued some 
 years. Abandonino; scholastic duties, Mr. 
 Perrin next turned his attention to agri- 
 cultural pursuits, stone quarrying, and 
 dealing in real estate. He assisted in the 
 laying' out of the route, in Huron county, 
 of the Wheeling & Lake Erie Ilailroad. 
 
 On December 26, 1860, William Perrin 
 was united in marriage with Miss Eliza- 
 beth Newson, who bore him one child 
 that died. This wife was called from 
 earth February 3, 1863, and April 5, 1864, 
 Mr. Perrin married Mrs. Mary E. Jordan, 
 sister to his first wif e, _ by which union 
 there are two children, Emma E. and 
 William N. In politics our subject was 
 originally a Democrat, his first Presiden- 
 tial vote having been cast for Buchanan, 
 but in 1864 he became a Republican, and 
 has ever since cast his suffrages for that 
 party. In churcli relationship he is an 
 earnest Episcopalian. 
 
 William N. Perrin, son of William and 
 Mary E. Perrin, was born in 1870 at Nor- 
 walk, Ohio, and received his primary edu- 
 cation at the common schools of Norwalk, 
 after which he attended the Case School 
 of Applied Science at Cleveland, studying 
 both civil and electrical engineering. He 
 made all the maps for a recent excellent atlas 
 of Huron county, which have given uni- 
 versal satisfaction. 
 
 JAMES McMAHON, a well-known 
 agriculturist of Huron county, was 
 born May 17, 1837, in County 
 Monaghan, Ireland, where he passed 
 his childhood and received a moderate 
 edncation. As he approached manhood he 
 determined to seek a new home where he 
 could have broader chances for accumulat- 
 ing money, and more freedom in his ideas 
 and manner of living. 
 
 in view he emigrated from 
 
 With thi 
 Ireland in 1853, and immediately after his 
 arrival in America located in Ohio, where 
 he began his business career as a farm 
 laborer on the estate of Steven Sawyer. 
 The country at that date was in a wild 
 state, thoroughly undeveloped and but 
 thinly populated, and farming was hard 
 work; but a determination to succeed, 
 coupled with unusual energy, enabled our 
 subject to persevere in the work for eight 
 years. At the end of that time he had 
 accumulated enough money to buy two 
 horses and rent a small tract of land, and 
 in a few years bought seventy-two acres of 
 land, two and one half miles southeast of 
 Bellevue. He has continued to add to his 
 farm until it now comprises 200 acres of 
 highly cultivated soil, and yields him a 
 comfortable income. On October 10, 
 1866, Mr. McMahon married Miss Bridget 
 Perry, who was born in 1848 in Toronto, 
 Canada, a daughter of James Perry, a suc- 
 cessful farmer of Erie county, who died in 
 1880, at the age of sixty-four. Their mar- 
 riage has been blessed with eight children, 
 viz.: Rose (who married Bernard Brady, 
 of Portland, Oreg.), James (who lives in 
 Bellevue, and is married), Mary, Susie, 
 Agnes, Eddie, Julia and Isabella, all of 
 whom are living. Mrs. McMahon died 
 January 17, 1882, deeply mourned by her 
 family and friends. 
 
 The subject of this biograpiiical memoir 
 is an example of what energy and frugal- 
 ity can accomplish. He commenced life 
 in a new country without either money or 
 friends, and to-day has an abundance of 
 both. He devotes his attention exclusively 
 to farming, and principally to raising wheat 
 and corn. He is a Democrat in politics, 
 and served as road supervisor for a num- 
 ber of years. He and his family are mem- 
 bers and liberal supporters of the Catholic 
 Church. 
 
 James McMahon, father of our subject, 
 was born in Ireland and lived there until 
 1861, at which time became with his wife 
 to America, settling in Ohio. He was a 
 
298 
 
 HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 farmer in the old country, and always de- 
 voted his attention to agricultural pursuits 
 up to the time of his death. He com- 
 menced work in Ohio with no money, but 
 succeeded in renting a farm in Ly'ne town- 
 ship, where he was highly respected by 
 his neighbors, and where his wife died. 
 He had six children as follows: Thomas, 
 formerly of Deertield, Mich., who died 
 December 25, 1887; Mary, who died in 
 New York in 1839; James, subject of 
 sketch; Mrs. Owen Kelly and Peter Mc- 
 Mahon, of Deertield, Mich.; and Patrick, 
 residing three miles southeast of Bellevue. 
 
 'Jr^ EV. CHARLES V. CHEVRAUX, 
 li*^ pastor of St. Mary's Churcli, Nor- 
 ll ^ walk. The organizer of the Eng- 
 J) lish-speaking congregation of Ro- 
 
 man Catholics at jNorwalk was Rev. 
 Father Narcissus Ponchell, a native of 
 France, born September 19, 1825. In 
 July, 1850, he bade farewell to his native 
 land, and in company with Bishop Rappe 
 embarked for America, landing August 6 
 following. On January 1, 1851, he was 
 ordained priest by Bishop Rappe. He 
 was an able man, and soon became pastor 
 of St. Peter's Church, at Norwalk. 
 
 Seeing the necessity for an English- 
 speaking church here, he organized St. 
 Mary's parish, and in 1853 purciiased 
 land on which to erect a church. The 
 building was commenced in 1857, and the 
 first mass was held in it on Easter Sunday, 
 1859. He also purchased the cemetery of 
 five acres. Before the church was com- 
 pleted, however. Father Ponchell was 
 called to his reward by the hand of death, 
 September 15, 1860. He had labored 
 zealously in the diocese for the salvation 
 of souls, and was beloved by citizens of all 
 denominations. He was a man of impos- 
 ing appearance, amiable disposition, and a 
 true priest. Although it is now over 
 three decades since his remains were laid 
 to rest, his memory is as fresh in the 
 minds of the people as though it were but 
 
 yesterday, and he is still spoken of as the 
 perfect gentleman and true man of God. 
 
 Rev. E. M. O'Callahan attended St. 
 Mary's Church from Cleveland from Sep- 
 tember 4, 1S60, till December 1, same 
 year; from December 1 till April 2, 1864, 
 Rev. John Quinn had charge of the parish. 
 He did excellent work, and the congrega- 
 tion grew under his charge. During his 
 pastorate a handsoi'ne parocliial residence 
 was built. It is located on the southeast 
 corner of Milan and St. Mary streets. 
 Rev. Thomas P. Thorpe succeeded Father 
 Quinn as pastor of St. Mary's Church in 
 April, 1864. He enlarged the church, and 
 built a small parochial schoolhouse at the 
 rear of the church. Father Thorpe was 
 succeeded March 3, 1868, by the saintly 
 and energetic Father Halley, whose pas- 
 torate was marked by unusual progress of 
 the parish, both materially and spiritually. 
 Among the first moves in material matters 
 during his service in the parish was the 
 purchasing of a church bell, which weighs 
 three thousand one hundred pounds, and 
 is still one of the finest in this part of Ohio. 
 
 As the congregation grew rapidly, and 
 most of tlie members settled in the western 
 part of Norwalk, it became necessary to 
 build a new church and school building, and 
 expedient to remove the location of the 
 same to a more central portion of the 
 parish. With this end in view, March 7, 
 1875, I''ather Halley purchased a location 
 on the northwest corner of State and 
 League streets, and in 1878 a fine brick 
 schoolhouse was erected. A few years 
 later Father Halley was incapacitated 
 through ill-health, and lingered about 
 three years, when death closed his earthly 
 labors, after having served for nearly sev- 
 enteen years as pastor of St. Mary's 
 Church. Father F. Halley was born near 
 Tramore, County Waterford, Ireland, Jan- 
 uary 14, 1833; was educated at Mount 
 Mellory and at All Hallows College, Dub- 
 lin, Ireland. In 1855 he came to Amer- 
 ica, and in 1857 he entered St. Mary's 
 College, Cleveland, Ohio, where he was 
 
HURON COUNTY, OTIIO. 
 
 301 
 
 ordained by Bishop Rappe, December 2, 
 1860. He subsequently labored in Toledo, 
 Grafton, St. Mary's Seminary (Cleveland) 
 and St. Mary's parish (^Norwalk). Al- 
 though his last charge was a heavy one, 
 and traught with adversity, he was always 
 equal to the task; a princely priest and 
 veritable man of God, he died January 4, 
 1885. During his pastorate in Norwalk, 
 he labored hard to put down all practices 
 that would tend to lower the moi'als of his 
 flock. Amonu; other things his aim was 
 directed against the dance. When he took 
 
 o 
 
 charge of the congregation it numbered 
 thirty families; at his death it numbered 
 130, and was out of debt. 
 
 After the death of Father Halley, the 
 present pastor, Rev. Charles Vincent 
 Chevraux, was appointed. He was born 
 in the eastern part of France January 22, 
 184:8, a son of August and Justine (Poiusot) 
 Chevraux. 
 
 When Father Chevraux was a boy of six 
 years, his parents etnigrated to America, 
 and located in the town of Louisville, 
 Stark Co., Ohio. Here he attended the 
 local schools, and subsequently the dio- 
 cesan college at that place. He afterward 
 entered St. Mary's Seminary, at Cleveland, 
 Ohio, where he graduated in 1874, and 
 he was ordained at South Bend, Ind., by 
 Bishop Gilmour. In 1874 Father Chev- 
 raux was stationed at the cathedral, Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, where he remained ten and 
 one-half years, and while there gained 
 many friends, and proved himself a priest 
 by eminent qualities. When the pastorate 
 of St Mary's, Norwalk, was found vacant, 
 his appointment to the incumbency was 
 eminently fitting. One of the first moves 
 made by him was to introduce the Sisters 
 of St. Joseph to take charge of the paro- 
 chial schools, and under their management 
 it has prospered in a high degree. He 
 commenced to build a church on the prop- 
 erty purchased by Father Halley, the first 
 work being done in 1889. The structure 
 is now almost completed, and is a beauti- 
 ful piece of architecture, cruciform in 
 
 shape, Gothic in style, and built of stone 
 throughout. It will stand as a lasting 
 monument to the pious zeal of Father 
 Chevraux and his fiock. The laying of 
 the corner-stone, which took place Sep- 
 tember 22, 1889, called to Norwalk the 
 largest assemblage ever gathered in the 
 city, very many couiing from Cleveland, 
 called hither on the occasion, greatly by 
 Father Chevraux's popularity in that city. 
 [Since this sketch was written the church 
 has been frescoed, the windows set in. 
 The fresco, windows and paintings are 
 beautiful and grand. J 
 
 Father Chevraux is a man of over me- 
 dium stature, pleasing and kindly in his 
 manners, at) earnest preacher of the Gos- 
 pel, and an enterprising citizen. He is 
 thoroughly American, and his views on 
 politics are of a broad and liberal char- 
 acter. The following very flattering no- 
 tice of this reverend gentleman is taken 
 from a recent issue of the Toledo Bee: 
 " Rev. Chas. V. Chevraux, of Norwalk, 
 Ohio, sang solemn high mass at St. Francis 
 de Sales Church Wednesday morning. 
 Father Chevraux is considered and un- 
 doubtedly is the most celebrated vocalist 
 in the American Priesthood, and the peo- 
 ple of St. Francis de Sales parish were de- 
 lighted to have an opportunity of hearing 
 him. A voice of superb ' timbre,' clear, 
 powerful baritone, of such volume that his 
 notes could be often heard a block from 
 the church, the lofty vaulted ceilings 
 seemed alive with charming music. A 
 cultured auditor remarked: 'There! in the 
 sanctuary for once Madame Machen has 
 found her match, in church music' Come 
 again, noble- voiced monsieur, and give our 
 thousand cultured Toledo people due notice 
 of your coming." 
 
 J( L. MEAD. Matiy years ago three 
 brothers of the name of Mead left 
 I their home in Wales, and sailed 
 across the ocean to America. On 
 arriving in the New World they finally 
 
302 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 located in Huron county, Ohio, and one of 
 tliein, Abram Mead, became the tirst white 
 settler of Fitchville township. Some years 
 afterward he and his family moved to 
 Norwalk township, where they became 
 prominent settlers. He was married four 
 times, and died near Norwalk in 1852. 
 
 Joel E. Mead, youngest son of the pio- 
 neer just mentioned, was born in Putnam 
 county, N. Y., and was brought by his 
 parents to Huron county, Ohio, when but 
 three months old. He came with the 
 family to Norwalk township when about 
 fifteen years of age, and grew to manhood 
 on the farm. When a yoiiug man he se- 
 lected a life companion in the person of 
 Betsey A. Lewis, a native of tlie "Fire- 
 lands." and she bore him seven children. 
 The father died in 1870, at the age of fifty- 
 three years, tlie mother on December 31, 
 1888. 
 
 Jerome L. Mead, third child of Joel E. 
 and Betsey (Lewis) Mead, was born No- 
 vember 7, 1850, in Norwalk, Ohio, where 
 he was reared and educated. He worked 
 for several years handling and shipping 
 stock near to Norwalk, and now has charge 
 of the grain, feed and seed store in Nor- 
 walk, formerly owned by Woodward Bros., 
 and now the property of J. L. Mead & Co. 
 Oiir subject is also a partner in the grocery 
 firm of D. O. Woodward & Co. at Nor- 
 walk. On May 2, 1877, he was iinited in 
 marriage with Miss Lucinda AYoodward, 
 who was born in Clyde, Sandusky Co., 
 Ohio, and they have two sons,' Kalph and 
 Fred. Politically Mr. Mead is a Repub- 
 lican ; socially he is a member of the L O. 
 O. F., and Royal Arcanum; in religious 
 faith he is a Presbyterian. 
 
 JJ 
 
 (ACOB P. HOUFSTATER is a 
 
 ■ grandson of Adam Houfstater, who 
 was the pioneer of the family in 
 America. Adam Houfstater was 
 born in 1755, in Germany, whence when 
 a youth he came to the United States, and 
 
 settling in Pennsylvania he learned the 
 weaver's trade, at which he worked until 
 he became a farmer. He was married in 
 Pennsylvania, and moved some time later 
 to Niagara county, N. Y., where most of 
 the following named children were born 
 to them: Adam, Philip, John, George, 
 Jacob, Jane, Susan and Polly, all now 
 deceased. 
 
 George Houfstater, father of subject, 
 was born in 1797, in Pennsylvaina, ac- 
 companied his parents to Niagara county, 
 N. Y., when a boy, and was reared on the 
 frontier. In New York State he met 
 Elizabeth Barre, also a native of Pennsyl- 
 vania, to whom he was wedded, and after 
 his marriage he began farming. Seven 
 children were born to them on the home- 
 stead, namely: Almira, Mary, David, 
 Matilda and Fidelia (twins), Jacob and 
 Catherine; Lucy Ann, the eighth child, 
 was born in Huron county, Ohio, October 
 15, 1836. In 1836 the family moved to 
 Ohio, and settled on the farm which is now 
 the property of Jacob P. Houfstater, 
 which territory was then a complete 
 wilderness. While the new comers were 
 surrounded by neighbors, the particular 
 land selected was still in the forest, and 
 the clearing of this tract devolved on the 
 father and sons. He subsequently bought 
 a farm of 186 acres, which he saw cleared 
 before his death in 1874. Of a hard- 
 working, economical disposition, he left a 
 valuable property to his children, and died 
 with success stamped upon his work. 
 Prior to 1856 he was a Whig, and from 
 that time until his death, a Republican. 
 In religion he affiliated with the Christian 
 Church. 
 
 Jacob P. Houfstater was born January 
 17, 1830, in Niagara county, N. Y, In 
 1836 he accompanied his parents to Ohio, 
 where, February 16, 1854, he married 
 Roena M. Carpenter, of Fairfield town- 
 ship, Huron countj'. The young couple 
 at once entered farm life, and for forty 
 years have continued to follow it success- 
 fully. Not only does Mr. Houfstater own 
 
HUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 303 
 
 130 acres of improved land in Ripley 
 township, but he has also endowed three of 
 his children most liberally, giving to each 
 two thousand dollars. Of their children, 
 Cora married Agnew Welch, editor of the 
 Record, &t Ada, Ohio; Elva married Abert 
 Young, a farmer of Ripley township; and 
 Carrie married Edward L. Young, who 
 was city editor of the Huron County 
 Chronicle, at Norwalk, from 1885 to 1892, 
 when he was appointed Great Record 
 Keeper of the Knights of Maccabees. Mr. 
 Houfstater is a Republican, an active 
 member of the party, serving his township 
 as justice of the peace and in various other 
 offices. lie was a member of the Chris- 
 tian Church of Ripley, and is a citizen 
 of acknowledged worth. 
 
 dlARMAN PATRICK, a well-known 
 I agriculturist of Townsend township, 
 ■ Huron county, is a native of the 
 State of Ohio, born December 10, 
 1836, in Florence, Erie county. He is 
 the eldest child and only son in a family 
 of four children born to James Jarman 
 and Lucy A. (Tucker) Patrick, the former 
 of whona was born in the County of Norfolk, 
 England, the latter in the State of New 
 York. 
 
 James Jarman Patrick was born about 
 1809, and received a good English educa- 
 tion in liis native land. Soon after attain- 
 ing his majority he immigrated to the 
 United States, landing at New York after 
 a stormy passage of six weeks, during 
 most of which time he suffered from sea- 
 sickness. After his arrival in America he 
 farmed on shares, or rented lands in New 
 York for a short time, and then removed 
 to the far western frontier and almost un- 
 broken wilderness of northern Ohio, first 
 stopping in what is now Erie county, 
 where he took the job of chopping and 
 clearing space for a mill-pond on the old 
 Sprague farm. Hero he was married, and 
 soon afterward removed to Townsend 
 
 township, Huron county, where he bought 
 wild land, built a log house, and com- 
 menced to carve out of the dense forest 
 around him a home for himself and 
 family. He and his brother-in-law were 
 both accidentallykilled, December 23, 1842, 
 their death being caused by the premature 
 falling of a tree, which fell upon and 
 crushed them. The Patrick family in 
 England were among the old and well-to- 
 do families of English commoners, own- 
 ing quite an extensive landed property, 
 subject to the law of entail, that is, it 
 descended to the eldest son, generation 
 after generation. Mrs. Lucy A. Patrick's 
 death occurred October 1, 1886, when she 
 was in her seventy-third year. 
 
 Jarman Patrick, the subject of this 
 sketch, received a very fair common- 
 school education in early life. After his 
 father's death, which occurred when he 
 was oidy six years old, he remained with 
 his mother on the old home farm for a 
 time, and then lived with his grandfather 
 Tucker, who employed him on his farm, 
 until he reached his twentieth year. He 
 then commenced for himself, being em- 
 ployed at working out by the month and 
 farming on shares for several years. In 
 the spring of 1862 he bought a partially- 
 improved farm in Townsend township, 
 Huron county, upon which he now re- 
 sides, and where he has ever since been 
 successfully engaged in agricultural pur- 
 suits, the place being now well improved 
 and under a high state of cultivation. 
 During the Civil war Mr. Patrick enlisted 
 in Company B (organized in Townsend 
 township). One Hundred and Sixty-sixth 
 O. V. I., N. Ct., which was called out by 
 President Lincoln in May, 1864, for one 
 hundred days service. The regiment or- 
 ganized at Cleveland, where Mr. Patrick 
 was transferred to Company F, and did 
 duty in and around Washington, D. C, 
 until September 9, 1864, when they were 
 mustered out and returned home, each 
 soldier receiving a certificate of thanks 
 from President Lincoln. 
 
3»4 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 On February 2, 1861, Mr. Patrick was 
 married to Miss Maryette Hill, a native of 
 Townsend townshiji, born August 24, 
 1841, daughter of Moses and Sallie 
 (Brooks) Hill, both of whom were natives 
 of Delaware coiinty, N. Y. Seven chil- 
 dren were the fruits of this union, only 
 four of whom are now living, viz.: James 
 Delbert, born October 10, 1866; Frank 
 J., born November 14, 1868; Guy B., 
 born September 6, 1878; and William C, 
 born July 23, 1883. Edgar Royle, who 
 was born August 12, 1864, died April 9, 
 1886, in his twenty-second year. Mr. 
 Patrick is a member of Townsend Post 
 No. 414, G. A. R., and Mrs. Patrick is a 
 member of the Townsend Relief Corps, 
 No. 142, auxiliary to the above mentioned 
 Post. He is also a member of East Town- 
 send Lodge, F. k, A. M. In politics Mr. 
 Patrick is a liberal Republican, but claims 
 the right to think and act for himself in 
 all things and at all times. 
 
 q? M. S. SANBORN, lumber and 
 w, coal dealer, is a well known business 
 I man of Norwalk. He is a son of 
 U John M. Sanborn, whose father was 
 a native of New Hampshire, of 
 EniTlish ancestry, and passed his life on a 
 farm near Franklin, that State. 
 
 John M. Sanborn was born in 1821, in 
 Franklin, Merrimack Co., N. H., and 
 when a young man was married to Fannie 
 J. Fisher, a native of Francestown, N. H., 
 and a representative of an old New Eng- 
 land family. He was master mechanic of 
 the Norwalk division of the Lake Shore 
 Railroad from 1874 until a short time be- 
 fore his death, May 12, 1890. He was a 
 member of the Masonic Fraternity, of the 
 thirty-second degree, and in religious faith 
 was a Baptist. Mrs. Sanborn died June 
 27, 1892, in Norwalk, leaving two children, 
 G. M. S. and Edward D. 
 
 G. M. S. Sanborn was born March 24, 
 1858, at Nashua, Hillsborough Co. N. Y. 
 He came west with his parents when 
 
 quite young, and after attending school 
 for a number of years, secured em- 
 ployment with the Lake Shore Railroad 
 Company, at Norwalk; in April, 1875, he 
 began to learn the trade of machinist 
 and draftsman. He became an expert as 
 draftsman, and in July, 1884, accepted a 
 position as superintendent of the drafting 
 department of the Lake Shore shops at 
 Elkhart, Elkhart Co., Ind. On Novem- 
 ber 24, 1880, he was married to Blanche 
 O. Pepoon, who was born April 1, 1857, 
 in Painesville, Ohio, a daughter of Lycur- 
 gus and Susan (Morse) Pepoon, the 
 former of Painesville, Ohio, the latter of 
 Elizabethtown, N. J.; she is still living. 
 Mr. Pepoon was twice married; first time 
 in 1856 to Mary Lovelace, of Painesville, 
 Ohio, who died in 1861, and in 1863 he 
 married Susan Morse, as above. He died 
 at West Farmington, Ohio, in September, 
 1891. To Mr. and Mrs. G. M. S. San- 
 born have been born two sons: Willis E. 
 and George Walter. Mr. Sanborn saved 
 quite a sum of money from his salary, and 
 in January, 1889, entered the Chicago Bap- 
 tist Seminary, intending to prepare for 
 the ministry. His health failed, however, 
 and abandoning his studies in August, 
 1889, he bought out a coal and lumber 
 establishment in Norwalk, in which he 
 has been very successful. He is a mem- 
 ber of the Baptist Church, and is Presi- 
 dent of the Y. M. C. A., having assisted 
 in its organization in Norwalk. 
 
 ^ILLIAM S. CREECH, proprietor 
 of a stone quarry in Lyme town- 
 ship, was born in England in 
 1836, a son of John and Caroline 
 Creech, who died while he was young. 
 
 Our subject immigrated to the United 
 States in 1871, locating in Huron county, 
 Ohio. His worldly goods were few, and 
 he depended solely upon health and 
 strength, and a determination to succeed, 
 to win friends and money in a new home. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 30i 
 
 He cominenced bis business career in tliis 
 county as a laborer in the stone quari-y of 
 H^ Smith, and after eight years was able, 
 through practicing rigid economy, to start 
 in business for himself. He purchased 
 the stone quarry he now runs so success- 
 fully, and every year adds to his already 
 large business some new improvement; he 
 now owns the largest stone crusher in 
 Lv"ne township. At one time he furnished 
 as luuch as seventeen thousand build- 
 ing stones for the roundhouse of the 
 Nickel Plate Eailroad. He also owns a 
 larti^e lime kiln, and furnishes lime 
 throughout all parts of the township. In 
 1860, before leaving England, Mr. Creech 
 was married to Miss Anna Hole, and by 
 lier had six children, live of whom are now 
 living with hiin, viz.: Thomas G., Fred J., 
 Caroline E., Ada F. and Anna L. Mrs. 
 Creech died in 1873, and in 1884 Mr. 
 Creech married Miss Elizabeth Hole, a 
 sister of his iirst wife. 
 
 Mr. Creech is a self-made man of more 
 than the average intelligence, and has by 
 means of his energy and executive ability 
 established a good business and a comfort- 
 able home. He is a man of sterling worth, 
 whose integrity is never questioned, and 
 who uses his time and money for the ad- 
 vancement of the township in which he 
 resides. 
 
 l( LLEN T. ASHLEY, grandson of 
 l\ James Ashley, was born April 2, 
 \ 1829, the eighth in the family of 
 twelve children born to Leonard 
 and Sally (McDougal) Ashley. 
 Leonard Ashley was lx»rn about 1790, 
 at Deerfield, Mass., learned slioemaking 
 under his father, and worked at the trade 
 during his life in Massachusetts. His 
 mother died about the year 1799, and the 
 youth then went to reside with an elder 
 brother, Luther. After some years he 
 wished to see the world outside of liis 
 native State, and migrated to Canada, 
 where, in 1815, he married Sally Mc- 
 
 Dougal, who was born in 1794, in Xova 
 Scotia, for whose father young Ashley 
 worked ; and while living on Yonge 
 street, and near Toronto, in the Province 
 of Ontario, the following named children 
 were born : Thomas, who died in in- 
 fancy ; James, who, in 1824, accompanied 
 his mother to Ohio, where he married, be- 
 came a Free-will Baptist preacher, and 
 thence moved to Michiiran, where he died, 
 leaving twelve children ; Stewart B., late 
 a resident of Steuben, Ohio, who died Oc- 
 tober 30, 1893, and is buried in Greenfield 
 cemetery ; Sally, who first married David 
 Skeeles, and subsequently Dean Keefer 
 (she is now a widow, residing at Colum- 
 bus, Kans.); and John, a Free-will Bap- 
 tist preacher, of Hillsdale, Mich., who was 
 a fellow schoolmate of James A. Garfield. 
 After the family joined the father in 
 Greenfield township, in 1824, there were 
 born Luther, a resident of Bellevue, Mich.; 
 William, of Knoxville, Iowa ; Allen T., 
 the subject of this sketch; Joseph B., of 
 Oberlin, Ohio; Mary, wife of Judge G. 
 W. Lewis, of Medina, Ohio; Henry, a 
 resident of San Francisco, Cal.; and 
 Daniel, who went to California in 1862 
 and died there. 
 
 In 1822 Leonard Ashley left Canada 
 for Huron county, Ohio, and worked on 
 farms and at his trade here for two years. 
 In 1824 his wife and children arrived, and 
 all found a home with Alden Pierce, a 
 brother-in-law, who then occupied what is 
 known as the "Sturges Farm" in Green- 
 field township. The father was known as 
 a good farmer and a good shoemaker, and 
 was a very active man until his death, 
 which occurred in 1873. At that- time he 
 was on a visit to his son John at Rock- 
 away, Seneca Co., Ohio, from which place 
 his remains were returned to Huron 
 county for interment in the Greenfield 
 cemetery. His wife, who died March 19, 
 1863. was interred in Steul)en cemetery. 
 Leonard Ashley was a Whig until the or- 
 ganization of the Republicans, when he 
 became a stanch supporter of the new 
 
306 
 
 HUEOX COUNTY, OHIO- 
 
 party. In religious matters lie and his 
 wife were members of the Free-will Bap- 
 tist Church. 
 
 Allen T. Ashley was born in Green- 
 field township, Huron county. He re- 
 ceived a primary education in the district 
 school, and worked on the home farm until 
 1864, wiien he established his home on 
 the farm where he now resides. On 
 May 1, 18G6, he married Clara T. Warner, 
 who was born January 29, 1844, in Medina 
 county, Ohio, daughter of M. B. and Sally 
 (Dimmick) AVarner. To this marriage 
 were born three children, namely: 
 Georgia May, Mrs. A. T. Shaffer, of 
 Plymouth, Ohio; Dessie C, and Thad W. 
 Politically a Republican, Mr. xVshley has 
 only taken a citizen's interest in the great 
 party battles. The township offices which 
 he has tilled are not strictly political of- 
 fices, the man, rather than the party, being 
 sougiit by the municipal body. He is a 
 practical and successful farmer, standing 
 high in the community, and he aud his 
 family are held in very high esteem. 
 
 d JACOB DEAN, a retired farmer of 
 ! Mew Haven township, and a pio- 
 ' neer of Huron county, was born 
 at Wittenberg, Saxony, Prussia, 
 March 25, 1821. 
 
 His parents, George Michael and Jaco- 
 bine Dean, belonged to the class of Ger- 
 man peasant farmers whose probity and 
 industry were acknowledged. In 1827 
 they decided to immigrate to America, 
 and proceeding to Havre, France, by high- 
 way, they sailed for the United States, and 
 after a long voyage landed at New York. 
 Coming westward at once, by river to 
 Albany, by canal and lake to Sandusky, 
 Ohio, and thence by wagon-road to Green- 
 field township, Huron county, they rested 
 there, and soon began agricultural life. 
 The father's characteristic industry en- 
 abled him to support his family, and, as 
 its members increased, to provide for their 
 daily wants until death removed him. 
 
 Jacob Dean had to take a boy's share in 
 supporting the family, and thus was com- 
 pelled to forego the advantages of an edu- 
 cation, becoming a bread-winner at an 
 early age. AVhen twelve years old he en- 
 tered the employ of Capt. Lawther, of 
 Greenfield township, the consideration for 
 his labor being very small. With the ob- 
 ject of providing a home for his mother 
 and brothers he worked diligently, saved 
 the little earnintrs lie received, and in time 
 purchased a tract of wild land in New 
 Haven township. Here a cabin was built, 
 and in it the family made their home until 
 the mother died. She was buried beside 
 her husband in New Haven cemetery. 
 For some years after his mother's death 
 Jacob Dean kept bachelor's hall in the old 
 home, and lived with the tenants to whom 
 he rented the farm, in later years with his 
 brother, who came to the old homestead 
 with his family. Mr. Dean is now the 
 owner of 200 acres of fertile land, most 
 of which was cleared and cultivated by 
 him. Redeeming it from the forest, he 
 now enjoys the fruits of long years of 
 stern labor among the trees, and can see 
 that lie has taken more than one' man's 
 part in the development of this section. 
 
 When the Universalist Church existed 
 at New Haven, Mr. Dean was a member 
 of the denomination, but since that time 
 has not been connected with any religious 
 society. He votes with the Democratic 
 party, but his political activity begins and 
 ends at the polls. He has never married. 
 
 FHILIP J. KNOLL, a prominent 
 farmer citizen of Ridgefield town- 
 ship, is a son of the late John 
 P. Knoll and grandson of Jacob 
 Knoll, natives of the Province of 
 Nassau, Germany, both of whom were 
 farmers, the latter dying in his native land. 
 John P. Knoll was born May 3, 1826, 
 aud in the Fatherland received his ele- 
 mentary education in both literary and 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 307 
 
 agricultural pursuits. In 1849 he immi- 
 grated to America, and purchased land in 
 Ridgefield township, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 lie then revisited Germany, and returning 
 to America, brought with iiim his fiancee, 
 Miss Minnie Cook, whom in 1852 he 
 married at Sandusky, Ohio. Slie was the 
 daughter of George Cook, and was l)orn 
 March 19, 1832. Mr. and Mrs. Knoll 
 settled on the farm in Huron county now 
 occupied by some of the family, and here 
 liy constant toil he succeeded in securing 
 a comfortable competence. In political 
 opinion he was a lifelong Democrat, and 
 in religion a member of the Protestant 
 Evangelical Church, with which his 
 widow is also identified. He died in 
 1887, and Mrs. Knoll, surrounded by 
 many friends, is yet residing on the 
 beautiful home farm, which she owns. 
 
 The children of this estimable couple 
 were as follows: Charles, a farmer of 
 Norwalk township, Huron county; Will- 
 iam, deceased at the age of three years; 
 Adolph, deceased in infancy; Lewis, who 
 died at the age of twenty-two years; Ed- 
 ward, a farmer of Norwalk township, 
 Huron county; Louisa, wife of Philip 
 Poths, of Fulton county, Ohio; Philip J., 
 whose name opens this sketch, and who is 
 married and lives on part of the farm, in 
 the house last bought by his father (in 
 1872); Gustavus, living on the home 
 place; and Matilda and Minnie, residing 
 with their widowed mother. 
 
 \ALTEPt E. BELL, dealer in coal, 
 lime, cement, etc., Norwalk, is 
 I] M] a son of James G. Eell, who was 
 born in New York State, of Ger- 
 man ancestry, and who married Nancy C. 
 Bacon, a lady of Scotch descent. Our 
 subject was born January 25, 1845, in 
 Henderson, Jefferson Co., N. Y., and 
 coming west with his parents in 1849 
 located near Berlin Heights, Erie county, 
 Ohio. He farmed there for a time, then 
 
 moved to Norwalk, Huron county, and 
 about the year 1882 established his pres- 
 ent business. Although beginning life 
 with no financial aid, he has prospered, 
 and is now recognized as one of the most 
 reliable business men of Norwalk. He 
 was married January 16, lS(i7, to Fannie 
 Henderson, then a teacher in the public 
 schools, and three children have blessed 
 their union, namely: Henry, Howard 
 and Charles. Mr. Bell is a Republican in 
 politics, and in religion a Baptist. He 
 has one sister, Mrs. Eliza M. Gibson, now 
 living in Stryker, Ohio; one brother, 
 "Watson J., in Birmingham, Ohio, and 
 the younger brother, W. C, in Norwalk. 
 
 THOMAS ALEXANDER McLANE 
 was born in Greenfield township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, April 20, 1832, 
 the fourth son of Robert and Mar- 
 garet McLane, who with three elder 
 brothers had emigrated from Ireland two 
 years previous. A short time before his 
 birth they had built and moved into a log 
 cabin which stood near the present home, 
 which cabin, at the time of the birth of 
 Thomas, was in an unfinished condition, 
 there being neither floor nor chimney con 
 structed. 
 
 His school days were begun in the old 
 log school house where the desks were 
 formed of planks resting on pegs driven 
 into the second or third log. The reversi- 
 ble seats found in the schools of the 
 present day were represented by heavy 
 slabs resting on rustic legs. In those days 
 the wood was not provided, and the boys 
 were obliged to go into the woods to pro- 
 cure it. Plain as it was, that school may 
 be considered the vanguard of civilization, 
 and from it went forth men and women 
 superior in many respects to those who now 
 graduate within more pretentious public 
 buildings. When at school young Thomas 
 studied hard, and ranked as one of the best 
 scholars, the teacher often calling upon him 
 
308 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 to help others with their lessons. But time 
 flies rapidly, and Thomas has reached 
 young manhood and his school days are 
 over, lie had a sti-ong desire to learn a 
 trade, but times were hard and money was 
 scarce, so he was obliged to give up his 
 desire and go to work on the farm. He 
 had a strong constitution, and at the age 
 of sixteen could do a man's work. As it 
 was in the days before inacliinery came to 
 aid the farmer in his work, his services 
 were in great denaand, for forty years ago 
 the modern machinery of to-day was 
 unknown. The grain was cut with 
 a sickle or cradle, and tlie grass 
 with a scythe; corn was planted with a 
 hoe, and the ground was plowed with oxen. 
 Instead of the threshing machine thresh- 
 ing the grain, the farmer pounded it out 
 with flails. The old house was fast decay- 
 ing, and often in the winter when the 
 wind was blowing he would awake in the 
 morning to find his bed covered with snow. 
 As all men must in the course of life 
 fall in love, he was not an exception, for 
 he met and loved Miss Susan Channing, 
 and was married to her November 28, 
 1867. She was born in Somersetshire, 
 England, April 4, 1844, and five years 
 later she accompanied her parents across 
 the ocean to America, they settling in 
 Greenfield township, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 where lier father, Joseph Channing, es- 
 tablished himsef as a farmer. The Chan- 
 nings subsequently moved to Riclimond 
 township, then Norwalk township, and 
 Anally to Chicago Junction, where her 
 father died December 3, 1889; her mother 
 is still living. While but a small child, 
 Susie (as she was commonly called) was 
 always willing to help her parents, and 
 since she was thirteen years old she has 
 earned her own living besides giving 
 money to her parents. At tlie time of his 
 marriage Mr. McLane decided to make 
 farming his vocation, and he and wife took 
 up their residence on the McLane farm, 
 where his boyhood days had been spent. 
 The only child born to them is Margaret 
 
 C, an accomplished young lad}', who re- 
 sides at home. In politics Mr. McLane is 
 a Democrat, and in religion a Congrega- 
 tionalist. During the last two decades 
 many improvements have been made on 
 his place; the old house has been torn 
 down and the handsome brick residence 
 has taken its place, while the commodious 
 farm buildings and the beautiful shade 
 trees that have been planted speak forcibly 
 of Mr. and Mrs.. McLane's taste and indus- 
 try; for both liave acted well their ]mrt in 
 the development of this tract, and are now 
 enjoying the fruits of their labors. 
 
 H[ ENRY LAIS, sole proprietor of the 
 Star Brewery, Norwalk, is one of 
 _j the many indefatigable, wide-awake 
 citizens and native-born business 
 men for which Huron county is so 
 justly celebrated. He was born, in 1853, 
 in Monroeville, a son of Anthony and 
 Catherine (Thomas) Lais, natives of Ger- 
 many, the former born in Baden in 1826, 
 the latter born in 1828. She came to the 
 United States when a child, and was reared 
 and educated in Huron county, Ohio. 
 
 In 1849 Anthony Lais came to Amer- 
 ica, making his new home in Monroeville, 
 Huron county, where he married. In the 
 same year he came here he was given the 
 position of foreman in J. S. & H. M. 
 liobey's brewery in Monroeville (estab- 
 lished in 1845), which he held with char- 
 acteristic fidelity for a period of twenty- 
 one years. In 1870 he came to Norwalk, 
 and in 1871 purchased the brewery in that 
 town, from which time until his deatli in 
 1886 he carried it on continuously, with 
 more than average success. This industry 
 was at first but a small ale brewery, now 
 the product of it is nearly six thousand 
 barrels of beer annually, the market for 
 same lieing chiefly coniined to local trade 
 in Huron and Erie counties. Anthony 
 and Catherine Lais had a family of eight 
 children, as follows: Mary (married to 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 311 
 
 W. O. Meyers), Henry (our subject), Jolm, 
 Josepliine, Charles, William, Helen, and 
 George, all yet living. The mother is now 
 makiiior her home with her son Henry, 
 who with true filial affection is carincr for 
 her in her declining years. 
 
 Henry Lais, of whom this sketch mainly 
 treats, received his education at the Mon- 
 roeville public schools, after which he 
 worked two years in the brewery owned 
 by his fatlier. He then went on the road 
 as salesman for the brewery, traveling 
 through Ohio and Michigan, and at the 
 end of ten years lie went into the office, 
 and establisiied the trade on a solid basis. 
 For the past eight years the business lias 
 been most flourishing, the entire brewing 
 finding a ready market, as the brands are 
 of the very best quality. John Lais 
 brother of Henry, is an able assistant in 
 the management of the rapidly growing 
 business. In the year 1882 he married 
 Miss Mary Helrick. 
 
 Mr. Lais' paternal grandfather never 
 left Germany, but his maternal grand- 
 father came to America about the year 
 1830, and was a farmer in Huron county, 
 dying some eight years since. Politically 
 Mr. Lais is a Democrat, and he is a mem- 
 ber of the C. M. B. A., L O. K. M., also 
 Hermann Verein. 
 
 'HARLES L. HAWLEY, a promi- 
 nent agriculturist, manufacturer and 
 justice of the peace, of Townsend 
 township, was born in lio.xbury, 
 Delawivre Co., N. Y., June 12, 1824, a 
 son of William M. and Malinda (Older) 
 Hawley. 
 
 William M. Hawley was born in Massa- 
 chusetts, and was of English descent. He 
 received a good education in his native 
 State, and while a young man moved to 
 New York, studied law and was admitted 
 to the bar, and located in Hornellsviile, 
 Steuben county. Here he met with great 
 success, and was soon recoiinized as one of 
 
 17 
 
 the leading attorneys of that section of 
 the State. He married Miss Malinda 
 Older, a native of Delaware county, N. 
 Y., and of Eiicrlisli descent, dauichter of 
 Nathaniel and Anna Older, and their mar- 
 riage was blessed with a son, Charles L. 
 In politics William M. Hawley was a 
 Whig, and very popular with his party. 
 He represented his District in the State 
 Senate two terms, and was Circuit Judge 
 for four terms. During a long and active 
 professional life he acquired both fame 
 and an ample income, and was sincerely 
 mourned wlien he died, in 1866. He was 
 a Mason, and a consistent Church mem- 
 ber. His ancestors wer« pioneers of the 
 Bay Colony, and were actively engaged in 
 the struggles of the Colonial days; and 
 the ancestors of his wife, the Olders, were 
 early settlers of the Hartfprd Colony. 
 
 Charles L. Hawley received only a lim- 
 ited literary training in his youth, but in 
 later years succeeded in acquiring a practi- 
 cal business education. He lived with his 
 mother and worked on the home farm, 
 until twenty j'ears of age, at which time 
 he commenced life for himself with no 
 capital except health, energy and ambition. 
 Upon leaving home he was giv^en an a.\e 
 by his stepfather, and that was his only 
 earthly possession, but by means of econ- 
 omy, strict attention to business and good 
 judgment he lias accumulated considerable 
 property. Mr. Hawley has always been a 
 great reader, not only of current literature, 
 but also of history and science. When he 
 started out to make a living, he was com- 
 pelled to labor by the day or month at any 
 honest work, and being both competent 
 and faithful his services were always in 
 demand. In 1849 he came to Huron 
 county, Ohio, where he engaged in the 
 manufacture of potash for five or si.v 
 years, after which he contracted with the 
 Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Rail- 
 road Company to supply wood along the 
 line of that road for about three years. 
 In 1866 he moved to Oil City, Penn., 
 where for five years he was foreman for 
 
312 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 the Baltic Oil Company (tlie Company 
 operatino; at Petroleum Center and various 
 other points on Oil creek), and in 1871 he 
 returned to Townsend, Huron county, 
 where for three and a half years he acted 
 as foreman for tlie Collins Pump Com- 
 pany. At tlie end of that time Mr. Haw- 
 ley began manufacturing pumps on his 
 own account, at East Townsend, and has 
 uj) to the present time continued in this 
 business with great success. 
 
 About the time that he settled in East 
 Townsend he purchased a valuable farm in 
 Townsend Center, and has also engaged in 
 agricultural pursuits. Being physically 
 disabled, Mr. llawley was unable to take 
 an active part in the Civil war, but in 
 September, 1862, Gov. Tod sent a message 
 to INorwalk, requesting that as many men 
 as possible be enlisted to defend Cincin- 
 nati acrainst a threatened attack of the 
 enemy. He was notified of Gov. Tod's 
 call, and requested to enlist men and re- 
 port with them at one o'clock in the after- 
 noon, and. reported with twelve men, be- 
 tween seven and eight thousand men 
 responding to this call in less than twenty- 
 four hours. They w'ere regularly mustered 
 into service, organized as the Ohio Squir- 
 rel Hunters, and rendered excellent service 
 till May 4, 1863, when they were hon- 
 orably discharged. Mr. Hawley has held 
 mimerous positions of trust: he was clerk 
 of the township live years; was treasurer 
 for over nine years, and justice of tlie 
 peace for more than twelve years, to both 
 of which offices he was re-elected in April, 
 1892 ; and served for thirteen years as post- 
 master, which office he held during the 
 Civil war. Socially he is a member of 
 East Townsend Lodge No. 322, A. F. & 
 A. M., and has filled every position in the 
 Lodge except that of S. D. He has pre- 
 sided over this Lodge about half the time 
 since its organization, and has represented 
 it in the Grand Lodge of Ohio at fifteen 
 sessions. He is also a member of Town- 
 send Post No. 414, G. A. K., and is a 
 stanch Republican. 
 
 On May 2, 1847, Mr. Hawley married 
 Miss Maria Nichols, who was born in 
 Chelsea, Vt., October 10, 1830, a daughter 
 of Elijah F. and Elsa (Norton) Niciiols, 
 natives of Vermont and of English de- 
 scent. Their niarriag« was blessed with 
 four children, viz.: C. Frank, who was 
 horn February 13, 1849, and is now a 
 member of tlie firm of Haserott Bros. &, 
 Co., wholesale grocers of Cleveland, Ohio; 
 Grover M., born July 29, 1850, and died 
 July 20, 1851; Julia A., born April 21, 
 1852, and died August 20, 1854, and 
 Crosby N., who was born February 12, 
 1860, and is now settlement clerk for the 
 "ISIipano" Railroad Company, at Cleve- 
 land, Ohio. Both the Nichols and Norton 
 families were pioneers in Vermont, were 
 strong ^A'^higs, and served faithfully in the 
 long struggle for American Independence. 
 Mrs. Hawley's grandfather, Zera Norton, 
 took a distinguished part in the Revolu- 
 tionary war, and died in Cattarangus 
 county, N. Y. Her grandmother, Eliza- 
 beth Norton, died in Huron county, Ohio, 
 after a long and happy life, filled with 
 kind thoughts and generous deeds. 
 
 L 
 
 EROY S. HELLER, postmaster at 
 New Haven, a popular citizen and 
 one of the principal business men 
 of this section of the county, was 
 born June 1, 1831, in Tompkius county. 
 New York. 
 
 Solomon Heller, grandfather of subject, 
 was a native of Pennsylvania, the son of 
 German pioneers of that State. Ephraim 
 Heller, the father of Leroy S., was born in 
 Northampton county, Penn., and when 
 twenty-one years old moved to Tompkins 
 county, N. Y., where he married Anna 
 Jacobs. and where he was engaged in agricul- 
 ture until 1835, At that time lie migrated, 
 with his wife and children, to New Haven 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, and purchas- 
 ing the land now held by his heirs estab- 
 lished his home, residing there until his 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 313 
 
 death, which occurred March 11, 1876, 
 when he was in the sixty-ninth year of his 
 age. His widow died Septeinijer 9, 1892, 
 in her eigiity-second year. Both were 
 Free-will Baptists, and charter members 
 of the Nortii New Haven Baptist Church. 
 Of their six children, Leroy 8. is the eld- 
 est; L. 0. resides at New Haven; F. J. 
 is a farmer of Mitchell county, Kans.; E. 
 C. resides on the homestead; C. A. is the 
 wife of W. E. Geer, of Nein.aha county, 
 Kans., and Harriet is the wife of J. (t. 
 Hanna, of Brown county, Kans. The 
 famil}' for generations have been con- 
 nected with agriculture, the subject of 
 this sketch being- the tirst to embark in 
 mercantile business. 
 
 Leroy S. Heller was about four years 
 old when he arrived in Ohio. Like con- 
 temporary youth, he attended the district 
 schools, and worked on the home farm un- 
 til his boyhood days were passed, and then 
 devoted all his attention to farm work. 
 In 1853 he made the journey to Cali- 
 fornia, and in that State, and in Oreo-on 
 and Washington, he lived- for fourteen 
 years, engaged the while in agriculture, 
 mining and lumbering. He returned to 
 Huron county in September, 1866, and 
 during the succeeding decade conducted a 
 general mercantile business, and then 
 went to Colorado. After remaining two 
 years in that State, he returned to Huron 
 county and engaged in the drug trade at 
 New Hnven. In November, 1885, he 
 was commissioned postmaster, and held the 
 office under the first Cleveland adminis- 
 tration as well as under that of Harrison, 
 and is still Postmaster under Cleveland's 
 second term. 
 
 Mr. Heller was married, January 31, 
 1869, to Ella Harrington, who died in 
 1875, leaving two children, namely: O. 
 E., who resides in Kansas, and Ida, living 
 at home. His marriage with Lydia Har- 
 rington took place in the fall of 1876; 
 she died in 1879, leaving one child, J. 
 Ransom, who resides in Fairfield town- 
 ship, Huron county. In 1883 Mr. Heller 
 
 married Miss H. J. Young. He has held 
 several township offices, was treasurer for 
 a long period, and is now serving as 
 township clerk. 
 
 AMLTEL McCAMMON, M. D. (de- 
 ceased), who for a quarter of a cen- 
 tury practiced medicine in Green- 
 field township, was born January 3, 
 1821, near Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania. 
 
 His parents, Samuel and Ellzalteth Mc- 
 Cammon, in 1823 moved from their farm 
 near Pittsburgh to the vicinity of MansKeld, 
 Ohio, and there the father died in 1825. 
 When Samuel was twelve years old he was 
 apprenticed to a saddler, learned the trade 
 and for a short time worked as a journey- 
 man. Asa boy his desire for study was, 
 manifest, and now that he was a bread- 
 winner, he could indulge in this desire. 
 Accordingly he attended school at Mans- 
 field and at Fredericktown, making rapid 
 y)rogress in study. In December, 1842, 
 he turned his attention toward nnedicine, 
 and sought instruction in that science 
 under Dr. John Tifft, of Norwalk. Subse- 
 quently he attended two courses of lectures 
 at the Willoughby Medical College, in Lake 
 county, and in March, 1845, commenced 
 practice at Greenfield, then a busy village 
 and the center of a rich agricultural dis- 
 trict. His success was assured, and within 
 a little while he purchased a building lot 
 at Greenfield, subsequently buying the 
 farm adjoining that lot. On Sep- 
 tember 7, 1848, he was united in mar- 
 riao-e with Miss Philena Blackman, who 
 was born August 27, 1828, in Greenfield 
 township, the eldest of three children born 
 to Lebo and Polly (Dubois) Blackman, 
 early settlers of Greenfield township. To 
 the union of Dr. and Mrs. McCammon 
 the following nanied children were born: 
 George L., born June 26, 1851, died Oc- 
 tober 3, 1856; Frank, born October 5, 
 1855; Edward S., born August 16, 1858; 
 and Laura, born July 9, 1861. Of these, one 
 
314 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 son resides with the mother on the home- 
 stead; tlie other son and tlie daughter are 
 botli married, and pleasantly situated in 
 homes of their own not far from the " old 
 lioine,'' and the farm and business affairs 
 are at the present time managed by Ed- 
 ward S. McCammon. 
 
 Dr. McCammon practiced over a very 
 wide circuit from March, 1845, to Feb- 
 ruary, 1870, when his last professional call 
 was made. From the close of February to 
 the day of his death, August 2, 1870, a 
 chronic ailment, which had threatened him 
 for some years, gained the mastery and 
 confined him to his home. He was not a 
 Church mem her, but entertained a deep 
 respect for sincere Christianity and lived 
 like such, a correct life, doing good 
 wherever it was in his power. lie went to 
 Eternity quietly and without fear. 
 
 dlOHN CAROTHERS, an honest, 
 straightforward citizen, was born 
 ^ April 15, 1824, in Beaver county, 
 Penn. His grandparents, William 
 and Sarah (Kress) Carothers, had a family 
 of seven children — three sons and four 
 dautrhters — among wiioin was one named 
 Mat bias. 
 
 Mathias Carothers, father of our sub- 
 ject, was born in Virginia, received an 
 education in the common schools, and 
 learned the trade of wheelwright; he also 
 worked five years at the tanner's trade. 
 When a young man he married Nancy 
 Sample, who was born in Beaver county, 
 Penn., daughter of AVilliaiii Sample. They 
 were married in Beaver county, where he 
 followed his trade, and while residing 
 there children were born to them as fol- 
 lows: John, subject of this sketch; Sarah, 
 Mrs. John Smith, of North Fairfield, Ohio; 
 Margaret, deceased when young; and 
 Robert, of Venice township, Seneca 
 county. In the spring of 183i the family 
 came to Trumbull county, Ohio, where 
 they purchased fifty acres at forty dollars 
 per acre, part of which was cleared. They 
 
 remained there until about 1838, and then 
 removed to Seneca county, same State. 
 After coming to Trumbull county they 
 had one son born to them, Philip, who is 
 now a carpenter in Van Wert, Ohio. The 
 family came to Seneca county in an old 
 wagon drawn by two oxen and a horse, 
 and the journey was necessarily a very 
 slow one. In December, 1888, they lo- 
 cated in Venice township (Seneca county), 
 where the father purchased eighty acres 
 of land at two dollars and fifty cents per 
 acre, most of which was in the woods, 
 thoucrh a clearing large enough for a cabin 
 and a garden patch had been made. 
 While living here three more children 
 were born, viz.: William, a farmer <>f Van 
 Wert, Ohio; and two daughters who died 
 in infancy, unnamed. Here ^Mathias 
 Carothers remained until his death, which 
 occurred in 1879; his wife passed away in 
 1875, and was buried in Pisgah Church 
 cemetery, in Venice township, Seneca 
 county. Mr. and ]\Irs. Carothers were 
 members of the M. P. Church. In politics 
 he affiliated with the Democratic party. 
 He made agriculture his principal vocation 
 in life, and became a successsful farmer 
 and well-to-do citizen. 
 
 John Carothers first atteiided school in 
 Poland, Trumbull Co., Ohio, his first 
 teacher being a Miss Coe. He was reared 
 to farm life, and at an early age was put 
 to work, clearing the land which his father 
 had bought, attending school only such 
 days as his assistance was not required at 
 home. He remained under the parental 
 roof for some time after I'eaching his 
 majority, and on November 2r), 1846, 
 was married to Susan Mowery, who was 
 born in Harrison county, Ohio, daughter 
 of Michael Mowery, who came to Seneca 
 county in pioneer days. Children as fol- 
 lows were born to this union: Nancy, 
 Mrs. Jonathan Crabbs, of North Fairfield, 
 Huron county; Mathias, a farmer of Rich- 
 mond township; Sarah, Mrs. William 
 Runyan, of Venice township, Seneca 
 county; Jennie, Mrs. Albert Runyan, of 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 315 
 
 Van Wert county, Ohio; Emma, Mrs. 
 Frank Weaver, ot Seneca county, Ohio; 
 Ida, Mrs. Benjamin Hawn, of Chicago 
 Junction, Ohio; Martha, Mrs. J. J. Link; 
 Ella, vvlio married Cyrus Crabbs, and died 
 in Seneca county; William and a daughter, 
 both of whom died young. After his 
 marriage Mr. Carothers liad purchased 
 forty acres of partly cleared woodland, 
 upon which he erected a house and barn. 
 This property he subsequently sold, and 
 purchased eighty-nine and one-half acres 
 of new land in Ilichmond township, Huron 
 county, upon which stood a log house 
 18 X 20 feet. He has since added to this 
 tract from time to time, until it now com- 
 prises 139^ acres, completely equipped 
 with new farm buildings. In 1891 he 
 moved to Chicago Junction, where he has 
 since led a retired life. In politics lie was 
 originally a Democrat, but since the for- 
 mation of the Republican party lias been 
 a member of same. He has served as 
 township trustee, for twelve years as 
 justice of the peace, and in various local 
 offices. In religious connection he and 
 his wife are members of the U. B. Church, 
 in which he is class-leader. Mr. Carothers' 
 success is due to hard work and good busi- 
 ness management, which, coupled with 
 common sense and sound judgment, have 
 brought him the reward he so well merits; 
 and he is a man whose opinions are sought 
 after and valued by his fellow-citizens. 
 
 EiLIJAH WASHBUEN, one of the 
 oldest native-born citizens of Fitch- 
 I ville township, is the son of Joseph 
 
 Washburn, a pioneer of this section 
 of the State of Ohio. 
 
 Joseph Washburn was born on his 
 father's farm in New York State, near the 
 Catskill Mountains, was raised in the man- 
 ner common to boys of that time and 
 place, and while still a young man married 
 Sarah Tompkins. To them three children 
 were born in New York State, one of 
 
 whom died in infancy, while the second 
 lived to an adult age. In 1820 the family 
 migrated to Fitchville township, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, where Joseph Washburn had 
 located a tract of 700 or 800 acres of wild 
 land. On their arrival a log cabin was 
 built, and while awaiting the erection of 
 that cabin the members of the family found 
 shelter in the liome of a settler named 
 Palmer. In Fitchville township the fol- 
 lowincr named children were born to the 
 pioneer parents: James, who moved to 
 Michitran; Sarah, who married Anson 
 Skellenger, and died at New London, Ohio; 
 and Elijah and Edmund (twins), the latter 
 of whom died when two and one half 
 years old. On this land the father resided 
 iintil his death, February 7, 1853, and the 
 mother until her death, July 10, 1886. 
 Joseph AYashburn was a practical farmer 
 and a successful one. Politically a Whig, 
 he was always faithful to that jjarty. His 
 widow lived to be ninety-two years old. 
 In her later years she was a member of 
 the Concrreo-ational Church, and one of the 
 original members of that denomination in 
 Fitchville township. The husband and 
 wife were buried in Fitchville cemetery. 
 
 Elijah Washburn was born November 
 20, 1830, on the home farm, which he now 
 occupies. There he was reared, and in the 
 school of the district received an elemen- 
 tary education, being one of the pupils who 
 attended regularly during the winter 
 months of each year. The rude school- 
 house is not better remembered than the 
 slab seats and stern teacher. During the 
 spring, summer and fall the boy was kept 
 busy on the farm, and thus employed he 
 grew to manhood physically strong and 
 self-reliant. In 1854 he married Harriet 
 Potter, who was born in Ruggles town- 
 ship, Ashland Co., Ohio, in 1835, daughter 
 of Asahel Potter, a native of Connecticut, 
 who was a pioneer of Ashland county. 
 The young couple located on the home 
 farm, and to them were born children as 
 follows: Viola, deceased wife of Peter 
 Kichie; Ada, married to George Evans, of 
 
316 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Fitcliville; Nettie, deceafed; Charles, pro- 
 prietor of tlie "Mansion House," at Fitcli- 
 ville; Hattie, deceased wife of Dwigbt 
 Kniffin; Martin; Joseph; Louisa, deceased; 
 Leeland; Lillie M. (deceased); and Loriii, 
 of whom, Martin, Joseph, Leeland and 
 Lorin are residing at home. 
 
 During his residence here, or for a term 
 of over thirty years, Mr. Washlnirn has 
 been a house-inover and farmer, and has 
 been successful in each business. For- 
 merly a Whig, he became a Republican on 
 the organization of the new party. Born 
 in Fitcliville township, lie has resided on 
 the same farm longer than any other citi- 
 zen in the township, and in his long life 
 here be has become highly esteemed by all. 
 
 I( AEON ROBINSON, one of the 
 l\ largest landowners and mostpromi- 
 ^ nent stock growers of Fitcliville 
 township, of which locality he has 
 been a resident many years, was 
 born November 27, 1827, in Coshocton 
 county, Ohio. 
 
 His father. William Pierce, was left an 
 orphan in his boyhood, and was adopted 
 by a man named John Robinson, hence 
 the change in the patronymic. William 
 Pierce was born in Delaware in 1780, and 
 about the first or second year of this cen- 
 tuiy migrated into Pennsylvania, settling 
 in Washington county. Here he married 
 Letitia Coleman, with whom in 1815 he 
 removed to Ohio, locating in Coshocton 
 county, where they made their home until 
 1829. In the year last named the family 
 removed to Crawford county, same State, 
 locating where the Cincinnati Turnpike 
 now is, at a point six miles south of Bucy- 
 rus, and here they resided until 1833, 
 when his twelve children were stricken 
 with milk fever, a peculiar disease then 
 common in Crawford county. The father 
 determined to seek a healthier place, and 
 mounting his horse set out for Huron 
 
 county. Arriving there he made some e.\- 
 plorations, and succeeded in obtaining a 
 small tract of land, about fifty acres, in 
 Norwich township, in exchange for his 
 horse. Without delay he brought his 
 whole family to IHiron county, and re- 
 sumed the work of pioneers. The land 
 was cleared by Mr. Robinson and his sons, 
 and a tract of 150 acres added to the 
 homestead, much of which was also cleared, 
 and all of it improved by them. Mean- 
 time the father sold his estate in Crawford 
 county to a French family for one thou- 
 sand six hundred dollars, and invested the 
 proceeds in lands in Wood county, Ohio. 
 In 1848 William Robinson removed to 
 Fitchville township, where he located on 
 the present Aaron Robinson farm, and 
 where he resided until his death, Auenst 
 10, 1864. His widow died January 25, 
 1865, and both lie in the Fitchville ceme- 
 tery. They reared a large family — seven 
 sons and five daughters — of whom two 
 sons 'and two daughters survive, namely: 
 Wesley, a farmer of Norwich; Aaron, a 
 farmer of Fitchville; Christine, widow of 
 John Bowen, of Norwich; and Emma 
 Eliza, widow of John M. Foreman, of 
 Miami, Lucas Co., Ohio. The father of 
 this family was a Democrat down to the 
 period of Buchanan's nomination in 1856, 
 when he joined the American party. From 
 1856 to the date of his death, he was an 
 active Republican, while, in religious 
 opinion, as was also his wife, he was a 
 member of the United Brethren Church. 
 Aaron Robinson may be termed a 
 pioneer of three counties in Ohio. His 
 school days began in the log house in 
 Norwich township, where Miss Emily 
 Ashley wielded the birch. They were of 
 short duration; for the exigencies of the 
 times would not permit the farm to be 
 neglected, and the boy of the period had, 
 certainly, his place in the economy of the 
 farm. His marriage with Hannah D. 
 Hinkley took place October 1. 1856. She 
 was born June 13, 1832, in Hector town- 
 ship, Tompkins Co., N. Y., to Horace and 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 317 
 
 Laura (Mclntire) Ilinkley, who settled in 
 Ripley townsliip, Iluroti Co., Ohio, in 
 1884, and removed to Fitchville townsliip 
 in 1836. 
 
 After their raarriacre Aaron and Hannah 
 D. Robinson located on a farm in Fitch- 
 ville townsliip, which they now own, and 
 resided thereon until 1865, when the 
 family took possession of the present 
 farm. Their children are William IL, an 
 attendant of the Lebanon (Ohio) College, 
 now a farmer of Fitchville township, and 
 Laura L. D.; they reside with their par- 
 ents. Mr. Robinson is the owner of 500 
 acres of as good land as may be found in 
 the Western Reserve. He is one of tiie 
 large real-estate owners in the county, 
 and one of its extensive stock growers. 
 Systematic in the management of his 
 estate, he is also a good tinancier, and in 
 every respect a progressive agriculturist. 
 Politically he is a Democrat, and has been 
 elected trustee; has also tilled other public 
 positions, but his manifold business inter- 
 ests are given his closest personal attention. 
 
 djESSE SXYDER, a well-known 
 farmer citizen of New Haven town- 
 ' ship, is a native of Tompkins coun- 
 ty, N. y. His grandfather, John 
 Snyder, who was of German descent, fol- 
 lowed the milling business in Northampton 
 county, Penn., in which he was quite suc- 
 cessful. He was a colonel in the State 
 militia during, the Whiskey Insurrection, 
 and was a man of considerable influence. 
 He had twelve children, viz.: Peter, John, 
 Samuel. Melchior, Daniel, Simon, Rudolph, 
 Sally, Hannah, Louisa, Catiierine and 
 Susan, all now deceased. 
 
 Rudolph Snyder, father of subject, was 
 born in 1802, in Northampton county, 
 Penn., passed his boyhood days on a farm, 
 and in early life learned the tanner's trade, 
 which, in connection with agriculture, he 
 followed for a number of years. In 1822 
 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary 
 
 Heller, wlio was horn February 3, 1803, 
 daughter of Solomon Heller, a farmer. 
 In 1886 Mr. and Mrs. Snyder migrated to 
 Ohio, locating in Eloominggrove town- 
 ship, Richland county, where they lived 
 until 1839, in whicii year they removed to 
 New Haven township, Huron county, re- 
 maining there until 1857, when they took 
 up tl'.eir residence in the village of New 
 Haven. They were the j)arents of ten 
 children, of whom four died in infancy, 
 the others being Reuben, Jesse, Solomon, 
 Abner, Mary and Eliza. Mr. Snyder was 
 a decidedly successful man. Politically 
 he was an active member of the Demo- 
 cratic party, and served as justice of the 
 peace in his township; in religious belief 
 he was a member of the Free-will Baptist 
 Church. He died April 2, 1882. 
 
 Jesse Snyder was born March 3, 1826, in 
 Tompkins county, N. Y., where he passed 
 his early years on a farm. In 1844 he 
 came to Plymouth (then Paris), Ohio, and 
 learned the carpenter's trade, working at 
 same for three years, when he commenced 
 farming, in which he continued until 
 
 o ... 
 
 1853. In that year he went to California, 
 taking the route through Central America, 
 where the Nicaragua Canal is now in 
 course of construction. He remained two 
 years in the California mining regions, 
 visiting all the principal camps — San 
 Francisco, Sacramento, etc. — and toward 
 the latter part of iiis stay went to San 
 Antonio, where he engaged in the shingle 
 business. During this time he also con- 
 ducted a store and hotel in West Union, 
 four miles from Redwood City, Cal. In 
 1855 he returned to New Haven, Ohio, 
 and purchasing a farm worked same for 
 two years, when he engaged in the tanning 
 business until 1865, and then agai[i took 
 up agriculture, to which he has ever since 
 given his attention. Mr. Snyder now owns 
 128 acres of good farming land, and by 
 hard work and strict economy has attained 
 considerable success in his chosen vocation. 
 On October 3, 1850, Mr. Snyder was 
 united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth 
 
318 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Lovelaiid, daughter of John Loveland, of 
 New Haven tmvnship, and to this union 
 came three children, viz.: Ralph, now a 
 farmer in Xew Haven township; and Will- 
 iam W. and Jesse C. (both deceased). The 
 mother of these died February 9, 1862, 
 and Septemlier 14, 1863, Mr. Snyder was 
 married to Mrs. Satira A. (Campbell) 
 Easter, daughter of Lorenzo Campbell, of 
 Greenfield township, Huron county. She 
 died September 26, 1864, and on January 
 1, 1866, he was again married, this time 
 to Miss Martha Dickinson, a daughter of 
 E. Dickinson, of New Haven township. To 
 this union has come one child, Alton 
 S., a farmer of New Haven township. In 
 politics our subject is a stanch member of 
 the Democratic party, and has served in 
 various township otKces. In 1848 he made 
 a visit to Chicago, 111., at which time the 
 city contained no railroads, and he made 
 the return trip to Ohio on a horse. He 
 became a member of the Order of the I. O. 
 O. F. in 1857, and has been a member 
 ever since; in 1870 was elected as repre- 
 sentative of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, 
 I.O. O. F. 
 
 )\AEEEN SEVEEANCE, a worthy 
 member of the Huron county bar, 
 lf(' is a native of Sandusky county, 
 Ohio, born October 9^ 1836. 
 Elisha Severance, his father, was a native 
 of Massachusetts, where he received a fair 
 education, and passed his early life. 
 
 When a young man Elisha Severance 
 moved to Pennsylvania with his father, 
 and naade his home in that State until 
 1819, when he settled at Milan, Erie Co., 
 Ohio. In 1830 he located at the site of 
 the present town of Clyde, Sandusky 
 county, and in 1839 came to Peru town- 
 ship, Huron county, where he purchased a 
 farm. Having learned the trade of cooper 
 in Massachusetts, his time in Peru town- 
 ship was devoted to that in connection 
 with agriculture, working at the trade in 
 
 winter, and giving his attention to the 
 farm during the remainder of the year, 
 until 1853. In the last mentioned year he 
 removed to GreenlTeld township, and there 
 remained until 1863, when he came to New 
 Haven with his son Warren, with whom 
 he passed the remainder of his days. 
 
 On April 28, 1823, Elisha Severance 
 was united in marriage with Martha Bangs, 
 and to their union were born children as 
 follows: Charles F., Lucien (who died 
 young), Clarissa, and Samuel (who died in 
 1883). This wife died xiugust 12, 1829, 
 and on May 7, 1831, Mr. Severance wedded 
 Mrs. Phoebe (Tracy) Morgan, of Milan, 
 Ohio, by which marriage were also born 
 four children: William M., who died in 
 1883 in Illinois; Byron, who died in in- 
 fancy; Warren, the subject of this memoir; 
 and Byron (named after the iirst Byron), 
 a carpenter and joiner of Fairfield town- 
 ship, who died October 7, 1892. The 
 mother of these children passed away in 
 January, 1879, aged seventy-seven years; 
 she was a daughter of Abel Tracy, of Ver- 
 mont, in which State she was born; a 
 Presbyterian from the age of sixteen years 
 to her death, she was always a consistent 
 member of that Church. Elisha Severance 
 was a Whig before the war, but in 1856 
 or 1860 joined the Democratic party. He 
 passed away October 13, 1892, aged ninety- 
 eight years. 
 
 The family name was originally Severns, 
 of Norman origin. The ancestor of the 
 family in America moved from England 
 into Scotland, and came from the latter 
 country to the LTnited States in early Co- 
 lonial days. From the genealogy pul)lished 
 by Eev. Mr. Sexerance, of Chicago, we 
 quote: "While no member of the family 
 has ever arisen to any particular promi- 
 nence, none have ever put any stain upon 
 the name." The family are the only rep- 
 resentatives of the name in this section of 
 Ohio, but there is a colony of Severances 
 at Severance, Doniphan Co., Kans., while 
 a number of the name make their home in 
 Chicago, Illinois. 
 
.e^^i^^ 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 321 
 
 Warren Severance received in his youth 
 a practical education, and for nine years 
 prior to 1875-76 was an instructor of high 
 repute. In 1S63 lie purchased a farm in 
 New Haven township, four miles east of 
 Chicago Junction and near New Haven 
 village, which Tie carried on without tak- 
 ing his attention from his profession of 
 school teacher. On February 9, 1S60, he 
 was married to Philinda Shepard, daughter 
 of Israel Shepard, who came from New 
 York to Ohio at an early day, and thej 
 have had two children : Elmer AV., born in 
 1861, who is now in the office of his 
 father, and Clara M., wife of C. A. 
 Weatherford, of Chicago Junction. In 
 1876 Mr. Severance was offered induce- 
 ments by Mr. D. H. Young, a member of 
 the Ohio bar and for thirteen years an in- 
 surance agent, to enter the legal profession, 
 which he accepted, entering the office as a 
 partner in the entire business, and for two 
 years he worked in the insurance and real- 
 estate office at Chicago Junction. On 
 March 28, 1878, he was admitted to the 
 bar, at Bucyrue, Ohio, and on June 3, 
 1880, was admitted to practice in the 
 United States Courts at Toledo, Ohio. In 
 September, 1878, Mr. Young moved to 
 Norwalk, Ohio, and Mr. Severance as- 
 sumed full charge of the office. In 1891 
 he was appointed local counsel for the 
 Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company, and 
 he has iirmly established, himself in the 
 confidence of that great corporation by the 
 close attention he gives to their legal af- 
 fairs in this division. Apart from this 
 work, he commands a large and lucrative 
 general practice, and is well and favorably 
 known to the people of Huron and ad- 
 joining counties. He also conducts an 
 important real-estate business. 
 
 Mr. Severance was largely instrumental 
 in the organization of the Presbyterian 
 Church here in 1890. In 1885 he was 
 one of four of the Republican candidates 
 for prosecuting attorney, receiving seventy- 
 seven of the seventy-eight votes required 
 for nomination, and as candidate for the 
 
 judgeship of the Probate court he also re- 
 ceived a very flattering support. Almost 
 forty-two years old when admitted to the 
 bar, his success is marvelous, if not phe- 
 nomenal. His knowledge of the people 
 and the universal respect and esteem in 
 which he was held played an important 
 ])art in the issue; but this alone, without 
 the actual ability which he possesses to an 
 unusual degree, would be of little use in a 
 battle for precedence among the lawyers 
 of this section, and Mr. Severance may 
 well be proud of the brilliant record which 
 he has made. 
 
 EiLON G. BOUGHTON, abstracter 
 and conveyancer, Norwalk, is a na- 
 I five of Huron county, born June 
 
 30, 1839, a son of John and Susan 
 (Benedict) Boughton. The father was born 
 in 1796 at Soutiibury, Conn., was reared 
 in Cayuga county, N. Y., and in 1836 
 came to Ohio, where he passed from earth 
 December 12, 1864. The mother was born 
 February 2, 1800, near Norwalk. Conn., 
 and died June 9, 1888. They had a family 
 of ten childi'en, six of whom are yet living. 
 E. G. Boughton was reared to early man- 
 hood in the vicinity of his birth, gaining 
 the experiences of the average boy of tiie 
 period in the schools, and in learning the 
 practical lessons of patient labor and 
 economy. When only a well-grown youth 
 he taught school successfully for three 
 terms, but when the tocsin of war rang out 
 over our Union, the young man dropped 
 his birch baton and enlisted, in September, 
 1861, in Company D, Forty-first Regiment 
 O. V. I. He went to the front with the 
 army of the Cumberland, and was wounded 
 November 25, 1863, at the battle of Mis- 
 sionary Ridge, after which he was on de- 
 tached service to the close of his three 
 years term of enlistment. On his return 
 home he engaged in farming until 1872, 
 when he was elected recorder of Huron 
 county, and was subsequently re-elected, 
 serving three consecutive terms, or nine 
 
322 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 years. While in office, almost as apart of 
 his duties, he comiiieiiced work in a set of 
 abstract books, and immediately on retir- 
 ing to private life opened his present ab- 
 stract and conveyancer's office, in which 
 line be has commanded almost a monopoly 
 of tlie business. 
 
 E. G. Bougliton and Melinda A. Davis, 
 a native of Huron county, were nnited in 
 marriage March 22, 1865, and they iiave 
 had four children: Will. H., Fred G.. Lena 
 M. and Laura M. The Boughton family 
 is one of the eminently respected in Huron 
 county. 
 
 fr^ A. EHRMAN, baker and confec- 
 I w. tioner, Chicago Junction, is a Ger- 
 ^^J man by birth, l)orn March 10, 1852, 
 J^ in Hessen Darmstadt, a son of Frank 
 and Margaretta Ehrmaii,the former 
 of whom was a baker by trade. 
 
 Alter leaviug school in his native land, 
 our subject commenced learning his 
 father's trade, under hitn completing his 
 apprenticeship. At the age of si.xteen 
 years he embarked at Bremen on board the 
 steamship "Rhine," for the New World, 
 and after a passage of fourteen days landed 
 at New York. F'rom there he proceeded 
 westward to Cleveland, where he worked 
 at his trade till 1873, in which year he re- 
 visited his native country, remaining there 
 one and one half years, when he again came 
 to America and to Cleveland, resuming 
 his trade. In 1877 he a second time 
 crossed the Atlantic to the Fatherland, on 
 this occasion sojourning there two years, 
 and then again coming to Cleveland, once 
 more took up the baking business. In 
 1881 he moved to Norwalk, Huron county, 
 and here worked for J. P. Link in the 
 same line, six years, at the end of which 
 time (188B) he came to Monroeville, and 
 coniinenced business for his own account. 
 In 1891 he ga\e up his small business in 
 Monroeville, and coming to Chicago 
 Junction has here since conducted the 
 
 leading bakery and confectionery establish- 
 ment, and grocery and jjfovision business, 
 in the town. 
 
 On May 8, 1884, Mr. Ehrman was mar- 
 ried to Barbara Ileeb, born January 16, 
 1858, in Hessen- Darmstadt, Germany, a 
 daughter of Frederick and Catherine Heeb. 
 She came to the United States in Jutie, 
 1888, and was living in Cleveland, Ohio, 
 at the time Mr. Ehrman visited and won 
 her, and took her to Norwalk. The chil- 
 dren born to this union are as follows: 
 Philip F. E., George L., Carl J. and Eddie 
 J., all yet living except the last named. 
 In his political leanings our subject is in- 
 dependent, belonging to no particular 
 party, but voting always for the candidate 
 he considers best fitted for the position. 
 In religious faith he and his wife are mem- 
 bers of the Catholic Church. 
 
 APTAIN F. J. LEYDORF, a 
 
 pio- 
 
 neer of Chicago Junction, was born 
 ^ November 7, 1841, in Prussia, 
 Germany, where his father, Henry 
 Wilhelm Leydorf, was a dealer in live 
 stock. 
 
 F. J. Leydorf received a practical educa- 
 tion in the public and private schools of 
 his native place, and at the age of foui-teen 
 years was apprenticed to a mechanic, with 
 whom he remained three full years. In 
 1800 he entered the Prussian army, and 
 served until 1866, when the Electorate of 
 Hesse fell [It was annexed to Prussia in 
 1867J. and he did not wish to serve longer. 
 Some short time after the war his father 
 died, and the son was requested by his 
 mother to return. In 1867 he married 
 Anna Maria Baechman, and in 1868 they 
 immigrated to the United States, coming 
 to Sandusky, Ohio, where friends of the 
 family had settled. Shortly afterward they 
 moved to Custar, Wood county, where 
 Capt. Leydorf established a saloon and 
 meat market, but in 1872 he returned to 
 Sandusky, where he engaged in the hotel 
 
iiURoy COUNTY, omo. 
 
 323 
 
 Inisiness, and remained until the fall of 
 1S75. In 1873 he organized the Sandusky 
 military company, of which he was elected 
 captain, a position he held during his i-esi- 
 dence in that city. Locating at (Chicago 
 Junction in 1875 he erected one of the 
 first houses there, on the west side, and 
 engaged in the butchering business, which 
 he carried on until 1877. In 1882 he 
 bought the property of William Oehni, of 
 Front street, and in 1889 purchased the 
 property he now occupies as a hotel, on 
 Spring street. He owns the Fox and 
 Oehm property, purchased previously, and 
 has been exceptionally successful in his 
 business. No man has- been more inti- 
 mately identified with the progress of 
 Chicago Junction in its various phases, and 
 it was through his efforts that the town was 
 incorporated. Coming here when the site 
 was practically in its primeval condition, 
 he labored in the interest of the place, and 
 watched its progress with joy. In 1879 
 he was elected street commissioner and 
 constable, in which position he served for 
 two years. As street commissioner he 
 laid out a number of what are now the 
 principal streets of the town, and shortly 
 after he was elected a member of board of 
 education for three years. An active, 
 earnest Democrat, he was the nominee of 
 the party for sheriff of Huron county, and 
 at the polls he succeeded in cutting down 
 the Republican majority from 1,400 to 
 778. In 1888 he was appointed deputy 
 United States marshal for the Northern 
 District of Ohio, and served until 1892. 
 He is now serving his sixth year as justice 
 of the peace, and in 1893 was elected 
 mayor of the city. 
 
 Of the ten children born to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Leydorf, eight are yet living, namely: 
 Kunnegiinde (wife of J. L. Von Slagle), 
 Matilda K., Frederick W., Magdalena, 
 Anna Margaret, Maria Theresa, Amelia 
 and Amanda. The eldest child, Annie 
 Kathrina, died when four years old, and 
 Frederick Jacob died in infancy. The 
 family are all popular in the community, 
 
 and the Captain himself is known to his 
 particular friends as a prince of • good 
 fellows. 
 
 k,TLLIAM MONTEITH, one of the 
 most progressive citizens of Fly- 
 mouth, and cashier of the First 
 National Bank of that place, was 
 born March 25, 1861, in Iieland, and came 
 with his parents to the United States in 
 1864. 
 
 He is a son of Andrew and Mary A. 
 fSmith) Monteith, natives of Ireland, and 
 aescendants of that sturdy Scotch-Irish 
 race that predominates in the North. 
 Andrew Monteith, who was a farmer and 
 ropemaker in the land of his birth, emi- 
 grated, in 1864, with his family to the 
 United States, and landing at Philadelphia 
 proceeded at once to Plymouth, Ohio, 
 where two of his brothers-in-law already 
 resided. In 1882 he purchased a farm in 
 Ne*v Haven township, and later bought 
 a second tract two miles south of Plymouth, 
 in Richland county, where he now resides. 
 Of the seven children born to Andrew 
 and Mary A. (Smith) Monteith, William 
 is the eldest. 
 
 AVilliam Monteith came to Ohio when 
 three years old. He received a practical 
 education in the public schools of Ply- 
 mouth, and at the age of sixteen years 
 accepted the position of bookkeeper in the 
 First National Bank of that place. His 
 services in this capacity were so well ap- 
 preciated, that in January, 1886, he was 
 promoted to cashier, vice W. B. Cuyken- 
 dall, who had resigned, and he still holds 
 the position, giving perfect satisfaction to 
 patrons and stockholders. 
 
 Politically a Republican, he takes an 
 active interest in pul)lic affaire, always 
 giving his party a loyal support, and he 
 has served as treasurer both of the town- 
 ship and town. He is secretary of the 
 Plymouth Savings Building and Loan 
 Association, and a stockholder in that 
 company; is also a director and treasurer 
 
324 
 
 HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 of the Cline Eno-ine and Machine Coin- 
 pany, and is interested in every possible 
 way in the development of trade and in- 
 dustry in Plymouth. This popular young 
 man is self-made by intelligence and 
 earnestness, for to all enterprises, with 
 which he associates himself, he gives his 
 best thought and labor, and makes success 
 attend it. 
 
 P\IIILIP EKF, a prominent, highly 
 respected citizen of Peru township, 
 was born January 13. 1881, in 
 jMassau, Gerniany, and immigrated 
 to the United States in 1852. 
 His father, Jacob Erf, was also a native 
 of Germany, in which country he married 
 Catherine Spangkus, who bore him the 
 following children: Philip, Catherine, 
 Anthony and Jacob. In 1853 the parents, 
 with their three younger children, immi- 
 grated to America, settling in Lyme town- 
 ship, Huron Co., Ohio, where their son 
 Philip had previously purchased a farm. 
 Here thej' passed the remainder of their 
 lives, Mrs. Erf dying in 1875, Mr. Erf in 
 1889. Politically he was an independent 
 Democrat, and in religious faith he and 
 his wife were members of the Evangel- 
 ical Church. 
 
 Philip Erf received a common-school 
 training in his native country, being fairly 
 educated for a young man of his time. 
 He remained in Germany until 1852, 
 when (as above related) he sailed for the 
 United States, taking passage for ^ew 
 York from London, England, the voyage 
 occupying thirty-one days. After land- 
 ing he proceeded westward to Ohio, travel- 
 ing by canal, railroad and lake to San- 
 dusky, and thence went to Monroeville, 
 where he obtained work as a farm hand at 
 eight dollars per month. A poor German 
 lad, honest and energetic, he went to work 
 with a will, saved his earnings, and within 
 a few years established himself as a land- 
 owner. On October 18, 1856, he married 
 Dora Heyman, also a native of Nassau, 
 
 Germany, daughter of William Heyman; 
 she crossed the ocean on the same vessel 
 as Mr. Erf, though at the time of their 
 emigration they were entire strangers. 
 After his marriage our subject located on 
 the farm where he still resides, and which 
 at one time he worked in partnership with 
 his father-in-laW. Since his location in 
 Peru township Mr. Erf has followed 
 general farming and stock raising, and 
 few if any of the farmers of the town- 
 ship have been more successful. He now 
 owns over 500 acres of excellent laud, on 
 which stands one of the finest brick resi- 
 dences in the township. The barn equals 
 anything in the district, and the whole 
 farm gives evidence of progressiveness 
 and thrift. If the title of the most sys- 
 tematic farmer can be consistently be- 
 stowed on any one farmer in Peru town- 
 ship, Philip Erf well deserves it. Aside 
 from some property received from his wife 
 his wealth is the accumulation of his own 
 industry. His land is to-day worth thirty- 
 five thousand dollars; the stock which he 
 raises always commands the highest prices, 
 and in the cultivation of the farm only the 
 most improved machinery and farm imple- 
 ments are used. As a business man and 
 financier his influence is keenly felt, and 
 his decisions have great weight in his com- 
 munity. Mr. and Mrs. Erf have children 
 as follows: William, a farmer of Lyme 
 township; Lydia, Mrs. August Horn, of 
 Lyme township; and Lewis and Oscar, at 
 home. Politically he is Republican, is an 
 enthusiastic party man, and has tilled 
 several township othees. He and his wife 
 are members of the Protestant Church at 
 Monroeville. 
 
 W. OSBORN, the leading hard- 
 ware merchant of Greenwich, was 
 born November 30, 1858, in Ma- 
 honing county, Ohio, and received 
 a common-school education in the schools 
 of Youngstown, same State. He learned 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 325 
 
 the tinner's trade, and worked at same for 
 teu years before establishing his present 
 business. 
 
 On September 20, 1883, Mr. Osborn 
 establislied liis present house at Green- 
 wich. A practical tradesman himself, he 
 started on a small scale, gradually in- 
 creasing his stock to meet his growing 
 trade, and thus built up on a solid founda- 
 tion a prosperous business. lie handles 
 hardware, stoves, tin and copper ware and 
 queensware. keeping in each department 
 a large and varied assortment of goods, 
 making a specialty of paints, oils, var- 
 nishes, etc., and tin and sheet-iron work. 
 His store occupies a building 20 x 70 feet 
 in area. On November 12, 1889, he mar- 
 ried Annetta Patterson, by whom two chil- 
 dren were l)orn: Mabel Estelle, August 12, 
 1890. and Mildred Virginia, June 12, 1893. 
 Mrs. Osborn's parents, Robert and Mary 
 Patterson, are Irish and Scotch respect- 
 ively. 
 
 Mr. Osborn is a Republican politically, 
 lias served as member of the Greenwich 
 council, and is now a member of the school 
 board. An active participant in public 
 enterpt-ises, he gives a lilieral share of his 
 time to questions afftcting the well being 
 of the town and tuwnshij) of Greenwich. 
 In religious connection he is a member of 
 the Congregational Church. His parents, 
 Freeman and Susan (^Strauss) Osborn, are 
 descended from English and Dutch pio- 
 neers of Pennsylvania, who settled in Ohio 
 at an early day. 
 
 THOMAS L. MEAD, grandson of 
 Calvin Mead, was born in Green- 
 wich township, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 November 28, 1830. Luther Mead, 
 son of Calvin, was born on his 
 father's farm at Greenwich, Conn., in 
 1790. When a young man he married 
 Annis Mead, a native of AVestchester 
 county, N. Y., and took her to his home 
 in New York City, where he had pre- 
 viously established himself in mercantile 
 
 life. Subsequently he moved to Ludlow- 
 ville, where he started a dry-goods store, 
 and carried on business until 1826, when 
 he and family went to Greenwich, Con- 
 necticut. 
 
 In 1830 Luther Mead, his wife and 
 three children set out on a journey to the 
 "Firelands" in Ohio, traveling via Albany 
 and Buffalo to Sandusky (at that time 
 called Portland), and thence by wagon via 
 Norwalk to Greenwich township, where 
 his father, Calvin Mead, had purchased 
 1,100 acres of wild land. He deeded to 
 Luther 500 acres, anil on this tract the 
 pioneers erected a cabin. In tlii.s pioneer 
 cabin were born two childreu, viz.: Thomas 
 L., the subject of this sketch, and Annie 
 M., a resident of Greenwich township. 
 The father of these children died on the 
 original farm January 11, 1876, and the 
 mother in March, 1886, both being in- 
 terred in the Fitchville cemetery. Luther 
 Mead was a Whig until the Republicans 
 were organized, and for twenty years was 
 a faithful iidherent of the new party. In 
 religious connection he and his wife 
 were early members of the Congregational 
 Church at Fitchville, and among its most 
 zealous supj)orters. On one occasion Mr. 
 Mead saw a few boys desecrating the Sab- 
 bath Day by bathing in a mil! pond, and 
 approaching them invited them to his 
 home to attend Sabbath-school. The boys, 
 now clean, good-natured and vigorous after 
 their bath, accepted the invitation and ap- 
 peared in due time at the Mead cabin. 
 The Sabbath school was thus opened for 
 the first time in Greenwich township. 
 
 Thomas L. Mead received an elementary 
 education in the public school of his dis- 
 trict, and passed a short term in the 
 schools of Milan, Ohio. School days over 
 he worked on his father's farm until 1855, 
 on November 30 of which year he married 
 Allathea P. Finch, who was born April 
 23, 1834, at Greenwich, Conn., daughter 
 of Gilbert P. and Allathea (Peck) Finch. 
 She visited a sister who resided in Huron 
 count}', and here met Mr. Mead for the 
 
326 
 
 IIUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 tirst time. To thein tlio following named 
 children were born: Luther 11., now over- 
 seer of Dr. Parker's elegant country seat 
 at New Canaan, Conn.; Joseph A., a car- 
 penter, of Cleveland, Ohio; Edward L., a 
 fanner; Annis M., now Mrs. E. D. Nick- 
 ersoM, of Fiiidlay, Ohio; Gilbert F., of 
 Greenwich township; Allathea C. and 
 Thonjas L., Jr., residing at home, and 
 Anna D. The firstborn was a daughter un- 
 named, who died in infancy; another child, 
 Marcus L., died in youth. The present 
 farm has been the family home since 1855, 
 with the exce])tion of two years, when the 
 parents resided at Oberlin, Ohio, to super- 
 intend the education of their children in 
 Oberlin College. Mr. Mead is a man well 
 endowed with common sense and good 
 judgment, and is considered one of the 
 leading citizens of his township. Politically 
 a Republican, he gives loyal support to his 
 party, and has served as justice of the 
 peace for six years. lie is a deacon in the 
 Congregational Church at Greenwich, of 
 which his wife and several children are 
 also members, and for a quarter of a cen- 
 tury he has discharged the duties of Sun- 
 day-school superintendent. 
 
 ^J 
 
 t /I ICEIAEL E. FEWSON, a promi- 
 1^1 iient agriculturist and worthy citi- 
 I] zen of Green Held township, was 
 born March 17, 1841, at Burton, 
 Yorkshire, England. 
 His father, David Fevvson, was a laborer 
 in Yorkshire, and there married Johanna 
 Scribner, to whom six children were born 
 in England, namely: John R, who died 
 in his native land; Elizabeth, Mrs. George 
 Billard, of Norwich township; John, a 
 sawyer of Richmond township; Robert, of 
 Surry county, Va. ; Michael E., of Huron 
 county, and Jane, who married Charles 
 O'Connell. In 1852 the family emigrated 
 from England to the United States. Sailing 
 from Liverpool in the clipper-ship " Rap- 
 pahannock," Capt. Cushion, they arrived 
 
 at New York after a voyage of seven 
 weeks. From that city the family trav- 
 eled by railroad to Havana, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, via Buffalo and Sandusky. His 
 son-in-law, George Billard, had already 
 settled in the neighborhood; so that, how- 
 ever strange the land appeared, they were 
 not altogether among strangers. Mr. 
 Fewson rented a log house in Norwich 
 township at one dollar per month, and re- 
 sided there until his death, which occurred 
 in 1884. His wife died in 1879. 
 
 Michael E. Fewson was nine years old 
 when the family settled in the United 
 States. He received a primary education 
 in the district schools of Norwich town- 
 ship, was granted his time by the father at 
 the age of eighteen years, and entered on 
 life for himself. The first money he 
 earned was a dime, which was paid him by 
 the late Dr. McCammon to the young 
 guide who led biin through the thicket to 
 the cabin of Clark Eddy, who was suffer- 
 ing from fever and ague. Soon after our 
 subject found employment in a sawmill as 
 engineer, and later he went to work in a 
 clearing, being so engaged up to the time 
 of his enlistment in August, 1863, for five 
 years State duty in Company E, Sixty- 
 tiiird O. Y. I., commanded by Capt. A. B. 
 Gilson. On May 2, 1864, this organiza- 
 tion was called on by the General Govern- 
 ment for one hundred days United States 
 service, Capt. Gilson being elected major 
 of tliat regiment on the same day. They 
 were ordered to Camp Taylor, city of 
 Cleveland, arriving on the third, and were 
 there joined by the Seventy-ninth Battal- 
 ion from Medina county. Ohio. They 
 were examined on the 6th and 7th and 
 mustered in on the 8th; and were then 
 known as the One Hundred and Sixty- 
 sixth Regiment O. N. G. Vols. In the 
 re-organization Mr. Fewson was attached 
 to Company H, commanded by Capt. B. 
 F. McCormick. His term of service ex- 
 pired September 10, 18(34, and he then re- 
 turned to Huron county, where he resumed 
 work in a sawmill. 
 
UURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 327 
 
 On November 2, I860, Mr. Feweon 
 married Sarah E. Dailey, daughter of 
 Thomas Dailey, a native of New York, 
 who had settled in Greenfield township, 
 where Sarah was born May 2, 1839. The 
 children by this inarria<;e are Burton E., 
 Nellie M., Minnie M., William G., Dessie 
 D. and Harry D., all residing with their 
 parents. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
 Fewson settled on a rented farm in Green- 
 field townsiiip; later he purchased ten 
 acres iu Norwich township, of which tract 
 he gave his parents a life lease; subse- 
 quently he moved to Bronson township, 
 where he engaged in farming and carried 
 on a meat market, selling from a wagon to 
 the people. In 1878 he returned to Green- 
 field township, and located on his present 
 farm of 114 acres. In a decade and a 
 half his labors have won him a valuable 
 property, and have given him a home of 
 whicli many an older man might feel 
 proud. His first vote was cast for Gov- 
 ernor John Brough, of Ohio, in 1863, and 
 for the last thirty years he has been a 
 faithful Republican. With the exception 
 of various township positions, which he 
 has been called upon to till, he has never 
 sought otiice, being content with the serv- 
 ice he yields the party in the rank and 
 file of voters. 
 
 EiDWIN L. DOLE, a well and favor- 
 ably known agriculturist of Lyme 
 I township, Huron county, was born 
 
 April 21, 1842, in Ashtield, Mass., 
 a son of Orrin and Lncinda (Kemp) Dole. 
 The Dole family are of French extraction, 
 were among the early settlers of Ohio, and 
 have always been distinguished forhonesty, 
 true worth and irreproachable character. 
 
 Orrin Dole was born November 1, 1806, 
 in Massachusetts, where he received a com- 
 mon-school education and acquired habits 
 of thrift and perseverance that were of 
 great benefit to him in after life. He 
 also learned the cooper's trade, and fol- 
 lowed that until 1843, at wliich time he 
 
 moved west and located in Huron county, 
 Ohio, where he numbered among the 
 pioneers who were telling trees, building 
 log cabins and transforming a wilderness 
 into fertile farms. In his new^ home he 
 began agricultural pursuits, an occupation 
 he continued to follow up to his death, 
 which occurred March 16, 1872. He was 
 popular with his neighbors, and was sev- 
 eral times elected trustee for Lyme town- 
 ship. Orrin Dole was married October 
 18, 1827, to Miss Lucinda Kemp, born 
 January 25, 1808, also of Massachusetts, 
 and eight children blessed their union, 
 viz.: D. W., Fidelia J. (Mrs. Samuel 
 Taylor, deceased), Harriet A. (deceased 
 wife of Ely Coolej), George S., Orrin, 
 Edwin L., Henry S. (deceased) and 
 Julia E. (Mrs. J. B. Stocking). Mrs. 
 Dole died November 15, 1884. The 
 family were members of the Methodist 
 Church, of which they were all liberal 
 supporters. 
 
 Edwin L. Dole was only a year old 
 when brought by his parents to Ohio, and 
 his early life was one of vicissitude and 
 hard work. He received such education 
 as was afi'orded by the district schools of 
 Lyme township, and found leisure time to 
 cultivate his mind, and acquired a perfect 
 knowledge of agricultural pursuits. In 
 1854 he settled on his present farm, about 
 two miles from Bellevue, comprising 128 
 acres of valuable land, and here he gives 
 his attention to farming and the manu- 
 facture of vinegar. He has served two 
 terms as township treasurer and is highly 
 esteemed by all who know him. His 
 younger brother, Henry, was in the Civil 
 war, and engaged in active service two 
 years in Company G, Fifty-fifth Regi- 
 ment, O. V. I. Our subject was married 
 December 24, 1865, to Miss Susan Ed- 
 wards, who died February 7, 1879, leaving 
 three children: Louise M., Fidelia ej. 
 and Orrin. On December 30, 1880, Mr. 
 Dole married Miss Elizabeth Kramb, of 
 Erie county, Ohio, who bore him one 
 child, Elizabeth (deceased). His second 
 
328 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 wife passed away M.ay 24, 1885, and on 
 June 8, 1886, Mr. Dole was united in 
 marriage with Mi-s. Aura Northam, of 
 Huron county, born November 12, 1853, 
 in Cliestervilie, Morrow Co., Ohio, 
 daugliter of Joseph and Deborah Laycox. 
 Joseph Layco.x (l)orn October 1, 1825), 
 and Deborah DeCainp (born February 27, 
 1832) uere l)oth natives of this country, 
 but were of French extraction. Joseph 
 Laycox was a member of Company F, 
 One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Regiment 
 O. N. G., and died at Fort Williams, Va., 
 August 20, 1864. He was a fine and 
 noble young man, and was esteemed and 
 respected t)y all who knew him. Deborah 
 Laycox, an estimable Christian lady, is 
 still living, and makes her home with her 
 daughter. Mrs. E. L. Dole. 
 
 T. FRANCLS William Francis, 
 great-grandfather of the subject 
 of this sketch, was born in Wales, 
 was an admiral in the British 
 navy under Lord Nelson, and saw the hero 
 of Trafalgar ro(;ei\e his death wound. He 
 received an honorable discharge from the 
 British government in 1808, and the same 
 year cauK! to Canada, settling at Gravely 
 Bay. When the war of 1812 broke out 
 he was made brigadier-general, and served 
 until the beginning of the year 1815. 
 About that time a man by the name of 
 Dixon, a neighbor of his from Gravely 
 Bay, formed a small foraging com]>any, 
 and joined the United States. This I)ixoa 
 owned a little vessel, and with his fol- 
 lowers would cross into Canada to plunder; 
 but ffreat-grandt'ather Francis caught three 
 of the gang and they were shot, Dixon es- 
 caping, however, to the United States with 
 his plunder. Shortly after that event 
 Francis was taken sick at his own home, 
 at which time Dixon and his gang, again 
 returning to Canada, surrounded the house 
 which they set on fire, burning all within, 
 and while loading their plunder on his 
 vessel, a party of Canadians collected and 
 
 killed five of the gang, among them being 
 Dixon himself, who was shot by Abra- 
 ham Savitz, a neighbor of Dixon's before 
 the war. 
 
 Thomas Francis, grandfather of W. T., 
 came to Canada with his father in 1808, 
 and enlisting in the war of 1812 was made 
 captain, in which rank he served until the 
 close of the war, being twice wounded. 
 He was married in 1817 to Electa Wag- 
 ner, who was born in Pennsylvania in 
 1797, and came to Canada with her parents 
 in 1816. Her father was colonel in the 
 British army. As soon as married the 
 young couple settled on a farm at New 
 Sayrum, Elgin county, Ontario, where she 
 now lives, quite hearty, at the ripe old 
 age of almost ninety-eight years. Grand- 
 father Francis followed farming until 
 1860, in which year he died leaving a 
 family of eleven children — five sons and 
 six daughters. 
 
 William Francis, father of subject, was 
 the eldest in the family, and was born in 
 1817 at New Sayrum. In 1842 he was 
 married to Matilda Doan, daughter of Jo- 
 nathan Doan, who was born in the State of 
 Pennsylvania, and wi.tli his family moved 
 to Canada before the war of 1812, 
 settling on a farm in Elo-jn county, Ontario. 
 William Francis also settled on a farm 
 in Elgin county, three miles from St. 
 Thomas, where he still lives. His wife 
 died in February, 1854, leaving three 
 children — all sons — named respectively 
 John D., William T. and George. In 
 1857 the father married Helen Hepburn, 
 whose parents came from Scotland, and of 
 this union three children were born — two 
 daughters and one son — Catherine, Ellen 
 and Robert. This wife dying in 1862, Mr. 
 Francis, in 1865, married Jessie Davidson, 
 a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, and six 
 children came to them — four sons and two 
 daughters — James, Wellington, Charles, 
 Nettie, Eva and Arthur, of whom James 
 and Charles are in the western States; 
 Wellino-ton is at home, having charge of 
 the farm; the two daughters and Arthur 
 
'yV^OVt^€yt^ 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 331 
 
 are also living at home. Robert Francis 
 owns and is living on the old homestead at 
 New Sayruni, where our t^uhject's fatlier 
 was born (lie is married and has three chil- 
 dren); Catherine is married to Franlc 
 Hathaway, a farmer; Ellen is married to 
 William Gnest, an engineer, and is living 
 in Bay City, Mich. Jolin D. Francis, the 
 eldest son of William Francis, was born 
 June 22, 1848; he is a blacksmith l)y 
 trade, and carries on a lucrative business 
 at Shedden, Ontario; he married Maggie 
 Shaw, a farmer's daughter, and they have 
 two cliildren living, one having died. 
 George Francis was born January 8, 1853, 
 is still single, and is on his farm near St. 
 
 o 
 
 Thomas, ()ntario. 
 
 W. T. Francis, the subject proper of 
 these lines, was born July 27, 1850. It 
 was his father's desire to give him a classi- 
 cal education, and he remained at home, 
 going to school until the year 1868, when 
 the desire to be in business for himself 
 overcame his better judgment and the 
 wishes of his father. Without money, and 
 refusing assistance in any respect, he left 
 home in the month of June, and secured a 
 situation with a farmer by the name of 
 William Down, near London, Ontario. 
 From him he received one hundred and fif- 
 teen dollars and board for five months' work, 
 and this money he changed for two and a 
 half and five-dollar gold pieces, and some 
 silver half dollars, all United States coin. 
 
 In the fall of 1808 he left Canada, and 
 proceeding to Grand Rapids, Mich., there 
 sold his gold and silver coin for just 
 double their face value to the Yankees for 
 pocket pieces, such coin being very rare at 
 that time on account of the premium on 
 gold and silver, "green-backs" and '-shin 
 plasters " being the only money in circula- 
 tion. His uncle, Titus Doan, a railroad 
 contractor, being at that time employed 
 by the Grand River Valley Railroad Com- 
 pany in the construction of that road from 
 Grand Rapids to Jackson, Mich., through 
 him our subject got employment, at first 
 in charge of men, then as overseer of his 
 
 18 
 
 contracts, and timber purchasing agent for 
 the Railroad (Company. There he remained 
 till 1871, when he returned home, but 
 again left in the spring of 1873, coming to 
 Newark, Ohio,' where May 25, 1873, he 
 found employment as freight brakeman on 
 the Lake Erie division of the Baltimore & 
 Ohio Railroad. On November 9, of that 
 year, he was injured at Monroeville, Ohio, 
 while coupling curs, in consequence of 
 which he was laid up four months. On 
 May 1, 1875, he was promoted to fi'eight 
 conductor, and until 1878 was con- 
 ductor on local fi-eigiit, wrecking, and 
 construction trains, also as extra passerjger 
 conductor. In 1878 he was made I'egular 
 conductor of an accomodation train be- 
 tween Newark and Sandusky, Ohio; in 
 1881 was put on the through runs from 
 Sandusky to Whfeling, W. Va., and in 
 1884 was put on the limited trains making 
 the run from Wheeling, W. Va., to Chi- 
 cago, 111., covering the distance of 468 
 miles, and in four different States each 
 trip — West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and 
 Illinois. In July, 1884, he was placed 
 back on the Sandusky and Wheeling runs. 
 On December 1, 1885, he was appointed 
 general agent and yard master at Chicago 
 Junction, Ohio, which position he held 
 until December 1, 1S87, at which date he 
 gave that up to again take the old position 
 as passenger conductor on the Ohio divi- 
 sions. Removing to Sandusky, Ohio, he 
 there remained until February, ISiJl, and 
 then returned to Chicago Junction. As 
 passenger conductor Mr. Francis has been 
 remarkably fortunate, having, in over six- 
 teen years of such service, had only one 
 passenger injured (caused by the passenger 
 himself being intoxicated), and in all that 
 time has never had but two pair of wheels 
 off the track. No one appreciates this good 
 fortune more than himself. 
 
 Chicago Junction in thespringof 1876, 
 with a population of less than 1,000, was 
 quite dull, l)ut Mr. Francis assisted in in- 
 spiring new life into it by, among other 
 improvements, making the Baltimore & 
 
882 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Ohio Park at that place, and by arousing 
 the citizens to get up an old-fashioned 
 " Fuurtii of July Celebration." The Balti- 
 more & Ohio advertised it extensively, and 
 the consequence was that over thiee thou- 
 sand people came in to celebrate, and went 
 home Well pleased, witii a more kindly 
 feeling than before for Chicago Junction. 
 From this on the town made a fresh start 
 with a growth which as yet has not been 
 retarded, as the population of 2,300 of to- 
 day amply proves. In May, 1891, Mr. 
 Francis purchased that part of the William 
 Motson estate on the east side of the rail- 
 road, together with the famous Deer Lick 
 Mineral Springs; laid out a large addition 
 in lots; graded streets and sidewalks; built 
 a number of fine i-esidences, which he sold, 
 with several of the lots, cheap and on easy 
 terms, whereby many procured homes who 
 would not have been able to do so under 
 other circumstances. He has improved the 
 surroundings of Deer Lick Springs, and 
 given the citizens the tree nse of the water; 
 is now building on the grounds a large 
 Sanitarium bath-house on the latest im- 
 proved plans, where all the different baths 
 will be given as at other water-cures. The 
 natural surroundings of these springs are 
 beautiful, no less than seven different kinds 
 of water flowing out within a space of 300 
 feet, among them being one of white 
 sulphur and one of iron. With the medici- 
 nal qualities of these waters, the surround- 
 ings and location, together with the im- 
 provements above named, designate Deer 
 Lick Mineral Springs to become famous 
 the world over. 
 
 On September 1, 1875. Mr. Francis was 
 married to Rettie M. Holler, of Newark, 
 Ohio, the daughter of Eliasand Mary Jane 
 Holler, and four children were born to 
 their union, two of whom are living, viz.: 
 Myrtle Delia, born September 24^ 1877, 
 and AVillard Thomas, born January 12, 
 1888. Two sons were taken away in early 
 life: Willie Earl, born July 28, 1880, died 
 September 1, same year, and Walter Mer- 
 ton, a remarkably bright child, born July 
 
 13, 1882, died of diphtheria June 9, 1885. 
 Mrs. Francis has always been a kindly 
 wife, and true mother to her children, 
 never allowing the care of tliem to others, 
 and sharing alike with her husband the 
 buidens of sickness and misfortune. lie 
 says of her with honest pride: "She is 
 entitled to her share of credit for any good 
 I may have done, worthy of mention." 
 
 LEXANDER LEWIS, who is a 
 son of Philip Lewis, one of the pio- 
 neers of Huron county, holds a high 
 rank among the representative agri- 
 culturists of northern Ohio. 
 Philip Lewis was born in 1788 in Lewis 
 county, N. Y., and was 7'eared on a farm. 
 In the spring of 1816 he took a lumber 
 raft down the Susquehanna, the timber 
 having been '-taken out" during the pre- 
 ceding winter, at the headwaters of that 
 river. On delivering the raft at its des- 
 tination he received his winter's pay, and 
 immediately set out for Ohio, with the in- 
 tention of making a home here. The 
 journey across the Alleghany mountains 
 was made on foot, and the youth reached 
 the site of Manstield (then a village of a 
 few huts and a log cabin) in safety. The 
 conditions surrounding the title to the 
 land in and around Mansfield were then 
 unsatisfactory to buyers, so that Philip 
 Lewis had to seek another location. Walk- 
 ing north to Plymouth, Huron county, he 
 began work for a settler named Barney, 
 and earned a little money clearing land. 
 Having learned something of the district 
 in which he sojourned, he went down to 
 Greenfield township, and purchasing a 
 tract of 200 acres at three dollars per acre, 
 erected a cabin thereon, cleared a small 
 area and planted some corn. In the fall 
 of 1816 he returned to his native county, 
 where, in the spring of 1817, he married 
 Louisa Coleman, who was born in 1796, 
 in Oneida county, X. Y., and immediately 
 afterward the young couple set out for the 
 partially made home in Ohio, making the 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 333 
 
 journey along the lake shore, soinetimes 
 traveling on the ice, in a wagon drawn by 
 one horse. Here the following named 
 children were born to them: Maria, born 
 September 18, 1818, who was burned to 
 death in 1821, while left alone in 
 the cabin by her mother; David, born 
 July 24, 1820, who graduated from 
 Cleveland Medical College, was a physi- 
 cian at New Haven, Ohio, and also 
 in the Qnincy (HI) Hospital until his 
 death at Ashland, 111., December 15, 1880; 
 Eli, born Angnst 24, 1822, studied law, 
 was admitted to the bar, and practiced at 
 Juneau, Dodge Co., Wis., until his death 
 there in 1890; Alexander, born October 3, 
 1824, is the subject of this sketch; James, 
 horn September 28, 1826, taught school in 
 several townships of Huron county, and 
 afterward moved to Fort Worth, Texas, 
 where he died; Philander, born June 28, 
 1829, is now a lawyer of Juneau, Wis.; 
 Philena (twin sister of Philander), who 
 married John Worley, and died in Illinois; 
 Lyman, born September 25, 1832, died in 
 youth ; Alvira, born May 22, 1835, married 
 Augustus Colvin, and died at New Haven, 
 Ohio: and Lorenzo, who died in youth. 
 The mother of this large family died Sep- 
 tember 2, 1848, and the falher August 17, 
 1859. Both are buried in the Greenfield 
 cemetery. Philip Lewis was a farmer, 
 lawyer and politician, a very active man. 
 Loaning money without good collateral 
 was one of his faults; if he had others 
 they were buried with him. In Church 
 connection he was a Presbyterian, and in 
 politics a Democrat. 
 
 Alexander Lewis was born in CTreenfield 
 township, received his prima,ry education 
 in the common schools of the district, and 
 subsequently worked on the. home farm. 
 On October 11, 1849, he was united in 
 marriage with Martha M. Gunn, who was 
 born November 2, 1829, at Danby, Tomp- 
 kins Co., N. Y., and came to Huron county, 
 Ohio, in 1834, witii her parents, John and 
 Martha M. (Fletcher) Gunn. The Gunns 
 located in Greenfield township, and resided 
 
 there until 1849 when they moved to Nor- 
 wich township, where John Gunn died in 
 1880. and his widow in 1891. Alexander 
 and Martha M. Lewis have one son, an 
 only child, Augustine W., born February 
 11, 1859, in Greenfield township. He re- 
 ceived his education in part at the district 
 schools of the locality of his home, in part 
 at Oberlin, Ohio, and he is now a farmer 
 living on the homestead. On January 28, 
 1874, he was united in marriage at Juneau, 
 Dodge Co., Wis., with Miss Annie M. 
 Travis, and two children have come to 
 brighten their home, viz.: Clarence A., 
 born in Juneau, Wis., October 26, 1875, 
 and Ada L., born in Greenfield March 10, 
 1879. They represent the fourth genera- 
 tion that have occupied the Philip Lewis 
 estate. 
 
 Alexander Lewis resided on the old 
 Lewis farm, and cared for his father, who 
 was an invalid for some time prior to his 
 death, after which event he (Alexander) 
 assumed charge of the estate, and settled 
 with all the heirs. In 1871 his new home 
 was completed and occupied. Since the 
 memorable Lincoln campaign Mr. Lewis 
 has been a Republican. In Church rela- 
 tion his wife is a member of the Disciple 
 Church, and unquestionably one of the 
 most estimable women in Huron county. 
 Mr. Lewis has always been a farmer, and 
 even now, when approaching his seventieth 
 year, he is an active man of the world, en- 
 joying labor and taking pride in a well- 
 cultivated and improved farm. 
 
 GHAELES A. PAUL, cashier of the 
 Norwalk Savings Bank, Norwalk, is 
 a native of Huron county, born 
 December 12, 1860, a son of J. L. 
 and Eliza (Delamater) Paul, the former a 
 native of Ohio, the latter of the State of 
 New York. They are one of the promi- 
 nent families of the county, living on a 
 stock farm two miles south of Norwalk, 
 where the father and son raise and deal in 
 
334 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 line stock extensively, and in this line are 
 widely and favorably known. About their 
 household is an air of comfort and unos- 
 tentations refinement, in itself a sufficient 
 guarantee that their son was given those 
 influences and advantages that are adapted 
 to the production of the best citizensliip. 
 
 Our subject was well grounded in the 
 fundamentals of au English education in 
 the Norwalk schools, and, passing these, 
 he spent the next three years at the Ohio 
 State University, taking a special course. 
 Keturnincr to his home he entered into 
 partnership witli his fatlier in their stock 
 farm, an interest in which he still retains, 
 the tinn being one of the most extensive 
 buyers and sellers of line stock in this part 
 of Ohio. Their place is known as the 
 "Norwalk Stock Farm." 
 
 In 1891 C. A. Paul went to Cleveland, 
 and was employed in the Arcade Bank of 
 that place, biit severed this connection to 
 return to Norwalk and take his present 
 position in the Norwalk Savings Bank, of 
 which he is also a stockholder and director. 
 He was married on June 28, 1893, to Miss 
 Clara B. Cannon, only child of Mr. and 
 Mrs. Cannon, of Cleveland, Ohio. It is 
 saving nothing more than what the records 
 bear out, when we publish the fact that no 
 young man in the county stands fairer in 
 the public estimation than Mr. Paul. 
 
 I( NDREW LOVE, Jr., a prominent 
 j\ farmer citizen of Townsend town- 
 ship, is a native of tiie same, born 
 April 10, 1842. He is the ninth 
 child in a family of twelve children 
 born to Andrew and Eliza (Kelsey) Love, 
 the former of whom was born in Catskill, 
 Greene Co., N. Y., the latter in Monmouth 
 county, N. J., of English and Irish de- 
 scent, respectively. 
 
 Andrew Love, Sr., was born April 1, 
 1798, and received but a very limited Eng- 
 lish education in youth. At the age of 
 ten years lie was bound out to a farmer in 
 his native county, with whom he remained 
 
 until he attained his majority, and then 
 went to Monmouth county, N. J., where 
 he was employed in a brickyard until the 
 fall of 1841, at which time he came to 
 Townsend township, Huron Co., Ohio. 
 Here he was employed for several years at 
 anything he could find to do, working by 
 the day or job and frequently taking con- 
 tracts to chop and clear land. He cleared 
 several hundred acres of land, perhaps 
 more than any other one man in the town- 
 ship, and in about 1848 bought fifty acres 
 of wild land in same township and county 
 (upon which our subject now resides), 
 where he engaged in manufacturing staves, 
 which he hauled to Milan, then the nearest 
 market, where many thousands were dis- 
 posed of. In 1851, after having partially 
 improved the place, he sold out and re- 
 moved to Wapello county, Iowa, where he 
 bought a partially improved farm and en- 
 gaged in agriculture, but after two years, 
 in 1853, he again sold out, and returned 
 to Townsend township, Huron county, 
 where two years later, in 1855, he bought 
 a place adjoining his first purchase. Here 
 he engaged in agricultural pursuits until 
 liis death, which occurred July 2U, 1869. 
 His father, John Love, was born in Eng- 
 land, where he received a meager common- 
 school education. At the age of nineteen 
 he etnigrated to the United States, landing 
 at New York, where he afterward learned 
 the ship carpenter's trades which he con- 
 tinued to follow for several years, or until 
 he was disabled by a log rolling against 
 and crushing his left limb. His death 
 occurred in 1838, in New Jersey, when he 
 was about sixty years old. When he left 
 England he brought with him an old Bible, 
 published at Oxford in 1725, which is now 
 the property of our subject. 
 
 Mrs. Eliza Love, who was born April 
 15, 1808, is yet living and resides with her 
 son, the subject of our sketch; she is a 
 devout member of the M. E. Church. 
 Her father, James Kelsey, was born in 
 Monmouth county, N. J., where he received 
 a good education in English and mathe- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 335 
 
 niatics in early life. At the age of thir- 
 teen he shipped on hoard a sailing vessel 
 as cahin boy, steadily advancing from one 
 position to another, at a very early age at- 
 taining the rank of master or captain of a 
 vessel, which he continued to hold until 
 he was seventy-three years old, having 
 followed the high seas continuously for 
 sixty years in the waters of every clime 
 and quarter of the globe. He was mar- 
 ried in his native place and had two sons, 
 both of whom followed in their father's 
 footsteps and became captains of vessels, 
 serving as such till their ships were 
 wrecked and they were drowned, both be- 
 ing wrecked in the same storm, but on 
 different vessels. The Kelsey family were 
 among the stanch patriots in New Jersey, 
 and took an active part in the fortunes — 
 civil and military — of that commonwealth 
 in early days. 
 
 Andrew Love, Jr., the subject of this 
 sketch, received an ordinary common- 
 school education in early life, and remained 
 with his parents, sometimes on the home 
 place and at other times working out by 
 the month, until he attained his majority. 
 On February 15, 1864, he enlisted in 
 Company C, Fifty-fifth (). V. I., joining 
 the regiment at Chattanooga, Tenn., early 
 in March, after which he served with his 
 command in all its marches and encracre- 
 raents up to and including the battle of 
 Resaca, Ga., where he was wounded in the 
 left hand, sent to the rear and subse- 
 quently taken to a hospital at Jefferson- 
 ville, Ind., where, after his wound had 
 partially healed, he was taken sick and re- 
 moved to a hospital at Camp Dennison, 
 Ohio. After his recover}' he rejoined his 
 regiment at Atlanta, Ga., just before 
 starting with Gen. Sherman on his cele- 
 brated march to the sea, upon which cam- 
 paign he accompanied his regiment, suffer- 
 ing very severely the while with rheuma- 
 tism, and participated in all the subsequent 
 battles and engagements in which his com- 
 mand was engaged to the close of the war. 
 He was in the Grand Review at Washing- 
 
 ton, D. C, and was finally discharged from 
 the service July 20, 18(35, at Cleveland, 
 Ohio. After liis return from the army he 
 chopped wood and worked by the month 
 for a year and a half, and in the spring of 
 1867 commenced farming on his own ac- 
 count on the old home place in Townsend 
 township, Huron county, upon which he 
 now resides, and where he has since been 
 successfully engaged in agricultural pur- 
 suits. The farm, consisting of seventy- 
 five acres, is in a high state of cultivation, 
 and here he has built a good house and 
 barn. He has served the township as 
 trustee and in various other official posi- 
 tions. Mr. Love was married, February 
 2, 1867, to Miss Lucy Ann Hoff, a native 
 of Monmouth county, N. J., where she was 
 born August 22. 1839, a daughter of 
 Samuel O. and Elizabeth (Aumack) Hoff, 
 both natives of Monmouth county, N. J., 
 and of Holland- Dutch descent. One 
 daughter has blessed this union, Lizzie A., 
 now Mrs. S. J. Hawkins. Samuel O. Hoff 
 died in September, 1872, in his sixty-sixth 
 year. Mrs. Elizabeth Hoff is yet living, 
 and makes her home with her daughter, 
 Mrs. Lucy A. Love. The Hoff family 
 were among the very earliest of the Dutch 
 settlers of New Jersey, and among their 
 ancestors was a lady who was the first 
 white woman in that State. Both Mr. 
 Love and his wife are devout members of 
 the M. E. Church at East Townsend. In 
 politics he is a stanch and uncompromising 
 Prohii)itionist, and he is one of the well- 
 known, enterprising and respected citizens 
 of the community. 
 
 TjOHN S. HESTER, of Norwich town- 
 
 k. II ship, for many years a well-known 
 
 ^^ prosperous citizen of the county, is a 
 
 native of Ohio, born in Columbiana 
 
 county November 8, 1810. 
 
 His father, Martin Hester, was born in 
 Greene county, Penn., a son of John 
 Hester, of German birth, who came to 
 
336 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 America when a young man, settling in 
 Greene conntv, Peiin., where lie carried on 
 a farm of his own, and followed the trade 
 of weaver. He married Miss Elizabeth 
 Mason, by whom there were three sons — 
 Martin, John and Matthias — and live 
 daughters — Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary, Mar- 
 garet and Emily. From Pennsylvania he 
 moved with his family to Columbiana 
 county, Ohio, settling on a farm of 160 
 acres, where he continued agricultural 
 pursuits and weaving. He passed from 
 eartli about the year 1825, at the age of 
 si.\ty-tw-o years. Politically he was a 
 strong WliijJ, and he was a member of the 
 German Lutheran Church. 
 
 Martin Hester, eldest son of this pioneer, 
 was born in 1787 in Greene county, Penn., 
 and was reared on his father's farm, at- 
 tending: during a few winter months the 
 subscription schools of the locality. He 
 became a great reader, and what he lacked 
 in education he made up amply by home 
 study. "When his parents moved to Co- 
 lumbiana county, Ohio, he accompanied 
 them, and farmed there some four or five 
 years after marriage, removing then to 
 Orange township, Richland (now Ashland) 
 Co., Ohio. At that time this was the ex- 
 treme frontier of civilization, and if there 
 were any neighbors north of tliem, save 
 "Redskins," they never heard of them. 
 The Indians were numerous, and wild ani- 
 mals, such as bears, wolves and deer, 
 roamed the dense forest at will. One day 
 Mrs. Hester, being out after the cows, 
 found a very young deer, so small that she 
 carried it hoiiie in her apron, and kept it 
 as a pet for a year or two. In Orange 
 township Mr. Hester owned about 160 
 acres of land, and there lived till 1824, 
 when he came to Bronson township, 
 Huron county, settling on land bought of 
 Judge Southgate, and here lie spent the 
 rest of his busy life, dying iu 1870; his 
 wife passed away in 1865. In 1809 he 
 had married Miss Mary Stough, a daugh- 
 ter of Rev. John Stough, of Fayette county, 
 Penn., and to this union were born live 
 
 children, all of whom are living to-day at 
 advanced ages, none being under seventy 
 years old. Their names are Joim S., Eliza, 
 Samuel, Matthias and Martin M., of whom 
 John S. is the subject of this sketch; Eliza 
 married Elisha Savage, of Berea, Ohio; 
 Samuel lives in Paxton, 111.; Matthias is 
 in Norwalk, Ohio; Martin M. is in Bron- 
 son township, on the old homestead. Tlie 
 father was a stanch Whig and Republican, 
 and a member of the M. E. Church, in 
 which he served as steward. 
 
 John S. Hester, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, received but a limited educa- 
 tion, as his boyhood was much taken up 
 in assisting his father on the farm. Be- 
 ino- fond of books, " however, and gifted 
 with a retentive memory, lie was not long 
 in making up for deficiency in that respect. 
 At the age of nineteen he commenced to 
 learn carpentry, at which he worked three 
 years, receiving one hundred and fifty 
 dollars for his time. He then went to 
 Milan, Erie Co., Ohio, and continued his 
 trade for one year, his wages being one 
 dollar per day. After this he moved to 
 Huron, same county, and worked on steam- 
 boats, assisting among other things in 
 building several boats, among which may 
 be mentioned the " United States" and the 
 "George Washington." Coming to Nor- 
 walk in 1834, he here worked at his trade 
 one year, at the end of which time, his 
 healtli failing and his eyesight becoming 
 iujpaired, he gave up work and returned 
 to his father's house, where he recuperated. 
 Soon thereafter, in 1835, he married Miss 
 JanePancost, of Bronson township, Huron 
 county, but she died the following year. 
 He then bought land in Norwich township, 
 paying therefor four dollars and fifty cents 
 per acre, which property he subsequently 
 traded for the farm in Norwich township, 
 wliere he now lives. He received from his 
 father's estate four hundred dollars, which 
 alone gave him a start in the world, and 
 he has now 200 acres of land, although he 
 at one time owned 400 acres, having sold 
 200 acres of valuable timber land, the pro- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 337 
 
 ceeds of wliich he invested in five-twenty 
 Government bunds at par, to aid tlie Gov- 
 ern tnent in carrying on the Civil war, 
 which investment proved remunerative. 
 
 For his second wife Mr. Hester married, 
 in 1841, Miss Lucinda M. Hiidredth, born 
 in Tompkins county, New York, a 
 daughter of Benjamin llildredth, and five 
 children were born to this union, of whom 
 tlie foUowincr is a brief record: Charles 
 T. died in the Civil war; Eliza is the wife 
 of S. R. McConnell, of Burlington, Iowa; 
 Susan died in infancy; Julia is the widow 
 of William Dougherty, late of Mansfield, 
 Ohio, and has one child, Bessie (they re- 
 side with our subject); Hattie H. is mar- 
 ried to Rev, H. P. Richards, of North 
 Fairtield. Politically our subject has been 
 respectively a Free-soiler, Abolitionist and 
 a Republican. He is a member of the 
 Methodist Church, in which he has held 
 the offices of class-leader, steward, etc., 
 and in 1879 vvas elected a lay delegate 
 to the annual Conference of northern 
 Ohio, and successively every four years 
 up to 1891. 
 
 Mr. Hester relates many interesting 
 anecdotes of the early days in the settle- 
 ments. His great uncle, Uriah Hester, 
 was once attacked by Indians, who scalped 
 him and left him for dead; but he re- 
 covered, and afterward moved to Indiana, 
 becoming the progenitor of the family of 
 the name in that State. Martin Mason, 
 great-grandfather of subject, when a boy 
 was captured by Indians, and taken to 
 Canada, where he was sold to some man of 
 prominence. When he was twenty-one 
 years old he was allowed to return to 
 Pennsylvania to visit relatives, with M'hom 
 he remained. Jacob F'ast, great-uncle of 
 John S. Hester, was also captured by 
 Indians, who told him that he would have 
 to "run the gauntlet," and his life would 
 be spared. Instead of running the 
 customary way, however, he treated the 
 Redskins to an e.xhibition of side hand- 
 springs, known among boys as " making a 
 wheel of himself," which must have con- 
 
 siderably astonished his audience, who not 
 only spared his life but made him a chief. 
 
 Iff lALMER GRIFFIN, a successful 
 
 I ^H farmer of Fitchville township, and 
 
 I 1 a progressist in all agricultural 
 
 ■^ affairs, was born in Greenwich 
 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, May 
 
 6, 1842, a son of Riley and Philena 
 
 (Washburn) Griffin. 
 
 His youth was passed much in the 
 manner of boys of that time and place — • 
 attending the district school and working 
 on the farm. Miss Clarissa Parker was 
 his first teacher, and for many terras he 
 was present as a pupil in her school. 
 Later he attended an academy at Green- 
 wich Center, which was conducted there 
 for one year, completed his education and 
 returned to the farm. On August 4, 
 1864, he married Amanda Knapp, a native 
 of Westchester county, N. Y., who came to 
 Ohio with her parents, and after marriage 
 the young couple moved to Montcalm 
 county, Mich., where he purchased a farm. 
 One year later they returned to Oliio, and 
 renting a place in Fitchville township, 
 Huron county, for two years, resumed 
 farming here. In 18G9 he located on his 
 present farm, two miles south of Fitchville 
 villao-e, and has since made the place his 
 home. From boyhood Mr. Griffin inclined 
 towards carpentry. He has cultivated his 
 mechanical talents to a practical e.xtent, 
 utilizing them in the construction of new 
 buildings on his own farm and in the re- 
 pair of old buildings. A systematic agri- 
 culturist, and consequently a successful 
 one, he finds time to devote to a very im- 
 portant branch of farming — poultry rais- 
 ing. In this department he employs the 
 most modern appliances, and the most ap- 
 proved methods; he is a supporter and 
 reader of the leading poultry journals, and 
 a strict observer of scientific methods in 
 the poultry-yard. A few years ago tire 
 destroyed the hennery, entailing a heavy 
 
338 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 loss, but he at once went to work and 
 built a larger and more complete one. 
 
 A lifelong Kepubliean, Mr. Griffin has 
 always been a loyal mtmlier of the party; 
 fur twelve years he held the otHce of town- 
 ship trustee, and during that time the 
 pnblic affairs of FitchviUe went forward 
 with precision and harmony, for he took 
 an interest in every puldic and private en- 
 terprise which promised benefit to the 
 township. His cliildren are as follows: 
 Blanche, Mrs. George Black, of Birming- 
 ham, Erie Co., Ohio; Loren, a farmer, and 
 Lola W., an accomplished young lady, 
 both residing with their parents. 
 
 LIEUTENANT GEOEGE BAEGUS, 
 I a proniinent agriculturist, and com- 
 [ missioner of Huron county, was 
 
 born in Newark, N. J., April 29, 
 1839, a son of William and Charlotte 
 (Argyle) Bargus, the former a native of 
 New Jersey and of German extraction, the 
 latter of Scotland. 
 
 Lieut. Bargus was left an orphan in in- 
 fancy, and compelled to rely entirely upon 
 his own efforts even from the tenderest 
 years. He, therefore, received only such 
 education in his youth as was afforded by 
 the common schools of New Jersey at that 
 early day, but in after years succeeded in 
 acquiring a good practical knowledge of 
 the English language, which, added to his 
 judgment and energy, enabled him to win 
 success in every undertaking. Llis only 
 inheritance consisted chiefly of a stout 
 heart, willing hands and great faith in 
 humanity. He has always been a constant 
 and extensive reader, and possesses a wide 
 rantre of general information, beine a sub- 
 scril)er for newspapers and magazines, and 
 owning a carefully selected library of sev- 
 eral hundred volumes. He is particularly 
 interested in ancient and modern history 
 and the various sciences, and his wealth 
 allows him to gratify his literary tastes. 
 At the age of thirteen our subject went to 
 
 Eocdiester, N. Y., where he learned the 
 baker's and confectioner's trade, serving 
 an apprenticeship of four years, after which 
 he journeyed west with the intention of 
 working at his trade, but found no open- 
 ing, and was glad to do whatever offered 
 an opportunity to make an honest dollar. 
 During the winter and spring of 1859-60 
 he traveled through Tennessee, Arkansas 
 and Louisiana, but when the Mrst clouds 
 of the Civil war gathered in the South he 
 returned north. Early in 1861 he enlisted 
 in Company E, of Yates' Sharpshooters, 
 which in 1864 became the Sixty-fourth 
 Eegiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and 
 was mustered in as sergeant. Owing to 
 distinguished service and gallantry at the 
 battle of Corinth and elsewhere, he was 
 rapidly promoted through all the inter- 
 mediate ranks to First Lieutenant. For 
 more than a year he commanded his com- 
 pany, and was with his regiment through 
 all its marches and campaigns, participat- 
 ing in the battles of New Madrid, Island 
 No. 10, the Siege of Corinth, Ecsaca (Ga.), 
 Big Shanty, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta 
 of July 22, and also on July 28, 1864, 
 Ezra's Church, and numerousminorencrat;e- 
 ments. He accompanied Gen. Sherman in 
 his famous marcii to the sea; was slightly 
 wounded several times, and was mustered 
 out of service in January, 1865. 
 
 Lieut. Bargus, soon after his return 
 from the army, took a commercial course 
 in Oberlin College, and then moved west, 
 but after one year returned to Huron 
 county, Ohio, settled on his farm near 
 Collins, and engaged in agricultural pur- 
 suits and raising fruit. His farm contains 
 400 acres of valuable land, all well 
 improved. He also conducted a sawmill and 
 lumber business, until the cyclone of April, 
 1890, entirely destroyed his large mill. 
 
 On April 12, 1866, Lieut. Bargus mar- 
 ried Miss S. Alice Humphrey, who was 
 born in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, a daugh- 
 ter of William and Sarah Ann (Bierce) 
 Humphrey, natives of Litchfield county, 
 Conn. Their union has been blessed by 
 
HUEOyr COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 341 
 
 four cliildren: George (deceased), Alvin 
 Dudley, May (deceased) and Edwin Hnin- 
 plirey. Lieut. Bargus lias served as town- 
 ship trustee several terms, was a member 
 of the county board of the Infirmary di- 
 rectors, and is now servintr his second term 
 on the board of county commissioners. 
 He belongs to no church, but is a firm be- 
 liever in Christianity of a practical kind. 
 He is a member of the G. A. R. Post No. 
 4l4r, Townsend, of whi^h he has been 
 comtnander since its organization, in April, 
 1885. About two years ago Lieut. Bar- 
 gus was general commander of the Four- 
 teenth District Brigade, and is now assist- 
 ant inspector and *aid-de-cainp on the 
 Department Staff, Ohio G. A. K. He is 
 also the colonel commanding F. H. Boalt 
 Command Xo. 17, U. V. U., of Nor walk, 
 Ohio, and last year served as deputy com- 
 mander of Ohio. He is a member of the 
 Masonic Fraternity, and W. M. of East 
 Townsend Lodge JSTo. 322, A. F. & A. M., 
 to which Lodge he has belonged for over 
 a quarter of a century. He is a member 
 of Huron Chapter No. 7, R. A. M., of 
 Norwalk Comiriandery No. 18, K. T., and 
 also of Norwalk t'ouncil No. 403, Royal 
 Arcanum. Lieut. Barous is an uncoin- 
 promising Republican, and while quite 
 young became very much interested in the 
 slavery question, being in sympathy with 
 the slaves. He is in harmony with his 
 party on the tariff question, and though he 
 has never been an office seeker, is deeply 
 interested in the success of the G. O. P., 
 and is an excellent organizer. His first 
 vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 William Humphrey, father of Mrs. 
 Bargus, was born in Goshen, Conn., 
 October 13, 1812, the seventh child of 
 Dudley and Polly M. (Sherman) Hum- 
 
 fhrey, and of Scotch- English descent, 
 n April, 1834, he married Miss Sarah 
 Ann Bierce, a native of Cornwall, 
 Conn., and of English-German descent, 
 by whom he had four children, viz.: 
 Emma Louise (Mrs. Joseph Hyde), Sarah 
 Alice (Mrs. George Bargus), Delia Lucretia 
 
 (Mrs. W. D. Johnston, deceased) and 
 Willie (who died in infancy). Mrs. 
 Hnmphrey died November 13, 1854, and 
 Mr. Humphrey was niarried, June 28, 
 1855, to Miss Sarah M. Hyde, of Wake- 
 man, Ohio. Mr. Humphrey's education 
 was chiefly acquired by experience and 
 observation, his school days having ended 
 when he was twelve years of age. While 
 young he manifested unusual mechanical 
 skill, and during his long and active 
 business career invented many improve- 
 ments in machinery, such as " Humphrey's 
 Direct Action Steam Mill," and the 
 "Humphrey Double Action Pump." In 
 1835 he moved from Connecticut to 
 Parma, Ohio, where he engaged with his 
 brother Dudley S. in manufacturing 
 clocks, lumber, etc., and in 1849 they came 
 to Townsend township, purchased a large 
 tract of land, and began an extensive lum- 
 ber business. They built mills and plank 
 roads, furnished employment for a great 
 number of men, and transformed an almost 
 unbroken forest into broad acres of pas- 
 ture, meadow and orchard land, where two 
 thriving villages now stand. Their lum- 
 ber was shipped to eastern markets from 
 Milan, Ohio, via the lakes. Mr. Hum- 
 phrey soon became, and continued until 
 fiis death, the largest landowner in Town- 
 send township. He was president of the 
 Central Plank Road Company, and was the 
 leading spirit in completing the work, his 
 judgment in business matters being clear 
 and decisive. He boldly entered into and 
 controlled commercial enterprises that men 
 of broader experience hesitated to consider, 
 and was cool, self-reliant, and equal to 
 every emergency. 
 
 His father's estate having been spent in 
 paying security debts for friends, he 
 learned in childhood the lessons taught by 
 poverty, and endured its struggles, trials 
 and tempations. He was reraarably char- 
 itable, and always found time to listen to 
 the complaints of those who were in dis- 
 tress. Himself incapable of a mean or 
 dishonorable action, he scorned and despised 
 
342 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 treachery and deceit in others, and was 
 even-tempered, forbearing and forgiving. 
 He was prepossessing iu personal appear- 
 ance, genial and attractive in manner, 
 and a devoted husband and father. Politi- 
 cally he was a Democrat, but in sympathy 
 with the preservation of the Union, and 
 during the Civil war contributed gener- 
 ously to the comfort of Union soldiers and 
 their families. In 1865 he was nominated 
 by his party for State legislator. While 
 Mr. Humphrey was engaged in repairing 
 the roof of his house, November 23, 1874, 
 the scatibkl gave way, and his skull was 
 fractured, causing death in a few hours. 
 He was never identitied with any Church, 
 but believed in and practiced practical 
 religion. 
 
 The Humphrey family is numerously 
 represented iu Europe and America, and is 
 of noble and ancient origin, few families 
 even among the British peerage being its 
 equal in antiquity. A few years ago Dr. 
 Frederick Humphrey, of New York City, 
 his sister Mrs. Sarah W. Churchill, and 
 others, prepared with great labor and at 
 much expense a complete and elaborate 
 genealogy of the Humphrey family, trac- 
 ing its origin to Sir Humphrey De Bohum, 
 of Normandy, born A. D. 996, and also giv- 
 ing an account of the coats of arms adopted 
 by the different branches of the family. 
 The Humphreys were related to William 
 the Conqueror, and several of them accom- 
 panied him in his conquest of Britain, 
 where no less than eight brandies of the 
 family are now found, each with a differ- 
 ent coat of arms. The Humphreys were 
 found in England, Scotland, Wales and 
 Ireland, and were barons of Prudhoe and 
 earls of Angus. Many of them took part 
 in the Crusades and perished in the Holy 
 Wars; others were beheaded and some 
 burned at the stake. Among them were 
 Philip Humphrey (the martyr), Lawrence 
 Humphrey (an eminent Puritan divine), 
 and Lieut. Gov. John Hum})hrey (one of 
 the organizers of the East India Company, 
 and one of the original patentees of the 
 
 Colony of Massachusetts Bay). The Hum- 
 phreys found in America are divided into 
 four distinct branches: First — -Jonas 
 Humphrey, who came from England in 
 1034 and settled in Dorchester, Mass., 
 and whose descendants are included in the 
 Dorchester and Weymouth branches. Sec- 
 ond — Daniel Humphrey, who came from 
 Wales in 1660, and located in Piiiladel- 
 phia, Penn., and whose descendants in- 
 clude Charles Humphrey (member of the 
 first Continental Congress), Joshua Hum- 
 phrey (designer and builder of the Ameri- 
 can Navy in 1812-14), Maj. Gen. Andrew 
 A. Humphrey, and also the Humphreys 
 of New Jersey, Virginia, Tennessee and 
 Mississippi. Third — Hugh Humphrey, 
 who settled on the Hudson river in New 
 York. Fourth — Michael Humphrey, who 
 came from Lyme Regis, England, in 1643, 
 and located in Ancient \Vindsor, Conn., 
 and whose descendants are his sons Sero-t. 
 John and Lieut. Samuel Humphrey, Will- 
 iam Humphrey, Mrs. George Bargus, Mrs. 
 Joseph Plyde, Mrs. W. D. Johnston (de- 
 ceased), and Gen. Humphrey (on Gen. U. 
 S. Grant's staff diiring the Civil war). 
 Gen. Bierce, the grandfather of Mrs. 
 Saraii Ann (Bierce) Humphrey, was a gen- 
 eral in the Hessian army. Ke was sent by 
 the British ministry to America during 
 the Revolutionary war to assist in subdu- 
 ing the C/olonies, but soon after reaching 
 America Gen. Bierce's sympathy was en- 
 listed on the side of the Colonists, and he 
 espoused their cause, rendering gallant and 
 distinguislied service in the American 
 army. He married in Connecticut, and 
 continued to reside there up to the time of 
 his death. 
 
 d( H. WEBER, one of the leading busi- 
 ness men of Bellevue, was born 
 _1 January 29, 1842, in Darmstadt, 
 Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany. Eleven 
 years later he accompanied his parents, 
 Henry and Elizabeth (Betzendorfer) 
 Weber, to the United States, and traveled 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 343 
 
 west with them to Tiffin, Oliio, where the 
 family located. The lather died during a 
 visit to HessenDamstadt, and the mother, 
 now seven t3'-eight years of age, resides at 
 Cincinnati, Ohio, witli lier daughters. 
 
 J. H. Weber attended the public schools 
 of Darmstadt, and on liis arrival here re- 
 sumed his studies in the primitive schools 
 of the time. In about 1859 the yonth 
 found employment as clerk in a store at 
 Bellevue, and when a young man his ster- 
 ling qualities recommended liim so strongly 
 to his employer tliat he became a part- 
 ner in the concern. Later he purchased 
 the interests of his partner, and has since 
 managed, with marked success, the large 
 grocery establishment in the development 
 of which he took so important a part. He 
 has carried on business so many years in 
 Bellevue, and has been so closely connected 
 with all the enterprises attending the 
 growth of that city, that his name is 
 synonymous with it; for "going to 
 Weber's " was at once generally nnder- 
 stood to be the same as going to Bellevue, 
 and it is a fact that very little has been 
 planned or projected by the community 
 withonf his counsel and aid. In the board 
 of education and in the city council he has 
 been an invaluable adviser, always favor- 
 ing progress, bnt keeping the cost of im- 
 provement within reasonable bounds, and 
 opposing municipal jobs of every kind. 
 As president of the Electric Light and 
 Power Company, he has directed its affairs 
 in such a public-spirited manner as to 
 satisfy both the people and the stock- 
 holders. Politically he is a Democrat; in 
 social relations he is a member of the 
 I. O. O. F. and the Koyal Arcanum; in 
 philanthropical work an earnest member 
 of the German Aid Society, and in Church 
 relation a Lutheran. During the summer 
 of 1892 he made an extended tour through 
 Europe, giving his special attention to the 
 modern condition of the German people. 
 Mr. Weber is the junior member of the 
 lumber firm of Gross & Weber, who have, 
 by their energy and fair dealings, built up 
 
 an extensive trade in their line, and their 
 success is identified with the growth of 
 the village. In 1893 he sold out his 
 grocery business to his son-in-law, H. A. 
 Schlicht, who, of late years has been his 
 manager. Mr. Weber may be said to have 
 grown up in, and materially assisted, the 
 growth of Bellevue, and ever had its in- 
 terests at heart. Strictly a business man, 
 his life has been one of continued success 
 and commercial progress. 
 
 Q 
 
 ILBERT L. ROSCOE, who is a 
 
 , grandson of Josiah Roscoe, was boi-n 
 
 October 7, 1844, in Greenwich 
 
 township, where he is a pushing, 
 
 progressive farmer, and a citizen of 
 
 high standing. 
 
 Josiah Roscoe lived in Putnam county, 
 N. Y., and there married Hannah Bough- 
 ton. Shortly after marriage the young 
 couple moved into the wilds of Cayuga 
 county, N. Y., where the following named 
 children were born to them: Jeremiah and 
 Benjamin (twins), Mary, Clara and Sally. 
 Jeremiah is referred to at length below; 
 Benjamin married, reared a large family 
 in Greenwich township, and died thei'e; 
 Mary married Charles Pierce, and subse- 
 quently became the wife of William Farley 
 (her death occurred in Greenwich town- 
 ship); Clara, who married Daniel Kniffiii, 
 died in Greenwich township; Sally married 
 Shadrach Reed, and also died In Green- 
 wich township. About the year 1819 
 Jeremiah and Benjamin Roscoe visited 
 Huron county, and secured a large tract of 
 land at one dollar and twenty-five cents 
 per acre. After this one of them I'evisited 
 Cayuga county, and in 1820 brought his 
 father, mother and sisters to his new home 
 in Greenwich township, where the sons 
 had a log cabin ready for them. The trip 
 was made in a wagon drawn by oxen and 
 horses, and beyoTid its delays and tedious- 
 ness was uneventful. Josiah Roscoe was 
 a well-to-do citizen in New York, so that 
 
344 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 on his arrival here farm work was coin- 
 inenced and carried out systematically. 
 The father died here in 1845, the mother a 
 short time afterward, and both were buried 
 on the farm. 
 
 Jeremiah Roscoe was born February 6, 
 1797, in Cayuga county, N. Y., and came 
 to Huron county when twenty-two years 
 of age. On April 4, 1826, he married 
 Selinda Sheldon, who was born in New 
 York State January 26, 1807. To them 
 were born tiie following named chil- 
 dren: Harriet, Mrs. Charles Dills, of 
 Monroe county, Mich.; Hulda, Mrs. 
 Robert Griffin, of Fitch ville township; 
 Asenath, Mrs. William T. Smith, of 
 Greenwich township; Johanna, Mrs. Will- 
 iam Sutton, of Nebraska; Mary, who 
 died in youth; Sarah, who married 
 Charles Bell, and died in Wood county, 
 Ohio; Selinda, who died very young; 
 Benjamin, a citizen of Nebraska; Gilbert 
 L., the subject of this sketcli; Lestina, 
 Mrs. Frank Hawkins, of Lyon county, 
 Kaiis.; and Alva, who died young. After 
 marriage Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Roscoe 
 settled on the homestead, where he was 
 engaged in farming until his death, April 
 5, 1872. His widow died in 1877, on the 
 farm, near the graves of Josiah and Han- 
 nah Roscoe. The sawmill owned by Jere- 
 miah Roscoe was the pioneer manufacturing 
 industry in Greenwich township, and he 
 operated it in connection with the farm 
 nntil about 1840 when he sold it. In 1856 
 he left the Whig party, and became a Re- 
 publican, and he served as clerk of Green- 
 wich township for years. In religious 
 connection he and his wife were members 
 of the Universalist Church. 
 
 Gilbert L. Roscoe was born October 7, 
 1844, on the home place. Attending 
 school and working on the farm occupied 
 his time until 1862, when he joined the 
 National Guards. In 1864 his command 
 was ordered to Washington, D. C, and he 
 was stationed at Fairfax, Va., until the fall 
 of that year, when he returned home. On 
 March 17, 1869, he married Hattie P. 
 
 Brady, who was born at Mecklenburgh, N. 
 Y., September 2, 1848, daughter of David 
 J. and Parmelia (Franklin) Brady. To 
 this marriage the following named chil- 
 dren were born: Franklin B., Mary E., 
 Lew W. and Johanna, all residingat home. 
 For some time after marriage the young 
 people resided on the home place, then 
 moved to Lorain, Ohio, where they re- 
 mained until 1872, when they returned to 
 the homestead, and have since been en-, 
 gaged in general farm work and stock 
 growing. Mr. Roscoe is a natural me- 
 chanic, and has done trade work for 
 himself, sucii as repairing machinerj', 
 buildings, etc. .In politics he is Republi- 
 can; has represented his party in county 
 conventions, and served in various town- 
 ship offices. He and his wife are mem- 
 bers of the Congregational Church, in 
 which he has held office. 
 
 JjOSEPH WALTER is a native of 
 I Germany, to which country so many 
 ^^ of our most gifted citizens trace their 
 origin. The country of the Rhine 
 has ever been as famous for the intel- 
 lectual strength of its people, as for the 
 magnificent grandeur of its scenery, and 
 well may every German cherish a loving 
 pride for his beautiful Fatlierland. 
 
 Joseph Walter is a son of Francis Wal- 
 ter, who was born in 1793, in Baden, Ger- 
 many, and there learned the butchering 
 business. In early manhood Francis 
 Walter was married to Manegarth liein- 
 becker, who was also born in 1793, in 
 Baden, Germany. The young couple 
 settled in a small town in their native 
 place, where he followed his trade, and 
 also conducted a grocery store. Here the 
 following children were born to them: 
 Frederick, a resident of Mansfield, Ohio; 
 Joseph, whose name opens this sketch; 
 John, living in a western State, and Will- 
 iam, in Columbia City, Ind. In the 
 spring of 1833 the family embarked from 
 Havre, France, first landing in New York. 
 
HUliOX VOUXTY, OHIO. 
 
 345 
 
 From this port they came by river and 
 canal to Buffalo, then via Lake Erie to 
 Sandusky, Ohio, wlience tliey proceeded 
 with horse teams to Peru township, Huron 
 Co., Ohio. Mr. Walter there purchased 
 si.xty acres of woodland, and found a tem- 
 porar}' shelter in a vacant schoolhouse, 
 where the family remained until a rude 
 cabin was constructed of poles and bark. 
 In this home two children were added to 
 their circle, namely: Dennis, now living in 
 Columbia City, Ind., and Mary, widow of 
 E. L. Stranse, living in Bismarck, N. D. 
 The parents died in Huron county, the 
 mother April 25, 1865, the father in Feb- 
 ruary, 1874, and both are buried in the 
 Catholic cemetery of the German settle- 
 ment, in Peru township. 
 
 Joseph Walter was born January 2, 
 1828, on the home place in Jiaden, Ger- 
 many, and was but live years of age when 
 the family settled in Ohio. He began to 
 assist with the farm work at the earliest 
 possible age, and little leisure was ever 
 allowed, as, so he now says, " It was work, 
 work, work all the time." His educa- 
 tional opportunities were limited to two 
 terms, of twenty-one and twenty-seven 
 days each, at the neighboring subscription 
 school. A hard life was this for an active, 
 fun-loving boy, but the stern lessons and 
 tasks of that dull childhood developed a 
 eelf-reliant and jiersevering spirit wiiich 
 miixht have remained dormant in an atmos- 
 phere of luxury and ease. Notwithstand- 
 ing the privations of his youth he has ac- 
 quired a practical business education, 
 which is sufficient for all ordinary pur- 
 poses. On January 3, 1853, Joseph Wal- 
 ter was united in marriage with Biligelldis 
 Snyder, who was born in 1828, in Ger- 
 many, a daughter of Joseph Snyder. She 
 came with her parents to America in 1847. 
 Joseph and Biligelldis Walter remained 
 on the home farm several years after their 
 marriage, and cared for his aged parents. 
 Here he conducted a butcher business 
 in addition to his agricultural interests. 
 When the Lake Shore & Michigan South- 
 
 ern Railroad was iti process of construc- 
 tion he contracted to furnish beef for the 
 graders employed there, but lost seven 
 hundred dollars on the transaction. This 
 sum was a serious loss at that time, but 
 undismayed by one failure he presevered 
 in the business, and success soon rewarded 
 his patient efforts. Year after year his 
 prosperity increased, and he now owns 
 over 300 acres of excellent farming land, 
 and in 1880 erected a handsome frame 
 residence, also other good buildings which 
 give ample evidence of prosperity. He 
 owned and manased a threshino- outfit for 
 fourteen years, and made many acquaint- 
 ances in this business; but of late years 
 failing health has requii-ed him to retire 
 from the more arduous tasks and devote his 
 time to overseeing the work. He is a sys- 
 tematic farmer, wiiose success has been 
 achieved in the face of many obstacles. 
 In politics he is a leader in the Democratic 
 party, and he served as assessor of Peru 
 township for ten years, also in various 
 other local offices. He and his wife are 
 members of the Catholic Church at Mon- 
 roeville. Tlieir children have been born 
 as follows: Dennis, deceased farmer of 
 Peru township, Huron county; Frank, 
 living at home; William, a resident of 
 Monroeville; Emma, wife of Hard Der- 
 ringer, of Tiffin, Ohio; Jeanette, married 
 to Henry Zipfel, of Monroeville. and 
 Adolph, residing with his parents. Mr. 
 Walter has been a very robust man, and 
 now weighs over 200 pounds. 
 
 dlOHN T. TOWNSEND, the eldest 
 son of one of the pioneers of Huron 
 / county, is iiimself one of the oldest 
 ~ natives of this section of Ohio. 
 William Townsend, grandfather of John 
 T. Townsend, left Massachusetts to make 
 his home with his sons in Ohio, and died 
 in New London township. Huron county, 
 in February, 1847. Hosea Townsend, son 
 
346 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 of William Townsend, was born at Green- 
 busli, N. Y., May 25, 1794, and grew to 
 manhood tliere, serving in the war of 
 1812 when little more than a boy. On 
 the day he was twenty-one years old he ar- 
 rived in New London township, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, made an examination of the 
 lands in the county, and returned to his 
 home ill Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Mass., 
 where his father's family then resided. 
 The country impressed him favorably and, 
 on February 4, 1816, he and his brother 
 Hiram started for Ohio. The journey, 
 made in a wagon drawn by oxen, occupied 
 fifty two days, or until March 28, 1816, 
 when tlie brothers arrived in New London 
 township. There they at once erected a 
 cabin, beijan the work of clearing' the for- 
 est, planted four acres in corn, and com- 
 pleted the introduction to pioneer life. 
 The product of the four acres confirmed 
 the opinion which the brothers had formed 
 on the character of the land. It was not 
 only sutKcient for feeding the oxen, but 
 also for food for the pioneer owners of the 
 farm, who ground the grain in a beech 
 stump mortar, and tlien formed it into 
 cakes, to be baked before the great log 
 tire. What corn they could not use was 
 sold to the Indiatis at one dollar and six 
 cents per bushel, who paid for it in 
 English specie. 
 
 Ill 1820-22 Hosea Townsend set out 
 the first orchard in New London township, 
 and in 1826 he built the first frame barn 
 there. His marriage with Sophia Case 
 took place March 25, 1821. She was 
 born April 26, 1798, in the town of 
 Phelps, Ontario Co., N. Y., and was 
 the first school-teacher in New London 
 township. To this marriage came the fol- 
 lowing children: Sarah, born October 7, 
 1822, married S. W. Gates, and died at 
 Oberlin, Ohio; John T., the subject of 
 this sketch; Eliza L., born December 22, 
 1825, now Mrs. K. C. Johnson, of Fitch- 
 ville; Dalinda, born January 12, 1828, 
 married George Washburn, and died in 
 New London in 1876; Ira S., born June 
 
 14, 1831, residing in Fitchville; Philotha, 
 born July IS, 1885, wife of Alfred John- 
 son, of New London; Mary F., born Sep- 
 tember 16, 1834, deceased (she devoted 
 herself to study); and Hiram W., born 
 March 5, 1S42, cashier of the New Lon- 
 don National Bank. This large family 
 grew to maturity in Huron county, bless- 
 ings to their parents, who lived to see them 
 settled in life. The mother of these chil- 
 dren died March 2, 1875, the father in 
 1885; an elegant monument in New Lon- 
 don cemetery rises above their graves. 
 Hosea Townsend was truly a pioneer; for 
 when he and his brother located in New 
 London township, in 1816, the country 
 was a wilderness. When he died the 
 ancient forest was a thing of the past, for 
 a collection of homes and farms, and flocks 
 and herds, crowded out the trees as well as 
 tlie savage, and showed the reign of in- 
 dustry. What his share was in the devel- 
 opment of the township may be described 
 by young as well as old. A large land- 
 owner and farmer, he yet found time for 
 public life. His vote was cast in 1840 for 
 James G. Birney and Francis J. LeMoyne, 
 candidates for President and Vice-Presi- 
 dent, respectively, chosen by the Abolition- 
 ists in convention at Warsaw, N. Y ., in 
 1839. In 1844 he voted for James G. 
 Birney and Thomas Morris, nominees of 
 the Liberal party, and exerted all his 
 power in opposing slavery. While not at- 
 tached to any Church, he was a believer in 
 the teachings of Christianity, and an ob- 
 server of its tenets. 
 
 John T. Townsend was born in New 
 London July 22, 1824. When of proper 
 age he was sent to the school presided 
 over by Miss Mary Frost, which was a 
 very primitive institution, in building and 
 surroundings, but it accorded with the 
 time and place, and was useful in its way. 
 For several years the boy attended this 
 school, until sent to Oberlin College, 
 where he prepared himself for the profes- 
 sion of teacher. Returning home, he soon 
 was given the position of teacher in one of 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 347 
 
 the Clarksfield district scliools, and subse- 
 quently taught in New London and 
 Fitcliville townships. 
 
 On ISeptember 20, 1849, he married 
 Elizabeth A. Palmer, who was born in 
 Clarksfield township January 15, 1828, 
 and by this marriage there is one child, 
 Elmer E., of New London township. 
 After their marriage the young couple 
 took up their residence in a log house, 
 which stood on the site of their present 
 home. The improvement of this tract, 
 and the erection of new buildings, must 
 be credited to him, for he has proved him- 
 self a practical farmer and stock grower, 
 making a success of those two departments 
 of agricultural industry. He is now 
 interested as stockholder in the New Lon- 
 don National Bank. Politically a Re- 
 publican, he was formerly a Free-soiler, 
 and in 1848 cast his first vote for Van- 
 Buren and Adams, nominees of the Free- 
 soil convention held at Buffalo, N. Y., in 
 August, 1848. Since that time Mr. 
 Townsend has taken a deep interest in 
 the political issues of the country, and in 
 local affairs has always been prominent. 
 For twenty-three consecutive years he was 
 justice of the peace, and might have held 
 the office indefinitely had he not declined 
 to serve another term ; for several years he 
 was trustee and assessor of the township. 
 In 1880 he was elected a member of the 
 board of county commissioners for a term 
 of three years, at the end of which time he 
 was re-elected for another term, and since 
 the close of the second terra he has filled 
 the office by special appointment. With- 
 out regard to ttie influence of the Town- 
 send family in general, John T. Townsend 
 is honored for his own personal worth. 
 
 \lLLIxVM F. HEYMANN ranks 
 
 high among the prominent agri- 
 
 llj Il[ cultiirists of Lyme township, and 
 
 is esteemed by all who know 
 
 him. lie was born February 18, 1839, 
 
 in Germany, a son of John G. and Mary 
 
 Heymann, and came with his parents to 
 America in 1848. 
 
 Immediately after their arrival in this 
 countrj they journeyed west, and located 
 in Huron county, Ohio, numbering among 
 the early settlers who suffered the trials 
 and hardships incident to transformino- 
 the forest into fertile farms. In this 
 country our subject received such educa- 
 tion as was afforded by the district schools, 
 where the teachers were but poorly pre- 
 pared to impart information. He re- 
 mained with his parents until eighteen 
 years of age, laboring on the home farm, 
 after which he worked five years on the 
 farm of his brother Henry. At the end 
 of that time he had accumulated a suffi- 
 cient amount of money to purchase two 
 horses, a wagon and a complete outfit for 
 farming, and in 1861 he bought ninety- 
 one acres of land and engaged in general 
 agriculture. In 1872 he bought ninety- 
 six acres, and still later 170 acres, making 
 a tract of 357 acres of valuable land. II ; 
 is popular in political circles, and has 
 served as school director of Lyme town- 
 ship. 
 
 Mr. Heymann was married, December 
 3, 1863, to Miss Verena Ballmer, of 
 Henry county, Ohio, a daughter of John 
 Jacob and Verena Ballmer, and thirteen 
 children blessed their union, viz.: Mary 
 (deceased), Samuel, Julius August, Oliver 
 William, Verena, Charlotte, Walter Will- 
 iam, Arnold Cyrus, William Frederick, 
 Eoscoe Winfield, Arthur Oswald, Paul 
 Benjamin and Calvin Karl. In politics 
 our subject was originally a Democrat, 
 but is now associated with the Republican 
 party. In religious matters he is a mem- 
 ber of the German Reformed Church, in 
 which he has been an elder twelve or 
 fourteen years. He furnished quite a 
 large sum of money for the Civil war, but 
 was unable to serve; he was worth about 
 two thousand dollars. 
 
 John G. Heymann, fatlier of our sub- 
 ject, married a Miss Oppermann, and by 
 this union had ten children: Jeanette 
 
348 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 (deceased), Anna (deceased), Pliilip, Will- 
 iam (deceased), (Teorge, Henry, John P., 
 Catherine, William F., and Margaret (de- 
 ceased). Jolin G. Heymann and his wife 
 passed tiie later years of their lives at the 
 home of our subject, wliere Mrs. Hey- 
 mann died in 1872, and her husband in 
 1881. They were members of the Ger- 
 man Reformed Church. 
 
 V.ESLEY ROBINSON. The sub- 
 ject of this sketch is the tenth son 
 in tlie family of eleven cliildren 
 of William and Lutica (Coleman) 
 liobinson, who removed from Washington 
 county, Penn., to Ohio soon after the latter 
 became a State, first locating in Linton 
 township, Coshocton county, where the 
 subject of this sketch was born in October, 
 1822, or 1823. 
 
 In 1828 the father of our subject, with 
 his family, removed to Marion county, 
 Ohii>, where they remained until April, 
 18;52, when they came to Huron county, 
 arriving in Norwich township May 5 of 
 tliat year. Young Wesley was brought up 
 ill the wild woods, as there were only 
 about fifteen acres cleared off the farm his 
 father had settled on, the country being 
 almost a i>erfect wilderness, a very heavy 
 growth of timber covering the surround- 
 ing country. All kinds of wild animals,, 
 such as deer and turkeys, were numerous. 
 Mr. Robinson's privileges of going to 
 school were much limited, and the schools 
 were supported by the parents who sent 
 children, so much being paid for each 
 scholar. Young Wesley went to school 
 chiefly in the winter time, as liis father 
 had other business for him to do in the 
 warm weather. After several years of hard 
 work and exposure he was stricken with 
 rheumatism, and was a cripple for about 
 five years, it having settled in his left 
 knee. After a time he attended common 
 school for a few terms, and his father sent 
 him to the seminary school at Norwalk 
 
 one quarter, which finished his limited 
 education. He then taught winter school 
 two terms, at the end of which time he 
 felt satisfied that it i-equired more patience 
 than he could command. He then turned 
 his attention e.xclusively to farming, re- 
 maining on the old homestead. The first real 
 estate he ever purchased was on March 8, 
 1851, from which time he bought and sold 
 land, and finally became the owner of the 
 homestead farm of 200 acres. Subsequently 
 he bought land adjoining the homestead, 
 until he owned, in the aggregate, 437 
 acres. On the liomestead farm he erected 
 new buildings, ami since the time of the 
 war he has sold a part of his real estate, 
 and now owns but 290 acres. Believing in 
 the old adage, that "'a rolling stone gathers 
 no moss," he antl his wife have remained 
 on the old homestead farm, from May 5, 
 1832, up to the present time. 
 
 On April 5, 1846, Mr. Robinson was 
 married to Miss Mary, daughter of Isaac 
 H. and Sally (Cassady) Bennett, of Reed 
 township, Seneca Co., Ohio. After mar- 
 riage the young couple continued to live 
 ■under his father's roof until the spring of 
 1848, when his parents moved to Fitch- 
 ville, Huron county, and our subject and 
 wife were left alone on the old homestead, 
 which at that time contained 200 acres of 
 land. Here they remained, working the 
 farm, and rearing their family of children, 
 consisting of the followincr: William, born 
 March 30, 1847, married Susan Benning- 
 ton, and now lives near Jackson, Mich.; 
 Isaac H., born February 8, 1849, married 
 Isadore Bramble, and is now living with 
 his parents on the farm; George A., born 
 November 26, 1852, married Francos E. 
 Eddy, and is now living at Bellaire, An- 
 trim Co., Mich. ; and Daniel B G., who 
 married Mary Amend, and is now living 
 in Norwich township, Huron county. 
 
 In his political afiiliations Mr. Robinson 
 is a sound Democrat, very conservative, 
 believing that every man has a right to his 
 own honest convictions. The first town- 
 ship oflice he ever held was that of con- 
 
4y^^-Au' y^O J-'- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 35J 
 
 stable, having been elected in the spring 
 of 1846, and ever since he has held ottice 
 of one kind or another. He has been town- 
 ship assessor several times; real-estate as- 
 sessor three times; was first elected justice 
 of the peace in the spring of 1857, holding 
 tiie otHce until 1863; was re-elected in the 
 fall of 1874, and has held the office ever 
 since. Some twenty-five years ago he 
 united with the United Brethren Church, 
 and has been a member ever since. Socially, 
 he is a member of the F. & A. M., having 
 joined Richland Lodge No. 201, in the 
 fall of 1858, which Lodge holds its regular 
 session at Plymouth, Ohio. Al)out the 
 same time he became a member of the 
 I. O. (). F., Ceutreton Lodge No. 607, and 
 continues a member of both Fraternities. 
 Some years since he advocated that the 
 time had come when it was necessary for 
 the agricultural class to organize for their 
 better protection, as they were being 
 robbed, from day to day, of the benefits 
 and fruits of their honest work, by trusts 
 and other combinations, by the moneyed 
 kings of our country, who to-day stand in 
 our midst, to use his own words, "as monu- 
 ments of evil and a disgrace to free Ameri- 
 can people." Thus he became one of the 
 charter meinliers of what is known as Lis'e 
 Oak Grange, No. 747, Norwich township; 
 he was elected master on its organization, 
 March 23, 1874, and has occupied that 
 position most of the time since; has also 
 served as n)aster of Pomona Grange, of 
 the county, several times. Some twenty 
 years ago he purchased seven head of the 
 American Merino sheep, of L. C. Olark, 
 of Vermotit, at seventy-five dollj^rs per 
 head, and later made several other pur- 
 chases, for all of which he paid what was 
 considered extravagant prices. He was 
 one of seven that paid twenty-one hundred 
 dollars for one buck, and held an interest 
 in several bucks thatcost from one hundred 
 to seven hundred dollars per head; he has 
 devoted considerable time and attention to 
 the breeding of this fine Merino sheep, 
 keeping upward of two hundred on his 
 
 19 
 
 farm year by year, and has found it a profit- 
 able investment. 
 
 Mr. Robinson, with all his wealth, has 
 been a victim of losing several thousand 
 dollars by signing notes for others; and 
 his only reason for having this mentioned 
 in the sketch is that it may be a warning 
 to others never to sign an accommodation 
 paper. 
 
 'JT^ A. SEVER.\NCE, M. D., late of 
 Ir^ Bellevue, descended from an old 
 I ^ ^^^ li'S^^'y respected New England 
 ^ family. His father, Tillihu Sever- 
 
 ance, was the eighth son of Jona- 
 than Severance, who, coming from England 
 in 1755 (an officer in the Commissary 
 Department of Gen. Bradcjock's army), 
 became a pioneer settler of Greenfield, 
 Mass., and afterward a soldier in the Revo 
 Intion. In 1801 Elihu Severance married 
 Martha Hitchcock, a woman of cultured 
 intellect, from a family eminent in tlie 
 educational and scientific circles of Massa- 
 chusetts. 
 
 Ralph Abercrombie, the elder of their 
 two sons, was born in Greenfield on Janu- 
 ary 15, 1803. He inherited the sturdy 
 virtues of his pioneer ancestry on the fa- 
 ther's side, and the scholarly tastes of his 
 mother. He early decided to follow one 
 of the learned professions; and after an 
 unusually thorough preparation, he gradu- 
 ated from the medical department of 
 B.owdoin College in 1831. Soon after, he 
 began the practice of medicine at Saxton's 
 River, Vt., where he remained twenty- one 
 years, in constantly increasing esteem and 
 honor among his fellow townsmen, being 
 the most eininent physician in the region. 
 In 1854 Dr. Severance left Saxton's River, 
 greatly to the regret of the whole commu- 
 nity, and removed to Bellevue, Ohio. 
 Here again he won wide confidence in his 
 skill as a physician, high admiration as a 
 public-spirited citizen, and warm esteem 
 for his sterling qualities as a man. 
 
352 
 
 jirnox COUNTY, oiiio. 
 
 For sixty years he was an active and 
 influential member of the Congregational 
 Church, to which he contrilmted with a 
 liberality out of proportion to his means, 
 as he did also to many educational and 
 philanthropic enterprises. He helped to 
 establish an academy in Vermont, and was 
 one of the founders of a college in Michi- 
 i^an. He was a consistent Mason, holding 
 liicrh ofKce in the Order, until failing 
 strength prevented his attendance upon its 
 meetings. Bv birth and tastes he was in- 
 clined to the "best things;" yet, in his 
 social relations and manner of life, he was 
 most democratic. In politics he was 
 always the friend of the oppressed. An 
 anti-slavery man by instinct, his house for 
 many years was a station on the "Under- 
 ground Railroad." Though possessing for 
 fifty years an extensive practice in his pro- 
 fession, his constant generosity prevented 
 the accumulation of a large estate. 
 
 On June 11, 1845, Dr. Severance mar- 
 ried Joanna Bailey, of Westmoreland, N. 
 Y., with whom he spent a most happy 
 wedded life of nearly forty-eight years. To 
 them were born three children, a son and 
 two daughters. Dr. Severance died April 
 23, 1893, at the great age of ninety years, 
 three months and eight days. 
 
 ri( G. ROE, one of the most widely 
 Hj^ known agriculturists of Peru town- 
 fr\^ ship, was born April 21, 1849, on 
 •^J the place where he now resides. 
 
 He is the son of Joseph and grand- 
 son of Thomas Roe, natives of Northamp- 
 tonshire, England, who etnigrated to the 
 United States in the " twenties," and 
 settled in Huron county, Ohio. 
 
 Thomas Roe was married in England to 
 Mary Ann Barnett, where several children 
 were born to them, namely: Charles, 
 Annie, Barnett, Mary Ann., William and 
 Joseph B. In 1821 the family immi- 
 grated to America, and after landing in 
 
 New York pushed westward to Auburn, 
 N. Y., where they remained ten years, 
 and where three more children were born, 
 namely: Mark, Reuben and Thomas. 
 About 1831 two sons visited Huron 
 county, Ohio, purchased a tract of land in 
 Peru township, and jirepared a home there 
 for the rest of the family, who came in 
 the spring of 1832. The parents resided 
 here for the remainder of their lives. The 
 following is a brief record of their chil- 
 dren: Charles, a well known farmer of 
 Pern township, died in the fall of 1891; 
 Annie married Samuel Wicks; Barnett, 
 who was a farmer and miller of Greenfield 
 township, died in the county; William 
 was the tirst member of the family to pass 
 away here; Mark resides at Granville, 
 Licking Co., Ohio; Reuben is a machinist 
 in Toledo, Ohio; Thomas went to Cali- 
 fornia in 1852, and now resides in Ore- 
 gon; Joseph B. was a farmer of Peru 
 township. 
 
 Joseph B. Roe was born December 15, 
 1818, in England, and was brought to the 
 United States by his parents in 1821. 
 He received a primary education in the 
 schools of Auburn, N. Y., and after the 
 removal of the family to this county at- 
 tended school in Peru township and worked 
 on the farm. He was united in marriage 
 with Amanda Gale, of Chautauqua county, 
 N. Y., and to this marriage was l)orn one 
 child, A. G. Roe, of whom mention will 
 presently be made. Immediately after 
 marriage Mr. Roe located on the farm 
 where his son now resides, being a part 
 of the original tract occupied by the 
 family. Mrs. Amanda Roe died in June, 
 1849, during the cholera epidemic, and Mr. 
 Roe was afterward married to Harriet Hil- 
 dreth, sister of a well-known preacher of 
 Norwalk. Mr. Roe was a Jacksonian 
 Democrat up to 1856, when he became 
 a Republican. At an early age he united 
 with the Methodist Church, and was al- 
 ways one of its most liberal supporters; 
 he was a member of the building com- 
 mittee during the construction of the 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 353 
 
 present house of worship. His death oc- 
 eiirreii Janiiary 19, 18S3, the result of an 
 attack of paralysis. 
 
 A. G. Roe received his rudimentary 
 ■ education in the district school, and after- 
 ward completed a cotniuercial course in 
 Oberlin Commercial Colleo-e. He worked 
 on the iiome farm until 1873, in which 
 year lie visited the Pacific coast, went 
 from San Francisco, Cat., to Portland, 
 Oregon, and remained in the latter State 
 for some time. Returning he worked on 
 his father's farm until 1877, when he 
 married Estlier P., daughter of George M. 
 Ryerson, of Peru township, and to this 
 union were born two children: E. Anna 
 and J. Clarence, both of whom are living 
 at home. Since the spring of 1878 he 
 has liad charge of the home farm. In 
 188-4 Mr. Roe was sliot in the right leg, 
 an accident which checked his rapid prog- 
 ress as a farmer, and handicapped him in 
 the race for precedence. Notwithstanding 
 liis physical disability he is fairly endowed 
 with wealth, and what is superior to 
 wealth, taste and intelligence. He is an 
 oninivorons reader, a good speaker and a 
 close student of events. He was a Re- 
 publican up to a few years ago, when he 
 joined the Independeift party. He and 
 wife are members of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church, which Society he has served 
 in various offices. 
 
 NGUS McDonald. The ances- 
 try of the family, of whom this 
 ^ gentleman is a prominent member, 
 is traced to one Roger McDonald, 
 a native of the island of Skye, one 
 of tiie Inner Hebrides, Scotland. He 
 removed to Campbelltown, Argyleshire, in 
 early maidiood, and was there married to 
 Mai-y McAllister, and nine children — 
 four sons and five daughters — were born to 
 them, of whom one son, Roger, came to 
 America and made a settlement here. 
 
 The father was a shepherd, and his eldest 
 son, named Donald, perished in a snow- 
 storm while tending sheep on his native 
 hills, leaving one daughter Mary who 
 came to America and married an oflicer, 
 by name Donald McDonald, a resident of 
 Ontario county, Ontario (Canada), where 
 they are yet living, and have a family of 
 four sons and one daughter. Another 
 grandchild of Roger and Mary McDonald 
 is Mrs. Flora Simpson, a widow lady, at 
 present living in Norwalk, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, with her two daughters. Flora (a 
 teacher in high school at Norwalk), and 
 Maggie (living at home). 
 
 Roger McDonald, son of Roger and 
 Mary (McAllister) McDonald, was born 
 in Campbelltown, Scotland, March 20, 
 1820, and in 1840 he emigrated to Ainer- 
 ica, making his way from the port of 
 landing to Huron, Erie Co., Ohio. Here 
 he was married in 1844 to Charlotte Par- 
 ratt, a native of Somersetshire, England, 
 and in the following year they moved to 
 Noble county, Ind., where he followed 
 farming until 1849, in which year, being 
 seized with the '-gold fever" which had 
 become so epidemic, he set oiit to the then 
 new " El Dorado " — California— his family 
 returning to Huron county, Ohio. In 
 1851 he returned to Huron coilnty, and 
 here he purchased 102 acres of farm land 
 in Lot 10, Section 4, in Bronson town- 
 ship. In 1885 they removed to North 
 Fairfield village, still retaining the farm 
 property, however. Mr. and Mrs. Mc- 
 Donald have had six children, two of 
 whom died when quite young, and four 
 children are living, viz.: Angus, the snb- 
 ject of these lines; Bruce, a prominent horse 
 dealer of North Fairfield, Ohio; Emma E., 
 married to H. II. Hovt, a drv-goods mer- 
 chant, and has three children; and Will- 
 iam H., a bookkeeper, all residents |of 
 Huron county, William H. and the Hoyts 
 living in Xorwalk. In politics linger 
 McDonald votes with the Prohibition 
 party; in religion both he and his wife are 
 members of the Baptist Church. 
 
354 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Angus McDonald, the eldest son of 
 IkOger and Charlotte (Pai-ratt) McDonald, 
 was born April 22, 1846, in Noble county, 
 Ind.,and alter I'eceiving a liberal conimon- 
 scliool training he entered the Toledo Com- 
 inercial (JoUege, where he graduated in the 
 spring of 1866. In 1868 he purchased 
 the farm and began farming on the place 
 where he is now iivfng, being Lot 7. Sec- 
 tion 4, Bronson township (101 acres). In 
 1869 Angus McDonald was married to 
 Libbie PI. Adriance, a native of Greene 
 county, N. Y., born of parents of Dutch 
 and French descent, and they have two 
 children: Hugh A. and Elnora Y., both 
 living in the parental home. Mr. McDon- 
 ald is a thorough business man, and has 
 given his chief attention to general farm- 
 ing and stock raising. F'rom 1886 to 1891 
 lie was secretary of the Huron County 
 Fariners' Mutual Fire Association; has 
 been prominently connected with the vari- 
 ous farmerb' and labor organizations in 
 Huron county for many years. Politically 
 he is a Prohibitionist, and was a candidate 
 for the office of county recorder in 1890, 
 his opponent being elected by only a 
 small majority. In religion himself and 
 family are members of the Bronson Bap- 
 tist Church. 
 
 
 B. TUDOR, a leading merchant of 
 Chicago Junction, is the sou of Sa- 
 lathiel and Mary J. (Wilson) Tudor. 
 His great-great-grandfather Tudor 
 was born in Wales; the uiateinal great- 
 grandfather of subject was born in Ire- 
 land, anil the maternal great-grandmother 
 was a native of Germany. 
 
 Salathiel and Mary J.Tudor were natives 
 of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively. 
 Salathiel Tudor was a tailor, but later 
 learned carpentry, and applied himself to 
 that trade for some time. About 1827 he 
 came with his parents to Richmond town- 
 ship, Huron Co., Ohio, but some time 
 aftei'ward removed with his father to Mus- 
 
 kingum county. He was married in Mus- 
 kingum county, where he resided for a 
 short time, until the glowing accounts of 
 the prairie lands of Illinois urged him to 
 move farther west. For thirteen years he 
 lived in that State, but in 1859 returned 
 to Muskingum county, Ohio, where he 
 made his home until his removal to Chica- 
 go Junction in 1883. Ilis wife died in 
 Illinois in 1855. They had three sons and 
 three daughters, lour of whom grew to 
 maturity, namely: AYilliam, who enlisted 
 in the One Hundred and Twenty-second 
 O. Y. I., when seventeen years old. and 
 was killed at Locust Grove, Ya., in 1863; 
 J. W., a farmer in Clarke county. 111.; 
 Lyman, residing in Guernsey county, Ohio; 
 and C. B., a resident of Chicago Junction. 
 The father entered the army in 1862, 
 served through the Civil war, and is now 
 a veteran of the G. A. R. 
 
 C. B. Tudor was born March 18, 1851, 
 in Edgar county, 111., received a somewhat 
 limited education in the district schools 
 there, and came to Ohio in 1859. He was 
 engaged in farm work until the age of 
 nineteen years, when he was employed for 
 the bridge and carpenter department on 
 the B. & O. R. R., where he remained 
 from 1873 till 1880. In that year he and 
 George Dillon established a hardware store 
 at Chicago Junction, but at the close of 
 a year's business Mr. Tudor purchased 
 his partner's interest, and for the two suc- 
 ceeding years conducted it alone. His 
 brother-in-law, D. A. Bishop, then en- 
 tei-ed into partnership with him, and the 
 firm carried on trade until the spring of 
 1892, when Mr. Tudor again became sole 
 proprietor. He began business on a capi- 
 tal of twelve hundred dollars, and now 
 carries a stock ranging in value from seven 
 thousand to ten thousand dollars. His 
 interests are not altogether mercantile. In 
 1889, in partnership with Otis Sykes, he 
 bought fitty-six lots in Matson's west side 
 sub-division, and of these only twenty re- 
 main unsold. Seven years before, in 1882, 
 he atid Mr. Sykes built the brick block in 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 355 
 
 which our subject's large hardware store 
 is located. 
 
 On October 8, 1878, Mr. Tudor was 
 united in marriage with Miss Delia Se- 
 vault, who was born in Huron county, of 
 which her father, Jacob Sevault, is an old 
 settler. Of their two children, Ebert died 
 in infancy, and Glenn, a bright boy of 
 eleven years, resides with his parents. In 
 political life Mr. Tudor votes with the Re- 
 publican party in State and National elec- 
 tions, but is not a politician, as his busi- 
 ness interests are too numerous to warrant 
 liim in giving his attention to public mat- 
 ters, though he has served four years on 
 the school board. Socially he is a mem- 
 ber of Lodge No. 7i8, 1. O. O. F.; in re- 
 ligion he is a member of the United 
 Brethren Church. 
 
 1^ 
 
 H! OSEA M. HOOD, one of the most 
 popular and widely-known citizens 
 of Hartland township, where he 
 enjoys a very large circle of friends, 
 was born August 19, 1824, at 
 Sweden, Monroe county, New York. 
 
 His father, Thomas Hood, was born 
 January 1, 1791, in Canaan, Conn., and 
 about 1812 was married, at Steventown, 
 N. Y., to Dorothy L. Hill, who was born 
 there February 20, 1794. They soon after- 
 ward moved to Sweden, N. 1., then a 
 frontier settlement, the trip being made 
 with an o.\-team. In Monroe county he 
 found work as a wood-chopper, supplying 
 fuel for the salt works, near which he 
 lived. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. 
 Hood were: Henry L., born June 29, 
 1813, now a resident of Medina, Orleans 
 Co., N. Y.; Horace E., born October 13, 
 1815, an auctioneer, who died at Spring- 
 Held, 111., while traveling with Van Am- 
 berg's circus; Hiram B., born December 
 30, 1817, was accidently killed in 1850, 
 while working in a stone quarry at Swe- 
 den, N. Y.; Lydia L., born May 2, 1820, 
 married first to William Seely, of Me- 
 dina county, Ohio, and subsequently to a 
 
 Mr. Coates, of Michigan; Dorothy L., 
 born March 17, 1823, died in infancy; 
 Hosea M., the subject of this sketch; Bet- 
 sey M., born January 20, 1827, married 
 Freeman Russell, and died at Ilolley, Or- 
 leans Co., N. Y.; Alvin J., born August 
 31, 1831, a farmer of Noi'walk township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio; Edwin T., born April 
 24, 1834, who served during the Civil war 
 in the Fifty-fifth O. V. I., was wounded in 
 1864 at Peach Tree Creek, Ga., received 
 an honorable discharge, and is now a resi- 
 dent of Nashville, Tenn.; Mary L., born 
 November 25, 1836, now Mrs. Randall, a 
 widow, of Rochester, N. Y. Some time 
 after the birth of the last child tlie family 
 removed to Orleans county, N. Y., where 
 the mother died May 15, 1841; the father 
 returned to Monroe county, where he died 
 April 19, 1865. Both were buried at 
 Sweden, where all their children wei-eborn 
 and which all called home. Thomas Hood 
 was a Whig prior to 1856, when he joined 
 the Republican party. In religious con- 
 nection he was a member of the Baptist 
 Church at Holley, N. Y., his wife also 
 being a member of the same church. 
 
 Hosea M. Hood received an elementary 
 education in the " Stone Bridge School," 
 at Sweden, N. Y., and subsequently 
 worked on the farm, near the salt-works, 
 assisting his father until 1845. In that 
 year he set out on the journey to Ohio, 
 his capital being ten dollars in currency, 
 good health and plenty of pluck. The 
 journey was made from Sweden to Buffalo 
 by way of the canal; from Buffalo to 
 Huron by lake, and thence to Hartland 
 Ridge by wagon. The trip from Buftalo 
 to Huron was so extremely rqugh that the 
 boat returned to port rather than venture 
 to weather the gale. Arriving at Hart- 
 land Ridge with eight dollars of his capi- 
 tal gone, he found his brother, Horace E., 
 who had previously located there, and who 
 offered him work. The succeeding winter 
 he attended school, and the following 
 spring accompanied his brother, selling 
 notions along the route of June & Tur- 
 
356 
 
 HUBON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ner's circus, going through Ohio, Michi- 
 gan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. In 
 the fall they returned to Hartland town- 
 ship, where Ilosea M. taught the "Bills" 
 school for thirteen dollars per month. For 
 nine seasons he continued to follow the 
 routes of the great circus companies, sell- 
 ing notions and jewelry. Van Amberg's, 
 Spalding & Rogers', Welch's, Franconi's 
 and Bainum's men knew him almost as 
 one of themselves. While thus employed, 
 he acquired a knowledge of the duties of 
 of an auctioneer, and this profession he 
 adopted. 
 
 On June 4, 1850, he married Hulda M. 
 Holiday, who was born December 4, 1831, 
 in Kuggles township (^then in Huron 
 county), daughter of Lorton and Matilda 
 (Gates) Holiday. To Mr. and Mrs. Hood 
 were born the foUowino; named children: 
 Elvira I., born October 10, 1851 (deceased 
 in infancy); Alice C, born August 15, 
 1853, a graduate of Lebanon (Ohio) Nor- 
 mal School, who was seven years a teacher 
 in the Milan Normal School (she is now 
 Mrs. J. W. Ferguson, of Hartland town- 
 siiip); Hosea M., Jr., born September 25, 
 1855, is city salesman for a Denver (Colo.) 
 wholesale grocery house; Evaline F., born- 
 November 26, 1856, died in infancy; 
 Herbert E., born November 10, 1858, an 
 employe as telegraph operator and station 
 agent for the C. C. & S. R. K. at Beach 
 City, Ohio; Dora B., born December 16, 
 1861, wife of S. F. Angus, a leading in- 
 surance man of Detroit, Mich.; and Edith 
 M., born February 21, 1868, residing 
 at home. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Hood located in 
 Hartland township, on a rented farm, but 
 continued to sell notions and jewelry as of 
 old. In 1854 he located on his present 
 home, which then comprised seventy acres, 
 but is now a well-improved tract of 175 
 acres. Since 1858 he has given close at- 
 tention to his farming interests. As a 
 "sale crier" he is well known, and his 
 
 Frofessional calls extend over a wide area, 
 ndeed it is said that some of the best 
 
 " sale criers " in this section of Ohio have 
 graduated under him. In early years, in 
 fact for fifteen winters after coming to 
 Ohio, he taught school in Hartland town- 
 ship. A Kepublican in politics, he has 
 served in various township offices; for 
 twelve years he was justice of the peace, 
 and he also served as clerk and trustee. 
 He is a deacon in the Baptist Church, and 
 for some years was superintendent of the 
 Sunday-school. Mrs. Hood is also a mem- 
 ber of the Baptist Church, and both are 
 popular in the township. Mr. Hood is a 
 progressive, leading citizen, and his prop- 
 erty is entirely the accumulation of his 
 own earnest toil. 
 
 p^ IMEON O. RIGGS. This gentle- 
 man is a prominent representative 
 of an old Scotch family, the first 
 pioneer of the name having located 
 in New Jersey in the earliest Colonial 
 days. For generations the eldest son of 
 this family has borne the name of Simeon, 
 and many years ago one Simeon Riggs 
 left his New Jersey home owing to some 
 misunderstanding with his relatives. He 
 was a fuller by trade, and settling in 
 Guernsey county, Ohio, there purchased 
 and operated a woolen mill. He was mar- 
 ried to a Miss Cheney, who bore him 
 four children — two sons and two dautrh- 
 ters — the eldest son being named E. C, a 
 departure from the old family custom. 
 
 E. C. Riggs was born in Guernsey 
 county, Ohio,^and when but twelve years 
 of age suffered the loss of one hand. A 
 few years before this accident his father 
 was burned out, uninsured, and this son 
 (although crippled) engaged in the most 
 menial labors, in order to assist in sup- 
 porting the family and securing his own 
 education. He worked for some time as 
 errand boy in a general store, studying 
 every hour of leisure time, and when but 
 sixteen years old he commenced teaching 
 a writing-school. At the age of eighteen 
 years he began teaching public school in 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 357 
 
 Noble county, Ohio, continuing the same 
 until 1864. In 1854 he was married to 
 Margaret Brokaw, a native of Ohio. 
 When the war broke out he wanted to 
 enlist, and although refused on the around 
 of physical disability, he assisted in the 
 pursuit of Morgan. In 1863 he was 
 elected clerk of courts of Guernsey county 
 on the Republican ticket. In the spring 
 of 1864 he removed from Senecaville to 
 Cambridge, Guernsey Co., Ohio, continu- 
 ing to hold the office of clerk for three 
 successive terms. He then conducted a 
 grocery and manufacturing business for 
 some time, and during Gov. Foster's first 
 term was appointed to fill the unfinished 
 term of Judge Buchanan as probate judge 
 of Guernsey county. After occupying 
 this office he served two years as acting 
 judge under Judge Kennan; then took a 
 position as bookkeeper with the Cam- 
 bridge Coal Mining Company, which was 
 eventually merged into the Guernsey Coal 
 Mining Company, when he assumed the 
 duties of general manager and secretary. 
 This position he resigned August 1, 1892, 
 and he is now retired from active business. 
 The following children have been born to 
 the union of E. C. and Margaret (Brokaw) 
 Ritige: Mrs. J. F. Salmon, living in Cam- 
 bridge; Simeon O., whose name opens 
 this sketch; C. N., who owns the finest 
 drug business in Buffalo; Howard, a busi- 
 ness man of Chicago, 111.; William L., a 
 resident of Cambridge; H. P., a telegraph 
 operator in Geneseo, Henry Co., 111.; and 
 Jessie, Delbert and Ruby, all three living 
 at home. 
 
 Simeon O. Riggs was born May 9, 1856, 
 in Guernsey county, Ohio. He received 
 his early education in the schools at Cam- 
 bridge, and at the age of sixteen was ap- 
 prenticed to learn the printer's trade. 
 After working two years, he accepted a 
 position in a dry-goods store where he 
 worked three years; then traveled for a 
 cigar factory in which his father was 
 interested. In the fall of 1877 he selected 
 a life companion in the person of Alice, 
 
 daughter of S. H. Culbertson, of Cam- 
 bridge. After his marriage Mr. Riggs 
 began business with his father-in-law in 
 general merchandise, but dissolved partner- 
 ship one year later, and then conducted a 
 restaurant for one year. Afterward he 
 clerked for his father-in-law for some 
 time, and during the summer of 1880 
 worked for the Ohio Valley Hedge Com- 
 pany, of Columbus, Ohio. He assisted 
 his father-in-law the succeeding winter; 
 then took charge of a job and news room 
 in Cambridge, continuing in that business 
 until 1883. At the end of that time he 
 came to Chicago Junction and took charge 
 of the Times newspaper, which had just 
 been started by Lusk & Krause. Six 
 months later he bought the office, and has 
 since been editor and proprietor of this 
 very successful paper, which is now estab- 
 lished on a firm basis. It is Independent 
 in politics, and enjoys a large advertising 
 patronage, as well as a wide circulation 
 for a local paper. Editor Riggs contem- 
 plates putting in steam presses, which will 
 doubtless greatly facilitate his business. 
 He is a Republican in politics, taking an 
 active interest in the welfare of his party. 
 In religion he is one of the founders of 
 the M. E. Church in Chicago, Ohio, and 
 is a zealous member of that denomination. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Riggs have three sons and 
 
 Tr-r 
 
 one daughter, namely: Walter A., Carlos 
 O., Simeon Otis, and Mable E. [Since 
 the above was written, Mr. Riggs, in the 
 fall of 1892, disposed of the Times, and is 
 now editor and publisher of the Times, 
 a straight Republican paper, at Indianola, 
 Warren Co., Iowa. 
 
 LOUIS FIESINGER is a native of 
 , New York State, born in Utica, 
 [ Oneida Co., N. Y., February 8, 
 
 1844, a son of Francis Josepli and 
 Theresa Ebrhardt Fiesinger, natives of 
 Alsace (then in France, now in Germany), 
 the father receiving his education in 
 Paris. 
 
358 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 At the age of thirty-five years the 
 father of our subject came to America, 
 locating at first in Utica, N. Y., where he 
 foUowed his trade of cabinet maker, which 
 he had learned in Paris. In 1854 he came 
 to Norwalk, Ohio, where he also worked 
 at his trade, and was for a time in the 
 employ of the Lake Shore & Michigan 
 Southern Railroad Company at that 
 place. In the old country he had 
 married Theresa Ehrhardt, and ten chil- 
 dren were born to them, Louis being the 
 third youngest, and of that large family, 
 only he and a sister, Mrs. Doran, in 
 Cleveland, are now living. The father 
 died in 1872, at the age of abont sixty- 
 three years, the mother in 1887, aged 
 seventy-nine years; they were members 
 of the Roman Catholic Church, and in 
 politics he was a Democrat. 
 
 Louis Fiesinger was educated in Nor- 
 walk, at the high school of which place he 
 graduated, and after completing his stud- 
 ies he for some years taught school in the 
 southern part of Ohio. Coming to Cin- 
 cinnati in 1861, he was here employed as 
 recording clerk in the office of the clerk of 
 the courts, from 1861 to 1867, at the end 
 of which time he returnea to Norwalk 
 and embarked in the grocery and provision 
 business. But this he soon afterward 
 sold out, and opening a restaurant carried 
 that on till 1871, in which year he accepted 
 a position as traveling salesman for 
 Stephen Buhrer, of Cleveland, Ohio, 
 wholesale dealer in liquors and wines. 
 This line of business he followed till 1873, 
 and then received an appointment as bill 
 clerk on the Lake Shore & Michigan 
 Southern Railroad at Monroeville, in the 
 same county; but in 1875 he moved to 
 Chicago Junction, also in Huron county, 
 and there once more commenced in the 
 restaurant line, having in connection a 
 ball alley. Thence in 1878 he went to 
 Columbus, where he ran a saloon and bil- 
 liard room one year; then returned to 
 Chicago Junction, thence again moving to 
 Norwalk where he has since successfully 
 
 carried on his present business. In Nor- 
 walk he has opened a brick and tile fac- 
 tory which promises to become one of the 
 best of the kind in the country, the cost of 
 the plant being not less than twelve 
 thousand dollars. It is run by steam, 
 and has a capacity of 20,000 feet of tile 
 and 40,000 brick per day. The tiring of 
 the tile and brick is done with oil fuel, 
 part of the plant being a large tank ca- 
 pable of holding 300 barrels of oil, and 
 the work can be carried on in any weather — 
 summer or winter, hot or cold, dry or wet. 
 There is also a disintegrator for crushing 
 clay; in fact, the concern is most thor- 
 oughly equipped in every essential. 
 
 In 1876 Mr. Fiesinger was married to 
 Elizabeth Fox, of Sandusky, Ohio, and 
 three children have lieen born to them, 
 viz.: AVilliam Louis, May and Leon. In 
 politics our subject is a Republican; in 
 religion he and his wife belong to no par- 
 ticular Church. 
 
 D J. C. ARNOLD, tnanufacturer 
 of brick and tile makers' supplies, 
 ' and metal wheels. New London, is 
 
 a native of Massachusetts, born 
 October 27, 1854, in the town of Adams, 
 where he received his education. 
 
 In 1876 Mr. Arnold came west to Ohio, 
 and locating in New Loudon, Huron 
 county, commenced in the lumber business. 
 In 1878 he established his present indus- 
 try, the factory being, perhaps, the largest 
 one in the United States devoted to the 
 special manufacturing of brick and tile- 
 yard supplies. The buildings have a total 
 area of between 22,000 and 23,000 feet of 
 floor space, and being located on the main 
 line of the "Big Four" Railroad system, 
 which extends over a large portion of the 
 most populous section of the United States, 
 the shipping facilities are unsurpassed. 
 Shipments are made directly to all parts of 
 the country, with but very few changes. 
 The Pittsburgh, Akron & Western Rail- 
 road also runs here, and the Baltimore & 
 
ar4:yU/ 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 361 
 
 Ohio through line is very near. The 
 industry does an extensive trade even as 
 far as the Pacific coast, including all inter- 
 mediate points, and enjoys an unprece- 
 dented local patronage. Among the cata- 
 logued articles manufactured by Mr. 
 Arnold may be mentioned the following: 
 llepresses, dump carts, brick, mud, tile, sand 
 and otlier barrows, patent pallet trucks, 
 spring trucks, dry press trucks, patent 
 sewer pipe trucks, and sewer pipe and other 
 barrows; pug mill shafts; wrought iron 
 tempering wheels; machine and hand molds 
 of all kinds; brick edgers, etc., as well as 
 everything pertaining to the proper out- 
 fitting and furnishing of brick and tile 
 kilns. Special mention may here, also be 
 made of the metal wiieels for trucks and 
 barrows turned out by the Arnold Metal 
 Wheel Company, for which a patent was 
 secured in 1890. These wheels are light, 
 strong, durable and handsome, and have 
 been in use long enoueh to demonstrate 
 that tliey are all that is claimed for thera, 
 and that they never fail to give satisfac- 
 tion. The superiority of good metal 
 wheels over wood, or a combination of 
 wood and iron, has been proven to the 
 satisfaction of all who have used them, and 
 who now use no other. 
 
 Mr. Arnold is looked upon as the ne 
 plus ultra business man of New London, 
 ills energy and enterprise being proverbial; 
 and in the affairs of both town and county 
 he wields a potent influence in the line of 
 progressiveness and reform. In his politi- 
 cal sympathies he is a straight Republican. 
 
 \^T|ATHAN BEERS is descended from 
 VJ one of the early families of Con- 
 1 iiecticut, of whicli State his father, 
 Nathan Beers, was a native. Grand- 
 father Beers was paymaster nnder 
 Washington during the Revolution- 
 ary war, and was subsequently a steward 
 of Yale College. 
 
 His son, Nathan Beers, was born Octo- 
 ber 15, 1806, in New Haven, Conn., 
 
 Gen. 
 
 where he received his education. He 
 completed the freshman year in Yale, and 
 then set out on a journey to Oliio, travel- 
 ing by canal and lake to Cleveland, and 
 thence, on horseback, to Trumbull county, 
 where relatives resided. After a brief 
 visit he pursued his journey, coming to 
 Huron county, where an uncle and a 
 brother had previously purchased land. 
 On July 3, 1828, he married Louisa Ash- 
 ley, who was born December 6, 1806, in 
 Deertield, Mass., whence in 1817 she ac- 
 companied iier parents, Luther and Eunice 
 (Smith) Ashley, to Greenfield township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, the journey, which oc- 
 cupied six weeks, being made in a wagon. 
 The children born to Nathan and Louisa 
 Beers were as follows: Mary, widow of 
 Lucius Gibbs, who resides in California; 
 Augusta, widow of Isaac Darling, of 
 Greenfield townsliip, and Nathan. The 
 parents of these began married life on the 
 same farm where he died March 6, 1891. 
 His remains were interred in the Steuben 
 cemetery. His widow now resides with 
 her son Nathan on the homestead. Politi- 
 cally this pioneer diffei-ed from the ma- 
 jority of the men of Huron count}-, who 
 voted for Fremont in 1856. He simply 
 changed from being a Wliig into a Re- 
 publican, while the others who changed 
 political ideas at the time were generally 
 Democrats. He filled many township 
 offices in early years, such as clerk, trustee 
 and treasurer. He was a member of the 
 Congregational Church, and was much es- 
 teemed by his neighbors. He was tenderly 
 beloved by his children and grandchildren, 
 and at all times he dealt justly, loved 
 mercy, and reverenced God. 
 
 Nathan Beers, son of the pioneer, was 
 born October 8, 1840, was educated in the 
 district school, and reared to the life of a 
 farmer. He worked on the homestead 
 until 1861, when he mai'ried Ellen Conk- 
 lin, who was born March 14, 1844, at 
 Plymouth. Ohio; her parents, Charles and 
 Rachel (Bevier) Conklin, came from 
 Owasco, Cayuga Co., N. Y., where Mr. 
 
362 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Conklin was born July 14, 1807, and his 
 wife November 24, 1807. Mr. Conklin 
 was a tailor Ijy trade, but devoted much of 
 his time to agriculture. To the marriage 
 of Nathan and Pollen Beers were bora 
 three children, namelj: Fred P., a boot 
 and shoe dealer of Plymouth, Ohio; 
 Louise, Mrs. Deino P. Ryersou, of Peru 
 township, and Mary, at home. All were 
 born on the home farm, where the parents 
 settled after inarriage. Mrs. Beers is a 
 member of the Congregational Church, 
 and Mr. Beers of the Congregational 
 Society. Politically he is a Eepnblican, 
 and he is one of the advisers of the party 
 in his district. In August, 1862, he en- 
 listed, at Steuben, Ohio, in Company C, 
 One Hundred and Twenty-third O. V. I., 
 which was attached to the Eighth Corps 
 and army of the James, and served with 
 that command until the close of the war. 
 He received an honorable discharge, and 
 was mustered out in June, 1865, at Colum- 
 bus, Ohio. With the exception of that 
 radical departure from home life, Mr. 
 Beers has called the farm, which was lo- 
 cated by his father, his home. He is a 
 systematic agriculturist and an experienced 
 stock grower, and is in every respect a use- 
 ful, industrious citizen. 
 
 VILLIAM A. DANGELEISEN, 
 proprietor of "The Imperial," 
 Ifj' Bellevue, is of German descent, 
 and ranks high in commercial 
 circles. His father, Joseph Dangeleisen, 
 was born in 1817, in Breunlingen, Baden, 
 Germany, and passed his youth in that 
 country. He learned the trade of tanner 
 and currier, and followed same for twenty 
 years in various places in Germany, after- 
 ward working in France, Italy. Austria, 
 Denmark, and tive years in Switzerland. 
 During this time he learned several lan- 
 guages and gained much valuable infor- 
 mation. At one time he was foreman in 
 a shop at Germany, where he received 
 for his services only one dollar per week. 
 
 Joseph Dangeleisen emigrated from 
 Germany in 1853, three years after the 
 revolution in that country, in which lie 
 was a leader. He was at that time presi- 
 dent of a German club, and also tilled the 
 ofiice of councilman. After reaching 
 America he located in what was then 
 known as Newburg (now Cleveland), Ohio, 
 and worked at his trade. In 1857 he 
 moved to Talford, same State, but soon re- 
 turned to Cleveland, and from there went 
 to Akron, Ohio, where he had charge of a 
 tannery until 1859, at which time he 
 moved to Bellevue, and worked for Adam 
 Zehner four years. In 1863 he began 
 business for himself, opening the billiard 
 parlors and saiuple room now known as 
 '•The Imperial," and continued in active 
 charge until four years ago, when his son 
 became proprietor. In 1846 Mr. Dange- 
 leisen married Miss Caroline Ilio-orer, and 
 their union was blessed with live children, 
 viz.: Joseph (I.) (who died in infancy); 
 WilUiam A. (subject of this sketch); Emil 
 V. (who married Miss Matilda Schuler, a 
 native of Huron county, Ohio); Josephine 
 (twin of Joseph (II.), who married Otto 
 Mai-Jioeser, of Cleveland, Ohio, and has 
 one daughter, Elsie). His wife died in 
 1866, and in 1868 Mr. Dangeleisen mar- 
 ried Miss Susan Gimmey, to which mar- 
 riage no children have been born. Mr. 
 Dangeleisen has acquired considerable 
 property, is highly I'espected, and is gen- 
 erally regarded as one of Bellevue's best 
 citizens. 
 
 William A. Dangeleisen was born in 
 1856, in Newburg, Ohio. He passed his 
 school days in Bellevue, and was with his 
 father until fourteen years of age, at which 
 time he went to Cleveland and learned the 
 machinist trade. He worked in Cleveland 
 four years, and attended the Commercial 
 College about eighteen months. In 1875 
 he moved to Adrian, Mich., where he 
 clerked in the " Mineral Spring Hotel," 
 and was given full charge of same. After 
 six months he went to Toledo, Imt twelve 
 months later returned home, where he had 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 363 
 
 a severe lllnegs. He next entered the em- 
 ploy of Iligbee & Company, tlie largest 
 grain dealers of northern (_)iiio, and for 
 three years \va>; assistant bookkeeper and 
 bookkeeper tor four years. He remained 
 witli the successors of this firm, Ward & 
 Collins, four years, and then became a 
 partner in the firm of McLaughlin & Com- 
 pany, successors to Ward & Collins. 
 After five months he withdrew from the 
 business and moved to Sioux City, Iowa, 
 where he secured a position as bookkeej)er, 
 but before he accepted it his father re- 
 quested him to return home and assume 
 charge of "The Imperial" in Bellevne. 
 He has successfully managed this hand- 
 some billiard parlor and sample room up 
 to the present time, and is very popular in 
 business circles. 
 
 In 1882 Mr. Dangeleiseu married Miss 
 Julia Korner, and their union has been 
 blessed with two children: Virginia and 
 William AVarren. He and his family are 
 members of tlie Catholic Church. He was 
 nominated township clerk, but declined 
 the nouiination, and the same year refused 
 to run for city clerk, preferring to devote 
 liis time and attention to his business 
 affairs. He is a member of the K. O. T. M., 
 and has filled the othce of secretary for 
 Lodge No. T), Guardian Tent; is also a 
 member of the Koyal Arcanum, Lodge 
 No. 363, Bellevue Council, and Uniform 
 Rank of K. P. His political views are 
 Republican. 
 
 •JjILLlAM A. HEYMAN. Among 
 \l] tlie agriculturists, who by their 
 Ij exemplary lives have won the es- 
 teem of their neiglibors and per- 
 formed an important part in the political, 
 mercantile and social affairs of Lyme town- 
 ship, none are more prominent than WiU- 
 iam A. Hey man, who was born July 21, 
 1830, in Nassau, Germany. 
 
 William C. Heyman, father of sub- 
 ject, was a native of Germany, and re- 
 mained in that country until the prime of 
 
 life, when he was induced by the flattering 
 reports of his son's success in America to 
 make for himself and family a new home. 
 He was a farmer by occupation, and after 
 locating in Huron county, Ohio, engaged 
 in agricultural pursuits, renting land until 
 1852, at which time he purchased a valu- 
 able farm of 155 acres in Sherman town- 
 ship. He married Miss Maria Opperman, 
 and to their union were born ten children, 
 eight sons and two daughters. Mr. Hey- 
 man is now living in Huron county, and 
 though eighty-four years of age still enjoys 
 good health, and" retains the energy and 
 executive ability that enabled him to ac- 
 cumulate a handsome estate, and manage 
 his business affairs successfully. His wife 
 died in ISS-t, after a Christian life filled 
 with kind impulses and generous deeds. 
 
 William A. Heyman received an excel- 
 lent education in Germany, and learned 
 habits of thrift and industry that served 
 him well during the years when he was 
 struggling for wealth and fame. When 
 nineteen years of age he determined to 
 seek broader fields of labor than were open 
 to young men in the Fatherland, and emi- 
 grated from his native shore in IS-IO. 
 Immediately after 7-eaching the United 
 States he journeyed west and settled in 
 Lyme township, Hui'on Co., Ohio, where 
 he worked as a farm laborer for Squire 
 Prentiss a short time. By practicing 
 strict economy he was soon able to engage 
 in farming for himself, and he now owns 
 three valuable farms in Huron county, 
 comprising 425 acres, and devotes his at- 
 tention to general agriculture and stock 
 raising. He is very popular in political 
 circles, and served as justice of the peace 
 four terms. 
 
 Mr. Heyman was married, Deceu)ber 
 15, 1854, to Miss Jennette Moore, who 
 was born in Germany, a daughter of Con- 
 rad and Clara Moore, and fifteen children 
 — ten sons and five daughters — blessed 
 their union, viz.: Mary, Emma, Charles, 
 David, Adam, Benjamin, William, Henry, 
 Isaac, Jacob, Clara, Louisa and Sarah, and 
 
364 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 two whose names are not given, of whom 
 eight sons and three daughters are yet liv- 
 ing. The mother of tiiese died iu 1875, 
 and in 1877 our subject was married, in 
 Lorain, to Miss Ida Schroeder, who was 
 born in Germany, a daughter of Dr. 
 Schroeder, formerly of Lorain county, 
 Ohio; he and his wife were both born in 
 1799, and the former died in January, 
 1885, the latter in January, 1893. Two 
 children blessed this last marriage of Mr. 
 lieyman, named Otto and Hugo. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Heyman are members of the 
 German Reformed Cliuroh, of which they 
 are liberal supporters, and are actively in- 
 terested in all public matters that have as 
 an object the improvement of the townsliip 
 in which they reside. 
 
 MARTIN GROSS, senior member 
 of the firm of Gross & Weber, 
 J proprietors of the lumber and 
 ^) planing mills at I'ellevue, was born 
 
 in 1843 in the Province of Nassau, 
 Germany, a son of William and Catherine 
 (Fritz) Gross. 
 
 In 1860 he immigrated to America, and 
 having learned the cabinet maker's trade, 
 followed that business for about one year 
 in Rochester, N. Y., where he first learned 
 to speak English. In 1861 he began 
 working on a farm near Bellevue, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, and soon afterward enlisted in 
 the One Hundred and Seventh Regiment, 
 O. V. L, in which he served three years 
 with the army of the Potomac. He took 
 part in the battles of ChancellorsviUe and 
 Gettysburg, and during the former en- 
 gagement was wounded in the leg and 
 taken prisoner, but twelve days after his 
 capture he wase.xchanged. At the close of 
 the war he was discharged, and has since 
 drawn a pension. On May 1, 1866, he 
 selected a life companion in the person of 
 a Miss Angel, who died a few years after- 
 ward. Her children were as follows: 
 Louise, Lizzie, one deceased in infancy, 
 and Minnie. After the death of the 
 
 mother of these children, the father was 
 united in marriage May 26, 1874, with 
 Phillipena Schwenk, who has borne him 
 live children, namely: Katie, Emma. 
 Willie, Martin and Charlie. 
 
 In 1867 Martin Gross opened a furni- 
 ture business in Bellevue, in which he con- 
 tinued fourteen years; then sold out, and 
 bought a half interest with J. H. Weber in 
 the lumber and planing mill at Bellevue. 
 In 1888 Mr. Weber sold his interest to 
 Charles D. Stouer, who died January 16, 
 1893, when M. Gross and J. H. Weber 
 bought the interest of Mr. Stoner. The 
 well-known tirm of M. Gross & J. H. 
 Weber carry on an extensive business in 
 lumber, shingles, etc., their yard and plan- 
 ing mills being located on tlie east side of, 
 and in close proximity to, the Nickel Plate 
 Railroad. Mr. Gross is a successful, 
 enterprising business man, active in all 
 matters tending to public improvement, 
 and is a stanch supporter of the Demo- 
 cratic party. 
 
 B. SMITH, the courteous and efK- 
 cient postmaster at Bellevue. was 
 born March 25. 1840, in Cleveland, 
 Ohio. His grandfather and father 
 were both natives of New York, the 
 formei- born of Holland-Dutch ancestry. 
 
 W^illiam T. Smitli, father of subject, 
 was married to Frances L. Smith, a native 
 of Connecticut, and they had children as 
 follows: Oliver, Henry, A. B., Geo. E., 
 F. W., Frances M. and'Chas. A. In 1835 
 William T. Smith established a shoe busi- 
 ness in Cleveland, wiiere he became a very 
 prominent citizen. Politically he was a 
 member of the Know-Nothing party, and 
 one time, while he was absent from home, 
 he was elected, by his Cleveland friends, a 
 councilman as such, although always a 
 Republican. He died July 2, 1890; his 
 widow still lives in Cleveland. 
 
 A. B. Smith received his education in 
 the public schools of Cleveland, and when 
 the Civil war opened he enlisted, in April, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 365 
 
 1861, in the First Ohio Regiment of Liglit 
 Artillery. He was in tlie tirst battery that 
 left the State after the fall of Fort Sumter, 
 and he took part in the battle of Philippi, 
 W. Va., June 20, 1861. After the time 
 had expired for which lie lind enlisted, he 
 reentered the service in 1864, then went 
 to Washington and remained in fortifica- 
 tions until the close of the war, being 
 mustered out as sergeant. Soon after the 
 war he made a permanent settlement in 
 Bellevne, and engaged in the mercantile 
 business for about ten years. During Gar- 
 field's administration he was appointed 
 postmaster at that place, and served four 
 years ; was re-appointed by Harrison in 
 April, 1891, having proved himself a faith- 
 ful official and an enterprising citizen. Mr. 
 Smith was maiTied October 7, 1862, to 
 Miss E. A. Lewis, who has borne him 
 four children, viz.: William F., Albert, 
 Frank G. and Mary L. 
 
 djOHN P. MEYER is the grandson of 
 George Meyer, a farmer of Baden, 
 ^ Germany, who in 1846 sailed for 
 America with his family, consisting 
 of wife and five children — four sons and 
 one daughter — one child having died in 
 infancy. 
 
 After landing at New York they pro- 
 ceeded westward by way of the Iliidson 
 river and Erie Canal to Buffalo, N. Y., 
 wiiich at that time was the most popular 
 route. From Buffalo, via Lake Erie, they 
 went to Sandusky, Ohio, thence to Ridge- 
 field township, Huron county, where 
 George Meyer purchased land near Mon- 
 roeville. He had accumulated consider- 
 able property in Germany, which was 
 disposed of there, and he came to America 
 to avoid having his boys drafted into the 
 German army. In this country he was a 
 Democrat in politics. Soon after locating 
 in Ohio, his wife died, and in 1865 he was 
 laid by her side, having been a sufferer 
 from asthma several years. They were 
 buried in Monroeville cemetery. 
 
 John George Meyer, the eldest child of 
 George Meyer, was born March 27, 1831, 
 in Baden, Germany. He was reared on 
 the home farm and attended the common 
 schools of his native country. At the age 
 of fifteen years he came to America with 
 his parents, and followed farm work with 
 his father, with whom his youth was 
 passed. In April, 1855, he was married 
 to Lena Kohler, who was born May 1, 
 1833, in the Canton of Berne, Switzerland, 
 a daughter of Jacob Kohler. In 1854 she 
 came to America with relatives, sailing 
 from Havre, France, on tiie vessel "Gil- 
 christ." After twenty-six days on the 
 ocean, she landed at New York, remaining 
 there three months with a sister, afterward 
 coming to Huron county, Ohio, where she 
 met her future husband. After his mar- 
 riage Mr. Meyer engaged in farming near 
 Pontiac, Peru township, Huron county, 
 where he resided till 1858, and then pur- 
 chased the farm in Ridgefield township, 
 on which he was living at the time of his 
 death, which occurred December 27, 1885. 
 Mr. Meyer was a successful agriculturist, 
 and his excellent farm of nearly 142 acres 
 stands as evidence of his prosperity, much 
 of which was secured by the aid of his 
 good wife's economy and energy. In 
 politics he was a Democrat, and was 
 elected by his party to numerous township 
 offices, which he filled with credit to liim- 
 self. He was a consistent member of and 
 liberal contributor to the Evangelischer 
 Church at Monroeville, with which his 
 widow is also identified. Since the death 
 of her husband Mrs. Meyer has been living 
 on the home place, surrounded by hosts of 
 friends, and enjoying the respect and 
 esteem of them all. She has had one son, 
 John P. Meyer. 
 
 John P. Meyer was born December 12, 
 1855, in Ridgefield township, Huron 
 county, Ohio, and received a common- 
 school education, his first knowledge of 
 acrricnlture being obtained on the same 
 farm where he is now residing, h rom 
 early youth he evinced a natural mechan- 
 
366 
 
 HUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ical gift, and thongh never learning any 
 trade, is now capable of executing work 
 requiring no small amount of skill, in sev- 
 eral trades. On March 25, 1879, he mar- 
 ried Wilhelinina, a daughter of Piiilip 
 Boehler. of Monroeville, and she has borne 
 him four children: Otto J., born March 
 23, 1881; Albert H., born January 30, 
 1884; Oscar P., born May 13, 1890; and 
 Clarence G., born August 28, 1892, all of 
 whom are living. After his marriage 
 Mr. Meyer located on a part of his father's 
 farm where he has since lived, following 
 general farming and stock raising. He is 
 one of the leading and intelligent young 
 farmers of tlie township, and methodical in 
 his labors. Politically lie votes the Demo- 
 cratic ticket, and has iield othces in his 
 township, taking considerable interest in 
 the success of his party. Both be and his 
 wife are members of the Evaugelischer 
 Church at Monroeville. 
 
 \ILLIAM GAMBLE is undoubt- 
 edly one of the self-made men of 
 Huron county. By his labor he 
 ■ - developed a vahialile farm, and in 
 
 the faco of ditticulties and disappointments 
 established himself among the well-to-do 
 agriculturists of Greenfield township. 
 
 Thomas Gamble, a native of Lincoln- 
 shire, England, was there married to Mary 
 Rick, and to them three children were 
 born, namely: Joseph, William, and Mary 
 Ann, who married George Wallace and is 
 now residing at Cascade, Iowa. In 1843 
 the entire family emigrated to the United 
 States, the voyage from Liverpool to New 
 York being accomplished in ninety days. 
 The journey from Manhattan Island to 
 their destination in Huron county, Ohio, 
 was also long and disagreeable. Here 
 Thomas Gamble purchased a small parcel 
 of land and built a cabin, the first home 
 of the family in America. Mrs. Gamble 
 died in 1849, and was buried at Olena, in 
 Bronson township. This was a severe 
 stroke of misfortune, resulting as it did 
 
 in scattering the children and leaving the 
 father in a condition of depression, which 
 incapacitated him for an active life. He 
 now lives in a comfortable home furnished 
 by his son William. 
 
 William Gamble was born October 15, 
 1842, in Lincolnshire, England. On the 
 death of his mother he went to live with 
 an aunt, in Fairfield township; but owing 
 to a disagreement with her transferred 
 himself to his uncle's home in the same 
 township. Ultimately he went to the home 
 of his grandfather, Edward Rick (who 
 came hither from England in 1842), and 
 resided with him until 1853. From that 
 period until young Gamble was twenty-one 
 years old he resided at the house of James 
 Youngs, Sr., and worked for him, receiv- 
 ing at the close of the decade the sum of 
 one hundred dollars for his services. So 
 far in his career little opportunity for edu- 
 cating himself was offered, beyond what 
 could be gleaned in the school of experi- 
 ence. In February, 18G4, he married 
 Elizabeth Bennett, who was born October 
 8, 1847, in New Haven township, and to 
 this marriage five children were born, 
 namely: Mary, wlio died young; Lillian, 
 Mrs. Charles Earl, of Oleua, Huron county; 
 Helen, Mrs. Fred Sparks, of New Haven 
 township; William T. and Jay, both resid- 
 ing at home. Mi-s. Elizabeth (Bennett) 
 Gamble is a daughter of Allen and Harriet 
 (Youngs) Bennett, and granddaughter of 
 James Youngs, Sr. From 1855, when her 
 mother died, to the date of her marriage, 
 she resided with her grandfather. 
 
 The farm on which Mr. Gamble now 
 lives was first occupied by him in 18G4, 
 when he pttrchased sixty- six acres of it on 
 credit. How he worked by the day and 
 year to pay for this tract is a creditable 
 item in the history of the man. By 1866 
 he had saved sufficient money to warrant 
 him in beginning work on tiiis farm. He 
 split 500 rails for liis first five bushels of 
 seed potatoes, and by closely observing the 
 principles of economy and industry was 
 enabled to pay for the sixty-six acres 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 3(5^ 
 
 within a few years. He then purchased a 
 second tract, and extended the area to 183 
 acres; in 1872 he erected a new dwelling 
 honse, since whicli year all the farm build- 
 ings have been constructed. This prog- 
 ress has not been accomplished under 
 the most favorable circumstances. His 
 leg has been broken twice, and sickness 
 has invaded the household at intervals, so 
 that at times his pathway was rough and 
 uninviting. But like a trained man he 
 conquered adversity, rose above it, and 
 came out from each trial feeling the better 
 for having fought and won. Mr. Gamble, 
 while engaged in agiiculture proper, gives 
 some attention to the growing of Poland- 
 China hogs, line sheep and other stock. He 
 votes with the Democratic party, but is 
 not an active partisan or politician, his 
 policy being to attend closely to his own 
 business, pay his taxes and let others look 
 after the affairs of State. 
 
 qEORGE LINDER was born Feb- 
 , ruary 25, 1822, in Bavaria, Ger- 
 many, where his father, John Law- 
 , > rence Linder, was a vine grower and 
 wine producer. 
 George Linder's youth was passed in 
 the manner common to boys of the Bava- 
 rian agricultural class. He received a prac- 
 tical education in the schools of his birth- 
 place, and also attended Sunday-school 
 four years. When his boyhood days were 
 over, he began work on the farm and vine- 
 yard, and so continued until the emigra- 
 tion of the family to America. In 1845 
 the parents, with George and his sister, 
 Catherine, set out from their native land 
 for Havre, France, en route to the United 
 States. At Havre they embarked on the 
 " x\rgo," one of the giant ships of that 
 period, and after a tempestuous voyage of 
 thirty-five days and a half, landed at New 
 York. At one time during this dreary 
 journey, when the great ship was caught 
 in an ice-floe, grave fears were entertained 
 for her safety; but Providence was with 
 
 the emigrants, and the good ship " Argo " 
 came safely into port. The travelers pro- 
 ceeded to Philadelphia, thence across the 
 Alleghany mountains to Pittsburgii, and 
 through mistake were sent to Portsmouth, 
 Ohio, thence to Cleveland. It was cer- 
 tainly a circuitous, expensive and trouble- 
 some journey; but the brave Bavarians 
 endured it with but little complaint. 
 From Cleveland the party pushed into the 
 wilds of Huron county, and there the 
 father purchased land in Peru township, 
 where the mother died in 1869, aged 
 seventy- three years, the father at the age 
 of eighty-seven years. The tire of 1846 
 destroyed the little home they had built 
 and the property they had accumulated ; 
 but like a majority of his countrymen Mr. 
 Linder rose above this misfortune, and 
 looked upon it as a lesson. He was a 
 hard worker, industrious and frugal, and 
 succeeded in accumulating a good prop- 
 erty. He was a member of the Lutheran 
 Church, and he and his wife are buried in 
 the Lutheran cemetery at Pontiac. Cath- 
 erine, their daughtei-, who married Will- 
 iam Brinker, of Cleveland, is also num- 
 bered with the dead. 
 
 George Linder was married January 6, 
 1849, to Elizabeth Schwan, who was born 
 February 6, 1831, in Germany, and was 
 brought to the United States by her par- 
 ents in 1834; she grew to womanhood in 
 Pern township, where the family settled 
 that year. George Schwan, her father, 
 moved to Seneca county, Ohio, iu 1848. 
 To George and Elizabeth Linder were 
 born children as follows: George, a farmer 
 of Peru township; Lena, deceased ; Cath- 
 erine, deceased; Lawrence J., a farmer in 
 Peru township; and Minnie, Mrs. Henry 
 Linder, of Weaver's Corners. After mar- 
 riage Mr. Linder established liis home in 
 Peru township, where he resided until 
 April 1, 1870, when lie moved to his pres- 
 ent farm. The family is an industrial one 
 in every particular; father, mother and 
 each of the children work on the farm, in 
 the vineyard and in the home, with a 
 
368 
 
 IIUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 eingle eje to the advancement of all. 
 Each one has his or her place to till, and 
 does the work of that place cheerfully. 
 Mr. Linder is a Democrat, and a man of 
 influence in local politics. In religions 
 connection Mr. and Mrs. Linder are lead- 
 ing members of the Lutheran Church, in 
 which he has held various positions. As 
 a farniLT, grape-grower and stock-raiser he 
 lias won his title to success, and is to-day 
 one of the most highly-respected old set- 
 tlers of Huron county. 
 
 A. KNAPP, a well-known and 
 highly respected farmer and 
 banker, of Fitch ville township, 
 was born in Fairfield county. 
 Conn., January 10, 1841. the eldest child 
 of William A. and Harriet (Marshall) 
 Knapp, of New York State. 
 
 William A. Knapp, father of subject, 
 was liorn at Lewisboro, Westchester Co., 
 N. Y., February 14, 1817. His father, 
 Sylvanus, was a sailor for years; but liav- 
 incr learned the raasoti's and shoemaker's 
 trades, he worked at same in Connecti- 
 cut. William A., Sr.. received an ele- 
 mentary education in the schools of his 
 native place, and March 1, 1840, married 
 Harriet Marshall, a native of Westchester 
 county. That he was economical as a 
 youth is demonstrated by the fact that, 
 from a total revenue of fifty cents per 
 diem, he saved two hundred dollars, which 
 sum he loaned to a friend, but lost the 
 loan. Continuing at the shoemaker's 
 trade, which he had learned of his father, 
 he soon replenished his purse, and then, 
 from Judge T. Rosevelt, rented a farm in 
 Connecticut, near New York City, which 
 he operated until 1845, when he set out 
 for Ohio with his wife and two cliildren — 
 William A., the subject of this sketch, and 
 Amanda, now Mrs. Hialmar Griffin, of 
 Fitchville township. The family traveled 
 by river, canal and lake to Ohio, arriving 
 at Huron October 2, 1845. 
 
 The journey from Huron to Fitchville 
 township was made by wagon, and there, 
 on February 27, 1846, one child was horn 
 to them, Euphronia, who married H. D. 
 Palmer, and died at New London, Ohio, 
 March 27, 1884. It appears from the 
 records of the family that Sylvanus Knapp, 
 father of W. A. Knapp, Sr., became, by 
 purchase or State grant, owner of 235 
 acres in the "Firelands" of Ohio. In 1838 
 or 1839 AVilliam A., the son of the owner. 
 visited Ohio, and selecting lands in Fitch- 
 ville township brought the family hither in 
 1845, to occupy the tract. Becoming dis- 
 satisfied with his purchase, however, he 
 exchanged it for lands in the southwest 
 part of the township, allowitig three dol- 
 lars per acre for the new tract of wild 
 land. In the Indian summer of 1845 two 
 acres were cleared and a frame house 18 x 
 24 feet erected, wherein the family passed 
 their first winter in Ohio. From distant 
 neighbors they purchased supplies for a 
 long term. In the spring of 1846 Mr. 
 Knapp planted two acres of corn, the sys- 
 tem followed being to make a hole in the 
 ground with an axe, and place therein a 
 few grains of corn. The first crop, so 
 rudely put in, was large,' giving the new 
 settlers an idea of what Ohio soil could do. 
 For eleven years the family resided there, 
 and in 1856 or 1857 moved nearer the 
 center of the township, where farming was 
 carried on until 1881, in which year the 
 family moved to Greenwich. There he 
 served as president of the Greenwich 
 Banking Co. until his death in 1888. His 
 widow died at Fitchville in 1889, and was 
 buried beside her husliand in the Fitch- 
 ville cemetery. Both were members of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politi- 
 cally, he was a Whig down to 1856, and a 
 Republican from that period until his 
 death. For a number of years he served 
 his township as trustee, and in all matters 
 relating to the public welfare his advice 
 was sought and generally followed. He 
 was a most successful farmer and business 
 man. Dealing extensively in live stock. 
 
V 
 
 DAUGHTEf\OFW.A.KNAPP. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 371 
 
 whicli lie sliipped to eastern markets, his 
 consii^iiinents were received without ques- 
 tion, for liis eastern correspondents knew, 
 as well as Ills iiei";hbors, that ho was a 
 judge of stock in the fullest sense of the 
 word, and that he would neither stoop to 
 defraud, nor permit any one to defraud 
 liini. In financial affairs he was conserva- 
 tive, prompt in thinking and acting, and 
 always a snccess. 
 
 W. A. Knapp received a liberal educa- 
 tion in the schools of Htchville, and a 
 practical education on the farm. In 1864 
 he enlisted in one of the one-hundred day 
 regiments, served the term, and after re- 
 ceiving honorable discharjfe, visited his 
 home. Returnintj to the field, he worked 
 as a laborer in the Telegraphic Depart- 
 ment of the army; was promoted to fore- 
 man, and subsequently served for two 
 years, at seventy-five dollars per month 
 and expenses. Later he was employed by 
 the Western Union Telegraph Company, 
 by whom his talent and energy were recog- 
 nized. Returning to the farm in 1869, he 
 became interested in his father's acricnlt- 
 ural and live-stock business, which he has 
 conducted since that time. On the death 
 of his father he inherited valuable t)rop- 
 erty, a fraction of what he now owns, and 
 today he is the most extensive farmer in 
 Fitchville township, a heavy stock man, 
 president of the Greenwich Banking Com- 
 pany, a director in the N"ew London Na- 
 tional Bank, and a stockholder in other 
 projects. 
 
 On March 27, 1879, Mr. Knapp married 
 Philena Kirkpatrick, a native of Troy 
 township, Ashland Co., Ohio, and daugh- 
 ter of William Kirkpatrick, of that county. 
 By this union there were four children: 
 Pearl Knapp, born June 26. 1881; J. D. 
 Knapp, born March 5, 1883; Harley B. 
 Knapp, born November 23, 1886; W. A. 
 Knapp, born December 6, 1889, died June 
 21, 1892. The motlier of this family was 
 called from earth July 29. 1892. Mr. 
 Knapp is a Republican, taking more than 
 ordinary interest in the party of progress, 
 so 
 
 but is not a politician, his agrietdtural and 
 banking interests detnanding and receiving 
 his close personal attention. Though 
 liberally endowed by his father, he may, 
 in a measure, l)e called the architect of his 
 own fortune; for, since he abandoned the 
 telegraph service, he has given his lands 
 atid other interests his undivided time, 
 labor and study. 
 
 FJRANK HACIIENBERG,contractor 
 and Ijuildei', Bellevue, was born 
 _^ April 27, 1847, in Snyder county, 
 Penn., a son of Samuel atid Ellen 
 (Bilcher) IIrtclien])erg, also natives of 
 Pennsylvania. He is one of a family of 
 eleven children — five sons and six daugh- 
 ters — ten of whom are yet living, the only 
 death being that of the second eldest who 
 passed away at the age of fifty- six years; 
 and only twice has a physician been called 
 upon to render aid to this large family. 
 The parents now reside in Elkhart county, 
 Indiana. 
 
 Frank Hachenberg came to Ohio with 
 liis parents about I860, and one year later 
 moved to Michigan, where he remained 
 five years, thence proceeding to Indiana, 
 where he learned the cai'penter's trade. 
 At the age of twenty-three years be set- 
 tled at Bellevue, Huron county, and 
 worked at his trade by the day for five 
 years. Since 1876 he has given his at- 
 tention to contractintr and building-, and 
 to him must be credited some of the finest 
 residence buildings in Bellevue. In the 
 fall and winter of 1892 he erected four 
 houses here, one of which is the finest in 
 the city. In all this work Mr. Hachen- 
 berg has given direct employment to a 
 number of skilled workmen, and he has 
 satisfied the owners in observing specifica- 
 tions. 
 
 Mr. Hachenberg was marrietl July 4, 
 1872, to Miss Lydia Kreisher, and to this 
 marriage have come six children, namely: 
 William, Carrie, Gertrude, Edith, Bertha 
 and Edwin. Politically he is an ardent 
 
372 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Republican, and a member of the Patriotic 
 Order Sons of America, a Society which 
 rendered much aid to the Republican party 
 in 1892. He is also a member of the 
 I. O. O. F. and of the K. of P., and in re- 
 licrions faith he is a member the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, in all of which he is an 
 active worker. As a carpenter and builder 
 he is well known, not only in Bellevue, 
 but throughout the neighboring country. 
 
 yjICKERY BROS., well-known law- 
 yers of Bellevue, command an ex- 
 tensive practice not only on account 
 of their abilities and personal claims, 
 but also on account of their location, which, 
 at the corners of four counties, Huron, 
 Seneca, Erie and Sandusky, is in the midst 
 of one of the most prosperous agricultural 
 districts in the country. 
 
 "Willis and Jesse Vickery are the song 
 of William and Sarah (Perkins) Vickery, 
 who came to Bellevue from England in 
 1857. Willis Vickery, senior member of 
 the firm, was born in 1857, at Bellevue, 
 received a primary education in the coun- 
 try schools near there, and subsequently 
 studied in the Clyde High School, gradu- 
 ating with first honors in 1880. He then 
 entered Boston University, and later was 
 enrolled a student in the law school of 
 that institution, graduating in the latter 
 course in 1884, receiving the degree of 
 L L. B. In 1885, in partnership with his 
 brother Jesse, he established a law office 
 at Bellevue, where he has since continued 
 in the active practice of his profession. 
 Willis Vickery was married September 23, 
 1884, in Clyde, to Miss Anna L. Snyder, 
 and to this union three children have been 
 born: Lucile, Melville and Howard L. 
 Mr. Vickery is a charter member of Alta 
 Lodge No. 206, Knights of Pythias, Belle- 
 vue; representative in the Grand Lodge of 
 Ohio; a member of the committee on law 
 and supervision pf the Ordef. A Repub- 
 licati in politics, he is a member of the 
 
 Executive Committee of Sandusky county, 
 and is valued highly in the councils of his 
 party. 
 
 Jesse Vickery was born in 1859, in 
 Groton township, Erie county, Ohio. Like 
 his brother, he received his early educa- 
 tion in the local schools, later studied in 
 the Western Reserve Academy, and then 
 entered the University of Michigan, gradu- 
 ating with the law class of '84. Returning 
 to Bellevue, he was admitted to the bar of 
 Ohio, and, in partnership with his brother 
 Willis, established the law firm of Vick- 
 ery Bros, in 1885. On August 7, 1890, 
 he was married to Miss Bettie Haas, and 
 to this marriage has come one child, 
 Gordon H. Politically Mr. Vickery is a 
 Republican, and is a representative of that 
 party on the board of Deputy Election 
 Supervisors of Sandusky county, he having 
 served as Chief Deputy of the board, 
 which position he still occupies. 
 
 Both these brothers are popular in law 
 as well as in social circles, and have built 
 up a lucrative business, their clientage in 
 Huron, Sandusky, Erie and Seneca coun- 
 ties being large and influential. Willis 
 Vickery is attorney for Bellevue city. The 
 young lawyers are men of fine legal at- 
 tainments, physically and mentally strong, 
 and are working steadily onward to take 
 a first place among the legal lights of the 
 State of Ohio. Both are close students, 
 and keep well abreast with the current 
 events and literature of the day. Both 
 have excellent private libraries, being large 
 and well selected. 
 
 THEODORE C. LAYLIN, ranking 
 among the most prominent and in- 
 fluential citizens of Norwalk town- 
 ship, is one of the only two surviv- 
 ing sons of John Laylin (a pioneer 
 of the " Eirelands "), the other being Hon. 
 Lewis C. Laylin. 
 
 Our subject was born in 1841 on the 
 farm in Norwalk township, Huron county, 
 where Mr. A. D. Clapp now resides. He 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 373 
 
 was here reared to luanliood, attending tlie 
 union scliools of Norwalk, at the same 
 time heinor trained to both the theoretical 
 and practical phases of agriculture. At 
 tlie age of twenty-two he was united in 
 marriage with Miss Martha E. Ailing, of 
 Norwalk, a daughter of Prudeii Ailing, a 
 farmer of the same township, and three 
 children have been born to them, to wit: 
 John, city engineer of Norwalk, Ohio, 
 and who, considering his age, has already 
 won for himself quite a reputation; Eliza- 
 beth G., married to Dudley T. French and 
 living in Brownhelm, Ohio; and David T., 
 assisting iiis father on the farm. After 
 marriage Mr. and Mrs. Laylin came to liis 
 present farm, covering one hundred acres 
 of land, the greater part of which is the 
 result of his own industry and enterprise; 
 lie also owns a feed mill wliich is situated 
 on his farm. In addition to his regular 
 vocation as an ao-riculturist he taugrht 
 school in the neio-jiborhood for eight win- 
 ters. Politically he has always been a 
 straight Republican, and tilled the olhce of 
 assessor two years, and township trustee 
 three years. He is the owner of a very 
 tine piece of property, on which there is an 
 artificial lake constructed by his son John 
 as a trial of his engineering skill. 
 
 EV. FEEDERICK RUPERT, 
 
 present pastor of the Immaculate 
 Conception congregation of Belle- 
 vue, was born November 21, 1849, 
 at Massillon, Ohio. He received 
 his elementary education in the parochial 
 and public schools of his native town. 
 In Autumn, 1868, he entered St. Louis 
 College, Louisville, Ohio, wiiere he devoted 
 about live years to the study of Greek and 
 Latin classics, and higher mathematics. In 
 September, 1873, he was appointed to a 
 professorship in Assumption College, On- 
 tario, Canada. This he resigned in Septem- 
 ber, 1876, when he entered St. Mary's 
 Theological Seminary, Cleveland, Ohio, and 
 
 on July 5, 1879, received ordination at the 
 • hands of lit. Rev. Bishop Gilmonr. Since 
 then he has rendered pastoral service in 
 the Cleveland Diocese. His first appoint- 
 ment was Antwerp and mission, which he 
 held till April 1, 1881, when he was trans- 
 ferred to Siielby and mission. In July, 
 1882, he was appointed 'pastor of St. 
 Joseph's congregation, Maumee, Ohio, and 
 in April, 1885, was transferred toBellevue, 
 Ohio, as pastor of Immaculate Conception 
 congregation. 
 
 Tlie history of the congregation may be 
 said to date back to 1833, when Father 
 Francis Xavier Tschenhens, C. P. P. S., 
 visited the Catholic families in the terri- 
 tory of which Bellevue is now the center. 
 Afterward Fatiiers Allig and Mahlebouf, 
 and other raissioners, came among the 
 people, prior to 1844, when the Very Rev. 
 Sales Brunner laid the humble foundations 
 of the great church in Thompson town- 
 ship, Seneca county. From 1844 to 1859 
 the people of Bellevue were compelled to 
 attend some neighboring church. In 1859 
 Rev. J. Ponchell, who was then stationed 
 at Holy Angels Church, Sandusky, was in- 
 structed by the bishop to hold services at 
 Bellevue at stated times. On May 11 of 
 that year, a piint-warehouse and the 
 ground on which it stood were purchased 
 from J. B. Higbee forfive hundred dollars. 
 The house was fitted up for church pur- 
 poses, and answered therefor until 1884, 
 when the new church building was coin- 
 
 o 
 
 pleted. 
 
 In December, 1860, Rev. J. Quinncame 
 to administer the new parish, but remained 
 only two months, and in April, 1861. Rev. 
 James Monahan was appointed the first 
 resident pastor. He purchased, on July 18, 
 1863, forone thousand ami one hundred dol- 
 lars, ahouseand three lots, which he liadiin- 
 proved at once for the purpqseof a pastoral 
 residence. In July, 1866, he was trans- 
 ferred, and in September of that j'ear Rev. 
 T. M. Mahony was appointed pastor. In 
 1867 the school was established, and the 
 
 pa 
 
 rish was in a flourishing condition in 
 
374 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 August, 1871, when Tiev. E. Mears as- 
 sumed charge. On January 20, 1873, 
 Father Mears purchased two lots near the 
 business center for one thousand and eight 
 hundred dollars, and entertained the idea 
 of erecting a new church. His transfer to 
 Crestline, Oiiio. in April, 187-4, delayed 
 the pi-oject, aifd for the ensuing two years 
 Bellevue parish was in charge of Rev. J. 
 D. Bowles, who also attended Clyde, from 
 which he had been transferred. In July, 
 1876, Rev. J. MoUoy was appointed pastor 
 and remained until the arrival of Rev. W. 
 J. Gibbons, who administered the parish 
 until 1880, when, owing to feeble health, 
 he retired and traveled in Europe. Rev. J. 
 T. Cahill taking his place. In November 
 of that year the secretary of the diocese, 
 Rev. George T. Houck, visited the parish 
 occasionally, but Father Cahill continued 
 pastor, and in October, 1881, work on the 
 foundations of the present building was 
 begun under his supervision. 
 
 On his return from Europe Father Gib- 
 bons resumed his pastorate at Bellevue, 
 and on July 9, 1882, the corner stone of 
 the new building was placed. In the fall 
 of 1882 he purchased a lot, west of and ad- 
 joining the lots on which the new structure 
 stands, for six hundred dollars, and thither 
 the pastoral residence was moved. At this 
 time the lots pui-chased by Rev. Mr. Mon- 
 ahan were sold for two thousand dollars, 
 the sum going far to complete the new 
 church. The blessing; of the new church 
 was carried out August 3, 1884, by the 
 Bishop of Cleveland, many priests from 
 this section of Ohio, and a great number 
 of people, being present. The priest, to 
 whose earnest labors the congregation owe 
 this elegant building, died April 1, 1885, 
 and on April 6 his remains were interred 
 at Cleveland. 
 
 Father Rupert assumed charge of the 
 parish April 16, 1885. The school was 
 placed by him in charge of ti)e Sisters of 
 St. Francis, who came from Tiftin, Ohio, 
 and began teaching here September 1, 
 1885. In November of the same year a 
 
 house and lot, opposite the church, were 
 purchased at a cost of eleven hundred 
 dollars, and fitted up as a residence for the 
 sisters. On February 2, 1887, the con- 
 gregation purchased the public-school 
 property, in the rear of the new church, 
 for one thousand, three hundred and 
 tweiity-tive dollars. A further sum of nine 
 hundred dollars was e.xpended in repairing 
 the old school building, and it was ready 
 to receive pupils September 1, 1887. 
 There are three rooms here devoted to 
 classes, and one to music. Within, it 
 shows the neatness which exemplifies the 
 life of the community of teachers; without, 
 the grounds are well ordered. The church 
 and school buildings tell of care and taste, 
 within and without, and the tout ensemble 
 is one of the prettiest in the pretty town 
 of Bellevue. The stone steps, leading from 
 the ground level to portico level, and ex- 
 tending along the whole front of the 
 church, were constructed in October and 
 November, 1887, at a cost of three hun- 
 dred and seventy dollars. This improve- 
 ment, with the lavatory and sacrarium, 
 practically completes the building. The 
 debt of five hundred dollars which was due 
 on all this projierty in 1887 was a nominal 
 one, and is now paid. Even the library of 
 the Reading Society is paid for, the mein- 
 Iters, titty-two in number, taking special 
 care to avoid debt. 
 
 A decade's work was finished in 1890, 
 and on August 27 of that year. Father 
 Rupert retired temporarily, to renew aca- 
 demic days, this time entering the great 
 University at Washington, D. C. During 
 his absence leathers P. W. Schirack, C. P. 
 P. S., and W. J. Smith, of the Order of 
 Fathers of Mercy, attended to parish 
 affairs. On January 20, 1891, Father Ru- 
 pert returned and resumed the duties of 
 pastor. The number of the congregation 
 varies slightly. Dull times at Bellevue, 
 which fortunately are rare, reduce the num- 
 ber, but taking the decade just passed, the 
 increase has been marked indeed. Finan- 
 cially the congregation holds an enviable 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 375 
 
 position. Possessors of a most valuable 
 property, clear of indebtedness, a cash bal- 
 ance of two thousand eight hundred and 
 twenty dollars and seventy-eight cents 
 stood to their credit in the fall of 1892. 
 How much credit for this progress, this 
 pleasant condition of the parish, is due to 
 the respected pastor of the congregation of 
 the Chnrcli of the Immaculate Conception, 
 can be told by the people of Bellevue, and 
 particularly by the members of the con- 
 gregation. 
 
 D 
 
 ANIEL WHEATON. Among the 
 
 leading business men of Norwalk 
 
 none holds higher rank than this 
 
 well-known gentleman, who is a 
 
 son of Robert and Catherine (White) 
 
 Wheaton. 
 
 Robert Wheaton, who was one of four 
 brothers — Philip, William, John and Rob- 
 ert — was born in 1784, in Huntingdon- 
 shire, England, near Cambridge, and was 
 a successful butcher and farmer, keeping 
 four teams constantly at work. He died 
 in 1848, the mother passing away at the 
 age of eighty years. 
 
 Daniel AVheaton was born the second 
 Monday of January, 1814, in Huntingdon, 
 England, the second youngest of his 
 father's fatnily, and is the only one now 
 living. He grew to manhood in his na- 
 tive land, there following the butcher busi- 
 ness as well as agricultural pursuits. He 
 was united in marriage, March 25, 1835, 
 with Miss Ann Mehew, who was born in 
 1816, also in Huntingdon, England. In 
 November, 1851, they came to America, 
 first locating in Monroeville, Ohio, and 
 three months later moving to Norwalk, 
 where they resided for three years. He 
 followed his trade for some time after 
 settling here, tiien purchased a farm, but 
 continued the butcher business until about 
 the year 18G3, when his sons took entire 
 charge. Since then the father has man- 
 aged the farm; formerly he owned ninety- 
 two acres, but now has eighty-eight acres. 
 
 He erected the Wheaton block in the 
 business portion of the city, and owns the 
 Webber block, the Chronicle block (part 
 of which he built) and seven houses in the 
 place, beside.= three brick buildings in the 
 village of Huron. He has taken two 
 thousand and one hundred dollars worth 
 of stock in the Wheeling & Lake Erie 
 Railroad, and was also an original stock- 
 holder in the Norwalk Metal Spinning and 
 Stamping Company; he was the first man 
 to put in plate glass in Norwalk. Mr. 
 , Wheaton is a Democrat in politics, and in 
 religion isatnemberof the Baptist Church, 
 with which his wife was also identified. 
 Mrs. Wheaton died March 16, 1878, and 
 since then the home has been cared for by 
 relatives. The chiklren born to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Wheaton have been as follows: David, 
 born in April, 183G, in Erith, England, 
 died in 1844; Emma A. (Mrs. Watkins), 
 born in May, 1837; Dennis E., born June 
 17, 1838 (a "butcher in Cleveland); Charles 
 H., born February 5, 1840 (also a butcher 
 in Cleveland); Susan A. (wife of Eli 
 Hoyt), born July 17, 1841, died September 
 6, 1889; Hannah L., wife of John Perrin, 
 born January 2, 1844; Robert A., born 
 March 16, 1847, died November 25, 1868; 
 Catherine, wife of W. H. Price, born No- 
 vember 30, 1849; Ada E., born March 5, 
 1853 (died October 14, 1853); and Leon- 
 ard, born January 30, 1856. 
 
 EiDWARI 
 ous, in 
 I New H 
 
 ARD R. SKINNER, a prosper- 
 telligent agriculturist of 
 Haven township, is a native 
 of the same, born July 14, 1844, 
 son of John and Maria (Rubens) Skinner. 
 He was reared to fanning pursuits, and 
 received his education in the common 
 schools of the neighborhood of his place 
 of birth, his first teacher being William 
 Gibbons. He resided at home until his 
 marriage, November 10, 1871, to Ellen J. 
 Woodworth, who was born August 14, 
 1847, in New Haven township, daughter 
 
376 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 of Jonatlian Woodwortli. After their 
 marriage lliey resided for about one year 
 on the home farm, and on April 1, 1873, 
 took up their residence on tlieir present 
 place, where i\\ey have ever since resided. 
 The tract then contained 120^ acres of 
 arahle land, for which Mr. Skinner paid 
 $10,000, going into debt for $9,000, and 
 here he has since given his attention ex- 
 •clusively to farming. He has two chil- 
 dren, Lillian and William J., both of 
 whom are leaders among the young people 
 of the section. In political faith our sub- 
 ject is a lifelong Republican, and has held 
 various townsiiip offices, at present serv- 
 ing as township treasurer. In 1890 he 
 erected one of the finest rural residences 
 in the township, at a cost of $3,000. He 
 is a progressive, well-to-do fanner in every 
 respect, and now owns over 200 acres of 
 excellent land, his farm being one of the 
 best, if not the best, in the township. 
 
 It is to tlie presence of such citizens as 
 our subject that New Haven township and 
 village can attribute their prosperity and 
 peaceful character. Mr. Skinner's prog- 
 ress has been gradual, but decided, and 
 with the help of iiis excellent wife, who 
 has watched incessantly over the house- 
 hold affairs, he has accumulated a com- 
 fortable competence. No family statids 
 higher in the community, and there is not 
 a citizen who is more respected, or a farmer 
 •who more tiioroughly understands his 
 business, than Mr. Skinner. lie has a 
 practical business education, keeps himself 
 well informed, and in all matters exercises 
 good judgment and common sense. 
 
 HELDON J. HAWKINS, a suc- 
 cessful merchant of Townsend town- 
 ship, was born May 18, 1861, in 
 Cuyahoga county, Ohio, and is the 
 eldest of four children born to John W. 
 and Lavanche (Hill man) Hawkins. 
 
 John W. Hawkins was born in 1840, the 
 youngest of thirteen children, and was left 
 an orphan at the age of six years, his 
 
 father having been killed in the Mexican 
 war. Thus early thrown upon liis own 
 resources, the half-orphan lad had no lit- 
 erary advantages, and never attended a 
 term of school. But diligent application 
 overcame these obstacles, and, after the 
 day's work was ended, night after night 
 did he devote to study, thus securing a 
 good education. From early boyhood he 
 was employed in the sawmill and lumber 
 business, which he followed until attaining 
 his majority, since when he has given his 
 time to agricultural pursuits. He served 
 with distinction in one of the Ohio rem- 
 ments during the Rebellion, and fought at 
 Harper's Ferry, also in many other en- 
 gagements. In 1860 he was united in 
 mari'iage with Lavanche, daughter of 
 Samuel and Jane (Johnson) Hillman, the 
 latter of whom is now living with her 
 grandson, Sheldon J. Hawkins. 
 
 Mrs. Hillman is descended from the 
 earliest colonists of Connecticut, and her 
 ancestors took an active part in tlie strug- 
 gle for Independence, many of them serv- 
 ing with distinctioti in the Continental 
 army. Her father, Sheldon Johnson, was 
 a sailor in early life, and, rising rapidly 
 from a lowly position, eventually became 
 captain of his vessel. During the war of 
 1812 he transported supplies from foreign 
 countries to the American army, and, in 
 1814, being captured by one of the British 
 cruisers, vessel and cargo were confiscated. 
 Immediately after the war he and his 
 family removed to northern Ohio, first 
 settling in Erie county, where thej^ en- 
 dured the hardships and dangers insepa- 
 rable from pioneer life. He erected a log 
 hoi:se, and began the task of clearing the 
 farm which was surrounded by Indians, 
 their white neighbors beina few and far 
 between. They had numerous adventnres 
 with bears, panthers and wolves, which 
 roamed through the vast forest, often car- 
 rying oif the stock. Wolves were espe- 
 cially troublesome, and night after night 
 would howl about the pioneer cabins, kill- 
 ing the dogs or driving them into the 
 
HUROI^ COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 377 
 
 house. A few years later the Johnson 
 family removed to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, 
 and again settled in the woods, where the 
 father followed agriculture and droving 
 until his death, which occurred in his 
 eighty-fourth year, in 1866. His younger 
 brother, David, died in 1890, in Erie 
 county, Ohio, at the age of one hundred 
 years. Sheldon, when a young man, was 
 married to Martha Mason, a native of 
 Massachusetts, whose ancestors were En- 
 glish Puritans, and among the first settlers 
 of the old Bay Colony, having taken an 
 active part in the Revolutionary war. 
 Jane, daughter of Sheldon Johnson, was 
 born December 19, 1820, in the old cedar 
 house in Put-In-Bay, Ohio, and came with 
 her parents to Erie county, then to Cuya- 
 hoga. She was married August 3, 1840, 
 to Samuel Hillman, and she had one child, 
 Lavanche (Mrs. John AV. Hawkins). Mrs. 
 Hillman is a firm adherent of Puritan 
 principles, and in early life was a Presby- 
 terian, but recently united with the M. E. 
 Church. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins resided on the 
 farm in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, until the 
 mother's death, which occurred in 1871. 
 She had four children, namely: Sheldon 
 J. (whose name opens this sketch), Agnes, 
 Mildred, and a son who died when four 
 days old. 
 
 Sheldon J. Hawkins attended the sub- 
 scription schools until ten years of age, 
 remaining on the home farm in Cuyahoga 
 county until he was eighteen years old. 
 He then left home with but sixty-three 
 cents in his pocket, and commenced the 
 battle of life for himself. For the first 
 three years he worked by the month dur- 
 ing the summer season, attending school 
 in winter, then became baggage master for 
 the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern 
 Railroad Company, at Collins, Huron Co., 
 Ohio. During this time he had mastered 
 telegraphy, and was first employed as night 
 operator, then as station agent and oper- 
 ator. In 1884 he became a partner in the 
 grain business of Frank Pinney & Co., 
 
 and the following year left the railroad 
 service, engaging in general merchandise 
 in Collins. He is one of the leading 
 merchants of Townsend township, carrying 
 a large, well-selected stock of merchandise, 
 amounting to seven or eight thousand 
 dollars. He also deals very extensively in 
 grain, hay and coal at Collins, besides in 
 six or seven neighboring towns, and ex- 
 tending into three or four counties in 
 northeastern Ohio. On August 27, 1885, 
 Mr. Hawkins was united in marriage with 
 Lizzie A. Love, a native of Huron county, 
 Ohio, and daughter of Andrew and Lucy 
 A. (Hoff) Love, natives of Ohio, of En- 
 glish-German descent. Four children 
 blessed the union of Sheldon J. and Lizzie 
 A. Hawkins, as follows: Cyril, Lucy L., 
 Agnes, and one deceased. 
 
 In 1888 Mr. Hawkins was elected town- 
 ship clerk on the Citizens' ticket, his op- 
 ponent being one of the most popular men 
 in Townsend township. He served two 
 and a half years, and in the spring of 1892 
 was again elected to the same office. Mr. 
 Hawkins is one of the most energetic busi- 
 ness men of the township, and in 1890 
 was candidate for county sheriff on the 
 Prohibition ticket. He is a prominent 
 member of the K. O. T. M., and Mrs. 
 Hawkins is identified with the M. E. de- 
 nomination. 
 
 EiDGAR BARNHART is a son of 
 Steven Barnhart, who was born on 
 I a farm in New York State, and there 
 
 attended the schools of the home 
 neighborhood. In early manhood he was 
 married to Nancy Palmer, and they after- 
 ward located near Toronto, Canada. 
 
 In 1829 he removed to Ohio, and land- 
 ing at Sandusky invested his limited capi- 
 tal in a small wood-covered tract of land on 
 the east branch of the Huron river, in what 
 is now Ridgetield township, Huron county. 
 According to the kindly custom of early 
 pioneers, the neighbors gathered and 
 erected a log cabin for the new arrival. 
 
378 
 
 iiUEoy- COUNTY, onio. 
 
 Here, siirroiiiided liy the beasts of the 
 forest, with neighbors few and far between, 
 the rude little hotiie was erected, and in 
 due time gave place to a inore pretentions 
 structure. He affiliated with the Old-line 
 Whig and Ilepublican parties in politics, 
 and from the time of his first vote never 
 missed an election, except when confined 
 to his bed. In religion he and his wife 
 were members of the Old Free-Will 
 Baptist Church. Their children were as 
 follows: John E., born in Canada, was a 
 member of the Third Michigan Cavalry, 
 and died in Keota, Iowa; Melvin H., 
 born in Ohio, was a member of the One 
 Hundred and Twenty-third Regiment, O. 
 V. I., and died at Winchester, Va. ; Mer- 
 cilla, a native of Ohio, was married to 
 Judson Phelps, and died near Decatur, 
 Mich., and Edgar, whose name opens this 
 sketch. The fatiier died on the Ohio farm 
 April 7, 1886, having been preceded to 
 the grave by his wife in September, 1870. 
 Edgar Bariihart was born June 27, 1837, 
 on the home farm in Ridgefield townsliip, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, wliere he is yet living. 
 He attended the winter schools three 
 months each winter until he was sixteen 
 years of age, and then began active labor 
 on the farm. His youth was passed in 
 assisting in the clearing of the farm, in 
 addition to usual agricultural duties. In 
 1861 he was united in marriage with Mary 
 Ann Gary, who was born in 1835, in the 
 State of New York, and came to Ohio at 
 the age of twenty-two years. To this 
 union three children have been born, viz.: 
 Roily, a farmer of Norwalk township; 
 Mertie, wife of Lewis Hamilton, of Deca- 
 tur, Mich., and Albert, residing in Toledo, 
 Ohio. In 1863 Mr. Earnhart enlisted at 
 Norwalk, Ohio, in Company B, One Hun- 
 dred and Sixty-sixth Regiment, and served 
 as guard in the vicinity of Washington. 
 Being discharged four months later, he 
 returned to the home farm, and has since 
 given his attention to cultivating the sixty 
 acres of fei-tile land contained in the home 
 farm. In political opinion he votes with 
 
 the Republican party, and in religious 
 faith lie is a member of the Baptist Church 
 of Norwalk, his wife being identified with 
 the Methodist denomination. 
 
 AMUEL MILLER, a prominent 
 representative citizen of Richmond 
 township, first saw the light May 17, 
 1839, near Goshen, in Columbiana 
 county, Ohio. 
 
 His father, also named Samuel, was 
 born October 26, 1806, in the State of 
 Pennsylvania, where he was married in 
 Lancaster county, about 1830, to Miss 
 Elizabeth Kirkwood, who was a native of 
 same, born September 5, 1802. In about 
 1835 Samuel Miller came to Ohio, locating 
 in Columbiana county, where he remained 
 until 1849; then removed to Richland 
 county, wliere he resided but a short time, 
 and in 1850 located in the northern part 
 of Richmond township, Huron cgunty. 
 He had always followed farming, and on 
 coming to Richmond township purchased 
 100 acres of land, but four of which were 
 cleared, where he lived in a loo; house. 
 He was obliged to go into debt for one- 
 half of the thousand dollars this land cost 
 him, but he set bravely to work and soon 
 cleared the property. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel 
 Miller had children as follows: Joshua, 
 born January 12, 1831, in Lancaster 
 county, Penn., died October 4, 1843, and 
 was buried in Goshen cemetery, Colum- 
 biana county, Ohio; Hannali, born May 
 5, 1832, in Lancaster county, Penn., now 
 the widow of Seymour N. Sage, lives 
 in Richmond township, Huron county; 
 Thomas, born February 15, 1834, in Lan- 
 caster county, Penn., died in March, 1866. 
 The rest were born in Columbiana county, 
 Ohio, as follows: C'atherine, born May 9, 
 1836, now Mrs. J. W. Sage, of Richmond 
 township; Mary, born January 25, 1838, 
 now Mrs. Daniel Polliiiger, of Richmond 
 township; Elizabeth and Samuel (twins), 
 born May 17, 1839, the former of whom is 
 
UUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 379 
 
 the wife of Otis Sykes, of (Chicago Junc- 
 tion (her first husband was Andrew J. 
 Sykes, a brother of Otis, who was killed in 
 the army); Samuel is the subject of this 
 biographical sketcli; Susannah, born June 
 10, 1841, died September 20, 1811; John, 
 born July 18, 1842, now a farmer of Rich- 
 mond township; and Jacob, born Decem- 
 ber 10, 1845, also a farmer of Tviclimond 
 townsliip. The father of this family was 
 a Republican, but took no interest what- 
 ever in politics. He passed from earth in 
 July, 1875, his wife in January, 1880, 
 and they are buried side by side in the 
 Union Bethel cemetery, in Richmond 
 township. As a citizen lie commanded 
 the respect and esteem of the entire com- 
 munity. During the early days he en- 
 dured many iiardships; of his farm in 
 Richmond township, only a few acres were 
 cleared at the time he purchased it, and 
 before his death he had transformed all of 
 the remainder from the heavy forest to 
 prcductive fields. His family all reside in 
 Richmond township, but a short distance 
 from the old homestead. 
 
 Samuel Miller was reared to farming 
 pursuits; he passed the first ten years of 
 his life in Columbiana county, then came 
 with his parents to Richland county, and 
 one year later to Huron county. He was 
 put to work at an early age, and remained 
 under the parental roof until reacliing his 
 majority, doing chopping and other work 
 in the woods. On December 23, 1863, 
 be enlisted at Plymouth, Ohio, in Com- 
 pany C, One Hundred and Twenty-third 
 Regiment O. V. I., and remained with the 
 command at Martinsburg, W. Va., during 
 the winter of 1803-64. They then took 
 part in the engagements of Xew Market, 
 Winchester, Piedmont, Lynchburg and 
 Berry vi lie, Va., where on September 3, 
 1864, our subject was wounded by a ball; 
 he was first sent to the hospital at Sandy 
 Hook, thence to Frederick, Md., and 
 thence to Gallipolis, Ohio, where he re- 
 mained until the close of the war, when he 
 
 home he 
 
 was discharcred 
 
 Returning 
 
 worked around in various capacities, and. 
 traveled over the West throngh lovva and 
 Missouri, but not liking the country lie 
 came home. 
 
 On February 23, 1871, Mr. Miller was 
 united in maeriage with Miss Aurilla 
 Sykes, who was born November 1, 1844, 
 in Richmond townsliip, daughter of Daniel 
 Sykes. To this union have come four 
 children: Walter, Belle, William and 
 Bertha. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
 Miller settled on their present farm, and 
 here, with the exception of one year, tliey 
 have ever since resided. In his political 
 afhliations Mr. Miller is a Republican, and 
 is actively interested in the welfare of his 
 party. Mrs. Miller is a most kind-hearted, 
 generous lady, and is highly esteemed in 
 tlie community in which she resides. 
 
 JfOHN H. CRAWFORD is a native 
 of Cass township, Richland Co., 
 I Ohio, born January 8, 1840, fourtii 
 child of David and Margaret (Millei) 
 Crawford. 
 
 John Crawford, father of David, was 
 born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and when 
 eight years of age came with his parents 
 to a pioneer farm in Franklin county, Penn. 
 On arriving at maturity John Crawford 
 was married to Mary Eckels, and in 1830 
 they came to a farm in Richland county, 
 Ohio. He, voted with the Democratic 
 party, and in religion was an earnest mem- 
 ber of the Presbyterian Church. He died 
 in 1800, at the age of eighty-nine years, 
 followed by his wife in 1870. 
 
 David Crawford was born December 4, 
 1805, on the home place in Franklin 
 county, Penn., where he was educated, 
 learning and following the slioemaker's 
 trade, and in 1830 came to Richland 
 county, Ohio. In the same year he selected 
 a life companion in the person of Mar- 
 garet Miller, a native of Maryland, and in 
 1848 they settled in Ripley townsliip, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, where he conducted a 
 
380 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 grist and saw mill. In 1863 he settled in 
 Pern township, Huron county, and devoted 
 his later years to carpentering. Politically, 
 he athliated with the Democratic party, and 
 he was a llniversalist in religious belief. 
 He died in 1884, followed by his wife in 
 1885, when in her seventy-fourth year. 
 They were the parents of ten children — 
 four sons and six daughters — of whom the 
 sons and two daughters are yet living. 
 
 John H. Crawford received a common - 
 school education, and learned the shoe- 
 maker's trade. On July 28, 1862, he en- 
 listed in Company D, One Hundred and 
 First Regiment, O. V. I., which was as- 
 signed to the army of the Cumberland. 
 He went with them through Kentucky, 
 Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, and took 
 part in the engagements at Perryville, 
 Stone River, Chickamauga, besides several 
 minor engagements. At the battle of 
 Chickamauga (September 20, 1863), he was 
 wounded and captured, being first taken 
 to Belle Isle, then to Danville, and from 
 there to Andersotiville, where he was con- 
 fined six months and ten davs, enduring 
 untold hardships. From there he was 
 taken to Charleston, then to Florence, 
 thence to Goldsboro, and finally to Wil- 
 mington. He was tiiere paroled, and going 
 to Annapolis, Md., was finally exchanged 
 at Columbus, Ohio, February 26, 1865, 
 after having been a prisoner for eighteen 
 months. He was discharged at Columbus, 
 Ohio, June 9, 1865, and returning to Peru 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, resumed his 
 trade. On July 3, 1867, he was united in 
 marriage with Frances M. Nye, and they 
 had six children, namely: Cora L., Anice 
 M., Alice M. (deceased in infancy), Arthur 
 A., Verna (deceased in infancy), and Clair 
 M. In 1880 Mr. Crawford took charge 
 of his father-in-law's farm (consisting of 
 sixty acres in Bronson township) which he 
 now owns and occupies. Politically he 
 has always voted with the Republican 
 party, and he served seven years as con- 
 stable of Pern township. He has also held 
 a similar position in Bronson township for 
 
 five years, and has served eight years as 
 township assessor. He is a member of the 
 Llniversalist Church; a member of Huron 
 Lodge No. 37, I. O. O. F., and a Past 
 Grand, and at the present time is Sen. 
 Vice Commander of James Mann Post G. 
 A. R., Department of Ohio; also Secretary 
 of Peru Grange, P. of H. 
 
 /^ 
 
 HOMER C. CLARY. Prominently 
 identified witii the leading agricul- 
 turists of Ridgefield township is 
 this well-known gentleman. His 
 early ancestors were natives of New 
 York ^nd New England. 
 
 In the winter of 1817 Isaac and Preox- 
 cintha Clary began the perilous journey 
 from New York to Huron county, Ohio. 
 Ice covered the lakes over which they 
 passed, and finally they landed in the 
 midst of an unbroken forest, where Huron, 
 Erie county, now stands. Our travelers, 
 however, pushed farther south, making a 
 permanent location on a part of the large 
 tract now owned by their descendants. The 
 ring of the pioneer axe was soon heard in 
 the wilderness, and one by one the mighty 
 monarchs of the forest, which had for 
 centuries withstood the fury of the ele- 
 ments, yielded to their conquerors. In 
 1818 Preoxci-ntha Clary was laid to rest in 
 the Monroeville cemetery, having been the 
 first of many whose remains are there in- 
 terred. In 1822 Isaac Clary was buried 
 beside his wife, leaving the following chil- 
 dren to perpetuate his memory: Aurelius, 
 two daughters (Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. 
 Ward), and Daniel, whose sketch follows. 
 
 Daniel Clary was born in 1799, near 
 Watertown, N. Y., and there received a 
 subscription-school education. He then 
 learned the gunsmith business, soon after- 
 ward accompanying his parents to Huron 
 county, Ohio. He was a very energetic, 
 industrious young man, and after the death 
 of his father (who left no property) made 
 a bargain for 100 acres of land owned by 
 Maj. David Underhill, who was then the 
 
HURON^ COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 381 
 
 agent for the " Firelands." This tract was 
 to be paid for in work, and during the fol- 
 lowing three years he lost but three days 
 time, thus securing the property and 
 obtaining a start in life. On February 28, 
 1825, he was married to Miss Mary Wilcox, 
 who was born in August, 1809, in New 
 York, and at the age of fifteen came with 
 her parents to Ohio, where she afterward 
 taugiit school in Crawford county. After 
 his marriage, Mr. Clary continued to fol- 
 low agriculture, adding to his possession 
 year by year, and tinally becoming one of 
 the most prosperous citizens of the com- 
 munity. In politics he was an Old-line 
 Whig, afterward uniting with the Repub- 
 lican party. He died April 29, 1863, fol- 
 lowed by his widow in 1882. She was a 
 member of the Baptist Church. They were 
 the parents of two sons, viz.: Homer C, 
 whose name opens this sketch, and George 
 W., who married Sarah Patterson, and 
 died at the age of forty-seven years. 
 
 Homer C. Clary was born December 25, 
 1825, on the home farm in Ridaelield 
 township, Huron county, where he is yet 
 living. He attended school in District 
 No. 1, Ridgefield township, and assisted 
 his father with the duties of the farm. 
 On October 17, 1850, he married Laura 
 Humphreys, who was born in 1830 in 
 Connecticut. When a girl she came to 
 Huron county, Ohio, with her parents, 
 Decins and Laura (Adams) Humjihreys, 
 who were relatives of Col. Humphreys, 
 Gen. Washington's private secretary. The 
 representatives of this family have borne 
 national reputations as expert homeo- 
 pathic physicians and surgeons of New 
 York City. Mr. and Mrs. Clary have 
 always resided on the farm which they 
 now occupy, and where children were born 
 to them as follows: George (deceased at 
 the age of twelve years), Ellen (Mrs. Fish- 
 er), Atherton (in Buffalo, N. Y.), David 
 geceased at the age of twenty-seven), 
 aniel (a farmer of Ridgefield township), 
 Edward D. (secretary and superintendent 
 of the Burlington (Iowa) Gas Compatiy) 
 
 and Frank (a lawyer of Toledo, Ohio). 
 Mr. Clary has inherited the progressive 
 traits of character so prominent in the life 
 of his father, and now owns over 300 acres 
 of the tinest, most productive land to be 
 found in Huron county, every acre of the 
 property being tillable. A handsome brick 
 residence, surrounded by numerous shade 
 trees, stands amid the fertile fields, thus 
 completing one of the most pleasant home 
 scenes of Ridgefield township. In poli- 
 tics Mr. Clary has been a Republican 
 since the organization of that party, and 
 has filled various township offices with 
 credit to himself and the satisfaction of 
 his constituents. In addition to his agri- 
 cultural interests, he is a director of .the 
 Monroeville National Bank, and was one 
 of the prime movers in establishing the 
 Monroeville Woolen Mills, which, how- 
 ever, were in operation but a few years. 
 
 EiDAVARD GEYER, a well-known 
 prominent farmer citizen and 
 I wealthy landowner of Sherman 
 
 township, was ijorn in Saxony, 
 Germany (on the Austrian frontier), in 
 1884. 
 
 He is a son of Christian and Eva Geycr, 
 who, in 1840, came to America, brincjins 
 the family, and settled in Sherman town- 
 ship, Huron county. Christian was by 
 trade a tanner, and operated a tannery in 
 Sherman township many years, in his lat(;r 
 days following farming as well. He died 
 in 1872 at the age of seventy-six years, a 
 healthy, strong man up to within a short 
 time of his death. His wife died in 1869, 
 aged sixty-six years. They were the par- 
 ents of ten children, Edward being tiftli in 
 the order of birth. 
 
 The subject of these lines was, as wiU 
 be seen, seven years old when brought to 
 this country. He received but a meager 
 English school education, as in early boy- 
 hood he was put to work in his father's 
 tan-yard, where he remained till he was 
 
382 
 
 IlUJiOX COUXTY, OHIO. 
 
 fourteen years old, at which time he went 
 on the farm. After his marriage he com- 
 nieiiced agricultural pursuits for his own 
 account, in a small way, from which lim- 
 ited commencement he has, by good busi- 
 ness sajjacity and indomitable perseverance, 
 amassed a fortune. He is now the owner 
 of 500 acres of land, and one of the finest 
 residences in Huron county, if not the 
 finest, being quite palatial in its design 
 and equipment. The house is of modern 
 style of architecture, built of pressed brick, 
 and fitted up to be heated with steam and 
 lighted with gas. The outbuildings — barns, 
 etc. — are in keeping, being comf(jrtable and 
 commodious. He has devoted his attention 
 to all kinds of farming, including cereals, 
 root crops and stock. 
 
 In 1859 Mr. Geyer married Miss Eliza 
 Sowerine, by whom he has an interesting 
 family of ten robust cliildren, namely: 
 Theodore, Louis, Edward, Louisa (married 
 to a Mr. Miller, and has one child, Levi), 
 Jennie, Emma, Cora, Alice, Lawrence and 
 Rosa. It may be here stated that so 
 healthy is the entire family that Mr. Geyer 
 has never had to pay a doctor's bill for 
 either himself, wife or children. Our sub- 
 ject is a public-spirited Republican, and, 
 though not a member of Church, con- 
 tributes liberally of his means to both 
 churches and schools, as well as to all 
 charitable institutions. During the war of 
 the Rebellion his duties to his parents, 
 who needed his filial care and help, pre- 
 vented him joiniug the Union army, and 
 thus he was couipelled to pay heavy 
 amounts for substitutes, although under 
 other circumstances he would rather have 
 shouldered his rifle and gone to the front. 
 
 I OHN McLANE, son of Robert and 
 k. I Margaret (Arthur) McLane, was born 
 ^J) in Ireland, before the emigration of 
 his parents to America. 
 
 Robert McLane was born in 1799 in 
 County Tyrone, Ireland, and, like boys of 
 that time and place, passed his youth al- 
 
 ternately at school and in farm work. His 
 father was a farmer of that section, and 
 the McLanes were known there for gen- 
 erations. About the year 1824 he married 
 Margaret Arthur, also a native of County 
 Tyrone, where she was born in 1799. In 
 1831 they set out on the journey to Amer- 
 ica with tiiree children, James, John and 
 William. The father worked in New York 
 State for some time, and they then set out 
 for Ohio, landing at Sandusky after a 
 long, tedious and dangerous journey, and 
 immediately proceeding south to Green- 
 field township, Huron county, arrived at 
 the home of John Arthur. Robert McLane 
 selected a tract of land in the wilderness 
 west of Steuben, which he purchased at 
 ten shillings per acre, and there built his 
 cabin, where he dwelt until his death in 
 1890. His wife died in 1S65, and both 
 are buried in the Steuben cemetery. The 
 only child born to them in Greenfield 
 township was Thomas, a farmer of that 
 township, who now resides on the home 
 place. The father was a lifelong farmer, 
 who succeeded in accumulating quite an 
 amount of property by the unceasing 
 labor of his brain and hands. Democratic 
 in politics and Congregational in religion, 
 he gave to each complete and loyal sup- 
 port. 
 
 John McLane was educated in the pio- 
 neer schools of Greenfield township, giv- 
 ing the three winter months to study and 
 the balance of the year to farm work. In 
 1856 he married Sarah A. Easter, daugh- 
 ter of Archibald Easter, who came from 
 Ireland and settled in Greenfield town- 
 ship, where Sarah A. was born. To this 
 union were born two children: Stanley E., 
 a farmer in Greenfield township, and 
 Irwin, who died December 31, 1880, at 
 the age of sixteen years. Immediately af- 
 ter marriage Mr. and Mrs. McLane lo- 
 cated on the farm where they resided un- 
 til 1887, and which Mr. McLane still 
 owns. In the last mentioned year the 
 family moved to Steuben village, and he 
 retired from active agricultural life; his 
 
HURON COUNTY, OUIO. 
 
 383 
 
 beautiful farm of 200 acres is, however, 
 still managed by him and his son. Since 
 the formation of the Kepnhlicaii party Mr. 
 McLaiie has voted for its candidates, prior 
 to which time he was a Free-soil Democrat, 
 and, before the agrarian question was 
 raised, a Democrat of the old school. For 
 several years he served his township as 
 trustee, and has been treasurer for eight 
 years. Mr. and Mrs. McLane are ranked 
 among the most popular and respected 
 citizens of the county. 
 
 born 
 ton. 
 
 W. BOISE, a descendant of the 
 DuBoies of France who, after the 
 conspiracy of Amboise in 1560, had 
 to fly from their native land, was 
 December 13, 1831, at Worthing- 
 Massachusetts. 
 The member or members of the family 
 ■who belonged to the Eidgenossen or Hu- 
 guenots fled, it is thought, before the edict 
 of January, 1562, was proclaimed, leaving 
 behind the Reformes,and taking with them 
 the name "Huguenots." Finding shelter 
 in Scotland, and afterward in Ireland, 
 many thousand of the refugees settled in 
 the latter country, and descendants of them 
 may be found in that island to-day. Al- 
 most a century and a half after the Am- 
 boise affair the children of the refugee Du- 
 Boies emigrated from Ireland and found a 
 New World home at Blandford, Mass. 
 In a border country, as Blandford then was, 
 there was little veneration or respect for 
 patronymics, and the prefix of the name 
 fell into disuse. In tiniethe name proper 
 was changed from Boies to Boise, the 
 father of our subject being tiie first to 
 spell it thus. 
 
 The American ancestor of the family 
 was David Boies, who died at Blandford, 
 Mass., December 15, 1752. He was ruling 
 elder in the church there for some years 
 prior to his death, perhaps from 1738 to 
 1752. Amontr the documents now in 
 possession of S. W. Boise, is one dated 
 April 18, 1738, which is nothing less than 
 
 a declaration of principles, a covenant made 
 between himself and (rod. A copy of the 
 old document is given as follows: 
 
 Eternal Jehova, I desire to come unto Thee, a 
 poor, wretched sinner, a miserable creature, who 
 am full of sin and iniquity. Defiled in all powers 
 and faculties of both soul and body by reason of 
 original sin and actual transgressions, and am 
 justly liable unto Thy wrath and displeasure, not 
 only in this world but in the world which is to come. 
 And that I can by no powers of mine own, no 
 created being, either angels or men, can help me 
 out of this misTable condition in which I am, and 
 seeing Thou hast made known to me in Thy 
 Blessed Word, that there is a way jirovided for the 
 relief and recovery of poor sinners in and through 
 Jesus Christ, and hath been pleased to condescend 
 so low as lo make known to me the way how to ob- 
 tain pardon of ray sins and be again restored unto 
 God's favor; and the way is, if ever I expect to ob- 
 tain pardon, in and through the Blessed Redeemer, 
 Jesus Christ. I must be denied to myself and all 
 mine own richeousness and to Accept of Thine as 
 He is freely offered in the Gospel and to be for 
 Thee and never for another, and to follow Tliee 
 through good report and bad report and lo Continue 
 faithful unto my life's end. And now, O Lord, the 
 Eternal God, the Wonderful, Condescending and 
 Merciful God the heart-searching and "re in- 
 trieng" God, who has been pleased of Thy boi>nd- 
 less and infinite mercy to provide such way of 
 relief through Jesus Christ, the nnly Savior and 
 Redeemer of poor lost and undone sinners, and hast 
 made proclamation of theGosple, that whomsoever 
 Cometh to Thee, in and through Him, thou wilt in 
 no ways cast out, and hast invited the weary and 
 heavy laden sinner to come unto Thee and they 
 shall find, out with their souls and seeing, O Lord 
 God, thou hast been pleased to invite such a poor 
 wretched sinner as I am, to come and enter into 
 covenant with Thee, who deserveth rather to be 
 cast into hell for my sins. Thou to have such a kind 
 ofTer made unto me; yet O Lord God, seeing Thou 
 art pleased of Thy Infinite mercy to condescend so 
 low as to invite me to come and enter into Coven- 
 ant with Thee, which would have indeed been un- 
 pardonable presumption in me to have attempted 
 to do, were it not that Thou hast invited me to 
 come, 1 do heartily embrace the offer. Lord God, 
 let it be a bargain. Lord. I believe, help my un- 
 belief. Lord I give myself to Tliee to be for Thee, 
 and to serve Thee for ever. Lord let Thy grace 
 be sufficient for me; and now, O Lord, my request 
 and my petition is to Thee for grace to help me per- 
 form this Covenant aright, and, O Lord God, let 
 not ray failing raake this void this covenant. Now, 
 O Lord, what I have now done on earth, let it be 
 ratified in heaven. Amen, and Amen. 
 
 The son of Elder David Boies was born 
 at Blandford. Mass.; at an early day he 
 moved to the Western Reserve, and died 
 in Lorain county, Ohio, at an advanced 
 age. He spelled his name Boies. 
 
384 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Otis Boise, a son of this old settler of 
 Lorain county, was born in 1804 at Bland- 
 ford, Mass., and died at Cleveland, Ohio, 
 in 1874. When a young man lie graduated 
 in medicine at Pittsfield, Mass., and in 
 1825 entered on the practice of his profes- 
 sion there. Shortly afterward he was 
 united in marriage with Elvira Clark, and 
 in the spring of 1833 the family moved to 
 Twinsburgh, Summit Co., Ohio, where, and 
 also at Hudson, same county. Dr. Boise 
 conducted a mercantile b\isiness from the 
 time of his arrival until 1842. In the 
 latter year he moved to Bellevue, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, where he commenced the prac- 
 tice of his profession, proving himself a 
 skillful physician and surgeon, and he be- 
 came wealthy and influential. The Clark 
 family, into which he married, are of Eng- 
 lish ancestry. 
 
 S. W. Boise came with his parents to 
 Ohio in the spring of 1833, and received a 
 common-school education at Twinsburgh, 
 Summit county, subsequently removing 
 with the family to Bellevue, Huron county. 
 On October 8, 1856, he was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Celestia E. Gould, who 
 was educated at Oberlin College, and be- 
 came the assistant principal of the first 
 graded school in Bellevue, a position she 
 held up to the time of her marriage. This 
 union has been blessed with three children, 
 a brief record of whom is as follows: (1) 
 Watson E., who graduated from Oberlin 
 College, is now a farmer of Bdlevyria, N. 
 D.; he has four children: David, Charles, 
 Howard and Otis. (2) Ciiarles G. is also 
 a farmer in North Dakota; he is married 
 and has one child, Kate. (3) Jnlia E. is 
 married to Dr. H. M. Hoyt, and resides in 
 Bellevue, Ohio. Mrs. Celestia E. Boise, 
 though a grandmother, does not appear to 
 be past middle age. Her home tells of 
 care and refinement, and she herself is 
 like the home, contented, happy and well 
 preserved. 
 
 Mr. Boise followed farming in Lyme 
 township for many years with marked suc- 
 cess. He was recognized as a systematic 
 
 agriculturist and a most fortunate man of 
 business. Since his retirement, ten years 
 ago, from the active life of a farmer, he has 
 built a beautiful home in one of the finest 
 residence locations in Bellevue, and devotes 
 his time to the sale of his extensive prop- 
 erty and the investment of his capital. 
 Having taken a full part in the develop- 
 ment of this section of Huron county, he 
 now takes an important place in the finan- 
 cial circles of Bellevue. A man of iron 
 constitution, his appearance does not de- 
 note his age; for one who did not know 
 the fact would never suspect that he had 
 passed his threescore years. A Republi- 
 can in politics, and a Congregationalist in 
 religion, he takes a share in aiding all 
 measures which promise to benefit the 
 community. 
 
 JACOB JETTEPt, retired farmer and 
 tanner, residing in Weaver's Corners, 
 was born in Wittenberg, Germany, in 
 1818. In his native land he was a 
 tanner by trade, which he followed for 
 many years in this country, whither he 
 had come in 1848. 
 
 Landing in Philadelphia, he M'orked 
 there seven years, then one year in the 
 country, after which he came to Ohio, 
 settling in Sherman township, Huron 
 county. Here he bought a tannery, which 
 he enlarged and otherwise improved, 
 operating the same some thirty-one years, 
 at the end of which time he turned it over 
 to his son. He also bought land in Seneca 
 county, which he has owned nineteen 
 years, and twelve years ago he bought the 
 farm in Sherman township, Huron county. 
 Mr. Jetter did an extensive business in his 
 tannery industry, finding a ready market 
 for his product — consisting inaitdy of calf, 
 kip and harness leather — in Cleveland, 
 Sandusky, etc., besides local trade. 
 
 In 1851 Mr. Jetter married, in Phila- 
 delphia, Penn., Miss Anna Bauman, a na- 
 tive of Switzerland, who came to the 
 United States in 1848, and children were 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 385 
 
 born to them, of whom the following is a 
 brief record: Katie is the wife of Phil 
 Heyman, and has seven children — four 
 sons and three daugliters — namely: Phillip, 
 Edward, Arthur, Walter, Stella, Neta and 
 Annie; Annie is married to II. C Jacobi, 
 and has five children: William, Henry, 
 Charles, Albert and Clara; Lena was mar- 
 ried, and died at the age of twenty-two 
 years; Lizzie is married toThonias Heyman, 
 and has one child, Howard ; Charley is now 
 owner of the tannery; Emma is the wife of 
 Adolph Lieber, and has one child, Clarence; 
 Emma died in the fall of 1893, aged twenty- 
 six years. Mr. Jetter in his political sym- 
 pathies was first a Democrat, then a Re- 
 publican, voting twice for Lincoln, and 
 since the Civil war again a Democrat. He 
 is a member of the Lutheran Church. He 
 has four brothers and two sisters, of whom 
 three brothers reside in Philadelphia and 
 one in Germany; the two sisters reside 
 in Germany. 
 
 NDREW WILHELM, one of the 
 prominent farmers of Peru town- 
 ship, is a son of Christopher Wil- 
 helm, a native of Bavaria, who was 
 born in that Kingdom in 1814. 
 When a young man he came to the United 
 States, and worked at the shoemaker's 
 trade in Bnffalo, N. Y., for some time, 
 but subsequently settled in Peru town- 
 ship, Huron Co., Ohio. 
 
 On coming to America he learned the 
 value of a trade. Being a complete 
 stranger in a new and strange land, his 
 own hands and mind were his only friends. 
 At Butfalo he had to labor late and early 
 for very small pay, and even then his task- 
 masters did not seem satisfied with the 
 volume of work produced by the young 
 Bavarian. Out of his small earnings, 
 however, he saved enongh to venture far- 
 ther west, and fortutie led him to Peru 
 township, Huron county, where he resided 
 until his deatii. Here he worked at his 
 trade for some years, until he had saved 
 
 enough money to purchase a farm. Then 
 buying a part of the " Redenberg Tract," 
 of the" Firelands," he began its improve- 
 ment, and resided thereon until Centen- 
 nial Year (187G), when he retired and took 
 up his residence at Monroeville, where he 
 died October 6, 1881. Mr. Wilhelm was 
 thrice married: first time to Arazula 
 Kraback, liy which union there were tiiree 
 children: One son — Frank, who died in 
 1864 during the Civil war in which he 
 served as post-quartermaster; — and two 
 daughters — Margaret and M;iry Ann, the 
 former of whom died in 1876. The sec- 
 ond wife was Catherine Hiss, a native of 
 Baden, Germany, who bore him three 
 children: John, who died when aged 
 twenty-nine years; Caroline, widow of 
 Andrew Duffnerr, of Monroeville, and 
 Andrew, our subject. The mother of 
 these died in 1852, and was buried in Peru 
 cemetery; she was a member of the Cath- 
 olic Church. For his third wife Mr. Wil- 
 helm married Agatha Dufl'ner, and twu 
 children were born to them, \dz.: Eliza- 
 beth, who died in 1878, and Fred. Chris- 
 topher Wilhelm was a natural scholar. He 
 was educated at the schools of Bavaria, and 
 after settling here was an omnivorous reader 
 of history, current literature and news- 
 papers. A Democrat in politics and a 
 leader in his district, he never tried to 
 condone the local or national errors of his 
 jjarty, and thus he became known as a man 
 who estimated fair play above price. He 
 was trusted and respected, being several 
 times elected to township offices. He was 
 a consistent Catholic, a man wlio, if he 
 could not accomplish good, would not 
 descend to do harm. 
 
 Andrew Wilheltn was born September 
 14, 1860, on the homestead farm. He 
 received a rudimentary education in the 
 school of his district in Peru townsliip, 
 and completed a commei'cial course in the 
 Dayton Business College. On October 6, 
 1876, he married Rosa Bower, a native of 
 Bronson township, and a daughter of Peter 
 Bower. To this marriage seven ciiildren 
 
386 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 were born: Alfred P., Charles A. (de- 
 ceased), Frederick A., Mary Frances A., 
 Edward C, Conny C, and Florentine J. 
 The same year in which Andrew was mar- 
 ried, the father removed to Monroeville, 
 and Andrew took charse of the farm. Po- 
 litically he is a Democrat, and one of the 
 advisers of the party in this district. He 
 held various township offices, and is con- 
 sidered a man of sound judgment, honor 
 and principle. Religiously, he is a Catho- 
 lic; as a business man he devotes all his 
 attention to agriculture and stock growing, 
 and takes a place among the practical, 
 successful farmers of northern Ohio. 
 
 L 
 
 EWIS CONGER, one of the leading 
 agriculturists of Greentield town- 
 ship, is an example of what in- 
 telligence and industry may ac- 
 complish. 
 
 Elijah Conger, father of Lewis Conger, 
 was born October 16, 1786, at Newark, N. 
 J., and when a youth learned the carpen- 
 ter's trade in New York City. Subse- 
 (juently he moved to Tompkins county, 
 N. Y., and in partnership with his father- 
 in-law, Thomas Ludlow, built a mill at 
 Ludlow vi lie, where he also established a 
 store. On October 24, 1809, he was mar- 
 ried to Hannah Ludlow, daughter of the 
 founder of Ludlowville, where she was born 
 September 19, 1791. The children born to 
 this marriage in New York State were as 
 follows: Lorenzo, born July 29, 1810, died 
 in Greenfield township; Maria, born July 
 6, 1812, married Samuel Boalt in New 
 York, came to Ohio, and died in Peru 
 township, Huron county; Delia, born 
 January 25, 1815, married Harry Chase, 
 and also died in Peru township; Clarissa, 
 born June 5, 1817, now the widow of 
 Samuel Atherton; Charles, born Jaijuary 
 6, 1820, died in Milan, Ohio; Cornelia, 
 born Ji;ne 10, 1822, deceased; Lewis (the 
 subject of this sketch), born September S, 
 1824; Elijah, Jr., born September 23, 
 
 1827, died at Milan, Ohio; Julia, born 
 March 31, 1880, deceased, and Henrietta, 
 born March 7, 1832, also deceased. The 
 father of this family carried on a farm, a 
 mill and a store in Tompkins county, N. 
 Y., up to 1833, when he determined to 
 seek a home in Ohio. He traveled by the 
 Erie Canal and Lake to Huron, Ohio, 
 and thence proceeded to Milan, where 
 he engaged in mercantile business. 
 Later he started a branch store at 
 Macksville, in Peru township, and in 
 about 1836 sold his interests at Milan 
 and tof)k up his residence at Macksville. 
 In 1840 he erected a mill in Greenfield 
 township, sold the Macksville store, and 
 for ten years devoted his attention to the 
 milling industry. In 1850 he sold the 
 mill and lands iti Greenfield township, and 
 returned to Milan, where he led a retired 
 life until his death, April 18, 1851. His 
 widow died October 18, 1884, at the age 
 of ninety-three years, and was interred at 
 Milan by the side of her husband. The 
 life of Elijah Conger, both in New York 
 and Ohio, was one of enterprise and 
 activity, and his name is associated with 
 the development of trade and industry in 
 Tompkins county, N. Y., and in Erie and 
 Huron counties, Ohio. 
 
 Lewis Conger was born September 8, 
 1824, at Ludlowville, N. Y., received the 
 rudiments of an education there, and in 
 1833 accompanied his parents to Milan, 
 Ohio. From boyhood until 1850 he as- 
 sisted his father in mill and store, and to 
 him must be credited some of the success 
 which waited on their enterprise; for to 
 young Lewis was often left the direction 
 of the store and mill. In fact, for a long 
 time prior to 1850 the management of the 
 business devolved upon him. On February 
 10, 1853, he married Isabel Lowther, who 
 was born in Greenfield township, June 25, 
 1831, a daughter of E. H. Lowtbei', and to 
 this union came the following tiamed chil- 
 dren: Edward L., born June 20, 1854, a 
 farmer of Greenfield township; Halsey, 
 born April 18, 1856, died September 27, 
 
:& 
 
 c^ci-UM-cJ ^o 
 
 ^-^ 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 389 
 
 1856; Julia L., born January 8,1858, now 
 Mrs. Charles Palmer, of Canton, Ohio, and 
 Lewis L., born March 28, 1S69, a teaclier in 
 the Deaf and Diunb Asylnin at Columbus, 
 Oliio. In the year of his marriage Mr. 
 Conger purchased a farm in Greeniield 
 township, where he resided until 1868, 
 when he ijurchased his present farm. In 
 1870 he bought another tract, now con- 
 ducting two farms, and by careful man- 
 agement lie has succeeded in building up 
 a very valuable property in real estate and 
 live stock. In politics he was a Democrat 
 until the Prohibition party was organized. 
 In religion he and his wife are members 
 of the Concrrecrational Church at Fairfield. 
 As a citizen he encourages all enterprises 
 which promise social, commercial or in- 
 dustrial benetits to the county. 
 
 Daniel 
 
 MRS. MARY ANN BISHOP was 
 born January 11, 1818, in Lor- 
 ain county, Cihio, and is the only 
 living representative of her father's 
 family. She is a daughter of 
 and Laura (Williams) Cadwell, 
 natives of Pittsfield, Mass., who became 
 pioneer settlers of Lorain county, Ohio. 
 On November 30, 1837, Mary Ann Cad- 
 well gave her band in marriage to William 
 A. Bishop, a son of Joseph and Mary 
 (WykofF) Bishop, the latter of whom was 
 descended from Holland ancestry, Joseph 
 Bishop was a representative of an old 
 English family, and died when his son was 
 a small child, his widow surviving him 
 tifty-eight years. 
 
 William A. Bishop was born March 3, 
 1806, in New Jersey, where his parents 
 were then living. He attended the district 
 schools, and in 1832 began teaching in 
 Northampton county, Penn., coming to 
 Huron county, Ohio, in 183-t. On April 
 4, that year, he married Miss Magdalene 
 Elinger, who bore him two sons: Jo.seph, 
 born January 26, 1835, deceased in infancy, 
 and William H., born June 19, 1836, now 
 
 SI 
 
 residing in Norwalk. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop 
 came to Ohio in the year of their marriage, 
 journeying in the old-fashioned emigrant 
 style, cooking their meals by the roadside 
 and camping out at nightfall. Tliej first 
 located on the West Branch of the Huron 
 River, in Ridguheld township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, on what was known as the "Page 
 farm." Mrs. Bishop died on this place 
 April 5, 1837. Mr. Bishop was afterward 
 married to Mary Ann Cadwell, who bore 
 him the'following named children: Laura 
 Ann (deceased), born January 18, 1839: 
 Eliza, born August 25, 1842, deceased at 
 the age of three years; Charles D., born 
 January 4, 1846, now living in Norwalk, 
 Ohio; Lina, born April 15, 1849, wife of 
 Charles Drake, of Ridgefield township; 
 Mary E., born January 2, 1854, deceased 
 at the age of three years, and Martha E., 
 born June 1, 1857, living with her widowed 
 mother. In 1849 they moved to the 
 "Palmer farm," situated on the east bank 
 of the Huron river. The home farm con- 
 tains nearly 170 acres of most productive 
 land, equipped with a comfortable dwelling 
 and commodious outbuildings. This was 
 the home of Mr. Bishop for over thirty- 
 two years, and during the latter part of 
 that time he lived retired from active busi- 
 ness. In politics he voted first with the 
 Whig party, afterward \vitli the Repub- 
 lican, and served in various local offices. 
 Though not a church member, lie gave 
 liberally to the support of the good work. 
 He died January 20, 1881, and his widow 
 has continued to reside on the home place, 
 surrounded by many friends. 
 
 W. HEDRICK, M. D., one of the 
 ablest and most popular young phy- 
 sicians of Huron county, is a native 
 of Licking county, Ohio, born Sep- 
 tember 23, 1853, a son of George and 
 Julia (Speer) Iledrick, natives of New 
 Jersey, the former born in 1826, the latter 
 in 1828. 
 
390 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 At the age of twenty George Heflrick 
 came west to Xewark, Licking Co., Ohio, 
 wliere he has since almost continuously 
 resided, and here he met Miss JiiiiaSpeer, 
 to whom he was afterward married. They 
 are the parents of six children, namely: 
 William F. and Dennis E., both living in 
 Columbus, Ohio; C. W., the subject of 
 this sketch; Fred, a resident of Newark, 
 Ohio; Winona, the wife of Areh Day, of 
 Newark; and Inez G., who died in 1874. 
 The father of this family learned shoe- 
 making at an early age, and followed the 
 trade the greater part of his life. He and 
 his wife are both living. On the paternal 
 side the Hedrick family are of German 
 origin; on tiie maternal side they are of 
 Scutch-Irish descent, the first ancestor of 
 the family in America having come from 
 the North of Ireland, where the grand- 
 father and great-crrandraother of our sub- 
 ]ect were burn; the great-grandfather was 
 born across the channel, in Scotland. 
 
 Dr. C. W. Hedrick received his edu- 
 cation in the public schools of Newark, 
 Licking Co., Ohio, and after graduation 
 entered the employ of the Baltimore & 
 Oliio Railroad Co., as agent at Somerset, 
 Ohio, where he remained two years. 
 He then accepted the situation of book- 
 keeper for the XX Coal Mine, at Shawnee, 
 Ohio, a position he filled acceptably for 
 one year. In 1874 he visited Illinois, 
 fully intending to locate there, bnt the 
 same year he returned to Ohio and became 
 a painter apprentice, learned the trade and 
 with the money thus earned finally paid 
 his way through medical college. He 
 commenced the study of medicine nnder 
 his uncle. Dr. A. T. Speer, in 1879, and 
 during the four years he remained with 
 him he obtained all the benefits to be de- 
 rived from study under a practical man. 
 During the winter of 1880-81 he attended 
 Columbus Medical College; then studied 
 for another year under his uncle, and in 
 the winter of 1882-83 again attended lec- 
 tures at Columbus Medical College, from 
 which institution he graduated in 1883. 
 
 Locating in Newark, he practiced there 
 until Maich 14, 1885, when he received 
 the appointment of medical examiner for 
 the Baltimore & Ohio Kailroad Co., 
 with office at Garrett, Ind., where he was 
 stationed until his removal to Wheeling, 
 W. Va., in February, 1886. On June 1, 
 1886, he was transferred to Chicago Junc- 
 tion, his present home, where he owns a 
 pleasant residence. 
 
 Dr. Hedrick's marriage with Miss Saidie 
 A., daughter of David S. Nevins, took 
 place June 30, 1886, and to this union 
 have been born two children — a son and 
 a daughter — Raymond Speer, wiio died 
 November 24, 1892, aged four months, 
 and Hazel Wood. Dr. Hedrick is a mem- 
 ber of the I. O. O. F. and Encampment, of 
 the K. O. T. M., Royal Arcanum and of 
 the Masonic Fraternity. He is a citizen 
 of sterlinif worth. 
 
 GHARLES A. SAWYER, who ranks 
 among the prominent agriculturists 
 ^ and stock raisers of Lyme township, 
 is a member of an old and highly 
 respected family. 
 
 His father, John Sawyer, was born in 
 the county of Kent, England, and came to 
 America as early as 1819. He located first 
 in Connecticut, and from there moved to 
 the banks of the Ohio river, numbering 
 among the pioneers of that region, where 
 he took a contract from Gen. Harrison to 
 clear some land thickly covered with woods. 
 At a later date he moved to Humn county, 
 Ohio, where he euifaged with his father in 
 trading stock. Being the eldest of a family 
 of twenty children, he had many duties to 
 perform, and at the time of his death, 
 which occurred in 1852, owned 215 acres 
 of land. He married a Mrs. Edinger, of 
 New Jersey, and by her had six children — 
 two sons and four daughters — three of 
 whom are now living. 
 
 Charles A. Sawyer was born February 
 12, 1845, in Lyme township, Huron coun- 
 ty, and passed his youth in Oberlin, where 
 
nUBOX COUXTY, OHIO. 
 
 391 
 
 he attended the primitive schools of those 
 days and worked on liis lather's farm, 
 learning at an early age the duties and 
 customs of agricultural pursuits. After 
 reaching manhood he moved to Norwalk, 
 Ohio, and since the death of his father has 
 had entire charge of the old homestead 
 farm, wliere he devotes some attention to 
 stock raising, but is chiefly engaged in 
 farming. On April 14, 1887, Mr. Sawyer 
 was united in marriage with Miss Clara 
 Daley, also a resident of Huron county, hut 
 born in Michigan. No children have been 
 l)orn to them. They are both members of 
 the Episcopal Church. He has served as 
 trustee of Lyme township for sixteen years. 
 He is a charter member of Raby Lodge, F. 
 & A. M., Blue Lodge, Monroeville, and 
 was senior warden and master of Lodge; 
 also member of Bellevue Chapter Royal 
 Arch Masons; is a member of the I. O. O. 
 F. of Bellevue, and has taken all but the 
 last degree. He served in the Civil war 
 from 1862 until 1864, in Company (J, 
 Eighty-eighth Regiment, O. V. L; re- 
 enlisted in 1864, in Company I, One Hun- 
 dred and Eighty-ninth O. V. L Mr. Saw- 
 yer is a member of Hillier Post, G. A. R., 
 Monroeville. 
 
 SA G. FELTOlSr, a successful and 
 prosperous agriculturist, of Nor- 
 wich township, is a native of the 
 same, born in 1847. 
 
 Ephraim Felton, father of our 
 subject, was born, in 1815, in Oneida 
 County, N. Y., a son of James Felton, who 
 was a native of Massachusetts, a farmer 
 by occupation. He, James, married Eu- 
 nice Wheeler, of same place, and by her 
 had eight children, viz.: James, Lyman, 
 Hiram, Warren, Walter, Ephraim, Maria, 
 and one whose name is not given. The 
 father of these came to Huron county i?i 
 IH'iiS with Ills son Ephraim, settling in 
 Norwich, where he died about 1850. 
 E])hraim Felton was reared on a fai-m, and 
 attended durinir the winter months the 
 
 subscription schools of the period. At the 
 age of eighteen he came to Ohio, and 
 worked at the trade of carpenter near Nor- 
 walk, Huron county, till after his mar- 
 riage, when he moved into Norwich town- 
 ship, locating on the farm of one hundred 
 acres where William Stockmaster is now 
 living. From there in 1849 he came to 
 his farm in the same township, compris- 
 ing tifty acres of good, fertile land. In 
 1841 he married Miss Melissa Gilson, 
 daughter of Asa Gilson, a farmer of Nor- 
 wich township. The children of this mar- 
 riage were Celia (married to George Kee- 
 ler, a tinner), Rhoda, Asa G. and Mary 
 Melissa. The mother of these died in 
 1851, and Ephraim Felton subsequently 
 married Mrs. Mary Ann Chandler, a 
 daughter of Burwell Fitch, an early settler 
 of Sherman township, Huron county. To, 
 this marriage were born Ada V., Lillian 
 and Emma, of whom Ada V. is married 
 to Lewis Woodruff, and they live in Fair- 
 field township; Lillian lives in Chillicothe, 
 Mo., married to John Schnits, an attor- 
 ney; Emma married I. H. Wilson, and 
 lives in Nebraska. Ephraim Felton made 
 a success of life, and owned at his death, 
 which occurred in 1864, about 300 acres 
 of land. He was a breeder of graded 
 stock, making a specialty of fine-wool 
 sheep. In politics he was a strong Aboli- 
 tionist, and took an active part in the free- 
 ing of the negroes; in religious faith he 
 was a Methodist. 
 
 Asa G. Felton, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, received a liberal education at 
 the common schools of the vicinity of his 
 birth, and was reared a practical farmer 
 bov. He was seventeen years old when 
 his father died, and four years later he 
 commenced business life as a clerk in a 
 store, where be remained some seven years. 
 Turning his attention to agricultural pur- 
 suits, he then came to Norwich township, 
 Huron county, and settled on his present 
 farm of 150 acres in that township. 
 
 In 1872 Mr. Felton was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Catherine Kramer, of 
 
392 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Plymouth, Ohio, daughter of Matthias 
 Kramer, a farmer of Auburn township, 
 Crawford county. Politically, our subject 
 has always been a solid Republican, a 
 counfelor in the party; in matters of re- 
 ligion he and his wife are members of the 
 Uiiiversalist Church of Havana. 
 
 dOHN STRIMPLE, one of the prom- 
 inent agriculturists of Greenwich 
 I township, was born February 19, 
 182i), in Hunterdon county, New 
 Jersey. 
 
 Aaron Striinple, his father, was born in 
 New Jersey in 1803. Some years later 
 his father died, and Aaron was left to 
 battle with the world alone. About the 
 year 1828 he married Keziah Stout, who 
 was born in New Jersey in 1804, and to 
 tlieir union came the following named 
 children: John (the subject of this sketch), 
 Judith Ann (Mrs.G.W.Van Scoy), Andrew 
 (who died at the age of twenty-seven 
 years), and George (a farmer of Green- 
 wich township), all natives of New Jersey; 
 Sarah (Mrs. Daniel Sizer, of Greenwich), 
 Samuel (who died at an advanced age), 
 Elizalieth (widow of Egbert N. Burgess), 
 and AVilliam (who resides in Richland 
 county), all natives of Ohio. In 1839 the 
 family removed to New Haven township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, in company with three 
 other families, the whole party comprising 
 twenty-eight persons. The journey was 
 made \>j wagon, over the Alleghany 
 Mountains, and occupied twenty-nine days. 
 On arriving here Aaron Strimple rented a 
 liouse in New Haven township, but the 
 following year removed to a point four 
 miles east of Mansfield, in Mifflin town- 
 ship, Richland county, where he leased a 
 farm for ten years. About 1850 he lo- 
 cated near the northern line of Richland 
 county, and bouijht a tract of land, part of 
 which lay in Huron county. Later he 
 purchased eighty acres in Greenwich town- 
 ship, where he and his wife resided, the 
 
 latter until her death in 1886, and the 
 former until 1890, when he passed away. 
 He was a practical farmer, and an expert 
 stock dealer and grower, being successful 
 in each line. In politics he voted witb the 
 Democrats until 1856, when the new 
 Whigs or Republicans won him to their 
 cause, though at times he voted with the 
 Democrats, when the nominees of his own 
 Darty appeared to him to be undeserving 
 of public otiice. In religious connection 
 he and his wife belonged to tiie Metiiodist 
 Episcopal Church. 
 
 John Strimple accompanied his parents 
 to Ohio when ten years old, and during 
 his youth helped with the work on the 
 farm and attended school. He was quick 
 to learn, and while still a youth taught a 
 scliool for fourteen dollars per month, his 
 salary being gradually increased until he 
 was in receipt of thirty dollars per month. 
 During vacation periods he worked on 
 the farm, and lost no opportunity of earn- 
 ing money. In 1851 he married Elizabeth 
 Mary Viers, who was born in Rich- 
 land county, Ohio, where her father, L. D. 
 Viers, resided. The children of this union 
 are named as follows: Alice P., Mrs. G. 
 W. King; Silas W., a grain dealer; 
 Thomas, an attorney, all three residing at 
 Greenwich; Theodore L., assistant prose- 
 cuting attorney of Cuyahoga county, Ohio, 
 and Keziah J., who died in youth. The 
 mother of these children died in 1864, and 
 Mr. Strimple married Loraine Viers, a 
 sister of his deceased wife. To this mar- 
 riage were born Aden L. and Aaron B., 
 the former an agriculturist and the latter 
 a school teacher. After his first marriage 
 Mr. Strimple rented a farm in Richland 
 county, and later joined his father in the 
 purchase of land. This tract was quit- 
 claimed by the father, who sold a portion 
 to the son. In 1860 John Strimple pur- 
 chased ninety-five and a quarter acres in 
 Ripley township, and established his home 
 thereon. In 1S64 he purchased 110 acres 
 in Greenwich township, known as " The 
 Old Barrett Farm," and here he has since 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 393 
 
 resided, the tract now comprising 235 
 acres, all thorouglily improved. His house 
 and barn are tine buildings, and are con- 
 sidered among the best in the county. 
 Mr. Striniple has been liberal in the ex- 
 penditure of money on the education of 
 his family. In political life he votes with 
 the Republicans, though he is not a 
 partisan, and he has tilled various town- 
 ship offices. He is a prominent member 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in 
 which he is steward and trustee, class- 
 leader, and has been superintendent of the 
 Sunday-school — in fact he has taught 
 everj' class in the school. His reputation 
 is without reproach, and he may undoubt- 
 edly be classed with the best citizens of 
 Huron count-v. 
 
 f[ffARVEY PIEECE, a worthy de- 
 r!?n scendant of an early pioneer family 
 I 1[ of Huron county, was born January 
 ^J 20. 1822, in Peru township. About 
 
 1814 his grandfather, Alden Pierce, 
 bought a part of what was then known as 
 the "Redenberg tract," in the "Firelands" 
 of Huron county. Late in 1815 he and 
 his son Wiliard, with a number of other 
 emigrants, came hither from their eastern 
 home, the journey occupying forty-four 
 days. Upon their arrival they erected a 
 rude shelter of logs and bark, where they 
 passed the remainder of the winter, and in 
 the spring the Pierces erected a more sub- 
 stantial log cabin, and cleared the first 
 garden spot in Greenfield township. 
 
 Wiliard Pierce, father of subject, was 
 born April 29, 1800, in North Leverett, 
 Franklin Co., Mass., at the common 
 schools of which place he received his edu- 
 cation. In 1815 (as above related) he 
 migrated with his father to Ohio, where, 
 during the ensuing four years, he carved 
 out a home for himself in the forest. In 
 1820 he set out for his native State, walk- 
 ing the entire distance from Huron county, 
 Ohio, to Franklin county, Mass., and 
 while in the East married Nancy Curtis, 
 
 who was born in June, 1801, daughter of 
 Ebenezer Curtis, of Franklin county, Mass., 
 who died in 1811. Under the laws of 
 Massachusetts the marriage bans had to be 
 publicly announced for three Sabbaths be- 
 fore the ceremony could be performed, and 
 to avoid this delay Mr. Pierce took Miss 
 Curtis to Vermont, where Old Colony 
 formalities were not strictly observed, and 
 there they were married. They remained 
 in Massachusetts just long enough to con- 
 vert the property of the young wife into 
 currency, and then set out for their future 
 home in Ohio, the journey being made in 
 a wagon drawn by a " Yankee team " of 
 oxen, with a horse for a leader. To their 
 union were born the following children: 
 Harvey; Jason (an invalid), of Oceana 
 county, Mich.; Jefferson, Maria (Mrs. Ben- 
 jamin Hull) and Allen, all three residents 
 of Kalamazoo county, Mich.; Nancy, Mrs. 
 Lovell; and Susan, Mrs. Harrison. The 
 father of this family died here June 22, 
 1847; his widow died April 21, 1857, in 
 the Baptist faith, and both are buried in 
 the Hester cemetery in Bronson township. 
 He was a successful farmer, who, notwith- 
 standing the extraordinary expense caused 
 by repeated sicknesses, left a valuable 
 property to his children. In politics he 
 was a Jacksonian Democrat, and in man- 
 ner unassuming and sedate. 
 
 Harvey Pierce was reared in much the 
 same manner as all pioneer boys of bis 
 day, attending school and working on the 
 farm alternately. In the spring of 1843 
 he migrated to Wisconsin, passing through 
 Chicago village on his way thither. Of 
 course there were no railroads then, and 
 travel by wagon meant walking half the 
 distance. For nine months young Pierce 
 worked in the lead mines of Iowa county, 
 Wis., and early in 1844 returned to Ohio 
 and worked on the farm of Robert Baker 
 in Peru township at ten dollars per month. 
 Subsequently, when his father's health be- 
 gan to fail, Harvey took charge of the 
 home farm, and on the death of the pio- 
 neer continued therein, caring for his 
 
394 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 invalid mother, and ultimately paying off 
 the share of the other heirs in the estate. 
 On June 16, 1859, he was married to 
 Sephronia Woodworth, who was born in 
 October. 1836, in New Haven township, 
 daughter of Jonathan Woodworth, who 
 came to this section from Tompkins 
 county, N. Y., in 1832. To Harvey and 
 Sephronia Pierce tlie following named 
 children were born, viz.: (1) Jenett L.,of 
 New Haven townsiiip, born April 25, 
 1860, and was married March 18, 1884, to 
 W. L. Smith, by wiiom she has two chil- 
 dren, Harvey and Stanford; (2) Jonathan 
 W., a farmer i-esiding on the homestead, 
 born January 31, 1868, and was married 
 February 5, 1889, to Em ma P. Kellogg, of 
 Greenfield. Mr. Pierce is a man of extra- 
 ordinary vitality, and is so well preserved 
 that he looks twenty years younger than 
 he really is. His memory is faultless, 
 and he can speak of events connected veith 
 his youth and early manhood with remark- 
 able accuracy. He vras a Whig prior to 
 the organization of the Republicans, when 
 he joined the new party. He and his wife 
 are members of the Baptist Ciiurch, in 
 which Society he is an official. Mr. Pierce 
 is a great reader, and consequently well 
 posted on men and events. No one is 
 more respected than he, and all in all lie 
 well merits the social and agricultural suc- 
 cess wiiich he has won. 
 
 L 
 
 AWRENCE OTT was born Febru- 
 ary 14, 1831, in Baden, Germany, 
 where his ancestors were known for 
 generations. His father, Michael F. 
 Ott, a native of Baden, died in 1888, 
 leaving an encumbered property to his 
 widow. 
 
 Lawrence, though then a child, realized 
 the condition of affairs, and with the spirit 
 of; a youth aided his mother materially. 
 On May 14, 1838, he left home and for 
 eight years worked as a farm laborer, re- 
 ceiving from ten to fifty dollars per year. 
 His mother died iu the meantime, and in 
 
 1853 he received some moneys from lier 
 estate, enough to pay the expenses of a 
 trip to the United States. Knowing the 
 scant opportunities for winning a compe- 
 tence in his native country, he set out for 
 London, England, where he took passage 
 for New York in the "Yawton" (his name 
 for the ship), arriving after a voyage of 
 thirty-live days, with a cash capital of six- 
 teen dollars. He did not halt there long, 
 but pushed farther westward to the Ger- 
 man settlements in Huron county, Oiiio, 
 via the Hudson river, the Erie Canal and 
 the lake to Sandusky, Ohio, and tiience to 
 Monroeville. From that point lie walked 
 to Macksville, and the day after his arrival 
 began work on the farm of Martin Hes- 
 ter, of Bronson township. He continued 
 with Mr. Hester for eighteen months, and 
 then entered the employ of Alvin l^ritii- 
 man, for whom he worked six years. On 
 February 5, 1861, he was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Mary Dehe, who was born 
 March 3, 1839, in Norwalk, Ohio, daugh- 
 ter of Jacob Dehe, of Norwalk, and to 
 this marriage were born nine children, 
 namely: Rosa, Mrs. Leo Hohler, of Peru 
 township; John P., a farmer of the same 
 township; Frank, a carpenter, residing at 
 home; Charles, a resident of Cleveland, 
 Ohio; Fred, Lawrence, Louisa and Jerome, 
 residing at home, and Theodore, who died 
 when three months old. After his mar- 
 riage Mr. Ott purchased seventy-two acres 
 of land, paying part of the purchase money 
 out of his savings, and securing the bal- 
 ance by an ordinary real-estate mortgage. 
 Strong heart and hands aided him, year 
 after year he prospered, and after a strug- 
 gle he could call this tract, with the im- 
 provements thereon, his absolute property. 
 In 1878 he sold the first farm in the 
 southern section of Peru township, and 
 purchased 118 acres from Joseph Remele, 
 where he has since resided. Aside from 
 iinproving his new purchase, he remodeled 
 the residence, barns and other buildings, 
 and literally made this part of the old wil- 
 derness to "blossom as the rose." It is 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 395 
 
 all the work of a liealthy mind in a healthy 
 body, and of a citizen who would win by 
 honest labor over every obstacle. 
 
 Mr. Ott, his wife and children are mem- 
 bers of the Catholic Conujregation. In 
 political affairs he votes with the Demo- 
 cratic party, but beyond this takes little 
 interest in politics. He earns the taxes, 
 votes for those whom he considers would 
 make good servants of the public, and 
 leaves fhe rest to men who have leisure 
 liours for it. The family are held in the 
 hitrhest esteem in the community in which 
 they reside. 
 
 JOHN W. SAGE, a successful and 
 most highly respected agriculturist of 
 Richmond township, was born March 
 30, 1829, in Oswego county, N. Y., 
 a son of Roswell Sage, who was born May 
 18, 1786, in Connecticut. His father was 
 a native of Wales, and in early days im- 
 migrated to America. 
 
 Roswell Sage was married January 26, 
 1814, to Nancy Jewett, born October 5, 
 1792. Their children, who were all born 
 in New York State, were as follows: Ly- 
 man, born September 27, 1815, died May 
 11, 1816; Caroline, born March 27, 1817, 
 married William Harman, and died in 
 Boone county, Iowa; Rhoda, born May 
 16, 1819, who was married to Alfred 
 Knapp, and died in Fairfield township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio; Sarah Marilla, born 
 May 27, 1822, married Newell Curtiss, 
 and now resides in Newark, N. J.; Sey- 
 mour N., born May 17, 1824, was a farmer 
 and machinist, and was a leading citizen 
 and for twelve years justice of the peace 
 in Richmond township, Huron county, 
 where he died; Amanda E., born August 
 8, 1826, now the widow of Rev. Leander 
 Curtiss, a Congregational minister, who 
 had preached for forty years; John Wes- 
 ley, subject proper of this sketcli; and 
 Harriet E., born May 8, 1832, now Mrs. 
 W. G. Rathborne, of Clyde, Ohio. While 
 residing in New York State Roswell Sage 
 
 followed farming, and became quite well- 
 to-do, but lost considerable by indorsement 
 for a friend, so that when he caine to Ohio 
 in 1835 he was a comparatively poor man. 
 The trip frojn Oswego county, N. Y., was 
 made by way of Lake Ontario, then through 
 the Welland Canal, and thence across Lake 
 Erie to Cleveland, where they landed. On 
 Lake Erie they encountered a very rouo-h 
 sea, and the women and children were all 
 ordered below, the captain declaring it to 
 be ''the roughest .sea for nineteen years." 
 The family traveled by wagon from'Cleve- 
 land to Pittsfield township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, where the fatlier purchased one hun- 
 dred acres of land, on which they resided 
 for six years, and then moved to Auburn 
 township, Crawford county, remaining there 
 five years, when they took up their residence 
 in Ripley township, Huron county, being 
 driven out of Crawford county by the 
 "milk sickness" so common in that sec- 
 tion. They made their home in Ripley 
 township till about 1845, and then moved 
 to Wood county, Ohio, where the father 
 died April 9, 1848, at Bowling Green, and 
 was there buried. His wife, who had 
 passed away December 26, 1843. in Rip- 
 ley township, was buried in the "Old M. 
 E. cemetery," north of Edwards Corners. 
 Mr. Sage had met with many reverses, but 
 was a very sympathetic man, and always 
 did his best to help those who needed his 
 assistance. In religion he was a member 
 of the Methodist Church; in politics a 
 Whig. 
 
 John W. Sage accompanied the family 
 to Ohio in 1835, and, though then but six 
 years of age, he remembers the journey 
 very distinctly, and the cries of the women 
 and children who were shnt down in the 
 hold of tlie vessel to prevent their being 
 washed overboard. He attended the com- 
 mon schools, but his educational oppor- 
 tunities were in the main somewiiat cir- 
 cumscribed. He remained at home until 
 thirteen years of age, when he engaged in 
 various kinds of labor, and served an ap- 
 prenticeship at boot and shoe making in 
 
396 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 his father's shop at Bowling Green; but 
 not liking the tiwde, left it. Later, in com- 
 pany with Joli!! Lamb, he bnilt a wooden 
 scow which they ran on the Manniee river, 
 and he was subsequently employed as a 
 deck hand on the propeller " Globe," on 
 Lake Erie, making, however, but two trips 
 on that boat, which plied between Maumee 
 City (Ohio) and Buffalo (N. Y.). When 
 nineteen years of age he commenced to 
 learn the carpenter's trade in Ripley town- 
 ship, Huron county, and served an ap- 
 prenticeship of three years under three 
 different men. He continued to follow the 
 business twenty-five years, and some of the 
 finest residences in his section of the 
 county were either his own individual 
 work or erected under his supervision. 
 
 On March 15, 1855, Mr. Sage married 
 Miss Catherine Miller, who was born May 
 9, 1836, in Columbiana county, Ohio, 
 daughter of Samuel Miller, who came to 
 Richmond township, Huron county, in 
 1847. To this union have been born chil- 
 dren as follows: Julia A., now Mrs. A. W. 
 Harman, of Richmond township; William 
 S.,aU.B. minister of Sandusky Conference, 
 who was educated at Dayton, Ohio, after 
 which he spent about four years in Sierra 
 Leone, West Africa, in the missionary 
 field; Charles W., a farmer of Richmond 
 township; and Mary A., now Mrs. John 
 F. Dellinger, of Richmond township. After 
 his marriage Mr. Sage located in Richmond 
 township, on thirty acres of land which he 
 had purchased at twelve dollars per acre, 
 and to which he soon added another thirty 
 acres, gi-adually increasing the size of his 
 farm to 111 acres. \\\ the summer of 1863 
 he joined Company H, One Hundred and 
 Sixty-si.xth O. V. L, National Guards, on 
 May 2, 1864, was called into service, and 
 was detailed on guard duty the greater 
 part of his term of enlistment, which ex- 
 pired September 9, 1864. Later, frotn 
 February, 1865, to May, 1865, he was in 
 the United States Engineers service, at Ar- 
 lington Heights, Va., erecting forts and 
 fortifications. Early in the summer of 
 
 1865 he returned to his home in Huron 
 county, and in tlie fall of the satne year 
 purchased his present farm, which then 
 consisted of 171 acres, for which he paid 
 twenty-six dollars per acre. The land was 
 then in a comparatively rude condition, 
 containing no improvements but a log 
 house and ijarn, and here he has since 
 made his home, excepting for three years 
 he was engaged at his trade. Through 
 his never-ceasing industry and care the soil 
 is now as rich as any in the county, and all 
 the buildings on the property are the work 
 of his own hands. He is a Republican, 
 and takes an interest in the welfare of his 
 party, but is not particularly active in 
 politics. In religious faith he and his wife 
 are proniinent members of the U. B. 
 Church, in which he has held the offices of 
 steward, class-leader, trustee, etc., being 
 obliged to resign, however, on account of 
 poor health. For some years he has been 
 a teacher in the Sunday-school, in which 
 he has also been superintendent. Mr. 
 Sage is a great reader, and by observation 
 has acquired an excellent practical educa- 
 tion ; he is a writer of no mean ability, and 
 as a poet deserves more tiian local promi- 
 nence. He acts as correspondent to nearly 
 all the newspapers in his section, and to 
 all of those published at the county seat. 
 He is a successful farmer and a good 
 neighbor, and Mrs. Sage, who is a most 
 estimable, kind-hearted lady, shares fully 
 the esteem whicli is felt for the entire 
 family. The following are the titles of 
 some of his poetical productions: The 
 Storm King; God's Wisdom, Love and 
 Power; Jack Frost; Little Karl; Some 
 Sweet Day; A Poet's Imagination; The 
 (^Id Year; Naming The Baby; October; 
 Spring; May; December; After Harvest 
 Thoughts; Decoration Day; Eighteen 
 Hundred and Eighty-Three; Have Faith 
 in Jesus' Name; The Cabin; Twenty 
 Years Ago; The New Year; Oh ye 
 Winds: Ye Wintry Winds; The Editorial 
 Sanctum; Thoughts on the Death 
 of Douglas Snydei-; In the Far West, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 397 
 
 on a Claim; Tlie Old AVomaii Who 
 Lived ill Her Shoe; The Plymouth Ad- 
 vertiser; If Yes; If; Cheerfulness; The 
 Plymouth Fair October 1887; The Farmer; 
 Stray Thoughts; How Oft we Murmur at 
 God's Providences; How Like Some Little 
 Fickle Maid; Memory; Summer Time; 
 The Pest Farm Crop; Thanksgiving Day; 
 Life; Py The Sea Shore; Spring; The 
 World; This Land of Ours; The Year 
 Eighty-Nine; The World's Fair; Thoughts 
 on the Past, Present and Future; Sunshine 
 and Flowers; Praise and Adoration; The 
 Old and the New Year; The Distant Shore; 
 Septeniljer; Tlie Equinoxial; Seasonable 
 and Unseasonable; The Soldier's Pension; 
 Huckleberries; At School; Groundhog 
 Day; He Calleth Unto Thee; Our Jour- 
 ney; Ode to a Reporter; The Fast Age; 
 Daily Blessings; The Kitchen Hearth; 
 The Glorious Fourtli. Of these we give 
 the following: 
 
 THE STORM KING. 
 
 Terrific! rolls the thunder, 
 Cloud cleaving cloud asunder; 
 The forked tongues of lightning flash, 
 The giant oals, with heavy crash, 
 Late monarch towering in his pride. 
 Lies prostrate now with shattered side. 
 Peal on peal the thunders crashing, 
 And the forked lightnings flashing, 
 Like tiery chariots coming o'er us. 
 Joining the discordant chorus. 
 Heavens artillery all a-boom, 
 Blackness, and darkness, and gloom, 
 Hover about 
 
 With terrific shout. 
 Most terrible, solemn and grand. 
 Like the wail of demoniac band. 
 On, on they come with angry motion. 
 Shaking old earth as well as ocean. • 
 
 Iron-bound ships riven asunder. 
 While onward rolls the distant thunder. 
 Rolls low, rolls high, rolls loud, and rolls, 
 Till earth is shaken from center to poles. 
 Again and again the thunders roll. 
 Waking the timid, slumbering soul; 
 While loud and long the storm king shouts 
 Like maddened chieftain to his scouts. — 
 His sword unsheathed in up-lifled hand. 
 He musters again his chosen band. 
 
 Heaven's artillery all ablaze. 
 
 The world in silence all agaze, — 
 While forked li'..'htnings rend the sky. 
 And deaf'ning thunders roll on high. 
 There he comes! the storm king comes, 
 With neighing horses and heaven's drums; 
 
 Hurling thunder-bolts left and right, 
 Scattering javelins, piercing the night; 
 
 On, on advancing 
 
 Like fiery steeds dancing. 
 Now hovers low, now rises liigh. 
 Like frightened eagle cleaving the sky. 
 While deathlike darkness over all. 
 Enshrouds the earth like a tuneral pall. 
 
 With terrible shout. 
 
 The storm king's route. 
 Lies across the trackless ocean; 
 
 And woe to the ship. 
 
 On its homewai'd trip. 
 When caught by this wild commotion. 
 Fire, hailstones, and Jupiter's coals. 
 Whirling, seething, and trying men's souls. 
 Jove's black war horse onward prances. 
 With liquid fire from eye that glances 
 From cloud to cloud as the storm runs high 
 And the eagles shriek as they pierce the sky. 
 Jove's charger, as with iron hoof, 
 
 Stops, paws the clouds of heaven, 
 While trembles the blue vaulted roof, 
 
 Like slivered timbers riven. 
 Darting from nostril distended. 
 
 Forked lightnings leap. 
 Darkness and light seem blended. 
 
 Deep calling unto deep. 
 Heavens host led on, led on by Jove, 
 Find rendezvous in Neptune's grave, 
 While a grand parade of corps after corps, 
 Is marshaled for battle on Ilinlan's shore. 
 
 The long roll reverberating 
 
 Ballalions concentrating, 
 While the order reaches through the world at large. 
 
 Tlie standard bearer advances, 
 
 The troops with naked lances, 
 Make the final victorious charge. 
 
 Then galloping over the plain. 
 
 With long, disheveled mane. 
 Come the warriors, with battle cry 
 Reaching through the sky. 
 The storm king's mooted power, 
 Transferred in a single hour, 
 While heaven's victorious fleet 
 Wheel into line for the homewai'd retreat. 
 The thunder rolls in the distance. 
 Offering little or no resistance. 
 Blackness and darkness give way. 
 The clouds roll back, and we say 
 The storm king, with his mighty host. 
 Has returned to his native coast, • 
 
 And now, with united cry 
 We join in praise to the Most High. 
 
 EORGE E. HASKELL is a son 
 of George Haskell, wiiose father 
 was a physician in England. George 
 Ai Haskell was born in 1813, in Wilt- 
 shire, England, and was there bound 
 out to learn the siioemaker's trade, which 
 he followed for some time. On January 
 
398 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 12, 1837, he married Mary Ann Barber, 
 who was born March 19, 1815, in Wilt- 
 shire, England, a daughter of William 
 Barber, a cabinet maker. George and 
 Mary Ann fBarber) Hasi^ell first located 
 in Brixon Deveril, England, where four 
 children were born, namely: Ilattie J., 
 William Henry, Jolin_ T. and Catherine. 
 
 In 1850 tile parents, accompanied by 
 the above-named children, sailed from Liv- 
 erpool, and after a voyage of ten weeks 
 landed at New York. From there they 
 proceeded, via the Hudson River, Erie 
 Canal, and Lake Erie to Sandusky, Ohio. 
 On arriving at Milan, Erie county, George 
 Haskell had only four dollars left, but was 
 soon earning fair wages at his trade. Some 
 time later lie moved to Norwalk, and re- 
 sided on Milan street, where he conducted 
 a gardening business. He then purchased 
 and moved upon a small tract of land in 
 Ridgefield township, Huron county, mean- 
 while following his trade at Monroeville. 
 In 1866 he bought tlie home farm where 
 he died February 22, 1885, being followed 
 to the grave by his wife August 5, 1889, 
 and both were buried at Norwalk. He 
 was an energetic, industrious man, having 
 accumulated a good property by unremit- 
 ting effort. Politically, he affiliated with 
 the Republican party, and in religion lie was 
 a member of the Episcopal Church. The 
 children born to George and Mary Ann 
 Haskell were as follows: Hattie J., de- 
 ceased wife of R. M. Willey; William H., 
 an orange grower in Florida; John T., of 
 Liberal, Kans.; Catharine M., unmarried, 
 living in Ridgefield township; George E.; 
 p]l!en S., wife of John E. Wheaton, of 
 Seward county, Kans.; and Annie O., wife 
 of John V. Brady, of Belleville, Kans. 
 Of these the latter three were born in the 
 United States. 
 
 George E. Haskell was born September 
 9, 1851, in Norwalk, Huron county, Ohio, 
 and attended the common schools. When 
 his l)rothers had all left lionie, this son re- 
 mained on the old place, and assisted in 
 paying his father's debts. On December 
 
 28, 1887, he was united in marriage with 
 Adelphia Saunders, who was born in 1868 
 in Oxford township, Erie Co., Ohio, the 
 youngest of seven children of Leroy W. 
 and Eliza (Skinner) Saunders. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Haskell began wedded life on the 
 home farm in Ridgefield township, Huron 
 county. He well deserves the prosperity 
 which has rewarded his years of toil, and 
 his hospitable cheery manner, combined 
 with sterling worth, has won him scores 
 of warm friends. In politics he is a Re- 
 publican; in religion he is a member of 
 the Disciple Church, his wife being iden- 
 tified with the Presbyterian denomination. 
 They have two sons and one daughter: 
 Le Roy George, Clyde Vernon, and Mil- 
 dred Pauline. 
 
 L 
 
 EROY BURTON, city marshal of 
 Norwalk, is a native of Huron 
 county, born November 25, 1843, 
 son of E. S. and Laura B. Burton. 
 The father was born in 1816, in Warren 
 county, N. Y"., near Lake George, and 
 came west to Ohio when a young man. He 
 selected a site for his future home, then 
 returned East, married, and brought hither 
 his young wife. At the time of his death, 
 which occurred in 1883, he owned a fine 
 farm, mainly the result of his own unceas- 
 ing industry. He reared a family of seven 
 children — four daughters and three sons — • 
 all still living. Mrs. Burton died in 1864. 
 David Burton, the paternal grandfather of 
 subject, was a native of New Y^ork, and 
 lived to the advanced age of ninety-one 
 years, the grandmother reaching the patri- 
 archal age of ninety-four years. 
 
 Leroy Burton was educated in the public 
 and select schools of Norwalk, and wlien 
 but a mere boy entered the army, but on 
 account of a severe accidental injury was 
 discharged, after which he engaged in 
 farming. On April 3, 1865, he was mar- 
 ried to Jane Pettis, a native of Berea, 
 Ohio, and continued on the farm four 
 years afterward, at the end of which time 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 399 
 
 he removed to Norwalk, and worked at the 
 carpenter's trade witli his father-in-law the 
 next five years. Abandoning this, he 
 opened a gun repair shop, and conducted 
 same some seven years, or until 1885, 
 when he was elected niHrshal of Norwalk, 
 to which position he has since been con- 
 tinuously re-elected; and he has had the 
 liigh compliment from his fellow citizens 
 of being elected by 375 majority. He is 
 now serving his fifth term, which will be 
 ten years. Mr. Burton is the unquestioned 
 head of the police force of Norwalk, the 
 welfare of the city during the day being 
 in his keeping, while at night there are 
 three guards who are also under him. As 
 an illustration of his popularity, it maybe 
 here stated that in the 1889 elections he 
 was the only Hepublican elected, every- 
 thing else going to the Democrats. 
 
 ^/ 
 
 t^JIfATHIAS BEAMER, one of the 
 ly^ best known and most liighly re- 
 l\ spected citizens of Richmond 
 township, was born September 25, 
 1820, in Carroll county, Ohio. 
 His parents, Adam and Elizabeth (Al- 
 baughj Beamer, were both natives of 
 Maryland, born in the vicinity of Freder- 
 icktown, the former in 1773. The grand- 
 father of our subject came from Germany. 
 Adam Beamer was reared to agricultural 
 pursuits. He was married in Maryland, 
 where three children were born to him, 
 viz.: Rebecca (who married Henry Da- 
 huff, and died in Carroll county, Ohio), 
 and Elias and Henry, both of whom died 
 in Van Wert county, Ohio. In about 
 1810 the family came to Ohio, locating 
 near the Ohio river in Harrison county, 
 and while living here Mr. Beamer entered 
 the war of 1812, in which he received 
 ninety-six dollars for six months service. 
 He assisted in the erection of Fort Meigs 
 (now Maumee City) on the Maumee river, 
 and after his service came to near Mcln- 
 tyre, Jefferson county, where his family 
 
 then resided. Here all the money he had 
 received for his services in the war was 
 paid out for bail for a merchant, named 
 Satskiver, who afterward failed. Subse- 
 quently the family migrated farther west 
 to Carroll county, locating along Connot- 
 ton creek, in Rose township, where our 
 subject first saw the light. Adam Beamer 
 was a comparatively poor man, and having 
 no property of his own, he leased land, 
 which he would cultivate; but as he was 
 just about getting the land in condition to 
 work it to advantage, he would be obliged 
 to leave it and begin on another tract. 
 Aside from providing for his family he 
 accumulated very little. He died in 1840, 
 and was buried in the llite cemetery, in 
 Rose township, Carroll county. Mrs. 
 Beamer survived her husband many years, 
 and passed from earth in 1865 in Van- 
 Wert county, Ohio, where she was buried, 
 in Sugar Ridge cemetery, TuUy township; 
 Mr. Beamer was a Democrat in politics, 
 but voted for Gen. Harrison. 
 
 Mathias Beamer was reared to the ardu- 
 ous duties of pioneer farm life, and dur- 
 ing his youth received scarcely any school 
 training, as his father was too poor to 
 afford the subscription by which the 
 schools were supported. As early as 
 possible he was put to work clearing the 
 land, which was then entirely in the woods, 
 in which labor he assisted at the youthful 
 aire of seven. When the father died the 
 mother was left poor, and our subject set 
 to work to pay off some remaining debts. 
 On February 24, 1846, he was married to 
 IMargaret Thompson, who was born No- 
 vember 15, 1824, in Monroe township, 
 Carroll county, daughter of Frederick 
 Thompson, who came from Maryland. Af- 
 ter his marriage Mr. Beamer located near 
 New Cumberland, Tuscarawas Co., Ohio, 
 where he stayed three years. He had 
 saved a sum of money, and about 1849 re- 
 moved to Van Wert county, Ohio, then a 
 wihl and swampy country, where he owned 
 some land. Here he made his home for 
 eight years, during which time he did 
 
400 
 
 HUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 much liard labor, clearing and chopping, 
 and tlien coming to Huron county on a 
 visit to his father-in-law, he purchased his 
 present farm, at that time consisting of 
 ninety-six acres, which he has since in- 
 creased to over 230 acres, all excellent 
 farming land. He has always followed 
 agricnltural pursuits, and has met with 
 encouraging success in liis chosen vocation. 
 Mr. Beamer has always been a healthy, 
 robust man, and in his prime could split 
 200 rails a day, from the stump, then a 
 wonderful task, which he accoraplished day 
 after day. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Beamer have been born 
 children as follows: Elizabeth, wlio mar- 
 ried John Fink, and died in Seneca county, 
 Ohio; Hannah, now Mrs. George Cole, of 
 Richmond township; John, a farmer of 
 Richmond township; Ann, Mrs. Jacob 
 Rapp, of Richmond township; Lucinda, 
 Mrs. Lewis Rapp, of Crawford county, 
 Ohio; Rebecca, deceased in infancy; Ella, 
 wife of Charles Clark, a farmer of Rich- 
 luond township; Allen, a farmer of Rich- 
 mond township; Martha, Mrs. Jacob Fink; 
 and Emma, Mrs. Samuel Garber, of Rich- 
 mond township. Mr. Beamer was origin- 
 ally a Democrat, but is now a member of 
 the Republican party, though in township 
 and county elections he votes for the best 
 man, regardless of politics. In religious 
 belief he is a meml)er of the "Church of 
 God." Mr. Beamer has five great-grand- 
 children. 
 
 EPHRAIM W. FAST, than whom 
 there is no better known or more 
 ^ highly respected citizen in Rich- 
 mond township, is a native of 
 Orange township, Ashland Co., Ohio, born 
 March 28, 1830. 
 
 Christian Fast, grandfather of Ephraim 
 W., was a soldier in the war of 1812, dur- 
 ing which struggle, along with fonr others, 
 he was taken prisoner by the Wyandot In- 
 dians; this Christian Fast was naturally 
 very dark, and though decidedly of Ger- 
 
 man extraction resembled an Indian very 
 much. The live prisoners were doomed to 
 death, but the preliminary tortures to 
 which they were subjected gave Christian 
 a chance to display his activity, and this 
 saved his life; the gauntlet was formed, 
 and being the last prisoner to run it, he 
 accomplished the painful journey by turn- 
 ing handsprings the entire distance, wiiich 
 so amused as well as astonished the sav- 
 ages that they permitted him to pass 
 through unharmed. Then, after putting 
 his four comrades to death before his eyes, 
 ti)ey retained him as a conjurer, and he 
 soon became a favorite with the M'hole 
 tribe, being adopted by the head chief. 
 During his captivity he witnessed the 
 huruing of Crawford at the stake by the 
 tribe he was with. As Mr. Fast remained 
 with the Indians, their confidence in hini 
 continued to grow, and gradually the 
 watches over him lessened. One night, 
 npon asking his bedfellow and guard to 
 bring him a drink of water, he was or- 
 dered to go himself, and while the guard 
 slept, all unconscious of his captive's acts, 
 the latter tilled a small kettle with hominy 
 corn and made his escape. He started 
 east, and before long reached the Manmee 
 river, across which he had to swim; but 
 in the meantime his escape had been dis- 
 covered, and pursuit begun, for bullets 
 whizzed past him while he was in the 
 watei-. However, he reached the opposite 
 shore in safety, and set out for the white 
 settlements, then so few in eastern Ohio, 
 traveling by night and sleeping in the day- 
 time. He reached the settlement in time 
 to inform the inhabitants of the approach 
 of the Indians (whom he could hear be- 
 hind him), and none too soon, for they had 
 barely time to flee to the blockhouse be- 
 fore the savages arrived. He afterward 
 proceeded on his joui-ney. and finally got 
 back to his home in Pennsylvania. Chris- 
 tian Fast had married, in Pennsylvania, 
 Barbara Mason, who bore him ten chil- 
 dren, and he subsequently came with his 
 family to Ohio, settling in Ashland county, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 401 
 
 wLere he passed from earth ahont the year 
 1840; he and his wife, who survived him 
 four or live years, were buried side by side 
 in Ashland county. 
 
 Jacob Fast, father of suliject, was born 
 in eastern Pennsylvania, and was married 
 in his native State to Miss Catherine Rex. 
 He was a wheelwright by trade, and, as 
 previously stated, came to Ohio with his 
 father. The entire journey was made by 
 wagon, and they endured many hardships 
 on their trip to the western frontier, which 
 at that time offered cheap homes. They 
 located in Ashland county, where he pur- 
 chased a tract of land, to the task of clear- 
 ing which he at once set himself in order 
 to make a home tor his growing family. 
 He followed his trade to some extent after 
 coming to Ohio, but soon finding it un- 
 profitable, he gave his entire attention to 
 farming. His family were as follows: 
 Martin, who died in Ashland county; 
 Polly, who became the wife of John 
 Fast, and died in Ashland county; 
 Eli, deceased in Ashland county; Jacob, 
 now a resident of Troy township, Ashland 
 county; Malinda, who married Alonzo 
 Parker, and died in Ashland county; Ma- 
 tilda, who married Campbell Murray, and 
 died in Ashland county; Itebecca, widow 
 of David Gurton, of Wood county, Ohio; 
 Jesse, deceased when young; Ephraim 
 W., subject of sketch, and Elzina (Mrs. 
 Wesley Cheney), of Ashland county. The 
 father of this family passed away in 1877, 
 preceded to the grave by his wife by a few 
 years; they lie buried in Orange township 
 cemetery, Ashland county. Mr. Fast was 
 a hard-working, highly esteemed man, 
 and accumulateda comfortable competence. 
 He was a Democrat in politics, and in re- 
 litrion a inembfr of the Lutheran Church. 
 
 Ephraim W. Fast was reared on the 
 home farm, and received a somewhat 
 limited education in the common schools 
 of the neighborhood. He resided at home 
 until his marriacre, October 14, 1850, with 
 Haimah Roberts, who was born in ISJiO 
 in Ashland county, and they located on his 
 
 father's farm, which he worked on shares. 
 At about the same time he purciiased a 
 tract of fifty-four acres, for which he was 
 oldiged to go into debt. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Fast resided in Ashland county until 1867, 
 during which time he prospered and man- 
 aged to save a sum of money. Selling out 
 his property in the year above named, he 
 came to Richmond township, Huron 
 county, and purchased 100 acres of land at 
 forty dollars per acre, where they have ever 
 since made their home, and to which he 
 has since added numerous improvements, 
 having erected a pleasant residence and 
 good farm buildings. They have liad six 
 children, as follows: Jennie, now the wife 
 of Jacob Walker, of Seneca county, Ohio; 
 Mary, wife of Scott Seawalt, of Char- 
 lotte, Mich.; Madison and Elmer, both 
 farmers of Richmond township; Leroy, 
 who died in 1881 at the age of nineteen 
 years, and Ida (Mrs. AVin field P. Skid- 
 more), of Chicago, Ohio. Mr. Fast is a 
 systematic agriculturist, and has met with 
 well-deserved success; lie is a self-made 
 man in every respect, and has acquired all 
 his possessions by his own indu-stry, busi- 
 ness economy and good management. He 
 has given all his sons a start in life, and 
 still has a comfortable income from his 
 lands. A quiet, peaceable and kind-hearted 
 neighbor, always ready to assist the needy, 
 he is everywhere respected and loved. In 
 his political afhliations he is a Democrat. 
 Mrs. Fast is a member of the Union Bethel 
 U. B. Church. 
 
 dl GEORGE EGGERT. Classed among 
 the leading business men of Mouroe- 
 ' ville, where he has been in business 
 for nearly twenty years, is the subject 
 of this sketch. 
 
 He is by birth a German, having been 
 V)orn April 9, 1852, in Baden, a son of 
 Lawrence and Theresia(Schwiible) Eggert, 
 farmers by occupation, who had a family 
 of eight children, six of whom are yet liv- 
 ing. The parents came to this country in 
 
402 
 
 HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1887, taking up tlieir residence in Cleve- 
 land, Ohio. Our subject was reared to 
 farming in his native land, and when old 
 enon^Ii found employment at various kinds 
 of work, cliiefly on farms. In the summer 
 of 1873 he left the Fatherland tor the 
 United States, and September 15, same 
 year, found iiim in Monroeville, Huron 
 county, where he had relatives. For three 
 years thereafter lie was employed in farm 
 work, and being hard-working, industrious 
 and frugal, he made and saved some money. 
 In 1870 he embarked in the grocery busi- 
 ness in Monroeville, his first store being 
 an old building wliere now stands his 
 present fine one, which he erected in 1889, 
 and which he owns. Here he lias built up 
 a leading business and safe trade. 
 
 On January 27, 1880, Mr. Eggert was 
 united in marriage with Miss Maggie 
 Rupp, who was born in Ridgetield town- 
 ship, Huron county, a daughter of 
 Nicholas Rupp, a native of Wurtemberg, 
 Germany, whose wife, Barbara (Feit), is a 
 Prussian. They immigrated to America, 
 and Mr. Rupp is now a farmer in Ridge- 
 field township. To Mr. and Mrs. Eggert 
 were born four children, namely: Mary, 
 William, Robert and Martin, all living 
 except the last named. Politically our 
 subject is a stanch Democrat, and he has 
 served as treasurer of Monroeville, the ap- 
 pointment to him being an unexpected 
 honor, as bis name was used entirely with- 
 out his consent. He and his wife are mem- 
 bers of the Catholic Church. 
 
 D 
 
 AVID S. BELL, who is a grandson 
 
 of Robert Bell, was born near St. 
 
 Clairsville, Belmont Co.. Ohio, April 
 
 25, 1816, at four o'clock in the 
 
 afternoon. ' 
 
 In 1798 Robert Bell, accompanied by 
 his wife and children, migrated from New 
 Jersey to Washington county, Penn., and 
 in 1800 came farther west, settling in Bel- 
 mont county, Ohio. He was a farmer and 
 
 distiller in Belmont county until 1814, 
 when he purchased lands in Richland 
 county, same State, and «)oved thither 
 with his family. Bellville, in that county, 
 was named in honor of him, and there the 
 remains of his wife and himself were in- 
 terred. The children of Robert Bell are 
 named as follows: John, referred to below; 
 Zephaniah, a pioneer Methodist preacher, 
 who died in Whitley county, Ind.; Robert, 
 Jr., who died at Bellville, Richland county 
 (he had sufl^ered from fever in youth, and 
 was left a cripple by the disease); Betsey, 
 who married George Yaring, and died in 
 Illinois; one daughter who married a Bap- 
 tist preacher named Dorsey Phillips, of 
 western Pennsylvania; Catherine, who mar- 
 rieil Thomas Piatt, and died in Richland 
 county. 
 
 John Bell, eldest son of Robert Bell, 
 was born in November, 1781, in New Jer- 
 sey. In 1803 he married Hannah Finch, 
 wiio was born in Rhoile Island in 1785, 
 and came to Belmont county with her par- 
 ents. To her marriage with Mr. Bell seven 
 children were born in Belmont county, 
 namely: Robert, who moved to Steuben 
 county, Ind., whei'e he died; Jesse, who 
 moved to Missouri, and died near Hamil- 
 ton; Anna, who married John Knott, and 
 died at Angola, Steuben county, Ind.; 
 John who died in Richland county, but 
 lived in Ripley, Huron county, where he 
 was a tanner; Hannah, widow of Thomas 
 Knott, of Tipton, Iowa; Enoch, who 
 died in Morrow county, Ohio, where he 
 was a preacher of tlie United Breth- 
 ren Church, and later a farmer; and David 
 S., the subject of this sketch. In the fall 
 of 1817 John Bell and family moved to 
 Bellville, Richland Co., Ohio. In the 
 spring of the following year he purchased 
 260 acres of land at two dollars and fifty 
 cents per acre, in Bloominggrove town- 
 ship, and on that tract established his 
 home. He was a great hunter, and during 
 his lifetime killed over 400 dear, and a 
 large number of bears and wolves, thus 
 providing himself with field sports, and his 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 403 
 
 ]aro;e family and pioneer neighbors with 
 tiutiicient animal food. In Blooming- 
 grove township three children were added 
 to the iainiiy, namely: Nathaniel, a Metho- 
 dist preacher and farmer of Ripley town- 
 ship, Huron county, deceased; Steplien, 
 who died in the same township when 
 twenty-ti ve years old ; and Joseph, deceased 
 in infancy. In 1839 the family moved 
 into Ripley township, Huron county, where 
 Mrs. Bell died in 1856. The father died 
 May 2, 1867, in Greenwich township, at 
 tlie house of his son, David S., where he 
 had resided the previous six years. Roth 
 were buried in the old Salem cemetery in 
 Richland county. 
 
 David S. Bell received a primary edu- 
 cation in the early schools of Richland 
 count}', going many miles througli the 
 woods for even the little which was taught, 
 and when seventeen years old Ijegan to 
 learn the tanner's trade at P^itchville, under 
 his brother John. Two years later he 
 moved to New Haven, and worked there 
 and in otlier settlements until the fall of 
 1835, when he moved to Steuljen county, 
 Ind., where he erected a sawmill. Early 
 in 1836 he returned to Ohio, and on Sep- 
 tember 8, that year, married Emeline Slo- 
 cum, who was born November 26, 1817, 
 in Onondaga county, N. Y. To this mar- 
 riage four children were born, of whom 
 Charles F. is a wagon maker of Wood 
 county, Ohio; Stephen, a farmer, and mini- 
 ster of the Christian Church in Logan 
 county. Ohio; Melvin, who enlisted in 
 Company C, Sixty-Fifth O. V. I., and died 
 in 1862, at Lebanon, Ky., of disease al- 
 leged to have been caused by poisoned 
 maple sugar served to the troops, and John 
 A., who died wlien five years old. The 
 mother of this 1'amily died in 1860. After 
 his marriage Mr. Bell moved to Steuben, 
 Ind., establisiiiug a tannery there, whicii 
 he carried on until the spring of 1838, 
 when he returned to Huron county and 
 followed farming until the spring of 1863, 
 at wiiicli time he located on the farm in 
 Greenwich township, wiiere he yet resides. 
 
 In 1860 he married, for liis second wife, 
 Clarissa Stewart, who was born in Scott 
 township, Sandusky Co., Ohio, February 
 28, 1830, daughter of Galbraith and Anna 
 (Russell) Stewart. To this marriage two 
 children were born: Cora E., who was first 
 married to John Luxon, and is now Mrs. 
 C. B. Benedict, of Ripley township, and 
 Edwin S., a farmer of Greenwich township. 
 Mr. Bell retired from active farm work 
 in 1871, in order to give more attention to 
 the manufacture of cheese, in which he is 
 now heavily interested. For thirty years 
 no promissory note of his arrived at ma 
 turity before payment was tendered, and 
 all other obligations have been met with 
 equal promptness. The product of his 
 cheese factory commands the very highest 
 prices, for its quality is recognized as the 
 best, and it holds the local market. In re- 
 ligious connection Mr. and Mrs. Bell are 
 members of the Society of P>iends, and 
 both are eiders therein. Mr. Bell cast his 
 first vote on the Democratic ticket, but he 
 subsequently voted with the Whigs until 
 the formation of the Republican party, 
 sincewhen he has remained with that party. 
 
 CHARLES S. SMITH, a grandson of 
 Joseph Smith, who settled in Huron 
 county in 1832, was born April 23, 
 1844, in Peru township. His father, 
 Frank Smith, son of Joseph, was one of 
 two brothers who came to the United States 
 from Baden, Gei-many, before his parents 
 and the other members of the family. 
 
 Charles S. Smith was educated at the 
 "Center Scliool," in Peru township. Like 
 the majority of pioneer boys, his youth 
 was passed between school, work a'ld play, 
 all merging into one another so completely 
 that now it is difficult to remember where 
 any one of these three parts in the youth's 
 life began or ended. When school days 
 were passed forever, the realities of farm 
 life were presented to him, and he worked 
 on the homestead earnestly and faithfully 
 
4(t4 
 
 HUROyr COUNTY, OHIO- 
 
 for his fatlier until 1869. On April 13, 
 1869, he was married to Miss Mary Ann 
 Hipp, daughter of Andrew Hipp, and a 
 native of Peru township. The children 
 born to this marriage are named as follows: 
 Edward P., Clara R. and Anna M. 
 
 The members of tliis family are Catho- 
 lics of the German School, and their at- 
 tachment to their Church has ever been 
 noticeable. Politically Mr. Smith is a 
 Democrat, and is prominent in local party 
 circles. He has tilled several township 
 offices with absolute profit to the people 
 and honor to himself and the township, 
 lending to the people in political affairs 
 the same earnestness, honesty of purpose, 
 and intelligence, on which is founded his 
 personal success. As an agriculturist, he 
 shares, with his brothers, the general esteem 
 in which they are held, and vies with them 
 in his efforts to elevate agriL-ultural life to 
 the high plane which it should occupy. 
 His farm of 180 acres is a model farm in 
 fact. Not only is the land fertile in itself, 
 but the methods of cultivation, the system 
 of rotation of crops, and the general care 
 bestowed upon the tract have made it one 
 of the most productive and valuable farms 
 of its size in northern Ohio. Mr. Smith 
 also devotes attention to stock growing, 
 and is the owner of many tine-bred cattle, 
 sheep, hogs and horses. 
 
 JOSEPH REMELE, a highly respected 
 citizen of Peru township, is a son of 
 Lawrence Remele, who was a native 
 of Ba<len, Germany, where he fol- 
 lowed the glazier's trade. He was niarried 
 to Josephine Ritter, and they became the 
 parents of ten children, of whom six — one 
 son and five daughters — grew to maturity. 
 In 1847 the family sailed from Havre, 
 France, and after a voyage of forty days 
 landed in New York, whence they pro- 
 ceeded, by river, canal and lake, to Huron, 
 Ohio. They pushed southward into Peru 
 township, Huron county, where the fatlier 
 
 bought fifty acres of land, for which he 
 paid nine hundred dollars, which he had 
 saved in Germany, and afterward, with no 
 help but that of his son, cleared nearly 
 twenty acres of same. On this tract stood 
 a log house, 18 x 20 feet, in which the 
 family lived. They prospered, for they 
 belonged to that class of Germans whose 
 industry will always bring prosperity in a 
 fair field. Here the parents passed the re- 
 mainder of their lives, the father dying in 
 1870, the mother about 1877; they were 
 interred in the Catholic cemetery. 
 
 Joseph Remele was born January 5, 
 1831, in Baden, Germany, and at the age 
 of sixteen came to America with his par- 
 ents. He took charge of the home farm 
 some time prior to his father's death, paj'- 
 ing off all claims, and making many sub- 
 stantial improvements; afterward bought 
 forty-nine acres from Peter Hipp, for 
 which he paid two thousand seven hun- 
 dred dollars. In 1861 he was united in 
 marriage with Miss Theresa Gies, who was 
 born in 1838, in Bronson township, Huron 
 county, daughter of Joseph Gies, who was 
 born in Alsace (then a part of France), 
 and came to America about 1819, locating 
 in Bronson township, Huron Co., Ohio. 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Remele were born two 
 children: Charles, who was married to 
 Amelia, daughter of 6. Killhover, but 
 died one year after their marriage, leaving 
 one daughter, Amelia; and Alphonse, who 
 was married May 2, 1893, to Rosella, 
 daughter of Philip Barman, of Peru town- 
 ship. In religious faith, Alphonse, as was 
 also his brother, is a Catholic, and in poli- 
 tics he is identified with the Democratic 
 party. They have always assisted their 
 father faithfully in the work of the farm. 
 
 After marriage Mr. Remele located on 
 the forty-nine acres he had purchased, and 
 in 1872 removed to his present well im- 
 proved farm, where he has since resided, 
 engaged in general farming and stock 
 raising. His success is but the direct re- 
 sult of his own toil and constant industry. 
 Starting in life with but little, he has 
 
Jf^if^-f^!^ ^f 
 
 ^(^,^y2A^ly^izy^7-L^4^ 
 
HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 407 
 
 acciinnilated a good property, being now the 
 owner of 380 acres of good land, witli 
 substantial buildings thereon. The resi- 
 dence has been remodeled and tiie barns 
 improved, and evidences of the good taste 
 and systematic management of the owner 
 are everywhere present. In politics Mr. 
 Remele is a Democrat, but not an office- 
 eeeker. His whole life has been an exam- 
 ple of what principle, square dealing and 
 industry can accomplish, and he and his 
 wife are held in the liighest esteem in the 
 community in which they reside. In re- 
 ligious belief they are members of the 
 Catholic CLurch. 
 
 N 
 
 ORMAN SNOOK, small-fruit 
 grower, well-known in Norwalk 
 township for his industrious and 
 ^) frugal habits, is a native of Colum- 
 
 bia county, N. Y., born January 21, 
 1821, (in the old homestead settled by his 
 grandfather. 
 
 Peter Snook, father of subject, was also 
 a native of New York State, born in 1796; 
 and his father, born near Hudson, same 
 State, where he followed farming, had five 
 children — Peter, Martin, John, Tunis and 
 George — all now deceased. Peter served 
 in the war of 1812 a short time, and his 
 life vocation was farming, in that respect 
 following in the footsteps of his father. 
 He married Miss Cornelia VanDuseri, of 
 the same place, and the young couple then 
 moved to Yates county, same State, mak- 
 ing their new iiome in Benton Center for 
 six years. Thence they went to Allegany 
 county, also in New York State, and for 
 five years lived in the town of Grove, after 
 which they came to Pennsylvania, and for 
 one year had their residence in Girard 
 township, Erie county. Their next and 
 final move was to Norwalk township, Hu- 
 rou Co., Ohio, where Mr. Snook com- 
 menced farming and the growing of stnall 
 fruits. lie died in 1864, the father of 
 seven ciiildren, to wit: Laura, Stephen, 
 
 Josephus, Martin, Norman, Marvin and 
 Abby, of wlu)m Stephen, Josephus, and 
 Marvin are deceased. 
 
 Norman Snook, the subject of sketch, 
 was brought up to practical farm life, 
 which he followed for some years. In 1847 
 he was married to Miss Sally Cunning- 
 ham, of Norwalk, Ohio, a daughter of John 
 Cunningham, and three children were 
 born to them, namely: Laura (deceased), 
 Lura (wife of A. T. Ewell) and Alliert (in 
 ChicMgo), who served one year in the Civil 
 war in Company C, Twenty-fifth O. V. I., 
 and was confined to hospital four or five 
 weeks. The mother died in 1862. After 
 marriage our subject continued farming 
 until 1874, and then opened a grocery in 
 East Norwalk, conducting same eiirht 
 years, at the end of whicli time he came to 
 his present place of twenty acres, wiiere he 
 cultivates small fruit with considerable 
 profit. When he first arrived in Huron 
 county the land was almost entirely 
 covered with woods, and he has seen many 
 hundreds of deer and turkeys enjoying the 
 freedom of the dense forest. The Snook 
 family have always been stanch Democrats, 
 not caring, however, for political prefer, 
 ment. 
 
 AENER STIMSON, one of the most 
 successful agriculturists of Ridge- 
 field townshij), is a native of that 
 "tight little island," England, born 
 in Cambridgeshire, January 2, 1836, 
 a son of Joseph Stimson, and grandson of 
 Thomas Stimson, who was a blacksmith by 
 trade, and died in England. 
 
 Joseph Stimson was born in 1806, in 
 Sutton, Cambridgeshire, England, and re- 
 ceived but a limited education, as he was 
 a small boy when his father died leaving 
 the widowed motlier with but little prop- 
 erty. In 1832 he was married to Mary 
 Ann Barnes, who was born in 1810, in 
 Huntingdonshire, England. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Stimson began wedded life on a farm in 
 Cambridgeshire, where they remained 
 
408 
 
 JU'RON ror^XTY, OHIO. 
 
 until 1851, when in July of that year they 
 Failed from Liverpool on the vessel " Van- 
 dalia." After landing in New York they 
 went west via the Hudson river and canal 
 to Buffalo, thence coming up Lake Erie to 
 Sandusky, Ohio, and then, moving south- 
 ward, located on a farm near Monroeville, 
 Huron county. Mr. Stimson continued to 
 follow farming the rest of liis life, and had 
 a hard struggle to support his family. In 
 politics he was a lifelong member of the 
 Kepublican party. He died in 1886, hav- 
 ing been preceded by his wife November 
 19, 1851. They were the parents of tlie 
 following children: Jane, wife of J. L. 
 Smith, of Norwalk township, Huron 
 county; Garner; Elizabeth, deceased wife 
 of George Setchel ; Joseph, living in Michi- 
 gan; Charles, who was a soldier in the war 
 of the Rebellion, and is now living in 
 Monroeville, Ohio; John, living in Mon- 
 roeville, Huron county ; Frank, a resident of 
 Iowa; Ruth, married to Charles Kitchen, 
 ancf Arthur C, in Nebraska. 
 
 Garner Stimson came with his parents 
 to America at the age of fifteen years. 
 After attending the common schools, he 
 entered college at Granville, Ohio, then 
 worked on the home farm. On September 4, 
 1861, he enlisted at Milan, Ohio, in the 
 Third Ohio Cavalry, and was wounded at 
 Shelliyville, Tenn. After a furlough of 
 four months he rejoined his i-egiment, and 
 some time later he sustained the loss of 
 his I'ight eye, which was pierced by a 
 thorn. He took part in most of the im- 
 portant engagements participated in by 
 the army of the Cumberland, and returned 
 to Huron county at the close of the war, 
 with the rank of captain. 
 
 On April 4, 1866, he was united in 
 marriage with Susanna Surles, who was 
 born in 1840, in Ohio, a daughter of Zibe 
 Surles. The children of this couple have 
 been as follows: Jessie L. (wife of Fred 
 Rosecrans, of Idaho), Effie C, "William G., 
 Elver Z., Gertie (deceased in infancy), Su- 
 sie A. and Ambrose H. Since the war 
 Mr. Stimson has devoted his attention to 
 
 agriculture, in which business he has been 
 very successful. In politics he is a Re- 
 publican with Prohibition sympathies, but 
 casts his ballot for the most capable can- 
 didate, regardless of party. He and his 
 wile are leading members of the Monroe- 
 ville Baptist Church, of which he has been 
 a deacon for twelve years, and clerk of the 
 church for twenty-six years. 
 
 jILLIAM GALE MEADE. Among 
 viivr/ *^® prominent and snccessful citi- 
 Mj Vf zens of Brouson township none 
 have won a higher place in the 
 esteem of the community than this gentle- 
 man, the eldest son of Alfred Meade. 
 
 Grandfather Meade was a soldier in the 
 Revolutionary war, and tor his military 
 services received 600 acres of land in 
 Cayuga county, N. Y. His son Alfred 
 was born about 1786, in Cayuga county, 
 N. Y., and grew to manhood on the home 
 place, receiving a limited education, and 
 learning the trade of cooper. In 1807 he 
 was married to Betsey, daughter of Paul 
 Barger, a prosperous farmer of Cayuga 
 county, who lived to be almost one hun- 
 dred years of age. The Barger family 
 were remarkable for longevity, over four 
 generations of the family name having 
 been centenarians. Alfred Meade was a sol- 
 dier in the war of 1812, serving three years. 
 At the battle of Lundy's Lane he received 
 a gun-shot wound; his left thigh being 
 shattered, and from the effects of this in- 
 jury he died fourteen years later. In 1834 
 Mrs. Meade came to Ohio, where she died 
 at the home of her son in 1883, at the age 
 of ninety-four years, leaving four children, 
 namely: William Gale; Paul, of Kent, 
 Ohio; Mrs. Mary Smith, of Bronson town- 
 ship, and Mrs. Mary Close, who died in 
 1887. The mother was a member of the 
 Methodist Church during her later years. 
 
 William Gale Meade was born September 
 3, 1808, in Genoa, Cayuga Co., N. Y., and 
 there learned the carpenter trade. In 1827 
 he was united in marriage with Hannah 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 409 
 
 Smith, also a native of Cayuga coniity, and 
 on June 4, 1833, the young couple moved 
 to Ohio. Thej' proceeded to Buffalo via 
 the Erie Canal, then by boat on Lake Erie 
 to the mouth of Huron river, traveling 
 thence to tlieir destination by private con- 
 veyance. He bought 125 acres of land lo- 
 cated between the farm of George Law- 
 rence and the present home of our subject. 
 On arriving in Huron county Mr. and Mrs. 
 Meade lived with Benjamin Lyons (_on the 
 farm now owned by Josiah Lawrence) un- 
 til their own log cabin was erected. He 
 hired help to clear the farm, which was 
 heavily timbered, and continued to follow 
 the carpenter trade for twenty-one years, 
 and many of the oldest and most substan- 
 tial buildings of Huron county are yet 
 standing as unimpeachable evidence of his 
 skill. The first house which he erected in 
 the county is the one now occupied by 
 John Gardiner. Game was plentiful in 
 those days, and many were the hapless vic- 
 tims to his unerring rifle, for Mr. Meade 
 has been a famous hunter, supplying him- 
 self and neighbors with all the game they 
 required. Among the many interesting 
 events of this period, he remembers hav- 
 ing made a two-hours' hunt on nine sue- 
 cessive occusions, each time returning with 
 a deer. When a young man lie possessed 
 a fine physique, being capable or doing a 
 great amount of work, and since abandon- 
 ing his trade has given his attention to the 
 farm. He has been a most methodical 
 and successful agriculturist, as none can 
 doubt who have had the pleasure of visit- 
 ing his pleasant home. A short time be- 
 fore the Civil war the county com,mission- 
 ers appointed a committee of three practi- 
 cal farmers to examine the farms and 
 award a prize to the one found in the best 
 condition. Upon an examination of eight of 
 the best farms, that belonging to Mr. Meade 
 was unanimously conceded to be in the 
 best condition, and he accordingly received 
 the prize. He served twenty-one years as 
 justice of the peace, during which time he 
 performed more marriage ceremonies than 
 
 any one who ever held that office in Huron 
 county. He always discharged the oner- 
 ous duties of his position with the utmost 
 faithfulness, and is known by every person 
 in the county as an upright genial citizen. 
 Politically, he is a Prohibitionist, and in 
 religious faith has been a zealous member 
 of the Methodist Church for fifty years, 
 and has served as a class- leader. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Meade have had two chil- 
 dren: Betsey A., who died in her twenty- 
 first year, and Alfred N., who was born in 
 18-11, on the home place in Broiison town- 
 ship, Huron county. He attended Ober- 
 lin College two years, afterward graduat- 
 ing from Delaware College. Just before 
 the time appointed for their graduation, 
 Alfred N. Meade and nearlyevery meml)er 
 of his class left the halls of the college for 
 the battle field. He served three years, 
 two of which were employed in attending 
 the prisoners on Johnson's Island, and 
 while in active service he was unanimously 
 chosen captain of his company. On Oc- 
 tober 1, 1862, he was married to Martha, 
 Morse, who has borne him three children 
 — two sons and one daughter. Alfred N. 
 Meade is now a member of the firm of Bell, 
 Cartwright & Meade, luniber merchants, of 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 Since the above was 
 
 written William G. Meade was called from 
 earth, the date of his death being January 
 "" 1893. 
 
 99 
 
 THEODORE M. REYNOLDS, well- 
 known as one of the most success- 
 ful agriculturists of Hartland town- 
 ship, was born July 3, 1826, ia 
 Fairfield county, Connecticut. 
 Warren Reynolds, his father, was bora 
 February 18, 1800, in the same county, 
 and married Sarah Scofield, also a native 
 of Fairfield county. To them were born, 
 in Connecticut, the following named chil- 
 dren: William, who died in infancy; 
 Rachel, born June 5, 1824, died in Fitch- 
 ville township, Huron Co., Ohio, May 7, 
 1838; Theodore M., the subject of this 
 
410 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 sketch; and Phtebe, who married Saninel 
 Wibert (she died in Michigan). After 
 the removal of the family to Fitchville 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, one son, 
 James P., was born, Novemljer 5, 1832, 
 served in the Civil war in the celebrated 
 Fourth Michigan Cavalry, and was one of 
 the six men of that i-egiment who captured 
 the President of the Confederacy, the late 
 Jefferson Davis. He died in Barry county, 
 Mich., Uecember 1, 1867. The mother 
 of this fatiiily, born December 5, 1804, 
 died March 21, 1837, in Ohio, and was 
 buried in Fitchville township. Warren 
 Reynolds afterward married Ruth Barnes, 
 a native of Vermont, whose parents were 
 early settlers of Fitchville township, and 
 the children born to this marriage were 
 Rufus, a citizen of Nebraska; Lorinda, 
 Mrs. George Thatcher, of Michigan; Bet- 
 sey, deceased; Henry, a citizen of Michi- 
 gan; Sarah, who married John Lee, and 
 died in Ripley township; Eliza, who mar- 
 ried Fred West, and died in Fitchville 
 township; John, who died in Fitchville 
 township, and Lucinda, Mrs. Edwin 
 Palmer, of Fitchville township. 
 
 The early settlers had many adventures 
 with wild animals, and the Reynolds 
 family were no e.xception. One night, 
 while our subject's mother and sister were 
 on their way to a neighbor's house, a wolf 
 came out of the woods to attack them, get- 
 ting in front of them, snapping his teeth 
 and growling. Thrice they succeeded in 
 driving the brute back, and there is little 
 doubt that had either been alone the wolf 
 would have made short work of his victim. 
 
 In Connecticut Warren Reynolds fol- 
 lowed the cooper's trade. In June, 1831, 
 the idea of settling in Ohio took shape, 
 the fertile lands, to be had at a nominal 
 price, having won him to this decision. Set- 
 ting out from their home in Connecticut, 
 the family traveled, via New York City 
 (where a week was passed with relatives), 
 by Hudson river and canal to Buffalo, and 
 thence by lake boat to Sandusky, Ohio. 
 The trip from Sandusky to Fitchville town- 
 
 ship was made in a wagon, and here he 
 found himself in the midst of the forest, 
 with a cash capital of forty dollars, which 
 sum he at once invested in forty acres of 
 land in the northeast section of the town- 
 ship. He undertook to support the family 
 by working at his trade, but owing to the 
 small demand tor the product of cooper's 
 labor the task proved impossible, and the 
 pioneer directed his labor toward clearing 
 his own small tract, the while earning 
 small sums in clearing land for his neigh- 
 bors. He died November 1, 1873, in 
 Fitchville township, leaving a valuable 
 property to his widow and children. He 
 was one of the three citizens of Fitchville 
 township who voted for James G. Birney, 
 candidate for President, up to which cam- 
 paign he had been a true Democrat, but he 
 ever after voted the Republican ticket. In 
 religious matters he was a member of the 
 Congregational Church for some years 
 prior to his death. In home affairs he was 
 a thorough lover of his family, and he was 
 recognized as a thoroughly honest and up- 
 right business man. 
 
 Theodore M. Reynolds passed the five 
 first years of his life in Connecticut, came 
 with the family to Ohio in 1831, and has 
 since been a citizen of this State. His 
 educational opportunities were so limited 
 that, at the age of sixteen years, he could 
 not read figures. This was partly due to 
 the new and unsettled condition of the 
 country, and partly to the fact that a good 
 deal of the farm work devolved upon the 
 eldest son. After reachincr the acre of 
 twenty-one years he realized the value of 
 education, and as he, in boyhood, obeyed 
 Miss Catherine Towerr, his first teacher, 
 so now, in manhood, he was ready to 
 obey any teacher who would instill into his 
 mind a knowledge of reading, writing and 
 aritiimetic. At the age of twenty-one 
 years he left home, aiul contracted to clear 
 four acres of land at four dollars per acre. 
 This contract completed, he worked by the 
 month as a farm hand until twenty-three 
 years and two montlis of age. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 411 
 
 On September 2, 1849, lie was united 
 in marriage witli Melissa Slioles, who was 
 born May B, 1823, in Madison county, N. 
 Y., daughter of Parley and Mary (Hidden) 
 Sholes. When thirteen years old she came 
 to Fitchville, on a visit to her sister, Mrs. 
 Samuel Ward, and here she met Mr. 
 Reynolds for the first time. To their mar- 
 riage were born the following named chil- 
 dren: Dayton W., a farmer of Rice county, 
 Kans. ; Orrin P., a merchant of Hartland 
 Center; and Bion S., a farmer in the Black 
 Hills country in Nebi-aska. After his mar- 
 riage Mr. Reynolds' capital consisted of 
 sixty dollars in currency and a yoke of 
 oxen. Too limited to utilize with effect, 
 he continued to work as a farm hand ui}til 
 1850, when he purchased fifty acres of land 
 in Hartland township, at six dollars per 
 acre. To make this deal he had to en- 
 cumber the land with a debt of one hun- 
 dred dollars, an. amount which was due 
 him from an estate that failed to pay out. 
 In December, 1862, he purchased eighty 
 acres, upon which he built his home, and 
 where he has since resided. The area of 
 his farm has been gradually increased, un- 
 til to-day he owns 175 acres, well improved 
 throughout with an elegant residence and 
 spacious farm buildings. The burning of 
 his large barn in July, 1892, entailing a 
 loss of three thousand dollars, and the en- 
 dorsing paper for friends, have checkmated 
 him a little; but he rose above these mis- 
 fortunes rapidly. His industry is supple- 
 mented by executive ability and system, so 
 that he makes tiie farm a paying invest- 
 ment where less careful men fall behind. 
 In addition to his general farming, he is a 
 breeder of thoroughbred Short- horn cattle. 
 In the credit for his success Mrs. Rey- 
 nolds must share, for she has well and 
 faithfully done her part. Liberal with- 
 out being ostentatious, and economical 
 without being parsimonious, she has in- 
 deed aided in making the happy home 
 which the family enjoy. Politically Mr. 
 Reynolds has always been a Republican, 
 and has served his party in many town- 
 
 ship offices. He does not attach himself 
 to the religious sects, but is a believer in 
 the teachings of tiie Christian Church, an 
 observer of the " Golden Rule ," and 
 philanthropic to the limit of his means. 
 
 During the war of the Rebellion, Mr. 
 Reynolds was one of the one hundred days 
 men, and went to camp in Cleveland, re- 
 maining there eleven days. He then hired 
 a substitute, paying him one hundred and 
 twenty-tive dollars, got his discharge, and 
 returned home to be with his wife and 
 children, measles having broken out in the 
 faniily. He had not been long redomesti- 
 cated, however, before a draft was ordered 
 by the Government, and he paid seventy- 
 five dollars to clear the township, after 
 which there was another draft ordered, on 
 which occasion he paid fifty dollars more 
 to again clear the township. 
 
 [( NTHONY RUFFING ranks among 
 l\ the prosperous dry-goods mer- 
 ^ chants of Bellevue, and is a mem- 
 ber of an old and highly respected 
 family. 
 
 His father, Joseph Ruffing, was born in 
 Bavaria, Germany, and in 1836 came to 
 America, locating in Huron county, Ohio. 
 He married Catherine Schwartz, and by 
 her had seven children, namely: Anthony, 
 Peter, Joseph, Frank, John, Michael and 
 Elizabeth ; Frank, John and Elizabeth be- 
 ing deceased, and Petei', Joseph and Mi- 
 chael wealthy farmers in America. 
 
 Anthony Ruffing was born April 8, 
 1840, in Sherman township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio. His childhood was passed on his 
 father's farm, where he remained until 
 sixteen years of age, at which time he 
 moved to Bellevue, and entered the em- 
 ploy of J. H. Eisenbeis, dry-goods mer- 
 chant, as clerk. This position he filled two 
 years, and then for five years worked for 
 Setzler, in the grocery business. In May, 
 1865, Mr. Ruffing entered into partner- 
 ship with J. H. Eisenbeis, the style of the 
 firm becoming J. H. Eisenbeis & Co., and 
 
412 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 wlien his partner dietl, in 1869, he bought 
 out the entire business, and has since been 
 sole proprietor of one of the finest dry- 
 goods houses in Huron county, carrying a 
 very large and ccmiplete stock of dry- 
 goods, carpets, wall paper, etc. 
 
 On November 28, 1865, Mr. EnfHng 
 married Miss Elizabeth Eisenbeis, who 
 was born in Germany, a sister of J. 11. 
 Eisenljeis, and dauorhter of Jacob and Eliza 
 Eisenbeis. This marriage has been blessed 
 with four children, viz.: Kose M. (^Mrs. I). 
 B. Callaghan), Charles E., Albert A. and 
 Lucy M., the latter three living at home. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Ruffing are members of the 
 Catholic Church, of which they are liberal 
 supporters. They are enjoying the many 
 comforts that surround them, and in the 
 summer of 1892 made an extensive trip 
 through Europe. Mr. Ruffing commenced 
 his business career with nothing except 
 energy, ability and a determination to 
 succeed, and has by close application and 
 by means of his excellent judgment ac- 
 cumulated a fortune. 
 
 ILLIAM C. VAN LIEW, promi- 
 nent among the well-to-do agri- 
 culturists of Norwich township, 
 is a son of Frederick Van Liew, 
 of New Jersey birth, who was a son of 
 Peter Van Liew. The last named was a 
 native of Holland, coming to the United 
 States when young, and settling in New 
 Jersey. Llere he married, and children as 
 follows were born to hiu): Peter, Fred- 
 erick, Cornelius, John, Wicoff and Dinah, 
 all now desceased. 
 
 Frederick Van Liew, father of subject, 
 was born in New Jersey March 13, 1792, 
 and passed his boyhood days on a farm, at 
 the same time learning the trade of tanner 
 and currier, at which he worked up to 
 middle life. While a young man he moved 
 from New Jersey to Cayuga county, N. 
 Y., and there married, in 1814, Miss Mar- 
 garet Post, born in Somerset county, N. 
 J., January 10, 1797. After marriage the 
 
 young couple moved into Genesee county, 
 N. Y., where they lived many years, he in 
 tlie meantime becoming a farmer, in which 
 vocation he met with considerable success, 
 although at the time of his death he was 
 comparatively a poor man. In 1837 he 
 removed to Allegany county, N. Y., and 
 there farmed some ten years, at the end of 
 which time he came to Summit county, 
 Ohio, thence, after a residence there of 
 two or three years, to Huron county, set- 
 tling in Norwich township, where he 
 passed the rest of his days. He died 
 March 8, 1865, while on a visit to one of 
 his daughters in New York State. In 
 politics he was originally a Whig, later, 
 from the time of the organization of the 
 party, a stanch Republican. He was the 
 father of nine children, viz.: Maria, Jacob, 
 Margaret, Jane, AVillard, William C, 
 Adeline, Frederick and Martin, all called 
 to their long homes save Jacob, living in 
 Wyoming county, N. Y., William C, sub- 
 ject, and Martin, in Potter county, Penn- 
 sylvania. 
 
 The subject proper of these lines was 
 born May 10, 1828, in Genesee county, N. 
 Y., received his education at the common 
 schools of the locality, and at the age of 
 twenty years set out for tiie gold fields of 
 California. He spent his twenty-first 
 •birthday on the Istlimus of Panama, and 
 was in the gold regions nearly four years, 
 doing fairly well. In 1854 he returned to 
 Huron county, and bought his present 
 property of one hundred acres, where he 
 has since lived, having cleared it of timber 
 and underbrush, and converted it into a 
 luxuriant farm. In 1864 he entered the 
 ranks of the One Hundred and Sixty-sixth 
 O. V. I., N. G., under Col. Blake, in 
 which regiment he served three months, 
 and at the end of that time he renewed 
 agricultural pursuits! 
 
 On March 11, 1856, Mr. Van Liew was 
 married to Miss Charlotte Burdge, a 
 daughter of Jacob Burdge, of Centerton, 
 Huron county, and six children were born 
 to them, to wit: Allen, deceased; Alberta, 
 
IIUEOy^ COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 413 
 
 of Moienci, Mich.; Mary; Oscar, in Chi- 
 cago, Huron county; Fred, also of Chi- 
 cago, Huron county, and Ada, of New 
 Haven. Politically our subject has been 
 a stanch Republican, and has served as 
 township trustee, treasurer, and in other 
 oiSces of trust. He and his wife are promi- 
 nent members of the M. E. Church at 
 Centerton, and the children are all asso- 
 ciated with the same church. 
 
 f| Ji L. MOORE. One of the best 
 r;^ known agriculturists of Hartland 
 I 1 township is the gentleman here 
 J) named. David Moore, his grand- 
 
 father, who was a native of New 
 Jersey, married a Miss Robinson, and 
 afterward moved to New York State, 
 wiiere he followed farming and the trade 
 of shoemaker. He died, in 1826, in Tomp- 
 kins county, N. Y., the father of three 
 sons — Jonah, David and Joseph — and three 
 daughters — Polly, Sally and Susan. 
 
 Joseph Moore, father of H. L., was born 
 November 19, 1787, and died October 5, 
 1876. He received but a meager educa- 
 tion, and learned the trade of weaver, 
 which he followed, also for some years 
 conducting a small distillery. In June, 
 1833, he came to Ohio, locating in Nor- 
 walk township, Huron county, where he 
 bought a farm of Judge Timothy Baker; 
 in 1855 he moved to Hartland township. 
 He married Miss Susanna Silcox, of New 
 Jersey, daughter of Henry Silcox, who 
 was born and reared in that State, and was 
 a soldier in the Revolution; married a 
 Miss Luce, by whom he had a family of 
 six children, all now deceased. Children 
 as follows were born in New York State 
 to Joseph Moore and wife: Sallie, Maria 
 (married to Jonathan White in 1842, now 
 living in Kansas), H.L. and David R. (twins 
 — David being deceased), a daughter de- 
 ceased in infancy, and Lewis (in Hartland 
 township, Huron county, an invalid). The 
 father died in Hartland township, at the 
 
 home of his son Lewis, who inherited his 
 property; the mother was called from 
 earth in April, 1854. They were mem- 
 bers of the Methodist Church, and in his 
 political predilections Mr. Moore was a 
 stanch Whig and Republican. 
 
 H. L. Moore, the subject of this sketch, 
 was born February 2, 1821, in Genoa, 
 Cayuga Co., N. Y.; thence in 1833 his 
 parents removed with him to Tompkins 
 county, same State, whejice after a ten- 
 years' residence they came to Ohio. In 
 1 his boyhood H. L. attended the subscrip- 
 tion schools, afterward taking a two-years' 
 course at the academy in Norwalk, Huron 
 county. When eighteen years old he 
 commenced work, and for two years was 
 employed on farms, at the end of which 
 time he commenced to learn carpentry at 
 Monroeville, serving an apprenticeship of 
 two years, but finding his health impaired 
 he returned to the farm. In 1848 he was 
 elected constable of Norwalk township, 
 and appointed deputy sheriff , in which in- 
 cumijency he served six years; was then 
 elected sheriff on the last Whig ticket, his 
 majority being 231. In 1855 he was re- 
 elected sheriff, this time on the Repub- 
 lican ticket, with a majority of 1,200, and 
 at tiie expiration of his term, in 1857, re- 
 moved to his farm which he had bought 
 out of his hard-earned stipends, never hav- 
 ing received assistance from anyone. He 
 has experienced many ups and downs dur- 
 incr his lifetime, but has never lost his 
 native energy and perseverance, though 
 his health, now, is not what it used to be. 
 In the Civil war he served in Company 
 H, One Hundred and Sixty-sixth O. V. I., 
 N. G., one hundred days, during which 
 time he contracted disease from which he 
 never recovered. 
 
 On September 10, 1848, Mr. Moore was 
 married to Miss Sarah F. White, a daugh- 
 ter of Cephas White, a native of Vermont, 
 who in 1844 came to Ohio and to Huron 
 county, settling in Norwalk township, 
 where he was a successful farmer. lie 
 served in the war of 1812, participating 
 
414 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 in the battles of Chippewa, Lundy's Lane, 
 etc. He died the fatlier of f even children, 
 of whom are living Mrs. Mary K. Rodgers, 
 in Paulding county, Ohio; Mrs. Sarah F. 
 Moore; Luther, an ex-soldier; and Mrs. 
 Rhode R. Benn, a widow, in Norwalk; 
 tliose deceased are Ceplias, Jonathan and 
 Henry. To Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Moore 
 were born seven children, of wliom the 
 following is a brief record: Frank A. 
 and Finetta are both deceased ; Lewis A. 
 and Lucy A. (twins), of whom Lucy A. is 
 the wife of George Brown, of Bronson 
 township, Huron county, and Lewis A. 
 lives on tlie home farm; Edwin Jo Ceph, 
 a railroad man, resides in Cleveland; Jen- 
 nie lives at home; Henry L., Jr., a young 
 man of great promise, is an instructor in 
 a business college of Cleveland, where he 
 resides. He was married May 4, 1893, 
 to Miss Lillie Cannada, of Randolph 
 county, Ind. Our subject is the owner of 
 one hundred acres of prime land, which is 
 conducted by his son Lewis A., and in 
 addition to general farming they pay some 
 attention to the rearing of stock. Mr. 
 Moore is a member of tlie Methodist 
 Church, and in politics he is a Republican. 
 
 /George w. atherton is des- 
 
 I w, cended from an old New England 
 ^^J family, and is a grandson of Jona- 
 
 \|i than Atherton, who was born De- 
 cember 4, 1738, in New England. 
 On December 6, 1770, Jonathan married 
 Amey Sabin, and to their union were born 
 nine children, live of whom grew to ma- 
 turity, of whom the youngest was named 
 Samuel. 
 
 Samuel Atherton, father of subject, was 
 born June 29, 1790, on the home farm at 
 Richmond, N. H. He worked on the 
 homestead until his twenty-first year, when 
 he moved to Attleborough, Mass., where, 
 on January 19, 1812, he was married to 
 Patience Tyler, who was born July 17, 
 1795, in New Hampshire. By this mar- 
 
 riage there were two sons: Simon, born 
 January 25, 1814, died December 31, 
 1840, in Massachusetts, and Jonathan, born 
 April 3, 1816, died in Greenfield town- 
 ship, Huron Co., Ohio, July 24. 1886. 
 The mother passed away November 6, 
 1819, and was buried at Attleborougii, 
 Mass. For his second wife Samuel Ather- 
 ton married Content Atherton, who was 
 born May 31, 1787, in Massachusetts, and 
 by her also had two children: Rufus S., 
 born September 13, 1821, died March 10, 
 1861, in Iowa, and Nancy, born March 
 4, 1826, died September 2, 1826. Mrs. 
 Content Atherton died June 10, 1835, 
 and was buried in Attleborough, Mass. 
 On April 18, 1836, Mr. Atherton was 
 again married, on this, the third occasion, 
 to Sarah Robinson, who was born June 1, 
 1800, at Rehoboth, Mass., where her father, 
 Noah Robinson, was a well-known citizen. 
 
 In October, 1838, Mr. Atherton came 
 westward to Huron county, Ohio, with his 
 son Rufus, journeying by river to Albany, 
 N. Y.; thence by way of Erie Canal to 
 Buffalo, N. Y. ; from there by lake to 
 Huron, Ohio, and finally by wagon to 
 Greenfield township, Huron county. Here 
 he purchased land and prepared a home 
 for his wife, who had i-emained in the East, 
 whence, in the spring of 1839 (six months 
 after her husband) she came to Huron 
 county, accompained by one of her step- 
 sons. To Samuel and Sarah Atherton was 
 here born one son, George W. In poli- 
 tics Mr. Atherton was a Democrat up to 
 1856, when he joined the Republican 
 party; in religion he was a Presbyterian. 
 He died August 18, 1871, and his remains 
 were interred in Bronson township. His 
 widow, though now in her ninety-second 
 year, is active and intelligent, and for the 
 last fifteen years has resided with her son. 
 She has been a member of the Presbyter- 
 ian Church for over thirty years. 
 
 George W. Atherton was born May 17, 
 1840, in Greenfield township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, and passed his youth in the manner 
 common to boys of that period, attending 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 415 
 
 school in tlie winter and woriiinfi' on the 
 farm during the rest of the year. On De- 
 cember 18, 1862, he married Selina Roe, 
 who was born in 1837 in Peru township, 
 the only child of Charles and Corinna 
 (Carver) Rue, of Cayuga county, N. Y. 
 The father was born in Northamptonshire, 
 England, son of Thomas Roe, the mother 
 December 5, 1809, in Cayuga county, 
 N. Y. After his marriage Mr. George W. 
 Atherton located on a farm of sixty-eight 
 acres in Greenfield township, and con- 
 tinued to reside there until 1871, wlien lie 
 located on the Roe homestead. The chil- 
 dren born to his marriage with IMiss Roe 
 were Blanche, who died April 3, 1885, 
 aged twenty-one years, and Cecil G., who 
 was born October 17, 1879. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Atherton are members of the Baptist 
 Church. Politically be was a Republican 
 from the formation of the party until the 
 organization of the Prohibitionists, with 
 whom he has since been identified. As an 
 agriculturist he ranks high, and is an an- 
 thority on modern systems of farming. 
 As a stock grower he is well-known, not 
 only for the study he has given this im- 
 portant department of farm work, but 
 also for the success he has won in it. 
 
 II RA S. TOWNSEND (deceased), who 
 was a son of Hosea and Sophia (Case) 
 J Townsend, was born in New London 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, June 14, 
 1831, the first child born in a frame house 
 in the township. 
 
 When a mere boy our subject attended 
 the school taugbt by Miss Adeline Treat, 
 in New London township, and later com- 
 pleted a course at Oberlin College, after 
 which, until 1855, he lived at home, shar- 
 ing, of course, in the farm work. On 
 September 27, 1855, he married Mary M. 
 Ward, born February 4, 1836, in Cbardon, 
 Geauga Co., Ohio, daughter of Samuel 
 Ward, who now resides at Milan, Ohio. 
 Mrs. Mary M. Townsend died October 14, 
 
 1881, and was buried in N^ew London 
 cemetery. Some time after her death he 
 married Ellen Ward, his deceased wife's 
 sister, who was born January 24, 1841, 
 also in Cbardon, Geauga Co., Ohio. She 
 is a member of the Congregational Church, 
 and active in the affairs of the Society. 
 After marriage Mr. Townsend located on 
 his late farm, a part of the 1,000 acres 
 which his father, llosea Townsend, owned. 
 The tract was without buildings when Ira 
 S. Townsend first entered on its improve- 
 ment, and it was all through his labor that 
 the elegant residcmce and farm buildings 
 were erected, and a beautiful farm devel- 
 oped. He gave a large share of his atten- 
 tion to stock growing, and he was also an 
 extensive dealer in stock. He was one of 
 the directors of the First National Bank 
 of New London from the time of its in- 
 corporation, in 1872, until it was reincor- 
 porated twenty years later. He was chosen 
 vice-president the third year, and continued 
 to serve in that capacity until 1886, when he 
 was elected president, serving as such six 
 years, at the end of which time (1892) it 
 was reorganized under the name of New 
 London Bank, when lie was again elected 
 president, and continued to serve in that 
 incumbency until hisdeath. In the bank- 
 ing world, as well as in the agricultural 
 world, he proved his ability to command 
 success. System was his guiding princi- 
 ple. It was part and parcel of his nature, 
 but while following it he did not permit 
 red-tapeism to cramp his business, as he 
 thought and acted quickly. In the midst 
 of his business he never neglected his du- 
 ties as a citizen, for he was an active mem- 
 ber of the Republican party, and a student 
 of the public affairs of Huron county. 
 Mr. Townsend died September 12, 1893, 
 and the following extract from one of the 
 county papers in a measure illustrates the 
 feeling of the community on learning of 
 his unexpected taking away, and the higli 
 esteem in which he was held: "The sud- 
 den death of Mr. Ira S. Townsend came so 
 unexpectedly to the people of New Lon- 
 
416 
 
 HUEO.V COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 don, tliat rarely has the community been 
 80 surprised and benumbed by the death 
 of one of its members. Mr. Townsend 
 made frequent visits to this village [New 
 London], he being president of both the 
 bank and the Fair Association. His whole 
 business interests, aside from his farm, 
 were in New London, where he was re- 
 garded and valued as one of its citizens, 
 and on Tuesday lie was in town in appar- 
 ent good health, driving home about four 
 o'clock. After supper, and while sitting 
 with his family, chatting and joking in 
 his usual good Iniinor, he suddenly placed 
 his hand to his side with an exclamation 
 of pain, and expired without a word." 
 
 V ALPH C. JOHNSON, prominent 
 [( in agricultural circles in Fitchville 
 
 I] \v township, was born August 31, 
 ^ "" 1822, in Middlesex county, N. J., 
 son of William Johnson. 
 William Johnson, son of Ralph John- 
 son, was born in Middlesex county, N. J., 
 September 18, 1793. About the age of 
 fifteen years he was apprenticed to a taimer 
 and currier and a shoemaker, and worked at 
 these trades for five years, five months and 
 eighteen days. In 1821 he married Lydia 
 (a daughter of Ralph Cortleyon), a native 
 of the same county, born April 22, 1800, 
 and their children are as follows: Ralph 
 C, born August 31, 1822; Gertrude A., 
 born December 28, 1823, married J. C. 
 Ransom, and died March 9, 1892; Mary, 
 born July 5, 1825, married William Pros- 
 ser, and died May 14, 1882; Eliza Jane, 
 born April 8, 1827, widow of S. K. Barnes, 
 residing in Fitchville, Ohio; Alfred S., 
 born March 29, 1829, a resident of New 
 London, Ohio; Catherine, born December 
 
 7, 1830. who married J. M. Foots, and 
 subsequently Ira Foote, and died February 
 
 8, 1877; and William C, born February 
 7, 1833, died November 13, 1833. The 
 mother of this family died April 3, 1834, 
 and the same year Mr. Johnson married 
 
 Melinda Blodsett. 
 
 riage came the following: 
 
 To this second mar- 
 Lewis, born 
 September 18, 1835, now a resident of 
 Clarksfield township; Philena, born No- 
 vember 16, 1837, who married George 
 Foote, and subsequently John Bigelow; 
 Oliver, born June 14, 1841, died August 
 16, 1849; and Lydia, born September 14, 
 1846, died August 10, 1849. Mrs. Ma- 
 linda Johnson died September 14, 1849, 
 and on January 30, 1850, Mr. Johnson 
 married Mrs. Hepzibah (Blodgett) Eaton 
 (widow of Jonathan Eaton), who died Sep- 
 tember 20, 1861, without issue. The father 
 died February 24, 1867. 
 
 William Johnson followed his trade in 
 New Jersey until his removal to Ontario 
 county, N. Y., in 1825. In 1835 he mi- 
 grated to Ohio, where, in Hartland town- 
 ship, Pluron county, he had purchased 
 some land. On November 17 of that year 
 the family started on the journey to that 
 township, arriving at their destination 
 December 2, 1835. The method of trans- 
 portation was a lumber wagon, and the 
 route via Rochester, Buffalo, Cleveland 
 and Elyria. His purchase of 220 acres for 
 two thousand dollars was half paid for in 
 the fall of 1835, and within a few years 
 tlie second one thousand dollars was paid 
 up. On this farm Mr. Johnson led an 
 active life until within a short time prior 
 to his death, when he retired to the liome 
 of a daughter at New London, where he 
 passed away, and was buried with Baptist 
 ritual, in Hartland Ridge Cemetery. 
 
 Ralph C. Johnson received an element- 
 ary education in the rude schools which 
 were in vogue in his youth. He was reared 
 on the farm, and worked thereon till Feb- 
 ruary 5, 1849, on which day he married 
 Eliza L. Townsend, born in Huron county 
 December 22, 1825, a daughter of Hosea 
 Townsend, who was a pioneer. After 
 marriage Mr. and Mrs. Johnson located 
 on a tract of wild land in Hartland town- 
 ship, and remained there for sixteen years, 
 until the land was all cleared. In 1865 
 they located on the Hickock farm, one 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 417 
 
 mile soutli of Fitchville Center, wliere 
 tliey have resided to the present day. One 
 child has been born to Ralph C. and Eliza 
 L. Johnson: Eliza J., w.ife of Richard L. 
 Merrick. She graduated from Oherlin 
 College, and is now a practicing pliysician 
 at Cleveland, Ohio, of tlie Ilomeopatliic 
 School. Mrs. Johnson is a member of the 
 Baptist Church at Fitchville. R. C. John- 
 son vras originally a Whig, became a Re- 
 publican in 1850, and has since been a 
 most stanch supporter of that party. He 
 has held offices in each township where he 
 has resiiled, and has always been an effi- 
 cient and courteous otKcial. Mr. Johnson 
 is a successful farmer and stock grower. 
 His estate of over 378 acres, in this rich 
 section of Ohio, has been won, principally, 
 by his stern, hard labor in the forest and 
 field. The improvements have been mainly 
 made by iiim, and the herds and flocks 
 which browse upon his beautiful farm have 
 been gathered by hiu). All in all he is 
 the sole architect of his own fortune, and 
 a man who deserves the place he holds in 
 the estimation of his neighbors and of the 
 people of Fitchville township. 
 
 ,1 "JULLIAM GRAHAM, son of John 
 yjl and Thomason Graliam, was born 
 M[ January 21, 1835, in the County 
 of Durham, England. John Gra- 
 ham was a tailor by trade, and generally 
 resided in the County of Durham, but 
 oftentimes traveled as a journevman. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. John Graham were the 
 parents of eight children, of whom Will- 
 iam is the seventh in order of birth. He 
 received a primary education and, in 1845, 
 was apprenticed to a tailor for two years, 
 receiving board in lieu of pay. Not prov- 
 ing partial to his father's trade, he was 
 apprenticed to a carpenter for five years 
 (his board being still the consideration for 
 his labor), but becomincr discontented he 
 concluded to leave his native land and seek 
 a home in America. With his mother's 
 
 assistance he secured the amount necessary 
 to pay the expense of the ocean trip, and 
 sailed on the "Andrew Foster," Captain 
 Swift, from Liverpool to New York, the 
 voyage occupying seven weeks. From 
 New York he proceeded by river to Al- 
 bany, by canal to Buffalo, by lake to San- 
 dusky and thence to Greenfield township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, where his brother Joseph 
 had hitherto located; and from the period 
 of his arrival until 1875 he worked at his 
 trade in the township. 
 
 On November 20, 1859, Mr. Graham 
 was united in marriage with Sarah Low- 
 tber, who was born February 27, 1830, in 
 Greenfield township, daughter of E. H. 
 Lowther, a resident of that township. The 
 young couple settled on a tract of 108 
 acres, which Mr. Graham improved, at the 
 same time working at his trade. There 
 one son and two daughters were born to 
 them, the older daughter dying in infancy, 
 and there he made his houie until 1881, 
 when he purchased the Terry farm, on 
 which he made many improvements, and 
 there took up his residence. For over a 
 decade he has given particular attention 
 to general farming and stock growing, 
 and has proved that a tradesman may be 
 a success as an agriculturist. Politically 
 he is a Democrat. In cliurch relation he 
 and his wife are members of the Univer- 
 ealist Church of Peru. It may be truly 
 said that in business and politics, as well 
 as in religion, his wife and himself are co- 
 workers, each industrious and each work- 
 ing for the other. Few men stand higher 
 in the community than Mr. Graham, who 
 is recognized as a methodical, business- 
 like farmer. 
 
 rj|ENRY RUGGLES. The pioneer 
 
 pH of the Riiggles family in Ohio was 
 
 I 11 Joseph Ruggles, who was a resident 
 
 ■fj of Belchertown, Mass., where he was 
 
 known as a farmer and teamster. 
 
 In pre-railroad days, when the e.xpress 
 
 service between Boston and New York 
 
I 
 
 418 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 was founded, Joseph Rnggles established 
 himself as a teamster ou the route between 
 Belchertown and Boston, hauling mer- 
 chandise from Boston to points on the 
 route, and farm products from sucii points 
 to Bobton. lie was married at Belcher- 
 town to Miss Hannah Tillson, and four 
 children were there born to them: Leon- 
 ard, Sumner and Benjamin (both deceased), 
 and Henry. In 1818 the whole family set 
 out for the West, and traveled in safety to 
 Peru township, Huron Co., Ohio, where 
 they located. As the father possessed but 
 little means, he was unable to purchase a 
 farm on coming liere. Building a log 
 cabin to shelter his family, he devoted 
 himself to labor, and with his earnings 
 purchased some land in Peru township, 
 which he cleared and on which he resided 
 until his death in June, 1846. His widow 
 died three years later. The children born 
 to these pioneers after their location in 
 Huron county, Ohio, were: George (now 
 deceased), who was a farmer in Peru town- 
 ship; Mary, who tnarried Levi Rnggles 
 (deceased); Nancy, widow of Jeff. Brown 
 (now residing in Kansas City); Levi, who 
 died in Arizona, while in the United States 
 civil service, and Lyman, also deceased. 
 Of all the children born to this pioneer 
 couple, Henry, the subject of this sketch, 
 and Nancy, of Kansas City, Mo., are the 
 only survivors. 
 
 Henry Buggies was born January 6, 
 1816, at Belchertown, Mass., came to Ohio 
 with his parents in 1818, and grew to 
 manhood in Peru township, Huron county. 
 His youth was like that of the other boys 
 of the settlement, and when a young man 
 he learned the carpenter's trade. On Janu- 
 ary y, 1844, he was married in Peru town- 
 ship to Florinda Tillson, a native of New 
 York, and of the children born to this 
 union Lyman died at Sacramento, Cal.; 
 Lewis resides in Seneca county, Ohio; Ida 
 married George Minard, of Milan; Inez is 
 deceased; Anna resides at St. Louis, Mo.; 
 Harvey resides at home, and Newton is 
 deceased. After their marriage Henry and 
 
 Florinda Ruggles located in Norwich town- 
 ship, but two years afterward settled on 
 their present farm in Peru township. They 
 are members of the Universalist Church. 
 In politics Mr. Ruggles was a Whig up to 
 1856, when he united with the new Re- 
 publican party, of which he has ever since 
 been a consistent member. He has held 
 various township offices, and has filled them 
 all with great satisfaction to the people. 
 As a farmer and stock grower he is well 
 known, for to these two departments of 
 farm work he gives the closest personal 
 attention. 
 
 AVID HENRY REED, M. D., the 
 
 leading physician of North Fair- 
 field, is a descendant of David Reed, 
 who was a farmer of Connecticut 
 in Colonial times. 
 
 David Reed, great-grandfather of Dr. 
 Reed, carried on a farm near Danbury, 
 Conn., where he was a large property 
 owner. Harry Reed, his son, was reared 
 on the home farm near Danbury, Conn., 
 and when but a young man engaged in 
 Tnercantile life. He was there married to 
 Miss Mary Hoyt, who died leaving three 
 children, namely: Shadrach H., Charles 
 and Jane. After the death of his first wife 
 Mr. Reed was again married, and to this 
 union were born two children, Henry E. 
 and Mary. Of ajl the children, Mary, the 
 youngest (now Mrs. Darius Stevens, of 
 Danbury, Conn.), is the only survivor. 
 
 Shadrach H. Reed, son of Harry Reed, 
 was born in September, 1809, in CJonnec- 
 ticut, where, and in the State of New York, 
 he passed his boyhood years. When six- 
 teen years old he accompanied a Mr. Mead 
 to the latter's purchase in the southeast 
 part of Greenwich township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, and worked for him on this tract 
 until he was twenty-one years old, when 
 his employer deeded to him eighty acres 
 of wild land in consideration of five years' 
 service. But soon afterward Mr. Reed 
 traded the eighty acres for another tract 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 419 
 
 of 150 acres, which is still in the posses- 
 sion of the Reed family. In 1881 he ii)ar- 
 ried Sally, daughter of Josiah Roscoe, who 
 came from Caynga county, N. Y., and 
 settled in Greenwich township, and to this 
 marriaije five children were born, namely: 
 David II.. a physician of Huron county; 
 Clara J., a resident of Bellefontaine, Logan 
 Co., Ohio; Charles E., deceased; A. S., 
 deceased ; and H. E., who resides on part 
 of the old farm. Mr. Reed gradually in- 
 creased the area of his lands, and upon his 
 death, which occurred in 1885, he left to 
 his heirs a tine farm of 200 acres, all of 
 which was cleared and improved by him- 
 self. Shadrach H. Reed was a Democrat 
 up to 1856. when his son, the present Dr. 
 Reed, prevailed upon him to join the Re- 
 publican party. He was an outspoken 
 friend, and a man whose word was as good 
 as his bond. He held numerous township 
 offices, and was justice of the peace. 
 
 Dr. David H. Reed was born in 1832 in 
 Greenwich township, Huron county, passed 
 his youth on the farm, and received his 
 primary education in the schools of the 
 district. He taught school for a short 
 period, and then began the study of medi- 
 cine, in which he continued for two years, 
 later attending the Homeopathic Medical 
 School, Cleveland, for three years. He 
 graduated from that institution in 1854, 
 the same year establishing his office in 
 Fairfield, where lie has practiced ever since. 
 Dr. Reed was married, in 1855, to Miss 
 Caroline Long, of Greenwich townshij), 
 who was born in Cayuga county, N. \ ., 
 and to this union the following named 
 children were born: Alto P., who died 
 when twenty-four years old; Charles E., 
 who died in infancy; Aliraham L.; Charles 
 S., a lawyer in Wilson county, Kans.; 
 Fanny C; Mary E. ; and two that died in 
 infancy. The Doctor owns 200 acres in 
 Greenwich township, besides his western 
 lands. It is now almost forty years since 
 he began the practice of medicine here. 
 A Republican by choice and education, he 
 was an active worker for Fremont in 1856, 
 
 and ever since that time his voice has been 
 raised for the interests of his party. In 
 religious faith he is a member of the 
 Christian Church, in which he is an elder. 
 The Doctor was appointed in 1863, by 
 Gov. David Tod, to organize the militia of 
 the Southern District of Huron county, 
 and was commissioned captain. After the 
 organization he was elected colonel of the 
 Third Regiment, and continued in com- 
 mand until the organization was aban- 
 doned. He also served as member of the 
 school board of the Union School of North 
 Fairfield for fifteen years. In 1893 he 
 was nominated and elected representative 
 to the Seventy-first General Assembly of 
 the State of Ohio, and at this date (Fei)- 
 ruary 14, 1894) is serving the State in 
 that capacity, holding the position of 
 chairman of the coinn)ittee on Medical 
 Colleges and Medical Societies, also a mem- 
 bership on the Fish Culture and Game, 
 Common Schools, and Food and Dairy 
 committees. 
 
 EiDMUND FRANKLIX, a worthy 
 memi)er of an early pioneer family 
 ) of Huron county, and who is one of 
 
 the oldest and most hio-hly re- 
 spected citizens of Richmond township, 
 was born May 8, 1827, in Herkimer 
 county, New York. 
 
 He is the fourth child and second son 
 of Reuben and Rhoda (Nobles) Franklin, 
 of Herkimer county, N. Y., the former of 
 whom was a farmer. In 1836 the family, 
 then consisting of father, mother and six 
 children, migrated westward to Ohio, 
 coming by way of canal and lake-boat to 
 Sandusky, an<l thence in a smaller boat to 
 Fremont, Ohio. Reuben Franklin resided 
 a short time in Norwich township, Huron 
 county, and then came to Richmond town- 
 ship, where he bought sixty-one acres at 
 three dollars and fitly cents an acre, and 
 built thereon a cabin, the fifth in the 
 township. One child was born after the 
 family settled in Richmond township, and 
 
420 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 on this farm, which Edmund Franklin 
 now owns and makes his home upon, these 
 wortliy people passed the remainder of 
 their buej lives. They were pioneers in 
 the true sense of the word, for at the time 
 of their arrival Richmond township was 
 covered with a dense forest, excepting tlie 
 southern part, which was then a vast 
 swamp, where no human being could pos- 
 sibly make a living. With the exception 
 of a few sticks cut by hunters in search of 
 the game wliicli abounded in this section, 
 there was "not a stick amiss" on the farm 
 in the northern part of Richmond township 
 where Reuben Franklin took up his abode. 
 He was a deserving pioneer farmer. 
 
 Edmund Franklin was reared in the 
 manner of pioneer farmer children, and 
 during his youth received but limited lit- 
 erary advantages, as there were no schools in 
 Richmond township for live or six years after 
 tlie family arrived. His mother died when 
 he was but ten years old, his father two 
 years later, and thus he was left at an early 
 age to begin life on iiis own account. He 
 worked by the month for twelve years at 
 various places, and for low wages. In 1849 
 he was united in marriage with Miss 
 Henrietta Thomas, a native of New York 
 State, born in 1829; her father, Henry 
 Thomas, was drowned near Buffalo when 
 she was but a little girl, and she came to 
 Ohio in early womanhood. During his 
 twelve years of hard labor Mr. Franklin 
 had accumulated eni>ugh money to buy 
 the home farm, most of which he had to 
 redeem from the forest, and here he has 
 since resided, making many valuable im- 
 provements. 
 
 On September 15, 1861, our subject en- 
 listed at Norwalk, Ohio, in Company I, 
 Fifty-fifth O. V. I., which command was 
 sent to West Virginia, the first battle Mr. 
 Franklin took part in being at Moorefield, 
 that State, and he afterward participated 
 in the following engairements: Foot of 
 Cheat Mountain, Cross Keys, Second Bull 
 Run, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Mis- 
 sionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain, 
 
 Buzzard's Roost, Big and Little Kenesaw 
 Mountain, Big Shanty, Resaca, Ga. (where 
 he belonged to the storming division), 
 Peach Tree Creek, siege of Atlanta, Ben- 
 tonville and Averysboro. He was also 
 with Sherman on his march to the sea. 
 At Resaca (where he found four bullet- 
 holes in his coat) he received a wound, and 
 he was knocked down at Peach Tree Creek 
 by the concussion of the wind of a ball. 
 He participated in the Grand Review on 
 June 24, 1865, at Washington, D. C, and 
 was discharged in that city in July, com- 
 ing home at once to Huron county, where 
 he has ever since followed farming. He 
 has a most comfortable home. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Franklin have children as follows: 
 Walter, a car carpenter of Norwalk, Ohio; 
 Rufus, a railroad engineer of Chicago 
 Junction; Ella, wife of Scott Jump, of 
 Chicago Junction; Emma, Mrs. Alonzo 
 Bowen, of Chicago, Ohio; AVilbur, who 
 was killed on the railroad when thirty- 
 four yearsold; Clarence, of Fostoria, Ohio; 
 Edmund, a railroad employe; and Carrie, 
 Kitty and George, who still reside at 
 home. In politics Mr. Franklin is a Re- 
 publican. He is a highly-esteemed citi- 
 zen, and the comfortable home and prop- 
 erty which he now enjoys are the 
 accumulation of many years of hard, un- 
 remitting toil; the entire family stand 
 high in the regard of the community in 
 which they reside. Mrs. Franklin is a 
 member of the U. B. Church. 
 
 -fj 
 
 tJJ ATHIAS CAROTHERS, one of 
 \f/\ the pushing, go-ahead young farm- 
 1 ers of Richmond township, was 
 born October 13, 1849, in Nor- 
 wich township, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 eldest son and second child in the family 
 of John and Susan (Mowery) Carothers. 
 
 Our subject was reared to active agri- 
 cultural life, received such an education as 
 the common schools of his boyhood af- 
 forded, and remained under the parental 
 
HUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 421 
 
 roof until his marriage. On July 4, 1872, 
 he wedded Miss Mary Bigham, who was 
 born in Venice township, Seneca Co., Ohio, 
 daiiijliter of John Bigham, a pioneer of 
 that county. After marriageMr. and Mrs. 
 Carothers resided for a short time on his 
 father's farm, and in about 1873 took up 
 their residence on their present place, 
 where they have since had their home. 
 While Mr. Carothers lias not resided in 
 Kiehmond township as long as some of its 
 farmers, he has seen his acres gradually 
 converted from heavy forests to fertile 
 fields, and this is practically the work of 
 his own hands, as, when he took posses- 
 sion of the land, but a small portion of it 
 was cleared. The elegant residence, large 
 and commodious barn and other necessary 
 farm buildinirs which enhance the value of 
 his place, are all the work of his own hands. 
 So far he has made farming his life work, 
 and has met with considerable success. 
 Mr. Carothers is active, full of energy and 
 progressive, and stands very high in his 
 community. He is a leader of the Re- 
 publican party in his township, and is now 
 serving as justice of the peace. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Carothers are meml)er8 of the U. B. 
 Church, in which he is class-leader and 
 superintendent of Sunday-school. They 
 have had three children, viz.: Daisy D., 
 Jennie May, successful teachers in the 
 public schools, and Chalmer J., an ener- 
 getic lad of eight summers. 
 
 JfOSEPH EITFFING. Among the 
 k, I brave old pioneers of Shei-man town- 
 %J) ship stands prominent this worthy 
 farmer citizen, a native of South 
 Germanv, born in Baiern (Ravaria) April 
 10, 1830. 
 
 He is a son of Joseph and Catharine 
 (Schwartz) Eutfing, wealthy farming people 
 in the Fatherland, who were the parents of 
 seven children, five of whom were born in 
 Baiern, as follows: Elizabeth, who died in 
 Sherman township, when nineteen years 
 old; Peter, a farmer in Sherman township, 
 
 a carpenter l)y trade, and one of the 
 pioneers in that business in the townsliip; 
 Joseph, subject; John, a farmer of Sher- 
 man township, who died in 1892; and 
 Frank, also a tanner of Sherman township, 
 who died in 1887. In the spring of 1836 
 the family set sail in a merchant ship from 
 Havre, France, for the New World, and 
 after a rough passage of forty-four days, 
 during which a severe storm drove them 
 considerably out of their course, north- 
 ward, they landed at New York. From 
 there they proceeded via Hudson River 
 and Erie Canal to Buffalo, thence by lake 
 to Cleveland, and from that, then,' villacre 
 by wagon to Elyria, Lorain county, where 
 they tarried a short time. Here, enquir- 
 ing the most direct route to Sherman town- 
 ship, they were misdirected, and by night- 
 time found themselves in the village of 
 Norwalk, where the only place they could 
 find to sleep in was a welcome barn. On 
 the following morning the family pro- 
 ceeded on their journey, and on the twenty- 
 fifth day of August, 1836, found them- 
 selves at their forest home, in that part of 
 Sherman township lying smith of the 
 center. Here they had settled but a short 
 time when the dense forest, and other un- 
 pleasant features connected with the new 
 home, caused the head of the family to re- 
 gret that he had not bouslit land in the 
 very heart of Cleveland, which had been 
 offered him lor eighteen dollars per acre; 
 and he was of a mind to buy even yet, but 
 was dissuaded from doing so by an old 
 lady whom the family had met in Elyria. 
 In Sherman township the father had 
 bought land (represented at the time of 
 purchase as cleared, which turne<l out not 
 to be the case) at twelve dollars per acre 
 (about five times its value), and erected 
 thereon a log house. He then, with the 
 assistance of his sons, set to work to clear 
 the land, and pref)are the soil for crops; in 
 the course of time Fortune smiled more 
 favorably on him, and by dint of hard 
 work and unceasing industry he prospered, 
 80 that he was able to make additions from 
 
422 
 
 HUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 time to time to his original purchase, and 
 at his death was the owner of a fine, well- 
 stocked and fertile farin, equipped with 
 comfortable buildings. T.vo children were 
 born to Joseph and Catharine Kuffing in 
 their pioneer home, namely, Anthony, a 
 uierciiant of Believue, Huron county, and 
 Michael, a farmer of Sherman township. 
 The father passed from earth in 1882, at 
 the age of eighty-two years, the mother in 
 June, 1865, and they lie side by side in 
 Sherman cemetery. They were members 
 of the Catholic Church, and contributors 
 tovards the first church buildino- of that 
 denomination erected in Sherman town- 
 ship. 
 
 Joseph Ruffing, the second son born to 
 these honored old pioneers, received but a 
 limited education, the greater part of it, 
 in fact, at his home, his father being his 
 instructor; and under the tuition of his 
 brother Peter, who was a mechanic of 
 considerable ability, he learned the trade 
 of carpenter. At the age of thirteen he 
 was "liired" to a neighbor (Burrett Fitch) 
 to work out the price of a colt his father 
 had bought, and this occupied liim six 
 ■weeks. At twenty years of age he com- 
 menced journeyman work at his trade in 
 the neigh l)orhood of his home, and he and 
 his brother Peter put up the first frame 
 house in Slierman townsiiip. 
 
 On Octol)er 21, 1856, Mr. Ruffing mar- 
 ried Miss Mary J. Geiger, who was born 
 February 16, 1836, in Buffalo, N. Y., a 
 daughter of Lawrence Geiger, who came 
 to Sherman townsiiip when she was a child. 
 To this union were born children as fol- 
 lows: Elizabeth, now Mrs. P. Krnpp, of 
 Seneca county, Ohio; Frank J., a farmer 
 of Sherman township; Michael J., a farmer 
 of Norwich township; Coraline, Mrs. John 
 Glassner, of Seneca county; Josephine, 
 Mrs. Lewis Kalt, of Norwalk; Annie, Mrs. 
 John Witter, of Biicyrus, Ohio; and Vic- 
 toria, at home. On July 13, 1877, the 
 mother of these was injured in a runaway, 
 and she lingered between life and death 
 until July 20, 1877, when death put an 
 
 end to her sufferings; she was buried in 
 Slierman cemetery. In 1877 Mr. Riitfing 
 married Mrs. Mary Quisuo, widow of 
 Joseph Quisuo, and a native of Belgium. 
 After his first marriage our subject settled 
 with his bride on a portion of his present 
 farm, and has here since devoted himself 
 exclusively to general agriculture. He 
 and his brother had bought, jointly, one 
 hundred acres, of which at his marriage 
 each took fifty acres, and to his share 
 Joseph has since added as circumstances 
 offered until now he is the owner of 122 
 acres of as fine land as can be found in his 
 section. He is a menaber of the Catholic 
 Church; politically he is a Democrat, and 
 has held township and other offices of trust 
 with credit to himself and satisfaction of 
 his constituents. 
 
 THOMAS HAGAMAN is a repre- 
 sentative of an old pioneer family 
 that originated in Holland. His 
 grandfather, Thomas Hagaman, na- 
 tive of Gettysburg, Penn., married 
 Nellie Burnett, of New York, whose an- 
 cestors were also natives of Holland. 
 
 The ancestors of this couple immigrated 
 to America many years ago, first locating 
 in New Jersey, and afterward crossing into 
 Pennsylvania, where the grandfather con- 
 tinued to follow agricultural pursuits and 
 weaving. Politically he was a Whig and 
 Abolitionist; in religion he first united 
 with the Presbyterian Church, afterward 
 becoming a Congreu-ntionalist. He died 
 in August, 1852, at about the age of eighty 
 years, his wife some years later. They 
 were the parents of three sons, John, 
 James and George B., who came to Ohio 
 with their parents in 1818. 
 
 John Hagaman was born July 1, 1801, 
 in Cayuga county, N. Y., and in 1818 
 came with his parents to Huron county, 
 Ohio, as above stated, where he married 
 Tina Ammerman. He bought a farm of 
 new heavily-timbered land in Bronson 
 township, upon which he erected a log 
 
JOHN HAGAMAN 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO, 
 
 425 
 
 house, and devoted the remainder of his 
 life to cleariii<j: and cnltivatint; tlie same. 
 In politics he voted first witli the Wiiius, 
 later with the Republican party, and was 
 the first Abolitiouist in the township; in 
 reliffious faith he and his wife were active 
 members of the Conjireijatioual Church, 
 in which he served as a deacon. He died 
 in 1870, his wife December 29, 1879, 
 having passed her seventy-second year. 
 Tliey viere the parents of four ciiildren, as 
 follows: Maria B. (deceased in 1840, at the 
 age of nineteen], Lucy A. (deceased in 
 1890, at the age of sixty years), Thomas 
 (whose name opens this sketch), and Isa- 
 bel (wife of J. W. Snook, of Bronson 
 township). 
 
 Tiiomas Hagaman was born August 20, 
 1834, on the farm where he is now living, 
 in Bronson township, Huron Co., Ohio. 
 He received a good common-school educa- 
 tion, and also attended the Norwalk High 
 Sciiool. On October 14, 1868, he married 
 Mary Ellen Woodruff, a native of New 
 Berlin, Chenango Co., N. Y., a dauijhter 
 of Edwin and Lydia A. (Gilmore) Wood- 
 ruff. Two children were born to them: 
 Jessie W. and John E. The mother was 
 called from earth January 2, 1879. Since 
 the death of his father Thomas Hagaman 
 has had charge of the old homestead, and, 
 having bought out the other heirs, now 
 owns 137 acres, where he carries on gen- 
 eral farming. In politics he is a Republi- 
 can, and cast his first ballot for John C. 
 Fremont for President in 1856; in re- 
 ligious faith he is a member of the Con- 
 gregational Church. 
 
 \ILLIAM BROWN. This well- 
 known wide-awake and affluent 
 agriculturist of Norwi' h town- 
 ship coupes of sturdy Protestant- 
 Irish stock, noted for their longevity. 
 
 Thomas Brown, his grandfather, came 
 to AuTerica in 1803, and settling in New 
 York State there followed weaving and 
 as 
 
 farming. He was twice married, and iiad 
 in all eighteen children, the eldest of whom, 
 l)y name Thomas IL, learned the trade of 
 weaver in liis native land of Erin, where 
 he was born in 1787, and was eighteen 
 yeai-s old when he came to America. He 
 made his tirst home in the New World in 
 Maryland, near Baltimore, where he fol- 
 lowed the weaving trade six years. He 
 there married Miss Susan Sowers, of that 
 locality, and they then proceeded to New 
 York State, locating in (!ayuga county on 
 a farm, on which they resided till 1825, 
 when they catne to Ohio, where, in Ash- 
 land county, near the town of Ashland, 
 Mr. Brown bought 160 acres of totally 
 wild land which he cleared, and where he 
 and his wife lived up to her death in 1866. 
 He then moved to Hancock county, same 
 State, and made his final home with his 
 youngest son, James, dying there in 1884 
 at the advanced age of ninety-seven years. 
 He was a very successful farmer, owning 
 at the time of his death about 400 acres 
 of land, which he divided among his five 
 sons. He was a stanch Republican, and a 
 member of the Lutheran Church. His 
 family of children numbered ten, named as 
 follows: Hugh, Eve, Margaret, Martha, 
 William, Sarah, Thomas, Franklin, James 
 and Susanna, all now deceased except 
 Thomas, William (subject), Franklin, 
 James and Sarah. 
 
 William Brown, of whom this sketch 
 more particularly relates, was born, in 
 1823, in Cayuga county, N. Y., and passed 
 his boyhood on a farm in Ashland county, 
 Ohio, whither the family had come in 
 1825, as above related. When he was 
 twenty-three years old his father gave him 
 eighty acres of land, entirely covered with 
 timber, but he went to work with an axe 
 and a will, clearing it and transforming it 
 into a fertile farm. To this from time to 
 time he added until he had 166 acres, and 
 he then sold and bought 200 acres in Nor- 
 wich township, Huron county, where he 
 ives. lie has owned as much as 480 
 
 now 
 
 acres, and his success has been due entirely 
 
426 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 to untiring industry, judicious economy 
 and a life of rectitude. After giving each 
 of his sons fifty acres, he has 180 left. 
 During the Civil war he served from May 
 to Septeml)er, 18f3-t, in Company H, One 
 Hundred and Sixty-sixth Regiment O. V. 
 I., N. G., under Col. H. G. Blake, and was 
 always '-ready" at the call to duty. 
 
 In 1846 Mr. Brown was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Elizabeth Greer, of Ash- 
 land county, Ohio, daughter of James 
 Greer, and five children, as follows, were 
 born to them: Thomas, James, Franklin 
 H., William L., and one that died in in- 
 fancy. Our subject in his political pref- 
 erences is a stanch Republican, and has 
 held numerous township oflices, notable 
 among which was that of township treas- 
 urer, which he filled eight years. In re- 
 ligions faith he and his wife are members 
 of the United Brethren Church, of which 
 he is a trustee. 
 
 L 
 
 YMAN ASHLEY is a descendant, 
 in the eighth generation, of a well- 
 known pioneer family whose ances- 
 try may be traced to Robert Ashley, 
 who emigrated from England about 1630 
 and located in Massachusetts. 
 
 James Ashley, the great-grandfather of 
 Lyinan, was born in 1740, in Massachu- 
 setts. His son, Luther Ashley, was born 
 April 1, 1775, was a surveyor by profes- 
 sion, and later a sawmill owner. On Sep- 
 tember 1, 1800, he married Eunice Smith, 
 who was born October 10, 1781, and was 
 living at Shrewsbury, Mass. To this mar- 
 riage the following named children were 
 born: Gilbert, born December 27. 1801, 
 removed to Seneca county, Ohio, where he 
 died, leaving a family; Nancy, born 
 January 17, 1803, widow of Hiram Spen- 
 cer, lives at Sandusky, Ohio; Dexter, born 
 October 13, 1804, deceased in Greenfield 
 township at an advanced age; Louisa, born 
 December 5, 1806, widow of Nathan 
 Beeri--, residing with her son, Nathan, in 
 Greenfield township; Dennis, father of 
 
 Lyman, referred to below; Harriet, born 
 March 13, 1813, widow of Martin Smith, 
 living at Valparaiso, Ind.; Emily, born 
 January 6, 1816, widow of Erastus Smith, 
 living in Greenfield township; and 
 Smith, born December 22, 1822, residing 
 at Vacaville, Cal. The last named is the 
 only one who was born in Huron county. 
 In 1815 the father migrated to Canada to 
 look up work, but becoming dissatisfied 
 he returned to Massachusetts, and in 1817, 
 accompanied by his son Gilbert, he came 
 to Huron county, Ohio, and purchased 
 some land. His brother-in-law, Alden 
 Pierce, who had already made a settlement 
 here, visited Massachusetts that year, and 
 at the request of Luther Ashley, he 
 guided Mrs. Ashley and her children to 
 their future home in northern Ohio. In 
 the fall of 1817 the family left Deerfield, 
 Mass. A wagon drawn by three horses 
 conveyed the household goods, the mother, 
 and younger members of the family, 
 while the adnlts walked the greater part 
 of the distance. From Buffalo, N. Y., 
 westward, the roads were reported to be 
 bad, and to provide against delay or acci- 
 dent, some of the goods were unloaded 
 and shipped by boat to the lake port near- 
 est to Greenfield township. The party 
 then resumed the journey, traveling via 
 Cleveland and Norwalk, and arrived safely 
 in Greenfield township. The father moved 
 in later years to a point near Albion, Ind., 
 where he resided for some years. At last, 
 attacked by a malady common at that time 
 and place, he set out for the home in Hu- 
 ron county, but died while en route, at 
 Fremont, Ohio, November 3, 1838, and 
 was buried at Steuben. His widow died 
 March 30, 1856, and was buried in the 
 same grave at Steuben. Luther Ashley 
 was a Federalist, and a stanch supporter of 
 that party. He and his wife were Con- 
 gregationalists. 
 
 Dennis Ashley, father of Lyman, was 
 born January 30, 1810, at Deerfield, Mass. 
 He accompanied his mother to Ohio, at- 
 tended the pioneer schools of Greenfield 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 427 
 
 township, and worked oti his fatlier's farm. 
 In August, 1830, he married Lurany Bliss, 
 who was born at Rows, Mass., March 17, 
 1812, to Jacob and Bethiah (Brown) Bliss, 
 who settled in Greenfield township in 
 1822. The children born to Dennis and 
 Lurany Ashley are named as follows: Ly- 
 man, the subject of this sketch; Luther, a 
 resident of Yuba count)', Cal.; Noah, who 
 died in youtli; Lucy, who died in her eigh- 
 teenth year; Erastus, residingin Chico, Cal. ; 
 Dexter, who died in youth; Mary, who 
 married Charles McMaster, died in Green- 
 field township; Ward, deceased in Green- 
 field township, and Charlotte, Mrs. J. A. 
 Wheeler, of Greenfield township. From 
 1830 to 1854 Dennis Ashley was engaged 
 in farming here; the ensuing two years he 
 passed in Iowa, and from 1856 to his 
 death, which occurred September 27, 1892, 
 he was a farmer of Greenfield township. 
 From 1889 to 1892 he was an invalid. 
 Plis wife died August 8, 1891, and both 
 lie in the cemetery at Steuben. A Whicr 
 prior to 1856, he was a stanch Republican 
 during the remainder of his active life, 
 and held various township ofhces. For 
 fifty years he was a member, and for some 
 years a deacon, of the Baptist Church, to 
 which denomination his wife also belonged. 
 He did not accumulate much property, 
 but always had a competence, and few men 
 were better known or more respected than 
 Deacon Ashley. 
 
 Lyman Ashley was born February 20, 
 1832, in Greenfield township, and there 
 secured a primary education in district 
 school No. 6. After school days he en- 
 tered a dry-goods store at Plymouth, and 
 worked there a short time at four dollars 
 per month, when he engaged as brakeman 
 on the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark 
 Railroail. Subsequently he worked in 
 Jonas Chijd's gristmill at Steuben, and 
 followed the miller's trade from Ohio to 
 Iowa until 1863. On March 29, 1863, he 
 married Mary L. Youngs, wiio was born 
 December 3, 1846, daughter of James and 
 Sarah (Frost) Youngs, of Greenfield town- 
 
 ship. To this union came the following 
 named children: CoraB., Joseph B., and 
 Lewis C. (now a machinist at Galion, 
 Ohio). Cora B. was married December 7, 
 1892, to J. C. Baker, and they reside at 
 Steuben; one son, Glendower E., was born 
 to them September 14, 1893. Immedi- 
 ately after marriage Mr. and Mrs. Ashley 
 located on their present farm, where the 
 husband did his first farm work when 
 thirty-one years old. In politics he is a 
 lifelong Republican, and has filled several 
 township offices with credit to himself and 
 profit to ti)e people. He has increased the 
 area of his farm, has put out all the shade 
 trees and erected all the buildino-s thereon, 
 and IS a practical, substantial farmer in 
 every respect, one who has made his way 
 to success unaided. 
 
 P. NOBLE, a prominent stock- 
 man of Huron county, is a grand- 
 ■( Mf son of James Noble, the ancestor 
 of the family in America, who 
 was born in Ireland, and reared to man- 
 hood in County Tyrone. 
 
 In 1790 he left his native land, and after 
 a voyage of fourteen weeks set foot on the 
 shores of the young Republic, and pro- 
 ceeding at once to Washington, Penn., 
 located near Taylorstown. His marriage 
 with Mary Harvey, also a native of Ireland, 
 took place in Washington county, and to 
 their union five children were born, 
 namely: John, Will, Harvey, Mary and 
 Nancy, all now deceased, and their de- 
 scendants scattered. 
 
 Harvey Noble, the father of subject, 
 was born in 1806 near Taylorstown, Wash- 
 ington Co., Penn., and was reared on his 
 father's farm. He received a fair educa- 
 tion in the subscription school of his na- 
 tive place, but his school days were alloyed 
 with a pioneer boy's work round the liome 
 and on the farm. In 1827 he married 
 Margaret Little, a daughter of George 
 Little, who resided near Taylorstown, and 
 immediately after marriage the young 
 
428 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 couple eet out for Ricliland county, Ohio, 
 with the intention of making a home there, 
 and located near the village of Shiloli. 
 The country was even then in a most 
 primitive condition; the forest teemed with 
 animals of the chase; bear, deer and 
 wolves were abundant, and even the 
 panther came to visit the district at inter- 
 vals. On one occasion Mr. Noble was 
 compelled to go as far as Plymouth, Ohio, 
 fur a doctor; the wolves appeared to be un- 
 usually disturbed, and howled the whole 
 night, but he went on his journey unmind- 
 ful of the brutes, and that night was the 
 last one for the wolves in the country. 
 About 1S27 lie located on a farm of eighty 
 acres in Richland county, which at the 
 time of his death was increased to 500 
 acres. There were born to him eight 
 cliildren, namely: Mary, John, James, 
 JN'ancy, Elizabeth, Margaret, W. P. and 
 Minerva. Of these, Nancy and Elizabeth 
 are now deceased; James resides in Green- 
 field township, Huron county; John is a 
 resident of Richland county; Mary is the 
 wife of Jerrie Davidson, of Richland 
 county; Minerva resides in Huron county. 
 The mother of these children died July 2, 
 1865, the father July 11, 1885. He was 
 the owner ot the tirst threshing machine 
 used in Richland county, and was in every 
 respect a progressive farmer. 
 
 W. P. Noble was born in 1839 in Rich- 
 land county, Ohio, and was reared to 
 manhood on the old homestead in that 
 county. He received a practical education 
 in tlie school of his district, and was in- 
 ducted into the mysteries of agriculture 
 under the direction of his father. In 1864 
 he married Eliza Jane Starkey, daughter 
 of James Starkey, then of Ripley town- 
 ship, but now a citizen of Illinois, and to 
 this marriage were born ten children, as 
 follows: Mina A., Sherman, Elmer, Theo- 
 dore (deceased], Allen, Warren, Winnie, 
 Nellie, and two that died in infancy. 
 After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Noble settled 
 on their present farm in Ripley township, 
 part of which v\as cleared and all of it im- 
 
 proved by Mr. Noble. Politically he is a 
 Republican, and one of the "wheel horses" 
 of the party in Huron county. For many 
 years he has lepresented his section of the 
 county in local and Congressional con- 
 ventions, and in every way is a trusted 
 councilor. 
 
 Prior to 1870 Mr. Noble made the 
 foundations of his Shorthorn herds. To- 
 day he has two prize herds, every head of 
 which may properly be classed as fine 
 stock, and to this business he has given 
 close attention, making it a most pi-ofitable 
 one. He also deals in fast horses, owning, 
 among other animals, a half-brother to 
 Maude S., Noble Harold, No. 4722. His 
 land now comprises 310 acres, all of which 
 he has accumulated since 1864. 
 
 J(^HN R. ELLIS was born September 
 , 1, 1845, in Gi-eenwich township. His 
 father, John Ellis, was born August 
 8, 1816, in Onondaga county, N. Y., 
 attended school there when a small boy, 
 and at the age of twelve years hired out 
 as alarm hand at three dollars per month. 
 For the seven succeeding years he labored 
 on the farm, and at the age of nineteen 
 years began to learn the carpenter's trade, 
 which he followed until 183U, when he 
 and his brother George migrated to Huron 
 county. Ohio, and purchased, in partner- 
 ship, a tract of fifty acres in Gieenwich 
 township. This land was bought from 
 their uncle, Ellis, at five dollais per acre, 
 and is now owned by John R. and Martin 
 Ellis. 
 
 In 1841 John Ellis was united in mar- 
 riage with Rachel Rickard, a native of 
 Trumbull county, Ohio, and to tiieni were 
 born the following named children: Sidney 
 H., for forty years was a farmer of Green- 
 wich township, and who died in 1888; 
 Theresa, who married Charles Horr; John 
 R., a farmer of Fifchville township; 
 Martin, a farmer of Greeuwich township; 
 Leona, wife of Jacob Weaver, of Ripley 
 
UUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 429 
 
 township; Paulina, Mrs. Benton Davis, of 
 Ripley townsliip; Plirain, deceased in 
 youth; and Sarah, Mrs. Allen Ziegler, of 
 Eichland county, Ohio. The parents of 
 this faniily resided on the original farm 
 until they died, the mother in April, 1887, 
 and the father March 4. 1890. In 1850 
 Mr. Ellis began to lose his health, and from 
 1855 to the date of his death he was un- 
 able to accomplish a day's work. Under 
 the care and labor of his sons, however, 
 his possessions grew, and from a half in- 
 terest in fifty acres he became the owner 
 of 550 acres of fertile land. A one-thou- 
 sand-dollar monument marks the grave in 
 Ripley cemetery where John and Rachel 
 Ellis lie. In early days they joined the 
 church; but owing to want of harmony in 
 the religious body to which they belonged, 
 they ceased attending services, though con- 
 tinuing to worship God within their home. 
 Politically a Democrat, Mr. Ellis was 
 loyal to tlie party, but never was an active 
 politician; ho was often elected to town- 
 ship office, and each trust confided to him 
 he observed with fidelity. 
 
 John R. Ellis was reared in the manner 
 common to his contemporaries in Green- 
 wich township, attended the district school, 
 and at an early age entered on practical 
 farm work, taking a man's place on the 
 farm. On June 6, 1866, he was married 
 to Jane Viers, who was born in Butler 
 township, Richland Co., Ohio, a daughter 
 of L. D. and Jane (Parker) Viers. To 
 this marriage were born the following 
 named children: Hiram, Nora, and 
 Charles, all of whom reside at home. 
 After their union Mr. and Mrs. Ellis set- 
 tled in Ripley township, and there remained 
 three years, when they purchased a one- 
 half interest in 218 acres in Greenwich 
 township, Martin Ellis holding the second 
 half interest. For nine vears they resided 
 there, and then in 1880 came to Fitchville 
 township, where Mr. Ellis purchased the 
 old Palmer farm of eighty acres. To this 
 he has added forty-two acres adjoining, re- 
 modelled the dwelling-house, improved 
 
 the farm buildings, and converted the 
 whole tract into a fertile garden. For the 
 last six years Mr. Ellis has suffered from 
 rheumatism, and does but little active 
 work; he gives, however, close personal at- 
 tention to the farm. Politically he is a 
 Democrat, and one of the trusted advisers 
 and councillors of the party in Huron 
 county, well posted on political issues. 
 
 HERMAN GULP, a well-known at- 
 torney of Plymouth, Ohio, is a na- 
 tive of same, born November 1, 
 1854:. Christian Gulp, the grand- 
 father of subject, was born in the seven- 
 teenth century, in New York, where the 
 pioneers of the family in America settled 
 after coming from Germany. 
 
 When a young man Christian Gulp 
 migrated to Ohio, in which State he mar- 
 ried Nellie Burton, a descendant of Scotch 
 pioneers. Shortly after his marriage he 
 purchased 700 acres of land (embracing 
 almost the whole site of Plymouth) in 
 New Haven township, Huron county, and 
 moving hither in 1835, established a grist- 
 mill and carding-mill, both of which he 
 carried on in conjunction with his farm. 
 At the time of this settlement Plymouth 
 consisted of two or three log cabins. Here 
 five sons and two daughters were born to 
 Christian and Nellie Gulp, only two of 
 whom are yet living: Jacob, now of Mans- 
 field, Ohio, and Mrs. Polly Sherman, of 
 Plymouth. 
 
 Henry Gulp, the father of the subject of 
 this sketch, was the second child in order 
 of birth. At the age of twenty-five he 
 married Hannah Baker, a daughter of pio- 
 neer settlers of Ripley township, and to 
 their union were born four sons and three 
 daughters. The father died February 13, 
 1889, at the age of sixty-two years, and 
 his widow now resides on the home of her 
 childhood in Ripley township. 
 
 Sherman Gulp, the subject proper of 
 this memoir, was born, reared and edu- 
 cated at Plymouth, and is now the owner 
 
430 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO, 
 
 of the home founded by his grandfather, 
 Cliristiaii Ciilp. At the age of twenty- 
 four years he entered tlie law ofhce of J ohn 
 W. Bell, at Plymouth, read law under his 
 direction, and in 1886 was admitted to the 
 bar at Columbus, Ohio. During this 
 term of study the young lawyer was 
 elected mayor of the town, and has tilled 
 the offices of notary public and justice of 
 the peace. In 1888 he was the nominee 
 of the Democratic party for prosecuting 
 attorney of Huron county, and went within 
 327 votes of being elected. He has served 
 in the council of Plymouth, and takes an 
 active part in all public affairs. He is 
 also popular in social circles, and is a mem- 
 ber of the K. of P. and I. O. O. F. 
 
 His marriage with Louise Strong, daugh- 
 ter of E. D. Strong, took place at Ply- 
 mouth September 13, 1882. To them 
 thiee children wei'e born, namely: Ross 
 S., Henry S. and Frank R., but the death 
 of the latter occurred September 4, 1893. 
 Mr. Gulp's law practice is not confined by 
 any means to Huron, but extends through- 
 out the four or five adjoining counties. 
 The business of the office is almost ex- 
 clusively in civil law, of which Mr. Gulp 
 is au able e.xponent, and in the practice of 
 which he is very prominent. 
 
 CHESTER S. HOWE, a well-known 
 resident of Peru township, was born 
 September 9, 1818, in Fleming, 
 Cayuo;a county, New York. 
 His father, Titus Howe, was also a na- 
 tive jof that place, born November 14, 
 1793, and in early life learned the trade of 
 carpenter and joiner. On May 26, 1814, 
 he was united in marriage with Almira 
 Hicks, and they became the parents of the 
 following children: Nelson A., horn Aug- 
 ust 18, 1816; Ghester S., subjectof sketch; 
 Marion P., born February 25, 1821; 
 Edwin R., born October 5, 1823; Helen 
 M., born February 1, 1830; Almira M., 
 born November 14, 1833; Julia E., born 
 
 May 5, 1837; Amelia V., born October 22, 
 1839; and Oscar S., born April 28, 1843. 
 Titus Howe had visited the Far "West 
 prior to 1834, in which year he came west- 
 ward with his wife and family (then con- 
 sisting of six children), making a location 
 where the beautiful town of Batavia, Kane 
 Go., 111., now stands. The journey was 
 made in a wagon, the route being through 
 northern Ohio, southern Michigan, north- 
 ern Indiana and Cook county. 111., to the 
 banks of Fox river. In 1836 the family 
 moved twenty miles southward to what is 
 now Kendall county. On leaving Cayuga 
 county, N. Y., Mr. Howe took with him a 
 set of sawmill tools, which he used in a 
 mill he erected on Fox river. Later he 
 erected a saw and grist mill at Yorkville, 
 Kendall county, and was the pioneer in 
 the use of water-power there. He took an 
 important part in the development of this 
 rich little county of Illinois, and at his 
 death, which occurred August 25, 1867, in 
 Yorkville, the community mourned the 
 decease of an honest citizen. In politics 
 he was originally a Democrat, but after 
 the commencement of the Rebellion he 
 became a Republican. Mrs. Howe passed 
 away March 5, 1873. 
 
 Chester S. Howe accompanied his father 
 to Illinois in 1834, worked with him in 
 the sawmill on Fox river, and later m the 
 saw and grist mill at Yorkville. In Feb- 
 ruary, 1838, he decided to go east, and 
 acting on this determination came to Peru 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, that month. 
 He resided one year with his maternal 
 grandfather, Daniel B. Hicks, and at- 
 tended the school at Milan, Ohio. In the 
 spring of 1839 he revisited Illinois, where 
 he remained a year, then returning to 
 Ohio he Avorked at the carpenter's trade, 
 and during the winter of 1840-41 taught 
 school in Norwich township, Huron county, 
 having previously taught a school in 
 Greenfield township. In 1841 he entered 
 the employ of Alonzo Fox, as clerk in his 
 general store. In September of that year 
 he started on a southern journey with two 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 431 
 
 friends, but at Cincinnati he and one of 
 the friends left the other, visited Lexing- 
 ton and Louisville (Ky.), and thence pro- 
 ceeded by river, via Cairo, St. Louis and 
 La Salle, to his father's western iioine at 
 Yorkville. In the spring of 1842 he re- 
 turned to Ohio, and entered the employ of 
 Boalt & Gibbs, merchants. In 1846 he 
 became Mr. Boalt's partner, and subse- 
 quently became sole owner of the stock. 
 In 1859 he purchased a farm in Peru 
 township, and followed agricultural life 
 until 1878, when he moved to Macksville, 
 where he has since made his home. 
 
 On June 7, 1846, Mr. Howe was united 
 in marriatre with Miss Harriet Barker, 
 who was born April 11, 1822, in Cayuga 
 county, N. Y. In 1828 she was brought 
 by her parents to Bronson township, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, where she received her educa- 
 tion, and passed the remainder of her life. 
 Two children were born to this marriage, 
 namely: Albert B.. born March 16, 1847, 
 and who died December 17, 1850; and 
 Frank, born December 5, 1851, and was 
 married February 20. 1873, to Eva, daugh- 
 ter of William and Einilene Akers (their 
 children are Lela M., born January 12, 
 1877, and Sarah E., born February 3, 
 1879). Mrs. Harriet Howe died Septem- 
 ber 27, 1892. Mr. Howe, in politics, is a 
 member of the Democratic party. 
 
 grandson of (xer- 
 born April 29, 
 )wn of Hunter, 
 ^ (jrreene county, New York. 
 
 Gersham Griffin was a farmer 
 of Westchester county, N. Y ., at the be- 
 ginning of the Revolutionary war, and 
 suffered repeatedly from marauding par- 
 ties of the British soldiery. On one occa- 
 sion he was plowing in a cornfield, whei 
 some British cavalry galloped forward and 
 seized upon the only horse he possessed. 
 On sundry occasions they visited the farm, 
 destroying fences and burning what they 
 
 could not carry away. It is not known 
 why he did not enter the Continental line, 
 but his young wife and family probably 
 restrained him, or mayhap some political 
 notions may have militated against his 
 service witii the patriots. Whatever the 
 cause, he did not serve in the army, but 
 removed with his wife and children to 
 Greene county, N. Y., where he hoped the 
 wilderness would not only shelter them 
 from the wrath of war, but would also 
 enable him to make a new property as 
 good as that which he abandoned. Ten 
 days before his death, in 1831, as a patient, 
 he made his first acquaintance with a phy- 
 sician, but medical aid was useless, for his 
 race was run, and he passed away at the 
 age of eighty-eight years, one month and 
 two days. 
 
 Abijah Griffin, son of this old pioneer, 
 was born in Westchester county, N. Y"., 
 August 28, 1773, and when eighteen years 
 old was brought by his parents into Greene 
 county. There he grew to manhood, and 
 in 1795 married Abigail Bloomer, who 
 was born in Westchester county, N. Y"., 
 June 5, 1770, and when twenty-one years 
 old came to Greene county with her par- 
 ents, who, like the Griffins, were pioneers 
 of that section of New Y^ork. To this 
 marriaiie came the following named cliil- 
 dren: Esther, born July 8, 1796, married 
 Joseph H. Miller, and died in New Y'^ork 
 State in 1843; Ezekiel. born October 21, 
 1799. settled in Ohio in 1836, and died in 
 Greenwich township, Huron county, in 
 1872; Phoebe, born June 4, 1803, married 
 James Williamson, of Fitrhville township, 
 Huron county, and died in 1881 (she was 
 the mother of J. A. Williamson, a leading 
 attorney of the Huron county bar); Tamer, 
 born April 15, 1806, married Jeremiah 
 Kingsbury, in Greenwich township, and 
 died there in 1855; Robert B., born June 
 11, 1809, a farmer and carpenter, died in 
 Greenwich township, August 9, 1891, and 
 Riley, the subject of this sketch. 
 
 Ill May, 1833, the father of this family 
 visited Ohio, to examine the lands of 
 
432 
 
 HUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Huron county. Selecting a tract of one 
 hundred acres in Greenwich townsliip, he 
 purchased it for four hundred dollars, re- 
 turned to Greene county, and in Septem- 
 ber followinir hrought his wife and chil- 
 dren (excepting Esther and Ezekiel) to take 
 possession of their Ohio home. The 
 journey was made via canal and lake to 
 the village of Huron, and thence by wagon 
 to Greenwich township. The weatlier be- 
 ing stormy, the boat on which they traveled 
 from Buffalo to Huron was driven to tlie 
 Canadian shores, where it lay for two days, 
 rather than risk a trip across the lake. The 
 land wliich Mr. Griffin purchased was 
 slightly improved, a small log cabin in a 
 small clearing indicating that some pioneer 
 had been there before. Some short time 
 after settling here another tract of one 
 hundred acres, op|iosite the first tract, was 
 purchased for ten dollars per acre, and to 
 the new land the family removed their 
 residence. A new house was erected 
 tliereon by his sons, and tliere the father 
 died in May, 1856. His remains were in- 
 terred in Fitchville cemetery, in or near 
 the grave where his wife was buried, she 
 having died November 20, 1840. Both 
 were Methodists, and in politics Abijah 
 Griffin voted with the Whigs. 
 
 Riley Griffin was born April 29, 1812, 
 and passed his boyhood on the farm and 
 in attending winter school. When a youth 
 he learned the carpenter's trade, bnt still 
 continued to give his attention to books. 
 He taught school for ten dollars per month 
 in New York State, and after settling in 
 Greenwich township taught one term there 
 and two terms in Fitchville, the highest 
 salary paid being fifteen dollars per month 
 anil "boarding round." On January 21, 
 1839, he was united in marriage with 
 Pliilena Washburn, who was born June 
 8, 1817, in Ulster county, N. Y., and was 
 brought by her parents, Henry and Mary 
 Washburn, to Greenwich township in 
 1819. To this marriage came the follow- 
 ing: Mary, born February 10, 1840, died 
 December 5, 1882; Hialmer, born May 6, 
 
 1842, a farmer of Fitchville township, 
 Huron county; Ermina, born July 18, 
 
 1843, Mrs. T. W. Fancher, of Lorain 
 county; Corwin, born June 7, 1845, a 
 physician of Clyde, Ohio, and Stanley, 
 born May 20, 1848, proprietor of the 
 "Hotel Griffin," Lorain, Ohio. The 
 motlier of this family died February 20, 
 1863, and was interred in the family burial 
 ground, in the northeast corner of Green- 
 wich cemetery. On January 21, 1864, he 
 married, forbis second wife, Mrs. Mary Jane 
 (Carl) Baker, who was born November 22, 
 1813, at Salem, N. Y., whence in 1815 she 
 was taken by her parents, AVilliam and 
 Martha (Weed) Carl, to Greenwich, Conn. 
 In 1830 the family moved to Greenwich 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, where the 
 father purchased one hundred acres at one 
 dollar per acre, and here ]\Iary J. Carl 
 married Marshall Baker, and after his death 
 united with Mr. Griffin. They knew each 
 other in their youthful days. 
 
 In 1834 Riley Griffin located on the 
 second tract of one hundred acres purchased 
 by his father, while Robert B., a brother 
 who also married about that time, located 
 on the first tract. The highway alone 
 separated the bi'others' farms, and for 
 twenty-two years they worked as one man. 
 The earnings of the two farms were equally 
 divided annually, and this division closed 
 the year's business. Riley Griffin resided 
 on the second tract until 1876, when he 
 moved to the town of Greenwich, where he 
 has since lived a semi-retired life. The 
 trade of carpenter, which he learned in 
 his youth, enabled him to build his own 
 houses, fences, etc. This ti-ade, with his 
 natural aptitude for agriculture and pro- 
 verbial industry, brought him wealth, so 
 that now he can enjoy the reward of his 
 early labor. In politics formerly a Whig, 
 he became a Republican on the formation 
 of the party, and was one of the first four- 
 teen men in Greenwich township who 
 voted tile new ticket. He is a great 
 reader of newspapers, and is well versed 
 in the political history of the United 
 
iiuitoyr COUNTY, ouio. 
 
 438 
 
 States. His memory of dates and events 
 is phenomenal, and for a man of liis age 
 there are few who can be compared with 
 hiiti in physical and mental strength. He 
 has held several township oftices, but he 
 had no political aspirations. In religious 
 connection Mr. and Mrs. Griffin attend 
 the Metliodist Episcopal Church, and they 
 are in every way worthy of the esteem in 
 which they are held. 
 
 CALVERT A. MEAD is descended 
 from one of three Welsh brothers 
 who were early settlers of Huron 
 county. His father, Edmund Mead, 
 was born in 1788, in Putnam county, N. 
 Y., and reared on a farm. He received a 
 good education, and was private secretary 
 to a captain during the war of 1812. He 
 was married in his native State to Rachel 
 Knapp, who was born in Delaware county, 
 N. Y., and came to Ohio in an early day. 
 After moving to Ohio Edmund Mead 
 bought 125 acres of land, situated one and 
 one half miles southeast of Norwalk. 
 About the year 1832 he bought a tract of 
 150 acres in Section 2, Bronson township, 
 a log house and a few tillable acres being 
 the only improvement then made. To 
 this family were born nine children — four 
 sons and five daughters — of whom five are 
 yet living, viz.: Mrs. Elizabeth A. Mit- 
 chell and Mrs. Almira A. Merwin, both of 
 whom reside in California; Alfred G., a 
 farmer, surveyor and miller, of Michigan 
 (^has a family of five sons and two daugh- 
 ters); Charles E., living in Oklahoma (has 
 one son and four daughters), and Calvert 
 A. The father was an active worker in the 
 Whig and Republican parties. He died 
 in 1876 at the age of eighty-eight years, 
 and in 1878 the mother was laid beside 
 him, having passed her eighty-eighth year. 
 Calvert A. Mead was born June 9, 1834, 
 on the home farm in Bronsun township. 
 He attended the common schools, and 
 from early youth has been associated with 
 
 agricultural pursuits, having had charge 
 of the home place since his twenty-fourth 
 year. On March 24, 1857, he was united 
 in marriage with Ellen M., daughter of Eri 
 Mesnard, and she has borne him the fol- 
 lowing children: Ijyron L., Albert S., Ger- 
 trude L., Clayton B., Henry B. and Frank 
 L. ; they also have an adopted son, Charles 
 W. Of these children one is in Toledo, 
 Ohio, two are living in Illinois, one in 
 Buffalo, and Frank L., the youngest, died 
 September 29, 1893. 
 
 In 1876 Mr. Mead erected a commodious 
 residence, situated on one of the most 
 beautiful and picturesque spots in Huron 
 county. He has been a very successful 
 farmer, and has made many substantial 
 improvements on the place. In politics he 
 has been a Republican since the organiza- 
 tion of that party, having cast his first 
 ballot for John C. Fremont. 
 
 RESTON PALMER, a descendant 
 of one of the most deserving pio- 
 neer families of Huron county, was 
 born January 6, 1834, in Fiteh- 
 ville township. 
 The first of the family in America lo- 
 cated in New England at the close of tiie 
 seventeenth century, and his descendants 
 were still residing there when the fertile 
 lands of Ohio were first opened to settle- 
 ment. Samuel Palmer, grandfather of 
 subject, was born in 1758 in Fairfield 
 county, Connecticut. 
 
 Samuel Palmer, son of Samuel, was born 
 September 12, 1799, in Connecticut, re- 
 ceived an elementary education in the 
 school of his native place, and grew to 
 manhood there. One of his brothers, 
 Alvah, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and 
 received 200 acres of tiieConnecticut "Fire- 
 lands " in Ohio. Another brother, Randall, 
 visited Ohio in 1817 or 1818, making his 
 home there, and in the spring of 1819 
 Samuel, accompanied by Randall Palmer's 
 wife and her four children with his sister 
 
434 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Hannah, set out for Ohio. They traveled 
 in a wagon drawn by an ox and a cow with 
 a gray mare as leader of the team. Owing 
 to wet weather, the greatest care had to be 
 taken in fording the rivers and streams en 
 route, and the greatest patience exercised 
 in ci'ossing marshy spots on the road. The 
 party arrived safely in Huron county after 
 being seventy-five days on the road. Often 
 friendly Indians helped them out of the 
 swamps during their journey, and ever 
 after tlie travelers were kind to the Red- 
 man. Along the route young Samuel 
 killed sufficient game to keep up the supply 
 of fresh meat, while from the pioneers they 
 bought corn or ''johnny-cake." Samuel 
 Palmer became the first school teacher in 
 Fitchville township. 
 
 In October, 1832, he married Eliza O. 
 Ourtiss, who was born on Long Island, N. 
 Y., October 7, 1815. Her father, William 
 P. Curtiss, was a minister of the Protest- 
 ant Episcopal Church until his death from 
 cholera in 1828, and his two daughters 
 were brought to Ohio by their uncle, 
 Chester Manville, who settled in Wake- 
 man township, Huron county. To this 
 marriage were born the following-named 
 children: Preston, the subject of this 
 sketch; Marcus C, born February 19, 1839, 
 who died leaving a family; and Samuel L., 
 born November 17, 1841, deceased in 
 youth. The mother of these children died 
 May 2, 1842, and was buried in Fitchville 
 township. On October 29. 1844, Mr. 
 Palmer married Anna P. Lyon, who was 
 born in Cayuga county, N. Y., where the 
 marriage took place. Tiie children born 
 to this marriage are named as follows: 
 Eliza, born September 1,1848; Samuel E., 
 born August 1, 1851, and Anna. The 
 last named three children died in youth, 
 and on September 27, 1876, their mother 
 passed away. The father died December 
 5, 1882, and the remains of both lie in the 
 Fitchville cemetery. Mr. Palmer was a 
 farmer even during the years when he 
 taught school in Fitchville township. As 
 a horticulturist he was well known, for he 
 
 brought fruit-tree seeds from the East, and 
 set out the first nursery in the township. 
 He read every book, pamphlet and news- 
 paper which came to his hand, and was 
 particularly devoted to Bible reading. A 
 supporter of the Congregational Church, 
 and in early years a trustee in that Church, 
 the latch-string of liis home was always 
 out tor preachers of that denomination. 
 An unflinching Abolitionist, he was a 
 ''conductor on the Underground Rail-^ 
 way,'' at times concealing from ten to fif- 
 teen negroes round the home, until he 
 could forward them to Canada. In 1856 
 he joined the Republicans, and remained 
 with that party tbe rest of his life. He 
 was a most successful farmer, and highly 
 esteemed in his district. 
 
 Preston Palmer was reared in the man- 
 ner common to pioneer boys in Ohio at his 
 time. The common school existed when 
 he was of school age, and in that of his 
 district he received a rudimentary educa- 
 tion, being a student at the time when 
 school was held in nine distinct houses, 
 and at irregular periods. At the age of 
 fourteen years his labor on the farm was 
 deemed more necessary than his education, 
 and from the spring of 1848 to the sum- 
 mer of 1850 he worked steadily as a farm 
 hand. In 1850 he began to learn the 
 coach painter's trade under Jacob Loomis, 
 of Cleveland, and worked as journeyman 
 painter throughout southern Ohio in 
 1851-52, and part of 1853, when he re- 
 turned to Fitchville township and resumed 
 farming. 
 
 On Jnne 26, 1859, he married Elthina 
 Crane (daughter of Chauncey Crane), a 
 native of Fitchville township, who died 
 August 27, 1890, without issue. On June 
 11, 1892, Mr. Palmer married Mrs. Jo- 
 hanna (Van Vechten) Smith, daughter of 
 Dr. D. D. Van Vechten, formerly of Alle- 
 gany county, N. Y. Mr. Palmer has not 
 devoted his whole life to agriculture. In 
 June, 1863, he was summarily summoned 
 from industry to war, and enlisted in an 
 artillery company at Cleveland, Ohio, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 435 
 
 wliich was dissolved by Gov. Tod. On 
 July 20, 1863, he enlisted in CoTiipany M, 
 First (). H. A., known also as the One 
 Hundred and Seventeenth 0. V. I., trans- 
 formed into an artillery regiment by order 
 of May 2, 1863. He was engaged in the 
 construction of the works at Covington 
 and IS^ewport for the protection of Cincin- 
 nati, and also served at Alexandria atid 
 P'ort Whittlesey until the end of January, 
 1864, when tlie command proceeded to 
 Point Burnside, Tenn. At the close of 
 February the order to move toward Knox- 
 ville was observed, but, on that terrible 
 march over the mountains, Mr. Palmer's 
 strength failed, and he was left at a farm 
 house to be cared for. About the last of 
 March he joined the company at Knox- 
 ville, and on April 6 was assigned to serv- 
 ice on the engineer corps under Lieutenant 
 Steruberger. In July, 1864, he was 
 stricken with malarial fever, and trans- 
 ferred to hospital at Knoxville, where he 
 remained until discharged. May 26, 1865. 
 Returning from the war, he resumed farm- 
 ing on the old homestead, and has won 
 success as an agriculturist. A Republican, 
 he is one of the counsellors of the party in 
 his county, is well posted on public mat- 
 ters, and being a man of sound judgment 
 and common sense his opinion is often 
 sought in public affairs and in many pri- 
 vate concerns. 
 
 EORGE VAN HORN, one of the 
 y pushing, vvide-awake citizens of Ha- 
 
 r. 
 
 V^li vana, and a prosperous mer<duint 
 ^^ of the town, of which he is also 
 postmaster, is a native of Norwich 
 township, Huron county, born in 1857. 
 
 William H. Van Horn, father of sub- 
 ject, was born in Pennsylvania in 1827, a 
 son of William D. Van Horn, also a 
 native of the Keystone State, bcirn of Ger- 
 man ancestry. William H. was a carpen- 
 ter and builder, and came to Ohio when a 
 young man. He married a Miss Hicks, 
 by whom there were seven children. 
 
 The subject of these lines received a 
 liberal education at the public schools of 
 Norwich township, and was thoroughly 
 trained to the arduous duties of farm life 
 until the age of seventeen, at which time 
 he commenced clerking for his uncle, F. 
 Van Horn, in Havana, Huron county, with 
 whom he remained eleven years. Then 
 for six years he was a partner with his 
 uncle, after which he bought his uncle out, 
 and commenced business for himself. He 
 is a thoroughly representative self-made 
 man, having risen from very small l)e- 
 ginnings, by his own indefatigable energy, 
 to his present position of comparative 
 affluence. In his political preferences 
 Mr. Van Horn is a stanch Republican, and 
 on February 22, 1889, he was appointed 
 postmaster at Havana. In religions faith 
 he is a member of the Universalist Church. 
 
 El LI O. ELLIS, a worthy descendant 
 of pioneers of Vermont and north- 
 I ern Ohio, was born November 28, 
 
 1825, on the farm in Peru town- 
 ship, where he now resides. 
 
 Andrew Ellis, grandfather of Eli O., 
 was a farmer of Essex county, Vt., and in 
 connection .with agriculture carried on the 
 manufacture of lampblack, in which he 
 was assisted by his children, whose names 
 are Mary, Andrew, Freeman, William, 
 Apollis, Joseph Cornelius and Lyman. 
 Lyman Ellis was born about 1795, on 
 the home farm in Vermont. When a 
 youth he served with tlie troops of his 
 State in tlie war of 1812 as a substitute 
 for his father. Before and after that con- 
 flict he worked in the lampblack factory, 
 and tlion learned the cooper's trade. In 
 1820 he determined to see for himself 
 what truth there was in the reports from 
 Ohio, and made the journey tliither on 
 foot, carrying with liim all liis property. 
 Locating for awhile in Lorain countY, near 
 Black River, he satisfied himself that Flor- 
 ence (now Berlin), Sandusky county, offered 
 
436 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 greater advantages to liiin, and thither he 
 proceeded. There he married Annie Wil- 
 son, a native of Hebron, Wasiiington Co., 
 N. Y., near tlie Vermont line, daughter of 
 Asa Wilson, and who came with her par- 
 ents to Ohio in 1820. Dnring the jour- 
 ney they encountered a very heavy snow- 
 storm, the ground being covered to a depth 
 of two feet, and malving it necessary for 
 the travelers to obtain the small limbs of 
 trees to feed to the cattle. In 1820 Asa 
 Wilson purchased 500 acres in Peru town- 
 ship, Huron county, at five dollars per 
 acre, and built a rude cabin thereon, where 
 he dwelt with his wife and family. Lyman 
 Ellis died in 1864; his widow followed 
 him to the grave in 1883, and both are 
 buried in the Wilson family cemetery. 
 Mr. Ellis was one of the early Methodists, 
 and was class-leader for a number of years, 
 until he and his wife renounced Method- 
 ism and embraced the Free will Baptist 
 doctrine. In politics he was originally a 
 Democrat, but voting for Fremont in 1856 
 he remained thereafter a consisterit Repub- 
 lican until his death. 
 
 Eli O. Ellis, like other pioneer boys, 
 passed his youth in farm work, in school 
 or in play, there being always a surplus of 
 work present. When a youth he was 
 sent to a school at Norwalk; but mechan- 
 ics and agriculture being more in conso- 
 nance with his nature than clerical work, it 
 is not a matter for surprise to find him 
 again on the farm, sharing in the work of 
 clearing and cultivating. When the San- 
 dusky & Mansfield Eailroad was surveyed 
 young Ellis was rodmaii for John Webb, 
 the surveyor. Being a natural mechanic, 
 he worked at various trades until 1847. 
 On May 23, that year, he married Miss 
 Hannah Gordon, a native of New York, 
 and to this marriage the following-named 
 children were born: Emma, Mrs. William 
 F. Robinson, of Norwich township, and 
 Adelbert D., who died when eleven years 
 old. Mrs. Hannah Ellis died in 1862, 
 and Mr. Ellis in 1864 married Sarah L. 
 Clement, who bore him two children, 
 
 Clayton and Elbert M., both residing 
 here. After the death of Mrs. Sarah L. 
 Ellis, who was killed by the cars in 1881, 
 he married Mrs. Mary Millis. After his 
 first marriage our subject settled on the 
 home farm, which he had aided his father 
 in clearing, and here he has resided for 
 over forty-five years. Some years ago he 
 was injured by a runaway horse, and since 
 that time has done no active farm work, 
 although he still attends to the direction 
 and management of all his interests. Mr. 
 Ellis is an independent thinker, and will 
 not be held by party bonds unless the 
 principle and deeds of the party appear to 
 him to be wise. He was a Republican 
 prior to the passage of the McKinley Bill, 
 and is now allied with the People's party. 
 Though he has been honored with town- 
 ship offices since twenty-three years of age, 
 be is not a politician in the sense that an 
 office seeker is; for he can speak fluently 
 and intelligently on all sides of a political 
 question regardless of sympathy with it, 
 and indeed can ably bring out the good 
 and bad points in the lives of local and 
 national statesmen. 
 
 L 
 
 P. SISSON, a retired farmer of 
 Greenwich township, was born Feb- 
 ruary 15, 1823, in Wayne county, 
 N. Y., a sou of Sanford Sisson, who 
 was born in Rhode Island, but when seven 
 years old accompanied his father, Jabez 
 Sisson, to Rensselaer county, N.Y., where 
 he grew to manhood. 
 
 When a young man Sanford married 
 Flaviah West, a native of Rensselaer 
 county, and they moved to Wayne county 
 in pioneer times, residing there until 1827, 
 when the family came to Ohio. They 
 located in Ripley township. Huron county, 
 where the father purchased 114 acres of 
 land, upon which he erected a rude log 
 house. The old settlers of Huron can 
 form an idea of the courage of these pio- 
 neers in entering Ripley township at that 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 43'; 
 
 time. It was a veritable wilderness, the 
 favorite haunt of deer and other large 
 game, and Mr. Sisson, it is related, has 
 stood in one place and killed three deer at 
 a time. The bear and wolf were regular 
 visitants, and wild turkey abounded. To 
 Sanford and P'laviah Sisson fourteen chil- 
 dren were born, of wbom two are now 
 living, namely: L. P., the subject of this 
 sketch, and Augustus, of Ft. Payne, Ala. 
 Arnold, the last one whose death is re- 
 corded, died in 1893 in Hastings, Mich. 
 The father died in Ripley township iti 
 1859, his widow in Barry county, ]\[ich., 
 in 1862, each being buried in the place of 
 death. Mr. Sisson was a Whig, and took 
 an active part in the political contests of 
 his time. 
 
 L. P. Sisson was nearly five years old 
 when his parents moved to Huron county. 
 He attended a winter school, taught by one 
 of his sisters in a rude log building, and 
 when school days were over entered on 
 farm woik. On December 15, 1844, lie 
 married Elizabetii Mills, who was born 
 Decembers, 1822, in Wayne county, N. Y., 
 daughter of Nathaniel Mills, who settled 
 in Ohio with his familj' about the year 
 1838. The children of this marriage were 
 Willis N., a fanner of Greenwich township; 
 Frances Josephine, Mrs. D. D. Washburn; 
 Sanford H., a farmer of Greenwich town- 
 ship; Emma F., who died when nineteen 
 years old; Lucius A., residing at home; 
 Oscar L., living in Greenwich township; 
 Addie L., who died young; William E.. a 
 farmer of Greenwich township, and Jennie 
 A.. Mrs. Charles McMillen, of Berea, 
 Ohio. After liis marriage Mr. Sisson 
 worked on his father's farm for three 
 years, and then as a tenant for U. B. 
 Thomas. In 1850 he pnrcliased fifty acres 
 in Xew London township; in 1853 he 
 took up liis residence on the old Mills 
 homestead, where he continued to live till 
 October 31. 1893, when he moved to the 
 village of Greenwich. In politics origin- 
 ally a Whig, he has been a Republican 
 from the organization of the new party. 
 
 and has held various township offices, being 
 always earnest and faithful in the perform- 
 ance of his duties. He has been a most 
 successful farmer and stock grower, but 
 live years ago lie practically retired, and he 
 now enjoys the ease and peace which 
 generally follow economy and intelligent 
 labor. 
 
 E' G. E. EASTMAN, who was born 
 April 17, 1838, in Bronson town- 
 I ship, is a son of Seba Eastman, 
 
 born July 18, 1798, near Rutland, 
 Vt. Seba Eastman was married, Novem- 
 ber 26, 1830, to Keziah Edson, who was 
 born December 8, 1801, near Charlestown, 
 Massachusetts. 
 
 Starting in life Seba sold a valuable 
 team of horses for four hundred dollars, 
 but was cheated out of three hundred and 
 ninety-five dollars of this sum. the balance 
 of which, five dollars, he invested in a 
 Bible, which is now in the possession ot 
 his son. The incident is given to show 
 the intensity of the faith, as it i)urned 
 among the Green Mountains at the begin- 
 ning of this century. Before leaving Ver- 
 mont two cliiidren were born to Seba and 
 Keziah Eastman — Caroline E. and Keziah 
 A. — both of whom were brought west by 
 their parents in 1832. The family traveled 
 by the Erie Canal and lake to Ohio, and 
 first located in Lykius township, Crawford 
 county, but in the fall of 1832 made a 
 permanent settlement in Huron county. 
 ()f their children who came with them to 
 Ohio, Caroline, who married Alonzo 
 Adams, died December 9, 1869, and 
 Keziah, who became the wife of Myron 
 D. Stevens, resides in Michigan. The fol- 
 lowing children were born after their set- 
 tlement in Ohio: E. G. E. ; Seba A., a 
 fanner of Greenfield township, and James 
 A., who enlisted when sixteen years old in 
 Company C, Twenty-fifth O. V. I., and 
 died in South (-arolina. The father died 
 of apoplexy July 4. 1850, his widow on 
 May 6, 1877, ami both are buried in 
 Centre cemetery. 
 
438 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 E. G. E. Eastman received a primary 
 education in the schools of his native town- 
 ship. On the death of iiis fatlier he began 
 wori< as a farm hand at six dollars per 
 month, and with this small pay labored 
 each summer until 1854, when he and his 
 brother formed a partnership, and later, 
 with their mother, purcliased sixty acres 
 of land which now forms a part of his 
 estate. In 1859 Mr. Eastman moved to 
 Fulton county, Ohio, where he remained 
 one year, and then, returning, resided with 
 his mother until her death. 
 
 On January 3, 1878, he married Mary 
 J. Kendall, who was born June 19, 1845, 
 at Amity, Orange Co., N. Y., daughter of 
 Amos Kendall, who broujcht his family to 
 Huron county in 1846. To Mr. and Mrs. 
 Eastman have been born the following 
 
 o 
 
 named children: EfRe G., Grace E., Gary 
 E., Amos K., and one who died in infancy. 
 With the exception of one year passed in 
 Bronson townsliip, and two years on one 
 of the tracts in Peru township, the family 
 have resided on the old farm, purcliased 
 about 1854. Mr. Eastman is non-partisan 
 in politics. His idea is to place honest 
 men in office, and this accomplished the 
 laws will be observed strictly, improve- 
 ments carried out economically, and taxa- 
 tion reiluced to a minimum. He takes 
 special pride in being known as an indus- 
 trious, frugal man, who has, in fact, made 
 a valuable property by his own intelligent 
 labor. 
 
 EV. HENEY G. SUTTER, pastor 
 of the Evangelical Lutheran Church 
 of Bellevue, was born February 12, 
 1857, at Sugar Grove, Fairfield 
 county, Ohio. 
 His parents, John J. and Eva (Hoffman) 
 Sutter, natives of Switzerland and Wur- 
 temberg (Germany), respectively, came to 
 the United States when children, and to 
 their marriage four daughters and one son 
 were born. John J. Sutter was a German 
 Evangelical Lutheran minister, and 
 
 preached in Fairfield county the greater 
 part of his life, but also served charges at 
 Clyde, Marion and Bellevue, Ohio, after- 
 wai'd. Rev. John J. Sutter died January 
 4, 1884. Mrs. Eva Sutter resides with her 
 son, Henry G., at Bellevue. 
 
 Our subject was educated in the schools 
 of his native place, and completed a liberal 
 course of study in the Capital University, 
 Columbus, Ohio, from which institute he 
 graduated in 1880. Entering the German 
 Lutheran Seminar}' at Columbus, he grad- 
 uated thence in 1883, and was ordained at 
 Attica, Seneca county. In April, same year, 
 he took charge of the church at Attica, and 
 introduced preaching in both German and 
 English, German having been used exclu- 
 sively in the pulpit up to that time. In 18S4 
 he was called by the Bellevue congregation, 
 and this with two congregations in the 
 district he serv^es most satisfactorily. He 
 is one of the ablest of the younger minis- 
 ters of the Lutheran denomination in Ohio. 
 
 Rev. Henry G. Sutter was married Sep- 
 tember 18, 1884, to Miss Minnie Rut- 
 hardt, born in New York City, October 25, 
 1861, whose parents were both natives of 
 Wurtemberg, Germany. To this union 
 were born four children, namely: Fred- 
 erick, Gertrude, Walter and Hortense. 
 
 JOSEPH F. SMITH, grandson of 
 Josejih Smith, was born April 1, 
 1849, in Peru township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, and received his primary edu- 
 cation in the common schools. Later heat- 
 tended Bryant & Felton's Business Col- 
 lege at Cleveland, Ohio, whence he 
 graduated. 
 
 Returning to his native county, he 
 worked on his father's farm for some time, 
 then entered the employ of William & A. 
 W. Prentiss at Monroeville, where he was 
 a clerk for eighteen months, until stricken 
 with small-pox. Abandoning business he 
 returned to the home farm. In 1876 he 
 came into possession of the home place, 
 and on May 14, 1877, was married to Miss 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 439 
 
 Mary Amend, wlio was born in Havana, 
 Ohio, a daughter of Frank Aiiieiid, farmer 
 of Norwich township. The children born 
 to this marriage are Joseph, Clarence and 
 Amelia, all residing at home. Since his 
 marriage he has resided on the home farm, 
 which is part of the "Old Johnson Farm." 
 Mr. Smith is one of the prominent agri- 
 culturists and stock growers of the county, 
 is very popular among the Germans of 
 his neighborhood, and is a highly respected 
 citizen of his community. Ilis farm and 
 buildings tell, at a glance, how far system 
 in agriculture goes toward success. The 
 ancestry of the family is recorded in the 
 biograpiiy of Mr. Frank J. Smith, of Peru 
 township, a brother of our subject. Mr. 
 Smith gives the Democratic party his un- 
 flinching loyalty; but beyond the time de- 
 voted to the municipal interests of the 
 townsliip he does not permit politics to 
 interfere with his business interests. The 
 family are members of the Catholic 
 Church. 
 
 fl( RTHIIR WILLOUGHBY, who 
 l[l\ during his lifetime was one of the 
 Ir^ nn)St progressive citizens of Rich- 
 ■fj mond township, was a native of 
 
 Harrison county, Ohio, born near 
 the present town of Xew Hagerstown. 
 He was the fourth child of James and 
 Margaret (Patterson) Willoughby, the 
 former of whom was born in Washington 
 county, Penn., the latter in Ireland, whence 
 when a young girl she came with her par- 
 ents to America, locating in Harrison 
 county, Ohio, where they were pioneers. 
 
 James Willoughby was a farmer in Har- 
 rison county, whither he too had come with 
 his parents in pioneer times, and where he 
 was married. While living in Harrison 
 county three children were born to them, 
 as follows: Catherine, who was married 
 to John Bingham, and died in Seneca 
 county, Ohio; Robert, a farmer of Rich- 
 mond township, and Ai'thur, the subject 
 proper of this memoir. About 1829 this 
 
 family settled in the woods of Seneca 
 county, at which time the vicinity 
 abounded with wild animals — bear, deer, 
 wild cats, turkeys, etc. The journey, 
 which was made by wagon, was very diffi- 
 cult, and in some places they even had to 
 cut their own roads through the country. 
 He purchased land at one dollar and 
 twenty-five cents per acre, and made some 
 money acting as guide for land seekers; he 
 also speculated to some extent, with the 
 hard-earned money he had accumulated in 
 Harrison county, and had some success in 
 that line. His ability as a marksman, 
 with an old flint-lock rifle, was really re- 
 markable, and many were the wild ani- 
 mals which fell before it. Two more chil- 
 dren were born in Seneca county: Rel)ecca, 
 now Mrs. Chauncy Reed, of Michigan, 
 and Jane, widow of William Gardner, also 
 residing in Michigan. Mr. Willoughby 
 died June 22, 1834, and was buried at 
 Attica, Seneca county; he was indeed a 
 pioneer in his section. His widow was 
 afterward married to Jacob Courtwright, 
 to whom she bore one child, Jacob, who is 
 now a liveryman of Attica, Seneca county. 
 They resided in Norwich township, and 
 she lived for a number of years afterward, 
 dying April 17, 1865. 
 
 Arthur Willoughby was born February 
 27, 1825, was reared to farm life, and, as 
 his step-father did not believe in much 
 education, received during his early youth 
 but little school training. When seven- 
 teen years old he left home, with but few 
 clothes and a small amount of money, and 
 took up his abode with Major La Rue, in 
 Venice township, Seneca county, where he 
 workecl as a farm hand. Here he also at- 
 tended school. He was a good worker, and 
 received nine dollars a month for his serv- 
 ices, prior to which he had split rails for 
 fifty cents a hundred. In the fall of 1852 
 he married Mary .lane Ringle, born in 
 Carroll county, daughter of George and 
 Catherine (Pottorf) Ringle, and the young 
 couple settled in Norwich township on 
 one hundred acres of land, which he had 
 
440 
 
 HUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 purchased at eleven dollars per acre. He 
 had previously bouglit eome land in Wy- 
 andot county, Ohio, and selling this at a 
 profit, he was able, with the proceeds and 
 one hundred dollars which his wife re- 
 ceived from her home, to pay all but one 
 hundred dollars of the eleven hundred dol- 
 lars, the price of the new land. It was 
 then entirely in the woods, and contained 
 a log house in which the family njade 
 their home for eighteen years. From time 
 to tinrie additions were made to this land, 
 and in 1869 an elegant brick residence 
 was erected across the road in Richmond 
 township. The following children came to 
 bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur 
 "Willougiiby: Simon A., a former resident 
 of Keno county, Kans., where he died 
 April 28, 1893, leaving a widow and three 
 children (he was a member of the Kansas 
 State Board of Pardons, and in an obituary 
 notice of him in a local paper we lind the 
 following: " For several years he had been 
 a very active man in politics, and labored 
 with an intelligence and earnestness in the 
 new political movement that marked him 
 as one of its leaders. He was yet a young 
 man, and would have made a good official 
 record had his life lieen spared "); Harry 
 E., of Cincinnati, an electrician in the em- 
 ploy of the Electric Kailroad; Willie M., 
 a shoe merchant of Chicago, Ohio; Alice 
 M., Mrs. Cyrus Everingim, of Attica, 
 Ohio; Charley L., a farmer of Richmond 
 township; Clara B., a school teacher, a 
 highly educated lady; and Walter J., at- 
 tending school. 
 
 The father of this family passed from 
 earth August 21, 1889; his death was sud- 
 den and rather unexpected, as he had al- 
 ways been a robust man, never ill for a 
 day. For eight years previous, to his de- 
 cease he had made his home in Attica, 
 Seneca county, in order to educate his 
 children, and here he lived a very retired 
 life. At the time of his death Mr. Will- 
 ougiiby owned an elegant home and 375 
 acres of excellent land. In politics he was 
 a Democrat, and one of the leaders of the 
 
 party in his section; in religious belief he 
 was a member of the M. P. Church, in 
 which he held the office of steward. He 
 was in many ways an active man; even in 
 his early youth he understood the value of 
 knowledge, and this occasioned the dis- 
 cord between him and his step-father 
 wliich caused him to leave home to seek 
 an education. He continued to hold these 
 opinions all his life, and as his family grew 
 up he affijrded each member ample op- 
 portunities for an education, of which they 
 were not slow to take advantage. As a 
 family and as individuals the Willoughbys 
 stand second to none in the county. After 
 the death of her liusband Mrs. Willoughby 
 returned to the home in Richmond town- 
 ship, where she has ever since resided. 
 She is a member of the M. P. Church, and 
 is one of the most highly respected ladies 
 in the community in which she resides. 
 
 OLE. Of the families of this name 
 in Bronson and Norwalk townships, 
 the earliest ancestor of whom there 
 is authentic record was one John 
 Cole, born in 1670, in England, whose 
 son, also named John, was born in 1705, 
 in "that tight little island," and came to 
 America in old Colonial days, passing the 
 later portion of his life in Connecticut. 
 He was twice married, first time to a sister 
 of Benjamin Franklin, his second wife be- 
 ing Mary Brown. John Cole was the 
 father of six children — two sons and four 
 daughters — the eldest of whom was John, 
 the second son being named Thomas. The 
 latter was born August 25, 1735, in Wind- 
 ham county. Conn., and on December 7, 
 1757, was united in marriage to Miriam 
 Kinne, who bore him the following-named 
 children: Silas, Amos, Spencer, Levi, 
 Thomas, Jeremy, Samuel, Mary, Eunice 
 and Marion. The descendants of this fam- 
 ily are very numerous, and are scattered 
 throughout the many portions of the 
 United States. The following is quoted 
 nearly verbatim, and with some additional 
 
/^ 
 
HURON- COUNTY, OniO. 
 
 443 
 
 matter, from a liistory of Huron and Erie 
 counties, giving a biographical sketch of 
 Levi Cole: 
 
 Levi Cole, the fourth son of Thomas and Mir- 
 iam (Kinne) Cole, was born November iO. ITHij, in 
 Windham county. Conn., married November 2.i, 
 1790, and died February 11, IWO, at Norwalk, 
 Ohio. His wife, Hannali Kinne, was born in 
 Windham county, ('onn.. July 24, 1770, and died at 
 Norwalk, Ohio," February 27, 1840. They had 
 seven sons and two daushters, as follows: Jeremj', 
 born March 17, 17!»o; died July 30. 1818; came to 
 Ohio in 1815. Asher, born April 2;i, 171i7, died No- 
 vember 4, Vi'if); came to Ohio in 1810. James, born 
 April 25, 17UH; came to Ohio in 181'j; on January 
 1.5, 1824, he was married to Fhilena Johnson, born 
 October 4, 1802, and there were born to tbera live 
 children — tour sons and one daughter, viz. : Albert, 
 born October 2. 1824, still living in Greeley. Colo.; 
 Bryant, born March 7, 1828. died May 10, 1863; 
 Starry H., born March 6, 1831, died October 30, 
 187ti (he was first lieutenant of Company B, One 
 Hundred and Si.xly-sixlh Regiment O. V. I., for a 
 term of ninety days); George W., born February 22, 
 183."). died January t>, 1893 (he enlisted in the Third 
 Ohio Cavalry for a term of three years); and 
 Maria, born August 13, 1841, died January 1, 1893; 
 the father of these died December 20, 1881, the 
 mother on April 30, 1881. Levi, born March 23, 
 1801 ; died in Kidgefield township; came to Ohio in 
 1811). .Miner, boi^n July 20, 1803; died in Norwalk 
 township; came to Ohio in 1810. Manly K., born 
 February 11, 1807, and who came to Ohio in 1816, 
 has mention farther on. Lyman, born March 10, 
 1810; died October 10, 18.53; came to Ohio in 1810. 
 The daughters were Hannah, born March 11, 1792, 
 died Aueust 24, 1795. Ardelia, born December 4, 
 1811, died May 8, 1812. 
 
 In 1814 Mr. (^ole was living in Herkimer county, 
 N. Y., where he lost money after marriage, and, 
 that year, in company with -Major David Underbill 
 and Timothy Baker, came on to look at lauds held 
 by Mr. Underbill in liidgefield township. He was 
 pleased with the land, and bargained for a piece 
 this side of the present farm of Sidney Brown, and 
 then returned home. 
 
 In 1815 the fi^ther came out again, accompanied 
 by his son Jeremy, Horace Morse, Dr. Joseph 
 Pierce and David Underbill, put up a house on the 
 land, commenced a clearing, and otherwise pre- 
 pared for bringing his lumily out the ne.xt year. In 
 the fall, leaving .Jeremy to look after the place and 
 continue the improvements, he returned home 
 again. 
 
 During this visit, and on the 10th day of July, 
 181.'), he. Major Underbill and Dr. Joseph Pierce, 
 bruslied out a "trail," or road, from Abijah Com- 
 stock's place to the " Sand Ridge," as it was then 
 called (pnw Norwalk), and at night returned and 
 stayed at Comsto<'k's until the next day. and then 
 started out and completed their worK through to 
 Underhill's place on the 17th. This was the first 
 highway labor ever done on Main street. They 
 followed the old " Indian trail," which came out 
 oil the ridge somewhere between Milan and Chat- 
 ham streets. 
 
 In January, 1810, Mr. Cole and Major Under- 
 hill started with their families and such goods and 
 supplies as they might require in their new homes, 
 with six teams and sleighs, three to each family. 
 The party comprised twenty persons, to wit: Mr. 
 and Mrs. Cole and six of their boys, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Underbill and six children, Jasper Underbill (a 
 nephew of the Major), Daniel Warren. Marks Ros- 
 beck, Rhoda Pierce, sister to Joseph Pierce, and a 
 person by the name of Wilcox. 
 
 After spending six weeks upon the road (fiTe 
 days resting at Avery, the old county seal), they 
 reached Major Underbill's on the 22nd day of Feb- 
 ruary, 1810. The Huron river was then so high 
 that Mr. Cole could not cross with his family and 
 teams to his own house, so he took them to Dr. 
 Pierce's house (the Benjamin Newcomb place), 
 and soon after purchased that place, and remained 
 there so long as he lived. 
 
 In 1818 Mr. Cole took a prominent part in the 
 movement which culminated in the removal of the 
 county seat to Norwalk. 
 
 On February 9, 1820, while Mr. Cole was en- 
 gaged hauling a large saw-log, one of his limbs, 
 owing to an accident in unloading, was caught 
 between the logs, and so terribly crushed that he 
 died two days afterwards. 
 
 Of tlie children born to Levi and Hannah 
 Cole the following is a brief record: Asher 
 (the second son), or Col. Asher Cole, as he 
 was called, was married Jaimary G, 1828, 
 to Narcissa Lawrence, who bore hitn one 
 son, also named Asher. This son was borq 
 November 12, 1828, and on October 19, 
 1859, was united in marriage with Sarah 
 J. Pnrdy. He died May 2'J, 1885, leaving 
 a widow and seven children. 
 
 Miner Cole (fifth son), father of Asher 
 M. Cole, was born, as above recorded, July 
 2(), 1803, in Herkimer county, N. Y., 
 where he received his boyhood school 
 training. In 1816 he came to Huron 
 county, Ohio, with his father, making his 
 new home on a farm of 100 acres in Xor- 
 walk township. In addition to his eleraent- 
 arv education he attended Norwalk Acade- 
 my one term, and further improved his 
 mind by home study and close observation 
 of men and things. On July 30, 1840, he 
 married Miss Mary A. Allen, of Ripley 
 township, born November 7, 1819, a 
 daughter of Hiram Allen, a prominent 
 farmer of near Utica, N. Y. After mar- 
 riage Mr. Cole continued in his life voca- 
 tion up to the time of his death, which oc- 
 curred August 20, 1885. A Republican 
 
444 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 in politics, he served his township faith- 
 fully as trnstee. But one child was born 
 to him, Asher M. Cole, a sketch of whom 
 follows. The mother died September 20, 
 1801. 
 
 Manly K. Cole (sixth son) was married 
 March 27, 1844. to Sarah M. Bristol. 
 They lived in Section 3, Brouson township, 
 and were the parents of three sons and two 
 daughters. Manly K. Cole died April 29, 
 1898, at the age of eighty-six years. 
 
 Lyman (youngest child) was married 
 February 28, 1841, to Sarah Johnson, a 
 native of Genesee county, N. Y. About 
 the year 1840 he bought of Judge Baker 
 100 acres of heavy woodland, in Section 
 3, Bronson township, Huron county, which 
 is now the home farm. He was a prominent 
 agriculturist, and took an active part in 
 public matters. He died in 1853, his 
 widow surviving him till February 22, 
 1892, when she too passed away, in her 
 seventy-second year. They left three 
 children, viz.: Emma, living with her 
 brother on tlie old homestead; Ella, wife 
 of Sylvester Snyder, of Peru township, and 
 Levi L., sketch of whom follows. 
 
 Asher M. Cole was born November 19, 
 1843, on his present farm in Norwalk 
 township, and received a liberal education 
 at the schools of the home district, at the 
 same time learning agriculture on the 
 homestead under the preceptorship of his 
 father. At the age of twenty he enlisted 
 in Company B, One Hundred and Sixty- 
 sixth O. V. I.,. and May 15, 1864, was 
 mustered into the service. His first expe- 
 rience was on garrison duty at Arlington 
 Heigiits, where he remained until Septem- 
 ber, same year, when, his term of enlist- 
 ment expii'ing at that date, he was dis- 
 charged. Prior to his enlistment in the 
 United States forces, he had served on 
 home gnard for some time. 
 
 On March 5, 1869, Mr. Cole married 
 Miss Louisa E. Channing, a native of 
 Somersetshire, P^ngland, born in 1846, and 
 who. at the age of five years, was brought 
 to Huron county, where on a farm her 
 
 youthful days were passed. One child, 
 Miner A., born August 26, 1880, has come 
 to brighten the cosy home of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Cole. During the same year they adopted 
 a little boy of six summers, named Drill 
 Allen, a distant relative. Mr. Cole owns 
 a fine farm in Norwalk township of 125 
 acres, and he is honored and respected not 
 only as an industrious and prosperous 
 fanner, but also as a useful and loyal citizen. 
 He and his wife are members of the Uni- 
 versalist Church. 
 
 Lkvi L. Cole was born October 19, 
 1850, on the ancestral acres in Bronson 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio. He received 
 his elementary training in the neighboring 
 schools, then attended Milan Normal 
 School three terms. On October 20, 1880; 
 he was married to Elva T., daughter of 
 Richard and Eliza (Lutts) Boyle, a native 
 of Norwalk township, Huron Co., Ohio. 
 They have one daughter, Anna E., who is 
 now ten years of age. Mr. Cole has fol- 
 lowed in the footsteps of his forefathers, is 
 a practical, successful agriculturist, and 
 has owned the old place (consisting of 150 
 acres) since the death of his father. 
 
 ^/ 
 
 IV JIfRS. BENJAMIN MOORE is a 
 \rl daughter of Jacob Weiker, a na- 
 1| five of Pennsylvania, and a highly 
 educated citizen of Philadelphia. 
 He was a wealthy and prominent 
 man, and died at Bellevue, Ohio; in poli- 
 tics he voted with the Democratic party. 
 His daughter Anna was born July 10, 
 1818, in Union county, Penn., and in 1835 
 came to Bellevue, Ohio. On November 
 28, 1837, she was united in marriage with 
 Benjamin Moore, a son of Henry Moore, 
 a native-born farmer of Pennsylvania, and 
 in religion a member of the Evangelical 
 Churcii. He died at the home of his son 
 Charles, near Bellevue, January 25, 1855. 
 his age being eighty-one years. 
 
 Benjamin Moore was born May 19, 1814, 
 in Mitilinburgh, Union Co., Penn., where 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 445 
 
 he received his early education, and learned 
 the carpenter trade. His mother, Mrs. 
 Susannaii Moore, was born in Pennsyl- 
 vania Ma}' 11, 1779, and died in the same 
 State December 25, 183-4, at the age of 
 tifty-tive years and three months. In 1836 
 Benjamin Moore came on foot through 
 the winter snow from Pennsylvania to 
 Bellevue, Ohio. Arriving at liis destina- 
 tion witli no capital except energy and a 
 good trade, he set bravely to work, win- 
 ning for himself position, wealth and 
 friends. After his marriage with Miss 
 Weiker, lie oontinned to follow liis trade 
 until 18(31, and then moved to a neij^hbor- 
 ing farm which he had purchased. In 
 1885 he and his family came to another 
 farm adjacent to Bellevue, and tinally set- 
 tled in that village, wliere he erected a 
 neat brick dwelling. He was actively in- 
 terested in all matters relating to the pro- 
 gress of the community, and for forty 
 years was a member of the Baptist Cluirch ; 
 in politics he was a Republican. He died 
 June 11. 1892, honored and mourned by 
 all who knew him. He had the following 
 children: Sarah M., deceased August 1, 
 1846; William H., a druggist of Bellevue 
 (has two children, Benjamin and George); 
 Mary E., wife of J. IT. Mayne, a prom- 
 inent business man of Bellevue (she has 
 two children, Nettie and Ernest, by her 
 former husband); Louisa, wife, of Frank 
 Smith, a famous evangelist of the Congre- 
 gational Ohuicli (they liave four children, 
 Fannie, Anna, Gertrude, and Willie). 
 
 Mrs. Moore has three great-giandcliil- 
 dren, namely: Ethel Barker, Robert 
 Barker and Ernest Barker, and her last 
 days are passing amid a throng of loving 
 friends and relatives. 
 
 I( AMES McLANE, who was born De- 
 w I ceinber 23, 1825, in County Tyrone, 
 ^^ Ireland, is the eldest son of Robert 
 and Margaret (Arthur) McLane, who 
 were born in the same county in 1799, 
 where the family originated. 
 
 Robert McLane married Margaret Ar- 
 thur, daugliter of Jolm Arthur, a farmer 
 of (bounty Tyrone, and tliree children were 
 born to them there, James (in 1825), John 
 and William. The fourth son, Tiiomas 
 A., was born in Greenfield township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, two years before which 
 event the family had emigrateii from Ire- 
 land, landing, after a voyage of six weeks, 
 at New York. The father's means were 
 limited, so that his further progress had 
 to depend upon his earnings. Finding 
 work in New York State, he labored there 
 until his savings warranted him in resum- 
 ing the journey to Huron county, OhiOj 
 where relatives of his wife had previously 
 settled. In the fall of 1831 they set out 
 for their destination, traveling via the Erie 
 Canal and lake to Sandusky, Ohio, whence 
 the father walked to Steuben, in Green- 
 field township, Huron county. There he 
 hired an ox-team, and returning to San- 
 dusky brought his family to their future 
 home in the United States, locating on 
 rented land. Mr. McLane entered the 
 employ of Archibald Easter, with whom 
 he remained two years, when he purcha?ed 
 some land at one dollar and fifty cents per 
 acre, and developed the farm on wliich he 
 resided until his death in 1889. His wife 
 died Octobei- 3, 1865, and was buried in 
 Steuben cemetery, where the remains of 
 her husband also lie. Robert McLane 
 cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson, and 
 voted for every Democratic candidate down 
 to 1889. Like his wife, he was a Congre- 
 gationalist in religion. Of their cliildren 
 James, John and Thomas A. are residents 
 of Huron county, while William is a 
 farmer of South Dakota. The four sons 
 assisted the father in clearing and improv- 
 ing the home farm. 
 
 James McLane attended tiie early schools 
 of Greenfield township, in which the old- 
 fasliioned speller was the only te.xt book. 
 Scliool days over, the youth entered on 
 reo"ular farm work, and remained on the 
 home place until November 18, 1869, 
 wlien he married Rebecca C. Schaeffer, 
 
446 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 who was born at Fayette, Seneca Co., N. 
 Y., whence when six years of age she came 
 witli her iatlier, Michael Schaeffer (a na- 
 tive of Pennsylvania, who had settled at 
 Fayette, Seneca Co., N. Y.), to Milan 
 townslii|), Erie Co., Ohio. To her mar- 
 rirge with Mr. McLane the following 
 named children were born: Schaeffer M., 
 a stenographer, of Cleveland; Howard B., 
 who died in infancy; Mary C. and Robert 
 D., residing at home. In 1869 they lo- 
 cated on the farm which they now occupy, 
 and which they have made one of the most 
 valuable in the township. In politics Mr. 
 McLane votes with the Democratic party, 
 and formerly he took an active interest in 
 political affairs, serving his township in 
 various offices. In Church relation he is 
 a Congregationalist, and one of the most 
 liberal supporters of that denomination 
 here. As a farmer he is well known for 
 his systematic methods, while as a stock 
 grower he has the reputation of being ex- 
 perienced and successful. He is an in- 
 dustrious man, highly esteemed for what 
 he lias accomplished. 
 
 J^ILLIAM H. PIEECE, postmas- 
 ter at Wakeman, is a native of 
 the town, born in 1840, and there 
 received his education. 
 Amile Piatt Pierce, grandfather of sub- 
 ject, was a native of Connecticut, whence 
 in 1815 he came to Wakeman township, 
 Huron county, making the journey with 
 ox-teams, crossing the Alleghany Moun- 
 tains, and encountering many dangers and 
 obstacles by the way. He located in the 
 northwestern part of the township at a 
 time wi)en there were only two houses in 
 it. His children were Lemuel Bennett, 
 Minot, Ann, Fanny, and David S., of 
 wliom are yet living: Minot, now seventy- 
 nine years of age, and Ann (Mrs. Dr. 
 Johnson, of Oberiin), now aged seventy- 
 si.K years; the remainder of the family all 
 roiiched advanced ages. 
 
 Lemuel B. Pierce, father of our sub- 
 ject, was born, in 1807, in Connecticut, 
 where his early boyhood days were passed 
 on his father's farm. He was about eight 
 years old when his parents brought liiin to 
 Wakeman township, and on the journey, 
 small boy as he was, he drove one of the 
 ox-teams. Here he encountered all the 
 trials and dangers of pioneer life, attend- 
 ing a few brief months the subscription 
 school of the locality, wiiich was held in 
 a dilapidated old log cabin, with greased 
 paper in lieu of windows, and rough slabs 
 tor seats and desk. During his earlier 
 youth he learned milling, a trade he fol- 
 lowed in connection with agricultural pur- 
 suits. He married Miss Eunice Burr, 
 daughter of John Burr, a pioneer of the 
 county, having settled in Wakeman town- 
 ship in 1817. To this union were born 
 five children, viz.: Amelia and Elbert B. 
 (both deceased); Julia, Mrs. T. V. Bunce, 
 of Oberiin, Ohio; Frank L., a resident of 
 the same place, and William IL The 
 father died in August, 1874, leavintr an 
 estate of great value, and, of still greater 
 value, an honored name and an enviable 
 record for iionest}', and generositv even to 
 a fault. In his political predilections he 
 was first an Old-line Whig, afterward, 
 from the formation of the party, a Repub- 
 lican. He and bis wife were both devout 
 members of the Cong-recrational Church, 
 thorough Christians, and earnest workers 
 in tlie cause of the Master. 
 
 W. H. Pierce, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, with the exception of about six 
 years has spent his entire life at the place 
 of his nativity, and received thorough 
 practical lessons in the arduous duties of 
 farm life under the competent preceptor- 
 ship of his father. At the breaking out 
 of the Civil war, tired by the spirit of pa- 
 triotism, he enlisted in Company H, Forty- 
 iirst O. V. I., under Captain Pease, and 
 served some tliree and one-half years, one 
 and one-half as private, from which he was 
 promoted to lieutenant. He jiarticipated 
 in the battle of Pittsburg Landing (where 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 447 
 
 his regiment was hotly engaged), besides 
 many skirinisiies, etc. Receiving an hon- 
 orable discharge, Mr. Pierce returned to 
 Wai<einan, and for about one year was en- 
 gaged in his former vocation. In 1866 
 he etnbarlced in mercantile pursuits in the 
 town of Wakeman, but after a short ex- 
 perience in this line lie found an oppor- 
 tunity of disposing of the business, and 
 returned to his old love — farming. Then 
 followed a series of movintrs and retnov- 
 ings between the years 1882 and 1888, after 
 which lie again found himself in Wakeman 
 engaged in general mercantile pursuits. 
 In 1890, as the result of an election held 
 by the citizens of the town to determine 
 by vote wlio might be the most popular of 
 the many aspirants for the postmastership 
 of Wakeman, he was installed in the office, 
 an honor he has in every respect proved 
 himself well worthy of. 
 
 In 1864 he was united in marriage with 
 Miss Dosia A. Wantjh, datijjhter of Lan- 
 eing Waugh, a native of Chautauqua, N. 
 Y., and who came to Wakeman township 
 in 1850. Children, as follows, have been 
 born to Mr. and Mrs. Pierce: Clarence 
 H., at home; Arthur M., in Findlay, Ohio; 
 Gilbert, who died in 1872; Ada M., at 
 home, and Anna, deceased in 1878. Our 
 subject and wife are members of the Sec- 
 ond Cotigrecjational Church of Wakeman, 
 and in politics he is a square Republican. 
 
 fr^) EV. W. A. KEESY was born July 
 f^^ 25, 1843, in Richmond township, 
 I ^ Huron Co., Ohio. His grand- 
 ■^ father, Henry Keesy, was born in 
 
 Pennsylvania during the eighteenth 
 century, worked on the home farm until 
 of age, and then established his own home- 
 stead. He was a soldier in the war of 
 1812, removed to Huron county, Ohio, 
 some years later, and died at the house of 
 bis son John, in Richmond township, 
 about the year 1855. He was an unassum- 
 ing, industrious man, who played his part 
 in the development of the "Firelands." 
 
 John Keesy, the father of our subject, 
 settled in Ohio about the year 1830. His 
 education was necessarily limited, but 
 owing to his youth being spent in a coun- 
 try and time where tlie Gorman language 
 was more popular than the English, he 
 could speak both with ease. On April 3, 
 1828, he married Elizabeth Gons, and to 
 this union ten children were born, a brief 
 record of whom is as follows: Harriet" is 
 the widow of Daniel Rogers; Jolin H. 
 resides in Richmond townshij); Margaret 
 is the wife of Mathias Ringle, Tuscola 
 county, Mich.; Peter B. F. resides in 
 Richmond township: Noah Miley also re- 
 sides in Richmond township; Catherine, 
 who married David Hershiser, died in Ful- 
 ton county, Ohio, in 1865; W. A. is the sub- 
 ject of this sketch; Mary A. is the wife of 
 Daniel Fink, of Attica, Ohio; George W. 
 resides in Yuba City, Cal., and Sarah E. 
 is the wife of Archibald Riddle, of Ricli- 
 mond township. «The father of this family 
 died January 18, 1859, the mother in 
 1873. Jolin Keesy was a farmer of ster- 
 ling character. He followed an idea per- 
 sistently, and thus it is not to be wondered 
 at that lie was a radical Whig and an ex- 
 treme Abolitionist, but after the formation 
 of the Republican party he gave it his un- 
 qualified support. He filled many town- 
 ship offices and served as justice of the 
 peace, trustee, treasurer and in various 
 other local positions. When he first set- 
 tled in Ohio he was a Winebrennerian, 
 but owing to the scarcity of Wineiireimcr's 
 followers here he joined the majority and, 
 for over a quarter of a century, was a most 
 zealous worker in the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church. 
 
 W. A. Keesy received a primary educa- 
 tion in the schools of his district, which 
 was supplemented, after the war, by a term 
 and a half at the Milan (Ohio) Normal 
 School. In fact, agriculture rather than 
 education claimed the attention of his early 
 youth. After his father's death he worked 
 as a farm laborer until October, 1861, when 
 he enlisted in the Fifty-fifth O. V. I., 
 
448 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 went into camp at Norwalk on the 17tli of 
 that month, and on January 25, 1862, left 
 for the front with his command. The 
 severe marches from New Creek to 
 Romnej, and to Mourefield, W. Va., in- 
 troduced him to war no less than diseases 
 which fell upon the regiment at Grafton, 
 in February, 1802. The April campaign 
 and unsatisfactory marching and coiinter- 
 marchincr of tlie spring and earlv summer 
 of 1862 ended near Winchester, Va., in 
 June, and in that month the Fifty-tirst 
 was made a part of the army of Virginia. 
 In August the affairs on the Rappahan- 
 nock tested the merits of tlie regiment. In 
 May, 1863, it performed splendid service 
 at Cliancellorsvilie; at Gettysburg, the 
 coininand lost lifty-five men, and in the 
 Knoxville campaign, carried on in winter, 
 also suffered severely. Mi'. Keesy did not 
 participate in the work of 1803, for after 
 the second battle of Bull Run his health 
 began to fail, and he was,sent to hospital, 
 from whicli he was discharged, December 
 11, 1862. In October, 1801, he was a 
 robust, well-built, wiry man of 155 pounds. 
 On receiving his discharge from the army 
 he weighed only ninety-seven and a half 
 pounds, and, with this, was in a wretched 
 state of health. 
 
 On returning to Huron county Mr. 
 Keesy rested for si.\ months, and then went 
 to work with his brother in a sawmill, 
 where he was engaged until he answered 
 the draft of 1864, in the fall of which year 
 he was one of 400 recruits received into 
 the Si.xty-fourth O. V. I., at Chattanooga, 
 Tenn. He took part in the pursuit of 
 Hood's forces to Alpine, Ga., where his 
 command was incorporated with Gen. 
 Thomas' army, returned to Chattanooga, 
 proceeded to Athens, Ala., thence marched 
 to Spring Hill, Tenn., where they again 
 suffered losses. At Franklin the regiment 
 sustained heavy loss, but marched with 
 spirit to Nashville, where its service was 
 substantial and its losses great. After 
 Hood's army was used up, the Sixty-fourth 
 went into camp at Athens, but they sub- 
 
 sequently served at Athens and Decatur, 
 next at iluntsville, Nashville and Straw- 
 berry Plains, and again at New Orleans, 
 until ordered to Victoria, Tex., in Septem- 
 ber, 1865, where they were mustered out 
 December 3, 1865. After the total rout 
 of Hood, Mr. Keesy received an honorable 
 discharge in Tennessee, June 16, 1805, re- 
 turned to Ohio, and entering the Normal 
 School at Milan, as before related, studied 
 for a term and a half and afterward taught 
 school in Huron county five terms. 
 
 On July 7, 1868, he married Miss Mag- 
 gie Lane, daughter of Rev. S. T. Lane, of 
 the United Brethren Church. Of their 
 children, Minnie is the wife of William 
 McKee; Mary is married to J. E. Wheeler, 
 and Maggie L. died November 2, 1878, 
 aged four years and four months. The 
 mother died September 24, 1873, and on 
 February 9, 1875, he married Hattie 
 Augusta Charles, daughter of Robert 
 Charles, of Richland county, Ohio. To 
 this union were born six daughters and 
 one son, namely: Flora, Osceola, Vesta, 
 Edith and Ethel (twins), Leon Cassel 
 and Fern. 
 
 In 1865, after his return from the war, 
 Mr. Keesy made a profession of religion 
 for the first time. In 1868 the Quarterly 
 Conference licensed him to preach, and 
 recommended him to the Annual Confer- 
 
 ence. 
 
 The last named body granted him 
 
 license August 27, 1869, and he was or- 
 dained a preacher in 1872, being assigned 
 to Huron Mission, in Huron county, the 
 same year. He served at Honey Creek 
 two years; Melmore, one year; Shelby, 
 one year; Richland Circuit, two years; and 
 Cliicago Junction over three years. At 
 the latter place he organized, in 1870, a 
 United Brethren class, the first church in 
 that place, and in 1871 was instrumental 
 in building a house of worship there. 
 After a year's service at Osceola, he was 
 elected three consecutive years Presiding 
 Elder — one year at Fostoria and Clyde, 
 and two years at Attica, in Seneca county; 
 he then held the position of elder in the 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 449 
 
 districts of Sandusky, Findiay, Fostoria 
 and Bowling Green for seven consecutive 
 years. 
 
 Mr. Keesy made his home in Richmond 
 township until he began service as an 
 elder, when he located at Chicago Junc- 
 tion. He is a pioneer of the town, and 
 one who has taken a prominent part in its 
 upbuilding. In denominational affairs he 
 is iintirinij in his zeal, and has accom- 
 plished much for the cause he represents; 
 and few men in any trade oi' profession 
 are better known throughout northern 
 Ohio than he is. In the war he took part 
 and was under lire in the followinti en- 
 gageraents, viz.: Mooretield, Stransbnrg, 
 Cross Keys, Bull Run, Franklin (Va.), 
 Columbia, Spring Hill, Franklin and 
 Nashville (Tenn.), besides being in many 
 raids and skirmishes. He has organized 
 and built several churches, and proposes 
 to continue to war against sin. He is a 
 forcible, logical and sympathetic as well 
 as fearless preacher, and wiiile the "com- 
 mon people hear him gladly," all classes 
 are edified by his eloquent sermons. 
 Wherever his extensive influence reaches, 
 the public is inestimably benetited. 
 
 'Jr^j UFUS S. MILES, one of the best 
 l^^ known and most highly respected 
 I ^ citizens of Fitehville township, was 
 ^ born January 1, 1824, in Green- 
 
 wich township, Fairfield county, 
 Connecticut. 
 
 His father, Daniel Miles, was also a na- 
 tive of Fairfield county. Conn., and a well- 
 known stonemason and sawmill owner of 
 Greenwich township. When a young man 
 he married Eliza Ann Austin, and to them 
 were born, in Connecticut, the following 
 named children: Rufus S., whose name 
 opens this sketch; Emily F., Mrs. Will- 
 iam Hickok, of Fitehville township; 
 Peninah C, Mrs. Robert Kelsey, of 
 Wauseon, Ohio; Mary, who died in Con- 
 necticut when four years old; Sylvester, a 
 
 farmer of Hartland township, who was 
 killed by an enraged bull in 18'JO; Phi- 
 lander C, who died of the measles at 
 Wheeling, W. Va., while a member of 
 Company C, One Hundred and Twenty- 
 Third O. V. I., and Marcus S., who resides 
 in Otsego county, Mich. The family mi- 
 grated to Ohio in 1830, the journey being 
 made by canal and lake boat to Huron, 
 Ohio, and thence by wagon to Norwalk 
 township, where the father purchased land 
 at seven dollars per acre. That farm he 
 partly improved, carrying on, in connec- 
 tion therewith, a sawinill. In 1841 T\[r. 
 Miles purchased wild lands in Fitehville 
 township, and removing thereto cut the 
 first tree on the tract. After residing there 
 for some years, he established the family 
 on a farm in Ilai'tland township, and was 
 a taxpayer of that township at the time of 
 his death. He had gone on a visit to Con- 
 necticut, his native State, and while there 
 died. Mrs. Eliza Ann Miles died in Hart- 
 land township, Huron Co., Ohio. Both 
 were identified closely with pioneer times 
 and events in Huron county, and the old 
 settlers of three townships ofte7i speak of 
 the days when the Miles family settled in 
 the wilderness. 
 
 Rufus S. Miles came to Ohio when little 
 more than thirteen years old. In his Con- 
 necticut home he had received an elemeii- 
 tary education, and in Ohio he had to aid 
 his father in clearing the land, enduring 
 no small share of the hardships and priva- 
 tions which fell to the lot of the pioneer. 
 At the age of nineteen years he began to 
 learn blacksmithiug, and subsequently 
 worked for nine years at the trade in 
 Greenwich township. On October 13, 
 1852, he married Jane Crittenden, who 
 was born in Fitehville township Decem- 
 ber <J, 1832, a daughter of C. C. Critten- 
 den. To this marriage the following 
 named children were born: Mary D., wife 
 of O. F. Walton, of Norwalk, Ohio; 
 Charles D., a young merchant of Fiteh- 
 ville, and Frank R., who died at the age of 
 twelve years. After marriage Rufus S. 
 
450 
 
 HUBON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 and Jane E. Miles located in Hartland 
 township. Fur three or four years lie 
 operated a sawmill in that township, and 
 then moved to Fitchville, bringing with 
 liiin the mill. Trading the machinery for 
 lands in Wood county, Ohio, he established 
 a general store in Fitchville, also a black- 
 smith's shop and tin store. He remained 
 at Fitchville until 1882, when he moved 
 to his present farm, which he had pur- 
 chased some years previons. This land is 
 in a high state of cultivation, and im- 
 proved with a substantial residence and 
 Rne farm buildings. 
 
 Republican in political faith, Mr. Miles 
 gives his party a hearty support, and is 
 looked upon as a safe counsellor in local 
 political affairs. Since he arrived at the 
 age of twenty-one years he has held town- 
 ship offices, and has frequently tilled sev- 
 eral at one and the same time; for six 
 years he was postmaster of Fitchville. In 
 the days of the Civil war he was an earnest 
 worker in meeting the demands made 
 upon the township by the draft. Some 
 years ago, when there was a prospect of 
 connecting Fitchville with the outside 
 world by railroad, he favored the scheme 
 and aided the promoters in a very decided 
 manner. For eighteen years he was con- 
 nected with the Greenwich Fair Associ- 
 ation, and held every office in connection 
 with it, during that long period. For over 
 twenty years he was superintendent of 
 the Sabbath-school of the Congregational 
 Church, and held various offices in that 
 church. The part taken by his wife in 
 domestic affairs and in the social doings of 
 the township has been a material one, and 
 her influence for good has been recognized. 
 To-day she shares with her husband the 
 esteem and confidence of the people. 
 
 djASON A. WHEELEKwas born Jan- 
 uary 21, ISS-i, in Greenfield town- 
 ' ship, Huron Co., Ohio. His grand- 
 father, John Wheeler, was a native 
 of Massachusetts, and when a youth of 
 
 seventeen years settled in western New 
 York, where he grew to manhood. While 
 residing in Ontario county. New York, he 
 cleared a tract of farm land, where he es- 
 tablished his home. There he married 
 Polly Franklin, a native of Massachusetts, 
 and to this union the following named 
 children were born in Ontaiio county, 
 N. Y.: Sylvester F., John H., Eeuoni, 
 Aaron and Calvin. 
 
 In the fall of 1818 the father visited 
 Ohio, and purchased land in Greenfield 
 township, Huron county. Early in the 
 spring of 1811* he set out with his wife 
 and children for their new home, making 
 the journey in a wagon drawn by a team 
 of oxen and a team of horses. The trip 
 occupied four weeks. They had no lack 
 of friends in the new country, for neigh- 
 bors of the family, such as the Starrs, 
 Adams, McKelveys and others, had pre- 
 viously located in Huron county. The 
 splendor of the forests, no less than the 
 hopes for the future, buoyed up the cour- 
 age of the new comers. John Wheeler 
 was an ardent lover of out-door sports, and 
 here he could enjoy them ad libitum. The 
 animals of the chase abounded; bear and 
 deer offered themselves as targets for the 
 Iiunter and food for the settlers, and the 
 rich soil jiromised rewards corresponding 
 with the industry of the husbandman. In 
 such a country the younger children of 
 John and Polly Wheeler — Chauncy B., 
 Almiraand Samuel B. — were born. ()f the 
 children who came to Ohio with their par- 
 ents, Aaron (of Norwalk) and Calvin are 
 the only survivors, the others having 
 passed away in Huron county. Of the 
 children born in Greenfield township, 
 Chauncy died in Crawford county, Kans. ; 
 Almira, who first married a Mr. Van Tine 
 and later a Mr. Tucker, is a widow; and 
 Samuel B. resides at Parsons, Kans. They 
 were all reared in Ohio in the manner of 
 pioneer children. When Calvin was four 
 years old his parents left him and tliree 
 brothers in the cabin, while they assisted 
 at the burial of a neighbor. During their 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 451 
 
 absence the children saw a large sow root- 
 ing in the soil near the house, and, while 
 they were watching, a black bear appeared 
 in the clearing and carried ■off the fright- 
 ened hog to the edge of the woods, where 
 he killed it. Some time after a clearinor 
 
 o 
 
 was made in Greenfield township the father 
 revisited Ontario county, N. Y., and there 
 was ordained a Free-will Baptist minister. 
 On his return he became an active vs^orker 
 in that Churcli, and organized several So- 
 cieties in Huron and Ashland counties. 
 His first wife died in June, 18 — , aged 
 sixty-three years. For his second he mar- 
 ried Mrs. Hulda (Osborn) Gregory, 
 widow of Lansing Gregory, and she died 
 some years before him. He was a strong 
 Democrat until the slave question arose, 
 when he joined the Republican ranks. 
 He possessed a stentorian voice, and when 
 leading religious services could be heard 
 at long distances. He preached for a 
 Dumber of years at Steuben, where he was 
 the first Baptist minister; and, tiiongh his 
 circuit was a wide one, it was all known 
 to him, for he was a hunter and a fisher- 
 man as well as a farmer and preacher. He 
 died about 1877, in his ninety-first year. 
 Calvin AVheeler, son of John Wheeler, 
 was born January 19, 1818, in Ontario 
 county, N. Y. Little over a year later he 
 was brought to Huron county, and here 
 was reared on his father's farm. He ob- 
 tained the rudiments of an education in a 
 school, to which lie had to walk two miles 
 each winter morning and return the same 
 evening. In February, 1842, he married 
 Mary Richards, who was born January 27, 
 1821, in Herkimer county, N. Y., and 
 came with her father to Huron county in 
 1837. The children of this marriage were 
 as follows: Nancy Genette, born January 
 15, 1843, who married E. T. Trimmer, 
 and died in Kalamazoo county, Mich., 
 March 5, 1868; Agnes E., born March 9, 
 1844, now Mrs. Marion Parsons, of Shi- 
 loh, Ohio; David M., born December 29, 
 1846, a traveling salesman, whose home is 
 at Plymouth, Huron county; Benjamin 
 
 R., born November 20, 1848, a farmer 
 and stock buyer of Greenfield township; 
 Calvin J., born July 31, 1850, a farmer of 
 Peru township: Chauncy B., born January 
 3, 1852, an engineer on the Chicago, 
 Rock Island <k Pacific Railroad; Jason A., 
 born January 21, 1854; Jesse (twin of 
 Jason A.), a merchant at Cliicago Junc- 
 tion; Alice, born January 18, 1857, widow 
 of Henry Bronson, now engaged in mer 
 cantile business at Chicago Junction ; Al- 
 fred (twin of Alice), now a harness maker 
 at Plymouth, Ohio; Lillis, born November 
 14, 1861, now the widow of Dayton L. 
 Green, residing at Steuben; and Linda 
 Belle, born October 3, 1863, now Mrs. 
 Elmer McMorris, of Steuben. The father 
 of this large family was engaged in farm 
 work up to 1870, when he removed to 
 Steuben to engage in mercantile l)usiness. 
 He was postmaster there for some years. 
 His wife died March 5, 1866, and was 
 buried in Steuben cemetery with the rites 
 of the Free- Will Baptists, of which Church 
 she was a member. Mr. Wheeler was a 
 Democrat until the organization of the Re- 
 publican party, when he became a Free- 
 soiler. For over fifty-six years he lias 
 been a member of the Baptist Chui'ch. 
 
 Jason A. Wheeler was born January 21, 
 1854, in Greenfield township, and received 
 his education in the district schools and in 
 the Buckeye College.* Wiien school days 
 were passed he entered the store of his 
 brother, D. M. Wheeler, of Steuben, in 
 whose employ he remained until 1874. 
 For a time he was a clerk for A. J. Coul- 
 ton, of Steuben, in which capacity he 
 learned all the details of business, and on 
 January 7, 1877, he estal)lished himself in 
 trade at Steuben. Here for ten years he 
 conducted a general store, and built up an 
 extensive trade, his courteous manners and 
 reputation for fair dealing winning him 
 an immense patronage. On May 30, 
 1887, his store and goods, valued at 
 $8,000, were destroyed by fire, but with- 
 out delay he opened a stock at Chicago 
 Junction, and was engaged iu general 
 
452 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 trade there for a short time, when he re- 
 tired to his farm, one mile soutli of Steu- 
 ben, whither he had moved in 188t5. The 
 tract was known as the "Piatt Farm." 
 
 Mr. Wheeler was married October 15, 
 1873, to Charlotte Ashley, who was born 
 in Clinton county, Iowa, February 11, 
 1856, and cauje to Ohio with her father, 
 Dennis Ashley, in March of that year. 
 The children of Jason A. and Charlotte 
 "Wheeler are Charles N., George M.,Mary 
 L., Jason A., Jr., and Tluth. The eldest 
 graduated from Oberlin College in his 
 eighteenth year. On October 21, 1891, 
 he delivered the oi'ation on "Columbus 
 Day," being selected by the faculty for 
 this task in recosnition of his high stand- 
 ing in oratory. Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler, 
 with the three elder members of the fam- 
 ily, belong to the Presbyterian Church. 
 He is one of the leaders of the Republican 
 party in Huron county; was postmaster at 
 Steulien for some years; was clerk of 
 Greenfield township eight years, is now a 
 trustee of that township, and November 7, 
 1893, was elected comniissioner of Huron 
 county three years. Since 1886 he has 
 given close attention to his fine farm, and 
 has the reputation of being a methodical 
 agriculturist and a most excellent citizen. 
 
 fr^) UDOLPH GEIGER, retired, is a 
 
 lU^ native of Baden, Germany, born 
 
 ir^ December 17, 1823, a son of John 
 
 JJ Geiger, who died in Baden wiieo 
 
 Rudolph was five years old, leaving 
 
 five children. 
 
 In Marcii, 1844, the widow and three of 
 her children — Lawrence (who had visited 
 the United States twelve years before), 
 Josephine (who died six weeks after arriv- 
 ing in the country), and Rudolph — set out 
 for the shores of Columbia, here to better 
 their condition and make a new home. 
 They first proceeded to Rotterdam, Hol- 
 land, thence to Havre, France, where they 
 took sailing ship for New York, landing 
 after a voyage of forty- two days. From 
 
 there they traveled westward to Ohio, ar- 
 riving in course of time at the town of 
 Huron, Erie county, whence Lawrence and 
 Rudolph walked to Greenfield township, 
 Huron county, where they hired a team, 
 drove back to Huron, and brought their 
 mother and sister to Greenfield. 
 
 Rudolph Geiger received his education 
 in the Fatherland, and commenced to learn 
 the trade of blacksmith; but he had to 
 abandon it on account of his lungs being 
 easily affected while working at the forge; 
 he then for a brief spell tried his hand at 
 carpentry, at which time he came to Amer- 
 ica. In Huron county he first secured em- 
 ployment in a brickyard, later in the tan- 
 nery in Norwalk belonging to Judge 
 Baker's brother, who was so much pleased 
 with him, on account of his sterling hon- 
 esty and characteristic industry, that he 
 oflfered to give him seventy acres of land 
 in Clarkstield township if he would stay 
 with him two years longer. This highly 
 complimentary and valued offer Mr. 
 Geiger was constrained to decline, how- 
 ever, on account of the tannery business 
 impairing his health. He then drove team 
 for Pickett Lattimore, a brewer of Nor- 
 walk, and from there, after a time, he re- 
 turned to Greenfield township, and learn- 
 ing the trade of a brickmaker soon became 
 owner of a kiln, which he conducted up to 
 his marriage. After that event he and his 
 young wife made their home in Milan, 
 Erie county, where for four years he 
 burned brick each season; and many of 
 the best buildings in that town, and also 
 in Norwalk, were made in his yard — in 
 fact his brick was by far the best made in 
 the county at that time. Until he com- 
 menced in the business only a few brick 
 buildings had been erected, but afterward, 
 so popular had the product of his yards 
 become, a "boom " in putting up brick 
 houses was the result. He next came to 
 Sherman township, and boughteighty acres 
 of land in the woods, the trees being (to 
 use liis own language) " as thick as hnir8 
 on a dog's back." After two years labor 
 
UUROy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 453 
 
 here in clearing tlie land he moved to San- 
 dusky, and tliere made four kilns of brick, 
 which sold rapidly, notwithstanding the 
 many other kilns in the place — the reason 
 being, simply, that he made better brick 
 than any one else. On the breaking out of 
 cholera in that city, in 1855, he once more 
 came to Sherman township, renewed farm- 
 ing operations, and has lived here ever since. 
 In Feiiruary, 1849, Mr. Geiger married 
 Miss Sarah Ann Ott, who was born in Jjaden, 
 Germany, in 1826, and came to the United 
 States in young womanhood. The chil- 
 dren of this union were John and Adolph, 
 both in Sandusky; Louisa, who married 
 John Smith, and died when twenty-five 
 years old; Odelia, now Mrs. Frederick 
 Brown, of Pulaski county, Ind.; Mary, 
 now Mrs. John Weidenger, of Sherman 
 township; and Anna, at home. The fam- 
 ily are all members of the Catholic Church. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Geiger, honored and re- 
 spected in their old age, have been living 
 for the past few years a comparatively re- 
 tired life, compulsory in his case more on 
 account of an accident he met with a few 
 years ago, a log rolling on him, which has- 
 tened his retirement from active work. 
 
 S. LANTEKMAN, M. D., mayor 
 of Bellevue, was born in 1847, in 
 Tompkins county, N. Y., a son of 
 ^ John and Julia (Brown) Lanterman. 
 The father was also a native of New 
 York State, where he passed from earth at 
 the age of forty-six years; the mother, 
 who is a native of New England, is now 
 eighty-one years old. 
 
 Dr. G. S. Lanterman was educated in 
 his native county, and read medicine there 
 under a preceptor for some time. Later 
 he was enrolled as a student in the Uni- 
 versity of Michigan, and graduated from 
 the Medical Department of that institution 
 of learning in 1807. The same year he 
 located in Cayuga county, N. Y., where 
 he practiced medicine and surgery for one 
 
 year, and then removed to Bellevue, Ohio. 
 He is the oldest practicing physician of 
 the regular school here to-day, and is un- 
 doubtedly the most popular citizen in this 
 particular section of Huron county. He 
 was a member of the old Delamater Medi- 
 cal Association of Norwalk, and for a long 
 period was the life of that organization. 
 He has been connected with the municipal 
 affairs of Bellevue for a number of years, 
 served as councilman for several terms, 
 and is now serving his third term as 
 mayor. In political life he is a thorough 
 Republican, earnest in the support of his 
 party, l)ut always good natured and logical 
 in his arguments. He is well up in Ma- 
 sonic work, and has reached the thirty- 
 second degree. In August, 1802, at the 
 age of fourteen years, our subject enlisted 
 in the One Hundred and Ninth N. Y. 
 Volunteer Infantry, and served in that 
 command and in the Third N. Y. Light 
 Artillery until the close of the war. 
 
 Dr. Lanterman was united in marriage, 
 September 20, 1872, with Miss Emma 
 Heal, a native of Eno-land, daughter of 
 Enoch and Charlotte Heal. He has proved 
 himself a conservative power in the coun- 
 cil of Bellevue, and a most able physician 
 and surgeon; and it may be here stated 
 that the municipal body is as safe in his 
 hands as are his patients. 
 
 C. HEYMANN. Among the 
 earliest German settlers of Sher- 
 man township is the subject of 
 this sketch, who is an honored 
 representative of a large and respected 
 family of the name, noted for their thrift 
 and wealth. 
 
 Mr. Heymann was born in Germany in 
 1808, and came to America in 1852, set- 
 tling in Sherman township, where he en- 
 joys the distinction of being now the 
 oldest citizen. He married, and has ten 
 children, named as follows: William, 
 John, Charles, Jacob, Philip, Henry, 
 
454 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 George, Frederick, Mattie and Lizzie, to 
 eadi of whom Mr. Heyinann has given a 
 good start in life. By industry and judi- 
 cious economy he has accumulated a com- 
 fortable competence, being an extensive 
 landholder, and is now living retired at 
 Weaver's Corners. In his political pref- 
 erences he is a Republican, and in re- 
 jiijioas belief he is a member of the 
 Lutheran Church. 
 
 xVMUEL A\^. CURTISS, one of the 
 progressive, active spirits of Fitch- 
 vilie township, and a friend of every 
 worthy enterprise, was born in that 
 township July 10, 1832. 
 
 Joseph C. Curtiss, his father, was born 
 in June, 1803, in Oneida county, N. Y., 
 attended the school of his native place for 
 some time, and tlien learned the gunsmith's 
 trade. He was there married to Liicina 
 Ward, and early in 1825 the young couple 
 set out for Ohio. It was then the para- 
 dise of huuters, and Mr. Curtiss saw 
 plainly that, where hunters were, would un- 
 doubtedly be the proper place to carry on his 
 trade. Locating at Norwalk, Huron coun- 
 ty, he purchased a town lot on Main street, 
 known as " The Todd Lot," and thereon 
 erected a small house, to serve the dual 
 purpose of dwelling and workshop. Early 
 in 1S32 he removed to Fitchville, and en- 
 teririg into partnership with Union White, 
 established a general store at the center. 
 Political incompatibility led to the disso- 
 lution ot this partnership in 1835. There 
 was no possibility of an agreement be- 
 tween Whig and Democrat, under one 
 roof, and hence the establishment of a sec- 
 ond general store at Fitchville, in the year 
 named. 
 
 In 1835 Mr. Curtiss erected a residence 
 adjoining his store, and there lived to the 
 close of his life. In 1861 he retired from 
 mercantile pursuits, but up to the period 
 of his death, September 1, 1871, he took 
 an active interest in politics, and particu- 
 larly in the development of Fitchville vil- 
 
 lage and township. Prior to 1856 he waa 
 an Old-line Whig, and during his retnain- 
 ing years a stanch Republican. In 1839-40 
 he was an active partisan in the Harrison- 
 Tyler campaign, and was himself elected a 
 commissioner of Huron county on the 
 Whig ticket. That office he held four 
 years, when he was elected a member of 
 the Legislature, in which he served during 
 the sessions of 1845 and 1846. A tem- 
 perance man by experience, he studied the 
 devastation of human life by drink, and 
 opposed free liquor witii all the force of 
 his mind. In fact he carried the principle 
 so far as to enlarge his dwelling and estab- 
 lish a temperance hotel for the convenience 
 of the public. Tiie enterprise was un- 
 popular. Travelers, as a rule, were drink- 
 ing men then, and the regular hotel-keep- 
 ers furnished a certain amount of strong 
 drink with board and lodging; so that the 
 temperance hotel was compelled to light a 
 long and strong battle against the sophistry 
 and liberality of its opponents. Mr. Cur- 
 tiss met their actions by furnishing board 
 and lodgings twenty per cent, below the 
 price charged by the regular hotel men, 
 and this action compelled them to cut 
 prices. Thus matters went along for thir- 
 teen years, when the temperance house 
 closed its doors. It was conducted at a 
 profit, and taught lessons which bore rich 
 fruit. 
 
 Mr. Curtiss was twice married, first to 
 Lucina Ward,- to whom three sons — J; C, 
 Jr., S. W. and D. A. — and one daughter 
 — Mary J. — were born. After the death 
 of this wife he married a Mrs. Allen, who 
 is the mother of one daughter, Jane, now 
 living in Hamilton, N. Y. While a resi- 
 dent of Norwalk Mr. Curtiss produced a 
 greater number of guns than the demands 
 of local trade required. The surplus he 
 would load on a pack horse, at stated in- 
 tervals, and sell along the old Wooster 
 trail, and what retuained on arriving at 
 Wooster he could easily dispose of there 
 to hunters and farmers. He afterward be- 
 came a heavy dealer in farm products, 
 
HUltOy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 455 
 
 which he received in exchange for mer- 
 eliaiulise. On one occasion he sent for- 
 ward a drove of 1,700 hoo;s to Now York 
 City, and often shipped vast quantities of 
 stociv and grain to the mariiets north, 
 south and east. 
 
 Samuel AV. Curtiss was born in Fiteh- 
 ville township, immediately after the re- 
 moval of the family from Norwalk, and in 
 his boyhood attended the school of Miss 
 Sarah Mason, just south of FitchviJIe vil- 
 lage. After her day he continued to at- 
 tend the school of the district, the hours 
 after school being given to work in his 
 father's store. Later he attended the 
 academy of Rev. T. F. Thompson, of Nor- 
 walk, and when his school days were 
 passed took a position in the Curtiss store. 
 On one occasion, in winter time, when he 
 was seventeen years old. he was sent witii 
 the drovers to deliver 1,700 hogs, which 
 his father promised to supply to a party or 
 parties at Baltimore. The route lay through 
 Peimsylvania. Tlie Ohio river was crossed 
 at Smith's Feriy, and they proceeded 
 thence via the National Pike, through 
 Washington county, Penn. Before reach- 
 ing Baltimore the destination was changed 
 to New York, and while en route they sold 
 1,300 of the hogs at Reading, Penn., the 
 balance being traded for fat hogs, which 
 they took to New Y^ork And there sold. 
 After returning to Fitchville our subject 
 became a regular clerk in his father's 
 store. In 1851 he married Fidelia Tucker, 
 who was born in 1830, in Madison county, 
 N. Y'., daughter of Lester Tucker, and 
 after marriage the young couple^ went to 
 reside on a farm in Greenwich township, 
 llis first experience in agricultural pur- 
 suits was on the farm he now owns, where 
 he remained some three years, and then 
 moved to Greenwich, whence after two 
 years residence there he returned to 
 Fitchville and re-entered his father's store. 
 For three years thereafter he clerked, and 
 then continued as partner with iiis father 
 until the fall of 1864. Retaining iiis in- 
 terest in the store, he returned to the farm. 
 
 and was engaged in agriculture until 1871, 
 wiien the deatii of his fatlier called him to 
 Fitchville village to take charge of the 
 store. In 1878 he admitted as partner his 
 son, who managed the house from 1883 to 
 1887, while tiie fatiier gave his atten- 
 tion to his fine farm, situated northeast 
 of the village. On this farm he built 
 an elegant i-esidence and made many im- 
 provements, but since 1887 he has 'made 
 his home in the village, entrusting his 
 farm to the care of tenants. The children 
 of Samuel W. and Fidelia Curtiss are as 
 follows: Ada M., Mrs. E. E. Townsend, of 
 New London township; Sidney O.. of Xew 
 London village; Carrie, who died when 
 twenty-two years old; Doren. who died 
 when four years old; Lena F., deceased 
 wife of William Palmer; Bertha and Pearl, 
 who reside at home. The mother of this 
 family is a metnberof the Baptist Church. 
 Mr. Curtiss enlisted April 2, 1864, in an 
 independent company of the Si.xty-third 
 Regiment, Ohio National Guards. In 
 
 1863 the One Hundred and Si.xty-sixth 
 Regiment was organized in Huron county 
 as Home Guards, and in the spring of 
 
 1864 Gov. Brough turned the Si.xtv- third 
 over to the Government as United States 
 troops, to go wherever called. On May 
 2, 1864. they were ordered to Camp Taylor, 
 at Cleveland, Ohio, but when mustered it 
 was found there were sonie 200 men un- 
 fit for duty, and Mr. Curtiss' company 
 was then consolidated with the Seventy- 
 ninth Battalion, O. N. G., of Medina 
 county, a senior organization. On May 
 15, 1><64, when the change was made 
 in the disposal of the Sixty-third Regi- 
 ment, he was mustered in as first 
 lieutenant; and when his company was 
 consolidated with the Medina battalion 
 (at which time he was quartermaster), he 
 was deprived of his commission on a 
 technicality. Thereupon he was about re- 
 turning home, when his superiors prevailed 
 upon him to remain as lieutenant in Com- 
 pany B. The regiment proceeded to Vir- 
 ginia, and did duty at Forts Richardson, 
 
456 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Barnard, Reynolds and Ward, until muster- 
 out, September 9, 1864. After the ex- 
 citement attendant on Jubal Early's raid 
 on Washington had died out, the men of 
 Mr. Cnrtiss' regiment suffered much from 
 camp sickness. At one time his own ill- 
 ness was so serious that his wife traveled 
 from Ohio to attend upon him, and to her 
 ministrations his recovery is attributed. 
 
 Our subject cast his first vote for the 
 first Republican Presidential liorainee, and 
 his loyalty to the party is well known in 
 Huron county. He has filled various 
 offices in his townshi)). Under the charter 
 of the village of Fitchville he is mayor, 
 although the corporation is sleeping. It 
 was he who contributed lumber for the 
 first sidewalk laid by the municipality, and 
 to him must be credited, specially, the 
 lighting of the streets of the village. 
 
 QRREN W. HEAD was born at Paris, 
 Oneida Co., N. Y., on the 18th day 
 ^' of May, 1808. His parents, Jona- 
 than and Hepzibath (Livermore) 
 Head, were both born in New England — 
 the father in Rhode Island, the mother in 
 New Hampshire. 
 
 Mr. Head trrew to manhood on the farm, 
 receiving his education in the subscrip- 
 tion schools of the neighborhood. In 1836 
 he contracted a matrimonial alliance with 
 Julia Ch'ane, a resident of Marshall, Oneida 
 Co., N. Y., and to this union were born 
 five children — three sons and two daugh- 
 ters, the latter of whom are both dead. In 
 1842 Mr. Head and his family settled in 
 Ridgefield township, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 where he purchased the " Sours farm," 
 together with other lands adjoining, mak- 
 ing a farm of 420 acres, which he kept 
 well cultivated and improved. In 1857 
 he built what is now known as the "Davis 
 Block " in Monroeville, in which for a 
 number of years he did a banking busi- 
 ness — first under the name of the Perkins 
 & Head exchange Bank; then, after the 
 
 death of E. B. Perkins, under the name of 
 the O. W. Head Exchange Bank. In 1862 
 he sold out to S. V. Harkness, but always did 
 a private banking business. He occupied, 
 and deservedly so, a high place in tiie es- 
 teem of his fellow townsmen, and by close 
 attention to business; by strict and hon- 
 orable dealing; by carefnl and wise man- 
 agement, he succeeded in accumulating a 
 good competency. He was one of the 
 founders of the Monroeville National Bank, 
 and served as its first president, which po- 
 sition he held up to the time of his death. 
 He died October 2, 1882, and was buried 
 in Monroeville cemetery. 
 
 Mr. Head was ever willing to assist any 
 movement tending to improve the condi- 
 tion of the community in which he lived, 
 and was well and favorably known through- 
 out the county. He never refused aid to 
 those worthy of assistance, and it can be 
 said of him that he assisted more men, at 
 the time they needed it most, to secure 
 homes, than any other one man in the 
 county. 
 
 On October 4, 1872, Mr. Head was mar- 
 ried to Annie M. Newcomer, of Ashland, 
 Ashland Co., Ohio, a daughter of Ben- 
 jamin and Annie (Albert) Newcomer, of 
 Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 
 
 Since the death of her husband Mrs. 
 Head has resided upon the home farm, 
 and has conducted her business interests 
 with success. She is now owner of over 
 eight humlred acres of land, besides other 
 properties. Though not a professor of re- 
 ligion, she contributes liberally of her 
 means to such institutions of which her 
 husband was also a hearty supporter. 
 
 f[J|ENRY KIMMEL, the pioneer car- 
 IpH penter and builder of Bellevue, is a 
 I 1| son of Henry and Anna Maria 
 ■JJ (Brandau) Kimniel, fartning people 
 
 of Germany, who lived and died in 
 their native land. 
 
 Henry Kiinmel was born December 24. 
 1828, in Niederngiida, Kreiss Rodenberg, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 457 
 
 Germany. Wlien not eighteen years old 
 lie, with a brother, catne to the United 
 States, locating at Sandusky, Ohio, where 
 Henry learned the carpenter's trade. In 
 1848 or 1849 he came to Bellevue, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, and worked at his trade by the 
 day for a number of years. He was mar- 
 ried July 22, 1851, to Miss Eva R Streck, 
 of Bellevue, and to this marriage seven 
 children were born, namely: Louisa, who 
 is married to James Aigler, and has three 
 children — Ernest, Ethel and Amos; Julia, 
 who married Charles E. Burgess, and has 
 two children — Aid and Robert; Isabel, 
 married to Henry Mansfield; Franklin 
 (married); Adelaide (unmarried); Eva R., 
 married to J. Rudd, and one son de- 
 ceased. After his marriage Mr. Kimmel 
 returned to Sandusky, where he resided for 
 one year, and then moved to New Haven, 
 Ohio, remaining there six or seven mouths, 
 during which time he purchased, con- 
 ducted, and sold the hotel at that point. 
 Returning to Bellevue, he has made this 
 city his home up to the present time. In 
 1862 he was drafted, but he furnished a 
 substitute. 
 
 Mr. Kimmel lias been engaged in con- 
 tract work for altout thirty -four years. The 
 first block in the town of Bellevue, the 
 "Kern Block," was erected by him, and 
 of the many buildings he has put up it is 
 said that the owner was invariably satisfied, 
 a record which speaks most forcibly of Mr. 
 Kimmel's practical honesty. 
 
 DAVID GRIEVE, one of the large 
 landowners of Greenfield township, 
 ' was born April 28, 181'J, in Ber- 
 gen county, N. J., son of Thomas 
 Grieve, who was a native of Edinburgh, 
 Scotland. 
 
 At an early age Thomas Grieve removed 
 to County Tyrone, Ireland, where in 1810 
 he married Elizabeth Stewart, a native of 
 that county, where one son — -Thomas — 
 was born to them. In 1812 the father 
 sailed from Ireland for the United States, 
 
 and for two years worked at the weaver's 
 trade in New Jersey. Having earned 
 sufficient money to pay for the passage of 
 his wife and son, he sent for them, and in 
 1814 they arrived after a rough voyage of 
 ninety days, the cost of passage for each 
 being two hundred dollars. The family 
 located in New Jersey, and there the 
 father worked at his trade until 1836. 
 The children born iu New .lersey to 
 Thomas and Elizabeth Grieve are named 
 as follows: David, James, William and 
 George (twins), Elizabeth ,1. and John. In 
 1886 the whole family came to Ohio via 
 the Erie Canal and Lake Erie, and proceed- 
 ing south located in Huron county. The 
 father purchased land in Greenfield town- 
 ship at eight dollars per acre, improved the 
 tract with the aid of his sons, and had a 
 comfortable home made for his family, 
 when disease carried him off in 1838, he 
 and his three sons — William, John and 
 James — being buried within one month. 
 The widow survived this terrilile atHiction 
 until 1858, when she died, and was buried 
 in Greenfield township. 
 
 David Grieve attended school for six 
 and one-half years, intending to devote 
 his life to mercantile or clerical work. 
 When an infant six. weeks old his right 
 hand was burned so terribly as to render 
 the member of little use, and to this inci- 
 dent his long educational course must be 
 credited. In his youth he went to New 
 York City and found employment in a 
 grocery store on the corner of Spring and 
 Hudson streets, remaining there until 
 1836, when he followed his parents to 
 Ohio, where he taught school inan old-fash- 
 ioned log house, boarding around with his 
 pupils. He caught tlie "Ohio Itch," and 
 suffered from lung troubles fostered by 
 exposure in the ancient school buildings, 
 and all this was rewarded by twelve dol- 
 lars a mouth, with bed and board in va- 
 rious places. Clearing the forest was pref- 
 erable, and he abandoned the teacher's 
 profession, and for the seven following 
 years worked as a farm laborer. In 1865 
 
458 
 
 HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 he married Sarali M. Koch, who was born in 
 1842, near Pottstown, Penn., and came to 
 Huron county with her father, Jonathan 
 Koch, wlien a girl. The children born to 
 this marriage are Elinira G., who resides 
 at home, and John A., a farmer of Peru 
 township. For some years before his mar- 
 riage the mother and sister of our sub- 
 ject weie his housekeepers. 
 
 At the time of his father's death David 
 Grieve was bequeathed a ti-act of land of 
 forty acres, in consideration of the care 
 bestowed by him on his mother and mem- 
 bers of the family, and to this small tract 
 he added gradually, until he now has over 
 270 acres of good land. In 1854 he lo- 
 cated on the farm which he now occupies. 
 Politically Mr. Grieve is a Republican, 
 formerly a Whig; in 1840 he voted for 
 William H. Harrison. With the excep- 
 tion of one year, which he passed as clerk 
 in a wholesale grocery house at Toledo, 
 Mr. Grieve has devoted his attention to 
 agriculture. He has filled various town- 
 siiip offices, and is a man who reads ex- 
 tensively and thinks for himself. Mrs. 
 Grieve is a member of the Lutheran 
 Churcii. 
 
 / 
 
 tyfff ARTIN ORDWAY, carpenter and 
 
 \^ joiner, of Townsend township, is 
 
 1] a native of the county, born May 
 
 29, 1823, in Norwalk, the lifth in 
 
 a family of nine children born to 
 
 Neheraiah and Eleanor (Ferand) Ordway, 
 
 both of whom were natives of Vermont, 
 
 and of English descent. 
 
 Nehemiah Ordway was educated and 
 married in his native State, where he was 
 engaged in agricultural pui-snits for several 
 years. He was a gallant soldier during 
 the war of 1812, soon after which, in 1816, 
 he immigrated with his wife and family to 
 the tlien western frontier of northern Ohio, 
 settling near Norwalk, Huron county, then 
 almost an unbroken wilderness, accomplish- 
 ing the entire journey overland, from the 
 hills of Vermont to this wild region, with 
 
 wagons and teams. In the winter of 1823- 
 24 he bought wild lands two miles south 
 of the center of Townsend township, Hu- 
 ron county, where he subsequently im- 
 proved a farm. Here the family sutfered 
 all the hardships and privations incident 
 to a frontier life, their white neighbors 
 beincr few and far between, the nearest one 
 two and a half or three miles distant; the 
 Redmen, however, were still numerous, but 
 they were generally quite peaceable and 
 caused but little trouble or anxiety to 
 the white settlers. In about 1832 Mr. 
 Ordway sold his place and bought another 
 near Townsend Center, and there remained 
 until 1852, when he again sold out, and 
 removed to Wood county, Ohio. Here he 
 bought a farm, and successfully engaged in 
 agricultural pursuits until his death, which 
 occurred in May, 1876. He was for many 
 years trustee of his township, and for the 
 last thirty years of his life was an earnest 
 member of the Christian Church, to which 
 his wife also belonged. 
 
 Martin Ordway, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, received such an education in 
 youth as could be obtained at the common 
 schools, taught in the rude schoolhouses of 
 that early day, which were usually con- 
 structed of logs, with puncheon floor and 
 clap-board roof. He was employed on the 
 home farm until he was nineteen years old, 
 and then went to Milan, Ohio, to learn the 
 carpenter's trade with his brother, with 
 whom he remained about three years. He 
 then went to work at his trade on his own 
 account, and he has ever since continued 
 to follow same, at various points, with 
 most al)undaiit success. He owns a small 
 farm near Townsend Center, upon which 
 he has I'esided for the last forty- six ytars. 
 
 Mr Ordway was married December 24. 
 1846, to Miss Amilla Van Tassell, a native 
 of Genesee county, N. Y., born Stjptember 
 4, 1822, a daughter of Tunis and Puah 
 (^Haven) Van Tassell, both of whom were 
 natives of Onondaga county, N. Y., the 
 former of Holland-Dutch extraction and 
 the latter of Enoilish descent. To Mr. and 
 
HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 459 
 
 Mrs. Ordway have been born five children, 
 viz.: Betsey Jane, now Mrs. J. C. AVissert; 
 Electa D , now Mrs. Niles II. House; Jef- 
 ferson II.; Etfie A., now Mrs. W. G. Dart; 
 and Einina N. (Birdie), now Mrs. C. B. 
 Canfield. Mr. Ordway is at present serving 
 as trustee of Townsend township, and has 
 served as such at various times for many 
 years. He lias been a member of the Ma- 
 sonic Fraternity for over thirty years. 
 Botii he and his wife are devout members 
 of the M. E. Church, and in politics he is 
 a stanch and uncompromising R^^publican. 
 Mrs. Ordway's father, Tunis Van Tas- 
 sell, was also one of the early pioneers of 
 northern Ohio, haviricr removed from New 
 York to Townsend township, Huron county, 
 in 1836. Here he bought wild land and 
 subsequently improved a farm, where he 
 was successfully engaged in agricultural 
 pursuits all his life. His father and father- 
 in-law were soldiers in the Continental 
 army during the Revolutionary war. The 
 ance-tors of the Van Tassell family were 
 among the hardy and patriotic Holland 
 
 Sioneers of the old Dutch colony of New 
 fetherlands, while the Haven family were 
 also among the early pioneers of the game 
 colony, later known as New York. 
 
 FRANK CAMPBELL, a well-known 
 citizen of Fairlield township, is a 
 _^ grandson of Hugh A. Campbell, and 
 is descended from the Argyle branch 
 of the Campbell family of Scotland. 
 
 Hugh A. Campbell was born May 15, 
 1783. He married Margaret Mather; and 
 to this union the following named children 
 •were born: Ann Eliza, who married Will- 
 iam Inscho, died Septeml>er 14, 1889; 
 Lorenzo Q., born November 7, 1808, died 
 December 25, 1884; Argyle, born Feb- 
 ruary 3Q, 1810, died August 7, 1830; 
 James M., born November 15, 1812; 
 Angeline, born November 8, 1815, mar- 
 ried James Burns, and died in Iowa; 
 Jlelen M., born April 6, 1818, died No- 
 
 80 
 
 vember 30, 1853; Margaret S., born July 
 3, 1821, who married Jonathan Atherton; 
 and DeWitt C, born December 23, 1823. 
 In the spring of 1817 Hugh Campbell and 
 his family set out from their home at 
 Genoa, Cayuga Co., N. Y., for the "Fire- 
 lands" in Huron county, Ohio. Travel- 
 ing via Cleveland, Rocky river and Nor- 
 walk, they arrived in Greenfield township 
 and located on the farm where the father 
 died August 23, 1861. At the time of 
 their settlement here a small log hut stood 
 in a one-acre clearing on this land, an 
 oasis in the wilderness. From 1817 to 
 1861 the father of this large family toiled 
 on the farm or at his trade, that of a shoe- 
 maker. In politics he was a Whig until 
 the organization of the Republican party. 
 He was a Presbyterian for many years and 
 was a deacon in that church, but later he 
 united with the Congregationalists. The 
 mother, Margaret Mather, was truly a pio- 
 neer woman, and like her husband was a 
 member of the Presbyterian Church. The 
 parents were buried in Steuben cemetery. 
 Lorenzo Q. Campt)ell accompanied the 
 family to Huron county, Ohio, in 1817. 
 He learned the shoemaker's trade here 
 from his father, and also learned tiie 
 cooper's and carpenter's trades, and with 
 all this obtained a primary education in 
 the pioneer schools of Greenfield township. 
 On April 15, 1834, he married Betsy 
 Mathers, a native of Contiecticut, who ac- 
 companied her parents to Huron county in 
 girlhood, and to this union two children 
 were born: Frank, born February 6, 1835, 
 and Satira, born October 31, 1836 (she 
 first married John H. Easter, later Jesse 
 Snyder, and died Septendier 4, 1864). 
 The mother died January 26, 1837, the 
 father many years afterward, on December 
 25, 1884. Like his father he was a Whig 
 until the formation of the Republican 
 part}', and filled nearly every township 
 office, serving as justice of the peace for 
 many years. In religious connection he 
 was a member of the Presbyterian Church, 
 in which he held ottice. To him must be 
 
460 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 credited the excellent condition of the 
 homestead in Greenfield township, for, 
 some years after his father's death, he 
 built a substantial residence and made 
 very many important improvements. 
 
 Frank Campbell was born February 6, 
 1835, in Greenfield township. Up to the 
 age of twelve years he attended the com- 
 mon schools of his district, and then went 
 to the Hillsdale (Mich.) Academy, subse- 
 quently attending the Ohio Normal School 
 at Milan. School days over, he resumed 
 farm life and worked for his father until 
 the latter's death. On September 26, 
 1860, he married Martha J. Shourds, who 
 was born February 5, 1841, in Cayuga 
 county, N. Y., daughter of Daniel Shourds, 
 who settled in Huron county. The only 
 child born to this marriage is Mary Del, 
 who was married October 6, 1891, to 
 Roscoe B. Fisher, of Sandusky, Ohio. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Campbell are members of 
 the Congregational Church. In politics 
 Mr. Campbell is a Republican. He has 
 traveled considerably over his native coun- 
 try, and passed eighteen months on the 
 Pacific coast. He is an active farmer and 
 a skilled apiarist, much interested in bee 
 culture. 
 
 HELTON. When far advanced in 
 life, Gershon Shelton (grandfather 
 of Charles R. and Henry S. Shel- 
 ton, of Wakeman township) came 
 to Ohio, settling in Vermillion township 
 fat that time in Huron county, now in 
 Erie), where, during the later days of his 
 life, he was engaged in broom making. 
 His children, all of whom were born in 
 Connecticut, were as follows: Jennette 
 (Mrs. French); Julia, Sailie and Daniel, 
 all three deceased; William, in Vermillion 
 township, Erie county; and Lyman and 
 Gershon (both deceased). The last named, 
 father of Charles R. and Henry S., was 
 reared on the home farm in Connecticut, 
 receiving a limited subscription-school edu- 
 cation during a few months in the win- 
 
 ter season. About the year 1825 he came 
 to Huron coiinty. and trading a small 
 piece of improved land in Connecticut for 
 a large tract of wild land in Wakeman 
 township, he set to work to improve it, 
 first building for himself a substantial log 
 cabin. This tract consisted of 240 acres 
 lying a short distance south of the present 
 site of Wakeman village. Here by in- 
 dustrious labor and judicious management 
 he cleared his land, having at the time of 
 his death the best improved farm in the 
 locality. His wife was Hepsey, daughter 
 of David Smith, both natives of Connecti- 
 cut, and who were among the first settlers 
 of Wakeman township. To this union 
 were born four children, to wit: Henri- 
 ette (Mrs. Joseph Hoskins), living in 
 Wakeman; Charles R., sketcii of whom 
 follows; Mary Ann (Mrs. Green), a widow, 
 having her home in Wakeman; and Henry 
 S., sketch of whom follows. The father 
 passed from earth about the year 1840, a 
 stanch Democrat, and a useful adviser of 
 ills party. 
 
 When he first came 
 wild animals of many 
 forest at will, wolves 
 troublesome. While 
 cabin, with the assistance of the few far- 
 scattered neighbors, darkness set in tlie 
 first day considerably before the work was 
 completed. Thereupon, having to wait 
 till next morning, the little party gathered 
 together their provisions, together with a 
 suttieient amount of firewood, and laid 
 themselves down to rest for the night. 
 Suddenly they were awakened by most 
 ferocious howls and yelpings, and starting 
 to their feet found to their dismay that 
 they were surrounded by a pack of raven- 
 ous wolves. Being totally unarmed, and 
 the danger imminent, they at once betook 
 themselves to places of security — some 
 climbing trees, others the half-built house 
 — and, in no little fear for their safety, in 
 that manner passed the rest of the night. 
 With the grey dawn of morning, the 
 wolves, disappointed of their prey, retired 
 
 to Huron county, 
 kinds roamed the 
 being particularly 
 
 building his log 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 461 
 
 to the fastnesse3 of the forest, and the he- 
 roes of onr narrative descended to terra 
 jirmit, and completed the building with- 
 out further molestation. 
 
 Charles R. Shelton, a retired farmer 
 of Wakeinan township, and now proprie- 
 tor of a prosperous hardware business in 
 the town of Wakeman, was I)orn January 
 3, 1820, in Oxford township. New Haven 
 Co., Conn., and was there reared. In his 
 boyhood lie received an elementary educa- 
 tion, and after attaining his majority at- 
 tended Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, 
 one year, and further improved his educa- 
 tion by considerable home study and care- 
 ful reading. When his widowed mother 
 married a second time, our subject formed 
 the resolution to '• paddle his own canoe," 
 struck out for himself, and for some years 
 worked on farms. In the spring of 1851 
 lie married Miss Eunice O. Wiiitney, a 
 daughter of Abel Wiiitnej, of Florence 
 township, Erie county, and Mr. Shelton 
 then followed teaming, buying timber and 
 haulincr it to Ashland, where he traded it 
 for wheat, which in turn he conveyed to 
 Milan, Erie county, where it was sold, 
 that town being, on account of a canal 
 connecting it with Lake Erie, an impor- 
 tant market point for wheat and other pro- 
 duce. After three years so engaged, Mr. 
 Shelton, having made and saved money, 
 bought land in Wakeman township, in- 
 creased by fifty acres of wild land left to 
 him by his father. This he cleared and 
 further added to until he was owner of a 
 considerable amount of good farm land, at 
 one time owning 500 acres; but he has 
 sold and given away a great deal, and now 
 has 143 acres, all in excellent condition. 
 In 1886 he retired from agricultural pur- 
 suits, and corning to the town of Wake- 
 man. began what has proven a successful 
 mercantile career, and now conducts a 
 thriving hardware establishment. In his 
 I'Oiitical sympathies he is a straight Re- 
 publican, and years ago held many offices 
 of public trust; in religious faith lie and 
 his wife are members of the Methodist 
 
 Church. During the Civil war he was de- 
 barred from joining tlie Union army 
 through physical disability, but in giving 
 pecuniary assistance he was as generous as 
 he was loyal. 
 
 Hevry S. Suelton, a well-known prom- 
 inent farmer and stock raiser of Wake- 
 man township, is probably the wealthiest 
 among the agricultural community of his 
 section. He is a native of the township, 
 born November 10, 1832, on the old 
 homestead, a part of which he now owns. 
 
 He received his elementary education in 
 his native township, and he well remem- 
 bers the old red sclioolhouse with its primi- 
 tive furnishings, and not less primitive 
 " dominie." After a time he attended the 
 schoolsof Milan, Erie county,and later, Ober- 
 lin College, at Oberlin, Ohio, taking a partial 
 course. When he was about ten years old 
 his mother married a Mr. Squiers, of the 
 " inn " at Milan, and he was there reared, 
 being employed, from time to time after 
 leaving school, on the surroundins; farms. 
 Being gifted with more than ordinary 
 strength, and having naturally industrious 
 habits, his services were much sought after 
 and appreciated. At the age of thirteen 
 lie, unassisted, sowed to wheat thirteen 
 acres of newly cleared land, from which he 
 harvested 133 bushels, from the proceeds 
 of the sale of which he invested in a team 
 of oxen, and an old " Scotch drag." Thus 
 equipped, he began the cultivation of his 
 mother's portion of his father's small es- 
 tate. Meanwhile, his stepfather having 
 died, his twice-widowed mother and he 
 continued to live together, for his true 
 filial devotion for her, and her love for 
 him, would never permit a separation, he 
 toilincr and saving his earnings that she 
 
 O t5 " . « 
 
 mirflit be comfortably cared for in her fast 
 declining years. 
 
 I>y the time he reached his majority our 
 subject had saved some sixteen hundred 
 dollars, and he then married Miss A. M., 
 daughter of Iloxey and Abigail Benson, 
 natives of Dutchess county, N. Y., by 
 which union there are no children. This 
 
462 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 wife dying after eleven years of married 
 life, Ml'. Siielton, for his second spouse, 
 wedded Miss Antoinette Vincent, of 
 Clarkstield townsliip, Huron county, who 
 bore him children as follows: Charles H., 
 a resident of Berlin Heights, Ohio; Mary 
 E. (Mrs. Charles Todd), inWakeman; and 
 Addie B., George H., Myron A. and 
 Harry S., all at home. The mother of 
 these was called from earth in April, 1890. 
 Politically, our subject is a Republican; a 
 devoted adherent of the Methodist Church, 
 he is a liberal supporter of same, and he 
 is a useful and influential member of 
 society. He is now the owner of 350 acres 
 of land in Wakeman township, and forty 
 in Clarkstield. and his remarkable success 
 is clearly the result of his assiduous indus- 
 try, indomitable perseverance and good 
 management. 
 
 \[ J[IRAM LATHAM, a prosperous 
 ipH grocer of Lyme, and agent for the 
 I 11 Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway, is 
 ■J/ a native of Huron county, born 
 
 June 9, 1835, a son of Alexander 
 W. and Anna (Wood) Latham. 
 
 Alexander W. Latham was born in 1806 
 in Connecticut, where he passed his child- 
 hood and youth, attending the district 
 schools of his neighborhood, and working 
 on his father's farm. Feeling desirous of 
 making a new home for himself, where he 
 could have better opportunities for ac- 
 cumulating money, he journeyed west and 
 located in Sherman township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, where for sixty years he was promi- 
 nently identified with its interests and 
 progress. Nature endowed him with a 
 great amount of tact and energy, charac- 
 teristics that enabled him to win the re- 
 spect of his new neighbors and to succeed 
 in business. The country at that time was 
 in an undeveloped condition, and he shared 
 the hardships incident to pioneer life. It 
 was his aim to deal fairly with every man, 
 and at his death, which occurred in 1889, 
 he was sincerely moiii-ned by all who knew 
 
 him. He devoted his attention exclnsively 
 
 to agricultural pursuits, and worked dili- 
 gently in cultivating his farm. He mar- 
 ried Miss Anna Wood, a native of Penn- 
 sylvania, and their union was blessed with 
 four children: Thomas (deceased), Ly- 
 man (deceased), Hiram and Rilev. His 
 wife passed away in 1879, after having 
 passed many useful and happy years with 
 her husband and children. 
 
 The subject of this biographical memoir 
 received his education in Huron county, 
 attending the rude log schools in his dis- 
 trict. Until a year ago he engaged in 
 farming, since wliicli time has been agent 
 for the Wheeling &: Lake Erie Railway. 
 His wife is postmistress at Lyme, and as- 
 sists in conducting their grocery business. 
 Mr. Latham was married, April 19, 1860, 
 to Miss Mary A. Evans, who was born in 
 Loudon, England, and came to America 
 with her parents in 1849, and of their 
 union have been born Ave children, viz.: 
 Wilbur H., Thomas W., Fred E., Artiiur 
 W. and Stella M. The family are mem- 
 bers of the Episcopal Church, of which 
 they are liberal supporters. Mr. Latham 
 is a member of Raby Lodge, Monroeville, 
 A. F. & A. M., and of the I. O. O. F., 
 Subordinate Lodge No. 122. He was at 
 one time elected justice of the peace, but 
 did not serve, and iias been assessor for four 
 terms. He is a wideawake, active busi- 
 ness man, and popular in the commercial 
 and social circles of Lyme townsliip. 
 
 FREDERICK PARROTT (deceased), 
 who for many years was a leading 
 _^ farmer of Fairfield township, was 
 born March 24, 1825, in England. 
 His father, William Parrott, also a native 
 of England, immigrated to America, locat- 
 ing in Ripley township, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 where he resided for a few years with his 
 family. He then returned to England on 
 a visit, during which time his family be- 
 came scattered; and after his return he re- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 463 
 
 siiieJ with oiir subject the remainder of 
 his life. Of his children, one resides in 
 Ripley township, Huron county; three of 
 tlie daughters make their home in Toledo, 
 Ohio, and one resides in Bioomington, 
 Illinois. 
 
 Our subject was l)ut sixteen years of age 
 at the time of his immigration to America, 
 but even then he was looked upon by the 
 family as the provider. His education 
 was consequently somewhat limited, but 
 in after life he devoted much of his leisure 
 time to reading, tlius acquiring a store of 
 valuable general information. He was 
 one of those who " felled the giant oak, " 
 cleared from the laud the brush and waste, 
 and luade thereon a home for iiimself and 
 his family, destined then to be what it is 
 now, one of the handsomest of rural homes 
 to be found in Huron county. Mr. Par- 
 rott was njarried October 7, 1847, to Miss 
 Rosa M. Smith, daughter, of Aaron and 
 Esther (Wallinj Smith, natives of New 
 York State, who came to Fairfield town- 
 ship, Huron county, when it was yet a 
 vast wilderness. The land upon which 
 they located is that on which Mrs. Par- 
 rott now resides. Upon his marriage our 
 subject purchased the interests of the 
 '' iieirs apparent" to the Smith place, and 
 assumed control and ownership of the 
 large farm. Mr. and Mrs. Smith, late in 
 their lives, moved to the West, where they 
 resided with their children until they de- 
 parted this life, the latter dying January 
 18, 1851. 
 
 To our subject and wife were born 
 three children, as follows: Phonie, de- 
 ceased; William, who is now a representa- 
 tive of the D. W. Osborne Machine Co., 
 of Auburn, N. Y. ; and Smith, at home. 
 Mr. Parrott was very much interested in 
 all kinds of machinery; for many years he 
 was a thresher, owning and operating one 
 of the first threshing machines in Huron 
 county. He also took the first threshing 
 outfit into the State of Wisconsin, where, 
 to enable him to do business with the ma- 
 chinery, it was necessary to insure the 
 
 stock of grain against fire before he would 
 be permitted on tlie premises of the own- 
 ers. He was also engaged in selling 
 various machines, and for years represented 
 in his locality the firm in whose employ 
 his son William now is. Mr. Parrott was 
 a Democrat, and while takino- an active 
 interest in the affairs of his country, he 
 was not a politician, though for a number 
 of years he held the office of township 
 trustee. Mrs. Parrott is a member of the 
 Disciple Church. 
 
 |ILLIAM H. ERDRICH. a prom- 
 inent business man of Bellevue, 
 was born in that city in 1858, a 
 son of Joseph and Pervis (Liitz) 
 Erdrich, the former a native of Baden, 
 Germany, the latter of Ohio. Joseph 
 Erdrich emigrated to the United States in 
 1855, and in 1861 established a cooperage 
 in Bellevue, Huron Co., Ohio, carrying 
 same on until his death, which occurred 
 in 1889, when he was in his sixty-fourth 
 year. His widow still resides here, where 
 her parents had settled in 1820; her father 
 was born in Pennsylvania about the year 
 1800, and died at the age of eighty-eight; 
 her mother died in the "sixties." 
 
 William II. Erdrich was educated in 
 the public schools of Bellevue, in which 
 town he grew to manhood, learning the 
 cooper's trade in his father's shop. As 
 has been stated, the industry was estab- 
 lished in 18G1, and the work was all done 
 by hand until 1880, when steam power 
 and modern machinery were introduced. 
 The specialty of the cooperage is a light 
 cask, made in imitation of foreign casks, 
 the tannin being so extracted from the 
 wood as to insure its future contents 
 against discoloration. The founder of 
 this cooperage saw it grow into a great 
 industry before his death, and left to his 
 widow and sons a valuable plant and a 
 more valuable business. Casks are made 
 in all sizes, and of all suitable woods. The 
 trade, which extends from Buffalo, N. Y., 
 
464 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 to Omaha, Neb., is steadily growing, and 
 ■with it the reputation of this Bellevue in- 
 dustry. When running on full time tlie 
 establishment gives employment to forty 
 men, and produces 60,000 light casks per 
 annum. The equipmeut for handliug the 
 output is arranged with a view to economy 
 in labor, as is also the machinery. Since 
 the death of their father, oiir subject and a 
 brother have conducted the business with 
 much ability. 
 
 William H. Erdrich was married to Miss 
 Amelia Gelle, and to them were born two 
 children, Eugene and William. In 1885 
 Mr. Erdrich was elected clerk of Lyme 
 township, and was re-elected six times. 
 He has been president of the Water-Works 
 Company for over four years, and is closely 
 connected with pul)lic affairs in township 
 and city. Besides his cooperage he is in- 
 terested in other business enterprises, and 
 is a wide-awake citizen. Politically a 
 Democrat, he gives loyal service to his 
 party. In social affairs he is a member of 
 of the I. O. 0. F. and of the Elks, being a 
 popular member of both associations. 
 
 T OHN F. GRABILL, M. D., one of the 
 k. I prominent physicians of Townsend 
 ^Jj township, was born in Hayesville, 
 Ashland Co., Ohio, February 19, 
 1856, a son of Samuel and Elizabeth 
 (Habeck) Grabill. 
 
 Samuel Grabill was born in Germany, 
 received a classical education in a college 
 in that country, and was there married to 
 Miss Elizabeth Habeck, also a native of 
 the Fatherland. In 1830 Samuel Grabill 
 emigrated from liis native country, and 
 after reaching America located in Ashland 
 county, Ohio, where he purchased a par- 
 tially improved farm near Hayesville and 
 engaged in agricultural pursuits. During 
 his early life he served several years as 
 cavalryman under Napoleon, participated 
 in many of the most noted battles fought 
 by that Emperor, and was several times 
 
 wounded. His death occurred in the fall 
 of 1870, when he was eighty-two years of 
 age. Both he and his wife were devoted 
 members of the Lutheran Church. His 
 parents, who lived always in Germany, 
 were quite wealthy, his father owning and 
 controlling a large milling business. 
 
 Dr. John F. Grabill was the fifth in 
 order of birth of the seven children born 
 to his parents. He received a common- 
 school and academic education in his 
 youth, attending the spring and fall ses- 
 sions of the Perrysville Academy about 
 six years, and teaching during the winter 
 mouths. In 1877 he commenced to study 
 medicine, under the preceptorship of 
 Doctors Erwin and Craig, of Manstield, 
 Ohio, and dui-ing the session of 1878-79 
 he attended lectures at the Medical De- 
 partment of the Western Reserve Univer- 
 sity of Cleveland, Ohio. In 1879-80 he 
 attended the Miami University of Cin- 
 cinnati, Ohio, and graduated with honors 
 in the class of 1880. The same year he 
 began to practice his profession in Reeds- 
 burgh, Ohio, but after four years located 
 in Townsend township, Huron county. He 
 has built up an extensive and lucrative 
 practice, is remarkably successful in his 
 treatment of patients, and is undoubtedly 
 one of the most eminent physicians in 
 Huron county. In the I'all of 1880, Dr. 
 Grabill married Miss Rosina Buchanan, 
 who was born in Hayesville, Ashland 
 county, in July, 1856, a daughter of 
 George and Rosina (Hyatt) Buchanan. 
 Their marriage was blessed with two chil- 
 dren; Wade Hampton and Vera. Dr. 
 Grabill is a member of the North Central 
 Medical Society of Ohio, and is thoroughly 
 posted in all the latest discoveries and ad- 
 vancements made in his profession. Politi- 
 cally he is a Republican. 
 
 George Buchanan, father of Mrs. Gra- 
 bill, was born in Washington county, Penn., 
 of Scotch descent. He was a man of 
 splendid scholastic attainments, being a 
 graduate of Washington College, both iu 
 the classical and theological departments. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 465 
 
 Though prepared for the ministry, be liad 
 no inclination tor the profession, and 
 never entered it. He moved South, where 
 he enjiaHed in teaching, and where he was 
 first married. But with the first sio^ns of 
 the Civil war he returned to Ohio, and 
 settled in Ashland county, where he died 
 in September, 1882, being eighty-two 
 years of age. He was a lifelong member 
 of the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 BARTLETT DAVIS. In the year 
 , 1635 there came to America from 
 I Wales one Joseph Davis, a Cym- 
 
 rodion of no small degree of promi- 
 nence in his day, and from him are de- 
 scended the numerous family of Davis in 
 America. 
 
 This Josepli Davis was born in 1617, 
 and the best part of his life was passed in 
 Roxbury, Mass. The next lineal descend- 
 ant, of whom there is record, was another 
 Joseph, who owned a tract of land in what 
 is now the South Gore of Oxford, Mass., 
 and later bought land and settled in Wor- 
 cester, same State. He was engaged to 
 some extent in mercantile business, and 
 frequently made trips to Boston with farm 
 produce, which be would exchange for 
 groceries, etc., dealing in such extensively, 
 and he was widely known as a man of the 
 liighest integrity. 
 
 Aaron Davis (a twin), son of the last 
 mentioned Joseph, and father of Bartlett 
 Davis, was born in Massachusetts June 9, 
 1771. He was married November 29, 
 1800, at Dudley, in that State, to Thonia- 
 sine Bartlett, of Dudley, whose father, 
 Roger Bartlett, was a farmer by occupa- 
 tion, and had served in the war of the 
 Revolution; so far as known he had three 
 children — two daughters and one son. Af- 
 ter marriage Aaron Davis made his home 
 for a time in Charlton, Mass., afterward 
 went to Palmer. He was a laborer, and 
 for thirty-two years suffered much from 
 lameness caused by fever sores, which 
 
 alone was the cause of his being a poor 
 man up to the day of his death. About 
 the year 1844 he went to Wisconsin, and 
 at Bristol, Kenosha county, died Decem- 
 ber 19, 1849. He was a' lifelong Whig 
 in his political sympathies, but was never 
 ambitious for office; his wife, who passed 
 away August 9, 1866, was a member of 
 the Congregational Church. The names 
 of the children born to this couple are as 
 follows: Pharos, Sarah, Dexter, Thom- 
 asine, Aaron, Joseph. Bartlett, Wealthy 
 Ann, Diantha and Samantha. 
 
 Bartlett Davis, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, was born May 14, 1815, in 
 the town of Palmer, Mass., at the sub- 
 scription schools of which place he re- 
 ceived his education, necessarily very 
 limited. At the early age of nine years he 
 commenced work on a farm, receiving as 
 compensation his board and clothes, and 
 a few weeks instruction at the neighboring 
 schools. At the age of sixteen he entered 
 a woolen factory to learn the trade of 
 spinner, and for the first year received six 
 dollars per month for his services, after- 
 ward from twelve dollars to fourteen dol- 
 lars per month; and at the end of two 
 years he had saved some two hundred and 
 ten dollars. In 1836, in company with 
 relatives, he came to Ohio, by way of the 
 Erie canal to Buffalo, thence by lake to 
 Sandusky, and from there by wagon to 
 Bronson township. Huron county. After 
 a summer's residence there, he and Calvin 
 O. Chaffee jointly made a purchase of one 
 hundred acres of wild land at five dollars 
 per acre, in Harlland township, and built 
 thereon a stout log house. In 1865 Mr. 
 Davis built a handsome residence, and 
 still owns eighty-three acres of as fine land 
 as can be found in the county. 
 
 On May 10, 1836, Bartlett Davis was 
 united in marriage -with Miss Maria Beal, 
 daughter of William Beal, a native of Ver- 
 mont, and the children of this union were: 
 Louisa (Mrs. E. Burr), deceased; Mary A. 
 (Mrs. James Blakeman), in Hartland 
 township, Huron couuty; Martha, de- 
 
466 
 
 nrnoy coryrr, nnio. 
 
 ceased ; Flora, who died in infancy ; Charles, 
 who was a soldier in Company A, Twenty- 
 fourth O. V. I., was wounded at Shiioh, 
 and died in Jefl'erson barracks, Mo., while 
 a nieml)er of the U. S. Signal Corps, in 
 which he had enlisted after recovering 
 from his wound ; Lucy (Mrs. Ezra Webb), 
 and Frank K., by trade a carpenter, living 
 in Missouri. The mother of these died in 
 April, 1850, and was buried in Norwalk; 
 she was a member of the Methodist 
 Church. On December 25, 1850, Mr. 
 Davis married Miss Mary A. Jackson, 
 daughter of John and Clarissa (Vandeveer) 
 Jackson, of Elmira, N. Y., whose children 
 were Maria, Clarissa, John and Mary A. 
 Mr. Jackson was a soldier in the war of 
 1812, and was drowned in Lake Owasco, 
 Cayuga Co., N. Y. ; his widow was subse- 
 quently intermarried with James Hiles. 
 Mrs. Mary A. Davis came to Huron 
 county with the Monahan family in 1833. 
 The children by this second marriage of 
 Mr. Davis are: Milo O., married to Flora 
 Fish, and Cora L., wife of Ephi'aiin Tem- 
 ple. Politically our subject is a Kepub- 
 lican, formerly a Whig, and for twenty 
 years has served as trustee of Hartland, 
 of which township he was constable for 
 some time after his arrival. He and the 
 entire family are members of the M. E. 
 Church, with which he has been connected 
 nearly si.xty years, and has been trustee for 
 some considerable time. Notwithstanding 
 his years, Mr. Davis is hale and hearty, 
 enjoying excellent physical health, and he 
 still supervises his farm, which in its pro- 
 ductiveness and neatness is a credit to the 
 owner. 
 
 DELBERT E. PECK, owner of 
 
 l\ 101 acres of prime farm land in 
 
 ^ Wakeman township, is a native of 
 
 the locality, born February 3, 1844, 
 
 a son of Henry Peck. 
 
 He was reared to the arduous duties of 
 
 fartn life, and remained with his father 
 
 until he was twenty-six years old, when he 
 
 commenced for his own account. Having 
 saved a little money, and being assisted by 
 his father, he in 1874 went west and 
 bought a farm in Henry county, 111., re- 
 maining there nine years, and making a 
 fair success. In 1877 he revisited his old 
 home, and married Miss Julia E. Sweet, 
 daughter of Mrs. Elizabeth Sweet, of Lo- 
 rain county, Ohio, born of English par- 
 entage. Taking his young wife out to his 
 western home, they there remained till 
 1883, when he sold the property and 
 bought his present farni of 101 acres in 
 Wakeman township. On it, same year, 
 he built an elegant home, an-d put up 
 about one and one-half miles of fence; his 
 specialty, in addition to general farming, 
 is the breeding of high-grade live stock. 
 
 Mr. Peck is a pronounced Prohibitionist, 
 and when he first went west was the only 
 voter on that ticket in Henry county. 111., 
 where there are now eight votes. During 
 the Civil war, in 1864, he enlisted in Com- 
 pany E, Capt. I. O. Peck, One Hundred 
 and Sixty-sixth O. V. I., one hundred- 
 days men, and was mustered in at Cleve- 
 land. His brother Edward was a member 
 of the Twenty-fourth 0. V. I., having en- 
 listed at the commencement of the war, 
 and was killed at the battle of Pittsburgh 
 Landing (Shiioh). 
 
 h 
 
 UCIAN JONES, a venerable and 
 respected pioneer of Sherman town- 
 ship, is a native of Vermont, born 
 in Windsor county March 11, 1812. 
 Bruce Jones, father of subject, was bora 
 November 8, 1772, in Massachusetts, 
 whence when a young man he moved to 
 Vermont, and was there married Decem- 
 ber 6, 1804, to Miss L. Partridge, who was 
 born November 9, 1778, and died May 12, 
 1819. The record of the children by this 
 marriage is as follows: Amanda was mar- 
 ried March 19, 1827, to Willard Crandall, 
 and always resided in Vermont; Solon, 
 born June 25, 1809, died in December, 
 1809; Lucian is the subject of this sketch, 
 
IlCIiOy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 467 
 
 and Steoi-n, l)orn September 2, 1814, died 
 November 11, 1862. For liis second wife 
 Bruce Jones married Miss Lucy Sanderson, 
 n-ho was born ilarch 18, 17S4, and died 
 Marcli 19, 1865. Tliree children were the 
 result of this union, viz.: Lucretia, now 
 the widow of P. Bright, living in New 
 London, Huron county; Sarah, born May 
 15, 1822, died September 6, 1838; and 
 Susan E., boi-n April 8, 1827, unmarried. 
 The father died in 1846. He had settled 
 on the land in Sherman township, Huron 
 county, on which some of his children are 
 yet living. 
 
 The subject of this sketch came to 
 Huron county witii his parents, and has 
 lived longer in Sherman township than any 
 one else. He has never married. He is 
 a Republican in politics, and one of the 
 most highly respected citizens of his sec- 
 tion, honored the more, probably, on ac- 
 count of his blindness, caused by disease, 
 an affliction he bears with Christian resig- 
 nation. His half-sister, Susan E., keeps 
 house for him, and, Mr. Jones being very 
 wealthy, has a vast amount of business to 
 transact, which she does with most com- 
 mendable care and accuracy. She also 
 took care of her parents in their declining 
 years. 
 
 JH. BEATTIE, a leading clothier of 
 New London, is a native of Ohio, 
 born in Ruggles, Ashland county, in 
 1849, a son of John Beattie, a native 
 of Scotland, who came to America at the 
 age of twenty-one years. 
 
 Our subject was reared in Ashland 
 county, attending the common schools of 
 the neighborhood of his birth, and also the 
 academy at Savannah, same county. In 
 1874 he commenced business for his own 
 account, having previously served as clerk 
 in various mercantile houses in New Lon- 
 don, but closed out his business in 1877. 
 In 1889 he opened out his present cloth- 
 ing and merchant tailoring establishment 
 in New London, and it lias become the 
 leading one of its kind in the place. 
 
 In 1874 Mr. Beattie was married to 
 Miss Martha L. Middlesworth, of Ivno.\- 
 ville, Iowa, and six children, as follows, 
 have been born to them: Edna Mary, F. 
 J. M., Jennie Alberta, Louie Isabel, Les- 
 ter M. and Alice. Our subject is a mem- 
 ber of the F. &, A. M., Iloyal Arcanum, 
 Knights of Honor, and National Union. 
 In politics he is a Republican, and has 
 been a delegate to various conventions; 
 was State delegate for his party when 
 Foraker was nominated for governor, and 
 also when McKinley was the nominee of 
 the party for the same office. 
 
 d JUSTICE TOWNSEND, the popular 
 and courteous proprietor of the 
 ^ "Gregory House," New London, is a 
 native of Huron county, born in 
 Hartland township in 1852. 
 
 His father, D. T. Townsend, was born 
 in Ulster county, N. Y., whence when 
 twenty-one years old he came to Huron 
 county, Ohio, making a settlement in 
 Greenwich township. Here he married 
 Miss G. W. Dewitt, a native of New York 
 State, born in 1828, and three children 
 came to them, two of whom are yet living, 
 our subject being second in order of birth. 
 The parents after marriage moved to Hart- 
 land township, Huron county, where the 
 mother is yet living; the father died at the 
 ao-e of sixty-tive years; he was by trade a 
 millwricrht, and operated a sawmill; in 
 politics lie was a Republican, and in relig- 
 ious faith a member of the M. E. Church, 
 as is his widow. 
 
 Justice Townsend received a liberal edu- 
 cation at tlie common schools of Hartland 
 township, Huron county, as well as at the 
 schools of Milan, P^rie county, for a time, 
 after which he commenced business. His 
 first experience was on a farm, where he 
 remained one year; he then went west to 
 Beatrice, Neb., where he was in a sheep 
 bubiness two years, after which he returned 
 home and bouglit a farm, which he con- 
 
468 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ducted one and one-half years. We next 
 find Mr. Townsend, for lie was never idle, 
 conducting a grocery business in Noi-walk, 
 Huron county, up to the tinae of his 
 father's death, when he returned to the 
 homestead, on which he remained about 
 tlii'ee years. Embarking then in the grain 
 and treneral stock trade in Clarksiield, 
 Huron county, he built an elevator, and 
 continued in the business two years, at the 
 end of which time he went into the hotel 
 business in the same town, remaining in 
 it some four years. In 1891 he became 
 proprietor of the "Gregory House" in 
 New London, and has since been its genial 
 and obliging host, meeting with well- 
 merited success, at the same time conduct- 
 ing his farm. In 1873 Mr. Townsend was 
 united in marriage with Miss Mabel Mer- 
 rick, a native of Knox county, Ohio, and 
 four children were born to them, viz.: 
 One deceased in infancy, Charles O., Julia 
 E. and John. Mr. and Mrs. Townsend 
 are adherents of the M. E. Church; so- 
 cially he is a member of the K. O. T. M., 
 and in politics he is a solid Republican. 
 
 
 
 TIS STKES, the oldest and most 
 prominent business man at Chicago 
 Junction, was born May 2, 1847, 
 in Richmond township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio. 
 
 Daniel Sykes, his father, was born June 
 6, 1806, at East Berkshire, Franklin Co., 
 Vt., where he attended school, afterward 
 working on the home or neighboring farms 
 until 1827, when he determined to seek a 
 wider field for his industry in New York 
 State. The followine three years he 
 passed at Sweden, Monroe Co., N. Y., as 
 a farm hand, and there, on April 5, 1832, 
 he was married to Arabella Butler. In May 
 of that year he visited Michigan, purchased 
 a quarter section of United States lands, 
 and passed the summer there, clearing the 
 land and jn-eparin"; a home. That fall, on 
 returning to Monroe county, N. Y., he was 
 
 urged by his friends to settle in Ohio, and 
 in October, accompanied by his young wife 
 and a \ev! friends, set out for that State. 
 The journey was made by wagon to Buf- 
 falo, and thence to Sandusky by lake-boat. 
 At this point Daniel Sykes separated from 
 the party, leaving his wife in care of her 
 uncle, who took her to Milan on horseback. 
 Her husband went to Michigan to dispose 
 of his land there, but failed in his mission, 
 returned to Huron county, Ohio, and pur- 
 chased forty acres of wild land one and a 
 half miles northwest of Greenfield Center. 
 On this tract was a small loar cabin, and'^ 
 into it the young pioneer couple moved, to 
 begin life in the wilderness. With un- 
 daunted courage Daniel began the work of 
 clearing tlie forest. He had yet to pay for 
 this forty-acre tract, for his earnings were 
 nearly all invested in the Michigan pur- 
 chase. With strong heart and hands 
 and a brave wife he persevered, and with- 
 in a comparatively short space of time 
 succeeded, not only in paying for the land, 
 but also in obtaining various household 
 articles and comforts. In 1836 lie sold the 
 old farm and purchased sixty acres in 
 Richmond township from a Mr. McMas- 
 ter, on which the home was established. 
 A few years later lie purchased an adjoin- 
 ing tract of sixty acres from Robert 
 Askins; but owing to a defect in the title, 
 Mr. Sykes was compelled to pay for this 
 property a second time, to Henry Mills, 
 the actual owner. Mr. Sykes had now a 
 good farm of 120 acres, with substantial 
 buildings, and all this he made out of his 
 labor, before his children were old enough 
 to help. His death, which occurred elune 
 10, 1883, was the result of an accident; 
 while crossing the railroad he was struck 
 by a locomotive, fell under the wheels, and 
 his lower limbs were severed from his 
 body. He was a man of few words but of 
 many deeds, and was loved wherever 
 known. 
 
 Of the eight children born to Daniel 
 and Arabella Sykes, five grew to maturity, 
 a brief record of them being as follows: 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 469 
 
 William H. is a physician at Plyniouth; 
 Andrew J. served in the Fifty-lifth 0. V. 
 1., and was killed at Kesaca, Ga. ; Royal, 
 who served in the Third O. V. C, died of 
 typhoid fever at Pittsburg Landing; Aurilla 
 resides on the old homestead in Richmond 
 township; Otis is the subject proper of 
 this sketch. In religious faith Mr. Sykes 
 was a Baptist; in politics he was origin- 
 ally a Democrat, and Liter became a Re- 
 publican. 
 
 Otis Sykes was educated in the district 
 schools of his native township. On August 
 13, 1862, while yet a mere boy, he en- 
 tered the United States service with Com- 
 pany C, One Hundred and Twenty-third 
 O. V. I., and going to the front with the 
 command, participated in many of the 
 brilliant engagements which took place in 
 the Shenandoah Valley, taking part in the 
 battle of Winchester (where the famous 
 cavalry officer, Sheridan, saved the day), 
 in the Lynchburg raid, and in the battle 
 of Staunton, Ya. At Winchester he lost 
 his left limb, and was sent to the field hos- 
 pital. Thence he was removed to the hos- 
 pital at Baltimore, and later to that at 
 Philadelphia, where he remained until 
 June 6, 1865, when he received an hon- 
 orable discharge and returned to his home. 
 Some time later he commenced the study 
 of dentistry at Plymouth, Ohio, and prac- 
 ticed his profession for three years. In 
 1872 he established a drug store at Wa- 
 bash, Ind., which he carried on until 1876, 
 and then came to Chicago Junction, where 
 in 1878 he opened his present drug busi- 
 ness, to which he has since given his ex- 
 clusive attention. Mr. Sykes, in his poli- 
 tical preferences, is a Republican, and on 
 the incorporation of the town of Chicago 
 Junction was elected a member of the first 
 council. He was also a member of the 
 school board, and in both ofhces exercised 
 a wide influence for good. In Society af- 
 fairs he is a member of Chicago Junction 
 Lodge No. 748, I. O. O. F. 
 
 In 1S73 Mr. Sykes was married to Miss 
 Elizabeth A., daughter of Samuel and 
 
 Elizabeth Miller, and to this union the fol- 
 lowing named children were born: Maud 
 I., who died in 1891, aged fifteen years, 
 and Doris, who resides with her parents. 
 Mr. Sykes began mercantile life with little 
 or no assistance, and through his own ef- 
 forts he has not only built up a prosper- 
 ous business, but also that which is more 
 difficult to acquire and sustain — a fine 
 reputation. 
 
 f^NOCH HEAL. The beginning of 
 the modern buildinnrs of Bellevue 
 
 E 
 
 J may be credited to tiie year in which 
 Enoch Heal arrived there. Mr. 
 Heal was born February 1, 1826, in Devon- 
 shire, England, and learned the trade of 
 stone and brick mason under iiis father. 
 He was married in his native country, and 
 in 1849 emigrated to the United States, 
 arriving at Bellevue, Ohio, the same year. 
 His tirst work here was the building of the 
 stone gristmill. Later he put up the old 
 stone residence for Dr. Woodward, and he 
 has since been continuously engagad as 
 contractor and builder, and as stone and 
 brick mason, building many of the sub- 
 stantial structures now found in Bellevue, 
 Monroeville and Norwalk. From 1849 to 
 the present time his home has been at 
 Bellevue, save for eleven weeks in 1878, 
 which he with his wife and relatives 
 passed in England. During the Civil war, 
 when Cincinnati was threatened by the 
 Confederate forces, he joined a Bellevue 
 company, and went to the front to defend 
 the city. 
 
 Mr. Heal was united in marriage witii 
 Elizabeth C. Joint, and to this union were 
 born ten children, a brief record of whom 
 is as follows: One child died in infancy; 
 Elizabeth C. is the widow of W. K. Hil- 
 bert; Emma is the wife of Dr. Lanterman; 
 Mary is the wife of W. E. Miller; Amelia 
 is married to George C. Beckworth, of 
 Bellevue; W. A. is a clerk in the " Ball 
 House" at Fremont; Nellie is the wife of 
 R. H. Boyer, of Minneapolis, Minn.; 
 
470 
 
 IlUliOX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Fi-ancls P. is a druggist in Belleviie; New- 
 ton W. is a traveling salesman; Nettie E. 
 is the wife of C. B. Cupp, a druggist. 
 Tiie niotlier of this large family died De- 
 cember 18, 1SS3. She carried on a milli- 
 nery store here for about twenty years. 
 In October, 1891, Mr. Heal married Carrie 
 W. Duuiiing, a native of New York State, 
 who for some time was a stenographer at 
 Chicago, and for about three years was 
 engaged in the dry-goods business at 
 Bellevue. In political life Mr. Heal is a 
 Prohibitionist, and in church connection 
 a Congregationalist. Mr. Heal is the em- 
 ployer of a number of skilled' mechanics 
 and laborers, is the owner of valuable 
 pi'operty at Bellevue, and altogether is a 
 shining example of industry and enterprise. 
 The parents of Mr. Heal, Enoch and 
 Elizabeth (Tamlin) Heal, came from 
 Devonshire, England, to America in 1854, 
 and located at Bellevue, Ohio, where the 
 mother died in 1868, the father in 1872. 
 He had been twice married, the subject of 
 this sketch being one of the children born 
 to the second marriage. Our subject has 
 two full sisters and one full brother, the 
 latter and one of the sisters — Mrs. Eliza- 
 beth Head, a widow — being residents of 
 Bellevue. Four sons in the family were 
 stone masons. 
 
 EiLMER E. McKESSON, proprietor 
 of a leading grocery establishment 
 I in Bellevue, is a son of James Mc- 
 Kesson, a native of Pennsylvania. 
 Many years ago James McKesson lo- 
 cated in Erie county, Ohio, where he fol- 
 lowed farmino; and railroad work. When 
 a young man he was united in marriage 
 with Mayetta Provut, a native of the State 
 of New York, and to this union were born 
 f(nir children, Elmer E. being the young- 
 est. The father is now a resident of 
 Bellevue, and is still farming. 
 
 Elmer E. McKesson was born Novem- 
 ber 16, 1862, in Erie county, Ohio, where 
 lie attended the common schools. He 
 
 selected a life companion in the person of 
 Helen M. Riese, a young lady who moved 
 in the highest social circles of Bellevue. 
 On March 1, 1891, Mr. McKesson em- 
 barked iu a grocery business, which is 
 very prosperons, as he carries a full line 
 of excellent goods. 
 
 DAVID BORES. Of the industrious 
 and prosperous German settlers of 
 ' Sherman township, Huron county, 
 none is more deserving of the re- 
 spect and esteem of the community than 
 this gentleman. 
 
 Mr. Bores was born January 24, 1832, 
 in Nassau, Prussia, a son of John and 
 Catherine Bores, the former of whom was 
 by trade a harness maker. David received 
 his education in his native land, and 
 learned harness making of his father. At 
 about the age of twenty-two years he set 
 sail for the United States in the good ship 
 "Southampton," and after a voyage t>f 
 twenty-eight days landed in New York 
 December 18 following — "a stranger in a 
 strange land." After a few days sojourn 
 in New York City he came westward to 
 Ohio, making his first stop in the Buckeye 
 State at Monroeville, Huron county, where 
 for three months he was employed by 
 Philip Knoll at six dollars per month. He 
 next moved to Indiana, and worked as a 
 laborer on the railroad then being con- 
 structed between Indianapolis and Peru. 
 Returning to Huron county, he engaged 
 with Christ Knoll, with whom he worked 
 some time, but, suffering from fever and 
 ague for three years, he was almost totally 
 incapacitated for labor of any kind. 
 
 Alter a pai'tial recovery from his illness, 
 Mr. Bores married, in 1855, Miss Anna 
 Mary Fachinger, also a native of Nassau, 
 Prussia, daughter of John Fachinger, who 
 came with his family to the United States 
 when Mrs. Bores was twenty-six years old. 
 After marriage our subject, though still 
 unwell, worked as a farm hand in Lyme 
 township, Huron county, and then rented 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 471 
 
 farms for six years. In 1802 he purchased 
 fifty acres of wild land in Sherman town- 
 ship, Huron county, at forty dollars per 
 acre; this he has liy hard work and assidu- 
 ous industry converted into a productive 
 farm. He went into debt for this prop- 
 erty, and has not only succeeded in paying 
 for it, but has added thereto until now he 
 has 240 acres of prime land, in the ac- 
 cumulating of which, atid in the convert- 
 ing of the farm generally, he has been ably 
 and faithfully assisted by his amiable wife. 
 The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Bores 
 were as follows: Joseph, who died young; 
 Henry, a fanner of Sherman township; 
 Elizabeth, Mrs. Chris. Wilhelm, of Leip- 
 sic, Putnam Co., Ohio; August, a farmer 
 of Sherman township; flohn, living at 
 home; and Emma, now Mrs. AVilhelm 
 Kiuirlein, of Putnam county, Ohio. Poli- 
 tically our subject is a Democrat, and he 
 has held the office of school director with 
 acceptability. He and his wife are mem- 
 bers of the Catholic Church, of which he 
 is trustee. He is a typical self-made man, 
 and considering his long period of sickness 
 and the expenses incident to same, he has 
 been wonderfully successful. 
 
 IlOHN F. GUENEY, one of the most 
 
 L. I extensive farmers of Richmond town- 
 
 \yj ship, was born November 10, 1S32, 
 
 a son of Samuel and -fane (Cross) 
 
 Gurney. 
 
 In 1S38 the parents came to Ohio, 
 bringing their family, which then con- 
 sisted of four children, viz.: Olive Jane, 
 now the widow of John Detweiler, of 
 Mansfield, Ohio; John F., wlio is men- 
 tioned farther on; Oliver, of Bellville, 
 Ohio; and Lewis, a bricklayer and plas- 
 terer, of MansHeld. After coming to Ohio 
 they had born to them one child, Sarah 
 Elizabeth. When Samuel (rnrney arrived 
 in Oliio he settled near l>ellvillc, Richland 
 county, where he owned one of the best 
 farms in the section, being a man of no 
 small means. He was possessed of con- 
 
 siderable genius as a mechanic, and in- 
 vented a shingle machine, a contrivance 
 for pulling stumps, and also a machine for 
 converting palm leaves into fans; while in 
 the South he made many profitable sales 
 of his inventions, and it is supposed that 
 he was killed in New Orleans for his 
 money. Some time later his widow mar- 
 ried, for lier second husband, Hiram 
 Bailey; she died about 1878 near Bellville, 
 Richland county, where she was buried. 
 
 John F. Gurney was about six years old 
 when he came with the rest of the family 
 to Ohio. He received the greater part of 
 his education from a private instructor in 
 the person of his employer, John C. Bate- 
 man, a farmer of Knox county, Ohio, and 
 attended school very little, in fact for onl}' 
 one winter. Beiiur the eldest son the 
 family depended principally on him after 
 the death of the father, and at the age of 
 eighteen he commenced to learn plaster- 
 ing, serving an apprenticeship ot three 
 years, after which he bought out his em- 
 ployer, William C. Weirick, and continued 
 in the business for twenty-one years in 
 Mansfield and vicinity. On January 0, 
 1856, he was united in marriage with 
 Miss Lavina Tinkey, who was born De- 
 cember 16, 1829. in Washington county, 
 Penn., daughter of George and Elizabeth 
 (Swickard) Tinkey, who came to Ohio in 
 1853. locating in Richland county. After 
 marriage Mr. and Mrs. Gurney rented a 
 house in Bellville, where they resided for 
 about ten years, and then purchased a 
 small place south of the town, where they 
 made their home another ten years. On 
 July 19, 1874, they came to Richmond 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio, locating on 
 their present farm, where Mr. Gurney has 
 ever since been actively engatred in aijri- 
 culture and stock raising. To our subject 
 and wife have been born children as fol- 
 lows: Elizal)eth Jane, Mrs. James L. 
 Frederick, of Chicago Junction, Ohio; 
 Ann Eliza, Mrs. William Cox. of Rich 
 mond township; Mary Inez. Mrs. D. B. 
 Ziegler, of Plymouth; Otis Washington, a 
 
a 
 
 472 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 farmer of Hicks ville, Ohio; Ella May, Mrs. 
 Portice Williams, of Fostoria, Ohio; and 
 Martha Adele, Mrs. J. A. Rang, of Chi- 
 cago Junction. 
 
 In May, 1S64, Mr. Gnrney enlisted, for 
 one hundred days' service, in Company D, 
 One Hundred and Sixty-third Reoiment 
 O. V. 1. (of which he had been a member 
 for five years), and participated in the en- 
 gagements in the Shenandoah Valley, 
 around Richmond, etc., serving with special 
 bravery and distinction; on one occasion 
 he was one of four .soldiers, who, after 
 having been ordered to surrender, defied 
 and held at bay POO rebels, until their 
 comrades rallied and captured the enemy. 
 Our subject is the owner of 268 acres of 
 most excellent land, the result of his own 
 unremitting energy and industry, and his 
 continual perseverance in improving and 
 cultivating. This tract, located in the 
 north end of what was known as the 
 " Black Swamp," was once a vast swamp, 
 and was considered practically worthless; 
 but it is now the most productive land in 
 tliis section of the county. Mr. Gurney is 
 a member of the Republican party, but 
 takes no active part in politics; in religions 
 connection he was originally a Cumber- 
 land Presbyterian, but is now a member of 
 the U. B. Church, and he has always con- 
 tributed liberally toward churches and 
 church work. 
 
 JfOHN A. HETTEL, retired farmer of 
 ^ I Peru township, was born March 20, 
 \Jl 1816, in Germany, and is a son of 
 John A. Hettel, a hatter who emi- 
 grated to the United States witii his family 
 in 1834. 
 
 They sailed from the port of Havre, 
 France, and after a voyage of thirty days 
 landed at New York, proceeding thence by 
 river, canal and lake boats toHuron, Ohio, 
 and from that village to the wilderness of 
 what is now the beautiful township of 
 Peru. Here the father purchased, at ten 
 dollars per aci'e, the land on which there 
 
 was at that time a clearing of six acres, and 
 increased gradually the area of the tract. 
 Mr. Hettel and his wife resided on this 
 tract until their death. Each arrived at a 
 ripe old age, living to see some of their 
 children settled, and fair provision made 
 for the younger members of the family. 
 The pioneers rest in St. Peter's Catholic 
 cemetery at Norwalk, where so many of 
 the early settlers are buried. 
 
 John A. Hettel, was eighteen years old 
 when he accompanied the rest of the family 
 into the wilderness of Ohio. He had re- 
 ceived a good education in his native land, 
 and after coming to America assisted his 
 father in making a new home. 
 
 On November 15, 1847, he married Miss 
 Maggie Horn, who was born February 10, 
 1822, near the birthplace of Mr. Hettel, 
 and came to the United States with her 
 father, Joseph Horn, in 1843, residing for 
 the next three years in Massachusetts, 
 when the family came to Huron county. 
 The following named children have been 
 born to Mr. and Mrs. Hettel: Louisa, 
 Rose, Albert and Louis, all deceased when 
 young; Anna M., residing at home; John 
 F., a farmer in Peru township; Edward 
 A., a farmer of Henry county, Ohio, and 
 Frank A., residing at home. The mother 
 of tiiis family died July 25, 1887, and 
 was buried in the Catholic cemetery at 
 Monroeville. From the period of her 
 marriage until her death the old home- 
 stead, still occupied by Mr. Hettel, was 
 her home. 
 
 Mr. Hettel, though retired from active 
 work, is not an idle onlooker. Rounding 
 out as he now is fourscore years, he is 
 still hale and hearty, and takes especial 
 jiride in seeing the farm which he helped 
 to hew out of the forest grow in beauty 
 and productiveness at the hands of his 
 children. In his old age he can look back 
 over a useful and honorable life, and take 
 pride in the children who grew up around 
 him. He appreciates the assistance he has 
 received from them and their mother, who 
 has passed away, in amassing, or rather the 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 473 
 
 making, tlie wealth which he calls his own, 
 and which they will enjoy after him. 
 Since the mother's death, his daughter, 
 Anna Mary, has been mistress of the old 
 home, wiiile the farm is managed by the 
 sons. ]V[r. TIettel has always been a con- 
 sistent Ilepul)lican, but takes no active in- 
 terest in party affairs. He and his chil- 
 dren hold to the Catholic faith, and as he 
 aided in planting it in northern Ohio, so 
 liis sons and daughters to-day aid in sus- 
 taining it. 
 
 TEPHEN BERRY, a wealthy and 
 highly honored agriculturist of Lyme 
 townsliip, was born March 12, 1844, 
 in Waldo township, Marion county, 
 Ohio, a son of Henry and Christina (Powel) 
 Berry. 
 
 Henry Berry was born in Virginia, and 
 there received the most complete education 
 afforded by the schools of that j)eriod. At 
 an early age he became familiar with agri- 
 cultural pursuits, an occupation which en- 
 gaged his exclusive attention until his 
 death, whicli occurred in 18S2. He was 
 a man of unusual cultnre and sterling 
 worth, and used his wealth to succor the 
 helpless neighbors who invariably appealed 
 to him for assistance. His vast estate was 
 highly cultivated, and his fortune of eighty 
 thousand dollars carefully managed. He 
 served in the war of 1812. He married 
 Mi^s Christina Powel, a native of Penn- 
 sylvania, and of this union were born nine 
 children (six of whom are now living), 
 viz.: Strander. Thomas, William, Stephen, 
 Massey (Mrs. Barney Collins), Mary (Mrs. 
 John Showers), Christina (Mrs. Jonathan 
 Wriglits, of Michigan), Cordelia (Mrs. 
 William Mills, who died in Bellevue) and 
 one whose name is not given. The mother 
 of this family died in 1872, after a life 
 tilled with kind impulses and generous 
 deeds, and was sincerely mourned by her 
 family, friends atid neighbors. 
 
 Stephen Berry was quite young when 
 he came with his parents to I^yme town- 
 
 ship, where he has since continued to re- 
 side. He received an education in the 
 district schools of the township, but his 
 natural ability and the advantages of cul- 
 tured parents enabled him to attain a 
 much greater degree of knowledge than 
 the teachers of those days were j)re])ared 
 to impart to their pupils. For eight years 
 he ojierated a sawmill, but has cliiefly en- 
 gaged in agricultural j)ursuit8, and owns 
 two farms, one of forty-four acres in Lyme 
 township, the other comprising 102 acres, 
 in Sherman township. At prt sent he rents 
 his land, ami is surrounded by all the com- 
 forts that attend wealth. He is a Repub- 
 lican, and very prominent in the political 
 circles of Huron county. Mr. Berry was 
 married, in 1872, to Miss Priscilla Gensal, 
 who was born in Pennsylvania, arid their 
 union has been blessed with two ciiildren: 
 Ada and Arthur W. Mr. and MVs. Berry 
 are members of the Reformed Church, and 
 are actively interested in all charitable en- 
 terprises. 
 
 JOSEPH SHERCK, who for four years 
 —from Ajiril, 18S2, to April, 188G— 
 served as mayor of Bellevue, was 
 born November 10, 1828, in MitHin 
 county, Penn. John and Magdalena (Krei- 
 der) Sherck, parents of our subject, iiuived 
 from Pennsylvania to Seneca county, ( )hio, 
 locating in Thompson township October 1, 
 1834. L) 1808 the family migrated to 
 Michigan, locating in St. Josepii county, 
 where Mrs. Alagdalena Sherck died in 
 1882; the father also died there. They 
 reared a family of twelve children (our 
 subject being the eldest), of whom five 
 are yet living. 
 
 Joseph Sherck received a primary edu- 
 cation in the district school of Thompson 
 township, Seneca county, and afterward 
 worked on the home farm, where he grew 
 to numiiood. On August 19, 1n51, he 
 married Barbara A. Decker, th.e youngest 
 child of Jacob and Susanna (Billman) 
 Decker. Jacob Decker is a son of John 
 
474 
 
 HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 and Julia Aim (Royer) Decker, who came 
 in 1S16 from Union county, Peiin., to 
 Wayne county, Ohio, and thence in 1830 
 to Keneca county, where Mrs. Sherck was 
 born. To her marriage witli Josepli Sherck 
 two cliildren were born, namely: Mary A., 
 Mrs. Miller, of Seneca county, and Charles 
 M., associated with his father in business 
 at Bellevne. From the time of his mar- 
 riage until 1S73 Mr. Sherck worked on 
 the farm, and in 1860 purchased the 160 
 acres in the center of Thompson township, 
 Seneca county, known as the Sherck home- 
 stead. While on this farm he was elected 
 justice of the peace, and served in that 
 position for nine years. In 1873 he moved 
 to Bellevne, Huron county, and established 
 a saddle and harness house, which he con- 
 ducted until 1884, when he engaged in the 
 grain trade. To-day he operates the large 
 elevator at Bellevne, and carries on a most 
 extensive business in grain, seed, coal, 
 plaster, salt, water- lime, etc. 
 
 Mr. Sherck can trace his ancestry back 
 300 years, and for a century or more can 
 claim this country as the family home. 
 Prominent in Masonic work, he is a mem- 
 ber of the Lodge, Chapter and Council at 
 Bellevne. and of the Commandery, K. T., at 
 Norwalk, Ohio. In religious affairs he 
 alKliates with the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church. An active, enterprising biisiness 
 man. one who has taken a full part in the 
 development of Bellevue, he enjoys, as he 
 merits, the confidence of the community. 
 
 IV/If '^' ^'^^^^' general 'agent for all 
 
 I VI' l<inds of agricultural implements, 
 
 I ll with residence at Weaver's Cor- 
 
 ■fj ners, is a native of Pennsylvania, 
 
 born in 1848, whence when five 
 
 years old he was brought to Huron county, 
 
 Ohio, hy his parents. 
 
 Mr. Stapf received his education at the 
 public schools of Bellevue, Huron county, 
 and learned the trade of butcher, at which 
 he worked in various places. Abandoning 
 
 this business, he secured a position as trav- 
 eling salesman for Nicholas Seckler, 
 wholesale liipior dealer, Cleveland, his 
 territory covering the States of Ohio and 
 Pennsylvania, and in this line he remained 
 some eighteen years. He then came to 
 Weaver's Corners, Huron county, where 
 he has since been successfully engaged in 
 his present business, doing a large and 
 profitable trade. In 1869 Mr. Stapf was 
 married to Miss Catherine Walter, and 
 eight children were born to them, namely: 
 George, Hester, Rosa, Frank, Nettie, 
 Henry, Lucy and John. Politically our 
 subject is an active Republican, and has 
 been assessor of Sherman township two 
 years; socially he is a member of the 
 i. O. O. F. and K. of P.; in Church con- 
 nection he is a Lutheran. 
 
 Frederick and Christina (Baer) Stapf, 
 parents of M. J., immigrated frc^n Ger- 
 many to this country, and they took up 
 their residence in Bellevue, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, where the father followed his busi- 
 ness, that of brewer. He died in 1887 at 
 the age of seventy-five years; his widow, 
 now seventy-six years old, the mother of 
 four children, is living with her son M. J., 
 and with him enjoys the respect and es- 
 teem of the community. 
 
 JLLIAM WELLS VAN GOR- 
 DER, a prominent and influential 
 citizen of New London, where he 
 cornlucts a flourishing furniture 
 store and undertaking establishment, is a 
 native of Willoughby township. Lake Co., 
 Ohio, born September 23, 1834. 
 
 Peter Van Gorder, his father, married 
 Miss Martha Allen, and nine children were 
 born to them, named respectively: Allen, 
 Mary, Sarah Ann, Henry, John, Miranda, 
 Martha, Daniel and William W. The last 
 named, our subject, received a liberal edu- 
 cation at the common schools of the neigh- 
 borhood of bis place of birth, and at the 
 age of seventeen commenced to learn car- 
 pentry, working at the same for others for 
 
IlUJiOX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 475 
 
 about three years, bj the end of whicb 
 time lie had saved about three hundred 
 dollars, being; thus enabled to commence 
 business for liis own account. For eleven 
 years he followed the trade with varying 
 success, and found himself the possessor of 
 tive thousand dollars of hard-earned cash, 
 which he invested in property, and then 
 embarked in his present business. 
 
 Mr. Van Gorder was united in marriage 
 with Miss Angeline Sarah Kinp;, b}' which 
 union there is one child, Lillian Adelaide, 
 who was first married to Dr. Andrews, by 
 whom she has two children, named Mil- 
 dred and Ermy. Dr. Andrews dying, ins 
 widow was subsequently married to Mr. 
 Sheerer, who controls the lecture course in 
 a college in Cincinnati. As will readily 
 be seen, Mr. Van Gorder is a self-made 
 man in the strictest sense of the expres- 
 sion. He is a director of. the First National 
 Bank of New London, and one of the most 
 enterprising citizens of the town. Poli- 
 tically he is a strong Prohibitionist, hav- 
 ing been a member of that party since its 
 organization. 
 
 jlfUGn KENDEIGH, an enterpris- 
 '!^ ing, highly respected farmer citizen 
 1 of Townsend township, was born 
 ■J) October 15, 1828, in Westmoreland 
 
 county, Penn. He is the second 
 child in a family of six born to Daniel 
 and Sarah (McKinney) Ivendeigh, both of 
 whom were natives of Pennsylvania, and 
 of German and Scotch- Irish descent re- 
 spectively. 
 
 Daniel Kendeiwh received no education 
 in youth, never having attended school a 
 day in his life; but after attaining to man- 
 hood's years he succeeded, by his own ex- 
 ertions, in obtaining sutHcient education 
 for the ordinary transactions of life, and 
 was possessed of a varied stock of useful 
 knowledge, acquired in the great school of 
 experience. His youth was passed on the 
 old homestead farm in Pennsylvania, where 
 he was also married, snon after which 
 
 86 
 
 event he went to Pittsburgh, where he was 
 engaged in the manufacture of brick for 
 some four or five years. He then engaged 
 in coal mining at the same place, in wiiicli 
 he continued for some tenor twelve years, 
 and in ls;3;J removed with his family to 
 Amherst township, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 where he bought a partially-improved 
 farm, and other lands in the same county. 
 In 1840 he sold the home place in Lorain 
 county and returned to Pittsburgh, remain- 
 ing three or four years, and tlien coming 
 back to Lorain county, whence, after a 
 residence of about one year, he removed to 
 Lenawee county, Mich., selling his prop- 
 erty. In Michigan he purchased a farm 
 whereon he resided and engaged iu agri- 
 cultural pursuits until his death, which 
 occurred in 1885, when he was in his 
 seventy-second year. In 1863 he enlisted 
 in a Michigan volunteer regiment, serving 
 under (tcu. Gilmore in South Carolina, and 
 participating with his regiment in all its 
 marches and engagements until the close 
 of the war. Both he and his wife were 
 earnest lifelong members of the Presby- 
 terian Church. The McKinney family 
 were among the early pioneers of the old 
 Keystone State, and took an active part 
 in the progress and development of that 
 Commonwealth in the early Colonial days. 
 Hugh Kendeigh received a fair English 
 education in youth at the select atid sub- 
 scription schools of his native State and 
 also in Ohio, and reniained with his par- 
 ents until he was about twenty-three years 
 old, when he commenced the battle of life 
 on his own account. He bought wild land 
 in Townsend township, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 where he subsequently improved a farm. 
 This he sold in 1862, the next year, 1863, 
 buying another farm in the same township, 
 where he yet resides, and has since been 
 successfully engaged in agricultural pur- 
 suits. The place is well improved and 
 under a high state of cultivation. Mr. 
 Kendeigh was nnirried in 1855 to Miss 
 Hannah Love, who was a native of New 
 Jersey, born in 1836, daughter of Andrew 
 
476 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 and Eliza (Kelsey) Love, both also natives 
 of New Jersey. Three children, only one 
 of whom is now living, were born to this 
 iiiiion, viz.: Charles L. ; Arvilla Ann, who 
 died November 18, 1882, in her twentieth 
 year; and Myra D., Mrs. Elmer Belmey, 
 who died July 18, 1886. Mrs. Hannah 
 Keudeigh departed this life January 3, 
 1874, in her thirty-sixth year. In politics 
 Mr. Kendeigh is a Republican, and he is 
 one of the progressive and highly esteemed 
 citizens of the township and county. 
 
 TlOHN C. PALMER, a descendant of 
 
 k. I one of the pioneer families of Huron 
 
 ^^ county, is a son of John C. Palmer, 
 
 whose father, Roger Palmer, was a 
 
 farmer of Washington county. New York. 
 
 John C. Palmer, father of our subject, 
 attended the rate schools, and when a 
 young man married Mary Piester, of 
 Washington county, N. Y. They moved 
 to Huron county, Ohio, making a portion 
 of the journey by wagon, the remainder 
 via canrtl and lake, landing at Huron, on 
 Lake Erie. At this time Mr. Palmer's 
 capital amounted to forty dollars and a 
 span of horses, one of which was killed 
 while being taken from the boat at Huron, 
 whence they proceeded southward, locating 
 along tlie Huron river in Ridgetield town- 
 ship. The land was covered with dense 
 forest, and after a rude means of shelter 
 had been provided he set to work to "fell 
 the giant oak." Year after year of hard 
 labor brought slow but sure reward, and 
 fields of golden grain in due time sup- 
 planted the grand old forests, and the pioneer 
 became a prosperous agriculturist. In poli- 
 tics he was a Whig and Republican, and 
 in religion he and his wife were members 
 of the Baptist Church. A brief record of 
 their children is as follows: Matilda, 
 widow of Philo Whitford, is living on 
 the home farm; Elzina, widow of Rob- 
 ert Richey, is also living on the old 
 place; Emily is the wife of Ira 0. Stew- 
 
 art, of Michigan; Melissa is married to 
 Luther Ashley, of California; John C, 
 whose name opens this sketch; Luther is 
 a farmer of Ridgetield township; Myron 
 lives in Wauseon, Fulton Co., Ohio, and 
 Harlow, who sailed from New Bedford, 
 Mass., on a whaling vessel, was lost in 
 the Straits of Snnda. The father of this 
 family died in 1862, aged fifty-seven years, 
 followed by the mother in 1882, at the 
 age of seventy-eight years. To citizens of 
 Mr. Palmer's stamp too much praise can- 
 not be given for the hardships and 
 struggles which they endured in the early 
 settlement of Huron county. These pion- 
 eers sleep side by side in the Monroeville 
 cemetery. 
 
 John C. Palmer was born November 
 17, 1838, on the farm in Ridgefield town- 
 ship which he now owns. His earliest 
 education was obtained at the subscription 
 schools, and this was supplemented by a 
 short course in an institution away from 
 home. Since then his entire time and at- 
 tention have been given to the farm, and 
 those principles of enterprise and energy, 
 characteristic of his father, are equally 
 noticeable in the son. He has charge of 
 the home farm, and in addition lo general 
 agriculture deals extensively in cattle. In 
 politics he has been a lifelong Republican, 
 taking an active interest in the success of 
 the party. Mr. Palmer is unmarried, and 
 his two widowed sisters and a brother 
 make their home with him. 
 
 P)HILIP HORN. Huron county 
 has within her borders many men 
 toward whom she may point the fin- 
 ger of pride, men who in their ad- 
 vancement have not been blind to 
 their country's welfare, and while winning 
 honor and success for themselves have also 
 shaped her destiny. Chief among these 
 men ranks Philip Horn, who was born in 
 1826 in Germany, and settled in Huron 
 county as early as 1854. His father, Gott- 
 fret Horn, is a prosperous farmer in Ger- 
 
IIUEOX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 477 
 
 many, and lias eight children, six of whom 
 are now in America, our subject being 
 third in order of birth. 
 
 Philip Horn received a good practical 
 education in (xermany. Growing tired of 
 the customs of his native land, he came to 
 America, and in Huron county, Ohio, 
 worked two years as farm laborer for 
 Joseph Wood, of Lyme township, and one 
 year for his brother, At the end of that 
 time he had, by practicing strict economy, 
 accumulated sufficient money to rent a few 
 acres of land from Isaac Bently, and be- 
 gan farming for his own account. Five 
 years later he purchased a farm in Belle- 
 vue, but sold that and purchased his pres- 
 ent place, comprising 128 acres of highly- 
 cultivated land, where he devotes his at- 
 tention to agricultural pursuits and stock 
 raising. In politics he is a Democrat, and 
 served as school director of Lyme town- 
 ship eight years, and as supervisor six 
 years. He and his wife are members of 
 the Protestant Church. 
 
 Mr. Horn was married, in 1856, to Miss 
 Catherine Steel, and by her has nine chil- 
 dren, five of whom married and are now 
 living in Huron county, viz.: Louisa 
 (Mrs. Henry Boehler); Gustavo (married); 
 Charles (married); Minnie (Mrs. Christ 
 Uttar) and Emma (Mrs. Otto Boehler). 
 
 dCAL. WAIiD, a progressive and 
 successful dry-goods merchant of 
 Chicago Junction, was born June 5, 
 1853, in llichland county, Ohio, son 
 of S. F. and Jane (Ilunter) Ward, who 
 were natives of Kichland and Columbiana 
 counties respectively. The father was a 
 cabinet maker, an adept at his trade, at 
 which he worked all his life, and he alwaj's 
 found ready work for his hands. He had 
 served an apprenticeship of four years in 
 Alansfield while learnintr cabinet making, 
 during which time he received only his 
 board and clothes. Of his children, J. (/. 
 
 Ward is the subject of this .sketch; and 
 Sophronia is the wife of Albert Gething, 
 of Manstield, Ohio. 
 
 J. Cal. Ward attended the common 
 schools of his district in youth, but owing 
 to pool health gave study very little at- 
 tention, and at the age of sixteen years 
 entered the general store of Uriah Uhler, 
 at Shiloh, Richland Co., Ohio. Hero he 
 held the position of clerk for six years, 
 never losing a day or day's pay in that 
 long term, and though beeinnincr work at 
 
 1 111 ^ 
 
 but ten dollars a month (and boardincr 
 himself), his untiring attention to business 
 soon secured for him higlier pay. Leav- 
 ing this old house he entered the employ 
 of Williams, who kept a dry-goods and 
 grocery store at Shiloh, but left this posi- 
 tion within a very short time. In 1878 he 
 established a grocery house (borrowing the 
 necessary capital), which he carried on 
 until February, 1881, when he closed out 
 the stock and entered the employ of the 
 Acme Grease & Oil Manufacturing Co., 
 of Cleveland, Ohio, as traveling salesman, 
 in which ho continued for about six 
 months. In the fall of 1881 he took a 
 position in a dry-goods house at Rerea, 
 where he worked until the spring of 1SS8, 
 and then resumed his position with the 
 Acme Co. at an increased salary, reraain- 
 ingwith them until Christmas-time, 1885, 
 when he and S. S. Holtz purchased the 
 Brinemond stock of dry goods at Shiloh. 
 In September, 1887, Messrs. Ward & 
 Holtz, dissolving partnership, made an 
 equal division of the stock, and the former 
 continued the business until the spring of 
 1888, when he located at Chicago Junc- 
 tion, and opened up a dry-goods and no- 
 tion store in the old Ilockett Building. 
 In October, 1890, he moved into the Wool- 
 ford Building, whore he i-emained until 
 February, 1892, when his present estab- 
 lishment in the Opera House Building 
 was opened. He carries a select assort- 
 ment of dry goods, notions and wall-paper, 
 ranging in value from five thousand dollars 
 to seven thousand dollars. 
 
478 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Mr. Ward was married, July 4, 1878, to 
 Miss Ellen Iloltz, who died February 14, 
 1887, and on October 17, 1887, lie married 
 Miss Flora E. Case, daughter of Israel 
 Case. Politically Mr. "Ward is a Republi- 
 can, but not especially active in party 
 affairs. Socially he is a member of the 
 Masonic Frateruity, of the Knights of 
 Pythias, and of the I. O. O. F. and En- 
 campment. He is a thorough business 
 man, but takes a deep interest in municipal 
 affairs and ])rivate enterprises affecting the 
 the welfare of the town. 
 
 Li 
 
 GUIS WILLIAMS. Of the many 
 prosperous agriculturists of Nor- 
 wich township, none is better known 
 or more highly respected than this 
 gentleman, lie is a son of John Williams, 
 whose father, also named John, a tailor by 
 trade in Germany, married a Miss Leicht, 
 by whom he had one child: John. Soon 
 after John's birth the mother died, and the 
 father subsequently married Miss Stien, 
 who bore him three children, all now 
 deceased. 
 
 John Williams, Jr., was born in 1795, 
 in Nassau, Prussia, where, on a farm, 
 his boyhood was passed. In early youth 
 he entered the Prussian army, and he 
 served at the battle of Waterloo, for 
 which he received a silver medal now in 
 the possession of Mrs. John Willow, 
 daughter of the subject of this sketch. Af- 
 ter the close of that memorable campaign 
 he served six years in the Prussian army, 
 in Holland. On leaving the army he mar- 
 ried Miss Catherine Herschberger, and then 
 commenced farming in his native land. In 
 1853 they came to America, and in Nor- 
 wich township, Huron Co., Ohio, Mr. 
 Williams opened up a farm of 110 acres, 
 for which he paid tiie sum of three thou- 
 sand dollars. He had a family of five 
 children, viz. : John, Jennette, Anthony, 
 Christian and Louis, all now deceased 
 
 except Anthony and Louis. Mr. Williams 
 never became a naturalized citizen, but was 
 a Democrat in principle. 
 
 Louis Williams, of whom this sketch 
 more particularly relates, was born in 1835 
 in Nassau, Prussia, where he first received 
 a good education. After coming to this 
 country, which he did at the age of eigh- 
 teen years, he lived with his father until 
 he was twenty-one years old, and subse- 
 quently worked out by the month until 
 after his marriage, when he came to his 
 present farm, now consisting of 459 acres, 
 on which he has since carried on general 
 agriculture, including the raising of Short- 
 horn cattle. In 1861 he married Mrs. 
 Elizabeth Williams, widow of his brother 
 Christian, and six children were born to 
 this union, namely: Jennie, Artilla, Eliza- 
 beth, Wilhelmina, Edward and Gustavus. 
 In his political associations our subject is 
 a Democrat, and he is a member of the 
 Lutheran Church. 
 
 P. JACOBS, a popular aiid public- 
 spirited citizen of Chicago Junction, 
 was born August 27, 1855, in Liv- 
 '>^i ingston county, N. Y., son of Gus- 
 tavus and Sarah (^Roth) Jacobs. 
 Our subject is the fourth in order of 
 birth in a family of nine children — live 
 sons and four daughters. Completins his 
 education in the schools of Norwalk, he at 
 once embarked in the lumber business, in 
 which he has since been continuously en- 
 gaged. In 1872 he purchased a mill in 
 Wood county, Ohio, and conducted same 
 for six years, during which time he re- 
 ceived injuries in a mill accident, which 
 for two years incapacitated him for active 
 work. On recovering he carried on the in- 
 dustry at Millbury, Wood Co., Ohio, for 
 two years, and in 1886 located at Chicago 
 Junction, where he established a mill and 
 lumberyard, and at once built up an ex- 
 tensive trade. He supplies large quan- 
 tities of timber to railroads, and lumber 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 479 
 
 and mill work to the local trade. To- 
 gether with this he is a building contrac- 
 tor and an extensive dealer in real estate, 
 owning property in Norwalk and Chicairo 
 Junction. His trade in line hardwoods, 
 and sash, doors and blinds is proportion- 
 ately great. 
 
 In November, 1872, Mr. Jacobs was 
 married to Miss Ida S. Davis, daughter of 
 Benjamin F. Davis, of Norwalk, and to 
 them have been born eight children, six 
 sons and two daughters, namely: Earl, 
 Welton, Wesley, Clarence, Ilai-ry, Vernon, 
 Bertha and Mabel, all residing at Chicacro 
 Junction. Mr. Jacobs votes with the Re- 
 publicans, is active in the councils of his 
 party, and has filled various local offices 
 with satisfaction to the people, and credit 
 to himself. He is a member of Lodge No. 
 748, I. 0. 0. F. ; he is a thorough-goincr 
 business man, and one of the most enter- 
 prising citizens of the town. 
 
 AMDEL MILLER, a prosperous 
 liveryman of Bellevue, was born, in 
 1810, in Lancaster, Fenn., a son of 
 Samuel Miller. His parents were 
 well-to-do, and his mother was well edu- 
 cated both in ETiglish and German; she 
 died in Wisconsin. 
 
 Our subject passed his school days in 
 his native State, receiving his education in 
 the primitive schools of his neighborhood. 
 In 1832 he came west, seeking broader 
 fields of labor and a home where he could 
 put in practice the habits of thrift and 
 energy that he had been taught at home. 
 With this object in view he settled in Ohio, 
 which at that time was but sparsely popu- 
 lated, and where the pioneers were endur- 
 ing many hardships and clearing land 
 preparatory to cultivating the soil. He 
 lived two years in Fremont, working at 
 his trade of shoemaking, and from there 
 moved to Tiiompson township, Seneca 
 county, where he farmed for two years, at 
 the end of which time he located perma- 
 
 nently in Bellevue. and engaged in the 
 
 1 . , . too 
 
 livery busmess, in which lie lias since con- 
 tinued, meeting witli great success. He is 
 widely interested in buying and selling 
 horses in connection with his regular busi- 
 ness, purchasing car-loads of horses from 
 all over the country for both himself and 
 others. His livery and sale stable are 
 well stocked with tine horses. 
 
 In 1830 Mr. Miller was married to 
 Miss Sarah Oswick, who was born in 
 Pennsylvania, a daughter of George Os- 
 wick, a prominent agriculturist of that 
 State. Their union has been blessed by 
 eight children, viz.: Reuben G. (deceased), 
 Edward (who married Miss Hale, and lives 
 in IJellevuej, John (deceased), Charles 
 (married, in partnershi]) in the livery busi- 
 ness with his father in Bellevue), Belle 
 (who is married, and resides in Huron 
 county), Sarah (deceased), Clara (Mrs. 
 Weil), and Emma (who lives with her par- 
 •ents). Mr. Miller was remarkably active 
 in ills youth, and has through every period 
 of his life manifested energy and great 
 business ability. He took no part in the 
 Civil war, being too old, but his sons Ed- 
 ward and John were both in the service. 
 He is popular alike in commercial and 
 political circles, and has served as marshal 
 of Bellevue for several years. 
 
 B. CCYKENDALL, who is 
 prominently identified with the 
 business interests of Plymouth, 
 was born, in 1828, in Cayuga 
 county, N. Y., son of Solomon and Mary 
 (Bran) Ciiykendall, also natives of New 
 York State. The American ancestors of 
 the family emigrated from Holland. 
 Solomon Cuykendall was a well-to-do 
 farmer of Cayuga county, and resided on 
 the homestead there during liis life. Of 
 the three sons born to Solomon and Mary 
 Cuykendall, the eldest died in his native 
 State; the second still resides there, and 
 W. B. lives in Ohio. 
 
480 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 W. B. Cuykeiidall received a liberal 
 coinmon-scliool and academic education in 
 his native State, and, school days over, en- 
 tered a dry-goods house at Owasco, N. Y., 
 where he remained three years. In 1852 
 he married Miss Adelaide Tompkins, a na- 
 tive of Cayuga county, and two years later 
 they started for Davenport, Iowa, visiting, 
 en route, friends at Plymontii, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, and thence pushino; on by rail to 
 Chicago. The streets of the Garden City 
 were not then graded, and to all but the 
 hunter after the "almighty dollar" it was a 
 rather uninviting spot. His wife became 
 sick there, and he was compelled to take 
 her to Adrian, Mich., during their stay at 
 which place Mr. Cuykendail purchased 
 property at Charlotte, Eaton Co., Mich., 
 intending to locate there. But correspond- 
 ence with his friends at Plymouth, Ohio, 
 changed this purpose, and going thither 
 in the fall of 1854, he purchased a stock 
 of drugs from II. M. Wooster, and estab- 
 lished himself in the drug business on the 
 south side of the Square, conducting same 
 for seven years. For a while he was con- 
 nected with the dry-goods house of H. 
 Graham here, and also engatred in the 
 grocery business at Bucyrus, In 1864- 
 65 he was clerk iu the quartermaster's 
 department at Pittsburgh, Penn., and 
 "Washington, D. C, under Gen. Brinker- 
 hoff. After the war he went to Newberne, 
 N. C and was engaged in cotton growing 
 there until 1870, meeting with consider- 
 able success. 
 
 Keturning to Plymouth in 1870 Mr. 
 Cuykendail entered into partnership with 
 H. Graham, but in 1873 he sold his inter- 
 est and started a lumber yard, which he 
 carried on until appointed cashier of the 
 First National Bank of Plymouth in 1875. 
 This bank was founded in 1871, under 
 United States charter, and the important 
 office of cashier was filled by Mr. Cuy- 
 kendail from 1875 to 1886, when he re- 
 signed to make a tour of the country on 
 the Pacific Slope. In August, 1889, he 
 succeeded Josiah Brinkerhoff as president 
 
 of the bank. For about twenty years he 
 has been engaged in the insurance busi- 
 ness, representing standard companies. 
 He is the owner of a farm of one hundred 
 acres near Plymouth, and in every way is 
 closely identified with the town and sur- 
 rounding country. In politics he is a Re- 
 publican, and in social affairs a member of 
 the Masonic Fraternity. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Cuykendail have had thi-ee children, all of 
 whom died young. 
 
 \ILLIAM H. 8HEDD is one of 
 the wealthiest citizens and most 
 successful agriculturists of Bron- 
 son township, having accumulated 
 a handsome competence by strict economy 
 and untiring industry. 
 
 He is a sou of Simon and Rachel (A\^ood) 
 Shedd, natives of Connecticut, the former 
 of whom, a farmer by occupation, died in 
 New York at about the age of seventy- 
 three years, followed by his wife, who died 
 when eighty- five years of age. They were 
 the parents of nine children — seven sons 
 and two daughters — of whom one son 
 died at the age of twelve, and one at the 
 age of nineteen; another son, Foster L., is 
 living at Bridgewater, S. D., and with the 
 exception of William H. the remaining 
 childi'en are residing in the East. 
 
 William H. Shedd is the third child in 
 order of birth, and the only representative 
 of his family now living in Ohio. He was 
 born in April, 1824, in Jefferson county, 
 N. Y., attended the subscription schools 
 of the neighborhood, and began life as a 
 farmer in his native State. AVhen twenty- 
 two years old he was married to Miss 
 Sarah Willard, who bore him one son, 
 Willard H., now living in Erie, Penn. 
 Mrs. Sh^dd died three years after her 
 marriage, and in April, 1857, our subject 
 was married to Rachel Shedd, who has 
 borne him two sons and one daughter, 
 viz.: Herbert C, a railroad mail clerk, in 
 Bronson township; Milton B., of Bridge- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 481 
 
 water, S. D., and Florence May, living; at 
 home. In 1852 Mr. Shedd went to Cali- 
 fornia, and there remained four years, 
 mining the first year, and then fanning 
 successfully for tiiree years. Having se- 
 cured a competence in California he de- 
 cided to make a home in Huron county, 
 Ohio, and in 1868 lie bought 231 acres of 
 land in Bronson township, located one 
 mile and a quarter west of Olena. He has 
 invested six thousand dollars in improving 
 this place, and in the spring of 1888 
 erected a handsome dwelling in the out- 
 skirts of Olena, where he lias since resided. 
 In politics he votes the Republican ticket. 
 
 ,AVID A.WHITE, who conducts a 
 snug, fertile farm of seventy-five 
 acres which he owns in Norwich 
 township, is a native of Greenfield 
 township, Huron county, born in 1842. 
 
 Nathaniel AVhite, his father, a native of 
 near Mansfield, Ohio, was a son of Nathan- 
 iel White, who was born in Pennsylvania, 
 was a tanner by occupation, and was mar- 
 ried to Miss Nancy Thornton, of the same 
 place. They had thirteen children, of whom 
 nine grew to maturity : Thomas, Nathaniel, 
 William, Mahlon, John, Edwin, Polly, 
 Sarah and Emily, all now deceased except 
 Edwin, who lives in California. Nathan- 
 iel, the second son, was born in 1806, and 
 passed his boyhood days on a farm, learn- 
 ing at the same time the trade of tanner. 
 He married Miss Elizabeth Skeels, of the 
 same locality, and they then settled on 
 fifty acres of land in Greenfield township, 
 Huron county, where children, as follows, 
 were born to them: William, Isaac, John 
 (deceased), Mary, David A., Leander, John 
 and James, all now scattered over the 
 United States. 
 
 David A. White, whose name appears 
 at the opening of this biographical sketch, 
 received a fair education at the common 
 schools of his native township, was reared 
 
 on a farm, and learned the trade of har- 
 ness maker. In 1862 he enlisted in the 
 First Ohio Heavy Artillery, which was 
 attached to the army of the Cutnberland, 
 and participated in the battles of Mission 
 Ridge, Chickamauga and others, after a 
 service of two years and seven months re- 
 ceiving an honorable discharge and return- 
 ing home. Recommencing the pursuits of 
 peace, he first opened out a harness shop 
 in Centretou, Norwich township, Huron 
 county, which be conducted two years, and 
 then moved to Wood county, this State, 
 where he bought 160 acres of land close 
 to the town of Milton Center; but selling 
 out in about one year he again came to 
 Norwich township and commenced farm- 
 ing on a fifty- acre tract of land. At the 
 end of two years he went to California, 
 traveling over the greater part of the 
 State, following his trade, and to some ex- 
 tent mining. He made some forty-five 
 thousand dollars, but lost it all in quick- 
 silver speculation. On his return to Nor- 
 wich township he settled on his present 
 farm, and has met with considerable suc- 
 cess. He owns a hotel and a half interest 
 in a farm of 160 acres in California, be- 
 sides his seventy-five acres in Norwich 
 township. Huron county. 
 
 Mr. White was united in marriage with 
 Miss Olivia G. Magee, of Norwich town- 
 ship, daughter of William Magee, and five 
 children, named as follows, were born to 
 them : Dolly, Page (deceased), Grace, Myr- 
 tle (deceased) and Dora. In his political 
 affiliations our subject was a Democrat 
 until four years ago, at which time he 
 enlisted in the ranks of the Republican 
 party. 
 
 l\ ylr RS. M. A. CORWIN. This lady 
 
 Vrl is one of the most popular and 
 
 1 useful citizens of Norwalk. She 
 
 is a daughter of the late Hon. 
 
 Timothy Baker, and traces her 
 
 lineage to three brothers who sailed from 
 
 England and located in Lyme, Mass.; 
 
 < 
 
482 
 
 HURON COUNTY, Omo. 
 
 afterward one of the brothers, Abner, set- 
 tled in Northampton, Mass., in early 
 Colonial days. 
 
 Abner Baker was a member of the 
 church of Dr. Edwards. He married Lois 
 Waters, of Connecticut. He spent the 
 later years of his life in Norwalk, Ohio. 
 His son, Timothy, was born August 5, 
 1787. in Northam]iton, Mass. He went 
 to Utica, N. Y., in 1801, and in 1805 made 
 his home in Herkimer, N. Y. In 1814 
 he joined some friends in a journey to 
 Huron county, Ohio, with no intention of 
 purchasing land or making a home in the 
 locality. '• Passino; through Norwalk on 
 an Indian trail, the party found shelter 
 for the night, witli several other similar 
 companies, in a log cabin about fifteen 
 feet square, two miles south of the village, 
 ten or twelve making their bed on the 
 poles and bark that formed the Hoor under 
 the primitive roof. In 1815 he again 
 visited Ohio, and purchased several large 
 tracts of land, including the farm in Nor- 
 walk." After returning to Herkimei-, he 
 was married, March 23, 1816, to Miss 
 Eliza Remington, a resident of Fairfield, 
 who was born in 1794, in Providence, R. 
 I., and whose maternal grandfather was a 
 cousin of Gen. Greene, of Revolutionary 
 fame. She was reared on a farm, and 
 educated in Fairfield Academy, N. Y., be- 
 ing a very intellectual woman, and was of 
 material assistance in promoting the suc- 
 cess of her distingnislied husband. On 
 September 27, 1819, Tiraotliy Baker, ac- 
 companied by his family and brother The- 
 odore, moved upon his property in Nor- 
 walk, Ohio, the village then consisting of 
 ten or twelve families. He immediately 
 entered heartily into every plan for the 
 progress and development of the place, 
 and was a prominent citizen for forty 
 years. In 1821 he was made associate 
 judge of Huron county, serving in that 
 capacity for twenty-one years, iu 1842 de- 
 clining reappointment. He was also presi- 
 dent of the Bank of Norwalk for many 
 years, and in all these responsible positions 
 
 won a reputation for integrity and good 
 judgment which has been accorded to but 
 few, and which was never better deserved. 
 In 1842 he united with the First Baptist 
 Church of Norwalk, and the tie thus 
 formed proved a source of strength and 
 blessing during his remaining years, grow- 
 ing more precious as the years passed. 
 Mrs. Baker died September 27, 1862, fol- 
 lowed by her husband January 27, 1878. 
 They were the parents of six children, all 
 of whom lived to be over si.xty years of 
 age. They were as follows: M. A., James 
 W., William (an attorney in Toledo), Timo- 
 thy (now deceased, connected with the Chi- 
 cago Board of Trade), and Charles H. and 
 George, in Toledo. 
 
 Mrs. M. A. Corwin grew to womanhood 
 beneath the paternal roof, and was educated 
 at the old Norwalk seminary when it was 
 a leading institution of the State. Among 
 her schoolmates were students who have 
 risen to national fame, and she has de- 
 veloped into a woman of rare culture. On 
 September 3, 1840, she was united in mar- 
 riage with Rev. Ira Corwin, who was born 
 December 12, 1809. in Cazenovia, N. Y. 
 He was educated in the schools of his 
 native State, and then took a theological 
 course at Hamilton, N. Y., now Colgate 
 University. He then came to Medina, 
 Ohio, being ordained a Baptist minister in 
 1838, which was his first charge. He had 
 pastorates in Erie, Penn., three years, and 
 then came to Ohio; was nearly nine years 
 in Marietta, Ohio, and then was seven 
 years in South Bend, Ind. In 1861 he re- 
 signed his pastorate in South Bend, and 
 came to Norwalk, and supplied vacancies 
 in Huron and adioining counties. He was 
 a thorougii scholar, and watchful pastor, 
 doing grand service for the cause to which 
 his life was given. He died July 7, 1886. 
 The children were as follows: Timothy 
 B., William H., George Whipple, Eliza, 
 Charles, and George W., last named being 
 deceased. There are two grandchildren. 
 Bertha and Maria. Mrs. Corwin has been 
 a prominent leader in promoting the 
 
HUROlSr COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 483 
 
 literary and social culture of Norwalk, as 
 one of the organizers of the Society for 
 that purpose which prospered for many 
 years, and whose influence is yet evident. 
 She is now living at Norwalk in semi- 
 retirement, though yet a devoted worker 
 in the Baptist Church, and gives liherally 
 to all worthy enterprises. For morning 
 exercise she indulges in a novel hut suc- 
 cessful method of healthy recreation, pull- 
 ing weeds in the garden Ijcfore breakfast, 
 which she affirms produces a salutary effect, 
 and is very conducive to a good appetite. 
 
 Hi USTllSr CUSIIMxVN, a native-born 
 
 l/V agriciiltnrist of Norwich township, 
 
 lf~\\ where he is well-known for his in- 
 
 •fj dustry and frugality, first saw the 
 
 light in 1846, his parents being 
 
 Henry and Julia (Turner) Cushman. 
 
 The father of the subject of this sketch 
 was a native of Ohio, born in 1820 in 
 Knox county, and was lirought up a fartner 
 boy, his education being limited to twenty- 
 six days attendance at the subscription 
 schools, to which lirief experience he ma- 
 terially added by home study and a close 
 attention to men and things. When com- 
 menciiig life for himself, he bought a farm 
 of forty acres in Norwich township, Huron 
 county, and in course of time commenced 
 the ijractice of law, in which he still con- 
 tinues, mainly the carrying through the 
 court of petty cases in his township. He is 
 a Democrat, and has held township offices, 
 such as justice of the peace and clerk; 
 in religious views he is an adherent of the 
 Universalist faith. Henry Cushman mar- 
 ried Miss Julia Turner, of Peru township, 
 Huron county, a daughter of Jacob Turner, 
 the owner of several small farms in the 
 county. To this union were born four 
 children, viz.: Austin (subject of sketch), 
 Seymour, Ellen, and one that died in in- 
 fancy. The mother of these was called 
 from earth in 1852, and Mr. Cushman 
 
 subsequently wedded Miss Mary Cole, of 
 Richmond, Ohio, by which marriage there 
 were five children, as follows: Charles, 
 Amos, Addison, John, and one that died 
 in infancy. Mr. Cushman is now retired 
 from active life. 
 
 Austin Cushman, whose name introduces 
 this biographical sketch, received a liberal 
 education at the common schools of the 
 neighborhood of his place of birth. Up 
 to the time of his marriage he worked by 
 the month, after which, in 1867, he settled 
 on his present place of seventy-six acres 
 excellent farm land, where he is engaged 
 in general agriculture, including the breed- 
 ing of sheep. His success, which has been 
 marked, has been due entirely to his own 
 untiring efforts and honesty of purpose. 
 In 1867 Mr. Cushman was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Alice Clark, daughter of 
 William Clark, of Norwich township, 
 Huron county, and one child, Artie, born 
 in 1883, brightens and cheers their home. 
 Politically our subject is a Democrat. 
 
 jILLIAM H. HOULE. In every 
 county there are men who, by 
 their strength of will and irre- 
 proachable character, impress their 
 individuality upon the entire community, 
 and succeed in whatever they undertake. 
 Such a man is William II. Houle, who, 
 since 1854, has resided in Huron county. 
 He was born, in 1828, in Devonshire, 
 England, where he received his education, 
 and where he served for a time as footman 
 to a wealthy family. Since his arrival in 
 Lyme township he has devoted his atten- 
 tion to agricultural pursuits. When he 
 emigrated from England his only capital 
 consisted of energy, perseverance and good 
 health, and he was, therefore, compelled 
 to accept the first means of earning money 
 that presented itself. He worked for a 
 number of years as a farm laborer, before 
 he accumulated a sufficient amount of 
 
484 
 
 HUBOHsr COUNTY, Off TO. 
 
 money to purchase his present farm, con- 
 sisting of 114 acres of valuable land, two 
 and a lialf miles from Bellevue. Mr. 
 Houle was married in 1854 (just before 
 leaving England), to Miss Lucy Gaydon, 
 who was also born in that country, and 
 their union was blessed with four sons and 
 three daughters, viz.: William H., John 
 G., Lucy H., Frank G., Ida M., Frederick 
 G. and Jennie. All of these children re- 
 side on the home farm, with the exception 
 of Jennie, who is deceased, and William 
 H., who is married to Miss Jennie Collins, 
 daughter of J. D. Collins, and lives with 
 liis wife's parents. Mr. Houle is a self- 
 made man of more than ordinary ability, 
 of sound judgment, whose integrity was 
 never questioned, and whose influence 
 through life has always been for good. 
 
 D WIGHT M. BARRE, a lifelong 
 farmer of Ripley township, is a 
 ' native of same, born in 1848. John 
 
 Barre, his grandfather, was born in 
 Northumberland county, Penn., where he 
 was reared, and resided until his removal 
 to Tompkins county, N. Y., in early man- 
 hood. He was married in Pennsylvania, 
 and to this marriage were born tliree sons 
 and two daughters, namely: Thomas, 
 David, John, Betts and Catherine, all de- 
 ceased but the last named. John Barre 
 was a practical farmer, both in Pennsyl- 
 vania and in New York, and when he 
 came to Ripley township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, about the year 1830, he brought 
 with him capital sufficient to purchase 400 
 acres in that township, and confidence in 
 himself to bo able to hew a good home out 
 of the wilderness. At the period of his 
 settlement in Ripley, the township was 
 almost wliolly in its primitive state, roads 
 were not then laid out, and l)ear, deer, 
 wolves and other game were numerous. He 
 resided there until his death, which oc- 
 curred in 1836. 
 
 Jojjn Barre, father of Dwigiit M. Barre, 
 was born in Northumberland county, 
 
 Penn., and passed his boyhood there and 
 in Tompkins county, N. Y. On August 
 25, 1825, he married Amy Stout, a daugh- 
 ter of Jonathan Stout, of Tompkins county, 
 N. Y., and for a few years after marriage 
 the couple resided in that county, and 
 then, in 1832, moved to Huron county, 
 Ohio. To their union were born fifteen 
 cliildren, namely: Cornelius (deceased), 
 David, Herman (deceased], Jane, Jona- 
 than, Wellington, Henry, Ira, Maryetta, 
 Lyman, James, Corvis M., Dwight M., 
 Josephine and Jessie. Of these Corvis M. 
 and Henry served in the war of the Re- 
 bellion. Corvis M. Barre is now an at- 
 torney of Hillsdale, Mich. ; he was formerly 
 cashier of the bank there, and subsequently 
 served as United States consul in Chili, 
 having been appointed by President Har- 
 rison. For one year the Barre family re- 
 sided in North Fairfield township, in 1833 
 moving to Ripley township, where the 
 father engaged in general farming and. 
 stock growing. 
 
 Dwight M. Barre attended the district 
 school, subsequently took a course in a 
 select school, and tiien entered agricultural 
 life. In 1876 he was united in marriage 
 with Ella Wolcott, daughter of Rensselaer 
 Wolcott, a farmer of Berkshire county, 
 Mass., and after marriage the young couple 
 settled on the farm where they now re- 
 side, and here two children have been born 
 to them: Walter and T. DeWitt. Mr. 
 Barre is a Republican in politics, and has 
 served liis township as trustee for eight 
 years. In religious faith he is a mem- 
 ber of tlie Congregational Church. His 
 farm of eighty-five acres is highly im- 
 proved, and speaks well for the industry 
 of the owner. 
 
 DANIEL W. LONEY, M. D., of 
 Olena, is a son of Calvin Loney, 
 ' whose father, John Loney, was born 
 
 in Virginia, of Scotch- Irish parents. 
 
 Calvin Loney, a native of Knox county, 
 
 Ohio, was married to. Mary Ridenour, 
 
imiiON^ COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 485 
 
 who was born in "Washington county, Md., 
 and tiiey have always since resided in 
 Knox county, Ohio, where tliree sons and 
 three daughters were born to them, of 
 whom Daniel W. is third in order of birth. 
 The names of the others are John A., 
 Clarence, Annie, Belle and Berniee. Both 
 parents are yet living. 
 
 Dr. Daniel W. Loney was born May 20, 
 1861, in Knox county, Ohio, and after 
 attending Greentown Academy at Perrys- 
 ville, Ohio, for three years, spent two 
 years at Kenyon College. In 1882 he 
 entered the medical school of the Univer- 
 sity of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, graduat- 
 ing therefrom in 1885. While yet a stu- 
 dent, he was married, December 18, 1884, 
 to Ilallie, daughter of Jacob Foltz, of Fort 
 Smith, Ark. It; the spring of 1886 they 
 came to their present home in Olena, 
 where the Doctor has since been engaged 
 in the practice of medicine. Dr. and Mrs. 
 Loney have two daughters, Mary E. and 
 Doratha E. In his political preferences 
 he is a Democrat, as were his father and 
 grandfather. 
 
 f^ W. HOFMAN, a highly respected, 
 I w. influential citizen of Plymouth, is a 
 \^ son of John H. Hofman, who was 
 ^^ a native of Pennsylvania, born near 
 Hagerstown, Md., of German de- 
 scent. He was a jeweler by trade, and in 
 1823 came to Eichland county, Ohio, em- 
 barking at Mansfield in tiie jewelry busi- 
 ness, in which he continued for twenty 
 years. In 1843 he removed to Plymouth, 
 and later, in 1850, to Bucyrns, conducting 
 a jewelry business in both places. He 
 died in Bucyrus in 1854. Mr. llofman 
 was united in marriage with Miss Mary 
 E. Huffman, of near Hagerstown, Md., 
 and to their union were born eleven chil- 
 dren, namely: Aaron, Catherine, Eliza, 
 Charles, G. W., John II., Jr., R. E., 
 Allen G., Mary E., Laura, and Frank. 
 In politics the "father of this family was 
 a Democrat. 
 
 G. W. Hofman was born in 1831, in 
 Mansfield, Ohio, and was twelve years of 
 age when the family removed to Plymouth. 
 He received his education in the common 
 schools, and when yet a young man em- 
 barked in the jewelry business with his 
 brother, Aaron Hofman, with whom he 
 remained until the breaking out of the 
 Civil war. In 1861 he enlisted in the 
 First Ohio Independent Hattery, and 
 served three years with the army of the 
 East, taking an active part in twelve 
 engagements — Lynchburg (Va.), Cloyd 
 Mountain, etc. He returned from the 
 war in 1865, and buying out his brother — 
 A. Hofman — embarked in the jewelry 
 business, in which he is still engaged; and 
 though at times he has been unfortunate, 
 he has, iii the main, been prosperous and 
 successful in his mercantile career. In 
 1889 Mr. Hofman received the appoint- 
 ment of postmaster of Plymouth from 
 President Harrison; he is a liepnblican 
 politically, and has always Ijeen active in 
 party affairs in Richland county. 
 
 In 1858 Mr. Hofman was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Susan Frye, of New Haven 
 township, Huron county, daughter of 
 Abraham Frye, a farmer. To this union 
 have come two children, viz.: Belle, who 
 married Robert McDonough, a traveling 
 salesman; and Maude, married to W. F. 
 Reed, a newspaper man of Plymouth. 
 
 CAPTAIN JOHN WILLIAMS, for 
 nearly half a century a resident of 
 Lorain county, was born January 22, 
 1796, at New Haven, Connecticut. 
 In the spring of 1804 he came with his 
 parents to (^liio, locating in Columbia, 
 Cuyahoga county, this part of the State 
 being at that time a comparative wilder- 
 ness, awaiting the westward march of 
 civilization. Where is now the magnifi- 
 cent city of Cleveland there was, when 
 Mr. Williams landed at that port, but a 
 single log building, and he assisted in the 
 
486 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 erection of the first frame structure in the 
 
 Elace. In 1820 he removed to Ridgeville, 
 orain conntj, wliere he resided twenty 
 years, diii-ing tlie first five of which he 
 taught the first school held in Elyria. In 
 1825 he married Lorain Root, who was 
 born August 1, 1810, in Hartford, Conn., 
 wiience wlien she was but six weeks old 
 she was brought to Ohio by her parents, 
 being the first white child to be baptized 
 in what is now Lorain county, which was 
 named after her. Her father's family 
 consisted of eleven boys and one girl 
 (Lorain), all of whom lived to rear families 
 of their own. To Capt. John and Lorain 
 (Root) Williams were born twelve children. 
 He died February 27, 1867, at the age of 
 seventy-one years, one month, his widow 
 surviving him till January 16, 1881, when 
 she too was called to her long home. 
 
 J. S. Williams, the only surviving son 
 of this honored pioneer couple, was born 
 April 16, 1844, in Lorain county, Ohio. 
 On January 15, 1867, he was united in 
 marriage with Mary A. Greig, and there 
 have been born to them nine children — 
 three sons and six daughters — all yet 
 living. 
 
 LYMAN AUSTIN. The New Eng- 
 I land States have always been dis- 
 \ tinguished for their industrious, 
 
 honest and frugal sons, one of 
 whom, bearino- all these enviable charac- 
 teristics, is the subject of this sketch. 
 
 Mr. Austin was born in New Hamp- 
 shire in 1815, a son of Daniel Austin, a 
 native of Plainfield, same State, who was 
 a son of John Austin, a carpenter and 
 joiner by trade, who was killed while rais- 
 ing a building. Daniel Austin was born 
 May 22, 1783, and in 1811 married Miss 
 Electa Lyman, of Norwich, Mass., daugh- 
 ter of Luther Lyman, a farmer. After 
 marriage Daniel moved to Vermont, 
 and carried on farming there for a few 
 years, after which he came to New York 
 State, making a settlement in Genesee 
 
 county, where he died July 1, 1852. He 
 
 was generally successful, but in the panic 
 of 1833 he lost all he had made; never- 
 theless he died comparatively well off. 
 He bad a family of eight children, viz.: 
 Albert, Lyman, William, Betsy, Harriet, 
 Rodney, Adeline and Oscar, all now de- 
 ceased except Albert, William and Lyman. 
 The father was a stanch Whig, held some 
 township ofiices, and was a member of the 
 Methodist Protestant Ciiurcii. 
 
 The subject proper of this sketcli was 
 educated at the common schools of Gene- 
 see county, N. Y., whither his parents had 
 brought him when a boy. After his mar- 
 riage he worked on the home farm for five 
 years, and in 1845 came to Huron county, 
 Ohio, where, in Norwich township, he lo- 
 cated on the farm which he subsequently 
 bought, and now owns. It originally con- 
 tained fifty acres, to which from time to 
 time he has added until it now comprises 
 some 175 acres of prime farming land. 
 In 1882 he retired from active work, and 
 is at present living in the village of Cen- 
 treton, same townsiiip. 
 
 In 1840 Mr. Austin married Miss Re- 
 villa Rolf, of Cayuga county, N. Y., 
 daughter of Jonathan Rolf, a carpenter 
 and joiner, and two children were born to 
 them, to wit: L. D., a resident of Nor- 
 wich township, and L. W., living on the 
 home farm. Politically our subject was 
 originally a Whig, and since the formation 
 of the party has been a straight Republican. 
 
 EORGE C. PARKER, a prosper- 
 , ous and prominent agriculturist of 
 Bronson township, was born Sep- 
 tember 23, 1841, on a farm situated 
 one and one-half miles south of his 
 present home. Our suliject is a grandson 
 of George Parker, a farmer, of English 
 descent, who lived in Cayuga county, 
 N. Y. He was quite wealthy, and gave all 
 his children a good start in life. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 487 
 
 Nelson Parker, son of George Parker, 
 was born September 9, 1809, in Cayuga 
 county, N. Y., and grew to manhood on 
 the home farm. He then taught school 
 and a singing class, and on May 1, 1834, 
 was nnited in marriage with Malancy 
 Wade, who was born February 26, 1809, 
 in Massachusetts. In early life he came 
 to Bronson township, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 preceded thither by three brothers and two 
 sisters, and here he became a prosperous 
 farmer, at one time owning 450 acres of 
 land. In politics he was a strong Aboli- 
 tionist. Mrs. Parker was the second in a 
 family of eight children, three of whom 
 located in Huron county. She was a re- 
 markably intelligent woman, and through 
 reading acquired a liberal education. She 
 was a minister in the Christian Church, 
 and during active life was an earnest, 
 forcible preacher. She died in June, 1892, 
 having been preceded to the grave by her 
 husband in December, 1887. They were 
 the parents of eight children, as follows: 
 Two that died in infancy; Phosbe, who died 
 at the age of seventeen; George C, whose 
 sketch follows; Hannah F., wife of Will- 
 iam Cole, deceased in 1890, at the age of 
 t'orty-six years, leaving two children; Celia, 
 wife of Aro Carpenter, a farmer in Fair- 
 field township, who has one child; Eunice, 
 who is married to A. G. Dale, of Bronson 
 township, her second husband, and has 
 six children; and Laura M., who died in 
 1872, at the age of twenty years. 
 
 George C. Parker received but a limited 
 education, his help having been much 
 needed on the home farm, as he was the 
 only son. He took entire charge of the 
 place upon attaining his majority, and re- 
 mained with his father until his marriage. 
 On October 7, 1872, he was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Esther Ann Chapin, a native 
 of Hartland township, Huron county, 
 daughter of Morris and Clarissa (Granger) 
 Chapin, and to this union have lieen born 
 two children: Clara Ann and Edward 
 Conger. In October, 1882, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Parker came to their present home, con- 
 
 sisting of 148 acres, in Bronson township, 
 where lie has conducted a prosperous agri- 
 cultural business; during the past year he 
 sold over one thousand and three hundred 
 dollars worth of produce. Politically he 
 is a Democrat, and has served as township 
 trustee, being, with one e.vception, the only 
 Democrat who has ever held an office in 
 Bronson townshij). 
 
 ITUS HOERNER, a successful 
 
 farmer of Peru township, was born 
 
 August 7, 1832, in Baden, Germany, 
 
 and is the pioneer of the Hoerner 
 
 family in Ohio. 
 
 The father of our subject, also named 
 Vitus, was a native-born farmer of Baden, 
 where his sou attended school until he at- 
 tained the age of fourteen years, when he 
 began farm life for himself. At the age 
 of twenty-two years he proceeded to Havre, 
 France, from which port he embarked in 
 the sailing-vessel "New York," landing at 
 New York City after a memorable voyage 
 of forty-seven days. Mr. Hoerner set out 
 at once for northern Ohio, arriving at Nor- 
 walk during the cholera epidemic, when 
 the town was almost depopulated. Learn- 
 ing of the deplorable condition of aflairs 
 there, he did not wait for the command to 
 go, but betook himself to Sherman town- 
 ship, Huron county, where he found work, 
 the compensation for same being fifty 
 cents per day. Later he was engaged to 
 chop wood at fifty cents a cord. On May 
 15, 1854, our subject was married, by Rev. 
 Mr. Klein, a Lutheran minister, to Mary 
 Hildebrand, who was also born in Baden 
 in 1832, and came to America with her 
 parents in 1853, locating at Norwalk with 
 them. She became the mother of a large 
 family, as follows: Mary, Mrs. C. Bow- 
 man, of Indiana; Margaret, Mrs. L. Lin- 
 der; Vitus, a farmer of Peru township; 
 Lizzie, Mrs. George Sheidt, of Peru town- 
 ship; Catharine, Mrs. Charles Sheidt, of 
 Peru township; William, of Sherman 
 
488 
 
 IIUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 township; Charles, Minnie and Frederick, 
 residing at home; and Jacob, Louis and 
 Lottie, deceased. Immediately after mar- 
 riage these sturdy pioneers settled on a 
 farm, which both worked hard to clear and 
 buy. Within a year or so tliey purchased 
 twenty acres in Sherman township, where 
 they erected a log cabin and resided until 
 1873, when they purchased the present 
 farm in Peru township, and took up their 
 residence iiere. He still owns the pioneer 
 farm in Sherman township, together with 
 valuable tracts in other divisions of the 
 county. Arriving in the United States 
 with a capital of thirty dollars, he and his 
 wife have built up a valuable property, 
 provided well for each member of their 
 family, and still own a considerable estate. 
 Mr. Hoerner, though non-partisan in poli- 
 tics, lias been honored with various town- 
 ship offices. The men, rather than the 
 measures, claim his support; for bad men 
 cannot administer good measures. In re- 
 ligion he is a member of the Pontiac Lu- 
 theran Church. 
 
 FH. SCHUYLEE, a successful agri- 
 culturist of Lyme township, was 
 born in 1826 in Pennsylvania, a 
 son of Garret and Mary (Heacock) 
 Schuyler, and came to Huron county 
 in 1834. The country was in a wild con- 
 dition, and in order to till the soil it was 
 first necessary to clear the land and trans- 
 form the dense woods into farms. The 
 pioneers of those days were sturdy and 
 energetic, and practiced frugality to a de- 
 gree that is unknown to their children. 
 Mr. Schuyler now ranks among the most 
 highly esteemed residents of Huron county, 
 and has accumulated a comfortable for- 
 tune. He has married. 
 
 Garret Schuyler, father of our subject, 
 was born in New Jersey, and was there 
 married to Miss Mary Heacock, also a 
 native of that State. Their union was 
 blessed with six children, viz.: Philip N"., 
 Sarah A. (who died in 1842), Mary, P. II. 
 
 (our subject), Elizabeth, and Nancy (who 
 died in 1834). In 1834 Garret Schuyler 
 moved to Ohio, and located in Sherman 
 township, Huron county, where he en- 
 gaged in farming. His thrift and economy 
 soon enabled him to take a prominent 
 place among his neighbors, and he was on 
 several occasions honored with townsiiip 
 offices. His death occurred in 1849; his 
 wife preceded him to the grave in 1834. 
 
 HARLES SAWYER ranks among 
 the prominent pioneer farmers of 
 Lyme township, who came to Ohio 
 when the State was almost an un- 
 broken wilderness, thickly populated by 
 Indians. Those early days were filled with 
 hardships and dangers of which the present 
 residents of the State have little knowledge, 
 and our subject, like the other children of 
 pioneer parents, received only a limited 
 education, and that under difficulties that 
 the average youth of to-day would never 
 undertake. He was born in 1816 in Sus- 
 sex, England, a son of Stephen and Doro- 
 thy (Lanstell) Sawyer, and came with his 
 parents to America when three years of age. 
 Stephen Sawyer was born in Sussex, 
 England, where he received an ordinary 
 school education, and in 1819 immigrated 
 to the United States, settling near Cincin- 
 nati, on the Ohio river. He engageil in 
 farming and stock raising, and died at the 
 age of eighty-six. He was married in 
 England to Miss Dorothy Lanstell, who 
 was also born in Sussex, and died in Ohio 
 at the age of eighty years. Their union 
 was blessed with nine sous and four daugh- 
 ters, of whom four are now living. 
 
 Charles Sawyer worked on the home 
 farm, comprising 364 acres of land, from 
 1826 up to the time of his father's death, 
 and has always been engaged in agricul- 
 tural pursuits. He was largely instru- 
 mental in makiiiij Lyme township what 
 it now is, being one of the oldest and most 
 highly respected citizens of same, and has 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 489 
 
 been prominently identitied with all of the 
 itnpoi'tant events connected with tlie his- 
 tory of Huron county. In 1851 Mr. Saw- 
 yer was united in marriage with Miss 
 Eachel A. Gates, who was born in 1819, 
 in New York, a daughter of Elijah and 
 Hannah Gates. Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer are 
 n)embers of the Episcopal Church, of 
 which they are liberal supporters, and 
 after louf^ and well-spent years are enjoy- 
 ing; the sunset of life. Mr. and Mrs. Saw- 
 yer have no children of their own, but 
 some they have adopted. 
 
 THADDEUS SPRAGUE, an enter- 
 prising and successful farmer and 
 stock raiser of Wakeman township, 
 is a native of New York State, born 
 January 28, 1826, in Ulster county. 
 George Sprague, father of subject, was 
 born in Dutchess county, N. Y., and was a 
 lifelong farmer. He married Elizabeth 
 Grav, and seven children were born to 
 them, of whom are living Thaddeus, Henry 
 (in Hartland, Huron county), Jose])h (in 
 Nebraska) and Minerva (in Fitchvilie, 
 Ohio). The parents both died in 188-4, 
 aged about seventy-six years, in "Wakeman 
 township. They came to Huron county 
 in 1833, and purchased sixty-three acres of 
 partly improved land at five dollars per 
 acre, on which they erected suitable farm 
 buildings, and here they made a success, 
 being enabled to give each of their sons a 
 good start in life. They were members of 
 the Free-will Baptist Church, and in poli- 
 ties Mr. Sprague was a lifelong Democrat. 
 Thaddeus Sprague, the subject proper 
 of these lines, received his early element- 
 ary education at the schools of his native 
 place, and when seven years old was 
 brought to Huron county by his parents, 
 who took up a farm in Hartland township. 
 Here he resumed his studies, attending the 
 subscription schools a few months in the 
 winter season, the rest of his time being 
 occupied in working on his father's farm, 
 
 whereon he remained till his marriage. He 
 then bouglit sixty-six and three-quarters 
 acres in Wakeman township, to wiiicli from 
 time to time he added until ultimately he 
 found himself tlie owner of 200 acres of 
 prime land, fifty-live of which he has given 
 to his son. Elver, and fifty to his other son, 
 Elmer. In 1852 Mr. Sprague married 
 Sarah Arnot, daughter of Terry 
 and Catherine (Townsend) Arnot, who 
 in an early day came to Huron county 
 from Penn Yan, N. Y., settling in Hart- 
 land township, where Mrs. Sarah Sprague 
 was born April 24, 1833. Four children 
 have been born to this union, viz.: Elver 
 and Elmer (on the home farm), Lydia Bell 
 (wife of John Den man, of Norwalk) and 
 Nora (wife of Doran Rowland, in Mans- 
 field, Ohio). Mr. Sprague has in his day 
 traveled considerably, and is well informed 
 on most topics, a great observer of men 
 and things. He is a Democrat, and has 
 served his township as trustee. In 1854 
 he erected substantial and commodious 
 buildings on his farm, greatly enhancing 
 the value of his property, which lias since 
 been« further improved. [Since the aliove 
 was written we have been informed of the 
 death of Mr. Sprague. — Ed. 
 
 FRANK CHASE, a well-known farmer 
 of Townsend township, was born De- 
 _^ cember 23, 1826, in Putnam county, 
 N. T., the second j-oungest child in 
 a fainily of twelve born to Alvin and Ruth 
 (Cole) Chase, both of whom were natives 
 of New York State and of English descent. 
 Alvin Chase was educated and married 
 in his native State, where he engaged in 
 agricultural pursuits all his life. He was 
 a veteran of the war of 1812, liaving 
 served in the New York lino, and for 
 more than thirty years officiated as justice 
 of the peace. Both he and his wife were 
 ardent, lifelong members of the Presby- 
 terian Church. In politics he was a Whig 
 and a great admirer of Henry Clay, and 
 
490 
 
 Tirnnx couxty, oiiio. 
 
 was ])itterly opposed to secret societies of 
 all kinds. His father was a stanch patriot, 
 and served in the Continental army dur- 
 ing the entire seven years of the Revolu- 
 tionary struggle. The Chase family were 
 among the early English settlers of the old 
 Empire State, taking an active and honor- 
 able part in the various struggles of that 
 commonwealth in the early days. The 
 Cole family were also among the pioneers 
 of New York State, many of them serving 
 with distinction in the war of the Revolu- 
 tion as well as in the Indian wars of an 
 earlier period. 
 
 Frank Chase, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, received a very fair common-school 
 and academic education in his early life, 
 and at the age of sixteen years (in 1842) 
 came to Seneca county, Ohio, with his 
 sister and brother-in-law, on whose farm 
 he was employed until he attained his ma- 
 jority, after which he taught school for a 
 short time in Crawford county, Ohio. In 
 1849 he went south, and was employed on 
 a packet steamboat plying between Vicks- 
 burg arid New Orleans for some seven 
 years, after which he returned north and 
 was employed on a farm in Erie county, 
 Ohio, for about one year. He then pur- 
 chased a farm in that county, upon which 
 he remained for about seven years, and 
 then traded for another farm in the same 
 neighborhood. After a few years lie 
 traded this place for a farm in Sandusky 
 county, Ohio, upon which lie remained 
 some eighteen or twenty years, selling it 
 in 1890, and purchasing another in Town- 
 send township, Huron county, where he 
 now resides and is successfully engaged in 
 agricultural pursuits. While livincr in 
 Sandusky county he was twice elected 
 trustee of his township. In the spring of 
 1864 he enlisted in Company I, One Hun- 
 dred and Forty-fifth 0. V". I, proceeded 
 with his command to Washinorton, D. C, 
 was engaged in garrison duty on Arling- 
 ton Heights during the entire summer, and 
 was mustered out at Camp Chase, Ohio, 
 Angust 24, 1864. 
 
 On May 5, 1858, Mr. Chase married 
 Miss Sarah J. Tompkins, a native of 
 Dutchess county, N. Y., and daughter of 
 Nelson and Hannah (Knapp) Tompkins, 
 both of whom were natives of New York 
 and of English descent. Four children 
 have come to this union, viz.: Lester T., 
 U. S. Grant, Arthur and Burton B. Mr. 
 Chase belonfjs to no church, but he is a 
 firm believer in practical Christianity. So- 
 cially he is a member of Townsend Post 
 No. 414, G. A. R. He was distantly re- 
 lated to the late Hon. Salmon P. Chase. 
 In politics he is a Republican, and is one 
 of the enterprising and most respected 
 citizens of his township and county. The 
 Tompkins family were also early settlers 
 of the Empire State, and bore an active part 
 in the various struggles of that grand old 
 commonwealth — civil and military — both 
 before and after the Revolutionary war. 
 
 /p^EORGE SCHUSTER, a successful 
 I y, harness maker of Bellevne, was 
 V^J born in 1829, in Germany, where he 
 
 Ji learned his trade and received a fair 
 education. Becoming dissatisfied 
 with the commercial prospects of his na- 
 tive land, he determined to make for him- 
 self a new home in a country wdiere broader 
 fields of labor were open to young men. 
 
 With this in view he emigrated from 
 Germany in 1851, the only member of his 
 family who came to America, and imme- 
 diately after landing traveled westward, 
 locating in Bellevue. Ohio. He worked 
 two years on a farm, and then as a journey- 
 man at his trade until 1854, at which time 
 he beo^an business for himself, opening 
 one of thelargest harness shops in Bellevue. 
 
 In 1854 Mr. Schuster married Miss 
 Barbara Cox, and of their union were born 
 five children, two of whom, Hattie and 
 Addie, are now living. The motiier of 
 of these dyiii? in 1864, Mr. Schuster was 
 married in 1866, for iiis second wife, to 
 Miss Elizabeth Kaiser, of Thompson, Ohio, 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 491 
 
 1)3' wliich marriage he has two children, 
 George and Laura. Mr. Schuster coin- 
 iiienced life with a capital composed ciiietly 
 of energy, a thorough knowledge of his 
 trade, and a determination to succeed, and 
 now ranks iiigli in business, social and 
 religious circles. He and liis family are 
 members of the Reformed Church, and are 
 actively interested in whatever is intended 
 for the public good. In the Civil war he 
 served two years and nine months, having 
 enlisted in Company D, Tliirty-fourtli 
 Regiment, O. V. I., under Gen. Cox, and 
 took part in the battle of Wytheville; he 
 was also a private in the Thirtynintii 
 Regiment, O. V. I. He is pre-eminently 
 a self-made man, and has by his own efforts 
 built up a good trade. 
 
 [p^ OL. SPEAR, a successful merchant 
 of Plymouth, one who possesses the 
 confidence and esteem of all who 
 deal with him, is a native of 
 the Fatherland, born near Hessen-Cassel 
 in 1843. 
 
 His father, "Wolf Spear, who was a son 
 of Nathaniel Spear, was a merchant in 
 Hessen-Cassel, Germany, where he passed 
 his entire life, dying there in 1889. He 
 married a Miss Schoenberg. a native of a 
 neighboring province, and they became 
 the parents of six children, as follows: Two 
 that died in infancy; Nathaniel, deceased 
 at the age of nine years; Sol., who is men- 
 tioned farthetr on; Betty, married to Moses 
 Sineld,a merchant of Plymouth, Ohio, and 
 Jacob, who is ^ general merchant in his 
 native town. 
 
 Sol. Spe;^r passed his boyhood in attend- 
 ing school in his native country, and at the 
 age of fourteen years came to America, 
 settlii^g immediately in Plymouth, Ohio, 
 where he has ever since remained. At 
 first he attended school, then for a while 
 engaged in peddling, Init finally com- 
 menced clerking, first with W. P>. Kahn, 
 
 27 
 
 with whom he remained two years. He 
 next entered the employ of Billstein & 
 Schoenberg, in the stock business, con- 
 tinuing with them until the spring of 1866, 
 when he engaged in the stock business for 
 a few months on his own account. In the 
 fall of 1866 he bought out the store of 
 W. H. Kahn, conducting the business alone 
 until 1868, in which year he admitted M. 
 Shield into partnership, and they carried 
 on the establishment jointly until 1891, 
 when Mr. Shield sold his interest to our 
 subject, who has since been sole proprietor. 
 Besides the regular business, the firm also 
 dealt extensively in wool, seeds, etc. 
 
 In 1867 Mr. Spear was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Augusta Billstein, by 
 whom he has six children, viz.: Nathaniel 
 (residing in Cincinnati), Alexander, Joel 
 (in Cincinnati), Ida, Maurice and Bernice. 
 In politics our sal)ject has always been a 
 Democrat, and has held various offices of 
 honor and trust in his cominiinity; he has 
 served on the school board for eighteen 
 years, a longer term of service than any other 
 member can boast of. Mr. Spear owns a 
 storeroom, warehouse and dwelling in Ply- 
 mouth. He has made a complete success 
 as a business man, and fully merits the 
 respect and good opinion which he has won 
 from all who come in contact with him. 
 
 J I II. HALLER, whose successful 
 business career is ev^ery where recog- 
 ^ nized in Huron county, was born in 
 1864, in Germany, son of John 
 Haller, a tailor in the Fatherland, where 
 he followed his trade. J. H. Haller re- 
 ceived a practical education in the schools 
 of his native place, and, in 1880, immi- 
 grated to America. He had acquired suf- 
 ficient knowledge of the tailor's trade from 
 his father to enable him to work as a 
 journeyman, and on arriving in New 
 York City he found ready employment, 
 and worked at his trade in the metropolis 
 until 1885, when he revisited Germany. 
 
492 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 On Lis return to the United States Mr. 
 Haller took a course in Mitcliell's Cutting 
 Academy, and after graduating was em- 
 ployed as cutter in New York and otlier large 
 cities, becoming remarkably proficient in 
 this important branch of the tailor's trade. 
 In 1887 he engaged with a firm of mer- 
 chant tailors in Plymouth, Ohio, with 
 whom he remained nearly four years, and 
 in September, 1891, established an inde- 
 pendent tailoring house at Plymouth, 
 meeting from the beginning with a most 
 liberal patronage. In order to centralize 
 his trade, in August, 1892, be transferred 
 his stock to Chicago Junction, and his 
 success here has been as decided as at Ply- 
 mouth. He carries a large assortment of 
 men's and boys' suitings, and conducts a 
 profitable merchant tailoring establish- 
 ment, doing good work at prices which do 
 not fear competition. In 1887 our subject 
 was married to Miss Jennie Peters, of 
 PataskalaA^hio, whom he brought to his 
 home at Plymouth, and there, as well as 
 at Chicago Junction, they have been highly 
 esteemed. In Society affairs Mr. Haller 
 is a member of Plymouth Lodge, 
 F. & A. M. His life furnishes an ex- 
 ample of what may be accomplished by 
 energy in business and earnestness in the 
 desire to please customers. 
 
 UGUSTUS JOSLIN, superinten- 
 dent and secretary of the water- 
 works at Norwalk, is a sou of Dr. 
 Perry and Fanny C. (Davis) Jos- 
 lin, who were natives of New York, 
 born of Scotch-Irish descent. 
 
 Augustus Joslin was born in 1827, in 
 Ft. Edward, Washington Co., N. Y. In 
 1844 he came west, and locating in Nor- 
 walk, Huron Co., Ohio, was here engaged 
 in the distillery business for ten years. 
 He then went to Xipton, Ohio, and took a 
 railroad contract on the Air Line, return- 
 ing to Norwalk three years later, where he 
 
 has since resided. For the past nine years 
 Mr. Joslin has been connected with the 
 water- works at Norwalk, having taken 
 charge of the system when only four miles 
 of pipe were laid. He has proved most 
 efficient in this business, which has pros- 
 pered under his management, fourteen 
 miles of pipe being now in operation. 
 Politically Mr. Joslin affiliates with the 
 Democratic party. He was married to 
 Miss Mary Weever, a native of the same 
 State. 
 
 UGGLES. The families of this 
 
 name in Ridgefield township are 
 descended from Edward Ruggles, 
 who was born May 13, 1766, in 
 Danbury, Conn., of Scotch-Irish 
 
 parents. 
 
 Daniel Ruggles, son of this Edward 
 Ruggles, was born December 23, 1796, also 
 in Danbury, Conn., and was the seventh' 
 child in order of birth, and the second son 
 of his parents. His literary education was 
 completed before he was ten years of age, 
 after which he made a practical use of his 
 natural mechanical ability, and learned the 
 carpenter trade. About 1(!>20 he removed 
 with his parents to Luzerne county, Penn., 
 where, on November 27, 1828, he was united 
 in marriage with Louisa, daughter of Ben- 
 jamin and Catherine F. Fuller. The 
 parents were of Saxon ancestry, and re- 
 sidents of Luzerne county, Penn., where 
 the daughter Louisa was born June 3, 
 1799. About 1831 Daniel and Louisa 
 Ruggles moved from Luzerne county, 
 Penn., to Ohio, bringing with them two 
 yoke of oxen, one sjjan of horses, and two 
 wagons, which contained all their worldly 
 goods. They were over four weeks ou the 
 road, and on arriving at Cleveland, Ohio, 
 the teams and wagons were pushed across 
 the river with " set poles " on a flat-boat. 
 There was only one log house on the west 
 side of Cuyahoga river, and in coming 
 through Berlin township, Erie county, to 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 493 
 
 Milan, Ohio, land was for sale at one dol- 
 lar per acre. The people said then that 
 the sandy soil between the two branches of 
 the Huron river wonld not produce any- 
 thing. j\Ir. Haggles purchased one lum- 
 dred acres of land of Jonathan Hess, in 
 Ridgefield township, Hnron county, for 
 which he paid eight dollars per acre, add- 
 ing to the original farm as years passed 
 on, and at one time he owned over 
 500 acres, paying eighty dollars per 
 acre for the last purchase. Politically he 
 was originally an Old-line AYhig, then a 
 Free-Soiler, and liiially a Kepnblican, but 
 be gave his principal attention to personal 
 business. He was a member of the Free- 
 Will Baptist Church, and many services 
 were held in his own home, where he was 
 ever a genial, hospitable host. He died 
 April 4, 1867, having been preceded to 
 the grave by his wife August 16, 1865, 
 and they were buried on the home farm. 
 They were tlie parents of children as fol- 
 lows: Alonzo J., sketch of whom follows; 
 Alfred and Almond (twins), born Febru- 
 ary 12, 1827, the former of whom, 
 now (^leceased, was a farmer of Ridgefield 
 township (Almond died at the age of 
 eleven years); Daniel W., sketch of whom 
 follows; Dwight, born May 28, 1834, who 
 was a member of Company B, One Hun- 
 dred and Sixty-sixth Regiment, O. V. I., 
 and died August 3, 1864, in a hospital at 
 Washington, D. C; and Mary J., born 
 August 8, 1836, wlfo became the wife of 
 Charles Brown, of JJilan, Ohio, and died 
 in 1892, in California. 
 
 Alonzo J. Ruggles, eldest son of Dan- 
 iel Haggles, was born in January, 1825, 
 near Huntsviile, Plymouth township, Lu- 
 zerne C!o., Penn., and was five years old 
 when his parents moved to Ohio. He at- 
 tended the schools of Huron county, re- 
 ceiving his elementary training in a small 
 white frame schoolhouse, which was a fair 
 specimen of the Ijaildings then erected. 
 He also attended school in Norwalk, and 
 after returning home assisted in the work 
 on the home farm. He would rise at four 
 
 o'clock in the morning, get the o.x-team 
 ready and go to the clearing, where he 
 felled many monarchs of the forest. At that 
 time the streams had to l)e forded, as bridges 
 were then unknown in the locality. On 
 September 15, 1852, Mr. Ruggles uuirried 
 Tliekla A. Lewis, who was born April 11, 
 1825, in Spatford, Onondaga Co., N. Y., 
 daughter of Benjamin Lewis, who was 
 born in Rhode Island, and was married to 
 Betsey Whiting, a native of Vermont. 
 In 1835 Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Lewis 
 moved to Ashtabula county, Ohio, thence 
 to Huron county, where their daughter, 
 Thekla A., was married. 
 
 Alonzo J. and Thekla A. Ruggles began 
 wedded life on a portion of the old home- 
 stead in Ridgelield township, Huron 
 county, where they remained until 1888. 
 They then came to their present home in 
 Norwalk, where he has since lived in semi- 
 retirement. He yet cultivates a small tract 
 of land in Ridgefield township, and owns 
 150 acres of some of the finest and best 
 improved land in the neighborhood. Po- 
 litically Mr. Ruggles was tirst a Whig, 
 then a Republican, and has tilled various 
 local offices. He is a member of the Free- 
 Will Baptist Churcli, his wife is identified 
 with the Disciple Church. They have iiad 
 children as follows: Charles, deceased in 
 infancy; Mary J., wife of Charles Bishop, 
 of Xorwalk; Betsy Louisa, deceased at 
 the age of four years; Elizabeth T., de- 
 ceased in 1891; Celia F., wife of Hugh 
 Jacobs, of Cleveland, Ohio; Dwight J., 
 deceased in infancy; Flora M.; and Flor- 
 ence, married to Albert Prentiss, of Nor- 
 walk. Fred Stewart, who was adopted by 
 Mr. and Mrs. Ruggles when he was but 
 four months old, and reared to manhood 
 by them, is now a prominent manufac- 
 turer in Norwalk, Ohio. 
 
 Daniel W. Ruggles, fourth son of Dan- 
 iel and Louisa (Fuller) Ruggles, was born 
 August 1, 1831, in Erie county, (^hio, 
 where his parents had made a temporary 
 location while en route to Huron county, 
 Ohio. When he was six months old the 
 
494 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OIITO. 
 
 family moved to the home farm in Hiiron 
 
 county, where he was reared and educated. 
 On December 25, 1862, he was united in 
 marriage with Chloe, daughter of Lee and 
 Phcebe (Bradley) Moore, the former of 
 whom was born in Vermont, and married 
 in Summit county, Ohio. Chloe was the 
 ninth in a family of eleven children, and 
 was born Jiily 25, 1837, in Bowling Greeu, 
 Ohio. To the union of Daniel W. and 
 Chloe (Moore) Euggles three children have 
 been born, viz.: Frank W., Arthur L. and 
 Dora M., all living with their parents. 
 Mr. Kuggles has given his time to agri- 
 culture, in which pursuit he has been suc- 
 cespful, but for the past ten years he has 
 not been strong enough to perform any 
 manual labor. He has been a zealous 
 worker in the Republican party, casting 
 his first vote for John C. Fremont, and 
 has represented his locality in numerous 
 county conventions, serving also as school 
 director and supervisor. He and his wife 
 are members of the M. E. Church at 
 Norwalk. 
 
 TT^HOMAS MILLER, one of the best 
 
 II and most hustling business men of 
 
 I Norvvalk township, and a prosper- 
 
 ^ ous, enterprising agriculturist, is a 
 
 native of Huron county, born, in 
 
 1843, in Townsend township. 
 
 Levi Miller, his fatlier, born near the Al- 
 bany (E. Y.) salt-works, was a cooper, and 
 at tlie age of twenty-live years removed to 
 Richland county, Oiiio, where for , two 
 years he followed his trade. He then 
 came to Townsend township, Huron 
 county, where he was engaged in farm- 
 ing for ten years, dying in 1855 at the age 
 of forty-iive, having been born in 1810. 
 His first wife was a Miss Betsy Taylor, of 
 Richland county, Ohio, and two children 
 were born to them, viz.: Elizabeth and 
 Maria, now Mrs. Jacob Rickett, of Toledo, 
 Ohio. This wife died in 1838, and Mr. 
 Miller subsequently married Miss Harriet 
 
 Sanders, of Florence, Erie Co., Ohio, after 
 which they came to Townsend township, 
 as above stated. The children of this 
 union were Jane Jarrett, now of Berlin, 
 Erie county; Levi, who was a member of 
 the Thirtieth Ohio Cavalry during the 
 Civil war, and died at Corinth, Tenn.; 
 Thomas, subject of sketch; and Henry and 
 Charles, farmers in Fulton county, Ohio. 
 Thomas Miller, whose name appears at 
 the opening of this sketch, commenced 
 active business life by selling farm ma- 
 chinery, and doing threshing, which he 
 continued in till after his marriage, when 
 he took up farming in Townsend town- 
 ship. Here he remained twelve years, at 
 the end of which time (1882) he came to 
 his present farm in Norwalk township, and 
 has since been successfully engaged in 
 
 . -r-r 
 
 both farming and selling machinery. He 
 was married, in 1870, to Miss Arvilla, 
 daughter of John Hunter, a pioneer of 
 Huron county. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have 
 two children, viz.: Ellery L. and Gertrude 
 May, both at home. 
 
 In 1864 Mr. Miller enlisted in Company 
 B, One Hundred and Sixty-si.xth Regiment 
 O. V. I., under Col. Blake, attached to the 
 army of the Potomac, and stationed at 
 Fort Barnard, Va., eighteen miles from 
 Washington. He has been a lifelong 
 Democrat, as was his father before him, 
 and has held various township offices. 
 
 JOHN B. N I VER, a progressive and 
 well-to-do farmer of Norwich town- 
 ship, was born March 19, 1813, in 
 Orange county, N. Y., where he lived 
 nineteen years, working on his father's 
 farm, and attending the common schools 
 of the period. 
 
 Mr. Niver is a son of Jacob Niver, of 
 German descent, who came from Orange 
 county, N. Y., to Huron county where he 
 carried on farming, and died in the prime 
 of life, when our subject was five months 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 495 
 
 old. In 1802 he married Margaret Mc- 
 Millan, a native of Scotland, and daughter 
 of John McMillan, a shoemaker by trade, 
 who came to tiiis country with his family, 
 settling in Orange county, N. Y., where 
 lie passed from earth. He and his wife 
 had the following named children: Denni- 
 8on, James, Charles B., Mary J., Jacob 
 and John B., all now deceased except 
 John B. 
 
 The subject of these lines received a fair 
 education at the schools of his native place, 
 and was reared to farm life. In 1882 he 
 came to Huron county, and settled on his 
 present place of 122 acres, at that time 
 covered with a dense and sombre forest, 
 through which deer, wolves and other wild 
 animals roamed at will. In 1843 he mar- 
 ried Miss Sarah A. White, of Mansfield, 
 Eichland Co., Ohio, daughter of Natlianiel 
 White, and four children — Edwin (who 
 was a member of Company I, Third 
 O. V. C, and died in Andersonville prison), 
 Marietta (deceased), Emma J., and Nancy 
 (deceased) — were born to them. The mother 
 of these died in 1864, and for his second 
 wife our subject was wedded to Miss Esther 
 Simmons, of Greenfield township, Huron 
 county, a daughter of Albert Simmons. 
 Three children were born to this union, 
 nameiy: Eimon L., Louie and Harry, all 
 yet living. A stanch Republican in pol- 
 itics, Mr. Niver cast his first Presidential 
 vote in 1836, for W. H. Harrison, when 
 the latter ran against Martin Van Buren. 
 In religious faith he is a member of the 
 Methodist Church. 
 
 E 
 
 S. TUTTLE, proprietor of elevator, 
 and an extensive dealer in grain, 
 J coal, oil, etc., was born in 1853, in 
 Erie county, Ohio, son of J. M. and 
 Charlotte (Crawford) Tuttle, both natives of 
 New York. J. M. Tuttle came with his 
 father's family to the " Firelands " in Erie 
 county, and here cleared his farm, which 
 is still in the family's possession. About 
 1873 the family removed from the farm to 
 
 Norwalk, and, in partnership with W. T. 
 Bowen, built the elevator, which they suc- 
 cessfully operated until 1887, when they 
 leased to the present proprietor. The pa- 
 ternal grandfather, Nathan Tuttle, was 
 also born in New York, and came to Ohio 
 with his wife, who was a Leland. 
 
 E. S. Tuttle came to Huron county with 
 his parents, and was educated in the Nor- 
 walk public schools, passing through the 
 high school with credit. lie commenced 
 his active life as a clerk in a hardware 
 store, and there remained for thirteen 
 years, when he engaged in the grain busi- 
 ness, meeting: from the first with marked 
 success. He is regarded by all as one of 
 the intelligent, rising business men pf the 
 city, liberal and enterprising, and of pleas- 
 ing social qualities. He is solo proprietor 
 of the elevator and grain department, and 
 has two mills for making food and bolted 
 corn meal. Mr. Tuttle is a man who 
 kee])s his mind in touch with the social 
 and other interesting questions of the day. 
 In 1876 he was married to Clara E. Lam- 
 kin, a native of Seneca county, Ohio, 
 daughter of Dr. George Lamkin, of Nor- 
 walk, and they have three children: Ora, 
 Bessie and George. 
 
 H[ON. H. K. HOUSE. The city of 
 Norwalk takes proper pride in her 
 many thrifty, intelligent and pro- 
 gressive citizens, of whom not the 
 least prominent is the gentleman 
 whose name introduces this brief sketch. 
 Mr. House after leaving school com- 
 menced business life as an employe on the 
 Pennsylvania Railroad, on which line for 
 several years he was a popular, faithful 
 and efficient conductor. Always frugal 
 and careful, he saved his earnings, retired 
 from the railroad, and locating in Norwalk 
 purchased property and embarked in the 
 furniture business. After a time he sold 
 out this industry, and engaged in railroad 
 contracting — his first contract being on 
 
496 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 the Wheeling & Lake Erie Kailroad — a 
 line of business that has since claimed his 
 close attention. 
 
 During the early "eighties" the Ke- 
 puhlican party in Norwalk, recognizing 
 the ability, sagacitj' and acumen of Mr. 
 House, by an almost unanimous move- 
 ment invited him to represent the head of 
 their ticket in municipal election. Being 
 prevailed on to accept the nomination, he 
 was easily elected mayor of the city, an in- 
 cumbency lie has filled with characteristic 
 dignity and grace, and his administration 
 is remembered as one of the most peaceful 
 and prosperous in the municipal life of 
 Norwalk. Mr. House was married to 
 Mrs. Otis (wt'd Reed), whose father was the 
 first white male child born in Greenwich 
 township, Huron county. Our subject 
 erected, in the southern part of the city, 
 an elegant and pleasant home residence. 
 
 ri( BRAHAM D. JENNEY was born 
 //_\ \ May 19, 18l3, at Fairhaven, Bris- 
 ir% to! Co., Mass. His grandfather, 
 ■fj Benjamin Jenney, was born Febru- 
 
 ary 28, 1744, in New England, and 
 married Bersheba Bassett, who was born 
 December 14, 1744. They had four sons 
 arfd one daughter, of whom John was the 
 third son in order of birth. 
 
 John Jenney was born July 12, 1773, 
 in Bristol county, Mass., and when a 
 young man married Catherine Davis, who 
 was born May 28, same year. They re- 
 sided in Massachusetts, where John fol- 
 lowed the trade of ship carpenter until the 
 removal of the family to Cayuga county, 
 N. Y., where he worked at the mill- 
 wright's trade, and for a time was engao-ed 
 in milling. On May 19, 1823, he and lannly 
 followed his sons to Ohio. It appears 
 that the two sons — Mordecai and Obediah 
 — visited Huron county, Ohio, about 1818, 
 and selected lands in Greenwich township. 
 A daughter, Bersheba, who was married 
 
 in Xew York to E. L. Salisbury, came 
 here in 1820. Thither the father and 
 family moved in 1823, and he purchased 
 the land at one dollar and fifty cents per 
 acre, and erected a log house, the interior 
 of which he furnished in a style hitherto 
 unknown to the pioneers. After the home 
 in the wilderness was made, the father 
 went to Sandusky and built two vessels for 
 Townsend & Chapman, which were called 
 the "Ligura" and "The Charles Chap- 
 man." He passed several winters at Sa- 
 vannah, Ga., where he was recognized as 
 a good ship carpenter, and always found 
 work at his trade, so with that and farm- 
 ing he was an industrious and altoo-ether 
 a well-to-do citizen. He died March 4, 
 1852, his widow June 9, 1853, and both 
 are buried in a private cemetery on the 
 farm. Of their children the following 
 record is made: Obediah died at Nor- 
 walk, aged eighty-nine years; Sarah mar- 
 ried, in Massachusetts, Ebenezer Wing, 
 and died in that State at an advanced age; 
 Mordecai W. died in Greenwich township; 
 Bersheba married E. L. Salisbury, and 
 died in Greenwich township; Elizabeth 
 married Joseph Bartlett, and died in Hu- 
 ron county; Sylvia C. was married in New 
 York to Joseph Gilford, and died in Kan- 
 sas; Jane married Humphrey Gifford, and 
 died in Greenwich township; Benjamin 
 resides in Montcalm county, Mich.,; Mary 
 married Benjamin Watson, and moved to 
 Kansas; Abraham D. is the subject of this 
 sketch. 
 
 Abraham D. Jenney was reared in the 
 manner common throughout western New 
 York in pioneer days. He was ten years 
 of age when his parents moved to Ohio, 
 and here be passed his youth, working on 
 the farm and attending the subscription 
 schools of tlie period. Being the only soa 
 who did not learn a trade, he remained on 
 the farm and assisted his father in clearing 
 it. On March 20, 1842, he married Sally 
 Ann Griffin, who was born in New York 
 State October 7, 1818, and to this mar- 
 riage came eleven children, as follows: 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 497 
 
 James W., now a citizen of Kansas; Salina, 
 a physician; George D., a physician of 
 Kenton, Ohio, where he died; Cornelia, wlio 
 married Jasper Jennings, of Lexington, 
 Ky., and died at Fitciiville, Ohio; Smith, 
 wlio died in yonth; Mary, married to Otis 
 Enrge, of Greenwich township; Chloe, re- 
 siding at home; A. Warren, a school 
 teacher; and Charles A., residing on the 
 home farm ; besides the children named, 
 there were two who died young. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Jenney located 
 on his present farm, where he lias been en- 
 gaged in agricultural pursuits np to the 
 present time. In 1856 he became a Re- 
 publican, having previously been a Whig, 
 but beyond filling various township posi- 
 tions he does not go actively into political 
 life. He and his wife are members of the 
 Society of Friends. Both are endowed with 
 e.xcellent memories. 
 
 EILIJAH PEICE, retired farmer of 
 Fairfield townsnip, is of Welsh 
 1 descent, and is a grandson of Alex- 
 ander Price, who was a farmer in 
 Cayuga county, N. Y. He was among 
 the first to offer his services in the war of 
 1812, during which conflict he commanded 
 a division of militia with the rank of gen- 
 eral. He was a Democrat in politics and 
 served many years as justice of the peace. 
 Alexander Price was united in marriage 
 with Polly Seely, and to this union were 
 born six children, namely: Elijah, Will- 
 iam, Mary (who married Lucas Foot, of 
 North Fairfield), Betsey, Caroline, and Ann 
 (who married James Vincent, a farmer of 
 Chautauqua, N. Y.). 
 
 Elijah Price, son of Alexander, was born 
 in 1805, in Cayuga county, N. Y., was 
 reared on the home farm, and received his 
 education in the schools of the period. He 
 was married at Skaneateles, Onondaga (Jo., 
 N. Y., to Miss Abigail Foot, who was 
 born there in 1806, and they had seven 
 
 children, viz.: Alexander (who is now a 
 stock grower in Idaho), Eben, Salvio, Will- 
 iam, Elijah, Mary Louise and Grant. In 
 May, 1882, Mr. Price brought his family 
 to Huron county, Ohio, and settled on tlie 
 present homestead in Fairfield township. 
 He cleared the land and made a beautiful 
 farm of 177 acres, and at his death, which 
 occurred in 1888, left a valuable property 
 to his heirs. In political opinion he was 
 a Democrat, and served as township trus- 
 tee. Mrs. Price died December 14, 1869. 
 Elijah Price, the sul)joct proper of this 
 sketch, was born April 6, 1832, in Cayuga 
 county, N. Y., and was brought by his 
 parents to Ohio the same year. On Sep- 
 tember 7, 1856, he married Harriet Place, 
 of Fairfield towtiship, and they took up 
 their residence on the home farm, where 
 two children were boru to them, one that 
 died in infancy, and S. Grant, a business 
 man of Norwalk. After his father's death 
 he purchased the home farm of 177 acres, 
 and engaged in general farming and stock 
 growing, giving particular attention to the 
 rearing of coach, trotting and draft horses. 
 In politics Mr. Price is a Democrat, and 
 has served his township as trustee. 
 
 L. KREIDER, M. D., is the oldest 
 medical practitioner in Monroevilie, 
 and has been very successful in his 
 chosen vocation. He is a son of 
 Michael Kreider, a native of Lebanon 
 county, Penn., and his ancestry (who were 
 of Dutch origin) have been natives of 
 Pennsylvania for three generations. 
 
 C. L. Kreider was born May 29, 1840, 
 in Lebanon county, Penn., and received his 
 early education at Lebanon Academy. He 
 then took a medical course at the Univer- 
 sity of Pennsylvania, graduating therefrom 
 in 1863, and liegan to practice in Lebanon 
 county. In 1868 became to Monroevilie, 
 where he has ever since V)een actively eii- 
 o-aged in the duties of his profession. Dr. 
 
498 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Kreider was united in marriage at Phila- 
 delphia, Penn., with Miss Caroline "Walter, 
 who has borne him four children. He was 
 formerly a member of the American Med- 
 ical Association, and is now identified with 
 the Delamater Medical Association. In 
 politics he votes with the Republican 
 party, with which his sons are also asso- 
 ciated. He and his family are all adher- 
 ents of the M. E. Church, and socially he 
 is a member of the I. O. O. F. 
 
 Of the children born to Dr. and Mrs. 
 Kreider the following is a brief record: 
 "Walter Kreider was educated in the public 
 schools of Monroeville, then took a par- 
 tial course in civil engineering at Ann 
 Arbor, Mich.; he is now employed in 
 Chicago, 111. E. E. Kreider graduated 
 from the Monroeville High School, then 
 took a medical course at Jeflferson Medi- 
 cal College, Philadelphia, receiving his 
 diploma in 1890; he is now in j^artnership 
 with his fathei', and has already secured 
 the confidence of the community as a rising 
 young physician. Charles R. Kreider also 
 graduated from the Monroeville High 
 School, afterward preparing for business 
 life at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. ; he is now 
 in the employ of Sanborn & Co., Chicago, 
 111. Mabel, youngest child of Dr. and 
 Mrs. Kreider, is a student in Delaware 
 College, Ohio. 
 
 D A. AVOOD, M. D., is one of the 
 oldest physicians and surgeons now 
 ' in practice in Huron county — in- 
 deed, with a solitary exception, he 
 is the oldest. 
 
 His parents, Alva and Levissa (Buck) 
 "Wood, were both natives of New York 
 State, the former born in 1809 in Saratoga 
 feounty, where he grew to manhood and 
 carried on a farm in connection with a 
 gristmill. He died at Utica, N. Y., in the 
 sixty-eighth year of his age. Levissa 
 (Buck) "Wood died at Utica in the seventy- 
 seventh year of her age. Of their six chil- 
 
 dren, live are living. Their parents came 
 from Connecticut to western New York at 
 an early day, and were among the pioneers 
 in the agricultural development of this 
 now rich portion of the Empire State. 
 The grandfather of Dr. "Wood was a jus- 
 tice of the peace in Onondaga county for 
 many terms, and is still remembered by 
 the older residents of that county. 
 
 Dr. D. A. "Wood was born September 16, 
 1832, in Onondaga county, N. Y. He re- 
 ceived an elementary education in the 
 common schools, and subsequently entered 
 Clinton University, where he took a full 
 literary course. After reading medicine 
 for some time, he went to Syracuse, N. Y., 
 attended lectures there, and graduated from 
 the Eclectic Medical College. Early in 
 1S58 he removed to Ohio, and locating at 
 Olena, practiced medicine there fc^r many 
 years. Meantime he neglected no oppor- 
 tunity which offered to him greater per- 
 fection as a physician, for he is found at 
 Cleveland attending lectures, or at home 
 reading Austrian, French or American 
 authorities. He graduated, in the winter 
 of 1871-72, from the Cleveland Medical 
 College, and continued to i-eside at Olena. 
 He had seen great changes in his district. 
 The trials which awaited him in his early 
 professional life were no longer to be 
 looked for. Loner rides through the forest 
 were no longer necessary, nor was there a 
 prospect of his being again compelled to 
 lead his horse through the thickets or fol- 
 low unfamiliar paths to the cabins of his 
 patients. 
 
 Dr. Wood was married, at Olena, to Miss 
 Lucy A. Cherry, and to this marriage five 
 children were born, namely: Louise, wife 
 of "W. C. Laney; Frederick; Elmer D., 
 who died in early boyhood; Gertie M., 
 residiTig with her parents; and Harley D. 
 In 1881 the Doctor moved to Greenwich, 
 where greater successes rewarded his close 
 studies and faithful attention to his patients. 
 In early practice he made a reputation in 
 restoring to health those stricken with 
 fever; he was also very successful in ob- 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 499 
 
 stetrics, and won tlie entire confidence of 
 the people. To-day he numbers among 
 his patients many whose birth he attended. 
 Dr. Wood beloHijs to the Alumni Medical 
 Association of Cleveland, and is a retrular 
 attendant at meetings of this Association, 
 as well as a periodical student in the col- 
 lege. Among his favorite medical jour- 
 nals are tlie "Cleveland Medical Journal" 
 and the "New York Medical Journal." 
 But his readings on medicine and surgery 
 are not at all confined to these, for lie takes 
 special delight in anything and everything 
 written on the two subjects. 
 
 dD. EASTON is descended from an- 
 cestors who were prominent actors in 
 the early history of the New England 
 colonies. One of these pioneers of 
 the Easton family settled in Providence 
 Plantation, in Phode Island, becoming an 
 associate of Roger AViliiams. The grand- 
 mother of our subject, Miss M. Perry, 
 was a full cousin of Commodore Perry, of 
 Lake Erie fame. 
 
 Perry Easton, father of J. D., was born 
 January 8, 1790, in Woodbury, Conn., and 
 when yet a boy came to Greene county, 
 N. Y., and served in Capt. Clark's Com- 
 pany during the war of 1812. After the 
 war he came to Ontario county, N. Y., and 
 in 1818 moved to Huron county, Ohio, re- 
 siding in Ridgefield and P>ronson town- 
 ships. When a young man he was married 
 to Sajlie Paymond, who was born in Great 
 Barrington, Mass., a descendant of Lord 
 Raymond, and they had three children, of 
 whom are mentioned J. D., the subject 
 proper of this sketch, and a twin brother 
 who lives in Paris, Texas. Politically Mr. 
 Easton was first a Jeffersonian Democrat, 
 then a Henry Clay Whig, and subsequently 
 a Republican. He and his family were 
 members of tiie Presbvterian Church. He 
 died in 1858. 
 
 J. D. Easton was born in 1816, in Rush- 
 ville, N. Y., and was reared and educated 
 in Huron county, Ohio. In 1848 he was 
 united in marriage with Miss Jane Barker, 
 who was born in 1815, in Cayuga county, 
 N. Y., and they made their home on a 
 farm in Peru township, Huron Co., Ohio. 
 During the war he bonglit horses for the 
 Government. About 1873 they settled on 
 their present home, containing 170 acres, 
 ninety of which are within the limits of 
 the corporation of Monroeville. In poli- 
 tics our subject was originally a Wiiio-, 
 now a Republican, and lie has served six 
 years as a member of the board of directors 
 for the county infirmary. He has taken 
 an active interest in other matters of local 
 importance, and was recently elected vice- 
 president of the Firelands Historical As- 
 sociation. His wife is a member of the 
 Society of Friends. Mr. and Mrs. Easton 
 are the parents of two children, namely: 
 Ida S. and John P., the latter of whom "is 
 married to a Miss Fish, and is now living 
 on a farm near Monroeville; he has two 
 children, Eunice and Candace. 
 
 ^/ 
 
 MRS. DAVID L. GIESECK is a 
 daughter of Henry D. and Han- 
 nah J. (Harris) Smith, both of 
 whom were natives of Ohio, tlie 
 former born in Knox county, the 
 latter in Licking county. The father died 
 at the age of sixty-five years. 
 
 Carrie S. Smith was born on the home 
 place in Knox county, where she grew to 
 womanhood, attending the common schools 
 of the vicinity. She also received a year's 
 training in the normal school, then taught 
 two years in Licking county, Ohio. On 
 January 29, 1885, she was united in mar- 
 riage with David L. Gieseck, wliose father 
 was a native of Germany, his mother an 
 American, born of German ancestry. 
 
 David L. Gieseck was born March 8, 
 1858, in Black Lick, Ohio, passed his 
 
500 
 
 HUROX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 yontli in liis native county, and after his 
 marriage came to Huron county, locating 
 in Monroeville Marcli 20, 1885. Here, in 
 partnersliip with his father, he founded 
 the tile works, the product of which was 
 sent to the eastern and western part of 
 Ohio, and also as far south as Columbus. 
 In the following April they employed 
 eight men. Mr. Gieseck in politics was a 
 Democrat. He was a member of the 
 school board, and a justice of the peace, 
 holding the latter position at the time of 
 his death, which occurred February 9, 
 1892. He was baptized in the Li;theran 
 Church; his widow is identified with the 
 Baptist denomination. Since the deatli of 
 her husband Mrs. Gieseck has conducted 
 the tile business with great success. She 
 has had three children, namely: Henry L. 
 (deceased at the age of two years and nine 
 months), Emma T. and Mable H. 
 
 llACOB BEOWN was born April 6, 
 
 k. I 1836, in Peru township, Huron 
 
 \^i Co., Ohio, a son of Jacob Brown, who 
 
 was the pioneer of the family in the 
 
 United States. 
 
 The father of our subject was a native 
 of France, whence he emigrated when a 
 young man, and found a home iu the 
 United States. He worked on the Erie 
 Canal, at Milan, Erie Co., Ohio, and there 
 met and married Mrs. Mary Ann Bentley, 
 a widow. Soon after their marriage this 
 couple located in Pern township, on a tract 
 of five acres, and Mr. Brown, together 
 witii improvins that little farm, worked 
 for others, his industry enabling him to 
 gradually extend the lines of the original 
 purchase. His property was destroyed by 
 fire once, obliging him to seek another lo- 
 cation in the township. After a life of 
 hard, honest toil, he died on the farm, and 
 three years later was followed to the grave 
 by his wife; both are buried in the Catho- 
 lic cemetery. Mr. Brown merely exercised 
 
 his constitutional right to vote, giving his 
 closest attention to his farm and family 
 interests. To his marriage with Mrs. 
 Bentley were born five children, namely: 
 Henry, who served during the Rebellion 
 with the Fifty-fifth O. V. I., and died 
 shortly after the close of the war from in- 
 juries received in battle; Coleman, a farm- 
 mer of Peru township; Jacob, subject of 
 this sketch; Lainie, married to Henry 
 Brown, of Norwalk, Ohio; and Mary Ann, 
 who married William Brown, of Peru 
 township. 
 
 Jacob Brown received a common-school 
 education, and worked on the home farm 
 until 1861, when he was married to Mary 
 Ann Addleman, a native of Peru township, 
 daughter of Joseph Addleman. To this 
 union nine children were born, namely: 
 Evaline (now Mrs. John Greseamer, of 
 Sherman township), Charles (a farmer of 
 Norwalk township), Alfred, Arthur, Ida, 
 Laura (Mrs. William Hettel, of Peru town- 
 ship), Eleanor, Theodore and Otto, resid- 
 ing at home. In 1861 Mr. Brown located 
 on the home farm, and remained thereon 
 for five years, when he purchased a one- 
 hundred-acre tract. He owned several 
 farms at difl'erent times prior to 1873, 
 when he settled on his present place. The 
 residence and other buildings erected here 
 by Mr. Brown within the last two decades 
 speak of his progressive character, his taste 
 and his industry; while his farm is testi- 
 mony to the methodical application of agri- 
 cultural knowledge. The members of the 
 family belong to the Catholic Church. 
 
 THOMAS THOMPSON, proprietor 
 of the "Greenwich Hotel," is not 
 OTily a pioneer of northern Ohio, but 
 also an old and respected hotel man 
 of this section. 
 Thomas Thompson was born November 
 28, 1832, in Richland county, just across 
 the Huron county line. His parents, 
 Thomas and Mary (Bard) Thompson, were 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 501 
 
 pioneers of Richland county. The father 
 was born in Washington county, Penn., 
 moved to Richland county, Ohio, in 1823, 
 bought a tract of wild land, and settled 
 thereon with his young wife, a year after 
 their marriage. The names of the six 
 children born to them are as follows: 
 Margaret, a widow; Ann, Mrs. McLaugh- 
 lin; John, living in Greenwich township; 
 Keziah, residing on the old homestead; 
 Thomas, the subject of this sketch, and 
 Absalom, a carpenter and joiner. 
 
 Thomas Thompson grew to manhood on 
 his father's farm, which he helped to im- 
 prove. He assisted in opening the old road 
 Wween Huron and Richland connties, and 
 also aided in making the first road on the 
 west brancli of the Yermiliion river. He 
 was not yet fourteen years old when he 
 hauled the grain and other products of the 
 farm to Milan, the nearest market-town, 
 and from that age to his twenty-eighth 
 year was the man of all work on the home- 
 stead. On October 4, 1860, he married 
 Miss Susan Clark, who was l)orn in Orange 
 township, Ashland county. One son 
 George M., was born to them, who, enter- 
 ing the telegraph service at fourteen years 
 of age, is now filling an important position 
 with the Western Union Co., in the State 
 of Washington. Soon after marriage Mr. 
 and Mrs. Thompson located on a rented 
 farm in Greenwich township, whence he 
 shortly afterward moved to the center of 
 the township, and carried on a hotel 
 for three years. He ne.Kt came to 
 Greenwich, purchased property in the 
 vilhige, and conducted a hotel from 
 September, 1800, to September, 1876, 
 when he disposed of his interests in the 
 old house, and purchasoil his present 
 property, where he has since resided and 
 carried on business. Mr. Thompson was 
 one of the men who cut the first lumber 
 used in the construction of the C.& I. R. R., 
 and for four or five years was engaged 
 in the lumber business, handling ])rinci- 
 pally black walnut. During the Civil war 
 he was represented in the field by his 
 
 cousin, John Thompson, who is now living 
 in Pennsylvania. In politics our subject 
 is a Democrat. His paternal grandparents 
 came from Ireland, where their fathers 
 liad settled on the confiscated lands. They 
 came here with the theories of ownership 
 of real and personal property inculcated 
 in Ireland, and those theories have been 
 inherited by their children and grand- 
 children. On the maternal side the grand- 
 parents came from England, and found a 
 home in Pennsylvania. 
 
 ICHAEL STEIBER. Jr., a pros- 
 perous, intelligent farmer of 
 Ridgefield township, is a son of 
 Joseph Steiber, a native of Ger- 
 many, and by trade a stonemason. 
 Michael Steiber was born in 1^29 in 
 Baden, Germany, and after attending the 
 public schools of the Grand Duchy, learned 
 his father's trade. In 1860 he was united 
 in marriage with Victoria Ilolerbaugh, 
 also a native of Haden, who bore him four 
 children, namely: Frank, now a farmer of 
 Ridgefield township, Huron county; Mi- 
 chael, whose sketch follows; Gretchen, and 
 Louis, the latter two having died in their 
 youth. The father followed his trade some 
 years after his marriage, then farmed for 
 a time. A brother (Franklin) who had 
 settled in America, then bargained for a 
 farm, which they purchased, and in 1872, 
 with his wife and two sons, Michael 
 Steiber sailed from Hamburg, landing at 
 New York. They then proceeded to Nor- 
 walk, Ohio, remaining there four weeks, 
 waiting till their property was vacated, 
 then located on the farm where they have 
 since resided. Among the many improve- 
 which Mr. Steiber has made on his place 
 should be mentioned the handsome dwell- 
 ing and commodious new barn. He has 
 successfully conducted a general farming 
 and stock-raising business, and has suc- 
 ceeded in saving a good sum of money by 
 
« 
 502 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 dint of constant toil and judicious economy. 
 He is an nnassmiiiiig but thorouglily sub- 
 stantial citizen, and in politics votes the 
 Democratic ticket. He and his wife are 
 zealous supporters of the Catholic Church 
 at Norwalk. 
 
 Michael Steiber, Jr., son of Michael and 
 Victoria (Holerbaugh) Steiber, was born 
 September 28, 18G3, in Baden, Germany, 
 where he attended school two years, then 
 came with his parents to Huron county, 
 Ohio. After settling in this country he 
 finished his education at the schools of 
 Kidgefield township, and on May 4, 1886, 
 he married Mary Fitz, who was born in 
 1861, a daughter of Frank Fitz, of San- 
 dusky, Ohio. Since their marriage Mi- 
 chael and Mary Steiber have resided on his 
 fatlier's farm, which he works. He is one 
 of the leading young men of Ridgefield 
 township, and in political opinion is a 
 Democrat. He and his wife are members 
 of the Catholic Church. 
 
 "% OBEKT F. WADDELL, Hartland 
 ^ township. This gentleman is a 
 \^ grandson of Robert Waddell, a 
 farmer, who was born near Balti- 
 more, Md., whence in middle life 
 he migrated to Ohio, dying in Knox 
 county at about the age of seventy- two 
 years. The names of some of his children 
 are Charles, Abbott, Robert F., David, 
 Bertha and Rachel. 
 
 Robert F. Waddell, father of subj'-^t, 
 was also a native of Maryland, and came 
 to Ohio along with his father. He was a 
 farmer all his days, and in Brown town- 
 ship, Knox county, was a local preacher. 
 He took up wild land in that township, and 
 " blazed " a road from Danville to his farm, 
 a distance of nearly eight miles through 
 the woods. He cleared half an aci-e, and 
 built him a log cabin, after which he re- 
 turned to Maryland for his wife and child, 
 whom he had left behind, bringing them 
 
 to their new western home, together with 
 all the household goods and chattels, the 
 journey being made in winter-time with 
 an ox-sled. Wild animals still roamed the 
 forest, and wolves would frequently make 
 nocturnal attacks on the illy-protected 
 cabin, rushing for the " door," which con- 
 sisted of nothing stronger than a blanket 
 hung up; but by keeping up a bright tire 
 the ravenous brutes were held at bay. Mr. 
 Waddell cleared 250 acres, and had many 
 an adventure while engaged at either 
 chopping or hunting, at one time having a 
 narrow escape from a bear, which would 
 have killed him but for his faithful dog. 
 He built the first church and school bou^e, 
 and established the tirst burying-ground in 
 Brown township, Knox county, Ohio. 
 
 Robert F. Waddell, Sr., married Eliza- 
 beth Critchtield, a daughter of Alvin 
 Critchfield, a native of near Cumberland, 
 Md., who came to Knox county, Ohio, and 
 there passed the rest of his days. To this 
 union were born children as follows: Ray- 
 mond, Milton . and Matilda, all three de- 
 ceased; Evaline (Mrs. Melton), also de- 
 ceased; Mary Ann (Mrs. Phillips), in Hart- 
 land; Charles, a physician in Indiana, 
 where he has an extensive practice; James, 
 in Wauseon, Fulton Co., Ohio; and Rob- 
 ert F. The father died in 1850, a mem- 
 ber of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, the 
 mother about 1868. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was born 
 February 7, 1848, on the old homestead in 
 Knox county, Ohio, and received his edu- 
 cation at the common schools of the vicin- 
 ity. At the breaking out of the Civil war 
 he would have joined the Union army but 
 for physical disability, and, moreover, it 
 was necessary for him to care for his aged 
 mother, he being the only one left at home. 
 He married Miss Christiana Blakely, 
 daughter of William and Sarah Blakely, 
 of Knox county, Ohio, and five children 
 were born to this union, to wit: Jennie, 
 Charles, Raymond, Sarah Elizabeth and 
 Jessie Mabel, all at home except Charles, 
 who is deceased. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 503 
 
 After marriage Mr. Waddell sold the old 
 homestead and bought fifty acres of land 
 in Huron county, which lie paid for in fonr 
 or live years, and then resold and purchased 
 his present place in Hartland township, 
 comprising ninety-one and a quarter acres 
 of excellent farm land. In 18'J0 he built 
 a commodious barn, and otherwise greatly 
 imjiroved the property. Politically Mr. 
 "Waddell is a Republican, and in religious 
 faith he is a member of the United Breth- 
 ren Church. 
 
 V C. FEIEND, M. D., a deservedly 
 popular rising young physician and 
 druggist of Monroeville, is a native 
 of that town, born in 18G2. 
 
 He is a son of Charles Friend, 
 who was born in Baden, Germany, in 
 1827, a son of John Friend, of the same 
 place. Charles was a cooper by trade, 
 working at which as a journeyman, he 
 traveled over the greater part of Switzer- 
 land. When comparatively yet a young 
 man, he immigrated to the United States, 
 and to Ohio, making a new and permanent 
 home in Monroeville, Huron county, where 
 he carried on his trade several years, and 
 then einbarked in the grocery business, in 
 which he met with fair success. In 1858 
 he married Miss Paulina Stoeckley, also of 
 Baden, Germany, a daughter of John 
 Stoeckley, who came from Germany to 
 Monroeville, Ohio, some few years ago. 
 To this marriage seven children were 
 born, viz.: Henry, Alfred, Emma and 
 Catherine, all deceased in infancy; and 
 Mary L. (Mrs. Tyler), in Monroeville; Dr. 
 A. C.; and John B. The father died 
 April 2. 1889; the mother died July 19, 
 188S. They were worthy members of the 
 Catholic Church. 
 
 The subject of this biographical sketch 
 was educated in his native town, and after 
 leaving school entered the drug store of 
 D. Jay Kling as clerk. He then, about 
 1882, went to the Western Reserve Medi- 
 cal School, where he graduated in 1884. 
 
 He first commenced the practice of his 
 profession in Sandusky, but remained only 
 a short time, returning to Monroeville, 
 where in 1887 he bought a half interest in 
 a drug store, his brother John B. owning 
 the other half. Not long afterward our 
 subject bought out his brother's interest, 
 and has since had undivided control of the 
 business, an excellent one, the store bein": 
 replete with everything essential to a first- 
 class drug establishment, including the 
 careful compounding of prescriptions. 
 
 In 1888 Dr. Friend was married to 
 Miss Loretta E. Worley, daughter of An- 
 drew Worley, a retired merchant of New 
 Riegel, Seneca Co., Ohio, and three chil- 
 dren have come to brighten their fireside 
 • — Ralph W., Oliver J. and Sylvia Marie. 
 The Doctor has l>een for a considerable 
 time a prominent local Democrat of no 
 little influence, and has served in various 
 positions of trust, such as justice of the 
 peace, and town clerk, which latter incum- 
 bency he is now filling with marked 
 ability; has been president of the Demo- 
 cratic club of Norwalk, and chairnaan of 
 the central committee. He is president of 
 the National Building and Loan Associa- 
 
 o 
 
 tion of Monroeville, and in religious faith 
 is a prominent member of the Catholic 
 Church. In addition to his thriving drusr 
 business, he enjoys a lucrative and fast 
 increasing practice in his profession. 
 [Since the above was written we have iieen 
 informed of the death of Dr. Friend, 
 which occurred November 8, 1893. — Ed. 
 
 E. HERSHISER, M. D., whoenjoys 
 a wide reputation in Huron county 
 and vicinity as a successful physi- 
 cian and surgeon, is a native of 
 Ohio, born in the town of Shelby, 
 Richland county, in 1854. 
 
 He is a son of Solomon Hershiser, who 
 was born in Bradford, Penn., whence when a 
 small boy he came with his father to Ohio, 
 settling in Richland county, where he en- 
 gaged in farming all his life. His grand- 
 
504 
 
 nUEON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 father (great-graud father of our subject), 
 came to America before the Revolution, 
 in whicli struggle he served on the side 
 of the patriots. 
 
 A. E. Hershiser received a liberal com- 
 mon-school education, after which hegradu- 
 ated in a scientitic course, and then took 
 up the study of the classics. He read 
 medicine tirst under tlie preceptorship of 
 Dr. N. Huss, then of Shelby, Ohio, now 
 of Brooklyn, JSf. Y., and attended lectures 
 at Cleveland Medical College, two terms, 
 finally graduating at Mianii Medical Col- 
 lege, Cincinnati. The Doctor commenced 
 the practice of iiis profession at Collins, 
 Ohio, whence after about three years he 
 proceeded to Philadelphia, where for a 
 year he attended hospitals and leading 
 medical colleges, receiving his diploma 
 from Jefferson Medical College. In 1885 
 he came to Wakeman, and has since en- 
 joyed a wide and successful practice; he 
 has given diseases of the lungs and abdomen 
 special attention. Our subject was mar- 
 ried, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Miss JMettieS. 
 Purdj, and one child, Mary Beulah, has 
 been born to them. Dr. and Mrs. Her- 
 shiser are members of the Congregational 
 Chnrch; politically he a Prohibitionist, 
 socially a member of the North Central 
 Ohio Medical Association. 
 
 IfSAAC McKESSON. The well-known 
 family, of which this gentleman is a 
 _[ worthy member, originated in Scotland, 
 where one Jolin McKesson was born 
 and educated, graduating with high honors 
 frum both the literary and theological 
 departments of the University of Edin- 
 burgh. Immediately after graduation he 
 was ordained to the ministry of the Pres- 
 byterian Church, and passed his life as a 
 "watchman on the walls of Zion." 
 
 About 1760 he set sail for the United 
 States in company with some friends, first 
 locating at Windsor, York Co., Penn., 
 where in addition to his ministerial duties 
 
 he owned and operated a large distillery, 
 taking the produce to Baltimore and other 
 markets by means of four-and-six-horse 
 teams. His superior scholarship was of 
 practical use in land surveying, of which 
 there was much in those days, untangling 
 knotty problems, adjusting compasses, 
 levels and other mathematical instruments; 
 and also enabled him to act as interpreter 
 in the various courts. He was a stanch 
 patriot, rendering numerous and important 
 services to the young Republic. 
 
 He and his wife, Jane McKesson, who 
 was also a native of Scotland, had a family 
 of seven children. 
 
 Isaac McKesson, youngest child of John 
 and Jane McKesson, was born July 25, 
 1782, in Pennsylvania. He received a 
 good education, and began to study for the 
 ministry, but theology did not suit his 
 tastes, which were inclined to mechanical 
 pursuits. Accordingly, he abandoned his 
 theological studies, and served several 
 years as an apprentice to his brother James, 
 who was an expert millwright and equally 
 skilled in all branches of woodwork. After 
 serving his time, Isaac McKesson success- 
 fully followed his trade the greater part of 
 his life. On October 1, 1811, he was 
 united in marriage with Elizabeth, daugh- 
 of James and Jane (Reed) Caldwell, the 
 foiiner of whom was a prominent patriot 
 and colonel in the Continental army, 
 rendering valuable service to his country 
 dui'ing the Revolution. After their mar- 
 riage Mr. and Mrs. McKesson removed to 
 Lycoming county, Penn., where he took 
 up about 2,200 aci'es of land among the 
 hills on the west branch of the Susque- 
 hanna river. He then built a saw and 
 grist mill at Sinnamahoning, Cameron 
 county, near the mouth of Sinnamahoning 
 creek, also dealing extensively in lumber, 
 which he shipped down the river to Balti- 
 more and other important points. After 
 the war of 1812 he s\istained heavy tinau- 
 cial losses, through the depreciation of 
 currency throughout the country. In 1827 
 lie moved to northern Ohio, first locating 
 
HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 505 
 
 in Venice, Erie county, tlien moving to 
 Huron county, where lie repaired the saw 
 and grif-t mills owned by E. Jessips, an ox- 
 tensive land owner, of whom Mr. Mc- 
 Kesson purchased a farm in Margaretta 
 township, Erie Co., Ohio. Mr. and Mi's. 
 McKesson reared a family of eiglit chil- 
 dren. They were members of the M. E. 
 Church, in which he held numerous offi- 
 cial positions. He died March 25, 1854, 
 at the home of his son Isaac. 
 
 Isaac McKesson, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, was born January 12, 1821, 
 in Lycoming county, Penn., and when 
 seven years of age came with his parents 
 to Ohio. After receiving a subscriptiou- 
 school education he taught for a while, at 
 the same time assisting his father with the 
 carpenter and mill-wright business. He 
 then opened a lumber and sawmill estab- 
 lishment at Enterprize, Huron county, 
 and after conducting this one year, re- 
 sumed farming on his father's place, later 
 moving to near Sandusky. During the 
 winter season he dealt in lumber for about 
 three years, then bought a farm in York 
 township, Sandusky Co., Ohio, and (bl- 
 lowed agricultural pursuits, also acting 
 as agent for various kinds of agricultural 
 implements. In 1851 Mr. McKesson 
 moved to a place knowm as the " Seven- 
 Mile House," in Erie county, Ohio, which 
 he purchased, and there continued farm- 
 ing, in addition to the agency business, 
 until the autumn of 1869. He then sold 
 a part of this farm, and moved to Towns- 
 end township, Huron county, where, 
 about three years previously, he had pur- 
 chased several hundred acres of land and 
 the bendintr works situated at CJolliiis. He 
 continued to improve the works, which 
 had been opened in 1852, being the 
 first establishment of the kind in that part 
 of Ohio, and in 18T1 sold the business to 
 his son, L. V., and established a sash and 
 blind and pump and tubing factory at 
 Collins. The famous " Collins force pump" 
 was first made at the factory just men- 
 tioned, which Mr. McKesson afterward 
 
 sold and then conducted the first " Genesee 
 separator" used in this country. He now 
 owns a large tract of land in Eaton county, 
 Mich., and for several years has conducted 
 a largo sawmill and turning factory about 
 two miles below Eaton Rapids; he has 
 also been part owner of an edge-too fac- 
 tory at the same place. He is now retired 
 from active business, but still owns several 
 hundredacresof land in Ohio, Virginia, Mis- 
 souri and Michigan, besides town and vil- 
 lage property in various places. During 
 the Civil war he was elected lieutenant- 
 colonel of the Erie county militia, and since 
 then has tilled numerous civil and military 
 positions. He served eight successive 
 terms as trustee of Groton township, Erie 
 county, being elected by the Eepublicau 
 party in a township usually having a 
 Democratic majority. He was originally a 
 local leader of the Whigs, afterward assist- 
 ing to organize the Eepublican party, in 
 which he has been a prominent worker. 
 At one time he was an earnest advocate of 
 the " Greenback " theory, but never re- 
 nounced fealty to tiie Republicans, and is 
 now deeply interested in the National Rank 
 systeui. He has served as township treasurer 
 and justice of the peace, and for two years 
 was commissioner of Erie county. Mr. 
 McKesson has also been appointed ad- 
 ministrator of various estates and guardian 
 for minor children. He has been a trustee 
 of the Childrens' Home Association of 
 Huron county since that institution was 
 organized, and for several years has been a 
 director of the Agricultural Society of Erie 
 and Huron counties, having assisted with 
 the location and purcliase of the grounds 
 for the Erie County Agricultural Associa- 
 tion. He lias ever been a leading spirit in 
 all public enterprises, and was the prime 
 mover in the erection of the new depot at 
 ('oUins. He also assisted in locating, 
 grading and adorning the beautiful little 
 park at that place, in securing tiie elegant 
 music hall, the improvement of several 
 streets, and has been interested in various 
 public enterprises. 
 
506 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 On October 28, 1841, Mr. McKesson 
 was united in marriage with Lorada Jane 
 Hunt, who was a native of Bridgewater, 
 N. H., born August 8, 1817, and was edu- 
 cated at the Norwalk Seminary, being a 
 pupil of the late Bishop Thomson. She 
 was a daughter of John and Nancy (Lord) 
 Hunt, both of whom were natives of New 
 Hampshire, of English descent. She died 
 September 29, 1878, a lifelong member of 
 the M. E. Church, leaving two children: 
 Lester Y. and Nancy E., wife of George 
 D. Lyles. In March, 1880, Isaac Mc- 
 Kesson married, for his second wife, Mrs. 
 Harriet S. (Reed) Emerson, who was born 
 July 19, 1818, in Connecticut. She died 
 July 1, 1886, at the home of her daugh- 
 ter, Mrs. J. D. Waggoner, a member of 
 the M. E. Church, and on November 1, 
 1887, Mr. McKesson was married to his 
 present wife, Mrs. Rebecca Jane (Ball let) 
 van Buskirk, who was born May 18, 
 1840, in Mansfield, Ohio, a daughter of 
 Henry and Catherine (Montz) Balliet, na- 
 tives of Pennsylvania, whither their an- 
 cestors had emigrated from Alsace-Lo- 
 raine (then in France, now in Germany). 
 Our subject, in religious faith, is a mem- 
 ber of the M. E. Church, which he has 
 served in various capacities, while Mrs. 
 McKesson is identified with the Presby- 
 terian denomination. 
 
 Joseph t. lazell, a successful 
 
 k. I farmer of Fitchville township, is a 
 ^j) native of New York State, born at 
 Moravia, Cayuga county, February 
 15, 1837. 
 
 Calvin Lazell (great-grandfather of sub- 
 ject) and his brother emigrated from 
 France to America about the close of the 
 eighteenth century, the first named locat- 
 ing in Cayuga county, N. Y., the latter in 
 Pennsylvania. This Calvin was the father 
 of fourteen children, of whom Daniel 
 was one. 
 
 Daniel Lazell married, and had si.x chil- 
 dren, Jared, the third in order of birth, be- 
 ing the father of our subject. Jared La- 
 zell was born in 1812, in Cayuga county, 
 N. Y., was reared there in the manner 
 common to the boys of his time, and while 
 still a youth was apprenticed to a shoe- 
 maker. AVhen a young man he married 
 Hannah Turner, a native of Cayuga 
 county, and they soon after migrated to 
 Huron county, Ohio, locating in Hartland 
 township, where they lived at the home 
 of Spencer Phillips. Here he followed 
 his trade for a short time, and then re- 
 turned to Cayuga county, where Mrs. La- 
 zell died in July, 1841. Mr. Lazell mar- 
 ried, for his second wife, Mary Sawyer, 
 and then, again determined to try Ohio, 
 he came to Berlin, Erie county, where he 
 worked at his trade one year, going from 
 house to house, as was then the custom. 
 The family then returned to Cayuga 
 county, N. Y., where Mr. Lazell followed 
 the trade for six or seven years, and then 
 moved to Olena, Huron Co., Ohio. Later 
 he established himself at Bairdstown, 
 Wood Co., Ohio, where he is yet engaged 
 at his trade, though now over eighty-two 
 years of age. His wife also resides there, 
 and both enjoy remarkable health for per- 
 sons of their age. There were three 
 childien born to Jared'and Hannah Lazell, 
 namely: Joseph T., the subject of this 
 sketch; Emeline, widow of Judson Smith, 
 of Cleveland; and an itifant who died un- 
 named. To his second marriage, with 
 Mary Sawyer, two children were born: 
 Franklin, of Bairdstown, Ohio, and Caro- 
 line, widow of Byron Fullson, of Garretts- 
 ville, Trumbull Co., Ohio. 
 
 Joseph T. Lazell received an elementary 
 education in the public schools, and when 
 thirteen years old was apprenticed to AVal- 
 ter Sabin, a shoemaker in Cayuga county, 
 N. Y. Having previously acquired a 
 knowledge of the trade with his father, he 
 learned quickly, and soon received sev- 
 enty-five dollars per annum for his 
 labor, working with Sabin nine months. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 507 
 
 Later he received two hundred and fifty 
 dollars a3'ear, and subsetj^uently worked at 
 Montville, X. Y., until he began life as a 
 joiirneytnan. Owing to his youthful ap- 
 pearance he was known as " The Boy Shoe- 
 maker," a sobriquet crenerally conferred iti 
 the kindest sense, for the people knew that 
 he was as capable of doing tine work as 
 the most experienced tradesman. He 
 worked as journeyman from Moravia to 
 Buffalo, and at the age of nineteen years 
 located at Olena, Huron Co., Ohio, where 
 he began work for T. G. King, afterward 
 working for Benjamin Green, and he sub- 
 sequently became a partner with his father. 
 On February 16, 1<S58, Mr. Lazell mar- 
 ried Mary A. Burris, who was born at 
 Olena, daushter of William H. Burris, 
 who came from Cayuga county, N. Y., 
 and settled in Hartland township, Huron 
 Co., Ohio. To this marriage were born 
 the following named children: Blanche 
 H., Mrs. A. H. Luxon, of Chicago, Ohio; 
 Euth A., Mrs. J. E. Smith, of Fitchville; 
 Nellie, Mrs. Eugene Lee, of Hartland 
 township; Emma, Louise, and Jessie, all 
 residing at home. After his marriage he 
 built a home at Olena, and worked at his 
 trade there until 1866, when he purchased 
 the Al)ijah Palmer farm in Fitchville town- 
 ship. To this tract he has added seventy 
 acres, and improved the whole area. A 
 Republican in politics, he has tilled vari- 
 ous township otKces; but his farm receives 
 the greater part of his attention. 
 
 GHARLES S. CLARK. This gentle- 
 man, who is one of the most enter- 
 ^^ ' prising and thoroughly successful 
 young men of Wakeman, is a son of 
 D. Stiles Clark, who was born in Milford, 
 New Haven Co., Conn., in 182S. The lat- 
 ter received a liberal common-school edu- 
 cation, and in early youth commenced to 
 learn the trade of boot and shoe maker, 
 which he followed for fully twenty-five 
 yeirs. 
 
 88 
 
 In 1856 D. Stiles Clark came west to 
 Ohio, and located in Wakeman township, 
 Huron county, where he continued his 
 trade, and invested in real estate in and 
 near the present site of Wakeman village, 
 which was then but a mere " cross road." 
 Some of his property was divided into town 
 lots, the remainder he cultivated and 
 farmed. In Connecticut he had married 
 Miss Esther A. Boyd, and five children 
 were born to them, as follows: Ella, Wal- 
 ter and RoUie (deceased); Harriet, now the 
 wife of Prof. Andrews, of Oberlin College; 
 and Charles, subject of sketch. The father 
 died in February, 1887, a thorough Chris- 
 tian, and a member of the Congregational 
 Church of Wakeman. In his political 
 sympathies he was a Republican until a 
 few years before his demise, when he be- 
 came a Prohibitionist. In the course of 
 his busy life he had accumulated wealth, 
 but in later years he naet with I'everses and 
 lost heavily. In the cemetery of Wake- 
 man stands a beautiful monument, erected 
 by tlie family to the memory of a devoted 
 husband, a kind and loving father, an hon- 
 ored and trusted neighbor and citizen. His 
 noble wife, who through sunshine and 
 storm was ever his helpmate and comfor- 
 ter, survives him, and is now at the age of 
 sixty- four years residing with her son, of 
 whom she is justly proud. 
 
 Charles S. Clark, whose name opens this 
 sketch, was born March 21, 1860, in 
 Wakeman, Huron county, where his boy- 
 hood was passed, during the winter months 
 attending the village school, the remainder 
 of the year working on his father's farm. 
 Oti reaching his majority he decided on 
 his future sphere of life, and renting from 
 his father an acre of ground, bought five 
 dollars worth of corn-seed, that sum being 
 his entire capital. This seed lie sowed on 
 the land he had rented, and the crop there- 
 of he sold for seed purposes; then the fol- 
 lowing year he rented more land, and this 
 time planted sweet corn, on each occasion 
 carefully cultivating and harvesting his 
 crops. From this small beginning Mr. 
 
508 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Clark has gradually risen until to-day he 
 is the most extensive seed-corn grower in 
 America. He handles more than eighty 
 diti'erent varieties of corn — including iield, 
 pop and sweet — and his businese has 
 grown to such proportions that he now has 
 seven branch othces and w-arehouses in 
 various parts of the United States. He is 
 the originator of the varieties of corn 
 known as "Clark's Mastodon Field Corn " 
 and " None-such Sweet Corn," which, 
 though placed on the market a lew years 
 ago, are known and grown by corn raisers 
 all over the world. During the past tew 
 years he has invested many thousands of 
 dollars in buildings, etc., while his daily 
 freight bills reach far into the hundreds, 
 which in themselves testify to the magni- 
 tude of his trade. In connection with his 
 business interests, Mr. Clark has traveled 
 extensively, and is well known in every 
 part of the land. 
 
 On June 12, 1888. our subject was 
 united in marriage with Miss Sadie T. 
 Smith, daughter of Stiles Smith, of Mil- 
 ford, Conn., and two children have come to 
 brighten their home, viz.: Hazel, born 
 February 20, 1892, and another daughter, 
 born February 17, 1894:. In his political 
 predilections Mr. Clark may be said to be 
 a " No Party " man, casting his vote for 
 the candidate — Presidential or otherwise 
 — he considers best qualified for the posi- 
 tion, and the best man for the people at 
 large. His wife and mother are members 
 of the Congregational Church. 
 
 E'DWIN" DENNIS TODD, one of 
 the many well-to-do farmer citizens 
 I of Wakeman township, is a native 
 
 of same, born on the old homestead 
 farm December 20, 1841. 
 
 George Todd, fatlier of Edwin D., was 
 born in North Haven, Conn., in 1807, and 
 was there educated, and reared to agricul- 
 tural pursuits. In 1836 became to Ohio, 
 settling on land now owned by our sub- 
 
 ject, in Wakeman township, Huron county, 
 at that time a vista of almost unbroken 
 forest and deep-tangled undergrowth. He 
 married Miss Betsy Pierpoint, also of 
 Connecticut birth, and four children, as 
 follows, came to their union: Edgar M., 
 living in Wakeman, Huron county; Ellen 
 G., wife of Rev. Edwin Irwin, of Middle- 
 toW'U, Ohio; Edwin Dennis, subject of 
 sketch, and one deceased. The father of 
 this family died in April, 1853, owner at 
 that time of 206 acres of land which he 
 accumulated by industry and good man- 
 agement. Socially he was a good citizen, 
 honest and upright; politically he was a 
 stanch Democrat, loyal to his party and 
 active in all its campaigns. His widow, 
 now in her eighty-first year, is living with 
 her son Edgar M. in Wakeman; she is a 
 devout Christian, and enjoys the respect 
 and esteem of the entire community. 
 
 Edwin Dennis Todd received a limited 
 elementary education at the common 
 schools of the home district, which was 
 supplemented with a two-terms course in 
 the schools of Milan. He remained on 
 his father's farm until twenty-six years of 
 age, at which time he commenced working 
 for his own account, and he is now the 
 owner of ninety-six acres of prime land in 
 Wakeman township, on which, in 1891, he 
 built a coujmodious dwelling. On No- 
 vember 25, l.sOy, Mr. Todd w-as united in 
 marriage with Miss Anna Bates, daughter 
 of Hiram Bates, of Wakeman, and natives 
 of New York State. They have no chil- 
 di'en. Our subject is a Prohibitionist, and 
 is regarded as a good representative citizen. 
 He has been a member of the Congrega- 
 tional Church several years. 
 
 dAMES PARK, one of the prominent 
 farmei-s of Huron county, was born 
 April 20, 1832, in County Donegal, 
 Ireland, within eighteen miles of 
 Londonderry. 
 
 His father, Joseph Park, son of Joseph 
 Park, a farmer of County Donegal, Ire- 
 
HUROlf COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 509 
 
 land, was born in 1802 on the farm of liis 
 father and there reared to manhood. lu 
 early manhood he tnarried Sarah McAdoo, 
 who was born in 1805 in County Donegal, 
 Ireland, and to this marriage six children 
 were born in Ireland, namely: Joseph and 
 Robert, both farmers of Bronson town- 
 ship, Huron Co., Ohio; James, the subject 
 of this sketch; William H., a farmer, who 
 served in the Third Iowa Cavalry, and was 
 for seven years U. S. guager at Cincinnati 
 (he died in 188B); Alexander, a farmer of 
 Bronson township, and Matthew, who 
 served in the One Hundred and First 
 O. V. I., and after the war was clerk for an 
 iron company in Missouri, where he was 
 taken ill (he returned home and died in 
 Eronson township January 20, 1S74). The 
 father of this family was the owner of two 
 good farms near Londonderry and the em- 
 ployer of many farm hands until 1847, 
 when he sougiit a home in the United 
 States, where a wide field was open for 
 hiinsp.lf and his children. In 1847 Joseph, 
 his wife and the six sons proceeded to Liv- 
 erpool, England, and embarking on the 
 ship " Royalist," sailed for the United 
 States. The voyage was a stormy one 
 from the start, so much so that the old ex- 
 perienced Scotch captain of the vessel rec- 
 ommended his passengers to prepare for 
 death. The olil captain, fortunately, was 
 out in his reckonings, the storm abated, 
 and the good ship anchored in the shadows 
 of Quebec's heights twenty-eight days 
 after leaving Liverpool. 
 
 The Parks proceeded westward I^y river 
 and lake boats until they reached the port 
 of Huron, Ohio. They proceeded by 
 wajron from that villao-e to William Mc- 
 Pherson's house in Bronson township, 
 Huron county, and there rested for a few 
 weeks. Later the family went to Ashland 
 county, Ohio, and remained among friends 
 from Donegal for a few months. In the 
 fall of 1847 the father retui-ned to Bron- 
 son township, purchased seventy-five acres 
 of laud at ten dollars and fifty cents per 
 acre, and there resided until his death, 
 
 November 6, 1860; he was followed to 
 the grave by his wife January 1, 1861, 
 and the remains of both lie in Olena ceme- 
 tery. The land which he puj'ciiased was 
 all wild with the exception of three acres, 
 and in clearing it the father and sons ex- 
 pended much labor; for the work was new 
 to them and their financial condition, low- 
 ered by the extraordinary expenses of tlie 
 journey to Huron county, Ohio, caused 
 them to exercise the closest economy 
 while making their home in the wilder- 
 ness. The fact is that he had to buy his 
 first farm on credit, but through the per- 
 sistent industry of himself and sons he 
 prospered, and before his death had made 
 a comfortable home. 
 
 James Park received an elementary edu- 
 cation in the schools of his district in 
 Douecral, Ireland, and as soon as he was 
 old enough assisted in the farm work and 
 cattle herding. <^ In 1847 he accompanied 
 the family to America, and gave his best 
 labors here until their first home in the 
 Xew World was made and clear of debt. 
 He next entered the employ of Isaac Sel- 
 over, in Bronson township, the cotisider- 
 ation being one hundred and sixty-two 
 dollars for the year ending in October, 
 
 1855. The next three months our subject 
 worked at carpentry, and on January 20, 
 
 1856, embarked at New York on board a 
 vessel bound for Aspinwall, and after 
 crossing the Isthmus of Panama took pas- 
 sage in the "John L. Stevens" for San 
 Francisco. During the two years he passed 
 iti California he was engaged in various 
 pursuits, such as mining, packing mer- 
 chandise between Humboldt Bay and Sal- 
 mon river, and butchering. On July 4, 
 1858, he re-embarked on the "John L. 
 Stevens " for the Isthmus, crossed to As- 
 pinwall, and thence sailed to New York 
 on the " Moses Taylor." He paid another 
 visit to California, and also revisited his 
 native land — Ireland. 
 
 In April, 1859. Mr. Park was married 
 to Catherine Ernsberger, who bore him 
 two children, William H. and Emma, both 
 
510 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 of whom died in youth. The mother of 
 these cliildren dying in February, 1803, 
 Mr. Park married Martha Ernsberger, sis- 
 ter of his first wife, and to tliis \inion were 
 born three children: Jennie, Mrs. Charles 
 F. Brown, of Hartland township; Emmett, 
 who resides at home, and Lizzie, Mrs. A. 
 D. M. Pratt, of Norwalk. After the death 
 of Mrs. Martha Park, he married, for his 
 third wife, Mary A. McPherson, and she 
 became the mother of four children, 
 namely: Louise E. (a student in Oberlin 
 College), Clara B., Edna M. and Alice F., 
 residin": at lionie. On the death of bis 
 tirst wife Mr. Park took up his residence 
 with bis father-in-law, Mr. Ernsberger, on 
 the farm which he now owns, later pur- 
 ciiasing this place and adding to it gradu- 
 ally, until bis estate now comprises over 200 
 acres of the best land in the township. In 
 1884 he selected a natural elevation on his 
 farm for a residence, and thereon built the 
 finest dwelling house in the township. Mr. 
 Park's success rests on labor. He is an 
 indefatigable worker and a most system- 
 atic agriculturist. Endowed with the vim 
 and energy characteristic of the sons of 
 Erin, he carved out for himself a fortune 
 and gave to the fairest portion of Ohio one 
 of its best improved farms. Politically a 
 llepublican, he lias always been loyal to 
 the party, and is one of its most trusted 
 members in Huron county. He has served 
 his township in various official positions, 
 as director of the County Infirmary for 
 nine years, and township trustee for thir- 
 teen years. During the Civil war he 
 helped in raising nineteen thousand dollars 
 to clear the township of demands arising 
 from the draft. He has taken a prominent 
 part in the organization of agricultural so- 
 cieties, and has held various positions in 
 agricultural fair associations throughout 
 the county. A man of e.xcellent judgment, 
 his opinion is sought on questions affect- 
 ing township and county; while, in pri- 
 vate affairs, his reputation for honesty and 
 sincerity causes him to be selected as 
 guardian and e.xecutor. In religious con- 
 
 nection he and his wife are members of 
 Olena PresbA'terian Church, in which he 
 lias been elder for over twenty-five years, 
 superintendent of Sabbath-school for over 
 twenty-seven years, and is from every 
 point of view a pillar in the Society. 
 
 S. ANDREWS, son of Samuel 
 and Eunice (Taylor) Andrews, 
 was born in 1843, in Fairfield 
 township, Huron county Ohio. 
 Samuel Andrews was born in Cayuga 
 county, N. Y., and resided there until his 
 marriage with Eunice Taylor. The young 
 couple then removed to Huron county, 
 Ohio, and settled in Fairfield township, 
 where Mrs. Andrews died in her seventy- 
 sixth year. Samuel Andrews, now over 
 eighty years old, resides with his son, W. 
 S., at Greenwich. They had two sons. 
 
 W. S. Andrews was educated in the 
 district schools, and subsequently took a 
 commercial course in Oberlin College. 
 Ileturning home, he worked on the home 
 place until he was twenty-six years old, 
 when he established himself as a dealer in 
 horses, making a specialty of fine coach 
 and carriage horses for the New Yorlc and 
 Boston markets. He located at Greenwich 
 in 1882, when he established a livery in 
 connection with his stables. In 1884 he 
 sold liis livery interests, in order to give 
 exclusive attention to his growing business 
 in fine horses. Animals worth from two 
 hundred and fifty dollars to eight hundred 
 dollars are always ready in his stables for 
 shipment, and his representation of a horse 
 is accepted, for there is no better judge of 
 horses in the county than he is. The fact 
 that he has a horse in his stable is a certain 
 guarantee that the animal possesses all the 
 points necessary in a coach or carriage 
 horse. He is recognized as a thoroughly 
 reliable, honest business man, and he gen- 
 erally receives his own price for his stock. 
 
UURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 511 
 
 Mr. Andrews was united in marriage, in 
 Fairtield, witli Miss Flora Wright. In 
 politics he is a Hepublican. As a citizen 
 he has done much to encourage tiie breed- 
 ing of line stock, and has exerted a bene- 
 ficial influence on the horse markets of 
 eastern cities. 
 
 [[ATHANIBL W. O'DELL, a protn- 
 inent citizen of Fitchville township, 
 was born February 8, 1842, in Hart- 
 land township, Huron Co., Ohio. 
 His great-grandfather, James 
 O'Dell, was one of three bi'others who came 
 from Ireland to the young Republic in the 
 latter part of the eighteenth century. 
 James settled in Connecticut; another 
 brother located in Virginia, and one became 
 a sailor, all trace of the latter being lost. 
 Nathaniel O'Dell, son of James O'Dell, 
 was born November 6, 1799, in Warren 
 county, N. Y., where he grew to manhood, 
 and learned the trades of mason and plas- 
 terer. In 1819 he was united in mar- 
 riage to Sally Lane, who was born in the 
 same county October 20, 1799, and there 
 the following named children were born to 
 them: Daniel, born July 4, 1819; Ansel, 
 born April 19, 1821, came to Ohio with his 
 parents, but about 1855 migrated to Mich- 
 igan, settling in Ingham county, where he 
 carried on farming until his retirement 
 from active life (he now lives at Aurelius, 
 Mich.); Lewis L., born August 31, 1823, 
 died January 29, 1825; Amy, born Sep- 
 tember 30, 1825, wife of William Hop- 
 kins, of Aurelius, Ingham Co., Mich.; 
 Lewis L. (2), born September 20, 1827, 
 who was a farmer of Ingham county, 
 Mich., died in Lucas county, Ohio; and 
 Maria, born August 24, 1829, who married 
 Ezra Stratton, and now resides at Swanton, 
 Ohio. The family of Nathaniel O'Dell 
 removed to Ohio about the beginning of 
 the year 1838, the father having visited 
 Huron county three years prior to their 
 
 migration. The journey of the family, 
 however, was not completed without disap- 
 pointments. The lake was so rough that 
 they were prevented from landingat Huron, 
 and the teams sent down from Huron 
 county to meet them and convey them to 
 their new home returned. When the storm 
 suiisided, a landimr was made, and Mr. 
 O'Dell walked to Olena to procnre other 
 teams. His trip was successful, and re- 
 turning to Huron he brought the family to 
 Hosea Townseud's farm in New London 
 township. His capital at this time was 
 twelve dollars, and the members of the 
 family that were old enough had to enter 
 at once on work, to earn sustenance. In 
 this county the following named children 
 were born: William, born February 14, 
 1833, who died February 6, 1840, and was 
 buried on the farm ; Emeline, born Sep- 
 tember 4, 1836, wife of Frank Miller, of 
 Swanton, Ohio; and Charlotte, born Sep- 
 tember 20, 1844, married to Silas Munsil, 
 of Swanton, Ohio, where she now resides. 
 For six months after their arrival the fam- 
 ily remained in New London township, 
 and then moved to the site of the present 
 town of Olena, then known as " Angel's 
 Corners," where the father purchased some 
 land. There he resided until about 1850, 
 and then located on a farm some distance 
 south of Olena, on which he made his 
 home until his death, September 19, 1879. 
 He was taken ill while visiting in Lucas 
 county, Ohio, which illness led to his death. 
 His wife died in 1878, and both lie in the 
 cemetery at Olena, where monuments, 
 erected by their children, mark their graves. 
 Politically he was a Democrat until the 
 time of the Civil war, when he joined the 
 Republicans. Owing to the scarcity of 
 work for him as a tradesman, he devoted 
 his attention to agriculture, and even as 
 an old man he could contest for the honors 
 of work with the ablest hands on the farm. 
 As a wrestler, he was never thrown by any 
 one. His wife, known as " Aunt Sally," 
 was a strong, healthy woman, and endured 
 with the family all the trials of pioneer life. 
 
512 
 
 HUROyr COUXTY, OHIO. 
 
 Daniel O'Dell was born in 1819, at 
 Queensbnry, Warren county, N. Y.,came to 
 Ohio witli his parents in 1833, and took a 
 full share in supporting the family. Be- 
 fore leaving Warren county, N. Y., he at- 
 tended scliool, and even in Ohio he realized 
 the value of an elementary education, for, 
 while working here for A. G. Post, he 
 found time to attend the winter school of 
 the district. When a young man he at- 
 tended the masons in the erection of the 
 first brick buildincr at Norwalk, and he also 
 cut the first four-foot lire-wood hauled to 
 Norwalk, the consideration being two shil- 
 lings per cord. He was united in marriage 
 February 11, 1841, with Miss Almira 
 Wooley, who was born April 28, 1824, in 
 Genesee county, N. Y., and came to Ohio 
 when a cliild ten years of age. To her 
 marriage with Mr. O'Dell the following 
 named children were born: Nathaniel W., 
 the subject of this biographical memoir; 
 Henry C., born May 18, 1844, a resident 
 of Olena; Charles J., a farmer of Fitch- 
 ville township; Wesley D., a resident of 
 Olena; and Sarah J., born October 15, 
 1861, deceased July 3, 1862. In 1841 
 Daniel O'Dell and his wife settled on a 
 farm of forty acres in Hartland township, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, thence in 1860 removing 
 to Townsend township, where he had pur- 
 chased land. In 1871 he returned to 
 Hartland township, eight years later taking 
 up his residence in Greenwich township, 
 and remaining there until 1881, when he 
 located at Fitcliville. Here he resided un- 
 til his death, March 16, 1891; the death 
 of his wife, the preceding day, affected 
 him so powerfully as to cause his own 
 death within twenty-four hours, and the 
 pioneers were buried side by side in Olena 
 cemetery. Mr. O'Dell was an enthusiastic 
 Democrat, and in Church connection affili- 
 ated with the Society of Friends. His wife 
 joined the Methodist Church in early 
 years, but seventeen years prior to her 
 death united with the Society of Friends 
 at Greenwich. Both were excellent peo- 
 ple, as parents and citizens, and possessed 
 
 broad sympathy for the unfortunate. At 
 their golden wedding, held February 11, 
 1891, the large number of relatives and 
 friends demonstrated clearly the esteem in 
 which the old people were held. 
 
 Nathaniel W. O'Dell passed his youth 
 after the fashion of farmers' boys of the 
 period, working on the farm and attending 
 winter school, his first teacher being Miss 
 Emma A. Pierce. From the age of eigh- 
 teen to that of twenty-one years iiis health 
 was poor, but recovering somewiiat he 
 went to Cleveland, where he obtained the 
 position of traveling salesman in Noyeson 
 Bros.' dry-goods and notions house. The 
 salary of twenty dollars per month was 
 soon increased to forty-five dollars, and he 
 remained in the service of that tirm until 
 the close of June, 1869. On Julj 1, 
 1869, he was united in marriage with 
 Mrs. Dania (Templar) Deneen (widow of 
 William Deneen), who was born January 
 
 22, 1850, in Hartland township. Her 
 father, Jonathan Templar, was born 
 March 20, 1813, in Schenectady county, 
 N. Y., came westward to Ohio in 1848, 
 and subsequently went to Mason, Micii., 
 where he died October 10, 1866. To Mr. 
 and Mrs. O'Dell came the following 
 named children: Frank, a farmer of Fitch- 
 ville township; Fred L., born August 1, 
 1871, also a farmer of Fitch ville; Annie 
 S., born November 14, 1875, Mrs. John 
 Kennedy, of Olena; Nicholas T., born 
 March 19, 1877; Colonel E., born April 
 
 23, 1882, and Delia, born November 4, 
 1886, all residing at home. After mar- 
 riage Mr. O'Dell and his wife located in 
 Greenwich township, where he was en- 
 gaged for one year in buying and furnish- 
 ing wood for the C. C. C. & I. Railroad 
 Co. He had fifty-three acres of land in 
 Townsend township, the property of his 
 maternal grandfather, and selling this 
 tract, together with one of thirty acres in 
 Greenwich township, he removed to Olm- 
 sted Falls, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, where he 
 became interested in farming and stone 
 quarrying. After a year he returned to 
 
/vr^ 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 513 
 
 Greenwich townsliip, and, in partnersliip 
 with his fatlier, purchased a farm and car- 
 ried it on for over six years. Then lie 
 removed to ITartland township, to take 
 possession of Grandfatlier O'Dell's farm, 
 M'hich lie purchased, and on whicli he re- 
 mained for five years, a part of tlie time 
 conducting a general store at Olena, in 
 connection with his farming operations. 
 In 1883 he purchased the Hezekiah .Tohn- 
 son farm in Fitchville township, and he 
 now owns 178 acres, all improved, which 
 he manages systematically. In connection 
 with his agricultural pursuits on tliis heau- 
 tiful farm, he does a large business in agri- 
 cultural implements, a trade which he has 
 built up during the last twelve or thirteen 
 years. Politically Mr. O'Dell is a Demo- 
 crat; religiously, a Presbyterian. 
 
 JOHN S. DAVIS was born March 28, 
 180t;, in iialtimore county, Md. His 
 parents were Jesse and Mary Ann 
 (^Sowers) Davis. Ilis mother died 
 while he was still an infant, and he was 
 brought up by his maternal grandparents, 
 John and Mary Ann Sowers. After his 
 mother's death his father was twice mar- 
 ried — firf.t to a Miss Hunt, by whom he 
 had two children, Mary and Jackson — and 
 again to a Miss Sewell, who bore him one 
 child, Ann Eliza. Not long after his 
 mother's death, his father removed to the 
 State of Pennsylvania, where (in the vil- 
 lage of Shrewsbury, York county) he died 
 about the year 1833. 
 
 In 1811, when he was but five years old, 
 Mr. Davis came, with his grand])arents 
 above named, to Fairfield, Lancaster Co., 
 Ohio. Not long after, they settled in 
 Ilidgefiekl township, on what is now known 
 as the Cone farm — a [)art of which is in- 
 cluded in the corporation of Monroeviile. 
 Here his grandfather died July 23, 1820, 
 aged sixty-three, and his grandmother 
 twenty-eight years after, May 21, 1848, 
 
 aged ninety-three. These grandjiarents 
 had four sons, John, Moses, Daniel and 
 James, with the older of whom Mr. Davis 
 lived till after iiis majority. It is well 
 woi'thy of record, as a remarkable physio- 
 logical fact, that James, the youngest of 
 these four uncles (who is still living in 
 Whitley county, Ind.), was born when his 
 mother was fifty-three years old, his next 
 older brother, Daniel, being then in his 
 fourteenth year. 
 
 Mr. Davis lived in this township till 
 1835, when he removed to Lexington, 
 Richland county. Three years later he 
 moved again to Galion, Crawford county, 
 where he lived twenty-eight years — re- 
 turning to Monroeviile in 1866. 
 
 While living at Galion, on the 17th of 
 May, 184:3, he married Catharine Nave, 
 who was born in Path Valley, Franklin 
 Co., Penn. They had four children, of 
 whom two daughters are still livino-. The 
 elder of these daughters, Amanda J., born 
 February 17, 1844, married Capt. A. S. 
 Skilton in Galion, December 20, 1865. 
 They had two children, John Davis Skil- 
 ton and Elizabeth Roby. ^Ir. Davis' young- 
 est daughter, Mary Elizabeth, was born 
 January 15, 1869. 
 
 Mr. Davis followed the honorable pro- 
 fession of farmer, on a small place in 
 Ridgetield township, till he was thirty 
 years old, when he went into the dry-goods 
 business with Mr. Bloomer as partner. 
 About the year 1850 he embarked in the 
 business of banking, first in the Exchange 
 Bank of (xalion, maiiageil under the firm 
 name of Atwood, Davis vk: Bloomer; after- 
 ward in the First National Bank at the 
 same place. He was also interested in the 
 Farmers' National Bank of Mansfield, the 
 National Bank of Plymouth, and (more 
 especially) the Exchange Bank of ^lonroe- 
 viile, of which the managing firm was 
 Davis, Crim it Stentz. Mr. Davis was 
 also president of the First National Bank, 
 Monroeviile, acting in that capacity up to 
 the time of his death. In all his business 
 enterprises Mr. Davis was singularly sac- 
 
514 
 
 HURON- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 cessful, and if he did not " make money " 
 quite as fast as Midas, lie was more for- 
 tunate tlian that fatally avaricious king, in 
 that lie was permitted to choose what 
 shonld, and what should not, turn to gold 
 under his touch. 
 
 On the 28th of March, 1876, a very 
 numerous company of his relatives, friends 
 and neighhors assembled at his spacious 
 mansion to celebrate his seventieth birth- 
 day. The affair was managed by his good 
 wife, tocrether with his daughter and son- 
 in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Skilton, as a "sur- 
 prise," and most complete was their suc- 
 cess, Mr. Davis having not the least sus- 
 iiicion of what was Doing on, till the 
 guests began to arrive. But his surprise 
 reached its culmination when, after the 
 company had all assembled, an elegant 
 gold-headed cane, and a beautiful, life- 
 sized crayon portrait of Mrs. Davis (a 
 present from the above-mentioned parties), 
 were produced and ju'esented to him in an 
 appropriate address. Touched to the heart 
 by these manifestations of kindly regard, 
 it would have been strange, indeed, if he 
 had found any other than the simplest 
 words of thanks, in which to express his 
 grateful emotions. The Huron County 
 Teachers' Institute, being then in session 
 at Monroeville, were present in a body, 
 and with them the distinguished gram- 
 marian. Professor Harvey, of Painesville. 
 
 In the fall of the same year he enjoyed 
 the distinguished, but unsought, honor of 
 being chosen elector of president and vice- 
 president of the United States; and after- 
 ward, in the college of electors, of casting 
 his vote for Rutherford B. Hayes and 
 William A. Wheeler, as president and 
 vice-president of the nation. 
 
 Mr. Davis enjoyed perfect health up to 
 his last illness, which resulted in death, 
 July 1, 1888, being over eighty-two years 
 of age. He was looked up to by young 
 and old as a kind friend and prudent 
 counsellor. No object, looking toward 
 the moral and religious improvement of 
 the community, failed of his cordial support. 
 
 IlOSIAH LAWRENCE. The Law- 
 k. I reuce family are represented among 
 \^) ihe oldest pioneers of Huron county, 
 having been for many years prom- 
 inently identihed with the history of its 
 development. 
 
 Samuel and Hannah (Dibble) Lawrence 
 were natives of Connecticut, where tiiey 
 were reared and married. In June, 1804. 
 they removed to Cayuga county, N. Y., 
 and there passed their remaining days on 
 a farm, where lune children — six sons and 
 three daughters — were born. Samuel Law- 
 rence was a zealous member of the Pres- 
 byterian Church, and was known as a man 
 of sterling worth. He died when about 
 eighty-three years of age. Of his children, 
 Timothy, George and a sister are men- 
 tioned, the latter of whom is now residing 
 on the old home farm in New York. 
 
 George Lawrence, son of Samuel and 
 Hannah (Dibble) Lawrence, was born, in 
 1805, in Cayuga county, N. Y., and was 
 the first member of the family to settle in 
 Huron county, Ohio. In the spring of 
 1831 he was married, in his native State, 
 to Rhodema Smith, and the succeeding 
 autumn came via Lake Erie to Sandusky, 
 thence proceeding to Huron county, Ohio. 
 He bought the home farm in Bronson 
 township, and was obliged to cut a road 
 through the woods before he could get to 
 the place, which was cleared with the assist- 
 ance of his son, Miner. The father gave 
 his pi'incipal attention to carpentry, until 
 obliged to retire from active life as old 
 age approached. He is now living on the 
 home farm in Bronson township at the 
 age of eighty-seven years. He reared the 
 following children: Minei, born in 1833, 
 w'as married in 1865 to Julia Smith, and 
 is now living on the home farm (tiiey have 
 liad six children, five sons and one daugh- 
 ter); Alonzo E., born in 1838, was married 
 to Jane Herrick (who has borne him one 
 son), and is a prominent farmer of Bron- 
 son township; Addison, living in Califor- 
 nia, and Alice, widow of Hubbard Law- 
 rence, living in Bronson township. 
 
HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 515 
 
 Timothy Lawrence, sou of Samuel and 
 Hannah (Dibble) Lawrence, was horn in 
 1800, in Connecticut, and was a small boy 
 when his parents moved to Cayuira county, 
 K. Y. After attaining his majority lie 
 worked at the carpenter trade about twelve 
 years. In 1831 he was married in New 
 York to Calista Todd, a native of Tomp- 
 kins county, N. Y., born March 6, 1812. 
 In 1833 he came to Huron county, Ohio, 
 and bought his present farm of 112 acres, 
 in Lot 18, Section 4, Bronson township, 
 the place at that time being a wild piece 
 of heavily-wooded land. Here he resided 
 the remainder of his life with the excep 
 tion of the eight years, between 1868 
 and 1876, when he lived in Norwalk 
 township. In personal appearance Tim- 
 othy Lawrence was of medium size, some- 
 what below the average height. Politically 
 he was originally a Whig and Abolition- 
 ist, afterward becoming a Republican, and 
 in religious belief he was a Presby- 
 terian. He died January 30, 1882, leaving 
 a widow and two children — Josiah. and 
 Mrs. Delia L. Curtis, of Calumet, Mich. 
 
 The mother is yet living on the home farm. 
 Josiah Lawrence, son of Timothy and 
 Calista (Todd) Lawrence, was born No- 
 vemher 9, 1834, on tiie home farm in 
 Bronson township, Huron Co., Ohio. He 
 attended the common schools, and from 
 early boyhood has followed agricultural 
 pursuits. In 1867 he was united in mar- 
 riage with Alice Newman, a native of In- 
 diana, who was residing in Ohio at the 
 time of her marriage. She died in 1870, 
 leaving two children, Eben and Mary, and 
 in 1871 Josiah Lawrence was married to 
 Maggie Baird, born in Monroe county, 
 N. Y., of Scotch parents. She died in 
 1878, leaving one child, Vina, and for his 
 third wife Mr. Lawrence married, in De- 
 cember, 1879, Nancy liowland, of Clarks- 
 fiekl, Huron county. Since 1868 he has 
 had full charge of the old place, upon 
 which he carries on a successful business, 
 and has added thirty-eight acres to the 
 original tract. Politically, he is a Re- 
 publican, and has served in various local 
 othces: in religion he is a member of the 
 Presbyterian Church. 
 
n 
 
 uvjr 
 
 I2TY, 
 
5<!i«,ft.^' 
 
VV Jl. 
 
 OLONEL NAHUM 
 ^ BALL GATES, wlio 
 for more than fifty 
 years was closely iden- 
 tified with the pros- 
 ^ perity of Elyria, was 
 born in St. Albans, 
 Vt., September 28, 
 He was tiie youngest 
 twelve children of Joini 
 Abigail (Ball) Gates, who 
 in 1800 migrated from North- 
 borough, Mass., to St. Albans 
 township, Franklin Co., Vt., 
 where they followed farming. 
 Col. N. B. Gates received 
 his education in the district 
 his native town, also one year 
 Albans Academy, which well pre- 
 him for teaching, a vocation he 
 followed for three winters, laboi-ing on 
 his father's farm during the intervals. In 
 the spring of 1834, being violently attacked 
 with M-hat was called "Western Fever," 
 he threw down his axe and declared 
 he would never chop another stick of 
 wood in Vermont; so with the scanty 
 means his parents could afibrd, at the 
 age of twenty-one he came to Elyria, 
 wliere his brother, Horatio N. Gates, was 
 engaged in mercantile business. In Sep- 
 tember, same year, he engaged as clerk in 
 his brother's store, where he remained till 
 
 schools 
 at St. 
 pared 
 
 May, 1835, at which time he went to 
 Cleveland, Oliio. While there the ciiolera 
 epidemic broke out, but it in no way drove 
 him away from the place, as it did thou- 
 sands of others, for he remained at his post 
 and manfully devoted his time for weeks 
 in attending to the sick and dying, and 
 also to the burying of the dead. These 
 acts of humanity were characteristic of 
 him all through his life. He had no fear, 
 and upon other occasions, when smallpox 
 and other scourges afilicted the community, 
 he performed similar offices, and escaped 
 all contagion. In Cleveland he remained 
 engaged in a variety of pursuits until Sep- 
 tember, 1834, when he returned to Elyria, 
 and during the remainder of that year and 
 part of 1835 clerked for the firm of Gates 
 & Green. On May 17, 1835, our subject 
 went to Black River (now Lorain), in Lo- 
 rain county, and opened a general store 
 for Gates & Green, remaining in charge of 
 same until the fall of 1838, when he was 
 elected sheriff of the county, and removed 
 into the town of Elyria. " From 1836 to 
 1844 a copartnership had existed between 
 himself and his brother, II. N. Gates, in 
 the forwarding and commission business 
 at Black Eiver. While a resident of that 
 place he tilled the various offices of con- 
 stable, justice of the peace and marshal. 
 He was elected sheriff in 1838 because of 
 his thorough fitness for the position ; there 
 
520 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 was much public excitement in that year 
 — banks suspending specie payment, and 
 counterfeiters springing up in every sec- 
 tion — and it was undoubtedly due to Sher- 
 iff Gates' indomitable courage and deter- 
 mination that Lorain county was rid of all 
 kinds of nefarious characters. 
 
 In 1840 Col. Gates was an ardent Whig, 
 and took an active part in the memorable 
 campaign of that year. Mounted on his 
 famous black horse "Bucephalus," he led 
 the delegation in the procession from Lo- 
 rain county to the imposing grand conven- 
 tion held upon the banks of the Maumee 
 river on June 11, that year. In Elyria he 
 built a sawmill, sash, door and blind fac- 
 tory, and in 1843 he put up an ashery, 
 which he operated for many years. In 
 1843 he was elected mayor of Elyria for 
 the first time, and served many succeeding 
 terms, though not coi\secutively. In 1844 
 he embarked in general mercantile business 
 in Elyria, but at the end of a year he sold 
 out. In 1850 he was a director of the Lo- 
 rain Plank Road Company, and for many 
 years was its superintendent. In 1852 he 
 was elected president of Lorain County 
 Agricultural Society, and gave it its first 
 permanent footing. In 1862 he was active 
 in the Kepublicau party, and a member of 
 the "Wide-awake Club." Same year he 
 was appointed by Abraham Lincoln col- 
 lector of Internal Revenue for the Four- 
 teenth District of Ohio, in which office 
 he remained till removed by President 
 Johnson. 
 
 Indeed it may be truly said of Col. 
 Gates that his life in Elyria has been one 
 of constant action. His code of morals 
 may be inferred from the following scrip- 
 tural quotation found among his papers — 
 yellow with age — and which he exemplified 
 in all his intercourse with his fellows: 
 "Pure and undefiled religion before God, 
 the Father, is this: To visit the fatherless 
 and widows in their affliction, and to keep 
 himself unspotted from the world." 
 
 Col. Gates died December 9, 1890; all 
 his family were present at the funeral ser- 
 
 vices except his daughter Helen, then ab- 
 sent in New York, whose health prevented 
 her from attending. The services at his 
 late residence were conducted by his pas- 
 tor. Rev. E. E. Williams, and were brief 
 and impressive. The ceremonies at the 
 grave were performed by Elyria Lodge 
 No. 103, I. O. O. F., which Col. Gates 
 was mainly instrumental in the formation 
 of, and at the time of his death was the 
 only living active charter member. His 
 son-in-law, Rev. T. Y. Gardner, read a few 
 extracts from a paper written and sealed 
 by deceased on his birthday, two years be- 
 fore, in whicli he briefiy reviewed the past, 
 and gave some of the leading principles 
 which had been the guide of his actions. 
 To give a more detailed history of our 
 subject's useful and busy life comes not 
 within the province of this article; suffice 
 it, that he was possessed of those sterling, 
 solid qualities which were calculated to 
 give him prominence in his newly-chosen 
 field, and make him what he proved to be, 
 one of Lorain county's leading and hon- 
 ored citizens. In his administration of his 
 public duties he was brought in contact 
 with all classes, and in his discharge of 
 those duties, while his aim was always to 
 maintain a high standard of morality, his 
 kind heart never failed to respond when 
 there was opportunity for leniency or 
 mercy. He will long be remembered by 
 the poor for his many acts of charity and 
 benevolence. Being a positive and ag- 
 gressive man, his position on all public 
 questions was never a doubtful one, and 
 he was always found true to his convic- 
 tions, whether religious, political or other- 
 wise. In the home circle he was a great 
 favorite. His geniality and his rare social 
 qualities made him ever companionable. 
 Although for months clinging to life by a 
 slender thread, baffling disease with all the 
 force of his great will-power, like a true 
 philosopher he was unconiplaining, always 
 hopeful, always better, always heroic, as 
 he passed down the line to the gateway of 
 the great Unknown. To the hearts of his 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 521 
 
 family wlio ministered to In's wants he 
 brought only sunsliine; and when tiie end 
 came it was as calm and peaceful as the 
 close of a midsummer day. 
 
 On May 12, 1841, Col. Gates was united 
 in marriage with Miss Sarah S. Monteith, 
 a daughter of Eev. John Monteith, form- 
 erly professor of ancient languages in 
 Hamilton College. She survived her hus- 
 band but a little over two years, dying in 
 New York City from the result of an ac- 
 cident, April 18, 1893. There were born 
 from this marriage, John Quincy, who 
 died early; Elizabeth, wife of Dr. A. AV. 
 Wheeler, of Cleveland ; Charlotte, wife of 
 Rev. T. Y. Gardner; Mary Ely, who died 
 in childhood; Charles Alexander, of Mas- 
 sillon; Helen Gates, of Elyria; William 
 N., of Cleveland, and Frederick H., of 
 Cleveland. Mrs. Gates was a highly edu- 
 cated lady, possessed of marked cliaracter- 
 isties, a leader in all kinds of reform, 
 Cimrcli and missionary work, strikingly 
 non-partisan, prominent in W. C. T. U. 
 ■work, and withal an uncompromising ad- 
 vocate of temperance. Mr. and Mrs. Gates 
 lived to enjoy nearly fifty years of marital 
 felicity, for Mr. Gates' death occurred but 
 live mouths prior to their fiftieth anniver- 
 sary of wedded life. They lived also to 
 see four of their children married, and 
 born of them twelve grandchildren. This 
 large family periodically held their family 
 reunions, and the old homestead at such 
 times was the scene of rare festivities. 
 
 Rev. John Monteith" was born August 
 5, 1788, at Gettysburg, Penn. His father, 
 wlfose parents were natives of Dundee, 
 Scotland, was an early settler in the wilds 
 of western Pennsylvania, where the son 
 was reared in a life of industry and plain 
 farmer's toil. His mother was also a 
 native of Dundee, Scotland, and from this 
 parentage he inherited that hardy physical 
 constitution, and those sturdy mental and 
 spiritual traits that conspired to tit him 
 for the heroic work that fell to his hands 
 as a pioneer, and a lifelong educator and 
 reformer. He graduated at Jefferson Col- 
 
 lege, Penn., in 1813, and at Princeton 
 Theological School in 1810. About this 
 time an invitation was extended to him 
 '• to introduce the Gospel into the Terri- 
 tory of IVfichigan," to accept which offer 
 he declined an ap])ointment as professor 
 in a Pennsylvania college. On Sunday 
 afternoon, June 18, 1816, he preached the 
 first English sermon that had ever been 
 pronounced in Michigan, from the text 
 Luke ii, 10. In May, 1817, Mr. Monteith 
 was ordained in the Presbyterian Church 
 at Princeton, N. J., Dr. Alexander deliv- 
 ering to him the charge. Returning to 
 Detroit be entered upon the work with 
 characteristic zeal, industry and personal 
 sacrifice. He organized tiie Presbyterian 
 Church at Monroe, and preached the first 
 Protestant sermon in that place. The 
 "University of Miciiigan," in point of fact 
 simply a school, established in 1817, in a 
 great measure owed its birth to Mr. Mon- 
 teith, wiio had the office of president and 
 no less than six professorships conferred 
 upon him. 
 
 On June 7, 1820, he was married to 
 Sarah Sophia Granger, of Portage, Ohio, 
 who died in the autumn of the same year, 
 while visiting her parents in Ohio. In 
 1821 he married, at Nahor, in the then 
 wilds of northern Ohio, Miss xVbigail 
 Harris, and here his career in Detroit 
 came to an end. From that point he re- 
 moved to New York State, to occupy the 
 Chair of ancient languages in Hamilton 
 College, in which position he remained 
 eight years. Tiien for several years he 
 followed academic labors at Cambrid<>-e, 
 N. Y., and at Germantown, Penn., after 
 which, in 1832, he came to Elyria, Ohio. 
 " Here was the evident goal of his provi- 
 dential destiny. He bettered the town 
 and the community by his educational 
 labors and lectures. He bettered the 
 Western Reserve l)y joining his hand with 
 others in the estal)lisliinent of churches^ 
 and Presbyteries, and colleges.'' He 
 ijirded on the armor of a zealous and nn- 
 compromising anti-slavery champion, and 
 
522 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 fearlessly and conscientiously fought its 
 battles. '• When the clash of arms came, 
 he felt that the beginning of the end was 
 at hand; and when the red cloud of war 
 passed beyond the horizon, he felt that the 
 ultimate vision of liis life was realized. 
 * * * His joy was calm, dignified and 
 silent." 
 
 In 1845 Mr. Monteith again resided in 
 Michigan, ministering to the spiritual 
 wants of the good people of Blissiield and 
 Monroe until 1855, in whicli year he re- 
 turned to Elyria, where lie passed the re- 
 mainder of his busy, useful life, dying 
 Api'il 5, 1868, in the eighty-tirst year of 
 his age. 
 
 Rev. John Monteith was a fine speci- 
 men of manly physique; he was si.x feet 
 tall, straight and muscular, his povver of 
 endurance being transmitted from the 
 Scottish race from which he sprang. As 
 a scholar he was accurate and learned, and 
 though the scope of his culture was not 
 wide, yet in the ancient languages and in 
 French his proficiency was something re- 
 markable for his day. Duty was the 
 mainspring of all his actions, and fear- 
 le-sly he performed it, as witness his he- 
 roic efforts to introduce the Gospel into 
 undeveloped territories, making long, 
 weary and ofttimes hazardous journeys in 
 the prosecution of benevolent work. 
 
 I< 
 
 f ON. JOEL TIFFANY. To Hon. 
 George G. Washburn, of Elyria, the 
 publishers are indebted for the fol- 
 lowing biographical record of this 
 deceased gentleman, who "was a 
 most original genius, and one of the in- 
 veutive creators of his age." 
 
 Mr. Tiffany was a native of Bai'kham- 
 stead. Conn., born Septemljer 6, 1811, and 
 where his ancestors lived in the days of the 
 Revolution. They being Presbyterians, 
 he was placed in college in 1827 to pre- 
 pare him for the ministry, but, preferring 
 
 the study of law, he in 1831 entered the 
 office of William G. Williams, of New 
 Hartford, Conn., as a law student. lu the 
 following year he went to Ohio on a visit 
 to a brother and other relatives, and was 
 induced to make Ohio his home, which he 
 did, first locating in the town of Medina. 
 Here he resumed the study of law tinder 
 the preceptorship of Charles Olcott, and in 
 the summer of 1834 was admitted to the 
 bar and commenced practice. In the spring 
 of 1835 he came to Elyria, Lorain county, 
 and entered into the practice of law with 
 Horace D. Clark, and together they worked 
 harmoniously — Mr. Clark preparing the 
 cases, and Mr. Tiffany trying them in court. 
 In 1848 he removed from Elyria to Little 
 Mountain, Ohio, where he remained a short 
 time, and thence to New York City. From 
 1850 he gave up all other business, and 
 devoted bis time to writing and speaking 
 upon the subject of spiritualism until 
 1860, when he went to Albany, N. Y., 
 engaging there in legal writings, etc., and 
 in doing what he could in suppressing the 
 Civil War. He served as reporter for the 
 court of appeals for several years with 
 marked distinction. At the end of ten 
 years he went to Chicago, 111., and was 
 actively engaged in different lines of busi- 
 ness up to the time of his death, whicii 
 occurred at Hinsdale, III., July 1, 1893, 
 he being then eighty-two years old. 
 
 Mr. Tiffany was not only a lawyer but 
 also an inventor, and he is, probably, most 
 widely known for his invention of the 
 Tiffany Summer and Winter Refrigerator 
 car; he also made, through his inventive 
 genius, valuable improvements and inven- 
 tions in machinery. 
 
 Mr. Tiffany resided in Elyria thirteen 
 years, during the prime of his manhood, 
 and was engaged in the practice of law the 
 greater part of the time. He served as 
 prosecuting attorney during the years 
 1837-38-39, and in 1841 and 1845 each 
 for one year. As a lawyer, and especially 
 as an eloquent advocate, he had no su|ierior 
 at the bar, which was composed of strong 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 523 
 
 men ; and had he devoted his great natural 
 abilities to the practice of his profession 
 lie would have attained the highest dis- 
 tinction at the bar and on the bench. In 
 the trial of causes he was aided not only 
 by a remarkable memory, but by an intui- 
 tive perception of the points his adversary 
 would make, and thus was ever ready to 
 meet them. The trials which gave him 
 most distinction were the noted "counter- 
 feiting cases," in which one Cash, whose 
 testimony was important to the prosecu- 
 tion, was shot by the counterfeiters be- 
 cause he turned " States evidence," and 
 was brought from his home on a litter to 
 give his testimony. In these cases, which 
 were tried in 1838-39, Mr. Tiffany acted 
 both as detective and prosecutor with con- 
 summate ability, regardless of the threats 
 against his life that came from unknown 
 sources. He persisted in his prosecutions, 
 and succeeded in breaking up an extensive 
 gang of counterfeiters who had hitherto 
 successfully plied their vocation in this 
 county without detection, and landed four- 
 teen of tiiem in the penitentiary. He was 
 a scholar of almost unlimited resources, yet 
 he derived little pecuniary aid therefrom. 
 His inventive genius was remarkable, but 
 it took the direction of natural science and 
 philosophy rather than practical mechan- 
 ics, and this, near the close of his life, gave 
 him a competence. 
 
 / 
 
 HfON. GEOKGE G. WASHBURN 
 is a native of Orange, Grafton Co., 
 N. IL, born iS"ovember 24, 1S21. 
 Plis father, Azel Washburn, de- 
 scended from the Maine branch of 
 the Washburn family, and his mother, 
 Elizabeth Danforth, was of Scotch-Irish 
 descent, her ancestors btiuir ainon<£ the 
 early settlers in Londonderry, New Hamp- 
 shire. 
 
 The subject of this sketcii spent his early 
 days among the rugged New Hampshire 
 
 hills, with his parents for his only teacher, 
 until he was eleven years old, when the 
 family removed to Ohio, and settled in 
 Perry township (then in Geauga county) 
 where for three years he had the benefit of 
 good schools. In 1885 they removed to 
 Camden, Lorain county, then an unbroken 
 wilderness, where he spent most of the 
 days of his minority in the laborious work 
 of clearing up a new farm. 
 
 By the aid of his fatiier, and by the li<^ht 
 of the log-cabin fireplace, he ac(|uired suf- 
 ficient education to teach school in the 
 winter, while his summers were spent in 
 farm labor. At the age of twenty-one 
 years he abandoned the farm, and spent 
 one year in teaching a private school in 
 Brandenburg, Ky. On his return he spent 
 four years in study at Oberlin College, 
 paying his way by labor on the college 
 farm, and by teaching duriug the winter 
 months. From Oberlin he removed to 
 Elyria, nine miles distant, where he read 
 law in the office of Hon. Philemon Bliss. 
 He w"as admitted to practice in IS-iS, and 
 for two years was associated with Hon. 
 Sylvester Bagg, who subsequently removed 
 to Iowa. 
 
 Mr. AVashburn became an early writer 
 for the press, and on the removal of Judge 
 Bag2 to Iowa he assumed cliartje of the 
 Elyria Courier, the organ of the then 
 Whig party, which soon became recog- 
 nized as an influential factor in moulding 
 public sentiment. He soon abandoned all 
 other pursuits, and for forty-two years con- 
 ducted tiiat journal and its successors — 
 the Independent Democrat and the Elyria 
 Republican — as the sole proprietor, editor 
 and manager. For many years lie de- 
 clined all political prefermeut, but served 
 during this period as member of the 
 board of .school examiners for the 
 county, member of the Elyria council, and 
 for six years as president of the board of 
 education. lie was appointed by Gov. 
 Uennison, and served during the war as 
 secretary of the military committee for 
 Lorain county, the duties of which often 
 
524 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 led him to visit the battle-fields of the Re- 
 bellion, and aid in caring for the wounded 
 soldiers. He lias been connected with the 
 Lorain Bank in Elyria, and its successor, 
 the National Bank of Elyria, as one of its 
 board of directors for thirty-four years. 
 
 In 1888 he consented to become a mem- 
 ber of the Ohio General Assembly, as the 
 representative for Lorain county, and served 
 four years with credit to himself and his 
 intelligent constituency. He then declined 
 further political service, and resumed liis 
 journalistic duties, but was soon afterward 
 commissioned by the Governor as one of 
 the board of managers of the Ohio State 
 Reformatory, wliich he had been active in 
 establishing while in the General Assem- 
 bly, and wliicli position he now holds. In 
 September, 1891, he sold the entire plant 
 of the Elyria Repnhlican, which he had 
 conducted with marked success for so many 
 years, and is now devoting his time chiefly 
 to the reformatory movements of the day. 
 His long connection with the State and 
 National Press Associations, and services 
 as a legislator, have jj;iven him an exten- 
 sive acquaintance with men prominent in 
 politics and journalism in both the State 
 and Nation. 
 
 EILY FAMILY. Among the firSt 
 land proprietors of what is now 
 ] Lorain county, Ohio, was Justin 
 
 Ely, of West Springfield, Mass., a 
 very extensive dealer in real estate, aiid 
 one of the original proprietors of wliat was 
 then known as " The Connecticut Western 
 Reserve," in Ohio, under the Connecticut 
 Land Company. 
 
 Hon. Heman Ely, fourth in. the family 
 of Justin Ely, and who succeeded to his 
 father's estate in what is now Lorain 
 county, was also a native of West Spring- 
 field. Mass., born April 24, 1775. He 
 was a linguist of ability, and a traveler of 
 no small experience, having visited, prior 
 
 to 1810, many of the leading places of in- 
 terest in Europe. In that year he returned 
 to America, and in 1811 came west as far 
 as Cleveland, Ohio, with the view of open- 
 ing up for settlement the land owned by 
 his father, tlien known as "No. 6, Ranee 
 17, Connecticut Western Reserve." The 
 impending war between the United States 
 and Great Britain, however, made it an 
 inauspicious time for coloiiization, and 
 Mr. Ely returned to his New England 
 home. 
 
 In 1816, ])eace being now concluded be- 
 tween the two countries, he atrain ventured 
 west, and immediately commenced opera- 
 tions for the development of his forest- 
 covered land, contracting for the building 
 of the first house that marked the spot 
 whereon now stands the prosperous city of 
 Elyria, together with a gristmill and saw- 
 mill. Having accomplished so much, he 
 returned to West Springfield, and in Feb- 
 ruary, 1817, finally left for his new western 
 home, where the remainder of his life was 
 passed in the development of its resources, 
 and the converting of the wild forest into 
 prosperous farms, villages and towns. He 
 erected several houses, including the one 
 in which his son, Heman, now lives, in 
 Elyria. The town was laid out by him in 
 its present form, and bears his name, as 
 also the township. On the formation of 
 the county in 182-1, he named it Lorain, 
 from Loraine, in France, in which prov- 
 ince he spent some time while in Europe, 
 and with which beautiful spot he was 
 much delighted. He was also the founder 
 of the educational, religious and other pub- 
 lic institutions of Elyria, giving liberally 
 of his means, and his name is still revered 
 by the many descendants of the early set- 
 tlers of Elyria. He passed from earth 
 February 2. 1852. 
 
 Heman Ely, Jk., was born October 30, 
 1820, in Elyria. Ohio, and received his edu- 
 cation at the "Elyria High School," and 
 at Farmington, Conn. In his father's 
 office he acquired a thorough training and 
 insight into the real-estate business, which 
 

LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 527 
 
 he followed for many years with much suc- 
 cess. Like his father, but further in the ad- 
 vaiiceiiieiit of the county, Mr. Ely lias iden- 
 tified himself vvith many of the leading 
 institutions of Elyria, prominent among 
 which may be mentioned the Lorain Bank 
 (establisheil in 1847); the First National 
 Bank (organized in 18G4: from the J^orain 
 Bank), and the National Bank of Elyria 
 (organized in 1883 from the First National 
 Bank), in which several institutions he has 
 been director, vice-president and president, 
 in which latter capacity he is at present 
 serving in the last named organization. In 
 1852, in connection with others, he secured 
 tiie building of that section of tiie Lake 
 Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad, 
 then known as the "Junction Road," from 
 Cleveland to Toledo. From 1870 to 187.? 
 he served in the State Legislature, and as- 
 sisted in molding the present insurance 
 laws of the State of Ohio. 
 
 On September 1, 1841, Heman Ely and 
 Miss Mary Harris Monteith, daughter of 
 Rev. John and i\l)igail Harris Monteith, 
 were united in marriage, and children as 
 follows were born to them: Celia Belden, 
 George H. and Mary Monteith. The 
 mother of these children died in Elyria 
 March 1, 1849, and May 27, 1850, Mr. 
 Ely married, for his second wife. Miss Mary 
 F. Day, daughter of Hon. Thomas and 
 Sarah (Coit) Day, of Hartford, Conn. 
 Four children were born to this marriage, 
 namely: Edith Day, Charles Theodore, 
 Albert Heman and Ilarriette Putnam. Mr. 
 Ely is prominent in social life, as follows: 
 Has been an active member of the F. & A. 
 Masons since 1852; from 1858 to 1871 he 
 was worshipful master of King Solomon 
 Lodge No. 56 of Elyria; received the 
 orders of Knighthood in Oriental Com- 
 mandery of Knights Templars No. 12 in 
 Cleveland, Ohio, in 1857, of wliich he was 
 Eminent Commander from Deceml)er,18Gl, 
 to December, 18G5, and from 1864 to 1871 
 he was grand commander of tlie (irand 
 Commandery, Knights Templars of Ohio. 
 He is an active member of the supreme 
 
 29 
 
 council of Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite 
 for the Northern Masonic jurisdiction of 
 the United States of America, and was treas- 
 urer of same from May, 1867, to September, 
 1891. In matters of religion be has 
 been a member of the Congregational 
 Church of Elyria since 183S, and for many 
 years has been one of its officers, about ten 
 years as superintendent of the Sabbath- 
 school. He is a Republican in politics, 
 and a gentleman much respected in the 
 community for his moral worth and his 
 many unassuming charitable deeds. 
 
 I|0HN W. HULBERT, cashier of the 
 V. I National Bank of lilyria, was born in 
 O Old Chatham, Columbia Co., IST. Y., 
 April 1, 1827. 
 
 His ancestor on the father's side settled 
 in Connecticut in 1630. His great-grand- 
 father and grand fatlier both served in the 
 Revolution, the former in the capacity of 
 surgeon. Grandfather Ilulbert was born 
 in Connecticut, removed to western Mas- 
 sachusetts, and thence to Canaan, N". Y., 
 where iiis son, Philip, father of John W., 
 was born. He, Philip, was born April 16, 
 1799, and died March 27, 1881. He set- 
 tled in Old Chatham, and followed the 
 trade of carpenter and joiner until 1837, 
 when he bought an iron foundi-y, which 
 with a plow-factory he carried on till his 
 death. On September 1, 1824, lie married 
 Abigail Smith, born August 26, 1797, died 
 May 8. 1840, and eight children were born 
 to them, to wit: Harriet Elizabeth, John 
 W., Geo. B., Chas. W., Seymour C, Mary 
 I., Henry B., and Samuel C. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received his 
 education in the common schools of Chat- 
 ham, and at the age of fifteen went to New 
 York City, as clerk in a dry-goods house. 
 He came to Elyria in September, 1847, 
 under engagement in the large general 
 store of Kendall ct Mussey, with whom he 
 remained till 1853, when ho was appointed 
 
528 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 teller of tlie Lorain Branch of the State 
 Bank of Ohio. In January, 1856, he was 
 elected cashier, in which capacity he has 
 remained through its re-organizations in 
 1864 and 1883, being upwards of forty 
 years of continuous service. 
 
 Mr. Hulbert was united in marriage, 
 January 1, 1857, with MissEllen N.Wood 
 (daughter of Taber Wood and Almira his 
 wife), who was born in Chesterfield, Mass., 
 May 4, 1832, and died December 6, 1889, 
 leaving two daughters. In politics Mr. 
 Hulbert was a Democrat until 1853, when 
 he became a FreeSoiler (afterward a Re- 
 publican). He was made a Mason in King 
 Solomon Lodge No. 56, F. & A. M., in 
 March, 1851, a R. A. M. in October, 1851; 
 and a Knight Templar in Oriental Com- 
 mandery No. 12, Cleveland, Ohio, in 1855, 
 to which organizations he still belongs. He 
 was Master of his Lodge from 1853 to 
 1859; M. E. H. P. of the Chapter from 
 1853 to 1883. Mr. Hulbert is a member 
 and trustee of the First Congregational 
 Church, where for sixteen years he led the 
 church choir. 
 
 E 
 
 R. HOLIDAY, M. D., Wellington, 
 was born March 27, 1843, a son of 
 J Lorton and Huldah Matilda (Gates) 
 Holiday. 
 Amos Holiday, the great-grandfather of 
 our subject, is believed to have been born 
 in Vermont. At the beginning of the Re- 
 volution, however, he was living in Gran- 
 by, Hartford Co., Conn., and with his 
 three brothers served during that war in 
 the Colonial army, enlistinsf and aoincrout 
 in a company raised m what was known 
 as "Salmon Brook Street" in or near 
 Granby. One of the brothers was taken 
 prisoner, and was either killed or perished 
 in prison, as he was never heard of after by 
 his friends. After the war Amos again 
 returned and lived at Granby until 1800. 
 In that year, in January, his son Jonathan, 
 
 who was born in Granby in 1776, married 
 Bethesda Holcomb, also a resident of 
 Granby, born there June 22, 1879. In the 
 spring of that year these three and a bro- 
 ther of Amos, named Azariah, emigrated 
 to Ponipey, Onondaga Co., N. Y., where 
 were born to Jonathan and Betiiesda Holi- 
 day the following children: Hiram, Lorton, 
 Rowena, Milton, Eno and Arley — four 
 sons and two daughters. During the stay 
 in Pompey, Jonathan Holiday was twice 
 called out in defense of the State and coun- 
 try in the war of 1812, and served at 
 Sacket's Harbor, Sodus Point and other 
 places along the border. After the chil- 
 dren had become somewhat grown, they 
 removed to near Bath, in Steuben county, 
 where they lived until 1828, when the 
 grandfather of E. R. and four of his chil- 
 dren — Lorton, Eno, Rowena and Arley — 
 removed to Huron county, Ohio, the rest 
 of the family remaining about Balh and 
 Hornellsville, where their descendants now 
 live. Amos Holiday was a pensioner of 
 the Revolution, and lived to the remark- 
 able age of one hundred and nine years and 
 eleven months, dying in Steuben. Jona- 
 than Holiday died in Hartland, Huron 
 county, in 1845; his wife, Bethesda, died 
 in the same place February 22, 1859. 
 
 Lorton Holiday, the father of our sub- 
 ject, was born in Pompey August 27, 
 1804. Here and in Steuben he acquired 
 a fair education in the branches taught in 
 those times and places, and on arriving in 
 Ohio taught school for a time. Marrying 
 in 1830, lie soon after began hotel keeping 
 in New London, in what was known as 
 the " Asher House." Here E. R. was 
 born. The other children of this marriage 
 were as follows: (1) Huldah M., born De- 
 cember 4, 1831, is now the wife of Hosea 
 M. Hood, and resides in Hartland, Huron 
 Co., Ohio. 
 
 (2) Henry M., born March 3, 1833, who 
 ran away at the age of sixteen, went to sea, 
 and was a sailor for two or three years, 
 but finally, through the influence of his 
 captain, returned to shore life and books; 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 529 
 
 graduated from Thetford Academy, Ver- 
 mont, tlien wedding Miss Louise Jane 
 Coombs, of tliat plaee, tiiey went South 
 and taufflit schools in Georgia and Ala- 
 bama until the trouble about slavery and 
 secession grew so fiente thev were requested 
 to leave, which tliey did in 1859; CDming 
 nortii he studied theology at Walnut Hills, 
 near Cincinnati, Ohio, then at Andover, 
 Mass., from which place he 'went to St. 
 Johnsbury Center, Vt., where he was in- 
 stalled pastor of the Congregational Church 
 of that place. From here he went to Tol- 
 land, Conn., as pastor of a church there; 
 thence he went to Alma, Mich., finally to 
 Olivet, Eaton county, where he died July 
 31, 1888, of typhoid fever; his wife died 
 about a month later of same disease, leav- 
 ing three children: Nina, Winifred and 
 Charles. 
 
 (3) Charles B., born November 11, 1834, 
 was an attorney of St. John's, Mich.; en- 
 listed in the Eighth Michigan Infantry as 
 lieutenant, and died off Port Kuyal, Oc- 
 tober 5, 1861, of typhoid, on board ship, 
 and was buried at sea. 
 
 (4) Lenora J., born July 8, 1838; mar- 
 ried Alonzo Hood, and lives at Alma, 
 Mich. They have one daughter living — 
 M. Louise Hood. 
 
 (5) George G., born March 31, 1840, 
 was a soldier in the late war, servintr three 
 years; he married Miss Chloe Garget, and 
 they have two daughters; he is a farmer. 
 
 H. M. (Gates) Holiday, mother of E. R., 
 was born December 8, 1812; died April 
 18, 1843; she was a daughter of Gross 
 Gates (born February 4, 1789, died Feb- 
 ruary 8, 1841) and Abigail (Ames) Gates 
 (born September 22, 1794, died June 13, 
 1836); they died and were buried in 
 Ruggles, Ashland Co., Ohio. Gross Gates 
 served in the " war of 1812." 
 
 Lorton Holiday, after the death of his 
 wife, continued in the hotel business for a 
 few years, when, his children having found 
 homes (?) with friends and relatives, he 
 went into the new State of Michigan, 
 working at gunsmithing and trading with 
 
 the Indians, among whom he was often 
 styled — on account of his black eyes, 
 swart complexion and heavy black beard — 
 " Black Hawk." Ho was a man of splen- 
 did physical proportions, si.x feet two 
 inches in his stocking feet, and as lithe as 
 a pantluM-. He was on friendly terms 
 always with the Indians, and after settling 
 down at Alma, they always camped upon 
 his land if their rovings brought them in 
 the neighborhood, knowing they were wel- 
 come. He lived at Alma, Gratiot Co., 
 Mich., before the township was organized 
 as a township, keeping a sort of'" pioneer 
 hotel." He was postmaster in that place 
 under Buchanan. He died of pneumonia 
 April 25, 1870. 
 
 Edwin R., the subject proper of this 
 sketch, on the death of the mother was 
 taken and cared for by Helen M., a sister 
 of the dead mother, and wife of Eno Holi- 
 day, a brother of the father. Here he 
 lived on a farm until the breaking out of 
 the war, when, on the 5th of September, 
 1861, he enlisted in the Third Regiment 
 Ohio Vol. Cavalry, and served with that 
 organization throughout the war, being 
 discharged from the service August 14, 
 1865; veteranizing in January, 1864, was 
 discharged as sergeant; was at Savannah 
 during the battle of Pittsburg Lamliug, as 
 cavalry was useless, and there was enough 
 to do the work anyhow; was in the Stone 
 River engagement at Chattanooga; at 
 Kenesaw; Atlanta; on the Wilson raid 
 from Eastport, Tenn., to Macon, Ga., 
 where they first learned of the surrender 
 of Lee and the death of Lincoln; and last 
 (but not least to him) had charge of twen- 
 ty-five men from his company, which, with 
 the regiment or a part of it, went in pur- 
 suit of Jefferson Davis, but was too far in 
 advance, however (eight miles), of that 
 anomaly to be in at the capture, but saw 
 him in the ambulance on the return trip. 
 
 After the war our subject returned home 
 on a Saturday, and the following Monday 
 morning started for school at Alilan, Erie 
 Co., Ohio, where he took one term; taught 
 
530 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 school the winter following, and in the 
 spring wejit to reside with his brother 
 Henry in Vermont, where he took private 
 instructions until the following winter, 
 when he began the term of lectures at his 
 Alma Mater, the medical department of 
 "Western Keserve College, from wliich in- 
 stitution he graduated in February, 1871. 
 For a time he practiced in the western 
 part of the State, and in Michigan. 
 
 On January 5, 1878, the JJoctor mar- 
 ried Miss Ella B. Peet, of Brighton, Lo- 
 rain Co., Ohio, who was born in that place 
 December 1, 1856. He located in Ciarks- 
 tield, Huron county, where he practiced 
 for eight years, and twice was elected 
 coi'oner of the county. In this place were 
 born to Dr. and Mrs. Holiday three chil- 
 dren: Lorton E., born November 24, 1878; 
 Malcolm P., born February 26, 1882, and 
 Bertha Gates, born DeceTuber 12, 1884. 
 In April, 1887, the Doctor removed to 
 AVellington, Lorain Co., Ohio, where he 
 has since practiced his profession. 
 
 H\ ON. JUDGE LAERTES B. SMITH, 
 a prominent, well-known jurist of 
 _[ Lorain county, attorney at law and 
 •fj justice of tiie peace, with residence 
 
 in Elyria, was born in Amherst 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, September 
 21. 1830. He comes of an old New Eng- 
 land family of Puritan descent. 
 
 His paternal grandfather, Chiliab Smith, 
 was born in Connecticut November 11, 
 1765, and died in 1840. Prior to coming 
 to Ohio he lived many years in Berkshire 
 county, Mass., and was there married to 
 Nancy Marshall, who was born January 
 19, 1765, and died December 5, 1824. In 
 1814 they immigrated to Lorain county, 
 the trip being made with ox wagons; aiid 
 it took them five days to cut a road from 
 the present site of Elyria through the 
 woods to what afterward became Amherst 
 township (for it was not organized till 
 
 April, 1817), where they arrived October 
 16, 1814. Here they settled upon land 
 for which grandfather Sinitli had traded 
 property in the East to the Connecticut 
 Land Company. He was by trade a tailor, 
 at which he worked in his new home dur- 
 ing intervals in his farm work, as oppor- 
 tunity ottered. As an exhorter in the M. E. 
 Ciiurch, he held frequent meetings in 
 the neighborhood of his hoine and in his 
 own house. When old age came upon 
 him he turned his farm over to his chil- 
 dren, who also inherited the good name 
 of one of the best known and earliest of 
 the pioneers. He had settled on Little 
 Beaver creek, four miles west of where is 
 now Elyria, and opened the first tavern in 
 that vicinity. / 
 
 David Smith, father of subject, was born 
 in Berkshire county, Mass., March 20, 
 1797, and came to Lorain county along 
 with his father. In 1824 he raiirried a 
 Miss Fannie Barnes, also a native of Berk- 
 shire county, born December 23, 1802, and 
 nine children were born of this union, six 
 of whom grew to maturity, Laertes B. be- 
 ing the third in the order -of birth. The 
 father died April 30, 1861, the mother 
 Aixgust 6, 1888. In religion she was a 
 Presbyterian, attending the Church of that 
 denomination in Elyi-ia till 1840. In poli- 
 tics David Smith was a Democrat, and he 
 was a quiet, unostentatious inan. 
 
 Laertes B. Smitii, the subject proper of 
 this memoir, received his education at the 
 public schools of his native township. At 
 the age of twenty-one years he left his 
 father's farm to learn the trade of harness 
 maker, at which he worked till he was 
 about twenty-five years old. He then en- 
 tered a hardware store at La Porte, Ind., 
 where he remained some five years, or un- 
 til 1858, in which year he returned to 
 Lorain county, and commenced the study 
 of law with Vincent & Sheldon, Elyria. In 
 1860 he was admitted to the bar, and be- 
 came a member of the firm with whom he 
 had learned his profession, and within the 
 first year, Mr. Vincent retiring, Mr. Shel- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 531 
 
 don and Mr. Smith formed a new partner- 
 ship; but the Civil war breaking out, the 
 senior partner went into the army in 1861, 
 and in the following year our subject be- 
 came a partner with Judge W. W. Boyn- 
 ton, which copartnership lasted some three 
 or four years. In June, 1871, he was 
 appointed probate judge of Lorain county, 
 to till the vacancy caused by the resigna- 
 tion of John W. Steele, and continued in 
 the office, by re election, till February, 
 1882, since when he has been acting jus- 
 tice of the peace. 
 
 On December 26, 1871, Judge Smith 
 was united in marriage with Miss Mar- 
 garet Smyth, of Ontario county, N. 1 ., 
 and live children have been born to them, 
 namely: Fannie, Clara Louise, Frank 
 Carleton, Gertrude and Leroy. Politically 
 Judge Smith was a Democrat till the 
 breaking out of tiie war of the Rebellion, 
 since when lie has been a Republican. 
 
 EV. MATTHEW L. STARR, re- 
 tired, was born April 4, 1809, in 
 Jefferson township, Schoharie Co., 
 N. Y., a son of Talcott and Mary 
 (Lindsley) StaYr, whocame to Lorain 
 county in 184U, and here died. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received his 
 elementary education at the subscription 
 schools of his native place, supplemented 
 with a three-years' course at an academy, 
 and he was reared on his father's farm. 
 Having decided to devote his life to the 
 ministry, lie, after marriage, prepared 
 himself for the work, attending a Theo- 
 logical school in his native State. Having 
 duly qualified, he preached his first ser- 
 mon in Jefferson, Schoharie Co., N. Y., 
 taking for his text the words: "Behold! 
 I stand at the door and knock." For 
 three years after his marriage he contin- 
 ued to live on liis father's farm, at tlie 
 same time following his duties as a min- 
 ister of the M. E. Church, and then trav- 
 
 eled four years in the New York Confer- 
 ence. Removing to Massachusetts, he 
 was associated witli the Great Barrington 
 (Berkshire county) Conference for a time; 
 from there was transferred to Bloomfield, 
 Conn., thence to Colebrook, same State. 
 In 1838 he received a transfer to the 
 Michigan Conference, at that time em- 
 bracing the portion of Ohio wherein 
 Lorain county lies, to reach wiiich he and 
 his wife had to drive to Buffalo, N. Y., 
 thence proceed by lake to Cleveland, and 
 then take stage for Elyria. From Elyria 
 to Pentield township they came by a con- 
 veyance driven by Orrin Starr, a pioneer 
 of that township, and at his home our 
 travelers matle their first sojourn in Ohio. 
 
 The reason of Rev. and iVIrs. Starr pre- 
 ferrinj; to come to Lorain county, was on 
 account of her parents, William L. and 
 Aurilla (Lindsley) Hayes, having made a 
 settlement in Pentield township. Mr. 
 Starr was on the Elyria circuit two years, 
 durincr which time his home was at La- 
 Porte. Lorain county; thence moved to 
 Medina, then to the Wellington circuit, 
 after which he was stationed, respectively, 
 at TifBn, Sidney, Bellefontaine and Lima 
 (all in Ohio), from which latter place he 
 returned to Penfield township. After 
 four or five years rest and relaxation, dur- 
 ing which time he built a comfortable 
 residence on his farm in that township, 
 and moved therein (he had purchased this 
 property before coming to Ohio), he pro- 
 ceeded, at the earnest request of their 
 friends, to LaPorte; from there went to 
 Richfield (Summit county), thence to Co- 
 lum!)ia (Lorain county), and from there to 
 Hayesville (Ashland county) — aggregat- 
 ing, from the date of his first sermon, a 
 half century of active life in the ministry 
 of the M. E. Church, and he is now 
 superannuated, preaching only an occa- 
 sional funeral sermon. 
 
 On March 3, 1831, Mr. Starr married in 
 Delaware county, N. Y, Miss Sarah Hayes, 
 born in New Canaan, Conn., and to tills union 
 were born children, as follows: Alta M., 
 
532 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 wlio (lied, unmarried, at the age of twenty- 
 one; Sarali M., who died iiiiinarried at the_ 
 arje of twenty-three; Elbert A., a farmer 
 of Penlield township; Wilbur F., who died 
 when five years old; Watson F., a livery- 
 man, of Mackinaw Island, Mich.; Mary I., 
 Mrs. William Sheldon, of Kansas; and 
 Irviiif:^, a farmer of Pentiehl township. 
 Mr. Starr, in Ins political preferences, was 
 for many years a stanch Republican, but 
 of late lias been an uncompromising Pro- 
 hibitionist, not only in theory Init in prac- 
 tice, for never in his long life has ho tasted 
 either liquor or tobacco. He and his 
 faithful wife, now in the sixty-third year 
 of their married life, are hand in hand 
 descending the hill toward the golden sun- 
 set, wearing well their years of honored 
 and useful lives, and enjoying the respect 
 and esteem of a wide circle of friends. On 
 October 23, 1893, Mrs. Starr received a 
 shock which affected her right side, and on 
 January 4, 1894, she fell, injuring her hip 
 on the same side. 
 
 LANSON GILLMORE. Tiiis hon- 
 ored old pioneer of Lorain county 
 deserves more than a passing notice 
 in this volume, were it only for his 
 continuous residence here of over 
 fourscore years, in that period witnessing 
 the transformation of forests wild into 
 fields of golden grain; and the time of the 
 old postboy and stage-coach giving place 
 to the era of steam and electricity. 
 
 Mr. Gillmore was born in April, 1805, 
 in Hampshire county, Mass., seventh in 
 the family and the only survivor of eio-ht 
 children born to Edward and Elizabeth 
 (Stewart) Gillmore, both also natives of 
 Massachusetts. In 1812 they came to Lo- 
 rain county, the journey from Hampshire 
 county, Mass., being made overland with 
 teams, and occupying thirty days. They 
 located on land on the shore of Lake Erie, 
 two miles west of the mouth of Black 
 
 river. Here they opened out a farm, on 
 which they passed the rest of their busy 
 lives. The mother died in February, 1844, 
 the father on April 9, 184(3. He was a 
 strong John Quincy Adams man, also a 
 supporter of John Adams; in his later life 
 he was a Democrat. 
 
 Alanson Gillmore was seven years old 
 when his parents brought him to Lorain 
 county, and he was reared ou the shore t)f 
 Lake Erie, his education being received at 
 the primitive schools of those early days. 
 When the family first came here, they 
 killed game in abundance in what is now 
 Black River township. Our subject dis- 
 tinctly remembers Perry's victory on Lake 
 Erie, and the firing at the time of Hull's 
 surrendering of Detroit to the Canadian 
 militia. Till he was twenty-one years of 
 aee he woi'ked on a farm, and then went 
 into a shipyard with Capt. Augustus Jones, 
 of the sloop " William Tell." For over 
 thirty years he was employed as a siiip 
 builder, working chiefly in the principal 
 cities along the lakes. 
 
 On February 23, 1833, he was married 
 to Miss Evaline C. Junes, a native of Con- 
 necticut, whose half-brother came to Lo- 
 rain, Ohio, in 1818. To this union were 
 born five children (all yet living except 
 one), as follows: Adelaide E., wile of Ed- 
 mund Gillmore, of Lorain; Simon A., mar- 
 ried, and living in Lorain; Joel M., a 
 seafaring man, drowned in Lake Michigan 
 July 2, 1886; Byron A., residing in Lo- 
 rain, and Fannie, wife of Capt. Thomas 
 Wilford, also of Lorain. The mother of 
 this family died on the farm on Lake Erie, 
 October 5, 1850, and February 10, 1859, 
 Mr. Gillmore married Emma Lynch. She 
 died in 1863, and June 5, 1865, our sub- 
 ject was united in marriage, in Dodge 
 county. Wis., with Mrs. Sarah Mantoe, a 
 native of New Hampshire, daughter of 
 Jonathan and Mary (Barron) Burnham, 
 who in an early day migrated t" Michigan, 
 thence to Wisconsin at the time it was a 
 territory. This Mrs. Gillmore had been 
 twice married before her union with our 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 533 
 
 Buhject, first time to Mr. A. Bankson, by 
 whom slie liad two daughters, viz.: Louisa, 
 wife of William Cross, of Fairmount, 
 Minn.; and Jennie, widow of William 
 Washington Peaiiiek. By her marriage 
 with Mr. Man toe she had one son: George 
 Arthur, in San Francisco, Cal., foreman in 
 a bonded warehouse. Durinjr the Revolu- 
 tion Grandl'atiier Jonathan Barron served 
 as an aid-de-camp to his father Gen. Bar- 
 ron. Jonathan Barron married a Miss 
 Minor. 
 
 In politics our subject was originally a 
 Whig, and since the formation of the party 
 has been a strong Republican; he has 
 served as justice of the peace (two terms) 
 and township assessor. In matters of re- 
 ligion he is a member of the Disciple 
 Church. 
 
 Li 
 
 EVI MORSE. Among the promi- 
 nent citizens of Lorain county, none 
 is more notable than this gentle 
 man, who is a trustee of Elyria 
 township. 
 
 Mr. Morse is a native of Connecticut, 
 born in Prospect, New Haven county, July 
 1, 1812, a son of Lent and Lydia (X^oolittle) 
 Morse, the former of whom was born in 
 Cheshire, New Haven Co., Conn., followed 
 farming, and died at the age of si.xty-seveu 
 years; he was descended from one of three 
 brothers who came from England in very 
 early times. Mrs. Lydia Morse, the mother 
 of our subject, lived to be fifty years old, 
 and had si.K children, of whom the follow- 
 ing is a brief record: Lydia married Sam- 
 uel Bronson, and resided in Waterbury, 
 Conn., where she died, leaving one son, 
 Spencer Bronson; Lent died in Prospect 
 when about forty years old, leaving two 
 daugliters, Martha and Lucy; Luther lived 
 in Prospect, married Adelia Piatt, and 
 reared three cliildren: Nancy, Agnes and 
 Edward; Levi, the subject of this sketch, 
 is the fourth child; Harry married Sarah 
 Gillette, and died, leaving seven children: 
 
 George, John, Walter, Byron, Hattie, 
 Mary and Alice; Achsah married George 
 Payne, of Prospect, wliere she still resides 
 (she reared three children: Achsah, Lydia 
 and Harry). The mother of this family 
 died in 1825, and in 1828 or '2'J Mr. 
 Morse married Miss Tuttle, by whom there 
 are three children: Augustus M., Sarah 
 and Lydia Ann. 
 
 Levi Morse, who.se name opens this 
 sketch, was reared and educated in his na- 
 tive town. Prospect. In 1835, at the age 
 of twenty-three, when Elyria was l)ut a 
 small place of perhaps four hundred in- 
 habitants, with two or three- stores, a log 
 house used for a jail and no church build- 
 ings, he came west to Ohio, and there com- 
 menced business in the stoi'e of S. W. 
 Baldwin, who iiad accompanied him to the 
 town. He remained in his employ some 
 fifteen years, at the end of which time he 
 embarked in the dry-goods business in 
 company with a Mr. Andrews, under the 
 firm name of Andrews iz Co. In about 
 two years Mr. Andrews died, and Mr. 
 Morse carried on the business alone for a 
 time. We then find him in the responsi- 
 ble position of first station agent at Elyria 
 for the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern 
 Railroad Company, which incumbency he 
 filled with ability and satisfaction three 
 years; after which for a time he was in the 
 produce trade — buying and selling grain. 
 In 1863 he was elected township trustee, 
 which position he has held continuously 
 since, e.xcej)ting one term. He was super- 
 intendent of the County Infirmary for over 
 two years. 
 
 In 1840 Mr. Morse was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Minerva Mann, who was 
 bom in New York State, December 7, 
 1818, and the children iiorn to this union 
 were as follows: Milo Welsey, born April 
 21, 1842, enlisted in 18()2 in Company E, 
 Forty-second Regiment O. V. I., and was 
 killed May 25, 1863, at the siege of Vicks- 
 burtf, while on sharpshooting duty; Clara 
 A., "born January 15, 1846, die<l February 
 18, 1849, of scarlet fever; Alfred D., born 
 
534 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 January 29, 1851, now living in Elyria. 
 niarrifd to Miss Adams, of Colninbia; Ed- 
 M'ard F., born November 11, 1853, is in 
 tbe mining business, and be and his wife 
 make tbeir home alternately in Stockton 
 and Salt Lake City, Utah; Lydia May, the 
 wife of Rev. J. F. Brant, of Port Clinton, 
 Ohio, Avas born April 10, 1859; Charles 
 L., born October 6, 1861, in business in 
 Elyria, married to Miss Basset, of Elyria. 
 Mr. Morse in his political proclivities is 
 a Republican, and has voted for every 
 Whig and Republican candidate for Presi- 
 dent since 1833. In his church relation- 
 ship he is a Methodist, and took a promi- 
 nent part in bnilding the first M. E. 
 Church (now the Disciple Church) on East 
 Second street, which was dedicated in 1851. 
 He has held an official position in the 
 church of his choice since 1843, and is now 
 one amony less than a dozen of the origi- 
 nal membership of the First M. E. Chnreh. 
 His children now livine; are four in num- 
 her, and he has eight grandchildren. 
 
 THOMAS LOTHROP NELSON, 
 prominent merchant and banker of 
 Elyria, was born in Lyme, Grafton 
 Co., N. H., January 11, 1823, a son 
 of Asa and Sarah (Gilbert) Nelson. 
 His mother was the daughter of Major 
 Thomas Lothrop Gilbert, a worthy citizen 
 of Lyme. 
 
 The Gilberts had emigrated to Lyme 
 from Hebron, Conn., and, at the time of 
 Thomas L. Nelson's birth, a line of worthy 
 ancestors had lived in Lyme for at least 
 one hundred and eighty years, and the old 
 Gilbert Homestead, in which Thomas L. 
 Nelson was l)orn, is now occupied by a 
 descendant of the seventh generation. His 
 father, Asa Nelson, was a merchant in 
 Lyme, but died when his youngest child 
 was small, and left his widow with no 
 means, but a stout heart and courage to 
 care for a family of small children. 
 
 The little lad, Thomas L. Nelson, spent 
 his boyhood days in his Grandfather Gil- 
 bert's family. Mr. Nelson enjoyed and 
 improved the few edncationai advantages 
 which the place afforded, and then went 
 for a time to Thetford Academy, Vermont, 
 near by; but be was a close student and 
 careful reader all his life. Upon leaving 
 school lie was employed in a dry-goods 
 store in his native town for two years, and 
 then, attaining his majority, he started for 
 the great West, reaching Oberlin, Ohio, 
 where his uncle (by marriage) Deacon Por- 
 ter Turner resided. His ambitif)n was to 
 acquire an education at the college in 
 Oberlin, but as all his possessions consisted 
 of one dollar in money and the small 
 bundle he carried in his hand, the way to 
 procure an education did not seem clear to 
 him. Yet this early struggle and disap- 
 pointment prepared the way for him to 
 sympathize with, and help in later years, 
 young men similarly situated. 
 
 Thomas L. Nelson left Oberlin, walked 
 to Mansfield, Richland county, aiul at last, 
 after many attempts and failures to find 
 employment, secured a position as clerk in 
 a dry-goods store, which clerkship he held 
 for si.x months. A kind Providence after- 
 ward directed his steps to Elyria, and 
 he entered the store of Baldwin, Starr & 
 Co. At the end of five years of industry, 
 the strictest economy and self-denial, he 
 was able to become a partner in this busi- 
 ness, under the firm name of Starr & Co. 
 In 1857 the firm of Baldwin, Laundon & 
 Nelson was formed, and for fifteen years 
 Mr. Nelson was known throuijhout the 
 county as an honest, upright, successful 
 merchant. The largest business in Lorain 
 county was done by this house. At the 
 time of this partnership the same parties 
 also conducted a large mercantile house in 
 Wellington. In 1872 Mr. Nelson with- 
 drew from the mercantile business, and in 
 company with J. C. Hill organized the 
 Savings Deposit Bank, of wliich he was 
 chief stockholder and the honored Presi- 
 dent up to the time of his last sickness. 
 
o^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 537 
 
 He was a valuable man in the commun- 
 ity, and his presence in business or Chris- 
 tian meetings was, as it were, "a tower of 
 strength." He was always interested in 
 the cause of education and the upbuilding 
 of humanity. For thirty-one years he was 
 a member of the Board of Education of 
 Elyria, and for eighteen years its president. 
 For nearly twenty years he served as trus- 
 tee of Oberliti College. For one year he 
 was mayor of Elyria, but declined all other 
 offices tendered to him. Mr. Nelson cast 
 his first vote with the Whig party, and 
 afterward was a member of the Liberty and 
 Republican parties as they came into ex- 
 istence. For thirty-seven years he was a 
 beloved member of the Congregational 
 Church, ever ready to bear the burdens of 
 the Ciiureh, a devout attendant upon its 
 worship, a constant worker in the Sabbath- 
 school, and a faithful witness for truth and 
 righteousness. When a young man he 
 laid down certain rules for governing his 
 life, among which honor, strict business 
 integrity and Christian charity stood most 
 prominent in his mind. A life regulated 
 by such standards bore its fruits in win- 
 ning the confidence of all with whom he 
 came in contact and in an enviable reputa- 
 tion. How little does a sketch of tiiis 
 length portray the character of such a man! 
 
 In a business career of nearly half a cen- 
 tury — a man of unstained integrity, as a 
 citizen — honored and respected. A Church- 
 member, beloved and mourned. In social 
 circles always the gracious, affable gentle- 
 man. Thomas Lothrop Nelson died Feb- 
 ruary 21, 1891. 
 
 Mr. Nelson was thrice married. Ilis 
 first wife was Miss Lucretia Churchill 
 (daughter of Judge Churchill, of Lyme, 
 N. II.), whom he married July 24, 1851; 
 she died January 18, 1853, leaving an in- 
 fant daughter, Lucretia, now the wife of 
 the Rev. E. P. Butler, of Sunderland, 
 Mass. On August 21, 1856, he married 
 ISliss Mary L. Moody, of Chicopee. ]\[ass. 
 She died February 13, 1863, leaving three 
 daughters: Mary L., the wife of A. L. 
 
 Garford, of Elyria; Lizzie Gilbert, who 
 died in childhood, and Sarah M., wife of 
 Robert Frey. After ten years Mr. Nelson 
 married, February 19, 1873, Miss Frances 
 H. Sanford, of Elyria, who survives him. 
 The last Mrs. Nelson was the youngest 
 daughter of Frederick Burr Sanford and 
 Eveline (Nichols) Sanford. Mr. Sanford 
 was born in Danbury, Conn., April 25, 
 1805. lie was educated in the academies 
 of his native place, and at the age of seven- 
 teen years, with his brother-in-law, Thomas 
 W. Pitman, went South and engaged in 
 commercial business in Newl)erne, N. C, 
 but after a sojourn of some years they sold 
 out and returned to their home in Dan- 
 bury. On May 6, 1830, he married Eve- 
 line Nichols, daughter of Aaron Nichols, 
 of Danbury. She was a woman of rare 
 gifts, active in Church work, a friend of 
 the poor, a sister of mercy to the sick and 
 afflicted — an example of all that is sweet, 
 tender and heroic in Christian faith. 
 After the birth of their si.x children they 
 left Connecticut and settled in Elyria, Ohio. 
 Mr. Sanford again embarked in mercantile 
 business, for a long period being proprietor 
 of the then well-known " Peoples' Store." 
 Subsequently he engaged in the shoe busi- 
 ness. His noble, beautiful life passed from 
 earth December 27, 1879; his wife pre- 
 ceded him March 1, 1864. Tliey were 
 both members of the Congregational 
 Church, and their children cherish the ten- 
 derest memories of their home. Both Mr. 
 and Mrs. Sanford were descendants of the 
 Starr family, a name well known through- 
 out Connecticut, and they were worthy 
 descendants of such a long line of noble 
 ancestors. 
 
 jRRIN HALL, than whom there is 
 no one better known or more highly 
 respected in Lorain county, was 
 born April o, 1816, in Connecticut, 
 a son of Avery Hall, also of the Nutmeg 
 State, whose father's name was also Avery. 
 
538 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Avery Hall, father of subject, was reared 
 on a farm, and wlieu a young man took up 
 the business of what was commonly known 
 througliout the country as a "Yankee 
 peddler," selling, in company with another, 
 tinware and notions from their tin shop in 
 Meriden, Conn., the first of the kind in tlie 
 town. On December 27, 1801, he married 
 Miss Sarah Foster, who bore him two chil- 
 dren: Seiden, born September 19. 1802, 
 and died in Wellington, whither he had 
 removed from Brighton, and where he lived 
 retired; and Alfred, l)orn May 21, 1803, 
 and (lied in 1890 in Perth Am boy, N. J., 
 where ,he was in the terra cotta business. 
 The mother of these dying, Mr. Hall mar- 
 ried, September 1, 1805, for his second 
 wife. Miss Lucy Bacon, the result of which 
 union was children as follows, born in 
 Connecticut: Erastus, born July 28, 1806, 
 was a merchant, and died in Grand Rapids, 
 Mich.; Sarah, born November 11, 1807, 
 married Cyrus Miner, and died in Town- 
 send, Huron Co., Ohio; Edwin, born April 
 9, 1809, lives in Eljria, Ohio; Avery, born 
 February 28, 1812, a farmer, died in 1891 
 in Kansas; Lucy, born April IB, 1814, 
 married Lorenzo Doty, and died in 
 Brighton, Lorain county; Orrin is the sub- 
 ject of this memoir; Julia and Julius 
 (twins), born April 19, '1818, of whom 
 Julius died in infancy (Julia was iirst 
 married to Alfred Laml), and after his de- 
 cease to William Cook; she died id Per- 
 rysburg, Ohio); one born June 17, 1820, 
 and died in infancy; and Theophilus, born 
 May 15, 1821, lives retired in Wellington, 
 Ohio. 
 
 In New England Avery Hall owned a 
 farm, and also a sawmill located on Muddy 
 brook. About the year 1820 he came to 
 Ohio in company with a man by the name 
 of Comstock, the jonrney hither l)eing beset 
 with many hardships and much sutt'ering. 
 In Lorain county Avery selected 200 acres 
 of wild land, and tlien returned to Connec- 
 ticut, where for the Lorain land he traded 
 what property he had to the State of Con- 
 necticut. In the summer of 1822 he and 
 
 such of his family as were then living, ex- 
 cepting two sons — Seiden and Alfred (who 
 had already gone on, in order to prepare a 
 cabin, walking the entire distance carrying 
 their packs on tiieir backs) — set out for 
 their new Western houie. The family, to- 
 gether with tiieir goods and chattels, came 
 ill two wagons drawn by a span of horses 
 and a yoke of oxen, respectively, others of 
 the farm stock, including a couple of cows, 
 being led behind. Alter a tedious though 
 somewhat uneventful journey of four weel'is 
 and four days, the party arrived in Lorain 
 county, locating in what afterward became 
 Brighton township. The county seat was 
 then Medina, now of Medina county, Lo- 
 rain county being organized about the year 
 1821, and the Hall family was the fifth to 
 come into the township. (The county was 
 organized the year before they came in, and 
 the township the year after). On their 
 arrival they found the cabin not quite com- 
 pleted, consequently they stayed at the 
 home of Calvin Rice for a time. While 
 living in Brighton townsliip three more 
 children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Avery 
 Hall, to wit: John W., born August 26, 
 1823, of Wisconsin; William, born April 
 11, 1825, now a mechanic of Southampton, 
 Mass.; and Clarissa, born August 22, 
 1829, who died when twelve years old. 
 After a residence of some time here, Avery 
 Hall attended a meeting whicli was called 
 for the purpose of forming a township, 
 and he there suggested for it the name of 
 " Brighton." wliich was adopted. At that 
 time there were only sufficient voters in the 
 township to fill the several offices estab- 
 lished by its formation. Tlie whole country 
 all around for many miles was in a thor- 
 oughly wild state, not ten acres of cleared 
 land to be found in tlie entire township, 
 and bears, deer, wolves, grey foxes, wild 
 turkeys, .etc., were numerous; the Indians 
 used to bring fresh meat to the Avery 
 home, which they would trade for other 
 things useful to themselves. In cour.se of 
 time Mr. Hall, as declining years came 
 upon him, retired from active work, and 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 539 
 
 made his home in Brighton Center, where 
 he died at an advanced age; hi» wife had 
 preceded hiin to the grave, dying in No- 
 vember, 1853, and they lie side by side in 
 Brigiitoii Cemetery. In religiuus faith 
 she was a Congregationalist. Politically 
 Mr. Avery Hall was a Democrat until the 
 formation of the Republican party, when 
 lie united with it, continuing in the ranks 
 thereof till the day of his death ; he held 
 the first offices in Brighton township, and 
 was as highly respected as he was well 
 known. 
 
 Orrin Hall, whose name introduces this 
 sketch, was, as will be seen, six years old 
 when the family came to Ohio, and as for 
 nine years thereafter there were no school 
 houses in Brighton township, his educa- 
 tional advantages were necessarily some- 
 what limited. For a time he found ample 
 employment in assisting to clear up the 
 land, and at the age of sixteen years he 
 commenced to learn the trades of mason 
 and bricklayer and plasterer, under A. 
 Briggs. Having completed what might 
 be termed his apprenticeship, he worked at 
 these trades as a journeyman in twenty- 
 eight States of the Union and in Upper 
 Canada, traveling about as much to see the 
 country as anything else. Immediately 
 after his marriage he located on a portion 
 of the old Kingsbury homestead in Brighton 
 township, and in IbSo came to his present 
 farm in Brighton township, comprising 
 115 acres of prime farm land. Since 1888 
 he has retired from active work, and is now 
 enjoying with ease a well-earned com- 
 petence. 
 
 On November 1, 1843, Mr. Hall was 
 united in marriage with Miss Louisa Kings- 
 bury, born November 16, 1823, a daughter 
 of Austin and Altomira (Adams) Kings- 
 bury, who in an early day came from Berk- 
 shire county, Mass., to Lorain county. To 
 this union children as follows were 
 born: Charles M., who became amember of 
 Company F, Twelfth Ohio Cavalry, and was 
 killed in 1863 at Mt. Sterling, Ky., where 
 he was buried; Albert, of Cleveland; An- 
 
 drew, living at home; Mary, Mrs. Albert 
 Pierrepont, of Wyoming; Jay, a teacher 
 at Oberlin, Ohio; and Eva, of Wellington. 
 Politically our subject was originally a 
 Whig, now a liepublican, and in religious 
 faith he is a member of the Congrega- 
 tional Church at Brighton Center, which 
 he has attended for over sixty years, and 
 has held every office in same. 
 
 ff^j EV. JOHN J. SIIIPHERD. Ober- 
 Y^ lin is known in the world as an in- 
 I ^ stitution of learning and a com- 
 ^J munity, the two having a common 
 
 origin and a common history. As 
 seen to-day it is a thriving city of some 
 five thousand inhabitants, surrounded by a 
 prosperous farming community, in the 
 midst of which stands a college with its 
 various departments, theological, collegiate, 
 preparatory and mtisical, and an aveiage 
 yearly attendance of about fifteen hundred 
 students. The projectors and prime mov- 
 ers of the enterprise were Rev. John J. 
 iShipherd, then pastor of the Presbyterian 
 (Jliurch of Elyria, and his associate and 
 friend, Philo P. Stewart. 
 
 John J. Shipherd was born March 28, 
 1802, in West Granville, Washington Co., 
 N. Y., son of Zebulou R. and Elizabeth 
 B. Shipherd. He was carefully and re- 
 ligiously educated, and while at school at 
 Pawlet, Va., in preparation for college, his 
 conscious religious life opened in a con- 
 version which began in intense conviction 
 and conriict, and resulted in great peace 
 and joy. From this time to the end of his 
 days his character and life were marked 
 with profound earnestness and restless ac- 
 tivity. In his youth a serious mistake, in 
 swallowing poison instead of a remedy pre- 
 scribed for a slight indisposition, so af- 
 fected his constitution, involving a weak- 
 ness of his eyes, that he had to abandon his 
 preparatory studies for entering the col- 
 letre at Middlebury, Vt., and turn his at- 
 tention to such business as opened to him. 
 
t 
 
 540 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 In 1824 he married Miss Esther Ray- 
 mond, of Ballstoi), N. Y., and removed to 
 Vergennes, Vt., to engage in the marble 
 business. But he had still in view the 
 work of preparing for the Gospel minis- 
 try, and his eyesight having improved, he 
 entered the study of Rev. Josiah Hopkins, 
 of New Haven, Vt., where he spent a year 
 and a half, in company with other young 
 men, in theological study. His first year 
 in the ministry was with the church in 
 Shelburne, Vt. The next two years he 
 was engaged in the sjenei-al Sundav-school 
 work in tiie State, njaking Middlebnry his 
 lieadquarters, editing a Sunday-school pa- 
 per, and ti'aveling throughout the State in 
 the work of orsjanizing schools. Conclnd- 
 ing to try a new field for his life work, he 
 took a commission from the American 
 Home Missionary Society, and " went out, 
 not knowing whitlier he went," but turn- 
 ing his face to the " Valley of the Missis- 
 sippi," as the whole country west of tlie 
 Alleghany Mountains was then called. At 
 Cleveland he met Rev. D. W. Lathrop, 
 who liad just closed his labors as pastor of 
 the church in Elyria, and upon his invita- 
 tion lie came to that town in October,1830, 
 and the following February was installed 
 pastor of the church. In October, 1832, he 
 tendered his resignation, and entered upon 
 the work of laying the foundations at 
 Oberlin, in which connection he was 
 joined, the same year, by his old friend, 
 Philo Penfield Stewart, the companion of 
 his boyhood at Pawlet Academy. Thus 
 the two founders of Oberlin were finally 
 brought together, consecrated to the 
 great cause, and ready for any sacrifice 
 which the work required. In constitution 
 and natural movement they were greatly 
 unlike. Mr. Shipherd was ardent, hope- 
 ful, sanguine, disposed to underestimate 
 difficulties and obstacles; while Mr. Stew- 
 art was slow and cautious, apprehensive of 
 difficulties, and inclined to provide for 
 tliem in advance. But they liad entire 
 confidence in each other, in respect to rec- 
 titude of heart and purpose, although their 
 
 cooperation doubtless involved some diffi- 
 culties; but whatever they were, there was 
 unanimity in the pushing to consunxma- 
 tion the one grand object in view. In 
 their deliberations they exchanged views; 
 one would present one point of interest, 
 and another a different one. Thus they 
 labored and prayed, and one day while on 
 their knees asking guidatice, the whole 
 plan developed itself to Mr. Shipherd's 
 mind, and before rising to his feet he said: 
 " Come, let us arise and Iniild." He then 
 told Mr. Stewart what had come into his 
 mind — to procure a tract of land and collect 
 a colony of Christian families that should 
 pledge them.selves with all its interests. 
 They came down from the study, and Mr. 
 Shipherd, with a glowing face, said to his 
 wife: " Well, my dear, the child is born, 
 and what shall its name be?" It was 
 named lor John Frederic Oberlin, a Ger- 
 man pastor of Waldbach, in the Vosges 
 Mountains, Eastern France, who had died 
 a few years before, of whose labors, in ele- 
 vating the people of his parish, an inter- 
 esting account had been published in this 
 country, as a Sunday-school book. 
 
 Several sites were proposed whereon to 
 found Oberlin, but none of the situations 
 gave sutticient scope to Mr. Shipherd's 
 ideal community; finally a forest-covered 
 tract eight miles southwest from Elyria, in 
 the township of Russia, was decided on, 
 the owners of which lived in New Haven, 
 Conn. Hence a journey must be made 
 by some one to New England, for the 
 threefold purpose of securing the land, 
 the money, and the men. In Novetnber, 
 1832, Mr. Shipherd undertook the jour- 
 ney, which had to be accomplished on 
 horseback, arriving at his destination, 
 New Haven, in the course of two weeks. 
 " The day after his arrival," to quote from 
 Mrs. Shipherd's records, " he called on 
 Messrs. Street and Hughes, the owners of 
 the land, and laid his plan before them, 
 and asked the gift of five hundred acres for 
 a Manual Labor School, proposing to 
 gather a colony of families who should pay 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 541 
 
 a dollar and a half an acre, for five thou- 
 sand acres in addition, representing that 
 this would bring the lands into market, 
 and thns prove a mutual benefit. But 
 they could not see the prospect. He 
 called on them day after day unsuccess- 
 fully, until at length he came down from 
 his room one morning, and remarked to 
 the lady of the house, our friend, ' I 
 shall succeed today;' and she told me 
 afterward that his face shone like the face 
 of Moses. He accordingly went over to 
 tile office, and after the morning saluta- 
 tions, one of the linn said: 'Well, Mr. 
 Shipherd, we have concluded to accept 
 your proposition.' They adjusted mat- 
 ters, and he was prepared to proceed with 
 his work of collecting the colony.'' 
 
 The arrangement was to sell live thou- 
 sand acres, bought for one dollar and a 
 half an acre, to colonists, at at) advance of 
 one dollar an acre, and thus secure a 
 fund of five thousand dollars for laying 
 the foundations of the college. But Mr. 
 
 o 
 
 Shipherd engao-ed that from this fund a 
 sawmill and a icristmill should be erected, 
 to be owned by the college, as these were 
 essential to the very existence of the 
 colony, and there was no probability that 
 the mills would be erected as a private 
 enterprise. 
 
 But as it does not come within the 
 province of this biographical article to 
 give a history of Oberlin, which has 
 already most exhaustively and graphically 
 been treated on by Prof. James II. Fair- 
 child, president of Oberlin College, it but 
 remains for us hei-e to conclude the per- 
 sonal sketch of Mr. Shipherd. 
 
 While in the East, he had engaged the 
 number of families he suj)posed it desira- 
 ble to invite to become the nucleus of the 
 Oberlin Colony; had enlisted a considera- 
 ble number of students who were to join 
 the school at its opening in December 
 following, or the next spring; had looked 
 up and secured the appointment of the 
 necessary teachers, and had raised a fund, 
 in contributions and subscriptions, amount- 
 
 ing to nearly fifteen thousand dollars. 
 His journey back to Ohio was character- 
 istic of the man and the times. Mrs. 
 Shipherd had gone in the early sutnmer, 
 witl) a six-weeks-old babe in her arms, to 
 her father's home in Ballston, N. Y. 
 There Mr. Shipherd joined her in August, 
 and in an open buggy, with a willow 
 cradle at their feet, they made tiie journey 
 to Ohio, remembered by Mrs. Shipherd, to 
 the last, as the most pleasant journey of 
 their lives. They then took up their resi- 
 dence in Oberlin. 
 
 In 1884 the organizition of the " Con- 
 gregational Church of Christ at Oberlin " 
 was begun, the ministers present at the 
 organization being John J. Shipherd; Seth 
 II. Waldo, principal of the school; John 
 Keyes, pastor of the church at Dover; 
 J. H. Eels, pastor at Elyria; and Oliver 
 Eastman, of Oberlin. Mr. Shipherd, by 
 unanimous call, became its tirst pastor, in 
 which relationship he continued, with 
 some interruption from ill health and iiis 
 other duties, until June, 1836. 
 
 There were special educational enter- 
 prises of a missionary character, in which 
 the colony shared with the college. The 
 first of these was led by Mr. Shipherd 
 himself, who had laid the foundations 
 here, and had a lotiging to continue work 
 of the kind. In providing men for Ober- 
 lin, the church and the college, he had not 
 been careful to reserve a place for himself; 
 and thus, after ten years, while still a 
 young man, he foutid himself with im- 
 proved health, free from the responsibility 
 in the college except as trustee. H.iving 
 occasion, in tiie autumn of 1843, to pass 
 througli the State of Michigan, his mind 
 occupied with the thought of another Ober- 
 lin, he chanced upon a place in Eaton 
 county that impressed him as possibly the 
 appointed field. Returning to Oberlin, lie 
 gathered a few of the men who had joined 
 the Oberlin colony U])an his invitation, 
 and proposed to tliein the new enterprise. 
 In the spring of 1844 Mr. Shipherd took 
 his wife and six sons into a wagon, together 
 
« 
 
 542 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 witli such household goods as could be 
 readily transported, with a yonncr man or 
 two to drive his cows and sheep, and made 
 his way overland to tlie new wilderness 
 home. A half-dozen families from Ober- 
 lin followed, and two young men, gradu- 
 ates of the preceding year, joined them as 
 teachers. Thus the foundations of the 
 town and the college of Olivet, Mich., were 
 laid. The new settlement had its experi- 
 ences of hardship and trial; sickness came 
 to many, especially to Mr. Shipherd and 
 his family. In September, IS-l-i, at the 
 Hge of forty-two, he passed away, and his 
 grave was made in the new colony, where 
 his memory is still cherished, as it is in 
 Oberlin. No published writings of his re- 
 main, and as no portrait of him, of any 
 kind, was ever taken, not even an outline 
 of his features was left. Mrs. Shipherd 
 returned to Oberlin with her fatherless 
 boys, and by the help of the people here 
 her former home was secured to her. After 
 some years three sons came forward to 
 their mother's aid, and provided her a 
 home in Cleveland, where some of them 
 had settled in business. She died Decem- 
 ber 7, 1879, at tlie advanced age of eighty- 
 two. A memorial window in the Plymouth 
 Church at (Ueveland symbolizes the self- 
 forgetfulness and beauty of her life. A 
 simple tablet in the Ladies' Hall is all that 
 bears the Shipherd name at Oberlin — 
 Oberlin itself is the monument. [Com- 
 piled from "Oberlin: The Colony and the 
 College," by the kind permission of the 
 author, Prof. James H. Fairchild. 
 
 llHILO PENFIELD STEWAET. 
 
 This gentleman, whose name has 
 II been associated with that of John 
 ■J/ J. Shipherd, in tiie above sketch, 
 
 when treating of the organization of 
 Oberlin Colony and College, was a native 
 of Connecticut, born in the town of Sher- 
 man, July, 1798. When ten years of age, 
 on account of his father's death, he was 
 
 sent to live with his maternal grandfather, 
 in Pittsford, Vt., and at the age of four- 
 teen he was apprenticed to his uncle in 
 Pawlet, Vt., to learn the saddle and har- 
 ness-making trade. In this apprentice- 
 ship he served seven years, with a term of 
 three months each year in the Pawlet 
 Academy, a privilege which he greatly 
 prized, and thoroughly improved. Under 
 the influence of a Christian teacher in the 
 Academy, he had devoted his life to the 
 Master's service; and after completing his 
 apprenticeship he experienced a sort of 
 second conversion, in a conflict with his 
 love of money, which seemed a natural 
 tendency in his character. Thus he was 
 prepared at the age of twenty- three to ac- 
 cept an appointment from the American 
 Board to a mission among the Choctaws, 
 in the State of Mississippi. The journey 
 of almost 2,000 miles to his fleld of labor 
 he made on horseback, a pair of saddle- 
 baijs containing his whole outflt. The 
 officers of the Board had furnished him 
 seventy dollars for his traveling expenses. 
 But from the time of starting he entered 
 upon his missionary work, and preached 
 the Gospel to the families along the way, 
 until he reached the Choctaw nation, at an 
 expense to the board of only ten dollars 
 for himself and his horse. 
 
 An important part of his work at the 
 mission was the superintendence of its 
 secular affairs, for which he was well fitted. 
 In addition he tauglit the boys' school, 
 and with the help of an interpreter held 
 services on the Sabbath in the different 
 Indian settlements. His health failing, 
 he returned to Vermont to recruit, but re- 
 turned again to the mission in 1827, with 
 a reinforcement of one young man and 
 three young women, whom he took over 
 the long journej' in a wagon, at an expense 
 only slightly greater than that involved in 
 his own journey six years before. 
 
 In 1828 Mr. StevvSrt, now thirty years 
 of age, married Miss Eliza Capen, one of 
 the young women whom he had taken out 
 to the mission the previous year from 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 543 
 
 Pittsford, Vt., and together they wrought 
 in the mission two or three years more, 
 when Mrs. Stewai-t's broken liealth com- 
 pelled them to return north, and resign 
 the mission work. Still on the outlook 
 for a field for Christian labor, he corre- 
 sponded with his old friend, Mr. Shipherd, 
 the companion of his boyliood at Pawlet 
 Academy; and as a result, leaving Mrs. 
 Stewart behind, he joined him at Elyria 
 in tlie spring of 1832, and became an in- 
 mate of his family. 
 
 During Mr. Shipherd's eastern tour in 
 1832, to secure lands, funds, etc., Mr. 
 Stewart was rejoined by Mrs. Stewart, and 
 they remained at Elyria with Mr. Ship- 
 herd's family, Mr. Stewart being especially 
 occupied in the work of bringing to per- 
 fection a cooking-stove which he had in- 
 vented, and which was known as the 
 ''Oberlin stove." This was the beginning 
 of the Stewart cooking-stove, whicii has 
 become so well known throughout the 
 country. It was his expectation that the 
 success of the invention would warrant the 
 trustees of the school in taking the pecuni- 
 ary responsibility involved, and thus all 
 the profits might go to the school; but the 
 trustees never felt authorized to assuiue 
 this responsibility. 
 
 While carrying forward the project of 
 tile cooking-stove at Elyria, Mr. Stewart 
 had general supervision of the work of the 
 new colony at Oberlin, meeting the colo- 
 nists as they came from the East with in- 
 formation and counsel and enconrage- 
 nient, conducting such correspondence as 
 the work called for from this point, and 
 iiolding frequent meetings with several 
 gentlemen of the region who had con- 
 sented to act as trustees of the enterprise. 
 Thus the work at Oberlin was begun. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, having no chil- 
 dren, had pledged themselves to the service 
 ,of the Oberlin Institute fur five yeai-s, for 
 no other compensation than the mere cost 
 of living. When the school was opened 
 in 1833 they took charge of the boarding- 
 hall, and continued in this capacity of 
 
 father and mother to the young people, 
 until 1836. The first year he was also 
 general manager, in the absence of Mr. 
 Shipherd, as treasurer of the college. 
 His views and practice of frugality, and 
 plainness of diet, were somewhat too rigid 
 for general acceptance with the students, 
 and in 1836 he resigned the stewardship 
 of -the " Hall," and with some sense of 
 disappointment Mr. and Mrs. Stewart 
 made their way eastward to Vermont, and 
 finally to New York, to work out the 
 stove problem, which for two or three 
 years had been held in suspense. He 
 established his home at Troy, X. Y., in 
 the neighborhood of the manufacturers 
 who worked out his inventions. 
 
 Mr. Stewart, worn out with the cares 
 and perplexities of his business, died De- 
 cember 13, 1868, at the age of seventy 
 years. Mrs. Stewart afterward remained 
 at her home in Troy, the only survivor of 
 the group that in the parsonage at Elyria, 
 in prayer and consultation, devoted them- 
 selves to the work of building up in the 
 wilderness a Christian College, and a 
 Christian community. [Compiled from 
 "Oberlin: The Colony and The College," 
 by the kind permission of the author, 
 Prof. James H. Fairehild. 
 
 DAVID BENNETT, one of the early 
 I settlers of Lorain county, was born 
 , ' on the 26th day of May, 1788, in 
 
 Westmoreland, Cheshire Co., N. H., 
 being third in a family of fifteen children. 
 His father, Dea. David Bennett, was 
 the onl}' son of one of three brothers who 
 came from England to the Massachusetts 
 Colony about tiie year 1750, and was born 
 at Harvard, Mass., May 28, 1761, his par- 
 ents both dying in his infancy. At the 
 ace of sixteen years he enlisted in the in- 
 fantry service of the United States army, 
 and fought in the Revolution. He was 
 married in 1783 to Abagail Chase, and to 
 
544 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 them were born nine children. He joined 
 tlie Baptist Church at Jamaica, Vt., in 
 1)S06, and the next year received the ap- 
 pointment of deacon. In December, 1811, 
 he contracted a second marriage with Se- 
 lina Holmes, and to them were born six 
 children. He died at Dummerston, Vt., 
 June 9, 1848. 
 
 David Bennett at the age of twenty-two 
 years married Polly Wheeler, and lived at 
 Londonderry, Windham Co., Vt., until the 
 year 1827, when became to Carlisle town- 
 ship and purchased 112 acres of land in 
 Section 12, one and one-half miles west of 
 the center. He returned east for his fam- 
 ily, consisting of his wife and a niece, and 
 the next spring, in May, caine to make a 
 permanent settlement on his farm. He 
 soon afterward built the first frame 
 house in that part of the township; put 
 under cultivation 110 acres of land, and 
 there resided until his death, July 16, 
 1863. 
 
 On February 6, 1830, he married, for his 
 second wife, Jane, eldest daughter of Neri 
 and Betsy Galpin, of Elyria, and to them 
 were born six children: Polly, who died 
 at the age of fifteen years; Jane A., wife 
 of W. C. Sutliff ; Emerett, wife of Curtis 
 Webster, Elyria; Celestia, who died in in- 
 fancy; Melvin R. and Cassimar D. Mrs. 
 Bennett died December 27, 1884, at the 
 age of seventy-four years. David Bennett 
 was an energetic farmer, and became suc- 
 cessful in his chosen vocation. In politics 
 he was a Democrat, and held various otRces 
 of trust in the township, being for six years 
 justice of the peace, and for two terms 
 township treasurer. In religious faith he 
 was a Universalist. 
 
 M. R. Bennett, the eldest son, was born 
 September 11, 1849, on the home farm, 
 where he resided until 1884, when he 
 removed to seventy acres adjoining which 
 he now owns. He received an elementary 
 education in the common schools of his 
 native township, afterward attending Ely- 
 ria High School, and subsequently Ober- 
 ]in Academy. 
 
 On January 27, 1880, he was united in 
 marriage with Miss Katie L. Schaden, a 
 native of Lorain county, and to them were 
 born two children, Florence E. and Karl 
 E. Mr. Bennett, politically, votes with 
 the Democratic party, and in 1872 was 
 elected to the office of township clerk, in 
 which position he has since served. 
 
 GD. BENNETT, an enterprising 
 wide-awake farmer of Carlisle town- 
 _ ship, is a native of same, born No- 
 vember 2, 1852, a son of David and 
 Jane (Galpin) Bennett. 
 
 He was reared to agricultural pursuits, 
 and is now owner of sixty-four acres of 
 well-improved land, where he carries on 
 general farming. In 1887 he married 
 Miss Carlie Kellogg, of Oberlin, Ohio. 
 
 P)ARKS FOSTER. As a living ex- 
 ample of what it is possible for 
 man, with willing heart and hands, 
 to accomplish — how from the bot- 
 tom round of the ladder, upward, to 
 work out for himself an honorable compe- 
 tency, a solid reputation and a good name 
 — this gentleman stands prominent among 
 the worthy citizens of his native county. 
 Mr. Foster was born in Lorain county, 
 Ohio, September 4, 1832, of New England 
 ancestry. His paternal grandfather, who 
 was a native of Vermont, for some ten or 
 twelve years lived in the State of New 
 York, whence he came to Ohio, where he 
 passed the rest of his days. Elisha Fos- 
 ter, father of subject, also of Vermont 
 birth, moved to New York State with his 
 parents when nine years old, and in 1816 
 proceeded westward to Ohio, making a 
 settlement in what is now Avon township, 
 Loi'ain county, at that time a wild, un- 
 broken wilderness. The next year he 
 
^^a^^/r^ ^^^::5^^^i^^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 547 
 
 moved to Amherst, same count}', and tlie 
 farm which he cleared and lived on is still 
 in the possession of members of tlie family. 
 In addition to his agricultural interests he 
 kept hotel at Amherst for foui-teen years. 
 He married Miss Ann Maria Mason, who 
 was born in Lee, Mass., January 12, 1804, 
 and is still living on the old home farm, 
 hale and hearty for a woman of her years. 
 Parks Foster received his education in 
 tile old log bchoolhouse at Amherst, and 
 early commenced the arduous work inci- 
 dent to farm life in his younger days. 
 This he pursued nntil he was thirty-six 
 years old, and then went into the stone 
 business, Amherst township and vicinity 
 being famed for its quantity' and quality 
 of sandstone. At the end of two years he 
 sold out and moved to Elyria, but shortly 
 afterward, on account of his wife's im- 
 paired health, they went to the Sunny 
 South, sojourning in Chattanooga, Tenn., 
 seven years, during which time lie was 
 connected, as director, with the First Na- 
 tional Bank of Chattanooga; was president 
 of the first street railway organization in 
 that city; was one of the first organizers of 
 of the Roane Iron Company ]\Iills, at that 
 time one of the largest rolling mills in the 
 South, and was assistant superintendent of 
 same; helped to start the Wasson Car 
 Works, and also assisted *n the erection of 
 a riouring mill. On behalf of the Govern- 
 ment, he helped to open iip the Mussel 
 Shoals Canal, employing in the work a 
 large number of men for a year. He put 
 out the first extensive peach orchard, yield- 
 ing good fruit, on tlie side of Missionary 
 Ridge, where the battle of Missionary 
 Kidge was fought; in addition to wiiich 
 he became interested in real estate, own- 
 ing lands and houses, incluiiing a hand- 
 some residence in Chattanooga, whicli was 
 the family home while in that city. On 
 his return to Lorain county, Mr. Foster 
 reentered the stone business, in company 
 with Clough Bros., the firm style being 
 " The Clough Stone Co.," which continued 
 some seven years. They built the railroad 
 
 to the quarry from Oberlin, some four 
 miles in length, afterward selling out to 
 the Cleveland Stone Company. 
 
 Afterselling his interests in the Clough 
 Stone Co., Mr. Foster tooka trip toEurope, 
 remaining there some months, visiting vari- 
 ous countries, and then set sail again for 
 his native land. Soon after his return he 
 engaged extensively in the lake vessel 
 business, as a member of two transporta- 
 tion companies, the Escanaba & Lake 
 Michigan Transportation Co., and the 
 Owen Line, and one of the vessels, a hand- 
 some craft, bears his name — "The Parks 
 Foster." 
 
 In 1888, Mr. Foster was appointed, by 
 Gov. Foraker, one of the trustees of the 
 State Asylum for the Insane, at Toledo, 
 and served throughout the Governor's 
 term; under Gov. Campbell he was re- 
 moved for political reasons only, but was 
 reappointed by Gov. McKinley, and still 
 enjoys the incumbency. 
 
 In addition to Mr. Foster's manifold 
 businesses above recounted, he is interested 
 in a cattle ranch in Colorado, and also in 
 coal industries. For a time he was a 
 stockholder in and director of the Savings 
 Deposit Bank Co., of Elyria. He owns 
 two large farms near Toledo, and, in con- 
 nection with J. C. Hill and T. L. Nelson, 
 was interested in an extensive timber 
 business. He is at present a director of 
 and stockholder in the Garford Manufac- 
 turing Co., and the Electric Light Plant 
 at Lorain, Ohio. In 1890 he was elected 
 a member of the State Board of Equaliza- 
 tion, serving thereon some seven mouths. 
 
 While in Toledo Mr. Foster contracted 
 (in 1891) with that city to lay some pipes, 
 to tiie amount of fifty thousand dollars, 
 and while engaged on same was taken so 
 ill tiiat he had to be conveyed to his home, 
 where he gradually became worse, and in 
 May, 1892, he had to take to his bed, and 
 for eleven months he lay between lite and 
 death, his friends all ilcsp liring of his re- 
 covery. In Ocloljer, after lying some five 
 months dangerously ill, he submitted to a 
 
 30 
 
548 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 heroic operation. Medical skill, backed 
 by a good constitution, prevailed, and 
 the patient slowly gained strength, al- 
 thongh be had lost one hundred pounds in 
 weight. Five months elapsed after the 
 operation before much iinprovement in 
 his system was noticeable, but since then 
 Jie has improved steadily, and is now 
 almost fully recovered — a living monu- 
 ment to modern medical and surgical skill. 
 In October, 1855, Parks Foster and 
 Mary L. Robertson, a native of Lorain 
 county, were united in marriage, and four 
 children — one son and three daughters — 
 were born to them, of whom the following 
 is a brief record: Sarah May is the wife of 
 S. L. Kent, of New York City; Burton P. 
 is a resident of Findlay, Ohio; Mary L. is 
 the wife of Arthur W. Walker, of Ports- 
 mouth, N. H. ; and Miss Florence is a 
 student of music at Boston, Mass. John 
 B. Robertson, Mrs. Foster's father, was a 
 native of Ballston, N. Y., and was well- 
 known in prominent Democratic circles. 
 He was formerly a resident of Saratoga, 
 -N. Y., coming to Lorain county in 18B0. 
 He married Miss Temperance Foot, a na- 
 tive of Lee, Mass., and they had five chil- 
 dren — three sons and two daughters — of 
 whom two sons are living, in Lorain county 
 and New York City, respectively. Mr. 
 Robertson died in 1875. His widow is 
 
 living in 
 the 
 
 Amherst township, Lorain 
 advanced age of ninety- 
 
 now 
 
 county, at 
 three years 
 
 Mrs. Foster passed her girlhood in Am- 
 herst township, where she was educated. 
 It was after marriage, when her health be- 
 gan to fail, that she and her husband went 
 South, as already related. She has ever 
 been a hard worker in the interests of re- 
 form, a zealous Church woman, and was 
 the one who took the initiative and most 
 active part in the erecting of the present 
 Baptist Church building. A member of 
 Several organizations, she acts as chairman 
 of numerous committees. She is a live 
 worker in the social interests of the 
 Church, and raised the wherewithal to 
 
 establish the Temperance Reading Room. 
 In the Anti-Liquor League recent)}' or- 
 ganized, she is one of the active workers, 
 and a leader in its councils. She is a 
 power in the family circle, and a counsellor 
 to her husband, at times aggressive when 
 he may be mild or indifferent, but always 
 on the side of right, to that end, in all 
 things, fearless and unflinching. 
 
 ILLIAM SMITH, retired, enjoys 
 
 the distinction of being one of the 
 
 oldest and most honored of the 
 
 farmer citizens of Lorain county. 
 
 He was born in Bennington county, Vt., 
 
 December 30, 1809, and is consequently 
 
 now fourscore and four years old. 
 
 He is a son of Samuel and Pollie (Fuller) \ 
 Smith, the former of whom was born in ' 
 Vermont, was a farmer by occupation, and 
 died in Ashland county, Ohio, at the age 
 of eighty- three. His wife, when aged 
 sixty-two, died in Illinois, whither he had 
 accompanied her, but returned East just 
 prior to his death. His father, Daniel 
 Smith, a Vermonter, came of old Puritan 
 stuck, and was a deacon in the Baptist 
 Church; Mrs. Pollie Smith, our subject's 
 mother, was also a Baptist. She had five 
 children, of whom the following is a brief 
 record: Jedediah is residing near Platts- 
 burg, N. Y. ; William is the subject of 
 this sketch; Willis is living in Utah; 
 Laura, who was married in New York 
 State to a Mr. W^ebb, died in Iowa; and 
 Lydia, married to a Mr. Pixley, is living 
 in Orange, Ashland Co., Ohio. 
 
 William Smith received a liberal edu- 
 cation at the schools of the neighborhood 
 of his place of birth, and was reared to 
 agricultural pursuits on his father's farm. 
 At about the age of twenty-six he moved 
 to New York State, but after a year's so- 
 journ there came to Ohio, settling on a 
 piece of land in Sullivan township. Ash- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 549 
 
 land eotinty, coininenciiig there witli about 
 tour Imndred dollars, and by iiulustry and 
 indomitable perseverance succeeded in 
 accniiiulating a handsome competence, 
 becoming the owner of 888 acres of fertile 
 land. There he lived forty-one years, or 
 until about 1878, when he came to Well- 
 ington, Lorain county, and has here since 
 made his home. In Novetnber, 1835, our 
 subject married Miss Sabriiia Palmer, and 
 eleven children were born to this union, of 
 whom the following is a succinct record: 
 (1) Lydia M. married George .McClellen, 
 and had two children: Lydia M. and Julia, 
 both married; Lydia M. died in Welling- 
 ton in 1884. (2) Piatt B. is a farmer in 
 Sullivan township, Ashland county. (3) 
 Fuller enlisted iu Company H, Eighth 
 O. V. L, and was killed at the battle of Cold 
 Harbor. (4) Russell also was in the Civil 
 war, serving under Gartield in the Forty- 
 second O. v. L, during which time his 
 health was completely shattered ; he died at 
 home. (5) Martin W. lives in Sullivan, 
 Ohio; he is married and has live children: 
 Nettie, Sabrina, Fuller, Claude and Ethel. 
 (Gj Julia is the wife of a Mr. Beem, and 
 resides in Sullivan, Ohio; she has one son, 
 William S. (7) Eli resides in Michigan; 
 he has four children: Milo, Mabel, Ruby 
 and Ettie Joy. (8) George, living in Sulli- 
 van, has two children: Louise and Mack. 
 (<J) Ettie resides in Sullivan. (10) Milo 
 died in youth. (11) One that died in in- 
 fancy. The mother of these died in 1874, 
 and in 1878 Mr. Smith wedded Mrs. Lo- 
 rena G. West, nee Diinmock, a daughter of 
 Solomon and Clarissa (Phelps) Dinunock. 
 Her father, who was a native of Connecti- 
 cut, in an early day came to Sharon, 
 Medina county, Ohio, and died at Olmsted 
 Falls, Cuyahoga county, at the patriarchal 
 age of ninety-three years. He was a well- 
 known Baptist minister, at first serving in 
 the capacity of a missionary. His wife 
 (who was born in Connecticut, and from 
 there moved to Vermont, where she was 
 married) died at the age of eighty-nine 
 years. They had twelve children, Mrs. 
 
 Smith being amoni£ the vouncrer ones. Her 
 hrst husl)and, by whom she had four sons, 
 died in Kansas iu 1875; he was a farmer, 
 and a devout member of church. She is 
 an adherent of the Baptist faith, Mr. 
 Smith of the Disciples. Politically he is a 
 Republican, and as a Whig cast his first 
 vote for Polk. In his long lite and early 
 pioneer e.xperiences he has an interesting 
 history, and full many a tale of days gone 
 l)y can be yet relate — of difhculties and 
 dangers unknown to the present generation. 
 
 THEODORE FREEING HUY SEN 
 DANIELS, cashier of the Citizens 
 Savings Bank, Lorain. Of the men 
 who have from the first believed 
 firmly and steadfastly in the ultimate 
 greatness of Lorain, and whose faith has 
 been and still is unshaken by any momenta^ 
 rily discouraging circumstance that might 
 arise, T. F. Daniels has been one of the 
 most patient and persevering. The town 
 never had a bank until he came in 1880, 
 and it has had a good one ever since. 
 When the town grows to a population of 
 a hundred thousand or so he will be re- 
 membered as the pioneer banker. His 
 ability and integrity have brought pros- 
 perity to the institution of which he has 
 so lono' been an important officer, and his 
 continued connection with it amounts to a 
 guaranty of its continued success. 
 
 Theodore Frelinghuysen Daniels was 
 born in Caledonia, N. Y., on the first day 
 of July, 1844, a son of Eli W. and Ann 
 (Miner) Daniels, both of whom were na- 
 tives of Connecticut. The mother died 
 when Theodore was four years of age, but 
 his father is yet living at the age of 
 ei<Thty-one. When the subject of this 
 sketch was two years of age the family 
 moved to the wilds of Wisconsin. The 
 first place the family settled was at Ocono- 
 mowoc, a few years later moving to what 
 is now Auroraville. The Daniels family 
 
550 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 was about the first white family to settle 
 in the neitrliborhood, and young Tlieodore's 
 first and for a number of years only play- 
 mates were young Indians. Settlement 
 was made on tiie bank of a sniall stream 
 which was made to furnish power for a 
 saw and grist mill. For many ye^rs the 
 place was known as Daniels' Mills, but as 
 it grew in importance, the name was 
 chancred. At the breaking out of the war 
 of the Rebellion young Theodore desired 
 to accompany his older brother when he 
 went to the front, but his father refused 
 to give his consent on account of his son's 
 delicate health, fie continued to asji.->t 
 his father with his business until the last 
 call for troops came in 1864. In Septem- 
 ber of that year Mr. Daniels enlisted in 
 Battery D, First Wisconsin Heavy Artil- 
 lery. His company was sent to Brashear 
 City, La., which is some distance below 
 New Orleans. Mr. Daniels was detailed 
 first as clerk in the company headquarters, 
 but afterward became a messenger in the 
 telegraph service. The responsibilities 
 and dangers of this position were some- 
 times great. He was still in this service 
 when President Lincoln was assassinated, 
 and carried the dispatches which spread 
 the startling news. Mr. Daniels was at- 
 tacked by " southern fever," and lay for 
 several months in different southern hos- 
 pitals, being finally discharged at Prairie 
 du Chieii in July, 1865. 
 
 The following winter he attended a nor- 
 mal school near his home, and was in- 
 fluenced by his teacher to go to Oberlin 
 College. He reached Oberlin February 1, 
 18(')6, and graduated from that institution 
 in August, 1872. The next day after he 
 graduated he entered the First National 
 Bank of Oberlin, and it speaks well for his 
 conduct and close application to his work 
 that he became its cashier in a little less 
 than two years and a half. In May, 1875, 
 he was married to Miss Julia H. Lewis, 
 of Pleasanton, Mich., an Oberlin student, 
 who was born near Athens, Ohio, Septem- 
 ber 9, 1850, daughter of Rev. William S. 
 
 and Eliza (Campbell) Lewis, the former a 
 native of Bridgeport, Conn., the latter of 
 Acworth, N. H. In 1864 the Lewis 
 tamily removed to Michigan, and later tiie 
 daughter attended Oberlin College, where 
 she met her future husband. 
 
 During the summer of 1880 Mr. Daniels 
 was attacked by the " western fever," and 
 took a prospecting trip through Colorado, 
 Neln-aska, Kansas and Wyoming. He 
 came back satisfied with Ohio, but still 
 determined to launch out for himself in 
 business. About this time Loi'ain began 
 to attract attention by reason of the build- 
 ing of the brass works. Mr. Daniels came 
 down from Oberlin one day to look the 
 town over. What he saw must have 
 pleased him, for be immediately resigned 
 his position at Oberlin, and started the 
 Bank of Lorain in the front room of a 
 dwelling house owned and occupied liy 
 Mrs. Mary Reid. Owing to the great de- 
 mand for business rooms at that time, this 
 was the only location that could be ob- 
 tained. The town grew and the bank 
 prospered. In January, 1882, the First 
 National Bank was organized with a capi- 
 tal of fifty thousand dollars as the successor 
 of the Bank of Lorain. Mr. Daniels was 
 offered the presidency of the new institu- 
 tion, but preferred the more active duties 
 of the cashiership. The bank paid regu- 
 lar semi-annual dividends, and in Marcli, 
 1893, divided an extra twelve per cent, 
 dividend; and the First National Bank 
 was then merged into the Citizens Savings 
 Bank, with a subscribed capital of one 
 hutidred thousand dollars. The new bank 
 started out with a surplus of twelve thou- 
 sand five hundred dollars, which in the 
 coming January will be increased to four- 
 teen thousand dollars, notwithstanding the 
 unprecedented panic of 1893. 
 
 Mr. Daniels has held different local offices 
 among others that of city and township 
 treasurer, councilman, water-works trustee, 
 etc. It is needless to say he has filled all 
 these positions with credit. He has always 
 been much interested and a great deal of 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 551 
 
 the time an active participant in local pub- 
 lic affairs. He has a pleasant home on the 
 bank of Lake Erie a short distance west of 
 Lorain. His family consists of a wife and 
 three children: Irving L., Mabel E. and 
 Ruth R. Mr. and Mrs. Daniels were both 
 formerly members of the First Congrega- 
 tional Cbnrch of Oberlin, and latterly 
 members of the Concrreo-ational Church of 
 Lorain. Politically our subject is a Re- 
 publican. [Extract from " Men we all 
 know," Lorain Herald, December, 1898. 
 
 ^jr\E V.JAMES BRAND, D. D., 
 li«^ Oberlin, is a native of Canada, born 
 J[ ^ February 2G, 1834, at Three Rivers, 
 Jf) a town on the St. Lawrence, in the 
 
 Province of Quebec. He is a son of 
 James and Jennette (Boyesj Brand, natives 
 of Dumfries, Scotland, where they married, 
 and whence they came to Canada sliortly 
 befure the birth of our subject. The father 
 was a school teacher and farmer, and he 
 and his wife were members of the Presby- 
 terian Church; they died in Canada. 
 
 Our subject received a limited education 
 in tiie public schools, Windsor, P. Q., and 
 graduated from Phillipps Academy, An- 
 dover, Mass., after which, in 1861, he en- 
 tered Yale College. His studies here were 
 interrupted by a service in the Union army, 
 he having enlisted in 1862, in the army of 
 the Potomac, wiiere he served under Burn- 
 side and Hooker and Mead, as color ser- 
 geant of the Twenty-seventh Connecticut 
 Volunteers. He participated in the bat- 
 tles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville 
 and Gettysburg, in the first of which he 
 was wounded in the shonlder. At the ex- 
 piration of his term of service he contin- 
 ued his college studies at Yale, and in 1866 
 graduated A. B. He then entered the 
 Tiieological Seminary at Amlover, Mass., 
 where for three years he studied theology, 
 at the conclusion of which he became 
 
 pastor of the Maple Street Congregational 
 Church in Danvers, Mass. After four 
 years labor in that field he came, in 1873. 
 to Oberlin, and became successor to Pres- 
 ident Finney as pastor of the First Church. 
 Mr. Brand received his degree of D. D. 
 from Iowa College, Grinnell, Iowa. He 
 has published several books and pamphlets, 
 all treating more or less on theological sub- 
 jects, and has also written considerably for 
 journals. To some extent he has lectured 
 on the battle of Gettj^sburg. He has taken 
 a prominent part in the Temperance Re- 
 form in Ohio; was a delegate to the Inter- 
 national Council at London, England, 
 where he delivered one of the addresses. 
 In 1871 Dr. Brand married Miss Juliette 
 n. Tenney, of Troy, Ohio, and has a family 
 of six children, as follows: Charles A., 
 Edith B., Mary T., Helen C, James T. and 
 Margret R. 
 
 ffffON. W. B. THOMPSON. In the 
 t^^ front rank of the progressive and 
 I 1 influential citizens of Lorain stands 
 ■^ this gentleman, a leading attorney 
 
 at law, and mayor of the city. 
 Mr. Thompson was born September 6, 
 1863, at (Jolumbia. Lorain Co.. Ohio, a 
 son of S. B. and Emular (Osborne) Thomp- 
 son, residents of Columbia. He attended 
 sciiool at Berea, Ohio, finally graduating 
 from Baldwin University, class of 1885, 
 taking the degree of Ph. B. He then, 
 having decided on making the profession 
 of law his life work, commenced its study 
 with Judge Barber, of Cleveland, and 
 completed same with prosecnting-attorney 
 Webber, of Elyria. After a thorough 
 delving into " Blackstone " and " Coke 
 upon Lyttleton," our subject was admitted 
 to the bar, December 6. 1888, and was as- 
 sociated in business in Elyria with his last 
 preceptor, one year, when, seeing the great 
 possibilities in store for Lorain, a fast 
 growing town, he moved thither and 
 opened an office for his own account. He 
 
552 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 has succeeded beyond his most sanguine 
 expectations. As a cogent reasoner and 
 jurist, he is marked for his ability, and as 
 a pleader he has few equals among men of 
 his age and experience. By his integrity 
 and business capabilities lie has won the 
 contidence of the best business men of the 
 community. In 1890 Mr. Thompson was 
 elected mayor of Lorain, and is now tilling 
 his second terra. During his incumbency 
 as mayor have been made most of the 
 great public improvements of the city, and 
 in this he has always taken a leading part. 
 During the year 1892 Lorain expended 
 sixty thousand dollars on public sewers, 
 and many otiier extensive improvements 
 have been made. 
 
 In December, 1890, Mr. Thompson was 
 united in marriage with Lulu Sanford, of 
 Delaware, Ohio. He is a member of the 
 F. & A. M., K. of P. and I. O. O. F. 
 
 ILAS D. WHITNEY, the oldest 
 citizen of Pittsfield township, is a 
 worthy member of a pioneer family 
 of the county. He is a grandson 
 of Asa Whitney, who in 1792 removed 
 from Connecticut to the vicinity of Pitts- 
 field, Mass., where he passed the remainder 
 of his life, dying there in 1802. He was 
 twice married, and among the children by 
 his tirst wife was Asa, Jr., who afterward' 
 became the tirst man to agitate the idea of 
 a railroad to the Pacific coast. 
 
 Milton Whitney, who was a son of Asa 
 Whitney by his second wife, was born in 
 1786 in Salisbury, Conn., and moved with 
 his parents to Massachusetts, where he 
 was reared. He received a common-school 
 education, learned tlie trade of blacksmith, 
 and had wagons and plows made in his 
 wagon shop. After the death of his 
 lather he resided with his mother until 
 his marriage, in Pittsfield, Mass., with 
 Miss Lydia Cleveland, who was born on 
 
 the island of Martha's Vineyard, daughter 
 of Zebdial Cleveland, an old sea captain. 
 To this union came children, all of whom 
 were born in Pittsfield, Mass., as follows: 
 Asa W., a blacksmith by trade, who died 
 in Pittsfield, Lorain Co., Ohio (he was in 
 Lorain county when Pittsfield township 
 was formed, it being No. 4, Range 18, 
 Connecticut AVestern Reserve, and it was 
 he who suggested that the township be 
 called Pittsfield, after Pittsfield, Mass.); 
 Chancey, who died young, the sharp point 
 of an old-fashioned spinning-wheel having 
 accidentally peneti'ated his skull; Clarissa, 
 who married Hiram Humphrey, a presid- 
 ing elder and minister in the M. E. 
 Church, and died in Pittsfield. Ohio; 
 Wealthy, who married J. L. Wadsworth, 
 and died in Wellington, Ohio; Oliver W., 
 deceased in Des Moines, Iowa; Silas D., 
 who will receive mention farther on; 
 Henry C, who owned a large tract of land 
 in Colorado, where he died; and Frederick 
 C, of Pittsfield Center. In 1820 Milton 
 Whitney set out for Ohio, traveling by 
 way of the Erie Canal as far as Buffalo, 
 where he remained one week, waiting for 
 the steamer (the only one on the lake) to 
 take him to Cleveland, which was then a 
 small village, containing but a few huts. 
 He came by stage from Cleveland to South 
 Amherst, and thence on foot to Pittsfield 
 township, Lorain county, where he had 
 some few years previously purchased a 
 large tract of land, containing one thou- 
 sand six hundred acres. He decided not 
 to settle at that time, as the country was 
 entirely wild, and there were but few 
 white people in all of Lorain county. Re- 
 turning to his home in Massachusetts, he 
 remained there until 1833, when he sold 
 his beautiful home for a good price, and 
 in the fall of the year came with his wife 
 to Lorain county, Ohio, where they de- 
 cided to locate in Pittsfield township. 
 Again returning to the East, they made 
 preparations for migration, and on Jan- 
 uary 22, 1884, their two sons, Asa W. and 
 Silas D., left Pittsfield, Mass., setting out 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 553 
 
 with two horses and two wagons for their 
 new home, w'here they arrived in tlie latter 
 part of February. The rest of the family 
 followed shortly afterward. To Tiiomas 
 and Jerry Wait Mr. AVhitney gave one 
 hundred acren, and to Chauncey and 
 Henry Remington, also one hundred acres 
 (fifty acres to eacii individual), all wild 
 land in an unbroken wilderness in No. -4, 
 on condition that they settle on the land, 
 which they did. The Waits (both bache- 
 lors) settled here in 1821, being the first 
 permanent settlers in Pittstield township. 
 
 Milton Whitney was not physically a 
 strong man, or robust, and he spent 
 many seasons at Saratoga, N. Y., for the 
 benefit of his health. He was an ardent 
 member of the Democratic party, and 
 served as postmaster during his residence 
 in Fittstield township, where he owned 
 one thousand acres of land. He died in 
 1839, his wife in 1809, and they are both 
 buried in the South cemetery, in Pittslield 
 township. 
 
 Silas D. Whitney was born March 3, 
 1820, in Pittslield, Mass., where he re- 
 ceived the greater part of his education, 
 afterward attending the old log school 
 houses of Pittslield, Ohio, and finally one 
 term in Wellington. He was reared to 
 farm life, and remained at home until two 
 years after his father's decease. On No- 
 vember 11, 1841, he was married to Miss 
 Electa N. Parsons, who was born in 182-4 
 in Hampshire county, Mass., daughter of 
 Ebenezer and Electa (Naramore) Parsons, 
 the latter of whom died when her daugh- 
 ter Electa was born ; the father remained 
 a widower ten years, when he remarried, 
 and in 1835 he came to Pittsfield, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
 Whitney settled on the home farm, where 
 they still reside, and here the following 
 children have come to brighten their home: 
 Arthur E., of St. Paul, Minn.; Ann Clar- 
 issa, a most beloved daughter, who died at 
 the age of thirty-one; Alma E., wife of 
 Ciiarles E. Archer, of Massillon. Oiiio; 
 Abbie, wife of F. C. Williams, of Creston, 
 
 Ohio; Agnes, who was married November 
 22, 1893, to Frank Coleman, of Nelson, 
 Nel). ; Frances, living at home; and Ed- 
 mund M., superintendent of the F. C. 
 Kimball Manufacturing Co., Cleveland. 
 In politics Mr. Whitney was originally a 
 Democrat, but subsequently because an 
 Abolitionist, and he is now an active mem- 
 ber of the Republican party. He is a 
 member of the Baptist Church; his wife 
 worships at the Congregational Church. 
 
 IA\ILLIAM HAWKINS (deceased) 
 y was born July 2, 1804, in New- 
 ly burgh. Orange Co., N. Y., a son 
 of Samuel and Lydia (Van Camp) 
 Hawkins, the latter of whom was born in 
 the Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, and 
 was an eyewitness to some of the incidents 
 connected with the massacre which took 
 place in that historic vale. 
 
 William Hawkins was one of a family 
 of eight children, of whom he was the last 
 survivor. When he was nine years of age, 
 his father died, and the young lad then 
 went to make his home with Adam Welty, 
 a fartner of Owasco township, Cayuga 
 Co., ]M. Y., with whom he lived some 
 time, during which he attended the com- 
 mon schools in winter and worked on a 
 farm in summer. When seventeen years 
 of age he commenced to learn the trade of 
 blacksmith under one HoUiday, whom in 
 later years he always referred to as his 
 "old boss," and after an apprenticeship of 
 three years he commenced business for his 
 own account in Owasco township. When 
 he started he was absolutely penniless, as 
 during his apprenticeship he received 
 nothing but his board and clothes, although 
 treated very kindly, and as one of the 
 family. His foster-father went security 
 for an outfit of tools, which enabled him 
 to make a good start, and after a few years 
 industrious application at his trade lie paid 
 off this indebtedness, his only one, and had 
 
554 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 saved monpy. In 1830 he made a visit 
 to Micliiiian (wiiere lie had a lirotlier liv- 
 inir). with the intention of reiDaining 
 thfi-e, but being dissatisfied with the coun- 
 try, returned to New York State. In 
 1832 he came to Ohio, and locating in 
 Erie county worked at his trade for a man 
 named Tillinghnrst at but meager wages. 
 Two years after his arrival in the Buckeye 
 State he bought 105-J acres on Lot 13, 
 Tract 10, Camden township, Lorain county, 
 at that time covered with an unbroken 
 forest, and devoid of buildings of any 
 kind. Here, in company with his brother 
 Charles, he set to work to make a clearing 
 for a home, and together they erected a 
 substantial log house, at that time consid- 
 ered the best one in the township. Our 
 subject also built a log blacksmith shop, 
 and in connection with his farming opera- 
 tions followed his trade for thirty years, at 
 the end of which time he retired from 
 blacksmithing, and continued agriculture 
 exclusively during the remainder of his 
 active life. He died September 6, 1888, 
 after a brief illness, and was laid to rest 
 in Camden cemetery. He was a man of 
 remarkable vitality, strong, robust consti- 
 tution, and almost iron frame. He made 
 a success in life, and from a start of posi- 
 tively nothing save a willing pair of 
 hands accumulated a comfortable compe- 
 tence, and succeeded in securing and re- 
 taining the respect and esteem of his 
 neighbors and many acquaintances. Po- 
 litically he was originally a "Whig, later a 
 Eepublican, and in church matters he in 
 an early day united with the Baptist Con- 
 gregation at Camden Center. 
 
 On April 22, 1835, Mr. Hawkins was 
 united in marriage with Miss Mary Ab- 
 bott, a native of Otsego county, N. Y., 
 born March 29, 1813, a daughter of Squire 
 and Anna (SpafEord) Abbott, of Massa- 
 chusetts, where they lived till they were 
 over twenty years of age. Mr. Abbott 
 was a Baptist minister, and in pioneer 
 days came from New York State to Ohio 
 on horseback, being sent out as missionary 
 
 from the Baptist board. In 1820 he lo- 
 cated in Ashtabula county, and five years 
 later came to Henrietta toAvnship, Lorain 
 county, at that time part of Brownhelm 
 township, where he died December 18, 
 1853, at the age of eighty-three years; 
 his wife had preceded him to the grave in 
 1847, and they peacefully await the Eesur- 
 rection Morn in Henrietta township ceme- 
 tery. The record of the children — eight 
 daughters and one son — is as follows: 
 Eliza married Egbert Ingersoll, and died 
 iu 1886 at Camden Center; Hannah is the 
 wife of J. B. Cook, of Elyria; Maria is 
 residing at home; Vesta married Oscar 
 Tanner, and died May 23, 1863, in liug- 
 gles, Ashland county; Mary is the wife of 
 L. A. Andrews, of Delplios, Ohio, a con- 
 ductor on the P. A. W. Railway; Anna 
 is married to Simeon Hales, of Henrietta, 
 Ohio; Charles E. is farming on the home 
 place in Camden township; Naomi is the 
 wife of E. H. Wing, of Chicago, 111.; 
 Alice is the wife of Henry Hales, of Cam- 
 den township. Since the death of her 
 husband Mrs. Hawkins, now a hale and 
 hearty lady, in the enjoyment of almost 
 phenomenal health, has been making her 
 home with her son Charles and daughter 
 Maria on the old homestead, where well 
 nigh sixty years of her honored life have 
 already been passed. 
 
 EYMOUR WESLEY BALDWIN, 
 
 ^^-, long a merchant in Elyria, was born 
 ^g/) in Meriden, Conn., June 29, 1807. 
 He was, quite remarkably, only in 
 the fourth generation from the first an- 
 cestor of the name, Richard Baldwin, who 
 settled in Milfurd, Conn., in 1639. The 
 family was a very respectable one in 
 Buckinghamshire, England, prominent in 
 Milford and rich in lands — wiiich were 
 divided and re-divided among the descend- 
 ants, so that there was an unusual number 
 of farmers of moderate wealth. 
 
V/ /^>/^-:h;-^^ 
 
LOIiAiy (. OUNTY, OUIO. 
 
 557 
 
 Such was Mr. Baldwin's fatlier, Charles 
 Eakhviu, an early Methodist of the last 
 century, who bought a large farm in 
 Meriden, and died there in 1S18 leaving a 
 widow and seven children, of whom Sey- 
 mour W. was the youngest. He went to 
 district school winters, w'orking at the 
 farm summers, and was thought to have 
 considerable education when he attended 
 the Episcopal Academy at Cheshire for 
 one winter. When seventeen, Seymour 
 commenced business as a peddler, which 
 mode of life was the common and almost 
 only one open to enterprising and respect- 
 able young men; and many prominent 
 citizens in after days commenced as "Con- 
 necticut peddlers." Many settled in that 
 most prolitable Held, the South, as mer- 
 chants, and many elsewhere. When, in 
 1847, Mr. Baldwin retired to Meriden, the 
 ex-member of Congress residing there — 
 both bank presidents, the ex-president of 
 the N. H. & H. R. R. Co., and a large share 
 of the other leading business men of the 
 place, had made such a beginning. When 
 all goods had to be carted overland, this 
 was quite the natural mode of trade. The 
 carriage of goods by railroad has nearly 
 abcdished this mode of trade, and vastly 
 lowered its dignity. An entertaining study 
 might be made of that business at that 
 time. The field was on foot, or with 
 horse and wagon in the New England 
 States and Long Island, or with wagon in 
 the South, and with regular routes and 
 customers. 
 
 Seymour soon entered into partnership 
 with his brother Jesse, under the firm 
 name of J. & S. Baldwin, as a country 
 merchant, in Oxford, Conn., then a more 
 thriving village than at present. The 
 business was general, and while at first 
 one of the brothers peddled, they also em- 
 ployed other peddlers and manufactured 
 silver spoons. Soon outgrowing Oxford, 
 J. & S. Baldwin removed to Middletown, 
 same State. The energy, ability and high 
 character of the brothers had already be- 
 come recognized in New York. That cele- 
 
 brated Xew York merchant atid philanthro- 
 pist, William E.Dodge, in his little book on 
 Old New York published by Dodd, Mead 
 & Co., in 1880, selected the two brothers 
 and a comrade, who together entered his 
 store with trunks, as typical samples of 
 Connecticut merit and success. Tliey all 
 became prominent and valued customers 
 and friends of Mr. Dodge. Mr. Dodge 
 mentioned that Mr. Jesse Baldwin had 
 then been a bank president for twenty 
 years, and the third a large manufacturer. 
 Mr. Dodge then spoke of the subject of 
 this sketch at greater length and with 
 much respect. Both brothers became in 
 South Carolina and Geoi"<ria strong anti- 
 slavery men — Jesse as a leading Abolition- 
 ist, while Seymour was a Whig, becoming 
 an early Free-soiler. Possibly his wag- 
 ons at Elyria may sometimes have traveled 
 on the "Underground Railroad," for Ids 
 works were always with his faith. In 
 May, 1835, though the South was a more 
 alluring field for money, Mr. Baldwin 
 with his young wife and an infant son re- 
 moved to Elyria. Here with a magnificent 
 physical constitution he displayed great 
 energy. Business was then so perfectly 
 unlike business now, that a sketch of it 
 ujay be interesting. 
 
 Elyria, the county town, was settled in 
 1817. The county was heavily timbered. 
 It is easy to see that before the Erie Canal 
 there must have been but little trade in- 
 deed. The pioneers must have lived by 
 themselves — lives very simple and full of 
 " hardship," and perhaps as happy as ours. 
 In 1835 there was a general barter trade; 
 there was very little money. The heavy 
 timber was burned into ashes, and ashes, 
 pot and pearl, were considered " cash, " 
 and went to Pittsburgh for glass and also 
 to New York. Many salts went to Pitts- 
 burgh in the shape of scorchings or black 
 salts, which was lye reduced to a black mass 
 and then scorched in ovens. From 1838 
 much white oak and many staves went to 
 Black River, thence by sail to Buffalo, 
 thence by canal to New York. There could 
 
558 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 hardly have been any eastern trade with- 
 out these commodities. The dry goods 
 and groceries were bought in New York. 
 They came l)y canal to Buifalo, thence by 
 boat or sail to Cleveland, or more com- 
 monly Black Kiver. No goods came 
 through in the winter, and such replenish- 
 ing, if any, as took place, came by Pitts- 
 burgh to Cleveland, being hauled from 
 Baltimore and Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. 
 Hauling was a business of considerable 
 extent, and one spring Mr. Baldwin met 
 east of Pittsburgh within ten miles 
 as many as fifty wagons. After a while 
 some goods were bought of the firm of 
 Hilliard & Hayes, in Cleveland. In the 
 early spring goods were hauled from Buf- 
 falo west (before that harbor was opened) 
 to Silver Creek or elsewhere, to meet the 
 boats, and Mr. D. B. Andrews, formerly 
 partner of Mr. Baldwin, going down on a 
 steamer, was compelled to land in Canada, 
 cancrht cold, and died in Buffalo. 
 
 The cheapest goods were then in demand. 
 There were no ingrain carpets kept in 
 Elyria until about 1845. Ingrain carpets, 
 nice shawls and dresses, were bought on 
 special orders. Mr. Baldwin was at first 
 in company with Mr. Orrin Cowles, from 
 Meriden. They separated, and be bought 
 out (for the sake of the corner stand) Wil- 
 cox & Beebe. successors of the Lorain Iron 
 Company. That store long remained with 
 Mr. Baldwin's sign " Old New York Store." 
 
 Then commenced the very energetic 
 competition which made Elyria noted for 
 trade. Mr. H. K. Kendall, a merchant of 
 greatability, then had the leading business. 
 He was first on the ground, and there had 
 been great falls in prices of which he had 
 the credit. A merchant's life was labori- 
 ous. Mr. Baldwin used to go by stage 
 before navigation opened on the lake — 
 sometimes by way of Buffalo and some- 
 times by way of Pittsburgh — to New York 
 and Philadelphia. It was a great thing to 
 get the first goods in the spring, and he 
 studied the matter carefully, spending 
 several days in Albany. He loaded the 
 
 canal boats in New York (being careful to 
 have the boats filled with his own goods 
 only), and early went to Albany before the 
 canal was opened. There boats had a right 
 to go in order of registry. For several 
 years he offered prizes for being among 
 the first ten boats at Buffalo, but there was 
 danger of being too early; as, if unloaded 
 at Buffalo in warehouse, the lake boats 
 would take fresh canal boats rather than 
 from the warehouse, thereby saving one 
 loading. At the first decided triumph, 
 when his rival had advertised the first 
 goods, Mr. Baldwin passed those first 
 goods safely stored at Buffalo, saw his 
 own loaded in boat, got the boat to land 
 at Black River, and accompanied the goods 
 to Elyria long before his rival's arrived. 
 Such single incidents seem small, but it 
 was the many such struggles that made 
 Elyria the center of trade for from fifteen 
 to twenty miles east and west, and twenty- 
 five miles south. The system of ready 
 cash (there was but little) or barter was 
 introduced, and this lowered prices. 
 Elyria in those days was a sight to see. 
 The farmer came over the mud road with 
 his heavy wagon, frequently with oxen, for 
 twenty-five miles, bringing part of his 
 family and such articles as he had to sell, 
 and doing the trading for the spring and 
 fall. The street at midday would be full 
 of wagons, there being often one hundred, 
 more or less. Other merchants were 
 crowded out, but both the chief competitors 
 went safely through the hard times of 
 1837 to 1840. In the spring of 1837 
 both had to ask some extension, Mr. Bald- 
 win asking only leave to extend their debts 
 for some friends; but aside from this, in a 
 business life of over sixty years, Mr. 
 Baldwin has never been obliged to ask a 
 favor of a creditor. It is difficult even for 
 one who experienced it to see how busi- 
 ness could have been conducted — with 
 the frightful state of money and difficult 
 transportation. The farmers brought but- 
 ter (and very poor it was in those days), 
 feathers, oats, wheat, in fact everything 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 559 
 
 they had, and tlie merchants houalit almost 
 everything but live beef. The butter went 
 to Xew York, and the wheat was floured 
 ai the local mills. But the farmers brought 
 little money. 8ome cash came in with 
 emigrants. When the farmers could ex- 
 change a pound of butter for a pound of 
 sugar there was rejoicing. In 1S3(5 there 
 was a general suspension of hanks, and 
 there was no resumption until 1840. 
 There was "Michigan Wild Cat" paper, 
 the worst currency imaginable, everybody 
 fearing it. Mr. Baldwin once having flour 
 to sell on commission — the currency being 
 left to him — the farmers seemed to be very 
 glad to get anything for such currency; 
 and when Mr. Baldwin announced that he 
 would charge a dollar more for currency 
 than for barter, the currency came in only 
 the faster. Produce was generally taken 
 as cash, and sold again at home without 
 proflt. It was very ditflcult for the farm- 
 ers to get enough money to pay taxes, and 
 Mr. Baldwin earned the lasting gratitude 
 of one farmer by giving him two dollars 
 hard money at the current price for butter. 
 At a later date the Arm at Elyria sold at 
 times from one hundred and tifty thousand 
 dollars to two hundred thousand dollars, 
 and a branch at Wellington two-thirds as 
 much. A large share was paid in pro- 
 duce, the firm at Elyria handling from flfty 
 thousand dollars to sixty thousand dollars 
 worth of butter in a year. The firm em- 
 ployed at one time about forty clerks. The 
 rivalry at Elyria was famous, and a retired 
 New York merchant once said to the writer 
 that, as a country store, Mr. Baldwin's was 
 as remarkable in its way as that of Mr. 
 Stewart's in New York City. Railroads 
 largely revolutionized the trade. Mr. I'ald- 
 win never tried to make large profits, 
 and never lost money except one year 
 (about 1840), the year the l)anks were re- 
 quired to resume in Ohio. He paid a 
 Cleveland bank that announced the inten- 
 tion to resume thirteen per cent, premium 
 in its own hills for a draft on New York 
 ten days before the appointed time. The 
 
 draft was paid, the bank did not resume. 
 At that time merchants refused to sell at 
 any price for the currency of the country. 
 That generation needed no more lessons as 
 to the value of safe currency. 
 
 Mr. Baldwin has been a man of very un- 
 usual poise of character. With such a 
 business, which by its economy of labor 
 and low profits has done the farmers of 
 Lorain a very large amount of saving, he 
 has not hiiuself cared for wealth. Always 
 fairly economical — never ostentatious — he 
 on coming to P^lyria resolved that when 
 he had ao(|nired a moderate fixed sum he 
 would retire. In 1847, in accordance with 
 that resolve, he returned to Meriden, 
 though it is doubtful if he would have 
 been willing to (|uit unless he had become 
 the leader. But he could not let business 
 alone. He started there a ready-pay store, 
 and became the president of the Home 
 (now Home National) Bank, which post 
 he resigned on his return to Elyria. He 
 was also a member of the banking firm of 
 Wicks, Otis & Brownell, of Cleveland. He 
 became acquainted with the senior mem- 
 ber of the firm, William A. Otis, while 
 waiting at Albany to see the goods through. 
 In 1856 he returned to Elyria, and until 
 his death had a small interest in the busi- 
 ness at Elyria and at Wellington. Losses 
 invited his return, but he had no ambition 
 for business in large places — having de- 
 clined in 1847 an invitation to partnership 
 in the leading house in Cleveland, and at 
 other times favorable invitations to New 
 York. His energy and business judgment 
 would have made large wealth in larger 
 places, but Mr. Baldwin had such mastery 
 of life that he cared not for it. 
 
 In 1870 Mr. Baldwin went abroad for 
 travel, and after that he was notactivein his 
 business. In 1874 he had so severe an attack 
 of pneumonia that it was thought to be im- 
 possible for him to live, atid his death was 
 reported; but a vigorous constitution and 
 pure life carried him through, and he lived 
 until tlie fourth day of February, 1891. 
 He continued active in his care of an 
 
5(50 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO, 
 
 invalid wife until her death in 1886; in his 
 garden; in slight attention to tlie business 
 of tlie bank, of which he was many years 
 director; or in other private business. He 
 was always an intelligent reader, having 
 especially a taste for history. 
 
 Mr. Baldwin was also much interested 
 in securing, before he died, the building of 
 a new church, donatingthe lot and in other 
 ways helping much. He gave the plans 
 and the building much thought and time. 
 He was a man of sturdy independence of 
 character, with a frank toleration for the 
 opinions of others, which steadily increased 
 with his advancing years. An interchange 
 of thought became a pleasure, for his in- 
 terlocutor was sure of a fair hearing, how- 
 ever diverse might be their views. His 
 public spirit was evidenced by the deep 
 interest he always took in the success of 
 the many young men with whom he was 
 associated. Said Dr. Hoyt at his funeral; 
 " Coming as Mr. Baldwin did from Puritan 
 stock, ho early inherited some of its 
 marked peculiarities. He had an intense 
 antipathy at all times to whatever he re- 
 garded as meanness, to ingratitude and to 
 every form and manifestation of injustice. 
 He prized personal, political and religious 
 freedom, and he sought in every way as he 
 had opportunity to pi'otect the helpless and 
 the oppressed, and to guard against the 
 encroachment of power." 
 
 Mr. Baldwin was always much inter- 
 ested in what he regarded as the best in- 
 terests of Elyria in political or business 
 matters, and in early days, when railroad- 
 ing was a problem, was a director in the 
 Junction Railroad — built through Elyria 
 and now a part of the Lake Shore & Mich- 
 igan Southern Railway. He attributed 
 his business success to rigid adherence to 
 principles of which the chief were to always 
 promptly fulfill his obligations, of what- 
 ever nature, and to keep his business 
 always within his control. It may fairly 
 be said of him, however, that his life has 
 been governed by a rare judgment and 
 moderate ambition. 
 
 Mr. Baldwin was twice married, first to 
 Mary Candee, of Oxford, Conn., who died 
 in Elyria September 28, 1836, leaving two 
 children both under two years of age. For 
 his second wife he married Fidelia Hall, 
 of Meriden, Conn., who survived until 
 1886. He had four sons — by the first 
 wife: Charles Candee Baldwin, of Cleve- 
 land, and David Candee Baldwin, of 
 Elyria; by the second wife: John Hall 
 Baldwin, a manufacturer, of New York 
 City, and Arthur Rice, a resident of 
 Atlanta, Georgia. 
 
 CHARLES CANDEE BALDWIN 
 was born December 2, 1834, in 
 Middletown, Conn., a son of Sey- 
 mour W. and Mary (Candee) 
 Baldwin. 
 
 In May, 1835, the family moved to 
 Elyria, Ohio, making a considerable part 
 of their journey by boat on the Erie Canal, 
 where it is reported that the young traveler 
 made his presence effectively known by the 
 vigorous use of his then lusty voice. In 
 1836 his mother died, too early for his re- 
 membrance. In time her tender care was 
 supplied by a stepmother, of whom it is 
 said in the Baldwin Genealogy that she 
 was as good a stepmother as ever lived. 
 As illustrating the changes which have 
 taken place in Lorain county, where his 
 childhood was spent, and which has always 
 been his pride, it is related, among the ex- 
 periences of his early childhood, that when 
 two years old he was lost in the woods 
 where the Elyria depot now stands. 
 
 In 1847 the family returned to Connec- 
 ticut, residing in Meriden until 1856, when 
 they again came to Elyria. Meantime, on 
 August 1, 1855,. Charles had graduated 
 with honor from the Wesleyan University, 
 Middletown, and same month entered the 
 Harvard Law School, where, in 1857, he 
 took the degree of LL. B. In the autumn 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 561 
 
 of the same year lie was admitted to the 
 bar at Cleveland, Ohio, and entered the 
 office of S. B. and F. J. Prentiss. In 1861, 
 on the election of F. J. Prentiss to the 
 office of county clerk, Mr. Baldwin entered 
 into partnership with S. B. Prentiss, un- 
 der the tirm name of S. B. Prentiss & 
 Baldwin. In 1869, upon the election of 
 S. B. Prentiss to the bench, the firm of 
 Prentiss, Baldwin & Ford was formed, 
 which in 1878 was changed to Baldwin & 
 Ford. 
 
 By too close attention to business Mr. 
 Baldwin's health became so much im- 
 paired in 1870, that he spent some time in 
 Europe for recuperation, winch, however, 
 was but partial; so that for some years 
 subsequent he gave less attention than 
 formerly to his law business, in order to 
 secure more outdoor exercise. From 1875 
 to 1878 he was president of the Cleveland 
 Board of Underwriters. He has heen di- 
 rector of four banks, and has been twice 
 offered the presidency of a leading bank 
 in Cleveland. His rare capacity and sterl- 
 ing integrity have brought into his hands 
 from the first a business, unusually im- 
 portant in its character and responsibility, 
 largely relating to corporations and bank- 
 ing. A most important case — that of 
 Brown, Bonnell & Compsiny, the great 
 iron manufacturers of Yonngstown — was 
 argued by him, by brief and orally, several 
 times in the Supreme Court of the United 
 Stated, involving the very successful issue 
 of a million and a half of dollars. 
 
 In 1884, on the organization of the 
 circuit court, under the change in the con- 
 stitution of Ohio, Mr. Baldwin was unani- 
 mously presented by his county as their 
 candidate. Of the 160 votes cast at the con- 
 vention in ElyriaMr. Baldwin received 142; 
 the next highest candidate nominated re- 
 ceived but 105. He has since been reelected, 
 and is now (1894) the presiding judge of 
 that court. Mr. Baldwin lias been untiring 
 in his attention to the duties of his office, 
 though it has i)een impossible for him to 
 relieve himself from finishing in the 
 
 United States Courts a large amount of 
 professional business of a high order. So 
 well founded have been the most of his 
 judicial decisions, that it is exceedingly 
 rare for one to be reversed by the higher 
 courts. Though a man ot specially tender 
 susceptibilities, he has shown himself, to a 
 remarkable degree, able to rise above his 
 sympathies in defining the exact equities 
 of the law. In one notable case, where 
 the death of a beautiful little girl had been 
 caused by a railroad train, though his feel- 
 ings were so overcome that he completely 
 broke down in giving his decision, yet 
 it was clear that he did not suffer his 
 sympathies to warp his sense of legal 
 equity. 
 
 The inherent activity of Judge Baldwin's 
 nature, and the liberal education with 
 which he lifgan his professional career, 
 joined to natural tastes in that direction, 
 have led him to do a largeamount of effect- 
 ive work in promoting the general inter- 
 ests of science, education and culture, both 
 in Ohio and in the country at large. 
 Especially effective has been his wc>rk 
 in lines of historical and archaeological 
 research. 
 
 In 1866, while a vice-president of the 
 Cleveland Library Association (now Case 
 Library), Mr. Baldwin planned the West- 
 ern Reserve Historical Society, which was 
 first formed as a branch of the Case Library 
 Association; but in 1892 was organized 
 under a separate charter. Upon the death 
 of Colonel Whittlesey, in 1886, Mr. Bald- 
 win WHS chosen his successor as president 
 of the Society. Through his personal so- 
 licitations in 1892, sixty thousand dollars 
 were raised to complete the purchase and 
 remodelling of the fireproof building, upon 
 the Public Square, in which the valuable 
 historical library and archivologioal mu- 
 seum of the Society are now stored. Mr. 
 Baldwin's taste for history has been active, 
 and in 1881 he published the " Baldwin 
 Genealogy;" in 1882-83 the "Candeeand 
 Allied Families," and later the " Baldwin 
 Supplement." There have also been 
 
562 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 published from his pen some twenty-five 
 addresses and magazine articles, among 
 tliein Early Maps of Ohio and the West 
 (the one on Indian Migrations being 
 adopted with little change in Windsor's 
 " Critical History of America"); an ad- 
 dress at Youngstown on ''The Geographical 
 History of Ohio; " at Norwalk, on " Man 
 in Ohio;" at Oberlin, on "Columbus;" 
 and at Mansfield, on "Early Indian Mi- 
 gration in Ohio;" and a review of the 
 "Margry Papers," published in Paris in 
 the French language. He has been elected 
 causa honoris a member of nine State or 
 other historical societies, and in 1891 a 
 fellow of the American Association for the 
 Advancement of Science. Prof. G. F. 
 Wright is free to say that but for the recog- 
 nition and aid of Judge Baldwin, his own 
 work in glacial antiquities would have 
 come to an end with tlie survey of Penn- 
 sylvania, and that it was largely through 
 the advice and encouragement of Judge 
 Baldwin that he was led to venture upon 
 the publication of so elaborate and highly 
 illustrated a work as his "Ice Age in 
 Nortii America." For portions of several 
 seasons Judge Baldwin has been in the 
 field with Professor Wright in prosecuting 
 glacial investigations. 
 
 In LS92 Mr. Baldwin received the 
 degree of Doctor of Laws from his Alma 
 Mater. Among the many who united in 
 nominating him for tliis honor was 
 David J. BreM'er, of the United States 
 Supreme Court, who sent the following 
 letter: 
 
 Sdprkme Codrt op the United States. 
 Washington. 
 
 April 6, 1892. 
 to the faculty op western univbksity. 
 Gentlemen: — 
 
 Permit me to join with others in recom- 
 mending the granting of an honorary LL. D. to 
 .Judge Charles 0. Baldwin, of Cleveland, Ohio: I 
 have known Judge Baldwin ever since college days. 
 He is now the presiding judge of the Court of 
 Appeals in Northern Ohio, and has a high rank as 
 a lawyer and judge. He is a gentleman of high 
 character, and especially loved and honored in the 
 State in which he has made his home during his 
 active life. He has won quite a name, too, outside 
 of the law, by his researches into the early history 
 
 of his State, both before and since its settlement by 
 the whites. He is eminently worthy of any honor 
 the University can confer upon him, and certainly 
 a host of friends will be gratified by hearing that 
 he has received an LL. D. from his Alma Mater. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 David J. Brewer. 
 
 DAVID CANDEE BALDWIN was 
 born in Elyria, Ohio, September 23, 
 , ' 1836. He was son of Seymour W. 
 
 and Mary (Candee) Baldwin, the 
 latter of whom was a daughter of David 
 and Hannah (Catlin) Candee, of Oxford, 
 Conn. The Caiidees were French Huo-ue- 
 nots. 
 
 The Catlins had among their ancestors 
 Capt. Joseph Wadsworth, who hid the 
 Connecticut Charter in the Charter Oak, 
 and Matthew and John Allyn, two of the 
 grantees named in that saineCharter. John 
 Allyn was for thirty years secretary of Con- 
 necticut, and during some of the time was 
 practical governor, the then Connecticut 
 constitution requiring a change of gov- 
 ernor every year; but the secretary of 
 State was more constant. The father of 
 Mrs. Heman Ely, Thomas Day, was for 
 twenty-five years secretary of the same 
 Commonwealth. 
 
 Hannah Catlin had also amono' her an- 
 cestors William Pynchon, the treasurer of 
 the Massachusetts Colony before the emi- 
 gration, a member of the council, the 
 founder of Springfield, and high in in- 
 fluence until he wrote a Unitarian book, 
 one hundred and fifty years too soon. The 
 book was burned on Boston Common, and 
 Mr. Pynchon returned to England, where 
 he could enjoy religious liberty — "fearing," 
 says Judge Savage, "that he would be 
 treated as was his book." The State of 
 Massachusetts at the Chicago Exposition 
 exhibited in its State Buildincr most con- 
 spicuously his portrait. Mr. Pynchon is the 
 hero of Holland's "Bay Path." 
 
 When Mr. Baldwin was but five days 
 old his mother died, and his father was 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 563 
 
 left with the care of two infants, for tlie 
 older son was not yet two years old. 
 David was at lirst cared for by Mrs. Sarah 
 Goodwin, who had a son of the same age. 
 Seymour W. Baldwin's second wife, Fide- 
 lia Hall, as gentle and conscientious as any 
 mother could be, came into the care of 
 these two small children. She survived 
 until 1886, in Elyria, having two children 
 of her own. She was many years in ill 
 health, a feeble, tender woman, strong in 
 her past life, and in her character. Iler 
 own children were far away, one in Minne- 
 sota and one in New York City, and no 
 own son conld have been more attentive, 
 thoughtful and kind than was the stepson 
 who lost his own mother when five days 
 old. She should certainly have loved him 
 as tenderly as if he was her own, and she 
 did. 
 
 AVhen our subject was ten years old his 
 father revisited his old home in Connecti- 
 cut, returning to Elyria in 1856. David 
 was educated at the best schools to be 
 found, first in Meriden with Hon. David 
 N. Camp, afterward distinguished in Con- 
 necticut, and Hon. H. D. Smith, also a 
 leader; next with D. H. Chase, LL. D., 
 of Middletown, all still living and all 
 honored. He closed his education at 
 Wilbraham Academy under Dr. Ray- 
 mond, now president of the University at 
 Middletown. 
 
 His father had high hopes of his practi- 
 cal business qualities, and he went at once 
 into a store at Meriden, in which his father 
 was partner. On the return to Elyria he 
 went into the store there of Baldwin, 
 Laundon & Nelson. Through his father 
 he had an interest in the business, and he 
 contributed in a large degree to the emi- 
 nent success of the firm, the business of 
 which is described in the sketch of S. W. 
 Baldwin. His excellent sense and judg- 
 ment, his easy tact, graceful manners and 
 strict and high integrity made him an ex- 
 cellent salesman and an early favorite with 
 the public. On the reorganization of that 
 firm iu 1872, it became D. C. Baldwin & 
 
 Company, composed of his father, himself 
 and Mr. John Lersch, he having principal 
 charge of the very large business of the 
 firm. The then leading wholesale merchant 
 of Cleveland once said to the writer that 
 no better merchant entered his store than 
 Mr. Baldwin. In time the firm became 
 Baldwin, Lersch & Co., composed of the 
 same partners, and later by the death of 
 Mr. S. W. Baldwin, Mr. Lersch taking 
 gradually a more responsible part in ac- 
 cordance with his own and the wishes of 
 David. Mr. Baldwin has a fine skill and 
 judgmeut in mechanics, and it is easy to 
 see that with his business ability, if he 
 had remained in Meriden, he would prob- 
 ably have engaged in manufacturing, as 
 was indeed his first taste, and he would 
 have become eminent. He has an excel- 
 lent library, which is especially rich in 
 archasology — a science which at the iireseut 
 time, especially, needs good judgment, and 
 his opinions are much respected. He gave 
 some months and considerable expense to 
 the exhibit of Man and the Clacial period 
 under the name of Prof. (t. F. Wright and 
 himself in the Anthropological Building 
 at the Columbian Exj)osition. He has 
 been very generous to the Western Reserve 
 Historical Society of Cleveland, of which 
 his brother is president, having aided hand- 
 somely in the purchase of its building, and 
 still more handsomely in the objects of the 
 Society. Tiie D. C. Baldwin Collection 
 was the first extensive collection of arcluvol- 
 ogy donated to the Society, and it is prob- 
 ably unexcelled by any collection of the 
 same size in the United States. 
 
 On the reorgatiization of that very suc- 
 cessful Society in 1892, Mr. Baldwin was 
 one of its incorporators; he is also a patron 
 and an honored adviser. AVith no wish 
 for wealth for its own sake, and with more 
 than means to gratify his wants, no one 
 person knows his generosity. Whether as 
 lieutenant in the Civil war, or bank director 
 or holding other office, he has simjjly taken 
 what was in the plain line of duty, with 
 no shrinking from care, but with no desire 
 
564 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 for place beside. He has well in his heart 
 the idea of the Moravian prayer — "Pre- 
 serve us from the unhappy desire of be- 
 coming great." 
 
 Not long since a gentleman, who has 
 been most intimately associated with a 
 public man of distingjuislied and constant 
 success, told the writer that in the pleni- 
 tude of his distinction, this man said: 
 •'My life has been a failure." Who 
 can say that, when his success is his 
 character? 
 
 Mr. Baldwin married. May 1, 1878, 
 Miss Josephine Staub, daughter of Rev. 
 Henry Staub, a clerjryman of the Method- 
 ist Ejiiscopal Church. She is a person of 
 tine education, with a very active mind 
 and much intellectual strength. They are 
 both addicted to reading (which brings the 
 best of company of this and other ages) 
 and to travel. They have journeyed abroad 
 thrice, as well as extensively in this coun- 
 try. Mr. Baldwin's life has been quite 
 without such incident as is usually men- 
 tioned in a biography. He did not ad- 
 venture himself as a pioneer in a new 
 country, or start business in a new place, 
 or hold conspicuous office. To those who 
 know him it is evident he would have been 
 successful in any line of life he chose, as 
 he has been in that he has chosen. He 
 has been a prominent citizen, and especially 
 a le;ider in such good deeds as need sym- 
 pathy, active work and a benevolent con- 
 tribution. Few men have that even poise 
 of character that they are not carried away 
 by the world, by the desire of wealth, of 
 power or of political position. Mr. Bald- 
 win's distinction is, as was his father's be- 
 fore him, his character — successful in 
 everything he has ever tried, of ample for- 
 tune, but not desiring large wealth, de- 
 clining the prospect of prominent station 
 whenever offered; well educated by school- 
 ing, reading, by travel and by experience; 
 well married, happy in society, in his own 
 home and abroad; hospitable, thoroughly 
 appreciated by all who know him; intelli- 
 gent, with tact and generosity; having a 
 
 most charming home, with such reason- 
 able hobbies as occupy his mind; liappily 
 contented, independent in his own pur- 
 suits, and able to gratify every wish of 
 himself or his appreciative wife — who can 
 but feel that that is a life to be envied, 
 and who in the county will not think that, 
 if any one deserves it, "Dave Baldwin" 
 does? 
 
 \ICHAED BAKEE. The subject 
 ^ of this sketch was born at Harjiole, 
 \v^ near Northampton, Etigland, Feb- 
 ruary 8, 1818. His ancestors were 
 Freeholders — yeomen, owners and 
 occupiers of land for many generations, 
 both on his father's and mother's side. 
 
 Up to twelve years of age our subject 
 was kept closely to the country school, and 
 was then sent to a first-class boarding- 
 school, one of the leading business educa- 
 tional institutions of that day. At the 
 age of sixteen years he left school, and 
 assisted his father in the management of 
 " Spratton Grange Farm," which he occu- 
 pied for many years. From a young boy 
 he was very fond of live-stock, especially 
 cattle, and his father being a large breeder 
 and feeder, he had great advantages, be- 
 coming an expert in judging, managing 
 and handlincj cattle. 
 
 While yet in his minority young Richard 
 succeeded in gathering and establishing a 
 herd of Shorthorns, that in after years was 
 successful in the show-ring. He has been 
 an admirer of Shorthorns all his life, but 
 never entertained any prejudice against 
 other useful breeds. Having in those early 
 years handled so many Hereford, Aber- 
 deen, Sussex and Norfolk grades, he knew 
 their oood qualities, and has ever been 
 ready to acknowledge their merits. He 
 has been called upon to serve as "Expert 
 Judge" on the "Beef Breeds" of cattle at 
 several different States, and many other 
 large, exhibitions, his decisions being 
 generally satisfactory. 
 
f^L 'c^UecfL^c^^cU^^^^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 567 
 
 In 1S52 Mr. Baker, accoinpaiiied hy his 
 wife and family of eight chil(h'en, immi- 
 grated to this country, settling in Lorain 
 county, where he lias since been engaged 
 in farming and stock raisini;. In ISSC) he 
 commenced breeding Siiortliorns, and in 
 1871 he purchased the " Cliff Grange 
 Farm " of 200 acres, near Elyria. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was married, 
 in England, to Sarah, sixth daughter of 
 Jeremiah and Martha Gaudern, of Cottes- 
 brook, Northamptonshire. England. Mr. 
 Gaudern was a large grazier and feeder of 
 cattle; his wife, Martha, the mother of 
 Mrs. Baker, was a Miss Eaton, of same 
 county, her ancestors had been prominent 
 agriculturists for many generations. Sev- 
 eral of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Baker 
 died in their infancy, and two sons and 
 one daughter — George Edward, Sai-ah Ann 
 and Alfred M. — passed away in maturer 
 years. Alfred M. died at Fort Collins, 
 Colo., May 18, 1893. In 1874 he went 
 out to Colorado, purchased 160 acres of 
 land, improved it, and made himself a 
 pleasant and substantial home, including a 
 good brick house and all necessary out- 
 buildings. In 1881 he married Ada, 
 daucrhter of John Bichardson, of Norwalk, 
 Huron Co., Ohio. He added to his farm, 
 and at the time of his death owned 400 
 acres of land, well stocked, together with 
 other property. He left a loving wife and 
 a daughter, Edna. In 1890 he had •' La 
 Grippe," which never qnite left him, and 
 at the above date died of quick consump- 
 tion. Gordon W., the eldest son of Richard 
 Baker, is in business in Elyria. He mar- 
 ried Charlotte Alice, the fonrth daughter 
 of William Linnell, a farmer, of Sulby, 
 Northamptonshire, England ; has two 
 daughters: Alice Maud Mary and Annie 
 Louise. B'red Richard is at Fort (Collins, 
 Colo., where he has a large farm, which he 
 rents to a good farmer, and lives in the 
 city. He is a director of the First Na- 
 tional Bank, and was county commissioner 
 one term. He was a member (from Lo- 
 rain county) of the " Union Light Gnards," 
 
 31 
 
 composed of young men, one from each 
 county in Ohio, sent to Washington by 
 Gov. Tod, of Ohio, as an escort to Presi- 
 dent Lincoln during the war of the Rebel- 
 lion. In 187(1 he was married to Elnora, 
 daughter of Mr. James Jackson, of Am- 
 herst, Lorain Co., Ohio, and their only 
 son, Edward Richard, is the only grand- 
 son to bear the name of this branch of the 
 Baker family. The youngest living daugh- 
 ter, Lizzie C., is at home, having the whole 
 care of the household, her mother having 
 been an invalid for several years past. 
 
 Mr. Baker has held several offices. In 
 1858 he was elected a director of Lorain 
 County Agri.-ultural Society, and was its 
 presideiit at different times up to 1883. 
 In 1860 he started a county " Farmers 
 Club," which was in useful existence for 
 many years. He wrote up the History of 
 the County Agricultural Society, published 
 by AVilliams in 1879. In 1888 he was 
 appointed County Centennial Commission- 
 er, and also elected president of the Coun- 
 ty Centennial Association. In 1879 he 
 was elected a member of the Ohio State 
 Board of Agriculture; re-elected in 1881; 
 elected president of the Board in 1882; 
 participated in establishing the " new 
 work " of the Board; the system of gather- 
 ing crop reports; analyzation of fertilizers; 
 strongly advocated the Ohio farmers 
 "County Institutes"; opposed premiums 
 on wines at the State Fair. He was a de- 
 legate to the convention of agricultural 
 and college boards, at Washitif^ton, called 
 by Commissioner Loring in 1882; read a 
 paper at that meeting on " Best Breeds of 
 Cattle for Farmers of the Western States," 
 which elicited lengthy discussion; was ap- 
 pointed one of a committee of five, at that 
 convention, to urge u[)on Congress the 
 necessity and importance of the •' Hatch 
 Bill." He assisted in organizing the Lo- 
 rain County Farmers Institute, and was its 
 first president; has prepared many papers 
 and read them at the Insritute meetings; 
 is secretary of this organization at the 
 present time (1894). In 1862 he was ap- 
 
568 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 pointed by the first commissioner of Agri- 
 culture (Newton) as principal correspond- 
 ent and reporter of condition of crops and 
 farm stock for Lorain county, Ohio, and 
 lias held that office up to the present time, 
 under Secretaries Coleman and Rusk and 
 the present secretary, Morton. He has a 
 complete set of the Annual Reports of the 
 Department of Agriculture. 
 
 The following is taken from the Ohio 
 Farjner: "Mr. Baker became acquainted 
 with Thomas Brown of the Farmer in 
 1853, and has been a subscriber, reader 
 and occasional contributor ever since. He 
 has always been a firm friend to this jour- 
 nal, and has done some nol)le work for it. 
 His tirst communication to it was on tlie 
 importance of ' Farmers Clubs.' He is a 
 thorough American in thought and prin- 
 ciple, has done his duty wherever it has 
 been made known, honestly, conscientiously 
 and fearlessly. Mr. Baker was one of the 
 men who earnestly advocated the Board of 
 Agriculture owning its own grounds for 
 State Fail- purposes, and for some time 
 stood alone in this position; but he has 
 lived to see his plan carried into successful 
 completion. All honor to the pioneers of 
 progressive Agriculture in Ohio." He has 
 been a true friend to the farmers not only 
 of Lorain county, but of the entire State, 
 never grudging his time, and he has been 
 the leading spirit of the Agricultural 
 Society. 
 
 In politics the subject of this sketch 
 has been a thorough Republican, from the 
 organization of that party, and most 
 heartily endorses the McKinley protec- 
 tive Bill. 
 
 His father was the fourth son of George 
 Baker, a large farmer of Harpole, North- 
 amptonshire. His mother was third 
 daughter of Thomas Marriot, Floore, 
 same county. George Baker was the second 
 son of John Baker, who was a son of 
 William Baker, all large farmers. A 
 nephew of George Baker was a noted 
 writer of his day. He published the "His- 
 tory of Northamptonshire." [George 
 
 Washington's ancestors were from that 
 county.] He possessed the most complete 
 library in the county. The Baker and 
 Marriot families are Saxon on both sides, 
 all along the line. They have been '• Free- 
 holders," and always eligible to vote for 
 member of the House of Commons. 
 
 D 
 
 S. CUMMINGS (deceased) was a 
 son of Archibald Cummings, who 
 was born in Billingscake, County 
 Down, Leland, in March, 1781. 
 Archibald Cummings came to America 
 in 1791. and remained in New York State 
 until 1834, in which year he came to Sul- 
 livan (then in Lorain, now in Ashland 
 county), Ohio. In 1813 he married Eliza- 
 beth Anderson, and ten children were born 
 to them, as follows: (1) Sarah Ann, mar- 
 ried Rev. Joel Talcott, who died in 1871; 
 Sarah Ann died in 1891. (2) John P., 
 deceased in 1868. (3) D. S., subject of 
 sketch, died April 3, 1881. (4) Thomas 
 S., deceased October 19, 1893, in Overton 
 county, Tenn. (5) Elizabeth, married to 
 Dr. William Stilson, who died in Clyde, 
 Ohio; Elizabeth is now living in Kansas. 
 (6) Margaret, deceased in 1856. (7) Har- 
 riet, deceased in 1873. (8) James Ander- 
 son, who lives in Milan, Ohio, and has 
 three children. (9) Archibald, who died 
 in St. Louis, Mo., in 1856. (10) Andrew, 
 married, and residing in Missouri. 
 
 D. S. Cummings was reared to agri- 
 cultural pursuits, and educated at the sub- 
 scription schools of the period. He re- 
 mained with his parents until he was 
 twenty-four years of age, at which time he 
 came to Rochester township, Lorain county, 
 where he hired out to C. W. Conaut. After 
 his marriage in 1844 Mr. Cummings rented 
 land for two years, at the expiration of 
 which time, by assiduous industry and 
 judicious thrift, he was enabled to pur- 
 chase one hundred acres of land in Roch- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 569 
 
 ester towiisliip at eight dollars per acre, 
 paying ca>h for oiie-fourtli of the amount, 
 ami triviiiir notes for tlie balance. This 
 was all uncleared land, with the exception 
 of about tifteeu acres, which could be called 
 tillable. In about six years from that time 
 seven acres were added, making a total of 
 107 acres, which is now the liomestead of 
 his widow, all being accumulated by their 
 joint efforts. 
 
 On April 13, 1844, Mr. Curamings was 
 married, in Sullivan (then Lorain, now 
 Ashland county), to Miss Elizabeth Close, 
 daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Gale) 
 Close, who were the parents of sixteen 
 children, as follows: Miranda, Alonson, 
 Deborah Ann, one that died in infancy, 
 Alvira, Nathaniel, llebecea, Amy, Eliza- 
 beth, Samuel, Lockwood, Sacah, Diana, 
 Annis, Lucy and Reuben. 
 
 Benjamin Close was born in Greenwich, 
 Conn., a son of Benjamin Close, Sr., wdio 
 was of Scotch descent, and was wounded 
 in the Revolutionary war. These two, 
 father and son, when the latter was about 
 ten years old, moved to Genoa, N. Y. 
 When ^rown to manhood, Benjamin, Jr., 
 with his wife and two children, and accom- 
 lianied by his elder brother, Henry, started 
 for Ohio in June, 1S17. He left his fam- 
 ily in Painesville, and along with Henry 
 came on to Sullivan township, then in Me- 
 dina county, afterward in Lorain, now in 
 Ashland. Of an old acquaintance living 
 in Harrisville, thirteen miles from Sulli- 
 van, Mr. Close borrowed some corn and po- 
 tatoes, and he had not a dollar to pay on his 
 land, even his last tavern bill having to be 
 settled in cloth Mrs. Close had made before 
 leaving Genoa. They built the first house 
 of logs in Sullivan township, and cut their 
 road through the dense forest, as they 
 moved onward with their ox-team from 
 Harrisville to Sullivan. As soon as Mr. 
 Close could clear a piece of land, he planted 
 some apple seeds, thus startinjj an orchard, 
 and until fruit was gathered from it the 
 family, from the time they came into the 
 township, eat only two apples. For tea, 
 
 medicine, etc., he had to go on foot to 
 Elyria, twenty-five miles north, there being 
 no road for oxen, and at that time he had 
 no horse. On one occasion he lost his way, 
 coming homeward, it being so cloudy he 
 could not see the sun, and his compass he 
 had left behind. After wandering about 
 some time, he struck a small stream which 
 proved to be a tributary of Black river, in 
 what is now Rochester township, then un- 
 itdiabited save by roving Indians and wild 
 animals. On the bank of this stream he 
 spied a wolf watching him, and then our 
 adventurer wished he had brought his gun; 
 but his faithful dog, that had accompanied 
 him, ''tackled" the brute, and after a des- 
 perate struggle got him by the throat, which 
 80 weakened the wolf that Mr. Close was 
 able to give him a blow on the back with 
 a hickory club he had cut for the purpose, 
 and the dog then easily finished him. Mr. 
 Close reached home at last, but not before 
 darkness had set in. 
 
 Mr. Close succeeded eventually in pay- 
 ing for 200 acres of land. The home was 
 a regular manufacturing establishment; for 
 there was tailoring, dressmaking, millinery 
 work and shoemaking going on nearly all 
 the time. Wool was spun and woven, and 
 the cloth colored, all at home; yet with all 
 this work the family found time to close 
 their labor on Saturday night, ready for 
 rest on the Sabbath — sweet rest, indeed! 
 The family library consisted of Bible, 
 Catechism, " History of Henry Obookiah," 
 " Life of God in the Soul of Man " (the 
 latter volume published in England in 
 1020) and the " Missionary Herald," pub- 
 lished in the interest of the missions in the 
 Sandwich Islands. This pioneer home was 
 always open to ministers and school teacli- 
 ers, of whom those in the neighborhood 
 had much to do with the education of the 
 larce family growint; to manhood and 
 womanhood. Mr. Close was protected 
 through many dangers by a kind Provi- 
 dence; at last, on August 10, 1852, when 
 at the age of sixty-four years, he wasdriv- 
 ing a span of young horses that took fright 
 
570 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 and ran away, throwing him from the 
 wagon and killing him, wlien but a short 
 distance from his home. His widow died 
 in 1868. 
 
 D. S. Cummings died April 3, 1881, 
 leaving a widow but no children, as the 
 three born to them died young, namely: 
 Francis E., died when five years and eight 
 months old; one died in infancy, un- 
 named; and Wallace A. died at the age of 
 five years. Mr. Cummings in his political 
 sympathies was a Whig, afterward a Re- 
 publican, and he was repeatedly called 
 upon to till (itiices of trust in his township, 
 which he did with characteristic fidelity 
 and acknowledged ability. In Church 
 work he was very energetic and helpful, 
 was a deacon in the Congregational Church 
 many years, and took particular interest in 
 educational work. His highly respected 
 ■widow is regarded in the community as a 
 woman of high morality, and is admired 
 for her many virtues. At the present time 
 she is living on the old homestead with 
 an adopted son. 
 
 In 1848 there was a long and tedious 
 lawsuit commenced by some Connecticut 
 people against the farmers in the section 
 where Mr. Cummings had settled. It ap- 
 pears that this tract of land was many 
 years ago ceded to Ohio by same Connecti- 
 cut people who afterward claimed to have 
 never signed away their right and title to 
 it. The suit was finally decided in favor 
 of the farmers (of whom Mr. Cummings 
 was one), but the cost of contesting it was 
 about equivalent to paying tor the land 
 twice over, and fell the more heavily on the 
 occupants, as the soil, being new, was 
 yielding but a very small revenue. 
 
 In the fall of 1843 the women of 
 Rochester formed a Temperance Society, 
 as they found liquor was being sold in the 
 town, doing an inestimable amount of 
 harm. The leaders among the women were 
 Mrs. H. M. Tracy (afterward Mrs. Cutler), 
 now living in California, and Mrs. Mary 
 Bell, now living in Kansas. They ap- 
 pointed the following named as a commit- 
 
 tee to talk to the party selling the liquor: 
 Mrs. Orpha Conant, Mrs. Ilumiston and 
 Mrs. Lucretia Stevens. The liquor dealer 
 promised to stop the sale, but nevertheless 
 continued the traffic, though- more cau- 
 tiously, and the women then took the case 
 before tlie county court, where the man 
 was fined ten dollars and costs. In 1844 
 Mrs. Tracy edited a paper called The Fal- 
 ladium, the temperance meetings being 
 continued, and this lady also delivered 
 some good temperance lectures. Some of 
 the best citizens came with their wives to 
 hear her, and soon afterward she was in- 
 vited to deliver the lectures in public. 
 Thus meetings continued for two or three 
 years. Mrs. Tracy left the town, how- 
 ever, for more extended work, and Miss 
 Anvilla Huraiston then edited l'/>e Pal- 
 ladium, and Mrs. Eliza Conant became 
 president. Later Miss Ilumiston also left 
 town for another field of usefulness, after 
 which Mrs. E. C. Cummings edited The 
 I'lilladium. The meetings still continued 
 till public sentiment was sufficiently 
 aroused to induce those best men to en- 
 couray-e the women in the good work. The 
 liquor element succumbed, and as a na- 
 tural result the morals and status of the 
 community greatly improved. As far as 
 known, this was the first Woman's Tem- 
 perance Society formed in tlie State of Ohio. 
 
 JOHN I. MASTEN (deceased), who 
 w I in his lifetime was one of the most 
 }^j) industrious and deservedly successful 
 agriculturists of Rochester township, 
 was a native of New York State, born 
 March 8, 1812, in Dutchess county, a son 
 of James Masten. 
 
 Our subject received a liberal education, 
 for his early time, at the subscription 
 schools of the vicinity of his native ])lace. 
 He was reared to farm work, and being a 
 natural mechanic was capable of following 
 the trades of turner and shoemaker. On 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 571 
 
 October 7, 1835, be was united in raarriacre 
 with Miss Rosalia Loomis, wbo was born 
 August 17, 1813, in the town of Steuben, 
 Oneida Co., N. Y., daughter of Martin and 
 Laura (^Hianchard) Loomis. In the fol- 
 lowing spring the younuj couple came to 
 Oiiio, via canal and lake to Cleveland, 
 thence by wagon to Rochester township, 
 Lorain county. Mr. Masten, the previous 
 winter, had visited this locality, and pur- 
 chased a piece of timber-covered land in 
 Rocliester township, where wild animals — 
 such as deer, turkeys, hogs, etc. — were 
 almost as "plentiful as blackberries." This 
 farm, comprising tifty acres of primeval 
 forest, he paid four dollars and fifty cents 
 per acre for, and the first dwelling of these 
 honored pioneers was of a most jiriniitive 
 description — the floor being made of pun- 
 cheon and the roof of beech bark, while a 
 quilt nailed over the entrance served the 
 plac4 of a door. Here during his long 
 residence he followed general farming, in- 
 cludincr the rearing of and extensive deal- 
 ing in live stock, of which he was an 
 excellent judge. It should here be men- 
 tioned that to the original tract of wood- 
 land he from time to time added until at 
 his death he was the owner of 236 acres 
 of prime farming land. For seven and 
 one-half years he lived in the village of 
 Rochester, at the end of which time he re- 
 turned to his farm and, later, moved a 
 short distance to where his long and busy 
 life came to a close March 16, 1893. His 
 remai ns repose in the cemetery at Rochester. 
 In his political affiliations Mr. Masten 
 was a Whig until the organization of the 
 Republican party, when he enlisted under 
 the new banner, and up to the close of his 
 life was loyal to the cause. He was an ex- 
 emplary member, as is his aged widow, of 
 the Free-will Baptist Church, in which he 
 held office many years. Mrs. Masten is 
 now passing the evening of her honored 
 life at the old homestead, calmly and hope- 
 fully awaiting the summons that shall call 
 her hence. The farm is now at)ly con- 
 ducted by her son Frank L., whose filial 
 
 care is a blessing to his loving mother. 
 The children born to Mr. and Mrs. John 
 I. Masten were as follows: Decalia B., 
 who served in the Civil war, and afterward 
 located in Dayton, Ohio, where he died; 
 Amelia C, who married C. 0. Boney and 
 died in Lorain, Ohio; Mortimer C, of 
 Charlotte, Mich.; Celia, now a widow, of 
 Manchester, Ohio; Delia, Mrs. J. H. Bis- 
 sell, of Rochester. Ohio; Nina, Mrs. A. J. 
 Irish, of Lorain, Ohio; John D., of Char- 
 lotte, Mich.; and Frank L., in charge of 
 the home farm. 
 
 ory. 
 
 CEDIAH BOWEN (deceased) was 
 in his lifetime a well-known pros- 
 perous citizen of Elyria, where 
 stands, as a monument to his mem- 
 the " Bowen Block," on Cheapside, 
 erected by him not long before his death. 
 Mr. Bowen was born June 26, 1818, in 
 the town of Roxbury, Delaware Co., N.Y., 
 and was reared on a farm till about the 
 ai^e of eighteen years. He then com- 
 menced to learn the trade of merchant 
 tailor, in Waynesburg, Ohio, whither he 
 had come when sixteen years old, and 
 where he followed the business about ten 
 years. For ten or twelve years he was ex- 
 press and ticket agent for the Lake Shore 
 Railroad Company, after which he em- 
 barked in the manufacture of and dealing 
 in Babbitt metal. During the later years 
 of his life he was retired from active work, 
 living upon the interest of his hard-earned 
 accumulations. He was a typical self- 
 made man, shrewd and calculating. At 
 the time of his marriage he had but 
 seventy-five cents in cash, but he was very 
 successful in all his business transactions, 
 and when he died he left a considerable 
 amount of property. On April 11, 1839, 
 Mr. Bowen married Miss Diantha A. Pren- 
 ti.ss, of whom special mention will be pre- 
 sently made. In August, 1857, Mr. and 
 
572 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Mrs. Boweu came to Elyria, where he 
 passed from earth December 11, 1887. He 
 was a stanch Republican, casting his first 
 vote for W. H. Harrison, and his last vote 
 for Benjamin Harrison. In religion he 
 was a member of the M. E. Church, as has 
 been his widow since 1832. For thirty 
 years he was a member of the I. O. O. F., 
 aud was buried by the Order. 
 
 Mrs. Obediali Bowen was born Novem- 
 ber 17, 1816, in Lowville, Lewis Co., 
 N. Y., and in June, 1836, moved west with 
 her parents to Lorain county, the family 
 coming at that time as pioneers into a wild 
 and unbroken forest, and making a settle- 
 ment about one mile from the center of 
 what is now Camden township. She is a 
 daughter of William and Sarah (Bates) 
 Prentiss, the former of whom passed away 
 in 1819, the latter (who was born in North- 
 ampton, Mass.) dying at the age of ninety- 
 two years. Mrs. Bowen's grandmother 
 died January 7, 1837, at the patriarchal 
 age of ninety-five years, less nearly four 
 months. 
 
 W. ROWLAND. The family, of 
 which this gentleman is a worthy 
 member, is well known and highly 
 esteemed in both Huron and Lorain 
 counties. 
 
 He is a son of Aaron Rowland, who was 
 born in a military camp at Danbury, 
 Conn., during the Revolutionary war, a 
 son of Hezekiah Rowland, who served all 
 through that struggle, the exact period of 
 his service being seven years, eleven 
 mouths and seven days. By trade he was 
 a blacksmith. Aaron Rowland was a 
 miller, and operated flour and saw mills 
 along the Croton river. Seven children, 
 as follows, were born to him in New York 
 State: Ezra, deceased in Clarkslield town- 
 ship, Huron Co., Ohio; Anna, deceased in 
 infancy; Jemima, who married Linues 
 Palmer, and died in Fitchville township, 
 Huron county; William, a farrier by trade, 
 
 who died in New York City; Samuel W., 
 a retired farmer of Oberlin, Ohio; Tama- 
 zon, who first married Samuel H'lsted, 
 and is now the widow of Martin Pulver, 
 of Clarksfield township, Huron county; 
 and Betsy Ann, who first married Joseph 
 Stiles, and is now the wife of Thomas 
 Pelton, of Berlinville, Erie Co., Ohio. 
 In the fall of 1818 the family set out on 
 a journey to Ohio with two yoke of oxen 
 and one horse, the trip as far as Cleveland 
 occupying six or seven weeks. When 
 they arrived at that now large and elegant 
 city they found but one house on the 
 " West Side," and that was occupied by 
 the ferryman who rowed travelers across 
 the Cuyahoga river. Coming yet farther 
 west, the family halted at Clarksfield Hol- 
 low, in Huron county, where Aaron Row- 
 land secured work in a new mill owned by 
 Capt. Samuel Husted, and he and his 
 family occupied the log cabin home of 
 Capt. Husted, along with his family. In 
 course of time Aaron bought a small farm 
 north of Clarksfield Hollow, and during 
 the summer season, when water in the 
 streams was too low to drive the mill, he 
 would work on this farm. He was also in 
 charge of a mill east of the " Hollow," later 
 owning a share in same, and he followed 
 the business several years. When he came 
 into what is now Clarksfield tow7iship, it 
 contained but eight other families, the 
 several heads of which were Samuel Hus- 
 ted, Smith Starr, Benjamin Benson, 
 
 Seger, Benjamin Stiles, Asa Wheeler, 
 Simeon Hoyt, and Ezra Wood. After 
 coming to Ohio the following children 
 were born to Aaron Rowland: Charles 
 (the third child born in Clarksfield town- 
 ship, Lavina, daughter of Asa Wheeler, 
 and Samuel Stiles having been the first 
 and second, respectively), and Daniel. 
 After a married life of sixty-si.\ years less 
 a few days the parents were called from 
 earth, the mother dying in 1866, the father 
 in 1868, and they now sleep their last 
 sleep in the cemetery at Clarksfield. Po- 
 litically he was first a Whig, afterward, on 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 573 
 
 the organization of tiie party, a Republi- 
 can. He was a pioneer in the milling in- 
 dustry, in those days the leading one next 
 to farming, and was a man of prominence, 
 well known and universally esteemed. 
 
 S. W. Rowland, the subject proper of 
 this memoir, was born July 5. 1810, in 
 Putnam county, N. Y., and in early life 
 learned the trade of axe-handle maker, but 
 
 feneral farming has been his life work. 
 [e was eight years old when the family 
 came to Ohio, and he distinctly remembers 
 the journey. At the primitive subscription 
 schools of the locality where his father 
 had settled, in Huron county, he gleaned 
 a comparatively meager education, whicli, 
 however, he vastly improved by reading 
 and study in his spare moments. 
 
 On Christmas Day, 1834, Mr. Rowland 
 was married to Harmony Blair, who was 
 born June 25, 1814, at Becket, Mass., 
 dautrhter of Luther Blair, who came in 
 the fall of 1832, to Rochester, Lorain Co , 
 Ohio, at that time on the frontier of the 
 " Far West." The young couple began 
 married life in a log cabin in Clarkstield 
 township, Huron county. In 1830 they 
 removed to Rochester township, Lorain 
 county, where he bought land at three 
 dollars per acre, which he improved and 
 cultivated with his own hands till 1868, 
 in which year he removed to Oberlin, same 
 county, where he has since resided, living 
 a retired life. Children as follows have 
 been born to this honored pioneer and his 
 faithful wife: Mary, now Mrs. Alonzo 
 Welcher, of Iowa; William, deceased; 
 Caroline, wife of H. A. Doming, of Kip- 
 ton, Ohio; Edmund, a farmer of Rochester 
 township, who also manages the home 
 farm; Evaline, Mrs. J. A. Flower, of 
 Elyria, Ohio; and Thaddeus, a druggist at 
 Oberlin, Ohio. 
 
 On Christmas Day, 1884, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Rowland celebrated their golden wedding, 
 members of the family, only, being pres- 
 ent, and last Christmas (1893) being the 
 fifty-ninth anniversary of their marriage, 
 their children and grandchildren came 
 
 home to celebrate the occasion in an ap- 
 propriate manner, wishing the old couple 
 " many happy returns." Mr. Rowland 
 owns a fine farm of 185 acres in Rochester 
 township, and a pleasant home in Oberlin. 
 Politically he is a Republican, originally 
 a Whig. Mrs. Rowland is a member of 
 the Congregational Church. 
 
 ^r^^ EV. WILLIAM BENTON CHAM- 
 l^ BERLAIN, A. M., professor of 
 I ^ elocution and rhetoric, Oberlin Col- 
 JJ lege, comes of an old Connecticut 
 
 family, his paternal grandfather 
 having been a native of that State, but 
 passed a considerable portion of his life in 
 Ohio. Joshua Chamberlain, great-grand- 
 father of our subject, was a captain in the 
 Revolutionary war. 
 
 The gentleman under our present con- 
 sideration was born at (rustavus, Trumbull 
 Co., Ohio, September 1, 1847, a son of Rev. 
 E. B. and Mary Ann (Cowles) Chamber- 
 lain, the former of whom was a native of 
 western New York, the latter a sister of 
 John P. Cowles. of Ipswich, Mass., and of 
 Prof. Henry Cowles, D. D., of Oberlin 
 College; she died in 1874, aged fifty-seven 
 years. Rev. E. B. Chamberlain graduated 
 from the second class at Oberlin College, 
 1S3S, and after being licensed preached in 
 Ohio for the greater part of his ministerial 
 life, and later in western Pennsylvania, in 
 which locality he died in 1882 at the age 
 of seventy-two years. Of their five chil- 
 dren William B. is the youngest. He en- 
 tered Oberlin College in 1871, and gradu- 
 ated from the classical course in 1875. 
 Proceeding to Philadelphia, he studied 
 music there from 1876 to 1878. Return- 
 intf to Oberlin, he entered the Theological 
 Seminary, graduating from there in 1881. 
 From 1878 to 1883 he taught vocal music 
 in Oberlin Conservatory of Music, a por- 
 tion of the time giving lessons in elocu- 
 
574 
 
 LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 tion, having been appointed instructor of 
 that art in 1881; in 1884 he was appointed 
 to his present incumbency, of professor of 
 elocution and rhetoric. Mr. Chamberlain 
 is a master of vocal expression, and last 
 year he published a work entitled '■ Rhe- 
 toric of Vocal Expression." He has thor- 
 oughly adopted what is recognized as the 
 " Oberlin Ideal " of things, and although 
 he has been offered more remunerative 
 positions elsewhere has invariably refused 
 them, preferring to labor in the interests 
 of Oberlin. Mr. Chamberlain is a Con- 
 gregationalist, and has filled various pul- 
 pits at different times, rot as regular 
 pastor, however, as his time is t'nlly oc- 
 cupied with teaching. Prior to making his 
 home in Oberlin he taught common schools 
 in Erie county, Ohio. 
 
 In 1875 Kev. AV. B. Chamberlain and 
 Miss Emma E. Peck were united in mar- 
 riage, and the following named six chil- 
 dren have been born to them: Fred W., 
 John F., Ernest E., Harold, F. P. and 
 Mary E. In his political preferences our 
 subject is a Prohibitionist, but of that 
 practical class that is willing to work for 
 any measure that promises to eliminate or 
 curtail the liquor traific. 
 
 ffJfON. E. G. JOHNSON was born in 
 Is^ LaGrange, Lorain Co., Ohio, No- 
 I li vember 24, 1836. His father, Hon. 
 J) Nathan P. Johnson, removed from 
 
 Jefferson county, N. Y., to La- 
 Grange in 18.33. The township was then 
 sparsely settled with pioneers, mostly from 
 the same State, living in rudely con.^tructed 
 log cabins, and diligently engaged in clear- 
 ing away the primeval forest that sur- 
 rounded their hospitable dwellings. Here 
 he labored with ceaseless enei-gy to trans- 
 form the wild woods into fruitful fields, 
 and with undaunted courage met the many 
 vicissitudes incident to a pioneer's life. 
 
 His intelligence, high sense of honor, and 
 zeal in all good works won the highest re- 
 gard of all who knew him, atid called him 
 to occupy places of trust and honor in 
 after years. He was three times elected to 
 represent his county and district in the 
 General Assembly, serving two years in 
 the House of Representatives and two in 
 the Senate. He died in 1874, and the 
 memory of his noble character will long be 
 cherished. 
 
 It was surrounded by such influences and 
 under such salutary home instruction that 
 the son E. G. grew up to manhood before 
 leaving the parental roof. In early boy- 
 hood he began to display the diligence and 
 application that have characterized his sub- 
 sequent life, and all his leisure moments 
 were spent in willing efforts to aid his 
 honored parents in bearing the burden of 
 founding a home for the family, with no 
 means except their strong arms. These 
 efforts were not relaxed as years added to 
 his strength and the desire for study 
 trenched upon his hours for labor. In those 
 pioneer days schools were not what they 
 now are, and boys of sufficient age to per- 
 form farm labor were often deprived of 
 the poor facilities afforded for instruction. 
 Not so with the children of pioneer John- 
 son. He not only labored extra hours to 
 enable his two sons to attend the winter 
 school, but taught them at his own log 
 cabin fireside the rudiments of the com- 
 mon branches and the sterling virtues that 
 form the basis of a well-ordered life. Al- 
 though hampered by the want of better 
 opportunities, the young lad early mani- 
 fested a desire to acquire more of the hid- 
 den treasures found in the books, and was 
 granted the privilege of attending the win- 
 ter school at Oberlin, a few terms, which 
 he improved with willing ardor. Thus, 
 between hard labor udou the farm and dili- 
 gent use of leisure hours in study, he ac- 
 quired sufficient knowledge to become a 
 teacher before he attained his majority. 
 
 When of legal age he did not lose his 
 love for this employment of his youth, nor 
 
vy/ 
 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 577 
 
 his affection for his parents whose welfare 
 was ever his earnest desire, but spent some 
 time alternately engaged in farm labor, 
 study and teaching. Durinu; this time he 
 commenced the study of law under the 
 tutelage of L. A. Slieldon, Esq., who was 
 his townsman, and who subsequently 
 distinguished himself as a General in 
 the Union Army, Member of Congress 
 from Louisiana, and Governor of \New 
 Mexico. In due time he received a cer- 
 tificate of admission to the bar, in Colum- 
 bus, and opened an office in his native 
 town. 
 
 At the age of twenty -one years he was 
 elected justice of the peace, and held that 
 office with entire ap])robation of the peo- 
 ple for ten consecutive years. Devoting 
 all his leisure time to mental rather than 
 pecuniary gain, he had but little oppor- 
 tunity in the quiet township of LaG range 
 to lay by a store for the increasing wants 
 of his family, and in 1868, on the petition 
 of nearly all the voters in the township, 
 regardless of party affiliation, he consented 
 to stand for the office of county auditor. 
 He was nominated at the convention that 
 soon followed, receiving twenty-eight ma- 
 jority on the first ballot, against a strong 
 opponent. He was elected with great un- 
 animity for four successive terms, but in 
 1876 he resigned, and has since devoted 
 his energies to his professional duties with 
 ever-increasing success and popularity. 
 During his successive terms as auditor he 
 was brought into official relations with 
 nearly every adult person in the county, 
 and by his courtesy, ability, unquestioned 
 character and integrity, he gained the 
 confidence of the people, which confi- 
 dence, so well merited, he has ever since 
 retained. 
 
 Mr. Johnson has found time during the 
 busy years of his professional life to ably 
 serve other interests besides that of the 
 law. Wedded in youth to the pursuit of 
 agriculture, he has never lost his desire for 
 the welfare of those who cultivate the soil. 
 He has been an active member of the Lo- 
 
 rain County Agricultural Society for more 
 than thirty years, and for thirteen years 
 was its popular and efficient secretary. 
 For twelve years he also served as chair- 
 man of the Republican Executive Com- 
 mittee, during which period he displayed 
 great energy in promoting the Republican 
 cause. He was a delegate to the Repub- 
 lican National Convention at Chicago in 
 1884, and was the Republican candidate 
 for Congress from the fourteenth District 
 of Ohio in 1892, but was defeated. His 
 
 eatriotic ardor was early enlisted in the 
 nion cause. He was among the first 
 citizens of LaGrange who answered the 
 call of President Lincoln in 1861, and en- 
 listed in Company A, afterward Company 
 I, Eighth O. V. L,for three months. He 
 went out as first lieutenant, but was pro- 
 moted to the rank of captain. He re-en- 
 listed with the major part of his company 
 for three years, while in Camp Denriison, 
 but was rejected by the surgeon who de- 
 clared him to be physically unable to per- 
 form military duty. He received an honor- 
 able discharge from the service, and it was 
 several years after his return before he 
 fully recovered his health. 
 
 Mr. Johnson's career at the bar has 
 been one of unsullied honor and rapid ad- 
 vancement, lie at once took a position at 
 the head of the bar in Lorain county, and 
 now ranks among the foremost in the list 
 of able attorneys in Northern Ohio. He 
 has been engaged in many important capi- 
 tal criminal cases, notably his defense of 
 John Coughlin at Ravenna, who, with the 
 notorious "Blinkey" Morgan (who was 
 convicted and executed), was charged with 
 the murder of detective Ilulligan. Samuel 
 Eddy, at tiiat time one of the ablest law- 
 yers of Ohio, was associated with Mr. 
 Johnson. Coughlin, though at first con- 
 victed, secured a new trial, and was finally 
 acquitted. In more than a dozen other 
 capital cases Mr. Johnson has w-on a wide 
 reputation as a successful criminal lawyer. 
 He is a man of strong convictions, form- 
 ing his opinions only after thorough in- 
 
578 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 vestigation, and is fearless iu expressing 
 them when once formed. In combating 
 the illogical theories and " isms " of those 
 who defy reason and the law of nature in 
 their attempt to correct political and social 
 evils, he has incurred the displeasure of a 
 few self-constituted modern reformers, as 
 all men do who have the courage of their 
 convictions. He has \o\\^ been an active 
 leader in social and political reforms, and 
 now stands in the front ranks of the great 
 army of true progress. His whole life has 
 been characterized by an open-hearted 
 honesty in dealing with his fellow men, 
 and a supreme hatred of hypocrisy and 
 double dealing. 
 
 Mr. Johnson has always retained his 
 love for his early home life and the friends 
 and acquaintances of his boyhood. In 
 1886, in company with Hon. E. H. Hin- 
 man, he made a trip to Europe, visiting 
 many of the places of interest both in 
 Great Britain and upon the continent. 
 Among others he visited the famous Lean- 
 ing Tower at Pisa, from which point he 
 wrote Hon. George G.Washburn, late editor 
 of the Elyria Republican, a letter in which 
 he recalls the memory of his boyhood home, 
 as follows: 
 
 After breakfast we took our guide book and 
 started for the leaning tower. It was liut a short 
 walk, and yet it seemed a mile, so greatly had our 
 expectations been e.xcited. It seemed im|)ossil)le 
 that we were to set our eyes upon that famous col- 
 umn. I remember of hearing my mother describe 
 it, as we sat around the fire of a long winter even- 
 ing in tlie old log house, which, with her, long ago 
 crumbled into dust. Oh how times and circum- 
 stances do change. Then as she told me the story, 
 I thought life would be a failure unless my eyes 
 should behold it, and I resolved that some day I 
 would go and see it and come back and tell her of 
 my journey. Here I am at the tower, but where is 
 she y and where is that happy circle then complete, 
 and those happy days which then seemed eternal? 
 Memory hoUls them— all else is gone. 
 
 In 1887 Mr. Johnson made a trip through 
 the West, visiting among other places the 
 National Park, which he reached by stage 
 from Beaver Caiion on the Utah Central 
 Railroad. It is just one hundred miles 
 from that point to the Park, through 
 a wilderness. From his stopping place 
 
 on Snake river he wrote to Mr. Washburn 
 
 a letter from which is made the following 
 
 extract: 
 
 I am stopping to-night on the banks of Snake 
 river, and now sitting by a stove in a log house 
 which, if it had a big fireplace across one end, 
 would be almost a copy of the one where tilty years 
 ago I first saw the sun-light, and where, though 
 brief were the years passed beneath its roof, that 
 siin-light began to fade. Out of the door I can see 
 the same waving forests, only that was of beech 
 and maple and whitewood and oak, while this is of 
 spruce and pine. This house is i)ut just erected, 
 and will long years defy the ravages of rain and 
 frost, while that house is only one of memory's 
 treasures. The voices of the good people who 
 have opened the doors to give us welcome greet 
 my ears, while along the tender chords of memory 
 come the sweet voices that when the days were 
 young made that old house the home of mirth and 
 happiness. As I sit here alone, fancy brings that 
 old log structure back out of the dust, peoples it 
 with the same happy throng that gathered at the 
 family altar and at the same table ; but it is only for 
 a moment, for faitliful memory will not let me for- 
 get that half of those who gathered there lie in 
 graves which 
 
 "Are eevered far and wide, by mount and stream and sea.'' 
 
 Mr. Johnson's unselfish generosity and 
 kindness of heart are proverbial wherever 
 he is known, and none appeal to him for 
 aid in a worthy cause without receiving his 
 inite according to his means, regardless of 
 color, sect or nationality. He has always 
 been a liberitl contributor to the support of 
 the M. E. Church: and on one occasion 
 not long ago its worthy pastor, by his in- 
 vitation, accompanied him on a vacation 
 trip to the Rocky Mountain region, at his 
 expense. Many instances might be cited 
 of like acts of kindness, showing his char- 
 acteristic regard for the happiness of others 
 with whom he only sustains the relation 
 of neiglil)or and friend. His great in- 
 dustry, unquestioned integrity and unim- 
 peachable moral character have won the 
 regard of his host of friends, who stand 
 hii;h in social and religious circles. 
 
 On January 1, 1859, Mr. Johnson was 
 married to Lydia D. Gott, also a native of 
 LaGrange, Ohio. Mrs. Johnson is a woman 
 highly respected and esteemed wherever 
 she is known for her many womanly vir- 
 tues. Mr. Johnson is yet in the prime of 
 his usefulness, and few men have more de- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 579 
 
 voted friends to wish him snccess in all 
 his undertakings. [This sketch for the 
 most part is from tlie able pen of Hon. 
 George G. Washburn, late editor of the 
 Elyria Republican. — Ed. 
 
 DAVID D. 
 who in hif 
 prominent 
 
 JOHNSON (deceased), 
 lis lifetime was one of the 
 It and well-known citizens 
 of Elyria township, was a native of 
 England, l)orn December 2, 1S29. 
 
 When an infant of nine months his 
 parents set sail for the New World, bnt on 
 tlie voyage the father died, and found a 
 grave in the broad Atlantic, there to lie 
 '•till the sea shall give up its dead." The 
 widowed mother continued on with her 
 little family to Lorain county, Ohio, 
 making a settlement in Avon township, 
 where our subject was reared and educated. 
 He followed farming pursuits all his life, 
 and was prosperous. On January 11, 1887, 
 he passed from earth in his fifty- eiglith 
 year. 
 
 On November 15, 1860, Mr. Johnson 
 married Mary E. Fowls, who was born, 
 reared and educated in Amherst township, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio. After marriage they 
 resided in Elyria township, same county, 
 several years, and then came to Elyria, 
 where they owned a good farm of seventy- 
 five acres, highly cultivated land. Mr. 
 Johnson spent seven years in the West. 
 He was an ardent Republican. Upright 
 in character and of sound integrity, he was 
 honored and respected by all. He had one 
 son, M. B. Johnson, who was educated in 
 Elyria and at Oberlin College, Ohio, from 
 which latter he returned to Elyria, at the 
 high school of which city he graduated. 
 He then read law under Metcalf & Web- 
 ber, and in 1884 was admitted to the bar, 
 after which he located in Cleveland, where 
 he has since enjoyed a lucrative practice. 
 He married Miss Mary E. Laundon, of 
 
 Elyria, Ohio, and two children — David 
 Laundon and Arthur Earnest — have been 
 born to them. 
 
 After leaving Oberlin Female Seminary, 
 where she had finished her education, Mrs. 
 Mary E. Johnson taught school in Lorain 
 county (Black River township), afterward 
 in Angola, Steuben Co., Ind., and in Men- 
 don, St. Joseph Co., Mich., both in private 
 and public schools. She is a daughter of 
 Godfrey and Sarah (Gardiner) Fowls, who 
 wei'e natives of Germany, where they were 
 married. In 1828 they came to the United 
 States and to Ohio, locating in what is now 
 the very center of the city of Cleveland, 
 and afterward comintj to Amlierst town- 
 ship, Lorain county, where they passed 
 the remainder of their busy lives on their 
 farm, the father dying at the age of eicjhty- 
 eight years, the mother at the age of sixty- 
 nine. They were the parents of ten cliil- 
 dren, all of whom grew to maturity. 
 
 f OHN H. JOHNSON (deceased), a 
 k. I typical self-made man, one who iias 
 \^J) left behind a record worthy of emu- 
 lation, was born August 11, 1815, in 
 Canal township, Venango Co., Penn., a son 
 of James Johnson, a native of Ireland, 
 born May 6, 1785. 
 
 When yet a lad James Johnson came to 
 the United States, presumably to seek his 
 fortune in the New World. After landing 
 he made his way westward to Venango 
 county, Penn., wherein Canal township he 
 settled down to agricultural pursuits on a 
 farm of 200 acres, on which in later years, 
 long after his death, oil was discovered, 
 lie died in Pennsylvania, a Democrat in 
 politics, and in Church relationship an Old- 
 school Presbyterian. On September 22, 
 1814, he married, in Venango county, Mrs. 
 Elizabeth Cousins (a widow), nee Sutley, 
 born April 5, 1791, in that county, who 
 bore him cliildren as follows: John H.; 
 
580 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY. OHIO. 
 
 Sarah A., born March 24, 1821, who mar- 
 ried John Sinojleton; Robert H., born De- 
 cember IS, 1823, died in Fulton county, 
 Ohio; Harrison E., born May 18. 1825, 
 died in Nashville, Tenn., where he was 
 principal of schools (he was a graduate of 
 Ashtabula College, Ashtabula, Ohio); and 
 Hugh, born June 23, 1828, a blacksmith 
 by trade, who died of smallpox while on 
 a visit at his niotiier's house. The mother 
 of tliese, after the death of the father, mar- 
 ried Sylvester Knowlton, and in course of 
 time moved to Huron county, where she 
 passed from earth; she was interred in Rip- 
 ley Methodist cemetery. 
 
 John H. Johnson received such educa- 
 tion as the early schools of his boyhood 
 days afforded. He was reared on a farm 
 up to the age of eighteen j'ears, and then 
 learned the trade of blacksmith. After 
 completing his apprenticeship he went to 
 Buffalo, N. Y., working there as a jour- 
 neyman until 1841, and then locating in 
 "Warren, Penn., where in partnership with 
 a half brother, William Cousins, he siic- 
 cessfuUv followed his trade. Here he mar- 
 ried Miss Elizabeth P. Snyder, born June 
 1, 1823, in Penn Yan, Yates Co., N. Y^, a 
 daughter of John and Eliza (Pierce) Sny- 
 der, natives of Columbia and Onondaga 
 counties, N. Y.. respectively, and who af- 
 ter marriage settled in Elk township, War- 
 ren Co., Penn. In June, 1845, Mr. and 
 Mrs. Johnson came to Ohio, to Richland 
 county, leaving their only child, Theodosia, 
 then two years old, in care of its grand- 
 parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Snyder (a son, 
 Alston, had died at the age of three 
 months). Their trip to Ohio was made in 
 order to " spy out the land," and being sat- 
 isfied with it they returned to Pennsylvania 
 for their household effects and his black- 
 smithing tools. The journeys were made 
 entirely by M^agon, the trips occupying six 
 days each way. In Bloominggrove town- 
 ship, Richland county, Mr. Johnson 
 bought three town lots, on which he built 
 a shop and residence. Here for a time 
 business with him was very poor, and to 
 
 add to other causes the memorable frost of 
 June 1, that year, damaged the wheat crop 
 to such an extent that the price of it ran 
 up to three dollars per bushel. Later, 
 however, business improved, and money 
 became more plentiful. For six years they 
 resided at Rome, Ashtabula county, and 
 from Rome moved to Ripley township, 
 Huron county, where Mr. Johnson pur- 
 chased a tifty-acre farm, erecting thereon 
 a "smithy,'" in connection with his dwell- 
 ing, and. hiring a hand to work his farm, 
 personally conducted his shop, at which 
 time he was kept quite busy; at that time 
 horse shoes were split from wagon tires, 
 and nails were made from lighter material, 
 all of which combined to make work for 
 the blacksmith much more onerous than 
 at the present day. He at all times, how- 
 ever, had one or more apprentices working 
 for him, which materially lessened his la- 
 bor. Selling out his business in Ripley, 
 he moved with his family to Greenwich 
 township, having purchased seventy-four 
 acres of land, and moving his shop to this 
 farm here continued his trade until the 
 spring of 1860, when he came to Brighton 
 townsiiip and located on the farm now oc- 
 cupied !)y his son A. C. On this he 
 erected another shop, and continued w-ork- 
 ing at his trade till within ten days of his 
 death, which occurred February 25, 1864, 
 after a ten-days' illness from typhoid- 
 pnenmonia; his remains were interred in 
 Brighton cemetery. He was a stanch 
 Democrat, but during the later years of his 
 life did not vote, averring that he was of 
 the opinioti his party had changed their 
 principles; in matters of religion he was a 
 strict Presbyterian. Since his death, his 
 widow has continued to live at the old 
 homestead in Brighton township, a highly 
 respected lady, and a devout member of 
 the Congregational Church. 
 
 The children born to Mr. and Mrs. John 
 H. Johnson were as follows — born in 
 Rome, Richland county: Madora, now 
 the wife of A. S. Gilson, a photographer of 
 Nor walk, Ohio; Orestes, of Nor walk, in 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 581 
 
 the employ of the A. B. Chase Co. ; and 
 Adelbert C, sketcli uf whom follows. Born 
 in Ripley township: Frank U., and Em- 
 ma O., wife of Charles A. Finley, of Kip- 
 ton, Ohio. Born in Greenwich township: 
 Aravilla. widow of George Harris, and Al- 
 bert, fireman on the Lake Erie & Wheel- 
 ing Eailway, at Norwalk, Ohio. Born in 
 Brighton township: Ada, who died at the 
 age of seven years; Charley S., in tiie saw- 
 milling business at Rochester, Lorain 
 county; and Eva, deceased at the age of 
 three months. The eldest daughter, Theo- 
 dosia, married William Callin,and lives in 
 Brighton township. 
 
 Adelbert C. Johnson, a member of the 
 firm of Laundon, VVindecker & Co., manu- 
 facturers of cheese, is a native of Rome, 
 Ohio, born March 27, 1850, the fifth child 
 and third son of John H. and Elizabeth 
 P. (Snyder) Johnson. 
 
 When his parents removed to Green- 
 wich township, Huron county, our subject 
 was but an infant, and he was tliere reared 
 on the iiome farm. With the exception 
 of one year during which he was fireman 
 on the Atlantic & Great Western Railway, 
 lie was never absent from the parental 
 home till his marriage, after wliich he 
 moved to Wood county, Ohio, and com- 
 menced farming on a piece of land be- 
 longing to his father-in-law. There he 
 resided four years, and then returned to 
 Brigliton township, and for four years car- 
 ried on agriculture; then went to Clarks- 
 field, Huron county, and worked in a 
 cheese factory for John Emmons, where 
 his first idea of the cheese business was 
 obtained. After about a year he came to 
 Brighton and emliarked in the manufac- 
 turintr of cheese, at which he has ever 
 since been engaged as a member of the 
 firm of Laundon, Windecker & Co., and 
 he is superintendent and manager of the 
 "Goss Factory." On May 30, 1874, Mr. 
 Johnson was mairied to Julia A. Emmons, 
 who was born in Brighton township, Lo- 
 rain Co., Ohio, a daughter of John and 
 Julia Emmons, and two children, Pearlie 
 
 and Lillie, have been born to them. Our 
 subject is an ardent RepuijJican, has held 
 township offices in Brighton e\er since his 
 return from Wood county, Ohio, and has 
 served three terms as trustee; he is now 
 superintendent of the Lorain County In- 
 firmary, which position he has occupied 
 since November 1, 1893. He has an 
 extensive acquaintance and considerable 
 political infiuence. Socially he is a mem- 
 ber of the F. & A. M., at Wellington, Lo- 
 rain county. 
 
 q GEORGE E. NICHOLS, dealer in 
 w, real estate and insurance, is a na- 
 il tive of New Hampshire, born in 
 L Londonderry, October 7, 1819. 
 
 His father, Reuben Nichols, was 
 born in Londonderry, N. H., in 1787, and 
 in 1811 was married to Miss Asenath 
 Senter of the same town. He was the 
 son of Jacob and Sally George Nichols, 
 natives of Massachusetts, who removed to 
 Londonderry, N. IL, where they died. 
 They had twelve children — seven sons and 
 five daughters — of whom Reuben was the 
 youngest, and they all lived to be from 
 eighty-four to ninety-si.x years of age ex- 
 cept one who died young from the effects 
 ot an injury. 
 
 \i\ October, 1827, Reuben Nichols, 
 father of George E. Nichols, left New 
 Hampshire with his family, and started 
 for the wilds of the West, to seek a home. 
 On reaching Pike Hollow, Allegany Co., 
 N. Y., the family made a halt while the 
 father proceeded to Lorain county, Ohio, 
 on iiorseback, where he secured a farm six 
 miles south of Elyria. He then returned 
 to his family, and they set out for their 
 new home, reaching Elyria March 28, 
 1828. They first located at Butternut 
 Ridge, then almost a dense wilderness, re- 
 maining there nearly two years, and then 
 removed to Elyria, where in 1830 Reuben 
 Nichols purchased the " Old Eagle Hotel." 
 
582 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 I 
 
 In 1832 he commenced building the new- 
 hotel called the " Mansion House," and 
 this he kept until 1839, when he sold it. 
 At that time it was one of the finest hotels 
 west of Buffalo, N. Y. While keeping 
 this hotel, he hitched four horses to a lum- 
 ber wagon, and conveyed John J. Ship- 
 herd and others to the present site of 
 Oberlin, their first trip to that locality, to 
 found a school. After selling out the 
 " Mansion House " he moved his family 
 to Oberlin in order to have his children 
 educated. In 1842 he returned to Elyria, 
 where he passed the remainder of his 
 days, making business cliangesin property 
 from time to time. He died in 1871, hav- 
 ing lived eighty-four years, an honest, up- 
 right and just man; a lifelong Democrat in 
 politics. His wife died in November, 1870. 
 
 George E. Nichols, the subject proper 
 of this sketch, after receiving a good edu- 
 cation settled in the mercantile business 
 in Elyria, where he remained for a number 
 of years. In 1852, under Franklin 
 Pierce's administration, he was appointed 
 postmaster at Elyria, and after serving 
 four years resigned March 5, 1856, for 
 political reasons. During this period 
 (185-i) he was appointed one of a commit- 
 tee to proceed to Nebraska to try and have 
 it become a Democratic State. He had a 
 land ofhce at Washington, D. C, and a 
 lartre amount of land under his control; 
 and though he made many trips to Ne- 
 braska, he did his chief land office work at 
 Washington. This he continueil in sev- 
 'eral years, having influential friends and 
 finding good opportunities wliich he im- 
 proved. He was interested' in bringing 
 the first printing press to Omaha, and as- 
 sisted in the establishment of a paper 
 there. Of recent years Mr. Nichols has 
 given his attention mainly to the real-es- 
 tate business, with his home and office in 
 Elyria, Lorain county, and has met with 
 marked success. 
 
 In November, 1843, he was married to 
 Miss Angeline D. Elliott, daughter of 
 Rev. Joseph Elliott, Baptist clergyman, 
 
 and two children have been born to them: 
 Ella Gertrude, wife of William Mills- 
 paugh, of Middletown, N. Y., and Lelia 
 May, wife of Seymour Cromwell Prentiss, 
 of Detroit, Mich. They have four grand- 
 children — George Marcus Millspaugh and 
 William L. Millspaugh, of Middletown, 
 and Marion Louise Prentiss and Edith 
 Rouse Prentiss, of Detroit, Mich. — and 
 two great-grandchildren. On November 
 22, 1893, Mr. aiid Mrs. George E. Nichols 
 celebrated their Golden Wedding at the 
 home of their daughter, Ella Millspaugh, 
 in Middletown, Orange Co., N. Y., refer- 
 ring to which interesting event a Middle- 
 town (N. Y.) paper of same date contains 
 the following: 
 
 Fifty years ago to-day, Mr. and Mrs. George E. 
 Nicbols, of Elyria, Obio, were uoited in marriage. 
 They are spending the winter at the residence of 
 their daughter, Mrs. William Millspaugh, on Or- 
 chard street in this city. Mr. and Mrs. Millspaugh 
 do not propose to let so important an event pass 
 without proper recognition, and accordingly have 
 invited a number of intimate friends of the family 
 and the acquaintances Mr. and Mrs. Nichols have 
 made during their visits to this city, to join with 
 them in celebrating, in a quiet way, the golden an- 
 niversary of Mr. and Mrs. Nichols' marriage. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Nichols have been singularly 
 blessed during their half-century of married life. 
 They have been permitted to enjoy a reasonable 
 measure of worldly prosperity, and have reached 
 the allotted age of man in good physical and men- 
 tal health. Two children have blessed their union 
 — Mrs. Millspaugh, of this city, and Mrs. Prentiss, 
 of Detroit; they liave four grandchildren and two 
 great-grandchildren, and there has never been a 
 death in their family, nor in those ol their children. 
 There are few who are permitted to look back over 
 fifty years of married life, and fewer still who can 
 survey the past with greater reason of thankfulness. 
 The friends of Mr. and Mrs. Nichols in this city 
 and elsewhere will wish them many happy returns 
 of their wedding anniversary. 
 
 USSEL B. WEBSTER. A bio- 
 graphical record of Lorain county 
 V^ would indeed be incomjjete were 
 mention not made of this gentle- 
 man, who was one of the pioneer 
 settlers of Wellington township, and who 
 bore an honorable and influential part iu 
 the early history of the county. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 583 
 
 Ilussel B. Webster was born in Otis, 
 Mass., April 25, 1799. He came to Ohio 
 in 1820 in search of a honie, carrying sev- 
 enty pounds of baggage upon Jiis back. 
 He located a farm in Wellington, and re- 
 turned to Otis, Mass., wliere he married 
 Orpha Hunter, and, returning to his foi'est 
 home with his bride, brought all their 
 possessions in a wagon drawn by a yoke 
 of oxen. To Russcl and Orpha Webster 
 were born the following named children: 
 Samuel H, now a retired merchant in 
 Shelbyville, 111.; Bidwell, a civil engin- 
 eer, who died in Wellington, Ohio, Sep- 
 tember 7, 1856; Leander, who commanded 
 a company in the Fourteenth Illinois Cav- 
 alry duritig the Civil war, and who now 
 resides in Castalia, Iowa; David Philan- 
 der, who died in infancy; Philander P., 
 who commanded a company in an Illinois 
 regiment during its term of service, and 
 who died in Shelbyville, 111., April 14, 
 1884; William W., who emigrated to 
 Colorado in 1859, and was for tour years 
 president of the Upper House of Colorado 
 Territory, and now resides in Pasadena, 
 (Jal.; Loret, who died at the age of about 
 three years as the result of a fall; Edward 
 F., who, after four years of service dui'ing 
 the Civil war, returned to Wellington, 
 where he has since been actively engaged 
 in business, and Leveret F., who died Jan- 
 uary 29. 1861, as the result of an accident. 
 
 Mr. Webster was a perfect type of the 
 good old Massachusetts Puritan stock. He 
 was a man of remarkable ph^'sical powers 
 and endurance, and was endowed with in- 
 tellectual powers and a mental vigor no less 
 remarkable. He joined the Congregational 
 Church during his early residence in Wel- 
 lington, and during a long and useful life 
 was an earnest, active Christian worker. 
 He was thoroughly devoted to all that was 
 good, and sternly opposed to all that he 
 considered wrong. He went beyond the 
 requirements of the '' golden rule "' and 
 throughout his life was constantly doing 
 for others far more than he would have 
 asked others to do for him under similar 
 
 circumstances. In the early pioneer days, 
 when the struggle for existence was so 
 hard, and the opportunities for "lending 
 a helping hand" were so numerous, he 
 often taxed his physical powers to their 
 utmost in assisting neighbors and friends, 
 and never hesitated to contribute his last 
 dollar in case of urgent need. He was 
 active and indefatigable in every good 
 work, and contributed his full share toward 
 laying broad and deep the foundations of 
 religious order, good morals and good 
 society that have given to Lorain county its 
 honorable history. In the early days, Mr. 
 Webster commanded a militia company, 
 and thereafter was known as " Capt. Web- 
 ster." In politics he was an ardent AVhig, 
 while that party existed, and was con- 
 sidered one of the " wheel horses " of the 
 party in the county. He joined the Re- 
 publican party upon its organization, and 
 remained steadfast in his loyalty to it dur- 
 ing the remainder of his life. He died in 
 Wellington January 81, 1881, honored by 
 all who knew him. His wife, Orpha Web- 
 ster, survived him about one year. 
 
 To the life, work and example of the 
 class of pioneers to which Russel and 
 Orpha Webster belonged, .Lorain county 
 owes an inextinguishable debt of gratitude. 
 
 ONE AD HAGEMANN, one of the 
 
 most prominent and enterprisino- 
 agriculturists nf Black River town- 
 ship, was born in liessia, Germany, 
 October 10, 1831, a son of John and Mar- 
 tha (Heussnef) Hagemann. 
 
 The family emigrated to the United 
 States and toOhio, settling, in 1847, in Am- 
 herst township, Loraiii county, where they 
 followed farming. The fatlier was born 
 about the year 1800, and died in North 
 Amherst in 1877; the mother passed away 
 in 1869 when aged about seventy-two 
 years. They were sturdy, hard-working 
 people, whe strove well to bring up tlieir 
 family to usefulness and good citizenship; 
 
584 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 they were both members of the German 
 Reformed Church. They liad a family of 
 eight children, as follows: John, a cabinet 
 maker by trade, died in North Amherst, 
 Ohio; Adam is a farmer in Black River 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio; Henry is a 
 cabinet makdr in Lorain, Ohio (he was a 
 soldier in the Mexican war); George died 
 in Lon is villa, Ky.; Conrad is the subject 
 of this sketch; Antone now lives in Lide- 
 pendence, Iowa; Catherine is the wife of 
 Valentine Klotzbach; Matthew was a sol- 
 dier, when twenty-three years old, in the 
 Civil war, and died in hospital in 1862. 
 Two of the above-named children — Henry 
 and Adam — had preceded tlie rest of the 
 family to America in 1845. 
 
 The subject of this sketch attended 
 sch-ool two winters after comine to Lorain 
 county, and spent tiie earlier years of his 
 life working on the farm and driving team. 
 Before reaching his majority he went to 
 Iowa for the purpose of buying land, but 
 remained there only one year, when he 
 was obliged to I'eturn home to take care of 
 his parents, who were becoming advanced 
 in years and needed his assistance. With 
 true filial piety he stayed by them till 
 their death. Mr. Hagemann purchased 
 his present farm of 118 acres of prime 
 land in Black River township the year 
 after bis marriage, and has lived on it 
 ever since. 
 
 On September 16, 1S55, our subject was 
 united in marriage with Miss Catharine 
 Claus, daughter of Henry and Martha 
 (Hildebrand) Claus, and they have had a 
 family of fourteen children, namely: Two 
 died in infancy; Anna is the wife of 
 Michael Gegenheimer, and they now live 
 in Vermillion, Ohio (they liave three chil- 
 dren: Albert, Franklin and Raipii); Eliza- 
 beth is the wife of John Beller. of North 
 Amherst, and they have four children: 
 • Anna, William. Edna and Helen; Paulina 
 married Henry Kolbe. and died leaving 
 four ciiiUli-en: Frank, August, George and 
 Henry; Edna is the wife of Martin Trin- 
 ter, and they have five children: Philip, 
 
 Elmer, Lydia, Edna and William; Philip 
 (unmarried) runs a fishing tug at Lorain; 
 August carries on a brickyard in Lorain; 
 Martha resides at home; AlL>ert attended 
 the business college at Oberliu, and is now 
 a bookkeeper; Robert, who also attended 
 business college, is living at home; Walter 
 is going to school; Herman is at school; 
 Elmer (yet a boy) is under the paternal 
 roof. Mr. Hagemann and ail his grown-up 
 sons vote the Republican ticket, his first 
 vote being cast in 1852 for Gen. Scott. 
 The family are associated with the Re- 
 formed Church at Amherst. 
 
 I C. HILL, president of the Savings 
 K- I Deposit Bank Company ot Elyria, was 
 \^/ born in Erie county, Ohio, October 
 27, 1837, a son of E. P. and Sarah 
 Hill, natives of Connecticut. His educa- 
 tion was received in his native State, first 
 at the high school in Berlin Heights, Erie 
 county, and afterward in Antioch College 
 at Yellow Springs, Greenecounty, at which 
 latter institution he was under the pre- 
 ceptorship of Horace Mann. His father 
 and grandfather were prominent pioneers 
 of Berlin Heights, and the former was a 
 member of the (Jhio State Senate from 
 Erie county, in 1852 and 1853. 
 
 J. C. Hill after leaving collea'e studied 
 law in Cleveland, and from the law college 
 in that city tfiok his degree of LL. B. in 
 June, 1861, his A. B. having been re- 
 ceived at the literary college in 1860. He 
 then practiced law one year in Elyria in 
 company with Judge J. C. Hale, they 
 having come to the then village from 
 Cleveland at the same time. Mr. Hill, at 
 the expiration of the year, practiced same 
 length of time alone, and then formed a 
 second partner.ship with Judge Hale, which 
 continued until 1864, when it was dis- 
 solved. In that year our subject and W. A. 
 Braman entered into a copartnership in 
 live-stock dealing, which continued for 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 587 
 
 three years, and was a success financially. 
 For several years after this he was engaged 
 ill the nursery business, doing an extensive 
 trade, botli wliolesale and retail. On No- 
 vember 1, 1872, Mr. Hill, in company 
 withT. L. Nelson, organized and started a 
 private banking compatiy, with unlimited 
 liability of stockholders, and at the end of 
 the second year tiiere were twelve mem- 
 bers in the company representing a re- 
 sponsibility in the bank of half a million. 
 This secured for the institution the un- 
 bounded cunfideiice of the public, and as a 
 result the bank was soon enabled to double 
 its capital from its own earnings, besides 
 paying regular dividends. It was known 
 as "The Savings Deposit Bank of Elyria,'" 
 and without doubt was one of the most 
 flourishing and safe institutions of the 
 kind in the State. In 1890 it was reorgan- 
 
 o 
 
 ized and incorporated as a regular stock 
 batdv with a paid-up capital of two hun- 
 dred thousand dollars, and surplus amount- 
 ing to twelve thousand dollars. In March, 
 1893, the bank carried loans to the extent 
 of over one million dollars, and had deposit 
 accounts aggreijating nine hundred and 
 fifty thousand dollars. Mr. Hill was the first 
 cashier and nianager, and, at the death in 
 1890 of Mr. T. L. Nelson, the president, 
 he succeeded to the presidency, retaining 
 the managership. At the time of the re- 
 organization, fifteen new directors were 
 elected, w'lio meet twice a year, and a 
 finance committee which meets once each 
 week. 
 
 On January 2, 1861, Mr. I^ill was mar- 
 ried to Miss Etta M. Wi,lsori, of Elizabeth, 
 N. J., whom he first met as a schoolmate 
 under Horace Mann, and who lacked only 
 one year of graduation at Antioch College. 
 Five children have been born to this union, 
 of whom the followino; three are still liv- 
 ing: Ralph W., head bookkeeper in the 
 bank already referred to; Arthur E., 
 superintendent of the Independence Horse 
 and Cattle Company, North Park, Colo., 
 and Editha L., at present attending school 
 in Philadelphia, Penn. Mr. Hill is a 
 
 Republican in politics; socially he is a 
 Royal Arch Mason, and a member of the 
 Royal Arcanum. Since 1S79 he has been 
 a member of the school board of Elyria, 
 and president of same since 1888. He is 
 the leading stockholder in the Independ- 
 ence Horse and Cattle Company of North 
 Park, Colo., which company owns a large 
 tract of valual)le land within twelve miles 
 of the snow line in that State, and about 
 eight hundred high-grade Hereford cattle. 
 
 Mr. Hill is a man of broad views, keen, 
 quick perceptions, sterling integrity and a 
 spotless reputation — qualities which have 
 secured him the unlimited confidence of 
 the people with whom he has come in con- 
 tact. In addition to his duties as manager 
 of the largest moneyed institution in the, 
 county, he has, as executor, settled several 
 large estates, discharging his duties witii 
 characteristic fidelity. An honorable, up- 
 right life, guided liy rare mental endow- 
 ments, and a delicately adjusted mental 
 balance, rarely fails to achieve success. 
 Success in this case has not been to the 
 possessor of these gifts alone. His equip- 
 ment and business sagacity ha,ve not only 
 been turned to good account by his associ- 
 ates in business, but the public has been 
 a generous beneficiary of his excellent 
 common sense and sound, mature judg- 
 ment. 
 
 Mr. Hill having but slightly passed the 
 noon mark of a useful- cai-eer, with a lovely 
 honi,e, and pleasant fanaily and social sur- 
 roundings, may well take pride in the 
 gathered fruits of his well-ordered and 
 correct life. 
 
 G. BALLANTINE, D. D., LL. D., 
 
 president of Oberlin College, was 
 born in tiie City of "Washing- 
 ton, D. C, December 7, 18-48, a 
 son of Elisha and Betsey A. fWatkins) Bal- 
 lantine. The name is Scotcii, and the first 
 of the family emigrated to America about 
 the year 1648, locating in Boston, where 
 
588 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY. OHIO. 
 
 tliej and their descendants lived for some 
 generations. The iirst Ballantine gradu- 
 ated from Harvard College in 1G94:. 
 
 Rev. Elisha Ballantine, LL. D., father 
 of subject, M'as born in the State of 
 New York, and received his literary and 
 classical education at the University of 
 Athens, Ohio. For many years he vras 
 professor of" Greek in the University of 
 Indiana. He died in 1886 at an advanced 
 age. His wife, who was Miss Betsey A. 
 Watkins, was born in Prince Edward 
 county, Va., and died in 1873, the mother 
 of a large family of children, of whom the 
 subject of this sketch is the seventh. 
 
 Bres. Ballantine received his elementary 
 education mostly at home. He took the 
 Freshman and Sophomore years at Wabash 
 (Indiana) College; in 1866 he entered the 
 junior class at Marietta (Ohio) College, 
 graduating in 1868 A. B. While yet a 
 student and after graduation he followed 
 civil engineering, and in 1869 became a 
 member of the Ohio State Geological Sur- 
 vey. Subsequently he entered Union 
 Seminary, New York, and there, under 
 the preceptorship of Dr. Henry B. Smith, 
 st\idied theology, graduating in 1872. In 
 that same year, desiring to drink still deeper 
 of the Pierian Spring, he proceeded to 
 Leipsic, Germany, for the purpose of study- 
 ing Hebrew under Delitzsch. In 1873, 
 as a n)ember of the American Palestine 
 Exploring E.xpedition, he traveled through- 
 out the Holy Land for about six months, the 
 teriitory east of the Joi'dan being the por- 
 tion chiefly visited by the expedition. On 
 his return to the United States he was ap- 
 pointed to a professorship in Ripon (Wis.) 
 College, occupying the Chair of Chemis- 
 try and Natural Science from 1874 to 
 1876; was assistant professor of Greek in 
 Indiana University from 1876 to 1878, and 
 was professor of Greek and Hebrew Exe- 
 gesis in Oberlin (Ohio) Theological Semi- 
 nary from 1878 to 1880. From 1880 to 
 1891 he was Professor of Old Testament 
 Language and Literature in the same in- 
 stitution. For some time the Professor 
 
 was one of the editors of tlie "Bibliotheca 
 Sacra." In 1880 he was ordained to the 
 Congregational ministry; in 1885 he re- 
 ceived the honorary degree of D. D. from 
 Marietta College, and in 1891 the degree 
 of LL. I), from Western Reserve Univer- 
 sity. On January 28, 1891, he was elected 
 president of Oberlin College. It will thus 
 be seen that Prof. Ballantine's reading, 
 study and teaching, Iiave been of a remark- 
 ably versatile nature, and his breadth of 
 knowledge and executive ability are too 
 well known to here require any comment. 
 In 1875 Prof. W. G. Ballantine was 
 married in Waupun, AVis., to Miss Emma 
 F. Atwood, and four children have been 
 born to them, namely: Henry W., Arthur 
 A., Edward and Mary F. 
 
 EV. JOHN MILLOTT ELLIS, 
 A.M., professor of mental and 
 moral philosophy. Stone professor- 
 shi]), Oberlin College, is a native 
 of New Hampshire, born in Jaf- 
 frey, March 27, 1831, a son of Seth B. and 
 Lucy (Joslin) Ellis. 
 
 The father of subject was born in Keene, 
 N. II., where he was reared and educated. 
 At the age of fifty he came west to Ohio, 
 locating in Oberlin, where he carried on a 
 planing mill and lumber yard. He died 
 in 1865, at the age of seventy- five years, 
 his wife when seventy -seven years old, the 
 mother of ten children, nine of whom came 
 with their parents to Oberlin. Timothy 
 Ellis, great-grandfather of subject, was a 
 colonel in the Revolution, and participated 
 in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga; he 
 was ninety years old at the time of his 
 death, which occurred in Keene, N. H. 
 
 The subject of this memoir received his 
 elementary education at the common 
 schools of his boyhood days, after which, at 
 the age of sixteen, he entered Oberlin Col- 
 lege, where he graduated in 1851. He 
 then taught school for a time, was also 
 professor in Mississippi College, Clinton, 
 
LORAIN COUJUITY, OHIO. 
 
 589 
 
 Miss., three years. In 1857 lie was ap- 
 
 f»ointed to a Greek professorship in Ober- 
 in College, which he filled for nine years; 
 after this he occupied the Chair of piii- 
 losophy, rhetoric and composition, etc., and 
 more recently that of mental and moral 
 philosopliy. During life he has been active, 
 for many years in ministerial work as pas- 
 tor of the Second Congrecjational Church 
 at Oberlin, and supplyincj churches in 
 Cleveland, and other neighboring towns. 
 In 1862 Prof. Ellis was married to Miss 
 Minerva Emeline Tenney, and four chil- 
 dren have been born to them, all sons, viz.: 
 Albert H., Theodore H., John T. and 
 Luman M. Mrs. Ellis is a graduate of the 
 literary course of Oberlin College, class of 
 1858. Her grandfather, Judge Harris, 
 was a pioneer of Lorain county, and her 
 father. Dr. Luman Tenney, was a native 
 of Vermont. 
 
 q George fredeeick weight, 
 r, D. 1)., LL. D., F. G. S. A., profes- 
 I sor of the Harmony of Science and 
 U Eevelation in Oberlin Theological 
 Seminary. 
 Concerning tjiis learned gentleman, we 
 excerpt from an article in a recent num- 
 ber of the " Popular Science Monthly " 
 the following: " Prof. George Frederick 
 Wright has come within a few years to a 
 foremost position among authorities in 
 geology and the antiquity of man. His 
 studies of glacial action have been thor- 
 ough, extended, comprehensive, and fruit- 
 ful of results be3'ond those of almost any 
 other single observer, and make singularly 
 fitting the curious designation given him 
 by Judge Baldwin, secretary of the West- 
 ern Reserve Historical Society, as ' the 
 apostle of the Ice Age and Early Man.' " 
 Prof. Wright was born at Whitehall, N. 
 Y., January 22, 1838, a son of Walter and 
 Mary (Peabody) Wright — he a native of 
 New York State, she of New Brunswick. 
 N. J., and both descended from New Eng- 
 land families. " They were plain people, 
 
 in moderate circumstances, not exempt 
 from the necessity of labor, who, parti- 
 cipating in the sentiment which that in- 
 stitution then represented, sent their .son 
 to Oberlin College, five hundred miles 
 away." Here in 1859 he graduated in the 
 classical course, and in 1862 from the 
 Theological Seminary. While taking his 
 Theological course he served as a private in 
 Company 0, Seventh O. V. I., in which he 
 had enlisted on the first call of President 
 Lincoln for troops; hut a severe sickness 
 led to his discharge after iive months en- 
 rollment. In the fall of 1862 he became 
 pastor of the Congregational Church at 
 Bakersfield, Vt., an incumbency he en- 
 joyed for about ten years, at the end of 
 which time (1872) he accepted a call to 
 one of the Congregational Chni-ches of 
 Andover, Mass. From the magazine al- 
 ready quoted from we glean the following, 
 illustrative of Prof. Wright's multifarious 
 labors: " Besides attending to his pastoral 
 duties, and engaging actively in revival 
 work in his own church and in the sur- 
 rounding towns, he entered vigorously 
 into educational movements; started and 
 presided over a vigorous farmers' club; 
 studied the local geology and wrote articles 
 for the country papers on the glacial 
 phenomena of the region; read his He- 
 orevv Bible through, and translated 'Kant's 
 Critique of Pure Eeason,' besides several 
 of Plato's philosophical works." 
 
 While in the discharge of his ministerial 
 duties in Andover, Mass., he enjoyed the 
 friendship of the professors in the Theolog- 
 ical Sen^inary, made the acquaintance of 
 Prof. Asa Gray, of Harvard, and com- 
 menced . an active literary career. His 
 special attention was directed to the gla- 
 cial phenomena of the region, and as early 
 as 1876 his observations ware volumi- 
 nously reported in the " Proceedings of the 
 Boston Society of Natural Philosophy." 
 After making himself familiar witli the 
 glacial phenomena of New England, " he 
 was invited in 1881, by Prof. Lesley, to 
 survey, in company with the late Prof. 
 
590 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 H. Carvill Lewis, the boundary of the 
 glaciated area across Pennsylvania to the 
 border of Ohio." 
 
 DuriiiK his pastorate at Andover he 
 also published a number of articles in the 
 " Bibliotheca Sacra," notably one on the 
 tlieology of President Finney, and four on 
 Darwinism. Kumerous articles from his 
 pen also appeared in various other serials, 
 and in 1880 he published his book en- 
 titled "The Logic of Christian Evidences." 
 "Studies in Science and Religion," "The 
 Relation of Death to Probation," and " The 
 Divine Authority of the Bible," rapidly 
 followed each other, and showed to the 
 Christian public that a calm, clear, fear- 
 less yet fair advocate of Revealed Chris- 
 tianity was coming to tlie front. 
 
 In 1881 he was called to the Chair of 
 New Testament Exegesis in Oberlin The- 
 ological Seminary, and almost the iirst 
 question he askpd after his arrival in Ober- 
 lin was a geological one: " What is the 
 age of the cailon of Plum Creek?" This 
 stream is modest enough in its meander- 
 in^s, " but Prof. Wright made it and its 
 work in denudation, in his 'Ice Age in 
 North America,' the basis of an important 
 and interesting calculation concerning the 
 antiquity of the Great Ice Age." During 
 the summers of 1882-83 he continued his 
 geological survey across Ohio, Indiana and 
 a part of Illinois, the result of which work 
 was published by the Western Reserve 
 Jlistorical Society under the title of " The 
 Glacial Boundary in Ohio, Indiana and 
 Kentucky," which attracted wide atten- 
 tion. The two summer vacations pf 1884- 
 85 were spent by Prof. Wright under the 
 auspices of the United States Government 
 in tracing the terminal moraine across the 
 western States to the Mississippi; in re- 
 viewing the field of Ohio and western 
 Pennsylvania, and in verifying his previous 
 work. Later he spent a summer in Alaska, 
 camping for a month beside the great 
 Mnir glacier. In 1887 he was invited to 
 give a course of eight Lowell Institute 
 Lectures at Boston, which were afterward 
 
 repeated in Baltimore, Md.,aiid Brooklyn, 
 N. y.. and were enlarged into his volume 
 on '• The Ice Age in North America." 
 
 The summer of 1890 Prof. Wright spent 
 in the lava iields of the West, where he 
 obtained additional and exceedingly valu- 
 able evidence of the existence of man in 
 Idaho and California prior to the lava out- 
 pour. The summer of 1891 he passed in 
 Europe, where he was warmly greeted by 
 the glacialists of England, his fame as a 
 specialist in glacial geology having pre- 
 ceded him there. In the winter of 1891- 
 92 he gave a second course of lectures in 
 the Lowell Institute, Boston, to uniformly 
 large audiences. Besides his geological 
 and theological publications already enu- 
 merated, numerous articles from his pen 
 have appeared in various serials. His 
 book entitled " Logic of Christian Evi- 
 dences," already referred to, at once at- 
 tained a wide circulation, and is used in 
 several schools as a text book. 
 
 In 1862 Prof. G. F. Wright was 
 united in marriage in Sheffield township, 
 Lorain county, with Miss Hulda M. Day, 
 daughter of William Day, and four chil- 
 dren have been born to them, named, re- 
 spectively, Mary A., Ett^ M., Frederick 
 B. and Helen M. 
 
 B. EVERITT, M. D., a successful 
 medical practitioner of Lorain coun- 
 ty, having his residence in Kipton, 
 Camden township, claims descent 
 from a "Mayflower family." 
 lie was born in Litchfield township, 
 Medina Co., Ohio, September 24, 1846, a 
 spu of Abner Everitt. a native of Con- 
 necticut, t|Orn in Litchfield, April 15, 
 1798, a son of Abner Everitt, who was 
 born May 12, 1764, and whose father, 
 Daniel, was born in Connecticut in 1715. 
 Abner, father of subject, was mai-ried in 
 the "Nutmeg State," February 20, 1828, 
 to Hannah Mallory, who was born in 
 Litchfield county, May 7, 1809. He was 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 591 
 
 by occupation a tanner, and was proprietorof 
 a grist and saw mill. About 1834 he and 
 his family came to Genesee county, N. Y., 
 and from tiiere in 1836 to Ohio, making 
 the journey l)v ox-team. They located in 
 Litchtieldtownship, where the fatlier bought 
 land, totally wild and unimproved. Here 
 they had to blaze the trees to mark out the 
 roads, etc., and in the midst of tlie somber 
 forest they built them a log house of a 
 very primitive style of architecture, but 
 comfortable and commodious enough. Here 
 the parents passed the remainder of their 
 pioneer days, the father dying April 2, 
 1857, the mother December 25, 1888, and 
 they rest from their labors in Litchfield 
 cemetery. They were members of the M. 
 E. Church. Politically Mr. Everitt was 
 for a long time an Old-line Whig, in later 
 years a Republican. In Connecticut chil- 
 dren were born to them as follows: Nnra- 
 nia E., born September 24, 1829, widow of 
 Hanson Cole, to whom she was married 
 March 14, 1858. in Medina county, Ohio 
 (she now lives in Fulton connty); Jedidah, 
 born April 29, 1831, deceased August 16, 
 1834; Augnsta M., born Noveml)er 17, 
 1834, died August 15, 1866. In Litchfield 
 township, Medina county, the following 
 were born : A son born February 6. 1837, 
 died February 22, 1837; Jedidah H., born 
 May 10, 1838, died December 19, 1860; 
 Aaron M., born March 7, 1841, died July 
 30, 1842; Ambrose M., born Noveml)er 
 14, 1843, enlisted September 15, 1862, at 
 Cleveland, in Company B, One Hundred 
 and Twenty-fourth Regiment O. V. I., was 
 wounded May 15, 1864, at Resaca, Ga., 
 and died June 8, 1864, in the hospital at 
 Chattanooga, Tenn., and was buried in the 
 Soldiers' cemetery (he served under Capt. 
 G. W. Lewis, of Medina, Ohio, and took 
 part in the following engagements: Spring 
 Hill, Chickamauga, Brown's Ferry, Or- 
 chard Ridge, Rock Face Ridge and Res- 
 aca); Abner H., subject of this sketch; 
 and Daniel Quincy, born August 26, 1849, 
 died on the home farm July 5, 1872 (he 
 was a school teacher). 
 
 From history written by Thirza J. 
 Strong; aunt of our subject on his father's 
 side, the following is taken: "My grand- 
 parents on my mother's side emigrated to 
 this country in the early part of the seven- 
 teenth century, to enjoy religious freedom. 
 In England they of my grandmother's 
 family were some of the families of the 
 Lords or Earls, selling all of their landed 
 possessions, reserving only their silver 
 service and jewels with their money. Set- 
 tled in Massachusetts; four daughters only 
 of the family. The oldest married Col. 
 Ethan Allen, of Revolutionary fame. The 
 second married Abraham Brownson, who 
 was my grandfather. He was killed by 
 being Hung from a horse in the year 1785, 
 My grandmother died at my father's in 
 the year 1815, being between eighty and 
 ninety years of age; Abigal Brownson by 
 name. By this marriage there were three 
 sons and two daughters, my mother being 
 the oldest of the family. Her sister mar- 
 ried Elias Merwin, and moved to the far 
 west. Livona, in York State. She soon 
 after died. My uncles were Deacon Myers 
 Brownson, Abraham and Israel. None but 
 Israel had any family. Three brothers 
 Brownson came from England and bought 
 a large tract of land in the town of Rox- 
 bury. Conn. Two of the brothers died, 
 leaving my grandfather alone. Then he 
 sold and iTioved to Bethlehem, Litchfield 
 county, Connecticut, where my parents 
 were married." 
 
 A. B. Everitt, whose name opens this 
 sketch, was reared a farmer boy, and re- 
 ceived his elementary education at the 
 common schools and in those of the 
 "Nevins District," which well prepared 
 him for taking up the profession of school 
 teaching. He taught in Seneca, Sandusky 
 and ]\Iedina counties. Later be attended 
 Oberlin College for about three terms, but 
 prior to this he had been reading medicine 
 at home, simply to gratify a natural desire 
 he entertains for knowledge of that nature. 
 These studies he continued under Dr. R. 
 V. Gamble, of Liverpool, Ohio, and in 
 
592 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 February, 1884, lie received his diploma 
 from Adelbert College, Cleveland, Ohio, 
 and in the first class after the consolidation 
 of the Wooster and Adelbert Colleges. 
 In 1880 he left the home farm, where he 
 had hitherto lived, and which had come 
 into his possession, and made his residence 
 in the village of Litchfield until 1889, in 
 which year he came to Kipton, and has 
 here since resided. During his stay at 
 Litchfield he practiced medicine, and he 
 has been very successful since coming to 
 Kipton. 
 
 in March, 1880, Dr. Everitt was united 
 in marriage with Miss Frankie A. Plank, 
 who was born in Castorland, Lewis Co., 
 N. Y., a daughter of Jacob Plank, a 
 farmer. She was on a visit to relatives in 
 Medina county, Ohio, when she and the 
 Doctor " met by chance, the usual way." 
 To Dr. A. E. and Frankie A. Everitt was 
 l)orn November 19, 1885, a daughter, 
 Mary H. Our suliject and wife are mem- 
 bers of the Methodist Church, and in poli- 
 tics Dr. Everitt is a straight Republican. 
 He is a member of Lodge No. 381, F. & 
 A. M., at Litchfield, Ohio; of Wellington 
 Lodge No. 44, K. of P., and of Tent No. 
 92, K. O. T. M., Kipton. 
 
 djAMES W. CHAPMAN, 
 and secretary of the Ohio Co-oper- 
 ' ative Shear Company, Elyria, was 
 born in Avon, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 July 5, 1846, the only child of Amasa and 
 Catharine (^Wood) Chapman. 
 
 The parents of our subject were both of 
 English descent, and the father was born 
 in Ashford, Conn., December 3, 1813, the 
 mother in Chester, Mass., January 22, 
 1810. The maiden name of tlie grand- 
 mother of James "W. Chapman, on the 
 mother's side, was Betsey Brewster, and 
 she was a direct descendant of William 
 Elder Brewster, who came over in the 
 " Mayflower." 
 
 The subject of this sketch was a boy of 
 six when his father died. When he was 
 
 eleven years old, his mother having re- 
 married, the family removed to Castile, 
 N. Y., where he remained until he was 
 of age, when he returned to Ohio and 
 settled in Eljria. Here he was engaged 
 in loaning money, and attending to his 
 property interests until 1882, at which 
 time the Ohio Shear Company was organ- 
 ized, and he was elected to the manager- 
 ship, which position he held until the 
 company was dissolved and the Ohio Co- 
 operative Shear Company organized. He 
 was then chosen manager of tin's company, 
 and continued in that incumbency until 
 January, 1890, when he was chosen 
 manager and secretary of the company, 
 which position he occupies at the present 
 time. In politics he is a strong protec- 
 tionist and a stanch Republican. 
 
 On July 25, 1867, Mr. Chapman was 
 married to Margaret A. Darling, daughter 
 of Joshua H. Darling, ])resident of the 
 First National Bank of Warsaw, N. Y., 
 who was the son of Judge Joshua Darling, 
 of Llenniker, N. H. Five children have 
 been born to Mr. and Mrs. Chapman, viz.: 
 Robert Mosher, William Brewster, (xrace 
 Darling, Arthur Wood and Alice Darling. 
 The family are members of the First Con- 
 gregational Church of Elyria, and are 
 active workers in that organization. 
 
 The works of the Onio Co-operative 
 Shkar Company are situated in the west 
 part of the town of Elyria, on the Cleveland, 
 Lorain & Wheeling tracks near their junc- 
 tion with the Lake Shore & Michigan South- 
 ern R. R. The buildings consist of three 
 large structures, in addition to the boiler 
 and engine rooms, the whole covering an 
 area of some ten thousand feet, and the 
 works are divided into ten departments. 
 The main building is two and a half 
 stories, with a frontage of fifty feet, run- 
 ning back one hundred and fifty feet, the 
 rear part of the building being one story 
 hicrh. The engine room is eighteen feet 
 square, containing a seventy-five-horse 
 power engine and boiler. There are two 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 593 
 
 other buikliiigs, one 16 x 30, the other 
 20 X 40, it) wLicli are kept the raw mate- 
 rials from which the shears and scissors 
 are manufactured. The present company 
 was organized seven years ago, and started 
 with al>out forty employes. The business 
 has so inci'eased that now there are seventy- 
 five employes with a monthly pay roll of 
 over twenty-five hundred dollars. 
 
 llOHN SCOTT. In the land of the 
 w I Scots, of which the poets have so 
 }^) often sung, the " land of the mountain 
 and the Hood," and in the county of 
 Dumfries, was born April 8, 1819, the 
 gentleman whose name here appears. 
 
 He is a son of Walter Scott, also a native 
 of Dumfriesshire, born in 1780, a son of 
 John Scott, who lived to be over ninety- 
 seven years of age, and who was a shep- 
 herd, on the muirs and hills of Scotland. 
 Walter Scott married Miss Mary Burton, 
 of the same county, a daugliter of Plenry 
 Burton, and the children of this union, all 
 born in Scotland, were Helen, deceased in 
 Scotland; Jane, widow of Robert Brannan, 
 of Ionia, Mich.; Henry, of Kipton, Lorain 
 county; John, subject of this sketch; Wal- 
 ter G., of Kipton; and William, who died 
 in his native country. The father was by 
 trade a stonemason, wliich he followed for 
 several years in his native land, and he was 
 also a " carrier," doing errands, principally 
 of a commercial character, buying, carting, 
 delivering and marketing goods for the 
 people along his particular route. In 1826 
 he came alone to the United States, land- 
 ing in New York with but three half-pence 
 (three cents) in his pocket. He at once 
 obtained work, however, at his trade, but 
 later he hired out as a hostler for a country 
 tavern, aud managed to save some money. 
 Having now three hundred dollars, he de- 
 cided to send for his wife and family, and 
 accordingly proceeded to New York in 
 order to secure their passage, but failing 
 in with a bogus " captain," the latter 
 swindled him out of every cent of his sav- 
 
 ings. He had no recourse now except to 
 go to work as before, which he did, saving 
 his money until he had another sum of 
 three hundred dollars laid by. In 1830 he 
 returned to Scotland, and in April set sail 
 with the family, arriving in Quebec after 
 a passage of six weeks on the " Mary Ann." 
 From Quebec they moved westward to 
 Montreal, thence to St. John's, near that 
 city, and from there by Lake Champlain 
 to Ontario county, N. Y., near the foot of 
 Seneca Lake, and here the entire family, 
 except our subject, were seized with fever 
 and ague. In the spring of 1834 they set 
 out for Ohio via Erie Canal and Lake Erie 
 to Huron, Ohio. In Camden township, 
 Lorain county, Walter Scott bought fifty 
 acres of wild land for two dollars per acre, 
 aud here erected a temporary shelter, very 
 rough and primitive, which was succeeded 
 by a more pretentious cabin in which they 
 passed their first winter in these parts. 
 Thisstoodon thesiteof oursubject's present 
 home, and here the parents died, the father 
 in January, 1877, the mother in Novem- 
 ber, 1847, aud they lie buried in Camden 
 cemetery. They were Presbyterians, aud 
 in politics he was a Democrat. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was reared on 
 a farm, and received the greater part of his 
 education in his native country. At the 
 age of twenty-one he expressed a desire to 
 leave home, but his father prevailed ou 
 him to remain, which he did, and with 
 true filial piety cared for his parents in 
 their declining years, at his father's death 
 falling heir to the home farm of fifty acres. 
 This he has since increased to 120 acres, 
 and has in all his labor made a success. 
 
 On December 22, 1842, Mr. Scott was 
 united in marriage with Climena J, AVhit- 
 ney, who bore him five children, viz.: 
 Mary L., Mrs. Charles Buckley, of Hen- 
 rietta township; Jane, deceased; Helen, 
 Mrs. Charles Arnold, of Denver, Colo.; 
 Frances, Mrs. Leando Bates, of Colorado 
 Springs, Colo.; and John H., of Cleve- 
 land, Ohio. On August 27, 1854, the 
 mother of these died, and she now reposes 
 
594 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 in Camden cemetery. For his second wife 
 Mr. Scott married, in 1855, Sarah A. 
 Sbattiic, who died in September, 1880, 
 and in 1881 he was wedded to his present 
 wife, Hannah E. (Brumby). In politics 
 our subject is a Democrat, and he has held 
 various township offices. He is a member 
 of the Methodist Church, of which he is 
 steward, and enjoys tlie respect of the en- 
 tire community. Mr. Scott is remarkable 
 for his kind-heartedness and generosity, 
 has never had a lawsuit, never sued anyone, 
 and has never been sued. 
 
 ^M. A. BEAM AN, a leading and 
 progressive citizen of Lorain 
 county, is a native of the same, 
 born in Carlisle township Octo- 
 ber 4, 1836. His grandparents, on his 
 father's side, had come from Genesee 
 county, N. Y., to Avon township, Lorain 
 county, in 1822. 
 
 Anson Braman, father of subject, was 
 born May 30, 1811, in Genesee county, 
 N. Y., whence in 1822 he removed to 
 Avon township, Lorain county, and from 
 there to Carlisle township, where he fol- 
 lowed the vocation of farmer and nursery- 
 man. In 1855 he came to Elyria, same 
 county, and here carried on the nursery 
 business until 1872, when he moved to 
 Northport, Mich. In 1835, at Carlisle, 
 Lorain county, he married Miss Emeline 
 Vincent, a native of Massachusetts, born 
 October 10, 1818, at Mt. Washington, 
 Berkshire county, removing witli her par- 
 ents to Carlisle, Lorain Co., Ohio, in 1834. 
 Their eldest child is the subject of these 
 lines. 
 
 W. A. Braman passed the lirsttwenty- 
 one years of his life on the home farm, at 
 intervals attending the schools of the 
 neighborhood, and then, being desirous of 
 securing better education, he worked by 
 the month on other farms; teaching school 
 during the winter gave him the necessary 
 funds with which to gratify his desires, 
 
 and thus glided past six more years of his 
 life. In 1864 he commenced the business 
 of live-stock dealing, which he followed 
 until 1S70, in partnership with J. E. 
 Boynton and J. C. Hill; then with J. E. 
 Boynton was engaged in the purchase and 
 sale of cheese. During the spring of 1874 
 was founded the firm of Braman, Ilorr & 
 Warner, for the manufacture of and gen- 
 eral dealing in butter and cheese, which 
 firm became one of the largest in nortl^rn 
 Ohio. 
 
 On April 27, 1865, Mr. Braman was 
 united in marriage with Miss Sophia E. 
 Patterson, then twenty-one years of age, 
 daughter of Hiram Patterson, and children 
 as follows have been born to them: Theo- 
 dore W., in 1867; Charles M., in 1869 (he 
 is cashier of the Savings Bank at Medina); 
 and Belle Louise, in 1872. This union has 
 proved a most fortunate and happy one. 
 Mrs. Braman, a most estimable woman, 
 has done well her part in contributing 
 to the happiness of their pleasant home. 
 
 Mr. Braman has earned success by his 
 enterprise, natural shrewdness and well- 
 established reputation for integrity. He 
 stands prominently among the foremost 
 business men of the county, and the sev- 
 eral institutions with which he has been 
 closely in touch attest his eminent quali- 
 ties as a counselor and financier in their 
 unbroken line of successes. He enjoys a 
 very wide acquaintance throughout the 
 coimty, and has hosts of friends who have 
 shown their appreciation of his qualifica- 
 tions for ofScial positions by electing him 
 from time to time to various offices of 
 trust in Lorain county, among which may 
 be mentioned: County commissioner, one 
 term; county treasurer, four years from 
 1876; township trustee and city council- 
 man for several years; has been president 
 of the Lorain County Agricultural Society 
 seven years, and for a much longer period 
 one of its officers; is present president of 
 the Farmers' Institute of Lorain County; 
 for twenty years was a director in the 
 Elyria Savings Deposit Bank Co., of 
 
^:r 
 
 
 fss. 
 
 ^,a. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 597 
 
 which lie was one of the founders, has 
 been a member of the finance coniinittee 
 from its organization, and is now vice- 
 president; has been a member of the Union 
 Schuol board nineteen years, and president 
 of same a considerable time. In the 
 House of Representatives he served four 
 years (1887-91), tiiroughout which entire 
 period he was on the finance committee, 
 and during iiis service in the Sixty-eighth 
 General Assembly many bills of impor- 
 tance were introduced and passed, includ- 
 ing laws affecting Temperaijce and Sunday 
 observance, largely through his influence, 
 as of such matters he is a pronounced 
 champion. Mr. Braman is what may be 
 termed a Temperance Republican, taking 
 an active interest in all moral questions. 
 Since September 1, 1891, he has been 
 president of the Republican Printing Co., 
 • and editor of the Elyria Republican, the 
 oldest newspaper in the county, and en- 
 joying the largest circulation, which, as 
 well as its general business, has i-apidly 
 increased during the last few years of its 
 existence. 
 
 Mr. Braman has dealt largely in real 
 estate, and has been very active in all 
 business matters. But few men have 
 come more directly in contact with the 
 financial interests of Lorain county, and 
 none have commanded more completely 
 the respect and confidence of the commu- 
 nity at large. He has risen by his own 
 individual efforts and may justly be styled 
 "a self-made man." His wide circle of 
 friends and ac(^uaintances confidently be 
 speak for him a long-continued active 
 career. 
 
 LVIN PELTON, one of the leading 
 l\ and most liighly esteemed farmer 
 ^ citizens of Russia township, is a na- 
 tive of Trumbull county, Ohio, 
 born in the town of (lustavus De- 
 cember 1, 1819. 
 
 Harvey Pelton, father of subject, was 
 boru in Connecticut, and was twelve years 
 
 old when his fatlier, Josiah, brouijht him 
 to Trumbull county, they being among the 
 first settlers there. He was reared to farm- 
 ing, and learned the trade of chair maker. 
 In Ohio he was married to Miss Mary 
 Bailey, who was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., 
 where her parents had tarried while en 
 route to Ohio. After marriage the young 
 couple located on the old homestead farm, 
 which the husband worked on, at same time 
 occasionally following his trade. The chil- 
 dren born to them were as follows: Seth. in 
 Cheboygan, AYis.; Alvin, subject proper of 
 sketch; Russell, a retired farmer of Wau- 
 paca, Wis.; Miranda, widow of W. F. 
 Lawrence, of Sioux City, Minn.; Mary B., 
 Mrs. John Cisson, of Minnesota; Abi- 
 gail E., who married Henry Wilbur, died 
 in Michigan; Samuel N., a harness maker 
 of Pomona, Cal. ; Martha, Mrs. J. B. Lake, 
 of St. Louis. Mo.; and Lydia A., who died 
 at the age of eighteen. The father died 
 May 10, 1837, of rapid consumption, al- 
 though he had been in feeble health for 
 many years, and was buried at Russell, 
 Geauga Co., Ohio, whither he had moved 
 in the fall of 1833, and bought a piece of 
 new land, wliich was being cleared up. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received a 
 common-school education, and was reared 
 a farmer boy. As he was but a youth 
 when his father died, and next the eldest in 
 the family, he went to work pretty early 
 in life, in order to provide for his younger 
 brothers and sisters, and his widowed 
 mother. He found plenty to do in assist- 
 ing to clear the land of timber and brush, 
 chopping down trees, etc., for which he re- 
 ceived twenty-five cents per day. Thus he 
 remained at the old home until he was 
 married, after which he located on fifty 
 acres left for his mother, who went west (o 
 Cheboygan, Wis., where she died in 1858, 
 and was there bnried. In the spring of 
 1855 our subject sold his farm in Geauga 
 county, Ohio, and moved to Russia town- 
 ship, Lorain county, where he bought his 
 present valuable farm of ninety-four and a 
 half acres. Here lie has since resided, with 
 
598 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 the exception of three and one half years 
 lie lived in Oberlin, same county, while 
 having his younger daughter educated at 
 the college there. For the past eighteen 
 years he has been engaged in the manufac- 
 ture of cheese, and has met with every 
 success in both that and his general farm- 
 ing operations. , 
 
 On April 3, 1851, Mr. Pelton was mar- 
 ried in Geauga county, Ohio, to Caroline 
 McFarland, daughter of Abel and Olive 
 (Randall) McFarland, natives, the father 
 of Massachusetts, the mother of New 
 York State. The latter died when her 
 daughter Caroline was fifteen years old, 
 and the orphan girl afterward made her 
 home with some of her sisters. The fol- 
 lowing named children have been born to 
 Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Pelton: Clarence H., 
 a farmer of Russia township; Flora, who 
 was married to Milliard Franks, and died 
 in Michigan; and Carrie M., now Mrs. 
 Harry Cook, of Oberlin, Ohio. Mr. Pel- 
 ton is a Republican, and invariably de- 
 clines political preferment. Mrs. Pelton 
 is a member of the Methodist Church. 
 
 / 
 
 MRS. ELIZABETH W. (RUS- 
 SELL) LORD, assistant princi- 
 pal of the Woman's Department, 
 Oberlin (Ohio) College, was born 
 at Kirtland, Ohio, April 28, 1819, 
 the eldest child of Alphens C. and Eliza- 
 beth (Conant) Russell, natives of Massa- 
 chusetts, the father of Hampshire county, 
 the mother of Berkshire county. 
 
 The subject of this memoir received her 
 elementary education in the public schools, 
 after which she became the pupil of Rev. 
 Truman Coe, pastor of the Congregational 
 Church at Kirtland, Ohio. In 1838 she 
 came to Olterlin, Lorain county, and at the 
 college located there finished her educa- 
 tion. On July 21, 1842, she was married 
 to Dr. Asa D. Lord, and they returned to 
 Kirtland, where she assisted him in his 
 work in the Western Reserve Teachers' 
 
 Seminary at that place. In 1847 they 
 moved to Columbus, Ohio, in order to es- 
 tablish in that city a system of graded pub- 
 lic schools, the first of the kind in the 
 State. When the high school opened, 
 Mrs. Lord became the first principal, and 
 she and her husband remained in connec- 
 tion with the public schools until 1856, 
 when Dr. Lord was given charge of the 
 Institution for the Blind there, in which 
 labor Mrs. Lord assisted him till 1868, 
 when he left that institution to organize 
 the new State Institution for the Blind at 
 Batavia, N. Y. With this last named 
 they were connected till 1875, the year of 
 his death, he as superintendent and she as 
 teacher, and Mrs. Lord then succeeded him 
 as superintendent. Mrs. Lord performed 
 the duties of that important office until 
 the fall of 1877, when she no longer 
 deemed it best to act as superintendent. 
 Her resignation was reluctantly accepted, 
 on condition that she remain in the insti- 
 tution. In this connection we here rfive 
 an extract from the superintendent's report 
 to the trustees of the New York State In- 
 stitution for the Blind, showing in a meas- 
 ure the high esteem in which Mrs. Lord 
 was held by all concerned, the several reso- 
 lutions being adopted and printed as a part 
 of the regular report: 
 
 '"■Resolved, That in the judgment of 
 this board, the connection of Mrs. Asa D. 
 Lord with this institution for the last nine 
 years, first as teacher and afterward as 
 superintendent, has contributed largely to 
 its success, and by her wise administration 
 of its interests she has shown herself emi- 
 nently fitted to conduct the education of 
 the blind. 
 
 '■'■Resolved, That in voluntarily with- 
 drawing from the institution she bears 
 with her the high esteem of this board as 
 a conscientious and accomplished Christian 
 lady, and their best wishes for her in any 
 station of usefulness in which she may 
 hereafter be placed. Permit me to place 
 on record along with these resolutions a 
 fact which recently came to my knowledge. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 599 
 
 viz.: that Mrs. Lord lias certainly taught 
 more blind persons to read than any other 
 single teacher of the blind in this land, 
 and probably more than any other in the 
 world." 
 
 After a few months with her only child, 
 Mrs. Henry P^isk Tarbox, of Batavia, N. 
 Y., Mrs. Lord returned to the institution, 
 and spent five more years in labors for the 
 blind. In 1884 she was appointed to her 
 present position of assistant principal of 
 the Woman's Department of Oherlin Col- 
 lege, a position in which she gives eminent 
 satisfaction. In 1890 she gave eleven 
 thousand dollars toward the building of 
 Lord Cottage at Oherlin. Mrs. Lord is a 
 member of the Second Congregational 
 Church. 
 
 Dr. Asa D. Lord was born in Madrid, 
 St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., June 17, 1816, 
 and the early years of his life were spent 
 on the farm, and in attending the district 
 school. The death of his father, when he 
 was but two years of age, left the direction 
 of his education to his mother — a gifted 
 woman and an experienced teacher. At 
 the age of seventeen he taug-ht his first 
 school, and subsequently pursued a course 
 of study at Potsdam (N. Y.) Academy. 
 In 1837 he moved to Ohio, and in the vil- 
 lage of Willoughbv opened a private school, 
 and the following year entered the Sopho- 
 more class in Western Reserve College. 
 In 1839 he was chosen principal of the 
 Western Reserve Teachers' Seminary, at 
 Kirtland, Ohio, a position he tilled for 
 eight years with characteristic ability and 
 skill. In 18-13 he formed a teachers' class, 
 composed of teachers in the vicinity, and 
 pupils in the seminaiy who intended to 
 teach. This was the first teachers' insti- 
 tute in Ohio, and one of the first itl the 
 country. Three years later he attended 
 and assisted in conducting the first teach- 
 ers' institute in Jackson county, Mich. 
 While principal of the Western Reserve 
 Teachers' Seminary he studied medicine, 
 attending lectures at the Willoughby Medi- 
 cal College, from which he received a 
 
 diploma; but he never entered upon regu- 
 lar practice. In 1846 he gave t" life the 
 "Ohio School Journal," publishing the 
 first volume in Kirtland, and continuing 
 it in Columbus. He remained in journal- 
 istic work in the cause of education for ten 
 years— from 1846 to 1856— editing in the 
 meantime other journals of a kindred 
 nature. But his editorial labors did not 
 engross the whole of his time. In 1847 
 he accepted the position of superintendent 
 of public schools of Columbus, lie was 
 an instructor and lecturer in the first In- 
 stitutes held in the State of Ohio, and was 
 one of the organizers of the Ohio Teachers' 
 Association. At the close of 1853 he re- 
 signed the superintendency of the Colum- 
 bus schools to accept the position of agent 
 for the State Teachers' Association, but in 
 1855 was again elected superintendent. 
 In 1856 he once more resigned to accept 
 the position of superintendent of the Ohio 
 Institution for the Blind, which under his 
 able direction soon took rank among the 
 first of its kind in the land. While con- 
 nected with that institution he studied 
 theology, and in 1863 was licensed to 
 preach by the Presbytery of Franklin. 
 After over twelve years' experience as an 
 instructor of the blind in Ohio, Dr. Lord 
 was given charge of the new State Institu- 
 tion for the Blind at Batavia, N. Y., where 
 he remained its zealous, kind-hearted, 
 philanthropic superintendent and instruct- 
 or up to the time of his death, which 
 occurred March 7, 1875. He died liieloved 
 and esteemed by all, and the world will 
 truly be better because it has once felt the 
 inspiration of his life and presence. 
 
 1?]^ EV. CHARLES II. CHURCHILL, 
 Y^^ A. M., Professor of Physics and 
 I V Astronomy, and occupying the Jas. 
 
 J) F. Clark professorship in Oherlin 
 
 College, was born in Lynie, N. H., 
 
 August 21, 1824, a son of David C. and 
 
 Polly (Franklin) Churchill. 
 
600 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 His grandfather, Francis Churchill, was 
 a carpenter, and a soldier of the Revolu- 
 tionary war, who tirst saw the light in 
 1758, at Plymouth, Mass., where his an- 
 cestors for three generations had also been 
 born. The grandfather Franklin, born in 
 1750, was a blacksmith. He, too, served 
 in the Revolution. These all were God- 
 fearing, faithful, loyal and valued citizens. 
 David C. Churchill, the father, was an as- 
 sociate judge in Grafton county, N. H., 
 for nearly twenty years. All his twelve 
 brothersand sisters, children of one mother, 
 were married and had large families. 
 
 The subject of this memoir received his 
 elementary education in the public schools 
 of his native town, fitting for college at 
 Meriden Academy. He entered Dart- 
 mouth College in 1841, and graduated in 
 1845. He has since been made a member 
 of the Pi Beta Piii, an honorary Society of 
 Alumni. For the following five years he 
 was Principal of the Academy of Brooklyn 
 Center, near Cleveland, Ohio, and of the 
 first High School in what is now West 
 Cleveland. Here he was married and hisfirst 
 child was born. Then entering the Seminary 
 at Oberlin, he studied theology under Drs. 
 Mahan, Morgan and Finney; supporting 
 himself and family by teaching music, 
 drawing and languages. Graduating from 
 Theology in 1853, he was appointed Pro- 
 fessor of Greek and French in what soon 
 after became Hillsdale College, occupying 
 this Chair from 1853 to 1859. From his 
 marriage to Mary J. Turner, daughter of 
 Dea. T. P. Turner, of Oberlin, were born 
 Ciiarles C. Churchill, at Cleveland, in 
 1847; Franklin H., at Oberlin, in 1852; 
 Frederick A., at Hillsdale, in 1856, and 
 Mary Lucretia, at Hillsdale, in 1858. 
 During that year Mrs. Churchill died, and 
 the bereaved husband was called to the 
 Chair made vacant in Oberlin College by 
 the transfer of James H. Fairchild to the 
 Theological department. To the duties of 
 his professorship Mr. Churchill joined the 
 training of the free class in vocal music 
 sustained by the college, and the leadership 
 
 of the great choir of the church, then the 
 only one in the place, upon which also de- 
 volved the work of supplying the music for 
 commencement occasions. After the found- 
 ing of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, 
 Professor Churchill resigned that portion 
 of his labors, and, as he had always done 
 while in Michigan, gave himself to preach- 
 ing on the Sabbath wherever the oppor- 
 tunity offered. At one time for several 
 months he ministered regularly to the 
 2d Congregational Church in Oberlin; has 
 preached often at the 1st Church, and often 
 in "Wellington, Elyria, Cleveland, Brown- 
 liehn, Wakeman, Pittstield, Sandusky, 
 Toledo and many other towns. For two 
 years he preached regularly to the Congre- 
 gational Church in New London, Ohio- 
 
 In the fall of 1859 Mr. Churchill was 
 united in marriage to Miss Henrietta 
 Vance, of Lima, Ind., a daughter of Lewis 
 and Henrietta Vance. The fruit of that 
 mai-riage has been four sons and one 
 daughter, all born in Oberlin: Edward P., 
 who graduated in 1881, is now a busi- 
 ness man in Weeping Water, Neb.; Alfred 
 v., who left college to pursue art studies 
 in Europe three years, is now a teacher 
 of art in St. Louis, Mo.; Nelson, who en- 
 tered Oberlin College in the class of '92, 
 died in his Freshman year, at twenty years 
 of age; Mary has recently graduated from 
 the Kindergarten Normal Training class, 
 Armour Institute, Chicago, and from the 
 Post-Graduate class; Carroll, the young- 
 est, is a member of the class of '97, Ober- 
 lin College. Of the children by the tirst 
 marriage Charles C. graduated from col- 
 lege in 1867, entered soon upon the work of 
 civil engineering, and married Miss Ella 
 Durand, who bore him a daughter, Grace 
 (he rtted at the age of twenty-four); Frank- 
 lin H. left school to engage in business, 
 and married Miss Hattie Reddington, by 
 whom he has three daughters (he is now 
 a salesman in the music store of Lyon &, 
 Potter, of Chicago); Frederick A., gradu- 
 ating from college in 1878 and from the 
 Chicago Homeopathic Medical College in 
 
LORAiyf COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 601 
 
 1S83, married Miss JMartha Blanke, by 
 wliom he has two ciiildren (he is now 
 a practising physician in Seattle, Wash- 
 inirtonV 
 
 I'rofessor Churchill is widely known in 
 Ohio as a lecturer on Astronomy and 
 other scientific subjects; has held Teach- 
 ers' Institutes in a large number of coun- 
 ties, and in some of them many times. 
 He has been at different times and for 
 years president of the Congregational 
 Society of the 1st Church at Oberlin; 
 member of the common council, and presi- 
 dent of the school board. He is now one 
 of the very few survivors of the earlier 
 members of the Faculty of the college. 
 
 llOHN WELLER (deceased). This 
 k. I gentleman, who has left as perma- 
 \y/ nent monuinents to his memory not 
 a few trophies of his architectural 
 genius, was a native of England, born in 
 the county of Susse.x, May 8, 1833, and 
 died in Eiyria, Lorain Co., Ohio, October 
 11, 1890. 
 
 When about seventeen years of age he 
 came to America, and in Ohio learned the 
 trade of stone mason, at which he worked 
 by the day and job till 1857, when he com- 
 menced business as a stone contractor. 
 Among the evidences of his handiwork 
 may be mentioned the water-tower at Eiy- 
 ria; the east and west viaducts for the 
 Public Highway at the same place, the east 
 viaduct being said by civil engineers and 
 architects to be next to the largest stone 
 arch in the world, of its height. He built 
 also the Episcopal Church at Eiyria, which 
 is a model of rustic architecture, and he 
 did a great deal of other similar work in 
 various parts of Ohio. His death was la- 
 mented by a iiost of citizens besides the 
 members of liis family. In 1857 he was 
 married to Miss Mary McCollum, born in 
 Steuben county, N. Y., and live children, 
 as follows, were born to them: May E., 
 wife of Alexander Lamberton, of Eiyria, 
 
 Ohio, who has five children — George A., 
 Robert Wesley, Edith, Harold and Lucile; 
 George L. (superintendent of the Eiyria 
 Water Works, sketch of whom immedi- 
 ately follows); and Wesley, Alice and 
 John, at iiome. The childi'en are all 
 marked for their intelligence, natural acu- 
 men and industrious habits. The boys 
 have inherited the mechanical genius of 
 their father, and are following, to a certain 
 degroe, in his footsteps. Tiiey are stanch 
 Republicans, as was their father before 
 theni, and believe in the protection of 
 American labor. 
 
 Mrs. Weller, who is now residing with 
 her three youngest children in the vicinity 
 of Eiyria, is a daughter of Alexander and 
 Mary (Gilchrist) McCollum, both natives 
 of A"rgyle, N. Y., the father born in 1793. 
 the latter on December 3, 1801. They 
 lived in Steuben county, N. Y'., till about 
 forty years ago, when they came to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, locating in Eiyria, where 
 Mr. McCollum followed his trade, that of 
 miller, and died in April, 1870. He and 
 many of his immediate relatives took an 
 active part in the war of 1812, he beincr 
 but a youth of nineteen when engaged at 
 the battle of Plattsburg, on Lake Cham- 
 plain. His mother's people, McDougalls 
 of Argyle, took an equally active part in 
 all those troublous scenes of the early Co- 
 lonial warfare; and it is recorded that they 
 did much and appreciated work at th^forts 
 along the Hudson and many other places. 
 Both of Mrs. Weller's great-grandfathers 
 were born in Scotland, and the McCollums 
 were among the early colonists of Argyle 
 township, Washington Co., N. Y., it hav- 
 ing been given by the Duke of Argyle to 
 a certain number of Scotch families. Her 
 great-grandfather. Col. Gilchrist, came to 
 America with Gen. Abercrombie. and 
 served under him at the battle of Ticonder- 
 oga in 1758; he was related to the brave 
 Gen. Duncan Campbell, who was killed in 
 that engagement. After the war Col. Gil- 
 christ settled at Fort Edward, N. Y., 
 where he died. 
 
602 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 George L. Wellee, superintendent and 
 engineer of the Elyria Water- Works, and 
 niacliinist for the Mussey Stone Co., is a 
 native of Lorain county, born in the city 
 of Elyria March 28, 1864. 
 
 From early boyhood he worked with 
 his father, attending at the same time the 
 public schools of Elyria, after which he 
 took a business course at Oherliu College, 
 and one in penmanshij) at Poughkeepsie, 
 N. Y. He then learned the trade of stone- 
 mason with his father, which he followed 
 till four years ago, having done work on 
 all, or nearly all, the large stone contracts 
 in Elyria and surrounding country. In 
 1889 he was appointed to his present posi- 
 tion at the Elyria Water- Works, which he 
 is eminently qualified to till, and in addi- 
 tion to his duties there does all the woi-k 
 in his line for the Mussey Stone Co. 
 
 Mr. Weller was married July 19, 1893, 
 to Miss Ida Alma Black, of Vermillion, 
 Ohio, an accouiplished young lady in 
 music and the art of home making. Mr. 
 Weller is a Republican, but has no time to 
 devote actively to polities, having kept 
 close to business all his life. He has in- 
 vented a rock-drillincr tool which he has 
 assigned to others, and which, it is claimed, 
 saves one-third of the cost of quarrying 
 rock. He has also recently invented a 
 rock-drilling engine, which is proving a 
 very successful machine for quarry work. 
 
 ffffENEY BASSETT (deceased) was in 
 I^H his lifetime one of the best known 
 I 1 and most highly respected of the 
 ^ farmer citizens of Lorain county, 
 
 iiavincr been a resident of Eaton 
 township for nearly si.xty years. 
 
 Mr. Bassett was born in Seneca county, 
 N. Y., in 18l4r, a son of Daniel and Phebe 
 (Covert) Bassett, natives of the same 
 county, where they were married, and 
 whence, in 1834:, they came with their 
 family to Lorain county, Ohio, making a 
 settlement in Eaton township. The father 
 
 died at LaPorte ir^ 1846, the mother in 
 Eaton township at the age of eighty- two. 
 
 Our subject was reared and educated in 
 New York State, and was twenty years old 
 when he came with his parents to Eaton 
 township. Here he followed farming all 
 his life. On November 5, 1835, he was 
 married in Carlisle township, Lorain 
 county, to Miss Betsy E. Slauter, who was 
 born in 1818, in Luzerne county, Penn., a 
 daughter of Jared and Sarah (Curtis) 
 Slauter, natives of Stockbridge, Mass., 
 where they married, and whence in an 
 early day they came (vest to Luzerne 
 county, Penn., and in 1826 to Carlisle 
 township, Lorain county, by team, Mrs. 
 Bassett, then eight years old, walking the 
 greater part of the way. Here Mr. and 
 Mrs. Slauter passed the rest of their days, 
 he dying some eight years after his wife. 
 They had born to them a family of ten 
 children, viz.: Ephraim, who went to Wis- 
 consin, where he died; Lydia, deceased 
 wife of Everett Stoddard, an early settler 
 of Eaton township; Mary Ann, deceased; 
 Sarah, wife of Henry Warner, who moved 
 to Whitehall, Wis.; Betsy E., widow of 
 Henry Bassett; Henry, who died in Wis- 
 consin; Jared, who died in Carlisle town- 
 ship, Lorain county; Jane, wife of D. L. 
 Gil)bs. of Carlisle township; Olive, wife 
 of R. Gibbs, also of Carlisle township; and 
 Hiram, a resident of LaPorte, Lorain 
 county, Ohio. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Bassett were born 
 thirteen children, all of whom grew to 
 maturity, and of whom the following is a 
 brief record: (1) Charlotte is the wife of 
 Anson Lines, of Grafton township; they 
 have two children — Julia and Mina. (2) 
 Caroline is the wife of John Hart, of 
 Elyria. (3) Sarah is the wife of Sylvester 
 Tompkins. (4) Charley died in 1879. 
 (5) Daniel is married, and resides in De- 
 fiance county, Ohio. (6) OIlie, who was 
 married to Lemuel fiarlow, died in Lorain 
 county. (7) Frankie is married to Na- 
 thaniel Benedict, of Michigan. (8) Julia 
 is the wife of Marion Sutliff, of Elyria. 
 
LOKAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 603 
 
 (9) Edwin is married, and resides in Eaton 
 township. [\0) George, who married 
 Adelpha Pemher, resides near the old 
 home. (11) Cerepta was first married to 
 P. Croweil, and after his decease to Edwin 
 Welton; they reside in Elyria. (12) Clara 
 is the wife of Charley Morse, of Elyria. 
 (13) Alice is the wife of Frank Jackson, 
 of Eaton township. 
 
 Mr. Bassett departed this life in 1891, 
 a lifelong, energetic and active Republican, 
 one who held many offices of trust in his 
 township. Mrs. Bassett taught the second 
 school in Eaton township, and is widely 
 known and respected. She has lived to see 
 seventeen great-grandchildren. 
 
 DG. WILDER, M. D., a well-known 
 member of the medical profession 
 ' in Oberlin, was born December 15, 
 
 1846, in Oneida county, N. Y., 
 son of Dr. David and E. A. (Williams) 
 Wilder. The father, who was also a phy- 
 sician, was a native of New York, and 
 died in 1850, in Chenango county, same 
 State. The mother, who is a native of 
 England, is now living in Madison county, 
 ]SJ. Y. The Wilder family were originally 
 natives of Massachusetts. 
 
 D. G. Wilder, subject of this memoir, 
 was brought to De Ruyter, Madison Co., 
 N. Y., at the age of six years, and resided 
 there until he reached the aye of nineteen. 
 He i-eceived his primary education in the 
 common schools of that place, and in 1866 
 entered the Preparatory department of 
 Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, where he 
 remained for three years. He then studied 
 medicine for one year, and in 1870 en- 
 tered Hillsdale College, where he took a 
 scientific course, eradnating with the class 
 of 1872. He next went to Cleveland, 
 wliere he continued the study of medicine 
 in the office of Drs. Boynton and Van- 
 Norman, until February, 1S73, when he 
 graduated from the Homeopathic Medical 
 College, Cleveland. He commenced the 
 practice of his chosen profession in Cuya- 
 
 hoga county, and after residing for three 
 years in Bedford removed to Fremont, 
 Ohio, thence to Cleveland, where he prac- 
 ticed in the Western Reserve for nearly 
 twenty years. In September, 1888, he 
 came to Oberlin, Lorain county, wliere he 
 has since been actively engao-ed in the 
 duties of his profession with marked 
 success. 
 
 On August 25, 1874, the Doctor was 
 married, in Cleveland, to Miss Alma 
 Hickox, a native of Columbia township, 
 Lorain county, wlio graduated from Bald- 
 win University, Berea, Oliio. Her par- 
 ents, Eri and Alma (Hoadley) Hickox, 
 were natives of Connecticut, and in a very 
 early day migrated westward to Columbia 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, where they 
 passed the remainder of their lives. Mr. 
 Hickox followed farmiiiu-, and served for 
 many years as justice of the peace; in re- 
 ligion he and his wife were both Method- 
 ists. Mrs. Wilder's maternal grandfather, 
 Hoadley, erected the first frame house ia 
 Columbia township. To Dr. and Mrs. 
 Wilder have been born three children, 
 namely: David Horace, now attending 
 Oberlin Academy; Jennie Elizabeth, also 
 attending Oberlin Academy; and Witt 
 Hoadley. Socially our suliject is a mem- 
 ber of Oberlin Lodge No. 678, 1. O. O. F., 
 and also of Oberlin Tent No. Ill, K. O. 
 T. M., and is at present commander of the 
 Tent and Medical Examiner. He is also 
 an examiner for the N. E. Mutual Life 
 Insurance Co., and the State Mutual of 
 Won^ester, Mass. In politics he is a 
 Prohibitionist. The Doctor and his family 
 are members of the First M. E. Church of 
 Oberlin. 
 
 HARLES E. SUTLIFF, dealer in 
 coal, contractor and owner of several 
 teams for lieavy hauling, etc., is one 
 of Wellington's (Lorain county) 
 most energetic and wideawake enterpris- 
 ing business men. He was born in Ionia, 
 Mich., February 16, 1845, a son of Will- 
 iam H. H. and Phajbe D. (Gott) Sutliflf. 
 
604 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Our subject attended the district schools 
 of Ills native place and Wellington town- 
 siiip, Lorain county, and was reared on a 
 farm. For some years he cai-ried on gen- 
 eral agriculture, including dairying, in all 
 of which he was very successful, and mov- 
 ing itito the town of Wellington, he here 
 embarked in his present businesses, the 
 first of many experimenters in the coal line 
 to make a permanent success. Although 
 he has had many competitors in that 
 branch, yet they have all succumbed to his 
 superior business attainments, and he now 
 controls the entire coal trade in Welling- 
 ton and vicinity, liaving by his correct 
 business methods won the confidence of 
 the citizens. 
 
 In 1868 Mr. Sutliff was married to Miss 
 Mary Jane liofftnan, a native of New Lon- 
 don, Huron Co., Ohio, and two children 
 have come to brighten their home, viz.: 
 May E. and Floyd E. Politically our 
 subject is a Kepublican, and although his 
 many business interests will not permit 
 him to participate much in his party's 
 campaigns, yet he is looked upon as a 
 strong man on the Republican ticket should 
 he consent to nomination for office, or 
 otherwise. He and his wife are members 
 of the M. E. Church, and their deeds of 
 ciiarity to the poor and needy are too well 
 known to require comment. 
 
 BAVID J. N 
 of Commoi 
 embracing 
 
 NYE, Judge of the Court 
 (imon Pleas, of the District 
 Lorain, Medina and 
 Summit counties, Ohio, is a son of 
 Curtis F. and Jerusha (Walkup) Nye, na- 
 tives of Vermont. 
 
 The parents of Judge Nye were married 
 at Otto, N. Y., April 12, 1841, and first 
 settled upon a farm in Chautauqua county, 
 whence they removed to Cattaraugus 
 county, and settled upon the farm where 
 tliey remained until their death. They 
 liad four cliildren: Webster Kimball Nye, 
 born October 13, 1842; David J. Nye, 
 
 born December 8, 1843; Sidney P. Nye, 
 born November 22, 184f5; and AYilliam 
 Curtis Nye, born February 28, 1851. 
 Webster Iv. Nye and Sidney P. Nye both 
 volunteered their service in the war of the 
 Rebellion. Webster K. enlisted in the 
 Second Ohio Cavalry, and was afterward 
 transferred to the Twenty-fifth Ohio Bat- 
 tery, remaining until the close of the war, 
 when he settled in Bradford, Penn., where 
 he now lives. Sidney P. was a member of 
 the Sixteenth New York Cavalry, and died 
 while in the service at Alexandria, Va., 
 July 21, 1864. William Curtis Nye now 
 lives in Texas. 
 
 David J. Nye, the subject of this sketch, 
 was born at Ellicott, Chautauqua Co., N. 
 Y. He was raised upon a farm, and when 
 seventeen years of age enlisted in the first 
 military company that went out from his 
 town in 1861; but owing to the objection 
 of his parents, his elder brother being 
 then in the army, the officer refused to 
 muster him into service, and he returned 
 home. 
 
 Up to the year 1862 he attended the dis- 
 trict school at his home, during the winter 
 terms, and worked upon the farm in the 
 summer; but in the winter of that year he 
 decided to secure other and better advan- 
 tages. In pursuance of that purpose, he 
 entered, in the spring of that year, the 
 academy at Randolph, N. Y., where he 
 remained until his money, which he had 
 earned and saved for that purpose, was ex- 
 pended; then went back to tlie farm, and 
 worked during the summer in haying 
 and harvesting, returning to Randolph in 
 the fall. 
 
 The following winter, 1862-63, he 
 taught school in one of the districts of his 
 neighborhood, while the next spring and 
 summer again found him engao-eil in work 
 on the farm. In the fall of 1863 he re- 
 turned to Randolph Academy, and in the 
 winter of 1863-64 he taught school near 
 Randolph. Coming to Ohio in 1864, he 
 immediately engaged in teaching in Cuya- 
 lioga county. After closing his school, he 
 
/r\ 
 
 ^zy 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 607 
 
 returned to New York State, where lie re- 
 mained bnt a short time, when he returned 
 to Ohio, and again took a school at Boston, 
 Summit county, teaching here during the 
 winter of 1865-00. In February of ISGO 
 lie entered the Preparatory Department of 
 Oherlin College. Teaching winters, and 
 pursuing liis studies summers, he was able 
 to enter Oberlin College in 1867. lie 
 taught school every winter, excejjt one, 
 from 1862 to 1870. 
 
 In 1870 Judge Nye accepted the posi- 
 tion of superintendent of the Public School 
 at Milan, Ohio, where with his labors he 
 found time to study, and graduated with 
 his class at Oberlin in August, 1871. In 
 the Milan schools he continued another 
 year, and in addition to his work there 
 took up the study of law, which he had 
 early cliosen as his life's profession, and 
 was admitted to the Bar at Elyria, Ohio, 
 in August, 1872. As before stated, he 
 was graduated at Oberlin College in 1871, 
 receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts, 
 and in July, 1883, the College conferred 
 upon liiin the degree of Master of Arts. 
 
 From tile time that Judge Nye entered 
 Randolph Academy until he was admitted 
 to the Bar, he paid his way with the fruits 
 of his own labors, receiving no financial 
 aid from any other source. In October, 
 1872. he went to Emporia, Kans., and 
 opened a law office, reiuaining thei-e until 
 March, 1S73, when he returned to Elyria, 
 Ohio, and went into the office of Hon. 
 John C. Hale, where he remained a year, 
 pursuing his legal studies and doing such 
 
 Srofessional business as came to hin^. In 
 tarch, 1874, he opened a law office in the 
 Ely Block, and from that time on until he 
 went upon the Bench in 1892, he was in 
 the constant practice of his profession, 
 building up a go,od practice, his clients 
 being an^ong Ll:^e best citizens of Lorain 
 county. 
 
 In 1873 he was appointed county-school 
 examiner, a position he held four years. 
 He was a member of the council of the 
 village of Elyria four years. In 1881 he 
 
 33 
 
 was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Lorain 
 county, which office he held one term. In 
 April, 1890, he was elected a member of 
 the Board of Education, in which capacity 
 he served until ho went upon the Bench. 
 In January, 1891, at a meeting of the 
 members of the Bar of Lorain county, he 
 was selected, as the choice of the members 
 of the legal profession of his own county, 
 as their candidate for Judge of the Court 
 of Common Pleas. In July following he 
 was nominated for that office at Medina, 
 was elected in November, and entered 
 upon the discharge of his duties February 
 9, 1892. 
 
 On the fifteenth of September, 1880, 
 Judge Nye was united in marriage to Miss 
 Luna Fisher, at Cleveland, (])hio. Mrs. 
 Nye was a daughter of the late Alfred 
 Fisher, one of the early pioneers of Cuya- 
 hoga county, who emigrated froni Ver- 
 mont in 1817. Mrs. Nye is a true and 
 faithful wife and a devoted mother. Two 
 children, David F., born October 27, 1882, 
 and Horace H., born Angust4, 1884, have 
 come to brighten their home. 
 
 Judge Nye always has a word of en- 
 couragement for the young, and in his own 
 family he is affectionate and indulgent. 
 He is e.xtremely fond of children, and his 
 two boys are his constant companions when 
 they are out of school and at home. 
 
 Early in life, when Judge Nye was only 
 a boy, he became impressed with the 
 principles of Freemasonry, and conceived 
 the idea of becoming a member of that 
 Order. At the early age of twenty-one 
 years he made application to, and joined, 
 the Lodge nearest his iiome in New York. 
 
 Since locating in Elyria he has taken 
 the advanced degrees in that Order. He 
 is now a member of the Lodge and Chap- 
 ter at Elyria, a metpber of Oriental Com- 
 mandory of Knights Templar of Cleve- 
 land, and of the Order of Ancient and Ac- 
 cepted Scottish Rites of the same city. 
 
 In politics he has always been a faithful 
 and consistent Republican, and from his 
 early manhood till the present time he has 
 
608 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 advocated the cause and principles to Re- 
 publicanism. In this, he has been con- 
 sistent and straightforward, believing that 
 the success of that party was for the best 
 interests of the country. Although he is 
 misvverving in his devotion to his political 
 principles, the Judge is too broad and 
 liberal minded to let party affiliations bias 
 his judgment or interfere with personal re- 
 lations. Some of his warmest and most 
 earnest personal friends are found in the 
 ranks of other political parties. 
 
 Judge Nye lias now been iipon the bench 
 only two years, and during that time he 
 has presided at the trials of very many 
 difficult and closely-contested cases. He 
 has shown by his administration that he 
 is peculiarly adapted to the position which 
 he now occupies. He is entirely unassum- 
 ing in his manner upon the bench, and 
 seldom interferes with the attorneys dur- 
 ing tlie trial of their causes. He has been 
 heard to say that he did not propose to try 
 either side of a case. He makes himself 
 thoroughly familiar with the law of every 
 ease that is tried before him. The at- 
 torneys are always treated with kindness 
 and courtesy, and their arguments are 
 listened to aTid considered by him with 
 patience and attention. In his decisions 
 he is open and frank, but he is always 
 careful not to irritate or offend the persons 
 against whom he decides. He has a mild 
 and gentle expression, and is always con- 
 siderate of the feelings of others. There 
 is an open candor about his decisions that 
 impresses the listetier with the sincerity of 
 his convictions. He is thoroughly honest, 
 and every decision made by him is the 
 fruit of his best judgment and careful con- 
 sideration. 
 
 In the trial of Jury cases he is especi- 
 ally careful in all his rulings and conduct 
 not to intimate to the jury, or allow them 
 to know, what he thinks about the case. In 
 his charges he gives the law to the jury in 
 a plain, clear manner, but leaves them to 
 determine the facts. He never attempts 
 to control their decision, but rather tries 
 
 to conceal his opinion from them; and 
 when the verdict is rendered, the parties 
 and attorneys feel that they have had a 
 fair and impartial trial. Comparatively 
 few of the cases that are tried before him 
 are taken up to a reviewing Court. His 
 decisions liave seldom been reversed when 
 so reviewed. 
 
 Although Judge Nye had made a suc- 
 cess at the practice of his profession, and 
 was thoroughly familiar with the law, he 
 had many misgivings of his own fitness 
 and adaptability for the Bench. But his 
 brief term as a judge, his patience, candor, 
 and painstaking manner, have given the 
 members of the Bar and the people con- 
 fidence in his ability and integrity. His 
 prospects for the future in his new calling 
 seem very bright. His industrious habits 
 and untiring energy are indications of a 
 prosperous career. 
 
 Judge Nye is a man of gentlemanly 
 demeanor, always meeting his associates, 
 both in the social circle and in business 
 pursuits, with a cordial and friendly bear- 
 ing, which has won for liim the respect 
 and friendship of every one who knows 
 him. As a servant of the Public, he has 
 discharged the duties of every position in 
 which he has been placed with a pains- 
 taking fidelity that has secured for him 
 the unlimited confidence and respect of 
 the people whom he has faithfully served. 
 
 JB. SMITH, editor and proprietor 
 of the Wellington (Lorain county) 
 Enterpvhe^ is a native of Ohio, 
 born in Cardington township, Morrow 
 county, January 1, 1845. 
 
 William Smith, fatherof subject, was born 
 in Berks county, Penn., September 4, 1809, 
 and was reared in Guernsey county, Ohio, 
 whither his parents brought him in 1811. 
 In 1831 he married Miss Elizabeth Speck, 
 a native of Guernsey county, born there 
 October 8, 1813, and in 1839 they 
 moved to Morrow county, same State,, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 609 
 
 where the father died August 10, 1884. 
 He was a 8troni>; Abolitionist, and iti reli- 
 gion originally a member of the Friends, 
 but having married outside of the Society 
 lie forfeited tnembership. They were the 
 parents of twelve children, as follows: 
 Cynthia, wife of C Farlee; Finley, a car- 
 penter by trade, in Dakota; Thomas and 
 Sarah, both deceased; Mary Frances; Julia 
 J. B., subject of this sketch; Augustus 
 deceased; Emily, wife of Elmer Kingman 
 Leander, a pharmacist, of Syracuse, N. Y. 
 Henry C, a farmer of Cardington, Ohio 
 and Ollie, wife of E. M. James. 
 
 J. B. Smith, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, was reared and educated in his na- 
 tive county, and his first start in life was 
 as telegraph operatorat Greenwich, Huron 
 Co., Ohio. In 1883, in the same town, he 
 embarked in the newspaper business, in 
 wliich he remained till 1885, when he 
 came to Wellino'ton and bought out the 
 Enterprise, which is a strictly party paper, 
 radically Republican in its views, newsy 
 and well edited. 
 
 In 187-t Mr. Smith was united in mar- 
 riage in Huron county, Ohio, with Miss 
 Adelaide L. Barker, of Fairfield township, 
 Huron county, and two children— Irma 
 and Fern — have been born to them. So- 
 cially, our subject is a F. & A. M., and a 
 member of the Congregational Church. 
 On his father's side he is of Encrlish Penn- 
 sylvania stock, and on his mother's he is 
 descended from German ancestry. 
 
 CHAPMAN M. WAUGH. Promin- 
 ent among the pioneers of Henri- 
 etta township is to be found this 
 gentleman, a well known and pro- 
 gressive agriculturist. 
 
 Ezra Waugh was one of the three broth- 
 ers who early in the history of America 
 emigrated from Enirland, their mother 
 country, to America. Two of them located 
 in Connecticut, while one soiii'lit his for- 
 tunes amid the hills of Vermont. This 
 
 latter one was Ezra, the grandfatlier of the 
 subject of this sketch. Ho subsequently 
 removed to the State of New York, where 
 he engaged in farming, and there the 
 balance of his life was spent. 
 
 Gideon AVaugli, son of Ezra, was born 
 in New York State, and was there reared 
 upon the farm of his father, which was 
 small and afforded a mere existence for 
 the rather large family. His parents dy- 
 ing when he was but a child, he was early 
 thrown upon his own resources, and also 
 was entrusted with the care of those of the 
 family younger than himself. His services 
 were engaged by various farmers through- 
 out the neighborhood, and by careful 
 management he was enabled to save a 
 small amount from his earnings, with 
 which, after his marriage, and after the 
 younger children were provided for com- 
 fortably, he bought a small farm in Oswego, 
 county, N. Y., upon which there were no. 
 improvements. He married Miss Mi- 
 nerva Miner, a native of the State of New 
 York, and to them were born the following 
 ciiildren: Gideon, Jr., Minerva, Chapman 
 M., Lansing and .fames. In 1833 the 
 family removed to Lorain county, Ohio, 
 locating upon seventy-seven acres of wild, 
 unimproved land in Camden township. In 
 the fall of the same year the mother died, 
 our subject then being but nine years old. 
 In 1834 Gideon Waugh, Sr., married 
 Mindwell Shepai-d, by which union was 
 born one child; Minerva Waugh is now 
 living and is the wife of Silas French, of 
 Wakeman township, Huron county, a very 
 industrious farmer, who has made some 
 valuable improvements. They have a very 
 nice family of six children — three sons 
 and three daughters. 
 
 The circumstances of the family were 
 very limited, and they were much in debt 
 for the land which had been purchased by 
 them, which was at the rate of two dollars 
 and fifty cents per acre. By the practice 
 of rigid economy and careful management, 
 however, the indebtedness was in a few 
 years paid oflf, and at the death of the 
 
610 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 father, which occurred in 1869, the home 
 was well improved. Gideon Wangh, Sr., 
 the father of suhject, was a Whig, and one 
 of the first members of the Baptitt Church 
 of Camden township. For many years he 
 was justice of the peace of the township. 
 He was widely known, and universally es- 
 teemed and respected. 
 
 Chapman M. Waugh, whose name intro- 
 duces this sketch, was born in Oswego 
 county, N. Y., November 27, 1S23, and at 
 the age of nine years came with his par- 
 ents to Ohio as before recorded. The first 
 few niglits after the family's arrival upon 
 the ground of their future home they slept 
 under the wagons, while a great fire made 
 of brush and wood served to keep off the 
 animals which then abounded. During 
 the first few days, in the clearing of a 
 space sufficient to admit the building of a 
 log cabin 16 x 20 feet, the father severely 
 cut himself upon the hand, an accident 
 which rendered him comparatively help- 
 less so far as immediate assistance was 
 concerned. The log cabin was soon 
 erected, however, finished with a puncheon 
 floor, and furnished with stools, etc. 
 While the house was in course of erection 
 a tree fell upon it, but so strong was the 
 frame that the tree was broken and the 
 frame remained uninjured. The original 
 farm just spoken of was at last sold, and 
 the family bought another near Wakeman, 
 Huron county, upon which they resided 
 for some six years, when it was sold, the 
 family returning to Lorain county, and 
 buj'ing a farm in Carlisle township near 
 Elyria. Our subject then bought with 
 his savings the farm of sixty-seven acres 
 where he now resides, and on wliicli tliere 
 were some improvements. 
 
 In 1843 he married Miss Roxey Cook, 
 of Oswego county, N. Y., and three chil- 
 dren were born to them, as follows: 
 Newell, Judson and Nancy, the last 
 iinmed being now deceased. Newell is a 
 resident of Camden township, Lorain 
 county; Judson is a successful merchant 
 of Lima, Ohio. Tlie mother of these died 
 
 in 1855, and in 1856 Mr. Waugh married 
 Mrs. Polly Cable, a widow, daughter of 
 Eli and Lucy AVaterhouse, natives of Ver- 
 mont. Her father, who was a cooper and 
 farmer by occupation, came to Lorain 
 county among the first settlers. To this 
 union one child, Emma Dora, was born, 
 but died in infancy. Politically Mr. 
 Waugh is a Republican, and has held 
 minor offices of trust. In 1873 he built 
 the handsome residence in which he now 
 resides, upon his farm of one hundred 
 acres in Henrietta township. One great 
 fact is apparent, and that is that Mr. 
 Waugh's success and prosperity have been 
 accomplished by dint of hard, earnest labor 
 good management and care, which proper- 
 ties are characteristic of him. Both he 
 and his wife are Baptists in principle; 
 their many Christian acts are well known 
 and will exist in memory long after they 
 have joined the array upon the other i-hore. 
 
 Li 
 
 YMAN BECKLEY, who for nearly 
 his entire life has been a resident of 
 Lorain county, was born April 5, 
 1827, in Stow town.ship, Summit 
 Co., Ohio, a grandson of Selah Beckley, 
 who was born in Connecticut in 1767, 
 and came to Ohio in 1812, locating in 
 Summit count}'. Li 1787 he had married 
 Miss Caroline Beckley, who was born 
 in 1768, and children as follows were 
 born to them: Hepzibah (1), Noel, 
 Lotan, Hepzibah (2), Kowena, Elnathan 
 S., Lois, Edwin, Aliira and Sally. The 
 father of these, by trade a blacksmith, 
 died in 1817, in Stow township, Summit 
 count}', and is there buried. 
 
 Elnathan S. Beckley, father of Lyman, 
 was born in Berlin, Conn., April 2, 1801, 
 and was eleven years old when the family 
 "came to Ohio. He was reared to agricul- 
 tural pursuits, and was a farmer all his life. 
 On June 1, 1825, he married Miss Polly 
 Wilcox, who was born in Berlin, Conn., in 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 611 
 
 1805, and by lier had two children: Ly- 
 man, and Eloise, now Mrs. Madison An- 
 drews, of lliintinjj;t()n townsiiip, Lorain 
 county. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
 Elnathan S. Beckiey lived near Cuyahoga 
 Falls, Ohio, and then, in 1842, came to 
 Huntington township, Lorain county, mak- 
 ing their home for some years in the 
 southwest part of the township. In 1863 
 they moved to Rochester township, same 
 county, where Elnathan died in Decem- 
 ber, 1872, and was buried in Huntington; 
 his widow subsequently made her home 
 with her son Lyman, dying in May, 1890. 
 She and her husband were members of the 
 Universalist Church; in politics he was a 
 J)eniocrat. 
 
 Lyman Beckiey, the only son of this pio- 
 neer couple, received a liberal education at 
 the district schools, and when tiftecu years 
 old came with liis parents to Lorain county. 
 They stopped for a few weeks with an un- 
 cle's family who lived in a single roomed 
 cabin of the primitive style, with shake 
 roof, puncheon tloor, stick chimney and no 
 window, till tiiey could clear away the for- 
 est from a portion of the wild land they 
 had selected for their future home, and 
 build a shelter of their own. His father 
 being in poor health, he had a grand op- 
 portunity to finish his education with an 
 axe in the woods by day, and burning logs 
 for evening recreation. (3n October 26, 
 184S, he married Miss Mary J. Sage, born 
 in Huntington township, Lorain county, 
 October 6, 1831, a daughter of H. P. and 
 Susan (Mallory) Sage, who came from New 
 Haven, Conn., to Ohio about the year 
 1825. Mr. Sage was a valuable addition 
 to this new settlement, being a man of cul- 
 ture and refinement. He taught their 
 public schools and music classes; gave 
 lessons in the higher mathematics and 
 other branches, including theology in his 
 home. He gave but little attention to 
 party politics, yet was honored with several 
 ofiices of trust. He gathered the people 
 together on the Sabbath for j)ul)lic wor- 
 ship, as he was a pioneer minister of the 
 
 Universalist. faith, formerly an Episcopa- 
 lian. He died in Ilnntiniiton in 1887, his 
 wife in 1870, and they are are buried in 
 that township. 
 
 After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Lyman 
 Beckiey settled on the farm he had toiled 
 to improve. In 1^63 they moved to 
 Rochester, where he gave special atten- 
 tion to dairying, and in 1869, in partner- 
 ship witii a neighbor, built what is still 
 known as the Beckiey Cheese Factory. In 
 1876 he sold his Rochester farm to his 
 oldest son and bought, of D. T. Bush, a 
 farm adjoining his first location in Hunt- 
 ington where he still resides. The chil- 
 dren, four in number, of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Lyman Beckiey were Alma R., born Sep- 
 teraiier 13, 1849, died at the age of four- 
 teen months; Harley O., sketch of whom 
 follows; Ellis S., born in 1858, died in the 
 latter part part of 1N61, and I). I., born 
 May 26, 1861, a farmer in Rochester town- 
 ship, Lorain county. The parents are 
 members of the Universalist Church, and 
 in his political sympathies he is a stanch 
 Democrat. He is a well-kncnvn, highly 
 respected citizen, a practical dairy farmer, 
 and by industry and perseverance has 
 earned a comfortable competence. 
 
 Harlet O. Beckley was horn June 6, 
 1851, in Huntington township, Lorain 
 county, and received his elementary 
 education at the common schools of 
 the district, afterward attending ^Yel- 
 lington (Ohio) high school a couple of 
 terms. Up to the age of eighteen he 
 worked more or less on liis father's 
 farm, chiefly in the dairying department, 
 and then entered the Beckiey Cheese 
 Factory under George Bush, which was 
 located near his home, but after two 
 years returned to his first occupation. On 
 October 4, 1871, he married Miss Mary A. 
 Peet, a native of the county, born in 
 Rochester township, a daughter of Homer 
 and Charlotte (Kelsey) Peet. The young 
 couple then commence<l housekeeping in a 
 small residence on his father's farm, rent- 
 ing same, but which Harley subsequently 
 
012 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 bought. One child has coine to bless 
 this union — Chloe A., at home with her 
 parents. 
 
 In 1876 Mr. Beckley came to his pres- 
 ent farm in Rochester township, where he 
 has been extensively engaged in the dairy- 
 ing business in connection with general 
 agriculture, and has met with more than 
 average success. In 1892, at a cost of two 
 thousand dollars, he built one of the most 
 substantial barns to be found in the soutli- 
 ern portion of Lorain county, and by far 
 the best one in Rochester township. In his 
 political predilections our subject is a 
 Democrat, taking active interest in ihe af- 
 fairs of his party. Pie and his wife are 
 prominent members of the Universalist 
 Church, in which he is trustee, and tor 
 some time he was superintendent of the 
 Sunday-school. 
 
 ^SCAR HERRICK. In the county 
 auditor of Lorain county we find a 
 typical representative of New Eng- 
 land. The Ilerrick family, of 
 which the subject of this sketch is a worthy 
 member, comes of English ancestry who in 
 early Colonial days immigrated to the 
 New World, making their first cis-Atlantic 
 home in Massachusetts, afterward remov- 
 ing to New York State. 
 
 Harlow Herrick, father of the subject 
 of this sketch, was born July 21, 1801, iu 
 New York State, where he received the 
 limited education afforded by the schools 
 of the neighborhood of his home, and was 
 reared to the occupation of a farmer. 
 While a young man he moved to Ohio, tak- 
 ing up a farm in Medina county, where he 
 made his lionie a few years, and then came 
 to Lorain county, vrhere the remainder of 
 his usefullife was spent. In Medina county 
 he married Miss Laura Ann Briggs, a native 
 of Massachusetts, and to this union chil- 
 dren as follows were born : Helen (Mrs. 
 S. W. Gott) and Rollin, both living in 
 Michigan, the latter in the town of Ed- 
 
 more; Harriet, widow of Arad Lindsley, 
 who was killed at the battle of Ball's 
 Bluff during the war of the Rebellion (she 
 is now a resident of Carson City, Mich.); 
 Daniel, who died in Lowell, Mich., in 
 1870; Oscar, subject of sketch; Ann, re- 
 siding in Pueb'.o, Colo., widow of Andrew 
 Schnur, who died in 1862 while in the 
 Union army; Byron, who died in 1862 at 
 New Creek, Va., while in the service; 
 Henry and Eliza, both deceased, at the 
 ages respectively of one and one half years 
 and three weeks; and Jane (Mrs. Walter 
 Yeamans), in Ionia, Mich. The father of 
 this family died in Michigan May 31, 
 1891; the mother is living in Ionia, that 
 State. Politically, Harlow Herrick was 
 originally a Whig, and on the organization 
 of the Republican party became a loyal 
 member and earnest supporter of same. 
 
 Oscar Herrick, whose name introduces 
 this biographical notice, was born in Pen- 
 field, Lorain Co., Ohio, April 20, 1838. 
 His boyhood and youth were passed on the 
 home farm, a few months in the winter 
 seasons beino- devoted to attending the 
 schools of the neighborhood, where he ob- 
 tained his rudimentary instruction — the 
 solid substratum of his after study. In 
 earl}' manhood he became interested in 
 watchmaking and the jewelry business, 
 and entering a store in Medina in that 
 line, learned the trade in all its details. 
 Having thoroughly prepared himself for 
 journeyman work, he set oat into the 
 world with buoyant hopes and sanguine 
 expectations, destined to be well realized. 
 He worked in Medina, Cleveland, and 
 Wellington (Lorain county), at which latter 
 place he opened a jewelry establishment, 
 conducting same some twenty years. 
 
 In 1862 Mr. Herrick was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Victoria C. Bowers, a 
 model wife, one whose Christian spirit 
 and amiable demeanor endeared her to a 
 large circle of friends. She was born and 
 reared in AVellino-ton, where she held an 
 honored place in society. In 1892, on the 
 sixth day of July, her pure spirit took its 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 613 
 
 flight, and all that was mortal of her was 
 laid to rest in the quiet cemetery at Well- 
 ington. 
 
 Sylvester Bowers, father of the late Mrs. 
 Oscar Herrick, wa? born October 1, 1805, 
 in Massachusetts, where he was reared and 
 educated. He married Miss Esther Cheney, 
 also a native of Massachusetts, born in 
 1804, and a brief record of the children 
 born to them is as follows: Henry was 
 killed at the battle of Kuo.\;ville, Tenn., 
 durino- the Civil war, while in the Union 
 service; Charles H. married Miss Emma 
 J. Webster, and they reside in Wellington, 
 Lorain county; Victoria C. was the wife of 
 Oscar Herrick; Hattie I. islivincrat home 
 with her aged father, who came to Well- 
 ington township about the year 1886. 
 where he engaged in farming. Originally 
 a Whig, he has of late years been a Re- 
 publican. He is a member of the Con- 
 gregational Church, has always been a lib- 
 eral contributor to public enterprises, and 
 is a true man. 
 
 Mr. Herrick may be truly classed among 
 the self-made men of Lorain county, and 
 placed in the front rank of her business 
 citizens. He has ever been a stanch Re- 
 publican, at all times advocating and ad- 
 vancing the interests of his party. In 
 1886 the people of Lorain county, fully 
 appreciating his well-known business 
 qualitications, 'elected him to the auditor- 
 ship of the county, which incumbency he 
 is still filling with characteristic ability 
 and fidelity. In public as in private life 
 he is an exemplary citizen, holding an 
 enviable position in the esteem and respect 
 of all who know him. 
 
 EORGE H. NORTON. This gen- 
 tleman, who for over half a century 
 has been prominently identified with 
 the interests of Lorain county, and 
 more particularly those of Penfield 
 township, is a native of Allegany county, 
 N. y., born December 18, 1824. 
 
 His father, Hiram Norton, was born in 
 1802 in Rutland county, Vt., son of Joel 
 Norton, who in an early day removed to 
 New York State, locating finally in Alle- 
 gany county, where Hiraiu was reared. 
 Here lie was married, when a young man, 
 to Miss Lucy A. Greene, who was born in 
 Sodus, N. Y., daughter of John Greene, 
 and children were born to them, as fol- 
 lows: George H., whose name opens this 
 sketch; Edward J., a farmer of Michigan; 
 Andrew J., of Clinton county, Mich.: and 
 Clarissa M., now Mrs. William Christy, of 
 Michigan. In the fall of 1836 the family 
 came to Ohio, where Hiram had come sev- 
 eral years previously on a visit to his par- 
 ents, who resided in Cuyahoga county, 
 where the mother died; the father passed 
 away in Putnam county, Ohio. Hiram 
 Norton brought his family west in a cov- 
 ered wagon drawn by a team of two oxen, 
 and after a journey of three weeks paused 
 in Cuyahoga county, where an uncle of his 
 resided. The roads were very poor, and 
 assistance was found necessary in several 
 places to pull the wagon along. Mr. Nor- 
 ton rented a farm in Parma township, 
 Cuyahoga county, whence, after a resi- 
 dence of two years, he removed to Rich- 
 field, Medina (now Summit) Co., Ohio, 
 where he remained two and a half years. 
 Then, in February, 1841, he removed to 
 Penfield township, Lorain county, where 
 he purchased (on credit) sixty acres of land 
 at thirty dollars an acre, where he lived 
 four years, and then came to the farm now 
 owned and occupied by our subject, in 
 partnership with whom he purchased 
 sixty-four acres at six dollars and fifty 
 cents per acre. A log house was erected 
 on the site of the present dwelling, but the 
 land was totally unimproved, not a tree 
 liavin^ been cut, and here Mr. and Mrs. 
 Norton passed the remainder of their 
 lives, he dying in 1872, she on April 15, 
 1887. They are both interred in Center 
 cemetery, Penfield township. In politics 
 he was originally a Democrat, but later, 
 on the formation of the party, became a 
 
614 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Republican, and in religious faith he and 
 his Mii'e were both members of the M. E. 
 Churcl). While in New York heengafjed 
 in chopping and other day labor, and also 
 earned a livelihood by hunting, having in 
 his day killed 1,000 deer, besides large 
 numbers of turkeys and other game. Even 
 after coming to Ohio he killed many deer, 
 which he sliipped to Cleveland. 
 
 Our subject received in his early yontii 
 liut a limited education, and was twelve 
 years old when he came with the rest of 
 the family to Ohio. He has a very dis- 
 tinct recollection of the trip, as well as the 
 various towns they passed through en 
 route, especially Cleveland, and he well 
 remembers the strife between Ohio City 
 (now the West Side, Cleveland) and the 
 city proper. Locating with his parents in 
 Cuyahoga county lie did such farm work 
 as his age permitted, remaining under the 
 parental roof till reaching his majority, 
 when he hired out to Lathrup Penlield at 
 eleven dollars per mouth. In the follow- 
 ing winter (1844) he invested his savings, 
 forty dollars, in a tract of land adjoining 
 his present farm. On May 6, 1847, Mr. 
 Norton was united in marriage with Miss 
 Mary M. Houghton, wlio was born May 5, 
 1825, in Genesee county, N. Y., daughter 
 of Asa and Tamson (Bigelow) Houghton, 
 who came in 183G to Bpencer township, 
 Medina Co., Ohio, where the former con- 
 ducted a sawmill. After Ijis marriage 
 Mr. Norton rented a farm in Spencer 
 township for one year, in the following 
 year removing to Peniield township, Lorain 
 county, on a small farm, living in a frame 
 house which he had erected. After ex- 
 changing land with his father, he came, in 
 1853, to his present farm-, where he has 
 since continuously resided He has been 
 a lifelong farmer, and in connection with 
 his agricultural operations has for years 
 been engaged in dairying; he now owns 
 one hundred acres of excellent land. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Norton have been born chil- 
 dren as follows: Lucy M., Mrs. C. D. 
 W^ilson; Mary, Mrs. Philo Peniield; and 
 
 Frank M., a farmer, all three of Oceana 
 county, Mich.; ElviraT., residing at home; 
 and Edwin H., a school teaclier of Grand 
 Rapids, Mich. The present residence of 
 the family was erected in 1861, and the 
 collection of buildings on the farm, all of 
 which have been erected by Mr. Norton 
 himself, would be a credit to any farmer. 
 In his political preferences our suliject 
 was a Rejuiblican until 1888; ^ince then 
 he has been in the ranks of the Proliibition 
 party; he has never used either tobacco or 
 spirituous liquors. He takes an active 
 part in public affairs, and has served four 
 years as assessor, one term as township 
 trustee, and for thirty-five years as justice 
 of the peace. Both he and his wife are 
 members of the M. E. CInirch, he for 
 forty-eight years, she for over fifty years. 
 For over thirty-three years he has been a 
 local minister from tlie Cleveland district, 
 and preached for years at Chatham Center, 
 Medina county, prior to which time he 
 served at Brighton, Wellington, Hunt- 
 ington, and various other places in Lorain 
 county. 
 
 rAXON. In the year 1601 there was 
 born in England one Thomas Faxon, 
 _^ who immigrated to America some 
 time prior to 1647, settling in 
 Braintree (now Quincj), Mass., where he 
 passed the rest of his days. He was mar- 
 ried in England, and had three children, 
 of whom one son, Richard, was born in 
 that country al)out 1630, and died in 1674 
 in Braintree, Massachusetts. 
 
 This Richard Faxon had a son named 
 Josiah, born in Braintree, September 8, 
 1660, died in 1731; his sou, Tlioinas, born 
 February 8, 1602, died Marcii 19, 1729- 
 30; he had a son, Thomas, born in Brain- 
 tree, February 19, 1724, married August 
 24, 1749, Joanna Allen, who was the de- 
 scendant of Samuel Allen the emigrant; 
 also the granddaughter of Abigail Savil, 
 the granddaughter of William Savil the 
 
/^ ' ^^ <f<>-^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 617 
 
 einiOTant. Abigail Savil was connected 
 through her motlier, Ilannali (Adams) 
 Savil, witii the Adams family, from wlwm 
 was descended Samuel Adams, the Signer 
 of the Declaration of Independence, and 
 John Adams, President of the United 
 States. [ Vide Vinton Memorial.] 
 
 This Thomas Faxon was a soldier in the 
 Revolutionary war, and died in Deerfield, 
 Mass., in June, 1792. Ho had a son, also 
 named Thomas, born February 19, 1755, 
 died January 3, 1827. lie had a son, 
 Isaac Davis Fa.xon, born at Conway, Mass., 
 November 16, 1791, who, at an early day, 
 came west to Portage county, Ohio, where 
 he followed agricultural pursuits, and 
 died August 5, 1821. lie held several 
 township offices, and served in the war of 
 1812. Tliis Isaac Davis Faxon married 
 September 13, 1814, Coritina Lewis, born 
 in Farinington, Conn., December 23, 1789, 
 daughter of Oliver and Lucinda (North) 
 Lewis. 
 
 John Hall Faxon, eldest son of this 
 Isaac Davis Faxon, was born at Aurora, 
 Portage Co., Ohio, June 6, 1815, and was 
 bnt six years of age at his father's death. 
 He was then taken to live with an uncle, 
 Oliver H. Lewis, in the same county, 
 whence they removed to Ridgeville, Lorain 
 county, where the lad was reared, being 
 brought np in the practical lessons of farm 
 life, and received his primary education in 
 the country schools of that early period. 
 About the year 1837, John Hall Faxon 
 proceeded to Utica, N. Y., and there, 
 through the kindness of another uncle, 
 Hon. Theodore S. Faxton (as he wr(jte his 
 name), was enabled to attend an academy 
 in that city for eighteen months, in which 
 he pursued a course of study fitting him 
 for his chosen pursuit of civil engineer- 
 ing. In that capacity he was employed 
 on the Erie ('anal, the Auburn & Syra- 
 cuse Railroad, and subsequently the Atlan- 
 tic & Great Western, and the Lake Shore 
 & Michigan Southern Railroad in Ohio. 
 
 On June 21, 1838, he was married to 
 Esther Terrell, of Ridgeville, Lorain Co., 
 
 Ohio, who survives him. Six children 
 were born to them, four of whom are still 
 living and are well known residents of 
 Elyria. Mr. Faxon held many offices of 
 trust and honor, in all of which he dis- 
 chargeil his duties with ability and fidelity. 
 He was appointed deputy sheriff in 18-40; 
 was elected sheriff in 1844, re-elected in 
 1846, serving four years. He was elected 
 sergeant-at-arms of the Ohio Senate in 
 1856, and served two years. He was ap- 
 pointed canal collector at Cleveland, Ohio, 
 by Gov. Chase, about 1857, and served two 
 years. He also served a number of terms 
 as county surveyor and city engineer. In 
 1878 he was elected representative in the 
 Sixty-first General Assembly, and was re- 
 elected to the Sixty-second in 1875, where 
 he became widely known as a faithful and 
 efficient public servant. In 1875 he was 
 admitted to the bar, by the Supreme Court 
 of the State, but never engaged in active 
 legal practice. Besides these official posi- 
 tions he served for twenty-one consecutive 
 years as justice of the peace, and for a few 
 terms as mayor of Elyria village. He was 
 for a number of years assistant assessor of 
 Internal Revenue for Lorain county, Ohio. 
 
 Mr. Faxon was a man of pronounced 
 opinions and strong convictions, but his 
 genial ways always made him a pleasant 
 gentleman to meet. In his social inter- 
 course his worthy traits of character gave 
 him the esteem, high regard and support 
 of his friends and neighbors, while his ex- 
 ecutive ability and maidy vigor placed him 
 high in public favor. His sterling'quali- 
 ties as an honest, industrious citizen gave 
 him the comforts of life for which his 
 genial disposition was well suited; his 
 whole life was one worthy of emulation. 
 He was an old and honored member of the 
 Fraternity of Odd Fellows. 
 
 During the later years of his life he 
 was president of the Flushing Coal Com- 
 pany, their mines at Flushing, Ohio, being 
 owned by him and his sons, Isaac I), and 
 Theodore S. Mr. Faxon died July 4, 
 1891. 
 
618 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Isaac Davis Faxon, eldest son of John 
 H. Faxon, was born September 16, 1840, 
 and received his education at the public 
 schools of Elyria. He was connected for 
 thirteen years, as bookkeeper, with the 
 Cleveland Herald, and has held other 
 positions of trust in Cleveland and else- 
 wliere. He returned to Elyria in 1878, 
 and until recently was engaged in mer- 
 cantile pursuits; he is secretary and 
 treasurer of The Flashing Coal Company. 
 
 Mr. Faxon married September 2, 1869, 
 Miss Laura Margaretta Briggs, born De- 
 cember 31, 1845, in Painesville, Ohio, 
 daughter of Joseph William and Harmony 
 (Gilmore) Briggs. Mr. Briggs was the 
 son of Rufus Briggs, the eldest son of 
 Allen Briggs, born April 27, 1756, in 
 Cranston, Khode Island. Among the 
 other children of Alien Briggs was George 
 Nixon Briggs, born April 12, 1796, in 
 South Adams, Mass., a distinguished 
 statesman, governor of Massachusetts and 
 member of Congress for many years. 
 Joseph William Briggs, left an orphan at an 
 early age, was brought up in the family of 
 his uncle, Gov. Briggs, and having, in its 
 infancy, becomean enthusiastic advocate of 
 the Free Delivery Letter System, he re- 
 ceived, unsolicited, in 1864, from Post- 
 master-General Blair the appointment of 
 superintendent of the free delivery system 
 throughout the country. He entered upon 
 his duties with the determination to make 
 the system a success, and literally wore his 
 life out in its service, dying February 
 23, 1872. 
 
 Theodore S. Faxon, son of John H. and 
 Esther (Terrell) Faxon, was born in Ely- 
 ria, Ohio, January 18, 1846. 
 
 His education was obtained at the high 
 schools of his native town, and at the age 
 of eighteen he went to Cleveland, where he 
 was employed as bookkeeper in a whole- 
 sale business house up to the age of twenty- 
 three years. He then returned to his na- 
 tive town, and commenced the manufac- 
 ture of furniture, subsequently embarking 
 in the lumber business, having in connec- 
 
 tion therewith a planing-mill. Selling 
 out his interest in this business he became 
 the secretary and treasurer of a number of 
 coal companies, coutinuing as such for a 
 period of three years, when in connection 
 with others he organized the Flushing 
 Coal Co., and also the Brock Hill Coal 
 Co., and was elected as secretary and treas- 
 urer of both companies, which positions he 
 held for one year. At the end of that 
 time, selling his interests in the Brock Hill 
 Coal Co., he and his father and brother, 
 Isaac D., became sole owners of the Flush- 
 ing Coal Co., of whicli he became general 
 mauager, and after the death of his father, 
 in 1891, was elected president of the com- 
 pany, which position he now occupies. 
 
 T. S. Faxon and Miss Martha E. Bullock, 
 a native of New York State, were united 
 in marriage June 20, 1871, and live chil- 
 dren have been born to them, as follows: 
 Mary Belle, Theodore E., Catherine L., 
 Isaac Davis and Kobert B. 
 
 Our subject in politics is a Republican, 
 and he is a member of the G. A. R. Dur- 
 ing the war of the Rebellion he served 
 with the One Hundred Days men, being 
 about eighteen years old at the time. 
 
 EiRNEST L. DISBRO, senior pro- 
 prietor and editor of the Oberlin 
 I Citizen, has been engaged in the 
 
 newspaper business since 1880, a 
 portion of the time as foreman on the 
 Oberlin Neios. In 1883 he published the 
 Moravia (Iowa) Tribune; for a time filled 
 the position of foreman on the Citizen, 
 of Centreville, Iowa, and in 1888 was for a 
 time in charge of the New London (Huron 
 county, Ohio) Record, on leaving which 
 he returned to Oberlin, and four years 
 later became one of the proprietors of the 
 Oberlin Citizen, a lively newsy paper 
 that in December, 1892, bought out the 
 Exponent. 
 
 Mr. Disbro was born in Elyria, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, October 15, 1860, third son of 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 619 
 
 Rev. Dr. AVilliani 1!. and Catherine M. 
 (Ilntchins) Disbro, the former a native of 
 France, the latter of Herkimer, N. Y. 
 The other children are W. B., secretary 
 and treasurer of the Woodward Lnniber 
 Co., Atlanta, Ga. ; Delia, in Atlanta, Ga., 
 and one deceased. When a boy the father 
 came to this country, making his first 
 home in the New World at Marietta, Ohio. 
 He was educated in Cleveland, aiid gradu- 
 ated from the Homeopathic College, after 
 which he practiced his profession for sev- 
 eral years in that city. In 1843 he en- 
 tered the n)inistry of the M. E. Church, 
 was appointed presiding elder in the San- 
 dusky district, and afterward was trans- 
 ferred to the Cleveland district, where he 
 officiated in the same capacity, his resi- 
 dence during tiie latter time being in 
 Elyria, Lorain county. He died in 1865; 
 his widow now resides in Atlanta, Georgia. 
 
 The subject proper of this sketch passed 
 his early boyhood in Berea, Ohio, and re- 
 ceived the bulk of his education at Bald- 
 win University, in that city, his father at 
 that time being auditor of that institution. 
 He then became identified witli journal- 
 ism, as already recorded. He is a Re- 
 publican in politics, though his paper, the 
 Citizen, is independent in its views, and 
 he is a member of the Republican Central 
 Committee. Socially, Mr. Disbro is a 
 member of the I. O. O. F. In 1885 he 
 was united in marriage with Miss Eva E. 
 Newell, a native of Pennsylvania, daugh- 
 ter of Nelson and Fanny (^Mungar) New- 
 ell, both natives of Vermont, who in 1805 
 settled in Kipton, Lorain county, from 
 Crawford county, Penn., where the father 
 died in 1891; his widow is now passing 
 her days in Pennsylvania. To this union 
 there is one daughter, Marion. 
 
 When the present management assumed 
 charge of the Citizen it was a Prohibition 
 organ, with scarcely any patronage and 
 few subscribers. A strict adhei-enee to 
 business principles on the one hand, and 
 a constant endeavor to place before the 
 public a model newspaper on the other, 
 
 have gained for the Citizen a large circu- 
 lation throughout the county, there not 
 being a postoffice in the entire county to 
 which a package of the papers is not 
 mailed weekly. Independent, fearless 
 and aggressive, the Citizen occupies a 
 unique field in country journalism, and 
 demonstrates the possibilities of energy, 
 push, and purpose. By action of tiie coun- 
 cil the Citizen has recently been selected 
 as the official paper of the city. 
 
 QEORGE E. SMITH, M. D., phy- 
 , sician and surgeon, is a native of 
 Lyme township, Huron county, 
 , . Ohio, born in 1832. 
 
 Dr. Charles Smith, father of sub- 
 ject, was born in Westfield, Mass., and 
 was married in New York to Miss Mehet- 
 abel Seymour, a native of Otsego county, 
 N. Y., born of a Puritan family of Con- 
 necticut. In 1829 the young couple came 
 to Huron county, Ohio, making a new 
 home in Lyme township, on Strong's 
 Ridge, where he practiced his profession, 
 and cultivated a farm of twenty acres. 
 He was a graduate of Yale Medical Col- 
 lege, and before coming to Lyme township 
 taught school for a time in Granville, 
 Ohio. He became closely identified with 
 the early history of the county, assisting 
 in many ways in its development. Politi- 
 cally lie was originally a Whig, afterward 
 a Republican. As a Presliyterian, he was 
 an active churchman, and tor years was at 
 the head of the Sabbath-school, and was 
 an Elder in the Church. He was a great 
 temperance advocate, and organized the 
 first Temperance Society in Huron county, 
 which same was founded in Lyme town- 
 ship, October 6, 1830. His home was the 
 first one built in the township without 
 the use of whisky. He was connected 
 with the Firelands Society, and wrote tiie 
 " History of Lyme Township." Dr. 
 Charles Smith died .March 2, 1861, 
 his wife in April, 1854. Simon Smith, 
 
620 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 paternal grandfather of subject, was a Revo- 
 lutionary soldier from Connecticut, and 
 later settled in Westfield, Mass. Jona- 
 than Seymour, the maternal grandfather, 
 was an ensign in the lievolutionary strug- 
 gle, and in 1793 settled in Otsego county, 
 N. Y., where he died in 1819. 
 
 The subject proper of these lines was 
 reared in Lyme township up to the age of 
 fourteen years, and received his education 
 at the schools of Lyme and Milan, after 
 whicli, in 1851, he entered the Western 
 Reserve College at Hudson, where he 
 graduated A. B. with the class of 1855. 
 He taught school some seven years — two 
 years (1855-57) in Tennessee; had also 
 charge of the Western Reserve Teachers' 
 Seminary, at Kirtland, Ohio, and for two 
 years was principal of the gi-ammar school 
 at Circleville, same State. In 1858 he 
 graduated A. M. from the Western Re- 
 serve College. After leaving college he 
 attended three courses of medical lectures 
 at Cleveland, Ann Arbor, and the Medi- 
 cal College of Ohio, where he graduated 
 in 1862. In that year he commenced the 
 practice of his profession at Willoughbv, 
 Ohio. On December 23, 1862, lie was 
 commissioned assistant-surgeon of the 
 Seventy-sixth O. V. I., and joined his 
 regiment at Arkansas Post January 14, 
 1863. He was present at the seige of 
 Vicksburg, where he was taken sick, and 
 was confined in the Officers' Hospital at 
 Memphis, Tenn. Obtaining leave of ab- 
 sence, he returned to Ohio, and resigned 
 his commission. He was then appointed 
 on the Government contract service at 
 Hillsdale, Mich., as e.xaniining physician 
 and surgeon of Post Hillsdale. Here he 
 remained from July, 1863, till March, 
 1875, when he went to Fremont, San- 
 dusky Co., Ohio, and after practicing his 
 profession there some sixteen years, came, 
 in June. 1891, to Oberlin, where he has 
 since resided. 
 
 In 1862 Dr. Smith was married at Ply- 
 mouth, Richland Co., Ohio, to Miss Sarah 
 Brinkerhoff, a native of New York, daugh- 
 
 ter of Gen. Henry R. and Sarah (Swart- 
 wout) Brinkerhoff, also of New Y^ork. 
 Gen. Brinkerhoff served in the war of 
 1812, was afterward commander-in-chief 
 of the New Y^ork Militia, and received 
 Gen. LaFayette at Auburn, N. Y. He 
 was a member of the Legislature of New 
 York, and member of Congress from Iln- 
 ron county. Ohio, at the time of his death 
 in 1846. To our subject and wife have 
 been born four children, as follows: Isa- 
 bella S., a teacher in the high school at 
 Fremont, Ohio; Alice Gertrude, attending 
 college; Josephine, attending high school, 
 and Roelif B., assistant secretary Y. M. 
 C. A., Detroit, Michigan. 
 
 Dr. Smitli in politics is a Republican, 
 and while in Hillsdale. Mich., he served 
 as school inspector five or six years. He 
 is a member of the G. A. R. Post at Ober- 
 lin; of the Knights of Honor at Fremont; 
 of the American Academy of Medicine, 
 and was secretary of the Southern Michi- 
 gan Medical Society two years. He and 
 his wife are members of the First Congre- 
 gational Church, in which he is deacon; 
 while a resident of Fremont and Hillsdale 
 he was superintendent of Sunday-school, 
 and was president of the Hillsdale County 
 Sunday-school Association at the time of 
 his leaving that place. 
 
 J\ B. FOLLANSBEE, a member of 
 the firm of Lanndon, Windecker 
 Ml' & Co., manufacturers of cheese, 
 proprietors of the second largest 
 factory in tiiat line in Wellington, Lorain 
 county, is a native of Grafton, N. H., born 
 April 25, 1830. John Follansbee, his 
 father, who was of the same town, and a 
 farmer by occupation, married Miss Eliza 
 Potter, by whom he had four children: 
 Offrinda, who died about twenty years 
 ago; Daniel, residing at East Grafton, N. 
 H.; John E., living in Oberlin, Ohio, and 
 W. B., the subject of this memoir. The 
 father died at the age of eighty-six years, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY ^ OHIO 
 
 621 
 
 tlie mother vvlieii aged feventy; tliey were 
 both descended from New England families. 
 
 Our subject received his education at 
 tlie schools of Grafton, N. H., and before 
 coming west had some experience as a 
 traveling salesman. At the age of twenty 
 years he came to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, 
 where for some fourteen years he followed 
 the meat market business and stock deal- 
 ing. He then moved to Columbia town- 
 ehip, Lorain county, where for a time he 
 again engaged in stock dealing, as well as 
 farming and the cheese business, after 
 which became to Wellington, same county, 
 where he now resides, engaged in the 
 prosperous business alluded to at com- 
 mencement of sketch. He is also a part- 
 ner in the Wellington Brick and Tile 
 Works, another of the leading industries 
 of Wellington, and in addition to the 
 cheese factory in that towti he operates 
 eight to ten others in the county. 
 
 In 1861 Mr. Follansbee married Miss 
 Mary Adams, of Columbia township, 
 Lorain county, and two children have 
 come to cheer their home — William, a 
 bright Ijoy, wlio graduated with honor at 
 the Wellington schools, and Howard, who 
 is still in scbool. In his political predilec- 
 tions our subject is a stanch Democrat, and 
 socially he is a member of the Royal 
 Arcanum. 
 
 'II.IRLES C. ENSIGN, sheriff of 
 Ijorain county, is a native of the 
 same, horn in 18(53, a son of Calvin 
 and Deborah (Burdick) Ensign, both 
 al.-o natives of Ohio, but whose parents 
 wore from VeruKjut. Calvin Ensign was 
 a farmer by occuj)atioii, and he served as 
 sheriff of Lorain county two terms — 1883 
 -1887. 
 
 Charles C. Ensign, who was the eldest 
 child and only son in a family of five chil- 
 dren, received a liberal education in the 
 liigh schools of Elyria. He served as 
 deputy sheriff of the county for six years — 
 two years under his father, and four years 
 
 under his father's successor, during which 
 latter period he did most of tlie bard work 
 in the office. At the end of that time, at 
 the ago of twenty-six, he was nominated 
 for the office of sherifi'. and in the fall of 
 1890 he was elected, taking office in .lanu- 
 ary, 1891, the youngest sheriff in the State; 
 he has since been reelected. His long ex- 
 perience as deputy sheriff makes him 
 eminently well qualified for his position, 
 whilst his natural ability is unquestioned 
 and his popularity unbounded. He is 
 tall, stalwart, athletic and bi'ave, and as 
 assiduous in his duties as he is loyal to his 
 county, State and country. 
 
 Mr. Ensign was united in marriage, 
 March 30, 1886. with Miss Cora F. Hul- 
 l)ert, of Elyria, a daughter of James and 
 Nancy (Fish) llulbert, who are natives of 
 Ohio; and two children — Mabel L. and 
 Walter C. — have been born to them. 
 Politically Sheriff Ensii^n is an ardent 
 Ilepnhlican, and in church connection he 
 and his family are Baptists. 
 
 THOMAS G. CHAPMAN, editor and 
 proprietor of the Lorain Tunes, was 
 born in Lorain, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 November 8, 1866, a son of James 
 and Elizabeth (Piurk) C!liapman. 
 Mr. Ch;q)man received a liberal educa- 
 tion at the public schools of his native 
 town, graduating, and then took a course 
 at Oberlin Business College, where he 
 graduated in 1884. He then returned to 
 Lorain, and for a tiirie was employed in 
 the shipping department of the Lorain 
 Brass Works, where he had worked for 
 about a year prior to his enlistment. Con- 
 cluding to enter the arena of journalism, 
 he secured a position on the Lorain 
 Times, which after a year he bouu-ht 
 out, and since 1886 has been its editor and 
 proprietor. The paper, a weekly, is Ro- 
 pulilican in its views, liberal, bright and 
 newsy, and Mr. Chapman has materially 
 improved the facilities of the office by 
 changing the old hand-press for a steam- 
 
622 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 power one. Our subject has held the 
 office of township clerk four and one-half 
 years, and in the spring of 1893 was elected 
 Treasurer of the township. Heistlooked 
 upon as one of the popular rising young 
 men of his section of the county. He is a 
 member of the I. O. O. F., and served a 
 term as secretary of the Lodge. 
 
 Mr. Chapman was united in marriage, 
 December 2S, 1892, with Miss Millie 
 Bruce, an estimable young lady, who was 
 born at LaPorte, Lorain Co., Ohio, Octo- 
 ber 29, 1872. 
 
 J. CAHOOX, recorder of Lorain 
 county, with residence in Eiyria, is 
 a native of the same, born in Avon 
 township, May 11, 1837. 
 
 O. B. Cahoon, father of subject, 
 was born in Harkness county, N. Y., May 
 25, 1804, and when ten years old accom- 
 panied liis father, Wilber Cahoon, to Lo- 
 rain count}', Ohio, they being the first 
 settlers in Avon township, where subject's 
 grandfather followed farming the rest of 
 his active life, dying tliere in 1856; he was 
 born in 1772. On coming iiere he had to 
 cut his way eight miles into tiie woods, 
 and for a long time there was not a single 
 settlement between his place and the town 
 of Cleveland. lie was an Old-line Whig, 
 and the first justice of the peace elected in 
 Avon township, which office he was hold- 
 ing at the time of his death. He was a 
 native of Massachusetts, his wife, Prisciila 
 (Sweet), of Rhode Island. Tliej had eight 
 children, all of wliom lived to Toiddle life 
 except one that died at the age of si.xteeu. 
 O. B. Cahoon lived in Avon township on a 
 portion of his father's old property. In 
 jiolitics, until the agitati<in of the slavery 
 question, which precipitated the Civil war, 
 he was a solid Democrat, but his views 
 changing, he became a Republican, and so 
 remained the rest of his life. He died in 
 18S1, aged seventy-seven years, the father 
 of seven children, all of whom lived to 
 
 maturity, namely: H. J., Melissa A., Jo- 
 seph B., Wilber D., Ora B., Burritt E. 
 and Charles S. 
 
 The subject of these lines was educated 
 in the public schools of his native town- 
 ship, and reared on a farm. In 1862 he 
 enlisted in Company E, Forty-second O. 
 V. I. (Garfield's regiment), which was at- 
 tached to the Southwestern army, most of 
 the time operating on the Mississippi river. 
 Mr. Cahoon participated in tiie siege of 
 Vicksburg, but being seized with sickness 
 he was sent to hospital at Jefferson Bar- 
 racks, where he was detached and sent 
 home, to resume peaceful labor on the 
 farm. 
 
 Mr. Cahoon was united in marriage, 
 February 10, 1861, with Elizabeth Lucas, 
 who was born in Avon, Lorain Co., Ohio; 
 her parents, Jonathan and Ann Lucas, were 
 born and reared in England. Five chil- 
 dren came to bless the home of Mr. and 
 Mrs. Cahoon, named as follows: Carrie, 
 Ella (wife of Don Johnson), Fred, Maud 
 and Anna. Our subject is a Republican, 
 and in 1891 he was elected to tiie office of 
 recorder for a term of three years. He is 
 ex-adjutant of John Harrison Post in 
 Avon township, and is a member of the 
 Baptist Church. 
 
 d[ E. WILLARD, treasurer of Lorain 
 I county, comes of New England peo- 
 ' pie and Revolutionary stock, his 
 grandfather having served in the 
 great American struggle for liberty, dying 
 in 1858 at the acre of ninety-seven. 
 
 S. R. Willard, father of subject, was a 
 native of Vermont, and was a Baptist 
 minister. When the son, J. E., was yet an 
 infant, the parents came west to Ohio, first 
 locating in Bedford, Cuyalioga county, 
 thence, after a sojourn of some seven years, 
 moving to Salem, Columbiana county, 
 after which they lived in various other 
 parts of the State, including Lorain county. 
 In 1866 the father left the Baptists, and 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 623 
 
 united himself with tiie Disciple Church, 
 becoming a celrg>'maii in that denomina- 
 tion. From La Grange, in Lorain county, 
 the family proceeded to Wellington, in 
 the same county, and thence to Minnesota, 
 then back to Wellington, from there mov- 
 ing to Summit county, same State, and 
 then retiirninu; to Wellington. -for the last 
 time as far as concerned the father, as he 
 died there in 1878, at the age of seventy- 
 seven years, having been born in 1801. 
 In 1829 he married Miss Catherine 
 Trotter, by which union were born five 
 sons and two daughters, our subject being 
 the third; there were also two daughters 
 born to Mr. Willard by a former marriage. 
 The motlier of J. E. Willard was called 
 from earth in 1891, aged eighty-four 
 years, dying in Elyria; she was of Scotch- 
 Irish descent. 
 
 J. E. Willard, subject proper of this 
 memoir, was born August 25, 1836, in 
 Ogdensburg, N. Y., and when young 
 was brought by his parents to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, wliere he received his edu- 
 cation. He was reared on a farm, and 
 lived thereon till he was twenty-two years 
 old, when he entered a dry-goods store at 
 La Grange, Lorain county, remaining there 
 four years. In 1881 he received the ap- 
 pointment as deputy treasurer of Lorain 
 county, in which capacity he served be- 
 tween five and six years, at the end of 
 whicii time he was appointed deputy 
 auditor, tilling the position one and one- 
 half years. In 1888 he was elected on the 
 Republican ticket to his present incum- 
 bency — treasurer of the county, and he is 
 
 now servintr his second term, with char- 
 es ' 
 
 acteristic fidelity and ability. 
 
 Mr. Willard was married, June 5, 1856, 
 to Delia A. Gott, a native of La Grange, 
 Ohio, daughter of David and Emeline 
 Gott, both of whom were born at Worces- 
 ter, N. Y. To this union three children 
 have been born, viz.: Minnie A.,Kittie M. 
 and Archie M. In political sympathies Mr. 
 Willard is a Republican, and socially he is 
 a member of the K. O. T. M. and G. A. R. 
 
 During the Civil war he enlisted, Septem- 
 ber 26, 1862, in the One Hundred and 
 Twenty-eighth O. V. I., which served on 
 Johnson's Island, guarding prisoners there, 
 and he was discharged June 9, 1865. Mr. 
 Willard was a schoolmate of the lamented 
 President Garfield, at Hiram, Ohio, and he 
 subsequently had various business com- 
 munications witli him, having yet in his 
 possession several autograph letters of his. 
 
 / 
 
 SOI 
 
 of 
 
 tyifOSES S. TENNANT (deceased) 
 \rl was a well-known school teacher 
 || and agriculturist — at one time 
 cultivating the plastic minds of 
 the young, at another the ductile 
 the eai-th. He was born May 22, 
 1812, in Monroe county, N. Y., tiie eldest 
 son of Seidell and Lydia (Allen) Tepnant. 
 Selden Tennant, father of subject, was 
 a native of Connecticut, born in 1787, and 
 in 1793 came to Otsego county, N. Y., 
 with his parents. When a young man he 
 bought hind aear Buffalo, N. Y., but not 
 long afterward he removed to Monroe 
 county. In 1846 he came to Ohio and 
 bought wild land in Camden township, 
 Lorain county, where he became a well-to- 
 do citizen, farming being his life vocation. 
 In Otsego county lie had married Miss 
 Lydia Allen, who bore him children as 
 follows: Moses S.. subject of this memoir; 
 Betsy, who married Charles Kingsbury, 
 and died in Michigan; Allen, a resident of 
 Kenton, Ohio; Lydia, married to David 
 M. Tennant, died in Oberlin in 1892; 
 David «R., farmer, of Camden township; 
 and Hannah M., married to Moses Hol- 
 comb, now of Cass county, Iowa. The 
 mother died in 1835 in New York State, 
 the father on his farm in (/amden town- 
 ship, Lorain county, in 1871. Politically 
 he was first an ardent Whig, afterward, ou 
 the formation of the party, a stanch Re- 
 publican. In religious connection he and 
 Ills wife were zealous Baptists. 
 
624 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Moses S. Tennant, the subject proper of 
 these lines, received his education at tiie 
 common schools of his native township, 
 and was reared to agricultural pursuits on 
 his father's farm. Being a studious boy 
 and youth, and having a natural inclina- 
 tion for reading and a love of books, he 
 soon had himself prepared for the profes- 
 sion of teacher, which he followed several 
 years with pronounced success. In Octo- 
 ber, 1839, shortly after his marriage, he 
 came with his wife to Ohio, the journey 
 being made with a covered wagon and oc- 
 cupying two weeks. They located in 
 Camden township, Lorain county, and 
 having out of his wages — about twelve 
 dollars per month — saved a little money, 
 Mr. Tennant was enabled to buy one hun- 
 dri'd acres of land at ten dollars per acre, 
 twenty of which were cleared and fenced, 
 and on which there stood a comfortable 
 log house with a brick chimney, the first 
 one of the kind built in the township. 
 Soon after settling here, he agaiti took up 
 school teaching at a salary of twelve dol- 
 lars per inontii, " boarding round " at 
 various places in the district, and in the 
 winter of 1840 he conducted a school in 
 his own house, being assisted by his wife. 
 For several winters he assiduously fol- 
 lowed this vocation, working on his farm 
 the rest of the year, but the later years of 
 his life he applied himself exclusively to 
 agricultural pursuits, in which he made a 
 pronounced success, being a good manager 
 and financier. He died April 8, 1890, 
 and was interred in Kipton cemetery. 
 Politi(;allv he was first a Whig, later a 
 Republican, an<i lie was an active Aboli- 
 tionist, a "conductor'" on the "Under- 
 ground Railroad," and many a fugitive 
 slave found refuiie at his home, where 
 he and his wife would not only feed 
 and clothe them but also teach them to 
 read. In religion he was a prominent 
 member of the Baptist Church, in which 
 he held various offices, and was an active 
 worker during the last twenty years of 
 his life. 
 
 On August 14, 1839, Mr. Tennant was 
 married at Clarkson, Monroe Co., N. Y., 
 to Miss Mary J. Billings, who was born 
 there July 20, 1820, a daughter of Walter 
 and Xancy (Gillis) Billings, and children 
 as follows came of this union: William 
 S., born February 7, 1842; graduated at 
 Oberlin College; studied law at Ann 
 Arbor, and practiced his profession many 
 years, becoming judge of the circuit court, 
 in Saginaw (Mich.) District, but was so 
 overworked that he was compelled to leave 
 his position; and Lettie M., also a graduate 
 of Oberlin, who married John A. William- 
 son (a grail uate of Yale), of Norwalk, 
 Ohio, and died when thirty-five years of 
 age. G. F. (a foster son) is now paymaster 
 ontheC.L.&W.R.R.; and Edwin A. (also 
 a foster son), who has charge of the home 
 farm in Camden township. Since the 
 death of her husband, Mrs. Tennant has 
 continued to reside on the home farm, and 
 visits her children from time to time. Slie 
 has been a member of the Baptist Church 
 for the past fifty years, and enjoys the es- 
 teem and respect of a wide circle of friends 
 and acquaintances. 
 
 >HE POND FAMILY. On July 8, 
 1776, there died on Long Island, of 
 camp fever, brought on by exposure 
 in the service of his country, Kos- 
 well Pond, in the thirtieth year of 
 his age, a faithful soldier in the Contin- 
 ental army under Gen. George Washing- 
 ton. He had married in Branford, Conn., 
 November 22, 1764, Miss Lydia Rogers, 
 and three children were born to them, viz.: 
 (A) Josiah C. September 27, 1765; (B) 
 Abigail. December 18, 1769, and (C) Ros- 
 well, Jr., July 15. 1772. 
 
 (A) Josiah C. Pond married Miss Je- 
 rusha Bull, September 6, 1792, she being 
 then twenty-seven years old, and children 
 as follows were born to them: (1) Nancy, 
 born at Ilarwinton, Conn., November 1, 
 1793; (2) Sheldon, born May 3, 1795, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 627 
 
 died April 4, 1883; (^3) Josiali, Jr., born 
 December 31, 1796, died on Christmas 
 Day, 1883; (4) Jerusiia, born June 17, 
 17U'J; (5) Oandace, born May 8, 1801; (6) 
 Cyntiiia, born September 8, 1803; (7) 
 Mary, born Marcli 4, 1806, died April 28, 
 
 1890, at Oswego, N. Y., and (8) Jouatlian, 
 born December 1, 1809. Of tliese, (1) 
 Nancy married Co^ey, and died Oc- 
 tober 8, 1826; her son, William C, died 
 June 7, 1848. (2) Sheldon married No- 
 vember 9, 1831, Clarissa Austin, wiio was 
 born February 3, 1804; she died May 15, 
 
 1891, at the age of eighty-seven years; 
 their children were Ellen L. (born Janu- 
 ary 18, 1833), Albert S. (born August 27, 
 1834, died Septemlter 17, 1875), Mary J. 
 (born July 24, 1838); of these Ellen L. 
 married Henry Pond November 5, 1851, 
 in Bristol, Conn.; Mary J. married J. H. 
 Seovill December 17, 1862, and they live 
 on the old farm in Connecticut; Albert S. 
 married Hattie A. Harrington November 
 14, 1863, and died September 17, 1875. 
 (3) Josiah Pond, Jr., married May 5, 1819, 
 Acta Dyer, who died June 4, 1844, and 
 their children were Lucius Dyer, born 
 March 20, 1820; Mariette, born December 
 18, 1829; Flora Ann, born November 15, 
 1832, married Ferdinand Trivoya Novem- 
 ber 6, 1853. (5) Candace Pond died a 
 maiden August 11, 1847. (6) Cynthia 
 married a Mr. Belden, and died February 
 11, 1861. (7) Mary Pond married Augus- 
 tus Pf'ttibone, who was born Mayo, 1800; 
 she died July 28, 1890, leaving live daugh- 
 ters. (8) Jonathan Pond married, but had 
 no children. The parents of this family 
 both died at Harwinton, Coivi-, the father 
 January 31, 1838, aged seventy- two years, 
 the mother February 29, 1836, aged 
 seventy-one. 
 
 (C) Tl )swell Pond, Jr., married January 
 23,' 1800, Efannah Webster, born April 14, 
 1778, a daughter of Charles Webster, of 
 Harwinton, Conn., and related to Noah 
 Webster, the Lexicographer. To this union 
 were b(.)rn children as follows: (I) lijswoll, 
 born February 16, 1801, died March 18, 
 
 34 
 
 1819; (II) Lydia, born July 1, 1803, died 
 February 24, 1889; (111) Lew Anna, born 
 June 30, 1805, died in Torrington, Conn., 
 June 13, 1888; (lY) Hannah Webster, born 
 October 10, 1807, died January 10, 1871; 
 (V) Charles Webster, born February 8, 
 1810, died in Toledo, Ohio, August 21, 
 1885; (VI) Martin Webster (the subject 
 proper of this sketch), born March 12, 
 1814; (VII) Edwin Loomis, born Septem- 
 ber 6, 1816, died in the Sandwich Islands 
 November 12, 1889; and (VIII) Julius 
 Roswell, born February 11, 1822, died in 
 Glencoe, Oregon, May 25, 1891. The 
 father of this family died in Harwinton, 
 Conn., September 18, 1826, the motiier at 
 the residence of her son, Martin W., whom 
 she was visiting, at Elyria, Ohio, Novem- 
 ber 15, 1854. 
 
 Of the cliildren of (C) Roswell Pond, 
 Jr., (II) Lydia married. May 19, 1825, 
 Ezra Stiles Adams, of Canton, Coim., and 
 they at once came west to Ohio, locating 
 in Elyria, then but a small village. The 
 record of their children is as follows: Mary 
 Laura was born September 1, 1826; Albert 
 H. was born May 8, 1830, and died Octo- 
 ber 23, 1831; Alfred Henry was born De- 
 cember 10, 1832, and died March 15, 1833; 
 Lydia Ann was born February 3, 1834; 
 George Hnrlbut was born February 1, 
 1837, and Ezra StUes was born June 4, 
 1845. Of these, Mary Laura married, 
 April 21, 1846, in Elyria, Ohio, Charles 
 E. IV^ason, a native of Portage county, 
 Ohio, born May 4, 1823. The issue of 
 this union are tliree children: (1) Mary 
 Adelaide, born in Elyria. June 16, 1847; 
 (2) Laura Isabel, born in Elyria, February 
 4, 1850, and (3) George Adams, born in 
 Wellington (also in Lorain county), July 
 18, 1858. Of these, (1) Mary Adelaide 
 married, June 16, 1868, John W. Meaker, 
 of Ann Arbor, Mich., and their children 
 are John W., Jr., born July 18, 1870; Guy, 
 born September 0. 1873; I>elle, born Feb- 
 ruary 10, 1876, and M izie, born November 
 30. 1878, all born in Detroit, Alich., except 
 the last named, who tirst saw the light in 
 
628 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 the "World's Fair City "—Chicago. (2) 
 Laura Isabel Mason was married June 24, 
 1873, in Wellington, Ohio, to Schuyler 
 Davis, and their children are George S., 
 born in Wellington, August 24, 1874, and 
 Roy Mason, born in Cleveland, November 
 16, 1879. 
 
 Lydia Ann Adams, second daughter of 
 Ezra Stiles and Lydia Adams, was married 
 May 27, 1850, to George F. Bell, of Can- 
 ada West (now Ontario), and they had one 
 child, Kate, born February 11,1853. Mr. 
 Bell died August 11, 1872, in Mercer, 
 Penn., and May 22, 1879, his widow was 
 inarried to Nelson Case, of Orangeville, 
 Ohio. 
 
 George Hurlbut Adams, youngest son 
 but one of Ezra Stiles and Lydia Adams, 
 was united in marriage December 25, 1868, 
 with Miss Addie Kemp, who died August 
 26, 1874, and for his second wife George 
 H. Adams married. May 27, 1878, Miss 
 Belle J. Henry, of Rockport, Ohio. 
 
 Ezra Stiles Adams, Jr., youngest son of 
 Ezra Stiles and Lydia Adams, was married 
 January 19, 1870, in Wellington, Ohio, to 
 Miss Jennie L. McClelland, of that place, 
 and their children are Louisa M., born in 
 Cleveland, October 20, 1871, and Georgia, 
 born March 15, 1873. 
 
 (Ill) Lew Anna Pond died at Torring- 
 ton. Conn., June 12, 1888; she was mar- 
 ried at her father's house in Burlington, 
 Conn., December 15, 1825, to Edmund 
 A. Wooding, and children as follows were 
 born to them: (a) Adeline, born January 
 8, 1827; (b) Julia, born at Torrington, 
 Conn., October 28, 1835, and (c) Mary, 
 born at Torrington, February 25, 1838. 
 Of these (a) Adeline married, November 3, 
 1846, in New Hartford, Conn., Augustus 
 Merrill, by whom she had children as fol- 
 lows: (1) Addie, born in New Hartford, 
 November 15, 1849, married November 
 25, 1868,AVilliamBakerGilbert,of Thomas- 
 ton, Conn., and has one child, Grace, born 
 October 12, 1880. (2) Grace, born in 
 Thomaston, Conn., January 18, 1854, mar- 
 ried December 25, 1875, Charles S. Spald- 
 
 ing, of Winstead, Conn., and has three 
 children, viz.: Jessie, l)orn July 22, 1878; 
 Anna, born August 12, 1880, and Ethel 
 May, born November 14, 1885. (b) Julia 
 Wooding married May 17, 1877, in New 
 York City, William Burtis Fowler, (c) 
 Mary Wooding was married at her father's 
 house in Wolcottville, Conn., November 
 25, 1855, to Walter Scott Lewis, of Bridge- 
 port, Conn., and two children were born to 
 them, viz.: Lizzie, March 28, 1857 (mar- 
 ried to Addison A. Ladley, of Philadel- 
 phia, Penn., January 6, 1881), and Charles 
 W., October 16, 1859, both born in Wol- 
 cottville, Connecticut. 
 
 (IV) Hannah Webster Pond was mar- 
 ried in Wolcottville, Conn., June 16, 1833, 
 to Jeremiah D. Root, and three children 
 were born to them in Hartford, Conn., as 
 follows: (1) Edward J., born in 1837, died 
 March 16, 1842; (2) Albert Homer, born 
 June 15, 1840, died February 19, 1S41; 
 (3) Frank, born in April, 1834, and was 
 killed by a boiler explosion in New York 
 harbor while in the U. S. service, in 1864 
 or '65, leaving one son, Edward Samuel, 
 known as "Ned Root," born January 10, 
 1855; and (4) Ella, born October 15, 1842. 
 Mrs. Hannah Webster (Pond) Root died 
 in New London, Conn.. January 10, 1871. 
 Jeremiah D. Root died in New York City, 
 August 6, 1875, and both are buried in 
 Hartford, Connecticut. 
 
 (V) Charles Webster Pond married 
 October 21, 1846, at Smithville, Canada 
 West (now Ontario), Miss Martha Smith, 
 and they had two children: Robert, born 
 in Canada July 28, 1850, and Ezra Stiles, 
 born at Auburn, Mich., February 29, 
 
 1856. The mother died at Smithville, C. 
 W., in May following the birth of her last 
 child, and Mr. Pond married for his 
 second wife, at Detroit, Mich., May 6, 
 
 1857, Miss Catherine Vantiplen, and their 
 children were (1) Charles Henry, l)orn at 
 Brighton, Mich.. March 12, 1858, and 
 died at Toledo, Ohio, December 19, 1881. 
 Robert Pond, son of Charles Webster and 
 Martha (Smith) Pond, married May 7, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 629 
 
 1873, in Monroe county, Mich., Emeline 
 Iliin^erford of Bedford, Mich., and their 
 cliildren were May, born at Bedford, Midi., 
 February 5, 1874; Maud, born at Toledo, 
 Ohio, August 1, 1877, died there Fel)ru- 
 ary 10, 1882, and Charles E., born at 
 Bedford, Mich., July 15, 187U. 
 
 (VIII) Julius Ruswell Pond married 
 July 2, 1850, at the home of her father, 
 Royal Watson, in New Hartford, Conn., 
 Miss Martha A. Watson, a Tiative of that 
 town, born March 19, 1S21, and their chil- 
 dren are Edwin Watson, born June 17, 
 1853, in New Hartford, and Cora Lena, 
 adopted by them when one month old, and 
 who was born at New Hartford March 24, 
 18G8: she is married to Edward Bisack, 
 and they live in JSIorwicli, New York. 
 
 (VI) Martin Webster Pond, the sub- 
 ject proper of this sketch, removed with his 
 sister, Mrs. Lydia (Pond) Adams, to 
 Elyria, Ohio, in 1825, where, December 
 10, 1835, he married Miss Eliza J. Sayles, 
 of Mayville, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., born 
 there March 26, 1817, and died in Elyria 
 May 31, 1887. Her parents were from 
 Rhode Island. The children born to this 
 union w.ere (1) Henry Clay, (2) Martin 
 Webster, Jr., (3) Horace Roswell Brown, 
 (4) Frank, (5) Franklin Gaylord, and (6) 
 Lizzie, all natives of Elyria, Ohio, tite rec- 
 ord of whom is as follows: (1) Henry 
 Clay was born in Elyria September 11, 
 1839, and March 23, 1865, married, in 
 Hartford, Conn., Lottie Payne; (3) Martin 
 W.. Jr., was born April 30, 1841, and 
 February 12, 1871, was married in Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, to Miss Fannie J. Thrall, of 
 that city, their children being George 
 Horace, born at Titusville, Penn., October 
 19, 1871, died at Colorado Springs of con- 
 sumption October 6, 1889. (3) Horace R. 
 B. was born October 31. 1842; in 1S61 he 
 enlisted in Company I, Eighth Regiment 
 O. V. I., and died at his father's house 
 May 14, 1870, of disease contracted in the 
 army; be married September 5, 1867, 
 Jennie Keyes, of Sandusky, Ohio, and one 
 son, Harry, was born to them August 4, 
 
 1868. (4) Frank was born April 14, 1848, 
 and died of croup February 7, 1851. (5) 
 Franklin G. was born Februai-y 25, 1849. 
 (6j Lizzie was born February 21, 1854, 
 was tnarried December 5, 1877, to Samuel 
 Howe Bowen, of Newport, Herkimer Co., 
 N. Y., and their children are Helen Pond, 
 born in Green Spring August 15, 1878, 
 and Scott Howe, born November 27, 1886. 
 Martin Webster Pond received his edu- 
 cation at the common schools of his native 
 State, and the district schools of Elyria, 
 Ohio. He then, at about theageot'si.xteen, 
 entered the employ of his brotiier-in-law, 
 Ezra S. Adams, as an apprentice to learn 
 the saddle and harness making business, 
 which he completed in his twenty-first 
 year, soon after which he left Elyria for 
 the purpose of perfecting himself in his 
 trade, among other places working in 
 Cleveland, Detroit, and Wheeling (W. 
 Va.). At the end of two years he returned 
 to Elyria, and here followed his trade until 
 1852, during which period he formed vari- 
 ous partnerships: first with B. F. Robin- 
 son, then with Waterman Morse, and 
 lastly with William Doolittle. In June, 
 1852, he started on a trip to California, 
 via the Nicaragua route; at the Isthmus, 
 where he was delayed some three weeks, 
 he was attacked with Panama fever, but 
 finally reached San Francisco, in a very 
 feeble condition, however, after a tedious 
 journey of si.xty-five days in all. Gradu- 
 ally recovering his health he engaged in 
 mining, his headquarters being at Nevada 
 City. In June, 1853, he returned to 
 Elyria, this time taking the Panama route, 
 and again entered into partnership with 
 Waterman Morse in the saddlery and har- 
 ness business, but at the end of the year Mr. 
 Pond retired from the firm. In 1858 fire 
 destroyed a building owned by Mr. Pond, 
 and immediately he began the erection of 
 a finer one, and upon its com])!etion, in 
 January, 1859, he resumed his old busi- 
 ness, which he continued until 1870, when 
 he eno-afred in the manufacture of a harness 
 pad, for which lie had obtained a patent. 
 
630 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 In 1862 be invented the first successful 
 tug buckle, to the sale and introduction 
 of which he gave much attention until 
 1870. A Kepublican in politics, Mr. Pond 
 has tilled many position of honor and trust 
 conferred upon him by his fellow citizens. 
 He is a member of the F. & A. M., and 
 was for twenty-nine years treasurer of 
 Marshall Chapter No. 47. In 1841 
 he assisted in forming in Elyria a Lodge 
 of the "Mechanics Mutual Protection,"'- an 
 Order that has exerted much permanent 
 influence for good in the community. Mr. 
 Pond, always a lover of education, was one 
 of the most active workei's for the estab- 
 lishment of the Elyria Union School. In 
 the improvement of Elyria he has taken a 
 conspicuous part. 
 
 Mrs. Pond died May 31, 1887, at the 
 age of seventy years. Their golden wed- 
 ding anniversary had passed; for n)ore 
 than fifty years their joys and sorrows had 
 been mutual. Theirs had been a most 
 happy union, in which communion of 
 souls had made the two lives as one, and 
 the existence of each as essential factors 
 of the other. Since Mrs. Pond's death, 
 the luisbaTid has lived at the old home- 
 stead, only waiting God's time to be called 
 to the final reunion. His health is far 
 from good, and being one of the oldest 
 residents of Elyria, not many years will pass 
 ere the summons comes, which will find 
 him ready and waiting. 
 
 1^ 
 
 HI IE AM H. HOWK, familiarly 
 I known among his many friends as 
 J "Uncle Hiram," for about three- 
 score years a resident of Wellington 
 township, is a native of Berkshire 
 county, Mass., born October 2, 1816. 
 
 His father, David Howk ("Uncle Da- 
 vid, " as he was generally known), was 
 I'orn in the same county, where he married 
 Polly Bradley, who bore him six children, 
 as follows: Clarissa, who died in Che- 
 nango county, N. Y.; Ely B., deceased in 
 
 Wellington, who was a justice of the 
 peace; Hiram H., subject; John, who is 
 mentioned elsewhere in this volume; 
 David; and Mary, deceased in Pennsyl- 
 vania, who was the wife of Frank Hamil- 
 ton. The family moved to New York 
 State when our subject was a boy, and 
 came to Wellington township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, when he was a youth of eighteen 
 years. They traveled by lake to Cleveland, 
 the rest of the joui'ney being made by 
 wagon, and the first house they lived in, 
 built of logs, was 12x20, with flat roof, 
 puncheon floor, and without either door or 
 window, curtains being hung up in lieu 
 thereof. Deer, wolves, and other wild 
 animals were plentiful, while human be- 
 ings were on the other hand rare, there 
 being no family in the woods at the time 
 the Howks came. Here they carved out a 
 home from the dense woods and deep- 
 tangled undergrowth, and here the parents 
 pasted the remainder of their pioneer lives. 
 Their farm was located in the southeastern 
 part of the township, very wild land at the 
 time, and the first brush pile in the sec- 
 tion was cut by "Uncle" David Howk. 
 He died on the old homestead at the age of 
 sixty-eight years, a member of the M. E. 
 Church, and a Whig in polities; he was a 
 hardy, active and vigorous man. His wife 
 passed from earth March 5, 1871, at the 
 present residence of the family, aged about 
 eighty-two years. On the father's side 
 the family are of Holland-Dutch lineage; 
 on the mother's side they are of Massa- 
 chusetts ancestry, her parents being of 
 Lee, Berkshire county, where they lived all 
 their lives. 
 
 The subject of our sketch received but 
 a limited education at the old-time log 
 sclioolhouse, as his boyhood days were for 
 the most part occupied in assisting his 
 father on the farm — chopping and clear- 
 ing. He has been a lifelong agriculturist, 
 and has met with well merited success. 
 On September 20, 1848, he married Miss 
 Electa Butler, born in Wheeling, AV. Va., 
 and three children were the results of this 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 631 
 
 union: John, in Wellington, Lorain 
 county (has two cliildren: Fred and 
 Arthur); Almira, who died in 1872 at the 
 home of her father, aged twenty-two years, 
 leaving one child, Eddie II. Burns; and 
 Grove, also in Wellington (has one child, 
 Myrtle). After marriage our subject con- 
 tinued to reside on the old homestead, liv- 
 ing there in all about thirty years. On 
 April 8, 1863, he and his wife moved to 
 Wellington village, and made their home 
 there until lately, when they once more 
 came to their farm, a life of ease not suit- 
 ing " Uncle Hiram," as he is a man of 
 perpetual activity, and bright and spry for 
 his years; in that respect resembling his 
 thirty-three-ycar-old horse, of which he is 
 proud, and which is a wonderful animal 
 considering his age. In addition to his 
 farm our subject owns a nice property in 
 the village of Wellington. 
 
 |[ H. LANG. The Lang family, of 
 k. I which this gentleman is a worthy 
 \Ji representative, and which was at one 
 time quite numerous in Huntington, 
 Lorain county, can trace their genealogy 
 back to Plvmouth Rock. 
 
 The earliest known member of the fam- 
 ily was one Robert Lang, a seafaring man 
 who came from Scotland as early as 1630. 
 He built a house at Portsmouth, N. H., 
 some time between 1635 and 1650, which 
 is still standing in a very good condition. 
 It was built or New Hampshire Pasture 
 Oak. The walls are bricked up between 
 the studs with brick broucrht from Eng- 
 land, and the nails were hand made. This 
 house was occupied by English soldiers 
 during the King Philip war; was also oc- 
 cupied by Governor Wentworth, and shel- 
 tered General Washington when he visited 
 New England. This is one of the oldest 
 houses in the New England States, and 
 relics of it are tiow in the possession of 
 some of the younger members of this old 
 
 family. The following line brings this 
 family down to the present numerous gen- 
 eration: 
 
 First from Robert was John, then a sec- 
 ond John, who was a Revolutionary soldier. 
 Then Bickford, and a second Bickford, who 
 was a captain of militia in the war of 1812. 
 He was born in Rye, N. H., married Abi- 
 gail Locke, and settled in Epsom, N. H., 
 where he reared a numerous family. His 
 eldest son William was the first to leave 
 the parent nest, and go to what was then 
 the '• Far West." His brother Reuel soon 
 followed, and both settled in Huntington, 
 Lorain county, about the year 1821, being 
 among the first settlers of that township. 
 David, another son of Bickford, followed 
 about 1835, and the father came in 1838, 
 all of them settling in Huntington. An- 
 
 O IT) 
 
 other son, John, settled in Ashland, Ohio, 
 where he was for a number of years a 
 prosperous merchant and business man, 
 and where he died in 1847. Benjamin, 
 another son, graduated at Kenyon College, 
 Gambler, Ohio, and was for some time a 
 professor of that college; he died in 
 Kansas in 1885. David spent the most 
 of his life, after coming to Ohio, in Hunt- 
 ington, a prosperous farmer, and died at 
 the home of his son John in Rochester in 
 1884. Josiah Crosby, the youngest son 
 of this family, enlisted in the war of the 
 Rebellion, but was taken sick and died be- 
 fore he had seen any active service, his 
 death occurring in 1861. Of the two 
 boys who first came to Ohio, Reuel was a 
 cabinet maker, and worked at the trade of 
 carpenter and joiner for many years; and 
 many of the first frame structures of 
 Lorain county show his handiwork. He 
 was fen- many years a local preacher among 
 the Methodists. The last years of his life 
 he spent in Wellington, surrounded by 
 many of his children, where he peacefully 
 passed away in March, 1891, in the eighty- 
 ninth year of his age. William, the eld- 
 est son, is still living with his son John 
 in Wasioja, Minn., in his ninety-sixth year. 
 Bickford, Jr., was the only one of this 
 
632 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY OHIO 
 
 numerous family who did not "go west." 
 He remained in his native State, and is 
 still living at Franklin, N. PI. There 
 were four girls in this family: Maria, 
 who married Dr. Babli, and died at Man- 
 chester, N. H.; Lorenda, married to Kim- 
 ball Prescott, and died at Marinette, 
 AVis.; Sarah, who married Morrill Chesley, 
 and still lives in New Hampshire, and 
 Abigail, who married Milton Barker, and 
 died at Oberlin, Ohio. Beyond this brief 
 review, this history will have only to do 
 with the later generation, and with those 
 who have been more intimately connected 
 with the history of Lorain county. 
 
 Of the descendants of this family, only 
 the children of Reuel settled in this county. 
 Josiah Bickford, the eldest, married 
 Lorena Chapman, and for a number of 
 years lived in Huntington, where he fol- 
 lowed the trade of carpenter; for more 
 than twenty years he was engaged in the 
 tin, stove and hardware trade in Welling- 
 ton. He served a term as mayor of that 
 village, and by his enterprise and counsel 
 added much to its prosperity; for the 
 last few years his home has been in 
 Cleveland; he had four children — -three 
 eons and one daughter, viz.: Watson W. 
 and Charles, both in business in Cleveland; 
 Eva A., now the wife of George M. Cad- 
 well, a business man in Cleveland ; the 
 tirst-born son was killed when a cliild by 
 the kick of a horse. The next son is Jesse 
 H., the subject proper of this sketch, of 
 whom further mention will presently be 
 made. Cyrus Welcome, the third son, 
 lived at home in Huntington till the age 
 of twenty, when he visited his relatives in 
 New Hampshire, where he died in his 
 twentieth year. Louisa Maria, the eldest 
 daughter, married Peter S. Wright, lived 
 a short time in Huntington, a number of 
 years in Oberlin, moved to Vermontville, 
 Mich., where he accumulated some prop- 
 erty, and about ten years ago returned to 
 Wellington, where he still resides. Mr. 
 Wright was famed as being one of the 
 most ingenious mechanics in the country, 
 
 He enlisted in the army and served with 
 honor, and is now retired in broken health, 
 on a small pension. They had three chil- 
 dren, two of whom died in infancy, and the 
 third, Grace, is now the wife of Utley 
 AVedcre, and resides in Cleveland. Esther 
 Abigail, the next daughter, married 
 Charles W. Horr, a prosperous business 
 man of Wellington; they had a family of 
 four boys, the eldest of which is a lawyer 
 in Cleveland, ai;d the rest still live in Well- 
 ington. Charles, the fourth son, died at 
 Huntington in the twentieth year of his 
 age. Olive Amy, the youngest daughter, 
 after graduating from Oberlin College, 
 married Dr. Meriden B. Lukens, who 
 practiced medicine for many years in Illi- 
 nois, Wisconsin, and Cleveland, Ohio, and 
 finally drifted to Dalton, Ga., where they 
 now reside. George Locke, the next son 
 in line, grew to sixteen years of age in 
 Huntington; then went to Wisconsin and 
 took a position in the store of his brother 
 Jesse, and when the war broke out he en- 
 listed in Company G, Twelfth Wisconsin 
 Volunteers, in which he served gallantly 
 and faithfully; was severely wounded at 
 the siege of Atlanta, Ga., a minie ball 
 being permanently left in his right lung; 
 after he returned from the war he studied 
 telegraphy, and has been engaged in that 
 occupation ever since; he is now engaged 
 in important work of this kind in the East, 
 with a residence in Boston; he married 
 Lizzie Viles, at Oberlin, and they have 
 one daughter, now married and residing in 
 Washington, D. C. Merrill Warner, the 
 youngest of this family, also grew to man- 
 hood in Huntington, married and settled 
 in Wellington, where he now resides, an 
 honored citizen. He has been many years 
 a member of the village council, and has 
 had much to do with the aflfairs of that 
 village; he has one son. Burton Lang, who 
 is married and lives in Cleveland. Five 
 generations of Langs have lived and 
 flourished in Lorain county — Watson, the 
 son of Josiah, having two children, and Bur- 
 ton, the son of Merrill, having one. Bick- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 633 
 
 ford, of tlie first generation, died in Hunt- 
 ington at the age of about ninety years, 
 and Reuei, of tiie next in line, died in 
 Wellington as before stated. Of David's 
 family, Albert, the eldest, died in Hunt- 
 ington; John, the second son, lives in 
 Rochester; Lydia Ann, the oldest daugh- 
 ter, is now the wife of Horatio Norton, 
 and lives in Huntington; Henry, a younger 
 son, entered the army, and was killed in 
 action. The names mentioned above com- 
 prise all or nearly all of this numerous 
 family who have been identified with 
 Lorain county. While this family has nut 
 produced any great men, there never has 
 been any stain on its moral character, none 
 of them ever having been in either Con- 
 gress or Penitentiary. 
 
 Jesse Hart Lang, whose name opens this 
 sketch, was born in Huntington townsiiip, 
 Loraiti Co., Ohio, December 21, 1827, a 
 sun of Reuel and Amy (Hart) Lang, na- 
 tives respectively of New Hampshire and 
 Vermont. He was named after his ma- 
 ternal grandfather. Mr. Lang grew to 
 manhood in his native town, attended 
 school in Oberlin a number of years, and 
 engaged in teaching and study from 1844 
 to 1848. On January 1, of the latter year, 
 lie married Miss Mary E. Fitch, of Shef- 
 field township, Lorain county, a daughter 
 of Samuel B. and Dolly (Smith) Fitch, na- 
 tives of Massachusetts and early settlers of 
 Shefiield township, Lorain county. The 
 first two years of our subject's married life 
 were spent on a farm in Huntington town- 
 ship, after which he removed to Olmsted 
 Falls, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, where he was 
 engaged in managing a woolen factory for 
 five years. In 1856, with his young wife 
 and one daughter, he went to Grand Kap- 
 ids, Wis., where he was in the employ of 
 the Government, and at the same time 
 studied law. While there he was a candi- 
 date for the Legislature, but was defeated, 
 the District being largely Democratic. For 
 ten years he was there engaged in the 
 businesses of land surveyor, lawyer and 
 merchant. Returning to Oberlin in 1870, 
 
 he has here since resided, engaged in the 
 profession of attorney and general busi- 
 ness agency. He is a Republican, and 
 cast his first vote for the Free-soil party. 
 Socially he is a F. & A. M., and he and 
 his wife are members of the Congrega- 
 tional Church. They had si.x; children, all 
 of whom died young, ttie youngest, Carrie, 
 at the age of thirteen years. Mr. Lang 
 published a work entitled ''Childrens' 
 Pictorial Bible," containing twenty thou- 
 sand illustrations (seven hundred of them 
 being electro-plates) and a topical analysis. 
 He spent twenty years on the work. 
 
 dOHN MOUNTAIN, lateleadingmer- 
 chant tailor in Elyria, was born Sep- 
 / tember 27, 1834, in County Fer- 
 managh, Ireland. His parents were 
 John and Elizabeth (Carson) Mountain, 
 also natives of County Fermanagh; the 
 father, who was a merchant tailor, died in 
 his seventieth year; the mother, who was 
 of Scotch descent, died at the age of forty- 
 four years. They were the parents of five 
 children, to wit: William, who entered 
 the British army, and died at Bombay, 
 India; Christopher, who died in the British 
 army, in Turkey; Mary, widow of Thomas 
 Timmington, of Fremont, Ohio; John, our 
 subject; and Margaret, wife of Charles 
 Wilmott, of Melbourne, Australia. 
 
 At the age of seventeen years the sub- 
 ject of this sketch left his native land to 
 seek his fortune in the Western world, and 
 coming to ('anada completed his trade 
 with his uncle Joseph Mountain, which he 
 had commenced under his father's tuition 
 in Ireland. In 1859 he came to Elyria, 
 Lorain county, under contract to do cut- 
 ting for a leading house in that town. 
 After working at his trade in various ca- 
 pacities, the Civil war broke out, and be- 
 ing imbued with the same martial spirit 
 that actuated his brothers to enlist in the 
 British army, he, in 18()2, enlisted as filer 
 in the One Hundred and Third O. V. I. 
 
634 
 
 LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 He was mustered into the regiment as 
 drum major, and after serving in the army 
 of Tennessee, in Kentiicky, one year, was 
 mustered out under an order from the War 
 Department relieving all drum majors 
 from the service. On his return home he 
 worked at his trade until 1878, in which 
 year he embarked in business for himself, 
 in Elyria. Having become well known in 
 and gained the confidence of the com- 
 munity at large, he soon found himself in 
 possession of the leading merchant tailor- 
 ing trade in the city, which he enjoyed up 
 to the time of his death, which occurred 
 August 12, 1893. 
 
 In 1853 Mr. Mountain married Mies 
 Elizabeth Frazer, by whom there were 
 three children, as follows: Libbie, wife of 
 Dr. P. D. Reefy, of Elyria; Minnie, wife 
 of Herbert S. Follansbee, of Elyria; and 
 Carson, who died when twenty-two years 
 old. The mother died in 1878. Mr. Moun- 
 tain afterward married Miss Dora Dunton. 
 One child — Arthur — was born to them. 
 Politically our subject was a Republican; 
 was also a member of the G. A. R., and 
 of the Episcopal Church. 
 
 FROF. JAMES HARRIS FAIR- 
 CHILD, ex-president of Oberlin 
 College, was born in Stockbridge, 
 Mass., November 25, 1817, a son of 
 Grandison and Nancy (Harris) Fair- 
 child. The father was a native of Shef- 
 field, Mass., born April 20, 1792, and died 
 July 31, 1890, in the ninety-ninth year of 
 his age; the mother was born in Rich- 
 mond, Mass., November 29, 1795, and 
 died August 31, 1875. Daniel Fairchild, 
 grandfather of subject, removed from Shef- 
 field to Stockbridge, Mass., with his young 
 family, where he passed the remainder of 
 his busy life in agricultural pursuits; his 
 wife's name was Buttles. 
 
 In 1818 Grandison Fairchild came with 
 his family to Lorain county, Ohio, making 
 a settlement in what is now Brownhelm 
 
 township, then a wilderness, and here he 
 cleared a farm and passed the rest of his 
 life. The property is still in the posses- 
 sion of the family. Eight of the children 
 — four sons and four daughters — liorn to 
 Grandison and Nancy Fairchild grew to 
 maturity, of whom the following is a brief 
 record: (1) CJharles Grandison remained 
 on the old homestead, and carried on the 
 farm until his death in 188-4. (2) Edward 
 Henry was educated in Oberlin College, 
 and afterward became principal of the 
 preparatory department of same ; at the time 
 of his death he was president of Berea 
 College, Kentucky; one of his sons is 
 president of Rollins College, Florida; an- 
 other professor in Doane College, Ne 
 braska; another is connected with Berea 
 College, Kentucky. (3) James Harris is 
 the subject of this memoir. (4) Catharine 
 Baxter is the wife of Chester A. Cooley. 
 (5) Emily Frances is the wife of Rev. M. 
 W. Fairfield; one son is professor at How- 
 ard University, Washington, D. C. (6) 
 Mary Plumb was married to Cyrus Bald;. 
 win, now of Dayton, Ohio, and died leav- 
 ing four children; one of her sons, Cyrus 
 G. Baldwin, is president of Pomona Col- 
 lege, Cal. ; another son. Dr. James F. Bald- 
 win, is Dean of the Medical University at 
 Columbus, Ohio; her daughter is the wife 
 of Prof. Cook, of Michigan Agricultural 
 College, Lansing, Mich. (7) Harriet Eliza 
 married Prof. R. C. Kedzie, of Lans- 
 ing, Midi.; their three sons became 
 professors of chemistry. (8) George T. is 
 president of the Kansas Agricultural Col- 
 lege, Manhattan, Kansas. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received his 
 education in part at the schools of Brown 
 helm, and high school of Elyria, but 
 chiefly at Oberlin. The school at Oberlin 
 was first begun in December, 1833; in 
 May, 1834, it was first regularly oi'ganized, 
 and in the following October the first 
 Freshman class was formed, comprising at 
 that time the two Fairchilds — James H. 
 and his brother Edward Henry — and two 
 others. Pursuing his course steadily. 
 
(l^y ^r f k,^*-yh-^MUU/^ 
 
LOIiAiy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 637 
 
 James graduated from college in 1838, 
 alter wliich lie entei'ed at once upon a 
 theological course, which he completed in 
 1841. In 1839 he was appointed tutor in 
 Latin and Greek in the college, and, on 
 the completion of his course in Theology 
 in 1841, he was elected professor of Latin 
 and Greek. In 1847 he was transferred 
 to the Chair of Mathematics and Natural 
 Philosophy, and in 1858 he received the 
 appointment of professor of Moral Philos- 
 ophy and Systematic Theology. In 1806, 
 Prof, Finney having resigned his position 
 as president, Prof. Fairchild was appointed 
 Ills successor, and held the position until 
 1889. 
 
 In November, 1841, Prof. Fairchild was 
 united in marriage with Miss Mary F. 
 Kellogg, at Minden, La., whitiier her 
 father had removed from Jamestown, N. 
 Y., on account of impaired health. She was 
 a native of New York State. This event 
 took place before the days of rail- 
 roads, and the trip from Oberlin to 
 Minden occupied several weeks. The 
 Professor took the canal to the Ohio, 
 then steamer down the Ohio into the 
 Mississippi; down that river to New Or- 
 leans, then up the Red river, to the Creole 
 town of Natchitoches, from which place 
 he proceeded on horseback through the 
 pine forests seventy-five miles to Minden. 
 The many incidents met with on the way, 
 and to him annoying delays, are ofttimes 
 recounted by the Professor in his own in- 
 imitable manner. To this marriage were 
 burn eio;ht children — two sons and six 
 daughters — as follows: (1) Lucy Kellogg 
 is the wife of Prof. Kenaston, of Howard 
 University; (2) George Hornell is a well- 
 known business man and banker in North 
 Dakota; (3) Mary Fletcher is matron in 
 Baldwin Cottage, Oberlin; (4) Catharine 
 Cooley is keeping house for her father, 
 her niotlier having died in 1890; (5) Grace 
 Augusta is a teacher in the art department 
 of Oberlin College; (6) James Thome is 
 a professor in Tabor College, Iowa. The 
 other two children died young. 
 
 The life of Prof. Fairchild has not been 
 what might be termed eventful, but it has 
 been a busy one — a quiet, yet progressive 
 life. He has found time to give to the 
 world not a few of the productions of his 
 pen, among which niay be mentioned: 
 " Fairch ild's Elements of Theology ;" " Fair- 
 child's Moral Science"; "Oberlin: The 
 Colony and the College." 
 
 In a '•History of Lorain County," the 
 following is truthfully and gracefully said of 
 Prof. Fairchild: "As a public speaker he is 
 quiet and self-contained, and thongh im- 
 pressive, would not be called oratorical. 
 Yet, so fraught are his productions with 
 elevated and original thought, clothed in 
 a style clear and terse, that corresponding 
 thoughts are awakened in his auditors, 
 which tlo not pass away witii the hearing. 
 His public addresses on special occasions 
 have uniformly possessed so high a degree of 
 e.xcellence that, almost without exception, 
 they have been requested for publication. 
 That which best e.xpresses and e-xplains 
 his life is — fidelity to duty. He has not 
 been ambitious, or eager for distinction; 
 but he has risen to a high position in the 
 esteem, respect and admiration of a large 
 number. He has given himself to his 
 work with a devotion which has known no 
 abatement. There is found in him, in no 
 ordinary degree, botli the speculative and 
 the practical. His mind grapples reso- 
 lutely, and works actively and intensely 
 on the great subjects of thought; but high 
 thoughts do not so absorb his attention as 
 to make him neglectful of the necessary de- 
 tails of practical affairs. He is wise in 
 little things as in great. 
 
 " The prevailing bent of his mind is un- 
 questionably ethical. Though his mind is 
 too compreiiensive to allow him to be a 
 mere specialist, yet his favorite study is 
 ethics. On this summit of human thought 
 he has long dwelt; and the result of his 
 thinking and teaching he has embodied in 
 his treatise on moral philosophy. This is 
 an admirable exposition of the moral law 
 of love or benevolence; first, in its philos- 
 
638 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ophy or reason; and, secondly, in its prac- 
 tical application to liiiman rights and du- 
 ties. In his theological teaciiing he is 
 clear, rational, and evangelical. 
 
 " Under his wise and discreet manage- 
 ment, Oberlin College has undergone a 
 gradual and continual improvement. This 
 improvement is, indeed, its natural growth; 
 yet it is not spontaneous, but must be pro- 
 moted by intelligent effort, in which many 
 co-operate. This growth consists in the 
 enlargement and perfection of the course 
 of study, so as to furnish a culture broader 
 and higher; and, as a necessary material 
 basis for this, an adequate college endow- 
 ment." 
 
 fl( C. MOOKE, M. D., physician and 
 l/l\ surgeon, is in the van of his pro- 
 ir\^ fession, not only in North Amherst, 
 ■fj where he has his residence, but also 
 
 in the entire county of Lorain. 
 He was born in Lake county, Ohio, in 
 1819, a son of Isaac and Philena (Blish) 
 Moore, natives, the father of New York, 
 the mother of Massachusetts. In 1811 
 Isaac Moore came to Lake county, Ohio, 
 and took up farming. He was there mar- 
 ried, and in 1831 moved to Cuyahoga 
 county, thence in 1836 to Mentor, Ohio. 
 He died at Farmer City, DeWitt Co., Ill; 
 his widow passed from earth while living 
 in Cuyahoga county. In politics he was a 
 Whig and Republican. Grandfather John 
 Moore enlisted, for six months, later for 
 the entire service, during the Revolution- 
 ary war, and lived to the patriarchal age 
 of ninety-three years; his grandmother 
 Blish died at the same age. To Isaac 
 Moore and his wife were born five sons 
 and three daughters, the latter of whom 
 are deceased. The sons are C. H., an at- 
 torney at Clinton, 111., whither he had 
 gone in 1841; Dr. A. C, sul)jectof sketch; 
 Blish, a farmer in De Witt county. 111., 
 where he settled in 1845; Milan, a jeweler 
 in Fai'mer City, 111.; and H. C, now in 
 California. 
 
 The subject proper of this sketch re- 
 ceived his primary education at the West- 
 ern Reserve Teachers' Seminary in Lake 
 county, Ohio, after which he attended a 
 medical course at Willoughby, now the 
 Starling Medical College of Columbus, 
 Ohio, then took a course at the Eclectic 
 Medical College, Cincinnati, Ohio, gradu- 
 ating with the class of 1848. In order to 
 secure means wherewith to prosecute the 
 study of medicine, he taught school several 
 terms. In 1849 he commenced the prac- 
 tice of his profession, and has now been 
 successfully engaged in it forty-four years. 
 
 In May, 1855, Dr. Moore was united in 
 marriage, in Lorain county, to Elizabeth 
 Onstine, a native of Lancaster county, 
 Penn., daughter of George and Rosanna 
 Onstine, natives of Pennsylvania, and who 
 in 1820 came to Lorain county, Ohio. To 
 this marriaye was born one daughter, Lulu 
 C, wife of H. G. Redington, of Amherst, 
 an attorney at law, and who is president 
 of the Amherst Savings Bank, and has 
 been mayor of North Amherst four terms. 
 Mrs. Dr. Moore died in March, 1893. 
 
 Our subject in politics is independent, 
 and he is a strong temperance advocate. 
 In 1875 he was mayor of North Amherst, 
 and he is a member of the board of health. 
 In matters of religion, he is associated 
 with the Christian Church. He is one of 
 the stockholders of the Amherst Savings 
 Bank, and is a highly respected and popu- 
 lar gentleman. 
 
 HARLES W. JOHNSTON. This 
 gentleman is a lineal descendant of 
 one of the oldest and most powerful 
 of the clans of Scotland, that for 
 centuries kept the borders of that country 
 in a constant ferment of bloody strife. Sir 
 Walter Scott, in his " Tales of a Grand- 
 father," says: "There had long existed a 
 deadly feud on the western borders, be- 
 tween the two great families of the Max- 
 wells and Johnstons. The former house 
 was the most wealthy and powerful family 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 639 
 
 ill Dumfriessliire and its vicinity, and Lad 
 great influence amoni;; the families inhabit- 
 iiig the more level part of that conntry. 
 The Johnstons on the other hand were 
 neither equal to the Maxwells in number 
 nor in power, but were a race of uncom- 
 mon hardihood, much attaclied to their 
 chieftain and to each other, and who re- 
 sided in tlie strong and mountainous dis- 
 trict of Annandale. It was between the 
 houses of Johnston and Maxwell that the 
 last great clan battle took place. It is 
 known as the battle of Dryfe Sands, and 
 was fought on the river Dryfe, near Loch- 
 mal)en. The Maxwells had besieged the 
 castle of Lockerby (or Locherby), the fort- 
 ress of a Johnston who was in arms with 
 his chief. His wife defended the resi- 
 dence until the approach of the Johnston 
 forces. From the superior skill of the 
 Johnston chief the Maxwells were de- 
 feated, and on their retreat many of them 
 were slain or mutilated on the streets of 
 Lockerby. The chief Maxwell had been 
 wounded by the Johnstons, and left upon 
 tlie field of battle with one hand cut off. 
 He had offered ' ten pound ten ' for the 
 hand or head of the Laird of Johnston, 
 and Johnston in return offered to bestow 
 live-merk land upon any one who would 
 bring him the hand or head of Maxwell. 
 As a result Maxwell's hand was cut off; 
 and when the Lady of Johnston came out 
 of her castle to see how the battle had 
 gone, she found Lord Maxwell on the field 
 of battle, and knocked out his brains with 
 her castle keys. So badly were tlie Max- 
 wells cut up that a ])eculiar mark on the 
 face was afterward known as ' Lockerby 
 Lick.' " 
 
 It was from this same Lockerby that 
 Peter Johnston, grandfather of the subject 
 of this sketch, was descended. He was 
 born in Scotland, in the tovvn of Lockerby, 
 Dumfriesshire, and came to America in 
 1773. Before leaving his Scottish home 
 he received from the magistrates of the 
 town of Lochmaben, in the same coutity, 
 a credential paper, of which the following 
 
 is a copy: " By the magistrates of the 
 Burgh of Lochmaben. — The bearer hereof, 
 Peter Johnston, in Lockerby in this neigh- 
 borhood, having applied to us and repre- 
 sented that, from the inducements given 
 for going to America, he intended going 
 there, and desired a certificate of his char- 
 acter, therefor we hereby attest that the 
 said Peter Johnston and his family have 
 Maintained a blameless character, and that 
 he has honestly supported his family with- 
 out being a trouble to any one, all of 
 which is attested by us upon proper infor- 
 mation. Given at Lochmaben, the Thir- 
 tieth day of May, One Thousand Seven 
 Hundred and seventy-three years. [Signed] 
 Will Haggan (Provost), W. M. Law 
 (Baillie), John Dickson (Baillie)." In 
 1775 Peter Johnston was a lieutenant in 
 the Continental army, and participated 
 during the Revolution in the battle of 
 Saratoga (or "Stillwater"); also was pres- 
 ent at Burgoyne's surrender. 
 
 Steven Cleveland, maternal grand- 
 father of Charles W. Johnston, was a cap- 
 tain in the Continental army during the 
 war of the Revolution, and in that rank 
 participated in the battle of Saratoga under 
 Gen. Gates; he also was present at the 
 surrender of Gen. Burgoyne. He died at 
 Bennington, Vt., aged 101 years. 
 
 Thomas Johnston, father of the subject 
 of these lines, was born in Saratoga, N. 
 Y., August 30, 1777. He was a volunteer 
 in the war of 1812, and foucjlit at tlie bat- 
 tie of Plattsburg. In 1832 he came with 
 his family to Ohio, making his first west- 
 ern home in Medina county, whence he 
 moved to Lorain county, dying there July 
 22, 1858. He was a lifelong farmer, for 
 many years a deacon in the Baptist 
 Church, and prominent in public and 
 social life. He married Susannah Cleve- 
 land, a native of Bennington, Yt., born 
 Octol)er 2, 1781, and died in Lorain 
 county, Ohio, July 19, 1873. They had 
 twelve children, eleven of whom grew to 
 maturity, our sulyject being the youngest 
 but one. 
 
640 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Charles W. Johnston was born in Lee 
 township, Oneida Co., N. Y., June 29, 
 1823, and received a liberal education at 
 the public schools and in an academy. As 
 above related the family came to Ohio in 
 1882, and here young Charles commenced 
 the study of both medicine and law. In 
 medicine he graduated from the Western 
 Reserve College, and practiced the profes- 
 sion six years in Ashland and Lorain 
 counties, but abandoned the field of Galpn 
 for that of Blackstone. In law he studied 
 in the office of Sheldon & Vincent, Elyria 
 (the former of whom — L. A. Sheldon — 
 was afterward governor of New Mexico), 
 and in 185'J was admitted to the bar at the 
 Columbus, Ohio, supreme court. In April, 
 same year, he commenced the practice of 
 law in Elyria in copartnership with Hon. 
 P. Bliss, which continued till 1861, in 
 which year Mr. Bliss removed to Nebraska, 
 having been appointed judge of that Ter- 
 ritory. Mr. Johnston then entered into a 
 partnership with- Hon. Albert A. Bliss, 
 brother of the judge just mentioned, but 
 at the end of a year Mr. Bliss retired from 
 the firm and left for Michigan. Our subject 
 then continued in the exclusive practice of 
 law, alone, enjoying a wide and lucrative 
 clientage. In 1869 he was elected prose- 
 cuting attorney for Lorain county, and he 
 then received Hon. George P. Metcalf as 
 partner in his business. In 1S71 he was 
 acrain elected prosecuting attorney, posi- 
 tively declining to allow his name to be 
 again brought before the convention, and 
 his partner, Mr. Metcalf, was nominated in 
 liis stead. From that time on Mr. John- 
 ston continued practice alone until in 
 1881 he formed the present copartnership 
 with his son-in-law, James H. Leonard. 
 The business of the firm is general, but 
 chiefly in civil practice, and they make a 
 specialty of the investigation of land titles. 
 Mr. Johnston's law business ha* not been 
 confined to Lorain county alone, for he has 
 practiced more or less in Erie and Huron 
 counties, and at Cleveland befoi'e the 
 United States court, and occasionally in 
 
 the United States circuit and district courts. 
 In 1849 Charles W. Johnston and Mary E, 
 Fisher were united in marriage, and three 
 children were born to thera, viz.: Mary C, 
 wife of J. H. Leonard; Martha L., wife of 
 W. C. Barnhart, secretary and treasurer of 
 the Elevated Railroad Company, Kansas 
 City, Kans., and Carleton F., in the U. S. 
 mail service from St. Louis to Omaha. In 
 politics Mr. Johnston is a Republican, and 
 a strong Union man, liberal of his means 
 both during the Civil war, in assisting the 
 cause, and ever since those dark days, in 
 relieving the needy old soldiers, widows of 
 soldiers, an<l their orphans. A great reader, 
 keeping well abreast of the times, he is the 
 possessor of a good library. 
 
 THOMAS GAWN, leading capitalist 
 of Lorain, and one of the most in- 
 fluential citizens of Lorain county, 
 is a native of same, born December 
 25, 1829. His parents were natives 
 of the Isle of Man, and coming to this 
 country about the year 1822 settled in the 
 northern part of Black River township, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio, where they carried on 
 farming with much success. The father 
 died in 1868 at the age of seventy-seven 
 years, the mother in 1881, when eighty- 
 six years old. They had a family of seven 
 children, of whom Mrs. Thomas Radclif? 
 and our subject are the only surviving 
 members. 
 
 Thomas Gawn received such an educa- 
 tion as was provided in the pioneer schools 
 of his boyhood in Lorain county, and was 
 reared to the arduous duties of the farm. 
 Apart from agricultural pursuits, which 
 he followed for some time, he became in- 
 terested in the shipping business early in 
 1862, since when he has had heavy invest- 
 ments in lake vessels. He is a member of 
 the Lorain Steamship Company, and has 
 been one of the leading stockholders in 
 some of the best steamships that sail the 
 lakes, besides smaller vessels. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 641 
 
 In 1854 Mr. Gawn was married to Miss 
 EIniina Moore, and immediately thereafter 
 settled on a farm wliereon part of the town 
 of Black River (Lorain) now stands. He 
 has seen in his day both the slow and 
 rapid growth of his section of the county, 
 Lorain developing from a village to a 
 thriving city, and was a man in business 
 here long before the days of steam and 
 electricity. He has been identified with 
 the best financial institutions of Lorain 
 from their inception, and is a stockholder 
 and one of the main supporters of the Lo- 
 rain Savings Bank. Politically he is a 
 lifelong Republican. 
 
 dj AMES DAY. The family from which 
 this venerable and honored pioneer 
 I of Lorain county traces his descent 
 was originally from Wales. 
 The first of the family to come to Amer- 
 ica was Robert Day, who at the age of 
 thirty years set sail from his native land, 
 arriving in Boston in Ajjril, 1684. He 
 was one of the first settlers of Hartford, 
 Conn., and as such his name is found on 
 the monument erected to their memory in 
 that city. He married Editha Stebiiins, of 
 Hartford, to which union were born two 
 eons, Thomas and John. Thomas, eldest 
 son of Robert Day, removed to Springfield, 
 Mass., and was the ancestor of the Spring- 
 field branch of the Day family. John re- 
 mained in Hartford and was the ancestor 
 of the Hartford branch. 
 
 Capt. William Day, grandson of Thomas, 
 was the grandfather of the subject of this 
 sketch. He was born in Springfield Oc- 
 tober 23, 1715; went to sea in his boy- 
 hood, ami was for many years engaged in 
 seafaring business. He was in the service 
 during the French war, holding a commis- 
 sion under the British Government. His 
 vessel was captured on one occasion, and 
 he was carried a prisoner to France, where 
 he was confined in prison two years. 
 When he was released he begged to be al- 
 
 lowed the privilege of taking his old boots 
 with hiiTi, which was granted, and why he 
 was 60 desirous of having them with him 
 was because the heels were filled with 
 English guineas. For meritorious ser- 
 vice during the war in capturing four 
 French frigates and bringing them into 
 Plymouth harbor, Capt. Day was pre- 
 sented by the Admiralty of England with 
 a lai-ge painting by Copley, commemora- 
 tive of the event. " He is represented 
 standing on the deck of his ship, spyglass 
 in hand, calmly viewing the scene with the 
 conscious pride of a victorious hero swell- 
 ing his breast and lighting up his fea- 
 tures." When about fifty-five years old 
 Capt. Day left the ocean, locating in Shef- 
 field, Mass., and married Rhoda Hnbbell, 
 of Litchfield, Cduii., to which union were 
 born four sons and a daughter. He died 
 March 22, 1797. 
 
 John Day, father of James Day, was 
 born in Sheffield, Mass., February 3, 1774, 
 and was a lifelong farmer. When twenty 
 years of age he married Lydia Austin, 
 daughter of Joab Austin, of Sheffield. 
 Her grandparents were among the first 
 settlers of Sheffield, Mass., making their 
 wedding journey on horseback from West- 
 field, Mass., over the lulls to their new 
 home in the wilderness, the bride taking 
 her bed on her horse with her. John Day 
 was the father of twelve children, eleven 
 of whom lived to manhood and womanhood, 
 and nine of them to the age of threescore 
 years and ten. 
 
 James Day, the seventh child of this 
 family, was born August 27, 1807, in the 
 old home on Brush hill in Sheffield, Mass., 
 and spent nine years of his life among the 
 Berkshire hills. In January, 1815, his 
 father and Jabez Ijurrell, also of Sheffield, 
 purchased of Gen. AVilliam Hart, of Say- 
 brook, Conn., the township now known as 
 Sheffield, Lorain Co., Ohio. In June of 
 that year they explored the township, and 
 in the summer of 1816 John Day reiiioved 
 his family to Ohio, arriving July 27, and 
 locating at the center of Sheffield. He 
 
642 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 died October 8, 1827, at the age of fifty- 
 three; his widow died October 9, 1854, 
 aged fourscore years. 
 
 James Day attended the first school 
 taught in ShefKeld by Dr. Preston Pond, 
 of Keene, N. H., in the winter of 1817- 
 18, and for a number of years afterward 
 attended scliool in the winter, but nat- 
 urally his education was more highly 
 developed in the line of hunting and 
 fishing, and the lore of the unbroken 
 forest. While a mere boy lie went many 
 long journeys on horseback through the 
 lonely forest trails to mill, cai'rying the 
 grist tied to his saddle. There was a mill 
 at the center of Ridgeville, and another on 
 Beaver Creek in Black River township, in 
 1816, and later one in Elyria. Mr. Day 
 looks back on the e.xperiences of those 
 early days as the happiest of his life. 
 After his father's death he took charge of 
 the old farm for a number of years, and 
 then settled on a farm of his own. Ten 
 years of his active life, from 1845 to 1855, 
 were spent in the lumber business in com- 
 pany with his brothers, William and Nor- 
 man, and William H. Root. Their mill 
 on French creek was swept away by flood, 
 and never rebuilt. In later life he has 
 iiad ample leisure for reading and the eu- 
 joyinents of life. His life has always been 
 identified with that of the Congregational 
 Cinirch at the Center of Sheffield, he having 
 been a member since early manhood, and a 
 constant attendant since it was first formed 
 bv Rev. Alvin Hyde, assisted by Rev. 
 William Williams, May 1, 1818. This is 
 tlie oldest Church in the county, and one 
 of the oldest in northern Ohio. In iiis 
 political preferences Mr. Day was first a 
 Whig, and since the formation of the 
 party has been a stanch Republican, tak- 
 ing an active interest in politics. 
 
 In June, 1876, in company with three 
 others who came from Sheffield, Mass., as 
 boys, in 1816, he revisited his native town 
 to attend the one hundredth anniversary 
 of a town meeting held June 18, 1876, of 
 which his grandfather, Oapt. William 
 
 Day, was moderator, at which the people 
 of Sheffield pledged their lives and for- 
 tunes to support the Continental Con- 
 gress in any measures they might see 
 tit to take toward declaring the independ- 
 ence of the Colonies. 
 
 James Day married, at the age of twenty- 
 eight, Ann Eliza Austin, a native of Shef- 
 field, Mass., born March 15, 1815, and to 
 this union came eight children, fiv^e of 
 whom are living. She died January 13, 
 1873, aged fifty-seven years. During a 
 long life Mr. Day has enjoyed the respect 
 and regard of a large circle of friends, 
 many of whom have known him from boy- 
 hood, and have watched with him the won- 
 derful development of the Western Re- 
 serve; a development in which they have 
 an active interest, since with it their 
 whole lives have been identified. Tiie 
 Western Reserve may well be considered 
 a monument to the early pioneers, whose 
 industry, integrity and steadfast purpose 
 have helped to make it what it is. 
 
 J I V. SAMPSELL, M. D., one of the 
 ' most successful physicians of Lorain 
 ' county, having iiis residence in Ely- 
 ria, is a native of Ohio, born in Ash- 
 land county. May 19, 1850, a son of Dr. 
 J. B. F. and Catherine (Luther) Sampsell, 
 both now deceased. 
 
 The Sampsells in Ohio are descended 
 from an old Maryland German family, 
 who became early settlers of Columbiana 
 county, Ohio, Dr. J. B. F. Sampsell has 
 four brothers and eight cousins, all physi- 
 cians of repute, while our subject's mater- 
 nal grandfather was an M. D., in addition 
 to which he has four cousins physicians, 
 and one of his lady cousins is married to 
 a member of the profession. 
 
 Dr. J. V. Sampsell was reared in Ash- 
 land county, Ohio, receiving his elemen- 
 tary education at the common schools, and 
 then took a course of study at Bethany, 
 W. Va. After reading medicine for a 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 643 
 
 time with an uncle, our subject entered 
 Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, 
 at which institution, in the class of 187G- 
 77, he took the degree of M. D., and in 
 the latter year he commenced the general 
 practice of his profession at Elyria, where 
 he has since built up an enviable busi- 
 ness, even yet on the increase, his ride tak- 
 ing him for many miles into the country, 
 in addition to his city practice. Recently 
 he took a post- graduate course at the New 
 York Polyclinic. 
 
 On June 17, 1880, Dr. Sampsell was 
 united in marriage with Miss Leonnetta 
 Nichols, of Elyria, whose father was born 
 in Ohio, the mother coming from Jeffer- 
 son county, N. Y. He is a member of the 
 JJational Board of Physicians and Sur- 
 geons, and is physician and surgeon for 
 the Cleveland, Lorain & Wheeling Railroad 
 Co. He is a member of the F. & A. M., 
 Blue Lodge and Chapter; in politics he is 
 a stanch Democrat, and during the Cleve- 
 land administration he was president of the 
 local board of pension examiners. 
 
 ffJflRAM TILLOTSON, a leading, re- 
 l''^ preseritative agriculturist of Hunt- 
 I 41 iiigton township, is a native of 
 •fj same, born March 9, 1825, a son 
 of Daniel Tillotson, who was born 
 January 5, 1794, on Wyalusing creek, 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 Thomas Tillotson, father of Daniel, was a 
 farmer and shoemaker, the old hammer he 
 used in his work being still in the posses- 
 sion of his grandson, Hiram. In Henri- 
 etta township, Monroe Co., N. Y., Daniel 
 married Lovisa Sage, born October 5, 
 1795, a daughter of Isaac and Polly (Rice) 
 Sage, who became the second settlers of 
 Huntington township, Lorain county, the 
 first being the Labories. In June, 1818, 
 Daniel Tillotson, with his wife and two chil- 
 dren — C'hloeand Sally — came to Hunting- 
 ton township, they being the fourth family 
 to arrive. Joseph Sage, a brother of Isaac 
 
 Sage, already mentioned, owned a large 
 tract of land in Huntington township, and 
 from him Daniel Tillotson boutrht a few 
 acres in the woods, where yet roamed the 
 Indian and wild animals — deer, turkeys, 
 bears and wolves being frecjuently seen. 
 In the new home, a log house having Ijeen 
 built, were born the rest of Daniel Tillot- 
 son's children, namely: Enos S., who is 
 said to have Iteen the tirst white child born 
 in the township, the date of his birth be- 
 ing December 18, 1818 (he died in Michi- 
 gan, December 5, 1872); Sophronia, now 
 the widow of E. D. Calkins, living in 
 Wellington; Alvin, born in Sullivan town- 
 ship, now of Olivet, Mich.; Hiram, subject 
 of sketch: Lucetta, who married Hamilton 
 Fisher, and died in Brighton; Jennette, 
 who married John Halleck, and died in 
 Rochester township, Lorain county ; Hulda 
 Ann, now Mrs. Henry Baird, of Welling- 
 ton ; Lucy E., who died at the age of seven 
 years: Harriet C, also deceased at the age 
 of seven years; and Elijah, who died on 
 the home farm when seven years old. Of 
 the two children born in the East, as al- 
 ready recorded, Chloe married Joshua N. 
 Colver, and died in AVisconsin; Sally \vas 
 twice married, first to David Smith, after- 
 M'ard to Luther Mead, and she is now 
 again a widow, her home being in 
 Minnesota. 
 
 Daniel Tillotson was in all respects a 
 genuine pioneer. He had to take his axe 
 in hand, and from the dense primeval 
 forest literally hew out a home for him- 
 self and family. He was not only a man 
 of muscle but one of superior natural abil- 
 ity and bright intellect. For twenty-one 
 years he was a justice of the peace, and 
 proved a jurist possessed of excellent 
 judgment, his rulings being invariably 
 sustained by higher courts, in cases of 
 appeal. He was also an ordained minister 
 in the Universalist Church, and as a 
 farmer he met with more than ordinary 
 success. On January 31, 183-J:, he came 
 to the farm now owned and occujiied by 
 his son Hiram, and at that time lying in the 
 
644 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 midst of a vast wilderness. This he went 
 to work to clear, and to a considerable ex- 
 tent had succeeded in transforming it into 
 a fertile spot when death summoned him 
 from the midst of his labors. The last 
 thirteen years of his life had been passed 
 in the care of our subject and wife; and 
 his widow for thirty years, during eighteen 
 of which she was blind, had her home with 
 her son, who with true filial devotion 
 tenderly cared for her in her declining 
 years, which even in her aifliction were 
 enjoyed by her, so pleasant was the treat- 
 ment she received at the hands of her son 
 and danghter-in-law. She passed away 
 February 1, 1875, and was laid to rest by 
 the side of her husband in Huntington 
 cemetery. Mr. Tillotson was reared a 
 Democrat, but in after years became a 
 Republican, remaining as such the rest of 
 his life. 
 
 Hiram Tillotson received his education 
 at the subscription and district schools of 
 his time, and was reared to farm life amid 
 all the rugged surroundings of a pioneer 
 home. He remembers well that flour was 
 twelve dollars per barrel, and could not 
 he bought nearer than Wooster, Ohio; 
 johnny-cakes were the chief article of food 
 "in his boyhood days, and be made many a 
 meal of them, washed down with plenty 
 of fresh milk. At the age of fifteen lie 
 left school, and has since assiduously ap- 
 plied himself to agricultural pursuits. 
 
 On September 29, 1847, Mr. Tillotson 
 was married to Miss Solina Fisher, who 
 was born March 13, 1830, in Jefferson 
 county, N. Y., a daughter of Eleazer and 
 Polly (Davis) Fisher, who came to Ohio 
 in tlie spring of 1836, locating in Brigh 
 tun township, Lorain county. After mar- 
 riage, owing to the declining health of his 
 parents, our subject removed with his 
 bride to the old homestead, where he yet 
 lives, the dwelling being the third one 
 built on the premises, and practically on 
 the same site as the first one. The chil- 
 dren born to Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Tillot- 
 son were as follows: Harriet A., now Mrs. 
 
 D. W. Cole, of Huntington township; 
 Caroline L., now Mrs. M. R. Sage, of 
 Huntington; Myra L., now Mrs. Lewis 
 Labarie, of Huntington; Rosella, deceased 
 when twelve and a half years old; and Ina 
 and Elvira, both deceased in infancy. Mr. 
 Tillotson has now 356 acres of prime land, 
 and in addition t') general farming has 
 been an extensive dealer in and shipper of 
 live stock. He has lost in cash over four 
 thousand dollars by befriending others in 
 the way of endorsements. In his political 
 affiliations he was a Democrat until Lin- 
 coln's time, when he enrolled himself under 
 the Republican banner, and has ever since 
 remained loyal to the cause. He and his 
 amiable and kind-kearted wife are ex- 
 emplary members of the TJniversalist 
 Church. 
 
 Tames MONROE of Oberlin was 
 L. I born at Plainfield, Windham Co., 
 \Jj Conn., July 18, 1821. He received 
 his early education in the common 
 school, at Plainfield Academy, and, after- 
 ward, under the private instructions of 
 Mr. John Witter, a highly esteemed 
 teacher of Plainfield. 
 
 Before reaching the age of twenty, he 
 was engaged, for several years, in teach- 
 ing in the public schools of Windham 
 county. From October, 1841, until Feb- 
 ruary, 1844, he was employed as agent of 
 the American Antislavery Society and 
 other (iTganizations of similar object, 
 speaking and laboring earnestly for the 
 antislavery cause. He thus became ac- 
 quainted with many of the early Abolition- 
 ists. In the spring of 1844, feeling the 
 need of more thorough classical training, 
 he went to Oberlin College, from which 
 he graduated in 1846. For the three fol- 
 lowing years he pursued and completed a 
 course of theological study in that institu- 
 tion. After having served for several 
 years as tutor, he was elected, in 1849, to 
 the Chair of Rhetoric and Belles Lettres 
 in Oberlin College, a place which he tilled 
 
*y-^/i.-x.t.^^e^ ^^/^^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 647 
 
 until 1862. Beginning witli tho winter of 
 1850-51, lie devoted some months of eacli 
 year, for sever.il years, to raising money 
 for tiie College. Mr. Monroe was elected, 
 in the fall of 1855, to the first Republican 
 General Assembly of Ohio. lie was a mem- 
 ber of the House of Representatives in that 
 State in 1856, 1857, 1858 and 1859. and 
 of the Senate in 1860, 1861 and 1862. 
 Wliile in the Legislature he introduced 
 and carried through several important 
 measures, such as a bill to establish Re- 
 form Schools, one to amend the Habeas 
 Corpus Act, and bills to protect the rights 
 of colored citizens and for other purposes. 
 He was chosen President pro tempore of 
 the Ohio Senate in 1861, and again in 
 1862. In the meantime he did not neo-lect 
 his work in the College, as the sessions of 
 the General Assembly were held at the 
 time of the long vacation in that Institu- 
 tion. 
 
 In the fall of 1862 he resigned his place 
 in the Ohio Senate, arid also his Chair in 
 the College, to accept the position of 
 United States consul at Rio de Janeiro 
 tendered him by President Lincoln. This 
 office he held until the spring of 1870, 
 having also served for some months in 
 1869 as Charge d' Affaires ad interhn. In 
 October, l!S70, he was elected from the 
 Oberliu District to the House of Repre- 
 sentatives at Washincrton. He was a mem- 
 ber of this body for ten years, from March 
 4, 1871, to March 4, 1881. During this 
 period he served upon the Committee on 
 Banking and Currency, that on Foreign 
 Affairs, that on Education and Labor, of 
 which he was Chairman, and that on Ap- 
 propriations. At the close of his Fifth 
 Congress he declined a renomination. On 
 his return to Oberlin a desire was ex- 
 pressed that he might be placed in a new 
 Profes.sorship of "Political Science and 
 Modern History;" but the College had no 
 fund for its sup])()rt. Thereupon his 
 friends in Northern Ohio and other parts 
 of the country contributed thirty thousand 
 dollars to Oberlin College on condition 
 
 35 
 
 that it should be permanently invested, 
 and that the interest should be applied to 
 tlie support of the new Chair which Mr. 
 Monroe should be invited to fill. This 
 arrangement was accordingly carried out, 
 and in September, 1883, Mr. Monroe re- 
 sumed teaching in the new [)laee, the 
 duties of which he has continued to dis- 
 charge to the present time. 
 
 In politics Mr. Monroe has been a Re- 
 pnblicau ever since the organization of the 
 party; and, in his religious faith, he is a 
 Congregationalist. 
 
 THE HORR FAMILY. Among the 
 pioneer families planted in Lorain 
 county few have left more numer- 
 ous descendants than the one now 
 under consideration; and in no 
 other instance have so many brothers risen 
 to public note and business prominence. 
 For several generations the Ilorr family 
 had lived at Pomfret, Vt. The grand- 
 father of the Ilorr brothers, now living in 
 Ohio, was Deacon John Ilorr, and, back 
 of him, the heads of the Horr family were 
 a line of deacons; but this religious ardor 
 has not been preserved in its orthodox 
 purity to tiie present generation. 
 
 The original emigrants of the Ilorr 
 family to Ohio were Roswell Horr and his 
 two sisters, Mary and Lucina. Mary 
 Horr married Joseph B. Jainison, of Avon ; 
 Lucina Ilorr married Samuel Robinson, 
 formerly of Vermont. She died in Wis- 
 consin without issue. 
 
 Roswell Horr was born in Pomfret, Vt., 
 January 13, 1796. He had but meager 
 educational advantages in early life, atid 
 he served an apprenticeship to the trade 
 of blacksmith, which he made his chief 
 vocation. In 1834 he emigrated to Ohio, 
 and locateil in Avon township, Lorain 
 county, where he bought and improved a 
 farm, upon which he afterward erected, as 
 the family home, what is now known as 
 the Dr. Townsend residence, situated about 
 
648 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 one and a half miles cast of the village of 
 French Creek. He also built a blacksmith 
 shop on the farm, and there worked at his 
 trade. Notwithstanding his limited edu- 
 cation, and the fact that he lived only 
 seven years after coming to Ohio — his 
 death having occurred April 25, 1841 — 
 he had laid an excellent foundation for his 
 future. He had served his community as 
 justice of the peace and postmaster in a 
 creditable manner, and he left hia family 
 a home of seventy odd acres unencum- 
 bered, and fifty acres more that was nearly 
 paid for. Common sense and strict in- 
 tegrity marked his actions both public and 
 private. For his first wife he married 
 Miss Lucinda Wheeler, who bore him two 
 daughters: Lucinda, who married Bai'low 
 G. Carpenter, of Olmsted Falls, Ohio; she 
 now resides in Chicago, 111., and has two 
 children — Harry H., of Chicago, HI., and 
 Mrs. Lucena McNeil. Lucina, the second 
 daughter of Roswell Horr, married Will- 
 iam S. Carpenter, of Olmsted Falls; she 
 now lives with her son, Newton H. Car- 
 penter, of Chicago, 111., who is secretary of 
 the Art Institute of that city. After the 
 death of his first wife, lioswell Ilorr mar- 
 ried, in Waitsfield, Vt., in 1829, Miss 
 Caroline Turner, a native of Moretown, 
 same State, born in 1805, who is still 
 living, residing in Wellington. Mrs. Horr 
 was a woman not only of great heart and 
 brain qualities, but she secured a more 
 than average early education, and before 
 her marriage was for many years a school 
 teacher. While engaged in this vocation 
 she taught Senator Carpenter, of Wiscon- 
 sin, the alphabet. Her mother was a Miss 
 Carpenter, and a great-aunt of the Senator. 
 Mrs. Horr had eight sons, all of whom 
 reached maturity except Henry and Frank, 
 who died in their " teens," while attend- 
 ing school at Oberlin. The eldest of this 
 fjjmily was but a little over ten years of 
 age at the time of the death of the fatiier, 
 Koswell Horr. In the rearing of this large 
 family of boys Mrs. Horr had ample op- 
 portunity to exercise all her ingenuity and 
 
 moral courage. If the ambition of the boy 
 is inspired by early lessons, or his genius 
 quickened by early incentives, how well 
 she has succeeded is best told in the lives 
 of her sons. The first birth occurred 
 November 26, 1830, and by this she bore 
 two sons — one now Hon. Rollin A. Horr, 
 of Wellington; the- other Hon. Roswell O. 
 Horr, of New York City. 
 
 Hon. Kollin A. Horr received an ele- 
 mentary education in the public schools, 
 and commenced life as a clerk in a store 
 in Huntington, Lorain county. He sub- 
 sequently entered the cheese business and 
 farming and stock dealing there, and made 
 that his home for fifteen years. He as- 
 sisted in the organization of the First Na- 
 tional Bank of Wellincrton in 18()4, and 
 the spring of the same year removed to 
 Wellington, which he has since made his 
 home. He was cashier of the First Na- 
 tional Bank for twenty-seven years, since 
 which time he has been its vice-president. 
 He was for a time a member of the exten- 
 sive lumber firm of W. R. Santly & Co., 
 and besides being vice-president of the 
 First National Bank is now secretary of 
 the Clarksfield Stone Comjtany. He was 
 nominated by the regular Republican 
 caucus, and elected to the State Senate 
 from the Twenty-seventh and Twenty- 
 ninth Senatorial Districts in 1879, serving 
 during the sessions of 1880-81 and 1882- 
 83; was subsequently the Republican 
 nominee from the Fourteenth Congres- 
 sional District. On October 8, 1891, he 
 was appointed special employe of the 
 United States Treasury Department by 
 Secretary Foster, and served in that capac- 
 ity until June 1, 1898, when he was re- 
 moved by the Democratic administration. 
 
 Mr. Ilorr is a man of medium height, 
 but large proportions. He has the natural, 
 easy, pleasant bearing of a man long accus- 
 tomed to do business with the public. He 
 was married in 1853 to Miss Sarah A. 
 Ames, from which union were born seven 
 children, of whom one died in infancy; 
 those living are: Abbie C, married to H. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 649 
 
 B. Hamlin; IloUin C, who was educated 
 in Cornell University, and is now in the 
 stone business in Philadelphia, Peiin. (he 
 is servini^ his third term as member of the 
 city council of Philadelpliia); Walter Scott, 
 who graduated from Wellino'ton nio;h 
 School, now a stenographer and book- 
 keeper by profession, and residing in IJii- 
 luth, Minn.; Warner M., also a graduate 
 of Welliniiton Ilirrh School, now a book- 
 keeper, residing in San Francisco, Cal.; 
 Charles P., wiio was for iive years book- 
 keeper in the First National Bank at 
 Wellington, and is now a paving con- 
 tractor of Philadelphia, Penn.; Nellie, a 
 graduate of AVellington High School, and 
 still at home. 
 
 Hon. Roswell G. Horr is the other of 
 the twin brothers. He is of national 
 reputation as a politician and lecturer. 
 He tirst attended the public schools, tlien 
 took a partial course in Oberlin College, 
 after which he attended Antioch College, 
 and in 1857 graduated under Horace 
 Maun. Returning to his native county, 
 he v;a8 elected clerk of the court of com- 
 mon pleas in the fall of 1857, and re- 
 elected in 1800. While acting as clerk of 
 the court he read law, and upon stepping 
 out of the office was admitted to the bar, 
 becoming a partner with Judge J. C. 
 Hale, and pursuing the practice of law in 
 Elyria for two years. In the spring of 
 1866 he removed to southeastern Missouri, 
 engaged in mining business, and while 
 there was the Republican nominee for the 
 State Legislature. In the spring of 1872 
 he removed to East Saginaw, Mich., and 
 was elected from the Eighth Congressional 
 District, serving in the XLVI., XLVII. 
 and XLVIII. Congresses of the United 
 States of America. He is at present tariff 
 editor of the New York WeeJclij aiul Semi- 
 Weckhj Tribune. AVhen in Congress he 
 participated in the leading debates and 
 legislation of the day. He has perliaps 
 made more political speeches than any 
 otiiei' man living, Ijesides having prepared 
 and delivered a number of lectures on 
 
 literary and scientific subjects, which have 
 given him a national reputation as a public 
 lecturer. 
 
 Mr. Horr was married in 1859 to Miss 
 C. M. Pinney, and has four living children 
 — ^two sons and two daughters, viz.: Flora 
 M., wife of Frederick Hebard, of Plain- 
 field, N. J.; Frank, a merchant of Ithaca, 
 Mich, (he was educated at East Saginaw 
 and Orchard Lake State Military Acad- 
 emy); Katherine, at home, engaged in 
 literary work; and Rollin A., residing in 
 Saginaw, Michigan. 
 
 James C. Horr, the third cliild of Ros- 
 well and Caroline (Turner) Horr, was born 
 January 25, 1832. He received iiis edu- 
 cation in the common schools of liis native 
 place, which he supplemented with a 
 course of study at Oberlin University. 
 At the age of twenty-one years he went to 
 Australia, remaining there fourteen years, 
 at the end of which time he returned to, 
 Lorain county, and there remained four 
 years. His ne.xt trip was to California, 
 and after spending si\ years there he 
 located permanently in the city of Olym- 
 pia, now the capital of the State of Wash- 
 ington. He served a term in the Terri- 
 torial Legislature, and was for four years 
 special agent of the United States Ti-easury 
 Department during the GartieldArthur 
 administration. He has served as mayor 
 of Olympia, and is now a member of the 
 State Senate of the State of Washington. 
 He was for a time engaged in the furniture 
 trade, but now operates a wholesale and 
 retail feed and forwarding store, and real- 
 estate business. He was married in Aus- 
 tralia to Miss Lizzie Upton; has no living 
 children. 
 
 John Horr, born June 2, 1833, in Ver- 
 mont, is the last of these children born in 
 Vermont. He went to Australia with his 
 brother, and subsequently to New Zealand, 
 where he now resides. He married in Aus- 
 tralia, and has one daughter. But little is 
 known of his personal history. 
 
 Rulph Turner Horr was born June 2, 
 1835. He was a harness maker by trade, 
 
650 
 
 LORAIX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 which he followed in earlier life. Swbse- 
 qiieutly he engaged with the American 
 Express Company, and finally entered the 
 United States Mail service. He died a 
 few years since. He married a Miss 
 Martha Barker, and left two sons: George, 
 agent of the Merchants Despatch Transpor- 
 tation Company, Chicago, 111. ; and Howard, 
 in the employ of the Troy Laundry Manu- 
 facturing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 
 
 C. W. HoRK, leading business man and 
 capitalist of Wellington, is a native of 
 Lorain county, Ohio, born in Avon, Janu- 
 ary 25, 1837. He was reared on the farm, 
 during the brief winter months attending 
 the schools of the locality till he was about 
 sixteen years old, when he went to Cleve- 
 land, with but a few dollars in his pocket, 
 there to seek employment, a total stranger 
 in the place, with solely himself to rely 
 upon. Casting liis eye on the sign of a 
 leading hack and omnibus line office, and 
 understanding something of horses, he im- 
 mediately applied for and found employ- 
 ment as an omnibus driver. Falling into 
 no dissipation, and allowing himself no in- 
 dulgencies of any kind, he succeeded in 
 saving some money, and at the end of five 
 motiths he found himself in a financial 
 position sufiicieiit to enable him to take a 
 term at Oberlin College, which he did. 
 He then taught school at Pittsfield Center, 
 Lorain county. At the age of eighteen, 
 with barely enough money to pay expenses, 
 he took stage coach from Louisville to 
 Nashville, Tenn., near which city he se- 
 cured a position as teacher in Zion Semin- 
 ary. In 1858 he became principal of the 
 public schools of Napoleon, Ohio. 
 
 In 1857 Mr. Horr entered Antioch (Ohio) 
 College, graduating from there in 1860. 
 On August 12, of the same year, he mar- 
 ried Esther A. Lang of Huntington, Ohio, 
 who has proved the kindest and wisest of 
 wives and mothers. Indeed, Mr. Horr 
 and all of his iTitimate friends would agree 
 in regardintr his marriage as the most for- 
 tunate event of his life. In the fall of 
 1860, with his wife as assistant, he became 
 
 principal of the public schools of Vandalia, 
 III. In that town he became a leading 
 
 o 
 
 local agitator in the cause of the Union, 
 delivering many eloquent and patriotic 
 speeches, and finally he organized Com- 
 pany B, Thirty-fifth' O. V. I., of which he 
 was made captain. With his command he 
 did duly in Missouri, and served under 
 Fremont, Halleck, Curtis, Jefferson C. 
 Davis, and other leaders of the movement 
 in Missouri. During the larger part of 
 his service, he was employed as forage 
 master or as brigade comniissary of sub- 
 sistence, and during the latter part of his 
 sei'vice he was attached to Gen. Buell's 
 army. At the commencement of the war 
 he was a Douglas Democrat. After he 
 left the army, he returned to Lorain county, 
 and in company with his brother, J. C. 
 Horr, commenced the development of the 
 cheese industry, building in Huntington 
 township the first cheese factory in Lorain 
 county. The firm of J. C Horr & Co. 
 was succeeded by Starr & Horr, and at the 
 end of a year that firm was succeeded by 
 the i)resent cheese and butter firm of Horr, 
 Warner & Co. Of this firm Mr. C. W. 
 Horr has always been the recognized head, 
 and its great success is largely due to his 
 ability as a business man, and to his saga- 
 city as a financier. 
 
 Mr. Horr is also a memljer of the firm 
 of Weati, Horr, Warner & Co., the most 
 extensive onion and celery growers in Ohio, 
 and probably the greatest onion growers in 
 the world. He is also president of the 
 well-known Wellington Milling Company, 
 and has for years been a stockholder and 
 director in the First National Bank of 
 Wellington, Ohio, and also of the Savings 
 Banking Company of Elyi-ia, Oiiio. Mr. 
 Horr owns an extensive tract of land in 
 Lorain and Medina counties, and is to a 
 large extent engaged in the breeding of 
 fine Holstein-Friesian cattle. In 1892 he 
 was president of the National Holstein- 
 Friesian Association, and he has recently 
 >been elected president of the National 
 Dairy Union. 
 
LORAIif COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 651 
 
 In his earlier days Mr. Horr read law, 
 and was admitted to the bar, and his knowl- 
 edge of both law and general business has 
 been of invalnal)ie service, not only to him- 
 pelf but also to friends and others who 
 frequently consult him on matters of im- 
 portance and difficulty. In politics he is 
 a Republican, and few campaigns have 
 taken place since the war in which he has 
 not taken a more or less active part, as he 
 is a forcible public speaker, and keeps well 
 posted on all political and public questions. 
 He is also a writer of ability, a master of 
 the English language, and an accomplished 
 rhetorician. Although deeply immersed 
 in his many business enterprises, Mr. Horr 
 still finds time for the study of literature 
 in the quiet of liis home, where he is sur- 
 rounded by every comfort and finds the 
 purest and greatest enjoyment of his life. 
 In the very prime of manhood, he is a man 
 of tine physique, and of great physical and 
 mental energy. He is by no means the 
 meekest of men; he is positive in his views 
 and aggressive in his methods, and his 
 power and influence have been felt in many 
 political contests. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Horr have had live sons, 
 viz.: Norton T., a graduate of Cornell 
 University, and member of the law firm 
 of Boynton & Horr, of Cleveland, Ohio; 
 Charles W., Jr., a graduate of Cornell 
 University, now engaged in various busi- 
 ness enterprises with his father; Clinton 
 (deceased); Alfred E.., at present a member 
 of the junior class of Cornell University, 
 and Harley M., who still resides with his 
 parents. 
 
 FRANCIS S. WADSWORTH, a 
 thoroughly representative agricul- 
 _^ turist of Lorain county, is a native 
 of Massachusetts, born in Becket, 
 Berkshire county. 
 
 Jonathan and Deidama (Snow) Wads- 
 worth, grandparents of our subject, were 
 of Connecticut birth, and moved to Becket, 
 Mass., where their family of children were 
 
 born, and where he died at the age of 
 eighty-six years; his wife afterward came 
 to Wellington, Lorain Co., Ohio, and died 
 in the "American House," where she was 
 living at the time with her grandchildren 
 — O. S. and J. L. Wadsworth. She, as 
 was also her husband, was a member of 
 the Congregational Church. 
 
 Lawton Wadsworth, father of subject, 
 was born June 24, 1785. in Becket, Berk- 
 shire Co., Mass., and was reared to agri- 
 cultural pursuits. In early manhood he 
 taught school in the neighborhood of Otis, 
 Mass., where he first met the young lady 
 who became his wife, in the person of 
 Miss Nancy Rowena Lawton, daughter of 
 Elijah Lawton, of that town. They were 
 married October 15, 180G, in Becket, 
 where they settled on a farm, and seven 
 children, as follows, were born to tliem: 
 Milo L., born October 2, 1807, who lived 
 in Wellington township, died April 2, 
 1889; Oliver S., born May 2, 1809, was a 
 farmer, and lived for a while at the 
 "American House," in Wellington, sub- 
 sequently returning to Massachusetts (he 
 was killed in a railroad accident at Erie, 
 Penn.); Jabez L., born August 27, 1813, 
 who lived for a number of years at the 
 "American House," in Wellington, and 
 subsequently followed milling (he built 
 a brick residence in Wellington, whei-e he 
 died; his widow now resides in Welling- 
 ton); Elijah M., born February 9, 1815, 
 learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, 
 took a college and theological course at 
 Oberlin, Ohio, then went to Wisconsin, 
 and later went to Minneapolis, Minn., 
 where he now resides; Albert O., born 
 August 27, 1819, who has always followed 
 farming, first in Wellington, Lorain 
 county, and at present in Saranac, Mich.; 
 Francis S., born April 27, 1821, and 
 David L., born June 1, 1825, who died in 
 October, 1892. 
 
 F. S. Wadsworth, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, was twelve years old when the 
 family arrived in Lorain county, Ohio, 
 whither they traveled in wagons the entire 
 
652 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 way, the trip occupying from April 15 to 
 May 9. lie received a liberal education 
 in tlie common and high schools (two 
 terms at Wellington select schools), and, 
 when he was of age, two years at Oherlin, 
 where he displayed considerable aptitude 
 and fondness for mathematics. For a 
 trade he learned that of carpenter and 
 joiner, at which he worked, engaging, at 
 times, also in painting, and lor four 
 winters taught school. On September 20, 
 1854, he married Miss Sarah A. Leonard, 
 born January 6, 1833, in New York 
 State, and the young couple then located 
 on a farm about one and one-half miles 
 from their present home in Wellington, 
 whither they removed in 1884. Two chil- 
 dren were born to them, viz. : Ettie R., April 
 25, 1858, who was married to B. B. Her- 
 rick (has two children, viz.: Sarah E. and 
 Hobart); and Frank L. O., of whom special 
 mention is made farther on. 
 
 Mrs. Wadsworth is a daughter of Tru- 
 man Leonard, who was born in Worth- 
 iugton, Mass., March 23, 1784, and June 
 1, 1811, married Miss Koxanna AUis, born 
 in Chester, Mass., September 15, 1786. 
 After marriage they tnoved to Middlesex, 
 Ontario Co., N. Y., and there lived until 
 1835, in which year the family, including 
 eleven ciiildren, moved to Ohio, settling 
 in Chatham, Medina county. The father 
 died February 24, 1846, the mother on 
 September 12, same year. Their daugh- 
 ter, Sarah A., received a fair education in 
 the common and high schools, well prepar- 
 ing her for the vocation of a teaclier, which 
 she commenced to follow at the age of 
 fifteen years. For the past quarter of a 
 century she has been a newspaper corre- 
 spondent, chiefly for the Elyria Repiihli- 
 can; also contributed to the Ohio Farmer, 
 and the Young Ainerica, iSIew York. A 
 lady of culture and refinement, she shares 
 with her husband the respect and esteem 
 of a wide circle of friends. 
 
 Frank L. O. Wadsworth, their son, was 
 born October 24, 1866, and received a 
 superior education. He is the recipient of 
 
 a diploma from Wellington (Ohio) High 
 School (1883); graduated from the Ohio 
 State University, Columbus, June 30, 
 1888, in Mining Engineering, and the fol- 
 lowing year took a diploma in Mechanical 
 Engineering, and degree of Bachelor of 
 Science. In 18S9 he commenced to teach 
 in the Ohio State University, but was soon 
 given a Fellowship in Clarke University, 
 Worcester, Mass., where he remained three 
 years. In July, 1892, he received the ap- 
 pointment of senior assistant in the Astro- 
 physical Laboratory of the Smithsonian 
 Institute. While a student at Clarke Uni- 
 versity he assisted Prof. Michelson in per- 
 fecting an instrument for measuring the 
 length of a meter, to establish a reliable 
 standard for the metric system. This in- 
 strument was for the French government. 
 In the fall of 1^92, in company with Prof. 
 Michelson, he visited Paris, adjusting and 
 testing the instru7nent to the entire satis- 
 faction of all parties concerned. At the 
 present time, in connection with his labor- 
 atory work, he is a frequent contributor to 
 several scientific papers published both in 
 this country and in Europe. He was mar- 
 ried September 6, 1893, to Miss Laura 
 A. Poole, of Washington, D. C. 
 
 DE. N. 
 knowr 
 geon ( 
 
 H. CORNWELL, a well- 
 lown practicing physician and sur- 
 of North Amherst, was born 
 January 4, 1847, in Elyria, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio. His father, N. H. Cornwell, 
 was a native of Michigan, and married 
 Mary Onstine, who was born in Amherst 
 township, daughter of George and Rosina 
 (Ruhl) Onstine, natives of Pennsylvania, 
 who came in an early day to Amherst 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, where they 
 both died. Mr. Cornwell died in Elyria 
 in 1847. 
 
 N. H. Cornwell was reared by his grand- 
 father Onstine, at Amherst, at the public 
 schools of which place he received his 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 653 
 
 early education. He was for some time 
 engaged in tiie lumber business, inspecting 
 lumber at Cliicao;o from 1873 to 187G. 
 He entered the Eclectic Medical Institute, 
 Cincinnati, Ohio, whence he was gradu- 
 ated with the class of 1880, and tirst began 
 practice at Port Clinton, coming shortly 
 afterward to Lorain county, where he has 
 since resided. Dr. Cornweil was married, 
 iu 1885, to Miss Josephine Barber, who 
 was born in Amherst township, this 
 county, daughter of Joseph Barber (now 
 deceased). The latter was an early settler 
 of northern Ohio, and came to Lorain 
 county in 1863. Socially the Doctor is a 
 member of the K. of P., and K. O. T. M., 
 and is also a F. & A. M. 
 
 IDEON L. STARK, who for many 
 , years has been actively identified 
 with the business interests of Pen- 
 field township, is a prosperous, self- 
 made agriculturist. 
 He is a son of Talcott and Mary (Linds- 
 le\ ) Starr, the former of whom was born 
 in Danbnry, Conn., and was reared to farm 
 life. Talcott Starr was married in Har- 
 perstield, I^elaware Co.. N. Y., in which 
 State five children were born to him, as 
 follows: Matthew L. ; Maria, who was 
 married in New York State to David 
 Turner, a Methodist Episcopal minister, 
 and died in Schoharie county, N. Y. ; An- 
 geline, who was married in New York to 
 Benjamin Turner, and died in Rhinebeck, 
 that State; Gideon L.. subject of this 
 sketch; and Alden, of Flint, Mich. Tal- 
 cott Starr had made three trips to Penfield, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio (driving the entire dis- 
 tance), where tliree of his brothers — Orrin, 
 Raymond and William — had located, and 
 in 1839 he sold his farm and other effects 
 in New York State, and set ont for the 
 West. They arrived here after a long, 
 tedious journey, driving a team of two 
 horses, having come via Cleveland to 
 Elyria, where they remained some years 
 
 on a farm one mile east of his brother 
 Raymond, who conducted a mercantile 
 business. Later Mr. Starr traded that 
 farm, whicli he iiad bought, to a man 
 named Kemp for land in Penfield town- 
 ship, whither the family removed iu 1855, 
 and here the parents passed the remainder 
 of their lives, the father dying October 15, 
 1872, the mother May 10, 1876; they are 
 buried in Center , cemetery. They were 
 members of the M. E. Church, and in 
 politics he was a Democrat. He was a 
 very successful farmer, and was quite 
 well-to-do. 
 
 Gideon L. Starr was born Fel)ruary 13, 
 1816, in Jefferson, Schoharie Co., N. Y., 
 was trained to farming pur.-^uits, and ob- 
 tained his elementary education in the 
 common schools. Later he attended a 
 Methodist Episcopal school iu Dutchess 
 county, N. Y., preparing himself for the 
 profession of teacher, whicli he followed in 
 Delaware county (N. Y.) and elsewhere 
 for several years. He accompanied his 
 parents on their journey to Ohio, and 
 drove the team, but after a short sojourn 
 there returned to New York State, where, 
 in Harpersfield, Delaware county, he was 
 married, November 10, 1839, to Miss 
 Polly Baird. She was born July 7, 1818, 
 in Harpersfield, daughter of Daniel and 
 Abigail (Dayton) Baird, early residents of 
 that place, whither they had come from 
 Watertown, Conn. After his marriage 
 Mr. Starr settled on the old family home 
 in Sciioharie county, N. Y., which he had 
 bought (going into debt for the same), and 
 here followed farming, teaching school dur- 
 ing the winter season. Later he was 
 elected township e.xaminer, and conducted 
 tCHchers' examinations. 
 
 Wiiile living in New York State Mn 
 and Airs. Starr had children as follows: 
 Lemuel T., born November 30, 1840, a 
 farmer of Penfield township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio; Similde A., born October 5, 1844, 
 who ilied February 8, 1857, and Emer 
 Gene, born July 14, 1847, who married 
 Charles Catifield, of Litchfield, Medina 
 
654 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Co., Ohio, and died August 12, 1887. In 
 the spring of 1849 our subject traded his 
 farm in Schoharie county, and set out with 
 his family for Ohio, after a two days' 
 drive reaching Spraker's Basin, N. Y., 
 whence lie started, by way of the Erie 
 Canal, for Buffalo, where he arrived six 
 days later. Here he took the lake-boat tor 
 Cleveland, arriving the following morn- 
 ing in that city, where lie was met by his 
 brother Alden, who drove the family to 
 Elyria, Lorain county, where the father 
 lived. After some visiting in and around 
 Elyria, Mr. Starr arrived on May 2, in 
 Penfield township, passing the first night 
 at the home of Lewis Llart. Here he pur- 
 chased land, 121 acres in lot No. 51 east of 
 the center, and forty-three acres west of 
 the center, locating on the first-mentioned 
 tract in a log house, quite different from 
 the home in New York. Some of the wood 
 on this farm had been cut by lumbermen, 
 but the land was not yet fit for agricul- 
 tural purposes, and it required considerable 
 hard work to convert it into a fertile farm. 
 Some time later another house was erected, 
 which still stands, and on this place three 
 children were added to the family circle, 
 namely: Munson B., born October 30, 
 1849, who died February 8, 1854; Estella, 
 born February 27, 1855, who married Ed- 
 win Sears, and lives in LitchHeld, Ohio 
 (while absent from home December 27, 
 LS93, their house was burned); Lee W., 
 born December 25, 1856, a farmer of 
 Litchfield, Ohio, who was married June 
 25, 1882, to Celia Henderside. Mr. Starr 
 was obliged to go into debt for his farm, 
 and in the face of the predictions of older 
 men, who had lived here for years, to the 
 effect that he would never pay for it, he 
 went to work with a determination, and 
 met with a marked degree of success. 
 Since his residence here farming lias been 
 his chief vocation, but he has also dealt 
 extensively in stock. He is a hard worker, 
 a good manager, and an excellent judge of 
 stock, wliich knowledge has been of con- 
 siderable benefit to him in managine vari- 
 
 ous details of his business to advantage. 
 He now owns 300 acres excellent land. 
 Politically he is a Democrat, and in re- 
 ligious faith he and his wife belong to the 
 M. E. Church, of which she has been a 
 member sixty years. In 1885 they re- 
 moved from the farm to the village of 
 Penfield, where they now have a pleasant, 
 comfortable home. Mr. Btarr has twelve 
 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. 
 
 P)AUL W. SAMPSELL, M. D. (de- 
 ceased), was born in Columbiana 
 county, Ohio. June 22, 1828. He 
 received a liberal education in the 
 common schools, after which he at- 
 tended the Eclectic Medical School, then 
 the Homeopathic School of Medicine at 
 Cincinnati, Ohio, from botli of which in- 
 stitutions he graduated. 
 
 He first practiced his profession at Ash- 
 land, Ohio, whence he removed to South 
 Bend, Ind., where he practiced till failing 
 health compelled him to seek a change. 
 Concluding that a trip to the Pacific slope 
 would materially assist him in recuper- 
 ating, he crossed the Plains, about the year 
 1852, in a wagon in company with the 
 Studebakers of South Bend, then young 
 men and friends of the Doctor. On the 
 journey they had in charge a number of 
 wagons and several families. In Cali- 
 fornia he remained for one year, at the end 
 of which time he felt sufficiently well to 
 return to his native State, which he did, 
 and in 1854 made a permanent settlement 
 in Elyria, wdiere he continued in eclectic 
 practice of medicine up to the time of his 
 death. After locating in Elyria he was 
 offered a Chair or Professorship in one of 
 the colleges of Cincinnati, but declined 
 acceptance, preferring to remain in active 
 practice. As a physician Dr. Sampsell 
 had no superior, and during his career 
 probably had not a peer. He was in the 
 enjoyment of a Lirge ofKce practice as well 
 
/^^ 'Py-^Cu.J^/^Ljf 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 057 
 
 as an extensive ride both in and outside 
 tlie city, and his popiihirity botli profes- 
 sionally and socially brought him a wide 
 circle of friends. 
 
 In 1855 Dr. Sanipsell was married in 
 Elyria to Miss Evaliiie Childs, and one 
 son, Warren W., was born to theiii. bat 
 died Dec. 1, 1887. The doctor was called 
 from earth May 8, 1888. Mrs. Sampsell 
 is a native of Elyria, and comes of an early 
 and mnch res])ected family. She is a lady 
 of high culture, and commands the high- 
 est esteem in the county. 
 
 J^ILLIAM H. H. SUTLIFF, re- 
 tired, one of ihe best known and 
 most highly esteemed citizens of 
 Wellington township, has been 
 closely identified with Lorain county and 
 vicinity for the past seventy-three years. 
 He is a native of New York State, born 
 July 22, 1815, in Erie county, a son of 
 Salmon and Anna (Beeman) Sutlifl, the 
 former of whom was born in Genesee 
 county, N. Y., in 1786, the latter on the 
 Susquehanna river. In August, 1820, the 
 family, consisting of lather, mother and 
 children, set out from their home in the 
 East to seek a new one in the theuwildsof 
 Ohio. The journey was made with a team 
 of horses and a wagon, convevinij a few 
 household goods; two cows and fifteen 
 sheep beinir driven along. They passed 
 through Buffalo, N. Y., at that time a low- 
 lying village consisting of a few dirty 
 cabins or shanties. On their arrival at 
 Cleveland they counted thirteen small log 
 houses, with not an acre of land cleared in 
 any one place on Superior, the only street 
 in the place. They were ferried across the 
 Cuyaiioga river, landing on the west side, 
 where not a house was visible, but abun- 
 dance of land for sale on which there was 
 not a stick of timber, the soil being simply 
 yellow saiul. Proceeding onward, the party 
 in due cour.se reached Avon township, 
 Lorain county, wliere they tarried a short 
 
 time until a piece of land coidd be pur- 
 chased on the so-called "Murray Tract," 
 in (.Carlisle township, and a log house built 
 for the family. Into this they moved 
 January 1, 1821, before any of the cracks 
 were chinked or niudded, and when only 
 one-half of the floor was laid with puncheons 
 or split logs. This cabin was afterward 
 improved, being fully floored, chinked and 
 mudded, a chimney built and hearth and 
 fireplace constructed, with a pole placed a 
 few feet above the hearth, from one side of 
 the chimney to the other, on which to 
 hang the pot or kettle. Their bread was 
 made chiefly of cornmeal, sometimes rye- 
 wheat flour being kept for special oc- 
 casions; their meats were for the most part 
 venison and young fatted pork; tea was 
 scarcely known, and "coffee" was made by 
 burning an ear of corn black and then 
 steeping it in hot water, cooled with milk 
 and sweetened witli maple sugar. It should 
 be mentioned here that on their way to 
 their new home they passed through what 
 is now the thriving town of Elyria, Lorain 
 county, then composed of three little huts 
 iidiabited respectively by Heman Ely, A. 
 Beebe and a Mr. Sholes, who kept a small 
 grocery. 
 
 Salmon Sutliff was a great hunter, and 
 the deer he killed supplied the family 
 with not only venison, but also hides which 
 were tanned into leather, from which they 
 made shoes for all the family and breeches 
 for the men's winter wear; he also trapped 
 wolves for the Qoverment bounty, eight 
 dollars per scalp, in addition to which he 
 could get one or two dollars for each hide. 
 Bears he would run dowti by tracking them 
 in the snow or driving them up trees; 
 their hides were also of value, and their 
 meat as good as pork for family use. Trees 
 were cut down and burned in large heaps, 
 the ashes being saved and leached, then 
 liquid being made into black salts, same 
 being sold for $2.25 to $2.50 per one hun- 
 dred pounds — half cash and half trade, the 
 latter being in goods at high flgiires, to 
 wit: calico or cotton, twenty-five cents per 
 
658 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY. OHIO. 
 
 yard. In those days men raised flax and 
 dressed it, then the women spun and wove 
 it into linen and clotli for domestic use. 
 Wild fruits of all kinds were found in 
 abundance, especially cranberries, which 
 would fetch seventy-live cents per bushel. 
 So much for the natural history of the 
 place about seventy years ago, although 
 a vast deal more might be written of in- 
 terest did space permit. Something has 
 been said of the average dwelling, and ne.xt 
 i[i importance come the schoolhouses. 
 They were built of logs, chinked and 
 mudded in the same njanner as the cabins 
 were, and supplied with a fireplace and 
 chimney. The furnitnre consisted of slabs 
 (with pegs stuck into them for legs) placed 
 flat side up for seats, and a board, laid on 
 pins let into the house logs, for writing 
 desk. The grim dominie, armed with an 
 awe-inspiring birch rod, sat in a corner by 
 the tireplace, and at times varied the mo- 
 notony of the school hours l)y flogging 
 warmth into the more stupid boys at the 
 farther end of the class. Five years elapsed 
 after the coming of the SntlifF family be- 
 fore there were enough children in the 
 neighborhood to warrant the organizing of 
 a school district, and the using of such a 
 building. Before the Sutliffs had raised 
 any grain, Salmon would have to walk to 
 Avon, a distance of twelve miles, and there 
 labor for a bushel of corn, which he would 
 carry on his shoulder to a gristmill known 
 as " Hecock's mill," which after he had got 
 it ground he would carry home through a 
 dense foi-est teeming with wild beasts. On 
 one occasion, accomi)anied as usual by his 
 faithful dog, he came across a she bear 
 and cubs, and the dog and bear had a tierce 
 battle, which resulted in the total discom- 
 fiture of the former, he being badly 
 "chawed up," though not killed. 
 
 In the early farming days the family 
 would sow a little wheat or rye, as the case 
 might be, and when ripe they would cut 
 it down with a hand sickle, thresh it with 
 a couple of sticks or flails, and clean it 
 of the chaff, etc., with a large fan 
 
 held by the hands and knees. In many 
 things, especially in cases of sickness, 
 they imitated the customs of the Inilians, 
 and in this respect it is related of Salmon 
 Sutliff that when somewhat advanced in 
 years he was stricken with what was sup- 
 posed to be consumption, and hearing of 
 an alleged cure for that disease, he re- 
 solved to adopt it, viz. : the swallowing of 
 a rattlesnake's heart. Accordingly on a 
 certain day he killed a yellow "rattler," 
 about six feet long, took out the heart, put 
 it into a bowl of cold water, and swallowed 
 it all, his son, William H. H., being a 
 witness to the act. It is not known how 
 much of the consumption was cured, but 
 he lived to see his sevent3'-secoud birthday 
 pass, dying in 1858. He was a lifelong 
 Whig and a member of the M. E. Church; 
 he served in the war of 1812, and was a 
 great admirer of Gen. Harrison, for whom 
 he named his son, our subject. His 
 widow was called from earth in 1870. 
 
 Thirteen children, as follows, were born 
 to this honored couple: Silas B., who was 
 captain of a steamboat, died of cholera at 
 Joliet, 111.; William H. H.; Asa G., who 
 died in Minnesota about twelve years ago, 
 was a farmer and drover, driving cattle 
 from Texas; O. H. P., a resident of Car- 
 lisle township, Lorain county; Charles B., 
 who was killed twelve years ago in a rail- 
 road accident near Elyria; Ralph O., a 
 farmer at Chapin's Corners, Mich.; Ln- 
 setta, wife of Eli Wright, now residing in 
 Wood county, Ohio; Warren C, a justice of 
 the peace in Carlisle township; Lucinda, 
 Mrs. Perkins, who died of dropsy (she was 
 first married to a man named Lee); Jessie, 
 residing in Michigan; Theodore, residing 
 in Potterville, Eaton Co., Mich.; Miles 
 W., in Penfield township, Lorain coimty; 
 and Rosetta, wife of William Gott. The 
 mother of this family was left an orphan 
 when a child, and was brought up by a 
 family named Osborne; she was a daughter 
 of Silas Beeman. The grandfather of our 
 subject. Gad Sutliff, was a native of Eng- 
 land, whence with two brothers he came 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 659 
 
 to America, all being single men, and here 
 tiiey separated, all trace of the two wlio ac- 
 companied Gad being lost; the latter died 
 at Clyde, Ohio, aged ninety years. 
 
 William H. H. Sutiitf, the subject 
 proper of this sketch, received his edu- 
 cation in Carlisle township, Lorain county, 
 attending the old log schoolhouse of the 
 period, and experienced all the sufferings 
 and privations incident to three quarters 
 of a century ago. His clothes were of tiie 
 most primitive iiome-make, and he was 
 twenty years of age before he had a pair 
 of boots on his feet; but he was tough and 
 hearty, and underwent all kinds of hard- 
 ships — working on the farm by day, and 
 hunting raccoons, skunks, porcupines, 
 opossums, etc., by night. At the time the 
 town of Oberlin was being laid out he 
 worked there the better part of three years, 
 chopping down the timber and clearing it 
 off the land. In October, 1834, a Mr. 
 Sill, who had come in from Black Eock to 
 Oberlin, where he lived one year, bargained 
 with our subject for the latter to drive 
 four heavy oxen, pulling a load of goods 
 (wagon and load weighing G562 pounds) 
 to Jonesville, Hillsdale Co., Mich., the 
 route lying through a totally new country. 
 Mr. Sill drove four oxen witii a lighter 
 wagon, containing the family, and they ex- 
 perienced many difficulties, at one place, 
 near Maumee, the mud being so thick and 
 deep that they Tnade but little progress. 
 They passed thirty-one taverns in thirty 
 miles, but required to stop at only one of 
 them, two nights, finally reaching Jones- 
 ville in safety; Mr. Sutiiff then returned 
 to Ohio, and did hard labor until March, 
 1838, when he engaged to drive a four-ox 
 team from Carlisle township to Ionia, 
 Mich. They traveled through the Maumee 
 swamp before the frost had jiassed out of 
 it, but got over in safety, and then pro- 
 ceeded with comparative ease to Jackson- 
 burg through mud and storm, but were 
 still seventy-tive miles from their destina- 
 tion. From Jacksonburg they traveled to 
 Marshall, the county seat of Calhoun 
 
 county, thirty miles; thence to Kalamazoo 
 thirty miles; thence seventy-five miles 
 northeast to Ionia county, the entire 
 journey occupying twenty-six days. Here 
 Mr. Sutiitf assisted in hewing out a new 
 home in the woods, and buildins a lojr 
 house, 18x24, into which the family 
 moved within eleven days after their ar- 
 rival, during which time they were living 
 with a man named AVebster. 
 
 In the same year, Mr. Sutiiff iiaving de- 
 cided to revisit Ohio, he shouldered his 
 knapsack, and set out alone, on foot, in 
 one day reaching St John's, the county 
 seat of Clinton county, Mich. From there 
 he proceeded to Detroit, taking the nearest 
 route, which was forty miles thrungli the 
 woods along an old Indian trail. About 
 an hour before noon he met a big Indian, 
 fully equipped with a rifle, tomahawk 
 and knife; but Mr. Sutiiff gave him 
 a very brief interview, his looks be- 
 ing much more suggestive of a villain 
 than a friend, and left him roasting a 
 muskrat for his noon-hour meal. Our 
 hero arrived in safety, however, at Liv- 
 ingston, Berrien county, after a tramp 
 of forty miles between sunrise and sunset, 
 and from there, after a rest, made his way 
 to Detroit, which he reached in due time. 
 From Detroit he took steamboat to Cleve- 
 land, a rough voyage, thence home by way 
 of Carlisle, &c. 
 
 After this, in the same year, William 
 H. H. Sutiiff, Asa G. Sutiiff and Philo 
 Murry converted their effects into twenty 
 head of cattle — oxen, new milch -cows, &c. 
 — and started for Ionia, Mich. They pur- 
 sued the same route, in due course reach- 
 ing Marshall, Calhoun Co., Mich., and 
 from there proceeded northward eleven 
 miles, to the village of Hastings; thence to 
 Vermontville, Eaton county, from which 
 place they plodded their way through an 
 unbroken wilderness, taking an Indian 
 trail, one of the party leading the way with 
 an axe, with which now and then he had to 
 cut an opening through the bush. Some- 
 times the oxen wouhl be "mired down" in 
 
(560 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 a tainarac swamp they bad to pass through, 
 and then they would have to be assisted 
 out, and the entire party make a detour of 
 about a mile. At the close of each day a 
 halt would be made at some convenient 
 spot, a fire built, the cows milked, and a 
 qnilt spiead on Mother Earth, whereon the 
 weary wayfarers would rest for the night. 
 To use Mr. Sutliff's own graphic words : 
 "We ate and drank and fared sumptuously 
 during the three days and three nights we 
 were in the wilderness, and came out hale 
 and hearty!" 
 
 In September, 1840, Mr. Sutliff was 
 married to Miss Phcebe D. Gott, of 
 LaGrange, Ohio, a native of New York 
 State, born March 22, 1821, and they had 
 twelve children, all sons except one, of 
 whom the following is a brief record : 
 William H., born October 7, 1841, a dray- 
 man in Lorain, married Emily Allen, and 
 they have two children — Milton and 
 Phfpbe; George B., born January 9, 1843, 
 died July 21, 1845; CharlesE. (his sketch is 
 on page 603), born February IG, 1845, 
 married Mary Hoffman, and they have two 
 children, May E. and Floyd E ; George War- 
 ren, born March 12, 1847, now residing in 
 California, married Em ma Bruce, and has 
 four children — Belle, Brnce, George W. 
 and one whose name is not given; John 
 Laverdo, born May 6, 1849, died October 
 20, 1852; Stephen S., born August 16, 
 1851, died January 14, 1861; Martin 
 Beeman, born April 16, 1854, died Janu- 
 ary 5, 1861; James Alvord, born August 
 5, 1856, died September 12, 1892 (he 
 farmed on the home place; he was married 
 to Miss Letina Barber, but had no children); 
 Frederick Eugene (a hackman in Welling- 
 ton), born November 17, 1859, married 
 Prudence Coding, and they have two 
 sons — Walter and Wilber; one son was 
 still-born; Emma Jane, born August 7, 
 1862, wife of Bart Whitehead, residing 
 in Wellington (they have one child, Phoebe 
 Delilah); and Franklin Pierce, born Sep- 
 tember 9, 1864, a farmer who married 
 Frances Dorchester. 
 
 In December, 1841, Mr. and Mrs. Sut- 
 liff (the latter carrying her two-months- 
 old babe), with a pair of oxen, two cows 
 and seven sheep, set out for Michigan to 
 establish a new home on his property 
 above alluded to, where they arrived in 
 safety, rich in youth and health and 
 strength, but poor in pocket, not having 
 a dollar at their command. The young 
 husband and father soon, however, had a 
 good log house put up and furnished, and 
 he continued making improvements on his 
 land, besides working for others, clearing 
 away the timber and brush and assisting 
 in the building of schoolhouses, bridiies, 
 and logcrossways; chopping out highways, 
 and lumbering in the winter season. In 
 this wilderness he encountered many dan- 
 gers, especially from wild animals, anil he 
 did a good deal of trapping, catching in 
 that way nine large grey wolves; he also 
 killed a bear, first by the aid of his dog, 
 driving it up a tree, which he chopped 
 down, and then with his axe finished Bruin's 
 earthly career. The amount of small game 
 he killed was something that would make 
 a modern-day Nimrod gasp with wonder- 
 ment. On this land he lived from Decem- 
 ber, 1841, to February, 1852, — eleven 
 years — at the end of which time he was 
 induced to return to Lorain county, to care 
 for his parents in their declining years. 
 Accordingly he " swapped " his Michigan 
 farm for one in Wellington township, and 
 here he has since resided, for the past forty 
 years, in the town of Wellington. One 
 day in 1842, in passing through a piece of 
 heavily-timbered land, four or five miles, 
 with a team of oxen and a wagon, when 
 about half-way through, he found a dead 
 man, evidently thrown from a wagon, the 
 ■ horse having taken fright at something. 
 Mr. Sutliff picked the body up, placed it 
 in his wagon, and conveyed it to the near- 
 est house, the act being justified by the 
 law, which provided that after a dead body 
 had lain in the woods eighteen hours, sub- 
 ject to mutilation by wild animals, the 
 finder of the corpse may remove it. A 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 661 
 
 coroner's jury was snininoned, and they 
 endorsed Ity their verdict the facts as re- 
 lated by Mr. iSntliff. 
 
 Our subject's first wife died in 1888, 
 and in December, 1891, he married Mrs. 
 Deiicy Rugg, a native of LaGrange 
 township, l)orn in 1831, who by her first 
 husband had three sons, namely: [\) Orrin 
 David Kngg, born July 1, 1855, who is 
 married and has two children — Leona C. 
 and Edmund; (2) Frank E. Rngg, born 
 July 27, 1857, residing in Huntington 
 tovvnshij), is married and has four children 
 — Ermie, Earl, Laverdo and Grace; and 
 (3) Charles Edison Rugg. residing in 
 Huntington. The father of these, Ediunnd 
 Rugg, was born in the State of New York, 
 whence he came to Ohio when eleven years 
 old. In February, 1854, he married Miss 
 Dency Hulbert, of LaGrange township, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio. 
 
 Mr. Sutlitf's Michigan farm comprised 
 140 acres; his one in Wellington township, 
 126 acres. In politics he was originally a 
 Republican, his first Pi-esidential vote be- 
 ing cast ft)r W. H. Harrison; in mattersof 
 religion he has been a member of the M. 
 E. Church since he was sixteen years old. 
 
 Hi G. COMINGS, mayor of Oberlin, 
 //l\ and proprietor of one of the most 
 IrT^ extensive bookstores in Lorain 
 ■fj county, is a native of Franklin 
 
 county, Vt., born in 1856, a son of 
 A. C. and Amanda (Jones] Coinings, both 
 also of the "Green Mountain" State, 
 where they were married. They came to 
 Lorain county, Ohio, when our subject 
 was nine years old, and settled on a farm 
 in Russia township, one mile from Ober- 
 lin. They had a family of six children, 
 all educated at Oberlin, A. G. being the 
 youngest; he has one brother living, pub- 
 lisher of a paper at Springfield, Mo. The 
 father is living; the mother is deceased. 
 
 The subject of our sketch, after coming 
 to Russia township, attended Oberlin Col- 
 
 lege till he was twenty-one years old, after 
 which he taught school ten years, in course 
 of which time he served in the capacity of 
 principal and superintendent at Conneaut, 
 Ohio, and other places. He then perma- 
 nently settled in Oberlin, and in 1889 
 bought his present business, which has 
 since increased to such an extent that he 
 has had to enlarge his premises. 
 
 On June 20, 1878, Mr. Comings was 
 united in marriai^e with Emelie Royce, 
 who was born in Oberlin March 27, 1856, 
 a daughter of S. and Martha Rojce. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Comings two children have 
 been born: Charles and Harriet. In his 
 political predilections our subject is a Re- 
 publican, has beeti a member of the city 
 council two years, and mayor of Oberlin 
 since April, 1892. He is a member of the 
 Royal Arcanum. 
 
 E. BRAMAN, county coroner for 
 Lorain county, and township asses- 
 sor of Elyria township, is a native 
 of the county, born at Carlisle Oc- 
 tober 20, 1838. 
 Anson Braman, father of our subject, 
 was born in ISll in Genesee county, N. 
 Y. In 1822 his parents came from that 
 county to Avon township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio. In 1882 Anson removed from Avon 
 to Carlisle, where he followed the business 
 of a farmer and nurseryman, and in 1855 
 came to Elyria, same county, where he 
 established the nurseries now owned l)y J. 
 C. Hill. From Elyria he went to North- 
 port, Mich. He was married, in 1835, in 
 Carlisle, to Miss Emeline Vincent, who 
 was born at Mt. Washington, Berkshire 
 Co., Mass., October 10, 1818. 
 
 R. E. Braman was reared on his father's 
 farm and educated at the Elyria j)ublic 
 schools. At the age when he should have 
 been entering the arena of professional 
 or business life, the Civil war broke out. 
 and fired by the spirit of patriotism he en- 
 listed, August 9, 1861, in Company I, 
 
662 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Eighth O. V. I., and was mustered into 
 the service at Columbus, Ohio On the 
 first day of his service iie was promoted 
 to corporal, afterward to sergeant, and 
 finally to lieutenant, his commission, how- 
 ever, not being issued till July 25, 18G4. 
 Our subject participated in the following 
 battles and skirmishes: Hanging Rock, 
 Va. ; Romney, Va. (both battles); Blues 
 Gap; French Store; Blooming Gap; Cedar 
 Creek; Strasburgh; Kernstown; Winches- 
 ter; Cedar Creek (second battle); Wood- 
 stock; Edinburgh; Mt. Jackson; Rood's 
 Hill; New Market; Front Royal; Harri- 
 son's Landing; Chickahominy Swamps; 
 Germantown [M. these in Virginia); Mou- 
 ocacy Bridge, Md.; South Mountain, Md.; 
 Cliancellorsville, Va. ; Gettysburg, Pa.; 
 Kilwinter, Md. After which he was 
 present at the following engagements in 
 Virginia: Falling Water, Culpeper Court- 
 house, Robinson's River, Rappahannock 
 Station, Beaieton, Auburn, Bristol Station, 
 Centerville, Kelly's Ford, Robertson's 
 Tavern, Mine Run, Morton's Ford, Wil- 
 derness, Todd's Furnace, Po River, Spott- 
 sylvania and Nortli Anna. At the last 
 named battle lie received a shot through 
 the thigh, which crippled him for life, and 
 he remained in hospital until Augut-t 25, 
 1864, when he returned home. 
 
 In 1805 Mr. Braman married Miss 
 Helen M. Nickerson, a native of Welling- 
 ton, Ohio, and four children — Edith M., 
 Harry E., Hattie L. and Frank R. — were 
 born to them. For a short time after the 
 war Mr. Braman was engaged in the coal 
 business, but since 1868 he has almost 
 constantly been holding local offices of 
 trust. In that year he was elected town- 
 ship assessor of Elyria township, an in- 
 cumbency he has filled continuously since, 
 with the exception of the period he was 
 county sheriff — 1872 to 1876. He was 
 elected county coroner in 1S81, and has 
 filled the office ever since without interrup- 
 tion. He has served as constable of 
 Elyria township several years, and is, at 
 present, deputy city marshal. His pen- 
 
 sion for services in the war was originally 
 thirty dollars per month, which was raised 
 to forty-five dollars by special Act of Con- 
 gress. Politically he is a stanch Repub- 
 lican; 'ocially he is a member of the 
 G. A. R. Post, No. 65, Elyria (in which 
 he has been senior vice-commander), of 
 the Royal Arcanum and Knights of Honor. 
 
 fr^ H. ROBBINS, ex-treasurer of Lor- 
 I J, ain county, is a native of same, born 
 \^ September 25, 1826, fourth in the 
 ^^ order of birth of the nine children 
 of Joseph and Mehitabel (Ilurlbut) 
 Robbins, natives of Connecticut. 
 
 The parents of subject moved to Jeffer- 
 son county, N. Y., and there followed 
 farming until 1825, when they came to 
 Ohio and settled in the woods of La- 
 Grange township, Lorain county, where 
 they cleared a farm and remained till the 
 father was al)0Ut seventy years old. They 
 then retired into the village of La Granjfe, 
 and there passed the remainder of their 
 busy lives, the mother dying in 1878, at 
 the age of seventy-nine years, the father 
 in 1880, at the patriarchal age of ninety- 
 one. He was in politics first a Democrat, 
 then a Free-soiler, and lastly a Republican. 
 He and his wife were members of the 
 Baptist Church, in which he was a deacon 
 f)-om 1840 up to the time of his death. 
 His father (grandfather of subject) was a 
 native of Ashfoid, Conn., a farmer by oc- 
 cupation, and died in La Grange, Lorain 
 county, when his grandson, G. II., was a 
 boy. 
 
 The subject proper of these lines re- 
 ceived a liberal education at the common 
 schools of the vicinity of his first home, 
 and until he was twenty-four years old 
 followed agricultural pursuits. He then 
 entered mercantile business in the town of 
 La Grange, and continued in same with 
 encouraging success until 1880, when he 
 was elected county treasurer, in which 
 office he served two terms [iowT years). At 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 663 
 
 the time of his receiving the incumbency 
 lie moved into Elyria, and lias since been 
 one of its most prominent and respected 
 citizens. Since 1850 he has l)een u zeal- 
 ous Republican, prior to which he was a 
 Democrat. 
 
 In 1853 Mr. Robbins was united in 
 marriage with Miss Mary F. Perkins, who 
 has borne him two children, Louise L. 
 and Hettie J. Mary F. Perkins was born 
 February 12, 1828, at Burlington, Otsego 
 Co., N. Y., and is the eldest daughter and 
 second child in the family of eight chil- 
 dren — four sons and four daughters — born 
 to Thomas and Lucy (Fitch) Perkins, who 
 were also natives of the same place. Her 
 early years were spent in Virgil, Cortland 
 Co., N. Y., and in 1849 she removed with 
 her parents to Grafton, Ohio. For several 
 years previous to her marriage she was 
 engaged in teaching, in which profession 
 she was very successful. Tlionias Perkins 
 was a descendant of John Perkins, one of 
 two brothers who migrated from England 
 to Boston about the year 1700. 
 
 1^ 
 born 
 
 IfffENRY E. MUSSEY, a prominent 
 I ^ business man of Elyria, and a Icad- 
 I 11 ing financier of Ohio, commands 
 •fj more than a passing notice in the 
 
 pages of this volume. He was 
 August 18, 1818, in Washington 
 county, N. Y., where he passed his early 
 fcliool days. 
 
 Reuben Mussey, father of our subject, 
 was a native of New Hampshire, born in 
 L)over, October 14, 1785. He studied 
 law, and was admitted to the bar at Albany, 
 A'. Y., in 181S, and practiced his profes- 
 sion at Sandy Hill, N. Y., in partnership 
 part of the time with Judge Skinner, also 
 law partner with V,. F. Butler, of New 
 York, and part of the time with Hon. Silas 
 Wright, subsequently U. S. Senator in 
 New York State. In 1825 he came to 
 Elyria, his family Jbllowing August 10, 
 
 1820, and here he remained, devoting him- 
 self chiefly to the practice of his profession, 
 teaching school in the county, and in other 
 occupations, including that of justice of 
 the peace, until the fall of 1837, when he 
 removed with all his family (excepting his 
 son, Henry E.), to Rockford, III., where 
 he continued in the practice of the law 
 until his death, which occurred October 
 14, 1843. 
 
 Henry E. Mussey completed his educa- 
 tion in Elyria under the preceptorship of 
 Rev. John Monteith, and at the age of 
 fourteen commenced the battle of life with 
 no capital save energy, willing heart and 
 hands, and sound judgment. He takes 
 pride in relating how he chopped cord 
 wood in Elyria at eighteen and three- 
 quarter cents and twenty cents. Choosinu; 
 the arena of mercantile trade, he became 
 clerk for Kendall & Parsons, where close 
 application to business, steadiness and in- 
 tegrity soon brought him advancement till 
 we lind him in course of time senior partner 
 of Mussey & Fuller, which subsequently 
 became H. E. Mussey & Co., and he claims 
 that the secret of the unbounded success the 
 firm met with was the strictly cash basis 
 upon which they operated — buying for 
 cash and selling for cash. In 1842 Air. 
 Mussey went west and took up a large 
 amount of land in Minnesota. He was in 
 Chicago when land there that is now worth 
 millions could have been bought for a 
 mere song; but from his experience he 
 avers that money loaned at six per cent 
 per annum is a better and safer invest- 
 ment than average real-estate investments. 
 During tiie " forties" he made more than 
 one trip to ]\Iichigan and elsewhere, carry- 
 ing with him different bank currencies, and 
 making exchanges at various places, sell- 
 ing at a discount for gold and trading cur- 
 rency for currency, in order to get Ohio 
 money or gold. In 1857 he suld out his 
 mercantile business to Baldwin, Laundou 
 & Nelson, and engaged in lake shipping, 
 becoming, from tliat time, interested also 
 in banking and real estate. 
 
664 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 In 1843 Mr. Mussey was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Caroline M. Kendall, of 
 Siiffield, Conn., and live children were born 
 to them — three sons and two daughters — 
 Henry, who died at the age of eighteen 
 months; and Eugene K., Reno F., Caro- 
 line E. and Flora B., all living at the pres- 
 ent time. A stanch Democrat, Mr. Mus- 
 sey has at all times been loyal to his party 
 and country, but has never aspired to of- 
 tice, nor has he ever taken active jjart in 
 political contests. For thirty continuous 
 years he has l>een a member of the school 
 board of Elyria, for twenty-four its treas- 
 urer, and during many years its president. 
 He is vice-president of the National Bank 
 of Elyria, and a director of the Cleveland 
 National Bank of Cleveland, both of which 
 institutions he assisted in organizing; is 
 president of the Mussey Stone Company, 
 one of the largest stone interests in Ohio; 
 is largely interested in the Cambridge 
 Consolidated Coal Company; besides in 
 many other enterprises — linancial and oth- 
 erwise — and has taken pride and pleasure 
 in contributing liberally of his time and 
 means to whatever tended to the pros- 
 ]ierity and welfare of the community at 
 large. 
 
 Mr. Mussey is possessed of a most re- 
 tentive memory, recalling with wonderful 
 accuracy the details of incidents which oc- 
 curred within his own view during his 
 long life; and he believes that memory is 
 the divinest attribute of man, permitting 
 him to live over again the liappy days of 
 his past life. He has in his possession a 
 budget of souvenirs illustrative in a meas- 
 ure of the rapid strides this country has 
 made during the past few decades — such 
 as letters written in the "thirties" before 
 envelopes came into use, and the postage 
 was thirty-seven and one-half cents per 
 half ounce between Elyria and Indiana. 
 He saw the day when the mail for Elyria 
 was brought on horseback in a single bag 
 thi'ee times a week, and has witnessed all the 
 improvements since, from the daily stage to 
 the present age of steam, telegraph and 
 
 telephone, with postage gradually reduced 
 to two cents per ounce to any part of the 
 United States, and the single mail bag of 
 thi-ee times a week developed into many 
 such — pouring their contents, correspond- 
 ence from all jjarts of tiie civilized world 
 — several times a day in every day of the 
 year. He has also been a witness to great 
 political changes in the nation, and one of 
 the greatest improvements that he marks 
 was the transformation of a State currency 
 to a National one. Mr. Mussey has seen 
 dark periods of panics and financial de- 
 pression, but by keen foresight and care- 
 ful management he always succeeded in 
 steering his affairs clear of shoals and the 
 impetiding vortex. During the war of the 
 Rebellion, he was true to his colors, grave 
 much of his time and means toward the 
 defense of the Union, and was a member 
 of the local military committee. In re- 
 ligious connection his family are members 
 of the Baptist Church, of which he has 
 ever been a liberal supporter. Socially he 
 has always been liberal, frank and genial, 
 in business never else than scrupulously 
 honorable and honest. 
 
 [[ J M. PARKER, A. M., superin- 
 
 r!^ tendeut of public schools, Elyria, is 
 
 I 1| a native of Licking county, Ohio, 
 
 ■JJ born in December, 1835, a son of 
 
 John and Persis (Follett) Parker, 
 
 natives of Franklin county, Vt. They 
 
 come of old Puritan stock, and the tirst of 
 
 the family in Ohio came about the year 
 
 1835. 
 
 His grandfatiier was a soldier of the 
 Revolution, and an officer in the war of 
 1812. One of iiis great-grandfathers was 
 killed in the Revolution, and another was 
 an officer throughout that war, and judge 
 of the first Supreme Court of Vermont. 
 
 Our subject received a liberal education 
 at the common schools of the neighlior- 
 hood of his birthplace, and at Marietta 
 College, Marietta, Ohio, from wliich insti- 
 
'.^. 
 
 ^^^^^, 
 
LORAIN CaUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 667 
 
 tution lie graduated in 1859. He entered 
 upon tlie profession of teacliing at the 
 Granville Male Academy, of which he was 
 principal for one year. He served two 
 years as princij)al of the Second Ward 
 Schools in Zaiiesville, Ohio, under the 
 superintendency of Gen. M. D. Leggett. 
 He resigned this position to accent the 
 snperintendency of the Elyria I*ublic 
 Schools, from which work he was called 
 two years later, 1864, to take charge of 
 the Mansfield Public Schools, which posi- 
 tion he held till 1873, when he resigned 
 to return to tiie Public Schools of Elyria, 
 where he still remains. Mr. Parker is a 
 member of the National and the Ohio 
 State Educational Associations, and is a 
 regular attendant at their meetings; he has 
 served on various cotnmittees thereof, and 
 as president of the Ohio Association; he 
 was a member of the State examining 
 board three years, having received his ap- 
 pointment from CoL D. F. DeWolf. 
 While a resident of Kichland county, 
 Ohio, he was a member of the board of 
 county examiners, and since coming to 
 Lorain has been a member of the board of 
 examiners of that county, some twenty 
 years. At a convention of the Knights of 
 the Maccabees of Ohio, held at Lakeside, 
 Ohio, in July, 1892, Mr. Parker was 
 elected Great Commander for the State. 
 At the close of the year he was reelected 
 to the same responsible position. 
 
 )ILLIAM HELDMYER, promi- 
 nent in the commercial circles of 
 Elyria, and one of the most ex- 
 - tensive hardware merchants in 
 Lorain county, is a native of the Buckeye 
 State, born in Medina county April 13, 
 1850. lie is a son of Jacob and Julia 
 Heldmyer, natives of Wittenberg, Ger- 
 many, who came to America in 1848, set- 
 tling in Medina county, Ohio. The father, 
 who was first a harness maker and later a 
 farmer by occupation, died early in life; 
 the mother is yet living in Elyria. 
 
 36 
 
 William Heldmyer at about the age of 
 fourteen years left home and worked in 
 various cities throughout the country, 
 finally, in 1867, locating in Elyria, where 
 he first found employment on the L. S. & 
 M. S. Railroad, but it was not until 1880 
 that his cai-eer of success commenced. At 
 that time he opened out, in conjunction 
 with Mr. Wright and Mr. Semple, a hard- 
 ware store in Elyria, under the firm name 
 of Heldmyer, Wright & Semple, and three 
 years later he bought out the entire con- 
 cern, carrying same on for some three 
 years longer as sole proprietor. He then 
 received into partnership Mr. John Krantz, 
 and for the past several years the prosper- 
 ity of the firm has become as a proverb in 
 the community, while others have not suc- 
 ceeded so well. William Heldmyer & Co. 
 bought out the entire stock of H. Brush 
 & Co. (at the time of their failure in 
 Elyria), consisting of hai'dware, imple- 
 ments, etc. About this time the firm of 
 W. H. Semple & Son also failed in busi- 
 ness, and our subject purchased their stock 
 of stoves, etc. The firm also bought out 
 the stock of W. E. Brooks, one of the 
 largest implement dealers in northern 
 Ohio, and with this large stock of goods — ■ 
 the practical consolidation of four separate 
 businesses — William Heldmyer & Co. pre- 
 sented themselves to the public as the 
 largest general hardware dealers in Lorain 
 county. In addition to the articles already 
 enumerated, they include in their stock 
 agricultural implements of all kinds, farm 
 vehicles, buggies, wagons, etc., as well as 
 hardware of every description, seeds, phos- 
 phates, etc. The building they occupy, 
 and which they own, is 50 x 165 feet, three 
 floors of which they use, besides a ware- 
 house filled with goods. Mr. Heldmyer 
 is a stockholder in the Savings Deposit 
 Bank Co., of Elyria, in the Lake Erie 
 Electric Light Company at Lorain, and in 
 the steamship "Veca." In politics he is 
 a Republican, and has been a member of 
 the city council for four years. lie is a 
 representative self-made man, all that he 
 
608 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 lias made being due entirely to liis own 
 indomitable perseverance and irrepressible 
 energy. 
 
 In 1874 Mr. Heldmyer was united in 
 marriage with Miss Mary Beeee,of Elyria, 
 by wliich union there are four children: 
 Jiorence, Alice, Leona and Harry, all 
 living. In the spring of 1893 Mr. Held- 
 myer purchased the "Metropolitan Hotel" 
 of Elyria, and August 1, same year, 
 bought a one-third interest in the "And- 
 wnr Hotel," an elegant hostelry costing 
 ninety thousand dollars. His home is sit- 
 uated at Middle avenue and Fourth street. 
 
 H 
 
 EMAN E. STARE, who for the 
 past sixty years, or nearly so, has 
 been a resident of Pentield town- 
 ship, is a son of Orrin Starr, 
 a representative pioneer 
 
 who was 
 citizen of same. 
 
 Orrin Starr was born October 30, 1803, 
 in Delaware county, N. Y., a son of Elea- 
 zer and Rebecca (Olapp) Starr, old settlers 
 of that county, where he passed his early 
 years on the home farm. He received his 
 litei'arv training in the common schools of 
 his native county, but when seven years 
 old he was left tatherless, and the duties 
 of assisting in the support of the family 
 and his widowed mother devolved upon 
 him. In 1834 he disposed of his interest 
 in the family estate, and migrating to Lo- 
 rain county, Ohio, settled on a farm a mile 
 and a half northeast of Penfield Center, at 
 which time the present territory of Pen- 
 field township contained but two frame 
 dwellings. On September 12, 1825, he 
 had married Miss Abigail, daughter of 
 Ileman pnd Lucinda Hickok, of Schoharie 
 county, N. Y., and they had passed a happy 
 wedded life of over fifty-six years, when, 
 on April 30, 1882, he was called from 
 earth: he was buried in Penfield cemetery. 
 Since the death of her husband Mrs. Starr 
 has resided on the home farm with her son 
 
 Clapp R., who now owns the place. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Starr were the parents of eleven 
 children, viz.: Melinda (deceased), Min- 
 erva and Maria (twins), Heman E. (our 
 suliject), Elizabeth (who died in Kansas), 
 Alonzo B. (who died at Mount Vernon, 
 Ky., of disease contracted in the army), 
 Hiram H., Emma L. (deceased), Edna, 
 Clapp R., and Marian A. (deceased). In 
 politics he was originally an Old-line 
 AVhig, later a Republican, and was elected 
 justice of the peace in his township, but 
 resigned after serving a year, feeling that 
 his personal affairs required his exclusive 
 attention ; he was also elected to other town- 
 ship offices. He and his wife were botli 
 members of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, the latter having joined it in her 
 youth. He was a very successful man, 
 and at the time of his death owned 237^ 
 acres of excellent land in the center of 
 Penfield township. 
 
 Heman E. Starr was born March 30, 
 1831, at Harperstield, Delaware Co., N. 
 Y., and when three and a half years old 
 was brought by his parents to Penfield 
 township. He received his education in 
 the district schools of the neighborhood of 
 his boyhood home, then held in old log 
 houses, his first teacher being Miss Mary 
 Hayes, but being the eldest son he was 
 unable to avail himself of many advanta- 
 ges. He was reared to agricultural pur- 
 suits, which he followed on the home farm 
 until the age of twenty-one, when he took 
 uphishomewithan uncle, Talcott Starr; but- 
 after residing with him only thirteen days 
 he was taken ill, and he did not recover 
 for a year. On November 13, 1852, he 
 was united in marriage with Miss Amelia 
 M. Gaylord, who was born May 12, 1833, 
 in Harpersfield, N. Y., daughter of Milton 
 and Hannah (Eells) Gaylord, who came to 
 Penfield township in 1836, and later set- 
 tled in Wellington township. The cere- 
 mony was performed by Rev. William 
 Runnals, a Methodist Episcopal minister. 
 After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Starr 
 resided for a short time with her father in 
 
LOEAiy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 669 
 
 Wellintrton, and in the following spring 
 settled on tlieir present farm, three-qnar- 
 ters of a mile south of the center of Pen- 
 field township. At the time of their com- 
 ing but a small portion of this place was 
 cleared, and they first lived thereon in a 
 lionie that cost twenty dollars, complete. 
 Here he has since erected a pleasant dwel- 
 ling, and now owns 130 acres of excellent 
 farm land. Mr. and Mrs. Starr have had 
 three children, viz.: Milton G., a farmer 
 of Penfield township, who married Miss 
 Ilattie Noble (daughter of Mortimer E. 
 and Helen A. (Olmstead) Noble, residents 
 of Swanton, ()hio), and has one child, 
 Winifred L. ; Lizzie, who died young; and 
 Harry E., a hardware meichant of Mc- 
 Comb, Hancock Co., Oliio. Our subject 
 has always followed farming, and for a 
 number of 3'ears has conducted a dairy 
 business in connection therewith. In his 
 political preferences he is a Repul)lican, 
 and has served as trustee and in various 
 other township positions. He has also 
 held dUices in the Congregational Church, 
 of which lie and his wife are members. 
 
 V.ILLIAM GPtAVES SHARP is a 
 native of Ohio, born at Mount 
 m Gilead March 14, 1859, and is 
 descended from one of the oldest 
 and most honored families in Maryland. 
 
 George Sharp, grandfather of subject, 
 and his son (also named George), both 
 natives of Maryland, were among the first 
 editors in Ohio, in which State and in 
 Maryland they held honorable political 
 jiositions. The grandfather died at Mount 
 Gilead, and is buried there. The father of 
 William G. married Miss Maliala Graves, 
 who was descended from an old Connecti- 
 cut family. They had but two children, 
 William G. and George W., the latter of 
 M'hom was the youngest senator of Michi- 
 gan; he is a graduate of Elyria high school 
 and Michigan University, and is now an 
 attorney at law in Michigan. 
 
 The subject of these lines received a 
 
 liberal education, in part at the comtnon 
 schools, and in part at the high^schools of 
 Elyria, from which latter he graduated. 
 He then took a course at the ITniversity 
 of Michigati, Ann Arbor, where he grad- 
 uated in the class of 18^1 in law, ami part 
 of the literary course. Wlien he left col- 
 lege he found himself poor in a financial 
 point of view, but rich in a harvest of 
 literary and legal loitj. He then made a 
 trip west to Minnesota and Dakota, and 
 at Fargo, in the last named State, entered 
 newspaper work, becoming local editor 
 and finally editor-in-chief. Returning to 
 Ohio, he opened a law office in Elyria, and 
 soon afterward we find him forming a 
 partnership with Lester McLean in Elyria. 
 In 1884 he was elected, on the Democratic 
 ticket, to the office of prosecuting attorney, 
 overcoming an adverse majority of more 
 than 2.000, and after three years was 
 nominated for State senator in his District, 
 but was defeated, although he ran eon- 
 siderably ahead of his ticket. In 1892 he 
 was a Presidential elector for Ohio on the 
 Democratic ticket, and has been chairman 
 of County and Congressional District 
 Committees at various times. About five 
 years ago he became interested as attorney 
 for certain Tennessee business corpora- 
 tions, and in many other enterprises, from 
 which connection with Tennessee capital- 
 ists he was enabled to organize a number 
 of large manufacturing concerns in the 
 United States and Canada. He also vis- 
 ited several South American Republics 
 for the same purpose, meeting with en- 
 couraging success, but was interrupted by 
 the Chilean war. Mexico was also visited^ 
 by him in similar interests, and with a 
 like result, and he is now a director and 
 stockholder in half a dozen different com- 
 panies, requiring more or less attention. 
 He nu^ibers among his friends and busi- 
 ness associates soine of the most prominent 
 capitalists in this country, both in the North 
 and South, whose conKdence lie enjoys in 
 the highest degree In the meantime his 
 
670 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 home is still in Elyria, as is also his law 
 office; but so much of bis time is given to 
 manufacturing enterprises that he has but 
 little to spaie for clientage. While in 
 regular practice he made a record equal to 
 the best, being successful in a very large 
 proportion of the State cases entrusted to 
 him as prosecuting attoi'ney. In 1891 he 
 began the erection of the W. G. Sharp 
 block in Elyria, which is built of pressed 
 brick, and is three stories in height, hav- 
 ing the interior fitted up with hardwood, 
 marble and tile. Mr. Sharp lias traveled 
 extensively in nearly every country except 
 the extreme Orient, and has profited much 
 by his observation of men and things. 
 Socially he is a member of the F. & A. 
 M., I. O. O. F., K. O. T. M. and K. of P. 
 
 FRANK W. BENNETT, president 
 of the Wellington (Brick) Machine 
 ^ Co., of Wellington, Ohio, comes of 
 stalwart English ancestry, and of 
 patriotic Revolutionary stock in this 
 country. 
 
 His grandfather, a native of either Ver- 
 mont or Massachusetts, served in the 
 Revolution. He was a Baptist preaclier 
 for a very long period, and died at the 
 patriarchal age of ninety-two years in 
 Wellington, Lorain Co., Ohio, where his 
 wife also ended her days. They came to 
 Ohio with their family some time in the 
 winter of 1832-33. They had two chil- 
 dren: Isaac, father of subject, and Fannie, 
 who married Peter Bost, of Pentield, Lo- 
 rain county. 
 
 Isaac Bennett, father of subject, was 
 born in Vermont in 1800, and came with 
 his parents to Ohio when he was about 
 thirty-two years of age. He taught school 
 both before and after coming here, but 
 chiefly gave writing lessons in Lorain 
 county. In course of time he opened out a 
 brick manufacturing business, which he car- 
 ried on some years; also owned a sawmill, 
 and made rakes and such like agricultural 
 
 implements in a shop he built for the pur- 
 pose. For seventeen years he served as 
 a justice of the peace, and it is stated by 
 good authority that no decision of his was 
 ever overruled by higher courts. He was 
 librarian of the public library at W^elling- 
 ton many years, and in every public enter- 
 prise showed himself in a substantial way 
 to be a useful, loyal citizen. He was a 
 zealous Baptist as long as there was a 
 church or congregation of that denomina- 
 tion in the neighborhood, but died a 
 member of the Disciple Church, that event 
 taking ])lace in 1886, when he was aged 
 about eighty-seven years; his wife, Esther 
 (Childs), passed away in 1891. They 
 were the parents of six children, as fol- 
 lows: Lewis, of whom special mention will 
 presently be jnade; Tirzah, who married a 
 Mr. Kirk; W^illiam, residing in Welling- 
 ton; Charles, also in Wellington; Levi, de- 
 ceased, and Frank W., subject of sketch. 
 
 Frank W. Bennett, whose name intro- 
 duces this sketch, was born December 5, 
 1843, in Wellington, Lorain Co., Ohio. 
 He received a liberal education at the 
 common schools of the neighborhood of 
 his place of birth, and at the age of nine- 
 teen laid aside his Ovid and Sallust for 
 the musket and sword. In 1863 he en- 
 listed in Company C, Eighty-sixth O. V. 
 I., six months service, and was discharged 
 February 10, 1864; February 1, 1865, he 
 enlisted, second time, in the One Hundred 
 and Seventy- sixth O. V. I., and was honor- 
 ably discharged June 8, 1865. In the 
 .first company he served he was a corporal, 
 and during his last enlistment he was in 
 the regimental band. After the war he 
 commenced the manufacture of cheese 
 boxes in Wellington, Lorain county, which 
 industry he conducted until purchasing an 
 interest in bis present business, originally 
 known as Bennett Bros. & Co., but since 
 incorporated into a stock company under 
 the title of the Wellington Machine Co. 
 This company is extensively engaged in 
 the manufacture of brick machinery, an 
 industry which, under their management 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 671 
 
 and control, has grown from small pro- 
 portions to one of considerable magnitude. 
 In connection with this they own the 
 Quaker Brick Machine, the sale of wliich 
 they have pushed in all parts of the 
 United States, as well as brickyard sup- 
 plies. In 18'.)0 they put up their present 
 manufacturing building, whicii contains 
 about half an acre of floor space, and they 
 employ an average of seventy-tive men. 
 In 1867 Mr. Bennett married Miss Ella 
 Boys, who was born in Norfolk, Litchfield 
 Co., Conn., in 1848, and came to Oliio 
 with her parents in 1857. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Bennett have one child — Roy C. Politi- 
 cally our subject is an ardent Bepublican. 
 Lewis Bennett, eldest brother of Frank 
 W., is a native of Vermont, born Septem- 
 ber 7, 1824, and received nearly all his 
 schooling in Lorain county. Till he was 
 in his twenty-third year he worked in his 
 fatiier's brickyard, after which he carried 
 on a similar business for his own account, 
 some thirty years, in Wellington, Lorain 
 county, making by hand most of the brick 
 used in the erection of all the best houses 
 in the town. In 1871 he built the "Park 
 Hotel" in Wellington, a well known and 
 popular hostelry. In 1847 he married 
 Miss Fannie Lewis, a native of Medina 
 county, Ohio, born in September, 1830, 
 and two children have been born to them, 
 both now deceased, the son at the age of two 
 years, the daughter (who bad married, but 
 had no children) when thirty years of age. 
 Politically Mr. Bennett is a lifelong Re- 
 publican, and in matters of religion is a 
 member of the Disciple Church. 
 
 T. MAYNARD, M. D., a leading 
 physician of Lorain county, and a 
 resident of Elyria, was born Sep- 
 tember 14, 1851, in Ripley town- 
 ship, Huron Co., Ohio. He is a son of 
 George and Polly (Woodward) Maynard, 
 natives of New York State, both of whom 
 are yet living, and carrying on farming in 
 
 Ripley township, Huron county, where 
 they have resided ever since their marriage, 
 in 1850. 
 
 Our subject was reared on a farm, and 
 received his elementary education in the 
 comtnon schools of the Tieighborhood of 
 his ])lace of birth. So hard did he study, 
 and so apt was he as a student, that from 
 being a scholar he became a teacher be- 
 fore he was twenty-one years old, and all 
 the money he earned up to that age went 
 toward the support of the family. After 
 that period of his life he continued teach- 
 ing during winter time, and working on a 
 farm in summers, saving his money in 
 order to enable him to follow out the am- 
 bition of his boyhood and youth — to become 
 a ])hysician. In 1873 he commenced the 
 study of medicine, the same year entering 
 the Eclectic Medical Institute, Cincinnati, 
 Ohio, where he took his degree of M. D. 
 in 1875. During the two succeeding years 
 he was assistant physician in the North- 
 western Ohio Asylum for the Insane at 
 Toledo, Ohio. In the general practice of 
 his profession Dr. Maynard opened out 
 flrst at Middletown, Ohio, whence, in 
 1878, he moved to North Amherst, in 
 Lorain county, and here he practiced over 
 seven years, during which time he took a 
 post-graduate course at the Medical Col- 
 lege, Western Reserve University, Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, graduating there in 1884. In 
 1885 and '86 the Doctor spent six months 
 in the Polyclinic, New York, taking an- 
 other post-graduate course. In 1886, on 
 his return, he moved to Elyria, Ohio, and 
 established his present lucrative practice. 
 The winter of 1888-89 he passed in 
 Europe, visiting various medical institu- 
 tions in London, Paris, Berlin and Vienna, 
 spending a whole year in post-graduate 
 work; in addition to all of which he took 
 a short course at the Homeopathic Medi- 
 cal College, Chicago, in 1892, and spent 
 six weeks at the Post-graduate School of 
 New York, in the fall of 1893. This is an 
 experience of study that few medical men 
 in Ohio can boast of, and Dr. Maynard is 
 
672 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 justly recognized as one of the leading 
 practitioners in his county, wliile at the 
 same tinne he is alniobt the youngest man 
 there in the profession. 
 
 Dr. O. T. Alaynard was married, in 1877, 
 to Miss Mary E. Lyman, niece of Dr. B. 
 A. Wright, superintendent of the North- 
 western Ohio Asylum for the Insane at 
 Toledo, already mentioned. In politics he 
 is a Republican, and socially is a member 
 of the Royal Arcanum, the I. O. F., 
 the Cuyahoga County Medical Society, the 
 Society of Medical Sciences of Cleveland, 
 and the Ohio State Medical Society. He 
 has been an active member of the Baptist 
 Church ever since he was married, having 
 united with that Church at Cincinnati 
 during his student life. 
 
 CHARLES E. WILSON, county com- 
 missioner of Lorain county (with 
 ^_^ residence in Elyria), is a native of 
 same, born in Avon township, Au- 
 gust 26, 1840. 
 
 His father, William Wilson, was born 
 in 1812 in Northamptonshire, England, 
 whence at about the age of eighteen years 
 he came to the United States, locating in 
 Cleveland, Ohio, for a few years. He 
 there married Miss Elvira Clisbee, and the 
 young couple then (1839) moved to Avon 
 township, Lorain county, settling on a 
 piece of land, at that time all covered by 
 the forest. He died January 19, 1860, 
 aged forty-seven years, two months, nine- 
 teen days, a Democrat in politics, a Bap- 
 tist in religion. His father, also named 
 William, came from England to this coun- 
 try, and died in Avon township, Lorain 
 county; he was twice married, his first 
 wife <lying i!i England, his second in Avon 
 township. Our subject's mother, who is 
 at present living at Tabor, Iowa, aged 
 seventy-three years, comes of New Eng- 
 land stock. She is the mother of six chil- 
 dren, of whom the following is brief men- 
 tion: Charles E. is the subject of this 
 
 sketch; Nancy is the wife of N. S. Phelps, 
 of Glenwood, Iowa; Louis E. is in Atchi- 
 son county. Mo.; Anna is the wife of J. 
 Graves, of Tabor, Iowa; Willis S. died 
 when twenty-three years old; Alice is also 
 deceased. 
 
 Charles E. Wilson, the subject proper 
 of this sketch, received his elementary 
 education at the common schools of Avon 
 township, w'hich was supplemented with 
 an attendance of one term at Oberlin Col- 
 lege. In 1864 he enlisted in Company H, 
 First Ohio Heavy Artillery, which served 
 in eastern Tennessee. He remained in the 
 army until the close of the war, and was 
 in active service at the time of Lee's sur- 
 render, after which he came home, and in 
 the fall of the same year drove a team to 
 Iowa, where he resided one year on a farm. 
 Once more coming to Lorain county, he 
 married Miss Elzina Lucas, and then set- 
 tled on the old homestead which at that 
 time he rented, but later bought. They 
 lived there until 1886, when he located in 
 Elyria. He is a stockholder in the Elyria 
 Savings Deposit Bank Co.; has been a 
 member of the boai'd of directors of the 
 Lorain County Agricultural Society; he is 
 affiliated with the G. A. R., and is a F. & 
 A. M. He is a Republican in politics, 
 and has been a member of the city council 
 and of the board of education. To Mr. 
 and Mrs. Wilson were born two children, 
 viz. : Alice, who was married, June 8, 1S93, 
 to F. E. Edwards, and lives in Medina, Ohio, 
 where her husband is a leading dry-goods 
 merchant, and Grace, who departed frotn 
 earth at the early age of sixteen years. 
 The family are members of the M. E. 
 Church. 
 
 MITH STEELE is a son of John 
 
 and Pollie (St. John) Steele, and 
 
 was born in Avon township, Lorain 
 
 Co., Ohio, October 27, 1819. 
 
 His father, a native of Delaware county, 
 
 N. Y., where he married, was a tanner and 
 
 currier, and harness and saddle maker. In 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 673 
 
 1818 he came to Lorain county, settling in 
 Avon townsliip, where he followed his 
 trade for some years, and then, about 1826, 
 removed to North Amherst. Here he 
 passed from earth at the age of sixty-six 
 years. The mother of our subject was 
 born in Connecticut, and reared in Dela- 
 ware county, N. Y.; she died in California. 
 A brief record of their children is as fol- 
 lows: Julia Ann married O. Williams, of 
 Avon townsliip, Lorain county, and died 
 there; at one time they lived in Michigan. 
 John C, a farmer, lived in Avon town- 
 ship, Lorain county, for a time, then in 
 North Amherst, where he died; his daugh- 
 ter is livinsx on his late farm. R. E. went 
 from North Amherst to California, where 
 he had ranches, and died very wealthy. 
 Horace S., who was a carpenter and joiner 
 and also a farmer, went to California, and 
 lived on a ranch. Nathaniel was a resident 
 of North Amherst, and died while visit- 
 ing in New York State. Mary B. married 
 S.J. Finney, a professor and lecturer, who 
 was elected to the Assembly of California; 
 she died in Pescadero, Cal. The seventh 
 in order of birth is Smith, the subject of 
 sketch. Emeline married Isaac Steele, and 
 is reputed wealthy; they live in Pescadero, 
 California. 
 
 Smith Steele received but a limited edu- 
 cation, and was reared to the arduous 
 duties of farm life. In 1841 he was 
 united in marriage with Miss Lydia Orms- 
 by, who was born in North Amherst Janu- 
 ary 27, 1822, and whose parents were 
 among the first pioneers of North Am- 
 herst. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Steele 
 remained a short time on the farm, and 
 then moved to North Amherst, where for 
 six years he carried on a store, and for 
 three years a hotel, at the end of which 
 time they again went on the farm. In 
 186n they returned to North Amherst, 
 where they built a nice residence. Mr. 
 Steele had twenty-two acres of prime land, 
 and followed agriculture until his retire- 
 ment from active life in 1878. He and 
 his wife visited California three times, on 
 
 one occasion spending a year in the "Eu- 
 reka State." Mr. and Mrs. Smith Steele 
 have two ciiildren living — H. N. and Eber 
 — two having died — Mary, born January 
 29, 1843, died at the age of two years; 
 Ilattie May, born October 29, 1849, died 
 October 8, 1864. H. N. was born De- 
 cember 20, 1845, and was educated at 
 Oberlin College; he is now cashier of the 
 Savings Deposit Bank of North Amherst. 
 Eber was born December 16, 1847, and 
 educated at Oberlin; he is now secretary 
 in the same bank as his brothei-. Politi- 
 cally our subject was originally a Demo- 
 crat, but is now a Republican; he and his 
 wife are Spiritualists, lie is a stockholder 
 in the North Amherst Bank, and in the 
 Lorain Steamship Company. 
 
 Rev. Caleb Ormsby, father of Mrs. Smith 
 Steele, was born at Becket, Berkshire Co., 
 Mass., August 10, 1789, and died July 31, 
 1864, in North Amherst, Ohio. He re- 
 ceived his education in his native town, 
 and in New York State, in which latter 
 he was married in 1811, to Catherine 
 Stanton. In 1820 they came to Ohio and 
 made a settlement in Amherst township, 
 having previously bought the land on 
 which the village of North Aniherst now 
 stands. He was a circuit preacher in the 
 M. E. Church for about forty years, riding 
 raanj' miles to the various meeting houses, 
 and he had a wide reputation for preaching 
 funeral sermons. Besides his duties as a 
 preacher, Mr. Ormsby carried on farming, 
 and became wealthy. He died July 31, 
 1864, a lifelong Republican. His wife 
 was born in Rhode Island, and died in 
 1872. Their children were as follows: 
 Isaac C, born January 5, 1813, died in 
 1875 (he was a sailor on the lakes); Mary 
 C, married to John Williams, of Avon 
 township, Lorain county, died about the 
 year 1832; Caleb N., born August 27, 
 1824, was a farmer, and died June 29, 
 1844. 
 
 II. N. Stkele, cashier of the Savings 
 Deposit Bank, North Amherst, is a native 
 of that town, born December 20, 1845, a 
 
674 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 son of Sinitli and Lydia (Ormsby) Steele. 
 He received his education at Oberlin Col- 
 lege, after whieli he commenced business 
 at North Amherst. For some time he was 
 in the milling business, and for about five 
 years carried on agriculture. He was one 
 of the organizers of the Savings Deposit 
 Bank in North Amherst, and March 12, 
 1891, he was appointed cashier of same. 
 
 Mr. Steele was united in marriage, Sep- 
 tember 20, 1867, with Miss Ellen Gawne, 
 and four children have been born to them, 
 as follows: Edgar, Franklin, Florence and 
 May. Our subject is a Republican, and a 
 member of the K. of P. He is a stock- 
 holder in the North Amherst Furniture 
 Company, and in tlie Lorain Steamship 
 Company. Mr. Steele is a man of excel- 
 lent business capacity, and an expert in 
 financial matters. 
 
 JOSEPH L. WHITON, Jr., a prom- 
 inent farmer of Amhei'St township, is 
 a worthy representative of an early 
 pioneer family. His grandparents 
 were Joseph L. and Amanda Whitoti, and 
 the following is a brief record of their chil- 
 dren: Harriet, born March 7, 1796, is 
 row deceased; Amanda, born October 10, 
 1797, is also deceased; Samantha, born 
 August 30, 1794, came to Lorain county, 
 and died December 13, 1878, in St. 
 Charles, Minn.; Joseph L. is the father of 
 our subject; Daniel G., born March 20, 
 1801, came to Lorain county, but subse- 
 quently went to Wisconsin, and died there 
 March 20, 1866; Edward V.,born June 2, 
 1805, came to Lorain county, and after- 
 ward went to Janesville, Rock Co., Wis., 
 where he became prominent in the early 
 histoi-y of the county, and served as judge, 
 deciding the Barstow case (he died April 
 12, 1859); Eliza, born April 16, 1807, 
 died June 15, 1885, at Clifton, Va.; Cath- 
 erine, born March 8, 1810, died August 
 14, 1836; and Agnes, born August 12, 
 
 1813, is deceased. The father of this family 
 was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He 
 died August 16, 1828. 
 
 Joseph L. Whiton was born July 14, 
 1799, in Lee, Berkshire Co., Mass., and 
 came to Lorain county, Ohio, at the age of 
 twenty years, locating on land in Black 
 River township. He afterward returned 
 to Massachusetts, where he was married 
 December 18, 1829, to Lavina Wright, a 
 native of Springfield, that State, and in 
 1830 they came to Amherst township, Lo- 
 rain county, settling in the then wilderness, 
 where they passed the remainder of their 
 lives. They became the parents of three 
 children, viz.: Agnes, who married Henry 
 Allen, of New York, and died in Amherst 
 township August 1, 1863; Catherine, wife 
 of M. W. Axtell, of North Amherst, and 
 Joseph L. Mr. Whiton took great interest 
 in the politics of his day; he served for 
 twelve years as justice of the peace; for 
 seven years he was associate judge in the 
 court of common pleas; he represented his 
 county in the Legislature during the winter 
 of 1849-50, and was always very active in 
 public affairs. He died April 26, 1869,- 
 his wife surviving him till April 8, 1874, 
 when she too passed away. 
 
 Joseph L. Whiton, Jr., was born March 
 28, 1848, on his present farm in Amherst 
 township, received his education in the 
 district schools, and has always followed 
 farming. On June 24, 1874, he was mar- 
 ried in Amherst township to Miss Annetta 
 J. Gawn, a native of Lake Breeze, Shef- 
 field township, Lorain county, whose 
 grandparents, John and Ann Esther 
 (Quailj Gawn, were natives of the Isle of 
 Man, and came to Lorain county in a very 
 early day; they died in Amherst township. 
 Their son, Daniel Gawn, who was also born 
 in the Isle of Man, learned the trade of 
 carpenter, and when a boy of sixteen came 
 to Loi'ain county, Ohio. He was married, 
 at Black River, to Susanna Spooner, a na- 
 tive of Maine, and to their union were 
 born nine children: Annetta J. (Mrs. 
 Whiton), Thomas E. (living in Amherst 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 677 
 
 townbliip), Mary E. (wife of Charles Grif- 
 fin, of Amherst township), John L. (a 
 resident of Lorain), Charles L. (living in 
 North Amherst), James {\n North Am- 
 herst), Susanna C. (^wife of Adam Schu- 
 bert, of liOraiu county), Joseph L. (in 
 Amiierst) and Daniel C. After his mar- 
 riajje Mr. Gawn operated Lake Breeze farm, 
 and in 1867 moved to Amherst township, 
 where he died January 22, 1876; his widow 
 is now residing in Lorain. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Whiton have been born 
 five children: Joseph Edward, Curtis 
 Warren, Edith Lovina, Agnes L. and 
 Arthur Lucas. In politics Mr. Whiton is 
 a Democrat, and has served repeatedly as 
 trustee, assessor, and member of the school 
 board. He conducts a general farming 
 business, giving his principal attention, 
 however, to stock farming, raising Short- 
 horn cattle. 
 
 El D WARD WEST, familiarly known 
 as " Deacon West," is a capitalist 
 I and farmer of no small prominence 
 
 in Lorain county, and a citizen of 
 unquestionable loyalty and probity, hold- 
 ing many offices in the townsliip where he 
 resided. 
 
 He was born October 3, 1818, in Green- 
 wich, Mass., a son of Roger West, who 
 was born in October, 1787, in the same 
 place, and died August 21, 1837. Roger 
 West married, in 1813, Miss Cynthia 
 Sears, born April 12, 1792, and died July 
 12, 1840. Roger received a fair educa- 
 tion in his native town, and became a good 
 bookkeeper and business man. By occu- 
 pation he was a miller, owning saw, card- 
 ing and grist mills. In 1831 he came 
 west with his family to Ohio, the first win- 
 ter tarrying in Brooklyn, Cuyahoga 
 county, near Cleveland; thence in March, 
 1832, moving toStrongsville, same county, 
 where they resided two years, and then 
 came to Ridgeville, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 where for nearly four years the father fol- 
 lowed farming. Here he died, and the 
 
 family in March (1838) following pro- 
 ceeded to Huntington township, where 
 they made a permanent settlement, the 
 mother dying there July 12, 18-10. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Roger West were upright, hon- 
 orable people, held in respectful remem- 
 brance for their manj' virtues. Tliey were 
 the parents of seven children, a record of 
 whom is as follows: (1) Lyman was born 
 July 3, 1814, and was twenty- four years 
 old when the family settled at Huntington; 
 here he was shortly afterward converted, 
 and joined the Baptist Church at Hunt- 
 ington, of which he was an active member 
 and deacon until 1867, when he removed 
 with his family to Michigan, locating on a 
 farm in DeWitt township, Clinton county. 
 He united by letter with the Baptist 
 Church at that place, where he was made 
 deacon in September, 1867, serving until 
 1877, "when he removed to Lansing, same 
 State, and united soon after with the Bap- 
 tist Church there. He finally returned to 
 his old horaein DeWitt township, Clinton 
 county, as his health was poor and he 
 wished to be near his son, and there he 
 died, August 1, 1886. (2) Hannah was 
 born Septeml)er 3, 1816, and in February, 
 1834, was united in marriage to Marvin 
 E. Stone, who was killed by a runaway 
 horse October 14, 1879, when he was 
 seventy-five years of age. He had lived 
 in Strongsville for almost sixty years. 
 They had nine children. Mrs. Stone died 
 November 18, 1893. (3) Edward, of whom 
 special niention is made farther on, is the 
 subject of this sketch. (4) Turner was 
 born March 5, 1821, and spent most of 
 his life in Lorain county, but in his later 
 years he went to Kansas to encourage 
 and help his sons. lie had a fall in a 
 cornfield, which proved fatal, and he 
 died September 26, 1875. (5) Al- 
 plieus was born June 18, 1823, and 
 died August 1, 1828, when five years 
 old. (6) Henry B. was born July 3, 1832, 
 at Strongsville, Cuyahoga county, and 
 spent three years in study at Oberlin Col- 
 lege, Ohio; he was soon after chosen 
 
678 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 recorder of Lorain county, in which position 
 he served for nine years, holding the office 
 three years lonoer than any other man up 
 to that time. Shortly after the expiration 
 of his third term he went to Put-in-liay, 
 and engaged in the hotel business, being 
 the pioneer in that line there; and here he 
 continued in this for fifteen years, wlien 
 the "Piit-in-Eay House" was destroyed by 
 lire. Some time prior to this event Mr. 
 West had become interested in the "West 
 House," at Sandusky, and after the fire he 
 removed thither, remaining there three or 
 four years, when he removed to Shelby, 
 Ohio, conducting the "Junction House" at 
 that place two or three years. He next 
 went to Cleveland, where, as stated by the 
 Cleveland press, he became one of the 
 oldest and most successful liotelkeepers 
 in the city, and died there July 12, 1888. 
 (7) Harriet 11. was born July 3, 1834, in 
 Ridgeville towtiship, Lorain county, and 
 in 1859 was married to Fazelo Hubbard, 
 with whom she removed to Illinois in 
 1860. She embraced religion when very 
 young, and was always a meek and Chris- 
 tian-liku woman, and an ardent worker in 
 the church, ever ready to do her Master's 
 will. She died at Pana, Illinois, Novem- 
 ber 11, 1870. 
 
 Edward West, whose name opens this 
 sketch, received a fair education at the 
 public schools of his native place, and two 
 and a half years at Oberlin College, Ohio, 
 and assisted his father in his woolen mill, 
 chiefly in the carding room. He was also 
 employed on a faru) till 1850, when he 
 commenced dealing in sheep and wool, a 
 business he followed for about thirty years 
 in connection with his farm, which was 
 locateil in Huntington township about 
 three-quarters of a mile south of the cen- 
 ter. In 1881 he came to Wellington, with 
 the business progress of whicli town he 
 has since become intimately identified. 
 Soon after the organization of the bank 
 there he become one of its heaviest stock- 
 holders and a director, and has been con- 
 nected with same ever since. On Sep- 
 
 tember 24, 1840, he was united in marriage 
 with Miss Eineline C. Chapman, born 
 August 26, 1821, in Montgomery, Hamp- 
 den Co., Mass., a daughter of Abner and 
 Olive (Fisher) Chapman, natives of Con- 
 necticut and Massachusetts, respectively, 
 and a record of whose children is as fol- 
 lows: (1) Luther, born November 20, 
 1798, came to Ohio on foot, settling in 
 Geausa countv, where he was married 
 February 19, 1830, to Anna Granger; he 
 died March 30, 1886, near Troy, Ohio, 
 and was a member of the M. E. Church. 
 (2) Calvin, born March 24, 1800, was 
 married November 5, 1823. to Eliza Van- 
 Horn, whose father was a cabinet maker iu 
 Boston, Mass. Calvin Chapman died June 
 1, 1827. (3) Achsah, born February 10, 
 1802, died January 10, 1804. (4) Olive, 
 born April 22, 1804, died January 10, 
 1870, in Wisconsin; she was married 
 on February 4, 1822, to Julius Hatch. 
 (5) Achsah, born February 1, 1806, died 
 December 28, 1823. (6) Laura, born 
 February 29, 1808, was married Decem- 
 ber 19, 1823, to Sumner Otis; she died 
 January 9, 1832. They had a son who 
 was a major-general in the regular army, 
 and a graduate of AVest Point, and lived 
 with his grandfather, Abner Chapman. 
 (7) Abner, Jr., who was born March 8, 
 1810, and was married March 25, 1835, 
 to Eliza A. Cone, who died February 5, 
 1884. He resides in Wellington. (8) 
 William, born April 80, 1812, was mar- 
 ried November 19, 1835, to Rowena Bab- 
 cock, who died May 3, 1885, in Hunting- 
 ton, a member of the Baptist Church; he 
 died December 26, 1880. (9) Eunice, 
 born July 3, 1814, was married December 
 7, 1840, to Lyman West; she died March 
 18, 1887. (10) Hulda A., born June 19, 
 1817, was married October 5, 1841, to 
 Josiah C. Lang, who was a soldier in the 
 Civil war, and died November 17, 1861; 
 she died September 20, 1872. (11) John 
 Austin, born April 7, 1819, was married 
 November 6, 1844, to Isabel Lindsey; he 
 died May 22, 1891. (12) Emeline' C. is 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 679 
 
 the wife of Edward West. Mrs. Emeline 
 C. West was twelve years of age when she 
 came to Luraiii county, and slie attended 
 school in Huntington townsliip, after 
 which she taught some years. At about 
 the age of nineteen she united with the 
 Baptist Church, but two years after her 
 marriage she became identified with the 
 Congregatioualists. Politically our sub- 
 ject has been a stanch Hepublicau since 
 the organization of the party, and he was 
 always a pronounced Abolitionist. In 
 February, 1840, he united witli the Con- 
 gregational Church, in which he was dea- 
 con for many years. All his life he has 
 been an active and zealous church worker, 
 and has been liberal of liis means in the 
 cause of education, in charities and in 
 public improvements, giving at one time 
 a thousand dollars to Oberlin College and 
 smaller amounts since that time, and aliout 
 a year ago he gave five hundred dollars to 
 the village library of Wellington. 
 
 q^ EORGE H. ELY, one of the leading 
 r, spirits of enterprise in Eljria, and 
 I one of her most prominent citizens, 
 ^ is a native of that beautiful town, 
 born November 15, 1844, a son of 
 Heman and Mary H. (Monteith) Ely. 
 
 After attending the common schools of 
 the place, the subject of this brief notice 
 entered Yale Ccdlege, from which he 
 graduated in the class of 1865. On his 
 return from college he became a member 
 of the firm of Topliff & Ely, in Elyria, 
 giving his entire attention to the develop- 
 ment and management of that concern 
 until 1888, when he sold out his interest. 
 At present he is connected with several 
 prominent businesses in Elyria, most of 
 which owe their origin to his enterprise 
 and forethought. In the fall of 1893 lie 
 was elected senator to represent the 27th 
 and 2'Jth Districts in the 71st General 
 Asseml)ly of Ohio. For many years ho 
 has shown "reat interest in the Lorain 
 
 County Agricultural Society, and is at 
 present the president. Moreover, rather 
 as a diversion from the cares of business 
 than otherwise, he has for some consider- 
 able time been interested in the live-stock 
 industry, and he is now the owner of one 
 of the best stock farms in Ohio, and of the 
 far-famed "Elyria." 
 
 On December 11, 1867, George H. Ely 
 and Miss Annie Moody, daughter of Loman 
 A. and Louisa (Patrick) Moody, of Chico- 
 pee, Mass., were married in that town. In 
 his political preferences Mr. Ely is a 
 Republican. 
 
 and 
 
 HARLES COOLEY, superinteiulent 
 of the County Infirmary, was born 
 in Browuhelm township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, in 1835, a son of Moses B. 
 Jane M. (Peck) Cooley, lifelong 
 farmers, the latter of whom died at the 
 age of seventy years. They were mem- 
 bers of the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 Moses B. Cooley was a native of Massa- 
 chusetts, born in Stockbridge in 1800, and 
 in 1818 came west to Ohio, settling as a 
 pioneer in Brownhelm township, Lorain 
 county. He died in 1889, a Republican 
 in politics, originally an Old-line Whig. 
 The pioneer of tlie name in Lorain county 
 was Hanson Cooley, who, in 1818, settled 
 with his family in what is now Brownhelm 
 townsliip. He was a millwright by trade, 
 and built the old Ely mill, the first one in 
 the county. 
 
 Charles Cooley received a liberal edu- 
 cation in the schools of his native town- 
 ship, and at Oberlin College. He married 
 Miss Anna Bacon, who died in 1865, leav- 
 ing two sons — George, now in St Louis, 
 Mo., and Charles. For his second wife he 
 married, in 1870, Miss Addie Applel)y, 
 by which union there is one child. Mrs. 
 Cooley is a lady of refinement, possessed 
 of superior personal attainments and busi- 
 ness qualitications, and by her popularity 
 has surrounded herself with hosts of 
 
 friends. After his first 
 
 Mr. 
 
680 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Cooley remained on his father's farm in 
 Brovviihelm township for five years. In 
 1888 he was appointed to his present posi- 
 tion, since when he has been a resident of 
 Elyria. In the conducting of the affairs of 
 the County Intirniary he is assisted by his 
 excellent wife, and they have given emi- 
 nent satisfaction in every particular. In 
 polities Mr. Cooley is a Republican; so- 
 cially lie is a member of the F. & A. M. 
 and K. of P. 
 
 1^ 
 
 I J[ ENRY WURST. Among tiie pre- 
 '!^ eminently self-made men of Lorain 
 Ij county, and prominent in the busi- 
 ness circles of Elyria, is to be found 
 this ojentleman, who is deserving of 
 more than a passing notice in the pages of 
 tliis volume. 
 
 He is a native of Hessen-Cassel, Ger- 
 many, born November 7, 1849. When he 
 was about one year old, his parents emi- 
 grated to America with their family, 
 making their way westward to Ohio, where 
 they made a settlement in the fair town of 
 Elyria. When our subject was six years 
 old he lost his father by death, and after 
 a few years' attendance at the common 
 schools, at the early age of eleven, he com- 
 menced business life as a clerk in the gro- 
 cery store of C. A. Parks, in Elyria. About 
 1866 Mr. Parks went out of business, and 
 young Wurst commenced work for Mrs. 
 C. A. Ely; from there went to Mr. D. M. 
 Fisher's, and from there to Baldwin, Laun- 
 don & Nelson, with whom he stayed until 
 they sold the grocery and crockery and 
 hardware business to Harman & Obitts. 
 With this tirm he remained till October 2, 
 1875, in which year he and H. H. Andress 
 jointly purchased the grocery and crockery 
 business. After a short time, however, 
 Mr. Andress retired, Mr. Wurst purchasing 
 the entire concern. He remodeled the store 
 and greatly extended the trade, which soon 
 became one of considerable magnitude, 
 bringing in profitable returns. In 1880 
 he purchased the property whereon now 
 
 I 
 
 stands the Wurst block, but in 1885 his 
 buildings were destroyed by tire. He im- 
 mediately rebuilt, however, the result 
 being one of the best business blocks in 
 Elyria, and known as the " Wurst block," 
 just mentioned. It is of brick, three 
 stories in height, the main building being 
 44 X 75 feet, and the rear one 18 x 70. 
 Mr. Wurst continued the grocery business 
 till June 15, 1892, wheti he found himself 
 so deeply engaged in other interests in the 
 city that, in order to give his undivided 
 attention to affairs of, to him, more ira- 
 ortance, he sold out his grocery. He and 
 lis former partner, Mr. Andress, had pur- 
 chased the " Beebe House," the leading 
 hotel in Elvria, which at considerable out- 
 lay they repaired and reiitted, and it now 
 stands second to none in the State as a 
 lirst-class hotel. Mr. Wui-st is a stock- 
 holder in the Elyria Savings Bank; the 
 Electric Light Plant Company of Lorain; 
 the Savings and Loan Association of Elyria, 
 and of the National Building and Loan As- 
 sociation of Cleveland. 
 
 On November 27, 1873, Mr. Wurst was 
 united in marriage with Miss Ella Robin- 
 son, of Ridgeville, Lorain Co., Ohio, she 
 being of English birth, and two children 
 have been born to them — Earl H. and 
 Charles J., both now attending college at 
 Oberlin. Politically Mr. Wurst is a Re- 
 publican, and he is a member of the 
 Knights of Pythias. 
 
 rENELON B. RICE, the well-known 
 director of the Oberlin Conservatory 
 _^ of Music, is a native of Ohio, born 
 at Greensburg, Trumbull county, in 
 1841. He is the iirst son of Rev. David 
 L. and Emily (Johnson) Rice, the former 
 of whom was born in Trumbull county, 
 Ohio, May 1, 1820, the latter in Canaan, 
 Litchfield Co., Connecticut. 
 
 The father of our subject received his 
 literary education in Trumbull county, 
 Ohio, and studied for the ministry in 
 Geauga Seminary. The iield of his cleri- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 681 
 
 cal labors lay in Trumbull and Ashtabula 
 counties, Ohio, exceptino; twenty years in 
 which he was traveling from place to place 
 in the country, from New York to Iowa, 
 Boliciting subscriptions or donations to- 
 ward the founding of Hillsdale (Mich.) 
 College, visiting ail the Freewill Baptists 
 on his route, he being a preacher in the 
 church of that denomination. He died in 
 Trximbnll county in 1886. His father, 
 David Rice, came from his native place, 
 North Brooktield, Mass., to Trumbull 
 county, Ohio, then a wilderness, where he 
 lived seven years ere a death occurred in 
 their township. He married a native of 
 Brookfield, Vt., and they were members of 
 the Congregational Church. Two brothers, 
 one sister and quite a colony of relatives 
 settled there. Enoch Rice, great-grand- 
 father of the subject of this sketch, was a 
 farmer and mechanic, and built grist and 
 saw mills. 
 
 Fenelon B. Rice received his early edu- 
 cation at Orwell Academy in Ashtabula 
 county, Ohio (Prof. Tuckerman being then 
 in charge, now president of New Lyme In- 
 stitute), and at Hillsdale College. In 1859 
 he went to Boston for the purpose of 
 studying music, and in 1863 he graduated 
 from the Boston School of Music. In that 
 year he took charge of the musical depart- 
 ment of Hillsdale (Mich.) College, where 
 he continued until 1867, at which time he 
 went abroad with his wife, who was her- 
 self musical and becatne an accomplished 
 vocalist, for the extension of their musical 
 culture. His time was spent at Leipsic, 
 chiefly \inder the instruction of Dr. Pap- 
 peritz, Ignaz Moscheles and Louis Plaidy 
 in piano, and Prof. Richter in theory. He 
 there found the standard of criticism higher 
 than any he had hitherto met, and set 
 about mastering tiie Leipsic point of view, 
 with results that were determining for his 
 own taste. His teachers, also, were men 
 of high moral conceptions, and their in- 
 fluence fostered Prof. Rice's natural senti- 
 ment in favor of high morals in company 
 with hiofh art. 
 
 On his return from Germany, in 1869, 
 he began his professional work at Oberlin. 
 He became associated with Prof. G. W. 
 Steele, and entered into a joint arrange- 
 ment to manage the Conservatory of Music 
 in that place for two years, at the end of 
 which time Prof. Steele withdrew, leaving 
 Prof. Rice in sole charge. His connections 
 at Oberlin proved congenial, both to him- 
 self and tlie College. With the char- 
 acteristic moral and religious sentiment of 
 the place he could heartily sympathize; 
 and if the average musical feeling was not 
 up to his standard, at any rate there were 
 \'ti\Y places where it was better, or where 
 the public mind was more tractable. He 
 set about his work with the Leipsic Con- 
 servatory for his model of organization, 
 and with an unbending devotion to the 
 lofty art ideals which had won his heart. 
 
 Prof. Rice has been director of the Ober- 
 lin Conservatory of Music since 1871. In 
 1880 the degree of Mus. Doc. was given 
 him l)y Hillsdale College; in 1S84 the 
 honorary degree of A. M., by Oberlin Col- 
 lege, and he has been twice elected presi- 
 dent of the Music Teachers National As- 
 sociation. The Conservatory has experi- 
 enced a remarkable growth since his con- 
 nection with it. When he first entered 
 its doors in a professional capacity he 
 found the institution occupying two small 
 leased rooms, and employing three teach- 
 ers. To-day, mainly tlirough his indi- 
 vidual energy and enterprise, Oberlin Con- 
 servatory of Music stands among the very 
 foremost institutions of the country, as a 
 place for the study of music. The school 
 occupies a tine sandstone edifice, the muni- 
 ficent gift of Dr. and Mrs. Lucien 0. War- 
 ner, of New York City. It was erected at 
 an expense of moretiian one hundred thou- 
 sand dollars, and is one of the fiiiest and 
 largest structures ever built exclusively for 
 the use of a school of music. It is a four- 
 story building, with a frontage of 150 feet 
 on North Professor street, and a depth of 
 120 feet, and contains a tine concert hall, 
 lecture room, orchestra room, library, 
 
682 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 offices, and more than eighty instruction 
 and practice rooms. It is heated through- 
 out, liy steam, lighted by gas and electric- 
 ity and supplied with a fine passenger 
 elevator, and many other modern conveni- 
 ences. The three teachers of a few years 
 ago have multiplied into twenty-three pro- 
 fessors of unquestioned ability, who give 
 instructions to more than six hundred 
 students every year, all under the immedi- 
 ate direction of Professor Eiee. 
 
 In 1863 our subject was married in 
 Detroit, Mich., to Miss Helen M. Libby, 
 wiio was born in Portland, Me., and they 
 have one child, Louis M. They are mem- 
 bers of "the Second Congregational Church 
 at Oberlin, of which he is a trustee. For 
 the last twenty-three years he has been a 
 member of the Faculty of Oberlin Col- 
 lege, and for the past eight years has been 
 on tlie executive board, which has largely 
 to do with the finances of the College. 
 Politically he is a Republican. He has 
 been a director of the Oberlin Bank since 
 its organization, and for the past two years 
 vice-president of same. 
 
 Iff GRACE WADSWORTH, better 
 I^H known in his locality as Deacon 
 I 1[ Wadsworth, senior member of tiie 
 ■J) firm of H. Wadsworth & Son. lum- 
 
 ber dealers, of Wellington, is a na- 
 tive of Massachusetts, born in Tyringham, 
 Berkshire county. May 26. 1822. 
 
 Etios Wadsworth, grandfather of sub- 
 ject, was born in Massachusetts, and died 
 in Portage county, in the woods. He had 
 gone hunting one day, and not returning, 
 his friends and neighbors instituted a 
 fruitless search. Three weeks afterward 
 a neighbor dreamed that he saw the body 
 lying in a certain swamp; search was made 
 at the place indicated, and the body was 
 there found. 
 
 Asa Wadsworth, son of Enos and father 
 of Horace, was born in Tyringham, Mass., 
 in 1794. He there married Electa Russell. 
 
 In 1819 he brought his family to Ohio. 
 This was the third family to enter Free- 
 dom, Portage county, at that time a per- 
 fect wilderness. Wild animals roamed un- 
 disturbed in the forests, and the sound of 
 howling wolves was often heard. Their 
 first home was built of round green logs, 
 split logs forming the floor. There was 
 no chimney till the kitchen fire, built at 
 the end of the house, burned an opening 
 large enough to start a stone chimney. 
 Four children were born to this pioneer, 
 in their forest home: Calista A., Eliza- 
 beth S., Emaret and Cyril. Edwin, the 
 eldest, was born in Massachusetts. Em- 
 aret died when three years of age; the 
 others all live in Wellington. 
 
 At this home the subject of our sketch 
 spent his childhood days. The sound of 
 the axe and the crash of falling trees were 
 music to his ears. When but four years 
 old, emulating the success of his elders, he 
 wished to down one of the monarchs of the 
 forest. In the absence of his fatlier he 
 started for a large tree near the house, think- 
 ing to astonish his mother by cutting it 
 to the ground. On the way he slipped on 
 the ice. In falling he cut his hand badly, 
 severing one finger, thus crippling him for 
 life. When he was eight years of age lie at- 
 tended the first school formed in the 
 township. The family lived in this home 
 twelve years. In 1835 they moved to Well- 
 ington, Lorain county. AVellington was 
 then comparatively new, and the people 
 lived, with few exceptions, in log houses. 
 There were at the center two stores, two 
 hotels and a l)lacksinith shop; a third 
 building served the triple purpose of 
 church, town-house and school-house. The 
 first M. E. Church was erected and en- 
 closed the year of their arrival. The 
 family made a settlement on land three- 
 fourths of a mile west of the center; their 
 home was a log house, formerly used as a 
 Methodist meeting-house. The father 
 and his three sons, two of them thirteen 
 and fifteen, respectively, formed the force 
 necessary to clear the land and furnish the 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 683 
 
 means of subsistence. The elder son by 
 reason of ill health was for a nunnber of 
 years unable to do heavy work. The 
 youngest, but a child, was at this time un- 
 able to assist, and the burden of the work, 
 therefore, fell upon the father and the 
 second son Horace. To clear the land and 
 lit it for cultivation formed the task of 
 those early days. At that time ready 
 money Avas seldom seen. Wood at fifty cents 
 a cord, cut from the farm, was exchanged 
 at the store for clothing and provisions. 
 This called for work with the axe early and 
 late to provide for the family of seven. 
 
 During the winter months Horace at- 
 tended school, rising and doing the chores 
 of the farm before daylight and swinging 
 the axe till nine o'clock, then to study. 
 On his return after school the same task 
 was continued. This routine of work and 
 study was persisted in for a number of 
 years till the forest was replaced by culti- 
 vated fields of wheat and corn, and he 
 gained an education fitting him for his 
 future work. The youngest son, Cyril, 
 with increasing years became old enough 
 to assist in the work, and in 1844 a new 
 frame house was erected and finished suf- 
 ficiently for the family to enter. The out- 
 look for the family appeai-ed bright, but 
 the following year, the father, after a brief 
 illness, died. This left the management 
 of the fMrm upon Horace, then twenty-one 
 years of age. The next year the frosts 
 killed the wheat and corn. With nothing 
 to feed the stock it was sold at a very low 
 price. With a debt of several hundred 
 dollars upon them, they were still further 
 burdened by the sickness of the mother, 
 who became and reniained a helpless in- 
 valid, cared for by the two daughters till 
 her death in 1865. Hard work, however, 
 cleared the farm, and good crops paid the 
 debts and finished the house hitherto in- 
 complete. 
 
 At twenty-five years of age Horace, 
 qualified by hard study, began teaching in 
 the common schools. He taught with 
 good success for ten winters, two of which 
 
 were in the satne schoolhouse which he 
 had attended as a scholar. In connection 
 with this work he became a contractor and 
 builder, and for a number of years was the 
 leader in this line. In 1879 he started in 
 the lumber business, buying a small es- 
 tablishment which he enlarged, addins 
 thereto a planing mill and factory which 
 was afterward sold. In 1853 he married 
 Sarah II. Phelps, a native of Connecticut, 
 and daughter of Daniel Phelps. A mem- 
 ber and worker in the Congregational 
 (jhurch and Sabbath-sdiool, she was 
 worthy of the love and respect of all who 
 knew her. Mortimer IL, their only child, 
 was born June 27, 1857, and was educated 
 and graduated at the high school at Well- 
 ington. He is now associated with his 
 father in the lumber business. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was origin- 
 ally an Old-line AVhig, and his first vote 
 was cast for Henry Clay. When sixteen 
 years of age he united with the Congrega- 
 tional Church. At forty-one he was chosen 
 deacon. He has been an active worker in 
 the Sunday-school as superintendent and 
 teacher, and is a ready and active helper in 
 all church work. Now, at seventy-two 
 years of age, he is in good health, and is 
 always interested in church work as well as 
 public improvement. 
 
 /^ 
 
 t JJj A. POUNDS. In Lorain county, 
 
 ^'1 Ohio, was born September 17, 
 
 -"li 1848, the subject of this brief 
 
 sketch, who is ex-sheriff of Lorain 
 
 county, and at the present time a 
 
 well-known horse dealer and trainer, than 
 
 whom there is no one in the county more 
 
 deserving of the popularity he enjoys. 
 
 He is a son of L. M. and Fidelia 
 (Humphrey) Pounds, the former of whom, 
 now living retired in Elyria, was educated 
 at Dolaw^are, Ohio, and became a promi- 
 nent divine in the M. E. Church. The 
 mother was born in Lorain county, Ohio, 
 a daughter of Orson J. and Lucina Hum- 
 
684 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 phrey. Their clnldreii, five in number, 
 are as follows: M. A., subject of sketch; 
 L. H., in real-estate business in Topeka, 
 Kaiis.; T. M., engaged in banking in To- 
 peka, Kans.; Amelia, wife of George Bow- 
 man, residing in Elyria; and Jessie, wife 
 of William Jones, of Brooklyn, New York. 
 
 Our suliject received bis education at the 
 Elyria high schools and Berea College, and 
 was reared to agricultural pursuits, but 
 early in life evinced a great liking for 
 horses, so that he naturally drifted into 
 the buying and selling of such stock. He 
 resided in Eaton township, Lorain county, 
 until 1886, when he was elected sheriff, 
 at which time he moved to Elyria, here to 
 make his future home. As sheriff he 
 served the county two terms, or four years, 
 acceptably, and since retiring from the in- 
 cumbency he has devoted his time and at- 
 tention to breeding and rearing fine road 
 horses, besides training all kinds of horses 
 for himself and others. His stables are 
 located in Elyria. 
 
 On November 24, 1870, Mr. Pounds 
 was married to Miss Mary E. Johnson, and 
 three children have been born to them, 
 viz.: Mabel, Harry and Ruth. Our sub- 
 ject is a member of the F. & A. M., An- 
 chor Lodge No. 56, Elyria. 
 
 fff|IRAM WOODWOKTH (deceased). 
 
 IsH Among the leading representative 
 
 I 1| families of Lorain county, none are 
 
 •fj more worthy of special mention in 
 
 this volume than the one of which 
 
 the gentleman, whose name opens this 
 
 sketch, was an honored member. 
 
 Hiram Wood worth was a native of 
 Madison county, N. Y., born in the town 
 of Fenner February 14, 1802, a son of 
 Benjamin and Sophia (Allen) Woodworth, 
 both also natives of the Empire State. 
 Reared on the home farm, and trained to 
 the arduous duties incident all the year 
 round to the pursuits of agriculture, our 
 subject remained under the paternal roof 
 
 until about a year beyond his "coming of 
 age." At that time he commenced work- 
 ing away from home, by the month, con- 
 tinuing chiefly in that line of his choice 
 for some six years, diligently pursuing his 
 vocation and carefully husbanding his 
 earnings. By this time he was able out 
 of his savings to purchase one hundred 
 acres of land in the town of Randolph, 
 Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., which two years 
 afterward he traded tor a hotel building in 
 the town of Bristol, Ontario county, same 
 State. 
 
 In the meantime, in September, 1828, 
 Mr. Woodworth was married to Caroline 
 L. Wales, a daughter of Rev. Alvin and 
 Polly Wales, and a native of the same 
 town as her husband. In January, 1829, 
 the young couple moved into the hotel just 
 spoken of, which they conducted two and 
 one half years, and at the end of that time 
 our subject traded the hotel for 335 acres 
 of land in what is now Rochester township, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio, and eighty acres in what 
 was then the Territory of Michigan. On 
 May 22, 1832 — sixty-two years ago — Mr. 
 and Mrs. Woodworth arrived in tlieir new 
 forest home in Rochester township, the 
 journey being made via the Erie Canal to 
 Buffalo, thence Lake Erie to Cleveland, 
 and from there by wagon to destination. 
 
 From the titne of their arrival till the 
 middle of September following, this 
 pioneer couple lived in the most primitive 
 of primitive homes, the rude hut being 
 furnished with neither door, window, 
 hearth, chimney, nor even a chair of any 
 sort, much less any other kind of furniture. 
 Nothing daunted, however, they cheer- 
 fully set to work to render their home 
 comfortable, Mr. Woodworth making, with 
 such tools as he was posessed of, some 
 stools, table, etc.; and soon tlie surround- 
 ings began to take the garb of civilization 
 — the monarchs of the forest disappeared 
 neatli the sturdy axe of the woodman, and 
 the stately trees were superseded by smil- 
 ing fields of golden grain, and pasture land 
 redolent with clover. The improvenaents 
 
l4iJUA^^n. /i^HMlivn^i^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 687 
 
 were not only attractive in appearance, but 
 also of the most substantial kind, and dur- 
 able, Mr. Woodworth's maxim, in all his 
 undertakings, beiiij/: "That which is worth 
 doiiiij at all is worth doiiij; well." 
 
 Having now succeeded in "■ettiui; the 
 new home in good order, and in comfort- 
 able condition, Mr. Woodworth embarked 
 e.xtensivel}' in the live-stock business, 
 which in time grew to such proportions 
 with him that there was no room left for 
 any com]>etitor in that line in northern 
 Ohio. Most of his stock was driven to 
 Brighton, Mass., where the animals were 
 sold, the round trip occupying in the neigh- 
 borhood of forty days. In his live-stock 
 ventures Mr. Woodworth was remarkably 
 successful, nor could they be otherwise 
 when under his immediate control, and his 
 extensive trade gave employment to a 
 small army of help, scattered, in their 
 various lines of duty, all over northern 
 Ohio. 
 
 After a residence of thirty years in 
 Rochester township, the old homestead 
 was sold, and Mr. and Mrs. Woodworth 
 came into Wellington township, he having 
 purchased a fertile farm, said to be the 
 " premium farm " of Lorain county, which 
 is now part of the town site of Wellington. 
 From here after a three years' residence 
 they moved into a hotel in the town of 
 Wellington — now known as the " Ameri- 
 can House " — which Mr. Woodworth had 
 bought, and was conducted by him up to 
 his death; the property is still owned by 
 Mrs. AYoodworth- He passed from earth 
 October 10, 1873. In his political pre- 
 dilections he was a Republican, and while 
 in Rochester he served as postmaster some 
 six years. 
 
 Mrs. Woodworth, though past the 
 eightieth mile post on the highway of life, 
 is still vigorous, both mentally and physi- 
 cally. She is residing in her pleasant home 
 on ]\[aygar street in the town of Welling- 
 ton, and she worships at the Congrega- 
 tional Church. The record of her chil- 
 dren, in brief, is as follows: Roxania 
 
 37 
 
 (deceased) was the wife of John Braman, 
 now a resident of Cleveland, Ohio; 
 Rosen ia is the widow of David L. Wads- 
 worth, and resides in Wellington, Ohio; 
 Warren A. is in West Virginia; Roenia is 
 the wife of F. M. Sheldon, of Hornells- 
 ville, N. Y.; Rosetta is the wife of Stanley 
 Wilcox, of Plattsburg, Missouri. 
 
 E. BROOKS, vice-president and 
 manager of the Topi iff & Ely 
 Company, manufacturers of spe- 
 cial carriage hardware, Eljria, is 
 a native of Lorain county, Ohio, born in 
 Avon, August 13, 1846. His parents 
 were James, E. and Eliza (Sweet) Brooks, 
 both natives of Vermont, and early settlers 
 of Lorain county. The father died June 
 5, 1874; the mother January 5, 1894. 
 
 Our subject received a liberal education 
 in the common schools of his native place, 
 and from early youth was brought up in 
 the general hardware business, in which 
 he was engaged. In 1870, he removed to 
 Elyria, and became interested in the agri- 
 cultural implement business until 1888, 
 in which year he sold out and became as- 
 sociated with the Topliff & Ely Company, 
 which was founded in 1806 l)y G. H. Ely 
 and J. A. Topliff, and incorporated in 
 1888. They began by making hubs and 
 spokes, but in 1874, abandoning that line, 
 they embarked in the manufacture of 
 tuhnlai- bow sockets, for carriage bows, 
 which industry has grown to enormous 
 proportions, they being the only manu- 
 facturers of this patent in the world for 
 many years. They ship not only to all 
 parts of the United States, but also to 
 Europe, South America and Australia. In 
 the manufacture of bow sockets alone, 
 there are employed in the building about 
 one hundred hands who turn out from 
 125,000 to 150,000 sets per annum. 
 
 On August 8, 1877, Mr. Brooks was 
 united in marriage with Miss Fannie Top- 
 
688 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY OHIO 
 
 lifl', daughter of John A. and Caroline 
 (Beers) Topliff, tlic former a native of 
 Massachusetts, the latter of Connecticut, 
 and both now living in Elyria. To this 
 union were born three children, as follows: 
 Harold T. (who died January 27, 1893), 
 Margaretta E. and John P. The mother 
 of these died December 4, 1893. Mr. 
 Brooks is a member of the F. & A. M., 
 K, of P. and Royal Arcanum. 
 
 DANIEL T. BUSH, a wealthy re- 
 tired farmer and a citizen of Well- 
 ' ington, was l)orn in Plymouth, N. 
 
 Y., August 28, 1814. He is the 
 son of Benjamin T. Bush and Elizabeth 
 (Burst) Bush, and a grandson of Henry T. 
 Bush. 
 
 The father of subject was born in Al- 
 bany county, N. Y., in which State he 
 married Elizabeth Burst, a native of 
 Dutchess county, N. Y. In 1834 the 
 family came to Ohio, the journey being 
 made by wagon from Canandai^ua, N. Y., 
 to Rochester; by canal to Buffalo; Lake 
 Erie to Cleveland, Ohio; and from there 
 by wagon to Huntington township, Lorain 
 county, where they settled on a farm of 
 fifty acres covered with dense woods. The 
 mother died in Rochester, Ohio, August 
 29, 1844, aged seventy years, seven months, 
 and two days. The father died near Lan- 
 sing, Mich., August 28, 1855, aged 
 seventy-nine years and eight months. 
 They were both members of the M. E. 
 Church, and in politics he was a Demo- 
 crat. Children were born to this pioneer 
 couple as follows: John T. ; Joseph T.; 
 Martin T.; Nancy T.; Eliza T. ; Daniel 
 T. (subject of this sketch); and Amy 
 T. ; all were born in the State of New 
 York, and all but Martin T. died 
 in Michigan. Martin T. went south 
 about the year 1825 or 1826, and has 
 not been heard from since. The grand- 
 father of subject served in the war of the 
 Revolution, was taken prisoner by the 
 
 British and conveyed to Canada, where he 
 died of i>mallpox; his two eldest sons 
 served during the Revolutionary war 
 against foreign invasion, the younger 
 entering the service of the Colonies at the 
 age of fourteen years, and serving during 
 the entire war. The rest of the family en- 
 countered great hardships being driven 
 from their home in Cherry Valley, and 
 becoming eyewitnesses to the destruction 
 of all their property. 
 
 D. T. Bush received his education in the 
 little red schoolhouse on Baptist Hill in 
 Bristol, Ontario Co., N. Y. On February 
 25, 1838, he married Sophia Clark, and 
 settled on a farm in the woods one mile 
 south of his father's farm, where he had 
 to literally hew out what is now one of the 
 finest farms in Huntington township, 
 which in 1871 contained 205-^ acres, hav- 
 ing thereon a large and comfortable dwell- 
 ing and commodious outbuildings. This 
 farm was purchased in different parcels, 
 covered by seven deeds, and here the fol- 
 lowing nine children were born to them: 
 Almond D. (died in infancy), Melissa J., 
 George C, Martin L., Mary A., Edwin D., 
 Charles A., John O., and Henry W. (died 
 September 12, 1879, aged twenty-three 
 years). Selling the farm in 1871, Mr. 
 Bush moved to Wellington, Ohio, where 
 he now resides in his eightieth year, en- 
 joying the respect and esteem of his fel- 
 low citizens, and a loving and grateful 
 posterity. 
 
 GF. LEE, the widely-known and 
 popular photographer, of Elyria, 
 ^^ ' was born in the town of Vernon, 
 Conn., August 26, 1843, a son of 
 George and Ida Harris (Skillman) Lee. 
 
 Georgo Lee was also a native of Con- 
 necticut, born in the town of Vernon, in 
 1806. He was reared to the woolen manu- 
 facturing business, working from his 
 earliest boyhood in what is known as the 
 Frank Woolen Mills. His business ability 
 was marked by the fact that in subsequent 
 
LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 689 
 
 years he succeeded to the inaiiagemetit of 
 these mills, and became the principal 
 stockholder and proprietor of same. In 
 about the year 1853 a disastrous fire de- 
 strcved the plant, and, financially, Mr. Lee 
 was almost ruined. Concluding, in the 
 hope of recuperating his fortunes, to come 
 west, he set out with sanguine expecta- 
 tions, tirst locating at Utica, N. Y., where 
 he was superintendent of the Globe 
 Woolen Mills for about two years. He 
 then made a trip still farther west, visit- 
 ing different points in Illinois and else- 
 where, but not finding satisfactory induce- 
 ments to remain, returned eastward to 
 Ohio, and made a settlement in Norwalk, 
 remaining there until 1863. Removing 
 in that year to Cleveland, he there engaged 
 in the oil-refining; b\isiness, and lortune 
 once more smiled on his enterprise and in- 
 defatigable industry. But again he was 
 doomed to become a victim of the devour- 
 ing element, the ravages of fire once more 
 confronting him on his onward march to 
 wealth, his oil mills being burned to the 
 ground in 1870, whereby all lie had a 
 second time acquired was almost utterly 
 destroyed. This second disaster was suf- 
 ficient to crush the ambition of most men, 
 and Mr. Lee, finding himself too far ad- 
 vanced in years to commence life anew 
 the third time, gathered together what he 
 could from the ruins of his estate, and 
 retired to Berlin Heights, in Erie county, 
 where he passed the rest of his days 
 in peaceful retirement, dying in 1874 
 at the age of sixty-eight years. Mr. Lee 
 was a lifelong practical Christian, and a 
 deacon in the Congregational Church. la 
 his political sympathies he, in earlier 
 years, was an Old-line Henry Clay Whig, 
 and in later life atiiliated witli the Repub- 
 lican paity. 
 
 Ida II. Lee, the mother of our subject, 
 was born at Riverhcail, L6ug Island, N. 
 Y., in July, 1812; in 1880 was married to 
 George Lee; on September 7, 1893, died 
 in Elyria, Ohio, at the residence of her 
 son, C. F. Lee, where for some years she 
 
 had made her home. She was a descend- 
 ant of one Fanning, a native of Ireland, 
 who had settled in Long Island in an early 
 day. To George and Ida H. (Skiliman) 
 Lee were born six children, of whom the 
 subject of this sketch is the sole survivor. 
 
 C. F. Lee received his education chiefly 
 at the old seminary at Norwalk, Ohio. In 
 1864 he joined the Federal army, enlisting 
 in Company B, One Hundred and Si.xty- 
 sixth Regiment, O. V. I., at Norwalk, 
 Ohio. This regiment belonged to what 
 was known as the "one hundred days 
 service," and was sent to the defense of 
 Washington, D. C. At the close of his 
 term of enlistment Mr. Lee returned home 
 and took up his i-esidence in Cleveland, 
 Ohio, where he learned the art of photo- 
 graphy with J. F. Ryder, and was in his. 
 employ most of the time until 1876. In 
 that year he established himself in his. 
 present business in Elyria, where he has 
 since successfully conducted the leading 
 photographic establishment of the city. 
 
 In 1868 Mr. Lee was married to Miss. 
 Ella Louise Morehouse, and three children 
 have been born to them, viz.: George E., 
 Ida V. and Xellie M. Politically, our 
 subject is a Republican; socially, he is 
 past master of King Solomon's Lodge, 
 F. & A. M., Elyria. Ohio, and a member 
 of Marshall Chapter No. 47, R. A. M. 
 
 'jT^j EV. JOHN KEEP was born in 
 y^ Long Meadow, Mass., in 1781, 
 I ^ graduated at Yale in 1802, was 
 J) pastor in Blandford, Mass., and in 
 
 Homer, N. Y., from 1805 till 1883, 
 when he came to Cleveland and became 
 pastor of a new church on the West Side. 
 While he was at Homer he had been a 
 trustee of Hamilton College and of Au- 
 burn Theological Seminary, and was natur- 
 ally intei-ested in any educational enter- 
 prise in the neighborhood. In 1884 he 
 was elected a trustee at Oberlin. and held 
 the position until his death in 1870. By 
 
690 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 reason of his years and experience he was 
 made president of the Board, and had the 
 responsibility of the casting vote on the 
 question of receiving colored students, in 
 1835. From that day he took Oberlin on 
 his heart, and never laid it off unless when 
 he laid off the eaithly life. His last words 
 pertained to a letter he had planned to 
 write in the interest of the college. He 
 traversed the land to gather means to sus- 
 tain it, and crossed the ocean to save it in 
 a crisis. In 1850, then seventy years of 
 age, he removed to Oberlin, and from that 
 time his home was here. At every meet- 
 ing of the trustees he was present, and 
 encouraged all by his hope and his faith. 
 When others were depressed he sustained 
 and bore them on by his cheerful courage, 
 and thus he held on to the end of his days. 
 When more than fourscore years old he 
 would often come out at evening, with his 
 lantern, to find some one burdened with 
 responsibility and care, and cheer him up 
 with a word of encouragement. His sleep 
 was sweeter after such a service. He died 
 in his eighty-ninth year, not from disease, 
 but because life was completed. [Taken 
 from "Oberlin: The Colony and The Col- 
 lege." by the kind permission of the author, 
 Prof. James H. Fairchild. 
 
 J, EV. HENEY COWLES was called 
 to the professorship of languages 
 at Oberlin, upon the resignation of 
 Mr. Waldo, and came in Septem- 
 ber, 1835. He was born in Nor- 
 folk, Conn., in 1803, and was tiiirty-two 
 years of age when he came. 
 
 He had graduated at Yale, and taken his 
 theological course there. He completed 
 the course in 1828, was ordained at Hart- 
 ford the same year, and came at once to 
 northern Ohio under appointment from 
 the Connecticut Home Missionary Society. 
 He preached in Ashtabula and Sandusky, 
 and after two years, having received a call 
 from the clinrch in Austinburg, he i-e- 
 
 turned to his l)ome in Connecticut, was 
 married, and commenced his work in Aus- 
 tinburg. I'^rom a most successful pastorate 
 of five years he came to Oberlin, and 
 found himself in lull sympathy with all 
 the leading objects and aims of the work; 
 and from the first day until the day of his 
 death — a period of forty-six years — he 
 gave himself, without reserve, to these ob- 
 jects. There seemed to be no thought of 
 himself or his personal interests; no anx- 
 iety in reference to position. His heart 
 was in the work, and all he asked was a 
 place to lay out his strength. In 1888 he 
 took the chair of Church History in the 
 seminary, and of Hebrew and Old Testa- 
 ment Literature in 1840. In 1848, in 
 consequence of straitened means on the 
 part of the college, and the necessity of 
 reducing expenses, he resigned his work 
 in the seminary, and took the editorship 
 of the Oberlin Ev<in(jdi8t^ a work which 
 he had shared with others for some years 
 preceding. From this time until the close 
 of 1862 he gave his thought and heart to 
 the Evan<jelist^ and made it greatly what 
 it was, a treasury of religious thought and 
 experience, and of practical life. The 
 twenty-four volumes of the Oberlin 
 Evangelist, with which Professor Cowles 
 had more to do than any other man, give 
 a better exhibition of Oberlin thought and 
 character and workduring those years than 
 any definite attempt to set them forth can 
 possibly do. 
 
 When the Evangelht was closed up 
 Professor Cowles was about sixty years of 
 age, and he migiit naturally feel that the 
 cliief work of his life was done; and it 
 would have been a satisfactory work. But 
 the habit of communicating his thoughts 
 to others by writing was strong upon him, 
 and by what seemed a divine leading he 
 entered upon the work of writing com- 
 mentaries upon the Scriptures. He com- 
 menced with the parts of the Old 
 Testament to which he had given more 
 particular attention as an instructor, and 
 went on, year after year, adding volume 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 691 
 
 to volume, devoting to it all his energies 
 and all bis resources, tiirougli a period of 
 seventeen j'ears. In 1881 he issued the 
 last volnnie, and then felt that the Lord 
 permitted him to depart in peace. His 
 work was done; the result remains with 
 U8 — a commentary on the entire Scrip- 
 tures, full of practical wisdom and the ripe 
 fruits of scholarship. He died in Septem- 
 ber of the same year. The interests of the 
 college through all these years filled his 
 heart and hands. He was a member of 
 tiie " J'rudential Committee" and a trustee, 
 in constant attendance upon these duties, 
 and often went out upon financial missions 
 in behalf of the college. His last public 
 duty was to attend the meeting of the 
 trustees in 1881. [Taken from "Oberlin: 
 The Colony and The College," by the 
 kind permission of the author, Prof. James 
 H. Fairchild. 
 
 fr^^EV. ASA MAHAN reached Ober- 
 
 L^" lin in May, 1835, having been 
 
 I \^ elected to the presidency of the col- 
 
 ■JJ lege, and entered directly upon his 
 
 duties. He was then thirty-six 
 
 years of age, a native of Western New 
 
 York, educated at Hamilton College and 
 
 Andover Seminary. 
 
 He came from the charge of the Sixth 
 Presbyterian Church of Cincinnati, and 
 his earnest and vigorous preaching made 
 at once a strong impression upon the peo- 
 ple of Oberlin. He was a bold and ag- 
 gressive advocate of all the Oberlin ideas 
 and doctrines, and was always ready, at 
 home or abroad, to eive a reason for the 
 faith that was in him with earnestness and 
 full conviction. He w;as an enthusiastic 
 teacher in his own department, that of 
 philosophy, and gave an impulse to the 
 study at Oberlin which it has never lost. 
 His administration of the college was, in 
 general, successful, and he gave his heart 
 and strength to its prosjterity without any 
 reservation. An infelicity which often 
 attends great strength of purpose and of 
 
 character was sometimes suspected in him, 
 namely, a greater facility in conviction 
 than in conciliation. While he had many 
 ardent friends, tiiere would be another 
 class who were as distinctly not his 
 friends. Some of his colleagues felt at 
 times that his strong aegressiveness 
 awakened unnecessary hostility against the 
 college; and in 1850, some of his friends 
 having planned a new- university at Cleve- 
 land, and invited him to take tlie direction 
 of it, he resigned at-Oberlin, having held 
 the presidency of the college fifteen years. 
 With President Mahan, Oberlin lost some- 
 what of its positiveness and aggressiveness. 
 The enter[)rise at Cleveland was not a 
 success, and Mr. Mahan was called to a 
 professorship in Adrian College, Mich., 
 and at length to the presidency of the 
 college. The last ten years be has spent 
 in England, in abundant labors in the 
 special work of promoting the "higher" 
 Christian experience, and now [1883], at 
 the age of eighty-three, he is preaching to 
 large congregations, editing a magazine 
 called Divine Life, and issuing one vol- 
 ume after another, such as '• The Baptism 
 of The Holy Ghost," " Out of Darkness 
 into Light," and " Autobiography, Intel- 
 lectual, Moral and Spiritual." While at 
 Oberlin he pnblished works on " The 
 Will," "Intellectual Philosophy," and 
 " Moral Philosophy." Other works, since 
 published, are on Logic, Spiritualism, 
 ISfatural Theology, and a Criticism of the 
 Conduct of the War. [Taken from "Ober- 
 lin: The Colony and The College," by the 
 kind permission of the author. Prof. James 
 H. Fairchild. 
 
 EV. CHARLES G. FINNEY came 
 
 in June, 1835, about a month after 
 
 11^ Mr. Mahan. He was then nearly 
 J) forty-two years of age, with health 
 
 somewhat broken by the exhaust- 
 ing evangelistic labors of the preceding 
 ten years. 
 
692 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 he went again in 
 
 the same lenffth of time. 
 
 He found a theological department of 
 thirty-live stndents, and entered at once 
 upon his work, as professor of systematic 
 theology. His habit was to preach once 
 on the Sabbath, not often twice, and the 
 year following he was called to the pastor- 
 ship of the church. For many years he 
 gave the long winter vacation to preaching 
 as an evangelist, for the most part with some 
 church at the East. In 1849 he went to 
 England, and spent a year and a half in 
 similar labors in London and other cities 
 of England and Scotland. Ten years later 
 the same work for about 
 ^ In 1851 he was 
 
 elected President of the college, and held 
 the position until 1865, with the arrange- 
 ment that he was not to give attention to 
 tlie details of the position, but only to the 
 more public duties. His work as an in- 
 structor was not changed except that he took 
 the Senior college class for some years in 
 moral philosophy. In 1865 he resigned the 
 presidency. l)eing then seventy-three years 
 of age. He had already, in 1858, sur- 
 rendered the work in systematic theology, 
 retaining the pastoral theology and liis 
 work as a pastor. In 1872 he laid down 
 the pastoral work, but continued his pas- 
 toral lectures until the year of his death, 
 1875, having completed, lacking a few 
 days, his eighty-third year. No brief 
 mention can characterize him or set forth 
 his work ; nor is it necessary. He belongs 
 to the world, and not to Oberlin alone. 
 His " Sermons on Important Subjects" and 
 "Revival Lectures" were published before 
 his coming to Oberlin. His "Lectures to 
 Christians" appeared a year or more after- 
 ward, and his two volumes on "Systematic 
 Theology" in 1846 and 1847. These were 
 numbered as volumes second and third, 
 his purpose being to prepare a volume on 
 " Natural Theology " to precede them. This 
 volume was never written. Wiiile he was 
 in England in 1850. he prepared and pub- 
 lished an edition of his Theology in one 
 volume, involving the substance of the 
 two preceding volumes. His latest works 
 
 were a volume on " Masonry," published in 
 1869, and his "Memoirs," written by him- 
 self, and published after his death. Upon 
 the jtnblication of iiis Theology very 
 diverse opinions were expressed in regard 
 to it, according to the standpoint. 
 
 Rev. Wm. H. Burleigh closed a notice 
 of the work in the Charter Oak, Hartford, 
 Conn., 1846, with the following paragraph: 
 "We will venture the prediction that fifty 
 years hence this volume will rank among 
 the standard works on theology, and the 
 name of Finney be mentioned with those 
 of Edwards, Dwightand Emmons. Sooner 
 than that we fear he will not be generally 
 ap]ireciated. The time will come when 
 Finney will have justice done to his exalted 
 talents, and when the liost of his revilers 
 — men not possessing, in the aggregate, 
 half his mental grasp — will be lost in 
 oblivion unless he should preserve their 
 names from utter extinction by an inci- 
 dental allusion in his works." 
 
 Dr. Charles Hodge, in the BiMical Re- 
 pository, 1847, wrote as follows: "The 
 work is, therefore, in a high degree logical. 
 It is as hard to read as Euclid. Nothing 
 can be omitted; nothing passed over 
 slightly. The unhappy reader once com- 
 mitted to a perusal, is obliged to go on, 
 sentence by sentence, through the long 
 concatenation. There is not one resting- 
 place, not one lapse into amplification 
 or declamation, from the beginning to the 
 close. It is like one of those spiral stair- 
 cases, which lead to the top of some high 
 tower, without a landing from the base to 
 the summit; which, if a man has once 
 ascended, he resolves never to do the like 
 acain. The author begins with certain 
 postulates, or what he calls first truths of 
 reason, and these he traces out with singu- 
 lar clearness and strength to their legiti- 
 mate conclusions. We do not see that 
 there is a break or a defective link in the 
 whole chain. If you grant his principles, 
 you have already granted his conclusions. 
 .... We propose to rely on the reductlo ad 
 ahsurdum, and make his doctrines the 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 refutation of his principles .... We con- 
 sider this a fair refutation. If the prin- 
 ciple that obligation is limited by ability, 
 leads to the conclusion that moral 
 character is confined to intention, and that 
 again to the conclusion that when the in- 
 tention is right nothing can be morally 
 wrong, then the principle is false. Even 
 if we could not detect its fallacy, we should 
 know it could not be true." 
 
 Dr. George Redford, of Worcester, 
 England, in the preface to the London 
 edition, which he edited, 1851, writes: 
 "As a contribution to theological science, 
 in an age when vague speculation and 
 philosophical theories are bewildering all 
 denominations of Christians, this work will 
 be considered by all competent judges to 
 be both valuable and seasonable. Upon 
 several important and difficult subjects the 
 author has thrown a clear and valuable 
 light which will guide many a student 
 through perplexities and difficulties which 
 he had long sought unsuccessfully to ex- 
 plain. The editor frankly confesses that 
 when a student he would gladly have 
 bartered half the books in his library to 
 have gained a single perusal of these lec- 
 tures; and he cannot refrain from express- 
 ing the belief that no young student of 
 theology will ever regret the purchase or 
 perusal of Mr. Finney's lectures." [Taken 
 from "Oberlin: The Colony and The Col- 
 lege," by the kind permission of the 
 author. Prof. James H. Fairchild. 
 
 Ij ACOB BAKTH, a representative self- 
 w I' made and progressive agriculturist of 
 \y/ Grafton township, is a native of Ger- 
 many, born November 7, 1826, in 
 Wittenberg. His father, John Jacob Earth, 
 was a peddler and huckster, and also owned 
 a small piece of land, which his wife and 
 family of ten ciiildren looked after. 
 
 When our subject was ten years of age 
 his parents hired him out as a shepherd 
 boy, he receiving in compensation a few 
 
 clothes and his board for a summer's work. 
 Ill the winter season he attended school a 
 short time, but home labor required his 
 attention so much that but little time was 
 left for his education. Up to his fifteenth 
 year he had been woi'king round at various 
 places, and at different kinds of work, get- 
 tinj' but small wacjes. At the age of tif- 
 teen he commenced to learn shoemaking, 
 his three-years appi'enticeship costing him 
 a premium of some twenty-five dollars, 
 after which he followed his trade as a 
 journeytnan for the equivalent of one 
 dollar per week. He also found employ- 
 ment on the public highways then being 
 repaired, receiving therefor twenty cents 
 per day, out of which he had to board 
 himself. After he had passed his twenty- 
 first birthday he joined the regular army, 
 in which he served nearly six years. 
 
 While yet in Germany he married Ro- 
 sina Merika, who bore him one child, 
 Jacob L., in the Fatherland. In 1853, 
 leaving his little family behind, he set sail 
 for America, and after a three-months' 
 voyage landed at New York, whence he 
 continued westward to Liverpool, Medina 
 Co., Ohio, where he found himself, a 
 stranger in a strange land, with a capital 
 of just two cents. However, he soon 
 found employment in Liverpool at his 
 trade at five dollars per month, after which 
 he w-orked in Litchfield, same county, two 
 years. By his employers, who had con- 
 fidence in him, he was trusted, and being 
 honest and industrious he never lost their 
 confidence. Having saved some money he 
 sent for his wife and son Jacob (now fore- 
 man of the Grafton Stone Sawmill) to 
 come out to him, which they did, arriving 
 in due course at Litchfield, from which 
 place they shortly afterward removed to 
 York, same State, where for nine years he 
 followed his trade. At the end of that 
 time they went to Abbeyville, Medina 
 county, where Mr. Barth lionght a farm of 
 sixty-two acres, running in debt to the 
 amount of three hundred dollars, on which 
 he paid six per cent, interest. For three 
 
694 
 
 LOEAIN. COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 years tliey lived here, and then in 1866 
 came to the place he now owns and lives 
 on, in Grafton township, Lorain county, 
 running in debt two thousand dollars, on 
 which he paid ten per cent, interest. With 
 the assistance of his sons he has cultivated 
 and improved this property, which con- 
 sists of eighty-four and a half acres (all 
 paid for), equipped with good buildings, 
 in the aggregate presenting the result of 
 indefatigable perseverance, honesty of pur- 
 pose, energy and economy, and acciirau- 
 lated from the commencement of the two 
 cents he had when he landed in Ohio. 
 
 In this country ten children were born 
 to him, as follows: Henry F., of Cleve- 
 land, wliere he is a skilled mechanic in the 
 Steel Works, making steel; Frederick, a 
 molder, in llochester, N. Y.; John J., Jr., 
 a farmer in Rochester, N. Y. ; Mary C, 
 Mrs. Andrew Hartung, of Chicago, 111.; 
 Martha L., Mrs. J. A. Weaver, of Cleve- 
 land, Ohio; Catherine L., Mrs. Fred Kel- 
 ler, of Liverpool, Ohio; William A., of 
 Belden, Ohio, an engineer; George M., of 
 Cleveland, an iron- worker; Joseph H., a 
 farmer, living at home with his father; 
 and Charles A., a carpenter by trade, liv- 
 ing at Cleveland. Politically Mr. Barth 
 is a Republican, and lie and his wife are 
 inemliersof the Lutheran Chnrch at Liver- 
 pool, Ohio. 
 
 FREDRICK B. MANLEY. No 
 greater pleasure can be enjoyed 
 _^ by the aged than to look back on 
 a life usefully spent for the good 
 of others as well as themselves — a happi- 
 ness that can be enjoyed in an eminent 
 degree by the gentleman whose name here 
 appears. 
 
 Mr. Manley is a native of Berkshire 
 county, Mass., born in the town of Otis 
 March 10, 1817. He is the eldest son of 
 Josiah B. and Betsey (Webster) Manley, 
 also of the Bay State, who came to Ohio 
 in 1821, the journey occupying forty days 
 
 and forty nights. The father located land 
 in Wellington township, Lorain county, 
 and immediately entered upon the labors 
 of "rolling up a log cabin," and opening 
 up a new farm in the "forest primeval," 
 at which and similar work he was actively 
 and successfully engaged until his death, 
 which occurred August 22, 1824. Of the 
 noble army of pioneers he was the first to 
 pass away in Wellington township, and he 
 is remembered as a devoted husband, a 
 kind and indulgent father and a true 
 friend. While his remains were being 
 consigned to their last resting place, marks 
 of respect and esteem were abundantly 
 shown by warm-hearted, sorrowing friends. 
 His widow taught school for three succes- 
 sive seasons in her log house, and two 
 terms in a district schooliiouse. She died 
 at the home of her son, Fredrick B., at the 
 advanced age of eighty-three years. 
 
 The subject proper of this sketch was, as 
 will be seen, about four years old when iiis 
 parents brought him to Lorain county, and 
 he was reared among the many privations 
 of pioneer life. In Wellington township 
 lie attended the first school taught there, 
 continuing his attendance thereat, both 
 summer and winter, until he was thirteen 
 years old, after whicii he availed himself 
 of the winter term only, later enjoying the 
 benefit of excellent select schools. He has 
 followed farming for the most part all his 
 life, and is well-trained in tlie calling of 
 the agriculturist, occasionally engaging, 
 sometimes fj^uite extensively, in the busi- 
 ness of speculation in live stock. The 
 three-hundred-acre farm, which by careful 
 thrift and assiduous labor he has brought 
 to an excellent stateof cultivation ; the com- 
 modious dwelling and ample and comfort- 
 able outbuildings — all combine to attest 
 to the characteristic skill and sound judg- 
 ment of the owner. And a true description 
 of the spot would be incomplete, were a 
 notable and far-famed attraction left un- 
 noticed — the grand old elm — widely known 
 as "Mauley's famous elm" — that graces 
 tlie lawn, spared by the pioneer axe-man 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 697 
 
 on account of its majestic appearance, its 
 heiglit from root to topmost limb being at 
 least a hundred feet. 
 
 "Woodman spare that tree, 
 Cut not a single bough ; 
 It useti to shelter me, 
 And I'll protect it now." 
 
 On the lOtlt day of March, 1847, Fred- 
 rick B. Mauley was united in marriage 
 with Mi«s Mary L., eldest daughter of 
 Major Judson and Lucinda Wad8worth,of 
 Wellington. By this union there is one 
 sou, Henry W., married, and the father of 
 one child— Floyd UeWitt. Mrs. F. B. 
 Manley died March 25, 1883, aged fifty- 
 nine years. 
 
 Our snliject in his political views is a 
 sotind liepublican, his first vote having 
 been cast for Gen. W. H. Harrison. He 
 served his township as constable, one terra, 
 and assessor eight consecutive years. Soci- 
 ally, he lias been president of the Union 
 Agricultural Society by seven successive 
 reelections, faithfully and acceptably dis- 
 charging the duties imposed. During 
 the war of the Rebellion, he was enrolling 
 officer, receiving the compliments of the 
 managing board for his careftilly prepared 
 and neatly-written enrollment paper, and 
 he was in a marked degree energetic in 
 securing men to put down the Rebellion. 
 
 Mr. Manley is one of the oldest pioneer 
 settlers in Wellington township, none now 
 living antedating his arrival. During his 
 long residence of over seventy-two years 
 in the county, he has ever sustained a repu- 
 tation for integrity and good citizenship, 
 alike creditable to his judgment and char- 
 acter. As one of the men who in an early 
 day took part in subduing the wilderness, 
 transplanting in its place the fine farms 
 and beautiful homes that the present gen- 
 eration enjoy in comparative ease, Mr. 
 Manley is well worthy of being memorized 
 in the biographical record of Lorain 
 county. 
 
 Now at tlui honored age of seventy- 
 seven years, well preserved, of a command- 
 ing presence, possessed of a vigorous 
 
 mind, good practical business sagacity, 
 and a reliable memory as to early events, 
 he is deeply grateful that Time has dealt 
 gently with him. Ofttimes he ruminates 
 upon the changes that have taken place, in 
 his midst, since the days of the stick 
 chimney and puncheon floor, and the twang 
 of the thread as the good mother faithfully 
 plied her needle, by the dim light of a 
 tallow candle, to ''keep the wolf from the 
 door." Anon! When the "hamlet is still," 
 recalling in a retrospect the marvel- 
 ous work of the first settlers of Welliuir- 
 ton, their memory and the goodly heritage 
 al)ideth. 
 
 CHARLES E. TUCKER, a member 
 of the enterprising firm of Hart & 
 ^ Tucker, proprietors of lumber yard, 
 planing-mill and coal yai-d, Elyria, 
 is a native of Lorain county, Ohio, born 
 in Carlisle township, February 11, 1860, 
 a son of William H. and Clarissa (An- 
 drews) Tucker, tlie latter of whom died in 
 Elyria January 20, 1S7(). 
 
 William II. Tucker was born March 21, 
 182t), in Windham, Portage Co., Ohio, the 
 youngest son of Jacob and Chloe Tucker. 
 In boyhood he came with his parents to 
 Lorain coimty, and the family made a set- 
 tlement in the wooiis of what is now Eaton 
 township. He received as liberal an ele- 
 mentary education as the home schools of 
 \\w times afforded, and by hard work and 
 judicious saving was enabled afterward to 
 place hitnself in a select school at Ridge- 
 ville, Ohio. He then commenced teach- 
 ing, an occupation he followed the long 
 period of twenty-two years in various parts 
 of Ohio. In 1864 he was elected recorder 
 of Lorain county, a position he tilled, by 
 two re-elections, for nine consecutive 
 years. In the meantime he had been mak- 
 ing a studv of law, and on retiring from 
 the recordership was admitted to the bar 
 at a sitting of the district court at Cleve- 
 land, Ohio. In 1864 he came to Elyfia, 
 where lie is yet residing. Mr. Tucker was 
 
698 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 prominent in the organization, in his 
 adopted town, of the Royal Arcanum and 
 of the Knights of Honor, and has tilled 
 tlie Iiighest positions in both these Socie- 
 ties in the State of Ohio. 
 
 Charles E. Tucker received his primary 
 education in the common schools, and 
 afterward attended the high school of Ely- 
 ria. In 1882 he entered the employ of 
 John W. Hart, in the lumber and planing- 
 mill business, and by faithful attention to 
 his duties, steadiness and trustworthiness, 
 soon won the confidence and goodwill of 
 his employer. In 1892 he and L. J. Hart, 
 son of John W. Hart, purchased the entire 
 plant from the latter, and, by close appli- 
 cation to business and honorable dealing, 
 the young firm have succeeded in buildins; 
 up a larij;e and lucrative trade, in which 
 thev enjoy the utmost contidence of their 
 patrons. 
 
 Mr. Tucker was married, September 20, 
 1882, to Miss Hatty E. Hart, daughter of 
 John W. and Caroline (). Hart. In poli- 
 tics he is a Republican, and he is a mem- 
 ber of the Royal Arcanum and the F. & 
 A. M. and Chapter. Young, energetic 
 and thoroughly experienced, our subject 
 is sj)ecially well adapted to his branch of 
 the business — attending to the sales of 
 lumber, coal, etc., and the outside business. 
 
 '[r^EY. JOHN MORGAN" arrived at 
 L"^ Oberlin,in company with Mr. Fin- 
 I V ney, in 1835. He was then thirty- 
 J) two years of age, a native of Ire- 
 
 land, havincr been brouplit to tliis 
 country at the age of ten, trained as a 
 printer in eastern cities, prepared for col- 
 lege at Stockbridge, Mass., and graduated 
 at Williams, as valedictorian, in 1826. 
 
 He had taken no seminary course, but 
 studied theology some years in New York. 
 He was an instructor in the literary or pre- 
 paratory department of Lane Seminary, at 
 the time of the anti-slavery excitement, 
 there, and was in entire sympathy with the 
 
 students in their withdrawal. His tirst 
 appointment to Oberliu was as professor 
 of mathematics, but the call which he ac- 
 cepted was to the chair of the literature 
 and exegesis of the New Testament. This 
 work he entered upon at once, but his 
 broad and thorough scholarship enabled 
 him to fill many a gap, upon emergency, 
 in the new college. There was not a 
 study in the entire curriculum in which he 
 could not give instruction, at an hour's 
 warning, as successfully as if it were his 
 own specialty. But the New Testament 
 was his chosen field, and for this field his 
 linguistic, historical and philosophical 
 gifts and attainments abundantly qualified 
 liim. He was no mere mechanical or 
 technical interpreter, but reached at once 
 the soul of the matter, where language 
 and philosophy both harmonize. 
 
 The influence of Professor Morgan in 
 the enterprise was conservative in tlie best 
 sense, not by reason of any inertia or im- 
 mobilit}' of nature. His enthusiasm, in 
 any well-considered movement, was always 
 prompt, but his breadth of nature and 
 thought and knowledge gave him a view 
 of all sides of every question, and he 
 could not hold an extreme position, or 
 enjoy any extreme action. He could 
 patiently tolerate the extravagances of 
 others, because of his kindliness and his 
 hopefulness. Probably no one among the 
 many instructors who have been at Ober- 
 lin has held a larger place in the hearts of 
 all. For many years he was associated 
 with Ml'. Finney in the pastorship of the 
 church, preaching once on the Sabbath, 
 and more in Mr. Finney's absence or ill 
 health. At the age of seventy-eight he 
 retired entirely from his work, and since 
 that time has been residine with a son and 
 a daughter in Cleveland. By all right he 
 belongs to Oberliu, and the benediction of 
 his presence in these latest years ought to 
 rest upon us. He expended his interest 
 and his labor upon his classes, and rarely 
 felt that he was ready to commit his 
 thoughts to writing. Thus far he has 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 699 
 
 given us no books. A few valuable essays 
 are all tiiat we have from him in this 
 form. The " Baptism of the Holy Spirit" 
 and " Acceptable Holiness " were published 
 in the Oberlin Review, and an article on 
 the "Atonement," in two parts, can be 
 found in the Bibliotheca Sacra for 1877-8. 
 [Taken from "Oberlin: The Colony and 
 The College." by the kind permission of 
 the author, Prof. James H. Fairchild. 
 
 FREDERICK A. ROAVLEY. In 
 the front rank of tiie galaxy of news- 
 ^ paper men in Lorain county stands 
 this ojentieman, thoroughly repre- 
 senting in propria persona, the hustling, 
 enterprising and wide-awake typical Amer- 
 ican journalist. 
 
 By birth he is a Hoosier, having first 
 opened his eyes to the light of day in 
 Steuben county, Ind., April 17, 1860. 
 His father, Martin V. Rowley, was born 
 in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, in 1836, and is 
 now a prominent real-estate dealer of 
 Oberlin, Lorain county. He was married 
 to Miss Lydia Clarke, a native of Cale- 
 donia county, Vt., also still living, and 
 they had five children, as follows: Lillian, 
 who died in youth; Willis A., who has a 
 responsible position with the Pennsyl- 
 vania Railroad Company at Coshocton, 
 Ohio; Frederick A., the subject of this 
 sketch; Mary E., deceased when eighteen 
 years old; and Kate M., attending Oberlin 
 College, Ohio. Enos Rowley, paternal 
 grandfather of our subject, was born in 
 Montgomery connty, N. Y., of English 
 ancestry, and the Clarke family also date 
 back to England. 
 
 Frederick A. Rowley, whose name in- 
 troduces this sketch, received his educa- 
 tion at the public schools of Huron 
 county, Oiiio, and at the age of seventeen 
 precipitated himself into the arena of 
 journalism in the Arcadian role of "devil" 
 for the Times, in Carey, Wyandot Co., 
 Ohio, where he served his apprenticeship. 
 
 From there he proceeded to Oberlin, in- 
 tending to take a regular course in college, 
 but after a short time turned his back — 
 literally, not figurativehj — upon the col- 
 lege, with his face and footsteps toward 
 the town of Lorain. Here lie again took 
 np newspaper work, ultimately establish- 
 ing the Lorain Times, which, after con- 
 ducting it successfully some si.x years, he 
 sold out. He then sought employment in 
 western cities, securing positions on lead- 
 ing newspapers, finally halting at Kansas 
 City, Mo., where he found employment on 
 the local staff of the Times. While in 
 that city he was elected assistant secretary 
 of the Inter-State Fair Association, in 
 which capacity he served during the fall 
 of 1877. In that year he i-eturned to 
 Ohio, and was engaged for a time as court 
 reporter on the Cleveland Press, and later 
 he launched into the world, for weal or for 
 woe, the Herald, at Lorain. After a year 
 the Herald became a semi-weekly paper, 
 and is a bright and spicy sheet, clean both 
 in type and in matter, newsy, trenchant and 
 vigorous, and like its publisher and editor, 
 uncompromisingly Republican. 
 
 ''^^ OBERT MERRIAM, the most ex- 
 L»^ tensive farmer and landowner in 
 11 ^ Pittsfield township, is a native of 
 J) same, born January 7, 1840. His 
 
 father, William A. Merriam, was 
 born April 5, 1811, in Pittsfield township, 
 Berkshire Co., Mass., and was reared to 
 farm life, receiving in his youth a common- 
 school education. 
 
 In 1836 AVilliam A. Merriam married 
 Miss Lucy H. Fairfield, a native of the 
 same place, and in the following spring 
 (^1837) the young couple migrated west- 
 ward, journeying by way of canal and lake 
 to Cleveland, Ohio. Their boat was the 
 first to make the trip to Cleveland that 
 spring, and the passengers were obliged to 
 travel for eleven miles over the ice; during 
 this journey the boat took tire, and they 
 
700 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 narrowly escaped being burned. Proceed- 
 ine from Cleveland to Amherst. Lorain 
 county, they remained at the latter place 
 one summer, and then removed to Pitts- 
 field township, same county, where he in- 
 vested in 110 acres of land at seven dollars 
 and lifty cents per acre. This tract was 
 completely wild, with the exception of 
 fourteen acres which had been chopped 
 but not cleared. The dwelling was a log 
 cabin, with puncheon floor and Dutch 
 chimney-place, but no hearth, and here 
 were born two children: Robert, and John 
 F., a well-to-do retired citizen of St. Joseph, 
 Mo. Here Mr. Merriam passed the re- 
 mainder of his life, never journeying more 
 than forty miles from home, and he never 
 traveled by rail. He was a hard-working, 
 industrious farmer, and was well known in 
 the community in which he resided. In 
 politics he was a Democrat. He passed 
 from earth February 27, 1871, his widow 
 on August 12, 1890, and both are buried 
 in South cemetery, in Pittslield township. 
 In religious faith Mrs. Merriam was a 
 member of the Congregational Church. 
 
 Robert Merriam received his education 
 in the common schools and at Wellington 
 Seminary, and later took a commercial 
 course at Oberlin College, when S. S. 
 Calkins was at the head of that depart- 
 ment. He was afterward a student at 
 Wellington Station, on the C. C. C. & I. 
 Railroad, at the time when Noah Hamil- 
 ton M-as agent for the "Big Four" Rail- 
 way at that place, but, being dissatisfied 
 there, returned home and followed farm- 
 ing with his father. 
 
 On June 2, 1869, he was united in mar- 
 riage with Chloe M. Sheffield, who was 
 born October 30, 1844, in Camden town- 
 ship, Lorain county, daughter of Robert 
 S. Sheffield, who was born in Schenectady, 
 N. Y.; in April, 1842, he came westward 
 to Pittsfield township, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 where he married Delia Watkins, and fol- 
 lowed farming the remainder of his life. 
 Mr. Merriam is an industrious, persevering 
 and enterprising man, possessing consider- 
 
 able business ability, and has accumulated 
 during his active lifetime a comfortable 
 competence. Some years since he in- 
 herited quite a sum of money, which he 
 invested in land, and he is now the owner 
 of 422 acres, being the largest farmer in 
 Pittsfield township, of which he is a lead- 
 ing and influential citizen. In politics he 
 is a Democrat, but beyond casting his bal- 
 lot takes little active interest in affairs of 
 State. Mrs. Merriam is a higlilv esteemed, 
 intelligent lady, well-read and an interest- 
 ing conversationalist. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Merriam have enjoyed 
 many pleasant trips to Connecticut and 
 Massachusetts, visiting the old homes of 
 their parents, besides other journeyings. 
 In August, 1892, they set out on a west- 
 ern tour, their first stopping place being 
 St. Joseph, Mo., where Mr. and Mrs. J. F. 
 Merriam and daughter, and Mrs. Gray, 
 Mrs. J. F. Merriain's mother, joined them 
 for the remainder of the trip. From there 
 the party proceeded to Denver, Colo., 
 thence to Colorado Springs, stood on the 
 summit of Pike's Peak, drank of the 
 Manitou Springs, and visited the "Garden 
 of the Gods." Thence they proceeded to 
 Pueblo, where they visited the " Mineral 
 Palace," and the smelting works, witness- 
 ing there the transforming of crude ore 
 into perfected steel rails. Salt Lake City 
 was their next point, where they were for- 
 tunate enough to meet a Mormon elder 
 with whom they had some previous ac- 
 quaintance, and he showed them many 
 things of interest. From Salt Lake City 
 they journeyed to other points, including 
 Madera, Cal., from which town they went 
 by stage (the first vehicle of the kind to 
 make the trip through to the Yosemite 
 Valley), seven days being occupied enroute. 
 Returning to Madera, the tourists there 
 took train for Los Angeles, where they 
 made a stay of three days, visiting the 
 ostrich farm, etc., and here for the first 
 time they had a glimpse of the Pacific 
 Ocean. From there they proceeded to Old 
 Mexico; thence to Oakland and San Fran- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 701 
 
 Cisco, Cal.; thence to Salem and Portland, 
 Oreg. ; thence took a flying trip into the 
 new State of Washington. Then turning 
 homeward, they stopped off at Shoshone, 
 from there staging twenty-eight miles to 
 Shoshone Falls and Blue Lake. Return- 
 ing to Shoshone they traveled to Denver, 
 thence iioine via St. Joseph, Mo., just 
 escaping the great and memorable snow- 
 storm, having from tlie time they tirst left 
 St. Joseph been traveling seven weeks, 
 everywhere sight-seeing and visiting most 
 of the accessible places of interest. 
 
 ^J 
 
 jJl ENRY RIMBACII, furniture dealer 
 '5^1 and undertaker, one of the fore- 
 1| most business men of Elyria, was 
 born in the city of Bnli'alo, N. Y., 
 October 30, 1854. 
 His parents, Henry and Catharine (Bran- 
 dau) Rimbach, natives of Hessia, Germany, 
 came to America in the year 1852, locating 
 in Buffalo, N. Y., vrhere they were shortly 
 after married, and here Mr. Rimbach fol- 
 lowed his trad*, that of cabinet making, 
 until late in the year 1855. when they and 
 their young son, Henry, came to Elyria, 
 Ohio. For a period of ten years he pur- 
 sued his business in the employ of others, 
 and at the expiration of this term he en- 
 gaged in business on his own account, and 
 this he conducted to the time of his death, 
 when his son Henry succeeded to the busi- 
 ness. Henry Rimbach, Sr., was born Jan- 
 uary 23, 1825, and died December 20, 
 1878; a man whose business career was 
 successful, and whose character was with- 
 out stain or blemish. Mrs. Rimbach was 
 born February 7, 1833, and died Novem- 
 ber 21, 1881. Their children were as fol- 
 lows: Henry, whose name prefaces this 
 sketch; Anna, wife of Charles Friday, of 
 Elyria; Ernst C, a cigarmaker, of Elya-ia; 
 George, in the l)00t and shoe business in 
 Elyria; John; and Adam, an ordained min- 
 ister of Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 Grandfather Rimbach, whose name was 
 Christoplier, was a native of Germany, and 
 came to America in 1854. lie was a 
 gifted musician and a professor of the 
 violin and clarinet. He made his home 
 in Pennsylvania till the year 1808, when 
 he came to Elyria, making his home with 
 his son Henry, and, after the latter's death, 
 with his grandson, Henry; he died at the 
 ripe old age of eighty-eight years; he was 
 l)orn in 1800. Although a resident of 
 the United States for thirty-four years he 
 never spoke English. 
 
 We cannot well conclude this notice 
 without some favorable mention of the 
 eldest surviving member of this family. 
 Henry Rimbach was early taught the value 
 of books, and also was early made aware 
 that toil and frugality were both essential 
 to success. He received a good school 
 training, and when respited from his 
 studies he was taught to shove the plane. 
 From a poor boy he has hewn out his own 
 prosperity, and to-day takes easy rank 
 among established and older business men 
 of iiis city. Socially he is a member of 
 the R. A., and a member of the Funeral 
 Directors' Association, of Ohio. Politi- 
 cally he is a Democrat. On May 19, 
 1880, he married Miss Christina Herold, 
 of Berea, Ohio, and they have two children 
 in their home: Emanuel and Henry. The 
 business house of Mr. Rimbach is one of 
 the most substantial structures of Elyria. 
 
 JOSEPH H. LINCOLN, deceased 
 farmer of Pittsfield township, was a 
 native of Peru, Bennington Co., 
 Vt., born January 31, 1818. He re- 
 ceived a common-school education, was 
 reared to the duties of agricultural life, 
 and when a young man migrated west- 
 ward with his parents to Ionia county, 
 Mich. On the way thither Joseph stopjx'd 
 to visit a short while with his brother, S. 
 W. Lincoln, who had settled on a farm in 
 Pittsfield township, Lorain Co., Ohio, and 
 
702 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 in 1848, sliortly after the death of his 
 lather, whicli occurred in Michigan, he 
 came to Pittsfield township, and here re- 
 sided with liis brotlier for about one year. 
 On April 3, 1849, Mr. Lincoln was 
 united in marriage with Hannah N. 
 Plielps, a native of New Marlborough, 
 Mass., who w^s born January 9, 18l9, 
 youngest child of Bethuel and Levina 
 (Norton) Plieips. The parents migrated 
 westward, settling in Pittsfield township, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio, on the same farm where 
 their daughter Hannah still resides; and 
 at the time of their settlement the country 
 was still in its primitive state, the forests 
 abounding with bears, wolves, turkeys and 
 other wild animals. After marriage Mr. 
 Lincoln settled on the farm of his father- 
 in-law, the " Phelps Homestead," where 
 he passed tiie remainder of his life, suc- 
 cessfully carrying on a general farming 
 and dairy business. He owned a farm in 
 Ionia county, Mich., but sold it. To Mr. 
 and Mrs. Lincoln were born two children: 
 Louisa, who died at the age of thirty-two; 
 and Andrew P., a farmer of Pittsfield 
 township. The father died in February, 
 1S62, and was buried in South cemetery, 
 and Mrs. Lincoln has since managed the 
 farm (excepting for four years when it was 
 rented), displaying in this capacity consid- 
 erable business ability. In politics Mr. 
 Lincoln was an ardent Republican, and 
 lield various positions of trust in Pittsfield 
 township. 
 
 UARTLTS GILLMOPtE is a member 
 of one of the early families of Lo- 
 rain county, of whicli he is a native, 
 born in May, 1839, a son of Quartus 
 and Elizabeth (Peid) Gillmore. The 
 Gillmores are of Scotch ancestry, and early 
 settlers of Massachusetts. 
 
 The father of our subject was a native 
 of Massachusetts, whence in the spring of 
 1810 he set out on foot for Ohio, where 
 he located land in what was then the Con- 
 necticut Reserve, which land is now in 
 
 Lorain county. In the fall of the same 
 year he returned to Massachusetts, and in 
 the spring of the following year once more 
 came to his new settlement (this time in 
 company with his father, Edmund Gill- 
 more), and here passed the rest of his days 
 in farming; he died in 1869, his widow in 
 1876. They were both Methodists, and 
 in politics he was first a Whig, then a 
 Free-soiler, and, in his later years, a Re- 
 publican. They reared a family of eight 
 children, namely: Gen. Quincy A., a 
 native of Lorain, Lorain county (after 
 leaving school, and up to the age of twenty, 
 he taught .school; then entered the Mili- 
 tary Academy at West Point, where in 
 1849 he graduated at the head of his class; 
 he was well known in the Civil war, and 
 his death occurred at Brooklyn, N. Y., in 
 1888); Elizabeth, wife of W. Prince, of 
 Cleveland; Sophia, wife of D. S. Leslie, of 
 Northport, Mich.; Roxana, wife of A. B. 
 Spooner, in California; Edmund, a resi- 
 dent of Lorain; Alice, wife of James Con- 
 nolly, of Lorain (she died in January, 
 1893); Quartus, subject of this sketch; 
 and Cornelius, residing in Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 Quartus Gillmore received a liberal edu- 
 cation at the public sciiools of his native 
 county, and at the age of seventeen com- 
 menced sailing on the lakes, a vocation he 
 followed several years, at one time as cap- 
 tain of a vessel. In 1866 he gave up sea- 
 faring life, find embarked in the grape- 
 growing industry, continuing in this until 
 1882, when he formed a partnership with 
 a Mr. Stang, under the firm name of 
 Stang & Gillmore, dredgers and pier 
 builders. In 1888 they dissolved partner- 
 ship, since when Mr. Gillmore has carried 
 on the same line of business alone. 
 
 In 1859 our subject was married, in 
 Lorain, Ohio, to Miss Mary Fitzgerald, 
 who was born in Michigan, but reared in 
 Lorain county, Ohio, daughter of Almond 
 and Mary (Root) Fitzgerald, of Massachu- 
 setts, who in an early day came to Lorain 
 county, where they died. To Mr. and Mrs. 
 Gillmore have been born four children: 
 
LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 703 
 
 Quartus A., iiiarriecl and residing in Cleve- 
 land, Ohio; Mary Isabelle, wife of Theo- 
 dore Burgess, of Lorain, who is employed 
 on the C. L. & W. R. II.; Theodore Leroy, 
 married and residing at Coniieaut, Ohio; 
 and William, at home. Mr. Gillraore in 
 his political preferences has been a Re- 
 publican since his first vote was cast for 
 Abraham Lincoln. Socially he is a mem- 
 ber of the Knights of the Maccabees and 
 Royal Arcannm. He is the owner of con- 
 siderable property in Lorain. 
 
 GYRUS IVES, for nearly sixty years 
 a resident of Columbia township, 
 where he now owns a magnificent 
 tract of land of five hundred acres, 
 divided into four farms, deserves special 
 mention in this volume. 
 
 He was born, in 1825, in Genesee (now 
 Wyoming) county, N. Y., a son of Albert 
 and Betsey (Russell) Ives, natives of Con- 
 necticut and Vermont, respectively, who 
 in 1834 came with their family to Lorain 
 county, locatirig in Columbia Center, later 
 moving to the southwest part of Columbia 
 township, where thej hewed out for them- 
 selves a new home in the solemn woods. 
 Tliey were the parents of live children, to 
 wit: Cyrus, our subject; Harriet Maria, 
 wife of Andrew Osliorne, residing in Co- 
 lumbiatownship; Ambrose, deceased; Seth, 
 residing in Columbia; and Sarah Jane, 
 who married Warren Bracy, and died in 
 1891, in Columbia township. The parents 
 were devout and zealous members of the 
 Baptist Church, and the father for several 
 years was sexton in his neighborhood. He 
 was an ardent Democrat, and a man of 
 ■wide reputation for his sterling principles. 
 He was called from earth in 1872, his wife 
 in 1874. 
 
 Cyrus Ives was reared iu his native 
 county until ten years of age, at which 
 time Ilia parents brought him to Lorain 
 county, and he then attended the schools 
 of Columbia township. Reared to agri- 
 
 cultural pursuits, he has been a lifelong 
 farmer, progressive and successful, and he 
 and his father were the prime movers in 
 establishing Columbia township. In 1849 
 he was married in Elyria, Ohio, to Miss 
 Prudence Stranahan, a native of Connecti- 
 cut, and daughter of Joshua and Mary 
 (Itlasou) Stranahan, also of that State. 
 The mother died there, and the father 
 afterward married, in Connecticut. Miss 
 Lucy Farnham. In 1830 they came to 
 Columbia township, Lorain county, and 
 took up a farm. This wife died, and Mr. 
 Stranahan then married, in 1854, iliss 
 Jeanette Stone; he died in 1856. By his 
 first marriage, only, there are surviving 
 children, as follows: Sheffield J., who re- 
 sides in Michigan; Sfartha Louisa, wife 
 of Daniel Bigelow, of Columbia township; 
 and Prudence, Mrs. Ives. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Ives was born one 
 child, John Cyrus, who was cut off in his 
 twenty-fourth year, April 12, 1881, after 
 a lingering illijess from catarrhal con- 
 sumption. He was a member of the Bap- 
 tist Church, was licensed to preach, and 
 went to Denison University three years, 
 never missing either a recitation or chapel 
 service or prayer meeting in all that time. 
 At his death he could read four lauauages. 
 On the Sabbath he was called to his re- 
 ward. Communion service was postponed 
 until the follovving Sabbath, when his 
 father officiated. Politically onr subject 
 is a Democrat, taking a lively interest in 
 the affairs of his party. He and his wife 
 are members of the Ba])tist Church at 
 Columbia Center, in which he has been a 
 deacon forty one years, and during all that 
 time he never missed attending church to 
 officiate excepting one Sabbath. 
 
 d I AMES WHIPPLE was born March 
 16, 1811, in Pomfret town, Windham 
 ^ Co., Conn. His parents, Charles 
 and Hannah Whipple, w^ere both 
 natives of North Providence, R. I., born 
 April 28, 1779, and November 14, 1786, 
 
704 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ^Wau-. ■ 
 
 respectively. In 1807 they moved to 
 Pomfret, Conn., and thence in 1S15 to 
 AVestmoreland, Oneida Co., N. Y., where 
 tliey passed the remainder of their lives. 
 Charles Whipple died January 8. 1806, 
 aged eiglity-six years; his wife, Hannah, 
 had preceded him to the grave December 
 6, 1863, when aged seventy-eight years. 
 
 On Jlay 24, 1833, James Whipple came 
 to Lorain county, Ohio, having previously 
 purclias'jd in IJrighton one hundred acres 
 of land, known as the Loomis farm; this 
 farm he afterward increased to two hun- 
 dred acres. On November 14, 1839, he 
 was united in marriage with Slelinda 
 Dunbar, who was born September 6, 1819, 
 at Sandy Lake, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., 
 daughter of John Dunbar, who was born 
 June, 1777, at Bridgewater, Norfolk Co., 
 Mass., of Scotch and English descent. lie 
 resided with his parents at Bridgewater 
 until sixteen years of age, when he re- 
 moved with them to Grantham, Sullivan 
 Co., N. H. In 1800 he was married to 
 Sally Annadown, who was born Sep- 
 tember 20, 1776, daughter of Joseph and 
 Dorcas Annadown, ot Southbridge, Mass., 
 and tliey resided at Grantham until Feb- 
 ruary, 1818, when they removed to Sandy 
 Lake. In 1820 they went to Ludlow, 
 Windsor Co., Vt., thence, iu 1831, to 
 Minerva, Essex Co., N. Y^. In the latter 
 part of May, 1835, they came westward to 
 Ohio, locating, in the latter part of Sep- 
 tember, in Brighton, Lorain county, where 
 Mr. Dunbar passed from earth January 8, 
 1838, when aged sixty-one years. He 
 cairied on farming on a place situated 
 about three-fourths of a mile north of the 
 centei- of the township. His widow passed 
 away September 22, 1854, aged seventy- 
 eight years. Melinda Dunbar received in 
 her youth a common-school education, atid 
 was sixteen years of age when she came 
 with her parents to Brighton township, 
 Lorain Co.. Ohio. 
 
 To Mr. and ]\Ii's. James AVhipple were 
 born four children, viz.: Jefi'erson C, 
 born August 18, 1841; Anzonette, born 
 
 February 8, 1851, died June 17, 1859, 
 aged eight years, four months and nine 
 days; Emma, born April 2, 1857. died 
 June 12, 1859, aged two years, two months 
 and ten days; and Manette C, born Oc- 
 tober 31, 1861. The family homestead is 
 one and a half miles from Brighton. Mr. 
 Whipple was actively identiiied with the 
 early religious and political questions of 
 the town, taking his part in the develop- 
 ment of the country'. 
 
 DAVID L. WADSWORTH and 
 FAMILY. David L. Wadsworth, 
 ' youngest and seventh son of Lawton 
 
 and Nancy R. Wadsworth, was born 
 in Becket, Berkshire Co., Mass., June 1, 
 1825. He was a lad of fine promise — 
 bright, witty and active — and grew up 
 among the granite hills, la^'ing the foun- 
 dation for character noted in after years for 
 geniality and good fellowship. A true son 
 of sturdy New England ancestry. 
 
 On April 15, 1883, Lawton Wadsworth 
 and family started from Becket on a west- 
 ern journey, moving by overland route, 
 with horses and covered wagons, and ar- 
 rived in Wellington, Ohio, May 9, making 
 the journey of about 600 miles in twenty- 
 four days. David L. was then in his 
 eighth vear, and the town of Wellington in 
 its pioneer stage. Here, for fifty-nine 
 consecutive years, he dwelt amonir her 
 people, growing with her growth, strength- 
 ening with her strength, utitil, step by 
 step, he moved onvvard and upward, with 
 the march of improvements of this busy, 
 bustlinij town. During his vouthful days 
 he accjuired a good common-school educa- 
 tion, which was supplemented with a few 
 terms at Oberlin College, preparatory to 
 following the vocation of school teacher. 
 For seven years he taught in district 
 schools during the winter terms, establish- 
 ing a good record as instructor and discip- 
 linarian. 
 
^^-C^^.^/?^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 707 
 
 In 1840 he commenced the study of 
 medicine under Dr. llall, of Orange, Ohio, 
 but acquiring a distaste for tiiis profession, 
 he shortly returned to the parental home- 
 stead, and gave liis attention to farming 
 and stock dealing, developing a spirit of 
 speculation that proved lasting, and as 
 years passed brought forth its cainy:)lement 
 of unlimited success. On October 22, 1850, 
 D. L. Wadsworth was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Rusenia C. Woodwortli, 
 of Rochester, Lorain county, a daugh- 
 ter of Hiram and Caroline L. (Wales) 
 Woodwortli, born November 5, 1831, in 
 Bristol, N. Y., and who came with her 
 parents to Rochester in 1832, where they 
 settled for a term of years. Three children 
 were the fruits of this marriage, viz.: 
 Kitty May, born May 20, 1856, and died 
 April 6, 1858 (^he was a beautiful child, 
 sweet and lovable, and died greatly 
 lamented); Georgie M., born September 
 25, 1861, and Leon H., born October 13, 
 1863. In 1866 the present family resi- 
 dence, situate on North Main street, was 
 completed and occupied. In 1868 Mr. 
 Wadsworth purchased a planing mill, and 
 embarked in the manufacture of doors, 
 sash and blinds, dealing largely in lumber, 
 shingles, lath, etc. Afterward other in- 
 dustries were added, to wit: a cheese and 
 butter- box factory; and later on he estab- 
 lished a lumber yard and planing-mill in 
 Greenwich, Ohio,givingemployment to up- 
 ward of seventy-five workmen. He was a 
 prominent dealer in real estate, buying 
 farms, luiildinghonsesabouttown fordwell- 
 ings and other purposes, a hundred or more, 
 adding much to the general growth and 
 prosperity of the village wherein he dwelt. 
 
 On October 22, 1875. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Wadsworth celebrated their twenty-fifth 
 wedding anniversary in a right royal 
 manner, witl\ some 300 guests in attend- 
 ance, who presented many elegant silver 
 gifts in honor of the occasion. It was a 
 fete noted for its social and enjoyable 
 features, and ever remembered with pleas- 
 ure by those who participated therein. 
 
 38 
 
 Mr. Wadsworth's political faith dated 
 from the famous " Rescue Case " of 1858, 
 after which time he was a Democrat. In 
 1861 he became an ardent, zealous and 
 enthusiastic War Democrat. Ho called 
 the first meeting for the purpose of secur- 
 ing volunteers, and his cry of: " Boys, 
 this means business," was very like a 
 clarion note, inciting men to do their 
 duty, and to do it well. He gave gener- 
 ously of his time and money to further the 
 cause of loyalty to the Union, and was ever 
 a true and firm friend to the "boys in 
 blue." Although the district in which 
 Mr. AVadsworth lived has always been Re- 
 publican, yet he received many political 
 honors. On April 1,. 1878, he was ap- 
 pointed, by Gov. Bishop, trustee of the 
 Cleveland Insane Asylum, holding this 
 position five years. Gov. Iloadley ap- 
 pointed him trustee of the State Institu- 
 tion for the Blind, and this position was 
 held during the remainder of that gov- 
 ernor's term of oflice, also the entire first 
 term of Gov. Foraker, a Republican offi- 
 cial. In 1875 he was nominated to fill 
 the office of State treasurer, and was de- 
 feated by only two votes; in 1888 he was 
 nominated for a representative to Congress, 
 and succeeded in reducing the Republican 
 majority in his own county over four 
 hundred. In 1890 he was ottered the 
 same nomination, but declined the honor. 
 Although not a member of any church, 
 his public spirit led him to contribute 
 largely to the building of churches with- 
 out regard to color or creed. In Free 
 Masonry he attained the thirty-second 
 degree. 
 
 Mr. Wadsworth gave his children, 
 Georgie M. and Leon II., every facility 
 for educational advantage. After this 
 years' attendance in the Union schools of 
 Wellington, Georgie was given one year 
 of schooling in Oberlin, and two years in 
 Miss Mittleberger's Select School for 
 young ladies, in Cleveland. Leon H. 
 graduated in the Ann Arbor (Mich.) Law- 
 School in 1883. On October 14, 1885, he 
 
708 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 married Miss Mary E., only daughter of 
 Capt. William and Sophia Trinter, of 
 Vermillion, Ohio. Tlie wedding was cele- 
 brated with all due honors at the home of 
 the bride's parents, and wedding gifts 
 were numerous and valuable. On Octo- 
 ber 22, 1885, on tlie thirty-lifth anniver- 
 sary of Mr. and Mrs. D. L. Wadsworth's 
 wedding, their daughter Georgie M. was 
 united in marriage with Mr. D. B. Ord- 
 way, of Hornellsville, N. Y. A reception 
 was also tendered Mr. and Mrs. Leon H. 
 Wadsworth at the same time and place, and 
 once again the elegant home of Mr. and 
 Mrs. D. L. Wadsworth was tilled with 
 many guests to celebrate this triple event 
 in the history of the family. The gener- 
 ous collection of rare flowers used for dec- 
 orations; the elegant home furnishings; 
 the rich costumes, as seen under gaslight, 
 made a charming picture, worthy of being 
 perpetuated on canvas. 
 
 Previous to the marriage of the chil- 
 dren homes had been prepared and fur- 
 nished, ready for occupancy. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Ordway's home was located in Hor- 
 nellsville, N. Y., while that of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Leon H. Wadsworth was near the paternal 
 homestead, and he was given an interest 
 in his father's lumber business. In March, 
 1886, Mr. and Mrs. Ordway returned to 
 Wellington, taking up a residence in the 
 house previously occupied by Mr. and 
 Mrs. Leon H., the latter moving to Green- 
 wich, Ohio, and taking charge of the lum- 
 ber business, previously establit^hed at 
 that place by his father. Mr. Ordway 
 was given a position in the lumber busi- 
 ness in Wellington similar to that of Leon 
 H. On October 25, 1886, a son was born 
 to Mr. and Mrs. Leon H. Wadsworth, and 
 was christened William Luther, in honor 
 of each grandfather. On November 29, 
 1886, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. D. 
 B. Ordway, and christened James Wads- 
 worth Ordway. 
 
 In 1890 D. L. Wadsworth received an 
 appointment from Gov. Campbell as a 
 member of the World's Fair Board from 
 
 Ohio. He was a most active and tireless 
 worker, and from overexertion in this cause 
 was attributed the fatal illness that cut 
 shoit the thread of life in so summary a 
 manner. Mr. Wadsworth died at his home 
 on the evening of October 7, 1892, of heart 
 failure, at the age of sixty-seven years. 
 His illness was only of a few hours' dura- 
 tion. Dr. E. G. Rust, the family physi- 
 cian, was in attendance, and his family all 
 present. The funeral service was con- 
 ducted at his late home, Tuesday, 2 o'clock 
 P. M., October 11, by Rev. Wi'lliam Bar- 
 ton, pastor of the Congregational Church, 
 assisted by Jacob W. Vanderwerf, emi- 
 nent commander of the Order of Knights 
 Templar, Oriental Commandery of Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, of which Order Mr. Wads- 
 worth had been a member for twenty 
 years. The jjerfection ring presentation 
 was conducted by Prelates Ills. Charles A. 
 Woodward and Brenton D. Babcock; music 
 was rendered by a Knights Templar quar- 
 tet, the ceremonies being all most solemn 
 and impressive. Mr. Wadsworth's remains 
 were dressed in the Knights Templar re- 
 galia, as were the tifty or more Knights in 
 attendance. The casket and rooms were 
 adorned with choice flower pieces, gifts 
 from the various Orders to which the de- 
 ceased belonged, also from relatives and 
 friends, and their honied perfume made 
 the air fragrant with sweetness. The day 
 was most divinely fair, each shrub and tree 
 had put on its most attractive colors, and 
 the rich, mellow sunshine, softened by 
 cooling breezes, baptized Mother Earth 
 with a glory quite indescribable. All the 
 principal business houses and shops in 
 town were closed during the funeral obse- 
 quies, and the attendance was very large. 
 The roomy house and extensive grounds 
 were tilled to overflowing. No greater 
 trilmte of respect was ever paid a deceased 
 citizen of Wellington, than was freely 
 given on this occasion, by not only the 
 citizens of the town, but by all surround- 
 ing towns, whence came many people to 
 pay their last respects and to extend their 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 709 
 
 sympathy to the bereaved family. The 
 order of the procession was as follows: 
 First Wellintjtou Brass Band, playing a 
 funeral dirtfe: carriao;e contaiuintr the 
 clergy; hearse, guarded by six Knights 
 Templar, bearing reversed swords, fol- 
 lowed by titty or more of same Order on 
 toot, each dressed in regalia of their Order; 
 Masons of all grades; workmen employed 
 in the various industries carried on by the 
 Wadsworth firm; carriage containing 
 mourners; carriages containing citizens; 
 citizens on fool, numbering several hun- 
 dred. The service at the grave was con- 
 ducted by Prelates same as at the family 
 residence, and the remains were lowered 
 into their last resting-place amid a sprink- 
 ling of evergreens and floral blossoms. 
 "Earth to earth, and dust to dust." 
 His widow still resides in the now lonely 
 home, where, on every hand, are seen evi- 
 dences of the thoughtful outlook and care- 
 ful supervision on the part of the dear de- 
 parted, for the comfort of those dwelling 
 within the liome circle. Ah! it is little 
 wonder the bereaved heart continually cries 
 for the protecting arms that were wont to 
 shield it from all adverse afflictions and 
 trials, incident to liuman life whilst making 
 its earthly pilgrimage. 
 
 /George h. andress, a promi- 
 
 I • «- nent agriculturist of Henrietta 
 
 \^l township, is a native of same, born 
 
 J^ August 5, 1834, a son of Carlo and 
 
 Nancy (Buckly) Andress. 
 Carlo Andress was born November 6, 
 1804, in Essex county, N. Y., and came to 
 Ohio in 1817. On March 1, 1832, he was 
 married in Henrietta to Nancy Bnckly, who 
 was born in Auburn, N. Y., May 30,1812, 
 and they lived together nineteen years, 
 when she died. August 25, 1851. They 
 had but one child, George H., the subject 
 of this sketch. Carlo Andress was subse- 
 quently, on December 4, 1851, married to 
 Weltha Smith, of Elyria, by which union 
 
 he had two children, both born in Hen- 
 rietta, at the old homestead, viz.: Alice, 
 born October 30, 1853, and Henry, born 
 June 19, 1855. Carlo Andress died of 
 paralysis November 8, 1870, in Oberlin, 
 whither he had removed in order to have 
 his children educated; his wife was born in 
 Poughkeepsie, N. Y., August 16, 1815, 
 and died April 24, 1871. 
 
 Carlo Andress commenceJ life as a pio-' 
 neer farmer, working early and late with- 
 out any of the comforts and barely the 
 necessities of lite. For the wife of his 
 earlier years he married one that was as 
 willing to work as was he, and together 
 they labored and managed to lay the foun- 
 dation of a competency. He was elected 
 Justice of the peace in the time of T. Cor- 
 win, in 1842, and was for many years jus- 
 tice in Henrietta township, where he tried 
 to have all troubles settled without any 
 ill-will. His wife was a Christian woman, 
 having joined the Disciple Church while 
 quite young, and remaining true to her 
 early faith till the last. She was noted for 
 her goodness to the poor and her kindness 
 to the sick, and her sweetness of disposi- 
 tion is often spoken of until this day by 
 the people who knew her best. Two 
 brothers of hers and their descendants are 
 living in Henrietta township at the pres- 
 ent time. His second spouse was a model 
 wife and mother, devoting her entire time 
 to her family. He could at tliis time pro- 
 vide for his family far differently than in his 
 younger days. He and his wife were 
 deeply interested in the welfare of their 
 children and the people that were of their 
 household. 
 
 Our subject attended the primitive coun- 
 try schools of his boyhood days, and Berea 
 (Ohio) College two terms. He then as- 
 sisted his father in the farm work, clear- 
 ing the land of timber and undergrowth, 
 and converting the virgin soil into fertile 
 fields. At the age of about twenty-three 
 years lie commenced life for his own ac- 
 count, as a full-fledged fanner, and in his 
 vocation has been highly successful. He 
 
710 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 now owns 134 acres of prime land, one 
 hundred of which were cultivated by his 
 father. 
 
 In 1859 Mr. Andress was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Matilda Eison, and three 
 children were born to them, as follows: 
 Maud (Mrs. Fred Fowler, of Berlin Heights, 
 Ohio), born April 13, 1861; Ernest, born 
 July 18, 1863, died January 16, 1873; and 
 •Leon, born March 13, 1865. The mother 
 of these died in 1868, and in 1870 our 
 subject intermarried with Adelaide Ennis, 
 by which union there is one child, Frank, 
 in the express ofhce in Elyria. In 1872 
 Mr. Andress married Amelia Hutchison, 
 daughter of William Hutchison, and 
 children, as follows, were born to this 
 union: Edna, at present at Painesville 
 (Ohio) Seminary; Elsie, teaching school 
 at Berlin Heights, Ohio; Walter, deceased; 
 Henry, Fred and Bessie, at home. Politi- 
 cally our subject is a Democrat, but in 
 local elections he invariably vptes for the 
 best man regardless of party. 
 
 E 
 
 DMUND GILLMORE. A biograph- 
 ical record of Lorain county would 
 J be incomplete were prominent men- 
 tion not made of this gentleman, 
 who is a native of the county, born Feb- 
 ruary 10, 1833, in Black Hiver township. 
 Mr. Gillmore is a son of Qnartus and 
 Elizabeth (lieidj Gillmore, the former of 
 whom was a native of Chester, Hampden 
 Co., Mass., a son of Edmund and Eliza- 
 beth (Stuart) Gillmore, also of Massachu- 
 setts, born of English and Scotch ancestry, 
 respectively. From their native State 
 they came west to what was then known 
 as the " Connecticut Western Reserve," 
 locating, in 1811, in what is now Lorain 
 county, Ohio, where he bought wild land 
 which he cleared, passing the rest of his 
 days thereon. He was a farmer and land- 
 owner in Amherst and Black River town- 
 ships, and he and his wife died in Black 
 
 River township, in 1843 and 1844, respect- 
 ively. They had a family of ten children 
 — nine sons and one daughter — a brief rec- 
 ord of them being as follows: (1) Quar- 
 tus, born in 1790, has mention made 
 further on. (2) Aretus, born in Massa- 
 chusetts ill 1792, died in Lorain county, 
 Ohio. (3) Orrin, born in Mai-sachusetts 
 in 1794, died in Cuyahoga county, Ohio. 
 (4) Simon, born in 1796, died in Detroit, 
 Mich., in 1833; he was a ship carpenter 
 by occupation. (5) Truman, born in 1798, 
 died in Lorain county, Ohio, in 1881. 
 (6) Linas, born in 1801, died in Lorain in 
 1881. (7) Roxanna, born in 1803, was 
 married in Lorain county to Robert 
 Wright, and died in Oregon. (8) Alanson 
 was born in 1805. (9) Edmund, born in 
 1801, died in Minnesota. (10) James 
 Madison, born in 1811, died in Lorain 
 county, Ohio. 
 
 Quartus Gillmore came west with his 
 parents, the journey being made with 
 teams. In what is now Lorain county, 
 Ohio, he married Elizabeth Reid, who 
 died in 1876, surviving her husiiand seven 
 years, he having passed away in 1869. In 
 politics he was an active Whig, afterward 
 a Republican; was for many years a magis- 
 trate, and about 1837 was appointed the 
 first trustee of Black River township. 
 Of tlieir family of children, Quincy A. 
 was born in Lorain county in 1825, and 
 was educated in the public schools of Nor- 
 walk and at Elyria Academy; was a teacher 
 in the public schools for three years; in 
 1845 entered the Military Academy, where 
 he graduated at the head of his class, and 
 ultimately became a noted general. He 
 died in Brooklyn, M. Y., April 7, 1888. 
 
 Edmund Gillmore received his educa- 
 tion at the public schools of Black River 
 township, Lorain county, and at the age of 
 fifteen commenced sailing on the lakes, 
 making trips to Oswego, Chicago, and all 
 lake ports, which vocation he continued in 
 for ten years. He also worked at ship 
 caulking, and while so engaged on one oc- 
 casion received a severe injury. For ten 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OUIO. 
 
 711 
 
 months he was with a Itrother in New York 
 City, acting as shipping agent and assistant 
 draughtsman. 
 
 In 1858 Edmund Gillmore was united 
 in marriage with Miss Adelaide E. (xill- 
 more, a native of Lorain, Lorain Co., (Jhio, 
 and daughter of Aianson Gillmore, of 
 Lorain. To this union has been born one 
 child, Quiiicy A. Gillmore, a prominent 
 attorney at law of Elyria, Ohio. Politi- 
 cally our subject is a pronounced Republi- 
 can, and has held several offices of trust in 
 his locality, such as assessorfor some time, 
 township clerk for fifteen years, justice of 
 the peace since 1863, and notary public 
 for the past twenty years. 
 
 ^UINCY A. GILLMORE, a leading 
 attorney at law of Elyria, was born 
 May 12, 1859, in Lorain county, 
 i\ Ohio, a son of Edmund and Ade- 
 laide E. (Gillmore) Gillmore, also 
 natives of the county, who are now resi- 
 dents of the town of Lorain. 
 
 Our subject received his education in 
 Obyrlin and Delaware Wesleyan Colleges, 
 graduating in 1881. Making a study of 
 law, he graduated from the Cincinnati 
 Law School in 1883, and in the fall of 
 1884 located in Elyria for the practice of 
 his chosen profession, in which he has met 
 with well-merited success. In 1884 he 
 was married to Miss Frankie G. Brown, 
 and one child has come to brighten their 
 home, named Scott E. Politically Mr. 
 Gillmore is one of the most ardent Re- 
 publicans in his section, and he is a mem- 
 ber of the K. P. and of the Lorain County 
 Bar Association. 
 
 rEORGE W. RICE. This gentleman 
 , is descended from one of the pio- 
 
 y^Jl neer families of Lorain county, and 
 
 Al is a native of the same, having first 
 
 seen the light on his father's farm 
 
 in Amherst township February 19, 184t5. 
 
 His father, Abram Rice, was born April 
 21, 1801, in Fayette county, Penn., and in 
 1822 came to Lorain county, where he 
 took up one hundred acres of wild land in 
 Black River township. Later he moved 
 into Amherst township and l)ought a 
 partly-improved farm of one Moses Mul- 
 nick, where he passed the remainder of 
 his pioneer days, dying in 1876. In his 
 political preferences he was a Whig and 
 Abolitionist, and, later, a Republican. In 
 religious sentiment he was a Methodist. 
 He was married in Fayette county, Penn., 
 to Miss Margaret Stacker, who died in 
 March, 1891. They were the parents of 
 fourteen children, of whom the following 
 is a brief sketch: (1) Mary was married in 
 Illinois to O. P. Kilmer, of New York, 
 who enlisted in Company F, Forty-First 
 O. V. I., and was shot at Pittsburgh Land- 
 ing in 1862, dying two weeks later in Cin- 
 cinnati; his widow died February 28, 
 1891. (2) Daniel was born in 1824, was 
 reared in the county, and here married 
 Mary Smith, of Black River township, 
 Lorain county, who died shortly afterward; 
 in 1850 he went to California, where he 
 married and had six children — five daugh- 
 ters and one son; he died June 23, 1889, 
 in Arroyo Grande, Cal. (3) Samuel A., 
 born in 1826, became ^n early pioneer of 
 Grant county. Wis., where he married and 
 passed the rest of his days, dying in 1855, 
 leaving a widow and one daughter, now 
 Mrs. Ella Jansen, of Clay Center, Kans. 
 
 (4) Ann E., born in 1827, was married in 
 1850, in Lorain county, to Hiram Wilber, 
 of New York, who came in an early day 
 to Lorain county, where he died in 1878; 
 they had two children : Byron E., in Adams 
 county, Iowa (married and has two chil- 
 dren, Stella and Jessie); and Eda B., mar- 
 ried to M.Cunningham, of Columbus, Ohio, 
 and has two children, George and Roy. 
 
 (5) John S., born in 1829, was married to 
 Miss Lucy Hale, of Lorain county, some- 
 time in the "fifties." At the time of his 
 marriage he was keeping a hotel at Berlin 
 Heights, Erie Co., Ohio. Later he sold 
 
712 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 out, and removed to Minnesota, where he 
 was residing when the call came for volun- 
 teers to suppress the Rtbellion. He en- 
 listed in the Second Regiment Minnesota 
 Infantry, and served until discliarged on 
 account of chronic sore eyes. Afterward 
 he moved to Iowa, and still later went with 
 his family to Arroyo Grande, Cal., where 
 he now resides, surrounded by his family 
 of eight sons and one daughter, besides 
 numerous grandchildren. (6) Melissa, born 
 in 1830, was married to H. P. Strickler, of 
 Pennsylvania; she died in 1861, leaving 
 one son and one daughter; the son, L. D., 
 and daughter, Mrs. Meda Sandrock, reside 
 with their families in Amherst township. 
 (7) Adaline, born in 1832. is the widow of 
 Wm. Pearl, and resides in North Amherst; 
 she has three sons: Eugene F.,CorriceC. and 
 Arthur A. (8) Margaret J., born October 
 7, 1833, was married to I. G. Hazel, and 
 to them were born live children, viz.: 
 Emma and Alma, lx)th deceased ; Alpha, re- 
 siding in Oberlin; Ruby, wife of Everett 
 E. Walker, of North Amherst, and Harry, 
 attending Oberlin College; Margaret J. 
 Plazel died in North Amherst March 28, 
 1890. (9) Nancy O., Iiorn January 6, 
 1885, married R. G. Barney, who enlisted 
 for one year in Company E, Sixth Ohio 
 Cavalry, served his time out, and died No- 
 vember 12, 1872; tliev had two children, 
 Mrs. Maggie Root, and Mrs. Mina Guten- 
 felder, of Cleveland; Nancy O. Barney 
 died in 1869. (10) Susan, born in 1837, 
 is the wife of John K. Hazel, who was a 
 member of Company C, Second Wis- 
 consin Cavalry; they live in Florida; they 
 have three children living: Loudon C, 
 Percy and Mark. (11) Abram J., born 
 January 17, 1840, enlisted in 1861 in 
 Company F, Forty-tirst O. V. I., was killed 
 at the battle of Pittsburg Landing April 7, 
 1862, and was buried on the battlefield; the 
 G. A. R. Post located at Amherst is named 
 in honorof him. (12) Wesley, born Janiiary 
 29, 1842, is married and resides in Oberlin; 
 he has two children, Alma, wife of Charles 
 J. Maynard, and Mary Faith. (13) Charles, 
 
 born December 5, 1843, died August 31, 
 1886, at Amherst. (14) George W. is the 
 suliject of this sketch. On the father's 
 side the family were of French-German 
 ancestry, on that of the mother they claim 
 German-Dutch lineage. Grandfather Rice 
 served in the Revolutionary war, and died 
 in Pennsylvania. 
 
 George W. Rice, the subject of this 
 sketch, received a moderate education at 
 the common schools of Amherst township 
 and at Berea College. In his boyhood 
 and youth he was thoroughly inducted 
 into the mysteries of agricultural pui-suits, 
 which have been his life work, and he now 
 owns the homestead, consisting of ninety 
 acres of prime land, all iti a guod state of 
 cultivation. Socially he is a member of 
 Amherst Lodge Nu. 74, K. of P., and is 
 Master of Exchequer in same; also mem- 
 ber of Amherst Lodge No. 96, I. O. G. T. 
 Politically he is a zealous Republican, and 
 for nearly a quarter of a century he has 
 been an active member of the board of 
 education of Amherst township, being at 
 present president of the same. Up to date 
 he is unmarried, none the less he is the 
 leading spirit of his neighborhood, socially 
 and politically; his interest in the welfare 
 of old and young never flags. 
 
 /p^EORGE C. JEFFERIES, attorney 
 I m, at law and war claim agent, Elyria, 
 \J^ wf*^ born June 22, 1837, in Spencer, 
 1^ Lorain (now Medina) Co., Ohio, a 
 son of Gilbert and Mary A. (Spencer) 
 Jelieries, the latter of whom was the eldest 
 daughter of Col. Spencer, after whom the 
 town and township of Spencer (Medina 
 county) were named. She died the day 
 following Thanksgiving Day, 1891, at the 
 age of eighty years, a member of the M. 
 E. Church. 
 
 Gilbert Jefferies was born in October, 
 1811, in the town of Webster, N. Y., and 
 in 1832 came to Ohio, making a settle- 
 ment in Spencer, Lorain (now Medina) 
 
LORAIN OOUNTT, OHIO. 
 
 713 
 
 county. He was a farmer all his life, and 
 died June 22, 1870. An Old-line AVbig 
 originally, he united with the KepiiMiean 
 party in 1854 (the year of its organ izatiou), 
 and was a member of the M. E. Church. 
 Thomas Jeft'eries, paternal grandfather of 
 subject, came to Medina county in 1847, 
 and passed the rest of his days with our 
 subject's parents. Gilbert and Mary A. 
 (Spencer) Jefferies were the parents of 
 nine children — seven sons and two daugh- 
 tars — of whom our subject is the eldest, 
 and six are yet living. 
 
 George C. Jefferies received his educa- 
 tion in the country schools and at Oberlin 
 College (where his mother was also in part 
 educated). After reading law with Hon. 
 H. G. Blake, of Medina, Ohio, he enlisted 
 August 12, 1802, in Company B, One 
 Hundred and Twenty- fourth O. V. I. His 
 regiment was attached to the army of the 
 Cumberland, and its first camp was made 
 in Elizabethtown, Ky-, wiience it was sent 
 to Kashville and Franklin, Tenn., at which 
 latter place a battle was fought. Tlience 
 the regiment marched to Triune, same 
 State, from there to Readyville and Man- 
 chester, Tenn., from which latter it moved 
 to the Sequatchie Valley. On September 
 19, 1863, it participated in the battle of 
 Chickamanga, where Mr. Jefferies (then 
 serving as first sergeant) was so severely 
 wounded that he liad to retire from the 
 array. On his return home he completed 
 his law studies, and in 1875 was admitted 
 to the bar of the State of Ohio, and the 
 United States bar. In 1876 he commenced 
 the practice of his profession, and in 1878 
 moved into Elyria. Since 1885, in con- 
 nection with his legal business, he has 
 given special attention to war claims. 
 
 On July 7, 1870, Mr. Jefferies was mar- 
 ried, at Chatham, MedinaCo.,Ohio, to Miss 
 Mary Hine, and three children have been 
 born to them, viz.: Gilbert C, born in 
 Spencer, Medina Co., Ohio, August 8, 
 1871, now a stenographer and typewriter 
 in Elyria: Edgar C, born at Elyria Oc- 
 tober 15, 1879, now at school, and Thomas 
 
 C, born at Elyria February 7, 1881, also 
 at school. Our sul)ject in politics is a 
 Republican, in religion a Methodist. He 
 is a member of the G. A. R., and U. V. 
 Legion. The first of tiiis family of Jef- 
 feries in Ameria was the first governor of 
 Connecticut. 
 
 Mrs. Mary (Hine) Jefferies was born 
 January 6, 1846, at Chester, Wayne Qo., 
 Ohio, a daughter of John and Elizabeth 
 (Luce) Hine, the latter of whom died when 
 Mary was a child. The father in early 
 life settled in Wayne county, Ohio, where 
 he became one or the largest horse and 
 wheat raisers, and there resided until he 
 was well advanced in years, when he 
 moved to Chatham. There he passed from 
 earth in November, 1876, at the age of 
 seventy-eight years. 
 
 d(OHN HARVIT, one of the repre- 
 sentative self-made men of LaGrange 
 ^ township, is a native of Ohio, born 
 April 26, 1836, in Chester township, 
 Wayne county. He is a son of Joseph 
 and Nancy (Smith) Harvit, farming people, 
 the former of whom died in 1838, leaving 
 a comfortable home. His widow subse- 
 quently re- married. 
 
 Our subject was educated in the com- 
 mon schools, and during his early man- 
 hood was employed as a farm band, mean- 
 time saving his earnings. On November 
 7, 1865, he was married to Miss Sarah 
 Coleman, born May 30, 1847, in La- 
 Grange township, Lorain Co., Ohio, whom 
 he had met while a resident of Penfield, 
 same county, whither he moved with his 
 stepfather, James Brown, who was a well- 
 to-do farmer. Mrs. Harvit was the 
 daughter of James and Harriet Coleman, 
 the former of whom died in 1849, of 
 cholera, and was buried in the Catholic 
 cemetery in Eaton township. Mrs. Cole- 
 man was subsequently mari-ied to William 
 Ormsby, and continued to reside on her 
 former home; she was buried in the ceme- 
 
714 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 tery in LaGrange township. After mar- 
 riage Mr. Harvit located on the James 
 Coleman homestead, lot No. 30, LaGrange 
 township, where he has always followed 
 farming, in which he has met with en- 
 couraging success. He has a natural apti- 
 tude for carpenter work. In 1885 he 
 erected one ot the most comfortable rural 
 homes in the township on his place, which 
 consists of 278^ acres of excellent land, 
 fully equipped with good farm buildings. 
 Mr. Ilarvit is a hard worker and a good 
 business manager, and the results of his 
 labor are shown in his surroundings, for 
 his farm and farm buildings are amongf 
 the best in the township. In party affairs 
 he is a Republican, but is not an active 
 politician. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Harvit has come one child, Hattie, born 
 November 28, 1869, now the wife of Don 
 Scwartz, a leadinsj; citizen of LaGrange 
 township. (They have one son, Harry, 
 born February 20, 1892). Mrs. Harvit is 
 a member of the M. E. Church at La- 
 Grange. 
 
 ^ 
 
 ON. LUCIUS HEERICK. This 
 gentleman, who is a prominent and 
 well-known figure in the arena of 
 agriculture and politics in Lorain 
 county, is a native of Jefferson 
 county, N. Y., born in Honndsfield, near 
 Watertown, November 8, 1820. 
 
 Philo Ilerrick, father of subject, was 
 born in Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Mass., 
 whence when a boy he, with the rest of the 
 family, nioved to Bridgewater, Oneida 
 Co., N. Y., his father, Amasa Llerrick, 
 afterward taking them to Honndsfield, 
 same State. Here Philo Herrick made 
 his home till the spring of 1835, when, 
 with his wife, Sophia (Blodgett), and fam- 
 ily, he came to Wellington, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, the journey being made with an old- 
 tiiiie "prairie schooner." Here he made 
 a land purchase of 158 acres in Welling- 
 ton township (which has since passed into 
 the hands of his son Lucius), built a log 
 
 house, and set to work to transform the 
 wild woods into a fertile farm. Tlic fatlier, 
 who was a tanner and currier, and also a 
 shoemaker, rented a tannery in Hunting- 
 ton township, but soon afterward returned 
 to Wellington. For a time he followed 
 the shoe business in Winnebago county, 
 111. He dit'd in Wellington in 186(i, a 
 strong Republican in politics, originally a 
 Whig, his first vote being cast for James 
 Monroe; his wife was born September 27, 
 1788, and died at the age of ninety-eio-ht 
 years less five days. They were the parents 
 of four children: Loring, now a resident 
 of Meckling, Clay Co, S. Dak.; Amasa 
 B., residing in Chicago; Lucius, and 
 George F., a mechanic, who was accident- 
 ally killed September 15, 1844, at Janes- 
 ville, Wisconsin. 
 
 Lucius Herrick, the subject proper of 
 this biographical sketch, enjoyed but lim- 
 ited school j)rivi leges, but the loss in that 
 he partially compensated for by systematic, 
 diligent home study. In 1839 he entered 
 an academy in Elyria, where he made his 
 home with Deacon Lane, working for his 
 tioard. His father tried to induce him to 
 take up the trade of shoemaker, but he 
 preferred farming, and consequently made 
 it his life w-ork. In 1843 he married Miss 
 Mary E. Griffith, who bore hitn one son, 
 Luther G. This wife was called from 
 earth in January, 1844, and in 1849 Mr. 
 Herrick married Miss Harriet E. Bidwell, 
 and one son blessed their union, Bert B., 
 who was educated at the common schools 
 of Wellington and at Oberlin; he is now a 
 farmer and cheese manufacturer; he mar- 
 ried Miss Etta Wadsworth, and they have 
 two children: Ethel and Hobart. 
 
 Formerly a Whig, now a Republican, 
 Mr. Herrick has ever taken an active in- 
 terest in public affairs. He served as in- 
 firmar}' director two years, and also as 
 township trustee; was elected county com- 
 missioner three full terms consecutively, 
 resigning in order to accept nomination to 
 the Legislature, in which he served in the 
 Sixty-third and Sixty-fourth General As- 
 
#^^%^. 
 
 C^.£^ 
 
 ^^-^tyt-ivY^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 717 
 
 semblies; and lie says he much enjoyed the 
 variety of lieing in the House, but tliat it 
 was the hardest work he ever did in his 
 life. He has in his possession several in- 
 teresting public documents, and in his 
 library the full series of "Geological Sur- 
 veys of Ohio," by Newberry. Mr. Herrick 
 is the owner of 435 acres of land, and has 
 seen the gradual evolution in agricultural 
 development from the hand sickle to the 
 self-bindino; harvesting machine. Mrs. 
 Herrick, with whom he is now living, was 
 Miss Sarah West, only daughter of Francis 
 West, of Berlin, Erie Co., Ohio. The 
 families for three generations at least, have 
 been members and supporters of Presby- 
 terian and Congregational Churches. 
 
 TpJ A. CUYLEK, a well-known fruit- 
 1^ grower of Avon townsiiip, where he 
 IL^i has resided for almost the last half 
 century, is a native of New York 
 State, born in Essex, Essex county, in 
 August, 1822. His parents, John B. and 
 Phoebe (Hoffnagle) Cuyler, were also na- 
 tives of New York State, where they both 
 passed their entire lives, the father dying 
 in 1838, the mother forty years later, in 
 Essex county. John B. Cuyler was a ser- 
 geant in the war of 1812. 
 
 E. A. Cuyler, the subject proper of this 
 memoir, was reared in iiie native county 
 up to the age of twenty- one, receiving his 
 education in the common schools. After 
 coming, in 1843, to Avon township, Lo- 
 rain Co., Ohio, he commenced sailing on 
 the lakes, in which he continued for seven- 
 teen seasons, on boats plying between 
 Cleveland and Buffalo, and also Detroit. 
 In an early day he opened up a farm in 
 Sheftield township, Lorain county, wliere 
 he resided for some years, thence remov- 
 ing to Avon township, where he has since 
 had his home. In 1847 he was married, 
 in Avon township, to Miss Kuth J. Titus, 
 who was born in New York State, daugh- 
 ter of Anson and Hannah (Moore) Titus, 
 
 natives, respectively, of Massachusetts and 
 Connecticut, and early settlers of Avon 
 township, where they died. To this union 
 were born four children, as follows: Mi- 
 nerva, who was first wedded to Lorenzo 
 Miller, and after his decease to Frank Nes- 
 bitt (she had two children by her first hus- 
 band, Vernon and Carrie, and one by her 
 second husband. Little Elbert, named for 
 his grandfather; she died in 1892); Jane, 
 wife of AV^illiam J. Curtis, living in Avon 
 township; Sumner, who was drowned when 
 five years old; and Edward, residing on 
 the home farm, who is married and has 
 two children — Lou and Melinda. The wife 
 of E. A. Cuyler died in 1879. In his 
 political connections our subject is an 
 active Republican (easting his first vote for 
 James G. Birney), and has served three 
 terras as trustee of Avon township. In re- 
 ligious faith he is a member of the Epis- 
 copal Church, and socially he belongs to 
 King Solomon Lodge, No. 5G, A. F. & A. 
 M., Elyria, and to Marshall Chapter No. 
 47. Mr. Cuyler owns a fertile farm of 
 sixty-two and a half acres in Avon town- 
 ship, and twenty acres of another farm; he 
 has twenty-one acres devoted exclusively 
 to grape- culture. 
 
 El W. PITTS. This gentleman was 
 born February 18, 1833, in Spring- 
 I field township, Richland Co., Ohio, 
 
 a son of William and Mary (Buck- 
 ingham) Pitts. 
 
 William Pitts, grandfather of our sub- 
 ject, was a native of England, and when a 
 young man emigrated to America, where 
 he married and rearedafaiDily of children, 
 among whom was one son, William. The 
 latter was born April 15, 1803, in West- 
 moreland county, Penn., was reared to farm 
 life, and had but meager educational ad- 
 vantages. When a youth of fifteen he 
 came west to Ohio, and here passed the 
 remainder of his life, principally engaged 
 in agricultural pursuits. On May 6, 1832, 
 
718 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 he was united in marriage, in Mansfield, 
 Ohio, with Miss Mary iJuckingham, who 
 was horn April 5, 1817, in Harrison 
 countv, same State, daughter of Jc^shua 
 Buckingham (who was born March 28, 
 1781), and his wife Margaret (^Randall) 
 (who was born September 27, 1781, in 
 Baltimore county, Md.). 
 
 Gov. Buckingham, of one of the New 
 England States, was a full cousin to Mrs. 
 William Pitts, and consequently second 
 cousin to E. W. Pitts, the subject proper 
 of this sketch. The governor's father was 
 a Methodist minister. On his mother's 
 side E. W. Pitts has six full cousins who 
 are physicians, and tveo who are lawyers, 
 one of whom, by name William Cantwell, 
 born near Mansfield, Ohio, died a few years 
 ago in San Francisco, Cal. On our sub- 
 ject's father's side there were also many 
 relatives of prominence, noted men in Eng- 
 land, holding high positions there, some as 
 " merchant princes." 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. William Pitts were 
 born two children: Ezekiel W., subject 
 of this memoir, and Otis W., a liveryman 
 of Belleville, Ohio. Mr. Pitts was obliged 
 to begin life for himself with practically 
 notliing, and was at first employed in 
 chopping wood, being paid for his work in 
 money, which was then very scarce in the 
 backwoods regions. However, he became 
 a successful farmer, and accumulated a 
 comfortable property. In politics he was 
 a Democrat until Abraham Lincoln's time, 
 after wliich he remained a member of the 
 Republican party; in religious faith he was 
 a member of the Presbyterian Church, his 
 wife of the Methodist denomination. He 
 passed from earth November 24, 1884, and 
 was followed to the grave by his widow 
 September 18, 1887, and they now rest side 
 by side in Shelby cemetery, Richland 
 county, Ohio. 
 
 Ezekiel W. Pitts was reared to the duties 
 of agricultural life, and when but five years 
 of age attended school in his native county, 
 at which time the now thriving city of 
 Shelby could boast of but one store. When 
 
 he was six years of age his parents moved 
 to Springfield township (Richland county), 
 where he went to school with his mother, 
 who, having had no literary advantages in 
 her early life, availed herself of the pres- 
 ent opportunity. Our subject attended 
 school regularly till seventeen years of age, 
 and in 1852 came to the college at Oberlin, 
 Ohio, where he studied nine months, tit- 
 ting himself for the profession of a teacher. 
 To pay for his tuition at Oberlin he worked 
 on the P. F. W. ct C. R. R., for ninety 
 cents a day, and lathed at Oberlin for ten 
 cents an hour. He began teaching in New 
 Haven township, Huron Co., Ohio, in the 
 Miller District, when it contained seventy- 
 five pupils, who met in an old log school- 
 house. The school had been without a 
 teacher for some time, and Mr. Pitts was 
 obliged often to enforce obedience, but he 
 nevertheless was very successful. Wiiile 
 attending school at Oberlin Mr. Pitts met 
 Miss Roseltha A. R.owell, who was born 
 July 16, 1837, on the farm her husband 
 now owns, daughter of Levi L. and Laura 
 M. (Matchain) Rowell,and they were mar- 
 ried September 26, 1855, in the house 
 where he still resides. Levi L. Rowell was 
 born in Granville, Hampden Co., Mass., a 
 son of Sullivan and Elizabeth (AVool worth) 
 Rowell, and was the first of the family to 
 come to Ohio. He migrated hither from 
 Connecticut in 1832, settling in Pittsfield 
 townsliip, Lorain county, when that section 
 was in truth a "howling wilderness,'' 
 abounding with wild animals. 
 
 After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Pitts lo- 
 cated in Springfield township, Richland 
 Co., Ohio, on a farm of forty acres, costing 
 nine hundred dollars, which atnount he 
 borrowed from his neighbors. The house 
 was a rude frame structure, 16 x 24 feet, 
 and containing but two rooms, and here 
 they resided for ten years, when they 
 moved to Pittsfield township, Lorain 
 county, where he had purchased some land. 
 In 1867 they came to their present farm, 
 which at one time comprised 300 acres; 
 but it has been gradually divided among 
 
LORAiy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 719 
 
 tlie children, until now he has but 132 
 acres, which he calls his own. Mr. Pitts 
 lias met with well-tnerited success in his 
 chosen vocation, and he is one of the lead- 
 ing fanners in the county. His advice on 
 various matters is often sought for by liis 
 neighbors, who appreciate his good com- 
 mon-sense and souiul j ndgment, and respect 
 and admire him for his many sterling 
 qualities. To Mr. and Mrs. Pitts have 
 come children, a brief record of whom is 
 as follows: Effie W., who was born in 
 Richland county, Ohio, is the wife of Dr. 
 E. V. B. Buckingham, of Chicago Junc- 
 tion, Ohio; Levi M., who was also born in 
 Kichland county, Ohio, was drowned June 
 23, 1882, when aged twenty- three, being 
 seized with cramps while bathing; Alton 
 J. is a farmer of Pittstield township; Willis 
 W. is also a farmer of Pittstield township; 
 Roseltha M. has been a student at Oberlin 
 College; Grant W. is farming in Pittstield 
 township. In politics Mr. Pitts is a mem- 
 ber of the Republican party, and has served 
 as township trustee, m which position he 
 gave universal satisfaction ; he is the pres- 
 ent school director in his district. Mrs. 
 Pitts is a member of the Methodist Church. 
 
 P)ETER McRO BERTS, one of the 
 pioneers of Pittstield township, was 
 born February 10, 1804, in Spring- 
 field, Vt., son of John McRoberts, 
 who was born in Scotland in 1759, 
 and came to America in 1775. He served 
 as a soldier in the ('ontinental army dur- 
 ing the war of the Revolution, and re- 
 ceived an honorable discharge. He died 
 in 1813. and sleeps in an honored grave in 
 the South cemetery of Whiting, Vt. His 
 wife, Lucy Bradford, was i)orn, in 1761, 
 in Massachusetts, a descendant of the 
 Bradfords of Puritan fame; she died in 
 1845, and was buried in Centre cemetery 
 of Pittstield. 
 
 Peter's youth and early manhood were 
 spent in farming, laml)ering, and driving 
 
 a mail coach from Castleton to Middle- 
 bury, Vt. His education was that of the 
 common school, which at that time to 
 those in his station was limited to a short 
 term in winter. His text books were a 
 Spelling Book, Testament, American Pre- 
 ceptor, for a reader, while Adams' Arith- 
 metic (in which he e.xcelled) completed 
 the outlit. 
 
 Peter McRoberts was married Decem- 
 ber 13, 1828, in Sudbury, Vt., to Eliza 
 Waitc, who was born in Shoreham, Vt., 
 August 23, 1803, daughter of Samuel 
 Waite, who died, in 1805, in Shoreham, 
 Vt. Her mother, Elizabeth (Smith) Waite, 
 was born in 1765 in Massachusetts, came 
 to Ohio, and died in Pittstielil in 1835; 
 she was Imried on the Josiah Jiarnard 
 farm, there being no public burying place 
 in the township at that time; some years 
 later her remains were removed to the 
 Centre cemetery of Pittstield township, 
 and laid by the side of Nahum Clark, a 
 son by her first husband, (^n October 31, 
 1831, Peter, with his wife, two babies and 
 sister Cynthia, in a covered wagon drawn 
 by two horses, started from Sudbury, Vt., 
 for Ohio, a journey of seven hundred 
 miles, and at the end of six weeks they 
 found themselves in Madison township, 
 Richland county, where Mrs. McRoberts 
 had two sisters living — Mrs. William 
 Stewart and Mrs. Horatio Harmon. On 
 January 14, 1832, he contracted with 
 George Mann, of Sullivan township, for 
 the purchase of the whole of Lot 4 and the 
 north half of Lot 17, in Pittstiehl town- 
 ship, at two dollars and a half per acre, 
 two hundred and fifteen dollars in hand 
 paid, the balance in three annual payments 
 in neat stock or wheat; and in March, 
 same year, the family moved hither, liv- 
 ing with a neiglil)or by the name of Beam 
 until a log house could be built. They 
 moved in as soon as the roof was on, the 
 earth serving for a floor, and a iilanket for 
 a door. They were the twelfth family 
 in Pittstield township. Mr. McRoberts 
 cleared a part of this farm, and in 1834 
 
720 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 sold it to Josiah Barnard. He then pur- 
 chased Lot No. 18, cleared a large part of 
 it, and built a frame house and barn. But 
 his ambition exceeded his endurance, and 
 his health failing he gave up farming for 
 merchandisincr, movinj; to Wellinttton vil- 
 lage in 1837. For a time he did business 
 where Benedict's hardware store now 
 stands, in a building owned by John S. 
 Reed, later moving his establishment to 
 where the postotiice now is, in a building 
 formerly occupied by R. H. Foot. He 
 huilt and operated an ashery for manu- 
 facturing ])earlasii (crude soda, a product 
 of wood ashes), and continued in business 
 till 1843, when he sold out to Mathew 
 Allen, and came back to his farm in Pitts- 
 field township, on which he made many 
 improvements. 
 
 Politically Mr. McRoberts was a Whig, 
 and he took great interest in public affairs, 
 helping to organize the County Agricul- 
 tural Society; he also took an active part in 
 building the Congregational Church, and 
 though not a member was one of the 
 trustees of the Society. He held the 
 offices of real-estate assessor, justice of the 
 peace, and township trustee; having some 
 knowledge of law he could tell what he 
 knew, and advocated many cases before 
 justices of the peace, being generally suc- 
 cessful. He died in 1847, and was buried 
 in the Centre cemetery of Pittsfield town- 
 ship; his wife, now in her niuety-tirst 
 year, has lived continuously in the same 
 house for more than half a century, the 
 sole survivor of all the residents of Pitts- 
 field township that had attained their ma- 
 jority when she came here sixty-two years 
 ago. As wife, mother and neighbor she 
 has nobly sustained her part in the trials 
 and hardships of pioneer life, and the rear- 
 ing of a large family; and now, with her 
 mother love undimmed (children and 
 grandchildren supplying her wants), with 
 a faith that never faltered, her life shadow 
 lengthening near the night, ^she awaits the 
 coming dawn of a life eternal in Heaven. 
 Her children, seven in number, were all 
 
 sons, to wit: Henry, born October 31, 
 1829, in Hubbardton, Rutland Co., Vt., 
 lives on the home farm, sketch of whom 
 follows; Albert, born August 9, 1831, in 
 Sudbury, Rutland Co., Vt., is a farmer of 
 Pittsfield township (he draws a pension 
 for disability incurred in the service of the 
 United States while acting as iirst lieu- 
 tenant in the Forty-first Regiment O. V. 
 I.); Pitt, born December 22, 1834, in 
 Pittsfield township, Lorain Co., Ohio, is a 
 well-to-do farmer of that township, living 
 within fifty rods of where he was born; 
 Charles, born December 25, 1838, in 
 Wellington, Lorain county, who served 
 two years in Battery E, First Regiment 
 Ohio Artillery, was killed at Cleveland, 
 Ohio, in 1872, while a freight conductor 
 on the L. S. & M.. S. R. R. (he was 
 buried in the Centre cemetery of Pitts- 
 field); Volney, born May 12, 1841, in 
 Wellington, Ohio, a sketch of whom fol- 
 lows; Erwin, born February 14, 1844, in 
 Pittsfield, enlisted in the Eighty-seventh 
 Regiment O. V. I., for three months, was 
 captured at Harper's Ferry, was paroled 
 and came home, being discharged at Dela- 
 ware, Ohio (lie re-enlisted in Company D, 
 One Hundred and Seventy-eighth Regi- 
 ment O. V. I., and served to the end of 
 the war; he was killed at Toledo, Ohio, in 
 1870, while a freight conductor on the L. 
 S. & M. S. R. R., and was buried in the 
 Centre cemetery, Pittsfield, by Oberlin 
 Lodge, F. tfe A. M., of which he was a 
 member); and Arthur, born September 
 29, 1846, in Pittsfield township, where he 
 now resides, and carries on farming (so- 
 cially he is a member of Oberlin Lodge, 
 I. O. O. F.). 
 
 I^- 
 
 I ENRY McROBERTS, a well-known 
 resident of Pittsfield township, was 
 born October 31, 1829, in Vertnont, 
 and came to Pittsfield township 
 with his parents in 1832. His edu- 
 cation was that of the common schools, 
 and he lived with his parents and an uncle 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 721 
 
 by the name of Hall till his eighteenth 
 year. He then went to Elyria, in the em- 
 ploy of Baldwin, Starr ife Co., dealers in 
 general merchandise, as a salesman, re- 
 maining there two years, and thence going 
 to Chicago, where he was in the employ of 
 William Blair & Co., hardware merchants, 
 at No. 176 Lake St., as salesman, for three 
 years. During that time he cast his first 
 vote at a municipal election. He saw the 
 first train of ears go out of the city. In 
 1852 he came back to Pittsfield, and has 
 lived on tiie same farm forty-one years, as 
 a farmer, dealer in tine-wool sheep, and 
 patent rights; he also operates a stone 
 quarry, and is a contractor for stone work. 
 In politics a Eepublican, he has held the 
 offices of President of the Board of Educa- 
 tior). Township Trustee and Assessor, and 
 is serving his fourth terra as Justice of the 
 Peace. During the war of the Rebellion 
 he was one of the "Squirrel Hunters." 
 
 On April 19, 1860, Mr. McRoberts was 
 married to Harriet Pomeroy, who was 
 born November 2, 1834, in Newfane, 
 Windham Co., Vt., daughter of John M. 
 and Clarissa (Gale) Pomeroy; the parents 
 came to Ohio in 1839, and first located in 
 Sullivan township (then in Lorain county), 
 whence they finally moved to Pittsfield 
 township, where they settled. To Mr. and 
 Mrs. McRoberts have come the following 
 named children: Luella P., Philip L., 
 William S., Metta C4., Erwin R., Ola E. 
 and H. Blain, all born in the same house 
 in Pittsfield township, and all living. Mr. 
 McRoberts is a member of the F. &A. M., 
 and is well-known in the community where 
 he resides. 
 
 1 IJOLNEY M.'ROBERTS, an influen- 
 V/' tial citizen of Pittsfield township, 
 W, was born May 12, 1841, in Welling- 
 ton, Lorain Co., Ohio, fiftii in a 
 family of seven sons born to Peter and 
 Eliza (Waite) McRoberts. In 1843 he 
 came with his parents to the farm in Pitts- 
 
 field township, where he first attended 
 school, his first teacher being one William 
 Horton. 
 
 After the death of his father our sub- 
 ject went to live with an uncle, Orlando 
 Hall. He received his primary education 
 at the common schools, and later took a 
 two years' course at Oberlin College. Re- 
 turning to the home of his uncle he re- 
 mained there until July, 1862, when he 
 enlisted, at Cleveland, in the First Ohio 
 Battery, which was sent to Kentucky and 
 stationed on the Green river, along the L. 
 & N. Railroad, whence they were driven 
 back by Bragg. Mr. McRoberts,' along 
 with a number of others, being taken sick 
 near Louisville, he was discharged in the 
 fall of 1862, and returned to Pittsfield, 
 Ohio. 
 
 On August 18, 1863, he was married to 
 Miss Celia Pomeroy, a native of Pitts- 
 field township, daughter of John Pomeroy, 
 and to this union were born four children, 
 namely: Walter V., foreman in a stone 
 sawmill at Bedford, Lawrence Co., Ind.; 
 Cora E., Mrs. Charles Reynolds, of Shef- 
 field, Ohio; Lena M., wife of C. C. Carter, 
 a farmer of Pittsfield township; and Pitt 
 E., attending the business college at Ober- 
 lin. On February 15, 1875, the mother 
 of these children passed from earth, and 
 was buried in Pittsfield cemetery. On 
 April 3, 1877. he married, for his second 
 wife, Amelia Johnson, of Penfield, Ohio, 
 who was born September 29, 1850, in 
 Wellington township, daughter of Collins 
 and Eliza (Gaylord) Johnson, who came 
 here in an early day from Jefferson connty, 
 N. Y. To this marriage have come two 
 children, Celia F. and Helen I., both liv- 
 ing at home. After marriage Mr. McRob- 
 erts settled on Lot 21, in Pittsfield town- 
 ship, where he has since resided, principally 
 engaged inagriculture,iD which he has met 
 with no small degree of success. His farm 
 is an excellent one. and now comprises 
 137 acres of fine land. This tract contains 
 a stone quarry, which he operated for 
 seventeen years, and he has done con- 
 
722 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO, 
 
 siderable work for the conntj, giving 
 Ills cliief attention to bridge-building, 
 stonework, etc., all of wliich lie laas 
 executed in a most creditable manner. Poli- 
 tically he is a leading member of the Re- 
 publican party, and has served his township 
 in various otiicial capacities; he cast his tirst 
 vote for Abraham Lincoln. Socially he is 
 a meniber of Oberlin Lodge IMo. 380, 
 F. & A. M. 
 
 rjfENRY H. WEEKS, a prominent 
 
 f sH resident of CJamdeii township, is a 
 
 I 1 'native of New York City, born 
 
 ^J March 10, 1831, a son of Thomas 
 
 T. and Mary (Hoag) Weeks, the 
 
 former of whom was born in Yorktown, 
 
 Westchester Co., N. Y., in 1798, a son of 
 
 Benjamin K. Weeks, who was born in 
 
 1773, a son of James Weeks. 
 
 Thomas T. Weeks received a fair educa- 
 tion at the schools of his native place, and 
 being naturally bright was a clever student 
 and an apt scholar. He was reared on a 
 farm, and followed agricultural pursuits 
 until 1825, when he moved to the city of 
 New York, and there followed the busi- 
 ness of draying (at that time a lucrative 
 occupation) for a large wholesale tirtn, 
 until 1837, in which year he removed with 
 his family to Ohio by river, canal and 
 lake via Buffalo, the voyage from the 
 latter place being made on the "Daniel 
 Webster," the tirst boat to pass through 
 the ice that spring — then the middle of 
 May. Prior to tliis he had visited Ohio 
 (in 1833 and 1835) and bought 320 acres 
 of land in the extreme southeastern part 
 of Florence township, Erie county, a part 
 of which was cleared, with a log house 
 and barn and a small orchard thereon. He 
 lived here thirty-four years. In 1871 he 
 sold this farm and bought another two 
 miles farther west, on which he lived in 
 the family of his son, Henry, eleven years. 
 Thomas T. Weeks was twice married: 
 first to Miss Mary Hoag, who was born in 
 Dutchess county, N. Y., in 1796, daughter 
 
 of Abraham and Sarah. (Matthews) Hoag, 
 and the children by this marriage were: 
 Sarah, now widow of James Daley, of 
 Wakeman, Ohio; Lydia M., wife of Edgar 
 AVright, a wholesale grocer of New York 
 City; Elizabeth, who died in 1878, and 
 Henry H. The mother of these died in 
 New York in 1833, and in 1836 Mr. 
 Weeks married Mrs. Freelove Fowler, nee 
 Thorn, widow of Henry Fowler. The 
 children of this marriage were: Theodore, 
 who died in infancy; John F., now living 
 at Clyde, Ohio; Benjamin K., a farmer, 
 who died in Oberlin in 1879; James, who 
 died in infancy; Martha J. and Marietta, 
 of Oberlin, Ohio; and Emma, of Spring- 
 field, Mass. The mother of these died in 
 Florence in 1866. Mr. Weeks died March 
 8, 1885, at the home of his daughters in 
 Oberlin, where he had been temporarily 
 sojourning. He was a man of strong con- 
 victions, fearless and outspoken, a success- 
 ful farmer and good business man, self- 
 made, and highly respected. In politics 
 he was a Democrat until 1856, when he 
 became a Republican, and ever after took 
 a deep interest in the success of the prin- 
 ciples of that party. 
 
 Henry H. Weeks, the subject proper 
 of this memoir, attended the public schools 
 of the county of his adoption, and also 
 one term at a select school at Birminti;- 
 ham, Erie county. He remained with his 
 father until his marriage in 1855, teaching 
 school, however, during several winters in 
 Florence, Vermillion and Wakeman town- 
 ships. Soon after his marriage he moved 
 into a log house on a small farm which he 
 owned in Henrietta township, Lorain 
 county, where he lived until 1858, when 
 he removed with his family to Findlay, 
 Ohio, where he carried on a grocery and 
 provision business. In 1861 he returned 
 to Florence, and in company with his 
 brother, Benjamin, carried on the home 
 farm four years. The next three years he 
 lived ip the city of New York. Return- 
 ing from there in 1868 he took charge of 
 hie father's farm, on which he and his 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ?23 
 
 family lived until the spriug of 1883, 
 when he purchased and inoved onto the 
 farm wliere he now resides in (Janiden 
 township, Lorain county, about one mile 
 west of Kipton. 
 
 JMr. Weeks has been twice married: 
 first time November 15, 1855, to Miss 
 Cora L. Van Camp, of Quincy, Mich., 
 and, second, October 14, 1872, to Mrs. 
 Louise J. Shafi'er, widow of George 
 Shatter, a member of the One Hun- 
 dred and First Regiment O. Y. I., 
 who died of smallpox at Chattanooga, 
 Tenn., in 1863. She was born at Birming- 
 liani, Erie county, March 13, 1841, a daugh- 
 ter of Thomas Hazard, a native of the city 
 of New York. By the first marriage were 
 born two children: Frank E., now a prac- 
 ticing physician in Clarkstield, Huron 
 county, iind Charles H., who was accident- 
 ally killed at the age of ten years. Politi- 
 cally our subject is a Republican, has held 
 several township offices, and is now serving 
 his tenth year as township trustee. 
 
 From genealogical records in his posses- 
 sion Mr. Weeks traces his lineacre back to 
 Anneke Jans-Bogardus, a native of Hol- 
 land, who with her husband, Roelof Jans, 
 came to New Amsterdam (now New York) 
 in 1630, and who at her death left landed 
 property there which has since become 
 very valuable, and is now in the possession 
 of Trinity Chui-ch. The immediate an- 
 cestors of our subject were Friends, or 
 Quakeri?, and he is by birthright a member 
 of that Society, but in belief is bound by 
 no religious creed. 
 
 THOMAS FOLGER, a leading grape 
 grower in this section of Ohio, and 
 manager of the grape syndicate that 
 controls the sale of grapes grown in 
 the Lake Erie district, is a native 
 of Medina county, Ohio, born February 14, 
 1842. He is a' son of H. G. and E. A. 
 (Ingersoll) Folger, the former of whom 
 
 died November 26, 1883; the mother is 
 yet living, and is making her home with 
 her son Thomas. 
 
 Thomas Folger, grandfather of the sub- 
 ject of this sketch, was born on the island 
 of Nantucket, Mass., where his ancestors 
 had settled, one of whom was many years 
 ago one of the seven proprietors of that 
 island. Grandfather Folger was a whaler, 
 owning an interest in several whalimr 
 ships; and wiien the English Government 
 passed a law granting a bounty on whale- 
 oil products, he removed to London, Eng- 
 land, in order to come under the provis- 
 ions of said law, expecting good financial 
 returns. lie there married, and in the 
 city of London our subject's father was 
 born. After the rescinding, by the Eng- 
 lish Government, of the whale-oil bounty 
 Act, Thomas Folger returned to Nantucket, 
 taking his family with him. C. J. Folger, 
 the prominent American politician, who 
 was IJ. S. Sub-Treasurer under Grant, also 
 Secretary of the Treasury under Arthur, 
 and held many other high offices of trust 
 in the U. S. Government, is an uDcle of 
 our subject. 
 
 Thomas Folger received his education 
 in part at the public schools, and in part 
 at the Western Reserve Collecfe. At the 
 breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted, 
 in August, 1861. in Company H, Twenty- 
 fifth O. V. I., and was mustered out of 
 the service in July, 1865. His regiment, 
 which was first assigned to the army of 
 the Potomac, participated in the battles of 
 Gettysburg, Chancellorsville, Cedar Moun- 
 tain and several minor encfagements. It 
 was then transferred to tiie army of the 
 Southwest, under Sherman, was in the 
 celebrated march to the sea, and after its 
 return homeward took part in the Grand 
 Review at Washington. Mr. Folcfer was 
 promoted from the ranks to lieutenant and 
 adjutant, and brevet captain. On his return 
 to the pursuits of peace, he took up his 
 residence in Cleveland, Ohio, where he 
 embarked in the produce and commission 
 business, which he carried on for some five 
 
724 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 or six years, subsequently becoming a 
 wholesale commission merchant. About 
 the year 187S he abandoned this business 
 for grape culture, a line of industry for 
 whieli lie has a special liking, and to 
 which he has since given much thought 
 and attention. He now owns and operates 
 a vineyard covering some forty acres, and 
 is one uf the leading organizers of a syndi- 
 cate whose ol)ject is the marketing of 
 grapes grown in tins part of the country, 
 Mr. Folger lieing manager of same. He 
 attends to the details of shipment, as well 
 as the finding of suitalde markets, and, in 
 fact, controls the entire business of the 
 corporation. He is also a stockholder and 
 director in the Lorain Banking Company. 
 Mr. Folger was united in marriage. May 
 2, 1SG7, with Miss Delia Beswick, and 
 four children have been born to them: 
 Anna B., Josephine D., Jennie P., and Ida 
 A., who died at the age of eight years. 
 Politically he is a Democrat, and has been 
 a member of the city council of P]lyria (of 
 which place he is a resident). He is a 
 F. & A. M.,a member of the Chapter, and 
 is a member of the G. A. R. A man of 
 marked business faculties, Mr. Folger is a 
 ]>otent factor in all movements tending to 
 the advancement and prosperity of the 
 county of his adoption. 
 
 IDNETSAEDUS WARNER. This 
 gentleman, proiuinent in the bank- 
 ine:, raanufactui'iii"; and farmincr in- 
 terests of Loi'ain county, comes of 
 English ancestry, who left the Mother 
 Country many years ago for America, 
 makinjj a settlement in New England. 
 
 Mr. Warner was born in Snffield, Conn., 
 April 17, 1820, and in 1882 was brought 
 by his parents to Mantua, Portage Co., 
 Ohio, thence in 1839 to Iluntington, Lo- 
 rain county. There he made his home un- 
 til he moved in 1868, to Wellington, where 
 he lias since resided. His father. Chaun- 
 cey Warner, born in SufKeld, Conn., in 
 
 1790, was a man of culture, high mental 
 attainments and irreproachable character. 
 He married Miss Eliza Kent, who was 
 born in his native town in 1792, a lady of 
 pronounced intellectual force, undimmed 
 even in her old age, and a devoted worker 
 in every cause tending to the advancement 
 and enlightenment of the human race. 
 They both attained patriarchal ages, the 
 father dying at ninety- two, the mother at 
 ninety-seven years. With such intellec- 
 tual, hale and stanch parentage, it is not to 
 be wondered at that at an early age, ere he 
 had quite reached the close of the first 
 decade of his life, the son should begin to 
 develop that spirit of determination and 
 enterprise that has since characterized his 
 many and various undertakings, and ele- 
 vated him to the pinnacle of success. 
 
 When thirty-two years old, Mr. Warner 
 was elected to represent Lorain county in 
 the General Assembly of Ohio, on the 
 "Union ticket;" was reelected in 1863, 
 and has ever since been a Republican. His 
 career as Representative was marked by 
 his accuracy of judgment and political sa- 
 gacity, and his fearless discharge of duty 
 to his constituency and the State at large; 
 and as a proof, if proof were indeed needed, 
 of the esteem, and respect in which he was 
 held by the people, we find him elected State 
 Treasurer on the Republican ticket in 
 1865, again in 1867, and yet again in 
 1869, serving three consecutive terms. 
 Mr. Warner's administration was charac- 
 terized by the highest efficiency and the 
 most scrupulous honesty. After serving 
 four years as trustee of Cleveland Hospital 
 for the Insane, he was reappointed to the 
 same position, by Gov. Foster, for a term 
 of five years, during which time he filled 
 the office of president of the board. Soon 
 after iiis re-appointment, however, he re- 
 signed, in 1880, to head the Republican 
 ticket as elector at-large, but was, after the 
 election of Garfield, again, December 31, 
 same year, re-appointed to that trust, to 
 preside at the board from wiiich he had 
 recently resigned. Mr. Warner's political 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 121 
 
 career has been marked, at every step, by 
 persistent energy, strict iiiteirrity and a 
 hii^h sense of justice. In 187-4 he was a 
 prominent candidate for Governor of Ohio, 
 and would probably have been nominated 
 liad not the question of U. S. senatorship 
 entered the convention as a potent factor. 
 As a candidate for Congress in the Four- 
 teenth Congressional District, he secured, 
 tor 595 successive ballots, more votes than 
 any otlier candidate in the convention. He 
 withdrew, however, in the interest of liar- 
 muny — naming a new candidate who was 
 nominated the first ballot thereafter. Mr. 
 Warner has, indeed, been highly honored 
 by his State; and it can be said, withont 
 suspicion of flattery, that he has well 
 merited every honor he has received. 
 
 Mr. Warner's business enterprises, while 
 numerous and varied, have been successful 
 and prosperous. He was one of the prime 
 movers in the organization of the First 
 National Bank of Wellington, in 186-4, 
 and has been its president since, a period 
 of abiiut thirty years. Since 1869 he has 
 been a member of one of the largest cheese 
 firms in the State of Ohio, widely known 
 all over the coimtry under the name of 
 Horr, Warner & Co. During its exist- 
 ence, he was president of the Citizens 
 Mutual Relief Association. In 1881 he 
 was chosen president of the Clarkstield 
 Stone Company; in 1883 he assisted in 
 organizing the Cleveland National Bank, 
 of which he has been the only president. 
 He is a member of the agricultural firm of 
 Wean, Horr, Warner & Co., and is e,\- 
 tensivelv engao-ed in the breedinu; of fine 
 blooded horses. 
 
 In 1851 Mr. Warner married Miss 
 Margaret Anna Bradner, of Huntington, 
 Lorain county, a woman of the same 
 sturdy New England stock, whose ability 
 and good judgment have supplemented 
 the endeavors of her husband, and whose 
 accomplishments have kept pace with his 
 career. Four children have been born to 
 this union, as follows: Orrie Louisa, 
 Sidney Kent, Albert Rollin and George 
 
 Bradner, the youngest two being gradu- 
 ates of Cornell University, the daughter 
 of Oberlin College. 
 
 Surrounded by his interesting, intelli- 
 gent family, Mr. Warner is a thoughtful, 
 devoted husband, and a kind, indulgent 
 father. Among men he is genial and 
 companionable; manly and fearlessly in- 
 defiendent in character and thought; con- 
 sistent and temperate in all respects. His 
 social standing is high, his integrity in- 
 corruptible. A true and loyal friend, a 
 man of taste and culture — with broad and 
 liberal views — Mr. Warner is a man, all 
 in all, of large body, soul and mind. 
 
 AMUEL S. ROCKWOOD, assist- 
 ant cashier of The Savings Deposit 
 Bank Co., Elyria, is a native of that 
 town, born October 6, 1861. His 
 education was received in the public schools 
 of Elyria, and he graduated from the High 
 School in the class of 1880. In 1882 he 
 entered inta the employ of the Savings 
 Deposit Bank as assistant bookkeeper, 
 from which position he has been promoted 
 step by step to the assistant cashiership, to 
 which incumbency he was appointed in 
 1892, and is at present tilling with char- 
 acteristic ability and fidelity. In 1886 Mr. 
 Rockwood was married to Miss Ella L. 
 Garford, and one child, named Gertrude 
 L., has come to brighten their home. 
 
 Onr subject in his political sympathies 
 is a Republican; socially he is a member 
 of the Royal Arcanum and National 
 Union, and both he and his wife are mem- 
 bers of the Protestant Episcopal Church. 
 The parents of the subject of our 
 sketch, Augustus F. and Diantha (Spencer) 
 Rockwood, were children of pioneers of 
 the county, born, reared and educated 
 there. The father, who was by trade a 
 carpenter and joiner, died in 187-4 from 
 diseases contracted during a three years' 
 service for the Union in the war of the 
 Rebellion. They were tlie parents of three 
 
728 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 cliildreii: Samuel S., the subject of our 
 sketch; Ancreline S.. wife of J. A. Reubliii, 
 and Mary D., wife of W. G. Watts, Well- 
 ington, Ohio. 
 
 Henry S. Kockwood, the paternal grand- 
 father of our subject, was one of the pio- 
 neers of the county, having spent most of 
 the years of a long life within its bounds. 
 He was for some time county recorder, and 
 is still living hale and hearty, having 
 passed his eighty-second birthday. He 
 came of long-lived stock, his own father 
 having lived and died in the connty at the 
 advanced age of one hundred years. Eliel 
 C. Spencer, the maternal grandfather of 
 the subject of our sketch, came to Lorain 
 county when a mere boy. He endured all 
 the har(lshi[)8 and privations of pioneer 
 life, and died at the age of eighty-two. He 
 was an indefatisable worker, and of him it 
 is said: '• He hewed more miles of public 
 highway through the virgin forest in the 
 towns of Pittstield and LaGrangethan any 
 other man in those parts." 
 
 rA. AVERY, editor and proprietor 
 of the North Amherst Argus, is a 
 _^ native of Lorain county, Ohio, born 
 January G, 1872, in Henrietta town- 
 ship. He is a son of A. P. and Lucinda 
 (Wheeler) Avery, the former of whom was 
 born, in 1832, in Massachusetts, came west 
 and located in Wellington, Ohio, where he 
 married Miss Lucinda Wheeler, of La- 
 Grange township, Lorain county. 
 
 The subject of these lines left his home 
 at the age of fourteen years, and from that 
 time made his own way in the world. He 
 received his education at the common 
 schools, also at the Wellington high school, 
 and took a miscellaneous literary course at 
 the Normal College of Valparaiso, Lid. 
 In Antwerp, Ohio, he learned the printing 
 trade, and after serving his apprenticeship 
 came to North Amherst, where for a year 
 and a half he was manager and local editor 
 of the Reporter. In the fall of 1891 he 
 
 severed iiis connection with that paper and 
 worked as a "jour" compositor on various 
 leading newspapers in the East and West 
 until October, 1892, at which time he 
 established the ^/v/t/s, a clean, bright, 
 newsy journal which is bound to make its 
 mark under the facile pen of its experi- 
 enced tliough yet youthful editor. It is a 
 paper free and untrammeled, being open to 
 all parties, intluenced by none, and neutral 
 in politics. 
 
 K. STARR, farmer and extensive 
 landowner, and oldest resident of 
 Rentield township, is a son of Will- 
 iam Starr, who was born October 3, 
 17 — , near Danbury, Conn., son of Eleazer 
 and Rebecca (Clapp) Starr. 
 
 William Starr was reared to farm life, 
 and when a young man removed with his 
 parents to Harpersfield, Delaware Co., N. 
 Y., where he was united in marriage, in 
 181t), with Miss Ada Reardsley. She was 
 born April 18, 1795, near Danbury, Conn., 
 daughter of Gaylord and Charlotte (Bass) 
 Beardsley, who also moved from Connecti- 
 cut to Delaware county, N. Y. Here 
 William and Ada Starr had children as 
 follows: A son that died in infancy un- 
 named; Axey E.,born September 20, 1818, 
 who married Abel Dougherty, and died 
 in Pentield, Ohio; Polly Ann, born Feb- 
 ruary 29, 1820, now the widow of Jacob 
 Smith, residing with her children in Erie 
 county, Penn.; Clarinda E., born Novem- 
 Iter 11, 1822, who married for her first 
 husl>and Dr. William Jeffries, and for her 
 second Charles Sliepard (she died October 
 .5, 1885, at Adrian, Mich.); Orline R., 
 born January 20, 1826, now the widow of 
 J. W. Hamilton, who died October 11, 
 1877 (she lives in Wellington, Ohio); 
 Jane M., born April 1, 1827, of Welling- 
 ton, Ohio; Ada L., who died when three 
 months old; and George W., born March 
 20, 1831, who died June 8, 1878, at Pen- 
 field, Ohio. After coming to Ohio they 
 had two more children — Orrin K., sub- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 729 
 
 ject of this sketch, and Gideon E.., a 
 tanner and retired merchant of Warren 
 township, Warren Co., Penn. In 1831 
 tlie family came l)y canal and lake to (^hio, 
 the hired man driving the team to liiiti'alo, 
 N. v., from which place they came on the 
 boat "William Penn" to Cleveland, the 
 trip occupying three days and two nights. 
 During this journey a terrible stonn arose 
 on the lake, the ship being twice driven to 
 the Canadian shore. From Cleveland they 
 drove with a team to Medina, where 
 Matliew L. Hamilton, a brother-in-law of 
 Mr. Starr, resided, and here remained two 
 weeks, when they removed to Pentield 
 township, Lorain connt>'; at this time 
 there was no bridge there across the Black 
 river, and JMrs. Starr crossed it on a foot- 
 log, carrying her infant son George. They 
 located on land a short distance west of 
 the center of the township, which Mr. 
 Starr purchased from Amzi Penfielil. and 
 made a permanent home on this farm, 
 which still remains in the possession of 
 the family, being now owned by the sub- 
 ject of this sketch. When William Starr 
 catne to Ohio his means were somewhat 
 limited, and he was obliged to go into 
 debt for his farm, only a few acres of which 
 were then cleared, and whicli contained a 
 log house, but no barn. Wild animals 
 abounded. Improvements were begun at 
 once, and here he continued to follow 
 farming the rest of his life, and amassed a 
 comfortable competence. Politically he 
 was a Democrat until the time of William 
 H. Harrison, when he joined the Repub- 
 lican party, with wliich he affiliated the 
 rest of his days. He died in April, 1S64, 
 preceded by his wife May 28, 185(). and 
 both are buried in Peniield cemetery. They 
 were members of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church at Pentield. 
 
 (). K. Starr was born December 3, 1833, 
 in Penfielil township, Lorain Co., Ohio, on 
 the farm he now owns. He was reared to 
 agricultural life, and obtained his educa- 
 tion in the common schools of the day. re- 
 ceiving his tirst literary instructioti under 
 
 Jiles Palmer. After his seventeenth year 
 he worked away from home, receiving 
 eight dollars per month; later was em- 
 ployed three years by Hiram Smith; in 
 1855 went to Adair county, Iowa, and 
 while there took up land which has since 
 remained in the family. In 1857 he was 
 married, in Pentield, to Miss Matilda 
 Wager, who died a few years later, leaving 
 one child, Ida, now Mrs. Edwin Norton, 
 of Grand Rapids, Mich. For his second 
 wife our subject was married, February 28, 
 1863, to Miss Mary E. Blanchard, who was 
 born in 1840 in Palenville, Greene Co., 
 N. Y. (among the Catskills), daughter of 
 J. H. and Jane Parmelia (Myers) Blanch- 
 ard, who came to Pentield township in 
 1850 from Morrow county, Ohio, whither 
 they had migrated from New York. In 
 company with his brother George Mr. 
 Starr bought out the other heirs of the old 
 home farm, and here he made his home 
 until 1888, when he removed to his pres- 
 ent farm. To his second marriage have 
 been born two children, namely: Justice 
 M. (a merchant of Pentield) and Alena R. 
 (wife of Fred Andrews, a farmer of Pen- 
 held). Mr. Starr has dealt in stock, and 
 has bought and sold wool, meeting in all 
 his enterprises with no small degree of 
 success. He now owns 213 .acres of excel- 
 lent land. In his political predilections he 
 is a stanch member of the Republican 
 party, and has served as township treasurer 
 for some years. Mrs. Starr is a member 
 of the M. E. Church. 
 
 lOHN AUSTIN" CHAPMAN (de- 
 
 V I ceased), for many years a prosperous 
 
 \Jj farmer and dairyman in Huntington 
 
 township, was born in Montgomery, 
 
 Mass., April 7, 1817. 
 
 Isaac Chapman, paternal grandfather of 
 John Austin Chapman, was a native of 
 Connecticut, born in the town of Groton, 
 December 18, 1740. His wife, Mary, was 
 born July 13, 1742, in Plymouth, Mass., 
 
no 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 and died May 25, 1806, the motber of nine 
 children, all horn in Groton, as follows: 
 Content, Susanna, Isaac, Mary, Ahiier, 
 Elisha, Nathan, Bradford and Sarah. John 
 Fisher, maternal grandfather of John Aus- 
 tin Chapman, was horn May 22, 1751, and 
 his wife, Muriel, on November 15, 1741. 
 Of their children, William, Olive (John 
 A. Chapman's mother), George, Hulda and 
 Henry all lived in Vermont. 
 
 Abner Chapman, father of subject, was 
 a native of Connecticut, born June 20, 
 1772. He worked on the farm of John 
 Fisher, in Vermont, whose daughter, Olive, 
 he married January 19, 1796, at Ver- 
 gennes, same State; she was born iS'ovem- 
 ber 20, 1778. All their children, thirteen 
 in number, were born in Massachusetts, 
 and the following is a. brief record of the 
 majority of them: Luthei-, born in 1798, 
 died at the age of eighty-six in Geauga 
 county, Ohio, where he had settled; Calvin, 
 born November 24, 1800, was married, and 
 died in Boston, Mass., June 1, 1857; 
 Aclisah (1) died in infancy; following these 
 come Olive, Achsah (2), Laura, Abner, 
 William, Eunice, Hulda A., John Austin 
 (subject of sketch) and Emeline (wife of 
 Edward West), of Wellington, Ohio, all of 
 whom grew to maturity excepting two. In 
 1833 the family came from Montgomery, 
 Mass., to Lorain county, Ohio, settling in 
 Huntington township. Luther, the eldest, 
 came west before his parents and the rest 
 of the family, walking the entire distance 
 to Geauga county, Ohio, wliere lie settled, 
 as already related. The father died Jan- 
 uary 29, 1851, the mother on February 25, 
 1854. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was married 
 November 6, 1844, in Huntington town- 
 ship, Lorain county, to Miss Isabel Lind- 
 sey, born December 15, 1824, in Chester, 
 Mass., a daughter of John and Susan 
 (King) Lindsey, the former of whom was 
 born in Massachusetts (it is believed) No- 
 vember 15, 1803. In 1836 Mr. Lindsey 
 came to Lorain county, Ohio, settling 
 on a farm in Huntington township. He 
 
 served as deputy under Sheriff Gates, of 
 Lorain county, and was one of the posse of 
 detectives who hunted down the counter- 
 feiters several years ago, bringing back in 
 custody several of them from beyond the 
 Mississippi river. His wife was born July 
 7, 1801, in County Armagh, Ireland, and 
 died Jutie 2, 1845, after which Mr. Lind- 
 sey removed east, but after a time again 
 came west, for a couple of years sojourn- 
 ing in Illinois, where he had business, and 
 where he died in September, 1852. In his 
 political predilections he was a strong 
 Doujflas Democrat. To Mr. and Mrs. 
 Lind.sey there were born six children, viz.: 
 Isabel, born December 12, 1824, widow of 
 John A. Chapman; William K., born May 
 18, 1826, died young; Esther, born May 
 25, 1828; John G., born April 18, 1831, 
 living in Allegan, Mich.; Margaret, born 
 June 6, 1835; and William II., born Sep- 
 tember 28, 1839, living in Michigan, all 
 born in Massachusetts except the youngest, 
 who is an Ohioan. Grandfather William 
 Lindsey, who lived in Chester, Mass., was 
 descended from Scotch ancestry, the Chap- 
 mans being of English descent. Mrs. 
 Chapman's maternal grandmother, Mar- 
 garet Morton, married William King. 
 Her (Mrs. Chapman's) paternal grand- 
 mother was Jane Hubble, a native of Con- 
 necticut, who had two brothers known to 
 Mr.<. Chapman, named respectively Ed- 
 ward and Silas; she was twice married: 
 first to John Lindsey and then to William 
 Lindsey. 
 
 After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. John 
 Austin Chapman settled in Huntington 
 township, Lorain county, on the Chapman 
 liomestead, taking care of his parents in 
 their declining years. In 1876 they came 
 to the town of AVellington, where they 
 built the eleorant and commodious residence 
 still occupied by Mrs. Chapman. Here he 
 died May 22, 1891, leaving a comfortaide 
 competence, the accumulation of years of 
 honest toil and careful thrift. Prior to 
 the Civil war he was an Old-time Dem- 
 ocrat, but became, at the breaking out of 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 781 
 
 that struggle, a stanch Republican, re- 
 maining in the ranks of that party till the 
 day of his death. Their home was bright- 
 ened hy the birth of three children, of 
 whom the following is a brief record: 
 Oren P., born October 30, 1845, married 
 Miss Ella Perkins, and has two children, 
 Mary Isabel and Kobert A.; John Lindsey, 
 born July 31, 1852, married Mabel Noney, 
 and has three children: William Austin, 
 Grace and Olive; and Josephine, married 
 to Edward Van Cleaf, has two sons: Frank 
 Chapman and Wint'erd K. 
 
 /^'EORGE M. HARRIS, M. D. This 
 
 I J< gentleman, who has successfully 
 ^L>l practiced his profession for some 
 
 ^|l sixteen years in Lorain, comes of an 
 old pioneer family of Lorain county. 
 
 He was born in North Amherst, Ohio, 
 in 1854, a sun of Milo and Mary J. 
 (Tyrrell) Harris, natives of Ohio and Mas- 
 sachusetts, respectively. The father is a 
 prominent man in Lorain county, toward 
 the growth and advancement of wliich he 
 has materially contributed. In 1861 he 
 was elected sheriff of the county, serving 
 eighteen months; was also a justice of the 
 peace for many years in Amherst and 
 Black River townships. He was twice 
 married: first time, in 1843, to Miss Caro- 
 line Stocking, of Lorain county, by which 
 union there was one child, Florence (widow 
 of Hiram Leslie), now living in California. 
 Mrs. Caroline Harris died in 1852. and 
 Mr. Harris subsequently married Miss 
 Mary Tyrrell, daughter of Homer and 
 Mary F. Tyrrell (both now deceased), all 
 natives of Massachusetts. By this mar- 
 riage there were live children, of whom 
 the following is a brief record: George M. 
 is the subject of this sketch; Albert T. is 
 a physician in Howard. Ivans.; Lucia M. 
 is the wife of Georcre M. Parker, of North 
 Amherst; Homer J. died at the age of 
 sixteen years; Carrie F. died at the age of 
 three years. 
 
 Josiah Harris, grandfather of subject, 
 was born November 30, 1783, in Becket, 
 Berkshire Co., Mass., and died March 26, 
 1867, aged eighty-fotir years. In 1818 
 he came on foot from Massachusetts to 
 Lorain county, where he had previously 
 purchased land in what is now Amherst 
 township. lie was a member of the Ohio 
 Legislature, and to attend to his duties 
 there, at Columbus, he used to ride on 
 horseback through a comparatively wild 
 country. He served as postmaster (under 
 appointment of Postmaster-General Meigs) 
 over forty years continuously, excepting 
 when in the Legislature. 
 
 George M. Harris received his primary 
 education at the common schools of North 
 Amherst, after which, in 1875, he entered 
 the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincin- 
 nati, where he graduated with the class of 
 1877, in which year he located in Lorain, 
 a town then of but some 1,500 inhabitants, 
 and where he has since resided. In May, 
 1881, the Doctor was united in marriage, 
 in Uhrichsville, Ohio, with Miss Dor- 
 rell M. Leggett, a native of Uhrichsville, 
 and to this union has been born one child, 
 Florence. In politics Dr. Harris is a Re- 
 publican, and he has served as a member 
 of the town council. Socially he is a 
 member of the K. O. T. M. 
 
 dl O HN CURREY, a successful well-to- 
 do merchant, and well known as one 
 ) of the stanch business men of Roches- 
 ter, is a native of Pentisylvania, born 
 in Chester county February 10, 1823. 
 
 William Currey, father of subject, by 
 trade a wagon maker and wheelwright, 
 was of the same locality by birth, as was 
 also his wife, Rachel (Rickard). They 
 were the parents of children as follows: 
 Jonathan, who died in Troy, A.shland Co., 
 Ohio; Ann, who married Thomas Wood, 
 and died in Ashland county; Isaac, de- 
 ceased in Ashland county; Harriet, who 
 died in Pennsylvania when young; John, 
 
732 
 
 LOJtAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 subject of sketch; Hannah, Mrs. James 
 Walker, of Troy, Ohio; William, of Ash- 
 lard connty; Matthew, a resident of the 
 State of Washinfjton; and Angeline, who 
 died young. In 1837 the family came to 
 Ohio, the journey to Columbus, their 
 destination, being made by wagon, and 
 their route the National Pike. In Colum- 
 bus the father died, in Aiigust, 1837, and 
 his widow about three mouths afterward 
 moved to Greenwich township, Huron 
 county, where she and the family rented 
 land, on which they lived five years. In 
 1842 they moved to Troy, Ashland county, 
 where they bought fifty acres of wild land 
 at six dollars per acre. Here the mother 
 died in 1854, her remains being laid to 
 rest in Beckley cemetery, Rochester town- 
 ship. 
 
 John Currey, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, recei\'ed his education at the 
 schools of his native place, and was four- 
 teen years old when the family came to 
 Ohio, where he had to lay his hand to the 
 axe to assist in the hewing out of a new 
 home for the family. In 1866 he moved 
 from Troy township, Ashland county, to 
 Rochester, Lorain county, where he en- 
 tered mercantile life, having since success- 
 fully conducted his general store, in con- 
 nection with which he is interested in a 
 hotel business, and buys and sells farm 
 products. He owns in Troy township, 
 Ashland county, 312 acres of excellent 
 farmino; land. 
 
 Mr. Currey has been twice married, first 
 time in 1854 to Miss Almira Carrier, who 
 was born in Ashland county, Ohio, and 
 shortly thereafter they moved to Iowa 
 City, wliere he was employed as clerk in 
 tlie hardware store of Hart, Love & Co., 
 which was not his first experience in that 
 line, having already been in business for 
 himself in Troy, Ohio. While in Iowa 
 City his wife died, and about three months 
 later he returned to Troy. In 1856, for 
 his second helpmeet, Mr. Currey wedded 
 Miss Matilda Wicks, a native of New 
 York, born of English parentage. By 
 
 this marriage came children whose record 
 is as follows: Rachel, now Mrs. Adelbert 
 Mitchell, of Rochester; Jane, Mrs. Charles 
 Beardsley, of Rochester; Emeline, Mrs. 
 George Smith, of Brighton township; 
 Charles, of Troy, Ohio; Hattie, Mrs. 
 Dwight Mann, of Rochester; and Nellie, 
 residing at home. Politically our subject 
 is a stanch Republican, and has held vari- 
 ous township oliices, including that of 
 treasurer six years. Both he and his wife 
 are exemplary members of the M. E. 
 Church. Mr. Currey is a man of good 
 judgment and sound common sense, and 
 his advice, where truly needed, is fre- 
 quently sought for and found valuable. 
 
 THADDEUS W. FANCHER, post- 
 master at Lorain, was born Febru- 
 ary 25, 1839, in Greenwich, Hunm 
 Co., (Jhio, where he was reared and 
 educated. 
 At the age of twenty-four he removed 
 to central Michigan, where he resided 
 about ten years, or until 1873, when he 
 canje to Lorain, Ohio, and there followed 
 contracting and building some five or six 
 years. At the end of that time he bought 
 an interest in a hardware business, having 
 as a partner a Mr. Edison, and this he con- 
 tinued in until his appointment, in 1880, 
 as jjostmaster at Lorain. At the end of 
 seven years' well-merited popularity in 
 this office he was deposed by the incoming 
 Cleveland administration, but received re- 
 appointment on the accession of Harrison 
 to the Presidency, in 1890. He has also 
 served in various municipal offices, such as 
 member of council and mayor, besides as a 
 justice of the peace for several years. 
 
 In 1862 Mr. Fancher was united in 
 marriage, iu Greenwich, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 with Miss Ermina Griflin, of the same 
 place, daughter of Riley and Philena 
 Griflin, the former of whom was born iu 
 1812 in Greene county, N. Y.; iiis wife, 
 Philena (Washburn), was born in Ulster 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 733 
 
 county. N. Y., in 1817, and died iu 1862. 
 Two children have been born to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Fancher: Elvadore R. and Millicent 
 A. Our subject has been a Freemason 
 since the age of twenty-one. He is a son 
 of William and Mary (Vanscoy) Fanclier, 
 the former of whom was born in 1811 in 
 Poughkeepsie, N. Y., whence in 1819 he 
 came to Greenwich, Huron Co., Ohio, and 
 died in 1887, at Camden, Mich., at the age 
 of seventy-six years. Our subject's mother 
 was a native of Geauga county, Ohio. 
 
 C. WEEKS, whose industry and 
 
 thrift have united in placing him 
 
 in the front rank of Lorain county's 
 
 A1 many prosperous agriculturists, is 
 
 the owner of a highly-improved 
 
 farm of seventy-seven acres in Rochester 
 
 township. 
 
 He is the third son of German Weeks, 
 who was born in the State of New York 
 March 13, 1804; was united in marriage 
 January 7, 1830, with Jane S., daughter 
 of Christina and Peter Thompson. She 
 was born April 17, 1809. To Mr. and 
 Mrs. Weeks were born thirteen children, 
 all of whom are now living except the 
 third child, who died in infancy. They 
 are as follows: Matilda, Schuyler, George, 
 Christina, Peter T., Andrew, John, Mary 
 E., Martha A., Eliza J., Harriet L. and 
 La Rue. Five of these accompanied the 
 parents to Ohio in 1840, locating first in 
 Rochester, Ohio, and two years later mov- 
 ing two miles south to Troy, Ashland 
 county. Here he bought and cleared ui)a 
 farm of one hundred acres, and here he 
 lived until his death, which occurred June 
 25, 1886, a period of more than forty 
 years. His faithful and beloved wife de- 
 parted this life November 29, 1882, 
 greatly mourned by her husband and 
 children. 
 
 G. C. Weeks was born September 10, 
 1835, and received a fairly liberal educa- 
 tion at the schools of his native place. At 
 
 the age of fourteen he left the paternal 
 home, and worked out at what he could 
 find to do on neigfliborine; farms. At the 
 end of seven years he returned to his par- 
 ents, and with filial affection assisted and 
 cared for them until he was thirty years 
 old, at which time he boucrht for his own 
 account fifty acres of land at forty dollars 
 per acre. Directly after his marriage he 
 added to this purchase twenty other acres 
 adjoining, and, still later, seven more, 
 which in the aggregate comprise his pres- 
 ent fine farm. 
 
 During the Civil war Mr. Weeks en- 
 listed, iu February, 1865, in Company F, 
 One Hundred and Eighty-seventh Regi- 
 ment O. V. L, serving one year. Return- 
 ing home January 31, 1866, he married, 
 May 31, same year, Miss Mary B. Ford, 
 born in Clear Creek township, Ashland 
 Co., Ohio, February 9, 1846, a daughter 
 of Elias Ford, one of the pioneers of Ash- 
 land county. Politically Mr. Weeks is a 
 Republican, and in religious faith he and 
 his wife are meml)ers of the Methodist 
 Episcopal (Jhurch at Troy, in which they 
 take an active interest. 
 
 iARREN. The Warren family is 
 one of the oldest in Wellington 
 township, and is descended from 
 a long line of New England an- 
 cestry. 
 
 The earliest records of the family men- 
 tion one Warren, born about 1650, who 
 was the father of Joshua Warren, of 
 Watertown, Mass. Joshua married Re- 
 hecah, dauiihter of Caleb Church, also of 
 Watertown. The next in line was Joshua,- 
 Jr., who married Elizabeth Harris, of 
 Brookline. He was followed by Benjamin 
 Warren, born in Watertown, November 
 30, 1728; his wife was Hannah Lewis, and 
 he was a Revolutionary soldier. 
 
 Benjamin Warren, Jr., was burn April 
 19, 1772, and married Lucy Burr, of Nor- 
 folk, Conn. He brought his family to 
 
734 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Wellington in 1831. Th'^ir cliildren were: 
 Polly, Harriett, B( tsey, Alanson and Lu- 
 ther Day. Tlie latter was born March 2, 
 
 1813, and msirried Laura Wait, who was 
 born in P'redoiiia, N. Y., February, 6, 
 
 1814. Their descendants, who still live 
 in Wellington, are: Harriet E. Warren, 
 M. D.; Frank D. Warren, who married 
 Metta Sajre (they have one child — Ella); 
 Walter D. Warren, wlio married Helen 
 Conistock, and with their three children — 
 Clarence, Albert and Emma — still lives in 
 the old homestead on the banks of the 
 Charlemont. 
 
 Iff ENRY HAERISON WILLIAMS. 
 IpH one of the earliest pioneers of Avon 
 I 1_ township, was born in Norwich, 
 ^J Conn., October 21, 1812, one of 
 
 eight children born to John and 
 Clarissa Williams, both natives of Massa- 
 chusetts. 
 
 In 1817 the parents moved to Ohio and 
 settled in Troy (now Avon) township, 
 Lorain county, bringing with them their 
 eight children, as follows: Laura, Justin, 
 Teinpa, Eliza Minerva, John Wendell, 
 Mary Harriet, Henry Harrison and James 
 Dwight, of whom, Justin died in 1846. 
 Here the father opened up a farm in the 
 woods, whereon he made a permanent 
 liome, and he laid the first board floor in 
 the township. He died June 29, 1840, 
 his wife October 28, 1839. In politics he 
 Was a Whig, and he served as township 
 treasurer. Some of their children lived to 
 old age: Mrs. Tempa Garfield died Jannaiy 
 13, 1894, in Sheffield, in her ninety-fourth 
 year; Mrs. Eliza M. Clary, now in her 
 ninety-first year, lives in Norwalk; John 
 W. died in Avon in his eighty-fifth year; 
 Henry Harrison is now in his eighty- 
 second year; James D. died in Avon in his 
 seventy-fifth year. 
 
 H. H. Williams was five years of age 
 when he came with the rest of the family 
 to what is now Avon township, at which 
 time the country was covered with timber. 
 
 wolves, bears and deer beincr numerous. 
 One of the male members of the family 
 would have to go horseback once in every 
 two weeks, to Olmsted, to have their mill- 
 ing done, and as there were no roads the 
 journey was often somewhat perilous. 
 Many a day Harrison spent pounding corn 
 in a stump, hollowed out, to make their 
 bread. Shoes were a luxury, and the chil- 
 dren would tramp miles to school in win- 
 ter time with their feet bound up in 
 cloths. Our subject received his educa- 
 tion in the common schools of the day, 
 wiiich were held in log cabins, and subse- 
 quently engaged in mercantile business at 
 French Creek for fifteen years. In 1850 
 lie erected the first steam sawmill in the 
 township, which he conducted for some 
 time, and then bought a gristmill. In 
 1855 he was burned out, and in 1856 he 
 built the present gristmill at French 
 Creek, which he operated for many years. 
 For the past few years he has given his 
 attention to agriculture, and owns a good 
 farm adjoining the village. On Februarj' 
 6, 1840, he was married at Ridgeville, 
 Ohio, to Miss Eunice Amelia Porter, 
 daughter of Ebenezer and Eunice (Yale) 
 Porter, who were married in 1800 at Lee, 
 Mass.; in 1822 they left Jthere, with their 
 family of eight children, for Ohio, the 
 journey being made with covered wagons, 
 and occupying tluee months. They spent 
 the first winter in Dover, Cuyahoga 
 county, and in tlie spring moved to Ridge- 
 ville, where Mr. Porter built the first log 
 
 house on Sugar Ridge, 
 farmer. He died at 
 
 He was a lifelong 
 his residence in 
 
 Ridgeville July 6, 1867, at the patriarchal 
 age of ninety-two years. Llis wife died at 
 the same place November 19, 1847, aged 
 seventy-seven years. Their children were 
 as follows: Mrs. Griscilda Gardner, de- 
 ceased; Kimball; Mrs. Marcia Smith, de- 
 ceased at the age of eighty-two years; 
 Mrs. Mary E. Chester, Mrs. Frances Sex- 
 ton, Mrs. Charlotte Tinker and Charles J., 
 all deceased, and Mrs. Eunice A. Will- 
 iams. To Harrison H. and Eunice A. 
 
.15^ 
 
 
 ^z^^^. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 737 
 
 Williams were born five children, their 
 names and dates of l)irth being as follows: 
 (1) Howard, January 21, 1841; (2) An- 
 nette, January 23, 1S48; (3) Everett E., 
 March 2, 1846; (4) Montville, November 
 15, 1847 (died December 16, 1847); and 
 (5) Nellie L., October 5, 1853. Of these, 
 (1) ri(iward married JIarcli 13, 1871, Ada 
 F. McCarty; he is in the slate and felt 
 rooting business in Toronto, Ont., also 
 Buffalo, N. Y. ; their children were Alli- 
 son Jay, Annette Morey, Dwight Mc- 
 Carty (deceased), Ralph Clark and Frank- 
 lin Howard (of these Annette Morey was 
 married June 15, 1893, to T. Corbert 
 Thompson, a dry-goods merchant in To- 
 ronto, Ont.). (2) Annette married, June 
 8, 1868, Norris Morey, an attorney at law 
 of Buffalo, N. Y., and captain in the New 
 York cavalry; their children are Isabel 
 Kansom, Joseph Harrison, Howard Will- 
 iams and Arthur Norris. (3) Everett E. 
 married, at Avon, October 23, 1870, Miss 
 Laurett A. AVilliams; he is assistant cash- 
 ier in the National Bank of Elyria; their 
 children are Zella Messenger, Harrison 
 Charles and Porter Hastings. (5) Nellie 
 L. was married May 21, 1881, to Burton 
 C. Jameson, formerly of Avon, in the 
 gravel and composition rooting business in 
 Buffalo, N. Y., also in Toronto, Canada; 
 tlieir children are Everett Williams and 
 Norris Morey. 
 
 Howard Williams, eldest son of H. H. 
 Williams, enlisted August 11, 1862, then 
 twenty-one years of age, in Company E, 
 Forty-second O. V. I., as a recruit. For 
 most of tlie time he was on detached, or 
 special, duty until April 3, 1863, when, 
 beiiicr sick, he was sent to St. Louis Hos- 
 pital. Subsequently he was given a com- 
 mission as second lieutenant of Company 
 B, Fifth U. S. Volunteers; was ordered to 
 Salena, Kansas, a border town, to guard 
 army trains across the Plains, where In- 
 dians and others were troublesome. Later 
 he was sent to Denver, Colo., and there 
 remained till the close of the war. lie is 
 now in Toronto, Ont., as above recorded. 
 
 In political connection Henry 11. Will- 
 iair)s was originally a Whig, and cast his 
 first Presidental vote for (len. Harrison in 
 1840; since the formation of the party he 
 has been a Repuljliean, and he has served 
 as treasurer of Avon township, and also as 
 postmaster at French Creek. He and his 
 wife have l)een active members of the 
 Baptist Church at French Creek, she for 
 fifty-nine years, he for fifty-two years, and 
 a trustee much of the time. 
 
 GOLDEN WEDDING. 
 
 " Married in Ridgevillc February 6, 1840, 
 at the residence of E. Porter, Esq., by the 
 Rev. Silas Tucker, Mr. Henry H. Williams 
 of Avon and Miss Eunice A. Porter. 
 
 "The printer's fee on this occasion was 
 a full loaf of cake of ample dimensions, 
 which spoke well for the sweet temper of 
 the bride, and the prospect of future felic- 
 ity to the happy pair." 
 
 The above notice appeared in the Elyria 
 paper of February, 1840. February 6, 
 1890— Mr. and Mrs. Williams, who have 
 been spending the winter in Buffalo, cele- 
 brated their golden wedding at the resi- 
 dence of their daugliter, Mrs. Norris 
 Morey, No. 200 Sumner street. The four 
 children of Mr. and Mrs. Williams, with 
 their families, were all present, thirteen 
 grandchildren, making twenty-three in 
 the family: Howard Williams, of Toronto; 
 Mrs. Jameson, of Buffalo; Mrs. Morey; 
 Mr. Williams, of Elyria; it being the first 
 reunion of the family at which every mem- 
 ber was present. Two deaths have oc- 
 curred during the fifty years — an infant 
 son and a grandson. The bride and groom 
 of half a century received many golden 
 gifts, also beautiful flowers and books 
 from friends in Buffalo. 
 
 E 
 
 VERETT E. WILLIAMS, assistant 
 cashier of the National Bank of 
 I Elyria, is a son of H. H. and Eu- 
 nice A. (Porter) Williams, and was 
 born March 2, 1846, in Avon township, 
 
738 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Lorain Co., Ohio. He received his liter- 
 ary training at the public schools of Avon 
 and at Oberlin College. At the conclu- 
 sion of his studies he connnenced the mill- 
 ing business in Avon, and is now a mem- 
 ber of the IJrm of Williams, Barrows & 
 Co., merchant millers, Lorain, Ohio. In 
 connection he is interested in grain eleva- 
 tors as a member of the firm of Williams 
 & Breckenridge. In 1885 he was unani- 
 mously nominated and elected, on the Re- 
 publican ticket, treasurer of Lorain county, 
 and after serving his county in this capac- 
 ity two terms (four years), he became 
 connected with the National Bank of 
 Elyria, as teller. 
 
 Mr. Williatns was married, at Avon, 
 October 23, 1870, to Miss Laurett Will- 
 iams, and they have three children, namely: 
 Zella Messenger, Harrison Charles and 
 Porter Hastings. Mr. Williams is among 
 the best known and most progressive busi- 
 ness men of Lorain county, and enjoys an 
 enviable popularity. 
 
 ^/ 
 
 MILO HAPtRIS, a leading and in- 
 fluential citizen of North Am- 
 _[ herst, where he carried on mer- 
 cantile business for many years, 
 hut is now retired from active life, 
 was horn April 21, 1822, at that place, the 
 third son and child of the old pioneer 
 Josiah Harris. 
 
 Josiah Harris was the most notable man 
 to arrive in Lorain county in 1818. He 
 was born in Becket, Berkshire Co., Mass., 
 November 30, 1783, and died March 26, 
 1867, aged eighty-four years. He made 
 joui-neys to Ohio in 1814-15, and pur- 
 chased land; in 1818 he came to Amherst, 
 and soon after had a log house completed 
 on the banks of Beaver creek. He finally 
 settled on the Public Square. In 1821 
 he was elected a justice of the peace, and 
 served thirty-six years; was the first sheriff 
 of Lorain county, and served three years 
 as associate judge, being appointed in 
 
 1829; was a member of the General As- 
 sembly of Ohio in 1827, representing 
 Cuyahoga county; represented Lorain and 
 Medina counties in the House, and after- 
 ward was elected to the State Senate from 
 the same District. Some time in the 
 "twenties" he was appointed postmaster 
 by Postmaster-general Meigs, and held the 
 office continuously to the time of his death 
 (over forty 3'ears), except when in the 
 Legislature, being, probably, the oldest 
 postmaster in the United States. He was 
 agent for a number of eastern landowners, 
 in which capacity he was enabled to do 
 many a kind turn for the new comers, and 
 no man in the township exerted a wider or 
 more potent influence for good. He had 
 four children, viz.: Josiah A., now de- 
 ceased, for many years editor of the Cleve- 
 land Herald; Loring P., in Texas; Mile, 
 and Emeline C, in Philadelphia. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received a 
 liberal education at the schools of North 
 Amherst, and was i-eared to commercial 
 life. In 1861 he was elected sheriff of 
 Lorain county, serving eighteen months; 
 he was also a justice of the peace for many 
 years in Amherst and Black River town- 
 ships. In 1843 he was married to Miss 
 Caroline Stocking, of Lorain county, 
 daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Good- 
 rich) Stocking, of Massachusetts, who in 
 an early day came to Black River town- 
 ship, Lorain county; they are both now 
 deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Harris was 
 born one child, Florence (widow of Hiram 
 Leslie), a resident of California. Mrs. 
 Caroline Harris died in 1852, and on 
 March 1, 1853, Mr. Harris married, in 
 Amherst township, Lorain county, Mary 
 Tyrrell, daughter of Homer and Mary F. 
 Tyrrell (both now deceased), all natives of 
 Massachusetts. By this marriage there 
 were children as follows: George M., a 
 physician and surgeon in Lorain, Ohio; 
 Albert T., a physician in Howard, Ivans.; 
 Lucia M., wife of George M. Parker, a 
 member of the Amherst town council and 
 superintenden t of the Malone Stone Quarry ; 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 739 
 
 and Homer J. and Carrie F., who died at 
 tlie age of sixteen and three years, re- 
 spectively. 
 
 In politics our subject is a Republican. 
 Socially he has been a member of Elyria 
 Lodge, No. 103, I. O. O. F., since 1852, 
 and was a charter member of Plato Lodge; 
 he was also a member of the L 0. G. T. 
 Mrs. Harris is a member of the Congrega- 
 tional Church. A notable fact in regard 
 to the Harris family is that three of its 
 members have held the office of sheriff of 
 Lorain county: Judge Josiah Harris was 
 the first sheriff; his son, Josiah A., held 
 the office at a later period, being third 
 sheriff in the county, and Milo was sheriff 
 in 1861, as already related. 
 
 ^J 
 
 IT ENRY WALLACE, the well-known 
 
 '5^ lake captain and vessel owner, whose 
 
 1[ residence is in Lorain, was born in 
 
 County Down, Ireland, in 1828, a 
 
 son of Samuel and Ann (Finley) 
 
 Wallace. 
 
 In his native land he was reared on a 
 farm, and educated at the Protestant 
 schools of the vicinity of his place of birth. 
 In 1850 he came to America and to Ohio, 
 making his first home, in the New World, 
 in Cleveland, where he remained till the 
 fall of the same year, when he came to 
 Lorain (then Black River), in which now 
 flourishing city he has since made his 
 home. Here he worked in shipyards for 
 several years, finally becoming interested 
 in vessel property — small boats chiefly — 
 the firm with which he was connected being 
 known as "AVallace, Gawn & Co.," who 
 became very successful in business. For 
 the past several years he has been owner 
 or part owner of some of the A 1 vessels 
 that have sailed the lakes, and among those 
 in which he at present has an interest may 
 be mentioned the propeller '• Vulcan " 
 (built of steel), and the steamer " Robert 
 Wallace " and sailing vessel " David Wal- 
 lace," the " Thomas Gawn " and " Lyons;" 
 
 also the steel propeller " Vega," which was 
 built by the company winter of 1892-93. 
 For about twenty-eight consecutive years 
 he sailed the lakes as captain, and for ex- 
 cellency of seamanship and care in hand- 
 ling liis vessels, his reputation stands 
 without a blemish. 
 
 On Christmas Eve, 1S56, Capt. Wallace 
 was united in marriage with Miss Chloe 
 Case, a native of Avon, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 and they have threechildren living, namely: 
 Eva, wife of J. H. Hills, superintendent of 
 the Brass Works at Lorain (they have three 
 children: Alma, Harry and Albert); Eliz- 
 abeth, and Lillie, wife of Welker McEl. 
 Frish. 
 
 The entire family, with the exception 
 of Mrs. Hills, who is a Contrregationalist, 
 are members of the M. E. Church. Capt. 
 Wallace is a Republican in politics, and is 
 a member of the I. O. (). F. 
 
 HfENRY J. BARROWS was born 
 March 15, 1851, in Avon township, 
 _ Lorain Co., Ohio. His early life 
 was spent upon a farm, and he re- 
 ceived such an education as the dis- 
 trict schools afforded, later studying for a 
 time in the Prepai-atory l)epartment of 
 Oberlin College. At the age of twenty- 
 seven he married Miss Anna L. Beers 
 (daughter of Lewis and Susan Beers), 
 whose native place was Stratford, Conn., 
 and two daugliters, Edna and Ellen, were 
 born of the union. Mrs. Barrows died 
 April 5, 1893. 
 
 In 1879 the subject of this sketch pur- 
 chased an interest in the Avon Flouring 
 Mills, then owned and operated by Willams, 
 Warden & Co. Mr. Barrows at once took 
 charge of the business of the firm, and in 
 1886 the style of the firm was changed to 
 Williams, Barrows I't Co. Near the close 
 of the year 1886 the Avon property was 
 sold, and possession given on the first day 
 of January, 1887, and the company at once 
 commenced the erection of a new flouring 
 
740 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 mill of 150 barrels daily capacity, at Lo- 
 rain, Ohio, which was completed and 
 started up Jniie 15, that year. From the 
 start tiie new venture has been a success. 
 Mr. Barrows still retains a share of and 
 manages the business. He holds a direc- 
 torship in the Citizens Savings Bank Co., 
 and in the Lake Erie Electric Ligiit Co. ; 
 is president of the board of Water Works 
 Trustees, and vice-president of the Citizens 
 Home Savings & Loan Association. In 
 politics he has always been a Republican. 
 James R. Barrows, father of subject, 
 was born in New York, and at the age of 
 seven years came to Oiiio with his father, 
 Adiiah Barrows, who settled on a farm in 
 Avon township, in what was at that time 
 almost an unbroken wilderness, and died 
 at the age of sixty-seven. Clarrissa Day, 
 his wife, lived to be eighty-seven years of 
 age. James R. Barrows married Melvina 
 P. Sawyer, and they had a family of four 
 children, of whom Warren J. died at the 
 age of twenty-seven; Ellen C. died at the 
 age of thirty-four; Henry J. and Etta M. 
 are still livinfj. Mr. James R. Bari-ows is 
 now living at the age of seventy-two years, 
 on a farm in Avon township, in comfort- 
 able circumstances. His tirst wife died 
 at the age of thirty-two. 
 
 JOHN LERSCH, member of the well- 
 known prosperous dry-goods firm of 
 Baldwin, Lersch & Co., Elyria, is a 
 native of the Bavarian Palatinate, 
 Germany, born July 25, 1841. 
 
 He is a son of Carl and Louise (Schweit- 
 zer) Lersch, natives of the same place, who 
 emio-rated to America in 1851, bringing 
 their young son John with them. At 
 Havre, France, July 25, that year, they 
 boarded a sailing vessel bound for the 
 United States, and after a voyage of forty 
 days arrived at New York September 4 
 following. From there they came direct 
 to Cleveland, Ohio, where they sojourned 
 
 about six months, and then proceeded to 
 Mansfield, same State, in which city they 
 resided one year. At the end of that time 
 they returned to Cuyahoga county, where 
 the father purchased a farm in North Dover, 
 about thirteen miles east of Elyria, and not 
 far from the Lorain county line. They did 
 a considerable amount of their trading in 
 the town of Elyria, and one day while there 
 with their son, the subject of this sketch, 
 the following seemingly trivial incident 
 occurred, which influenced and directed the 
 after life of the lad. They were making a 
 purchase in the old-established store of 
 Mussey & Co., when one of the salesmen 
 — a Mr. Bishop — asked the boy how much 
 a peck of the article his father was pur- 
 chasing would cost at $2.62^ per bushel. 
 Undaunted by the question, young Lersch 
 gave prompt and correct answer. " Are 
 you sure of this?" asked Mr. Bishop. The 
 boy for a moment looked at his mother for 
 assurance, and then, on her telling him to 
 answer if he really knew, he replied: •' Tes, 
 that is right." Thereupon Mr. Bishop 
 turned to Mr. Gallup, a partner in the 
 house, with the remark: "Here is a boy 
 we want; " and accordingly then and there 
 it was agreed that, as soon as the proper 
 preliminaries could be arranged. Master 
 John Lersch should enter the store of 
 Mussey & Co., on a thirty-days trial. Thus 
 on April 13, 1854, our subject, then not 
 thirteen years old, found himself installed 
 " on trial " with the lirm. a sudden transi- 
 tion truly from the quiet life of the farm 
 to the bustle of a busy town. This month 
 of probation was marked by a strict ap- 
 plication to business on his part, and con- 
 stant punctuality, so that at the end of the 
 prescribed time indentures were signed 
 for three years. The compensation he re- 
 ceiveii for his first year's service was forty 
 dollars and board ; for the second, fifty 
 dollars; for the third, seventy-five dollars; 
 and for the fourth, one hundred and 
 seventy-five dollars and board, his salary 
 being advanced in proportion to his pro- 
 motion in the store. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 743 
 
 In 1858 S. W. Baldwin, T. W. Lann- 
 don and T. L. Nelson bought out the firm 
 of H. E. Mnssey & Co., Mr. Lersch re- 
 maining with them until their retirement 
 from business in 1872, when, each having 
 made liberal fortunes, they sold tlie dry- 
 goods department of their business to D. 
 C. Baldwin & Co., Mr. Lersch being the 
 Junior partner. By hard work and close 
 attention to detail their busitiess soon be- 
 came one of the largest retail houses in the 
 State. As years rolled by Mr. Lersch be- 
 came familiar with the entire business of 
 buyiner and felling, so that, in whatever 
 capacity he acted, his services were alike 
 valuable. This relationship continued until 
 1880, when the firm was changed to Bald- 
 win, Lersch & Co., the present style of the 
 lirrn, although Mr. Baldwin has partially 
 retired from active business. Most of 
 the management of the concern devolves 
 upon Mr. Lersch. than whom few men so 
 competent, and certainly none superior, 
 could be found. At about this time Mr. 
 Lerech established the N. O. Syndicate, 
 composed of Baldwin, Lersch & Co., Ely- 
 ria. Frier «fe Scheule, of Cleveland, and B. 
 C. Taber & Co., of Norwalk, Ohio, formed 
 for the purpose of purchasing goods, 
 chiefly from manufacturers or theiragents, 
 thus saving Jobbers' profits, keeping an 
 agent constantly on the lookout for bar- 
 gains, which enables them to sell at con- 
 siderable advantage. 
 
 In 186S Mr. Lersch was married in 
 Ellyria, to Miss Pamela Boynton, third 
 daughter of Joshua Boynton, and the alli- 
 ance has proved a happy one. Seven chil- 
 dren have been born to them, all of whom 
 have had good educational privileges. They 
 are Carl Theodore aiid Robert Boynton 
 (both assistants in their father's store), 
 Louise De Lano, Carlotta Pauline, John 
 Walter, Arthur Emerson ami Paul Har- 
 wood. After Mr. Lersch's marriage, his 
 parents re.'iided with him during the re- 
 mainder of their lives; his mother died in 
 February, 1877, iiis father in March, 1887. 
 Although a native of Germany, and speak- 
 
 ing the language of that coimtry equally 
 as well as he does English, Mr. Lersch is 
 a typical American. He is broad in his 
 views and conversant with all public ques- 
 tions, believing it is the duty of every 
 American citizen to be intelligent, and 
 well informed on all public issues. As he 
 is an ultra-protectionist, it goes without 
 saying that he is a straight Republican. At 
 the present time Mr. Lersch is one of the 
 directors of the Elyria Savings Deposit 
 Bank; also a member of the finance com- 
 mittee of this baid<. Mr. Lersch attributes 
 much of his luisiness success to the admir- 
 able training he received at the hands of 
 Mr. T. W. Laundon,than whom, probably, 
 no better dry-^oods man ever conducted 
 business in Lorain county. Mr. Lersch 
 has been connected with practically the 
 same store for a period of forty years, dur- 
 ing which time he has lost only four days 
 on account of illness; and the only vaca- 
 tion he has taken of any length was in 
 1S.S2, when he spent the months of Jnly 
 and August in Europe. 
 
 m W. NICHOLS, one of the most 
 ZlW yji'ogressive and intelligent of Lo- 
 Ir^ rain county's agriculturists, and 
 ■// whose magniflcent farm of two 
 
 hundred acres is among the most 
 fertile of Grafton township, comes of Eng- 
 lish-Welsh ancestry. 
 
 He was born July 3, 1828, in York town- 
 ship, Livingston Co., N. Y., a son of Na- 
 thaniel Nichols, who was born in Rodman 
 township, Jefferson Co., N. Y., May 7, 
 180H, and whose father, alsq named Na- 
 thaniel, served in the Revolutionary war. 
 The father of subject was a tanner and 
 shoemaker, at which latter trade he served 
 a regular apprenticeship. On September 
 16, 1827. he married Dorcas E. Bailey, 
 who was born March 29, 1804, in Elmira, 
 N. Y., of Huguenot and Dutch extraction, 
 daughter of Benjamin and Polly (Burr) 
 Bailey. After marriage they made their 
 
744 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 new home on a piece of land owned by liis 
 brother Albion, where for a time he fol- 
 lowed his trade. While they were residing 
 in Livingston comity, N. Y ., one son, A. 
 W., onr subject, was born to them. Later 
 they moved to Cattarangus county, same 
 State, and made a temporary settlement in 
 Dayton township, where the father honght 
 tifty acres of land. Here two children 
 were born to them: Martha E., born July 
 2, 1831, married to Milton Adams, and 
 they now live in Eaton county, Mich.; and 
 Mary A., born December 27, 1834, mar- 
 ried first to Orange Adams, afterward to 
 Samuel Denison, a ranchman near Well- 
 born, Texas. From Cattaraugus county 
 the family moved to Nunda, Allegany 
 (now Livingston) Co., same State, \yhere 
 two more children were born, viz.: Rollo 
 A., born June 7, 1888, who during the 
 Civil war, while a bookkeeper in Hunts- 
 ville, Ala., was forced into the Confed- 
 erate service, and rose from the ranks 
 till at the battle of Spottsylvania C. H. 
 he found himself an officer on Gen. Buell's 
 staff; at that engagement he was taken 
 ])risoner by the Federals, and in the 
 .spring of 1864 he enlisted in the Union 
 ai'my, in which he served till the close of 
 the war; afterward he served as commis- 
 sary for the IT. S. (Tovernment, and died 
 in 1880 at Florence, Ga., where he was 
 buried. The other child who came to them 
 in Allegany county is Ellen, born Septem- 
 ber 25, 1843, married to Don Carlos Van- 
 Dusen, now of Oberlin, Ohio. 
 
 In 1843 Nathaniel Nichols came alone 
 to Ohio, and deciding to settle in Grafton 
 township, Lorain county, he purchased in 
 the eastern part fifty acres of wild land at 
 ten dollars an acre. In the following fall 
 the family joined him, and they set to 
 work to clear the land and make all neces- 
 sary improvements, building a substantial 
 log house for a dwelling. After some 
 years the father moved to Columbia town- 
 ship, same county, whence after a time he 
 returned to Grafton township, and made a 
 final settlement in the southern portion of 
 
 same. For a season he was a resident of 
 La Grange township (also in Lorain 
 county), and he died in 1883 in Hinckley, 
 Medina Co., Ohio, where he was sojourn- 
 . ing with his daughter Elleu. His wife 
 preceded him to the grave some years, dy- 
 ing in La Grange township, and they now 
 lie buried in the Western Cemetery in that 
 township. After coming to Ohio Mr. 
 Nichols followed farming chiefly, and to 
 some extent his trade, shoemaking. Po- 
 litically he was originally a Whig, Imt died 
 a Democrat. He was a very liberal and 
 hospitable entertainer; in his religious 
 views he was partial to the M. E. Church, 
 while his wife was an Old-school Presby- 
 terian, and their home was always open to 
 ministers of all chnrches. 
 
 A. W. Nichols, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, received but a limited, educa- 
 tion at the public schools of his boyhood 
 days, and was i-eared to farm work. Be- 
 ing bright at his studies, and an apt 
 scliolar, he made considerable progress by 
 private reading, and became skilled in 
 mathematics. When he was a small boy 
 he was adopted by a bachelor uncle, Al- 
 bion Nichols, and a maiden aunt, Esther 
 Nichols, who lived together and carried on 
 farming. In 1844 he came to Ohio, and 
 spent his first winter in Lorain connty. 
 In the following year his uncle and aunt 
 came to Grafton township, and here bought 
 sixty acres of wild land from James Tur- 
 ner, being the farm our subject now owns 
 and lives on, and where he has since re- 
 sided, for he at once made his home with 
 his benefactors. For some years before 
 their death — they lived to advanced ages 
 — he had the entire management of their 
 farm, and when they died he succeeded to 
 the property. He has prospered in all his 
 undertakings, and is now the owner of 200 
 acres of prime land. In May, 1883, his 
 residence was burned dowt;, but he at once 
 set to work and built a yet finer one, which 
 he calls "Hurricane Hall." 
 
 On February 22, 1870, prior to the death 
 of his uncle and aunt, Mr. Nichols was 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 745 
 
 united in marriage with Mrs. Elizabeth H. 
 Durkee, who was horn April 14, 1885, in 
 Eaton township, Lorain Co., Ohio, a daugh- 
 ter of John Gamble, a native of York- 
 shire, England, and his wife. Mar}' Curtis, 
 of Boston, Mass. Politically our subject 
 has been a Republican since the organiza- 
 tion of the party, and has held several 
 township offices of trust. He is a mem- 
 ber of the F. & A. M., Lodge No. 399, at La- 
 Grange, and of Marshall Chapter, Elyria. 
 
 nr^) CHESTER, who for over sixty 
 
 jJ^^ years has been a resident of Avon 
 
 I V^ township, where for nearly half a 
 
 JJ century he has been an industrious 
 
 and frugal farmer, is a native of 
 
 England, born in Northamptonshire, in 
 
 1823. 
 
 He is a son of William and Amelia 
 (Perrin) Chester, natives of the same 
 county, the former of whom died in Eng- 
 land, and his widow, after marrying John 
 Fretter, emigrated with her family in 1833 
 to the United States. They settled in 
 Avon townsJiip, Lorain county, where they 
 lived on rented land till 18-40, in which 
 year thev moved to the farni wliere our 
 subject now resides. The mother died in 
 Minnesota about the year 1878, her second 
 husband passing away in 1846 in Avon 
 township. Lorain county. There were tive 
 ciiildren born to her lirst marriage, a brief 
 record of whom is as follows: William 
 married and resided in Avon, where he 
 died in 1881; John died in Avon township 
 in 1879; Job is married and resides in 
 Rice county, Minn., where he was the first 
 settler; R. is the subject of these lines; 
 Matilda became the wife of Charles Blanch- 
 ett and died in Avon township in 1887. 
 Our subject had two stepsisters, viz.: Eliz- 
 abeth, who married Luke Cheney, and 
 moved to Rice county, Minn., where she 
 died in 1880; and Lucy, who married 
 Joseph Spriggs, and also moved to Rice 
 county, Minn,, where she died in 1885. 
 
 The subject of this sketch, who was ten 
 years old when he came to Avon town- 
 ship, received his education at the common 
 schools of the neighborhood of his home, 
 and when he was old enough to work as- 
 sisted in clearing the home farm. For 
 four years he was in the employ of ex-Gov- 
 ernor Wood in Rockport township, Cuy- 
 ahoga county, and then returned to Avon 
 township, in 1848 locating on his present 
 farm of 245 acres, which for the most part 
 he cleared himself, and where he has since 
 been assiduously engaged in general farm- 
 ing. In 1852 he was married, in Elyria 
 township, Lorain county, to Miss Eliza 
 Mitchell, a native of Northamptonshire, 
 England, and children were born to them, 
 as follows: Elizabeth Ann, who died in 
 1864 at the age of eleven years; Clara, who 
 died in 1892 at the age of thirty-seven 
 years; Job, residing at home; Mary Ann; 
 Agnes Jane; and Reuben Albert. In pol- 
 itics Mr. Chester is a Republican. 
 
 DR. H. L. HALL, a well-known young 
 physician and surgeon of North 
 Amherst, was born May 17, 1860, 
 at Jefferson, Ashtaluila Co., Oiiio. 
 His grandfather, Daniel Hall, was a native 
 of Connecticut, and in a very early day 
 came westward to Ashtabula county, Ohio. 
 O. L. Hall, son of this early pioneer, was 
 born in Connecticut, and was reared in 
 Ashtabula county. He was married to 
 Laura Hyde, a native of Connecticut, 
 whose father, Gates Hyde, was born in 
 Allegany county, N. Y., and was one of 
 the earliest pioneers of Lenox town.ship, 
 Ashtabula county, where he assisted in 
 clearing a farm. Mr. Hall followed the 
 profession of a teacher. He died in 1885 
 at Macon, Ga.; his widow is now living in 
 Atlanta, Georgia. 
 
 Dr. H. L. Hall was reared in his native 
 county, and received his education at Grand 
 River Institute. Austinburgh, Ohio. In 
 1881 he entered the Medical Department 
 
746 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 of tlie "Western Reserve University, Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, graduating with the class of 
 
 1884, ami afterward spent eighteen snonths 
 at tiie Lakeside Hospital, also in Cleve- 
 land, graduating therefrom in October, 
 
 1885. He then came to North Amherst, 
 wiiicii he has since made his home, and 
 where lie has built up an extensive general 
 practiff; he is now medical examiner for 
 seven old-line life-insurance companies. 
 
 In June, 1885, the Doctor was united 
 in marriage, in Ashtabula countj', Ohio, 
 with Miss Hattie A. Tinker, a native of 
 that county. Tiiey are both members of 
 the Congregational Church, in which he 
 has filled several offices. In politics onr 
 subject is independent, and he takes an 
 active interest in everything tending to the 
 advancement of his community. Socially 
 he is a member of North Amherst Lodge 
 No. 74, K. of P. 
 
 /p^ORDON W. BAKER, senior mera- 
 1 w, ber of the well-known clothing linn, 
 \^ ill Elyria, of Baker &, Foster, is one 
 ^^ of the oldest established merchants 
 in tlie city. lie is a native of 
 Northamptonshire, England, born June 2, 
 1888, a son of Richard and Sarah (Gau- 
 derii) Buker, of the same place, who emi- 
 grated to the United States when the 
 subject of these lines was yet a boy, lo- 
 cating in Lorain county, Ohio. 
 
 Mr. Richard Baker enjoys a wide repu- 
 tation as one of the most prominent 
 stockmen in the Buckeye State. He was 
 one of the leaders of the State Fair an- 
 nually held in Columbus, Ohio, and for 
 several years was president and a director 
 of that Association; was one of the first to 
 introduce into Lorain county, Ohio, the 
 famous Shorthorn cattle, and it is said 
 owned the first herd of that breed exhibited 
 in these parts. To tiie rearing of not only 
 finebrcd cattle but also horses, as well as 
 general agriculture, has Mr. Baker devoted 
 the greater part of his useful life. 
 
 Gordon W. Baker received iiis primary 
 education at the schools of the neighbor- 
 hood of his place of birth, which he 
 supplemented in this country with con- 
 siderable application to books and study as 
 opportunity offei'ed. Leaving his fatlier's 
 farm at the age of thirteen years he en- 
 gaged his services as clerk to a genera! 
 merchant in Elyria, but this emijloyer 
 going out of business, Mr. Baker soon 
 found another opening, with Starr Bros., 
 which position he filled with much credit 
 for some four or five years. He then en- 
 tered the employ of Baldwin, Laundon & 
 Nelson, the then leading mercantile house 
 of Elyria, and here he did efficient work 
 for several years, becoming at the same 
 time thoroughly conversant with all 
 brandies of mercantile trade, making his 
 mark for application to business and thor- 
 ough knowledge of all departments of the 
 same. From the successors of the above- 
 named linn he ])iirchased the clothing de- 
 partment of their business, and received 
 into partnership Frank H. Foster, the style 
 of the firm becoming Baker & Foster, as it 
 at ijresent remains. Throu<jii his lono; 
 connection with mercantile pursuits. Mi"- 
 Baker gained for himself a very extensive 
 acquaintance, and his sturdy Anglo-Saxon 
 qualities of integrity, liberality and candor 
 gained for him a host of personal fi'ieiids 
 and the utmost confidence of the public. 
 He soon became the leading clothier of 
 Elyria, which he continues to be. Mr. 
 Baker has often remarked that just as a 
 mati has gained sufficient knowledo-e of 
 business to find a real pleasure in it, the 
 best part of his life has passed, and he is 
 compelled to withdraw into retirement. 
 
 In 1872 Mr. Baker was united in mar- 
 riage, in New York State, with Miss 
 Charlotte Alice Linnell, a native of North- 
 amptonshire, England, to which country 
 the happy couple made their wedding trip. 
 To this union were born two children, 
 named, respectively, Alice Maud Mary and 
 Annie Louise. The family reside in a 
 handsome home on Washington avenue, 
 
^^^^^. ^^7^'. 
 
 / 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 749 
 
 Elyria. Mr. Baker is a Kepublican, and 
 he attends the services of tlie Episcopal 
 Church. In political, religious and all 
 other views, public or private, he is liberal, 
 always respecting the rights of every man 
 to his own opinion and judgment. He is 
 a stockholder in and director of the Elyria 
 Savings Deposit Bank Co., and a member 
 and director of the Elyria Savings and Loan 
 Company. 
 
 Mr. Baker is a great reader, and keeps 
 himself well informed on all public ques- 
 tions. He has a special fondness for live 
 stock of all descriptions, and is a good 
 judge of same. He breeds extensively, 
 and organized a company for the purpose 
 of introducing and perpetuating a line of 
 fine stock in Colorado, whei-e he has an in- 
 terest in a ranch, and a considerable amount 
 of means invested. A traveler of no little 
 experience, he has made several trips to 
 Europe, visiting his old home in England 
 and places of interest on the Continent. 
 
 TlOSEPH H. BALDWIN, one of the 
 w I leading, intelligent and progressive 
 \^) agriculturists of Brownhelm town- 
 ship, was born in Addison county, 
 Vt., in 1824, a son of Thomas and Esther 
 (Wilson) Baldwin, natives of the State of 
 New Jersey; the father born in 1785, the 
 mother in 1794. 
 
 Thomas B:ildwin, who was a wawon- 
 maker by trade, left the paternal roof in 
 early life, and, for a time sojourning in Ver- 
 mont, married there. In 1832 he removed 
 to Chautauqua county, N. Y., whence in 
 1836 he came to Brownhelm town-hip, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio, where he bought a farm 
 and spent the rest of his days. He died 
 in 1868. ills widow in 1881. In politics 
 he was first a Whig, afterward a Republi- 
 can. Six children were borii to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Thomas Baldwin, viz.: Lucus, now a 
 resident of Paulding county, Ohio; Joseph 
 H., the subject of our sketch; Julia, who 
 died in 1852; and three children who died 
 
 40 
 
 in infancy. On the father's side the fam- 
 ily claim Welsh descent; on the mother's 
 they are of Scotch lineage. 
 
 Up to the age of twelve years the subject 
 of our sketch was reared in the States of 
 Vermont and New York, and, after coming 
 to Ohio in 1836 with his parents, attended 
 for a time the district schools of Brown- 
 helm township, Lorain county.* Learning 
 tlie trade of carpenter and joiner, he worked 
 in the shipyards at Vermillion, Erie 
 county, much of the time uiitil 1863, when 
 he settled on the old homestead farm, con- 
 sisting of eighty-five acres in Brownhelm 
 township, Lorain county. Wliile engaged 
 in the business of farming Mr. Baldwin 
 has increased his farm by purchase of ad- 
 ditional land, until now he lias a well- 
 improved farm of 163 acres of first-class 
 land, on which he still resides. 
 
 Mr. Baldwin has been thrice married, 
 the first time in 1851, to Miss Sarah M. 
 Ashenhurst, by which union three children 
 were born: Henry T., a blacksmith by 
 trade, now residing at Berlin Heights, 
 Ohio; William A., a railroad employe, 
 who was killed while coupling cars, July 
 7, 1883; and Charlie, who died in infancy. 
 This wife died September 5, 1864, and in 
 December, 1865, Mr. Baldwin was wedded 
 to Miss Adeline Hardy, a native of the 
 State of New York, daughter of Ephraim 
 Hardy, a pioneer of IJrie county, Ohio. To 
 this union two children were born, namely; 
 Fi'ank O., who has attended school and 
 taught for the past five or six years, he 
 having graduated from the Commercial De- 
 partment of the Ohio Normal University 
 (September, 1SU2), and the Business De- 
 partment of the Tri-State Normal College 
 (October, 1893), the degree of B. C. S. 
 being conferred upon him by eacii institu- 
 tion; and Charles A., a farmer who resides 
 at home with his father. The mother of 
 these departed this life April 21, 1890, and 
 February 14, 1892, the subject of our 
 sketch married Mrs. May E. Howey, a na- 
 tive of Missouri, and a lady of culture and 
 refinement (she has, by her former bus- 
 
750 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 band, one child, a 6on, wlio is a successfnl 
 telegraph operator in the West). 
 
 In his jiolitieal faith Mr. Baldwin is a 
 stanch Republican; he has served as town- 
 ship trustee several years, and is now 
 president of the Board of Education in his 
 township. 
 
 IjACOB GOODMAN (deceased) was 
 V. Ii born September 13, 1818, in Seneca 
 ^/j county. N. y., to Jacob and Eliza- 
 beth (Meyer) Goodman, who about 
 the year 1833 came to Medina county, 
 Ohio, from the East, settling in the woods 
 of Brunswick township. 
 
 Our subject attended the public schools 
 of his early day, but being one of a large 
 family of children, twelve in number, did 
 not enjoy many educational advantages. 
 In December, 1849, he married MaryEuga, 
 a native of Baden, Germany, born Decem- 
 ber 11, 1828, daughter of Jacob Euga, 
 who came with his family to the United 
 States in lo34, landing in New York after 
 a three weeks' passage. Thence they pro- 
 ceeded by Hudson river and Erie Canal to 
 Buifalo, N. Y., from which city they came 
 by lake to Cleveland, thence by road to 
 Liverpool township, Medina county, where 
 the father bought a small tract of land 
 totally unimproved, on which he erected a 
 log house, and where his family were 
 reared. Alter marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
 Goodman located on a farm, where he had 
 previously resided, in Grafton township, 
 Lorain county, and here a new log cabin 
 was erected. On this farm cliildren as 
 follows were born to them: Sarah, Mrs. 
 Frederick AYise, of Eaton township; Char- 
 lotte, Mrs. W. E. Saddler, of Bloomdale, 
 Wood Co., Ohio; Adaline, Mrs. Charles 
 Reisinger, of Grafton township; Mary, 
 now Mrs. Edward Killup (her tirst hus- 
 band, Henry Reisinger, was killed by 
 lightning in Columbia township), and 
 Charles. About the year 1861 Mr. Good- 
 man built the frame hou.se in which he re- 
 sided until his death, which occurred Sep- 
 
 tember 20, 1884, after a lingering illness; 
 his remains were interred in Belden ceme- 
 tery. He was a lifelong successful farmer, 
 and his death was hastened by overwoi-k, 
 as he was a most energetic man in all his 
 undertakings. In politics he was an en- 
 thusiastic Democrat, and though not a 
 member of school board, was a strong ad- 
 vocate of free schools and compulsory edu- 
 cation. In matters of religion he was a 
 member of the Congregational Church at 
 Belden. as is also liis widow, who con- 
 tinues to reside on the old homestead, 
 which is under the management of her 
 son Charles, a brief sketch of whom is 
 here given. 
 
 CHAHLf:s Goodman was born in March, 
 1862, in Grafton township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, and received a liberal education at 
 the district schools. On August 1, 1888, 
 he was united in marriage with Hattie D. 
 Bradley, who was born in Monee, 111., 
 February 17, 1870, a daughter of George 
 and Eleanor (Harper) Bradley, and three 
 children were born to them, viz.: Mary E., 
 Bert B., and Henry, who died in infancy. 
 After marriage Mr. Goodman continued 
 to reside on the old farm, which now com- 
 prises 244 acres of prime land, for his age 
 controlling more land than any other 
 farmer in the township, and he long since 
 gave evidences of his competency to do so. 
 Pie is a typical "hustler," and one of the 
 most prosperous go-ahead and wide-awake 
 young farmers of Grafton. In politics he 
 follows in the footsteps of his father, being 
 an uncompromising Democrat. 
 
 J FRANCIS HARMON, the well- 
 known druggist of Oberlin, was born 
 ' in Randolph, Portage Co., Ohio, 
 January 22, 1836, a son of Chaun- 
 eey and Comfort (Dickinson) Harmon. 
 The father of subject was born in Berk- 
 shire county, Mass., in 1796, and in 1816 
 came west to Ohio, settling in Randolph, 
 Portage county, where he carried on farm- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 751 
 
 ing up to the time of his death in 1862. 
 In 1821 he married Comfort Dickinson, 
 wiio was born in Granville, Conn., and in 
 1806 came west with her parents. Both 
 families were of English ancestry. 
 
 J. F. Harmon was educated at the com- 
 mon schools of his native place, and at 
 Oberlin, whither he had come when yet in 
 liis "teens." On leaving school he com- 
 menced to learn tiie trade of printer, and 
 after a three-years apprenticeship, he and 
 V. A. Shankland purchased, in 1858, the 
 Evangelist, a weekly paper in Oberlin, 
 which they continued to pulilish jointly till 
 during the Civil war, when fired with the 
 spirit of patriotism Mr. Harmon entered 
 the service of the Union, having previously 
 sold out his interest to his partner; l)ut the 
 paper collapsed during the war period. 
 There was another periotlical established in 
 1858, and published in tlie^««W(7«Zwi!office, 
 entitled The Oherlin Students' Monthlij, 
 the students of Obei'lin College supplying 
 the editorial matter, and this also ''came 
 to grief" during those troublous days. 
 They also established the Lorain County 
 News in ISOO, which under the title of 
 Oberlin News is still publislied. 
 
 Our subject enlisted April 19, 1861, in 
 Company C, Seventh O. V. I., in the three 
 months service, and went to Cleveland, 
 Ohio, as corporal, there to join his regi- 
 ment. Thence they proceeded to Camp 
 Dennison, whei-e they were drilled till the 
 end of the following June. At the expira- 
 tion of his term Mr. Harmon reenlisted 
 for three years, as did also nearly every 
 member of the company. They were 
 then ordered to West Virginia, where they 
 spent their first summer and fall, and at 
 tlie affair at Cross Lanes, where they en- 
 countered Gen. Floyd's force, about thirty 
 of the company were taken prisoners, and 
 some died of their wounds. In December, 
 1861, the regiment proceeded to central 
 Virginia, and particijiated in the engage- 
 ment at AVinchester with Gen. " Stone- 
 wall" Jackson's force, in whicli four or 
 five of Company C were killed; thence 
 
 they moved down the Shenandoah Valley, 
 where they remained during April, May 
 and June, 1862, and the regiment did 
 good service at the battles of Port Repub- 
 lic and Cedar Mountain, where they lost 
 many men, killed and wounded. They 
 then served in what is known as Pope's 
 Campaign, and at the battle of Antietam 
 they again lost several men. Shortly after 
 this last battle, the brigade to which the 
 Seventh was attached went into camp on 
 Bolivar Heights, Harper's Ferry. In the 
 spring of 1863 the Seventh again encoun- 
 tered the enemy, this time at Chancel lors- 
 ville, where it lost heavily. In June, same 
 year, they were at Gettysburg, Penn., and 
 did gallant service. From there they were 
 ordered to New York to assist in quelling 
 the riots; about September 1, following, 
 they returned and occupied the old camp 
 on the Rapidan. Soon after, with the 
 Twentieth Army Corps, under Gen. Hook- 
 er, they were transferred to the Western 
 Department, and participated in the battles 
 of Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge. 
 . Two days later, at Ringgold, in storming 
 the heights of Taylor's Ridge, the gallant 
 Seventh were severely handled, and re- 
 pulsed with a loss. of nineteen killed and 
 sixtv-one wounded, only one commissioned 
 oflicer being left uninjured. In January, 
 1864, the regiment returned to its old 
 camp at Bridgeport, Ala., where it passed 
 the winter in comparative quiet. In the 
 spring of the year they saw some service 
 at Resaca and elsewhere, and this ended 
 their campaign, for in June they were 
 mustered out, and returned home. Of the 
 original 1,000 men of the Seventh Ohio 
 only about 270 were left, and of the one 
 hundred original members of Company C, 
 only seventeen answered their iiames at the 
 muster-out roll. 
 
 On Mr. Harmon's return home he bought 
 an interest in the Oherlin News, and a 
 short time afterward purchased the entire 
 concern, and this paper he conducted dur- 
 ino- the summer of 1865, when he sold out. 
 For nine years thereafter he was postmas- 
 
752 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ter at Oberlin, at the close of which in- 
 cumbency (in 1874) he erabarkfd in the 
 drug business in the same town, and has 
 continued it ever since, enjoying an excel- 
 lent trade. 
 
 In 1864 Mr. Harmon was married to 
 Miss Cecelia C. Yiles, who was born in 
 Camden township, Lorain Co., Ohio, daugh- 
 ter of William and Dorlisca (Heath) Viles, 
 and by this union there is one son, Will- 
 iam, who recently graduated at the Massa- 
 chusetts School of Pharmacy in Boston. 
 Mr. Harmon, in his political predilections, 
 has always been a straight Republican, and 
 his first Presidential vole was cast for Lin- 
 coln. In the G. A. R. Post, No. 304, Ober- 
 lin, he has been quartermaster, adjutant 
 and commander. 
 
 \ILLIAM H. PHILLIPS. This 
 gentleman is the oldest living set- 
 tler of Eaton township, having 
 been a resident of same for the 
 past sixty-seven years, during which time, 
 he has seen the wild woods give place to 
 fertile farms, and the untutored Indian 
 and tierce animals of the forest vanish be- 
 fore the inevitable onward march of civil- 
 ization. 
 
 Mr. Phillips is a native of the State of 
 New York, born in Greene county in 1809, 
 a son of Henry J. and Abigail (Finch) 
 Phillips, also of New York State, where 
 they were reared and married. In 1826 
 they migrated westward to Lorain county, 
 Ohio, settling in October of that year in 
 Eaton township, our subject being then a 
 lad of seventeen summers. The father 
 was a wagon maker by trade, and made the 
 first wagon used on Butternut Ilidge. He 
 died in Eaton township, February 11, 1864; 
 he was a lieutenant in the State militia 
 during the war of 1812. The mother had 
 passed away July 13. 1833. They were 
 the parents of nine children, as follows: 
 William H., subject proper of sketch; De- 
 borah, married, who died some years ago 
 
 in Omaha, Neb.; Edward, married, who 
 was a sailor on Lake Erie, and was wrecked 
 October 24, 1851, on the "Henry Clay;" 
 Catherine, who was the wife of William 
 Webster, and died in Carlisle township, 
 Lorain county; Jeremiah, who died in 
 Boone county. 111., in 1891; Mary, who 
 was the wife of William Webster, and 
 died in Texas in 1891; Martin O., who 
 died in Wisconsin; Savilla W., wife of 
 Samuel Sweeley, residing at Adel, Iowa; 
 and Abbie, who is the wife of AVilliam 
 AVhite, of Denison, Texas. 
 
 William li. Phillips received part of 
 his education in Ithaca, N. Y., and part in 
 the old log schoolhouse of Eaton township, 
 Lorain county. He learned w-agon making 
 with his father, and followed the trade 
 some years; he made for his own use the 
 first buggy that ever ran on Butternut 
 Ridge, Eaton township. For the past 
 sixty years or so he has given his attention 
 exclusively to his farm. 
 
 In 1840 Mr. Phillips was married, in 
 Carlible township, Lorain county, to Maria 
 S. Slater, who was born in New York 
 State, dauo-hter of Johiel Slater, who died 
 in Ridgeville township, Lorain county. 
 To this union were born children as fol- 
 lows: William A., an oculist and aurist in 
 Cleveland, Ohio, and a member of the 
 Faculty of the College of Homeopathy, 
 Cleveland, wlio has beeu at college some 
 twelve or fourteen years, and graduated 
 from the New York Institute fur the Eye 
 (he married Marian Nickerson, and they 
 have one son, Roland); Edgar A., who en- 
 listed in Elyria, Lorain county, and was shot 
 during the retreat from Martin's Ferry, 
 Va. ; Edward E., who is married to Mary 
 Schuyler, is a professor in Marietta Col- 
 lege (he has been engaged in educational 
 work all his life, and has visited Europe); 
 Corda C. is the wife of Ezra Atwater, and 
 lives in Newburgh, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio; 
 Lena M., the wife of D. H. Stevenson, 
 resides in Eaton township, Lorain county, 
 and has one child — Phil W. The mother 
 of this family was called to her long home 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 753 
 
 in 1868. Politically Mr. Phillips is a 
 Republican, formerly a Democrat, and he 
 voted for Gen. Jackson. lie served as 
 assessor of Eaton township tor nearly 
 thirty years, and as justice of the peace 
 about twenty years; has also been super- 
 visor and member of the school board. He 
 is a member of the Universalist Church. 
 
 Q 
 
 D. FOOT. Dell Foot, the courte- 
 , ous, oliliging and popular " mine 
 host" of a leading hotel and livery 
 in Wellington, is a native of Lorain 
 county, born September 21, 1836, 
 in Huntington township. 
 
 Amos Foot, father of subject, was born 
 March 5, 1812, in Chester, Hampden Co., 
 Mass., and in 1835 came to Ohio, locating 
 in Huntington township, Lorain county. 
 He brought with him one hundred and 
 fifty dollars in cash, which latter lie in- 
 vested in fifty acres of land. He mari-ied 
 Miss JNlary Chapman, a native of Mont- 
 gomery, Hampden Co., Mass., and for 
 years thereafter he followed farming; then 
 became a preacher in the Wesleyan Cliurch, 
 holding forth for a considerable time in 
 Avon, Loraiu county, afterward in Olm- 
 sted Falls, Cuyahoga county. Returning 
 east he preached for ten years at Cochit- 
 uate, Mass., near Boston, where his wife 
 died April 20, 1869, and then once more 
 came to Lorain county, where he married 
 his second wife, his last days being spent 
 at the home of his son, our subject. He 
 died in 1888, his second wife in 1882. He 
 was a very large man, in his prime weigh- 
 ing some 290 pounds, and he had a voice 
 remarkable for its strength and volume. 
 He had two children — G. D. and Emma 
 J. (wife of George Royce, of Wellington) 
 — by his first wife, none l)y his second. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was reared to 
 agricultural pursuits on the farm of his 
 father, with whom he lived until 18."36, 
 ■when he purchased the farm. To the 
 original tract he added until he had 
 
 500 acres of as fine land as could be found 
 in the township, and carried on general 
 farming, including dairying and stock- 
 raising. During seven years he milked 
 an average of one hundred cows, and 
 dealt in cattle, horses and hogs. In 1873 
 he moved to Wellington, where he is en- 
 gaged ill the hotel and livery business, his 
 house being most complete in every re- 
 spect, fitted with water and gas sup|)ly, 
 although there is neither system in the 
 town — in fact it is essentially a metropoli- 
 tan hotel. 
 
 In 1856 Mr. Foot married Matilda 
 Rush, who was born in Greene coutity, 
 Perm., and they had five children, viz. : 
 Celia, Lucy, Jessie. Dell and Orrie, of 
 whom Celia married E. D. Bush, a suc- 
 cessful farmer and proprietor of a meat 
 market; she died in January, 1891. aged 
 thirty-six years, leaving four ctiildren, 
 Walter, Charles, Fred and George. Lucy 
 married George Lambert, one of tlie firm 
 of the AVelliiifjton Milling Co., and has two 
 children, Robert and Celia. Jessie married 
 Chris. McDermott, one of the proprietors 
 of the Machine Co., at Wellington, and 
 has three children, Lucile, James, and 
 Louise. Mr. Foot in his political faith is 
 a stanch Republican. Personally he is 
 most affable, good-natured, social, and is 
 in every respect, as a caterer to the wants 
 of the public, " the right man in the right 
 place." 
 
 MORELL E. SEELT, a prominent 
 and well-to-do farmer of Brighton 
 township, is a son of HumpliTey 
 J) S. Seely, who was born November 
 
 22, 1817, in Oneida county, N. Y., 
 and whose father, Cornelius, was born 
 in the same county September 3, 1796, a 
 son of Daniel. During the Revolutionary 
 war the last named, while fishing with 
 some other boys, was kidnapped by the 
 "Tories," and induced to enter the British 
 service, which he did, acting in the capac- 
 ity of officer's servant. 
 
754 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Cornelius Seely, grandfather of subject, 
 in 1817 married Racliel Smith, who was 
 born October 1, 1800, in New York, only 
 daughter of Thomas Smith, a farmer and 
 cooper. The children by this union were 
 the following: Humphrey S. ; Joseph W., 
 who died in Kansas; Thomas, an M. E. 
 minister of Ann Arbor, Mich.; Esther A., 
 widow of John Cockrel, deceased; Almira 
 H., widow of William Hubbard, a tailor, 
 who died in the service during the Civil 
 war; Phebe, who married Hart Smith, and 
 died in New York State; Daniel F., a 
 farmer of Waukesha, Wis. (he was form- 
 erly in the lumber business); Phineas, also 
 a farmer of Waukesha, Wis.; Renette, who 
 died of scarlet fever when six years old; 
 Amanda, deceased in infancy; James W., 
 a farmer of Ridgeville township; Floren- 
 tine, who married Asa Frary, and died in 
 Canaan, AVayne Co., Ohio; Rachel N., who 
 died in ciiildhood ; Ursula, wife of William 
 Vandervere, of Kalamazoo, Mich.; Elroy 
 Mc, who served in the same regiment with 
 the subject of this sketch, and died in the 
 hospital at Nashville, Tenn. Cornelius 
 Seely, who was a lifelong farmer, came in 
 1821 to Lorain connty, Ohio, with his fam- 
 ily, consisting then of a wife and three 
 children, the journey being made with a 
 covered two-horse wagon, which conveyed 
 two families, for his brother, Daniel, wife 
 and child accompanied them. (Thischild,by 
 name William, became a Methodist Epis- 
 copal divine, was presiding elder, and was 
 superannuated). Tiie party camped outlay 
 the roadside at such times as taverns could 
 not be reached by night, and they were 
 kindly treated wherever they went. Their 
 route was by way of Cleveland, where they 
 forded the Cuyahoga river, theu traveled 
 along the beach of Lake Erie to Avon 
 township, where the brothers secured a 
 tract of land of 300 acres, north of the 
 ridge, by trading his farm in New York 
 State for it. The land was all covered with 
 timber and underbrush, but by dint of 
 hard work and incessant toil they succeeded 
 in making a clearing for their farm, and 
 
 on it built a log house to shelter both 
 families, but afterward each had a cabin. 
 Money was a scarce commodity, and the 
 brothers would make a journey on foot to 
 Cleveland, a distance of twenty miles, and 
 the same day after arrival each cut an 
 average of four cords of wood. About the 
 year 1846 Cornelius Seely moved to Wis- 
 consin, locating for some time near Wan- 
 kesha, and then returned to Avon town- 
 ship. Here he died March 4, 1866, and 
 his remains lie buried in Avon cemetery. 
 He was a pillar of the M. E. Church, serv- 
 incr as class-leader and in various offices. 
 
 O ... 
 
 Mr. Seely had been twice married ; his first 
 wife, Rachel, died October 18, 1843, and 
 for his second spouse he wedded Mrs. 
 Mary Cadwell, nee House, widow of Capt. 
 Cadwell (her first husband was a Mr. Kin- 
 ney), whom she married in New York. 
 She died in her ninety-third year at the 
 home of her daughter, Mrs. Leavitt Tay- 
 lor, in Elyria, Ohio. Mr. Seely had no 
 children by this union. 
 
 Humphrey S. Seely, father of subject, 
 received his primary education at the sub- 
 scription schools of his native place, and 
 after reaching maturity attended select 
 school, later the seminary at Norwalk, the 
 principal thereof being Bishop Thompson, 
 who died while on a trip around the world. 
 Mr. Seely was a maii of consideral)le abil- 
 ity, and advanced rapidly in his studies. 
 He remained on his father's farm till after 
 his marriage, when he located on that of 
 his father-in-law for two or three years. 
 He then bought wild land in Brighton 
 township, same county, and here cleared a 
 farm, remaining on same until 1889, when 
 he removed to Wellington village, in the 
 township of that name, where he is now 
 living a retired life. On March 25, 1841, 
 he married Miss Cordelia Loveland, who 
 was born November 12, 1823, in Brighton 
 township, a daushtcr of Leonard H. and 
 Margaret V. (Whitlock) Loveland (a sketch 
 of whom immediately follows), and two 
 children were born to them, viz.: Morell 
 E., subject of this memoir; and Amina R., 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 755 
 
 born November 6, 1843, now Mrs. John 
 Eddy, of Wellington; her first husband 
 was Oliver Rnlisoii, who during the Civil 
 war served in the Second OhioClavalry, and 
 died from injuries received in the war. 
 The mother of these died March 23, 1852, 
 and was buried in Loveland cemetery, 
 which was situated on the home farm. For 
 liis second wife Mr. Seely married, in 
 1852, Miss Julia Crosby, l)urn December 
 28, 1825, in Brighton township, Lorain 
 county, a daughter of John Crosby, a pio- 
 neer of same. Two children came to tiiis 
 union, viz.: DeFore.stC, born Octol)er 12, 
 1858, died April 26, 1878; and Dwight 
 F., born July 9, 1800, a farmer of Brigh- 
 ton townsiiip. Tliis wife was called from 
 earth August 13, 1876, and was buried in 
 Brighton cemetery. Mr. Seely's present 
 wife, whom he married February 14, 
 1877, was Mrs. Julia E. Andrus (?ir?'<j 
 Smith), widow of John Andrus. In politics 
 Mr. Seely is a Prohibition-Republican, 
 and he and his wife are devout members of 
 the M. E. Church, respected and honored 
 by the entire community. 
 
 Morell E. Seely, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, was born May 22, 1842, in 
 Brighton township, Lorain Co., Ohio, on 
 the farm he now owns and lives on. He 
 received a liberal education at the schools 
 of his district, his first teacher being Sarah 
 Boardman, and under his father's careful 
 tuition he was thoroughly posted in the 
 business of general farming. On August 
 5, 1862, he enlisted, in Brighton town- 
 ship, in Company F, One Hundred and 
 Third O. V. I., and was sent to Camp 
 Cleveland for purposes of drill, joining the 
 command at Covington, Ky. At Knox- 
 ville, Tenn., November 25, 1863, he was 
 wounded so severely as to necessitate being 
 sent to hospital. After convalescence he 
 was furlonghed, and April 18, 1865, was 
 honorably discharged from the service, 
 and returned to Brighton township, where 
 he worked one year for bis father. He 
 then came to his present farm, where his 
 grandfather, Leonard H. Loveland, was 
 
 then living, and with him made his home 
 until the death of the latter, when the 
 farm was transferred by inheritance to our 
 subject. He has now 214 acres of prime 
 land, on which he carries on general farm- 
 ing, including dairying on an extensive 
 scale, and he is conceded to be one of the 
 best managers and financiers among the 
 agriculturists of his township. As a 
 steady, progressive farmer, he lias no su- 
 perior, and in many ways is a leader in 
 the community. 
 
 On September 30,' 1868, Mr. Seely was 
 married to Miss liachel Rulison, who was 
 Ijorn February 5, 1852, daughter of James 
 Rulison. She died without issue March 
 28, 1873, and was busied in Brighton 
 cemetery, aiid Mr. Seely married, May 18, 
 1874, her sister, Cordelia, born March 18, 
 1849. The children by this union are 
 Herbert E., born March 2, 1875, clerk in 
 a bank at Oberlin, Ohio; and Leonard E., 
 born March 22, 1877, residing at home, 
 who takes an active interest in the me- 
 chanics, especially in electricity, and who 
 is somewhat of a genius in that direction. 
 In his political preferences our subject is 
 a stanch Republican, and has frequently 
 been elected to otiice, but invariably de- 
 clined to serve. 
 
 Leonard H. Loveland (deceased), ma- 
 ternal grandfather of Morell E. Seely, was 
 a native of Massachusetts, born in South- 
 field, Berkshire county, October 3, 1794, 
 a son of Abner Loveland, with whom he 
 lived until he attained his majority. He 
 was educated at the common schools, and 
 studied in spare hours at night by the 
 flickering light of a burning pine log, thus 
 (lualifying himself for a teacher, a voca- 
 tion he followed two years with marked 
 success. On March 13, 1820, he married, 
 at South Brunswick, N. J., Margaret V. 
 Whitlock, born in that town September 
 10, 1802, and three children were born to 
 them: Abner, Cordelia and Emeline. The 
 mother of these died October 3, 1860, in 
 Wellington, Lorain county, and on August 
 3, 1862, Mr. Loveland married Mrs. Anna 
 
756 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Rulisoii, who was born December 22, 1809, 
 in Knox county, N. Y. He passed from 
 earth Angiist 18, 1887, and was buried in 
 Brighton cemetery. Politically he was a 
 Democrat until the firing on Fort Sumter, 
 after which he united witli the Kepublican 
 party. He served as a justice of the 
 peace twenty years, county commissioner 
 two terms, and had charge of the extensive 
 land interests of (X Bliss. As a consistent 
 member of tiie M. E. Church, he was ever 
 a liberal contributor to same. He was a 
 man of fair legal ability, excellent judg- 
 ment and sound common sense, while his 
 unswerving personal integrity, and the 
 general rectitude of his life, gained for 
 liim an enviable, reputation in the com- 
 munity where he was best known. 
 
 I( ETHUR LOVETT GARFORD, 
 l\ president of the Garford Manufac- 
 turing Co., and Cashier of the Sav- 
 ings Deposit Bank Co., Elyria, is a 
 native of that town, born August 4, 
 1858, and comes of old English lineage. 
 
 William Garford, his grandfather, was 
 manager of a large estate in England — 
 where his ancestors had lived for genera- 
 tions. His eon, George, father of Arthur 
 L., was a native of that country, born in 
 Northamptonshire, where were passed the 
 earlier years of his life. In 1851 he was 
 married to Miss Hannah Lovett, daughter 
 of Edward and Hannah Lovett, of Keg- 
 worth, Leicestershire, England. Mr. Lovett 
 WHS the proprietor of a large silk and lace 
 factory, and was a manufacturer of wide 
 repute. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lovett lived 
 to a ripe old age, and died in Kegworth 
 but a few years ago. All but one of their 
 children survive them. The eldest son, 
 John Lovett, is at present manager of a 
 large factory in England, and is a genius 
 of high merit. James, another son, served 
 for many years in the British Navy, and 
 is now on the retired list. Five sisters 
 are still living in and around Derby, Derby- 
 shire, England. 
 
 In 185B, Geo. Garford, who felt that 
 America offered more favorable opportuni- 
 ties for an ambitious young man, severed 
 his connection with Dr. Daniels, a physi- 
 cian of large practice and repute, in whose 
 service he liad been for a number of years, 
 and came alone to the United States and 
 to Ohio; his wife and child, Geo. H., fol- 
 lowing him to the new western home in 
 1854. They settled in Elyria township, 
 Lorain county, where he had engaged in 
 landscape gardening, and later on in stock 
 farming. Some of the most picturesque 
 gardens and artificial landscapes in Elyiia 
 to-day bear tribute to the early efforts of 
 Mr. Garford. As a stock raiser he achieved 
 a national reputation. For a number of 
 years iiis stock was to be seen at the 
 Annual State Fairs, where, successively, 
 he bore off the highest awards. For nine- 
 teen years prior to 1882 he occupied the 
 Elywood Stock Farm of nearly three hun- 
 dred acres. Since 1882 he has not been 
 actively engaged in farming personally, 
 his sons, Geo. H. and Charles E., having 
 charge of his interest in a large farm in 
 Ashtabula county, which he now owns. 
 His love for fine stock is still manifest, 
 however, as he continues to raise, in a 
 small way, some very fine horses at his 
 attractive home on Harrison street, in 
 Elyria. 
 
 Eight children were born to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Geo. Garford, as follows: Geo. H.; 
 Elizabeth A., wife of C. H. Miser, Con- 
 neaut, Ohio; Kate S., wife of Edmund F. 
 Smith, Bnckland, Mass.; Arthur L. ; Ella 
 Louise, wife of Samuel S. Rockwood, as- 
 sistant cashier. Savings Deposit Bank Co. ; 
 Charles E. ; Edith G., and Carrie M. The 
 mother and daughters are all active mem- 
 bers of the Episcopal Church. The father, 
 in politics, has always been a stanch Re- 
 publican, and the sons have grown up in 
 like mind. 
 
 Artiiur L. Garford was named after C. 
 Artiiur Ely — the original owner of Ely- 
 wood farm — and one of the greatest phi- 
 lanthropists who has ever lived in Elyria. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 759 
 
 Thougli a young man when lie died, in 1865, 
 his name is yet revered, and his memory 
 kept green by many of the older citizens 
 who knew him, and by the later generation 
 because of his gift of the public library, 
 now one of the greatest attractions of the 
 town. An attraction sprung up between 
 William Arthur Ely — only son of the late 
 Charles Arthur Ely — and the subject of 
 our sketch in very early boyhood, and has 
 continued to exist without interruption 
 ever since. For a number of years Arthur 
 L. made his home with his friend, and 
 widowed mother, and many evidences still 
 exist of the regard in which he was held 
 while thus intimately associated with this 
 family. He received a liberal education 
 at the public schools of Elyria, where he 
 graduated at the age of sixteen years. One 
 year later he entered the arena of business 
 by accepting the cashiership in the large 
 importing house of Rice & Burnett, 
 Cleveland, Ohio. Here his natui-al ability 
 soon asserted itself, and it was not long 
 before he was promoted to head book- 
 keeper, being then but eighteen years of 
 age. In this capacity he remained until 
 April, 1880, at which time he resigned on 
 account of ill health — later on accepting 
 the position of bookkeeper in the Savings 
 Deposit Bank, of Elyria. 
 
 In 1882 D. B. Andrews, well known as 
 one of the most expert accountants in 
 northern Ohio, resigned the position of 
 teller of the above-named bank, to asso- 
 ciate himself with the Mercantile National 
 Bank, of Cleveland, and Mr. Garford was 
 promptly installed in the vacancy, which 
 incumbency he tilled until January 1, 
 1888, when he was promoted to assistant 
 cashier. On the re-organization of the 
 bank, after the death of Mr. T. L. Nelson, 
 its president, in January, 1891, Mr. Gar- 
 ford was further promoted to cashier, and 
 at the same time was elected a director, 
 positions he yet holds. 
 
 Outside the routine of office Mr. Gar- 
 ford for several years found pleasure 
 and invigorating recreation in bicycle 
 
 riding, and while so engaged, not being 
 pleased with the saddle on his machine, 
 his inventive faculties were brought 
 into play, resulting in the invention 
 of an improved bicycle saddle. He had 
 no idea at first of turning his device 
 to any account, but its originality and 
 value being favorably pronounced upon by 
 friends, he applied for and received a 
 patent, which he at once took steps to dis- 
 pose of. Receiving, however, but little 
 encouragement from proposed purchasers, 
 he concluded to manufacture his invention 
 himself, beginning in a small way. Pros- 
 pects of success in his enterprise brighten- 
 ing, he associated with him H. S. FoUans- 
 bee and Fred N. Smith, a partnership be- 
 ing formed under the firm name of "Gar- 
 ford Manufacturing Co.," and at once 
 proceeded to have the saddle placed on the 
 market, the goods being manufactured 
 by the Topliff & Ely Co., of Elyria. This 
 was in 1889-90, from which time the busi- 
 ness developed so rapidly, and the demand 
 for the goods increased so fast that in No- 
 vember, 1891, the firm found it expedient 
 to form an incorporated company under 
 the laws of Ohio, with a capital stock of 
 one hundred thousand dollars, the old 
 company turning over their patents, good- 
 will and business to the new concern for 
 that amount. On May 4, 1892, the works 
 of the Topliff & Ely Co. were badly dam- 
 aged by tire, and the saddle department 
 completely destroyed, thus causing a large 
 loss to the Garford Mfg. Co. 
 
 After mature consideration the directors 
 of the Company concluded to build a fac- 
 tory peculiarly adapted to their business; 
 accordingly, in August, 1892, they began 
 the construction of their present factory in 
 Elyria, the main Iniilding of which is 
 40 X 100 feet, three stories and ba.sement, 
 and is admirably located directly alongside 
 the tracks of the Lake Shore & Michigan 
 Southern Railroad, a spur from which runs 
 to the receiving door in the rear. The 
 basement is used for heavy machinery, the 
 blacksmith shoj), spring formers, etc. The 
 
760 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 first floor contains the offices — finished in 
 oak throughout — the tool-room and the 
 polishinLj-rooni. The second floor is de- 
 voted to nickel-plating, buffing and leather- 
 room, in which latter the hide, by special 
 process, is transformed into the perfect 
 saddle top. The upper floor of all is used 
 for shipping purposes, stock and assem- 
 bling. The engine house is detached 
 from the main building, and the engine 
 lias a capacity of 150 horse-power. Al- 
 though in 1893 the output reached 800 
 saddles per day, yet the supply proved in- 
 adequate to the demand, and the Company 
 found it necessary to largely increase their 
 capacity, and have recently built an addi- 
 tion, containing coal sheds and enameling- 
 room, providing ample storage accommo- 
 dation. Over one hundred men are now 
 employed in all departments, and during 
 the. past six months the factory turned out 
 the enormous number of sixty thousand 
 saddles. In addition to their own goods, 
 leather furnishings for bicycles and sev- 
 eral specialties are here made. The pres- 
 ent Company at its organization had among 
 its stockholders the following prominent 
 citizens: Hon. W. A. Braman, Hon. Geo. H. 
 Ely,M. M. Ely, J. C. Hill, Hon. Parks Foster, 
 W. A. Ely, G. W. Baker, F. H. Foster, F. 
 P. Hill, H. S. Follansbee, F. N. Smith, 
 and A. L. Garford; the directors being 
 Hon. Geo. H. Ely, Hon. Parks Foster, A. 
 L. Garford, F. N. Smith and H. S. Fol- 
 lansbee. Mr. Garford was elected presi- 
 dent; H. S. Follansbee, vice-president; and 
 F. N. Sraitli, secretary and treasurer. In 
 February, 1893. a suit for infringement 
 brought against the Hunt Manufacturing 
 Co., competing saddle manufacturers, of 
 Westborough, Mass., i-esulted by way of 
 settlement in two-thirds interest of that 
 company being passed to the Garford Man- 
 ufacturing Co., and the Company being at 
 once re-organized with a paid-up capital of 
 thirty thousand dollars, A. L. Garford being 
 elected president and a director of same. 
 The Garford Manufacturing Co. is by 
 far the largest and most extensive exclus- 
 
 ive bicycle saddle manufacturing company 
 in the world, and their product enjoys the 
 reputation of being the standard of excel- 
 lence, and is used almost exclusively by 
 the largest and best manufacturers of bi- 
 cycles in the United States. Mr. Garford 
 and his associates have become very widely 
 and favorably known among the Cycling 
 fraternity, and prominent manufacturers 
 generally. Tlie following clipping from 
 Cycling Life, one of the most prominent 
 Cycling journals, under date of October 
 19, 1893, illustrates the regard in which 
 Mr. Garford is held by the fraternity. 
 
 " Upon starting out in life A. L. Gar- 
 ford must have had conspicuously in front 
 of liim the inspiring reflection, now an 
 apothegm, that youth must be served. We 
 behold him to-day the king of the craft of 
 saddle making, and hence well entitled to 
 a place in our gallery of ' Leaders in the 
 Cycle Industry.' Yery interesting, indeed, 
 is it to trace the rise of Mr. Garford. The 
 son of a farmer, he must have early be- 
 come imbued with higher ambitions and 
 aims than most men, for when scarcely out 
 of his 'teens' we find him in a banking 
 institution, from which he graduated with 
 such distinction as falls to the lot of few men. 
 At financing he is an expert, and doubtless 
 it was while engaged in such work that 
 be acquired that solid reputation for integ- 
 rity which is inseparable from the charac- 
 ters of those who are successful in that 
 line. Some will ascribe hissuccess simply to 
 ability, some to fortunate circumstances 
 and some to the close practice of hon- 
 orable business principles; but we prefer to 
 credit him with being the rare possessor of 
 all three qualifications, and choose to find 
 the secret of his distinction in the faithful 
 practice of them. It is said of Mr. Gar- 
 ford that the contemplation of his own 
 success does not yield him as much pleas- 
 ure as it may afford to those who are his 
 biographers in a small way. Perhaps this 
 is because he feels that he is not yet spent 
 — that he has in him the power to climb 
 to greater heights." 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 761 
 
 On December 14, 1881, Arthur L. Gar- 
 ford was united in inari'iage with Miss 
 Mary Louise Nelson, second daughter of 
 the late T. L. Nelson, of Elyria, and two 
 children have come to briohten the Gar- 
 ford home — Mary Katharine, born July 
 17, 1883, and Louise Ely, born July 19, 
 1885. 
 
 Mr. Garford is a stanch Republican, and 
 though frequently approached liy friends 
 to allow his name to be used in connection 
 with party office, he has invariably declined 
 all profiFered political honors. He is a 
 prominent member of the Royal Arcanum, 
 having occupied all the Chairs of Elyria 
 Council, and is now a past regent. The 
 high school of Elyria has an Alumni Asso- 
 ciation, of which he has served as presi- 
 dent. In addition to his other extensive 
 interests above recounted, he is secretary 
 and treasurer of the Repuljlican Printing 
 Co., of Elyria, and of the Beal Mining 
 Core Drill Co.; is a stockholder in the 
 Sunol Bicycle Co., of Chicago, and of the 
 Topliff & Ely Co., of Elyria; is two-fifths 
 owner of the Fay Manufacturing Co., and 
 a stockholder in the National Bank of Ely- 
 ria. He was city treasurer for Elyria some 
 five years, resigning in 1892. At the death 
 of T. L. Nelson, his father-in law, he was 
 one of the executors of the will, and he 
 lias since helper! in the management of the 
 entire estate. Busy as he is with his end- 
 less variety of commercial interests, Mr. 
 Garford yet finds some little time for the 
 farm, and he is the proud owner of some 
 fine-bred horses, noted for both blood and 
 speed, and he is the possessor of consider- 
 able real estate in and about the city of 
 Elyria. 
 
 Mr. Garford is a typical self-made 
 American, with tiie strain of British blood 
 in his veins that adds to his American pro- 
 gressive impulses an indomitable will and 
 a tenacity of purpose that are some of his 
 more pronounceil characteristics. From a 
 plain farmer's son, he has risen in the 
 commercial world by his own marked exe- 
 cutive ability and untiring energy'; and 
 
 though not yet past the heyday of young 
 manhood, he is already prominently iden- 
 tified with nearly every enterprise located 
 in Lorain county. 
 
 DC. NICHOLS, one of the well-to- 
 do, native-born farmer citizens of 
 LaGrange township, is a son of 
 James Nichols, who was born 
 August 9, 1801, in the State of Rhode 
 Island. When six months old James was 
 lirought by his father, Stephen Nichols, 
 to Washington county. N. Y., and there re- 
 mained until eighteen years of age, when 
 he went to Jefferson county, N. Y. His 
 parents followed him to that county some 
 time afterward, and there passed the re- 
 mainder of their lives. 
 
 James Nichols was reared to farm life, 
 and his education was received in the 
 common schools. He was married in 
 Jefferson county, N. Y., at the age of 
 twenty years, to Miss Leonora Johnson, 
 who was born in that county February 14, 
 1803, daughter of Joshua and Experience 
 (Tibbals) Johnson, who were natives of 
 Connecticut, and early settlers in Jefferson 
 county, N. Y. ; the father died at the 
 home of our subject, D. C. Nichols, in 
 LaGrange township, Lorain Co., Ohio; the 
 mother died in Michigan. While resi- 
 dents of New York State children were 
 born to James and Leonora Nichols, as 
 follows: Eliza, now the widow of Bennett 
 Rockwood, of Pittsfield, Lorain county; 
 Cyrus, who died in LaGrange township, 
 October 19, 1891; George, who died when 
 three months old; Philander, a carpenter 
 of Wellington, (J)hio; Sarah, who married 
 Dittamus Johnson, and died in La(Trange; 
 Alfred, a carjienter of Lorain, Ohio; and 
 Cordelia, Mrs. William Disbro, of Cass 
 county, Iowa. James Nichols followed 
 farming in New York State, and also 
 worked as a lumberman in the pineries. 
 He owned a small place, which he sold, 
 and in June, 1836, came west to Ohio, 
 via canal to Buffalo, and thence by lake to 
 
762 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Cleveland, from which city he was driven 
 to LaGrange township, Lorain county, 
 where his father-in-law had located some 
 years before. The roads were almost im- 
 passible, and it was only after much work 
 that they reached their destination, where 
 for a short time they made their home 
 with Joshua Johnson. Mr. Nichols pur- 
 chased a tract of land containing fifty 
 acres, on which he made payments, and by 
 hard labor had partly cleared; in spite of 
 his toil he lost his home through an un- 
 scrupulous land-dealer. Not being dis- 
 couraged by his misfortune, however, he 
 purchased tifty acres lying south (the farm 
 on whicii our subject now resides), which 
 he finally succeeded in paying for, by hard 
 labor, such as chopping and clearing the 
 land, laising what crops he could, and also 
 going to the northern part of the county, 
 where he chopped foui'-foot wood at two 
 shillings per cord. 
 
 After coming here the family was in- 
 creased by the following children: Mi- 
 randa, a resident of South Dakota, the 
 widow of Garrison Archer, who was 
 drowned while going to the war, as a re- 
 cruit; Ozias, who died when Hve years 
 old; Stephen, a resident of Cass county, 
 Iowa; and D. C, the subject proper of 
 this sketch. After coming to Ohio Mr. 
 Nichols engaged exclusively in agricul- 
 ture, made for himself a comfortable home, 
 and became a respected, well-to-do citizen. 
 He died on the homestead in May, 1872, 
 liis wife September 5, 1864, and both lie 
 buried in LaGrange cemetery. Though 
 Mr. Nichols never made any profession of 
 religion he was a thorough Christian ; Mrs. 
 Nichols was a member of the Methodist 
 Church. In politics he was a stanch Re- 
 publican. 
 
 D. C. Nichols, whose name appears at 
 the opening of this sketch, was born May 
 13, 1847, in LaGrange township, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio. He received his education at 
 the common schools of the neighborhood 
 of his birthplace, and then remained on 
 the home place, engaged in agricultural 
 
 pursuits, to which he had been trained 
 from boyhood. On January 28, 1869, he 
 was united in marriage with Miss Jeanette 
 Holcomb, who was born October 5, 1845, 
 in LaGrange, a daughter of Asahel and 
 Fannie (Hastings) Holcomb,who were from 
 Jefferson county, N. Y. After mari-iage 
 the young couple located on the farm 
 where they yet reside, and which he now 
 owns, consisting of 113 acres of land 
 highly improved and equipped with all 
 necessary buildings, etc. To Mr. and 
 Mrs. Nichols have been born children as 
 follows: Charles H. (attending school), 
 Guy S., Claude M. and James A. (all three 
 living at home). In politics our subject 
 was a Ilepublican until 1876, when he be- 
 came a Democrat. 
 
 Ei DGAR H. HINMAN, probate judge 
 of Lorain county, is a prominent 
 I figure in the galaxy of legal lights 
 
 in the county. He is a native of 
 Ohio, born December 16, 1846, a son of 
 Edward and Mary B. Hinman, the former 
 of whom was born in Catskill, N. Y., the 
 latter in Lee. Mass.; they both came when 
 children to Ohio and to Portage county, 
 where they were married, and here Edward 
 Hinman carried on farming, until his 
 death, which occurred March 7, 1875, in 
 Oberlin, where Mrs. Hinman still makes 
 her home. The first of the Hinman family, 
 in America, came to the United States, 
 from England, in 1655, making a settle- 
 ment in New Etigland. 
 
 The subject proper of this niemoir re- 
 ceived his literary education at Oberlin 
 College, Ohio, and studied law at Ann 
 Arbor, Mich. In 1864 he enlisted in Com- 
 pany K, One Hundred and Fiftieth O. V. 
 I. (one hundred-days service), which regi- 
 ment was stationed around Washington, 
 and participated in the defense of the cap- 
 ital at the time it was attacked by the Con- 
 federates. On leaving the army Mr. 
 Hinnian went to Missouri, and for one 
 
/ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 765 
 
 year was deputy clerk of the supreme 
 court at St. Joseph, after whicli he was 
 engaged as foreman in the building of 
 dikes along the Missouri river, preparatory 
 to building a brid(>-e. In 1872 he returned 
 to Ohio, and for a time resided in Oberlin, 
 where he commenced tlie practice of his 
 profession, but soon afterward moved, in 
 1873, to North Amherst, in the same 
 county, where he opened an office, prac- 
 ticing law for nearly nine years. For two 
 terms he was mayor of Amherst, resigning 
 this when elected probate judge, upon the 
 duties of which office he entered February 
 9, 1882. He is now serving his fifth con- 
 secutive term, and is also president of the 
 Elyria Savings and Loan Company. His 
 residence is now in Elyria, and has been 
 since 1882. 
 
 Judge E. H. Hininan and Miss Ada M. 
 Fa.\on were united in marriage in Novem- 
 ber, 1877, and the following named four 
 children were born to them: Harold F., 
 Scott, Lucile and Edgar, the latter of whom 
 died in infancy. Active in politics, the 
 Judge has been chairman of the Republican 
 County Committee about six years, and 
 has been a delegate to State and Congres- 
 sional conventions. Socially he is a mem^ 
 ber of the F. & A. M., of the G. A. R. and 
 K. of P. One of the pleasant incidents of 
 Judge Hiiimairs life was a trip he made 
 in 1886 to Europe with Hon. E. G. John- 
 son, of Elyria. Many people will long re- 
 member the humorous letters written by 
 Mr. Johnson to home papers, giving ac- 
 counts of their adventures abroad. 
 
 T[ W. WILBUR, dealer in general hard- 
 k. I ware, Wellington, is a native of Can- 
 l^fj ada, born in Markham, near Toronto, 
 "" Ontario, May 12, 1839. 
 
 John Watson Wilbur, father of subject, 
 was born April 14, 1811, in Scliodack, 
 N. Y., whence when he had attained his ma- 
 jority he moved to Canada, and for four or 
 live years following farming there. He 
 
 then removed to Ohio, stopping in Port- 
 age county for a few months, after which 
 lie came in 1841 to Lorain county, and 
 took up a fai'Di \n Huntington township, 
 where he made his home for over thirty- 
 one years, at the end of which time lie re- 
 tired and took up his residence in the town 
 of Wellington, dying there in January, 
 1891. Politically he was first a Whig, 
 then a Free-soiler and finally a Republi- 
 can ; lie was a strict temperance and strong 
 anti-slavery man. In 1837 he married 
 Miss Lucinda Chapman, a native of Can- 
 ada, born near Toronto, February 23, 1814, 
 and she is yet living. Five children were 
 born to them, as follows: J. W , the sub- 
 ject of this biographical memoir; Henry, 
 born March 23, 1841, residing in Welling- 
 ton township; George W., born June 7, 
 1843, a farmer in Hartland township, Hu- 
 ron Co., Ohio; Josiah L., born October 10, 
 1845, residing in Wellington; and Martha 
 M., born September 12, 1849, died No- 
 vember 5, 1852. The brothers and sisters 
 of John Watson Wilbur were the follow- 
 ing: Clark T.. born December 24, 1804, 
 now a resident of Darlington, Ontai-io; 
 Mary, -born January 25, 1807, died March 
 27, 1891 (she married a Mr. Leek, who 
 died in Canada); Phoebe, born July 10, 
 1809, died in Wellington; Eliza Ann, born 
 February 23, 1813, died in Schodack, 
 N. Y.; George W.. born February 8, 1815, 
 died in Canada; Martha, born September 
 
 8, 1817, residing in Sullivan, A.shland Co., 
 Ohio; Israel, born Novemlier 29, 1819, 
 residing in Canada; and Deborah, born 
 July 13, 1823, died April 30, 1891, in 
 Albany. N. Y. The father of these. 
 Thomas Wilbur, was born October 18, 
 1780, was a farmer, and died in New York 
 State; his wife was Anna Cline, born June 
 24, 1783, died August 25, 1862. John 
 Chapman, the maternal grandfather of sub- 
 ject, was born January 27, 1783; he mar- 
 ried Margaret Fr^rris, and their children 
 were as follows: Hannah, born September 
 
 9, 1807, deceased; Jerusha C, born July 
 15, 1809, died January 20, 1889; Martin 
 
766 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Cbapman, born August 19, 1811, living 
 in Lorain; Lucinda, mother of our sub- 
 ject, born February 23, 1814; John T., 
 born August 17, 1816; Xathan, born 
 April 3, 1819, residing in Huntington; 
 Laura, born September 15, 1821, deceased; 
 Lorena, born June 24, 1824, living in 
 Cleveland; Lorenzo, born A'pril 8, 1827, 
 living; Thomas, born December 8, 1829; 
 Joseph, born January 8, 183-. 
 
 J. W. AVilbur, the subject proper of this 
 sketcli, received a liberal education at the 
 common schools, after which he attended 
 select school, working also on the farm till 
 he was eighteen years old, when he came 
 to Oberlin, attending school there some 
 seven months, after which he taught school 
 for some years. On June 15, 1861, he 
 enlisted in Company 1, Forty-seventh 
 O. V. I., and was assigned to duty in West 
 Virginia. He participated in several en- 
 gagements, and was ordered to A^icksburg, 
 Miss., being present at both the assaults 
 there. After forty-seven days siege, the 
 regiment proceeded to Jackson, Miss., in 
 the capture of which it participated; thence 
 was transferred to Memphis and Missionary 
 Ridge; took part in the Atlanta campaign, 
 and marched witii Sherman to the sea. At 
 Savannah it assisted in the capture of Fort 
 McAllister. Here it was that the dispute 
 arose between the Forty-seventh and 
 Seventieth Ohio as to whose colors were 
 first planted on the fort, but several of Gen. 
 Hagen's staff, who were overlooking the 
 entire movement, decided that the colors 
 of the Forty-seventh were the first to ap- 
 pear on the fort, and the captured flag is 
 now in the State House at Columbus. The 
 regiment set out from Ohio with 870 men, 
 and at the close of the Atlanta campaign 
 there were only 120; after the Atlanta 
 campaign it was re-enforced by 400 drafted 
 men and substitutes. Our subject was 
 mustered out November 11, 1864, the re- 
 giment on August 11, 1865. He entered 
 the service as a private, and was mustered 
 out as second lieutenant of his company; 
 when he arrived at home he weighed but 
 
 ninety pounds. After the war be resided 
 in Huntington township about three 
 months, at the end of which time (Febru- 
 ary, 1865,) he embarked in the stove and 
 tinning business in Wellington, in com- 
 pany with his uncle, J. B. Lord, which he 
 has since continued in. 
 
 In September, 1865, Mr. AYilbur was 
 united in marriage with Miss Anna E. 
 Collins, born October 16, 1841, daughter 
 of Charles and Dorcas (Abbott) Collins, 
 the former of whom was born March 28, 
 1811, died October 1, 1883, the latter born 
 February 25, 1811, and still living, liaving 
 her home with her daughter, Mrs. Wilbur. 
 By this union there were three children, 
 viz.: Mabel C, born August 14, 1866, 
 married to D. B. Harris, now in Califor- 
 nia (they have one child, Zoe); Carl C, 
 born April 29, 1868, a musician, now in 
 California; and Rollin A., at home. In 
 his political preferences our subject is a 
 Republican; socially he is a member of 
 the G. A. R., I. 0. O. F., K. of H., Royal 
 Arcanum and National Union. 
 
 T W. DOANE. Columbia township 
 V. I has good reason to feel proud of her 
 i^/J wealthy, intelligent farming com- 
 munity, of which the subject of this 
 sketch is a leading member. 
 
 Mr. Doane was born March 21, 1831, in 
 Jefferson county, N. Y., a son of Isaiah 
 and Betsy E. (Giddings) Doane, natives of 
 New York State, whence in the fall of 
 1833 they moved to La Fayette township, 
 Medina Co., Ohio, making a clearing in 
 the woods, and building a log cabin. 
 From there the father came in 1846 to 
 Columbia township, Lorain county, where 
 he passed the rest of his days, dying in 
 1852. He was twice married: first time 
 to Betsy E. Giddings, who died in Medina 
 county, in 1846; afterward to Hannah 
 Jewett, who passed from earth in 1878, on 
 the farm of the subject of this sketch. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 767 
 
 Mr. Doane was a soldier in the war of 
 1812; in politics he was a pronounced 
 Democrat, and for many years served as a 
 justice of the peace in Medina county. 
 The children born to his first marriage 
 were as follows: Luther W., who died in 
 Medina county at the age of nineteen; 
 Ilosella L., widow of Dougal McDouirall, 
 of Medina county; Diana H., deceased 
 wife of Levi Herrington; Frank Johnson, 
 residing in Harper county, Kans. ; Mary 
 M., widow of Don A. Clark, who died in 
 the service during the Civil war; William 
 H. H., married, and residing in Berrien 
 county, Mich.; Altneda E., widow of Ben- 
 jamin Chamberlain, of Cuyahoga county, 
 Ohio; Orlando A., married, and residing 
 in Diirand county. Wis.; J. W., our sub- 
 ject; Frederick W., who enlisted in the 
 Civil war in Michigan, and died some 
 years ago; Lydia A., who was the wife of 
 A. W. Bishop, of Medina county, and died 
 in Yoik township, Medina county; and 
 Martha B., wife of Gerome Osborne, of 
 Benton Harbor, Michigan. 
 
 J. W. Doane received a liberal educa- 
 tion at the common schools of Medina 
 county, and was fifteen years old w^hen he 
 came to Columbia township, Lorain county. 
 His lifework from his early boyhood years 
 has been agriculture, and he is now the 
 owner of a good farm of 115 acres, all in 
 a higli state of cultivation, and which he 
 lias imjtroved, erecting a comfortable resi- 
 dence and commodious barns. 
 
 In 1854 Mr. Doane was united in mar- 
 riage, in ('olumbia township, Lorain county, 
 with Miss Amelia Hitchcock, a native of 
 that township, daughter of Samuel and 
 Amelia ((Osborne) Hitchcock, of Connecti- 
 cut, who in 1812 came to Lorain county, 
 where they died. By this union two chil- 
 dren were born, namely: A son that died in 
 infancy, and Alice, wife of Judd Artliur 
 (she died at the age of twenty-three). The 
 mother of these was called from earth 
 January 3, ISUO, aiul in April, lsn2, our 
 subject married Mrs. Melissa Lanphier, 
 widow of Austin Lanphier; she has one 
 
 child, a daughter named Clara, married to 
 Charles Hutchinson, of Columbia town- 
 ship, Lorain county. 
 
 Politically, our subject is a Democrat, 
 and is now serving his fourth term as 
 trustee of his township. He has been a 
 delegate to conventions, and has proven a 
 most useful member of the community, 
 both politically and socially. For about 
 eleven years he served as postmaster at 
 Columbia Station. 
 
 EiZRA S. JACKSON, for nearly three- 
 score years a resident of Avon town- 
 I ship, whither he had come in 1837, 
 
 is a native of New York State, born 
 in Herkimer county in 1816. He is a 
 son of John and Patience (Payne) Jackson, 
 also of New York State, where the father, 
 who was a farmer, died in 1863; he iiad 
 served in the war of 1812. His widow 
 came to Avon township, Lorain county, 
 and spent the remainder of her life at the 
 home of her son Ezra S. Jackson, dying in 
 1876. She had another son, R. P., who 
 came here in 1S37, but moved to Michi- 
 gan in 1SG3, and died there in 1864. 
 
 The subject of these lines received a lib- 
 eral education at the schools of Herkimer 
 and Cattaraugus counties, N. Y.. and in 
 the latter county learned carpentry, which 
 he followed sevei'al years. In 1837 he 
 came to Avon tow'nship, and erected many 
 buildings in both Lorain and Huron coun- 
 ties, after which he engaged in the bnsi- 
 ness of millwright. In December, 1844, 
 Mr. Jackson was married to Miss Cordelia 
 Q. Moon, a native of Avon township, 
 daughter of Al)raham and Theresa ( Dn- 
 rand) Moon, early settlers of Avon town- 
 ship, Lorain county, w-here they died. 
 Four children have been born to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Jackson, the following being a brief 
 record of same: Theresa, wife of II. A. 
 Kenney, lives in Wisconsin; Jennie is the 
 wife of R. E. Loveland. superintendent of 
 schools at Lodi, Wis.; Ernest S., married, 
 
768 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 is county surveyor and resides in Elyria; 
 and Lena is living at home. In 1845 our 
 subject settled on liis present farm of 117 
 acres prime land in Avon township, which 
 he improved from the primeval forest. In 
 his political sympathies he was originally a 
 WhiCT, later, on the organization of the 
 party, a stanch Republican; he served his 
 township as trustee, and lias been a justice 
 of the peace. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson are 
 members of the M. E. Church, in which 
 he is steward. 
 
 t /I OSES HERNER LEYAGOOD. 
 
 ^J/\ This prominent citizen of Elyria 
 1] is widely and favorably known in 
 J) business circles, not alone by 
 
 reason of his public and social 
 positions, but al.so for his frank, genial and 
 cordial disposition and scholarly attain- 
 ments. 
 
 Mr. Levagood's ancestors came from 
 England, France, Prussia and Holland 
 some two centuries ago, and a more im- 
 mediate progenitor served in the war of 
 1812 between this atid the mother country. 
 Our subject is a son of George and Sophia 
 E. (Hernei'l Levagood, the former of whom 
 was a nati\'e of Pennsylvania, the latter of 
 New York. 
 
 M. H. Levagood was born February 2, 
 1845, in \Yilmot, Ontario, Canada, where 
 he received his literary educMtion. In 
 18G3 he removed to Michigan, and at the 
 age of nineteen years entered into business; 
 but wishing to better fit himself for a com- 
 mercial career, he entered Bryant, Stratton & 
 Goldsmith Business University, at De- 
 troit, Mich., graduating from same April 
 15, 1869. Thence proceeding to Adrian, 
 same State, he taught the advanced classes 
 in the science of accounts and mathematics 
 in Evans Business College in that city. In 
 1871 he entered the employ of Mr. B. P. 
 Howe, sewing machine manufacturer in 
 Detroit, as bookkeeper, and later had 
 charge at Cleveland of Mr. Howe's west- 
 
 ern correspondence, covering the territory 
 west of the Alleghany • Mountains to the 
 Pacific Ocean. This responsible position 
 Mr. Levagood tilled with tliorough efficiency, 
 but resigned in order to associate himself 
 with a screw factory in Cleveland, which 
 business was in 1874 removed to Elyria, 
 Ohio, its present title being "The Western 
 Automatic Machine Screw Co." With this, 
 the second largest screw manufactory of 
 its kind in the United States, our subject 
 has been actively and otKciallj associated 
 for twenty-one years, and its high position 
 among the manufacturing interests of the 
 country is largely due to his enterprise, 
 good management and fidelity. The fol- 
 lowing brief sketch of this prominent in- 
 stitution will be read with interest: 
 
 The Western Automatic Machine Screw Co., 
 Elyria, Ohio. This establishment, which well 
 merits the distinction of being one of Elyria's most 
 influential and valuable trade exemplars, was 
 founded in the city of Cleveland about 1870, and 
 in 1ST4 was moved to Elyria. Some twelve years 
 ago it was reorganized, taking the above name, and 
 with abundant capital, combined with superior 
 management, has become a gigantic business en- 
 terprise, with large and increasing demands for its 
 productions. When the additional buildings erected 
 this year are fully equipped with machinery, em- 
 ployment will be given to about two hundred and 
 twenly-five men, who, in character and skill are 
 very much above the general average. Under its 
 present supervision its business growth has become 
 phenomenal, so much so that it now ranks as the 
 second largest screw manufactory of its kind in 
 America. Screws and all kinds of special milled 
 pieces are here made, and in almost endless va- 
 riety, adapted to every conceivable use, and vary- 
 ing in size from the infinitesimal, requiring 1.5.000 
 and more to weigh a pound, to the larger sizes, 
 weighing three or more pound.s each. The build- 
 ings are all of brick, and present an imposing 
 appearance. The main factory is 50 x 150 feet, with 
 an L 4t xtlS feet, four stories high ; blacksmith shop 
 22x70 feet; case-hardening shop 88 x -43 feet; en- 
 gine house lGx37 feet; boiler house 34x82 feet, 
 one story high; machine and tool shop 35 x 86 feet, 
 and ottice and warehouse 3.i x 105 feet, two stories 
 high. The power is supplied by three engines 
 aggregating three hundretl and twentv-tive horse- 
 power, and three boilers aggregating five hundred 
 horse-power. To-day this institution is lh« pride 
 of Elyria, and its business manager, Mr. Levagood, 
 a respected and honored citizen of the place. 
 
 On December 4, 1866, Mr. Levagood 
 was united in marriage, at Greenwood, 
 Mich., with Miss Mary J. Nichols, a 
 
\ 
 
 ^% 
 
 ^^-^^^^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 771 
 
 nativeof Ontario, daiiorhter of Henry B. and 
 Mary (Ayers) Nichols, both of whom were 
 frojii New York. On December 4, 1891, 
 was celebrateil at tlieir residence in Elyria 
 the " silver wedding " of Mr. and Mrs. M. 
 H. Levagood, on wliich occasion a large 
 number of friends responded to the invita- 
 tion to be present, to whom their host and 
 hostess, iu their usual frank and cordial 
 manner, gave hearty welcome. When the 
 guests dispersed it was with the unani- 
 mous feeling that this social event was one 
 of the most enjoyable they had ever at- 
 tended, while a large number of presents 
 were left by them as tokens of their good- 
 will and respect. 
 
 Through all the disappointments and 
 trials incident to human life, Mr. Leva- 
 good is always the same genial, hopeful 
 and good-natured jnan, which makes him 
 an honored and valued member of several 
 Fraternal Orders, and in this respect few 
 in the State have greater prominence. He 
 is a member of King Solomon Lodge, 
 F. &, A. M.,and treasurerof Marshall Chap- 
 ter No. 47 Royal Arch Masons, Elyria, 
 Ohio; he is a past officer of the Knights of 
 Honor, Koyal Arcanum and the American 
 Legion of Honor, in which latter he lias 
 held the responsible State offices of grand 
 trustee and grand treasurer, served two 
 terms as grand commander, is now sitting 
 past grand commander, and is Ohio's repre- 
 sentative to the supreme council. He 
 is a member of the city council, now serv- 
 ing as its first oresident; as vice-president 
 and a director of the Elyria Savings and 
 Loan Co., and president of the Elyria Aid 
 Society. He is a trustee of the First Con- 
 gregational Church Society, and is actively 
 identified with other charitable and benevo- 
 lent enterjirises. With a generous sym- 
 pathy, kindliness and a desire to live a 
 helpful life, regardless of class or condi- 
 tion he has a large circles of friends, and 
 has endeared himself to those in his em- 
 ploy, where mutual confidence, goodwill 
 and respect prevail. The natural fruitage 
 of such a life, with a hearty reciprocal re- 
 
 41 
 
 sponse from the members of his family, 
 produces the charm of his home, to which 
 he retires for rest and pleasure, when the 
 duties and responsibilities of the day are 
 laid aside. 
 
 The business motto of Mr. Levagood is 
 "never postpone until to-morrow what 
 can and should be done to-day; business 
 first, pleasure afterward." With these 
 characteristics governing his life, his suc- 
 cess is but the fulfilling of a natural law, 
 and has earned for him the prominence he 
 has attained in the commercial world. 
 
 ,ILLIAM DOUGLASS, the well- 
 known retired merchant of Kip- 
 ton, was born June 21, 1835, in 
 Camden township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, a son of Robert l^ouglass, who was 
 born in Lyme, Conn., September 27, 1795. 
 Robert Douglass, grandfather of our 
 subject, when a young man came with 
 his father's family from Scotland to Con- 
 necticut, about the year 1775. He was 
 there married, and reared a family of six 
 children, viz.: Nancy, Lovisa, Prudence, 
 Robert, William and John. The father 
 of these died in Connecticut, where he was 
 an extensive farmer, keeping a large dairy; 
 he also owned and kept slaves to do his 
 work, but finally sold off the slaves, the 
 last two for the sum of eighty-five dollars. 
 After his death the widow, with her six 
 children, removed to Hamilton, New York. 
 Rol>ert Douglass, father of the subject 
 of this sketch, moved with his widowed 
 mother to Hamilton, N. Y., and soon 
 afterward, in 1817, he married Susan A. 
 Waugli, who was born August 20, 1799, 
 in Camden township, Oneida Co., N. Y. 
 Li 1838 he came to Ohio, traveling by 
 canal and lakes to Huron, Erie county, 
 thence by road to Camden township, Lo- 
 rain county, accompanied the entire trip 
 by Thomas Lee and Gideon Waugli, also 
 heads of families. Mr. Douglass bought 
 twenty-five acres of wild land in Camden 
 township at two dollars and fifty cents per 
 
772 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 acre, and tlie three families settled to- 
 gether, at first erecting a single cabin for 
 the shelter of all, until the Lee and Waush 
 
 o 
 
 families could be provided for. In this 
 cabin two years afterward was born the 
 subject of this sketch, and on this farm 
 the parents passed the lemainder of their 
 days, the father dying April 19, 1863, the 
 mother April 9, 1856, and they now 
 "• sleep the sleep that knows no wakening " 
 in Camden cemetery. Their original 
 twenty-five acres increased from time to 
 time till the property became a farm of 
 considerable size, but prior to his death 
 Mr. Douglass sold off all except the 
 original twenty- five acres; and the old log 
 cabin was superseded by a more modern 
 and comfortable residence. The record of 
 the chiklren born to this honored pioneer 
 couple is as follows: Lovisa, born Janu- 
 ary 6, 1818, married J. G. B. Babcock, 
 and died in Oswego, N. Y. ; Nancy, born 
 October 2, 1819, married B. Bayless, and 
 died in Kipton, Ohio; Adeline, born 
 August 4, 1822, died in New York 
 before her parents removed to Ohio; 
 Charlotte, born January 20, 1825, mar- 
 ried A. Boswell, and died in Michigan 
 (she was buried in Camden cem- 
 etery); Lucinda, born March 8, 1827, 
 married S. B. Williams, and died at Ver- 
 million, Ohio (she was also interred in 
 Camden cemetery); Robert H., born April 
 22, 1830, is a resident of Kipton, Ohio; 
 Sally Helen, born October 9, 1832, mar- 
 ried Bethel Sabins, and died in Michigan, 
 where she was buried; William, sulg'ect of 
 sketch, is spoken of more fully further on; 
 John G., born February 2, 1838, of Cleve- 
 land, Ohio; Susan A., born June 5, 1840, 
 Mrs. A. L. Howe, of Cleveland, Ohio; 
 Harrison, born January 13, 1843, who en- 
 listed at the age of eigliteen in Company 
 H, Forty third Regiment O. V. I., and 
 was killed February 3, 1865, at River's 
 Bridge, S. C, after having served through 
 four years of the war. Politically Mr. 
 Douglass was for several years an Old-line 
 Whig, in later years a stanch Republican 
 
 and a strong Abolitionist, sheltering many 
 a fugitive slave on his way to freedom in 
 Canada. He held several township offices, 
 and was in all ways a most useful member 
 of the community. As a sportsman he 
 was a keen shot, and as thire was abun- 
 dance of game of all sorts, including deer, 
 turkeys, etc., his home was seldom without 
 a well-stocked larder, and his neighbors 
 were abundantly supplied by him w'ith 
 wild meat. He and his wife were of the 
 close communion Baptist faith, as early 
 members of the churcli at Center. 
 
 William Douglass, whose name intro- 
 duces this sketch, received his education in 
 a primitive old log schoolhouse situated 
 about three-fourths of a mile from his 
 home, and this was the only one he ever 
 attended. He was reared to agricultural 
 pursuits, and remained under the parental 
 roof until he was twenty-one years old, 
 when he found employment in the woods, 
 making staves; and iieing a powerful young 
 man, he was able to earn good wages. I^p 
 to his twenty-fifth year he divided his time 
 between helping his parents, who needed 
 his assistance, and making a little money 
 for himself. A land grant his father had 
 secured for services in the war of 1812, and 
 which consisted of 160 acres in Mower 
 county, Minn., was bought by our subject, 
 and he remained thereon for some time. 
 In 1860 he came to Kipton, Camden town- 
 ship, Lorain county, and traded this land 
 for a stock of groceries, and the rent of a 
 building in Kipton for two years. From 
 the time he opened out his business, he 
 continued in it thirty successive years, and 
 not long after commencinij he bouijht also 
 the building, then a frame one. His trade 
 expanded so that in course of time he had 
 to put up a substantial brick store, which 
 he still owns. In 1888 he disposed of his 
 stock of dry goods and groceries, since 
 when he has been living in retirement. A 
 couple of months each year he spends in 
 an elegant lakeside cottage he owns at 
 Linwood, Ohio, and his leisure time is 
 spent in fishing and hunting. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 773 
 
 On July 3, 1862, Mr. Douglass was 
 united in marriage with Josepliine Rnn- 
 8oni, born January IG, 1843, at Berlin 
 Heights, Erie Co., Ohio, daughter of Rus- 
 sei M. and Caroline (Tenant) R-msoin, and 
 the child born to them is Cora CI., born 
 July 26, 1863, wife of O. L. Wright, of 
 Toledo, wlio has one child, Gnrtha D., 
 born July 5, 1886. Republican in his 
 political sympathies, our subject's first 
 Presidential vote was cast for J. C. Fre- 
 mont, and he has frequently been solicited 
 to accept office, but invariably declines, his 
 business interest at such times demaiidinir 
 all his attention. He and his faithful life 
 partner are consistent members of the 
 Disciple Church. 
 
 CHARLES ALEX. TWINING, one 
 of the most prosperous and wealthy 
 of tiie prominent farmers of Hen- 
 rietta township, is a native of the 
 State of New Jersey, born in Hunterdon 
 county May 23, 182^. 
 
 Samuel Twininj;, father of subject, was 
 born February 22, 1796, in Hnnterdon 
 county, N. J., and moved his family to 
 Broome county, N. Y., in 1823, wiiere he 
 died April 10, 1831. On September 23,1815, 
 he married Elizabeth Stout, who died Oc- 
 tober 17, 1882. Her people were wealthy, 
 but on tlie death of her parents she lost all 
 that she became heiress to. Saniuel was 
 a farmer, miller, cloth-dresser and dis- 
 tiller, and at the time of his death owned 
 fifty acres of land near Binghamton, N. Y. 
 He left five children, a mother-in-law and 
 sister-in-law for onr subject to assist in 
 Tjrovidinir for, and. althouoh the latter was 
 but ten years old when his father died, he 
 was the " main spoke in the wheel."' 
 
 Cl)arles A. Twininir, whose name opens 
 this sketch, received but a limited educa- 
 tion at the subscription schools of the 
 place of Ills nativity. On October 18, 
 1842, he was married, by Squire Jesse 
 Richards, to Miss Nellie Schermerhorn, 
 
 and for about seven years thereafter they 
 continued to reside in Broome county, 
 N. Y. In 1849 they came to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, and Mr. Twining, having 
 saved some five hundred dollars from his 
 earnings, bought a small piece of land in 
 Pittsfield township, Lorain count}', where 
 he resided three years. At the end of this 
 time he sold out to his three brothers and 
 returned to Broome county, N. Y., where 
 he bought the old home farm formerly 
 owned by his father. After residing iiere 
 three years he sold out, returned to Ohio, 
 and bought a farm in Camden township, 
 Lorain county. Sold this tarm and bouLrht 
 in Russia township; sold this and bought 
 a farm in Henrietta township, which he 
 still owns. In 1888 he built a comforta- 
 ble modern dwelling, situated in Henrietta 
 township, and his property has increased 
 from time to time till he now owns 720 
 acres of prime farm land, divided into 
 seven farms, with good buihiings. He has 
 owned farms in lirownhelm and West 
 Henrietta, and in Erie county, in Florence 
 township; three farms in West Clarksfield. 
 Huron county, Brighton township, Lorain 
 county, and Wakeman, Huron county, and 
 resided on all of these except the one in 
 Wakeman. He has given his daughter 
 Sarah Ann a good farm in Camden town- 
 ship, and has settled his si.\ living sons on 
 good farn^s, and has also dealt quite ex- 
 tensively in live stock. 
 
 Elever^ children were born to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Tvvinino', as follows: Mrs. Sarah Ann 
 Gibson, living in Clark.sfield, Huron Co., 
 Ohio; Herbert, deceased; Orlando, de- 
 ceased; William T., living on the home 
 farm, near his father; Gertrude E., de- 
 ceased; Alva P., Floyd O., Virgil L., 
 Perry E. and Fred A., on farms near their 
 father; and one that died in infancy. The 
 entire family are members of the Baptist 
 Church, except Perry, who is a member of 
 the Methodist Church, and all brongiit up 
 in the ])ath of Christian rectitude, which 
 they have in no instance deviated from. 
 Tlie sons have never used liquor or tobacco 
 
774 
 
 LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 in any form. Mr. Twining in his political 
 aifiliations lias always been a stanch Dem- 
 ocrat, and has served his county to the 
 best of his ability, and held offices of trust. 
 Mr. Twining formerly belonged to the 
 Methodist Church, where he was class- 
 leader and superintendent of Sabbath- 
 schools for a number of years, and also 
 held an exhorter's license. In 1866 Mr. 
 Twining spent one year with his family in 
 Ocean county, N. J., stopping at a pleas- 
 ure resort in Point Pleasant. 
 
 N 
 
 // 
 
 ATHANIEL MARTIN, who for 
 the past quarter of a centurY has 
 been identitied with the agricul- 
 tural interests of Columbia town- 
 ship, is a native of England, born 
 in Devonshire in 1830. 
 
 His parents, Jolin and Sarah (^Osborn) 
 Martin, were also natives of Devonshire, 
 where they spent their entire lives, the 
 mother dying in 1844, the father at the age 
 of eighty-eight years. They had a family 
 of six children (four of whom came to 
 America), as follows: Mary was the wife 
 of Edward Spetigue, and died in England, 
 leaving a family; Maria, who was the wife 
 of John Tubb, went to Australia, and there 
 slie died leaving six children; Jeremiah, 
 who came with our subject to Lorain 
 county, where he owned a farm, and thence 
 moved to Jasj)er county, Mo.; John, who 
 came to Lorain county in 1849, located 
 first in Ridgeville township, then became a 
 resident of Eaton township, and finally of 
 Columbia (he is now living in Pennsyl- 
 vania); Nathaniel, the subject of this 
 Bketch; and Jane, wife of William Palmer, 
 of Eaton township. 
 
 Nathaniel Martin was reared and edu- 
 cated in the land of his birth, and in 1863 
 was united in marriage with Miss Mary 
 Ann Moyse, a native of Cornwall, Eng- 
 land, whence in 1867 they came to the 
 United States, settling at once in Colum- 
 bia township, Lorain Co., Ohio. Here 
 
 Mrs. Martin died in 1869, leaving three 
 children, viz.: John R., Elizabeth E., and 
 Anna Maria, who is now teaching in Ant- 
 werp, Ohio. In 1870 Mr. Martin was 
 married, in Columbia township, for his 
 second wife, to Mrs. Caroline (^Kuple) Heed, 
 daughter of Dr. Boltis and Clarissa (0&- 
 born) Rnple, natives of Connecticut, who 
 in an early day came to Columbia town- 
 ship, Lorain county, where the father died ; 
 the mother, who is now in the ninety- 
 fourth year of her age, still survives. 
 
 Since coming to Lorain conntv Mr. Mar- 
 tin has entjaaed in agriculture and he now 
 owns a good farm of seventy-six acres, in an 
 excellent state of cultivation. He read medi- 
 cine in Columbia township, and al.so at- 
 tended Cincinnati Medical College, gradu- 
 ating therefrom in 1879, and subsequently 
 practiced his profession for some years. 
 He now conducts a general farming busi- 
 ness, operating 216 acres in Lorain and 
 Medina counties. In politics he is a Pro- 
 hibitionist, and has been a member of the 
 school board. In religious faith Mr. and 
 Mrs. Martin are both members of the 
 Wesleyan Methodist Church at West View. 
 
 dlOSEPH H. MULL, junior proprietor 
 of the Obeilin Citizen, has been 
 ) identified with the printing business 
 lor the past seventeen years, rising 
 from "devil" to "boss."' Eor the most 
 part he was employed on local papers in 
 Oberlin, and in job offices, and in 1S92 be- 
 came associated with Mr. Disbro in the 
 publication of the Citizen, a fiourishiug 
 weekly, in Oberlin. 
 
 Mr. Mull was born in November, 1857, 
 in Dubuque county, Iowa, a son of Jacob 
 and Almira (Sage) Mull, natives, the father 
 of Pennsylvania, the mother of Connecti- 
 cut. In the early days of Iowa as a State 
 they moved thither, locating in Dubuque 
 county, whence in 1860 they came to Ohio, 
 where the father died in 1891 ; his widow 
 is now living in Pittstield township, Lo- 
 
LORAIS COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 775 
 
 rain county. He was a farmer by voca- 
 tion, in politics a Republican, and was a 
 member of tlie Chriotian Cliiirch. 
 
 The subject of our sketch was educated 
 in tiie schools of Pittsfield, and in the 
 preparatory department of Oberlin College, 
 after which he embarked in the printing 
 business, as already narrated. In 1884 he 
 was married to Olivia Stone, and they have 
 had four children, two being deceased, 
 Ernest at the intereslinof age of three 
 years; those yet living are George and 
 Julia. In his political sympathies Mr. 
 Mull is a Republican ; socially he is a mem- 
 ber of Oberlin F. & A. M. Lodge, No. 380. 
 
 FLOYD M. PELTON is a son of 
 David C. Pelton, who was horn 
 _ February 4, 1800, in Hartford, 
 Washington Co., N. Y., a son of 
 James Pelton, who was among the earliest 
 pioneers of LaGrange township, having 
 settled there in 1S24. 
 
 David C. Pelton married Lydia Dodge, 
 who was born March 12, 1807, and they 
 had six children, four of whom lived to be 
 named, as follows: Maria, Martha, Mary 
 and Cliarles; the last named of these came 
 to Ohio with his father, and is now a 
 farmer in the State of Illinois. The mother 
 of these died, and in 1882 Mr. Pelton was 
 married, in New York, for his second wife, 
 to Hannah Smith, and in the fall of 1833 
 started with his wife and one child for 
 Ohio, where his father, James, had been 
 livincr, as will be seen, for some few years. 
 They came by way of canal and lake to 
 Cleveland, and thence drove to Lorain 
 county, locating in the eastern part of La- 
 Grange township, near his father. He re- 
 mained there eight years, and then re- 
 moved to the western part of the township 
 (then a very wild section, and all new 
 country, the roads not being cut), locating 
 on the farm where our sul)ject now resides. 
 By his second wife he had ten children, 
 viz.: Lydia, Mrs. Charles Crowner, of La- 
 
 Grange; Mary, married to Manford Rip- 
 ley, now of Eaton county, Mich.; Clark, 
 of Cheboygan, Mich.; James K., of Wau- 
 kesha, Wis.; Joim, of Rising Sun, Wood 
 Co., Ohio; Grovener, who enlisted in Com- 
 pany II, One Hundred and Third Regi- 
 ment, and died in hospital at Hickman's 
 Bridge, Ky., where he was buried; Ade- 
 line, Mrs. Edward Beaver, of LaGrange; 
 Hannah, Mrs. Thomas Cornell, of Eaton 
 county, Mich.; Elizabeth, Mrs. Lawi-cnce 
 Van Warner, of Elsie, Mich.; and Win- 
 field, a farruer of Eaton county, Mich. The 
 mother of these died June 30, 1852, and 
 was buried in LaGrange, and for his third 
 wife he married a native of New York 
 State, Mrs. Mary (Tippin) Burns, widow of 
 Thomas Burns. By this union there were 
 five children, as follows: One that died in 
 infancy unnamed; Clarissa, who married 
 Augustus Vanlinder, and died in New 
 York in 1885, leaving five children; Syl- 
 vester, who died young in 1864; one died 
 of spotted fever when seven or eight years 
 old; and Floyd M., subject of this memoir. 
 Mr. Pelton died on his farm February 11, 
 1890, being then over ninety years old, 
 and was buried in LaGrange township. 
 Politically he was a Republican. After 
 his death his widow resided on the home 
 farm with our subject; she died September 
 8, 1893, at the age of eighty-three years. 
 Floyd M. Pelton was born June 18, 
 1860, in LaGrange township, youngest 
 of the twenty- one children of David C. 
 Pelton. He attended the common schools 
 of his day, and was reared a farmer hoy, 
 receiving his first instnictions under the 
 direction of his father, on the farm he now 
 owns and resides upon. He was united in 
 marriage June 18, 1879, with Miss Lottie 
 Johnson, who was born September 15, 
 1864, in LaGrange, daughter of Elijali and 
 Lvdia (Haines) Johnson, and they have 
 .had four children: Cora B., Mary E., 
 Clara M. and Charles W. Since his father's 
 death Mr. Pelton has had charge of the 
 home farm, which he now owns, and to 
 which he has added eighty acres, making 
 
776 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 him in all a tract of 160 acres. He has 
 met with some misfortunes, having had 
 his barns destroyed by fire three times, but 
 he has rebuilt each time, and in 1891 he 
 erected one of the finest and most conven- 
 ient barns in the township. He also con- 
 ducts a dairy in connection with his 
 farming operations, and has at present 
 thirty-eight fine Holstein cattle. He is 
 also a member of the Holstein-Friesian 
 Association of America. He is an ener- 
 getic, hard-working man, and has been 
 very prosperous. Politically he is a Ee- 
 piiblican, and has held various township 
 offices; in religious faith he and his wife 
 are members of the Baptist Church of La- 
 Grange. 
 
 f[JfENE,Y WISE, one of the progres- 
 fs^ sive German agriculturists of Graf- 
 I Ij ton township, was born in Byron, 
 •fj October 5, 1847, a son of Peter 
 
 Wise, who was born November 5, 
 1810, also in Byron, and married a native 
 of that place in the person of Miss Louisa 
 Miller, born May 18, 1817. 
 
 In 1858 the family, consisting of father, 
 mother and six children — Louisa, Fred- 
 ericka, Henry, Lewis, Frederick and 
 Ciiristian — set sail from Havre, France, 
 for the United States, and after a voyage 
 of twenty-one days landed at New York 
 toward the latter part of December. From 
 that port they came west to Liverpool, 
 Medina Co., Ohio, by way of Hudson 
 river, Erie Canal and lake Erie to Cleveland, 
 from which point Peter's brother brought 
 them by wagon to Liverpool township, 
 Medina county, where they arrived on 
 Christmas Day. In Germany Peter Wise 
 had been well-to-do, but through going 
 security for a friend, who afterward failed 
 in business, he lost over two thousand dol- 
 lars. In Liverpool township, Medina 
 county, he rented a farm for a short time, 
 and then removed to Columbia township, 
 Lorain county, later coming to Grafton 
 township, same county, where he bought 
 
 fifty acres of wild land on credit, and here 
 lived seven years, at the end of which time 
 he moved to the farm whereon he died 
 August 8, 1886; his wife had passed away 
 June 19, 1883, and both are interred in 
 Belden cemetery. In Ohio the family was 
 increased by three children, as follows: 
 Hannah J., born September 11, 1857; 
 Catherine S., born Septetnber 12, 1859; 
 and Jacob J., born July 25, 1864. The 
 parents were hard-working, industrious 
 people, accumulating a comfortable com- 
 petence, and they were honored and re- 
 spected by all. 
 
 Henry Wise, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, was six years old when his 
 father and family came to America and to 
 Ohio. Before leaving Germany he had 
 attended a Kindergarten for a time, and 
 after coming here he received the rest of 
 his education at a German school, but he 
 never entered an English educational in- 
 stitution. While yet a lad he was put to 
 work on his father's farm, where he re- 
 mained until he was fourteen years old, at 
 which time he commenced work for Ben- 
 jamin Corning at six dollars per month, all 
 his earnings being turned over to his par- 
 ents to help pay for the home. On March 
 28, 1870, Mr. Wise married Mary Law, 
 who was born March 13, 1851, in Gi-afton 
 township, Lorain county, daughter of 
 Jacob Law, and children as follows were 
 born to them: Twins (stillborn), Rosa, 
 Bertha, Alice, Edith, Amanda, Elmer, 
 Anna, Lorena, Agnes, Llenry and Ralph. 
 In 1871 he and his brother Lewis pur- 
 chased land, going into delit nine thou- 
 sand si.x hundred dollars for it, and the 
 predictions of many were that " the Wise 
 boys would fail." But these ominous words 
 were not fated to come true, for " the Wise 
 boys "did not fail; on the contrary they 
 succeeded, by dinf of hard work and judi- 
 cious economy, in paying off every dollar 
 of the indebtedness. At the end of thir- 
 teen years (in 1886) the brothers effected 
 an amicable division of the jjroperty, each 
 one settling on his own share. Our sub- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Ill 
 
 ject has an excellent piece of land and a 
 good home, equipped with all modern im- 
 provements, including commodious out- 
 buildings. Politically he is a Democrat, 
 and he and his family are members of the 
 Lutheran Churcli of Liverpool, Ohio. 
 
 T|OSEPH S. WHITNEY, retired agri- 
 k. Ii cultnrist, well known and highly re- 
 \^j spected in Lorain county, now re- 
 siding in Uie town of Camden, is a 
 typical "Green #/[ountain Laddie," born 
 July 10, 1814, in Bennington county, Ver- 
 mont. 
 
 Joseph Whitney, father of subject, first 
 saw the light in Westminster, Mass., Feb- 
 ruary 21, 1785, a son of Elisha Whitney, 
 and April 27, 1811, was married to Abi- 
 gail Townes, who was born January 22, 
 1791, in Andover, Vt., where she was 
 married. After their marriage they con- 
 tinned to live in Vermont till 1838, when 
 they came to Ohio, making a settlement in 
 Pittsfield township, Lorain county, the 
 entire family (excepting two sons, who had 
 preceded them) making the journe}' in a 
 wagon, the trip occupying three weeks. 
 The head of the family had in 1833 made 
 a prospecting visit to Lorain county, com- 
 ing by way of the lakes, and at that time 
 l)ought the land in Pittsfield township to 
 which the family afterward removed, as 
 above related. The two sons, spoken of as 
 having preceded the rest, came, Joseph S. 
 in 1836 and Aaron in 1837; and in pre- 
 paring the new home they cleared thirty 
 acres of land, and erected a rude frame 
 house in which the family lived after their 
 arrival. Here the parents died, the father 
 May 2, 1877, at the patriarchal age of 
 nearly ninety-three years, the mother on 
 May 3, 1872, and they lie buried in Pitts- 
 field cemetery. Mr. Whitney was owner 
 of a fine farm in Vermont, and was worth 
 two thousand dollars at the time of his 
 comiiiiJ to Ohio; when he died his estate 
 was valued at twenty thousand dollars. 
 
 His political proclivities were of a pro- 
 nounced type, at first as a strong Whig, 
 and later as a stanch Republican. He and 
 his wife were members of the Congrega- 
 tional Church. Their children, all born 
 \n Vermont, were Hannah T. and A1)igail 
 (twins), born July 5, 1812, of whom Han- 
 nah married Reul)en Stone, in Vermont, 
 and died in Oberlin, Ohio (Abigail died in 
 infancy); Joseph S., born July 10, 1814, 
 who is the subject proper of this memoir; 
 Aaron T., born July 5, 1816, who died in 
 1870, in CoUinwood, Ohio; Mark, born 
 December 17, 1818, a farmer of Russia 
 townshij), Lorain county; Augustine, born 
 December 27, 1820, of Pittsfield township; 
 Richard, born February 16, 1828, of Grin- 
 nell, Iowa; Susan A., born July 20, 1825, 
 who married John Mills, and died in Pitts- 
 field; Norman, born January 20, 1828, of 
 Anthony, Kans.; Ira, born September 13, 
 1829, of Harper county, Ivans., where he 
 owns over 1,200 acres; and Loren, born 
 February 26, 1833, of Texas. 
 
 The subject of our sketch reeejved but 
 a limited education at the subscription 
 schools of his native place, consisting of 
 two months' tuition during a few winters; 
 but what he lacked in that respect he made 
 up for by after-study, and a close observa- 
 tion of men and things. In 1836 his 
 father sent him to Ohio to prepare a new 
 home for the family, as above related, and 
 in this then wild locality he did many a 
 hard day's work, being a stout, active 
 young man, and frequently had encounters 
 with wild animals who were disposed to 
 assert their prior right to the forest wilds.' 
 After his marriage he and his bride settled 
 on 100 acres of land in Pittsfield township, 
 which he had bought on credit, and here 
 they lived four years, their house being an 
 old log cabin, very much the worse for age 
 and exposure to the elements, and through 
 the many cracks between the logs would 
 often creep into " the sacred penetralia of 
 the home" snakes and other reptiles. Buy- 
 ing another farm near by, Mr. Whitney 
 lived there many years; then for two years 
 
778 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 made his home in Brownhelm township, 
 same county, and then returning to Pitts- 
 field township lived tliere till 1870, in 
 ■which year he came to Camden township, 
 taking up his residence at Kipton, where 
 he has since lived a retired life. 
 
 On September 19, 183'J, Mr. Whitney 
 was married, in Sullivan, Ashland Co., 
 Ohio, to Lucy A. Ward, who was born Oc- 
 tober 7, 1818, in Orwell, Vt., a daughter 
 of James and Lucy (Abel) Ward, who 
 came to Ohio in July, 1836, locating in 
 Pittsfield township, Lorain county. The 
 children burn to this union are four in 
 number, of whom the following is a brief 
 record: Melva A. is the wife of Roswell 
 Adams, of Wellington, Ohio; Agnes A. 
 is the wife of E. Jones, of Fostoria, Ohio; 
 Everetta H. is the wife of Frank Sheffield, 
 of Pittsfield township; Mary M. is an 
 educated young lady of Cleveland, Ohio. 
 Politically our subject was originally a 
 AVhig, later a Republican, and he held 
 various offices of trust in Pittsfield town- 
 ship. On September 19, 1889, Mr., and 
 Mrs. Whitney celebrated their golden wed- 
 ding; and they are yet hale and hearty, en- 
 joying in their declining years the good 
 will and esteem of a wide circle of friends 
 and acquaintances. 
 
 rH. FOSTER, member of the flour- 
 isiiiug clothing firm of Baker & Fos- 
 ^ ter, Elyria, was born in Carlisle 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, Decem- 
 ber 7, 184:9, a son of I. B. and Hannah 
 (Taylor) Foster, natives of Tompkins 
 county, N. Y., the fatiier born September 
 12, 1822, died July 7, 1882, and the latter 
 born March 2, 1828, in Enfield, died Feb- 
 ruary 4, 1890. 
 
 Both parents were reared on farms, and 
 received common-school educations. Tiiey 
 were married in their native county, and 
 moved westward to Ohio, settling in Car^ 
 lisle township, Lorain county, about the 
 year 1847. They had four children, viz.: 
 
 F. H.; Frederick K., now a farmer at 
 Saint John's, Clinton Co., Mich.; DeWitt, 
 a farmer, now residing at Oberlin, Ohio; 
 and Charles H., a clerk with the firm of 
 Baker & Foster. Our subject's paternal 
 grandparents were both natives of Xew 
 York State, where they passed their entire 
 lives, and were descended from old Massa- 
 chusetts stock. The maternal grandpHr- 
 ents were of the same nativity, and tiie 
 grandmother is yet living, now at the ad- 
 vanced age of eighty-four years. 
 
 I. B. Foster, father of subject, was by 
 trade a carpenter and joiner and cabinet 
 maker. After coming to Lorain county 
 he followed the business of contracting 
 and building, was recognized as a first- 
 class mechanic, and had in his employ at 
 times as many as thirty hands. His health 
 failing, however, he abandoned this line of 
 trade, taking up fruit culture, including 
 tree grafting, and also carried on a mer- 
 cantile business in a small way at La- 
 Porte, in Lorain county, up to the time of 
 his death, which occurred at his home in 
 LaPorte. He was very active in business, 
 and made a success of it. In politics he 
 was a strong Republican, and a pronounced 
 temperance advocate and Abolitionist, 
 often concealing in his house run-away 
 slaves during the "Underground Rail- 
 road " period. His wife was a slight, 
 delicate woman, and, like her husband, 
 was possessed of strong religious convic- 
 tions. They were married November 
 1, 1846. 
 
 F. H. Foster, subject of these lines, re- 
 mained with his parents till he was nine- 
 teen years old, attending during the winter 
 months the schools of LaPorte, Lorain 
 county, and working in the summer sea- 
 son, lie got some ideas of mercantile 
 business in his father's store, and always 
 had an ambition to lead a commercial life. 
 At the age of nineteen he left the paternal 
 roof, and proceeded to Oberlin, in the 
 same county, where he entered the employ 
 of J. M. Johnson & Son, with whom he 
 remained two years and four months; 
 
i^^^^^^s^t-^^^r^^^^^^ 
 
LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 781 
 
 then came to Elyria, and for seven years 
 clerked with Starr Brothers ifc Co., general 
 uierciiants. In b(jtii these houses Mr. 
 Foster tilled positions with ability and 
 energy in all departments, and during the 
 last three or four years he was with the 
 last named tirm he had charge of tiie 
 clothing and manufacturing of clothing, 
 becoming a thorough expert in all the de- 
 partments of that branch of the business. 
 Leaving the firm of Starr Brothers & Co. 
 on account of their going out of business, 
 he entered into an equal partnership with 
 G. W. Baker, under the tii'm name of 
 Baker & Foster, and in 1878 they bought 
 out the clothing department of Baldwin, 
 Lersch & Co. ; since then they have been 
 the leading clothiers in Elyria. Both are 
 admirably adapted to the trade, having 
 had long experience in the business, and 
 being well known to the public. They 
 commenced in a careful, conservative way, 
 and as business increased enlarged their 
 premises, making three additions to their 
 rooms; after which they bought out Cogs- 
 well & Co., and added their late room to 
 their own store. Mr. Foster is one of the 
 best buyers and salesmen to be found any- 
 where, and in discretion and judgment in 
 both buying and selling he has no superior 
 in the State. He does all the buying for 
 the firm. 
 
 Mr. Foster was married, Novenilier 1, 
 1871, to Miss Emma Inez Prindle, a na- 
 tive of Carlisle township, Lorain county, 
 born October 6, 1851. She is a daughter 
 of H. H. and Chiistiana Elizabeth (Spaf- 
 ford) Prindle, the former of whom was 
 born about the year 1S22 in Carlisle town- 
 ship, Lorain Co., Ohio, where he lived 
 and died, the latter born in Richfield, 
 Summit Co., Ohio, January 13, 1822, and 
 died at Elyria, Ohio, October 13, 1885, 
 aged sixty-three years, eight months and 
 twenty-eight days. Mrs. Emma Inez 
 Foster was educated in the country schools 
 till the age of fourteen, when she came to 
 Elyria to attend the high school there, 
 making her home during that time with 
 
 her grandparents. She is the mother of 
 two cliildren: Clarence H., l)orn October 
 21, 1877, and Maud Inez, born December 
 15, 1881. 
 
 Politically Mr. Foster is a Republican; 
 socially he is a Master Mason and a mem- 
 ber of the Royal Arcanum. He is inter- 
 ested in the Independent Horse and Cattle 
 Company at North Park, Colo., and for 
 j'ecreation and the benefit of his health he 
 makes frequent trips to that place. He 
 and his wife are members of the Episcopal 
 Church. 
 
 EV. J. A. SCHMIDT, pastor of the 
 Evangelical Lutheran Church in 
 Elyria, was born April 5, 1854, in 
 Shelby county, Ohio, the fifth 
 child of J. A. and Rosina (Bertch) 
 Schmidt, both of whom were born in 
 Wurtemberg, Germany. After coming to 
 this country they lived in Ohio and In- 
 diana; the motlier died in 1892; the father 
 is now a resident of Liverpool, Ohio. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received his 
 literary education in part at Fort Wayne, 
 Ind., and pursued his theological studies 
 at Concordia College. St. Louis, Mo., where 
 he graduated in 1877, in July of which 
 year he was ordained. Coming, then, direct 
 to Elyria, he took charge of St. John's 
 Evangelical Lutheran Congregation. The 
 appointments in the parish were poor, a 
 small frame edifice serving as church, 
 parochial school and pastoral residence. By 
 and by Mr. Schmidt agitated among his 
 fiock the question of building new accomo- 
 dations for the flock and pastor, and as a 
 result of his labors the Evangelical Lu- 
 theran Church building, schoolhouse and 
 pastoral residence are among the finest 
 buildings in Elyria. The congregation 
 have never solicited aid from outside 
 sources, it being a princi])le of the denomi- 
 nation that to donate to Church work is a 
 privilege and purely a matter of religion. 
 Mr. Schmidt was united in marriage, 
 April 22, 1878, with Miss Johanna 
 
782 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Scliwan, who was born in Cleveland, Ohio, 
 daughter of Eev. H. C. Schwan, D. D., and 
 Emma (Bhun) Schwan, the former of whom 
 is a native of Hanover, Germany, the latter 
 of Brazil, South America; they reside in 
 Cleveland, Ohio. To this union have been 
 born the following named fonr children: 
 Stella, Flora, Esther and George. In 
 politics our subject is independent. At 
 Grafton, Ohio, he has a station which he 
 visits monthly to preach the good tidings 
 of salvation. 
 
 ViILLIAM N. SHOOP, one of the 
 foremost citizens of Grafton town- 
 ship, was born May 31, 1828, in 
 Fairview township, York Co., 
 Penn., son of Peter and Susan (Nelson) 
 Shoop, wlio were of German extraction. 
 
 Our subject received a common-school 
 education, attending school during the 
 winter season, and doincr chores for his 
 board, his duties being so numerous that 
 he was obliged to labor very industriously 
 to ])erform all the work assigned to him 
 before school began. Thus he struggled 
 on until he was sixteen years of age, when 
 he commenced to learn the blacksmith's 
 trade, working for one year under John 
 Whitmer. of White Hill,"Cumberland Co., 
 Penn., and then for two and a half years 
 under James Denning, on Tiiird street, 
 Harrisburg, Penn. He was then employed 
 for a short time at Baltimore, Md., in a 
 shop on Utah street, when failing healtli 
 compelled him to give up the trade, and 
 he obtained work in the limekilns along 
 the Lebanon pike from Harrisburg, Penn. 
 In 1849 his father died, and was buried in 
 Fairview township, York Co., Penn., by 
 the side of the mother, who had preceded 
 him to the grave in 1841. They left live 
 children, of whom William N. was the 
 youngest; the latter was taken sick after 
 his mother's death with a disease very 
 much like la grippe, and during his illness 
 incurred a doctor's bill of five dollars, to 
 settle which he gathered roots and herbs 
 after iiis recovery. 
 
 After the death of his parents, being 
 dissatisfied with his wages, Mr. Shoop con- 
 cluded to micrrate to Ohio, and came to 
 West Salem, Wayne county, but failing to 
 find work there, walked to Westtield town- 
 ship, Medina county, carrying his budget. 
 He worked for twelve dollars a month un- 
 til October, 1854, when he returned to 
 Harrisburg, Penn., remaining there until 
 the following spring, when, in company 
 with three other young men, he started for 
 St. Paul, Minn., traveling by rail to Galena, 
 111., and thence by boat to their destina- 
 tion. He found employment with a sur- 
 veying corps (then laying out Stillman's 
 addition to St. Paul), but after a short 
 time returned to northern Illinois, work- 
 ing near Freeport, Stephenson county, un- 
 til the spring of 1856. He then went to 
 Mt. Vernon, Iowa, where he helped to 
 burn the brick for the college of that place; 
 and then returning to his native State, 
 remained there for some time. In the lat- 
 ter part of 1858 he returned to Ohio, and 
 locating in Westfield, Medina county, en- 
 gaged in farm work for about one year, 
 when, his health failing, he obtained a sit- 
 nation with the Ohio Farmers Insurance 
 Company, his former employer signing his 
 bond for two thousand dollars. He com- 
 menced his career in March, 1860, in 
 Grafton township, Lorain county, making 
 his first business call at and taking his first 
 risk on the house in which he was after- 
 ward married, and which subsequently 
 came into his possession. Though he had 
 no experience whatever in the insurance 
 line, during the first year alone he in- 
 creased the number of applications from 
 123 (the highest number obtained by his 
 predecessor) to 365. He subsequently 
 worked in portions of Erie, Huron, Cuya- 
 hoga, Logan, Union, Knox and Champaign 
 counties, Ohio, and for various companies, 
 continuing in business until 1872. 
 
 On December 22, 1863, Mr. Shoop was 
 married to Miss Sarah Thorp, who was 
 born May 15, 1843, in Grafton, daughter 
 of Ira S. and Sarah (Johnston) Thorp, and 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 783 
 
 to their union has come one child: Jessie, 
 Mrs. John G. Gardner, of Grafton town- 
 ship. In 1867 he removed to his present 
 farm, and here, since 1872, has been suc- 
 cessfully engaged in general agriculture. 
 In political faith he is a Repuhlican, and 
 has served in various township ottices. Mr. 
 Shoop is one of the representative self- 
 made men of Grafton township. He is a 
 leader in pulilic affairs, and his opinions on 
 agricultural subjects are highly valued. As 
 a citizen, he is public spirited, progressive 
 and enterprising, and is ready to assist in 
 every measure tending to benelit the com- 
 niunity in general. 
 
 THOMAS CHOPE,-a representative 
 prosperous agriculturist of Colum- 
 bia township, of which he is a native, 
 was born in April, 1841. 
 
 His parents, Thomas and Ann 
 (Rowlan) Chope, natives of England, where 
 they mari'ied, came in the year 1835 to 
 tlie United States and to Ohio, first locating 
 on the Public Square, Cleveland, whence 
 they moved to Columbia township, Loraiti 
 county, where they settled in the woods 
 and commenced clearing a farm. Their 
 first piece of land was thirty acres which 
 they improved, and they added thereto from 
 time to time till it is now a fine property 
 of 230 acres. Here they passed the re- 
 mainder of their days, the father dying in 
 1884, a lifelong Whig and Republican, the 
 mother in 1885. They had a family of 
 four children, all now deceased except our 
 subject, their names being Thomas, Will- 
 iam (deceased at the age of twenty-four), 
 Mary (deceased when twenty-two years 
 old) and Ann (who died at the age of 
 eighteen). 
 
 Thomas Chope, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, was educated at the schools of 
 his native township, and learned the 
 butchering business, which he followed 
 for some years in Cleveland and Chicago. 
 After the death of his father he took up 
 
 farming, which has since been his life 
 work, and he is now the ovrner of 125 
 acres, all in a good state of cultivation: on 
 it he erected, in 1890, a commodious barn, 
 40 X 60, standing oti twenty posts. In 
 1863 he was married, in Columbia town- 
 ship, to Miss Addie Van Dorn, by whom 
 he had five children, viz.: Clara, born in 
 1865, married in 1891 tt) A. Koth, of Co- 
 Innihia township; Charles AV., liorn in 
 1867, married to Miss Ida Robins in 1891, 
 and has a daughter, Florence M., born in 
 May, 1892 (he resides in Strongsville, 
 Cuyahoga county); Edward T., born in 
 1872, married to Miss Percy Viola Hillman 
 in 1890, and has one son, Clyde A., born 
 in 1891 (they reside in Cleveland); one 
 son, born in 1878, died at the ao-e of three 
 months; Henry, born in 1882, is living at 
 home. Politically ]\Ir. Chope is a straight 
 Republican, and he takes a lively interest 
 in all matters tending to the advancement 
 of his township and county. 
 
 <) 
 
 \Al KELLING. The Kingdom of Prus- 
 yI sia has given to the United States 
 1 not a few of her steadiest, most 
 progressive, useful and loyal citi- 
 zens, and this volume would be in- 
 complete were prominent mention not 
 made of the gentleman here named, a 
 native of Prussia. 
 
 Mr. Kelling was born March 22, 1829, 
 a son of John and Catherine (Schuster) 
 Kelling, also natives of Prussia, farmers, 
 who in 1844 set sail with their family 
 from Antwerp for the New World. Ar- 
 riving after a voyage of fifty-two days at 
 New York, they proceeded westward to 
 Ohio, reaching Sheffield township, Lorain 
 county, in August, same year, and here 
 they settled on the farm whereon our sub- 
 ject now lives. The father died in De- 
 cember, 1845. the mother in March, 1887. 
 The}' reared a family of eight children, as 
 follows: Georiie, married, and residinij; in 
 Sheffield township; N., subject of sketch; 
 
784 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Michael, married, and living in Sheffield 
 township, Lorain county; John, married, 
 and now in Pennsylvania; Joseph, mar- 
 ried, and a resident of Elyria, Ohio; Eliz- 
 abeth, wile of Anton Junc^las, of Salem, 
 Mich.; Anton, married, and residing in 
 Elyria, Ohio; and Jacob, somewhere in the 
 West. 
 
 N. Kelling, whose name opens this 
 sketch, received his education at the 
 schools of his native place, and was fifteen 
 years old when the family came to Amer- 
 ica. In their new home in Sheffield town- 
 ship he assisted in clearing up the farm, 
 and converting the forest wild into smil- 
 ing fields of golden grain. For a traae he 
 learned tliat of carpenter and joiner, at 
 which he worked some ten years in Cleve- 
 land; three years at Wellington, Lorain 
 county, and built a church at East Avon; 
 he also worked for a time at boat building. 
 In 1865 lie settled down to agricultural 
 pursuits, and bought the old homestead of 
 fifty-three and tiiree-quarters acres of land, 
 to which he has since added till he now 
 owns 120 acres, all in a high state of culti- 
 vation. In 1854 Mr. Kelling was united 
 in marriage, in Sheffield township, with 
 Margaret Diederich, who was born in 
 Prussia in 1833, and died in Sheffield 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, in 1855. To 
 this union was born one child, Gertrude, 
 who is the wife of Chris Laubentlial, of 
 Eidgevilie, and has four children. In 
 1858 Mr. Kelling married, for his second 
 wife. Miss Anna Mary Diederich, who 
 died in 1875, and by that marriage there 
 were six children, as follows: Katie, wife 
 of Tiiomas Monroe, of Elyria, Ohio, has 
 three children; Margaret, married to An- 
 drew Ferner, died in March, 1884, leaving 
 one son; Mary, wife of Peter Sclmeider, 
 of Kansas, has three children; Thursa, 
 wife of Michael Sterbenc, has one child; 
 John, married, resides in Elyria, Ohio; 
 and Eva, in Atlanta, Ga. In 1875 Mr. 
 Kelling married, for his third wife, Miss 
 Ferner Kunne. a native of Prussia, and 
 five sons have been born to them, named 
 
 respectively: Andrew, Peter, Henry, Con- 
 rad and Barney. In his political sympa- 
 thies our subject is a Democrat, and he 
 has been township trustee and supervisor. 
 He has been postmaster at Crandall, 
 Lorain county, since 1878, the office being 
 at his residence. Mr. and Mrs. Kelling 
 are members of the Catholic Church. 
 
 D. KEEFY, M. D., a prominent 
 physician of Elyria, is an Ohioan by 
 birtii. He received a common- 
 school education at the district 
 school, which he attended three 
 months in the winter, working on the 
 farm the balance of the year. 
 
 At the outbreak of the Civil war, while 
 yet a boy in his " teens," he enlisted in 
 Company F, Nineteenth 0. V. I., as pri- 
 vate, and served from September 7, 1861, 
 to November 25, 1865, with the army of 
 the Cumberland. He was engaged in all 
 the battles fought by that army, from Shi- 
 loh to its last general battle at Nashville, 
 in December, 18()4, participating, alto- 
 gether, in eighty-four engagements. He 
 held every rank from private to captain; 
 served as adjutant of his regiment for one 
 year; commanded a company two years; 
 served on the staff of Maj.-Gen. Wood 
 as mustering officer of the Third Division, 
 Fourth Army Corps; served as ordnance 
 officer of the Central Disti'ict of Texas, 
 and as assistant adjutant-general on the 
 staff of Maj.-Gen. Sam. Beatty. 
 
 Immediately after the war our subject 
 spent two years at school, and in 1867 he 
 went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he studied 
 medicine, and graduated in 1869. At 
 Bellevue Hospital, N. Y., he spent half a 
 year, and in 1871 graduated from Cleve- 
 land Medical College. In 1873 he went 
 to Europe, and studied in Vienna and Ber- 
 lin, returning to Ohio in 1874, since when 
 he has been in active practice at Elyria. 
 
 In 1877 Dr. Reefy was married to Lib- 
 bie Mountaine, to which union have been 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 181 
 
 added two rollicking cliiklren, Karl and 
 Bessie. In politics and religion the Doc- 
 tor is strictly independent; neither party 
 nor creed can liold him in alliance, but he 
 acts on the impulse of his own opinion, 
 caring little for the conventionalities of 
 society or their influence. 
 
 EOEGE BRYANT, retired, well 
 |, known and highly respected in the 
 community, is a native of England, 
 born in the parish of King Stanley, 
 Gloucestershire, November 1,1814. 
 John Bryant, father of subject, was born 
 in Wales, and was there married March 
 18, 1813, to Miss Pamelia Collins, who 
 bore him six children, as follows: George, 
 subject of this sketch; Jane, deceased wife 
 of A. H. Redington; Ann, wife of George 
 Collins, of Anilierst; J. C, residing in 
 Buffalo, N. Y., a member of the faculty of 
 the Bryant & Stratton Business College; 
 H. B., founder of the Bryant & Stratton 
 Business Colle<j;e; and Pamelia, wife of 
 Henry Dwight Stratton, of the lirm of 
 Bryant & Stratton, proprietors of the well- 
 known business colleges. The father, who 
 was all his life a farmer, came with his 
 family to this country in 1830, arriving in 
 South Amherst, Lurain Co., Ohio, October 
 18, 1880, and here bought the farm prop- 
 erty owned by his son George. He died 
 in 1880, aged ninety-one years and six 
 months; his wife had preceded him to the 
 grave in August, lsG4, when seventy-six 
 years old. Her father was a clergyman in 
 the Church of England in the mother 
 country, very prominent as a "High 
 Church'" ecclesiastic. Nathaniel Bryant, 
 grandfather of our subject, was coachman 
 to the Duke of Wellington for some time; 
 he died at Anihcrft, Lorain county, at the 
 age of eighty-nine years. 
 
 George Bryant, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, was, as will be seen, si.xteen 
 jears old when the family came to Lorain 
 county. With the exception of three 
 
 weeks' schooling in South Amhei'st, he 
 received all his education in his native 
 ])arish in England, at the same time being 
 thoroughly trained to agricultural pursuits 
 under the immediate tuition of his father. 
 He followed farming all his active life, and 
 made a thorough success of it. 
 
 In 1836 he was married to Miss Ade- 
 line L. Webb, born February 6, 1817, in 
 Amherst township, Lorain county, and six 
 children, as follows, were born to them: 
 Ellen T., deceased wife of Darius Plumb; 
 Mary D., who married James H. liedfern, 
 and had one child, Lottie B., whu died 
 when eighteen and a half years old (our 
 subject now resides with this daughter); 
 George W., who has three children — 
 Maude L. (wife of John Harper), Adeline 
 L. and Sadie G.; Pamelia, who married 
 George Camp, and died without issue; E. 
 C, who had four children — Charles, Nina 
 May, Harvey (deceased) and Delia; and 
 Ciiarley C, residing on the old home farm, 
 who has one child, Eva. Mrs. Adeline L. 
 Bryant was a schoolteacher before mar- 
 riage, and afterward she aided her husband 
 very materially in improving his educa- 
 tion. It may be here mentioned that his 
 schooling in this country was abruptly 
 terminated by hiuiself, as the other boys 
 ''made too much fun of his (Tloucester- 
 shire accent;" but in after years his clever 
 wife came to his assistance, and imparted 
 to him an interest in study, wliereby he 
 became a great reader and one of the best 
 infoi'med men in the community. Mrs. 
 Bryant died February 29, 18S8. A lie- 
 publican in politics, formerly a Whig, Mr. 
 Bryant's first vote was cast for Andrew 
 Jackson. He is now retired from active 
 life, and makes his home with his daugh- 
 ter and son-in law — Mr. and Mrs. James 
 H. Kedfern. [Since the above was written, 
 we have received information of the death 
 of Mr. George Bryant, which occurred 
 August 13, 1893.— Ed.] 
 
 H. B. Bryant, brother of our sul>ject, 
 was the founder of the famous Bryant & 
 Stratton Business College, the nucleus of 
 
788 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 wliich was a small class gathered together 
 by liiin for a Mr. P^olsotue in Cleveland, 
 with whom he became a partner, nitiinately 
 succeeding him; and from this small be- 
 ginning he developed the great commercial 
 school, establishing no less than forty-nine 
 business colleges in various parts of the 
 United States and Canada. 
 
 James 11. Redfern, son-in-law of George 
 Bryant, was born February 13, 1840, near 
 Toronto, Ontario (Canada), a son of 
 Robert and Ellen (McClarendon) Redfern. 
 In his boyhood he came to Ohio, where, 
 at Olmsted Falls, N'orth Amherst, and 
 Soutli Amherst, he completed his educa- 
 tion. For a trade he learned harness- 
 making in South Amherst, and followed 
 same till 1862, in which year he enlisted 
 in Company F, One Hundred and Third 
 O. V. I. He served in the army of the 
 West, and participated in the following 
 battles: Armstrong's Hill, Knoxville 
 (Tenn.), Atlanta and Eesaca, besides 
 many others; he was promoted to corporal, 
 and received his discharge June 20, 1865. 
 After the war he applied himself to his 
 trade about one yeai', part of the time 
 keeping a shop of his own, and then 
 worked on a farm in Amherst township 
 till 1878, when he paid a visit to Hays 
 City, Kans., taking up a claim whereon he 
 remained about two years, at the end of 
 whicli time he returned to Lorain county, 
 and engao-ed in his present coal business 
 in Elyria. 
 
 FITT McROBERTS, one of the most 
 prominent citizens and well-to-do 
 farmers of Pittstield township, is 
 descended from a well-known pio- 
 neer family of Lorain county. He 
 was born December 22, 1834, in Pittsfield 
 township, son of Peter and Eliza (Wait) 
 McRoberts. 
 
 Onr subject was i-eared to farm life, and 
 received snch education as the common 
 schools of his time afforded; the old school- 
 house which he attended stood in the midst 
 
 of a forest, which has since become a pro- 
 ductive field, and now forms part of his 
 farm. The father died when Pitt was but 
 twelve years of age. and he then went to 
 live with Orlando Hall, a wealthy farmer, 
 with whom he remained several years. On 
 December 12, 1860. he was united in mar- 
 riage with Abbie Barnard, a native of Ver- 
 mont, daughter of Wood Barnard, and 
 they located in Pittsfield township on a 
 farm of forty acres, which he had pur- 
 chased. In 1856 they went to live with 
 the widow of Orlando Hall, and here they 
 have since remained. This farm comprises 
 140 acres, and Mr. McRoberts owns, alto- 
 gether, 239 acres, divided into two farms. 
 He is an industrious, hard-working farm- 
 er, and has attained considerable success 
 in his life vocation. He is a man of prac- 
 tical education, has a good memory, and is 
 quite an extensive reader, keeping well up 
 with the times. In 1892 he took a trip 
 through the South, viewing southern bat- 
 tle lields and other places of interest. In 
 his political tendencies he is a Republican, 
 and an intliiential man in his party, but 
 does not dabble much in affairs of state. 
 
 I[ ACOB KNELLMER, one of the lead- 
 >■ I '"8 representative farmers of Brown- 
 ^^ helm township, is a native of Lorain 
 county, born in Henrietta township, 
 April 12, 1852, a son of Henry and Eliza- 
 beth (Battenhousen) Knellmer. 
 
 The parents were born in Germany, and 
 soon after their marriage emigrated to the 
 
 -r-r-r ^ 
 
 Western World, making a settlement in 
 Lorain county, Ohio, tirst in Henrietta 
 township and finally in Brownhelm, in 
 which latter township the father died at 
 the age of sixty-four years; the mother is 
 yet living, now aged seventy-eight. She 
 is a member of the Reformed Church; her 
 husband was associated with the Evangeli- 
 cal Church, and in politics was a Republi- 
 can. In the Fatherland he lived the Ar- 
 cadian life of a shepherd, and in this 
 country he followed farming. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 789 
 
 The subject proper of this sketch re- 
 ceived a liberal common-school education, 
 and was reared toagricnltnreon his father's 
 farm. In 187G he was married to Miss 
 Mary Schnuck, who was born in 1849 in 
 Brownhelm. Lorain Co., Ohio, daughter of 
 Henry and Barbara (Clous) Schnuck, na- 
 tives of Germany, and seven children have 
 come to bless their home, viz.: Melissa, 
 Benjamin Franklin, Albert, Emma, Bertha, 
 Ella and Clara. After marriage Mr. and 
 Mrs. Knellmer settled on their present 
 farm of 165 acres, where they have met, 
 thanks to their industry and judicious 
 thrift, with well-merited success. He is a 
 Democrat, and has served his township as 
 trustee and assessor. 
 
 CHARLES STONE, a prominent and 
 highly respected citizen of Lorain 
 county, is a native of same, l)orn 
 October 12, 1837, in Pittstield 
 township. 
 
 His father, Reuben Stone, son of Samuel 
 Stone, was born in 1812, in Bennington 
 county, Vt., received a common-school 
 education, and aftervcard taught school. 
 When a young man he married Hannah 
 T. Whitney, who was also boi-n in 1S12, 
 in Vermont, daughter of Joseph and 
 Abigail (Townes) Whitney. Li 1835 the 
 young couple came to Pittsfield township, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio, and here bought 101 
 acres of timber land at three dollars ])er 
 acre, upon which he erected a small frame 
 house. At the time of their settlement 
 the country was still in a primitive state, 
 and wild animals al)ounded. Here their 
 children were all born, as follows: Frank- 
 lin, who became marshal of Oberlin, and 
 was killed in 1880, while attempting to 
 arrest a colored boy; Charles, subject of 
 sketch ; Eliza L.. wife of Wesley Hill, of 
 Madison, S. Dak.; Betsey A., Mrs. Scott 
 Mongar, of Nuckolls county. Neb.; Al- 
 merou R., of Cincinnati, Ohio; and Abbie 
 
 A., wife of Dr. R. J. Cummer, of the 
 National Vapor Stove Co., in Cleveland. 
 Mr. Stone became a successful farmer, and 
 I'cmained in Pittsfield township until 
 ISGO, when he removed to Oberlin and 
 embarked in the luini)er and sawmill busi- 
 ness. Mrs. Stone died in 1878, her hus- 
 band in 1884, and both are buried in 
 Oijerlin. In politics he was originally a 
 Wiiig, then a Free-soiler and finally a Re- 
 publican, and served in various local 
 offices in Pittsfield township and later in 
 Oberlin. He was pr)ssessed of good com- 
 mon sense and sound judgment, and was 
 selected to fill many positions of trust, in 
 which capacity he settled up a number of 
 estates, and transacted considerable busi- 
 ness of a like nature. He and his wife 
 were both members of the Congregational 
 Church. 
 
 Charles Stone received his early educa- 
 tion in the common schools, and later at- 
 tended Oberlin College, but did not cou)- 
 plete a course there, though liis parents 
 desired him to. For two years he worked for 
 A. Whitney, of Pittsfield township, and 
 while ill his employ spent a winter in the lum- 
 ber regions of Mississippi and Tennessee. 
 On September IS, 1860, he was united in 
 marriage with Lucy H. Ives, who was born 
 in 1839 in Pittsfield township, (laughter of 
 John and Rebecca (McCloen) Ives. After 
 marriage Mr. Stone bought 118 acres of 
 land in Pittsfield township, going into 
 debt for same, and went to work on this 
 farm (a comparatively new one, and heav- 
 ily timl)cred). which he sold, however, in a 
 a few years. He then bought the ''old home- 
 stead farm" from his father, and resided 
 there until 1876, when he bought land one 
 mile south of Oberlin in Pittsfield town- 
 ship; in 1S79 he erected a fine residence 
 on this place, where he has since made his 
 home. In 1876 he was elected sheriff of 
 Lorain county, and served during 1877 and 
 1878, when faili?ig health caused him to 
 retire from that office, having lu) desire to 
 remain. Mr. and Mrs. Stone have one 
 foster-child, Nellie L., who enjoys all the 
 
790 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 advautatfes of an elejjaiit home and fine 
 school at Oberlin. Since his retirement 
 to private life Mr. Stone has completely 
 recovered his health, but does not engage 
 in active farm work. He deals extensively 
 in bogs and sheep, and is also somewhat of 
 an auctioneer, being, altogether, a very suc- 
 cessful business man. In his political af- 
 filiations he is an ardent, lifelong Repub- 
 lican, and is a leading, highly esteemed 
 member of the community. Our subject 
 is a great lover of sport, every now and 
 then allowing himself a hunting expedi- 
 tion in the Northwest; and he frequently 
 makes a short angling tour through Mich- 
 igan, being a devoted follower of Izaak 
 AValton. 
 
 to 
 
 HAPMAN FAMILY. Nothing defi- 
 nite is known of Robert Chapman, 
 the first of the family under con- 
 sideration in the country, previous 
 his emigration hither. According to 
 the family tradition, he came from Hull, 
 England, to Bo>ton in 1635, from which 
 place he sailed, in company with Lyon 
 Gardiner, for Saybrook, as one of the com- 
 pany of twenty men who were sent over 
 by Sir Richard Salstonstall, to take pos- 
 session of a large tract of land, aind make 
 settlement near the mouth of the Connecti- 
 cut river under the patent of Lord Say and 
 Seal. At this time he is supposed to have 
 been about eighteen years old. 
 
 After the Indians were subdued, they 
 proceeded to clear up the forests and form 
 a permanent settlement. For about ten 
 years afrer leaving England he kept a jour- 
 nal. The colony records show that each of 
 his three sons were representatives to the 
 Legislature, to which he himself had also 
 been elected forty- three times. The eldest 
 son served there twenty-two Sessions, the 
 second eighteen Sessions, and the third 
 twenty-four Sessions. 
 
 Robert Chapman seems to have been a 
 soldier, as his name appears as a sentinel in 
 the Pequot war in 1637. It appears from 
 
 the records of Saybrook, that he was a 
 very large landholder in the town of Say- 
 brook, and East Haddam. He left at his 
 decease 1,500 acres to each of his three 
 sons, which had been received by him as 
 one of the legatees of Uncas,an Indian chief. 
 Robert himself resided on a tract of land 
 in the Oyster River Quarter, about two 
 miles west of Saybrook Fort, which has 
 descended in the line of the youngest son 
 of each family, never having been bought 
 or sold, and which in 1854 was occupied 
 by George H. Chapman, Esq., the young- 
 est of the fifth generation. Robert Chap- 
 man was a man of exemplary piety, and 
 but a short time previous to his decease he 
 wrote an address to his children, who were 
 all members of the church, in which he 
 exhorted them to a devoted life, and to 
 abide by the Covenant into which they had 
 entered with God and his church. Rob- 
 ert's parents were Puritans, whose religi- 
 ons zeal had been transmitted to him. 
 There are several letters on file in the 
 ofiice of the Secretary of State, written to 
 Robert Chapman. 
 
 Robert Chapman was married to Ann 
 Bliss, April 2'J, 16-12. According to the 
 family tradition he was born in 1616, and 
 died October 13, 1687, aged seventy-one 
 years. He had seven children, as follows: 
 John, Robert, Anna, Hannah, Nathaniel, 
 Mary and Sarah. 
 
 Robert Chapman, Jr., the second son of 
 the first settler, was born in September, 
 1646, at Saybrook, Conn., and was an ex- 
 tensive aiiriculturist, owning at the time 
 of his decease not less than 2,000 acres of 
 land. The town records show him to have 
 been a man of extensive influence in civil 
 affairs. He was for many years clerk of 
 Oyster River Quarter, as well as commis- 
 sioner and survej'or for the town of Say- 
 brook. He was a member of the Legisla- 
 ture from 1692 to 1711. He was also a 
 member of the Assembly that drafted the 
 Saybrook Platform in 1708, a work that 
 has preserved the purity of the Congrega- 
 tional Churches of Connecticut for 185 
 
■^V^^^^^i^^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 793 
 
 years. Mr. Chapman was twice married, 
 first to Sara (iriswold, of Norwich, Conn., 
 July 27, 1071, by whom he had nine cliil- 
 dren. This wife died April 7, 1692, and 
 October 29, 1694, he was married to Mrs. 
 Mary Sheather, by whom he had fourchil- 
 (h-en. His children by the first marriage 
 were: Samuel, Robert, Sarah, Francis, Dor- 
 cas, Steven, one son that died in infancy, 
 Sarah, and a son tliat died an infant. By 
 the second marria^^e there were Benjamin, 
 Steven, Mehetabel and Abacjail. Mr. Chap- 
 man died suddenly in the Hartford court- 
 room November, 1711. He was buried 
 in tiie old burial ground at Hartford, 
 Conn., in the rear of the Centre Church, 
 where his tombstone now stands, about a 
 rod north of the monument on which are 
 inscribed the names of the first settlers of 
 Hartfoi'd, with this inscription — " Here 
 lyeth the body of Robt, Chapman who 
 departed this life November ye 10th 1711 
 aged 65 years. " 
 
 Capt. Samuel Chapman, eldest son of 
 Robert (Jhapmati, Jutiior, was born Sep- 
 tember 12, 1672. On December 0, 1693;, 
 he married Margaret Griswold, a daughter 
 of Capt. Samuel Griswold, of Norwich, 
 Conn., and by her he had ten children. 
 Mrs. Chapman died December 21, 1750. 
 Mr. Chapman was a prominent man in 
 civil aniJ military affairs. He resided in 
 what is now the town of Westbrook, and was 
 one of the first fourteen persons organized 
 into a church at that place June 29, 1726. 
 The date of his death is not known. His 
 children were Sarah, Martraret, Samuel, 
 Martha, Temperance, Jedediah, Mehetabel, 
 Caleb, Lucy and Aaron. 
 
 Jedediah Chapman fl), the second son 
 of Capt. Samuel Chapman, was bom at 
 Westbrook, Conn., October 9, 1703, and 
 was married to Miss Hester Kirtland, June 
 5, 1723, by whom be had eight children. 
 He was a very prominent man in the so- 
 ciety of Westlirook in military, civil and 
 religious affairs. He was a major of in- 
 fantry, a lawyer by profession, and held 
 the position of deacon in the church from 
 
 1732 until his death, which took place at 
 Westbrook February 10, 1764, in the 
 sixty-first year of his age. The following 
 were his children: Hester, Temperance, 
 Jedediah, Ann, Reuben, Charity, Chloe 
 and Tabitha. 
 
 Jedediah Chapman (2), eldest son of 
 Maj. Jedediah, was born at Westbrook, 
 December 15, 1726, and was married to 
 Miss Mary Grinnell in 175.J. He was 
 deacon of the church of Westbrook from 
 1771 until his death, which transpired 
 February 29, 1816, a period of forty-four 
 years, and was for twenty years justice of 
 the peace. At his decease he was ninety 
 years of age. His' children were Dan, 
 Jedediah, Constant, Hester, Lucilla, Mary, 
 Ann and Aaron. 
 
 Constant Chapman, son of Deacon Jede- 
 diah Chapman (2), was born at Westbrook, 
 Conn., December 27, 1760, and was mar- 
 ried to Miss Jemima Kelsey, of Killing- 
 worth, Conn., January 27,1785, by whom 
 he had nine (diildren. At the early age of 
 si.xteen he entered the Revolutionary army, 
 was for six years under the immediate 
 command of Washington, and was for 
 some time one of his body-guard. He was 
 at the battle of Long Island, Germantown, 
 Princeton, and Trenton, experienced all 
 the rigors of Valley Forge, and was at the 
 final surremler of Cornwallis at Yorktown. 
 He also followed the sea for many years, 
 rising to the position of captain of a 
 merchant vessel, trading on the coast of 
 South America, and to Lisbon, and other 
 foreign ports. In 1793 the vessel, of 
 which he was commander, was captured by 
 the French off Porto Rico, scuttled and 
 sunk, while he and his crew were carried 
 i)risoners to the French Island of Guade- 
 loupe, and after fotir months he was libera- 
 ted. The hitler part of his life was spent in 
 Brimtield, Portage Co., Ohio, where he 
 died in 1850, aged ninety years. His 
 children were Lydia K., Thurot F., John 
 K., Anna M., Cloe P., Mary C, Josepii 
 G., Jemima T. and Henry C. The chil- 
 dren of Constant Chapman, it will be 
 
794 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Been, all had middle names, while none of 
 liis ancestry were thus favored. 
 
 Tlnirot F. Chapman, eldest, sen of Con- 
 stant Chapman, was born at Old Killing- 
 worth, Conn., December 7, 1789, and was 
 twice married: first, November 17, 1810, 
 to Lydia Andross, by whom he had one 
 child; second, October 16, 1833, to Eliza- 
 beth Furray, by whom he had thi'ee chil- 
 dren. In the war of 1812 he enlisted in 
 Col. Van Kensselaer's Regiment of New 
 York Militia, crossed the Niagara river 
 into Canada, and was at the battle of 
 Queenston Heights, and taken prisoner 
 there but afterward paroled. Mr. Chap- 
 man was for some time a sailor in the 
 coasting trade, and also in the business of 
 codtishing off Newfoundland and the 
 Straitsof Belle Isle. He was a man of ster- 
 ling integrity and of the most generous im- 
 pulses. The poor and the oppressed were 
 never turned away empty from his door, 
 and many a poor slave escaping from 
 bondHge was by him fed, sheltered and 
 helped on his way to freedom. Mr. Chap- 
 man first set up his family home in 
 Smithville, Chenango Co., N. Y., but 
 emicrrated to the wilderness of the Ohio 
 Western Reserve in 1817, where he followed 
 clearing land a number of years, having 
 chopped, cleared and fenced nearly 300 
 acres of land. He here died December 16, 
 1860, aged seventy-one years, a practical 
 Christian of the Congregational school. 
 His children were Alonzo A., a sketch of 
 whom follows; Emily A., wife of Lucius 
 R. Fields, of Oberlin, Ohio; Degrass S., 
 who enlisted, during the Civil war, in 
 Company K, Twenty-third O. V. I., was 
 wounded at the battle of Antietam, and 
 died six days later in the field hospital, 
 aged twenty-four years; and Harlan P., 
 special mention of whom will presently be 
 made. The mother of the three last named 
 children was born in New Durham, Greene 
 Co.. N. Y., March 9, 1804, and was killed 
 by accident in Oberlin June 12, 1876. 
 
 Alonzo A. Chapman, eldest son of Thu- 
 rot F'. Chapman, was born August 25, 
 
 1811, at Smithville, N. Y., and was mar- 
 ried September 30, 1832, to Miss Mar- 
 garet Taylor, by whom he hiid seven chil- 
 dren. He was for many years a farmer in 
 Eaton township, Lorain Co., Ohio, and 
 was one of the first residents of that town- 
 ship, coming there with his parents in 
 1817. He was called upon to fill various 
 positions of trust in civil and religious 
 affairs. He was a member of the M. E. 
 Church over fifty years, and was a mem- 
 ber of the first class organized at LaPorte, 
 Ohio. He moved his family to Ridge- 
 ville, Henry Co., Ohio, in 1<S66, and was 
 for n)any years in the lumber business. 
 Mr. Chapman died at Ridgeville Corners, 
 Ohio. August 5, 1890, aged seventy-nine 
 years. His children were as follows: 
 William T., Mary L., Henry L. (1), 
 Emory N., Pamila A., Facelia S. and 
 Henry L. (2). 
 
 William T. Chapman, eldest son of 
 Alonzo A. Chapman, was born in Eaton 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, on Butternut 
 Ridge, July 10, 1833, and was married 
 March 21, 1854, to Miss Fidelia S. Banis- 
 tee, by whom he has had three children. 
 His vocation has been that of teacher, 
 having entered that profession in the fall 
 of 1852, and continuing therein until the 
 spring of 1890, a period of thirty-eight 
 years. He has taught, in all, fifty-seven 
 terms in the followincr connties of Ohio: 
 Eighteen terms in Lorain, one in Cuya- 
 hoga, two in Defiance, two in Lucas, 
 twenty-three in Henry and eleven in Ful- 
 ton. In 1867 he removed with iiis family 
 to Henry county, settling in Ridgeville, 
 where he now (1893) resides. On August 
 4, 1862, he enlisted as a private soldier in 
 the Union army to assist in putting down 
 the slaveholders' Rebellion, and upon the 
 organization of the company he was made 
 a sergeant. In December, 1862, he was 
 made orderly sergeant, and in June fol- 
 lowing received a commission as second 
 lieutenant of Company II, One Hundred 
 and Third O. Y. I.; in March, 1864, he 
 was discharged for physical disability by 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 795 
 
 order of E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War. 
 His cliildren are Minnie E., Myra O. and 
 Myrta J. 
 
 Emory N. Chapman, second son of 
 Alonzo A. Cliapnian, enlisted August 11, 
 1862, in Company 11, One Hundred and 
 Third O. V. I.; disciiarged September 17, 
 1864, on account of wound received at 
 Resaea, Ga., May 14, 1S()4. 
 
 Henry L. Chapman, fourth son of 
 Alonzo A. Chapman, enlisted December 
 24, 186B, in Company F, One Hundred 
 and Twenty-fourtli 0. V. I.; was left in 
 tobacco shed witli the smallpox at Con- 
 cord Station, East Tenn.; both feet were 
 frozen so that the toes came off; discharged 
 for same May 31, 1865. 
 
 Haelan p. Chapman, the subject proper 
 of this family sketch, and the youngest 
 child born to Thurot F. and Elizabeth 
 (Furray) Chapman, was born on Butternut 
 liidge, in Eaton township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, September 6,1844. In his boyhood 
 and early youth he attended the common 
 schools of the vicinity, and Oberlin Col- 
 lep;e two terms, in the meantime being 
 reared on the farm. On August 4, 1862, 
 he enlisted in Company H, One Hundred 
 and Third Regiment O. Y. I., which was 
 first sent to Camp Cleveland, thence to 
 Cincinnati, Ohio, whence they marched to 
 Kentucky, wintering at Frankfort. In 
 April, 1863, they moved across the State 
 to the Cumberland river, where they liad 
 several skirmishes with tile Confederates, 
 and following August were placed under 
 Burnside, after which they crossed the 
 Cumberland Mountains into East Tennes- 
 see. Mr. Chapman participated in the 
 battles of Blue Spring, Knoxviile and 
 Armstrong's Hill, at which latter engage- 
 ment, which took place Thanksgiving Day, 
 November 25, ^863, he received a serious 
 wound, from which he never fnily recov- 
 ered, a musket ball beino; left imbedded in 
 the hip joint; after nine months' confine- 
 ment to hospital, he returned home on 
 furlough. Before he was ordered back to 
 hospital he was married March 31, 1864, 
 
 to Mifss Mary C. Pitkin, of Brunswick, 
 Medina Co., Ohio, and he was not called 
 upon for further service in the army. 
 After his discharge, June 27, 1804, he 
 settled on his present farm in Carlisle 
 township, village of LaPorte. Here were 
 born to him and his wife three children, 
 viz.: Erie D., educated at Elyriaand Oi)er- 
 lin; Otto B. and Oleo. Politically our 
 subject is a sound Republican, and for 
 three years served as postmaster at La- 
 Porte; in November, 1892, he was elected 
 treasurer of Lorain county, and was duly 
 installed into said otfice on September 
 4, 1893. 
 
 THOMAS WILFORD, a representa- 
 tive farmer of Amherst township, is 
 a native of " Merrie England," born 
 in Clipston, Northamptonshire, in 
 1827, a son of John and Sophia 
 (Falkner) Wilford, of the same county. 
 The mother died at Clipston, England, in 
 1835. 
 
 John Wilford, who was a slioemaker, in 
 1838 came to the United States and to 
 Elyria, Lorain Co., Ohio, where he followed 
 his trade. From there he moved to North 
 Amherst with one Thomas Quirk, and to- 
 gether they carried on a boot and shoe 
 business till in 1840, when he bought 
 Quirk out. He then went to Lorain, same 
 county, where he opened out both a shoe 
 store and a meat market, and passed the 
 rest of his days, dying in 1872. In North 
 Amherst he had married Nancy Stanton, 
 and three children were born to them, viz. : 
 Richard (married), living in Cleveland; 
 Lucy, wife of George Peach, of Toledo, 
 Oiiio; and George, married and living in 
 North Amherst, Ohio. 
 
 The subject of tliis sketch came with 
 his father to the United States and to Lo- 
 rain county, and received his education 
 partly in the schools of England, partly in 
 those of Lorain county. In 1862 he en- 
 listed in North Amiierst, in Company I, 
 One Hundred and Twenty-eighth O. V. I., 
 
796 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 for three years or during the war, and 
 served on Jolinson's Island to the close of 
 the struggle — twenty-one months in ail. 
 Returning to Lorain county, he recom- 
 menced the pursuits of peace, cultivating 
 his farm, and he now owns a good property 
 of sixty acres in a prime state of cultiva- 
 tion. Mr. AViltbrd in politics is a Repub- 
 lican, and is a strong Prohibitionist; at 
 one time he joined the Murphy movement, 
 and he is a strong advocate of temperance. 
 He is a menilter of Rice Post, No. 148 
 G. A.R.,at North Amherst. When a young 
 man he sailed the lakes two or three sea- 
 sons, and spent two years in Kankakee 
 county, 111., working at day labor. 
 
 J 
 
 (AMES JACKSON, who for the 
 past half century has been actively 
 identified with the agricultural inter- 
 
 O 
 
 ests of Lorain county, Ohio, was born 
 October 5, 1816, in Champion, Jefi'erson 
 county. New York. 
 
 He is a grandson of Reuben Jackson, and 
 son of Daniel, who was born in 1775 in 
 Pittsfield, Mass., where he learned the 
 blacksmitli's trade under his father. He 
 was married in his native State to Patty 
 Kellogg, w'ho was born in Pittsfield in 
 1785, and while residing in Massachusetts 
 three children were born to them, as fol- 
 lows: Jane, who married Harvy Birdseye, 
 died in Trenton, Oneida Co., N. Y., when 
 aged eighty-four years; Pliny, born in 
 1806; and Sally, who married William 
 Giliett, and died at the age of thirty-six in 
 Pentield, Ohio. Between 1812 and 1815 
 the family removed west to Jefferson 
 county, N. Y., and bought the farm where- 
 on the parents passed the remaining years 
 of their lives, the father engaging chiefly 
 in agriculture, although he also followed 
 his trade to some extent. In New York 
 State were born the following named chil- 
 dren: Susan, who married William Chap- 
 man, and died in Chicago at an advanced 
 age; Maria, who married Ferdinand Turni- 
 
 cliff, and died in Pittsfield, Ohio; Jason, 
 a farmer, who died in Champion, Jeflerson 
 Co., N. Y.; Daniel, also deceased iu 
 Champion, N. Y. ; James, the subject of 
 this sketch; Charille, who married Hiram 
 Hopkins, and died in Wellington, Ohio; 
 Jesse, a farmer of Humboldt county, Iowa; 
 and Belah, who died after reachino; adult 
 age in Champion, Jefferson Co., N. Y. 
 Mr. Jackson was a very successful farmer. 
 He was a man of wonderful vitality, ac- 
 tive and capable of performing a hard day's 
 work to the very end of his life: he died 
 suddenly, while chopping wood, in his 
 eighty-fourth year. He frequeutly re- 
 marked that he did nut know what it was 
 to feel tired. In politics he was an Old- 
 line AVhig, a stanch member of the party. 
 His wife died at the age of ninety-three 
 years, and lies buried by his side in Cham- 
 pion cemetei-y; they were devout members 
 of the Old-school Presbyterian Church, 
 and he was a man so highly respected, es- 
 teemed and loved everywhere, that it could 
 almost be said he had not an enemy in the 
 world. 
 
 James Jackson attended the common 
 schools, but in his youth cared so little for 
 study that he preferred to stay at home 
 and assist witii the duties on the farm. 
 His first knowledg;e of ao-ricnlture was ob- 
 tained under his father on the ho:ne place, 
 where he remained until he was twenty- 
 five years of age. In June, 18-13, he set 
 out for Ohio, traveling, on the first railroad 
 he ever saw, to Butt'alo, where he took 
 passage on a lake boat for Black River 
 (now Lorain), Lorain county, his destina- 
 tion being Pittsfield, Lorain county, where 
 he had a brotlier-in-law. named Turnicliif, 
 with wiiom he resided for some time. 
 Then, in company with his brother Daniel, 
 he purchased an interest in a tract of fif- 
 teen acres in Pittsfield township, which, 
 after many days of hard labor, clearing and 
 preparing the land, which was all in the 
 woods, they sowed to wheat; but just a 
 few weeks before harvest time a heavy 
 frost destroyed the crops, and eighteen 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 797 
 
 months of labor were lost. Ou February 
 10, 1848, our subject was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Jael K. Coats, who was 
 horn January 22, 1819, in the town of 
 Amherst, Erie Co., N. Y., daughter of 
 Josiah and Diautlie (Harmon) Coats, who 
 came to Ohio in 1836, locating first in 
 Clarksfield. Huron county, and later re- 
 moving to New London township, same 
 county, where the parents died and were 
 buried. After marriage Mr. Jackson took 
 up his home in a small trame house, 18 .\ 22, 
 which he had erected, and there resided 
 until 1859, when he came to Penfield 
 township, and purchased, from David Cur- 
 tice, 114 acres of land, which then con- 
 tained no improvements but a log house 
 and barn. Here he has since resided, and 
 he has cultivated and improved the land, 
 and put up all thefarai buildings thereon, 
 as well as a comfortable residence, whicii 
 was erected in 1873. Havina-had but lit- 
 tie assistance in life, his present prosperity 
 is all the direct result of his own efforts. 
 In his political preferences he was origin- 
 ally an Old-line Whii;, easting his first 
 vote for William H. Harrison, and is now 
 a stanch member of the Republican party, 
 never missing an election, though he is not 
 an active politician. In religious matters 
 he is a member of the U. B. Church, his 
 wife of the M. E. Church, with wiiicli she 
 united in 1838. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson 
 are the parents of children as follows: Al- 
 bert K., a resident of Curtice, Ottawa Co., 
 Ohio; Sally, who died young; Antoinette, 
 who died at the age of twenty-one years; 
 Charles E., of Farnam, Dawson Co., Neb., 
 a carpenter by trade; and Emma L. (at 
 home) and Amy E. (Mrs. August Griffis, 
 of Farnam, Neb.), twins. 
 
 'LAYTON J. BELL, a well-known 
 wide-awake and go-aheail young 
 farmer of Brighton township, is a 
 native of same, born June 4, 1859, 
 
 on the farm which he now owns and 
 
 lives on. 
 
 John Bell, grandfather of subject, was 
 born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, in 
 1800, and in early boyhood was appren- 
 ticed to a carpenter; but not liking the 
 trade he ran away from his employer be- 
 fore completing his apprenticeship. In his 
 native land he married Miss Mary Ann 
 Grundale, also born in 1800, and in 1831 
 they came to the United States, bi-inging 
 their little son. John, and locating near 
 Clarksville, N.J. , where he found employ- 
 ment, first as a common laborer, later as 
 gate tender on tiie Morristown Canal, he 
 doing the night work, his wife the day 
 work. There were born to them children 
 as follows: Mary Jane, now Mrs. Sheldon 
 Clark, of Brighton township, Lorain 
 county; Montgomery, a farmer of Eaton 
 County, Mich.; Amanda M. (deceased), 
 married to Michael Backins; Elizabeth, 
 now Mrs. Newton Snow, of Bedford, Ohio; 
 Henry, born in 1842. a farmer in Eaton 
 county, Mich.; and Margaret (Mrs. Lucas), 
 of Camden, Ohio, now forty-four years old. 
 In 1842 the family, attracted hither by an 
 old friend, Isaac Griggs, who .some years 
 before had settled in Brighton township, 
 Lorain county, followed him to that town- 
 ship, where the father bought land. Here 
 he passed the rest of his days, dying May 
 2, 1863, and was buried in Brighton ceme- 
 tery; his widow still survives him, now 
 aged ninety-three years, wonderfully hale 
 and hearty considering her patriarchal 
 years. Mr. Bell was a iiard-working man, 
 one who prospered and made his ujark in 
 the community in which he lived. Politi- 
 cally he was originally a Democrat, but 
 during the later years of his life voted 
 under the banner of the Republican party; 
 in his native country he was a member 
 of the Church of England, but did not 
 unite with any denomination in the United 
 States. 
 
 John Bell, Jr., father of Clayton J. Bell, 
 was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, 
 in December, 1830, and was but aji infant 
 when his parents brought him to America. 
 At the age of twelve he came with the rest 
 
798 
 
 LORAIX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 of tlie family to Ohio, and when old 
 enough worked out as a farm hand, thus 
 securine a fair start in life as an agricul- 
 turist. Hy untiring energy, patient toil 
 and judicious economy he found liimself 
 the owner of 115 acres of prime land, on 
 which he built a comfortable residence and 
 cominodious outlionses. On March 17, 
 1879, he departed this life, and was buried 
 in Brighton cemetery; his wife was called 
 from earth March 20, 1889. She was Miss 
 Sophronia Kingsbury, born in Brighton 
 township, Lorain county, of an old pioneer 
 family, and their children were two sons: 
 Clayton J. and Elmer, both of whom grew 
 to maturity; Elmer died when twenty- 
 three Years old, and was buried in Brigh- 
 ton cemetery. 
 
 Clayton J. Bell received his education 
 
 at the common schools of the neighbor- 
 ly 
 
 hood of his place of birth, and was reared 
 to farm life from early boyhood. On the 
 death of his father in 1879, the charge of 
 the farm fell to him, and he has ever since 
 retained it, owning the entire homestead, 
 and representing the third generation who 
 have lived on it as owners. On November 
 9, 1887, he married Ella Dugan, who was 
 borii August 15, 1868, in Oberlin, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, a daughter of John and Mary 
 (Coughlin) Dugan, the former of whom 
 was born in 1826, in County Tipperary, 
 Ireland, and died April 8, 1881, the latter 
 born in 1836, in County Kilkenny, L-e- 
 land. Mr. and Mrs. Bell have one son, 
 "Walter J., born June 25, 1889. In politi- 
 cal predilections Mr. Bell is a Democrat; 
 Mrs. Bell is a member of the Catholic 
 Church at Wakeman, Ohio. 
 
 N. GARVEK, M. D., Lorain, is a 
 native of Ohio, born in AVayne 
 county in 1858, a son of John and 
 Catherine (Shoemaker) Garver, also 
 natives of Wayne county, where the 
 father followed agricultural pursuits all 
 his life, dying in 1871. The mother is 
 now residing in West Salem, Ohio. They 
 
 were the parents of eleven children, nine 
 of whom are yet living. Grandfather 
 David Garver was a native of Pennsyl- 
 vania, and an early pioneer of Wayne 
 county, Ohio, where he passed the rest of 
 his life in farming. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received his 
 literary education in his native county, and 
 at Lodi, ]\[edina Co., Ohio. In AVayne 
 county he followed teaching for a time, 
 and then, in 1876, entered AVooster (Ohio) 
 Medical LTniversity, where he graduated 
 with the class of 1879. The Doctor then 
 commenced the practice of his profession 
 in Medina county, where he continued 
 until 1882, at which time he came to 
 Lorain county, and here he has since been 
 engaged in successful practice, his office 
 being now in the "South End." His 
 residence is on Bank street. 
 
 In 1879 Dr. Garver was married, in 
 Medina county, Ohio, to Miss Alice Dris- 
 kell, a native of same, and daughter of 
 Hugh and Florilla (Alien) Driskell, of 
 Ohio, the father deceased in Medina county 
 in 1876; the mother now resides with her 
 daughter, Mrs. Garver. To our subject 
 and wife have been born two children: 
 Birt and Lou. Dr. Garver in his political 
 predilections is a Republican, and he is a 
 member of the K. of P. He and his wife 
 are members of the M. E. Church, of which 
 he is a trustee. 
 
 T[T| ENEY MOLE. Among the repre- 
 IpH sentative self-made agriculturists 
 I 1 of Grafton township, who, begin- 
 J) "i"g life with little or no aid, have 
 
 reached the top round of the ladder 
 of success, is the subject of this sketch, 
 who was born July 20, 1824, in Devon- 
 shire, EnjrlHnd, son of John and Sarah 
 (Bauman) Mole. 
 
 He was reared to the arduous duties of 
 farm life, and, his parents being poor peo- 
 ple, he had but limited educational oppor- 
 tunities, as he could not be spared from 
 the farm. AVhen a young man he was 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 799 
 
 married March 20, 1850, in his native 
 country, to Ann Gardner, and same year, 
 deciding to try !iis fortune in America, 
 sailed from Plymouth, England, on the 
 vessel " Cornwall." During the early part 
 of the voyaaje a storm arose, and the ves- 
 sel put back into port until it subsided, 
 but their passage to New York, which 
 lasted three weeks, was very rough. They 
 immediately proceeded to Eaton township, 
 Lorain Co.. Ohio, and on his arrival Mr. 
 Mole had about tif ty dollars in cash, which 
 he had saved from his meaner earnincrs. 
 Here he purchased land (going into debt 
 for same), and, as the forest thereon was 
 very dense, a great amount of labor was 
 required to clear it for crops. After a ten 
 years' residence on this farm he disposed 
 of it at a profit, and bought land in other 
 parts of the same township, acquiring dif- 
 ferent tracts, wliicli he improved, and in- 
 variably sold at a good profit. In 1870 he 
 came to Grafton township, locating on his 
 present farm, where he has since resided, 
 successfully engaged in general agricnlture 
 and dairying. To Mr. and Mrs. Mole 
 were born eight children, namely: John, 
 deceased; William, a farmer in Grafton 
 townsliip; Henry and James, both farming 
 in Michiijan; George, farming in Eaton 
 township; Mary J., wife of Perry D. 
 Mennell, of Grafton; Charles and Rosa. 
 The mother of these children died No- 
 vember 14, 1874, at the age of forty-five 
 years, and for his second wife Mi". Mole 
 married, April 5, 1879, Mrs. Elizabeth 
 Cousins, who died in April, 1881. For 
 his third wife he married, August 31, 
 1881, Mrs. Melvina (Holly) Adams, who 
 was born February 18, 1849, in Lake 
 county, Ohio. Mr. Mole is an energetic, 
 hard-working industrious man, and has 
 accumulated considerable property. He 
 has given each of his children a good start 
 in life, expending therefor about nine 
 thousand dollars in cash; but he still re- 
 tains 122 acres of choice land. He has 
 paid several visits to his native country, 
 and in his atHuence he has not forgotten 
 
 his relatives who have been less prosper- 
 ous, as is shown by his frequent remit- 
 tances to them. He is a stanch member 
 of the Republican party, but does not 
 mingle in politics; while not a member of 
 any church, he is a devout believer in the 
 principles of Christianity, and contributes 
 liberally toward its support. 
 
 /y 
 
 MAX MOREHOUSE, senior mem- 
 ber of the firm of Morehouse & 
 Starr, dealers in Ladies' Furnish- 
 ing Goods, Elyria, and the young- 
 est merchant in the place, is a 
 native of Elyria, Ohio, born ()ctober 15, 
 1866. 
 
 He received his education at the com- 
 mon schools of the city of his birth, and in 
 Oberlin. At the age of fifteen years he 
 entered the dry-goods store of Mr. Mar.x 
 Straus, a leading merchant of Elyria, with 
 whom he remained until the spring of 
 1890, when he commenced lousiness on his 
 own account. It may be said of him that 
 he literally "rose from the ranks," having 
 made a beginning as errand boy, closing 
 his industrious career with Mr. Straus in 
 the position of head buyer and junior mem- 
 ber of the firm. When Mr. Morehouse 
 and Mr. Starr commenced business to- 
 gether the amount of their stock did not 
 exceed three thousand dollars, while to-day 
 it averages fully eight thousand dollars. 
 
 In November, 1892, Mr. Morehouse 
 opened, in conjunction with Mr. Carter 
 and Mr. Beese, a dry-goods store in Lo- 
 rain (the leaditjg house of the kind there), 
 the style of the firm being Morehouse, 
 Carter &. Beese. The store is 40x80 feet 
 in size, and seven clerks handle the fifteen- 
 thousand-dollar stock, which is all bought 
 by Mr. Morehouse himself, everything be- 
 ino- under his personal supervision; and 
 both enterprises are doing a good business. 
 The subject of our sketch is a son of 
 Andrew and Edith (Brown) Morehouse. 
 His father died in 1883, since which time 
 
800 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 he has entirely Bupported his mother, and 
 proven himself one of the kindest and most 
 devoted of sons. His life has all been 
 spent in Lorain coiinty, with the exception 
 of a few years in Allegan, Mich., when a 
 small child. 
 
 Although leaving school at an early age, 
 Mr. Morehouse has attained a liberal edu- 
 cation, and a large amount of culture, by 
 being a close student of men, and tlie read- 
 ing of many good books He in a pro- 
 nounced champion of education, particu- 
 larly a practical one for all boys, and he 
 hiu)self is a living example of what may 
 be accomplished by solid integrity, strict 
 attention to business, industry and judi- 
 cious economy. Politically he is an Inde- 
 pendent, believing in voting for good men 
 and right principles rather than party. He 
 has not yet enrolled himself in the noble 
 army of Benedicts. 
 
 His grandfather, Thomas Brown, is one 
 of the oldest pioneers now living in the 
 county, haviiiir settled in Lorain in 1829. 
 He is remarkably well preserved, and at 
 the age of eighty-six is still active, and a 
 regular attendant at the county fairs. 
 
 4^ 
 
 Hi ENKY J. EADY, proprietor of a 
 well-known and popular drug-store 
 J in Elyria, is a native of England, 
 born in Cottesbrook, Northamp- 
 tonshire, April 28, 1846. 
 Samuel Eady, grandfather of subject, 
 was an innkeeper at Brixworth, a village in 
 England, during good old stage times, 
 where he married Elizabeth Underwood, 
 by whom he had six children — four sons 
 and two daughters, viz.: Thomas, John, 
 Francis, Henry, Elizabeth (unmarried), 
 and Mary (wife of Thomas Barker, aprotn- 
 inent horse dealer of London). The sons 
 were all farmers in England, farming lands 
 near each other, and Erancis was not only 
 a large farmer, but an innkeeper as well, 
 doing a prosperous business. 
 
 Thomas Eady, father of Henry J., was 
 born, in 1806, at Brixworth, in Koitliamp- 
 tonshire, where he was reared. In 1827 
 he married Susan Holt, of the same vil- 
 lage, where they were neighbors and chil- 
 dren together. Their children, six in 
 number, were: William (in New Zealand), 
 John (deceased), Francis and Thomas (both 
 in England), Mary Ann (wife of John 
 Lantsbery, of Carlisle township, Lorain 
 county), and Henry J. (the subject of this 
 sketch). The father died in 1802 ; he had 
 been an officeholder in the villages of 
 Cottesbrook and Creaton; the mother 
 passed away in 1884 at the age of seventy- 
 eight years. 
 
 Henry J. Eady, M'hose name introduces 
 this sketch, received his education in the 
 public schools of his native place, taking 
 also a grammar-school couise at Guils- 
 borough. He was reared on his father's 
 farm, and in his early youth was of no lit- 
 tle assistance to his parents in the maiiy 
 duties incident to the cultivation of the 
 soil and the harvesting of crops. In 1864, 
 in company with liis sister and her hus- 
 band, he came to the United States, land- 
 ing in New York November 25, the day the 
 attempt to set fire to that city was frus- 
 trated. Soon afterward he came to Ely- 
 ria, Ohio, and for a year or two worked on 
 a farm, after which he entered the factory 
 of Topliff, Sampsell & Ely, in the same 
 town, studying evenings in the office of 
 his friend. Dr. P. W. Sampsell. In 1868, 
 having developed a liking for the drug 
 business, he commenced learning same 
 with W. H. Park, in his store in the old 
 Beebe Block, now Andwur, Elyria. where 
 he remained five years, at the end of which 
 time he embarked in the business for his 
 own account, his first store being in an old 
 wooden building. No. 8 Cheapside east of 
 the park. In 1870 he paid a visit to iiis 
 native land, spending the winter there, and 
 in the following spring returned to the 
 United States and to Elyria. Since 1873 
 he has been continuously in the drug busi- 
 ness in the same location, and is now a 
 
X/yyjvy '^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 803 
 
 registered pharmacist; also has held prom- 
 inent positions in the State Association. 
 His success has been almost phenomenal, 
 and he has gradually increased his trade 
 until to-day he is proprietor of the leading 
 drug business in Elyria. In 1885 he 
 erected the handsome three-story business 
 block, on the same lot as his old store. 
 Also, in 1892, he built the block, No. 16 
 Chcapside, one of the handsoiriest build- 
 ings in the town, the first tloor of which is 
 rented for a carpet store, and the upper 
 floors as his own residence. Indeed, for 
 his means, Mr. Eady has done more build- 
 ing than any other person in Elyria. For 
 twenty years he has been a member of the 
 Agricultural Association of Lorain, and 
 has taken an active interest in everything 
 pertaining to the farm. In 1881 he took 
 another trip to P]ngland, spending the sum- 
 mer among the scenes of his boyhood. 
 
 On February 16, 1876, Mr. Eady was 
 married to Charlotte Ellen ("Nellie") 
 Noakes, daughter of Kev. B. T. Noakes, 
 D. D., the then Episcopal clergyman at 
 Elyria, now of the First Reformed Epis- 
 copal Church in Cleveland. The Noakes 
 family trace their lineage to Sussex, Eng- 
 land, where many of the name are still 
 prominent. Eev. Dr. Noakes married Miss 
 Sarah Piper, and they are the parents of 
 five children, viz.: Charlotte Ellen (Mrs. 
 H. J. Eady), Florence T. (Mrs. N. P. 
 Woo8ter,of Elyria), Fannie,(Mrs. J. S.Van- 
 Epps, Cleveland), and Grace and Gertrude 
 (still under the paternal roof). To Mr. and 
 Mrs. Eady was born one child that died 
 in infancy unnamed. Politically Mr. Eady 
 is a stanch Republican, but his business 
 demanding and receiving all his time, he 
 is not an officeholder. Socially he is a 
 member of the F. &. A. M., I.( ). O. F., and 
 K. of H., of which last-named Order he 
 has been treasurer since 1879; also for 
 several years was treasurer of the I. O. 0. F. 
 at Elyria. For fifteen years he was treas- 
 urer of St. Andrews Episcopal Church of 
 Elyria, of which he and liis wife are con- 
 stant attendants. Mr. Eady is a strong 
 
 advocate for the support of home indus- 
 tries, and has given liberally of his means 
 toward the improvement of the city of his 
 adoption. He has brought around him a 
 host of friends in and about Elyria, whose 
 confidence he well merits, and is one of 
 the best known business men of the place. 
 
 ^ EORGE L. COUCH, mayor of Well- 
 ington, and a well-known furniture 
 dealer, is a native of that town, born 
 September 4, 1850. 
 
 A. G. Couch, father of subject, 
 was born in December, 1819, in Berkshire 
 county, Mass., and in 1843 came west to 
 Lorain county, Ohio, settling in Welling- 
 ton, where he established the present 
 business owned by his son George L. ; and 
 until recent years he was interested in the 
 extensive furniture factory. He was mar- 
 ried to Miss Mary E. Durkee, who was 
 l)orn in Pittstield, Mass., in 1824, and 
 children as follows were born to them: 
 Julia A., Ella N., George L., Walter E. 
 and Nellie E. In politics the father was 
 originally an Old-line Whig, and of later 
 years has been a straight Republican; 
 prior to and during the war of the Rebel- 
 lion he was a strong Abolitionist. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received his 
 education in the public schools of his 
 native township, and in early boyhood 
 commenced to learn the trade of cabinet 
 maker in his father's shop, which he now 
 successfully operates. Some twenty years 
 ago he became a partner with his father in 
 the business, and eigiit years later bought 
 out the entire business. In 1880 he was 
 united in marriage with Miss May H., 
 daughter of Rev. E. H. Bush, and two 
 children have been born to tiiem, viz.: 
 Treva May and Florence E. 
 
 Politically Mr. Couch has always been 
 an uncompromising Repul)lican, and since 
 tiie Grant-Greelev campaign has been 
 active in the interests of the party, attend- 
 ing nearly every National, State and county 
 
804 
 
 LORAIX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 convention since the Hayes administration. 
 For more than ten years he was a member 
 of the county committee, and in 1885 was 
 elected a member of the State Central 
 Committee; during the following fouryears 
 he served on Gov. P^oraker's military staff. 
 In municipal affairs he has always taken a 
 great interest, but declined to become a 
 candidate for any office until 1890, at 
 which time he was elected to the office of 
 mayor. So acceptably did he fill the office 
 as to be twice re-elected without opposi- 
 tion, which office he continues to hold. 
 He is a leading man in every way, admira- 
 bly adapted to the exalted position he 
 holds in his native town. Socially he is 
 a member of the I. O. O. F. and Encamp- 
 ment, and of the Royal Arcanum. 
 
 C. CRAGIN, the well-known farmer 
 and dairyman, is one of the most 
 active men of his age in Grafton 
 towiisliip, where he is owner of 
 eighty-one acres of fine land and a pleas- 
 ant home. Though now nearly seventy- 
 two years of age, he can still do a good day's 
 work in the field, "holding up his end" 
 with the hired men, for his health and 
 strength have been preserved by consider- 
 ate care and temperate habits. 
 
 Our subject was born November 15, 
 1821, in Weston, Windsor Co., Yt., a son 
 of Benjamin Cragio, a farmer, who mar- 
 ried Miss Mahala Boyington. In the Green 
 Mountain State they had children as fol- 
 lows: Lorena, who married Oliver Bell, 
 died in LaGrange, Ohio; Benjamin, a re- 
 tired farmer of LaGrange; Charles C, sub- 
 ject of this memoir; Adna A., who died in 
 LaGrange, Lorain county; Esther, who 
 died at the age of eighteen; Horace, who 
 died in LaGrange; Harrison, a farmer of 
 LaGrange; Elizabeth (born in Ohio), widow 
 of George Chamberlain, living in Milwau- 
 kee. In September, 1835, the family set 
 out from Vermont in a wagon for Buffalo, 
 N Y., whence they proceeded by Lake Erie 
 
 to Cleveland, Ohio, from there by road to 
 Lorain county. Here, while stopping with 
 an acquaintance to rest after their long 
 journey, they became so impressed with the 
 country that they decided to remain, and 
 Mr. Cragin purchased a part of Lot No. 61, 
 Grafton township, containing 155 acres of 
 woodland, at four dollars per acre; there 
 was no house of any kind on the place, but 
 it was not long l)efore a dwelling 22x32 
 feet, and one and one- half stories high, was 
 erected, all the timber for it being cut by 
 Mr. Cragin himself. Here this pioneer 
 toiled and prospered, assisting in the de- 
 velopment of the country, and witnessing 
 the onward march of civilization close on 
 the heels of the retiring lied Indian and 
 the yet more fierce panther, wolf and bear. 
 He died July 31, 1865, his wife in 1855, 
 and they were buried in West Grafton 
 cemetery. They were members of the 
 Methodist Church, in which he was trus- 
 tee, steward and class-leader, and in politics 
 he was originally an Old-line Whig, after- 
 ward a Republican. He was a very robust 
 man, and at sixty years of age could rake 
 and bind all day after a cradler in the har- 
 vest fields. 
 
 C. C. Cragin, whose name opens this 
 sketch, received part of his education in 
 his native State, and part in Lorain county, 
 Edward Perkins being his first teacher in 
 the latter. He attended about three months 
 in the year, the remainder of his boyhood 
 being devoted to the farm, under his 
 father's tuition. For six years after his 
 marriage he had charge of the home farm, 
 and then bought thirty-three acres in 
 Grafton township, on which there was a 
 log house, where the family lived two 
 years, when a more substantial residence 
 was erected. In 1863 Mr. Cragin came to 
 iiis present farm, bought from Josiah 
 Turner, and which is a part of the original 
 Turner tract. Here he built new out- 
 buildings, and otherwise improved the 
 property. For the past thirty years he has 
 been engaged in the dairying business in 
 addition to general farming. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 805 
 
 On May 8, 1844, Mr. Cragiii was mar- 
 ried to Miss Jane Wilkins, who was born 
 April 18, 1826, in western Vermont, a 
 daughter of Silas and Hannah (^Tenney) 
 Wilkins, wiio came with tlieir family to 
 Ohio in 1884, driving to Troy, N. Y., 
 thence taking canal to Buffalo, lake to 
 Cleveland, and wagon to LaCTrange town- 
 ship, Loraiti county, where Miss Wilkins 
 was wooed and won by our subject. The 
 children born to Mr. and Mrs. 0. C. Cra- 
 gin were four in number: Andrew J., who 
 died at the age of thirteen years; Estlier 
 LL., who died when thirteen months old ; 
 Ellen A., who died when three years old; 
 and Juliette, residing with her parents. 
 Politically our subject is a stanch Repub- 
 lican, although his first Presidential vote 
 was cast for a Democrat, and he has held 
 several township ofKces, such as assessor, 
 declining many others. Mrs. Cragin is a 
 member of the Methodist Church at Bel- 
 den, and they are respected far and near 
 as good neighbors and kind-hearted people. 
 
 ri( RTHUR W. NICHOLS (deceased) 
 f/_| \ was born in Eaton township, Lo- 
 fr%, rain Co., Ohio, July 2, 1854, a son 
 ■fj of Mason E. and Joann (Mead) 
 Nichols, the father a tjative of 
 Crown Point, Lake Chaniplain, whence in 
 1832 he came with his parents to Portage 
 county, Ohio, to Eaton township in 1851, 
 and to Elyria in 1876. He was a farmer 
 by vocation, a Republican in politics, and 
 a member of the Disciple (Jhurch. He 
 married Miss Joann Mead, who was born 
 in Cattaraugus county, N. Y., July 16, 
 1833, and they had a family of live chil- 
 dren, of whom one died in infancy; the 
 others are all living, with the exception of 
 the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Joann 
 Nichols died November 9, 1864, and in 
 1865 Mason E. Nichols was unit(Ml in mar- 
 riage with Mahala Cousins. 
 
 Arthur W. Nichols received his elemen- 
 tary education at the common schools of 
 his native township, after which he at- 
 
 tended school at Oberlin and Delaware, 
 Ohio. After pursuing a law course in Chi- 
 cago, 111., he located in Elyria, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, where, in 1880, he commenced the 
 practice of law, carrying on at the same 
 time an insurance and money- loaning busi- 
 ness; and had he lived he would have made 
 his mark in the legal profession. He died 
 December 26, 1886. Mr. Nichols was a 
 member of the 1. O. O. F., Royal Ar- 
 canum, Chosen Friends and Good Temp- 
 lars, in which latter Society lie was grand 
 secretary of the State Lodge for several 
 years, and he visited Washington, D.C., and 
 Toronto, Canada, as a delegate of the Order. 
 
 T 1 • • 
 
 In religious connection he was a member 
 of the M. E. Church. 
 
 On October 18, 1882, Mr. Nichols was 
 united in marriage with Miss Nettie 
 Squires, of Lorain county, Ohio, born in 
 1862 near Elyria, a daughter of Anson and 
 Lydia (Richardson) Squires, the father 
 born on the Canadian shore of Lake Cham- 
 plain, N. Y., in 1822; when a small boy 
 he came with liis parents to Lorain county, 
 Ohio, where he passed the rest of his days, 
 dying April U, 1872, in Elyria, to which 
 town he had retired from his farm. He 
 was a Republican in politics, and a mem- 
 ber of the Methodist Church. Mrs. Ni- 
 chols has one child. Mason A., a bright and 
 interesting boy, who was born September 
 9, 1883. 
 
 If S. METCALF. This gentleman, a 
 resident of Elyria, now some five or 
 _[ six years retired from active business, 
 the father of a large and highly re- 
 spected family, comes of old Puritan stock 
 on both sides of the house. Tiie first, in 
 this country, was Michael Mctcalf, who 
 came in 1637, settling near Boston, Mass. 
 His forefathers, of an old Saxon and Dan- 
 ish family, were originally Roman Catho- 
 lics, and lost their property and titles in 
 the time of Queen Elizabeth, being ad- 
 herents of Mary, Queen of Scots; but 
 afterward they seem to have become rigid 
 Puritans. 
 
806 
 
 LORAiy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was born 
 January 29, 1822, in Worcester coiiuty, 
 Mass., a sou of Isaac and Anna (Stevens) 
 Metcalf, the latter of whom died in Elyria, 
 Ohio, at the age of seventy-eight years. 
 The father was also a native of Worcester 
 county, Mass., and was there reared and 
 educated. After leaving school he became 
 a teacher iu his native State, for a time 
 having an excellent private school in Bos- 
 ton, in which city lie died in 1831. at the 
 age of fifty years, leaving seven children. 
 The son, I. S., pasted his boyhood in Bos- 
 ton, whence he moved to Bangor, Maine. 
 At Bowdoin College, in Brunswick, Maine, 
 he graduated in 1847, after which he pur- 
 sued civil engineering on railroad surveys 
 and constructions for ten years, in Massa- 
 chusetts, New Hampshire and Illinois. 
 He came west in 1850, to take part in the 
 first survey of the Illinois Central Rail- 
 road. In 1856 he settled in Elyria, where 
 he has ever since been somewhat promi- 
 nently connected with most public inter- 
 ests, moral and religious, in matters of 
 education and business. 
 
 Mr. Metcalf has been twice married: 
 first time July 5, 1852, in Dunbarton, 
 N. H., to Miss Antoinette Putnam, a na- 
 tive of that town, to which union nine 
 children were born, as follows: W. S., now 
 in business in Lawrence, Kans. ; Charles, 
 with his brother W. S. ; Marion, for about 
 ten years a teacher in Wellesley College, 
 Mass., now in Hampton, Va., trainiug 
 colored students for the ministry; Anna, 
 wife of PnTfessor Root, of Oberlin; John 
 M. P., professor in the Theological Semi- 
 nary, Oberlin; P. H., who studied theology 
 at Oberlin, and is now assistant pastor of 
 the First Congregational Church of Des- 
 Moines, Iowa (he is a musician of repute); 
 Grace Ethel, a graduate of Oberlin, and 
 now studying at Moody's School, in Chi- 
 cago, 111., for missionary work; Henry M., 
 a graduate of Oberlin, now clerking for 
 his brother in Lawrence, Kans.; and An- 
 toinette P., a graduate of Oberlin, spring 
 of 1893. Tbe mother of this family died 
 
 August 14, 1875, and March 25, 1878, 
 Mr. Metcalf married, for his second wife, 
 Miss Harriet Howes, of English parentage, 
 to which union six sons have been born, 
 viz.: Ralph Howes, Joseph Mayo, Eliab 
 Wight, Isaac Stevens Jr., Keyes De Witt 
 and Thomas Nelson. Eight of Mr. Met- 
 calf's children are college graduates, either 
 of Oberlin, Ohio, or of Wellesley, Mass., 
 and at least two more are now studying 
 with a view to a similar education. Po- 
 litically our subject was originally a Whig, 
 and since the formation of the party has 
 been a stanch Republican. He i-s a con- 
 sistent member and for more than thirty 
 years an officer of the Congregational 
 Church, and is a strictly conscientious ad- 
 vocate of the principles of temperance. 
 
 FREDERICK S. REEFY (original 
 spelling Riffe) is a native of the 
 _^ Canton of Bern, Switzerland, born 
 September 1, 1833, in the village of 
 Boezingen. 
 
 In the following year the family immi- 
 grated to America, making their first 
 home in the L^nited States on a farm near 
 Mt. Eaton, Wayne Co., Ohio, where 
 young Frederick passed his boyhood, work- 
 ing in the fields during the summers, and 
 attending the common schools of the 
 neighborhood in the winter months, at 
 the same time receiving instruction from 
 his parents in German. Being an apt 
 and studious scholar, he made rapid prog- 
 ress with his books, and in a few years 
 mastered the branches taught in the dis- 
 trict schools. In 1848 the family moved 
 to Tuscarawas county, same State, near 
 Wilmot, and here for four years more our 
 subject attended school and worked on the 
 farm. He also began teaching in the win- 
 ter, during the suiumer pursuing the 
 higher branches of education, which course 
 — teacher and student alternately — con- 
 tinued seven years, and thereby he ulti- 
 mately became a successful educator. 
 

 ;f< 
 
 u^^^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 809 
 
 In the spring of 1860 Mr. Eeefy went 
 to Roanoke, Ind., where he organized the 
 Roanoke Educational Society, and by its 
 aid founded Roanoke Seminary, at the 
 head of which he remained eight years, 
 dining wiiich time it was one of tlie most 
 popular schools in northern Indiana. In 
 1S6S, on account of failing health, he 
 abandoned teaching for a time, and subse- 
 quentiy inoved to Blufi'ton, Ind., organ- 
 ized the graded schools of that place, and 
 remained in charge as superintendent un- 
 til 1872, when be resigned, and with his 
 family removed to Elyria, Ohio, where lie 
 became editor and proprietor of the Elyria 
 Constitution, now the Elyria Democrat. 
 In 1862 Mr. Reefy was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Mary Shearer. 
 
 IfAMES JEWELL. In all the great 
 k. I "Buckeye State" there is no county 
 \J^ that, for its population, can boast of 
 a greater number of self-made men 
 who have risen to comparative opulence than 
 Lorain, and among this class stands no one 
 more prominent than the subject of this 
 sketch. 
 
 Mr. Jewell is a native of Ohio, born 
 May 18, 1828, in Belmont county, thirteen 
 miles west of Wheeling, W. Va. He is 
 a son of Parkinson Jewell, who was a son 
 of Zachariah, whose father was the first of 
 the family to land on the shores of Amer- 
 ica. This earliest known progenitor of tiie 
 Jewell family came from England prior to 
 the Revolutionary war, in which he served, 
 being killed at the battle of Bunker Hill, 
 just seven years after his arrival in the 
 New World. He left a widow and three 
 sons and two daughters, and in cour.se of 
 time the sons were "bound out" as ap- 
 prentices to various trades. 
 
 Zachariah, one of these sons, found his 
 lot cast with a Southern [ilanter, who took 
 him to his estate in Virginia, and placed 
 him as overseer of some 300 slaves owned 
 
 by him, and who labored on his plantation. 
 Here Zachariah remained some 3 ears, in 
 the meantime losing sight of all his broth- 
 ers and sisters — never again hearing of 
 them. While in \^irginia he married, 
 and some children were there born to him. 
 In 1805 he migrated west, coming to Ohio, 
 and had his residence some years in Bel- 
 mont county, thence moving to Tuscar- 
 awas county, later to Coshocton county, 
 and finally to Lorain county, where in 
 Brighton township he died at an advanced 
 age. 
 
 Parkinson Jewell, a son of Zachariah, 
 was about four years old when his parents 
 came to Ohio, and he was reared near 
 Stillwater creek in Belmont county. There 
 he married Jane Clark, who bore him seven 
 children — five daughters and and two sons. 
 From Belmont he moved to Tuscarawas, 
 thence in 1837 to Coshocton, from there 
 in 1848 to Lorain, and finally to Paulding, 
 all counties in Ohio, and in each he fol- 
 lowed farming. In the last-named county 
 he and his wife died, and their remains 
 were laid to rest in Antwerp cemetery. A 
 brief record of their children is as follows: 
 James is the subject of this memoir; Mar3' 
 died July 20, 1872, at the home of our 
 subject (she was the wife of Dennison 
 Hughes, who now lives in Kansas); Re- 
 becca married James Hayes, and died iu 
 Defiance county, (_)hio; Martha J. was first 
 married to Jacob Brnner, who was killed 
 in the Rebellion, and she is now the wife 
 of John Miller; Sarah is married and re- 
 sides in Michigan; Nancy E. is the wife 
 of Zene Hart, of Paulding county. 
 
 James Jewell, of whom this sketch more 
 particularly relates, received such educa- 
 tion as the subscription schools of his boy- 
 hood days afforded, limited at the most to 
 a few months attendance during the win- 
 ter seasons. On reaching his majority he 
 hired out as a farm hand, his wages vary- 
 ing fi'om ten to twelve dollars a month. 
 After his marriage he removeil to Paulding 
 county, Ohio, where he had bought 163 
 acres of unimproved land at seventy-five 
 
810 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 cents an acre, which after a few years, hav- 
 ing improved the property, he sold at a 
 profit. He tlien came to Lorain county, 
 where in Ilutitington towushij) he pur- 
 chased sixty-two acres of wild land; later 
 moved to Spencer township, Medina 
 county, from where, in 1870, he came to 
 Koehester township, Lorain county, buying 
 his present farm of Thomas Oummings, and 
 here he has since carried on general farm- 
 ing and stock raising. This fine property 
 he has groatly enhanced the value of, hav- 
 ing in addition to other improvements 
 erected substantial and commodious out- 
 buildings. 
 
 On October 30, 1851, Mr. Jewell was 
 married to Mary Ensign, of Huntington 
 township, Lorain county, and children as 
 follows were the result of this union: 
 Florence E., now Mrs. Nathan Snyder, of 
 New London, Huron Co., Ohio; Cariie M., 
 Mrs. Joel Snyder, also of New London : Cora, 
 Mrs. Calvin Hill, of New London; Alice, 
 Mrs. Samuel Landis, Jr., of Kuggles town- 
 ship, Ashland Co., Ohio; and Harley and 
 Calvin, Iwth at home. Mr. Jewell is a 
 conservative Ivepnl)lican, as quiet in liis 
 political manifestations as he is in his do- 
 mestic circle, and he is respected and hon- 
 ored by all who know him. He and his 
 amiable wife, as well as their children, ai'e 
 exemplary members of the Congregational 
 Church. 
 
 ELNATHAN PEABODY. In No- 
 vember, 1833, there migrated to 
 , Henrietta township, Lorain Co., 
 
 Ohio, from New Hampshire, one 
 Andrew Peabody, who was born about the 
 year 1795, and was one of the nation's de- 
 fenders in the war of 1812. He was a 
 militiaman, and while not in active service 
 stood ready to respond to his country's 
 call. A brother was mustered into the 
 service at Plattsburgh, N. Y., when but 
 twenty-tliree years of age, and served 
 through all the notable encounters of that 
 memorable war. 
 
 Andrew Peabody was a shoemaker, and 
 while yet a resident of New Hampshire he 
 married, and reared a number of children. 
 The first few years of his life in "the 
 woods " of Lorain county he was employed 
 at his trade, and by exercising great care 
 and economy he was in 1836 enabled to pur- 
 chase a small heavily- wooded piece of wild 
 land. The greater share of the labor of 
 clearing this piece of land fell upon his 
 sons. During the winter season and earlier 
 months of spring the timber was felled, 
 and then in August the brush was fired. 
 Grain was planted in the clearing, amid 
 the stumps of the fallen trees, and when it 
 was ripened it was cut with the cradle and 
 threshed with the fiail. At this time a yoke 
 of oxen brought the maonilicent sum of 
 forty dollars, while dairy animals brought 
 ten dollars, chiefly in orders upon some 
 neighborintr mercantile establishment, as 
 money was a scarce commodity. Andrew 
 Peabody married Asenath Gillis, a lady of 
 Scotch descent, and a nativeof New Hamp- 
 shire, and to them were born ten children, 
 of whom those living are Elnathan, Os- 
 man, Frederick, M. BT, Mary, Melissia Gill 
 (a widow) and Clara J. Pety, all residents 
 of Henrietta township, Lorain county. The 
 father of these died in 1878, the mother 
 in 1846. 
 
 Elnathan Peabody was born October 23, 
 1830, in New Hampshire, on the Merri- 
 mac river. Wiien he was but three years 
 old his parents removed to Ohio, and he 
 was therefore reared in the "Buckeye 
 State." His early boyhood was passed in 
 lending all assistance possible to his par- 
 ents, and in attending such schools as the 
 period afforded, which being but meager, 
 his education was necessarily limited. His 
 first schoolbooks consisted of an English 
 reader, United States history, and the 
 Bible. In 1855 he married Elizabeth 
 Petty, a daughter of Thomas Petty, who 
 was a pioneer of Lorain county, and of 
 English nationality. The children born to 
 their union are H. B., in Henrietta town- 
 ship; L. F., at home; C. M., near Oberlin; 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 811 
 
 Mary A. (Mrs. Aruett), residing near 
 Oberlin;an(i Caj)itola V. Rliodos, livirii; 
 two miles east of Oberlin. At about the 
 age of twenty-three onr sultject possessed 
 but one hundred and forty dollars, with 
 which he in part paid for twenty-tive acres 
 of land, going in debt for the balance. This 
 land he cleared, and had just finished pay- 
 ing for same, when the Civil war broke out; 
 he enlisted in August, 1864, in Company D, 
 One Hundred and Seventy-eighth (). V. I., 
 Capt. Ed. Eickey, and served till the close 
 of the conilict. He wa.s one of those called 
 "Tennessee Woodticks," who rendered 
 such valuable service n«?ar New Berne, 
 N. C. Mr. Peabody is a Eepubiican, and is 
 now a member of the United Brethren 
 Church, altliough while in the service he 
 was an adherent of Methodism, was a 
 regular attendant at the services held by 
 Chaplain James Mitchel. 
 
 ,^ILLIAM M. FRENCH, for near- 
 ly threescore years a farmer citi- 
 zen of Columbia township, is a 
 native of Herefordshire, England, 
 born in 1824. 
 
 John French, father of subject, who 
 was born in Gloucesfershire, England, mar- 
 ried Miss Elizabeth Morton, a native 
 of Herefordshire, wliose mother was 
 Welsh. In 1842 the family emigrated to 
 Canada, whence in June, following year, 
 they moved to the United States and to 
 Ohio, ^ettling on a farm in Columbia town- 
 ship, Lorain county, where they cleared a 
 farm, and lived the rest of their lives. The 
 mother died in January. 1855, the father 
 in August, same year. Their faniily num- 
 bered three children, as follows: William 
 M.; Thomas, who went west some years 
 awe; and Sarah Esther, Mrs. N.Jl. Ingalls, 
 of LaGrange, who died in May, 1891. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received his 
 education in his native land, and came with 
 the rest of the family to America. At the 
 
 age of twenty- two he commenced to learn 
 the trade of cooper in Cleveland, where he 
 followed it nine years, and afterward for 
 some years in Columbia township, Lorain 
 county. In 1852 he bought in that town- 
 ship thirty-five acres of land, to which he 
 added from time to time, until he now 
 owns ninety-five acres in Columbia and 
 forty acres in Olmsted township, Cuyahoga 
 county. In 1852 Mr. French married, in 
 Cleveland, Ohio, Miss Rosina Ma.xfield, 
 a native of Ireland, and to this union were 
 born six children, of whom the following 
 is a brief record: William Morton, mar- 
 ried, who died in 1880; Sarah I^lizabeth, 
 wife of Perry I). Spencer, of LaC range, 
 has four children — Demby Morton, Rosa, 
 Laura and an infant; Lucy, wife of Luther 
 Blodgett, of Olmsted township, has three 
 children : Lee G., Gertie and Edith ; (ieorge, 
 a physician and surgeon of Columbia Sta- 
 tion, Lorain Co., Ohio, who is married and 
 has one child — Emma; Alice, wife of John 
 T. Sheer, of Olmsted, has four children — 
 Allie, Essie, Ray and an infant; Park M., 
 married, resides on the home farm. Polit- 
 ically our subject is a Republican, his first 
 Presidential vote being cast for John C. 
 Fremont; he has served on the school 
 board with zeal and fidelity, and he is a 
 member of the Baptist Church at Colum- 
 bia Center. 
 
 rC. SMITH, than whom there is no 
 more industrious or honorable citi- 
 _^ zen in Grafton township, was born 
 July 7, 1842, in Liverpool township, 
 Medina Co., Ohio. 
 
 Frederick Smith, father of subject, was 
 a native of Baden, Germany, wjiere he 
 learned the trade of harness maker and 
 whence, when a young man, he came to 
 America, the voyage to New York occu- 
 pying six weeks. From there he came to 
 Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked at his 
 trade till 1835, in which year he came to 
 Liverp(jol township, Medina county, buy- 
 ing land there two miles south of the cen- 
 
812 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ter. In Cleveland he had married Barbara 
 
 , and the children Ijorn to them in 
 
 that city were Louisa (^married to Adolph 
 Ganzart, a farmer, now deceased), and 
 Caroline (now Mrs. William Zizelman, of 
 Cleveland, Ohio). In Liverpool township 
 the family was increased by three mcire, 
 namely: Frederick C. (subject of sketch); 
 Adolph (who was a member of Coinpany H, 
 Eighth O. V. I., in wliich he served three 
 and one-half years; he died in LaGrange 
 township. Lorain Co., Ohio); and Mary (de- 
 ceased when young). In 1858 the mother 
 of these died and was buried at LaG range. 
 This event broke up the family, and the 
 fatlier afterward made his home among his 
 children, chiefly with Mrs. Ganzart and 
 our subject. He died in 1885 at the resi- 
 dence of the latter, and was buried in Nes- 
 bit cemetery. Politically he was a Whig 
 and Republican. 
 
 The subject of this memoir received his 
 education in the district schools of the days 
 of his boyhood until the age of thirteen, 
 when he left home and found work with 
 F. W. Preston, who lived near Rawson- 
 ville, receivinij for his services four dollars 
 per month. On leaving there he worked 
 at various places until his enlistment in 
 Elyi'ia, Ohio, August 15, 18(52, in Company 
 II, Eighth O. V. I., from which he was 
 transferred as sergeant to the One Hundred 
 and Twenty-fourth O. Y. I., Company E. 
 They were sent to Kentucky and tlien to 
 Tennessee, where our subject was shot 
 through the leg. May 11, 1804. He was 
 sent to Cleveland Hospital, where he lay 
 six months; was discharged February 6, 
 1805, and returned to Grafton, where he 
 found work witii his former employer. F. 
 Preston. On the latter's leaving for To- 
 ledo, Ohio, Mr. Smith took control of the 
 farm, and conducted it five years on his 
 own account, at tlio end of which time it 
 was sold, he buying forty acres of it. Here 
 he lived until his removal in 1872 to tiie 
 town of Grafton, where in 1874 he built 
 bis present elegant home. He now conducts 
 a livery, coal and ice business, in addition 
 
 to carrying on his farm, and in all his un- 
 dertakings he has met with well-merited 
 success. 
 
 On January 8, 1868, Mr. Smith married 
 Miss Alfarette Ackley, born in Cuyahoga 
 county, Ohio, in 1849, daugiiter of Henry 
 and Mary (Dickson) Ackley, and children 
 as follows have been bui-n to thetn: Charles 
 H., bookkeeper for the Walter A. Wood 
 Harvester Co., Chicago; Hattie M., James 
 D., Clara A., Ida E. and Clayton F., all at 
 home. Politically he is a stanch Republi- 
 can, has served as township trustee six 
 years, and in the town of Grafton has been 
 treasurer of both the schools and the cor- 
 poration, serving with credit to himself and 
 satisfaction of his constituents. He and 
 his family are members of the Congrega- 
 tional Church. 
 
 FJRED NORTON SMITH. The 
 manufacturing interests of Elyria 
 ^ are well represented by this gentle- 
 man, who is one of the most active 
 and pushing men in the county. He is 
 a son of William L. and Juliette (Hamlin) 
 Smith, the former a native of England, 
 and at the present time a resident of the 
 State of Washington, the latter a daugh- 
 ter of Judge Hamlin, one of the early set- 
 tlers of Elyria. 
 
 Fred N. Smith was born in Mowsley, 
 Leicestershire, England, August 18, 1848, 
 and first came to this country with his 
 father when less than one year old, return- 
 ing again to his birthplace at the age of 
 fourteen. The following six years were 
 chiefly, spent in school, after which he 
 again returned to the United States, where 
 he completed his education in Oberlin 
 College, his father having graduated from 
 this well-known institution in 1847. Af- 
 ter teaching school about one year, on the 
 1st of April, 1873, he accepted a situation 
 as bookkeeper with Topliff & Ely, manu- 
 facturers of carriage hardware in Elyria. 
 In 1887 this tirm sold their business to a 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 815 
 
 stock company of which Mr. Smith was 
 one of the incorporators. He was elected 
 secretary and treasurer of the new com- 
 pany (The To])litl'& Ely (!o.), and I'etained 
 this position until ls;)2, when he resigned 
 to till a like position intheGarford Manu- 
 facturing Co. 
 
 In 1889 he became a partner with Mr. 
 A. L. Garford and Mr. II. S. Foliansbee, 
 in a business known as the Garford Manu- 
 factnring Co., and has since been actively 
 identified with its growth. Since the in- 
 corporation of the Garford Manufacturing 
 Co., in 1891, he has been its secretary and 
 treasurer. 
 
 Tiie present building occupied by this 
 company is 100 feet by 40 feet, three sto- 
 ries and basement. This factory was com- 
 pleted about January 1, 1893, employs 
 upward of one hundred men, and has a 
 capacity of about one thousand saddles 
 per day. The plant is fitted up with new 
 and modern machinery tlirougliout, and is 
 undoubtedly the most complete saddle fac- 
 tory in existence to-day. 
 
 In 1880 Mr. Smith was married to Miss 
 Louise M. Porter, principal of the Elyria 
 High School, by whom he has one child, 
 Caryl Porter. Mr. S.mith is a Republi- 
 can, and a thorough Protectionist. 
 
 CHARLES W. COTTON, a leader 
 among the native-born agricultur- 
 ists of Lorain county, was born in 
 Sheffield township May 7, 1826, a 
 son of George AV. and Rachel (Smith) 
 Cotton. 
 
 Benjamin Cotton, grandfather of Charles 
 W., was born May 1, 1758, in Coos (now 
 Grafton) county. New Hampshire. On 
 October 12, 1785, he married, in Went- 
 worth, N. 11., Dolly Smith, also a native 
 of New Hampshire, burn Ajiri! 3, 1706, 
 and the names and dates of birtii of their 
 children are as follows: Hannah, April 11, 
 1786,; Benjamin N., August 25, 1787; 
 Solomon, February 11,1789; Dolly, Sept- 
 
 ember 24, 1790; Lydia, June 4, 1793; 
 Abigal, March 22, 1795; Jonathan, De- 
 cember 8, 1796; George AV., September 
 18, 1798; David, April 27, 1800; Tlieo- 
 dore, September 24, 1802; "Wiseman, 
 July 23, 1803; Elizabeth, June 13, 1805; 
 Joseph, April 6, 1807; and William, No- 
 vember 18, 1810. About tlie year 1834 
 tiie grandparents of our subject came to 
 Ohio, first settling in Medina county, and 
 they died in Wayne county, each at the 
 age of eighty-seven years; lie was a sol- 
 dier in the Revolutionary war. 
 
 George W. Cotton, father of subject, 
 was born in New Hampshire, whence in 
 1817 he came to Ohio, locating in Shef- 
 field township, Lorain county. His wife, 
 Rachel (Smithi, was a daughter of Joshua 
 and Martha (^Hall) Smith, and all were na- 
 tives of Berkshire county, Mass. They 
 came to Lorain county, Ohio, settling in 
 Sheffield township in 1812, and here 
 Joshua Smith died in 1810; he was the 
 first white man buried in that township; 
 his wife died in 1859. On March 26, 
 1833, George W. Cotton moved to Elyria 
 township, and there died in April, 1865, 
 his wife in 1849. Their family numbered 
 five children, as follows: Jerome (deceased 
 in 1852), Charles W. (subject of sketch). 
 Martha (widow of Frank Younglove, of 
 Virginia), N. L. (of North Amherst, Lo- 
 raiu county) and George J. (residing in 
 Lansing, Michigan). 
 
 Charles W. Cotton received a limited 
 district-school education, and learned the 
 trade of carpenter and joiner, which he 
 followed some years. In 1872 he was 
 married to Miss Catherine Arman, a na- 
 tive of Lorain county, Ohio, and daughter 
 of J.acob Arman, of German birth. To 
 this union were born five children, viz.: 
 George W., Edwin, Erman, Dora and 
 Daisy. In 1887 Mr. Cotton bought a 
 farm in Elyria township, and has since been 
 successfully engaged in general farming 
 and fruit growing. In August, 1S62, he 
 enlisted in Battery E, First Ohio Liglit 
 Artillery, for three years, and was attached 
 
816 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 to the army of Tennessee. He partici- 
 pated in tlie battles of Cumberland Gap, 
 Perryville, Murfreesboro, and many other 
 minor engagements. In 1865 he was dis- 
 charged at Camp Dennison, Ohio, and re- 
 turned home to the pursuits of peace. 
 Politically he is a strong Republican; he 
 is a member of Richard Allen Post Ko. 
 65, G. A. R., Department of Ohio. 
 
 ^/ 
 
 H{ D. ROOT. This gentleman, who 
 has been a shipbuilder for the past 
 forty years, and whose name is 
 " familiar as household words " 
 among mariners and others, is a 
 native of Lorain county, Ohio, born in 
 Elack River township in 1833. 
 
 He is the younger of two children born 
 to Oresten and Julia Ann (Dutton) Root, 
 natives of Farmington, Conn., the father 
 born in 1800. Oresten Root was well edu- 
 cated in the schools of his place of birth, 
 and early in life went to Georgia, where 
 he was in business for a time, after which he 
 moved to Buffalo, N. Y., where he married, 
 and there remained until 1828, in which 
 year he proceeded to Cleveland, thence to 
 AVellington, Lorain county. He had bought 
 land in the Reserve, and in 1830 he settled in 
 131ack River township, on what is known as 
 the Gregg farm. Later he was engaged for 
 several years in the commission and for- 
 warding business, having a warehouse at 
 Black River, near the lake. He also owned 
 an interest in the schooners "President" 
 and " Vincennes," and was entire owner of 
 the " Equator," built in 1842, which was 
 lost on the lake, near Buffalo, uncovered 
 by insnrance. He was drowned in 1852 
 when the propeller " Henry Clay " was 
 lost. Mr. Root was an Old-line Whio;, ac- 
 five in politics, and was a justice of the 
 peace for many years. His widow died in 
 Lorain in 1871. They had another son 
 besides our subject, Samuel J., who was 
 born in Lorain county, educated in Lorain, 
 was a sailor all his life, and served as a 
 
 man before the mast up to captain. In 
 1889 he was skipper of the yacht "Leo," 
 which was lost that year in Lake Erie, 
 near Cleveland, with all on board — nine 
 in number; he left a widow and three 
 children. 
 
 H. D. Root, whose name opens this 
 sketch, received his education at the schools 
 of Lorain, and at about the age of fifteen 
 commenced the life of a sailor; at twenty 
 he was captain, and he sailed the lakes 
 continuously for thirteen years. He 
 
 learned shipbuilding under William Jones, 
 one of the earliest shipbuilders of Lorain, 
 and in 1853 embarked in that business at 
 the same place, since when he has built 
 the following vessels there: First scow, 
 "Cousin Mary;" 1857— "E. S. Taylor;" 
 1861— "E. K. Kane;" 1862— " Conrad 
 Reid;" 1863— " H. D. Root;" 1865— 
 "Henry Chapman;" 1866-67— brig "E. 
 Cohen;" 1867 — scow "Fannie L. Jones," 
 and another scow; 1868 — schooner " Ver- 
 nie Blake;" the "Ida J. Root;" "Ger- 
 man;" "Growler;" and rebuilt scow 
 "Ferret;" 1873 — steam barge "Mary 
 Groh; " 1873-74— schooner " Three Broth- 
 ers;" 1874-75 — schooner "Our Son;" 
 1875 — tug "Myrtle;" 1876— the "Theo- 
 dore Voyes;" 1877— the "Col. Gates;" 
 1878 — tug " Telephone " and schooner 
 " Ohio Grover; " 1879 — steam barge " Lu- 
 ella Worthington " and tug " George W. 
 Lorimer; " 1880— " W. H. Doon " and 
 schooner "Conrad Reid;" 1881 — rebuilt 
 the "C. L. Hutchinson " tow-barge; 1881- 
 82 — the "DeGinty" and tow-barge " R. 
 Botaford;" 1882— steam barge " H. S. 
 Hubbell" and tugs "C. E. Bolton" and 
 "Chamberlain." At Vermillion, Erie 
 county, he built the following: 1882 — tug 
 "J. F. Weyland," the "Marquette," the 
 "J. S. Petton." At Cleveland he built 
 the steam barge " J. P. Farnhani," the 
 " Margaret," the " Olwell " and the " Fire 
 Tug." At Lorain he rebuilt the steam 
 barges "John Martena," the " W. T." and 
 the "Albert Y. Gowen;" built the "Fair- 
 port " and the tug " Daisy Moore," for 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 817 
 
 self; 1891— the tug "J. E. Erwin;" 1892 
 — tlie tug " Susie B.," besides doina a vast 
 amount of repairing, keeping employed as 
 many as eighty men at one time. 
 
 In 1855 Capt. Root was married in 
 Cleveland. Ohio, to Jeanette A. Fuller, a 
 native of Sheffield township, Lorain county, 
 a daughter of W. A. and Chloe (McNeil) 
 Fuller, of Connecticut, and of Scotch an- 
 cestry, the mother a distant relative of 
 John Quiucy Adams. In about 1820 they 
 came to Lorain county, where the mother 
 died; the father passed away at Arcadia, 
 Neb. To Capt. and Mrs. Iloot were born 
 three children, viz.: Ernest, who died at 
 Lorain in 1SS5, leaving a widow and six 
 children; W. O., married, and residing in 
 Cleveland, where he is head draftsman for 
 the Hill Clutch Works; and Nettie K, 
 wife of Walter Goodell, of Lorain. In 
 politics Capt. Root has been a lifelong 
 Republican, his tirst vote being cast for 
 John C. Fremont, and he has served in 
 the town council of Lorain- He is a mem- 
 ber of Tent No. 1, K. O. T. M.. and of the 
 M. E. Church, with which the entire fam- 
 ily are associated. 
 
 f 
 
 )\ J. KREBS, an inftiiential, lead- 
 ing citizen of Pentield township, 
 was born December 13, 1816, in 
 Orange township. Ashland Co., 
 Ohio, a gramlson of Christian Krebs. 
 
 His father. Daniel G. Krebs, was born 
 July 14, 1814, in Columbiana county, 
 Ohio, and was reared to farm life. He 
 was married, in Orange township, Ash- 
 land county, to Catherine Rickett. who 
 was born May 27, 1818, in East Bethle- 
 hem township, Washington Co., Penn., 
 daughter of Christopher Rickett. also a 
 native of that place, where he married 
 Mary Horn; they came to Ohio in June, 
 1823, and were the third family to settle 
 in Oranire township, Ashland county. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Krebs were born seven chil- 
 dren, of whom W. J. is the second son and 
 third child. Mr. Krebs died January 19, 
 
 1857, of typhoid fever, and was buried in 
 St. Luke cemetery. Orange; township. In 
 politics he was a Democrat. His widow, 
 who is still living, makes her home with 
 a daughter, Mrs. J. H. Crawford, of Lodi, 
 Medina Co., Ohio. 
 
 After the father's death the family were 
 left in limited circumstances, and Mrs. 
 Krebs, who had learned the weaver's trade, 
 was engaged in the summer season inak- 
 inghomespun, thussupporting the younger 
 children. At this time our subject left 
 home to work for Peter Snyder, a farmer, 
 receiving five dollars a month for his serv- 
 ices, and he continued to follow farming 
 during the summers, one- half of his wages 
 going to his widowed mother, and in the 
 winter seasons attending the common 
 schools of the period. He was a very in- 
 dustrious youth, and worked at any honest 
 labor he could iind, practicing economy 
 and savino- all he could. He remained in 
 Orange township, Ashland county, until 
 the spring of 1864, when he moved with 
 his motiier to Rochester, Lorain Co., Ohio. 
 On November 17, 1872, he was united in 
 marriage, in Rochester township, Lorain 
 county, with Miss Sarah H. Andrews, who 
 was born August 4, 1850, in Wiltshire, 
 Encrland, daughter of Thomas Andrews, 
 who came to the United States in 1S52, 
 locating in Spencer township, Medina Co., 
 Ohio. After marriage Mr. Krebs removed 
 to a farm in Rochester townshij), which he 
 rented from A. B. Strodger, and there re- 
 mained three years, when, having sold to 
 his brother, K. W., a one-third interest, 
 which he had at the time of his marriage, 
 in 140 acres of land (whereon the family 
 had removed in 1867), he purchased ninety 
 acres and made his home thereon one year, 
 when, anticipating a decline in the value 
 of land (which actually came), he sold it. 
 On March 1, 1877, he came to Pentield, 
 Lorain coutity, where, in company with 
 his brother R. B., he embarked in the 
 mercantile business, conducting same with 
 well-earned success for twelve years, since 
 when he has lived a semi-retired life. 
 
818 
 
 LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 During Hayes' administration Mr. Krebs 
 was appointed postmaster at Pentield, 
 serving as such for a period of six years, 
 and on July 21, 1^93, he again received 
 the appointment, under Grover Cleveland. 
 In State and National contests Mr. Krebs 
 is a stanch adherent of the Democratic 
 
 Earty, but in township and county affairs 
 e is influenced more by the ability and 
 fitness of candidates than by party lines. 
 He is strictly temperate in his habits, 
 never using either tobacco or liquor in any 
 way. In religious connection he and his 
 wife are active members of the M. E. 
 Church, in which he is trustee, and where 
 he has also held other offices; for some 
 time he was secretary of the Sunday- 
 school. Mr. and Mrs. Krebs have two 
 children, namely: Stella, a popular young 
 lady teacher, connected with the primary 
 department of the Pentield graded schools, 
 where she was the first instructor; and 
 Carrie M., at home. 
 
 Though a resident of Penfield township 
 for a comparatively brief space of time, 
 Mr. Krebs has made an enviable record, 
 and fully merits the respect and esteem 
 which are everywhere accorded him. He 
 was elected township clerk of Penfield 
 township in 1880, and so satisfactorily did 
 he discharge the duties of that office that 
 he was re-elected ten terras in succession. 
 He was also elected justice of the peace in 
 1883, and has held that office ever since. 
 He is now serving his toixrth term as jus- 
 tice with credit to himself and to his con- 
 stituents. J5y his faithful attention to 
 business, hard work and economy he has 
 accumulated property, aTid has placed him- 
 self in good, comfortable circumstances. 
 
 LB. PRATT, retired, having his resi- 
 I dence in the town of Wellington, 
 \ where in 1883 he built a comfortable 
 
 home, is a native of New York State, 
 born in Deertield, Oneida county, Novem- 
 ber 27, 1821. 
 
 Benjamin Pratt, father of subject, was 
 born in New Jersey, whence in his youth 
 he moved to New York State, making a 
 settlement in Oneida county, where he 
 married Miss Lucy Biddlecomb, a native 
 of that county, who bore him four children, 
 viz.: Daniel, who resided in Huntington, 
 where he purchased a farm and passed the 
 greater part of his life, dying near Medina, 
 in Medina connty, Ohio; Caroline, who 
 married Louis Gill)ert, of Oneida county, 
 N. Y., and now lives near Utica, same 
 State; Benjamin, a farmer in Huntington 
 township, and L. B. Mr. Pratt conducted 
 a meat market for several years in Deer- 
 field, Oneida county, where he and his 
 wife both passed away, he in 1828, she in 
 her forty-fifth year. 
 
 L. B. Pratt, of whom this sketch more 
 particularly relates, was seven years old 
 when he lost his father, and as a conse- 
 quence his school advantages were some- 
 what limited; but, nevertheless, he suc- 
 ceeded in receiving a good practical ele- 
 mentary education. He was reared to 
 agricultural pursuits, which he followed 
 in his native county till 1844, in which 
 year he came west to Lorain county, Ohio, 
 and bought a piece of wild land in Hunt- 
 ington township, which he cleared up and 
 converted into a fertile farm. With his 
 grandfather, Daniel Biddlecomb. in Oneida 
 county, N. Y., he had commenced the 
 study of veterinary surgery, a profession 
 be pursued during recent years. His first 
 experience was with a disease among cat- 
 tle known as " bloody murrain," and he 
 was so successful in his treatment of it 
 that he was encouraged to continue the 
 study, finally becoming as skillful a veter- 
 inarian as any in the county. In 1885 he 
 retired from the farm to take up his resi- 
 dence in the town of Wellington, where to 
 some extent he still practices his pi-ofession. 
 Mr. Pratt has been twice married, first 
 time to Miss Bachel Camilla Warner, by 
 which union there is one child, a son, 
 Otis, a gifted artist in sculpture, who 
 studied with Hiram Powers and Larkin 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 819 
 
 Mead; he lias traveled over the world, and 
 resided four years in Paris; he now lives 
 in Ocean ville, N. J. This wife died in 
 1879, and for his second our subject mar- 
 ried, in 1883, Miss Hattie Johnston. Po- 
 litically Mr. Pratt is a Democrat, formerly 
 a Republican. 
 
 LJ. HART, one of the youngest and 
 j most enterprising of the business 
 [ men of Elyria, and member of the 
 
 tirm of Hart & Tucker, proprietors 
 of planing- mills and lumber yard, in that 
 town, is a native of Lorain county, Ohio, 
 horn June 30, 1865, a son of John W. and 
 Caroline (Bassett) Ilart. 
 
 Our subject received his literary educa- 
 tion in the high schools of Elyria, after- 
 ward taking a course at the Business Col- 
 lege in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. On his re- 
 turn home he joined his lather in the stone 
 quarry business at Grafton, in Lorain 
 county, but selling out his interest in this, 
 he and his brother-in-law, Charles E. 
 Tucker, bought the present lumber busi- 
 ness and planing-mill from John liart, 
 subject's father, and they have since suc- 
 cessfully operated same, the style of the 
 firm being Hart & Tucker. \n connec- 
 tion with their interests in this they do an 
 extensive contracting and building busi- 
 ness, altogether employing an average of 
 one hundred hands. Politically Mr. Hart 
 is a Democrat, and socially he is a mem- 
 ber of the Knights of Pythias. 
 
 JOSEPH BLANTERN. England has 
 given to the United States a large 
 proportion of her industrious, loyal 
 and prosperous citizens, among whom 
 may be justly numbered the gentleman 
 whose name here appears. 
 
 Mr. Blantern is a native of Shropshire, 
 England, born August 28, 1827, a son of 
 Robert Blantern, also an Englishman by 
 birth, born January 30, 1772, and who was 
 
 reared a farmer boy. When yet a youth 
 he left the paternal roof to make his home 
 with a wealthy bachelor uncle, a Shrop- 
 shire farmer, and with him he lived until 
 his marriage with Miss Elizabeth Turner, 
 who was born in England in June, 1787. 
 He then located on tliirty acres of land in 
 Shropshire, to which he had fallen heir 
 through the death of a relative. While 
 living on this farm children were born to 
 him as follows: Hannah, residing at Graf- 
 ton, widow of Thomas Hopwood, to whom 
 she was married in England; ]\Iary, who 
 was married in England to Richard Ridge- 
 way, and died in Ridgeville township, 
 Lorain county; a son who died in infancy; 
 Fannie, wiio was married in Lorain county, 
 Ohio, to Henry Swartz, a tailor of Elyria, 
 and died in Toledo; Robert, a tatmer, of 
 Litchfield, Medina county; Sarah, who 
 married Samuel Lynds, and died in 1891 
 in Paulding county, Ohio; Martha, widow 
 of John Pierce, residing in York township, 
 Medina county; a son who died in infancy; 
 and Joseph, subject of this memoir. 
 
 Having decided to come to the United 
 States, our subject's father had to get a 
 decree from the English Government to 
 sell his land, on account of the "law of 
 entail." Having settled evei-ything, in 
 March, 1831, he and his family set sail 
 from Liverpool on the vessel " Ceres," 
 which experienced a lengthy voyage, some 
 six weeks, during which she was driven so 
 far north that Greenland was visible from 
 her masthead, and the passengers saw sev- 
 eral whales spouting and sporting in the 
 water. The sailors caught a porpoise, and 
 our subject, then not four years old, dis- 
 tinctly remembers seeing it cut up for the 
 cook's "kettle." On the ocean Robert 
 Blantern's youngest child was born, and at 
 the request of the Captain was named 
 " Ceres," after the vessel ; two years and 
 nine months afterward the little one was 
 carried off by scarlet fevei'. From New York 
 the family journeyed to (Cleveland via the 
 Hudson river, Erie Canal and Lake Erie. 
 Here Mr. Blantern was informed by a Mr. 
 
820 
 
 LORAIX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Dryer, tliat Grafton township, where his 
 home was, would be a good place to locate, 
 and offered to convey thither the entire 
 family and chattels, which offer was read- 
 ily accepted. After arrival Mr. Blaotern 
 purchased eighty-live acres partly cleared 
 land, having thereon a log cabin, that after 
 two years gave place to a better one, which 
 the subject of this sketch utilizes as a 
 granary. Here the parents passed the 
 rest of their pioneer days, the father pass- 
 ing away February IJ, 1849, his widow on 
 December 1, 1879, aged over ninety-two 
 years, having lived with her son Joseph 
 from tile time of the death of her husband. 
 They were consistent members of the 
 Methodist Church. 
 
 Joseph Blantern, of whom this slietch 
 moi'e particularly relates, received his edu- 
 cation at the early schools of Grafton town- 
 ship, which, however, he attended but four 
 months in the year, as his services were 
 too valuable at home in assisting in clear- 
 ing up the land. His father for many years 
 before his death was a sufferer frouj rheu- 
 matism, and on young "Joe" devolved a 
 great deal of the hard work, especially as 
 his only brother, Rol)ert, had left home to 
 learn a trade. At odd times wiiile on the 
 farm he picked up carpentry, at which 
 he worked for a time in Grand Rapids, 
 Mich., and while there he married, 
 July 24, 1852, Miss Laura Ames, of that 
 place. To this union were born four chil- 
 dren, as follows: Elmer, a barber of To- 
 ledo, Ohio, formerly superintendent of 
 Leetonia (Ohio) school", Charlotte, who 
 died when aged live years four months and 
 two days, and was buried in Nesbit ceme- 
 tery; Sarah, Mrs. William Mole, of Graf- 
 ton; and Llewellyn, a farmer and school- 
 teacher of Grafton township. After mar- 
 riage the young couple lived on the home 
 farm in Grafton township some years, of 
 which he still owns thirty-five of the 
 original eighty-five acres bought by his 
 father, having paid off all the legacies. 
 For the past fourteen years he has lived 
 on his present place, on which in 1882 he 
 
 erected a pleasant and commodious resi- 
 dence, and he now owns iti all 182 acres 
 of as fine land as can be found in the 
 county, all accumulated by incessant toil 
 and assiduous perseverance. In addition 
 to this he has assisted the several members 
 of his family to good homes of their own, 
 and a fair start in life. Mr. Blantern and 
 his first wife were divorced in 1878, and 
 in 1879 he married Miss Helen Ferry, 
 who was born in New York State. Polit- 
 ically he is a Democrat, but in township 
 matters he invariably votes for the man 
 best suited to the position, regardless of 
 party. He is a well-known and highly re- 
 spected citizen, his religion being the 
 " Golden Rule of Life," has never had a 
 lawsuit, and deals "fair and square" with 
 every one. 
 
 S. NICHOLS, proprietor of meat 
 market, Elyria, was born August 
 21, 1829, in Cortlan.l county, N.Y., 
 a son of Asa and Harriet (Smith) 
 Nichols, natives of Hartford, Conn., where 
 they were married and where some of their 
 children were born. 
 
 In 1885 they came west from Cortland 
 county, N. Y., where they had followed 
 farming, and settling in Lorain county 
 the father there carried on a stone quarry- 
 ing business. He was born in 1792, and 
 died at the age of eighty years; a Whig 
 originally in politics, he afterward voted 
 the straight Republican ticket. The mother 
 lived to be seventy-live years old. They 
 were the parents of ten children (nine of 
 them grew to maturity, four yet survive), 
 of whom the subject of this sketch is the 
 fifth in order of birth. 
 
 O. S. Nichols received his elementary 
 education at the district schools, finishing 
 at select school. His first work was on a 
 farm, but disliking agricultural pursuits 
 he ran away from home, and making his 
 way eastward to the seacoast, at New Bed- 
 ford, Mass., being fond of adventure, he 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 821 
 
 resolved to go to sea. Shipping aboard a 
 merchantship, his first voyage was into the 
 Indian Ocean and to tiie Sandwich Islands; 
 thence sailed to the Behring Sea, and the 
 Arctic Ocean; thence to China, and home- 
 ward again by way of San Francisco, at 
 which port he concluded to remain. Here 
 he resided for some years, working at first 
 in the capacity of stevedore. He 'then as- 
 sisted in fitting out the first ship for a line 
 running between San Francisco and China. 
 In 1861 he returned to liis old home in 
 Lorain county, Ohio, and same year came 
 to Elyria, where in 1864 he opened out his 
 present prosperous meat market. 
 
 Mr. Nichols was married April 14, 
 1862, to Miss Delia Rockwood, and two 
 children have been born to them: James 
 and Dora. In his political preferences our 
 subject is a Republican, and he is a member 
 of the F. & A. M. He is possessed of 
 good business ability, has an e.xcellent 
 trade, and enjoys the respect and con- 
 fidence of the public at large. He claims 
 lineal descent from " Mayflower " Puritans, 
 and his grandfather Nichols fought val- 
 iantly in the war of the Revolution. 
 
 DM. ADAMS, who for many years was 
 one of the leading stock buyers of 
 . the southern part of Lorain county, 
 
 was born February 11, 1819, in 
 Hector, Seneca county. New York. 
 
 Our subject is the second son and fourth 
 child of John M. Adams, who was born in 
 1785, son of Benjamin Adams. The fam- 
 ily came originally from England, lo- 
 cating^ first in Massachusetts, then in 
 Litchfield county. Conn., and thence mov- 
 ing to New York State, where they first 
 lived in Dutchess county, and finally set- 
 tled in Danby, Tompkins county. Benja- 
 min Adams was a distant relative of John 
 Adams and John Quincy Adams. He was 
 a tailor by trade. John Murray Adams, 
 father of our subject, was also a tailor, and 
 
 moved about" with his father, Benjamin, 
 from place to place. He was married, in 
 Connecticut, to Polly Ann Wheeler, and 
 they had twelve children, five of whom are 
 yet living, viz.: D. M., subject proper of 
 this sketch; Elizabeth Ann, widow of 
 Orrin Parsons, of Wardsborough, Wind- 
 ham Co., Vt.; Eveline M., widow of Henry 
 Murphy, also living in Wardsborough, 
 Windham Co., Vt.; Charles B., a farmer 
 of Lawrence, Kans. ; and Maria A., re- 
 siding in Chicago, III., widow of John W. 
 Starr, who was a real-estate broker, and 
 died in Washington, D. C. John M. 
 Adams died of cholera during the epi- 
 demic, on August 10, 1854, in Shlloh, Rich- 
 land Co., Ohio, while on a visit to his son, 
 Benjamin. His widow passed away No- 
 vember 4, 1872, in Breckenridge, Mo., a 
 member of the M. E. Church. The Adams 
 family is an illustrious one, and among the 
 prominent members thereof we mention 
 Alonzo W. Adams, who enlisted in the 
 Black Horse Cavalry, and during his serv- 
 ice rose from the ranks to general. He 
 subsequently practiced law in New York 
 and in Washington, D. C, but being taken 
 sick in the latter place came to the home 
 of our subject to recuperate; however, he 
 died in Cleveland on the return trip to 
 Washington, and was buried in LaGrange 
 cemetery, Lorain county, Ohio, in a lot pro- 
 vided by Mr. I). M. Adams. 
 
 D. M. Adams passed his earlier years on 
 a farm in Tompkins county, N. Y., whither 
 he had been brought when an infant, and 
 where he remained until si.xteen years old. 
 He received his education at the comniDn 
 schools; he was naturally a bright scholar, 
 and was also possessed of considerable me- 
 chanical genius, being able to work at al- 
 most any trade, and proving especially 
 adept at painting and carpenter work. 
 When he was sixteen years of age his par- 
 ents came to Cleveland, Ohio, where the 
 father commenced to work at his trade of 
 tailor, and later came to Eaton township, 
 Lorain county, remaining, however, but a 
 short time, when he aorain resumed his 
 
822 
 
 LORAIX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 trade in Cleveland. Our subject remained 
 for some time in Eaton township, and then 
 went to the town ot Boston, in Cuj'ahoga 
 county, where with a capital of two hun- 
 dred dollars he opened a grocery store, and 
 also carried on a hat store. Subsequently 
 he traded his business to a man from New 
 York named Perry, for a farm of one hun- 
 dred acres in Sullivan county, N. Y., and 
 went east to look after his farm, which he 
 lost, as the title proved to be worthless. 
 Not discouraged by this experience, he be- 
 gan again, and in 1839 started on the 
 return trip to Ohio, stopping en route at 
 Erie, Penn., where he worked at the car- 
 penter trade for a year. He then came to 
 Fortage county, Ohio, where he was mar- 
 ried, in October, 1840, to Jane A. Trotter, 
 born December 25, 1819, in Messina vil- 
 lage, Jefferson Co., N. Y., a daughter of 
 Richard Trotter, who afterward came to 
 Portage county, Ohio. The young couple 
 commenced housekeeping in Aurora town- 
 ship. Portage county, where he purchased 
 130 acres of land, on which they resided 
 until 1850, when he sold out and came to 
 LaGrange township, Lorain county. Here 
 he purchased from Z. Ensign his present 
 farm, comprising 225 acres of good land, 
 upon which, in 1859, he built at a cost of 
 seven thousand dollars a very comfortable 
 residence, then the finest in the township; 
 he drew the plans for this house himself, 
 made all the l)rick, and took upon himself 
 the overseeing of the building, there being 
 no contract work on the place. While en- 
 gaged in the business, and while residing 
 in that place, he bought and sold more 
 stock than any other man in the business 
 in Lorain county. He was among the 
 original promoters and stockholders of the 
 Lorain Plank Road, had a contract for 
 seven and a half miles of same, and it was 
 mainly through his efforts that LaGrange 
 village secured this road; otherwise it 
 would have gone by Grafton. He was 
 superintendent of this road five years, and 
 also served the same length of time as 
 manager and collector. He had made many 
 
 trips to New York City, and itwasduring 
 one of these that be met with the accident 
 — falling through a railroad bridge — 
 which caused him to give up the business. 
 He had a most extensive acquaintance. 
 
 To the union of D. M. and Jane A. 
 Adams came children as follows: Velorias 
 L., of Belden, Lorain Co., Ohio; Benjamin 
 F., a farmer of LaGrange; Eliza J., now 
 Mrs. L. G. Parsons, of Greenville, Ohio; 
 and Ella A., now Mrs. D. D. Gott, 
 of Greenville, Ohio. The mother of 
 these died October 31, 1877, and 
 was buried in LaGrange cemetery, and 
 on August 4, 1880, Mr. Adams was mar- 
 ried to Miss Ella M. Moorehouse, of Cort- 
 land, N. Y. Politically he was originally 
 a Whig, then a Republican until 1872, 
 when he became a Democrat, and in 1S92 
 he joined the Farmers Alliance; he takes 
 little interest in party aifairs, and has re- 
 fused various township offices. He is a 
 very temperate man, and never uses either 
 tobacco or intoxicating liquor in any form. 
 Owing to his eminent qualities as a busi- 
 ness manager, Mr. Adams acts as guardian 
 for a number of orphans, and has settled 
 up various estates; he is now engaged in 
 collecting the celebrated Award in favor of 
 the La Abra Silver Mining Company, of 
 the city of New York, against the Re- . 
 public of Mexico. 
 
 'jr^jICHARD De WITT PERRY, 
 
 li*^ superintendent of The Western 
 
 I ^ Automatic Machine Screw Co., Ely- 
 
 ^ ria, is a representative self-made 
 
 man, and a living example of what 
 
 willing heart and hands and indomitable 
 
 perseverance can accomplish. 
 
 He is a son of Clinton DeWitt and 
 Celia (Spencer) Perry, and was born in 
 South Manchester, Conn., January 12, 
 1857. His parents are also natives of the 
 Nutmeg State, the father born in North 
 Manchester, the mother in South Man- 
 chester, and after marriage they wereresi- 
 
OJ^' 
 
LORAIiT COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 825 
 
 dents of Hartford, where the father was 
 engaged in general business; they still re- 
 side there. The paternal grandfather of 
 subject was a physician, and the patro- 
 nymic of his maternal grandparents was 
 Spencer (the grandmother's maiden name 
 being Hollister). C. M. Spencer, uncle 
 of Richard DeW. Perry, was the inventor 
 of the widely-known Spencer ritle, and also 
 of the Spencer automatic machine screw. 
 
 The subject of these lines was educated 
 in his native town, and learned his trade 
 with the Hartford Machine Screw Com- 
 pany, with whom he remained many years, 
 tilling nearly every position in the me- 
 chanical department, and becoming thor- 
 oughly efficient in each. In 1883 he 
 w'as appointed manager of The AVestern 
 Automatic Machine Screw Company, at 
 Elyria, and has ever since had charge of 
 all the mechanical work done in that in- 
 stitution, which is by far the largest manu- 
 facturing concern of its kind in the West. 
 Since Mr. Perry's connection with it, its 
 trade has expanded vastly, and new build- 
 ings have been added to accommodate the 
 fast increasing business, all of which de- 
 velopment is mainly due to his thorough 
 knowledge of the Inisiness, and his nat- 
 ural energy and progressiveness. 
 
 In 1883 Mr. Perry was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Jennie Swan, and three 
 children have been born to them, viz.: 
 Philip W., Hester and Richard De Witt, 
 Jr. In his political preferences our sub- 
 ject is a Republican, and in the spring of 
 1893 he was elected a member of the 
 board of education of Elyria. He has re- 
 cently erected a handsome residence on 
 West Third street, which has been equipped 
 with all modern improvements. 
 
 EiRASTlIS BRADLEY, who in his 
 lifetime was a well-to-do farmer of 
 I Pittstield township, was born July 
 
 6, 180G, in Lee, Mass. His father, 
 Jesse Bradley, was born December 9, 1703, 
 at New Haven, Conn., and on December 9, 
 
 1790, married Lucy Munson, by which 
 union there were nine children, of whom 
 Erastus was the seventh in order of lurth. 
 
 Our subject received a common-school 
 education, and, as his father's family was 
 a large one, w-as obliged to begin life for 
 himself at an early age, going to New 
 York, where he learned the trade of cloth 
 dresser. Mr. Bradley was twice married 
 in New York State, but of the children 
 born to both marriages none lived to adult 
 age. About 1840, his brother Jesse having 
 died in Knox county, 111., Mr. Bradley 
 made a journey thither to settle up the 
 estate, and while en route made a short 
 visit in Pittstield township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, where he met the lady who sub- 
 sequently became his wife. After adjust- 
 ing the affairs of his brother in Knox 
 county. 111., he returned to Pittstield town- 
 ship, where on August 23, 1842, he was 
 united in marriage with Miss Orpha I. 
 Phelps, who was born February 27, 1814, 
 in Norfolk, Litchfield Co., Conn. In 1836 
 her parents, Bethuel and Levina (Norton) 
 Phelps, migrated from Norfolk, Litchtield 
 Co., Conn., to Ohio, coming by way of 
 canal and lake to Cleveland, thence to Lo- 
 rain county, where they settled on a farm 
 on the north and south center road, two 
 miles south of the center of Pittstield 
 township; here the father died in 1880, at 
 the age of ninety-three years. After his 
 marriage Mr. Bradley lived for some time 
 with his father-in-law, and theti bought a 
 farm in Huntington township, returning, 
 however, to Pittstield township, where in 
 later years he bought the farm whereon 
 he died, and where his widow still resides. 
 By this union there were children as fol- 
 lows: Mary, born July 13, 1843, who died 
 when three years old; and Delphine, born 
 May 6, 1845, who died when aged twenty- 
 seven years. 
 
 Mr. Bradley passed from earth April 
 1(), 1888, and was buried in the South 
 cemetery of Pittstield township. In poli- 
 tics he was a Republican, and took con- 
 siderable interest in local affairs, serving 
 
826 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 as treasiii-er and iu other positions of trust 
 ill his township. Though not engaging in 
 active farm work to any great extent, he 
 conducted successfully a general farming 
 and dairying business, which his widow 
 now manages, and she has proved herself 
 a woman of unquestioned business sagac- 
 ity. She is one of the oldest members of 
 the Episcopal Church at Oberlin, as was 
 also her husband. Mrs. Bradley is one of 
 the most highly respected and intelligent 
 ladies of Pittsfield township, and though 
 already past her threescore years and ten, 
 is still in full possession of her mental 
 faculties; she takes great delight in 
 reading. 
 
 rW.' EDISON, proprietor of the 
 leading hardware store in Lorain, 
 _^ uncle of Edison, the world-famed 
 electrician and inventor, is a Cana- 
 dian by birth, having first seen the light 
 in the county of Elgin, Ontario, in July, 
 1832. 
 
 His father, Samuel Edison, was born in 
 Newark, N. J., March 5, 1761, of Holland- 
 Dutch (Amsterdam) ancestry, and in 1805 
 removed to Nova Scotia, thence to what is 
 now the Province of Ontario, Canada, where 
 he died March 27, 1865. He was twice mar- 
 ried, his second wife being Elizabeth 
 (Yocuin), by whom he had five children, 
 our subject being the youngest but one; 
 she was born in Philadelphia May 8, 
 1799, and died in March, 1891. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received his 
 education in the common schools of his 
 native place, and served an apprenticeship 
 at the tinner's trade. In 1854 he came to 
 the United States, where for nearly fifteen 
 years prior to his marriage he was a jour- 
 neyman tinsmith, in the literal sense, for 
 he traveled continuously all over the conn- 
 try, working at his trade. At the time of 
 the breaking out of the Civil war he was 
 in Kentuckv, and from there came nortli, 
 at various tunes visiting and sojourning 
 in Port Huron (Mich.), Cleveland and 
 
 Detroit. From the latter place he re- 
 turned in 1865 to his home in Canada, 
 and married an old schoolmate. Miss Emily 
 Johnston, who was then teaching school; 
 on the day of her wedding, she taught 
 school up to noon, and at two o'clock was 
 married! The young couple then resided 
 in Port Huron, Cleveland and Detroit, re- 
 spectively, until March 15, 1872, when 
 they came to Lorain, where Mr. Edison 
 opened out a tin- shop, and commenced a 
 flourishing business; in 1878 he put iu a 
 full line of hardware, etc., having now one 
 of the best assorted stocks of the kind in 
 the county. Mrs. Emily Edison died in 
 1881, the mother of three children: Ho- 
 mer, Harry and Grace, and in 1884 our 
 subject married, in Michigan, Martha 
 Bell. Politically he is a Republican ; he 
 is a Chapter Mason, and a member of the 
 Knights of the Maccabees and the Order 
 of Tonti. 
 
 rjf EM AN BAREOWS (deceased), who 
 tsH had been a resident of Avon town- 
 I 1 ship, since early childhood, was 
 Jj born in 1826 in Riga, Monroe Co., 
 
 ]S. Y., a son of Adnah and Clar- 
 issa (Day) Barrows, the former of whom 
 was a native of Connecticut, the latter of 
 Bennington, Vermont. 
 
 Adnah Barrows, who was born January 
 17, 1797, when a youth removed to New 
 York, in which State he remained until 
 1828, when he came by water to Avon 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, taking up a 
 farm in the woods of Section 10, near 
 French Creek, where he passed the rest of 
 his days. He died October 3, 1856, a 
 stanch Democrat in politics; his wife, born 
 October 3, 1800, died November 26, 1882. 
 They were the parents of six children, as 
 follows: James R., married, who resides in 
 Avon township; Lyman, who died in 
 Michigan about 1889; Heman, subject 
 proper of this memoir; Lydia, widow of 
 Jacob Walker, of North Amherst; Mary, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 827 
 
 who died about 1836; and Eliza, wife of 
 Edward S. Fitch, of Avon township. 
 Grandfather Benjamin Day, who was a 
 native of Vermont, was a soldier in the 
 Revolution, serving with General Wash- 
 ington; was with liim at Valley Forge, in 
 Pennsylvania, and saw Major Andre exe- 
 cuted; he also served in the war of 1812. 
 He died in Bennington, Vt., at the age of 
 ninety-three. 
 
 Ileman Barrows, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, was two years of age when 
 brought by his parents to Avon township, 
 where he was educated in the log-cabin 
 schools of the da}'. He was reared on the 
 home farm to agricultural life, in which he 
 has always continued, and he now owns a 
 fertile farm of twenty-live acres, in a good 
 state of cultivation, where he has resided 
 since 1888. On September 23, 1843, he 
 was married, in Avon township, to Miss 
 Cordelia Gillett, a native of same, dautriiter 
 of Gresliam and Betsy (Moe) Gillett, early 
 pioneers of the township, where both died. 
 To this union were born children as fol- 
 lows: Chester, who was born August 9, 
 1845, and died in Avon township May 15, 
 1868; Frank, born November 30, 1847, 
 now residing in Huron, Erie county, is 
 married and has four children — Eugenia, 
 Samuel, Nona, and one whose name is not 
 given; Miles, born August 15, 1852, died 
 September 6,1853; Horace, born in 1854, 
 married January 1, 1877, Sarepta Moon, 
 and died January 31, 1879, in Avon town- 
 ship; Charley, born April 18, 1859, died 
 November 9, 1860; and Ada, born De- 
 cember 28, 1863, wife of Arthur Buck, of 
 Atchison county, Kansas. The mother of 
 these died in 1872. and June 14, 1884, our 
 subject was again married, this time to 
 Mrs. Sarepta Bari'ows, a native of Van- 
 Buren county, Mich., daughter of John L. 
 and Mary Anna (^Bonsor) Moon, the father 
 a native of Avon township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, the mother of England, from which 
 country she came when eight years old; 
 both died in Avon township. To this sec- 
 ond marriage was born October 24, 1889, 
 
 one child, Clara Day. John L. Moon was 
 born April 9, 1829, and died June 16, 
 1886; JIary Anna Bonsor was born Feb- 
 ruary 13, 1836, and died July 30, 1882. 
 Tiiey were married September 18, 1858, 
 and six children were born to them, as fol- 
 lows: (1) Sarepta, (2) George H.,(3) Ellen 
 R., (4) Lucy A., (5) John L. and (6| 15ird. 
 Of tiiese, (2) George H. was married in 
 1887 to Miss Flora llalliday, and two chil- 
 dren were born to them: Hazel, who died 
 at the age of nine months, and Howard 
 J., born in 1892. (3) Ellen R. was mar- 
 ried to Charles A. Pardee in 1879, and 
 died December 17, same year; they had 
 one child named Nellie Moon. (5) John L. 
 married Miss Mary Halliday November 
 16, 1888. 
 
 Heman Barrows, the subject of this 
 sketch, died November 26, 1893. He was 
 a well-known character in the town in 
 which he lived, and had an extensive ac- 
 quaintance throughout the country. He 
 held many offices of public trust, and in 
 all of them did he perform his duty with 
 fidelity. He was a man of more than or- 
 dinary natural ability, and he had made 
 good use of his opportunities. Respected 
 by all his acquaintances while living, his 
 memory will be honored by them now that 
 he has passed away. In politics he was an 
 active member of the Democratic party, 
 and he served as justice of the peace ia 
 Avon township for twenty-four years; as 
 assessor, ten years; real-estate assessor, 
 two terms; and as township trustee, twenty 
 years. He was also a notary public in the 
 township for years. 
 
 (ALKER S. TERRY, farmer of 
 Grafton township, is a son of 
 Eleazer Terry, a native of New 
 Hampshire, born in 1791 in the 
 town of (Jolel)rook, whence he moved to 
 New York State and then to Ohio, in 
 both of which States he followed farming. 
 He married Miss Hannah Sawyer, born in 
 
828 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1794, and the children born to them be- 
 fore coiniuij to Ohio in 1834 or 1835 were 
 as follows: Ransom, deceased in Michigan; 
 Lewis and Orrin, both of whom died in 
 California; Philinda, married to J. M. 
 Doan, and died in California; Lucinda, 
 an invalid, living with our subject; Austin, 
 deceased in Michigan; Lois, now Mrs. 
 William Johnston, of California; Amanda, 
 married to Frank Doan, died in 1853 en 
 route to California; and William, who 
 died in Texas. After coming to Ohio 
 three children were added to the family, 
 all of whom were born in Grafton town- 
 ship, to wit: Gardner A., now living in 
 Michigan; Walker S., and Jonathan, the 
 latter of whom died in Grafton. The father 
 departed this life in 1871, the mother on 
 October 5, 1881, and they sleep their last 
 sleep in Belden cemetery. Prior to com- 
 ing to Ohio Eleazer Terry had worked in 
 an eastern distillery, and when he arrived 
 here had but limited means, but when he 
 died was comparatively opulent. In Lo- 
 rain county he settled on a farm in Grafton 
 township, where our subject now lives, the 
 place at that time being wild woodland. 
 He served in the war of 1812, and was 
 present at the battle of Plattsburgh; was 
 a Democrat in politics, and the entire 
 family were looked upon as unassuming 
 Christian people. Asa Terry, father of 
 Eleazer, was a Revolutionary soldier. 
 
 W. S. Terry, the subject proper of this 
 memoir, was born February 7, 1836, and 
 received his education, during the winter 
 months, in the public schools of the early 
 days of Grafton township, np to the age of 
 fifteen. He was reared a true pioneer 
 farmer boy, and remained under the pa- 
 rental roof until he was eighteen years of 
 age, when he went to Michigan, where, in 
 St. Joseph county, he worked in a sawmill 
 nine years, at the end of which time he re- 
 turned to Ohio. In 1857 he married 
 Eowena D. Benton, and, then, with his 
 young wife, once moi'e proceeded to Michi- 
 gan, this time working at the milling 
 business and on a farm, also buying land 
 
 there. In 1870 he returned to Ohio, and 
 has since been carrying on general farm- 
 ing, being now owner of the homestead 
 farm in Grafton township, Lorain county, 
 in connection with which he operated a 
 threshing machine for several years. In 
 December, 1863, Mr. Terry enlisted at 
 Leonidas, Michigan, in the Eleventh 
 Mich. V. I., and was sent to recruit the 
 ranks of that regiment thinned by the 
 bullet and disease; he was assigned to 
 Company F. They were ordered to Chatta- 
 nooga, participated in the battle of Resaca, 
 and the march to Atlanta with Sherman; 
 then returned to Chattanooga as a detach- 
 ment. After a service of twenty-two 
 months Mr. Terry was honorably dis- 
 charged, and returned to Michigan. 
 
 By his first wife there were no children, 
 and she died in 1889. In 1891 he mar- 
 ried Florence Giesey Benton, who was 
 born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1864, daugh- 
 ter of Frederick Giesey, a native of Paris, 
 France, where he was educated for the 
 priesthood. Politically W. S. Terry is a 
 Populist, formerly a Republican. 
 
 L 
 
 EONARD G. HAMILTON. In 
 
 March, 1647, there was born in 
 Glasgow, Scotland, one Sir William 
 Hamilton, who came to America in 
 1668, married an English girl named 
 Mary Berry, and settled in North Kings- 
 ton, Rhode Island. 
 
 Their children were as follows: Eliza- 
 beth, who married a Mr. Roberts, and died 
 at the age of one hundred and two years; 
 Joseph, born in 1693, died in Redding, 
 Conn., aged eighty-six years; Thankful, 
 married to a Mr. Sweet, and died aged one 
 hundred and two years; William, Jr., who 
 settled in Rhode Island, and died when 
 ninety-eight years old; David, born in 
 North Kingston, Conn., April 11, 1697, 
 died in Sharon, Conn., in 1779, at the age 
 of eighty-two years; Benjamin, born in 
 
^^ 
 
 -^■^-^-i 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 831 
 
 1701, died aged ninety-five ; Elisha, drowned 
 at an early age; Nathaniel, killed by a fall 
 from a tree; John, died young. The father 
 of these children, like the majority o! 
 them, lived to a patriarchal age, dying 
 when five score and two years old. 
 
 William Hamilton, Jr., eldest son of 
 Sir William, had five children, viz.: Will- 
 iam, who married Sarah Bene<lict; Silas, 
 married to Elizabeth Knapp; Joseph (2), 
 born in 1730, married to Thankful Taylor; 
 Ruth, wife of John Knapp, and Catharine, 
 wife of Nathaniel Gregory. Of these Silas 
 and Joseph (2) settled in Danbnry, Conn., 
 and Joseph and Thankful (Taylor) Hamil- 
 ton had children as follows: Joseph, Jr., 
 Eden (grandfather of the subject proper of 
 these lines, L. G. Hamilton), Asel, Eliakim 
 and Ezra. 
 
 Eden Hamilton, son of Joseph, Jr., was 
 born in New Fairfield, five miles north ot 
 Danbnry, Conn., in 17G3, and was an eye- 
 witness to the burning of that town by the 
 British during the Revolutionary war. 
 He married Zilla Lindsley, and removed 
 to North Harpersfield, Delaware Co., N. Y., 
 ■where he remained till 1S20, in which year 
 he came as a pioneer to Medina county, 
 Ohio, where he carried on agricniture. 
 He was born in 17G3, and died in 1850; 
 his wife was born in 1700, and died in 
 1828. He was an Old-line Whig in poli- 
 ties, in Church connection a Bapti'st. The 
 following are the names and dates of birth 
 and death of their children, who were all 
 born in Harpersfield, N. Y.: Talmon, born 
 September 18, 1782, died October 20, 
 1878; Ira, born 1784, died September 28, 
 1795; Anson, born 1780, died May 18, 
 1860; Adna, born 17!J0, died 1850; Arsa, 
 born 1792, died October 22, 1838; Phwbe, 
 born 1795, died July 26, 1846; Matthew 
 Lindsley, born January 20, 1797, died 
 Novembers, 1881; Elizabeth, born 1800, 
 died 1822; Eden (father of subject), born 
 1802, died September 17, 1849. 
 
 Eden Hamilton, Jr., youngest in the 
 family of Eden and Zilla (Lindsley) ILam- 
 ilton, grew to manhood in his native town, 
 
 where he was educated and reared to farm 
 life. About the year 1820 he migrated to 
 Ohio, wliere he made a settlement in the 
 wilds of what is now Medina county, and 
 here followed farming to the close of his 
 life. He was among the first settlers in 
 that section (the first being Zenos Hamil- 
 ton, his cousin, who came in 1S14), iiis 
 nearest neighbor, for some eighteen months 
 after his location there, being seven miles 
 distant. Eden, Jr., married Miss Celestia 
 Fletcher, and the children born to them 
 were as follows: Leonard G., Hiram F., 
 Marcus N. and Nancy A. Li politics 
 Eden, Jr., was an Old-line Whig, and he 
 was a member of the Baptist Church. 
 Several of the Hamilton family moved to 
 Ohio, amono; them beine Matthew Linds- 
 ley Hamilton (uncle of subject), who came 
 in 1816 and took up land, returned to his 
 old home to be married to Achsa Beardsly, 
 and made his final settlement in ^ledina % 
 county, in 1817. Li fact, all of subject's 
 uncles, excepting Talmon, removed to Me- 
 dina county between the years 1816 and 
 1820, and his aunts located on the Cleve- 
 land and Wooster stage road, all in about 
 the same neighborhood. Hamilton's Cor- 
 ners, about four miles north of the town of 
 Medina, was named for them. 
 
 Leonard G. Hamilton was born Novem- 
 ber 26, 1828, at Hamilton's Corners, Me- 
 dina Co., Ohio, and received but limited 
 school advantages. He worked from boy- 
 hood on his father's farm until twenty 
 years of age, when he returiu-d to the old 
 home of iiis people — North Harpersfield, 
 Delaware Co., N. Y. — where he attended 
 select school during the winter. In the 
 following summer he chopped wood in 
 order to earn sufficient money to take him 
 to Albany, N. Y., where he was in hopes 
 of finding an opportunit}' to learn the car- 
 penter's trade, or get some kind of 
 work. Failing, however, in his expecta- 
 tions, he returned to North Harpersfield, 
 working all the way, his route being over 
 the Catskill Mountains; then set out, 
 again on foot, for Binghamton, N. Y., 
 
832 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 fully expecting to fiud work on the Erie 
 Railroad, which was then in course of con- 
 struction, but walked, instead, down to 
 Owego, where lie hired out as a raftsman 
 on the Susquehanna river. At Peach 
 Bottom he received an injury while raft- 
 ing, from which he has never fully recov- 
 ered. The river was so shallow that the 
 raftsmen had to temporarily abandon their 
 work, and he was trying to pull a boat out 
 of a shoal, the rope being fastened round 
 his waist, when by some means he got 
 hurt. In those days he was a powerful 
 man. At Port Deposit, at the mouth of 
 the Susquehanna river, they made their 
 rafts into floats, which they took up Elk 
 river and Back creek to Chesapeake City, 
 Md.; thence (after having converted the 
 floats into lockins — which form they were 
 made into so they could be towed through 
 the locks of the canals) via the Chesapeake 
 and Delaware Canal, and thence (having 
 put all the timber into floats again) up the 
 Delaware river with the tide to Philadel- 
 phia, thence to Bordentown, N. J. At that 
 place they entered the Rarideu Canal 
 which carried tlieir timber to the city of 
 New Brunswick (where subject was seized 
 with cholera), where it was again made 
 into floats on the river Rariden, down 
 which it was floated to Ainboy Bay, thence 
 by the tide up Staten Sound to New Yoik, 
 where it was finally marketed. Mr. Ham- 
 ilton remained in that city a short time, 
 and then proceeded to Danbury, Conn. 
 While there his father died, and our sub- 
 ject then came west to Medina county, 
 Ohio, and worked on the home farm for a 
 few years, but had to abandon it on ac- 
 count of his old hurt troui)ling him. 
 From Medina county Mr. Hamilton pro- 
 ceeded to Randolph, Cattaraugus Co., 
 N. Y., where for two terms he attended 
 school and an academy. Again coming to 
 Medina county, he became salesman for 
 his uncle, J[ohn Fairchild, who was a man- 
 ufacturer of wooden bowls; but in 1852 he 
 went to Iowa and took up 680 acres of 
 land in Washington county, which he 
 
 held about thirty years. On his return 
 home, his uncle (just referred to) gave him 
 an interest in a bowl manufactory at Berea, 
 Cuyahoga, Co., (Jhio, and he had just got 
 down to business when the premises were 
 burned to the ground. Commencing 
 anew, however, he carried on the business 
 several years, at the end of which time he 
 closed out and embarked in the general 
 mercantile business. While he and his 
 uncle were carrying on the bowl industry, 
 Mr. Hamilton would make trips westward 
 to sell the wares, and in the course of his 
 travels met with many adventures. He 
 passed two summers up and down the 
 Missouri river with teams, selling his bowls 
 among the so-called " border rutflans"; on 
 his return east he fitted up an old-fashioned 
 flat boat at Pittsburgh, Penn., which he 
 loaded with bowls and grindstones, and 
 took down the river to New Orleans, two 
 thousand miles; at Jeffersonville, Ind., 
 where he had a shop, he filled up his boat 
 and went to luakingr sales at all the towns 
 along the river, he himself piloting the 
 vessel from about six miles above Wlieel- 
 ing, W. Va. He reached New Orleans 
 just about the breaking out of the Civil 
 war, and there sold the balance of the ven- 
 ture at wholesale, getting good prices. 
 Our subject then returned northward, by 
 boat, via the Mississippi river. The firm 
 of Fairchild & Hamilton had bowl fac- 
 tories opened out at Berea, Ohio; Colum- 
 bia, Lorain Co., Ohio; Jeffersonville, Ind.; 
 St. John's, Mich.; and Chatham, Canada. 
 Having been appointed treasurer of the 
 Berea Savings and Loan Bank, he held 
 that position with ability and sntisfaction 
 four years, at the end of which time (1884) 
 he came to Elyria and bought out his 
 present furniture business. Before coming 
 to Elyria he was the assistant of the treas- 
 urer of Cleveland. 
 
 Leonard G. Hamilton and Miss Cassie 
 A. Marsh were united in marriage, in 
 May, 1802, and five children were born to 
 them, as follows: Carrie C; May B., wife 
 of Henry Ingersoll, an attorney at law in 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 833 
 
 Elyria, Ohio; Leonard Walter, in business 
 with his father; Eden, deceased; and 
 Harry G., at sciiooL In politics, Mr. 
 Hamilton is a Republican, and he is a 
 member of the I. (). C). F. 
 
 From another branch of the family 
 comes David, whose son, Alexander, was 
 born January 11, 1757, in the island 
 of St. Ohristofer, "West Indies. The Ilani- 
 iltons can be traced back to the twelfth 
 century, producing some eminently scien- 
 tific men, dukes and lords of Scotland and 
 England, and martyrs of the Keformation. 
 
 E 
 
 LIZEK G. HASTINGS, a lifelong 
 farmer of LaGrange township, is a 
 J native of same, born June 20, ls27, 
 a son of Curtis H. and Pattie 
 (Graves) Hastings. 
 
 Our subject received an education in 
 the common schools, and was reared to 
 agricultural life, receiving his first train- 
 ins in that direction under his father. 
 He remained on the hotne farm till 
 twenty-three years of age, and then went 
 to work for Mathew Starr, receiving for 
 his services twelve dollars a month. In 
 December, 1850, he was married, in La- 
 Grange, to Miss Hannah Crane, and they 
 had three children, viz.: Susan, Mrs. 
 Almon Taylor, of Saiulusky, Ohio (her 
 first husband was Royal Merriam) ; George, 
 a farmer of LaGrange; and Evaliue. now 
 Mrs. David McFadden, of Sandusky, Ohio. 
 In 1851 Mr. Ilastinirs went to work for 
 Adison Foster; in 1852 he worked for 
 Richard Loomis; in 1853 he was in the 
 employ of Darius Iloicomb, and in 1854 
 lie worked at the car[)enter trade. In 
 1855 he moved onto a piece of land owned 
 by his father, and which he worked on 
 shares, he having one-third. In 1858 Mr. 
 Hastings moved with his family to Van- 
 Wert county, Ohio, l)Ut ague and bilious 
 fever being prevalent there, they had to 
 return to their native place. In 1861 he 
 
 moved onto the old farm, which he worked 
 on shares until the death of his father, 
 which occurred December 22, 1877. Our 
 subject now owns 142i acres and a com- 
 modious house; he has erected various 
 outbuildings on the place, and a new 
 dwelling across the road from his own. 
 
 Mrs.Hannah Hastings died May 7, 1870, 
 and Mr. Hastings was married, January 
 27, 1875, to Mrs. H. L. Davis, who was 
 born February 11, 1829, in Hampshire 
 county, Mass. Our suliject has been an 
 active, hard working man, and has always 
 been fond of his home. In 1883 a sick 
 spell left him almost a physical wreck, and 
 since then he performs only light farm 
 labor, the remainder of the work being 
 attended to by his son George, who was 
 married to Miss Hattie Barnes, of Pen- 
 field, Lorain Co., Ohio. Mr. Hastings is 
 a Democrat in his ])oiitical prefei-ences. 
 
 JOHN ALEXANDER. This gentle- 
 man, one of the leading agricultur- 
 ists of Eaton township, is a son of 
 Samuel and Sarah (Frankum) Alex- 
 ander, natives of Gloucestershire, England, 
 who immigrated to tiie United States in 
 1830, locating first in New York State. 
 
 In 1838 they moved to Elyria, Lorain 
 Co., Oliio, where they remained some time, 
 thence removing to (rrafton township, 
 same county, and in 1844 to Eaton town- 
 ship, where they were well-known agricul- 
 turists; the home farm is still in the fam- 
 ily. Samuel Alexander died in 1880 at 
 the age of eighty; his wife died in 1883, 
 aged seventy-nine. Politically he was a 
 Whig and Republican. They had a family 
 of eigiit children, as follows: Martha, who 
 married Edwin Martin, and died in La- 
 Porte, Lorain county, in 1884; Samuel, 
 who married Barliara Slatershiue, of Mich- 
 igan, and is a resident of Carlisle town- 
 ship, Lorain county; Ann, wifeof AVilliain 
 Lawson, of Grafton township, Lorain 
 
884 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 county; Sophia, wife of Cyrus Wallace, of 
 Winnebago county, 111.; John, subject of 
 this sketch; Job, a farmer of Eaton town- 
 ship, Lorain county, who married Ann 
 Pierce; Albert, who married Addie Goland, 
 and who resides in Eaton township; and 
 Amanda, who died in her youth. 
 
 John Alexander, whose name opens this 
 sketch, was born November 12, 1836, in 
 Grafton township, Lorain Co., Ohio, and 
 received his education at the country schools 
 of Eaton townsliip. In 1873 he bought 
 one hundred acres of land in Eaton town- 
 ship, which he has since much improved, 
 having erected a comfortable residence, 
 commodious barns, etc., and has increased 
 the area of his farm till it now comprises 
 186 acres, fifty-four of which are in Carlisle 
 township. 
 
 On October 6, 1876, Mr. Alexander was 
 married, in Oberlin, Lorain county, to 
 Miss Hannah Diniick, who was born in 
 New York State, a daughter of Alanson 
 and Ilannali (Hill) Dimick, tlie fatlier a 
 native of Vermont, who died at the age of 
 one hundred years, the mother a native of 
 Connecticut, who died at the age of eighty- 
 five, both passing away within a year, at 
 the home of the subject of our sketch. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Alexander has been born one 
 child, Grace. Politically our subject is a 
 Republican. 
 
 T^ C. GRISWOLD. The family, of 
 
 r^ which this gentleman is a prominent 
 
 IL^i member, claim German descent, the 
 
 first of tiie ancestry, of whom there 
 
 is record, having come to England with 
 
 the Prince of Orange. The name was 
 
 originally spelled Griswolde. 
 
 Edward and Matthew Griswold (the lat- 
 ter of whom was the direct ancestor of 
 the two Governors Griswold) were brothers. 
 They resided in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, 
 England (the ancestral seat being known 
 as Malvern Hall, the coat-of-arms two 
 greyhounds eourant), where another 
 brother, Thon:as, also lived. In 1639, in 
 
 a vessel sent out by Mr. William Whiting, 
 they came to America, in company with 
 Rev. Epliraim Huit and several other mem- 
 bers of his congregation, who settled in 
 Windsor, Connecticut. 
 
 (1) Edward Griswold, born in England 
 in 1607, married, while young, Margaret 
 — . After his arrival in America he 
 located in a part of Windsor called Po- 
 quonnack, but afterward became one of the 
 first settlers of Killingworth, Conn., where 
 he appears to iiave been a man of much 
 enterprise and influence. In March, 1663, 
 he was appointed one of a committee to 
 lay out the undivided lands in Massaco 
 (Simsbui-y) to each of the inhabitants of 
 Windsor as desired or needed. In Killing- 
 worth he was a commissioner and large 
 landholder. His first wife died in Kiliincr- 
 
 o 
 
 worth August 23, 1670, and he then mar- 
 ried Sarah, widow of James Bemis, of New 
 London. He died about 1690. His chil- 
 dren were Francis, George, JohnandSarah, 
 all four born in England (Sarah was twice 
 married, first to Samuel, son of William 
 Phelps, November 10, 1650, and second 
 to Nathaniel, son of Humphrey Piniiey, 
 July 21, 1670); Anne, born in America, 
 June 19, 1642; Mary, born October 5, 
 1644 (married Timothy, son of AVilliam 
 Phelps, March 19, 1661); Deborah, born 
 June 28, 1646 (married Samuel, son of 
 William Buel, and went to Killingworth); 
 Joseph, born March 2, 1647; Samuel, born 
 November 13, 1649. died at Killingworth 
 July 6, 1672; John, born August 15; 1652. 
 
 (2) Geoi'ge married Mary Holcomb Oc- 
 tober 3, 16 — ; she died April 4, 1708. He 
 settled in Windsor, was holder of con- 
 siderable land, part of which he bought of 
 the Indians, and was a man of high re- 
 spectalnlity. His children were Daniel, 
 born October 1, 1656; Thomas, born Sep- 
 tember 29, 1658; Edward, born May 19, 
 1060; Mary, born September 28, 1663; 
 George, born December 3, 1665; John, 
 born September 11, 1668; Benjamin, born 
 August 16, 1671; Deborah, born May 20, 
 1674 (married Thomas Moore December 
 
/ V^^'V^^f 1^^^ 
 
 r^-^^Jc^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 837 
 
 12, 1695); Abigail, born October 3, 1676, 
 died March 7, 1682; Samuel, l)orii No- 
 vember 5, 1681, died June 1, 1682. 
 
 (3) Daniel, born October 1, 1656, mar- 
 ried Mind well, daughter of Nathaniel 
 Bissell, February 3, 1680, who died De- 
 cember 31, 1728. Their children were 
 David and Nathaniel (twins), born Feb- 
 ruary 14, 1684; Peletiah, born September 
 
 13, i689; Mary, born 1692; Edward, born 
 March 8, 1696; Deborah, bt)rn November 
 
 7, 1698; David, born August 6, 1701. 
 
 (4) David, born August 6, 1701, mar- 
 ried Huldah Brown, 1731. Their children 
 were David, born May 25, 1733, died 
 March 6, 1736; Joel, born 1734; Ezekiel, 
 born February 21, 1737; Huldah, born 
 April 23, 1739; Sybil, born April 17, 
 1742; Deborah, born March 15, 1745; 
 David, born February 15, 1748; Asinah, 
 born September 6, 1750. 
 
 (5) Joel, born 1734, married May 11, 
 1758, Mary Ebens. Their children were 
 Joel, born November 4, 1758; Elijah, 
 born August 20, 1762; Luther, Ealph, 
 and Rufus. 
 
 (6) Elijah, born August 20, 1762, mar- 
 ried July 6, 1787, Lydia Adams, born 
 August 30, 1767. Their children were 
 Elijah Finder, born June 12, 1788; Lydia, 
 born July 24, 1790; Chauncey Gay, born 
 September 16, 1792; Sophia, born Jan- 
 uary 4, 1794; Julia, born March 17, 1796; 
 Fanny, born March 5, 1798; Thirza Maria, 
 born December 29, 1800; Edwin Elijah 
 (father of the subject of this sketch), born 
 August 20, 1802; Edson Adams, born 
 June 27, 1804; Mary Catherine, born May 
 
 8, 1806; Luther Dwight. born February 
 7, 1809. 
 
 Edwin Elijah Griswold, the last but 
 three mentioned in the above genealogical 
 record, was born in the township of Sims- 
 bury (of Old Windsor, now Bloomfield), 
 Coun., and received his education at the 
 subscription schools of the vicinity, and 
 also in a private school. He was a cler- 
 gyman of the MethodistEpiscopal Church, 
 and filled incumbencies in Connecticut, 
 
 New York State and New York City, 
 many of his appointments being the best 
 held in the several localities. Daniel 
 Drew and the well-known publishers. 
 Harper iirothers, were among his parish- 
 ioners. For seventeen years he was pre- 
 siding elder, part of the time officiating in 
 New York City. After nearly forty-five 
 years of active service in the ministry of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church, at his 
 own request he was released from his du- 
 ties, and returned to his home in Danbury, 
 Conn. He was a D. D. of Mt. Union Col- 
 lege. On April 20, 1825, he married 
 Miss Nancy Webster, who was descended 
 by direct Hue from John Webster, one of 
 Hartford's early settlers and the fifth Gov- 
 ernor of Connecticut Colony, and the rec- 
 ord of their children is as follows: Fanny 
 F., born February 22. 1826; E. C. (sub- 
 ject of sketch); Harriet W., born Feb- 
 ruary 23, 1830, died May 5, 1893; Ann 
 Augusta, born September 18, 1836; atid 
 Mary Victoria, born November 27, 1838, 
 died November 8, 1839. Mrs. Griswold 
 died April 3, 1870, and Mr. Griswold was 
 subsequently married to Artemesia W. 
 Pease (widow of a preacher), who still 
 survives. He died April 3, 1878. 
 
 Edwin Chauncey Griswold was born in 
 Farmington, Conn., May 18, 1827, and 
 received his elementary education in a 
 preparatory school, after which he took 
 a course of study at the Wesleyan Uni- 
 versity, Middlet'own, Conn., where he 
 graduated in 1847, being then twenty 
 years of age. After teaching school for a 
 time, he became connected with the Peo- 
 ples Line of Steamers of the Hudson river, 
 and was in that service some four years. 
 He then became connected with the 
 Methodist Book Concern, in New York 
 City, having charge of the mailing depart- 
 ment, but his health becoming impaired, 
 he concluded to move westward. Accord- 
 ingly, in February, 1854, he came to 
 Elyria, Ohio, and established a book store, 
 which he carried on for about twenty-four 
 years, or until 1877, when he sold out. He 
 
838 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 has since been connected with various 
 business enterprises, among which may be 
 mentioned the Lakeside Company, of which 
 he is president, and one of its heaviest 
 stockholders; had also at one time charge 
 of their hotel at Lakeside. He owns grape 
 growing and farming interests, and oc- 
 cupies much of his time in assisting to 
 manipulate stock companies of various 
 kinds. 
 
 On February 2, 1852, in Hartford, 
 Conn., Mr. Griswold was married to Miss 
 Anne Sweetland, a native of Hartford, 
 Conn., where and at Mt. Holyoke Serai- 
 nary, Massachusetts, she received her edu- 
 cation. The following is a brief record of 
 their children: (1) Ellen Augusta, born 
 November 23, 1852, in New York City;^ 
 after graduating at Elyria High School 
 she entered upon a course of study at 
 Baldwin University, Berea, Ohio, and had 
 reached the Senior class, when failing 
 health caused her to leave; she afterward 
 graduated at Cleveland Normal School; 
 she was married to Rev. Lucius C. Smith, 
 July 12, 1878, and died December 28, 
 1878, in Copiapo, Chili, S. A., her hus- 
 band being a missionary of the M. E. 
 Church, one of the "Taylor missionaries." 
 (2) Edwin Luther w-as born February 11, 
 1855, and died September 2G, 1881; he 
 entered upon a course of study at Wesleyau 
 University, Middletown, Conn., but un- 
 avoidable circumstances prevented his 
 completing the course; he was engaged in 
 the book business with his father, and 
 later in Cleveland. (3) Fannie Martha, 
 born September 4, 1857, graduated at Ohio 
 Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, 
 was married, March 29, 1882, to G. W. 
 Rice, and now resides in Hamilton, Ohio; 
 (4) William Sweetland was born June 20, 
 1862, and was educated at Ohio Wesleyan 
 University at Delaware, Ohio, then one year 
 in Berea, Ohio, and afterward at the Case 
 School of Applied Science, Cleveland, 
 Ohio. He is now in Lansing, Mich., where 
 he is engaged in the artificial stone busi- 
 ness and selling coal. He was married 
 
 October 7, 1885, to Miss Martha H. Wales, 
 of Sandusky, Ohio, and they have two 
 children, viz. : Edwin Chauncey, borti June 
 9, 1887; and Marie Sweetland, born Sep- 
 tember 17, 1892. 
 
 Mr. E. C. Griswold is a strong Republi- 
 can; he served as clerk of Elyria township 
 thirteen years, and for years was also town- 
 ship trustee ; for several years he was a mem- 
 ber of the board of education and clerk of 
 the same. In 1876 he was a member of 
 the M. E. General Conference that met in 
 Baltimore, Md., and has for many years 
 been an active member of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church in Elyria. He also 
 holds important relations with several 
 educational institutions. 
 
 |ILLIAM GREEN, a prominent, 
 well-to-do farmer of Pittsfield 
 llj' township, was born October 4, 
 1848, in Lincolnshire, England, 
 son of William and Mary (Marshall) Green. 
 William Green, Sr., was a shoemaker, 
 and followed the trade exclusively in Eng- 
 land, where he married and had three 
 children: Henry, who died in England; 
 Ann, who died in Wood county, Ohio, 
 wife of William Bailey, and William. In 
 1854 the family embarked at Liverpool, 
 and after a voyage of seven weeks landed 
 in New York City. They at once pro- 
 ceeded to Pittsfield township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, where William Marshall, brother of 
 Mrs. Green, had previously located, and 
 there purchased a partially improved tract 
 of fifty acres, where the father began farm- 
 ing. Here they passed the remainder of 
 their lives, Mrs. Green dying in 1877, her 
 husband in 1884, and they both rest in 
 Pittsfield cemetery. Both were members 
 of the Methodist Church, and in politics 
 he was a Republican. 
 
 Our subject received a common-school 
 education, and was reared*to farm life, re- 
 maining at home with his parents until 
 
LOR Am COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 839 
 
 his marriage. On October 5, 1871, lie was 
 7iiarried to Rowena Cole, who was bom 
 in Wellington township, Lorain county, 
 daughter of Horace Cole, and to this union 
 were born two children: Lou Emma, Mrs. 
 Frank Whitney, of Pittstield township; 
 and Mary Ann, who died in infancy. Tiie 
 mother of these children died in November, 
 1878, and was buried in Pittstield ceme- 
 tery. For his second wife Mr. Green mar- 
 ried January 1, 1880, Miss Anna Jordan, 
 who died February 3, 1883. some time 
 afterward, without issue. In 1884 Mr. 
 Green married Catherine Rogers, and to 
 this union has come one child, Walter 
 Henry. After marriage our subject lo- 
 cated on the home farm, and there re- 
 mained until 1883, when he removed to 
 his present farm, in the center of Pitts- 
 field township, which he had purchased the 
 preceding fall. Here he has since resided, 
 carrying on general agriculture and dairy- 
 ing, and he has met with a considerable 
 degree of success, being an energetic, sys- 
 tematic farmer. Politically he is a Re- 
 publican, and in religious faith he is a 
 member of the Methodist Church, in which 
 he has served as trustee and in various 
 other positions. 
 
 FLAVIFS A. HART, proprietor of 
 a leading furniture establishment in 
 ^ Oberlin, and undertaker, comes of 
 English ancestry. The first of this 
 branch of the family in America was one 
 of three lirothers who came from England 
 in 1646 or '48, one of whom settled in 
 Connecticut, one went west and was never 
 heard of again, and the third, from whom 
 our subject descends, made a settlement 
 in Lynn, Massachusetts. 
 
 Sylvester Hart, father of Flavins A., 
 was born, in 1806, in Vermont, the eldest 
 son of Georcro Hart, and came to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, in 1832, settling in Carlisle 
 township, where he carried on farming 
 
 operations. He died in 1874, a stanch Re- 
 publican, having originally been an Old- 
 line Whig. He married Miss Relief 
 Baldwin, also a native of Vermont, born 
 in 1806, and died in 1892. They had a 
 family of five children, of whom Flavius 
 A. is the youngest. 
 
 Our subject was born in Carlisle town- 
 ship, Lorain Co., Ohio, December 2, 1849. 
 When si.x years old he came to Oberlin, 
 where he received his education, first at- 
 tending the public schools and then Oberlin 
 College. For a time he read law in that 
 town, in order the more thoroughly to 
 qualify himself for business, and then 
 turned his attention to agriculture, which 
 he followed till some sixteen years since, 
 and he still owns a farm in the township. 
 On givintr up agricultural pursuits he 
 opened out a furniture factory in Oberlin, 
 and also a store for sale of the products. 
 The factory he carried on three years, 
 since when he has confined himself to the 
 retail business and undertaking. He car- 
 ries a large stock of furniture, and enjoys 
 a wide business connection. 
 
 In 1877 Mr. Hart was married in 
 Oberlin to Miss Olive A. Grain, who 
 was born in Florence township, Erie 
 Co., Ohio, to which union three children 
 have been born: Burton S., Merton S. and 
 Eugene A. In politics our subject has 
 been an ardent Democrat ever since he 
 first exercised his franchise at the ballot, 
 and has twice been Democratic candidate 
 for county treasurer, also Democrat candi- 
 date for mayor of Oberlin. On December 
 20, 1893, he was appointed postmaster at 
 Oberlin by President Cleveland; confirmed 
 by Senate January 9, 1894, and commenced 
 his duties as postmaster February 1, 1894. 
 lie is past master in the A. F. v.\: A. M., 
 and past noble grand in the I. O. O. F.; 
 is a member of the Oberlin Society which 
 (Toverns the Congregational Church. 
 
 Zerubable Hart, paternal great-grand- 
 father of the subject of tills sUetcli. was a 
 native of Lynn, Mass. He owned the best 
 yoke of oxen in the neighborhood of Bos- 
 
840 
 
 LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ton, and prior to the battle of Bunker Hill 
 lie hauled hogsheads of sand up that and 
 Breed's Hill for the making of military 
 breastworks; his brother, John Hart, was 
 one of the Signers of the Declaration of 
 Independence; their father, Jonathan Hart, 
 was captain of a privateer, and was captured 
 on the Mediterranean Sea by the Moors. 
 He had to work as a slave in the mines of 
 Africa for nine long years without ever 
 seeing the light of the sun; but one day 
 he and two other prisoners succeeded in 
 escaping by first killing the overseer with 
 their picks, and another man with the guard's 
 gun. Havinsf now regained their liberty, 
 they put to sea in an open boat, and were 
 picked up by a Portuguese vessel, and ulti- 
 mately reached their respective homes. 
 
 rJRANK A. COATES. Among the 
 more intelligent and highly re- 
 spected citizens of Henrietta town- 
 ship, this gentleman must certainly 
 be classed. 
 
 He is a son of Stephen Coates, M'ho was 
 born in Rutland county, Vt., in 1812, and 
 was there reared to manhood. His school 
 advantages were much limited, and his 
 education, therefore, consisted of but the 
 common branches. During his youth he 
 learned the trade of shoeniaking. In 1845 
 lie migrated to Lorain county, Ohio. Sub- 
 sequently he married Caroline Bodfish, a 
 daujjhter of JSathan Bodfish and a native 
 of Vermont, to whicli union were born six 
 children, as follows: Delia, Janet, Au- 
 gusta, Frank A., Caroll and Herbert, of 
 whom there are living, Augusta, now the 
 wife of M. William Thomas, of Oberlin; 
 Herbert, a farmer of Huntington, Lorain 
 county; Caroll, the well-known landlord 
 of a popular hotel in Sullivan, Oliio, and 
 Frank A. Upon the location of the family 
 in their new home in Ohio, the father 
 found employment at his trade, and by 
 careful manai^ement and observance of 
 rigid economy, he was enabled to save a 
 
 portion of his earnings. After a few years 
 lie purchased a small plat of land, which 
 he cultivated, and worked at his trade. 
 This bit of land he subsequently sold, and 
 bought 200 acres which he divided equally 
 between the four children at the time of 
 his removal to Oberlin. His career was 
 in every respect eminently successful, and 
 at his death he was possessor of more than 
 200 acres, the clearing of which was nearly 
 all his own handiwork. Some years prior 
 to his death he purchased a large farm in 
 Henrietta township, upon which he resided 
 for a number of years, keeping a dairy, 
 cuttincr timber, etc. He then removed to 
 Oberlin, where he departed this life in 
 March, 1889, at the age of seventy-six 
 years. Politically he was a Democrat, 
 and foi- a number of years he filled the 
 office of justice of the peace of Henrietta 
 township. His wife had preceded him to 
 the grave in 1887; she was a member of 
 the Baptist Church. 
 
 Frank A. Coates, the subject proper of 
 these lines, was born in Birmingham, Ohio, 
 March 4, 1846, and was there reared, 
 accompanying his father to his various 
 locations as above recorded. He was the 
 recipient of a superior education, having 
 at one time attended Oberlin College. In 
 1867 he married Miss Mira Thomas, 
 daughter of William Thomas, Sr., who 
 died in Vermont; his widow came to Ohio 
 in 1855. To our subject and wife have 
 been born the following children: Nellie, 
 Carrie (Mrs. Cor. Courier), Jennie (Mrs. 
 Arthur Court), Lizzy and Harold. At the 
 age of twenty-one our subject was the pos- 
 sessor of fifty acres of land, bequeathed to 
 hin^ by his father, upon which he erected 
 buildings, and added all improvements; 
 his handsome brick residence was erected 
 in 1877. Mr. Coates" children have all re- 
 ceived exceptional educations, Mrs. Courier 
 {nee Carrie) being a graduate of Oberlin 
 Conservatory of Music. 
 
 Politically Mr. Coates is a Prohiljition- 
 ist, and is now occupying the office of 
 justice of the peace. He is a prominent 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 841 
 
 member of the Baptist (llinreh. Wlien 
 but a boy of fifteen years he sufiereil an 
 illness which left him a cripple for life, 
 yet tlespite this physical disadvantage his 
 success has been indeed marked. He suc- 
 cessfully cultivates his farm of seventy- 
 nine acres, and devotes much attention to 
 the cultivation of small fruits. 
 
 Mrs. Coates and her daughters are justly 
 popular ladies in their community, and 
 their many e.\cellent qualities are highly 
 appreciated by their large circle of friends. 
 
 FW. KOCKWOOD, a prosperous, 
 intelligent farmer of La Grange 
 _^ township, is a native of the "Em- 
 pire State," born January 18, 1817, 
 in Champion, Jefferson county. 
 
 His father, David Kockwood, was born 
 in 1777 in New Hampshire, and was reared 
 to farm life. When a young man he came 
 with some of liis older half-brothers to 
 Cherry Valley, N. Y., and as they kept 
 "bachelors' hall" he was their cook. In 
 later years their pai-ents came to New York 
 State, also locating in Cherry Valley, 
 and David and his half-bi-other, William, 
 moved into Jefferson county, N. Y., and 
 bought land. Here David Rockwood was 
 united in marriage with Miss Ruby Rounds, 
 a native of Westchester county, N. Y., 
 and while living in New York State they 
 had six sons and one daughter, viz.: 
 Henry, of Elyria; Benjamin S., who went 
 west years ago, and has never since l^een 
 heard from; Emeline, widow of David 
 Gott; F. W., subject proper of this sketch; 
 Giles C, of Wood county, Ohio; David 
 P., of La Grange Center; and Almon A., 
 of California. Another child, Pauline, 
 now the widow of Hiram Buswell, was 
 born in Lorain county, Ohio. Mr. Rock- 
 wood was a well-to-do farmer in New 
 York, and traded his farm there for (500 
 acres in La Grange township, Lorain ('o., 
 Ohio, for which place he set out in June, 
 
 1826, driving a team of horses. P^ive 
 sons and the daughter came with tiie par- 
 ents, the other son traveling by the water 
 route with the household goods. Asal 
 Rockwood, a brother of David, came at 
 the same time. The journey from New 
 York occupied ten days, and they came 
 via Cleveland, where at that time there 
 was no bridge across the Cuyahoga river, 
 and where lie was offered land — now 
 the site of the Public Square — at four 
 dollars an acre, or land on the west 
 side of the city at twenty shillings an 
 acre. However, they pushed on to Ely- 
 ria, and thence to La Porte, where the 
 family remained while the father went 
 out to look over the land he had bargained 
 for at LaGrange. Upon seeing this he was 
 so disappointed that he concluded to re- 
 turn to Cleveland, and invest in land there, 
 Init was dissuaded from this by Belden, 
 Ingersol and Meunels, three of the leading 
 men in Grafton township, who induced him 
 to remain in LaGrange in order to more 
 thoroughly settle up the country. He re- 
 mained on the 600-acre farm, a portion of 
 which he traded to Nathan Clark for a like 
 amount in Lot No. 49, and built thereon a 
 a rude house of logs, covered with elm- 
 bark, into which he moved. This was 
 shortly afterward supplanted by a better 
 one. Mrs. Rockwood died and was buried 
 in LaGrange township, and he married, 
 for his second wife, Polly Graves, who bore 
 him five children, all of whom died young. 
 He was always a farmer, and after moving 
 on his farm in the northwest corner of 
 LaGrange township, sold some of it, giving 
 it out for work on other parts of the tract. 
 He was stirring and energetic, and was 
 active up to the age of sixty-five, when he 
 retired. His death, which occurred in 
 1877, when he was one hundred years and 
 one month old, was the result of old age. 
 In politics he was originally a Whig, later 
 a Democrat, and in religious connection 
 he was a member of the Christian Church. 
 F. W. Rockwood received his education 
 iu the common schools of his boyhood days, 
 
842 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 when eleven years old corning to Ohio, 
 where he also attended the schools, wliich 
 were held in log buildings. From early boy- 
 hood he was reared to farm life, doing any 
 woi'k he could about the place, and when 
 fifteen years old went to learn the trade of 
 cabinet maker nnder his brother Henry, in 
 LaGrange, remaining there five years, and 
 then working as a carpenter and joiner. 
 On October 27, 1840, he was married to 
 Miss Clarissa Wack, who was born Feb- 
 ruary 22, 1821, in Danby, Vt., daughter of 
 Frederick A¥. and Hannah (Loomis) Wack, 
 natives of Connecticut, who came to Lo- 
 rain county, Ohio, in 1834, locating in Car- 
 lisle township. After his marriage he 
 moved into Oberlin, where he followed his 
 trade for three years, and then came to his 
 present farm, where he himself erected a 
 house, and has since made his home. He 
 has two children, namely: Edgar D. and 
 William W. For the last twenty years he 
 has given up his trade, but previous to 
 that time did much of the building in his 
 section. He now owns 460 acres of land, 
 situated in various parts of the country — 
 Ohio, Iowa and South Dakota; his farm 
 in Ohio is one of the most valuable in Lo- 
 rain county, as it contains an exceedingly 
 good deposit of building stone. In pol- 
 itics he is a stanch Republican, and has been 
 a party leader in his section. He has a very 
 pleasant home, rendered doubly attractive 
 by the presence of Mrs. Rockwood, who is 
 a most estimable, kind-hearted lady. Mr. 
 Rockwood keeps himself well informed on 
 the leading questions of the day, both by 
 reading and observation. 
 
 T' H. MUMFORD, a prominent, highly 
 respected citizen of Russia town- 
 ship, was born in 1840 in Darling- 
 ton county, South Carolina. 
 
 In July, 1857, he left his native 
 and he has since been identified 
 ■with the interests of Lorain county, Ohio. 
 He attended the Union schools at Oberliu, 
 
 State, 
 
 and for some time thereafter followed the 
 trades of painting and paper hanging. In 
 1862 he enlisted in the Fifty-fourth Mass- 
 achusetts Infantry, and in 1864 reenlisted, 
 this time in Company D, One Hundred 
 and Seventy-eighth O. V. I., for one year or 
 during the war, being assigned to the army 
 of the Cumberland. He participated in 
 the engagements at Nashville (Tenn.) and 
 Kingston (N. C), and was also in many 
 skirmishes. In 1865 he received an hon- 
 orable discharge at Charlotte, N. C, and 
 returned to Oberlin, where he has since 
 continuously resided. 
 
 Mr. Mumford was married at Oberlin, 
 October 5, 1865, to Miss Evelene Oswalt, 
 and they have had three children, namely: 
 William D., Sumpter Marion and Zula. 
 In religious faith Mr. and Mrs. Mumford 
 are both members of the First Conareo-a- 
 tional Church. In politics he is a Re- 
 publican, deeply interested in the welfare 
 of his party, and he has held the office of 
 township trustee for the past seventeen 
 years, having been first elected in 1876. 
 Mr. Mumford takes an active part in every 
 project tending toward the improvement 
 and advancement of the interests of Lorain 
 county. He is a member of Henry Lincoln 
 Post iSfo. 564, G. A. R. 
 
 J 
 
 ACOB LAW, a leading and successful 
 
 agriculturist of Grafton township, is 
 
 a German by birth, having first seen 
 
 the light of day November 17, 1828, 
 
 in Wittenberg, Prussia. 
 
 He is a son of Mathias Law, a shepherd 
 in the Fatherland, who married Mary 
 Metzger, by whom there was one child, the 
 subject of this sketch. The young mother 
 was called from earth when Jacob was but 
 a child, and the father afterward married 
 Margaret Ritchley. Deciding to seek a 
 new home in the Western World, the fam- 
 ily, at that time consisting of our subject 
 and his father and stepmother, in 1834 set 
 out from Wittenberg for the port of 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 843 
 
 Bremen, a journey of fourteen days, and 
 there on April 1, same year, set sail on a 
 '' full-rigged ship '' for the shores of Amer- 
 ica. After a voyage of about forty-three 
 days they landed at New York, whence 
 they proceeded westward by the Hudson 
 river and Erie Canal to Buffalo, from there 
 sailing on Lake Erie to Cleveland, re- 
 maining in that town one week. Mr. Law 
 there bought, for four dollars per acre, 
 thirty-two acres of unbroken land in 
 Liverpool township, Medina county, with- 
 out a house or cabin of any kind on it, but 
 with some five hundred feet of lumber and 
 three cut forked sticks he soon erected a 
 rude shanty under the branches of a noble 
 beech tree, where the little family made 
 their home from June 18 to October, same 
 year, by which time a commodious and 
 substantial log house was erected. Mr. 
 Law had but a small capital to start on — 
 one hundred dollars — and many difficul- 
 ties to contend against in clearing the land, 
 not the least of which was the continual 
 encroachments of wild animals on his lit- 
 tle domain. In the fall of 1834 he sowed 
 his tirst wheat, which was harvested the 
 following year, and the prospects after 
 1836 (which was a bad year for farmers) 
 began to brighten. In 1842 the log house 
 gave place to a frame one, and to the farm 
 fifty acres were added, lying in the east- 
 ern part of lot No. 70, Grafton township. 
 In 1877 this honored pioneer passed from 
 earth after a brief illness, his wife in Feb- 
 ruary, 1889, and they lie buried in Liver- 
 pool cemetery, Medina county. 
 
 Jacob Law, whose name opens this 
 sketch, as will be seen was ten years old 
 when he came to America, so had at- 
 tended sciiool for some four years in his 
 native land; after his arrival in Lorain 
 county he liad the benefit of sucii English 
 education as the then primitive schools af- 
 forded. His early youth was passed in 
 hard work on his father's farm, and when 
 but sixteen years of age he worked on a 
 canal at Coshocton, Ohio, all his earnings 
 being given his father; he also labored on 
 
 other canals. After his marriage, which 
 will be spoken of presently, his father gave 
 him thirty acres of land in Grafton town- 
 ship, where he resided up to 1863, in 
 which year he came to his present farm in 
 the same township. At one time he owned 
 468 acres, but having given much of it to 
 his children, has now 215 acres. 
 
 On June 13, 1848, our subject was mar- 
 ried to Airiies Lanndenberger, also a native 
 of Wittenberg, Germany, born August 20, 
 1830, daughter of Thomas Lanndenber- 
 ger, who came from Bremen to the United 
 States in 1833, arriving; in New York af- 
 ter a lengthy passage of ninety-one days. 
 From there he proceeded westward to 
 Canton, Stark Co., Ohio, where he fol- 
 lowed his trade, that of blacksmith, as well 
 as farming. Later he came to Liverpool 
 township, Medina county, where Mr. Law 
 met his daughter Agnes for the first time. 
 The children born to our subject and wife 
 were as follows: John, a farmer; Mary, 
 Mrs. Henry Wise; Henry, a farmer; 
 Catherine, Mrs. Louis Wise; Carrie, de- 
 ceased; August, a harness maker, of 
 Erhert, Ohio; Jacob, a farmer; Louisa, 
 deceased; William, a farmer; and Joseph, 
 residing at home. Politically Mr. Law is 
 a Democrat, and he is a member of the 
 Lutheran Church, in which he has held 
 office some years. He and his esteemed 
 wife are highly respected in the commun- 
 ity in which they live, and he is recognized 
 as a leader among the sturdy and prosper- 
 ous yeomen of Lorain county. 
 
 j)ETER SCIIULLER, one of the pro- 
 
 gressive agriculturists of Sheffield 
 
 p 
 
 I township, is a native of Lorain 
 
 y) county, Ohio, born May 17, 1853, in 
 Sheffield township. 
 Matthias Schuller, his father, who was a 
 German by birth, was married in his na- 
 tive land to Miss Katherine Klein, and two 
 of their children were born there. Coming 
 to the United States, the family settled oil 
 
844 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 a farm in Sheffield township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, where the father died in 1871 at the 
 age of sixty-tliree years, the mother on 
 March 4, 1885, aged seventy-two. They 
 were members of the Catholic Church, and 
 in politics Mr. Schiiller was a Democrat. 
 They were the parents of three children, 
 two of whom are yet living, viz.: Michael, 
 born in Germany, now living in Sheffield 
 township, and Peter. 
 
 The subject of our sketch received his 
 education at the public and parochial 
 schools of his native township, and was 
 reared to agricultural pursuits. In 1880 
 he was united in marriage with Miss Mag- 
 gie Kelling, and to them seven children 
 were born, as follows: George, Henry, 
 John, Matthias, Minnie, Frank and Julia. 
 Mr. Schuller takes an active interest in 
 politics as emphasized in the principles 
 embodied in the platform of the Demo- 
 cratic party, and is a member of the school 
 board; was also for some live or six years 
 road supervisor. He is a member of the 
 Catholic Church. Owner of a good farm 
 of eigbtj-six acres, Mr. Schuller does a 
 successful general agricultural business. 
 
 R. WEBBER, prosecuting attorney 
 for Lorain county for six years (his 
 term ending January 2, 1894), is 
 a native of Ohio, born in Hinckley, 
 Medina county, January 21, 1852, 
 of old English stock, his great-grandfather 
 and family having been immigrants from 
 the mother country to the New Eno-land 
 States many years ago. His grandfather, 
 Richard Webber, was a pioneer of Hinck- 
 ley, and a man of great worth, a preacher 
 of rare gifts and power, wielding great 
 influence in his community. 
 
 George E. Webber, father of subject, 
 was a native of Massachusetts, a son of 
 Richard Webber, and a molder by trade. 
 At the age of fourteen he moved westward 
 to Ohio, with his father, locating in 
 
 Hinckley, in Medina county, where he 
 aided in clearing the forest to make way 
 for farms, and cutting out the public high- 
 ways. When eighteen years old he re- 
 turned to Massachusetts and learned the 
 trade of molder, which having completed 
 he again came to Medina county, and 
 started a foundry in the town of Hinckley, 
 operating same for twenty years. After 
 this he farmed for six years, owing to 
 poor health, and then moved into the town 
 of Medina, where he opened out the pres- 
 ent Hollow-ware foundry, for the manu- 
 facture of iron hollow-ware, which now 
 employs sixty Ave men. He is a man of 
 great push and force of character, and ex- 
 tensive reading. He was married to Miss 
 Jane Woodruff, a native of New York, 
 who taught school for many years in 
 Hinckley, and was ever known for her 
 sweet disposition and deeds of charity and 
 kindness. They had a family as follows: 
 Julius F. Webber, A. R. Webber, Julia 
 Walker, Lana Webber, H. B. Webber and 
 John Webber. Julius and Lana are dead; 
 John and Julia reside in Medina; H. B. is 
 an able attorney in Canton, Ohio. 
 
 A. R. Webber received his education at 
 the schools of his native town, and at 
 Baldwin University, Berea, Ohio. He then 
 commenced the study of law in the office 
 of Judge Lewis, Medina, Ohio; was ad- 
 mitted to the bar in 1876, and at once 
 opened a law office in Elyria, Lorain coun- 
 ty, in partnership with a Mr. C. H. Brint- 
 nall, which copartnership continued for 
 some six months, when it was dissolved. 
 Mr. Webber's next partner was Mr. C W. 
 Johnston, at one time prosecuting attor- 
 ney, and this copartnership terminated at 
 the end of two years, the next partner 
 being Hon. George P. Metcalf, for some 
 years prosecuting attorney for Lorain 
 county. Since the latter's death in 1887, 
 Mr. Webber conducted the business of his 
 office alone till two years ago, when he 
 formed a partnership with Lee Stoup, a 
 young man who read law in his office. In 
 1887 he was nominated and elected to the 
 

 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 847 
 
 position of prosecuting attorney, taking 
 ottice in January, 1888. Mr. Webber does 
 a general practice, and has a very large 
 clientage. 
 
 A. K. Webber and Miss Ida C. Finch 
 were united in marriage May 17, 1875, and 
 two children have come to brighten their 
 home: Gilbert G. and Lawrence 11. Mrs. 
 Webber is a lady of culture, and among 
 the foremost in works of ciiarity and tem- 
 perance in her city. Our subject is a Re- 
 publican in politics, and a member of the 
 Royal Arcanum and Knights of the Macca- 
 bees, lie is a stockholder in the Savings 
 Bank, and in the Republican newspaper 
 company. He enjoys the enviable dis- 
 tinction of being one of the ablest and 
 best informed lawyers in Lorain county; is 
 a close student, ever keeping well abreast 
 of the times; was a strong prosecutor and 
 is an able jury lawyer, as well as a reliable 
 and safe counselor. lie has but few peers 
 in the county, and certainly no superior. 
 
 \ILLIAM SHERMAI^ POWELL 
 was born July 28, 1833, in Char- 
 lotte, Chittenden Co., Vt., in 
 which State his j^^rents were 
 also born. 
 
 Calvin Powell, father of William S., was 
 born August 19, 1799. On January 6, 
 1819, he was married in Charlotte, Vt., to 
 Maria Gray, who was born September 29, 
 1801. In Charlotte they resided until 
 1838, when they sold out and came to 
 Lorain county, Ohio, with their family. 
 The journey from Yermont, a distance of 
 seven hundred miles, was made in a covered 
 wagon with four horses attached, the trip 
 taking four weeks. Here they purchased 
 134 acres of heavily timbered land. Mr. 
 Powell by hard labor and perseverance 
 cleared up the entire farm, and he resided 
 there until his death. The children born 
 to Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Powell were as 
 follows: Alma M., born February 27, 
 
 1821, died March 3, 1880 (wife of J. W. 
 Rockwell); Henry Sherman, born July 25, 
 1823, died April 25, 1888; Harriet, bora 
 September 20, 182G, died May 4, 1893 
 (wife of C. J. Case); Polly Ann, born No- 
 vember 10, 1828 (Mrs. William Rockwell, 
 residing in St. Louis, Mo.); Elvira, born 
 May 9, 1831, died June 14, 1890 (wife of 
 Albert Eldred); William S., subject of 
 sketch; Lorenzo C, born June 23, 1837, 
 a resident of Frankfort, Kans. ; Amelia, 
 born August 12, 1839 ('Mrs. George Hub- 
 bard, of Decatur, Mich.); and Mary, born 
 October 9, 1842 (Mrs. M. Tuscott, of La- 
 nark, 111.). Calvin Powell was a man of 
 prominence, and held various township 
 offices. He was a member of the Baptist 
 Church of Elyria, a constant attendant and 
 earnest supporter. He died January 26, 
 1860. Mrs. Powell was also a faithful 
 member of the same church. Her death 
 occurred August 17, 1883, at the home of 
 her youngest daughter, in Lanark, Illinois. 
 W. S. Powell, the subject of this sketch, 
 spent his early life in Amherst township, 
 whei'elie attended the common schools, first 
 in the log schoolhouse, afterward at the 
 select schools, where he obtained a practi- 
 cal education. He remained at home until 
 he was twenty- two years of age. He then, in 
 1856, went to Illinois, where he remained 
 five months, and then returned to Ohio, 
 where he has since resided. On Novem- 
 ber 25, 1856, he was married to Miss 
 Betsey M. Bender, daughter of Peter 
 Bender, a resident of Elyria. After his 
 marriage he remained on the home farm 
 two years, then rented a farm on Lake 
 Avenue, where he remained one year. 
 When his father died he again rented the 
 home farm, which he carried on two years. 
 He then purchased a farm in the southwest 
 part of Amherst township, and here re- 
 sided four years, at the end of which time 
 he sold, and bought a farm of one hundred 
 acres three miles north of Oberlin, where 
 he lived eight years, in the meantime 
 adding fifty-two acres of land. He then 
 sold, and removed to his present farm. 
 
848 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 which contains about 150 acres, and is re- 
 garded as one of the finest farms in Lorain 
 county, sixty- two acres being iu the cor- 
 poration of Elyria. 
 
 His children were as follows: Ella M., 
 born June 18, 1861, died June 2, 1863; 
 Orpha E., born October 10, 1864, married 
 March 17, 1886, to John Stang, and now 
 living in Elyria township (they have one 
 child, Herbert Ralph, born June 15, 1890); 
 Elnora T., born November 12, 1866, mar- 
 ried March 17, 1891, to M. B. Sonnels, 
 who holds a position as locomotive en- 
 gineer on the Lake Shore & Michigan 
 Southern Railroad, and they reside in 
 Elyria; Mary May, born November 20, 
 1871; Edwin Sherman, born August 21, 
 1873; and Arthur William, born Septem- 
 ber 7, 1878. 
 
 Mr. Powell is a self-made man, having 
 made his own financial success. He is 
 now carrying on his farm, and although 
 Bixty years of age is vigorous and active. 
 For many years lie has been prominent in 
 all public affairs relating to both the town- 
 ship and county of his residence. He has 
 always been a pronounced Democrat of the 
 Jacksonian school, ready at all times to 
 express his opinions, but at the same time 
 disposed to be charitable to his opponents. 
 Equipped by nature witli strong intel- 
 lectual endowments and rugged physical 
 powers, possessing a sterling honesty 
 which characterizes his conduct in all the 
 otfices of life, lie has won a high place in 
 the esteem and confidence of his fellowmen. 
 
 I P. BYRD is one of the most pros- 
 k. I perous and substantial agriculturists 
 \yj of Brownhelm township, whither he 
 had come in 1866. He was born 
 in Huntsville, Ala., in 1833, a son of John 
 and Susan (Page) Byrd, natives of Eng- 
 land and France, respectively, in which 
 latter country they were married. 
 
 In an early day they immigrated to 
 Richmond, Va., thence moving to near 
 
 Huntsville, Ala., where John Byrd was a 
 planter, and where he died in 1840, as did 
 also his wife some years later, at the age 
 of seventy years. Grandfather Page was 
 a native of France, and coming to this 
 country served in the Revolutionary war 
 under LaFayette; at the time of his death 
 he was a senator from Albemarle county, 
 Va., of which State he was a pioneer. 
 
 J. P. Byrd, the subject of this memoir, 
 received his education at the public schools 
 of the vicinity of Huntsville, Ala., and 
 learned thetradeof merchant tailor. When 
 a young man he came north, and in 1862 
 located in Cincinnati, Ohio, whence in 
 1866 he came to Lorain county, as already 
 recorded, and after marriage settled on a 
 farm in Brownhelm township, which now 
 comprises 111^ acres of land, where he 
 carries on general agriculture, including 
 the breeding of high-grade Shorthorn 
 cattle. He has an excellent stone resi- 
 dence, two stories high, 28 x 30 feet. 
 
 In 1865 Mr. Byrd was miirried in Ely- 
 ria fo Miss D. E. Cable, a native of Brown- 
 helm, Ohio, daughter of O. A. and 
 Caroline (Peck) Cable, the latter of whom 
 was born in Stockbridge, Mass., and came 
 to Ohio with her parents when she w^as 
 eight years old. Stephen Cable, grand- 
 father of Mrs. Byrd, was a native of Ver- 
 mont, whence he came to Ohio, locating in 
 Cleveland, from there comins to Lorain 
 county, settling in Ridgeville township in 
 1811. O. A. Cable, his son (Mrs. Byrd's 
 father), was born in 1813, in Ridgeville, and 
 was the first white male child born in the 
 county of Lorain. He was about one year 
 old when his father moved to Amherst, 
 where he lived al)out three years, and then 
 moved to Henrietta township, where 
 Stephen Cable died when O. A. was 
 about eight years old. The latter died in 
 Brownhelm in 1879; his wife, Caroline P. 
 Cable, died in the same township in 1887. 
 Mrs. Byrd's grandfather, Elisha F. Peck, 
 came to Brownhelm in 1817, and took up 
 480 acres of land — three quarter sections. 
 He was a native of Connecticut, born in 
 
LORAIN COUNTY. OHIO. 
 
 849 
 
 Berlin. His grandfather came from Eng- 
 land. Mrs. Byrd was educated in Ober- 
 lin, and graduated in the class of 1861; 
 later she taught school in Pittsfield and 
 LaGrange townships, Lorain county. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Byrd were born 
 three children, as follows: Nina P., now 
 wife of Harry E. Sage, of Brownhelin 
 township; Leon F. and John O. Politi- 
 cally our subject is a Republican, but 
 in municipal matters he invariably votes 
 for the best man, irrespective of party 
 principle. 
 
 DE GRASSE AND HARRIET 
 THOMAS. The Thomases were 
 ' of old New England stock. De- 
 
 Grasse Thomas was the oldest child 
 of Edraond and Asenath Thomas, and of a 
 family of six — two boys, De Grasse and 
 Orrin, and four girls. Mannett, Jeanett, 
 Julia M. and' Jane. 
 
 Edmoiid Thomas was born in the town 
 of Rutland, Vt., one of a large family 
 born to Wesson and Patience (Hall) Thom- 
 as^ who came to Vermont from Massachu- 
 setts. Wesson Thomas was a soldier and 
 pensioner of the Re\olution. Originally 
 the Thomases came to Massachusetts from 
 Wales. When Edmond was about twelve 
 years of age his father moved to the town 
 of Adams, Jefferson Co., N. Y., where he 
 grew to manhood and where he married 
 Asenath Crapo, daughter of Jonathan 
 Crapo, a soldier of the Revolution, of an 
 old and honorable family in the old Com- 
 monwealth, originally from France. In 
 1835 Edmond moved his family, then con- 
 sisting of wife and live children, to Ohio, 
 coming by lake from Sacket's Harbor to 
 Genesee, thence on a primitive railroad, 
 where the cars were drawn liy horses, to 
 Rochester, N. Y.; from there to Buifalo 
 by the Erie Canal, and by steamer to 
 Cleveland, from that point to Pittsfield by 
 wagon. Settling in that township, a farm 
 was cleared out of the woods, and after 
 nine years the family moved to the western 
 
 part of Rochester township, wliere another 
 farm was hewn from the forests, which 
 then covered all that country in every 
 direction except only where farms were 
 being cut out here and there. Here the 
 two sons took land for themselves, cleared 
 them up, and day by day, year by year, 
 have grown old together with the neigh- 
 borhood their work has done so much to 
 redeem from the forest. Here the good 
 old mother was found on May 18, 1877, 
 by the silent Reaper, in the eighty -first 
 year of her age, and here the father lingered 
 until January 19, 1889, passing away in 
 his ninety-second year; he was a soldier 
 and pensioner of tlie war of 1812. 
 
 Harriet Thomas, the daughter of James 
 and Sarah Fancher, was born in the town 
 of Mendon, Monroe Co., N. Y., Septem- 
 ber 21, 1822, one of a family of thirteen 
 children. John Fancher, the father of 
 James, was a soldier of the Revolution, 
 and married a niece of Gen. Daniel Schuy- 
 ler; they lived in the township of Florida, 
 near Albany, N. Y., where James was born 
 and where he married Sarah Doty, of Spen- 
 cer township, whose father was also a 
 soldier of the Revolution, and of Dutch 
 descent. When Harriet was nine years 
 old the mother left Mendon for Ohio, to 
 join her husband, who had preceded her. 
 She traveled with the children from Pitts- 
 ford to Buffalo by canal, then on Lake 
 Erie by steamer to Huron, Erie county, 
 wliere the father met them and took them 
 to a temporary home in New London, 
 Huron county, whence they soon moved 
 to the neighborhood known as East Creek, 
 in the eastern part of the township, where 
 other children were born to them. Here 
 the final summons found the father in the 
 eighty-fourth year of his age. James 
 Fancher was a soldier of the war of 1812 
 and a pensioner. At the old home in 
 Mendon they were near neighbors of 
 Eber Ivimbail, Joseph Smith and Brigham 
 Young. Before her seventeenth year Har- 
 riet married Gustavus Noble, to whom she 
 bore live children, four of whom grew to 
 
 % 
 
850 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 maturity: Sarah A., the wife of George 
 Chadwick, by whoiu she had one child, a 
 son, Frank; Eliza, tiie wife of Ho- 
 mer E. Barrett, to whom has been born 
 one child. Earl; Perry A., who married 
 Ella J. Mann, daughter of Bradley Mann, 
 of Rochester, and whose family consists 
 of three girls, Grace, Bertha and Mary, 
 and two sons, Wayne and Perry Allen; 
 and Mary, who became the wife of AVilbur 
 W. Hall, and who after a few brief years 
 passed on to another world, leaving, to 
 mourn the loss of a sweet mother, two 
 children — Clayton G. and Kate. 
 
 Harriet Fancher Noble married De- 
 Grasse Thomas, and to this union have been 
 born three children, two of whom grew to 
 maturity: Alma M., wife of Walter D. 
 Hall, to whom have come two chihlren — 
 Ethel and Ford; and Fred Fancher, a 
 sketch of whom follows. 
 
 rRED F. THOMAS, the subject of 
 tliissketcli,sonof DeGrasse and Plar- 
 _^ riet Thomas, was born Sunday, May 
 29, 1859, on the homestead farm in 
 Rochester townshij), Lorain county. He 
 attended the school of his district until 
 his fourteenth year; then the graded 
 school at liochester until the fall of 1876, 
 when he entered the Wellington High 
 School. The superintendent was W. R. 
 Wean, a strict disciplinarian and excellent 
 instriictor; the principal was Mrs. Wean, 
 a lovely lady and good teacher, to whom it 
 was a delight to recite, and whose memory 
 is cherished. At the beginning of the 
 winter term of 1877 he entered the Prepa- 
 ratory Department of Oberlin College, 
 and remained in that institution until the 
 spring of 1879, when impaired health com- 
 pelled him to suspend for a time work of 
 that kind. After a summer spent at home 
 on the farm, he entered, in the fall of that 
 year, the law office of George P. Metcalf 
 and Amos R. Webber. Here the time 
 passed swiftly and pleasantly until the 
 
 winter of 1881, when he matriculated at 
 the University of Michigan. The follow- 
 ing fall he entered the class of 1882 Law 
 Department, and, carrying tlie work of two 
 years in one, graduated with the class. 
 On the organization of the class he was 
 elected secretary, and on graduation was 
 chosen alternate Alumni Orator. 
 
 Returning to Elyria, he opened an ofhce 
 in the old Snearer building, where Sharp's 
 block now stands. Here he remained, 
 slowly but surely gaining business until 
 the winter of 1885, when, becoming con- 
 vinced that there were superior advantages 
 for getting on in the world offered young 
 men in the South, he moved to Monroe 
 county, Ark., and engaged in cattle ranch- 
 ing on Grand Prairie. This venture not 
 proving a success, in November, 1887, he 
 accepted the position of attorney for the 
 U. S. Antimony Co., a mining corporation 
 composed of Philadelphia capitalists. Re- 
 signing this position in December, 1888, 
 he returned to the prairie country, and 
 after several months opened an office for 
 the practice of law in the Fourth Judicial 
 District of Arkansas. His health becom- 
 ing impaired on account of malaria so 
 prevalent in that climate, he determined 
 to move back to Ohio while yet there was 
 time to re-establish himself in his profes- 
 sion at his old home. 
 
 On the first day of January, 1893, he 
 opened an office in Elyria for the second 
 time, and was happy to be once again 
 among such people as compose the inhabi- 
 tants of the Western Reserve. Entering 
 the contest for the nomination to the office 
 of prosecuting attorney, on the Republican 
 ticket, he was, after a spirited contest, on 
 the third day of June, 1893, nominated in 
 what up to that timewas the largest county 
 convention ever held in Lorain county, re- 
 ceiving on the seventh ballot 153 votes out 
 of a total of 217, and the nomination, which 
 on motion of Charles A. Metcalf, his strong- 
 est opponent, was made unanimous. 
 
 Mr. Thomas' ancestors were of old New 
 England stock, his great-grandfathers 
 
^y ^/^l^. 
 
 a4y^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 853 
 
 being soldiers of the Revolution, and bis 
 grandfathers soldiers and pensioners of the 
 war of 1812. He is a Kepublican and 
 Protectionist of the most pronounced type, 
 believing America should so shape its in- 
 dustrial policy as to afford American citi- 
 zens the opportunity to supply American 
 markets with American manufactures, and 
 the products of American farms at Ameri- 
 can prices. He is not a member of any 
 church or sect, reserving to himself, as he 
 grants to all others, perfect freedom of 
 belief. He is a member of Wellington 
 Lodge ISTo. 127, F. ct. A. M., and a char- 
 ter member of Myrtle Lodge No. 61, 
 K. P., of Stuttgart, Arkansas. 
 
 On the evening of October 28, 1885, at 
 the family home in Elyria, Mr. Thomas 
 was united in marriage with Fannie E. 
 Smith, daughter of William L. Smith and 
 Frances (Pen-y) Smith, the latter a daugh- 
 ter of Horatio Perry, one of the old set- 
 tlers of the Western Reserve. There is 
 one child from this marriage: Mary Smith 
 Thomas, born at the old homestead in 
 Rochester, March 26, 1889. Mrs. 
 Thomas is an alumna of Lake Erie Semi- 
 nary, graduating with the class of 1879, 
 and a member of Elyria's oldest literary 
 society — "The Fortnightly." 
 
 1815, 
 
 Iff ENRY HOBART HITCHCOCK 
 fp4 was born in Montville township, 
 I 1| Medina county, Ohio, December 
 Z' 14, 1843, a sou of Daniel B. Hitch- 
 
 cock, who was born January 13, 
 and came from Oswego county, 
 N. y., to Ohio in 1S36. He was a wheel- 
 wright and chair maker by trade, wliich 
 businesses he followed after coming to 
 Ohio. He settled on a farm he had bought 
 about five miles south of Medina, and 
 tilled the soil in connection with his other 
 vocations. 
 
 Daniel B. Hitchcock married Miss 
 Sarah E. Welton, March 14, 1841, and the 
 
 children born to them were Henry H., and 
 Mary (now Mrs. Samuel C. Rosenbnry, of 
 Kalamazoo county, Midi.). The father 
 died in Montville, Ohio, in 1865, at tlie 
 age of fifty years, the mother in Kalama- 
 zoo county, Mich., in 1885, at the age of 
 seventy-four years, and they are buried in 
 Montville township cemetery. They were 
 both consistent members of the First 
 Episcopal Church at Medina, where they 
 and their family regularly attended wor- 
 siiip. In politics he always stood with 
 the Republican party. 
 
 Henry H. Hitchcock, whose name opens 
 this sketch, attended the school in the dis- 
 trict at home until attaining years of ma- 
 turity, when he finished his education in 
 the Medina schools. He was reared in 
 agriculture, and after finishing school ap- 
 plied himself to its pursuits. On August 
 17, 1867, he was married to Eleanor S. 
 Breckenridge, youngest child of Justin and 
 Elizabeth K. Breckenridge. Eleanor S. 
 was born July 4, 1844, in Grafton town- 
 ship, Lorain Co., Ohio, and always lived 
 at the place of her birth, excepting about 
 two and one-half years she spent in Mont- 
 ville after her marriage. 
 
 Justin Breckenridge was born in Ben- 
 nington, Vt., August 7, 1798. In early 
 life he went to St. Lawrence county, N. Y., 
 where he lived until the spring of 1841, 
 when he moved to Pittsfield township, Lo- 
 rain Co., Ohio; in July, same year, he 
 came to Grafton, Lorain Co , Ohio. On 
 January 13, 1824, he was married to 
 Elizabeth K. Pohlman, of St. Lawrence 
 county, N. Y. Justin Breckenridge died 
 January 80, 1874, aged seventy-five years 
 and six months; Elizal)eth K. Brecken- 
 ridge died March 17, 1872, aged sixty- 
 eight years. They are buried in the Nes- 
 bitt cemetery, three-fourths of a mile east 
 of tlieir former home. 
 
 To Henry H. and Eleanor S. Hitchcock 
 have been born four sons, viz.: Clarence 
 P., born August 30, 1868, in Montville 
 township, Medina Co., Ohio (he is follow- 
 ing insurance as a business); Willis N., 
 
854 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 born October 14, 1870; Howard II., born 
 June 18, 1874; and DwightB., born April 
 19, 1880. After their marriage our sub- 
 ject and wife located in Montville town- 
 ship, Medina Co., Ohio, on the farm 
 formerly owned by his fatlier, and which 
 after tlie latter's decease was purchased by 
 said Henry H. Hitchcock, he buying the 
 interests of the other heirs. Here Mr. 
 and Mrs. Hitchcock made their home un- 
 til April 10, 1870, at which time they lo- 
 cated on the Breckenridge homestead at 
 Grafton, consisting of 225 acres where they 
 still reside, having bought the farm from 
 Justin Breckenridge. In the year 1892 
 were added twenty acres more by purchase, 
 on the north end of the farm. Henry H. 
 Hitchcock has held township office, for 
 six years as trustee. In politics he is a 
 Ilejniblican, and in Church denomination 
 a Congregationalist. He is a thrifty, well- 
 to-do farmer, living one mile east of Graf- 
 ton, Lorain Co., Ohio. 
 
 'APTAIN JOHN BOOTH, a promi- 
 nent representative citizen of Car- 
 lisle township, was born July 30, 
 1823, in Lancashire, England, of 
 which country his parents were also natives. 
 His father, John Booth, born in 1777, 
 was united in marriage, in 1798, with 
 Miss Betsy Lord, who was born ISTovem- 
 ber 27, 1781, and they became the parents 
 of eleven children, as follows: Eliza, wife 
 of William Woodward, of Cottage City, 
 Martha's Vineyard; Sarah, Mrs. Husband, 
 of Providence, R. I., deceased; Jane, wife 
 of Thomas Featherston, of Providence, 
 R. I.; Mary, Mrs. Brown, deceased; Ann, 
 residing in Oberlin, Ohio; William, wlio 
 died in Lorain county, Ohio; James, who 
 died at Cape Cod, Mass.; Richard, who 
 died in Texas; a son and daughter who 
 died in infancy, and John, the subject of 
 this sketch. This family of eleven left 
 England in July, 1827, landing in Boston 
 in August. They lived in Pawtucket and 
 
 Smitlifield a short time, then moved to 
 Taunton, Mass., where they resided for 
 twelve years, when, in 1839, they moved to 
 East Liverpool, Ohio. The father died in 
 April, 1863, when aged eighty-six years; 
 the mother died in 1872, when in her 
 ninety-second year. In religious faith 
 they were Ijotli members of tlie Episcopal 
 Church. Grandfather John Booth was a 
 farmer, and passed his entire life in Eng- 
 land, his native country. 
 
 Capt. John Booth, the subject proper of 
 this memoir, received part of his educa- 
 tion at the Bristol County Academy, whicli 
 he attended until fifteen years of age. He 
 was reared to farm life. During the Civil 
 war he enlisted in Company H, One Hun- 
 dred and Third Regiment O. V. I., was 
 mustered into the service as lieutenant, 
 and served in Kentucky and Tennessee, 
 participating in the battles of Blue 
 Springs and Knoxville, and in many minor 
 engagements. In 1863 he was commis- 
 sioned captain, and was mustered out in 
 April, 1864, owing to physical disability, 
 immediately returning to Carlisle town- 
 ship, Lorain county, Ohio (whither he had 
 come from East Liverpool), where he has 
 since resided. 
 
 In 1868 Capt. John Booth was married 
 to Miss Nellie King, and they have three 
 children, namely: John, Mary and Bessie. 
 Our subject has been extensively engaged 
 in general farming and stock raising, and 
 was formerly engaged in buying sheep, 
 which were driven from Columbiana 
 county, Ohio, to Missouri, in 1844, thence 
 from St. Louis county, in 1845, to Saline 
 county, in the western part of the State. 
 He takes an active part in politics. 
 
 OLONEL J. W. STEELE, the ge- 
 nial and popular postmaster at Ober- 
 lin, was born at Middlebury (East 
 Akron), Ohio, December 21, 1836, 
 a sou of Alexander and Maria (Whedon) 
 Steele. The father was a native of New 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 855 
 
 Hampshire, and died April 6, 1872; the 
 mother, a native of the State of New York, 
 is still living at Oberlin. 
 
 Alexander Steele received his elemen- 
 tary education at the public schools of his 
 native place, after which he attended a 
 medical school at Castleton, Vt., from 
 which he graduated M. D. In 1835 he 
 came to Ohio, and commenced the practice 
 of his profession in Middlebury (East 
 Akron), from which place he came to 
 Oberlin, Lorain county, when the subject 
 of this sketch was about three months old. 
 Here, the first regular practitioner in the 
 town, he practiced until 1872. 
 
 The subject of our sketch received liis 
 education at Oberlin, and after leaving 
 school read law in the office of Judge G. 
 M. Barber, in Cleveland. In 1859 he 
 graduated at the Cleveland Law School, 
 after which he continued to reside in Cleve- 
 land until the spring of 1861, when he re- 
 turned to Olierlin. On September 16 of 
 that year, he enlisted in Company H, 
 Forty-first O.V. I., raised in Lorain county, 
 which was attached to the army of the 
 Cumberland. For the first year he served 
 with his regiment, and was then placed on 
 Gen. J. M. Palmer's stafi", as judge advo- 
 cate, also as engineer officer. By President 
 Lincoln he was appointed aide-de-camp with 
 rank of major, and assigned to duty with 
 Gen. D. S. Stanley, commander of the 
 Fourth Army Corps. In July, 1865, he 
 was sent to Texas to oppose Gen. Kirby 
 Smith, and in his entire service he par- 
 ticipated in the battles of Shiloh, Perry ville. 
 Stone River, Chickamanga, etc., the At- 
 lanta Campaign, engagements at Franklin, 
 Nashville, and others. On March 23, 
 1866, he was mustered out of the service 
 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and 
 A. D. C, U. S. v., and returned home. 
 
 In 1867 he was elected probate judge of 
 Lorain county, and reelected in 1871, 
 serving about one year of ids second term, 
 at wdiich time he resigned on account of 
 impaired health. He then commenced the 
 business of railroad contractor, construct- 
 
 ing sixty-five miles of the Canada South- 
 ern Railway, which occupied about one 
 and one-half years, and on completion of 
 this he was engaged on a survey in South 
 America, for a railway thi-ough the valley 
 of the upper Amazon. Following this he 
 contracted on other railroads in the north 
 and west. In 1888 the Colonel was«ap- 
 pointed postmaster at Oberlin, under the 
 Harrison administration, and has since 
 tilled the position with eminent ability. 
 
 In 1867 Col. J. W. Steele and Miss 
 Ella F. Clark were married. They have 
 had born to them four children, as follows: 
 Ella Louise, a teacher in Oberlin college; 
 Margaret and Marion, hoth at school; and 
 John, living at home. Our subject is a 
 member of the G. A. R., and secretary of 
 the Society of the Cumberland, to which 
 position he was elected in 1870. 
 
 ff^ EV. J. P. BARDWELL, who in 
 
 l^^ his lifetime was one of the well- 
 
 I ^ known and prominent citizens of 
 
 ^ Oberlin. intimately connected with 
 
 its early history, was born in the 
 
 town of Edmiston, Otsego Co., N. Y., 
 
 September 16, 1808, of English lineage. 
 
 Mr. Bardwell was converted under the 
 preaching of Rev. Spalding, and in order 
 to qualify himself for the ministry came 
 to Oberlin, where he attended the college, 
 and studied theology under Rev. Finney. 
 In 1835 he married, in New York, Miss 
 Cornelia C. Bishop, a lady of English an- 
 cestry, and they went out as missionaries 
 to the Indians, their station being at Leech 
 Lake, northern Minnesota. Prior to this, 
 however, he had spent some time in the 
 South locating teachers among the negroes, 
 and he was frequently assaulted and in- 
 sulted while in the discharge of his good 
 work, at one time a friend losing his life 
 in an endeavor to protect him. He was 
 connected with the A. M. A., and collected 
 funds for the same, besides working hard 
 
856 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 for the cause, so mucli so that his health 
 became much impaired. His death oc- 
 curred, in 1872, at Leech Lake (his last 
 illness being brought on by hardship and 
 exposure), and his body was brought to 
 Oberlin for burial. Tliree children were 
 born to Rev. and Mrs. J. P. Bardwell, as 
 follows: (1) John N., who is married, and 
 had two daughters, the elder one being 
 dead; (2) Cornelia E., wife of Henry 
 Chapman, of Cleveland, Ohio (they have 
 three children: Henry Bai'dwell, a grad- 
 uate of Oberlin and Cambridge Colleges, 
 now in Cleveland; Harriet, a graduate of 
 Wellesley College, and who also attended 
 Oberlin College; and Willie, now in col- 
 lege); and (3) Alonzo, who died at the age 
 of eleven years. 
 
 LTON HENRY MOOERS, a rep- 
 resentative self-made man, an hon- 
 ored and respected citizen of Elyria, 
 and proprietor of the chair factory 
 in northern Ohio, is a native of the 
 State of New York, born in Ithaca, May 
 2, 1830. 
 
 Phineas Mooers, father of subject, was 
 a native of New Jersey, born of Scotch 
 ancestry, the first of whom to come to this 
 country (in 1730) settled in New York. 
 The names and places of settlement of the 
 brothers and sisters of Phineas Mooers 
 are: James, in Kingston, Canada; Jona- 
 than, in Wilkes-Barre, Penn.; Henry, in 
 Toledo, Ohio; Daniel, in New Orleans, I^a. ; 
 Kate (Mrs. William Young), in Toledo; 
 Nancy and Mary, spinsters, passed all 
 their lives in Ithaca, N. Y., dying thereat 
 over ninety years of age; Julia A. (Mrs. 
 Armstrong) lived at Niagara Falls. In 
 the order of birth Phineas comes ne.xt to 
 Jonathan. He passed his early life in 
 New Jersey, receiving his education at 
 the public schools of that locality. While 
 yet a youth he moved to AVatertown, N. Y., 
 where he learned the trade of chair maker, 
 becoming a journeyman, and from there 
 
 in course of time he moved to Ogdensburg, 
 same State. Here in 1825 he married 
 Elizabeth Shaw, a native of that town, and 
 soon afterward the young couple made 
 their home in Ithaca, Mr. Mooers carrying 
 on a shop there for his own account; but 
 after some time they proceeded to Water- 
 town, remaining there some five years. 
 From Watertown they came by canal, 
 lake and team to Birmingham, Erie Co., 
 Ohio, where he opened out a chair factory, 
 carrying same on till 1839, in which year 
 they removed to Sandusky City. Here 
 Mr. Mooers carried on the same business 
 ten years, but on account of cholera break- 
 ing out there, he returned to Birmingham, 
 whence after a two years' residence they 
 came to Ridgeville township, Lorain 
 connty, passing the rest of their days in 
 peaceful retirement at the home of their 
 son, A. H. The father died January 26, 
 1855, the mother September 30, 1879. 
 Mr. Mooers in his political predilections 
 was originally a Democrat until the elec- 
 tion of Van Buren for President, when he 
 united with the Whig party, later becom- 
 ing, on its organization, a stanch Repub- 
 lican, remaining in the ranks of the party 
 the rest of his life. He served as a justice 
 of the peace in Erie county. The follow- 
 ing is a brief record of the children born 
 to Phineas and Elizabeth (Shaw) Mooers: 
 Oscar D. is deceased; Matilda T. married 
 Jonathan Taylor; Julia B. married Han- 
 son S. Mitchell; A. H. is the subject 
 proper of this memoir; Mary J. married 
 Charles Arbogast; Charles is a resident 
 of Chicago, 111.; Carrie is the wife of 
 William H. Tucker; George, who enlisted 
 in the Indiana Heavy Artillery, three-years 
 service, was killed at the battle of Port 
 Hudson; Frank enlisted in the Twelfth 
 Ind. V. I., was wounded at the battle of 
 Chickamauga, and died at Danville, Va.; 
 Emeline and AVilliam are both deceased. 
 
 Alton H. Mooers recei%'ed a liberal edu- 
 cation at the schools of his native town, 
 and in his father's factory learned chair 
 making. At the age of twenty-two he 
 
^J^ ^^^ 
 
 '>^TZ^-^^2^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 859 
 
 came to Elyria, and there followed his 
 trade until 1853, in which year he came 
 to Ilidgeville, and emharked iu his present 
 business. The chair factory, probably 
 the most extensive of any kind in the 
 county, has a capacity of eighty thousand 
 chairs per auiuini, and is still growing, 
 promising to become in the near future an 
 establishment of mammoth proportions. 
 
 In September, 1854, Mr. Mooers was 
 united in marriage with Miss Arlette, 
 daughter of Wyllys Terril, of Kidgevillc 
 township, and children as follows were 
 born to them: Etta (Mrs. Charles Inger- 
 8ol), deceased; Nettie (Mrs. B. H. Starr); 
 Frank C. (Mrs. Clayton Chapman); 
 Phineas, who died at the age of three 
 months; Fred, deceased when ten days old, 
 and one that died in infancy. In politics 
 Mr. Mooers was a Democrat until 1885, 
 when he joined the Kepublican party. He 
 has held various township offices; was 
 school trustee seventeen years, and presi- 
 dent of the board of education five years; 
 was township trustee and treasurer five 
 consecutive years each, and was superin- 
 tendent of roads two years. For fourteen 
 years he has been a member of the Lorain 
 County Agricultural Society — eight in the 
 capacity of president, and one as treasurer. 
 In religious faith he is a member of the 
 Congregational Society at Ridgeville, of 
 which he has been a trustee eighteen years. 
 
 An active, enterprising citizen, and a 
 man of the steadiest probity, Mr. Mooers 
 commands the respect of every one with 
 whom he comes in contact. 
 
 /^ 
 
 HORACE J. CLARK, dealer in gen- 
 eral merchandise, and one of the 
 prominent and influential citizens 
 of Oberliu, is a native of Ohio, 
 born in Medina county January 27, 
 1839, a son of John and Betsey (Tyler) 
 Clark, and of Massachusetts descent 
 through his paternal grandfather. 
 
 John Clark, father of subject, was born 
 in New York State, whence in the pioneer 
 days of Ohio he came to Medina county, 
 where he passed the rest of his days in 
 agricultural pursuits. He was a very ac- 
 tive, aggressive and prosperous man, a 
 Whig in politics, and in religion a Con- 
 gregationalist. He married Miss Betsey 
 Tyler, a native of Poultney, Yt., who with 
 him and their children came west to Ohio, 
 driving an ox-team. After his death in 
 1845 Mrs. Clark with her children re- 
 visited the old home, traveling the same 
 route, this time with a horse team. Mrs. 
 Clark lived to be seventy-seven years old, 
 the mother of nine children, five of whom 
 — William P., Mary E., Merrit, Lucinda 
 B. and Horace J. — reached mature age, 
 and of these the following is a brief record : 
 William P., who now lives on the old home- 
 stead in Medina county, Ohio, for many 
 years owned and conducted a select school 
 at Medina, and afterward was superintend- 
 ent of Norwalk (Ohio) public schools, and 
 also of the public schools at Hillsdale, 
 Mich.; Mary E. is unmarried, and now 
 lives on the old homestead with her 
 brother; Merrit married and settled in 
 Covington, Ohio, where he died in 1852; 
 Lucinda B. died in 1846 at Medina, Ohio, 
 at the age of twenty-four years. 
 
 Horace J. Clark, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, received his elementary edu- 
 cation in the select school of his brother 
 at Medina, Ohio. At the age of nineteen 
 he entered Wastern Reserve College, 
 where he graduated in the class of 1861. 
 After this he had charge of the Shaw 
 Academy at East Cleveland two years; 
 then had charge of the Tallmadge (Ohio) 
 Academy, four years, at the end of which 
 time, huding his health impaired, he 
 abandoned teaching for a time, and em 
 barked in the business of manufacturing 
 stoneware, building the first works of the 
 kind in Tallmadge, Ohio. On regaining 
 his health at the end of two years, he ac- 
 cepted the positi(Ui of principal of the 
 Poland (Ohio) Union Seminary, an in- 
 
 46 
 
860 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 cumbeucy he filled during the greater part 
 of a decade. For eight years he was a 
 member of the board of examiners of 
 Mahoning county. For the next two j'ears 
 he was traveling agent for the publishing 
 house of Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co., at 
 the close of which engagement, in 1879, 
 he was appointed superintendent of public 
 schools at Oberlin, Lorain county, in which 
 capacity he served three and one half 
 years, when he resigned, and was reap- 
 pointed by election to his old position in 
 the Poland Seminary. At the end of two 
 years, however, he resigned this position, 
 and returned to Oberlin in order to o-ive 
 his children the advantages of Oberlin 
 College. Here for the past eight years he 
 has successfully carried on a general mer- 
 chandise business. 
 
 In 1861 Mr. Clark was united in mar- 
 riage at Hudson, Ohio, with Miss Lizzie 
 P. Blackman, who was born in Mt. Ver- 
 non, Ohio, and whose parents emigrated 
 from England before the days of steam- 
 ships, being nine weeks on the ocean. To 
 this union have been born five children, as 
 follows: (1) Mary A. is a graduate of 
 the classical course of Oberlin College, 
 class of 1886, has since been engaged in 
 teaching, and was at one time assistant 
 principal of the high school in Welling- 
 ton, Ohio. (2) Frank S. is a graduate of 
 the classical course of Oberlin College, 
 class of 1887; he took the medical course 
 in the Medical School of Western Reserve 
 University, Cleveland; he was for one and 
 one-half years in charge of Lakeside Hos- 
 pital, for one year of the time as house 
 physician ; for one year had charge of the 
 Charity Maternity Hospital, and is now a 
 member of the staft' of St. Alexis Hospi- 
 tal, Cleveland, Ohio, where he is practic- 
 ing medicine. (3) Edward W. is also a 
 graduate of the classical course of Oberlin 
 College, in the class of 1889; for two years 
 he has been employed as tutor of Latin in 
 the College; is now pursuing his studies 
 in Leipsic, Germany, perfecting his prepa- 
 ration to teach College Latin and Ger- 
 
 man; he married Miss Lottie Life, daugh- 
 ter of the late S. Life, of Oberlin, and one 
 child has come to brighten their home, 
 named Gertrude. (4) Anna Ida died at 
 the age of live years at Poland, Ohio, and 
 (5) Alice Gertrude died in Oberlin in 
 1886, when seven years old. Politically 
 our subject is a Prohibitionist. He and 
 his wife are members of the First Congre- 
 gational Church. 
 
 W. SHERBONDY, a wide-awake, 
 active farmer, and one of the most 
 extensive grape-growers in Avon 
 township, has resided on his present 
 farm since 1851. 
 Our subject was born in 1823 in West- 
 moreland county, Penn., son of Peter and 
 Martha (Reagan) Sherbondy, natives of 
 Virginia, who in an early day removed to 
 Westmoreland county, Penn., thence mi- 
 grating to Portage (now Summit) county, 
 Ohio, where they both died, the mother in 
 1830, the father in 1884. They had six 
 children, namely: Malachi, who died in 
 Summit county in 1888; A. W., subject 
 proper of this sketch; John, who went to 
 California in 1849; Peter, married, who 
 resides in Akron, Ohio; Ella, wife of Jason 
 Brown, of Akron, Ohio; and Esther, wife 
 of Nelson Hawkins, of Summit county, 
 Ohio. The Sherbondy family are of 
 French extraction. 
 
 A. W. Sherbondy, who was always of 
 rather feeble health, was reared in Summit 
 county, on a farm, working thereon till his 
 nineteenth year, in the meantime receiving 
 his primary education at the common 
 schools of his day. He then attended an 
 academy for portions of two seasons, after 
 which he engaged as clerk in a grocery 
 store in Akron, Summit Co., Ohio, for a 
 term of years, continuously, except that in 
 the intermediate time he taught two terms 
 of district school in Summit county. He 
 was then engaged in the grocery business 
 in Akron until 1851, also continuously, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 861 
 
 excepting that in the meantime he tanght 
 five successive terms of district school in 
 Lake township. Stark Co., Ohio. He then 
 moved from ISuminit county to Avon town- 
 ship, Lorain county, and was tliere engaged 
 in mercantile business seven years, after 
 which he boucrht the Moore farm of seven- 
 ty-five acres, one of the first settled tracts 
 in the township. Here he has erected a 
 good barn and comfortable residence, and 
 is successfully conducting a generaF farm- 
 ing and grape-growing business; his vine- 
 yard covers an area of twenty-five acres. 
 
 In 1847 Mr. Sherbondy was married, in 
 Portage county, to Kebecca A. Buckman, 
 who was born in Stark county, Ohio, 
 daughter of Ahram and Kebecca A. (Lip- 
 pincott) Buckman, who were natives of 
 New Jersey, whence in an early day they 
 came to Ohio, locating first in Stark and 
 later in Portage county. The father, who 
 was a farmer, died there in 1879, preceded 
 to the grave by his wife in 187G. Mr. 
 Sherbondy is president of the Lorain county 
 Grape-growers Association, a growing or- 
 ganization, which was founded in 1889, 
 and now has a membership of about one 
 hundred. In politics he is a Republican, 
 and in 1854 he was elected justice of the 
 peace in Avon township, which office, 
 with the e.xception of two terras, he has 
 since continuously held; lie has also served 
 as notary public and township trustee, and 
 he was postmaster at Avon Lake for eigh- 
 teen years. 
 
 AMUEL BUSBY. Among the 
 prosperous farmers of LaGrange 
 township, none stand higher in the 
 esteem of their fellow-citizens than 
 the gentleman whose name opens this 
 sketch. He was Ijorn July 29, 1840, in 
 Bedfordshire,* England, son of William 
 and Harriet (Ilussell) Busby, farming 
 people in moderate circunj stances. 
 
 (hir subject was reared on a farm, and 
 being denied tlic full advantages of the 
 day schools, attended the night schools, 
 
 where he learned to write. When five 
 years old he was put to work, picking 
 stones from the land, and also pulling a 
 weed, there called '* twitch-weed," which 
 grew very profusely in his native country. 
 When sixteen years old he left home to 
 make his own way in the world, and first 
 worked as a farm hand for five shillings a 
 week, boarding himself. By being eco- 
 nomical and saving he struggled along 
 until 1870, when he concluded to leave 
 England and seek his fortune in the 
 United States. At this time his employer 
 was owing him a sum of money, sufficient 
 to bring him to America, which, on learn- 
 ing his intentions, he refused to pay him; 
 but Mr. Busby was determined to come, 
 and by borrowing from his friends he 
 managed to get enough to pay his way 
 across, sailing from Liverpool in the ves- 
 sel "Tripoli," and after a voyage of twelve 
 days landing, on April 27, 1870, at Bos- 
 ton, Mass. He had a ticket for Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, his destination being La- 
 Grange, Lorain Co., Ohio, where his 
 friends had located some time before, and 
 he arrived there with eight dollars in his 
 pocket, and anxious for work. He secured 
 employment with William Stevenson at 
 twelve dollars a month, and gave good 
 satisfaction, for, though small in stature, 
 he was not only an excellent worker but a 
 steady-going young man. He afterward 
 worked for various people, among them 
 Warren Miller, L. G. Parsons, and Dr. 
 George C. Underbill, the latter employing 
 him for eighteen months at twenty-two 
 dollars per month, the highest wages then 
 paid for farm lalior. He was in the em- 
 ploy of Dr. Merriam over four and a half 
 years, and then worked nearly two years 
 for A. R. Underhill, always receiving the 
 highest compensation for his services. On 
 March 21, 1882, he was united in marriage 
 with Mrs. Leruah Miller, who was born, 
 August 7, 1846, in Bidgeville township, 
 Lorain county, daughter of Marcus Ter- 
 rell. In 1880 he had purchased, from 
 Chancey D. Brown, his present farm, con- 
 
862 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 sisting of ninety-one acres of fertile land, 
 ■where he has ever since resided, success- 
 fully engaged in fanning. He is a sys- 
 tematic agriculturist, and a self- made man, 
 having won success in the face of every 
 obstacle, and he deserves no small amount 
 of credit for his perseverance and indus- 
 try. Politically he is a stanch member of 
 the Republican party. Socially he is a 
 member of LaGrange Lodge, Knights of 
 Pythias. 
 
 El F. LOOMIS, a successful and well- 
 known agriculturist of La Grange 
 I township, is a native of same, born 
 
 March 10, 1845, a son of Richard 
 N. Loomis. 
 
 Russel Loomis, the grandfather of our 
 subject, was born November 28, 1786, in 
 Westmoreland, N. Y., a member of the 
 fifth generation of his family in the United 
 States, and a descendant of Joseph Loomis, 
 who came in 1638 from Braintree, Essex 
 county, England, to Windsor, Conn., and 
 from whom the genealogy of the family 
 dates. This genealogy was compiled in 
 recent years, and was completed in 1870 
 by Elias Loomis, LL. D., professor of 
 Natural Pliilosophy and Astronomy in 
 Yale College. The name has been vari- 
 ously spelled — Lomas, Lomis, Lomys, etc. 
 Hussel Loomis was the first of the family 
 to come to Ohio, he settling in LaGrange 
 township, Lorain county, in 1831. He 
 was married March 1, 1810, in Oneida 
 county, N. Y., to Betsey French, who was 
 born in 1788, and died October 21, 1860, 
 in LaGrange township. Previous to his 
 settlement Mr. Loomis had come to Ohio 
 on horseback, and selected land here, be- 
 coming one of the very first settlers. He 
 had a family of four children, all born 
 in New York State, as follows: Erastus, 
 born December 2, 1810, a lumber worker, 
 who died July 8, 1889, in the South; 
 Sarah, born January 22, 1813, who was 
 mari-ied in LaGrange to James K. Pelton, 
 
 and died in Putnam county, Ohio; Rich- 
 ard N., father of our subject; and Mary, 
 born May 8, 1S19, who died June 4, 1825, 
 in New York State. Russel Loomis passed 
 the remainder of his life in LaGrange 
 township, dying in 1880 at the age of 
 ninety-four years; he was interred in La- 
 Grange cemetery. 
 
 Richard N. Loomis received his educa- 
 tion in the common schools, and when 
 fourteen years old came with his parents 
 to Ohio, where he was reared to farm life. 
 On May 23, 1840, he was married to Jane 
 Pelton, who was born February 4, 1820, 
 in Jefferson county, N. Y., daugliter of 
 James and Harriet (Clark) Pelton, the 
 former of whom lived to be seventy-six 
 years old, the latter eigiity-fonr. James 
 Pelton was the second permanent settler 
 in LaGrange township, his brother-in-law, 
 Nathan Clark, being the first. After his 
 marriage Richard N. Loomis took up his 
 residence on the homestead farm with his 
 father, who lived with him, and there 
 made his permanent liome. At one time 
 there were four generations of the Loomis 
 family living in the same house. Richard 
 Loomis was a lifelong farmer, and attained 
 no small degree of success in his chosen 
 vocation. He died March 19, 1883, and 
 was buried near his parents. To him and 
 his wife were born children as follows: 
 Susan, born June 23, 1842, who was mar- 
 ried May 20, 1865, to Harrison Smith, and 
 died in October, same year; Erastus F., 
 subject of this memoir.; Calvin, borp April 
 28, 1853, a farmer of LaGrange township; 
 and Sarah M., born June 23, 1855, now 
 Mrs. George Rawson, of Elyria, Ohio. 
 Politiciiliy Mr. Loomis was originally a 
 Wliig, afterward a Republican, and he was 
 actively interested in the success of his 
 party; he held various local oflices of honor 
 and ti'ust. Since his decease Mrs. Loomis 
 has been living with her son on the houie- 
 stead farm, where they have a very pleas- 
 ant and coinfortable home. 
 
 Erastus F. Loomis, whose name opens 
 this sketch, was born March 10, 1845, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 863 
 
 received a liberal education in the common 
 schools of tlie neigliborhood, and was 
 reared to farm life under the direction of 
 his father. lie was united in marriage, 
 June 16, 1866, with Miss Sarah J. Myn- 
 derse, a native of New York State, daugh- 
 ter of Andrew Mynderse, who is now a 
 resident of LaGrange Center. For four 
 years after marriage Mr. Loomis lived at 
 home with his parents, and afterward 
 located on twelve acres of land he owned 
 in LaGrange township. He has been a 
 lifelong tiller of the soil, and now owns 
 114 acres of good land, upon which he 
 has erected various farm buildings. In 
 his political preferences he is a Republi- 
 can, and has held several offices in his 
 township, serWng as trustee tliree terms. 
 He has prospered in his business, and now 
 has acomfortable competence. Mrs. Loomis. 
 is a member of the Methodist Church at 
 LaGrange. They have no children. 
 
 Tl C. LEHMAN, one of the leading 
 
 k. I farmers and well-known successful 
 
 }^) mechanics of Grafton township, was 
 
 born at one o'clock in the morning of 
 
 March 1, 1838, in London, England. 
 
 His father, Joseph Lehman, was born in 
 Wurtemberg, Germany, where he married 
 Hannah Malay, also a native of that coun- 
 try. He was reared a farmer boy, but for 
 nine years sailed the seas, visiting proba- 
 bly every commercial port in the world. 
 Immediately after his marriage he pro- 
 ceeded to London, England, and in the fall 
 of 1887 he sailed from Liverpool for the 
 United States, landing in New York, the 
 voyage occupying sixty days. From that 
 city they moved west to Cleveland by 
 river, canal and lake, and from the last 
 named place they made an overland trip 
 by wagon to Liverpool township, Medina 
 county, in which vicinity Frederick Malay, 
 father-in-law of Joseph Lehman, had pre- 
 viously located. In that section the latter 
 
 bought a small piece of land. Here chil- 
 dren were born to him, as follows: Mary, 
 married to Frederick Garling, and died in 
 Liverpool; Louisa, now Mrs. Joseph Hud- 
 son, of Grafton township, Lorain county, 
 and a son that died in infancy. In course 
 of time Joseph Lehman moved from 
 Liverpool township to Grafton township, 
 where he passed the rest of his days, dying 
 in 1866, his wife following him to the 
 grave in 1884, and both rest from their 
 labors in the cemetery at Liverpool, Me- 
 dina county. They were members of the 
 Lutheran Churcli, and highly respected, 
 industrious and frugal citizens; in politics 
 he was a Democrat. 
 
 The subject proper of these lines was 
 between four and live years of age when the 
 family came to America, and in Liverpool, 
 Ohio, he received a fair education at the 
 common schools of the locality. His 
 parents were strict Church people, the 
 rules of wliich they observed very closely, 
 and at the age of fourteen he was con- 
 firmed by the Bishop at Liverpool, the first 
 confirmation ever held in the place. Im- 
 mediately after that he left school and 
 home to seek his fortune in the world. 
 His first work was on the farm of Eli 
 Warner, at six dollars per month, and then, 
 an acquaintance at Cuyahogti Falls, Ohio, 
 having induced him to go there, he set out 
 on foot, with nothing wherewithal to ap- 
 pease his appetite on the journey. He 
 reached liis destination, however, in safety, 
 and remained there three years, after which 
 he went to Cleveland to learn the trade of 
 carpenter. Having served an apprentice- 
 ship of two years thereat (receiving six 
 dollars per montii for first year, and six- 
 teen dollars per month for second year), 
 he found he had attained such proficiency 
 as to be able to earn one dollar and iifty 
 cents per day, and thus he continued at 
 his trade several years, working one year 
 in Chicago, and three years in Indianapolis, 
 Ind. Coming to Grafton township, Lo- 
 rain county, he here continued liis trade 
 till 1888, when he retired from it. For 
 
864 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY. OHIO. 
 
 twenty yeai's he followed this, in connec- 
 tion with farming, durincr the proper sea- 
 sons, erecting some of the best residences 
 and barns in his section of the State, be- 
 sides churches, town halls and other pub- 
 lic buildings, frequently having under him 
 as many as tliree gangs of carpenters. He 
 liad no superior as a calculator on esti- 
 mates, and it was due to this, coupled with 
 an accurate idea as to cost and amount of 
 material necessary, that he made such an 
 enviable success. In 1868 he bought in 
 that township twenty acres of land at 
 thirty-tive dollars per acre, and afterward 
 eighty-tive acres from Josiah Taylor heirs, 
 to which lie from time to time added until 
 he now owns 312 acres of excellent land. 
 He has been thoroughly economical, and 
 assisted liis parents to pay for their home, 
 giving them all his earnings, up to tiie 
 time he came of age, and not a little after- 
 ward. His aged mother made her home 
 with him for thirty years. 
 
 On February 24, 1868, Mr. Lehman was 
 married to Amelia Lyndes, who was born 
 Septeml)er 26, 1840, in Grafton township, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio, daughter of Orville and 
 Mary Lyndes, who came from Vermont 
 and Massachusetts, respectively, to Lorain 
 county, he in 1823, and she in 1816. Chil- 
 dren as follows were born to this union: 
 Cassius W., who died at the age of twenty- 
 six years; and Clayton De Witt, Clifford 
 E. and Corinna B., at home. Politically 
 our subject was a Republican up to 1873, 
 since when he has been a Democrat. 
 
 ^AEENCE HUGH SLATEP., pro- 
 )rietor of a bus and dray line, at 
 Lorain, is a prominent representative 
 native-born citizen of that place. 
 His grandfather, Robert Slater, was a 
 native of Pennsylvania, and in ISll came 
 to Loraip county, Ohio, where he followed 
 his trade, that of carpenter, erecting some 
 of the early residences in Lorain. His 
 death occurred in the South. 
 
 Hugh Slater, son of Robert Slater, was 
 born, in 1826, in Lorain county, Ohio, 
 wiiere he was reared and educated. He 
 learned the trade of carpenter, and for a 
 while carried on a farm in Shetheld town- 
 ship, after his marriage settling in Lorain. 
 In 1849 lie was united in marriage, at 
 Elyria, with Miss Tirzah Bedortha, and 
 they had one child, Clarence Hugh. Mr. 
 Slater was an active politician, an ardent 
 supporter of the principles of the Demo- 
 cratic party. lie served as lighthouse- 
 keeper of Lorain three years. He died in 
 1863, Mrs. Slater in 1891, aged sixty- 
 three years. 
 
 Clarence Huo-h Slater was born August 
 10, 1850, in Lorain, Lorain Co., Ohio, at 
 the public schools of which place he re- 
 ceived his education. He commenced life 
 . as a sailor, working for live years under 
 Capt. Church, and after leaving the lakes 
 engaged for five years in the fishing busi- 
 ness. For the next five years Mr. Slater 
 was employed in the shipyards at Lorain 
 under H. D. Root; then engaged in farm- 
 ing in Sheffield township, and afterward 
 ran the first milk wagon in Lorain, con- 
 ducting the Ayrshire Milk Dairy. He 
 was then engaged in the building of the 
 new courthouse at Elyria, Lorain county, 
 thence going to Marion, Ind., and assisted 
 in the erection of the courthouse there. 
 After his return to Elyria Mr. Slater 
 worked for a time in the Elyria Screw and 
 Tap Factory, and then coming to Lorain 
 engaged with F. M. Whitman in the 
 Sussex Sauce Works. He next ran a 
 pleasure yacht to Randall's Grove and 
 Lake Breeze, and then embarked in the 
 dray business, which he sold out after 
 three years, since which time he has con- 
 ducted his present bus line between Lorain 
 and Oak Point. 
 
 On January 20, 1874, Mr. Slater was 
 married to C. N. Wallace, a native of 
 Elyria,whovvas divorced in 1887,leavingliim 
 one child, Maud. In 1889 he married, for 
 his second wife. Miss Ida Gleeson, a native 
 of Lorain, daughter of Frank Gleeson, a 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 865 
 
 resident of Lorain, and to tliis union was 
 also born one child, Goldie. Mr. Slater 
 owns a farm of forty acres in Black River 
 township, situated on the Lake, two and a 
 half miles west of Lorain, which he devotes 
 to the raising of fruit. He also owns four 
 residences in Lorain. In politics he votes 
 with the Democratic party, and he takes 
 an active interest in everything tending to 
 promote the welfare and advancement of 
 his county. Socially he is a meml)er of 
 the 0. U. A. M., and of Lorain Lodge No. 
 680, L O. O. F., and he and his wife are 
 both members of the Order of Rebekah. 
 In religious faith Mr. and Mrs. Slater are 
 Methodists. Mr. Slater lias watched the 
 progress and growth of Lorain from its 
 very beginning, and he remembers the 
 time when there was but one house across 
 the river. 
 
 FTfENRY H. CLOUGH. The gen- 
 t''^ tleman here named is one of the 
 I 1 most prominent and progressive of 
 •^ Lorain county's prosperous citizens. 
 
 He is a grandson of Deacon John 
 and Judith (Gerrish) Clough, the for- 
 mer of \vhom was born in Canterbury, 
 N. H., the latter being a descendant of Sir 
 Matthew Hale, of England. 
 
 Baxter Clough, father of subject, was 
 born in Canterbury, N. H., in 1807, and 
 was reared to the arduous duties of agri- 
 culture on his father's farm till 1830, when 
 lie came westward, and after some misad- 
 ventures located in Solon township, Cuya- 
 hoga county, at that time an unbroken 
 wilderness. Subsequently he moved to 
 Cleveland, thence to Berea, Cuyahoga 
 county, and finally to Lorain county, his 
 attention having been called to the Free- 
 stone quarries in North Amherst, whither 
 he moved in 1852, and formed a partner- 
 ship with P. & L. Dean, which was of 
 sliort duration, however, he having pur- 
 chased his partner's interests. He then 
 commenced the manufactureof grindstones, 
 
 which industry from small beginnings de- 
 veloped into gigantic proportions. About 
 1860, there having sprung up a demand 
 for block stone for building purposes, Mr. 
 Clough turned his attention more particu- 
 larly to that branch, which in course of a 
 few years increased to a business of enor- 
 mous magnitude. Docks were built by 
 him »t the lake, and a railroad was con- 
 structed to the dock, which supplied a di- 
 rect outlet of his own to ship by water. 
 He also purchased and developed what was 
 known as the Independence and Columbia 
 quarries, where he also manufactured great 
 quantities of block stone and grindstones. 
 On July 19, 1832, he was married to Miss 
 Hannah Gerrish, formerly of Boscowan, 
 N. H., at that time residing with her 
 brother in Solon, and eight children were 
 born to them, of whom Henry H. is the 
 seventh. The father died in November, 
 1872, the mother on January 21, 1893, in 
 her eighty-seventh year, having been born 
 April 20, 1807. They were consistent 
 members of the Congregational Church. 
 
 Henry H. Clough, the subject proper of 
 this memoir, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, 
 August 22, 1846, and when a child was 
 brought by his parents to North Amherst,- 
 where he was reared. His elementary edu- 
 cation he received at the common schools 
 of the town, which was supplemented with 
 a course of study at Oberlin College, on 
 leaving which he became connected with 
 the Clough Stone Company. At the death 
 of their father, the sons J. B. and Henry 
 H. succeeded to the business, and the lat- 
 ter became president of the company. On 
 December 16, 1868, Henry H. Clough was 
 united in marriacre with Miss Margaret 
 Barney, of Black River township, Lorain 
 county, Ohio, and si-x children were 
 born to them, as follows: Hallie M., 
 Mattie B., Otis H., Karl B., AlI)ertG. and 
 Henry Hale, of whom Albert G. died in 
 infancy. For four years Mr. Clough was 
 president of the pool which controlled all 
 the stone quarries in his section. He is 
 secretary-treasurer of the Giles-Clough 
 
866 
 
 L0IiAI2i COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Fruit-jar Mamifacturiiig Company at Red- 
 key, Ind. Of late lie has been interested 
 in banking, and he is now president of two 
 banks — one, the National Eank of Bowl- 
 ing Green, Ohio, the other, the Volusia 
 County Bank of De Land, Fla. ; he is also a 
 director of the Savings and Deposit Bank 
 of Elyria. In politics he is a Kepublican. 
 Mr. Clough is one of the leading capital- 
 ists of Elyria, and out of the stone busi- 
 ness has amassed a fortune. His eleeant 
 stone residence, the architecture of which 
 is especially recherche, and which is built 
 after his own design, commands the admi- 
 ration of all. 
 
 [[JfERBEET S. FOLLANSBEE. 
 
 f!^ Prominent among the progressive 
 
 I r citizens and enterprising manufac- 
 
 ■^ turers of Lorain county stands this 
 
 gentleman. He is a native of 
 
 Massachusetts, born in Taunton, February 
 
 15, 1857. 
 
 The FoUansbees were among the early 
 settlers of Araesbury, Mass., several gen- 
 erations of the family having been born 
 there down to and inclndincr Joshua Fol- 
 lansbee, father of the subject of this 
 sketch. He, Joshua, was a tradesman in 
 the leather business, in Rhode Island. He 
 was married in Warren, K. L, to Miss 
 Hannah Adams, daughter of Nathaniel 
 and Polly (Hunter) Adams, the father be- 
 ing of the early Massachusetts family of 
 that name so famous in American history. 
 Mrs. Polly (Hunter) Adams was of an' old 
 Massachusetts family, and some of her an- 
 cestors owned a large tract of land that is 
 now in the heart of the city of Providence, 
 R. I. A copy of the deed for this land, 
 which bears the date of 1708, is now in 
 the possession of Mr. Follansbee. 
 
 After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
 Joshua Follansbee resided in Massachu- 
 setts and Rliode Island alternately, finally 
 settling in Pawtucket, that State, where 
 they died, he in 1890, at the age of seven- 
 
 ty-si.\ years, she in 1880. aged lifty-six. 
 They were the parents of eight children: 
 One died in infancy; the remaining chil- 
 dren are all now residents of either Massa- 
 chusetts or Rhode Island, except our sub- 
 ject, who was the only one in the family 
 to settle in the AVest. 
 
 Herbert S. Follansbee was an infant 
 wlien his parents i-emoved to Rhode Island, 
 six years old when they took up their 
 home again in Taunton, Mass., and ten 
 when they moved to Central Falls, R. I., 
 where he received the main part of his edu- 
 cation, at the high school of which place 
 he graduated. From Central Falls the 
 family removed to Pawtucket, R. I., 
 where for a short time he was engaged in 
 real-estate and insurance interests, after 
 which he was employed in various lines of 
 business, including two years in a printing 
 office, and seven years as clerk and sales- 
 man. At the end of this time he accepted 
 a position with Reed & Barton, of Taun- 
 ton, Mass., extensive silverware manufac- 
 turers, and spent ten months in their fac- 
 tory learning the business — the mode of 
 manufactiiring, etc. He was then offered 
 by the firm a position to represent them 
 as traveling salesman, which offer he ac- 
 cepted, and for ten years he was " on the 
 road" as salesman. Elyria, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, was one of his stopping places, and 
 on one of his trips, he here met the young 
 lady who subsequently l)ecame his wife, 
 in the person of Miss Minnie Mountain, 
 of that town, and they were united in 
 marriage October 1, 1885. About one 
 year later Mr. Follansbee formed the ac- 
 quaintance of Mr. A. L. Garford and Mr. 
 F. N. Smith, of Elyria, and a close friend- 
 ship springing up between them they de- 
 cided to unite themselves in business, the 
 result being the establislunent of the 
 bicycle saddle manufacturing concern in 
 Elyria, Mr. FoUansbee's special duties 
 beino- to introduce the saddle to the east- 
 ern and western trade. At the commence- 
 ment of this business the firm consisted of 
 A. L. Garford, F. N. Smith and H. S. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 869 
 
 Follant^bee, and tlie style thereof was " Gar- 
 ford ILaiuifactiiring Co." After about 
 one and one-half years the business was 
 incorporated under State laws, with A. L. 
 Gart'ord, president; H. S. FoUansbee, vice- 
 president, and Fred N. Smith, secretary 
 and treasurer, retaining the original title. 
 The present stock company consists of 
 some of the brightest business men in the 
 county, and men of high financial stand- 
 ing. Mr. FoUansbee was up to October 1, 
 1892, for ten years, identified with the 
 Reed & Barton Co., before mentioned, but 
 had to resign his position, the business of 
 the Garford Mainifacturing Co. having 
 grown to such proportions as to demand 
 his undivided attention. 
 
 Since his marriage Mr. FoUansbee has 
 made his home in Elyria. Pie and his 
 wife had one child, named Stanley, that 
 died in 1890. They are members of the 
 Episcopal Church at Elyria, of which he 
 is a vestryman. He is a member of the 
 Cleveland Commercial Travelers Associa- 
 tion; a stockholder in the Savings Deposit 
 Bank, of Elyria, and in the Hunt Manu- 
 facturing Co., of Westborough, Mass., of 
 which Mr. Garford is president. 
 
 TjOHN BEEG, one of the best-known 
 *► I and most successful citizens of Russia 
 ^^ township, was born February 5, 1842, 
 in Bavaria, Germany, son of Jacob 
 (a coal miner) and Elizabeth (Morgen- 
 stern) Berg. 
 
 The parents had four children born to 
 them in Germany, namely: John; Charles, 
 a farmer and mason in Russia township; 
 Jacob, of Oberlin, Ohio; and Catherine, 
 wife of James Mcllrath, of Oceana county, 
 Michigan. 
 
 In April, 1854, the family, with the 
 help of friends, started for the United 
 States, sailing from Antwerp, hut were de- 
 tained when only twenty-four miles from 
 home, as their passports had been improp- 
 
 erly made out. Owing to this delay they 
 were obliged to cross in a merchant vessel, 
 the " Golden Spring," which sailed one 
 week later, and after a voyage of forty-two 
 days landed, about June 1, in Quebec. 
 From the latter place they proceeded by 
 boat to Cleveland, Ohio, and thence over 
 the C. C. C. & I. Railway to Grafton, 
 where they hired a team and were driven 
 to the German settlement in Russia town- 
 ship, Lorain county. Here the father 
 hired out as a farm hand, and shortly 
 afterward purchased ten acres of land at 
 twelve dollars per acre, for which he was 
 obliged to go into debt. Mr. Berg, who 
 was used to mining, suffered much after 
 
 o 
 
 coming here from the change of climate; 
 he died in 1858, and was buried in Car- 
 lisle cemetery. His widow is still living. 
 After coming to Lorain county they had 
 one child, Frank, who died at the age of 
 twenty-eight. 
 
 Our subject attended school in the Fath- 
 erland, and then for six months after com- 
 ing to Lorain county, which completed his 
 literary education, tie was but sixteen 
 years old when his father died, at which 
 time he was working for eight dollars a 
 month, and being the eldest his wages had 
 to go toward the support of the family. 
 When nineteen years old he commenced to 
 learn the stone mason's trade under Will- 
 iam and George Evans, receiving eight dol- 
 lars a month the first year, and twice that 
 amount the second year. In May, 1862, 
 he enlisted, at Sandusky, Ohio, in Com- 
 pany C, " Hoffman Battalion," which af- 
 tervvard became Company C, One Hun- 
 dred and Twenty-eighth O. V. I., and served 
 till the close of the war, being stationed on 
 Johnson's Island, near Sandusky. After 
 receiving his discharge he returned to 
 Russia township, and then resumed his 
 trade. 
 
 On December 16, 1S68, he was united 
 in marriage with Miss Mary Griem, who 
 was born October 20, 1849, in Germany, 
 daughter of Joachim Griem, who came to 
 the United States in 1854, locating in 
 
870 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Amherst township, Lorain Co., Ohio. Af- 
 ter marriage Mr. Berg located on a farm 
 of thirty-four acres in Russia township, 
 which he had previously purchased for a 
 home for the family. He has since given 
 his chief attention to masonry and con- 
 tracting, in which he has been very suc- 
 cessful. He has a pleasant residence north 
 of Oberlin, where he makes his home dur- 
 ing the winter, in summer time living 
 wherever his work takes him. In politics 
 he is a Republican, in religion a member 
 of the German Evangelical Church at 
 North Amherst. 
 
 JB. THOMPSON, capitalist, a typi- 
 cal " hustler," and one of the live 
 young business men of Lorain county, 
 of which he is a native, was born iri 
 Columbia township in 1861. 
 
 His grandparents, John and Amanda 
 (Osborn) Thompson, were natives of Con- 
 necticut, and about the year 1810 came to 
 Columbia township, Lorain county, where 
 they passed the rest of their lives, the 
 grandfather dying in January, 1893, the 
 grandmother in 1890. Grandfather Asel 
 Osborn, also a native of Connecticut, was 
 one of the first settlers of Columbia town- 
 ship, and one of the first commissioners of 
 Lorain county. S. B. Thompson, father 
 of subject, was born in Columbia town- 
 ship, Lorain county, where he married 
 Miss Eniular Osborn, and they are still 
 living in the township. They had two 
 children : W. B., in Lorain, Ohio, and J. B. 
 The subject of this sketch was educated 
 at the common schools of his native place, 
 and at Berea College, after which he went 
 on the road as a traveling salesman for a 
 Cleveland cloak firm; later for a New York 
 house, his residence during that period 
 (two years) being in that city. He then, 
 in 1888, euiliarked in tlie live-stock busi- 
 ness on a small scale at West View, Cuya- 
 hoga county, buying and selling, from 
 
 which modest beginning he has already 
 risen to be one of the prominent business 
 men of the locality. In 1889 he com- 
 menced the real-estate business, buying 
 seventy acres adjacent to West View, and 
 buildings thereon; it will soon be incor- 
 porated in the southeast addition to that 
 village. He has already thirty-seven lots 
 platted on the east side of Rocky river, 
 and purposes to plat his entire farm. Al- 
 ready he has put up twelve residence 
 houses, store and Ijlacksmith and carriage 
 shop, which he rents, and is still building. 
 In addition to all this he owns ten tine 
 residences in Cleveland, one in Wadsworth, 
 and a good farm near Medina, all in Ohio. 
 The Columbia Stone Quarries adjoin his 
 farm, and their business is expanding 
 rapidly in Columbia township, which 
 tends to enhance the value of his property 
 as well as increasing the advantages of the 
 village of West View. 
 
 In 1886 Mr. Thompson was united in 
 marriage in Cleveland, Ohio, with Miss 
 Nellie Charter. In politics he is an ardent 
 Republican, taking an active interest in the 
 affairs of his party. 
 
 EiDWARD HILDEBRAND. Among 
 the most progressive of Lorain 
 I county's native-born young men, 
 
 none stands more prominent than 
 this gentleman. lie was born on his pres- 
 ent farm in Black River township July 
 27, 1856, a son of Benjamin and Eliza 
 (Applemann) Hildebrand, natives of Hes- 
 sen, Germany. 
 
 The father, who was by trade a ship 
 carpenter, when a young man came in 1844 
 with his father, Edward David Hilde- 
 brand, to America and to Ohio, settling on 
 a farm in Black River township, where he 
 passed the rest of his days, dying in 1879; 
 he was an active, intelligent, thorough- 
 going man, commanding the respect of his 
 fellow citizens, who elected him to the re- 
 sponsible position of township trustee. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 871 
 
 His widow is yet living. They bad a 
 fainily of six children, of whom the fol- 
 lowing is a brief record: Rowena is the 
 wife of William Fullmer, of Amherst 
 township; Sophia is the wife of Henry 
 Uickel, late of Black River township, 
 Lorain county; Elizabeth is the widow of 
 Henry Plato, of North Amherst; Chris- 
 tina is the wife of Adam Jaeger, also of 
 North Amherst; Minnie died young; Ed- 
 ward is the subject of this biographical 
 memoir. 
 
 Edward Hildebrand has always followed 
 agricultural pursuits, including stock rais- 
 ing, and is now the owner of a tine stock 
 farm of eighty-eight acres in Black River 
 township, Lorain county, well watered by 
 Beaver and Wind creeks. In July, 1878, 
 he was united in marriage with Mary 
 Wernert, a native of Germany, and daugh- 
 ter of John and Dora (Hett) AYernert, 
 who came from the Fatherland with their 
 family in 1872; the father died in 1888, 
 and the mother is yet living in North 
 Amherst. To Mr. and Mrs. Edward 
 Hildebrand have been born seven children, 
 namely: Lizzie, Montana, Phillip, Henry, 
 Paulina, Willie and Esther. The parents 
 are members of St. Peter's Lutheran 
 Church of North Amherst. Mr. Hilde- 
 brand is a member of the K. O. T. M. and 
 I. (). G. T. ; in politics he is a Democrat, 
 but in local matters he invariably votes for 
 tlie man on his individual merits without 
 regard to his political status. 
 
 rjf ALSEY GARFIELD, a prosperous 
 p^ representative agriculturist of Slief- 
 I 11 held township, is a native of same, 
 /) born December 24, 1823. 
 
 His father, Milton Garfield, was 
 born in 1792, in Tyringham, ]\[ass., whore 
 he was reared and educated, and whence in 
 1815 he came to Ohio, first locating in 
 Lake county, and then, in 1816, settling in 
 Siietiield township, Lorain county, where 
 he bought a quantity of unimproved land. 
 
 He was married in Avon township, in 
 May, 1820, to Miss Tempe Williams, a 
 native of Massachusetts, born in 1800, a 
 daughter of John and Clarissa (Hamlin) 
 Williams, also of Massachusetts, who came 
 with their family to Avon township, Lo- 
 rain county, where the father followed 
 agricultural pursuits during the rest of his 
 days. He died in November, 1862; his 
 widow is yet surviving, now at the ad- 
 vanced age of ninety-three years, though 
 still retaining her mental faculties to a 
 wonderful degree. H. H. Williams, of 
 Avon township, is her brotlier. " Col." 
 Garfield (as he was best known) was ori- 
 ginally a Whig, afterward, on the organ- 
 ization of the party, a Republican, and he 
 served as county commissioner. To Mr. 
 and Mrs. Milton Garfield were born six 
 children — three sons and three daughters 
 — of whom the followiuo; is a brief rec- 
 ord: (1) Henry AV. was reared in Lorain 
 county, and in 1849 went to California, 
 whence he returned home in 1809; he 
 died in 1892. (2) Halsey is the subject 
 of this sketch. (3) Eliza Paulina is the 
 wife of George F. Smith, and they occupy 
 the old homestead. (4) Fannie M. was 
 the wife of Graham Harris; she died in 
 1870. (5) Daniel W. is a farmer in Shef- 
 field township. (6) Julia C. is the wife 
 of Edward Root, also of Sheffield town- 
 ship. 
 
 Halsey Garfield received a liberal edu- 
 cation at the schools of Sheflield township, 
 and in his youth taught both in Huron 
 and Lorain counties, Ohio; he also learned 
 the trade of carpenter. Afterward he was 
 for years engaged in selling goods at 
 l^Vench Creek, Lorain Co., Ohio, and since 
 1863 he has carried on farming operations 
 in Sheffield township. In all his under- 
 takings he has deservedly prospered. 
 
 In 1855 he was married, in his tpwn- 
 ship, to Miss Harriet Root, daughter of 
 William H. and Sarah Eliza (Case) Root, 
 natives of Sheffield, Mass., the father born 
 in 1808, died in 1889; the mother was 
 called fron) earth in 1833, when Mrs. 
 
872 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Harriet Garfield was an infant. To Mr. 
 and Mrs. Garfield were born four children: 
 Jessie, a teacher of music, and who is a 
 pupil of the Oberiin Conservatory of 
 Music; Shirley; William M., a graduate 
 of Oberiin College, class of 1889; and 
 Tempe F., also a graduate of Oberiin 
 College, class of 1891, and who is now a 
 teacher in the schools of Batavia, 111. The 
 mother of these passed away March 7, 
 1889. In politics Mr. Garfield is a Re- 
 publican, and has served his township as 
 trustee three terms, and as assessor two 
 terms. 
 
 L. FAY, attorney at law, as one 
 of the influential citizens of Lorain 
 county, deserves a place in this 
 volume. 
 
 The first of the Fay family to land in 
 America was John Fay, who came from 
 England, A. D. 1656 in the good ship 
 "Speedwell, " and settled in Massachusetts. 
 From him descended in a direct line the 
 subject of this sketch, as follows: Jolm, 
 Jr., James, Daniel, Aaron (great-grand- 
 father, who married Rebecca Winslow), 
 Lyman (grandfather, born in Vermont), 
 Wiuslow (father), and Winslow Lamartine 
 (subject), the eighth of his generation in 
 America. 
 
 Dr. Lyman Fay (grandfather) came to 
 Ohio in 1815, and soon after located at 
 Milan, Erie county. lie soon gained a 
 wide reputation as a physician and busi- 
 ness man. In addition to his professional 
 labors he kept a drug and general store, a 
 large grain warehouse, and was one of the 
 promoters of the Milan Canal which, before 
 the days of railroads, made Milan the prin- 
 cipal grain market of northern Ohio. He 
 accumulated a large property, and died of 
 cholera September 2, 1854. On July 21, 
 1816, he married Catherine Kellogg, who 
 survived him, dying December 3, 1862. 
 
 Joseph Brooks (maternal grandfather) 
 came to Ohio from eastern New York at 
 
 an early day; his wife was Rachel Barnum 
 of Dan bury. Conn., related to Phineas T. 
 Barnum, the great showman. 
 
 WixsLow Lamartine Fay, the subject 
 of this sketch, was born at Clarkstield, 
 Huron Co., Ohio, September 12, 1848, a son 
 of Winslow and Mary Ann (Brooks) Fay, 
 the former of wliom was born April 21, 
 1817, on the Huron river, at Avery, near 
 Milan, Erie Co., Ohio, and died August 4, 
 1884. He (the father) was the oldest of a 
 family of ten children. He was a mer- 
 chant during the greater part of his life, 
 but during his later years was engaged in 
 farming. He was married January 6, 
 1839, to Mary Ann Brooks, who was born 
 at Florence, Ohio, December 30, 1818, and 
 died May 4, 1878. The mother was edu- 
 cated at the seminary conducted by Dr. 
 Monteith of Elyria, who at that early day 
 was widely known as a successful and 
 thorough instructor. W. L. was the second 
 of three sons who grew to manhood. He 
 received a liberal education at Oberiin 
 College, and during his vacations taught 
 school for a number of years in Huron and 
 Lorain counties. When just past sixteen 
 years of age, becoming dissatisfied with 
 farm life, he asked the consent of his 
 father to be allowed to start out and make 
 his own way in the world; the consent was 
 kindly granted, and without further aid, 
 by perseverance and hard study and close 
 application, he provided means to secure his 
 own education, and obtain his profession. 
 He read law with Hon. John C. Hale, then 
 of Elyria, where he was admitted to the 
 bar in 1870 under twenty-two years of age; 
 for four years thereafter he practiced his 
 profession with his preceptor, at the end of 
 which time he opened an office on his own 
 account. Up to 1879 he did a successful 
 general practice; but close confinement to 
 office and professional work seriously af- 
 fecting his health, he gradually gave his 
 attention to other matters less confining, 
 until now his law practice occupies only a 
 small portion of his time. He is the in- 
 ventor of the Fay Sulky Scraper for mov- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 875 
 
 ing earth, and was enijaged in its mann- 
 facture for several years. Afterward he 
 invented the "Fairy Tricycle" for ladies, 
 girls and cripples, which he manufactured 
 in large numbers, and which have been 
 sold extensively all over tliis country, and 
 many shipped to foreign lands. He or- 
 ganized the Fay Manufacturing Co., and 
 was principal owner of same until he sold 
 his entire interest in December, 1891. A 
 short time previous to this he bought the 
 controlling interest in The Elyria Stone 
 Co., wliicli has extensive quarries at Graf- 
 ton, Ohio, and he now holds tlie ofKces of 
 secretary, treasurer and manager of said 
 Company. Since his connection with this 
 Company tlie plant has been greatly en- 
 larged and improved, and the business very 
 much increased. He is also engaged in 
 the manufacture of Eabbitt metal under 
 the firm name and style of W. L. Fay & 
 Co., wliich business he has conducted since 
 1876. He has also been engaged in farm- 
 ing all his life, he now owning an inter- 
 est in a large grape farm on Avon Point, 
 Lorain county; he also has vessel interests 
 on tlie lakes, and has many other invest- 
 ments that require more or less time. In 
 addition to his business Mr. Fay has found 
 leisure to travel quite e.xtensively, ho hav- 
 ing visited and traveled over the greater 
 portions of this country, of interest, and a 
 considerable part of Europe. 
 
 Mr. Fay was first united in marriage in 
 May, 1878, to Emma A. Vincent, who 
 died in June, 1879, leaving to his care an 
 infant daughter — Mary Emma. He was 
 married, the second time, in 1886, to 
 Ophelia Goss Lawrence, a daughter of 
 Eev. John Lawrence, of St. Johnsbury, Vt. 
 His present wife was the fifth of a family 
 of eight children, and was l)orn at Wilton, 
 Me., during her fatiier's pastorate at that 
 place. Her father. Rev. John Lawrence, 
 is a direct descendant of John Lawrence, 
 born at Wisset, England, in 1609, and who 
 soon afterward came to this country and 
 settled in Watertown, Mass. Her mother 
 was Nancy Temple Wakefield, of Reading, 
 
 Mass. By his second marriage Mr. Fay 
 has four children: Lamartine Brooks, and 
 Lawrence Temple (twins), Raciiel Char- 
 lotte, and Florence. 
 
 Politically our subject is one of the 
 stanchest Republicans, although he has 
 never been an office seeker. He is a mem- 
 ber of the Masonic Lodges of his place, 
 and in this has followed in the line of his 
 forefathers as far back as he has any record; 
 is also a member of a number of other 
 secret Societies. He is the examiner of 
 the Savings Deposit Bank of Elyria; one 
 of the directors, secretary and attorney for 
 the Elyria Savings and Loan Co., of which 
 he was one of the founders; is also director 
 in a number of other enterjjrises of which 
 he is a member. Whatever business he 
 has undertaken, he has made a success of, 
 and those that know him best are his best 
 friends. Mr. Fay is a thorough believer 
 in temperance, and at all times is ready 
 and willing to lend his aid in anytliing 
 that will help remove the curse of this 
 evil from the land, although he does not 
 follow all the ideas that are advocated by 
 extremists in this direction; he is also a 
 believer in tlie Gospel of Christ, but has 
 never united with any Church. He is a 
 stockholder in the Gospel News Co., of 
 Cleveland, Ohio, publishers of the Gospel 
 JVeios, a weekly religions paper which was 
 started for the jiurpose of furnishing 
 Christian reading matter to the masses, at 
 a low price. 
 
 Hi NTON JUNGBLLTTH, a prosper- 
 
 r\\ ous farmer of ShefKeld township, 
 
 lr%, where he owns and operates a highly 
 
 ^ cultivated farm of 250 acres, is a 
 
 native of Germany, born in 1848. 
 
 Anton Jungbluth, father of subject, wa& 
 
 born in Prussia during Christmas week of 
 
 1802. In his native land he was a grape 
 
 grower, a business he followed there with 
 
 considerable success. In 1852 he emigrated 
 
 to the United States, coming to Loraia 
 
876 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 coimty, Ohio, where in Sheffield township 
 he settled on a farm of twenty-tive acres, 
 then all in the woods, which he cleared 
 and improved, and where he carried on 
 general farming. In politics he is a Demo- 
 crat, in religion a Catholic. He married 
 Maggie Schuver, and their children were 
 as follows: John, living with subject; 
 Nicholas, in saloon business in Cincinnati, 
 Ohio; Peter, who died at the age of forty 
 years; and Anton. The lather is yet living 
 in the enjoyment of good health; the 
 mother dieil February 13, 1892. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received a 
 good education in the common schools of 
 Sheffield township, Lorain county, whither 
 he had come when about four years old, 
 and he has been an agriculturist from the 
 time he left school. At the age of twenty- 
 live years he was united in marriage with 
 Miss Catherine Young, born in Sheffield 
 townsliip, Lorain Co., Ohio, and by her 
 has had six children, as follows: Anna, 
 Mary, Catherine, John, Bernard and 
 Francis. Mr. Jungbluth has been very 
 successful at his occupation, and the old 
 homestead of twenty-five acres which he 
 bought he has added to from time to time 
 till he has now 250 acres, as ali-eady re- 
 lated. He is a member of the Catholic 
 Church, in politics a Democrat, and he is 
 a member of the school board. 
 
 JE. BARKOWS, one of the most pros- 
 perous of the well-to-do agriculturists 
 of Avon township, came here in July, 
 1828, from Genesee county, N. Y., 
 where he was born in 1821. He is a son 
 of Adnah and Clarissa (Day) Barrows, 
 natives, respectively, of Connecticut and 
 Bennington, Vt. Joseph Day, grandfather 
 of subject, who was originally from Massa- 
 chusetts, served as a soldier throughout 
 the entire Revolutionary war, and after the 
 close of the struggle settled in Bennington, 
 Vermont, where he died at the age of ninety- 
 three years. 
 
 Adnah Barrows, father of subject, when 
 a boy, in 1811, moved to New York State, 
 and served in the war of 1812, for which 
 he received a pension. He was married in 
 that State to Miss Clarissa Day, and in 
 1828 they came to Avon township, Lorain 
 county, settling in the woods where they 
 cleared a farm. Here the father passed 
 from earth October 3, 1856, the mother 
 November 26, 1882. They had a family 
 of six children, five of whom grew to ma- 
 turity, as follows: J. R. ; Lyman, who went 
 in 1883 to Shiawassee county, Mich., where 
 he died about 1889; Heman, residing in 
 Avon towiishi]v, Lydia, widow of Jacob 
 Walker, of Amherst township; and Eliza, 
 wife of Edward S. Fitch, of Avon town- 
 ship. 
 
 J. R. Barrows, our subject, as will be 
 seen, was seven years old when he came to 
 Avon township, where he received such 
 education as the primitive district schools 
 of those early times afforded. He was 
 cai'efuUy trained to the pursuits of the 
 farm, and has made agriculture the vocation 
 of his life, remaining on the old home- 
 stead until 1852, in which year he took 
 possession of his present farm in the sanie 
 township. His property at Hrst numbered 
 fifty-three acres, to which he from time to 
 time added until now he is the owner 
 of Hi acres, all in an advanced state of 
 cultivation. In 1844 our subject was 
 married in Avon township, Lorain county, 
 to Miss Melvina P. Sawyer, daughter of 
 John Sawyer, of New York State. To this 
 union were born four children, viz.: War- 
 ren J., who died in 1872 in Erie county, 
 N. Y.; Ellen C, who married John S. 
 Blackwell, and died in 1882; Henry J., 
 residing; in Lorain; and Marietta, wife of 
 F. H. Richardson, of Tampico, Wliiteside 
 Co., 111. The mother of these died in 
 1860, and in 1861 Mr. Barrows wedded 
 Mrs. Eunice (Royce) Griswold, widow of 
 L. S. Griswold, and she dying in 1882, our 
 subject married, in 1883, for his third 
 wife, Mrs. Aurelia (Terrell) Sawyer, 
 daughter of Willis Terrell (an early 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 877 
 
 pioneer of Ridgeville township, Lorain 
 county), and widow of Pliilip Sawyer. 
 Tliere are no children by the last two mar- 
 riages. In his political prefernieuts onr 
 subject is a Republican, and has served as 
 trustee and assessor of his township several 
 terms. In Church relationship he is a 
 Baptist, Mrs. Barrows being a member of 
 the M. E. Church. 
 
 /J 
 
 HI M. ANDRESS, the popular anden- 
 ' terprising liveryman of Elyria, is a 
 J native of Henrietta township, Lo- 
 rain county, Ohio, born in 1855, a 
 son of Carlo and Weltha (Smith) 
 Andress. The father, who was a farmer, 
 was born in Esse.x county, N. Y., in 1804, 
 one of a family of ten children, came to 
 Ohio in 1817, and died November 8, 1870; 
 the mother died April 24, 1871. 
 
 II. M. Andress received a liberal com- 
 mon-school education, and in early youth 
 commenced commercial life. For a time 
 he owned a half interest in a grocery, 
 which he sold ont to Henry Wnrst, and 
 
 gtirchased a share in a livery, with Jno. T. 
 [oughton; but, his partner subsequently 
 retiring, our subject was left with his in- 
 terest, and has continued the business alone 
 ever since. The livery is one of the best 
 equipped in Northern Ohio, and enjoys a 
 wide and lucrative patronage. Soon after 
 commencingin this line Mr. Andress opened 
 an emporium for vehicles, handling all kinds 
 of carriages, buggies, road wagons, farm wag- 
 ons, sulkies, etc., in which he has met with 
 well-merited success, selling both wholesale 
 and retail. He has also traded consider- 
 ably in horses — buying and selling. In 
 connection he also opened out a harness 
 shop in the lower story of the Odd Fellows 
 Block, in the fall of iS'Jl, which, like all 
 his other enter])rises, is a pronounced suc- 
 cess. In company with Henry Wurst he 
 purchased the "Beebe House," the leading 
 hotel in Elyria, which at considerable out- 
 
 lay they repaired and refitted, and it now 
 stands second to none in the county as a 
 iirst-class hotel. 
 
 H. M. Andress and Miss M. G. Boyn- 
 ton, also a native of El3'ria, were united in 
 marriage July 9, 1878, and three ciiildren 
 have been born to them : Maude, Jeaue and 
 George. 
 
 Joshua Boynton, father of Mrs. H. M. 
 Andress, was born in Wiscasset, Maine, in 
 1811; her mother, Barbara (Arman) Boyn- 
 ton, was born in Germany. Of Mr. An- 
 dress it can be truthfully said, that as a 
 "hustler" in business, and in hnanciering, 
 he is a leader in the county, and, although 
 yet a young man, he is owner of consider- 
 able property besides his business intei'- 
 ests. He claims he has " never yet been 
 guilty of voting for a Democrat, except 
 for corporation or county offices;" so to 
 particularize his politics would indeed be 
 superfluous. 
 
 I^ 
 
 L. IIECOCK, a rising and popular 
 young attorney of Lorain, comes of 
 an old family in Lorain county, his 
 grandfather having been a pioneer 
 of Sheffield township. 
 Onr subject was born February 24, 
 18G9, in Sheffield township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, a son of I. B. and Mary (Drake) 
 Hecock. He was educated at the common 
 schools of his native township, and also at 
 the Union schools of Elyria, where he 
 graduated in the class of 1889. He taught 
 school during the winter 1889-90, and iu 
 1890 commenced the study of law under 
 Mayor Thompson, of Lorain. He was ad- 
 mitted to the bar in December, 1892. By 
 dintof hard study and close reading of books, 
 both literary and legal, Mr. Hecock suc- 
 ceeded in securing a good professional edu- 
 cation, and at the same time assisted in the 
 support of his parents. He has manifested 
 a special aptitude for mastering the techni- 
 calities of law, and has succeeded in win- 
 ning the confidence and friendship of a 
 
878 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 wide circle of acquaintances, which speaks 
 well for his prospects in his business, and he 
 already enjoys a creditable clientage. He 
 is an advanced member of the I. O. O. F., 
 being a member of Subordinate Lodge, 
 Encampment, and Daughters of Rebekab, 
 and a member of the Jr. O. U. A. M. In 
 the spring of 1893 he was elected justice 
 of the peace, and has always taken an 
 active part in politics since the time that 
 he commenced to study law. On Septem- 
 ber 30, 1893, Mr. Hecock was married to 
 Miss Annabel Burrell, formerly of Shef- 
 field, the daughter of I. H. Burrell and 
 Hauna (Hall) Burrell. 
 
 EiLEAZER ABBE, one of the best- 
 known and most highly respected of 
 I the retired agriculturists of Lorain 
 
 county, was born December 28, 
 1805, in Lisle, Broome Co., N. Y., a son 
 of Abel Abbe, who was born in Windham, 
 Conn., August 7, 1767. 
 
 Solotnou Abbe, grandfather of subject, 
 was a native of the "Nutmeg State," where 
 he married and had three children, viz.: 
 One son, Abel, and two daughters, Esther 
 and Rena. Abel Abbe was married August 
 26, 1789, in Connecticut, toMariam Bing- 
 ham, a native of Mansfield, Conn., born 
 April 29, 1772, and the children of this 
 union were as follows: Lura, born January 
 20, 1791, died in 1888; Rena, born 
 August 31, 1792; Linda, born July 5, 
 1794 ; Origin, born April 20, 1796; 
 Charles, born May 3, 1798; William, born 
 April 15, 1800; Phrebe, born February 
 11, 1802; Foster, born January 23, 1804; 
 Eleazer, subject; Abel, born February 15, 
 1808; Luther, born August 5, 1811, and 
 Matilda, born June 11, 1813. The parents 
 both died in Ohio, the father in 1815 at 
 the home of his son Eleazer, the mother 
 in 1854, at the home of her daughter Ma- 
 tilda, in Elyria. Abel Abbe followed 
 farming in Connecticut, whence in the 
 
 early part of this century he moved to New 
 York State, where he carried on a sawmill 
 and woolen mill. In 1817 he came to 
 Ohio, locating in what is now Lake county, 
 and opening in Madison township a black- 
 smith shop, but agricultural pursuits were 
 his chief life work. In his political af- 
 filiations he was a Jackson Democrat, and 
 in his military experience he was a captain 
 of cavalry in the Connecticut militia. 
 
 Eleazer Abbe, tlie subject proper of 
 these lines, received his education at a pub- 
 lic school taught by his sister Linda, first 
 held in a log schoolliouse, afterward in a 
 frame one. On reaching maturity he com- 
 menced life for his own account. In 1831 
 he came to Lorain county, and purchased 
 a sixty-acre tract of land in Elyria town- 
 ship, where he nowresides, and also twenty- 
 one acres adjoining, on credit. In addition 
 to his farming interests he did considerable 
 teaming, and among numerous other 
 articles he brought from a distance was the 
 first stove seen or used in Elyria, and also 
 a pair of forge hammers and collars, haul- 
 ing the latter articles from the Geauga 
 furnace. He also carried loads of the prod- 
 uct of the Elyria furnace to Ashland, 
 Wayne county, which he would trade for 
 produce. In this manner he succeeded in 
 paying for his land purchase. He and his 
 brother also hauled timber to Elyria, to be 
 used in the construction of the earlier build- 
 ings, and in 1839 they were among the 
 contractors for the macadamizing of the 
 Maumee road. Mr. Abbe also furnished 
 wood for the Geauga furnace, as well as 
 ore. To Pittsburgh he carried produce by 
 team, the trip usually consuming some 
 nine or ten days. 
 
 In 1849, the year of the "gold fever," 
 he embarked at Cleveland on the sailing 
 vessel " Eureka," for a voyage to Califor- 
 nia. They went through the canals and 
 down the St. Lawrence river to Quebec, 
 where they remained a couple of weeks, and 
 then proceeded down the Gulf of St. Law- 
 rence to the Atlantic Ocean. When they 
 arrived in the vicinity of Cape Horn, tliey 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 881 
 
 fouful that, owing to a dense fog prevail- 
 ing, tbey had to "double'" it, instead of 
 passing through the Straits of Magellan, 
 the shorter route. Finally, after a voyage 
 of nine months, our subject reached San 
 Francisco, from where after landing he 
 proceeded at once to the gold mines, and 
 after a time returned to San Francisco for 
 the winter. In the following spring he 
 ascended the Yuba river; thence to Featiier 
 river; thence to Nelson creek, spending 
 the ensuing winter again in San Francisco. 
 In 1851 he couclnded to return home, and 
 took passage on the steamer " Republic " 
 at 'Frisco for Panama. A short time after 
 taking the steamer, she sprang a leak in 
 mid-ocean, owing to her having run against 
 a rock on the previous trip. She was kept 
 afloat by hard pumping, and was run ashore 
 at Acapulco bay, right on the beach, for 
 repairs. The passengers were sent ashore 
 with ail their bedding. In an hour after- 
 ward her stern went down. There on the 
 beach they saw the old bark " Eureka "; 
 they say that the passengers were about to 
 mutiny with their captain. He (the cap- 
 tain) gave np his bark, and ran off fi,cross 
 Mexico. Mr. Abbe and the rest went to 
 Panama on a Panama boat of the same 
 line, which left San Francisco two weeks 
 later. They crossed the Isthmus, thence 
 Mr. Abbe sailed for New York, and from 
 there traveled by rail homeward. He was 
 absent about three years, during which 
 time he made good wages, but experienced 
 great hardships and many trials. After his 
 return he devoted himself almost exclu- 
 sively to agricultural pursuits, up to the 
 time of his retirement from active life, and 
 his tine farm of 300 acres in Elyria town- 
 ship is now carried on by his sons, Horace 
 and Norman. 
 
 On October 31, 1835, Mr. Abbe was 
 united in marriage with Miss Betsy Wil- 
 cox, a native of Cornwall, Conn., born 
 March 21, 1807, but a resident of Elyria, 
 Ohio, at the time of her marriage. A rec- 
 ord of the children born to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Abbe is as follows: Mary D. (Mrs. 
 
 4G 
 
 John li. Taylor, of Kidgeville) was born 
 April 3, 1837; Horace, born November 
 24, 1840, was married February 16, 1870, 
 to Mary A. Aston, and they have four chil- 
 dren: H. Nelson, Norah D., Eula B. and 
 Jane A.; Norman, born March 19, 1842, 
 was married October 15, 1868, to Mabel A. 
 Taylor, of Perkins township, Erie Co., 
 Ohio (they live on the homestead) ; George 
 was born September 30, 1843. and John 
 on December 30, 1845. In his political 
 preferences the subject of this sketch is an 
 old -school Democrat. 
 
 NoEMAN Abbe, the well-known stock- 
 man and farmer, received a liberal educa- 
 tion at the schools of Elyria, and was reared 
 on his father's farm, which he and his 
 brother Horace operate, and where they are 
 engaged in the breeding of fine cattle, in 
 addition to carrying on general agriculture. 
 Politically Mr. Abbe is a Democrat, and 
 he is a member of the Disciple Church. 
 
 J JOSEPH BALDAUF, one of the fore- 
 most among the German residents of 
 ' Russia township, was liorn December 
 23, 1843, in Bavaria, Germany. His 
 father, also named Joseph, died when our 
 subject was three years of age, and the 
 motiier afterward married Joseph Haller. 
 In 1852 the family, consisting of Mr. and 
 Mrs. Haller, two sons and five daughters, 
 immigrated to America, sailing from Bre- 
 men and landing in New York after an 
 ocean voyage of four weeks. From New 
 York they came westward, by canal and 
 lake to Cleveland, Ohio, thence to Avon 
 township, Lorain county, where Mr. Haller 
 bought twenty-five acres of land. 
 
 Joseph Baldauf had attended school in 
 his native country, but after tiieir emi- 
 gration to the United States received no 
 educational advantages whatever, though 
 at that time he was but eiglit years of 
 age. He was put to work, giving such 
 assistance on the farm as he was able, and 
 
882 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 wlien fifteen years old started out in life 
 for his own account. For two years he 
 was employed by George Bryant, of Am- 
 hei'st township, then going to Oherlin 
 hired out as a farm hand in llussia town- 
 ship, receiving twenty dollars a month for 
 three years. On November 22, 1864, he 
 married Theresa Schmidt, a native of 
 Grafton township, Lorain county, daugh- 
 ter of Jacob Schmidt, and after his mar- 
 riage bought a farm of fifty acres, the 
 " Schmidt Homestead," where he has since 
 resided. In 1878 he erected his pleasant 
 residence, and has made many other im- 
 provements on the place, increasing the 
 area of the farm until he now has 180 
 acres of choice aral)le land. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Baldauf are the parents 
 of the following named cliildren: Mar- 
 garet (wife of Joseph Klinkshirn, a farmer 
 of Avon township), Anna (wife of Anton 
 Klinkshirn, of Avon township), John (a 
 farmer), Catherine, Frank, Willie, Mary, 
 Charley, Elizabeth and Theresa, all living. 
 Mr. Baldauf has been an energetic, in- 
 dustrious farmer, economical from boy- 
 hood, and, though starting in life with 
 nothing, he has amassed a comfortable 
 compatence. Though having few oppor- 
 tunities for an education, he has, by ob- 
 servation and study, acquired a very fair 
 store of practical knowledge, and is pos- 
 sessed of sound judgment and good com- 
 mon sense. Politically he is a lifelong 
 Democrat, and in religion he is a member 
 of the Catholic Chnrch at Eiyria. During 
 the summer of 1893 Mr. Baldauf paid a 
 visit to the World's Fair, Chicago. 
 
 LEWIS WISE, a typical self-made 
 , man, and one of the most prosper- 
 \ ons farmers in Grafton township, 
 
 was born January 30, 1850, in 
 Wittenberg, Prussia, a son of Peter Wise, 
 who was born November 7, 1810, also in 
 Wittenberg, and married a native of that 
 city in the person of Miss Louisa Miller. 
 
 In 1854 the family, consisting of father, 
 mother and six children — Louisa, Fred- 
 ericka, Henry, Lewis, Frederick and 
 Crist — set sail from Havre, France, for 
 the United States, and after a voyage of 
 twenty-one days landed at New York, 
 toward the latter part of December. From 
 that port they came west to Liverpool, 
 Medina Co., Ohio, traveling by rail to 
 Cleveland, from which point Peter's 
 brother brought them by wagon to Liver- 
 pool township, Medina county, where they 
 arrived on Christmas Day. In Germany 
 Peter Wise had been well-to-do, but 
 through going security for a friend, who 
 afterward failed in business, he lost over 
 two thousand dollars. In Liverpool town- 
 ship, Medina county, he rented a farm for 
 a short time, and then removed to Co- 
 lumbia township, Lorain county, later com- 
 ing to Grafton township, same county, 
 where he bought fifty acres of wild laud 
 on credit, and here lived seven years, at 
 the end of which time he moved to the 
 farm whereon he died August 8, 1886; 
 his wife had passed away June 19, 1883, 
 and both are interred in Belden cemetery. 
 lu Ohio the family was increased by three 
 children, as follows: Hannah J., born 
 September 11, 1857; Catherine S., born 
 September 12, 1859. and Jacob J., born 
 July 24, 1SG4. The parents were hard- 
 working, industrious people accumulating 
 a comfortable competence, and they were 
 honored and respected by all. 
 
 Lewis Wise, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, was four years old when the 
 family came from Germany to America. 
 In course of time he and his brother Henry 
 purchased land, going in debt nine thou- 
 sand six hundred dollars for it, and the 
 predictions of many were that "the AVise 
 boys would fail." But these ominous 
 words were not fated to come true, for the 
 "Wise boys'' did not fail; on the con- 
 trary, they succeeded, by dint of hard work 
 and judicious economy, in paying off every 
 dollar of their indebtedness. At the end 
 of fifteen years (in 1886) the brothers ef- 
 
LOR Am COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 883 
 
 fec'ted an amicable division of tlie property, 
 each one settling on his own share. Our 
 sniiject has an excellent piece of land and 
 a comfortable residence, surrounded with 
 commodious outbuildings, including a very 
 tine barn, and everything pertaining to a 
 well-regulated farm. 
 
 On January 6, 1874, Mr. Wise was 
 united in marriage at Liverpool, Ohio, by 
 Ilev. Scheliha, with Miss Catherine M. 
 Law, who was born November 29, 1854, 
 in Grafton township, Lorain county, 
 daughter of Jacob Law. The children 
 born to them were as follows: George H., 
 born November 27, 1S74; Clara L., born 
 September 19, 1876, deceased December 
 11, 1876; Charles W., born October 26, 
 1877; Herman J. P., born July 29, 1886; 
 Louisa A., born March 21, 1884, deceased 
 July 13, 1886; Eddie J., born October 6, 
 1888; and Arthur L., born April 23, 1893. 
 Politically Mr. Wise is a Detnocrat, and 
 he and his wife are members of the 
 Evangelical Lutheran Church, of which he 
 has been trustee for over ten years. 
 
 TjEKOME MANVILLE, a well-known 
 
 k. I member of the agricultural commun- 
 
 ^^J ity of LaGrange township, was born 
 
 May 28, 1823. in Jetferson county, 
 
 New York. 
 
 His father, Henry Manville, was one of 
 a large family of children born to David 
 Manville, who removed from Meriden, 
 Conn., to Jefferson county, N. Y. Henry 
 Manville, who was a farmer, married Miss 
 Matilda Wait, and they had seven sons 
 and one daughter, as follows: Henry W., 
 of Crawford county. Penn. ; George C, of 
 Amboy, Ashtabula Co., Ohio; a son that 
 died in infancy unnamed; Hiram D., of 
 Minnesota; Jerome, subject of this sketch; 
 Milton, a farmer of Crawford county, 
 Penn.; Chester C, of Elyria, Ohio; and 
 Mary M., deceased in Michigan, who tirst 
 married David Ambrose, and later Myron 
 
 Bronson. Mr. Manville built a sawmill 
 on his farm (^which was a good one), and 
 just had his business in o;ood running 
 order, when he died, on February 23, 
 1833, aged thirty-six years. After the 
 father's decease the family becatne scat- 
 tered, and the widow was married in La- 
 Grange, Ohio, to R. Humphrey, moving 
 to Crawford county, Penn. By this union 
 she had three children, viz.: James R., of 
 Kansas; a daughter that died in infancy, 
 and Orson, of Cleveland, Ohio. The 
 mother died July 3, 1866, and was buried 
 in Center cemetery. 
 
 Jerome Manville attended the common 
 schools until ten years of age, when his 
 father died, and he was obliged to leave 
 home and live among strangers and rela- 
 tives, like the rest of the family. He 
 spent his tirst season with one Rotiers, a 
 farm agent, and then made his home for a 
 time with Nathan P. Johnson, who moved 
 to Ohio. Our subject next resided with 
 Dorastus Waite, and in February, 1835, 
 came with him to Ohio, walking the 
 greater part of the way. After his arrival 
 here he went to live with his former em- 
 ployer, Nathan P. Johnson, with whom he 
 remained till he was nearly twenty-one 
 years of age, working hard and saving his 
 earnings. On October 20, 1847, he was 
 united in marriage with Miss Cynthia M. 
 Merriam, who was born in Jefferson 
 county, N. Y., daughter of Sylvester and 
 Cynthia (Johnson) Merriam, who settled 
 in LaGrange township, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 prior to 1830. After his marriage our 
 subject rented the farm of his father-in- 
 law, and made his home thereon until 
 1849, when he purchased his present place, 
 then comprising forty acres, which he has 
 since increased to 110 acres. 
 
 To Jerome and Cynthia M. Manville 
 were born children as follows: Charles D., 
 born July 16, 1848, at one time a tele- 
 graph operator in the employ of the " Big 
 Four" Tlailway, who died at the age of 
 thirty-eight years; and Adelbert B., born 
 May 9, 1853, Frederick E., born January 
 
884 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 31, 1855, Rector J., bom November 19, 
 1857, and Jennie M., born January 5, 
 1862, all fonr deceased when young. The 
 mother of these died November 80, 1890, 
 and was buried in Center cemetery, and on 
 March 29, 1892, Mr. Manville married 
 Miss Mary J. Thickstuu, a native of Craw- 
 ford county, Penn., daughter of William 
 and Rachel (Freeman) Thickstun. 
 
 Mr. Manville has also two houses and 
 lots and four vacant lots in LaGrange vil- 
 lage. Since residing on his present place 
 he has made many improvements thereon. 
 In spite of his lack of educational advan- 
 tages in early life, he has acquired a good 
 ])ractical business training, and this, com- 
 , bined witli good judgment and conanion 
 sense, has brought him success. He is a 
 man of much natural intelligence and 
 ability. In political connection he is a 
 stanch Republican. He is a member of 
 the M. E. Church, in which he holds the 
 office of steward; Mrs. Manville is a mem- 
 ber ot the Baptist Church, and is a Pro- 
 hibitionist. 
 
 T ACOB P. BRECKENRIDGE, more 
 k. I familiarly known by his many friends 
 \Jj as " Jake Breckenridge," a name as 
 widely known as his many kind acts 
 and hospitable deeds are, deserves more 
 than a passing notice in this Commemora- 
 tive Record. 
 
 He is a native of the State of New 
 York, born April 3, 1827, in Morristown, 
 St. Lawrence county, a son of Justin and 
 Elizabeth K. (Pohlman) Breckenridge, the 
 latter of whom was born in Lower Canada 
 (now Province of Quebec) in August, 
 1803, of German parents. Justin Breck- 
 enridge was born in Bennington, Vt., July 
 30, 1798. a son of Daniel Breckenridge, 
 who in his family of children had Hve 
 sons — Norman, Lewis, Justin, Daniel and 
 James— three of whom, Norman, Lewis 
 and Justin, came to Lorain county, locat- 
 ing in Camden township. 
 
 Justin Breckenridge was reared to farm 
 life, but he was a natural mechanic, doing 
 all kinds of carpenter work, including the 
 building of barns, etc., though he never 
 learned the trade. While living in New 
 York State eight children were born to 
 this old pioneer and his wife: Daniel, de- 
 ceased in Grafton township; Jacob P., 
 subject of this memoir; Cecilia, who mar- 
 ried Frank Marlatt, died in Michigan; 
 Lewis, an attorney of Elyria, (^hio, who 
 died in Cleveland, where he was superin- 
 tendent of the library for some time; Nar- 
 cissa, wife of James Golden, residing in 
 Santa Barbara, Cal.; Benjamin, who died 
 in Minnesota; John, a wholesale merchant 
 and well-to-do citizen of Baltimore, Md. 
 (he was a lieutenant in the Civil war); and 
 llannal), Mrs. William Durand, of Ober- 
 lin, Ohio. In 1841 the family came to 
 Ohio, the trip from Ogdensburg (N. Y.) 
 to Cleveland being made by boat, and from 
 there they proceeded by road to Camden 
 township, Lorain county, making a stay at 
 the home of one of Justin's brothers. Soon 
 afterward the father pui-chased a farm in 
 Pittstield township, but after a two months' 
 residence there he removed to Grafton 
 township, settling about half a mile south 
 of Rawsonville. One child was born to 
 him in Lorain county, named Eleanor S., 
 now Mrs. Henry H. Hitchcock, of Grafton 
 township. Justin Breckenridge died Jan- 
 uary 30, 1874, his wife in 1871, and they 
 sleep their last sleep in Nesbit cemetery. 
 She was a member of the Presbyterian 
 Church. Politically he was a Republican, 
 originally a Whig, and one of the precinct 
 voting places in the fall of 1840, for the 
 election of W. H. Harrison, was at his 
 house in New York State. He was a hard- 
 working man, strong and muscular, and 
 possessed of wonderful endurance. 
 
 The subject proper of our sketch re- 
 ceived a liberal education at the subscrip- 
 tion schools of the neighborhood of his 
 place of birth, and early in life was in- 
 ducted into the mysteries of agricultural 
 pursuits. At the age of thirteen years he 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 885 
 
 came to Oliio, and the rest of his boyhood 
 and his youth were passed in the then 
 wilds of Grafton township, Lorain 
 county, which he materially assisted in 
 clearing and subduing to a condition of 
 fertility. Until 184:4 he continued to live 
 M'ith his parents, and then moved to his 
 present farm, which at that time was 
 covered with heavy timber and under- 
 growth, which he at once set to work to 
 clear. He has cut logs on this farm six 
 feet in diameter at the butt, and fifty-four 
 feet eight inches in length, to the first 
 limb, when the diameter was thirty-nine 
 inches. On February 22, 1853, Mr. 
 Breckenridge was married to Fanny Wood- 
 mansee, who bore him three children: A 
 daughter that died in infancy; Lucy, now 
 Mrs^ Mathews, of Albion, Mich.; and 
 Charles, a farmer of Grafton township, 
 Lorain county. Mr. Breckenridge was di- 
 vorced from this wife, and he subsequently 
 married Mrs. Lucinda (Darwin) Blanchard, 
 a widow lady of LaGrange township, Lorain 
 county. Politically our subject is an out- 
 and-out Republican, and he says that as a 
 reader for many years of the Cleveland 
 Leader and Elyria Repuhllean he is thor- 
 oughly convinced that his political lean- 
 ings are in the right channel. 
 
 IfffERBERT CHAPIN, a representa- 
 I^H tive wide-awake native-born agri- 
 I 1[ cnlturist of Lorain county, first saw 
 ■J) the light of day in North Amherst, 
 February 25, 1854. 
 He is a son of A. and Julia (Broughton) 
 Chapin, the former a native of Massachu- 
 setts, born in 1816, tlie latter of Carlisle 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, born in 1831. 
 The father came to Lorain county in 1835, 
 and in 1851 married Julia Broughton, 
 who bore him children as follows: Emma; 
 Herbert; Charles; Anna, wife of Frank 
 Starr, of Camden township, Lorain county; 
 Mary, at home; and William, attending 
 
 college at Oberlin. The father of this 
 family was a tanner by trade, which he 
 followed for some years in North Amherst, 
 and then removed to Brownhelm township 
 where he is yet living with his son Her- 
 bert. His wife died in 1886. Aaron 
 Chapin, grandfather of our subject, came 
 to Lorain county in an early day, and died 
 here; grandfather Broughton was also an 
 early settler of this county. 
 
 Herbert Cha])in since four years of age 
 has lived in Brownhelm township, where 
 he received his education and was inducted 
 into the mysteries of the farm. He is one 
 of the active young tnen of his township, 
 and takes a lively interest in all matters 
 pertaining to the advancement and pros- 
 perity of the county, advocating good 
 schools, good roads and all else tending to 
 public improvement. He is a Republican 
 in his political affiliations, and a member 
 of the Farmers' Alliance. Mr. Chapin is 
 owner of a snug farm of seventy-five acres, 
 all under fine cultivation. 
 
 \ILL1AM BACON is one of the 
 earliest born citizens of Lorain 
 county, having first seen the light 
 in 1819, in Brownhelm township, 
 on the farm whereon he now lives, located 
 between Brownhelm postotfice and Bacon's 
 mills, on the Vermillion river. 
 
 He is a son of Benjamin Bacon, a na- 
 tive of Massachusetts, born in Old Stock- 
 bridge, whence in 1818 he came to Ohio, 
 locating in Brownhelm township, Lorain 
 county, and making a settlement where 
 the subject of this sketch now lives, hav- 
 ing liought wild land from one Henry 
 Brown. In 1820 he erected a mill at what 
 is known as " Mill Hollow," on the Ver- 
 million river, and about 1835 increased its 
 capacity from one set of burrs to two sets. 
 Ten years later he equipped it with modern 
 improvements. He was three times mar- 
 ried, first time to Ruth Gifford, who was 
 born in Lee, Mass., in 1797, and died in 
 1819. By this union there were two chll- 
 
886 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 dren: William, and Mary C, wifeof J. A. 
 Perry. For his second wife Benjamin 
 Bacon married Lydia Atwater, and two 
 children — Lydia aud Samuel — were born 
 to them. For his third wife he wedded 
 Miss Anna W. Graham, a native of West 
 Hartford, Conn., and they had three chil- 
 dren: T, H., Julia and Sarah. The father 
 passed away in 18G8 at the age of seventy- 
 nine years. 
 
 William Bacon, the subject proper of this 
 memoir, received such education as was 
 obtainable at the subscription schools of 
 the primitive days of his boyhood. In 
 1841 he was married to Miss Mary Cooper, 
 and four children were the results of their 
 union, as follows: (1) William S., married 
 and has three children — Leonard, Ella and 
 Gertrude; (2) Lemuel, now living in Dover, 
 Ohio; (3) Mary R., wife of W. H. Moul- 
 ten, has one child — Ruth; and (4) Benja- 
 min A., has two children — Lottie E. and 
 Edna L. Mr. Bacon in his political pre- 
 dilections was in his early days an Old- 
 line Henry Clay Whig, and of late years 
 has been a stanch Republican. 
 
 L 
 
 IVA BROWN, a highly respected 
 
 citizen of Brownlielm township, is a 
 
 native of New York State, born in 
 
 Cayuga county, N. Y., December 8, 
 
 1830, a son of Daniel and Adaline (Peck) 
 
 Brown. 
 
 The father of our subject was born in 
 New York State, and about 1836 came to 
 Erie county, Ohio, locating in the town of 
 Florence for a time, but later movintr to 
 Vermillion, same county, thence to Brown- 
 helm township, Lorain county. In 1851 
 he moved to Marshall, Mich., where he 
 died in 1886 at the age of seventy-seven 
 years. He was an active politician, voting 
 the straight Democratic ticket. His wife 
 died when thirty-three years old. Five 
 children were born to them, viz.: Mary, 
 widow of James Raney; Liva; Jane, who 
 
 married A. Thompson, aud afterward mar- 
 ried Nuten Case (she lives in Marshall, 
 Mich.); Jerry, in Wisconsin; and Sallie, 
 wife of Charles Bodtish, of Vermillion, 
 Ohio. Both the paternal and maternal 
 grandparents of our subject died in New 
 York State. 
 
 Liva Brown, whose name appears at the 
 opening of this sketch, was about six years 
 old when his parents brought him to Ohio, 
 lie received a fair education at the public 
 schools, and was trained to farming pur- 
 suits, but for about thirty-one years de- 
 voted his time chiefly to the buying and 
 selling of wool, live stock, etc.; for the 
 past few years, however, he has withdrawn 
 from that work and contiued himself to 
 farming, as better suited to his health. In 
 1851 Mr. Brown married Miss Clarissa 
 Harris, who was born at Berlin, Erie Co., 
 Ohio, February 13, 1832, and four chil- 
 dren — one son and three daughters — have 
 been born to them, as follows: (1) Jerry, 
 born December 6, 1851, married October 
 11. 1882, to Lillie L. Penson (they have 
 four children: Manda S., Liva, Orrin D. 
 and Blanche); (2) Ara, married January 1, 
 1872, to Wilber Wood, of Brownhelm, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio (two children were born 
 to this union, a daughter. Bertha, born 
 February 20, 1873, and a son, Liva, born 
 in 1875, and died in 1879; Ara Wood 
 died at Cheboygan, Mich., January 25, 
 1885); (3) Bertha, born May 16, 1859, 
 married May 23, 1880, to John Hull, of 
 Brownhelui, Lorain Co., Ohio, and died 
 June 23, 1880; and (4) Clara, born Octo- 
 ber 13, 1869. In his political affiliations 
 Mr. Brown is a Democrat. 
 
 A. STITRTEVANT, dealer in real 
 estate, in the town of Lorain, is de- 
 scended, on his father's side, from an 
 old New York Dutch family who 
 originally spelled their name Stuyvesant, 
 of whom Peter Stuyvesant, the last Gov- 
 enor of New Netherland (New York), was 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 887 
 
 a tneniber. A " Tree " of the family, now 
 in possession of one of them, shows their 
 lineage back over six hundred years. 
 
 Aslier Sturtevant, grandfather of sub- 
 ject, was born in Dutchess county, N. Y., 
 and married an Englishwoman who lived 
 to be one hundred and five years old. Our 
 subject's paternal great-grandmother was 
 a full-blooded French woman, while on his 
 mother's side he comes of Welsh and Eng- 
 lish ancestry. 
 
 Horace Sturtevant, father of C. A., was 
 born in Delaware county, N. Y., and was 
 there married to Miss Sarah "Weeks, his sec- 
 ond wife; they moved to Cleveland, Ohio, 
 where be passed the rest of his days, dying 
 at the age of seventy-one years. He was 
 for many years a farmer, and afterward a 
 watchman for the Standard Oil Company 
 in C'leveland. In 1861 he enlisted in Com- 
 pany B, Seventy-Sixth O. V. I., and was 
 under Gens. Osterhouse and Sherman. 
 Afterward he was transferred to Washing- 
 ton, D.C., and was one of the soldiers who 
 guarded Lincoln after he was shot. He 
 served in the army nearly live years, and 
 then received an honorable discharge. His 
 widow is now aged seventy-two years. They 
 were the parents of five children, all yet 
 living. 
 
 C. A. Sturtevant was born in Norwalk, 
 Conn., November 5, 1852, and came west 
 with his parents when seven years old. 
 He received a fair district-school educa- 
 tion, and between the ages of fourteen and 
 nineteen had to work hard on his father's 
 farm, for, being the eldest in the family, 
 and his father much disabled through ex- 
 posure while in the army, a great deal of 
 the duties about the home place devolved 
 on him. When nineteen years old he 
 commenced to work for the Standard Oil 
 Co. in Cleveland — first as timekeeper and 
 then as foreman. On leaving this he 
 learned the trade of plumber, gas and 
 steam fitter; but abandoning this business 
 he took up tliat of contractor and builder, 
 making a good success, erecting as many 
 as forty-two houses in one year, besides 
 
 the Gas Works. He then merged into 
 the real-estate business. He came to Lo- 
 rain in May, 1881, and has been identified 
 with a number of interests since living 
 here. 
 
 He was married in 1876, and has five 
 children: Ida, Ada, Ira, Eva and Ora. 
 Politically our subject is a Harrison Re- 
 publican, and he is a member of the K. of 
 P., I. O. O. F. and A. F. & A. M. He 
 had a half-brother who died in 1862 in 
 Helena, Ark., while a soldier. 
 
 B 
 
 Q) ENJAMIN WADSWORTH, the 
 largest landowner among; the agri- 
 
 culturists of Lorain county, and a 
 most progressive and enterprising 
 citizen, was born in Becket, Mass., May 16, 
 1821, a son of Lorin Wadsworth, also a 
 native of Becket, where he was born in 
 1800. 
 
 Benjamin Wadsworth, grandfather of 
 subject, came from the East to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, and took up land in Well- 
 ington township, whereon he. lived seventy 
 years, and which is yet known as the old 
 family homestead. His son Lorin came 
 west in aboait the year 1821, and made his 
 first home in Lorain county in the log 
 cabin his father had erected in Wellington 
 township. Here he carried on agriculture 
 till within a short time before his death, 
 which occurred in 1862. He was in poli- 
 tics originally a Whig, later a Republican, 
 and in church atiSliation he was a Presby- 
 terian. At the time of his coming to 
 Wellington, now a flourishing city, there 
 were only four or five houses in the place. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received a 
 liberal public-school education, and worked 
 on his father's farm till he was twenty- 
 four years old, when he embarked in agri- 
 cultural pursuits for his own account, his 
 first farm comprising ninety-fivo acres of 
 wild land, to which he from time to time 
 added until now ho is the owner of 1,014 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 acres, making hitn tbe largest landowner 
 in the farming community of the county. 
 For many years lie reared, grazed and sold 
 sheep, at one time effecting a sale amount- 
 ing to four thousand dollars. In May, 
 1851, he married Miss Maria E. Ames, 
 who was born in Becket, Mass., in 1825, 
 and they have two children, viz.: Elmer, 
 married, and living on one of his father's 
 farms; and Jane, married to Frank J. 
 Eckels, also living on one of the farms. 
 Their family numbers si.x children, named 
 as follows: Elmer P., Jennie W., Ilerron 
 Ames, Frank, Jr., Maria and James Starr. 
 In his political predilections Mr. Wads- 
 worth is a strong Republican, originally an 
 Old-line Whig. He is a member of the 
 Congregational Church, and gave four 
 thousand dollars to assist in building their 
 handsome twenty - four - thousand - dollar 
 church in Wellington. For the Civil war 
 he furnished a substitute, paying four 
 hundred and twenty-live dollars for the 
 same, besides helping the cause in many 
 other ways. Though blind, he went to 
 the "World's Fair," and has a very good 
 idea of its wonderful magnitude. 
 
 /^EORGE CLIFTON. ISTot in Avon 
 I l! township, nor indeed iu all the 
 \^ county of Lorain, is there to be 
 )^ found any citizen, in any sphere of 
 life, who is in the enjoyment of a 
 higher degree of respect than was in his 
 lifetime the gentleman whose name here 
 appears. 
 
 Mr. Clifton was born, in 1813, in 
 Northaniptonshire, one of the midland coun- 
 ties of England, a son of William Clifton, 
 a native of the same county, where during 
 nearly all his life he was engaged in agricul- 
 tural pursuits and gardening. William was 
 there married, and children were born to him 
 as follows: William, George, John, Fanny, 
 Elizabeth, Mary, Rosana, and one other 
 daughter whose name is not remembered. 
 The parents died in England. 
 
 At about the age of eighteen or twenty 
 George Clifton immigrated to America, 
 and after landing came at once westward 
 to Oliio, making a halt in Avon township, 
 Lorain county. Here he entered the serv- 
 ice of Joel Townshend, remaining with 
 him some years, earning the respect and 
 confidence of his employer by his steady 
 habits and plodding industry. Leaving 
 Mr. Townshend, he next found employ- 
 ment on a lake vessel in the capacity of 
 steward, winning during his stay on the 
 ship the utmost confidence of the captain 
 and others, by his characteristic devotion 
 to his duty, and his obliging manner to all 
 alike. 
 
 After a residence of a year or two in 
 this country, our subject revisited his na- 
 tive land, where he married Miss Ann 
 Moore, a resident of Northamptonshire. 
 The young couple then set out for their 
 new home in the " Far West," coming di- 
 rect to Lorain county and to Avon town- 
 ship, in the eastern part of which they 
 made a settlement. Here he took up 
 agriculture, which he followed successfully 
 until retiring from active work. Moving 
 to the present homestead, he here erected 
 large and substantial buildings, and here 
 some of the family are yet living. Tiie 
 children born to George Clifton were one 
 son that died in infancy, and one, daugh- 
 ter, Rosana, now Mrs. E. P. Burrill, of 
 Sheffield township. The mother of these 
 dying in 1856, in September, 1857, Mr. 
 Clifton married Miss Bessie, daughter of 
 John Charlton, of Leicestershire, England, 
 by which union there were three children, 
 viz.: Alice and Lena (deceased in in- 
 fancy) and S. G. (who now conducts the 
 home farm). 
 
 Mr. Clifton was a representative self- 
 made man — a pioneer of the truest type — 
 whose courage and perseverance, coupled 
 with sound judgment, judicious economy 
 and untiring industry, aided him in his 
 hard struggle to found a home. " He 
 filled the otfice of justice of the peace for 
 several terms, was auditor of the county 
 
Qv<r>-r^ ^y^J^rz^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 891 
 
 four years, and was also county commis- 
 sioner tor a term or two, all of which offices he 
 tilled with ability and integrity. * * He 
 was withal a ^reat reader, and kept him- 
 self thoroughly informed not only on the 
 affairs of this country, but of European 
 countries as well. A stanch Republican, 
 he always gave our Government his hearty 
 support. In the time of the Civil war he 
 was very active in the work of procuring 
 recruits, giving more than any other man 
 in the township toward raising the quota 
 of soldiers, though on account of his age 
 not subject to the draft. On account of 
 his knowledge of law, and also his abili- 
 ties as a financier, his advice was sought 
 by many who always found him a willing 
 and safe adviser. Much more might be 
 truly said in praise of him, but time for- 
 bids. His place is not easily filled." In 
 1861 he was a member of the board of 
 equalization. Mr. Clifton died February 
 7, 1883. 
 
 ^J 
 
 NATHANIEL TOMPKINS, a mem- 
 ber of one of the early pioneer 
 families of Eaton township, was 
 born in 1829 in Tompkins county, 
 N. Y. His parents, Samuel and 
 Betsy (Tellis) Tompkins, were born in 
 1805 in Newfield, Tompkins Co., N. Y., 
 and in early pioneer days came thence to 
 Lorain county, Ohio, settling in Eaton 
 township. 
 
 Nathaniel Tompkins was about four 
 years of age when he came with his parents 
 to Eaton ti)wnship, where he was reared 
 and educated. Mr. Tompkins was first 
 married in New York, in 1861, to Mary 
 O. Benedict, who died in Lorain county 
 in 1881, and in 1885 he married, in 
 Eaton township, for his second wife. Miss 
 Esther A. Earl, a native of Lorain county. 
 Mrs. Tompkins is a daughter of liecom- 
 pense Crowell Earl, who was born March 
 10, 1799, in Essex county, N. J. In 
 1813 he moved with his parents to Tomp- 
 
 kins county, N. Y., where he lived till 
 1825, when he married Miss Anna 
 Fauver. In 1836 they canie with their 
 five children to Eaton, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 where in 1828 Mr. Earl had purchased 
 twenty acres of land, on which he resided 
 until his death, which occurred in 1885. 
 Mr. Tompkins rents the twenty acres of 
 land which his father-in-law purchased, 
 now well cultivated and highly improved, 
 where he carries on general farming. In 
 politics he is a Republican. In 1864 he 
 went to Michigan, where he resided for 
 some years. 
 
 fr^j ICHARD WELLS POMROY,who 
 
 l^^ is prominent in social and Insur- 
 
 I ^ aiico circles, is a native of Bristol, 
 
 Jj Ontario Co., N. Y., whei'e he was 
 
 born June 3, 1825, the son of Sain- 
 
 uel and Penelope (Allen) Pomroy. 
 
 His father was a native of Springfield, 
 Mass., and was a man of remarkable vigor, 
 being ninety-four years old at the time of 
 his death. Mr. Pomroy came of a family 
 remarkable for their longevity, the grand- 
 father and one uncle living to be ninety- 
 four years of age, while two other uncles 
 reached the age of ninety-three and ninety- 
 five respectively. 
 
 The subject of our sketch received his 
 education at the Academy at Canandaigua, 
 N. Y. He then taught school for a time, 
 after which he embarked in the mercantile 
 business in his own town, remaining in 
 the same until 1857, in which year he 
 came to Ohio. Here he was engaged in 
 the same business until 1870, when he 
 abandoned that line and took up the In- 
 surance business, to which he has since 
 given his entire attention. He commenced 
 exclusively in Life Insurance, which 
 branch he carried on for three years, since 
 when he has been in Fire Insurance alone, 
 having built up a large business. 
 
 Mr. Pomroy was married April 10, 
 1853, to Miss Annie L. Sisson, daughter 
 
892 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 of General Horatio and Clotilda Taylor 
 Sisson, natives of Ontario county, N. Y., 
 and seven children have been born to them, 
 of whom the following is a brief record: 
 Frances L. is the wife 'of Dr. H. Pomeroy, 
 of Cleveland, Ohio; Grace S. is the wife 
 of Watson E. Boise, clerk of the State 
 Legislature of North Dakota; Mary E. 
 and Alice C. are both teachers; Charles 
 W., the only son, is connected with the 
 Western Automatic Screw Company, of 
 Elyria; Annie M. is a teacher of music in 
 the Conservatory at Grand Forks, North 
 Dakota; and Harriet A. 
 
 In politics, Mr. Pomroy was originally 
 a Whig, and, since the formation of the 
 party, has been a stanch Republican. 
 
 El THEW, for over forty years a resi- 
 dent of Columbia township, is a 
 ] native of New York State, born in 
 
 Clinton county in 1816, a son of 
 Daniel and Electa (Nichols) Thew, also of 
 that State, who both died in Clinton 
 county. They reared a family of eleven 
 sons (three of whom served in the war of 
 the Rebellion), their names being as fol- 
 lows: Robert, Eleazar, Gilbert, Garret, 
 Henry, Charles, Nathan, John, Josephus, 
 Betbuel and James. 
 
 The subject of our sketch received his 
 education at the schools of Clinton county, 
 N. Y., in those early days held in a log 
 cabin with very primitive furnishings. 
 He was thoroughly trained to agricultural 
 pursuits, and has been a lifelong farmer, 
 having now a well-cultivated piece of land 
 of some ninety-five acres in Columbia 
 township. He was married, in 1837, in 
 Clinton county, N. Y., to Miss Mary 
 Calkins, a native thereof, and in 1852 
 they came to Lorain county, where Mr. 
 Thew bought a partly -improved farm, on 
 which he erected a good residence and 
 barn. Two children, both now deceased, 
 were born to this union, viz.: Cornelia, 
 
 married to Lemuel Osborne, and Eliza- 
 beth. The mother of these died, and in 
 1872 Mr. Thew wedded Miss Amanda 
 McNichols, a native of Vermont, who 
 came when a child to Medina county, 
 Ohio, where she was reared. Politically 
 Mr. Thew is a Democrat, and served his 
 township as trustee one term. 
 
 'HARLES W. SUMNER, a retired 
 school teacher, now a prosperous 
 agriculturist of Eaton township, was 
 born inMedinacounty,Ohio,in 1854. 
 Clement Sumner, father of subject, was 
 born in Vermont, and about 1853 came to 
 Medina county, Ohio, where he followed 
 the vocation of a farmer. For some years 
 he had taught school in Ashland and 
 Holmes counties, same State. In Medina 
 county he married Mrs. Almira (Hier) 
 Gardner (widow of Lewis Gardner), a na- 
 tive of Massachusetts, and their only child 
 is the subject of this sketch. They died 
 in Medina county, Ohio, the father in 
 1873, the mother in 1888. Clement 
 Sumner had been previously married, and 
 his children by that union were Catherine, 
 wife of Edwin Helbert, of Ashland county, 
 Ohio; Phebe, wife of Samuel MuUin, of 
 Jewell county, Kans. ; and Solon, married, 
 residing in Cattaraugus county, N. Y. 
 Mrs. Almira (Hier) Sumner by her iirst 
 husband had five children, as follows: 
 Andrew (married), a farmer of Brunswick, 
 Medina Co., Ohio; Lucas (married), a 
 farmer of Page county, Iowa; Lewis (mar- 
 ried), a farmer of Missouri; Lucinda, wife 
 of William Johnson, of Preemption, Mer- 
 cer Co., 111.; Julia Ann, wife of Christian 
 Winegar, of Saranac, Ionia Co., Mich. 
 Grandfather Sumner was a native of Ver- 
 mont, while grandfather Hier was from 
 Germany, in an early day immigrating to 
 Massachusetts, thence moving with an ox- 
 team to Medina county, Ohio, where he 
 died in 1868, being preceded to the grave 
 by his wife. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 893 
 
 Charles W. Sumner was reared and 
 educated in his native county, and at the 
 age of twenty years commenced teaching 
 in the same county, continuing three suc- 
 cessive terms at the home district school, 
 later in township schools in Eaton and 
 Columbia townships, moving to Eaton 
 township in 1889. In Columbia town- 
 ship he resided some ten years. In 1888 
 he gave up teaching, and has since applied 
 his attention solely to farming, on his 
 place of ninety acres, which he owns. 
 
 In 1878, in Eaton township, Mr. Sum- 
 ner was married to Miss Mary C. Long- 
 bon, a native of the township, daughter of 
 John J. and Ellen (Walker) Longbon, 
 early pioneers of Eaton, where the father 
 died in 1888. To Mr. and Mrs. Sumner 
 were born children as follows: Ellen, Irvin, 
 Mary, Earl (deceased at the age of five 
 years) and Grace (deceased at the age of 
 three). Originality and good judgment 
 are the most prominent characteristics of 
 Mr. Sumner, who is a Repuldican in his 
 political sympathies, and is a highly- re- 
 spected citizen. 
 
 rW. PIEECE. The subject of this 
 sketch is now in the prime of life, 
 _^ one among the most active business 
 men in the town of Lorain. 
 His ancestors were of New England 
 origin. His father, Philemon Pierce, who 
 was a native of the State of New York, 
 married Miss Diantha Hovey, of the same 
 State, and to them were born five children, 
 viz.: George, Ann, Eliza, John and 
 Fred. W. Those sterling characteristics 
 of the New England people Philemon 
 Pierce possessed to a great degree — in- 
 genuity, industry and economy. Plis trade 
 was that of a carriage builder, which he 
 followed through life. In 1850 he left the 
 
 El ace of his birth to seek for himself a 
 ome in Ohio, which was then considered 
 the '' Far West." Locating in Brunswick, 
 Medina county, he here lived and worked 
 
 at his trade until his removal to Carlisle, 
 Lorain county, where ho resided until his 
 deaths which occurred in 1862. 
 
 It was in the year 1855, amid those 
 stirring times just preceding the Civil war, 
 that Fred. W. Pierce was born, on the first 
 day of November. Early bereft of his 
 father, he was required to depend on his 
 own resources for a livelihood. When fif- 
 teen years of age he went to Owosso, Mich., 
 where he went to school for two years. 
 With this education, and that other equally 
 important, the knowledge of a good trade, 
 he was well prepared for the practical 
 duties of life. When he came back from 
 Michigan'he located, in 1872, in Lorain. 
 His natural inclination leading him into 
 mechanical pursuits, he served an appren- 
 ticeship as a regular carriage builder; but 
 not satisfied with this he learned the car- 
 penter's trade. Gradually he discontinued 
 the trade of carriage b\iilding, and came to 
 devote his whole time to building and 
 contracting, which has absorbed his whole 
 attention for the last seven years. His 
 skill, industry and integrity have won for 
 him his well-deserved success, which has 
 come during these busy years. The many 
 buildings which he has erected stand as 
 substantial evidence of the work, for which 
 he has no reason to be ashamed. Proini- 
 nent among these are the school building 
 in South Lorain and the Methodist Epis- 
 copal church, the finest building in the 
 city, erected in 1892. Mr. Pierce has the 
 knowledge of how work ought to be done, 
 and the fidelity to see that it is done as 
 the contract defines. AVhile thus occupied, 
 opportunities for some lousiness in real 
 estate were presented, which he has im- 
 proved to great advantage, so that as a 
 result he has come into the possession of 
 some very valuable property, which in 
 that growing town, with values increasing, 
 will tend to enhance his wealth largely in 
 the future. At times his business assumed 
 large proportions, when he had under his 
 employ twenty men working on public 
 jobs ainoutiting to thousands of dollars. 
 
894 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 That wliich is not the least item of im- 
 portance is the home which he has been 
 permitted to build and enjoy.* The young 
 lady of his choice, Miss Addie Bayless, 
 resided at Kipton, Ohio, and they were 
 united in marriage in Sandusky, Ohio, 
 July 3, 1877. In both toils and successes 
 the}' have been partners, and thus know 
 how to enjoy the results of their labor and 
 success. The truest independence is to 
 make your own fortune, and enjoy it. Tiie 
 number of Mr. Pierce's family is exactly 
 equal to that of his father, viz.: five. They 
 bear the names: Pearl, Ray, Frank, Clai'a 
 and Blanche. 
 
 Like all wide-awake citizens of this Re- 
 public, Mr. Pierce possesses his positive 
 convictions and party affiliations. This 
 seems unavoidable, where politics are iu 
 the food, and in the very air we breathe. 
 We grow tliat way. Or perhaps tlie well- 
 known law of heredity may account for 
 some of it. His father was identified with 
 that party which had the honor of electing 
 one of the best men who ever occupied the 
 Presidental chair — the party which made 
 the most brilliant history for a quarter of 
 a century. It is unnecessary to say that 
 it was the Republican party which had on 
 its roll snch respectable and heroic politi- 
 cians as Stanton, Chase, Sumner and Abra- 
 ham Lincoln. Hence we need not be 
 surprised that a son of Philemon Pierce, a 
 Republican, should likewise be a Republi- 
 can. Mr. Pierce is thus a well-established 
 and fixed quantity in the city of Lorain. 
 It is no small honor which belongs to him, 
 for he enjoys tiie confidence of its people. 
 In obedience to their call he is serving them 
 oil the board of councilmeu. They know 
 that such a trust will be held in his hands 
 with safety. One of the most useful and 
 beneficial Orders of Lorain, in a business 
 line, is that of the K. O. T. M., and 
 there are many widows and orphans in 
 the town to bear witness to its benefits. 
 Mr. F. W. Pierce was the twenty-fifth 
 charter member of the Lorain Lodge of 
 this Order. 
 
 Truly the outlook for Mr. Pierce is en- 
 couraging. Yet but a young man, he 
 occupies a good position among his fel- 
 lows; he stands on the advantage ground 
 of his past achievements, and certainly has 
 mucii to hope for, and look forward to, in 
 the years to come. No doubt with the 
 same careful and industrious course in the 
 future, Time will dispense his gifts with 
 equal generosity. 
 
 DEACON JOHN SEWARD CASE, 
 one of the oldest citizens of Well- 
 ington township, is a native of Con- 
 necticut, having been born in the 
 town of Granby, Hartford county, Julv 
 11, 1808. 
 
 He is a son of Dr. Gideon Case, who 
 was born in Canton, Conn., and who be- 
 came an eminent physician and surgeon, 
 educated probably in Simsbiiry, that State. 
 Lie practiced in his native State until he 
 came to Ohio, in 1818, when he resumed 
 practice in Hudson, Portage county. He 
 was killed by the kick of a horse, about 
 the year 1822. His entire journey from 
 Connecticut to Ohio was made in a three- 
 horse wagon. He married Miss Persis 
 Seward, a native of Granville, Mass. (and 
 daughter of Capt. John Seward, of Revo- 
 lutionary fame), who died at the age of 
 eighty-six years. Seven children were 
 born to them, of which the following is a 
 brief record: John Seward is the subject 
 proper of this sketchy Gideon W. resides 
 near Nauvoo, 111.; Otis P. resides in 
 Aurora, Portage county, on the old Grand- 
 father Seward homestead; Jane married 
 Mr. Nix, and died in Portage county, 
 Ohio; Lucia married Mr. Demming, of 
 Rootstown, Portage Co., Ohio (she is now 
 deceased); Albert died in Michigan a year 
 or two ago; Dr. Almon Case was a mem- 
 ber of the State Legislature of Tennessee 
 in the period of the Civil war, during 
 which time he was killed by bushwhack- 
 ers, it is presumed on account of his anti- 
 
^^^ ~dl I ^ c;^..AJ^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 897 
 
 slavery views. The mother married, for 
 her second husband, Arial Case (no rela- 
 tive of her first husl)and), and they after- 
 ward lived in Kootstown, Portage Co., 
 Ohii), where two sons were born to them. 
 The subject of this sketch was, as will 
 be seen, ten years old when his parents 
 came to Portage county, Ohio. After his 
 school days he commenced learning the 
 trade of tanner and currier, finishing the 
 same at Kent, Portage county. In No- 
 vember, 1829, he came to Lorain county, 
 and commenced the tanning business, in 
 1830, in the town of Wellington, opposite 
 where the ice house now stands, and suc- 
 cessfnlly operated the same until some 
 twelve or fifteen years ago, when he re- 
 tired from business. He taught school 
 during the winter of 1829-30 in an old 
 log house, wliere Mallory's store now 
 stands, which cabin was also used as a 
 church at the same time. Shortly after 
 his arrival he became associated with the 
 Congregational Church, in which he has 
 been a deacon since 1846, and to which he 
 has contributed liberally of his means, as 
 well as to all charitable institutions. Mr. 
 Case has been twice married: First time 
 in October, 1832, to Miss Diantha Blair, 
 a daughter of James Blair, of Massachu- 
 setts, and sister to the mother of Gov. 
 Faircliild, of Wisconsin. The record of 
 the children of this union is as follows: 
 (1) Celia is the wife of Mr. Stewart, and 
 lives in Eomney, Tippecanoe Co., Ind.; 
 she taught school for many years in Ten- 
 nessee, and in Romney. (2) Helen mar- 
 ried Mr. Luther Miller, of Cedar Hill, 
 Ohio, but nearly all of her married life 
 was spent in Romney, Ind., where she was 
 buried in 18 — ; she was the mother of 
 three children: Mary, now Mrs. U. Z. 
 Moore, of Columbus; Frank Case, a recent 
 graduate of the Ohio State University, and 
 a civil engineer in Columbus; andCassius, 
 named after Gen. Cassius Fairchild, of 
 Wisconsin, a farmer of Cedar Hill, Ohio. 
 (3) Col. Frank S. (now deceased) was 
 an officer in the Second Ohio Cavalry dur- 
 
 ing the Civil war, being captain of a com- 
 pany, and was shot through the lungs; 
 after the war he was colonel in the Sev- 
 enth Ohio State Guards, and on Gov. 
 Foster's staff; he was present at Garfield's 
 inauguration at AVashington, D. C, and 
 his was the largest regiment out at the 
 funeral of that President in Cleveland. 
 He was born December 21, 1838, received 
 his education at Wellington and Oberlin. 
 He was a good stump speaker, and was 
 chairman of the Republican committee of 
 Logan county. He died August 9, 1887, 
 from wounds received in battle. At the 
 time of his death he was treasurer of 
 Logan county, Ohio. His widow, for- 
 merly Miss Clara Burr, of Brighton, to 
 whom he was married in 1864 while home 
 on leave of absence, now resides in Belle- 
 fontaine. (4) Emma married Rev. Charles 
 E. Manchester, D. D., pastor of the Broad- 
 way M. E. Church, Cleveland, Ohio; they 
 have children as follows: William C. 
 (twenty-one years of age) and Frank S. 
 (aged seventeen). The mother of this 
 family was born, in 1807, in Blandford, 
 Mass., and died October 19, 1848. For 
 his second wife Mr. Case married Miss 
 Lucinda A. Ely, of Elyria, who was born 
 December 25, 1819, in Deerfield, Ohio, 
 and died January 24, 1893. To this union 
 there were two children, both of whom 
 died young — one in infancy, the other, 
 Mary, at the age of six years. In his 
 political preferences Deacon Case is a 
 stanch Republican, originally an Old-line 
 Whig, his first vote being cast for John 
 Quincy Adams. 
 
 jri( DAM KOLBE, a prominent farmer 
 f/_\ \ of Black River township, was born 
 I/IA near Hersfeld, Germany. August 
 JJ 18,1848. •'■ ^ 
 
 He is a son of Henry W. and 
 Elizabeth Kolbe, who were the parents of 
 nine children, named as follows: Eliza* 
 (Mrs. Spiegelberg), Henrietta (Mrs. Bech- 
 
898 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 stein), Christina (Mrs. Smithkons), 
 Adam (subject of sketch), Henry, Cath- 
 arine (Mrs. Holstein), Mary (Mrs. Neid- 
 ing), Emma (Mrs. IJechtel) and Williain. 
 In 1856 the family came to the United 
 States, first locating in the, then, village of 
 Lorain, Lorain Co., Ohio, afterward, in 
 1867, settling on a farm in Black River 
 township, same county, where the parents 
 followed agricultural pursuits till advanced 
 age compelled them to retire from active 
 life. The father died October 8, 1893: 
 the mother, now in her seventy-seventh 
 year, is living with her son Adam on the 
 farm in Black Biver township. She is a 
 member of the Evangelical Association, 
 as was also her husband. 
 
 Adam Kolbe received a liberal education 
 at the public schools, and was reared to 
 agricultural pursuits on his father's farm. 
 In 1873 he married Miss Caroline Faber, 
 who died in May, 1891, leaving one child, 
 a son named Lawrence A. Mr. Kolbe has 
 remained on a farm ever since, and in the 
 town of Lorain, in the same county, he en- 
 gaged in the fishery business for about four 
 years, as a member of the firm of Kolbe 
 Bros. & Co., in which he was financially 
 successful. In 1889 he withdrew from the 
 firm, and has since been living on the farm 
 in Black River township. In religious 
 faith Mr. Kolbe is a member of the Evan- 
 gelical Church; socially he is a member of 
 Lorain Lodge, Knights of the Maccabees; 
 politically he is a Republican. 
 
 E' L. BURGE, an enterprising pro- 
 gressive citizen of Oberlin, was 
 I born in September, 1837, in Orange 
 
 township, Ashland Co., Ohio, where 
 he passed his early life. 
 
 His father, John Y. Burge, was a na- 
 tive of Pennsylvania, and in an early day 
 came to Richland (now Ashland) county, 
 Ohio, where ho passed the remainder of 
 his days. He was a cooper by trade. He 
 married Mary Lowry, a native of Vir- 
 
 ginia, and they became the parents of 
 twelve children, six of whom are still liv- 
 ing, namely: Benjamin, a farmer of 
 Greenwich, Huron Co., Ohio; John Y., a 
 fanner of Brighton township, Lorain 
 county; E. C, also farming in Brighton 
 township; Rachel, a resident of Ashland, 
 Ohio; Sarah, wife of John Goldsmith, of 
 Richland county, Ohio; and E. L. The 
 father of this family died in 1841, the 
 mother in 1878. 
 
 E. L. Burge received his education in 
 the district schools of his native county, 
 and in 1859 came to Lorain county, which 
 has since been his home. He followed 
 farming for a few years in Brighton town- 
 ship, and in August, 1861, enlisted, at 
 Wellington, Ohio, in Company H, Second 
 Ohio Cavalry, for three years. He was 
 mustered in at Cleveland, and served for a 
 while on the frontier, in January, 1862, 
 being stationed at Ft. Leavenworth, Kans., 
 and later at Ft. Scott. He participated in 
 the battles of Pea Ridtre and Diamond 
 Grove, was next in Kentucky, and after- 
 ward took part in the Morgan raid at 
 Knoxville, Tenn. In 1864 he veteranized, 
 at Mossy Creek, Tenn., in the same com- 
 pany and regiment, and was subsequently 
 in the engagements of the Wilderness and 
 Cedar Creek, also serving under General 
 Sheridan In the Shenandoah Valley. Mr. 
 Burge took part in the Grand Review at 
 Wasliington, thence going to Springfield, 
 Mo., and on September 20, 1865, he was 
 honorably discharged at Columbus, Ohio. 
 He returned to Brighton township, Lorain 
 county, where he remained until 1882, 
 since which time he has been a resident 
 of Oberlin. 
 
 On March 8, 1864, Mr. Burge was mar- 
 ried to Miss Harriet J. Tucker, a native of 
 Camden township, Lorain county, daugh- 
 ter of Matthew and Rosanna (Martin) 
 Tucker, early pioneers of the county; the 
 father died in 1878; his widow is now re- 
 siding in Pittsfield, Lorain county. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Buree was born one daugh- 
 ter, May B., who graduated from Oberlin 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 899 
 
 College in the class of 1891; she is now 
 principal of a school at Delta, Ohio. Mr. 
 Bnrge is actively interested in polities, 
 and supports the principles of the Repub- 
 lican party; he has been delegate to va- 
 rious conventions, served one term as 
 deputy sberitf of Lorain county, and in 
 1889 was elected city marshal of 01)erlin,a 
 position he still occupies. Socially he is 
 a memher of Henry Lincoln Post No. 
 564, G. A. R., and in religion he and his 
 wife are members of the Second Congre- 
 gational Church of Oberlin. 
 
 OWELL CALVIN ADAMS, dealer 
 in agricultural implements, seeds 
 of all kinds, fertilizers, etc., Wel- 
 lington, is a native of Wellincton 
 townsliip, born February 1, 1838, 
 of an old Connecticut family- 
 He is a son of Calvin and Eunice 
 (Smith) Adams, the former of whom was 
 a native of the " Nutmeg State, " whence 
 prior to his marriage he came west to 
 Ohio, settling on a farm in Wellincrton 
 township, Lorain county, where he was 
 engaged in agricultural pursuits till a 
 short time before his death, which oc- 
 curred in 1864. lie was twice married, 
 and by his first wife, Eunice (Smith), he 
 liad five children, namely: Edwin, de- 
 ceased in childhood; Fayette, who died 
 when young; Marcia, now the widow of 
 R. F. Jones, of Wellington, Ohio; Rowell 
 Calvin, and Lois, who died, unmarried, in 
 1879. 
 
 The subject of this biographical sketch 
 received a liberal education at district 
 school No. 4, AVellington township, attend- 
 ing a few winter terms, the remainder of 
 the year being occupied on his father's 
 farm, where he continued to reside till 
 1865, in which year he removed to Hunt- 
 ington township, and here bought a farm 
 of 11;} acres prime laud, where, until about 
 1882, he carried on general farming, 
 
 including dairying, buying and selling 
 stock, etc. In that year he came to Well- 
 ington, after a time opening out his pres- 
 ent prosperous business. On September 
 29, 1859, he was married to Miss Melva 
 A. Whiting, born in Pittstield township, 
 Lorain county, October 15, 1840, and 
 four children have come to this union: 
 Rosa M., wife of Delmer I. Beckley; Mrs. 
 E. L. Wilcox; Grace M., and Leon li. Po- 
 litically Mr. Adams is a lifelong Republi- 
 can, and two years ago he united with the 
 Prohibitionists. He is not identified with 
 any particular cliurch; his wife is a mem- 
 ber of the Methodist Episcopal Society. 
 During the war of the Rebellion he en- 
 listed three times, but on each occasion 
 he was rejected on account of piiysical dis- 
 ability caused by an accident he met with 
 when fourteen years old, whereby his leg 
 was broken, and he has been slightly crip- 
 pled ever since. He is doing an excellent 
 business, thoroughly understanding the 
 wants of the community in his line of trade. 
 
 FRANCIS N. ELDRED is one of 
 the enterprising native-born agri- 
 _^ culturists of Elyria township, where 
 in 1850 he first saw the light. 
 He is a son of Noah and Harmony 
 (Redington) Eldred, the former of whom 
 was horn in the State of New York, 
 whence, in company with his father, Moses 
 Eldred, he came to Ohio in 1811, settling 
 in Ridgeville township, Lorain county. 
 Grandfather Eldred was a soldier in the 
 Revolution ; by occupation he was a farmer, 
 and he also kept a tavern in Ridgeville 
 township; he died in Elyria, his wife in 
 Ridgeville. Noah Eldred, father of sub- 
 ject, received a limited education at the 
 subscription schools of Ridgeville town- 
 ship. In Amherst township he married 
 Harmony Redington; then settled on the 
 farm now owned by our subject, and here 
 he died in 1882, his wife having pieceded 
 him to the grave in 1854. 
 
900 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 The subject of this memoir was educated 
 in the schools of the neighborhood of his 
 place of birth, and was reared to agricul- 
 tural pursuits, which have been his life- 
 work. He has a neat, compact farm of 
 eighty- two acres devoted to general farm- 
 ing. In 1876 he was married in Elyria 
 township to Miss Nettie Cochran, a native 
 of same, and daughter ot Henry and Eliza- 
 beth (^Thompson) Cochran, pioneers of 
 Lorain county from Vermont. Six chil- 
 dren, named as follows, have been born to 
 this union, Ray, Nina, Irwin, Alta, Lewis 
 and Orlo. In his political associations our 
 subject is a Republican, and he and his 
 wife are members of the M. E. Church. 
 
 Mr. 
 
 E. JUMP has been a resident of 
 Oberlin for the past thirty-five 
 years, having established himself 
 in the town in 1858, for the pur- 
 pose of stndy in Oberlin College. 
 Jump was born in Westchester 
 county, N. Y., in 1832, a son of Ira and 
 Sarah (Dan) Jump, natives of New York, 
 who in 1835 moved to Norwalk, Huron 
 Co., Ohio, and from there, about 1843, to 
 Vermillion, Erie Co., Ohio, where both 
 died at a ripe old age. Ira Jump was a 
 basket maker, and his son, R. E., was 
 brought up to that trade, which he fol- 
 lowed for some time in Oberlin. Mr. Jump 
 received his education at the common 
 schools in Erie county, and in the Prepara- 
 tory Department of Oberlin College. Fail- 
 ing health prevented him from continuing 
 his studies. He taught several terms in 
 the schools of Erie county, Ohio, and in 
 Indiana. In 1863 he enlisted in Company 
 F,One Hundred andTwenty-eighth O.V. I., 
 for three years or during the war, serv- 
 ing nnder Gen. Hooker, on Johnson's Is- 
 land and Cedar Point, guarding and ex- 
 changing prisoners at Fortress Monroe and 
 other points, and on detached duty at To- 
 ledo, on service as provost-guard, and in 
 
 recruiting service. Mr. Jump was hon- 
 orably discharged from the service at Camp 
 Chase, in July, 1865. 
 
 In 1852 Mr. Jump was married to Miss 
 Julia Chapin, a native of New York, but 
 reared and educated in North Amherst, 
 Ohio, and to this union one son was born, 
 C. Ellis Jump. 
 
 Mr. Jump in politics is a Republican, 
 having cast his first vote for Fremont in 
 1856, and voted with that party since. He 
 is a member of Henry Lincoln Post, No. 
 364, G. A. R., in which he has held the 
 rank of surgeon and junior vice-commader. 
 During the past fifteen years, in his leis- 
 ure time, he has done considerable taxider- 
 mist work, and has now a very fine collec- 
 tion of stuffed animals and birds. He is 
 practically interested in agriculture, being 
 the owner of thirty acres of well-improved 
 land, half of which lies within the corpor- 
 ate limits of Oberlin. He also takes a 
 lively interest in bee and small fruit cul- 
 ture. He was engajj-ed in the Oberlin and 
 Wellinoton Rescue case. 
 
 o 
 
 Mrs. Julia Chapin Jump, M. D., was 
 born in Oneida county, N. Y., in 1832, the 
 second child of John and Eliza (Clark) 
 Chapin, natives of New England, who re- 
 moved to Brownlielm, Ohio, in 1836, and 
 from there to North Amherst, Ohio, in 
 1839. [Seethe following sketch of John 
 Chapin. J 
 
 Dr. Jump received her early education 
 in the common schools of North Amherst, 
 Ohio. At the age of seventeen she began 
 to teach. This profession she followed 
 thirty years. For the first two or three 
 terms she taught for one dollar a week and 
 '' boarded round." In 1852 she married 
 R. E. Jump, of Erie county, Ohio. They 
 had one son, C. Ellis Jump. In 1858 they 
 removed to Oberlin, for the purpose of se- 
 curing a liberal education. During the 
 last three years of her couse of study Dr. 
 Jump taught in the Academy. After six 
 years of study, she graduated from Ober- 
 lin Colleoje, Lit. in 1865. She then taught 
 seventeen consecutive years, nearly five in 
 
/^f^-t-t.^^^ 
 
 cA 
 
 JC-^-^^.-^^'Ci^ -(^5!^Tg^^y-^i«<?-»- i'^i^^^S-T-^^' , -^ . ^T/' 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 903 
 
 the Grammar School of Oberlin, and over 
 twelve years in the Public Schools of 
 Cleveland. She then began the study of 
 medicine in The Cleveland Homeopathic 
 Hospital College, from which she gradu- 
 ated in 1884:, since which time she has 
 been practicing medicine in Oberlin. 
 
 The honorarv deirree of A. M. was con- 
 ferred on her byObeilin College, in 1891, 
 and that of F. H. S. by the Medical Col- 
 lege from which she received her diploma. 
 She is a member of the board of Censors 
 of the Cleveland Homeopathic Hospital 
 CoUetje; a member of the American In- 
 stitnte of Homeopathy, The Ohio State 
 Homeopathic Society, and The Lorain 
 County Homeopathic Society. Dr. Jump 
 is a member of tlie First Congregational 
 Church, and of the W. E. C. of Oberlin, 
 Ohio. 
 
 JOHN CHAPIN was born in Sheffield, 
 Berkshire Co., Mass., in 1804. At 
 the age of eighteen he was appren- 
 ticed to a Mr. Catlin, of the adjoin- 
 ing town of New Marlboro, to learn the 
 trade of tanner and currier. 
 
 In 1827 he was married to Miss Eliza 
 Clark, a native of Norwich, Conn., though 
 reared in New Marlboro. They had live 
 dauohters and two sons. In 1836 Mr. 
 Chapin moved to Ohio, then the " Far 
 "West," and lucated in Brownhelm. In 
 1839 he removed to North Amherst, where 
 he spent the rest of his life. Mr. Chapin 
 and his wife united with a few others to 
 organize a Presbyterian Church in North 
 Amherst, and Mr. Chapin was elected dea- 
 con, an office which he held till his death 
 in 1852. Deacon Chapin was a man of 
 strong convictions, a thorough temperance 
 man, and an Old-line Whi(£. He was 
 strongly anti-slavery in his views and took 
 the ground before his death, which became 
 the platform of the Free-Soil party in ISofi. 
 The Deacon was a strong, well-built man, 
 and was considered very desirable help 
 
 47 
 
 at the raising of buildings in those days. 
 Whiskey was usually served freely, and 
 at the tirst important " raising " to 
 which he was invited the men were nearly 
 all under the influence of whiskey before 
 the work was half done. Deacon Chapin 
 and a Mr. Rose wer^ the only total abstain- 
 ers in the party. On raising a heavy 
 "bent" of the frame the men allowed their 
 pikes to slip, and theljent fell, crushing Mr. 
 liose under the heavy timbers. His back 
 was broken, and though he lived many 
 years, he was a cripple. When the men 
 were sober. Deacon Chapin urged them to 
 give up the use of strong drink, citing the 
 accident to Mr. Rose to give weight to his 
 arguments. Soon after this the Deacon 
 prepared to build a large tannery. The 
 timbers were very heavy, and tlie building 
 was two stories on one side and three on 
 the other. While the timl)ers were being 
 prepared there was another raising — ^a 
 small l)arn. Three brothers owned the 
 property. They always drank freely at 
 raisings, but decided from motives of econ- 
 omy to furnish no whiskey for their own 
 raising. When the men who had been 
 invited to assist arrived, some of them 
 called for whiskey before beginning work. 
 AVhen told that none would be furnished, 
 the men said the timbers might rot before 
 they would touch them without^ whiskey. 
 The whiskey was sent for at once, and the 
 frame went up. People who knew Deacon 
 (Jhapin's strong temperance principles, and 
 that he never tasted whiskey, wondered 
 what he would do at his raising. In those 
 early days the raising^of such a building 
 was quite an event. The builder in charge 
 one day asked the Deacon if he should 
 furnish whiskey for the raising. On re- 
 ceiving a reply in the negative, he said he 
 would not be responsible then for the rais- 
 ing of it, as it could not be raised without 
 li(]Uor. The Deacon then re|)lied that the 
 raising would be " a cold-water raising ''' 
 or none. Many friends in the adjoining 
 town of Brownhelm sympathized with 
 Deacon Chajiin in his temperance prin-. 
 
904 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ciples, and sent him a message saying that if 
 the Amherst people failed him, they would 
 come to his aid. When the time for the 
 raising drew near, the Deacon started on 
 his round of invitations. Nearly every 
 man invited asked if he would have whis- 
 key, and on receiving a negative reply, 
 answered: '' Then I will not come." As 
 every one declined the invitation, the Dea- 
 con invited every available man in the vil- 
 lage and the adjacent country. Mrs. Clia- 
 pin prepared for the entertainment of the 
 men by brewing a barrel of root beer, and 
 the brick oven was kept full of good things 
 — bread, biscuits, cakes of all kinds, pies, 
 puddings, chicken pies and pork and beans, 
 iloast meats of all available kinds were 
 prepared in abundance. The day set for 
 the raisino; dawned bright and still. At 
 an early hour the invited men began to ar- 
 rive singly or in small parties until every 
 man who had been invited put in an ap- 
 pearance. With much joking about a 
 " cold-water raising " they set to work with 
 hearty good will. The small or root beer 
 was passed in pails, and one man told the 
 Deacon that he had a chunk of ice as big 
 as his list in his throat from drinking the 
 beer, and he wanted somethino; to thaw it 
 out. When the bents had all been raised, 
 and were supposed to be securely fastened 
 in place, several men went to the top to 
 fasten the large wooden plates to the bents 
 to bind them in position and to support 
 the rafters. Deacon Chapin and Staunton 
 Merriman, a carpenter, were on the bent 
 on the east side of the building, which was 
 three stories high. The around on that 
 side was covered with broken stone, the 
 refuse from dressing the stone for the 
 foundation. Soon after they reached the 
 top the bent began to sway with them, but 
 the men on the ground were all sober, and, 
 rallying with their pikes, held the heavy 
 timbers in position till they were securely 
 fastened. All knew that the fall of the 
 bent would be certain death to the men. 
 When the work was completed the Deacon 
 said: "Comedown to the house now and 
 
 we will have something to thaw the ice 
 out of your throats." Mrs. Chapin was a 
 good cook, and her heart was in her work. 
 Long tables were loaded with every good 
 thing which she could devise, and with tea 
 and coffee in abundance. Many of the men 
 said to the Deacon: "If this is what you 
 call a cold-water raising, I would like to 
 go to one every day." They said they 
 came because they knew he was acting from 
 principle, that although he was one of the 
 best workers always at a raising he never 
 drank whiskey. Deacon Chapin died in 
 1852 of typhoid fever; Mrs. Chapin lived 
 to be eighty-six years old. 
 
 The family was well represented in the 
 war of the Rebellion. John Clark Chapin, 
 the youngest son of Deacon Chapin, enlisted 
 in the Forty-first O. V. I., at the organiza- 
 tion of the regiment, for three years; re- 
 enlisted with the regiment, was engaged 
 in all the battles in which the regiment 
 fought except Chickamauga, and was hon- 
 orably discharged at the close of the war. 
 Two sons-in-law, J. J. Pillen (the husband 
 of the eldest daughter, Eunice), and R. E. 
 Jump (who married the second daughter, 
 Julia), were also in the Union army, and 
 were honorably discharged at the close of 
 the war. 
 
 ir^ EORGE L. SEARS, florist and man- 
 I J, ufacturer of pottery, Elyria, is a 
 ^LJ native of Massachusetts, born in 
 ^^ New Lenox, March 8. 1854, a son 
 of L. L. Sears, a prominent agricul- 
 turist of Elyria township. 
 
 In 1861 the family came to Ohio, and 
 for a time located in Medina county, then 
 in 1867 settling in Lorain county, on a 
 farm within the corporate limits of Elyria. 
 Our subject has since resided in Elyria, 
 and in 1881 he commenced business as a 
 florist, in which vocation he has risen, by 
 industry and good management, to consid- 
 erable prominence. He now owns seven 
 large greenhouses, and ships all kinds of 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 905 
 
 flower germs to every part of the United 
 States. He makes a specialty of wedding 
 and funeral decorations, his taste in designs 
 being considered " nulli secnndus." Hav- 
 ing couclnded to manufacture liis own 
 flower-pots, of which his extensive business 
 demands a vast number, he opened up a 
 pottery, and he now makes from 18,000 to 
 20,000 flower-])ots per week, supplying 
 not only his own requirements, but also 
 markets in Cleveland, Chicago, and all the 
 great cities of the West. 
 
 In 1878 Mr. Sears was married to Miss 
 Emma Eradbur, and three children have 
 come to briahten their home, named 
 respectively: Harry, Roy and Grace W. 
 Our subject and wife are members of the 
 Congregational Church, and in politics he 
 is a Republican. 
 
 NSEL JENNE, for over half a cen- 
 i\ tury a resident of Lorain county, 
 ^ and one of the best known and 
 most prosperous agriculturists of 
 Amherst township, was born in 
 Cayuga county, N. Y., in 1825. 
 
 His father, also named Ansel Jenne, 
 was a native of New York, where he mar- 
 ried Elizabeth Brown, and from there 
 moved to Cayuga county, same State, in 
 1825. In 1826 he and the family came to 
 Ohio, making their home in Cuyahoga coun- 
 ty until liS41, in which year they removed to 
 Lorain county, arriving on March 9, locat- 
 ing on Middle Ridge; but in 1845 they 
 removed to a farm where the parents 
 passed the remainder of their days, the 
 father dying in July, 1872, the mother in 
 August, 1885, at the patriarchal age of 
 uinety-one years. They reared a family of 
 seven children, of whom four are yet liv- 
 ing, as follows: Alfred, married and living 
 in Cuyahoga county, Ohio; Ansel, of 
 whom this sketch more specially relates; 
 Bethia, wife of F. A. Griffin, of Elyria 
 township, Lorain county; and John P., 
 
 married and residing in Amherst township, 
 same county. The deceased are Arad Joy 
 (the eldest in family), born July 9, 1819, 
 died September 5, 1820; Eliza, born Ajiril 
 25, 1827, who was married to Solon 
 McElrath, and died in Lorain county, 
 September 18, 1871; and Annette, born 
 August 27, 1830, died in 1832. 
 
 Ansel Jenne, whose name opens this 
 biographical sketch, received his education 
 at the primitive log schoolhouse of the 
 early days of Cuyahoga county, Ohio. At 
 the age of sixteen he came with the rest 
 of the family to Lorain county, and has 
 ever since been a resident of Amherst 
 township, owning now tiie old homestead, 
 consisting of sixty acres prime land. He 
 and his brother John P. cleared jn all some 
 400 acres in Amherst township. 
 
 On December 9, 1859, Mr. Jenne was 
 married, in Amherst township, to Phoebe 
 Wing, a native of Wyoming county, N. Y., 
 daughter of Benjamin and Polly (Wes- 
 cottj Wing, natives of New York, where 
 the father died in September, 1857. In 1858 
 the widowed mother came to Lorain county, 
 and made her home with her daughter, Mrs. 
 Jenne, for the rest of her days, dying in 
 1868. Two of her children came to Lorain 
 county besides Mrs. Jenne, viz.: Sterling, 
 who died here in 1874, and Dora, wife of 
 Luman Van Tassel, of Bowling Green, 
 Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Ansel Jenne were 
 born five children, of whom the following 
 is a brief record: Sarah Ellen married 
 Bird Richmond, and they have one child, 
 Frank Harrison; William Henry is mar- 
 ried, resides in Amherst township, Lorain 
 county, and has one child, Blanche; George 
 is married, has his home in Detroit, Mich., 
 and has two children, Willie and Wintield; 
 Frank died at the age of nineteen years; 
 Albert K. is married, resides on the home 
 farm, and has two children, Bertie and 
 Lncile. In politics Mr. Jenne is a Dem- 
 ocrat. AVhen he came to Lorain county 
 fifty-two years ago, the now flonrishing city 
 of Elyria was but a hamlet consisting of 
 nine cabins, surrounded by dense woods, 
 
906 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 wherein roamed the Indian and wild ani- 
 mals innumerable. He has seen in his 
 township the old rickety stage coach rele- 
 gated into retirement by the palatial cars 
 of the aggressive railroads, and the mail- 
 carrier's weekly or semi-weekly visits meta- 
 morphosed into the modern mail of three 
 or four deliveries and collections every day 
 in the week; not to speak of the advent of 
 the magic-like universal telegraph and 
 telephone, which had their birth within 
 comparatively recent years. 
 
 fiDWIN PvOBSON, a representative 
 and prosperous agriculturist of Car- 
 I lisle township, is a native of York- 
 shire, England, born in 1839. 
 Our subject is a son of Edward and 
 Ann (Tran) Rol)son, of the same place, 
 who in 1843 came to the United States 
 and made a settlement in Eaton township, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio, where they are yet liv- 
 ing. They were the parents of a large 
 family, as under: Emma, who married 
 Seth C. Felt, and died in Huron county; 
 Edwin, snbject of this sketch; Mary Jane, 
 who died unmarried; James, deceased in 
 childhood; David, deceased when young; 
 Henry, also deceased when young; Will- 
 iam, deceased in Grafton township, Lorain 
 county; John, married, residing in Graf- 
 ton; and Lizzie, wife of Charles Johnson, 
 of Grafton township. 
 
 Edwin Robson was, as will be seen, four 
 years old when he came to Lorain county 
 with his parents, and at the common 
 schools of Eaton township he received a 
 liberal education, in the meantime work- 
 ing on his father's farm. He now owns a 
 line property of 225 acres in a good state 
 of cultivation. On November 14, 1866, 
 he was married, in Oberlin, Russia town- 
 ship, to Miss Ann Johnson, a native of 
 same, daughter of James and Mary (At- 
 kinson) Jolmson, who were early pioneers 
 of Lorain county, coming here in 1826; 
 
 the father died in Elyria in 1888, the 
 mother in Cleveland in 1864. To them 
 children as follows were born: Jane, wife 
 of Leroy Rogers, of Henry county, Ohio; 
 Elizabeth, widow of John Bucher, of Ely- 
 ria; Thomas, who died during the Civil 
 war, in Lexington, Ky. ; Ann, Mrs. Rob- 
 son; John, a resident of Eaton township; 
 James, deceased at the age of eighteen; 
 George, married, living in Elyria; Mary 
 Ellen, wife of M. A. Pounds, of Elyria; 
 and Mary and "William, both deceased in 
 infancy. To Mr. and Mrs. Robson have 
 been born seven children, to wit: Charles 
 Edmund, James Edward. Adalbert John- 
 son, Mary Louise, Thomas Putnam, Thad- 
 deus Warren and Leroy Walter. Our 
 subject and wife ai-e meml)ers of the M. E. 
 Church at LaPorte. In politics he is a 
 Republican, and has been a member of the 
 school board, of which he is now a director 
 in his district. 
 
 yj 
 
 \ Jf WIGHT, owner of a fertile farm 
 
 '^H in Eaton township, where he has 
 
 1[ resided for nearly threescore years, 
 
 is a native of New York State, 
 
 born in St. Lawrence county on 
 
 Christmas Day, 1821. 
 
 He is a son of Reuben and Susannaii 
 (Van Buren) Wight, the mother a native 
 of New York. The father was born in 
 Oxford, Worcester Co., Mass.. and in 1794 
 moved to Herkimer county, N. Y., with 
 his father, John Wight, who was born 
 November 2, 1752, and married Betsy 
 Robinson, born in 1765, and died in 1S58. 
 They had a family of children, of whom 
 the following is a brief record: Uzziali 
 was horn in 1781, and died in 17S4; 
 Abner died in St. Lawrence county, N. Y,; 
 Jason was born in 1785, died January 20, 
 1835; Reuben was the father of our sub- 
 ject; Abigail died in New York State in 
 1849; Betsy died young; John died in 
 New York State in 1863; Alvin, a car- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 907 
 
 penter and builder, came to Lorain county, 
 Ohio, in lS35,and died in Ottawa county, 
 Oiiio, Jaiiuarj' 1, 1857; Harvey died in 
 Green county, Wis., in 1876. 
 
 Reuben AViirlit was reared and educated 
 in New York State, and was married in 
 what is now Fulton county, same State, 
 July 14:, 1814. In 1834 the family came 
 to Ohio, arriving August 9 in Cleveland, 
 but settling at Kockport, in the same 
 county, where the father died of cholera 
 same year. He served in the war of 
 1812, and after his death his widow en- 
 joyed a pension. In 1836 the widowed 
 mother, with her children, came to Lorain 
 county, making her final home in Eaton 
 township, where she died April 21, 1882, 
 aged eighty-nine years, having been born 
 in 1793. The following is a record of the 
 children: Leonard was married in Eaton 
 township, Lorain county, and in 1858 
 moved to Gratiot county, Mich.; Almina 
 is the widow of Daniel Pearce, and resides 
 in Eaton township, Lorain county; Will- 
 iam, who became one of the early teachers 
 of Lorain county, married in Eaton town- 
 ship, and died in 1853; Segatia died in 
 Cleveland at the age of eighteen years; 
 the next in order of birth is the subject of 
 this sketch, of whom further mention will 
 presently be made; Adeline C. is the wife 
 of James Duffy, of Charlotte, Eaton Co., 
 Mich.; Julius, a widower, is a resident of 
 Eaton township, Lorain county; Reuben is 
 married, and dwells in LaGrange town- 
 ship, Lorain county; Mary S. is the wife 
 of James W. Fitch, of Milan, Erie Co., 
 Ohio; Ziel, who was an engineer, born 
 August 13, 1832, married, and on No- 
 vember 12, 1892, died in Delaware county, 
 Ohio; Rosella is the widow of John King, 
 of Clark county, Wisconsin. 
 
 H. Wight, of whom this sketch more 
 particularly relates, was reared to the age 
 of thirteen years in New York State, and 
 was there educated, his school training be- 
 ing much improved by his native ability, 
 close application to books, and general 
 study of men and things. He was remark- 
 
 ably quick at figures and geometry, and he 
 is widely known throughout northern Ohio 
 for his ability as a mathematician. In his 
 younger days he taught school in Lorain, 
 Medina and Cuyahoga counties, and then 
 embarked in agricultural pursuits. In 
 1834 he came to Ohio, and in 1836 set- 
 tled in Eaton township, where he has since 
 resided. Politically he has been a Repub- 
 lican since the organization of the party, 
 and he served as real-estate assessor in 
 1870, and on the school board several years. 
 
 Mr. 
 son 
 
 MATHI AS NUHN, one of the many 
 industrious, honest and loyal citi- 
 _ zens the Fatherland has given to 
 fj Lorain county, is a prosperous 
 
 farmer of Ridgeville township, of 
 which he has been a resident since 1845. 
 
 Nuhn was born in Germany in 1838, 
 of Peter and Anna Mary (Moss) 
 Nuhn, the father a native of France, the 
 mother of Prussia. Peter was a shoe- 
 maker by trade, at which he worked seven 
 years in Paris, France, after which for two 
 years he was coachman for Napoleon's 
 nephew. In 1824, while working at his 
 trade in Prussia, he. married. In 1845 he 
 and his wife and family emigrated to 
 America, sailing from Havre, France, the 
 voyage to New Y^ork occupying sixty-two 
 days. From there they proceeded west- 
 ward to Ohio, by way of the Hudson 
 river, Erie Canal and Lake Erie to Cleve- 
 land, and from that city by wagon to 
 Ridgeville township, Lorain county, where 
 Mr. Nuhn bought twenty-five acres of land 
 which he cleared and improved, at the 
 same time working at his trade. To this 
 first purchase of land he added forty acres, 
 and, later, twelve acres. Of the nine cliil- 
 dren of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Nuhn we give 
 record of seven children, as follows: Mary, 
 wife of Peter Donenfelcer, died in 1854; 
 Nicholas, married, resides in Ridgeville 
 township; Elizabeth is the wife of Anton 
 
908 
 
 LORAIX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Smith, of Center, Eidgeville township; 
 Hannah is the wife of John Roth, of 
 Lorain; Catlierine is the wife of Peter 
 Smith, of Avon township; Mathias is the 
 subject of tliis memoir; and Peter, married, 
 lives in Lorain. The father died March 8, 
 1874, a Democrat in politics, a member of 
 the school board and supervisor; he was 
 buried on the fiftieth anniversary of his 
 marriage; the mother was called from earth 
 in 1875. 
 
 Mathias Nuhn, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, was, as will be seen, about six 
 years old when he came to Lorain county, 
 and during his first summer his home was 
 in a barn in Stony Ridge, Ridgeville town- 
 ship, while a log house was being ei'ected 
 for the family. He i-eceived his education 
 at the common schools of the locality, and 
 learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, 
 wliich he followed exclusively up to the 
 time of the breaking; out of the Civil war; 
 he then combined farmino- with his trade, 
 and he has met with well-merited success. 
 In 1862 Mr. Nuhn enlisted in Company 
 G, One Hundred and Seventh O. V. L, 
 for three years or during the war, and his 
 regiment was assigned to the army of the 
 Potomac. At the battle of Chancellors- 
 ville he was taken prisoner, and confined 
 first in Libby, afterward in Belle Isle, 
 whence he was taken on parole to Camp 
 Annapolis, Md., and then detailed to the 
 pioneer corps that served through Ten- 
 nessee; to the close of the war he was 
 stationed at Chattanooga and Kinorston. 
 In 1865 he was discharged, at Columbus, 
 Ohio, and returned to liis home in Ridge- 
 ville township, Lorain county, where he 
 resumed the pursuits of peace. 
 
 In 1S60 Mr. Nuhn was married, in 
 Liverpool, Medina Co., Ohio, to Mary 
 Magdalene Kolb, who was born in that 
 county, daughter of Joseph and Sophia 
 (Gravensteter) Koll), natives of Germany, 
 who about the year 1838 immigrated to 
 the United States, settling in Medina 
 county, Ohio, where the father died in 
 1878, and the mother is yet living. To 
 
 this union childi-en as follows were born: 
 Rosa, the wife of Mr. Douglas, constable 
 of Lorain, has three children — Mathias, 
 Edith and Nora; Catherine, wife of Ma- 
 thias Burkhart, of Lorain, also has three 
 children — Clara, Lillian and Frank; Mary, 
 wife of Charley Perry, of Cleveland, has 
 one child; Ilannali, wife of John Alfen, of 
 Cleveland, has two children — Willie and 
 Mabel; John, married, resides in Ridge- 
 ville townsiiip; Elizabeth, a -widow, resid- 
 ing with her father, has two children — 
 Olive and Bertha; Lena; Clara; and Ma- 
 thias. Politically our subject is a Demo- 
 crat, but in township matters he votes for 
 whom he considers the best man for office, 
 regardless of party. lie has been a mem- 
 ber of the school board eighteen consecu- 
 five years, such is the confidence his con- 
 stituents repose in him, and he and his 
 wife are members of the Roman Catholic 
 Church at Ridgeville. Socially he is a 
 member of Wesley Kibby Post No. 708, 
 G. A. R., North Ridgeville, and has served 
 as assistant quarter-master two terms. He 
 is owner of nearly sixty acres of land in an 
 excellent state of cultivation, on which in 
 1888 he built his present residence — a 
 two-story frame house, 35 x 28 — also a 
 commodious barn, 56x36, and granary 
 (with workshop combined), 16 x 22 feet. 
 
 LONZO WRIGHT, a highly re- 
 spected and prosperous agriculturist 
 of Russia township, hard-working, 
 and scrupulously honest in all his 
 dealings, is a native of Essex coun- 
 ty, N. Y., born November 11, 1825. 
 
 His father, Alonzo AVright, Sr., was 
 brought up to farm life, and served for a 
 time in a woolen factory. He married 
 Philomilla Andrews, who was born in 
 Stillwater, N. Y., and children as follows 
 were born to them: Charles A., who died 
 in California; Bushnell A., a physician of 
 San Jacinto, Cal.; Alonzo, Jr., subject of 
 this memoir; Harriet, deceased in youth; 
 Sarah D., who was first married to Charles 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 909 
 
 Lyman, and is now the wife of Lewis Oz- 
 niun (tliej reside in Amherst township); 
 Laura B., who married Edwin Durand, 
 and died in Wellington, Ohio. In June, 
 1834, the family set out for Ohio, maiving 
 the trip partly by sailing vessel, partly by 
 canal to Buffalo, N. Y., and from there to 
 Black River Harbor (now Lorain), Ohio, 
 by steamer, thence to Oberlin by wagon. 
 In Russia township the father bought 
 ninety acres of land at ten dollars per 
 acre (nine hundred dollars), which amount 
 he paid in cash, part of the proceeds of his 
 farm in New York State, which he had 
 sold prior to coming west. He had pre- 
 viously visited Ohio, in order to select 
 land, got as far as Cleveland, but returned 
 east without succeeding in his purpose. 
 For some time after their settling in Rus- 
 sia township the family lived in an old log 
 cabin, till a new one was built. Here was 
 born one more daughter, Mary, who died 
 at the age of fourteen years. On this farm 
 the father passed away in 1883, having 
 been preceded to the grave by his wife in 
 1862. They lie buried in South Amherst 
 cemetery. He was a Whig and Republi- 
 can in politics, and a member of and dea- 
 con in the Congregational Church. 
 
 Alonzo Wright, the subject proper of 
 these lines, received the earlier part of his 
 education at the public schools of the vicin- 
 ity of his place of birth, and after coming 
 to Lorain county attended District school 
 No. 1, his first teacher here being Samuel 
 Rossiter. Later he attended a few terms 
 at Oberlin College. He then taught school 
 several terms, and subsequently attended 
 the Eclectic Medical College at Cincinnati 
 three years. He had previously studied 
 medicine under Dr. James Fisher, of Tif- 
 fin, Ohio; and thus it will be seen he was 
 well prepared for the arena of medicine, 
 which, however, he never entered. After 
 completing his course he returned to his 
 home, and in 1848 commenced agriculture 
 on his father's farm, which he now owns; 
 of late years he has added the cultivation 
 of small fruits to general farming. 
 
 In 1861 Mr. Wright was united in mar- 
 riage with Adelia C. Whipple, and chil- 
 dren as follows were born to them: Dong- 
 lass, deceased at the age of nine years; 
 Delia, teaching in the public schools of 
 Findlay, Ohio; Eddie, deceased in infancy; 
 Henry, farming on the home place, and 
 Jessie, still living with her parents. The 
 surviving children have all enjoyed excel- 
 lent educational opportunities. In politics 
 Mr. Wright is a stanch Republican, and 
 until the organization of that party was a 
 Whig; his wife and children are members 
 of the Congregational Church. 
 
 B. BEDORTHA, an attorney at 
 law, of Oberlin, was born May 5, 
 1854, in Russia township, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, the only child of 
 Luther and Eliza A. (Brown) Bedortha, 
 the former of whom was a native of Shef- 
 field, Mass., the latter of the city of New 
 York. 
 
 Luther Bedortha, father of subject, came 
 to Lorain county with his parent* in 1824, 
 and they made a settlement in Sheffield 
 township. He was tvvice married, first 
 time, in Sheffield township, to Miss Sarah 
 Strong, soon after which they moved to 
 Iowa, where they remained a few months 
 and then returned to Ohio, Mr. Bedortha 
 in 1852 establishing his residence on a 
 farm in Russia township, Lorain county. 
 To this first marriage were born two chil- 
 dren: B. S. Bedortha, Esq., of Bridgman, 
 Mich., and Dr. B. T. Bedortha, of London, 
 England. The mother of these died at 
 Joliet, 111., while en route on the return 
 trip to Ohio from Iowa, and on February 
 17, 1853, Luther Bedortha married Eliza 
 A. Brown, who had come to Oberlin in 
 1852; she survives him, he having died 
 December 29, 1864, at Oberlin, Ohio, to 
 which place he had removed but a short 
 time previous to his death. 
 
 W. B. Bedortha received his education 
 at the public schools of his luitive town- 
 
910 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ship, and in 1868 entered tlie office of the 
 Lorain County News, at Oherlin, where 
 he learned the printer's trade, continuing 
 iu the printing business either as employe 
 or proprietor for about ten years. In 1877 
 he commenced the study of law in the 
 office of Judge J. W. Steele, the present 
 postmaster at Oberlin, and in October, 
 1880, was adjnitted to the bar, where he at 
 once commenced the general practice of 
 his profession. 
 
 On February 8, 1881, W. B. Bedortha 
 was married to Fannie J. E. Jenney. He 
 is a Republican and a member of the Con- 
 gregational Church. 
 
 \ILLIAM RUSriNGEE. Whatever 
 may be tiie form of government 
 under which men live, it is the 
 men of opinions who rule. They 
 have circumscribed the power of kings, 
 and in representative governments they 
 are the leaders of the common people in 
 both public and private concerns. They 
 seldom till official po.sitions. Our ablest 
 statesmen have never tilled the Presidential 
 chair. It is the Utopian ideal of Demo- 
 cratic governments that broad, intelligent, 
 honest, partrician citizenship, with financial 
 independence, unfettered by official bur- 
 dens, is the goal of the best man's am- 
 bition. When this idea is adopted by our 
 educators, and thoroughly implanted in the 
 bosoms of the youth of our land — when 
 we cease to be hero worshipers, and Na- 
 poleon and Alexander become object les- 
 sons of less importance than the patrician 
 citizen, we will have taken the first great step 
 toward the millennium. As a type of the 
 character of the men foreshadowed above, 
 we introduce a brief sketch of Mr. William 
 Rininger, merchant and capitalist, of Well- 
 ington, Ohio. 
 
 Mr. Rininger descends from German 
 stock. His grandparents emigrated from 
 Germany, locating in Center county, Penn., 
 
 when the father of our snliject, Peter Rin- 
 inger, was a boy. There tlie grandjiarents 
 lived and died. Peter Rininger married 
 Miss Mary Miller, and to their union were 
 born two cliildren: William, the subject 
 of this memoir, and Eliza. The latter mar- 
 ried iu Pennsylvania, and died some years 
 since, leaving two children. Peter Rin- 
 inger died when his son William was only 
 two years of age. By the subsequent mar- 
 riage of his mother, our subject was thrown 
 upon the charities of the world when a 
 mere child. He was born April 2, 1823, 
 and at the age of eight years was given the 
 choice of remaining in Pennsylvania or 
 emigrating to Ohio with his uncle, Will- 
 iam Miller. He chose the latter expedient, 
 and thev located in Seneca county, Ohio. 
 His uncle William subsequently purchased 
 the site of the present village of Attica, 
 and laid out the plat for a town. It was 
 with this uncle that the boy William Rin- 
 inger found the only semblance of what 
 his early days knew as a home. He alter- 
 nated between work and school, and was 
 in return for his services clothed and fed. 
 His uncle entered a variety of businesses 
 liesides farming. He operated an ashery, 
 built and carried on a hotel, and finally 
 kept a general merchandise store. Com- 
 ing in contact with a variety of pursuits, 
 William Rininger familiarized himself with 
 the leading features of each, n:eanwhile 
 applying himself assiduously to mastering 
 the essential elements of an English edu- 
 cation. 
 
 Thus early thrown upon his own re- 
 sources, he learned the most important les- 
 son in life — the lesson which only those 
 strongly endowed by nature can learn — to 
 think independently, to think for himself 
 — and through life this has been his lead- 
 ing personal characteristic. All arbitrary 
 laws in religion, politics and elsewhere — 
 all theories advanced that are not based 
 upon reason and humanity — have ever ap- 
 peared to him the schemes of duplicity 
 formulated to dominate the minds of the 
 weak and the credulous. 
 
"^////z <J7/^^^'¥^'^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 913 
 
 Mr. Rininger made bis first money with 
 a paint brush. He had watched tlie painters 
 around the hotel, and took up tlie trade. 
 He worked at that business for a sahiry of 
 one dollar per day, subsequently working 
 in tbe harvest field. Saving his money he 
 went to making brick, and subsequently 
 made investments in various limited ways, 
 and each proved a success. He not only 
 made money, but saved it, and invested to 
 the best possible advantage. By making the 
 best of his opportunities, in 1844 he found 
 himself possessed of a few hundred dollars 
 in cash, which he invested in a store in 
 Attica in connection with his uncles, Will- 
 iam and Samuel Miller. From that time 
 forward he felt his success assured. He 
 remained personally in connection with 
 his business at Attica, Ohio, until 1866, 
 when he left his partner, one John Silco.x, 
 in charge there, came to Wellington with 
 a view of establishincf liimself in business 
 
 o 
 
 here, and bought the store of Charles 
 Foote. In Wellington he had a partner, 
 for about a year, William Barnard, 
 but bought out the latter's interest, and 
 has since operated his general merchandise 
 store with the assistance of clerks. He 
 still retains his interest in the store at 
 Attica. Mr. Eininger's practice in buying 
 has been to purchase for cash, although he 
 has constantly had to tide customers over 
 hard periods, as his books will show. He 
 is generally recognized as a just but lenient 
 creditor. 
 
 Mr. Rininger was formerly a Repub- 
 lican, but says: " When that party diverged 
 from its original principles," he did not 
 follow it. He believes in principles and 
 in men, but not in party dominance. He 
 is not a church member, being an indepen- 
 dent thinker in this as in all other matters; 
 but he is philanthropic in its broadest'sense, 
 believing that to be just and humane is 
 the highest condition of consciousness. 
 
 During the years that have passed, Mr. 
 Rinincrer has been an intelligent witness 
 of the greatest political and commercial 
 changes the country has ever experienced, 
 
 and is one of the soundest and best versed 
 men in its financial history and conditions 
 that can be found. 
 
 Although his life has been one of inde- 
 fatigable work and constant application to 
 business, and he has always had the cour- 
 age of his convictions and e.xpressed his 
 opinions freely, it is not in pul)lic but 
 within the domestic circle of his home — 
 with his family gathei'ed around his 
 hearth-stone — that Mr. Rininger has felt 
 the cup of life most nearly full. He was 
 married, September 9, 1844, to Miss Eliza 
 J. King, who was born in Scipio, Cayuga 
 Co., N. Y., April 2, 1820. By this mar- 
 riage there are five daughters and one son, 
 viz.: Lillian, wife of Edward Phelps, now 
 of Scranton, Iowa (they have five children: 
 Mabel, Edna,Homer, Raymond and Hazel) ; 
 Delphene, wife of J. L. Smith, of Dela- 
 ware, Oiiio (they have three children: 
 Ward, William R. and Louise); Natella, 
 wife of William C. Miller, of Gallipolis, 
 Ohio, now at Cincinnati (they have one 
 son, Frank); Augusta, at home; Frank, 
 who died at the age of fourteen years: and 
 Celestia A., who died at the age of one 
 year. 
 
 Mr. Rininger is a representative self- 
 made man, his life bearing testimony to 
 what it is possible to accomplish with will- 
 ing heart and hands, steadfast integrity 
 and honest toil. In brief, he started in 
 life penniless; to-day he commands the 
 highest quotation in Dunn's Commercial 
 Agency of any individual merchant in the 
 State of Ohio. 
 
 J 
 
 Joseph WESBECHER, a member 
 of the prosperous firm of Wesbecher 
 & Co., dealers in hardware. North 
 Amherst, is a native of Germany. 
 He was born February 25, 1852,. in Mug- 
 ensturm. Duchy of Baden, the seventh in 
 a family of eight children born to Aloysius 
 and Matta (Melcher) Wesbecher, who were 
 also natives of Mugenstnrm, Baden, Ger- 
 
914 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 many, where tliey were reared and married; 
 the father was a farmer, and died in the 
 Fatherland; the mother is yet living. Of 
 their family three sons came to America: 
 John, now in Botkins, Ohio; George, a 
 resident of Greensburgh, Penn., and Jo- 
 seph, our subject. 
 
 Josepli Wesbeclier was educated in his 
 native land, and, not wishing to enter the 
 Gei-man army, in 1869 came to America. 
 He learned the tinner's trade, and after 
 working at different places for three years, 
 came, in 1872, to North Amherst, Ohio, 
 where he continued to work at his trade 
 until 1876, when he embarked in the 
 hardware business on his own account; the 
 style of the firm was Cook & Wesbecher 
 until 1880, since which time it has been 
 Wesbecher & Co. Mr. Wesbecher was 
 married November 28, 1878, in North 
 Amherst, toMiss Matilda C. Plato, and they 
 have had five children: Henry, Edd, Carl, 
 Leo and Frank. Politically our subject is 
 a stanch Democrat, and in reliction he is a 
 member of the Catholic Church. He aives 
 his entire attention to his business, and by 
 industry and perseverance has succeeded 
 in building up a good trade. 
 
 TOMPKINS, a well-known, highly 
 respected agriculturist of Eaton 
 township, has been a resident of 
 same for over sixty years. He was 
 born in 1833 in Tompkins county, N. Y., 
 son of Samuel and Betsy (Tellis) Tomp- 
 kins, natives of Pennsylvania, who were 
 reared and married in Newfield, Tompkins 
 county, N. Y. In 1833 they came with 
 their family to Eaton township, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, where they opened up a farm. 
 The father died many years before the 
 mother, who passed away in 1885. They 
 reared a family of four children, namely: 
 John, married, who settled near his parents; 
 Natlianiel, married, who resides in Eaton 
 township; S. Tompkins, subject of this 
 memoir; and 'Mary, wife of Joseph Dew- 
 hurst, of Eaton township. 
 
 The subject of tliis sketch was reared 
 and educated in Eaton township, and has 
 always followed agricultural pursuits. He 
 owns a highly cultivated farm of eighty- 
 four acres. Mr. Tompkins was married 
 in Eaton township, to Miss Sarah Jane 
 Bassett, a native of same, and to this union 
 have come six children: Otis; Charley, 
 married, residiiigin Eaton township; Ellen, 
 wife of Bird Farr, residing in Amherst 
 township (they have two children); Fred,. 
 Ira and Ida, all three residing at home. la 
 politics Mr. Tompkins is a member of the 
 Democratic party. 
 
 APTAIN THOMAS WILFORD, a 
 
 well-known lake captain and prom- 
 inent citizen of Lorain, has been 
 identified with sailing interests on the 
 Lakes for the past thirty-four years, and is 
 still ill active demand. His father, Joseph 
 Wilford, a nati veof Northampton8hire,Eng- 
 land, married Mary Ellen Griffin, also a 
 native of that county, and they had a family 
 of ten children, of whom Thomas was the 
 eighth in order of birth. They came to 
 America, locating in North Amherst, Lo- 
 rain Co., Ohio, where the father followed 
 farming, which was his life vocation. He 
 died at the age of fifty-three; his widow 
 passed away when aged seventy-three. 
 
 Thonias Wilford was born June 21, 
 1841, in Northamptonshire, England, and 
 remained in his native country until twelve 
 years of age, when he came with his par- 
 ents to North Amherst. He received his 
 education in the common schools, and for 
 two years afterward worked on a farm. He 
 began life on the Lakes as a common sail- 
 or, and then became mate, from which 
 position he was promoted to captain. He 
 was master of sailing vessels for eight 
 years, first of the schooner " Exile," and 
 next serving for two years on the steamer 
 "John M. Osborne."' In 1884 the latter 
 collided with the steamer " Aberta," in 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 915 
 
 Lake Superior, and went down in five 
 minutes, three of the crew being lost; and 
 it was only due to Capt. "Wilford's prompt- 
 itude, in ordering tlie "Alierta" to keep 
 forward and not pull off, that any of the 
 passengers were saved. He had on board 
 his wife, his two little cirls, and a young 
 lady friend from Ashtabula, Ohio, and lie 
 succeeded in saving liis wife, the two little 
 girls being rescued by the mate. Capt. 
 Wilford spent part of the next season in 
 superintending the building of tlie steamer 
 " J. II. Devereaux," which he commanded 
 for five years, and next superintended the 
 building of the steamer -'J. H. Wade," 
 which he commanded for two years. He 
 afterward had charge of tlie Iniilding of 
 the steamer " Samuel Mitchell," of which 
 he is still in command. 
 
 Capt. Wilford was married December 
 29, 1870, in Lorain, to Miss Fannie Gill- 
 more, a native of that place, daughter of 
 Alanson Gillinore, and they have had two 
 children: Cora E., wife of Charles F. Bar- 
 tenfeld, and F. Adelaide, who died of ty- 
 phoid fever May 28, 1893, aged sixteen 
 years two months and seven days. In po- 
 litics our subject is a Republican, and 
 socially he is a member of the Royal Ar- 
 canum and also of tlie Ship Masters Asso- 
 ciation. He has been a resident of Lorain 
 since 1861. 
 
 f^- 
 
 A. DEMING, a highly respected 
 citizen of Camden, now retired 
 |[ from active public life, is a native of 
 Washington, Berkshire Co., Mass., 
 born June 27, 1822. He is the 
 youngest in the family of nine children of 
 Absalom and Sarah (Fames) Deming, the 
 former of whom was a native of Connecti- 
 cut, and a farmer by occupation. His par- 
 ents were both of Puritan stock, he being 
 able, on his father's side, to trace ids an- 
 cestry back to John Deming, Esq., who 
 was active in the early settlement of Hart- 
 ford, Conn. Upon his mother!s side iiis 
 
 lineage runs back, by direct line, to George 
 William Bradford, who came over in tlie 
 " Mayflower," hence he was of pure English 
 extraction. 
 
 Our subject received his elementary 
 education at the public schools of his early 
 day, after which he attended an academj' at 
 AVestfield, Mass., and in this way prepared 
 himself for teaching, which lie followed 
 for sixteen terras in his native State. He 
 was reared on his father's farm, and well 
 trained to agricultural pursuits. When lie 
 had attained his majority (18-13) his father 
 died, and young Deming took charge of 
 the home place, renting the portion belong- 
 ing to the other heirs, and here remained 
 until 1855, when he removed to Hinsdale, 
 Berkshire Co., Mass., where he bought a 
 farm and continued in agricultural pur- 
 suits. Finding his health failing at the 
 end of one year, he gave up the farm, and 
 entered a dry-goods store in Hinsdale, as 
 a clerk and bookkeeper, but after a time 
 he embarked, for his own account, in the 
 flour and feed business. Abandoning this, 
 he accepted the position of bookkeeper 
 in a furniture factory. In December, 1809, 
 he moved to Mattoon, 111., and bought 
 property, and here he formed a partner- 
 ship with his brother as loan agents, in 
 which they continued till September, 1882, 
 when our subject came to Oberlin, Ohio, 
 in order that his adopted daughter might 
 enjoy the best of school advantages. 
 While living here, in retirement, he spent 
 one winter in Florida, and while a resi- 
 dent of Illinois passed a winter in Mary- 
 land. In 1889 he came to Kipton, a 
 village in Camden township, Lorain county, 
 where he has since made his home. 
 
 Mr. Deming has been twice married, 
 first time December 4, 1850, to Isabel 
 Miliken, born March 80, 1827, in Hins- 
 dale, Mass., a daughter of Robert Miliken. 
 This wife died in Oberlin, Ohio. January 
 25, 1886, and on April 3, 1889, Mr. Dem^ 
 ing was united in marriage with Miss 
 Carrie Rowland, born in Rochester, Lo- 
 rain county, a daughter of Samuel W. and 
 
916 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Harmony (Blair) Rowland. Mr. Deming 
 has an adopted daughter, Carrie B., born 
 July 3, 1864, now 5Irs. E. E. Hopkins, of 
 Lorain, Ohio. Politically our subject was 
 originally a Whig, then a Republican, and 
 finally a Prohibitionist. At the age of 
 twenty-three years he was a member of 
 the school board at Washington, Mass., on 
 which he served ten years; at twenty- five 
 he was elected assessor, overseer of the 
 poor and select man of the town during 
 his residence in Washington. While a 
 citizen of Hinsdale he served on the school 
 board thirteen years continuously, as as- 
 sessor si.x years, and treasurer of the town 
 three years. During his stay in Mattooii, 
 111., he was a member of the city council 
 four years, and of the school board three 
 years; and he took a leading part in or- 
 ganizing the First Congregational Church, 
 in which lie was an active Deacon for ten 
 years. Mr. Deming has been a great 
 reader in his day, is well posted and pos- 
 sessed of sound judgment, is very popular 
 and is universally respected. 
 
 CHARLES LI. IIOETON. This gen- 
 tleman, the widely-known inventor 
 and manufacturer, and formerly 
 superintendent of the Wellington 
 (Brick) Machine Co., of Wellington, is a 
 native of the State of New York, born 
 April 25, 1845, in Holley, Orleans county, 
 a son of Chauncey and Nancy (Masten) 
 Horton. The father was born in the New 
 England States, and died while our sub- 
 ject was young; the mother passed from 
 earth in Rochester, Lorain county. Our 
 subject's maternal grandfather and grand- 
 mother were of French and Yankee birth, 
 respectively; his father's grandfather served 
 in the Revolutionary war. 
 
 C. H. Horton was reared on a farm to 
 the age of sixteen years, receiving during 
 the winter months a liberal education at 
 the common schools, chiefly in Hunting- 
 
 ton township, Lorain Co., Ohio, whither 
 he had come when nine years old. Later 
 he removed to Ripley, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 where, in October, 1861, he enlisted in 
 Company D, Fifty-fifth O. V. I. (for three 
 years service, or during the war), which 
 regiment was sent first to West Virginia, 
 and afterward assigned to the army of the 
 Potomac, Eleven til Army Corps. It par- 
 ticipated in the battles of Bull Run, Cedar 
 Mountain, Cliaiicellorsville and Gettys- 
 burg, after which it was transferred to the 
 army of the West. Mr. Horton was in 
 the battles of Chattanooga and Buzzard's 
 Roost, and was severely wounded at Resaca, 
 but recovering i-apidly rejoined his com- 
 pany, and was with Sherman on his march 
 to the sea. He participated, in all, in 
 twenty-eight engagements, chiefly in the 
 rank of sergeant, to which he was promoted 
 soon after his enlistment. At the close of 
 the war his regiment took part in the 
 Grand Review at Washington, D. C, 
 where, in July, 1865, he received his dis- 
 charge, having been in the service about 
 four years. He returned home and for a 
 time lived in Rochester, Lorain county, 
 and then came to Wellington, which has 
 since been iiis place of residence. Mr. 
 Horton is an inventor of considerable re- 
 pute, and his first invention was a thresh- 
 ing machine which had a self-reo-isterinu: 
 grain measure. This patent he sohl, and 
 the machine was afterward manufactured 
 and sold very extensively. He then had 
 the sale of threshing machines and en- 
 gines for several years till becoming a 
 member of the Wellington Machine Co. 
 He is tiie inventor of the " Monarch Brick 
 Machine," which is made of iron, its 
 capacity being six thousand bricks per 
 hour, and is the chief article turned out by 
 the Wellington Machine Company, of 
 whose shops Mr. Horton was superinten- 
 dent from the organization of the com'- 
 pany until July 1, 1893, when he sold his 
 interest therein. 
 
 On November 8, 1877, our subject was 
 married to Miss Amelia Callin, daughter 
 
m 
 
 
 1 
 
 «^^ 
 
 
 r^f 
 
 i 
 
 ^"^IB^K^ ^^"^^ 
 
 
 " 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 919 
 
 of James and Many Callin, of Monroe- 
 ville, Ohio. Politically he is a Republican, 
 socially a Knight Templar, and a memiier 
 of Hamlin Tost, G. A. R., AVellington. lie 
 lias been a member of the city council since 
 the spring of 1893, at which time he was 
 elected. In 1889 he built a fine block in 
 Wellington, north side of Mechanic street. 
 
 GW. HARRINGTON, a leading 
 farmer of Columbia township, is a 
 ^^ ' native of same, born February 29, 
 1848, a son of Elisha and Jane Har- 
 rington, of Vermont birth, who in an early 
 day migrated to Lorain county, Ohio, set- 
 tling in Columbia township. They died 
 here on their farm, the mother in 1858, 
 the father in January, 1884; he dealt con- 
 siderably iti live stock, was a Republican 
 in politics, and served as trustee of his 
 township. They had a family of six chil- 
 dren, as follows: George (deceased when 
 three years old), Hiram (who resides with 
 his brother, C. W.), C. W., Wallace (mar- 
 ried, living in Columbia township), Julia 
 (who died unmarried) and Sarah (who also 
 died unmarried). The grandfather of sub- 
 ject had fourteen sons and two daughters. 
 C. W. Hari-ington received a liberal 
 school training in his native township, and 
 attended an educational institute in Cleve- 
 land one term. Brought up to agricul- 
 tural pursuits, he has made farming his 
 life Work, and is now the owner of ninety- 
 four and three- fourths acres of well-cul- 
 tivated land in Columbia township, on 
 which he settled in iStiS. He has con- 
 siderably improved the property, erecting 
 a coinfortal)le residence, etc. In December, 
 1867, Mr. Harrington married Miss Susan 
 Maria Heath, born in Elyria, Ohio, daugh- 
 ter of William and Mary (Green) Heath, 
 natives of Vermont, and who mijrrated 
 westward to Ohio, settling in Columbia 
 township, Lorain county, where they are 
 yet residing. To Mr. and Mrs. Harring- 
 
 ton have been born seven children — four 
 sons and three daughters — as follows: 
 Wallace W., who died at the age of two 
 months and fourteen days; AVillie E., who 
 resides in Chicago; Bertha G., who died 
 when two years and six months old ; Afton 
 B., deceased when two months old; Eva 
 M., married to Charles Putt, and has one 
 child, Mamie; Julia Frances, who died 
 when fourteen years and six months old 
 (she united with the M. E. Church when 
 nine years old, and was a faithful worker 
 for the Lord at the time of her death; she 
 was an alto singer in the choir from the 
 time she was nine years old up to her 
 death); and Warren C, who resides at 
 home. Politically our subject is a Re- 
 publican, and he is a member of the Bap- 
 tist Church, his wife of the M. E. Church. 
 They are rearing an adopted child named 
 Lester Leon Lockwood. 
 
 GH. SNOW, county surveyor of 
 Lorain county, is a native of Lorain 
 ^^' county, Ohio, born in the town of 
 
 Avon, September 22, 1848. 
 His father, Edwin Snow, was born 
 in Portage county, Ohio, and was there 
 married to Miss Julia Lewis, a native of 
 New York State. They became settlers 
 of Lorain county, where the father fol- 
 lowed agricultural pursuits, ownino- a 
 farm of 400 acres, 200 of which he cleared 
 with his own hands. This was in Avon 
 township, and one of the roads there, still 
 knoivn as " Snow's road," was named after 
 him. Edwin Snow was a leading farmer, 
 enjoying the respect and esteem of the en- 
 tire community. He died in 1886, at the 
 age of seventy-seven years. In his politi- 
 cal preferences he was a Republican. His 
 widow is still living in Elyria, now aged 
 seventy-four years. 
 
 C. H. Snow, who is the third of five 
 children born to Edwin and Julia Snow, 
 received a liberal education, in part at the 
 
920 
 
 LOEAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 common schools of his native town, and in 
 part at Oberlin College. His scliool days 
 over, he went to Cleveland, Ohio, and 
 there spent one year in civil engineering 
 work. Returning to Lorain county, he mar- 
 ried, May 24, 1880, Miss Mary Sweet, 
 and settled down to agricultural pursuits, 
 which he followed several years, at inter- 
 vals working at his profession. In this 
 he continued from 1874 till about 1886, 
 in June of wliich latter year he was ap- 
 pointed, without any solicitation on his 
 part, county siirveyor of Lorain county, 
 was elected in the following fall on the 
 Eepublican ticket, and is now serving his 
 second term. He still operates his farm, 
 although attending closely to his profes- 
 sional duties. Since 1887 he has, by 
 special appointment, been serving as civil 
 engineer for the city of Elyria. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Snow have been 
 born two children: Franklin and Bricena. 
 The family are members of the M. E. 
 Church. 
 
 IfffENEY SPICER, one of the well- 
 fsH known old residents of LaGrange 
 I 1 township, was born January 4, 1829, 
 J) in Lancashire, England. 
 
 He is the sou of Richard and 
 Harriet (Upton) Spicer, the former of 
 whom was a teamster, and drove in his 
 day the usual six-horse team. Their 
 children were named as follows: Alfred, 
 Thomas, Jesse, Henry, Mary and Harriet, 
 of whom Alfred and Thomas now reside 
 in Charlotte, Mich.; Jesse is in Iowa; 
 Mary is the deceased wife of Jesse Con- 
 over; and Harriet is the deceased wife of 
 Sheldon Seares, who was her second hus- 
 band (she was lirst married, in England, to 
 John Pickwood). In 1832 Richard Spicer 
 came to the LTnited States (bringing our 
 subject but not the entire family), landing 
 at New York, and thence proceeding by 
 I'iver, canal and lake to Cleveland, Ohio, 
 from which city he came to Lorain county, 
 
 locating east of tlie center of Ridgeville 
 township. By that time he had only a 
 small sum of money left, and he rented 
 land and earned his livelihood by thresh- 
 ing (in the old-fashioned way), in which 
 line he was quite expert, being able to 
 thresh ten bushels of grain and clean up 
 after it in one day, a feat at that time 
 looked upon as almost phenomenal. Later 
 he removed to Butternut Ridge, _where he 
 resided some time, and then lived for a 
 while at Grafton Station, Grafton town- 
 ship, moving thence to Carlisle township, 
 where he bought fifty acres of land, then 
 all in the woods. He removed his family 
 thereon, but after cleariug it and making 
 some improvements lie sold the tract and 
 invested in land in the northern part of 
 LaGrange township, on which a vast 
 amount of clearing also had to be done. 
 He was a hard-working, industrious man, 
 and though beginning life poor he owned 
 at the time of his death one hundred acres 
 of land, all accumulated by his own untir- 
 ing efforts. He and his wife both died on 
 the farm in LaGrange. 
 
 Henry Spicer was but three years old 
 when brought by his parents to the United 
 States and Ohio, where he received his edu- 
 cation in the common schools of the day. 
 He could attend even these for only a short 
 period, however, as his eyes became 
 affected, which compelled him to abandon 
 study. He was reared to farm life, and 
 during his boyhood he frequently saw wild 
 animals — bears, deer, wolves, turkeys, etc., 
 which were then still abundant in the 
 region — in the clearings on the farm. He 
 remained on the home place until his 
 marriage, January 8, 1850, to Lucinda P. 
 Hastings, who was born in Jefferson 
 county, N. Y., daughter of Otis Hastings, 
 a pioneer of LaGrange township. At this 
 time Mr. Spicer's circumstances were 
 somewhat limited. Locating in one of the 
 wildest portions of LaGrange township, he 
 purchased a tract at eight dollai's per acre, 
 being obliged to go into debt for the land, 
 which was heavily timbered and difficult 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 921 
 
 to clear. He next removed to Henrietta 
 township, where he afterward sold out at a 
 protit, and in 1870 came to his present 
 farm, in LaGrange township, then com- 
 prising 111 acres, part of which he has 
 since sold, having now eighty-six acres. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Spicer have had the follow- 
 ing cliildren: llichard, who died after 
 reaching adult age; Elbridge, a farmer of 
 LaGrange township; Perry, also a farmer 
 of LaGrange; Harriet, now Mrs. Lewis 
 Curtice, of LaGrange; and Carrie, Mrs. O. 
 Nichols, of Lorain. In politics, Mr. 
 Spicer was a Democrat until 1890, since 
 when lie has been a Kepublican. In re- 
 ligious connection he is a member of the 
 Baptist Church. For seventeen years he 
 has conducted a threshing business, and he 
 is unusually well acquainted in his section. 
 He is a much respected member of his 
 community, and fully merits the esteem 
 and regard in which he is held l)y his 
 fellow citizens. From a start of compara- 
 tively nothing he has made a success in 
 life, reared his family well, and now enjoys 
 a comfortable competence. 
 
 j^OBEET SALISBUEY, a typical 
 / self-made man, and one of the lead- 
 
 ing agriculturists of Grafton town- 
 ship, is an Englishman by birth, 
 born near Hull, Yorkshire, July 7, 
 1821, a son of Joseph and Mary (Graspy) 
 Salisbury. They had three children born 
 in England, viz.: Robert, subject of sketch; 
 Hannah, now Mrs. John Dunn, of ISTe- 
 braska; and Graspy, who died at the age 
 of five years, and is buried in Belden 
 cemetery. 
 
 In 1827 the family took passage in a 
 sailing vessel from Hull for the New 
 World, and after a voyage of six weeks 
 and tiiree days they landed at New York. 
 From there they proceeded by river, canal 
 and lake to Cleveland, Ohio, thence to 
 Grafton township, Lorain county, by 
 
 wagon, the driver being a man who had 
 come from Spencer, Medina county. The 
 father of our subject had borrowed ten 
 dollars from a companion on the voyage, 
 and this was expended in bringing tiie 
 family to Grafton. One John Langdon, a 
 friend of Mr. Salisbury, had previously 
 located in the township, and the latter was 
 on that account the more resolved to come 
 here, although wliile at Cleveland he re- 
 ceived some inducement to stay there, be- 
 ing offered not only work, but also land at 
 four dollars per acre, which, however, he 
 declined for the reason stated. On their 
 arrival in Grafton the family were in 
 needy circumstances, but Mr. Jonathan 
 Rawson,with whom they staid over night, 
 supplied them with provisions enough to 
 last them two or three days. At last Mr. 
 Salisbury secured work as a farm hand, 
 working for Judge Wells for twenty acres 
 of laud, which he afterward tiaded; then 
 bought and sold, each time to advantage, 
 until he and his son, our subject, found 
 themselves possessors of 218 acres. After 
 coming to the United States two more 
 children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph 
 Salisbury, as follows: Betsey, now Mrs. 
 Nelson Knowles, of LaGrange, Lorain 
 county; and Miney, now Mrs. Alonzo 
 Eyan, also of LaGrange. The father died 
 in 1869, the mother on February 15, 1881, 
 and they are buried in tlie cemetery at 
 East LaGrange. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was six years 
 old when the family came to the United 
 States, and he well remembers crossing 
 the ocean, and of being corrected by the 
 captain of the ship for climbing the rig- 
 ging. In Grafton township he attended 
 tiie first schoolhouse built there, a very 
 primitive one, constructed of logs and 
 rudely furnished. He was reared to farm- 
 ing, and has made it his life work, for a 
 considerable time he and his father work- 
 ing together, clearing land in various 
 places; he also learned the trade of cooper, 
 and has followed it in connection with 
 agricultural pursuits. At the age of ninei- 
 
922 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 teen he met with an accident, from the re- 
 sult of wliicli lie has since suffered nut a 
 little. One night he was coon-bunting, 
 and having climbed a tree after cue of the 
 animals, he lost his hold, falling to the 
 ground, a distance of thirty-eight feet, and 
 through this mishap be became the first 
 patient of Dr. G. C. Underbill, in Grafton 
 or LaGrange township. 
 
 On September 19, 1857, Mr. Salisbury 
 was united in marriage, by Elder Nesbit, 
 with Miss Nancy L. McKenzie, a native 
 of Grafton, Ohio, and three children were 
 born to them, as follows: Charles F., mar- 
 shal of Grafton; Franklin G., deceased at 
 the age of three years; and a son that died 
 in infancy, unnamed. After marriage our 
 subject continued to reside on the home 
 place, which is situated on the northwest 
 corner of Grafton township, and bis parents 
 passed their declining years with him. At 
 one time be owned 235 acres of land, but 
 having given away and sold some, he has 
 now 168 acres left, besides three residences 
 in the village of Grafton. A Republican 
 in polities, he is a stanch member of the 
 party. He and his wife have been members 
 for twenty-seven years of the Congrega- 
 tional Church, in which be has held vari- 
 ous offices. 
 
 djOHN HOWK, one of the most prom- 
 inent and affiuent of Lorain county's 
 ' retired agriculturists, is a native of 
 New York State, born in Chenango 
 county December 13, 1820. 
 
 David Ilowk, father of subject, was born 
 in Lee township, Berkshire county, Mass., 
 of Holland- Dutch descent, his father hav- 
 ing come from that land of pure butter 
 and cheese and variegated flowers to 
 America in an early day, settling in Lee 
 township, above referred to. Grandfather 
 Howk brought his wife with him, and in 
 their new home in tlie New World they 
 reared four sons and four daughters. The 
 grandfather died at the age of sixty-two 
 
 years. His son, David, married Miss Pol- 
 lie Bradley, a native of the same place, and 
 they had 'six children, as follows: Clara 
 (who died in infancy), Eli B. (who died in 
 February, 1884), Hiram H., John, David, 
 and Mary (who died in 1884). After mar- 
 i-iage David Howk moved to New York 
 State, locating near Oxford, in Chenango 
 county, and there resided till July 15, 
 1834, when the family came to Welling- 
 ton township, Lorain Co., Ohio, making 
 the trip by canal and lake to Cleveland, 
 thence by wagons to their destination. 
 They were pioneers in the literal sense, for 
 they had to hew their way in the woods, 
 and found no neighbor less than two and 
 one-half miles distant, excepting wolves, 
 bears, panthers and many other wild ani- 
 mals. Here the father died in 1853 aged 
 sixty-eight years, the mother in 1872 at 
 the advanced age of eighty-one; they were 
 members of the M. E. Church, and in poli- 
 tics he was a Whig. 
 
 John Howk, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, was fourteen years old when be 
 came to Lorain county, with the rest of the 
 family, and nobly did bis share toward the 
 clearing up of the wild woods. After bis 
 marriage be settled on a farm in Welling- 
 ton township, which now comprises 236 
 acres of prime land. On September 27, 
 1849, he was married to Miss Esther A. 
 Baird, born April 11, 1825, a daughter of 
 Bidwell and Sophia (Cheney) Baird, who 
 were natives of Massachusetts, the father 
 born in Berkshire county in 1796, and died 
 November 28, 1876; the mother born in 
 1801, and died August 21, 1891. They 
 came to Ohio in 1832, settling in Well- 
 ington township, Lorain county. They 
 were the parents of ten ohildren, viz.: 
 Kendal W., Esther A., Catiierine S., 
 Robert H., Sylvester B. (deceased), Al- 
 inena A., Albert E. (deceased), LucindaE., 
 Adelaide P., and Abram P. (deceased). 
 
 The children born to our subject and wife 
 were as follows: Addie M., wife of H. O. 
 Barber (they have three children: Jessie 
 Bell, Clara May and John L.); Hattie, in 
 
^IVii': 
 
 c^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 925 
 
 the auditor's office, Cincinnati, Oliio; and 
 Mary Ella, Emma A., Willie Perry and 
 Freddie E., all four deceased. Politically 
 our subject was first a Whicr, then a Re- 
 yiublican,and since S. J. Tilden ran for the 
 Presidential chair he has been a Democrat. 
 He has been a member of Congressional 
 conventions, also senatorial comnjittees, 
 and served as trustee of his township nine 
 consecutive years, part of the time during 
 the Civil war. In church matters he is a 
 member of the M. E. Church. For the 
 past twelve years Mr. Howk has lived a re- 
 tired life in the town of Wellington, hon- 
 ored and respected by all. 
 
 [[[[ E. CLARK, who was born May 
 
 I'H 15, 1846, in Pittsfield township, 
 
 I If Lorain Co., Ohio, was a grandson 
 
 ■^ of Nathan Clark, who was one of 
 
 the tirst two settlers in LaGrange 
 
 township. 
 
 JoTiathan L. Clark, son of Nathan, was 
 born in Jefferson county, N. Y., and when 
 eight years old came with his parents to 
 LaGrange township, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 where he was reared to farm life. He mar- 
 ried Rlioda Dale, a native of Vermont, 
 and they became the parents of four chil- 
 dren, viz.: Julia, who died at the age of 
 twenty-two years; H. E.; Carrie, Mrs. 
 Richard Gibbins, of Pittsfield township, 
 and John G., an attorney of Kansas City, 
 Mo. The father of this family was a Re- 
 publican in politics. He died in 1877, 
 and was buried in Pittsfield cemetery. 
 His widow is still living at an advanced age. 
 
 H. E. Clark I'cceived a common -school 
 education, in the same district where his 
 children now attend school, and resided at 
 home until his marriage. On March 28, 
 1873, he was wedded to Miss Mary Rogers, 
 who was born April 2s, 1S42, in Pittsfield 
 township, daughter of Edward and Ann 
 (Bailey) Rogers; the latter were the par- 
 ents of three children — one son and two 
 
 48 
 
 daughters — and came to Lorain county, 
 Ohio, from Cornwall, England. After 
 marriage Mr. Clark settled on the present 
 farm, where he was principally occupied in 
 general farming and dairying; he also 
 took considerable interest in stock raising, 
 and was formerly engaged in breeding 
 fancy poultry, Oxford -Down registered 
 sheep, Ayrshire cattle (registered) and 
 Poland-China hogs, having experimented 
 with various strains, all eligible to record. 
 He also raised fine dogs — Scotch collies, 
 Newfoundland dogs and English pugs — 
 as well as ferrets, sending his stock to all 
 parts of the United States and Mexico. He 
 owned four imported horses, one Percheron 
 and one Norman stallion (French coach 
 stallions), and two mares. The farm now 
 comprises 253 acres, and the stock enter- 
 prises netted him no small amount of 
 clear annual profit. In addition to general 
 farming he carried on a creamery of his 
 own, having regular customers who bought 
 the products of the same. His extensive 
 business was built up entirely by himself, 
 and his fair, honest dealing, business-like 
 methods, and complete practical knowl- 
 edge of the business were important fac- 
 tors in his success. To Mr. and Mrs. 
 Clark had been born four children: 
 Rhoda A., Carrie M., Edward L., and Ro- 
 sclla M. (who died when five years old). 
 Mr. Clark died July 21, 1893, a member 
 of the Methodist Church, as is also his 
 widow. 
 
 fr^ J. BRAMAN, a well-known and 
 I J. popular citizen of Lorain, is a native 
 >^l of Lorain county, born in 1839, a 
 ^ son of Daniel and Belinda (Fal- 
 coner) Braman, the father a native 
 of Massachusetts, the mother of Pennsyl- 
 vania. In an early day the parents came 
 to Lorain county, Ohio, but in 1851 they 
 migiated to Allamakee county, Iowa, so- 
 journing there until 1856, in which year 
 they moved to Jackson county. Wis., 
 
926 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 where tliey passed the rest of their days in 
 farming pursuits. The father died in 
 1883, the mother in 1891; he was a Demo- 
 crat, and took some interest in politics. 
 
 G. J. Jjraman was reared and educated 
 in Lorain county, and at the age of twelve 
 years moved with his parents to Iowa, 
 where in 1852 he carried the chain on a 
 survey locating the boundary line of Iowa 
 and Minnesota. In 1857 he located at 
 Red Wing, Minn., and was a pilot on the 
 Mississippi river until 1860, when he re- 
 turned to Lorain county, and again at- 
 tended school, also followine the trade of 
 carpenter. In May, 1861. he enlisted in 
 Company K, Twenty-third O. V. I., for 
 three years or during the war, serving un- 
 der Col. K. B. (afterward General) Hayes, 
 assigned to the Eastern army. He was 
 first under lire September 10, 1861, at Car- 
 nifex Ferry, and participated in the bat- 
 tles of Sewell Mountain, Cotton Mountain 
 (Va.), and Newberne (K. C); after that 
 he was assigned to the army of the Poto- 
 mac, and was in the battles of Fairfax 
 Courthouse, South Mountain, and Antie- 
 tam ; he was then ordered to the Kanawha. 
 While in the army of the Potomac, be was 
 detailed in charge of transportations. Mr. 
 Braman was honorably discharged at Co- 
 lumbus, Ohio, in July, 1864, and returned 
 to Lorain county, Ohio, where he remained 
 till 1873, in that year moving to Michi- 
 gan. For a time he was engaged as su- 
 perintendent of a bridge gang in Texas, 
 but in 1SS2 he again came to Lorain 
 county, making his home in Lorain, and 
 was engaged on the C. L. & W. for some 
 time. Mr. Braman has been a member of 
 the Lorain police force since 1889. and 
 constable since 1890. 
 
 On December 25, 1864, Mr. Braman 
 was united in marriage, at Grafton, Ohio, 
 with Miss Belle M. Crittenden, also a na- 
 tive of Lorain county, daughter of William 
 H. and Clara (Arnold) Crittenden, of 
 Massachusetts, who became early settlers 
 of Lorain county. To this union was 
 born one daughter, Rena Belle, now 
 
 the wife of William H. Ault, of Lorain 
 county. Mr. Braman is a Republican, 
 and takes an active interest in politics; 
 in 18S8 lie served as a member of the 
 town council. He is a member of the Q. 
 A. Giilmore Post, G. A. R., Lorain, and 
 of the K. O. T. M. 
 
 F. CARTER, proprietor of a flour- 
 ishing hardware establishment in 
 Oberlin, one of the leading business 
 houses in that line in Lorain county, 
 is a native of New York State, born in 
 Cattaraugus county in 1838. 
 
 Thomas Carter, his father, was a native 
 of Connecticut, and when he was a child 
 his parents, also natives of the "Nutmeg 
 State," came to Onondaga county, N. Y., 
 from there moving to the western part of 
 the same State. The father, who was a 
 tanner and shoemaker, died at the patri- 
 archal age of eighty-three years. In 1854 
 Thomas Carter and his family came to Lo- 
 rain county, Ohio, settling on a farm in 
 Russia township. By trade he was a tan- 
 ner and shoemaker, but after comina to 
 Ohio lie followed farming exclusively. An 
 Old-line Whig in his younger days, he 
 has, since the organization of the party, 
 been a stanch Republican. His wife, 
 Abi (Hotchkiss), died in 1864, the mother 
 of six children. He now lives with a 
 daughter at Riceville, Penn., at the great 
 age of ninety-five years. 
 
 O. F. Carter, whose name introduces 
 this biographical sketch, is fourth in order 
 of birth in his father's family. His school 
 training was received in part in his native 
 county, and in part at Oberliti, Ohio. He 
 remained on his father's farm, assisting 
 thereon until his mother's death, after 
 which he .bought the old homestead and 
 cultivated same till 1866, when he sold 
 out Hud returned to Cattaraugus county, 
 N. Y. Here, in Ranc^olph township, he 
 embarked in the hardware business with a 
 
LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 927 
 
 brother, but some little time afterward re- 
 turned to Lorain county and opene<l in 
 Oberlin liis present hardware store, the 
 style of the firm being, tirst — '' Carter, 
 Franks & Co.," and, for the past four 
 years — " Carter & Huckus." 
 
 In 1860 our subject was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Emily M. Brown, and one 
 child, Carrie J., was born to them; she is 
 the wife of Elmer M. Kice, of Riceville, 
 Penn., and has one child, named Robert 
 Hughes. Politically Mr. Carter is an 
 active Republican, and has been a regular 
 delegate to State and county conventions 
 for several years. Socially he is a mem- 
 ber of the Royal Arcanum and Knights of 
 Honor. In church relationship he is a 
 Congregatio n all St. 
 
 dlOHN" DAGUE, a lifelong farmer and 
 a highly respected citizen of Penfield 
 _^' township, is a native of Ohio, born 
 November 16, 1820, in Milton town- 
 ship, Wayne county, son of Frederick 
 Dague. Michael Dague, grandfather of 
 our subject, was of German extraction. 
 
 Frederick Dagne, father of John Dague, 
 was a native of Washington county, Penn., 
 where he was married to Catherine Harsh, 
 also born in Washington county, daughter 
 of Henry Harsh, and in 1820 the young 
 couple migrated westward to Ohio. The 
 road were very rough, but they canie in a 
 wagon, and located in Wayue county, then 
 a very wild section, where wild animals — 
 deer, bears, wolves, etc. — abounded. Here 
 Mr. Dague purchased 160 acres of land, all 
 heavily timbered and without improve- 
 ments of any sort, erecting thereon a rude 
 cabin, with puncheon floor, stick chimney, 
 etc. He had a family of eight children, 
 one of whom died in Pennsylvania, and six 
 of whom still survive, viz.: Frederick, 
 John, Henry, Levi, Sarah and Ann. The 
 father of these passed his remaining years 
 on the pioneer farm in Wayne county, liv- 
 
 ing to see the transformation of bis prop- 
 erty from the primeval forest to a fertile 
 farm. Much hard labor was necessarily 
 involved in accomplishing this, but he was 
 assisted in the work by his family, every 
 member of which worked with a will to 
 secure a home, and at the time of his 
 death the property was worth several thou- 
 sand dollars. He made many substantial 
 improvements thereon in the way of build- 
 ings, putting up a fine barn and outbuild- 
 ings, also a handsome brick residence, and 
 was progressive in every way. He acquired 
 and retained universal respect and esteem, 
 and instilled into the minds of his children 
 those sterling principles so characteristic 
 of his life, and now so apparent in theirs. 
 He lived to a ripe old age. Mrs. Cather- 
 ine Dague died July 12, 1834, and Mr. 
 Dagne subsequently married Margaret 
 Baker, who had come from Maryland; 
 there were no children by this union. 
 
 John Dague received in his youth a 
 meager training in the common schools of 
 that early day, his attendance being re- 
 stricted to five days during one winter 
 term. From early boyhood he engaged in 
 the arduous duties of farm life, and re- 
 mained at home until reaching his ma- 
 jority, assisting in the clearing of the pio- 
 neer farm, where he labored zealously to 
 help his father secure a home. On Jan- 
 uary 20, 1842, he was united in marriage 
 with Miss Barbara Waltner, who was born 
 in December, 1816, in Adams county, 
 Penn., daughter of Jacob and Sarah 
 (Bowser) Waltner, who came by wagon to 
 Ohio in 1834, the family, which then con- 
 sisted of three daughters, walking the 
 greater part of the way to Milton town- 
 ship. Wayne county, where they located. 
 For nine years after their marriage Mr. 
 and Mrs. Dague rented land, and he worked 
 for fifty cents a day, clearing land for 
 others, laboring from sunrise to sunset, 
 his wife helping all the while. In Feb- 
 ruary, 1852, they came to Penfield town- 
 ship, purchasing 102 acres at five dollars 
 per acre, and there made their home in a 
 
928 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 lop; liouse, the walls of which were so open 
 that the snow blew through the cracks. 
 Children as follows were born to them: 
 Mary, who died at the age of thirty-one 
 years, unmarried; Sarah, Mrs. Alfred 
 Bronse, of Penfield; Margaret, Mrs. Har- 
 vey Bronse, of Pentield; Jacob, a farmer, 
 deceased; Hattie, Mrs. Robert Davidson, 
 of Wellington, Ohio; Fred, a farmer of 
 Penfield; John, also a farmer of Penfield; 
 and William, a farmer of Spencer, Medina 
 Co., Ohio. About twenty-five years ago 
 Mr. Dague lost almost entirely the use of 
 his arm, but his ciiildren have taken hold 
 of the manual labor, and the affairs of the 
 farm have progressed finely. At one time 
 he owned over 200 acres of land, and now, 
 after having started his children in life, he 
 has an excellent farm and a most beauti- 
 ful home, and enjoys a comfortable com- 
 petence. His noble wife deserves no small 
 amount of credit for the part she has 
 taken, and now, though over seventy-seven 
 years of age, she is still in the enjoyment 
 of remarkably good health. Mr. Dague 
 is extremely fond of his home, seldom 
 leaving it for more than a day at a time. 
 He is a self-made man in every respect, 
 and from small beginnings has made a 
 complete success, having acquired during 
 his business career an enviable record for 
 fair, honest dealing. In politics he sym- 
 pathizes with the Democratic party, and 
 in religious connection he and his wife are 
 members of the German Baptist Church. 
 
 Co., 
 
 'HARLES A. FOWLER was the 
 eldest son of Charles and Eliza (Ba- 
 ker) Fowler, and was born January 
 28, 1834, in Chestertown, Warren 
 N. Y. (w^here he spent his boyhood 
 days), a very picturesque village situated a 
 short distance from the Adirondack Moun- 
 tains. 
 
 Here during his leisure hours he roamed 
 at will down through the deep glens or 
 over the rugged mountains. After having 
 
 graduated at the high school, and receiv- 
 ing a thorough business education, he en- 
 tered his father's mercantile establishment, 
 where he became familiar with tlie practi- 
 cal works of a merchant. About the year 
 1854 he came to Ohio to look after an ex- 
 tensive land estate in the townships of 
 Grafton and Eaton, Lorain county. This 
 estate was purchased from Jonathan Raw- 
 son, it being a large tract of land situated 
 on both sides of Black river, and covered 
 nearly all the territory on which the pres- 
 ent prosperous village of Grafton Station 
 now stands. After remaining in Grafton for 
 a short time, Mr. Fowler went to Michi- 
 gan and engaged in the mercantile busi- 
 ness, but in about one year returned to 
 Grafton to take care of the property there, 
 which was deeded to him by his father. 
 He spent his time in general farming, 
 stock raising and so forth. There was a 
 sawmill on the premises which he operated 
 until the year 1862, when it was carried 
 away by a flood, after which he devoted 
 his spare time to local politics, and filled 
 some of the most important offices of the 
 place with great credit; was mayor of 
 Grafton one term, and is still quoted as 
 the honest and business-like mayor. Po- 
 litically he was a Democrat. While he was 
 very outspoken, he was very kind-hearted, 
 generous and charitable to a fault. In 
 1891 he rebuilt his home, which now ranks 
 among the finest in northern Ohio. Mr. 
 Fowler died December 30, 1891, in La- 
 Grange, from injuries received while step- 
 ping from a moving train. His remains 
 rest in the cemetery in Elyria, in a vault 
 erected by his wife at an enormous ex- 
 pense, it being the finest in Lorain county. 
 The business part of the community feel 
 the loss of a good councilor and citizen, 
 and the poor mourn him as a benefactor. 
 On February 15, 1857, in the city of 
 Adrian, Micii., Charles A. Fowler was 
 iinited in marriage with Miss Mary J. 
 Hendee, who was born April 6, 1835, in 
 Spencer, Medina Co., Ohio, a daughter of 
 James and Anna (Hoover) Hendee, early 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 929 
 
 settlers in Medina county, formerly resi- 
 dents of Monroe county, N. Y. Mr. Hen- 
 dee was a lifelong farmer, a man of 
 moilerate means. He had a family of 
 eiglit children, of whom five at this date 
 are yet living. Mrs. Fowler is a lady of 
 sound judgment, and manages her farm of 
 140 acres in a manner that well exempli- 
 fies her innate lousiness sagacity and acu- 
 men. Her residence is one of the finest 
 in the county, and is elegantly fnrnisiied, 
 all its surroundings giving evidence of the 
 exquisite taste and refinement of its owner. 
 
 Fl( LFEEl) FAUYER, ex-commissioner 
 l/\\ of Lorain county, and retired agri- 
 lP^ cuiturist, is a native of the county, 
 •fj born in Eaton township in the year 
 1835. 
 In his boyhood and early youth Mr. 
 Fauver attended the common schools, and 
 learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, 
 at which he was working when the war of 
 the Rebellion broke out. He was the first 
 to volunteer into the service of the Union 
 from Eaton township, enlisting in the 
 Eighth O. V. I., whicli regiment was sent 
 to Camp Dennison from Cleveland, and 
 there being no accommodation prepared 
 for tliem the men had to bivouac in a field 
 among the snow and mud; in consequence 
 of such exposure our subject was seized 
 with pneumonia, but did not leave the 
 service. The regiment then proceeded to 
 West Virginia, to guard the Baltimore & 
 Ohio Railroad, and participated in the 
 battle of Winchester, where Mr. Fauver 
 received a musket-ball and three buckshot 
 in the leg, which wounds necessitated his 
 confinement in hospital at Winchester for 
 some time. Returning home when con- 
 valescent, he was honorably discharged 
 from the service August 19, 1862. He 
 then settled down to agricultural pursuits 
 in Eaton township, which he carried on 
 successfully till 1891, in which year he re- 
 
 tired from active life, and took up his resi- 
 dence in Oberlin, in order the better to 
 educate iiis children. 
 
 On October 24, 1863, Mr. Fauver mar- 
 ried Miss Elizabeth King, of Eaton town- 
 ship, Lorain county, by which union there 
 are six children — five sons and one daugh- 
 ter, as follows: Lester A., graduate of a 
 civil engineering school, and now city en- 
 gineer of Lorain; Louis 13., attending Ober- 
 lin College; Clayton K., in college; Edwin 
 and Edgar (twins), both in high school at 
 Oberlin; and Mabel. In politics Mr. Fau- 
 ver is a stalwart member of the Republi- 
 can party, and in 1884 was elected county 
 commissioner, in which incumbency he 
 served nine years and one month. He has 
 been active in the interests of the county 
 in many ways, and was a member of the 
 
 fuberuatorial convention that nominated 
 'oster for governor of Ohio. He assisted 
 in tiie organization of the First National 
 Bank of Lorain, and is one of its directors; 
 he is also a stockholder in the Savings 
 Bank of Elyria. 
 
 ^ILLIAM H. SAXTON, one of the 
 most prominent and influential 
 of the prospei-ous agriculturists of 
 Russia township, was born Octo- 
 ber 28, 1827, in Jefferson county, N. Y., 
 a son of Elisha Saxton, also a native of 
 New York State. 
 
 The father of our subject married Miss 
 Ardelia Cottrel, of the State of New York, 
 and they then settled in the vicinity of 
 where he was reared. He had served in 
 the capacity of coachman (rising to that 
 position from one of day laborer) for 
 Joseph Bonaparte, a heavy landowner and 
 prominent man, who at the time of his 
 death gave each of his employes fifty acres 
 of land, Elisha Saxton Ijeing one of the 
 beneficiaries. This he commenced farm- 
 ing on, but it was new land and proved to 
 be not worth much, and later he moved to 
 Otsego county, same State, to a town then 
 
930 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY. OHIO. 
 
 called Butternuts. Thence he proceeded 
 to Jefferson county, locating for a time in 
 Denmark, and from there the family came 
 in 1835 to Ohio, by way of the Erie Canal 
 from Syracuse to Buffalo, thence by boat 
 to Huron, Ohio, from which place they 
 were conveyed by wagon to Richland 
 county, where they sojourned a month or 
 two. From that county they moved to 
 LaG range township, Lorain county, where 
 Mr. Saxton bought for cash seventy-five 
 acres at about five dollars per acre. Here 
 be lived for some years, at the end of 
 which time he removed to Wellington 
 township, same county, whence after a 
 time he returned to La Grange town- 
 ship, where he died in July, 1863; 
 his widow passed from earth in 1870, in 
 Ohio, at the home of her son ISTelson. They 
 are buried side by side in Pittsfield town- 
 ship, Lorain county. He was a successful 
 hard-working farmer, and by industry and 
 frugality accumulated a comfortable com- 
 petence. Politically he was a Democrat 
 until the Anti-slavery movement, when he 
 turned Abolitionist; he held various offices 
 of trust in his township. When he lirst 
 came to Ohio he was a Baptist, but later 
 became an adherent of the Universalist 
 faith, remaining so to the close of his life. 
 The children bcrn to him prior to his re- 
 moval to Ohio were as follows: Elzina, 
 who married Hiram Jones, and died in 
 LaGrange township, Lorain county; Will- 
 iam II., subject of this sketch; Daniel, who 
 died soon after coming to Ohio; Xelson, a 
 minister of the Universalist faith, who died 
 in 1890; and Emily, who married Cyrus 
 Batchelor, and died in LaGrange town- 
 ship. Those born in Ohio are Albert D., 
 now a resident of Eaton Rapids, Mich.; 
 and John, a farmer of Deerfield, Michigan. 
 William H. Saxton, the subject proper 
 of this sketch, received his education at 
 the subscription school of LaGrange town- 
 ship, which was held in an old log cabin, 
 with slab seats, puncheon floor and greased 
 paper for windows in lieu of glass, the first 
 teacher being Lura Cross. Here our sub- 
 
 ject drank of the "Pierian Spring" dur- 
 ing the winter months until lie was eigh- 
 teen years old, working on the fRrm in the 
 summer season. He lived at home till he 
 was twenty-one years old, when he pur- 
 chased a piece of land containing fifty 
 acres, price three hundred and fifty dol- 
 lars, paying one hundred dollars down, and 
 in a few years by hard labor and judicious 
 economy he was enabled to pay for it in 
 full. He built thereon a log cabin, al- 
 most entirely with his own hands, the 
 chimney being made of mud and sticks, 
 and an old "hard-head boulder" consti- 
 tuted the back of the fireplace. 
 
 In May, 1849, Mr. Saxton was married 
 to Mary Allyn, a native of Connecticut, 
 born in June, 1824, daughter of Matthew 
 Allyn, and they commenced their wedded 
 life in the humble log house iust described. 
 The first road, in those parts, between 
 Cleveland and Toledo, came near their 
 home, and so they kept boarders, which 
 helped Mr. Saxton toward paying for his 
 farm; and he also sold cross ties from the 
 land he was clearing. This property of 
 originally fifty acres he has from time to 
 time added to, and he now owns in all 
 over 700 acres — some in Ohio, some in 
 Michigan and some in Iowa. For five 
 years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
 Saxton lived in the old log cabin, and then 
 moved into a frame house. Their children 
 were born as follows: Clara, Mrs. Raphael 
 Rogers, of Cleveland, Ohio; Judson, a 
 farmer of Humboldt county, Iowa; Will- 
 iam, a farmer of LaGrange township, Lo- 
 rain county; Arthur, of Cleveland, Ohio; 
 and Edith, Mrs. M. Mason, of Oberlin, 
 Ohio. 
 
 Mr. Saxton has been a great reader in 
 his day, and has a very retentive memory 
 for everything he finds of use from books. » 
 He also takes a deep interest in various 
 branches of industry, and has been a patron 
 of all the leading industrial Expositions 
 held in the United States for the past 
 twenty-five years, including the Centennial 
 at Philadelphia, the New Orleans Exposi- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 931 
 
 tion, the World's Fair at Chicago, etc. la 
 1889 he and his wife made a trip to the 
 Pacific Slope, visiting among other places 
 San Francisco and San Diego, Cal., and 
 Seattle, Wash.; they also traveled through 
 the New England States, visiting his wife's 
 place of birth. In the summer of 1892 
 lie visited the Western States, proceeding 
 as far north as Alaska, and traveling 
 through various parts of that new Terri- 
 tory. In his political preferences Mr. 
 Saxton was a Republican up to the time 
 of Horace Greeley's campaign, since when 
 lie has been a Prohibitionist. 
 
 QH. ARNET, retired, who enjoys the 
 , record of being one of the most 
 painstaking and successful farmers of 
 ,L Russia town.-^hip, a shrewd manager 
 and sound financier, is a native of 
 Western New York, born July 17, 1827, 
 in Jerusalem township, in the lake country. 
 James S. Arnet, father of subject, was 
 born November 26, 17SB, and about theyear 
 1835 came to Ohio, locating in Hartland 
 township, Huron county, in the pioneer 
 days of that locality. After, some years 
 residence there he moved to Illinois, but 
 returning to Ohio he passed tiie rest of his 
 days among his children. He died in 
 Townsend township, Huron county, in Oc- 
 tober, 1868, and w-as buried at Hartland 
 Ridge by the side of his second wife. Po- 
 litically he was for several years a Whig, 
 afterward, on the organization of the party, 
 a steadfast Republican. He had been twice 
 married, first time September 11, 1804, to 
 Julia Terry, who was born March 81, 
 1785, and died when her son G. PL, our 
 subject, was two months old. Mr. Arnet 
 then removed to Sheffield township, War- 
 j-en Co., Peim., where, on August 12, 
 1830, he married Rebecca Shipman, who 
 died in Hartland townsiiip, Huron county. 
 G. H. Arnet, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, beinc l)ut an infant when his 
 mother died, was brought up by his sister 
 
 Caroline, and attended the subscription 
 schools of the period. At about the age 
 of twenty-one he began fo work out for 
 himself, with a lumber company (four 
 years) and in sawmills, etc., in Huron and 
 Lorain counties. On December 28, 1854, 
 Mr. Arnet was married to Elizabeth West, 
 who was born September 7, 1831, in Gen- 
 eva, N. Y., and in 1^41 came to Welling- 
 ton township, Lorain county, with her 
 parents, Horace and Susan (Weiser) West. 
 Tlie children born to this union are Mel- 
 vin D., born Octolier 13, 1859, a farmer 
 in Russia township; Helen S., born March 
 17, 1803, married to Manasses Baker, of 
 Oberlin, Ohio; and George W., who died 
 young. 
 
 Prior to his marriage our subject had 
 bought on credit 121 acres of wild land at 
 eight dollars per acre, where he is yet liv- 
 ing, and this he has improved and from 
 time to time added to until he now has 180 
 acres of as good farming land as can be 
 found in the county. For some years he 
 has lived retired from active life, his son, 
 Melvin D., iiaving charge of tiie place; but 
 he can not remain idle, for at all times he 
 is to be seen doing light work of one kind 
 or another about the premises. He has a 
 bright, pleasant home, where he and his 
 estimable wife are quietly and comfortably 
 passing the declining years of their lives. 
 Politically Mr. Arnet is a stanch Republi- 
 can, formerly an Old-line Whig. 
 
 T[ f[ G. HUSTED, senior member of the 
 pH well-known firm of H. G. and D. S. 
 I 1| Husted, dentists, in Oberlin, is a 
 J) worthy representative of one of the 
 
 earliest pioneer families. Plis grand- 
 father, Samuel Husted, came in a very early 
 day from Danbury, Conn., and erected tlie 
 first flour mill in the county. Hoyt Husted, 
 father of subject, was born in Danbury, 
 Conn., and learned the milling business, 
 which he followed for many years in Clarks- 
 field township, Huron Co., Ohio. For his 
 
93'J 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 first wife he married Sarah Gray, a native 
 . of New York State, who came with her 
 parents to Ohio fn 1825, settling in Clarks- 
 lield, Huron county. His second wife, 
 Anna C. Stone, was born in Connecticut, 
 and removed witli her parents to Clarks- 
 iield when but a child. 
 
 H. G. Husted, son of Hoyt and Sarah 
 (Gray) Hiisted, was born April (5, 1851, in 
 Clarksfield township, Huron Co., Ohio, 
 and was reared to farm life, receiving his 
 primary education in the common schools. 
 For three and one-half years he studied 
 dentistry under a pi'eceptor, in Norwalk, 
 and since September, 1878. he has resided 
 in Oberlin, where he has built up a good 
 practice. Mr. Husted was united in mar- 
 riage, November 11, 1879, in Norwalk, 
 Huron county, with Miss Alberta Jackson, 
 a native of Norwalk, and to this union 
 have been born three children: Walter, 
 Clara and Hubert. Politically our subject 
 is an active member of the Republican 
 party, and has served two terms as mem- 
 ber of the town council. In religious faith 
 he is an adherent of the Congregational 
 Church. He is a member of the Northern 
 Ohio Dental Association. 
 
 D 
 
 I\ 8. HUSTED, junior member of the 
 ll well-known dentist firm, in Oberlin. 
 
 of H. G. and D. S. Husted, is de- 
 scended from an early pioneer family 
 of this section. His grandfather, Samuel 
 Husted, came in a very early day from 
 Danbury, Conn., and erected the first flour 
 mill in the county. Hoyt Husted, father 
 of subject, was born in Danbury, Conn., 
 and learned the miller's trade, which he 
 followed for many years in Clarksfield 
 township, Huron Co., Ohio. For his first 
 wife he married Sarah Gray, a native of 
 New York State, who came with her par- 
 ents to Ohio in 1S25, settling in Clarks- 
 field, Huron county. His second wife, 
 Anna C. Stone, was a native of Connec- 
 ticut, and came to Clarksfield with her 
 parents when but a child. 
 
 D. S. Husted, son of Hoyt and AnnaC. 
 (Stone) Husted, was born March 17, 1861, 
 in Clarksfield township, Huron county, 
 where he was reared, and where he received 
 his primary education at the common 
 schools. In 1885 he was graduated from 
 the Dental Department of the University 
 of Michigan, and commenced the practice 
 of his profession at Troy, Miami Co., Ohio, 
 where he remained for some time. Later 
 he formed a partnership with his brother, 
 H. G. Husted, and they are now conduct- 
 ing an extensive practice in Oberlin. The 
 Doctor was manied, April 25, 1889, to 
 Miss Lizzie Hurlburt, of Oberlin, Ohio, 
 and they have had two children, namely: 
 Howard and Edith. Politically Mr. 
 Husted is a Prohibition-Republican, and 
 in religion he is an adherent of the M. E. 
 Church. He is a member of the Northern 
 Ohio Dental Association. 
 
 'jtNx AVID BURKE is one of the most 
 I I prominent representative agricul- 
 H J! tui'ists of Lorain county, his resi- 
 dence being on Butternut Ridge, 
 Eaton township. 
 
 He is a native of New York State, born 
 in 1827, in the town of De Kalb, a son 
 of David and Isabella (McUwe) Burke, the 
 former of whom, a native of Londonderry, 
 Ireland, when a young man sailed from 
 Belfast for this country, and after his ar- 
 rival proceeded to De Kalb, N. Y., where 
 he married, and his children were born. 
 From there in March, 1834, the family 
 came to Lorain county, Ohio, settling in 
 Ridgeville township, where the father 
 opened up a farm, subsequently purchas- 
 ing the Alcott property in the same town- 
 ship. He died in August, 1875, his wife 
 having preceded him to the grave in 1872. 
 They reared a family of seven children, all 
 of whom are yet living, as follows: Samuel 
 Burke, married, residing in Indiana; Mat- 
 thew Burke, married, living in Chicago; 
 Judge Stevenson Burke, of Cleveland; 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 935 
 
 David Burke, the subject proper of this 
 memoir; Mary J., wife of Henry Smith, 
 of Ohusted Falls, Ohio; James Burke, 
 married, a resident of Ridgeville township, 
 Lorain county; and K chel, wife of Henry 
 Marsh, of Summit county, Colorado. 
 
 David Burke received his education at 
 the common schools of Ridgeville town- 
 ship, Lorain county, whither he had come 
 with his parents when seven years old. In 
 early life he went on the lakes, lirst as fire- 
 man on a steam vessel, in course of time be- 
 ing promoted to engineer, remaining in all 
 nine years, during " the cholera year,'' 
 working on the Sandusky line. On leav- 
 ing the lakes, he came to Eaton township, 
 and bought six acres of wild land, to 
 which he added from time to time until he 
 now owns 360 acres in Eaton township, 
 and fifty in Ridgeville township. All his 
 property he has greatly improved, and the 
 barn he built — 86 x 46 feet — 24 foot posts 
 — has a capacity of 200 tons of hay, with 
 basement for cattle and horses. In addition 
 to general farining operations, Mr. Burke 
 trades considerably in horses, matching 
 teams, and so forth. 
 
 In 1850 he was married in Ridgeville 
 township to Miss Hannah Kemp, who was 
 born in Kenninghall, England, daughter 
 of Robert and Hannah (CoUey) Kemp, also 
 natives of England, who came to America 
 and, in 1830, made a permanent settle- 
 ment in Ridgeville township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Burke have been 
 born two children: Albert (married), on 
 his father's farm, and Lyman, attending 
 school in Elyria. In his political predilec- 
 tions our subject is a Republican. 
 
 DANIEL Al 
 upright cit 
 is a native 
 
 AUBLE, a widely respected, 
 itizenof Pentield township, 
 ve of the State of Ohio, born 
 July 6, 1828, near Greentown, Stark 
 county. His father, Christopher Aublo, 
 was born in Pennsylvania, and his grand- 
 father, Conrad Auble, was a native of 
 Germany. 
 
 Christopher Auble was reared to farm 
 life, was married in Pennsylvania to Miss 
 Mary Crumbaugh, also born in that State, 
 of German parentage, and in an early day 
 they came west to Stark county, Ohio, 
 where they resided for some years. In 1829 
 they moved to Wadsworth township, Me- 
 dina county, where he purchased 160 acres, 
 all in the woods, erected a small log house, 
 and immediately set to work clearing the 
 land, where he made his home for many 
 years. In their later life, after their chil- 
 dren had all married, Mr. and Mrs. Auble 
 removed to Spencer township, Medina 
 county, where he passed from earth at the 
 age of eighty-two years, she at the age of 
 ninety-two, both members of the Evangeli- 
 cal Church. They now lie buried in 
 Spencer cemetery. Mr. Auble was a sol- 
 dier in the war of 1812, and drew a pen- 
 sion for his services. He was an honest, 
 industrious, hard-working farmer, who ac- 
 cumulated an ample share of this world's 
 goods, and lived to enjoy a comfortable 
 competence. He was actively interested 
 in religious work, and became a minister 
 in the Albright Church, being a naturally 
 briifht, intelligent man. His children, ten 
 in number, all became successful, well-to- 
 do citizens. 
 
 Daniel Auble was but an infant when 
 his parents removed to Medina county, 
 wiiere he was reared to mandood on the 
 home farm, receiving an education in the 
 common schools. As soon as he was old 
 enough to help, he was put to work clear- 
 ing the land, and he continued to do gen- 
 eral farm work, remaining at home until 
 reaching his majority, and turning overall 
 his earnings to his parents. On Septem- 
 ber 19, 1861, he was united in marriage 
 with Miss Ruth E. Space, who was born 
 January 10, 1848, in Spencer township, 
 daughter of Philip and Elizabeth (Benja- 
 min) Space, and they first located on a 
 rented farm in Spencer township. They 
 then rented various other places for about 
 five years, when Mr. Auble purchased a 
 small tract of land near Spencer Mills, 
 
936 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 whence in 1866 they came to Pentield 
 township, Lorain county, locating on the 
 Smith road. Here they resided for about 
 twenty-five years, and in 1891 came to the 
 present farm, which comprises one hun- 
 dred acres of excellent land. The children 
 horn to Mr. and Mrs. Anble are as fol- 
 lows: Mary E., Mrs. William Haulk, of 
 Wellington ; Alice L., Mrs. George White, 
 of Pentield; Ida J., Mrs. Frank England, 
 of Huntington; Aaron, Francis and Lucius 
 L., at home; and Christopher, deceased. 
 By hard toil and the practice of economy 
 Mr. Auble has met with encouraging suc- 
 cess in his life vocation, and though be- 
 ginning life with almost nothing, he is 
 now a well-to-do farmer citizen, highly 
 esteemed for his square, honest methods 
 in dealing with his fellow-men. In his 
 political predilections he is a stanch sup- 
 porter of the Democratic party, and in re- 
 ligious faitli he and his wife are members 
 of the Evangelical Church. 
 
 J[OHN STANG, railroad and Govern- 
 ! ment contractor, Lorain, is a native 
 ' of Germany, born February 19, 1836, 
 at Kurhassen, where he was educated, 
 and learned the trade of manufacturer of 
 broadcloth. At the age of nineteen he 
 immigrated to the United States, and after 
 landing came directly to Lorain, Ohio, 
 where he worked first in a shipyard, in 
 the meantime making himself master of 
 the English language. With characteristic 
 energy and his well-known ability he soon 
 advanced himself, and it was not long be- 
 fore he was largely interested in contract- 
 ing and building, including bridge build- 
 ing for the county, as well as for railroads, 
 in connection with which latter the first 
 bridges he contracted for wei-e on the 
 Cleveland & Akron road, and on the Nickel 
 Plate; he also constructed foundations for 
 iron bridges. Prior to this he had done 
 Government work, chiefly building piers 
 
 and breakwaters, from which he drifted, 
 in 1881, into harbor dredging. Nor did 
 Mr. Stang confine himself to contracting 
 and biiildino;, for in 1864 we find him al- 
 ready deep in the timber business, shipping 
 to New York, Buffalo and Cleveland, and 
 to Quebec (Canada) for foreign shipment; 
 and he is still interested in that line of 
 trade in Ottawa county, Ohio, where he 
 has, in connection, sawmills, stores etc. 
 Hemoreclosely confines himself to Govern- 
 ment contracts for the building of dry- 
 docks, coal-docks etc., also the raisino- of 
 sunken vessels, and other such work on the 
 lakes. 
 
 Mr. Stang has been twice married, first 
 time, in 1863, to Miss Mary Brown, by 
 whom he has four children: Christina M., 
 wife of H. Little; W. F. and John J., at- 
 tending to their father's timber interests, 
 and Lizzie, wife of P. Jackson. The 
 mother of these dying in 1875, Mr. Stang 
 married, in 1876, Miss Catherine Brown. 
 In' his political sympathies our subject is 
 a Republican; socially he is a member of 
 the Koyal Arcanum, Knights of the Mac- 
 cabees and Knights of Honor. In matters 
 of religion he is a member of the Congre- 
 gational Church. Mr. Stang's parents, 
 Augustus and Margaret (Herwig) Stang, 
 were also natives of Kurhassen, Germany, 
 where they passed their lives, and where 
 the father carried on a merchant tailoring 
 business. They were Presbyterians. Their 
 family consisted of six children — four sons 
 and two daughters — of whom the subject 
 of this sketch is fourth in order of birth. 
 
 T'HOMAS ROACH, a prosperous 
 farmer of Eaton township, is a 
 native of Northamptonshire, Eng- 
 land, born November 29, 1848, son 
 of John and Elizabeth (Ames) 
 Roach. 
 
 The parents of our subject were also 
 natives of the same county in England, 
 and in 1853 came to the United States, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 937 
 
 locating first on rented land in Amherst 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio. In 1854 the 
 family removed to Ridgevilie township, 
 and thence in 1850 to Eaton township, 
 settling on the farm where Thomas Roach 
 now resides, which at that time was hut 
 jiartly improved. The father afterward 
 resided in Carlisle township. He died in 
 1888; the mother preceded him to the 
 grave, having passed away in the fall of 
 1853, in Amherst township. They reared 
 a family of seven children, all born in 
 England, a brief record of whom is as fol- 
 lows: Mary was married in England to 
 Samnel Maddock, and now resides in De- 
 fiance county. Ohio; Joseph is married, 
 and resides in Nebraska; Ann is the wife 
 of Henry Townsend, of Carlisle township; 
 William enlisted, in 1861, m Amherst 
 township, as a member of Company K, 
 Twenty-third O. V. I., for three years, and 
 was accidentally shot and killed the same 
 year; Betsy, the wife of Henry Montague, 
 resides in Neosha county, Kans. ; Sophia 
 is the wife of Peter Watts, of Knights- 
 town, Ind.; Thomas is the subject of this 
 memoir. John Roach took an active in- 
 terest in politics, and held various local 
 offices of trust, serving as township trustee, 
 member of the school board and road 
 supervisor. In religious faith he was a 
 member of the Disciple Church. 
 
 Thomas Roach was reared in England 
 until five years of age, when he came with 
 his parents to Lorain county, Ohio. He 
 received his education in the common 
 schools of Eaton township, and has since 
 been engaged in agriculture, which lie has 
 made his life vocation. He now owns the 
 homestead farm, consisting of fifty acres 
 of good land, in a high state of cultivation. 
 In September. 1879, Mr. Roach was mar- 
 ried, in Eaton township, to Miss Jennie 
 Artress, a native of England, daughter of 
 AVilliam and Mary (Johnson) Artress, who 
 were also born in England; they came 
 from their native country to Amherst 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, removed thence 
 to Elyria, aild.from Elyria to Grafton (all 
 
 in Lorain county), finally returning to 
 Elyria, however, where Mrs. Artress still 
 resides. William Artress died in 1884. 
 Mrs. Roach died July 1, 1891, leaving one 
 daughter, Elizabeth Ann. In politics Mr. 
 Roach is a Republican. 
 
 LORENZ HORN, furniture dealer, 
 j undertaker, and postmaster at North 
 \ Amherst, was born December 23, 
 
 1839, in Hessia, Germany, a son of 
 Andrew and Sophia (Bechstein) Horn, also 
 natives of Hessia. Their parents were 
 born in France, and removed to Germany, 
 where our subject's father and mother are 
 yet living. Andrew Horn served in the 
 German army ten years, and afterward as 
 a Government employe. 
 
 Lorenz Horn left the paternal roof in 
 the Fatherland on March 23, 1S5B, and 
 after a voyage of forty-two days landed in 
 New York, whence he came to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, arriving in North Amherst 
 on June 7 following. Here he made a stop 
 of one week, and then proceeded to Louis- 
 ville, Ky., where he learned the trade of 
 shoemaker, following same until the break- 
 ing out of the war of the Rebellion, at 
 which time he enlisted in the Twenty- 
 second Regiment, Kentucky Volunteer 
 Infantry, in which he served sixteen 
 months; then enlisted in the One Hundred 
 and Twenty-eighth Regiment, O. V. I., 
 for nineteen months. He was attached to 
 the army of the Cumberland; was at the 
 siege of Charleston, and in pursuit of 
 Morgan at the time of his raid. On his 
 return to the pursuits of peace, Mr. Horn 
 followed his trade of shoemaker until 1871, 
 when he commenced in his present busi- 
 ness, which has grown to considerable pro- 
 portions, and proved very successful. 
 
 Mr. Horn was married, August 16, 
 1863, in North Amherst, to Miss Margaret 
 Ray, a lady of Scotch and German parent- 
 age, and six children — one son and five 
 
938 
 
 LOBAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 daughters — were born to them, as follows: 
 •Lucy, Emma, Catherine, Daisy, Franklin 
 G. and Pansy. The entire family are 
 members of the Congregational Church, 
 and all assist in the choir. Mr. Horn is 
 an active Republican, and has served his 
 town and county in various offices of trust, 
 such as member of the council, three 
 terms; president of the school board, three 
 years; treasurer, six years, and also clerk. 
 In July, 1887, he received the appoint- 
 ment of postmaster at North Amherst, 
 which incumbency he is yet tilling. He 
 is a member of the 1. O. O. F. and G. A. K. 
 
 I 
 
 D. HANCE, a leading native-born 
 
 farmer of Eaton township, first saw 
 
 the light December 13, 1836, a son 
 
 of Hiram and Rhoda Ann (Ames) 
 
 Hance, the former of whom was born in 
 
 New York, the latter in Massachusetts. 
 
 Hiram Hance came to Eaton township, 
 Lorain county, at the age of fourteen. On 
 January 2, 1836, he was married in Graf- 
 ton township, same county, to Rhoda Ann 
 Ames, and they at once settled on a farm, 
 his previous business having been distill- 
 ing, which he carried on for some time in 
 Newburg, Cuyahoga county. Children as 
 follows were born to this pioneer couple: 
 Ed., subject of this memoir; Grove, mar- 
 ried, residing in Eaton township; Jerome, 
 who died in Eaton township at the age of 
 twenty-seven (he attended Oberlin College, 
 and was a teacher in Lorain county ; he died 
 from over-study); Abbie, residing in Phil- 
 adelphia, Penn.; Florence, deceased April 
 7, 1883, in Eaton township; and Oscar, 
 married, residing in the township. The 
 father died January 22, 1886, aged seventy- 
 six years; the mother July 2, 1885, aged 
 sixty-five. Li politics Mr. Hance was 
 originally a Democrat, his first Republican 
 vote being cast for John C. Fremont, 
 from which time, however, he was a 
 Republican. 
 
 Jeremiah and Abbie Hance, grandpar- 
 ents of subject, wei-e natives of Holland, 
 whence in an early day they immigrated 
 to America, settling on Long Island. He 
 was a saltwater sailor for over twenty years 
 in the merchant service, and after leaving 
 the sea carried on a shoemaking business 
 in Long Island and Jersey City, in which 
 latter place he was burned out. In 1821 
 he came with his family to Eaton town- 
 ship, making a settlement in the woods, 
 where they cleared a farm. Here he died 
 in 1866, aged ninety-seven years, his wife 
 passing away in 1871. The names of the 
 children they brought with them to Ohio 
 are Riley, Hiram, Ira, Charles, Abigail, 
 Sterling, Mary (widow of Theron Jackson, 
 of Delta, Ohio), and Lloyd (married and 
 residing in Liverpool, Medina Co., Ohio). 
 Of these Hiram died January 22, 1886, 
 Ira January 25, 1886, and Abigail Jan- 
 uary 26, 1886. 
 
 Ed. Hance, the subject proper of this 
 biographical sketch, was the first white 
 child born in the southern part of Eaton 
 township. He received a limited educa- 
 tion at the district schools of the vicinity, 
 giving only seven months' attendance, but 
 experience and self application brought 
 him up to a fair standard among his con- 
 freres. His first business experience was 
 as a boatman on the Mississippi and Ohio 
 rivers, and Gulf of Mexico, after which he 
 took up general farming, and has since 
 followed same with marked ability, mak- 
 ing a specialty of stock raising. In 1864 
 he bought 130 acres of land in Eaton 
 township, on which he lias erected a com- 
 fortable residence and commodious barn, 
 and to which he has added from time to 
 time till he is now owner of 300 acres of 
 prime land in a good state of cultivation. 
 
 In September, 1864, Mr. Hance was 
 married in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, to 
 Miss Letitia Emerson, a native of sanie, 
 and daughter of Asa and Louise (Free- 
 man) Emerson, natives of Maine and Mas- 
 sachusetts, respectively, and early pioneers 
 of Cuyahoga county; Mr. ^Emerson died 
 
C.^uiMri2.n^*-^ej>^-^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 941 
 
 there June 17, 1890. To this union chil- 
 dren as follows were born: George (a 
 sailor, who was drowned November 12, 
 1886, at Avon Point), Jerome, Willfred, 
 Hubert, Lucretia and Lloyd (twins, the 
 latter of whom died at the age of three 
 years), and Anna. The mother of these 
 passed from earth March 11, 1890. She 
 was a lady of superior literary abilities, 
 and was a writer of considerable merit, 
 several of her productions appearing in 
 Washburn's paper. She was also an ex- 
 cellent judge of tine art, and served on 
 committees. On December 23, 1891, Mr. 
 Hance wedded Mrs. Lucy (Crane) Sprague, 
 widow of Charles Sprague. 
 
 In his political associations our subject 
 is a straight Republican, and has served 
 as trustee of Eaton township eleven years 
 — nine in succession. He has been one of 
 the directors of the County Association 
 twenty-two years; president of the County 
 Fair two years, where he invariably makes 
 an exhibit, and has been superintendent of 
 exhibits at Columbus. He is the possessor 
 of the largest individual collection of 
 stone-age implements in the county, and 
 has devoted considerable time to the study 
 of their use and history. 
 
 GHAELES S. FERGUSON, editor 
 and proprietor of the Lorain JVews, 
 ^' the only Democratic newspaper pub- 
 lished in that town, is a native of 
 Ohio, born in Milan, Erie county, July 15, 
 1S63, and comes in a direct line from an 
 old Scotch family. 
 
 P. M. Ferguson, his fatlier, was born 
 November 12, 1833, in Luzerne county, 
 Penn., and received his education at the 
 schools of Dallas in the same county. In 
 1S55 he came west to Ohio, and made a 
 new home in the town of Milan, Erie 
 county, where for a time he followed 
 butchering, then worked in a shipyard, 
 and afterward became a farmer. In 1887 
 
 he moved to Lorain, Lorain county, where 
 he is now engaged in the livery business. 
 In 1862 Mr. Ferguson married, at San- 
 dusky, Ohio, Miss Mary A. Smitli, and 
 three children have been born to them, 
 viz.: Charles S., Nettie M. and Ada P. 
 In politics the son of whom we write in 
 no way differs from the father, who is a 
 "true blue" Democrat. 
 
 Charles S. Ferguson received a liberal 
 education at the public schools of his na- 
 tive town, and at the University of Michi- 
 gan, Ann Arbor, three years. On his re- 
 turn home he took up the profession of 
 civil engineering and became surveyor for 
 Erie county, an incumbency he tilled from 
 1885 to 1888, ill which latter year he 
 came to Lorain, and in 1889 established 
 the tii-st and only Democratic newspaper 
 in the place. The Neios is a bright, newsy 
 weekly, and, under Mr. Ferguson's sole 
 proprietorship and editorship, it is Ijound 
 to succeed and make its mark in the arena 
 of journalism. 
 
 ock. 
 
 APT. ALEXANDER McPHAIL, 
 
 a well-known captain on the Great 
 Lakes, and a citizen of Lorain, was 
 born September 7, 1831, at Green- 
 on the Clyde, Scotland, son of 
 Alexander and Elizabeth (McKennon) ]\Ic- 
 Phail, both of whom were also natives of 
 Scotland. The father was a sailor, and 
 died in his native country in 1838, and in 
 1873 his widow came to America, locating 
 in Lorain, Lorain Co., Ohio, where she 
 died in 1889. 
 
 Alexander McPhail was reared on the 
 banks of the Clyde, and received his edu- 
 cation in the schools of his native country. 
 At the age of about fourteen he coiri- 
 menced to lead a sea-faring life, and he 
 has made sailing his life vocation. For 
 seven years he served on vessels sailing 
 from IJverpool and Glasgow to the East 
 and West Indies, and he also made a trip 
 around the world. In August, 1851, he 
 left the vessel at Montreal, and coming to 
 
942 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio, has since been identified 
 with the Great Lakes, for many years as 
 captain, sailing from Buffalo to Chicago, 
 and aloDLr the entire chain of the lakes. 
 Since 1852 he has been a resident of 
 Lorain. 
 
 On December 20, 1858, Mr. McPhail 
 was married to Miss Annie Ludlnm, a na- 
 tive of Lorain, this county, whose father, 
 Henry Ludlum, was a native of New 
 Jersey, and was a mason by trade. He 
 married Annie Howsworth, a native of 
 Germany, and they located in Kidgeville, 
 Ohio, in an early day, thence coming to 
 Lorain, where they passed the remainder 
 of their lives. To the union of Alexander 
 and Annie McPhail were born six children, 
 four of whom are now living, viz.: Frances, 
 wife of Lewis Hoffman, of Lorain; Charles, 
 an engineer, residing at home; Henry, at 
 home, and Elizabeth. The mother of these 
 children died in November, 1891. In poli- 
 tics the Captain supports the principles of 
 the Republican party, and socially he is a 
 member of the I. O. O. F. In religious 
 faith he is a member of the M. E. Church, 
 with which he has been identified since 
 1857. 
 
 DAVID A. RAWSON, one of those 
 noble old pioneers who has been 
 ' spared by the ravages of time, was 
 
 born October 12, 1819, in Grafton, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio. 
 
 The father of our subject, Grindall Raw- 
 son, was born in West Southliriduje, Mass., 
 in 1792, a son of Samuel Grindall Raw- 
 son, who was by trade a wagon-maker, and 
 from Massachusetts moved to Genesee 
 county, N. Y., whence after about one 
 year he came (in 1816) to Ohio, landing 
 first at Cleveland, then a collection of 
 huts. From there he walked to Liver- 
 pool, Medina county, thence to Grafton 
 township, Lorain county, at that time a 
 primeval wilderness, where yet roamed the 
 Indian and many a savage wild animal. 
 
 His father had traded land in Connecticut 
 for a tract in Grafton township, and his 
 sons Grindall and Jonathan selected 160 
 acres each near where the villase of Graf- 
 ton now stands, after which Grindall re- 
 turned to Genesee county, N. T., and for 
 some time made his home with one Han- 
 ford Boughton. 
 
 In 1817 Grindall Rawson once more 
 came to Ohio, and permanently located on 
 his 160 acres, bravely setting to work to 
 clear the land, erecting at first a rude log 
 cabin. Here he married Maria Ashley, a 
 native of Massachusetts, and daughter of 
 David Ashley, who came as a pioneer to 
 Grafton township, settling near the Center. 
 To this union were born children as fol- 
 lows: David A., the subject of sketch; 
 Angelo D., a farmer of Eaton township; a 
 son that died when two months old ; Henry, 
 a farmer, who died in San Diego, Cal., 
 where he had gone in search of health; 
 Rachel, Mrs. Satnuel Wilson, of AYindsor, 
 Ashtabula Co., Ohio; Adaliue, of Pres- 
 cott, Wis.; Phebe, Mrs. Cassana Lovejoy, 
 of Cleveland, and Theodore, who died 
 when a young man. Mr. Rawson followed 
 his trade in connection with farming-, and 
 was one of the leadincr men of his time. 
 
 o 
 
 When he first came to Grafton township, 
 in order to get his milling done he had to 
 go to the Tuscarawas river, a nine-days' 
 trip through the woods, and oxen were the 
 only beasts of burden. He cleared all his 
 land, which at the time of his death 
 amounted to over 300 acres, and he was 
 looked upon as a hard-working, thrifty 
 man. He died May 21, 1876, his wife 
 about two years afterward, and both lie 
 buried in Center cemetery. Politically he 
 was originally an Old-line Whig, later a 
 Republican. 
 
 David A. Rawson, whose name opens 
 this sketch, was educated at the subscrip- 
 tion schools of the period, one Samuel 
 Curtis being his first teacher, and his at- 
 tendance was limited to a few months in 
 the winter season. In January, 1845, he 
 was married to Miss Amanda M. Jadwin, 
 
LOEAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 943 
 
 a native of the State of Massachusetts, 
 daughter of Rensselaer Jadwin, who came 
 to Lorain county, Ohio, in pioneer times. 
 After inarriajre our suhject and his young 
 wife located on eighty-four acres of land 
 which he paid for out of his savings, the 
 amount being four hundred and eighty 
 dollars. Here he has since continued to 
 live, and has seen his property converted 
 from a howling wilderness into a smiling, 
 fertile farm. To him and his wife were 
 born four children, to wit: J. Henry, who 
 died when four years old; J. A., a leading 
 farmer of Grafton; Eva, Mrs. George 
 Cragin, of Grafton; and William T., who 
 died at the age of sixteen years. The 
 mother of these departed this life in May, 
 1876, a consistent member of the M. E. 
 Church. In his political preferences Mr. 
 Kawson is a stanch Republican, formerly 
 an Old-line Whig, and while not a mem- 
 ber of church, he is a Universalist in senti- 
 ment. He has always been a hard worker, 
 has managed well, and he is one of the 
 successful farmers in Grafton township. 
 
 G. COLE, prominent among the 
 successful agriculturists of Colum- 
 bia township, is a native of same, 
 born December 31. 1842, a son of 
 William A. and Electa A. (Smith) Cole. 
 
 William A. Cole was born in Connecti- 
 cut in 1816, a son of John and Bethany 
 (Cole) Cole, natives of the same State, who 
 in 1828 came with their family to Lorain 
 county, settling in Columbia township on 
 600 acres of wild land. The journey from 
 Connecticut to Cleveland w^as made by 
 water and occupied three weeks, the rest 
 of the trip being made on foot. John Cole 
 died in 1851, his wife about si.x months 
 later. A brief record of their children is 
 as follows: Constant G., who married and 
 lived in Elyria, was county surveyor for 
 nine years, and was drowned in the Black 
 river; W. G., married, resides in Ridgeville 
 
 township; William A. is spoken of further 
 on in this sketch; John resides in Colum- 
 bia township; Mary (twin sister of John), 
 who became the wife of Thomas Church- 
 wood, died in Berea, Ohio; Nathaniel N. 
 resitles in Columbia township. 
 
 W. A. Cole was twelve years old when 
 he came to Lorain county, so the greater 
 part of his education was received in Con- 
 necticut, the remainder in Columbia town- 
 ship. He is a lifelong agriculturist, and 
 he is now owner of ninety-seven acres of 
 prime land, upon which he makes his 
 home. In 1841 he was married, in Colum- 
 bia township, to Miss Electa A. Smith, a 
 native of New York, whose father was a 
 sheriff in Pennsylvania, and was killed 
 while making an arrest. Five children 
 were born to this union, viz.: S. G., sub- 
 ject proper of sketch; Ezra, residing in 
 Michigan, who is married and has seven 
 children — Mary, Stella, Dolly, Viola, Ma- 
 bel, Earl and Inez; Ora, married and re- 
 siding in Kansas, who has one son, Clar- 
 ence; Zelora, residing in Eaton township, 
 who is married and has two children, Roy 
 and Ralph: and Nettie, the wife of George 
 Allen, of Columl)ia township, who has two 
 children, Ray and Floyd. When Mr. Cole 
 first came to Columbia township, there 
 were only a few people in it, and his fam- 
 ily is now the oldest extant. He and his 
 wife have been members of the Baptist 
 Church for over fifty years. 
 
 S. G. Cole received a liberal education 
 at the schools of his native township, and 
 three years at Oberlin. He was reared to 
 agricultural pursuits, and in early man- 
 hood commenced teaching school, a voca- 
 tion he followed for twenty winters in Co- 
 lumbia township, all the time in adjoining 
 districts, his summers being occupied in 
 farming. He owned, at first, twenty-five 
 acres, which has since been added to until 
 he has now one hundred and ninety acres 
 of excellent land. On December 25, 
 1865, Mr. Cole was married, in Columbia 
 township, to Miss Lydia A. Robinson, a 
 native of Summit county, Ohio, daughter 
 
944 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 of Daniel and Julia (Wilson) Robinson — 
 he a native of New York, she of New Jer- 
 sey; in an early day they came to Summit 
 county, Ohio, where they married, after- 
 ward, in 1842, moving to Columbia town- 
 ship, Lorain county, and settling on a farm 
 where the father is yet living; tiie mother 
 died in 1874. Two children have been 
 born to Mr. and Mrs. Cole, as follows: 
 Willie D., married, and living on a farm 
 (he has one son, Leon); and George H., 
 living at home, who was married December 
 25, 1893, to Miss Jennie Longbon. A 
 Democrat in politics, our subject has 
 served his township as clerk, also as trustee 
 several terms, and he has been a justice of 
 the peace for three years. He and his 
 wife are members of the Baptist Church at 
 Columbia Center, of which he is a trustee. 
 
 dfOHN PORTER, a retired, honored 
 resident of the town of Rochester, is 
 I a native of New York State, born in 
 Montgomei-y county July 18, 1810. 
 William Porter (father of subject), also 
 a native of Montgomery county, N. Y., 
 was born July 19, 1789, a son of John 
 Porter. He (William) learned the trade 
 of fanninrr-mill maker of an uncle, Aaron 
 Porter, and this business he -worked at, 
 more or less, during the rest of his life. 
 On April 24, 1808, in Montgomery countj^ 
 N. Y., he married Dolly Smith, who was 
 born June 13, 1790, a daughter of John 
 Smith, and here their firstborn, John, the 
 subject of these lines, came into the world. 
 In 1813 this little family moved to Au- 
 relius township, Cayuga county, same 
 State, locating on a twenty-five-acie tract 
 about six miles southwest of Auburn, 
 which land William cultivated, at the same 
 time following his trade. Here the home 
 circle was increased by two more children 
 — Martha, born September 29, 1812, mar- 
 ried to Jacob Hershey in Genesee county, 
 N. Y., and died February 20, 1839, in 
 Ruggles township, Ashland Co., Ohio; and 
 
 Sanford, born June 4, 1815, who died 
 April 6, ls62, in Jasper county, Iowa. In 
 the early part of 1819 the family removed 
 to Livonia, Livingston Co., N. Y., wiiere 
 Mr. Porter bought twenty-five acres, hav- 
 ing sold his property in Cayuga county; 
 and here he labored chiefly on his farm, 
 doing but little at his trade. Another ray 
 of sunshine entered the Porter home in 
 the coming of the fourth child in the per- 
 son of Maria A., who was born April 25, 
 1819, and died August 26, 1849, in Rue- 
 gles, Ashland county. After a three-years 
 residence in Livonia the family again 
 moved, this time to Lima, same county, 
 and for a period of nine years the husband 
 and father continued at his trade, meetintr 
 with very fair success. The remainder of 
 his family were born there, to wit: Enoch, 
 born July 1, 1821, now of New London, 
 Ohio; William George, born January 15, 
 1823, who died in Ruggles, Ashland Co., 
 Ohio, February 7, 1882; and Jacob, born 
 February 16, 1825, who died November 
 20, 1857, in Ruggles, Ohio. 
 
 About the year 1830 William Porter, 
 having purchased a farm in Genesee 
 county, N. Y., removed his family thither, 
 and in the fall of 1832 they came to Ohio. 
 In the previous spring the father, together 
 with his eldest son (our subject) and a 
 brother-in-law, Jacob Hershey, had come 
 to Ohio for the purpose of looking up land. 
 To Buffalo, N. Y., the}' traveled by team, 
 thence by lake vessel to Sandusky, Ohio, 
 from which town they walked through the 
 woods to Ruggles, Huron (now in Ashland) 
 county, " blazing " their way as they went. 
 In what was then the northwest corner of 
 Ashland county, and is now the southeast 
 corner of Huron county, Mr. Porter bought 
 200 acres of the wildest of wild land — 
 a four-mile journey from the nearest gleam 
 of civilization — for which he paid two dol- 
 lars per acre. Returning to Genesee county, 
 N. 1., in the following fall, these " avant- 
 couriers " made the necessary preparations 
 to transport the entire Porter family to 
 their new Ohio home. They all made the 
 
1/ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 947 
 
 journey in a wagon, driven by William Por- 
 ter, except our subject and Mr. Ilersliey, who 
 came by water, arriving in advance of tlie rest 
 of the jjarty. The latter arrived in the sec- 
 tion of where tlieir new home was to be on 
 a certain dark night, without the slightest 
 knowledjre of their whereabouts; but find- 
 ing the cal)in of a settler, by name Leebow, 
 tliey enquired of him how they should pro- 
 ceed to reach the settlement of Jacob liohr- 
 back, wliich was to be their temporary 
 abiding place. Making a torch out of a 
 kindled strip of hickory bark, the only 
 light to be had, Leebow set out in front of 
 the benighted travelers; but thoutjh com- 
 paratively well acquainted witii the local- 
 ity he lost his way, and in the dense, dark, 
 wild-beast-haunted forest they wandered 
 about until dawn, when at last they found 
 the lon<;;-6ought haven. At Rohrback's 
 place they remained a short time, while 
 John and Hershey were building, for their 
 reception, on their own land, a rude log 
 cabin, at that time having neither door, 
 floor nor window, but which later was made 
 more complete and comfortable. When 
 the family . came to Ohio Mrs. Porter 
 brought along enough soap to last them 
 through the first year, and when that had 
 been exhausted they found that they could 
 get no grease to make another supply. 
 Tills difficulty, however, was overcome by 
 young Porter, who supplied the grease by 
 killing hedgehogs, and dressing them and 
 rendering the fat. During tlieir first win- 
 ter in this forest home the family cleared 
 four acres, and, following spring, planted 
 corn, sowing it in depressions made in the 
 soil by sinking an old axe in it between 
 the numerous befech stumps that almost 
 covered the surface of the clearing. Con- 
 sidering tlie primitive condition of things, 
 a remarkably good crop was gathered the 
 succeeding fall; and so year by year these 
 brave pioneers, nothing daunted, kept im- 
 proving their little farm, clearing it gradu- 
 ally of both trees and stumps, and erecting 
 outbuildings as necessity demanded. The 
 father lived to see that entire section 
 
 transformed from its primeval state into 
 prosperous farms surrounded with blossom- 
 ing gardens and smiling fields of grain. 
 He died February 7, 1872, and was buried 
 in the cemetery at New London, Huron 
 county, by the side of his wife, who had 
 preceded him to the " Land of the leal " 
 June 1, 1866. She was a member of the 
 Baptist Church. Mr. Porter, in his politi- 
 cal sympathies, was originally an Old-line 
 Whig, and, after its organization, a faith- 
 ful member of the Republican party. 
 
 John Porter, whose name introduces tiiis 
 sketch, being the eldest in iiis father's fam- 
 ily, had the lion's share of hard work to 
 do, but he fo\ind time, prior to coming to 
 Ohio, to secui'e a good subscription-school 
 education, besides learning the trade of 
 fanning-mill njaker. After cominj; to 
 Ohio he bought of his father (on credit) 
 one hundred acres of the latter's original 
 purchase, and this by untiring energy and 
 hard work he succeeded in clearing and 
 convertingintoa well-cultivated farm. Im- 
 mediately after marriage he and his bride 
 took up their residence in a newly erected 
 log cabin on his farm, and this he left in 
 1881, coming with his wife into the town 
 of Rochester, Lorain county, which has 
 since been his home. 
 
 On September 26, 1837, Mr. Porter 
 married Miss Sally Clarke, born in Cayuga 
 county, N. Y., a daughter of Nathatiiel 
 Clarke, who came to Troy township, Ash- 
 land county, in an early day. To this union 
 children as follows w^ere born: William, a 
 Methodist minister of Kansas; Franklin, 
 who died at the age of thirty years in 
 Rowlesburgh, Ashland Co., <3hio, where he 
 was a merchant; Leander R., of Troy, 
 Ashland Co., Ohio, a horseman; Martha 
 E., who died when three years old; and 
 Alice F., Mrs. Joseph Yacomb, of Welling- 
 ton, Ohio. Mrs. Sally Porter died May 
 24, 1876, and was buried in the fam- 
 ily lot at New- London, Huron county. 
 For his second wife Mr. Porter married 
 June 16, 1878, Miss Martha Beck, a native 
 of Harrison county, Ohio. 
 
 49 
 
948 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Mr. Porter is a living example uf what 
 may be accomplished by industry, resolu- 
 tion and thrift. His methods through life 
 have always been most exemplary, and the 
 motto -' The Golden Rule " he has as- 
 siduously observed. He never was sued, 
 and never sued any one. Although a time- 
 honored Whig and Republican from prin- 
 ciple, his first Presidential vote was cast 
 for Andrew Jackson, but that was his last 
 polling for a Democratic administration. 
 In both Ruggles township and Rochester 
 he has served in offices of trust faithfully 
 and satisfactorily. In religious faith he 
 and his wife are members of the Methodist 
 Ohurcli, of which he is trustee. 
 
 HRISTIAN SCHWARZ,oneof that 
 class of indefatigable Germans who 
 prosper better after reverses, and 
 whose motto and watchword is 
 "Verzage nicht," was born March 14, 
 1833, in Fraudenthal, Wtirtemberg, a son 
 of Christian Schwarz, who in the Father- 
 land was by trade a confectioner. There 
 were eleven children in the family, eight 
 of whom grew to be men and women. 
 The father died in 1849, the mother two 
 and one-half years before him. They were 
 much respected people, honest and indus- 
 trious, and in good circumstances. 
 
 The subject of our sketch received all 
 his education in his native country, not 
 having attended any schools since coming 
 to America, but nevertheless he can read 
 and write English fairly well. In his boy- 
 hood he partly learned the trade of butcher, 
 and after his father's death he returned to 
 it, to serve a regular apprenticeship, the 
 premium paid by him for same being 
 sixty-live guilders, equal to about twenty- 
 five dollars United States money. At the 
 end of nine months he passed an examina- 
 tioH, and then in August, 1851, with some 
 money he had received from his guardian, 
 he started for the United States, sailing 
 
 from Havre, France, on the ship " Balti- 
 more" for New York. He was without 
 any friend or relative when he cast his last 
 look on the Fatherland, but, though yet 
 a lad of seventeen summers, was possessed 
 of a stout heart, a strong determination 
 and a willing pair of hands. At the end 
 of thirty days he found himself in New 
 York — a stranger in a strange land — and 
 hastening on westward he reached Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, on September 25, one dollar 
 in debt, for he had been assisted by a 
 friend whose acquaintance he made on the 
 voyage. In that city he obtained work at 
 his trade, and for five years was with 
 George Ross. Later he embarked in the 
 butchering business for his own account, 
 and prospered beyond his expectations, for 
 at one time he was worth as much as 
 twenty thousand dollars; but later, owing 
 to the fall in price of cattle, of which he 
 had a quantity en route, he suffered severe 
 loss. In Cleveland he remained till 1869, 
 in which year he came to Liverpool, 
 Medina county, whence after three years 
 he moved to Grafton township, Loraiu 
 couuty, where he has since resided, en- 
 gaged in the butchering business and 
 farming. He has bought a great deal of 
 cattle in his day, his experience eminently 
 qualifying him for being an expert in that 
 line, and made a great deal of money; but 
 reverses came sufficient to discourage al- 
 most any other man, yet he was never dis- 
 couraged. He now owns in Grafton town- 
 ship 150 acres of prime land, equipped 
 with good buildings, his good wife having 
 nol)ly done her share toward the accumu- 
 lation and improvement of the property. 
 Politically he is a zealotis member of the 
 Democratic party. 
 
 In 1857, while residing in Cleveland, 
 Mr. Schwarz was married to Christina 
 Bleil. born in Liverpool township, Medina 
 Co.. Ohio. December 22, 1835, daughter 
 of John Bleil. She is a typical German- 
 American ladv, and has been of invaluable 
 assistance to her husband in both pros- 
 perity and adversity. She was on a visit 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 949 
 
 to a married sister in Cleveland wlien she 
 met and was married to Mr. Sciiwarz. Her 
 father was among the early residents of 
 Liverpool township, whither he had coirie 
 from Germany in 1831. In 1840, with 
 his wife and six children, all stowed in a 
 two- horse wagon, he made a trip to Wis- 
 consin with the intention of settling there, 
 and arrived at the end of a three- weeks' 
 pretty rongh journey. After a two-years' 
 residence in Rock county, they concluded 
 to return to Ohio, and on their way spent a 
 Sundayin Chicago, the "World's Fair City," 
 then a very unpromising muddy little town, 
 which Mrs. Schwarz remembers well. The 
 children born to our subject and wife were 
 as follows: Charles, a butcher by trade, 
 and working on the farm; Fredcriclc, a 
 carpenter, of Missouri; Albert, a farmer, 
 also of Missouri; Ida, Mrs. E. R. Mennells, 
 of California; Caroline, deceased; llosa, 
 residing at home; and Bertha, Mrs. John 
 Bezing, of Grafton. 
 
 FJ A. GREENE, a retired ship captain, 
 and farmer of LaGrange township, 
 _^ was born March 10, 1836, in St. 
 Lawrence county, New York. 
 He is a son of Frederick and Betsey 
 (Beverly) Greene, the former of whom was 
 a farmer in New York State, and later 
 moved to near Watertown, Jetl'erson 
 county, whence in 1843 he came to Ohio. 
 He had four children, viz.: Fordico B., 
 who was a soldier in the Federal army, and 
 died in the service; Vint Roy, now of 
 Mendon, Mich.; Aurora, now Mrs. Syl- 
 vester Parsons, of Michigan; and F. A., 
 subject of this sketch. Frederick Greene 
 brouijht his family in a covered wagon 
 drawn by one horse, and they located in 
 Ridgeville township, Lorain county, where 
 he bad bargained for forty acres of land. 
 He intended to pay for thai land and make 
 a home there, but one day while chop[)ing 
 in the woods his axe was so caught while 
 he was carrying it, in getting away from a 
 
 falling tree, that it struck him, the wound 
 causing his death. He was buried in 
 Ridireville cemetery. The mother kept the 
 family together a short while, but she too 
 was soon called from earth, dying June 
 30, 1849. 
 
 Being thus left an orphan at an early 
 age, our subject, through force of circum- 
 stances, left home to battle with the world 
 alone. For six months he lived with Levi 
 Tomlinsun, but, being dissatistiud, left and 
 went to Avon township, concluding after 
 a short stay there, however, that Cleveland 
 would be a better place for him. Taking 
 all his eartidy effects, which he easily car- 
 ried in a handkerchief, he set out on foot 
 for the city, which was twenty-two miles 
 distant; and so anxious was he to reach 
 his destination that he ran more of the 
 way than he walked. Shortly after 
 going to Cleveland he shipped on board 
 the propeller " Oneida," bound for Chi- 
 cago, carrying principally immigrants, 
 and made eitjht trips on her that season. 
 He next went out on the scow " Commo- 
 dore Lawrence," as cook, where he served 
 satisfactorily, and during the winter sea- 
 son, when navigation closed, he found em- 
 ployment cari-ying cross country mails 
 from Vermillion to New London. For a 
 long time he made his home with Capt. 
 Judson, of Vermillion, becoming very 
 much attached to him and his family. 
 For many years he was employed by Mr. 
 Bradley, then so well-known among vessel- 
 men, with whom he remained' thirty-five 
 years, serving as cook, mate and captain, 
 and proving etKcient, thorough, faithful 
 and trustworthy in all these positions. In 
 the season of 1892 he shipped for three 
 months on the vessel " Ida Keich," and 
 this was the last work he did on the lakes. 
 Mr. Greene has been one of the most suc- 
 cessful men on the lakes; he was sailing 
 for nearly fifty years, and during that 
 time never lost a doller for either the un- 
 derwriters or his employers. 
 
 On December 22, 18()3, Mr. Greene was 
 married to Miss Lucy Underbill, who was 
 
950 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 born inLaGrange,danghterof Dr.G.C.Un- 
 derliill, the well-known medical practi- 
 tioner in that place; they had met at 
 Eerea University, which institution both 
 attended. To this marriage came three 
 children, as follows: Hettie E., now the 
 wife of Eev. W. W. Long, a Methodist 
 Episcopal minister, of Ashland county, 
 Ohio; Mary, who died in 1881; and George 
 Judson, residing at home. After his mar- 
 riage our subject located at Vermillion, 
 thence removing to Cleveland and later to 
 LaGrange. In 1875 he moved to Ober- 
 lin. returning to LaGrange in 1886, in 
 which village he erected a very comforta- 
 ble house, which he afterward sold, erect- 
 ing another dwelling, which he still otvns, 
 and which is one of the pleasaTitest resi- 
 dences in the town. He now resides on 
 eighty acres of land, bought from the tract 
 of Dr. G. C. Underbill, where he now finds 
 pleasure in agricultural pursuits. Mr. 
 Greene is a self-made man, having by hard 
 work and incessant toil risen to his present 
 prosperous position, undergoing all the 
 hardships incident to the lot of a twelve- 
 year-old boy on board a vessel, and en- 
 deavoring to obtain an education. Mr. 
 Greene is a Democrat, but takes little in- 
 terest in politics; he was formerly a great 
 admirer of Stephen Douglas. Mrs. Greene 
 is a member of the Methodist Church. 
 
 LESTER J. RICHMOND, a pros- 
 [ perous, self-made citizen of Penlield 
 ] township, was born November 22, 
 
 1842, in Akron, Ohio, son of Charles 
 B. and Matilda (Welton) Richmond. He 
 was one of twins, the other named Lucy J. 
 Our subject received the greater part of 
 his education before reaching the age of 
 sixteen, in the meantime being reared to 
 farming pursuits on the home place, and 
 also woi'king out for other farmers. In 
 August, 1862, he enlisted, at Penfield, in- 
 Company B, First Ohio Light Artillery, 
 
 and went into camp at Cleveland, whence 
 the command was sent to Louisville, Ky. 
 They took part in the battles of Perrys- 
 ville. Wild Cat, Mnrfreesboro, and Chicka- 
 mauga, and thence wejit to Nashville, 
 Tenn., where they remained for some time. 
 Mr. Richmond was never wounded, but 
 he lav sick three months with fever and 
 other camp ailments at Hospital No. 1, 
 Nashville, where he was his own physician. 
 At the close of the war he was discharged 
 at Nashville, and returned to Pentield, 
 where he resided with his parents, and in 
 the following season went to Geneva, Ash- 
 tabula county, where he worked as a farm 
 hand. 
 
 On November 13, 1866, Mr. Richmond 
 was united in marriage with Miss Mary A. 
 Dolgleish, who was born December lU, 1843, 
 in Pentield township, daughter of Robert 
 Dolgleish, who came hither from Scotland. 
 After marriage Mr. Richmond lived tor a 
 short time with his father, and then rented 
 a farm in LaGrange township, where he 
 made his home for one year. He next re- 
 moved to the center of Pentield township, 
 where he vvas employed one year in a saw- 
 mill, thence going to Wellington township, 
 where he acted as superintendent on the 
 farm of Edwin Hensdale. He then took 
 up his home in Wakeman township, 
 Huron county, and for three years took 
 contracts for furnishing cordwood for the 
 Lake Shore Railway Company. At the 
 end of this time he purchased sixty acres 
 of land in Ross township, Wood Co., Ohio, 
 which he cleared and improved, and 
 whereon he resided for seveti years, when 
 he rented it and returned to Pentield town- 
 ship, taking charge of the home farm for 
 a year. He next rented a farm in 
 the northeast corner of Pentield township, 
 later removing to Wellington village for 
 the i)enetit of his children's education, and 
 tinally, in March, 1889, returning to Pen- 
 field township, and locating on the farm 
 of 198 acres which he still occupies. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Richmond have been born 
 children as follows: Elmer A., who lives 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 951 
 
 on the home place, which is the oldest 
 lariu in the township, having been taken 
 up by Peter Pentield, after whom the 
 township was named (^the first sawmill 
 built and operated in the township is 
 on tiiis place); Frank E., of Huntington; 
 Nora, Mrs. Waller Hull, of 'VVellingtou, 
 Ohio; Mamie, who died young; and Vic- 
 toria and Kobert, at home. In politics our 
 subject is a Republican, and in religious 
 connection he and his wife are members 
 of the Congregational Church, in which 
 he is a deacon. 
 
 I AMES GAWN (deceased) was born 
 k. I in the Isle of Man, in August, 1829, 
 ^^ and died in Lorain county, Ohio, 
 January 23, 1885. 
 
 When three years old he came with his 
 parents to the United States, and to Lorain 
 county, Ohio. In Black River township 
 he followed blacksmithing and farming 
 till 1848, in which year he was united in 
 marriage with Miss Louisa E. Barnes, and 
 the young couple then for seven years 
 made their home in the village of North 
 Amherst. In 1855 Mr. Gawn purchased 
 the farm of one hundred acres in Amherst 
 township, where he passed the remainder 
 of his days, and where his widow now re- 
 sides. Three children were born to this 
 marriage, viz.: Ellen, wife of H. N. Steele, 
 of North Amhertit (they have four chil- 
 dren); Henry J.; and Marion E., who died 
 September 6, 1888. 
 
 Henry J. (-Jawn, only son of James and 
 Louisa E. (Barnes) Gawn, was born in 
 Amherst township, Lorain Co., Ohio, June 
 25, 1855. He received his education at 
 the common schools on Middle Ridge, 
 Amherst township, and learned the trade 
 of blacksmith with his father, at which he 
 works a little, but is chiefly engaged in 
 farming. In 1888 he was married to Miss 
 Melissa Swartwood, of Amherst township, 
 and one child, Frank, has been born to 
 
 them. Henry J. Gawn operates a nice 
 farm of thirty-six acres devoted to general 
 agriculture. Politically he is a Democrat, 
 and takes a lively interest in all county 
 affairs. 
 
 Mrs. Louisa E. Gawn was born, reared 
 and educated in Amherst township, when 
 there was little else than wild woods, and 
 settlers were, literally, "few and far be- 
 tween." She was born August 27, 1828, 
 a daughter of Ezekiel G. and Elvira (Har- 
 rington) Barnes, the former of whom was 
 born September 1, 1799, in Old Becket, 
 Mass., and came with his parents to Am- 
 herst, Lorain county, in 1817. In 1825 
 he revisited the East, and was there mar- 
 ried same year to Miss Elvira Harrington, 
 who was born March 5, 1805, in Massa- 
 chusetts. Returning to Amherst town- 
 ship, he continued agricultural pursuits, 
 and became prosperous. He and his wife 
 were the parents of five children, viz.: Gil- 
 bert H., a resident of Amherst township; 
 Louisa E., widow of James Gawn; G. 
 Moni-oe, who died in 1891, leaving a 
 widow; Henry D., deceased in 1869, and 
 Sardis N., a prominent farmer of Amherst 
 township. The father was called from 
 earth December 18, 1881, the mother on 
 January 29, 1888. 
 
 David: 
 wart SOI 
 thewid( 
 
 BRICKNELL. The stal- 
 
 sons of England are to be found 
 de world over, ever aggressive, 
 plodding, loyal and honest. Such 
 an one is the subject of this brief sketch. 
 Mr. Bricknell was born March S, 1840, 
 in Northamptonshire, England, a son of 
 John and Mary Bricknell, who both died 
 in that county. He received his education 
 at the country schools of his native parish, 
 and was brought up a farmer lad. He 
 hired out twelve years as farmers' serv- 
 ant, and in 1866 he married, in England, 
 Miss Sarah Ann Townsend, who was born 
 May 13, 1841, a native of Warwickshire, 
 
952 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 a daugliterof William Townsend. For six 
 and one-halt' years he tilled the position of 
 under gardener for one emplojer, and dur- 
 ing that time two children bad been born 
 ■—Ellen and Emily. In 1875 Mr. Brick- 
 nell immigrated to the United States, com- 
 ing to Lorain county, Ohio, living and 
 working in Elyria the tirst year. He then 
 rented a small farm, and also worked in 
 Elyria as gardener. For the next tive 
 years he rented farms, and during that time 
 two more children were born — Rosa and 
 Daisy Josephine. In 1882 he bought his 
 present farm of tifty acres, all in a good 
 state of cultivation, and here he success- 
 fully carries on general farming. Of the 
 cliildren, Ellen, who is the wife of Frank 
 Bowman, resides in Eaton township (they 
 have one child, Cora May); Emily, wife of 
 Kichard Tran, of Grafton township, has 
 three children: Goldie May, Sylva Bell and 
 Roy Richard. 
 
 In his political preferences Mr. Brick- 
 nell is independent; he and his wife are 
 members of the Disciple Church at North 
 Eaton. He is a typical self-made man, 
 having from a commencement of nothing 
 accumulated all he owns by hard labor, 
 honest toil, and judicious economy. 
 
 \i 
 
 EG RAND ROOT, the only one left 
 of the old settlers in the northeast 
 quarter of Wellington township, is 
 a native of Connecticut, born in 
 Litchfield, March 18, 1831, a son of Will- 
 iam R. and Serena (Terrell) Root. 
 
 Grandfather Root was a native of Eng- 
 land, and immigrated to the Amei'ican 
 Colonies before the Revolutionary war. 
 In that struggle he enlisted in the cause 
 of the patriots, and participated in the en- 
 gagement that led to the surrender of 
 Gen. Biirgoyne; also served as one of 
 Washington's aids, and was captured by 
 the British, but subsequently exchanged. 
 After the close of the war, he was leading 
 
 his regiment on a march, and in crossing a 
 bridge the structure gave way, killing him 
 and several of his men. His son William 
 R., father of subject, was born about the 
 period of the Revolutionary struggle in one 
 of the New England States. He married 
 Miss Serena Terrell, and when their son, 
 Legrand. was four years old, they came to 
 Ohio, locating tirst in Eaton township, 
 Lorain county, then in Wellington town- 
 ship, on the farm now owned by onr sub- 
 ject. Finally Mr. Root moved to Allegan 
 county, Mich., where be and his wife died 
 during the tame year, she at the age of 
 eixty-nine years. They were the parents 
 of ten children, of whom the following is 
 a brief record: Eliza married L. L. West, 
 of Minnesota, where they reside; Legrand 
 is the subject of this sketch; Leroy lives 
 in Kansas (during the Civil w'ar he entered 
 the Union army, and was with Sherman 
 on his march from Atlanta to the sea); 
 Amarilla, who married H. Oliver, resides 
 in Michigan; Charlotte, who was the wife 
 of John Everatts, died in Michigan ; Finette 
 died when about eighteen years old; 
 Rosette is married to A. D. Wallers, and 
 resides in Dakota; Sarah Ann, who was a 
 school teacher in Kansas, married Abner 
 Folk, of Rich county, that State; George 
 is deceased; Benjamin Franklin died in 
 childhood. 
 
 Legrand Root, of whom this sketch more 
 particularly relates, was married in 1855 
 to Miss Lucinda Kelsey, born in Hunting- 
 ton townsliip, Lorain county, in September, 
 1835, and the young couple then settled 
 on his present farm of 220 acres well-im- 
 proved land. Prior to this he had lived 
 for a time in Eaton, then in Huntington 
 
 o 
 
 township, same county, and in 1851 went 
 to California on a prospecting tour, but 
 soon retiirned. In addition to general 
 farming Mr. Root carries on dairying to a 
 considerable extent, and he is progressive 
 and prosperous. The children born to this 
 marriage, seven in number, were as fol- 
 lows: Those deceased are Leroy, who died 
 when aged four years; Aner, when aged 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 953 
 
 two years; Albert, when aged twenty- 
 seven years (he was married and had one 
 chihi); Dennis, wiien aged sixteen years 
 (this was the youngest chihl); tiiose living 
 are: Emery, married, who has one child, 
 Elmer; Mary, wife of Arnold Taylor, of 
 Lodi, Ohio; Ada, residing at home, who 
 w'as educated in Wellington township, and 
 is now teaching school in Huntington 
 township. Politically our subject is a 
 stanch Republican, and, during the dark 
 days of the Rebellion, showed his loyalty 
 to the Union cause by subscribing to tlie 
 Government liberally of his means. Mr. 
 Root is a man of more than average edu- 
 cation and ability, and is well informed on 
 ail tlie public issues of the day. 
 
 ff^^ AYMOND HAVEN, for forty-six 
 
 Y^C^ years a resident of Eaton township, 
 
 I ^ where his name is "familiar as 
 
 J) household words," is a native of 
 
 Portage county, Ohio, born in 
 
 Shalersville in 1823. 
 
 He is a son of John Haven, a native of 
 Vermont, who came on foot to Ohio when 
 a young man, settling on a farm in Port- 
 age county, and becoming prosperous and 
 comparatively wealthy. He here married 
 Miss Julia Sanford, and reared the follow- 
 ing family of children: Annis, deceased 
 in Portage county; Raymond; John, de- 
 ceased in Portage county; Julia, living in 
 Ohio; George, married, residing in Bloom- 
 ingdale, Mich. The fatlier of these died 
 in 1882, the mother in 1853. Politically 
 Mr. Haven was a Republican, and served 
 as township trustee. 
 
 Raymond Haven received a liberal 
 school training in Portage county, Ohio, 
 was brought up a practical farmer, and has 
 always made general agriculture his busi- 
 ness, principally dairying, in which he has 
 met with unqualiKed success. In 1847 he 
 came with a team from Shalersville to 
 Eaton township, Lorain county, and bougiit 
 
 eighty acres of partly improved land, 
 having thereon a log house and barn, in 
 lieu of which Mr. Haven in course of time 
 erected a one and one-half story house, 
 24 X 40, with two L one-story wrings; also 
 a commodious barn. To his original pur- 
 chase of eighty acres he has added from 
 time to time until he now owns 321 acres. 
 In 1845 Mr. Haven married, in Portage 
 county. Miss Lucinda C. Scouten, a native 
 of that county, daughter of John Scouten, 
 an early pioneer of same. To this union 
 children as follows have been born: Ellen, 
 wife of Locks Lemert, of Kansas; Alice, 
 who married Laban Lemert, and died in 
 Ohio, July 23, 1873; George, who died 
 April 30, 1865; Julia, wife of Oscar Dur- 
 kee, of Eaton township; Frank, married, 
 residing in Eaton township, who owns a 
 good farm given him by his father; New- 
 ton, married, residing in Eaton township 
 (he owns a good farm); Hattie, wife of 
 AYilliam Sawyer, of Eaton township; Jen- 
 nie, who died January 23, 1867; and Myra, 
 wife of Charles Sawyer, a merchant of 
 Grafton. Politically our subject is a Re- 
 publican, and he has served as trustee of 
 Eaton township. He and his wife are 
 members of tiie Disciple Church, in which 
 he has been a deacon for some forty-tive 
 years. He has made all he owns by in- 
 dustry and frugality, and is listed among 
 the most successful of Lorain county's 
 farmer citizens. 
 
 fl( RTHUR WALKDEN, a leader in 
 
 /[_ \ \ the agricultural community of Co- 
 
 lr\^ lumbia township, is a native of Eng- 
 
 •fj land, a "Lancashire lad," born in 
 
 that county in November, 1823, 
 
 third son of William and Mary (Blundell) 
 
 Walkden. 
 
 The parents of our subject Avere natives 
 of Devonshire, England, whence in 1826 
 they emigrated to this coimtry, locating 
 first in Lowell, Mass., where they worked 
 
954 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 in factories, moving in 1833 westward to 
 Oiiio, living in Newburgh one year, and 
 then settling on a farm in Cuyahoga 
 connty. The father died in Berea, Ohio, 
 in April, 1873, aged ninety-two, the 
 mother in September, 1357, in Cuyahoga 
 county, at the age of sixty-four years. 
 Mr. Walkden had been twice married, and 
 by his first wife had three children, viz.: 
 John, who remained in England; Jane, 
 Mrs. John Bainbridge, wlio died in Ridge- 
 ville township; and William, who came to 
 Lorain county in 1848, died on the ocean 
 in 1879. By his marriage with Miss Mary 
 Blundell he had children as follows: Alice, 
 who died in 1890 in Cuyahoga county; 
 James, who died in 1875 in Lowell, Mass.; 
 Thomas, residing in Cuyahoga connty; 
 Ann, widow of Eastman Bradford, of 
 Berea; Mary, widow of Joseph Chevalier, 
 of Berea; Arthur, residing in Colombia 
 township; Peter, wlio came to Lorain in an 
 early day, and died in Ridgeville township 
 in 1880; Richard; Peggy, deceased; and 
 Margaret, widow of Henry Woods, of 
 Cuyahoga county. 
 
 Arthur Walkden was a three-year-old 
 boy when his parents brought him to the 
 United States, and was about ten years 
 old when they came to Cuyahoga county, 
 where he was educated and learned the 
 trade of blacksmith, which he followed for 
 some years after coming to Columbia 
 township in 1843. Here he made a settle- 
 ment in the woods, having bought thirty- 
 seven acres of improved land, to which 
 he has from time to time added until now 
 he has 226 acres all in a good state of cul- 
 tivation. In 1846 he was married to Miss 
 Tirzah Wetton, a native of Derbyshire, 
 England, and daughter of Thomas and 
 Mary (Holden) Wetton, of the same county, 
 who, in 1833, came to Hamilton, N. Y., 
 and thence in 1842 to Columbia town- 
 sliip, Lorain county, settling where our 
 subject now resides. The father died in 
 1879, aged seventy-eight years; the mother 
 survived him till March 31, 1893; they 
 were members of the M. E. Church, and 
 
 politically Mr. Wetton was a Republican. 
 Three children were born to them, namely: 
 Tirzah. Mrs. Walkden; Harriet, who mar- 
 ried Joseph Chamberlain, and died in 
 Columbia township in 1856; and Saman- 
 tha, wife of John Median, of Denver, 
 Colorado. 
 
 After marriage our subject resided on 
 his present farm till 1857, in which year 
 he went to San Francisco, Cal., by way of 
 the Isthmus of Panama, and there re- 
 mained two and one-half years, working 
 at his trade, at the end of vvhich time he 
 returned to Columbia township. Politically 
 Mr. Walkden is a prominent Republican, 
 and he and his wife are members of the 
 Wesleyan Methodist Church at West View, 
 Cuyahoga county, in which he has been 
 steward tor several years, and is now serv- 
 ing as trustee. 
 
 V. R. HOWARD. Prominent in 
 the front rank of the wealthy and 
 intelligent agriculturists of Roches- 
 ter township is found the gentle- 
 man whose name is here recorded. 
 
 He is a son of Morris Howard, a farmer, 
 who was born in Andover, Windsor Co., 
 Vt., where he married Hannah, daughtei" 
 of William Smith. To them were born 
 seven children — three sons and four daugh- 
 ters. In 1836 Morris Howard came to 
 Ohio with his family, making the journey 
 with three horses and two wagons, their first 
 tarrying place being Elyria, Lorain county, 
 whence after a month's residence with a 
 relative there, they moved to Richland 
 county, now Ashland county, locating for 
 a year near the town of Ashland. The 
 father at this time made a trade with one 
 Smith for a farm in Rochester township, 
 Lorain county, the same one whereon our 
 subject now resides. At that time but a few 
 acres were cleared on it, and for some years 
 Morris Howard lived there. Later be 
 moved to Racine, Wis., and died there at 
 
•!f\ 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 ^^7, (A^'^i-trionAAp 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 957 
 
 the age of seventy-seven years; his wife 
 had passed away in her fifty-seventh year. 
 S. V. R. Howard was born September 
 3, 1817, in Andover, "Windsor Co., Vt., at 
 the subscription schools of which town he 
 received his education. lie was reai'cd to 
 farm life, and in early youth worked from 
 home at fifty cents per day, at that time 
 considered fair wages. He was, as will be 
 seen, nineteen years old when he came to 
 Ohio with the rest of his father's family, 
 and when yet a young man he set out on foot 
 for Illinois, his purpose being to make a 
 tour of that then new territory, but re- 
 turned eastward, satistied that there was no 
 place like home. On December 11, 1843, 
 he married Miss Barbara Bowman, who 
 was born June 11, 1821, in Orange town- 
 ship, Ashland Co., Ohio, a daughter ot 
 John N. Bowman, and his next residence 
 was in a house erected by himself imme- 
 diately opposite his present home. Chil- 
 dren were born to this marriage, the fol- 
 lowing being a brief record of same: Mary 
 J. is the wife of H. K. Kob, of Findlay, 
 Ohio; Laurilla is the wife of Chester Cbor- 
 pening, of Benton Harbor, Mich.; Lydia 
 is married to E. M. June, of Greenwich, 
 Ohio; Lillian is married to Thomas Whit- 
 ney, of Benton Harbor, Mich.; Charles G. 
 is a farmer of Rochester township, married 
 to Miss Emma Fast, of Troy township, 
 Ashland Co., Ohio; Cynthia is the wife of 
 Thomas Landis, of Rochester. The mother 
 of these died October 11, 1882, and was 
 buried in Rochester cemetery; she was a 
 member of the Lutheran Church. On Feb- 
 ruary 2, 1885, Mr. Howard married Miss 
 Emily Bowman, born April 18, 1835, in 
 Green township, Mahoning Co., Ohio, a 
 daughter of Joshua and Mary (Reed) Bow- 
 man, who came from Washington county, 
 Penn., to Ohio, being among the first set- 
 tlers of Ellsworth township, Mahoning 
 county, at that time an unknown forest. 
 Mrs. Howard, who is well educated and 
 highly cultivated, taught district scliool no 
 less than twenty-nine terms in Mahoning 
 and Columbiana counties, Ohio. 
 
 Mr. Howard's first purchase of land was 
 seventy-five acres at eleven dollars per 
 acre, which still forms a part of his 
 splendid farm of over five hundred acres, 
 lying partly in Lorain county, and partly in 
 Huron. He is a typical self-made farnjer, 
 enjoying the most robust health, and still 
 capable of doing a long day's work. In 
 his political predilections he was originally 
 a Whig, of later years a Republican, and 
 has held the oflice of township trustee sev- 
 eral years. Mrs. Howard, well-known, 
 most popular and highly respected, is an 
 exemplary member of the Presbyterian 
 Church. 
 
 /George E. hill. Prominent 
 I J, among the citizens of Ridgeville 
 \J^ township, in both public and private 
 ^^ life, stands this gentleman, who is 
 a native of the county, born in 
 Eaton township, October 16, 1852. 
 
 Mr. Hill is a son of Edward and Jane 
 (GuUiford) Hill, natives of England, who 
 in the year 1849 immigrated to the United 
 States, settling in Eaton township, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, where the father died SeptcTn- 
 ber 10, 1889; the mother is yet residing 
 at the old homestead. The subject of our 
 sketcli received a good practical education 
 in the schools of his native township, and 
 was reared to the arduous duties of the 
 farm. In 1889 he left Eaton township, 
 and moved to his present place in Ridge- 
 ville township, comprising some seventy- 
 six acres of highly-cultivated land, the 
 property being known as the " Homer 
 Terrell Farm," though it was improved by 
 Franklin Terrell. In 1874 he was mar- 
 ried, in Columbia Center, Lorain county, 
 to Miss Evalyn Terrell, a native of Ridge- 
 ville township, who was born July 26,1855, 
 daughter of Homer and Mary (Kelley) 
 Terrell, the f(jrmer of whom was born on 
 the farm now owned by our subject; the 
 latter was born August 11, 1828, in Taun- 
 ton, Mass.; the father died on his farm 
 
958 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 here August 16, 1888, the mother July 
 29, 1869. They were the parents of 
 three cliildren, namely: Evalyn (Mrs. 
 Hill); Irving, born September 24, 1857, 
 married, and residing in Ridgeville town- 
 ship; and Edward, born December 29, 
 18(34, residing in Elyria. 
 
 After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hill 
 settled on the Wescott farm in Eaton town- 
 ship, containing 148 acres prime land 
 which he yet owns, and here remained till 
 1889, as already related. To them have 
 been born live children, as follows: 
 Freddie, born January 26, 1875, died 
 March 16, 1875; George, born October 6, 
 1879, died March 24, 1880; Kaymond, 
 born June 14, 1881; Mary Jane, born 
 January 23, 1884; and Ella E., born 
 January 25, 1888. In politics our sub- 
 ject is a Republican, and takes an active 
 interest in the affairs of his party. He 
 has served on the school board, and been 
 trustee of Ridgeville township since 1889. 
 
 ri( BAKER, the well-known, wide- 
 iy_\\ awake and enterprising clothier and 
 Ir^ tailor, of North Amherst, is a na- 
 ■/J live of Germany, born in Meehlen- 
 
 burg May 22, 1857. 
 At the age of ten years he came with 
 his parents to the United States and to 
 Illinois, where for about one year they 
 lived on a farm near Mascontah, St. Clair 
 county, after which they moved to town, 
 where our subject attended school one 
 year. About this time he was attacked 
 with hip disease, which caused permanent 
 lameness, although he went to St. Louis 
 for treatment. The family then moved to 
 Elyria, Ohio, and here Mr. Baker finished 
 his school days in the German Lutheran 
 Parochial School. He then commenced 
 business life in a woolen factory, where he 
 partly learned the cloth manufacturing 
 business, which he would undoubtedly have 
 followed l)ut for his lameness. Having 
 
 now learned how to make cloth, it was a 
 natural transition for him to learn tailor- 
 ing. He served two years with Moebius 
 & Wimmers, and after they dissolved part- 
 nership, Moebius came to Amherst, Mr. 
 Baker remaining with Wimmers as a 
 journeyman tailor, for another year. He 
 then concluded to go to Cleveland for the 
 purpose of learning more about his trade; 
 and after working for some of the best 
 tailors in the city four years, he set out 
 on a business tour throughout the States, 
 in course of which he worked in Chi- 
 cago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, Omaha, Den- 
 ver, Kansas City, St. Louis, Memphis, 
 Vicksburg, Little Rock, Xatchez, New 
 Orleans, Mobile, then back to New Or- 
 leans, thence down to Houston, Texas. 
 After this he returned home to spend 
 Christinas, and then traveled east, stopping 
 for a time in New York to attend a 
 cutting school, and befoi-e he had quite 
 finished was given a situation on 
 Third avenue as cutter. While holding 
 this latter position he attended the Peter 
 Cooper Institute in the evening. On ac- 
 count of his widowed mother, who was 
 still living in Elyria, he came nearer home, 
 and accepted a position as cutter in Clyde, 
 Ohio; after about live months he secured 
 a position as cutter in Cleveland. Not 
 being satisfied with this situation of things, 
 Mr. Baker concluded to start in business 
 for himself, and after many trials and 
 difficulties, all of which he bravely over- 
 came, in the fall of 1882, at the age of 
 twenty-five, he opened up, in Elyria, a 
 merchant tailoring establishment with a 
 capital of three dollars, and a line of 
 woolen samples furnished by a Cleveland 
 woolen house. 
 
 This was in a room upstairs in the 
 M. W. Pond building, opposite the old 
 '' Beebe House," and here he remained 
 about two years; then moved in the old 
 Perry building, where now stands the ele- 
 gant Sharp block. Here he remained 
 about three years, by which time, with 
 hard work and economy, he had saved 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 959 
 
 enouorh to build him a nice house on Mid- 
 dle avenue. He now traded his property 
 for a ciotliing store in North Amherst, 
 with his old boss, Mr. Moebins. It is 
 here that Mr. Baker begins to take an 
 active part in business and public affairs. 
 He talks and writes in public, and often 
 differs with men, but he has the respect of 
 his community for honesty and fairness. 
 He is a hard worker, and although he 
 should now have, all his work done, he 
 still sticks to the work-bench, and in a 
 little time-book to advertise his business 
 he writes and encourages all laboring men 
 to economize, and tells them that he him- 
 self never thought that he would some 
 day be able to buy out his boss. He is 
 yet in the prime of life, and unless some 
 unforeseen misfortune overtakes him, we 
 predict for him a prosperous future. We 
 know that the men who move onward step 
 by step are the safest and surest in the 
 long run. 
 
 In the spring of 1883 Mr. Baker was 
 iinited in marriatre with Miss Hattie 
 Rosenwald, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, 
 and five children have been born to them, 
 viz.: Mabel, Cora, Alphabet, Lillie and 
 Esther. In politics our subject is a Ke- 
 publican, and he is very active in munici- 
 pal and county affairs. In 1S91 he built 
 a block in North Amherst, two stories in 
 height, of which he occupies one of the 
 lower rooms, rents the other, while the 
 upper room, a hall, is occupied by Jaeger 
 Lodge, I. 0. (). F. 
 
 a son of George Bunt, who was a 
 native of eastern New York. His father 
 came from Holland, and died when George 
 was but six years old. 
 
 ' George Bunt was married in early man- 
 hood to Elizabeth Cottrell, and followed 
 
 farming in his native State, where children 
 as follows were born to him: Stephen, 
 Philip, Henry, and David C, our sul)ject, 
 who is the only survivor. In 1833 the 
 family removed to Ohio, coming by water 
 to Cleveland, and thence being driven to 
 LaGrange township, where Mr. Bunt 
 rented land for six years; and while living 
 there one child was added to the family, 
 Lucy Ann, who married Alvin Nichols 
 and died in Michigan. He then piirchased, 
 at six dollars per acre, twenty-live acres of 
 land in Pentield township where our sub- 
 ject now resides, settling thereon in Feb- 
 ruary, 1889, at which time the place was 
 entirely in the woods, and abounded with 
 wild animals. At the time of their com- 
 ing there was no bridge over the stream 
 which they were obliged to cross en route 
 to Penfield township, but they contrived 
 to float over. Mr. Bunt lived to the ripe 
 old age of eighty-eight years, preceded to 
 the grave by his wife, who passed away 
 when aged seventy-two; both are buried in 
 Penfield township cemetery. In religious 
 connection they were members of thej\I. E. 
 Church, and in politics he was originally a 
 Whig, later a Republican. 
 
 D. C. Bunt was but an infant when 
 brought by his parents to Ohio, and re- 
 ceived such an education as the common 
 schools of those pioneer days afforded, his 
 first teacher being Caroline Blanchard. On 
 April 14, 1859, he was united in marriage 
 with Mary J. Mosher, who was born 
 August 29, 1842, in New York State, 
 daughter of Elihu and Rebecca (Freeman) 
 Mosher, who came to Ohio in 1844, set- 
 tlingin LaGrange township, Lorain county, 
 where the father, who was a cooper, fol- 
 lowed his trade. Our subject held an in- 
 terest in some land with his father, with 
 whom he took up his residence after mar- 
 riage, and here, with the exception of four 
 years, he has ever since resided. Though 
 having but twelve acres at the start, he now 
 owns a fine tract of 170 acres, highly im- 
 proved and cultivated, whereon he has 
 erected a number of substantial buildings. 
 
960 
 
 LORAIX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Bunt liave had four children, 
 as follows: Josephine, who died at the age 
 of fifteen years; Grant W., of New Mex- 
 ico; Frank C, who died when twenty-one 
 yearei of age; and Elmer M., residing at 
 home. Mr. Bunt has been engaged all his 
 life in agriculture, of which he has a 
 thorough knowledge, and for some time 
 also conducted a dairy business; he has 
 been successful in the full sense of the word. 
 He and his wife are both members of the 
 M. £. Church, and in his political pref- 
 erences he is a stanch Republican; his first 
 vote was cast for John C. Fremont. He is 
 actively interested in the welfare of his 
 party, and has served as trustee and in 
 various other township offices. He is very 
 popular and highly respected and esteemed 
 in his community. 
 
 R. McCONNELL, owner of a 
 highly-cultivated farm in Roches- 
 ter township, where he is well and 
 favorably known, is a native of 
 New York State, born in Belfast township, 
 Allegany county, December 17, 1825. 
 
 His father, James McConnell, was born 
 in Yates county, N. Y., where he was 
 reared to pioneer farming, and in early 
 manhood married Miss Margaret Roora- 
 back, daughter of John Rooraback. The 
 children of this union, eight in number, 
 were as follows: Martha, who married 
 Jonathan Bridge, and died in Quincy, 
 Mich.; Mary, who married John Corey, 
 and died in Quincy, Mich.; Nancy, who 
 married Amos Darby, and died in New 
 London, Ohio; Betsy, who married Henry 
 Close, and died in Williams county, Ohio; 
 Alexander, deceased in Clyde, Ohio; John, 
 a soldier in the Civil war, who enlisted 
 from Williams county, Ohio, and died in 
 Rochester township at the home of our 
 subject; W. R., whose name heads this 
 sketch; and Jane, who married John 
 Rooraback, and died in New London, 
 
 Ohio. After marriage James McConnell 
 and his bride moved to Allegany county, 
 N. Y., where for some years he conducted 
 a farm, small in extent, as he was a man 
 of but limited means. In 1833 the family 
 came to Ohio, making a fresh home in 
 New London township, Huron county, 
 where Alexander, a brother of James Mc- 
 Connell, as well as several brothers-in-law, 
 had previously made a settlement. The 
 family made the long journey, which was 
 a tedious one of three weeks' duration, by 
 wagons to Buffalo, thence to Eljria, 
 Lorain county, thence to Wakeman, Huron 
 county, and from there to New London 
 township, where the father bought fifty- 
 six acres of land at five dollars per acre. The 
 family found a temporary home at Alex- 
 ander McConnelTs, while a rude log cabin 
 was being built for their reception, kind- 
 hearted and willing neighbors giving all 
 the assistance in their power toward its 
 completion. The land was entirely new, 
 not a tree having been cut from the dense 
 growth of beech, maple and black walnut, 
 and wild animals were abundant; but 
 bravely did the family set to work to make 
 a clearing, and before long they had a 
 small tract ready for a garden which the 
 following spring produced divers kinds of 
 vegetable foods. Coming to the new home 
 in October, there was no time to grow any 
 of the necessaries of life that year, and the 
 entire support of the family for the ensu- 
 ing winter fell on the father. For two 
 days' labor for a neighbor he received a 
 bushel of corn, which he had to carry to 
 a mill in Ruggles township to be ground, 
 his journey there and back taking him 
 along the Vermillion river. The first corn 
 he planted on his farm was dropped into a 
 " gash " made in the soil with an old axe, 
 but it grew, ripened, and was harvested, 
 and was found to make a few grists from 
 which some sturdy johnny-cakes were 
 made. The abundance of sugar maples 
 around the clearing afforded them, by 
 tapping, some revenue, and game being 
 plentiful, there was after a time no lack of 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 961 
 
 provisions of all kinds. On this farm they 
 lived till 1849, in which year they removed 
 to Rociiester township, settling on the 100- 
 acre tract where yet lives the subject of 
 this sketch. Here James McConnell, the 
 brave pioneer, died September 28, 1867, 
 his loving and faithful wife having pre- 
 ceded him to the grave October 28, 1862; 
 they sleep their last sleep in New London 
 cemetery. Politically James McConnell 
 was a stanch Democrat, and in Church 
 connection he and his wife were devout 
 Methodists. 
 
 W. R. McConnell, whose name opens 
 this sketch, received but a limited educa- 
 tion in his boyhood at the subscription 
 schools, and in later life, when other educa- 
 tional systems were introduced, he attended 
 school a short time longer, but he was a 
 studious j'outh, an apt scholar, and gar- 
 nered not a little useful practical instruc- 
 tion. Reared to pioneer habits and cus- 
 toms, when but a young boy he was put to 
 work at chopping in the clearing, experi- 
 encing all the hardships incident to back- 
 woods life. 
 
 On February 26, 1852, he married Miss 
 Lydia L. Carvy, born May 3, 1833, in 
 Rochester township, a daughter of William 
 and Eunice (Thomas) Carvy, early settlers 
 in that township from New York State. 
 The young couple then took up their resi- 
 dence in a 14 .\ IS addition of logs, built 
 to the old home cabin of his parents on the 
 100-acre farm already alluded to. The 
 children born to Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Mc- 
 Connell were as follows: Stewart N., a 
 farmer of Rochestei- township; Newell J., 
 who died of diphtheria at the age of eleven 
 years; Edwin L., a farmer of Rochester 
 township; Etta L., at home; Ransom C.,at 
 home; Newell C, who attended Berea 
 (Ohio) College, deceased when twenty-three 
 years old; and Nellie E., at home. Mr. 
 McConnell has now 410 acres of as tine 
 farm land as can be found in the county, 
 representing, in the aggregate, years of 
 honest toil, good management and judi- 
 cious thrift. Besides the cereal and root 
 
 crops he for some years was extensively 
 engaged in dairying, and he has always 
 made the rearing of sheep a specialty. A 
 straight Whig and Republican, his first 
 vote was cast for John C. Fremont, and he 
 has never missed his franchise at the polls 
 except once, on which occasion he was visit- 
 ing outside the State. Popular in his 
 party and the community at large, he has 
 been entrusted with various township 
 offices, such as justice of the peace and 
 trustee, filling all with characteristic ability 
 and honesty. 
 
 D, C. HOLLADAY, a retired agricul- 
 turist of Grafton township, was 
 .' born October 25, 1827, in Berk- 
 shire county, Mass., son of James 
 Holladay, also a native of Berkshire county, 
 where he followed farming. James Holla- 
 day served four years in the Revolutionary 
 war, and justly deserved a place among the 
 patriots. When forty-five years of age he 
 was married to Mary Gibson, and to their 
 union was born one child, D. C, the sub- 
 ject of this memoir. The mother died in 
 December, 1827, the father in 182'J, and 
 both are buried in Massachusetts. 
 
 The subject of these lines was reared by 
 a maiden aunt, Ruth Holladay, who died 
 in 1856. in Salt Lake City, Utah, whither 
 she had gone to pass her declining years. 
 When seven years old he came vvest to Ohio 
 with his aunt and an uncle, Moses Holla- 
 day, the journey being made by canal and 
 lake as far as Cleveland, whence they were 
 driven to Litchfield, Medina county-, where- 
 they settled. Mr. Holladay was early put 
 to farm work, and attended school but little 
 in Medina county, as the schoolhouse was^ 
 four miles distant. He was subsequently 
 reared by relatives who came to Grafton 
 township, Lorain county, in 1836, and re- 
 sided at Kingsley's Corners, remaining 
 with them until twenty-one years of age. 
 He was soon afterward united in marriacre 
 with Miss Roxina Sheldon, who was born. 
 
962 
 
 LORAIX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 in Johnstown, Penn., and they became the 
 parents of two children, namely: Alvira, 
 Mrs. James Tucker, of Eaton township, and 
 Erastus, on the home farm in Grafton town- 
 ship. Shortly after his marriage Mr. 
 HoUaday purchased the farm he jet resides 
 on. where he was for many years success- 
 fully engaged in general agriculture; of 
 late years, however, he has retired from 
 active farm work, leaving the manao-einent 
 of the place to his son. Mrs. Holladay 
 passed from earth February 17, 1886, and 
 her remains are interred in Nesbit ceme- 
 tery. Our subject is a stanch member of 
 the Democratic party, but has no desire for 
 political preferments, having declined to 
 serve as justice of the peace. 
 
 Mr. Holladay is an excellent type of 
 those sturdy old pioneers who have passed 
 their lives in Grafton township, to whom 
 too much credit cannot be given for the 
 assistance they have rendered in the im- 
 provement and advancement of the coun- 
 try. He has seen the dense forest give 
 Elace to fertile fields of grain, and has 
 imself been instrnmentalin effecting these 
 changes. 
 
 i^ILLIAM H. JOHNSON, an en- 
 terprising agriculturist, and rep- 
 resentative citizen of LaGrancje 
 
 o 
 
 township, is the oldest male 
 representative of his father's family, 
 which is one of the most prominent in 
 Lorain county. He was born May 30, 
 1834, in LaGrange township, a son of 
 Hon. Nathan Porter and Laura (Waite) 
 Johnson. 
 
 Hon. Natlian P. Johnson was of New 
 England stock, his parents, Stephen and 
 Phebe Johnson, having been born in Old 
 Haddara, Conn., whence in 1785 they re- 
 moved to Hartford, Washington 'Co., 
 N. Y., finally in April, 1801, migrating to 
 Champion, Jefferson Co., same State. 
 Nathan P. was born in Hartford, N. Y., 
 January 30, 1801, and was, as will be 
 
 seen, an infant when his parents removed 
 to Jefferson county. He received but 
 a limited education, the schools of those 
 early days being very primitive in their 
 character, but being an apt scholar, and of 
 a bright and studious disposition, he made 
 wonderful progress. In Jefferson county 
 he was married October 20, 1822, to Miss 
 Laura Waite, who was born in February, 
 1804:, in Champion, N. Y., a daughter of 
 Dorastus and Sally (McNittj Waite. 
 Willie residing in New York State the 
 following children were born to tliera, 
 their names, dates of birth, etc., being 
 given: Sarah L., September 14, 1823. 
 now living in LaGrange, the widow of 
 William F. Hubbard; William H., Sep- 
 tember 19, 1825, died October 11, 1829; 
 Cynthia A.. September 25, 1827, wife of 
 Charles A. Wilcox, of LaGrange; Mary 
 L., June 29, 1830. now the widow of 
 Spencer Lincoln, of LaGrange; and Phojbe 
 M., April 24, 1832, married Henry Ster- 
 rot, and died April 4, 1866. In Ohio 
 were born as follows: William H. (subject 
 of sketch); Elizur G., November 24, 1836, 
 living in Elyria; Ellen M., January 25, 
 1840, married Henry Noble, and died in 
 LaGrange; and Ann Eliza, February 11, 
 1842, twice married; first time to Andrew 
 J. Lemore, second time to Harry Nichols, 
 and died in New York State December 4, 
 1869. 
 
 In 1833 Nathan P. Johnson traded land 
 in New York State for a tract in Lorain 
 county, Oiiio; in November, same year, 
 came here with his family, a twohorse 
 wagon conveying them, while their house- 
 hold effects were transported by water as 
 far as Cleveland. The journey occupied 
 twenty-one days, and on their arrival in 
 Lorain county they made their temporary 
 home at the house of Sylvester Merriams, 
 a brother-in-law of Nathan Johnson. In 
 the meantime a log house was erected on 
 the farm south of the center of LaGrange 
 township, into which, when completed, 
 the family removed. Mr. Johnson was 
 originally an ardent Whig of the old 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 963 
 
 school, later a Republican, and was elected 
 to the Legislature in 1844, reelected in 
 1845; was a member of the Ohio Senate, 
 1847-48, from the Districts composed of 
 Lorain and Medina counties; was, after his 
 removal in 1862 to the villao;e of La- 
 Grange, appointed postmaster there by 
 Abraham Lincoln ; In fact he was a 
 thoroughly representative man, a useful 
 citizen, honored and respected. lie died 
 December 22, 1874, and was interred in 
 LaGrange cemetery. At the time of his 
 death he was a member of the Methodist 
 Church, but was in the earlier days of his 
 life a Cougregatiotiiilist. Mr. Johnson's 
 first wife died in 184G, and he afterward 
 married Miss Mary Hart, of Elyria, by 
 whom there was no issue. 
 
 William H. Johnson, whose name opens 
 this sketch, received his primary education 
 at the common schools of his towMiship, 
 his sister Sarah L. being his first teacher, 
 and, later, he attended the higher schools 
 of Oberlin and Elyria. He was reared to 
 farming pursuits, and lived on his father's 
 farm until his marriage, at which time he 
 moved to his fine property situated south 
 of LaGrange, and there remained till 1891, 
 in which year he came to his farm, lying 
 in the center of LaGrange township, and 
 which comprises 141 acres prime land, 
 highly cultivated. On September 15, 1856, 
 Mr. Johnson married Miss Mary A. Par- 
 sorre, born in Windham, Portage county, 
 Ohio, and two children were born to them: 
 Laura V., now wife of M. W. Ingalls, and 
 Mary A., at home. Tiie mother of these 
 was called from earth in 1860, and in 
 1862 our subject married Mrs. Lucy II. 
 Bruce {nee Bradley), widow of O. Bruce. 
 By this union there were three children, 
 viz.: William II. (1) (deceased in infancy), 
 William H. (2) (also died in infancy), and 
 Anita S., now Mrs. C. H. Curtis, of Berea, 
 Ohio. In politics Mr. Johnson is a leader 
 in the ranks of the Republican party, and 
 has held various township offices with 
 credit and ability, such as assessor, trustee, 
 etc. Formerly he was a Congregationalist, 
 
 but of late years he has been a member of 
 the M. E. Church, in which he is a class- 
 leader. He is remarkably temj)erate in 
 his habits, never having used tobacco in 
 any form, and alcoholic liquor only occa- 
 sionally for its medicinal properties. 
 
 B. BELDEN is a native of Lorain 
 county, born in Brownhelm town- 
 ship in 1846. His father, Martin 
 Belden, was a native of Landislield, 
 Mass., born in 1810, and was mar- 
 ried May 1, 1833, in Colebrook, Conn., to 
 Eliza Murray, who was born in Delhi, 
 N. Y., in 1811. In 1834 they came to 
 Lorain county, Ohio, locating in Amherst 
 township till 1842, in which year tiiey 
 moved to Brownhelm township, same 
 county, and in 1854 proceeded to the vil- 
 lage of North Amherst, where for two 
 years the father was engaged in the dry- 
 goods business. In 1860 they moved to 
 Wood county, Ohio, where they resided 
 till 1872, in which year they returned to 
 Lorain county. The father died Novem- 
 ber 6, 1888; he was a Democrat and 
 served as county commissioner. The 
 mother is yet living. They had a family 
 of eight children, four of whom are yet 
 living, namely: Eliza Ann, wife of Albert 
 Aldrich. of East Amherst, Ohio; Pru- 
 dence B., a graduate of the LTnivursity of 
 Pliiladelphia, who is a practicing physi- 
 cian in Chicago. 111.; R. B., the subject of 
 sketch; Clara L., the wife of Warren 
 Bulsey, a druggist of Napoleon, Henrv 
 Co., Ohio. ^ 
 
 R. B. Belden received his education at 
 the public schools of North Amherst, and 
 was reared to farming pursuits, which he 
 has successfully followed. He has re- 
 sided in Lorain county all his lite with the 
 exception of nine years spent in Trumbull 
 and Portage counties, Ohio, where he was 
 engaged in the cheese business. He now 
 devotes his attention exclusively to his 
 farming interests. 
 
964 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 On April 20, 1887, Mr. Belden was 
 united in marriage with Mrs. Arthur Carr, 
 a native of Huron county, Oliio, daughter 
 of Robert and Mary (Wright) Curtis, the 
 former of whom was born in Vermont, the 
 latter in New York State. Robert Curtis 
 came to Huron county, Ohio, locating in 
 North Fairfield township, where he kept 
 hotel; he died in 1873 in the village of 
 North Fairfield. His wife had passed 
 away in 1866. Mr. Belden is a Democrat, 
 and has served as trustee of Amherst. He 
 is a member of the F. & A. M., Stoning- 
 ton Lodge No. 503, and of the I. O. O. F., 
 Plato Lodge, No. 203, having passed all 
 the Chairs. Mrs. Belden is a member of 
 the Daughters of Rebekah, Lodge No. 
 257, of which she is a charter member; 
 she is also a mem ber of the Ladies of the 
 Maccabees. 
 
 JT. HENDERSON. The Oberlin 
 Business College has for many years 
 held an exalted place among the 
 business schools of this country, and 
 many young men and women, now prom- 
 inent in the business world or as teachers, 
 received their trainino; in this school. We 
 are pleased to be al)le to present to the 
 readers of this book a brief biography of 
 J. T. Henderson, whose portrait appears 
 upon the opposite page, and whose ability 
 as a teacher, good judgment and character 
 as a man have had much to do in building 
 up this useful school. 
 
 About four miles north of McConnels- 
 ville, Morgan Co., Ohio, is found a quiet 
 country home, surrounded by fertile hills 
 and valleys, in which was born the subject 
 of this sketch May 18, 1862. He is the 
 son of John and Cecelia (Richardson) 
 Henderson, also nativ^es of the Buckeye 
 State, the former of whom died in Morgan 
 county in 1884, where his widow is yet 
 residing. His early life was very much as 
 that of other country boys, the summers 
 being spent in work upon the farm, and 
 
 the winters in the district school, except 
 that he early manifested an unusual inter- 
 est in his studies, and made such rapid 
 progress in thom that before he was six- 
 teen years old he had secured a county 
 teacher's certificate. This opened the way 
 for him to a broader and more useful life, 
 and after this the farm had little attrac- 
 tion for him. 
 
 He began teaching when seventeen years 
 old, and continued to teach in country 
 schools for several years, with a degree of 
 success not often attained by even older 
 instructors. As evidence of this success, 
 he was retained in his first school sfeven 
 terms. During these years he developed 
 an extraordinary fondness for fine writing, 
 and, by long and faithful practice, consider- 
 able ability to execute the same. To 
 gratify this fondness, and to improve him- 
 self in this chosen profession, he was induced 
 to attend the Muskingum Valley Normal 
 School for four summers in succession. 
 This school was under the able manage- 
 ment of Prof. Jacob Schwartz, for twenty 
 years superintendent of penmanship in the 
 public schools of Zanesville, Ohio. This 
 gentleman was a penman of rare ability, 
 and to his competence as a teacher is due 
 the great number of penmen and business 
 educators which Morgan county has pro- 
 duced. As might well be supposed, in 
 this association Mr. Henderson found 
 plenty of fuel for his burning passion for 
 penmanship, and his indefatigable labors 
 were rewarded at the close of the last term 
 by receiving the prize for being the best 
 penman in the school, consisting of about 
 one hundred competitors. This seems to 
 have been the flood-tide in the affairs of 
 this energetic young man, for the prize 
 was a scholarship in the Zanesville Busi- 
 ness College. We find that Mr. Hender- 
 son completed the business course in this 
 institution in the spring of 1883, thereby 
 climbing one round higher on the ladder 
 which has brought him such abundant 
 success. The summer of 1883 was spent 
 in traveling through different parts of the 
 
Principal (if Obcrlin Business College 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 967 
 
 East, visiting Chautauqua, Niagara Falls, 
 Ocean Grove, Coney Island, Asbury Park, 
 Long Branch, New York and other cities, 
 a part of his expenses being defrayed by 
 card writing at the summer resorts. 
 
 The year 1883-1884 found our subject 
 occupying liis first position as teacher of 
 commercial branches in JJaldwin Univer- 
 sity, Berea, Ohio. While coimected with 
 this college he devoted his spare time to 
 further study, completing such branches 
 as Geometry, English Literature, Rhetoric, 
 etc. Pres. Schuyler says of his work in 
 this institution: "He understands his busi- 
 ness, is an excellent teacher and a worthy 
 man." During the latter part of this year 
 he was employed in the First National 
 Bank of that city as bookkeeper, which 
 position was filled ably and to the entire 
 satisfaction of the management of the bank. 
 The dream of his life now began to take 
 definite siiape, and possessing a mind quick 
 to perceive and ready to appropriate useful 
 information, he here obtained much prac- 
 tical knowledge that has been of inestima- 
 ble value to him in the work upon which 
 he was soon to enter — that of a business 
 educator. In the fall of 1884 he purchased 
 of Uriah McKee a half-interest in the 
 Oberlin Business College, and since that 
 time he has devoted his whole time and 
 energy to building up and improving this 
 old and well-known institution. 
 
 Business education has had an interest- 
 ing history in Oberlin. The history of such 
 work dates back to the very earliest period 
 when such instruction was given anywhere, 
 and many men who are now occupying 
 eminent places in the world have been as- 
 sociated with the work in this place as 
 teachers, among whom we might mention 
 William Warren, author of tlie Warrenian 
 System of Penmanship; Piatt R. Spencer, 
 autlior of the Spencerian System of Pen- 
 manship, now famous the world over; 
 Charles Griffeth. S. S. Calkins, Drake 
 Brothers, Piatt R. Spencer, Jr., W. F. 
 Lyun. Mr. Howland, Mr. Cobb, U. Mc- 
 Kee, and many others. It was the mantle 
 
 of sued) men as these that fell upon the 
 shoulders of Mr. Henderson, who has for 
 ten years demonstrated his ability to carry 
 to a successful issue the work for which 
 these men laid the foundation. 
 
 In June, 1885, he was united in mar- 
 riage in Morgan county, Ohio, with Miss 
 Ada Lawrence, a native of that county, 
 and four children have been born to 
 them: Fred (who died at the age of four 
 years), Elmer Clinton, Llarold Lawrence 
 and Alice Estelle. In politics Mr. Hender- 
 son is a Republican-Prohibitionist, and lie 
 and his wife are members of the M. E. 
 Church, of which he is treasurer, as well 
 as assistant superintendent of the Sunday- 
 school. 
 
 The partnership between McKee and 
 Henderson continued until June, 1892, 
 when Mr. McKee was compelled to with- 
 draw from the school on account of failing 
 health, his entire interest being purchased 
 by the junior member of the firm, who 
 since that time has had the entire manage- 
 ment of the institution. Since Principal 
 Henderson was first associated with the 
 Oberlin Business College, the patronage 
 has almost dout)led, and its present prom- 
 inent position among similar colleges is 
 largely due to his untiring efforts. He 
 has been a close student of all subjects 
 bearing upon hig work, and for several 
 years has been giving his students the 
 benefit of his researches, in what is termed 
 the " Wednesday Afternoon Lecture 
 Course,'' when such subjects as ''Elements 
 of Success in Life," " Life Insurance," 
 ''Building and Loan Associations," "Our 
 Domestic System of Exchange," " Post 
 Office Money Order System," " Banking," 
 " New York Clearing House," etc., are 
 discussed in a manner which has long 
 been popular with the students, not so 
 much because of rhetorical flourish as be- 
 cause of the abundant practical informa- 
 tion contained. 
 
 Mr. Henderson takes a deep interest in 
 the welfare of the community, and occu- 
 pies a high place in the estimation of his 
 
968 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 fellow citizens. The mayor of Oberlin 
 said of him recently: "He is known here 
 as an upright and conscientious teacher, a 
 patriotic citizen, and an enthusiastic 
 woi-ker in the Church and benevolent Socie- 
 ties of the place." For several years he has 
 been a member of the Board of Directors of 
 tlie Oberlin Y. M. C. A., and for some time 
 past an efficient member of the Board 
 of Health. He is also a member of the 
 Executive Board of Associated Charities 
 for Oberlin, and lias recently been elected 
 a member of the Board of Education. His 
 superior skill as a penman, his practical 
 experience in the banking business, to- 
 gether with his ability as a teacher and 
 cliaracter as a man, render him an able in- 
 structor in the college over which he pre- 
 sides, a useful citizen in the community in 
 which he lives, and place him in the 
 front rank of business educators of the 
 present time. 
 
 ^?f\EV. NICHOLAS PFEIL, pastor 
 L^ of Holy Trinity Church, Avon, 
 I V^ was born November 4, 1S59, in 
 ■^ Cleveland, on the so-called West 
 
 Side, formerly known as Ohio City. 
 The house in which he for the first time 
 saw the light of day is still standing on 
 the southeast corner of the intersection 
 of Penn and Chatham streets. He is the 
 second youngest of seven children — five 
 boys and two girls — all of whom with their 
 parents are still among the living. They 
 reside in and about Cleveland, except his 
 youngest brother, who at present is so- 
 journing in England, near Liverpool, being 
 a priest of the Society of Jesus. 
 
 His parents were among the pioneers of 
 Cleveland, having immigrated in the fall 
 of 1847. They came from the northern 
 part of Baden, in Germany, and are de- 
 scendants of that loyal race of sturdy 
 Franks, who through all the storms of 
 centuries remained faithful to the Catholic 
 Church, ever since the days of Franconia's 
 
 apostle, St. Kilian, who, in the latter part 
 of the seventh century, converted the 
 Franconiati people from heathenism to 
 catholicity. 
 
 His father, Lawrence Pfeil, hails from 
 the town of Koenigsheim on the Tauber, 
 and his mother, whose maiden name was 
 Franciska Reinhart, comes from Gissig- 
 heim, a picturesque little village in the 
 uplands of the so-called Taubergrund. 
 
 Lawrence Pfeil was a baker by profes- 
 sion, and upon arriving in Cleveland began 
 to ply his trade for a time; but, seeing that 
 ship carpenters were in greater demand 
 and better paid, he joined their ranks, to 
 earn a living for his little family. After 
 several years of trials, sickness and suffer- 
 ing, wiiich were the common lot of pio- 
 neers in those terrible days of fever and 
 ague, he, being assisted by his saving and 
 diligent wife, succeeded in acquiring a 
 little home on Pear street hill. Later on 
 he invested his hard-earned savings in a 
 more comfortable home on Chatham street. 
 
 Here the subject of this sketch spent 
 his early youth, watched over by a pious 
 mother who taught him the first kuow- 
 ledtre of God, and folded his hands in 
 childlike prayer. When seven years of 
 age, he was sent to St. Mary's school on 
 Jersey street, then as now taught by the 
 Ciiristian Brothers of Dayton, who enjoy 
 a wide reputation as clever teachers. 
 
 In the latter part of the " sixties," the 
 family removed from Chatham street on to 
 a little farm near the crossing of Lorain 
 and Henley streets. Though the distance 
 to the parochial school was now three miles, 
 the subject of this sketch very seldom 
 missed a day, despite rain and storm, foot- 
 ing it regularly there and back, summer 
 and winter, and often through what now- 
 a-days would be called impassible roads. 
 From his eleventh year on he attended St. 
 Stephen's school, which was opened on 
 Courtland street in tlie spring of 1870. 
 Here, in 1872, he made his First Com- 
 munion under the guidance and direction 
 of a pious and zealous pastor, the Rev. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 969 
 
 Casimir Reichlin, for whom he entertains 
 filial affection and devotion to tliis day. 
 Fur, next to the grace of God, it was, in 
 great measure, owing to the beautiful, 
 priestly life of this good man that he 
 gradually felt an earnest desire of conse- 
 crating himself one day to the service of 
 God by entering the priesthood. 
 
 Agreeably to his request, Nicholas, with 
 his younger brother, was sent by his par- 
 ents, in the fall of 1873, to Cauisius Col- 
 lege, Buffalo, N. Y., under the able man- 
 aeement of the Jesuit Fathers, where, for 
 five years, he applied liiinself closely to 
 the study of Christian doctrine, Latin, 
 Greek, German, English, French, mathe- 
 matics and other branches usually taught 
 during a collegiate course. He was gradu- 
 ated in June, 1878, and the following 
 September entered St. Mary's Theological 
 Seminary on Lake street, Cleveland. Here 
 he I'emained five years, studying philosophy 
 and theology, church history, exegesis, 
 canon law, rubrics, etc., in preparation for 
 the reception of Holy Orders — the dream 
 of his life. 
 
 After so many years of patient and 
 laborious study he received minor orders 
 on the 17th of March, subdeaconship on 
 the 17th, and deaconship on the 18th day 
 of May, and priesthood on the 1st of July, 
 1883, being then in his twenty-fourth year. 
 On the following Sunday, July 8, he cele- 
 brated his first public Mass in St. Stephen's 
 Church, amidst great solemnity and a vast 
 outpouring of people, who had known him 
 from i)oyhood days up. 
 
 His first pastoral charge was St. Patrick's 
 congregation, Hubbard, Trumbull county, 
 where he remained seven months, when he 
 was transferred to the pastorate of Holy 
 Trinity congregation, Avon, Lorain county. 
 It is now closely upon ten years that he 
 has directed the temporal and spiritual 
 affairs of this congregation, having arrived 
 February 29, 1884. 
 
 During this period he also attended St. 
 Peter's congregation. North Ridgeville, for 
 somewhat over four years, holding services 
 
 in both congregations every Sunday and 
 Holy-day. He is now solely pastor of 
 Avon, having been relieved of the arduous 
 work of the Kidgeville mission by Bishop 
 Horstmann, November 12, 1893. 
 
 The present pastor of Trinity Church 
 loves to spend his leisure moments in his 
 library among his books. He is fond of 
 solitude because of the opportunity it af- 
 fords him for reading and mental improve- 
 ment, but he also loves the company of 
 his friends, and highly appreciates a good 
 joke when he hears it. Although born in 
 the city, he prefers to live in the country, 
 regards with affection its plain people 
 and their simplicity of life, delights in 
 flowers and birds, and is passionately fond 
 of music. His great pleasure, however, is 
 to come to the relief of some poor suffer- 
 ing soul, and is ever ready, at any hour of 
 the day or night, to exercise his priestly 
 ministrations. 
 
 T[ M. VANTILEUPtG, M. D., a pop- 
 k. I ular physician and surgeon of Lorain, 
 }^) was born January 19, 1849, in Ash- 
 land county, Ohio, and is descended 
 from one of the early pioneer families of 
 that county. 
 
 His grandfather, Daniel Vantilburg, 
 was horn in Jefferson county, Ohio, and 
 in 1812 entered land in Ashland county, 
 same State. He returned to Jefferson 
 county, where he was united in marriage 
 with Miss Margaret Clinton, and in 1813 
 settled permanently in Ashland county, 
 where he became a prominent citizen, re- 
 siding on his farm until his death, which 
 occurred in 1866. He took part in the 
 war of 1812, serving six months in an 
 Oliio regiment. Mr. and Mrs. Vantilburg 
 reared a family of six children — three sons 
 and three daughters; two of the sons, 
 John and Henry (twins), are practicing 
 physicians in Ashland county. The Van- 
 
970 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 tilbnrgfamilj was originally from ndland, 
 and Grandfather Vantilbiircr was of Penn- 
 
 o 
 
 sylvan ia-German descent. 
 
 Daniel Vantilburg, son of this old 
 pioneer, was born on the farm in Ashland 
 county (one mile south of Ashland), where 
 lie passed his entire life. He was married 
 in Jefferson county, this State, to Miss 
 Clarinda Myers, a native of same, and they 
 had a family of four children (three yet 
 living), namely: Margaret, who was mar- 
 ried to Dr. Charles Campbell, of Ashland, 
 and died in 1879; J. M., subject of sketch; 
 William, residing at Ashland, and George, 
 living on the hofne farm in Ashland 
 county. The father of this family died in 
 1878, in Ashland county, where his widow 
 still resides. 
 
 J. M. Vantilburg was reared in his na- 
 tive countj-, and received his education in 
 the common schools of Ashland and in the 
 college at Hayesville. In 1864 he en- 
 listed, for three years or during the war, 
 in Company G, Twenty-third O. V. ]., 
 under Gen. R. B. Hayes, Captain William 
 McKinley (afterward Governor McKinley). 
 He was mustered into serviceat Columbus, 
 Ohio, being assigned to the army of West 
 Virginia, and participated in the engage- 
 ment of Cedar Creek and in many skir- 
 mishes. He was honorably discharged at 
 Cumberland, Md., in July, 1805, and re- 
 turned to his home in Ashland county, 
 Ohio. In 1885 he entered Jefferson 
 Medical College, Philadelphia, and in 
 October, 1888, came to Lorain, Lorain 
 county, where he has since made his home, 
 actively engaged in the duties of his pro- 
 fession. From 1881 to 1883 the Doctor 
 resided in western Texas and Mexico, 
 assisting for some time in the construction 
 of the Texas and Pacific Railroad from Ft. 
 Worth west. For nine months he was 
 engaged on the construction of the Mex- 
 ican Central Railroad, from El Paso to 
 Zacatecas, and then located for a short 
 time in the city of Chihuahua, Mexico, 
 after which he returned to Ashland county. 
 
 Socially Dr. Vantilburg is a member of 
 
 Q. A. Gillmore Post No. 752, G. A. R., 
 and lias been commander of same since its 
 organization (this post at the present 
 writing has twenty-three members); he is 
 also a member of Woodland Lodge No. 
 226, K. of P., of Uniformed Ratik No. 
 117 Loyal Legion, and Lorain Lodge No. 
 552, F. and A. M. For many years be 
 has been a member of the Ohio National 
 Guards, of which he was the first lieu- 
 tenant. Politically he is a Rejjublican, 
 and has served as member of the town 
 council. 
 
 I OHN SAYE, farmer and keeper of 
 ^ I boarding stable, Ridgoville township, 
 }^) is an Englishman by birth, born 
 December 7, 1839, in Yoi-kshire, a 
 son of James and Ann (Colley) Saye, of 
 the same county, where thev married. In 
 1850 they came to the United States, 
 crossing the ocean in six weeks, and from 
 their port of landing came westward to 
 Ohio, taking the Hudson river, Erie Canal 
 and Lake Erie to Cleveland, thence pro- 
 ceeding by wagon to their destination — 
 Eaton township, Lorain county, where 
 they lived many years; they died in Ridge- 
 ville township, the father in February, 
 18S1, the mother in 1871. They had a 
 family of eight children, six of whom are 
 yet living, viz. : Watson, residing in Ridge- 
 ville township; Ann. widow of Albert 
 Adams, of Saginaw, Mich.; Harriet, wife 
 of John Watson, of Ridgeville township; 
 Mary, wife of Ambrose Snow, of Cali- 
 fornia; John, our subject; and Hannah, 
 widow of Joseph Peterson, of Berea, Ohio. 
 
 John Saye, whose name introduces this 
 sketch, wasaboy when he came with therest 
 of the family to America, and his education 
 was received partly in England and partly in 
 Ridgeville township, Lorain county, where 
 he was also trained to agricultural pursuits. 
 In 1872 he bought his present fine farm 
 of forty-five acres in Ridgeville township, 
 and here he has since been successfully 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 971 
 
 gaged in general farming and boarding 
 horses, in connection witii vvliieli latter 
 branch of his business he iias iiad the care 
 of horses of all kinds, from various parts 
 of the county. Mr. Saye has been twice 
 married: first time in 1863 to Miss Miriam 
 Parker, a native of Henrietta township, 
 Lorain county, by which union were born 
 three children — all daughters — viz.: Amy, 
 Ella (wife of Douglas Proudtbot; tliey 
 have one child, Lester), and Miriam. The 
 mother of these died in 1879, and in 1883 
 Mr. Snye married Miss Ellen Gayton, a 
 native of Cleveland, Ohio. In politics our 
 subject is a Republican, and he is one of 
 the useful, loyal citizens of his locality. 
 
 L( 
 
 OREIN EMMONS, member of an 
 
 early pioneer family of Ridgeville 
 
 township, is a native of same, born 
 
 in December, 1823, son of Chauncey 
 
 and Charlotte (Porter) Emmons. 
 
 The parents of our subject were both 
 natives of Connecticut, the mother born 
 August 26, 1789, and in 1810 they mi- 
 grated westward, coming with an ox-team 
 to Lorain county, Ohio, where they passed 
 the rest of their long lives. They located 
 in Ridgeville township, first on Butternut 
 Ridge, and subsequently on the farm now 
 occupied by the subject of this sketch. 
 Chauncey Emmons took an active interest 
 in the politics of the day. His death oc- 
 curred in Ridgeville township, June 24, 
 1874, his wife dying September 21, 1847. 
 These pioneers reared a family of eight 
 children, a brief record of whom follows: 
 Marilla was first married to Newton 
 Adams, and is now the wife of Mr. Brandy- 
 burg; they live in Lansing, Mich. Beecher 
 Porter removed to Missouri, where he died 
 in 1890. Caroline is the widow of Fred- 
 erick Hall, of Olean, N. Y. Susan is the 
 widow of David Brainerd, of Wisconsin. 
 Edmond died in Lorain county. Lorrin 
 
 is the subject of this biographical memoir. 
 Harlow Chauncey resided the greater part 
 of his life in Elyria; his death occurred in 
 St. Paul, Minn. Spencer died in Elyria. 
 Lorrin Emmons was reared in his na- 
 tive township, and received bis education 
 in the common schools of Ridgeville 
 Center. He has made farming his life 
 vocation, and now owns the old homestead 
 of twentv-tive acres, to which he has added 
 twenty-five more, making a fine farm of 
 fifty acres in a high state of cultivation. 
 On March 27, 1849, Mr. Emmons was 
 married, in Ridgeville township, to Miss 
 Mary Bnrrell, daughter of Higby and Ann 
 (Conrad) Burrell, natives of New York 
 State, who in an early day came to Lorain 
 county, Ohio; the father died in Ridgeville 
 township at the age of eighty-one, the 
 mother ma!iy years before. To Mr. and 
 Mrs. Lorria Emmons have come four chil- 
 dren, namely: Lois, wifeof Orrin Herrick, 
 of Cleveland, has four children; Ada A., 
 who married Elson Dye, died in January, 
 1893, leaving two children; Alice, wife of 
 Howard Knevels, of Elkhart, Ind.; and 
 Arthur L., married and living in Omaha, 
 Neb., in the employ of the Union Pacific 
 Railroad. Mr. Emmons is a member of 
 the Democratic party, and has been elected 
 to the offices of assessor and trustee of his 
 township, serving in the latter position 
 many years. He and his wife are mem- 
 bers of the Congregational Church. 
 
 H. SHAW, a leading agriculturist 
 of Ridgeville township, and a repre- 
 sentative citizen, is a native of 
 New York State, born in Bristol 
 township, Ontario county, in 1829, a son 
 of Samuel and Charlotte (Hale) Shaw, also 
 natives of the Empire State. 
 
 In the fall of 1829 the family migrated 
 to Ohio, making a settlement in Bath 
 township. Summit county, the fourth or 
 fifth family to come into that locality. 
 
972 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Here the father died January 31, 1837, 
 and in 1839 his widow married Lyman 
 Doolittle, who died in Summit county, 
 Ohio. To Samuel and Charlotte Shaw 
 were born six children, as follows: Allen, 
 who died young; S. H., our subject; Cor- 
 inthia, who died young; Lorenzo, who mar- 
 ried and lived in Summit county, died 
 about 1890; Dency, who married Walter 
 Simmons, and moved to Medina county, 
 died in September, 1891 (he died in Sep- 
 tember, 1890); and Richmond, married, 
 residing in Bath township, Summit county. 
 By the mother's second marriage there 
 were five children, to wit: Eliza, who 
 married William Wylie (they came to 
 Ridgeville township, where she died in 
 1875); Erwin, who died young; Lucy, who 
 died young; Orpha, wife of Virgil R. 
 Shaw, living on the old home; and Gen- 
 evieve, wife of Virgil E. Shaw, also resid- 
 ing on the old homestead. 
 
 The subject proper of this sketch re- 
 ceived a liberal education at the common 
 schools of his boyhood home, and was 
 reared to farming pursuits. In 1851 he 
 came from Summit county, Oiiio, to Ridge- 
 ville township, Lorain county, where he 
 cleared a farm from out of the woods, at a 
 time when wild animals, including all 
 kinds of game, were yet plentiful. He 
 bought eighteen acres of land, and after 
 improving it sold out and moved into Me- 
 dina county, where he resided till 1856; 
 then returned to Lorain county and bought 
 a ten acre tract of wild timber land, which 
 he cleared, and from time to time added to 
 till now he is the owner of sixty-five acres 
 all in a good state of cultivation. He has 
 a comfortable residence, ample barn and 
 other outbuildings, and confines himself 
 now exclusively to mixed farming, although 
 at one time he worked at his trade, that of 
 carpenter and joiner, and for twelve years 
 followed the business of buildincr mover. 
 
 In 1851 Mr. Shaw was married, in Sum- 
 mit county, to Miss Juliette Wylie, a native 
 of Erie, Penn.,and daughter of Joseph and 
 Anna (Shaw) Wylie, both of Connecticut 
 
 birth, who in an early day moved to Erie, 
 Penn., and thence in 1839 to Summit 
 county, Ohio, locating in Bath township. 
 The father died in Erie in 1838, the mother 
 in Ridgeville township, Lorain county, in 
 1872. Their family, seven in number, 
 were as follows: Andrew, who has resided 
 on his present farm in Medina county since 
 1848; Mary Ann, wife of Isaac Warren, 
 residing in Oklahoma; Warren, who died 
 young; William, deceased in 1887 in Ridge- 
 ville; Favian; Jane, who died young; and 
 Juliette, Mrs. Shaw. To Mr.' and Mrs. 
 S. H. Shaw were born seven children, a 
 brief record of whom is as follows: Zimri, 
 agent at Shawville, where he resides, is 
 married and has two sons, Archer and 
 Stanley; Arthur, agent at Olmsted Falls, 
 is married and has one son, Glenn; Dora 
 died at the age of two years; Diana, wife 
 of Lafayette Phillips, residing in Carbon, 
 Ind., has one son, Claude; Oscar, married, 
 resides in Clarksville, Tenn. (he has two 
 children, Hattie and Cecil); Alfaretta, wife 
 of Morris Bills, residing at Collins, Ohio, 
 has two children, Grace and Stella; Lola is 
 a graduate of Elyria High School. Po- 
 litically our subject is an ardent Republi- 
 can, and has served as township trustee 
 and in other ofHces of trust. At one time 
 there was in Ridgeville township a post- 
 office, Shawville, named for the family, 
 which was changed, however, but there is 
 still a station on the L. S. & M. S. R. R. 
 of that name. 
 
 ^ILLIAM F. ESKERT. Among 
 
 the well-known agriculturists of 
 Elyria township stands prominent 
 this gentleman. He is a native 
 of Boston, Mass., born July 26, 1849, a 
 son of George and Elizabeth (Abbenzeller) 
 Eskert, who came from Germany to tlie 
 United States, and were married in Bos- 
 ton, Mass. The father, who was a rope 
 maker by trade, died at the early age of 
 twenty-nine years; the mother is yet living 
 in Elyria. 
 
LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 973 
 
 The subject of tliis sketch received his 
 ediicHtion in Boston, and learned tlie trade 
 of boiler maker, which he followed in his 
 native city till 186S, in wiiich year he 
 came to Lorain county, and commenced 
 farming, a vocation he has since prospered 
 in. He has been a member of the board 
 of County Iiitirmary directors since 1890, 
 having been elected on the Republican 
 ticket, and he was trustee of Elyria town- 
 ship for several years. 
 
 On April 30, 1870, Mr. Eskert married 
 Miss Frances Hoadley, daughter of Luther 
 and Hannah (Smith) Hoadley, who are 
 among the oldest pioneers of Lorain county. 
 One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. 
 Eskert: Helen, wife of Allen E. GrifBn,of 
 Oberlin, Ohio. Mr. Eskert is a member 
 of the F. & A. M. 
 
 If If ENRY WARNER was born Octo- 
 
 hH ber 17, 1801, in Middletown, Mid- 
 
 I 1| dlesex Co., Conn. On April 21, 
 
 ■^ 1825, he was united in marriage 
 
 with Miss Elizabeth Whitcom, of 
 
 Wayne county, N. T., by which union 
 
 there were eleven children, viz. : William 
 
 H., John v., Esther A., Maria J., Malita 
 
 A., Augustus A., Jerome B., Cyrenius P., 
 
 Vandalia S., Irving N., and Valeria E., 
 
 two of whom are living, Augustus A. and 
 
 Cyrenius P. 
 
 The subject of this memoir moved to 
 Brownhelm, Lorain Co., Ohio, in 1847, 
 having previously purchased the stone 
 quarry now owned by the Worthiiigton 
 Brotliers. From this quarry he slii{)ped, 
 it is believed, the first stone that was 
 shipped from Lorain county; this shipment 
 was to Canada. Some time in 1854 or 
 1855 he was associated with Baxter Cloiigh 
 in the quarry l)usiness, and was owner of 
 the Haldeman quarry in 1859. He spent 
 his days on the farm where he died, which 
 is now owned and occupied by his son-in- 
 
 law, J. R. Miller, and located about one 
 mile west of North Amherst village, on the 
 Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Rail- 
 road. Mr. Warner died January 25, 1876, 
 in the seventy-fifth year of his age. His 
 wife died August 25, 1872. 
 
 Tfff ENRY FOWL, one of the represent- 
 
 Tr^ ative native-born agriculturists of 
 
 I 11 Lorain county, first opened his eyes 
 
 Jj to the light of day in Amherst 
 
 township in 1843. 
 
 His father, Henry Fowl, came from 
 Germany to Ohio when about eleven years 
 old, with his father, Godfrey Fowl, and for 
 a year they had their residence in Cleve- 
 land, thence moving to Amherst township, 
 Lorain county. Here Henry Fowl re- 
 mained till 1864, when he came to Elyria 
 township, settlingon thefarm nowoccupied 
 by our subject. He married Miss Sarah 
 E. Baker, who came to Lorain county when 
 five years old, and they reared a family of 
 eight children, of whom the following is a 
 brief record: Henry is the subject of this 
 sketch; Charles E. is on a farm in Elyria 
 township ; Catherine, the wife of L. 
 Haserodt, of Elyria, died March 8, 1873 
 Lucy, who married Conrad Brandt, of Ely 
 ria township, died in November, 1883 
 Leonard died in January, 1S92; Lena is 
 the wife of Emanuel Eckler, of Elyria 
 Andrew, married, resides in Elyria; Philip 
 lives in Carlisle township. The parents 
 both died in 1890, of " la grippe," the 
 father on May 13, the mother on Septem- 
 ber 22. 
 
 Henry Fowl was reared in Amherst 
 township, and received his education at the 
 public schools of the neighborhood, at the 
 same time being trained to the practical 
 duties of farm life. In 1889 he came to 
 his present place in Elyria township, Lo- 
 rain county, where he has since been en- 
 gaged in general agriculture. In 1870 he 
 
974 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 was married to Miss Sarah Pangborn, a na- 
 tive of Amherst township, Lorain county, 
 an adopted daughter of Anson and Ida 
 (Squires) Pangborn, he a native of Ver- 
 mont, she of Whitehall, N. Y. Mrs. Pang- 
 born came to Lorain county in 1816, Mr. 
 Pangborn in 1827, and they both died in 
 Elyria township in 1880 and 1888 respect- 
 ively. To Mr. and Mrs. Fowl have been 
 born six children, as follows: Sydney, Elfa 
 (wife of E. Den man, of Elyria, who has 
 one child, Ena P.), J. M., Ida, Leonard 
 and Urr C. Our subject and wife are 
 members of the Church of Christ, and in 
 his political sympathies he is a strong 
 Prohibitionist. 
 
 yj 
 
 HfENRY A. PLATO, vice-president 
 of the Savings Deposit Bank, and 
 dry-goods merchant. North Am- 
 herst, is a native of Germany, born 
 Decemlier 28, 1845, a son of John 
 and Wilhelmina (Bodmann) Plato, also 
 natives of Germany. 
 
 In 1856 they came to the United States, 
 and to Ohio, making a stay of four or live 
 months in Vermillion, Erie county; then 
 came to Amherst township, Lorain county, 
 where they followed farming alwut three 
 years, after which they moved into the 
 village of North Amherst. Here for 
 some eight or ten years the father operated 
 a livery, assisted by his sons; also erected 
 a grocery store, and conducted a business 
 there till his retirement from active life, 
 at which time his sons took charge of the 
 grocery. He died in December, 1890, 
 aged seventy-six years; his widow is yet 
 living, now sixty-nine years old. Their 
 family comprised three sons and one 
 daughter, viz.: Henry A., John E. (part- 
 ner in business with Henry A.), Herman J. 
 and Matilda C, wife of Joseph Wesbecher, 
 partner in the hardware business with 
 Henry A. and John E. Henry A. com- 
 menced the grocery business with his 
 
 brother, John E., in 1869, and continued 
 therein about twelve years, or till 1881, in 
 which year his brother-in-law (Joseph 
 Wesbecher) being in the hardware busi- 
 ness, our subject and brother, J. E., bought 
 an interest in same. Subsequently Mr. 
 Plato, in conjunction with his partners, 
 built a brick block, and up to January 1, 
 1892, he saw to the interest of the brothers 
 in the hardware branch, which grew to be 
 a thriving concern, while J. E., the brother, 
 attended their dry-goods store; but being 
 sickly changed positions with his brother, 
 and went back to the dry- goods store on 
 January 1, 1892, at the same time retain- 
 incr his connection with the hardware busi- 
 ness. About two years ago the Savings 
 Deposit Bank was organized in North 
 Amherst, and Mr. Plato has ever since 
 been vice-president of same. About four 
 years ago he was instrumental in organ- 
 izing the North Amherst Furniture Co., 
 whicli is one of the best equipped enter- 
 prises of the kind in Northern Ohio, 
 putting up the building which is now oc- 
 cupied by the concern. 
 
 In 1866 Henry A. Plato and Miss Eliz- 
 abeth Hilderbrand were united in mar- 
 riage, and six children were born to them, 
 viz.: Matilda, a clerk in her father's store; 
 Albert D., who was educated at Notre 
 Dame, Ind., and is connected with his 
 father in the dry-goods business; Wil- 
 helmina, also educated at Notre Dame, 
 Ind.; Cecelia, Louisa and Florence, all of 
 whom have had the best possible educa- 
 tional advantages. They are possessed of 
 rare musical abilities, and form within 
 their own circle a talented band. They 
 have for some years furnished the music 
 in the Catholic Church at Amherst, and 
 are in inucii demand at both public and 
 private entertainments. The" Plato Band," 
 as it is sometimes called, consists of two 
 violins (played by son and one of the 
 daughters); piano and cornet (two other 
 daughters), and flute (Mr. Plato himself). 
 
 Mr. Plato is a stanch Democrat, and a 
 leader of the party in his vicinity. Iti 
 
"'S-i 
 
 >.- 
 
 ..xS^J^^^ 
 
LOliAiy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 977 
 
 1887 be was elected township clerk, a po- 
 sition he still tills. In 1861 (then but 
 sixteen years of age) he wished very ninch 
 to enlist as a fifer, but his father pre- 
 vented his going out, being too young; 
 however, in December, 1(S63, he enlisted, 
 this time iu Company E, One Hundred 
 and Twenty-eighth O. V. I., and served 
 till July, i8G5, when he was mustered 
 out at Camp Chase, the war coming to a 
 close. 
 
 n( DAM BERRES, Jr., one of the in- 
 f|_\\ dustrious and progressive farmer 
 Ir^ citizens of Ridgeville township, is 
 ■^ a native of Prussia, Germany, l)orn 
 
 in 1837, a son of Adam and Mary 
 (Jacobs) Berres, also natives of the Father- 
 land. 
 
 In 1857 the family immigrated to the 
 United States, and settling on a farm in 
 Ridgeville township, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 the parents passed tiie rest of their lives 
 there, the father dying January 28, 1892, 
 the mother in 1877. Their children, nine 
 in number, were as follows: Peter, mar- 
 ried, a resident of Wood county, Ohio; 
 John, married, residing in Ridgeville 
 township; Adam, our subject; Gertrude, 
 wife of Joseph Schneider, of Michigan; 
 Matt, a farmer of Avon township; Mary, 
 wife of Mathias Myers, of Ridgeville town- 
 ship; Joseph, a farmer of Ridgeville town- 
 ship; William, residing in Elyria; and 
 Casper, who resides in Ridgeville township. 
 
 Adam Berres, Jr., was twenty years old 
 when he came with the rest of the family 
 to this country, and he has always followed 
 farming. He is now the owner of an ex- 
 cellent property of ninety-one acres of 
 land all in an advanced state of cultivation, 
 his first residence thereon being a log 
 shanty, which was superseded by a house 
 18 X 36, two stories in height, with an 
 "L" 16x26, two stories: there is also a 
 commodious and well-built barn 24x32. 
 In 1862 our subject enlisted in Company 
 
 G, One Hundred and Seventh O. V. I., 
 army of the Potomac, for three years or 
 during the war, but served only eleven 
 months, being honorably discharged in 
 1863 in the convalescent camp near Alex- 
 andria, Va.,and returning home to Lorain 
 county, where he has since carried on 
 general farming. In 1867 he was married 
 to Miss Catherine Myer, a. native of Ger- 
 many, and daughter of Andreas Myer, 
 and to this union have been born ten chil- 
 dren, named as follows: Peter, Gertrude, 
 Mathew, Joseph, William, Casper, Kate, 
 Jacob, Christiau and Frank. Politically 
 Mr. Berres is a Democrat. Socially he 
 belongs to the G. A. R. Post at Ridge- 
 ville, and he and his wife are members of 
 the Catholic Church. 
 
 JACOB MYERS, well - known and 
 highly respected as a well-to-do farmer 
 citizen of Lorain county, was born in 
 Tompkins county, N. Y., in 1814. a 
 son of Joseph and Mary Snyder Myers, 
 who were of Dutch descent. 
 
 Joseph Myers was born March 11, 1760, 
 in Xew Jersey, and was there married to 
 Mary Snyder, who was born iu the same 
 State January 27, 1770. In an early day 
 they removed to New York State, where 
 the father died April 24, 1829, the widowed 
 mother afterward removing to Ohio, and 
 dying in Elyria township in 1853. Five 
 children were born to them, named re- 
 spectively: Margaret, Andrew, Catherine, 
 Julia and Jacob. Of these, the youngest, 
 who is the subject of this memoir, re- 
 ceived his education at the subscription 
 schools of Tompkins county, N. Y. In 
 the winter of 1833 he came on foot to 
 Ohio, first locating in Carlisle township, 
 Lorain county, thence, in 1834, moving to 
 Elyria township. He leiirned the trade of 
 carpenter and joiner, and in course of time 
 became a contractor and builder, a business 
 
978 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 lie followed for years. In 1835 he boiicrht 
 his farm in Elyria township, whereon he 
 now resides, and built himself a modern 
 comfortable home. 
 
 On November 15, 1835, Mr. Myers was 
 united in marriage with Miss Mary Bur- 
 rell, a native of New York State, and 
 daughter of Arnold and Mary (Hitchcock) 
 Biirrell, of Vermont birth, who removed 
 to New York State, whence, in 1833, they 
 came to Lorain county, Ohio, becoming 
 pioneers of Sheffield township, where they 
 both died. To Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Myers 
 were born seven children, to wit: Andrew, 
 who died when eight years old; Mary L., 
 wife of Judson Kinney, of Sheffield town- 
 ship (tliey have three children : Lena, Elmer 
 and Edith); Lorin, married, living in Ely- 
 ria; Esther, wife of William Cox, has two 
 children — Francis and Lorin; Andrew, 
 living on a farm, who is married and has 
 three children — Alta, Grace and Miles; 
 Alonzo, residing at La Porte, Ohio, who is 
 married and has two cliildren — Jacob and 
 Eva; and Alligan, wife of Charles Cox, 
 has four children — Lottie, Mary, Sumner 
 and George. The parents celebrated, in 
 1885, their "golden wedding," in the old 
 home where they had first settled as man 
 and wife, and Judge Day, who officiated 
 at the marriage, was among those present. 
 Politically Mr. Myers is a pronounced Pe- 
 publican, casting his first vote for Van- 
 Buren, and has been a member of the 
 township school board. 
 
 I 
 
 DWAED S. FITCH, who for three- 
 score years has been a resident 
 J of Avon township, Lorain county, 
 where he has prospered well as a 
 general farmer, is a native of Rutland, 
 Vt., born in 1829. 
 
 He is a son of Cyiis and Camilla (Gar- 
 rett) Fitch, also of Vermont, where they 
 were married, and whence in 1834 they 
 migrated to Lorain county, Ohio, locating 
 
 in the woods, and there cleared the farm 
 now owned by the subject of this sketch. 
 They purchased, at first, sixty acres, built 
 a log house, and continued to live there the 
 rest of their days, the father dying in 1875; 
 he was prominent in political affairs, first 
 as a Whig, later as a Republican. The 
 mother of our subject taught the first 
 school in the district where the latter now 
 lives, for the first six months of that oner- 
 ous work receiving no salary; she died in 
 April, 1892, aged eighty-four years. Three 
 children were born to this pioneer couple, 
 viz.: James, deceased when young; Edward 
 S., subject of sketch; and Candace, who 
 died at the age of six years. 
 
 Edward S. Fitch, who is the only living 
 representative of the family, was reared on 
 his present farm, and educated at the 
 schools of Cuyahoga county. In 1856 he 
 was married to Miss Eliza Barrows, daugh- 
 ter of Adnah and Clarissa (Day) Barrows, 
 and three children were the result of this 
 union, namely: (1) Daniel, married 
 and residing in Avon township (has two 
 children: Scott and Camilla Louise); (2) 
 Charles, deceased in 1878; and (3) Delia, 
 wife of Michael Henson (they reside in 
 Avon township, and have one child, 
 George). Politically Mr. Fitch is a Re- 
 publican, taking a lively interest in the af- 
 fairs of his party. 
 
 ^ 
 
 MIL LAMPMAN, prominent in 
 mercantile affairs in Lorain coun- 
 _\ ty, and proprietor of a general 
 merchandise store in the town of 
 Lorain, is a native of the county, 
 born in Avon township April 16, 1844. 
 
 M. Z. Lampman, father of subject, was 
 born in the State of New York of Ger- 
 man parents, and his father, who was a 
 hatter by trade, came west many years ago, 
 dying in Wisconsin. M. Z. Lampman in 
 early life came to Lorain county, Ohio, and 
 found employment on the lakes, at one 
 time sailing on the old steamship " Bun- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 979 
 
 ker Hill," long since passed away. After 
 leaving the lakes he married Elizabeth 
 Churchill, who was born in Buffalo, N. Y., 
 in 1820, and he then carried on farming 
 till 1850, in that year reniovintrto a hotel 
 at French Creek, which lie kept till the 
 spring of 1853, when he came to Lorain. 
 Here he kept hotel for some time, first 
 in a building which stood opposite the 
 new "Gritlin House;"' lie then boughtthe 
 place where the "Griffin House" now 
 stands, and in that hostelry did a flourish- 
 ing business till about 1872. Mr. Lamp- 
 man was collector for the port of Lorain for 
 about twenty-one years, from Buchanan's 
 time, and he kept a store in the town for 
 some twenty-five years, up till 1865 or '67. 
 About three years before his death he 
 opened a hotel at Lake Breeze, Lorain 
 county, and he also owned a farm there. 
 Politically he was first a Jackson Demo- 
 crat, and then a Republican from the time 
 of Buchanan. He died at Lake Breeze in 
 1875, aged sixty-seven years, his widow in 
 the fall of 1892. They were the parents 
 of four children, all of whom grew to ma- 
 turity, viz.: C. A., deceased wife of E. K. 
 Porter; M. H., subject of sketch; Augusta 
 M., wife of Harry Jones, and George, born 
 in 1847, a painter by trade, who was un- 
 married, and died in Lorain in April, 
 1892. 
 
 M. H. Larnpnian, whose name opens 
 tins sketch, received a thoroughly practi- 
 cal school training, and from the age of 
 sixteen till two years after his marriage 
 was engaged as store clerk. In 1869 he 
 went into the butchering business for a 
 time, then worked at carpentry, remaining 
 in the C. L. & W. R. R. shops at Lorain 
 nine and one-half years, or till 1887, since 
 when he has been conducting his present 
 business, in which he has met with un- 
 qualified success. In 1867 Mr. Lampman 
 married Miss Julia A. Miller, who was 
 born in 1842 in Avon township. Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, daughter of Peter Miller, who 
 is said to have been the hero of tiie story 
 related in the old-time school primers. 
 
 to wit: There was once a bear'that chased 
 a boy up a tree, following him so closely 
 that he was enabled to grab the boy's foot 
 in his mouth, whereupon the latter let go 
 his hold on the tree and came topplino- 
 down to the ground, bear and all, but boy 
 on top; and so great was the surprise of 
 Bruin, who was partially stunned, that lie 
 was unable to pursue the lad, who it is un- 
 necessary to add took to his heels without 
 wishing his bearship any ceremonial adieu. 
 In his political predilections Mr. Lamp- 
 man is a Republican. He is a member of 
 the M. E. Church, and of the F. & A. M., 
 K. P. and K. O. T. M. 
 
 Tr^ A. SMITH, for nearly half a century 
 
 Ip an honored resident of Ridgeville 
 
 IL^i township, whither lie came from 
 
 Connecticut in 1840, is a native of 
 
 that State, born in 1823. 
 
 Our subject is a son of Edward and Sally 
 (Ilotchkiss) Smith, also of the " Xutmeo- 
 State," the former of whom died there in 
 1823. The widowed mother continued to 
 reside at her old home till our subject was 
 seventeen years old, so that he received his 
 elementary education at the schools of the 
 neighborhood of his place of birth. In 
 1840, as above intimated, the family came 
 west to Ohio, making for themselves a new 
 home in the wild woods of Rido-eville 
 township, Lorain county; and here our sub- 
 ject labored with the rest in clearing away 
 the timber and underbrush, and convertino- 
 the somber forest into sunny fields. He 
 had learned the trade of bone and horn but- 
 ton maker, which he followed in Rido-e- 
 ville township. He is now owner of fifty- 
 nine acres of land, all highly cultivated 
 and well improved. In 1855 he was mar- 
 ried in Ridgeville township to Miss Mel- 
 vina Terrell, a native of same, and daughter 
 of Willis and Sarepta (Phelps) Terrell, of 
 Connecticut birth, who many years before 
 
980 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 marriao-e became settlers of Ridgeville 
 township, Lorain county. Mr. Terrell 
 came here, when a boy, with his father. 
 Major Willis Terrell, and clearly remem- 
 bered the news of Perry's victory on Lake 
 Erie. He died in 1881: his widow is yet 
 living in Ridgeville township. To Mr. 
 and Mrs. Smith one child has been born, 
 named Charles P., now married and re- 
 siding in Ridgeville Center. Politically 
 our subject has been a lifelong Democrat, 
 and has served his township as trustee, real- 
 estate assessor (1870-1890) and treasurer. 
 
 JB. SHEAHAlSr, of North Amherst, 
 is a native of Hamilton county, On- 
 tario, Canada, born, June 21, 1863, a 
 son of John and (Ann) Fo.x Sheahan. 
 The father of our subject was born in 
 Limerick, Ireland, and about the time of 
 liis marriage went to Canada by way of 
 Quebec, whence he and his wife came 
 farther west. About the year 1850 they 
 came to the United States, where he fol- 
 lowed various pursuits, all of a mechanical 
 nature, till 1856, when they returned to 
 Canada, and part of the time resided in 
 Hamilton county, Ontario, until 1865. 
 In that year they came to Lorain county, 
 Ohio, locating west of North Amherst till 
 1872, when they removed to East Quar- 
 ries, where the father died in 1876. He 
 was a member of the Catholic Church. 
 The mother of subject, who was born in 
 Limerick, Ireland, November 1 (All Saints 
 Day), 1839, is yet living, a resident of 
 North Amherst. They were the parents 
 of nine children, of whom the following is 
 a brief record: Cornelius is foreman in 
 quarries in Jackson county, Mich.; is 
 married and has one child, Geraldine. 
 Stephen is in Chicago, yardmaster for the 
 Chicaoro & Great Western Railroad, oper- 
 ated by the Chicago, Kansas City & Ne- 
 braska R. R. Co.; is married and has five 
 
 children, viz.: Mamie, Charley, John, 
 Annie and Maggie. Maggie is living at 
 home. The fourth in order of birth is the 
 subject of this sketch. Lizzie and Jere- 
 miah are still living at home. Patrick F. 
 died in Michigan in 1888, at the age of 
 eighteen years. Mamie is a teacher in the 
 parochial school at North Amherst. Dan- 
 iel died May 24, 1893, when eighteen 
 years of age. 
 
 J. B. Slieahan received his education at 
 the public schools of North Amherst. For 
 eight years he operated a stone sawmill in 
 Miciiigan, at the end of which time he re- 
 turned to Lorain county, in March, 1893, 
 and is now in business in North Amherst. 
 He is popular in the town, and is an ac- 
 tive member of and official in Catholic 
 Societies, among which may be mentioned 
 the C. M. B. A. In politics he is a Demo- 
 crat. Mr. Sheahan was married Septem- 
 ber 7, 1886, and has two children: Edith, 
 aged five years, and Bernard, aged two years. 
 
 *^ 
 
 S\ T[OAH H. PECK, one of the prom- 
 
 Yl inent representative farmer citizens 
 
 1 of Ridgeville township, is a native 
 
 of New York State, born in Oswego 
 
 county, August 17, 1833, a son of 
 
 Harmon and Lydia (Conkling) Peck. 
 
 Hartnon Peck was born in Dutchess 
 county, N. Y., a son of Noah and Belinda 
 (Roe) Peck, who had a family of seven 
 children, named as follows: Hiram, Ed- 
 ward, Harmon, Lewis, James, Albert, La- 
 vina G. T. The father of these died in 
 New York State; he was a farmer, also a 
 shoemaker, and a member of the Baptist 
 Church. Harmon Peck, who followed the 
 same vocations as his father, married in 
 New York State, and from there in 1833 
 moved to Ohio, via water to Cleveland, 
 and thence by wagon to Lorain county, 
 where he bought wild prairie land in 
 Pittsfield township. This he improved and 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 981 
 
 later sold, pnrcliasing a farm in Eidgeville 
 township, whither he tnoved in 184^2; he 
 died in 1870, iiis wife in 1880. The chil- 
 dren born to them were as follows: Noah 
 H., James, Harriet (now Mrs. George Biir- 
 rell), and one that died in infancy. 
 
 Noah H. Peck, the subject of this sketcli, 
 was an infant when his parents brought 
 him to Lorain coiintj', and he received his 
 education at the schools of Ridtjevilie 
 township. He was reared to agricultural 
 pursuits, which have been his life work, 
 and he is now the owner of sixty acres of 
 
 Erime land, all well improved. In 1860 
 e was married to Miss Vesta Blain, daugh- 
 ter of Richard Blain, and children as fol- 
 lows have been born to them: Edith (now 
 Mrs. Joseph Cutler, of Eidgeville town- 
 ship), Ida, Ella (deceased), Lydia (wife of 
 Albert Hoftizer). Ernest (in Cleveland), 
 Eddie and Lora, at home. Mr. Peck is 
 independent in liis political sympathies, 
 and in matters of religiou he is a member 
 of the Disciple Church. 
 
 ri( D. JOY, a prominent progressive 
 |/\\ agriculturist of Carlisle township, 
 ir\\ engaged also in housemoving, is a 
 ■fj native of the Buckeye State, born in 
 
 Aurora, Portage county, March 22, 
 1836, a son of Nehemiah and Elizabeth 
 (Frost) Joy, the former of whom was born 
 in Massachusetts in 1811. He came in 
 1831 to Parkman, Portage Co., Ohio, 
 where he was married in 1834- toEli-iabeth 
 Frost, a native of Vergenne.s, Yt., who 
 came with her parents to Portage county. 
 In 1837 Nehemiah Joy came with his 
 family to Lorain county, making a settle- 
 ment in Carlisle township, where he carried 
 on farming till 1871, at which time he 
 moved to Lee county, Iowa, where he died 
 in 1883; his wife had preceded him to the 
 grave in Carlisle townshij), Lorain county, 
 in 1882. They reared a family of three 
 children, viz.: A. D. ; Marcia M., wife of 
 
 Rev. William King, a minister of the Con- 
 gregational Church, now in Michigan; and 
 Orlando F., married, and residing in Car- 
 lisle townsliip. 
 
 Noah and Marcia (William-^) Joy, pa- 
 ternal grandparents of our subject, were 
 natives of Massachusetts, whence they came 
 to Elyria, Ohio, in 1837. He was a mill- 
 wright by trade, and in 1849 went to Wal- 
 worth county. Wis., where his wife died 
 the following year; later he returned to 
 Portage county, Ohio, where he passed the 
 rest of his days. Levi and Elizabeth 
 (Slocnm) Frost, maternal grandparents of 
 our subject, were natives of Vermont, and 
 in about 1831 came to Portage county, 
 Ohio; subsequently they moved to St. 
 Charles, 111., where they both died; he had 
 served in the Revolutionary war. 
 
 A. D. Joy, the subject proper of this 
 memoir, received a liberal education at the 
 schools of Carlisle township, Lorain county. 
 For a trade he learned carpentry, which he 
 worked at for some time; for about seven 
 years he was railroading, from 1852 to 
 1858, commencing as brakeman on the 
 Cleveland & Nor walk Railroad; then went 
 west, and was employed on the Illinois 
 Central, after which he was on the St. Paul 
 & Fond du Lac Railway, as lireuian. and 
 later as engineer on the Racine & Missis- 
 sippi Railway. In 1858 he returned to 
 Lorain county, where he engaged in farm- 
 ing and carpentry, and since 1863 has done 
 a considerable amount of business in house- 
 moving. He owns a farm of fiftv-one and 
 a half acres, all in a good state of cultiva- 
 tion, ami has accumulated w^liat he owtis by 
 his unaided efforts, sound judgment and 
 judicious economy. 
 
 Mr. Joy has been thrice married, first 
 time in 1858 to Miss Groveline C. Thorpe, 
 a native of Carlisle township, daughter of 
 Abel M. and Emily (Squires) Thorpe, 
 early pioneers of that township, both of 
 whom are yet livin;?. To this union were 
 born three sons: Elba, married, and resid- 
 ing in Elyria; William, married, and liv- 
 ing in Denver, Colo.; and Frank, married. 
 
982 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 manager of tlie Denver (Colo.) College. 
 The mother of these departed this life May 
 4, 1865, and in 1874 Mr. Joy married 
 Miss Charlotte Saylor, a native of Ger- 
 many, daughter of David and Margaret 
 Saylor, who were born in Bavaria, Germany, 
 and came to America, settling in Carlisle 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, where they 
 l)oth died. Tlie children by tiiis marriage, 
 six in number, are named as follows: Ida, 
 Charles, Alice, Edwin, Edith and Amy. 
 Mrs. Charlotte (Saylor) Joy died April 14, 
 1887, and on September 25, 1887, Mr. 
 Joy married, for his present wife, Mrs. 
 Elizabeth Pember. In politics he is a 
 Democrat. 
 
 IM 
 
 ATHIAS MYEES, one of the 
 leading native-born residents of 
 Ridgeville township, of which he 
 is a trustee, tirst saw the light in 
 1848. 
 His father, Mathias Myers, was a na- 
 tive of Coblentz, Germany, where he mar- 
 ried Miss Mary Dehn, of the same place, 
 and they then set sail from Antwerp for 
 the United States. After a voyage of 
 seventy-two days they landed in New 
 York, and thence proceeded to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, locating in Ridgeville town- 
 ship in 1847, the place being at that time 
 wild woodlands. Here they opened up a 
 farm of six acres, clearing and improving 
 it until it became one of the best in the 
 county. They had a family of nine chil- 
 dren, as follows: Mathias; Philip, a car- 
 penter of Elyria; Peter, married, residing 
 in Ridgeville township; Emma, wife of 
 M. Pitts, Jr., residing in Ridgeville town- 
 ship; Joseph, married, also in Ridgeville 
 township; Maggie, wife of Joseph Blazer, 
 of Dover, Cuyahoga county; Adam, who 
 died at the age of sixteen, his death re- 
 sulting from the kick of a horse; Clara, 
 deceased when three or four years old; 
 and one that died in infancy. Tiie father 
 was called from earth in March, 1893 ; the 
 mother is yet living. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was educated 
 in the schools of French Creek, and at the 
 age of thirteen commenced working by the 
 month, since when he has continued in 
 agricultural pursuits, successfully conduct- 
 ing the homestead farm, which has been 
 added to till now it comprises fifty-three 
 acres. In 1874 he married, in Elyria, 
 Lorain county. Miss Mary Berres, a na- 
 tive of Germany, daughter of Adam and 
 Mary Berres, who about the year 1858 
 immigrated to America, settling in Ridge- 
 ville township, Loraiy Co., Ohio. To this 
 union have been born two children — John 
 Matthew and Amelia. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Myers are members of the Roman Catholic 
 Church at Ridgeville, of which he is 
 treasurer; politically he is a Democrat, 
 and is now serving, in a Republican town- 
 ship, his second term as trustee of same. 
 
 E' NORTON, a representative farmer 
 of Amherst township, is a native of 
 I Connecticut, born in 1810 to Sey- 
 mour and Anna (Clark") Norton. 
 The parents were also natives oi the Nut- 
 meg State, and in 1813 moved to Genesee 
 county, N. Y.. where the father ftdlowed 
 farming, and died at the advanced acre of 
 ninety years; his wife passed away aged 
 seventy-eight. Seymour Norton was 
 drafted in the war of 1812, and his father 
 served in the Revolutionary war. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was reared to 
 manhood in Genesee county, N. Y., and 
 received his education at the schools of 
 the vicinity. In 1833 he came to Lorain 
 county, and niade his iiome for a time in 
 Elyria. For some years he lived in the 
 South, and at Chattanooga, Tenn., was 
 foreman of a large foundry about three 
 years; then, in 1848, started one in Hunts- 
 ville, Ala. He is the inventor of various 
 kinds of cotton machines. He also traded 
 in coal, having shipped the first coal from 
 East Tennessee to Chattanooga by flat- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 983 
 
 boats, and was tlie first to make coke in 
 Tennessee. From the South lie went to 
 New York, and thence in 18()0 came ao-ain 
 to Lorain county, and in 1803 took up 
 and iniproved the farm whereon lie now 
 resides, in Amherst township, a fine piece 
 of property of one hundred acres, all in a 
 good state of cultivation. 
 
 In 1856 Mr. Norton was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Adaline Matthews, of At- 
 tica, N. Y., and to this union four children 
 have lieen horn, as follows: Grove, a real- 
 estate agent, who is a resident of Utah; 
 Charles E., in the real-estate business at 
 Los Angeles, CaL; Eliiora, wife of George 
 Snyder, of Lorain, and Seymour, at 
 home. Mrs. Norton is a member of the 
 Baptist Church. Mr. Norton, in his po- 
 litical predilections, is a straight Democrat. 
 
 rRED WISE, a leading and well- 
 known general farmer and stock 
 ^ breeder, of Eaton township, is a 
 native of Germany, born in the 
 Duchy of Baden in 1851, son of Peter and 
 Louisa (Miller) Wise, also of Baden. 
 
 The parents of sniiject immigrated to tlie 
 United States about 1854, and coniino; to 
 Ohio made their home in Medina county 
 four years; then moving to Grafton town- 
 ship, Lorain county, there passed the re- 
 mainder of their active lives in farm work, 
 the father dying in 1888, the mother pass- 
 ing away in Grafton township in 1882. 
 The record of their family of children, 
 nine in number, is in part as follows: 
 Recka is the wife of Jacob Clinet, of 
 Grafton; Louisa, who married John Kline, 
 died about 1873 in Cuyahoga county; 
 Henry (married) lives in Grafton town- 
 ship; Louis (niarried) is a farmer of Graf- 
 ton township; Fred is the subject of sketch ; 
 Chris (niarried) resides in Illinois; 
 llannali resides in Grafton; Katie is the 
 wife of William Law, of Liverpool town- 
 ship, Medina county; Jacob (unmarried) 
 resides at Grafton. 
 
 The subject of our sketch was two and 
 a half years of age when he came to Ohio, 
 and received his education at the schools 
 of Grafton township, Lorain county, gain- 
 ing as well a thorough insight into the 
 arduous duties of farming, which he has 
 made his life vocation. In 1884 he moved 
 to Eaton township, and here bought of 
 W. H. Rowe the farm he now owns, com- 
 prising some ninety-two acres of valuable 
 land, which he improved and subsequently 
 added to until he now owns one hundred 
 acres of prime land, all in a good state 
 of cultivation. He is proprietor of the 
 full registered Belgian stallion, "Gen. 
 Chanzy," imported by Douglas & Howell. 
 
 In 1873 Mr. Wise was married in Graf- 
 ton township, Lorain county, to Sarah 
 Goodman, a native of Gi-afton, and daugh- 
 ter of Jacol) and Mary (Eiiga) Goodman, 
 early settlers of Grafton township, both 
 now deceased, the former of whom was 
 born in Seneca Falls, Seneca Co., N. Y., 
 in 1818. By this union there are four 
 children: Nellie, Charles, Burt and Ella. 
 Our subject takes a lively interest in 
 politics, invariably voting the straight 
 Democratic ticket; socially he is a mem- 
 of Leonard Tent No. 31, Knights of the 
 Maccabees, in which he has held ofiBce. 
 
 d I AMES M. JAY^COX, a well-known 
 fruit grower of Avon township, is a 
 ^1 native of same, born in 1849, son of 
 George and Mary (Madison) Jaycox, 
 both of whom were born in New York 
 State. 
 
 George Jaycox, father of our subject, 
 was reared in his native State up to the age 
 of fifteen years, and in 1828 migrated 
 west with his parents, Samuel and Sarah 
 Jaycox, who were also natives of New 
 York. They settled in an early day in 
 Avon townshij), Lorain Co., Ohio, where 
 they pas.sed the remainder of their lives. 
 George Jaycox al o took up a farm in the 
 
984 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 woods of Avon township, where he be- 
 came a prominent citizen. He was a life- 
 long Kepublican, an active member of the 
 party, and lield various township otiices. 
 He died in 1873, his wife surviving him 
 three or four years. They were the par- 
 ents of ten children, viz.: Charles, who 
 died at the age of seven years; Jane, wife 
 of J. Bnre, or Avon township, who was a 
 soldier in the Civil war; Eliza, wife of O. 
 Moore, of Avon township, who also served 
 in the Civil war; James M.; Emily, wife 
 of J. Ketcham, residing in Lorain; Alice, 
 wife of H. G. Brown, of Lorain; Anson, 
 married, who makes his home in Dover 
 township, Cuyahoga county; Henry, a resi- 
 dent of Lorain; Minnie, wife of J. Brown, 
 of Lorain; and William, living in Avon 
 township. 
 
 James M. Jaycox was brought up on 
 the home farm in Avon township, in the 
 common schools of which place he received 
 his education, and later engaged in mer- 
 cantile business in Lorain. He now gives 
 liis attention to the culture, as well as the 
 buying and selling, of grapes, and since 
 embarking in this business has handled 
 over 400,000 baskets of that fruit. Since 
 1880 he has resided on his present farm 
 in Avon township, where he has eight 
 acres devoted to grapes, and he also raises 
 other fruit; he is the owner of forty-one 
 acres of land in Avon township. In 1879 
 Mr. Jaycox was married, in Elyria, to 
 Miss Ida L. Hilliard, a native of Wiscon- 
 sin, daughter of Joseph W. Hilliard, who 
 w-as a blacksmith, and an early settler of 
 Avon township, whence be subsequently 
 removed to Wisconsin, where he died. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Jaycox have been born three 
 children, namely: Ethel, Lora and Frances. 
 Politically our subject is a stanch member 
 of the Republican party, and held the 
 position of postmaster at Avon Lake for 
 seven 3'ears. Socially he is a member of 
 Avon Tent No. 1, K. O. T. M., French 
 Creek. He is secretary and treasurer of 
 the Lorain County Grape-growers Ship- 
 ping Association, which organization has 
 
 a membership of 125, and in 1893 shipped 
 150 carload.s of grapes from Avon Station. 
 Our subject and wife are both active 
 workers in all religious movements; Mrs. 
 Jaycox is an ardent worker in the temper- 
 ance cause, and is president of the W. C. 
 T. U. of Avon Lake. They are both mem- 
 bers of the M. E. Church, in which Mr. 
 Jaycox holds the offices of steward and trus- 
 tee, and he has served as superintendent of 
 the Sabbath-school for many years. 
 
 fjOHN E. PLATO, of the hardware 
 V li firm of J. Wesbecher & Co., in North 
 }^) Amherst, was born in tlie Kingdom 
 of Hanover November 11, 1848, a 
 son of John and Wilhelmina (Bodinann) 
 Plato, also natives of Hanover. 
 
 The family came to America in 1857, 
 and after landing proceeded westward to 
 Ohio, locating iirst at Vermillion, Erie 
 county, later settling permanently in North 
 Amherst. The father was a professional 
 musician, in his native land, but in this 
 country he conducted a livery business. 
 He died December 5, 1890, at the age of 
 seventy-five years; his widow, now in her 
 seventy-sixth year, is living with her son 
 John E. They were the parents of four 
 children. 
 
 The subject of this sketch, who is sec- 
 ond in order of birth, received his educa- 
 tion at the parochial schools of New York, 
 his attendance there covering some four 
 years, after which he returned to North 
 Amherst and engaged in the livery busi- 
 ness. Later he commenced in the grocery 
 and dry-goods business, and for the past 
 ten years has been a member of the firm 
 of Plato Bros., in that line; also one of the 
 firm of J. Wesbecher & Co., in hardware, 
 at North Amherst, und connected with the 
 North Amherst Furniture Co. Of all 
 these interests Mr. Plato now gives his 
 sole attention to the hardware business. 
 
^^'^2-' ^^^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 987 
 
 The firm carry a full and complete line of 
 shelf and heavy goods. He is also a stock- 
 holder in the Savings Deposit Bank of 
 North Amherst. 
 
 On November 29, 1877, Mr. Plato was 
 united in marriage with Miss Lena Menz, 
 who was born at North Amherst, Ohio, 
 July 26, 1856, a daughter of John Peter 
 and Matilde Menz, natives of Bavaria, 
 Germany, who came to America May 2, 
 1853. To Mr. and Mrs. Plato have been 
 born five children, namely: Leonora, 
 Agatha, John, Henry and Kntli. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Plato are stanch members of the 
 Catholic Church, and influential pillars 
 thereof. In politics he has always bee!i a 
 Democrat, and is active in municipal 
 affairs. 
 
 Mr. Plato has for years been one of the 
 leadino; business men of North Amherst, 
 and is progressive and public-spirited. 
 
 THOMAS FOX, an enterprising and 
 wide-awake farmer of Sheffield town- 
 ship, is a native of County Roscom- 
 mon, Ireland, born in 1883, a son 
 of John and Mary (Dowd) Fox, 
 farmers in that county, where they both 
 died. They reared a family of nine chil- 
 dren, two of whom came to Lorain county, 
 Ohio — Thomas and John, the latter of 
 whom arrived in about 18-1:6, settling in 
 Sheffield township, where he cleared a farm 
 and passed the rest of his days. 
 
 Thomas Fox came from his native Ire- 
 land to Lorain county in 1854, and worked 
 by the month for some time. In 1858 he 
 bought thirty-five acres of land in Shef- 
 field township, to which he has added from 
 time to time till he now owns sixty-six 
 acres of highly improved land. The old 
 \o^ cabin in which he and his wife first 
 lived has given place to a comfortai)le two- 
 story house, 18 X 28, with an " L " 14 x 24, 
 equipped with a good barn and outhouses, 
 and all modern improvements. 
 
 In 1858 Mr. Fox was married to Miss 
 Catherine Coughlin, and two children — 
 Anna and Katie — have been born to them. 
 The mother was called from earth March 
 14, 1889. Politically our subject is a 
 Democrat, and he and his family are mem- 
 bers of the Catholic Church. 
 
 T' J. SQUIRES, a representative agri- 
 culturist of Carlisle township, is a 
 native of Lorain county, born in 
 1885 in Elyria township. 
 
 He is a son of Amasa and Jerusha 
 (Carter) Squires, the former of whom was 
 a native of New York State, the latter of 
 Vermont. In early maidiood Amasa Squires 
 came westward to Lorain county, Ohio, 
 during pioneer days, and here followed 
 farming the remainder of his life, dying 
 at the age of seventy eight years. Mrs. 
 Squires died in Lorain county when aged 
 fifty-five years. They were the parents of 
 seven children, as follows: Jegertha, de- 
 ceased when sixteen years old; Grazelda, 
 who died at the age of seven years; T. J., 
 subject of this memoir; Fitzgerald, who 
 was shot during the Civil war; Amasa, 
 who died on Johnson's Island; Marcella, 
 married to Thomas Sherwood; and one that 
 died in infancy. The father of this family 
 was an active politician, and was an ardent 
 member of the Democratic party. 
 
 T. J. Squires was reared on the home 
 farm to the manifold duties of agricultural 
 life, in the meantime receiving an educa- 
 tion in the common schools of the district. 
 When twenty-three years old he went to 
 Nebraska, thence to Colorado, remaining 
 in the West eight years, during which 
 time he was engaged in mining, and also 
 in cattle dealing and droving, crossing the 
 plains twelve times with stock. Mr. Squires 
 was united in marriage, at the age of thirty- 
 three, with Miss Perscis Farr, a native of 
 Carlisle township, and they have five chil- 
 
 si 
 
988 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 dren, namely: Arthur, Eubie, Orlin, Greta 
 an(i Elvvin. Since liis return to Lorain 
 county our subject has been engaged in 
 general agriculture, and is now owner of a 
 well-improved farm of 163 acres. In his 
 political affiliations he is a stanch member 
 of the Democratic party. 
 
 ff RS. PHEBE L. FAKR, who has 
 been a resident of Lorain county 
 || for the past three-quarters of a 
 century, and has been an eye- 
 witness to its full development, 
 deserves more than a passing notice in the 
 pa^es of this volume. 
 
 She is a native of New York State, born 
 in 1812 in the town of Ovid, a daugliter 
 of Henry and Eliza (Glazier) Halford, who 
 were married in New York State. In 
 1817 the family set out with a team on a 
 journey to the then "Far West," arriving 
 in Lorain county, Ohio, in February, 1818, 
 and settling in what is now Carlisle town- 
 ship, where they followed agriculture. The 
 father died in Carlisle townsliip in 1859, 
 the mother in 1862, in her eightieth year. 
 To Henry and Eliza Halford were born 
 nine children, as follows: ReuV)en, married, 
 died in Lorain county in 1858; Phehe L. 
 is the subject proper of this memoir; 
 Henry S. was married in Lorain county, 
 and died in Michigan in 1892; Jeremiah, 
 a widower, resides in Eaton township; 
 Louisa and Laura are both deceased; 
 Humphrey served in the war of the Re- 
 bellion, and died from the effects of a 
 wound; Rebecca is deceased, and Lorenzo 
 died young. Grandfather Edwin Halford 
 was a native of England, whence at the 
 age of sixteen he came to New York. He 
 was a soldier in both the Revolution and 
 the French and Indian war. 
 
 Phebe L. Halford was about six years 
 old when she came to Lorain county with 
 her parents, and she was educated at the 
 
 schools of the locality. In 1832 she was 
 married, in Carlisle township, to Lowell 
 Farr, son of Abel and Polly (Smith) Farr, 
 all natives of Vermont, who in 1S17 came 
 to Lorain county, where they passed from 
 earth, Mrs. Farr's husband in 1861. Our 
 subject is the mother of ten children, of 
 whom the following is a brief record: 
 Eliza is the widow of William Pember, of 
 Eaton, Lorain county, and has two chil- 
 dren: Odelpha and William; Rosalie is 
 the wife of Elias Disbro, of Michigan, and 
 they have six children: Minerva, Phebe, 
 Emma, Ellsworth, Euba and John; Han- 
 nah is the widow of George Seeley, and 
 has four children: Esther, Lemuel, Eliza 
 and Frank; Perscis is the wife of T. J. 
 Squires, of Carlisle township; Lowell, 
 married, resides in Pittstield township, Lo- 
 rain county, and has three children: Cora, 
 William and George; Ephraini is married, 
 lives in Michigan, and has tive children: 
 Eddie, Emma, Florence, Lena and Hazel; 
 Lauren is married to Hermina Drusen- 
 dohl, and they have four children: Edna, 
 Earl, Herscliel and Ruby (they all reside 
 at the old home); Phebo was married to 
 Lafayette Dumas, and died in 1871; 
 Laura died in childhood; Bird is married, 
 has two children — Ethel and Phebe — and 
 lives in Amherst township, Lorain county. 
 
 CHESTER A. PRESTON, a prosper- 
 ous farmer of Carlisle township, is a 
 native of Ohio, born in York town- 
 ship, Medina county, in 1840. 
 Adolphus Preston, father of subject, of 
 Connecticut birth, married, in New York 
 State, Miss Charlotte Shaw, a native of 
 same, and in an early day they came to 
 Ohio. For a time they resided in Me- 
 dina county, in 1847 moving to Grafton 
 township, Lorain county, later locating in 
 LaGrange township and finally in Carlisle, 
 where they died, the father in 1878, the 
 mother in 1874. He served in the war of 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 989 
 
 1812 ill a battery of artillery. Four chil- 
 dren were born to them, iiainely: Eliza, 
 who riiMrried Josluia Wilbur, and died in 
 1856 in Medina county; Emily, who died 
 in Medina county in 1843; Horace, who 
 died in 1852 in Grafton township, Lorain 
 county; and Chester A., subject of this- 
 sketch. The paternal grandfather of our 
 subject was a soldier in the Kevolulionary 
 war, was taken prisoner by the British and 
 conveyed to Van Dieman's land; after the 
 war he was released and sent home, and 
 died in Kew York State. 
 
 Chester A. Preston received a good 
 practical school training in the educational 
 institutions of the vicinity of his boyhood 
 home, and was reared to agricultural pur- 
 suits, which have been his life work. He 
 now owns a good farm of eighty-two acres 
 in Carlisle township. In 1865 he was 
 jnarried, in LaGrange township, to Miss 
 Mary Goodman, who was born in New 
 York State, a daughter of George and 
 Betsy (Leversee) Goodman, of New York, 
 who came to Ohio in 1852, settling in 
 Grafton village, Lorain county, where the 
 father died in March, .1866, the mother 
 some years before. To Mr. and Mrs. Pres- 
 ton have been born three children: Mary, 
 Bertie and Grace. In his political sym- 
 pathies our subject is a Republican. Mrs. 
 Preston is a member of the Union Church. 
 
 CA. REAMER, general merchant, 
 and one of the most energetic and 
 ^^ enterprising citizens of North Am- 
 herst, is a native of Huron county, 
 Ohio, born near Norwalk September 16, 
 1859. He is a son of Anthony and Mary 
 (Eisenbeis) Reamer, the former of whom 
 was born in Peru township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio. He was a merchant in Norwalk for 
 some si.xteen years, then in Monroeville, 
 same county, eighteen or twenty years, 
 from which place he moved to Toledo, 
 where he now lives. 
 
 The subject of this memoir received the 
 greater part of his education in Monroe- 
 ville, after which he lived in Tiffin, Ohio, 
 for two years. In 1884 he came to North 
 Amherst, worked si.\ months at the dry- 
 goods business, and then entered into a 
 partnership with Plato Bros., in mercan- 
 tile business, which continued three years, 
 at the end of which time he commenced 
 for his own account in North Amherst. 
 In 1889 he put up his present brick build- 
 ing, and in 1891 added thirty-four feet to 
 it, the dimensions at present being 30 x 90 
 feet, two stories in height, while his stock 
 in trade consists of dry goods, carpets, cur- 
 tains, wall-paper, boots and shoes, etc. 
 Five clerks do the selling for this large 
 concern. Mr. Reamer, himself, speaks 
 German as well as English. 
 
 On April 28, 1885, C. A. Reamer and 
 Miss Maggie Weisenberger were united in 
 marriage, and the following named four 
 children were born to them: Esther, Leona, 
 Norbert and Victor. In politics our sub- 
 ject is independent, and he is a member of 
 the Catholic Church. He is active in all 
 public afFai7-8, and wields much influence 
 in the community. 
 
 fr^ EORGE WICKENS, funeral director 
 I w. and furniture dealer, Lorain, and 
 \LJi president of the Funeral Directors 
 1^ Association of Ohio, was born July 
 19, 1852, in the south of England. 
 At the age of ten years he commenced 
 working in a furniture store, learning the 
 trade of cabinet maker and joiner, and 
 fully completing his apprenticeship when 
 about nineteen years old. At that time 
 (1871) he came to America, and for a time 
 sojourned in St. Catherines, Ontario, Can- 
 ada, whence in 1878 he came to Lorain, 
 Ohio, making here a permanent settle- 
 ment. He first engaged in carpenter work 
 — contracting and building — which he car- 
 ried on till 1883, in which year he em- 
 
990 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 barked in his present undertaking and fur- 
 niture business in Bowens Hall. He then, 
 in order to further qualify himself for the 
 profession of funeral director, attended 
 lectures at the Einbaluiincr College, Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, and at Clark's School of Em- 
 balming, from which he graduated in 
 August, 1888. He had also become, in 
 1886, a member of the Funeral Directors 
 Association of Ohio, and at the meeting 
 of June 2, 1892, at Columbus, Ohio, was 
 elected its president. In 1891 he erected 
 on Broadway, Lorain, a brick building, 
 B6xllJ-, three stories high with basement, 
 two floors of which are occupied with his 
 business, the upper floor, which is a hall, 
 being rented by the I. O. O. F. 
 
 In 1875 Mr. Wickens was united in 
 marriage with Miss Celia E. Chapman, 
 and they had one child, George B. This 
 wife dying in 1876, our subject married, 
 in England, in 1877, for his second wife, 
 Miss Mary A. Colly, and three children 
 have been born to them, viz.: William A., 
 Elizaljeth M. and Edward M. In politics 
 Mr. Wickens is a Republican, and for many 
 years he has been a member of and local 
 preacher in the M. E. Church, of the Sun- 
 day-school of which he has been superin- 
 tendent for many years. He has visited 
 liis native land many times, on one occa- 
 sion remaining there four years. Mr. 
 Wickens is a representative self-made man, 
 one who from absolutely nothing has, by 
 intelligence, energy, business acumen and 
 unquestionable probity, worked his way 
 from the bottom rung of tlie ladder to 
 prosperity and comparative aftiueiice. He 
 is now a leader in both branches of his 
 business, in northern Ohio, and is well 
 and favorably known throughout the en- 
 tire State. " In all local matters, he is 
 always to be found on the right side, aiming 
 constantly to build up and improve the in- 
 terests of his fellows and the city in which 
 he lives. In addition to his many duties in 
 connection with several Fraternal organiza- 
 tions, he is faithful in thedischarge of the re- 
 sponsibilities which come to him as a di- 
 
 rector in the Lorain Savings and Banking 
 Co., and also of the Citizens Home and 
 Loan Association of Lorain. In all things 
 Mr. AVickens has endeavored to exemplify 
 all that is contained in onesentence, namely : 
 An industrious Christian gentleman." 
 
 fff/ENIlY BICKEL, a prominent, well- 
 f^H to-do agriculturist of Black Kiver 
 I 1 township, was. born on his present 
 yj farm March 27. 1844. 
 
 He is a son of Henry and Eliza- 
 beth (Wetzel) Bickel, who came from Ger- 
 many to Ohio at an early day where the 
 father worked for a time on the Maumee 
 Canal and at other employment. They then 
 settled on a farm in Black River township, 
 Lorain county, where they passed the rest of 
 their lives. When they came here Indians 
 and wild animals roamed the forest, and 
 the country was a comparative wilderness. 
 The father died at the age of sixty-five 
 years and eleven months; the mother is yet 
 living, now aged seventy-one years. Of 
 their children our subject is the only sur- 
 vivor. 
 
 Henry Bickel received his education in 
 the public and district schools, and when a 
 youth, during the war of the Rebellion, 
 was drafted into the array, but had not 
 proceeded toward the seat of hostilities 
 farther than Cleveland, when he secured a 
 substitute, and returned home. On March 
 22, 1866, he married Miss Sophia C. Hilde- 
 brand, who was born in Black River town- 
 ship, Lorain Co., Ohio, March 16, 1846, a 
 daughter of Benjamin and Eliza (Appe- 
 mann) Hildebrand, natives of Germany. 
 Six children have been born to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Bickel, viz.: Frances E. (wife of 
 George Horn, car inspector for the C. L. 
 & W. R. R. Co.), Emma E., Charley F., 
 George M., Reuben E. and Ai'tluir H. 
 Mr. Bickel iu his political predilections is 
 a Democrat, and he is a member of the 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 991 
 
 Evangelical Church. He has been town- 
 ship trustee for three years, and school di- 
 rector, twenty-two. His tine farm of 123 
 acres gives evidence of the care, thrift and 
 sound judgment of the owner, who Justly 
 enjoys the confidence and good will of his 
 neighbors. 
 
 GYRUS L. WHITTLESEY, of Brown- 
 helm township, is a native of same, 
 having been born on his present 
 farm August 8, 1831. He is a son 
 of Solomon and Sarah (Sherman) Whit- 
 tlesey, the former of whom was born in 
 Stockhridge, Mass., April 30, 1786, the lat- 
 ter in New Haven, Conn., March 23, 1796. 
 Solomon Whittlesey, father of subject, 
 was twice married, first time in 1811 to 
 Miss 0. Kirby, who was born in 1784, 
 They came to Brownhelm township, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, and settled on the farm on 
 which tliey passed the remainder of their 
 lives. By this marriage there were four 
 children, viz.: Mary, born February 6, 
 1812, now the widow of Rev. L. D. Butts, 
 and residing in Erie, Penii.; Edmund, 
 born June 17, 1814, married and residing 
 in Winnebago county. 111.; Eliphalet, born 
 April 7, 1816, married and residing in 
 Calhoun county, Iowa; and Calista, born 
 May 29, 1819, deceased wife of H. Wood- 
 ruff. The mother of this family died in 
 1823, and in 1824 Mr. Whittlesey married 
 Miss Sarah Sherman. Solomon Whittlesey 
 was a soldier in the war of 1812, and re- 
 ceived bounty land. In an early day he 
 worked in an ashery in Lorain county, and 
 he was a noted hunter. In politics he was 
 originally an Abolitionist, but in his later 
 years lie voted the straight Republican 
 ticket. Among other public offices he held 
 the position of township trustee. He died 
 February 22, 1871; his widow was called 
 from earth in 1873. They were the parents 
 of seven children, as follows: David, born 
 September 15, 1825, died at the age of 
 
 nineteen: Solomon, born February 27, 
 1827, died aged fifteen years; Parmelia, 
 born May 24, 1829, wife of Henry Stod- 
 dard, lives at Olmsted Falls, Cuyahoga 
 Co., Ohio; Cyrus L. is the subject of this 
 sketch; Sarah, born March 11, 1833, was 
 married to Irvin French,of Winnebago, 111., 
 and died in May, 1890; John M., born April 
 19, 1837, died in March, 1838; and Jatnes 
 Monroe, born November 10, 1840, died 
 March 5, 1842. 
 
 Cyrus L. Whittlesey enlisted in 1861 in 
 the Union army, three irionths' service, and 
 when the call was made for three years' 
 men he enlisted at Columbus, Ohio, in 
 Company K, Twenty-third O. V. I. His 
 regiment was assigned to the army of the 
 Potomac, and our subject participated in 
 the battle of Carnifex Ferry, the second 
 fought in West Virginia; was at the cap- 
 ture of Morgan; Second Bull Run; South 
 Mountain; Antietam; on scouting service 
 in West Virginia, thence to Stanton, Va., 
 after which they took prisoners to Colum- 
 bus, Ohio. He was shot through the hand 
 while in pursuit and capture of Morgan. 
 He was discharged at Columbus, July 6, 
 1864, and returned home. 
 
 In 1869 Mr. Whittlesey was united in 
 marriage in Bi'ownhelm township, Lorain 
 county, with Miss Lucy Bacon, a native of 
 that township, and daughter of Samuel 
 and Ruth (Davis) Bacon, the father a na- 
 tive of Stockhridge, Mass., the mother of 
 Connecticut; he was a manufacturer in the 
 East, and coming to Lorain county, Ohio, 
 in 1828, followed farming until his death 
 in 1865; his widow followed him to the 
 grave in 1875. They were the parents of 
 ten children, viz.: Jane II., wife of Ed- 
 mund West, of Oberlin, Ohio; George, 
 who died at the age of nine years; Henry, 
 deceased at the age of three; Samuel, who 
 died in Lorain county, Ohio, when forty 
 years old; Eliza, residing in Oberlin, 
 Ohio; Benjamin, who during the Civil 
 war enlisted in the one hundred days' serv- 
 ice, and now lives in Anderson county, 
 Kans. ; Henry Clay, who in 1862 enlisted 
 
992 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 in Bi-ownhelm township. Lorain county, in 
 Company F, One Hundred and Third 
 O. V. I., and was in the army of the West 
 with Sherman (he now lives in Wood 
 county, Ohio); the eighth in order of birth 
 is Lucy, wife of our subject; Charles B., 
 who died at the age of forty-six, and Ruth 
 A., whose home is now in Oberlin, Ohio. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Whittlesey have one child 
 living, Hayes B., at home. 
 
 In his political preferences our subject 
 is a Prohibitionist. He is a member, and 
 has been commander, of Rice Post, No. 
 148 G. A. R., and he and his wife are as- 
 sociated with the Congregational Churcli. 
 They have a fine farm of 112 acres con- 
 fined to general agriculture. Mr. Whit- 
 tlesey is a crack rifle shot, one of the 
 best in the county, and takes great delight 
 in hunting. 
 
 [[If B. MARTIN DALE, member of the 
 I^H well-known firm of Martindale & 
 I 1| Leonard, dealers in general mer- 
 JJ chandise, hardware, tinware, to- 
 
 bacco, etc., French Creek, where they 
 commenced lousiness in 1890, has been a 
 resident of Avon township since 1873. 
 He was born in 1849 in Lake county, Ohio, 
 son of Harrison L. and Ann E. (Brown) 
 Martindale, also natives of that county, 
 where the father still resides; the mother 
 died in 1859. Grandmother Laura M. 
 (Babbett) Reynolds, who is a daughter of 
 David Babbett, a native of Massachusetts, 
 who came to Ohio in an early day, was 
 born in Ohio, and came to Mentor, Lake 
 county, where she yet resides at the ad- 
 vanced age of eighty-five. 
 
 Our subject was reared to manhood in 
 Lake county, where he received his early 
 education, and then engaged in farming 
 and tree-grafting until 1873, when, as above 
 related, he came to Avon township, Lorain 
 county, where he now owns a snug little 
 farm of eleven acres in a good state of cul- 
 
 tivation. In 1879 Mr. Martindale was 
 married, in Avon township, to Miss Carrie 
 L., daughter of David L. Sawyer, an early 
 pioneer of the township, and to their union 
 have been born two children: Laura E. 
 and Mary Eleanor, who died when twenty- 
 three months old. In politics our subject 
 is a Republican, and is at present serving 
 as justice of the peace, wliich position he 
 lias held for seven years. Socially he is a 
 member of King Solomon Lodge No. 56, 
 Elyria; and of the K. O. T. M., Tent 18, 
 French Creek, in which he is past com- 
 mander. 
 
 BL.SA 
 far me 
 has r< 
 
 ,. SAWYER, a well-known pioneer 
 ler of Avon townsiiip, where he 
 ■esided since September, 1838, 
 was born, in 1821, in Schoharie 
 county. New York. 
 
 John and Rhoda (Lynes) Sawyer, parents 
 of this gentleman, were also natives of New 
 York State, where they were married, and 
 whence, in 1838, they removed to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, settling near French Creek 
 in Avon township, where they made a per- 
 manent home. The father, who was a 
 blacksmitli, died in 1868, the mother in 
 1872. They had a family of ten children, 
 a brief record of whom is as follows: D. L. 
 is the subject of these lines; James died in 
 Avon township in 1848; Polly became the 
 wife of Riley Barrows, of Avon township, 
 where she died; Philip died in Elyria, 
 Lorain county; Henry, who was a sailor, 
 was drowned in the St. Clair river; Am- 
 bi'ose, married, resides in Lorain; Betsy 
 Ann died unmarried; Sturgia died in Avon 
 township; Adeline lives in Avon township; 
 Phebe died in Michigan. Grandfather 
 Lynes was a soldier in the Revolution, and 
 was with Gen. St. Clair at the time of his 
 defeat. 
 
 D. L. Sawyer received his literary train- 
 ing in the common schools of his native 
 State, and was reared in New York up to 
 his eighteenth year, when he came with his 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 993 
 
 parents from Oneida county to Avon town- 
 ship, Lorain county, where he has prin- 
 cipally engaged iu farming. He learned 
 the blacksmith's trade, which he followed 
 for thirty years, since when he has given 
 his exclusive attention to agriculture. He 
 owns a good fruit farm of twenty-seven 
 acres, besides another tract, his lands com- 
 prising in all seventy- two acres. On Oc- 
 tober 19, 1843, Mr. Sawyer was united in 
 marriage, in Avon township, with Miss 
 Eliza Lyon, a native of New York State, 
 daughter of Elexander and Alice Lyou, 
 who came frum New York to Lorain county', 
 Ohio, in 1830, being among the earliest 
 pioneers of LaGrange township. The 
 lather subsequently removed to Nauvoo, 
 111., and thence to Ogflen, Utah, where he 
 now resides. To Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer have 
 been born five children, namely: David, 
 married, who resides in Avon township; 
 Carrie L. and Emma (twins), the former 
 of whom is the wife of H. B. Martindale, 
 of Avon township, the latter the wife of 
 Rev. F. N. Phelps, a Baptist minister of 
 Tiro, Crawford Co., Ohio ; Delia; and James, 
 married, a resident of Ridgeville township. 
 In his political preferences Mr. Sawyer is 
 an ardent Republican, and has served as 
 township trustee; he cast his first ballot for 
 James G. Birney, and later voted for John 
 C. Fremont. Socially he is a member of 
 King Solomon Lodge No. 56, Elyria. In 
 religious connection he and his wife are 
 members of the Baptist Church at French 
 Creek. 
 
 CHARLES H. GLENN, a well-known 
 contractor and bnilder, of Oberlin, 
 was born December 20, 1857, at 
 Delphos, Allen Co., Ohio, a son of 
 George M. and Augusta L. W. (King) 
 Glenn, the former a native of Virginia, the 
 latter of Prussia. 
 
 He received his education at the public 
 schools of Oberlin, then learned the trade 
 of carpenter and joiner. In 1884 he em- 
 
 barked in the contracting business with 
 the firm known as Gleim & Copeland, in 
 which he has since continued, and he has 
 done contracting in various places, among 
 which may be mentioned Colorado Springs, 
 his work, however, lying chiefly in Ober- 
 lin, where he resides. He makes a spe- 
 cialty of dwelling houses, and conducts 
 quite an extensive business, giving em- 
 ployment to from five to thirty men. 
 
 Mr. Glenn was united in marriage De- 
 cember 20, 1881, with Miss Efiie V. Tuck, 
 who was born in Gallia county, Ohio, and 
 reared in Oberlin, a daughter of John C. 
 and Eliza (Dyer) Tuck. To this union 
 have been born three children, namely; 
 Lncretia, Wilhelniina, Frankie D. and 
 Charles A., of whom Frankie died at the 
 age of ten months. Our subject is a Re- 
 publican, and takes an active interest in 
 politics; he ia now serving a second term 
 as member of the city council. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Glenn are both members of the First 
 Congregational Church at Oberlin. 
 
 [( RTEMAS BEEBE, proprietor of 
 \\ book-store and dealer in books; 
 stationery and mouldings, Elyria, 
 is a native of that city, born May 
 26, 1869, a grandson of Artemas 
 Beebe, who came of an old New England 
 family, and son of Artemas and Nancy 
 (Fisher) Beebe. 
 
 Artemas Beebe, second son of the late 
 Artemas Beebe, who came here from Mas- 
 sachusetts in 1817 with the late Heman 
 Ely, and assisted in making an opening in 
 the wilderness where Elyria now stands^ 
 died at his farm residence on Cleveland 
 street, August 27, 1891. Deceased was 
 born in Elyria, October 10, 1825, and 
 spent all of his nearly sixty-three years in 
 Elyria. He attended the public schools 
 until he was about fifteen years of age, 
 when he entered the dry-goods store of 
 the late Seymour M. Baldwin, where he 
 
994 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 was employed as clerk for a few years, and 
 then engaged in fanning pursuits. On 
 November 25, 1847, he married Miss 
 Nancy L. Fisher, of Grafton, and soon 
 after moved to his farm near the city, 
 where, with the exception of two years, he 
 spent his remaining life. On the death of 
 his father in 1880, he became the owner of 
 the "Beebe House," which he leased until 
 1886, when he took possession as manager 
 and remained two years, then returning to 
 his farm, which comprised 200 acres, and 
 was located entirely inside the corporation 
 of Elyria. The children born to him were 
 William A., Mary, Frank and Arteraas. 
 His widow is still living on the old home- 
 stead. 
 
 The origin of Mr. Beebe's illness dated 
 from the winter of 1890, when he suffered 
 from a severe attack of La Grippe, from 
 which he recovered in a few weeks; but in 
 January, 1891, he had a recurrence of the 
 same disease, his heart becoming affected, 
 resulting in dropsy, which terminated his 
 life. 
 
 In all his duties of husband, father and 
 neighbor, he occupied a high place in the 
 esteem of his fellow-citizens; and while 
 his family, consisting of his wife, three 
 sons and one daughter, will more deeply 
 feel their bereavement, the Church and 
 moi-e especially the Sunday-schools of Lo- 
 rain county, in which for many years he 
 has taken an active interest, will miss his 
 presence and counsel. Mr. Beebe was a 
 member and a regular attendant of the 
 Congregational Sunday-school of Elyria 
 for sixty years. For ten years he was its 
 assistant superintendent. He has also for 
 many years been the Chairman of the ex- 
 ecutive committee of the Lorain County 
 Sunday-school Union, and the success of 
 its annual meeting has been owing more 
 to his constant and efficient labor than to 
 any other cause. Mr. Beebe was an active 
 and honored member of the Congrega- 
 tional Church of Elyria for thirty-three 
 years. In his official duties; in his inter- 
 course with his fellow-members; in the 
 
 largeness of his Christian charity and fel- 
 lowship, as well as in his daily social and 
 business life, he aimed to be true to his 
 high calling of God. 
 
 Artemas Beebe, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, received a liberal education at 
 the public schools of his native town, and 
 graduated in the class of 1890. In April, 
 1891, he opened out his present business, 
 and has met with well-merited success. 
 On December 16, 1891, he was united in 
 marriage with Miss Minnie Mapes, also a 
 native of Elyria, and who had been a 
 schoolmate of Mr. Beebe's. In political 
 preferences our subject is a Republican, 
 and in church connection he is a Congre- 
 gationalist. 
 
 Hf G. EEDINGTON, a prominent 
 and widely esteemed attorney at 
 law of North Amherst, is one of 
 the rising young barristers of 
 Lorain county, of which he is a 
 native, born July 10, 1858. 
 
 His father, E. N. Redington, a native 
 of Massachusetts, came to Amherst town- 
 ship in 1819, being at the time three years 
 old. He was a farmer all his life, and 
 died at the age of sixty-nine years. He 
 married Miss M. E. Tyler, who was born 
 in 1823 of Connecticut people, and she is 
 yet living; she is, as was also her husband, 
 a member of the Disciple Church. 
 
 The subject of this biographical sketch 
 received his elementary education at the 
 district schools, afterward attending Ober- 
 lin College, where he completed the junior 
 year; thence went to Cornell (N. Y.) Uni- 
 versity, one term, after which he com- 
 menced to read law with Hon. J. F. 
 Burket, now on the supreme court bench. 
 On June 4, 1884, he was admitted to the 
 bar, and at once opened an office in North 
 Amherst, Lorain county, where he has 
 since been engaged in the practice of his 
 profession. He has successfully carried 
 
&^(4^ 
 
 e 
 
 '^^t-t 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 997 
 
 tlirougli cases vcrsxis railroads, involving 
 a considerable amount of liticration, and 
 succeeded in securing the compromise be- 
 tween North Amherst and the Lake Shore 
 A: Michigan Southern Railroad Company, 
 the nature of which was as follows: The 
 question involved was whether the railway 
 company conld raise the grade of its rail- 
 way through the village and over the 
 streets and narrow the streets at the inter- 
 sections, without consent of the village or 
 the payment of damages to abntting own- 
 ers. The question was decided in favor 
 of the village, that the railway company 
 could not. 
 
 In 1885 Mr. Rodington was elected 
 mayor of North Amherst, serving till 
 1893, in all four continuous terms. He is 
 president of the Savings Deposit Bank, of 
 which he was one of the chief organizers; 
 is president of the North Amherst Shear 
 Company, and assisted in organizing the 
 North Amherst Furniture ('ompany, of 
 which he is a stockholder. Politically he 
 is an uncompromising Democrat, a pro- 
 nounced Cleveland man on the Tariff ques- 
 tion. Socially he is a member of the 
 K. of P., the K. 0. T. M., and the 
 I. O. O. F., of which he was District 
 Deputy Grand Master. 
 
 In 1884 Mr. Redington was united in 
 marriage with Miss Lulu ('. Moore, 
 daughter of Dr. A. C. Moore, of North 
 Amherst, and three childi'cn have been 
 born to them: Harry M., Blanche (t. and 
 Horace Raymond. 
 
 ^/ 
 
 ^|\ iff ICIIAEL EPPLEY, one of the 
 
 ^'1 thrifty and prosperous agricul- 
 
 Ij turists of Elyria township, is a 
 
 native of Wittenberg, (lermany, 
 
 born December 7, 1821, a son of 
 
 Jacob and C!atherine (Keller) Eppley, also 
 
 natives of the Fatherland. 
 
 In April, 1832, the family set sail from 
 Holland for the New World, and after a 
 
 voyage of fifty-five days landed at Phila- 
 delphia. From thei'e they proceeded west- 
 ward to Ohio, locating at Zanesville, Mus- 
 kingum county, where tiie parents passed 
 from earth, the father at the age of eighty- 
 six, the mother when seventy-six years old. 
 They had eleven children — nine sons and 
 two daughters — and seven of the sons are 
 now living, all near Zanesville, Ohio, ex- 
 cept our subject, while the two daughters 
 reside in Michigan. 
 
 Michael Epplej was reared to manhood 
 in Zanesville, Ohio, where he received his 
 education, and worked hard to make a 
 little money which he saved in his boj'- 
 liood. At the age of twenty years he com- 
 menced carpentry, a trade he followed for 
 twenty-one years; also farming, in con- 
 nection doing a considerable amount in 
 contracting and building. He was in the 
 employ of the State of Ohio, constructing 
 dams and docks in the Muskingum river. 
 At the age of twenty-three he was united 
 in marriage with Miss Rosina Ilarsch 
 (daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Ilarsch), 
 a native of Wittenberg, Germany, coming 
 with her parents to America when six 
 years old. Thirteen children were born to 
 this union — five sons and eight daughters 
 — namely: William, who went west and 
 died (he was married to Mary Mauer; left 
 two children); Mary, wife of Mose J3eal, 
 also died at an early age (left seven chil- 
 dren) ; Katherine, wife of Samuel Beal, has 
 eight children; Caroline, wife of Jacob 
 Schaible, has two children; Jacob, mar- 
 ried to Kate Martin, has four children; 
 Rosa, died at the age of twelve years; 
 Solomon, married to Nellie Bender, and 
 has one child; Christena, wife of Henry 
 Martin, has four children; Abram, mar- 
 ried Mary Martin, has four children; 
 Matilda, wife of Ernest Drunagle, has one 
 child; Mose, married to Mary Spiegelberg, 
 and has one child; Lydia, wife of William 
 Spiegelberg, and Cora, residing at home. 
 
 Shortly after marriage Mr. Eppley 
 purchased a farm in York township. 
 Morgan county, containing 240 acres of 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 land, whicli lie improved and then sold 
 just before coming to Elyria. He came 
 to Lorain county in 1874, and bought his 
 present farm, containing one hundred 
 acres "(in Elyria township), bordering 
 on the town of Elyria (on Mui-ry 
 Ridge, southwest of town), paying one 
 hundred and twenty dollars cash per acre 
 for same. After two years the mother 
 died at the age of fifty-one years, which 
 was a sore loss to the whole family, and 
 here he has since remained as a widower 
 (his daughter Cora keeping house for him). 
 Mr. Eppley always was, and is to this 
 day, for his age, an active man as well as 
 ambitious; honest in all his dealings. In 
 religion he is an earnest, steadfast follower 
 of Clirist, and has Ijeen from early life. 
 He is a tnember of the Evangelical Church. 
 Ills greatest aim is to reach his heavenly 
 home. 
 
 ri( LFRED E. HALE, farmer and 
 
 / / \\ cheese manufacturer of Carlisle 
 
 tf^^ township, is a native of Lorain 
 
 Jl county, born March 23, 1862, on 
 
 Henrietta Hill. He is a son of 
 
 George and Anna M. (Smith) Hale, the 
 
 former of whom was among the pioneers 
 
 of Carlisle township, having settled there 
 
 when his son, Alfred E., was but ten days 
 
 old. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was reared 
 to agricultural pursuits on his father's 
 farm, received his literary training in the 
 common schools of Carlisle township until 
 sixteen years of age, and then studied for 
 one term at the Elyria high school. For 
 the next two years he was employed in 
 the Hart Cheese Factory, at that time 
 operated by William A. Braman, and then 
 worked in Sullivan and Ashland counties, 
 Ohio. When nineteen years old he pur- 
 chased, in partnership with a brother, the 
 farm on which his brother resides, and on 
 which they have since made many im- 
 
 provements, and there Mr. Hale carries on 
 a prosperous cheese-making business, keep- 
 ing twenty cows. He manufactures a full 
 cream cheese, and receives New York 
 State prices for all his dairy products, for 
 which there is a constant demand. 
 
 Li 1886 Mr. Hale was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Buda Bell Peabody, and 
 they have two children, namely: Gilbert 
 N. and Cassie B. Our subject is a mem- 
 ber of the Ilepublican party, and takes an 
 active interest in political (juestions. He 
 is recognized as one of thethorough-gointr, 
 progressive business men of Carlisle town- 
 ship, where he has established himself in 
 a profitable line of trade. 
 
 HAELES n. W A RBITRTON, mas- 
 ter mechanic for the Cleveland, 
 Lorain & Wheeling Railroad, at 
 Lorain, was born September 17, 
 1846, at Cleveland, Ohio. His father, 
 Thomas Warbnrton, a native of Edinburgh, 
 Scotland, married Martha Rummage, who 
 was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and they 
 reared a family of five children — four sons 
 and one daughter — of whom Charles II. is 
 the eldest. The mother died in 1878, the 
 father is now residing at Birmingham, 
 Ohio. 
 
 Charles II. Warburton grew to man- 
 hood in his native city, receiving his edu- 
 cation in the public schools of same. At 
 the age of sixteen he engaged with the 
 Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Rail- 
 road Company to learn the trade of ma- 
 chinist, and served some five and a half 
 years. For some time after he worked as 
 contractor in the Wilson Sewing IMachine 
 Shops at Cleveland, but again returned to 
 the railroad business. In 1873 he came 
 to Lorain county, engaged with the Cleve- 
 land, Lorain & Wheeling Railroad as gang 
 boss, and afterward as general foreman, in 
 which capacity he served until 1882, after 
 which time he held the position of master 
 
LOEAiy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 999 
 
 mechanic, being superintendent of 334 
 men. In July, 1893, be resigned bis posi- 
 tion on tbe railroad to embark in bis pres- 
 ent business in Cleveland, Ohio, in part- 
 nersbip witb E. C. Angell, tbe style of tbe 
 firm being " Viaduct Macbine and Tool 
 Co." 
 
 On November 13, 1873, Mr. Warbur- 
 ton was married, at Cleveland, to Miss May 
 J. Angell. and to their union have been 
 born six children: Charles, Lewis, Henry, 
 Katie, Cora and Frank. Politically our 
 subject is a prominent member of tbe Re- 
 publican party, in whose welfare be takes 
 an active interest; be has served in various 
 positions of trust, has been a member of 
 the city council, and for five years was 
 president of the City Water Works. So- 
 cially he is a member of Woodland Lodge 
 No. 226, K. of P., and of the K. O. T. M.; 
 he is also a member of the F. & A. M., 
 K. T.,and of the A. A. O. N. M. S. 
 
 IlOHN RILEY, Jr., one of the promi- 
 
 V I nent representative young men of 
 
 V/i Amherst township, is a native-born 
 
 Obioan, having first seen the light of 
 
 day in Erie county in 1856. 
 
 He is a son of John and Bridget 
 (Welch) Riley, the father born in Ireland. 
 Coming to America in 1844 be made his 
 home in Erie county, Ohio, a number of 
 years. About 1868 be removed with his 
 family to Lorain county, and he now re- 
 sides in Elyria township. He has been a 
 lifelong farmer, and in politics a stanch 
 Democrat. Eight children were born to 
 John and Bridget Riley, all yet living. 
 
 John Riley, Jr., received bi§ education 
 in tbe public schools of Elyria and Berlin 
 Heights. For some years he followed 
 agricultural pursuits, and be now owns a 
 good farm of one hundred acres in Am- 
 herst township. In 1882 he commenced 
 contracting for the Toledo & Cleveland 
 
 Railroad, northern and southern division, 
 and later has been employed in getting 
 out ship timber. 
 
 Mr. Riley has been twice married : first 
 time in 1880 to Miss Jennie Davis, who 
 died in 1883, and he subsequently, in 1889, 
 married Miss Carrie Armert. He takes 
 an active interest in politics, and is a 
 strong, useful member of the Democratic 
 party. Since September, 1893, he has 
 been the efBcient and courteous postmas- 
 ter at North Amherst. 
 
 ^/ 
 
 HfENRT HITCHCOCK, prominent 
 in tbe farming community of Co- 
 J lumbia township, of which he is a 
 native, is a son of Samuel and 
 Amelia (Osborne) Hitchcock. 
 Samuel Hitchcock was born, in 1786, in 
 Waterbury. Conn., whence in 1810 he 
 came to Columbia township, Lorain coun- 
 ty, traveling the entire distance with a 
 team, the journey occuping some six 
 weeks. Here be opened up t^iree farms, 
 and became a prosperous agriculturist. In 
 politics lie was originally a Whig, later a 
 Republican. His wife, Amelia (Osborne), 
 was also born in (Connecticut, and died in 
 April, 1892, a daughter of Asel and Mary 
 (Hoadley) Osborne, who came to Colum- 
 bia township, Lorain county, from Con- 
 necticut in 1810. To Mr. and Mrs. Samuel 
 Hitchcock were born seven children, of 
 whom the following is a brief record: 
 Alma, who married James R. Ruple, died 
 in Olmsted township, Cuyahoga county, 
 in June, 1892; Julia, who was the wife of 
 Cyrus Ruple, died in about 1882; Mi- 
 nerva, tbe wife of James Warnock, died in 
 1893; Marietta, widow of Winslow Shaw, 
 resides in Michigan; Amanda, who was the 
 wife of Abner Houston, died in Ridge- 
 ville township at the age of twenty-five; 
 Amelia, Mrs. J. W. Doane, died in Janu- 
 ary, 1890; and Henry is the subject of this 
 sketch. 
 
1000 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Henry Hitchcock, tlie subject proper of 
 this memoir, was born in 1836, and was 
 reared on his father's farm, his schooling 
 being obtained in the primitive log cabin 
 of ttie period, in Columbia Center. He 
 has always followed farming, and has met 
 with well-merited success, being now the 
 owner of 108 acres of excellent land in one 
 tract, and also a twenty-four-acre farm 
 elsewhere, wliile Mrs. Hitchcock owns a 
 good farm of thirty-two acres; he is also 
 guardian for thirty-two acres. In 1867 
 our subject was united in marriage, in 
 Columbia township, Lorain county, with 
 Emeline Peachey,a native of tliat township, 
 and daughter of Tliomas and Philemela 
 (Smith) Peachey, of Massachusetts birth, 
 early settlers of Columbia township, 
 Lorain county, where they died. To this 
 union two children were born, viz.: Aman- 
 da, wife of William Martin, residing on 
 the home farm; and Charley, living at 
 liome. In his political affiliations Mr. 
 Hitchcock is a Republican; his wife is a 
 member of the M. E. Church. 
 
 ijr^\ OBERT N. GOODWIN, one of 
 l^^ the best known and most popular 
 I ^ citizens of Lorain county, is a na- 
 ^ tive of Ohio, born in Granger, 
 
 Medina county. May 13, 1828. 
 Nathaniel A. Goodwin, father of our 
 subject, a native of Connecticut, whence 
 he first moved to Genesee county, N. Y., 
 and then to Ohio, was one of the earliest 
 settlers of Granger township, Medina 
 county, traveling the entire distance from 
 Genesee county with an ox-sled, it being 
 the winter season; at that time there was 
 only one other family in the township, and 
 his sister Deborah was the first white child 
 born in Granger township. He married 
 Miss Levinia H. Lowe, a native of the 
 State of New York, who bore him ten 
 children, of wiiom the following is a brief 
 record: Charles A., who died at the age of 
 
 seventy-four in Medina county, was for 
 some time a resident of Michigan; Alvira, 
 who married Earl Salsberre, died May 3, 
 1893, aged seventy-nine years; Mary L. 
 is tiie widow of William Hopkins, of 
 Sharon township, Medina C(junty, and is 
 now seventy-eight years old; Seth, who 
 lived in Sharon township, Medina county, 
 died of paralysis at the age of sixty- six 
 years; Deborah died in 1871 at the age of 
 fifty-three years; Levinia is the widow of 
 Foster Young, of La Porte, Iowa, and is 
 nearly seventy-one years old; Hiram, now 
 sixty-seven years old, resides in Medina, 
 Ohio, and is clerk of the court of common 
 pleas; Robert N. is the subject of this 
 sketch; William G., now sixty-three years 
 old, is a farmer in Iowa, and resides near 
 La Porte, that State; Marshall W., born 
 in 1836, now a farmer, lives in Granger, 
 Medina county, Ohio. The father died of 
 cancer January 21, 1843, aged fifty-five 
 years, the mother February 5, 1867, aged 
 seventy-six years. 
 
 The subject under present consideration 
 attended school in his boyhood winters, at 
 the nearest log schoolhouse (in which the 
 seats were made of slabs, with wooden pins 
 for legs), which was a mile away from his 
 home, his summers being passed in work- 
 intr on the farm. He also learned the trade 
 of cooper, which he followed for some 
 years both in his native town and five 
 years in Lorain county, whither he came 
 in 1861. He then clerked in a grocery 
 store in the town of Wellington, at the 
 same time attending to some insurance 
 business, which was the nucleus to his 
 present extensive connection in that line. 
 Mr. Goodwin has served in various public 
 capacities with characteristic ability and 
 fidelity, and among the positions he has 
 held may be mentioned: secretary of an 
 agricultural society, twelve years; justice 
 of the peace, two terms; city clerk (Well- 
 ington), fourteen years; township and cor- 
 poration assessor, nineteen consecutive 
 years (he is elected each year as assessor, 
 and every two years as city clerk). Politi- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1001 
 
 cally lie is a straight Republican. Dnr- 
 iiicr the war of the Rebellion live men were 
 dratted on his street, he being one of them, 
 and he reported himself at Elyria, but 
 they were not ready to receive him, and he 
 tiiially sent a substitute, lie had made 
 preparations, however, to fill a position as 
 clerk in the commissary office, but was 
 taken ill with fever, and reluctantly had to 
 remain at home. He is a member of the 
 Congrecrational Church. His grandfather, 
 Seth Goodwin, served throughout the 
 Revolutionary war and a portion of that of 
 1812, being a lieutenant at the time of the 
 burning of Buffalo by the British. His 
 father served throughout the war of 1812 
 as a lieutenant, and saw an Indian killed 
 by an officer of the army, for touching a 
 torch to a building, setting it on tire. 
 
 In 1850 Mr. Goodwin was united in 
 marriage with Miss Louisa M. Harris, a 
 native of New York State, born in Gene- 
 fee county, June 2, 1830. No children 
 have been born to them. He and his 
 wife, Louisa M. Goodwin, have resided in 
 Wellington, Ohio, since 1861, wdien there 
 were only 2-15 buildings that were used in 
 any part for dwellintjs; at this time (1894) 
 there are many elegant dwelling houses, 
 besides the many beautiful churches, 
 sclioolhouses, business l)uildings and as tine 
 a town hall as is not often seen in cities. As 
 he has tine property in Wellington, he ex- 
 pects to remain there during his natural life. 
 
 ViLLARD HART, than whom 
 there is no better or more favor- 
 ably known resident of Penfield 
 township, is a native of same, 
 born October 12, 1840, son of Hawley 
 Hart. 
 
 Hawley Hart was born February 10, 
 1807, in Litchtield county, Conn., son of 
 Samuel, who was a farnier by occupa- 
 tion. The father of our subject received a 
 common-school education, and during his 
 
 early manhood was engaged in peddling 
 clocks for Lewis Hart, throughout the 
 Western Reserve, in 1834 coming through 
 Pentield township, Lorain county. On 
 January 12, 1840,' he married Miss Lucy 
 Hart, who was born September 17, 1821, 
 in the town of Winchester, Litchtield Co., 
 Conn., daughter of Lewis and Persus 
 (Swift) Hart, who came to Lorain county, 
 Ohio, settling, in June, 1838, in Pentield 
 township, where the marriage took place, 
 the ceremony being performed by Justice 
 Samuel Knapp. After his marriage Mr. 
 Hart always followed farming, and made 
 his home in Pentield township; he tirst 
 took up a farm in Lot No. 45, which con- 
 tained but a few rude improvements, and 
 resided for two years on that place, where 
 two children were born to him, namely: 
 Willard, our subject, and Chester, who 
 died at the age of seventeen years. From 
 this farm he removed to Lot 37, and 
 there remained for eight years, when 
 he took up his residence in Lot No. 47, 
 living there for some time. Then, in 
 later years, he moved to a place two miles 
 south of the center of Pentield township, 
 where he died August 5, 1S81, of apoplexy, 
 and was buried in Center cemetery. He 
 was, in politics, a Jacksonian Democrat, 
 and attended the elections regularly. He 
 was a successful farmer. Since his decease 
 his widow has made her home with her 
 son Willard. She has been a member of 
 the M. E. Church since 1869. 
 
 Willard Hart attended during his boy- 
 hood the common schools of the district, 
 and received his tirst knowledge of agri- 
 cultural work under the direction of his 
 father. On January 15, 1861, he was 
 united in marriage with Miss Ann E. 
 Sooy, a native of Spencer, Medina Co., 
 Ohio, and this union was blessed with one 
 child, Carrie L., wlio is now the wife of 
 W. B. Lindsley, a farmer of Pentield town- 
 ship, and has two children, Marion A. and 
 Dot H. Our subject has always followed 
 farming, and after his marriage took up 
 his residence with his parents on the home 
 
1002 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 place, where he has ever since contin- 
 nously made his home, and he now owns 
 the excellent farm he resides on, besides 
 two hundred acres which he rents. In 
 addition to farming he has also conducted 
 an extensive dairying business, an industry 
 in which he has met with well-deserved 
 success, and which has proved exceedingly 
 profitable. He has constantly on his farm 
 about thirty-five milch cows, and it is due 
 chiefly to his efforts that Lorain is one of 
 the principal dairy counties in the State. 
 He was the first to introduce Holstein 
 cattle into the county. Mr. Hart is a life- 
 long Democrat, takes an active interest in 
 political affairs, has served as township 
 trustee, and is now filling the ofiice of 
 township treasurer. He is a warm friend 
 of the public-school system, and has served 
 as director of his special school district, 
 where he labored hard for the schools 
 they now have, in the advancement of 
 which he takes great interest. Both he 
 and his wife are members of the M. E. 
 Church, in which, since his union there- 
 with in 1869, he has been a leading 
 factor, holding numerous offices in the 
 Church, and being also prominently iden- 
 tified with the Sunday-school. He is 
 highly thought of in his community. 
 
 ffffENRY BRADFORD, one of the 
 
 r'^ most prominent and afiluent of the 
 
 I 1 many prosperous agriculturists of 
 
 •fj Lorain county, and the owner of 
 
 one of the finest and best-equipped 
 
 farms in Rochester township, is a native 
 
 of the county, born August 14, 1849, in 
 
 Columbia township. 
 
 Hiram N. Bradford, his father, was born 
 May 31, 1821, in Olmsted Falls, Cuya- 
 hoga Co., Ohio, a son of Hosea and Han- 
 nah (Eastman) Bradford, natives of Ver- 
 mont, who moved to Canada, and from 
 there to Ohio. They were the parents of 
 
 ten children, seven of whom — five sons and 
 two daughters — grew to naturity, their 
 names being Philo, Lester, Eastman, Hiram 
 N., Myron, Cynthia and Laura. 
 
 Hiram IST. Bradford received a common- 
 school education, and being a natural me- 
 chanic, in early youth turned his attention 
 in that direction, learning the trade of 
 stonemason. His first work in this line 
 was laying the walls for wells, which was 
 considered ordinary labor; but his ability 
 soon assertinar itself, he was given more dif- 
 ficult work, such as laying cellar walls, in 
 which in course of time he became very 
 proficient, and he was widely known as a 
 skilled mechanic. He made his home with 
 his parents until his marriage (at which time 
 he was a comparatively poor man), after 
 which he and his young wife made their 
 home in Columbia township, Lorain coun- 
 ty, for a short time; then lived with his 
 wife's parents, who were getting advanced 
 in years, and here Mr. Bradford died 
 March 2(1, 1856, his remains being inter- 
 red in Columbia township. He was a 
 member of the Wesleyan Methodist 
 Church, and in politics was originally a 
 Whig, at the time of his death a Repub- 
 lican, which party had just been organized. 
 
 On July 20, 1842, Hiram N. Bradford 
 and Eunice Eddy were united in marriage. 
 She first saw the light February 22, 1822, 
 in ColuTnbia township, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 daughter of David and Elizabeth (Sher- 
 dine) Eddy, born February 1, 1783, in 
 New Jersey, and April 1, 1785, in "Wash- 
 ington county, Penn., respectively. Mrs. 
 Eddy's father was killed by the Indians. 
 David Eddy came to Ohio before his mar- 
 riage, and being in Cuyahoga county dur- 
 ing the war of 1812, assisted in building 
 blockhouses there. He died in Columbia 
 township, Lorain county. At Hiram N. 
 Bradford's death he left three children, 
 viz.: Sylvia, now Mrs. Herbert Mills, of 
 Cleveland, Ohio' Viola, who died at the 
 age of fifteen, and Henry, the subject of 
 this sketch. Mrs. Bradford kept the chil- 
 dren together on the farm left by her bus- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1003 
 
 band, and February 1, 1860, married Samuel 
 Hanley, a farmer of Lorain county. P^ora 
 short time Mr. and Mrs. Hanley made their 
 home in New London township, Huron 
 county; then, April 15, 18G0, removed to 
 the farm in Rochester township her sou 
 Henry now owns and lives on. Mrs. Han- 
 ley is a member of the Freewill Baptist 
 Church, and in her declining years is 
 honored and respected by all. 
 
 Henry Bradford, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, was reared on a farm, receiv- 
 ing his elementary education at the public 
 schools of the neighborhood of his home, 
 later attending select school. When a 
 young man he made a trip to Michigan, 
 and in the " pineries " there worked for 
 some time; retui'iiing, he labored in the 
 lime quarries of northwestern Ohio. On 
 October 16, 1872, having once more come 
 to his native county, Mr. Bradford married 
 Miss Ella A. Storrow, born April 12, 1853, 
 in Brighton township, same county, a 
 daughter of Thomas and Sophia (Baird) 
 Storrow, and the young couple then com- 
 menced housekeeping in Brigiiton town- 
 siiip. From there at the end of a year 
 they removed to Rocliester township, 
 where Mr. Bradford bougiit the home- 
 stead of his stepfather. The children 
 born to our subject and wife are Alton 
 L., Lansing A. and Carrie V. — all 
 living. 
 
 Mr. Bradford enjoys the reputation of 
 being a systematic and thoroughly practi- 
 cal farmer and stockman, as well as an ex- 
 tensive wool grower. In 1876 he became 
 identified with the Poland-China Hog 
 Breediiig Association, from which time 
 he has vastly improved his own stock, be- 
 sides increasing its number; and he can 
 boast of not only iiaving some of the finest 
 animals on his farm, but also of having 
 been the means of improving the breed 
 of swine all over northern Ohio. In 1889 
 he built at a cost of about three thousand 
 dollars, one of the handsomest farm resi- 
 dences in Rochester township, furnished 
 throughout in hardwood, and in elegance 
 
 and comfort surpassing anything of the 
 kind in his part of the county. In his 
 political preferences Mr. Bradford is a 
 stanch Republican, and is now serving his 
 township as trustee. 
 
 F. HOPKINS, a worthy member of 
 one of the early families of Brown- 
 helm township, is a native of 
 Oneida county, N. Y., born Decem- 
 ber 5. 183S, a son of Fred. M. and Phila 
 M. (Barnes) Hopkins. 
 
 The family came west to Ohio in 1849, 
 settling in the ridge in Brownhelm town- 
 ship, Lorain county, where the father had 
 bought a partly-improved farm, clearing 
 the remainder himself. He was a pro- 
 nounced Abolitionist, and took part in the 
 agitating movements of that period. He 
 died in September, 1866, his wife in May, 
 1867. Two children were born to them: 
 C. F., and George M., who is chief engineer 
 on a lake steamer, having his home in Bay 
 City, Michigan. 
 
 The subject of this memoir received his 
 education in part in Oneida county, N. Y., 
 and in part in Brownhelm townsliip, Lo- 
 rain Co., Ohio. In his youth he assisted 
 in improving the home farm, and has fol- 
 lowed fruit farming and gardening. In the 
 spring of 1863 he bought his present 
 property, then consisting of thirty-four 
 acres, which he has since increased to 
 eighty acres, and which he has planted 
 with apples, cherries, peaches, all varieties 
 of berries, etc. In 1863 he was united in 
 marriage with Sophronia Vincent, adauorh- 
 ter of Levi and Polly (Austin) Vincent, 
 natives of Canada, and early pioneers of 
 Henrietta township, Lorain Co., Ohio. 
 The father died in 1886 at the advanced 
 age of eighty-five, the mother surviving 
 him three years. To Mr. and Mrs. C. F. 
 Hopkins have been born children as fol- 
 lows: Edna C. (wife of Charles L. West, 
 
1004 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 of Oberlin), Frederick M., Thyrza H., 
 Gertrude S., Eleanor V. (wife of E. S. 
 Cook, of Bowling Green, Wood Co., Ohio), 
 Marcia J. and Ada G., the latter of wiiom 
 died at the age of two years. Mr. Hop- 
 kins is a Republican, and is a member of 
 the F. & A. M., Stonington Lodge No. 
 503, North Amherst, also of Marshall 
 Chapter No. 47, Elyria, Ohio. 
 
 ENJAMIN REDFERN, retired 
 harness manufacturer and farmer, 
 is one of the prominent citizens of 
 South Amherst. He is a native of 
 County Armagh, Ireland, born March 31, 
 1827, a son of Robert and Ellen (Mc- 
 Clarneu) Redfern, both also natives of the 
 Land of Erin. 
 
 The father, who was a weaver by trade, 
 in 1830 emigrated with liis family to 
 Canada, locating near Toronto, Ontario, 
 where they resided till 1852, and then re- 
 moved to Olmsted Falls, Ohio, whence 
 after about two years they came to Hen- 
 rietta township, Lorain county, making 
 their new home on a farm. In 1868 they 
 moved to Amherst township, same county, 
 where the mother died in 1883, the father 
 in 1886. They had a family of eight chil- 
 dren, of whom the following is a brief 
 record: Benjamin is the subject of this 
 sketch; Barbara R. is the widow of Alfred 
 Chandler, and lives in Elyria; Margaret S. 
 is the wife of David B. AVright, of Olmsted 
 Falls, Ohio; Robert is married, and resides 
 in Columbia township, Lorain Co., Ohio; 
 James H. is married, and has his home 
 in Elyria (he enlisted in Amherst town- 
 ship, Lorain county, in 1862, in Com- 
 pany F, One Hundred and Third O. V. I., 
 for three years, and served to the close of 
 the war); Mary was the wife of Jefferson 
 Ormsby, who was killed by lightning in 
 1871 (she died in 1892); Elizabeth A. is 
 the wife of Anson Cooper, of Strawberry 
 Point, Iowa; Ellen died in Canada in 1851. 
 Benjamin Redfern, whose name opens 
 
 this sketch, received a good practical edu- 
 cation in the schools of Canada, learned 
 the trade of harness maker, and worked at 
 same there until 1849, when he came to 
 Lorain county, Ohio, and, locating first in 
 Elyria, remained in that town till 1852, 
 in the spring of which year he moved to 
 North Amherst, whence in 1856 he came 
 to South Amherst. He worked at his trade 
 in Lorain county till 1863, and then coiii- 
 menced agricultural pursuits, having pur- 
 chased a farm. In 1865 he bought out the 
 store of Henry Jackson, in South Am- 
 herst, and conducted a general mercantile 
 and harness business till 1867, when he 
 abandoned that line and resumed fanning 
 till 1887, retiring in that year. Mr. Red- 
 fern owns twenty-two and one-half acres 
 of land in South Amherst, besides a good 
 farm of ninety acres in that town, although 
 he has sold several lots off this property. 
 On January 17, 1852, our subject was 
 united in marriage with Miss Ellen Hy- 
 land, daughter of Thomas and Martha 
 (West) Hyland, all natives of Sussex, Eng- 
 land, who in 1841 immigrated to Canada, 
 locating at Port Stanley, Ontario, whence 
 in 1848 they came to Elyria, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, settling on a farm in Carlisle town- 
 ship. The father died in September, 1849; 
 the mother is yet living in Carlisle town- 
 ship, now aged eighty years. They were 
 the parents of five children, as follows: 
 Ellen, wife of Benjamin Redfern; Henry, 
 married in Lorain county, and moved to 
 Ionia, Mich., where he died in February, 
 1893; Mary, wife of William Stall, of Car- 
 lisle township, Lorain county; D. W., who 
 was married in Michigan, and now resides 
 in Elyria, Lorain co\inty (he enlisted, in 
 1862. in Company F, One Hundred and 
 Third O. V. I., for three years, and served 
 to close of the war); and Sarah A., wife of 
 J. Jonas, of Carlisle township, Lorain 
 county. To Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Red- 
 fern have been born two children: Eva, 
 wife of G. W. Hazel, of Fostoria. Ohio, 
 and Ella May, wife of William E. Par- 
 sons, of Amherst township. 
 
')j2yOA^ 
 
 e^-yyiAAA^ (-j-^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1007 
 
 Mr. Redfern in his political sympathies 
 is a Republican, and hasserred his town- 
 ship as trustee lour terms; socially be is a 
 member of Plato Lodge No. 203, 1. O. O. F. 
 He has l)een a Notary Pul)lic for some 
 seven years. Although practically retired, 
 he still carries on a snug business in gen- 
 eral insurance, representing among other 
 companies the " Phoenix " of Hartford, 
 Conn. In Church connection be and his 
 wife are Baptists. In their lifetime in Lo- 
 rain they have been eyewitnesses to many 
 nineteenth -century changes, some of them 
 marvels of science, for at the time of their 
 settlement here, less than half a century 
 ago, tliere was no railroad west of Elyria. 
 Mr. Redfern has always been active in 
 public matters, and has taken a genuine 
 interest in everything tending to tlie ad- 
 vancement and prosperity of bis county. 
 
 ^J 
 
 MAURICE GOSS. Among the many 
 progressive and skilled agricultur- 
 ists of Brighton township, tliis 
 gentleman holds a prominent 
 place. He is of the seventh gen- 
 eration of a family who came to the United 
 States in 1G31, same time that Gov. AVin- 
 throp's party came from England. 
 
 Mr. Gosa is a son of David, a son of 
 Philip, who was born July 13, 1755, and 
 married Esther Yale, who bore bim nine 
 children, of whom three sons — Clark, 
 David and Philip — came to Ohio. Philip 
 Goss, grandfatlier of subject, served in the 
 Revolutionary war under Gen. Washimr- 
 ton, and at White Plains was commissioned 
 major; he died June 23, 1840. David, 
 one of bis three sons who came to Ohio, 
 was educated at the subscription schools of 
 the period in his native town (Boston, 
 Mass.), where he afterward worked as a 
 drayman. In 1832 he married Aurelia, 
 daughter of Samuel Porter, of Dummers- 
 town, Vt., soon after which event the 
 
 young couple came to Ohio, locating in 
 Cuyahoga county. He was then compara- 
 tively poor, for be had lost all his prop- 
 erty by signing for others. In later years 
 he moved to Brighton township, where he 
 and his wife passed the rest of their pio- 
 neer days, dying August 6, 1871, and Oc- 
 tober 17, 1874, respectively; their remains 
 were interred in Brighton cemetery. In 
 Cuyahoga county were born to them chil- 
 dren as follows: Maria, deceased at the age 
 of thirty-four years; Maurice, subject of 
 this memoir; Edmund G., deceased Jan- 
 uary 20, 1855: Otis F., a farmer of 
 Brighton township; Julia S., Mrs. J. E. 
 Field, of Carbondale, 111.; Ellen A., Mrs. 
 J. J. Lawrence, of St. Mary's, Ohio. Po- 
 litically Mr. Goss was a Free-soiler and 
 Republican, and he and his wife were 
 members of the Congregational Church. 
 His chief vocation was that of farming, and 
 in connection therewith he also conducted 
 a saw and grist mill in Brighton township. 
 Though unfortunate in business in early 
 life, yet he succeeded by incessant toil in 
 accumulating a comfortable competence. 
 
 Maurice Goss, whose name opens this 
 sketch, was born Noveuiber 20, 1835, in 
 . Middleburgh township, Cuyahoga Co., 
 Ohio, at the common schools of which lo- 
 cality he received a meager education. He 
 was early in life inducted into tiie mys- 
 teries of farm labor, and a considerable 
 portion of his time was passed in his 
 father's gristmill, the buhrstones for 
 which were found along Charlemont creek 
 in Wellington township. He remained 
 under the parental roof until be was nine- 
 teen years old, when he commenced life 
 for bis own account. His first business 
 transaction was the sale of a calfskin his 
 father had given him, with the proceeds 
 of which he bought two sheep, which in- 
 creased in value, and gradually adding 
 others he soon found himself the possessor 
 of a tine flock. He then rented land, and 
 before he was twenty-one years old he had 
 bought fifty acres on credit, which, being 
 industrious and indefatigable, he soon was 
 
1008 
 
 LOEAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 enabled to pay for. This tract of fifty 
 acres he disposed of at a profit some time 
 after his marriage, and he then boug:lit 
 seventy acres on which lie built a house 
 and barn, and where he remained until 
 1863, at whicli time he removed into 
 Pittslield township. In the spring of 1865 
 he returned to Brighton township, and 
 from his uncle, Philip Goss, he purchased 
 his present farm, which has been added to 
 until it now contains- 195 acres of excel- 
 lent farming land, since much improved, 
 new biiikiino;s having been erected, and 
 the old ones enlarged and remodeled. 
 Some years ago Mr. Goss erected a cheese 
 factory on his farm, which he successfully 
 operated for some years, wlien he disposed 
 of it to Richmond & Tracy, who retained 
 his services as superintendent for one year. 
 After various changes this factory again 
 fell into Mr. Goss' hands, and later was 
 sold to Laundon, Windecker & Co., of 
 Wellington, Ohio. In 1871 he erected a 
 warehouse at Kochester, Ohio, a one- half 
 interest in which he sold, and the style of 
 the firm is now M. Goss & Co. In 1886 
 our subject moved to Rochester, where he 
 made his home till 1893, in which year he 
 returned to Brighton township, where he 
 now resides, retaining his interests at 
 Rochester. 
 
 On December 8, 1856, M. Goss and 
 Josephine M. Judd were united in mar- 
 riage. She was born in January, 1834, in 
 Brighton, Ohio, daughter of Erasmus 
 Judd, and children as follows were born to 
 them: Nettie, who was married to F. Twin- 
 ing, and died in Henrietta township, leav- 
 ing one child, Maud; Herbert S., a farmer 
 of Spink county, S. D. ; May, residing at 
 home; and Lindsey E., who died young. 
 The mother of these died November 5, 
 1883, and was buried in Brighton town- 
 ship. In 1885 Mr. Goss married Mrs. 
 Ezilda Bridgman, a widow, sister of liis 
 first wife, and she died in 1891, her re- 
 mains beino- t'lken to Atchison, Kans., 
 where tliey were laid to rest. Mr. Goss in 
 his early political preferences was a straight 
 
 Republican, and as such served witii credit 
 as a justice of the peace; of late years he 
 has been a zealous Prohibitionist. He is 
 a member of the Congregational Church, 
 in which he has served as deacon. A typi- 
 cal self-made man, he is a leader and ad- 
 viser in tiie community, being possessed 
 of good judgment and sound common sense. 
 
 [( LBERT H. SMITH, manager and 
 l\ city editor of the Eiyria Republican, 
 was born in Chepstow (originally a 
 Norman stronghold and fortifica- 
 tion), Monmouthshire, England, 
 June 11, 1848, a son of George Frederick 
 and Elizabeth (Chidgey) Smith, the former 
 of whom was descended from Norman- 
 Welsh ancestry, the latter of Saxon or 
 English stock. George F. Smith, who was 
 a custom-house officer, died when the sub- 
 ject of these lines was a lad of some nine 
 summers. 
 
 A. H. Smith after leaving school en- 
 tered the office of the West Somerset Free 
 Press, a well-known weekly paper pub- 
 lished at Williton, Somersetshire, England, 
 and here he learned the profession of 
 printer and journalist, subsequently hav- 
 ing charge of the paper. In June, 1870, 
 he emigrated to America, and, locating in 
 Corry, Erie Co., Penn., took charge of a 
 daily paper there till the fall of 1872, 
 when he moved to Oberlin, Ohio, and ac- 
 cepted the position of manager of the 
 Standard of the Cross, the Episcopal 
 organ for the diocese of Ohio. With this 
 pajier he was coimected till 1875, a period 
 of about three years, during which time 
 it was removed to Cleveland. Mr. Smith 
 then came to Eiyria and bought a half 
 interest in the Rejpuhlican, which he, how- 
 ever, sold, remaining with the paper as 
 city editor. Again becoming a stock- 
 holder, in September, 1891, a joint-stock 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1009 
 
 company was organized, and our subject 
 lias since continued in tlie dual capacity of 
 general nianaorer and city editor. 
 
 In 1871 Mr. Smith was married to 
 Amanda H. Fuller. In church connec- 
 tion he is an Episcopalian, in politics a 
 Republican, and he is a member of the 
 F. &. A. M. and I. 0. O. F. 
 
 HOMAS LINE. Ranking among 
 the prominent and influential citi- 
 zens of Columbia township is this 
 gentleman, who is an Englishman 
 by birth, having been born, in 1823, 
 in West Haddon, Northamptonshire. 
 
 He is a son of William and Elizabeth 
 (Facer) Line, who in 1848 emigrated to 
 the United States, sailing from Liverpool, 
 and arriving at New York after a voyage 
 of five weeks. From there they proceeded 
 to Lorain county, Ohio, where the father 
 cleared a farm out of the dense forests and 
 became a prosperous agriculturist; he was 
 a builder by trade, but in this country fol- 
 lowed farming exclusively up to the time 
 of his death, which occurred September 11, 
 1872, when he was eighty-two years old, 
 his wife passing away February 27, 1887, 
 at the age of eighty years. They were the 
 parents of four children, as follows: 
 Charles, who died in Ridgeville township 
 in 18!)2; Thomas; John, a resident of 
 Columbia township; and Sarah, wife of 
 George Robinson, postmaster at North 
 Ridgeville, Lorain county. 
 
 Our subject received his education at 
 the schools of his native parish in Eng- 
 land, and learned the trade of mason. He 
 was married in that country February 8, 
 1848, to Miss Elizabeth Gare, and the same 
 year they emigrated with the rest of his 
 family to the United States. Bj this 
 union there were four children, viz.: Sarah 
 J., wife of John Cole, of Ridgeville town- 
 ship; Fred William, residing at Millbury, 
 
 Wood Co., Ohio; John T., married, who is 
 in the hardware business at Matta Bend, 
 Mo.; and Lue, wife of Ernest Mitchell, of 
 Ridgeville township. Tlie mother of these 
 died May 1, 1882, aged tifty-si.x years, four 
 months, and September 1, 1884, Mr. Line 
 married, in New York, Miss Martha 
 Watts, also a native of England. Our 
 subject worked at his trade in Lorain 
 county, in the South, and in various other 
 places, till settling down to farming pur- 
 suits. He now owns a well-cultivated 
 place of eighty-one acres in Columbia 
 township where he lives, and seventy-four 
 in Eaton township. He has erected on his 
 farm a good l)rick residence. Politically 
 he is a Democrat, and was postmaster at 
 North Eaton some years. He and his wife 
 are members of the Church of England. 
 The male members of the family have been 
 masons for hundreds of years back. 
 
 rRANK D. JOHNSON, foremost in 
 the ranks of the leading engineers 
 _^ in the employ of the Wheeling & 
 Lake Erie Hailroad Company, is a 
 native of Huron county, Ohio, born March 
 30, 1852, a son of John H. and Elizabeth 
 P. (Snyder) Johnson. 
 
 Our subject received a liberal education 
 at the common schools of his native place, 
 and was reared to agricultural pursuits, 
 working on his father's farm until he was 
 twenty years old. At that time, being 
 dissatisfied with the life of a husbandman, 
 he left the paternal roof, and proceeding 
 to Cleveland entered the employ of the 
 Atlantic & Great Western Railroad Com- 
 pany, remaining ten years. At first he 
 fired an engine, and then was promoted to 
 engineer, in which capacity he has since 
 served with characteristic carefulness and 
 fidelity. Removing to Norwalk, Huron 
 county, he at once commenced as engin- 
 eer for the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad 
 Company, his present position. 
 
1010 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 On June 17, 1876, Mr. Johnson mar- 
 ried Miss Sarah E. Miller, born September 
 20. 1852. in Chester county, Penii., and 
 thiee children have come to brighten their 
 home, as follows: Flora V., Oliver E. and 
 Edessa M. Politically oiir suliject is a Ke- 
 publican, a hearty worker in his party, and 
 he and his wife are members of the Baptist 
 Church. He is a man of magnificent 
 physique, standing six feet in his stockings, 
 and weighing 220 .pounds. He is one of 
 the oldest and most trustworthy engineers 
 on the road, none more popular, and his 
 agreeable and jovial disposition makes him 
 friends wherever he goes. Socially he is 
 a member of Norwalk Lodge K. of P. 
 His residence is No. 82 Prospect street, 
 Norwalk, Ohio. 
 
 V 
 
 t if RS. L. A. OSBORNE, a resident 
 
 \^ of North Amherst, was born in 
 
 -^1] Orwel, Vt., daughter of Ira W. 
 
 and Lucy Smith, also natives of 
 
 Vermont, where they were married, 
 
 and where ten children were born to 
 
 them. 
 
 In the fall of 1832 Ira W. Smitji came 
 west to Lorain county, Ohio (the trip being 
 made for the most part by water), and pur- 
 chased a considerable amount of land about 
 one mile from the present village of Noi'th 
 Amherst. Later on the rest of the family 
 joined him; but he was not fated to long 
 enjoy his new honje. for in the spring of 
 tlie following year, just six weeks after 
 the arrival of his wife and children, he 
 was killed hy a falling tree while out in 
 the woods making a roadway through, on 
 his land, which is now called the Middle 
 Ridge. He was in his fifty-second year at 
 the time, and his sudden taking off was a 
 terrible blow to the family; his widow died 
 about twenty years ago at the age of eighty- 
 one years. They had a family of ten chil- 
 dren, of whom the following is a brief 
 
 record: (1) Lucy married Daniel Cuts, and 
 settled in Windham, Portage Co., Oliio, 
 where she died. (2) Ira "\V. was a land- 
 owner, farmei- a^id stockman at Kankakee, 
 Ilk, and died there leaving a numerous 
 family. (3) M. D. was a stockman and 
 landowner at Wellington, Ohio, where he 
 died leaving a large family. (4) Sarah 
 Ann married a Mr. Streator in Vermont, 
 and died in Licking county, Ohio. (5) 
 Mariette is the wife of Orluni Winton, of 
 North Amherst, Ohio. (6) Russell was a 
 ranchman, and died at his residence in the 
 city of Stockton, Cal. (7) John (deceased) 
 was a farmer in Iowa. (8) Jane married 
 Samuel Vining, and died in Illinois. (9) 
 Charles died in Kansas. (10) L. A'., the 
 subject proper of this memoir, born in 
 1832, was married in 1850, at the age of 
 seventeen, to William Walker, who was 
 born in the State of New York and reared 
 at North Amherst, Ohio. He died sixteen 
 years after marriage, leaving three children, 
 viz.: Zuleina L., wife of A. V. Kent, of 
 Toledo, Ohio, by whom she has three chil- 
 dren: Loula L., Grace E. and Amos Ross; 
 Charles, a farmer on Middle Ridge, Am- 
 herst township, Lorain Co.. Ohio (he has 
 one child, Bertie); and William K., vvho 
 died in October, 1892. aged thirty-two years. 
 Oursubject was married, the second time, 
 in 1868, to Henry A. Osborne, a native of 
 Lorain county, born in Avon, but most of 
 whose early life was passed in Pennsyl- 
 vania. After marriage they made tlieir 
 home in Amherst township. He was a 
 soldier during the war of the Rebellion, 
 and in the service contracted consumption 
 of which he died July 26, 1871. One 
 child was born to this union: Maude E., 
 now the wife of J. H. Wright, of Grind- 
 stone City, on Lake Huron. For the past 
 sixteen years Mrs. Osborne has lived on 
 Church street, North Amherst, and among 
 her children. She is identified with the 
 Congregational Church; her second hus- 
 band was a member of the M. E. Church. 
 Mrs. L. A. Osborne's early education 
 was limited to tlie common schools, but an 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1011 
 
 ambition to excel caused her to attain in- 
 telligence and culture rapidly, and this, 
 coupled witli a liandsome appearance and 
 genial disposition, made her an early favor- 
 ite in society. Her first husband was an 
 excellent business man, and tlie Walker 
 family became known as one of the pros- 
 perous and leading families of Lorain 
 county. Mrs. Osi)orne had grave respon- 
 sibilities left upon her by her first hus- 
 band's death; but she succeeded well. She 
 is still young looking, and still among the 
 social leaders of North Amherst. She is 
 an active church worker, and one of the 
 leaders of the Ladies' Relief Corps of 
 North Amherst. 
 
 HARLES BO WEES, well known 
 and highly respected iri Wellington 
 and vicinity, where for several years 
 he has industriously pursued his 
 trade, that of carpenter, is a native of the 
 town, liorn August 13. 1836, a son of 
 Sylvester and Esther (Cheney) Bowers. 
 
 Sylvester Bowers, a native of Connecti- 
 cut, born in 1805, came west to Ohio in 
 1834, settling on a farm in Wellington 
 township, Lorain county, and here reared 
 a hardy and intelligent family. Of late 
 years he has lived a retired life in Well- 
 ington, on Tayler street. Politically he 
 was originally a Whig, and since the or- 
 ganization of the party has been a Repub- 
 lican; in Church connection for some years 
 he was a Baptist, but for a considerable 
 time back has been a Congregationalist. 
 His wife, a native of Massachusetts, born 
 in 1804, died at the age of eighty-two 
 years. Their children, four in number, 
 were: John, who joined Company H, One 
 Hundred and Third O. V. I., and was 
 killed at the siege of Knoxville; Charles. 
 our subject; Victoria, deceased wife of 
 Oscar Herrick, county auditor, living in 
 Elyria; and Harriet, residing with her 
 father. 
 
 Charles Bowers, of whom this sketch 
 more particularly relates, attended in his 
 boyhood the district schools, and learned 
 the trade of carpenter in his native town. 
 In June, 1863, he enlisted in Company C, 
 Eighty-sixth Regiment O. V. L, which 
 was ordered to Cumberland Gap; he was 
 discharged there at the expiration of his 
 term of service, and returned home. The 
 following season he served in the Govern- 
 ment employ as carpenter in the vicinity 
 of Nashville, Tenn., and after the war he 
 worked six months longer for the Govern- 
 ment, since when he has been a constant 
 resident of Wellington, Lorain county. In 
 1870 Mr. Bowers married Miss Emma J. 
 Webster, who was born in Wellington, 
 Ohio. October 13, 1838, and tliey have 
 two children: Ida, married to David 
 Gammell, of Akron, Ohio, and Clayton. 
 Mrs. Bowers is a daughter of Oliver and 
 Melissa (Babcock) Webster, New England 
 people, the latter of whom was eighty- 
 five years of age in November, 1893. The 
 father, who passed away in 1870 at the 
 acre of sixty-two years, was a Whig and 
 Republican, and a member of the Congre- 
 gational Church. Their children were: 
 Emerson, in Denver, Colo.; Henry, in 
 Wellington, Lorain county; Alonzo, 
 Amelia, Phileua (deceased) and Emma. 
 Mrs. Bowers' paternal grandfather, David 
 Webster, came to Lorain county in a very 
 early day, and died at an advanced age. 
 Our subject is a Republican in politics, 
 and a member of the G. A. R. Post; in 
 Church connection he and his wife are 
 Congregationalists. 
 
 J. COLE, the genial and popular 
 clerk of Columbia township, was 
 born on his present farm August 19, 
 1860, a son of John and Sarah (Ban- 
 croft) Cole, natives of Connecticut and 
 Massachusetts, respectively. 
 
 John Cole carae to Columbia township 
 when a boy of nine years, along with seven 
 
1012 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 other members of the family, and was here 
 married to Miss Sarah Bancroft, who liad 
 migrated hither in her girlhood, settling in 
 Ridgeville township. They are yet livin;;, 
 the parents of four children, namely: Eliza- 
 beth A., wife of A. H. Perry, of Colum- 
 bia township; Harriet A., wife of F. J. 
 Hinman, of Cleveland; Fred E. (married), 
 died in Kansas in 1S84; and C. J., our 
 subject. The father was a fanner by oc- 
 cupation, a Prohibitionist- Democrat in 
 politics, and filled various township othces, 
 including those of clerk and trustee. 
 
 C. J. Cole, the subject of this sketch, re- 
 ceived his elementary education at the com- 
 mon schools of his native township, and aft- 
 erward attended Oberlin College six years, 
 graduating with the class of 1886. On ac- 
 count of failure in health he returned to 
 his father's farm immediately after grad- 
 uating, where he has since remained. His 
 chief occupation has been farming and 
 school teaching, which latter he followed 
 some five years in Olmsted and Columbia 
 townships, and he is the owner of sixty-five 
 acres of prime land, all in a good state of cul- 
 ti vation. Politically he is a stanch Repub- 
 lican; has served as justice of the peace 
 some years, and as township clerk six years, 
 with ability and fidelity, having been elec- 
 ted to the ofiice in 1887. Mr. Cole is 
 justly recognized as a useful member of 
 society, and one of the most prosperous 
 citizens of his township. He is deeply 
 interested in educational matters, and an 
 avowed advocate of free schools and free 
 speech. 
 
 URIEL M. BEMIS, a well-known re- 
 spected citizen of Lorain, was born in 
 1829 in Massachusetts. His parents, 
 Charles H. and Azubah (Perry) 
 Bemis, were also uatives of Massachusetts, 
 and in 1850 moved westward, locating in 
 Lorain county, Ohio. They had children 
 as follows: LTriel M., our subject; Francis, 
 of Amherst, Lorain county, who enlisted 
 in 1863 in an Ohio Regiment, and served 
 
 through the remainder of the war; Marcus, 
 now living in Iowa county, Mich.; Henry, 
 deceased; Charles and Luther, who both 
 died in the army. The father of this fam- 
 ily died in Tennessee in 1857; the mother 
 died in 1881, in Lorain county. 
 
 Uriel M. Bemis was reared and edu- 
 cated in his native State, and when twenty- 
 one years of age came to Lorain county, 
 Ohio, locating in Black River township, 
 where he was engaged in farming and also 
 operated a sawmill. In 1865 he removed 
 to Sheffield township, where he was en- 
 gaged in farming and milling, and in 1886 
 came to Lorain, where he has since been 
 employed as engineer in the car shops. In 
 1853 he was united iu marriage, in Shef- 
 field township, with Miss Mary Standen, 
 a native of England, daughter of James 
 and Julia (Upton) Standen, also natives of 
 England, and who came to Shefiield town- 
 ship, Lorain Co., Ohio, in an early day. 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Bemis have been born the 
 following named children: Eva M., wife 
 of Thomas C. Burlingame; Ella, widow of 
 Edwin Abels; Celia, married to James 
 White; Hattie, married to Daniel Dodge, 
 of Dayton, Ohio; Nettie, wife of Fred 
 Olkey, of Lorain; and Harry L. In poli- 
 tics Mr. Bemis is a Republican, and he 
 takes an interest in everything tending to 
 improve and advance the community in 
 which he resides. 
 
 T^HOMAS C. BURLINGAME, fore- 
 
 I man of the Car Shops at Lorain, 
 I is the oldest employe in same, hav- 
 J) ing worked there the past twenty 
 years. 
 His father, William Burlingame, was 
 born in Massachusetts, and in about 1836 
 came to Lorain county, Ohio, where he 
 followed farming, also conducting a saw- 
 mill for a few years. He was united in 
 marriage, in Sheffield township, Lorain 
 county, with Melissa Baker, a native of 
 Pennsylvania, and they reared eight chil- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1013 
 
 dreu, as follows: Sarah, married to Will- 
 iam Smith, of Lorain; Henry, vvlio resides 
 in Wisconsin; Tiionias Corwin; Eunice, 
 wife of Daniel Ball, Cleveland; Maria, 
 wife of Harry Packhain, of Chicago; Lucy, 
 wife of B. Shaw, of Geneva, Ohio; Will- 
 iam, Jr., of Geneva; and Martha, Mrs. 
 Braiiiard, of Geneva. They have a half- 
 sister named Mina. The mother of this 
 family died in Sheffield township in 1865, 
 and in 1872 the father moved to Ashta- 
 bula county, Ohio, where he died in 1892. 
 Politically he was first a Whig, and after- 
 ward, on the formation of the party, a Re- 
 publican, being an ardent supporter of the 
 principles of his party; he took an active 
 part in the early history of the county. 
 
 Thomas Corwin Burlingame was born 
 December 22, 1846, in Sheffield township, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio, where he was reared 
 and educated. He followed milling in the 
 township in an early day, and in 1873 
 moved into Lorain, here enterinoj the em- 
 ploy of the Cleveland, Lorain & Wheeling 
 Railroad Company. On November 28, 
 1871, he was married, in Sheffield township, 
 to Miss Eva M. Bemis, a native of Lorain, 
 and they have had one child, Gertie. In 
 politics our subject is a Repuldican. 
 Socially he is a member of Tent No. 1, 
 K. O. T. M., of the Royal Arcanum, and of 
 the Order of Tonti, of which he is treas- 
 urer. In religion Mr. and Mrs. Burlingame 
 are members of the Disciple Church. 
 
 El G. SPRAGUE, a well-to-do farmer 
 citizen of LaGrange township, is a 
 I native of Livingston county, N. Y., 
 
 born August 2, 1841, in the town 
 of York. 
 
 His father, William G. Sprague, son of 
 William, was born February 23, 1812, in 
 Covington, N. Y.. and on November 17, 
 1886, married Miss Pamelia Root, who 
 was born January 1, 1819, in Pittsfield, 
 Mass., whence her parents, Chester and 
 
 Clarissa Root, moved to New York, where 
 she met and married Mr. Spragne. The 
 latter learned the trade of miller, and fol- 
 lowed it in New York State, where three 
 children were born to him, viz.: Chester, 
 born February 15, 1838, who died Febru- 
 ary 8, 1840; William Chester, born Janu- 
 ary 30, 1840, who was killed by a horse 
 March 1, 1891; and Edward G., subject 
 proper of this sketch. In the spring of 
 1842 the family came to Ohio, whither the 
 father had preceded them a few months, 
 spending the winter near Columbus, Ohio, 
 where he had better health. When the 
 family joined him in the spring, he pur- 
 chased land in Copley, Summit Co., Ohio, 
 residing thereon for ten years, and then 
 removing to Lorain county, where he in- 
 vested in 135 acres of land. Here he 
 passed the remainder of his life, except 
 one year, when he lioiight and conducted 
 a gristmill at La Porte. He died on his 
 farm February 3, 1893, preceded by his 
 wife Jnne 23, 1883, and they now lie 
 buried in East cemetery, LaGrange town- 
 ship. The children born to them after 
 coming to Ohio were Oliver R., born 
 March 14, 1846, in Copley, who died May 
 28, 1864; and Charley, born December 6, 
 1848, in Copley, who died October 12, 
 1879 Mr. Sprague was an active man, 
 and traveled considerably, visiting the 
 Centennial E.xposition at Philadelphia in 
 1876; he owned some property in Michi- 
 gan, which he also visited frequently. He 
 was well informed on various questions, 
 and though he had but limited educational 
 advantages in his youth he acquired much 
 pracrical learning by reading, travel and 
 observation. He conducted systematically 
 anything which he undertook, and was 
 much respected in his community. In 
 politics he was a Republican, and held the 
 office of township trustee. 
 
 E.G. Sprague received a common-school 
 education, and during his boyhood and 
 youth was inducted into the mysteries of 
 farm life. Upon reaching his majority he 
 left home and went to Michiijan, where he 
 
1014 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 worked in the joineries, but being dissatis- 
 fied returned. On March 14, 1867, he was 
 united in marriage with Miss Malissa Dale, 
 who was born November 16, 1846, in 
 LaGrauge township, daughter of Orrie 
 and Charille (Clark) Dale, and for one year 
 thereafter they lived on land in Grafton 
 township, which he rented from his father- 
 in-law. They then moved into LaGrange 
 township, where, with the exception of a 
 year and a half they lived in LaPorte, they 
 have ever since had their residence, on 
 April 7, 1892, coming to the home fai'm, 
 where they now are. He is administrator 
 of his father's estate, and controls over 
 three hundred acres of land. Mr. and 
 Mrs. E. G. Sprague have children as fol- 
 lows: Linnie, born March 5,1872; George 
 E., born July 1, 1877; and Ora M., born 
 February 26, 1883. In politics our sub- 
 ject is a Republican, but is not active in 
 party affairs. He has been a lifelong 
 agriculturist, and besides general farming 
 is extensively engaged in raising horses 
 and sheep, a large number of which he 
 usually has on hand. 
 
 FE. GRIFFIN, a thoroughly repre- 
 sentative self-made man, and a pros- 
 _^ parous agriculturist of Amherst 
 township, is a native of same, born 
 October 15, 1847, a son of Frederick A. 
 and Bethia L. (Jenne) Grifiin. 
 
 Frederick A. GrifBn, father of our sub- 
 ject, stands prominent among the practi- 
 cally self-made agriculturists of Lorain 
 county. He was born in Dutchess county, 
 N. Y., March 5, 1824, a son of Morris and 
 Maria (Brownell) Grifiin, natives of the 
 same place. The father was a farmer, and 
 died in New York about the year 1827; 
 the widowed mother then married Paul 
 Nichols, and they lived in Cayuga county 
 till 1875, when they came to Lorain county 
 and made their home with Frederick A. 
 
 The mother died in Michigan in 1890. 
 Grandfather Samuel Brownell was a native 
 of New York, and followed droving between 
 that city and the West; he died in Wyoming 
 county, N. Y., at the age of ninety years. 
 On the maternal side of the house the fam- 
 ily are of Holland extraction, and on the 
 paternal side they are of Scotch. Three 
 Grifiin brothers came from Scotland in 
 Colonial days, and settled in New York. 
 
 Frederick A. Griffin was reared in part 
 in Cayuga and in part in Dutchess county, 
 N. Y., at the schools of which place he re- 
 ceived a liberal education. In 1844 he 
 came to Lorain county, Ohio, locating on 
 rented land in Amherst township. In 
 1847 he moved into Erie county, thence 
 in 1852 to Russia township, where lie 
 cleared a farm of 160 acres of wild land. 
 Here he lived until 1878, when he came 
 to Elyria township, and settled on his 
 present farm. On September 4, 1846, Mr. 
 Griffin was married in Ridgeville, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, to Miss Bethia L. Jeiine, a na- 
 tive of Cuyahoga county, Ohio, a daughter 
 of Ansel and Elizabeth (Brcwn) Jenne, of 
 whom mention is made elsewhere. Two 
 sons have been born to this union, viz.: 
 Frederick E., whose name opens this 
 sketch, and Charles B., married to Mary 
 Gawn, and residing in Amherst township 
 rthey have four children, viz.: Charles, 
 Frederick A., Gertrude and Eugene). In 
 politics Mr. Griffin is a Prohibitionist, and 
 he is a strong advocate of temperance 
 principles. He and his wife are members 
 of the M. E. Church at Elyria. Mr. Griffin 
 at one time owned good farms in Rus- 
 sia and Amherst townships, aggregating 
 200 acres, which he sold prior to coming 
 to Elyria township. 
 
 Frederick E. Griffin attended in his boy- 
 hood and early youth the public schools of 
 his township, and was reared to farming, 
 which has been his life-work. In Decem- 
 ber, 1868, he was united in marriage with 
 Emma Bassett, who was born April 26, 
 1847, in Russia, Lorain Co., Ohio, daughter 
 of Charles and Emma (Parsons) Bassett, 
 
^ 
 
 %^i¥^ 
 
LOEAiy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1017 
 
 the former of whom was born in the towu 
 of Chili, Monroe Co., N. Y., March 10, 
 1820, the latter in AViltshire, England, 
 July 28, 1819. To Mr. and Mrs. Frederick 
 E. Grifhii has been born one child, Allen 
 E. Mr. Griffin has always taken an active 
 interest in politics, and is an ardent Re- 
 publican; recently be was nominated for 
 the County Republican Committee. At 
 the last election he was nominated and 
 elected county commissioner of Lorain 
 county, and took office January 1, 1894. 
 In matters of religion be was a member 
 of the Congregational Church. He is the 
 owner of a productive farm of ninety 
 acres, all well improved, wliereon, in addi- 
 tion to cereals, etc., he raises sheep and 
 fine-bred horses. 
 
 W. KEENER, leading capitalist, 
 and one of the most prosperous 
 business men in LaGrange town- 
 ship, is a native of same, born June 
 20, 1850. 
 
 Peter Kelner, great-grandfather of our 
 subject, came to this country from Ger- 
 many in about 1787, and first made a 
 temporary location in the State of New 
 Jersey. In 1788 he brought his family to 
 Jefferson county, N. Y., and took up his 
 residence near the town of Champion, 
 where he and his wife passed the re- 
 mainder of their days. Of their children 
 four sons and one daughter grew to ma- 
 turity, among whom was one named Will- 
 iam, the grandfather of our subject. 
 
 William Kelner was born September 1, 
 1787, in New Jersey, and was reared to the 
 multitudinous duties of farm life in Jef- 
 ferson county, N. Y. He had but limited 
 educational opportunities, and learned to 
 read after bis marriage, having attended 
 school in his youth but six weeks. In 
 1818 he was married in Jefferson county, 
 N. Y., to Miss Cynthia Phelps, a native of 
 
 that county, born November 13, 1792, and 
 they became the parents oi* two children, 
 namely: Elmii'a, born June 20, 1819, 
 who was married in Lorain county, Ohio, 
 to Sandrus Rockwood, and after his decease 
 to James Waite (she died in LaGrange 
 December 24, 1848); and Charles, born 
 January 3, 1823. Mr. Kelner was a well- 
 to-do farmer, and owned a good place in 
 Jefferson county. In the spring of 1835 
 he set out for Ohio, with a view of locat- 
 ing, walkiu}^ the entire distance, and after 
 looking over the land and making a selec- 
 tion returned to New York, where he sold 
 his farm and iarining utensils. Mrs. Kel- 
 ner died June 2, 1835, and in the fall of 
 the same year he started for Ohio with his 
 tw'o motherless children, making the trip 
 in a covered wagon drawn by two horses. 
 After a wearisome journey they arrived in 
 LaGrange township, Lorain county, where 
 for a short time they were guests of Nathan 
 Clark, LaGrange township's first perma- 
 nent settler, later making their home with 
 one Joseph Phelps, a brother-in law. Mr. 
 Kelner purchased one hundred acres in 
 Lot 19, N. W. Section of LaGrange town- 
 ship, for which tract he paid one thou- 
 sand dollars in cash, and which land he 
 cleared and improved, also adding to it as 
 circumstances permitted. He was twice 
 married after coming to Lorain county: 
 first to Miss Mary Chase, who was born 
 November 26, 1783, and died November 
 23, 1842, but had no children by either 
 union. He passed from earth March 28, 
 1878, at the patriarchal age of ninety years, 
 dying in LaGrange township, where he was 
 buried. He was a successful farmer, and 
 accumulated a very comfortable compe- 
 tence, being a most active man even in his 
 old age, never content unless occupied with 
 labor of some kind. He was constantly 
 reading and studying the Scriptures, and in 
 religious connection was a member of the 
 M. E. Church, which he joined in his later 
 years. 
 
 Charles Kelner, father of our subject, 
 was about twelve years old when he came 
 
1018 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 with his father to Ohio, and drove the 
 horses during most of the journey. He was 
 reared to farm life, received an education 
 in the common schools, and then worked 
 on the home place until his marriage. On 
 October 19, 1840, he wedded Miss Martha 
 A. Clark, who was born May 13, 1820, in 
 Jefferson county, N. Y., third daughter and 
 fifth child of Nathan and Anna (Loorais) 
 Clark, who came to LaGrange township in 
 1825, and, as previously stated, were the 
 first permanent settlers there. To the union 
 of Charles and Martha A. Kelner came 
 children as follows: George H., born June 
 6, 1842, a cheese maker and fanner of La- 
 Grange township; Cynthia M., born Oc- 
 tober 7, 1844, now Mrs. Richard Rounds, 
 of Barry county, Mich.; Emma M., born 
 November 3, 1846, now Mrs. Nelson Wil- 
 son, of Penfield, Ohio; Stowell W., the sub- 
 ject of this sketch; Frank, born July 29, 
 1855, a farmer of LaGrange township; and 
 Charlie, born August 13, 1860, a resident 
 of LaGrange township. The family re- 
 sided on the homestead many years, mak- 
 ing their home thei-e until 1875, when he 
 built in LaGrange village the finest resi- 
 dence in the township, and there passed 
 the remainder of his days, dying August 
 14, 1880. He was buried in a cemetery 
 near the home farm in LaGrange town- 
 ship. In his political affiliations he was 
 a stanch member of the Democratic party, 
 and held the office of township trustee 
 when the town hall was built. He was 
 very successful in his agricultural affairs, 
 and accumulated a very comfortable com- 
 petence, leaving to his widow an elegant 
 home, which she now shares with our sub- 
 ject. 
 
 Stowell W. Kelner receiv^ed his educa- 
 tion in the common schools of his native 
 place, his first teacher being William A. 
 Sraman. He was reared to farming pur- 
 suits, and remained at home with his par- 
 ents until December 17, 1872, when he 
 was united in marriage with Miss Hannah 
 E. Nichols, who was born December 8, 
 1853, in LaGrange, daughter of Cyrus and 
 
 Henrietta (Pierce) Nichols, who came from 
 Watertown, N. Y., to LaGrange township 
 in an early day. Children as follows have 
 blessed the union of Stowell W. and Han- 
 nah E. Kelner: Two sons that died in in- 
 fancy; Cassie M., born October 30, 1881; 
 Mattie M. H., born August 1, 1885; Earl 
 W., born June 14, 1889; and Rowan B., 
 born January 26, 1891. After marriage 
 Mr. Kelner settled on the home place, 
 which had been divided between two sons, 
 and for five years conducted the stone 
 quarry which had been discovered on the 
 farm. But in 1884 a switch from the 
 Lake Shore Railroad was built from Ober- 
 lin, Ohio, and the stone business (a very 
 profitable one) and the farm of 140 acres 
 were sold to the Cleveland Stone Co. at a 
 handsome figure. Mr. Kelner had also 
 erected buildings, and carried on a general 
 store, which were disposed of at the same 
 time. He still owns fifty acres of valuable 
 stone land. Li the fall of 1883 he took 
 up his residence in the village of LaGrange, 
 and here he has since resided in the beauti- 
 ful and luxuriously furnished home erected 
 by his father. He buys and sells wool, 
 and also deals in various kinds of stock, 
 being a shrewd, well-known business man, 
 popular in the commercial circles of Lorain 
 county. He is amemberof the Democratic 
 party, but takes no particular interest in 
 political affairs. Mrs. Kelner is a member 
 of the M. E. Church. 
 
 JOSEPH TURLEY, retired merchant, 
 and a representative self-made man, 
 having his residence in Wellington, 
 is a native of Manchester, England, 
 born in 1814. 
 
 He is a son of Francis and Alice (Eckels- 
 ley) Turley, of Irish and English birth, 
 respectively, the former of whom went to 
 England when a young man, aud there 
 married. He was a weaver, a trade he fol- 
 lowed in England till his death, which oc- 
 curred when he was seventy years of age; 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1019 
 
 his wife also died in the motlier country, 
 aged about sixty-five. Of their children 
 the following is a brief record: James 
 Lionel is a weaver in Manchester, England; 
 John was also a weaver in Manchester, 
 where he died; Joseph is the subject of 
 this sketch; Frank resided in Manchester; 
 Isabel O. died in England; and one died 
 young. 
 
 Joseph Tnrley received his education at 
 the schools of his native city, and worked 
 in a large cotton -factory there. At the aj);e 
 of thirty-five years he immijjrated to the 
 United States, landing at Boston, Mass., 
 and worked in the East some two years 
 before coming West, part of the time as a 
 mechanic at Springfield, Mass. While so 
 employed he received a hurt in an acci- 
 dent, and it was then that he turned his at- 
 tention, through a friend, to Wellington, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio. This was in 1850, al- 
 most half a century ago, when the bear, 
 the panther, the wolf and many other wild 
 animals still roamed the imperial forest. 
 Here Mr. Tnrley resolved to go into the 
 grocery business, and after securing a suit- 
 able building found he had only twelve 
 dollars left wherewith to buy goods; from 
 which small beginnings, by close applica- 
 tion to business, shrewdness and economy, 
 he made in the course of a few years a com- 
 fortable competence. His first week's re- 
 ceipts amounted to between twenty and 
 thirty dollars, and the last bill he paid, for 
 sugar and molasses alone, amounted to two 
 thousand dollars. In 1860 he visited Eng- 
 land, being about fifty weeks thei-e, and 
 after his return located in Cleveland, Ohio, 
 where for two years he operated a grain 
 and produce business. At the end of tliat 
 time he opened a cooperative store in Wel- 
 lington, and one in 01)erlin, but in about 
 a year and a quarter he retired from busi- 
 ness. In March, 1893, he again visited 
 England, but returned in the following 
 June, having been taken sick there. On 
 both his trips he happened to be the oldest 
 passenger on board the vessel, although he 
 was one of about twelve hundred souls. 
 
 Mr. Tnrley was married, on May 18, 
 18-10, to Miss Anna Smith, who died in 
 1851, and in 1852 he wedded, for his 
 second wife. Miss Anna Vincent, who died 
 November 15, 1892. In politics our sub- 
 ject is strictly independent; in church 
 matters he is a Congregationalist. He 
 has been liberal in his contributions to 
 various charitable institutions. Aside from 
 a temporary affliction, he is remarkable for 
 mental and pliysical vigor. 
 
 THOMAS COX, for nearly half a cen- 
 tury a resident of Elyria township, 
 where he has been a prosperous 
 farmer, is a native of England, born 
 in Northamptonshire, in November, 
 1816, in the village of Naseby, near 
 where was fought, in June, 1645, the 
 ujemorable battle between Cromwell and 
 the Eoyalists, in which the latter were de- 
 feated with the loss of five thousand men. 
 Thomas Cox, father of our subject, a na- 
 tive of the same place, and by occupation 
 a laborer and farmer, sailed in 1833 for the 
 United States with his family, landing in 
 Philadelphia July 8, of tliat year, and first 
 locating in Allegheny county, Penn. From 
 there he proceeded to Lorain county, Ohio, 
 where he made a settlement in Elyria town- 
 ship, east of the river. In England he had 
 married Miss Catherine Luck, of the same 
 county, and they had five children, viz.: 
 William, who died at the age of eighty- 
 five in Allegheny county, Penn.; Robert, 
 who resided in Allegheny county, Penn., 
 and died at about the age of seventy-two; 
 Joseph, living in Allegheny county, Penn.; 
 John, in Elyria township, and Thomas, our 
 subject. The mother died in England be- 
 fore the family came to this country; the 
 father died in August, 1851, at the age of 
 seventy-six years. 
 
 The subject proper of these lines re- 
 ceived his education in Pennsylvania, and 
 
1020 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 has followed agricultural pursuits all his 
 life. He now owns one hundred acres of 
 land in a high state of cultivation, and has 
 prospered well. In 1840 he married Miss 
 Isabella Aldridge, who was born in Eng- 
 land in March, 1820, a daughter of John 
 and Mary (Crisp) Aldridge, natives of War- 
 wickshire, and who came to this country 
 in 1831, landing in Baltimore, Md., thence 
 proceeding to Pittsburgh, Peiin., where 
 they both died i n 185-1, of cholera. They had 
 two sons: Thomas, living in Steuben ville, 
 Ohio, and John, who died in Newport, Ky. 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Cox have been born two 
 children, namely: Samuel, who is married 
 and has two children, Burton and Howard; 
 and Mary A., wife of Richard Henson, also 
 has two children, Thomas H. and Alfred 
 C. In politics our subject is a straight Re- 
 publican, and cast his lirst vote for W. H. 
 Harrison. [Since the above was written 
 we have been informed of the death from 
 La Grippe of Thomas Cox, the subject of 
 the sketch, the sad event taking place De- 
 cember 20, 1893. 
 
 J. RICHMOND, one of the thor- 
 ough-going representative farmers 
 of Amherst township, is a native of 
 Lorain county, Ohio, boi'n in Black 
 River township, iVpril 15, 1881. 
 He is a son of Freeman and Eunice Rich- 
 mond, the former of whom was born in 
 Providence, R. I., August 29, 1791, the 
 latter in New York. 
 
 The father was twice married, the first 
 time to a Miss Nancy Arnold, of Chau- 
 tauqua county, N. Y. Soon after marriage 
 they moved to Sheffield, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 arriving there December 1, 1815. One 
 child, Philinda, was born September 14, 
 1817, being the first white child born in 
 Sheffield. Mrs. Nancy Richtnond died 
 August 12, 1819. The daughter, Philinda, 
 married Schuyler Strong, and died Novem- 
 
 ber 4, 1844. In the course of time Mr. 
 Richmond was married to Mrs. Eunice 
 Fox, a widow with four children — Gill)ert, 
 Orpha, Hannah and Nancy. The children 
 of the second marriage are six in number, 
 viz.: Sylva, born July 15, 1824, and mar- 
 ried to Albert Arnold; Minerva, wife of 
 Isaac Sliupe, born July 21, 1826; Jane, 
 born February 19,1829; Albert, born April 
 15, 1831; Milo, born January 2, 1837; 
 Eimeda, wife of James Rankin, born July 
 24, 1839. Freeman Richmond moved 
 from Sheffield to Black River township 
 February 15, 1825, and afterward removed 
 to Amherst. He lived to the age of ninety- 
 one, his wife surviving him two years. 
 
 A. J. Richmond, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, received his education at the 
 public schools of Amherst township, where 
 he was reared to farming, which has al- 
 ways been his occupation, excepting in his 
 younger days, when he worked for a time 
 at vessel calking at Lorain, Milan and 
 Huron. 
 
 On October 9, 1852, he was married to 
 Mary L. Gilmore, daughter of Aretus and 
 Orra Gilmore, early pioneers of Black 
 River township, Lorain county, and to this 
 union one son. Bird, was born. 
 
 Bird Richmond was liorn October 16, 
 1853, and was married, October 16, 1877, 
 to Sarah E. Jenne, daughter of Ansel and 
 Phebe Jenne, by which union one son, 
 Frank, was born July 16, 1880. 
 
 A. J. Richmond's wife died October 11, 
 1886, and in 1888 Mr. Richmond was mar- 
 ried to Mrs. Emaretta Tenery, of Clyde, 
 Ohio. In politics our subject is a Repub- 
 lican, and he has always taken a deep in- 
 terest in the affairs of the county, of which 
 he is a useful and loyal citizen. 
 
 T A. MEREDITH is a son of William 
 
 k. I Meredith, who was born August 8, 
 
 \J) 1813. in Herefordshire, England, 
 
 eldest child of James Meredith, who 
 
 was a farmer. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1021 
 
 William Meredith was reared to the 
 duties of agricultural life, and received but 
 a connnoii-school education, his opportuni- 
 ties in that direction being limited, as his 
 parents were poor. For a time he found 
 employment working in noblemen's gar- 
 dens, etc., but in 1848 left England, sail- 
 ing from Liverpool in the vessel " Cala- 
 grimcha," which was some time afterward 
 burned at sea. Aionof with William came 
 a friend, Thomas Jones, who had been 
 here before, and after land in u; at New Vork 
 they proceeded to Pittsfield township, Lo- 
 rain Co., Ohio, where Mr. Meiedith in- 
 vested in forty-seven acres of land at nine 
 dollars per acre, for which he was obliged 
 to go into debt. On April 23, 1849, he 
 married Esther Gurney, who was born 
 February 8, 1816, in Worcestershire, Eng- 
 land, and passed the earlier part of her life 
 in Herefordshire, same country. She w'as 
 a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Wheeler) 
 Gnrnev, who were poor people, and Esther 
 was early in life obliged to work for a 
 living, being thus deprived of even the 
 smallest opy)ortunity to obtain an educa- 
 tion. She had met Mr. Meredith in Eng- 
 land, where they were engaged, and he 
 started for the United States to seek a 
 home, concluding, if satisfactory arrange- 
 ments could not be made here, to return to 
 England. But in about a year he had 
 made a home, and sent for Miss Gurney, 
 who sailed from Liverpool on a vessel of 
 the "Black Star Line," landing in New 
 York after a voyage of thirty-three days. 
 She immediately proceeded to Pittsfield 
 township, where she was joined l>y Mr. 
 Meredith, and here immediately alter mar- 
 riage they began life in a rude frame 
 house, where they resided seven years, 
 after which they moved to the farm. To 
 their union were born children as follows: 
 Mary Ann, deceased in infancy; James A., 
 subject of this sketch; Alice, Mrs. John 
 White, of Wellington, Oiiio; and Keuben 
 and Arthur, botli farmers of Pittsfield 
 township. He was a strong Republican, 
 and took great interest in political issues. 
 
 reading considerably and keeping himself 
 well posted. At the time of his death, 
 which occurred July 3, 1885, he owned 
 280 acres of land, all of which he had ac- 
 quired by patient, honest toil, working 
 part of the time as a farm hand. He and 
 ills wife were members of the Episcopal 
 Church in England. Mr. Meredith was 
 buried in the South cemetery at Welling- 
 ton. Since his death the widow has re- 
 sided on the home farm, and is a highly 
 respected lady in her community. 
 
 J. A. Meredith was born July 29,1854, 
 in Pittsfield township, and received his 
 literary training in the common schools. 
 He was reared to the arduous duties of 
 agricultural life, and remained on the 
 home f^rm until his marriage, working 
 out in the summer seasons. On Decem- 
 ber 25, 1870, he wedded Miss Alice Par- 
 sons, a daughter of Ebenezer and Armitta 
 (Corkins) Parsons, and immediately there- 
 after settled on his present farm, where he 
 has since resided, carrying on a general 
 farming and dairying business. He is one 
 of the most enterprising and progressive 
 young farmers in his section, and is a 
 well-known member of the locality. Po- 
 litically he is a Republican, and has held 
 various township offices, refusing others. 
 Socially he is a member of Lorain Lodge, 
 No. 281, I. O. O. F.. and Camp No. 247. 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Meredith have come 
 children as follows: Clara E., Frank A., 
 Charles (deceased), Mai)el A., Lena A., 
 Bessie, Belle R. and Howard Edmund. 
 
 A. WIRE, late superintendent of 
 the C. L. & W. R.'R. docks, Lo- 
 rain, deservedly one of the most 
 popular of men. is a native of the 
 State of New York, born April 17, 1831. 
 He is a son of Samuel and Abigail (Sher- 
 man) AVire, the former of whom was for 
 some time a contractor on the New York 
 Central Railroad. He was also a preacher 
 
1022 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 in the Freewill Baptist Church, having 
 coiuinenced exhorting at the age of thirty- 
 one. When our subject was three years 
 old the family moved to Ashtabula county, 
 Ohio, ]ocatir)g on a farm for a time, after 
 which they again returned to New York 
 State, and for six years made their home 
 in the town of Canandaigua. The mother, 
 who was of Scotch lineage, died in Potter, 
 Yates Co., N. Y., and the father then re- 
 sided for a short time in Wayne county. 
 He lived to be eighty-one years old, and a 
 short time before his death was cradling 
 grain, sometiiing not to be so much mar- 
 veled at when it is remembered that he 
 came from a long-lived hardy Scotch-Irish 
 race. His grandfather was one of Wash- 
 ington's body guard during tiie Revolu- 
 tionary war. 
 
 W. A. Wire, the subject of this sketch, 
 in his boyhood attended school in New 
 York State, and at the age of twenty-one 
 commenced railroading, first as a fireman 
 for a locomotive on the Cleveland & Co- 
 lumbus Railroad; at the end of a year he 
 was appointed brakeman on the Cleveland 
 & Erie Railroad, which position he filled 
 also one year. For the following eighteen 
 years he was conductor on the Cleveland 
 & Erie road, after which for three years he 
 ran the yard at nights in Cleveland for 
 the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Rail- 
 road. His next experience was in tiie 
 Pennsylvania oil fields, two years speculat- 
 ing in oil. From there he came to Lorain, 
 having received tlie appointment of yard- 
 master for the Cleveland, Tuscarawas Val- 
 ley & Wheeling (now the Cleveland, 
 Lorain & Wheeling) Railroad. On his 
 retirement from this incumbency in the 
 spring of 1884, to go to Cleveland, Mr. 
 Wire was presented by the city and rail- 
 road employes with a handsome gold 
 watch as an expression of esteem. His 
 call to Cleveland at that time was to ac- 
 cept the position of dockmaster on the 
 " ]3ig Four," remaining thereon for seven 
 and a half years, at the end of which time, 
 Novennber 1, 1888, he returned to Lorain to 
 
 fill the then vacant position of assistant 
 superintendent for the C. L. & W. road, 
 in which capacity he remained one year, 
 and was then given charge of the docks as 
 superintendent. In April, 1893, he left 
 the railroad business, and moved to Glen- 
 ville, Ohio. 
 
 In 1853 Mr. Wire was married in Lake 
 county, Ohio, to Miss Caroline Rosette 
 Powers, of Perry, Lake Co., Ohio, a lady 
 of French origin, and two children have 
 been born to them: Samuel, a machinist in 
 the employ of the C. L. & W. Railroad 
 Company (he is married to a daughter of 
 Capt. Coney, of Lorain), and Laura, who 
 is a singing Evangelist, traveling through- 
 out the country. Mr. Wire is a member 
 of the F. & A. M., K. of H. and R. A., 
 and of the Disciple Church. In politics 
 he is a stanch Republican. 
 
 ^J 
 
 VTflCHOLAS GRABENSTETTER, a 
 
 yJ well-known farmer citizen of Graf- 
 
 1 ton township, was born June 29, 
 
 1820, in Baden, Germany, son of 
 
 Paul and Rosa (Gross) Grabenstet- 
 
 ter, farming people of that place. 
 
 In June, 1833, the family, which then 
 consisted of the parents and three children 
 — Nicholas, Sophia and Alice — left their 
 native country, the father having saved 
 enough from his earnings to bring them to 
 the United States. They embarked at 
 Havre, France, in a full-rigged sailing 
 vessel, and after a voyage of thirtj^-five 
 days landed in New York, where they re- 
 mained one week, strangers in a strange 
 land. They then took a steamboat to Al- 
 bany, thence to Rochester, N. Y., where 
 they remained over winter, the father 
 doing any honest labor he could there find, 
 but as times were hard Nicholas could find 
 nothing to do. In May, 1834, they left 
 Rochester, traveling by canal to Buffalo, 
 N. Y., thence by steamboat to Cleveland, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1023 
 
 Ohio, where they remained two weeks, 
 searching for latid. As his capital was 
 small, Mr. Grabenstetter concluded to go 
 to Stark county, and traveling by canal to 
 Bethlehem (near Massillon), that county, 
 remained three weeks, but finding himself 
 unable to purchase land there, returned to 
 Cleveland, taking the same route. He 
 then went to Liverpool township, Medina 
 county, wliere he purchased forty-seven 
 acres at four dollars per acre, which land 
 was entirely in the woods, not a tree having 
 been cut, or a single improvement made 
 thereon. A rude house, constructed of 
 rough boards and a couple of forked stocks, 
 was put up, which, though wet and un- 
 comfortable, served as a shelter all sum- 
 mer. Setting to work they began to clear 
 the land, though during the first year they 
 could raise nothing but garden stuff, and a 
 log house was built, which was later sup- 
 planted by one of hewn logs. Although 
 wild game was plentiful, the forest teem- 
 ing with deer, turkeys, etc., they could not 
 take advantage of the abundance, as they 
 could not afford firearms, and thus they 
 were obliged to struggle on till crops grew 
 better. Mr. and Mrs. Grabenstetter re- 
 sided on this farm the remainder of their 
 lives, dying at the ages of eighty-five and 
 eighty-three years, respectively, and were 
 buried in the Catholic cemetery in Liver- 
 pool township. They were members of the 
 Catholic Church. In Eochester, N. Y., 
 the family was increased by one child, 
 Frank, w-lio is now a farmer in Litchfield, 
 Medina county. 
 
 Nicholas Grabenstetter was reared to 
 farm life, and attended school in his native 
 country until thirteen years of age, when 
 he came with his parents to the United 
 States. He grew to manhood in the woods 
 of Liverpool township, Medina Co., Ohio, 
 where he became inured to hard work, and 
 he resided with his parents until his mar- 
 riage. Our sul)ject was not only employed 
 at farm labor, l)ut also worked on the canal 
 then in course of construction at Milan, 
 Ohio, before he was sixteen years of age. 
 
 He was afterward employed on various 
 other canals, the Tuscarawas Canal, the 
 Erie Canal, the Mauraee Canal, etc., toiling 
 from sunrise to sunset for fifty cents a 
 day, and all his earnings went to' assist his 
 father. 
 
 In 1841 he was wedded to Mary Yeager, 
 a native of Baden, Germany, daughter of 
 Lawrence Yeager, who came to the United 
 States, locating in Liverpool township, 
 Medina county, in pioneer times. After 
 marriage Mr. Grabenstetter located on the 
 farm of his mother-in-law, remaining 
 there for eight years, wdien he purchased a 
 tract of forty-five acres in Grafton town- 
 ship, Lorain county; this land cost fire 
 hundred dollars, and he was obliged to cro 
 four hundred dollars into debt for same, 
 but by hard work the loan was soon paid 
 off. He resided thereon until 1863, when 
 he purchased his present place, then com- 
 prising ninety-eight acres, where he has 
 since resided, following agricultural pur- 
 suits. To our subject and wife were born 
 eleven children, six of whom are yet livino-, 
 namely: Odelia, Sophia, Aloiiys, Andrew, 
 Rosa and John. The mother of these chil- 
 dren died May 6, 1870, and was buried in 
 the Catholic cemetery; she was a member 
 of the Catholic Church. Mr. Grabenstet- 
 ter has been a hard working man, and by 
 his industry has accumulated a cotnfort- 
 able property. He is an excellent farmer, 
 and an honest, upright business man, 
 highly respected and esteemed. He is a 
 lifelong member of the Democratic party, 
 hut does not mix in politics; he is a mem- 
 ber of the Catholic Church. 
 
 JM. SEELYE, a well-to-do farmer of 
 liidgeville township, where he owns 
 forty-four acres all in a good state of 
 cultivation, is a native of Lorain 
 county, born in Avon township, July 
 26, 1836. 
 
1024 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 He is the son of Cornelius and Rachel 
 (Smith) Seelye, who were natives of New 
 York State, where they were married, and 
 whence in an early day tliej came to Ohio, 
 locating in the woods of Avon township, 
 Lorain county, near French creek, where 
 Mrs. Seelye died in 1843. They remained 
 here till 1847, and then moved to Craw- 
 ford county, Wis., where the father con- 
 tinued to live until 1854, in which year he 
 returned to Lorain county, taking up his 
 home in La Porte. He died in Avon town- 
 ship in 1866. For his second wife Mr. 
 Seelye married, in Avon township, Mary 
 Cad well, who died in Elyria in 1888. By 
 his lirst marriage he had fourteen children 
 — seven sons and seven daughters — as fol- 
 lows: Humphrey, married, residing in 
 Wellington; Esther, wlio married John 
 Cockrell, and died in Wayne county, Ohio; 
 Joseph, deceased in Iowa; Thomas, who 
 resides in Michigan; Phebe, deceased wife 
 of Hart Smith, of New York; Elmira, 
 who was the wife of William Plubbard, 
 died at French Creek; Daniel, married, 
 residing in Crawford county. Wis.; 
 Phineas, also residing in Crawford county, 
 Wis.; J. M., subject of this sketch; Flor- 
 entine, who married Asa Frary, and died 
 in Wayne county, Ohio; Ursula, wife of 
 William Vandeveer, of Kalamazoo, Mich.; 
 McKindre, who enlisted in the Civil war in 
 Avon tovvnship, and died from the effects of 
 disease contracted in the service; and two 
 others whose names have not been given. 
 By his second marriage there were no 
 children. Politically Mr. Seelye was first 
 a AVhig, later a liepublican. 
 
 J. M. Seelye, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, I'eceived his education in part at 
 the schools of Avon township, Lorain 
 county, and in pai't at those (jf Wayne 
 county, Ohio, whither he had removed at 
 the age of twelve years. After a four 
 years' residence there he returned to Lo- 
 rain county, and in Ridgeville township 
 worked by tlie month for Randall Stetson 
 for about eight years, at the end of which 
 time he moved to Crawford coutity. Wis., 
 
 sojourning there one winter, and then 
 coming back to his old home in Ridgeville 
 township. Again he worked for Mr. Stet- 
 son, getting out lumber, until May, 1860, 
 when he went to California, and was there 
 engaged in the dairy business till 1864, in 
 whicli year he once more found himself in 
 Ridgeville township. In 1866 he made a 
 trip to Michigan, where in Van Buren 
 county he bought 120 acres of land, and 
 farmed three years; then in the city of 
 Lawrence, same county, he conducted a 
 butchering business eight years. Next we 
 find our Protean friend in the lumber 
 business, buying and selling until 1889, 
 when he once more came to Ridgeville 
 township to finally remain. 
 
 In 1866 J. M. Seelye was united in 
 marriage with Miss Jane M. Stetson, born 
 in Ridgeville township. Lorain county, a 
 daughter of Randall and Adeline Stetson, 
 and by this union there was one son, Ran- 
 dall, who died in Michigan at the age of 
 six years. In politics our subject is a 
 straight Denjocrat, and is a member of the 
 school board. 
 
 ng farmers of Rochester town- 
 her best known 
 
 H[ ENRY A. BARNES. One of the 
 lead 
 ship, and one of 
 
 and most honored citizens, the sub- 
 ject of this sketch enjoys the dis- 
 tinction of being second to none in these 
 respects. 
 
 Mr. Barnes is a native of Massachusetts, 
 born in Worcester county April 23, 1827, 
 a son of Moses Barnes, whose nativity was 
 Becket, Berkshire Co., Mass. When the 
 latter was nine or ten years old his father 
 died, leaving ten children, some of whom 
 were bound out as apprentices, while 
 Moses and other.s of the younger members 
 of the family were kept at home. In his 
 boyhood he suffered from a severe attack 
 of fever, which resulted in his being left 
 a cripple for life. When a young man, 
 
s,**-^ 
 
 ~r5^ CL ,/oca.^i^nL^ 
 
LOHAm COUXTY, OHIO. 
 
 1027 
 
 after leaving school, lie learned the trade 
 of cloth dresser. In 1833 Mo^es, with his 
 wife and children, set out for Lorain coun- 
 ty, Ohio, making direct for Rochester 
 township, he and his brother Sumner hav- 
 ing traded land in Massachusetts for 200 
 acres in that township, receiving also two 
 hundred dollars as " boot money." The 
 journey was made via canal and lake, and 
 they landed at the mouth of the Black 
 river in Lorain county, where they hired 
 an ox-teani to convey them to Huntington 
 township, and here the party remained at 
 the home of Jesse Johnson, an acquaint- 
 ance, during the illness and death of Silas, 
 a son of Moses Barnes (Silas was the first 
 to be buried in Huntington cemetery). 
 They then settled on their own property in 
 ' Rochester township, where they had hasti- 
 ly built a log cabin, which at first had 
 neither door nor chimney, but was soon 
 afterward much improved, both in-pppear- 
 ance and comfort. The land was all cov- 
 ered with timber, chiefly beech and maple, 
 and wild animals were numerous. For 
 their milling they had to go to Hayesville, 
 Ashland county, the trip occupying two 
 days. 
 
 When a young man Moses Barnes had 
 married, in Worcester, Mass., Miss Eliza 
 Stone, a native of the same county, and 
 who worked in a cotton factory, and in 
 that State were born to them children as 
 follows: Henry A. (subject of sketch), 
 Milo, Silas (ali-eady referred to), and Orin, 
 who died in Toledo, Ohio. Milo had 
 rather an adventurous life. At the time 
 of the breaking out of the Civil war he 
 was living in Arkansas, where he was ar- 
 rested hy the Confederates as a spy, and 
 was confined to prison three months and 
 five days, at the end of which time he was 
 released on condition of his enlisting in 
 tile Southern army, which he did, serving 
 one year as a teamster. But securing a 
 
 5)as8 one day, he escaped to Fort Scott, 
 i!ans., where he found the Third Wiscon- 
 sin Cavalry, for whom he acted as guide, 
 but was shot at by some Confederates and 
 
 S3 . 
 
 wounded; after convalescence he enlisted 
 in the Twelfth O. V. I. His regiment 
 was sent to Johnson's Island at the time 
 of the " Canada scare," and he was on duty 
 eight hours that cold New Year's night of 
 1863, which brought on a violent cold that 
 settled on his lungs, causing his death, 
 which occurred on the Island. 
 
 In Rochester township there were born 
 seven children to Mo.ses Barnes, namely: 
 Rachel, who married Charles Day, and 
 died in New London, Ohio; William, de- 
 ceased at the age of twenty-one years'; 
 Alvira, deceased when young; John, who 
 died during the Civil war at Nashville, 
 Tenn., of smallpox, while a member of the 
 Tiiird Ohio Cavalry; Johan, deceased when 
 five years old; Lecta, deceased in infancy, 
 and Lewis, now living on the old home- 
 stead, Rochester Station, Lorain county. 
 The father died in September, 1888, in 
 his eighty-seventh year, the mother in 
 March, same year, at the age of seventy- 
 eight years, and they are buried in Roch- 
 ester cemetery. They were exemplary 
 members of the M. E. Church, and of the 
 first class formed in Rochester; politically 
 Mr. Barnes was original!}' a Whig, after- 
 ward a Republican. 
 
 Henry A. Barnes, the subject proper of 
 these lines, was six years old when the 
 family came from Massachusetts to Lorain 
 county, consequently his education was 
 limited. Ho attended the first school 
 taught in Rochester township by Martha 
 Fay, she receiving one dollar a week, and 
 boarding from house ta4iouse; the funds 
 were raised by subscription. Her walk 
 to the schoolhouse, never less than two 
 miles, was through the woods, the direc- 
 tion being found by marked trees. The 
 old school-building was made of logs about 
 sixteen feet square. Mr. Barnes' school- 
 ing consisted of about three months a year 
 until he was eitrhteen. At the age of six- 
 teen he began working away from the pa- 
 ternal roof, first on the farm of Dr. Seager, 
 of ClarksfieM township, Huron county, 
 later for Benjamin Perkins, of Rochester, 
 
1028 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Ohio, four years, and then working nearly 
 a year at the building of the Cleveland 
 & Columbus Railroad. After his marriage 
 he settled on seventy acres of dense timber- 
 covered land in Rochester township, for 
 which he paid seven dollars per acre, and 
 liere he built a rude log cabin, 12x16 
 feet inside. This was the happiest era of 
 his life, and from time to time he added 
 to this purchase till he now owns 180 
 acres of as rich farm land as can be found 
 in this vicinity, for a part of this he paid 
 fifty dollars per acre, and had placed on it 
 all of the modern improvements. 
 
 On January 23, 1848, Mr. Barnes was 
 married to Miss Polly Day, who was born 
 in New London township, Huron Co., 
 Ohio, June 20, 1832, and died May 31, 
 1892, in her sixtieth year. She was the 
 youngest child of Dr. Samuel Day, who 
 was one of the earliest pioneers of New 
 London township. She was left an or- 
 phan at the age of eleven years, after 
 which she took care of herself, making her 
 home mostly with her half-sister, Mrs. 
 Hendrix, until she was married and set- 
 tled on the farm in Rochester township, 
 Lorain county. Here by their united ef- 
 forts they built up the beautiful home and 
 surroundings, and here she was residing 
 at the time of her death. She was the 
 mother of eight children, viz.: Samuel 
 M., who is now a farmer in Michigan; 
 Eliza (now Mrs. A. G. Fisher), Rosina 
 (Mrs. John Dagnan), and Matilda (Mrs. 
 Nelson Robinson), all living in Welling- 
 ton, Lorain count}', Ohio; Henry W., a 
 farmer on the homestead; Clarence, who 
 died at the age of six years, and two de- 
 ceased in infancy. Five of these yet re- 
 main to comfort their father. 
 
 Mrs. Barnes experienced religion thirty- 
 seven years ago, and united with her hus- 
 band in the M. E. Church at Rochester, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio. Although in poor 
 heHlth, and being prevented the greater 
 part of the time from attending public 
 worship, she ever lived a faithful and con- 
 sistent Christian life. She was a loving 
 
 and devoted wife and mother. Realizing 
 that her end was near, she made needful 
 preparations for her funeral, which was 
 held at her late home June 2, 1892, and 
 was attended by a large number of rela- 
 tives and friends, after which she was in- 
 terred in the cemetery at Rochester. 
 
 In his political associations our subject 
 is a Republican, and he served his township 
 as trustee four years. He is a member of 
 and steward in the M. E. Church, of the 
 Sabbath-school of which he was superin- 
 tendent some five years. On September 
 10, 1893, Mr. Barnes was united in mar- 
 riage to Miss Lina Braman (the daughter 
 of Samuel and Belinda Braman), a resi- 
 dent of Rochester and a member of the 
 M. E. Church. 
 
 TASSO DELOS PHELON, a resi- 
 dent of Huntington township, is a 
 native of same, born August 31, 
 1843, a son of Delos and Louisa M. 
 (Perkins) Phelon. 
 Thefatherof oursubjectwasborn in 1812, 
 in Hartford county. Conn., whence in 1833 
 he came to Ohio, and built the first ware- 
 house at the mouth of Black river, where 
 is now the thriving town of Lorain (he had 
 previously visited Cleveland with the in- 
 tention of remaining, but returned to Con- 
 necticut). At this place he carried on a 
 forwarding and commission business from 
 1833 to 1837, after which he had his resi- 
 dence for a time in Sheffield township, Lo- 
 rain county, and then moved to Hunting- 
 ton township, where he kept a general 
 merchandise store, and also farmed, dying 
 October 4, 1888^ his wife had passed away 
 June 19, same year, at the age of seventy- 
 four years, seven months, ten days; she 
 was born in Becket, Berkshire Co., 
 Mass. Mr. Phelon in his political asso- 
 ciations was originally an Old-line Whig, 
 but in later years changed to a Democrat. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1029 
 
 The}' were the parents of children as fol- 
 lows: Daniel AV., who resides iu Kansas; 
 Joseph Y., in Huntington; Deette, wife of 
 L. Chapman, of Rochester; Mary, wife 
 of G. W. Wilbur, of Hartland, Huron 
 county, had one child, George J., who died 
 when about twelve years old; and T. D. 
 Grandfather Phelon was born in Suffield, 
 Conn., and died in Lorain county, Ohio. 
 
 T. D. Phelon, whose name opens this 
 sketch, was educated at the common 
 schools of Huntington, his summer months 
 being occupied in learning the practical 
 lessons of farm life. In December, 1862, 
 he enlisted in Company E, One Hundred 
 and Twenty-eighth O. V. L, for three 
 years or during the war, and served until 
 the close of the conflict, when he was 
 mustered out by order of the War Depart- 
 ment, July 13, 1865. On his return home 
 after the war he took up agricultural 
 pursuits, and has since successfully con- 
 tinued in same. In 1869 he married Miss 
 Adelaide Noony, born in Hnntinjjton 
 township, Lorain county, August 12, ISIB, 
 and one child, Flora 1^., still under the 
 parental roof, was born to them. Mr. 
 Phelon is a Republican, and served his 
 township as trustee two or three terms; he 
 is in his tenth year as justice of the peace, 
 and vvas school director some fifteen years. 
 In 1888 he was elected county commis- 
 sioner, an incumbency he is yet filling with 
 ability and fidelity. Mr. Phelon owns a 
 large tract of land, on which part of the 
 village of Huntington now stands. He is 
 regarded as one of Lorain county's strong- 
 est and most popular citizens, and is a 
 prosperous representative agriculturist. 
 
 ^RRIN T. BAKER, retired agricul- 
 turist, and a leading prominent 
 citizen of Lorain county, is a native 
 of the State of N"ew York, born 
 in 1818. 
 
 His father, Elisha Baker, was born in 
 Vermont July 25, 1782, and died in New 
 
 York State vvhen his son Orrin T. was a 
 child. He married Miss Ruth Davids, who 
 was born November 11, 1787, and died at 
 the age of eighty years. They were the 
 parents of children as follows: Mary, born 
 December 28, 1812, who was married to 
 Lucas Adams, and resided in Michigan, 
 where she died January 11, 1891; David, 
 born January 10, 1814, who died in Illinois; 
 Elisha, born September 18, 1815, who was 
 a soldier in the Civil war, and died shortly 
 afterward, in Illinois, from the effects of 
 exposure; Hiram, born October 16, 1816, 
 who lives in Chittenden county, Yt.-, Orrin 
 T. (the subject of this sketch) and Alvin 
 (twins), born in 1818; and George, born 
 February 6, 1819, who lives in Michigan. 
 The subject of this sketch was educated 
 at the public schools of the locality of his 
 place of birth, and at the age of fourteen 
 was bound out to learn the trade of car- 
 penter and joiner with A. L. Cook, serv- 
 ing a seven years' apprenticeship in Hunt- 
 ington township, Chittenden Co., Yt., 
 whither he had removed, his residence be- 
 ing in an adjoining township. In 1835 he 
 came to Ohio with Mr. Cook, and located 
 in Fitchville, Huron county, for two years, 
 after which he returned to Huntington and 
 resumed work with his former employer. 
 In course of time he formed a partnership 
 with Mr. Cook, and at the end of a year 
 commenced journeyman work for himself. 
 On October 11, 1844, he married Miss 
 LydiaO. Perkins, a native of Becket, Berk- 
 shire Co., Mass., born in 1824, a daughter 
 of Col. Darius and Polly (Dewey) Perkins, 
 the former of whom was born in Connec- 
 ticut. He was a carpenter and joiner, and 
 in 1833 came to Ohio, making a settle- 
 ment in Huntington Center, Lorain county, 
 where he cleared a farm out of the wild 
 woods, game at that time being plentiful 
 and wild animals numerous. Here Mr. 
 Perkins died at the age of eighty-one 
 years, his wife when seventy-two years 
 old; they were members of the Congrega- 
 tional Church, and in politics Mr. Perkins 
 was a Whig. They were the parents of 
 
1030 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 seven children, to wit: Milton D., who 
 married, and died in 1873, leaving a 
 family; Marj L., who married * Delos 
 Phelon, botii now deceased; Orrin M., who 
 died young; Lydia O. and Abel Dewey 
 (twins), of whom Abel died in 1892; 
 Samuel John, who died in 1879; and Sarah 
 J., wife of W. W. Wells. 
 
 After marriage our subject and wife re- 
 mained in Huntington township, Lorain 
 county, till 1868, when they came to the 
 town of Wellington, same county, and 
 have lived in their present home twenty- 
 two years. During his entire life Mr. 
 Eaker has followed his trade of carpenter 
 and joiner, and made sasli, doors and 
 blinds in the winter season, also contract- 
 ing for the building of houses, etc. When 
 he first commenced business in Huntington 
 township, there were some fifteen carpen- 
 ters, but they all left, leaving him in un- 
 disputed possession of the tielil, and as a 
 result he put up more buildings in Hunt- 
 ington than any other man. In that town- 
 ship he owns 115 acres of land, besides 
 the five acres on which his home stands in 
 Wellington. Politically Mr. Baker is a 
 Eepublican, his first Presidential vote 
 being cast for William Henry Harrison, 
 while in principle he has always been 
 anti-slavery and a Prohibitionist. In mat- 
 ters of religion he is a member of the 
 M. E. Church, his wife -of the Congrega- 
 tional Church. She is a charter member 
 of the Daughters of Rebekah, and was 
 first noble grand of Lilywood Lodge, of 
 Wellington. Socially Mr. Baker is a mem- 
 ber of Lorain Lodge ISTo. 281, I. O. O. F., 
 and has passed all the Chairs of the Sub- 
 ordinate Lodge. Two children have been 
 born to this honored couple, namely: Ed- 
 gar D., a sketch of whom follows, and 
 Eosa Ophelia, born in April, 1S52, and 
 married to M. N. Hill, of Kipton, Ohio 
 (they have two children: Leo JST. and Ora). 
 
 Edgar D. Baker was born in Huntington 
 township, Lorain county, September 6, 
 1845, and in his boyhood winters attended 
 the common schools of the neighborhood. 
 
 On December 10, 1863, he enlisted in 
 Company 1, One Hundred and Twenty- 
 eigiitli O. V. L, and during the greater 
 part of his term of service did duty on 
 JohuBon's Island as a private orderly; he 
 was discharged in July, 1865, and returned 
 home. In 1867 he married Miss Ella 
 Moore, a native of Massachusetts, and 
 three children have been born to them, 
 viz.: Maude (born August 31, 1870, mar- 
 ried to Arthur D. Eglin, of Wellington, 
 Ohio), Lelia Belle and Ray 0. Mr. E. D. 
 Baker is now farming on the homestead 
 
 TT • 
 
 in Huntington township. He is a straight 
 Repni)lican, and a member of the G. A. R., 
 in which he has filled various ottices. He 
 is agent for the P. A. W. Railroad, and 
 po.'tmaster at Baker's Crossino-. 
 
 JAMES WYATT, who for a quarter 
 of a century has been one of the suc- 
 cessful farmers of Amherst township, 
 is an Englishman by birth, born in 
 Devonshire in 1825, a son of James and 
 Hannah (Rich) Wyatt, also of Devonshire, 
 where they were married, and where the 
 latter died in 1854. 
 
 In 1854, after the death of his wife, the 
 bereaved father came to the United States 
 with his children, making a settlement in 
 Chautauqua county, N. Y., where he died 
 the same year. He was the father of chil- 
 dren as follows: Francis, married, and liv- 
 ing in Minnesota; James, subject of sketch; 
 John, married, a resident and pioneer of 
 Dodge county. Minn.; Mary, wife of 
 Samuel Kingston, living in Decatur coun- 
 ty, Iowa; Harriet, wife of Edward Dow, 
 of Corry, Penn.; Nancy, widow of Charles 
 Hines, of Evansville, Wis. ; Anna, married 
 and living in Dodge county, Minn.; and 
 Samuel S., married, and a resident of Clay 
 county, Iowa. 
 
 James Wyatt, whose name opens this 
 sketch, was educated in the schools of his 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1031 
 
 native, county in England, and in 1854 
 came with his father to America, and to 
 Chautauqua county, N. Y., where he en- 
 gaged in farming till 1807; he then came 
 westward to Huron county, Ohio, whence 
 in 1869 he moved to Lorain county, wiiere 
 he has since followed agricultural pursuits. 
 In 1855 our subject was married in 
 Chautauqua county, N. Y., to Mrs. Phinna 
 N. (Culver") Arnold, widow of Chauncey 
 Arnold, and a native of New York. Two 
 sons were horn to this union, viz.: George 
 C, married, and residing in Butler county, 
 Iowa (he has three children), and Frank 
 D., married, and living on a farm. Tiie 
 mother of these passed away July 9, 1892. 
 and on November fi, 1893, Mr. Wyatt 
 married Mrs. Ann E. Wilber. Mr. Wyatt 
 in National elections votes the Kepublican 
 ticket. He is a member of the M. E. 
 Church. 
 
 OYAL HARRIS, a prosperous and 
 substantial agriculturist of Brown- 
 helm township, is a native of same, 
 born on his present farm, April 4, 
 1849. 
 
 Thomas Harris, father of our subject, 
 was born in 1797 in Vermont, whence 
 when eifihteen years old he came to Erie 
 county (then a part of Huron county), 
 Ohio, with his parents. His father, Nathan 
 Harris, after a residence of some years in 
 Ohio, removed to Indiana, wiiere lie died. 
 Thomas Harris came to Lorain county in 
 1847, making a settlement in the woods, 
 where he cleared a farm. He was married 
 to Sarah Call, a native of Essex county, 
 N. Y., and they had a family of thirteen 
 children, of whom the following is a brief 
 record: Betsy married Ambrose Willard, 
 and died in Kansas in 1890; Harriet mar- 
 ried Henry Barber, of Marshall county, 
 Iowa; Sarah was the wife of Richard Dim- 
 mick, and died in March, 1883; Susan 
 married Obed Noble, of Clay county, 
 Kans. ; Clara is the wife of L. Brown, of 
 
 Browniielm township, Lorain county; Al- 
 ma is tile wife of Daniel Ilunicker, of 
 California; Adelaide is married to David 
 Neal, of Dallas county, Iowa; Angeline is 
 the wife of James Bacon, of Marshall 
 county, Iowa; Fannie died at the age of 
 tjiree years; Cyrus died when one year 
 old; Esse.x resides in Brownhelm townsliip, 
 Lorain county; Charles died wiien aged 
 thirteen years; Royal is the subject proper 
 of this memoir. 
 
 Royal Harris received his education in 
 the public schools of iiis native township, 
 and was reared to farming, which has 
 been his life vocation. In 1877 he was 
 married to Ella Tappenden, a native of the 
 State of New York, daughter of Stepiien 
 and Eliza (Moody) Tappenden, the former 
 of whom was born in the eastern part of 
 Kent. England, the latter in Monto-omery 
 county, N. Y. The father, who was a 
 cabinet maker by trade, at the age of four- 
 teen years immigrated to New York, 
 whence in 1872 he removed to Cleveland, 
 Ohio, and in 1873 to Brownhelm town- 
 ship, Lorain county, where he died in 1892 
 at the age of seyenty-seven years; his wife 
 had preceded him to the grave in 1889. 
 Mrs. Royal Harris was their third child. 
 To our subject and wife was born one 
 child, Jessie. Mrs. Ella Harris died in 
 1878, and in 1882 Mr. Harris married 
 Alice Tappenden, sister to his first wife, 
 and second child of her parents. By this 
 union there are two children — Earl and 
 Nellie. In politics our subject is a Demo- 
 crat, and he is a member of Ely Lodge, 
 No. 424, F. & A. M. 
 
 NL. COTTON, widely known as a 
 prosperous fruit grower and gar- 
 dener, having his residence in North 
 Amherst, was born in Sheffield 
 township, Lorain county, in 1829, 
 a son of George Washington and Rachel 
 (Smith) Cotton. 
 
 /^ 
 
1032 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 The fatlier of our subject was born in 
 Warren, New Hampshire, in 1798. At 
 the age of sixteen he started from his na- 
 tive place on foot for Truxton,N.Y., whence 
 he paid his way to Ohio by driving and 
 caring for cattle. After his arrival he did 
 farm labor for Jabez L. Burrell. In Shef- 
 field township he married Rachel Smith, 
 who was born in Berkshire county, Mass., 
 and in 1832 they moved to Elyria town- 
 sliip, same county, and opened up a fine 
 farm. He died there in 1865; his wife 
 was called from earth in September, 1850; 
 in politics he was a strong Whig. They 
 were the parents of five children, as fol- 
 lows: Jerome G., born in Sheffield town- 
 ship, Lorain county; died in Elyria town- 
 ship, in 1852, was one of tlie first 
 shorthand reporteis, and at one time owned 
 the paper in Elyria. now edited by William 
 A. Braman {he was employed as a reporter 
 in Washington, D. C, about three years, 
 for the New York Tribune and Cleveland 
 //e/'«^c?); Charles W., also born in Shef- 
 field township (he enlisted in the Civil war, 
 in Company E, First Ohio Battery, three 
 years' service); Martha R. (widow of 
 Francis A. Younglove), residing in Vir- 
 ginia; N. L., subject of sketch; and George 
 J., born in Elyria township, enlisted in 
 Company F, One Hundred and Third 
 O. V. I., now residing in Lansing, Mich. 
 
 Grandfather Benjamin Noys Cotton, a 
 native of New Hampshire, was a Kevo- 
 Intionary soldier, serving eight years; was 
 with Gen. Warren at the battle of Bunker 
 Hill, and was present through the winter 
 at Yalley Forge; served to the close of the 
 war, and was present at Washington's 
 farewell address. He represented his 
 District in the New Hampshire Legisla- 
 ture four times, and was known as "old 
 '76." He came to Lorain county in 1836, 
 making his home in Elyria township, and 
 both he and his wife died in Wayne county, 
 Ohio, at the age of eighty-nine years. 
 
 N. L. Cotton was educated at the public 
 schools of Elyria township, Lorain county, 
 and at the academy in the town of Elyria, 
 
 after which he taught school for a time in 
 Avon township, same county. Moving to 
 Kendall county. 111., he was there engaged 
 in farming about two years. On August 
 6, 1862, Mr. Cotton enlisted in Sheflield 
 township, Lorain county, in Company F, 
 One Hundred and Third O. V. I., for 
 three years or during the war, and was 
 mustered into the service at Camp Mitch- 
 ell, Ky., September 7, 1862. He par- 
 ticipated in the battles of Blue Springs 
 (Tenn."), Armstrong Hill, Resaca, Peach 
 Tree Creek, Norse Creek, Atlanta, right 
 of Atlanta, and Spring Hill. After the 
 Atlanta campaign his regiment was made 
 head-quarters guard for the Twenty- third 
 Corps, their colonel being provost-marshal 
 general of the Department under General 
 Scofield, whose corps moved from Flor- 
 ence, Tenn., to Cincinnati ; thence to Wash- 
 ington, D. C; thence by steamer to Fort 
 Fisher; thence through Wilmington and 
 Goldsboro to Raleigh, N. C, where it was 
 mustered out. Our subject was discharged 
 June 23, 1865, at Cleveland, Ohio, and 
 returned home to Lorain county, and to 
 the pursuits of peace. For some years he 
 farmed in Sheffield township, and in 
 March, 1882, he moved to Amherst, where 
 he embarked in his present business. 
 
 On November 27, 1851, Mr. Cotton 
 was united in marriage, in Sheffield town- 
 ship, Lorain county, with Miss Caroline 
 M. Hecock, a native of Herkimer county, 
 N.Y., and daughter of George W.and Sarah 
 (Davis) Hecock, of New York State, who 
 settled in Sheffield township in 1834. The 
 father served in the war of 1812 as a 
 drummer boy; he died in 1876, his wife 
 in 1875. Grandfather Silas Hecock, a na- 
 tive of Connecticut, and a soldier in the 
 Revolutionary war, died in New York; 
 Grandfather Davis also served in that 
 struggle. To Mr. and Mrs. N. L. Cotton 
 were born children as follows: Clara M., 
 wife (if Thomas C. Foote, of Amherst 
 township, Lorain county; Elmer F., mar- 
 ried and livingin Sheffield township; Cora 
 B., wife of William E. Hart, of Lincoln, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1033 
 
 Neb.; Nellie B. and Lillie D. (twins), the 
 former of whom is the wife of Stilltnan 
 Cotton, and resides in Cleveland, Ohio 
 (Lillie D. died at the age of nineteen years) ; 
 Martha R., married to Charles Straw, of 
 Elyria, Ohio; Ina S., a teacher, and Minnie, 
 attending school at Granville, Ohio (she 
 bad been teaching for a time in Lorain 
 connty). In his political sympathies Mr. 
 Cotton is a Republican; for ten years he 
 served as trustee of Sheffield township, and 
 for several years as j ustice of the peace. He 
 is a member of Rice Post No. 148, G. A. R., 
 of wliich he has been commander and chap- 
 lain. In church relationship he and his 
 wife are Baptists. 
 
 Joshua Smith, maternal grandfatlier of 
 Mr. Cotton, came to Lorain county in 1812, 
 and was the first white man to die in Shef- 
 field township, the year of his death being 
 1813. His daucrhter, the mother of Mr. 
 Cotton, was the first white woman to come 
 into the township of Sheffield. 
 
 ffjf E. PARKER, M. D., the pioneer of 
 fsH the medical profession at Lorain, 
 I 1 since it became a town of any prom- 
 ■fj inence, was born November 20, 
 
 1851, at Berea, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, 
 son of Dr. Henry and Elizabeth (Sher- 
 wood) Parker. 
 
 The father was born in Brunswick, Ohio, 
 where he was reared, and received his medi- 
 cal edncation at a college in Cincinnati, 
 where he graduated. He at once settled in 
 Berea, Ohio, and there commenced the prac- 
 tice of his profession, in wliich to some ex- 
 tent he still continues. Politically he is a 
 Republican, and was a member of the con- 
 vention which nominated John C. Fre- 
 mont for President. Grandfather Parker, 
 who was an early pioneer of Cuyahoga 
 connty, was descended from emigrants of 
 the same name who came from England 
 during the seventeenth century, settling in 
 Massachusetts. 
 
 Dr. H. E. Parker was reared in Berea, 
 Ohio, at the public schools of which place, 
 and at Baldwin University, he received his 
 early education. He attended his first 
 course of lectures in 1876, in the Medical 
 Department of Hudson School, Cleveland, 
 and then, in 1877, began a course at the 
 Bennett Medical College, Chicaijo, whence 
 he graduated with the class of 1878. He 
 commenced practice at Berea, in partner- 
 ship with his father, and continued in same 
 for three years, or until June 7, 1881, 
 when he located iu Lorain, South End, 
 where he has siuce resided. The Doctor 
 is practically the pioneer of the South End, 
 having erected the first house in that sec- 
 tion, before the streets were even opened, 
 and all the improvements have been made 
 since his settlement. On March 5, 1878, 
 he was married, in Medina county, to Miss 
 Cora I. McConnell, a native of that county, 
 where her parents (both of whom are now 
 deceased) were early settlers. To this 
 union has been born one child. Lulu V. 
 Socially our subject is a member of Wood- 
 land Lodge No. 226 K. of P., in which he 
 is past chancellor. In his political predi- 
 lections he is a Republican, and has seryed 
 as a member of the school board. 
 
 f[ T[ W. SEMPLE, proprietor of fash- 
 l» ionable tonsorial parlors in the town 
 I 1 of Wellington, is a native Virgin- 
 J) ian, born in Fredericksburg, May 
 
 10, 1857, a son of James and Rosa 
 (Atkins) Semple. His father, by profes- 
 sion a French chef de cuisine, is yet living; 
 his mother died at the age of forty-six 
 years. They were the parents of seven 
 children, named respectively: John, Delila, 
 Daniel, Maria, James, H. W. and Lucinda. 
 In 1858, while yet an infant, our sub- 
 ject was taken to Washington, D. C, and 
 here he was reared and educated, graduat- 
 ing in 1877; he also learned and worked 
 
1034 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 at his trade in tliat city. In 1879 lie en- 
 tered the U. S. Coast Survey, and liis first 
 experience in tliat branch of the public 
 service was in New York with Prof. Agas- 
 siz, of the Zoological Comparative Mu- 
 seum, at Cambridge, N. Y. Hethen went 
 to South America, Hayti, Jamaica, and 
 other West India islands, also New Or- 
 leans and many other seaports and water- 
 ing places, serving over two years, at the 
 end of which time he was offered a posi- 
 tion in the State Department in Washing- 
 ton, but arrived there a day too late, where- 
 by lie not only did not get the new position 
 hut lost the old one. In consequence of 
 this he returned home, coming by way of 
 Detroit, where he had relatives, and on his 
 arrival in Wellington he i-esnmed his trade, 
 working for eight years for one man, after 
 which, August 26, 1889, he opened out liis 
 present place of business, and has met 
 with unprecedented success, having already 
 four chairs in his establishment. While a 
 resident of Washington he shaved many 
 prominent men. In 1884 Mr. Semnle 
 married Miss Laura A. Shepherd. A Re- 
 publican in politics, he takes an active 
 interest in the workings of his party ; in 
 matters of religion he and his wife are 
 Baptists. 
 
 E' H. HASTINGS, who is one of the 
 most successful native-born agri- 
 I culturists of LaGrauge township, 
 
 was born June 20, 1827, son of 
 Curtis H. Hastings. 
 
 The father was born December 1, 1796, 
 in Jefferson county, N. Y., eldest of ten 
 children born to Thomas Hastings, who 
 first saw the light April 3, 1776. Curtis 
 H. Hastings learned the carpenter's trade, 
 and was married in his native county to 
 Miss Pattie Graves, who was born October 
 23, 1800. While residents of New York 
 State they had children as follows: Ashley, 
 who died when eighteen or nineteen years 
 
 old; Wesley, of Penfield township, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, and Diana S., now Mrs. Lyman 
 C. Crane, of Chatham, Ohio. In June, 
 1826, he came to LaGrange township, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio., into which he drove the 
 tirst horse-team. He had visited Lorain 
 county before settling, walking the entire 
 distance from New York, and later traded 
 fifty acres of land in that State for a farm 
 in LaGrange township, whereon he located. 
 But little of this land had been cleared, and 
 his cabin was the third in tiie township, 
 but on this farm he passed the remainder 
 of his life, dying at the age of eighty-two 
 years. After coming to Ohio Mr. and 
 Mrs. Hastings had children as follows: E. 
 G. and E. H. (twins), who were the first 
 white male children born in LaGrange 
 township: a daughter that died in infancy 
 unnamed; Samuel, afarmer of LaGrange; 
 another daughter that died in infancy un- 
 named; and J. Edson, a farmer of La- 
 Grange. The mother of these died at the 
 age of forty years, and Mr. Hastings then 
 married Miss Asenath Amy, by whom he 
 had one son, Frank, who married and died 
 leaving four children. 
 
 E. H. Hastings was born one-fourth of 
 a mile from his present farm, and during 
 liis youth attended the common schools of 
 the vicinity a few weeks each year. He 
 was reared to agricultural life on the home 
 farm, and wlien eighteen years old, being 
 of a roving disposition, he left home and 
 hired out at ten dollars a month to John- 
 ston Rawson, by whom he was employed 
 for five seasons. Then, being anxious to 
 return to school, lie went home, but after 
 attending for only a few days found he had 
 not time, as he was busy threshing; thus 
 he continued to work, and, saving his 
 money, was able by hard work to pay for 
 some land. Having caught the " gold 
 fever," he started, on December 29, 1851, 
 for California, going from LaGrange, 
 Ohio, by rail to New York, where he took 
 passage on a boat going around Cape Horn, 
 with two companions, William Rockwood 
 and L. L. West, who went as far as Riode 
 
■■^.. 
 
 ?. ^ 
 
 ^^;#1^/^6Z^^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY. OHIO. 
 
 1037 
 
 Janeiro, Brazil, where they took passage 
 on another vessel, while the "Racehonnd" 
 lay in that port twelve days for repairs. 
 After a voyage of six months and three 
 days onr subject landed at San Francisco, 
 where he was taken sick, and found him- 
 self, after paying a week's board in ad- 
 vance, nearly out of fiiu<ls. He entered 
 the State Marine Hospital until he re- 
 covered, and, while in California, he had 
 some rather hard experiences, being with- 
 out money among strangers. Later, 
 through the etlbrts of a fanner, he secured 
 Avork as an overseer, and remained away 
 from home five years, also working in the 
 lumber business (on Government land), 
 in which lie made money. On the way 
 home he crossed the Istlimus uf Panama 
 at Aspinwall, and after remaining in his na- 
 tive place for two weeks he returned west 
 in company with three others, going to Mis- 
 souri. Here they purchased five thousand 
 head of sheep, which were driven across 
 the plains to California, and during the 
 trip they occupied fifteen days in crossing 
 one river, the South Platte. The entire 
 journey, which took six months, was very 
 satisfactory, being comparatively free from 
 loss, and after reaching their destination 
 Mr. Hastings kept the sheep one year. Re- 
 turning to Lorain connty, Ohio, he passed 
 the winter in Pentield township, where he 
 had fifty acres of land. 
 
 Tliere lie was married, September 15, 
 1859, to Rosanna Dalton, who was born in 
 New York, daugliter of Benjamin Dalton, 
 and the young couple began married life 
 in a log house, on a farm in Penfield town- 
 ship. In the spring of 18(50 they located 
 in LaGrange township, since which time 
 he has been engaged in farming and stock 
 raising. He now owns 226 acres of land 
 in LaGrange township, a house and three 
 lots in Wellington township, and one and 
 three-fourths acres in the corporation of 
 Wellington. Mr. Hastings is a successful 
 business man and slirewd financier. He 
 voted for Abraham Lincoln, but otherwise 
 he is always a Democrat in National af- 
 
 fairs. On April 12, 1891, Mrs. Hastings 
 passed from earth, and was buried in the 
 East cemetery in LaGrange township; she 
 was a member of the M. E. Church. 
 
 EORGE W. NOBLE, a resident of 
 
 , Elyria, was born August 10, 1821, 
 
 in the town of Warren, Herkimer 
 
 -11 Co., N. Y., a son of Hervey and 
 
 Phoebe (Wilkinson) Noble. He is 
 
 descended from one of three brothers who 
 
 in a very early day came from England to 
 
 the New World, settling in Massachusetts. 
 
 Hervey Noble, also anativeof Herkimer 
 county, 5f. Y., born April 1, 1795, moved 
 from there in 1819 to Wilna, Jefferson 
 Co., same State, and there resided till June, 
 1827, when he came to Ohio, settling about 
 one and one-half miles north of LaGrange, 
 in LaGrange township, and there followed 
 farming. He died June 16, 1871. On 
 December 15, 1815, he married Miss 
 Phffibe Wilkinson, who died in LaGrange, 
 Lorain county, April 23, 1870. They had 
 a family of eight children, our subject be- 
 ing second. 
 
 George W. Noble received a limited 
 education at the district schools of La- 
 Grange township, and remained on the 
 home farm till he was twenty-one years of 
 age, at which time he commenced house 
 building, and many other kinds of mechani- 
 cal work; for eight years he was engaged 
 in a carriage works in LaGrange; then, for 
 five years, was in a store. After that he 
 bought a foundry and machine shop at 
 Liverpool, Ohio, conducting same nine- 
 teen years, doing all kinds of foundry 
 work, including the complete making of 
 engines. He has made carriages, wagons, 
 plows, and wood-sawing machines, with 
 great success, a large number of them being 
 sold. In this he continued until December 
 6, 1881, when he had to abandon work on 
 account of his failing eyesight, and con- 
 
1038 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 sequently sold out. He then moved to 
 Berea, Ohio, where he resided eiglit years, 
 thence proceeding to Cleveland and there 
 remaining till October, 1891, when he 
 came to Elyria, Lorain county. 
 
 In 1845 Mr. Noble married Miss Jane 
 E. Garritt, who was born in Saratoga coun- 
 ty, N. Y., January 15, 1829, and three 
 daughters were born to them, as follows: 
 Amanda Helen, now the widow of Erotus 
 M. Dixon, has her residence at 130 Herald 
 St., Cleveland, Ohio (she has no children); 
 Melissa Ellen, the wife of William Edgar 
 Parmelee, of Elyria, Lorain Co., Ohio, has 
 two daughters and one son; Charlotte 
 Phoebe, now the wife of Dr. Rufus V. Gam- 
 ble, of New London, Ohio, has one daugh- 
 ter, Grace. Politically our subject has al- 
 ways been a Republican, but says that he 
 " is now utterly disgusted with all parties." 
 He believes in "equal rights of man and. 
 woman "; Liberty for all. He belongs to 
 no Church, Creed, or Lodge, " To do 
 good''^ being his only religion: Hoping, 
 doubting, and trying to investigate the 
 great mysteries of this and a future 
 existence. 
 
 EiDWIN HALL, a well-known and 
 widely- respected retired citizen of 
 , Elyria, now in his seventy-ninth 
 
 year, was born in the old town of 
 Meriden, Conn., in April, 1815, and when 
 seven years old was brought by his father 
 to Ohio. 
 
 Avery and Lucy (Bacon) Hall, parents 
 of Edwin Hall, were of New England de- 
 scent, and the more remote ancestors of 
 the father came from England, while those 
 of the mother (who was from Connecticut), 
 claimed the land of Scott and Burns as the 
 place of their nativity. Avery Hall was 
 born in Meriden, Conn., in 1776, whence 
 he removed with his wife (whom he had 
 married in Meriden) to Berkshire Hills, 
 Mass., and from there to New Connecti- 
 cut, "Western Reserve" (now Ohio). 
 
 where he died at the age of eighty-tive 
 years. He had been an industrious and 
 well-to-do farmer all his life. He was a 
 member of and for a long time chorister 
 in the Congregational Church, of which 
 denomination at Meriden his great-grand- 
 father had been a preacher. Politically he 
 was an Old -school Democrat, and his tirst 
 vote was cast for Andrew Jackson. At 
 the time of the burning of New London, 
 Coim., by the British during the war of 
 1812, he was living at Meriden, and with 
 others went to see the conflagration. 
 
 Tiie subject proper of this sketch re- 
 ceived his education at the primitive 
 schools of Lorain county, whither, as 
 already related, he had come when a lad. 
 The country was wild and uncleared of the 
 timber and underbrush, and Mr. Hall re- 
 members of iiaving been chased by wolves 
 on two different occasions, but he came to 
 learn the habits of these animals and so 
 knew how to elude them. He remained 
 a few years on the farm with his father in 
 what is now the southern extremity of Lo- 
 rain county, and then, having a desire to 
 revisit the scenes of his early boyhood, re- 
 turned to Connecticut; but his health 
 failing after a short time, by the advice of 
 his physician he set out on a sea voyage on 
 a merchantman, for China. This trip 
 lasted one and one-half years, and in 1837 
 he returned to Lorain county, again, how- 
 ever, after a short sojourn, to pay a visit 
 to his native place in Connecticut. In 
 1838 he once more returned to Lorain 
 county, where he has since made his home. 
 In 1840 he entered mercantile business, in 
 which he remained a number of years. 
 
 In 1840 Mr. Hall was married to Miss 
 Mary Beebe, daughter of A. Beebe, who 
 was one of the original settlers of Elyria, 
 who built the " Beebe House," whicii had 
 a good reputation among the traveling 
 men. Mr. Hall was the successful pro- 
 prietor of this house for more than twelve 
 years, and was known as a temperance 
 man in principle and practice, never using 
 or selling liquor himself, or renting any of 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1039 
 
 his buildings for tlie sale of it. Two chil- 
 dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Plall, viz. : 
 Mary Beebe, who died at the age of twenty- 
 live years; and Helen F., who married 
 Rush R. Sloane, and has two children, 
 Helen and Mary. Politically Mr. Hall is 
 a stanch Republican. He and his wife 
 live on the spot in which they began life 
 together in 1840, enjoying life amid the 
 scenes of early days. 
 
 JAMES S. BALDWIN, one of the 
 leading fanners of Pittsfield town- 
 ' ship, was born August 5, 1839, in Corn- 
 wall, Litchfield Co., Conn. He is the 
 fifth son and seventh child in a family of 
 nine children born to William and Julia 
 (TrafFord) Baldwin, as follows: William H., 
 a lumber dealer of Lee, Mass. ; Mary E., de- 
 ceased at the age of twenty; Noah, died in 
 infancy; Lecta, who married Joseph W. 
 Gaines, of Cleveland (both are now de- 
 ceased); Horace F., a retired citizen of 
 New Haven, Conn.; Russell P., of Pen- 
 field, Ohio; James S., who will receive 
 mention farther on; Edward D., a grain 
 dealer of Detroit City, Minn.; and Frank 
 C, a mechanic of New Haven, Connecticut. 
 James S. Baldwin received his education 
 in the commoTi schools, and was reared to 
 the duties of agricultnral life. He re- 
 mained at home until twenty-one years 
 old, and then resided for some time with 
 John Adams, of Salisbury, Conn., working 
 a farm on shares. On December 31, 1863, 
 he was married to Delphene L. Gray, who 
 was born in Cornwall, Conn., daughter of 
 Augustus B. Gray, a farmer, and after 
 marriage the young couple spent two years 
 in their native State, one year on a farm, 
 the other in Falls Village. In the spring 
 of 1866 they migrated to Ohio, and rented 
 a farm in the western part of Pittsfield 
 township, where they resided two years. 
 They next took up their residence in 
 
 Wellington township, where they remained 
 three years, and in 1872 bought eighty 
 acres in Pittsfield townshiji, from Horatio 
 Gates, to which 'they removed; Mr. Bald- 
 win has since added to this farm, which 
 now comprises 205 acres of excellent land. 
 He has erected several farm buildings, and 
 his residence is one of the pleasantest in 
 the township. In politics our subject is a 
 Republican, though not strictly partisan, 
 and has served as justice of the peace and 
 in various other local positions of trust. 
 He and his wife are leading members of 
 the Congregational Church, and he also 
 takes great personal interest in the Sunday- 
 school. Mr. Baldwin is one of the most 
 successful business men of his township; 
 he deals extensively in poultry, shipping 
 mostly to New Haven. Conn., and is one 
 of the leading men in Lorain county in this 
 line. He also deals in stock and produce, 
 which he ships to larger markets; he has 
 reared some fine-bred Chester White hogs 
 and registered cattle, and his stock of all 
 kinds is e.xcellent. His father being a 
 poor man, Mr. Baldwin started in life with 
 a capital of thirty-seven cents, and his suc- 
 cess has been due to his energetic, pro- 
 gressive and industrious habits, his enter- 
 prise being well known throughout the 
 county. He is fond of reading, and keeps 
 himself well abreast of the times. 
 
 ^J 
 
 NICHOLAS DIEDERICH, one of 
 the leading representative agricul- 
 turists of Shefiield township, is a 
 native of same, born in 1849. 
 His father, John Diederich, was 
 born November 28, 1805, in Germany, and 
 was there married October 29, 18*32, to 
 Gertrude Sauerence, also a native of the 
 Fatherland, born June 22, 1814. In 1843 
 the family sailed from Antwerp to New 
 York, whence they proceeded to Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, reaching the city August 4. 
 
1040 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 In November of the same year the father 
 bought and settled on the farm in Sheffield 
 township, now occupied by his son Nicho- 
 las. Nine children — fofir sons and five 
 daughters — were born to John and Ger- 
 trude Diederich, as follows: Matthias, 
 born November 15, 1833, now a ship car- 
 penter in Cleveland; Catherine, in Shef- 
 field; Peter, in Cleveland; Margaret, who 
 died in December, 1874, in Tennessee; 
 Nicholas; Gertrude, in Milan, Ohio; Anna 
 C, wife of Anton Born, of Avon town- 
 ship, Lorain county; Frank, at North 
 Kidgeville; and Mary C, living in Cuya- 
 hoga county, Ohio. The parents are yet 
 living. 
 
 Nicholas Diederich, the subject proper 
 of these lines, received a fair common- 
 school education, and was trained to the 
 pursuits of the farm. He now owns a tine 
 property of seventy-six acres highly cul- 
 tivated land, and does an extensive general 
 farming business. 
 
 In 1878 Mr. Diederich was married to 
 Miss Anna Burkhart, who died November 
 7, 1880, and in 1885 our subject wedded 
 Catherine Schneider, to which union six 
 children were born, as follows: Theresa, 
 October 2, 1885; Juliet, January 11, 1887, 
 died March 17, same year; Lidwina, July 
 3, 1888; Zitta, October 20, 1889; Amanda, 
 November 6, 1891, and Leonardo, March 
 23, 1893. In politics Mr. Diederich is a 
 Democrat, and has served as township 
 trustee since 1881, having been recently 
 reelected for another term; for several 
 years he has been a member of the school 
 board. 
 
 T[ F. HASEEODT, a popular and 
 k. I pi-ogressive citizen of Elyria, where 
 \Ji he carries on a prosperous harness 
 business, was born in Medina county, 
 Ohio, July 8, 1836, a son of H. C. and 
 Margaret (Berdz) Haserodt, natives of 
 Prussia. 
 
 The parents of our subject came to 
 America in 1834, and made a permanent 
 
 settlement in Medina county, Ohio, where 
 the father carried on harness making and 
 farming; he was born in 1799, and died 
 in 1887, aged eighty-eight years and four 
 months; the mother was born in- 1807, 
 and passed away in 1891. Nine children 
 were born to them, of- whom our subject 
 is the fourth in order of birth. Mr. Hase- 
 rodt received his education at the common 
 schools, which was supplemented with 
 considerable private study and close obser- 
 vation of men and things. He learned 
 his trade in Cleveland, Ohio, being ap- 
 prenticed to it at the age of about seven- 
 teen years. In 1857 he proceeded to Mem- 
 phis, Tenn., and there remained until the 
 breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, 
 when he came north to Pittsburgh, Penn., 
 and after a sojourn there of some eigiit 
 months returned to Cleveland, Ijecoming 
 foreman of a harness shop in that city. 
 His business was such that he could not 
 join the Union army, but he furnished a 
 substitute. In 1867 he went on his father's 
 farm in Medina county, and there remained 
 thirteen years, in 1880 moving thence to 
 Elyria, where he opened out his present 
 business. He makes a specialty of light 
 harness, and his trade is not confined to 
 Lorain county, for he ships full harness 
 sets to Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, 
 and other cities. Mr. Haserodt is recog- 
 nized as one of the most expert harness 
 makers in the country, and commands a 
 wide custom. 
 
 In 1862 he was married, in Cleveland, 
 to Miss Johanna M. Meyer, and eleven 
 children have blessed their union, viz.: 
 Lillie, George, Henry, Edmund, William, 
 Otto, Oscar, Paul, Violet, Manuel and 
 Elmer. Mr. Haserodt is a stanch Repub- 
 lican, and in 1889 he was elected a mem- 
 ber of the city council from the Fourth 
 Ward, to which position he has since been 
 twice reelected, his third term expiring 
 in 1895. In church connection he is an 
 Evangelical Lutheran, and has occupied 
 the position of elder in St. John's Evan- 
 gelical Lutheran Church for six years, at 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1041 
 
 present serving his third term. On Mr. 
 Haserodt's settlement in Elyria, lie bought 
 a lot on which Ins father built a house. 
 He then removed his aged parents to the 
 house, adjoining his own. Hud to the day 
 of their death he cared for them with true 
 filial devotion. 
 
 L 
 
 A. BARNES, M. D., a practicing 
 physician and surgeon of Lorain, is 
 a native of Columbus, Ohio, born in 
 1853, a son of Dr. L. and Julia 
 (Moulton) Barnes, the father a native of 
 Connecticut, the mother of Vermont. 
 
 When a boy Dr. L. Barnes came from 
 his native State to Licking county, Ohio, 
 where he was reared, and where he mar- 
 ried. He has been a practicing physician 
 for over forty years, and he and his wife 
 now reside in Lorain, Ohio, whither they 
 had come in 1888. Grandfather Mai lory 
 Barnes, a native of Connecticut, became an 
 early pioneer of Licking county, Ohio, of 
 which he was in his day a prominent citi- 
 zen, closely identified with its best inter- 
 ests. He and his wife both died there. 
 The parents of subject reared a fanuly of 
 nine children, seven of whom are yet liv- 
 ing. One son, Leroy, enlisted in Delaware 
 county, Ohio, in 1861, in Company C, 
 Fourth O. V. I., and served four years in 
 the army of the West; he is now a prac- 
 ticing physician in Laramie, Wyoming. 
 
 The subject proper of this sketch re- 
 ceived his elementary education at the 
 common schools of Delaware county, Ohio, 
 after which he attended the college at 
 Delaware. On completing his course there, 
 he enteied Columbus (Ohio) Medical Col- 
 lege in 1878, and afterward further con- 
 tinued the study of medicine in Cleveland 
 Medical Institute, where he graduated with 
 the class of 1880. The Doctor then prac- 
 ticed his chosen profession, iii connection 
 w|th his father, in Delaware, two years, 
 
 and continued in same, alone, at Mechanics- 
 burg, Champaign county, same State, 
 until 1882, in which year he came to Lo- 
 rain county, locating in Kipton, whence, 
 in 1888, he removed to Lorain, where he 
 now resides. He has now been some thir- 
 teen continuous years in the profession, and 
 is in the enjoyment of a large and lucra- 
 tive practice. 
 
 In 1882, in Champaign county, Ohio, 
 Dr. L. A. Barnes was united in marriage 
 with Miss Emma Davis, of that county, 
 daughter of Martin Van Buren and Eliza- 
 beth (Miller) Davis, natives of Pennsyl- 
 vania and Maine, respectively, and early 
 pioneers of Champaign county, where the 
 father died in 1891; the mother now re- 
 sides in Mechanicsburg. To Dr. and Mrs. 
 Barnes have been born three daughters: 
 Clara, Ida and Lucille. Our subject is a 
 member of the Knights of the Maccabees, 
 Tent No. 1, Lorain, and is examining 
 physician for theOrder; is also a member 
 of Woodland Lodge No. 226, Lorain, 
 Knights of Pythias. 
 
 El C. FOSTER. The gentleman here 
 named is one of the most widely 
 I known, well-to-do citizens of North 
 
 Amherst. He is a native of the 
 township, born September 1, 1827, a son 
 of Elisha Foster, Jr., and Anna Maria 
 (Mason) Foster. 
 
 The father of our subject was born Oc- 
 tober 15, 1795, in Vermont, whence when 
 a young man he moved to Herkimer 
 county, N. Y. Here he resided until 1815, 
 when he came west to Ohio, locating in 
 Avon township, Lorain county, havino- 
 purchased fortj'^ acres of land, which he 
 cleared and cultivated; but in about a 
 couple of years (in 1817) he came to Am- 
 herst township, where he passed the rest 
 of his days, dying January 23, 184:2, the 
 owner of 309 acres of excellent farm land. 
 
1042 
 
 LORAiy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 In his political preferences he was a Demo- 
 crat. His widow is j'et living on the home 
 farm with her daughter, Mary M., and is 
 one of the oldest inhabitants of Amherst 
 township. They had live children — three 
 sons and two daughters — viz. : Leonard, 
 who died at the age of ten years; E. C, 
 subject of this sketch; Parks, a resident of 
 Elyria; Mary M., wife of Ezra Straw, liv- 
 ing on the old homestead; and Martha, 
 wife of S. Porter, of St. Louis, Michigan. 
 Elisha Foster, Sr., grandfather of sub- 
 ject, was a native of IJoston, Mass. He 
 came from Herkimer county, N. Y., to 
 Lorain county, in 1815, with his wife, three 
 sons and one daughter. He died in 1833 
 aged sixty -eight years, his wife having pre- 
 ceded him to the grave in September, 1828. 
 E. C Foster, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, received a libei-al education at the 
 common schools of the vicinity of his place 
 of birth, and was reared to farming pur- 
 suits, which he followed until 1867. In 
 that year, he and his bother. Parks, bought 
 out a stone quarry which they successfully 
 operated some time, and then sold out. 
 On June 10, 1847, Mr. Foster married 
 Miss Mary M. Aiken, who was born in 
 Brooklyn township, Cuyhoga Co., Ohio, 
 August 25, 1831. Four children were born 
 to this union, namely: (1) Orlando E., now 
 on a farm in Amherst township, was born 
 March 23, 1848, married Sophia Lesley, 
 and has two children: Edwin E. and Cora 
 U., of whom Edwin E. was educated in the 
 common schools and at Elyria High 
 School, and is now teaching school; (2)N. 
 Franklin was born June 23, 1849. married 
 Lillian A. Wolcott March 17, 1872, and 
 lives on the old homestead; (3) Ella U., 
 born May 22, 1851, was married to Will- 
 iam Hutton, foreman in a stone quarry, 
 and they have two sons: Willie and "Frank; 
 (4) Mrs. F. M. Barber, of Amherst, whose 
 husband is a traveling man, has one son, 
 Joseph E. Barber, now in Elyria High 
 School. 
 
 Mr. Foster has been eminently success- 
 ful in all his business enterprises, of which 
 
 there were some in Chattanooga, Tenn., also 
 real-estate interests. He is a stockholder 
 in the Lorain Steamship Company, etc. 
 Politically he has been a Republican since 
 the birth of that party, and he is an hon- 
 ored citizen, respected for his integrity 
 and moral worth, and for the valuable as- 
 sistance he has rendered in developing the 
 resources of his native county. 
 
 L. SEARS, prominent and influen- 
 tial among the prosperous agricul- 
 turists of Elyria township, is a native 
 of Massachusetts, born in Lenox, 
 Berkshire county, April 8, 1825. 
 
 The family, of which our subject is a 
 worthy member, come of English ances- 
 try, two brothers, Paul and Silas Sears, 
 having emigrated from England to Amer- 
 ica about the year 1600, and from Paul our 
 subject is descended. Zachariah Sears, 
 father of L. L., also a native of Massachu- 
 setts, was a farmer by occupation. He 
 married Miss Almira Butler, also of the 
 Bay State, and they both died there. Nine 
 children were born to them, of whom three 
 are yet living, viz.: James, who resides in 
 Pittstield, Mass.; Polly, who was married 
 to George Whittaker, and resides in Marl- 
 borough, Mass.; and L. L., subject of this 
 memoir. 
 
 L. L. Sears, of whom this sketch more 
 particularly relates, was educated in his 
 native S'ate, and was trained to the duties 
 of the farm. He has been twice married: 
 first time in 1848 to Miss Sarah Schotield, 
 by whom he has one son, George L., a flo- 
 rist and manufacturer of potteiy in Elyria. 
 Mr. Sears' second wife was Miss Charlotte 
 Schofleld, whom he wedded in 1858, and 
 by this union there is one child, Lillian, a 
 young lady of bright natural ability, and 
 well educated; she is a popular school 
 teacher, having taught first in Carlisle 
 township, Lorain county, then in the high 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1043 
 
 school at Mentor, same State, and is now 
 superintendent of the public schools in 
 Mentor. Siie graduated in Oberlin, Ohio, 
 class of 1890. 
 
 In 1861 Mr. Sears came to Ohio, first 
 locating in Medina county, then in 1867 
 settling in Lorain county on a farm within 
 the corporate limits of Elyria, which he 
 subsequently sold, purchasing his present 
 fine property. A Republican in politics, 
 he is one of tlie active and influential adher- 
 ents of the party, is a member of the school 
 board, and has served as township trustee. 
 He and his wife are members of the Con- 
 gregational Church at Elyria. 
 
 dlOSEPH GANNETT, Wellington. 
 This gentleman is descended from 
 ^ ' Benjamin Gannett, one of three 
 — stalwart brothers who in an early day 
 came from England to America, he settling 
 in Suffolk county, Mass., the other two iji 
 Virginia, but of whom nothing is known 
 than that they both died bachelors, intes- 
 tate, and their property went to the State. 
 Jacob Gannett, grandfather of subject, 
 M'as born in Suffolk county, Mass.; he was 
 a millwright by trMde, went to New York 
 State, and died there at tlie advanced age 
 of eighty four years. Joseph, his son, 
 was born in Massachusetts July 3, 177(3, 
 and died March 10, 1847, in Spencer, 
 Medina Co., Ohio. "When a child his 
 parents moved to New York State, where 
 lie was reared on a farm in Ontario county, 
 near Palmyra, receiving but a limited sub- 
 scription-school education. He was mar- 
 ried there to a Miss Craft, by which union 
 there were three children: Ellit, who mar- 
 ried Mr. A. Hill, and resided in Lock- 
 port, N. Y., and Genesee county, N. Y., 
 finally moving to Spencer, Medina Co., 
 Ohio, where she died; Ruth, who married 
 R. Smith, and they lived near Spencer, 
 Medina county, afterward in Wisconsin, 
 
 where she died; and Olive, the deceased 
 wife of S. Smith, lived in Wellington vil- 
 lage. The mother of these died, and the 
 father then married Miss Martha Stone, 
 by whom there were four children, as fol- 
 lows: Joseph, the subject proper of this 
 sketch; Hannah, who was married to Mr. 
 Nooney, and died of pneumonia in No- 
 vember, 1893; Alvin, who died at the age 
 of si.xty-eight years, resided in Spencer, 
 Medina county (he left a family), and Mary 
 Jane (who never married), killed in a run- 
 away when she was thirty-four years of 
 age. When the family came to Ohio, the 
 journey was made in a wagon, the dis- 
 tance being over 300 miles, and occupying 
 about three weeks. They arrived in the 
 month of November, and at once located 
 in Spencer township, Medina county, the 
 father having taken up one thousand acres 
 of land there bv trading his New Y'ork 
 farm for same. Here the parents of our 
 subject passed the rest of their days, the 
 mother dying in 1869 aged eighty-four 
 years, having been born in 1785; the 
 father was a Close Communion Baptist, 
 and in his political sympathies a Whig and 
 Republican. He was a very strong man, 
 of fine physique, standing six feet in his 
 stockings. 
 
 Joseph Gannett, the subject of this 
 sketch, was born in Ontario county, N. Y^., 
 near Palmyra, February 6, 1819. At the 
 age of sixteen he came with the rest of the 
 family toSpencer township, Medina county, 
 and after leaving school, which in those 
 early days was of a very primitive nature, 
 he took up the private study of sciences, 
 including philosophy, astronomy, etc. In 
 Medina county he carried on mixed farm- 
 ing, includino; dairying, and owned 160 
 acres of good land. In 1871 he moved 
 from there to Wellington township, Lorain 
 county, and bought his present farm of 228 
 acres, all in one body, located in the corner 
 of the corporation of the village of Welling- 
 ton. In 1841 Mr. Gannett was married to 
 Miss Orra Warner, sister to S. S. Warner, 
 ex-treasurer of Ohio, and they had one 
 
1044 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 child, Channcey Warner, who married, and 
 li;id four children: Orra E., Jo, Elmer K. 
 and Channcey W.; be died Jnne 5, 1890, 
 aged thirty-nine years. This wife was 
 called from earth in September, 1850, at 
 the early age of twenty-six years, and in 
 1851 Mr. Gannett wedded her sister. Miss 
 Emma 0. Warner, by which union there 
 were two ciiildren; Cora E. and Mary Eliza, 
 the youngest of whom died at the age of 
 nineteen months. Politically our subject 
 was a straight Whig and Republican till 
 the last State election, when he voted the 
 Prohibition ticket; he cast his first vote for 
 W. H. Harrison, and supported Birney and 
 Hall. In matters of religion he is liberal, 
 with leanings toward the Unitarian faith. 
 [Since the above was written we have been 
 informed of the death of Mr. Joseph Gan- 
 nett. He died November 2, 1893, of 
 pneumonia, after three days' illness; hiseis- 
 ter, Hannah, died of the same disease two 
 weeks later. — Editor. 
 
 BPtECKENEIDGE. Norman Breck- 
 , enridge, a native of Vermont, when 
 ' a young man came to New York 
 
 State, and in Orange county mar- 
 ried Triphena Rosencrans, who was born 
 in that State. 
 
 In Oswego county Norman Brecken- 
 ridge carried on farming, and here three 
 children were born to him, as follows: 
 Alonzo L., living in Kipton; Norman, who 
 was a member of the Twenty-third O. V. I., 
 and was killed in the war of the Rebellion : 
 and Mary, now Mrs. Arnold, of Oberlin, 
 Ohio. In 1834 the family came to Ohio 
 by way of the Erie Canal and Lake Erie, 
 first locating in Wakeman township. Huron 
 county, and then in the spring of 1835 re- 
 moving to Camden township, Lorain 
 county, settling east of the center, where 
 the father bought sixty-six acres of wild 
 land at two dollars and fifty cents per acre, 
 
 which by steady industry he was not long 
 in converting into a fine farm. Here he 
 passed the rest of his days, dying in 1860. 
 Mrs. Breckenridge, after the death of her 
 husband, removed to Oberlin, Ohio, where 
 she remained until her death in 1876, and 
 they now repose side by side in Camden 
 cemetery. The children born to them in 
 Ohio are as follows: Daniel W., B, F., 
 J. A., Henry C. and Frances (Mrs. R. H. 
 Lamphier), all in Michigan (except B. F.), 
 where the first named is a merchant. Po- 
 litically the father was a stanch Whig and 
 Republican, and served with fidelity and 
 ability in various offices of trust in his 
 township. He was a devout and liberal 
 member of the Disciple Church (which 
 was removed from the center of Camden 
 township to Kipton), and was a highly 
 esteemed citizen. 
 
 Alonzo L. Breckenridge (eldest son of 
 Norman Breckenridge), well known in 
 the commercial circles of northern Ohio, 
 more especially in Lorain county, where 
 his business foe the most part has been 
 conducted, is a native of New York State, 
 born in Oswego county October 20, 1831. 
 
 Ill 1834, then a three-year-old boy, he 
 was brought to Ohio by his father, the 
 family locating in Wakeman township. 
 Huron county, and then in the spring of 
 1835 removing to Camden township, Lo- 
 rain county, where the father bought sixty- 
 six acres of wild land at two dollars and 
 fifty cents per acre, which with the assist- 
 ance of his family he ere long converted 
 into a fertile farm. Here young Alonzo 
 attended, a few months in the winter time, 
 the primitive subscription schools of those 
 early days, his first teacher being a Miss 
 Parker, while his summer months were 
 devoted to working on his father's farms. 
 At tiie age of eighteen he hired out to 
 farm work at nine dollars per month. 
 After his marriage he located in Henrietta 
 township on a farm of seventy-eight acres, 
 which he bought at twenty-eigiit dollars 
 per acre, going into debt one thousand five 
 hundred dollars, and here lived ten years, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1045 
 
 at the end of which time he came to Kip- 
 ton and commenced the business of fur 
 buying, conducting at tlie same time a 
 firocery store for SDme years. Tiie firm of 
 Brecken ridge Bros., general storekeepers, 
 was then formed, and ccmtinued twelve 
 years, our subject then embarking in the 
 elevator business, and buying grain, etc., 
 in which lie has since continued; has also 
 a half interest in an elevator in Elyria. Of 
 late years he has been somewhat retired 
 from active work, but superintends his 
 business affairs. Forty years ago lie re- 
 ceived a kick on the leg from a horse, and 
 the hurt has ever since troubled him, 
 keeping him at times from attending to 
 business. 
 
 On June 15, 1857, Mr. BreckenridCTc 
 was united in marriage with Aravilla Bo- 
 hall, who was born in Lewis county, N. Y., 
 in 1828, a daughter of John Bohall, and 
 to this union there is one child, Nina, now 
 Mrs. Williard Granger, of Kipton. Po- 
 litically our subject is a Republican, his 
 first vote being cast for John P. Hale, and 
 he has held various offices, such as town- 
 ship treasurer over eighteen years. 
 
 B. F. Bkeckenbidge (fourth son of Nor- 
 man Breckenridge), one of Lorain county's 
 leading merchants, carrying on a prosper- 
 ous business in the town of Kipton and 
 elsewhere, was born in Camden, Ohio, 
 November 11, 1840. 
 
 For a time he attended the comtnon 
 schools and Oberlin College, which pre- 
 pared him for teaching, a profession he 
 followed some time. \\\ 1863 he bought 
 a fai'm in Camden township, Lorain 
 county, on which he went to live, leaving 
 the paternal roof, and this he conducted 
 until 1868, when he moved into the town 
 of Kipton, and purchased the general store 
 of Thomas La Nell, which he at once took 
 charge of, and under his direction and 
 management the business has increased to 
 mammoth proportions. He has erected 
 several good business blocks in the town, 
 and his own store occupies a substantial 
 and commodious room. In addition to this 
 
 B4 
 
 extensive concern Mr. Breckenridge is in- 
 terested in several other stores in Kipton, 
 and is owner of one in Lorain. 
 
 On June 4, 1864, our subject was mar- 
 ried to Miss Mary Arnold, born in Cam- 
 den township in 1844, daughter of Oeorge 
 and Mary Ann (Moore) Arnold. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Breckenridge adopted the following 
 children: Earl N., who died at the age of 
 seven years, and Georgie M., a higiily edu- 
 cated young lady. Politically Mr. Breck- 
 enridge was a Republican till 1872, when 
 he voted for Horace Greeley, since when 
 he has been a straight Democrat. He in- 
 variably declines oflice, as his various 
 commercial interests demand and receive 
 his undivided attention. 
 
 TfOHN HAWKE, an extensive agri- 
 w I culturist and landowner of Eaton 
 \^) township, has been a resident of Lo- 
 rain county since 1858. He was horn 
 in 1833 in Cornwall, England, son of 
 Richard and Grace (Hugglow) Hawke, both 
 natives of England, where the father died; 
 in 1858 the widowed mother came with her 
 son John to Lorain county, Ohio, whence 
 she subsequently moved to Jefferson coun- 
 ty, Wisconsin. 
 
 The subject proper of this sketch was 
 reared to farm life, and was educated in the 
 schools of his native country. In 1858 he 
 was married, in England, to Miss Ann 
 Sheer, who was also born in that country, 
 daughter of John and Margery (Denis) 
 Sheer, natives of Cornwall, who lived and 
 died in their native land. In the year of 
 their marriage the young couple came to 
 the United States, locating first in Ridge- 
 ville township, Lorain Co., Ohio, where 
 they lived some years, and then coming to 
 Eaton township, settling near North Eaton. 
 Here Mr. Hawke purchased a cleared farm, 
 where he has since been successfully en- 
 gaged in agricultural pursuits, and his place 
 
1046 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 now comprisee 200 acres of land in a good 
 state of cultivation, upon which he has 
 erected a good barn. Mrs. Ann Hawke 
 died in 1878, and in 1890 he married, in 
 Columbia township, Lorain county. Miss 
 Clara Holbrook, who was born in Eaton 
 township; her parents, Charles and Fhebe 
 (Hathaway) Holbrook, were natives of 
 Massachusetts, who in an early day came 
 to Lorain county, where the father died 
 August 1, 1893; the widowed mother now 
 makes her home on the old farm. To the 
 union of John and Clara Hawke have come 
 two children : One who died in infancy, and 
 Esther. Mr. Hawke has also reared an 
 adopted child, Ernest James, now of Cleve- 
 land. In politics our subject is a Kepub- 
 lican, and takes an active interest in the 
 welfare of his party; Mrs. Hawke is a mem- 
 ber of the M. E. Church. 
 
 EORGE LYON, a prominent and 
 progressive farmer of Elyria town- 
 ship, was born in 1836, in Huron 
 county, Ohio, a son of John and 
 Elizabeth (Tluirston) Lyon. 
 John Lyon, father of subject, was born 
 and reared in Eockland county, N. Y., 
 where he married Elizabeth Thurston. In 
 an early day they moved westward to Buf- 
 falo, whence they proceeded by lake to 
 Cleveland, Ohio, and fi-om there by road 
 to Huron county, where he followed farm- 
 ing and carpentry. Aftei' a time they re- 
 moved to Cleveland, where the mother 
 died. She had children as follows: Jane 
 (deceased in Cleveland), who was married 
 to George W. Shepherd; Eleanor, who 
 died in Michigan; Jacob, deceased in Cuya- 
 hoga county, Ohio, about 1850; George, 
 subject of sketch; and Elizabeth, who 
 died in Cleveland. John Lyon married, 
 for his second wife, Clarissa Huntington, 
 and by her had two children: Melissa, who 
 died in Brooklyn township, Cuyahoga Co., 
 
 Ohio, and Charles, married, and residing 
 in Elyria township, Lorain county. The 
 father was called from eartli in 1880, in 
 his eighty-ninth year. 
 
 George Lyon, whose name introduces 
 this biographical sketch, received his edu- 
 cation in the common schools of his boy- 
 hood period. In April, 1861, he enlisted 
 for three months in an independent com- 
 pany at Cleveland, which served chiefly in 
 western Virginia. Lie participated in the 
 engagements at Carrick's Ford and Laurel 
 Hill, and in July, 1861, received his dis- 
 charge in Columbus, Ohio. In 1864 he 
 re-enlisted, this time in Capt. Babcock's 
 Light Artillery, which was sent to San- 
 duaky and to Johnson's Island, guarding 
 prisoners; at Sandusky he was discharged 
 in November, 186-1:, and returned to 
 Cleveland. In 1860 he came to Elyria 
 township, and settled on his present farm 
 of fifty-five acres, where he has since been 
 actively engaged in general agriculture, 
 including the rearing of Hereford cattle. 
 
 In 1866 Mr. Lyon was married, in Me- 
 dina county, Ohio, to Miss Jennie E. 
 Blanchard, to which union were born three 
 children: Ulysses G., married, and living 
 in Elyria, Ohio; Ida A., who died at the 
 age of five years, and William K., at home. 
 The mother of these died in 1882, and in 
 1888 Mr. Lyon married Mrs. Mary Ann 
 Fitzirerald, a native of Canada. Foliti- 
 cally our subject is a Republican; socially 
 he is a member of the G. A. R. and 
 I. O. O. F., Elyria, and of the American 
 Hereford Cattle Breeders Association. 
 
 dl B. CHAPMAN, vessel owner and 
 I hardware man, Lorain, is a native of 
 ^< that town, born in the year 1859, a 
 son of James and Elizabeth (Burk) 
 Chapman. 
 
 He received a liberal education at the 
 common schools of his place of birth, and 
 at the age of nine years commenced sail- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OUIO. 
 
 1047 
 
 ing on the lakes as cook on his father's 
 boat. After leaving the water, at the ago 
 of fourteen, lie entered a hardware store in 
 Lorain, in which he remained twelve con- 
 secutive years, less one. For some tinae 
 past he has been engaged in F. W. Edi- 
 son's hardware store in Lorain, and is at 
 present employed there. He has held in- 
 terests in the following vessels: The"C. 
 H. Burton," '• Itasca." " St. Lawrence," 
 " Gen. Sigel," and the " Selkirk." 
 
 Mr. Chapman was united in marriage 
 with Miss Carrie R. Bemis, of Lorain, Ohio. 
 In ])olitic8 he is a Kepublican, promi- 
 nently identified with the party ever since 
 casting his first vote, and he is a member 
 of the city council. Socially he belongs 
 to the K. O. T. M. 
 
 // 
 
 fJjARRISON A. CRAGIN, a pros- 
 '5^1 perous farmer, an unpretentious 
 1} citizen and an agreeable neighbor, 
 is one of the best known and most 
 popular men in LaGrange town- 
 ship, of which he may be said to be a life 
 resident. 
 
 Mr. Cragin was born in May, 1835, in 
 "Weston, Windsor Co., Vt., a son of Ben- 
 jamin Cragin, a farmer, who married Miss 
 Mahala Boyington. In the Green Moun- 
 tain State they had children, as follows: 
 Lorena, Benjamin N., Charles C, Adna A., 
 Esther, Plorace B., and Harrison A.; in 
 Oiiio was born Elizabeth, the youngest in 
 the family. 
 
 In September, 1835, tiie family set out 
 from Vermont in a wagon for Buffalo, 
 N. Y., whence they proceeded by Lake 
 Erie to Cleveland, Ohio, and from there 
 by road to Lorain county. Here, while 
 stopping with an acquaintance to rest after 
 their long journey, tliey became so im- 
 pressed with the country that they decided 
 to remain, and Mr. Cragin purchased a part 
 of Lot No. 01, in Grafton township, con- 
 
 taining 160 acres of woodland, at four 
 dollars per acre; there was no house of any 
 kind on the place, but it was not long be- 
 fore a dwelling 22x32 feet, and one and 
 one-half stories high, was erected, all the 
 timber for it being cut by Mr. Cragin him- 
 self. Here this piotieer toiled and pros- 
 pered, assisting in the develo])ment of the 
 country, and witnessing the onward march 
 of civilization close on the heels of the 
 retiring Red Indian and the yet more fierce 
 panther, wolf and bear. He died July 31, 
 1865, his wife in 1855, and they were buried 
 in West Grafton cemetery. They were 
 members of the Methodist Church, in which 
 he was trustee, steward and class-leader, 
 and in politics he was originally an Old- 
 line Whig, afterward a Republican. He 
 was a very robust man, and at sixty years 
 of age could rake and bind all day after a 
 cradler in the harvest held. 
 
 Harrison A. Cragin, the subject proper 
 of this sketch, was about five montlis old 
 when the family came to Lorain county. 
 He received such education as the subscrip- 
 tion schools of those early times afforded, 
 was reared to the onerous duties of farm 
 life, and has passed his entire life on the 
 old homestead. 
 
 On September 6, 1855. he wedded," in 
 Wood county, Ohio, Miss Fanny Richard- 
 son, born in February, 1837, in Franklin 
 county, Maine, a daughter of Asa and Jane 
 (Staples) Ricnardson, wiio came to Ohio in 
 1850, and later moved to Michigan, where 
 the father died in 1878, and the mother 
 is yet living. The record of the children 
 born to Mr. and Mrs. Harrison A. Cragin 
 is as follows: Flora, born March 24, 1856, 
 now Mrs. Frank Foster, of LaGrange; Fred, 
 born December 11, 1860, of Grafton town- 
 ship; Earl, born July 7, 1863, a farmer of 
 LaGrange township; and Ernest, born Oc- 
 tober 24, 1874, who resides at home. Mr. 
 Cragin is the owner of 160 acres prime 
 land, where he carried on general farming 
 until a few years ago, since when he has 
 lived a comparatively retired life. He had 
 bought the old home farm, satisfying the 
 
1048 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY. OHIO. 
 
 claims of the other heirs, and has con- 
 siderably remodeled and improved tjie 
 dwelling and ontbnildings. He is a Re- 
 publican, and cast his first vote for John C. 
 Fremont, but is no politician, though he 
 has never missed a vote since his first 
 ballot. He and his wife are members of 
 the Methodist Church, in which he has held 
 various offices, for a considerable time 
 serving as superintendent of the Sunday- 
 school. 
 
 State, 
 1839. 
 His 
 (Cainl 
 
 OBERT J. COWLEY, whose name 
 on the Great Lakes, wherever they 
 can be navigated, is the synonym 
 of carefulness and superior seaman- 
 ship, is a native of the Bnckeje 
 born in Cleveland, I^Jovember 2, 
 
 parents, Robert A. and Catherine 
 Cowle3', were natives of the Isle of 
 Man, the father born in the town of Peel, 
 the mother in the village of Ballaugh. 
 They immigrated to America about the 
 year 1826, and settled in Cleveland, Ohio, 
 where the father followed shipbuilding. 
 He was the youngest of seven brothers, all 
 of whom were sea-faring men; he died at 
 the age of seventy years, the mother when 
 sixty-seven years old. 
 
 The subject proper of this biographical 
 notice received a sound practical educa- 
 tion at the public schools of Cleveland, 
 and when old enough learned the trade of 
 shipbuilder, which he followed afterward, 
 for some time, during the winter months; 
 sailing the lakes as a man before the mast 
 in the summers of open seasons. In 1858 
 he removed from Cleveland to Black Lake, 
 near Graiid Haven, Mich., where he was 
 engaged in fishing and Inmbering for 
 three years. Late in the summer of the 
 year preceding the breaking out of the 
 Civil war, he went South, first to St. Louis, 
 then to New Orleans, working at his trade 
 in shipyards, and he was in the latter city 
 at the breaking out of the Rebellion. As 
 
 soon as possible in the spring of 1861 he 
 returned North, and took up his residence 
 in Black River (now Lorain). In the 
 summer of 1864 he entered the navy in 
 the service of the U. S. Government, and 
 assisted in the blockade of the West Gulf 
 under Commodore Farragut. While at- 
 tempting the capture of Mobile, Ala., the 
 gunboat on which our subject served was 
 blown up by a torpedo, causing a loss of 
 one half the crew in killed and wounded, 
 Capt. Cowley himself having a narrow 
 escape. After the close of the war he re- 
 turned to Lorain, and in the summers 
 sailed the lakes, in winter time working at 
 his trade, iintil 1879, in which year he 
 entered into an engagement with the 
 Menominee Transportation Co., with 
 whom he was employed winters until 
 1885, superintending repairs on their ves- 
 sels; during the summer seasons sailing 
 one of their steamers. Since then he has 
 been employed by Corrigan & Co.. and 
 also by H. J. Webb & Co., both of Cleve- 
 land, on their steamers as master. The 
 first steamship he ever sailed on was the 
 "David W. Rush," and many a fine pro- 
 peller has he since commanded. 
 
 In 1866 Capt. Cowley was married, in 
 Lorain, to Miss Celia E. Lyons, who was 
 born in Lorain, as were alfo her parents, 
 Winfield Scott and Mary (Brooks) Lyons. 
 Three children have been born to this 
 union, viz.: Scott L., Rittie C. and Robert 
 H. In politics the Captain is a Republi- 
 can, and he is a member of the F. & A. M. 
 
 L. FISHER, a prominent and enter- 
 prising farmer and dairyman of Hun- 
 tington township, was born June 11, 
 1839, in Brighton township, Lorain 
 
 Co., Ohio, a son of Danfoith and Lucinda 
 
 (Wilcox) Fisher. 
 
 The father of the subject of sketch was 
 
 born in Burlington, Otsego Co., N. Y., July 
 
 9, 1807, and was married in Henderson, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1049 
 
 Jefferson county, January 1, 1832, to Miss 
 Lucinda Wilcox, born in tliat county April 
 14, 1812. In New York State they had 
 born to tliein two children, and then, in 
 1836, they came by water to Ohio, settling 
 in the southeast corner of Brighton town- 
 ship, then a wilderness, and here were born 
 to them nine children. In 1863 the par- 
 ents removed to Michigan, and made their 
 final home in Johnstown, Barry county, 
 dying there, the mother May 12, 1888, the 
 father April 16, 1889. Mrs. Fisher was a 
 member of the Disciple Church ; Mr. Fisher 
 was a strong Republican in his political 
 preferences. Their family numbered in all 
 eleven children, one of whom Phcfibe Alice 
 died in infancy, the rest being as follows: 
 Eliza, wife of Joseph Powers, residing in 
 Michigan; H. Clinton, who was a resident 
 of Michigan, now deceased; Edward B., a 
 farmer of Huntington township, served one 
 year in the Tenth Michigan Cavalry; O. L., 
 subject of sketch; Alma, who was married 
 to Hiram Wilson, and lived in Cleveland, 
 and who is now a widow, residing in Cali- 
 fornia; Newton D., late a resident of Cleve- 
 land, where he was a lumber merchant, who 
 served four years in the Second Ohio Cav- 
 alry (he died November 17, 1893); George 
 F., a carpenter, of Chicago; Oren D., who 
 was educated at Oberlin College, at Olivet 
 (Mich.) College, and later at Yale College, 
 and is now a minister in the Congregational 
 Church at Toledo, Ohio; Peter, a farmer 
 in Michigan; and Wilbur, in the lumber 
 business at Cleveland. 
 
 0. L. Fisher, whose name opens this 
 sketch, attended during the winter months 
 the district schools of Wellington town- 
 ship, Lorain county, and worked on his 
 father's farm summers. In 1862, in 
 Brighton township, he enlisted in Battery 
 I, First Ohio Light Artillery, and was sent 
 to Eastern Virginia. He participated in 
 the battles of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, 
 Lookout "Valley, Rocky Face, Resaca, Kene- 
 saw Mountain, bombardment of Fredericks- 
 burg. Peach Tree Creek and Atlanta, Ga., 
 in fact all the engagements bis battery took 
 
 part in. On June 13, 1865, he was dis- 
 charged, after having been in hospital five 
 months, and returned to his liotne in 
 Brighton township, Lorain county, whence 
 after a month's stay he went to Michigan, 
 whither his parents had gone, as above 
 stated. At the end of si.x years he again 
 came to Lorain county, and bought his 
 present farm of 127 acres in Huntington 
 township, where he successfully carries on 
 general farming, including a lucrative 
 dairying business. On December 27, 1865, 
 Mr. Fisher married Miss Sarah A. Led- 
 yard, a native of Huntington township, 
 born July 11, 1846, and they have two 
 children, viz.: Louis, at present residing at 
 home, and Erva. 
 
 j LLEN SANDERS. Among the 
 l\ several prosperous and enterprising 
 native-born agriculturists of Lorain 
 county, none, probably, is deserving 
 more prominent notice in this vol- 
 ume than the gentleman whose name here 
 appears. 
 
 Mr. Sanders was born in LaGrange 
 township in 1835, a son of Horace and 
 Maranda (Clark) Sanders, natives of the 
 State of New York, who came before mar- 
 riage to Ohio. They were wedded in La- 
 Grange township, Lorain county, and 
 settled on a farm which he had purchased 
 in 1826. Here they passed the rest of 
 their pioneer lives, the father dying in 
 1879 aged seventy-two years, the mother 
 in 1883, also aged seventy-two. To Mr. 
 and Mrs. Horace Sanders were born six chil- 
 dren, as follows: W. B., Allen, Melinda 
 (deceased), De Loss (deceased in LaGrange 
 township), Eber (a farmer of LaGrange 
 townshipj, and Clark (who died in New- 
 burgh, Ohio). Grandfather Sanders was 
 born in New York State, and Grandfather 
 Nathan Clark was a pioneer of LaGrange 
 township, subsequently moving to Eaton 
 county, Mich., where he died. 
 
1050 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Allen Sanders, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, received his education at the dis- 
 trict schools of LaGrange township, and 
 was practically reared to farm life. Up 
 till 1883 he was engaged in farinino; in La- 
 Grange and Pittstield townships, and then 
 came to Elyria township, buying an im- 
 proved farm known as the "Cochran 
 farm." In 1858 he was married to Miss 
 Amelia Tiiorpe, a native of Carlisle town- 
 ship, Lorain county, and daughter of 
 Maletus and Emily (Sfj^iiires) Thorpe, na- 
 tives of Vermont, who came to l^orain 
 county at an early day, and died here. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Sanders was born one child 
 that died at the age of three months. In 
 politics our sul>ject is a Democrat of in- 
 fluence, active in the affairs of his party, 
 and he is noted for his industry and fru- 
 gality, and liberality toward schools, 
 churches and all public enterprises. 
 
 EiDWm H. BACON, than wiiom 
 probal)ly no one in Lorain county 
 I is better known, is a native of 
 
 Brownhelm township, born Novem- 
 ber 19, 1838, only son of John C. and 
 Mary (Peck) Bacon. 
 
 The father of subject was born in Mas- 
 sachusetts, June 10, 1811, and died in 
 Brownhelm township, Lorain county, 
 whitlier he had come in the spring of 
 1818, being brought by his parents. His 
 father, George Bacon, bought land from 
 the State of Connecticut, and carried on 
 farming up to the time of his death, 
 which occurred when he was eighty years 
 old. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. 
 His fathei', also named George (great- 
 grandfather of E. H. Bacon), received a 
 life pension for services rendered in the 
 Revolutionary war, part of which was, 
 being disguised as an Indian, the throwing 
 of the tea overboard the English ships in 
 Boston harbor. John C. Bacon was a 
 
 well-known business man in Brownhelm 
 township, and built up tjje place known as 
 Bacon's Corners. He married Mary Peck, 
 by whicli union there was but one child — 
 Edwin H. John C. Bacon, in his political 
 predilections, was a Republican, ever active 
 in the interests of his party. 
 
 Edwin H. Bacon received a liberal edu- 
 cation in the schools of the vicinity of his 
 place of birth. In September, 1861, he 
 was united in marriage with Celia S. Haw- 
 ley, who is also a native of Browniielin 
 township, Lorain county, born February 
 19, 1862. She is a daughter of J. K. and 
 Margaret (Wells) Hawley, the former of 
 whom was born February 19, 1807, in 
 JefJ'erson. Ashtabula Co., Ohio, the latter 
 on July 11, 1808, in Hartford, Conn. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Bacon have come eight chil- 
 dren, as follows: Alice M., wife of John 
 Shotton; Edith M.; Elizabeth F.; Edna 
 C, wife of L. A. Busche; Bertha M., 
 wife of W. E. Fisher; Minerva S., Grace 
 A. and Edwin K. After marriage Mr. 
 and Mrs. Bacon made their home on a 
 farm in Brownhelm township for three 
 years, and then moved to Wood county, 
 Ohio, where they resided a few years, re- 
 turning to Brownhelm township, and re- 
 suming farming there. After about fif- 
 teen years they proceeded to Vermillion, 
 Ohio, but at the end of four years returned 
 to Lorain county and took charge of the 
 " Farrell House " in the town of Lorain, 
 for two and one-half years. In 1891 they 
 moved into Elyria (where they yet reside), 
 and for one year kept the old-established 
 "Beebe House" in that town. Politically 
 Mr. Bacon is a Republican. 
 
 HflRAM PRENTICE, one of Cam- 
 den township's most highly re- 
 _[ spected citizens, is a native of the 
 State of New York, born Septem- 
 ber 15, 1824, in Lewis county, a 
 son of William and Sallie (Bates) Prentice. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1051 
 
 William Prentice, father of subject, was 
 a miller by trade in New York State, con- 
 diictiiig saw and grist mills. In 1835 he 
 came to Ohio with liis wife and five chil- 
 dren, the journey being made with wagons, 
 and they brought with them such house- 
 hold goods as were necessary for them by 
 tlie way, the bulk of the effects being con- 
 veyed by water to Huron, at that time a 
 port on Lake Erie. Coming to Camden 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, the family 
 located one half mile south of the present 
 village of Kipton, where Mr. Prentice 
 bought one hundred acres of uncleared 
 latid for eight hundred dollars cash, and 
 had sufficient nu)uey left to equip the farm 
 with all necessary outhouses, etc., for there 
 was nothing in the way of buildintrs on it 
 save two small huts. He also conducted 
 a gristmill. On May 1, 1836, less than 
 one year after settling on his purchase, he 
 passed from earth, and was buried on iiis 
 rami, but his remains were afterward re- 
 moved to Camden cemetery. His widow 
 died in February, 188P), at an advanced 
 age, and was laid to rest by his side. They 
 were the parents of five children, all born 
 in New \ork State, as follows: Diantha. 
 widow of Obediah Bowen, of Elyria; 
 Obadiah, late a physician of Norwalk; 
 "William, of Rice county, Minn.; Hiram, 
 subject of this memoir; and Harvey, of 
 New York City. 
 
 On Friday, December 29, 1893, died 
 Dr. Obadiah Prentice, at his home in Nor- 
 walk. He was born at Lowville, Lewis 
 Co., N. Y., November 6, 1819. In 1835, 
 with his parents, he moved to Camden 
 township, Lorain county, where he lived 
 for many years. In 1848 he was gradu- 
 ated from the Cincinnati Medical College, 
 and began to practice in Ashtabula, where 
 he remained for six years; thence removed 
 to Monroeville, where he lived until 1881, 
 at which time he came to Norwalk, where 
 he has since resided. In 1844 he married 
 Miss Harriett D. Webster, of JeffersoTi, 
 Ohio. His wife and two children — Dr. 
 C. M. C. Prentice, of Chicago, and Mrs. 
 
 L. D. Lindsley, of Norwalk — survive him. 
 His life is too well known to need eulogy, 
 for by his death the community has lost a 
 helping friend in all kinds of trouble. 
 
 " Life's work well done, 
 Lite's race well run, 
 Life's crown well won, 
 Now comes rest." 
 
 The remains were interred in Camden 
 cemetery, where his fatiier and mother are 
 sleeping, Camden being his old bijyhood 
 home. 
 
 Hiram Prentice, whose name opens this 
 sketch, was reared a farmer boy, and re- 
 ceived a liberal education at the public 
 schools. A good deal of his boyhood time 
 was spent in his father's mills, and being 
 a briglit mechanic he was able to dress buhrs 
 in the gi-istmill before he was twelve years 
 old. Li 1835 he came to Ohio with the 
 rest of the family, as above related, and 
 was at once put to work at the plow, driv- 
 injj and steering the oxen between the 
 many stumps that remained in the ground. 
 AYilil animals were still plentiful, and deer, 
 turkeys and occasional bears were to be 
 seen in the woods. He was at that time 
 aged about twelve years, and when a little 
 older he entered Oberlin College, where he 
 made considerable progress in his studies. 
 Having htted himself for teaching, he fol- 
 lowed the profession in Camden town- 
 ship, Lorain county, and also in Lyme 
 township, Huron county. For seven 
 years he studied medicine under the pre- 
 ceptorship of his brother, in Ashtabula, 
 Ohio, but circumstances compelled him to 
 give it up and return to the home farm, 
 which gradually fell into his possession, 
 he buying out the interests of the other 
 heirs, and he lias resided thereon ever 
 since. 
 
 On March 17, 1853, Mr. Prentice was 
 married to Laura A. Webster, who was 
 born October 3, 1831, in Kingsville, Ash- 
 tabula Co., Ohio, a daughter of Smith and 
 Margaret (P.lodgett) Webster. She is a 
 well-educated lady, and for seven or eight 
 terms taught school in Ashtabula county, 
 
1052 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 at which time it was she formed the ac- 
 quaintance of Mr. Prentice. The chil- 
 dren born to this union were Eugene S., 
 agent for the Michigan Southern and Lake 
 Shore Kailroad at Kipton; Minnie E., who 
 died at the age of seventeen years, and 
 Jennie E., at home. Politically Mr. Pren- 
 tice was originally a Whig (his first Pre- 
 sidential vote being cast for John P. Hale), 
 then a Free-Soiler, later a Kepublican 
 until 1884, when he united with the Pro- 
 hibitionists. While under the Republican 
 banner he served his township in several 
 offices. He and hie wife are leading mem- 
 bers and liberal supporters of the Christian 
 Church at Kipton, in which he is an elder. 
 
 llOHN WOLF. One of the represen- 
 k. I tative thorough business men and 
 \Jj shrewd financiers of Lorain county, 
 and not the least of Rochester town- 
 ship's systematic and progressive farmer 
 citizens, is the gentleman whose name here 
 appears. 
 
 Mr. Wolf was born July 27, 1832, iu 
 Knox township, Columbiana Co., Ohio, a 
 grandson of Adam Wolf, who in 1805 
 came from Virginia to Ohio, and died in 
 Indiana. William Wolf, father of John, 
 WHS a native of Virginia, born in Londonn 
 county, and came with his parents to Ohio, 
 where in Columbiana county he married 
 Miss Catherine Fetterhoff, who was born in 
 the Keystone State, a daughter of Jacob 
 Fetterhoff. In 1848 the family removed to 
 Troy township, Ashland Co., same State, 
 thence after a time to Steuben county, Ind., 
 where, near Pleasant Lake, William died 
 in 1888; he lies buried in Mt. Zion Church 
 cemetery in that county. His widow, now 
 well advanced in life, resides in DeKalb 
 county, Ind., with her eldest daughter, 
 Susanna Smith. Of their large family of 
 seventeen children, fifteen married, and 
 
 fourteen are yet living in various parts of 
 the United States, the sons for the most 
 part being farmers. 
 
 John Wolf, of whom this sketch chiefly 
 relates, received his education in the pub- 
 lic schools of his day, which in some re- 
 spects, he avers, are superior to those of 
 the present time. He was practically 
 trained to farming under the tuition of his 
 father, and at the same time learned car- 
 pentry, although not apprenticed to the 
 trade. From the age of sixteen he was 
 reared in Tro^' townsiiip, Ashland Co., 
 Ohio, and remained under the paternal 
 roof till he was twenty-two, at which time 
 he commenced working out as a farm hand. 
 In August, 1862, he enlisted in Troy town- 
 ship, Ashland county, in Company K, One 
 Hundred and Second O. V. I., which went 
 into camp in Mansfield, Ohio, and was then 
 detailed to do guard and scout duty in 
 Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama. At 
 the close of the war he was honorably dis- 
 charged, and returned home, arriving in 
 July, 1865. Not prepared to at once set- 
 tle down to the pursuits of peace, he mar- 
 ried, in the fall of the same year, Miss 
 Eliza A. Sponsler, born in Columbiana 
 county, Ohio, November 24, 1839, a daugh- 
 ter of Andrew Sponsler, at that time a 
 farmer of Sullivan township, Ashland Co., 
 Ohio. The children born to this union are 
 as fallows: Cliarlie, a farmer of Rochester 
 township; Piiosbe E., deceased in infancy; 
 Carrie, Mrs. Winter Close, of Orange 
 township, Ashland county; John F., a 
 farmer of Rochester township, and Min- 
 ner, Mrs. Emmer Hileman. 
 
 In Troy township. Ashland county, Mr. 
 Wolf bought, out of liis savings at the time 
 he was working by the month at thirteen 
 dollars per month, a farm which he after- 
 ward resold. Later, out of his savings 
 from ills pay while in the army, he pur- 
 chased ninety-seven acres near his father's 
 place. In the following year, after making 
 a home on bis last purchase, he bought of 
 Cephas Clark a farm of 153 acres in 
 Rochester township, Lorain county, whereon 
 
^:% 
 
 '^f*" 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1055 
 
 be now lives, and to this he has since 
 added until he now has 190 acres of as fine 
 agricultural land as can be seen in his sec- 
 tion. This has all been accnmulated, not 
 by speculation, but by assiduous, honest 
 toil, hacked by sound judgment and care- 
 ful economy, in which he has been loyally 
 and valuably assisted by his amiable and 
 thrifty wife. They are worthy leading 
 members of the Congregational Church, in 
 which be is trustee. Politically he is a 
 Democrat, and in Rochester township, 
 though largely Republican, he has filled 
 the office of trustee for a number of terms 
 with acknowledged ability. 
 
 FW. MARTIN, for about sixteen 
 months a member of the firm of 
 __ Martin & Smith, of Elyria, Ohio, 
 and still of Martin Brothers, Chi- 
 cago, 111., and now doing business as F. W. 
 Martin, at Elyria, is a native of Rhenish 
 Bavaria, born May 4, 1861, about four 
 miles from Landau. 
 
 In that city he was reared and educated 
 np to the age of fifteen years, at which time 
 he emigrated to America. Having no 
 knowledge of English, he proceeded to Illi- 
 nois in order to attend the Noi-thwestern 
 College at Naperville in that State. At 
 the end of one term he left that institution, 
 expecting to spend the vacation in Chicago 
 and then return to school; but instead he 
 came to Elyria, where he had a brother liv- 
 ing, a clergyman of the German Evangelical 
 Church. After attending school six weeks 
 here, in order to liecome better acquainted 
 with the English language, he entered the 
 employ of D. C. Baldwin & Co., with 
 whom he remained fifteen months, and then 
 found employment in the dry-goods estab- 
 lishment of Goldberg Brothers, Elyria. 
 With them he also remained some fifteen 
 months, after which he accepted a position 
 with Strauss »fe Knpfer, till September, 
 
 1885, when he commenced business on his 
 own account, in carpets, wall paper, curtains, 
 oil-cloth, etc. He had purchased the stock of 
 Strauss & Knpfer, and commenced business 
 under the firm name of F. W. Martin & 
 Co., his father-in-law, W. F. Hurlbut, being 
 associated with him. At the latter's death 
 Mr. Martin changed the firm to F. W. 
 Martin, which so continued from Decem- 
 ber 18, 1880, to October 1, 1892, when 
 he formed a partnership with H. H. Smith, 
 and opened out an establishment on Cheap- 
 side, in Elyria, at which place he was in 
 business until January 12, 1894. He sold 
 his interest in this firm, and opened np in 
 the same line at No. 27 Broad street as 
 F. W. Martin. Mr. Martin, early in 1888, 
 opened a branch business in Lorain, but in 
 May his health tailed, so that he could not 
 properly atlend to it, and he consequently 
 sold this branch out the following July. 
 In September, 1891, he commenced busi- 
 ness in Chicago, 111., at No. 503-5 West 
 Madison street, the firm name being Mar- 
 tin Brothers (he having received his broth- 
 er into partnership), their line of trade 
 being furniture and household goods on 
 the installment plan. On May 1, 1892, 
 he opened another branch in that city, at 
 No. 307 Ogden avenue, for the sale of 
 wall paper, paints, oils, etc., which latter 
 he discontinued after one year's trial. 
 
 On January 13, 1885, our subject was 
 united in marriage with Alice G. Hurlbut. 
 He is a Republican in politics, and is a 
 member of the Knights of Pythias, Blue 
 Lodge. Mr. Martin continues to reside in 
 Elyria, as his Chicago house is in a flour- 
 ishing condition, and does not require his 
 personal attention. 
 
 El C. BURGE. This well-known resi- 
 dent of Brighton township is a 
 J native of Ohio, born in Orange 
 township, Richland (now Ashland) 
 county, September 11, 1830, a son of John 
 Y. and Mary (Lowry) Burge. 
 
1056 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 The father of our subject was born in 
 Loudoun county, Va., a son of William 
 Burge, who came to Pennsylvania in early 
 days, residing for some years in Greene 
 county. In the early part of this century 
 he moved to Ohio, finally settling in Rich- 
 land county, where he died. He had a 
 family of seven children, of whom the 
 following is a brief record: John Y. is 
 the father of our subject; Henry, who 
 was a blacksmith by trade, remained in 
 Pennsylvania, where he died; Mary mar- 
 ried Andrew Newman, and died near 
 Jeromesville, Ohio; Benjamin M. died in 
 New Haven township, Huron Co., Ohio 
 (he was accidentally killed in the following 
 manner: He and others were logging, 
 and had several logs rolled together. They 
 were pntting a single log on the top of the 
 pile, and Benjamin Bui-ge had one end of 
 it lield up with a handspike, one end of 
 this lever being under the log, the other 
 resting on his shoulder. "When the rest 
 of the men were lifting iip the far end of 
 the log, Burge's foot slipped and he fell, 
 the handspike, being suddenly released 
 from his shoulder, striking him on the 
 neck with great force, dislocating it and 
 producing death); Ruth married LTsher 
 Goldsmith, and died near Mansfield, Ohio; 
 Sarah married Christopher Lamberton, a 
 lawyer of Mansfield, Ohio; William L., 
 who was well educated, died in St. Louis, 
 Missouri. 
 
 John Y. Burge was reared on a farm, 
 and learned the trade of cooper under his 
 father. He was married in Pennsylvania 
 to Mary Lowry, who was born in Loudoun 
 county, Ya., a member of one of the lead- 
 ing families of that State. After marriage 
 they remained in the Keystone State some 
 time, and then came with his family to 
 Ohio, locating on a farm in Stark county, 
 where Mr. Burge stopped temporarily, and 
 engaged with a farmer to work his place 
 for a period of three years; then moved to 
 Richland county, whither his parents had 
 preceded him, and in the township of 
 Orange he and his wife passed the re- 
 
 mainder of their lives. They had a family 
 of fourteen children, as follows: Lemuel 
 G., who died in Orange township after 
 reaching adult age; William W., who died 
 in infancy, in Stark county, Ohio; Samuel 
 W., who died of typhoid fever in Orange 
 township; Benjamin M., of Greenwich, 
 Pluron Co., Ohio; John, a farmer of 
 Brighton township; Elizabeth, who died 
 at the age of twenty-iive years; Sarah, who 
 married John Goldsmith, and now lives in 
 Richland county, Ohio; Ruth, who died 
 unmarried; Mary, who died in youth; 
 E. C, subject of this sketch; Rachel, un- 
 married, residing in Ashland county. Ohio; 
 Ezra L., of Oberlin, Ohio; Ellzey K., who 
 died in Lawrence county, Penn.; and one 
 that died in infancy unnamed. Mr. Burge 
 followed his trade, coopering, with much 
 success in the various places where he 
 lived, and succeeded in accumulating a 
 pleasant home, comprising 153 acres of 
 prime land, and an elegant house. In his 
 political associations he was a Whig, and 
 he and his wife were members of the 
 Methodist Church. 
 
 E C. Burge, whose name opens this 
 sketch, received his education at the com- 
 mon schools of his native township, and 
 when a young man came to Lorain county 
 with his brother John Y. He took up his 
 residence in Brighton township, where he 
 worked as a farm hand at first-class wages, 
 and after his marriage located on the old 
 homestead in Orange township, Ashland 
 county, then consisting of 153 acres, con- 
 siderably encumbered, however, and here 
 resided three years. In 1850 he again 
 came to Brighton township, Lorain county, 
 and worked as a hired man until 1859, sav- 
 ing money sufKcient to buy the land where 
 he now lives, and in 1860 he moved there- 
 on. Here he has since carried on general 
 farming, and built a new residence, barn, 
 etc. ; for some years he has also done a very 
 profitable dairy business. In addition to 
 all this Mr. Burge taught school during 
 the winter months in various parts of Ohio 
 — Lucas, Ashland, Huron and Lorain 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1057 
 
 counties — in all thirty-three terms, giving 
 eminent satisfaction to all concerned; but 
 he had to retire from the profession on 
 account of impaired eyesight. 
 
 On October 17, 1852,' Mr. Burge was 
 married to Nancy Thompson, who was born 
 February 13, 1836, in Wayne county, Ohio, 
 daughter of William and Rachel (Kearnes) 
 Thompson, and the children born to them 
 are as follows: John Y., a school teacher; 
 Martha A., Mrs. John Burrows, of Brigh- 
 ton; Mary, Mrs. O. L. Rolfe, of Brighton; 
 and Vernie, a school teacher, also of Brigh- 
 ton. Our subject is a prominent member 
 of the Republican party, and has held va- 
 rious offices of trust in his township. In 
 matters of religion he and his wife are 
 members of the Methodist Episconal 
 Church. He is in all things remarkably 
 temperate, and never drinks intoxicating 
 liquors. 
 
 (SALTER SMITH, a native-born 
 \J/ agriculturist of Lorain county, 
 \L[ was born September 5, 1S43, in 
 Penfield township, on the same 
 farm which he now owns and resides upon. 
 Levi Smith, father of our subject, was 
 born December 23, 1815, in Camden, 
 Oneida Co., N. Y., son of Joel B. Smith, 
 a cabinet maker, and was reared to 
 farm life. During the winter season 
 he attended the common schools, but 
 he was actively engaged as well in farm 
 work even in his early boyhood, when he 
 was so small that he could not hold the 
 plow handles, or yoke the oxen without 
 standing on a box; and from the time he 
 was sixteen years old he had charge of a 
 small farm which his father owned. 
 About 1836 he came to Lorain county, 
 Ohio (the passage over Lake Erie being 
 very rough), accompanied by his parents, 
 who first located in Andierst and then in 
 Penfield township. He remained with 
 them until 1840, when he returned to his 
 native county in New York, and there 
 
 married Miss Harriet Johnson, an old 
 schoolmate, who was born July 9, 1819, in 
 Oneida county, N. Y., daughter of Russell 
 Johnson, a farmer. Immediately after 
 marriage the young couple set out for the 
 home in Ohio, where they located on a 
 tract of forty-six acres, all of which, with 
 the exception of tlie riverland, was in the 
 woods, and here erected the house our sub- 
 ject now resides in. Llere were born to 
 them two children, as follows: George, 
 who enlisted August 9, 1862, at Cleveland, 
 in Battery B, First Ohio Light Artillery, 
 and died December 9, 1862, of typhoid 
 fever, in Hospital No. 9, Nashville, Tenn., 
 where he was buried in the National 
 cemetery, the day before his father arrived; 
 and Walter, who is the subject proper of 
 this sketch. Mr. Smith was a lifelong 
 farmer, and at the time of his death owned 
 228 acres of land, which property he had 
 accumulated by hard work and good man- 
 agement, and he kept 500 head of sheep 
 when wool sold at one dollar per pound. 
 
 Levi Smith was one of the best finan- 
 ciers of his time, and was a close oI)server 
 of men and events. Politically he was ori- 
 ginally a Whig, later a Republican, was a 
 regular attendant at all elections, and 
 served for many years as township trus- 
 tee. He was very patriotic, and during 
 the Civil Avar contributed much toward 
 freeing the township from the draft. When 
 about forty-five years of age he united with 
 the M. E. Church, of which he remained a 
 member until his death, which occurred 
 March 6, 1884. After his decease his widow 
 removed to Wellington, where she passed 
 a retired life until her death, December 
 11, 1888, when she was buried by the side 
 of her husband in Center cemetery. She 
 was a member of the M. E. Church for 
 over forty-five years. 
 
 Our sul)ject obtained such an education 
 as the common schools of his time afforded, 
 meantime receiving his airricultural train- 
 ing on the home farm. On August 23, 
 1866, he married Alice M. Crane, also a 
 native of Penfield township, and they had 
 
1058 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 two children, as follows: Blanche, now Mrs. 
 E. M. Smith, of Cleveland, Ohio; and 
 George, now a resident of California. The 
 mother of these died in 1870, and in 1872 
 Mr. Smith married, for his second wife. 
 Miss Sarah E. Pierce, who was born near 
 Auburn, N. Y., daughter of James M. 
 Pierce, who removed to Ohio in his later 
 years. To this union came four children, 
 namely: Guy E., Mary Etta, Harry H. 
 and Levi. After his marriage Mr. Smith 
 located in Peniield township, and worked 
 the farm owned liy his father, after whose 
 death he moved to his present place, where, 
 with the exception of two years passed in 
 Wellino'ton for the benefit of his children's 
 education, he has since made his home. 
 In politics he is a stanch member of the 
 Republican party, and is well posted on 
 the issues of the day. Mrs. Smith is a 
 member of the M. E. Church. 
 
 in 
 
 dl C. SMITH, one of the most success 
 ful business men in Pentield town 
 I ship, was born April 9, 1827, 
 Camden, Oneida Co., New York. 
 Joel B. Smith, father of our sul>ject, 
 was born February 2, 1788, in Connecti- 
 cut, and when a young man was bound out 
 for six years to learn the trade of carpen- 
 ter and joiner. He was married in Con- 
 necticut, on February 13, 1811, to Miss 
 Harriet Bronson, who was born in that 
 State January 1, 1791, and they shortly 
 afterward removed to Oneida county, N. Y., 
 locating in the town of Camden, where he 
 worked steadily and industriously at his 
 trade. He purchased property and owned 
 a farm, and here children as follows were 
 born to him: Myron B., born November 
 30, 1811, now of Lapeer, Mich, (he was at 
 one time State surveyor of Michigan): 
 Levi, born October 13, 1812, who died 
 November 27, 1812; Sarah S., born March 
 6, 1814, who was married in New York 
 
 State to Edward Ackley, and died June 6, 
 1839 (she was the second woman interred 
 in Penfield cemetery); Levi, born Decem- 
 ber 23, 1815; Hervey P., who was a resi- 
 dent of Michigan many years ago, but left 
 that State to locate some coal mines in 
 Pennsylvania, and has never since been 
 beard from; George L., a farmer, who died 
 in Lapeer, Mich. ; Harriet, who married 
 William Hart, and died in Grafton; Hiram, 
 a very successful lumberman, who died in 
 Flint, Mich.; J. C, the subject of this 
 sketch; and Henry, of Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 During the winter of 1836-37 Joel B. 
 Smith had come to Lorain county, Ohio, 
 and passed a short time in Amherst town- 
 ship with his brother Isaac, who was a 
 Methodist Episcopal niinister, while there 
 making some arrangements for the pur- 
 chase of a farm, while the snow was on the 
 ground. He next went to Michigan on a 
 visit to his son Myron B., and then returned 
 to his liorae in New York, in the spring of 
 1837 bringing his family to Lorain county. 
 They came by way of the Erie Canal 
 from Utica to Buffalo, N. Y^., and thence 
 by Lake to Cleveland; during their pas- 
 sage through the ice in the lake the paddle- 
 wheel of the vessel was broken, but Joel 
 Smifh, being a carpenter, repaired it. Their 
 progress was still very slow, however, three 
 days and three nights being occupied in 
 traveling twenty miles, but they finally 
 landed at Black River (now Lorain), from 
 which town they drove their own team to 
 the home of Isaac Smith in Amherst town- 
 ship. By this time the snow had melted 
 from the ground, and Mr. Smith, seeing 
 that the land he had partially bargained 
 for was stony, declined to take it, but hear- 
 ing of a farm for sale in Penfield township 
 he came hither and bought 150 acres at 
 thirty dollars per acre, the place on which 
 our subject now resides. The bottom-land 
 on this tract had been partly cleared, but 
 the rest was all in the woods, and here Mi". 
 Smith resided until his death, from heart 
 disease, on May 13, 1850. He was buried 
 in Center cemetery, and his widow then 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1059 
 
 made her home with her eon J. C. for 
 seven years. She next went to Michigan, 
 to live with her son Myron B., wliere she 
 died in IS-tO; she was buried by the side 
 of her husband. After coming west Mr. 
 Smith followed his trade, and erected the 
 residence on his own farm and various 
 other buildings in the township. He was 
 also able to make tine furniture and manu- 
 factured a number of colfins. He was a 
 soldier in the war of 1812, and the old 
 musket he carried at Sacket's Harbor is 
 still in the possession of our subject. He 
 was a Republican in politics, formerly a 
 Whig, and kept himself posted on the 
 issues of the day. 
 
 Our subject attended the common schools 
 of the neighboriiood of his boyhood home 
 up to the age of ten years, when he came 
 with his parents to Ohio, at which time 
 there was no schoolhouse in his district. 
 Later, however, he attended a school one 
 and a half miles south of his home, taught 
 by J. B. Wilson, in the meantime being 
 trained to agricultural pursuits on the 
 home farm, where he remained until his 
 marriage. On April 9, 1851, he was 
 wedded to Miss Mary A. Knapp, a native 
 of Pentield township, daughter of Schubie 
 Knapp, an early pioneer of same, who was 
 killed by the falling of a hollow log, which 
 struck him on the head while he was build- 
 ing a smoke-house. Mrs. Mary A. Smith 
 died March 3, 1852, leaving one child, 
 Mary E., now Mrs. Charles Lang, of Pen- 
 field, and on April 24, 1853, Mr. Smith 
 married Miss Minerva Starr, who was 
 born November 6, 1827. in HarpersHeld, 
 Delaware Co., N. Y., daughter of Orrin 
 and Abigail (Hickok) Starr, pioneers of 
 Bentield township. To this union were 
 born children as follows: Burton, of Graf- 
 ton, Ohio, in the employ of the C. C. C. 
 & St. L. R. R. Co.; Josephine M., now 
 Mrs. William Mander, of Toledo. Ohio; 
 Alonzo B.. a farmer of Van Buren county, 
 Mich.; and Marian, widow of Edward- 
 Worrell, of Port Clinton, Ohio. Mr. 
 Smith has made farming his principal vo- 
 
 cation in life, and for live years also en- 
 gaged in droving, buying cattle throughout 
 southern Ohio. For forty years he con- 
 ducted a dairy, and for two years was also 
 in the milling business at Grafton Station, 
 having won success in all his business en- 
 terprises. During the season he makes 
 maple syrup and molasses. Politically he 
 is a lifelong Republican, but is not an as- 
 pirant for public office. He and his wife 
 are both members of the M. E. Church, 
 in which he has held various positions 
 of trust. 
 
 B. CHAPMAN, a well-known early 
 resident of Lorain county, is a son 
 of James Chapman, who was reared 
 in Lorain county. He married Eliza- 
 beth Bark, a native of Germany, who came 
 to America at the age of fourteen, and 
 they had six children, three of whom are 
 now living, namely: C. B., Bird (clerk in 
 a hardware store at Elyria, Ohio) and T. B. 
 (editor of the Lorain Timeft). The father 
 of this family followed sailing on the lakes 
 for some time; he died in 1868. His 
 widow is still living. 
 
 C. B. Chapman was born April 12, 
 1845, in Sheffield township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio. Li 1849 he came to Lorain, where 
 he received his education, and, in 1857, at 
 the early age of eleven years, commenced 
 sailing on the Lakes, a vocation in which 
 he has ever since continued, being now 
 captain of a tng-boat plying between 
 Sandusky and Lorain. Mr. Chapman has 
 also dealt in real estate; he owns two 
 dwelling houses in Lorain besides his own, 
 and has also several lots in the West End. 
 He sold five acres in the southwesiern part 
 of the town. 
 
 In 1806 the Captain was married, in 
 Cleveland, Ohio, to Mrs. Elizabeth Snider, 
 a native of Germany, who in an early day 
 came with her p'lrents, Henry and Mary 
 (Brown) Snider, also natives of Germany, 
 to Lorain county. Ohio, where the father 
 
1060 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 died; her mother died in June, 1893, at 
 the age of eighty-six years. Socially onr 
 subject is a member of the K. O. T. M., of 
 the Excelsior Marine Benevolent Associa- 
 tion, of Cleveland, of Black River Lodge 
 No. 680, I. O. O. F., and of the Order of 
 Rebekah. Politically he is an active mem- 
 ber of the Republican party, and served 
 one term as member of the town council 
 his brother has also served in tlie same 
 capacity. Mr. Chapman is a member of 
 one of the early families of Lorain, and 
 has watched her growth and progress from 
 a village of 600 people to her present pros- 
 perous condition. 
 
 L 
 
 F. CLIFFORD, a leading and pro- 
 gressive farmer of Wellington town- 
 ship, is a native of same, born April 
 18, 1834, of German ancestry on the 
 paternal side, his great grandfather hav- 
 ing come from Germany to America in 
 time to serve in the Revolutionary war. 
 He received a regular discharge from the 
 army; his wife died December 9, 1844, 
 aged ninety-three years. 
 
 John Clifford, grandfather of our sub- 
 ject, was born in 1777, in Providence, R. L 
 He married Miss Margaret Williamson, 
 who bore him children as follows: John, 
 Jr., born September 8, 1797, died Decem- 
 ber 25, 1857; Daniel, born February 7, 
 1799, died January 31, 1886 (he was the 
 father of our subject); Luther L., born 
 March 8, 1801, died March 12, 1864; 
 Hannah, born July 15, 1803, died April 
 28, 1857; Theodocia, born May 15, 1805, 
 died May 31, 1880; George W., born June 
 18, 1807, died September 28,1861; Elijah, 
 born March 13, 1810, died in July, 1880; 
 PoUie M., born June 6, 1813, died July 
 1, 1849; Benjamin F., born January 19, 
 1816, died December 21, 1885; Harriet, 
 born May 30, 1819, died December 5, 
 1869; and Adeline E., born in Ohio Sep- 
 
 tember 23, 1821, died September 2, 1841. 
 The mother of these was born March 15, 
 1779, and died May 22, 1845. 
 
 In 1818 Joiin Clifford, leaving his fam- 
 ily behind, came west to Ohio in company 
 with four others — Ephraim Wilcox, Will- 
 iam Welling, Joseph Wilson and Charles 
 Sweet — the entire journey being made 
 with a horse and cutter. Having selected 
 a suitable location i'or a settlement, oti the 
 banks of Wellington creek, about half a 
 mile from where the town of Wellington 
 now stands, Mr. Clifford returned east for 
 his family, consisting of wife and ten chil- 
 dren, and they all arrived safely at their 
 new home in March, 1820. One week after- 
 ward they had cut the timber and erected 
 alog house, covered it with shakes, chinked 
 and " mudded " it, and laid the floor, ul- 
 timately finding themselves comfortably 
 settled. This building also became the 
 first schoolhouse, the first meeting house 
 and the first tavern. It was the first point 
 immigrants would reach as they entered 
 the settlement, and its doors were always 
 open to welcome new comers. There the 
 first sermon was preached by Presiding 
 Elder McMahon, a Methodist, and at that 
 meeting Adam Poe received his license to 
 preach. Mr. Clifford was proverbial for 
 his industry and thrift. In addition to his 
 labors in clearing land, cutting roads and 
 raising crops, he plied his trade of shoe- 
 maker, for many years supplying the wants 
 of his neighbors for many miles around, 
 being the only shoemaker in the settle- 
 ment. One daughter was born to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Clifford shortly after coming here, 
 making the eleventh in the family. Mr. 
 Clifl'ord died September 17, 1869, after a 
 few weeks' illness from cancer under the 
 left arm; and at the time of his death there 
 had been of his family of eleven children 
 seventy-nine grandchildren, ninety-seven 
 great-grandchildren and one great-great- 
 grandciiild — 188 in all. 
 
 Daniel C. Clifford, father of the subject 
 proper of this sketch, was born February 
 7, 1799, at Tyringham, Berkshire Co., 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1061 
 
 Mass., and was, as will be seen, a young 
 man of twenty-one when he arrived with 
 tiie rest of the family in Wellington town- 
 ship, where all his life he followed farm- 
 ing. On March 13, 1S25, he married 
 Miss Sarah P. Hall, of Brecksville, Ohio, 
 and twelve children were born to them, 
 named as follows: Edward, Henry, Elvi- 
 ra, Jane, Christopher, Franklin, Andrew, 
 Charles, Harriet, Adeline and Ageliiie 
 (twins) and Fiancis, all yet living except 
 two. On March 13, 1875, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Daniel C. Clifford celebrated their golden 
 wedding, and there were present at the fes- 
 tival many of those wlio had attended the 
 marriage half a century before. On Jan- 
 uary 31, 1886, within one week of his 
 eigiity-seventh birthday, Mr. Clifford was 
 summoned to his long home. He had lived 
 on the same farm sixty-six years, and " was 
 a man of a remarkably vigorous frame, in- 
 domitable energy and independence of 
 character, industrious, thrifty, provident, 
 a fair type of the men who conquered the 
 diiiioulties of pioneer life." He was a 
 member of the First Methodist Episcopal 
 Society of Wellington, but did not until 
 shortly before liis death syiripathize with 
 or appreciate modern innovations or recent 
 methods. His widow survived him a little 
 less than one year, dying January 23, 
 1887, at the age of eighty-four. She was 
 a woman of remarkable enei'gy and ability, 
 and heroically braved tlie toils, dangers and 
 privations of pioneer life. She possessed 
 a cheerful, happy disposition, and " Aunt 
 Sarah " (as she was familiarly called) was 
 universally loved and respected. 
 
 L. F. Clifford, the subject proper of 
 these lines, received his education at the 
 subscription schools of Wellington town- 
 ship, Lorain county, his attendance there 
 being confined to a few months in the 
 winter seasons, the balance of the year be- 
 ing devoted to farming operations, in which 
 he became remarkably successful. In 1866 
 he was united in marriage with Mrs. Alice 
 Houghton Drake, and they have two chil- 
 dren, viz.: Paul Carlton, born August 18, 
 
 1870, and educated at the high school of 
 Wellington, and Robert Houghton, born 
 December 28, 1872, who graduated at the 
 high school of Wellington, and is now 
 taking a four years' course in the " Case 
 School of Applied Science," Cleveland, 
 Ohio. In his political preferences Mr. 
 Clifford is a Republican, and in matters 
 of religion he is a member of the M. E. 
 Church. 
 
 DANIEL TOLHURST, whose name 
 is intimately associated with the 
 agricultural interests of Lorain 
 
 county, more particularly of Am- 
 herst township, is a native of the eastern 
 part of the county of Kent, England, born 
 March 18, 1836. 
 
 His father, John Tolhurst, was born in 
 the same county in 1800, and was there 
 married to Miss Mary Standen; in 1851 
 tliev emigrated with their family to the 
 United States and to Ohio, settling on a 
 farm in Amherst township. The father 
 died in 1885; the mother is yet living, 
 and makes her home with her son Daniel, 
 who is the only survivor of her family of 
 children. The voyage across the ocean 
 took five weeks, while now it can be made 
 in about that number of days. Daniel's 
 fifteenth birthday was passed on the water. 
 A particularly sad event on the trip was 
 the death and burial at sea of an only sis- 
 ter, not quite two years old. 
 
 The subject of these lines was a youth 
 of fifteen summers when he came to Lo- 
 rain county, and has been a resident ever 
 since of Amherst township, where he 
 owns a well-cultivated farm of seventy-two 
 acres. In 1861 he was united in mar- 
 riage to Miss Harriet Standen, a native of 
 England, and two children were born to 
 them, both of whom died when young. 
 This wife departed this life in 18(55, and 
 in 1866 Mr. Tolhurst married Miss Ame- 
 lia Chapman, who was born in Michigan, 
 and reared in Lorain county, Ohio. Four 
 
1062 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 children came to bless their union, viz.: 
 Cora, deceased; Ward, born in October, 
 1871, who received a liberal commercial 
 education at Oberlin, and lives on his 
 father's farm ; Mary, wife of Howard 
 Walicer, of Amherst township, and Arthur, 
 attendincr school. In politics our subject 
 is independent, invariably voting for the 
 best men and most sahitary measures, irre- 
 spective of party. 
 
 Mrs. Amelia Tolhurst is a daughter of 
 William Henry and Jane (Sackett) Chap- 
 man, the former of whom was born in 
 New York State in 1816, and died May 
 26, 1891. He lived in Michigan for a 
 time, and was there married to Miss Jane" 
 Sackett, who was a resident of Lorain 
 county. Eight children were born to Mr. 
 and Mrs. Chapman, as follows: Celia, 
 wife of Captain S. Gilmore, of Lorain 
 county, Ohio; Amelia, wife of Daniel Tol- 
 hurst; Arthur, who was lost on the 
 schooner " Clough," when aged twenty-six 
 years; William, deceased in childhood; 
 Ella, wife of Dr. Smith, of Olmsted Fails, 
 Ohio; Cora and Alice, both of whom died 
 young, and one that lived not beyond the 
 days of infancy. 
 
 CHARLES A. FINLEY. prominent 
 at one time among the general agri- 
 culturists, stock and dairy men of 
 Lorain county, and now a leading 
 capitalist of Camden, was born in Buffalo, 
 N. Y., December 23, 1847, a son of Thomas 
 A. Finley, anativeof the District of Colum- 
 bia, whose father was a sailor. 
 
 Thomas A. Finley received a good edu- 
 cation, and on leaving school entered the 
 TJ. S. Navy, in which he served some time. 
 He was married, December 30, 1846, in 
 Buffalo, N. Y., to Lucretia Spooner, who 
 was born in Penoltscot county, Maine. 
 She died August 12, 1849, leaving one 
 child, Charles A. The father then re- 
 turned to the sea, and for a short time 
 
 thereafter wrote home occasionally till all 
 at once his letters ceased, and he has never 
 been heard of since; he may be dead, but 
 his fate is enshrouded in mystery. 
 
 Charles A. Finley, after the death of his 
 mother, was taken to be reared under the 
 care of his grandmother, Mrs. Lewis 
 Spooner, whose husband died of cholera in 
 1849. With her Charles continued to live 
 nntil he was six years of age, when he was 
 placed in a boarding school at Buffalo, 
 N. Y., and there remained until he reached 
 the age of thirteen years, at which time 
 he was bound out to Levi House, a farmer 
 of Marilla township, Erie Co., N. Y., and 
 M'ith him remained till he was twenty 
 years old, part of the time attending school. 
 After this he obtained work on a farm, but 
 did not remain long, as in 1867 he came 
 to Ohio, locating in North Amherst, Lo- 
 rain county, for a couple of years, still en- 
 gaged in farm work. At the end of that 
 time he moved into Wellington township, 
 same county, working as a farm hand for 
 S. D. Bacon, whose daughter, Eupheniia, 
 he married January 13, 1874. One son, 
 Archer S., was born to them, but died in 
 infancy, the mother following to the grave 
 in January, 1875; her remains are interred 
 in Wellington cemetery. For his second 
 wife Mr. Finley married on March 8, 
 1877, Miss Emma O. Johnson, who was 
 born in Greenwich township, Huron 
 county, December 26, 1853, daughter of 
 John and Betsy (Snyder) Johnson, who 
 came to Brighton township, Lorain county, 
 in 1860. To this union have been born 
 two children: Mabel L. and ErwiuE., both 
 living at home. 
 
 In April, 1877, our subject came to 
 Camden township, Lorain county, and 
 bought 121 acres of land at forty-two dol- 
 lars per acre, going in debt over four thou- 
 sand dollars. For nine years he lived on 
 this farm, engaged in agriculture, stock 
 raising and dairying, and then moved into 
 Kipton, for two years thereafter retaining 
 his farm, which he then sold. In 1887 he 
 started a broom factory, a new industry, 
 
(^^^L^tA^,^^^- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1065 
 
 which he successfully carried on two years, 
 and then disposed of his interest in it. He 
 has since been engaged in various enter- 
 prises, meeting in all his ventures with 
 unqualified success. He is a shrewd dealer 
 and a good financier, and is jjossessed of 
 more than ordinary business qualifications, 
 as his entire career amply testifies. He 
 controls a considerable amount of capital, 
 and much credit is due him for the man- 
 ner in which he has accumulated property 
 and wealth, and controlled what he has. 
 A Democrat in politics, he has held several 
 offices of trust in his township, for six 
 years being trustee thereof. He is a mem- 
 ber of the K. O. T. M., Tent No. 92, Kip- 
 ton. Mrs. Finley is a member of the 
 Baptist Church at Camden Center. 
 
 El H. NICHOLL, druggist and phar- 
 macist, was born October 10, 1867, 
 1 at Brownhelm, Lorain county, the 
 
 sixth child of James and Jane 
 (Lawson') Nicholl. 
 
 When our subject was four years of age 
 his parents moved to North Amherst, 
 where he attended school and studied 
 pharmacy. They are prominent repre- 
 sentative citizens of that place, and the 
 father, who has always been interested in 
 tJie stone business, is now general super- 
 intendent of the Cleveland Stone Co. At 
 the age of seventeen E. H. Nicholl went 
 
 • 
 
 into partnership, in the drug business, 
 with J. F. Utile, who died two years later, 
 when Mr. Nicholl continued alone in the 
 business. Shortly afterward, owing to ill 
 healtli, he took a trip through the south- 
 ern States, returning greatly improved. 
 He is an active member of the Ohio 
 Pharmaceutical Association, and is licensed 
 by that State. 
 
 In 1892 he married Miss Anna Miller, 
 of North Amherst, and they have one 
 child, Alson. Politically Mr. Nicholl is 
 
 inclined toward the Democratic party, but 
 does not take much interest in political 
 affairs, as he spends the greater part of his 
 time in study and in making his business 
 a success. He is a member of the K. of P. 
 and K. O. T. M. Lodges, and is one of the 
 leading, progressive and enterprising 
 young men of North Amherst. In the 
 spring of 1892 he was elected member of 
 the town council for a term of two years. 
 
 EL DURKEE, Je., an enterprising, 
 native-born farmer of Eaton town- 
 ship, was born December 2, 1844, a 
 son of Oel and Betsy (Terry) Dur- 
 kee, the former of whom was born in 1808 
 in New York State, the latter in 1809 in 
 Vermont. 
 
 Oel Durkee, Sr., was reared in his 
 native State, where he married Betsy 
 Terry, and in 1832 they came westward to 
 Lorain county, Ohio, settling in the woods 
 of Eaton township, where they yet reside. 
 They had a family of nine children (five of 
 whom are still living), viz.: Mason, mar- 
 ried, residing in Henry county, Ohio; 
 Nancy, who was the wife of Josiah Lind- 
 ley, of Henry county, Ohio, died in 1881; 
 Cordelia, who married Nelson Cornwell, 
 of Henry county, died in 1878; Hiram, 
 who enlisted in 1861, in Company D, 
 Twenty-third O. V. I., and served two 
 years, was killed in the battle of Antie- 
 tam; Pncis, deceased when eight or nine 
 years old; Oel, Jr., mentioned farther on; 
 Evaline, Mrs. Myers, residing in LaPorte, 
 Ohio; Horace, married, residing in Graf- 
 ton, Ohio; and Oscar, ujarried, residing in 
 Eaton township, Lorain county. The 
 father of this family, though now over 
 fourscore years of age, is still a strong, 
 active man. He is a member of the Re- 
 publican party, takes considerable interest 
 in politics, and served for many years as 
 trustee of Eaton township. 
 
1066 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Oel Durkee, Jr., was reared in Eaton 
 township, received liis education in the 
 common scliools of same, and has devoted 
 the greater part of his life to agriculture, 
 engaging also in the manufacture of 
 cheese. In 1861 he enlisted, for three 
 years or during the war, in Company E, 
 Forty-second O. V. I., and served with 
 the army of the Cumberland. He par- 
 ticipated in the engagements in Kentucky, 
 siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, and New 
 Orleans, was through the Red River cam- 
 paign, and subsequently at Brownsville, 
 Texas. In 1865 he was honorably dis- 
 charged, at Columbus, Ohio, and imme- 
 diately returned to Lorain county, where 
 he resumed farm life. In December, 
 1866, he was united in marriage, in Eaton 
 township, with Miss Emma Phillips, a 
 native of same, daughter of Edwin and 
 Betsy (Wilmott) Phillips; the father, a 
 native of Vermont, who was an early set- 
 tler in Eaton township, was drowned about 
 1857, while sailing on the " Henry Clay." 
 His widow, who afterward remarried, died 
 in Eaton township in 1891. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Oel Durkee were born 
 eight children (si.K of whom are yet liv- 
 ing), viz.: May (deceased at the age of 
 three years), Juna (deceased at the age of 
 seventeen), Edward, Leo, Stella, Blanche, 
 Elza and Flossie. Our subject owns a 
 farm of eighty-three acres of good land, 
 where he carries on general farming. In 
 politics he is a Repiiblican; socially he is 
 a member of Richard Allen Post, G. A. E., 
 Elyria. 
 
 E. HOLCOMB, farmer and stock 
 raiser, and a popular citizen of La- 
 Grange township, is a native of 
 same, Vjorn September 28, 1840. 
 He is a son of Asal and Fannie 
 (Hastings) Holcomb, the former of whom 
 was born in Jefferson county. N. Y., son of 
 Noah Holcomb, Asal Holcomb received 
 an education in the common schools, and 
 
 learned the carpenter's trade, having a 
 natural aptitude for mechanical work. 
 When a young man he came to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, where he married Miss Fan- 
 nie Hastings, up to which time he had 
 been engaged in various kinds of labor. 
 He then bought land in LaGrange town- 
 ship (the farm our subject now resides on), 
 and here all their children were born, as 
 follows: A. I., a farmer of LaGrange; 
 R. E., subject of this sketch; Jeanette, 
 Mrs. D. C. Nichols, of LaGrange; Wesley, 
 who died young; and Fannie, Mrs. Ed- 
 ward Nichols, of Penfield, Ohio. Mrs. 
 Holcomb died at the bii'th of her daughter 
 Fannie, and was interred in East cemetery, 
 and Mr. Holcomb subsequently married 
 Miss Maria Hunter, of Richland county, 
 Ohio. There were no children by this 
 union. Mr. Holcomb was a lifelong agri- 
 culturist, and met with considerable suc- 
 cess in his vocation, accumulating a com- 
 fortable competence. In politics he was a 
 Democrat, and in religion they were Chris- 
 tians — though not members of any Church. 
 He passed from earth in 1867, and he and 
 his wife lie buried in East cemetery. 
 
 R. E. Holcomb was educated first in the 
 common schools, and later at select school, 
 being a pupil of E. G. Johnson at La- 
 Grange Center. He was trained to agri- 
 cultural life, and remained on the home 
 farm until his enlistment, September 5, 
 1861, at LaGrange, in Company B, First 
 Ohio Artillery, with which he went to 
 Camp Dennison, near Cincinnati. His 
 first active service was at Wild Cat, Ky. 
 theirs being thefirstartillery discharged in 
 Kentucky during the war), and subse- 
 quently lie was in the battles of Mill 
 Springs, Stone River, Lookout Mountain, 
 Crawfish Springs, following his command 
 through to the close of the war, during 
 which time he was never obliged to be in 
 hospital. He had studied while in camp, 
 sending home for books, and thus prepar- 
 ing himself to teach, and after coming 
 home to LaGrange he taught school three 
 terms in that township. On December 10, 
 
 t 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1067 
 
 1868, Mr. Holcomb was married to Miss 
 Margaret Henderside, who was l)orii in 
 Litciifield, Medina Co., Ohio, daughter of 
 James Henderside, who catnc from Scot- 
 land. He then bought out the other heirs 
 of the home place, being obliged to go into 
 debt therefor, and here he has ever since 
 been engatred in general farming and stock 
 raising. He is a self-made man in every 
 respect. In politics he is a Republican, 
 and has served in various local positions, 
 but is not an active partisan. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Holcomb are the parents of the fol- 
 lowing children: Belle F., now Mrs. 
 George Nichols, of LaGrange; and Bertie 
 A., who is living at home. 
 
 I H. REMINGTON, for over si.xty 
 V. I years a resident of Lorain county, 
 }^j bavins; been born here in 1828, comes 
 of old Massacliusetts stock, his parents 
 — Henry J. and Matilda (Williams) Re- 
 mington — being natives of that State. 
 
 In February, 1822, the parents set out 
 for Ohio, with a yoke of oxen and one 
 horse, and after a journey of six weeks ar- 
 rived in Lorain county, and made a, settle- 
 ment in Pittstield township. Ciiauneey 
 Remington, brother of Henry J., accom- 
 )>anied them, and his wife, Mary (Williams), 
 was the first white woman to enter Pitts- 
 field township, where she died in 1823. In 
 1828 our subject's father moved to Am- 
 herst township, where he cleared a farm, 
 but in 1836 he migrated to Steuben cnunty, 
 Ind., returning thence in 1839 to Amherst 
 township, and passing the remainder of his 
 days in the county, dying January 7, 1889. 
 He was a lifelong Democrat, and filled 
 several township offices; in church connec- 
 tion he was a Baptist. His wife died in 
 Amherst township in 1881. They were 
 the parents of seven children, as follows: 
 Faimie, born in Massachusetts, widow of 
 O. D. Worden, of Gritmell, Iowa; H. W., 
 
 born August 9, 1823, the first male white 
 child born in Pittsfield township, Lorain 
 Co., (3hio, who now lives in Wood county. 
 Wis.; Amandfi, wife of Horace Steele, 
 living in California; J. H., subject of 
 sketch; Benedict Bliss, who died in Ash- 
 tabula county, Ohio, in 1885; Sarah Ann, 
 deceased in infancy; and Lydia, who was 
 married to William Kelley, of Kelley's 
 Island, and died at the age of eighteen. 
 
 J. II. Remington was born in Amherst 
 township, where he received his education 
 and was reared, excepting for about three 
 years which he passed in Steuben county, 
 Ind. For his trade he learned carpentry, 
 and in early manhood worked at same in 
 Dane county, Wis. While there he en- 
 listed, in 1861, in Company A, Eleventh 
 Wisconsin Infantry, and was mustered into 
 the service at Madison, the regimetit being 
 assigned to the Western Department. 
 During the first winter they guarded pris- 
 oners at St. Louis, Mo., after which they 
 we(:e at the siege of Vicksburg, and the 
 engagements at Magnolia Church and Port 
 Gibson, whence they proceeded to Jack- 
 son, Miss., and then returned to Vicks- 
 burg. Our subject then came home on a 
 thirty-days' furlough, a,fter which he re- 
 joined his regiment at New Orleans. In 
 their second campaign they marched 215 
 miles, and they served in the campaign of 
 western Tennessee and northern Missis- 
 sippi, thence going to Mobile, Ft. Morgan 
 and Ft. Blakeley, where Mr. Remington 
 captured a revolver from a Confederate 
 oflicer. After this the regiment was sta- 
 tioned at Brownsville, Texas, etc. At 
 Mobile, Ala., our subject received his dis- 
 charge in September, 1865, and returned 
 to Madison, Wis., having seen over four 
 years' hard service. 
 
 In 1852 Mr. Remington was united in 
 marriage, in Amherst township, Lorain 
 Co., Ohio, with Miss Maria Spencer, who 
 was born in LaGrange, Lorain county, 
 daughter of E. C. and Angeline (Rock- 
 wood) Spencer, natives of New York. 
 Grandfather Asa Rockwood came to La- 
 
1068 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Grange township in 1826, being one of 
 the first settlers of the place. Mrs. Rem- 
 ington's lather came to Lorain county 
 in 1832, was married in 1833, and after 
 some years moved to Henry county, Ohio, 
 where he died in 1892; the mother had 
 passed away in 1885. To our subject and 
 wife were born seven children, namely: 
 Frank, married and living in Pottawat- 
 tamie county, Iowa; Ella, deceased at the 
 age of one year; Addie, wife of L. L. Jack- 
 son, of Ashtabula, Ohio; Lydia, wife of A. 
 A. Sharp, of Centerville. Kans., Willie and 
 Lillie (twins), theformerliving athome, the 
 latter married to G. R. Coleman, of Omaha, 
 Neb., and Angie, at home. In politics 
 Mr. Remington is an ardent Republican, 
 and takes a live interest in the affairs of 
 his county and township He is a mem- 
 ber of tiie Union Veteran League, quarter- 
 master of Post No. 148 G. A. R., now 
 servins liis fifth term, and has been com- 
 mander of the Post. Prior to coming to 
 North Amherst, he followed farming in 
 Lorain county. [Since the above was writ- 
 ten, we have been informed of the death 
 October 1, 1893, of Mr. Remington.— Ed. 
 
 THOMAS H. JONES. The land of 
 the Cymri has given to America 
 many of her most stalwart, loyal 
 and honorable citizens, such as was 
 the gentleman whose name here 
 appears. He was born in Wales in 1843, 
 a son of John and Maria (^Monroe) Jones, 
 also natives of that country, whence they 
 came to the United States when our sub- 
 ject was a boy, making their new home in 
 Cleveland, Ohio, where the father died; 
 the mother is now living in Cuyahoga 
 county, same State. 
 
 Our subject received his education in 
 Cleveland, and October 6, 1862, he en- 
 listed, in that city, in Company H, One 
 Hundred and Twenty-fourth O. V. I., three 
 years' service, or during the war. His 
 
 regiment was attached to the army of the 
 East, and participated in many bloody 
 battles, among which may be mentioned 
 Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, 
 Gettysburg, Wilderness and Atlanta. On 
 July 9, 1865, Mr. Jones was honorably 
 discharged at Nashville, Tenn., and re- 
 turned home to Cleveland, where he con- 
 tinued to reside until 1870, when he came 
 to Lorain, Lorain county, with which 
 thriving town he was closely identified i;p 
 to his death, which occurred April 4, 1891. 
 Thomas H. Jones and Miss Augusta M. 
 Lampman were united in marriage in 1868. 
 She is a native of Lorain county, Ohio, a 
 daughter of Mark and Elizabeth (Church- 
 ill) Lampman, of New York and Connect- 
 icut, respectively. Her father was a sailor, 
 then a hotel and store keeper, later custom- 
 house officer for over twenty years at Lorain, 
 and he is yet remembered as one of the 
 early merchants of Lorain county. He 
 served in the war of 1812. He died in 
 July, 1885, his wife surviving him till 
 August, 1892. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas 
 H. Jones were born two children: Mark, 
 sketch of whom follows, and Gnssie. Mr. 
 Jones was for some time engaged in the 
 real-estate business, and at tiie time of his 
 death was collector for the Port of Lorain. 
 Politically he was a Republican, and he 
 was a member of the Protected Llome 
 Circle. His grandfather, Stephen Church- 
 ill, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. 
 
 ^/ 
 
 t JI^ARIv JONES, who for the past 
 ^/\ two years has been in the employ 
 I] of the Cleveland, Lorain & Wheel- 
 ing Railroad, as time- keeper, is a 
 native of Lorain, born June 10, 
 1869, a son of T. H. Jones. Our subject 
 was reared in his native city, receiving 
 his education in the public schools of same. 
 He was for some time in the employ of 
 the Cleveland Paper Company, and later 
 studied stenography in Chicago, after 
 
'LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1069 
 
 which he became bookkeeper in a tbuiidry 
 at Lorain, and has held iiis present posi- 
 tion since March 9, 181)1. On July 14, 18'J1, 
 Mr. Jones was united in marriage with 
 Miss Rowena Moore, who was born in Lo- 
 rain, Lorain county, daughter of Captain 
 Trnman Moore; her parents reside in Lo- 
 rain. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are members 
 of the M. E. Church, in which he holds 
 the ofBce of trustee. 
 
 FII. BACON. This gentleman, who for 
 many years lias been recognized as a 
 _^ leader among the leading business 
 men of Lorain county, is a native of 
 same, born in Brownbelm township), March 
 13, 1840. 
 
 Benjamin Bacon, father of subject, was 
 a native of Massachusetts, born in Old 
 Stockbridge, whence in 1818 he came to 
 Ohio, locating in Brownhelm township, 
 Lorain county. He made the entirejourney 
 with a one-horse wagon, and had but four 
 dollars in money when he arrived in Brown- 
 helm. He made his settlement where 
 William Bacon now lives, having bought 
 wild land from one William Brown. In 1820 
 he erected a mill at what is known as 
 " Mill Hollow," on the Vermillion river, 
 and about 1835 enlarged it from aone-Vnirr 
 to a four-burr capacity. Ten years later he 
 equipped it with modern improvements. 
 He was twice married, his second wife 
 (mother of the subject of this sketch) be- 
 ing Miss Anna W. Wells, a native of West 
 Hartford, Connecticut. 
 
 F. H. Bacon, whose name opens this 
 sketch, received his education in tlie cfis- 
 trict schools of Brownhelm township, and 
 at Norwalk High School, after which he 
 commenced the milling business with his 
 lather. In this he continued until 1860, 
 when he engaged in shipping grain to vari- 
 ous points. On May 13, 1861, he joined, 
 as lirst lieutenant, Company K, Twenty- 
 
 third O. V. I., which was assigned to the 
 army of the West, and he participated in 
 the battles of Bull Run, South Mountain 
 and Antietam, after which the regiment 
 returned to West Virginia. In January, 
 1864, lie resigned his commission, and re- 
 turned to Lorain county, once more en- 
 gaging in the milling and shipping busi- 
 ness. In 1873 he sold the mill; in 1879 
 rebought it; in 1882 rebuilt it, putting in 
 rollers and making it a 150-barrel mill; in 
 1892 again sold, but now (1893) once more 
 owns it. This is the same mill, in Brown- 
 helm township, which his father had built 
 and enlarged. For some years he has had 
 large interests in southern Indiana — 800 
 acres of the best coal and grain land. 
 
 In 1860 F. H. Bacon and Miss Abbie 
 S. Wells were united in marriage. She 
 was a daughter of George and Maria B. 
 (Butlei-) Wells, who came from Connecti- 
 cut to Brownhelm township, Lorain county, 
 about the year 1821, and here passed the 
 rest of their lives. To Mr. and Mrs. Bacon 
 were born eight children, as follows: Sarah, 
 assisting her father in the ofKce, as amanu- 
 ensis, etc., and who is considered one of 
 the best all-round businesswomen in Ohio; 
 Anna, who died in 1883 at the age of six- 
 teen; De Wight, Martha W., Melvin S., 
 Lewis C, Charles and Julia W. The 
 mother was called to her long home in 
 1882. Mr. Bacon is a member of Rice 
 Post, G. A. R., at North Amherst, and is 
 a Republican. In thoughts and acts he is 
 tlioroughly metropolitan, perfectly famil- 
 iar with Boards of Trade and other busi- 
 ness interests, in all parts of the country. 
 He is now managing two mills of 150- 
 barrels capacity each, and is largely en- 
 gaged in farming and shipping stock. 
 
 d( C. BIGGS. England has given to 
 the United States many stalwart and 
 1 loyal citizens, plodding and indus- 
 trious in time of peace, and cour- 
 ageous and resolute in the fight for liberty 
 
1070 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 and riglit. Such an one is the subject of 
 this sketch, wlio is recognized as a "typical 
 tightiiiff common soldier." He is of me- 
 dium height, very hardy and muscular, the 
 dogged determination peciiliar to the Brit- 
 on, l>eing, perhaps, his strongest charac- 
 teristic. 
 
 Mr. Biggs was born in Northampton- 
 shire, England, in 1839, a son of Thomas 
 and Frances (Paxton) Biggs, the former of 
 whom carried on farming in Pittsiield 
 township, this county, south of Eiyria. 
 Here the parents passed the remainder of 
 their days, the father dying in 1876 at the 
 age of Kfty-nine years, the mother in 18S9, 
 aged sixty-eight years. They had a family 
 of six sons and otie daughter, our subject 
 being the eldest, and the only one born in 
 England; the youngest son now owns tlie 
 old homestead. 
 
 J. C. Biggs, the subject proper of this 
 memoir, was but a boy when liis parents 
 brought him to America, and to Pittsfield 
 township, Lorain county, at the common 
 schools of which he received a liberal edu- 
 cation. He also attended for a tiine the 
 high school, and while a student there the 
 war of the Rebellion broke out, which 
 turned his attention from the schoolroom 
 to the field of Mars. On April 18, 1861, 
 he enlisted in Company I, Eighth O. V. I., 
 Capt. E. G. Johnson, which was tlie first 
 company to go out from the county. He 
 served four years, ten months, fifteen days 
 in the army of the Potomac, Hancock's 
 corps, and participated in the following 
 battles: Winchester, Antietara, Fredericks- 
 burg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, 
 hesides numerous minor engagements. At 
 Gettysburg (his last battle) he was severe- 
 ly wounded in the arm, which necessitated 
 his confinement to hospital for six months. 
 He then reentered the service, enlisting 
 xthis time in Company K, Ninth Regiment 
 Hancock's Veteran Corps, in which he 
 served till March 3, 1866, at which date he 
 was niustered out at Washington, D. C, 
 having served a much longer period in the 
 army than most of his comrades. Return- 
 
 ing home to the pursuits of peace, he fol- 
 lowed farming for a few years; then em- 
 barked in the newspaper agency business 
 in Eiyria, and has had the sale of the lead- 
 ing newspapers for over fifteen years. He 
 now disposes of about 400 papers per day, 
 and is agent for twenty-three dailies. Mr. 
 Biggs was married March 3, 1869, to 
 Emma Clark, also a native of England, and 
 five children have come to bless their home: 
 Clark, Elsworth, Norris, Harry and Edith. 
 Our subject is a Republican and an Episco- 
 palian. He is a vice-commander in the 
 G. A. R., and is a member of the Union Vet- 
 eran Legion, No. 44, Eiyria, Oiiio, of which 
 he is colonel and presiding officer, and in 
 which he has served as officer of the day, 
 past commander and in other prominent 
 positions. He is also a memher of the 
 Society of the Army of the Potomac, and 
 was /the only member of it from the State 
 of Ohio to attend the reunion held in 
 Scranton, Penn., in June, 1892. 
 
 ^/ 
 
 I l/ENRY F. BEESE, one of the en- 
 'sH terprising proprietors of the f ar- 
 il famed "Boston Store," in Lorain, 
 is a nativeof Eiyria, born September 
 19, 1867. 
 
 His father, Frederick Beese, was born 
 in 1825, in Germany, where he married 
 Miss Mary Stark, also a native of Ger- 
 many, born in 1827. In 1856 they im- 
 migrated to the United States, and, settling 
 in Elvria same year, iiave here since re- 
 sided. They are the parents of five chil- 
 dren, of \*hom Henry F. is the youngest. 
 Frederick Beese was a private in Company 
 G, One Hundred and Seventh Regiment 
 O. V. L, serving three years. 
 
 Until the age of fourteen the subject of 
 this sketch was educated in the German 
 Lutheran School at Eiyria, afterward at- 
 tending the public schools of the same 
 place some three and one-half years. On 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1071 
 
 completion of his literary education Mr. 
 Beese entered tlie employ of Straus & 
 Kupfer, dry-goods merchants, and was en- 
 gaged in the same store until September 
 1, 1892, during which time it changed 
 hands three times: first to M. Straus; 
 then to Biggs, Bowen & Co., and lastly to 
 Geo. T. Biggs & Co. In the fall of 1892, 
 in company with Max Morehouse and 
 "William E. Carter, Mr. Beese opened out 
 a dry goods store in the new "Smith 
 Block," Lorain, occupying the first floor 
 and basement, tiie dimensions of'-the large 
 store room being 40 x 80 feet, and here 
 with characteristic push and energy, close 
 attention to business, they have since con- 
 ducted a thriving trade. Politically Mr. 
 Beese is a Democrat; socially he is a mem- 
 ber of the Sons of Veterans and Knights 
 of Pythias. 
 
 / 
 
 MflLAN CONE (deceased). Roger 
 Cone, the father of this gentleman, 
 J was born August 17, 1803, in 
 Berkshire county, Mass., son of 
 Frederick Cone, and in his early 
 manhood learned the millwright's trade. 
 He was married to Emeline Brown, who 
 was born April 21, 1803, in Tyringham, 
 Berkshire Co., Mass., daughter of Lyman 
 Brown, and while in Massachusetts two 
 children were born to this union, namely: 
 Marshall, a farmer, who died in 1870 in 
 Pentield, Ohio; and Mary, who resides in 
 Wellington, Ohio. 
 
 In 1843 Koger Cone came west to 
 Charlestown, Portage Co., Ohio, driving 
 the entire distance with a covered one- 
 horse wagon, and en route stopping at 
 various places in New York and other 
 States. He remained in Portage county 
 one year, and in 18-14 removed to Pen field 
 township, Lorain county, locating oti the 
 farm where he passed the remainder of his 
 life, and which he purchased at sheriff's 
 sale at nine dollars per acre; it was form- 
 
 erly the property of an early settler. Dr. 
 Hall, who had met with reverses, losing 
 his sawmill and other property. Here 
 Mr. Cone erected a residence, which is 
 still standing. After coming to Ohio, the 
 following members were added to the fam- 
 ily: Mercy, now the wife of David Peters, 
 of Wellington, Ohio, who has one child, 
 Lavina; Merritt, who died in 1853, and 
 Milan, whose name opens this sketch. 
 The father of these was a systematic acri- 
 cultnrist, and took great interest in the 
 neatness of' his farm and surroundings. 
 He was very successful, and at the time of 
 his death was the owner af 252 acres of 
 excellent land. In ^politics he was a 
 stanch Democrat, thoucrli not an active 
 politician,, and in religious cormection lie 
 and his wife were both members of the 
 'M. E. Church at Penfield. He passed 
 from earth March 11, 1884, preceded to 
 the grave by his wife March 12, 1876, and 
 they now lie buried in Penfield cemetery. 
 Milan Cone, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, was born April 4, 1848, on the 
 farm in Penfield township where he passed 
 his entire life. He obtained his elemen- 
 tary education in the common schools of 
 the neighborhood, and this was afterward 
 supplemented with a short term of study 
 in a school in Delaware, Ohio. On De- 
 cember 25, 1871. he was united in mar- 
 riage, by Rev. A. Pollock, with Miss 
 Esther Drake, who was born November 
 20, 1851, in the town of Ames, Mont- 
 gomery Co., N. Y., daughter of David and 
 Julia (Alger) Drake, who came to Ohio in 
 1862, locating first in Harrisville town- 
 ship, Medina county, and later in Penfield 
 tov^ship, Lorain county. After marriage 
 our subject located on the honie farm, liv- 
 ing in a small house near the family resi- 
 dence, whither he removed after the death 
 of his father. To the union of Milan and 
 Estiier Cone were born children as follows: 
 Letha E., bookkeeper for a wholesale 
 house at Chicago, 111.; Kate W., attending 
 school at Penfield; Mercy A., and Fred 
 M.; all living. Mr. Cone engaged chiefly 
 
1072 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 in the breeding of fine cattle, especially 
 Jerseys, and was a most excellent judge of 
 stock. In politics he was a leader in the 
 Democratic party in his section. He died 
 Jannary 19, 1892, of consumption, after a 
 lingering illness, and was buried in Pen- 
 field cemetery. Since his decease his 
 widow has had charge of the farm, in the 
 management of which she has shown con- 
 siderable ability. She is a member of the 
 Methodist Church at Penfield Center, and 
 is highly respected in the community. 
 
 AMUEL NAYLOR, one of the most 
 extensive landholders and wealthiest 
 farmers of Penfield township, is a 
 native of Pennsylvania, born Feb- 
 ruary 27, 1823, in Carlisle, Cumberland 
 county. 
 
 He is a son of Samuel Naylor, who was 
 born in what was then known as Little 
 York, Penn., a son of Jacob Naylor, who 
 was a farmer and a distiller. Our sub- 
 ject's father was reared on a farm, and 
 when a young man followed teaming, 
 hauling whiskey from his father's and 
 other distilleries to Baltimoi-e, Md., where 
 was found the best market for that com- 
 modity. In those days it took six horses 
 to haul thirty ban-els of whiskey. Samuel 
 Naylor, Sr., was married in Cumberland 
 county to Elizabeth Uhler, a native of that 
 county, born of German ancestry. After 
 marriage the young couple located on a 
 small farm in Cumberland county, which 
 he rented. In Pennsylvania children, as 
 follows, were born to them: Mary, now 
 the widow of Amos Fritz, residing at Me- 
 dina, Ohio; Samuel, our subject; Benja- 
 min K., a farmer and blacksmith, now of 
 Lucas county, Ohio; Jacob, a farmer of 
 Spencer, Ohio; and Rebecca, Mrs. W. W. 
 Hntchisson, of Wood county, Ohio. In 
 the fall of 1829 the family came to Ohio 
 over the Alleghany Mountains in a cov- 
 
 ered two-horse wagon, bringing with them 
 considerable household etfects, including 
 their bedding, whicli they found of the 
 greatest use on their two weeks' wearisome 
 journey. Mr. Naylor. the father, had pre- 
 viously visited Ohio, and in Guilford town- 
 ship, Medina county, had selected land 
 then looked after by Judge Heman Ely, of 
 Elyria, Lorain county. On the occasion 
 of that visit Mr. Naylor had hired a man 
 to build a log house for the convenience of 
 the family when they should arrive, liut 
 they found it in such an unfinished state 
 that they had to rent another cabin in the 
 neighborhood, wherein to pass the winter. 
 In the meantime their own was made habi- 
 table, and in the following spring they 
 moved into it. While the family were en 
 route, one child, named Eliza, was born at 
 Lancaster, Penn., which interesting event 
 delayed them three days. In Medina 
 county the family were further increased 
 by four, to wit: John, who died at the age 
 of twenty-one; William, of Wood county, 
 Ohio, who served in the Civil war; Sarah, 
 deceased ; and Henry, of Wood county. 
 On this farm in Medina county the mother 
 of these children passed from earth, and 
 the father then moved into the village of 
 Seville, same county, having purchased in 
 the vicinity a farm of thirty acres, and also 
 a residence in the village. In Guilford 
 township he married, for his second wife, 
 Miss Harriet Sheldon, and one child w\as 
 born to this union, Harriet, now Mrs. 
 James Ross, at the frontier teaching In- 
 dians. Mr. Naylor died at the age of 
 seventy-three years, and lies buried in the 
 Lutheran cemetery, Guilford township. 
 Politically, he was originally a Whig, and 
 after the formation of the party was a 
 stanch Republican. He had traveled all 
 through the Southern States, and, from 
 observations he made during his visit, pre- 
 dicted the Civil war many years before it 
 broke out. 
 
 Samuel Naylor, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, received but a limited educa- 
 tion at the common schools of Guilford 
 
-^^i-or-LA'Ce^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1075 
 
 township, Medina county, as in early boy- 
 hood he was put to work to help clear his 
 father's farm of heavy timber and under- 
 growth, and in reality he was able to do a 
 man's W(jrk while yet a boy. Besides 
 working at home he hired out to different 
 parties to make shingles, at which he be- 
 came very expert, being able to turn out 
 in a single day one thousand shingles, 28 
 inches long by 6 wide. Up to the time of 
 his marriage he lived at home, and turned 
 all his earnings over to his father. In An- 
 gust, 1845, Mr. Naylor was married in 
 Guilford township, Medina county, to Bar- 
 bara Long, who was born in September, 
 1824, near Toronto, Canada, a daughter of 
 John Long, a farmer of Wadsworth town- 
 ship, Medina county, and for a time there- 
 after the young couple made their home 
 with Mr. Long. Our subject then rented 
 land in Litchfield township, same county, 
 where he lived for three or four years, after 
 which he came to Penfield townsliip, Lo- 
 rain county, where he bought 107 acres of 
 wild land at six dollars per acre. At that 
 titne not a road led to the spot, and he had 
 to cut his way through as he came along. 
 The first thing he did was to erect a cabin, 
 and then commenced to make a clearing 
 for purposes of cultivation. This land he 
 bought entirely on credit, and with but a 
 rude equipment of farming implements he 
 heroically set to work to convert the al- 
 most impenetrable forest into smiling fields 
 of grain, and the land was soon all paid for. 
 The record of the children born to Mr. 
 and Mrs. Samuel Naylor is as follows: Jacob, 
 who enlisted in the Civil war before he was 
 seventeen years old, died at Camp Dennison 
 while in the service; Henry died young; 
 Elizabeth is Mrs. Stewart Long, of Penfield; 
 Rebecca is the deceased wife of Andrew 
 Sigourney; Harriet A. lives at home; Lany 
 E. died at the age of seven years; Emma 
 (Mrs. William Bradstock) lives in Penfield; 
 Mary died when seventeen years old; Har- 
 vey G., a farmer, is living in Spencer, 
 Ohio; and Dora (Mrs. Lemuel Ilower) also 
 lives in Spencer. The mother died Janu- 
 
 ary 7, 1874, and was buried at Spencer, 
 Medina county. She was a member of 
 the United Brethren Church. For his 
 second wifeMr. Naylor wedded Miss Nancy 
 E. Yocom, who died in 1882 leaving no 
 issue; she is buried in Congress, Wayne 
 Co., Ohio. In politics our subject is a Re- 
 publican, but has never been an aspirant 
 to office, his own affairs demanding and re- 
 ceiving his undivided attention. He now 
 owns about 400 acres of superior farming 
 land, on wliich in 1892 he erected a line 
 modern residence. He is a leader in edu- 
 cational matters, and in an early day was a 
 prime mover in the formation of the school 
 district in his section, he and his brother 
 Jacob contributing the land where the first 
 school building stood in their section. For 
 several years Mr. Naylor has been a con- 
 sistent member of the United Brethren 
 Church. 
 
 HARLES BEAVER, a prominent, 
 representative agriculturist of Eaton 
 township, was born in Monroe 
 county, N. Y., in 1828, a son of 
 William and Rebecca (Matthews) Bearer, 
 natives of Long Island and Genesee county. 
 New York. 
 
 About the year 1841 the parents of our 
 subject came to Lorain county, first lo- 
 cating in LaGrange township, afterward 
 moving to Eaton township, where they 
 continued in agricultural pursuits, which 
 had been their life work. The father died 
 in Grafton in 1878, the mother in Adrian, 
 Midi., in 1892. They reared a family of 
 nine, of whom seven are yet living, as fol- 
 lows: Benjamin, a farmer of Lenawee 
 county, Mich.; James, a farmer of La- 
 Grange township; Charles; Edward, a car- 
 penter, residing in LaGrange township; 
 Catherine, wife of S. C. M. Hardy, of Mon- 
 roe county, N. Y.; Alice, wife of C. Jen- 
 nings, of Cleveland, Ohio; and Susan, wife 
 of S. W. Sharp, of Adrian, Michigan. 
 
1076 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Charles Beaver received a liberal edu- 
 cation at the schools of his native place, 
 and was broaght up a farmer's boy. At 
 the age of thirteen he came with his par- 
 ents to LaGrange township, Lorain county, 
 and from there moved to Kalamazoo, Mich., 
 where he engaged in the livery business. 
 In 1862 he enlisted in Company I, Fifth 
 Michigan Cavalry, for three years, and was 
 assigned to the army of the Potomac. He 
 participated in the battles of the Wilder- 
 ness, Second Bull Kun (where he received 
 a gunshot wound in the right hand) and 
 Strasburg, after which he was detailed as 
 wagon master on a wagon train. He was 
 honorably discharged at Detroit, Mich., 
 July 3, 1865, and returned to the pursuits 
 of peace in Lorain county. In September, 
 same year, he was united in marriage with 
 Miss Harriet Felt, a native of Lorain 
 county, Ohio, daughter of Votnan and 
 Julia (Peck) Felt, natives of Vermont and 
 early settlers of Lorain connty; the father 
 died in 1872, the mother is still living, 
 now at the advanced age of ninety years. 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Charles Beaver were born 
 three children: George; Nora, wife of 
 Bernard Worthington, of LaPorte (they 
 have two children); and Natlia. Politi- 
 cally our subject is a zealous Republican; 
 socially he is a member of Richard Allen 
 Post, G. A. R., Elyria. 
 
 THOMAS KING, than whom no one 
 is better known as an agriculturist 
 and breeder of fine stock in Lorain 
 county, is a native of Massachu- 
 setts, born November 25, 1828, in 
 Taunton, where he resided until twelve 
 years of age. He then removed with his 
 parentstoColumbiana county, Ohio; thence 
 to Eaton, Lorain Co., Ohio. He received 
 a common-school education, and was reared 
 to agricultural pursuits. Farming has been 
 his life work. He has made a specialty of 
 
 rearing Cotswold sheep and Holstein 
 cattle, which have frequently taken prizes 
 at county fairs. 
 
 On March 7, 1871, Mr. King was mar- 
 ried at Niagara Falls to Harriet Van- 
 "Wagnen, of Eaton, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 daughter of G. H. Van Wagnen. The 
 following named seven children have been 
 born to them: Eva, Grace, Myrtle, Minnie, 
 Clara, Richard, and Nellie. 
 
 Mr. King is owner of a farm of one 
 hundred and ninety-two acres, all in agood 
 state of cultivation. He is interested in 
 politics and votes the Republican ticket; 
 has been township trustee three terms, and 
 is a member of the school board. 
 
 Richard King, father of the above, was 
 born in Leicestershire, England, in 1796, 
 and was there married to Elizabeth Ball, of 
 the same town. In 1826 they moved to 
 Taunton, Mass. Mr. King was engaged 
 in the Taunton print works until 1840, 
 and then moved to East Liverpool, Colum- 
 biana Co., Ohio. In 1841 he came with 
 his family to Eaton, Lorain county, at 
 that time an uncultivated forest tract. 
 Here he set to work with a will, and with 
 the assistance of his older children soon 
 cleared a tine farm. He was one of the 
 first in the settlement to build a brick kiln 
 and sell brick to other pioneers. He died 
 at the age of ninety-two, and his wife at 
 eighty-two. In his political predilections 
 he was an anti-slavery Whig until the for- 
 mation of the Republican party, when he 
 enrolled himself under its banner. Ten 
 children were born to this honored 
 couple, four of whom died in childhood. 
 The following is a record of the six 
 remaining: 
 
 The first, George W., was born in 1822; 
 went to Galena, 111., thence to Clark 
 county, in the Territory of Wisconsin, 
 where he married. He was admitted to 
 the bar in Wisconsin; was prosecuting at- 
 torney in Clark county, and represented 
 same in the State Legislature. Later he 
 engaged extensively in the lumber busi- 
 ness, but sustained serious reverses in tiie 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1077 
 
 panic of 1873. Being in Idalio at the 
 time that Territory was admitted as a 
 State, he was elected a delegate to the 
 Constitutional Convention. He now re- 
 sides in Colorado, where he is interested 
 in mining, and is widely known as a 
 
 S)litical speaker and writer on free silver, 
 e has three children, one of wliom, 
 George R., served for two years in the 
 Fourteenth A¥isconsin Regiment. 
 
 The second, Myra, was born in 1825, 
 and married Charles H. Merrick who 
 served for three years in the Eighth O. V. I. 
 She studied medicine, graduating in 1852 
 from the Eclectic Medical College of 
 Rochester, N. Y. Later she adopted 
 Homeopathy, becoming a member of the 
 American Institute. She was the first 
 woman physician in Ohio. From 1S52 to 
 1892 she practiced in Cleveland, having 
 an extensive and very lucrative business. 
 She was actively connected with college, 
 hospital and dispensary work. She has 
 now retired and lives in Cleveland with 
 her only child, Richard L. Merrick, a me- 
 chanic and contractor. He married Eliza 
 Johnson, daughter of A. C. Johnson, of 
 Huron county, Ohio. She is a physician, 
 a graduate of Oberlin and of the Homeo- 
 pathic Medical College of Cleveland, and 
 now a professor in the Cleveland Medical 
 College. 
 
 The third, Thomas, is the subject of this 
 memoir. 
 
 The fourth, John, born 1830, married in 
 1860, and moved to Clark county, Wiscon- 
 sin, where he engaged in farming and lum- 
 bering. He enlisted in 1862 for three 
 years, in the I^ourteenth Wisconsin In- 
 fantry, and served with the army of the 
 West in Louisiana; was honorably dis- 
 charged in 1865 at the close of the war. 
 He died in 1886 in Clark county, Wiscon- 
 sin, leaving widow and six children. 
 
 The fifth, Elizabeth, born in 1836, was 
 married in 1863 to Alfred Fauver on his 
 return from the war. He had received a 
 very severe wound at the battle of Win- 
 chester. They are now living at Oberlin, 
 
 educating five of their children. The 
 eldest son, Lester, is City Civil Engineer 
 of Lorain county, Ohio. 
 
 The sixth, Sara Ellen, was born in 1840. 
 She became the wife of Capt. John Booth, 
 who was a soldier, serving in the One 
 Hundred and Third O. V. 1. They now 
 live on the Booth homestead in Carlisle 
 township. Mrs. Booth is an active church 
 worker. They have three children, one of 
 whom is being educated at Oberlin. 
 
 The King family has been intimately 
 and honoral)ly connected with the history 
 of the county in its war record, its anti- 
 slavery, temperance, and educational senti- 
 ment, and in all that makes for good citi- 
 zenship. 
 
 /George battle, who from in- 
 I J, fancy, with the exception of five 
 \J^ .years, has been a resident of Well- 
 ^^ ington township, is an agriculturist 
 of no small prominence. He is a 
 native of Massachusetts, born in Great 
 Barrington, Berkshire- county, October 5, 
 1823. 
 
 Ithel Battle, his father, also a native of 
 Massachusetts, a farmer by vocation, mar- 
 ried Miss Sarah Smith, and when our sub- 
 ject was some six months old they came 
 west to Ohio, traveling with a two-horse 
 wagon. They settled in Wellington town- 
 ship, Lorain county, where the father car- 
 ried on agricultural pursuits up to the 
 time of his death. He died in May, 1869, 
 when he was seventy-seven years old; his 
 wife passed away in October, same year, 
 aged seventy-two years. They were honored 
 people of the Old-school Presbyterian per- 
 suasion, industrious and frugal in their 
 habits; politically the father was a Repub- 
 lican at the time of his death, originally a 
 Wliig, and he was a very robust, erect 
 man, even in his old age. Our subject's 
 maternal grandfather. Smith, was from 
 Orange county, N. Y., and when he was 
 twenty years old he (Mr. Battle) visited 
 his grandmother there. 
 
1078 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 George Battle, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, was reared on the farm he now 
 owns and resides on, and attended the dis- 
 trict seliools during the winter months for 
 a few seasons. For some five years he re- 
 sided in Brighton township, then six years 
 in the village of Wellington, and finally 
 on his present farm of 112 acres of prime 
 land. He also at one time owned land in 
 Hardin county, Ohio. In 1850 he married 
 Miss Arvilia Dyar, who was reared in 
 Hanover, Ind., and two children have been 
 born to them: Viola, and Durell, who 
 married a Miss Johnson, by whom he has 
 five children, namely: George 0., Darwin 
 Blake, Clyde, Carl and Bernice L. Politi- 
 cally Mr. Battle is a stanch Republican, 
 and was a strong Abolitionist and Union 
 man at the time of the Civil war. 
 
 ALVIN SAGE, insurance agent, 
 Wellington, is one of the leadincr, 
 pushing business men of the town. 
 He is a native of Lorain county, 
 born in Huntington township, October 15, 
 1837, and comes of long-lived ancestry, 
 his grandparents having reached patri- 
 archal ages, the grandnmther being over 
 one hundred years old at the time of her 
 death. * 
 
 Martin L. Sage, father of our subject, 
 was born in Torrington, Conn., and came 
 as a pioneer to Lorain county, Ohio, build- 
 ing the lirst frame house put up in Hunt- 
 ington township, and becoming a success- 
 ful farmer. In Connecticut he had married 
 Miss Hulda Sanford, l)y whom he had four 
 children, namely: Luther, born in Con- 
 necticut, and now about sixty-live years of 
 asre, who is living a retired life with his 
 children in Minneapolis, Minn.; Orrin, 
 who passed all his life in Lorain county, 
 where he died ; Ellen, w-ife of James A. 
 Newton, of Brunswick, Medina Co., Ohio; 
 and Calvin, our subject. The father died 
 
 at Huntington Center in 1860, at the age 
 of sixty-four; the mother, born near Tor- 
 rington, Conn., died in 1888, aged eighty- 
 eight years. 
 
 Calvin Sage, whose name opens this 
 sketch, received his education at the graded 
 schools of his native township, was reared 
 on the home farm, and learned the trade 
 of harness maker. In 1861 he enlisted, 
 in the first call for three years' volunteers, 
 in Company H, Second Ohio Cavalry, 
 which was attached to the army of the 
 Frontier during the lirst year; half of the 
 following year in the Western Depart- 
 ment, during which it participated in sev- 
 eral skirmishes, including the light at 
 Lone Jack and other points. In the streets 
 of Independence, Mo.. February 22, 1862, 
 it had a short, sliarp and decisive hght 
 with Quantrell's Cavalry, in which the lat- 
 ter was routed in fifteen minutes, and for 
 several months thereafter they followed 
 him up. The regiment was then ordered 
 back to Columbus, Ohio, and recruited at 
 Fort Smith, Fort Leavenworth and Fort 
 Scott, after which it took part in Burn- 
 side's campaign, including the siege of 
 Knoxville, where they lay six months. 
 Mr. Sage was on detailed service a con- 
 sideral)le part of the time, and for the last 
 six months of his term of enlistment was 
 in the quartermaster's department. At the 
 close of his service he received an honora- 
 ble discharge, and returned iiome to the 
 pursuits of peace, which was at the time of 
 the assassination of Lincoln. For fifteen 
 years thereafter he was with Horr, War- 
 ner & Co., Wellington, Lorain county, and 
 on leaving this he took up his present in- 
 surance business, in wiiich he has met 
 with well-merited success. 
 
 In 1858 Mr. Sage married Miss Cerrin- 
 tha Chamberlain, who was born in Portage 
 county, Ohio, in 1836, and three children 
 were the result of this union, viz.: Walter, 
 a partner with his father in the insurance 
 business, and representing, as traveling 
 agent throughout Ohio, the German-Amer- 
 ican Insurance Company (he is owner of a 
 
LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1079 
 
 ranch in California); Florence, who died 
 at the age of fourteen; and Emily C, 
 stenographer in her father's office. Politi- 
 cally Mr. Sage is a Republican; socially he 
 is a member of the F. & A. M., Blue Lodge 
 and Chapter, and of the G. A. R. Post at 
 Wellington. 
 
 LH. WADSWORTH, a prominent 
 young business man of the county, 
 _^ was born in ISGi at Rochester, 
 Oiiio, and is descended from an old 
 Massachusetts family. 
 
 He passed his boyhood at Wellington, 
 Ohio, received a primary education there, 
 and then was enrolled as a student of the 
 University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor. 
 Subsequently he entered the Law Depart- 
 ment of that University, graduating with 
 the law class of 1882. lie did not pursue 
 his law studies with any intention of mak- 
 ing it his professsion, but rather as a mat- 
 ter tending to mental discipline. Some 
 short time after completing this liberal 
 education, he established himself in busi- 
 ness at Wellington, Lorain county, where 
 he carried on a large and successful busi- 
 ness until 1885. In that year he removed 
 to Greenwich, established his lumber yard 
 and planing-mill, and engaged in the 
 business of contractor and builder. At 
 the death of his father he removed to 
 Wellington, and during the period of one 
 year was manager of the estate. At the 
 end of that time he purchased the lumber 
 plant at Wellington, and is now running 
 it for himself, having sold out at Green- 
 wich, and Wellington will probably be his 
 home in the future. 
 
 As a business man Mr. AVadsworth ex- 
 emplifies the true value of such a college 
 training as that which he received. Not 
 only does he attend to his own affairs 
 closely, but also to the public affairs of his 
 town, which are studied by him. He is 
 justly accepted as a leader in all move- 
 
 ments, the object of which is the improve- 
 ment of the town or the better government 
 of the township and county. His personal 
 interest in the welfare of his town cannot 
 be questioned. A large employer of labor, 
 having sixty-eight men on his pay-roll, 
 and transacting an extensive business, it is 
 but natural that municipal affairs should 
 claim a good deal of his thought. The 
 yards are well stocked with standard lum- 
 ber, shingle and lath, while the planing- 
 mill is thoroughly equipped with modern 
 machinery. The enterprise of this young 
 business man is well known. 
 
 Mr. Wadsworth's marriage with Miss 
 Mary E. Trinter, took place at Vermillion, 
 Ohio, October 14, 1885, and to this union 
 one child, William Luther W., was born. 
 Mr. Wadsworth is a member of the Masonic 
 Fraternity, and K. T.; of the I. O. O. F., 
 and of the National Union, in all of which 
 organizations he is popular. 
 
 CLARENCE G.WASHBURN, a ris- 
 ing young attorney at law of Lorain, 
 is a native o^ Ohio, born February 
 19, 1867, in Huron county, a son of 
 Henry C. and Charlotte (Griffin) Wash- 
 burn, who came to Huron county, Ohio, 
 from the State of New York. 
 
 Clarence G. AVashburn received his lit- 
 erary training at the schools of Green- 
 wich, in his native county, and on complet- 
 ing his studies became a traveling man, his 
 business taking him over as many as seven- 
 teen States, besides Canada and the Indian 
 Territory. In 1887 he gave up traveling, 
 and proceeding to Kansas served as deputy 
 postmaster at Wendell, a town near Kins- 
 ley. Returning to Ohio, he there for a 
 year carried on a boot and shoe store, in 
 both New London and Plymouth, for a 
 Cleveland firm, conducting a safe and pro- 
 fitable business. Mr. Washburn then 
 studied law a year and a half, in Green- 
 
1080 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 wich, Huron county, under the preceptor- 
 ship of T. K. Strimple, after which he took 
 a law course at Ann Arbor, Mich., which 
 he completed June 30, 1892, after having 
 commenced the practice of his chosen pro- 
 fession in Lorain April 10, 1892. He is 
 also a member of the real-estate iirm of 
 Buell, "Washburn &Co., in the same town. 
 In his political predilections he is a liberal 
 Republican ; socially he has been a member 
 of the I. 0. 0. F. since twenty-one years 
 of age. 
 
 T OHN DUNNING, who for many 
 w I years has successfully conducted a 
 %J) general farming and grape-growing 
 business in Avon township, has been 
 a resident of same since October, 1838. 
 He was born in 1880 in County Down, 
 Ireland, and when eight years of age came 
 to America with his parents, Alexander 
 and Margaret (Smith) Dunning, also na- 
 tives of County Down. 
 
 Immediately after their arrival in the 
 United States tliey proceeded to Avon 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, settling in the 
 woods on the farm now occupied by our 
 subject, and here passed the remainder of 
 their lives. The father died in 1878, the 
 mother in 1862. They had a family of 
 six children, as follows: David, married, 
 who first resided in Avon township, thence 
 moving to Michigan and later to Kansas, 
 where he died; Catherine, who married 
 Charles Ketcham, of Avon township, 
 where she died in 1869; Elizabeth, wife of 
 Wolcott Mitchell, of Avon township; Jane, 
 Mrs. "William Lucas, who died January 
 25, 1853; John, the subject of this sketch; 
 and Alexander, who died November 19, 
 1852. 
 
 John Dunning, whose name appears at 
 the opening of this sketch, received his 
 education in the common schools of Avon 
 township, and in his early youth aided in 
 clearing the pioneer farm, also learning 
 
 the trade of carpenter and joiner, which 
 he followed for many years. In 1855 he 
 was united in marriage, in Avon township, 
 to Miss Mahala Moore, who was born in 
 Essex county, N. Y., daughter of Joseph 
 and Ruth (Sheldon) Moore, natives, re- 
 spectively, of Massachusetts and New 
 1 ork, in which latter State they were mar- 
 ried. In 1846 thev came west to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, locating on the lake shore iu 
 Avon township, thence removing in 1864 
 to Wisconsin, where they both died. They 
 had the following children: Orlena, wife 
 • of Charles Jarvis, of Lorain; Mahala, Mrs. 
 Dunning; Ransom, of Waupaca county. 
 Wis.; and Dwight, married, who resides in 
 Minnesota. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Dunning have been 
 born eleven children, seven of whom are 
 now living, namely: Alfred and Ernest, 
 both married, and living in Avon town- 
 ship; Eva, wife of Frank Masten, of Roch- 
 ester township, Lorain county; Edson, a 
 resident of Avon township; Bertha, wife 
 of Floyd Crandall, of Huntington, Ind. ; 
 Allen, also in Huntington, Ind.; and 
 Carl, residing at home. Those deceased 
 are Harriet Augusta, who died when 
 eighteen months old; Rose May, who died 
 at the age of seven years, four months; a 
 twin of Rose May, deceased in infancy; 
 and May, a twin sister of Ernest, wlio 
 died in infancy. Mr. Dunning is actively 
 engaged in general farming, and owns a 
 nice farm of 100 acres in a good state of 
 cultivation, fourteen acres of which are 
 devoted exclusively to the culture of 
 grapes. Politically, our subject is a Re- 
 publican, and in religious faith he and his 
 wife are members of the Baptist Church 
 at French Creek. 
 
 I 
 
 Co., Ohio. 
 
 RNEST S. JACKSON, county sur- 
 veyor for Lorain county, having his 
 
 J residence in Elyria, was born July 
 24, 1861, in Avon township, Lorain 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1081 
 
 His f'atlier, Ezra S. Jackson, born in 
 1816, in Js'ew York State, came to Ohio in 
 1834, settling in Avon township, where 
 he has since remained, with the exception 
 of a tiiree-years' residence in Oberlin, 
 where he was educating his children. Ue 
 married Miss Cordelia Moon, who was 
 born in Avon township, Lorain county, 
 in 1826, and children as follows were born 
 to them: Lillie. wife of H. A. Kinney, of 
 Milwaukee, Wis.; Jennie, wife of R. E. 
 LoveJand, of Freeport, 111.; Lena, at home; 
 and Ernest S. The parents are yet living, 
 hale and hearty, in Avon township; they 
 are members of the Methodist Cbnrch, 
 and in politics Mr. Jackson is a Repub- 
 lican. 
 
 Ernest S. Jackson, whose name opens 
 this sketch, received a libera! education at 
 tlie common scliools of the vicinity of his 
 place of l)irth, and he developed a natural 
 talent for mathematics. He was reared 
 on his father's farm, but in youth turned 
 his attention to civil engineering, making 
 a study of the practical part of tlie profes- 
 sion at Akron, Ohio, and he did his lirst 
 surveying work in Lorain county. In 
 November, 1892, he was elected, on the 
 Republican ticket, county surveyor of 
 Lorain county, a position he fills with 
 eminent ability and the utmost satisfac- 
 tion. Mr. Jackson was married to Miss 
 Sylvia Moon (in no way related to his 
 mother's family), and they have three 
 children, to wit: Roy, Leon and Herbert. 
 The family are adherents of the M. E. 
 Church, and socially Mr. Jackson is a 
 member of the F. & A. M. and the 
 Chapter. 
 
 E' C. SCHULER, manager of the 
 North Amherst Furniture Co., 
 I which has been in active operation 
 
 since 1.S81), is a native of Pennsyl- 
 vania, horn in Fasten, Northampton 
 county, in 1845. He is a son of George 
 and Aima Catherine (Luezler) Schuler, 
 
 natives of Germany, the father of Baden, 
 the mother of Hessia. George Schuler 
 was a locksmith by trade, which he fol- 
 lowed in this country for a time, and then 
 revisiting Germany, remained there seven 
 years, at the end of which time he returned 
 to the United States, making his perma- 
 nent residence in Pennsylvania, where he 
 died ; his wife, whom he married in Ger- 
 many, passed from earth in 1887, also in 
 Fennsylvania. They were the parents of 
 six children, as follows: George Theodore, 
 a graduate of Heidelberg College, Ger- 
 many, now in business in Georgia; Amelia, 
 widow, living in Allentown, Penn.; 
 Aurelia, wife of J. Rohrer, in South 
 Easton, Penn.; Isabella, widow, a resident 
 of Allentown, Penn.; Harmon, living in 
 Arkansas (he enlisted in the Nineteenth 
 P. V. C, and served throughout the war 
 of the Rebellion, veteranizing), and E. C, 
 subject of sketch. 
 
 E. C. Schuler received his elementary 
 education at the schools of Heidelberg, 
 Germany, to which country the family re- 
 turned when he was two years old. After 
 staying seven years in Heidelberg the 
 family again came to the United States, 
 and for three years resided in Mauch 
 Chunk, Penn., and then at Easton (where 
 E. C. was born), at which place he finished 
 his education, passing finally through 
 Easton High School. In 1867 he came to 
 Brownhelm township, Lorain county, 
 where he worked for Rice & Co., as molder, 
 having previously learned the trade, and 
 in 1868 came to Amherst, continuing in 
 the same line of business for some time, 
 lie then carried on a meat market about 
 eight or ten years. In 1889 he commenced 
 in the furniture manufacturing business, 
 in which he has met with much success. 
 
 In 1869 Mr. Schuler was married, in 
 Erownhelm township, Lorain county, to 
 Mary E. Shotton, a native of that town- 
 ship, daughter oi John and Irene (Thrall) 
 Shotton, the father a native of France, both 
 now deceased. To this union four chil- 
 dren have been born, viz.: Frances, wife of 
 
1082 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 H. R. Hart, of Toledo, Ohio; Fred; and 
 Anna and George, twins. Our snbject 
 and wife are members of the M. E. Chnrch, 
 of the Sunday school of which he is super- 
 intendent. Politically lie is a Democrat, 
 and durine: Cleveland's first administration 
 served four years as postmaster at North 
 Amherst. He has been a member of the 
 town council, and of the school board twelve 
 years. Socially Mr. Schuler is a member 
 of the F. & A.'M., Stonington Lodge, No. 
 503, of which he was W. M. three times; 
 also of the Marshall Chapter, No. 49, Ely- 
 ria, Ohio; is a member of Amherst Lodge 
 No. 47 K. of P., of Plato Lodge No. 301, 
 I. O. O. F., and of the K. O. T. M. 
 
 EORGE JACKSON. This gentle- 
 man, who enjoys the distinction of 
 being the most extensive and pros- 
 perous agriculturist of Penfield 
 township, is deserving of more than 
 a passing notice in the pages of this work. 
 He is a great-grandson of Reuben Jack- 
 son, and a grandson of Daniel, who was 
 born in 1775 in Pittstield, Mass., where he 
 learned the blacksmith's trade under his 
 father. Daniel was married in his native 
 State to Patty Kellogg, who was born in 
 Pittstield in 1785, and while residing in 
 Massachusetts three children were boru to 
 them, as follows: Jane, who married Har- 
 vey Birdseye, and died at the age of eighty- 
 four years in Trenton, Oneida Co., N. Y.; 
 Pliny, father of our subject; and Sally, 
 who married William Gillett, and died in 
 Penfield, Ohio, when aged thirty-six years. 
 Between 1812 and 1815 the family re- 
 moved west to Jefferson county, N. Y., and 
 bought the farm whereon the parents 
 passed the remaining years of their lives, 
 the father engaging chiefly in agriculture, 
 although he also followed his ti-ade to some 
 extent. In New York State were born the 
 following named children: Susan, the wife 
 
 of William Chapman, who died in Chicago 
 at an advanced age; Maria, who married 
 Ferdinand Turnicliff, and died in Pitts- 
 field, Ohio; Elisha, a farmer of Penfield 
 township, Lorain county; Jason, a farmer, 
 who died in Champion, Jefferson Co., 
 N. Y. ; Daniel, who also died in Champion, 
 N. Y.; James, a farmer of Penfield town- 
 ship, Lorain Co., Ohio; Charille, who 
 married Hiram Hopkins, and died in Well- 
 ington, Ohio; Jesse, late a farmer of Hum- 
 boldt county, Iowa, where he died Novem- 
 ber 29, 1893; and Belah, who died after 
 reaching adult age. in Champion, Jeffer- 
 son Co., N. Y. Mr. Jackson was a very 
 successful farmer. He was a man of 
 wonderful vitality, active and capable of 
 performing a hard day's work to the very 
 end of his life; he died suddenly, while 
 chopping wood, in his eighty-fourth year. 
 He frequently remarked that he did not 
 know what it was to feel tired. In poli- 
 tics he was an Old-line Whig, a stanch 
 member of the party. His wife died at 
 the age of ninety-three years, and now lies 
 buried by his side in Champion cemetery; 
 they were devout members of the Old- 
 school Presbyterian Chnrch, and he was a 
 man so highly respected, esteemed and 
 loved everywhei'e, that it could almost be 
 said he had not an enemy in the world. 
 
 Pliny Jackson, fatherof subject, was born, 
 in 1806, in Jefferson county, N. Y., near 
 Carthage, was educated at the common 
 schools and reared to farming pursuits. 
 When a young man he was married, near 
 Ogdensburg, N. Y., to Miss Sarah Rowlin, 
 who bore hiui two children in New York 
 State, viz.: Jane, now Mrs. Henry Rey- 
 nolds, of LaGrange, Ohio, and Martha, 
 wife of Eli Griffith, also of LaGrange. In 
 the early spring of 1835 the family set out 
 for Ohio with a sled, drawn by oxeti, which, 
 the snow having in the meantime melted, 
 stuck in a deep mud hole, and they had to 
 hire another yoke of oxen to drag out the 
 sled. Pliny Jackson had previously visited 
 Ohio, prospecting for laud, but made no 
 definite purchase. They landed in Penfield 
 
(^^^^j^^jKM^..^' 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1085 
 
 townebip, Lorain county, after a lon^ and 
 tedious journey, ami iiere the father 
 traded his oxen, sle<l and the entire outlit 
 for 120 acres of wild land, the same our 
 subject now owns and lives oti. Here they 
 made a clearing, built a log house, and set 
 to work to make further improvements on 
 their new home. The nearest neighbor 
 was on the opposite side of the road from 
 the Jacksons, wliiie the next nearest was 
 three miles distant. Game was plentiful, 
 and the family larder was always well pro- 
 vided witii venison, wild turkey, pheasants, 
 quail, rabbits, etc. By and by Mr. Jack- 
 son added to this property 121 acres ad- 
 joining. Here were born to Pliny Jackson 
 and iiis wife children as follows: George, 
 our subject; Alonzo, who died at the age 
 of twenty-five; Malissa, now Mrs. William 
 Snow, of Oakland, Cal.,; Harriet, Mrs. 
 Ed. Rock wood; and Eliza, who died of 
 smallpox when young. The father in af- 
 ter years moved into Wellington village, 
 thence to LaGrange, where he died; for 
 several years he had been a sufferer from 
 rheumatism. His wife survived him a few 
 years, dying at the home of her daughter, 
 Mrs. Griffith. They were buried in Pitts- 
 lield township cemetery, near the farm 
 whereon they had first settled. Mr. Jack- 
 son was a hard-working, industrious man, 
 and a leading farmer of his day, in his 
 political proclivities a stanch Democrat. 
 
 George Jackson, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, was born July 6, 1835, on the 
 farm he now owns and lives on in Peniield 
 township, Lorain county. He received a 
 liberal education at the schools of the 
 neighborhood, which in those early days 
 of the county were most primitive in their 
 furnishino-8 and educational facilities. On 
 his father's farmhe wa.s thoroughly trained 
 to the arduous duties of farm life, and 
 agricultural pursuits in all phases have 
 been his life work. In August, 1861, he 
 married Miss Mercy Hoxley. of Summit 
 county, Ohio, where she was born in 184:0. 
 and children as follows were the result of 
 this union: Arthur, of LaGrange; Alonzo, 
 
 S6 
 
 of Peniield; Eliza, Mrs. Ford Gott, of La- 
 Grange; William, of Penfield township; 
 Frances, who is married to Frank Hrad- 
 stock, of Pentield, and Bei'uice, who died 
 young. The mother of these died Octo- 
 ber 21, 1873, and lies buried in Pittsfield 
 cemetery. In September, 1874, Mr. Jack- 
 son married, for his second wife. Miss 
 Frances E. Hull, who (vas born in Pen- 
 tield township, Lorain county, a daughter 
 of Joel and Polly (Huxley) Hull, and 
 four children have come to this marriage, 
 all yet living and named respectively: 
 Mabel, Jay, Ernest and Sylvester. 
 
 Mr. Jackson may truly be said to be a 
 representative self-made man, as from 
 small beginnings, by dint of indefatigable 
 energy, coupled with sound judgment, 
 good management and unsurpassed finan- 
 ciering, he has attained a comfortable 
 competence. He now owns 431 acres of 
 prime farm land, well equipped with com- 
 modious buildings, is a thoroughly practi- 
 cal as well as theoretical agriculturist, and 
 is an excellent judge of stock. Demo- 
 cratic in politics, he has held various town- 
 ship offices in a strongly Republican com- 
 munity, and he has proven himself as 
 capable as he is popular. For a few years 
 the family lived in the town of Welling- 
 ton, in order that the children might there 
 be educated. 
 
 [[ I[ANS HEINRICH JULIUS 
 hH KROHN, city marshal of Elyria, 
 I 1[ is a native of Schleswig-Holstein, 
 •fj Germany, born April 24, 1841. 
 
 His father, Henry William 
 Krohn, was born in Flensborg, Schleswig- 
 Holstein, where he married Miss Lucy 
 Muellerstedt, a native of the same city. 
 Here he died; his widow is now living in 
 Denmark, with her son Henry Ernst 
 Georg, who is in the service of the 
 Government as mail agent. Three mem- 
 bers of this family, ineuding our subject, 
 came to America in 1809, l)ut prior to that 
 
1086 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 he had served hia time as florist and land- 
 scape gardener. After his arrival in this 
 country he first located in North xVinherst, 
 Lorain county, and in September immedi- 
 ately following moved to Lake Forest, 111., 
 where he had charge of the horticulture 
 and floriculture at a family residence. 
 From Lake Forest he went to Clinton, 
 same State, where he followed farming, af- 
 ter which he came to Elyria, and has here 
 since made his home. Mr. Krohn from 
 the time he came to Elyria has been en- 
 gaged in various capacities, railroading 
 being one of his experiences, bnt findino- 
 that his age stood in the way of promotion, 
 he abandoned that, and took a position on 
 the night police force. He made an 
 efficient oflicer, gaining the confidence of 
 the people of Elyria, and in the spring of 
 1890, after one year's service as night 
 policeman, he was elected to his present 
 position of city marshal, and is ex-ofiicio 
 chief of police. In the spring of 1891 he 
 was reelected for two years, and in the 
 spring of 1893, Elyria having been changed 
 from a village to a city, his term of office 
 was nullified, and he was reelected for two 
 years under the city ordinance. 
 
 In 1866 Mr. Krohn was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Elise C. Freese, a native 
 of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and 
 three children were born to them, namely: 
 Henry, who died at the age of seventeen 
 years; Edith, wife of E. J. Moser; and 
 Elizabeth, recently married to Reno F. 
 Mnssey. In his political pi-eferences our 
 subject is a Republican; socially he is a 
 meuiber of the Royal Arcanum, and of the 
 K- of P., Uniform Rank. 
 
 \ILLIAM A. SAYLES. The sub- 
 ject of this sketch, William Allen 
 Sayles, was born June 11, 1847, 
 in Onondaga county, New York. 
 His father. Smith F. Sayles, was born in 
 Rhode Island in 1822, but moved with his 
 
 parents to the State of New York in his 
 early boyhood. At the age of twenty-two 
 he married Evalyn Allen, and William A. 
 was the only child of this marriage. Hav- 
 ing lost his first wife, he married Clara 
 Van Slyke in 1853, and soon after moved 
 to Lorain county, Ohio. For the first five 
 years he lived first in Ridgeville, then in 
 Eaton township, and finally bought 140 
 acres for his permanent home in Carlisle 
 township, a most beautiful tract of land on 
 the banks of Black river. Two children 
 were the fruit of this second marriage, 
 neither of whom lived to years of matur- 
 ity. The father died April 22, 1890. sur- 
 vived only by his wife and son, William 
 A. Politically he was a Democrat until 
 the outbreak of the Rebellion. Then he 
 became a Republican and remained such 
 until the latter years of his life, when he 
 gave his support to the Prohibition party. 
 
 William A. Sayles spent his boyhood 
 upon his father's farm, and was educated 
 in the public schools of Lorain county. On 
 November 5, 1863, he enlisted in Com- 
 pany L, Twelfth Ohio Cavalry, and served 
 until April 25, 1865, when he was honor- 
 ably discharged. He then spent some time 
 in study at Berea College. After leaving 
 school he remained with his father upon 
 the home farm until the time of his mar- 
 riage, except a part of three years spent in 
 Wisconsin, near Kenosha. In 1872 he mar- 
 ried Lillian Brush, daughter of William 
 Brush, a pioneer of Lorain county. Until 
 the death of his father he lived in a home 
 upon the bank of the river near the home 
 of his father. Here his three children — 
 Clare, Lynne and Bertrand — were born. 
 Upon the death of his father he moved with 
 his household to the old homestead, where 
 he now lives. 
 
 Mr. Sayles isasuccessful farmer, hisfarm 
 being one of the best kept and most fruitful 
 in the neighborhood. An ardent lover and a 
 good judge of horses, he has given some 
 attention to horse raising, and has the dis- 
 tinction of having sold to the Royal stables 
 of Austria an animal now pronounced by 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1087 
 
 competent authorities to be the finest trot- 
 ting horse in Europe. Our subject takes 
 a prominent part in the politics of tiie 
 county, and is a stanch Republican. He 
 is one of the foremost in a community of 
 progressive and prosperous farmers. 
 
 D, CROWELL, for over sixty years a 
 resident of Eaton township, is a son 
 / of Richard and Mary B. (Little) 
 
 Crowell, who were natives of New 
 Jersey, where they were married in 1824. 
 In 1832 they caine west to Ohio with a 
 team owned by Alvah Brooks, and settling 
 in the woods of Eaton township, Lorain 
 county, set to work to open up a farm. 
 Here tiiey made their home several years, 
 then moved to Grafton township, same 
 county, where they passed the remainder 
 of their pioneer lives, dying, the father in 
 1875, the mother in 1879. They had a 
 family of eight children, as follows: Re- 
 becca, Mnfe of Isaac B. Ross, of Eaton 
 township; Mary Louisa, wife of Chandler 
 Eaton, died in Michigan in 1873; D. 
 Crowell, subject of this memoir; Aaron 
 and Moses (twins), the latter of whom died 
 at the ajje of fourteen (Aaron married, and 
 made his home in Eaton township, where 
 he died in 1882); one deceased in infancy; 
 Silas, married, residing in Grafton town- 
 ship; and Phebe, who married David Phe- 
 lan (a soldier), and died in Eaton township 
 in 1863. 
 
 D. Crowell, whose name appears at the 
 opening of this sketch, was born in New 
 Jersey in December, 1829, and was two and 
 a half years old when his parents brought 
 him to Eaton township, where he was 
 reared and educated. He ably assisted in 
 clearing up the home farm till he came of 
 age, when he bought 156 acres of wild 
 land in the same township, whereon to 
 build up a home for himself. Tin's he has 
 so well improved and cultivated that it is 
 
 now one of the best farms in the county, 
 and, by additions, at tliis time comprises 
 1()5^ broad acres. He has erected resi- 
 dences thereon, both two stories high, 
 16x28 and an L 16x28; also a good 
 horse barn 30 x 44. In connection with 
 general farming he pays considerable at- 
 tention to dairying, and in all his under- 
 takings success has followed his efforts. 
 
 In 1849 Mr. Crowell was united in mar- 
 riage, in Eaton township, with Miss Sarah 
 Smith, a native of England, daughter of 
 T. P. Smith, who came from that country 
 to America, making his first home in the 
 United States at Olmsted Falls, Cuyalioga 
 Co., Ohio, afterward moving to Amherst 
 towtiship, Lorain county, then to Elyria, 
 and finally to Henry county, same State; 
 he died in 1866, his last days beino- spent 
 at the home of our subject. To this union 
 has been born one child. Smith Ebenezer, 
 who is married and is the father of three 
 children: A. D., Bertrand M. and Richard 
 Hubert. Politically Mr. Crowell is a 
 Democrat, and he is a member of the 
 M. E. Church. 
 
 EORGE MATHEWS, one of the 
 , most pi-osperou8 of the native- 
 
 \Jb, born agriculturists of Eaton town 
 "^ ship, was born in 1842, a son o{ 
 Edward and Ellen (McDermotj 
 Mathews, natives of Ireland. 
 
 Edward Mathews when a young man 
 emigrated from his home in Erin to Can- 
 ada, whence after his marriage he came to 
 Lorain county, sojourning for a time in 
 Columbia township, thence moving to 
 Eaton township, and making his final home 
 on the farm where our subject now resides, 
 which locality was then all wild woodland, 
 teeming with game of all sorts. He died 
 in 1855; he was a strong Democrat for a 
 time, butin later years supported theWhio- 
 party. His widow is yet living, making 
 her home now with her son George. The 
 
1088 
 
 LORAIir COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 record of their children is as follows: James 
 E. went to Michigan when a young man, 
 whfre he married, and died in 1890; Ann 
 is the widow of R. R. Steele, of Milwaukee, 
 Wis.; Martha is the wife of Stephen Tyler, 
 and resides in St. Joseph, Berrien Co., 
 Mich.; Jane is the wife of Henry Foster, 
 of Kalamazoo, Mich.; George; William is 
 married, and residing in Berrien, Mich, (he 
 enlisted in Lorain county, Ohio, and served 
 two years in the Civil war); Ellen is the 
 wife of Reuben Learn, and resides at Og- 
 den, Ufah; Emma is the wife of Martin 
 Terry, of Elyria, Ohio. 
 
 George Mathews, the subject of our pres- 
 ent writing, received a fair education at 
 the schools of his native townsliip, which in 
 those early days were somewhat primitive 
 in their character, both in their furnishings 
 and in the quality of the literary pabulum 
 provided tiierein. He was thoroughly 
 trained to the pursuits of the farm, and has 
 all his life carried on general agriculture 
 on the old homestead, which he owns, and 
 which comprises some seventy acres of land, 
 all in a good state of cultivation. Li 1869 
 he was married in Eaton township to Miss 
 Emma, daugliter of John and Harriet 
 (Wilson) Shadford, sketch of whom follows. 
 Two children have been born to this union, 
 namely: Leon, who received his education 
 in Elyria, is tiow in tiie employ of Salyer 
 & Allen, clothiers, Elyria; and Mamie. 
 Politically Mr. Mathews is a loyal mennber 
 of the Republican party. 
 
 J. Shadford, father-in-law of Mr. 
 Mathews, was born in 1814 in Lincoln- 
 shire. England, a son of John and Mary 
 (CoUinson) Shadford, of Yorkshire, Eng- 
 land, the latter of whom died in her native 
 land. 
 
 John Shadford, father of subject, came 
 in 1828 with his family to the United 
 States, first locating in Grafton township, 
 Lorain county, thence in 1831 moving to 
 Eaton township, where he cleared up a 
 farm out of the woods, and which after- 
 ward came to be known as the " Wilson 
 farm." Here he died some time before 
 
 the breaking out of the war of the Re- 
 bellion. He had two brothers who came 
 to the United States, viz.: William, who 
 enlisted in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the Civil 
 war, serving as orderly sergeant (he is now 
 residing in the West, it is thought in 
 Iowa); and Major, who lived in Lorain 
 county, Ohio, nearly all his life, dying 
 about the year 1873. 
 
 J. Shadford, of whom this writing 
 chiefly relates, received his education in 
 the schools of his native place, and after 
 coming to this country, which he did at 
 the age of fourteen, attended the schools 
 of Grafton and LaPorte, in Lorain county. 
 The main business of his life has been 
 farming, but he owned and for some years 
 operated steam mills at Grafton, which l)e 
 had erected about the year 1859. He is 
 now owner of ninety-one acres of first-class 
 land, all improved from the woods, and 
 under a good state of cultivation. In 
 1886 he was married to Miss Harriet 
 Wilson, a native of England, and daugh- 
 ter of Thomas Wilson, who died in that 
 country. Two children have been born to 
 this marriage, viz.: Edward W., and 
 Emily, wife of George Mathews. In poli- 
 tics Mr. Shadford is a Democrat, and he 
 has served on the school board. 
 
 JEREMIAH MARTIN, Jr., a well- 
 to-do agriculturist of Columbia town- 
 ship, was born October 8, 1850, in 
 Devonshire, England. 
 His parents, Jeremiah and Mary (Sheer) 
 Martin, were also natives of England, the 
 father of Devonshire, the mother of Corn- 
 wall, whence in 1867 they came to the 
 United States, locating in Columbia town- 
 ship, Lorain Co., Ohio, where Mrs. Mar- 
 tin died in 1868; Mr. Martin now resides 
 in Jasper county, Mo. They had seven 
 children, namely: Jeremiah, subject of 
 this sketch; William, married, residing in 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1089 
 
 Columbia township; Natlianiel, married, 
 who makes his home in Missouri; John 
 Thomas, married, also living in Missouri; 
 Jane, wife of Clifton Baker, in Missouri; 
 Mary, wife of Lafe House, of Hillsbor- 
 ough, Oregon ; and Charles Wesley, mar- 
 ried, a resident of Missouri. 
 
 Jeremiah Martin, Jr., whose name in- 
 troduces this sketch, passed his early years 
 in England, where he received an educa- 
 tion in the common schools. In 1S67 he 
 came with his parents to Columbia town- 
 ship, Lorain ('o., Ohio, and in 1869 went 
 to jasper county. Mo., residing there until 
 1873, when he returned to Columbia 
 townsliip. Here he was united in mar- 
 riage, in 1875, with Lucy R. Peachey, 
 who was a native of Columbia township, 
 daughter of Thomas and Philomela 
 (Smith) Peachey, early pioneers of same, 
 where they both died. In 1881 Mr. 
 Martin located on his present farm, com- 
 prising 14:5i acres of land in a good state 
 of cultivation, upon which he has erected 
 a good barn, 40 x 72 feet, with ten-foot 
 basement and milk house 9i x 16 feet, two 
 stories high, with a geared windmill and 
 water tank on top of it; here he conducts 
 a general farming business. In peilitics 
 our subject is a member of the Republican 
 party, and has served on the school board. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Martin are members of the 
 M. E. Church of Columbia, in which he is 
 trustee and treasurer. They are the par- 
 ents of four children, namely: B. A., 
 Alonzo B., Charles Wesley and Philomela. 
 
 IfSAAC B. ROSS, well-known in Eaton 
 township as a solid, practical farmer, 
 J was born in 1826 in New Jersey, a son 
 of William R. and Hannah W. (Du- 
 rand) Ross, natives of the same State. The 
 father, who was by trade a surveyor, died 
 in February, 1877, in good circumstances; 
 bis widow came to Lorain county, Ohio, 
 
 and here passed tiie rest of her days, dying 
 July 5, 1887. They had a family of six 
 children, as follows: Isaac B., subject of 
 this sketch; Harriet, wife of Lucian Bur- 
 rett, of Lorain; Mary, residing in Lorain; 
 Juliet, wife of Zadoc Reeve, of New Jer- 
 sey; John, residing in Eaton township, 
 and George, who died in Eaton township, 
 Lorain county. 
 
 Isaac B. Ross, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, was educated in New Jersey, 
 and there resided till 1848, when he came 
 to Eaton township, Lorain county. He 
 was originally a shoemaker, a trade he fol- 
 lowed successfully until about the year 
 1855, when he turned his attention ex- 
 clusively to agriculture. In that year he 
 moved to his present fine farm in Eaton 
 township, comprising 137 acres of as good 
 land as can be found in the county. In 
 1849 Mr. Ross was married, in Eaton town- 
 ship, to Miss Rebecca Crowell, a native of 
 New York, daughter of Richard and Mary 
 (Little) Crowell, natives of New Jersey, 
 who about 1831 came from New York 
 State to Lorain county, settling in Eaton 
 township, where they made their home for 
 many years; they died in Grafton, the 
 father October 25, 1875. aged seventy-three 
 years, the mother February 24, 1879, aged 
 seventy-eight. They were the parents of 
 eight children, as follows: Rebecca, Mrs. 
 Ross; Daniel, residing in Eaton township; 
 Silas, married, residing in Grafton; Moses, 
 who died in 1844; Phebe, the wife of 
 David Phelan, died in 1868; Mary L., wife 
 of Chandler Eaton, died about 1872; Aaron, 
 deceased December 1, 1882; and one de- 
 ceased in infancy. In 1832, when Mrs. 
 Ross was a little girl, she got lost in the 
 woods of Eaton township, while on her 
 way to visit a neighbor — the only one for 
 miles around. On lieing missed a search 
 party set out, and after a long and patient 
 hunt found her about 1 o'clock the next 
 morning. She had waded in water up to 
 her arm-pits, and altliough she often heard 
 her mother and others calling lier name, 
 she was so frightened that she thought the 
 
1090 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 sounds caine from the howling wolves, of 
 which there were many in those pioneer 
 days. To Mr. and Mrs. Isaac B. Ross were 
 born three children, namely: Moses C, 
 married, residing in Eaton township; 
 M. D., married, living on the home farm; 
 and Perry, married, who died in Eaton 
 township in 1880. In politics onr subject 
 is a Prohibition-Republicau, and he is 
 serving as a njsmber of the school board. 
 He and his wife are members of the M. E. 
 Church at Eaton, of which he is steward. 
 
 JOHN LANTSBERY, who for over a 
 quarter of a century has been among 
 the leading successful agriculturists 
 of Carlisle township, is a native of 
 England, born in Little Creaton, North- 
 amptonshire, July 26, 1842. His parents, 
 John and Aim (Haddon) Lantsbery, na- 
 tives of the same county in England, 
 were farming people, industrious and 
 economical. The father died there in 
 1846, the mother in Lubenham, England, 
 November 24, 1873, at the age of fifty- 
 one years. They had four children, our 
 subject being the only survivor. 
 
 He was educated in the schools of his 
 native place, and in 1864 etnigrated to the 
 United States, arriving in December of 
 that year in Elyria, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 where he resided till 1867, in which year 
 he came to Carlisle township, agriculture 
 having been his occupation in both town- 
 ships. Plis first land purchase was seventy- 
 one acres partly improved, but he now 
 owns ninety-six acres, all in a good state 
 of cultivation. 
 
 In 1863 Mr. Lantsbery was married in 
 England to Mary Ann Eady, a native of 
 Cottesbrook, Northamptonshire, daughter 
 of Thomas and Susan (Holt) Eady, of the 
 same county, where her father died in 1862, 
 her mother in 1884, at the age of seveuty- 
 eight years (for her second husband the 
 
 latter had married a Mr. Kilworth). Of 
 their six children, William now resides in 
 New Zealand; John died in England; 
 Francis lives in London, England; Thomas 
 is also in England, and Henry J. is a drug- 
 gist in Elyria, Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. 
 Lantsbery were born six children, as fol- 
 lows: Jolm Thomas died of pneumonia in 
 1891, aged twenty-six years; Henry W., 
 born in 1867, is married, and resides near 
 his parents; Alice, born in 1869; Anna S., 
 born May 20, 1874, is attending f-chool in 
 Elyria; Fannie, born in 1877, died in 1883; 
 Nellie McE., born May 22, 1880. The 
 parents are members of the Disciple 
 Church at Elyria, of which Mrs. Lantsbery 
 has been organist for several years, and for 
 a long time she taught music throughout 
 the county; she is correspondent for the 
 Republican, the Democrat and the Ol>er- 
 lin jVews. In his political sympathies 
 Mr. Lantsbery is a Republican. 
 
 Tl S. CRAWFORD, who for some five 
 k. I years was a prominent merchant in 
 ^J) Lorain, South End, but has been re- 
 tired since 1887, came to the town in 
 1882 from Seville, Medina county, Ohio. 
 
 He was born in Medina county January 
 15, 1847, a son of William and Rebecca 
 (Smith) Crawford, natives of Pennsylvania, 
 the father of Washington county, the 
 mother of near Philadelphia. In 1821 
 they came to Ohio, settling on a farm in 
 Medina county, which is still in the family 
 name. The father was a sergeant in tlie 
 Home Guards. He died in 1877, the 
 mother in August, 1888. Our subject 
 was educated in part at the district schools 
 of the vicinity of his birthplace, and in 
 part in the schools of Seville. On August 
 9, 1882, he came to Lorain county and 
 opened a grocery store at Lorain, South 
 End. He put up a frame building which 
 was destroyed by fire February 2, 1883, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1091 
 
 and lie afterward erected a double brick 
 store, two stories high, 50x48 feet, and 
 continued in business till 1887 — tive years. 
 Prior to this he followed farming till 1869; 
 then went west, remaining away sutne 
 eight years, part of the time in Missouri 
 (Henry county), Mississippi, Illinois and 
 Michigan. 
 
 Mr. Crawford was married in Medina 
 county, Ohio, in 1876, to Miss Chestina 
 Hay, a native of that county, and daughter 
 of Henry Hay, and to this union has been 
 born one child, Mary R. Mrs. Crawford 
 is a member of the Baptist Church. Po- 
 litically Mr. Crawford is independent, in- 
 variably voting for the best men and 
 soundest measures. He is a member of 
 Woodlawn Lodge No. 226, K. of P., and 
 of Lorain Lodge No. 552, A. F. & A. M., 
 of which he is treasurer. His present tine 
 residence on the corner of Washington and 
 Franklin streets, Lorain, he erected in 
 1891. Grandfather James Crawford came 
 to Medina county, Ohio, from Washington 
 cou:ity, Penn.,in 1821, and made his future 
 home there. 
 
 D' 
 
 ^AVID DRAKE, a leading farmer 
 and dairyman of Carlisle township, 
 is a native of Schoharie county, 
 N. Y., born April 20. 1820, a son 
 of Alexander and Lucy (Benson) Drake, of 
 Vermont, who migrated to New' York 
 State in an early day. The Drake family 
 are of English descent, and in early Colo- 
 nial days three granduncles of Mr. Drake 
 — Benjamin, Cyrus and Alexander — came 
 from England to Vermont, where they 
 settled as farmers. The father of David, 
 who was by trade a blacksmith, was born 
 in the year 1766, and died in Montgomery 
 county, N. Y., July 2, 1838, being buried 
 July 4. He was twice married, and by his 
 first wife had three children — Pi'eserve, 
 Polly and Sally. The children by the 
 second marriage were: Apollos, Pliny, 
 
 Gilbert, Abrara, David, Dennis (of Iowa, 
 
 now deceased), and Caleb (living in Mis- 
 souri); of whom Apollos, about the year 
 1830, came from Delaware county, N. Y., 
 to Medina county, Ohio, and died at 
 Hamilton's Corner in 1883, a lifelong 
 Democrat. 
 
 David Drake, the subject proper of 
 these lines, received his education in Scho- 
 harie and Montgomery counties, N. Y., 
 and until he was twenty-seven years old 
 worked on farms by the month or day, 
 two seasons for twenty shillings per 
 month. In 1862 he migrated from New 
 York State to Medina county, Ohio, where 
 he i-emaiued one year, and then moved to 
 Spencer township, same county, whence 
 in 1867 he came to Penfield township, Lo- 
 rain county. Here he bought an improved 
 farm which he lived on and conducted 
 eighteen years, and then moved to La- 
 Grange township, same county, making 
 his home there one year. In 1885 he 
 finally settled in Carlisle township, where 
 he owns the old Golden farm, bought by 
 him from William A. Braman, and which 
 consists of 144 acres of highly- improved 
 land; he also owns ninety acres in Carlisle 
 besides the tract he resides on, making, in 
 the aggregate, 234 acres. 
 
 On February 7, 1848, in New York 
 State, Mr. Drake was married to Miss 
 Julia Alger, of New York, daughter of 
 William and Casadena Alger, natives of 
 England, who when young came to New 
 York, where they married and died. To 
 this union were born three children, viz. r 
 William, married, and living in Carlisle, 
 has three children: Olivia, Ray and Lulu; 
 Esther, widow of Milan Cone, of Penfield 
 township, has four children: Letha, Kate, 
 Mercy and Fred; Ilattie, wife of George 
 Plase, in Carlisle township, has one child 
 — Claude — by a former marriage with 
 Charles Spicer. Mrs. Julia A. Drake died 
 October 10, 1875, and February 13, 1878, 
 Mr. Dralae was united in marriage, in 
 Medina county, Ohio, with Miss Aurelia 
 Graham, a native of that county, daughter 
 
1092 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 of Andrew Graham, an early settler of 
 Medina, who died August 18, 1892. By 
 tluit marriage there is one child, Lucy, 
 living at home. In his political affilia- 
 tions our subject is a Republican. He is 
 a representative self-made man, having ac- 
 cumulated all he owns by his individual 
 perseverance and industry. 
 
 than 
 
 D. STOCKING, a prominent and 
 prosperous agriculturist of Brighton 
 township, is a native of same, born 
 November 17, 1840, a son of Jona- 
 S. Stocking. 
 Joseph Stocking, grandfather of subject, 
 was born in Ashfield, Franklin Co., Mass., 
 November 1, 1781, and in 1815 came to 
 Dover township, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, with 
 his family, including Jonathan S. Tbey 
 traveled with an ox-team, the journey 
 occupying six weeks, other immigrants 
 coming at the same time. Mr. Stocking 
 had visited the locality twice before bring- 
 ing his family — once in 1811 or '12, and 
 again in 1814. He built a log house on 
 the site where he last resided. When h^ 
 first came to Dover township thei-e was but 
 one frame building in Cleveland, that 
 place, in fact, being a mere point, a nucleus 
 around which a village afterward grew up, 
 from which was evolved the great city of 
 Cleveland. Mr. Stocking was prominent 
 and active in the township, and was equally 
 active in its religious and educational in- 
 terests. His first Presidential vote was 
 cast for Jefferson, and it is said he voted 
 at every Presidential election afterward, 
 his last vote being cast for Hayes. He 
 died February 23, 1877, aged ninety-five 
 years, three months, twenty-two days, 
 having been a resident of Dover township, 
 Cuyahoga county, over sixty years. He 
 lived to see the wilderness ttansformed 
 into fruitful fields, and towns and cities 
 rise up out of the dense forest; he lived to 
 
 hear the rusli and roar of the railroad train 
 where once could be heard naught but the 
 howling of wolves, the angry growling of 
 no less ferocious bears, and the war-whoop 
 of the Indian. But to essay to mention 
 what was consummated in those three- 
 score years would be to attempt a history 
 of all the Northwest, with its most won- 
 derful growth and marvelous development. 
 
 In Dover township, Cuyahoga county, 
 in November, 1836, Jonathan S. Stocking 
 married Sabrina Lilly, born in Ashfield, 
 Mass., daughter of Austin Lilly, who 
 came from New England in pioneer times. 
 Jonathan S. Stocking lived in Cuyahoga 
 county till 1836, in which year he moved 
 to Brighton township, Lorain county, and 
 in company with Harry Hawes bought 222 
 acres of heavily-timbered land, and they 
 felled the first tree that ever felt the axe 
 on tliat farm. This land cost them six 
 dollars per acre, but it proved a valuable 
 property. Jonathan Stocking died here in 
 1890, aged eighty years, two months, seven- 
 teen days, liis wife in 1887, aged seventy- 
 two years, four months, five days, and they 
 are interred at Brighton Center. He was 
 very successful, not only in general farm- 
 ing but also in stock raising, and was a 
 hard-woi'king man up to within two years 
 of his death. In politics he was first a 
 Whig, and, after the formation of the 
 party, a stanch Republican. Mrs. Stock- 
 ing, in Churcli relationship, was an Epis- 
 copalian. They were parents of children 
 as folfows: C. D., subject; Byron, de- 
 ceased in infancy; Elmns B., who enlisted 
 in Company K, One Hundred and Seventy- 
 eighth O. V. I., was detailed to hospital 
 work at Wilmington, S. C, and while 
 handling corpses in the dead house became 
 poisoned (he died at home at the age of 
 twenty-two years); Abigail, who died in 
 1865 when sixteen years old; Ralph G., 
 deceased in infancy; and Darwin, a farmer 
 of Brighton township. 
 
 C. D. Stocking, the subject proper of 
 this sketch, received a good practical edu- 
 cation at the common schools of his native 
 
^ ^iJ Jo./^^eJz^^^ 
 
 ■^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1095 
 
 township, and was reared to agricultural 
 ])tH'suits. He Las always lived on the old 
 homestead with the exception of the few 
 months during the Civil war he worked 
 for his uncle, Joseph Stocking, in Cuya- 
 hoga county. His farm, the largest in the 
 township, now comprises 331 acres of ex- 
 cellent land, equipped with as tine resi- 
 dence and outbuildings as can be seen in 
 the county. 
 
 On January 7, 1874, our subject was 
 married to Miss Ann Eliza Fish, who was 
 bora, in 1838, in Ashland county, Ohio, a 
 daughter of Daniel Fish, and two children 
 — Abigail M. and Jane R.^have been 
 born to them. Mrs. Stocking is a member 
 of the Congregational Church at Brighton. 
 Politically Mr. Stocking is a Republican, 
 and has served as township trustee ten 
 consecutive years; socially he is a member 
 of the Knights of the Maccabees. 
 
 I( L. REED, widely known in the 
 k. I county as a thorough business man, 
 ^^ and an active member of the enter- 
 prising firm of Teasdale & Reed, 
 proprietors of the People's Shoe Store, and 
 of the livery tirm of Moysey& Reed, Ely ria, 
 is a native of Cuyahoga county, Ohio, 
 born February 7, 1846, in Strongsville. 
 
 Joseph Reed, father of subject, was a 
 native of Cornwall, England, a son of 
 Thomas Reed, who was born in the parish 
 of St. Agnes, in the same county, and was 
 a farmer and landowner there. In an early 
 day he (Thomas) immigrated to the United 
 States, bringing with him his family of 
 thirteen children, of whom Joseph was the 
 seventh in order of birth. They settled in 
 Strongsville (near Cleveland), Cuyahoga 
 Co., Ohio, where the father of this large 
 family followed farming to the close of his 
 life, which was a long and active one, he 
 being close on ninety years of age at the 
 time of his death. He was a member of 
 
 the Congregational Church. His wife, 
 Mary (Hitchens), was nearl}' eighty years 
 old at the time of her death, and all the 
 ancestry, on both sides, seem to have been 
 long-lived. Joseph Reed, their son, was 
 barely twenty years old when he came to 
 America. He was married in Strongsville, 
 Ohio, to Miss Tamar Lyman, and six 
 children were born to them, J. L. being 
 the eldest. The father of these was born 
 in 1818, and died August 14, 1880; the 
 mother, now in her seventy-fourth year, 
 is living in Columbia. After marriage 
 Joseph Reed settled in Columbia town- 
 ship, where he followed farming. By trade 
 he was a shoemaker, which he followed in 
 England, and to a limited extent in this 
 country. 
 
 J. L. Reed, the subject proper of this 
 biographical memoir, in his boyhood 
 worked about the quarries in Berea and 
 Columbia, and chopped wood by the cord, 
 in order to earn money to pay for his 
 schooling. His elementary education he 
 received at the commoti schools of his na- 
 tive place, which he supplemented with 
 three terms study at Oberlin, and three 
 terms at Baldwin University, Berea, Ohio, 
 besides a course at Oberlin Commercial 
 School. He then took up farming, secur- 
 ing a lease of his wife's father's farm in 
 Ridgeville township, Lorain county, where 
 lie now owns 110 acres of well-cultivated 
 land. He also, in connection with his 
 farming interests, deals in wagons, agri- 
 cultural implements, etc., and runs a shop 
 in which repairing of wagons and imple- 
 ments, in all of its branches, is done. In 
 1889 he became associated with the 
 People's Shoe Store, in Elyria, in company 
 with Mr. Teasdale, as successors to Stone 
 & Campbell. In May, 1891, he became 
 a piirtner with Mr. Moysey in the present 
 livery business, both of which enterprises 
 are in a sound flourishing condition. 
 
 In 1869 Mr. Reed was married to Miss 
 Elizabeth Healy, and two cliildren have 
 been born to them, viz.: Fred, at present 
 a student at Garfield School, in Portage 
 
1096 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 county, Ohio, and Elsie, better known as 
 " Kittle" among her many friends and ac- 
 quaintances. In his political affiliations 
 he is a stanch Republican, and he served 
 as justice of the peace nine years, declin- 
 ing to accept further election. He is a 
 notary public, a member of the Church of 
 Christ at North Eaton, and Is the superin- 
 tendent of the Sunday-school in said 
 church. He is now vice-president of the 
 Lorain County Agricultural Society, of 
 which he has been a director four years. 
 
 0,REN MOORE, a prominent repre- 
 sentative farmer of Sheffield town- 
 ' ship, was born February 13, 1848, 
 in Lorain county, Ohio. 
 He is a son of Norman Moore, a native 
 of Massachusetts, who came to Ohio when 
 a young man. He was married in Huron 
 county, Ohio, to Honore Messenger, and 
 later settled at Avon Point, Lorain county. 
 He was a sailor and farmer, and also con- 
 ducted a saw and yrist mill. He built two 
 vessels; one of these, the "Rainbow," sev- 
 enty-live tons burden, at the time created 
 considerable excitement, people coming for 
 miles to see it launched. He afterward built 
 the "Young Leopard," 125 tons burden, 
 which he sold at Oswego. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Moore had live children, all of whom grew 
 to maturity, namely: Amaneer, who be- 
 came a sailor, and died of cancer at the age 
 of lifty-eight (he was a custom-house 
 officer at Put-in-Bay for about three years 
 during the latter part of his life); Oswell, 
 who enlisted at Elyria in the Civil war 
 and was killed at Gettysburg, being shot 
 through the heart; Oren, our subject; 
 Charles, and Amanda, widow of John 
 Nesbitt, who died on his return home 
 from the army. During the latter part of his 
 his life Mr. Moore was an invalid; he died 
 when about seventy-five years old. 
 
 Oren Moore was reared at Avon Point, 
 Lorain county, and received his education 
 in the comujon schools. When yet a 
 young man he was married to Miss Abbie 
 Jaycocks, a native of New York, and they 
 have had eight children, as follows: Lo- 
 renzo, who died at the age of forty- 
 three; William, a farmer of Michigan; 
 Marietta, wife of L. Cahoon; Hattie, wife 
 of Harry Haylor; Horace, a farmer of 
 Michigan ; Sadie, wife of L. Robinson, of 
 Lorain; Millie, married to Harry Groene, 
 and Lennie, wife of John Faragher. After 
 his marriage Mr. Moore lived in a log 
 house in Avon township, on the Center 
 road, later coming to Sheffield township, 
 where he now owns a good farm of one 
 hundred acres. His wife died of cancer at 
 the age of sixty four. Our subject is a life- 
 long farmer, progressive and enterprising in 
 every respect. Politically he is a Repub- 
 lican; socially he is a F. & A. M. Mr. 
 Moore has eighteen grandchildren. 
 
 FETER MEYER, one of the promi- 
 nent, progressive and prosperous 
 German agriculturists of Lorain 
 county, is a native of Bavaria, born 
 in 1844, a son of Andrew and Mary 
 Catherine (Wack) Meyer, also of Bavaria, 
 and in 1846 they set sail with their 
 family from Havre, France, for the New 
 World. 
 
 After a voyage of forty-eight days they 
 landed at New York, from which city 
 they proceeded westward to Ohio, making 
 a settlement on a farm in Ridgeville town- 
 ship, Lorain county. P'or eleven years 
 the parents resided in the town of Elyria, 
 and here the father died in 1882, the 
 mother in February, 1892. By trade An- 
 drew Meyer was a carpenter, which he fol- 
 lowed in his native land, but in this 
 country he carried on agriculture almost 
 exclusively. He had a family of eight 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OIIIG. 
 
 1097 
 
 cliildren, of whom we give a record of 
 t-eveii, as follows, the eldest two being by 
 a former wife, and, consequently, half- 
 brother and half-sister to the others: Eliza- 
 beth, wife of Henry Neipfoot, of Elyria 
 township; John, who enlisted during the 
 Civil war in Company G, One Hundred 
 and Seventh O. V. I., and was killed in 
 the battle of Gettysburg; Peter, subject of 
 tin's sketch; Catherine, wife of Adam 
 Berres, of Ridge ville township; Mathias, 
 a resident of New York City ; Gertrude, de- 
 ceased; Adam, married, a resident of 
 Hartford, Conn., in the employ of the Gas 
 & Electric Light Company, near San- 
 Francisco, Cal. 
 
 The subject of this biographical sketch 
 was two years old when he came to Ridge- 
 ville township, and he here received a fair 
 English education, in the meantime being 
 trained to the arduous duties of the farm. 
 In 1862 he enlisted in Company G, One 
 Hundred and Seventh O. V. I., for three 
 years or during the war, his regiment be- 
 ing first attached to the army of the Po- 
 tomac, and later to the Department of the 
 South. He participated in the battles of 
 Gettysburg and St. John's Island (S. C); 
 was in the charge on Fort Wagner, and 
 then with Sherman in the Carolina cam- 
 paigns; was present at the destruction of 
 the Columbia & Georgetown Railroad at 
 Sumter, S. C, in the campaign in which 
 State he served over ten months. At 
 Gettysburg he was wounded, but not in- 
 capacitated. In June, 1865, he was dis- 
 charged at Charleston, S. C, mustered out 
 at Cleveland, Ohio, same year, and re- 
 turned to the pursuits of peace in Ridge- 
 ville township, Lorain county, farming be- 
 ing his lifework, although he was engaged 
 two and one half years at carpenter work. 
 
 Mr. Meyer was married in Ridgeville 
 township, in 1872, to Miss Catherine 
 Stander, and twelve children have been 
 born to them, all vet living, named as fol- 
 lows: Barbara, Emma, Peter Jacob, Mary 
 Magdalene, Bridget, Rosa. Henry, Mary, 
 Clai'a, Lawrence, Henry, and Gregory. 
 
 Politically our subject is a stanch Demo- 
 crat; socially he is a member of Wesley 
 Kibby Post No. 708, G. A. R., Ridgeville. 
 His wife and family are members of the 
 Roman Catholic Church. Mr. Meyer is 
 owner of 121 acres of land, all in a good 
 state of cultivation, and well improved. 
 
 EiLDEN WORTHINGTON is one of 
 the most substantial and well-to-do 
 I of the agriculturists of Carlisle 
 
 township, of which he is a native. 
 He was born March 9, 1833, a son of 
 Jonathan B. and Elizabeth (Orr) Worth- 
 ington, natives of Luzerne county, Penn., 
 the father born January 16, 1807, the 
 mother October 23, 1818. They were 
 married in that county, and shortly after- 
 ward came with a one-horse wagon to 
 Huron county, Ohio, thence moving to 
 Lorain county, locating in Carlisle town- 
 ship^ Here the father opened up a farm, 
 then bought land in Eaton township, near 
 La Porte, and some years later moved 
 thereon. He died in LaPorte September 
 5, 188-1, the mother in Carlisle township 
 October 25, 1869. In politics he was first a 
 Whig, and afterward, on the organization 
 of the party, a Republican; he was a jus- 
 tice of the peace, and for many years town- 
 ship trustee. Nine children were born to 
 Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan B. Worthington, 
 as follows: Maria, widow of Alfred Rug- 
 gles, of Norwalk; Elden, subject of sketch; 
 Benjamin, born in Carlisle township, served 
 in the Civil ' war, three-months' service, 
 and died in Cleveland in May, 1880; Eli- 
 jah, married, and engaged in the real-estate 
 business in Cleveland; Elizabeth, wife of 
 O. Humphrey, of Eaton township, Lorain 
 county; Henry, married, and living in La- 
 Grange township, Lorain county; Erwin, 
 who served in the Civil war, three-months' 
 service, is married, and lives in Norwalk, 
 Ohio; Augusta, who married Charles 
 
109S 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY OHIO. 
 
 Warner, of Eaton townsliip, and died June 
 16, 1891; and Mary, deceased in July, 
 1888. Tiie Worthington family are of 
 English lineage. Grandfather Worthing- 
 ton was a native of Massachusetts, a school 
 teacher bv occupation, and in an early day 
 moved to Pennsylvania. Grandfather Orr 
 was born in New Jersey of German an- 
 cestry, and became a pioneer of Luzerne 
 county, Pennsylvania. 
 
 Elden Wortiiiugton received his educa- 
 tion at the common schools of Carlisle and 
 Eaton townships, learned the trade of 
 shoemaker, and worked at same witii his 
 lather some ten years at LaPorte. He then 
 commenced farming in Eaton, and in 
 course of time owned a farm in that town- 
 ship, and one in Carlisle. In his political 
 predilections he is a Republican, and for 
 several terms was trustee of Eaton town- 
 ship, as well as member of the school 
 board. He and his wife are members of 
 the M. E. Church of Elyria. In addition 
 to his regular agricultural interests Mr. 
 Worthington deals considerably in real 
 estate — both buying and selling. 
 
 On September 16, 1857, our subject was 
 united in marriage in Carlisle township 
 with Miss Elizabeth J. Cornell, a native of 
 Eaton township, daughter of James and 
 Betsy (Dolbee) Cornell, of New York, 
 wiio came to Lorain county in 1834, lo- 
 catingin Eaton township, but subsequently, 
 in 1838, removing to Carlisle township, 
 where the father passed from earth in 
 April, 1860; the mother died in June, 
 1888. They had a family of ten children, 
 six of whom are yet living, viz.: Louisa, 
 wife Rev. N. S. Worden, of Ridcreville, 
 Henry Co., Ohio; Heiro, married, and 
 living in California; Nelson, married, and 
 residing in Chickasaw county, Iowa; Fan- 
 nie, wife of Rev B. D. Jones, of Coshoc- 
 ton county, Ohio; Elizabeth J., wife of 
 Elden Worthington; and Fidelia, widow 
 of Walter Fauver, of Ridgeville, Henry 
 Co., Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Elden Worth- 
 ington iiave been liorn five children, of 
 whom the following is a brief record: 
 
 Edith is the wife of An.son E. Pitmey, of 
 Ithaca, Mich., and they have four children: 
 Clyde, Lila, Charles E. and Ruth Eliza- 
 beth; Clara is the wife of Samuel Dew- 
 hurst, of Carlisle township, and they have 
 three children: Wilfred. Mabel and James 
 E. ; Frank A. resides in Michigan; Nelson 
 Orr is married, and makes his home at 
 Avon Lake, Lorain county (he has one 
 child, Carlotta); Lila died in 1888 at the 
 age of eleven years. 
 
 P 
 
 / 
 
 ENRY DE LLOYD, who for the 
 past twenty-live years has been 
 prominently identified with Lorain 
 county, and known far and near as 
 a successful fast-horse trainer and 
 speeder, is a native of England, born May 
 26, 1846, in Shropshire. He is a son of 
 Henry and Sarah (Capper) De Lloyd, of 
 the same county, both of whom died there. 
 The subject of this menaoir received his 
 education at the parish schools of his 
 native countv, and from early boyhood has 
 been with and among horses; indeed, it 
 may truly be said of him that what he 
 does not know about that noble animal is 
 not worth knowing. In England, where 
 fast horses are run less "mechanically," 
 probably, than in this country, he followed 
 the business of trainer, and also rode in 
 steeplechases and other races, when a boy, 
 sitting the saddle with the ease and confi- 
 dence of a veteran. In 1867 he immi- 
 grated to the United States and to Ohio, 
 making a settlement in Ridgeville town- 
 ship, Lorain county, where he has since 
 been engaged in farming in connection 
 with his other business interests. He 
 owns a good half-mile track, laid out about 
 eight years ago. and at the present time 
 has some nine or ten horses, besides colts, 
 training on it. He has some animals with 
 good records, including a colt, " Dolwood," 
 a " Standard," one of the best-bred in 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1099 
 
 Northern Ohio. Mr. De Lloyd has made 
 several races in both Ohio and Michigan. 
 His farm in Kidgeville township is all 
 well improved and highly cultivated, and 
 is devoted to cereals and root crops. 
 
 Mr. De Lloyd was united in marriage 
 wiih Miss Emma J. Hudson, born in 
 RidgevilJe township, Lorain county, a 
 daughter of Frederick and Mary (Colly) 
 Hudson, natives of England, the father of 
 Camhi'idgeshire, the mother of Yorkshire, 
 and both early immigrants to Ohio, their 
 first home in the New World being in 
 Cleveland, their last one in Ridgeville 
 township, Lorain county, where they died. 
 Four childien have been born to Mr. and 
 Mrs. De Lloyd, namely: Leonard (married 
 to Miss Esther Fortune, and now residing 
 in Ridgeville township), Hudson, Martin 
 and Lee. Politically our subject is a 
 prominent Republican, active in the inter- 
 ests of the party, and served as president 
 of the school board nine consecutive years. 
 Socially he is connected with Elyria Lodge, 
 No. 103, L O. O. F., and the Encamp- 
 ment; also of the Knights of the Macca- 
 bees at Ridgeville, being a charter member 
 of both Societies. 
 
 NDREW OSBORN, one of the 
 oldest and most prominent of the 
 agricultural citizens of Columbia 
 township, is a native of Ohio, born 
 in Summit county in 1823, a son 
 of Joseph and Phila (13all) Osborn, of 
 Connecticut. 
 
 About the year 1811 Joseph Osborn, 
 father of subject, came from the "Nut- 
 meg State" to Ohio, making the journey 
 in four weeks on foot, and after locating 
 in Brimtield township. Portage county, re- 
 turned for his wife, whom he had left be- 
 hind in Coiniecticut. From Portage they 
 moved to Summit county, Pame State, 
 whence they came, in 1836, to Columbia 
 township, Lorain county, and heweil out a 
 
 new home in the wild woods. He was a 
 useful man in his day, serving as trustee 
 and assessor of Columbia township, of 
 whicli he was a resident half a century. 
 He was born at Waterbury, Conn., May 
 13, 1794, and died August 27, 1887, a't 
 the advanced age of ninety-three years, 
 three months; he had served in the war of 
 1812, and was the recipient of a pension. 
 Before coming to Columbia township he 
 built the locks at Akron, Ohio, and helped 
 to raise the first building. Mr. Osborn 
 was twice married, first time to Phila Ball, 
 who bore him three children: Andrew^ 
 subject of sketch; Phebe Ann, deceased at 
 the age of thirteen; and Hannah, wife of 
 Ormal Smith, of Olmsted township, Cuya- 
 hoga county. The mother of these died 
 in 1831, and in 1832 Mr. Osborn married, 
 in Summit county, Roba Harrington, who 
 died April 17, 1875. Grandfather An- 
 drew Osborn was a native of Connecticut, 
 born of English ancestry. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was thirteen 
 years old when he came with his parents 
 to Lorain county, and as a consequence he 
 received part of his education in Summit 
 county, Ohio, and part in Columbia town- 
 ship, Lorain county. Since coming to Co- 
 lumbia he has lived with his father upon 
 the old homestead, iiis present ])lace, com- 
 prising 180 acres of well-cultivated land, 
 where he is engaged in general agriculture. 
 In September, 1843, he was united in 
 marriage with Miss Harriet Ives, daugh- 
 ter of Albert and Betsy (Russell) Ives, 
 natives, the father of Connecticut, the 
 mother of New York, who became early 
 settlers of Columbia township, Lorain 
 county, where they passed the rest of their 
 days. Nine children have been born to 
 Mr. and Mrs. Osborn: George, married to 
 Mrs. Mary (Hill) Harrington; Joseph, 
 married to Jessie Jasper, and has one 
 child, Bertha; Charley, who married Liz- 
 zie Yunnan, and has two children, Lilly 
 and Leon; Phila, married to Warren Good- 
 man, and has two children, Guy and For- 
 est; Mary, wife of George Howard, of 
 
1100 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Columbia township, has three children, 
 Emma, Vivian and Clare; Frank, born 
 November 6, 1851, died at the age of 
 nineteen, and three that died in infancy. 
 In his political predilections Mr. Osborn 
 was originally a Whig, and, since the 
 formation of the party, has been a straigiit 
 Republican. He and his wife have now 
 for half a century traveled together the 
 highway of life; and it is the earnest wish 
 of their many friends that they may be 
 spared to see many more anniversaries of 
 the commencement of their married life. 
 
 J. SNYDER. This gentleman, 
 who for many years was a success- 
 ful tradesman, is now justly classed 
 among the progressive farmer citi- 
 zens of Lorain county. 
 He was born November 12, 1828, in 
 Upper Augusta township, Northumber- 
 land Co., Penn., and is a son of Joseph 
 Snyder, a farmer, who was born in Lancas- 
 ter, Penn., July 1, 1791, and died January 
 8, 1872. He was a soldier in the war of 
 1812. He was twice married, the name 
 of his first wife being unknown. For his 
 second he married Mrs. Elizabeth Millet, a 
 widow, nee Noaker, who was born July 5, 
 1792, and she became the tnother of the 
 subject of this sketch. The parents both 
 died in Schuylkill county, Penn. Grand- 
 father Snyder, whose name was also Joseph, 
 was a native of Germany, and came to Lan- 
 caster, Penn., immediately after marriage. 
 A. J. Snyder received a good prac- 
 tical common-school education in reading 
 and writing, mathematics being entirely 
 omitted. When about sixteen years of age 
 he was bound out as an apprentice for 
 three and one-half years to Edward Finney, 
 a shoemaker in Danville, Columbia (now 
 in Montour) Co., Penn., with whom he re- 
 mained from June 23, 1845, to March 1, 
 1848, at which time, having effected a 
 
 compromise with Finney, he purchased his 
 freedom. With what little money he had 
 saved from his earnings he proceeded to 
 Northumberland, then to Port Carbon, 
 thence to Pottsville, in all of which places 
 he followed his trade, successfully. While 
 in Port Carbon he was married, August 
 21, 1849, to Miss Elizabeth Ann Pluuket, 
 daughter of Michael and Mary Plunket. 
 Their wedding tour was made with a horse 
 and buggy, and by the time they reached 
 home they found themselves absolutely 
 ^jenniless, so poor was he when he plunged 
 into the sea of matrimony. In the spring 
 of 1850 Mr. and Mrs. Snyder came to 
 Ohio, being accompanied by her parents, 
 making among themselves quite a party of 
 immigrants. They had some time pre- 
 viously started for Ohio, but were detained 
 at Hoilidaysburg, Penn., where Mr. Sny- 
 der worked at his trade. On their jour- 
 ney westward the party passed through 
 Canton, New Lisbon, Massillon, Wooster 
 and Ashland, finally halting at Plymouth, 
 where our subject found himself forty 
 dollars in debt. He worked at his trade 
 in Norwalk and New Haven, and again at 
 Plymouth, in the latter place for eleven 
 years, saving a little money there, and 
 providing a home for the family. Here 
 he lost his first wife, she dying January 1, 
 1859, and here she was buried; she left 
 three children, viz.: Lucinda A., now Mrs. 
 Samuel Markle, of Ashland, Ohio; Willis, 
 a farm laborer of Miami county, Ohio; and 
 Antoinetta, now Mrs. Morris Risser, of 
 Ashland, Ohio. For his second wife Mr. 
 Snyder married, October 15, 1859, Mrs. 
 Melinda Shurter, a widow, and two chil- 
 dren, both deceased in infancy, were born 
 to this union. Mrs. Melinda Synder died 
 December 18, 1861, and our sul)ject on 
 March 31, 1863, married Miss Mary Qninn, 
 who bore him two children (twins): One 
 deceased in infancy, and William, now in 
 Bloominggrove township, Richland Co., 
 Ohio. Mrs. Mary Snyder died January 4, 
 1864, and January 1, 1865, the thrice- 
 bereaved husband wedded Miss Lydia 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1101 
 
 Simonson, by whom there were two chil- 
 dren: .Foseph G., a fanner of Richland 
 county, Ohio, and Bertha M., who died at 
 the age of fifteen years. This wife passed 
 away December 21. 1872, and for his fifth 
 and present spouse Mr. Snyder married, 
 September 4, 1873, Miss Victoria Mc- 
 Miilen, of Oliversburg, Richland Co., 
 Ohio. To this last marriage five children 
 were born, to wit: Etta A., deceased at the 
 age of nine years; and Carlos L., Leroy V., 
 Autha P. and Ralph V., all at home. 
 
 In Plymouth our subject made his home 
 until 1861; then lived on a farm a short 
 time, after which he moved to Shelby, 
 Ohio, where for a brief period he worked 
 at his trade; thence went to a farm in 
 Bloominggrove township, Richland county, 
 and then again resided in Shelby a short 
 time. In the spring of 1865 he came to 
 Lorain county, settling in Rochester town- 
 ship, where he had purchased of Erastus 
 Knapp 150 acres of ]irime land (his present 
 home), on which he has made many im- 
 provements. Mr. Snyder is not only a 
 good farmer, but a systematic business 
 man, keeping a regular set of books, show- 
 ing expenditure and revenue in all his deal- 
 inijs ever since he commenced on his pres- 
 ent farm. Politically he is a zealous Re- 
 publican, taking a lively interest in the 
 affairs of the party, and has been a dele- 
 gate to various county conventions. In 
 Church relationship he is a member of the 
 M. E. Church, his wife being a Baptist. 
 
 dl B. PARKER, a prominent business 
 man of North Amherst, well-known 
 ' in insurance circles, is a native of the 
 State of New York, born October 28, 
 1830, in Lexington, Greene county. He is 
 a son of Abrani and Elizabeth (Buel) 
 Parker, of the same county, the former of 
 whom, a farmer by occupation, and a Dem- 
 ocrat in politics, died in April, 1852, the 
 
 latter dying in Williamstown, Oswego 
 county, N. Y., in October, 1864, and was 
 buried in Jewett, Greene county, N. Y. 
 
 J. B. Parker received his education at 
 the district schools of his native place, and 
 was reared on his father's farm. In 1856 
 he moved to Wayne county, Penn., where 
 he had charge of a store, and was book- 
 keeper for Morse, Martin & Co. (later 
 Morse, Cook & Co.) until 1862, when he 
 proceeded to Williamstown, Oswego coun- 
 ty, N. Y., and engaged in general mer- 
 chandising, continuing in business there 
 until 1869, the year he came to New Lon- 
 don, Ohio. In that town he remained till 
 1874, and then moved to North Amherst, 
 where he has since resided, intimately 
 identified with the business interests of the 
 place. 
 
 In 1851 Mr. Parker was married, in 
 Greene county, N. Y"., to Miss Louisa Ben- 
 jamin, who died without issue, and in 1855 
 he became united in marriage with Mrs. 
 S. C. Pain, nee Wolcott, by which union 
 there were four children (two of whom are 
 yet living), viz.: (1) Metta A., widow of 
 J. B. Norton, of Amherst; (2) Lillie and 
 (3) Willie, twins (the former of whom died 
 in Williamstown, Oswego county, N. Y., 
 the latter in Ledge Dale, Wayne Co., 
 Penn.), and (4) Caj-rie E., wife of E. E. 
 Kimmel, residing at Cedar "Valley, Iowa. 
 Mr. Parker is a Democrat of the first water, 
 and was elected a justice of the peace in 
 1891; is now serving his second term as 
 notary public, and has been a member of 
 the town council. In his fire, life and 
 accident insurance business, in which he 
 has been engaged the j)ast six years, he 
 represents, among other offices, the Glens 
 Falls, Manchester, North Western and 
 National and Wayne County Fire Com- 
 
 Kanies, besides the New York Life and 
 fational Life of Vermont. In addition to 
 all this he is secretary of the North Am- 
 herst Shear Co., incorporated December 
 18, 1890, with which he has been con- 
 nected since its organization. He and his 
 wife are membeis of the M. E. Church, in 
 
1102 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 the Sunday-scbool work of which, and in the 
 choir, he has taken much personal interest. 
 Mrs. Parker was born Septeiriber 4, 
 1830, in Lexington, Greene Co., N. Y., a 
 dangliter of Reuben I. and Artemesia 
 (Buel) Wolcott, natives of New York, who 
 in 1831 came west to Huron county, Oliio, 
 niakina: their residence for a time in Fitch- 
 ville, tlicnce moving to Ruggles township 
 (now in Ashland county). The mother 
 departed this life in Huron county, Ohio, 
 in 1842, the father in Ruggles township 
 (then in Huron county) in 1863 or '64. 
 He was a farmer of prominence, and in his 
 day an active politician, first as a Whig, 
 afterward as a Republican. Mrs. Parker 
 was educated in Oberlin,and has been twice 
 married, as already recorded. Mr. Parker's 
 grandfather, William Parker, a native of 
 <J(jnnecticut, was a drummer boy in the 
 Revolutionary war; in after life he settled 
 in Lexington, Greene Co., N. Y. Her 
 grandfather, Munson Buel, also a native 
 of Connecticut, moved in an early day to 
 Lexington, Greene Co., N. Y., and died at 
 the advanced age of eighty-two; he was a 
 cloth dresser by trade, and also owned a 
 flour and grist mill. 
 
 JIACOB SCHAIBLE, in his day a well- 
 known Lorain county pioneer, was 
 _) born March 27, 1807, in Boulanden, 
 Wnrtemberg, Germany, and died 
 February 7, 1874. 
 
 When but five or six years old he lost 
 both of his parents by death, leaving him and 
 his only brother, Michael, orphans. After 
 the death of the parents, his grandmother, 
 on the mother's side, undertook the care 
 of the two little boys, and gave them both 
 a common-school education. 
 
 Jacob took up the pursuit of farming 
 (and it was in this career that he grew up 
 to manhood), in which he was eminently 
 successful. In January, 1834, he was 
 united in marriao-e with Miss Catharine B. 
 Ramsaver, granddaughter of the then emi- 
 nent physician and surgeon, C. H. von 
 
 Ottein, who had engaged the best teachers 
 money could procure and gave her a good 
 education. Mr. Schaible, with his young 
 wife, settled on his estates, on which he had 
 made many improvements after his major- 
 ity, and as they both liked country life 
 their home life was attractive and pleasant. 
 Nothing, in fact, marred their every-day 
 life until in the fall of the year 1846, when 
 Mr. Schaible was suddenly stricken down 
 with an illness so severe that his life hung 
 in the balance for many a day; finally, 
 however, his strong constitution prevailed 
 over the disease, although he did not fully 
 recover his former health. Then his at- 
 tending physician and several other phy- 
 sicians held a consultation, and their 
 unanimous decision was that Mr. Schaible 
 should take a sea voyage for the restoration 
 of his health. 
 
 Accordingly in May, 1848, with his wife 
 and five children, Mr. Schaible wended his 
 way toward the seaport of Havre, took pas- 
 sage there on a sailing ship, and after a tem- 
 pestuous voyage of seven weeks landed at 
 New York. Their stay there was of short 
 duration, for they soon turned in the di- 
 rection of Ohio, taking steamer on the 
 Hudson river as far a-< Albany; from 
 there in a canal boat to Buffalo, thence to 
 Cleveland, whence they came directly to 
 Elyria, arriving there August 1, 1848. 
 The three months' travel restored Mr. 
 Schaible to his former health. Elyria was 
 then but a mere village, straggling out 
 over several streets of mud and under- 
 brush, and the only approaches at that time 
 were by the way of lake and t^tage coach. 
 
 Mr. Schaible soon after his arrival pur- 
 chased land one mile west of Elyria, built 
 a small house and settled on his farm, 
 which was nearly all covered with under- 
 brush and forest. He immediately began 
 to clear and improve his property until he 
 had one of the best farms in the county, 
 also buying more land from time to time 
 until he had some three or four hundred 
 acres of well-improved land at the time of 
 his death. He was honest and iiuius- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1103 
 
 trious, kind and obliging, and his name be- 
 came tlie synonym for integrity and up- 
 rightness. Being temperate in his liabits, 
 he was a rare specimen of the hardy pio- 
 neer. He was a t'aitiifui member of tlie 
 Evangelical Lutheran Church from early 
 youth, and for many years was its stanchest 
 supporter. In the family he was a loving 
 husband, a kind and indulgent father. His 
 faithful wife, who had so long shared his 
 joys and sorrows, preceded him but eight 
 weeks in death. His remains were placed 
 beside those of his wife in Murry Ridge 
 Cemetery, in the bosom of mother earth, in 
 full iiope of a glorious I'esurrection. 
 
 Mr. Schaible left four sons and five 
 daughters to mourn his loss, viz.: Agnes 
 B. Theiss, of Cleveland; Margaretha M. 
 Limb, of Woaster; J. Frederich Schaible, 
 who died February 12, 1875; C. Hen- 
 rietta Krieger, of Wooster, Oliio; Jacob 
 E Schaible, of Elyria; Carrie Schaible, 
 Charles H. Schaible, John G. Schaible and 
 Sophia C. Schaible, all of Eljria. 
 
 T ACOB E. SCHAIBLE was born in 
 w I Germany, and was but two years old 
 S^j when he came with his father to this 
 country. He now lives on his farm 
 of 140 acres on "West Ridge, and is one of 
 tlie most thorougii farmers in Lorain 
 county. Mr. Schaible has over sixteen 
 thousand tile under ground, and has one 
 of the best- improved farms. He and his 
 two children are members of St. Paul's 
 Church. 
 
 In 1886 he took a trip across the ocean, 
 and visited the principal cities in England, 
 France and Germany, spending some time 
 in his native country. 
 
 El LI AS BAUMHART, one of the 
 leading, most prosperous and enter- 
 1 prising agriculturists of Black River 
 
 township, is a native of Erie county, 
 Ohio, born in 1845. 
 
 57 
 
 His father, Capt. Adam Baumhart, was 
 born in Hessia, Germany, whence at the 
 age of fourteen years he came to America 
 and to Erie county, Ohio, with his father, 
 Elias Baumhart. In 1846 Adam moved to 
 Black River township, Lorain county. He 
 was married in Erie county to Christina 
 Herwig, daugher of Jacob and Catherine 
 (Blech) Herwig, all of Hessia, Germany, 
 who came to tho United States when 
 Christina was eight years old. They were 
 nine weeks crossing the ocean. Jacob 
 Herwig was a miller in the Fatherland, 
 but in tills country he followed fai'ining. 
 He died in 1873, his wife in 1853. Capt. 
 Adam and Christina Baumhart are the 
 parents of eleven children, viz.: Emeline, 
 wife of Benjamin Ciaus, of Brownhelm 
 township; Elias, subject of sketch; Jacob, 
 deceased at the age of two years; Henry, 
 who died when a^ed fifteen years; Cather- 
 ine, wife of Charles Holin, of Black River 
 township, Lorain county; Armina, at home 
 M'itb her parents; Martha, wife of Henry 
 Furber, of Erie county, Ohio; Adam, Jr., 
 studying medicine at the University of 
 Ann Arbor, Michigan; Edward, who died 
 when five years old; Jacob, on his father's 
 farm in Brownhelm township, and James, 
 also a farmer in that township. The par- 
 ents are yet residing in Brownhelm town- 
 ship, highly respected and honored. 
 
 Elias Baumhart received his education 
 at the district schools of Black River town- 
 ship, whither he was brought when an in- 
 fant. He was reared toagricnltural pursuits, 
 and after attaining his majority bought 
 fifty-six acres of land, which he cleared. 
 This he subsequently rented, and bought 
 his present fine farm of 240 acres, well 
 watered by a good creek and equipped with 
 all necessary buildings. In December, 
 1869, Mr. Baumhart was united in mar- 
 riage, in Brownhelm township, Lorain 
 county, with Miss Amelia Lutz, who died 
 March 16, 1873, the mother of two chil- 
 dren: Charles and Thomas, the latter of 
 whom died when eight months old. On 
 April 12, 1874, our subject married, in 
 
1104 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Black River township, Lorain county, for 
 his second wife, Miss Margaret Jacobs, a 
 native of that township, and daughter of 
 Peter and Dora (Smith) Jacobs. To this 
 union have been born six children, viz.: 
 Delia, Benwill, Nelson, Armina, Robert, 
 and Edward, who died when seven months 
 old. The parents are members of the 
 Evangelical Church; in politics Mr. Eanm- 
 hart is a Democrat, and has served his 
 township as trustee. 
 
 \ILLIAM A. BATES. William 
 Bates, the paternal grandsire of 
 our subject, was born and reared 
 in Connecticut, but passed the 
 greater portion of his life in Lewis county, 
 N. Y., near the town of Lowville. His 
 vocation in life was that of a farmer. He 
 married Mrs. Sarah Woods, and the results 
 of this union were ten children; by a pre- 
 vious marriage live were born. 
 
 In about 1836, then in his seventy-fifth 
 year, he removed to the then wilds of 
 Ohio, whither several of his sons had pre- 
 ceded him a year. The journey was made 
 overland, the means of locomotion bein? 
 four strong horses, and the conveyance a 
 large covered wagon, into which were 
 crowded the family and many personal 
 effects. The remaining years of his life 
 were passed with his children, all of whom 
 were located in Lorain county, Ohio. He 
 was a veteran of the Revolutionary war, 
 bravely fought for liberty as a trooper, 
 and was commended by his officer for 
 gallantry and bravery in the battle against 
 the British at Sacket's Harbor. He de- 
 parted this life in 1848, at the age of 
 eighty-four years. His good wife sur- 
 vived him some thirteen years, and was a 
 like number of years his junior. She also 
 lived to the age of eighty-four, and was 
 remarkably well preserved and hale, in 
 fact, a few months previous to her demise 
 shp thought but little of a walk of a half 
 
 mile. They were formerly Presbyterians, 
 but after removing to Ohio they joined 
 the Methodists, and they were exemplary 
 Christian people. The following children 
 accompanied and located in Lorain county, 
 with their father: Francis, Ottis, Bennett, 
 Hannah, Moses, Lyman, Thaxter, Norton 
 and Charles, all now deceased, Bennett be- 
 ing the last to pass away, dying in De- 
 cember, 1892. The father of these was a 
 Highland Scotchman, and was a man of 
 giant-like dimensions, being six and one- 
 half feet in stature, and weighing over 
 three hundred pounds. His sons averaged 
 six feet in height, and were of massive 
 proportions. 
 
 Francis Bates, the father of subject, 
 . was born in Lewis county, N. Y., in 1800, 
 and was there reared. He was possessed 
 of skill in the use of tools of any sort, but 
 his attention chiefly turned toward farm- 
 ing, and the trade of shoemakina. In 
 1835, at the age of about thirty-five years, 
 he gathered together his savings and 
 started for the then wilds of Ohio, almost 
 immediately on his arrival locating upon 
 a tract of lifty acres in the western portion 
 of Lorain county. To pay for the land he 
 was employed at working for others, his 
 leisure being used in the clearing of his 
 own land. At that period the wages re- 
 ceived "at clearing" were fifty cents to 
 seventy-five cents per day. At the time 
 of his advent into this then "wilderness" 
 there were several log houses in Camden 
 township. In 1820 he married Miss Maria 
 Obits, a lady of German parentage, though 
 of American birth, and a native of the 
 same county as her husband. To this 
 union were born four sons and one daugh- 
 ter, namely: Nelson, Sallie Ann, Justin, 
 Elbirge and William A. Of these the 
 last mentioned and Justin, a prominent 
 citizen of the Hawkeye State, are the only 
 ones living. Francis Bates was, politically, 
 an Old-line Whig, an earnest Abolition- 
 ist, and religiously a devout member of the 
 Methodist Church, as was also his faithful 
 wife. Both were well and kindly known 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1105 
 
 throughout a large community, and their 
 deeds of charity are traditional in many of 
 the pioneer homes of the county. In Oc- 
 tober, 1858, Francis Bates departed this 
 life, his wife following him to eternal rest 
 in 1869. 
 
 William A. Bates, the subject proper of 
 this memoir, was born in St. Lawrence 
 county, N. Y., and there reared to the age 
 of fourteen, when he came west with his 
 parents to Ohio. Here he attended school 
 in the old log school building with its slab 
 benches and other primitive furnishings. 
 Soon, however, he was compelled to shoul- 
 der his portion of the labor of clearing his 
 father's land, and working for others to 
 assist in the payment of the indebtedness, 
 into which his father had gone in the pur- 
 chase of same. For such work he received 
 twelve dollars per acre cleared, and, for only 
 chopping or felling the timber, six dollars 
 per acre. Mr. Bates' health was never ro- 
 bust, and he received many setbacks in his 
 progress even in his youth, because of this 
 misfortune. When about twenty-seven he 
 had about two hundred dollars, all saved 
 from his earnings, and he then linked his 
 fortunes with those of Miss Sarah Sigs- 
 worth, the date of their marriage being 
 June 29, 184:8. She is the daughter of 
 Thomas Sigs worth (now deceased), who 
 was one of the first, if not the first, of 
 Camden township's citizens. He was a 
 native of England, and by many of the 
 older residents of Camden he is remem- 
 bered as an industrious, loyal, thoroughly 
 esteemed citizen. To our subject and wife 
 were born children as follows: S. Olive, 
 William Duane, Ella M., Mary A., Fran- 
 cis W., Elma R., Willnettie and L. Clem- 
 ant; the first three were born in Ohio and 
 died in infancy, the others were born in 
 Iowa. Of these Mary A. is the wife of 
 Floyd Twining, of Henrietta township; 
 Francis W. and Elma R. reside at home 
 with their parents; Willnettie (Mrs. Ed- 
 ward Bell) is a resident of North Royal- 
 ton, Ohio; L. Clemant is a successful clerk 
 in Lorain, Lorain county. In October, 
 
 1854, thinking a change of climate would 
 benefit his health, he removed to the then 
 new State of Iowa; accompanied by his 
 wife he made the trip in a covered wagon. 
 After remaining in Iowa thirteen years, he 
 returned to Ohio in May, 18G7. 
 
 Mr. Bates has been a successful aori- 
 culturist, and is highly respected through- 
 out his wide acquaintance. He has given 
 his children the advantage of a good edn- 
 cation, and that they appreciate the efforts 
 of their parents in their behalf is shown 
 in their devotion to them, in these their 
 declining years. Mr. Bates is a Republi- 
 can, politically, and takes an active and in- 
 telligent interest in local and national 
 affairs, and has held several local offices. 
 His farm displays the hand of enterprise 
 and thrift, the many improvements bespeak- 
 ing well his praise. Mrs. Bates and other 
 members of the family are earnest and de- 
 vout members of the Methodist Church. 
 
 W 
 
 |^|ESLEY HASTINGS, a worthy 
 representative of one of the earli- 
 est pioneer families of Pen field 
 township, is a native of Wilna, 
 Jefferson Co., N. Y., born December 21, 
 1822. 
 
 He is a son of Curtice and Pattie 
 (Groves) Hastings, the former of whom 
 was born in Vermont, and when a young 
 man removed to New York State, where 
 he married and had children as follows: 
 Ashley, who was accidentally killed by the 
 e.xplosion of a signal gun in LaGrange 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio; Wesley, sub- 
 ject of this sketch; and Submit, Mrs. Ly- 
 man Crane, of Chatham Center, Medina 
 Co., Ohio. Curtice Hastings followed the 
 carpenter's trade, for which he had a na- 
 tural inclination, and in 1825 came west 
 to Ohio, in company with Henry Towns- 
 end, walking the entire distance from 
 New York State. He visited in Harris- 
 ville and Lodi, and, after looking over the 
 
1106 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 land in Lorain and Medina counties, re- 
 turned home. In June, 1826, he set out 
 for Ohio witli his family, heing a long time 
 on the road, as they drove tlie entire dis- 
 tance, and their team was the first one to 
 enter the township. They made their home 
 at the house of a family named Holcomb 
 until their cabin of logs and bark was 
 erected on tlie tract which Mr. Hastings 
 had bargained for, which at tliat tinie was 
 a dense wilderness, abounding with wild 
 animals; and many were the exciting ad- 
 ventures and narrow escapes which the 
 pioneers had in these forests. Their cabin 
 was a rude one, and for the first year had 
 no floor, and neither door nor window. At 
 first they had to go a long distance east to 
 have their milling done, hauling the grist 
 on a sled drawn by oxen, the journey oc- 
 cupying five days and nights, and marked 
 trees being their only guide, as there were 
 no roads. 
 
 After locating in LaGrange township 
 the family was increwsed by the following 
 members: E. H. and E. G. (twins), who 
 were the first white male children born in 
 the township; Sanniel, a farmer of La- 
 Grange township; a daughter that died in 
 infancy; Edson, now a farmer of LaGrange 
 township; and a son, who was adopted in 
 infancy, on the death of his mother, by the 
 Dreher family of Gi'afton township, who 
 moved to Utah and joined the Mormons, 
 which was the last heard of tiieni and the 
 child. Mrs. Hastings was interred in East 
 cemetery, LaGrange township, and for his 
 second wife Mr. Hastings married Asenath 
 Amie, who bore him one child, Frank, wlio 
 served in the Civil war (he died in La- 
 Grange townsliip). After coming west 
 Mr. Hastings engaged in agriculture, and 
 also continued to follow the carpenter trade, 
 erecting many of the first gristmills in his 
 section. He also conducted tlie sawmill at 
 Eawsonville for some time, and he was the 
 builder of the Jonathan Rawson mill that 
 stood at Grafton Stg,tion. He began to 
 prosper, accumulated property, and at the 
 time of his death was in very comfortable 
 
 circumstances. His second wife preceded 
 him to the grave. Politically he was a 
 Democrat. 
 
 Wesley Hastings was but a child of four 
 years when he came to Ohio, at whicli time, 
 and for several years following, there were 
 no schQols of any kind in his district. The 
 first one opened was of the subscription 
 variety, but he was unable to attend even 
 this regularly, as his services were needed 
 at home. He was reared to agricultural 
 life on the pioneer farm, and learned the 
 trade of a carpenter under his father. On 
 April 2, 1843, he was united in marriage 
 with Miss Elinira Loorais, a native of Jef- 
 ferson county, N. Y., daughter of Justin 
 and Sally (Sillick) Loomis, who came to 
 LaGrange township in an early day, locat- 
 ing on Vermont street. To this union 
 were born children as follows: Charles, a 
 carpenter, in the employ of the D. L. Wads- 
 worth Lumber Co., of Wellington, Ohio; 
 and Irwin, who died young. After his 
 marriage our subject located on Vermont 
 street, LaGrange township, where he re- 
 mained for a year, and then removed to a 
 farm directly opposite this place and sepa- 
 rated from it by the Black river. Here 
 he lived four years, with Dorias Holcomb, 
 a brother-in-law, in a house which they 
 erected, thence moving to his present farm 
 in Penfield township, where lie has now 
 had his home for over fifty years. The 
 section was then a vast wilderness, and 
 here Mr. Hastings purchased fifty acres at 
 six dollars per acre, to which he has since 
 added, and all of which has been cleared 
 and improved by his own labor. In con- 
 nection with farming he continued to fol- 
 low his trade until 1875, and he has erected 
 more buildings in his section than any 
 other man living; he has also worked in 
 other parts of the county. For a number 
 of years he has given his principal atten- 
 tion to farming, and, though he has passed 
 his threescore and ten years, he is yet 
 capable of doing a good day's work. In 
 political matters Mr. Hastings has always 
 sympathized with the Democratic party. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1107 
 
 although he voted for Abraham Lincoln; 
 in former years he took considerable inter- 
 est in party affairs, and served in various 
 local offices. He is a hicrhly respected citi- 
 zen of tiie community, and now, after many 
 years of toil and hardship, enjoys a com- 
 fortable competence. 
 
 E 
 
 ■J A. TURNEY, a thoroughly repre- 
 sentative farmer and influential citi- 
 zen of Amherst townsiiip, is a na- 
 tive of Ohio, born in Lake county, 
 March 23, 1815. 
 
 Tl)e father of subject was born in Fair- 
 field, Conn., October 15, 1759, and was 
 married to Polly Downes, who was born in 
 Reading, same State, December 2, 1768. 
 He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, 
 his first enlistment being in 1777, and his 
 first battle at Danbury, his second at Black 
 Rock, both in Connecticut; later he served 
 in the baggage train of the army till the 
 close of the war. From the year 1832 to 
 theclo.^eof his life he was in receipt of a pen- 
 sion from the Govei-ninent of eight dollars 
 per month. While a resident of Connecticut 
 he was for a time a sailor on merchant ships, 
 trading with the West Indies. In 1809 he 
 came to Ohio, and bought 100 acres of wild 
 land in Madison township, Lake county, 
 which he improved; later he purchased 160 
 acres in Perry township. Lake county, and 
 finally another seventy acres in Madison 
 township, aggregating 330 acres, of which 
 he crave to each of three sons 100 acres. 
 In politics he was an Old-line Whig, his 
 first vote being cast for George Washing- 
 ton, in Connecticut; after coming to Madi- 
 son, he served as trustee of that township. 
 He died April 5, 1833, aged seventy- three 
 years, five months and twenty days; his 
 wife on October 9, 1835, aged sixty- si.K 
 years, ten months and twenty-three days; 
 they were members of the Baptist Church. 
 To this honored pioneer couple were born 
 children as follows: Daniel Turney, a 
 farmer, born May 11, 1788, died March 9, 
 
 1841, in Lake county, Ohio, whither he had 
 come on foot from Connecticut; Phebe 
 Turney, born March 9, 1791, who was mar- 
 ried to Erial Cook, and died in Lake county, 
 March 4, 1852; David Turney, born De- 
 cember 25, 1794, died in Lake county, March 
 5, 1826, aged thirty-one years, two months 
 ten days; George Washington Turney, born 
 March 13, 1797, died in Lake county, 
 February 19, 1830; Charlany Turney, born 
 August 20, 1799, mjirried James Gage, and 
 died in Lake county, in June, 1829: Asa 
 Squire Turney, born March 20, 1804, died 
 in Lake county, February 16, 1886 (he was 
 a minister of the Disciple (Jhurch); Marvin 
 Turney, born in Connecticut, August 11, 
 1807, who resided on a farm in Dearborn 
 township, Wayne Co., Mich., where he set- 
 tled in 1834, until his death, which occurred 
 April 28, 1893, when he was aged eighty- 
 six years; and Eli A., subject of sketch. 
 
 Eli A. Turney received his education at 
 the public schools of Lake county, Oiiio, 
 which were first held in a blockhouse, after- 
 ward in a log house, and he was reared to 
 agricultural pursuits, which he followed for 
 some time. He then engaged in ship- 
 building at Black River, Sandusky, Ver- 
 million, Huron and Milan, lake port towns 
 of Lorain and Erie counties, Ohio. Subse- 
 quently he entered the Freewill Baptist 
 ministry, was licensed to preach in 1850, 
 and ordained in June, 1856, ever since 
 which he has been a minister in that church 
 as a member of the Freewill Baptist As- 
 sociation. In 1833 Mr. Turney moved to 
 Lorain county, and to Amherst township, 
 where he bought 118 acres of wild land, 
 which he improved, erecting thereon the 
 first log house he ever saw built, and, con- 
 trary to the prevailing custom of those days, 
 no whiskey was used during the work. Prior 
 to coming to Lorain county he resided for 
 a time in Geauga county, same State. 
 
 On May 12, 1833, our subject married, 
 in Ridgeville, Ohio, Minerva Seeley, a na- 
 tive of Tioga county, N. Y., born Septem- 
 ber 15, 1815. The result of this union 
 was seven children, of whom the following 
 
1108 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 is a brief record: Albert Tnrney, who was^ 
 educated at Oberlin, Ohio, is now a resi- 
 dent of Bowling Green, Wood Co., Ohio; 
 he married Hannah Harris, of Oberlin, and 
 has two daughters: SophiaaudCory. Cjrena 
 R. Turney became the wife of Perry Belden, 
 of Amherst, and died in 1860. La Fayette 
 Turney, born April 6, 1838, was educated 
 at Amherst, and lives at Grand Rapids, 
 Ohio, where he is a salesman; helms three 
 children,oneofwiiom,E.E. Turney, is study- 
 ing for the ministry. David M. Turney, 
 born March 20, 1848, a railroad man, lives 
 in Kansas. Mary, born July 10, 1853, is 
 the wife of P^rank Bissell, of Columbus, 
 Ohio. Henry Tnrney died in Lorain county 
 October 21, 1858. Charles Wesley Turney, 
 born October 1, 1841, died at the age of 
 fourteen months. The mother of these 
 died May 29, 1868, and September 11, 
 1869, Mr. Turney married Mrs. Arvilla 
 (Crocker) Branch, who was born in North 
 Amherst, Ohio, daughter of Roswell and 
 Perlina (Barnes) Crocker, the father a native 
 of New York, the mother of Becket, Mass. 
 They came to Lorain county. Ohio, in 1817, 
 locating near Amherst, but in 1834 moved 
 to Madison, Lake county, where Mr. Crocker 
 died in 1868, his widow in 1880, at the age 
 of eighty years. They reared a family of 
 eight children, as follows: Eliza, widow of 
 O. Barney, of North Amherst; Alonzo and 
 Lorenzo (twins), born in 1819, the latter of 
 whom died at the age of sixty-eight; Ar- 
 villa, wife of subject; Fannie, whose hus- 
 band. Dr. Martin Lnce, died of cholera on 
 Sand Bar in the Ohio river; John W., a 
 resident of Lake county, Ohio; Hulda, 
 wife of D. D. Fo,\, of Doylestown, Wis.; 
 and Erastus AV., a resident of Hawaii, Sand- 
 wich Islands. Mrs. Tnrney is the oldest 
 living lady born in Amherst township. In 
 1840 she was married to S. G. Branch, of 
 Madison, Lake Co., Ohio, and three chil- 
 dren were born to them, viz.: E. P., mar- 
 ried and residing in Florida (he served in 
 the Civil war); W. S., in Dakota; and 
 Fannie, wife of C. M. Parsons, uf Cleve- 
 land, Ohio. Mr. Branch died in 1863. 
 
 In politics Mr. Tnrney is a Republican- 
 Prohibitionist, and cast his vote for W. H. 
 Harrison in 1840; he has been a member 
 of the school board for years. He is a mem- 
 ber of the Freewill Baptist Church, Mrs 
 Tnrney of the Congregational Church. 
 
 fjHILIP SIPPEL, well-known in Lo- 
 rain county and elsewhere as a prom- 
 inent contractor and builder, is a 
 native of Hessia, Germany, born 
 July 20, 1831. He is a son of 
 George and Mary (Schaffer) Sippel, who 
 both died in Germany, the father in 1836, 
 the mother in 1871, at the age of seventy- 
 seven years; they were members of the 
 German Presbyterian Church. 
 
 Our subject was educated in the public 
 schools of his native land, and in 1853 
 came to the United States, landing in New 
 York with but three dollars left, which he 
 afterward gave to a less fortunate com- 
 rade, who was unable to secure work. Our 
 subject, finding employment in New York, 
 saved his earnings, and when he had laid 
 by enough to carry him westward, set out 
 for Lorain county, Qliio, and, in about 
 three months after first setting foot on 
 American soil, he found iiimself settled in 
 the then village of North Amherst, which 
 has since been his home. In the Father- 
 land he had learned the trade of carpenter 
 and joiner, and for some time followed it 
 in this country. Having bought a farm, 
 he laid aside his trade for a time, and fol- 
 lowed agricultural pursuits, but selling the 
 property he resumed carpentry, at which 
 he made a success. Mr. Sippel is now 
 recognized as the leading contractor and 
 builder of North Amherst, having the full 
 confidence of the community, and has been 
 tiie architect and builder of the M. E. and 
 Presbyterian churches, besides various 
 business blocks. 
 
 In 1856 Mr. Sippel was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Catherine Keller. Polit- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1109 
 
 ieally he is a Democrat, and for nine years 
 was a member of the board of education, 
 was township trustee one term, and served 
 his town as treasurer six years. Socially 
 he is a member of the K. of P. and I. O. 
 O. F., in which latter he has passed all the 
 Chairs. 
 
 El BIGLOW, proprietor of the West 
 View Tile and Brick Works, is a 
 I native of Lorain county, born in 
 
 Columbia township in 1845, a sou 
 of Daniel and Martha L. (Stranahan) Big- 
 low, also of Columbia township, where 
 both are yet living. 
 
 Ephraim Biglow, grandfather of sub- 
 ject, was born in Massachusetts, whence 
 when a boy he moved to Maine, from there 
 to New York, and from there migrated to 
 Lorain county, Ohio, settling in Colum- 
 bia township, where he passed the rest of 
 his days. 
 
 E. Biglow, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, received a liberal education at the 
 public schools of his native township, and 
 lived on a farm up to the age of twenty- 
 eight, when he embarked in mercantile 
 business in West View, Cuyahoga county, 
 continuing in same till the spring of 1893. 
 In 1880 he became the proprietor of the 
 West View Tile and Brick Works, which 
 were built in 1880 for the manufacture of 
 all kinds of brick and tile; they do the 
 most extensive business and have the 
 largest plant of any concern of the kind in 
 the county. The capacity of the works is 
 400,000 brick each season, with a corre- 
 sponding capacity for tile, and they gener- 
 ally have on hand a large supply of both 
 products. The storage room is three stories 
 high, 40x64, with a wing, two stories, 
 24x80; engine-room 20x24; drying shed 
 18 x 64, heated by steam pipes throughout; 
 clay house, a brick building, 26 x 30, lo- 
 cated on the " Big Foiir" Bailroad, with 
 side track running to the works. There is 
 also an iron track for carrying clay. 
 
 In 1874 Mr. Biglow was married in 
 Columbia township, Lorain coutity, to 
 Miss C. R. Osborn, daughter of Asahel 
 Banner and Sophronia (Scales) Osborn, all 
 natives of that township; both parents are 
 deceased. To this union there is one, 
 child, Ernest O., at present attending 
 Berea College. In politics Mr. Biglow is 
 a Republican, and for eighteen years he 
 served as postmaster at West View. He 
 and his wife are members of the M. E. 
 Church of that town, and they are held in 
 the highest respect by all who know them. 
 
 D- 
 
 NIEL BIGLOW, a prominent, na- 
 tive-born agriculturist of Columbia 
 township, lirst saw the light in the 
 year 1820. 
 His parents, Ephraim and Nancy (Frink) 
 Bio-low, were natives of Massachusetts and 
 Connecticut, respectively, and were mar- 
 ried in New York State, whence, in 1816, 
 they migrated westward to Ohio, coming 
 with a team. They located in the woods 
 of Columbia township, Lorain county, 
 where they passed the remainder of their 
 lives, the father dying in 1838, the mother 
 in 1861. He was an ardent advocate of 
 the principles of the Whig party, voting 
 for Thonias Jefferson, and took an active 
 interest in the politics of his day. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Biglow had a family of eight 
 children, but two of whom are now living, 
 viz.: Daniel, the subject of this sketch, 
 and Amasa, married, who resides in Olm- 
 sted Falls, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. 
 
 Daniel Biglow was reared and educated 
 in his native township, and during his 
 early youth aided in clearing the home 
 farm. He has made agriculture his life 
 vocation. In 1852 he settled on his pres- 
 ent farm, then consisting of seventy-eight 
 acres, which he has since im])roved and 
 from time to time added to until he now 
 has 137 acres, 110 of which are cleared 
 
1110 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 and in a good state of cultivation. In 1844 
 Mr. Biglow was married, in Columbia 
 township, to Miss M. L. Stranalian, daugli- 
 ter of Joshua C. and Mary (Mason) Strana- 
 han, natives of Connecticut, where the 
 mother died; in an early day the father 
 came to Columbia township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, where he passed away in 1859. To 
 this union were born three children, two 
 of whom are living, namely: Ephraim, 
 res-iding in West View, who is married 
 and has one child, Ernest; and G. J., re- 
 siding at home. In political matters our 
 subject is a Kepublican, and has served 
 as trustee of Columbia township. He is 
 one of the three oldest residents of same. 
 Mrs. Biglow is a member of the Baptist 
 Church. 
 
 P)ETEE FORTHOFER, a prominent 
 farmer citizen of Avon township, and 
 trustee of same, is a native of Bava- 
 ria, Germany, born July 14, 1841. 
 He is a son of John and Joanna 
 (Schwartz) Forthofer, of the same locality, 
 who in 1853 immigrated with their family 
 to the United States, coming to Ohio and 
 locating in Dover township, Cuyahoga 
 county, for live years, and thence moving 
 to Avon township, Lorain county. Here 
 the father, who was a lifelong farmer, died 
 in 1880, the mother in 1885. They were 
 the parents of four children, as follows: 
 Joseph, who died in Avon township in 
 1891: John, married, residing in Avon 
 township; Mary Susan, wife of George 
 Nagel (both deceased in 1893), and Peter. 
 The subject of this commemorative ar- 
 ticle was twelve years old when he came 
 from Bavaria to America, so that he was 
 partly educated in his native land and 
 partly in this country. On coming to 
 Avon township he engaged in farm labor, 
 and was so employed until 1868, when he 
 settled in same township on his present 
 
 farm, which then consisted of fifty-four 
 acres of partly-improved land, which he 
 has since improved and added to until now 
 it is a tine property of 193 acres, all under 
 excellent cultivation. In 1865 Mr. Fortho- 
 fer was married, in Sheffield township, Lo- 
 rain county, to Miss Margaret Friedman, 
 daughter of George and Margaret (Miller) 
 Friedman, all natives of Bavaria, who im- 
 migrated to America, first locating in 
 Ravenna, Ohio, and thence in 1852 moving 
 to Sheffield township. In 1865 they 
 finally settled in Mercer county, Ohio, 
 where Mr. Friedman died in 1869, Mrs. 
 Friedman in April, 1885. To our subject 
 and wife were born ten children, as follows: 
 Mary, wife of George Bohland, of Dover, 
 Ohio; George; Joseph, married, residing 
 in Avon township; John; Anna, wife of 
 George Conrod, of Avon township; Peter; 
 Andrew; Maggie; Anton, and Jacob. The 
 parents are members of the Catholic Church 
 at Avon, and in politics Mr. Forthofer is a 
 sound Democrat. 
 
 H. VAN WAGNEN, who for the 
 past fifty-five years has been a lead- 
 ing agriculturist of Lorain county, 
 ,^ is a native of the State of New 
 York, born May 5, 1817, a son of 
 Garrett C. and Mary (Welton) Van- 
 Wagnen, natives of New Jersey. 
 
 They were married in New York State, 
 whence in 1832 they moved to Portage 
 county, Ohio, where they carried on farm- 
 ing, and reared a family of fifteen children, 
 eight of whom are yet living, namely: 
 Sally Ann, wife of Samuel Voorhees, of 
 Elmira, N. Y.; Mary, widow of Ambrose 
 Johnson, of Sullivan. Ashland Co., Ohio; 
 G. H., our subject; Alonzo, married, and 
 residing in Missouri; Evaline, widow of 
 Madison Johelyn, late of Brownhelm 
 townsliip, Lorain county; Agnes, wife of 
 Edward Frost, of Mantua, Portage Co., 
 Ohio; Charles, married, residence Chi- 
 
"I 
 
 
 J 
 
 / 
 
 0^ 7/ i/^^*^t '^^^^xfi'^x. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1118 
 
 cago, 111.; and Sabrina, wife of Albert 
 Hastings, of Kent, Portage Co., Ohio. 
 The lather of thi.s family passed from 
 earth in 1851, the mother surviving him 
 till 1876. 
 
 The subject of our sketch was reared on 
 a farm in New York State, and received 
 his education at the schools of the neigh- 
 borhood of his place of birth. In 1832 
 he came west to Ohio, making his home 
 for a time in Portage county, and in the 
 following year proceeded to Cleveland, 
 where he learned the trade of carpenter, 
 at which he worked thirty years. In 1838 
 he came to Lorain county, plying his trade 
 in Grafton and Eaton townships till 1848, 
 in which year he bought ninety-six acres 
 totally unimproved land in the wild woods 
 of the last nairied township. This he set 
 to work to reduce to a state of cultivation, 
 subsequently adding to it thirty-eight 
 acres, now presenting in the aggregate 
 as tine a farm as can be found in the 
 county. Here he carries on general agri- 
 culture, including the rearing of Holstein 
 cattle. 
 
 In 1840 Mr. Van Wagnen was married 
 in Grafton township, Lorain county, to 
 Miss Lucinda Cornning, a native of New 
 York, daughter of Nathan and Clarissa 
 (Smith) Cornning, both of Connecticut, 
 whence in 1832 they came to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, settling in Grafton town- 
 ship, and here the father followed his 
 trade, that of mechanic, up to the day of 
 his death ; he passed away about the year 
 1854, his wife surviving him some years, 
 and dying in Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. 
 Van Wagnen were born seven children, as 
 follows: (1) Welton, married, and residing 
 in Michigan. (2) Clarissa, wife of C. G. 
 Reynolds, of Tuscola county, Mich.; have 
 four children: Ida Ettie, wife of George 
 Clark, of Brighton, Lorain county (have 
 two children: Tracey and an infant, un- 
 named), Hattie, Clark and Delos. (3) 
 Irving, married and residing in Tuscola 
 county, Mich.; have children as follows: 
 Martin, Plenry (married, and living in 
 
 Michigan), Katie, Lo, Olive and Frederick. 
 (4) Hattie, the wife of Thomas King, of 
 Eaton township; tbeir children are Eva, 
 Grace, Myrtle, Clara, Minnie, Richard 
 and Nellie. (5) Henry, a resident of 
 Eaton township, a sketch of whom follows 
 this. (6) Frank, married to Susan Cham- 
 bers, and has three children, Lura, Cora 
 and Gertrude. (7) Charles, twice mar- 
 ried, first time to Elinira Bingham, and 
 by her had one child, Ida; second wife 
 Martha Bingham; he is a painter by 
 trade, and they reside in Lorain. In poli- 
 tics our subject is an ardent Republican, 
 and cast his first vote for William II. Har- 
 rison; he served his township as justice of 
 the peace and as trustee several terms. 
 
 f^ 
 
 HfENRY VAN WAGNEN, a prom- 
 inent farmer of Eaton township, 
 ( was born February 5, 1848, in La- 
 Porte, Lorain county, son of G. H. 
 and Lucinda (Cornning) Van- 
 Wagnen, early pioneers of Lorain county. 
 Henry Van Wagnen was reared in 
 Eaton township, where he received his 
 education, and he has always followed 
 agricultural pursuits. In 1884 he pur- 
 chased a tract of sixty acres, which had 
 been improved by John Allen, and here 
 engaged in general farming. He was 
 first married, in 1867, to Miss Clara Ben- 
 nington, a native of Eaton township, 
 daughter of Thomas and Jane (Robson) 
 Bennington, early pioneers of Eaton town- 
 ship, where they died. To this union were 
 born six children: Ada. George, Jennie 
 (who married Edward Johnson, and has 
 one child, Clara), Minnie, James and 
 Alonzo. The mother of these children 
 died in Michigan in 1881, and on July 3, 
 1884, Mr. Van Wagnen married, in Hen- 
 rietta township, Miss Florence Kelly, a 
 native of Henrietta township, Lorain 
 county, daughter of Richard and Jane 
 
1114 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 (Peabody) Kelly, who reside in that town- 
 ship. To this union has been born one 
 child, Dolly. In 1876 Mr. Van Wagnen 
 went to Michigan, and engaged in fanning 
 in Tuscola county, where he remained 
 until 1881; he was burned out in 1880. 
 He is now engaged in general t'arniing 
 and stock raising, and makes a specialty 
 of Cotswold sheep. He is a member of 
 the Republican party. 
 
 TEUMAN MOORE, for about thirty 
 years a mariner on the Great Lakes, 
 fifteen as captain, is a native of Lo- 
 rain county, born in Sheffield town- 
 ship December 1, 1844. 
 Therou Moore, grandfather of subject, 
 came to Lorain county in about 1816, lo- 
 cating in what is now Avon township, 
 whence he afterward moved to Wisconsin, 
 where he died. His son, Theron, was 
 born in Plattsburgh, N. Y., and came with 
 his parents to Lorain county, where he 
 was reared and educated. fie was mar- 
 ried in Avon township to Miss Delia Ann 
 Case, a native of Ohio, and after marriage 
 they made their liome at a place called 
 Lake Breeze, in Sheffield township. He 
 was by occupation a sailor and ship builder 
 in his younger days, but later in life fol- 
 lowed agricultural pursuits on a farm in 
 the last mentioned township. He died 
 November 28, 1877, on board a vessel at 
 Detroit. He was a Republican and a 
 Methodist; his wife survived him till 
 1880, being called to her long home while 
 living in Trumbull county, Ohio. Eleven 
 children — four sons and seven daughters — 
 were born to them, of whom the follovvinff 
 IS a brief record: Menzies died in Kansas 
 November 6, 1881 (he was a sailor); 
 Leonard is married and resides in Lorain; 
 Elmitia is the wife of Thomas Gawn, of 
 Lorain; Amelia is the widow of John Far- 
 agher, of Sheffield township; Melvina died 
 
 in childhood; Truman is the subject of 
 this sketch; Charlotte is the wife of Bert 
 Briggs, of New York; Maria is the wife of 
 Mair Poyntou,of Yellow Medicine county, 
 Minn.; Bert died in childhood; Rowena is 
 the wife of Theron Merry, of Kansas; 
 Mary is the wife of W. A. Jewett, of 
 Cleveland. 
 
 The suljject of these lines received a lib- 
 eral education at the public schools of his 
 township, and early in life commenced 
 sailing on the lakes, serving in different 
 capacities on board ship till his appoint- 
 ment as captain some fifteen years ago. He 
 is captain of the "Robert Rhodes," pro- 
 peller, and has a controlling interest in the 
 " Alice B. Norris " and the " Kate Wins- 
 low." In 1881 the Ca[)tain moved to Lo- 
 rain and bought a residence lot, whereon 
 he built a two-story^ house, in addition to 
 which he owns three other houses, which 
 he rents. 
 
 In 1863 Capt. Moore was married to 
 Miss Esther Carron, a native of the Isle of 
 Man, by which union three children were 
 born, viz.: Edward, married, and having 
 his home in Green Bay, Wis. (he is cap- 
 tain of the scliooner " Kate Winslow," 
 plying between Buffalo and Green Bay); 
 Rowena, wife of Mark Jones, of Lorain; 
 and Ettie. The mother of these died in 
 Sheffield township in 1880, and in 1881 
 our subject was mai-ried to Mrs. Rosa 
 Rice, a native of Medina county, Ohio. In 
 his political sympathies Capt. Moore is a 
 Republican, and has served on the town 
 council. Socially he is a member of the 
 Royal Arcanum, and of Tent No. 1, 
 K. O. T. M. He and his wife are associated 
 with the M. E. Church. 
 
 Q LOVER MILLER, a native-born 
 f prosperous agriculturist and grape- 
 grower of Avon township, was born 
 .1 on his present farm in 1838. His 
 parents, P. J. and Ruth ( Houseworth) 
 Miller, natives of New York, came in 18 17 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1115 
 
 to Ohio and to Lorain county, settling in 
 Avon township on the farm above referred 
 to, where they died, the fatlier in 1851, 
 tiie mother in 18iJ3. 
 
 Glover Miller, of whom this sketch is 
 written, received his education at the pub- 
 lic schools of the neighborhood of his place 
 of birth, was reared to farm life, and has 
 followed general agriculture with rather 
 more than average success. He is owner 
 of the old homestead settled by his parents, 
 comprising some sixty acres of highly fer- 
 tile land, on the lake shore, four of which 
 are devoted to grape culture. In 1879 he 
 was married, in Avon township, to Miss 
 Hannah Titus, who was born in the town- 
 ship, daughter of Henry and Orrie 
 (Gaboon) Titus, a sketch of whom follows. 
 Three children were born to this union: 
 Ruth, Orrie and Minnie. Mr. Miller is a 
 Republican in his political views. 
 
 ^J 
 
 HfENRY TITUS, a truly progressive 
 and well-to-do farmer and fruit- 
 grower of Avon township, is a na- 
 tive of Essex county, N. Y., born 
 in 1811, a son of Anson and Hannah 
 (Moore) Titus, natives, respectively, of 
 Coimecticut and Massachusetts. 
 
 The parents of our subject were married 
 in New York State, and in 1829, with their 
 family, came to Ohio and to Lorain county, 
 making a settlement in the woods of Avon 
 township, where they cleared a farm, erect- 
 ing a sturdy and comfortable log house. 
 Here the father died in 1865, the mother 
 some time later. Five childi-en were born 
 to this honored pioneer couple, as follows: 
 Treat, residing in Avon township; Henry, 
 our subject; Mary, widow of Leonard 
 Gaboon, of Avon tovrnship; Sarah, widow 
 of William Curtis, of Port Clinton, Ohio; 
 and Joseph, married; who is a resi<lent of 
 Iowa. 
 
 Henry Titus, the subject of these lines, 
 was reared and educated in Essex county, 
 N. Y., until the age of eighteen, wlien he 
 
 came with his parents to Avon township, 
 where he assisted in clearing the home 
 farm. In 1846 he was married in Avon 
 township to Miss Orrie Gaboon, also a na- 
 tive of New York State, dauirhter of Wil- 
 bur and Priscilla (Sweet) Gaboon, of the 
 same State, who in 1809 came to Ohio 
 and to Avon township, Lorain county, 
 where they cleared a farm and passed the 
 rest of their busy lives. To Mr. and Mrs. 
 Titus were born three children, namely: 
 John, residing on the farm, who is n)ar- 
 ried, and hai* four children: Arthur, Clar- 
 ence, Marietta and Edith; Ora, married, 
 who resides in Wisconsin; and Hannah, 
 wife of Glover Miller, a sketch of whom 
 appears above. Our subject is the owner 
 ot as fine a farm as can be found in the 
 township, comprising 140 acres of highly 
 productive land, twenty-eight of which are 
 devoted to the growing of grapes, eighteen 
 at the present writing being covered with 
 fruit-bearing vines. 
 
 L 
 
 UCIUS R. MARSH. Among the 
 many useful and enterprising citi- 
 Lorain county is promi- 
 
 zens of 
 
 nently mentioned 
 
 th 
 
 IS 
 
 is 
 gentleman. 
 
 He is a well-known fruit farmer in Brown- 
 helm township, the owner of thirty- five 
 acres of fruit-growing land, whereon are a 
 vineyard, peach, apple and cherry orchards, 
 300 plum trees (the finest orchard of the 
 kind in the county), and all kinds of small 
 fruit shrubs. 
 
 Mr. Marsh is a native of Erie county, 
 Ohio, born in 1848, a son of O. H. P. and 
 Minerva M. (Rockwell) Marsh, whose ante- 
 cedents are traced to Boston, Mass. They 
 came west to Ohio, first locating in Paines- 
 ville, afterward in Erie county, where he 
 carried on farming, and also conducted a 
 general stoi-e in ]\Iilan, in the palmy days 
 of that town. Ho died there in 1860, and 
 his widow subsequently married C. D. 
 Perry. To O. H. P. and Minerva M. 
 Marsh were born two children: Mary M., 
 
1116 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 wife of A. D. Wilder, of Ciiaiitauqna, N. Y., 
 and Lucius R., the subject of this sketch. 
 Lucius R. Marsh was reared and edu- 
 cated in Erie county, and passed six years 
 of his earlier life there, working at tlie car- 
 penter's trade. In 1864 he came to Lorain 
 .county, and in 1876 bought his present 
 farm. In 1870 he married, in Erie county, 
 Miss Georgiana Ennis, a native of that 
 county, and daughter of Alexander Ennis, 
 a pioneer of same. To this union have 
 been born three children: Willie, Lulu and 
 Lottie Belle. In his political sympathies 
 Mr. Marsh is a Republican. 
 
 ^ILLIAM EDGERTON, a leading 
 and prosperous agriculturist of 
 Columbia township, is a native of 
 same, born in April, 1832, son of 
 Austin Edgerton. 
 
 The father was born in Connecticut, 
 near New Haven, and was there married to 
 Miss Mary Brad way, a native of Massa- 
 chusetts. In 1831 they came westward to 
 Cleveland, Ohio, via canal, etc., to Buffalo, 
 thence by lake, and from there proceeding 
 by wagon to Columbia township, Lorain 
 county, where he opened up a farm in the 
 dense forest. For some thirty years he re- 
 sided here, and tlien removed to Blooming- 
 dale, Van Buren Co., Mich., where he and 
 his wife passed the rest of their days, he 
 dying in 1874, a lifelong Democrat, she in 
 1891. They reared four children, namely: 
 William, our subject; Albert, a carpenter 
 and joiner and farmer, of Michigan; Eliza, 
 wife of A. J. Broadwell, of Berea, Ohio, 
 and Mary, wife of Andrew Coy. of Van- 
 Buren county, Michigan. 
 
 William Edgerton, whose name intro- 
 duces this sketch, was educated at tlie 
 public schools of Columbia township, and 
 reared on his father's farm. iHe bought 
 his present place in 1855, and has always 
 followed agricultural pursuits. His first 
 purchase was fifty acres of wild land, which 
 he improved and added to until he now 
 
 owns eightj-tive acres, all in a good state 
 of cultivation. In February, 1855, in 
 Columbia township, Mr. Edgerton mar- 
 ried Miss Mary Elizabeth Worden, who was 
 born in Liverpool, Medina Co., Ohio, a 
 daughter of Virgil H. and Caroline (God- 
 dard) Worden, natives of Connecticut, who 
 in early times came westward to Ohio, locat- 
 ing in Liverpool, Medina county, thence re- 
 moving to Columbia township, Lorain 
 county. Mrs. Caroline G. Worden died in 
 1845, her husband in 1875. To Mr. and 
 Mrs. Edgerton has been born one child, 
 Carrie, wife of Thomas Healey, of Eaton 
 township, Lorain county, by whom she has 
 one child, Melvin. Politically our subject 
 is a Republican, and lias been a delegate 
 to the party conventions, notably the one 
 held in Mansfield, Ohio, in 1893. Socially 
 he is a member of the F. ife A. M., Berea 
 Lodge No. 382, and of Berea Chapter 
 No. 134. 
 
 CHAPMAN MORGAN COOK, a 
 well-known retired agriculturist of 
 Henrietta township, was born May 
 13, 1818, in Hamilton, Madison Co., 
 N. Y., a son of Jesse and Nancy (Morgan) 
 Cook, the former of whom was a native of 
 Jefferson, N. Y., and died at the age of 
 seventy- two years. He was a farmer and 
 shoemaker by occupation, and in politics a 
 Whig. They had a family of nine chil- 
 dren, viz.: Orrin, Newell, Jessie, Nancy, 
 William, Norton, Judson,Roxie and Chap- 
 man M., the last named being the only 
 survivor. Their mother passed from earth 
 when aged seventy years, after an illness 
 of nine years. In Church connection she 
 was a Baptist. 
 
 The subject of th^s sketch was reared 
 and educated in Oswego county, N. Y., 
 and at the age of twenty came to Lorain 
 county, at that time a complete wilder- 
 ness, with no roads and little clearing of 
 any kind. His first purchase of laud was 
 one hundred acres in what is now Hen- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1117 
 
 rietta township, toward which he paid 
 forty dollars, all the money he hroiiglit 
 with him, tlie balance being paid after- 
 ward. On this place he built a log house, 
 and in course of time cleared every part of 
 it with his own hands. By and by, in 
 1855, he erected his present comfortable 
 home, sun-ouTided with commodious barns 
 and other outhouses, and here he now 
 lives in peaceful letirement, liaving rented 
 his farm. He points with pride to a cer- 
 tain tree on Ills grounds which he planted 
 himself in 1853, at that time two inches 
 thick, and which is now (1893) two and 
 one-lialf feet in dinmeter. Lumber on his 
 farm, worth iive dollars per 1,000 feet 
 fifty years ago, now readily fetches forty 
 to forty-five dollars per 1,000 feet. 
 
 In 1842 Mr. Cook was married, in New 
 York State, to Fidelia Tinney, daughter 
 of David Tinney, of Oswego county, N. Y., 
 and three children were born to them, as 
 follows: Theresa and Mary (buth de- 
 ceased), and Hannah, wife of Mortimer 
 Brown, a farmer, living in Wakeman, 
 Huron Co., Ohio. In politics Mr. Cook 
 was originally a Whig, and later, since the 
 organization of the party, a Republican. 
 He is a member of the Baptist Church at 
 Henrietta and Camden Center, Lorain 
 county. 
 
 HAKLES W. HILL, whose fine 
 farm of 144 acres, in an advanced 
 state of improvement, is one of the 
 most productive in Eaton township, 
 is a native of the locality, born in 1851. 
 Edward Hill, father ot subject, was born 
 in Enijland, where he married Miss Jane 
 GuUiford, and on their wedding day they 
 set sail with a fair wind for the shores of 
 the New World — the loadstar of many 
 thousands of England's liest blood. On 
 arrival at the port of debarkation, they 
 proceeded at once westward to Ohio, where 
 they made a settlement in Eaton township, 
 Lorain county, opening out a farm of 
 
 sixty acres. To this Edward Hill from 
 time to time added until he was owner of 
 300 acres of good farming land at the 
 time of his death, September 10, 1889, 
 and where his widow is yet living. In his 
 political preferences lie was a Republican. 
 Their children, five in number, are all resi- 
 dents of Lorain county, and a brief record 
 of them is as follows: Charles W. is the 
 subject of this sketch; George E., married, 
 is a farmer of Ridgeville township; Mary 
 J. is the wife of George Osborne, Columbia 
 township; Lucy A. is the wife of J. Z. Cole, 
 of Eaton township; and Emma is the wife 
 of Thomas Dair, also of Eaton townsiiip. 
 
 C. W. Hill, whose name introduces this 
 sketch, received his education at the com- 
 mon schools of Eaton township, and was 
 early in life inducted into the mysteries 
 of farming. For eighteen months lie fol- 
 lowed that vocation in Piatt county. III., 
 and since his return to Eaton township 
 has been most successful in general agri- 
 culture. In 1871 he mai'ried Miss Mary 
 M. Hathaway, a native of Eaton township, 
 and daughter of John M. and Sarah M. 
 (Clark) Hathaway, of whom special men- 
 tion will be presently made. To this 
 union have lieen born five children, viz.: 
 Edward J., W. C, Ford, Mildred and 
 Elmer. Mr. and Mrs. Hill are members 
 of the Disciple Church at North Eaton ; 
 in politics he is a Republican, and has 
 served as township trustee and supervisor. 
 
 John M. Hathaway, father of Mrs. C. 
 W. Hiii, was born in Richland county, 
 Ohio, in Septeinl)er, 1822, a son of Elilni 
 and Aiinette (Mallory) Hathaway, natives 
 of Vermont and New York State, respec- 
 tively. They were married in the last 
 named State, and then moved to Medina 
 county, Ohio, thence to Richland county, 
 returning in 1836 to Medina county, and 
 in 1838 locating in Columbia township, 
 Lorain county, on a tract of wild land. 
 Selling this, however, Mr. Hathaway moved 
 to Crawford county, same State, and he 
 died in Wood county, March 12, 1875, his 
 wife having preceded him to the grave in 
 
1118 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Columbia township, Lorain county, Octo- 
 ber 31, 1865. In politics he was an un- 
 compromising Democrat of the Jackson 
 type. The children born to this pioneer 
 couple were as follows: Phebe, widow of 
 Charles Holbrook, of Eaton township; 
 John M., of whom we write; Mary, a 
 widow, who died in Wood county ; Baldwin, 
 married, residing in Marion county, Ohio; 
 Hiram, married, residing in Kent county, 
 Mich.; James, deceased about 1888, in 
 Wood county, Ohio; Hamner, deceased in 
 Wood county; Lucy Jane, wife of Chaiiiicy 
 Ryal. of Ridgeville; Charles, married, re- 
 siding in Ottawa, Oliio; William, residing 
 in California; Alvira, wife of Dr. W. W. 
 Hill, of Weston, Wood county. Jesse 
 Hathaway, grandfather of John M., was a 
 native of Vermont, where he died. Grand- 
 father John Mallory served as a captain in 
 the war of 1812, and while traveling on 
 horseback with some important documents 
 in his possession, from Lake George to 
 New 1l ork City, he was lost, and not a 
 vestige of either himself, horse or papers 
 was ever afterward seen. 
 
 John M. Hathaway was reared in Medina 
 county, and'educated in the old-fashioned 
 log schoolhouse of the period, and when 
 sixteen years old came to Lorain county, 
 where for a time he worked by the month. 
 He then commenced sailing on the lakes, 
 a vocation he followed seven years, as mate 
 one season, and wheelman, two. On aban- 
 doning this somewhat adventurous life, 
 lie came to his present farm of hfty acres 
 well-improved land, where he carries on 
 general agriculture. On March 7, 1852, 
 he was united in marriage with Mrs. Sarah 
 M. Clark, born in Medina county, Ohio, 
 daughter of Nathan and Nancy (Smith) 
 Clark, natives, respectively, of Berkshire 
 county, Mhss., and Vermont; tiie father, 
 a carpenter and joiner by trade, at the age 
 of nineteen traveled on foot from New 
 York to Grafton, Lorain Co., Ohio, and 
 thence to Medina county, where he died in 
 1866, his wife in 1859. To Mr. and Mrs. 
 John M. Hathaway have been born six 
 
 children, to wit: Mary M., wife of Charles 
 W. Hill; Flora E., wife of Frank Lewis, 
 of Columbia township, Lorain county (has 
 two children: Ilaymondand Ivyj; Perry T., 
 married, residing in Columbia township; 
 Anna N., in Columbia township; E. M., 
 married, residing at Eaton Center (has 
 two children: Blanche and Vira); and 
 Fred C, a successful teacher of Lorain 
 county, residing at home. In 1851 Mrs. 
 Hatiiaway taught school in Columbia and 
 Eaton townships, in an old log cabin, 
 " boarding around;" also taught in Strongs- 
 ville, Cuyahoga county. Her great-grand- 
 father, Nathan Turner, was one of tiie pil- 
 grims wiio landed on "Plymouth Pock." 
 
 Q 
 
 EOVE HANCE, a popular and pro- 
 gressive farmer of Eaton township, 
 is a native of same, born on his 
 present farm in 1839, a son of 
 Hiram and Rhoda Ann (Ames) 
 Hance, the former of whom was born in 
 New York, the latter in Massachusetts. In 
 an early day they came to Ohio, where they 
 married, afterward settling on the farm in 
 Eaton township, Lorain county, where 
 their son Grove now resides. The father 
 died January 2, 1888, the mother July 2, 
 1887. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received hie 
 education at the common schools of his 
 native township, and was reared to farm- 
 ing, whicli has been his life vocation. He 
 owns part of the old homestead of his 
 father, as well as other land, aggregating 
 170 acres, all in a good state of cultiva- 
 tion. In September, 1861, he was mar- 
 ried to Miss Susan Gregory, a native of 
 Medina county, and four children have 
 been born to them, as follows: J. G., who 
 i-esides on the farm, has one child, Lois; 
 Minnie, wife of Burt Carr, of Liverpool, 
 Medina county, has one son, Harlan; Ger- 
 tie, wife of Elmer Tucker, of Elyria, lias 
 one son. Grove; Lilly, wife of Charles 
 Austin, of Elyria, has one son, Hugh. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1119 
 
 Mrs. Hance's father went to California 
 in 1849, one of the many thonsatuls of 
 gold seekers of that period. Her step- 
 father, V. H. AVorden, was the first tnaii 
 to cross Hance's swamp with a team, got 
 "mired," but managed to pull through. 
 In politics our subject is a useful and 
 zealous member of the Republican party, 
 and has served as constable of Eaton 
 township. He is a member of Leonard 
 Tent No. 31, Knights of tlie Maccabees, 
 at North Eaton. Mrs. Hance is a member 
 of the Disciple Church at North Eaton. 
 
 djOB ALEXANDER, a progressive, 
 1 wide-awake agriculturist of Eaton 
 ' township, was born in 1841, in 
 Grafton township, Lorain Co., Ohio. 
 He is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Frank- 
 nm) Alexander, natives of Gloucestershire, 
 England, who immigrated to the United 
 States, locating tirst in New York State, 
 whence in 1840 they moved to Grafton 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, thence in 
 1844 to Eaton township, where they were 
 well-known agriculturists, and the home 
 farm is still in the family. The father 
 died in 1886, the mother in 1883, at the 
 age of eighty and seventy-eight years 
 respectively. They had a family of eight 
 children. 
 
 The subject of this memoir received a 
 liberal education at the schools of Eaton 
 township, Lorain county, and was reared 
 to agricultural pursuits, which have been 
 his life work. In 1863 he enlisted in 
 Company H, One Hundred and Third 
 O. V. I., which was assigned to the army 
 of tiie West, Twenty-third Army Corps. 
 He was in the battle of Resaca, Ga., and 
 the capture of Atlanta, after which event 
 the Twenty-third and Fourth Corps "took 
 care of " Hood's army. When the latter 
 had been defeated and broken up, our sub- 
 ject went with his regiment to Washing- 
 
 ton, D. C, and from there to North Caro- 
 lina; finally reunited with Sherman's 
 army there. Mr. Alexander first started 
 in Kentucky, and accompanied Burnside's 
 expedition across the mountains into Tenn- 
 essee, and he was present at the siege of 
 Knoxville. In June, 1865, he was honor- 
 ably discharged at Raleigh, N. C, and 
 returned home to the pursuits of peace, 
 laying aside the rifle for the plough. He 
 owns a highly cultivated fertile "farm of 
 105 acres. 
 
 In 1866 Job Alexander was united in 
 marriage, in Carlisle township, with Miss 
 Ann D. Pierce, daughter of Philemon and 
 Diantha (Hovey) Pierce, natives of New 
 York, who in an early day came to Lorain 
 county; the father died in Carlisle town- 
 ship, the • mother in Eaton township, at 
 the home of her daughter, in 1880. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Job Alexander were born 
 six children, as follows: Hattie (wife of 
 Orlando Eose), Albert (deceased at the 
 age of twenty -five years), Ida, Loren, Lu- 
 ther and Rosa. Politically Mr. Alexander 
 is a Republican ; socially he is a member 
 of Richard Allen Post, G. A. R., Elyria. 
 
 n 
 
 ORASTUS WAITE, one of the 
 widest known pioneer citizens of 
 1L«^ LaGrange township, Lorain county, 
 was born June 21, 1810, in Cham- 
 pion, Jefferson county. New York. 
 
 His father, Doi-astus Waife, a farmer, 
 was a native of Vermont, where he married 
 Miss Sally McNitt, and later moved into 
 New York State, where he lived comfort- 
 ably and reared a large family, all of whom 
 are now dead but two — our subject and a 
 half brother, Guverry M., who is a farmer 
 in Jefferson county, N. Y. The mother 
 of our subject was the second wife of Do- 
 rastus Waite, Sr., and at the time of her 
 marriage to him was the widow of Rufus 
 Blodgett; her maiden name was Malinda 
 Canfield. Mr. Waite died in Champiou, 
 
1120 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Jefferson Co., N. Y., at the age of eighty- 
 two years. But two of his family — James 
 and Dorastns — came to Ohio. 
 
 Dorastus Waite passed liis early years 
 on his father's farm, assisting in the many 
 duties of the agricultural work, and re- 
 ceived an education in the common schools, 
 attending, however, only in the winter sea- 
 son, when he conld he spared from home. 
 In October, 1831, he was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Diantha Fitts, who was 
 born in 1813 in Massachusetts, daiicrliter 
 of Daniel Fitts, who moved to Jefferson 
 county, N. Y., where our subject met his 
 daughter. After marriage the youngcouple 
 began housekeeping on a small farm owned 
 Ijy his father, remaining there but a few 
 years. In the fall of 1834 he rode to 
 Ohio on horseback, the trip 'occupying 
 three weeks, and after looking over the 
 land purchased one hundred acres in Lot 
 86, LaGrange township, Lorain county, 
 for which he paid four hundred dollars. 
 He then returned to Jefferson county, 
 N. Y., in the same manner, and remained 
 over winter, in the spring of 1835 coming 
 out with a one-horse wagon, and bringing 
 his wife and only child, Sarahetta L., who 
 is now the widow of Ferguson Zang, and 
 makes her home in LaGrange village. 
 They commenced life in Ohio in a log 
 cabin on the pioneer farm, where he at 
 once set to work clearing the land, and re- 
 sided until 1871, when he removed to La- 
 Grange village, where he has since lived a 
 pemi-retired life. The children born to 
 Mr. and Mrs. Waite in Ohio were as fol- 
 lows: James E., a farmer of LaGrange; 
 Mai-yette, who became the wife of Frank 
 Beckwith, and in 1855 died on the home 
 farm, aged nineteen years; Everett L., 
 who died at the age of four years; and 
 Everett L., who died at the age of twelve 
 years. The mother of these died in 1873, 
 and was buried at LaGrange; in 1874 he 
 married Mrs. Martha J. (Pelton) Belden 
 (widow of Daniel Belden), who was born 
 in Middlefield, Mass. Mr. "Waite has dur- 
 ing his long life accomplished no small 
 
 amount of hard work; when first settling 
 on his place it was all in the woods, but by 
 constant labor and untiring energy he has 
 now one of the most productive farms in 
 the entire township. Politically he was 
 originally an Old-line Whig, is now a 
 member of the Republican party, and he 
 has served in various township offices. In 
 religious connection he was an attendant 
 of the Congregational Chiirch until the 
 Society disbanded, when he united with 
 the M. E. Church. He is remarkably well 
 preserved for one of his years, and is a man 
 of e.'ctremely temperate habits, does not 
 use tobacco in any form, and has not even 
 tasted spirituous or malt liquor for over 
 sixty years. He had several great-grand- 
 children. [Since the above was written we 
 have been informed of the death of Mr. 
 Dorastus Waite, which occurred December 
 31, 1893. -Ed. 
 
 G. DAWLEY. In the front rank 
 of the prosperous and progressive 
 farmers of Eaton township, stands 
 prominent this gentleman. He is a 
 native of Portage county, Ohio, 
 born in Ravenna township in 1825, a son 
 of Daniel and Eunice Dawley, the former 
 a native of Vermont, the latter of Massa- 
 chusetts. They were married in Portage 
 county, Ohio, whither the father had come 
 when a young man, in 1790, and here fol- 
 lowed agricultural pursuits the rest of iiis 
 busy life. He died in 1871, his wife in 
 1863. Four children were born to them, 
 a brief record of whom is as follows: Cor- 
 nelia is the widow of Miletus Clark, of 
 Portage county, Ohio; Darius, married, is 
 a farmer in Ravenna township, Portage 
 county; Perry died in Portage county in 
 1882; A. G. is the subject of this memoir. 
 A. G. Dawley was reared to farm life in 
 his native township, receiving his elemen- 
 tary education at the common schools, and 
 
4 '^ 0cu^^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1123 
 
 attending select school one or two terms. 
 In 1854 he came to Eaton township, Lo- 
 rain county, where he made a new home 
 for himself and family. In 1862 he lo- 
 cated on his present farm, a highly im- 
 proved one of 111 acres, on which he 
 carries oti general agriculture with much 
 success. In 1847 he was united in mar- 
 riage in Portage county, Ohio, with Miss 
 Sophia Moulton, a native of Brimtield 
 township, that county, a daughter of Har- 
 rison and Bethsheba (Coburn) Moulton, 
 very early pioneers of Portage county; the 
 father was killed in 1826 by a falling tree 
 while out chopping, the mother dying some 
 time later. To Mr. and Mrs. Dawley four 
 children were born, as follows: William, 
 married, residing in Norristown, Penn. 
 (had live children — Frank, Addie Sophia, 
 Carl Albert, one deceased in infancy, and 
 Sumner E., deceased); Cornelia, wife of 
 George Johnson, residing in Eljria. had 
 ten children: Floren, Edwin, Gertie, 
 Albert, Vernon, Georgie (deceased at the 
 age of six years), Jennie, Cassie, May, and 
 an infant; Clifton, married, residing in 
 Eaton township, had five children : Lena, 
 Perry, Wilton, Charles and Ivy; Mary 
 was the wife of Williain Allen, and resided 
 in Macomb county, Mich, (she died in 
 1885). The mother of these was called 
 from eartli in February, 1888. In politics 
 Mr. Dawley is an active adherent of the 
 Republican party, and he is a member and 
 deacon of the Christian Church of Eaton. 
 
 ^J 
 
 Vyjl B. JAMESON, a well-known 
 
 ^/\ successful agriculturist of Avon 
 
 I] township, is a native of same, 
 
 born in 1837, son of Joseph B. 
 
 and Mary (Horr) Jameson. 
 
 Tiie father of our subject was born in 
 
 1787 in New Hampshire, and in 1824 
 
 came to Lorain county, Ohio, settling in 
 
 the woods of Avon township, where lie 
 
 58 
 
 opened up a farm. Here he passed the 
 remainder of his years, dying in 1867, in 
 politics a stanch Wiiig; lie served for many 
 years as justice of the peace. He was mar- 
 ried three times, first to Thankful Clement, 
 who died in 1817, leaving two children, 
 Thankful Jane, born in 1814. in New 
 York, now the deceased wife of Ora B. 
 Cahoon; and Mary, born in 1816. His 
 second wife was Avis Smith, and she bore 
 him six children, three of whom are now 
 living — William (in Avon township), 
 Joseph (married, a resident of Avon town- 
 ship), and Sarepta (wife of C. Blackwell, 
 of Avon township); those deceased are 
 David C, who died in 1833; Clarissa A., 
 Mrs. R. Steele, who died in 1866 in Cali- 
 fornia; and Mary E., Mrs. Collin Ford, 
 who died in 1870 in Lebanon, Ohio. For 
 his third wife Mr. Jameson married, in 
 New York State, Miss Mary Horr, a na- 
 tive of Vermont, and to this union were 
 born four children, as follows: M. B., sub- 
 ject of this sketch; Daniel, who died in 
 Avon township at the age of ten; Robin- 
 son, wlio died in Colorado in 1873; and 
 Lucina H., who died in Avon township in 
 1866. The mother of tliese died in 1893, 
 at the advanced age of ninety-two years. 
 
 M. B. Jameson received his elementary 
 education at the common schools of his 
 native township, and in early life was in- 
 ducted into the mysteries of agriculture, 
 which he has continued to follow. He 
 subsequently attended college at Berea 
 and Lebanon, Ohio, and for several years 
 pursued the vocation of teacher. He was 
 married, in 1860, in Avon township, to 
 Miss Cordelia S. Wilder, also a native of 
 same, daughter of Thompson and Sabrina 
 (Fuller) Wilder, who were born in the 
 State of New York, and in 1836 came to 
 Avon township, Lorain Co., Ohio, where 
 they passed the remainder of their lives, he 
 dying in 1874, she in 1876. Mrs. Jameson 
 tausht school with her husband several 
 terms. To their union have been born 
 five children, viz.: Clifton E., married, 
 who resides in Montesano, Wash.; Torrey 
 
1124 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 W., living at home; Mary B., wife of 
 H. H. Carter, of Washington; Annette, 
 and Plynn C, both living at home. Our 
 subject is engaged exclusively in aeneral 
 agricnlture, and he owns a fertile farm of 
 sixty acres in a good state of cultivation. 
 In his political synijiathies he is a Kepub- 
 lican, and in religious connection he and 
 his wife are members of the M. E. Church 
 at French Creek. [Since the above was 
 written, we have been informed of the 
 death, December 9, 1898, of Mr. Jameson. 
 
 ffjf D. STETSON, a native-born, wide- 
 1;^ awake and enterprising agriculturist 
 I 1| of Kidgeville township, lirst saw the 
 ^J light in 1850. 
 
 Randall Stetson, father of sub- 
 ject, was born in Massachusetts, where he 
 was first married, and in 1832 came with 
 his family to Lorain county, settling in 
 Ridgeville township, where he had bought 
 a lifty-acre tract of timber laud, which he 
 improved, adding thereto until he owned 
 215 acres (the homestead), besides other 
 laud in the county, and about one thou- 
 sand acres in the West. He dealt largely 
 in real estate, and was extensively engaged 
 in stock dealing — buying and selling 
 blooded animals. By his first marriage 
 he had four children, viz.: Emily, widow 
 of Willard Kemp, of Cleveland; Martha, 
 widow of William Nelson, of Cleveland; 
 Jane, wife of J. M. Seelye, of Ridgeville 
 township; and Ellen, widow of Monroe 
 Dean, of Michigan. The mother of these 
 dying in 1836, Mr. Stetson married, in 
 1837, in Ridgeville township, the widow 
 Loorais, who bore him three children, as 
 follows: John, residing in Olmsted town- 
 ship; H. D., subject of this memoir; and 
 Isabelle, who lives in Oberlin. The 
 mother of thesse was called from earth in 
 1883, the father in 1886. He was a 
 straight Republican, and served his town- 
 
 ship as trustee several terms. In 1884 he 
 and his son, H. D., bought a gristmill in 
 Ridgeville, which they improved and re- 
 modeled, putting in the new roller process, 
 and this was operated by father and son 
 until the decease of the former, when the 
 latter bought out the interest therein of 
 the heirs, and conducted same until 1889, 
 in which year he sold it. 
 
 The subject proper of this memoir re- 
 ceived his primary education at the com- 
 mon schools of his native township, which 
 was supplemented with a two years' at- 
 tendance at Oberlin College. In addition 
 to the gristmill above referred to, he car- 
 ried on general farming, and he is now 
 the owner of 190 acres of the old home- 
 stead, besides 600 acres in the West. He 
 was married in Ridgeville township, in 
 1871, to Miss Florence Simonds, a native 
 of Cuyahoga county, Ohio, daughter of 
 Simeon and Marcia (Beebe) Simonds, of 
 Massachusetts and Ridgeville township, 
 Lorain county, respectively. They are 
 now residing at Dover, Cuyahoga county. 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Stetson were born six 
 children, to wit: Ray, who graduated from 
 Oberlin College with the cla>.s of 1893, 
 and is now Professor of Chemistry at the 
 same college; Carl, residing at home; 
 Marcia, deceased at the age of fifteen ; 
 Adaline, Dora and Merritt, residing at 
 home. In politics our subject is a Re- 
 publican, and he enjoys the respect and 
 esteem of a wide circle of friends and 
 acquaintances. 
 
 d[AY HART, who stands foremost 
 among Penfield township's proniinent 
 ' citizens and thorough, successful 
 farmers, was born November 10, 
 1851, a son of Lewis Hart, Jr., who was a 
 son of Lewis Hart, Sr. 
 
 When but a lad of eleveu years our sub- 
 ject lost his father by death. Prior to 
 this he had received such an education as 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1125 
 
 the common schools of the period alloi-ded, 
 and when a mere boy found employment 
 as a farm hand. He worked at various 
 places, and for different people, being em- 
 ployed for two years by Orrin Starr, a like 
 time by Lntber Penlield, and also by G. 
 L. Starr, all of whom are well-known and 
 successful farmers. He also spent several 
 years in the employ of Miles Leech and 
 Henry Whitbeck, of Litchiield, Medina 
 Co., Ohio, receiving under such competent 
 instructors a complete knowledge of agri- 
 cultural life, in which he has been very 
 successful. 
 
 On November 5, 1876, Mr. Hart was 
 united in marriage with Miss Ida Sheldon, 
 who was born November 15, 1854, in 
 Cortland county, N. Y., daughter of 
 Abijah and Jane (Kiff) Sheldon, and from 
 the age of seven years made her home 
 with her aunt. Amy Andrews, for whom 
 our subject had worked some time, and 
 where he and his young wife made their 
 first home after marriage. They havethree 
 children, viz.: Amy, Ina and Rhe. Mr. 
 Hart is a substantial representative farmer 
 and leading citizen of Pentield township, 
 and bis progressive, active spirit is recog- 
 nized throughout the community. He has 
 prospered well in his agricultural opera- 
 tions, and has succeeded in accumulating 
 a fine farm of 200 acres, the excellent con- 
 dition of which is sufficient evidence of its 
 owner's ability as a systematic farmer. In 
 his political preferences Mr. Hart is a 
 stanch member of the Republican party. 
 Mrs. Hart is a member of the Congrega- 
 tional Church. 
 
 dj ACOB H. GLAUS, blacksmith, North 
 Amherst, descends from an early 
 ^' German family, and was born in 
 Brownhelra township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, April 27, 1837. He is a son of 
 Henry and Martha (Hilderbrand) Claus, 
 the former of whom was born in Hessia, 
 
 Germany, and in 1828 came to the United 
 States, making a settlement in Brownhelm 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, where he fol- 
 lowed farming, and the trade of carpenter 
 and joiner. He and his wife both died 
 young, at the ages of thirty- three and 
 twenty- three, respectively. They had three 
 children, of whom our subject is the eldest. 
 
 Jacob H. Claus received but a limited 
 public-school education, being left an 
 orphan when yet a boy. He learned his 
 trade in the shop where he is now work- 
 ing, and has been in business for himself 
 more than thirty years. The cheerful 
 ring of his anvil, and the merry sparks 
 that burst from his forge, are not more 
 welcome to the wayfarer than his own 
 honest greeting; and his shop is the resort 
 of customers and others, who come miles 
 to visit his well-known smithy. In 18(30 
 Mr. Claus was united in marriage with 
 Miss Marie Geabauer. They have one 
 child, a daughter. 
 
 In politics our subject has been a Re- 
 publican since Garfield's election, and he 
 has held many municipal and township 
 offices. He has been a member of St. 
 Peter's Evangelical Church at North Am- 
 herst for the past forty years, and for 
 twenty-five years he has been a member of 
 the I. O. O. F. ; he is also a member of the 
 Daughtersof Rebekah,andof the K.O.T.M. 
 
 llACOB SCHWARTZ, an old and 
 k. I highly esteemed resident of Russia 
 Vyj township, was born February 20, 
 1819, in Rhenish Bavaria, Germany, 
 a son of Jacob Schwartz, who died in 
 Germany in 1834. 
 
 In 1846 Jacob Schwartz was married, 
 in his native country, to Catherine Burg, 
 and they had one child born in Germany, 
 Daniel, who died in infancy. Our subject 
 was a weaver by necessity, and also worked 
 at anything else he could find to do. In 
 1848, in company with his wife, his 
 widowed mother, bis brother David, and 
 
1126 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY OHIO. 
 
 his sisters Elizabeth and Margaretta, he 
 left the Fatherland, taking passage at 
 Antwerp, and landing in jSfew York after 
 a voyage of forty-two days. They imme- 
 diately set out for Cleveland, Ohio, travel- 
 ing via the Erie Canal and Lake Erie, and 
 thence proceeded to Russia township, Lo- 
 rain connty, where Jacob bonght land. 
 By gathering the funds of the entire party, 
 which amounted to about three hundred 
 dollars, he was able to purchase a tract of 
 thirty acres, and then borrowing si.x dol- 
 lars from a neighbor, John Schramm, pur- 
 chased a cow. On this farm Mr. Schwartz 
 resided until 1871, when he bought, from 
 "Bachelor Bailey," his present farmland 
 sixty-one additional acres, which latter he 
 has given to his children. A brief record 
 of his family is as follows: Elizabeth, who 
 married William Sump, died January 6, 
 1876, leaving four children, viz.: Charles, 
 William, Millie and Alva; Mary is the 
 wife of Alva Gibson, of Russia township; 
 Carrie (twin of Mary) is the wife of Charles 
 Albright, of Russia township; Margaret 
 resides at home; Emma is married to 
 Henry Bassett, of Russia township. Mr. 
 Schwartz has always been a hard-working 
 fanner, and has fully deserved the success 
 he has won. He is an honest, upright, 
 kind-hearted citizen, ever ready to assist 
 those in need, and is highly esteemed and 
 respected by all who know him. In his 
 political preferences he is a Democrat, 
 though non-partisan and but little inter- 
 ested in aflfairs of State. In religious 
 connection he is a member of the Evan- 
 gelical Church at North Amherst. 
 
 JOHN A. MILLER, prominent among 
 the prosperous agriculturists of Avon 
 township, is a native of same, born in 
 October, 1831. 
 Peter Miller, father of the subject of 
 this sketch, was born in Palmyra. N. Y., 
 August 10, 1803, and in 1819 was brought 
 
 by his parents. Adam and Anna (Tea- 
 mount) Miller, natives of the same State, 
 to Avon township, Lorain county, they 
 settling in the woods near the shore of 
 Lake Erie, where they opened out a farm. 
 Here Adam Miller died in 1834, his wife 
 in 1848. They reared a fanjily of ten chil- 
 dren, of whom Peter was reared on the 
 farm; he followed agricultural pursuits, 
 and also worked at ship carpentry at Black 
 River, he having learned the trade of Cap- 
 tain Jones before he was twenty years old. 
 There was only one honse betweeti the 
 home in Avon township and Black River, 
 and wild animals were numerous and fero- 
 cious. In 1821, as he was returning home 
 from his work one Saturday evening, Peter 
 Miller lost himself in the woods, and was 
 treed by a bear that tive times climbed 
 after him, finally catching him by the feet, 
 which were badly lacerated. The boy, 
 however, managed to get away from Bruin, 
 who was herself not a little alarmed, and 
 ran for his life as fast as his wounded feet 
 would permit, reaching the nearest neigh- 
 bor's in a sorry plight. He was married in 
 Black River township in 1828, to Miss 
 Ruth Houseworth, a native of New York 
 State, daughter of .lacob and Ruth (Hart) 
 Houseworth, the father born on the ocean, 
 the mother in Rhode Island; they moved 
 to New York State, and thence in 1819 to 
 Ohio, settling in Black River township, 
 the journey being made by water from 
 Buffalo. Here Mr. Houseworth died at 
 the age of fifty-nine years, his wife passing 
 away in her eighty-fourth year, at the 
 home of her daughter, Mrs. Peter Miller. 
 After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Peter Miller 
 continned to reside in Avon township, 
 where they successfnlly conducted a highly 
 improved farm. The father died in 1851 
 at the age of forty-seven years, the mother 
 on August 18, 1893, in her eighty-sixth 
 year; she had been a resident of the connty 
 seventy-four years, and of Avon township 
 sixty-five years, having lived on the same 
 farm all her married life. They had a 
 family of five children, all yet living, viz.: 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, QUID. 
 
 1127 
 
 John A.; Amanda, wife of Leonard Moore, 
 of Lorain; Glover, married, residing in 
 Avon townsliip, on part of the old farm; 
 Julia, wife of M. H. Lampman, of Lorain, 
 and .feanette, residing in Avon township. 
 John A. Miller, whose name opens this 
 sketch, received his education at the com- 
 mon schools of tlie neighborhood of his 
 birthplace, and was brought up to farming 
 pursuits, which have been his life work. 
 In 18G8 he was married, in Elyria, Lorain 
 county, to Miss Catherine Burrell, a native 
 of Sheffield township, Lorain county, and 
 daughter of Hiram and Harriet (Hall) 
 Burrell, pioneers of that township, he a 
 native of Massachusetts, she of Dover 
 township, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. Grand- 
 father Isaac Burrell was an early pioneer 
 of Sheffield township, Lorain county. By 
 tiiis union was born one child, Catiierine, 
 at home, who lost her mother March 26, 
 1869. In politics Mr. Miller is a stanch 
 Repulilican, and has held several township 
 offices of trust, such as trustee. Socially 
 he is a member of the F. & A. M. Lodge at 
 Elyiia, and of Marshall Chapter. 
 
 I( LEXANDER PORTER, ship cap- 
 ^\ tain and vessel owner, well known 
 on the lakes as a careful and skill- 
 ful mariner, and respected on shore 
 as a nseful and loyal citizen, is a 
 native of the town of Lorain, Ohio, born 
 March 16, 1843. 
 
 He is a son of Nathaniel and Clarissa 
 (Nelson) Porter, the former of whom was 
 a native of the North of Ireland, born in 
 1801, an Orangeman, one of twelve liroth- 
 ers who came to this country and to Ohio, 
 settling in Elyria, Lorain county. In 
 1830 Nathaniel came to Lorain, about the 
 commencement of the "boom,'" where he 
 opened a brickyard, which he carried on in 
 connection with farming and teaming. He 
 was married in Massachusetts, and had a 
 family of eight children, all yet living ex- 
 
 cept one drowned in the lake, in the fall of 
 1892, from the steamer "W. H. Gilcher." 
 The father died in 1878; the mother passed 
 away in 1857. 
 
 Alexander Porter, whose name opens 
 this sketch, received his education in part 
 at the public schools of his native town, 
 and in part at Oberlin College. At about 
 the age of fourteen years he commenced 
 sailing on the lakes, and in 1859 he was a 
 seaman on the barge " Pierson," which 
 sailed from Cleveland to Liverpool, Eng- 
 land, touching at Bristol, and returning 
 by same route lay in the Welland Canal, 
 Canada, all the following winter. Since 
 then he has sailed the lakes every summer, 
 for the past twenty-five years as captain, 
 and the first boat he was skipiier of was 
 the " R'jscue." He and two of his broth- 
 ers owned a vessel, the "Three Brothers," 
 which for several years successfully traded 
 on the lakes. He is now owner or part 
 owner of no less than five boats that turn 
 in a good revenue every year. 
 
 In 1871 Capt. Porter married Miss Dor- 
 liska Freeman, a native of LaGrange, Lo- 
 rain county, daughter of S. V. R. Free- 
 man, of Albany, N. Y., a farmer, who 
 came to Lorain county in 1829, and settled 
 on a farm at LaGrange. He was twice 
 married, and he had four sons and three 
 daughters; he was born in 1801, and died 
 in 1878. Capt. and Mrs. Porter have had 
 no children. In politics our subject is a 
 Repul)lican, and he is a member of the 
 F. & A. M., Knights of the Maccabees and 
 Royal Arcanum. 
 
 JOHN H. ECKLER, a well-known 
 farmer of Carlisle township, is a na- 
 tive of Germany, born November 24, 
 1835, a son of Henry and Anna 
 
 g5arber) Eckler, also Germans, born in 
 essia. 
 
 The father of our subject emigrated 
 with his family to the United States in 
 1838, making his new home in Erie 
 
1128 
 
 LORAIK COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 county, Ohio, where he first worked as a 
 day laborer in Vermillion township, clear- 
 ing; land in the wintei-s. In siuntner time 
 he worked on the Maumee Canal at 
 eighteen dollars per month, out of which 
 he had to pay his board Sundays, and pro- 
 vide for his family, then consisting of wife 
 and five children. He was very poor, 
 and could not speak English, but he had a 
 willing heart and hands, and by industry 
 prospered. For some time he lived in Ver- 
 million township, Erie Co., Ohio, as al- 
 ready related, thence, in 1852, coming to 
 Carlisle township, Lorain county. He 
 succeeded in accumulating 200 acres of 
 land, and at the time of his death had 
 money in the bank, notwithstanding the 
 fact that I)e had given liberally to his 
 children. He died July 9, 1890, in his 
 eighty-sixth year, his wife in 1866, aged 
 lifty-si.\. They were members, first of the 
 Presbyterian Keformed Church, afterward 
 of the Lutlieran Church, and in politics he 
 was always a Democrat. They had in all 
 seven children, as follows: Catherine, wife 
 of H. M. Hempy, of Cleveland, Ohio; 
 Margaret, wife of J. F. Irish, both now 
 deceased ; Ann, wife of Fred Stroble, of 
 Wood county, Ohio; Mary, wife of J. 6. 
 Kinsey, of Lorain; Elizabeth, wife of Ed- 
 ward Bickle; John H.; and Emanuel, in 
 Elyria. 
 
 At the age of two and a half years the 
 subject of these lines came to Ohio, and re- 
 ceived his English education at the schools 
 in Vermillion township, Erie county, and 
 at the Center School in Carlisle township, 
 Lorain county. He has been engaged all 
 his life in farming, with the exception of 
 six years he worked as a carpenter in 
 Cleveland, and is now the owner of 213 
 acres, all in a good state of cultivation. 
 Like his father before him, he votes the 
 straight Democratic ticket, and at one time 
 was elected trustee of his township, serv- 
 ing but a few months, as he was elected 
 against his wishes. 
 
 In 1862 our subject married Miss Cor- 
 nelia M. Hart, who was born in Carlisle 
 
 township, Lorain county, and five children 
 have come to them, as follows: Henry, 
 married and living in Elyria (has three 
 children — Hazel, Georgie and Edith); 
 Bertha M., wife of Harold Hinkson, of 
 Elyria (they have one child — RoUin); 
 Catherine, wife of Arthur Champney, of 
 Oberlin (they have one child — Bertha); 
 Frank R. and Charles R., both at home. 
 [Since the above w^as written we have been 
 informed that Mr. John IT. Eckler died of 
 typhoid fever November 23, 1893, havino- 
 been a great sufferer to the last. — Ed. 
 
 i^ J. FULLER, proprietor of livery 
 
 and boarding stable, in the town 
 
 of Oberlin, of which he has been 
 
 a resident some nine years, is a 
 
 native of Ohio, born in Portage county, in 
 
 1850, son of C. C. and Mary (Bierce) 
 
 Fuller. 
 
 The father of our subject was born in 
 Nelson township. Portage Co., Ohio, in 
 1818, and was there reared and trained to 
 farming, which has been his life vocation. 
 He there married Mai-y Bierce, a native of 
 the same township, born in 1830. who died 
 there in 1885, aged fifty-five years. 
 Grandfather Jeremiah R. Fuller, a native 
 of Cornwall, Conn., came west in about 
 the year 1804 to Portage county, Ohio, 
 where he opened up a farm in Nelson 
 township, dying thereon in 1853. Grand- 
 father Horatio Bierce also died in that 
 county; great-grandfather AVilliam Bierce. 
 a native of Connecticut, served in the war 
 of the Revolution, and died in Nelson 
 township. Portage county. 
 
 W. J. Fuller received a liberal educa- 
 tion at the public schools of his native 
 township, after which he was engaged in 
 the milling business in Portage county; 
 he was also three years in tlie oil fields of 
 Pennsylvania. In 1884 he came to Lorain 
 county, and commenced in his present 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1129 
 
 livery business, in wliicli he has met with 
 gratifying success, iieeping a fnll line of 
 vehicles. 
 
 In 1874 Mr. Fuller was united in mar- 
 riage with Mrs. Mary (Tinker) Tracy, also 
 a native of Portage county, Ohio, daugh- 
 ter of Benjamin and Mary (Hopkins) 
 Tinker, of Massachusetts and Connecticut, 
 respectively, and who in an early day came 
 to Portage county, Ohio, where the father 
 passed from earth in 1877; the mother is 
 still living. To Mr. and Mrs. Fuller has 
 been born one child, Helen D. By her 
 former marriage Mrs. Fuller had one 
 daughter, Mary E., wife of J. C. Ball, 
 of Pompey, N. Y. In politics our subject 
 is a Republican, and he has served as con- 
 stable. He and his wife are members of 
 the First Congregational Church. 
 
 JOHN SMITH TOWNSHEND, a ris- 
 ing young farmer of Sheffield town- 
 ship, was born there in 1860, a son 
 of John and Ann (Smith) Townsliend. 
 The father of our subject was born in 
 1809 ill England, whence at about the age 
 of twenty-two years he came to America 
 with his parents, the entire family tirst 
 making their home in Cleveland, Ohio. 
 Later John Townshend moved to SliefHeld 
 township, Lorain county, where he carried 
 on farming during the rest of bis life. He 
 was twice married, his first wife being 
 Hannah Hurst, by whom he liad four chil- 
 dren: Martha Fox, living in Sheffield 
 township; Sarah, wife of Joseph Walker; 
 Josiah H., married, and living in Sheffield 
 township, and Alfred, deceased. His second 
 wHfe, whom he wedded in Elyria township, 
 was Miss Ann Smith, a native of Leicester- 
 shire, England, and two children were born 
 to this union; Mary E. and John S., the 
 former living with the latter. John Towns- 
 hend died in Elyria April 15, 1875. 
 
 John S. Townshend, the subject proper 
 of this sketch, received his primary educa- 
 tion in the district schools of his native 
 place, and at the age of fifteen attended the 
 high school of Elyria, after which he at- 
 tended school one year at Oberlin. He 
 then commenced farming, which has been 
 his life vocation; he now works eighty 
 acres of land, and is the owner of fiftv-one 
 acres well improved, and a sawmill. 
 
 In 1889 our subject was married to Miss 
 Carrie M. Buck, born in Avon township), 
 Lorain Co., Ohio, and two children, named 
 respectively Ann E. and John, have been 
 born to them. Mr. Townshend's political 
 views are Republican, and he is a member 
 of the Baptist Church. 
 
 G ON RAD WIEGAND, one of the 
 wiile-awake progressive citizens of 
 ' Lorain, is a native of Hessen-Cassel, 
 Germany, born May 31, 1849. He 
 is a son of Henry and Christina (Roth) 
 Wiegand, also natives of Germany, and 
 who were the parents of eight children — 
 six sons and two daughters — two of whom 
 are now living in America. John Wie- 
 gand, one of the sons, came here in 1857, 
 and during the war of the Rebellion en- 
 listed in the Seventh O. V. I., at Cleve- 
 land; he was wounded at the battle of Win- 
 chester, and taken prisoner, but was re- 
 leased, dying soon after, however, in 
 hospital, in 1862. 
 
 Our subject was educated at the public 
 schools in the Fatherland, and at the age 
 of twenty (1869) came to the United States,- 
 totally ignorant of the English language, 
 but of which he soon made himself mas- 
 ter. From the port of landing he made 
 his way direct to Lorain county, Ohio, and 
 first located in Elyria, working at his trade 
 there till 1872, when he and a brother 
 opened a boot and shoe store in Lorain. 
 This partnership continued until 1883, in 
 which year Conrad Wiegand bought out 
 his brother, and has since continued in the 
 
1130 
 
 LORAIN aOUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 business alone. He commenced with a 
 small stock, about five iiundred dollars 
 worth, and has now one valued at as many 
 thousands. His present brick buildinor he 
 erected in 1892, and moved therein No- 
 vember 1, that year, and he still owns his 
 old store on North Broadway. He lias a 
 nice residence on Second avenue. 
 
 In 1871 Mr. Wiegand was married, in 
 Elyria, Ohio, to Miss Minnie Beese, and 
 they have had three sons: Fred, Carl and 
 Alvin. Our subject is a Eepublican in 
 politics, and in religion is associated with 
 the Evangelical Lutheran Church. He 
 has been a member of the board of educa- 
 tion since 1882, with the exception of one 
 year and eight months. Socially he is a 
 member of the K. O. T. M. 
 
 \sli\ ^' P^^LPS. This gentleman, a 
 ^/\\ member of one ot' the earliest fam- 
 II ilies to settle in Lorain county, as 
 ■J) a man of unbounded popularity 
 
 and well-known generosity, and as 
 one who has done much toward the progress 
 of Eaton township and the establishment of 
 the town of North Eaton, claims more than 
 a passing notice in the pages of' this Biog- 
 raphical Record. 
 
 Our subject was born November 18, 
 1821, in Jefferson county, N. Y., a son of 
 Joseph and Dollie (Waite) Phelps, the 
 former of whom was born in 1800, in Jef- 
 ferson county, N. Y., the latter in New 
 York about 1801. They were married in 
 Jefferson county, and in 1826 migrated 
 westward to Ohio, traveling by water to 
 Cleveland, thence by team to LaGrange 
 township, Lorain county, having to cut 
 their way through the timber and under- 
 brush, Mrs. Phelps walking the entire dis- 
 tance with one child in her arms, and 
 others toddling by her side. The farm 
 they settled on contained 160 acres of wild 
 land, and this by dint of hard and assidu- 
 
 ous labor they succeeded in reducing to a 
 state of culture. Their cabin was built 
 with the assistance of men brought from 
 Grafton. Occasionally the Indians, for the 
 first two years, lived in their wigwams 
 alongside of the Phelps family. Leaving 
 the farm, Mr. Phelps kept hotel twenty- 
 five years at LaPorte, Carlisle township, 
 and then moved to Butternut Ridire, where 
 he died in 1861; he was, in politics, a 
 Whig, later a Republican. His wife had 
 preceded him to the grave in 1857, the 
 mother of a large family of children, of 
 ■whom we give a record of ten: George W. 
 died in LaGrange township at the age of 
 five years; Harriet A. resides in Chicago, 
 111.; Roger (married) died in Sandusky, 
 Ohio, about 1870; Erastus (uiarried) re- 
 sides in Elyria (he is the oldest engineer 
 on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern 
 Kailroad, having been on the road for forty 
 years) ; Clarissa is the wife of Edwin 
 Beardsley, and resides on Chestnut Ridge, 
 Eaton township; Elvira resides in Min- 
 neapolis, Minn.; Jefferson (married) is an 
 attorney at law in Chicago, 111.; Elizabeth 
 resides in St. Paul, Minn.; Joseph Elston 
 (married) resides in Toledo (he is one of 
 the best engineers on the Lake Shore & 
 Michigan Southern Railroad); George 
 Washington, who was married and resided 
 in Toledo, and was an engineer on the Lake 
 Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad for 
 thirty years, was killed at Believue, Ohio, 
 in February, 1891. 
 
 Joseph Phelps brought the first yoke of 
 oxen into LaGrange township, and they 
 did hard work not only on his own farm, 
 but also on those of his neighbors. At 
 the time the family settled in the county, 
 wolves, bears and otiier wild animals 
 abounded, and the first cow they owned, 
 also their first flock of sheep, eighteen in 
 uTiniber, were destroyed by wolves and 
 carried off, not the least part of the loss 
 felt being the wool on the sheep, on which 
 the family depended for future clothing. 
 On another occasion, during the month of 
 March, two or three hunger-driven wolves 
 

 (//7f7)fl^%o6^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1133 
 
 got into tlie sheep pen, and would have 
 made much havoc among the sheep bat for 
 a povverfnl mastiff that fought the wolves 
 furiously, succeeding in driving them 
 away, minus a considerable amount of fur 
 they left behind in the pen. The brave 
 dog was so sorely wounded that he lay as 
 dead on the floor, but with careful nursing 
 he recovered in the course of a week. The 
 last grey wolf seen was killed on Mr. 
 Phelps' farm in the winter of 1839; after 
 being pursued two days it turned on its 
 pursuers, and was then shot. In the 
 summer of 1852 a doe reared two fawns, 
 which the following winter were killed by 
 hunters. Prior to this all large game, in- 
 cluding the elk, panther and bear, had dis- 
 appeared. 
 
 Eoger Phelps, father of Joseph, and 
 grandfather of subject, was a native of 
 Connecticut, where he learned the trade 
 of tanner and currier. In an early day he 
 moved to Jefferson county, N. Y., and in 
 1826 came to Lorain county, where he 
 died. 
 
 M. W. Phelps, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, received his education in the pub- 
 lic schools of LaGrange township, Lorain 
 county (whither he was brought by his 
 parents when a child of five summers), and 
 finished his studies at a select school in 
 Elyria. In his early manhood he taught 
 school in Elyria and Grafton townships, 
 and also at Olmsted Falls, Cuyahoga 
 county, at which latter he taught a num- 
 ber of terms. On retiring from his scho- 
 lastic duties he commenced farming opera- 
 tions, in which he has since continued with 
 well-merited success in Eaton township, 
 where he owns an excellent farm of 275 
 acres, all well improved. In addition to 
 the usual grain and root crops, he does an 
 extensive business in dairying, milking 
 from thirty-seven to forty cows ; and he has 
 also dealt largely in live stock. 
 
 In August, 18'44, Mr. Phelps was united 
 in marriage in Dover, Cuyahoga Co.. Ohio, 
 with Miss Harriet Ann Grimes, a native 
 of Vermont, daughter of Johnson and Amy 
 
 (Hamilton) Grimes, also of the Green 
 Mountain State, who came, in 1837, to 
 Dover township, Cuyahoga county, and 
 theuce moved to Kalamazoo county, Mich. ; 
 the father died in 1809 at the residence of 
 his son-inlaw, our subject; the mother in 
 1891. Two children were born to Mr. and 
 Mrs. Phelps, viz.: Vernon Beresford, mar- 
 ried and residing in Eaton township (he 
 has five children); and Frank Herbert, who 
 is married and resides in Elyria. 
 
 Mr. Phelps is not only progressive, but 
 also aggressive, and has proven to the 
 county of his adoption a most useful, loyal 
 citizen. To him is due the credit of hav- 
 ing secured the Eaton Station (situated on 
 his farm) for the Cleveland, Cincinnati, 
 Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, toward 
 which he subscribed one thousand live 
 hundred dollars, besides paying out of his 
 own pocket $600 for labor done. Poli- 
 tically he was originally a Whig, then a 
 Kepublican, voting for McClellan, since 
 when he has been a stanch Democrat. 
 
 THOMPSON CLARK, a well-known, 
 native-born agriculturist of Avon 
 township, first saw the light April 
 7, 1822, on the farm where he yet 
 resides. 
 He is a son of Samuel and Polly 
 (Seward) Clark, the former of whom was 
 born in Connecticut, at the age of thirteen 
 years removing thence to Vermont, where 
 he was married in 1816. In the fall of 
 the last named year he set out with a team 
 for Ridgeville township, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 and in the spring of the following year 
 settled on a farm, then entirely in the 
 woods, where he built a log cabin and 
 passed the remainder of his days. He 
 passed from earth in 1867, preceded to the 
 grave by his wife in 1865. They had 
 born to them eight children, as follows: 
 
1134 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Samuel, who died here at the age of thirty- 
 two; Lyman, wlio died September l-i, 
 1876, in Stenben county, Ind.; Daniel, who 
 married and removed to Indiana, where 
 he died in 1889; Thompson, whose name 
 introduces this sketch; Clarissa, Mrs. 
 Amos Moon, who died in Avon township; 
 Anna, who married Justus Butler, and 
 died in Indiana in 1885; Orilla, who mar- 
 ried David H. Barnard, of Kidgeville, and 
 died in Olmsted, Ohio, in 1885; and 
 Naomi, who became the wife of Wilkes 
 Kathbuu, and died in 1885 at the home of 
 our subject. Grandfather Gaylord Clark 
 was a native of Connecticut, and in an 
 early day removed thence to Addison, Vt., 
 where he died. 
 
 Thompson Clark I'eceived his early edu- 
 cational training in the log cabin subscrip- 
 tion schools of that early period, and was 
 reared from boyhood to agricultural pur- 
 suits, which he has made his life vocation. 
 In 1841 lie was married to Miss Jane 
 Young, a native of Addison county, Vt., 
 daut^hterof Alvahand Lucretia(^Wilkison) 
 Young, also natives of that State, and early 
 settlers of Medina county, Ohio, where both 
 died. In 1871 this wife died, leaving no liv- 
 ing children, and in 1873 Mr. Clark wedded, 
 for his second wife. Miss Amelia Chand- 
 ler, daughter of Harry and Beulah (Ter- 
 rell) Chandler, all natives of New York 
 State, whence in an early day they came to 
 Ohio, locating lirst in Huron county, and 
 subsequently taking up there home in 
 Grafton township, Lorain county. Harry 
 Chandler died in 1885 at the home of our 
 subject, preceded to the grave by his wife, 
 who died in Huron county, Ohio. By his 
 second marriage Mr. Clark has one child, 
 Samuel. Our subject now owns the old 
 home farm, comprising forty-eight acres of 
 fertile land, all in a good state of cultiva- 
 tion. In his party preferences he is a 
 liberal Republican, though in local poli- 
 tics he takes an independent stand. In re- 
 ligious connection Mrs. Clark is a member 
 of the Congregational Church. Mr. Clark 
 is now the only representativeof one of the 
 
 first six families who settled in Avon town- 
 ship. On the paternal side the family is 
 of English origin, while on the mother's 
 side they come of Scotch and French ances- 
 try, who located in Connecticut in Colonial 
 days. William Seward, an uncle of our 
 subject, was a soldier in the war of 1812. 
 
 FRANK E. BON SO R, a well-known 
 contractor and builder, of Lorain, is 
 _^ a native of Iowa, born December 28, 
 1860. Charles E. Bonsor, father of 
 our subject, was born in England, where 
 he learned the trade of brick mason and 
 contractor. In 1849 he came to America, 
 and here followed his trade in New York 
 City, from which place he came to Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, thence nroving to Indianapolis, 
 Ind., and thence to Iowa, where he fol- 
 lowed contract work for a number of years. 
 He then returned to Ohio, locating in 
 Oberlin, whence, after a residence of eigh- 
 teen or nineteen years, he moved to Fred- 
 erickstown, Mo., where he and his wife 
 now reside. Mr. Bonsor married Anna 
 Watts, who was also a native of England, 
 and they had nine children — seven sons 
 and two daughters — eight of whom grew 
 to maturity. 
 
 Frank E. Bonsor was reared in his na- 
 tive State until three years of age, when 
 he came with his parents to Oberlin, Ohio, 
 where he received his education. He 
 learned the trade of brick mason with his 
 father, and in 1871, then but eleven years 
 old, he worked at same in Chicago. He 
 was connected with his father in the con- 
 tracting business at Oberlin for a few 
 years, and when a young man superin- 
 tended work undertaken by him. Among 
 the many buildings erected in Oberlin 
 under their supervision may be mentioned 
 the E. J. Goodrich and the Henry Blocks, 
 Carter Building, Carpenter Building, 
 Ladies Society & Call Building, Morris 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1135 
 
 Building, Wooster Block, the Town Hall, 
 besides many dwelling lionses. They 
 erected the greater part of the brick build- 
 ings in Oberlin until 1880, when Mr. Bon- 
 sor came to Lorain, and he has since 
 followed contracting and building in vari- 
 ous places. He and his brothers took the 
 contract for the Home State Building, in 
 Knightstown, Ind., and they received the 
 highest recommendations for work done 
 on this edifice. Mr. Bonsor has also done 
 contract work in Columbus, Cleveland, and 
 Vermillion, Ohio, and his record duringhis 
 entire career has been second to none. In 
 1886 he and his brothers built the Bonsor 
 Block, the largest business block in Lo- 
 rain, a fine building 78 by 80 feet, and 
 three stories in height. In 1892 he 
 erected the Opera House, a handsome 
 three-story brick building, 41 by 101 feet. 
 In 18S6 Mr. Bonsor was married to 
 Miss Flora B. Mapes, and they have two 
 children, namely: Frank and Cleora. In 
 politics he votes with the Republican 
 party, and socially he is a member of the 
 I. O. O. F. and F. & A. M. Mr. Bon- 
 sor comes from a family of brick masons. 
 It was the trade of his father and grand- 
 father, and three uncles and three brothers 
 also follow same. 
 
 ri( E. STIWALD, a progressive, en- 
 
 l[\\ terprising citizen of North Am- 
 
 ir%^ herst, was born in August, 1842, 
 
 ■fj at Cleveland, Ohio. His parents, 
 
 George Michael and Mary (Fox) 
 
 Stiwald, were natives of Germany, whence 
 
 they emigrated to the United States in 
 
 about 1838, locating at Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 They were the parents of six children, 
 
 namely: Catherine, a widow, residing in 
 
 North Amherst; _John, who died in 187B 
 
 in Amiierst township; Conrad, living in 
 
 Michigan; Emma, who died iti 1862; 
 
 Gertrude, who died in 1875; and A. E. 
 
 The father of this family died in 1846, in 
 Cleveland, and in 1852 his widow came to 
 Avon to*nship, Lorain county, settling on 
 a farm, where she resided until her death, 
 which occurred in 1885, in North Amherst. 
 A. E. Stiwald, our subject, was reared 
 up to the age of ten years in Cleveland, 
 where he received his early education, and 
 in 1852 came with his mother to Avon 
 township,' where he assisted in clearing the 
 farm. On August 15, 1862, he enlisted 
 in Company G, One Hundred and Seventh 
 O. V. I., for three years or during the war, 
 and was assigned to the army of the Poto- 
 mac. He participated in the battles in 
 Kentucky, and was also at Gettysburg, 
 Fredericksburg, and most of the other en- 
 gagements participated in by the army of 
 the Potomac, and took part in the Grand 
 Review at Washington, D. C, where he 
 was honorably dischai-ged in 1865. He 
 returned to Lorain county, and in 1868 
 came to Amherst township, there engaging 
 in farming until January 1, 1870, when 
 he came to North Amherst and engaged 
 in the manufacture of cigars, in which he 
 continued until 1880. He is now ensao-ed 
 111 raismg fruit. 
 
 In 1865 Mr. Stiw^ald was united in mar- 
 riage, in Lorain county, Ohio, with Miss 
 Sarah Ann Jaycox, a native of Lorain 
 county, daughter of Smith Jaycox. She 
 died i'n 1869, and in 1878 Mr. Stiwald was 
 married, for his second wife, to Miss Maria 
 White, a native of England. She was a 
 daughter of Robert White, who was also 
 born in England, and came to America, lo- 
 cating in Amherst township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, where he died in 1885. To Mr. and 
 Mrs. Stiwald were born the following 
 named children: Florence Eva, Earl C, 
 Maria G., Grace L. and Grover Allen. In 
 politics our subject is a Democrat, very 
 prominent in his party, and has been 
 elected to various offices of trust; lie filled 
 the position of town clerk in North Am- 
 herst for twelve consecutive years, the 
 longest period of time for which that office 
 has been held; he was assessor of North 
 
1136 
 
 LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Amherst two years: served for twelve 
 years as township trustee, and did much 
 toward the improvement of Amherst; and 
 was clerk of the joint board (township and 
 village) during the building of the Town 
 Hall. Socially he is a member of Rice Post 
 No. 148, G. A. R., in which he served as 
 commander two terms, and is now officer 
 of the day; of Plato Lodge, No. 203, 
 I. O. O. F., in which he has been secretary 
 (he has passed all the Chairs); and of Am- 
 herst Lodge No. 74, K. of P., of which he 
 is deputy grand chancellor. Mr. Stivvald 
 is an energetic citizen, deeply interested 
 in everything tending toward the improve- 
 ment of the community in which he resides. 
 
 \ILLIAM JAMESON, a native- 
 born farmer citizen of Avon town- 
 ship, isasonofJosephB. and Avis 
 (Smith) Jameson, the father a na- 
 tive of New Hampshire, the mother of 
 Massachusetts, where they were married. 
 In 1824 they came to Lorain county. Ohio, 
 settling in the woods of Avon township, 
 wiiere they opened up a farm and made a 
 permanent iiome. Mrs. Jameson died in 
 1834, and Mr. Jameson subsequently mar- 
 ried Miss Mary Horr, who died in Avon 
 township in 1893; to that union were born 
 four children, of whom M. B., the only 
 survivor, resides in Avon township. 
 
 William Jameson, whose name opens 
 this memoir, was born in 1824, in Avon 
 township, where he was reared, and re- 
 ceived his elementary education in the 
 common schools, supplemented by one 
 term at Norwalk. He taught school for 
 seven winters in Lorain and Cuyahoga 
 counties, since when he has chiefly en- 
 gaged in farming. In 1849 lie located on 
 a farm in Sheffield township, which is now 
 known as Randall's Grove, and first built 
 a log cabin thereon, which was afterward 
 supplanted by a frame house. ' On that 
 
 place he resided for sixteen years, improv- 
 ing the land, and then, in 1865, bought an 
 improved farm of 102|^ acres in Avon 
 township, to which he himself has made 
 n)any new improvements, and where he 
 has since been successfully engaged in 
 general farming; at one time he worked on 
 this farm for twelve dollars per month. In 
 1852 Mr. Jameson was married, in Bir- 
 mingham, Erie county, to Miss Laura La- 
 more, who was a native of LaGrange town- 
 ship, Lorain county, and the adopted 
 daughter of Dr. Beaman, an early settler 
 of French Creek. Mrs. Laura Jameson 
 died in 1859, leaving one child, Clyde 
 Burton, who is married and has two chil- 
 dren: Everett E. and Norris Morey; he 
 resides in Buffalo, N. Y. In 1859 our sub- 
 ject wedded, for his second wife. Miss 
 Delia F. Stephens, who was born in Berk- 
 shire county, Mass., daughter of Benjamin 
 and Lovicia (Foote) Stepiiens, both natives 
 of Massachusetts and early settlers of Avon 
 township, where they died. To this union 
 was also born one cliild, George Chauncy, 
 who graduated from the Philadelphia 
 Medical University, class of 1893, and is 
 now located at Oberlin, Ohio. His mother 
 died in 1887. In politics Mr. Jameson is 
 a Republican, and has served as assessor 
 of Sheffield township. In religious faith 
 he is a member of the Baptist Church at 
 French Creek, 
 
 LAYTON CHAPMAN, a rising and 
 brilliant young attorney at law, and 
 a justice of the peace, Elyria, is a 
 native of Lorain county, Ohio, born 
 February 5, 1868, a son of Lucian H. and 
 DeEtte (Phelon) Chapman, also natives of 
 the Buckeye State, and descended from old 
 Massachusetts families. 
 
 He received a liberal education at the 
 common schools of the neighborhood of 
 his place of birth, and for a time taught 
 school. At the age of about twenty he 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1137 
 
 commenced the study of law with A. R. 
 Webber, the prosecuting attorney of Lo- 
 rain county, whose office was in Elyria. 
 On Marcli 5, 1891, he was admitted to the 
 bar, and at once commenced the pi-actice 
 of his chosen profession in Elyria. In 
 November, 1890. being then but twenty- 
 two years old, he was elected a justice of 
 the peace of Elyria township, and is proba- 
 bly the yonngest justice in the State of 
 Ohio. He has already proven himself a 
 jurist of considerable ability, and has the 
 reputation of interpreting the law in its 
 strictest sense and bearing, particularly in 
 criminal cases. Politically he is an ardent 
 Republican in politics, and socially he is 
 a member and Regent of tiie Royal Ar- 
 canum. 
 
 Mr. Chapman was united in marriage 
 August 31, 1892, with Miss Frances 
 Mooers, of Elyria, daughter of A. H. and 
 Arlette Mooers. 
 
 E. CAHOON is a native of the 
 city of Elyria, where he resides, 
 and was born May 15, 184:6, a 
 son of William 0. and Melissa 
 (Eldred) Gaboon, rhe former of whom was 
 born in the State of New York, and in 
 1810, then two years old, came to Ohio 
 with his parents. 
 
 Joseph Gaboon, grandfather of subject, 
 was the first settler in Dover, Cuyahoga 
 county, and the old home place is still in 
 the possession of members of the family. 
 Many changes have taken place on it in 
 the lapse of years, but the old fireplace 
 where they cooked their meals is still ex- 
 tant, also apple trees jilanted by Grand- 
 father Gaboon, which have borne fruit 
 ever since. On this place William O. 
 Cahoon lived till he was about seventeen 
 years old, when he moved to the southern 
 part of the State for a time; then return- 
 ing northward ho finally, in 1835, settled 
 in Elyria, where he passed the remainder 
 
 of his days, dying in 1878. His widow 
 passed away in 1888. In politics he was 
 a Republican and Free-soiler, and in church 
 connection he was a Methodist. His 
 family numbered five sons and one daugh- 
 ter. The eldest son, E. A., was a member 
 of Battery E, First Ohio Artillery, in 
 which he served two and one-half years, 
 when he was honorably discharged. 
 
 W. E. Cahoon received his education at 
 the public schools of the neighborhood of 
 his home, and at the age of seventeen en- 
 listed in Company K, One Hundred and 
 Thiity-fifth O. V. I., one hundred days 
 service, which regiment was sent to Vir- 
 ginia, Maryland, Harper's Ferry, Martins- 
 burg and Maryland Heights, participating 
 in the tight at John Brown's Schoolhouse. 
 On his return home Mr. Gaboon learned 
 the trade of tinner, which he followed 
 about twelve years, but accidentally losing 
 his right arm while firincr off a cannon on 
 Decoration Day, 1874, he closed up his 
 business in 1878. In 1875 he was elected 
 assessor of Elyria township, filling the 
 office four consecutive years; in 1882 he 
 was elected county recorder, serving till 
 January 1, 1892, since when he has been 
 abstracter of titles. 
 
 Mr. Gaboon was married, July 30, 1874, 
 to Mrs. M. P. (Bush) Tyler, who was born 
 in Fremont, Ohio, daughter of Rev. 
 Enrotus H. and Mary (Goodsell) Bush, 
 both of whom w^ere born in Rochester, 
 N. Y. Politically our subject is a stanch 
 Republican, and socially he is a member 
 of the G. A. R. and Royal Arcanum, 
 
 % OBERT COWLES, well-known in 
 Eaton township as a well-to-do 
 farmer and dairyman, and respected 
 as a loyal and useful citizen, is a 
 native of the Isle of Man, born 
 in 183(5. 
 
 He is a son of William and Mary (Com- 
 mode) Cowles, also natives of the Isle of 
 
1138 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Man, who in 1837 immigrated to the 
 United States, locating in Rochester, 
 N. Y., where the father worked at his 
 trade, that of liatter. In 1849 they came 
 to Eaton townsliip, Lorain county, and 
 here in the wild woods the family made a 
 clearing for a new home, there residing till 
 about 1861, when the father moved to 
 Fulton county, Ohio, thence to Lake town- 
 ship. Wood Co., same State. He died in 
 1875, his wife in 1854, while they were 
 living in Eaton township. A brief record 
 of the children born to this couple is as 
 follows: John died about 1866 in Fulton 
 county, Ohio (during the Civil war he en- 
 listed, in Fulton county, in the Sixty- 
 seventh O. V. I., served three years, 
 veteranized, and served till the close of the 
 war) ; Jane was married to Thomas Crane, 
 and died June 14, 1889, in Wood county, 
 Ohio; Robert is the subject of this sketch; 
 Charles resides in Michigan (he enlisted in 
 the Civil war in Fulton county, Ohio); 
 Henry died in April, 1891, in Wood county 
 (he enlisted in Fulton county in the Sixty- 
 seventh O. V. L, and served till the close 
 of the war); William also enlisted in Ful- 
 ton county, Ohio (he died in Michigan); 
 Mary, who was the wife of Peter Domito, 
 died in 1875 in Adrian, Michigan. 
 
 The snl)ject proper of this sketch was, 
 as will be seen, an infant when his parents 
 brought him to this country. He received 
 his education at the schools of Rochester, 
 N. Y., and was trained to the arduous 
 duties of the farm. In 1851 he moved to 
 Cleveland, Ohio, whei-e he learned the trade 
 of carpenter and joiner, at wliich he worked 
 in that city for some years. In 1860 he 
 went to Pike's Peak by the overland route, 
 and tiiere labored, and followed his trade; 
 thence proceeded to South Park, where he 
 worked two years, making salt. From 
 there, in 1863, he proceeded by overland 
 route to California, and engaged in team- 
 ing at Sutter. Creek until 1865, in which 
 year he went to Boise City, Idaho, where 
 he was engaged in the construction of a 
 building to be used as a factory wherein 
 
 to grind quartz rock. After one year he 
 returned to Amador county, Cal., and 
 from there, in 1873, came to Ohio, first 
 tarrying in Wood county, and then from 
 there coming, in 1880, to Lorain county, 
 finally settling in Eaton township, where 
 he has since carried on farming operations, 
 including dairying. 
 
 In. 1878 Mr. Cowles was married to 
 Miss Betsy Jane Spaulding, born in Eaton 
 township, a daughter of Jesse and Repta 
 (Howard) Spaulding (both now deceased), 
 natives of New Hampshire, who in 1836 
 came to Lorain county, and in 1839 moved 
 on a farm in Eaton township now owned by 
 R. Cowles, with their family of six children 
 — four sons and two daughters. One 
 daughter died at the age of twelve years; 
 the rest grew up on the farm. In their 
 wilderness home they lived for some time, 
 the nearest neighbors being one mile dis- 
 
 -» r 
 
 tatit, and the farm was slowly cleared. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Spaulding died on the farm, 
 June 10, 1863, and April 22, 1875, re- 
 spectively. The remaining daughter still 
 lives on the farm. Politically Mr. Cowles 
 is a Republican; Mrs. Cowles is a member 
 of the Baptist Church in Columbia town- 
 ship, Lorain county. 
 
 AMUEL BEAL, a leading agricul- 
 turist of Elyria township, is a native 
 of Lorain county, born May 7, 1846, 
 ^ a son of Philip and Eva (Smith) 
 Beal, who were married in Germany, where 
 three of their children were born. They 
 came to the United States, and settled in 
 Lorain county, Ohio, on a farm where the 
 father died in 1866, at the age of seventy- 
 seven years. They were the parents of eight 
 children, as follows: Eva (wife of Chris- 
 topher Decker), Maria (wife of John Kolpe), 
 Lewis (now in Michigan), Susie (wife of 
 C. Heeg), Paul, Mary, Moses and Samuel. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1139 
 
 The subject of this sketch received his 
 education at the common schools of his 
 native township, and was reared to agri- 
 cultural pursuits. In 1870 he was mar- 
 ried to Miss Catherine Eppley, and eight 
 children were born to them, named as fal- 
 lows: Frank (married to Mary Barth), 
 Cora (wife of Vernon Bender, and has one 
 child, Lydia), Ora, Samuel, Charles, Har- 
 vey, Earl and Elmer. Mr. Beal owns 144 
 acres of land, and by industry and per- 
 serverance has accumulated a snug com- 
 petence. In his political preferences he is 
 a Kepublican, and in matters of religion he 
 is an adherent of the Evangelical Church. 
 
 fll MASA WEST, retired farmer and 
 
 //l\ blacksmith, the cheerful ring of 
 
 fr\^ whose anvil has been heard for 
 
 ■^ miles around his " smiddj' '' for 
 
 many a day in Kussia township, is 
 
 a native of Massachusetts, born June 9, 
 
 1817, in Berkshire county, a son of Joshua 
 
 and Mary (Newell) West, both also natives 
 
 of Berkshire county, the mother born in 
 
 the town of Lenox. 
 
 Joshua West, father of subject, was 
 born in 1774, and his father hailed from 
 the Cape Cod District. The family de- 
 scend from one of three brothers who came 
 from England to America many years ago, 
 one of whom was entirely lost sight of. 
 Joshua AVest was a lifelong farmer. He 
 married Mary Newell, and in Lee, Berk- 
 shire Co., Mass., were born to them eleven 
 children, eight of whom reached maturity, 
 as follows: Washington, a farmer, who 
 died in Pittsfield township, Lorain county; 
 Carlos, a blacksmith by trade, who died in 
 Tabor, Iowa; Josiah N., a blacksmith by 
 trade, who also died in Tabor, Iowa; 
 Oliver, a farmer of Pittsfield township, 
 Lorain county, where he died; Mar}', who 
 became the wife of Henry AVoleott, died 
 in Pittstield; Aniasa, subject of this sketch; 
 
 Jesse, who died in Tabor, Iowa, being the 
 first of the family to pass away (he was a 
 strong Abolitionist and a warm fiiend of 
 the negro); and Jane, widow of Albert 
 Root, of Pittsfield, Ohio. 
 
 In the early spring of 1832 our subject 
 and his brother Oliver came to Ohio by 
 sleigh, there still being snow on the 
 ground as far as nine miles west of 
 Buflfalo, N.Y., where, snow now disappear- 
 ing, they traded their sleigh for a wagon, 
 which brought them on to Wellincrton, 
 Lorain county, where an older brother, 
 Josiah Newell West, a blacksmith, had 
 located, in whose shop our subject com- 
 menced an apprenticeship. In the fall of 
 the same year the parents, with four of 
 the remaining children — Washington, 
 Jesse, Mary and Jane — - came to Lorain 
 county from Massachusetts, making the 
 journey with two wagons — a two-horse 
 and a single. They made their new home 
 in Wellington township, two and one- 
 half miles north of the center, on a totally 
 unimproved farm then almost all in the 
 woods; and after a few years' residence 
 there the father moved to Portage county, 
 Ohio, where he followed farming. In 
 November, 1854, while on his way to 
 Pittsfield on business, he stopped over- 
 night at a wayside tavern, some ten miles 
 southeast of Cleveland, where he acci- 
 dentally fell downstairs and was killed; he 
 was buried in Pittsfield cemetery. His 
 widow died in 1801, and was laid to rest 
 beside him. Mr. West in politics was a 
 Whig, and in church relationship was a 
 Presbyterian till coming to Ohio, when he 
 united with the Cougregationalists. At 
 the time of his decease he was in comfort- 
 able circumstances, and in his earlier days 
 he was one of the leading and most 
 prosperous farmers of Berkshire county, 
 Massachusetts. 
 
 Amasa West, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, was educated at the common 
 schools of the neighborhood of his home, 
 and worked on his father's farm till fifteen 
 years of age, whon he commenced to learn 
 
1140 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 the trade of blacksmith at Wellington, 
 serving an apprenticeship of three years. 
 He then worked ont, earning various 
 wages at different places, at one smithy 
 receiving one hundred dollars a year and 
 his board, a day's work often being twelve 
 or fourteen hours. After his marriage he 
 located at Windham, Portage Co., Ohio, 
 and tliere followed his trade till Novem- 
 ber, 1843, when be moved to Pittsfield, 
 Lorain county. Here he bought a farm 
 on which he resided till 1853, when he 
 sold out, moved back to Windham, and 
 bought a farm of 150 acres, where he 
 lived till the death cf his wife in Septem- 
 ber, 1854; in 1855 he sold his farm and 
 traveled for two years. While in Pitts- 
 field Mr. West had lieen for one and one- 
 lialf years engaged in mercantile l)usiness, 
 but failing health caused him to abandon 
 it, and in 1859 he bought a farm in 
 Henrietta, where he lived till the spring 
 of 1879. He then moved to Oberlin in 
 order to have his children educated, and 
 while there he sold the farm in Henrietta 
 township, buying his present one in Rus- 
 sia township, on which he has erected a 
 modern residence, where he now lives in 
 retirement. 
 
 On October 14, 1840, while working at 
 bis trade in Portage county, Ohio, Mr. 
 West was married in Windham to Miss 
 Hannah Lyman, daughter of Jeremiah 
 Lyman, the first settler in Windham town- 
 ship. Portage county, and bv this union 
 there were three children: Martha, who 
 died at the age of twelve years; Mary L. 
 (now Mrs. Ira D. Bryant, of Spencer, 
 Medina Co., Ohio), and Hannah M., living 
 at home with her father. This wife died 
 in September, 1854, and for bis second 
 wife Mr. West married, on May 28, 1858, 
 Nancy B. Dudley, a native of Vermont, 
 daughter of Jonathan Dudley. By this 
 marriage there were five children, three of 
 ■whom died in infancy, the remaining two 
 being Edward D., a plumber by trade, 
 and Harriet A., at home with her father. 
 The mother of these passed from earth 
 
 November 20, 1885, and lies buried in 
 Henrietta township, Lorain county. Polit- 
 ically Mr. West was originally a Whig, 
 his first Presidential vote being cast for 
 William H. Harrison, and he is now a 
 liberal Republican. He has been a mem- 
 ber of the M. E. Church since 1843, and 
 has frequently held office in same. 
 
 If S. STRAW. Prominent among the 
 thoroughly representative agricultnr- 
 _[ ists of Carlisle township is found this 
 gentleman. 
 He is a native of New York State, born 
 April 29, 1830, a son of Ezra and Hannah 
 (Colbtath) Straw, of New Hampshire 
 birth. In an early day Ezra Straw moved 
 to the northern part of New York State, 
 and thence, in 1833, to Lorain county, 
 Ohio, locating at first in Huntington 
 township, afterward in Sheffield township, 
 and finally settling in Amherst township. 
 He died 'in 1854, his wife in 1887. In 
 his political sympathies he was originally 
 an Old-line Whig, in later years a Repub- 
 lican. Tiie)' were the parents of seven 
 children whom they reared to maturity, 
 five of whom are yet living, namely: I. S., 
 subject of this memoir; Ezra, a farmer of 
 Black River township; Selina, widow of 
 Sylvester Potter, of North Amherst; 
 Marina, wife of W. P. Potter, of North 
 Amherst; Sophia, wife of G. W. Barns, of 
 Amherst township. On the father's side 
 the family are 'German, on the mother's 
 they are English. 
 
 As will be seen, our subject was a small 
 boy when his parents came to Lorain 
 county, and he was here reared and edu- 
 cated, receiving a thoroughly practical 
 training to farming pursuits under his 
 fatiier's tuition. In 1864 he purchased 
 his present farm in Carlisle township, one 
 of the most fertile and best kept in the 
 county. Mr. Straw has been thrice mar- 
 
<lX-iC 
 
 Cr/c3^-^>^ 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1143 
 
 ried: first time, in Norwalic, Ohio, in 
 1854, to Miss Jane Murray, a native of 
 Carlisle township, Lorain county, and 
 dauirhter of Ahner and Betsey Murray, 
 pioneers of that township, where the 
 mother died; the father passed away in 
 JSIorwalk, Ohio. To this marriage were 
 born three children, viz.: Murray A., who 
 died in Colorado; Charles (married), resid- 
 ing in Elyriafhas three children: Isaac N., 
 Earl and Nellie); and Jennie M., wife of 
 Harvey Walls, of Elyria. The mother of 
 these was called from earth in 1863, and 
 for his second wife Mr. Straw married, 
 January 8, 1864, Miss Betsey Lawrence, a 
 native of Vermont, and daughter of Steven 
 Lawrence, a pioneer of Carlisle township, 
 Lorain county; she died August 6, 1889. 
 In July, 1892, Mr. Straw was united in 
 marriage with Mrs. Sarah Penney Willson. 
 In his political synipatiiies our subject is 
 a straight Republican, active in the inter- 
 ests of his party. He has served as justice 
 of the peace, and was a director of the 
 County Infirmary sixteen years. He is 
 highly respected and esteemed as a useful, 
 loyal and progressive citizen. 
 
 I[J[ENRY TOWNSEND. This gen- 
 \^^ tleman, who r^nks among the well- 
 I IJ known farmer citizens of Carlisle 
 ■^ township, was borji in 1831, ii^ 
 
 Warwickshire, England. His par- 
 ents, William and Ann (Darlow) Town- 
 send, were natives of the same connty, 
 where they passed their entire lives, the 
 father dying at the age of seventy-five, the 
 mother in about 1863. 
 
 Henry Townsend was reared in England, 
 receiving during his youth but limited 
 educational advantao-es, and after his 
 school days were over followed farming in 
 his native country until the age of twenty- 
 six. In 1857 he immigrated to America, 
 proceeding at once to Elyria, Lorain Co., 
 
 59 
 
 Ohio, where he engaged in aoricultural 
 work. He subse(juently went to Sugar 
 Ridge, Ridgeville township, and in 1862 
 came to Carlisle township, locating on the 
 farm where he has since made his home. 
 He purchased twenty-nine acres, then in 
 the woods, cleared a place to build a 
 house, and has made all the improvements 
 on the tract with his own hands. He has 
 added to the farm from time to tune, and 
 now owns one hundred acres, all highly 
 improved and cultivated, upon which he 
 has erected a good house and barn. A 
 sister of our subject, the wife of John 
 Smith, who came to Lorain county in 
 1857, resides on an adjoining farm in 
 Carlisle township. 
 
 In 1862 Mr. Townsend was united in 
 marriage, in Eaton township, with Miss 
 Ann Roach, who was born in Northamp- 
 tonshire, England, daughter of John and 
 Elizabeth (Eames) Roach. Her parents, 
 who were also natives of Northampton- 
 shire, in 1856 came from England to the 
 United States, locating first in Amherst 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, where they 
 remained one year, thence moving to Ridgp- 
 villc, where they resided for two years. The 
 family next lived a year at Plum Creek, and 
 finally moved to Eaton township, where 
 they opened up a farm, and made a per- 
 manent home. Mr. and Mrs. Roach were 
 the parents of eight children, as follows: 
 Mary, wife of Samuel Mattock, of De- 
 fiance county, Ohio; Ann, Mrs. Townsend; 
 Joseph, married and residing in Hall 
 county, Neb.; William, who enlisted, in 
 1861, in Company K, Twenty-third 
 O. V. I., and was killed November 15, 
 1861, at Camp Ewing, W. Va. (he was 
 accidentally shot); Thomas, who died in in- 
 fancy, in England; Betsey, wife of Henry 
 Montague, residing in New Chanute, 
 Kans. ; Sophia, wife of Peter Watts, 
 of Knightstown, Henry Co., Ind. ; and 
 Thomas, a resident of Eaton township. 
 The mother of this family died in Am- 
 herst township in 1856, the father in 1888 
 at the home of Mr. Townsend. 
 
1144 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 In politics our subject is a Republican, 
 takes an active interest in the welfare of 
 his party, and has served as trustee and 
 supervisor of his township. He has al- 
 ways followed farming in the township, 
 and he and his wife are among the most 
 proTuiiient and highly respected members 
 of the community in which they reside. 
 To their union have come two cliildren, as 
 follows: William, who on April 22, 1886, 
 was united in marriao-e with Miss Celia 
 Jane Phil pott, of Elyria (he is engaged in 
 farming on the home farm); and Martha 
 Sophia, at home. 
 
 E. SQUIRES, a well-known mer- 
 chant at Turner's Mills, is a native 
 of Lorain county, Ohio, born Au- 
 gust 16, 1837, in Carlisle township. 
 His parents, Abner and Lois 
 Squii'es, were natives of Vermont, and in 
 1831 migrated westward to Lorain county, 
 Ohio, settling in Carlisle, where the 
 father, who was a farmer, died in 1851, 
 his widow in 1864. He was a Democrat 
 in political faith. These pioneers reared 
 a family of eight children (four of whom 
 are yet living), namely: Emily, widow of 
 Abel M. Thorpe, residing in Elyria town- 
 ship; Ida. who was married to A. Pang- 
 born, and died in Elyria township; Anson, 
 deceased in Elyria; Truman, married, and 
 residing in Story county, Iowa; Susan, 
 wife pf Charles B. Sutliff, both now de- 
 ceased; Ezra, married, and residing in 
 Michigan; Louisa, Mrs. Halford, who died 
 in Pittslield ; and A. E. 
 
 A. E. Squires was reared in his native 
 township, receiving his education at the 
 common schools of the district. In 1861 
 he enlisted, for three years, in Company 
 K, Twenty-third Regiment, O. V. I., was 
 mustered in at Columbus, Ohio, and 
 served with the army of the Potomac, 
 participating in the engagements at South 
 
 Mountain and Antietam, besides many 
 skirmishes. In 1864 he received an hon- 
 orable discharge and returned home, but 
 subsequently re-enlisted, this time in the 
 Eleventh O. V. I., and was with Sherman 
 on his march to the sea, served throughout 
 the Carolina campaign, and took part in 
 the Grand Review at Washington, D. C. 
 He was mustered out of the service at 
 Camp Dennison, and immediately returned 
 to Carlisle township, where he commenced 
 to follow the trade of carpenter and 
 builder. 
 
 On January 81, 1860 Mr. Squires was 
 married, in Carlisle township, to Miss 
 Catherine Cornell, who was born in Pitts- 
 field, Lorain county, daughter of George 
 Cornell, an early pioneer of the county, 
 where he lived and died. To this union 
 was born one sou, Orville, whose mother 
 died in 1883. On August 1, 1892, Mr. 
 Squires was married, in Carlisle township, 
 to Mrs. Emma Pember, widow of De Witt 
 Pember, of Carlisle; she is a native of 
 Summit county. Ohio, daughter of William 
 Manning, who removed from Summit 
 county to Carlisle township, Lorain county, 
 where he died in 1867. In politics Mr. 
 Squires is a Prohibitionist, and served for 
 one year, 1891, as postmaster at Turner's 
 Mills, when the office was discontinued. 
 He has been engaged in the grocery busi- 
 ness at Turner's Mills since 1890. 
 
 i^ARREN W. BLAINE, owner of 
 as fertile and well-conducted a 
 farm as can be found in Ridge- 
 ville township, is a native of same, 
 born in 1837, a son of Richard and Fannie 
 (Fuller) Blaine. 
 
 Richard Blaine was born in Genesee 
 county, N. Y., a son of Wilson and Han- 
 nah (Vannatten) Blaine, who were natives 
 of New York and Pennsylvania, respect- 
 ively. In 1819, when Richard was a lad 
 of six summers, they came from Genesee 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1145 
 
 county, N. Y., to Lorain county, Oliio, 
 and made a settlement in Ridj^eville town- 
 ship, at tiiat time all woodland. Wilson 
 Blaine lived also for a time in Eaton town- 
 ship, but the greater part of his life was 
 passed in Ridgeville, where he and his wife 
 died, the latter in 1861. Grandfather 
 Warren Fuller came to Olmsted, Cuyahoga 
 Co., Ohio, in an early d&y. 
 
 Richard Blaine, lather of subject, re- 
 ceived his education at the common schools 
 of Ridgeville township, and at La Porte. 
 He made agriculture his life work, and be- 
 came prosperous. He was married, in 
 Olmsted, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, to Miss 
 Fannie Fuller, and they then commenced 
 married life on the homestead in Ridge- 
 ville township, Lorain county, making 
 their home in an old log cabin. The chil- 
 dren born to them were four in number, as 
 follow.6: W^arren W., subject of this sketch; 
 James, who resides in Cleveland; Vesty, 
 wife of Noah Peck, of Ridgeville town- 
 ship; and Harlon, who died in Ridgeville 
 township about 1856. The father of these 
 died in 1877, the mother in 1886. He 
 was at first a Whig in his political views, 
 later a Republican, and served in various 
 township otiices. 
 
 Warren W. Blaine, the subject proper 
 of this sketch, received liis primary educa- 
 tion at the common schools of Ridgeville 
 township, which he supplemented with a 
 course of study at Berea (^Ohio) College. 
 He had a practical training in agricultural 
 pursuits under his father's tuition, and has 
 made farming his life work. In 1861 he 
 was united in marriage with Miss Eliza- 
 beth Watson, a native of Ridgeville town- 
 ship, Lorain county, daughter of John 
 Watson (deceased), who was an English- 
 man by birth and an early settler of Ridge- 
 ville. Seven children were born to this 
 union, as follows: Martin, residing in 
 Ridgeville, who is married, and has two 
 children, Theodore and Melvin; R. E.,wife 
 of Ed. Terrell, residing in Elyria, has two 
 children, Orville and Elfa; Elfa, who was 
 the wife of John Reed, and died in Cali- 
 
 fornia in 1888, leaving one child, Olive E. ; 
 Janie, Harlon, Fannie and Emma. Mr. 
 Blaine owns the old homestead in Ridge- 
 ville township, aggregating 131 acres of 
 well-cultivated land. Politically he is a 
 Republican. 
 
 [( DDISON E. LORD, manufacturer 
 l\ of cigars, Elyria, is a native of 
 1\ Connecticut, born at Warehouse 
 Point, Hartford county, October 16, 
 1842, a son of Chester Adkins and 
 Lucretia (Moran) Lord, also natives of the 
 Nutmeg State, and descended from old 
 New England stock. The father, who was 
 for over forty years a stationary engineer, 
 lived to be eighty-two years of age. They 
 had eight children (subject being the young- 
 est), of whom one son and four daughters 
 are vet living. The parents died in 1845, 
 on May 17 and July 2, respectively. 
 
 Addison E. Lord received his education 
 at the common schools of the yicinity of 
 his place of birth, and at the age of four- 
 teen (1857) went on a whaling expedition 
 to the sea of Ochotsk, east of Russia in 
 Asia (eastern Siberia); thence sailed to the 
 Pacific Ocean, visiting, among other places 
 of importance. New Zealand. In July, 
 1861, he returned to his old home, to find 
 the country about to plunge into a terrible 
 Civil war, and he remained but one short 
 month in peaceful quietude, when, tired 
 by the spirit of patriotism, he joined the 
 U. S. navy as a seaman. He served three 
 years and four months, cruising along the 
 coast from the Mississippi to Galveston, 
 Te.\as. In the winter of 1864 he once 
 more returned to the pursuits of peace, 
 coming direct to Elyria, Ohio, where he 
 had a brother engaged in the cigar-making 
 business, with whom he found employment, 
 learning the trade. AVith him he remained 
 until 1874, when he opened out in the 
 same town for his own account, doing an 
 
1146 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 exclusively wholesale business till 1877, 
 in whicl) year he moved into his present 
 building, and commenced the retail trade 
 in company with F. H. Siidro (abandoning 
 the wholesale); he has since done a flour- 
 ishing business, keeping a large and choice 
 stock, chiefly of his own mannfacture. 
 
 Mr. Lord was married in January, 1866, 
 to Miss Louise Ward, a native of Elyria, 
 and three children came to brighten their 
 home, viz.: Burton H.,died April 17, 1870; 
 Ed. G. and Pearl. Mrs. Lord's parents, 
 Lyman and Calista Ward, were natives of 
 Vermont; the father died August 6, 1872, 
 the mother November 8, 1876. Mr. Lord 
 is a Republican in politics; socially he is a 
 member of the F. & A. M., L O. O. F. and 
 G. A. R., and a charter member of the 
 K. of H., L. of H., and I. O. F. Of the 
 L O. O. F. he has been a member for 
 twenty-three years, has fllled the Chairs 
 from warden to noble grand, and has been 
 a representative to the Grand Lodge. Mr. 
 Lord is a useful citizen, popular and pro- 
 gressive, and has done his part toward the 
 growth and prosperity of his adopted 
 county and town. 
 
 D 
 
 R. MOYSEY, the leading veterin- 
 ary surgeon of Elyria, was born 
 April 19, 1858, in Mansfield, Rich- 
 land Co.. Ohio, a son of R. R. and 
 Sallie (Dennison) Mojsey, both of whom 
 were born in Lincolnshire, England. In 
 1852 R. R. Moysey came from England to 
 Mansfield, Ohio, where he resided for six- 
 teen years, and then moved to Kel ley's 
 Island, Ohio, where he has ever since made 
 liis home. For twenty-five years he has 
 devoted his time and attention to grape 
 culture and wine making, and he is one of 
 the proprietors of the Sweet Valley Wine 
 Company. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received his 
 education at the common schools of the 
 
 vicinity of his place of birth, and was 
 reared to his father's grape business on 
 Kelley's Island in Lake Erie, until he 
 commenced the stxidy of veterinary sur- 
 gery. In 1885 he entered the Veterinary 
 College at Chicago, graduating from same 
 in 1887. He then came to Elyria, and 
 practiced his profession exclusively till 
 about two years ago, when he opened a 
 livery stable in connection, having as a 
 partner J. L. Reed, and he does an exten- 
 sive business in both iuterests. 
 
 On April 24, 1883, D. R. Moysey was 
 united in marriage with Miss Sallie D. 
 Carpenter (who was also reared on Kelley's 
 Island), daughter of Charles Carpenter, 
 who was born in Norwich, Conn.; her 
 mother was born at Rockport, Ohio, and 
 was one of the old Kelley family. To this 
 marriage children were born as follows: 
 Lyiine, Mildred, Mabel and Florence, (^ur 
 subject is a Republican, and is a popular, 
 loyal citizen. 
 
 P)HILIP RITZENTHALER, a mem- 
 ber of the well-known firm of Breck- 
 enridge & Ritzenthaler, merchants, 
 Kipton, is a native of Baden, Ger- 
 many, born August 14, 1841, a son 
 of Philip Ritzenthaler. 
 
 In 1851 the family, consisting of parents, 
 three sons and one dancrhter, left the 
 Fatherland for the distant shores of Amer- 
 ica, sailing frotn Havre, France, for New 
 York, where they landed after a voyage 
 of thirty days. From there they proceeded 
 to Dunkirk, thence to Sandusky, Ohio, and 
 in Milan township, Erie county, the father 
 bought land. Later he moved to Wake- 
 man township, Huron county, where he 
 sojourned a short time, and then, on ac- 
 count of impaired health, came toNor- 
 walk, same county, where he lived a retired 
 life, and died in March, 1861. He was 
 well-to-do, but having financially assisted 
 other German families to come to Amer- 
 ica, and failing to be repaid by them in 
 
LORAIN VOUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1147 
 
 any shape, lie lost a considerable amount 
 of money. He had a family of eicrht chil- 
 dren, of whom are yet living: Barnhart, 
 a farmer in Baden, Germany; Charles, a 
 farmer of Ontario comity, N. Y.; (Tcorge, 
 of Erie county, Ohio; Philip, subject of 
 sketch; Mary, Mrs. Anthony Sieboit, of 
 Erie county, Ohio; and Emma, Mrs. Nahm, 
 a widow, of P^remout, Ohio. 
 
 Philip Ritzenthaler, whose name opens 
 tills sketch, received a limiteil education at 
 the schools of his native place, and at the 
 a<je of fourteen, being now in Ohio with 
 his parents, left home to do for himself. 
 In 1857 he came to Kipton, and worked 
 for O. Bowen, who then conducted a hotel, 
 and was also ticket agent for the Lake 
 Shiire & Michigan Southern Railroad Com- 
 pany at that place, and also attended the 
 pumping station for the same company. 
 Here he remained some four or live 
 months, and then went to the farm of 
 Hirain Prentice, near Kipton, with whom 
 he worked for some years at from four to 
 eight dollars per month, and board, in the 
 summers, and in the winters for his board 
 only, as he attended school a good part of 
 the time. From Mr. Prentice he went in 
 1861 to live with John P. Lee, but Octo- 
 ber 31, same year, he enlisted in Company 
 H, Forty-third O. Y. L; he participated 
 in the battle of New Madrid (near Island 
 No. 10), the Corinth campaign, and second 
 battle of Corinth. After serving two years 
 and three months, he reenlisted, and was 
 with Sherman on his march to the sea, ex- 
 periencing all the hardships of that mem- 
 orable campaign. He served in all three 
 years and nine months. In July, 1865, 
 he was discharged from the service at 
 Louisville, Ky.. returning to Camden town- 
 ship, Lorain county, and for two years fol- 
 lowinir again worked for Hiram Prentice. 
 In 1867 he went to Moore county, Minn., 
 and cultivated a piece of land he had pur- 
 chased there, but after a residence of two 
 years and three months he returned to 
 Kipton. In 1869, after his marriage, he 
 and his young wife went into housekeep- 
 
 ing in Ontario county, N. Y., where he 
 managed a farm for three years, and once 
 more returned to Kipton. In 1880 Mr. 
 Ritzenthaler entered the general store of 
 William Douglass at Kipton, as partner, 
 and after two years served as postmaster 
 under C. A. Arthur, at the same time 
 clerking in the store of Doiiglass & Rose. 
 For some time thereafter he was in the 
 creamery business with E. Jones, of Fos- 
 toria, Ohio; later became clerk for B. F. 
 Breckenridge at Kipton, and in 1890 they 
 formed a partnership which has since con- 
 tinued. 
 
 In July, 1869, our subject married Miss 
 Hattie M. Allen, born in Henrietta town- 
 ship, Lorain Co., Ohio, a daughter of Rose- 
 well Allen. She died in 1875 in Kipton, 
 and was buried in Oberlin, the mother of 
 two children: Nellie M.. now Mrs. Will- 
 iam L. Moninger, of Waynesboro, Penn., 
 and Laura M., now Mrs. L. C. Bates, of 
 Lorain, Ohio. For his second wife Mr. 
 Ritzenthaler married, in 1879, Miss Annetta 
 Eddy, who was born in Camden township, 
 Lorain county, a daughter of Squire Eddy. 
 a pioneer citizen of Camden township. To 
 this union were born children, as follows: 
 Nettie L. ; Reuben E., who died at the age 
 of six months, and Flossie E., all living. In 
 his political sympathies our subject has 
 always been a stanch Republican, hns held 
 various township offices, and is now serv- 
 ing as clerk with fidelity and ability. 
 
 IfffENRY PIFER. This representa- 
 f!^ tive, prosperous agriculturist of 
 I 1 Rochester township is a son of 
 ^J Christian and Catherine (Garner) 
 
 Pifer, natives of Lancaster county, 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 In 1836 the parents came to Ohio, lo- 
 cating on a farm in Orange township, 
 Ashland county, where the father bought 
 thirty acres of wild land, that part of the 
 country being entirely new, without a single 
 
1148 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 road in it, only blazed trees marking a path 
 through the woods. A temporary log 
 house was built, and in course of time a 
 better one; thirty acres were added to the 
 first purchase, and, later, still more, until 
 the farm aggregated 114 acres. Children 
 as follows were born to this pioneer 
 couple: Jacob, who resides in Marion 
 county, Iowa; Elizabeth, single, who re- 
 sides on the home farm; Martha, who 
 makes her home in Brighton, Lorain 
 county; Mary, who is the widow of Isaac 
 Lydick, of Orange township, Ashland 
 countj'; Samuel, a farmer of Orange 
 township; and Henry, whose name opens 
 this sketch. The father of this family 
 died in July, 1881, aged seventy-five 
 years; the mother on August 20, 1893, at 
 the advanced age of eighty-eight years, 
 one month, fourteen days, and they lie 
 side by side in Orange cemetery, Ashland 
 county. They were members of the Dunk- 
 ard Church, and in politics Mr. Pifer was 
 a Republican. 
 
 Henry Pifer, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, was born September 11, 1841, 
 in Orange township, Ashland Co., Ohio. 
 In 1865 he came to Lorain county, where 
 for a year he was employed on the farm of 
 Josephus Clark, and then rented land. 
 After his marriage he rented a farm in 
 Ruggles township, Ashland county, for a 
 few years, and in 1873 bought seventy-five 
 acres in Rochester township, Lorain 
 county, which is embodied in his present 
 farm. Hither he i-emoved, and there resided 
 until his purchase from Thomas Knapp 
 of the piece of land whereon he now has 
 his residence, and which lies opposite his 
 seventy-five acre farm. He now. owns 
 118i acres of excellent land, all gi-eatly 
 improved by him, and in addition to gen- 
 eral farming he is extensively engaged in 
 the dairy business. 
 
 On March 24, 1864, Mr. Pifer married 
 Miss Mary A. Krebs, who was born Sep- 
 tember 16, 1841, ill Orange township, 
 Ashland county, a daughter of Daniel and 
 Catherine (Rickett) Krebs, and two 
 
 children were born to this union: Jennie 
 M., now Mrs. Henry Barnes, of Rochester, 
 Lorain county, and Loran, at home with 
 her parents. Politically our subject is a 
 stanch Democrat, formerly as stanch a Re- 
 publican, his first vote being cast for 
 Brough for governor of Ohio. He and 
 his wife are both consistent members of 
 the Congregational Church at Rochester. 
 
 /George H. BRADNER, prominent 
 I w, in the farniing community of Hunt- 
 \J^ ington township, was born in 1833 
 ^|i in Chester, Mass., a son of S. D. 
 Bradner, who w-as born in 1800 in 
 the State of New York. 
 
 In 1833 S. D. Bradner came to Ohio, 
 having secured by trade some 500 acres of 
 wild land in Huntington township, Lorain 
 county. In Massachusetts he had married, 
 a year or two before. Miss Louisa Holland, 
 a native of that State, and four children 
 were born to them, viz. : Maro-aret, mar- 
 ried to S. S. AVarner, of Wellington, Lo- 
 rain county; George H., subject proper of 
 sketch; Frank, who died at about the age 
 of forty years; and John H., in the coal 
 business in Cleveland. The parents died 
 in Wellington township, the father in 
 1875, the mother in 1870. 
 
 George H. Bradner was, as will be seen, 
 but an infant when the family came from 
 the East to Lorain county, the common 
 schools of which he attended, also Oberlin 
 College two terms. He was reared to 
 agricultural pursuits, and is now the owner 
 of a large, highly- improved farm in 
 Huntington township, on which he erected 
 a comfortable brick residence. Up to 
 1888 he lived continuously there, with the 
 exception of two years he spent in Michi- 
 gan, and he was a resident of Wellington 
 some four years. In 1861 our subject 
 married Miss Anna M. Benallack, a native 
 of Cornwall, England, and six children 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1149 
 
 have been horti to tliein, as follows: Sam- 
 uel Denton, residing in Wellington, who 
 is married and has two children — Vera 
 and Susie; Mary, wife of B. Royce, has 
 one child; Mflrgaret and Orrie, at home; 
 anil two that died in infancy. Politically 
 Mr. Bradner is a Republican; his wife is 
 a member of the Baptist Church. 
 
 diOSEPH STORROW, a leader in the 
 atrricultural interests of Wellincrton 
 ^ . . . ^ 
 
 ' township, is a native of Upper Can- 
 ada (now Province of Ontario), born 
 August 7, 1828. 
 
 Joseph Storrow, his father, born in 
 Enjcland in 1780, immigrated to America 
 wlien thirty years old, and his first voca- 
 tion in the New World was in the lumber 
 business in Schenectady, N. Y. He made 
 frequent visits to friends and relatives in 
 his native land, having crossed the ocean 
 some tive times for no otiier purpose. He 
 married Miss Triphena Freeman, who was 
 a native, it is snpposed, of Pennsylvania, 
 and five children were born to them, 
 namely: Thomas, a farmer in Brighton 
 township, Lorain county; Rowena (de- 
 ceased), who was married to Miren Merls; 
 Louisa, wife of K. Baird; May A., wife of 
 Louis Barge, and Joseph. The father died 
 in AVellington, Ohio, February 5, 1858, 
 the mother on November 27, 1844:. 
 
 The subject proper of this sketch re- 
 ceived a liberal education, and was reared 
 to farming pursuits. On August 30, 
 1854, he was united in marriacre with 
 Miss Emily Bunce, a native of New York 
 State, daughter of Isaac and Cornelia (Vos- 
 burgh) Bunce, of Vermont and New York 
 birth, respectively, who in an early day 
 came west to Ohio, settling in Brighton 
 township, Lorain county, where the father 
 died at the age of sixty-one years, the 
 mother when forty-five years old; they were 
 members of the M. E. Church; their chil- 
 
 dren were as follows: Emily, Mrs. Joseph 
 Storrow; Christina, Mrs. Leonard, resid- 
 ing in Huntington; Susan, widow of A. 
 Twaddle; Elizabeth, Mrs. George Gillett, 
 living in Brighton township; and Mary, 
 married to Horatio B. Beardsly, of Roch- 
 ester township. 
 
 To our subject and wife have been born 
 two children: Hubert, born October 20, 
 1855, received his education in the district 
 schools, and married Miss Eva Willard; 
 they have tive children: Emily E., Cyti- 
 thiana, Cora Dell, Carrie Bell, and Joseph 
 Hubert, an engineer on the Kansas Rail- 
 road, residing at Kansas City. (2) Byron 
 A., born January 4, 1860, attended the 
 neighboring schools, and on January 1, 
 18'J1, married Miss Delia Walters, a native 
 of Spencer, Ohio. Mr. Storrow came to 
 his present farm in Wellington township 
 in April, 1838, nearly tifty-si.\ years ago, 
 then a boy of ten summers, and has made 
 farming his life work. He now owns 150 
 acres of land. In politics he is a stanch 
 Republican. 
 
 IfJlARVEY M. PEABODY, one of 
 
 p^ the most prominent and prosperous 
 
 I 4l agi'i'iiilturists of Russia township, 
 
 ■^ is a native of the Gi-een Mountain 
 
 State, born October 20, 1837, in 
 
 Irasburg, Orleans county, a son of David 
 
 and Sarah E. (TuUer) Peabody. 
 
 David Peabody, father of subject, was 
 born July 10, 1812, in Londonderry, N. H., 
 a son of Andrew Peabody, born in 1759, 
 who followed the dual trades of tailor and 
 shoemaker. He was a soldier in the 
 Revolutionary war. He was three times 
 married; by his first wife he had no issue; 
 by his second he had three children — Elias, 
 Daniel and Andrew — and by his third, who 
 was a Miss Hannah Beadle (sister to his 
 second wife), born in 1777, lie had nine 
 children, as follows: Susan, born in 1797, 
 married Richard Kelley, and died in Am- 
 
1150 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 lierst township, Lorain county; Charlotte, 
 born in 1801, married K. Bailey, and died 
 in Henrietta townsliip, Lorain county; 
 Clarissa, born in 1803, married Omar 
 Bailey, and died in Russia township; 
 Mercy, horn in 1806, married James 
 Mitchell, and died in Michigan; Nathan, 
 born in 1808, died during the war of the 
 Rebellion, in Virginia; Harriet, born in 
 1810, married Ciiarles Mitchell and lives 
 in Montcalm county, Mich.; David and 
 Aaron (twins), born in 1812, of whom 
 David is the father of our subject, and 
 Aaron resides in Eaton county, Mich.; and 
 Mary Maria, born in 1814, married twice, 
 iirst to Calvin Briggs, and afterward to 
 Elisha Aldridge (she died in Nebraska). 
 The father of this large family died July 
 4, 1839, in New Hampshire, his last wife 
 on July 6, 1842, and they are biiried at 
 the head of Lake Memphremagog, in 
 Orleans county, Vermont. 
 
 David Peabody was reared on a farm, 
 and educated at the common schools of his 
 native place. On January 13, 1837, he 
 was united in marriage with Sarah Eme- 
 line Taller, who Avas born in 1814 at St. 
 Albans, Vt., daughter of Samuel Tnller, 
 and Mr. Peabody then settled down to agri- 
 cultural labor at his home in Vermont till 
 September, 1842, when he came to Ohio 
 with his family, the journey being made 
 by canal and lake to Cleveland. Thence 
 they proceeded by team to Russia town- 
 ship, Lorain county, where he bought 
 twelve acres of land, subsequently adding 
 lifty acres, where he has since had his home. 
 The children born to David and Sarah E. 
 Peabody are Harvey M., the subject proper 
 of this sketch; Alonzo, born March 20, 
 1840, and Richard (an invalid), born May 
 20, 1845. In politics Mr. Peabody is a 
 Republican, formerly a Democrat, and he 
 (as was also his wife) is a member of the 
 First Congregational Chui-ch. His wife 
 was called from earth September 9, 1880. 
 
 Harvey M. Peabody, the subject proper 
 of this memoir, was, as will be seen, about 
 live years old when the family came to 
 
 Ohip. He attended the common schools 
 of Lorain county, and was reared to agri- 
 cultural pursuits on his father'sfarra, under 
 his tuition. AYhen sixteen years of age he 
 commenced working for Squire Roberts, 
 with whom he remained three years, and 
 in part payment for his services he re- 
 ceived twenty acres of land, which was his 
 first property. Later he and his father to- 
 getlier bought a small tract of land, and 
 still later our subject traded with his father, 
 receiving a tract of seventy acres in e.x- 
 change for wliat he then owned, and as a 
 result of such trading and later purchases 
 he is now the owner of 336 acres, ac- 
 cumulated since he was a young man work- 
 ing for two shillings a day. 
 
 On December 30, 1866, our subject was 
 united in marriage with Martha Petty, who 
 was born February 29, 1844, in Henrietta 
 townsliip, Lorain Co., Ohio, a daughter of 
 Thomas and Mary Ann (Simpson) Petty, 
 and five children, as follows, have been 
 born to them: William H. and Clayton D., 
 farmers in Russia township, Lorain county; 
 and Otis E., Mattie B. and Ethel B., all at 
 home with their parents. Mr. Peabody is 
 a Republican, but is not an active politi- 
 cian, as his time is fully occupied with his 
 business; he and his wife are members of 
 the Methodist Church, of which he is a 
 trustee. 
 
 D' 
 
 ,AVID L. GIBBS, a prominent 
 farmer and stockman of Carlisle 
 township, is a native of same, born 
 March 15, 1828, a son of Ransom 
 and Julia (Pritchard) Gibbs. 
 
 The father of our subject was born in 
 Waterbury, Conn., and was reared, edu- 
 cated and married in New Haven county. 
 After the birth of their first child there, 
 he and his wife came to Ohio, and made a 
 settlement in Carlisle township, Lorain 
 county, Mr. Gibbs cutting two miles of the 
 Elyria road, and building a log house at 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1153 
 
 tlie end of the road, where he made his 
 new home, the family being among the 
 first settlers on Murray Ridge. Tlie father 
 died March 17, 1879, at the advanced age 
 of eighty-three, the mother when tifty- 
 eight years old. Grandfather Obed Gibbs 
 came to the county at the same time, ac- 
 companied by his wife, Hannah (Scoville), 
 and they both died in Carlisle township. 
 To Ransom and Julia (Pritchard) Gibbs 
 were boru four children, viz.: Jane, who 
 was married to George Boughton, and 
 died in Nebraska; Lewis, deceased in 
 Washington City; Harriet, wife of Alonson 
 Wooster, of Elyria; and David L. 
 
 The subject of these lines received his 
 education in the public schools of Carlisle 
 township, and from early boyhood worked 
 on the farm. He is now owner of 204 
 acres of highly-cultivated laud, where he 
 carries on stock farming. In 1849 he 
 married Miss Jane M. Slauter, a native of 
 Pennsylvania, and two children blessed 
 their union: Carrie, wife of M. L. Chap- 
 man, of Denver, Colo, (they have three 
 children — Hattie, Nellie and Henry); and 
 Hattie V., wife of F. M. Hance, now of 
 Oberlin. Politically Mr. Gibbs is a 
 Democrat. 
 
 ,RSON M. CARVEY. Among the 
 foremost of the progressive and suc- 
 cessful farmers of Rochester town- 
 ship is to be found this gentleman, 
 who is a son of William Carvey. 
 
 William Carvey, grandfather of Orson 
 M., was born in New York State, near the 
 spot where Washington marshaled his 
 army in martial array, and in which vicin- 
 ity many other noted events of the war of 
 Independence transpired. In 1820 he re- 
 moved with his family to Goshen, same 
 State, and after four years residence there 
 made a final settlement in the town of 
 Jerusalem (also in New York State), where 
 
 he died March 15, 1832. His son William, 
 father of onr subject, was born June 14, 
 1809, in Little P.ritain, Orange Co., N. Y., 
 and was eleven years old when his parents 
 took him to Goshen, and fifteen when they 
 removed to Jerusalem. In New York 
 State, in 1832, he married Miss Eunice 
 Thomas, who was born October 4, 1811, 
 and October 15, 1832, they set out for Lo- 
 rain county, Ohio, arriving after a tedious 
 journey of three weeks. He located on the 
 " Dodge farm," adjoining the present 
 homestead of our subject, subsequently 
 buying the latter (at that time a tract of 
 seventy acres), paying twenty shillings 
 ($2.50) per acre for same. To build a log 
 house was no easy task, but the expense 
 was comparatively light, as the total cost 
 of hauling to the spot all the logs required 
 was only eight shillings (11.00). On 
 March 1, 1833, the rude cabin was " com- 
 pleted " and ready for the family, though 
 it had neither door, window nor hearth. 
 For two years after coming to Rochester 
 township he voted in Huntington town- 
 ship, and at the first election held in the 
 former there were but seventeen votes cast,; 
 his first Presidential vote was cast for An- 
 drew Jackson. The record of the children 
 born to this worthy old pioneer is as fol- 
 lows: Lydia L., now Mrs. W. R. McCon- 
 nell, of Rochester township; Nancy L., 
 who married James Jennings, and died on 
 the home farm; Berton W,, who was a 
 soldier in Battery B, First 0, Y. A., and 
 died in hospital at Nashville, Tenn., of 
 disease contracted in the service; Harriet 
 L., Mrs. Frederick Peet, of Rochester 
 township; Ellen L., Mrs. Frank Corey, of 
 Quincy, Mich.; and Orson M., subject of 
 sketch. The father died September 13. 
 1886, the mother on January 24, same 
 year, and they sleep their last sleep in 
 Beckley Cemetery, Rochester township. 
 Mr. Carvey was originally an Old-line 
 Whig, till the organization of the Republi- 
 can party, when he enrolled himself under 
 their banner, remaining true to his colors 
 until the day of his death. 
 
1154 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Orson M. Carvey, the subject proper of 
 these lines, was born April 28, 1852, inRocli- 
 ester townsliip, Lorain county, on the same 
 farm he yet owns and resides upon. lie 
 received a liijeral district-school education, 
 his first teacher being Riioda Close, who 
 boarded at his father's house, and was an 
 intimate friend of the family. Thoroughly 
 trained to agriculture, Mr. Carvey has 
 proven himself to be one of the most suc- 
 cessful in his vocation in the county. 
 After the death of his parents he bought 
 out the rest of the heirs, and' has since en- 
 joyed the entire ownership of the original 
 100-acre farm, where he has carried on 
 general agriculture, including dairying. 
 
 On December 30, 1874, Mr. Carvey 
 married Miss Mary McConnell, who was 
 born November 17, 1846, in New London, 
 Ohio, a daughter of William and Martha 
 (Rohrback) McConnell, who several years 
 ago came from Oswego, N. Y., to Huron 
 county, Ohio, making their home iu New 
 London. Mrs. Carvey is a cultured lady, 
 and at Oberlin University studied vocal 
 and instrumental music. One child, Fred 
 W., a bright little boy, born April 29, 
 1881, completes the happy family circle. 
 The lad has succeeded in training a couple 
 of sheep to pull him and his little wagon 
 about, and they can haul him a consider- 
 able distance with the greatest ease. Po- 
 litically our subject is a Eepublican, and 
 takes an active interest in all elections. 
 
 GS. MILLS. Among the well-known 
 and influential citizens of Ridgeville 
 ^ township, none occupies a more 
 prominent place than this gen- 
 tleman. 
 
 He was born in Ridgeville township 
 December 7, 1829, son of Samuel and 
 Sally (Varmatten) Mills, the former of 
 whom was a native of Jefferson county, 
 N. Y., the latter of Connecticut. In 1818 
 or 1820 Samuel Mills came westward to 
 
 Lorain connty, Ohio, locating in the east- 
 ern part of Ridgeville township, where he 
 purchased 100 acres of land, subseq^uently 
 adding thereto until he had a farm of 220 
 acres. On January 2, 1821, he was mar- 
 ried in Lorain county to Sally Vannatten, 
 and they became the parents of children 
 as follows: Hiram V., born January 1, 
 1822, who died in Jefferson county, N. Y., 
 in February, 1859; Alfred D., born July 
 11, 1824, who died in Chicago, 111., in 
 August, 1850; H. D.; P. Amelia, who 
 died in 1834; and C. S., subject of this 
 biographical memoir. The father of this 
 family served in the war of 1812, partici- 
 pating in the battle of Sacket's Harbor. 
 In politics he was an active Whig, and 
 served as justice of the peace. He passed 
 to his long home June 24, 1839, survived 
 for many years by his wife, who died in 
 Ridgeville, Lorain county. May 5, 1873. 
 
 Grandfather Mills, who was a native of 
 Connecticut, settled in an early day in 
 northern New York, and later came to 
 Lorain county, Ohio, where he passed his 
 closing years, dying in Elyria June 26, 
 1858, when aged eigl;ty-nine. He was 
 married three times, and had children by 
 each union; the gratulmother of our sub- 
 ject, who was a Woodruff, died in New 
 York. 
 
 C. S. Mills was reared in his native 
 township, and there received his primary 
 education, subsequently attending school 
 at Oberlin, Ohio, and Watertown, N. Y. 
 When twenty-three years of age he was 
 united in marriage with Miss Jane Ter- 
 rell, a native of Ridgeville township, and 
 their home has been brightened by children 
 as follows: Two who died when young; 
 Ada, Mrs. Brown, of Grand Rapids, 
 Mich,; Jennie, residing at home; and 
 Harry, residing on the home farm, who is 
 married and has one child, C. S. Mr. 
 Mills is a lifelong farmer, and, with the 
 exception of eighteen years he resided in 
 Eaton fownship. where he bought a farm, 
 has made Ridgeville township his home. 
 He now owns 155 acres in Eaton town- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1155 
 
 sliip, besides fifteen acres of the home 
 fann in Ilidgeville township, where he 
 resides. Politically our subject is a life- 
 k>tig Republican; he cast his first vote for 
 Gen. Scott, and has ever since taken a 
 prominent part in public affairs, being a 
 wheel-horse of the Republican party in 
 Ridgeville township. In 1874 he was 
 elected county commissioner, and served 
 in'that office nine consecutive years, dur- 
 ing which time he was appointed by the 
 board of commissioners to superintend the 
 erection of the courthouse. 
 
 I W. LEASH ER, a popular citizen of 
 w I Russia township, was born August 
 %^ 12, 1839, in BuUskiu township, Fay- 
 ette Co., Penn., son of John Leaslier, 
 a native of Franklin county, Penn., who 
 was a shoemaker and farmer. He married 
 Martha Doubler, who was born in Ger- 
 many in 1800, and four years later came to 
 America; she died in 1876, in Mt. Pleas- 
 ant, Penn., at the home of her son, J. C. 
 Leasher. She was the mother of ten chil- 
 dren — five sons and five daughters — of 
 whom our subject was the fourth son. The 
 father died in 1856, and the children were 
 then obliged to take care of themselves. 
 
 J. W. Leasher received a common-school 
 education, and when twelve years of age 
 hired out as a farm hand at six dollars a 
 month, continuing at that occupation for 
 years in his native county. He was also 
 employed as a miner in the Youghiogheny 
 river country, and saw the first coke ovens 
 built in that section. On May 18, 1865, 
 he married Miss Rachel B. Strickler, who 
 was born January 18, 1839, in Tyrone 
 township, Fayette Co., Penn., daughter of 
 John R. and Esther (Cochran) Strickler. 
 The Stricklers are descended from one of 
 nine brothers who came from Germany to 
 Chester county, Penn., prior to the Revo- 
 lutionary war. They were "tall, straight 
 
 and fair, blue eyes and sandy hair, good 
 looking." The Cochran family were of 
 Scotch-Irish extraction, coming from the 
 North of Ireland and locating in Delaware, 
 whence they removed to Fayette county, 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Leasher rented 
 property, which he worked on shares, and 
 in February, 1868, moved from Pennsyl- 
 vania to Russia township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, where he had purchased the old 
 Carter farm of one hundred acres, upon 
 which he has since resided. He has been 
 successfully engaged in general farming on 
 this place, where he has made a very com- 
 fortable home. Politically he is a Repub- 
 lican, though not active in party affairs; 
 in religious connection he is a member of 
 the Disciple Church at Kipton, Ohio. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Leasher have no children of 
 their own, and their home has sheltered 
 many young children. They are most 
 agreeable neighbors, and are highly es- 
 teemed by all who have the pleasure of 
 their acquaintance. 
 
 P)ETER SCHRAMM, one of the most 
 extensive farmers of Russia town- 
 ship, is a native of Bavaria, Ger- 
 many, born September 5, 1836, to 
 George P. and Catherine (Berg) 
 Schramm, who came to America in IS-tS. 
 George P. Schramm died August 8, 1861, 
 aged fifty-seven years, four months, three 
 days; Mrs. Catherine Schramm died Sep- 
 tember 4, 1890, aged eighty-four years, 
 five months. 
 
 Our subject attended school in his na- 
 tive country until twelve years of age, when 
 he came with his parents to the United 
 States, where they settled in Russia town- 
 ship, Lorain Co., Ohio. He attended school 
 four winters in Russia township, and then 
 commenced to work. After the death of 
 his father, he and a brother took charge of 
 
1156 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 the home place, and being hard-working 
 and industrious they succeeded in paying 
 off the other lieirs, continuing to work the 
 farm in partnership until 1880. In the 
 fall of that year Peter Schramm was united 
 in marriage with Mary Kane, a native of 
 Germany, who came to America when quite 
 young. To this union have been born five 
 children, namely: Jacob A., Frederick J., 
 Emma D., Franklin G. and Catherine S. 
 8oon after marriage Mr. Schramm settled 
 on his present farm, which now comprises 
 178 acres of land, upon which he has made 
 numerous improvements. Pie is a model 
 farmer, and one of the best and most suc- 
 cessful in Russia township, having, by 
 energy, perseverance and strict attention to 
 business, risen from a poor boy to his 
 present prosperous position. Politically he 
 is a Democrat, in religious faith an ad- 
 herent of the Congregational Church. 
 
 J 
 
 iOHN SCHEAMM, a successful 
 farmer of Rtissia township, was born 
 November 1, 1838, in Rhine-Pfalz, 
 Bavaria, Germany, son of George Peter 
 and Catherine (Berg) Schramm, farming 
 people of Rhine-Pfalz. They had seven chil- 
 dren — four sons and three daughters — and 
 in June, 1848, came to America with six 
 of their family, Jacob, the remaining son, 
 following four years later. They set sail 
 from Bremen, and after a voyage of thirty- 
 eight days landed in New York, whence 
 tliey at once proceeded, by way of the 
 Erie Canal and Lake Erie, to Russia town- 
 ship, Lorain Co., Ohio. The father pur- 
 chased seventy acres of land at ten dollars an 
 acre, then nearly all in the woods, and here 
 the parents passed their remaining years, 
 the mother dying in 1890, the father some 
 years previous; they were buried in Car- 
 lisle cemetery. In religion they were both 
 members of the Congregational Church. 
 
 John Schramm attended school in his 
 native country, and later in Russia town- 
 
 ship, Lorain county, and was reared to the 
 arduous duties of farm life, continuing in 
 same on the home place until his marriage. 
 On January 27, 1870, he married Miss 
 Catherine Miller, who was born June 28, 
 1850, in Rhino-Pfalz, Bavaria, Germany, 
 daughter of Jacob Miller, and came to New 
 York August 1, 1868. For some years 
 Mr. Schramm had farmed in partnership 
 with his brother Peter, but upon his mar- 
 riage they divided their interests, our sub- 
 ject remaining on the home farm for ten 
 years, when, in 1880, he removed to the 
 place where he yet resides. By hard work, 
 economy and perseverance Mr. Schramm 
 has increased his possessions, until he now 
 owns a tine farm of 170 acres. In poli- 
 tics he is a Democrat, and in religious 
 faith he and his wife are members of the 
 Congregational Church. They have five 
 children: George P., Sophia M., Henry 
 J., Carrie A. and Albert E. 
 
 D 
 
 J. PECK, representing several fire, 
 life and accident insurance com- 
 panies, in Elyria, is a native of Ohio, 
 born in Olmsted township, Cuya- 
 hoga county, December 29, 1825, a son of 
 Bueland Sallie (Barnum) Peck, the former 
 of whom was born January 20, 1794, in 
 Addison county, Vt., the latter born Oc- 
 tober 10, 1793. 
 
 Buel Peck was among the many emi- 
 grants who left New England in 1817, on 
 account of the cold season of 1816, and the 
 consequent dearth of food, and he and his 
 family passed through Ohio with ox 
 wagons, reaching Ridgeville October 11, 
 1817. He bought one hundred acres of 
 land for five hundred dollars at Ridge- 
 ville, and for the same price was offered a 
 similar amount of land where the city of 
 Cleveland now stands. He was a hard- 
 working, honest, industrious man. He 
 died August 11, 1864, in Ridgeville, on 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1157 
 
 the farm whereon he settled in 1817. His 
 father, William Peck, was born in Con- 
 necticut, but spent the greater part of his 
 life in Vermont. The mother of subject 
 died September 1, 1857. She was a daugh- 
 ter of John Barniim, a native of Vermont, 
 whose father, Joseph Barniim was also 
 from that State. John Bariuim,our sub- 
 ject's maternal grandfather, was the sec- 
 ond to be buried in the town of Ridgeville, 
 Ohio; he was a soldier of the Kevt)lution- 
 ary war. At the time when Buel and 
 Sallie Peck came to Ridgeville, the latter's 
 parents were living 
 
 D. J. Peck received his education at the 
 high school in Elyria, and then returned 
 to the home farm, where he remained till 
 five years after his father's death. In 1870 
 he visited Madison, Wis., for one year, and 
 on his return to Lorain county lie took up 
 his present line of business. Politically 
 lie is a Republican, and he is a niember of 
 the Royal Arcanum. His wife, who is a 
 model woman, noted for her deeds of 
 charity, is a member of the Congrega- 
 tional Church. She was born March 4, 
 1829, in Brookfield, Madison Co., N. Y. 
 Her father, James S. Anthony, was born 
 October 26, 1794, in East Greenwich, 
 R. I.; her mother, Lydia (Mason), was 
 born December 16, 1802, in Swansea, 
 Mass. They were married in Brookfield, 
 N. Y., February 3, 1823, and June 9, 
 1832, removed to Rockport, Cuyalioga 
 Co., Ohio. James S. Anthony died July 
 28, 1845, and Lydia, his wife, on July 23, 
 1856. They were stanch members of the 
 Baptist Church, and excellent representa- 
 tives of New England people. 
 
 LE. HASERODT, a prominent and 
 I progressive agriculturist of Carlisle 
 \ township, was born in Medina coun- 
 ty, Ohio, in 1841, a son of Henry C. 
 and Margaret (Barz) Haserodt. natives of 
 Prussia. 
 
 In 1834 they immigrated to this conn- 
 try and to Ohio, locating in the woods of 
 Medina county, where they cleared a farm. 
 After several years they came to Elyria, 
 Lorain county, where the father died in 
 1888, at the age of eighty-eight, and the 
 mother in October, 1891, aged eighty-four 
 years. They had a family of nine children, 
 six of whom are yet living, viz.: John G., 
 married, residing in Brooklyn, Cuyahoga 
 Co., Ohio; J. P., married, a resident of 
 Elyria; Caroline, widow of Bernhard Was- 
 sermaun, of Cleveland; L. P]., subject; 
 Charles L., married, residing in Edison, 
 Ohio; and Louisa, wife of John Weidner, 
 of Liverpool, Medina Co., Ohio. 
 
 L. E. Haserodt received a liberal educa- 
 tion at the common schools of Medina 
 county, supplemented with one term at 
 school in Elyria. In 1860 he came to Lo- 
 rain county, locating in Elyria, where he 
 clerked for Baldwin, Laundon & Nelson 
 three years; then for Stan Bros. & Co., and 
 finally for Henry Brucli. In 1864 he en- 
 listed in Company K, One Hundred and 
 Thirty-fifth O. V. I., one hundred days, 
 and was stationed chiefiy at Martinslmrg 
 and Maryland Heights, on garrison duty; 
 also engaged in the attack on Gen. Early, 
 which occupied an entire day. Mr. Haserodt 
 received his discharge in 1864 at Colum- 
 bus, Ohio, and returned home to Elyria. 
 In 1865 he went with a brother to Ken- 
 dallsviile, Ind., and there engaged in the 
 grocery trade, but being burned out, our 
 subject returned to Elyria, and embarked 
 in the grocery business, establishing one of 
 the first groceries in the jilace. In 1865 
 he bought out and partly improved a farm 
 of eighteen and a quarter acres of wild 
 land, to which he has added until he now 
 owns thirty-six and one-half acres, all under 
 careful cultivation. 
 
 In 1867 Mr. Haserodt was married in 
 Elyria to Catherine E. Fowle, a native of 
 Amherst township, and four children have 
 been born to them: Edward H.; Cornelia, 
 wife of Wilford Maddock, of Elyria; Ru- 
 pert W., married to Ruth Cudderbach, and 
 
1158 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 residing in Vermillion, Ohio; and Cather- 
 ine, wife of C. Maddock. The mother of 
 these died in March, 1873, and in 1874 
 Mr. Haserodt married Miss Anna Herold, 
 uf Berea, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, by which 
 union tiiere is one child, Henry C. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Haserodt are members of the 
 Lutheran Church, and he was one of the 
 trustees appointed to supervise the build- 
 ing of the first church, at whicii time there 
 were only seven members eligible to vote. 
 Politically our subject is a Republican. 
 
 D~ 
 
 AVID C. FISHER, a prominent 
 real-estate dealer and ice merchant 
 Lorain count}', is a native uf West 
 Virginia, born in June, 1850, a son 
 of Robert and Mary (Fowler) Fisher, of 
 the same State, where they passed their 
 entire lives. 
 
 Our subject when a boy came to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, and made his home in Ober- 
 lin, whei'e he was educated, attending the 
 college at that place for some time. In 
 1875 he was in the employ of the Land 
 Company, in which he has been more or 
 less interested since, buying, improving 
 and selling real estate. Since 1884 he has 
 been doing business in that line for his 
 own account, and in eight years turned 
 over as much as fifty thousand dollars 
 worth of property, the amount in 1892 
 alone having reached eighteen thousand 
 dollars. In 1881 he embarked in the ice 
 business, the first one in that industry 
 in Lorain, and practically the only one. 
 The buildings for this purpose were located 
 on Black river, and he made a com- 
 plete success out of it, as he has done in 
 the real-estate business. He at one time 
 owned nine residences in Lorain — of which 
 he sold two, lives in one, and rents the rest 
 — besides other property. Mr. Fisher is 
 also engaged in the commission business. 
 He is largely interested in the improve- 
 
 ment of the West Side (Lorain), where he 
 bought an addition, portions of which he 
 has sold on land contracts. 
 
 In 1883 David C. Fisher and Miss Eliza- 
 beth Dorsej were united in marriage. She 
 is a native of Ashland, Ohio, daughter of 
 George and Margaret Dorsey, who at one 
 time lived in Elyria. Her father, in 1861, 
 in the war of the Rebellion, enlisted at 
 Ashland, Ohio, was sent to the front, was 
 wounded, and died in hospital, all within 
 the year; his widow is yet living. To Mr. 
 and Mrs. David C. Fisher have been born 
 two children: Arthur Edwin and Ruth 
 Anna. Our subject is an active Repub- 
 lican, and with his wife is a member of tiie 
 Congregational Church, in which he holds 
 office, and in the Sabbath-school of which 
 he takes a lively interest. For a number 
 of years he has been a member of the board 
 of health in the village of Lorain, and is 
 also constable. 
 
 DAVID KIRKBRIDE, a prosperous 
 t'armerof Amherst township, comes 
 ' on the paternal side from Scottish 
 
 ancestry, as his name clearly in- 
 dicates. 
 
 He was born in April, 1833, on Hud- 
 son street, New York, a son of David and 
 Mary (Phillips) Kirkbride, natives of 
 England, the former born January 13, 
 1799, in the county of Cumberland, the 
 latter in 1800 in Leicestershire, of Eng- 
 lish lineage. The father at the age of fit- 
 teen moved from his native place to Lon- 
 don, where he learned the lace and stock- 
 ing weavins: trade. Later he was a sales- 
 man for the house of I., W. & J. Kirk- 
 bride. He married in England, and in 
 1832 the young couple innmgrated to the 
 United States, the voyage to New York 
 being made in the ship " Roscoe." They 
 arrived at that city December 6 following, 
 where Mr. Kirkbride engaged in the man- 
 ufacturing business for a time; they then 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1159 
 
 proceeded to Philadelphia, and from there 
 in 1835 came to Lorain county, settling in 
 the woods of Amherst township. Here 
 lie died in 1875, his wife in 1889. In his 
 earlier days in this country he was a Dem- 
 ocrat, later a Free soiler. Gratidfather 
 Piiillips was a soldier in the Napoleonic 
 wars with England. Mr. and Mrs. Kirk- 
 hride had a family of eight children, as 
 follows: David, subject of sketch; Mary, 
 at home; Elizabeth; Ann; Margaret; John 
 (married), deceased in January, 1875; 
 Maria, wife of W. S. Biggs, of Elyria; and 
 Isaac, a farmer of Amherst township. 
 
 David Kirkbride, whose name intro- 
 duces this memoir, received a fair com- 
 mon-school education in Amherst town- 
 ship, whither he was brought when a 
 small boy. and he has been a lifelong 
 farmer. Politicallv he has always been a 
 strong Kepublican. 
 
 'HARLES S. AIKEN, a progressive 
 native-born agriculturist of Lorain 
 county, is a worthy representative of 
 an old pioneer family. His grand- 
 fatiier, George Aiken, who was a native of 
 Connecticut, served as a minute-man in 
 northern Ohio, and died in Brooklyn town- 
 ship, Cuyahoga county. 
 
 Irad Aiken, son of George, was born'in 
 1791, in Connecticut, and in 1814 came to 
 Cuyahoga county, Ohio, where he resided 
 until 1835. He took up a farm in the 
 midst of the forest, and remained thereon 
 until 1863, when he moved into North 
 Amherst. Mr. Aiken was married, in 
 Cuyahoga county, to Miss Indiana Brain- 
 erd, a native of Connecticut, whose parents, 
 Ozias and Mary (Strong) Brainerd, also 
 natives of Connecticut, came to Cuyahoga 
 county in an early day. The journey occu- 
 pied some time, being made with an ox- 
 team as far as Cattaraugus, N. Y. They 
 died in Brooklyn township, Cuyahoga 
 county; their farm is now included in the 
 city of Cleveland. 
 
 To Irad and Indiana (Brainerd) Aiken 
 were born eight children, two of wliom 
 died young. Of tlie remainder, Charles 
 S. is the subject of tliis sketch; William 
 Hanford lives in Black liiver township, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio; Laura is the wife of 
 Clark Wheelan, of Sliiawassee county, 
 Mich.; Marietta is the wife of E. C. Foster, 
 of North Amherst, Ohio; Noah B. is mar- 
 ried and resides in Caledonia township, 
 Shiawassee Co., Mich.; Edwin is married 
 and resides in Amherst township, Lorain 
 county. Tlie father of this family was a 
 man who thought much of his home; he 
 died June 9, 1879, in North Amherst, his 
 wife surviving him until 1891, when she 
 too passed away. 
 
 Charles S. Aiken was born October 16, 
 1819, in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, where 
 he received his education in the log-cabin 
 schools of the district. In 1835 he located 
 in Black River township, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 where he engaged in farming, and in 1861 
 moved to North Amherst, where he now 
 resides. Mr. Aiken was married, in Oc- 
 tober, 1846, in Elyria townsiiip, Lorain 
 county, to Miss Lucy R. Holmes, a native 
 of the county. Her parents, George S. and 
 Mary (Lester) Holmes, were natives of 
 Connecticut, and in 1840 emigrated to 
 Black River township, Lorain county, 
 where he followed farming. He afterward 
 moved to Berea, Ohio, where he died in 
 1875; his widow is now living in Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, at the age of eighty-four years. 
 They reared a family of five children, viz.: 
 Lucy R. (Mrs. Aiken); Marriett, who died 
 in i860, in Cuyahoga county; Sarah; 
 George Henry, who resides in Canada; and 
 Ellsworth, wlio resides in Cleveland. 
 
 In politics Mr. Aiken is an active mem- 
 ber of the Republican party. He served 
 three terms as justice of the peace in Black 
 River township, and one term in North 
 Anilierst; has also served as county com- 
 missioner, one term, and has been a dele- 
 gate to various county conventions. Our 
 subject has been a resident of Loi-ain county 
 for fifty-eight years, and during tliat time 
 
1160 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 lias been actively identified with her prog- 
 ress and development. Mr. and Mrs. Aiken 
 have two adopted children; she is a mem- 
 ber of tlie Baptist Clinrch. [Since the 
 above was written, we liave received in- 
 formation of the death of Mr. Charles A. 
 Ail\en, which occurred on September 24, 
 1893.— Ed. 
 
 V* 
 
 LEWIS F. WRIGHT, than whom 
 tliere is no more enterprising, in- 
 \ (iustrious and tlirifty farmer in 
 
 Elyria township, is a native of the 
 county, born in the town of Lorain An- 
 gu.'-t 9, 1839. 
 
 He is a son of M. P. and Martha 
 Miller) Wright, the former a native of 
 Vermont, the latter of Ogdensburg, N. Y. 
 They were married in tiie State of New 
 York, and in 1838 came to Lorain, Ohio, 
 where Mr. Wright engaged in the stave 
 business, had charge of a gang of men, 
 and part of time was employed in the 
 shipyard. They afterward moved to 
 Nortli Amherst, and from there to Elyria, 
 where they lived eight or ten years; then 
 removed to the farm, where they lived 
 some thirty years, and they now make 
 their home in Elyria. 
 
 Lewis F. Wright, subject of sketch, was 
 reared and educated in Elyria, and as- 
 sisted his father in his business until 
 1861, when he enlisted in the three 
 months' service, but did not go to the 
 front. In 1862 he enlisted in the Fif- 
 teenth Ohio Battery of Artillery, for three 
 years or during the war, and was assigned 
 to the army of Tennessee. He participated 
 in the battle of Holly Springs, Miss., and 
 then returned to Memphis, Tenn., thence 
 proceeding to the siege of Vicksburg. The 
 regiment then was with Sherman in his 
 march to the sea, moving as far as Me- 
 ridian, Miss. ; also participated in the Caro- 
 lina campaisn, and took part in the grand 
 review at Washington, D. C. In June, 
 
 1865, our subject was discharged at Co- 
 lumbus, Ohio, when he returned home. 
 Haviiicr once more settled down to the 
 pursuits of peace, he resumed farming, 
 and, concluding that it was "not a;ood for 
 man to be alone," he in 1879 took unto 
 himself a wife in the person of Miss 
 Catherine Elizabeth Walsh, a native of 
 Ireland, daughter of Walter and Catherine 
 (Hoolihan) Walsh, wlio many years ago 
 left their home in Erin's Isle for a new 
 one in the Western World, which they 
 first found in Vermillion, Erie Co., Ohio, 
 afterward iti Elyria, Lorain county, whither 
 tliey came in 1853. Here the father died 
 January 1, 1880; the mother, who was 
 born in December, 1800, is now living 
 with her daughter, Mrs. Wright. To our 
 subject and wife have been born three 
 children, viz.: Fannie Catherine, George 
 F. and Lucy Agnes. Mr. Wright is a 
 Republican in his political sympathies, 
 and has served on the school board; so- 
 cially he is a member of the G. A. R. 
 Post, No. 65, Elyria. 
 
 TfffOMER E. BARRETT, a resident 
 t^^ of Wellington, is a native of Huron 
 I 1[ county, Ohio, born April 2, 1847, 
 ■Jj a son of Augustus and Clarissa 
 
 (Cochran) Barrett. 
 The father of our subject was born Sep- 
 tember 21. 1813, in Monroe county, N. Y., 
 and in 1826 came to Ohio. On Novem- 
 ber 5, 1840, he married Miss Clarissa 
 Cochran, and they made their home in 
 Erie county till 1843, in which year they 
 moved to Clarksfield township, Huron 
 county, and there lived the rest of their 
 lives. In connection with general farm- 
 intr lie was an extensive sheep breeder, 
 and at the time of his death, which oc- 
 curred June 7, 1886, he was quite wealthy; 
 he died in the house he had built in 
 Clarksfield township forty years before. In 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1161 
 
 politics lie was originally a Whig, in his 
 later years a Republican; and he was a 
 ineiuber of the Baptist Church. Ilis wife 
 was a native of Cambridge, Vt., born 
 September 10, 1814, came witli her par- 
 ents to Ohio, and taught t-chool in Erie 
 county np to the time of her marriage; 
 she died September 5, 1890. Three chil- 
 dren, as follows, were born to tliis honored 
 couple: Mary L. (Mrs. Beebe), of Clarks- 
 iield township, Huron Co., Ohio; Caroline 
 M., married to William Minor, of New 
 London township; and Honjer E. 
 
 Philander Barrett, paternal grandfather 
 of subject, and his wife were both natives 
 of Massachusetts, while the maternal 
 grandparents were of Vermont birth; they 
 were farming people, and after the death 
 of the grandfather, the grandmother made 
 her home with our subject till her re- 
 moval to Grand Haven, Mich., where she 
 died. 
 
 Homer E. Barrett, whose name opens 
 this sketch, received a liberal education at 
 the public schools of Clarkstield township 
 and Norwalk, also at Oberlin, eight or nine 
 terms, atter which he attended for a short 
 time, in 1S66, the Business College of 
 Poughkeepsie, N. Y. In 1867 he married 
 Miss Eliza E. Noble, born May 24, 1844, 
 a daughter of Gustavus and Harriet 
 (Fancher) Noble. Her father was born 
 in New York State, whence prior to his 
 marriacre he came to Ohio, settling in 
 Litchfield, Medina county. He died when 
 she was a girl of four summers, and the 
 mother (who was born September 21, 
 1822) was afterward married to De- 
 Gra'^se Thomas, of Rochester township, 
 Lorain county, and two children were born 
 to them: Alma, wife of Walter Hall, rail- 
 road telegraph operator; and Fred, mar- 
 ried to Fannie Smith. The mother is now 
 living in Rochester, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Noble were the parents of five children, as 
 follows: Adelaide, deceased; AUiina, wife 
 of George Chadwick, residing in Welling- 
 ton; Eliza E., wife of Homer E. Barrett; 
 Perry, residing in Sherman, Texas; and 
 
 60 
 
 Mary, deceased wife of Wilbur Hall. Mrs. 
 Homer E. Barrett lived for a time with 
 her graiulp;irents in New London, where 
 she attended school. Grandfather Noble 
 and his wife were lifelong residents of 
 Litchfield, Medina Co., Ohio. 
 
 To our subject and wife was born No- 
 vember 15, 1808, a son named Augustus 
 Earl, who graduated at the high school 
 and attended the Homeopathic Hospital 
 College at Cleveland. graduating from there 
 in March, 1893. He is now practicing 
 medicine in Detroit, Michio-an. 
 
 IfSAAC KIRKBRIDE is a lifelong, 
 well-to-do agriculturist of Amherst 
 _[ township, and on his father's side of 
 the house comes of Scottish ancestry. 
 He was born in 1888 on his present 
 farm in Amherst township, a son of David 
 and Mary (Phillips) Kirkbride, natives 
 of England, the father born January 13, 
 1799, in the county of Cumberland, the 
 mother in 1800 in Leicestershire, of Eno-. 
 lish lineage. The father at the age of 
 fifteen moved from his native place to 
 London, where he learned the lace and 
 stocking weaving trade. Later he was a 
 salesman for the house of W. & J. Kirk- 
 bride. He married in England, and in 
 1832 the young couple immigrated to the 
 United States, the voyage to New York 
 being made in the ship " Roscoe." They 
 arrived at that city December 6 followincp, 
 where Mr. Kirkbride engaged in the manu- 
 facturing business for a time; they then 
 proceeded to Philadelphia, and from there, 
 in 1835 came to Lorain county, settling in 
 tlie woods of Amherst township. Here he 
 died in 1875, his wife in 1889. In his 
 early days in this country he was a Demo- 
 crat, later a Free-soiler. Grandfather 
 Pliillips was a soldier in the Napoleonic 
 wars with England. Mr. and Mrs. Kirk- 
 bride had a family of eight children, as 
 
1162 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 follows: David, a farmer in Amherst town- 
 ship; Mary, at home; Elizabeth; Ann; 
 Margaret; John (married), deceased in 
 January, 1875; Maria, wife of W. S. 
 Biggs, of Elyria; and Isaac, subject of 
 sketeii. 
 
 Isaac Kirkbride received his education 
 at the public fchools of his township, and 
 was reared to farm life. He owns a good 
 farm of 107 acres, all in a high state of 
 cultivation. In politics he takes an active 
 interest, and votes with the Democratic 
 party. He has never married. 
 
 'ARL WANGERIEN. Germany 
 has given to the United States a 
 host of industrious, frugal, honest 
 and loyal citizens, and wherever 
 they make tlieir stand, there they 
 leave their impi-ess. Of such an one is the 
 subject of this sketch. 
 
 He was born Marcli 29, 1814, in tlie 
 Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg - Strelitz, 
 Germany, a son of John Waiigerien, a 
 shoemaker by trade. Our subject was 
 educated from the age of six to fourteen 
 at the public schools of his native place, 
 and then commenced to learn his father's 
 trade under him, serving a four-years' ap- 
 prenticeship, after which he passed four 
 years in tlie regular army. He then served 
 one year as a journeyman workman, travel- 
 ing from place to place, at the end of which 
 time he returned to his native town and 
 commenced business for his own account. 
 At that time, October 18, 1842, he mar- 
 ried Miss Henrietta Naherenst, a native 
 of the same part of the country, daughter 
 of David Naherenst, by which union two 
 children were born in Germany: Amelia, 
 now Mrs. John Lindeman, of Cleveland, 
 Ohio, and Augusta, who was married to 
 Frederick Heist, and died in Russia town- 
 ship, Lorain county. 
 
 In the summer of 1852 the family, con- 
 sisting of Mr. Wangerien, his wile and 
 two daughters, set sail from Hanibi;rg on 
 the good ship " Howard," bound for New 
 York, where after a voyage of forty-three 
 days, they landed in safety. From there 
 they proceeded by rail to Dunkirk, N. Y., 
 thence by water to Cleveland, where they 
 arrived in September following. Here 
 Mr. Wangerien worked at his trade two 
 months, after which the entire family 
 removed to the German settlement in Rus- 
 sia township, Lorain county, where the 
 lather bought land and lived thereon 
 twenty years, employed in farming and at 
 his trade; in 1872 he bought another piece 
 of land containing 247 acres, in the same 
 township, and as an agriculturist he has 
 been fairly successful. In the United 
 States two more children were born to him, 
 viz. : Charles R. and Henry C, both farmers 
 in Russia township. The mother died 
 June 20, 1884, and was buried in South 
 Amherst cemetery. In politics Mr. 
 Wangerien is a Republican, though not an 
 active worker in his party. In the Father- 
 Jand he had united with the Lutheran 
 Church, in which he lias faithfully re- 
 mained. Since the death of his wife he 
 has been making his home with his sons, 
 wiio are neighbors, tarrying with them 
 alternately. 
 
 HARLES R. WANGERIEN, one 
 
 of the most successful and careful 
 agriculturists of Russia township, 
 Lorain county, who from the bottom 
 rung of the ladder has made his way to 
 the top entirely by his own energy, per- 
 severance and sf)und judgment, is a native 
 of Russia township, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 born November 10, 1854. 
 
 Mr. Wano-erien is the eldest born in Lo- 
 rain county to Karl and Henrietta (Naher- 
 enst) Wangerien. He attended scliool 
 eight seasons in Russia township, after- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1163 
 
 ward at Cleveland two seasons, and then 
 coinnieuced agricultural pursuits on his 
 father's farm, wliero he has since continued 
 to reside. On Noveuibt^r 16, 1876, he 
 was married to Augusta Dehn, who was 
 born in Amiierst township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, June 29, 1855, a daughter of AVill- 
 iain and Christina (Hacker) Deiin, natives 
 of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Germany, whence 
 tliey emigrated to this country manj' 
 years ago. When Mr. Wangerien's mother 
 died in 1S84, his wife took charge of the 
 household affairs, and has so continued 
 since. To our subject antl wife have been 
 born three children: Harry A., Karl W. 
 and Alma H. 
 
 In politics Mr. Wangerien is a Repub- 
 lican, but not an active one, as he wisely 
 devotes all his time to his farm and family. 
 He is the owner of 225 acres of prime land 
 in Russia township, and is considered one 
 of the best and most industrious farmers 
 in his locality. 
 
 f[J[ENRY C. WANGERIEN, than 
 1?^ whom there is no more industrious 
 I 1 and painstaking agriculturist in 
 ■Jj Russia township, is a native of 
 
 same, born October 24, 1857, young- 
 est in the family of Karl and Henrietta 
 (Naherenst) Wangerien. 
 
 He received a liberal education at the 
 common schools of his township until he 
 was fifteen years old, when he commenced 
 work on the farm under his father, a voca- 
 tion he has since continued in with every 
 success. On December 7, 1880, Mr. Wan- 
 gerien was married to Augusta Dramm, 
 who was born in Russia township, Lorain 
 county, January 19, 1859, a daughter of 
 Karl Dramm, a native of Germany. To 
 this union have been born the following 
 children: Arthur C, born July 10, 1883; 
 lona G., born November 10, 1885; and 
 Nelson L., born July 1, 1889. After mar- 
 riage our subject built a house near that of 
 
 his father, where he and his bride made 
 their new home, and continued to live 
 until 1889, in which year they removed to 
 their present farm, wliicli Mr. Wangerien 
 has substantially improved, having erected 
 all the buildings thereon with his own 
 hands. He now owns 185 acres of excel- 
 lent land, and stands second to none in the 
 county as an all-round agriculturist. Po- 
 litically he is a leading Republican, and is 
 now acceptably tilling the office of town- 
 shit) trustee. 
 
 fr^ EORGE W. GIBSON. This gentle- 
 man, proprietor of the leading livery 
 and hack business in Oberlin, comes 
 of ancestry whose home was the 
 soil of Scott and Burns — " land of 
 the mountain and the flood." 
 
 Our subject was born November 19, 
 18-1:5, in Russia township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, a son of Orin and Elizabeth (Free- 
 man) Gibson. The parents were natives 
 of New York, and in 1833 came to Ohio, 
 locating in Browuhelm township till 1835, 
 when they moved to Russia township on a 
 farm, which at that time was all in the woods, 
 but is now one of the best cultivated in 
 the township. The father died May 30, 
 1884, in Oberlin, where the mother is yet 
 living. She was born in Vermont, a daugh- 
 ter of Luther Freeman, also a native of the 
 Green Mountain State, who in 1824 came 
 to Russia township, Lorain county, where 
 he passed the rest of his davs. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Orin Gibson were the parents of 
 three children, as follows: Louisa, wife of 
 Nathan R. Nash, residing; in Russia town- 
 ship, Lorain county; Anna, who was mar- 
 ried to David Brobert, and died in 1886 
 in Oberlin; and George W. 
 
 The subject of these lines was reared and 
 educated in his native townsliip. and as- 
 sisted in the opening up of the home farm, 
 working thereon till March, 1881, when 
 he came to Oberlin and embarked in his 
 present livery business. On December 25, 
 
1164 
 
 LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1870, Mr. Gibson was married, in Russia 
 township, Lorain county, to Miss Catherine 
 Plain, a native of Broome county, N. Y. 
 (daughter of Henry Plain), who came to 
 Lorain county in 1861. One of her broth- 
 ers, during the Civil war, enlisted in tlie 
 Federal army from Lorain county. Two 
 children have been born to this union. 
 Electa and Raymond. In his political 
 sytiipalhies Mr. Gibson identities himself 
 with the Republican party, and in 1882 he 
 was appointed deputy sheriff, a position lie 
 is yet iilling. Socially he is a member of 
 the Knights of Honor. He owns the old 
 homestead in Russia township, and is a 
 well-to-do, popular citizen. 
 
 F. LANGDON,a well-to-do citi- 
 zen of Penfield township, was born 
 November 16, 1819, in the town 
 of Cobleskill, Schoharie Co., 
 N. Y., son of Forester and grandson of 
 Lewis Langdon, who was a manufacturer 
 of cider- mil Is. 
 
 Forester Langdon was married in his na- 
 tive State to Hannah, daughter of Moses 
 Frederick Delosdernier, who came from 
 Nova Scotia, and while living in New 
 York children were born to this union as 
 follows: Clarissa, who married Perry 
 Disbro, and died March 9, 1893, in Iowa; 
 Matilda, who married Samuel White, and 
 died Feliruary 7, 1890, in Eaton Rapids, 
 Mich.; William F., our subject; Hiram 
 A., who was a physician of Avon, Lorain 
 county, where he died October 9, 1873; 
 Maria, who married Lyman Webber, and 
 died April 10, 1886, in Van Wert county, 
 Ohio; Orilla, Mrs. Samuel Disbro, of Cass 
 county, Iowa; Lucinda, who was the widow 
 of Horace Cragin, of La Grange, Ohio, 
 died December 19, 1898; Washington L., 
 of "Van Wert county, Ohio; and LionarE., 
 also of Van Wert county, Ohio. Early in 
 1834 Mr. Langdon, with his daughter 
 
 Matilda and son William F., set out for 
 Ohio, driving the entire distance, and ar- 
 riving on February 16, after a journey of 
 twenty-one days, in La Grange township, 
 Lorain county, where they found a tem- 
 porary home with Mr. Langdon's brother- 
 in-law, Allen Sheldon. The father re- 
 turned to New York State, and in the 
 following May brought the remainder of 
 the family to Ohio, our subject in the 
 meantime living witJi his uncle, Joseph 
 Lincoln. Mrs. Langdon died in Lorain 
 county April 21, 1835, at the age of forty- 
 one, and some years later Mr. Langdon re- 
 moved to Van Wert county, Ohio, where 
 he is now buried, having passed away there 
 at the age of eighty-two years. 
 
 Oiir subject received his education in 
 the common schools of the period, and 
 came to Ohio when fourteen years old, at 
 which time the country was completely 
 wild and abounded with wolves, deer, wild 
 hogs, turkeys, etc. At the age of twenty- 
 one lie left home and went to La Porte, 
 where he learned the carpenter's trade 
 under a Mr. Bassett, and also acquired a 
 knowledge of wagon making, which he 
 followed to some extent. In the winter 
 of 1846 he went to Louisiana to work in 
 the lumber region. On January 22, 1850, 
 he was married to Miss Margaret Denham, 
 who was born November 9, 1825, in Scot- 
 land, whence her parents, Peter and Mar- 
 garet (Lyle) Denham, emigrated in an 
 early day to the United States and to Ohio, 
 locating in Penfield townsliip, Lorain 
 county, where both died at the age of 
 eighty-six years. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Lantjdon located 
 on the place where he yet resides, purchas- 
 ing, on credit, fifty-seven and a half acres 
 at ten dollars per acre. The country was 
 very swampy and all in the woods, and 
 there was not a house in sight. For 
 twenty-five years he worked diligently 
 at his trades, some of the best wagons in 
 the section coming from his workshop; 
 and after years of industry and economy 
 has amassed a comfortable property, all 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1165 
 
 the result of his own untiring efforts. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Langdon have had one child, 
 Margaret F., now the wife of M. L. Disbro, 
 of Peniield townsliip; Mr. and Mrs. Disbro 
 have iiad two children: Munson Langdon 
 and James Leverne, the latter of whom 
 died in 1881 at the age of ten niontiis. 
 In politics our subject is a Republican, 
 active in party affairs, and has held various 
 local positions of trust, such as township 
 trustee, etc. He and his wife are mem- 
 bers of the M. E. Church, in which he has 
 served as trustee. 
 
 a SUTLIFF, one of the best 
 known farmer citizens of Carlisle 
 township, and a justice of the 
 peace, is a native of same, born 
 February 28, 1826, a son of Salmon and 
 Anna (Beamau) Sutliff. 
 
 The Sutliffs come of English ancestry. 
 Tlie father of our subject was born in 
 "Washington county, N. Y., in 1786, and 
 was there married. He served in the war 
 of 1812, under Gen. Harrison. In 1820 
 he came to Lorain county, Ohio, first 
 locating in Avon township, whence on 
 January 1, 1821, he moved to Carlisle 
 township. He died here in 1857, his wife 
 in 1870, at the age of seventy-eigiit years. 
 In religious sentiment they were Baptists, 
 and in politics he was an Old-line Whig. 
 They were the parents of fifteen children, 
 of whom the following is a brief record: 
 Lovicia died at the age of six years; Silas 
 B., a wagoumaker, was married, and died 
 at JoHet, III.; William H. H. resides in 
 Wellington, Lorain county; Asa G. was 
 married, and died in Minnesota in 1879; 
 O. H. P. is married, and lives in Carlisle 
 township, Lorain county; Charles B. was 
 killed by the cars; Ralph O. is married, 
 and resides in Michigan; Lusetta is the 
 wife of Eli Wright, of Wood county, Ohio; 
 Warren C. is the subject of this memoir; 
 Lucinda was the wife of Frederick Lee 
 
 (she died in Cleveland, Ohio); Jesse S., a 
 twin, has his home in Saginaw, Mich, (his 
 twin brother died when three weeks old); 
 Theodore S. also lives in Michigan; Miles 
 W. is married, and resides in Pentield 
 township, Lorain county; Rosetta is the 
 wife of William Gott, of Wellington, Ohio. 
 Grandfather Gad Sutliff was a soldier in 
 the Revolutionary war, and lived and died 
 in New York State. 
 
 W. C. Sutliff received a limited educa- 
 tion in the public schools of his native 
 place, was reared to agricultural pursuits, 
 which have been his life work, and he now 
 owns a good farm in Carlisle township. 
 In February, 1854, he was united in mar- 
 riage with Miss Jane A. Bennett, daugh- 
 ter of David and Jane (Galpin) Bennett, 
 the former born in Westmoreland, N. H., 
 the latter in Waterbury, Cotm. Two chil- 
 dren — Ada C. and Louis E. — have been 
 born to this union. Mr. Sutliff is an 
 active Democrat, and cast his first vote 
 for Franklin Pierce. lie served his town- 
 ship as constable for about ten 3'ears, also 
 as assessor and trustee several terms, and 
 for the past twenty-five years has been a 
 justice of the peace. 
 
 JOSEPH B. FLICKINGER, than 
 whom no citizen of Lorain county 
 stands higher in the community, or is 
 better esteemed, comes of an old 
 Pennsylvania-German family. 
 
 He was born December 29, 1827, in 
 Greene township, Wayne Co., Ohio, a son 
 of Peter Flickinger, who was born in 
 Hagerstown, Md., October 13, 1787, he a 
 son of Jacob Flickinger, a native of Ger- 
 many. Peter was a stone mason and 
 bricklayer by trade. He was married Oc- 
 tober 10, 1813, in Brothers Valley town- 
 ship, Somerset Co., Penn., to Elizabeth 
 Kieffer, who was born June 12, 1793, also 
 in Brothers Valley township, daughter of 
 
1166 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY. OHIO. 
 
 Jacob Kieffer, a well-to-do capitalist, who 
 came from Germany, and was married to 
 a Miss Eva Fritz, also of Germany, whose 
 mother died when crossing the ocean, and 
 was buried at sea. One child, Mary Ann, 
 •was born to them in Southampton town- 
 ship, Somerset Co., Penn., August 1, 1814, 
 and died unmarried in Greene township, 
 Wayne Co., Ohio. On March 10, 1818, 
 Peter Flickinger and his little family, ac- 
 companied by his father-in-law, Jacob 
 Kieffer, came to Ohio, locating in Greene 
 township, Wayne county (he had come out 
 the year before, and entered land there). 
 The country was very wild, and they had 
 to cut their way tiirougii tiie woods, in 
 which I'oamed lierce animals, sometimes so 
 emboldened by hunger as to enter the very 
 house. One night Mrs. Flickinger had 
 some meat boiled in a pot, and a bear, 
 smelling it from afar, coolly walked into 
 the house, ate up the beef, and then took 
 his departure with considerably less cere- 
 mony tlian would any average nineteenth- 
 century tramp. Mr. Flickinger had bought 
 160 acres of Government land, which for 
 the most part he cleared with his own 
 hand, receiving valuable assistance from 
 his stalwart sons. At the time of his 
 death he was owner of 550 acres of land. 
 In addition to farming he did considerable 
 masonry work, among other buildings 
 erecting his own house. In politics he 
 was a Whig, and served in various town- 
 ship ottices of trust to the entire satisfac- 
 tion of his constituents; in religion he 
 was one of the pillars of the Lutheran 
 Church. He died May 20, 1849; his wife 
 passed from earth August 23, 1843, and 
 they are buried in Milton township, Wayne 
 county. The children born to them in Ohio 
 were as follows: Eli, born July 22, 1816, 
 in Greene township, Wayne Co., Ohio, 
 now of Kipton, Ohio; Otillia, born May 
 24, 1818, widow of E. N. Fowler, of Ben- 
 ton county, Iowa; Jacob, born January 24, 
 1821. who died October 21, 1846, at 
 Matamoras, Mexico, while serving in the 
 Mexican war; Jesse, born May 22, 1824, 
 
 now a mechanic and carpenter, of Kansas; 
 Peter N. and Joseph B. (twins), Ijorn De- 
 cember 29, 1827. of whom Peter N. died 
 March 23, 1849, when aged twenty-one. 
 
 Joseph B. Flickinger, the subject proper 
 of this sketch, did not attend school till 
 he was nine years old, the schoolhouse 
 being at too great a distance from his 
 home; but he was an apt scholar, and 
 learned rapidly. Up to the age of sixteen 
 he was reared on a farm, was taught 
 agriculture, and then commenced to learn 
 the trade of bricklayer and stonemason, at 
 first under his father, later under Reuben 
 Tressler. On completing his trade he be- 
 gan taking contracts for his own account, 
 and worked at various places. After his 
 marriage he located on a farm in Greene 
 township, Wayne Co., Ohio, on the Port- 
 age road, on which he remained eighteen 
 months, then coniing to Huntington town- 
 ship, Lorain connty, he bought 126 acres 
 of land, where he made his home two 
 years, at the end of which time he moved 
 to Camden township and purchased the 
 fine fai'ui which he yet owns. In Septem- 
 ber, 1880, he came to the town of Kipton, 
 where he lias since resided in comparative 
 retirement. For twelve years he was en- 
 gaged in the sale of farming implements. 
 
 On March 8, 1849, Mr. Flickinger was 
 united in marriage with Miss Marv Pow- 
 ers, born October 16, 1829. in Canaan 
 township, Wayne Co., Ohio, daughter of 
 Wiram and Maria (Moulton) Powers, who 
 were descendants of some of the early fam- 
 ilies of New England. Each of the par- 
 ents — Wiram and Maria — came to Wayne 
 count}', Ohio, with llieir parents. Thomas 
 Powers, father of Wiram, married Olive 
 Harvey, who ran bullets for the Conti- 
 nental army at Bunker Hill, as four of her 
 brothers were participants in that engage- 
 ment; in the same army her father was a 
 blacksmith, and shod horses for the cavalry. 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Flickinger were born two 
 children, as follows: Claista C, born Oc- 
 tober 9, 1850, in Greene township, Wayne 
 Co.. Ohio, and Hiram J., born September 
 
LORAm COUNTY. OHIO. 
 
 1167 
 
 19, 185-4, ill Caindeii township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, and died September 7, 18(53. Claista 
 C. married Otis Kelsey, and three children 
 were born to them: Carrie B. (Mrs. L. V. 
 Bates), Cora L. and Nettie M. In poli- 
 tics Mr. Flickin^er was originally a Whig, 
 later a Republican, and for twenty-four 
 years he has served as a justice of the 
 peace, his last reelection heing in the spring 
 of 1893; lie has also been trustee, assessor 
 of real estate and personal property, and 
 was enumerator of census in 1880 and in 
 1890. He and his wife are members of 
 the Baptist Church, of which he is a dea- 
 con, and of the Sabbath-school of which he 
 has been superintendent for twelve years. 
 
 DR. TEN N ANT, one of Lorain 
 county's leading farmers, having 
 ' 234 acres of prime land in Camden 
 township, was born August 20, 
 1826, in Monroe county, N. Y., a son of 
 Selden and Lydia (Allen) Tennant. 
 
 Seidell Tennant, father of subject, was a 
 native of Connecticut, born in 1787, and 
 in 1793 came to Otsego county, N. Y., 
 with his parents. When a young man he 
 liouglit land near Buffalo, N. Y., but not 
 lonu afterward he removed to Monroe 
 county. Ill 1846 he came to Ohio and 
 bought wild land in Camden township, Lo- 
 rain county, where he became a well-to-do 
 citizen, farming being his life vocation. 
 In Otsego county he had married Miss 
 Lydia, Allen, who bore him children as fol- 
 lows: Moses S., who died in Camden town- 
 ship aged seventy-eight years; Betsy, who 
 married Charles Kingsbury, died in Mich- 
 igan; Allen, a resident of Kenton, Ohio; 
 Lydia, married to David M. Tennant, died 
 in Oberlin in 1892; David li., our subje(!t; 
 and Hannah M., married to Moses Hol- 
 coinl), now of Cass county, Iowa. The 
 mother died in 1835 in New York State, 
 the father ou his farm in Camden town- 
 
 ship, Lorain county, in 1871. Politically 
 he was first an ardent Whig, afterward, on 
 the formation of the party, a stanch Re- 
 publican. In religious connection lie and 
 iiis wife were zealous Baptists. 
 
 David R. Tennant attended, as circum- 
 stances permitted, the common schools of 
 the locality of his hirtli, and early in life 
 was inducted into the mysteries of farm 
 life. He continued to reside with his 
 parents, and on November 19, 1846, was 
 married in Monroe county, N. Y., to Miss 
 Melita Burpee, who was born July 29, 
 1827, in Rutland county, Vt., daughter of 
 Otis and Dorinda (Pearson) Burpee, who 
 iiioveil to Livingston county, N. Y., in 
 1830, and in 1842 came to Monroe county, 
 
 same State. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
 
 ... 
 Tennant came to Ohio with his father, on 
 
 whose farm in Camden township, Lorain 
 county, he resided nine years after coming, 
 working for the most part on shares, his 
 father raakincr his home with him. In 
 about 1855 he bought ninety-one acres, a 
 portion of his present farm, which he in- 
 creased by additions to 234 acres, and here 
 he has successfully carried on farming 
 operations. The children born to our sub- 
 ject and wife are as follows: Franklin R., 
 a farmer of Bay county, Mich.; Emily D., 
 married to Albert H. Kennedy, residing in 
 Rockport, Ind. (they are both graduates of 
 Oberlin College); Ella A., Mrs. H. H. 
 Howe, of Medina county, Ohio; Clara M., 
 wife of H. F. Bronson, a farmer of Cam- 
 den township; George W., a farmer of 
 Bay county, Mich.; and Almina M., who 
 died at the age of twenty-three years. All 
 these children were well educated, and all 
 had iieeii school-teachers, except one, who 
 had lost health. Mr. Tennant is a Repub- 
 lican in politics, formerly a Whig, and a 
 Christian man in all his thoughts and acts, 
 though not a member of any church. He 
 is very precise in his dealings, but never 
 "close," rather the reverse; and he has 
 been most liberal to his family in the way 
 of educational advantages and all tbino-s 
 necessary to their advancement in life. 
 
1168 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Mrs. Tennant, who has nobly acted her 
 part in the rearing of her family, and in 
 making the home what it is — comfortable 
 and home-like — is a member of the Bap- 
 tist Church. 
 
 d[AMES CONNOLLY, who for over 
 I twenty-two years has been keeper of 
 ' the lighthouse off Lorain, is a native 
 of Quebec, Canada, born November 
 9, 1828. 
 
 His father, John Connolly, was a native 
 of Queen's County, Ireland, and when a 
 young man came to Quebec, where he mar- 
 ried Cordelia Bell, a native of London, 
 England. He was a ship carpenter, 
 caulker and sailor, sailing on the ocean in 
 early life, but after his marriage followed 
 the lakes, biiilding vessels at different 
 ports. In the summer of 1886 he settled 
 at Black Biver (now Lorain), Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, where he passed the rest of his days, 
 dying in 1864; his wife died in Lorain in 
 1853. They reared a family of eight chil- 
 dren — six sons and two daughters — 
 namely: Bartholeniew, who died in Shef- 
 field township, Lorain county, Stephen, 
 ■who also died in Lorain county; Jauies, 
 subject of this memoir; Carrie A., wife of 
 Henry Volmar, of Cleveland; Elizaljeth, 
 widow of F. C. Thompson; William, mar- 
 ried and residino^ in Lorain (he served in 
 the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth 
 O. V. I.); Edwin, married and residing in 
 Cleveland; and John, who enlisted, in 
 1862, in Company H, Eighth O. V. I., 
 for three years, or during the war, and was 
 wounded in the battle of Manchester (he 
 re-enlisted in Company H, One Hundred 
 and Third O. V. L, was taken prisoner, 
 and died in Andersonville Prison in 1865). 
 In November, 1836, when about eight 
 years of age, Jatnes Connolly came from 
 Buffalo, N. Y., to Lorain, Ohio, where he 
 received his education at the common 
 schools. He learned the trade of ship 
 carpenter and caulker, and for thirty years 
 ■was a sailor on the lakes, being captain and 
 
 mate of a vessel during the summer for 
 many years, and during this long life he 
 had many thrilling experiences. In 1871, 
 during Grant's administration, he was ap- 
 pointed, by Secretary Boutwell, keeper of 
 the lighthouse, in which capacity he is 
 still retained. He now has charge of the 
 second lighthouse, and the tower building, 
 for range lights are erected, and are being 
 used. 
 
 On June 21, 1853, Mr. Connolly was 
 united in marriage, at Lorain, with Miss 
 Alice L. Gillmore, a native of Lorain 
 county, daughter of Quartus Gillmore, 
 both members of a very early family of 
 the county. To this union were born six 
 children, namely: Alice, wife of L. H. 
 Eddy, residing on Second Avenue, Lorain 
 (Mr. Eddy is an engineer on the C. L. »fc 
 W. E. R. from Lorain to AVheeling) ; 
 James Q., who was killed by lightning 
 when ten years old; Eugene, who died at 
 the age of sixteen ; Frank Lyotis, who died 
 when five years old; and Clara and Carrie 
 (twins), who died when seven weeks old. 
 The mother of these children passed from 
 earth January 5, 1893. In politics our 
 subject is a Republican, and served as a 
 member of the school board for three 
 years, when the public schools were first 
 organized here. Socially he is a member 
 of Lorain Lodge, F. & A. M., of which 
 he is a charter member; he was also a 
 member of King Solomon's Lodge at 
 Elyria. In religious belief he is a Con- 
 gregationalist. During his residence in 
 Lorain Mr. Connolly has watched its de- 
 velopment, from a village of 500 people, 
 to a thriving little city of 6,000. 
 
 OBERT REDFERN. Prominent 
 and well-known in the community 
 of Columbia township, in both pub- 
 lic and private life, is to be found 
 this gentleman. 
 He is a native of Canada, born in the 
 town of White Church, County of Bruce, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1169 
 
 Ontario, August 24, 1837, a sou of Robert 
 and Ellen Redferii, natives of Ireland, wiio 
 in an early day immigrated to Canada, 
 locating in the County of Bruce, Ontario, 
 from there removing in 1853 to Olmsted 
 Falls, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, and later com- 
 ing to Henrietta townshij), Lorain county. 
 Our subject received a thorough education 
 at the common schools of his native place 
 lip to the age of sixteen, at which time the 
 family moved to Olmsted Falls, Ohio, and 
 lie was twenty years old when they came 
 to Lorain county. Here he was engaged 
 ill farming and sawinilliiig. For one year 
 he was employed in the cheese factory at 
 West View, and he was in the milk busi- 
 ness in Cleveland seven years. In April, 
 1857, he had married, in Columbia town- 
 ship, Lorain county, Miss Mary C. Hacket, 
 a native of that township, daughter of 
 Gain R. and Electa (^Sabin) Hacket, pio- 
 neers of Columbia township, who settled in 
 the wild woods where they cleared a farm. 
 Gain R. Hacket was born in Manchester, 
 N. Y., August 13, 1810; his wife. Electa 
 A. (Sabin), in Ontario, JM. Y., May 5, 1815. 
 They were married September 13, 1832, 
 and same year moved to Ohio, settling in 
 Columbia township, Lorain county, on a 
 farm of seventy-five acres, which he cleared 
 up. They were the parents of seven chil- 
 dren, namely: Zebina, Mary C, Lafrancis 
 E., Stephen, Emily, Sarah and Laura, of 
 whom there are yet living: Mary C. Red- 
 fern, Lafrancis E. Hacket and Emily Os- 
 born. The father of these died in March, 
 1855; the mother is now living on the old 
 place with Mr. and Mrs. Redfern. 
 
 After marriage our subject settled on his 
 present fine farm of 148 acres, all in a good 
 state of cultivation (its original size having 
 been seventy-five acres), and here carries 
 on general agriculture including dairying, 
 of which branch he makes a specialty, do- 
 ing a large business. Five children have 
 been born to Mr. and Mrs. Redfern: Lilly 
 Ann, wife of John Richards (they have 
 fivechildren — Ciiarles. Robert, Albert. May 
 and Lena, all residing in Stronifsville, 
 
 Ohio); Ellen May, who married J. H. 
 Culver, and died in 1884; Eva May, who 
 died at the age of thirteen years; Elmer 
 Dewitt, who died at the age of seven years; 
 and one that died in infancy. In politics 
 our subject votes with the Republican 
 party; has served as township trustee, be- 
 ing now in his fourth year, and has been 
 a member of the school board several 
 years. He and his wife are members of 
 the M. E. Church. 
 
 throughout Amherst 
 he was born in 
 
 ARDIS N. BARNES, farmer and 
 dealer in horses, is well and favor- 
 ably known 
 township, where 
 March, 1838. 
 
 Ezekiel Barnes, his grandfather, was a 
 native of Massachusetts, born in 1770 in 
 Worcester, whence in 1817 he came to 
 Lorain county, Ohio, settling on Lot 43, 
 Amherst township, where he died in 1860. 
 His children were as follows: Ezekiel G.; 
 Sardis D., who died at Upper Sandusky 
 before the subject of this sketch was born; 
 Paulina, who died in Madison, Lake Co., 
 Ohio (she was the wife of Rawson Crocker, 
 and their son is now the oldest man in 
 North Amherst); Fannie, who married 
 David Smith, and became the mother of 
 Judge L. B. Smith, of Elyria; Amanda, 
 who married Warren Smith, and went 
 with the Mormons (he was killed during 
 the raid on Nauvoo, 111., and she died re- 
 cently in Salt Lake City); Juliet, who 
 married Ira Lelie, and still resides in Am- 
 herst; and Charlotte, who married Mon- 
 ville Wintone, and died in Wood county. 
 Grandfather Barnes was a farmer by occu- 
 pation, and was well known in political 
 circles, first as a Whig and in later years 
 as a Republican. His eldest son, Ezekiel 
 G., father of our subject, was born in Old 
 Becket, Mass., September 1, 179U, and 
 came with his parents to Amherst town- 
 ship, Lorain county, in 1817. In 1825 he 
 revisited the Eiist, and was there married, 
 
1170 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Bame year, to Miss Elvira Harrington, who 
 was born March 5, 1805, in New York 
 State. Eeturning to Amherst township he 
 settled down to agricultural pursuits and 
 became prosperous. He was a great hunter, 
 and as in his day the forest teemed with 
 game of all sorts, many a deer, pheasant 
 and wild turkey fell to his unerring rifle. 
 In politics he followed in the footsteps of his 
 father. He and his wife were the parents 
 of five children, a brief record of them be- 
 ing as follows: Gilbert H., born Novem- 
 ber 17, 1826, still resides in Amherst 
 township; Louisa E., born August 27, 
 1828, is the widow of James Gawn, and 
 she also resides in Amherst township; 
 G. Monroe, born September 3, 1880, was 
 married, and died in August, 1891 ; Henry 
 D., born August 12, 1836, died April 6, 
 1869; Sardis N. is the subject of this 
 sketch. The father of this family was 
 called from earth December 31, 1881, the 
 mother on January 29, 1888. 
 
 Sardis N. Barnes was reared on a farm, 
 and received his education in the common 
 schools of his township. On September 
 10, 1861, he was united in marriage with 
 Miss Calista Bemis, who was born Novem- 
 ber 7, 1840, and one child, Nellie, has come 
 to brighten their home. Mr. Barnes is a 
 wideawake, progressive fanner, and for 
 the past few years has given special atten- 
 tion to trading in fast horses, selling in the 
 eastern markets. Politically he votes with 
 the Eepublicau party, in M'hich he takes 
 an active interest. 
 
 dl H. REED, a prominent and influen- 
 tial farmer of Eaton township, was 
 _ 1 born July 19, 1847, in Strongsville, 
 Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, a son of Joseph 
 and Tamar (Lyman) Reed, natives, the 
 father of Cornwall, England, the mother 
 of Strongsville, Ohio. 
 
 At the age of twenty Joseph Reed emi- 
 grated to the United States, and locating 
 first in Strongsville, Ohio, from there 
 moved to Columbia township, Lorain 
 
 county, where he followed agricultural pur- 
 suits during the rest of his life. He died 
 in 1882; his widow is yet living. Tiiey 
 had a family of nine children, of whom six 
 are yet living, viz.: J. L., married, resid- 
 ing in Ridgeville township (he has two 
 children, Fred and Elsie); J. H., subject 
 of sketch; Sopliia L., widow of Chauncey 
 Nichols, late of Berea, Ohio (she has three 
 children — Lena, Mary and William); Mary 
 I., wife of Otis B. Osborne, of Eaton town- 
 ship (she has three children — Nellie, 
 Charlie and Bayard); F. N., married, in 
 the wholesale millinery business in Cleve- 
 land, Ohio (has one daughter — AVinifred); 
 and Charles T., single, in business with 
 his brother in Cleveland. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Joseph Reed also reared a niece, Lydia 
 Ratcliife, now married and living in Cali- 
 fornia. 
 
 J. H. Reed, whose name introduces this 
 sketch, received his education at the pub- 
 lic schools of Columbia township, Lorain 
 county, supplemented with a few months 
 attendance at Oberlin College. For a 
 time he worked at the stone business in 
 Berea, Ohio, as well as in Columbia town- 
 ship, but farming has been his chief life 
 vocation. In 1872 he came to Eaton 
 township, and bought a partly improved 
 farm of seventy-nine acres, on which he 
 erected a house and barn, subsequently 
 adding thereto sixty-two acres, aggregat- 
 incr one of the finest farms in the town- 
 ship. Just after marriage, and prior to 
 coming to Eaton township, Mr. Reed and 
 his wife lived two years in Ridgeville 
 township. 
 
 On Christmas Day, 1871, our subject 
 was married, in Ridgeville township, to 
 Miss Jennie McNelly, of that township, 
 daughter of John and Elizabeth (Cave) 
 McNelly, the father a native of Whitehall, 
 N. Y., who settled in Ridgeville township 
 some sixty years ago, the mother of Eng- 
 land; both are living in Elyria, Ohio. 
 Thomas and Jane (Wilson) Cave, grand- 
 parents of Mrs. Reed, were natives of Eng- 
 land, whence in an early day they came to 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1171 
 
 America, making a settlement on Chestnut 
 Ridge, Ridgeville township, Lorain county. 
 To our subject and wife have been Ixtrn 
 two cliildren — Claude Thomas and Clyde 
 Joseph. Mr. and Mrs. Reed are members 
 of the Christian Church at Eaton Center, 
 of which he is clerk and deacon. In poli- 
 tics he is an active Republican, is a mem- 
 ber of the school board, and has served in 
 Congressional conventions. He takes an 
 active interest in the local Agricultural 
 Association; is one of the directors of the 
 County Agricultural Society, and has been 
 a delegate to the County Conventions. 
 
 The mother of our subject is a daugh- 
 ter of Elijah and Irene (Whitney) Lyuian, 
 natives of Vermont, of English ancestry, 
 who in 1814 came to Strongsvilie, Cuya- 
 hoga Co., Ohio, where they died, he in 
 1828, slie in 1820. Thomas and Mary 
 (Hickens) Reed, paternal grandparents of 
 J. H. Reed, were natives of Cornwall, 
 England, whence about the year 1838 they 
 came to Oliio, making their new home in 
 Cuyahoga county. The grandfatlier died 
 in Columbia township, Lorain county, in 
 1876, at the age of eighty-seven years; the 
 grandmother had passed away in Strongs- 
 vilie, Cuyahoga county, in 1871, when 
 seventy -six years old. 
 
 AMUEL ALEXANDER, a prom- 
 inent and representative farmer of 
 Carlisle township, was born May 9, 
 1829, in Gloucestershire, England. 
 His parents, Samuel and Sarah (Fran- 
 cum) Alexander, also natives of England, 
 came to America when Samuel was but 
 four weeks old, and located in Grafton, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio. The father was a 
 farmer, and died at the age of eighty, the 
 mother passing away in her eightieth year. 
 They were the parents of seven children 
 who grew to maturity, viz.: Martha, who 
 married Edwin Martin, and died in La- 
 Porte in 1886; Samuel, subject of sketch; 
 
 Ann, wife of William Lawson, of Grafton ; 
 Sophia, wife of Cyrus Wallace, of Winne- 
 bago county. 111.; John, Job and Albert, 
 all three married and residing in Eaton 
 township. 
 
 Samuel Alexander was reared to farming 
 pursuits in Grafton and Eaton townships, 
 and received his education in the common 
 schools of the district. At the age of 
 twenty-five he was married to Miss Eliza- 
 beth Stevens, and after residing in Du- 
 buque, Iowa, for two years, he removed to 
 Michigan, where he married, for his sec- 
 ond wife. Miss Laura Tyce. She died, and 
 Mr. Alexander was next married to Miss 
 Barbara Slaterline, to which union have 
 been born six children, namely: George 
 (\vho died when fourteen months old), 
 Elmer, Mary, Cora. Olie and Ciiarley. 
 Mr. Alexander resided for fifteen years in 
 Bay City, Mich., but in 1873 he returned 
 to Lorain county, Ohio, locating in Eaton 
 township, whence he shortly afterward 
 removed to Carlisle township. Here he 
 has since resided, engaged in general agri- 
 culture and dairying, and he owns a tine 
 farm of 300 acres, all in a high state of 
 cultivation. While residing in Michigan 
 he was engaged in the butcher business, 
 carrying on a meat market, in which line 
 he met with considerable success. lie 
 takes a lively interest in politics, voting 
 witli the Republican party. 
 
 LFRED HARRIS, one of the best 
 known and most highly respected 
 farmers of Russia township, is a na- 
 tive of Oxfordshire, England, born 
 February 6, 1831, a son of John 
 Harris, a native of tlie same county, who 
 was by trade a miller. He married a Miss 
 Lee, and to them were born in England 
 children's follows: Thomas L., deceased 
 in Brownhelm township, Lorain county, 
 while working in a stone quarry; Henry 
 L., a physician, deceased in Bellevue, Ohio; 
 
1172 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Caroline, wife of Dr. James F. Grimes, 
 of Mishawaka, Ind.; Jolin, wlio was a 
 school-teacher, and died in the West; 
 Robert, a physician of South Bend, Ind.; 
 Mary, widow of William Purdy,of Indiana; 
 Kancy, who married Kichard Longniate, 
 and died in Oberiin, Ohio; Arthur, a car- 
 penter of St. Louis, Mo.; Alfred; and 
 Harriet, who married Philander George, 
 and died in Coldwater, Michigan. 
 
 In 1833 the family came to the United 
 States, the voyage across the ocean occu- 
 pying six weeks. Prior to this the father 
 had come alone to the country, and bought 
 for one thousand two hundred dollars in 
 gold 233 acres of land, which is now the 
 farm of the subject of this sketcii. At 
 that time such a sum of money could have 
 bought a great portion of the town of 
 Cleveland, for cholera was raging fear- 
 fully, and people were using every endeavor 
 to leave the place. After the arrival of 
 the family in New York, it was six weeks 
 before the husband and father could be 
 found. They then came on to Ohio, and 
 settled on their new home in Russia town- 
 ship, Lorain county, at that time an almost 
 unbroken wilderness. In the LInited States 
 children were born to Mr. and Mrs. John 
 Harris: Hannah, who married A. A. Tur- 
 ney, and died in Wood county, Ohio; and 
 George, who was colonel of Sheldon's 
 Guards, under Gen. Garfield, during the 
 Civil war. and was killed at Fort Gibson. 
 After coming to America the father of our 
 subject worked at the sawmilling business 
 in connection with farming, which latter 
 was the chief occupation of his life, but 
 his later years were passed in retirement. 
 He died in 1868, his wife some time be- 
 fore, and they lie buried in Amherst ceme- 
 tery. Politically he was first a Whig, and 
 afterward, on the formation of the party, a 
 Republican. 
 
 Alfred Harris, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, received a liberal education at the 
 common schools, and sul)sequent]y attended 
 Oberiin College, when Prof. Finney was 
 president of that institution. When he 
 
 was about twenty-six years old he left the 
 paternal roof, and embarked in the cattle 
 business — buying and selling — in which 
 he was very successful. In 1862 he rented 
 the home farm for five years; then bought 
 a piece of improved land, which he sold 
 six years later, and bought the home farm 
 where he now lives, containing 233 acres 
 of as good land as can be found in the 
 township. 
 
 In 1861 Mr. Harris married Julia Du- 
 rand, a native of Henrietta township, Lo- 
 rain county, by which union children as 
 follows have been born: Viola (now Mrs. 
 Daniel Shaeffj; Harriet, Charles H. and 
 Garfield, at home. In his political associa- 
 tions our subject is a Republican. 
 
 Ii OSEPH J. RICE is proprietor of the 
 k. I old-established foundry in Amherst 
 ^^ township, situated two and one-half 
 miles southwest of North Amherst, 
 and known far and wide as "Rice's Foun- 
 dry." 
 
 Mr. Rice was born Septomber 17, 1828, 
 in Westmoreland county, Penn., a son of 
 Joseph and Elizabeth (Uhlre) Rice, the 
 former of Westmoreland county, the latter 
 of Fayette county, Penn., and who came 
 to Amherst township, Lorain county, in 
 1829. They were the parents of four chil- 
 dren, viz.: Henry, born July 18, 1816, 
 died in 1849; Peter, born February 19, 
 1818, died in 1889; Samuel, born Febru- 
 ary 1, 1825, died in 1852 in California, 
 and Joseph J., subject of sketch. The 
 father died in 1835 in Amherst township, 
 the mother in 1865 at the age of seventy- 
 nine years. 
 
 Joseph J. Rice received his education 
 at the common schools of Amherst town- 
 ship, and learned the trade of foundryman 
 in his present foiindry, which his brothers, 
 Henry and Peter, had built in 1843. They 
 themselves knew nothing of the business, 
 but employed men to do the work, and 
 
LORAIN- COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1173 
 
 they operated same for several years, until 
 onr snl)ject, liaviiio; thorouglily made liim- 
 self master of the trade, succeeded to the 
 business, and he has since been running it 
 constantly every day. He does an im- 
 mense trade, antl since his proprietorship 
 lias been engaged in tlie manufacture of 
 the " Rice Plow," well known in northern 
 Ohio. Mr. Rice also owns a good farm of 
 140 acres, all in a high state of cultivation. 
 In 1857 our subject wedded Miss Emily 
 Josephine Cook, who was born Feliruary 
 4, 1839, in Delaware county, N. Y., daugh- 
 ter of Lewis R. and Emeline Cook, of the 
 same county. To this union have been 
 born three children: Arthur J., who was 
 educated at Oberlin College; Virgil E., 
 married and residing in Oberlin, where he 
 carries on a florist business; and Tracy J., 
 attending the Conservatory of Music at 
 Oberlin. in politics Mr. Rice is a stanch 
 Republican. 
 
 y\ E. RICE, the well-known florist of 
 Oberlin, is proprietor of the most 
 extensive business of the kind in Lo- 
 rain caunty. He has over one fourth 
 of an acre under glass, no less than seven 
 hot-houses all connected, in the aggregate 
 representing the largest conservatory for 
 floricnltnre in his part of the State. A 
 visit to his grounds, which he owns and 
 which are situated on Lorain street, will 
 well repay the lover of flowers, for here he 
 will find them in endless variety, beautiful 
 and fragrant, and in all stages of growth. 
 Summer and winter he Iihs flowers for sale 
 — both cut and uncut — and he is always 
 to be found at liis post, courteous and 
 obliging. 
 
 Mr. Rice is a native of Lorain county, 
 horn in Amherst township in 1865, a son 
 of J. J. and Emily (Cook) Rice, the former 
 of whom is a native of Pennsylvania, the 
 latter of New York State. The father 
 came to Lorain county, and engaged in the 
 foundry business in Amherst. He and his 
 wife are now living in Amherst township. 
 
 Our subject received his elementary educa- 
 tion at the common schools of his native 
 township, which was supplemented with a 
 one-year's attendance at Oberlin College, 
 after which he took acoursein Oberlin Busi- 
 ness College, where he graduated. He 
 then embarked in his present line of busi- 
 ness in Amherst, which he successfully 
 cari-ied on there until 1890, when he re- 
 moved to Oberlin. 
 
 In April, 1888, Mr. Rice was married, 
 in North Amherst, Lorain county, to Miss 
 Lena Merthe, a native of Lorain county, 
 and daughter of Henry Merthe, a farmer 
 of Amherst township. To this union has 
 been born one child, Earl V. In politics 
 our subject is a Republican. 
 
 nS. WRIGHT, dealer in stoves and 
 tinware, Elyria, is a native of Co- 
 ' shocton county, Ohio, born in 1830 
 He is a son of Lewis and Eliza. 
 (Smith) Wright, who were both born in 
 the Bine Ridge Mountain region. West 
 Virginia. 
 
 They came to Ohio, and were married in 
 Coshocton county, where they passed the 
 rest of their days, rearing a family of 
 children, as follows: Willis (who was shot), 
 William (died of consnmptionj, Martha 
 (deceased in childhood), D. S. (subject of 
 sketch), Charles (drowned in the Cuyahoga 
 river), John and Henry (twins, the latter 
 of whom was editor of a Kansas paper, 
 and committed suicide in 1867), Thomas, 
 Robert, Laura, Ferdinand and Frank. The 
 father was a farmer, civil engineer, school 
 teacher, justice of the peace, and to some 
 extent a lawyer. He died at the age of 
 forty-eight years, the inother when flfty- 
 three years old. 
 
 Our subject was reared and educated in 
 his native county, and at the age of six- 
 teen became engineer on a canal boat, a 
 vocation he followed for some time. After- 
 ward he learned bis trade of tinsmith in 
 Muskingum county, Ohio, and after a 
 residence for a time in Cleveland, he, in 
 
1174 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1852, located permanently in Elyria, two 
 years tliereafter opening out a general 
 business in stoves, tinware, etc., in which 
 he has been remarkably successful. His 
 stock is at all times replete with every- 
 thing in his line. He was married to 
 Miss Mary Freer, and has three children 
 living, as follows: Frances, who married a 
 Mr. James F. Thompson, and has five 
 children: Ruby, Alice, Bessie, Blossom 
 and Don ; Josephine, married to E. P. 
 Lord, and has one child, Lawrence; and 
 Alice, who married F. H. Quayle, and has 
 three children: Mable, Jonas and Milton 
 (she keeps house for her father, her 
 mother having died January 18, 1891). 
 
 V T( ICHOLAS WILBER, a progressive 
 
 Vll citizen, and prominent in the agri- 
 
 l| cultural interests of Henrietta town- 
 
 fj ship, is a native of the State of New 
 
 York, born January 19, 1827, in 
 
 Preble, Cortland county. 
 
 Tliomas Wilber, father of subject, first 
 saw the light in 1793. in Dutchess county, 
 N. Y., where he lived until he reached his 
 tliirtieth year, when he moved to Cortland 
 county, N. Y. At that time the section 
 where he settled was for the most part 
 wild land, but, commencing life a poor 
 man, he became comparatively opulent 
 through assiduous industry and indefatig- 
 able labor, bought land and lived the rest 
 of his life a prominent farmer. He mar- 
 ried Marion Filkins, a native of Dutchess 
 county, N. Y., and they had a family of 
 eleven children. He was a Federal Anti- 
 Jackson man, afterward an etitbusiastic 
 Whig, then (1844) a strong Abolitionist, 
 and, finally, an active Republican. He 
 died in 1873 in the town of Cortland, 
 N. Y., and was buried in Homer, same 
 county. 
 
 Nicholas Wilber, the subject proper of 
 these lines, received superior educational 
 
 advantages, attending school until he waa 
 thirteen years old, when impaired health 
 compelled liira to abandon study. He then 
 turned his attention to farming pursuits, 
 and worked on the homestead until 1864, 
 when he came to Ohio, and bought a small 
 piece of land in Henrietta township, Lo- 
 rain county, on the Oherlin Road. In 
 course of time he came into possession, by 
 purchase, of 160 acres prime land, whereon 
 he now lives, having a comfortable resi- 
 dence and commodious barn and other out- 
 houses. Mr. Wilber has always taken an 
 active part in politics — first as a Whig, 
 then as a Republican, and in later years as 
 a Democrat. He has attended several 
 State conventions, and has tilled with abil- 
 ity various township offices of trust. Mr. 
 Wilber had five Itrothers: John, Isaac, 
 Jonathan, Daniel W. and George A., two 
 of whom are still living: Isaac and 
 Daniel W. 
 
 In 1848 he was united in marriage with 
 Miss E. J., daughter of Edmuud and Mary 
 Miller, and one son. Miller, was born to 
 them. The latter married Hattie, daugh- 
 ter of S. O. Kellogg, and they had four 
 children, all of whom died of diphtheria 
 in January, 1893, and were buried within 
 five days of each other. 
 
 FETER R. DRAPER, a much re- 
 spected and highly prosperous farm- 
 er citizen of Brighton township, is 
 a native of Huron county, Ohio, 
 born in Townsend township. May 
 25, 1839, a sou of Sheldon and Clarissa 
 (Cole) Draper, the father born in Dutchess 
 county, the mother in Chenango county, 
 N. Y. They came from the latter county 
 to Ohio, first locating in Bionson town- 
 ship, Huron county, later removing to 
 Townsend township, where they died, the 
 father in 1869, the mother in 1879, and 
 they lie buried in Townsend township. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1175 
 
 The enhject pri)per of these lines re- 
 ceived a fair education at the common 
 schools of his native place, and early in lite 
 commenced to worlc on his fatiier's farm. 
 At the age of eighteen he commenced to 
 learn the trade of blacksmith, but at the 
 end of twelve hours gave it up, concluding 
 that he was better adapted to agriculture. 
 After liis marriage he located in Camden 
 townsliip, Lorain coimty, on forty acres of 
 land he had bought there, on which he 
 lived two years, tlien in 1870 came to iiis 
 present farm in Brighton township, where 
 he successfully carries on general farming 
 and stock raising. Here he now has 127 
 acres of land, besides some in Townsend 
 township, Huron county, and he has 
 erected on his Lorain county farm one of 
 the linest residences in the locality. 
 
 On March 29, 1868, in Brighton town- 
 sliip, Lorain county. Mr. Draper was 
 united in marriage with Miss Estella Sellon, 
 born in Michigan December 4, 18i9, 
 daughter of Major Seilon, and children as 
 follows were born to them: Alma Mary, 
 Mrs. Gilbert McCord, of South Dakota; 
 DeWitt A., a farmer of Camden township, 
 Lorain county; Delia L., Mrs. Clarence 
 Gibson, of Camden township; and Frank 
 A., Altha E., Fred E., Archie P., Seth O., 
 Rosella M., Jessie L., Clarence O. and 
 Glenn S., all at iiome. In politics our 
 subject is a Republican, and has served in 
 various township othces; in church asso- 
 ciation he and liis wife are Seventh Day 
 Adveiitists. 
 
 ^j ICHARD WALKDEN, a leading 
 ^( wide-awake agriculturist of Colum- 
 
 I ^ bia township, is a native of Massa- 
 // chusetts, born October 14, 1828, in 
 
 Lowell, a son of William and Mary 
 (Blundell) Walkden. 
 
 The parents of our subject were natives 
 of Lancasiiire, England, whence in 1826 
 tiiey emigrated to tliis country, locating 
 first in Lowell, Mass., where they worked 
 
 in factories, in 1833 moving westward to 
 Ohio, living in Newbnrgh one year, and 
 then settling on a farm in Cuyahoga 
 count}'. The father died in Berea, Ohio, 
 in April, 1873, aged eighty nine years, the 
 mother in September, 1857, in Cuyahoga 
 county, at the age of sixty-four years. He 
 had been twice married, and l:)y his first 
 wife had three children, viz.: John, who 
 remained in England; Jane, Mrs. John 
 Bainbridge, who died in Ridgeville town- 
 ship; and Willialn, who came to Lorain 
 county in 1843, died on the ocean in 1879. 
 By his marriage with Miss Mary Blundell 
 he had children as follows: Alice, who 
 died in 1890 in Cuyahoga county; James, 
 who died in 1875 in Lowell, Mass.; 
 Thomas, residing in Cuyahoga county; 
 Ann, the widow of Eastman Bradford, of 
 Berea; Mary, widow of Joseph Chevalier, 
 of Berea; Arthur, residing in Columbia 
 township; Peter, who died in Ridgeville 
 township iti 1880 {he had come to Lorain 
 county in an early day): Richard, our 
 subject; Peggy, deceased; and Margaret, 
 widow of Henry Woods, of Cuyahoga 
 county. 
 
 Richard Walkden was a small boy when 
 his parents brought him from Massachu- 
 setts to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, where he 
 received his education in Warrensville 
 township, and was reared to practical 
 farming. In 1859 he purchased his 
 present place in Columbia township, Lo- 
 rain county, comprising fifty acres which 
 he improved, erected a comfortable dwell- 
 ing and commodious barn, etc., and has 
 added thereto till now he owns 193 acres 
 of as good land as can be found in the 
 county. In 1859 Mr. Walkden was mar- 
 ried in Columbia township to Miss Matilda 
 Litchfield, born in Birmingham, England, 
 a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Hol- 
 den) Litchfiekl, who came from their 
 native England to America in 1847, land- 
 ing in Prince Edward Island, Canada, 
 where the father died ; the mother subse- 
 quently came with her family to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, locating in Columbia town- 
 
1176 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 ship, where she married a Mr. Price; her 
 death occurred in October, 1872. By her 
 first husband she had nine children, as fol- 
 lows: Mary, married, living in England; 
 Elizabeth, widow of Henry Mitchell, of 
 England; Eliza, deceased; John, who en- 
 listed in 1861 in the One Hundred and 
 Twenty-fourth O. V. I., and was killed at 
 the battle of Missionary Ridge; Thomas, 
 residing in California; James, living in 
 Washington; Joseph, who died February 
 24, 1888. in Shiawassefe county, Mich.; 
 Matilda, Mrs. Walkden; and William, who 
 died in England. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Walkden were born 
 thirteen children, as follows: Mary is the 
 wife of Henry Hawkins, of Berrien county, 
 Mich., and has three children, Arthur, Lula 
 and Leroy; Cornelia was a teacher in Lo- 
 rain county for a number of years, and is 
 now the wife of Robert Bivan, of West 
 View; Fred; Frank was killed by light- 
 ning at the age of ten years; George, re- 
 siding on the farm, is married and has one 
 son, Lee Ebenezer; Emma has been a 
 teacher in Columbia and Ridgeville town- 
 ships, Lorain county; Delilah; Jennie; 
 Clayton died at the age of three years; 
 Henry, Lena, Chester and Ernest. In 
 politics Mr. Walkden takes an active in- 
 terest asainemberof the Republican party; 
 he has been a member of the school board 
 for some considerable time. He and his 
 wife are members of the Baptist Church, 
 and they are highly respected in the com- 
 munity. 
 
 f)ETER SIGOURNEY, retired, hav- 
 ing his residence in Kipton, Lorain 
 county, where he is much respected, 
 is a native of New York State, born 
 in Fowler, St. Lawrence county. 
 The father of our subject, also named 
 Peter, was born in "Vermont, whence he 
 moved to New York State, and married 
 Miss Wealthy Bates, a native of Massa- 
 chnsetts. He died in 1832, the father of 
 
 nine children, of whom the following is a 
 brief record: Louisa married Daniel Rus- 
 sell, and died in Livingston county, Mich.; 
 AVilliam is deceased: Caroline married 
 John Kemp, and died at Watertown, N. Y. ; 
 Andrew also died in Watertown, N. Y., 
 after reaching maturity; Peter is the sub- 
 ject of this sketch; Anth(Miy is a resident 
 of Lincoln, Neb.; Orin is a resident of 
 Westerville, Neb.; Sarah is the widow of 
 Nicholas Boshert; Addison is a carpenter 
 of Norwalk. After the death of the 
 father, the farm, which had only been in 
 part paid for, was sold at a sacrifice and 
 the family were scattered. Our subject 
 went to Watertown, N. Y., to make his 
 home with his uncle, Anthony Sigourney, 
 and here remained four years, part of the 
 time working out on day wages. His 
 elder brother, William, had come to Ohio 
 in March, 1838, locating in Camden town- 
 ship, Lorain county, and the rest of the 
 family, including Peter, came to Ohio in 
 the following June. Thev lived in Hen- 
 rietta township six or eiglit months, and 
 then, William having, in February, 1839, 
 bought land in Camden township, they 
 moved thither in March following. 
 
 Peter Sigourney, our subject, attended 
 school until he was ten years old, and 
 after the death of his father had to work 
 hard to assist in the support of his 
 brothers and sisters. After his marriage 
 ho made his first permanent location in 
 Camden township, Lorain county, where 
 he worked around at whatever he could 
 find to do, chiefly clearing land, at which 
 he did more than any one living to- 
 day in Camden township. In 1847 he 
 bought out of his hard-earned savincrg 
 forty-seven acres uf land at six dollars and 
 fifty cents per acre, in Camden township, 
 to which four years later he moved, his 
 first house being a building 15x24, ten 
 feut high, and there made his home until 
 1878. In that year he moved into the 
 town of Kipton, built a residence which he 
 sold some time after, and then erected his 
 present comfortable home. On January 7, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1177 
 
 184G, Mr. Sigourney was married to Miss 
 Sarah M. Johnson, born in Saratoga 
 ciinnty, N. Y., July 15, 1825, a daughter 
 of Ezra and Polly (Wood) Johnson, who 
 came to Ohio in 1831, and settled in Flor- 
 ence. Erie county. The children of this 
 union were Bennett, born February 15, 
 1847, died July 20, 1851, and Mary E., 
 born June 15, 1857, died September 22, 
 1858. Our subject is a loyal Democrat, 
 during the Civil war voting the Union 
 ticket, and he is a member of the Free- 
 will Baptist Chui-ch. He is a representa- 
 tive self-made man, and what he owns has 
 been won by hard work and judicious 
 economy. 
 
 QEOKGE SCHOTT, than whom there 
 , is no more respected citizen in 
 Grafton township, is a representa- 
 ,1 tive self-made man, and a prosper- 
 ous agriculturist. 
 He is a native of Bavaria, Germany, 
 born January 22, 1817, a son of George 
 Scliott, who was a farmer in his native 
 land. Up to the age of fourteen our sub- 
 ject attended school in Bavaria, and then 
 served a two-years' apprenticeship at the 
 baker's trade, under two masters. Being 
 naturally of a roving disposition, and 
 learning, in 1836, of two or three families 
 about coming to America from his native 
 town, he made up his mind to join the 
 party. Receiving sufficient money from 
 his father, hs set sail from Hamburir on 
 the good sliip " Lucadona," and after a 
 voyage of fifty-eight days arrived in New 
 York, where he soon secured work at his 
 trade. At the end of two years his father 
 and the rest of Iiis family emigrated to the 
 United States, the port of landing being 
 Baltimore, at which time George was ly- 
 ing sick with malaria in a certain town on 
 the Hudson river. He had written to his 
 parents not to come to America, which 
 letter never reached them, but they found 
 the sick boy, and on his recovery he 
 
 61 
 
 joined them while en route to Logan 
 county, Ohio. Here, a few years later, the 
 parents died. Our subject had taken a 
 trip through that State, lint not being sat- 
 isfied with the country concluded to re- 
 turn to New York State; and while on his 
 journey thither he stopped over at Liver- 
 pool, Medina Co., Ohio, where he met 
 Miss Margaret Baumann, also a native of 
 Bavaria, who had crossed the Atlantic 
 with her parents in 1835. Here he was 
 married, and having but little money 
 wheiewith to commence housekeeping, he 
 hired himself out as a farm laborer, and by 
 hard work and judicious economy he and 
 his wife ere long accumulated sufficient to 
 buy a small farm in Medina county, which 
 they lived on until 1846. In that year 
 they came to Grafton township, Lorain 
 county, where for two years they rented 
 land, at the end of which time Mr. Sehott 
 purchased from Charles Bishop the farm 
 where he now lives, at that time compris- 
 ing seventy-five acres. To this he from 
 time to time added until he had an aggre- 
 gate of 325 acres, fifty-five of which he 
 gave away, leaving him n(nv the owner of 
 270 acres of choice farming land. 
 
 The children born to George and Mar- 
 garet (Baumann) Sehott were George W. 
 and Peter, both in Indiana; John B., in 
 Nebraska; Frank, in Grafton, and a 
 daughter that died in infancy. The mother 
 of these departed this life in 1861, and 
 for his second wife Mr. Sehott married 
 Sarah Yncali, now deceased, by which 
 union there is no issue. Politically our 
 subject is a stanch Republican, and he is a 
 member of the Evangelical Church at 
 Liverpool, Medina county. 
 
 John smith (deceased) was born 
 
 w I April 12, 1805, in Yorkshire, Eng- 
 
 S^j land, whence when a young man he 
 
 emigrated, in company with a brother, 
 
 William, to Canada. The brothers there 
 
1178 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 purchased fifty acres of land, but John 
 afterward disposed of liis share and went 
 to New York State. Some time later he 
 returned to Canada, and on August 29, 
 1836, was there united in marriage with 
 Mary Braithwaite, who was born Kovem- 
 ber 9, 1815, also in Yorkshire, England. 
 When three years of age she came with 
 her parents to Montreal, Canada, in which 
 country her father, Edward Braithwaite, 
 became an extensive farmer; he also fol- 
 lowed his trade, that of carpenter. Before 
 returning to Canada Mr. Smith had made 
 a visit to Oberlin, Oliio, and while there 
 became very much impressed with the 
 country, consequently he moved thither 
 with his wife soon after bis marriage. 
 They drove a span of horses part of the 
 way, and then made a part of the journey 
 by water, landing at Cleveland, whence 
 they again drove to Oberlin, Lorain county. 
 Mr. Smith had saved a few hundred dol- 
 lars, which he soon invested in forty-tour 
 acres of land; he obtained employment in 
 Oberlin, running the engine in the grist- 
 mill at that place, in which he continued 
 until the mill was burned, when he com- 
 menced work on his farm. After the mill 
 was rebuilt, he was again employed there, 
 but returned to his farm (where he first 
 lived in a rude cabin), which by his un- 
 ceasing industry and energy he was con- 
 tinually enabled to increase. He remained 
 there until 1869, when he rented the place, 
 and moved into Oberlin to educate his 
 family. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith came the 
 following children: Sarah Ann, born Sep 
 tember 27, 1837, who married Lewis 
 Breckenridge, an attorney of Cleveland 
 (they had one son, Edwin S., a professional 
 ball-player); Mary S., now widow of Lewis 
 Breckenridge, of Cleveland; Emma J., of 
 Cleveland; John Edward, who graduated 
 from Aiidover College, Massachusetts, and 
 is now a Congregational minister in Cali- 
 fornia; Mary S. died in infancy; and Will- 
 iam H. died in youth. They had also an 
 adopted daughter, Phcsbe Rollinson, now 
 Mrs. John Gunn, of Delta, Colo. Alex- 
 
 ander Greenwood, now a young man, has 
 also shared their home, but is at present 
 residing in Massachusetts. 
 
 In 1879 Mr. Smith returned to his 
 farm, and a few years later built a very 
 pleasant home, just outside of Oberlin, 
 where he led a retired life until his death. 
 During his later years his eyes caused him 
 considerable trouble. In politics he was a 
 Republican with Prohibition tendencies, 
 and in religious faith was a leading member 
 and supporter of the First Congregational 
 Church of Oberlin. He passed from earth 
 April 29, 1889, and was buried at Oberlin. 
 
 Mr. Smith was one of the most success- 
 ful farmers of his day, and thongh enjoy- 
 ing in his youth bnt meager literary ad- 
 vantages, he acquired a practical education, 
 was a close observer of men and manners, 
 and possessed a good memory. He was 
 very fond of Scripture reading, was an ac- 
 tive worker in the Church, and was a highly 
 esteemed citizen of the community in 
 which he resided. Since his death, Mrs. 
 Smith, who is a well-read, intelligent lady, 
 and a most interesting conversationalist, 
 has spent part' of her time in the East, bnt 
 resides generally at the pleasant family 
 home near Oberlin, where she is surrounded 
 by hosts of friends. 
 
 LD. GLYNN, a prosperous agricul- 
 I tiirist of Lorain county, was born 
 \ October 17, 1819, in Berkshire 
 
 county, Mass. His parents were 
 Edward and Sylvia C. (TuUer) Glynn, who 
 reared a family of three children, all sons, 
 namely: Henry, who came westward to 
 Ohio, where he died in Clarksfield, Huron 
 county; Alfred J., who died in Michigan, 
 and Lorenzo D., subject of this memoir. 
 
 The father of this family died when his 
 son Lorenzo D. was but six years of age, 
 and for a while the latter was cared for by 
 others, in the meantime attending school. 
 When fourteen years old he was bound out 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1179 
 
 to Elijah Hugliings, a farnier of Great 
 Rarriiigton, Mass., and in September, 1836, 
 came with his foster-parents to Lorain 
 connt}', Oliio, locating near the center of 
 Fittsfield township. Some dissatisfaction 
 having arisen between them, however, Mr. 
 Glynn left Hughings, and returned to 
 Massachusetts, making part of the journey 
 by canal, and walking the I'emaining dis- 
 tance. In the fall of 1S39 he returned to 
 Pittsfield township, where he found work 
 — thresliing and chopping wood, and in 
 fact doing any honest labor he could 
 obtain. 
 
 On September 22, 1844, he was married 
 to Emeline Carter, who was born June 9. 
 1825, in Greene county, N. Y.. daughter 
 of Calvin S. and Johanna (Townsend) 
 Carter, who came to Pittsfield township in 
 1841. To this union were born children 
 as follows: Sarah Ann, who married 
 Horace G. Bartlett, and died in Pittsfield, 
 Ohio; Melvin li., who served in Company 
 H, Second Ohio Cavalry, and received a 
 wound at Stony Creek, Va., from the 
 effects of which he died: Lucy E., who 
 married Alexander MayheW, and died at 
 Garrettsville, Ohio; Susan D., wife of 
 Harvey Norton, of Pittsfield township; 
 Mary J., who was first married to Lewis 
 Ives, and is now the wife of Alonzo Nor- 
 ton; Ellen, Mrs. Horace Bartlett, of Pitts- 
 field; Eva E., Mrs. Charles Bryant, of 
 Wood county, Ohio; Marion, deceased in 
 infancy; James T., a farmer of Pittsfield 
 township; Viola, Mrs. Thomas HoUiugs- 
 worth, of Pittsfield; and Alice M., Mrs. 
 Henry Colston, of Russia township, Lo- 
 rain county. After marriage Mr. Glynn 
 located on a small farm in Pittsfield town- 
 siiip, which he had partly cleared, and 
 wiiich he subsequently sold to John Pres- 
 ton. In 1848 he came to his present farm, 
 purchasing 120 acres, then almost entirely 
 woodland, and with no improvements 
 whatever. He had to erect a cabin him- 
 self, and then went industriously to work, 
 clearing off the land, and year by year 
 adding thereto, until he now has a fine 
 
 farm of about 231 acres. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Glynn are both good business managers; 
 startinir in life with nothing, he has met 
 with no small degree of success in his life 
 vocation, all due to his own exertions. In 
 politics he was originally a Wiiig, later a 
 Republicati until 1872, when he became a 
 member of the Democratic party, with 
 which he has since affiliated. Socially he 
 is a member of Oberlin Lodge No. 678, 
 I. O. O. F. He and his wife are both 
 fond of reading. 
 
 ODMANN BROTHERS are pro- 
 prietors of the popular flourishing 
 grocery in North Amherst, which 
 they opened for business November 
 9, 1891, having bought out the grocery 
 department of Plato Bros. 
 
 Henry J. Bodmann, senior member of 
 the firm, was born April 6, 1869, and re- 
 ceived a liberal education at the common 
 schools of the vicinity of his boyhood 
 home. At the age of thirteen he com- 
 menced to learn blacksmithing, at which 
 he worked until going into the grocery 
 business with his brother. 
 
 William J. Bodmann, junior memlier of 
 the firm, was born February 4. 1871, and 
 was educated at the common schools. At 
 the age of thirteen he commenced working 
 at home, and one year afterward entered a 
 grocery store as junior clerk, where he re- 
 mained some years, after which he was on 
 a farm three years. He was then in the 
 employ of Plato Bros., about one and one- 
 half years, at which time he and his 
 brother Henry J. bought out the grocery 
 of that firm as already related. Mr. Will- 
 iam J. Bodmann is a Catholic, and a char- 
 ter member of the C. M. B. A. 
 
 Henry Bodmann, father of Henry J. 
 and William J. Bodmann, was born June 
 11, 1837, in the Kingdom of Hanover, 
 Germany, where he received his education, 
 and was taught the 
 
 tlour-milling trade. 
 
]180 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 In 1865 he came to the United States, and 
 after lialf a year's residence in New York 
 moved westward to North Amherst, where 
 he iirst found employment in a brewery, 
 in which he remained abont ten years. 
 He bought property, and for some years 
 carried on a saloon. In 1867 he was united 
 in marriage, in North Amherst, Ohio, with 
 Margaret Frank, who was born in Hesse, 
 Germany, December 29, 1842, and was 
 nineteen years old when she came to Amer- 
 ica. Eight ciiildren were born to them, 
 viz.: Henry J. and William J. (of the 
 grocery firm of Bodmann Bros.), Harman, 
 Louis, Mary, John, Carl and Joseph. Mr. 
 Bodmann is a Democrat, and a member of 
 the Catholic Church. 
 
 QEORGE HOLLSTEIN, one of the 
 , well-to-do native-born farmers of 
 Amherst township, is a son of Henry 
 ,1 and Elizabeth (Bechstein) Hollstein, 
 natives of Hessen-Cassel, Germany, 
 where they were married. 
 
 In the spring of 1848 they set sail from 
 Bremen for the "Western World, and after 
 a voyage of fourteen weeks landed at New 
 York, whence they proceeded by rail to 
 Buffalo, theuce by water to Cleveland, and 
 from there by team to Lorain county, Ohio, 
 where they settled on a farm of fifty acres 
 the father had bought in Amherst town- 
 ship, and on which our subject now re- 
 sides. Here Henry Hollstein carried on 
 farming until his death, which occurred in 
 1890, when he was aged eighty-tbnr years; 
 the mother died in 1880, aged sixty-eight 
 yeai-s. In his political preferences Henry 
 Hollstein was a Republican, and he and his 
 wife were members of the Evangelical As- 
 sociaiion. They reared a family of five 
 ciiildren, as follows: Adam married Lu- 
 cinda Ray, a native of Lorain county, and 
 settled in Brownhelm township, where he 
 died in 1890 (his widow resides in that 
 township); Elizabeth, widow of John 
 
 Dreher, live* in Allegan county, Mich.; 
 Catherine is the widow of John Hoffner, 
 of Oberlin, Ohio; Sophia is the wife of 
 Conrad Nuhn, of Vei-million, Ohio; and 
 George is the subject proper of this sketch. 
 
 George Hollstein was born on his pres- 
 ent farm in 1851, received his education 
 at the Union schools of North Amherst, 
 and was reared to agricultural pursuits on 
 his present farm. For a time he followed 
 quarrying and taking out ship timber in 
 different counties of Ohio, but he has given 
 most of his attention to the farm. 
 
 In 18S1 Mr. Hollstein was married, in 
 Lorain county, to Miss Catherine Kolbe, a 
 native of Germany, daughter of Henry and 
 Elizabeth (Hnessem) Kolbe, also of the 
 Fatherland, and who now reside in Black 
 River township, Lorain county. One child 
 has come to brighten the home of Mr. and 
 Mrs. Hollstein, named Walter. They are 
 members of the Evangelical Church, of 
 which he is trustee, and of the Sunday- 
 school of which he was superintendent 
 some years. Politically he is a Republican. 
 
 \ILLIAM LAPP was born Decem- 
 ber 27, 1845, on his present farm 
 in Amherst township, a son of 
 Henry and Catherine (Able) Lapp, 
 who were natives of Hessia, Germany, 
 where they were married. 
 
 In an early day they came to America, 
 and to Lorain county, Ohio, settling finally 
 on the farm whereon our subject now lives, 
 in Amherst township. The father was a 
 mei'cliant tailor, an occupation that took 
 him away from home a good deal, and 
 while he was absent his wife attended to 
 the farm. On first coming to the county 
 he located on the lake shore, wdiere he 
 bought seventy -five acres, on which he 
 built a tailor shop, and here followed his 
 trade; he also worked for a time in Brook- 
 lyn, a village near Cleveland. He died in 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1181 
 
 1890 iit the age of eighty-nine years; his 
 wife ill 1891 wiien au;ed eighty-two. They 
 had cliildreii as follows: John, who died 
 alioiit the year 1838; Eliza, who Tnarried, 
 and died in Lorain county in 1889; t!atli- 
 eriiie, wife of Jacob Fowls, who lives in 
 Amherst township; Mary, widow of Henry 
 ileisuer, who lives in Nortli Atnherst; 
 Henry, a resident of Lorain; and William, 
 the subject of this memoir. 
 
 "William Lapp, whose name opens this 
 sketch, received hi.s education in the com- 
 mon schools of his district, and was reared 
 to farm life. In 1869 he married Miss 
 Eliza Appleman, by whom he had three 
 children: John (attending the business 
 college at Oberlin), Charles and Frank. 
 The mothei- of these died in 1890, and in 
 1892 Mr. Lapp was united in marriage 
 with Miss Katie Limbaugli. Our subject 
 owns a tine farm of 156 acres prime land, 
 and carries on general agriculture. In 
 1884 he built his present residence at a 
 cost of three thousand dollars. In politics 
 he is in sympathy with the Democratic 
 pai'ty, and in religious sentiment he is a 
 member of the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 H. BRYANT, proprietor of the 
 Bryant Channeler Machine Shops, 
 North Amherst, was born on his 
 present farm in Amherst town- 
 ship, Lorain Co., Ohio, October 10, 1840, 
 a son of Nathaniel and Ann (Wilkins) 
 Bryant, who were born in Gloucestershire, 
 England, the father in 1799; they were 
 married in their native county, and came 
 to the United States in 1828. 
 
 The subject of this sketch received his 
 primary education in the common schools 
 of his township. On October 30, 1861, 
 he enlisted in the Forty-second O. V. I., 
 and participated in many battles and skir- 
 mishes, principal among wiiich were the 
 engagements at Vicksburg, Chickasaw 
 
 Bluffs, Arkansas Post, and Vicksburg (2), 
 where they camped all winter on the low 
 flat marshy point in front of Vicksburg. 
 Thence in the following spring they moved 
 to below Vicksburg, thence to Grand Gulf, 
 tlie mouth of Black river, from which place 
 they saw the terrific bombardment of that 
 place by U. S. gunboats. The regiment 
 then participated in the battle of Thomp- 
 son's Hill, where they sustained great loss, 
 and were afterward at Champion Hill, 
 Black River Bridge, as well as in several 
 skirmisiies around Vicksburg. afterward 
 taking part in the siege thereof, and its 
 final surrender July 4, 1863. They then 
 marched to Jackson, Miss., and drove 
 Johnson's army from that place; also as- 
 sisted in tearing up thirty miles of rail- 
 road, after which our subject came home 
 on a thirty-days' furlough. Rejoining 
 his regiment at Berwick Bay, La., he pro- 
 ceeded with it up Bayou Teche, same State, 
 and at Placpiemine remained all winter. 
 Next spring they were ordered to Baton 
 Rouge, thence to the Red river campaign, 
 after which they were placed on detail 
 duty, to keep the river clear; were also at 
 Milliken's Bend, Eagles Point and Du- 
 Vall's Bluff, Ark., at which latter place 
 Mr. Bryant's term expired. His company 
 was one of the best drilled companies in 
 the Western army. They took part in a 
 prize drill contest at Milliken's Bend, and 
 came off victorious. Mr. Bryant remained 
 in the river service from Baton Rouge to 
 Eagles Point, Ark., till the close of his 
 term of service, chiefly on the Mississippi, 
 Arkansas and White rivers. At Memphis, 
 Tenn., in 1862, he was promoted to orderly 
 sergeant. On his return home he attended 
 for a time the commercial school at Buf- 
 falo, N. Y., of Bryant & Stratton, both of 
 whom are related to him. He also learned 
 the trade of stone cutter. At Meadville, 
 Penn., he taught bookkeeping, and as- 
 sisted in establishing a commercial college 
 there. From Meadville he proceeded to 
 Michigan, and was two years on a home- 
 stead in the northern part of that State, 
 
1182 
 
 LORAIX COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 where he experienced the hardships inci- 
 dent to clearing up a farm in a lieavily- 
 wooded country, wiiere he had but one 
 neighbor nearer tlian one mile. While on 
 the farm he received an oii'er of a position 
 in a concern doing a large business in sup- 
 plying wood to lake steamers, and shipping 
 it to Chicago. After the second year he 
 became general manager of the business. 
 The company purchased and sold about 
 twenty thousand cords of wood annually, 
 the bulk of which was chopped by the In- 
 dians, who received nearly all of their pay 
 in goods and provisions from the com- 
 pany's store. After five years spent in the 
 northern part of Michigan, Mr. Bryant 
 removed to Chicago to take a position as 
 bookkeeper, but at the end of a year, hav- 
 ing to give up his position on account of 
 the climate proving unfavorable to the 
 health of Mrs. Bryant, he came to Am- 
 herst, Ohio, and shortly afterward went into 
 the stone business, which at first was far 
 from a grand success, but finally proved to 
 be a good venture. In 1889 he invented 
 a machine known as "The Bryant Chan- 
 neler," for cutting both limestone and 
 sandstone, and for the past four years has 
 been engaged in manufacturing them. He 
 also owns the Bryant Quarries in Amherst 
 township, as well as one in Elyria. 
 
 On April 21, 1866, Mr. Bryant was 
 married in Meadville, Penn., to Miss Har- 
 riet Adelaide "Wykoff, a native of Penn- 
 sylvania. In politics he is a Republican; 
 socially he is a member of the K. of H. 
 
 FEANKLIN ARNOLD, an upright, 
 intelligent citizen of Pittsfield town- 
 _^ ship, was born August 20, 1841, in 
 Caraden township, Lorain county. 
 His father, James Arnold, son of An- 
 thony Arnold, was born in 1806 in New 
 York, where he was reared to manhood 
 and received an education in the common 
 schools. He was married in his native 
 
 State toMiss Eliza Carrington, and in about 
 1839 came west to Lorain county, Ohio, 
 purchasing land in Camden township. 
 Here he soon afterward settled, and at that 
 time the tract was all woodland, with no 
 improvements save an old log house. In 
 1844 Mrs. Arnold died, leaving one child, 
 Franklin, and was buried in Camden ceme- 
 tery. For his second wife Mr. Arnold 
 married Jane Ann Powell, a native of New 
 York, who bore him three children: An- 
 thony; Susan, Mrs. Byron McNeal, of 
 Chicago, 111.; and Emma, married, now of 
 Council Bluffs, Iowa. They resided in 
 Camden township until 1851, when they 
 moved to the farm in Pittsfield township 
 (where Franklin Arnold now resides), and 
 there passed the remainder of their lives. 
 In politics he was a Democrat, and he took 
 considerable interest in the political issues 
 of the day, keeping himself well informed. 
 He held various local offices, serving as 
 township trustee, assessor, etc., and was a 
 shrewd business man and a good farmer. 
 He died January 13, 1864, and was buried 
 in Camden township by the side of his 
 wife. His widow, who was a member of 
 the M. E. Church, died in 1878, and was 
 interred in Pittsfield cemetery. 
 
 Franklin Arnold was reared to farm life, 
 received his education in the common 
 schools of his day, and when ten years of 
 age moved with his parents to Pittsfield 
 township, where he has since made his 
 home. On December 21, 1865, he was 
 married, in Elyria, Ohio, to Helen M. 
 Rawson, who was born December 30, 1844, 
 in Pittsfield. Her parents, Ropha and 
 Betsey (Fulton) Rawson, came from New 
 York State to Lorain county, Ohio, locat- 
 ing in LaGrange township; they died in 
 Pittsfield township. To Mr. and Mrs. 
 Arnold have come children as follows: 
 Erwin, born January 30, 1868, who gradu- 
 ated from Wellington high school, an'l is 
 now teaching in Pittsfield township; and 
 George A., born August 30, 1870, a 
 farmer of Pittsfield township. Soon after 
 marriage Mr. Arnold purchased, from Ara 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1183 
 
 Rawson, fifty acres of land adjoining the 
 lionie farm, and here l)egan wedded life, 
 living upon that tract until 1892, when lie 
 moved to the home farm. Here he has erected 
 a handsome new dwelling-house and barn, 
 which are models of their kind. In politics 
 he is a Democrat, and in 1891 was elected 
 township trustee, being the first Democrat 
 to hold that office since his father served 
 in the same capacity; he has numerous 
 friend-s in both parties. Mr. Arnold now 
 owns 147 acres of excellent land, where he 
 carries on a general farming and dairying 
 business. He has hosts of friends, and it 
 is safe to say that there is no citizen in 
 Pittstield township who holds a higher 
 place in the esteem and regard of his 
 fellow-citizens. Mrs. Arnold is a member 
 of the Methodist Church. 
 
 'lILLIAM PRESTON, one of the 
 most successful agricnlturists of 
 Pittstield township, was born July 
 31, 1823, in Lincolnshire, Eng- 
 land, son of John Preston. The grand- 
 father of subject was a tailor by trade, and 
 was in the employment of the British 
 Government at Gibraltar, where his son 
 John was born. 
 
 John Preston was reared on a farm in 
 Lincolnshire, England, and there married 
 Martha Major, who bore him four chil- 
 dren, viz.: William; Eliza, who was mar- 
 ried in England to William Colson, died 
 in Oberlin, Ohio, and was buried in Pitts- 
 field; Caroline, who was married in Eng- 
 land, came to America, and died in Phila- 
 delphia, Peim., where she was buried; and 
 one son that died in infancy unnamed. 
 The mother of these children passed away 
 in 1831, and Mr. Preston married in Ens- 
 land, for his second wife, Rebecca Clark, 
 to which union were born six children. In 
 1847 he sailed from Liverpool to New 
 York, whence he at once proceeded to 
 Pittstield township, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 
 where an English family named Wills had 
 previously located. Here he purchased 
 fifty-six acres of land for six hundred dol- 
 lars, and having a capital of but eighty 
 dollars was obliged to go in debt for the 
 remainder. He lived in an old log house 
 on this tract for some time, and later re- 
 moved to the west town line, where he 
 died in April, 1877, and was buried in 
 East cemetery, Pittstield township; his 
 wife had preceded him to the grave. He 
 was an active Republican, and took great 
 interest in politics. He was a man of 
 good proportions, and during his active 
 life was an indefatigable worker. 
 
 William Preston attended the common 
 schools until ten years of age, and from 
 early boyhood worked on the farm, his 
 firstduty being to scare thecrows from pick- 
 ing the corn off the ground. When thirteen 
 years of age he hired out at thirty dollars 
 per year, to care for four horses, and was 
 later employed in various places and at 
 various occupations. On May 15, 1851, 
 he was united in marriage with Elizabeth 
 Flatters, who was born May 29, 1824, in 
 Lincolnshire, England, daughter of Abra- 
 ham and Mary (Emerson) Flatters, and on 
 May 28, same year, the young couple left 
 their early home and friends, taking pas- 
 sage for New York on a *' Red Star " 
 liner. They landed after a voyage of five 
 weeks, and proceeded at once to Cleveland, 
 Ohio; on the way thither they happened 
 to be in Buffalo, N. Y., on the Fourth of 
 July, and witnessed the celebration, but 
 did not know the cause of it. From 
 Cleveland they came by rail to Welling- 
 ton, Ohio, from which place they were 
 driven to Pittsfield township, where they 
 saw the log house in which his father had 
 first lived. There they remained for two 
 m(mth8, and then rented a house and later 
 five acies of land, where they resided for 
 eighteen months. Mr. Preston next rented 
 land from Joseph Worcester, of Pittsfield 
 township, and subsequently removed to 
 Wellington, where he rented a much 
 larger place. From Wellington he moved 
 
1184 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 to Sullivan township, Ashland Co., Ohio, 
 wliere he resided for six years. In 1870 
 he purchased ninety-six acres in Pittsfield 
 township, Lorain county, and resided 
 tliereon until 1891, when he moved to 
 Pittstield Center, where he now leads a 
 retired life. 
 
 Mr. Preston now owns 135 acres of ex- 
 cellent land. Coming to America a poor 
 man, he has, by patient industry and un- 
 tirinsr enercry accumulated a comfortable 
 competence, and is one of the most highly 
 respected members of his community, 
 kind-hearted and generons in every respect. 
 Politically he is a Republican, and has 
 served as township trustee, and in relig- 
 ions faith he and his wife are members of 
 the Metliodist Church. To their union 
 have come the followiTig named children: 
 Elizabeth, deceased at the age of four 
 years; Martha, Mrs. Charles Avery, of 
 Pittsfield; Eliza, deceased when fifteen 
 months old ; Mary L., Mrs. William Pick- 
 worth, of Clarksfield, Ohio; Catharine, 
 Mrs. John Jordan, of Brighton, Ohio; 
 Roderick J., who died at the age of four 
 years; and William, a farmer of Pittsfield 
 township. 
 
 fl( LBERT FOSTER, who for many 
 
 l/l\ years has been prominently identi- 
 
 Ir^ tied with the interests of Lorain 
 
 •fj county, is a native of the "Green 
 
 Mountain State," born January 30, 
 
 1831. in Windsor county. 
 
 His father, Addison Foster, a farmer, 
 and mother, Lizzie (Pease), were both 
 born in Weston, Windsor Co., Vt., and 
 while living in that State had children as 
 follows: Lucy A., who was married in 
 Ohio to David Clark, and died in Ne- 
 braska; Ira A., of Eaton county, Mich.; 
 Albert, the subject of this memoir; and 
 Hannah, Mrs. Rufus Ivnowles, of La- 
 Grange. In August, 1836, the family 
 set out for Ohio, driving three four-year- 
 old horses, coming via Troy, N. Y., to 
 
 Cleveland, and thence to LaGrange town- 
 ship, Lorain county, where a sister of Mrs. 
 Foster, Malinda Dale, resided, at whose 
 home they remained for a few days. Mr. 
 Foster purchased eighty-three acres in the 
 vicinity, on which some clearing had been 
 done, and here the family made their first 
 settlement, remaining thereon until 1862, 
 when Mrs. Foster's failing health induced 
 
 o 
 
 him to change his residence to the center 
 of the township. Here they led a retired 
 life until their decease, Mr. Foster passing 
 away in 1874, Mrs. Foster in 1875; both 
 are buried in the Center cemetery of the 
 M. E. Church. He was industrious, hard- 
 working, a good business manager, and 
 one of the most progressive men in the 
 county, qualities which brought him suc- 
 cess and enabled him from time to time to 
 increase his property. He always gave 
 liberally to church work, and was the 
 largest contribiitor toward the M. E. 
 Church building, also donating the land 
 upon which it stood. Politically he was 
 a Republican, originally a Democrat, hav- 
 ing changed during Fremont's administra- 
 tion, and served as township trustee and 
 in various other local offices. After com- 
 ing to Ohio three children were added to 
 the domestic circle, viz.: Horatio, who 
 died in LaGrange in 1864, of smallpox; 
 George, of LaGrange, and a son that died 
 in infancy unnamed. 
 
 Albert Foster was five years old when he 
 came with his parents to Ohio, and here 
 he attended the common schools, which 
 were then held in log buildings. He re- 
 ceived a thorough training in agriculture 
 on the home farm, where he remained until 
 his marriage, on February 6, 1852, to Miss 
 Betsey Knowles, who was born in the 
 East, and came when one year old to Ohio, 
 whither iier father, Horace Foster, removed 
 in an early day, settling in LaGrange town- 
 ship, Lorain county. After his marriage 
 our subject located on a piece of the home 
 place, near the homestead, and commenced 
 farming, remaining there ten years, when 
 he exciiansed with his father for the home- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1185 
 
 stead. Here he resitted fifteen years, or 
 until April 2, 1877, when he disposed of 
 108 acres of the home farm, and came to 
 his present place, near the center of La- 
 Grange township, where he lias since lived 
 retired. To Mr. and Mrs. Albert Foster 
 have come four children, viz. : Lyman P. (of 
 Pentield, Lorain county), Merritt (of Brown 
 county, Kans.), Frank (of LaGrange) anil 
 Edward (of Brown county, Kans.), all of 
 whom are engaged in farming. These 
 children have all had the best of educa- 
 tional opportunities, and their father has 
 liberally assisted each one to make a start 
 in life. In politics he was originally a 
 Democrat, but is now a stanch member of 
 the Repui)Iican party, and has given uni- 
 versal satisfaction as trustee of LaGrange 
 township. In the fall of 1883 he was 
 elected a director of the county infirmary, 
 a position in which he has ever since effi- 
 ciently served. Kind-hearted and generous, 
 he is recognized as a public benefactor, and 
 is looked up to and esteemed as one of the 
 leading citizens of his community. He 
 has traveled considerably, and has paid 
 several visits to his sons in Kansas. Mrs. 
 Foster is a member of the M. E. Church. 
 [Since the above was written we have been 
 informed of the death of Mr. Albert Foster, 
 which occurred January 20, 1894. — Ed. 
 
 dj H. TOWNSHEND, a progressive 
 and well-to-do agriculturist of Shef- 
 ' field township, is a native of the same, 
 born in 1839, a son of John and 
 Hannah (Hurst) Townshend, both of whom 
 were natives of England, the father of 
 Warwickshire. 
 
 When a young man John Townshend, 
 father of subject, emigrated from England 
 to the LTnited States, coming in 1831 to 
 Lorain county, Ohio, and settling on a farm 
 in Avon township. He there married Han- 
 nah Hurst, and the young couple then 
 moved to another farm, in Sheffield town- 
 
 ship. Mr. Townshend was killed by the 
 cars in Elyria, Ohio, in 1875, and Mrs. 
 Townshend died some years ago. 
 
 J. H. Townshend was educated in the 
 common schools of his native township, 
 and was trained to farming pursuits, which 
 have been his life work. He assisted in 
 opening up the home farm, now a well- 
 cultivated piece of land, on which he yet 
 resides. In 1875 he visited Pittsburgh, 
 Penn., and was there and then married to 
 Miss Mary Shober, by whom he has had 
 the following named children: Lloyd, 
 Leola, Ina and Florence. In politics Mr. 
 Townshend is a Republican, stanch and 
 true, and he and his wife are members of 
 the Baptist Church at Avon. 
 
 P)ETER M. SMITH is a thoroughly 
 representative loyal German-Ameri- 
 can citizen of Sheffield township, 
 where he successfully follows the 
 plough. 
 Ife was born May 19, 1819, in Prussia, 
 Germany, a son of Mathias and Barbara 
 (Dohn) Smith, also natives of Prussia, 
 where the father, who was a farmer, died 
 when his son Peter M. was five years old. 
 The widowed mother and her family sub- 
 sequently emigrated to the United States, 
 and to Lorain county, Ohio, where she died 
 in Sheffield township at the age of seventy- 
 nine years, the mother of eight children, 
 of whom three grew to maturity, namely: 
 Mary, Peter M. and Ann Mary. 
 
 Peter M. Smith, the subject of this bio- 
 graphical memoir, received his education 
 in the schools of the Fatherland, and was 
 there married. In 1846 he and his family 
 came to America, and to Lorain county, 
 Ohio, first locating in Ridgeville township, 
 afterward settling in Sheffield township, 
 where he bought his present beautiful farm 
 of 166 acres of highly cultivated land. A 
 brief record of his children is here pre- 
 
1186 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 seiited: Joseph lias his home in Wisconsin; 
 Peter is married, and lives in Cleveland (he 
 has six children living); Hubbard is mar- 
 ried, and had ten children; Kate, Mrs. 
 Schumacher, has had six children; John is 
 married, and has nine children. The mother 
 of the above named family died in 1883, at 
 the age of seventy years. Mr. Smith has 
 four living grandchildren, and three great- 
 grandchildren. In politics he is a Demo- 
 crat, and he is a member of the Catholic 
 Church. 
 
 D' 
 
 , AVID MILLER, a well-known resi- 
 dent of North Amherst, is an early 
 settler of Lorain county. His par- 
 ents, Jacob and Catherine (Cook) 
 Miller, were natives of Bavaria, Germany, 
 and in 1847 emigrated to America, locat- 
 ing in North Amherst, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 where they passed the rest of their lives. 
 They reared a family of seven children, 
 viz.:' Jacob, who lives in Brovvnhelm town- 
 ship; Catherine, in Mercer county, Penn.; 
 Elizabeth, wife of Jacob Miller, of Sheffield 
 township; David; Julia, living in Michi- 
 gan; Margaret, wife of Adam Baker, of 
 Black River township: and Amelia, wife of 
 Barney Burke, of Lorain. The father of 
 this family followed farming; he died in 
 North Amherst in 1889, having been pre- 
 ceded by the mother in 1888, when aged 
 eighty-eight years. 
 
 David Miller was born in 1827 in Bav- 
 aria, Germany, where he was reared and 
 educated. He learned the blacksmith's 
 trade, which he followed in Germany, Eng- 
 land and France, and in 1847 came with 
 his parents to North Amherst, Lorain 
 county, where he also followed his trade 
 for many years. In 1864 he enlisted, at 
 Wooster, Ohio, in Company I, First Ohio 
 Artillery, for one year or during the war, 
 serving as blacksmith; they were stationed 
 at Chattanooga, Tenn., and atDalton, Ga., 
 at which latter place Mr. Miller received 
 an honorable discharge in 1865, and re- 
 turned to Lorain county. 
 
 In 1851 Mr. Miller was married in Lo- 
 rain county, to Miss Margaret Hildebraiid, 
 a native of Germany, daughter of David 
 and Gertrude (Reis) Hildebrand, natives 
 of Hessen, Germany, whence they emi- 
 grated in 1835, settling in Black River 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, where the 
 father passed away in 1858, and was fol- ' 
 lowed to the grave by the mother in 1862. 
 They were the second German family to 
 settle in Lorain county. A brother of 
 Mrs. Miller resides in North Carolina. 
 Our subject and wife are the parents of 
 seven children, viz.: Lewis, a farmer of 
 Sheffield township; Mai-y, wife of George 
 Keller, a farmer of Black River township; 
 Sophia, wife of Winnie Gawn, of A^nherst 
 township; Elizabeth, wife of Roy Leslie, 
 of North Amherst; Rowena, wife of Philip 
 Klotz, residing in Lorain; Julia; and 
 Emma, wife of Irving Chappell, a machin- 
 ist, of Cleveland. Ohio. In politics Mr. 
 Miller is a Republican, and in religious 
 faith he and his wife are members of the 
 Pi'esbyterian Church, at North Amherst. 
 Mr. Miller is now ensjaijed in fruit farm- 
 
 inof and sardenin 
 
 g- 
 
 dOHN W. GROTE, of North Amherst, 
 was born November 25, 1849, in 
 ' Hanover, Germany, a son of George 
 and Nena (Zieranberg) Grote, the 
 former of whom was also a native of Han- 
 over, where they both died. The father 
 was killed by an accident in 1849; the 
 mother passed from earth when about fifty- 
 three years old. They had four children, 
 of whom our subject was the only one to 
 come to America. 
 
 John W. Grote received a good educa- 
 tion at the school of his native place, and 
 in 1872 came to America, setting sail April 
 15 and arriving May 15 following. After 
 his arrival in North Amherst, Ohio, he 
 commenced working in stone quarries, in 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1187 
 
 which he continued some fifteen years in 
 one place, most of the time in the capacity 
 of foreman in the Holdeman quarry (now 
 owned by the Cleveland Stone Company). 
 After a year's sickness he opened out in 
 the retail liquor trade in North Amherst, 
 and has been very successful, being a popu- 
 lar and much respected citizen. Mr. (.Trote 
 was united in marriage with Miss Amelia 
 Subears, and four children — one son and 
 three daughters — have been born to them, 
 viz.: Rosa, Emma. Lizzie and Willie. The 
 entire family are members of the Presby- 
 terian Church; in politics Mr. Grote is a 
 Democrat, and he is a member of the 
 I. O. 0. F. and Encampment, and the 
 K. O. T. M. 
 
 ZARIAH SMITH ROOT, A. M , 
 Librarian and Professor of Bibli- 
 ography at Oberlin College, is a na- 
 tive of Massachusetts, born in Mid- 
 dlefield February 3, 1862, a son of 
 Francis and Anna (Smith) Root. The father 
 of subject, also born in Middlelield, Mass., 
 is now a merchant in the town of East 
 Douglass, Mass. He married Anna Smith, 
 who died Marcli 24, 1874, at the age of 
 forty-five years, eight months, the mother 
 of two children, of whom Azariali S. is the 
 second. 
 
 The subject of this memoir received his 
 preparatory education at the high school of 
 Middlefield, and at the Hinsdale and Pitts- 
 field schools, all in Massacliusetts. In 1880 
 be entered Oberlin (Ohio) College, where 
 he graduated in the classical course of 1884, 
 after which, in 1885-86, he studied law in 
 Boston University, and also in Harvard 
 University. In 1887 he was appointed li- 
 brarian of Oberlin CoUetje. ami in 1889 
 professor of Bibliography, which positions 
 he is at present holding. In the year last 
 mentioned he took the degree of A. M. at 
 Oberlin College. He is librarian for the 
 Ohio Church Historical Society. 
 
 On April 30, 1887. Prof. Root was united 
 in marriage with Miss A. M. Metcalf, of 
 Eiyria, Ohio, and one child — Francis Met- 
 calf — was born to them August 24, 1889. 
 In politics onr subject is a member of the 
 Third Party Prohibitionists, and is a mem- 
 ber of the County Prohibition Committee. 
 He is of the tenth generation of the Root 
 family in the United States. 
 
 DAVID SCHWARTZ, one of the 
 prosperous and industrious German 
 ,' agriculturists of Russia township, 
 
 is a native of Bavaria, Germany, 
 born July 7, 1832. 
 
 His father, Jacob Schwartz, was by vo- 
 cation a farmer in the P^therland, owning 
 a small piece of land, and he labored at 
 whatever he could find to do when he had 
 no work at his own home. He married 
 Miss Catherine Burg, and she bore him 
 five children, one of whom, Catherine by 
 name, died in Germany. The father passed 
 from earth there in Marcli, 1834, leaving a 
 widow and five children to be provided for.- 
 In the meantime the eldest boy married, 
 and the family circle being now broken, 
 the widowed mother concluded to emigrate 
 to America with her remaining offspring. 
 Consequently in June, 1848, they — she 
 and four children, Jacob, Margaretta, Eliza- 
 beth and our subject — set sail from the 
 port of Antwerp for New York, where 
 they landed after a passage of forty- two 
 days. From there they proceeded by Erie 
 Canal to Buffalo, thence by lake to Cleve- 
 land, and then by road to Russia township, 
 Lorain county, where there already was a 
 small colony of their countrymen. The 
 son Jacob acted as leader of the party, 
 and having among themselves saved about 
 three hundred dollars, he (Jacob) ])ur- 
 chased a farm therewith, afterward repay- 
 ing what he had borrowed. 
 
 At this time David Schwartz was sixteen 
 years old. He attended school regularly 
 
1188 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 in his'iiative country, and but a short time 
 in the New AVorkl. He had no trouble in 
 securing work, and for his lirst year's 
 services received fifty dollars. At the age 
 of nineteen he bought sixty acres of land 
 on credit, and by tlie time he was twenty- 
 one he had paid off the entire sum — five 
 hundred and eight dollars — all accumu- 
 lated by hard work and rigid econouiy. 
 He has now 163 acres of land, all in a 
 high state of cultivation. 
 
 In September, 1856, Mr. Schwartz was 
 united in marriage witli Christina Baker, 
 who was born March 16, 1834, in Boston, 
 Mass., a daughter of Nicholas and Eliza- 
 beth (Cook) Baker, who came west to Ohio 
 in an early day, and settled in Amherst 
 township, Lorain county. After marriage 
 the young couple commenced housekeep- 
 ing in an old log house that stood on his 
 farm, which in after years was superseded 
 by the more substantial residence, which 
 is yet standing. Children as follows have 
 been born to Mr. and Mrs. Schwartz: 
 Frank E., a farmer of Carlisle township, 
 Lorain county; Caroline, Mrs. William 
 Shubert, of Russia township; Charles H., 
 of Elyria, Ohio; Eliza S., Mrs. Eugene 
 Waldorf, of Muncie, Ind.; John A., ot 
 Arizona; Lucy S., Mrs. A. F. Renkie, of 
 Elyria, Ohio; and Mary F. The mother of 
 this family died somewhat suddenly on 
 August 6, 1879, after a brief illness, and 
 she now lies buried in North Amherst 
 cemetery. Politically our subject is a 
 Democrat, but though true to his colors 
 takes no active interest in the affairs of 
 his party, having his time fully occupied 
 on his farm. 
 
 JOHN McLaughlin, a popular, 
 progressive and wide-awake citizen 
 of Oberlin, where he is proprietor of 
 a flourishing bookstore, is a native of 
 Canada, born November 6, 1849, in Bol- 
 ton, Brome county. Province of Quebec. 
 He is a son of John and Mary (Mooney) 
 
 McLaughlin, the former of whom was born 
 in the Highlands of Scotland, and when a 
 child was brought to Canada by his par- 
 ents, who died on their farm there. The 
 father of our subject, after his marriage 
 with Miss Mary Mooney, a native of New 
 Hampshire, settled on the old homestead 
 in Brome county, Quebec, where he died 
 in 1884, at about the age of sixty-two 
 years; his wife lived to an advanced age. 
 The early life of our subject was passed 
 on the farm in Canada, and his education 
 was received at the schools of St. Johns- 
 bury. At the age of twenty years he came 
 to the LTnited States, prior to which he had 
 worked at various vocations, saving money 
 as he plodded along. Tliis enabled him to 
 come west, where there were better oppor- 
 tunities for a young man, and locating in 
 Lorain county, Ohio, he attended school at 
 Oberlin one year. After this, February 
 26, 1876, he opened his present bookstore 
 in Oberlin. in which business he has met 
 with well-merited success. In addition to 
 books and stationery he carries a large 
 stock of wall-paper, and makes a specialty 
 of lamps, particularly the " Oberlin Lamp," 
 for which he has tiie exclusive sale in the 
 city. Onr subject was married in Oberlin 
 to Miss Jennie V. Bunce, and they have 
 two children: Helen Irene and Dora Gene- 
 vieve. In his political preferences he is a 
 Republican. 
 
 EiDWIN A. BIVINS, a well-known 
 farmer of Amherst township, is a 
 I descendant of one of the earliest 
 
 pioneer families of Lorain county. 
 Benjamin Bivins, grandfather of our sub- 
 ject, was born in Connecticut, and was 
 reared in Erie county, N. Y., where he re- 
 ceived his education in the schools of the 
 district. In an early day he came to Lo- 
 rain county, Ohio, where he followed 
 farming, afterward returning to Erie 
 county, N. Y., where he was married to 
 Miss Asenath Adams. In 1835 they came 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1189 
 
 to Lorain county, ami settled on a farm, 
 where they passed the remainder of tlieir 
 lives. The grandfatlier served for many 
 years as confutable and justice of the peace 
 in liis township. He died at the age of 
 eighty-three, and his wife passed away at 
 Elyria when ajjed eighty-nine years and 
 nine months. He was a soldier in the war 
 of 1812. 
 
 Lyman Bivins, son of this old pioneer, 
 w^as born January 17, 1808, in Otsego 
 county, N. Y., and in 1835 came with his 
 father from Clarence, Erie Co., N. Y. He 
 married Lydia Greene, a native of Massa- 
 chusetts, and they became the parents of 
 six cliildren, as follows: Edwin A.; 
 Maria, wife of Morris Hecock, of Sheffield 
 township, Lorain county; George L., in 
 the livery business in Elyria; Eliza, de- 
 ceased wife of L. D. Stout; Josephine, 
 who mai'ried Leonard Steele, and died in 
 Amherst; and Albert, who died in infancy. 
 The mother of this family died in 1864; 
 the father is still living at the age of 
 eighty-five years. 
 
 Edwin A. Bivins was born in 1837 in 
 Amherst township, Lorain county, and 
 was reared on the farm, receiving his edu- 
 cation in the district schools. He learned 
 tlie carpenter's trade of his grandfather, 
 and for lifteen years was in the employ of 
 the Lake Shore Eailroad, at Norwalk, on 
 car and cab work. He was afterward en- 
 gaged for five years in the milling busi- 
 ness at Amherst, and then returned to the 
 farm. In 1863 Mr. Bivins was married 
 to Miss Mary I. Winton, who was born in 
 Amherst townsiiip, daughter of Orrin and 
 Mariett (Smith) Winton, natives of Ver- 
 mont, wlio came to Amherst township 
 about 1834. where he was e-\tensively en- 
 gaged in farming. They were the parents 
 of children as follows: Eli, who resides in 
 Arkansas; Ann, widow of Edward Aikens, 
 of Amherst township; Mariett; C. F., 
 living in Kansas; O. P., who died in East 
 St. Louis, III.; Alferetta, wife of George 
 Morgan, of Elyria; Hattie, wife of "Will- 
 iam Barnes, of Cleveland; William W., a 
 
 stationary engineer at Sandusky, Ohio 
 (his twin sister died in infancy); Nellie, 
 who lives in Elyria, and Mary I., Mrs. 
 Bivins. The father of this family was 
 killed by a falling tree; iiis widow is now 
 residing with our subject. Mrs. Bivins' 
 maternal grandfather Smith came to Lo- 
 rain county in 1834. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Bivins was born one 
 child, Frank B., who became a sailor, em- 
 barking first at Erie, Penn.; after sailing 
 for three years on the lakes, he went to 
 Philadelphia, fi-om there sailing to Ger- 
 many, and thence to Australia, whence, 
 after a stay of nine months, he went to 
 London, England. From there he went to 
 San Francisco, and then cruised alono- the 
 coast to British Columbia. He was killed 
 on board the ship " Kennebec," while some 
 days out from San Pedro, Cal., and was 
 buried at sea. In politics our subject is a 
 meml)er of the Democratic party, and he 
 has filled numerous political offices; for 
 two years he was marshal of North Am- 
 herst, and he has also served as constable, 
 as member of the town council, and as as- 
 sessor of Nortli Amherst. Socially he is 
 a member of Stonington Lodge No. 503, 
 and in religion he and his wife are mem- 
 bers of the Congregational Church at North 
 Amlierst. 
 
 J. GAREETT. In the front rank 
 of the representative agriculturists 
 of Carlisle township is found this 
 gentleman, the owner of one of the 
 finest 200 acre farms in the county, de- 
 voted to general agriculture, in a great 
 measure to dairying, liaving thereon an 
 average of twenty cows. 
 
 Mr. Garrett is a native of New York 
 State, born in Saratoga county, August 10, 
 1830, a son of Benjamin and Charlotte 
 (Rowell) Garrett, the father a native of 
 New York State, the mother of Vermont. 
 Thev were married in New York State, 
 and in 1834 migrated to Lorain county, 
 
1190 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Ohio, locating first in Penfield township, 
 afterward, in 1836, settling in Carlisle 
 township, where they bought a partly-im- 
 proved farm of 265 acres. In politics the 
 father was first a Democrat, then a Kepub- 
 lican, and he served as trustee of his town- 
 ship. He died in Carlisle township, June 
 29, 1866, the mother in May, 1886, at the 
 age of eighty-seven years. The paternal 
 grandfather of subject, Joseph Garrett, 
 lived all his life in New York State, and 
 his wife lived to be ninety years old. To 
 Benjamin and Charlotte Garrett were born 
 three children, viz.: John, who married, 
 and moved to Clinton county, Mich., where 
 he died about the year 1884; Jane Eliza, 
 wife of George Noble, residing iu Elyria, 
 and S. J. 
 
 The subject of this memoir was almost 
 five years old when he came with his par- 
 ents to Lorain county, and in Carlisle 
 township received his education, at the 
 same time giving his assistance toward the 
 opening up and improving of the home 
 farm. In 1854 he was married to Miss 
 M. Noble, who was born in Lorain county, 
 and reared in LaGrange township, a daugh- 
 ter of Herveyand Phcjebe (Wilkinson) No- 
 ble, who settled in an early day in that 
 township, where they carried on farming 
 the rest of their lives. Af the time of their 
 settlement in LaGrange, in June, 1827, 
 there were only two or three families in 
 the township. Mr. Noble died June 16, 
 1871, aged seventy-six, his w'ife having 
 preceded him to the grave April 23, 1870, 
 aged sixty-nine years. They had a family 
 of eight children, as follows: Betsy, de- 
 ceased at the age of eighteen months; 
 Esther, wife of David Parsons, of Akron, 
 Oliio; George W., residing in Elyria; 
 Amanda, deceased at the age of eighteen 
 years; Emily Annette, wife of C. C. Man- 
 ville, of LaGrange township, TiOrain coun- 
 ty; Mrs. S. J. Garrett; Henry D., who 
 was married, and died iti Lorain county in 
 1861; and Melissa, deceased at the age of 
 four years. To Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Garrett 
 were born three children: Frank, who was 
 
 married in 1878 to Miss Mary Martin, and 
 has one cliild — Essie Bell; Cora, wife of 
 Charles Fuller, who has one child — Carrie 
 (they live in Cleveland); and Charles, who 
 was married in February, 1887, to Minnie 
 Lehman, and has three sons — Leroy, Mark 
 Elmer and Roy. In his political associa- 
 tions Mr. Garrett is a Republican, and has 
 served as township trustee three or four 
 terms. 
 
 ffJflRAM WACK, one of the promi- 
 IsH nent representative agriculturists of 
 I 4. Carlisle township, is a " Green 
 ■JJ Mountain Laddie." born in Ver- 
 
 mont September 9, 1809, a son of 
 Frederick and Hannah (Loomis) Wack, 
 natives of Connecticut. 
 
 They were married in their native State, 
 and afterward moved to Manchester, Vt., 
 thence to Dorset, Vt., when our subject 
 was al)out two years old. In 1837 they 
 came to Lorain county, Ohio, settling on 
 afarni near the Black river, in Carlisle town- 
 ship, where Mr. Wack died, when over 
 eighty years of age; Mrs. Wack passed 
 away in Michigan also aged over eighty 
 years. They had a family of children, si.t 
 of wiiom are yet living, named as follows: 
 Eliza (wife of John Wyman), William 
 Albert, Iliram, Charles Chauncey, Caro- 
 line Laura, and Clarissa; Erastus died in 
 infancy. In politics Mr. Wack was a 
 member of the Whig party. 
 
 Hiram Wack, of whom this sketch 
 chiefly relates, may bo justly classified 
 among the pioneers of Carlisle township, 
 as he came here in 1837, at a time when 
 wild animals were yet plentiful. On Sep- 
 tember 19, 1839, he was married to Miss 
 Jane Rickey, a native of Vermont, and 
 they had three children, as follows: George, 
 who married Miss Diantha Vibber, and has 
 one child — Herbert (they live in Russia 
 township); Alfred, who married Miss Caro- 
 line Bender, and has six children — Ellen, 
 Charles, Frank, Cassie, Mary and Mabel; 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1191 
 
 and Mary Jane, wife of Cliarles II. Heigh- 
 ton, who has three children — Harry, John 
 and Robert (the family reside in La Porte, 
 Carlisle township). Our subject learned 
 the trade of cai'penter in New York, and 
 Worked at same in Oberlin some years, at 
 intervals, before his marriage; he was also 
 a workman one winter on the steamship 
 " Bunker Hill," which lay at the mouth of 
 the Black river. After marriage he did 
 carpenter work only in his neighborhood, 
 and also operated his farm, which is well 
 improved and now comprises some 179 
 acres. He has taken an active interest in poli- 
 tics as a member of the Republican party 
 ever since its organization, though his first 
 vote was cast for Andrew Jackson. The 
 paternal grand lather of subject, who is 
 supposed to have been a German, was a 
 soldier in the Anierican Revolution, and 
 died while on his way home at the close of 
 his service. 
 
 ^ARREN EARL, assessor and treas- 
 urer of Eaton township, who has 
 been a lesident of Lorain county 
 since December, 1853, is a native 
 of Tompkins county, N. Y., born in 1834. 
 His parents, Moses and Elizabeth (Fauver) 
 Earl, were also natives of New York, and 
 there passed their entire lives. The father 
 died in New York in 1836. They had 
 but one child, AVarren. Some time pre- 
 vious to liis death Moses Earl had located 
 land in Ohio. 
 
 Warren Earl was reared and educated in 
 Tompkins county, N. Y., and in 1853 
 came to Lorain county, Ohio, locating in 
 Eaton township, and working in Elyria, 
 where he learned the bricklayer's and 
 plasterer's trades. In 1864 he enlisted, at 
 Wooster, Ohio, foroneyear, in Company D, 
 One Hundred and Seventy-eighth O. V. I., 
 and served with the army of the West. 
 He participated in the engagement at 
 Murfreesborough, served till the close of 
 
 the war, and 1865 was honorably dis- 
 charged at Philadelphia. He returned to 
 Lorain county, Ohio, and in 1868 settled 
 in Eaton township, where in 1877 he 
 bought twenty acres of improved land. Mr. 
 Earl has taken considerable interest in 
 politics, voting with the Republican party, 
 and has served two terms as township as- 
 sessor and for twelve years as treasurer. 
 
 Our subject has been twice married, 
 first in 1859, in Eaton township, to Miss 
 Adelaide Fauver, a native of New York, 
 who died in 1871. In February, 1874, he 
 was united in marriage with Miss Sally 
 Earl, a native of New York, and to this 
 union have come two children, namely: 
 Minnie A. and Anna B. Socially Mr. 
 Earl is a member of Richard Allen Post 
 No. 65, G. A. R., Elyria. 
 
 T( O. HUMPHREY, a lifelong farmer 
 
 k. I of Eaton township, comes of a family 
 
 \^i who have been identified with the 
 
 county over threescore and ten years. 
 
 He was born in 1832 on his present 
 farm on Butternut Ridge, a son of Orson 
 J. and Lucinda (Sutliffj Humphrey, both 
 of whom were natives of Connecticut, 
 where they were married. Fi-om there 
 they came with a one-horse wagon to 
 Lorain county. Ohio, the trip occupying 
 six weeks, and in 1822 located in Ridge- 
 ville township, whence in 1832 they 
 moved to Eaton township, to the farm now 
 occupied by the subject of tiiis sketch. 
 Orson J. Hum])hrey was a taiiner and 
 currier by trade, which he carried on till 
 he commenced farming. He took a con- 
 siderable interest in politics, first as a 
 Whig, later as a Republican, and served as 
 a justice of the peace fifteen years, and 
 county commissioner three terms. He 
 died December 5, 1867, his wife in No- 
 vember, 1869. They had a family of six 
 children, five of whom grew to maturity, 
 as follows: Amelia, deceased wife of Joiner 
 
1192 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Race, of Ridgeville township, Lorain 
 County; Fidelia, wife of Lewis M. Pounds, 
 of Topeka, Kans.; Orelia, now in Kansas; 
 Facelia (widow of William Brust), a resi- 
 dent of Toledo, Ohio, and J. O. 
 
 The snbject of our sketch had a thor- 
 oughly practical school training in his 
 native township, and afterward attended 
 select school at LaPorte, Lorain county, 
 and college at Berea. On his return 
 home he applied himself assiduously to 
 agriculture, at which he has since contin- 
 ued with well-merited success. He now 
 owns a fine farm of 125 acres, all in a 
 good state of cultivation. 
 
 In 1856 Mr. Humphrey was married, 
 in Carlisle township, to Miss Elizabeth 
 Worthington, and eight children have 
 been born to tiiem, of whom the following 
 is a brief record: Helena is residing at 
 home; Elmer E. married Miss Aizina 
 Hamlin, and they have two children — 
 Hamlin and Blanche; and Mary, Orson, 
 Clarence, Mildred, Edwin and Herbert, all 
 at home. Mr. Humphrey in his political 
 sympathies votes the Democratic ticket. 
 Mrs. Humphrey is a member of the M. E. 
 Cliurch at LaPorte. Joseph and Betsy 
 Humphrey, grandparents of subject, were 
 Connecticut people, born of Welsh an- 
 cestry, and in an early day came to Kidge- 
 ville township, Lorain county, where they 
 passed tiie rest of their busy lives. 
 
 \ICHAED MARSH, a farmer of 
 ^ Eaton township, was born in 1816 
 ^ in tiie eastern part of the county of 
 Kent, England, son of John and 
 Eiizabetli (Dean) Marsh. The par- 
 ents of our subject were also natives of 
 England, where they died, the father at 
 the age of seventy, the mother at the age 
 of fifty-one. They reared a family of 
 seven children, two of whom are still liv- 
 ing, namely: Jane, wife of Thomas Spicer, 
 residing in England; and Richard, subject 
 
 of this memoir. John, who came to Eaton 
 township in 1850, married Louisa Sutton, 
 and died in October, 1890; his widow re- 
 sides in Eaton township. 
 
 Richard Marsh was reared and educated 
 in his native England, and there engaged 
 in farming pursuits until 1852, when he 
 came to the United States, locating in 
 Eaton township, Lorain Co., Ohio. In 
 1864 he was married, in Eaton township, 
 to Mrs. Harriet Cassell, a native of Eng- 
 land, widow of Edward Cassell, by whom 
 she had two children: Henry, a resident 
 of Missouri, and a daughter, Mrs. Silk. 
 Mr. Marsh has devoted his entire life to 
 agriculture, and he now owns a good farm 
 of forty-two acres, all ir) a high state of 
 cultivation. In his j^olitical' preferences 
 he is a Republican; in religion he is a 
 member of the Disciple Church. 
 
 J 
 
 OHN BERRES, for over a third of a 
 century a valuable farmer citizen of 
 Ridgeville township, is a native of 
 Germany, born near Berlin in 1835, 
 a son of Adam and Mary Berres, of the 
 same country. In 1856 the family came 
 to the United States, settling in Ridgeville 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio, where the 
 parents passed the i-est of their lives, the 
 father dying in 1892, the mother in 1879. 
 As will be seen, our subject was about 
 twenty-two years of age when he came to 
 America, so that his school days were all 
 passed in his native land, where he also 
 learned farming (a vocation lie has ever 
 since followed), besides, according to the 
 customs of the countrj', a trade, his choice 
 being carpentry, at which he worked two 
 years before crossing the ocean. In 1865 
 he bought forty-two acres of partly-im- 
 proved land, subsequently adding thereto 
 the Taylor farm, and he now owns 103 
 acres, all well-cultivated, on which he has 
 erected a comfortable modern one-and-a- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1193 
 
 half-story residence 22x28, with an L, 
 also one and a half stories, 18. x 24; kitchen 
 14x16; vvoodsiied 12x14; horse l)aru 
 22x28. He has also put up a commodi- 
 ons barn 40 x60, and a second one 30x40. 
 Mr. Berres confines himself to general 
 farming, and by untiring energy, sound 
 judgment and judicious economy has made 
 a7i enviable Success. 
 
 In 1861 our subject was married, in 
 Eidgeville township, to Miss Anna Stouber, 
 a native of Germany, daughter of Peter 
 and Barbara (Conrad) Stouber, also of 
 Germany, who in an early day immigrated 
 to tlie United States, making tlieir final 
 home in Avon township. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Berres are the parents of four children, as 
 follows: Emma, married to George Often, 
 of Ridgeville township (they have two 
 children, Mathias and Katie); Katie, wife 
 of Mathias Diedrick, of Ridgeville town- 
 ship; Mary and Caspar. They have also 
 adopted a boy named Tony Stouber. Some 
 time ago our subject spent seven years in 
 the Lake Superior country among the 
 copper mines. He is an active member of 
 the Republican party, and has served his 
 township as supervisor and member of the 
 school board. He and his wife were born 
 and brought up in the faith of the Roman 
 Catholic Church. 
 
 H. JACKSON. Among the pros- 
 perous and most respected of the 
 representative, native-born agricul- 
 turists of Eaton township, is to be 
 found this gentleman. He is a son of Bar- 
 nabas and Martha (Farni)am) Jackson, and 
 first saw the light of day in 1851. 
 
 Barnabas Jackson, fatiier of subject, was 
 born in Maine, whence when young he 
 came to Liverpool, Medina Co., ()hio, with 
 his parents, Abel and Sarah Jackson, who 
 were also natives of Maine. He married 
 in Portage county, Ohio, Miss Martha 
 
 63 
 
 Farnham, who was born in that county, 
 near Ravenna, and for some time there- 
 after they lived in Medina connty, where 
 he conducted a sawmill. Later lie followed 
 building and contracting in Grafton town- 
 ship, Lorain county, and among the build- 
 ings he put up may be mentioned the 
 roundhouse and two hotels. In 1853 he 
 moved to Eaton township, same county, 
 and bought an improved farm from. Ira B. 
 Morgan, where he passed the rest of his 
 days in agricultural pursuits, dying Au- 
 gust 8, 1889. He was a Republican, 
 originally a Whig, and served his town- 
 ship as trustee; during the dark days of 
 the war of tlie Rebellion he gave all tiie 
 assistance in his power to preserve the 
 Union. His own parents died, the father 
 in Iowa, the mother in Eaton township, 
 Lorain county, aged eighty-nine years. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. Barnabas Jackson were born 
 seven children, all of whom are yet living, 
 viz.: Ellen, wife of Albert Bingham, of 
 Eaton township; C. H., our subject; 
 Sarah, wife of Charles Kettner, of Cleve- 
 land: Frederick Henry, married to Celia 
 Nichols, and residing in Cleveland; An- 
 drew, married, and living in Eaton town- 
 ship; Byron W., married to Blanche Nich- 
 ols, and living in Cleveland; and James 
 E., married to Sarah Aubrey, also in Cleve- 
 land. The mother of this family is yet 
 living on the old homestead. 
 
 C. H. Jackson, whose name opens this 
 sketch, received his elementary education 
 at the schools of Eaton township, which 
 was supplemented with a two-years' at- 
 tendarce at Oberlin College. He was 
 reared to agricultural pursuits, but in early 
 life turned his attention to the manufac- 
 ture of cheese, which industry he carried 
 on in Ridgeville township, Lorain county, 
 some thirteen years; he was also interested 
 in a cheese factory in Eaton township. In 
 1881 he purchased an improved farm of 
 125 acres in Eaton township, where he has 
 since resided, carrying on general farming. 
 
 In 1877 Mr. Jackson was united in mar- 
 riage, in Berea, Ohio, with Miss Eva E. 
 
1194 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Emmons, a native of Columbia township, 
 Lorain county, daughter of Francis and 
 Cordelia (Smith) Emmons, of Connecticut, 
 and pioneers of Columbia township, Lo- 
 rain county; the mother is deceased, the 
 father yet living. To this union has been 
 born one child — Grace G. In his political 
 associations Mr. Jackson is a Republican, 
 and for five years served as township trus- 
 tee; in 1888 he was elected a justice of 
 the peace. 
 
 A. BAINBRIDGE, one of the 
 wideawake, go-ahead, native-born 
 agriculturists of Ridgeville town- 
 ship, is owner of 140 acres of as 
 good land as can be found in the county, 
 being mostly the old homestead of the 
 family. 
 
 Mr. Bainbridge was born in 1837, a son 
 of William and Elizabeth (Ford) Bain- 
 bridge, natives of England, the father of 
 near Hull, Yorkshii-e. They were married 
 in their native country, and subsequently 
 immigrated to the United States, and in 
 1832 they made for themselves a new 
 home in Ridgeville township, Lorain 
 county, the locality at that time being all 
 woodland. William Bainbridge first 
 bought twenty-five acres, to which he 
 added sixty acres, and, later, fifty acres, ag- 
 gregating 185 acres of fine farm land, where 
 he successfully carried on general agricul- 
 ture till his death; his widows passed away 
 at the age of eighty-one years. Mr. Bain- 
 bridge in his political views was first a 
 Whig, in later years a stalwart Republican, 
 casting his first Presidential vote for J. C. 
 Fremont, and ho held many township 
 ofiices of trust. To this honored couple 
 was born a family of children, the follow- 
 ing being a brief record of them: George 
 died in Ridgeville township at the age of 
 thirty-three; Mary Jane died young; Jabez, 
 married, resides in Olmsted township, 
 Cuyahoga county; W. A. is the subject of 
 this sketch; Hester is the wife of Thomas 
 
 Hollister, of California; Rachel is the wife 
 of Augustus Tilliurg, of Ridcreville town- 
 ship; Pletcherdied in Ridgeville township; 
 William B., who was married, died in 
 Ridgeville township. 
 
 The subject of these lines received such 
 education as was afforded in his early boy- 
 hood by the primitive schools,' held in 
 some old log shanty, whose ' furnishings 
 and "dominie," alike, smacked of "the 
 sere and yellow leaf." In politics he is a 
 straight Republican, and has served his 
 township as road commissioner. In 1891 
 he visited California, spending six months 
 in the southern portion of the State, part 
 of the time in San Jose. Mr. Bainbrido-e 
 has not yet enlisted in the courageous army 
 of " Benedicts," preferring an Arcadian lite 
 of single bliss. 
 
 CHARLES W. BOMMER, a repre- 
 sentative, progressive citizen of 
 Avon township, where he has re- 
 sided since child hood, was born August 
 30, 1861, in Olmsted township, Cuyahoo-a 
 Co., Ohio. 
 
 Joseph Bommer, father of Charles W., 
 was a native of Baden, Germany, whence 
 in an early day he came to the United 
 States and to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, 
 where he worked by the month. He mar- 
 ried Sophia Muche, who was born in 
 Hesse, Germany, and in 1867 they came 
 to Avon township, and opened np a farm 
 on which he remained until his death, 
 which occurred in 1881; his widow passed 
 away in Avon township in 1885. They 
 reared a family of seven children, as fol- 
 lows: Louisa, wife of P. Nagle, of Avon 
 township; Ed., married, residing in West 
 View, Cuyahoga county; Frank, a resident 
 of Ridgeville township, Lorain count}'; 
 Eva, who died at the age of twenty-two 
 years; Gertie, living in Lorain county; 
 Willie, who died when three years old; and 
 Charles W., whose name introduces this 
 sketch. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1195 
 
 Charles W. Bommer came with his par- 
 ents to Avon townsliip when six years 
 old, and here obtained his literary educa- 
 tion in the common schools. He was 
 trained from early boyhood to agricultural 
 pursuits, in which he has always been en- 
 gaged, and he now owns a half interest in 
 the homestead and a farm in Ilidtreville 
 township. He was united in marriage, in 
 1886, in Avon township, with Miss Anna 
 Engels, a native of the township, daughter of 
 Peter Engels, and to this union have been 
 born four children, viz.: Frank, Clara, 
 Willie and Anna Bertha. In his political 
 preferences Mr. Bommer is an ardent 
 worker in the ranks of the Democratic 
 party; in tlie spring of 1893 he was 
 elected trustee of Avon township, where 
 he has also served as supervisor and school 
 director. In religious connection he and 
 his wife are members of the Catholic 
 Church at French Creek. 
 
 rEEDERICK DAGUE, a self-made, 
 representative agriculturist of Pen- 
 ^ field township, is a son of Frederick 
 and Catherine (Harsh) Dague, and 
 was the second child born to them after 
 their removal to Ohio. 
 
 Our subject first saw the light January 
 23, 1822, and received a limited education 
 in the subscription schools, the only ones 
 then afforded at that time and place. From 
 early boyhood he was inured to the arduous 
 duties of pioneer farm life, and he remained 
 at home until several years after his mar- 
 riage. On August 29, 1844, he was wedded 
 to Miss Maria Smith, born December 
 9, 1824, in Berks county, Penn., daughter 
 of Jeremiah and Rowena (Arnold) Smith, 
 who came to Ohio in 1826, settling in 
 Stark county, where Mr. Smith died, the 
 family subsequently removing to Tticliland 
 county, where Mrs. Dague resided until 
 her marriage. The young couple took up 
 their residence on the farm of his father 
 
 until 1851, when they removed to their 
 present farm in Pentield township, then 
 comprising 100 acres, all in the woods, 
 which he purchased at five dollars and a 
 half per acre. The cabin in which they 
 lived was built of logs, had a white 
 ash floor, and was a very comfortable, 
 though rudely-furnished, home. Soon 
 after coming here Mr. Dague built a 
 barn, which is still standing, he and his 
 brother John, who were neighbors, assist- 
 ing each other in their work. To Frede- 
 rick and Maria Dague were born children 
 as follows: John, of Litchfield, Ohio; 
 Levi, of Harrisville, Ohio; Maretus, of 
 Chatham, Ohio; Frederick, of Spencer, 
 Ohio; Sarah M., the widow of Robert 
 Everhart; Homer, who died at the age of 
 thirteen years; Jeremiah, of Spencer; 
 Jonathan, a farmer of Litchfield, Ohio; 
 Mary Jane, Mrs. Orrin Meade, of Michi- 
 gan; Emerson, a farmer, at home; Charles, 
 a farmer of Spencer; Ella, Mrs. Grant 
 Hull, of Litchfield, Ohio; and Anna, who 
 married Grant Hull, and died at the age 
 of twenty-two years. Mr. Dague has been 
 a lifelong farmer, and for a short while 
 carried on a dairy in connection with 
 his agricultural work. He now owns a 
 fine farm of 190 acres, all accumulated by 
 his own energy and unceasing industry, 
 for he began life with comparatively noth- 
 ing. In his political predilections he has 
 always been a stanch Democrat, and in 
 religious faith he and his wife are meo^- 
 bers of the German Baptist Church at 
 Chatham, Ohio. 
 
 /GEORGE T. DEEG, a highly success- 
 ( _ ful farmer and grape-grower of 
 \J Avon township, is a native Wurtem- 
 ^^ berg, Germany, born in 1826. 
 
 He is a son of Christopher and 
 Elizabeth (^Lautenschlager) Deeg, of the 
 same locality, who were married in Ger- 
 many, and in 1842 set sail from the port 
 
1196 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 of Le Havre-de-Graee, France, for the New 
 World, their family accompanying them. 
 After a voyage of thirty-three days they 
 landed in JSew York City, whence they 
 came direct to Cleveland, ()hio, arriving in 
 Avon township, Lorain county, in October, 
 same year. Here they settled on a farm 
 near the lake shore, and here the 'father 
 died in 1847, tlje mother in 1846. They 
 were the parents of six children, as follows: 
 Catherine, who married John Upwright, 
 and died in 1859 in Eaton county, Mich.; 
 Margaret, first married to Christian Seifred, 
 who was killed in Cleveland, and now the 
 widow of Christian Brandt (she resides in 
 Covington); Dorothea, who married Treat 
 Titus, and died in 1874; George T., onr 
 subject; Mary, widow of Christian Schorn- 
 hurst, of Chicago, 111.; and Caroline, wife 
 of Daniel S. Green, of Avon township. 
 
 George T. Deeg was sixteen years old 
 when the family came to America from 
 Germany, and a portion of his education 
 was received in each country. After 
 leaving scliool he, in 1852, shipped before 
 the mast on a vessel sailing; the lakes, and 
 for fourteen years followed that vocation 
 in various capacities, such as common 
 sailor, cook, mate, etc.; in 1858 he bongbt 
 a vessel which he sailed for his own account 
 till the fall of 1862, when be sold her and 
 in 1863 navigrated her for others. In 1861 
 he had bought his present tine farm of 
 sixty-eiglit acres, and has since erected a 
 commodious and comfortable residence 
 thereon. In 1849 Mr. Deeg was united 
 in marriage, in Avon township, with Miss 
 Maria Diederich, daughter of Peter and 
 Gertrude Diederich, who came to Lorain 
 county in 1847, and are now both deceased. 
 To this union were born four children, 
 to wit: William G., a resident of Detroit, 
 Mich., who is married and has three chil- 
 dren: Sailor, Bell and Anna; Joel T., mar- 
 ried and residing in Elyria (has three chil- 
 dren: Nellie, Nina and Josephine); Au- 
 gusta, widow of William Moon, of Avon 
 township (has three children: Stella, Guy 
 and William); and Julia, in Detroit, Mich. 
 
 The mother of these died in 1879, and in 
 1882 Mr. Deeg married Miss Elnora Corn- 
 well, a native of Columbia township, Lo- 
 rain county, a daughter of Elson Cornwell, 
 an early pioneer of the county. Politically 
 our subject is a Republican, and has been 
 a member of the scliool board. He and 
 his wife are associated witii the M. E. 
 Church of Avon township. 
 
 TF^LISHA JACKSON, one of the 
 
 1^ earliest and best-known pioneer 
 IL^i citizens of Penfield township, was 
 born October 8, 1818, in Champion, 
 Jefferson Co., New York. 
 
 Our subject received his education in 
 the common schools of the period, attend- 
 ing whenever possible, as he took more 
 pleasure in study than in play, and was a 
 very apt scholar. When but a young man 
 he entered the employ of a man named 
 Poole, who made fanning mills, while 
 engaged in this displaying considerable 
 liking and natural ability for carpentry, 
 and later working at tiie business in Phila- 
 delphia, Jefierson county, N. Y. He 
 remained in his native county until 1841, 
 when he started for the then Far West, pro- 
 ceeding tirst to SHcket's Harbor, where he 
 took the boat for Lewiston, thence travel- 
 ing by stage-coach to Niagara Falls. 
 From the latter place he came to Buffalo 
 on the tirst railroad he had ever seen, and 
 there took the lake l)oat for Cleveland, his 
 destination being Pentield, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, where his eldest brother, Pliny, re- 
 sided. Having missed the stage-coach to 
 Elyria, and having but a few dollars with 
 him, not suthcienl to hire a private convey- 
 ance, he walked from Cleveland to Pen- 
 tield, arriving there June 3. Here he 
 worked at his old occupation, the manufac- 
 ture of fanning mills, meantime making 
 his home with his brother until July 4, 
 1843, when he married Miss Eleanor A. 
 Rowland. She was born November 22, 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1197 
 
 1820, in Oneida county, N. Y., daughter 
 of Joel and Lucy (Wood) Rowland, fanning 
 people, and was in Pentield townsliij) on a 
 visit to her sister, Mrs. Pliny Jackson, 
 when she met our subject. For a sliort 
 time after iiis marriage Mr. Jackson lived 
 in Pentield township, then removed to 
 Pittstield township, where he bought land, 
 and later took up his residence in Monroe, 
 Mich., wliere he was employed as pattern- 
 maker in a foundry, his knowledge of car- 
 pentry being sufficient to enable him to 
 perform such work. After four years he 
 returned to Penfield township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, locating on his present farm, for 
 which he had previously negotiated. At 
 that time a dense forest covered the land, 
 on which no improvements whatever had 
 been made, and all the clearing on the 
 tract, 137 acres in extent, has been done 
 either by hiui or under his direction. 
 
 To Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have been 
 born children as follows: Joel R., a farmer 
 of Pentield township, who was first married 
 to Mary Bradstock, by whom he had two 
 sons — Harley (now deceased) and Judson 
 C (the mother of these died and he was 
 married, for his second wife, to her sister 
 Lydia); Charles E., farmer of Pentield; 
 Charille H., deceased wife of John Brad- 
 stock; Lucy, wife of Horace Palmer, now 
 of Pe:itield; Milo T., a farmer of Pentield, 
 wiio has four children — Oga Eveline, 
 Altha Leona, Margaret Irene and Carl; 
 and Sally E., residing with her parents. 
 "With the exception of the time spent in 
 working at his trade, Mr. Jackson has 
 given his attention to farming. He and 
 his wife have seen great changes in this 
 section of the country ; panthers, bears, deer, 
 wolves, turkeys, and other wild animals 
 which once abounded have now disap- 
 
 f)eared from the region ; the dense forest 
 las given place to smiling farms; and tiie 
 rude hut which first sheltered the family 
 is now supplanted by a substantial brick 
 residence. Mr. Jackson has performed 
 much arduous labor in his day, and by his 
 untiring energy and industry has amassed 
 
 a very comfortable competency. On July 
 4, 1893, he and his wdfe celebrated their 
 "golden wedding," an occasion which will 
 ever be remembered by those present. In 
 his political preferences our subject has 
 been a Republican since 1856. prior to 
 which time he was an ardent Whig, cast- 
 ing liis first Presidential vote for William 
 H. Harrison. He takes a lively interest in 
 the success of his party, and, while not an 
 office-seeker, has served several terms as 
 township trustee, with credit to himself 
 and satisfaction to his constituents. 
 
 ri( II. WITBECK, who during his 
 
 l/V lifetime was a well-known and uni- 
 
 Ifl^ versally respected member of the 
 
 ^J farming community of Pentield 
 
 township, was born May 20, 1827, 
 
 in Schoharie county, N. Y., son of Henry 
 
 G. and Freelove (Welton) Witbeck. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was reared to 
 farm life, and received his literary educa- 
 tion at the common schools of those, early 
 days, which he attended a few weeks in the 
 winter season; and the only year he spent 
 the entire winter at school was while work- 
 ing for his board for William L. Hayes. 
 When he was four years old, in the fall of 
 1831, he had been brought by his parents 
 from New York State to Pentield town- 
 ship, Lorain Co., Ohio, where he grew to 
 manhood, and being the eldest of six sons, 
 the bulk of the duties on the home farm 
 fell on his shoulders. As soon as he was 
 old enough he worked principally away 
 from home, doing various kinds of farm 
 labor in various districts, and receiving for 
 his services from six to eight dollars per 
 month, all his earnings going to assist his 
 father to pay for some land which the 
 latter had purchased. For one year he 
 was in the employ of Talcott Starr, of 
 Elyi'ia township, and he also spent one 
 winter in Michigan, in the pineries, cutting 
 
1198 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 timber and working in one of the lumber 
 camps so numerous in those days. He 
 received thirty acres as his portion of the 
 tract of one hundred acres he had helped 
 his father to pay for, and this formed the 
 nucleus of the fitje property he accumulated 
 before his decease. 
 
 On November 27, 1851, Mr. Witbeck 
 was united in marriage with Miss Mary 
 Damon, of Litchfield, Ohio, who died less 
 than one year afterward, and on March 20, 
 1855, he wedded, for his second wife, Miss 
 Jane A. Goodyear, who was born March 
 27, 1838, in New Haven county. Conn., 
 daughter of Street and Susan (Jones) Good- 
 year, who came to Penfield, Lorain county, 
 in 1846, locating on the place where Mrs. 
 Goodyear yet resides; Mr. Goodyear died 
 in 1884. After marriage Mr. Witbeck 
 took up his residence on the farm where 
 he passed his entire wedded life, and which 
 at that time, with the exception of one 
 small clearing, was all in tlie woods. The 
 young people first lived in a log house, 
 which was some time afterward supplanted 
 by a frame one, and in 1875 the latter 
 gave place to a commodious brick resi- 
 dence, one of the most expensive and un- 
 doubtedly one of the most substantial in 
 the township. By purchases made from 
 time to time the extent of the original 
 farm of thirty acres was gradually in- 
 creased until there was a fine tract, com- 
 prising 250 acres of excellent land. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Witbeck had children as follows: 
 Mary Jane; E. F., who married Anna 
 Walker, of Ellsworth, Kans., and now has 
 charge of the home farm; Ansil, a farmer 
 of Penfield township; Susan A., a school- 
 teacher of Elyria; Sarah H., deceased at 
 the age of nine years; Leon G., a fanner 
 of Penfield township; and Lucinda May, 
 who resides at home, and attends school 
 in Wellington. Mr. Witbeck was a 
 thoroughly self-made man, for from a start 
 of almost nothing he accumulated his fine 
 property and earned for himself a com- 
 fortable competence. During his active 
 life he was one of the foremost agricul- 
 
 turists of Penfield township. He died 
 February 26, 1893, after a short illness 
 from heart disease, and was buried in Pen- 
 field cemetery. In politics he was a stanch 
 Democrat, and, while not an active poli- 
 tician, took aTi interest in the welfare of 
 his party and was a regular attendant at 
 the polls. For a great many years he was 
 an ardent member of the Penfield M. E. 
 Church, and at the time of his death was 
 class-leader; he had served in various other 
 positions with credit to himself and satis- 
 faction to all. Mrs. Witbeck is also a 
 member of the M. E. Church, having made 
 a cotifession when eighteen years old. 
 Since her husband's death she has man- 
 aged the affairs of the home farm, where 
 she resides with her son, Erving F. 
 
 P)ETER OSTEANDER, a typical self- 
 made man, a representative success- 
 ful agriculturist, and a respected, 
 honored citizen of Pochester town- 
 ship, is a native of New York State, 
 born August 17, 1826, in the Mohawk 
 Valley. 
 
 Peter Ostrander, father of subject, was 
 married to a Miss Wolcott, who bore him 
 children as follows: John, Amos, Mary 
 J. and Peter. The father of these, when 
 the youngest was five years old, died of 
 yellow fever, which he had contracted 
 while attending a horse race at Long Island ; 
 the widowed mother subsequently married 
 a Mr. Winchell, and died in New York at 
 an advanced age. 
 
 The subject of this sketch, after the 
 death of his father, was "bound out" to 
 one Anson Pierce, whose wife, Jane, had 
 partly reared Peter's fatiier, and a strong 
 attachment had sprung up between her and 
 our subject. After a time Mr. and Mrs. 
 Pierce, bringing young Peter Ostrander, 
 came to Ohio, via canal to Buffalo, thence 
 by lake to the month of Black river, from 
 where to Rochester township, Lorain coun- 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1199 
 
 ty, the rest of the journey was made on 
 foot tlirough an unbroken forest. There 
 were but few roads in the county in those 
 early days, and land was worth, on the 
 average, one dollar and fifty cents per acre. 
 In Rochester township Mr. Pierce made a 
 settlement on a piece of wild land that is 
 now a part of Mr. Ostrander's farm. Their 
 first dwelling was the traditional log cabin, 
 and the nearest mill where they had their 
 gristing done was Wooster, a week's trip 
 with on oxsled in sleighing time. Here 
 onr subject when old enough assisted in 
 the clearing up of the dense timber anil 
 undergrowth, and in whatever else on the 
 farm he was able to put his youthful hand 
 to. During the winter months for a sea- 
 son or two he attended school at Meach's 
 Corners, one mile south of his home, his 
 path lying through the forest, and many a 
 wild animal did he see as he plodded his 
 way onward. His first teacher was Squire 
 Conaut, and he has lived to see some 
 wonderful changes in the county, not the 
 least being the educational system gener- 
 ally, particularly the establishment of the 
 common schools. He was thoroughly in- 
 ducted into the mysteries of farm life, and 
 has made agricultural pui-suits an unquali- 
 fied success. After his marriage he located 
 on fifty acres of land he had bought near 
 where his foster-parents resided, but later 
 sold this, purchasing elsewhere in Roches- 
 ter township. Subsequently he moved to 
 Huntington township, whence after a resi- 
 dence of some years he came, in 1(S60, to 
 where he now lives in Rochester township, 
 having bought the Pierce homestead. 
 
 In 1852, during the "gold fever," Mr. 
 Ostrander set out for California along with 
 a party of five other fortune hunters from 
 his neighborhood. They proceeded by rail 
 to Cincinnati, thence by river to St. Joseph, 
 Mo., where they equipped themselves for 
 their long journey, and then set out via 
 the Plains, at the end of three months 
 reaching Placerville, Cal. Mr. Ostrander 
 remained at the " gold diggings " two 
 years, and then returned to his home via 
 
 Aspinwall and Isthmus of Panama, thence 
 by steamer to New York City, and from 
 there to Ohio by rail. 
 
 On May 4, 18-48, Mr. Ostrander married 
 Miss Sarah A. Gilmore, who was born 
 August 17, 1833, in P.ecket, Mass., a 
 daughter of Darius Gilmore, an early set- 
 tler of Rochester township, who at one 
 time owned a farm near Rochester Sta- 
 tion. Two children were the result of 
 this union, to wit: William L., born 
 February 1, 1849, now a resident of Co- 
 lusa county, Cal., and Mary J., born 
 September 28, 1851, now the wife of 
 Darius Segar, of Rochester township. 
 This wife died and was buried in Roches- 
 ter, and on April 26, 1856, our subject, 
 for his second wife, married Mrs. Cath- 
 erine St. Peter, widow of Joseph St. Peter; 
 she is a native of near Harrisburg, Penn., 
 born November 10, 1832, a daughter of 
 Samuel and Catherine (Goodman) Long, 
 who, when Mrs. Ostrander was an infant 
 came to Ohio, locating in Wayne county 
 for a time, thence moving to Illinois; and 
 finally returning to Huntington township, 
 Lorain county. Mr. Ostrander is the 
 owner of seventy-five acres excellent land, 
 one of the best tracts in Rochester town- 
 ship, and for over thirty-seven years his 
 faithful wife has assisted him in the eco- 
 norTiical management of the farm. She is 
 a member of the Methodist Church at 
 Rochester Station. He is a stanch Demo- 
 crat, though not a strict partisan, and, be- 
 yond recording his vote regularly at the 
 polls, takes little active interest in politics. 
 
 \^{ H. FELTON, merchant, Rochester 
 Vj Station, has the reputation of con- 
 l| ducting one of the best- kept coun- 
 fj try stores in the county, which is 
 
 enjoying an ever-increasing pat- 
 ronage. 
 
 Mr. Felton was born April 18, 1820, in 
 Prescott, Hampshii'e Co., Mass., a grand- 
 
1200 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 son of Samuel Felton, and a son of Nathan 
 Felton, who was by occupation a mer- 
 chant and hotel-keeper. He, Nathan, mar- 
 ried Mary Hiues, a daughter of Dr. Ne- 
 hemiah Hines (a very prominent physician 
 of more than local reputation), and the 
 .children born to this union were: N. H. 
 (subject of sketch); Nathan, who died in 
 Worcester county, Mass.; and Harrison, a 
 farmer and raercliaat, who died in North- 
 ampton, Mass. The parents both passed 
 to their rest in the last named place, and 
 were buried there. 
 
 N. H. Felton, whose name opens this 
 sketch, received his elementary education 
 at the common schools of his native place, 
 which was supplemented with two terms 
 at Amherst College. "When fifteen years 
 old he entered the general store of Clark 
 Bros, at Northampton, Mass., at a salary 
 of forty dollars per annum and his board. 
 At the end of two years he left this posi- 
 tion to accept another as salesman in the 
 hardware store of W. A. Arnold, of the 
 same county, and here remained eight 
 years. Some time after his marriage Mr. 
 Felton commenced a hardware business 
 for his own account in Northampton, suc- 
 cessfully conducting same three years, at 
 the end of which time, in August, 1856, 
 he moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he 
 ■feecured a position as traveling salesman 
 for Webster, Spencer & Mellen, wholesale 
 boot and shoe dealers, his route being 
 along the Lake Shore & Michigan 
 Southern Railroad, between Cliicago and 
 Cleveland. After five years experience 
 at this Mr. Felton embarked, in part- 
 nership with George W. Cady, in the 
 shoe business on Water street, Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, the style of the firm being Fel- 
 ton & Cady, which continued three years, 
 our subject disposing of his interests at the 
 end of that time. Later he was in the 
 same business in Cleveland as manufact- 
 urers' agent, afterward, until moving to 
 Lorain county, handling the bulk of the 
 product of the Auburn (N.Y.) State Prison 
 shoe factories. In 1892 he came to Roch- 
 
 ester Station, Lorain county, and in 
 August, same year, purcha.sed the general 
 store of Philip Kessler, which he has since 
 successfully conducted; and during his 
 brief residence here he has, by his courtes}', 
 fair and honorable dealing, surrounded 
 himself with hosts of friends. 
 
 In July, 1844, Mr. Felton married Miss 
 Eliza J. Hooker, a native of Massachusetts, 
 born in March, 1820, at Watertown, a few 
 miles west of Boston, daughter of Denny 
 P. Hooker, at one time a hotel-keeper, in 
 later life a stone mason and contractor. 
 Two children were born to this union be- 
 fore the removal of the family to Cleveland, 
 viz.: Clarence H., of Rochester Station, 
 Ohio, and Mary E., wife of H. B. Cham- 
 berlain, of Chicago, 111. On November 
 23, 1891, Mrs. Felton was called from earth, 
 and her remains were interred at Cleve- 
 land. In his political associations our sub- 
 ject, as was his father before him, is a 
 stanch Democrat. 
 
 ^'EORGE M. BILLINGS, a lifelong 
 agriculturist of LaGrange township, 
 of which he is a native, was born in 
 
 h 
 
 1845, a son of Orson Billings. 
 John Billings, grandfather of our 
 subject, was a Methodist preacher, but 
 lived on a farm and was principally en- 
 craged in agricultural pursuits. His son 
 Orson was born May 10, 1809, in Smyrna, 
 Chenango Co., N. Y., received a meager 
 education in the common schools, and 
 then attended select school a couple of 
 terms. He learned the trade of wagon 
 maker, but being a natural mechanical 
 genius, also manufactured musical instru- 
 ments. On September 4, 1831, he mar- 
 ried Miss Sophronia Buell, who was born 
 March 20, 1810, in Chenango county, 
 N. Y., daughter of Darias (a farmer) and 
 Sally (Craw) Buell. Having received five 
 hundred dollars from his father's estate, 
 Mr. Billinss was able, with what he had 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1201 
 
 saved, to buy a farm in the Black River 
 country, and be resided thereon for two 
 years, and then traded it for a farno in 
 Ohio, wliither he migrated in the fall of 
 1834. When he traded the farm he owed 
 about one hundred dollars, and this fact 
 delayed his migration to Ohio about a year 
 after leaving tlie Black River country, but 
 he paid it off by carpenter work, and left 
 New York free from debt. He came to 
 Ohio with a brother, John, who returned 
 to New York after assisting his brother to 
 look up the land, and in September, 1834, 
 the family, then consisting of the wife and 
 two children — Mary Jane (now Mrs. 
 George Staples, of Pittsfield) and William 
 M. (a farmer of Pittstield township) — 
 arrived here. They came by way of the 
 Ei-ie Canal to Conestoga, and thence to 
 Buffalo, down Lake Erie, where they en- 
 countered a storm which lasted five hours, 
 during which their household goods were 
 all thrown overboard. After the storm 
 al)ated they proceeded to Erie, Penn., and 
 not caring to continue their journey on 
 the boat hired a conveyance, in which they 
 were brought to Elyria, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
 from which place Orson Billings came on 
 foot to LaGrange township, and hired a man 
 named Kelner to bring the family to their 
 new home. Thev remained over night at 
 the Kelner home, and the following day 
 Orson Billings attended a town meeting, 
 and found work, moving his family for a 
 few weeks to the center of the township. 
 They next lived in a schoolhonse a short 
 distance north of the farm, and later moved 
 to a private schoolhonse, owned by a Mr. 
 Kellog, where they passed the winter of 
 1834-35. Mr. Billings had traded for 
 300 acres, which, with the exception of a 
 small clearing, was a dense forest, through 
 'which roamed numerous wild animals — 
 deer, wolves, turkeys, etc. The following 
 year a cabin was erected (which still stands 
 near the present home of the family), and 
 although the floor of this house was but 
 rudely constructed, Mrs. Billings took as 
 much pride in its neatness as she did later 
 
 in her more modern home. The table- 
 cloth was hung before the window to keep 
 out the wind, and the only ornaments were 
 a pair of brass candlesticks. This place 
 they occupied for ten years, when Mr. 
 Billings himself erected the present resi- 
 dence. 
 
 While living on the farm Mr. and Mrs. 
 Billings had children as follows: Thomas 
 J., now of Kansas; Sophronia, who married 
 George Baldwin, of Monroe county, N. Y., 
 where she died; Orson B., who died when 
 nearly thirty years old, in Elyria, where he 
 is buried ; George M., subject of this sketch ; 
 and Channcey T., who died in Elyria, 
 and was buried there. Mr. Billings was 
 engaged in various kinds of labor, making 
 musical instruments, among these an 
 organ; he invented a corn planter, the first 
 one to work successfully, and a new mowing 
 machine was also the result of his genius. 
 He had acted as sales agent ior a mower, 
 and seeing a chance for an improvement 
 he made it, and also many others fur the 
 same class of machinery. Most of his 
 farm work was done by hired hands, as his 
 love for invention and mechanics would 
 not permit him to be contented with the 
 life of a farmer; his workshop still stands. 
 Like most geniuses of his class he did not 
 realize much from his inventions, which 
 are now being successfully and profitably 
 utilized on various kinds of labor-saving 
 machinery. His death occurred March 
 12, 1875, the result of a lingering illness; 
 he had never been robust, and the inces- 
 sant activity of his brain undermined his 
 health; he was buried in Elyria, whither 
 he had removed some time before. In 
 politics he was a Democrat, and being a 
 constant reader was well posted on the 
 issues of the day. After his death his 
 widow made her home in Elyria till 1891, 
 and then came to the home farm, where 
 she resided until her death, which oc- 
 curred February 10, 1894. She was a 
 member of the Church of Christ, Elyria. 
 
 George M. Billings, the subject proper 
 of this sketch, received his primary educa- 
 
1202 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 tion in the common school;', and later at- 
 tended two terms at Oberlia. He has 
 always been engaged in agriculture, and 
 remained on the home farm till his mar- 
 riage, April 24, 1869, to Miss Mary E. 
 Ingersoll, who was born September 28, 
 1851, in Grafton township, daughter of 
 Edwin and Amelia (Kingsley) Ingersoll. 
 He then came to his present farm, where, 
 with the exception of a year spent on an- 
 other farm in LaGrange township, he has 
 ever since made his home. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Billings have two children: Pearl A. and 
 Frank C. In his political affiliations he is 
 a stanch member of the Democratic party, 
 and he has served as clerk and director of 
 the school board. 
 
 B. ADAMS, justice of the peace for 
 Columbia township, now serving 
 his si.xth term, his first election to 
 the office taking place in 1872, is a 
 native of the township, born in 1846, a son 
 of B. B. and Uranis (Hoadley) Adams. 
 
 The father of our subject was also a na- 
 tive of Columbia township, and his par- 
 ents — Benoni and Sally (Twichell) Adams 
 — came to that township in about 1810 
 from Connecticut, Mrs. Adams being the 
 first white woman to cross the Cuyahoga 
 river. They died here, heon August 1, 1876, 
 she on July 5, 1865. B. B. Adams, Sr., was 
 a farmer all his life, and accumulated a snug 
 competence; politically he was a Whig, and . 
 for years served as a justice of the peace. 
 He died in September, 1848, his wife sur- 
 viving him till 1874. Tiiey were the par- 
 ents of four children, as follows: Sarah, 
 widow of A. S. Slade, an attorney of Cleve- 
 land; Mary, wife of "W". B. Follansbee, of 
 Wellington; Nellie, wife of C. E. Parmc- 
 lee, of Lodi; and B. B. 
 
 B. B. Adams, whose name introduces 
 this sketch, received his education at the 
 common schools of his native place, and 
 also attended Oberlin College six years, 
 
 after which he commenced agricultural 
 pursuits, and he now owns a fine farm of 
 fifty- two acres (the old homestead), all 
 under a high state of cultivation. In 1884 
 he was married to Miss Alice Nichols, a 
 native of Columbia township, Lorain 
 county, and daughter of William and 
 Amanda (Watson) Nichols, of Vermont 
 and Connecticut birth, respectively, who 
 came many years ago to Columbia town- 
 ship, where the father died in May, 1869, 
 and the mother is still living. To Mr. and 
 Mrs. Adams have been born two children: 
 Lou and Chauncey. Politically our sub- 
 ject votes the Republican ticket, and has 
 been a delegate to County, Congressional, 
 Senatorial and StateConventions. In addi- 
 tion to his office of justice of the peace, he 
 has served his township as clerk thirteen 
 years. He and his wife are members of 
 the Congregational Church. Lemuel and 
 Chloe (Tyler) Hoadley. maternal grand- 
 parents of our subject, were natives of 
 Connecticut, whence about the year 1810 
 they came to Lorain county, settling in 
 Ridgeville township, where they passed 
 the rest of their pioneer lives. 
 
 lILLIAM HAWKE, a well-known 
 and prosperous citizen of Colum- 
 bia township, of which he has 
 been a resident since 1864, was 
 born in 1839, in Cornwall, England. 
 
 He is a son of Richard and Grace 
 (Hugglow) Hawke, also natives of Eng- 
 land, the former of whom died in his 
 native country, and in 1856 his widow 
 came to Lorain county, Ohio, subsequently 
 removing to Jefferson county. Wis., where 
 she passed away in 1884. They were the 
 parents of seven children (all of whom 
 came to Lorain county), as follows: John, 
 married, living in Eaton; Richard, mar- 
 ried, a farmer in Jefferson county, Wis. ; 
 Lavinia, wife of Abram Cornish, of Eaton 
 township; William, subject proper of this 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1203 
 
 sketch; Harriet, who died in Missouri; 
 Elizabeth, wife of Tlichard Pivoclc, of 
 Wisconsin; and Amelia, who died in Wis- 
 consin. 
 
 William Ha%vke was reared in his native 
 country, and there received an education 
 in tlie common schools. In 1861 he mar- 
 ried, in England, Miss Margaret Curry, 
 also a native of Cornwall, and in 1804 they 
 left England for the United States, coming 
 at once to Columbia township, Lorain Co., 
 Ohio, where he engaged in farm work. 
 He at first purchased thirty acres of land, 
 which he improved, and in 1873 bought 
 another tract, adding to iiis possessions 
 from time to time until he was owner of 
 161 acres in Columbia and Eaton town- 
 ships. At one time our subject and his 
 brother were joint owners of a farm in Co- 
 lumbia township, which they sold. To 
 Mr. and Mrs. William Hawke were born 
 six children, namely: John, residing in 
 Columbia townsliip, who is married and 
 has one child, Floyd; Mary, who is mar- 
 ried to A. Peck, of Ridgeville, and has 
 three daughters; William, married, living 
 in Eaton; Annie, who is married to K. Perry 
 Bainbridge, of Ridgeville, and has two 
 daughters; Frank and Fred. The mother 
 of these children passed from earth in 
 1882. In his political connections Mr. 
 Hawke is a Republican, and takes an 
 active interest in the welfare of his party; 
 he is a member of the school board. 
 
 JOHN LAHIFF, a well-known enter- 
 prising and influential farmer and 
 contractor of Carlisle township, is a 
 native of Ireland, born in Limerick 
 April 13, 1839. 
 
 Lawrence Lahiff, father of subject, born 
 in Limerick April 14, 1811, was there 
 married to Mary Cahill, and in 1845 they 
 came to the United States with their 
 family, having their residence in Con- 
 necticut till 1849, in which year they 
 
 moved to Kockport, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. 
 There the father continued to live till the 
 summer of 1898, when, being old and 
 feeble, our subject took him to his home 
 in Lorain county, in order the better to 
 care for him in his declining years. He 
 still owns a farm near Rockport. He was 
 twice married, his first wife dying at or 
 near Rockport, Ohio, in 1877, aged sixty- 
 four years, after which he wedded Mrs. 
 Shea, a widow lady, now deceased. 
 
 Thomas Lahiff, grandfather of John 
 Lahiff, was also born in Limerick, Ireland, 
 near which city he followed farming. In 
 1844 he came to the United States, mak- 
 ing his first home in the New World in 
 Connecticut. When eighty-five years old 
 he went to California to see his four sot)s 
 and four daughters living there. He was 
 thrice married, and was the father of 
 twenty-eight children — thirteen by each 
 of his first two wives, and two by his last 
 — and they nearly all lived to be forty or 
 fifty years old. Of these children Law- 
 rence Lahiff" is the fourth in order of 
 birth. Thomas Lahiff owned forty acres 
 of land in Ireland, and hardly knew what 
 manual labor was till coming to America. 
 He was a remarkably robust, healthy 
 man, a prevailing characteristic in the 
 entire family, and at tlie age of one hun- 
 dred and four years he built a stack of 
 hay, from bottom to top, the weight of 
 same being twelve tons, our subject pitch- 
 ing the hay to him. He was a soldier in 
 the Irish brigade that served with the 
 French under Napoleon. He died July 
 16, 1882, in the one hundred and seventh 
 year of his age, wonderfully well preserved 
 for his years, being able almost to the day 
 of his death to ride horseback, and he 
 never wore glasses. There were three 
 children in his father's family, he being 
 the only son. One of his sisters, Hannah 
 by name, was married, in Schaghticoke, 
 N. T., to a Mr. Witherick, and she is now 
 one hundred and sixteen years old, but this 
 great age did not prevent her walking 
 three miles in the fall of 1892. One of 
 
1204 
 
 LORAIJSr COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 our subject's uncles was a pioneer of Pitts- 
 Held township, Lorain county, but most of 
 the uncles settled in Nevada City, Cal., 
 and a daughter of one of them was the 
 first woman to live in the place. 
 
 John LahifE, the subject proper of this 
 sketch, came with liis lather to America, 
 and remained in Connecticut while the 
 latter was visiting in California. On his 
 return the entire family moved to Rock- 
 port, Ohio, as already related, and here 
 our subject remained till he was eighteen 
 years old, receiving a liberal education. 
 At this time he proceeded to California, 
 where he made the acquaintance of his 
 numerous uncles and aunts. Here he 
 mined three years, and then went to Rus- 
 sian America, where he mined for about 
 six months, after which he returned south 
 to Nevada Territory, via San Francisco, 
 making a stay in Virginia City. For ten 
 months he worked in one shaft in the 
 Utah mine, from the top down 1,800 feet. 
 Leaving there, he set out for Utah Terri- 
 tory, where he wintered about thirty miles 
 from Salt Lake City; then went back to 
 the mountains, thence to British America, 
 to the Courtney mines, in the Courtney 
 Mountains. P>om there he moved soutli- 
 ward to Idaho, tarrying there till the fol- 
 lowing September, when he went to East 
 Lannack, where thirty-six men were hung 
 in one day, including Judge Hines and 
 Sheriff Pluinmer, for being concerned in 
 alleged robberies of gold from the miners, 
 who did the hanging. From there Mr. 
 LahifE proceeded to north of the Salmon 
 river, where he remained about four 
 months, and then started for the United 
 States on horseback with three companions, 
 their route being right across the plains 
 to near Fort Benton. Here they camped, 
 but in the morning they were attacked by 
 some Indians, who had been camping 
 over night near them, and two out of the 
 party of four were slain, our subject's 
 horse being also killed. Mr. Lahiff and 
 the remaining member of the original 
 four, by name McQuade, now employed in 
 
 the Union Depot, Chicago, 111., succeeded 
 in effecting their escape, reaching the 
 woods, and were two days in reaching 
 Fort Benton, having nothing to eat in the 
 meantime. Here they procured fresh 
 horses, and at once resumed their journey, 
 going home via Chicago. 
 
 Our subject was married to Miss Mary 
 Welch, of North Amherst, Lorain county, 
 who was born January 8, 1847, in Albany, 
 N. Y., and they then made their home on 
 the Braman farm, in Carlisle township, 
 five years, at the end of which time he 
 sold that property, buying the Vincent 
 farm of 280 acres prime land, which he 
 still owns. Mr. Lahiff has been farming 
 since his marriage, also engaging in con- 
 tracting, butchering (first five years), and 
 trading in horses (next twelve years) — 
 having one team that twice took the pre- 
 mium at the county fair. For the past 
 few years he has done an extensive dairy- 
 ing business, keeping from eighteen to 
 forty cows. He has done contracting on 
 the B. & O. R. R. and other corporations, 
 including the grading of the road from 
 North Amherst. He has served as trustee 
 for Elyria township twelve years, and was 
 a candidate for the position of infirmary 
 director, but was defeated by a majority of 
 only sixteen votes in a constituency over- 
 whelmingly Republican. The names of 
 the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. 
 Lahiff are as follows: Thomas Francis, 
 Mary Annie, John Edward, Lawrence, 
 Emmet, and Emma M. In religion the 
 entire family are Catholics, and in politics 
 our subject is a Democrat, as his father 
 was before him. 
 
 dACOB SWARTZ,an upright, highly- 
 esteemed citizen of LaGrange town- 
 ' ship, is a native of Wurtemberg, Ger- 
 many, born March 15, 1827." His 
 father, Frederick Swartz, came to the 
 United States in TSSO, and settled in 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1205 
 
 Liverpool township, Medina Co.. Ohio, on 
 Rocky river. Three years, later, however, 
 ho died of typhoid fever, as did also his 
 eldest dan>>;hter, and both are buried in 
 Liverpool township. 
 
 Jacol) Svvartz was but a young boy 
 when hie father died, and he tlien found a 
 home with Justice Warner, who died after 
 Jacob had lived there five years, and the 
 latter then remained for years with Mrs. 
 Warner. He received but a common- 
 school education, attending school only a 
 few weeks in the winter season, as he 
 was "put into the harness " young, and 
 always had plenty of work to occupy his 
 time. He received a small start in life, 
 and took charge of a farm at the juvenile 
 age of ten years. On January 30, 1864, 
 our subject married Miss Hannah Purdy, 
 who was born October 8, 1837, in West- 
 chester county, N. Y., daughter of Will- 
 iam W. and Olivia (Dean) Purdy, and 
 came to Medina county, Ohio, in 1845, 
 settling in Liverpool township. 
 
 After his marriage Mr. Swarfz pur- 
 chased iifty-five acres of land in Grafton 
 township, Lorain county, going into debt 
 therefor, and on November 15, 1864, came 
 to his present farm, which he bought of 
 James Brown, contracting a debt of si.x 
 hundred dollars. This place comprises 
 112A acres of excellent land, upon which 
 he has erected a number of good out- 
 buildings and made many other substan- 
 tial improvements. Though his property 
 and buildings have been several times 
 damaged by tire, he has never allowed this 
 to discourage him, invariably rebuilding 
 better than he had before. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Swartz have children as follows: Don A., 
 a farmer of LaGrange; Jane A., wife of 
 Levi Johnson, of LaGrange; Cora I. and 
 Sarah L. Mr. Swartz has had much suc- 
 cess in agriculture, and for seventeen years 
 carried on in connection therewith the 
 manufacture of cheese for parties in Wel- 
 lington, Ohio, milking from eighteen to 
 twenty cows. Mr. and Mrs. Swartz have 
 accumulated a handsome competence, he 
 
 by hard work and systematic management 
 on the farm, she doing her sliare in the 
 supervision of the household affairs. He 
 has acquired among his fellow citizens an 
 enviable reputation for square, honest deal- 
 ing, which he fully deserves. In politics 
 he is a Democrat, thougli not active. 
 While not a member of any church, he 
 believes in doing unto others as he would 
 have them do unto him. 
 
 (ELLINGTON VARNEY, a well- 
 known prosperous farmer of Co- 
 lumbia township, is a native of 
 Ohio, born in 1843, in Geauga 
 county. 
 
 His father, William Varney, a native of 
 Massachusetts, and a wagon maker by 
 trade, came in an early day to Geauga 
 coutity, Ohio, and married Miss Elizabeth 
 Reed ; he was killed in a mill in 1850, and 
 his widow subsequently married Pardon 
 Wells, and removed to Wisconsin, where 
 she died in 1889. Mr. Varney had four 
 children, two of whom are living, viz.: 
 Wellington, subject of sketch, and Sarah, 
 wife of Reuben Wescott, residing in Black 
 River Falls, AVisconsin. 
 
 Wellington Varney was eight years old 
 when he came to Lorain county, making 
 his tirst home here in Henrietta towtiship, 
 where he I'eceived his education. He was 
 reared to farm life, and has always followed 
 agricultural pursuits. In 1862 he enlisted 
 at Oberlin in Company F, One Hundred 
 and Third O. V. I., for three years or 
 dui'ing the war, and was mustered into the 
 service at Frankfort-, Ky. His regiment 
 was attached to the army of the West, and 
 he participated in the battles of Atlanta, 
 Buzzard's Roost, Armstrong Hill and 
 Nashville under Gcti. Thomas; he was 
 also in the Carolina catnpaign, and in 
 1865 he was honorably discharged at 
 Cleveland, Ohio, and returned to Lorain 
 
1206 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 county, after seeing three years' active 
 service. After about three years' stay in 
 Henrietta townsliip, lie moved to Colum- 
 bia township, where he has since resided. 
 In 1869 Mr. Varney was united in mar- 
 riage witli Miss Caroline Heaiey, who was 
 born in Columbia township, a daughter of 
 John and Sarah (Ruple) Heaiey, early set- 
 tlers of same, where the former died in 
 1S89; the mother, who is still living in 
 the township, was born there, a daughter 
 of Dr. Boltis and Clara (Osborne) Ruple, 
 the former of whom came from the East, 
 being among the first settlers of Columbia 
 township; he died at the age of ninety- 
 one years; his widow is yet living, now 
 aged ninety-two years. Four children 
 have bten born to our subject and wife, 
 viz.: Sarah, wife of Clayton Cooley, of 
 Cohiinbia township; Fannie, residing at 
 home; Frank, and Elbert, married, living 
 in Copopa. Mr. Varney is a Republican 
 in politics, and has served on the school 
 board; he is a member of Richard Allen 
 Post No. 65, G. A. R., at Elyria. He is 
 the owner of a neat and fertile farm of 
 thirty-three acres. 
 
 fr^ EORGE GILLMORE, a representa- 
 I y, tive and prosperous farmer of Black 
 Vol River township, was born on his 
 
 ^|i present farm February 28, 1837, a 
 son of Truman and Levina (Mes- 
 senger) Gillmore. 
 
 The father of subject was born in Berk- 
 shire county, Mass., whence when aged 
 about thirteen years he came to Lorain 
 county, Ohio, with his father, Edmund 
 Gillmore, of whom mention is made else- 
 where. Truman was married in Lorain 
 county to Miss Levina Messenger, also a 
 native of Berkshire county, Mass., born in 
 1810, and she is still living in Lorain 
 county. Truman Gillmore before mar- 
 riage was a sailor, and afterward a ship 
 caulker. Politically he was originally a 
 
 Whig, and then, on the formation of the 
 party, a stanch Republican. He died De- 
 cember 25, 188s, the father of two chil- 
 dren — Angel ine (now Mrs. David Wallace, 
 of Black River township) and George. 
 
 The subject of these lines received his 
 education at the common schools of Black 
 River township, and was reared to agricul- 
 tural pursuits on his father's farm, the 
 same one he now owns and lives on, and 
 which is situated on the outskirts of the 
 town of Lorain. Mr. Gillmore is a strong 
 adherent of the principles embodied in the 
 platform of the Republican party, and has 
 always identified himself with the pro- 
 gressive interests of Lorain county. He 
 has never married, but with true filial 
 piety is caring for his mother in her de- 
 clining years. 
 
 dOLINSON OGILVIE, a resident of 
 Lorain, comes of ancient Scottish 
 ' stock, the clan Ogilvie, from which 
 he descends, being one of the oldest 
 in history. 
 
 Tliomas Ogilvie, grandfather of subject, 
 was born in London, England, of Scotch 
 parents, and in boyhood was apprenticed 
 to a London tradesman, but in company 
 with another boy he ran away and gut on 
 board a vessel sailing in a few days for 
 America. About the third day after they 
 had effected their escape tliey saw an adver- 
 tisement calling for their arrest. On their 
 arrival in the New World young Ogilvie 
 settled in Hampshire county, Ya. (now W. 
 Va.), where lie worked at his trade as long 
 as health and strength permitted him, and 
 then came to Coshocton county, Ohio, 
 where he passed the rest of his life with 
 his children, dying in 1841 at the patri- 
 archal age of one hundred and two years. 
 He married a Miss Jane Taylor, and nine 
 children were born to them — eight sons 
 and one daughter — all of whom lived to be 
 over fifty years of age. The mother died 
 at the birth of her youngest. 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1207 
 
 James Ogilvie, father of subject, was 
 born in 1788 in Virginia, on the south 
 brancli of tlie Potomac river, and in 1810 
 came to Ohio, settling on a farm in Co- 
 shocton county, becoming one of the 
 wealthiest agriculturist of tliose parts. lie 
 died in 1883, his death being the result of 
 an accident. Politically he was first a 
 Whig, afterward a Republican and one of 
 the old Abolitionist school. He had mar- 
 rieil a Miss Justina Johnson, born at Pat- 
 terson's Creek, Hampshire Co., Va., and 
 they had a family of seven children, three 
 of whom grew to maturity, viz. : Johnson; 
 Thomas, who was a farmer in Coshocton 
 county, Ohio, and dit'd in the spring of 
 1883, and Eliza, wife of William Court- 
 wright, of Lorain. The mother of these 
 passed from earth at about the age of si.xty 
 years. 
 
 Johnson Ogilvie, the subject proper of 
 this memoir, was born in Coshocton 
 county, Ohio, February 7, 1813, and re- 
 ceived such education as was then obtain- 
 able at the subscription schools. He has 
 been twice married: first time, in Coshoc- 
 ton county, to Margaret Norman, also a 
 native of that county, to which union chil- 
 dren as follows were born: William is a 
 farmer in Franklin county, Ohio, west of 
 Columbus (he has three children: Charles, 
 Frank and Daisy); John died at the age 
 of fourteen months; Melond is the wife of 
 Thomas H. Clover, a grain merchant at 
 Jeflersonville, Fayette Co., Ohio; James is 
 in Los Angeles. Cal. (he has one son, Paul, 
 in the real-estate business); Benjamin 
 Hairison went to California, where he died 
 at the age of thirty years; Anna, un- 
 married, lives in Los Angeles, Cal. ; Albert 
 is a resident of Alhambra, Cal. The 
 mother of this family died in August, 
 1857, and April 12, 1860, Mr. Ogilvie was 
 again married, and by this union has one 
 child, Oscar. Up to 1883 our subject 
 carried on a o-rain and stock farm in Co- 
 shocton county, and then retired from active 
 life. In 1884 he came to Lorain county, 
 and has since made his home in Lorain. 
 
 In politics he has always been a Republi- 
 can, his first Presidential vote being cast 
 in 183G for W. II. Harrison, and his last 
 one in 1892 for Benjamin Harrison. He 
 is a member of the M. E. Church. 
 
 EiZRA STRAW, Jr., one of the most 
 successful and progressive agri- 
 I culturists of Black River township, 
 
 is a native of the State of New 
 York, born in 1831, at the four corners of 
 Chadagee, twenty-five miles from Lake 
 Champlain. 
 
 Our subject is a son of Ezra and Han- 
 nah (Colbath) Straw, both of whom were 
 natives of New Hampshire, and moved to 
 New York State early in life. Ezra 
 Straw's first wife was a Miss Clough, by 
 whom he had two children, and after her 
 death he married Hannah Colbath. In 
 1833 the family came west to Ohio, and 
 after a residence in Dover moved to Hunt- 
 ington township, Lorain county, whence 
 after a time they proceeded to Vermillion 
 township, Erie county, finally settling in 
 Amherst township, Lorain county, where 
 they died. The father was born October 
 11, 1788, and died on Thanksgiving Day, 
 1855: the mother was born April 21, 
 1798, and died in 1887. They were the 
 parents of seven children, five of whom 
 are yet living, and the following is a brief 
 record of them: Charles A. died when 
 about seven years old; Isaac S. is in 
 Carlisle township, Lorain county; Emily 
 died February 20, 18-48; Ezra, Jr., is the 
 subject proi)er of this sketch; Selina was 
 born March 17, 1833, and is the wife of 
 Sylvester Potter, of North Amherst, Ohio; 
 Maria was born July 2, 1834, and is mar- 
 ried to W. P. Potter; Hannah S. was born 
 April 13, 1836. The father was a very 
 active man, progressive and successful in 
 his life vocation — farming. He was a 
 member of the M. E. Church, and in 
 politics was a Republican. 
 
1208 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 Ezra Straw, Jr., whose name opens this 
 sketch, was reared from boyhood to man- 
 hood in Vermillion township, Erie Co., 
 Ohio, and in Amherst township, Lorain 
 comity. After leaving school he learned 
 the trade of blacksmith, and worked in a 
 stone quarry, but for the past seventeen 
 years he has been operating iiis farm of 
 135 acres of choice land. In 1855 Mr. 
 Straw was united in marriage with Miss 
 Mary M. Foster, who was born in 1836, a 
 daughter of Elisha and Maria (Mason) 
 Foster, the latter of whom is now one of 
 the oldest residents in Amherst township. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Straw have two sons; Ed- 
 win (married to Lizzie Newsbury, and has 
 one child. May) and Parks (farming with 
 his father). 
 
 [( H. BABCOCK, a prominent rep- 
 resentative citizen of Lorain, who 
 has been a resident of that city for 
 the past twenty years, is a son of 
 Daniel A. and Harriet (Dubois) 
 Babcock, natives of New York, who in an 
 early day removed to Dundee, Mich. The 
 mother died in 1886. in Nebraska; the 
 father, who was a Baptist minister, is now 
 living in the West. 
 
 A. H. Babcock was born September 15, 
 1843, in Dundee, Monroe Co., Mich., 
 where he was reared and educated. In 
 1861 he enlisted, in Monroe county, Mich., 
 in Company F, First Regiment Engineers 
 and Mechanics Corps, for three years or 
 during the war, being assigned to the 
 army of the West, and was tirst engaged 
 in Ijuilding blockhouses, repairing bridges, 
 etc. He was on the march to Atlanta, 
 Ga., and participated in the engagements 
 at Mill Springs (Ky.), Champion Hills, 
 and Murfreesboro. In 1864 he was hon- 
 orably discharged at Atlanta, Ga., return- 
 ing to his home in Monroe county, Mich. 
 He then took a business course in Oberlin 
 College, and subsequently embarked in 
 the general merchandise business in Lena- 
 
 wee county, Mich., continuing in same 
 until 1873, when he removed to Lorain, 
 Lorain Co., Ohio. Here he engaged in a 
 grocery business, which he carried on 
 until elected mayor of Lorain, in which 
 position he served during the years 1889 
 and 1890. 
 
 In 1868 Mr. Babcock was married, in 
 Oberlin, Lorain county, to Mary S. Hill, 
 a native of the county, daughter of Uriah 
 and Sarah Hill (both now deceased), who 
 were born in the East, and came westward 
 in an early day. settling near Oberlin, 
 Lorain county. To Mr. and Mrs. Babcock 
 have been born two children: Sadie, wife 
 of Alexander Hodgins, of Conneaut, Ohio, 
 and A. H., who carries on a tobacco and 
 confectionery business in Lorain, in con- 
 nection with which he also owns a news 
 depot. Socially Mr. Babcock is a member 
 of the K. O. T. M., in which he is treas- 
 urer, and he is past chancellor of Wood- 
 land Lodge, No. 226. He is a progress- 
 ive, enterprising citizen, and has ever 
 taken an active interest in everything per- 
 taining to the prosperity and welfare of 
 his community. Mrs. Babcock is a mem- 
 ber of the Congregational Church. 
 
 DR. C. H. FREDERICK, a rising 
 young physician and surgeon of 
 ^ Lorain, was born in 1868 in Am- 
 herst, Lorain county. His father, 
 Peter Frederick, was a native of Germany, 
 and when a young man emigrated to 
 America, settling in North Amherst, Lo- 
 rain Co., Ohio, where he married Cassie 
 M. Jacobs, a native of Lorain county. Mr. 
 Frederick, who was a foreman in the 
 stone quarries, at this writing is residing 
 in Michigan; his wife makes her home in 
 Amherst. 
 
 C. H. Frederick was reared in North 
 Amherst, and received his primary educa- 
 tion at the union schools of that place. In 
 
LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 rjo<j 
 
 1888 he entered the Medical Department 
 of the Western Reserve University, Cleve- 
 land, iiradiiating therefrom with tiie class 
 of 1891, and after graduation received the 
 appointment of house physician and sur- 
 geon in the Lakeside Hospital, Cleveland, 
 in which capacity he served for nearly two 
 years. In Novem1)er, 1892, he came to 
 Lorain, and since his location here has 
 built up quite an extensive practice. Before 
 practicing medicine the Doctor was en- 
 gaged for eight years as a pharmaceutist, 
 in North Amherst, Cleveland and Lorain, 
 Ohio, and has always been identified with 
 the interests of Lorain county. Politically 
 he is a Republican, and in religious faith 
 has for the past ten years been a member 
 of the M. E. Church at North Amherst. 
 
 dlOIIN COGHLAN, one of the pro- 
 gressive, representative agriculturists 
 I of Carlisle township, is a native of 
 
 King's County, Ireland. 
 James C'oghlan, father of subject, and a 
 native of the same county, was married in 
 Ireland to Miss Mary Hector, also born in 
 King's County, and about the year 183.j 
 they came to America with their family, 
 making their first settlement in Sheffield 
 township, Lorain Co., Ohio. From there 
 they moved to Elyria townsiiip, and after 
 a residence of some years came in 1867 to 
 Carlisle township, where tiiey opened up 
 a farm and made tiieir final home. Eight 
 children came to them, of whom the fol- 
 lowing is a brief record: Dora is the wife 
 of John Kenedy; Nora is the wife of 
 William Freeman, of (Cleveland; John is 
 the subject of this sketch; Dan, who was 
 married in 1874- to Miss Anna Howen, re- 
 sides in Carlisle township (they have four 
 children: May S., Etta Rose, Mary and 
 Anna. He enlisted in August. lsn2, in 
 Company II, One Hundred and Third 
 O. V. I., for three years or during the war. 
 
 and receivedan honorable dischargein 1865. 
 He has been townsiiip assessor for twelve 
 or thirteen years); Ann is the wife of 
 Eugene Swift, of Marquette, Mich.; Eliza- 
 betli is unmarried; Sarah is deceased; 
 James, who married Margaret Dowd, re- 
 sides in Carlisle township. The parents 
 are yet living on the homestead in Carlisle 
 township with their son John. They are 
 members of the Catholic Church, and in 
 politics Mr. Coghlan is a Democrat. 
 
 The subject proper of this sketch re- 
 ceived his education partly in his native 
 land, and partly in the schools of Elyria, 
 Lorain county, where he arrived when he 
 was yet a youth. After leaving school he 
 went on the lakes as a sailor, a vocation he 
 followed several years, and then returned 
 to Carlisle township and engaged in farm- 
 ing, in which he has met with well-merited 
 success. He now owns the old homestead 
 of 121 acres. Mr. Coghlan follows in the 
 footsteps of his father in both politics and 
 Church association. He has never married. 
 
 f)ETER JACOBS. No one of the 
 honest, industrious agricnlturists of 
 Black River township deserves bet- 
 ter place in the pages of this book 
 than the honored old pioneer whose 
 name here appears. 
 
 He is a native of Sa.xony, Germany, 
 born February 22, 1822. Having heard 
 and read much of the vast Western Hem- 
 isphere, with its unlimited advantages to 
 the man willing to work, he concluded to 
 bid adieu to the Fatherland and seek a 
 new home on the boundless prairies of 
 America. Accordingly in 1845 he set out 
 with a light heart but an empty pocket for 
 the land of promise. After landing he 
 came direct to Ohio, and to Black River 
 township, Lorain county, being among the 
 very first German settlers of that section. 
 With naught in the world save a clear 
 head and a willing imir of hands, he n'>«- 
 
1210 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 looked about hiin for work, and it was not 
 long before he secured the friendship of 
 Heman Ely, Sr., vvlio gave liini twenty 
 acres of wild land to clear. Ilei'e he pnt 
 up a log honse. and by liard labor suc- 
 ceeded in converting the forest wild into a 
 pretty good farm. This he soon succeeded 
 in paying for. Nut long afterward lie 
 bought one hundred acres more at ten dol- 
 lars per acre, which he paid for in four in- 
 stallments. Tlio many and varied difficul- 
 ties Mr. Jacobs iiad to encounter cannot 
 be appreciated by the present generation, 
 but in spite of all obstacles, and they were 
 not a few, he succeeded by industry and 
 perseverance in becoming a comparatively 
 wealthy and prosperous fanner, having 
 now 150 acres of prime laud. 
 
 Mr. Jacobs was married in July, 1S42, 
 to Miss Dora Smith, also a native of 
 Saxony, and six children were born to 
 them, of five of whom the following is a 
 brief record: (1) "William lives in Lorain, 
 Ohio, and has one child, Ermie; (2) Mag- 
 gie is the wife of Elias Baumhart, and 
 they had six children: Delia, Ben will, 
 Nelson. Arniiua, Kobert, and Edward, who 
 died when seven months old; (^3) Rosa is 
 the wife of George Roth, and has four 
 daughters; (4) Emma is yet living at 
 home; (5) Hattie was killed by lightning 
 July 27. 1887. 
 
 Mr. Jacobs is a Republican in politics, 
 and he and his wife are members of the 
 Evangelical Church. They celebrated their 
 golden wedding in July, 1892. [Since the 
 above was written we have received notice 
 of the death of Mr. Jacobs, which occurred 
 October 28, 1898, when he was aged 
 seventy-one years, eight months and six 
 days. — Ed. 
 
 E' II. ALTEN, junior member of the 
 wideawake business firm of M. J. 
 !; (fe E. H. Alten, merchant tailors 
 
 and dealers in full lines of gents' 
 furnishings, was born in Avon township, 
 Lorain Co., Oliio, July 10, 1870. 
 
 Mr. .VI ten received his education at the 
 parochial and high school, working at 
 times on his father's farm, after which he 
 taught for eighteen months. lie then at- 
 tended the Jesuit College at Buftalo, N. Y., 
 takinor a scientitic and business course, and 
 graduating June 21, 1890. He next pro- 
 ceeded to Tiffin, Ohio, where he was book- 
 keeper for the Belgian Glass Works, six 
 months, or till the assignmetit of the firm, 
 at which time he went to Cleveland and 
 took lessons in merchant tailoring at the 
 Cleveland Cutting School, and graduated 
 therefrom. Then returnincr to Lorain he 
 entered into partnership with his brother 
 M. J. in their present business. Mr. Alten 
 is a man of superior education, and pos- 
 sessed of good business qualifications. He 
 has an advantage in being able to speak 
 German equally as well as he does English. 
 He is a member of the Catholic Church. 
 
 J\ILLIAM HONECKER, proprie- 
 tor of one of tlie leading drug 
 lf|' stores in Lorain, is a son of Rev. 
 John Honecker, a retired minis- 
 ter of the German Evangelical Church, 
 and a native of Germany. He married 
 Miss Christina Jordan, and twelve 
 children were the result of their union, of 
 whom our subject is one of twins, the 
 other (Abraham) being a druggist in 
 Cleveland. It is said the twin brothers 
 resemble each other very strongly. 
 
 AVilliam Honecker, whose name intro- 
 duces this sketch, was born in Columbus, 
 Ohio, in 1862, and received his literary 
 education in the public schools. In 1887 
 he graduated from the Cincinnati (Ohio) 
 College of Pharmacy, after which he at 
 once located in Cleveland, in company 
 with his twin brother, they having estab- 
 lished a drug store there, which they car- 
 ried on till 1888, when William sold out 
 liis interest therein to his brother, and re- 
 moved to Lorain, where he opened Jiis pres- 
 ent drugestablish)nent, in theconductingof 
 
LORAiy COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 1211 
 
 which he has met with more tliaii average 
 success. To some extent he is interested 
 in real estate. 
 
 Mr. Honecker was united in marriage 
 with Miss Mary Stone, and he and liis 
 wife are members of the German Evan- 
 gelical Church. In his political predilec- 
 tions our subject is a Republican. 
 
 ^J 
 
 tjjf ES. SARA E. GIBSON, a highly 
 
 \^ respected lady of Ridgevilie town- 
 
 1] ship, was born in Louisville, 
 
 . X. Y., daughter of Wright and 
 
 Betty (^Holmes) Lewis, who were 
 
 married iu New York State, where they 
 
 passed the rest of their lives. The Lewis 
 
 family are of Scottish ancestry. 
 
 The subject of this sketch was reared in 
 her native State, and attended school at 
 Binghamton, N. Y., where she was mar- 
 ried, in 1865, to Henry B. Gibson, a na- 
 tive of Meadville, Penn., where he was 
 educated. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
 Gibson moved to Pittsburgh, Penn., thence 
 to Cincinnati, Ohio, where they resided a 
 number of years, during which period he 
 was engaged in the sewing machine busi- 
 ness. Later he became manager of the 
 Hall Safe and Lock Co., and he was also 
 connected with the Chicago Safe and Lock 
 Co. for some time. He was maiiacrer of 
 several different companies, being a shi'cwd 
 business man, and commanded a salary of 
 ten thousand dollars a year. He died 
 March 16, 1891. In politics he was a Re- 
 publican. A few years ago Mrs. Gibson, 
 while on a visit to Lorain county, Ohio, 
 purchased an improved farm of thirty-si.\ 
 acres, where she now makes her home. 
 
 W 
 
 A tiLLIAM KRESS. The beautiful 
 YJI Fatherland, the country of mag- 
 llj niticent mountains, rivers, for- 
 ests and plains, has given to the 
 United States a vast population of honest, 
 
 toiling, frugal citizens, now the loyal sons 
 and daughters of the greatest Republic on 
 earth. In the state of Ohio there are 
 many thousands, in Lorain county not a 
 few, and prominent among them is num- 
 bered the subject of this sketch. 
 
 William Kress was born July 17, 1826, 
 in Hessia, Germany, where he received a 
 liberal education. In 1855 he set sail for 
 the shores of America, and after arrival at 
 the port of destination proceeded west- 
 ward at once to Ohio, and to Lorain 
 county, where he commenced farm life in 
 Black River township. In 1875 he 
 bought his present farm of ninety-eight 
 acres, one of the finest to be found in 
 Amherst township, and he enjoys the dis- 
 tinguished reputation of being one of the 
 wealthiest and most successful German 
 agriculturists in his section of the county. 
 
 Mr. Kress has been tv/ice married: 
 First time, in 1855, to Miss Catherine 
 Voegler, who was also a native of Ger- 
 many. She died in 1889, and Mr. Kress 
 subse(|uently married his present wife. He 
 has no children, but he has a step- 
 daughter. His political sympathies are 
 with the Democratic party. 
 
 DAVID CITRTK 
 the past si.xty y 
 dent of Lorain 
 
 iTICE, who for almost 
 years has l)eon a resi- 
 county, is a native 
 of the "Empire State," born May 4, 
 1812, in Cayuga county. 
 
 His father, Hosea Curtice, was born 
 February 13, 1774, in Massachusetts, and 
 was married, in 1794, in his native State 
 to Catherine Moore, who was born May 7, 
 1770. Shortly afterward they moved to 
 New York, locating near Syracu-se, where 
 four children -all sons — were born to 
 them, and from there moved to Cayuga 
 county, where they remained forty-two 
 years on one farm. Here they had eight 
 more children — five sons and three daugh- 
 ters — making twelve in all, eleven of whom 
 lived to rear families, and of whom o\ir 
 
1212 
 
 LORAm COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 subject is the oldest one now living. The 
 father migrated to Ohio in ISiS, the 
 mother shortly afterward, and here tiiey 
 passed the remainder of their days at the 
 home of their son David, where she died 
 in 1850, he in 1863; they lie buried in 
 Center cemetery. The first of the family 
 to locate in Ohio was a son Joel, who came 
 in May, 1833, and settled in LaGrange 
 township, Lorain county. On July 14, 
 1839, Joel Curtice was married, in Cayuga 
 county, N. Y., to Malissa Allen, who died 
 in LaGrange township in 1871, leaving 
 four children, viz.: Catherine, now Mrs. 
 Charles Hastings, of LaGrange; David A., 
 a farmer of LaGrange; Morton B., of 
 Florida; and Barton E., a farmer of La- 
 Grange. 
 
 David Curtice came to Lorain county, 
 Ohio, in October, 1834, and hired out as 
 a farm hand, after working at coal burning 
 near Elyria. Some time later he returned 
 to New York State, where he was married, 
 and in 1839 he and his wife came in a 
 buggy to the home he had prepared in 
 
 Ohio, where his parents also passed their 
 declining years. On their arrival in Ohio 
 Mr. and Mrs. Curtice had just seventy-tive 
 cents \vith which to begin housekeeping, 
 lie had purchased one hundred acres, for 
 which he was obliged to go in debt, but 
 he bravely set to work, and from a start of 
 nothing prospered; lie cultivated and im- 
 pi'oved his land, and his hard labor and 
 unceasing industry l)rought their reward, 
 for he has added to his property until he 
 now has 3()5 acres of excellent land, be- 
 sides a pleasant home in the village of 
 LaGrange. 
 
 On March 16, 1873, Mr. Curtice was 
 married in Kendall county, 111., for his 
 second wife, to Mrs. Annie Pooler, widow 
 of Otis Pooler, who had moved to Ken- 
 dall county. 111. Mr. Curtice is one of the 
 best-known citizens of LaGrange, well-pre- 
 served and active for a man of his years. 
 Since 1883 he has lived retired. In poli- 
 tics he is a Democrat, and has served as 
 township trustee, but is not particularly 
 active in party affairs. 
 
iriDEX. 
 
 HlJf^OH COUHTV, 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Adams, Henry 261 
 
 Allen, Nelson 147 
 
 Anderson, Alviu 108 
 
 Andrews, W. S 510 
 
 Arnert, Henry S 230 
 
 Arnert, Uriah T 330 
 
 Arnold, Charles W., M. D.. 91 
 
 Arnold, D. J. C 358 
 
 Arnold, James 91 
 
 Arthur Family 148 
 
 Arthur, Robert 148 
 
 Arthur, William H 149 
 
 Ashley, Allen T 305 
 
 Ashley, Dennis 426 
 
 Ashley, Leonard 305 
 
 Ashley, Lyman 426 
 
 Atherton, George W 414 
 
 Atherton, Samuel 414 
 
 Austin, Lyman 486 
 
 Baker, Hon. Timothy 482 
 
 Bargus, Lieut. George 338 
 
 Barker, L. E 110 
 
 Barnhart, Edgar 377 
 
 Barnharl, Steven 377 
 
 Barre, Dwight M 484 
 
 Beamer, ilathias 399 
 
 Beattie, A. iM 135 
 
 Beattie, J. H 467 
 
 Beebe, Martin, M. D 191 
 
 Beechy, Prof. A. D 132 
 
 Beelman, J. F 53 
 
 Beers, Nathan 381 
 
 Bell, David S 402 
 
 Bell, John 402 
 
 Bell, Walter E 307 
 
 Bellamy, James 174 
 
 Benedict Family 129 
 
 Benedict, Piatt 129 
 
 Berry, Stephen 473 
 
 Bishop, Mrs. Mary A 389 
 
 Bishop, William A 389 
 
 Blackman, Joel 70 
 
 Blaser, Kev. Joseph 137 
 
 Bogardus, Hon Evert 283 
 
 Bogardus. Mrs. Louisa. .. . 283 
 
 Boise, S. W 383 
 
 Boise Family 383 
 
 Bores, David 470 
 
 Boughton, Elon G 321 
 
 Bramley. William E 225 
 
 Brooke, William 61 
 
 Brooks, Irving J 60 
 
 Brown, Henry F 147 
 
 PAGB. 
 
 Brown, J acoh 500 
 
 Brown, William 425 
 
 Burdue, George 241 
 
 Burdue, Moses W 243 
 
 Burdue, William 241 
 
 Burton, Leroy 398 
 
 Cahoon, James M. . . . 203 
 
 Calhighan, C. U 220 
 
 Campbell, Frank 4')y 
 
 Campbell, Lorenzo Q 459 
 
 Carothers, John 314 
 
 Carothers, Mathias 420 
 
 Carpenter, D. N Ill 
 
 Chandler, Isaac H 93 
 
 Chapman, Judge 67 
 
 Chase, Frank 489 
 
 Chevraux, Rev. Charles V. 298 
 
 Childs, Mrs. Ann M 271 
 
 Childs, George L 371 
 
 Clark, Charles S 507 
 
 Clark, D. Stiles 507 
 
 Clarke, Stephen F 107 
 
 Clary, Daniel 380 
 
 Clary, Homer C 380 
 
 Cleveland, D. Pitt 34 
 
 Cleveland, G. M 33 
 
 Coe, Almon B 41 
 
 Coe, Bela 42 
 
 Cole Family 440 
 
 Cole, Asher M 444 
 
 Cole, Levi L 444 
 
 Coleman, M. R 200 
 
 Conger, Elijah 386 
 
 Conger, Lewis 386 
 
 (!orwin, Rev. Ira 483 
 
 Corwin, Mrs. M. A 481 
 
 Coullrip, James 176 
 
 Crawford, David 379 
 
 Crawford, John H 379 
 
 Crawford, Hon. S. E 232 
 
 Creech, William S 304 
 
 Crosby, Mrs. Adeline 261 
 
 Crosby, Francis B 200 
 
 Culp, Sherman 429 
 
 Curtiss, Joseph C 454 
 
 Curtiss, Samuel W 454 
 
 Curtiss, W. P 183 
 
 C;ushman, Austin 483 
 
 Cuykeudall, W. B 479 
 
 Uangeleisen, Joseph 362 
 
 Dangeleisen, William A... . 363 
 
 Davis Family 485 
 
 Davis, Bartlelt 465 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Davis, John S 513 
 
 Day,EdwardM 156 
 
 Day, Ephraim 156 
 
 Dean, Jacob 306 
 
 Denman, Edward 203 
 
 Denman, John 158 
 
 Denman, William 158 
 
 DeWitt, Isaac 206 
 
 DeWolf, Samuel P 79 
 
 DeWolf, Airs. Sarah 79 
 
 DeWolf, Whitman 79 
 
 Dillon, George M 208 
 
 Dole, Edwin L 337 
 
 Doud, Leander L 30 
 
 Doud, Samuel 31 
 
 Drake, Hiram D 240 
 
 Drennan, James 336 
 
 Drennan, William W 236 
 
 Drury, John 227 
 
 Drury, Jonathan M 327 
 
 Dunmore, Thomas 256 
 
 Easter, Archibald 154 
 
 Easter, Ellas 154 
 
 Eastman. E. G. E 437 
 
 Easton, J. D 499 
 
 Eggert, J. George 401 
 
 Ehrman, G. A 332 
 
 Ellis, Eli 435 
 
 Ellis, John 428 
 
 Ellis, John R 428 
 
 Ellis, Lyman 435 
 
 Emerson, R. H 168 
 
 Erdricb, William H 463 
 
 Erf, Gustavus 52 
 
 Erf, J. Eduard 51 
 
 Erf, Philip 324 
 
 Fancher, Thaddeus 285 
 
 Fancher, Thaddeus S 285 
 
 Fanning, Benjamin G 212 
 
 Fanning, H. S 211 
 
 Fast, Christian 400 
 
 Fast, Ephraim W 400 
 
 Felton, Asa G 391 
 
 Felton, Ephraim 391 
 
 Ferver, Wilber G., M. D.. . 218 
 
 Fewson, Michael E ,. 336 
 
 Fiesinger, Louis ; 357 
 
 Filkins, John S 281 
 
 Fish, Charles Homer 303 
 
 Fish, Sydney D 364 
 
 Foster, J. Whitbeck 257 
 
 Fox, David 152 
 
 Francis, W. T 338 
 
1214 
 
 HURON COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Franklin, Edmund 419 
 
 Friend, A. C, M. D 503 
 
 Fuller, George D 196 
 
 Gage, Albert 174 
 
 Gallup, Caleb H 124 
 
 Gallup Family 124 
 
 Gamble. William 366 
 
 Gardiner Family 7 
 
 Gardiner, John 7 
 
 Geiger, Rudolph 452 
 
 Geyer, Edward 381 
 
 Gibbs, James G 214 
 
 Gieseck, David L 499 
 
 Gieseck, Mrs. David L 499 
 
 Gill, William E, M. D 266 
 
 Gilson, Arza B., Sr 281 
 
 Gilson, Naum 284 
 
 Godden, William H 189 
 
 Gove, C. H 53 
 
 Grabill, J. F., M. D 464 
 
 Graham, William 417 
 
 Graham, W. W 136 
 
 Greenleaf. Israel 193 
 
 Gregory, George 224 
 
 Gregory, Matthew 224 
 
 Grieve, David 457 
 
 Griffin, Hialmer 337 
 
 Griffin, Riley 431 
 
 Gross, Martin 364 
 
 Gurney, John F 471 
 
 Hachenberg, Frank 371 
 
 Haensler, R 203 
 
 Hagaman, John 422 
 
 Hagaman, Thomas 422 
 
 Hales, Levi 157 
 
 Haller, J. H 491 
 
 Harkness, J. M 171 
 
 Haskell, George 397 
 
 Haskell, George E 397 
 
 Hauxhurst, Philip 293 
 
 Hauxhurst, Samson 293 
 
 Hawkins, John W 376 
 
 Hawkins, Sheldon J 376 
 
 Hawley, Charles L 311 
 
 Hayes, Bradley 151 
 
 Hayes, Sturgis 151 
 
 Head, Mrs. Annie M 456 
 
 Head, Orren W 456 
 
 Heal, Enoch 469 
 
 Hedrick, C. W., M. D 389 
 
 Helfriuh, Rev. N. C 136 
 
 Heller, J. L 282 
 
 Heller, Leroy S 312 
 
 Herman, F. J 71 
 
 Herman, Peter 71 
 
 Hershiser, A. E., M. D 503 
 
 Hester, John S 335 
 
 Hester, Martin .336 
 
 Hettel, John A. 472 
 
 Heyman, William A 363 
 
 Heymann, W. C 453 
 
 Hevmann, William F 347 
 
 Hibbard, J L 267 
 
 Hibbard, Marvin 266 
 
 Hildreth Rev. T. F., D. D. 104 
 
 Hill.H.E 89 
 
 Hillman, Mrs. Jane 376 
 
 Himberger, William 258 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Hoffman, H. W 235 
 
 Hofman, G. W 485 
 
 Hohler. Peter 228 
 
 Hood, Ilosea M 355 
 
 Horn, Philip 476 
 
 Hoeruer, Vitus 487 
 
 Houfstater, George 302 
 
 Houfstater, Jacob P 302 
 
 Houle, William H 483 
 
 House, Hon. H. K 495 
 
 Howe, Chester 8 430 
 
 Hoyt, Elmon 48 
 
 Hoyt, LeRoy 48 
 
 Hoyt, William B 255 
 
 Humphrey, William 341 
 
 Hurst, John 185 
 
 Hurst, Thomas 245 
 
 Husted, Edward E 93 
 
 Husted, William M 93 
 
 Ingler, H. M 2.59 
 
 Jacobs, G. P 478 
 
 Jacobs, W. H 260 
 
 Jenney, Abraham D 496 
 
 Jenney, Charles A 497 
 
 Jennings, Ezra S 188 
 
 Jennings, Walter 188 
 
 Jetter, Jacob 384 
 
 Johnson, Gilbert L 170 
 
 Johnson, Ralph C 4i6 
 
 Johnson, William 416 
 
 Johnston, Hon. AVatson D... 120 
 Johnston,William H., M. D. 120 
 
 Joiner, George 226 
 
 Joiner, Ralph 226 
 
 Jones, F. H 239 
 
 Jones, Lucian 466 
 
 Joslin, Augustus 492 
 
 Justice, D. L 212 
 
 Justice, Peter 212 
 
 Keefer, W. B 102 
 
 Keesy, John 447 
 
 Keesy, Rev. W. A 447 
 
 Kendeigh, Hugh 475 
 
 Kimmel, Henry 456 
 
 King, Cyrus T., D. D. S.. . . 276 
 
 Knapp, W. A 368 
 
 Knoll, John P aOS 
 
 Knoll, Philip J 306 
 
 Kohlmyer, H. P 265 
 
 Krieder, C. L., M. D 497 
 
 Eiais, Anthony 308 
 
 Lais, Henry 308 
 
 Lamoreux, Hendrick W... 208 
 
 Laning, Jay F 268 
 
 Lanterman, G. S., M. D.. .. 4.53 
 
 Latham, Alexander W 462 
 
 Latham, Hiram 462 
 
 Latham, Thomas W 229 
 
 Lawrence, George 514 
 
 Lawrence, Josiah 514 
 
 Lawrence, Timothy 515 
 
 Laylin, John 77 
 
 Laylin, Hon. Lewis C. .. . 74 
 
 Laylin, Theodore C 372 
 
 Lazell, Joseph T 506 
 
 Lee, John P 166 
 
 Lewis, Alexander 332 
 
 Lewis, Philip 332 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Leydorf, Capt. F. J 322 
 
 Linder, George 367 
 
 Loney, Daniel W., M. D 484 
 
 Loomis, Hon. F. R 59 
 
 Love, Andrew, Sr 334 
 
 Love, Andrew, Jr 334 
 
 Lovell, Ethan C 292 
 
 Lutts, Conrad 274 
 
 Lutts, Frank M 274 
 
 McCague, Eugene L 182 
 
 McCammon, Mrs. Phileua. 313 
 McCammon, Samuel, M. D.. 313 
 
 McCullow, C.A 1(19 
 
 McDonald, Angus 353 
 
 McDonald, John 165 
 
 McDonald, Roger 353 
 
 McElHinney, J. H., M. D .. 177 
 
 McGlone, John James 192 
 
 McKesson, Elmer E 470 
 
 McKesson, Isaac 504 
 
 McKnight, Joseph R 138 
 
 JIcLane, James 445 
 
 McLane, John. 382 
 
 McLane, Robert 382 
 
 McLane, Thomas A 307 
 
 McMahon, James 297 
 
 Manaban, Charles W 196 
 
 Manahan, Thomas 196 
 
 Martin, Edgar, M. D 83 
 
 Mead, Calvert A 433 
 
 Mead, J. L 301 
 
 Mead, Luther 325 
 
 Mead, Thomas L 325 
 
 Meade, William Gail 408 
 
 Menges,JohnE 220 
 
 Menties, Mrs. Lydia F 220 
 
 Mesnard, Eri 112 
 
 Mesnard. Maj. L. B 112 
 
 Meyer, John George 305 
 
 Meyer, John P 365 
 
 Miles, Daniel 449 
 
 Miles, Rufus S 449 
 
 Miller, Samuel (Richmond) 479 
 Miller, Samuel (Bellevue). 378 
 
 Miller, Thomas 494 
 
 Minard, Hon. O.T 72 
 
 Mitchell, William Henry.. 80 
 
 Monteith, William 323 
 
 Moore, Benjamin 444 
 
 Moore, Mrs. Benjamin. . . . 444 
 
 Moore, Hartwell R 72 
 
 Moore, H. L 413 
 
 Morehead, Andrew J 217 
 
 Morehead, George 218 
 
 Morrill, E. C, M. D 265 
 
 Morse, Daniel 3.i4 
 
 Morse, Samuel D 254 
 
 Myers, Mark 167 
 
 STicolls, J. A 143 
 
 Niver, Charles M 144 
 
 Niver.John B 494 
 
 Noble, Harvey 427 
 
 Noble, William P 427 
 
 Norton, De Witt C -'87 
 
 O'Dell, Daniel 512 
 
 O'Dell, N. W 511 
 
 Ordway, Martin 458 
 
 Osborn, W. W 324 
 
INDEX. 
 
 1215 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Ott, Lawrence 394 
 
 I'almer, John C 476 
 
 Palmer, Preston 433 
 
 Palmer, Samuel 433 
 
 Park, James 508 
 
 Park, Joseph 508 
 
 Parker, George C 486 
 
 Parker, Nelson 487 
 
 Parrott, Frederick 462 
 
 Parrott, Mrs. Uosa M 463 
 
 Patrick, James J 303 
 
 Patrick, Jarman 303 
 
 Paul, Charles A 333 
 
 Pease, VV. H 184 
 
 Peat,E. J 264 
 
 Peck, Adelbert E 466 
 
 Peck, Warren M 185 
 
 PenfieUl, Samuel 249 
 
 PenfieUl, William C 249 
 
 Perrin, William 296 
 
 Perry, C. O. H 110 
 
 Perry, Edwin L 192 
 
 Perry, Joseph 192 
 
 Peters, Eli 82 
 
 Peters, Willis H 82 
 
 Ptriinklin, Paul W 184 
 
 Pierce, Lemuel B 446 
 
 Pierce, Harvey 393 
 
 Pierce, William H 446 
 
 Pinney, Henry C 244 
 
 Pinney, Hollibert 244 
 
 Pittsford, John A 134 
 
 Post, C. C 257 
 
 Pray, Ethan A., Esq 32 
 
 Price, Elijah 497 
 
 Price, William H 84 
 
 Prosser, Edwin S 159 
 
 Ransom, Miss Eunice A. .. 23 
 
 Kansora, Oliver 23 
 
 Head, Albert N., M. D 44 
 
 Read, Ira 44 
 
 Reed, David H., M. D. . . . 418 
 
 Reed, Shadrach H 418 
 
 Remele, Joseph 404 
 
 Reynolds, Theodore M 409 
 
 Reynolds, Warren 409 
 
 Richard. Frederick 256 
 
 Riggs, E. C 356 
 
 Riggs, Simeon 356 
 
 Robinson, Aaron 316 
 
 Robinson, Wesley 348 
 
 Robinson, William 316 
 
 Roe, A. G 352 
 
 Roe, Barnett 210 
 
 Roe, Joseph B 352 
 
 Roorback, John W 146 
 
 Roscoe, Gilbert L 343 
 
 Roscoe, Jeremiah 344 
 
 Ross, Joel 169 
 
 Rounds, George F 273 
 
 Rounds, George X 272 
 
 Rowland, Daniel 190 
 
 Rowland, Elmer E 190 
 
 Rowley, Charles 250 
 
 Rowley, E. F 254 
 
 Ruffing, Anthony 411 
 
 Ruffing, Frank J 176 
 
 Ruffing, Joseph 421 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Ruggles Family 492 
 
 Ruggles, Alonzo J 493 
 
 Ruggles, Daniel VV 493 
 
 Ruggles, Henry 417 
 
 Rupert, Rev. Frederick 373 
 
 Ruse, A 273 
 
 Ryerson, George M 287 
 
 Rynn, ,Iohn A 63 
 
 Sage, John W 395 
 
 Sage, Roswell 395 
 
 Salisbury, B. W 122 
 
 Salisbury, Percival B 123 
 
 Sanborn^ G. M. S 304 
 
 Sandmeister, Dr. Charles. . 88 
 Sandmeister,William, M.D. 88 
 
 Sanger, Washington 151 
 
 Sawyer, Charles 488 
 
 Sawyer, Charles A 390 
 
 Sawyer, Gen. Franklin 63 
 
 Schneerer, F. W., M. D... 235 
 
 Schulz, Rev. Frederick 163 
 
 Schuster, George 490 
 
 Schuyler, P. H 488 
 
 Seel, Philip 239 
 
 Severance, Elisha 318 
 
 Severance, R. A,, M. D 351 
 
 Severance, Warren 318 
 
 Seymour, Rev. J. M 113 
 
 Shedd, William H 480 
 
 Sheffield, George 248 
 
 Sheffield, G. W 248 
 
 Shelton Family 460 
 
 Shelton, Charles R 461 
 
 Shelton, Henry S 461 
 
 Shepherd, F. M 119 
 
 Shepherd, John 119 
 
 Shepherd, M. W 120 
 
 Sherck, Joseph 473 
 
 Sherman, John G 103 
 
 Silliman, Horace B 227 
 
 Silliman, Solomon 377 
 
 Simmons, Alonzo L 18 
 
 Simmons, ('harles B 101 
 
 Simmons, Eliphalet B 101 
 
 Simmons, George N 69 
 
 Simmons, Harlon E 18 
 
 Simmons, John N 103 
 
 Simmons, L. 109 
 
 Simmons, S. E., M. D 207 
 
 Sisson, L. P 436 
 
 Sisson, San ford 436 
 
 Skilton, Alvah S 231 
 
 Skilton, Mrs. Amanda J... 331 
 
 Skinner, Edward I{ 375 
 
 Slagle, J. L 295 
 
 Sly, Robert 1S6 
 
 Smith, A. B 364 
 
 Smith, Charles S 403 
 
 Smith, Frank J 3:^8 
 
 Smith, Hiram 178 
 
 Smith, H. A 1.54 
 
 Smith, John 38 
 
 Smith, Joseph 38 
 
 Smith, Joseph F 438 
 
 Smith, Major 153 
 
 Smith, William T.. 363 
 
 Smith, Willis K 262 
 
 Smilhla, Joseph 396 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Snook, Norman 407 
 
 Snyder, Jesse 317 
 
 Spear, Sol 491 
 
 Sprague, Col. James H 68 
 
 Sprague, Thaddeus 489 
 
 Stapf, M.J 474 
 
 Starbird, B. F 178 
 
 Steiber,Michael,Jr 501 
 
 Stentz, Henry P 94 
 
 Stewart, C. F 133 
 
 Stewart, Charles Hill 98 
 
 Stewart, George Swayne.. . 29 
 Stewart, Hon. Gideon T. . . 34 
 Stewart, Hon. Harlon L. . . . 100 
 
 Slickuey, Charles B 21 
 
 Stimson, Garner 407 
 
 Stoner, Charles D 234 
 
 Slotts, A. D 195 
 
 Strimple, Aaron 392 
 
 Strimple,John 392 
 
 Strong, Timothy R 13 
 
 Stultz, J. M 187 
 
 Sturges, Maj. William B.. . 50 
 
 SullitT, George 309 
 
 Sutter, Rev. Henry G 438 
 
 Sutton , Aranson 222 
 
 Sutton, Charle.s A 333 
 
 Sykes, Daniel 408 
 
 Sy kes, Otis 468 
 
 Taylor, Cephas 73 
 
 Terry, A., D. D. S 329 
 
 Terwilliger, W. E 375 
 
 Thomas, Uri B 388 
 
 Thompson, Thomas 500 
 
 Tillson, Perry 141 
 
 Tillson, Rufus 141 
 
 Todd, Ed win D 508 
 
 Todd. George 508 
 
 Tough, Samuel C 181 
 
 Townsend, Hosea 345 
 
 Townsend, Ira S..., 415 
 
 Townsend, Justice 467 
 
 Townsend, John T 345 
 
 Tudor, C. B 354 
 
 Tuitle. E. S 495 
 
 Twaddle, Ale.\ander, Sr... 204 
 
 Twaddle, Alexander 205 
 
 Twaddle, Dorr 1,50 
 
 Twaddle, John J J,50 
 
 Twaddle, William W 149 
 
 Vail, D. W., M. D 114 
 
 Van Dusen, Frank W 1(!3 
 
 Van Dusen, James L 160 
 
 Van Gorder, William Wells 474 
 
 Van Horn, George 435 
 
 Van Liew, William C 412 
 
 Vickery Bros 373 
 
 Vickery, Jesse 373 
 
 Vickery, Willis 372 
 
 Waddell, Robert F 503 
 
 Walter. Joseph 344 
 
 Ward, J. Cal 477 
 
 Ward, Samuel 381 
 
 Ward, Samuel A 281 
 
 Washburn, D. S 164 
 
 Washburn, Elijah 315 
 
 Washburn, Joseph 315 
 
 Weber, J. II 342 
 
1216 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 "Wheaton, Daniel 375 
 
 Wheeler, Calvin 451 
 
 Wheeler, Jason A 450 
 
 Wheeler, Jesse E 219 
 
 Wheeler, Kev. John 31!) 
 
 White, David A 481 
 
 White, J. S 37ti 
 
 White, Hon. O. A 122 
 
 Whitney, Calvin 144 
 
 Whiton, John M 194 
 
 Wickham, Hon. C. P 54 
 
 Wicliham, Judge Frederick 14 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Wilcox, F. E 261 
 
 Wildman, F. E 172 
 
 Wildman, William H 173 
 
 Wilhelm, Andrew 385 
 
 Wilhelm. Christopher 885 
 
 Willey, K. M 294 
 
 Williams, Captain John 485 
 
 Williams, J. S 486 
 
 Williams, Louis 478 
 
 Williams, Oliver W 117 
 
 Williams, Theodore 34 
 
 Williamson, Hon. John A... 40 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Willoughby, Arthur 439 
 
 Willoughby, Charles L. . . . 440 
 
 Wilson, John 43 
 
 Wood, D. A., M. D 498 
 
 Wood, George E 91 
 
 Woodward, Dr. Amos 64 
 
 Woodworth, Chauncy 231 
 
 Woodworth, Jonathan P... . 231 
 
 Young, Gardner 142 
 
 Young, Josiah. ... 142 
 
 Young, Downing H 247 
 
 Young, Stephen M 347 
 
 Portraits. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Arnold, D. J. C 359 
 
 Bargus, Lieut. George 339 
 
 Chevraux, Rev. Charles V. . 299 
 
 Cole, Asher M 441 
 
 Conger, Lewis 387 
 
 Davis, John S 513 
 
 Crawford, Hon. S. E 233 
 
 Francis, W. T 329 
 
 Gallup, Caleb H 125 
 
 Gardiner, John 6 
 
 Gibbs, James G 215 
 
 Hagaman, John 423 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Hildreth, Rev. T. F., D. D. 105 
 
 Knapp, P 369 
 
 Lais, Henry 309 
 
 Laning, J. F 269 
 
 Laylin, Hon. Lewis C 75 
 
 McKnight, Joseph R 139 
 
 Manahan, Charles W 197 
 
 Price, William II 85 
 
 Read, Albert N., M. D 45 
 
 Remele, Josepli 405 
 
 Robinson, Wesley 349 
 
 Rowley, Charles 251 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Severance, Warren 319 
 
 Smith, Hiram 179 
 
 Stentz, Henry P 95 
 
 Stewart, Hon. Gideon T.... 25 
 
 Thomas, Uri B 289 
 
 Van Dusen, James L 161 
 
 Vail, D. W., M. D 115 
 
 White, J. S 279 
 
 Wickham, Judge Frederick 15 
 
 Williams, Theodore 35 
 
 Woodward, Dr. Amos 65 
 
 liOHfllfl COUl^TY 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Abbe, Eleazer 878 
 
 Abbe, Norman 881 
 
 Adams, B. B 1203 
 
 Adams, D. M 821 
 
 Adams, Rowell C 899 
 
 Aiken, Charles S 1159 
 
 Alexander, Jol) 1119 
 
 Alexander, John 833 
 
 Alexander. Samuel 1171 
 
 Alteu, B. H 1210 
 
 Andress, Carlo 709 
 
 Andress, George H 709 
 
 Andress, H. M 877 
 
 Arnet, G. H 931 
 
 Arnet, James S 931 
 
 Arnold, Franklin Ilb2 
 
 Auble, Daniel 935 
 
 Avery, F. A 728 
 
 Babcock, A. H 1208 
 
 Bacon, Edwin H 10.50 
 
 Bacon, F. H lOOH 
 
 Bacon, William 885 
 
 Bainbridge, W. A 1194 
 
 Baker, A 9.58 
 
 Baker, Edgar D 1030 
 
 Baker, Gordon W 746 
 
 Baker, Orrin T 1029 
 
 Baker, Richard 564 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Baldauf, Joseph 881 
 
 Baldwin, Charles C 560 
 
 Baldwin, David C 562 
 
 Baldwin, James S 1039 
 
 Baldwin, Joseph H 749 
 
 Baldwin, Seymour VV 554 
 
 Ballantine, W. G., D. D.... 587 
 
 Bardwell, Mrs. C. C 855 
 
 Bardwell, Rev. J. P 855 
 
 Barnes, Henry A 1024 
 
 Barnes, L. A., M. D 1041 
 
 Barnes, Moses 1024 
 
 Barnes, Sardis N 1169 
 
 Bariett, H omer E 1 160 
 
 Barrows, Adnah 826 
 
 Barrows, Heman 826 
 
 Barrows, Henry J 739 
 
 Barrows, J. R 876 
 
 Barth, Jacob 693 
 
 Bassett, Henry 603 
 
 Bates, Francis 1104 
 
 Battle, George 1077 
 
 Baumhart, Elias 1103 
 
 Beal, Samuel 1138 
 
 Beaver, CUiarles 1073 
 
 Beckley, H. O 611 
 
 Beckley, Lyman 610 
 
 Bedortha, W. B 909 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Beebe, Artemas 993 
 
 Beese, Henry F 1070 
 
 Belden, R. B 963 
 
 Bell, Clayton J 797 
 
 Bell, John 797 
 
 Bemis, Uriel M 1012 
 
 Bennett, CD 544 
 
 Bennett, David 543 
 
 Bennett, Frank W 670 
 
 Bennett, Isaac 670 
 
 Bennett, Lewis 671 
 
 Bennett, M. R 544 
 
 Berg, John 869 
 
 Berres, Adam, Jr 977 
 
 Berres, John 1193 
 
 Bickel, Henry 990 
 
 Biggs, J. C 1069 
 
 Biglow, Daniel 1109 
 
 Biglow, E 1109 
 
 Billings, Geo. M 1200 
 
 Billings, Orson 1300 
 
 Billings, Sophronia 1200 
 
 Bivins, E. A 1188 
 
 Blaine, Warren W 1144 
 
 Blantern, Joseph 819 
 
 Bodmann Brothers 1179 
 
 Bommer. C. W 1194 
 
 Bonsor, Frank E 1134 
 
TXDEX. 
 
 1217 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Booth, Capt. John 854 
 
 Bowen, Obediah 571 
 
 Bowen, Mrs. Obediah 573 
 
 Bowers, Charles 1011 
 
 Bowers, Sylvester (113 
 
 Bradford, Henry 1002 
 
 Bradford, Hiram N 1002 
 
 Bradley, Kraslus 825 
 
 Bradley, Mrs. Orpha 1 825 
 
 Braduer, George H 1 148 
 
 Branian, Anson 594 
 
 Braman, G. J 925 
 
 Branian, R. E G61 
 
 Braman, William A 594 
 
 Brand, Rev. James, D. D.. 551 
 
 Breckenridge, A. L 1044 
 
 Breckenridge, B. F 1045 
 
 Breckenridge, Jacob P.... 884 
 
 Breckenridge, Justin 884 
 
 Breckenridge, Norman. . . .1044 
 
 Bricknell, David S)51 
 
 Brooks, W. E (i87 
 
 Brown, Liva 886 
 
 Bryant, George 787 
 
 Bryant, H. B 787 
 
 Bryant, John 787 
 
 Bryant, W. H 1181 
 
 Bunt, D. C 959 
 
 Bunt, George 959 
 
 Burge, E. C 1055 
 
 Burge, E. L 898 
 
 Burge, John Y 1056 
 
 Burke, David 932 
 
 Burlingame, Thomas C. . . .1012 
 
 Busby, Samuel 861 
 
 Bush, Benjamin T 688 
 
 Bush, Daniel T 688 
 
 Byrd, J. P 848 
 
 Cahoon, H.J 622 
 
 Cahoon, O. B 622 
 
 Cahoon, W. E 1137 
 
 Carter, O. F 926 
 
 Carvey, Orson M 1153 
 
 Carvey, William 1153 
 
 Case, Deacon John S 894 
 
 Chamberlain, Rev. W. B. . . 573 
 
 Chapin, Herbert 885 
 
 Chapin, John 903 
 
 Chapman, Abner 678 
 
 Chapman, C. B 1059 
 
 (;hapman, Clayton 1 136 
 
 Chapman, Harlan P 795 
 
 Chapman, Mrs. Isabel L. . . 730 
 
 Chapman, James W 592 
 
 Chapman, John Austin. . . . 729 
 
 Chapman, J. B 1046 
 
 Chapman, Thomas G 621 
 
 Chapman Family 790 
 
 Chester, R 745 
 
 Chope, Thomas 783 
 
 Churchill, Rev. Charles H.. 599 
 
 Clark, H. E 925 
 
 Clark, Horace J 8.59 
 
 Clark, Thompson 1133 
 
 Claus, Jacob H 1125 
 
 Clifford, Daniel C 1000 
 
 Clifford, John 1060 
 
 Clifford, L. F 1060 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Clifton, George 888 
 
 Clifton, S. Q 888 
 
 Close, Benjamin 569 
 
 Clough, Baxter 865 
 
 Clough, Henry H 8i)5 
 
 Coates, Frank A S40 
 
 Coates, Stephen 840 
 
 Coghlan, John 1209 
 
 Cole, C. J 1011 
 
 Cole, S. G 943 
 
 Cole, W.A 043 
 
 Comings, A. G 661 
 
 Cone, Milan 1071 
 
 Cone, Mrs. M 1071 
 
 Connolly, James 1168 
 
 Cook, Chapman M 1116 
 
 Cooley, Charles.. . . 679 
 
 Corn well. Dr. N. H 653 
 
 Cotton, Charles W 815 
 
 Cotton, George W 815 
 
 Cotton, N. L 1031 
 
 Couch, George L 803 
 
 Cowles, Rev. Henry 690 
 
 Cowles, Robert 1137 
 
 Cowley, Robert J 1048 
 
 Cox, Thomas 1019 
 
 Cragin, Benjamin 804 
 
 Cragin, C. C 804 
 
 Cragin, Harrison A 1047 
 
 Crawford, J. S 1090 
 
 Crowell, D 1087 
 
 Cummings, D. S 568 
 
 Cummings, Mrs. E. C 569 
 
 Currey, John 731 
 
 Curtice, David 1311 
 
 Cuyler, E. A 717 
 
 Dague, Frederick 1195 
 
 Dague, John 937 
 
 Daniels, Theodore F .549 
 
 Dawley, A. G 1120 
 
 Day, James 641 
 
 Day Family 641 
 
 Deeg, George T 1195 
 
 De Lloyd, Henry 1098 
 
 Deming, H. A 915 
 
 Diederich, Nicholas 1039 
 
 Disbro, Ernest L 618 
 
 Doane.J. W 766 
 
 Douglass, Robert 771 
 
 Douglass, William 771 
 
 Drake, David 1091 
 
 Draper, Peter R 1174 
 
 Dunning. John 1080 
 
 Durkee, Oel 1065 
 
 Eady, HenryJ 800 
 
 Earl, Warren 1191 
 
 Eckler, John H 1127 
 
 Edgerion, William 1116 
 
 Edison, F. W 826 
 
 Eldred, Francis N 899 
 
 Ellis, Rev. John M 588 
 
 Ely Family 524 
 
 Ely, George H 679 
 
 Ely, Hon. Heman 524 
 
 Ely, Heman, Jr 524 
 
 Emmons, Lorrin 971 
 
 Ensign, Charles C 621 
 
 Eppley, Michael 997 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Eskert, William F 913 
 
 Everitt, A. B., M. D 590 
 
 Everitt Family 590 
 
 Fairchild, Grandison 634 
 
 Faircbild, Prof. James H. . 634 
 
 Fancher.Thaddeus W 732 
 
 Farr, .Airs. Phebe L 988 
 
 Fauver, Alfred 929 
 
 Faxon Family 614 
 
 Faxon, Isaac D 618 
 
 Faxon, John Hall 617 
 
 Faxon, Theodore S 618 
 
 Fay, W. L 872 
 
 Fav Family 872 
 
 Feiton.N. H 1199 
 
 Ferguson, Charles S 941 
 
 Finley, Charles A 1062 
 
 Finney, Rev. Charles G 691 
 
 Fisher, David C 1 158 
 
 Fisher, O. L 1048 
 
 Fitch, Edwards 978 
 
 Flickinger, Josejih B 1105 
 
 Folger,"Thomas 723 
 
 Follansbee, Herbert S 866 
 
 Follansbee, W. B 630 
 
 Foot, Amos 753 
 
 Foot, G. D 753 
 
 Forthofer, Peter 1110 
 
 Foster, Albert 1184 
 
 Foster, E. C 1041 
 
 Foster, F. H 778 
 
 Foster, LB 778 
 
 Foster, Parks 544 
 
 Fowl, Henry 973 
 
 Fowler, C. A 928 
 
 Fowler, Mrs. C. A 928 
 
 Fox, Thomas 987 
 
 Frederick, Dr. C. H 1208 
 
 French. AVilliam M 811 
 
 Fuller, W.J 1128 
 
 Oannelt, Joseph 1043 
 
 Garfield, Halsey 871 
 
 Garfield, Milton 871 
 
 Garford, Arthur L 756 
 
 Garford, George 756 
 
 Garrett, S. J 1189 
 
 Garver, A. N., M. D 798 
 
 Gates, Col. Nahum B 519 
 
 Gawn, Henry J 951 
 
 Gawn, James 951 
 
 Gawn, Mrs. Louisa E 951 
 
 Gawn, Thomas 040 
 
 Gibbs, David L 1150 
 
 Gibbs, Ransom 1150 
 
 Gibson, George W 1163 
 
 Gibson, Mrs. Sara E 1211 
 
 Gillmore, Alanson 532 
 
 Gillmore, Edmund 710 
 
 Gillmore, George 1206 
 
 Gillmore, Quartus 702 
 
 Gillmore, Quincv A 711 
 
 Glenn, Charles H 993 
 
 Glynn, L. D 1178 
 
 Goodman, Charles 750 
 
 Goodman, Jacob 750 
 
 Goodwin, Robert N 1000 
 
 Goss, David 1007 
 
 Goss, Maurice 1007 
 
1218 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 I 
 
 PAGE. I 
 
 Grabenstetler, Nicholas. . ..1022 ' 
 
 Green, William 838 [ 
 
 Greeoe, F. A 949 
 
 Griffin, Frederick A 1014 
 
 Griffin, Frederick E 1014 
 
 Griswold, E. C 834 
 
 Griswold Family 834 
 
 Grote, J. W 118U 
 
 Hagemann, Conrad 583 
 
 Hale, Alfred E 998 
 
 Hall, Avery 538 
 
 Hall, Edwin.... 1038 
 
 Hall, Dr. H. L 745 
 
 Hall, Orrin 537 
 
 Hamilton, Leonard G 828 
 
 Hamillon Family 828 
 
 Hance, Ed 938 
 
 Hance, Grove 1118 
 
 Hance, Hiram 938 
 
 Harmon, .1. Francis 750 
 
 Harrington, C. W 919 
 
 Harris, Alfred 1171 
 
 Harris, George M., M. D. . 731 
 
 Harris, .Tosiah 738 
 
 Harris, Mile 738 
 
 Harris, Royal 1031 
 
 Hart, Flavius A 839 
 
 Hart, Hawley 1001 
 
 Hart, Jay 1124 
 
 Hart, L. J 819 
 
 Hart, Willard 1001 
 
 Harvit.John 713 
 
 Haserodt, J. F 1040 
 
 Haserodt, L. E 1157 
 
 Hastings, Curtis H 1034 
 
 Hastings, Elizer G 833 
 
 Hastings, E. H 1034 
 
 Hastings, Wesley 1105 
 
 Hathaway. John M 1117 
 
 Haven, Raymond 953 
 
 Hawke, John 1045 
 
 Hawke, William 1202 
 
 Hawkins, Charles E 554 
 
 Hawkins, William 553 
 
 Hecock, H. L 877 
 
 Heldmyer, William tt67 
 
 Henderson, J. T 964 
 
 Herrick, Hon. Lucius 714 
 
 Herrick, Oscar G12 
 
 Hildebrand, Edward 870 
 
 Hill, Charles W 1117 
 
 Hill, George E ... 957 
 
 Hill, J. C 584 
 
 Hinman, Judge Edgar H. . 762 
 
 Hitchcock, Henry 999 
 
 Hitchcock, Henry H 853 
 
 Hitchcock, Samuel 999 
 
 Holcomb, R. E 1066 
 
 Holiday, E. R., M. D 528 
 
 Holiday Family 528 
 
 Holladay, D. 961 
 
 Hollstein, George IISO 
 
 Honecker, William 1210 
 
 Hopkins, C. F 1003 
 
 Horn, Lorenz, 937 
 
 Horr, C. W 050 
 
 Horr Family G47 
 
 Horton, Charles H 916 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Howard, S. V. R 954 
 
 Howk, David 630 
 
 Howk, Hiram H 630 
 
 Howk, John 922 
 
 Hulberl, John W 537 
 
 Humphrey, J. 1191 
 
 Husted, D. S 933 
 
 Husted, H. G 931 
 
 Ives, Cyrus 703 
 
 Jackson, C. H 1193 
 
 Jackson, Daniel 796 
 
 Jackson, Elisha 1196 
 
 Jackson, Ernest S 1080 
 
 Jackson, Ezra S 767 
 
 Jackson, George 1083 
 
 Jackson, James 796 
 
 Jackson, Pliny 1082 
 
 Jacobs, Peter 1209 
 
 Jameson, Joseph B 1123 
 
 Jameson, M. B 1123 
 
 Jameson, William 1136 
 
 Jaycox, George 983 
 
 Jaycox, James M 983 
 
 Jefferies, George C 713 
 
 Jenue, Ansel 905 
 
 Jewell, James 809 
 
 Johnson, Adelbert C o81 
 
 Johnson, David D 579 
 
 Johnson, Hon. E. G 574 
 
 Johnson, Frank D 1009 
 
 Johnson, John H 579 
 
 Johnson, Mrs. Mary E 579 
 
 Johnson, Hon. Nathan P.. 962 
 
 Johnson, William H 962 
 
 Johnston, Charles W 638 
 
 Johnston Family 638 
 
 Jones, Mark 1068 
 
 Jones, Thomas H 1068 
 
 Joy, A. D 981 
 
 Jump, Mrs. Julia C, M. D. 900 
 
 Jump, R. E 900 
 
 Juugbluth, Anton 875 
 
 Keep, Rev. John 689 
 
 Kelling,N 783 
 
 Kelner, S. W 1017 
 
 Kelner, William 1017 
 
 King, Thomas 1076 
 
 King Family 1076 
 
 Kirkbride, David 1158 
 
 Kirkbride, Isaac 1161 
 
 Knellmer, Jacob. ! 788 
 
 Kolbe, Adam 897 
 
 Krebs, W.J 817 
 
 Kress, William 121 1 
 
 Krohn, H.H.J 1085 
 
 JLahiff, .John 1203 
 
 Lampman, M. II 978 
 
 Lampman, M. Z 978 
 
 Lang, J.H 631 
 
 Lang Family 631 
 
 Langdon, William F 1164 
 
 Lantsbery, John 1090 
 
 Lapp, William 1180 
 
 Law, Jacob 843 
 
 Law, Mathias . 842 
 
 Leasher, J. W 1155 
 
 Lee, C. F 6SS 
 
 Lee, George 688 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Lehman, J. C 863 
 
 Lersch, John 740 
 
 Levagood, Moses H 768 
 
 Lincoln, Mrs. Hannah N.. 702 
 
 Lincoln, Joseph H 701 
 
 Line, Thomas 1009 
 
 Loomis, E. F 862 
 
 Loomis, Richard N 862 
 
 Lord, Addison E 1145 
 
 Lord, Dr. Asa D 599 
 
 Lord, Mrs. E. W. R 598 
 
 Loveland, Leonard H 755 
 
 Lyon, George 1046 
 
 McCollum, Alexander 601 
 
 McConnell, James 960 
 
 McConnell, AV. R 960 
 
 McLaughlin, John 1188 
 
 McPhail, Capt. Alexander. 941 
 
 McRoberts, Henry 720 
 
 McRoberts, Peter 719 
 
 McRoberts, Pitt 788 
 
 McRoberts, Volney 721 
 
 Mahan, Rev. Asa 691 
 
 Manley, Fredrick B 694 
 
 Manley, Josiah B 694 
 
 Manville, Jerome 883 
 
 Marsh, Lucius R 1115 
 
 Marsh, Richard 1192 
 
 Martin, F. W 1055 
 
 Martin, Jeremiah, Jr 10S8 
 
 Martin, Nathaniel 774 
 
 Martindale, H. B 992 
 
 Masten, Mrs. John 1 571 
 
 Jlasten, John 1 570 
 
 Mathews, George 1087 
 
 Maynard, O. T., M. D 671 
 
 Meredith, J. A 1020 
 
 Meredith, William 1021 
 
 Merriam, Robert 699 
 
 Merriam, William A 699 
 
 Metcalf, L S 805 
 
 Meyer, Peter 1096 
 
 Miller, David 1186 
 
 Miller, Glover 1114 
 
 Miller, John A 1126 
 
 Miller, J. R 973 
 
 Miller, Peter 1126 
 
 Mills, C. S 1154 
 
 jNIills, Samuel 1154 
 
 Mole, Henry 798 
 
 Monroe, James 644 
 
 Monteith, Rev. John 521 
 
 Mooers, Alton H 856 
 
 Mooers, Phineas 856 
 
 Moore, A. C, M. D 638 
 
 Moore, Oreu 1096 
 
 ]\loore, Theron 1114 
 
 Moore, Truman 1114 
 
 Morehouse, Max 799 
 
 Morgan, Rev. John 698 
 
 Morse, Levi 533 
 
 Mountain, John 633 
 
 Moysey, D. R 1146 
 
 Mull, Joseph H 774 
 
 Mumford, T. H 842 
 
 M ussey , Henry E 663 
 
 Myers, Jacob 977 
 
 Myers, Mathias, 982 
 
IXDEX. 
 
 1219 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 JFaylor, Samuel 1072 
 
 Nelson, Mrs. Frances H... o37 
 
 Nelson, 'I'liomas L. . 534 
 
 Nicholl, E. H 1065 
 
 ■• Nichols, A. W '"IS 
 
 Nichols, Arthur W 803 
 
 , Nichols, D. C 781 
 
 Nichols, George E 581 
 
 Nichols, .Tames 761 
 
 Nichols, Nathaniel 743 
 
 Nichols, Mrs. Nettie 805 
 
 Nichols, O. S 820 
 
 Nichols, Ueuben .581 
 
 Noble, George AV 1037 
 
 Norton, E 982 
 
 Norton, George H 613 
 
 Norton, Hiram 613 
 
 Nuhn, Malhias 907 
 
 Nuhn, Peter 907 
 
 Nye, .Judge David J 004 
 
 Ogilvie, Johnson 1206 
 
 Oi'msby, Rev. Caleb 673 
 
 Osboru, Andrew 1099 
 
 Osborn, Joseph 1099 
 
 Osborne, Henry A 1010 
 
 Osborne, Mr."". L. A 1010 
 
 Ostrander, Peter 1198 
 
 Parker, H. E., M. D 1033 
 
 Parker, H. M., A. M 664 
 
 Parker, J. B 1101 
 
 Peabody, Andrew 810 
 
 Peabody, Elnathan 8:0 
 
 Peabody, Harvey M 1149 
 
 Peck, D. J 1156 
 
 Peck, Harmon 980 
 
 Peck, Noah H 980 
 
 Pelton, Alvin 597 
 
 Pelton, David C 775 
 
 Pelton, Floyd M 775 
 
 Perry, Richard DeWitt 822 
 
 Pfeil, Rev. Nicholas 968 
 
 Phelon, Tasso D 1028 
 
 Phelps, Joseph 1130 
 
 Phelps, M. W 1130 
 
 Phillips, AVilliam H 752 
 
 Pierce, F. W 893 
 
 Pifer, Henry 1147 
 
 Pitts, E. W 717 
 
 Pitts, William 717 
 
 Plato, Henry A 974 
 
 Plato, John E 984 
 
 Pomrov, Richard W 891 
 
 Pond, Martin W 629 
 
 Pond Family 624 ' 
 
 Porter, Alexander 1137 
 
 Porter, John 944 
 
 Porter, William 944 
 
 Pounds, M. A 683 
 
 Powell, Calvin 847 
 
 Powell, William S 847 
 
 Pratt. L. B 818 
 
 Prentice, Hiram 1050 
 
 Prentice, William 105] 
 
 Preston, Chester A 988 
 
 Preston, William 1183 
 
 Rawsoii, David A 942 
 
 Rawson, Grindall 942 
 
 Reamer, C. A 989 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Redfern, Benjamin 1004 
 
 Redfern, James H 788 
 
 Redfern, Robert 1168 
 
 Redington, H. G 994 
 
 Reed, J. H- 1170 
 
 Reed, J. L 1095 
 
 Reefy, Frederick S 806 
 
 Reefy, P. D.. M. D 784 
 
 Remington, J. H 1007 
 
 Rice, Abram 711 
 
 Rice, Fenelon B 080 
 
 Rice, George W 711 
 
 Rice, J. J 1173 
 
 Rice, V. E 1173 
 
 Richmond, A. J 1020 
 
 Richmond, Lester J 950 
 
 Riley, John, Jr 999 
 
 Rimbach, Henry 701 
 
 Rininger. William 910 
 
 Riizenthaler, Philip 1146 
 
 Roach, John 936 
 
 Roach, Thomas 936 
 
 Bobbins, G. H 663 
 
 Robson, Edwin 906 
 
 Rockwood, David 841 
 
 Rockwood, F. W 841 
 
 Rockwood, Henry S 728 
 
 Rockwood, Samuel S 727 
 
 Root, Azariah S., A. M 1187 
 
 Root, H. D 816 
 
 Root, Legrand 953 
 
 Root, Oresten 816 
 
 Ross, Isaac B 1089 
 
 Rowland, Aaron 572 
 
 Rowland, S. W 572 
 
 Rowley, F. A 690 
 
 Sage, Calvin 1078 
 
 Salisbury, Joseph 921 
 
 Salisbury, Robert 921 
 
 Sampsell, Mrs. E. C 657 
 
 Sampsell, J. V., M. D 642 
 
 Sampsell, Paul W., M. D. . 6.54 
 
 Sanders, Allen 1049 
 
 Sawver, D. L 992 
 
 Saxton, Elisha 929 
 
 Saxton, Williiim H 929 
 
 Saye, John 970 
 
 Sayles. William A 1086 
 
 Schaible, Jacob 1102 
 
 Schaible, Jacob E 1103 
 
 Schmidt. Rev. J. A 781 
 
 Scholt, George 1177 
 
 Schramm, John 1156 
 
 Schramm, Peter 11.55 
 
 Schuler, E. C 1081 
 
 Schuller, Peter 843 
 
 Schwartz, David 1187 
 
 Schwartz, Jacob 1135 
 
 Schwarz, Christian 948 
 
 Scott, John 598 
 
 Scott, Walter .593 
 
 Sears, George L 904 
 
 Sears, L. L 1043 
 
 Seely, Cornelius 7.54 
 
 Seelv, Humphrey S 754 
 
 Seely, Morell E 7.53 
 
 Seelye, Cornelius 1024 
 
 Seelye, J. M 1023 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Semple, H. W 1033 
 
 Shadford. J 1088 
 
 Sharp, William G 669 
 
 Shaw, .S. H 971 
 
 Sheahan, J. B 980 
 
 Sherbondy. A. W 860 
 
 Shipherd, Rev. John J 539 
 
 Shoop, William N 782 
 
 Sigourney, Peter 1176 
 
 Sippel, Philip 1108 
 
 Slater, ("laience H 804 
 
 Smith, Allien H 1008 
 
 Smith, Dr. Cliailes 619 
 
 Smith, Chiliab .530 
 
 Smith, E. A 979 
 
 Smith, F. C 81! 
 
 Smith, Fred Norton 812 
 
 Smith, Geor^'e E , M. D 019 
 
 Smith, Ira W 1010 
 
 Smith, Joel B 1058 
 
 Smith, John 1177 
 
 Smith, J. B 608 
 
 Smith, J. C 1058 
 
 Siniih, Judge Laertes B 530 
 
 Smith, Levi 1057 
 
 Smith, Mrs. M. B 1178 
 
 Smith, Peler M 1185 
 
 Smith, Walt-r 10.57 
 
 Smith, \\ illiaui .548 
 
 Snow. C. H 919 
 
 Snyder, A. J 1100 
 
 Spicer, Henry 920 
 
 Spicer, Richard 920 
 
 Sprague. E. G WIS 
 
 Sprague, William G 1013 
 
 Squires, A. E 1144 
 
 Squires, T. J 987 
 
 Stang, John 936 
 
 Slarr, Gideon L 653 
 
 Starr, Heman E 608 
 
 Starr, Rev. Matthew L 531 
 
 Starr, Orrin 668 
 
 Starr, O. K 728 
 
 Starr, Talcott 653 
 
 Starr, William 728 
 
 Steele, H N 673 
 
 Steele, Col. J. W 8.54 
 
 Steele, John 673 
 
 Steele, Smith 072 
 
 Stetson, II. D 1124 
 
 Stetson, Randall 1124 
 
 Stewart, Philo P ,543 
 
 Stiwald, A. E 1135 
 
 Stocking, CD 1092 
 
 Stocking, Jonathau S 1093 
 
 Stone, Charles 789 
 
 Stone, Reuben 789 
 
 Storrow, Joseph 1149 
 
 Straw, Ezra 1207 
 
 Straw, I. S 1140 
 
 Sturlevant, C. A 886 
 
 Slurtevant Family 886 
 
 Sumner. Charles W 892 
 
 Sntlill", Charles E 603 
 
 Siilliir, Salmon 657 
 
 Sntliir, W. C 1165 
 
 Sutliti; William U. H 657 
 
 Swartz, Jacob .1204 
 
1220 
 
 LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Tennant, D. K 1167 
 
 Ten n ant, Mrs. Mary J 624 
 
 Tennaiit, Moses S (>2:i 
 
 Tennanl, Selden ^i'6 
 
 Teny, Eleazer 837 
 
 Terry, Walker S 827 
 
 Thew, E 892 
 
 Thomas, Ue Grasse 849 
 
 Thomas, Fred F 850 
 
 Thomas, Harriet 849 
 
 Thompson, J. B 870 
 
 Thompson, Hon. H. B.. . .551 
 Tiffany, Hod. Joel. . ... 522 
 
 Tillcitson, Hiram 64S 
 
 Tillotson, Thomas 0-13 
 
 Tinis,Henry 1115 
 
 Tolhurst, Mrs. Amelia 1062 
 
 Tolhurst, Daniel 1061 
 
 Tompkins, Nathaniel 891 
 
 Tompkins, S 914 
 
 Townsend, Henry 1143 
 
 Townshend, J. H 1185 
 
 Townshend, John S 1129 
 
 Tucker, Charles E 697 
 
 Tucker, William H 697 
 
 Turley, Joseph 1018 
 
 Turney, E. A 1107 
 
 Twining, Charles A 773 
 
 Van Wagnen, G. H 1110 
 
 Van Wagnen, Henry 1113 
 
 Vantilburg,J. M., M.D.... 969 
 
 Varney, Wellington 1205 
 
 ■Wack, Hiram 1180 
 
 Wadsworth Family 704 
 
 Wadsworth, Benjamin 887 
 
 Wadsworth, David L 704 
 
 Wadsworth, Francis S 651 
 
 PAG E. 
 
 Wadsworth, Horace 682 
 
 Wadswortli, Lawton 051 
 
 Wadsworth, L. U 1079 
 
 Waite, Dorastus 1119 
 
 Walkden, Arthur 958 
 
 Walkden, Richard 1 175 
 
 Wallace, Henry 789 
 
 Wangerien, C. K 1102 
 
 Wangerien, H. C 1163 
 
 Wangerien, Karl 1162 
 
 Warburtou, Charles H 998 
 
 Warner, Henry 973 
 
 Warner, Sidney S 724 
 
 Warren Family 733 
 
 Warren, H. E.', M. D 734 
 
 Washburn, Clarence G ...1079 
 Washburn, Hon. George G. 523 
 
 Waugh, C. M 609 
 
 Waugh, Gideon 609 
 
 Webber, A. K 844 
 
 Webster, Russel B 582 
 
 Weeks, G. C 733 
 
 Weeks, Henry H 723 
 
 Weeks, Thomas T 722 
 
 Weller, George L 602 
 
 Weller, John (deceased). . 601 
 
 Weller, Wesley <101 
 
 Wesbecher, Joseph 913 
 
 West, Amasa ...1139 
 
 West, Edward 677 
 
 West, Roger 677 
 
 Whipple, James 703 
 
 Whitney, Joseph 777 
 
 Whitney, Joseph S 777 
 
 Whitney, Milton 552 
 
 Whitney, Silas D 5.J2 
 
 Whiton, Joseph L 674 
 
 PAnK. 
 
 Whiton, Joseph L., Jr 674 
 
 Whittlesey, Cyrus L IHil 
 
 Whittlesey. Solomon 991 
 
 Wickens, George 989 
 
 Wiegand, Conrad 1 139 
 
 Wight, H 906 
 
 Wight, Reuben 900 
 
 Wilber, Nicholas 1174 
 
 AVilber, J. W 765 
 
 Wilber, John Walson 765 
 
 Wilder, D. G., M. D 603 
 
 Wilford, John 795 
 
 Willbrd, Thoma"* 795 
 
 Wilford, Capt. Thomas ... 914 
 
 Willard, J. E 623 
 
 Williams, Everett E 737 
 
 Williams, Henry H 734 
 
 Williams, John 734 
 
 Wilson, Charles E 673 
 
 Wire, W. A 1031 
 
 Wise, Fred 983 
 
 Wise, Henry 770 
 
 Wise, Lewis 882 
 
 Wise, Peter 883 
 
 Witbeck, A. H 1197 
 
 Witbeck, Mrs. Jane A 1198 
 
 Wolf, John 1053 
 
 Woodworth, Mrs. C. L 084 
 
 Woodworth, Hiram 684 
 
 Worthington, Elden 1097 
 
 Worthington, Jonathan B..10ii7 
 
 Wright, AloDzo 908 
 
 Wright, D. S 1173 
 
 Wright, George F., D. D. .. 589 
 
 AVright, Lewis F 1160 
 
 Wurst, Henry 6S(I 
 
 Wyatt, James 1030 
 
 Portraits. 
 
 PA«E. 
 
 Baker, Gordon W 747 
 
 Baker, Richard 565 
 
 Baldwin, Seymour W 555 
 
 Barnes, Henry A 10^5 
 
 Braman, William A .595 
 
 Burke, David 933 
 
 Case, Deacon John S 895 
 
 Chapman, H. P 791 
 
 Clifton, George S89 
 
 Dawlev, A. G 1121 
 
 Eady, Henry J 801 
 
 Ely, Heman 525 
 
 Fairchild, Prof. James H. 635 
 
 Faxon, J. H 615 
 
 Fay, W. L 873 
 
 Finley, Charles A 1063 
 
 Follansbee, Herbert S. . .. 867 
 
 Foster, Frank H 779 
 
 Foster, Parks 545 
 
 Garford, Arthur L 757 
 
 Gates, Col. Nahum B 518 
 
 Gibbs, David L 1151 
 
 Griffin, F.E 1015 
 
 Griswold, E. C 
 
 Hamilton, Leonard G 
 
 Hance, Ed 
 
 Hastings, E. H 
 
 Henderson, J. T 
 
 Herrick, Hon. Lucius 
 
 Hill, J. C 
 
 Hinman, Judge Edgar H. . 
 
 Horton, Charles H 
 
 Howard, S. V. R 
 
 Howk, John 
 
 Jackson, George 
 
 Johnson, Hon. EG 
 
 Jump, Mrs. Julia C, M. D 
 
 Lersch, John 
 
 Levagood. Moses H 
 
 Manley, Fredrick B 
 
 Monroe, James 
 
 Mooers, Alton H 
 
 Naylor, Samuel 
 
 Nelson, Thomas \j 
 
 Nye, .Judge David J 
 
 Parker, H. M., A.M 
 
 AOE. 
 
 835 
 
 939 
 
 1035 
 
 905 
 
 715 
 
 585 
 
 763 
 
 917 
 
 955 
 
 923 
 
 1083 
 
 575 
 
 , 901 
 
 741 
 
 769 
 
 (i95 
 
 (i45 
 
 . 857 
 
 1073 
 
 535 
 
 . 005 
 
 (i(;5 
 
 Perry, Richard De Witt. . . 
 
 Phelps. M. W 
 
 Plato, Henry A ■. 
 
 Plato, John E . 
 
 Pond, yi. W 
 
 Porter, John 
 
 Redfern, Benjamin 
 
 Redington, H. G 
 
 Reefy, Fredericks 
 
 Reefy, P. D, M. D 
 
 Rininger, William 
 
 Sampsell. Paul W., M. D. 
 
 Smith, Fred N 
 
 Stocking, CD 
 
 Straw, Isaac S 
 
 Thomas, Fred F 
 
 Van Wagnen, G. H 
 
 Wadsworth, David L 
 
 Warner, Sidney S 
 
 Webber, A. R 
 
 Whiton, Joseph L. 
 
 Williams, Henry H 
 
 Wolf, John 
 
 '\GE. 
 
 823 
 
 1131 
 
 , 975 
 
 985 
 
 625 
 
 945 
 
 ,1005 
 
 , 995 
 
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 911 
 
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 . 851 
 
 .1111 
 
 , 705 
 
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 075 
 
 . 735 
 
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 Woodworth, Hlrara 685 
 
 H 12? «r 
 
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