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MRS. ANNA J. McPHERSON,
who is of Scotch-Irish descent, owns one hundred and twenty-three acres of
land in Greenfield township, where she has lived for more than sixty years,
being born in this township, Jan. 17, 1824. Her parents, John and
Martha (Easter) Arthur, were of Irish birth but came to this county in
the days of the pioneers. They settled in Greenfield township, cleared
their own farm and became substantial citizens of the land of their
adoption. A more extended mention of them and of their descendants is
given in the sketch of Robert Arthur, a farmer of Greenfield
township.
Mrs. McPherson has spent all her life in this
township. Her education was acquired in the public schools of Steuben
and the practical experience that fitted her to be the wife of a farmer was
obtained at home with her parents. In her young womanhood she was
married August 12, 1841, to James McPherson, the son of William
and Mary McPherson, natives of Ireland but numbered among the early
settlers of Bronson township. James McPherson was also of Irish
birth and was the first of his family to come to this country. He was
a young man and came alone, but after finding that the chances of making his
way in the world were so much better here than in Ireland sent for his
parents. He had learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed on
coming to Ohio, and it is said that he helped to build some of the first
houses in Norwalk. After obtaining employment in several other places
he went to Steuben, where he assisted in building the
Congregational church. Shortly after that he abandoned his trade for
the pursuit of farming, for in 1846, he had purchased a good-sized tract of
land, that on which his widow lives today. It was at the time virgin
soil well covered with timber, and the work of clearing the forest was no
small undertaking. The greater part of this he did himself as well as
building his fine house. Many improvements have since been made, and
were, in fact, instituted before Mr. McPherson's life was closed on
the 22d of June, 1858, at the age of forty-four years and four months to the
day. A hard working man, his integrity of deed and purpose was
recognized by his fellows, who as whigs elected him to fill the office of
treasurer of the township. His religious affiliation was with the
Congregational church.
Of the marriage that was solemnized in the Arthur home
on the 12th of August, 1841, there were born three children:
William Hamilton, living in Bronson township, was twice married, the
first time to Miss Lucy A. Wheeler, who left three children,
Arthur, William H. and Scott, and the second time to Miss
Margaret Much, and they have sons, Clyde and Glenn.
George A., the second son, is a resident of Greenfield township.
He married Miss Emma Willoughby, by whom he has had two children:
Robert, deceased; and Jennie, who is the wife of Fred Flyn
and has a daughter Helen. They live in Ashland county, Ohio.
John F., the youngest son, lives at home and manages his mother's
farm. He attended the pubic school at Steuben, from which he went to
the National Normal College at Lebanon, Ohio, where he took a teacher's
course. For a few years after completing his education he devoted
himself to instructing others in the rudiments of the English language, and
other school subjects and then engaged in farming. He has been
successful in agriculture and has won for himself a respected position among
the citizens of Greenfield township, whom he has served to their
satisfaction as justice of the peace and as town clerk and in other
capacities, have held the first mentioned office through a period of
twenty-three years, and the second for twenty-one years. He is a
democrat in politics and a member of the Presbyterian church, in which he
has held several offices. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights
of the Maccabees and has held almost all the offices of the tent.
During the more than half-century that Mrs.
McPherson has lived upon her farm she has witnessed and participated in
the many changes that have transformed the country from a sparsely inhabited
tract of underdeveloped field and forest, into one of the best improved
portions of the state. The progress is gratifying and especially is
the knowledge that her farm has kept up with the march of time and is as
improved and well cultivated a tract as is included in the township of
Greenfield. |
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SAMUEL D. MORSE,
of Norwalk township, is a native of the city of Norwalk, born in 1845.
He is a grandson of Ashel 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 devoted his attention almost exclusively to
agricultural pursuits.
After three years residence in Ridgefield township, he
moved to Norwalk township, 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 Raymond, 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 Buffalo, N. Y.
Daniel Morse, father of subject, was born
January 3, 1810, in Gorham, Ontario Co., N. Y., where his boyhood days were
spent on a farm, and in attending the schools of the neighborhood.
Having learned the trade of a tanner, he followed same for some time, but
farming was his chief occupation; he owned the old homestead until 1857, in
which year he came to his present farm in Norwalk township, comprising 108
acres. Mr. Morse married Miss Joanna Danforth, of
Barnard, Vt., a daughter of Samuel Danforth, M. D., and they had six
children, as follows: Oscar, Samuel D., Asahel, Alice, Roland
and Euphemia. The father has been a Whig and Republican in his
political 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 graduated. He then went to Toledo to
fill the position of bookkeeper, and in that city enlisted, in 1864, in the
One Hundred and Eighty-second Regiment O. V. I., serving one year, during
which period he was promoted to second lieutenant. From 1865 to 1867
he attended a commercial school at Poughkeepsie, 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 agriculture.
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 of the Baptist Church. |
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