USA > Ohio > Erie County > A standard history of Erie County, Ohio: an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, civic, and social development. A chronicle of the people, with family lineage and memoirs > Part 87
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found a location at Amherst in Lorain County. From both of these households the mills and stores and other markets were miles distant. Wild game was in abundance in the woods and the Indians were still common visitors at their log cabin homes. Both families improved good farms and did their share of the early pioneer work. The grandparents of Mr. Winton in both the Winton and Barnes lines lived to ripe old age in spite of the hardships of their early experience, and most of them were past fourscore when called upon to settle their last accounts. After Montville Winton and wife were married they began housekeeping at Amherst in Lorain County, and he developed one of the first regular businesses of buying and shipping cattle, horses, sheep and hogs. He was a drover to Cleveland and other eastern markets, though most of his stock went to Cleveland. For many years he was almost constantly traveling about over Lorain, Iluron and Erie counties, and acquired a large acquaintance with the people of this section of the state through his business relations. It was his enstom in the early days to take his eattle to market one kind at a time, driving the eattle, horses, sheep and hogs all in separate droves. Later in life Montville Winton and wife moved to Wood County, Ohio, and spent their last years in retirement at Portage. Montville Winton died there a little more than twenty years ago, having survived his wife several years. Montville Winton was born about 1805 and his wife about 1808. They were members of the Methodist Church and he was a republican. To their marriage were horn eight children, four sons and four daughters. Three of these died when quite young. Morton, one of those that grew up, was in the United States Navy throughout the period of the Civil war and died a bachelor at Portage when about sixty years of age. Another child, George, who is still living and makes his home at Portage, in Wood County. was also a soldier and went through the war unscathed with an Ohio regiment and is now sixty-eight years of age and is married but has no children. A daughter, Artemisia, the widow of John Stapleton, lives at Fort Wayne, Indiana, and has a son and three daughters. Another daughter was Melissa, who died a few years ago at Portage, as the widow of Franklin Fendell, who was one of the most popular railway engineers on the Lake Shore road.
Samuel M. Winton was the oldest son and the second child of his parents. Ile was born at Brownhelm in Lorain County, Ohio, May >. 1838. Ile grew up at his father's home, and early became identified with the business of stock drover followed by his father. Beginning as early as twelve years he rode a horse and helped drive eattle to ('leve- land, and he proved himself so trustworthy that he was often allowed to take a herd by himself. That business gave him his chief activities until he reached his majority. After his marriage he settled on a farm at Ogontz in Berlin Township, and there he had forty-five acres of well improved land and in addition to its own prodnetions he carried on an extensive business in the buying and selling of horses. rattle and other stoek, mainly for the benefit of local markets. Another feature of his farming was fruit growing. In these activities he was engaged with satisfying success until the spring of 1903, when he re- moved to Berlin Heights and bought a comfortable residence on Sonth Street.
Mr. Winton was married in the Peak neighborhood of Berlin Town- ship, JJanuary 1, 1863, to Miss Dorleea Peak. Mrs. Winton was born near Ceylon Junetion, December 4. 1843, and in that community grew up and received her education, and in a marriage relationship of more than half a century has shared the responsibilities of life with her hus- band and been his constant help and encouragement. Her parents. Daniel and Mary (Phillips) Peak, both natives of Erie County, repre-
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sented a notable family of this section of Ohio. Both her parents were born in Erie County prior to 1820 and were married in Berlin Town- ship, and afterwards lived on their farm in that township until they retired to Berlin Ileights; Daniel Peak died there August 23, 1865, when nearly forty-seven years of age, and his wife passed away June 25, 1898. at the age of seventy-two. She died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Winton, at Ogontz. She was a member of the Congregational Church, though her family were Methodists, and in politics her husband was a republican. Mrs. Winton's paternal grandfather was Oliver Peak, who was born in Vermont of old New England stock, moved to New York State, and there married Polly Van Banscoten, who was of an old Dutch family long established in the Mohawk Valley. Polly's father had the care of General Washington's horses while that great man was in New York State during the Revolutionary war. Oliver Peak and wife came to Erie County in 1812 or 1813, and settled in Berlin Township, after breaking a way through the woods from Cleveland. They arrived with an ox team, and their first settlement was a mile south of the lake at what is now Ceylon Station or in that immediate vicinity. Here they went through all the usual experiences of the pioneer. Their first home, a log cabin, was replaced by a frame honse, and that in turn by a sub- stantial brick house, which is still standing, though built eighty years ago, and is an interesting landmark of that community. Oliver Peak gave the land now included in the Peak Cemetery. He and his wife lived quiet but industrious and wholesome lives and died on their farm when about fourscore years of age. Oliver Peak was at one time reputed to be the richest man in Berlin Township. For years he served as justice of the peace, and was held in high esteem for his integrity of character and his good common sense, apart from his material wealth. Ile was first a whig and later a republican in politics, and his wife was a Baptist in religion. The last thirteen years of her life she was an invalid, and in spite of that affliction was a woman of rare charm and a delightful com- panion to old and young. Oliver Peak's father was an English sea cap- tain, but died in New England, probably in Vermont.
Mr. and Mrs. Winton have one danghter, Mary L., who is living at home. She was well educated in the Norwalk High School, and is a skilled milliner. She is a member of the Tuesday Tourist Club and one of the active workers in that literary organization at Berlin Heights. The family attend the Congregational Church, and Mr. Winton is a republican in polities.
JAMES CALDWELL MCKESSON. In the construction of the Mad River Railroad, the first railroad in Ohio, to which considerable attention is paid in the chapter on railroads elsewhere in this work, one of the local men prominently engaged was James Caldwell MeKesson, then quite a young man. He had come to Ohio with his parents, Isaac and Elizabeth (Caldwell ) Mckesson, in 1827 from Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, locating at Venice in what is now Erie County.
Later on Mr. MeKesson engaged in farming quite extensively and took a special interest in the Agricultural Society of Erie County and in the good of the community in general. Owing to his generosity and philanthropie principles no one was ever turned from his door hungry or in need. He took a great interest in public affairs at the time of the ('ivil war, giving his eldest son to the service. Although not a regular attendant at religious services he was a very liberal donor to all church interests, especially at Sand Hill, where he spent the greater part of his life, and where he aided very materially in the building of the Methodist Episcopal Church at that place. His brother, Mr. Isaac MeKesson, donated the land for the church.
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On the paternal side he came of Scotch lineage, his grandfather. John Mckesson, being a Presbyterian minister who finished the course in literature and theology at the University of Edinburgh and came to America in 1761, locating in Pennsylvania. He was a typical Scotch Presbyterian and proved a power for good in the community in which he resided during the early colonial period.
Ilis son, Isaac MeKesson, Sr., father of James C., was also educated for the ministry, but his natural tastes for mechanics led him to abandon that calling and he later learned the trade of millwright and civil engi- neering, and was naturally attracted to the favorable location for mills at Venice, Ohio. Ile moved to that place in 1827.
James C. MeKesson was married December 3, 1840, in Bloomingville, Ohio, to Maryetta Prout. She came to that place with her parents, Daniel and Sarah (Holt ) Prout from Oneida County, New York, when but a small child. Four children were born to this union: Andrew D., Sarah Elizabeth, Celina Ramsdell and Elmer Ellsworth. Mrs. MeKes- son's grandfathers were officers in the American Revolution, and she always prized very highly several articles that had been bought with Revolutionary money.
PROF. ELIAS R. FELTON. In the death of Prof. Elias R. Felton at his home in Milan. March 1, 1906, there passed away one of the ablest edneators in Northern Ohio, a man who had impressed his influence upon hundreds of young people preparing for lives of practical useful- ness in business careers. Professor Felton during his active career was mainly identified with one of the large business colleges at Cleveland, but was well known in Erie County and his widow, Mrs. Felton, now ocenpies the old Comstock homestead in Milan Village, the home of her parents.
Born at Nunday Valley in New York State, December 3. 1828. he was nearly seventy-eight years of age when he passed away. His par- ents were James and Mary ( Rawson) Felton, both natives of New York State. Soon after the birth of Professor Felton they came West to Milan, but later returned to New York where the mother died in the prime of life. Some years later James Felton married a Miss Bowers of IInron County, where he lived for many years. He combined the operation of a farm with an industry for the manufacture of high grade axes of all kinds, and the axe factory was one of the prosperous indus- tries of Iron County. His second wife died near Norwalk, leaving several children. James Felton again married late in life, and his own career came to a close when past eighty. He was a republican. and as a Mason was a charter member of both the Blue Lodge and the Royal Arch Chapter at Milan.
Elias R. Felton spent most of his early career in Milan and in lluron County. He attended the old Huron Institute at Milan, and as a yonth learned the trade of axe maker with his father. The first axe he ever made is still in possession of his family. For his first wife Professor Felton married Iney Perrin, a daughter of Raymond Perrin and a consin of Judson Perrin, to whom reference is made on other pages. Ile then moved to Cleveland, took a thorough course m the old Bryant & Stratton Business College, and a few years later beeame an instructor in the Spencerian Business College at Cleveland, and later acquired an interest in the college and helped to make it a highly sie- cessful institution. Hle retained his business relations until 1895, and then for five or six years was retained as a member of the faculty of instruction. Ile finally retired, and spent his last years in Milan.
While a resident of Cleveland Professor Felton was one of the best known citizens and active in municipal polities on the West Side. lle
Paulo bonnstock
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served as a member of the school board and in other public offices, and at one time was a nominee for mayor. Ile was also prominent in Masonry, and was affiliated with the Lodge, Chapter, Council, Com- mandery, the thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Consistory and the Mystic Shrine. In polities he was a republican and in matters of religion supported the Presbyterian Church.
By his marriage to Miss Luey Perrin, Professor Felton had two children, William and Ida, and by his second marriage, to Mrs. Matilda (Judson) Perrin, two children were born, Mary M. and Grace B. Grace married E. G. Tillotson, of Cleveland, and at her death left one daugh- ter. Mary married Mr. Harry Allen and had two sons. Donald and Robert.
At Milan on March 20, 1895, Professor Felton married Julia B. Comstock. She was born at the old Comstock homestead in Milan Township east of Milan Village, December 11, 1843. As a young girl she attended the Milan Normal School. She still occupies the pleasant residence on Seminary Street in Milan, formerly the home of her par- ents, where she and her husband spent his last years. Mrs. Felton is a daughter of Philo and Julia Ann (Austin) Comstock. Her grand- father Nathan Sillick Comstock, married Betsey Seymour, and they were all natives of Connecticut. Nathan S. Comstock was one of the fire sufferers at Norwalk, Connecticut, during the Revolutionary war, and was given a large grant of land in the vicinity of Milan, Ohio. Philo Comstock, who was born February 5, 1809, in 1827. came with his sister Betsey, two years his junior, by way of the Hudson River and the Erie Canal and by boat to Huron and Milan, and took up his home on the portion of fire lands granted to his father. He began the improvement of his place, and in 1829 married Mary Newcomb. She died about eighteen months later. December 25, 1832, he married Julia A. Austin. She was born in Stamford, Connecticut, May 8, 1811, and also belonged to old Connecticut and New England stock. After their marriage they spent several years on the 300-acre farm, where they built a large brick house with a dozen rooms and of old colonial style of architecture. About 1875 Mr. Comstock retired to Milan and died in that village No- vember 7, 1892. His wife passed away March 14, 1895. The Comstocks were among the most prominent people of this section of Ohio, and lived lives of eminent usefulness and honor in the community. Philo Com- stock and wife were charter members of the Milan Presbyterian Church and helped to build the first church edifice and supported its activities, and he was an elder for many years. In politics he was a republican. The Comstock children were: George S., who died young: Edward A., who was in service as a Union soldier during the Civil war, was twice married, had three daughters and a son, and is now living at the Sol- diers' Home in Sandusky ; Francis D., also died young; Gertrude mar- ried John F. Randolph of Norwalk, and they have a son and two dangh- ters; the next in age is Mrs. Felton: Emma F. was married to Charles V. La Vayea of Cleveland, and she now makes her home with Mrs. Felton at Milan. Mrs. Felton is an active member of the Presbyterian church, belongs to the Research Club in Milan, and is past matron of Edison Chapter No. 112 of the Order of Eastern Star.
JUDE C. CANFIELD. The fine farm home in Florence Township now owned and occupied by Jude C. Canfield is the place where he was born, and which has been in the family for three successive generations. The Canfields have lived in this part of Northern Ohio for more than seventy years, and have been useful factors in converting the wilderness into a prosperous and highly developed country. The genealogical records of the Canfield family show its origin in France as early as 1350 A. D.,
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and from that country members of the name came to America during the colonial epoch.
Mr. Canfield's home is in Florence Township near the Huron County line, where he was born October 9, 1874. Ilis parents were Darwin R. and Eunice ( Corbin ) Canfield, both of whom were natives of Huron County. His father was born May 24, 1846, and died January 20, 1892, and the mother was born September 12. 1848, and died April 26, 1895. The paternal grandparents were Calvert C. and Mary ( Hanford) Can- field, who came from the East and found settlement in the wilderness of Huron County in the very early days. Calvert ('anfield, while living most of his life in Huron County, also acquired the land in Florence Township now ocenpied by his grandson. Darwin R. Canfield and wife were married in Wakeman Township of Huron County, May 31, 1869. and began housekeeping on the place now owned by his son in Florenee Township, and on this traet of seventy acres they erected a fine house, large barns, and spent their lives and later years in comfort and plenty. Darwin R. Canfield inherited this farm in Florence Township formerly owned by his father. They were members of the Congregational Church, and in politics he was a republiean.
The only child of his parents, Jude C. Canfield grew up as a farmer boy and obtained a substantial education in local schools. After the death of his father he became owner of the seventy aeres which had first been owned by his grandfather and later by his father, and has sinee made it into a fine farm, with substantial buildings, ineluding an eight- room white house and a barn 30x40 feet, and also a drying house 24x40 feet for his sweet eorn erop, which is one of the important items in his agricultural business. He also grows abundant crops of eorn, wheat, oats, has considerable meadow, and is in every way a progressive agri- culturist.
Ile was married in Wakeman Township to Miss Ina Owen. Mrs. Can- field was born in Townsend Township of Huron County, June 27, 1879. and was educated in the Wakeman High School. Her parents are Romando and Georgia (Sherman) Owen, the former of Townsend Town- ship, where he was born in 1860, and the mother, born in 1861, was a native of Wakeman Township, Huron County. They have been active farmers in Huron County during the greater part of their lives and now live in Wakeman Village, being members of the Congregational Church there. while her father is a republican. Mr. and Mrs. Canfield are the parents of three children: Geneva, who was born October 13, 1900. and is now a student in the Wakeman High School : Pauline, born March 17. 1901, and also in the same high school ; and Owen C., born January 15, 1904, and now attending the grade schools. Mr. Canfield and family support the Congregational Church and all the movements for the benefit of their locality and in polities he is a republican.
LIFE AND WORK OF HUDSON TUTTLE AND IHIS WIFE EMMA ROOD TUTTLE. The life work of Hudson Tuttle is not confined to Erie County but is world wide. To a world view Erie County is but a small dot on the surface of the globe. Yet from that point. through the genius of such men as Hudson Tuttle, has radiated an influence that has touched the minds and hearts of people living in the remotest bounds. It was because he passed his entire home life in Erie County and departed from it to the immortal life on December 14, 1910, that a history of Erie County would be incomplete without an outline of his career.
Ilis parents came to the town now known as Berlin in the early '30s. about 1831 or 1832, and bought the land, entirely uncleared, which is now known as Walnut Grove Farm, the old Tuttle homestead, where IIndson was born in 1836. His father was a native of Long Island and
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his mother of New Hampshire. Both were excellent people and noted for their integrity, intelligence and all around good citizenship. His father, Nathan Tuttle, lived to be eighty-nine years of age, and his mother, Maria Monroe Tuttle, reached the age of ninety-two. Hudson's prospects for length of years was apparently good, but his ambition always overdrew on his strength, and his intense mental activity would not stop for a tired body. So his body slept "the sleep which knows no waking" at the age of seventy-four.
His work is still carried on at the old place, the Hudson Tuttle Pub- lishing Company, Berlin Heights, Ohio, from which go out books to all parts of the world.
Mr. Tuttle was married in 1857 to Miss Emma D. Rood of Braceville, Ohio, also a writer with whom he became acquainted by ber contributions to a Cleveland periodical. After their marriage they wrote, published and blended their literary labors, as well as home building and rearing of children, and in those beneficent activities their ideal marriage partner- ship endured for fifty-two years. They celebrated their golden wedding by the publication of " A Golden Sheaf" which is still sold and from it is extracted the portion of what Mr. Tuttle says in "Ourselves" his intro- duction to the readers of the book.
"A journey of fifty years! How interminable it seems looking ahead, how short looking pastward ! It would have been wearisome, objectless, selfish and disappointing, had it been taken alone. With companion- ship, support, sympathy and mutual trust, its cares are lightened, the weary days shortened, the flinty paths softened with the flowers of loving kindness. Now we have reached the western slope of the Great Divide, and in quiet I ask my companion : Had you known, that lovely morning we first met, all that fate had stored for our united lives, all the dark hours of pain, choking grief, disappointment, exacting tasks, would you have answered yes ?
"I know you would affirm as unreservedly as would 1, for, after all, the days of sunshine have been many and the dark days exceptional. They have come into our lives, not by our own seeking, but by the force of circumstances, and we have mastered them, not have they made the waters of life bitter, or broken its current. In the main they have been such as come to the lot of all, and we, standing together, have been stronger to meet and dare, than we could have been alone.
"We thought our home, with the precions three children, ideal, and their going out into the world was hard to bear. Yet we could not always have them in the nest. The fledgling bird must fly, for the air is its element and it can be happy only when exercising its freedom. Nor could we hold our eldest with earthly ties, and must solace our aching hearts with the reflection that she gained a purer sphere by her emanci- pation from mortal life.
"They are all ours still, two on earth, one in heaven, and the heavenly one is nearer and visits ns oftener; is the most intimately ours, thongh our mortal senses fail to reveal her shadowy form.
"The kindest manifestation of overbrooding love is the thick and impenetrable veil that shuts the future from us. Our strength is not wasted in vain fear of the inevitable, and when we meet tomorrow's message, we can bravely respond. Day by day it comes, and for the requirements made on ns we have strength.
"All our children were born in the old farm homestead. Here they were reared. They have left souvenirs in the trees and shrubbery planted : the arbors they built, and pictures they sketched on the walls. The great elmn was planted by our boy, Carl, when five years old. It was a tiny seedling with only three leaves when he brought it from the wood- land. The tree with crimson foliage, our eldest daughter planted and Vol. II -- 37
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like everything she touched, responded with vigorous growth. The wauhoo which all winter enlivens with its red fruitage, Claire, our youngest, brought from the woods when in leaf and made it live and grow by constant attention. The tall, ambitious lombardy which flaunts its aspiring coronal, like a gigantic plume, was set by Madge, our grand- daughter, as she said, 'to keep my memory green.'
"And well do I remember, it is more than sixty years ago, my mother planted a walnut by the gate, saying that she wanted a shade tree there. Father gloomily said no one would live to see her tree cast a shadow. Now it spreads out its great limbs and the first frost covers the ground with its fruitage. The long row of beautiful maples, which flame in the autumn days, well do I remember when my father transplanted them, and I with childish strength held them up while he sighted them into line.
"Under the cedars is the grave of Trouper, our beloved St. Bernard, most human of all animals, most devoted and sympathetic.
"The rooms of the house which for half a century have been gather- ing brie-a-brac, books, pictures, and nameless gifts of friends, vibrate with influences which awaken a thousand memories-pleasing memories -with shadows here and there.
"Of the earliest guest that my memory recalls (of my parents) was Prof. O. S. Fowler, then in the floodtide of his efforts to bring phrenology before the world, and make it a factor of education. He had utilized the theoretical teachings of Dr. Gall, and his lectures captivated a public which was just awakening from the lethargy of religious domination and craving to be led to new fields. Phrenology did not prove itself a 'science' nor establish the great claims he made for it, but he carried with it a tide of common sense in hygiene, self-culture, social relations, and liberal thought, and represented the most advanced ideas of the time-and far ahead of the time. Phrenology has passed, but the liberal ideas, religious, social and domestic, have displaced the old, and few there are who give this earthly pioneer the credit he deserves."
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