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JOSEPH NAPOLETANO, a notary public of Ashtabula Harbor, who is successfully engaged in the real estate business, is a prominent citizen of Ashtabula County.  He was born in Italy, June 6, 1867, and is the son of Salvatore and Mary V. Napoletano.
     Salvatore Napoletano and his wife were born in Italy, where they had always lived.  He was a city clerk of his town which was a life time position; he died in 1912.  His wife died in 1918.  They were the parents of the following children: Alfred, lives  in New York; Joseph, the subject of this sketch; Attilo, lives in Italy; Pasqualine, Esther, who also live in Italy.
     Joseph Napoletano received his education in the schools of his native land and practiced law there for five years, after having served in the Italian army for five years.  In March, 1894, he came to the United States and located at Ashtabula, where he was employed on the docks.  Later he engaged in the insurance business for 12 years and represented the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.  Mr. Napoletano studied law in the law offices of Mr. Goddard at Ashtabula Harbor and during Mr. Goddard's absence in the west for 18 years, Mr. Napoletano had complete charge of his practice.  He is also interested in the real estate business and does a large volume of business.  His office is located at 68 1/2 Bridge Street, Ashtabula Harbor.
     Mr. Napoletano was united in marriage with Miss Madeline Daniel, also a native of Italy, and to this union five children have been born, as follows:  Albert, married May Pearson, and they have three sons, Charles, Frank,  and Edward; Joseph, Vincenta, a teacher, married in 1921 to G. A. Simpson, lives in Detroit, Mich., and they have two children, Madeline, and Franklin; Joseph, married Iva Mitchell, and they live in Detroit, Mich., and have two children, Richard and Doris; Thomas S., married Hilda Peters; and Mary.  The above children all live in Detroit, Mich.
     Mr. Napoletano, is a Republican, a member of the Elks lodge and the Order of Sons of Italy.  Mr. Napoletano has held many public offices and during the World War took an active part in the affairs of the county in promoting drives of various sorts.  In 1921 he was elected township trustee of Ashtabula Township and has been chairman of the board since that date.  He is a stockholder in the Marine National Bank of Ashtabula Harbor and is also connected with the Ashtabula Harbor and Peoples Building and Loan Associations.  Mr. Napoletano is progressive and public spirited and one of the substantial and widely known citizens of Ashtabula Harbor.
Source #2 - Pg. 558

F. B. NEARPASS, who is successfully engaged in business at North Kingsville, where he owns a garage and lunch room, is a native of Ashtabula County.  He was born at South Kingsville, April 1, 1888, and is the son of I. V. and Winona (Morris) Nearpass.
     I. V. Nearpass was a veteran of the Civil and Black Hawk wars.  He was a native of Michigan and an early settler of Ashtabula County.  For many years he owned and was editor of the Kingsville Tribune.  Mr. Nearpass made four trips west after the Civil War and his companion, Frank Kirkwood, was killed by the Indians while enroute to California.  Mr. Nearpass died in 1904.  His wife, who died in 1923, was the daughter of Dr. J. L. Morris, Kingsville's pioneer physician and surgeon.  To Mr. and Mrs Nearpass one son was born, F. J., the subject of this sketch.
     F. J. Nearpass received his education in the schools of Kingsville and began his career as a mechanic in Ashtabula, which trade he followed for seven years.  He was employed by the Ashtabula Fork & Hoe Company and the Phoenix Iron Company.  In 1921 Mr. Nearpass engaged in his present business on North Ridge Road, which he and his wife purchased from Mrs. Celia Morse.  He has an uptodate garage and does general repair work.  There is also a filling station in connection with the garage.  Mrs. Nearpass conducts the restaurant, which is first class and well patronized.  Both the garage and restaurant are on the same property.  The brick building on this property was the first of its kind to be built at North Kingsville, having been built in 1860.  The upper portion of the building is also occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Nearpass and contains 12 sleeping rooms on one floor and a dance hall on the floor above.
     On Sept. 30, 1909, Mr. Nearpass was married to Miss Charlotte Harmon,the daughter of Reuben and Charlotte (Hammond) Harmon.  Mr. Harmon was born at North Kingsville in 1858 and his family is among the leading pioneer families of Ashtabula County.  Mr. Harmon now lives retired on his farm of 35 acres.  Mr. and Mrs. Nearpass have a daughter, Charlotte Jane, who was born in 1916.
     Mr. Nearpass is identified with the Republican party and he and his family are members of the Presbyterian church.  He is a public spirited and progressive business man and has many friends and acquaintances.
Source #2 - Page

IRA V. NEARPASS – The subject of this sketch was born in Concord, Jackson county, Michigan, Apr. 28, 1848, his parents being among the early pioneers of that State.  Peter Nearpass, the grandfather of the aforesaid, with the father of the last named, Benjamin Nearpass, then a man past middle age, with five girls and one boy, the latter the father of our subject, came from York State by the overland route, purchasing Government land on which to settle.  The great-grandfather of our subject lived to the ripe old age of 104 years, his occupation in his younger days being that of a physician, he having been for some time connected with George Washington’s army as Surgeon.  He cast his last vote for John C. Fremont, dying soon after.  The forefathers of the subject of this sketch were ever noted for their patriotism, being “dyed-in-the-wool” Republicans from the time the party was organized.
     In 1862, the young blood began to burn in the bosom of Ira V., and while attending school in the western part of Michigan, he engaged to go to the front as an Orderly on the staff of Colonel E. G. Dunbar, of the Thirteenth Michigan Infantry, and in the spring of 1863 he was wearing the blue.  After remaining at the front about six months, he returned to Michigan to employ a company of men to unload cars and steamboats for the government at Chattanooga, Tennessee, returning with them and remaining eight months, when he came home and enlisted in the First Michigan Cavalry, joining the regiment at Chappel Point, Maryland.  After the grand review at Washington, May 24, 1865, the brigade to which his regiment was attached, left for the territories, fitting out for the march to the Great Salt Lake at Leavenworth, Kansas.  The brigade left Fort Leavenworth in July, 1865, and took up the line of march, following the Platte river trail to Denver, Colorado, after which they took the old trail over the summit of the Rockies.  The subject’s messmate, Franklin Kirkwood, was killed by the Indians at LaBenty Station, Dakota, and his captain was massacred near Fort Laramie.  The regiment was mustered out at Salt Lake City in the spring of 1866, when our subject “whacked” mules back as far as Leavenworth, continuing the journey to Michigan by rail and boat.
     In 1867 he entered the Statesman office at Marshall, Michigan, as an apprentice, finishing the trade in the same office in 1870, since which time he has been engaged in the printing business most of the time.  In 1883 he came to Kingsville, Ohio, and resurrected the Kingsville Tribune, which was then about six months old and which has since then grown to be a prosperous and paying plant.
     Our subject was first married Aug. 8, 1869, to Amelia Green, daughter of Asa and Sarah Green, natives of York State, then residents of Charlotte, Michigan.  Amelia was a native of York State.  There were three children born to them, viz.: Clyde a., died at the age of two years, in 1872; Purl a. and Winifred, both of whom are compositors, and doing good service in the printing office of their father.  Fern J. born Apr. 1, 1888, is the only child by our subject’s second marriage.  Both our subject and wife, also the daughters, are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
     Asa Green was born July 19, 1816, and died in 1885.  Mrs. Amelia Nearpass was the elder of a family of two children, Clara, wife of Harry Rogers¸ now of Charlotte, Michigan, being the younger sister.  Amelia was born May 28, 1850, and died Aug. 6, 1880.  She was an attendant and ever took an active interest in the Baptist Church.
     Our subject’s second marriage occurred July 19, 1884, when he espoused Miss Winona Morris, daughter of Dr. J. L. and E. A. Morris, the wife a native of this county, and the parents natives respectively of New York State and Ohio.  The father, Dr. J. L. Morris, was Surgeon in the One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, the regiment being known as the “Pennsylvania Buck-Tails.”  He served somewhat over three years in the army of the Potomac, rendered good service, and is drawing a pension.  He retired with the rank of Lieutenant, and is still living.  Was born Aug. 20, 1830.  His wife is still living, she being born Oct. 10, 1835.
     Mrs. Nearpass is second in a family of three children, the other two being Minda and Pleton, the latter still living with his parents.
     Our subject is one of seven children, four of whom are now living.  His father was born in Rose, New York, Nov. 11, 1824, his mother in Akron, Ohio, Nov. 8, 1825, and died Aug. 1, 1858.
     Our subject, as an Orderly, never carried a gun until he enlisted in the cavalry.  During his service in the West, his command engaged in several noted battles with the Indians, especially the Pole Creek fight, Wyoming, where the command sustained a loss of four killed and eleven wounded, killing forty-five warrior “bucks,” and capturing many ponies, camp equipage, squaws, and papooses.  In the winter of 1865, a detail was made to guard the stage coach containing the United States mail, our subject being one of the detail.  Their duty was to guard the mail and passengers from one relay or station to another.  On one occasion, about 2 a.m., the Indians, with a force of about 400, attacked the detail of eight men.  The horses of the advance guard, of which our subject was one, took fright, and his horse leaped over a precipice of eighteen feet.  The horse and rider were both seriously injured by contact with the rough boulders, but with the assistance of his comrade he regained the road, by which time the coach and balance of the detail came up.  A portion of the detail held the Indians in check, while the others turned the coach the way in which it had come.  They then fought the Indians a running fight for nine miles, where they received reinforcements.  Four of the detail were wounded with arrows, but none received more than flesh wounds.  The coach was well decorated with arrows, and most of the horses bore arrow points in their flesh to the camp.  The effects of that eighteen foot fall our subject carries to this day, and will while he lives.
     Mr. Nearpass is a member of Webster Post, No. 8, G. A. R.
Source #1 – Page 516

VERN L. NEIL is a veteran of the World War and a progressive and enterprising young business man of Conneaut.  He was born at Bradford, Pa., March 1, 1893, and is the son of William Neil.
     Vern L. Neil received his education in the public and high schools of Conneaut.  After leaving school he entered the employ of the G. M. Whitney Clothing Company, and is now a member of that firm.
     On June 10, 1917, Mr. Neil enlisted for service during the World War, from Erie, Pa., and was sent to Philadelphia for training in the naval service.  He was discharged Jan. 4, 1919.  Mr. Neil  is a member of the American Legion and commander of Cowell's Post of Conneaut.  HE is identified with the Elks lodge, and is well and favorably known in Ashtabula County.
Source #2 ~ Page 678

W. A. NIMS, who operates eighty-four acres of good farm  land in Colebrook Township, is one of the successful and well known farmer of Ashtabula County.  He was born in Andover Township, Ashtabula County, Aug. 23, 1856, and is a son of Charles and Sarah (Bailey) Nims.
     Charles Nims was a native of New York, born in April, 1812.  After his marriage in 1834 he came to Ashtabula County and spent the remainder of his life on a farm in Andover Township.  His wife was born in New York in 1816 and died in 1872.  Mr. and Mrs.. Nims had six children: Malinda, Florence, Sophia, and Frances, all deceased; Cassius, died while in service during the Civil War; and W. A., the subject of this sketch.
     W. A. Nims attended the schools of Jefferson and Austinburg and at the age of fifteen years began teaching school in Conneaut.  He taught for seventeen terms in Dorset, Richmond, Colebrook, also in Trumbull County.  Since 1886 Mr. Nims has resided on his present farm, which was formerly the Washburn farm.  He was actively engaged in dairy farming until 1922.
     On Aug. 6, 1882, Mr. Nims was united in marriage with Miss Allie Allen, who was born in Wayne Township-, July 22, 1861.  She is the daughter of William E. and Sarah (Fobes) Allen, natives of Wayne Township, and both now deceased.  To Mr. and Mrs. Allen fourteen children were born:  Robert, deceased; Mrs. Nims; Alice G. Barrow,  lives in Florida; Laura E. Bowen; Rhoda, deceased; Leveritt W., lives at Andover; John Marshall; James L., lives in Wayne Township; Edward, lives in Wayne Township; Venice B. Blanchard; and Jessie Eleanor Dodge.  To W. M. and Allie (Allen) Nims ten children have been born, as follows: Charles W., born May 26, 1883, lives at Orwell, Ohio; Sarah Winn, born May 21, 1884, lives in Louisiana; C. C., born Dec. 5, 1885, lives in Cleveland; Robert H., born July 25, 1887, lives at South Euclid, Ohio; Florence Martin, born Mar. 27, 1889, lies at Gates Mill, Ohio; Blain Bryan, born Mar. 5, 1893, lives at Mentor, Ohio; Gertrude May Warner, born Nov. 16, 1895, lives at Albany, N. Y.; Dean S., born Feb. 22, 1898, lives at Ashtabula; Carl S., born Mar. 8, 1891, lives near Mentor, Ohio; and Edith E. Waters, born Nov. 18, 1901, lives in Philadelphia, Pa.  Mr. and Mrs. Nims have fifteen grandchildren.
     Mr. Nims is a Republican and has served as justice of the peace and township trustee.  He is a member of the Baptist Church and a reliable citizen of his community.
Source #2 - page 1085