Litchfield Twp. - Page 745
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ANSEL S. JENNE, farmer;
P. O. Litchfield, Was born in Saratoga Co., N. Y., Sept. 25,
1808; was married to Narcissa Merrill, Sept. 27,1830.
He came to Ohio in 1836, and earned money by mowing grass to make a
payment on 65 acres of land on the Smith Road, paying $6.00 per
acre. He had to endure all the hardships of pioneer life, and
for many years had a hard struggle to keep the wolf from the door.
At one time he conceived the ideal of collecting the ashes left by
the burning of logs and trees in clearing the land, and for many
years carried on a good business in manufacturing "black salts" and
pearl-ash, for which he found market at Elyria. At one time he
started for that place in a wooden wheeled cart, driving a pair of
4-year old steers, when he became mired, and only got out with the
assistance of his faithful wife. On that occasion, he promised
her that she should ride over that self-same road some day in future
in a carriage of her own, and with as good a team as any one in the
township, a prediction which he has since fulfilled. To Mr.
and Mrs. Jenne were born ten children, five of whom are still
living. The names of those who grew up are as follows:
Allison was born in the State of New York, Jan. 29, 1832, and
died in Maple Rapids, Mich., Oct. 6, 1872; Samantha M., was
born in Litchfield, Ohio, June 6, 1837, and died Aug. 14, 1857;
Mary J. was born June 21, 1847, and died Aug. 13, 1850;
Margaret A., wife of Philander Starr, of
Litchfield, was born Oct. 1, 1830, married May 20, 1852; Fannie
R., wife of Nelson Harris, of Lodi, was born Mar. 18,
1835, married Feb. 22, 1855; Ann Eliza, wife of John Price,
of Fulton, Mich., was born in Litchfield, Apr. 22, 1840, married in
1873; James, of Fulton, Mich., was born in Litchfield, Ohio,
Oct. 25, 1845, married in 1866; Harvey was born in
Litchfield, July 17, 1851, married Jan. 12, 1874. Mr. Jenne
is, in the strictest sense of the word, a self-made man, and his
success is due under Providence to his own exertions. He has
been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since about his 25th
year. His wife, who was born in 1810, has been a member of the
same denomination since her eighteenth year. By hard work and
strict integrity, this worthy pioneer couple have built up a name
and fortune which are an honor to them and to their posterity.
In the early days it was very common to see deer among the few
cattle which were turned out to graze, and Mr. Jenne has
frequently shot them by keeping along with the cattle, and using
them as a decoy and screen at the same time, until he got in
shooting distance. Wild hogs were also killed, but it was
necessary to make sure work, or the hunter would have to run to
"save his bacon," as the porkers were very ferocious when wounded.
To dress the hogs was somewhat difficult, as few iron kettles were
to be had. It was necessary to heat large stones in a log-heap
and throw them into a wooden trough filled with water, thus bringing
it to a boil. Such was life at that time in the community in
which he has lived for so many years. |
Litchfield Twp. - Page 745
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MRS. CLARA P. JUDSON, Litchfield.
Mrs. Clara Pickett Judson was born in Colesville, Broome Co., N.
Y., in 1812. She was married to Orville Nickerson in
1829; came to Ohio in 1831, and settled in Litchfield, Medina Co.
Mrs. Nickerson bore her first husband several children, the
names of those now living being given below: James A., wife
of Francis Peck, of Litchfield Township, was born in New York
State in 1831, and was married in 1849; Sarah E., wife of
E. C. Minor, of Jonesville, Mich., was born in 1834, and was
married about 1854; Cornelia C., wife of Edward Campbell,
of Hillsdale, Mich., was born in 1838, and married about the year
1858; Benjamin F. Nickerson, of Greenwich, Huron Co., Ohio,
was born in 1840; Orville Nickerson, of California, was born
in 1840. Mr. Nickerson died in 1848. In 1850, the
subject of this biography was married to Mr. Nelson Judson,
of Litchfield, and bore him one child - Mary L., wife of
Frank P. Smith, of Michigan. Mrs. Judson is the
only person now living in Litchfield Township who was here when the
first church society (Congregational) was organized, and of which
she was a member. |
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