| [We fondly
cherish the memory of dearly beloved departed friends and constantly realize
that in our lives today they have an abiding place and an influence that
survives the grave. As we recall associations with them, we are
thrilled by the thought that "there is a voice from the tomb sweeter than
song; there is a remembrance of the dead to which we turn even from the
charm of the living." It is a pleasant thing to recall the beneficent
influence of those who have departed that it may have in larger measure a
directing power in our own lives.
MRS. LOTTIE
(OSBORN) AINSWORTH, the youngest daughter of Hon. John R. Osborn,
of Toledo, died at the home of her son, Paul Ainsworth, Syracuse, N.
Y., Mar. 5, 1918, at the age of 64. She was born in Norwalk, in 1854,
going to Toledo when the family moved there in 1859; but the Osborns
always retained their interest in Norwalk and frequently visited here.
She was a very talented woman, a fine vocalist and accomplished in many
ways.
-----
MRS. SARAH ANGIER, a well known and highly esteemed lady of Monroeville,
died May 10, 1918, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Jesse Boswell.
Death was due to the infirmities of age. She
was 78 years old.
Funeral services were held at the home, conducted by
the Rev. Jett Mohr.
-----
Mrs. Frances J. Armstrong
MRS. FRANCES J. ARMSTRONG, was born in Cincinnati on Christmas day, Dec. 25,
1830, and came to the Firelands with her husband, the late Capt. J. B.
Armstrong, in 1865, reaching their new home in Norwalk at that time.
Capt. Armstrong, who was a veteran of the civil war and a notably
expert workman in his craft, decorative painting, passed away in 1875;
the widow surviving to the great age of 87, crossing the river after an
illness of four weeks on Feb. 12 ,1918, following a long life of devotion to
her family, loyalty to her church and service to the community. She
was a member of the First
[Page 2147] -
Baptist church, and, ever faithful to the duties and privileges of
her membership, was endeared to all with whom she associated, both
within and without the pale of the church. Her friends were
legion, while to her devoted family her loss was well nigh
irreparable. she left five daughters, Mrs. George A. Hill,
of Matamoras, Pa.; Mrs Sallie Wingerter, Misses Fannie and Jessie
Armstrong, and Mrs. David H. James, of Norwalk,
to whom her memory will ever be
blessed. Funeral services were conducted at the home, on Prospect
street, by Rev. Fred G. Boughton, of Granville, a friend of the
family from boyhood, and were very impressive and largely attended. The
flower laden casket was laid away in Woodlawn, the following personal
friends acting as pall bearers: David H. James, Frank
[Page 2148] -
J. Manahan,
A. M. Beattie, J. B. Faris, H. P. Moore, and George
Spring.
SAMUEL W. ASHBOLT, for many years, a prominent citizen of Norwalk, and a real
veteran of the civil war in wich he served four years in Co. D, 55th O. V.
V. I., died at his home in Battle Creek, Michigan, Oct. 6, 1918, aged 76
years. The funeral was held at Norwalk, conducted by Rev. H. C.
Fulton of the Baptist church, and by the Odd Fellows, and the burial was
in Woodlawn. Mr. Ashbolt was born in England in 1842, but came
to Norwalk while quite young with his father who was a shoemaker and who was
a member of the firm of Seeley & Ashbolt, whose shoe store was in the
wooden block where Link's block is now. Sam'l W. Ashbolt was
street commissioner of Norwalk for many years. He was survived by the
widow, a daughter, Mrs. Isabel Finley, of Kalamazoo,
and three sons, Sylvester, of Massilon, Ezra of Youngstown,
and George, of Cleveland; also a brother, William, of Lorain,
and a sister, Mrs. Belle Offord, of Norwalk.
WILLIAM ASHBOLT, SR.,
brother of Sam'l W. Ashbolt noted above,
died about six weeks after his brother, on Nov. 23, 1918, at his country
home year Lorain, Ohio, aged 59 years. He left Norwalk about 1880, and
was in the ice business at Lorain most of the time since. He left a
son and four daughters, a sister, Mrs. Belle Offord, and a sister in
law, Mrs. H. A. Wilson, both of Norwalk. The funeral and burial
were at Lorain.
Mrs. Lucy A. (Gager) Balwin
MRS. LUCY A. (GAGER) BALDWIN, a wife of Columbus J. Baldwin, 72 West Main
street, Norwalk, Ohio ,passed on from the scenes of earth Wednesday
afternoon, Apr. 3, 1918, in the 83d year of her long and useful and
inspiring life.
She was the daughter of Edwin and Permilia Rose
Gager, and was born at Camden, Lorain county on Apr. 27, 1835. She
came with her parents to reside in Norwalk in 1850. She
attended school at the old Seminary which stood where the high
school building now sands. At that time she was recognized as
one of Norwalk's most charming young women. Nearly all of her
old schoolmates have preceded her in death.
In 1859 she was married to C. J. Baldwin, who
was then[Page 2149] -
clerk of the courts of Luzerne county, Pa., at Wilkesbarre.
They came to Norwalk to reside in 1866, leaving behind many warm and
valued friends, notably among whom were the families of Governor
Hoyt, Judges Ketcham and Taylor, and Mrs
Sutton, who was a Buckingham, one of the noted families of the
Wyoming valley.
For 59 years they traveled life's pathway hand in hand,
enjoying the sunshine of love and parental cares.
In 1870 Mrs. Baldwin located with her family in
St. Clair county, Missouri, where she had a taste of pioneer life.
She returned to Norwalk in 1875 and resided there until she was
called to her Heavenly home. She was a devoted companion, a
loving mother and a zealous member of the Episcopal church.
[Page 2150] -
Mrs. Baldwin was the mother of five children,
three of whom preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband
and two daughters, Mrs. C. W. Rule and Mrs. C. A. Shafer,
both of Cleveland. She also leaves two granddaughters, one
great-grand-daughter and four grandsons, three of whom are now in their
country's service.
Funeral services were held at the home Saturday
afternoon, Apr. 6th, at 3 o'clock and were largely attended by relatives and
friends.
GEORGE W. BAKER, passed away at the Ohio Soldiers' Home, May 21, 1918, aged
77 years. He was admitted from Sandusky and served in the civil war in
Co. B, 12th Ohio Independent Battery.
THOMAS J. BELL,
who was born in
1837, died at the Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Home. May 21 1918, in
his 75th year. He was a veteran of the civil war, serving in
the navy. His home was in Vermilion, and he was the organizer
of the Vermilion yacht club.
MRS. LAURA (OSBORN) BEACH, who died May 12, 1918, at the home of her son,
Capt. Edward L. Beach, U. S. N., in Newport, R. I., was born in Norwalk,
Ohio, Aug. 17, 1840, and was in her 78th year. She was one of the "Old
Girls of Norwalk," spending her girlhood days here until her father, Hon.
John R. Osborn, moved the family to Toledo in 1859; to her Norwalk never
ceased to be "home." She was twin sister to Major Hartwell Osborn, of
the gallant 55th O. V. V. I., who died in 1914, (see Pioneer, N. S., Vol.
XVIII, p. 1824). Mrs. Beach was a most charming woman, a
brilliant conversationalist and the life and center of any society in which
she happened to be. Her happy disposition and her kind and helpful
ways made her a universal favorite and there was mourning in many places at
her departure. Her funeral at Newport was one of the largest ever held
in the city; the burial was at Toledo, by the side of her husband, Joseph
L. Beach, who died several years ago. She was survived by one son,
Capt. E. L. Beach, U. S. N., a daughter, Mrs. Mary Schneider,
of
[Page 2151] -
Washington, D. C., and one sister, Mrs. Lizzie Crafts, the last
survivor of the Osborn brothers and sisters.
Lieut. Arthur J. Beattie,
killed in Battle in France, 1918
1st Lieutenant ARTHUR J. BEATTIE, born in
Norwalk, May 6, 1895, killed in action in France, Oct. 15, 1918,
aged 23 years, five months and nine days. This gallant young
soldier, who was the first Norwalk officer to give up his life for
his country on a foreign battlefield during the great war, was the
youngest of three sons of Albert M. and Dora (Sullivan)
Beattie
and all of the three boys saw service in France during the war.
His father was born on the Firelands, in Ruggles
[Page 2152] -
born in Scotland,
came in 1844 to the Firelands, settling first in Richmond township,
and removing to Ruggles in 1848.
Lieut. Beattie was commissioned as a second
lieutenant in August, 1917, at the close of the first officers'
training camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison, and was at once selected to
go to France for active service; in December, 1917, he was assigned
to Company H, 167th regiment, attached to the famous 42d "Rainbow"
division. With his command he saw the most strenuous service
for many months, almost continuously within range of the enemy's
guns, and participated in some of the most sanguinary battles of the
war, always at the forefront with his men, intrepidly leading them
to victory. At the close of one battle he wrote home that he
was one of but two officers out of thirteen in his immediate command
who came out unscathed. For meritorious conduct as a soldier
he was promoted to First Lieutenant in September, 1918, and with
that rank he entered upon the final series of glorious victories
that were to aid so materially in breaking the power of the Huns and
driving them to abject surrender. But it was not to be given
to the young hero to see the consummation of his efforts and hopes,
for on Oct. 15, 1918, he fell on the field of glory, a martyr to the
cause of liberty and freedom. On the fatal day he was in
command on his company, and while directing operations fifteen miles
northeast of Verdun, he was instantly killed by an exploding shell,
which also killed another officer and several officer:
The following official notice was received by the
father of the young officer:
American Expeditionary Forces.
28th October, 1918.
My Dear Mr. Beattie:
I am directed by the Division Commander to inform you,
with regard to your son, the late Lieutenant Arthur J. Beattie,
167th Infantry, that his conduct in action against enemy forces on
the 15th day of October, 1918, near Landers-et-St. George (Cote de
Chatillon), when he, although sick, refused to relinquish command of
his platoon and go to the rear, and disregarding all personal
danger, knowing
[Page 2153] -
that it was a critical moment in the attack led his platoon in the
advance under heavy enemy artillery, machine gun and rifle fire,
assisting greatly in the capture of the objective, and setting to
his men an example of great courage, coolness and devotion to duty
in the face of th enemy, inspiring his men, until killed by an enemy shell, has been brought to
his personal attention, and that he considers Lieutenant Beattie's
performance of duty on this occasion worthy of the highest
commendation. He regards his actions in the face of the enemy,
gallant, an example of his comrades in arms and characteristic of
that splendid standard upon which the traditions of our military
establishment are founded.
JAMES E. THOMAS
Major, U. S. A. Adjutant General
Acting Division Adjutant
42d Division.
Arthur J. Beattie was a handsome young man, of
fine physique, a graduate of the Norwalk high school and also a
graduate of the Grand Rapids, Mich., high school. He entered
Dennison University, remaining two years; there, and at all the
institutions he attended, he won the warm esteem of all his teachers
and associates, and made extraordinary records in athletics,
surpassing in some instances all who had preceded him. He was
a member of the Phi Gamma Delta Greek letter fraternity and of the
Baptist church.
* * * * * * * "Whose faith and truth
On war's red touchstone rank true metal;
Who ventured life and love and youth
For the great prize of death in battle."
EDWIN S. BELL, son of David S. and Clara (Stewart) Bell, was born in
Greenwich township, Feb. 6, 1864, and departed this life in St. Luke's
hospital, Cleveland, May 11, 1918, aged 54 years, 3 months and 5 days.
He lived in Greenwich and was taken to the hospital for an operation, which
proved unavailing to save his life. He married Miss Jennie Hopkins,
of Ripley Sept. 2, 1883, who survived him. He was a consistent member
of the Congregational church
[Page 2154] -
and a Mason, and was held in high esteem by
many friends. The burial was in the Edwards Grove cemetery, Ripley.
CHARLES E. BLOOMER,
who was auditor of Huron County from Oct., 1913, to October, 1917, was born
in Sherman township Dec. 3, 1858, the youngest son of George
Bloomer, a well-known citizen. He had also been deputy recorder
during the several terms that his brother, the late Robert A. Bloomer,
was county recorder. His health failed after leaving the auditor's
office, and he succumbed to the dread destroyer on Mar. 18, 1918, in his
60th year. He was the last to go of the ten Bloomer children.
He was survived by the widow and three children, Gladys at home,
Winnie, of Cleveland, and Reuben, a quartermaster in the naval
reserves. The funeral services, conducted by Rev. G. H. Welch,
of the Universalist church, where, were in charge of Norwalk Commandery, No.
18, K. T. and burial was in Woodlawn.
MRS. STEPHEN BOALT,
a former resident of Norwalk, born Apr. 12, 1828, died at her summer home in
Berkeley, California, July 3, 1918, aged 90 years.
Mrs. Charlotte W. Boalt prepared a sketch of the
deceased for the Norwalk Reflector-Herald, from which we extract:
Word has come that an old friend has died in
California. I am asked to write something of what I know about her; it
is with reverence that I comply.
Of course the first thing that comes to mind is where I
first and most frequently saw her. It was in old St. Paul's church, on
the west side, on the right hand side of the aisle, a little more than half
way tothe chancel; Stephen Boalt's pew was the third one in front of
my father's - Henry Wooster. There Mr. and Mrs. Boalt
used to come every Sunday with their children - Lizzie, Eben, Arthur,
Eugene and Clara.
I remember them next in their home. They
built the brick hosue on the east side of Benedict avenue, the second
house beyond what we used to call Manahan's grove. They used to open
that home to the "church social" in the days before "parish house," when we
all took turns in letting the church aid society give the supper in our
dining rooms.[Page 2155] -
Mr. and Mrs. Boalt are always faithful in the
service of the church, but their activity increased after the great revival
of 1872, which swept through Norwalk and a considerable portion of northern
Ohio. They entered into Christian work with the energy and enthusiasm
so characteristic of them.
It will be remembered that the "Boalt nursery"
extended from Manahan's grove up to the residence of Judge Wickham.
It would be interesting to know how many shrubs and shade and fruit trees
Stephen and Giles Boalt sold, still live in Huron county. It would
be just as interesting to know how many men and women still feel in their
lives the good influences of those men and of the woman of whom I write.
In 1880 Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Boalt moved to
Lakeside where, it will be remembered, the Boalts owned a peach farm.
There, Mr. Boalt was superintendent of the Congregational church,
read the Episcopal service in church, and taught a large Bible class in the
Methodist church. He was a devout student of the Bible and had a
surprising wealth of knowledge of the book so unknown to most of us.
In 1888 Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Boalt moved to California, settled in
Palermo and engaged in growing oranges. He died in 1895.
Of her children, four remain: Eben, of
California, a retired orange grower with a state-wide reputation as an
authority on fruit; Lizzie - Mrs. Williams - of Plainfield, N. J.;
Arthur, a prominent and wealthy citizen of St. Paul, and Clara -
as reliable as her father and mother ever were - in the Palermo home.
Eugene died in Cleveland a few years ago.
Mrs. Boalt had a brother and a sister that I
knew, Jesse Shourds of Cleveland and Mrs. Campbell of Steuben.
A sister-in-law, Miss Augusta Boalt, still lives in Cleveland.
ANNA P. (CLAUGHTON) BOUGHTON, was born in Allegany, Va., Oct. 7, 1829, married
Theodore Boughton May 1, 1848, and with him came at once to Fairfield,
Huron county, Ohio, where she lived for over 67 years until her death Dec.
8, 1915, at the age of 86 years. She early united with the Methodist
church and was ever a faithful and useful member. Her husband died
Aug. 19, 1907.
MRS. SARAH (GALLUP) BROWN, who passed away of pneu-
[Page 2156] -
monia at her home, Woodlawn Ave., Norwalk, Sunday,
Apr. 27, 1918, aged nearly 89 years, was born in Norwalk, Aug. 22, 1829, the
daughter of Hallet and Clarissa (Benedict) Gallup, and granddaughter
of Platt and Sally (de Forest) Benedict the original settlers of the
village of Norwalk. She was a sister of Hon. C. H. Gallup.
Her ancestors in Connecticut were prominent and useful citizens and soldiers
in Colonial and Revolutionary days. In 1847 she married Henry Brown,
a well known resident of Norwalk, who was Clerk of Courts for several years
in the 40s and afterward a prominent lumber merchant, and who died in 1893
(see Pioneer for 1894, p. 146. Mr. Brown is mentioned in the
1835 Diary of Prudden Alling in this volume). There were
six children born to them, two of whom survive, Ralph W. Brown, fire
chief of Norwalk, and Walter Brown of Monroeville. Among the
surviving grandchildren are Harry Goodnow of New York, miss Kittie
Goodnow, of Norwalk, Mrs. Clifton Wildman, of California, Mr.
and Mrs. Walter Goodnow, of St. Louis.
Mrs. Brown was one of the most useful and
beloved women that ever lived in Norwalk, retaining her religious zeal, her
energy and her faculties to the end of her long life. She was a
charter member of the Norwalk Congregational church and always an active
worker for all church and temperance causes, and at the time of her death
was one of the oldest Sunday School teachers in the Firelands. Her
funeral was held May 1st, in charge of Rev. W. Leininger of the
Congregational church, and was very largely attended. The burial was
beside her husband in Woodlawn, - the cemetery with the establishment of
which they both had very much to do.
JOSEPH OSCAR BURR, passed away Mar. 3, 1918, at his home in Townsend township aged 74 years.
He had been for many yeras a well-known and respected citizen. The
widow, a son and a daughter survived him. The burial was in Woodlawn,
Norwalk, the Townsend Masonic lodge having charge of the funeral.
LEROY BURTON, who was city Marshal of Norwalk for many years, beginning in 1885, was born
in the Firelands Nov. 25, 1843, and passed away in October, 1918, in his
[Page 2157] -
75th year. He conducted a general repair shop many years, was a
regular member of the gun club, and was a genial and popular man with hosts
of friends.
MATTHEW BRYAN CARROLL, without doubt the oldest man in northern Ohio, died at
his home in Berlin township May 17, 1918, at the extreme age of 103 years, 2
months and 9 days. He was born Mar. 8, 1815, at Old Castle, County Meath, Ireland, and came to America in 1849,landing in New York from the
"Queen of the West" on April 15, of that year. After remaining a short
time in New York, he came to Sandusky, arriving during the cholera epidemic.
Unwilling to remain in Sandusky, and unable to secure assistance, he
replaced his truck on his back and carried it to Milan. He made his
permanent settlement in Berlin township. There, in 1858, he was
married to Bridget Grimes, who passed away on Mar. 10, 1912.
Nine children, were born to them, of whom six survived:
Mary and Sarah, at home; Mrs. Louis Nolan and Margaret
Carroll, of Berlin Heights; Mrs. Henry Andres, of Vermilion; and
M. J. Carroll of Berlin township.
He was hale and hearty and seldom sick, and up to his
last year could read without glasses, but at the time of his death had lost
his sight. His cheerful disposition made him hosts of friends and he
scattered sunshine wherever he went.
He was well known in Norwalk, having been a devout
member of St. Mary's Catholic church, from which the funeral obsequies were
held with interment at St. Mary's cemetery beside his wife.
CALVIN D. CHAFFEE, a veteran of the civil war, was born on the Firelands in
Hartland township, Dec. 1, 1844, and passed away at Memorial hospital,
Norwalk, Nov. 7, 1917, in his 73d year. He was a member of Wooster-Boalt
post, G. A. R. and was a highly respected man. He was survived by a
daughter, Mrs. L. A. Heston, and a son, Marion Chaffee.
JAMES M. CHAFFEE, a veteran of the fifth O. V. V. I., who enlisted in 1861 when a
boy of 19, and served four years in a
[Page 2158] -
fighting regiment in the civil war,
was born in 1842, in Hartland township, and passed away Feb. 6, 1918, in his
76th year. He was a good citizen and highly regarded in every way.
HENRY S. CLAPP,
was born in Peru township, the son of Dean and Betsey (Danforth) Clapp,
Oct. 2, 1841, and passed on to the higher life Oct. 22, 1915, aged 74 years.
He was married to Sarah D. Brightman Oct. 20, 1869; they moved to
Norwalk in 1885, which was afterward their home. He was a quiet and
domestic man, of fine perceptions and strong character; of unquestioned
integrity and successful in business. He was a faithful and consistent
member of the Universalist church. His record as a soldier in the
civil war was exceptionally fine, his service covering four years and six
months. He enlisted Aug. 2, 1862, in Co. B, 123d O. V. I., remaining
with his regiment in all its marches and engagements for two years.
Aug., 1864, he was transferred to the 19th United States Colored troops,
mustering in his second lieutenant. He was subsequently promoted to
first lieutenant, then brevetted captain. He was mustered out at
Brownsville, Texas, in February, 1867.
Funeral services, conducted by Rev. Wm. Couden,
were held in the Universalist church, the G. A. R. post participating.
He was survived by the widow and two daughters, Mrs. E. D. Cline, of
Norwalk, and Mrs. E. H. Horton, of Toledo. WILLIAM H. CLARK,
a former old resident of Huron county and a civil war veteran, died at his
home in Little River, Kansas, Dec. 20, 1916, and his body was brought to
Norwalk where funeral services were held. The burial was in the Olena
cemetery. He was survived by a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Clark, of
Benedict avenue, Norwalk.
GEORGE W. CLINE,
was born near Mansfield, July 17, 1842, married Sarah A. Willment
Jan. 4, 1866, and died at Greenwich, O., Apr. 24, 1918, in his 76th year.
He was a soldier in the civil war, was a charter member of the Church of
Christ in Greenwich, and rested with full assurances of hope on the mercy of
Christ and was confident of the eternal life.[Page 2159] -
EDWARD W. COIT,
was the son of Andrew J. and Emily (Wright) Coit, of Greenfield
township, and he spent his boyhood there on the farm. He was
superintendent of the north Fairfield schools and successfully taught in
other places. After he moved to Norwalk he was for many years
connected with the legal publications of the Laning Co. He then lived
in Cleveland for some time, and a few years ago went to California on
account of his health, dying there suddenly Mar. 13, 1918. He was
survived by the widow, a son, a daughter, a sister, Mrs. Julia Burner,
of Norwalk, and three brothers, Charles and George Coit, of
Greenfield, and Elias Coit, of Columbus.
JAMES CULLEY,
who passed away at the age of 76 years at his residence in Norwalk, Mar. 26,
1918, was born in England in 1842, came to the Firelands with his parents 67
years ago and had been a resident of Huron county ever since. For many
years he was employed in the Lake Shore railroad shops. He was
survived by two sons, Carl and Frank Culley. J. M. CUNNINGHAM, who had lived in Huron county practically all of his long life,
died at his home in Norwalk, May 10, 1918, and was buried in Monroeville.
He was survived by the widow, two sons, a brother and four sisters.
JOSEPH OSCAR CUNNINGHAM, son of Hiram W. and Eunice (Brown) Cunningham,
was born in Lancaster, Erie county, N. Y., on Dec. 12, 1830. He died
at his home, Urbana, Illinois Apr. 30, 1917, aged 86 years, 4 mos., and 18
days. In 1833 the family emigrated to Ohio locating just eat of the
center of Clarksfield township, Huron county, erecting a log house in the
woods.
The subject of this sketch grew to manhood in
Clarksfield. He attended the county schools until the age of 18 and
then took a course at Baldwin Institute at Berea, and attended a term at
Oberlin in 1850-52. In 1852 he and his half brother, Jairus Sheldon,
left home and went to Indiana. In 1853 Mr. Cunningham
settled at Urbana, Ill. Soon after settling there he purchased a
newspaper and published it until 1858. He then took up the study of
law. On May 1, 1859, he opened a
[Page 2160] -
law office at
Urbana, Ill. He served as county judge from 1861 to 1865. After
this he continued in the practice of law until the later years of his life.
In 1853 he married Miss Mary McConoughey of
Bainbridge, Ohio who survived her husband. While editing his paper and
practicing law he used to meet Abraham Lincoln, who was
practicing in the same judicial circuit. Mr. Cunningham took an
active part in the different campaigns in which Lincoln was a
candidate.
He and his wife had no children but they were much
interested in the welfare of orphan children and donated their suburban
home, with extensive grounds, for a Children's Home.
He took great interest in the State University at
Champaign, Ill., and served as a trustee. He was also an active member
of the Illinois Historical Society and a life member of the Firelands
Historical Society. He always retained a warm feeling for his old
boyhood home and made frequent visits to his old acquaintances in
Clarksfield.
He made two very interesting addresses at meetings of
the Firelands Historical Society at Norwalk, one on Pioneer Boyhood in the
Firelands" in June, 1901, the other on "Abraham Lincoln,"
on July 4 1907. He also contributed a paper on the history of
the Vermilion and Ashland Railroad which was read at the pioneer
meeting at Clarksfield 1899. These addresses and paper have
been printed in The Firelands Pioneer WILLIAM DAVIS, son of Daniel and Susan (Price) Davis, was born in New Haven, Ohio,
Feb. 9, 1848. Before he was sixteen, when the 3d Ohio Cavalry
veteranized, he enlisted and served at the front till the close of the war,
participating in numerous raids and battles. On Jan. 3, 1875, he
married Miss Laura Colburn, of Collins, who with one son survived
him. He died at his home in Clarksfield, Mar. 3, 1918, aged 70 years.0
WILLIAM F. DAY, who had lived in East Norwalk as farmer and merchant for almost
70 years, died Nov. 15, 1915,
[Page 2161] -
at his home. He was born Feb. 5, 1831,
in Ticonderoga, New York, and was in his 85th year.
Mr. Day was survived by four children, Albert
E. Day, Merton H. Day and Mrs. Elma Farber, of Norwalk, and
Mrs. Carl H. Brown, of Elyria. Mrs. Day, who before her
marriage was Miss Betsey Trumbull, passed away in January, 1907.
The funeral was conducted by Rev. H. C. Cunningham,
of Milan, and by Mt. Vernon Lodge of Masons; interment at Woodlawn.
MRS. EUDOLPHA (DeWITT) DOANE, died at her home in Hartland township, of
paralysis, Oct. 20, 1918, aged 86 years, 8 months. She was the widow
of Silas Doane who died Nov. 6, 1894. They were married Nov.
30, 1854, and she left five children, E. G. Doane, Bowling Green;
El. L. Doane, Hartland; M. T. Doane, Hartland, Mrs. Anna Wyant,
Wellington; Mrs. I. L. Wyant, Norwalk, and a brother, Gordon De
Witt of Norwalk. MRS. FANNY DODD, died May 20, 1918, at Hampton Roads, Va., where her son,
Dr. Verne Dodd, was in command of a naval hospital unit. She was
the daughter of Thomas Downing and sister of Mrs. Emma L. Hall,
and was born and reared in Norwalk.
Mrs. Dodd was twice married. Her first
husband was Dr. James DeWolf, who was killed in the famous Custer
massacre in 1876. Later she married Elijah Dodd, with whom she
resided in Toledo, and who passed away about a year ago.
The burial was in Norwalk, in Woodlawn, beside her
first husband, services being conducted by Rev. E. H. Douglass,
assisted by representatives of the Eastern Star order, in which she had
attained the highest degrees.
MARLIN A. DUNTON, who as an architect and builder was one of Norwalk's leading
citizens for many years before his removal to San Diego, California, about
25 years ago, was born Nov. 16, 1822, and passed away at his far western
home Dec. 28, 1915, aged over 93 years. His wife, who was Mrs.
Maria (Gallup) Dunton, a sister of the late Hon. C. H. Gallup,
was 84 at her death in 1906. Mr. Dunton built the
[Page 2162] -
brick block
next east of the court house which was long known as Dunton's arcade;
he built the handsome brick house on Benedict avenue, just north of the
school house; and other structures in Norwalk. He served on the city
council and was influential as a citizen, as a Mason for over 62 years and
in the Universalist church. He was survived by one daughter, Mrs.
H. L. Barrow, with whom he lived.
HANNAH (GOODLAND) FARRER, was born in England, October 2, 1833, came to the
Firelands with her parents in 1843, married Allen Farrer in
September, 1852, and departed this life at her home in Fairfield township,
Mar. 17, 1918, aged 83 years, 5 months and 15 days. She was the last
of the family of John and Rachel Goodland, and her husband passed
away June 17, 1904. She was survived by her two daughters, Mrs.
Stella Wells and Mrs. Ella Lawrence. Mrs. Farrer's life was
long and useful and her virtues, graces, and sterling Christian character
were attested by all who know her. Her funeral was largely attended
and the burial was in Olena cemetery.
CYNTHIA DUNNING FISH,
was born in Cayuga Co., N. Y., Aug. 28, 1818, and died in
Santa Cruz, Calif., June 24, 1896. She was descended from the largest
and best of the families of New England. "Their families were trained
in the fear of God and to do his service. From generation to
Generation they have ever been foremost in the land to found and to favor
those great bulwarks of our civilization, the Church and State." Her
mother was Lydia Strong, a daughter of Philip Strong, of Lebanon,
Conn. who was the fifth in descent from Elder John Strong, who came from
Taunton, England, in 1630, and settled in Dorchester, Mass. The last
40 years of his life were spent in Northampton, Mass.; he lived to the age
of 94 years and left 180 descendants.
His son (2) Jedediah lived to the age of 96
years.
His son (3) Jedeciah, Jr., was killed by
Indians at Wood Creek, in 1709.
His son (4) Ezra lived to the age of 83 years.
His son (5) Philip was born 1735, and died in
1787.
Cynthia Dunning's mother died when she was three
years
[Page 2163] -
old and her kind and loving father when she was 16. She was the
youngest of 5 sisters and 4 brothers. Having some property and an
earnest desire for intellectual improvement she studied from a time at
Cazenovia Seminary. She was married at the home of her sister,
Amanda Hammond, to Geo. A. Fish. From 1840 to 1866 her home
was in Norwich, Huron Co., Ohio. In those early days she was the
moving spirit in procuring good teachers and lectures, and in her California
home her influence has been widely felt. She joined the Methodist
church in her girlhood days and was ever a prominent member.
She was a member of the W. C. T. U. almost from its
beginning, took a great interest in the labor question and in all the
forward movement of the day. She was a great reader of current events,
studied in the Chautauqua circle and was a strong woman's suffragist.
"Her children rise up and call her blessed."
GEORGE ATKINS FISH, was born in Augusta, Oneida Co., N. Y., Oct. 4, 1814.
In the family were 13 children, all of whom lived to adult age. His
father removed from Lanesboro, Mass., in the Berkshire Hills, to Augusta, N.
Y., about 1802. He was directly descended from Gov. Bradford,
who came over in the Mayflower. He was also a descendant of John
Fish who came to Stonington, Conn., in 1665. His mother's father,
Lieut. Cal Miles Powell, of Col. Paterson's Regt. of
Lanesboro, Mass., was in the Revolutionary war.
Geo. A. Fish married Cynthia Dunning, of
Fleming, Cayuga Co., N. Y., Jan. 10, 1839. After a short residence in
Oakland Co., Mich., they moved to Norwich, Huron Co., Ohio, where they lived
for 25 years. Norwich was then settled entirely by a very fine class
of people from New York and New England.
The M. E. Church was regularly supplied by such early
ministers as Rev's. Poe, Barkdull, Disbro, Gurley, Uri Richards, E. Y.
Warner, Elder Geo. Breckenfidge. Elnathan Raymond and others, who
at times visited at the Fish home near the church. Religion was near
the hearts of those early men and women and was the usual topic of
discussion.[Page 2164] -
Mr. Fish died in Bakersfield, Cal., Sept. 21,
1884. He was a farmer and drover, energetic and prosperous.
Their children were: Marion Theodore, died
at 1 year, buried in Norwich; Rosamond C., married Joseph Perry
Lawrence; Orestes Dunning, died in Los Angeles, Feb. 1, 1909;
Herbert Hammond, lives in Berkeley, Calif.; Lora A., married
Lyman Congdon lives in Berkeley; Estella L. died in Berkeley,
July 28, 1914; Carrie M., died in Bakersfield, Calif., Feb. 27, 1878.
[See obituary, in the Firelands Pioneer, Vol. XVIII, p.
1785]
ORESTES DUNNING FISH, born in
Norwich, Huron Co., O., Apr. 15, 1845, and died in Los Angeles,
Calif., Feb. 1, 1909.
Orestes D. Fish,
1845-1909
[Page 2165]
He was the son of George A. Fish
and Cynthia Dunning Fish. When a young man he attended the Milan
seminary and Baldwin University, Berea, O. He graduated from the
Albany Business College, Albany, N. Y.
In 1882 he married Marry J. Jenks, of Galion,
Ohio. In the year 1884 they removed to California and settled in
Bakersfield, Kern Co., He entered into partnership with his brother,
Herbert, who had preceded him. The Fish Bros' Department
store in the Fish block, was for many years the principal store in
Bakersfield.
He was of a very generous nature and enjoyed the esteem
of the whole community. Some 35 people from his home town, 170 miles
distance, went to Los Angeles to show their love and respect, on the
occasion of the services held after his death.
MRS. CHRISTINA A. GILLETT,
widow of
O. S. Gillett, long a resident of Old State Road north of
Allings Corners, passed away Nov. 27, 1915, at the home of her
daughter, Mrs. L. M. Smith, Marshall street, Norwalk.
She was born Feb. 28, 1832, and was in her 84th year. Two sons
also survived her. Funeral services conducted by Rev. H. A.
Vernon, were largely attended and the burial was in Woodlawn.
MRS. STACIA (WARD) GOULD, widow of
R. C. Gould, both former well known residents of Norwalk,
died Nov 25, 1918, at her home in Canton, aged 84, and the remains
were brought to Norwalk and buried in Woodlawn beside her husband.
She was a member of the Methodist church, and the services were
conducted by Rev. E. E. Wilson. Two daughters and three
sons survived her: Mrs. Nellie Hayler, of Muncie, Ind.;
Mrs. Winifred Oldroyd, of Canton; Rev. Dr. Frederick Gould,
of Pittsburg, Judson Gould, of Andover, O., and R. J.
Gould, of Canton, also several grandchildren. Her son,
Dr. Fred Gould, graduated from the Norwalk high school.
LOTTIE T. GIBBS, - Fell asleep in Jesus, Wednesday evening, Aug. 28, 1918, at her
home No. 6 North Pleasant St., Norwalk, Ohio. Miss Lottie T. Gibbs,
in the 72d year of her spirit,
[Page 2166]
whose long and useful life was filled with
good deeds, and glorified by a strong and abiding faith in Jesus Christ as
her Savior and Redeemer.
She had been in failing health for some months, but was
able to be around the house as usual up to the morning of the day the
summons came; then a sudden stroke of apoplexy, a few hours of
unconsciousness and she was away to join her Savior and the loved ones who
had passed on before.
Charlotte Townsend Gibbs, eldest daughter of
Ralph M. and Mary (Higgins) Gibbs, was born at Norwalk, Ohio ,Mar. 13,
1847. Her father died a young man of 30 during the cholera epidemic of
1854, but her mother lived a long life of usefulness, dying at 81, in 1907.
Her ancestors on both sides go back to the earliest days of colonial
history. They were God-fearing, charitable and industrious folks, and
were prominent participants in the stirring events of Colonial and
Revolutionary days. One of them, Rev. John Davenport, was the
first Governor of the New Haven colony in Connecticut; four of them
including Rev. John Davenport, was the first Governor of the New
Haven colony in Connecticut; four of them, including Rev. David Higgins,
who died in Norwalk in 1842, were Revolutionary soldiers; and her paternal
grandfather, /lieut. David Gibbs, who died in Norwalk in 1840, was a
soldier of 1812. Among her noted ancestors were Richard Higgins,
Edward Bangs and Robert Hicks, all famous in the earliest annals
of the Plymouth colony, Massachusetts.
She graduated from the Norwalk High School in one of
the Norwalk and Columbus profile school; afterward she was employed by the
old Reflector for many years. From her girlhood she was active in
local religious charitable, temperance and benevolent work, teaching in the
Sunday School, treasurer of the union Relief Society, member of the County
Board of Visitors for jails and charitable institutes, in the W. C. T. U.
work and in countless other ways striving to help the poor, the weak, the
downcast and the unfortunate. And now she rests from her labors, but
truly "her works do follow her."
Her surviving immediate relatives are a sister, Mrs.
H. P. Crump, a brother, J. G. Gibbs, a niece, Mrs. Esther G.
[Page 2167] -
Powers, and nephew, Maj. Ralph W. Gibbs, 51st Field Artillery U.
S. A.
The funeral services were held at the old homestead,
108 West Main,, corner North Pleasant St., at 4 o'clock Saturday afternoon,
Aug. 2, 1918, and were largely attended by relatives and friends.
Rev. H. C. Fulton, pastor of the Baptist church,
delivered a short sermon having for its base the theme, "They ret from their
labors and their works do follow them." He also read a short sketch of
the life of the deceased, following Scripture reading and prayer. A
beautiful solo, "Rest, Weary Heart," was sung by Mrs. C. L. Kennan,
which concluded the services at the house. The flower-laden casket was
conveyed to Woodlawn cemetery for burial in the Gibbs family lot.
The pallbearers were relatives, Rev. E. S. Tompkins, David Gibbs, John
Laylin, H. G. Breckenridge, J. G. Gibbs and H. P. Crump.
MARY (HIGGINS) GIBBS, - Four days after receiving a stroke of apoplexy Mrs.
Mary Higgins Gibbs died at her home, No. 106 West Main street, Norwalk,
O., at ten o'clock, Thursday morning, July 18th, 1907, aged eight-one years,
two months and one day. Everything possible had been done for her but
no efforts of loving friends could stay the hand of death, for the time of
her departures was at hand. She was unconscious much of the time;
during her illness she suffered no pain, so that her and was peaceful.
Long years ago she had chosen that better part, and old
age as it came on but confirmed her in her choice of the Lord Jesus Christ
as her Supreme Guide and Saviour; she was ready and willing to go hence and
with firm and unwavering faith, without the shadow of doubt or misgiving she
passed the bounds of time and space to be forever with her Lord.
Mary Higgins was born at Bath, New York, May
17th, 1826, the daughter of James Gilbert Higgins and Charlotte
Townsend. Her mother died while she was quite young, and with an
older sister, Elizabeth T. Higgins (afterward Mrs. Joseph M. Farr)
she came to Norwalk in May, 1835, to live with their grandfather, Rev.
David Higgins, a retired Pres-[Page 2168] -
byterian minister and a Revolutionary
veteran. Soon after, she went to Ottawa, Ill., whither her father had
removed, but within a short period after her father's death at Ottawa, she
came back to Norwalk, and there had been her home since. (See Pioneer,
N. S., Vol. XV, p. 1093.)
In April, 1846, she was married to Ralph Marvin
Gibbs, of Norwalk, who died of cholera during the epidemic of 1854, at
the early age of 30 years. She was left a widow with four small
children to support, but being a woman of great energy and industry she held
her little family together and with the help of friends brought them all
through.
She early united with the Presbyterian church and was
for many years the church organist and leading supreme singer, her musical
talent being of a very superior order. For years she taught music to
scores of pupils from all the surrounding region, and many times gave
concerts and connected with the Sunday school and to the day of her death
taught a Bible class, her connection with the Sunday school covering over
seventy years.
In all the benevolent and missionary work of the church
and of Huron Presbytery she was always active and foremost and a tireless
worker. During the civil war no Norwalk lady exceeded her in untiring
and patriotic work for the soldiers. The temperance "crusade" of 1874
found her in the forefront of the battle against the saloon. In fact
in every good effort for religion, temperane, benevolence, patriotism and
other noble causes she could always be depended upon to do her full duty.
She was greatly missed and mourned by the church, the W. C. T. U. and the
community.
She was survived by two daughters, Miss Lottie Gibbs
and Mrs. H. P. Crump, and a son, James G. Gibbs.
The funeral was held Saturday afternoon at four o'clock
and was very largely attended, services being conducted by her pastor,
Rev. S. H. Forrer.
MARTIN HARTER, who was born in Germany Dec. 1, 1822, and came to Milan in 1855, died Mar.
3, 1918, at the
[Page 2169] -
ripe age of 95 years, 3 months. He was in the grocery
business in Milan until 1854, and in the drug trade about 50 years longer,
until he retired. He served in 1849 in the Baden revolutionary army as
a lieutenant, and in 1864 in the 145th O. V. I. as a private. He was
survived by two sons, Otto M. and Frank E. Harter, of Norwalk, and
three daughters, Mrs. F. W. Stuart, of Seattle, Mrs. Delia Roberts
and Miss Emma Harter, of Milan. Funeral services were held at
the home in Milan. Interment in Milan cemetery.
ISAAC P. HASKINS, a highly respected citizen of Wakeman, Ohio, died Mar. 11, 1918,
of paralysis, at his winter home, Daytona Beach, Florida. The remains
were later taken to Wakeman, where the funeral was held April 29th.
Mr. Haskins took very active interest in promoting the agricultural
interests of the Firelands. He was survived by the widow and five
children: Mrs. Ruth Davis, Miss Ida Haskins, Henry, Ernest
and Albert Haskins. MRS. LUCINDA HEATH, passed away at her home in Olena Nov. 12, 1915, in her 83d
year. She was born in 1832 and had lived in Bronson township many
years. She was survived by two daughters and a son; and by a sister,
Mrs. Anna Thom, of Norwalk.
MARTIN MASON HESTER, the fourth and youngest son of Martin and Mary (Stough)
Hester, was born Sept. 23, 1822, near Orange, Ashland county, Ohio.
His parents came to the Firelands in 1827, and he came with them at the age
of five years, and he lived on that same farm in Bronson township for 89
yeas, till his death which occurred June 21, 1916, when he had attained the
great age of 93 years and nine months. He was an industrious and well
to do farmer. When a boy he attended for a time the Norwalk Seminary
while Bishop Thompson had charge of the school, and he taught common
schools several terms. At 23 years of age he built a loom for weaving
wire screenery (making the loom and all the necessary reeds and harness) and
wove thousands of yards of first class screenery, supplying some large
manufactories of clover hullers, besides the general market.[Page 2171] -
On May 21, 1850, he married Miss Mary Finley, of
Coshocton county, O., who was a helper indeed for 56 years, not only
temporarily but spiritually. She was born in the north of Ireland,
Oct. 2, 1824, and was a faithful and devoted member of the Methodist church
for 69 years, and a successful teacher in the Sunday school as well, until
her passing over to the other shore, July 5, 1906.
Martin M. Hester,
1822-1915
Mr. Hester was an active member of the Methodist
church for 69 years; he served for 67 years as secretary and treasurer of
the board of trustees; he was chairman of the committee
[Page 2171] -
to build two
churches; for 67 years he held the office of recording steward of a large
circuit originally embracing 17 preaching places; and almost never did he
fail to be present at the quarterly meeting and quarterly conference; and he
was always on hand with his contributions and more than was expected of him.
For 60 yeas he was a class leader, for 80 years he attended Sunday school as
scholar, teacher and superintendent; he was often lay delegate to
Conference, and once to the General Conference, at Omaha in 1892. Such
faithfulness in religious duties is rare indeed.
He was elected (often without opposition) to 15
three-year terms as justice of the peace for Bronson township, a total of 45
years, and he served 43 and a half years, death preventing the completion of
his 15th term; an unparalleled example in the Firelands of long continued
confidence by neighbors of all shades of political belief. He tried
law suits when in his 94th year, and he was probably the oldest Judge in the
United States to thus actively hear important cases. His decisions
were practically never appealed from, so carefully and patiently did he
weigh everything and then render impartial and just decisions.
Usually, however, he succeeded in having "Settlements rather than trials,"
between litigants.
Martin M. Hester was a man of sterling worth and
a grand Christian character, yet a modest and humble disciple. A few
months before his death he wrote a friend:
"I have been an unprofitable servant, only doing what
it was my duty to do. 'Not by works of righteousness which I
have done, but according to His mercy, He saves me by the washing of
regeneration and renewing of his Holy Ghost. Praise His name.'"
"My times are in Thy
Hand,
My God, I wish them there;
My life, my friends, my
soul, my all,
I leave entirely in Thy care."
This is but a brief record of an earnest and useful
life, without doubt leaving the world brighter and better for his having
lived.
Mr. Hester was a frequent contributor to the
press and interesting articles from his pen will be found in the volumes of
The Pioneer. When he was over 80 years old he
[Page 2172] -
wrote and published a
valuable book of over 300 pages on the "Hester-Stough
Genealogy."
He was survived by a daughter, Mrs. Booth, and a
son, Finlay Hester, a prominent farmer and business man of Bronson,
president of the Farmer's Elevator Co., of Norwalk.
WILLIAM HESS,
a prominent merchant of Monroeville, passed away May 18, 1918, aged 68
years. In the '70s he was in business in the Newman block, Norwalk,
the firm being G. & S. Hess; the business was moved to Monroeville and at
his death was the Hess Hardware Co. He was survived by the
widow, two sons and three daughters. MRS. MAGDALENA HILDRETH, who was born Nov. 20, 1829, came to Norwalk in 1848, and
spent practically all of her life there, till her sudden death Dec. 10,
1915, at the age of 86 years. Many years ago, Mrs. Hildreth and
her husband conducted a bakery in Norwalk, selling the business to the late
J. P. Link, which formed the nucleus of the present business of the
Link brothers. The husband and an only daughter, Mrs. John
Lais, passed away several years ago. The burial was in St. Paul's
Catholic cemetery, on South West street.
LEROY HOYT,
was born Oct. 6, 1862, the son of Elmon and Elizabeth Hoyt, and the
grandson of Walter and Caroline Hoyt, who came to the Firelands from
Owasco, Cayuga county, New York, in 1827, and settled upon the afterward
well-known Hoyt farm, in Fairfield township. Leroy Hoyt
married in 1886, Miss Anna Sturges, daughter of Major William B.
and Josephine (Thompas) Sturges; he passed away Nov. 3, 1915, at the age
of 53, survived by the widow and one daughter, Miss Nelka Hoyt, who
mourned his loss.
He conducted an extensive general store for many years
in North Fairfield, in the town hall building, and being also the very
efficient postmaster, his store was headquarters for the whole community.
He was a member for years of the North Fairfield board of education, and
took great pride in keeping the schools in the front rank. It was
largely due to him that the North Fairfield cemetery was transformed from a
neglected spot to a park-like well kept city of the dead.[Page 2173] -
In countless ways he was active in work for the
community and for his country, and all-in-all was one of the most valuable
men that ever lived in Huron county. He was a consistent member of the
republican party.
GEORGE HUMPRHEY,
was born in Goshen, Connecticut, Nov. 30, 1837, came to the
Firelands when very young, lived in East Townsend several years and for 44
years in Wakeman, passing away Mar. 5, 1918, aged 80 years, 3 months and 5
days. Nov. 17, 1863, he married F. Cornelia Fairchild, who
survived him, as also did a daughter and three sons. MRS. MARY HUSTED, the widow of J. Frank Husted, both for many yeas
residents of Norwalk, died Dec. 14, 1917, at her home in Rialto, California.
Surviving her were four children, Miss Frane Husted, of Toledo,
Fred M. Husted, of Norwalk, Mrs. Mary Wells and Harold Husted,
of California.
MRS. HARRIET R. (GOLDEN) JENNINGS, widow of Ezra S. Jennings, a leading
farmer of Fitchville and Fairfield townships (whom she married Nov. 28,
1850, and who died at the age of 80, Aug. 7, 1907), survived him more than
eleven years, and passed away Nov. 27, 1918. She was born in Utica,
New York, Oct. 23, 1829, and lived to the great age of 89 years, one month
and four days. She was survived by three sons and two daughters,
who tenderly cared for her in her old age. The funeral was held at the
home in North Fairfield, conducted by Rev. S. C. Pierce, and the
burial was in the North Fairfield cemetery. GENERAL EDGAR ROMEYN KELLOGG
- Taps were sounded at Woodlawn cemetery, Friday
afternoon, Oct. 9, 1914, for Brigadier General Edgar Romeyn Kellogg,
who was a former Huron county boy. General Kellogg retired in
1899 after actively serving his country for 38 years. And as a retired
officer he lived 15 years longer, so that his army service covered a period
of 53 years.
The body of General Kellogg and members of the
family arrived in Norwalk from his home in Toledo in a special car,
[Page 2174] -
over the
Lake Shore Electric. The funeral was held in the Presbyterian church
and was conducted by Rev. A. J. Funnell of that church.
Music for this sad occasion was furnished by a mixed
quartet composed of Mr. and Mrs. Ben B. Wickham, Mrs. Esther G.
Powers and Mr. John Strutton, who sang "Asleep in Jesus."
Mr. Powers also sang a solo, "Homeland."
The services were attended by many members of the G. A.
R. of whom some were comrades of General Kellogg, in the same
regiment.
He was survived by his widow, who was Miss Mary
Elizabeth Wickham, daughter of Judge Frederick and Mrs. Lucy Preston
Wickham, whom he married at Norwalk, Feb. 13, 1866; and by one son,
Donald W. Kellogg, of Toledo, and three daughters, Mrs. Lucy Kellogg,
Mrs. Elizabeth Wither and Mrs. Kate Moss.
Gen. Kellogg was born in Newfield, Tompkins Co., N.
Y., Mar. 25, 1842, and was in his 73d year when called hence. He came
to Fairfield, Huron county, Ohio, with his parents in 1855. His father
was Dr. M. C. Kellogg, of the sixth generation from Samuel Kellogg,
who came from England to New England in the earliest Colonial days.
Dr. Kellogg was the grandson of Joseph Kellogg, a Revolutionary
soldier. He himself was a medical officer in the Union army in the
Civil war. He died in 1871, aged 69 years.
Gen. Kellogg's mother, Mrs. Elizabeth
Swartout Kellogg, was of Holland descent, the family being a noted one
among the Knickerbockers of New York, and no less than twenty-nine
Swartouts were Revolutionary soldiers. Col. Barnardus Swartout
her great-grandfather, was an officer in the Revolution and was one of the
charter members of and an officer in the Society of the Cincinnati.
Mrs. Elizabeth S. Kellogg was a woman of rare talent, a most interesting
conversationalist and a fine poet. On the occasion of the celebration
of Centennial Day, July 4, 1876, by the Firelands Historical Society at
Norwalk, Mrs. Kellogg was the poet of the occasion and her poem,
"Revolutionary Documents on Centennial Day," may be found in the Pioneer, O.
S., Vol. XII, p. 17. She died in 1885, aged 82 years.
[Page 2175] -
General Kellogg's record, covering two wars, was
especially brilliant. On the day that Ft. Sumpter fell Apr. 15, 1861,
he volunteered his services, as a private in the 24th Ohio Volunteer
Infantry, at Norwalk. He was a young man of 19, and had but just begun
the study of law in the office of Strong & Kellogg, then leading
attorneys at Norwalk. But he heard his country's call, threw down his
books and responded instantly his country's call, threw down his books and
responded instantly. He quickly earned promotion through the
non-commissioned grades up to sergeant major of his regiment and was
commissioned a second lieutenant by Governor Dennison.
With an ambition to earn a commission in the regular
army, he resigned his volunteer commission and enlisted as a private in the
16th U. S. Infantry in November, 1861; again rising rapidly to the grade of
sergeant major.
Shortly after the battle of Shiloh he was appointed a
second lieutenant by President Lincoln and was given rank from date
of the battle because of gallant and meritorious services in that historic
struggle.
The close of the civil war found him a captain with two
brevet commissions to his credit. The first, that of captain, was the
reward of gallant services at Stone River. He was brevetted major for
especially gallant services at Jonesboro, where he was dangerously wounded
within the enemy's works, having led two companies into them in advance of
the other companies of his regiment.
Gen. Kellogg's civil war service included the
whole four years of that desperate struggle, and embraced the battles of
Shiloh, Green Briar, Corinth, Stone River or Murfreesboro, Hoover's Gap and
all the battles of the Atlanta campaign, including Jonesboro and numerous
other battles and skirmishes.
"In 1864," said General Kellogg some years ago,
in answer to questions, sin recounting some of his personal experiences,
"one might say that we were nearly all the time under fire, for we kept
pushing Johnson back day by day until we compelled him to vacate from
Buzzard's Roost, to Jonesboro. The hardest battle that I was in was
Stone River, Tennessee.
"The plans of the two generals, Rosecrans on our
side, and Bragg for the Confederates, were the same. Each
in-
[Page 2176] -
tended, and the plans were completed the morning of Dec. 30, 1862, to
crush the right of the other army. Bragg got ahead of us and
did crush our right, completely, horse, foot and dangerous. That was
McCook's corps. I was in the regular brigade of about 1, 400
men, with George H. Thomas, later known as a the 'Rock of
Chickamauga,' commanding the central corps. We were designated to be
in reserve the first day, but when McCook's force was routed, we were
sent down into the cedars on the thirty-first in the morning at about 9.
We did some fighting but were outflanked and were forced back, and Negley's
division took the place of our division. We reformed and went back
again and took the place of Negley's whole division, and we held the
Confederates to our front until our ammunition was about exhausted, about
forty minutes I presume. During that time Rosecrans massed
seven batteries in our rear in a cotton field. Finally we were broken
right and left and were forced to fall back. When we started back we
saw the men at the batteries, lanyards in hand, ready to open fire. We
parted to the right and left, unmasking the batteries which at once opened
fire and stopped the advance of the Confederates. That was the turning
point in the battle. They wavered and after that we won the battle,
forcing the enemy to retire on Jan. 3, 1863."
Asked concerning the most inspiring action he had ever
been in, the eyes of this veteran of two wars sparkled, and he declared that
it was the battle of Jonesboro, when he and two companies of men captured
the rebel works, he suffering a bullet through the body.
"There wasn't much inspire one at Stone River, with men
dropping every minute about him, and no escape. It was hard fighting -
plugging away. At Jonesboro we were ordered to charge on the works,
which were even then uncompleted. I had two companies to the left of
the brigade, and we got into the works before the rest of the regiment had
come up. That was Sept. 1, 1864. We felt elated and we cheered
some. A dozen Confederates were trying to enfilade us, and that was
when one of them shot me. An officer hurried up and said: 'Here,
Kellogg you can't stay here. You had better get out. It
is too hot here.' 'I asked him if that
[Page 2177] -
was an order or a command,' and
he replied that it was not. 'I told him then that I had been ordered
to charge, that I had arrived and that he should return and tell the
commanding officer that until otherwise ordered I intended to stay.'
After the civil war he was on duty in the South for
years during reconstruction, and afterward served on the Western frontier
and among the Indians for nearly twenty years. He was a captain for
about twenty-four years, and major and lieutenant-colonel for some ten years
more.
At the beginning of the war with Spain in 1898, Gen.
Kellogg had reached the grade of lieutenant-colonel and was attached to
the 10th U. S. Infantry. He commanded his regiment at San Juan and
Santiago, where it rendered valuable services.
Gen. Kellogg received his promotion to a full
colonelcy during the Santiago campaign and was assigned to the Sixth U. S.
Infantry. Attacked by fever, he was invalided to the states, and
shortly afterward was made a brigadier general of volunteers by President
McKinley. He served in this capacity until honorably discharged in
February, 1899, when he returned to his regular status as colonel of the
Sixth.
He embarked with his regiment for Philippine service in
the summer of 1899, but a recurrence of his Cuban illness made it necessary
for him to be removed from the ship to the hospital at Honolulu.
Shortly afterward Gen. Kellogg was appointed a brigadier general in
the regular army, and in December, 1899, he requested retirement.
He lived the remainder of his life with his family in
Baltimore and in Toledo, a most affable and approachable man, a gallant and
grizzled veteran, passing away at the close of his career with the respect
and esteem of the whole city.
CATHARINE PERRY LAWRENCE,
was born in Hamburg, New Jersey, Apr. 15, 1812, and
died in Norwalk, Ohio, Sept. 2, 1870. She was the daughter of
Joseph Perry and Sally Seward Perry.
She came to Ohio with her parents from Cayuga Co.,
N. Y., in 1832, when she was twenty-years of age. She married
Wilder Lawrence, Sept. 1, 1835, at her home in Peru. After
[Page 2178] -
marriage their home was at the center of Norwich until 1868, 2 years
previous to her death, when they removed to Norwalk. She was a very
estimable lady, beloved by all who knew her. Her death was very
sudden; she attended church twice on one Sunday, and was buried the next.
She had one son Joseph Perry Lawrence.
SUSANNA and RACHEL LAWRENCE,
were sisters of Wilder Lawrence, Sr., who
came to Ohio in 1817. Susanna and Rachel came sometime in the
30s. They never married.
They are said to have possessed remarkable memories and
to have enjoyed history, especially the history of our country and all the
incidents connected with Revolutionary times. They died in Macksville
(now Peru) and are buried in the Hester cemetery, Bronson, their graves.
On one side:Susanna Lawrence
Born in Hardwick
Worcester Co., Mass, 1766
Died Nov. 28, 1853, aged 86 years 11 mos., 22 days.
On the other side:
Rachel Lawrence
Born in Hardwick
Worcester Co., Mass., 1769
Died Mar. 20, 1850,
aged 80 yrs. 10 days. WILDER LAWRENCE, was born in Westford, Vt., Feb. 3, 1812, and died in Norwalk
Oh., Oct. 6, 1877.
He came with his father's family from Vermont to Ohio
in Feb., 1817. They settled at the center of Norwich township, which
was at that time all forest. His father, Wilder Lawrence, Sr.,
and Geo. H. Woodruff, a nephew, soon erected a long house, said to be
the first erected by actual settlers in the township; they felled the first
tree and planted he first tree and planted the first corn in the town.
Geo. H. Woodruff, settled near, and was the father of Capt.
Chauncy Woodruff, of Peru, a soldier of the Mexican war and an officer
in the Civil war.
Wilder Lawrence was a real pioneer, one who
helped to hew down the forest and make a home in the wilderness. He
[Page 2179] -
knew Seneca John and other Indians and loved to talk of the early
days. He had one brother and two sisters.
His English ancestor was (1) Ebenezer Lawrence
who was born in Rochester, England, in 1708. His son (2) Ebenezer,
born in 1733, was Wilder Lawrence's grandfather. His home was
in Hardwick, Worcester Co., Mass.
After Wilder Lawrence came to Norwalk, in 1868,
he bought the home of Thompson Tilton 188 West Main St., and lived
there until his death. His wife was Catherine Perry, daughter
of Joseph Perry, of Peru, Huron Co.
They had one son, Joseph Perry Lawrence, born
Mar. 28, 1841.
MRS. MARY ELIZABETH (McKESSON) LILES, the daughter of Isaac and Zarada
McKesson, was born in York, Sandusky Co., Ohio, Aug. 18, 1844, and came
to the Firelands soon after, when her father moved to Erie county. She
married George D. Liles Jan. 12, 1869, and they moved to Collins in
March, 1871, where she passed away Apr. 21, 1918, Mr. Liles having
died about four years previously. She was survived by four sons and
four daughters, and by a brother, Lester V. McKesson, a prominent
resident of Toledo. From childhood she had been a member of the
Methodist church, always active in Sunday school and church work, and
interested in missionary work and the W. C. T. U. She left a host of
friend who deeply regretted her passing. The funeral sermon was
preached by Rev. T. H. D. Harrold, of the Townsend M. E. Church, from
John 14:6, "Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth and the
life." MRS. ANNA (HODDICK) LINK, widow of J. P. Link, of Norwalk, who died Mar.
18, 1915 (see Pioneer, Vol. XVIII, p. 1812), was born May 30, 1842, married
J. P. Link July 30, 1865, and passed away July 21, 1916, in her 75th
year. She lived on the Firelands over half a century and was survived
by two sons, J. Louis and Fred P. Link.
REUBEN C. LIVENGOOD, was born Nov. 16, 1846, and passed away at his home west
of Milan, Mar. 7, 1918, and his 72d year. He was a well-known and
respected farmer. The burial was in Milan.[Page 2180] -
MRS. MARTHA (McKELVEY) LOVELL, who passed away April 16, 1918, at the age of 87
years, at her beautiful home in Greenfield township, was born Mar. 31, 1831,
in Plymouth, Ohio, and passed all of her long life upon the Firelands.
Her parents, Mathew and Nancy (Adams) McKelvey, were real pioneers in
Greenfield, and were descended from long lines of ancestors illustrious in
Colonial and Revolutionary days and extending far back in the history of the
old world (see Firelands Pioneer for very interesting obituaries, N. S.,
Vol. XIII, pp. 767-772). Her mother, Nancy Adams, taught the
first school in Peru township, and her grandfather, Bildad Adams, was
one of the first board of commissioners of Huron county, when the county was
organized in 1815. Martha McKelvey married Ethan Lovell,
of Greenfield, Dec. 30, 1854; he was one of the most successful farmers of
Huron county, and their spacious mansion and broad acres, "Lovell
Farm," were a center for the whole community. Mr. Lovell
passed away Apr. 27, 1898 in his 79th year (see Pioneer, N. S. Vol. XI, p.
340). She had no children of her own, but made a home for several
young girls and relatives, herself continuing the successful management of
her large farm and other business interests.
One who knew her well wrote of her after her decease:
"Perhaps the one thing which those of us who knew and loved "Aunt Martha"
will remember longest is her abounding hospitality. The old fashioned
virtue was wonderfully exemplified in her. Those who came to see her
always found her waiting at the gate with the most cordial of greetings.
Even when failing strength kept her house-bound, the warmth of greeting was
just the same and the care for the guest's well-being. Her circle of
friends grew larger rather than smaller with the years; she was "Aunt
Martha" to the whole neighborhood. All the rest that one can say
is merely an enlargement on this. Never sparing herself, she was
always most generous and thoughtful where others were concerned, always
interested in what interested them. She was keenly alive, too, to all
the great questions of the day, including those concerned with the war.
Up to the very last, she was actively[Page 2181] -
directing her business affairs and
making new plans for the future. These many interests went together to
make up an extraordinary youthfulness of spirit. She loved life, and
fought with an unconquerable will against the weakness of illness and age.
Add to this friendliness and youthfulness, the virtues of modesty, thrift,
and contentedness with simple things, and you have a character rare indeed.
The world seems a different place without her, and it will be long before we
shall cease to miss her from it."
The funeral services were held at the old home on
Saturday afternoon, Apr. 20, at 2:30. The pall bearers were:
Messrs. J. Jay McKelvey and Ralph H. McKelvey of New York City,
and Fred McKelvey of Niagara Falls, nephews of Mrs. Lovell,
and Messrs. Louis Conger, Louis Graham and Ralph Hoyt,
all of North Fairfield, nephews of Mr. Lovell. Rev. Charles
E. Knapp of North Fairfield, officiated at the service. The
body was laid beside that of her husband in the cemetery at Steuben.
ANDREW MACKIN,
a veteran of Co. A, 25th O. V. V. I., died at the Sandusky Soldiers' Home,
Mar. 26, 1918, aged 78 years. He left relatives at Fairfield and was
buried in that township. MRS.
ABIGAIL DELILAH (YALE) MITCHELL, for many years one of Norwalk's best known
and most highly respected women passed away Mar. 29, 1918, at 52 W. Main
street. She had spent nearly the whole of native active and beneficent
life in Norwalk, Having been born there May 1839.
She was the oldest daughter of Moses and Ann
(Rowland) Yale. On Feb. 4, 1862, she became the wife of Henry
Sparrow Mitchell, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, who afterwards took up his
residence in Norwalk, and who passed away in November, 1914.
She was survived by her only child, Mrs. Edward T.
Brown, of Atlanta, Ga.; three grandchildren, Miss Marjorie Brown,
Capt. Edward Brown, and Capt. Henry Brown; and a sister-i-law,
Miss Mary Mitchell.
Funeral services were held at the Episcopal
church, conducted by Rev. C. H. Gross. Interment was in
Woodlawn.
[Page 2182] -
EPHRAIM MOREHEAD,
who was long a well known stockman of Huron county, died May
16, 1918, at Monroeville, aged 86 years. His home had always been at
Weaver's corners or at Monroeville. He was survived by the widow, two
daughters and two sons.
Dr. Edgar Martin
1826 - 1910
Captain 166th O. V. I. Civil War;
Member Legislature
1883-85. (See Note)
MRS. C. J. MUELLER, who was born in Germany, Mar. 6, 1841, came to Norwalk when
very young and had lived there over 70 years at the time of her death, Nov.
26, 1918, in her 78th year. She was the mother-in-law of Postmaster
Andrew Hiss and the mother of Theodore L. Miller, of the Sandusky
City Commission. She was also survived by the husband, a former city
councilman, and by another daughter,
[Page 2183] -
Mrs. J. L. Soisson, and another
son, Otto L. Mueller both of Norwalk. MRS. MATILDA (WHITE) McCLAVE, passed away Dec. 11, 1918, at the home of her son,
Hon. Charles McClave, in New London. She was the widow of
Chester McClave, whom she married Nov. 3, 1856. Her father,
Robert White White, was among the early pioneers of Ruggles township,
settling there as early as 1830. She was born in Ruggles in 1835, and
was 83 years of age. Her son and a daughter, Ida, survived her.
ALEXANDER McPHERSON,
died aged 68 years, at his farm home in Bronson township,
Apr. 21, 1918. He was survived by the widow and two sons.
SIDNEY MILLER, was born June 16, 1850, in
Bronson township, lived there all his life and passed away Dec. 13,
1917, in his 68th year. He married Miss Rose Jordan,
Dec. 25, 1883, who survived him. Interment was in Woodlawn,
Norwalk. GEORGE MOREY, a well-known citizen of Norwalk, a retired carpenter, who was born in
1829, died Jan. 31, 1917, at the home of his daughter, 114 Benedict avenue,
aged 88 years.
MRS. CARRIE (LEGGETT) NEEDHAM, died Dec. 9, 1918, at her home in Monroeville, aged
55 years. She was a very useful and public-spirited woman whose place
in the community it will be hard to fill. She was born in Olena in
1863, the daughter of Charles Leggett; her mother was the daughter of
Rodney Baker. Both Leggett and Baker were among
the best known and most progressive farmers of Huron county. She was
brought up in Norwalk and married R. Needham, of Monroeville in 1879;
he survived her with two children, Chester and Helen.
Mrs. Louise (Baker) Frybarger, of Colorado, an aunt, is the only other
near relative. M. T. NEEDHAM, passed away
at his home in Monroeville, Nov. 15, 1915, in his 60th year.
He was born a mile north of Monroeville and always lived there,
keeping a livery stable for many years. The widow and a son
survived. The interment was in Riverside cemetery.
[Page 2184] - JAMES HARRIS NORTON, who passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Mattie
A. Luteman, in Berlin Heights, in December, 1915, was born in Rutland,
Vt., Oct. 30, 1823, and was in his 93d year. In 1835 he came to the
Firelands and for 50 years, from 1854 to 1904, he lived in Townsend
township, clearing from his farm the primeval forest. He married
Miss Eliza Bott July 13, 1845, who died in 1911, after a married life of
66 years. He was survived by three children, William R., of
Norwalk, J. E., of Mississippi, and Mrs. Luteman He was
the last survivor of several brothers and sisters. The burial
was in Woodlawn, Norwalk
CAPTAIN ALFRED NOECKER,
a gallant veteran of the civil war in which he commanded a battery,
and a former sheriff of Huron county, died Dec. 16, 1917, at the
home of James Gifford, Greenwich. His wife had
passed on several years before and his nearest relative was a
brother in Michigan. Capt. Noecker was a brave
and popular officer in war, a very useful citizen, and always a
stalwart republican.
ALFRED THOMAS NYE, a civil war veteran and an old resident of Peru township,
died at Los Angeles, California, Nov. 23, 1918. He was a son of
Alonzo Nye, a pioneer of Peru; a sister was the wife of the late John
H. Crawford. He was a member of Co. B, 123d O. V. I.
MRS. MARY E. PARK, widow of Joseph Park, a former well-known Huron
county farmer living near Olena, passed away at her home in Oberlin Mar. 21,
1918, aged 71 years. She had lived in Oberlin since her husband's
death in 11907. Her funeral was held at Olena.
ELON PARKER,
well known as a grower of ginseng, died suddenly on his farm in Florence
township, Feb. 14, 1912, aged 76 years. His wife died four years
previously; he was survived by four sons: Elbert Parker, a mine owner
of Mindanao province, Philippine Islands; Ely Parker, of Ashtabula,
O.; Lee Parker who lived with his father, and F. E. Parker of
Mermill, Wood county, O. The burial was at Birmingham.
JOHN PARKER,
was born in Lincolnshire, England, Jan. 7, 1840, came to the Firelands in
1861, lived in Ridgefield
[Page 2185] -
township many years, and for 34 years in Fitchfield township, where he passed away Apr. 5, 1918, in his 79th year.
On May 14, 1863, he married Anne Clark, of Monroeville, with whom he
lived happily almost 50 years; she died Mar. 10, 1912. He was survived
by five sons and two daughters, all residing in Huron county. Mr.
Parker was a very industrious and successful farmer and possessed large
holding of land. The funeral was conducted by Rev. E. T. Welch,
and the burial was in the Olena cemetery.
ARTHUR W. PERRIN, was in Norwalk, Sept. 21, 1863, and died at St. Joseph's
hospital, Lorain, Apr. 9, 1918, in his 53d year. For many years he was
connected, in a responsible position, with the New York Herald, returning to
Norwalk after the death of his wife, where he was in the automobile supply
business. Shortly before his fatal illness he became a bookkeeper for
the American Ship Building Co. at Lorain. He was the son of John
Perrin and grandson of Daniel Wheaton, two prominent residents of
Norwalk. He left a brother, J. Raymond Perrin, of Norwalk.
MRS. MARY E. (NEWSON) PERRIN, was born in Geneva, New York, Mar. 31, 1834, and
was married to Mr. William Perrin, one of Norwalk's best known
citizen, in Lyons, New York, Apr. 5, 1864. Coming to the Firelands
immediately after, she passed here a long and happy life, a blessing to her
family and beloved for her many virtues by her hosts of friends. She
was called hence at the age of 82 years May 25, 1916, leaving to the mourn
her loss the aged husband and two children, Emma E., who resides at
the old home, and William Newson Perrin, real estate operator of
Cleveland. Mr. and Mrs. Perrin, celebrated their Golden wedding
in 1914, at their handsome home on Townsend avenue just east of the city.
Mr. Perrin was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal church. Her
funeral was largely attended, and the burial was in Woodlawn.
JOSEPH PERRY
was born May 3,
1785, in Sussex Co., New Jersey, and died in Peru, Huron Co., Ohio,
May 30, 1859. His father was Joseph Perry, and
his mother, Blaine. He was married Jan. 4, 1806, to
Sarah Seward, daughter of Daniel Seward, of
Goshen, N. Y.
[Page 2186] -
The old home of his boyhood is still standing midway
between McAfee Valley and Vernon, in Sussex Co., N. J. His
father owned a large tract of land and a portion of this tract was
deeded to each of his children, 6 in number. His daughter,
Sally, who married Mr. Edsall, and whose son,
Brice Edsall, was the father of Theodore Edsall,
former County Recorder of Huron Co., O., lived on this farm until
her death. After their marriage they lived some years in
Hamburg, New Jersey, then moved to Goshen, N. Y., and later to
Cayuga Co., N. Y. Here their youngest son. Commodore
Oliver Hazard, was born. In Cayuga Co., the older
children attended the same school as Chas. W. Manahan, the
Norwalk centenarian.
They moved from Venice, Cayuga Co., N. Y., to Ohio, in
1832 ; by wagon to Buffalo, and by boat to Sandusky. They came
in company with the family of John Rule and Mrs.
Deborah Rule (there is an account of the adventures of
this journey in The Firelands Pioneer, N. S., Vol. II, p. 107).
In the family of Mr. Rule there were 5
children and in the Perry family 9 children, 18
persons in all.
After reaching Ohio, Mr. Rule chose
Norwalk for his home, and Mr. Perry bought a farm at
the center of Peru, which was his home as long as he lived.
His children all settled near and he lived to a good old age,
respected and loved by all. SARAH SEWARD PERRY, was born in Goshen, N. Y., Aug. 17, 1787, and died in Peru,
Huron Co., Ohio, Oct. 1, 1861. Her father was Daniel Seward,
born in 1768, and her mother, Julia Ramsey, both of Goshen, New York.
She was one of six brothers and sisters who lived to mature age, one of them
being Charlotte Seward, who married a Mr. Horton, of Auburn,
N. Y. Her grandfather was Daniel Seward, who was the youngest
child of Obadiah Seward, who came from Wales in 1725.
Obadiah's son John was Wm. H. Seward's grandfather.*
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Perry were the parents of
nine children:
-----
*Mrs. J. P. Lawrence, of Norwalk, secured the
genealogy of the Sewards from Wm. Henry Seward, son of
Lincoln's Sec'y of State, Feb. 1, 1906. It was compiled by Rev.
Augustus Seward, from memoranda made by his father, a brother of
Hon. Wm. Henry Seward.
[Page 2187] -
Horace Perry, Emmeline Akers, Catharine Perry
Lawrence, Daniel Perry, Eliza Perry Gribben, Julia Perry Tilson,
Sally Perry, Joseph Perry, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry.
MRS. BRIDGET PIERCE, who lived for 60 years in the same house where she died, on
Newton street, Norwalk, near the A. B. Chase factory, passed away
Mar. 3, 1918, aged 93 years. She was the oldest member of St. Mary's
Catholic church, and was highly esteemed by all who knew her. She was
survived by a daughter, Mrs. B. Conners, with whom she lived, and
another daughter and three sons who reside in other towns.
MRS. ESTHER (STANDISH) PINNEY, a former well-known resident of Norwalk, passed
away suddenly May, 18, 1918, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Elmer E.
Bowlis, in Fremont, where she had lived a few years, at the age of over
82 years. She was the widow of Jackson N. Pinney, a gallant
veteran of the 55th O. V. V. I., who lost a leg in the service and died
July, 1899. Funeral services were held in the Norwalk Congregational church
and the burial was in Woodlawn. THOMAS WASHINGTON PLACE, who passed away Feb. 18, 1918, at the age of about 83
years, was for many years a prominent citizen of Huron county. He was
a farmer in Fairfield township and for a great while was one of the owners
and successful operators of the foundry in North Fairfield.
JOHN C. PRENTICE, who was admitted to the Ohio
Soldiers' Home from Castalia, passed
away at the Home, May 21, 1918. He was a school teacher for many
years, and his civil war service was in Co. I, 145th O. V. I.
SAMUEL PRESTON, who established The Reflector in Norwalk, Ohio, Feb. 1, 1830,
was born in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, June 24, 1778; came to the
Firelands, locating first in Bronson township, in the fall of 1819, and died
at his home in Norwalk, Wednesday, Mar. 3, 1852, at the age of 73 years,
eight months and eight days.
When quite young he began the printing business in the
office of the "Palladium," at Boston, Mass., and continued it at Keene, New
Hampshire. On Jan. 1, 1796, young Preston, a stripling not yet
eighteen, began the publication of a weekly
[Page 2188] -
paper at Amherst, New Hampshire,
styled the "Village Messenger," a very creditable publication indeed for
those days and of superior literary merit, as an examination of a bound
volume of the paper discloses. He relinquished the publication of this
paper in 1801, and moved to Nashua, New Hampshire, living there till he went
to Ohio in 1819. He removed to Norwalk in 1821, where he resided for
the remainder
Samuel Preston
1778-1852 of his life. For about eighteen years he held the office
of Justice of the Peace in Norwalk, and for about as many years he was clerk
of the township. He was a very able man popular and influential, a
great power for good in the Firelands.
From the time he established The Reflector until his
death
[Page 2189] -
he was senior proprietor and publisher of the paper. Possessing
a vigorous constitution, he continued to work at the printing trade daily
and was engaged in setting type on a short time before the accident occurred
which terminated his life. In descending the stairs from the office he
was seized with a fainting spell and fell, striking his head violently on
the floor and fracturing his skull, which proved fatal.
The newspaper which he founded has been issued
regularly to this day, and will complete its 89th year very soon. It
has always been the leading and principal paper of the town, and he will not
be forgotten as long as it continues publication.
In 1804 Samuel Preston married Esther Taylor,
of Merrimac, N. H., daughter of Hon. Timothy Taylor; she was born
June 19, 1781, and died at Norwalk, Sept. 13, 1826, where her tombstone may
be found in the old Episcopal cemetery. They were the parents of five
children, three of whom died in childhood before the removal of the
family to Ohio. The other two were Lucy B., born 1814, and
Charles A., both 1816.
Lucy B. Preston married Frederick Wickham
in 1835, is now the President of the Firelands Historical Society.
Charles A. Preston was one of the founders of the Firelands Historical
Society and was its treasurer up to the time of his death in 1868.
The ancestors of Samuel Preston were staunch
patriots of the colonial and Revolutionary periods; his father, Dr. John
Preston, Sr., of New Ipswich, N. H., served as a boy in the French and
Indian war, with his father Capt. Samuel Preston, who was a very
important officer in that conflict.
His mother was Rebecca (Farrer) Preston whose
father, Samuel Farrer, of Concord, Mass., was one of the high lights
of the Revolution, much interested in public affairs, frequently serving his
town as selectman, town clerk, representative, etc., and was a patriot of
great zeal, steadiness and perseverance. ("History of New Ipswich," -
page 358.) In Nov., 1773, he was chairman of the first Committee of
Correspondence; on Aug. 30, 1774, he was a member of the great Middlesex
Convention which led off in the Revolution; he was a member,
[Page 2190] -
Oct. 11, 1774,
of the first Provincial Congress - ("The first independent legislature in
Massachusetts, and in America." - Geo. W. Curtis, address at Concord,
April, 1875). At the age of 66 years he took part in the first battle
of the Revolution, at Concord, Apr. 19, 1775. It was of Samuel
Farrer and the other Concord heroes that Ralph Waldo Emerson
wrote the immortal lines:
"By the rude bridge that arched the flood
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard 'round the world." |
SAMUEL FERRER died soon
after the conclusion of the war, Apr. 17, 1783, in the 75th year of his
age, having witnessed the establishment of the independence of his
country and endured the hardships of its acquisition, but leaving to his
posterity the enjoyment of the rich inheritance of its blessings.
DR. LORING W. PUFFER, who died at his home in Brockton, Mass., June 30, 1918,
never lived on the Firelands, but on Sept. 18, 1856, he married Miss
Martha M. Worcester, niece and adopted daughter of Hon. Samuel T. and
Mary F. C. Worcester, of Norwalk, Ohio, one of the "Old girls of
Norwalk" Dr. Puffer was born Sept. 17, 1828, and lived to be
almost 90 years old. He was a very influential citizen and was much
interested in historical and scientific subjects, and always kept in touch
with the work of the Firelands Historical Society. He was survived by
the widow and two sons.
RICHARD E. READ, a veteran of the civil war, was the son of Frank Read,
(the first white child born in Huron county), and was himself born in
Hartland township in 1836. He died in Norwalk, where he had lived most
of his life, Dec. 29, 1917, aged 81 years. He went out with the 8th
Ohio in 1861, and afterward served in the 3d O. V. V. C. till the end of the
war. He was survived by the widow, a sister, Mrs. H. K. House,
and a niece, Mrs. L. L. Gebhardt. MRS. SARAH M. (GOLDING) REYNOLDS, was the daughter of John and Julia Golding
of Greenwich, Conn., was born Dec. 26, 1832, and with her parents came to
the Firelands in 1834, settling upon a farm in Fitchville township.
Feb.
[Page 2191] -
1, 1855, she married Hiram Reynolds, who lost his wife Aug. 16,
1864, while in the service of his country in the civil war. Left a
widow, with five small children, she lived in Fitchville all her life and
brought up her family. Four of her children survived her. She
passed away Feb. 10, 1918, at the age of 85 years, 1 month and 14 days; of
the eleven Golding brothers and sisters she was the last survivor
except one sister. The burial was beside her husband in the Fitchville
cemetery.
WILLIAM RIGGS,
was born in Townsend township, Dec. 10, 1854, and died in Norwalk in his
61st year, Nov. 24, 1915. His wife preceded him to the tomb by a few
months, and he was survived by one daughter only, Mrs. J. B. Hackett.
He was a conscientious member of the Baptist church; Rev. H. A. Vernon
conducted the funeral services, and the burial was in Woodlawn.
MRS. ELIZABETH ROOT, who passed away in 1916, at her home on Woodlawn avenue,
Norwalk, was the oldest resident of the city, having been born in
Connecticut, June 8, 1819, and being past 97 years old. Her husband,
Ira Root, died many years before she did, and her nearest relative
was a niece, Mrs. Knox, wife of the wealthy owner of the Knox
chain of 5 and 10 cent stores. Mrs. Knox lived in Buffalo, but
kept in close touch with her aged aunt. Mr. Root was a member
of St. Paul's Episcopal church and was a very devoted christian and a lovely
old lady.
CASTLETON ROSCOE, a native of Townsend Center, passed away in Vermilion May
15, 1918, in his 83d year, at the home of his son Pearl Roscoe,
editor of the Vermilion News. He was the second of the seven sons of
Levi and Eliza (Stockwell) Roscoe and was born Nov. 17, 1835.
Soon after his birth his father moved to a farm in North Milan, where the
seven boys and two girls in the Roscoe family were raised. He
enlisted for the civil war in Co. K, 67th O. V. I., and served three years
and nine months. On Christmas day, 1868, he married Miss Helen R.
Forster of Milan; she was called away in 1907. He was survived by
three of his brothers: Levi, of Milan, Lucius, of Michigan,
and Jay, of Norwalk. He was a member of
[Page 2192] -
all the Masonic bodies,
and the funeral at Milan was a charge of the Masons.
MRS. CATHERINE A. ROSE, widow of Augustus H. Rose, and daughter of
Samuel Wilkinson, passed away Feb. 28, 1918, at her home on Railroad
avenue, Norwalk, at the advanced age of 90 years. Funeral services
were held at the Universalist church and the burial was at Woodlawn.
MRS. LaVON (TERRY) RULE, passed away Nov. 26, 1918, at the home of her
daughter, Mrs. Arthur Schulz, in Wyandotte, Michigan, at the age of
about 60 years. She married Charles H. Rule, of Norwalk, Aug.
10, 1880; they moved to Detroit; a few years later, and recently to
Wyandotte, where their only daughter, Fannie, was located. She
was the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Alfred Terry, of Norwalk. The
husband and daughter survived her, also a brother and sister, both of
Norwalk, A. D. Terry and Mrs. Bessie Cline. The burial
was at Detroit.
WALTER S.
RYERSON, was born in Peru township, Nov. 13, 1852, and
died in Norwalk, May 19, 1918. He was the son of Nicholas and
Sarepta Ryerson. His entire life was spent in Huron county, of
which he was deputy sheriff for four years.
On Nov. 29, 1876, he was married to Miss Lew Ella
Pancost, of Norwalk, who survived him together with their only daughter,
Miss Pearl Ryerson. MRS. WILLIAM SCHAFER, of West Elm street, Norwalk, was born May 4, 1848, and
passed away Apr. 25, 1918, when within a few days of 70 years old. Her
early life was spent in Erie county, but having married Mr. Schafer
Oct. 6, 1867, they at once moved to Norwalk, which was her home over 50
years. The husband and eight children survived her.
JOHN SCHAFFER,
who was born Feb. 26, 1848, in the German settlement, Bronson township, and
had always lived there, passed away Feb. 27, 1918, aged 70 years. He
had great musical ability and had sung in the Settlement church for 60
years. The widow, three sons, and a daughter survived him.
WARREN SEVERANCE, was a worthy member
of the bar of
[Page 2193] -
Huron county who died July 9, 1917, in his 81st year. He
was born Oct. 9, 1836, in Sandusky county, Ohio, but came to Peru township
when his father moved there in 1839. He was a farmer, an instructor of
high repute, and finally studied law, was admitted to the bar and
successfully practiced law for almost forty years in Huron county,
maintaining an office at Chicago Junction, where he was local counsel for
the B. & O. R. R. Co. He married Miss Philanda Shepard Feb. 9,
1860; he was an elder in the Presbyterian church, and a most worthy and
useful citizeen.
MRS. EDNA (SPEAKER) SEYMOUR, widow of Rev. Joel M. Seymour, who was
minister of the Norwalk Presbyterian church 1885-94, died at her sister's
home in Cleveland, Nov. 21, 1917; the burial was at her former home,
Alliance, by the side of her husband. While they lived on the
Firelands Mr. Seymour frequently spoke at pioneer meetings and some
of his valuable addresses were printed in the Pioneer. She left one
daughter, Mrs. Paul Mossman, of Ft. Wayne. WILLIAM H. H. SHERMAN, died at his home in Margaretta township, Aug. 17,
1908, at the great age of 89 years. He had lived in that township for
76 years, and on the same farm for 56 years. He was survived by a son
and two daughters.
MRS. CORNELIA C (ATHERTON SILLIMAN, daughter of Samuel and Clarissa Atherton,
was born in Greenfield township, near Peru, Huron county, Ohio, Sept. 13,
1850; died Feb. 27, 1918, aged 67 years, 5 months, 14 days. Nov. 17,
1870, she married George Delano Silliman and they lived together more
than forty-seven years, the greater part of the time being spent on their
farm south of the village of North Fairfield, Ohio. For the past
forty-five years she was a consistent member of the Congregational church.
BURTON I., SKADDEN, born in Monroeville in 1859, and long a resident there,
died at Lakewood, New Jersey, May 7, 1918, of acute indigestion. The
funeral and burial were at Monroeville, conducted by Rev. W. T.
Hart. He was survived by the widow, a son, a brother and a sister.
JOHN SNOOK,
died Tuesday, Apr. 30, 1918, aged 78 years. He had lived in Bronson
township nearly all his life, but[Page 2194] -
after his wife's death he moved to Norwalk
where he passed away. He was well known and highly respected
throughout the county, an upright and honorable citizen, very intelligent
and well informed.
MRS. ROSELLA SNYDER, wife of Vincent Snyder of Woodlawn avenue, Norwalk,
died Apr. 7, 1918, aged 73 years. She had been a resident of Huron
county many years, and was widely known, especially in Bronson and
Fairfield. The burial was in the Hinkley cemetery, Bronson.
MRS. SARAH A. (PERRY) SNYDER, who died in November, 1915, at her home in Peru
township, aged 78, was the daughter of Homer and Sarah (Amerman) Perry,
pioneers of the Firelands, and was born Oct. 6, 1837. She married
William T. Snyder of Peru, Sept. 18, 1856. She was survived by one
son and five daughters. She was a faithful and consistent member of
the Methodist church and she was mourned by all who knew her.
MRS. ANN ELIZA SOULE, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. F. M. Lutts,
in Norwalk, Dec. 26, 1916, in her 87th year. She was born in Peru
township May 4, 1830, and married Charles Soule, of Norwalk, Aug. 4,
1856. She was survived by her daughter, Mrs. Lutts, and three
sons: Charles, of Cleveland, A. J., of Texas, and W. A.,
of Akron. She was a member of the Universalist church. The
burial was in Woodlawn. MRS. F. A. SPELLMAN, who was born in Huron county July 6, 1833, passed away in her
83d year, in 1916, at the home of her son, M. J. Smith, 32 Jefferson
street, Norwalk.
Sharon Wick's Note: House is still there in 2019)
LOUISE A. STARR, a former city employe of Sandusky, passed away in that city Nov.
25, 1918, in his 71st year. The widow, eight sons and four daughters,
survived him. JAMES RILEY SUTTON, passed away Apr. 24, 1918, at his home
52 South Linwood Ave., Norwalk,
in the 83d year of his age, esteemed and respected by all for the many good
qualities of mind and heart that were his. He was born in Greenwich
township June 26, 1835, and lived there most of the time till he came to
Norwalk. He married Amelia E. Birdsall, of Ruggles, Erie Co.,
in 1857, and they moved from Greenwich
[Page 2195] -
to Norwalk in 1883, building for
themselves a home on Medina road, near the city water works. Later
they moved to Linwood avenue. He was survived by the widow and by two
sons and two daughters, Clarence E., of Akron, George R.,
Mrs. Alice E. Prosser and Miss Alda B. Sutton, of Norwalk.
Two brothers survived in the far west and a sister in Cleveland.
Funeral services were held in the home and the interment was in Woodlawn.
WILLIAM WATERMAN SWEET, who was in his 94th year, died Mar. 5, 1918, at the home of
his grandson, Walter H. Peck Dallas, Texas. He was the son of
Waterman and Amy (Bly) Sweet, and was born in Avon, Ohio, July 5,
1824. His early life knew the prosperous days of Milan and there on
Oct. 30, 1848, he married Miss Memory J. Wheat, niece of Dr. Lyman
Fay, coming to Norwalk in 1854, taking up his residence and owning the
farm south of the Huron County Infirmary, where he lived until the wife died
in1879.
Subsequently he made his home with his surviving
daughter, Mrs. Carrie W. Peck, and going to Dallas four years ago.
Mr. Sweet for many years was a faithful member
of the Norwalk Methodist church.
He outlived all of his nine brothers and sisters.
The temporary interment was in Dallas.
THOMAS C. TAYLOR, was born in1845 in Zanesville, Ohio, but spent practically his
whole life on the Firelands. Oct. 15, 1861, when but 16 years old, he
enlisted at Norwalk in Co. D, 55th O. V. V. I., and served with that
fighting regiment all through the civil war, until mustered out July 11,
1865. He was a bugler and band member the latter part of his army
service, and became a very expert cornetist in later life. He was an
expert sign painter and decorator by trade, and fine examples of his
handiwork are in evidence all over Norwalk. He passed away at the
Sandusky Soldiers' Home, Apr. 22, 1918, in his 73d year. He was
survived by the widow, a daughter and a stepson. The funeral was in
charge of Wooster-Boalt post G. A. R., of which he was a past-commander; the
interment was in Woodlawn.
[Page 2196] -
HON. TIMOTHY TAYLOR, a soldier of the Revolution in Captain Robert Cutting's
company, Colonel McIntosh's regiment, General Lovell's
brigade, ("Soldiers and Sailors of Revolutionary war" - page 460) was born
in the town of Merrimac, New Hampshire, Sept. 18, 1754, came to the
Firelands with his family, settling first in Bronson township, in 1819, and
died in Norwalk at the home of his grand-daughter, Mrs. Frederick Wickham,
Wednesday Feb. 26, 1851, in the 97th year of his age.
He represented Merrimac for thirteen years in the New
Hampshire legislature. He held a commission as Justice of the Peace
for thirty-three years in New Hampshire (1786 till he moved to Ohio 1819),
and for nine years in Huron county, Ohio, (1823 to 1832). At the first
election ever held in Bronson township Apr. 1, 1822, Hon. Timothy Taylor
was a judge of election, and at the same time he was elected one of the
first board of trustees of Bronson.
In 1823 he was elected a county commissioner of Huron
county. For more than fifty years he was a faithful servant of the
public.
He moved from Merrimac to Nashua, N. H., in 1806, and
when he came thence to Ohio in 1819 he settled on a farm in the west part of
Bronson in what is now known as the Dutch Settlement, living there for
fifteen years. In 1834 he moved to Norwalk.
In the Norwalk Reflector of July 4, 1843, is printed
the following notice of the death of his wife: "Died - In this
village, on the 1st inst., of apoplexy, Mrs. Esther Taylor, aged 86,
wife of Timothy Taylor, Esq., formerly of Nashua village, New
Hampshire.
Three of their five children had preceded their mother
to the grave: George A. Taylor died at Nashua, N. H., Sept. 3,
1809, aged 32; Esther (Taylor) Preston, wife of Samuel Preston,
died at Norwalk, O., Sept. 3, 1826, aged 45; Frances (Taylor)
Knight-Threw died Sept. 22, 1841, aged 54.
At his death 1851, Timothy Taylor was survived
by two sons, Benjamin F. and Gilman Taylor; and among the
grand-children were Mrs. Lucy (Preston) Wickham and Charles A.
Preston, of Norwalk; William, George, James and Albert
[Page 2197] -
Knight,
of New Haven and Ripley; and Mrs. Catharine (Taylor) Culp-Colgrove,
of Plymouth and Norwalk, (mother of Col. E. C. Culp). All of
those mentioned have passed on to the other shore.
Timothy Taylor possessed a clear and sound
judgment, and his mental faculties continued unimpaired until near the close
of his life. He was universally esteemed by his neighbors and
acquaintances for the integrity of his character, for the kindness of his
heart, and for the sociability and cheerfulness which enlivened his
intercourse with all, during his long and useful life of almost a century.
Appended to the notice of his decease were the
following appropriate lines:
"Why weep ye then for him who having won
The bound of man's appointed years, at last.
Life's blessing all enjoyed, life's labors done,
Serenely to his final rest has passed;
While the soft memory of his virtues yet.
Lingers like twilight hues, when the bright sun is set." |
ALFRED TERRY, D. D. S., was the first regular practitioner of dentistry to locate
in Norwalk, and was one of the charter members of the Northern Ohio Dental
Association. He was born in 1824, in Tompkins county, New York, the
son of Ira and Fannie (Skinner) Terry. The father of Ira
Terry was a corporal in the war of 1812. Having studied the
profession of dentistry and become very expert therein, the young doctor
came to Ohio first in 1850 and located finally upon the Firelands,
originally at Plymouth in1851, then at Monroeville in 1852, and at last in
Norwalk in 1853, where he remained in successful practice for almost half a
century, until he retired in 1901. He married June 22, 1853, Miss
Mary Isabella Clapp, daughter of Dean and Betsey M. (Danforth) Clapp,
pioneers of Peru township who settled there in 1830, coming from Barnard,
Vermont. Dean Clapp died Dec. 14, 1865, Mrs. Betsey M. Clapp
died Sept. 7, 1883; and Mrs. Mary I. Terry died Nov. 18, 1895.
Dr. Alfred Terry, several years after the death of his wife, moved to
Detroit where he passed away at the home of his daughter. Mrs.
Charles H. Rule, May 18, 1911, in his 87th year. He was surv-
[Page 2198] -
ived
by two daughters, Mrs. Rule of Detroit, and Mrs. John E. Cline,
of Norwalk; and by a son, A. D. Terry of Norwalk.
MRS. FANNIE J. THAYER, dropped dead at her home in Townsend township,
Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 25, 1915. She arose in her usual health and
was preparing to spend the day at the home of her daughter. She was
born in Clarksfield township, July 20, 1847, and was 68 years of age.
She married William H. Thayer, of Norwalk, in September, 1862.
Eight children survived her.
MRS. ANNA A. (BARNES)
TOWNSEND, the widow of Judge Hosea Townsend, departed
this life at the home of her sister, Mrs. E. G. Gardiner, in Norwalk,
Monday, Oct. 18, 1915, in the 72d year of her age. She was born in
Greenwich township Dec. 1, 1843, the daughter of John and Mary B. (McCullow)
Barnes, and following her marriage to Judge Townsend she lived in
Memphis, Denver and other western cities. She had been in Norwalk with
her sister but a short time when the end came, due to heart trouble.
The interment was in Woodlawn in the Barnes family lot.
JUDGE HOSEA TOWNSEND, was the son of Hiram Townsend, who with his
brother Hosea Townsend came from Tyringham, Massachusetts, in 1815,
and became among the earliest settlers in the Firelands; the elder Hosea
being the second settler in New London township, and Hiram locating
originally in New Haven township, but removing from there to Greenwich
township in 1819. Hiram Townsend married Eliza Fancher,
(daughter of Thaddeus and Sally (Mead) Fancher, who came to Greenwich
township from Ulster county, New York, in 1820], and among their three sons
and two daughters, all born in Greenwich, was Judge Hosea Townsend,
born June 16, 1840, who studied law, was admitted to the bar, and became a
prominent citizen of Memphis, Tennessee, after the civil war. He then
moved to the new state of Colorado and was elected to Congress for several
terms in the '80s and '90s, becoming one of the leading Republicans of the
west. In 1897, after McKinley's inauguration, he was appointed
United States Judge for Indian Territory and Oklahoma, serving with
distinction till
[Page 2199] -
his death, Mar. 4, 1909. Judge Townsend
married Miss Anna A. Barnes, of Greenwich, sister of Mrs. E. G.
Gardiner, of Norwalk, and daughter of John Barnes, the leading
merchant of Greenwich and Auditor of Huron county 1869-75.
HENRY TRUXELL, who was born Jan. 1, 1822, died at the Huron county home, Apr. 20, 1918,
aged 96 years, 3 mos. and 19 days. Mr. Truxell lived in
Fairfield township most of his long life and had been in the home only a few
months; the burial was in the Day cemetery, Fairfield. He was survived
by an older brother, David Truxell, of Ripley township, who will be
100 years old in January, 1919.
ADDISON V. WARNER,
was born in Dutchess county, New York, June 22, 1835, and
came to Norwalk when a young man, most of his life having been spent in that
city. He passed away very suddenly at his home, 147 East Main street,
Dec. 7, 1915, in the 81st year of his age. For many years, when his
brothers, I. V. and A. E. Warner, he conducted the
Empire Machine Works, on the Southeast corner of East Main and Woodlawn
avenue, manufacturing wood sawing machinery. Afterward he was employed
at the Laning Co.'s works, but for some years he led a retired life.
He married Miss Elizabeth Delamater, who survived him, as did a
brother, H. L. Warner of Norwalk.
LUCIAN A. WEST, a native of the Firelands, a veteran of the civil war, a business
man without guille, and a Christian gentleman of rare excellence, passed
away suddenly at his home on Garden street, Norwalk, Apr. 20, 1918, when
within a few days of his 75th birthday. He was born in Fitchville
township May 1, 1843, the son of Judson West. He served his
country in the 12th Ohio Battery of Artillery in the civil war. From
1877, for 27 years, he was the able and efficient treasurer of the A. B.
Chase Co., retiring form ill health in 1904, when he was succeeded by
his son, Lowell E. West, who is still the treasurer of the company.
He married in 1868, Martha C. Hill, who, with the son mentioned,
survived him. Mr. West was a musician of great ability and a
fine organist, officiating at the Congregational church for many years.
Funeral serv-[Page 2200] -
ices at the home were conducted by Rev. Mr. Leininger and the
interment was in Woodlawn.
HENRY WHITE,
was born in Greenfield township, Sept. 25, 1846, and passed most of his life
in Bronson township, living at the Center. He went to Elyria a few
years ago, dying there Mar. 25, 1918, in his 72d year. He was
survived by two brothers and a sister. Interment was in Woodlawn,
Norwalk.
JONATHAN S. WHITE, for many years a prominent citizen of Huron county,
passed away Feb. 28, 1918, at his home in Greenwich.
Mr. White was born in Ripley township, Feb. 24,
1844, and was 74 years of age. Reared on his father's farm, he entered
the army during the civil war, and was engaged chiefly in post duty in and
about Washington.
In 1886 he was elected auditor of Huron county, and
filled that office with distinguished ability for six years. During
this time he resided with his family in Norwalk.
After the expiration of his term, he entered the
banking business, at first in the First National Bank of Greenwich, where he
remained up to the time of his retirement from business.
On Feb. 25, 1869, he was married to Miss Marietta
Rarre, of Ripley township, who survived him. Three children were
born to them: James E., who died some years ago; Blanche,
Mrs. S. E. Leonard; and John Gaylord, of the Wakeman Bank Co.,
Wakeman, Ohio. The burial was in Woodlawn, Norwalk.
J. M. WHITON, was born at Lee, Massachusetts, Apr. 25, 1830, and died at his home in Wakeman, Ohio, Jan. 10, 1916, aged 86 years, 1 month and 15 days. He
was apprenticed to a blacksmith at the age of 11 years to remain till he was
21, at very nominal wages, but at 18 he left and soon after went to
California with the great rush of gold seekers of '49. After returning
to the east he married in 1860, and ultimately settling in Wakeman, became a
leading merchant and influential citizen. He was a consistent
Christian gen-[Page 2201] -
tleman, and took great interest in historical matters, being a
life member of The Firelands Historical Society. For the 48th annual
meeting, Dec. 12, 1906, he fashioned with his own hands and exhibited a most
interesting miniature pioneer home and farm, log cabin and all. (See
Pioneer, N. S. Vol. XVI, pp 1223-1237). He was survived by the widow
and a son, William W. Whiton, of Wakeman, who is also a life member
of the F. H. S.
MRS. J. M. WHITON, widow of J. M. Whiton, of Wakeman, survived her husband
a little over two years, passing away of apoplexy Oct. 21, 1918, at the age
of 83 years, 9 months and 21 days. She was born Jan. 1, 1835, in Ohio,
and married Mr. Whiton, June 12, 1860.
HON. FREDERICK WICKHAM, was born in New York City, Mar. 11, 1812, came to Norwalk, Ohio,
in 1833 and died there full of years and honors, Jan. 12, 1901, when within
a few weeks of 89 years of age. He was the son of William and
Catharine (Christian) Wickham, of English descent, and was baptized in
old Trinity church on Broadway at Wall street. His ancestors were
among the earliest in colonial days and were noted among the sturdy pioneers
in the formative days of the colonies of Massachusetts Bay and of the Rhode
Island and otherwise distinguished among their fellows.
Soon after the war of 1812, reverses drove the family
to seek a new home in the then wilderness of Northern New York, and at Sodus
Bay, Wayne county, on the shores of Lake Ontario, the lad grew to manhood.
Early inured to hardships, as fisherman and sailor, he developed the
strength of a giant and a constitution like iron which stood him in good
stead in his old age, so that his natural force was not abated even up to a
long past his eighth year.
His early educational advantages were very few, but all
his life he made diligent use of every opportunity for self-culture, though
often speaking with regret of the circumstances which prevented him from
securing in his youth the scholastic training which is today possible for
every American child. This fact made him one of the most zealous
friends of
[Page 2202] - the common schools, and he had considerable to
do with shaping the foundations of the present school laws of Ohio,
as president of the board of education of Norwalk, and as one of the
closest friends of Hon. Samuel T. Worcester, of Norwalk, who,
as the member of the legislature from Huron county, was the father
of the modern Ohio school laws.
Continuing his life as a sailor upon the great lakes,
the young man became mate and eventually master, sailing his
schooner upon the waters of Lake Erie and even upon the upper lakes.
After coming to Norwalk, he would spend his winters there and his
summers upon the lakes. In 1835 occurred the event which
completely changed the current of his life; he married Lucy
Bancroft Preston, whose father had in 1830 established the
Norwalk Reflector and was then its editor and proprietor.
Their happy married life continued until Mrs.
Wickham's death in 1897, over 62 years. Their family was a
large one and consisted of thirteen children, twelve of whom lived
to a mature age, all respected and useful members of the communities
in which they lived.
Through the persuasions of his wife he gave up his
seafaring life after a time and entered the Reflector printing
office; learning the rudiments of the trade and performing in turn
all the operations connected with getting out a newspaper in a rural
county seat town of Ohio in the days before the civil war. The
labor of getting out the weekly edition often extended far into the
night and the flickering glim of the tallow dip afforded the only
light. Mr. Wickham served full time at all such
work and later became the owner and editor of the paper and was a
leader in the politics of his county and district.
His habit as an editor for more than fifty years, and
up to the last year of his life when the feebleness of old age
compelled him to desist from work, was to compose his editorials at
the case, setting them up in long primer out of his head. He
rarely wrote out his copy.
From the many honorable positions which he held and
from the great length of time, more than sixty-five years, during
which he had been connected with The Reflector, he left
[Page 2203]
a deep impress upon the city and county where he lived and became
known personally or by name to most of the editors of Ohio.
He served as Associate Judge of the Court of Common
Pleas from 1847 until the new constitution was adopted, and he was
State Senator from the 30th district, serving during the stormy days
of the civil war. He should have been reelected in 1865, but
through some combination against him connected with the candidacy of
Hon. John Sherman for the U. S. Senate he was defeated; but
his turn came in 1880 when Huron county was held in line for Blaine,
and with other counties prevented Mr. Sherman from getting a
solid Ohio delegation and probably the presidency.
In his old age his neighbors with rare unanimity called
on him to serve them as Mayor of the city. Thus honors were
showered upon him in life, and it was not empty praise when, after
his death the city council, regardless of politics, spread upon its
journal this resolution:
''Resolved by the Council of the City of Nor walk,
''That we recognize that in his decease Norwalk has
lost one of her first citizens, whose long and successful career has
been but a succession of good deeds that will remain an enduring
monument to his memory. His home life was an ideal one.
His business career, active and useful, began early and ended only
with death. His public life was varied and honorable, and was
fittingly closed when, past three score and ten, he was called by
his fellow citizens to act as mayor of his beloved city, a position
he filled with dignity, courage and honesty. His character was
spotless; his integrity unquestioned, and his relations with those
nearest him, with his fellow men so perfect; his patriotism so
intense; his activity so great; his influence so vast in many walks
of life that he justly deserved to be called 'The Grand Old Man of
Norwalk.' "
MRS. HETTIE
(MILLEN) WOOSTER, formerly of Norwalk, died Mar. 8, 1918, at the home
of her daughter, Mrs. Harry Grant, in New York city. She was
the daughter of J. B. Millen, one of the early settlers of Norwalk,
and sister of Charles W. Millen, cashier for many years of the
Norwalk National Bank.
[Page 2204] -
Mrs. Wooster was the widow of Lt.
Col. Moses F. Wooster, of the 101st O. V. I., who was killed in the
battle of Stone River, Dec. 31, 1862, and in whose honor Wooster-Boalt post,
G. A. R., was named. She was survived by two daughters, Mrs. Arthur
Whiting of Cleveland, and Mrs. Grant, of New York. The
remains were brought to Norwalk and interred inside her husband in Woodlawn,
Rev. C. H. Gross officiating.
---------------
Of an older martial day is a faded
document lying before us as we write, an original order on the
paymaster of the local regiment Ohio Militia, issued in 1832 and
carrying the names of three of the most noted men who ever lived in
Norwalk, Colonel Obadiah Jenny, Judge Timothy Baker and
Seriff Barney Carkhuff:
"Paymaster 2d Reg't 2d Brgd 11 Divs O. M.
pay B. Carkhuff One Dollar services
attending court of Enquiry
Milan Sept. 19, 1832
$1.00
O. Jenney Prest of Sd Court
Attest T. Baker Adjt.
---------------
NOT TOO LATE
It is too late! Ah, nothing is too late.
Cato learned Greek at 80; Sophocles
Wrote his grand "Oedipus;" and Simonides
Bore off the prize of verse form his compeers,
When each had number more than four -score years;
And Theophrastus at four-score and ten
Had but begun his "Characters of Men."
Chaucer at Woodstock, with the nightingales,
At 60 wrote the "Canterbury Tales."
Goethe at Weimar, toiling to the last,
Completed "Faust" when 80 years were past.
What then? Shall we site idly down and say
The night hath come, it is no longer day?
For age is opportunity no less
Than youth itself, though in another dress,
And as the evening twilight fades away,
The sky is filled with stars invisible by day.
- Longfellow. |
|
Source: 