USA > Ohio > Portage County > A portrait and biographical record of Portage and Summit counties, Ohio > Part 40
USA > Ohio > Summit County > A portrait and biographical record of Portage and Summit counties, Ohio > Part 40
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wise a member of Meridian Sun lodge, No. 266, A. F. & A. M., West Richfield, Ohio. He lived to be nearly eighty-two years old, and was well known for his sterling qualities. His funeral sernion was preached by Rev. H. H. Miller, from which is taken the following para- graphs:
In his life Mr. Waterman was a man of charity. He was a friend to the poor. No worthy person in need ever applied to him for assistance in vain. Many there are who can testify of his charitable acts to them. He clothed the naked and fed the poor. I knew him but a few months, but those who knew him best give this testimony.
In his giving he was very unostentatious. In a quiet way, his charity was bestowed. He has come down to a good ripe age. We can truly say of him: "The world was better because he lived." His end was a gracious one; sick but a few days, suffering but little pain, he passed away as one going to sleep. He is in the hands of an all-wise and merciful God.
Mrs. Angelina C. (Rogers) Waterman was born April 11. 1821, in Kingsville, Geauga county, Ohio, a daughter of James Whitelaw Rogers, who was born in Swanton, Franklin county, Vt., December 23, 1794, a son of George, who was born in Rhode Island of English descent, and Mary Whitelaw. March 3. 1816, he married Martha Thayer, of Ba- tavia, N. Y., and their children were Malvina, Harriet, Angelina, Candace, John Randolph Maranda and Susan Ettelina.
Mr. Rogers was a carpenter and joiner, and not long after marriage came to Ohio, but a few years later returned to New York, and died of fever in 1828 at Cold Creek, where he had bought a farm, at only thirty-four years of age. He was an industrious, hard-working man and a Universalist in religion.
Mrs. Martha (Thayer) Rogers, daughter of Berick and Mary (Bingham) Thayer, was born in Williamstown, Berkshire county, Massachu-
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setts, January 14, 1799. She was a woman possessed of more than ordinary strength of character and perseverance, being left at her husband s death to battle the world alone, with a family of six children, the eldest being but twelve years of age, but she bravely met her task and succeeded in bringing them up respectably. She lived to see them all well settled in life, and respectable members of society. She returned to Ohio with her fam- ily in 1837, and settled in Cleveland, where she died February 28, 1864, at the age of sixty-five years; her remains now lie in Lake- view cemetery, Cleveland, by the side of two of her grandchildren.
.Mrs. Waterman is a member of the Epis- copal church, and a lady of many virtues, well known for acts of charity, and much beloved. She is a woman of high patriotism and gave her only full-grown son as a soldier to his country. Her maternal grandfather, Berick Thayer, was a Revolutionary soldier and was also in the war of 1812. He was of a colonial family, married in Waterbury, Conn., Mary Bingham, and finally settled as a pioneer at Batavia, N. Y., and died there a respected citizen. Mrs. Thayer lived to be between ninety-eight years and ninety-nine years old.
George Lawson, son of Lawson and Ange- lina Waterman, was born September 5, 1841, and was a boy of sterling and reliable charac- teristics, acquired a high-school education, and was in a commercial college at Cleveland when the Civil war broke out. He was a member of the Cleveland Greys and volunteered with his company for the three months' service at the first call of President Lincoln, and was the first soldier to enlist from Summit county. He left Cleveland with his company for the front, April 18, 1861, when he was but nine- teen years of age. lie took part in the first battle of Bull Run and was an active soldier, served out his three months' service without
being disabled, and returned safely to Penin. sula, being honorably discharged, and then, owing to the wishes of his mother, remained home one year, but could withstand his patriot- ism no longer and applied for and received a commission as second lieutenant August 22, 1862, recruited company C, One Hundred and Fifteenth Ohio volunteer infantry, at Penin- sula, Ohio, and was mustered in at Massillon September 19, 1862. The ladies at Peninsula, as a token of the high csteem they had for him as a man and soldier, presented Lieut. Waterman with a beautiful sword. His com- pany was assigned to guard duty at Cincinnati, Ohio. In the summer of 1863 they were sent to Dayton, Ohio, to preserve order, political disturbances having resulted in riot at that place. While there Lieut. Waterman Se- cured leave of absence for himself and sev- eral comrades, for a visit home. On the even- ing of their departure, while awaiting the hour in their tents, a disturbance occurred which called them out, and Lieut. Waterman was shot by one of the ruffians. Although at first his wound was not considered even dangerous. it later became serious, and his mother was sent for, but all efforts to save his life proved futile, and death resulted September 19, 1863. just one year from the day the company was mustered. His mother remained to the end, and the remains were brought back to the old homestead, where the funeral was held. The services were conducted by Rev. T. B. Fair- child, and it was without doubt the largest funeral ever held in Peninsula. After his death the officers of the One Hundred and Fifteenth regiment passed resolutions in testi- mony of his character and sorrow at his te- inoval, and the private soldiers did the same. The day he was shot he had received an ap- pointment on the staff of Maj. - Gen. Cox. commander of the department of Cincinnati
His comrades who still linger on the shores
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OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
of time, when they came to organize, in Pen- insula, the Grand Army of the Republic, per- petuated his memory, and in their ball may be seen the charter naming the organization "George L. Waterman post, No. 272." Al- though it is now thirty years since his demise, he yet lives in the hearts of his comrades, his friends, and, most of all, in the heart of his aged mother, who yet survives her husband and her son.
Mrs. Waterman also had two nephews who served in the Civil war, io-wit: One, Edward 1. Ranney, was a son of Moses and Maranda (Rogers) Ranney, and enlisted at the beginning and was killed at the battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 4, 1863; the other, Richard H. Snow, is a son of Palmer and Harriet (Rogers) Snow, who enlisted in the Second Ohio volunteer cavalry, served until the close of the war, and was then honorably discharged.
The parents of Lawson Waterman, the husband and father, were Elisha and Diana (Young) Waterman. Elisha was a son of a Revolutionary soldier who served through the entire struggle of seven years. Elisha was born in Decatur, Otsego county, N. Y., in 1791, married Diana Young in IS10, enlisted at the opening of the war of 1812, and was taken prisoner by the British at the battle of Qneenstown, but was soon released on parole, and was eventually honorably discharged. To his marriage with Miss Young were born four children-Lawson, Onesimus, Marietta and Ellen. In 1843 he brought his family to Ohio and settled on a farm in York township, Me- dina county, where Elisha died at the age of eighty-four years, and his wife at the age of eighty-six. Diana (Young) Waterman was also born in Decatur, N. Y., in 1790, a daugh- ter of a soldier of the Revolution, and became the wife of a soldier of the war of 1812, and the grandmother of a soldier of the Civil war. The father of her husband was also a warrior
in the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Diana Water- man was one of nature's noblewomen, deeply beloved by her children and respected by all who knew her.
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AMUEL R. MOORE, a prominent farmer of Deerfield township, Port- age county, Ohio, and a veteran of the Civil war, was born in Meadville, Pa., October 10, 1830, a son of James and Margaret (Finley) Moore, natives of Ireland, who, on first coming to America, located in Pittsburg, Pa., where the father followed his trade of stonemason for several years, and then went to Meadville, where he engaged in farming until 1835, when he brought his fam- ily to Ohio, settled in Mahoning county, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying on his farm, November 11, 1848, at the age of forty years; his widow survived until July, 1873, when she expired, at the age of eighty- one years-both in the faith of the Presby- terian church. To their marriage were born three children, viz: Samuel R., whose name opens this paragraph; Andrew, who resides in Nebraska, and James, who died in November, 1873, at the age of thirty-three years.
Samuel R. Moore was educated in the common-schools, which was supplemented by an attendance of three months at the high- school at Waldron. He then taught school three winter terms, working during the summer months on his father's farm; he then devoted his entire attention to the assistance of his father, until the latter's death, the family hav- ing, during the interval, moved to Smith town- ship, in the same county. He then managed the farm for his mother, until the outbreak of the rebellion, wlien he enlisted October 1!, 1861, in company b, Sixty-fifth Ohio volun- teer infantry, for three years, but December 31, 1863, was honorably discharged for the
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL, RECORD
purpose of enabling him to veteranize in the same organization, which design was consuni- mated, January 1, 1864, the service of Mr. Moore extending to June 9, 1865, when he re- ceived his final honorable discharge, the war having been brought to a close. Mr. Moore took part in some of the severest engage- ments of the war, among which were those of Shiloh, Stone River (where he was shot in the left shoulder, which confined him to the hospital two months); Chickamauga, Mission- ary Ridge, Resaca, and Peach Tree Creek, and others, besides skirmishes too numerous to mention, and was, beside, twice captured and imprisoned, at one time being confined for nearly eleven months in the foul stockade at Andersonville. When not held as a pris- oner, or laid up with his wound, Mr. Moore was always promptly at his post of duty, was a brave and cheerful soldier, and ever ready to do his share of the dangerous work in the field, and with indomitable fortitude took part in all the marches, battles and skirmishes in which his regiment was engaged while in the service.
After the war, Mr. Moore returned to Ma- honing county, resumed agricultural pursuits, and became an influential and popular citizen, being elected to serve as constable and town- ship supervisor. In April, 1872, Mr. Moore was united in matrimony with Miss Ellen C. Cooper, and this union has been blessed with six children, viz: Annie T., James W., George L., and Howard B., at home; Bessie S., who is attending the high school at Deerfield, and Edward F., still under the parental roof.
James Cooper, the father of Mrs. Ellen C. Moore, was born in Chambersburg, Pa., and when a young man was engaged in school- teaching, and also learned the trade of brick- Jaying. In 1831 he married Miss Susan Thom, 1 who was born in Somerset county, Pa., in 1814, and to this union were born six children.
of whom four are still living, viz: Frank; Ellen C., now Mrs. Moore; James, of Somerset county, Pa., and Sylvester, of Iowa. Thomas died in Andersonville prison in 1864, and Samuel died in Tennessee in 1877, at the age of thirty years. James Cooper, the father, died in January, 1854, and his widow in Jan- vary, 1892, at the advanced age of eighty years -- the death of both occurring in Somerset county, Pa.
In 1893, Samuel R. Moore brought his family to Deerfield township, Portage county, and here he bought the farm on which he still resides and which he has placed under a high state of cultivation. Mr. and Mrs. Moore tn- joy the good opinion of their neighbors to the fullest extent, and Mr. Moore is esteeined for his many fine personal qualities, while his serv - ices as a gallant defender of his country's flag. in the hour of peril, is never lost sight of.
a RVAN MURPHRY, of Northfield town- ship, Summit county, Ohio, with his post-office at Chaffee, Cuyahoga county, is an old soldier of the Civil war, was born in Onondago county. N. Y .. May 26, 1847, a son of Thomas L. and Catherine (Hill) Murphry, of Irish ancestry. He received a common-school education, was reared to farming and teaming, and came t .. Cleveland, Ohio, when a small boy, and then came to Independence township, Cuyahoga county, Ohio. He enlisted at Cleveland, in: 1863, when only sixteen years old, in com- pany B, Twenty-ninth Ohio volunteer infantry. for three years or during the war. He served two years on detached duty, guarding catt! in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and kel .. tucky. He returned Cleveland and re-ch listed, January 16, iSf :, in company B, PA Hundred and Eighty-eighth regiment. Oh!
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volunteer infantry, to serve one year, or dur- ing the war, and was honorably discharged at Nashville, Tenn., September 27, 1865. Dur- ing a three days' rain in March, at Murfrees- boro, he took a severe cold. and in June received a sunstroke in Tennessee, on a march between Murfreesboro and Tullahoma, and was sick in camp about two weeks, and this resulted in deafness. Mr. Murphry endured all the harships and vicissitudes of a soldier's life with courage, and was a good soldier. After the war, Mr. Murphry settled in North- field township, and followed farming and teatn- ing. He married June 25. 1894, in Lorain county, Ohio, Emma Miller, who was born November 18, 1865, in LaGrange, Lorain county, Ohio, a daughter of Warren and Esther (Underhill) Miller. Warren Miller was born in Ohio, of Pennsylvania-German ances- try. Dr. G. C. Underhill, grandfather of Mrs. Murphry, was born in Rutland, Vt., of Eng- lish colonial descent. He was a surgeon in the Civil war, and a prominent physician in Lorain county, Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Mur- phry, one child has been born-Edward L., July 15, 1895.
Thomas L. Murphry, son of William, and father of subject, was a carpenter and ship builder and cabinetmaker, was born in county Wicklow, Ireland, married there, and came immediately after to America-first settling in New York state, and followed his trade, and farmed also. There were born to this marriage the following children: Francis D., William, Ulton, Urvan, Lois I. and Florence, and of these, Francis D. was also a soldier in the Civil war, serving in the Sixty-second Ohio volunteer infantry. Thomas L. moved to Ohio when our subject was a small boy, and worked in the ship-yard at Cleveland, where he lived three years, and then came to Independence town- ship, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, and engaged in farming. In politics he was a deinocrat, and
a Catholic in religion, and lived to be sixty-five years old.
Warren S. Miller was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, May 21, 1842, a son of Samuel and Susan (Smith) Miller. Samuel Miller was a native of Wyoming county, Pa., and inar- ried there, and settled in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where he had a good farin. Warren S. Miller was a farmer of LaGrange, Lorain connty, Ohio, having moved there with his parents when a small boy. His children were Margaret, Lulu, Esther, Bernice, Eola and Emma. Mr. Miller is a Baptist in religion, is a respected citizen, and has held several townsip offices.
In politics Urvan Murphry isa republican, and in religion he and wife are devoted to the faith of the Methodist church. They are highly respected in the community in which they live, and, individually, Mr. Murphry is regarded as one of the township's most indus- trious and useful citizens.
a ILLIS MYERS, a native of Streets- boro township. Portage county, Ohio, prominent farmer and an ex- soldier of the Civil war, was born on the farm on which he now resides, February 13, 1841, received a good common-school education, and was reared to the pursuit of agriculture.
Stephen Myers, grandfather of Willis, was born in Wheeling, Va., whence he moved to Beaver county, Pa., where he married Cather- ine Graham, and to this union were born nine children-Stephen, John, Adam, Jacob, Will- iam, Charles, Daniel, Frederick and George. About 1838 he brought his family to Portage county, Ohio, settled in Streetsboro township, within a mile of the place where Willis Myers now lives, and cleared up a farm of 160 acres from the forest, but later moved, and cleared
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
up another farm of sixty acres, and on this he passed away his remaining years, dying in 1864, at the patriarchal age of 105 years. He was a very intelligent man, was educated in Ger- many, and a great student of the Bible.
John Myers, son of Stephen and father of Willis, was a native of Beaver county, Pa., and was about thirteen years old when brought to Ohio by his parents. He first married, in Geauga county, Amelia Hagen, who bore him one son, Frederick, and then passed away. His second marriage was with Nancy Tucker, a daughter of John and Catherine (Nieman) Tucker, the former of whom was a pioneer of Franklin township, Portage county, where he cleared uf a fine farm, but later removed to Streetsboro township, where he purchased and cleared up another farm on which he passed the remainder of his life, dying at the ad- vanced age of ninety-one years. John Myers was the original settler on the farm now owned by Willis, which he brought out from the woods and on which he built a saw-mill. He was a hard-working, honest man, was a demo- crat in politics, and died at the age of seventy- one years.
Willis Myers, on attaining his majority, en- listed, August 11, 1862, at Cuyahoga Falls, in the Ninth Ohio battery of artillery, to serve three years, or during the war, and was honor- ably discharged at Chattanooga, Tenn .; June 16, 1865, with the rank of corporal. He took part in all the marches and campaigns in which his regiment was engaged and endured all the hardships of a soldiers' life, performing his duties cheerfully and promptly, and received his promotion for meritorious conduct on the battle field. It may here be mentioned that Frederick Myers, half-brother of Willis, as al- luded to above, was also a corporal, served in company F, Thirteenth Michigan cavalry, in the three years' service, and was wounded in battle. After his discharge from the service,
he returned to the old homestead, and married, March 25, 1868, Miss Ellen Miner, who was born March 8, 1845, in Goshen, Ohio, a daughter of John and Mary (Hornish) Miner. Mr. Miner was a farmer of Columbiana county, of American birth, but of English descent, and his wife, Mary, was of Pennsylvania-Dutch stock. They were the parents of eight chi !- dren, who were named Joseph, John, Thomas, William, Samuel, Lucinda, Matilda and Ellen. Of the sons, Thomas served in a Michigan regiment during the Civil war, Samuel was in the Sixth Ohio cavalry and was wounded in the battle of the Wilderness, and Joseph aud William were in the Ohio infantry. The fa- ther of the family died in middle age. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Myers settled on the old homestead, and their union has been blessed with the following children: Jolin, James, George, Jesse D., Frank, Edith, Mamie and Sylvia. In politics Mr. Myers was formerly a republican, but is now a free-silver democrat. Fraternally he is an ex-member of A. H. Day post, No. 185, G. A. R., of which he was junior vice-commander, and was a member of Brady lodge, No. 183, I. O. O. F., both of Kent. Socially Mr. Myers and family stand very high, and personally he is greatly respected for his strictly moral character.
LMON NIMAN, a progressive farmer of Aurora township, Portage county, Ohio, and an ex-soldier, was born in Streetsboro, this county, August 6, 1841. a son of Frederick and Pamelia (Van. Niman, of Pennsylvania-Dutch stock, and whose ancestors were pioneers of the Key- stone state.
Frederick Niman was born in Westun. land county, Pa., Setember 5, 1So4. a son of Adam Niman, and came to Ohio a single man. and married Pamelia Van, whose name had
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OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
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been shortened from Van Guilder, and whose parents were natives of Vermont, but doubt- less of Holland parentage. Mr. Niman cleared up a good farm of 100 acres in Streetsboro township, and to his marriage were born the following-named children: Perry, George, Electa, Orrin, Laura, Almon and Alvin W. Of the sons, Alvin W. and Almon enlisted at the same time and place, and in the same company, as will be noticed further on. Al- vin W. was seized with typhoid fever, and died in Cumberland, Md., hospital, March 7, 1862, and his brother Almon, who was granted a furlough for the purpose, brought his re- mains home for interment. Frederick Niman, the father, was a democrat in politics, and lived to reach the venerable age of ninety years, dying in Kent, in 1894, a pious mem- ber of the Disciples' church, to which his wife also belonged, and was a devoted believer in its teachings.
Almon Niman received a good common- school education, was reared a farmer on the homestead, and when about twenty years old enlisted, in Ashtabula county, in company D., Capt. P. C. Hard, Twenty-ninth Ohio volun- teer infantry, for three years, but was honor- ably discharged, at Camp Dennison, Ohio, September 25, 1862, an account of disability, caused by chronic diarrhea, with which he he had been confined in the hospital, at the camp mentioned, from July 12, of the same year. He served in Maryland and Virginia, was in the famous Shenandoah valley raid under Phil. Sheridan, was on several forced marches, and greatly exposed to inclement weather, but was always promptly at his post of duty, and active, willing and cheerful in its performance, until seized with a disorder that nearly proved fatal, and from which he has never since thoroughly recovered.
The marriage of Mr. Niman took place in Akron, Ohio, April 16, 1862, to Miss Emma
Larkins, of Hudson, Ohio, but who was born in Akron, a daughter of John and Sophronia (Low) Larkins. John Larkins was born in 1800, in the state of New York, was reared a farmer, and was married in Pennsylvania, his wife being of German descent. He was a pioneer of Akron, Ohio, in 1836, settling there when it contained one store only, which was owned by P. D. Hall. For some time he burned charcoal, or, rather, made it, but finally moved to Hudson, in 1853, where he bought a farm, which he partially cleared up, but converted the remainder into an excellent home. To his marriage there were born the following children: Hannah, Louisa, Emma, Samantha, John, Clarinda, Walter and Alice. In politics Mr. Larkins was a democrat. He dicd in 1877 in good circuinstances, having realized a competency through his excellent management of his affairs, and by living a temperate, honest and industrious life.
After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Niman lived in Franklin township, Portage county, near Akron, where, in 1873, he bought three acres of land, and for two years was engaged in teaming. In 1885 he came to Aurora, and purchased a fine farm of 173 acres, on which he has since resided. His marriage has been blessed with six children, named Frederick H., Ella L., Charles A., Carrie E., Edgar A. and Ida A. Of these, Charles A. is a graduate of Hiram college, of the class of 1895. Po- litically he is a democrat, and in 1897 he was a candidate of the democracy to represent Portage county in the legislature, and ran 250 ahead of his ticket. Frederick H. is a farmer of Geauga county, and is married to Miss Cor- nelia Point, a native of Portage county. Ella L. is the wife of W. G. Eldridge, a farmer of Streetsboro township. Carrie is a student at the Aurora high school, as are also Edgar A. and Ida A.
In politics Mr. Niman is a democrat, has
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
held the office of township assessor, and for twenty years was a member of the school board.
AMUEL H. NORTON, of Mantua Station, is one of the representative citizens and old soldiers of the late war, who was born October 2, 1834, at Southington, Trumbull county, Ohio, the son of Joseph H. and Elizabeth (Hatch) Nor- ton. He was early taught the habits of in- dustry and economy and received the usual common-school education. and in early man- hond began to learn the carpenter's trade.
Samuel H. Norton was united in marriage October 25, 1852, with Miss Bessie Morris, who was born in Nelson, Ohio, in February, 1834, the daughter of David and Rosannah (Hawley) Morris. This felicitous marraige has resulted in the birth of the following-named children: Sarah E., Samuel C. and Charles O. Mrs. Norton died February 18, 1894, and May 7, 1895, Mr. Norton married Miss Sarah Parker, of Canton, Stark county, Ohio, who was born at Redinile, Leicestershire, England, daughter of John and Comfort (Derns) Parker, and she came to America in early childhood.
Mr. Norton, soon after his first marriage, located in Southington, Ohio, where he con- tinued to live for several years, and from this town he enlisted, October 6, 1861, and was mustered into the United States service at Cleveland, Ohio, October 8, 1861, as a private of company H. Forty-first regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, to serve three years, unless sooncr discharged. He was one of the unfor- tunate boys that went into the service, and on November 1, 1862, he received an honorable discharge at Nashville, Tenn., on account of wounds received in the battle of Murfreesboro, Tenu .. in which engagement he had three fingers shot off of his left hand, after which he was required to stay in field hospital three
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