USA > Ohio > Portage County > A portrait and biographical record of Portage and Summit counties, Ohio > Part 43
USA > Ohio > Summit County > A portrait and biographical record of Portage and Summit counties, Ohio > Part 43
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59
Cyrus Rice, the father of Harrison H., was of old New England ancestry, of English descent. Mr. Rice came to Mantua when he was about sixteen years old, in 1821, and bought fifty acres southwest of Mantua Center. He cleared up his land from the woods, and married Sarah Nooney, who was born in Massachusetts in 1807, a daughter of Capt. James and Sarah (Hawkins) Nooney. Capt. Nooney was a pioneer, and served in the war of 1812, at Cleveland, Ohio Mi. Rice cleared up his land, but afterward sold, and located in West Mantua, sold again and moved to Au- burn township, where he bought 100 acres and
there died May 27. 1890, at eighty-four year -. of age: his wife died December 28, 1886, aged seventy-nine years. He was a substantial farmer. His children were Henriette, Sylves ter C., Harrison N., Cynthia and Austin. In politics he was a republican, and in religion was a member of the Methodist church, in younger days. He had two sons in the Civil war -- Harrison H. and Sylvester C., the latter enlisting August 30. 1862, and serving in bat tery I, First Ohio volunteer artillery, for three years, and was in many battles, among them being Chancellorsville and Gettysburg; he was discharged June 30, 1865, at Chattanooga, Tenn., by order of the secretary of war. Ile was a good straightforward citizen, and minch thought of.
..
RS. LORENZO RILEY, of Twins- burg, Ohio, is the danghter of Israel and Lucinda (Parks) Cannon, was born at Blandford, Mass., April 13. 1822, and was eleven years of age when she came with her parents to Portage county . Ohio, in 1833. She received her education in the district school, in the academies at Aurora and Ravenna, and taught school at eighteen years of age at Twinsburg, at Ripley high-school, and one year on the Ohio river. where her sister and husband, William Bissell. a graduate of Harvard college, were teaching She was married at Twinsburg, where her father was then living, April 24, 1845, to fo- renzo Riley, who was born October 19, 1820, at Aurora, a son of Eppy and Rebecca Par- rish) Riley.
Eppy Riley was born at Chester, Mass . 44 son of Julius Riley, a Revolutionary soldier for seven years. He was of old col a : Massachusetts stock, of Scotch-Irish anc __ tri and came to Aurora, Ohio, in 1307, when h- was a young man, and walked back to Ma -. :-
871
OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
chusetts after his wife, and then came out on horseback in 1808. He bought land at Au- rora, where his son, Gerdon Riley. now lives. He cleared up a good farm from the woods, and became a substantial farmer. His first wife was Rebecca Parrish, born at Chester. Mass., and their children were Olive, Orsmon, Lorenzo, Tallman and Betsy. His first wife died, and Eppy then married a sister of that lady, Diana (Boies), nee Parrish, and by this wife Gerdon was born. Eppy Riley was a member of the Congregational church, and lived to be between eighty and ninety years old, and died on his farm. He was a man of shrewd wit, and of rare intelligence.
Lorenzo Riley received his education at the district school and attended the famous school of Samuel Bissell, at Twinsburg, three winter terms. He farined and did business, and was a very enegetic and industrious young man, and began life with a horse, cow and 100 acres of swamp land in Twinsburg township. He married Sarah Melissa Cannon, of Twinsburg. April 24. 1845, and after marriage Mr. and Mrs. Riley settled in Twinsburg town- ship, and here he passed the remainder of his life -- his land laying two and one-half miles northeast of Twinsburg Center; and he bought sixty acres adjoining the swamp land, and by hard, patient labor cleared up his land. drained it, and, aided by his faithful wife, made a good home. He was a shrewd business man, and accumulated property until he owned over 2,000 acres in Twinsburg and Aurora townships, was an excellent cattle and horse raiser, and was the largest landholder in Port- age and Summit counties. In politics he was a republican, and although frequently solicited to accept nominations, would refuse all public ofices. He was a member of the Congrega- tional church, andl was a man noted for his honest and straightforward character, and possessed a native ability as a business man. !
Mr. Riley died February 5. 1893, deeply mourned by his family and numerous friends.
Mrs. Riley is now living in Twinsburg. She has an excellent memory of pioneer events, and remembers many of the earlier settlers. She is a member of the Congregational church at Twinsburg, and has contributed largely to its maintenance. At her husband's request she has given the Congregational church, at Aurora, 180 acres of farm land, and the Con- gregational church, at Twinsburg, $35 per year, which is to be paid by Lewis Cochran, and has given a fine farm of 100 acres to said Lewis Cochran, a poor boy, whom Mr. and Mrs. Riley reared to manhood. Mrs. Riley also gave sixty acres of land to Charles Riley. who lived with them from the time he was eleven years old. He was a nephew of Mr. Riley, and he is to have a future bequest of eighty-seven acres. Mrs. Riley is a lady of marked intelligence, a woman of excellent business qualifications, and manages her large property with the assistance of her brother, Hon. Rueben P. Cannon.
The following facts of the early history and genealogy of the Cannon family were gath- ered during a period of thirty years. Hon. R. P. Cannon spent a great deal of time and labor to obtain these facts, which are undoubtedly correct. The original name was Carnahan, and it is thought the change to Cannon came gradually through two generations. They were of Scotch-Irish descent, and came to America during the first quarter of the seven- teenth century, and their first settlement in America was at Hopkinton, twenty-nine miles west of Boston, now Landbury. There were two brothers and one sister, probably un- married, but the time of their settlement is not known.
Hopkinton, and surrounding lands, were owned by Harvard college, and rented very cheaply -- two or three cents per acre. The
872
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
town was built and peopled by a Scotch-Irish colony, that came in the year 1718, arriving August 4; five ships, with people of the same faith, came at this time. In after years, his- tory says, many more of the same faith joined them. It is a well-established fact, that the Cannons were among the early settlers of Hopkinton, and that some of the name, and relatives, remained in that town and vicinity for half a century after their settlement.
From this place nine emigrated to the then territory of Tennessee in early times, and one was later governor there many years. Many years later, another large family went from Hopkinton to Genesee county, N. Y., in its frst settlement. With descendants of that branch, this writer has corresponded. An- other branch went from West Hopkinton to Blandford, Mass .. first called Glasgow. That town was settled in 1736 by a colony of fifty families, receiving two sixty-acre lots, and among those that followed were the Carna- hans or Cannons. That colony was made up at Hopkinton, their former residence, and again we find them, soon after settlement, oc- cupying two of the original lots -- one of the first, and one of the second division. The first settler of the name in Blandford was William Carnahan. The time of settlement cannot be given, but his location was on first division, Town street. The next generation in the town was William and John, brothers, supposed sons of William, Sr. William, Jr., occupied the first division homestead, which the family held in descent for a century, and John'(calling his name Cannon), occupied the second division, which the family held in de- scent for a century and more, two miles east of Blandford. In 1775, William was chosen to represent the town in the congress of the colonies, and he served also in the Revolution- ary war, in two enlistments.
two brothers and a sister, all probably unnar ried, who came with the Scotch-Irish Presby- terian colony to Hopkinton, arriving August 4. 1718. Their names are unknown. The first natne known is William Carnahan, believed to be a son of one of the two brothers, who was the original founder of the family, but William Carnahan may have been one of these broth- ers, as he settled at Blandford in 1736. 1hs sons were John and William. From John Carnahan our subject descends, or, as he spelled the name, Cannon. He was a resident of Blandford, Mass., and a farmer. He mar- ried Rebecca Gibbs, and their children wer : Nathan, John, Isaac, Ezekiel and Rebecca. William Cannon died at Blanford, Mass., 1790. Nathan, his son, next in descent, was born at Blandford, Mass., December 2, 1759, and married April 5. 1785.
Elizabeth Gilmore was born in 1760. iu Chester, Mass., a daughter of James Gilmore, a Revolutionary soldier who enlisted twice. Nathan and wife were the parents of Israel.
: born April, 1796; Sylvester, born 1790; Ni- than, born 1800; Sallie, born 1788; Artemesia, born 1793; Olive, born 1795; Salomie, born 1797, and Tryphena, born iSo7. Nathan Cannon was a farmer, and a resident of Bland- ford, on the old homestead, all his life. He served three enlistments, ot from three to six months each, in the Revolutionary war. His first enlistment was in Capt. Carpenter's com- pany, regiment of Col. Sheppard, for three months, stationed at Springfield, Mass. The third enlistment was in Capt. Samuel Sloper's company, for six months, and was mustered at Northampton Of his second enlistment no record is held in Massachusetts, but he en- listed, with four others, from Blandford town- ship, viz: William Butler, John Taggert Reuben Blair and William Knox, in Spring- field, Mass., served three months, and was
The founders of the family in America were . discharged at Hartford, Conn., and paid off
873
OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
with continental money and one ration. Bland- ford was forty-five miles distant. They ate their ration. and walked one day. They found they could buy no food for their conti- nental money, and it was not until they reached Westfield, Mass., where they were known, they obtained food. Their continental money was never redeemed. He held at one time the office of commissary in a regiment in Connecti- cut. Ile was a member of the Presbyterian church and died in 1846.
Col. Israel Cannon, son of above, was the father of subject, was born May 2, 1786, at Blandford, on the old homestead of John Can- non. He received a common-school educa- tion, was a larmer, and married, in Blandford, Lucinda Parks, who was born October 21. 1786, in Russell township, Hampden county, Mass., a daughter of Reuben and Mary Parks. Mr. Cannon lived on the old farm until 1833. Here all the children were born, viz: Polly. born November 25. 1808; Betsy, March 2, 1811; Franklin, October 10, 1813; Horace, April 8, 1817; Reuben. January 13, 1820; Melissa, April 13, 1822, and Lewis, August 7, 1827. Mr. Cannon was a prominent man in Blandford. In politics he was a whig. He represented his town in the state legislature in Boston in 1828-1831. He was minute man in the state militia during the war of 1812, was a colonel in the Massachusetts state militia, and held the office of justice of the peace many years; was also one of the board of selectmen, and held other offices. In 1833, having met with reverses by becoming surety for other parties, he came to Ohio. making the journey by canal to Buffalo, N. Y., and then by water to Cleveland on the steani- boat Enterprise-the first steamer between Cleveland and Buffalo, and was twenty-four hours from port to port, and used wood for fuel. He came to Aurora with wagons and settled on a tract of land, and here he lived
ten years, and then moved on !10 acres in Twinsburg township, which he had bought the second year after he came. This was all in the woods, but Mr. Cannon cleared his land. improved it with good buildings, and made a substantial, comfortable bome. in his old age he bought a house and lot in Twinsburg, where he died, aged eighty-one years, January 19, 1865. a strict member of the Congregational church, in politics a whig and republican, an honored citizen. and trustee of township and church.
Hon. Reuben P. Cannon was born Jannary 13, 1820, at Blandford, Mass. He attended common school in Massachusetts, and came with his parents to Aurora in 1833, when he was thirteen years old. He attended the academy at Aurora three years and thus re- ceived a good education-to which he added by keeping up with the times and taking a great interest in politics. He was sent as a delegate to the whig congressional convention at Ravenna when he was but twenty-two years old, and in 1848 was elected clerk of the township unanimously, although it was a dem- ocratic township, and after that he held all the township offices. In 1867 he was elected to the state legislature and served two terins --. four years --- and during that time was chairman of the agricultural committee, and was the writer and promoter of the bill which gave Ohio the agricultural college, which now has become the state university of Ohio, and as a result of his labors he was elected to the state board of agriculture, and re-elected twice, served six years, and was one term, in 1875, its president. Hon. R. P. Cannon was elected justice of the peace in 1865, and has held the office of commissioner covering a period of twenty-five years, and during this time has 1 done much legal business, and has settled a great many estates, acting as administrator, and has married inany couples. He himself
874
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
married, October IS, 1843, Betsy Baldwin, born at Aurora, Ohio, January 14, 1822, a daughter of Alonson and Ruth (Wallace) Bald- win. Alonson Baldwin was born March 28, 1799, in Danbury, Conn., a son of Samuel and Rachael Baldwin. Alonson Baldwin and wife were the parents of Betsy, Hannah, Melissa, Lucy. Lois, Alonson and Sophronia. Mr. Baldwin came to Aurora when he was about nine years old, with his parents. He married in Franklin township, and settled on a farmi of 300 acres in Aurora. He was a prosperous pioneer, and was one of the early merchants in Aurora, in company with S. D. Kelly, under the firm name of Baldwin & Kelly. He was a member of the Disciples' church, and church trustee. In politics he was a democrat and a respected and honored man, and held the office of county commissioner several terms, and that of justice of the peace many years. He was also associated with Harvey Baldwin, Sr., in the cheese-shipping business, and in the pork-packing business, and was a well- known pioneer. He died, aged sixty years, in Aurora, November 9, 1859.
Mr. and Mrs. Cannon settled in Aurora, on the farm on which they lived two years, and then came to his present farm. Mr. Cannon has prospered by his industry and good man- agement, and has now 300 acres. He is a self-made man, and, assisted by his faithful wife, has succeeded. The children are Addie A., Mary Alice, Ella O. and Ruth L., members of the Disciples' church; in politics he is a republican. Mr. Cannon is a substantial citi- zen, and has always been a straightforward gentleman.
ANDOLPH ROBINSON, a prosper- ous farmer of Boston township. and an old soldier of the Civil war, was born February 10, 1841, in Bath, Summit county, Ohio, a son of James and
Ruth (Welker) Robinson. He received a com- mon district-school education, and was reared a farmer. He enlisted, aged twenty years, at Cleveland, Ohio, in an independent company. known as the Continental guards, in 1861, to serve three months, but was honorably di- charged at Cincinnati, Ohio, after a service of two and one-half months; there being no arms, the company never reached the front He then enlisted at Cincinnati, in June. 186 !. in company H, Second regiment Kentucky volunteer infantry, to serve three years, or during the war, and was honorably discharged at Covington, Ky., in June, 1864. His serv - ices were in what is now West Virginia. Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama. Georgia and Mississipi, and he was alway. on active duty, and had no furlough hott Company H. Second regiment. Kentucky volunteer infantry, was organized at Camp Clay, Ohio, on May 1, 1861, for the three months' service, and was mustered into the United States service, June 13. 1861, by Ma) Burbank, for three years, unless sooner dis- charged. On the 9th of July, the company was ordered to West Virginia; on the morn- ing of the fith, they disembarked at Guyur- dotte: on the 13th, the regiment attacked Col. Jenkines guerrilla band at Barbersville, and after some fighting, succeeded in driving then. from the crest of a large hill. The loss was two killed, and fourteen wounded. It the evening the regiment arrived at Cami. Poco, in the Kanawha Valley, sixteen mile below Charleston. On the evening of the 17th, Col. Woodruff, Lieut .- Col. Neff and Capts. Neff, Austin and Hurd, were taken prisoners. The regiment remained in Wi . Virginia until January 5, 1862, in the meantin . participating in all the tedious marel . . ... skirmisnes, during the Sewell mount de : paign. February 8, 1862. the regiment amvid at Jeffersonville, Ind., and went into Coup
875
OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
Joe Holt; arrived at Bardstown, Ky., January was always an active soldier, being a strong. hardy young man, and endured all the hard- ships and privations of a soldier's life with fortitude. He was sick in regimental hospital at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1861, for one month, and this is his entire hospital experience. 20, 1862; February 14, they marched south- ward, and at the battle field of Shiloh, on the evening of April 6, and on the 7th of April, were actively engaged all day in this great battle. The regiment lost sixteen killed, fifty- five wounded, and seven missing, and in the After the war he returned to Ohio, but married in Michigan, at Ridgeway, Lenawee county, Miss Mary Point, who was born in Geauga county, Ohio, December 29, 1848, a daughter Elibbeons and Amanda (Gould) Point. Her mother's people were from Ver- mont, of German ancestry. Elibbeous Point was a farmer and old settler of Summit county. Ohio. His children were Mary, Henry, Anna, and Cornelia, all living. Mrs. Point died in Ashtabula county, Ohio, and he next married, in Michigan, Elizabeth Faust, and their chil- dren were Frank and Frances (twins), Na- thaniel, Lillie and William (twins), Emma and Amanda. Mr. Point moved to Buena 1 Vista county, la., about 1877, had a large farm of 640 acres of land, and was a sub- stantial farmer and good citizen. After mar- riage Mr. and Mrs. Robinson settled on their present home farm, which he purchased in partnership with his brother Williamn, and which then contained 297 acres, but they have since divided, and Randolph Robinson now owns 151 acres of fine land, on which he has made good improvements, building a good farm house and substantial barns. The chil- dren born to Mr. and Mrs. Robinson are Cora 1 M., Flora A., Henry and James. In politics he is a republican, cast his first presidential 1 vote for Lincoln, and is a member of George L. Waterman post, No. 272. G. A. R., at Peninsula. Mr. Robinson is a much-respected citizen, and an industrious, hard-working man. siege of Corinth, lost two killed, and fourteen wounded. The regiment was kept busily en- gaged, and nearly always in advance, through- out the campaign of 1862, and pursued Bragg's retreating forces, marching thirty miles through Cumberland Gap. At the battle of Stone River, the regiment displayed great gallantry, and did not retreat until over- whelmed by numbers. There the regiment lost eleven killed, fifty-seven wounded, and eleven missing. After the enemy retreated from Murfreesboro, the regiment went into camp at Cripple creek, eight miles east of Murfreesboro. The latter part of August, 1863, the regiment maiched to Sequatchie valley-thence to the Tennessee river, and arrived at Shell Mount, September 19, 1863; then went to Chattanooga, was in both days' fight on the banks of the Chickamauga, and lost sixteen killed, seventy-two wounded and six missing. Of the commissioned officers of this regiment, from its organization up to October 1, 1863, three were killed, one died of disease, fourteen were wounded and four were trans- ferred; four were taken prisoners of war, twenty-three resigned, six were relieved for promotion, two were dismissed, and one was cashiered-a total of fifty-eight. Of the en- | listed men, seventy-six were killed, thirty- seven died of disease. 182 were wounded, 110 discharged for disability, sixteen discharged for promotion, three discharged on account of minority, nineteen discharged to enter other James Robinson, father of subject, was born in England, and came from London when regiments, and twenty-seven transferred ; eleven were missing in action, four were ! a boy of twelve years, working his way on a drowned and 166 deserted. Mr. Robinson
ship. He married in Chippewa, Ohio, and
:
876
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
the children born to this union were William, Elizabeth, Mahala. Randolph and Andrew. Three of the sons were in the Civil war -- William, Andrew and Randolph. William and Andrew were in the Twenty-ninth Ohio infantry, three years' service, and were in sev- ora! battles in the army of Virginia. James Robinson was a soldier in the war of 1812, and lived many years in Summit county, Ohio. He lived to be seventy-eight years old, and died in 1863, a hard-working, industrious citi- zen. Simon Gould, uncle of Mrs. Robinson, was a soldier in the Civil war.
0 AVID RITTERSBACH, a well-known and highly respected citizen of Akron, Ohio, and a veteran of the late Civil war, in which he gallantly served from start to finish, was born in Canton, Ohio, October 2, 1839, a son of George and Elizabeth (less) Rittersbach, prominent residents of that city.
David Rittersbach received a very good common-school education and had just begun learning the machinist's trade at Canton when the alarm of war was sounded, at which, carly in the spring of 1861, he went to Kankakee, Ill., and enlisted, April 24, in company G. Twentieth Illinois volunteer infantry, for three months, but, before the expiration of his term was permitted to enlist for three years, or for the war, at Joliet, Ill,, June 13, 1861. He served six weeks longer than the stipulated time: and was honorably discharged at Chat- tanooga, Tenn. He then came to Akron, and again enlisted February 17, 1865, this time in company I. One Hundred and Eighty-eighth Ohio volunteer infantry, for one year or during the war, and served until again honorably dis- charged at Nashville, Tenn .. September 21, 1865 (the war having terminated), with the
rank of sergeant, although at the time he was serving as orderly-sergeant.
Mr. Rittersbach took part in many battle- and met with several mishaps, although none of them was of a serious character. Hle fought at Frederickstown, Mo .; Charleston, Mo .; Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh and Brittain Lane, Tenn. ; Port Gibson, Raymond Jackson, Champion Hill and Vicksburg, Miss . and was beside in many skirinishes. At Fort Donelson, two rifle-balls pierced his overcoat; at Shiloh, a ball passed through his blouse and a comrade in his immediate rear was killed; at Raymond, he was struck in the face by a splinter, but did not leave the field. For three weeks, in July, 1863, he was laid up with in- termittent fever in hospital at Vicksburg. At the battle of Brittian Lane he was captured by the enemy, but, the rebels being on the re- treat, he was hastily paroled within twenty- four hours and returned to his regiment. Da- vid Rittersbach was in the Seventeenth arms corps, Gen. Logan's division, at Vieksburg; during the siege it lay in front of Fort Hill, the key to the city. When the Union troops blew up Fort Hill, a negro was thrown into their lines and struck on his head without being hurt; he told Gen. Logan that his master was going up as he was coming down. After the battle of Raymond, Gen. Logan came into camp and counted ninety-one holes in the colors of the Twentieth Ill. regiment. Mr. Rittersbach had three brothers, and they were all in the Union army and one disabled for life.
At the conclusion of his war service, Mr Rittersbach returned to Akron and was here married, October 11, 1866, to Miss Sarah Lawrence, daughter of Aaron and Mirtilla (Miller) Lawrence, the union resulting in the birth of one daughter, Eva, now the wife { Harry Cleveland He here resumed hi- tr . 1. of machinist in the Buckeye works, where he remained twenty-six years, and then engaged
877
OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
in the manufacture of a canteen for veterans of the late war, decorated in a highly artistic manner, in colors, with the G, A. R. badge, and inscribed with the designating letter of their company, number of their regiment, and the name of their state, and of this beautiful souvenir a large number of his comrades have made purchase. As a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Mr. Rittersbach has filled the offices of junior and senior vice-com- mander and commander. In politics he is a republican, and for the past eight years has been president of the board of park commis- sioners, and no man in the city of Akron is more respected to-day than the valiant soldier, David Rittersbach.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.