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OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS
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Erie County,
Ohio |
Biographies
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to Biographical Index>
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| EDWIN
W. RADCLIFF, Oxford, North Monroeville p. o., one of the
representative men of his town, was born in Oxford, Erie county,
in 1844, and was a son of William K. and Chloe (Stone)
Radcliff. William was born in Litchfield county,
Conn., in 1806, and his wife in Rutland, Vt., in 1807.
They were married at Cook's Corners in 1830. William
died in 1884, leaving a widow and three children: Ada,
now Mrs. P. C. Fish, William H. and Edwin W.
Chloe settled here in 1818 with her parents.
Lewis Stone, and his family of three children, are
now living: Chloe, Mrs. Hannah
Smith and William B. William
Radcliff settled in Sandusky in 1828, and erected his
tannery, where he also began to deal in boots and shoes.
Soon after his marriage, in 1830, he settled in North
Monroeville, where he became engaged in farming, and was one of
the active men in the founding of the Congregational Church of
North Monroeville. He was engaged in farming until 1867,
when he became engaged in mining and prospecting. He
returned to Ohio, and took charge of the farm, and soon after
was married to Lovina R. La Salle, a daughter of Jane
La Salle. They have a family of two children:
Maud A. and William K. E. W. Radcliff now owns
the old homestead, which was purchased by his grandfather
Stone in 1818. It then consisted of sixty acres.
They now own fifty-five acres in addition to the original tract.
Mr. Radcliff has been town treasurer for five
years, and also held other minor offices. |
| HORACE
RAMSDELL, Oxford, Bloomingville p.o., was born in
Massachusetts in 1793, and was a son of Joseph and Sarah
Ramsdell, who came from Massachusetts in 1812 and settled in
Erie county. The father and two sons served during the War
of 1812-14. Horace was the last surviving one of
the family of six children, and he died Jan. 28, 172.
Horace Ramsdell was married in 1825 to Sally Bullard,
who was born in Onondaga county, N. Y., in 1807 and came
to Erie county, O. They had a family of twelve children,
seven of whom are now living: John, born 1826; Sarah,
born in 1830; Selima, born in 1832; Addie, born in
1836; James H., born in 1840; Horace V., born in
1842; and Lydia, born in 1844. Horace V.
enlisted in the 101st Regiment in 1862, was wounded at Stone
River, for which injury he now receives a much merited pension
of $24 per month. He was a brave soldier and the last man
to leave his post. John visited California in
1849, where he remained until Mar. 9, 1865, when he returned to
Oxford. Since 1876 he has visited the Black Hills in
company with his brother James. Mr. Ramsdell's life
as a farmer was a successful one, and he left a competency for
his family and a name long to be remembered in his town. |
| HORACE
W. RAND, Huron, a banker of Huron township, was born in
Portland, Me., in 1852, and was a son of William S.
and Adaline (Philbrick) Rand. Adamine died in Bangor
of 1855, leaving one son, Horace W., who settled in
Huron, O., in 1875, and was employed by the Lake Shore Railroad.
In 1885 he organized the Huron Banking Company, with a chartered
capital of $50,000, he organized the Huron Banking Company, with
a chartered capital of $50,000, which now has a surplus of
$8,000. Mr. Rand was married in 1878 to Minnie
S. Squier, a daughter of John Squier. Mr.
Rand is also engaged in the dry goods, grocery and hardware
business, being one of the firm of Hull & Rand. |
| CHARLES
H. RANSOM, Margretta, Sandusky p.o., one of the
representative men of Margaretta, was born in Lyme, New London
county, Conn., Oct. 24, 1821, and was a son of Judah W. and
Nancy Maria (Colt) Ransom, who were married Oct. 10, 1813.
Nancy M. was born in 1790 and died in 1868; Judah
was born in 1784 and died Nov. 3, 1840. He was commander
of the Helen Marx, which was wrecked twenty miles out
from Buffalo and all hands perished. Mr. Ransom
left a widow and three children: Elizabeth Dennison, John C.
and Charles H. Mr. Ransom purchased a farm of 114
acres in Margretta in 1828, which his son, Charles H.,
now owns and occupies. Mr. Ransom retired in 1836,
but in 1840 he was induced to take command of his vessel, and
lost his life. Charles H. was educated at Sandusky
and afterwards became engaged in farming. He now owns a
farm of 200 acres - his home farm - and 564 acres elsewhere in
the county. From 1861 to 1865 he was largely engaged in
dealing in stock. He was married in 1847 to Susan S.
Slaughter, who was born in Yates county, N. Y.
They have had a family of six children, four sons and two
daughters: Albert H., M. Alice, Annie A., Jay W., K. J.
and Ross L. Annie A. married John H. Atwater.
Mr. Ransom is now a stockholder in the Put-in-Bay Grape Wine
Manufacturing Company, and also in the Sandusky Savings Bank.
He is now a retired farmer and capitalist. Mr. Ransom
settled on his farm in 1842. |
| ISAAC
W. RANSOM, Perkins, Sandusky p.o., one of the leading and
influential men of Perkins township, was born in Tolland county,
Conn., Apr. 2, 1814, and was a son of Russell and Lucretia (Wickham)
Ransom, who were born in married in Connecticut, and in 1818
came with four children to Berlin township, in company with a
brother, Oliver, wife and child, and several other
families, making the long journey in six weeks with ox teams,
via Albany and Buffalo. Isaac W., Harriet, who
married Mr. Cary; Louisa, now Mrs. Skinner; and
Asa. Russell died in 1863, and his wife, Lucretia,
in 1856. Isaac W. was married in Berlin, Nov. 15,
1838, to Mary Wright, who was born in Dutchess county, N.
Y., in 1818. They have two sons: Delos Colvin
and George Augustus. Mrs. Ransom was a daughter of
Rev. Benjamin and Mary (Baker) Wright who were early
settlers in Erie County. Mr. Ransom purchased a
farm of one hundred acres in 1840, for which he paid $15 per
acre. He now owns a farm of 163 acres. His son,
Delos, enlisted in teh 123d Regiment, Ohio Volunteer
Infantry, in which he served for three years, when he was
discharged at the close of the war. He was wounded, and
now receives a pension. He was detailed as chief clerk at
First Brigade headquarters, Twenty-fourth Army Corps, after
receiving his injury, serving very acceptably. He was
married in 1869 to Caroline E. Taylor; George A. was
married in 1882 to Mary J. Ross, of Ontario, Canada.
They have two sons Ross D. and Webster H. Mr.
Russell Ransom produced the first peaches grown in the
county. He and his wife died in Berlin township.
Isaac settled in Perkins township in 1840, and erected his
present fine residence in 1853. He claimed that he felled
200 acres of virgin forest, but death cuts down all. He
passed away Feb. 22, 1888, and is buried in Oakland Cemetery. |
| ORLANDO
RANSOM, Margaretta, Sandusky p. o., was born in Salem,
New London county, Conn., July 24, 1814, and was brought up to
farm work, He fitted himself for teaching, and taught two
or three different schools in his native State. In 1837 he
went to Ohio and taught in Clarksfield, Huron county, during the
winter of 1837-38, and from that time to 1841 in Sandusky.
He then rented lands and became engaged in general farming, in
which he continued until 1861. He then moved on to his
present farm, which, at that time, consisted of 200 acres, but
now contains 350 acres of finely cultivated land. He was
married January 12, 1847, to Louisa E. Newton, of
Sandusky. She died in 1851, leaving three children, two of
whom are now living: Emma A., now Mrs. Marshall
and William H. He married his second wife, Ellen
L. Osborn, October 29, 1852. She was born in
East Buffalo, N. Y., in 1834. They have had a family of
ten children, eight of whom are now living: MAry F.,
Nettie R., John W., Rollin M., Rush C., Lillie B., Walter O.
and Orley B., Ellen L. was a daughter of Walter and
Mary E. Osborn. Walter was born in New
York, and Mary E., in Pennsylvania. They settled in
Erie county in 1836. Mr. Ransom was the son of
Justin and Anna Ransom. |
CHRISTOPHER M. RAY has been
the only attorney in Huron, Ohio, for so long a period that the
memory of man cannot run to the contrary.
He was born on the farm near Stratford, Ontario on Mar. 6, 1862.
His parents were John Ray and Mary Jane Ray.
The subject of this sketch was educated at Milan Seminary and
Ohio Northern University at Ada, Ohio, where he graduated in the
law department in November, 1892. He was admitted to the
bar on the eighth day of December of that year. On the
nineteenth day of February, 1894, he opened a law office at
Huron, Ohio, where he has since resided.
He boasts greatly of having taught school, as most lawyers did.
He has been largely interested in farm land holdings and was one
of the builders and president and manager of the Huron Telephone
Company for twenty-five years.
After
his admission to the bar he became ambitious politically.
He was clerk of Huron Township in 1887 until 1892, mayor of the
village of Huron in 1897 to 1901 and served in the Seventy-Sixth
General Assembly of Ohio in 1903 and 1904.
Politically he is a Republican. He is a member of the
Masonic Lodge.
On September
twenty-third, 1896, at Huron, Ohio, he was married to
Lutie J. Squier, daughter of Captain John T.
Squire, who was a shipbuilder and one of the early
settlers of Huron, who came there with his parents in 1837.
Her mother's name was Maria L. Squier.
He is a good friend, with a pleasant personality, and popular
with all who know him.
Source: Centennial History of Erie
County, Ohio Vol. II - 1925 - Page 698 - Huron Twp. (Photo in
Book) |
| EDWARD
ROSEKELLY, Huron p. o., a general farmer of Huron
township was born in Devonshire, England, in 1814, and married
in 1840 to Mary Garland Jeffry, of
Cornwall, England. They emigrated to Huron in 1842, and
became engaged in farming. They purchased the homestead
farm of 61 acres in 1860, for which they paid $33 per acre.
The homestead farm now consists of 160 acres of well-improved
land. Mr. Rosekelly died in 1879. They had a
family of six children, five of whom were born in America, and
four of whom are now living: Mary Ann, John,
William and George; and Elizabeth, who was
born in England, married George H. Harris, and died,
leaving a family of six children; and a son, Edward, was
born in 1844, and was killed by the fall of a tree Jan. 19,
1887. Mrs. Rosekelley was a daughter of George
and Elizabeth (Garland) Jeffrey, who came to Huron
county from England, in 1840. Here they died, leaving a
family of ten children, five of whom are now living, four sons
and a daughter, Mrs. Rosekelley. |
| CHARLES
ROSS, jr., Sandusky, dealer in stoves and tinware, was
born in Sandusky in 1845, and was a son of Charles and Margha
(Margard) Ross, who were born in Germany, and came to
Sandusky in 1847. They have had a daughter of Jacob and
Theresa (Measeg) Ritter. They have two children:
Frank A., born in Dec. 25, 1879, and Charles A.,
born in April, 1885. Mr. Ross became engaged in his
present business in 1880. |
| NICHOLAS
F. RUDOLPH, Perkins, Sandusky p.o., a gardener and farmer
of Perkins township, was born in Sandusky in 1853, and was a son
of Jonas and Elizabeth Rudolph, who were born in Kur
Hessen, Germany, where they were Jonas died in
1856. He was a weaver in early life, but after settling in
Sandusky became engaged in farming. Nicholas was
married in December, 1883, to Lizzie Halt, who was born
in Perkins township. They purchased 1¾
acres, and now have a farm of 6 acres. He erected his
present dwelling and outbuildings in 1872 and 1883. He was
elected treasurer of the township in 1887 and '88. |
| DE WITT C.
RUFF, Sandusky, was born in Canada in 1858, and was a son
of Christopher and Emma (Ayling) Ruff, who were born and
married in Amberly, Sussex county, England, and settled in
Canada in 1856 and moved to Sandusky in 1858. They have
two sons: William and DeWitt C. Mr.
Ruff was a contract builder, and in 1873 became engaged in
the undertaking business, succeeding J. C. and C. F.
Zollinger in that branch of trade. In 1878 his son,
DeWitt C., became his partner, and they purchased the
furniture business of A. L. Lyman, and carried on the
business successfully. In January, 1886, they purchased
the carpet and draping business of C. L. Wagner, and they
now do business under the firm name of C. Ruff, Son & Kugler.
This firm is now engaged in several branches of trade. |
RUGGLES GROVE.
Almon Ruggles, the original surveyor of Erie and Huron
Cos. settled at what is known as Ruggles Grove,
on Lake Erie's shore between Huron and Vermilion, in 1805,
taking his compensation for services rendered the government
partly in land. He came into ownership of one full section
that way.
In 1825, he built the
Ruggles Farmhouse, which building is still
standing and in good condition, the property passing on to his
son, Richard Ruggles, who lived until 1904,
attaining the age of 76 years. In 1878, Charles S.
Ruggles, son of Richard, began
managing the property. Ruggles Grove had been opened to
the public in 1868 and people had come to picnic there during
Civil War days, their increasing numbers forcing the owner to
either forbid their coming or to open it as a public park.
He chose the latter. From 1878 on, it was a case of rapid
development of the park with increasing numbers of visitors each
year and the building of cottages, until at the property.
Ruggles Grove had been opened to the public in
1868 and people had come to picnic there during Civil War days,
their increasing numbers forcing the owner to either forbid
their coming or to open it as a public park. He chose the
latter. From 1878 on, it was a case of rapid development
of the park with increasing numbers of visitors each year and
the building of cottages, until at the present time some 125 to
130 handsome cottage homes are located in Ruggles
Grove and adjoining.
Ruggles
Grove is for the family - a place where your children are safe
in a pleasant environment. The following attractions make
Ruggles Grove an ideal spot for picnics: -
Twenty-five acres of wooded park, with tables and benches, and
plenty of room for sports and games; ten miles of beach on which
to stroll; a sandy, gradually deepening beach where the bather
can with safety wade out to a distance of 250 feet from shore; a
boat and bathhouse; and an unusually fine dancing pavilion.
A well equipped refreshment stand affords picnic patrons with
the opportunity for purchasing refreshments of all kinds.
Services for banquets for lodges, clubs, etc., can be arranged
at the hotel. The constant effort of the management to
eliminate all objectionable features enhances its desirability
for the patronage of those who value association with the more
refined class of citizens.
Beautiful
as Ruggles Grove is, the unique feature is the
fact that five generations of the Ruggles family
from the original Ruggles settler down to the
present time have owned and managed the property and lived in
the old farmhouse during the last 120 years.
Source:
Centennial History of Erie County, Ohio Vol. II - 1925 - Page
700 - Huron Twp. |
| RICHARD
RUGGLES, Berlin, Ceylon p. o., was born in Vermillion in
1827, and was a son of Hon. Judge Almon and Rhoda (Sprague)
Ruggles. She was a native of Vermont, and her husband,
the judge, was born in Connecticut. They were married in
Erie county. The judge died in 1840, and his wife in 1850.
They had two sons: Charles and Richard.
The judge had two daughters by a previous marriage:
Rebecca, Mrs. Case; and Betsey, Mrs. Dr. Phillips.
Rhoda left a family of three daughters, by a previous
marriage. Richard Ruggles is now the only surviving
one of the family. He was married in 1848, to
Elinor E. Post, who was born in Fitchville, Huron county.
They have a family of six children: Almon, Frances,
Charles, Ashbel, Lilian, who married S. L. Hill and
Nellie. Judge Ruggles came to Erie county in 1805,
and was in the employ of the Fireland surveyor, and in 1807
settled in this count as a general surveyor. In 1808
Ju8dge Wright assisted him and both became active agents for
the various interests of eastern owners. Judge Ruggles
purchased one mile square, which Richard now owns,
and occupies a part. The judge was a prominent man of the
county. The Ruggles grove and picnic grounds are
among the most attractive picnic grounds in the county. |
| LAFAYETTE
RUSSELL, Margaretta, Castalia p. o., was born in Sandusky
in 1853, and was a son of Alonzo and Sarah Ann (Baker)
Russell. Alonzo was born in Greenfield,
Highland county, O., in 1817. They were married in Groton,
Erie county, in 1849. Alonzo died Feb. 17, 1873,
leaving a widow and eight children, seven of whom are now
living: Sophronia, Lafayette, Mary,
Davis, Emma, George and Sarah.
Frank died at the age of nineteen years. Lafayette
was married September 27, 1887, to Nettie Lemon, a
daughter of Daniel and Mary B. Lemmon, of
Margaretta. |
| JACOB
RUTH, Sandusky, a dealer in and packer of pork, and curer
of hams and bacon, was born in Baden, Germany, in 1831, and was
married in 1858 to Hananh Hoerner, and with one
son emigrated to America in 1859, and settled in Sandusky.
They now have a family of three sons, Martin, Jacob, jr.
and John. Mr. Ruth found employment
with the firm of Baer & Co., on Settlement here, and on the
death of Mr. Nathan Baer, his son
Abraham and Mr. Ruth formed the present
partnership, and have carried on the business ever since.
They now have the only extensive packing establishment in the
city. |
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