USA > Ohio > Portage County > A portrait and biographical record of Portage and Summit counties, Ohio > Part 22
USA > Ohio > Summit County > A portrait and biographical record of Portage and Summit counties, Ohio > Part 22
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Silas Payne received a common-school ed- ucation and was reared to farming. He mar- ried, in Bath township, in August, 1861, Mary B. Hogue, who was born in Northampton
township. Summit county, July 22, 1833, a daughter of Samuel Hogue. To Mr. and Mrs. Payne was born one son, George E. MI. Payne, on marrying, settled in Bath township and enlisted October 16, 1861, in Capt. Jonas Schoonover's company H. Twenty- ninth Ohio volunteer infantry, to serve three years, but was honorably discharged on ac- count of disability February 18, 1863, at Dumfries, W. Va. He re-enlisted in North- ampton township in the One Hundred and Seventy-seventh Ohio infantry, in Capt. Sam- uel J. Tracy's company H, and was again honorably discharged at Greensboro, N. C., June 24, 1865, the war having closed. He was in the battle of Cedar Mountain, W. Va., Port Republic and several severe skirmishies. He was seriously sick about three months in hospital at Washington, D. C., of typhoid fever, in 1862, but with this exception Mr. Payne was always an active soldier and was prompt and faithful in the discharge of every duty, and endured all the hardships of a soldier's life for two years and four months with fortitude and cheerfulness. Mr. Payne was in all the marches, campaigns, battles and skirmishes in which his company engaged, except the battle of Winchester, when he was in camp on guard duty. He considers his hardest march to have been from a point four miles north of Winchester, coming south a distance of over thirty-two miles during a a heavy rain storm in the spring, the march lasting two days and one night, and, including the return to camp, making a distance ol sixty-four miles. One comrade, Norman Salsberry, of West Bath, Summit county, died three days later from the effects of the fa- tigue and exposure of this march.
After the war Mr. Payne returned to Summit county, Ohio, where he remained un- til his removal to Eaton county, Mich., in 1880, where he settled on a farm, which he
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OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
resided on for seven years. Here his first wife died September 17, 1887, a member of the United Brethren church and a woman of great amiability. Mr. Payne then returned to Summit county, Ohio, and married, Novem- In1 14, 1890, in Richfield township, Saman- tha J. Kemery, who was born November 9, 1850, a daughter of Daniel and Susan (Yergin) Kemery. Mr. and Mrs. Payne settled on their present farm, which was the home of Mrs. Payne.
Mr. and Mrs. Payne are members of the United Brethren church, called the U. B. Centennial, and Mr. Payne is trustee of sev- eral churches and parsonages, is a class leader and takes an active interest in church matters, as does his excellent wife. Mr. Payne cast his first presidential vote for Lincoln, and has always advocated the principles of the repub- lican party.
ERBERT A. PECK, one of the proni- inent and substantial farmers of Tallmadge township, Summit coun- ty. Ohio, is a son of Anthony Peck, a pioneer of sterling English Puritan stock. The founder of the family in America was Joseph Peck, of Hingham, Norfolk county, England, who fled from England to America, on account of church persecution, in 1638, coming with his family in the good ship Diligence, John Martin master, Joseph Peck, his wife, three sons and a daughter, two men servants and three maid servants coming at the same time. He settled at Hingham, Mass., and was one of the founders of the town. The genealogy of the Peck family extends back from Joseph for twenty generations, and is certified to by the Heralds' college of the British museum, and descends from John Peck, of Belton, Yorkshire. The family is of noble origin and of sterling Saxon stock. Joseph Peck's chil-
dren were Anna, Rebecca, Joseph, John, Nich- olas, Samuel, Nathaniel and Israel. After them came Joseph, Samuel and Heath; then Michael and Fenn.
Capt. Fenn Peck, grandfather of subject, was born in Milford, Conn., and was a sea captain. He married Sarah Treat, a direct descendant of Gov. Treat, thirty years gov- ernor and deputy governor of the old colony of Connecticut. Their children were Anthony and Treat Fenn. Capt. Peck died at Gauda- loupe, West Indies, of yellow fever, in 1803, aged only about twenty-four years.
Anthony Peck, father of subject, was born in Milford, Conn., 1799, and received a good education. He married, December, 1821, in Milford, Conn., Harriet Clark, of the same place, a daughter of Abraham and Mehitable (Peck) Clark. Abraham Clark was in the Revolutionary war when he was but fourteen years old, and with Capt. Samuel Peck, who served in Gen. Washington's army. The great-grandfather of subject, Anthony Peck, was a ship builder and well-to-do for his time. He lost his property, and came as a pioneer soon after his marriage, in 1822, in April, to the Western Reserve, making the journey with a two-horse covered wagon, and both of them walked most of the way, the road being very bad. They drove direct to Tallmadge, and Mr. Peck bought the land where our subject now lives, consisting of 160 acres, all in the wilderness. He cleared this up, and, by per- severing labor and industry, added to it until he owned about 200 acres, and erected a tasteful residence. His children were Sarah Treat, Charlotte Clark, Harriet Antoinette and Herbert Anthony. Mrs. Peck was a mnem- . ber of the Congregational church, and Mr. Peck was a member of the Congregational so- ciety and church trustee for many years, and assisted to build the Tallmadge church. Mr. Peck was township trustee and assessor and .
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
an honored citizen. He prospered by his sterling thrift, and educated his children well -his daughter Sarah at New Haven, Conn., and his daughter Charlotte at Canandaigua, N. Y. Mr. Peck died at the age of forty- seven, in 1845, killed by accident. He was a conservative and a stout whig and a great ad- mirer of Henry Clay. His daughter Sarah married H. B. Eldred, who recently died in in Cleveland. Mr. Peck's daughter Charlotte married Volney Acer, of Medina, N. Y., and has four sons. all prominent men.
Herbert A. Peck was born November 13, 1842. He received a good education in Tall- madge academy, and has always been a farmer. Mr. Peck is an honored citizen, has been a township trustee, and has been treasurer of the Summit county Agricultural society five years and secretary six years, and was re- elected to both offices unanimously, but re- signed.
Mr. Peck has prospered like his father before him and has a splendid farm af 300 acres, part of which is the old homestead. His beantiful lawn, ornamented with fine ever- greens and other shade trees, is one of the most attractive in the county. Mr. Peck is a man of excellent business capacity, is well read, and keeps up well with the times. His pleasant homestead is presided over with grace and dignity by his sister, Antionette, and his residence shows the taste of cultivated and re- fined people. Mrs. Anthony Peck reached the great age of eighty-nine years, and died May 19, 1893, a woman of high character and many virtues.
AMUEL W. PERRY, a greatly re- spected citizen of Northfield township, Summit county, Ohio, was born in Deckertown, Sussex county, N. J., November 17, 1838, a son of David and Sarah
A. (Benjamin) Perry, and is a descendant of an English family which was among the early colonial settlers of New England. He re- ceived a fair common-school education, was rearcd to farming, and in September, 1860, left his home for the west, stopping for a month with an uncle in New York state and then working a short time at East Sharon, Potter county, Pa. Junc 17, 1861, he arrived at Brandywine, Ohio, and August 7, 1862, married, in Alron, Miss Laura M. Barnhart, daughter of William and Luna (Chaffee) Barn- hart, and born in Peninsula, Ohio, May 15, 1839. Mrs. Perry's father was a native of Pennsylvania, and was reared as a mechanic and builder of boats. He was educated in the common schools, then emigrated to the west in an caily day, when the city of Cleveland was almost a hamlet. In politics he was a republican, and fraternally was a Mason. He was born in 1812 and died March 19, 1879; the mother of Mrs. Perry was born in Boston township, Summit county, of Puritan stock, about 1820, and died in 1849. The remains of these parents are interied in the village cemetery at Boston, where a beautiful monu- ment stands sacred to their memory. There were four children in the family, one son and three daughters-all living -- and of whom Mis. Perry is the eldest. William H. Barnhart, a resident of the city of Akron, is a painter by trade. He married Miss Cornelia Coe, a na- tive of Summit county. They had four chil- dren, of whom two sons are deceased. Helen A., wife of A. Curtis, resides at Springer. Colfax county, N. M. Mr. Curtis is a stock- raiser, and was formerly sheriff of Summit county, from 1869 to 1873. They had two children, both deceased. Luna was one of the honored teachers of Summit county, and is now engaged as an accountant in the Buck- eye Manufacturing Co. ; Harold A., a resident of Akron, Ohio, is a graduate of Akion
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OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
high school, and is now a bookkeeper in the Goodrich Rubber Co .: Mary M., wife of ies- ter Crittenden, is a resident of Burton, Geauga county, Ohio. Mr. Crittenden is a contractor and builder and is now postmaster at that place. They have three sons: William H., Arthur C. and Roy L.
Seven days after his marriage Mr. Perry enlisted, August 14, 1862, at Northfield, Ohio, in company C, One Hundred and Fifteenth Ohio volunteer infantry, for three years, and served until mustered out at Murfreesboro, Tenn., June 22, 1865, on account of the close of the war, and was honorably discharged at Cleveland, Ohio. His service was chiefly rendered in Tennessee, and in November, 1864, at LaVergne, had a skirmish with Wheeler's cavalry; one month later he and fifty comrades, while guarding the railroad at LaVergne, were surprised and captured by cavalry and artillery under Gens. Forrest, Burford and Jackson. They were taken to within five miles of Nashville and kept in the woods five days, receiving for rations two-thirds of a pint of corn-meal and a piece of raw beef, two or three inches square. They were eventually taken to Columbia and confined in the upper story of the court house, but two days later James Cassidy and David Thomas, both of Summit county, together with Mr. Perry, managed to escape, and were eight days in making their way to Murfreesboro, which town they reached December 22, 1864. There being but twenty-two of Mr. Perry's company left alive, they were detailed to lay out the cemetery on the battle field of Stone river and to inter the dead.
After the war, Mr. Perry, who had bought a piece of land in Tennessee, traded it for his present farm of eighty-two acres in Northfield township, which he has greatly improved and placed under a high state of cultivation. To Mr. and Mrs. Perry have been born two chil-
dren-Helen M. and Sadie E. Mr. Perry is a republican in politics, and cast bis first presidential vote in the ranks for Mr. Lincoln, is a member of the Grand Army of the Repub- lic, and a good and useful citizen. He still suffers from the hardships he endured during the war; although never wounded, he was at one time confined in hospital at Camp Den- nison with typhoid fever, and although his wife went there to nurse him, it was seven weeks before he recognized her Ile and his two comrades, who escaped from the rebels at Columbia, and who reside in Summit county, have been in the habit of holding a yearly re- union, at the first of which there were but six attendants-the three prisoners and their wives-now there are twenty attendants, in- cluding their children.
The eldest child, Helen M., is the wife of Marvin L. Berry, who is engaged in a manufac- tory in the city of Cleveland, and they have one child, by name Alvin P .; Sadie E. is at home with her parents; she is an artist of more than ordinary skill, having graduated from: the Cleveland School of Art, in 1895, and her specimens of oil, crayon, pastel and water colors, which are displayed in her parents' home, are gems. She has some specimens from nature taken in New Mexico, where she resided for five years, which would find favor in any studio. She has taught her profession for some years.
ENRY PETTINGELL, an honored citizen of Iludson township, Summit county, Ohio, was born in the city of London, England, January 24. 1843, a son of William and Julia (Fosett) Pettingell.
William Pettingell, the father, was also born in London. and was a habit-maker, or tailor, by trade, and there married. Mr. Pet-
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL, RECORD
tingell came to America in 1843, landed at New York, came through to Painesville, Lake county, Ohio, and bought a farm of 117 acres, improved it and made a good home. He finally sold his farm, lived in Painesville two years, then came to Hudson. Ohio, in 1853, as secretary and treasurer of the Western Re- serve college, and held this position for more than thirty years with credit to himself and greatly to the advantage of the college. He was a well educated business man, a careful and skilled accountant, very accurate, and wrote a clear and beautiful hand. To Mr. and Mrs. Pettingell were born William, Eliza, Alfred, Charles E., Henry, and Julia M. Mr. and Mrs. Pettingell were members of the Congre- gational church, of which he was a deacon several years. In politics he was a republican and a strong abolitionist. He was an honored citizen of Hudson, was its mayor one term, and was noted for his integrity of character and sterling worth. He was a strong Union man during the Civil war, in which he had two sons-Charles E. and Henry -- both in the same company and regiment. Mr. Pettingell reached the advanced age of eighty-three years and died in Hudson.
Henry Pettingell was about a month old when he was brought to America by his par- ents. He was educated in the public schools of Hudson, and here learned the carpenter's trade. He enlisted, during the Civil war, in company B, Eighty-fifth Ohio volunteer in- fantry, to serve three months, but served four, and was honorably discharged at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio. His service was at Camp Chase, and on the Mississippi river, on a steamer, as guard of rebel prisoners on their way to be exchanged at Vicksburg, Miss., and during this trip the boat was fired on several times. After being mustered out, Mr. Pettin- gell returned to Hudson, and married, June 21, 1871, Dency S. Lusk, who was born at
Hudson, Ohio, July 31, 1847, a daughter of Milton Adams and Sallie Maria (Seacoy) Lusk. Mrs. Sallie M Lusk was a widow and 2 daughter of Joshua and Mollic (Dee) Post, and by her marriage to Chester Seacoy was the mother of several children, of whom Le-ter, Mary J. and Pinkey P. grew to maturity.
Joshua Post was born in Seabrook, Conn .. and was a soldier in the war of 1812. The Dees were an old Connecticut family of Rev- olutionary stock. Joshua Post came to Ohio in 1810 and settled in Boston township, Suin- mit county, where he bought a farm of 400 acres, on which his son, Joshua l'ost, had built a log house, having previously come to select land. Mr. Post cleared up a large part of his farm and built a bridge across the Cuyahoga river, being a most public-spirited maa. His children were Joshua. Polly, Deborah, Han- nah, mily, Diana M., Juliet. Ann, Jerusha, Mercy B., Belinda, Sallie and Philo. Mr. Post died a member of the Congregational church.
Since marriage Mr. and Mrs. Pettingeli have resided in Hudson and built an attractive and pleasant residence. To them have been born four children-Harry M., Bessie L., Joseph W. and Raymond O. Both Mr. and Mrs. Pettingell are members of the Congrega- tional church in Hudson, and in politics Mr. Pettingell is a republican, and cast his first presidential vote for U. S. Grant. He is a member of the G. A. R., Gen. W. T. Sher- man post, No. 68, at Hudson, and has filled the offices of adjutant, chaplain, senior and vice-junior commander, and is now com- mander. Mrs. Pettingell is a niece, by mar- riage, to the famous John Brown, of Harper's Ferry fame. John Brown married for his first wife Diantha Lusk, a sister of Mrs. Pettin- gell's father, Milton A. Lask, who had previ- ously married Dency Preston, and they were the parents of Henry, Lorin, Charles, Lucy
A. A. VIALL.
MRS. A. A. VIALL.
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OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
and Amos. Mrs. Lusk had one son, two step-sons and a son-in-law in the Civil war. ller son, Lester Seacoy, was a private in the Second Ohio cavalry, served four years and three months, and was in many battles; the other soldier boys were Charles and Amos, sons of her husband, by his first wife, and son-in-law -- Charles Robinson. Mr. and Mrs. i.usk had but one daughter, Dency S., who married our subject. Milton A. was a son of Amos Lusk and his wife, Nancy Adams. Amos Lusk was a pioneer of Hudson, Ohio, from Vermont, and came to Summit county among the first. His son, Milton A., was the second male child born in Hudson. Amos Lusk was a captain in the war of 1812, and contracted a fever from which he died six weeks after returning home, before the con- clusion of the war. The children of Capt. Ainos Lusk were Dr. Lorrin, Amos, Edward, Julian, Milton, Julia, Sophia, Diantha, (who married John Brown), Maria and Minerva.
LBERT A. VIALL, the well-known saw-mill proprietor and lumber dealer at Tallmadge, Summit county, Ohio, and one of the youngest of the vol- unteers of the late war, was born in East Akron November 29. 1849, a son of Emory D. and Orpha L. (Wilcox) Viall, the Viall family being descendants of old New England col- onists of Connecticut and Vermont.
Emory D. Viall, a lumberman, married, in Stowe township, Miss Wilcox, a daughter of L. H. and Hannah (Porter) Wilcox, who were from New England. The children born to this union were Albert A., Frank H., Arthur J. (deceased), Alfred C. (deceased), Carrie M. (a practicing physician of Cleveland), Nellie 'deceased), and Cynthia E. Mr. Viall con- ducted an extensive business for many years, was a highly respected gentleman, and was
killed in a railroad accident December 16, 1888. 1
Albert A. Viall received a good district- school education, and was but twelve years of age when the first shot of the Civil war was directed against Fort Sumter. This fired his youthful patriotism, which grew with the growth of the war. Finally, with the consent of his parents, who, in fact, could not restrain him, he enlisted at Alliance, Ohio, January 26, 1865, in company F, One Hundred and
Eighty-fourth Ohio volunteer infantry, for one year, unless sooner discharged on account of the war being brought to an end. He was a large lad, stood five feet seven and one-lialf inches high, weighed 167 pounds, and but a little over fifteen years of age at the time, and but twenty-seven days older than the youngest enlisted soldier, as reported at the reunion of the Grand Army of the Republic at Buffalo, N. Y., in 1897. He served in Ohio, at Nash- ville and Chattanooga, Tenn., Bridgeport,
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
Ala., Edgefield, Tenn., and Lookout Moun- tain, his duty being principally in guard, patrol and garrison service, and pursuit of bush- whackers. He was much exposed during a march from Zollicoffer Barracks to Missionary Hill, Nashville, Tenn., during a cold rain in May, 1865, and contracted rheumatism, but he served cheerfully and faithfully, and was honorably discharged September 20, 1865, the war having been brought to an end the previous April.
After his return from the army to Ohio, Mr. Viall worked for his father some time in his saw-mill at Monroe Falls, then worked by the month for some years for other parties, and in 1875 engaged in the saw-mill business on his own account in Tallmadge, this being now the largest of its kind in the township. October 27, 1879, he married, in Tallmadge, Miss Helen J. Carruthers, who was born in Northampton township, in 1848, a daughter of John A. and Julia E. (Merrick) Carruthers, and to this union has been born one daughter -Anna Trowbridge Viall.
John A. Carruthers, father of Mrs. Viall, was born in Tallmadge and was a son of John, a soldier of the war of 1812 and a pioneer of Tallmadge township. John A. was a prominent business man in his day, was engaged in the lumber business, and was also a manufacturer of apple butter, making as high as 1,000 gal- lons per day, and was the largest shipper of of this article in the country. To his marriage with Miss Julia E. Merrick were born Helen J., Lucy M., and Clarence D. Mr. Carruthers was greatly respected by his fellow-townsmen, and died at the age of sixty-eight years.
Albert A. Viall and wife are members of the Congregational church at Tallmadge, and fraternally Mr. Viall is a member of Cuyahoga Falls lodge, No. 63, I. O. O. F., of the Tall- mage grange, P. of H., and of Buckley post, No. 12, G. A. R., of Akron. He is also a
Freemason, and a member of Starr lodge, No. 187, at Cuyahoga Falls. In politics he is a republican, and is a member of the board of education at Tallmadge. He has always been an energetic business man, and his fortune is of his own making, as he began his business life absolutely with no capital, saving his hands and brains. Beside his mill in Tall- inadge, which he erected in 1879, at the same time he erected his dwelling, he owns a mill in Portage county, and has been extensively en- gaged in the lumber business for twenty years. He is a true patriot, and on decoration day, 1897, presented to the township of Tallmadge a beautiful silk national flag, with staff, in commemoration of the heroes of 1776, 1812 and 1861, and is now interested in furthering a movement looking to the erection here of a monument to the memory of the soldiers of the Civil war.
Is AWRENCE B. PIERCE, a well- known nurseryman of Tallmadge township, Summit county, Ohio, and one of the soldiers of the Civil war, was born in Tallmadge township, April 30, 1840, a son of Nathaniel and Minerva (San- ford) Pierce. The Pierces were of English Puritan stock and the name was originally spelled Pearcy, and of the old English family of the name. The name has been corrupted to Pearce-formerly Percy --- until the last few generations, a member of the family finally changed the name to Pierce. Our subject re- ceived a good education in the academy at Tallmadge, and later attended school in Con- necticut; he became a farmer and also ac- quired a good knowledge of the carpenter's trade. He enlisted, in 1862, at the age of about twenty-two years, in the Ohio national guards, in company B. Fifty-fourth battalion, to serve five years, and was enrolled at
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OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
Cleveland, Ohio, May 2, 1864, as a member of company D, One Hundred and Sixty- fourth regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, try, to serve 100 days, and was honorably dis- charged August 27, 1864, at Cleveland, Olio. His service was in Virginia opposite George- town, D. C., on guard duty. He was always an active soldier and prompt and cheerful in the discharge of his duty. He was sick with erysipelas and in hospital at Fort Strong about one month and came near death. Mr. Pierce returned to Tallmadge township and engaged in the nursery and fruit-growing business. He married, May 14, 1873, at Kent, Ohio, Miss Emeline M. Bradley, who was born in Kent, Ohio, February 16, 1848, a daughter of Ran- som and Mary (Tyson) Bradley. To Mı. and Mrs. Pierce have been born Robert C. and Koger B. Mr. Pierce is a member of H. Day post, No. 115, of Kent, and in politics is a re- publican. He was a member of the board of education in Tallmadge township one term and he is a member of the First Congregational church at Tallmadge. Mr. Pierce is a sub- stantial citizen and well known for integrity of character.
Nathaniel Pierce, father of subject, was born at Woodbury, Conn., August 27, 1809, a son of Simon and Thankful (Hunt) Pierce. Nathaniel Pierce came to Ohio in September, 1838, via the lakes, and settled on the farm of 160 acres where our subject now lives, of which he cleared about one half. . His children were Minerva S., Susan L., Frances (deceased) and Lawrence B. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce were both members of the Congregational church. In politics he was an old-line whig and repub- lican, and a stanch abolitionist, and was one of the early and leading temperance advocates of Connecticut, being an early member of the Sons of Temperance, and his wife was a nearly member of the Washingtonian society-the first American temperance organization. Mr.
Pierce was at one time mobbed in Connecticut on account of his anti-slavery utterances. He reached the venerable age of eighty-seven years and was a man of sterling integrity.
Lawrence B. Pierce, our subject, is a gen- tleman who is widely known as a writer for the press, especially the leading agricultural and horticultural papers, and, in his early days, was an occasional story writer. He is a clear thinker and reasoner, and writes from actual experience, and his letters are widely read. Mr. Pierce is a practical gardener and horti- culturist, having passed his life in these pur- suits, and for years he has been a leading ex- hibitor at agricultural society displays, in which he takes a wide interest.
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