USA > Ohio > Portage County > A portrait and biographical record of Portage and Summit counties, Ohio > Part 51
USA > Ohio > Summit County > A portrait and biographical record of Portage and Summit counties, Ohio > Part 51
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
of subject : jeremiah died in Walworth county, Wis. ; Alexander died at some point unknown, and Sherburn sought a home in the west.
Charles M. Truesdall, father of subject, was born in Nelson township in February, about the year 1810, was here married, farmed all his life, and died, at the early age of forty- four years, May 8, 1854. an honored man and a substantial citizen. To him and wife were born five children, viz: Catherine, who died in infancy: Lydia Jane, who met with the same fate; William; Charles T., the subject of this notice, and Mason, who died at the age of six years. After the death of Mr. Truesdall his widow was married to J. H. Kelsey, removed to Anstinburg, Ohio, and there died without further issue, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Charles T. Truesdall was educated in a country school and remained on his father's farm until the death of the latter, when he went to the home of his maternal uncle, Timo- thy Smith, with whom he lived until he reached his majoriry. He then began dealing in live stock, and during the Civil war was largely engaged in purchasing horses for gov- ernment use. Later he took a thorough course at Eastman's Business college, after which he engaged in the livery business; although prices at that time were exceedingly high, his first buggy costing him $285, and the value of an ordinary livery rig being estimated at $500. From that time until the present, with the ex- ception of a few short intervals, devoted to live-stock speculation, his livery business has been his chief care, and, as he is fully posted in this particular line, success has naturally at- tended his efforts.
September 13, 1870, Mr. Truesdall mar- ried Miss Elma E. Dunn, daughter of James Dunn, and their only child, Carl, died at the age of fifteen years.
In politics Mr. Truesdall is a republican,
and has served as assessor for Garrettsville. many years, and also has filled the office of United States deputy marshal. With his wife, he is a member of the Baptist church, and has his home on his own property in Garretts- ville. He is polite and accommodating with his patrons, and is strictly upright in all his transactions.
URELIUS TUCKER, a native of Twinsburg, Ohio, and one of the old soldiers of the Civil war, was born June 1, 1842, on his father's farm. His grandfather was born in Connecticut, and Orrin Tucker, father of Aurelius, was born November 11, 1796, at Saybrook, in the same state. The name was originally spelled Tooker, and the old deeds in the possession of the family are made out with that spelling. He married, in Connecticut, September 2, 1820, Deborah Post, who was born April 24, 1800, a daughter of Joshua Post, both fanı. ilies being of English stock.
Orrin Tucker moved to Ohio, and settled in Twinsburg township, as a pioneer, and cleared up a farm from the woods, on the Tinker's creek. Joshua Post settled, in 1820, in Northfield township, and partly cleared up a farm, but died in 1822, leaving thirteen chil- dren, two sons and eleven daughters. Mrs. Post lived to be eighty-nine years old. Orrin Tucker disposed of his original farm, moved to and cleared up another, consisting of fifty- six acres, but his title was worthless, and he paid for his land twice. He died August 4, 1866, a member of the Congregationalist church, and in politics a republican. His children were Joshua W., Erastus M., Anu P., Chloe A., LaFayette H., Pliny, Aurelia F. and Aurelius. Mr. Tucker was a soldier in the war of 1812 He was one of our respected pioneers, and had two sons in the Civil war,
4
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OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
Aurelius and Pliny H. Pliny H. enlisted in the First Iowa cavalry for three years, and served until the close of the war and was hon- orably discharged in 1865. He was pro- moted to orderly sergeant, and was in many battles.
Aurelius Tucker was reared a farmer, and enlisted, August 6, 1864, in company H, One Hundred and Seventy-seventh Ohio volunteer infantry, under Capt. Samuel Tracy, for one year, and served until honorably discharged at Washington, D. C., June 3, 1865, the war having come to'a close, and he having taken part in the following battles: Powers Creek, Murfreesboro, the Cedars, Shelbyville Pike, all in Tennessee; Sugar Loaf Battery, Federal Point, the night expedition above Fort Fisher, Fort Anderson, Town Creck, Wilmington, Kingston, Goldsboro, all in North Carolina, and was at Johnston's sur- render. At one time he was detailed to the ordnance department by command of Maj. - Gen. Milroy. He was taken sick in 1864, and was in hospital in Washington, D. C., for about one month, and from there discharged. He was always an active soldier and except his sinall hospital record, he was always on active duty. His hardest battle was at Mur- Murfreesboro and the worst march was one of ten days from Nashville to Clifton, Tenn. After the war he returned to Twinsburg and married, December 27, 1866, Miss Amanda M. Crawford, whowas born in Twinsburg township, February 22, 1848, a daughter of Alexander and Sophronia (Wallace) Crawford.
Alexander Crawford was born August 14, 1801, was a pioneer of Aurora, Ohio, having come when a young man, and married in Kent, Ohio, May 6, 1829, Sophronia Wallace. The children born to this union were Wallace, Cadwallader, Laura, Alanson, Almira, Betsy, Amanda M. and Robb. Alexander Crawford became a prosperous farmer, owning at one
time 500 acres of land. He was a well edu- cated man and many years a school-teacher on the Western Reserve, and a man of great in- telligence, and died August 27, 1870.
Solomon Crawford, father of Alexander Crawford, was born February 14, 1772, and married Ann Crawford March 13, 1800. Al- though both bore the same surname they were in no manner related to each other. Their children were Alexander, Cadwallader and Isa- bel. Joseph Wallace, the maternal grandfa- ther, was a soldier in the war of 1812.
Mr. and Mrs. Tucker settled, at their mar- riage, on their present farm of fifty-six acres. Their children are Bert G. and Ora M. Mr. and Mrs. Tucker are members of the Method- ist Episcopal church at Twinsburg, and Mr. Tucker is a member of Royal Dunham post, No. 177, G. A. R., of Bedford, Ohio. In politics he is a republican and cast his first presidential vote for Lincoln. He is an hon- ored citizen, and is at present assessor of his township, and has held the office of trustee and constable.
......
RANK M. UDALL, a native of Hiram, Portage county, Ohio, which is still his place of residence, was born December 20, 1838, a son of George and Malinda (Hutchings) Udall, whose genealogy will be traced backward to the grandparents of Frank M. in lines which will follow this paragraph.
Frank M. Udall received a very good edu- cation in his youthful days, it being commenced in the district schools and concluded in the Western Reserve Eclectic institute at Hilam. September 20, 1861, he enlisted in company A, Forty-second Ohio volunteer infantry, which had been organized by Col (afterward President, James A. Garfeld, and was ap- pointed drummer-boy of the regimeutal band.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
The company was principally made up front students of Hiram college and took part in numerous battles, Mr. Udall being present at that of Middle Creel., Ky., but was shortly afterward seized with fever and was confined in a hospital at Louisville, Ky., a month or more, and at Camp Dennison, Ohio, nearly four months, and received an honorable dis- charge, November 8, 1862.
On his return from the war to the old homestead, Mr. Udall rested awhile, and then was united in marriage, December 12, 1864, at Cleveland, to Miss Clara Adelia Bishop, who was born in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, January 2, 1847, a daughter of Elijah and Olivia (Webster) Bishop. The father of Miss Bishop was of French ancestry and came to America in 1847, landing in Nova Scotia, and coming thener to Chio in the same year, but died in Cleveland a few days after his arrival. To Mr. and Mrs. Bishop were born the follow- ing children: Nancy, Dawson, Elizabeth, Andrew, Albert, Irene, Clara and Lonvisa, and, of these, Andrew served four years in the Civil war, in the Second Ohio cavalry, and was wounded, and Albert served three years in the Nineteenth Ohio battery.
After marriage Mr. Udall settled on the old homestead, of which he inherited a por- tion, and later purchased the interests of the other heirs thereto. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Udall were Morton, who died at six and a half years of age; George F .; Jessie, who died at the age of ten years; Alevia; and Don B., who died in infancy.
George Udall, father of Frank M., was born in Vermont, a son of Samuel and Anna (Bruce) Udall, and shortly after his marriage to Ma- linda Hutchings came to Ohio, in 1818, with his parents and his own wife. He settled in the southwestern part of Hiram township, Portage county, but four years later moved to the homestead of 146 acres now occupied by
liis son, Frank M., and became a substantial and prominent citizen. His children were Eveline, Amanda, Roselle, George P., Louis: M. and DeLos A. He lived to be sixty-two years of age, and died one of the most re- spected residents of the township.
Samuel Udall, grandfather of Frank M., built the first dwelling-a log cabin -- on the present homestead, but some years later moved to the northeastern part of the town- ship. He cleared up several farms in the early days, became very wealthy, and, at his death, a venerable mar, bequeathed to each of his children a farm of fair proportions. His children were named George, James, Samuel, Rufus, John, Alvah, Sarah, Nancy, Mary and Lucinda.
Frank M. Udall is a most substantial citi- zen and in politics is a republican, and has filled the offices of township clerk and trustee; he is a member of the Grand Army of the Re- public, being commander of Mark Horton post at Garrettsville, in which he has also filled the position of officer of the day. He is a mem- ber of the Soldiers' Relief County commission, and in religion is a member of the Disciples' or Christian church. His success in life has been unvarying and he deserves the credit of having made it almost entirely through his own personal efforts.
UFUS P. UPSON, one of the prom- inent citizens of Tallmadge township. descends from Thomas Upson, who came from England and settled at an early day at Hartford, Conn., where he had the right to get wood and keep his cows on the cominon. Ile was also an original proprietor and settler of Farmington about 1638. an l inarried Elizabeth Fuller in 16,16. Ile die ! July 19, 1655, and his widow married hd- mund Scott. The children were Thomas, wl:
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OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
moved to Saybrook and died there; Stephen; Mary; Hannah and Eliza -- both of whom died July 20, 1655. Stephen, the second son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Fuller) Upson, mar- ried December 29, 1682, Mary, daughter of John Lee, Sr., of Famington, Conn., and died in 1735, aged eighty-five years. His wife died February 15, 1715-16. He removed to Wa- terbury before his marriage and became pro- prietor December 29, 1679, to the amount of fifty pounds. He signed sixty pounds agree- ment with Mr. Peck, and was one of the com- mittee to settle bonds with Woodbury in April, 1702. He was surveyor, school committee- man, grand juror, often "townsman," and three times deputy to the general court-in May 1710, October, 1712, and October, 1729. He was a sergeant in 1715, and in 1829 lie had a Scat with the veterans in the new mecting house. His children were Mary, born Noven- ber 5. 1683, and married Richard Welton, son of John; Stephen, born September 30, 1686; Elizabeth, born February 14, 1689; Hannah, born about March 16, 1695, and married, the first time, to Thomas Richards, and the sec- ond time to John Bronson, and was living, a widow, in 1751; Tabetha, born March 16, 1698, and married to John Scoville, second; John, born December 13, 1702; Thankful, born March 14, 1706 or 1707, and married to James Blakesley. Thomas Upson, of the third American generation, was a son of Stephen and Mary (Lee) Upson; he married Rachael, daughter of Thomas Judd. They lived on Cole street near East Main, Waterbury, but he sold this home and removed in 1732-33 to Farmington and afterward to Southington, where he died, respected and esteemed, leav- ing a numerous family name. His wife, Ra- chael, dicd July 13, 1750, aged fifty-six years, and he died September 29, 1,69, aged sixty- eight years. Their children were Thomas, born December 20, 1719; Mary and John 40
(twins), born January 21, 1721 -- Mary mar- ried Josiah Newell, of Southington; John died in 1741; Josiah, born January 28, 1724, died in 1725; Asa, born November 30, 1728; T. W., born October 8, 1731; Amos, born March 17, 1734; Samuel, born n March, 1737; Fice- man, bom July 24, 1739 -- died in 1750. Thomas Upson, son of Thomas and Rachael (Judd) Upson, married Hannah, daughter of Capt. Timothy Hopkins of Waterbury, May 28, 1749, and he settled one mile north of Wolcott Center, where his son, 'Squire Charles, afterward lived. He died in 1798, aged seventy-nine years. His wife, Hannah, died June 6, 1757. Their children were Bc- noni, born February 14, 1750; Charles, born March 8, 1752; Sylvia, born June 7, 1756, and died in 1764. 'Squire Charles Upson, son of Thomas and Ilannah (Hopkins) Upson, mar- ried Wealthy Hopkins May 26, 1773. She died December 28, 1783, and he married a widow, Mary Moulthrop, November 24. 1784. He resided on the homestead and was a man of large influence in the community, and in 1805 had the largest tax list of any man in the society and subscribed the largest sum for the settlement of Rev. Mr. Woodward in 1792. He was a justice of the peace many years and was spoken of mostly as 'Squire Charles Up- son. He was accidentally killled in New Haven, by hitting his head against a beam while riding in a barn on a load of hay, April 29, 1809, aged fifty-seven years. His widow died March 30, 1826, aged seventy-six years. His children, by his first wife, were Washing- ton, born September 2, 1775: Lee, born May 7, 1778, and Gates, born July 18, 1780. By his second wife were born Thomas, Septem !- ber 23, 1785; Charles Hopkins, July 17, 1788, Mark. October 24, 1,90; Wealthy H., April 18, 1794, and married March 30. 1817. Dr. Lee Upson, son of Charles and Wealthy (Hop- kins) Upson, married Roxana Lewis, and their
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
children were Anson, Sarah, Israel and Olivia. Lee Upson was a farmer of Wolcott, Conn .. was a member of the Congregational church and died in Connecticut. All of his children remained in Connecticut except Anson, father of subject, who came to Ohio. He died June 11, 1823.
Anson Upson, was born December 21, ISO!, at Wolcott, Conn., became a fariner and came to Tallmadge township, Summit county, Ohio, in 1825. a single man, and remained two years, when he returned to Connecticut and worked in a cotton factory for Seth Thomas, the fa- mons clockmaker. In 1832 he returned to Ohio, and married, in 1833, in Tallmadge, Polly Upson, who was born June 9, 1800, in Waterbury, Conn., a daughter of Reuben and Hannah (Richardson) Upson. Reubeu Upson was descended from a very distant branch of the same stock -- so far back the relationship has never been traced. Anson Upson settled in Tallmadge township, buying a farm of ser- enty-two acres in the northwest corner, all in the woods, and cleared up the farm and lived here until his death on February 7, 1851, at forty-nine years of age. His children were Rufus P., born November 23, 1834; Maria P., born September 30, 1838; Helen L. and IJar- riet H. (twins), born October 18, 1842. An- son Upson was a member of the Congrega- tional church and a trustee thereof at the time of his death. In politics he was first a whig and later an abolitionist. He was a very hard- working man and respected for his honesty of character.
Rufus P. Upson, the subject of this mem- oir, received a common-school education and became a farmer. He married, October 22, 1861, Mary Upson, of Tallmadge, danghter of Edwin and Betsy (Blakesley) Upson. Mary Upsoa was born May 20, 1836, in Tallinadge. Edwin Upson, father of Mrs. Upson, was born May 21, 1804, in Waterbury, Conn., a son of
Iloratio and Hannah (Cook) Upson. Horatio was a son of John, the grandfather of Julius Upson, a distant relative.
After marriage Mrs. Upson settled on the homestead of his father. He prospered by his steady thrift and industry and now owns two good farms. He moved, in 1891, to his pres- ent excellent farm, which consists of 100 acres well improved with good buildings. Mrs. Up- son is a member of the Congregational church, and Mr. Upson, in politics, was one of the original republicans, voting for Abraham Lin- coln on his first nomination for the presidency of the United States, and has served as town- ship trustee for nine years. He has always been a straightforward citizen, well known for integrity of character. He and wife are the parents of Addie M., Amelia A., Edward .A., Henry S., George L., and Bessie L.
Edwin Upson, father of Mrs. Upson, came to Tallinadge township, a single man, aged eighteen years, in 1822. He came with his uncle Reuben, Calvin Treat and Abraham Hine. This party footed it from Connecticut. arriving in Buffalo, N. Y., in cighteen days. Edwin returned to Connecticut and married. and moved with his family to Tallmadge in 1833 and settled in the north part of the town- ship, on land partly improved with a log house, and with fifteen acres cleared of a total of 107 acres. The remainder he cleared np and im- proved with good dwellings and had a good home. His parents, Horatio and Hannah (Cook) Upson, came with him and lived with him until their deaths. Edwin Upson and wife were members of the Congregational church, in which faith he lived to be eighty-one years old and died May 1, 1885. Ilis widow is now aged eighty-four years and reads with- out glasses and does fine sewing and ci broid- ery and is very active mentally and physically. The children were Mary M., Jacob E., who died at five years of age, and Joseph E.
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OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
HARILAUS VAIL, one of the de- deceased soldiers of the Civil war, who died many years after its close from his wounds, was born Decem- ber 9, 1833, at Twinsburg, Summit county, Ohio, a son of Homer G. and Ann (Post) Vail, the former of whom was a pioneer of Twins- burg, was born in New York state, of English descent, and was the father of Julia, Julius and Charilaus. Charilaus Vail received a good common education, was a painter by trade and married, November 25. 1855, 'in Peninsula, Ohio, Maria Carpenter, born January 30, 1841. at Twinsburg, Ohio, daughter of Aaron and Tirsa (Drake) Carpenter.
Aaron Carpenter was born and reared in New York state and came when a young man to Ohio. His children were Malinda, Luna, Elijah, Mattie, Mary, Cynthia, Dorcas, Doro- thea, Maria, Benajer, George and Comfort. Aaron Carpenter lived in Twinsburg for some years, then moved to Northfield township and bought a farin of 160 acres, where he lived until his death, at about forty-nine years of age, a member of the Methodist church. One son, Benajer, was in the Second Ohio cavalry, and re-enlisted in the Twelfth Ohio cavalry. He was in the battle of Mt. Sterling and one other battle, and was taken prisoner at Lex- ington, Ky., but escaped. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Charilaus Vail settled in Twinsburg, where he enlisted, October 11, 1863, as a pri- vate of company E, Twelfth regiment Ohio cavalry, and was promoted to corporal for meritorious services. He served until honor- ably discharged, October 11, 1864, an account of wounds received in battle. He was in the battle of Mt. Sterling, Ky., June 19, 1864, and while in pursuit of the raider, John Mor- gan, was shot, the ball entering the right side, just above the hip, and coming out on the left side, taking off the ear of his comrade's horse. Mr. Vail laid on the battle field from nine o'clock
A. M. to five o'clock P. M., three attempts be- ing made to carry him off the field, but failing, his comrades being frightened by false alarms that the rebels were coming. He lay behind a stump and once the rebels took him prisoner, but were driven off. He was finally laid in a fence corner and covered with a blanket, a Union man, who lived on the place, giving him some milk. Being out of sight, the amublances missed him, and he was not taken to field hospital until five P. M. This was but one- half mile distant. The surgeon drew a silk handkerchief through his wound to cleanse it, and he was taken three weeks later to Lexing- ton, Ky., hospital. It was expected he would die on the way. He was sent home October TI, where he arrived October 13, 1864. From this nearly fatal wound he was laine the re- mainder of his life, and it finally caused his death, October 13, 1895. After partial re- covery he followed his trade as a painter as best he could, but was always disabled. In politics he was a republican, and served as constable of Northfield two terms; he was an honored member of George L. Waterman post, G. A. R., at Peninsula, in which he held sev- eral offices. To Mr. and Mrs. Vail were born Mary, Allen, Clarence, Harry, Frankie and Cora. Mr. Vail was always an industrious, straightforward man, much respected for his honest character and sterling worth, and his widow and children share the high regard in which he was held.
S AMUEL R. VAN NOSTRAN. a well- known carpenter and dairyman of Aurora township, Portage county, Ohio, and an ex-soldier of the Civil war, was born in Jefferson township, Enscara- was county, Ohio, on his father's farm, De- cember 6, 1843, a son of John and Charity (Ridgway) Van Nostran, of whom mention
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
will be further made toward the close of this memoir.
Samuel R. Van Nostran received the usual farmer-lad education, and learned all he could of agriculture until his enlistment, August 25. 1862, at New Philadelphia, Ohio, in Capt. John Robinson's company C, Eightieth Ohio volunteer infantry, for three years, provided the war should not sooner come to a close, which so happened, and he was honorably discharged at Washington, D. C., May 25, 1865, under Capt. Christian . Dies. He took an active part in the battles of Raymond, Jackson, Miss .; siege of Vicksburg; engage- inents at Missionary Ridge, Resaca, and marched through to North Carolina, where he fought at Wise's Cross Roads. At Beaver Dam, Ala., while he and a comrade were en- gaged in repairing a trestle of a bridge some twenty-five feet high, the rebels burned out two other trestles, which weakened the bridge and caused its fall, precipitating Mr. Van Nos- tran and a comrade into the debris beneath. For several days Mr. Van Nostran lay sense- less, and during this time was robbed of all his money-$30. On being rescued from the wreck, it was discovered that his collar-bone was brok- en, his left arm broken. his left ankle fractured and that his left hip had also suffered a frac- ture. He was placed in a hospital at Hunts- ville, Ala., where he remained five months. But this serious mishap did not prevent his sharing in the battles of Resaca and Wise's Cross Road, which were subsequent events. The consequence of his injuries, however, will attend him to the grave.
After the war, Mr. Van Nostran returned to his home in Tuscarawas county, and there learned the carpenter's trade. In that county, also, he was married, November 23, 18/1, to Miss Mollie 1. Mizer, who was born in the county, June 8, 1850, in Buck township, a daughter of John and Rachel (Morol) Mizer,
of whom, also, further mention will be made. At marriage, the young couple located in Bakersville, Coshocton county, where Mr. Van Nostran worked at his trade until 1891, which year was passed in Canton, Ohio, and he then settled, in 1892, on his present place, where he still follows contracting and carpenter work, and conducts, beside, a dairy of thirty cows. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Van Nostran have been born five children, viz .: Albert, John Edwin (who died in infancy), Charles R., Lulu E. D. and Beatrice D. The parents are members of the Disciples' church, at Au- rora, and Mr. Van Nostran is a non-affiliating Knight of Pythias. In politics he is a repub- lican, and cast his first vote for A. Lincoln, while in the ranks.
John Van Nostran, father of Samuel R., was a son of John, a pioneer of Stark county, Ohio, who descended from a Dutch settler of Pennsyl vania. John, father of subject, on settling in Tuscarawas county, cleared up a farm of 152 acres, and became a substantial farmer. To his marriage with Miss Charity Ridgway were born the following children: Sarah A., Sam- uel R., Benjamin F., George H., Eliza A., Mary, Annetta, John H., Hattie, David, Mar- tha, Eva, and an infant that died unnamed, and of these Samuel R., Benjamin F. and George H. served in the Civil war, the last two named in the one year service, with the One Hundred and Ninety-fourth Ohio volunteer infantry. John Van Nostran lived to be sixty- five years old, when he was suddenly stricken with death while cradling oats. He was a member of the Methodist church, a pious Christian and a hardworking farmer. .
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