Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake, Part 26

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1094

USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake > Part 26
USA > Ohio > Geauga County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake > Part 26
USA > Ohio > Lake County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake > Part 26

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).

He was appointed to and held the office of Justice of the Peace in his native township for one or more terms before his removal to Ohio, and in March, 1816, was elected one of the Justices for Salem township. Soon after the expiration of his term in Salem he re- moved to Monroe, and in July, 1822, was elected Justice for that township, which office he held until he resigned to accept the office of Associate Judge, to which he was elected by the Legislature, December 31, 1823, and took his seat at the March term,

241

OF. NORTHEASTERN OHIO.

1824, of which office he discharged the duties until his decease, April 27, 1830. He was the first Postmaster in Monroe, and from him was derived the name of the post office and village of Kelloggsville.

At the time of the severance of two miles in width of the territory from the south part of Salem and annexing it to Monroe, in 1818, the brothers were very much interested and were probably influential in procuring the annexa- tion, for which they did not at the time receive very many thanks or congralulations from the citizens of Salem. Having had the advantages of a fair New England common- school education, and being a man of good judgment, Amos was very competent to trans- act such business as he had been accustomed to; but having been induced, in 1821, to en- gage in the business of a country merchant, and intrusting the management of the busi- ness to younger men, like most enterprises of that kind, the venture proved a failure, and caused him much embarrassment during the remainder of his life.

He united with the order of Freemasons in early life, was a member of the Evergreen Lodge, in Salem, and adhered to that organi- zation through the troublous times subsequent to the alleged abduction of Morgan. Polit- ically, he was of the old Federal school, but ardently supported Mr. Clay for President in 1824, and Mr. Adams in 1828. He was a kind, indulgent, and sympathizing husband and father, and, in short, " that noblest work of God," an honest man.

S® AMUEL WORCESTER PECK - was born at Tyringham (now Monterey), Berkshire county, Massachusetts, Sep- tember 23, 1821, a son of Horace and Abi-

gail (Allen) Peck; the father was born April 7, 1794, and died August 20, 1884, aged ninety-one years; the mother was born Au- gust 19, 1793, and died December 25, 1856, aged sixty-three years. Horace Peck was a carpenter and joiner by occupation, as had been his father before him. He emigrated to Ohio in 1834, locating at Chardon, Geauga county, in September of that year; here for nearly fifty years he followed agricultural pursuits and carpentry. Samuel W. Peck was also engaged in the carpenter's trade for a quarter of a century, and assisted in the erection of many of the buildings in the town- ship of Geneva. He has given some attention to farming, and has owned several valuable tracts of land which he has managed with excellent success. He is one of the original stock-holders of the First National Bank of Geneva, and has continued his connection with that institution since its founding.

He is a member of the I. O. O. F., the teachings of which fraternity comprise his religious belief. July 1, 1892, he was pre- sented with the Veteran Jewel by his brother members; he has a record of attending over 1,300 consecutive meetings of the lodge, and has rarely missed a meeting. He is a Past Grand, Past Patriarch, Past Special Deputy and Past Representative.

Mr. Peck was married January 16, 1845, to Louisa Webster, who was born January 22, 1824, a daughter of Norman and Ruth (Norton) Webster, pioneers of Geneva town- ship. The father was a native of Durham, Greene county, New York, and the mother was from the same county; he died April 11, 1867, at the age of ninety-two years, and the mother, April 17, 1878, aged eighty-seven years. Mrs. Peck's grandfathers, Timothy Webster and Ambrose Norton, were soldiers in the war of the Revolution. Her father

242

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

traded a fine farm in New York for a tract of 700 acres, extending from the creek east of Geneva village to the Saybrook township line, and south to the Geneva township line. He was a man greatly respected for his many sterling traits of character. Mr. Peck's great-grandfather was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary war, and served as Major under Washington. Politically Mr. Peck supports the Republican party, and is an ardent advo- cate of temperance.

丁 HOMAS CASE, of Andover township, Ashtabula county, was born May 7, 1830, a son of Orren B. and Delia A. (Cresey) Case, the former born in Mas- sachusetts in 1804, and the latter a native of Cherry Valley township, Ashtabula county, Ohio. The paternal grandfather of our sub- ject, Timothy Case, was a native of Mas- sacbusetts, and the family came to this county in 1822. O. B. and Delia Case had thirteen children, seven now living: Thomas, Morris, Birney, Eliza, James, Levacia, and Edd P. One son, Hon. A. T. Case, died in Michigan, at the age of fifty-three years; and another, Timothy, departed this life at the age of twenty years. Mr. Case was one of seven Birney men in Andover in 1840. He held the positions as Clerk and Trustee, and was a prominent man in his community. His death occurred in 1880, and his wife departed this life in 1874.

Thomas Case, the subject of this sketch, enlisted for service in the late war, February 24, 1865, entering the One-hundred and Seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company D, and served until the close of the struggle. He was discharged at Salis- bury, North Carolina, July 14, 1865. Mr.

Case resided for a time in Richmond, but he now owns 162 acres of land in Andover town- ship, Ashtabula county, Ohio. This is one of the finest farms in the neighborhood, con- tains all the necessary farm buildings, a sugar grove of 400 trees, an orchard, a patent evaporator for syrup and sugar, and a dairy of twenty cows. In his political views, Mr. Case is a Republican, and was the choice of his party for Assessor and Trustee. Socially, he is a member of the G. A. R., H. Kile Post, No. 80.

He was married at the age of twenty-one years, to Lucinda, a daughter of Samuel and Clarissa (Adams) Halmon. Mrs. Case died in November, 1855, and in 1857 our subject was united in marriage to Sarah A. Laughlin, formerly a successful teacher and a daughter of Hugh C. Laughlin, a prom- inent early settler of Ashtabula county. Mr. and Mrs. Case have three living children: Mary E., wife of F. S. Higden; Cora, of Montana; Hugh L. and Stiles C. Their deceased children were: Azalia Strickland, who had charge of the Bloomfield public school for a time, died December 4, 1892, at the age of thirty-three years; Charles, deceased at the age of four years; and a son died at the age of six months. Mrs. Case is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

AMES BROWN, a merchant of Dorset, Ashtabula county, Ohio, was born in Scotland, September 30, 1843, being a son of Thomas Brown, also a native of that country. The latter was foreman of part of the Markland Iron & Steel works in Scot- land, then the largest in the world, and on leaving that country for the United States

243

OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.

received a valuable gold watch as a token of respect and esteem from the workmen of that establishment. He first located at John- son, Trumbull county, Ohio, and then came to Richmond township, Ashtabula county, Ohio. At his death, Mr. Brown left seven children, three sons and four daughters.

James Brown, our subject, came with his parents to the United States at the age of nine years. In 1864 he enlisted for service in the late war, entering the One-hundred and Seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infan- try Company D, serving under General Sher- man. He bought his present store of W. K. Gates & Son, the building occupied being a two-story structure, 22 x 50 feet. He carries a general stock amounting to $7,000.

Mr. Brown was married in 1868, to Mary E. Brown, a daughter of Michael Brown, a pioneer settler of Venango county, Penn- sylvania, but now deceased. To this union have been born five children: Linn W., M. Raymond, Bessie M., Edith C. and Winefred M. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Dor- set. Our subject has served his city as Post- master, and his township as Trustee. He is a member of the G. A. R., Hiram Kile Post, No. 80, at Andover, Ohio. Mr. Brown is a man of intelligence of broad and progressive views, favors education, religion and temper- ance, and is one of the most popular citizens of his community.

R S. WORK, a photographer, of And- over, Ohio, was born in Evansburgh, Pennsylvania, August 18, 1863, a son of M. M. and Mary E. (Miller) Work, residents of that city. Our subject was reared and educated in the public and private schools

in his native place, and at the age of seven- teen years began the study of photography. He began business for himself in Evansburgh, but during the same year, 1881, located at Andover, Ohio, where he has since continued his profession. Mr. Work soon afterward erected the building he now occupies, 68 x 22 feet, two stories high, located on the east side of the public square, where he has all the modern conveniences for the prosecution of his work. His operating room is one of the finest in this part of the country. Mr. Work does all kinds of photographic work, and finishes portraits in crayon, India ink, etc .; also carries a full line of mouldings, and manufactures picture frames to order. He is a thorough master of his art.

Mr. Work was married at Adamsville, Pennsylvania, in August, 1881, to Miss Mag- gie J. Hazen, a daughter of David and Sarah Hazen. To this union have been born three children : Merrill R .; Maxwell M., died June 17, 1888, aged seven months; and Boyd H. Mrs. Work is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

A LONZO GREEN, who holds promi- nent rank with the earlier settlers of Willoughby township, Lake county, Ohio, was born in Rensselaer county, New York, May 2, 1823.

John Green, the father of Alonzo, was also a native of the Empire State. He was a farmer in Rensselaer county for many years, and died in Malone, Franklin county, that State, at the advanced age of ninety years. He was twice married. His first wife, nee Nancy Vial, died in 1827, leaving eight children, of whom Alonzo was next to the youngest. By his second marriage he had

214

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

one child. Four of the nine are still living. Alonzo Green attended the district schools in his youth, his educational advan- tages being limited to them. When he was twelve years old he began work in a cotton factory at Bennington, Vermont, and was employed there for three or four years, after- ward working two or three years in a cotton factory in Middlebury, Vermont. During this time he mastered every department of work connected with the manufacture of cloth. In August, 1840, at the age of seven- teen, he landed in Willoughby, Ohio, mak- ing the journey hither by canal boat and steamer, and being eleven days en route. His brother James was living here at that time. For more than a year after he came to Willoughby, Alonzo was sick and unable to work, but as soon as he recovered he turned his attention to the blacksmith trade and worked at it for two or three years. After that he began farming in Willoughby township. In August, 1851, he located on his present farm, 115 acres of fine Jand, on Willoughby Plains, which he purchased a few years later. To the cultivation and improvement of this place he devoted his energies, for some years living in a log house. He has cleared all of the land and now has an excellent farm. At the time he located here much of the land in this section of the country was in its wild state and there was still plenty of game in the forest. Mr. Green relates that he once killed a deer in this vicinity. He worked hard in those days to clear his land and provide for his family, and to the loving assistance and cheerful companionship of his good wife he attributes much of the success he has attained. She spun flax and wove the material for her children's clothes and also wove the woolen carpets for their home. Her old spinning-

wheel and loom are still in good repair and are pointed to with pride by Mrs. Green as she refers to their early life on this farm, where she and her husband have shared each other's joys and sorrows for over forty years.

Mr. and Mrs. Green were married in 1851. Her maiden name was Harriet A. Star, and she was a native of Leroy township, Lake county, her parents having emigrated from New Jersey to this State at an early day. Her father, at an advanced age, and also her mother, are still living, being residents of Missouri, and the mother being nearly nine- ty years of age. Six children compose the Green family, their names being as follows: Linda S., Ida A., Clara M., Willie A., Hattie N. and Eddie G.

Mr. Green was formerly an old-line Whig; in 1856 he joined the Republican party, and for several years past he has been a Democrat.

W ILLIAM P. SIMMONS, an old es- tablished florist at Geneva, was born at Stubton, Lincolnshire, England, January 5, 1828, a son of Thomas and Grace (Parker) Simmons. Thomas Simmons was born on the estate of Sir Robert Ileron, and lived there all his life: he was head gardener until the last twenty years, during which period he has been in charge of the menagerie of the place. William P. Simmons, at the age of twenty years, went to the estate of the Marquis of Westminster, Eaton Hall, where he was employed as foreman for some time; he then took a position with the Joseph Knight Nurseries, London, where he remained until he went to the estate of the Hon. James Dut- ton, where he became head gardener. At the age of thirty years he emigrated to America,

245

OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.

and for some time was engaged in farming. In 1861 he came to Geneva and first did some landscape gardening. He has had charge of one cemetery for more than twenty-five years.

In 1871 he turned his attention to floricul- ture, and has since established a very exten- sive business; he does some exporting, and has an importing trade with all parts of the world. His two sons, William H. and Ansel T., are members of the firm.

Mr. Simmons was married to Vincy Louisa Ackley, April 19, 1855. She was born No- vember 24, 1823, at East Haddam, Connecti- cut, a daughter of Ansel and Lydia (Rowley) Ackley. Both her maternal and paternal grandfathers were soldiers in the war of 1812, and her great grandfathers were among the soldiers of the Revolution. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons are the parents of three children: William H., born February 8, 1856; Lydia A., born September 3, 1857, wife of Edwin Booth, proof-reader on The Leader, Cleveland, Ohio, and Ansel T., born December 16, 1859. Mr. Simmons and his son Ansel are stanch Republicans, while William H. affiliates with the Democratic party. The family are worthy members of the Episcopal Church.

H ON. JONATHAN WARNER was born at Chester parish, in old Say- brook, Connecticut, December 11, 1782. His father, Jonathan, was a farmer, and also owned some interest in vessels engaged at that time in the coasting trade. The young man was bred principally upon the farm, but had acquired some experience as a sailor upon his father's vessels, and had at one time made a cruise to the West Indies. In the fall of 1804, in company with a man named Olmsted, he

ventured on an exploring expedition to the western country. He was provided with a letter of credit, which spoke of him in high terms of praise.

At Buffalo they procured a boat, and started upon the lake for New Connecticut, and his nautical experience was of value during a vio- lent storm, which compelled them to run their boat ashore, where they spent a night under its shelter. They landed at the month of Ashtabula creek, and made their way to the interior as far as the present village of Jefferson. Here Mr. Warner selected lands embracing a part of the present village, while his companion made his settlement in what is now known as the township of Kingsville. At that time there was but one resident of the township of Jefferson, a man by the name of Mapes, who had previously settled upon a part of the same land, and had built a log house and cleared a few acres. Mr. Warner pur- chased his improvements and made provision for a future home, although before locating permanently he went back to Connecticut. In the spring of 1805 he returned, and fixed his permanent residence in Jefferson.

In 1806 other settlers came into the town- ship. Among them came Edward Frethy, with his family, from Washington city. He was the first postmaster, the first justice of the peace, and the first merchant in Jefferson.

Mr. Warner was pleased with the wilder- ness in which he had located, and which he was making every effort to destroy. As a matter of choice he had settled in a hermit- age far from human habitations, and yet he found it not good to be alone, and on the 4th day of May, 1807, he was married to Nancy, a daughter of Edward Frethy. His residence was three-fourths of a mile distant, and he went for his bride on horseback. After the ceremony was performed he took her upon

246

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

the crupper and carried her to his cabin, near the same spot where she now resides, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years, and where she continued the partner of his joys and of his sorrows through his life.

The first selection of land made by Mr. Warner embraced the land upon which the courthouse was afterward located; but to accommodate the new village and to secure the county seat he was induced to exchange a portion of his selection for lands lying farther west and adjoining the proposed town.

In the year 1815 he was appointed Recorder of Deeds for the county, for the term of seven years. In the year 1825 he was appointed Treasurer of the county. Soon after this time anti- Masonic excitement prevailed in politics, and Mr. Warner was an active leader in the anti-Masonic party. In the fall of 1831 he was elected a Representative to the State Legis- lature, and in the spring of 1839 he was elected by the Legislature of the State an As- sociate Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, for the term of seven years, his term expiring on April 1, 1846. He was always an active par- tisan in politics, and always in sympathy with the Democratic party, except during the few years that the anti-Masonic party had a polit- ical existence. He had eleven children, one of whom died in infancy. Of the ten who reached maturity,-four sons and six daugh- ters,-all but one are now living, and all have families of their own, who now hold respect- able positions in society. George, his second son, was killed by accident, March 25, 1877, in Washington Territory, where he left a wife and two children. Judge Warner died at his old residence in Jefferson on the 12th day of April, 1862, in his eightieth year, respected and honored by all.

He was a vigorous man, possessed of a strong will, a kind heart, and affectionate dis-

position. He was a valuable citizen, exact and trustworthy in all his dealings, as well in public as in private life; and as one of the pioneers of the county, who has helped to found and build up its institutions, his life and character are worthy of commemoration by the present as well as by the future gene- rations of this county who may follow after him.

(OSEPH ADDISON GIDDINGS .- The relation of the subject of this sketch to Jefferson and Ashtabula county, Ohio, is like that of a son to a mother, his birth having occurred in this county February 17, 1822, his father having been the distinguished jurist and worthy citizen, Joshua R. Gid- dings.

Mr. Giddings, of this sketch, was reared in Jefferson, receiving his early education in the schools of this city, which instruction was supplemented by a course in the Alle- gheny College, in Pennsylvania. He after- ward read law under his celebrated father and was admitted to the bar in Cincinnati in 1843, and shortly afterward commenced the practice of his profession in Jefferson, which has ever since been his home.

Here his energy and inherited ability soon made their influence felt and gained for him almost immediately a lucrative cli- entage. This, however, he partly surrendered to publish the county official paper, the Sen- tinel, which he bought in 1849 and continued successfully to publish until 1853. At this time he was elected Probate Judge of Ash- tabula county, and in order to give his at- tention to the important duties devolving upon him, he sold his interest in the paper. He continued to be an incumbent of his

247

OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.

judicial position for six years, serving the people with ability and honor, and retiring with the best wishes of the community. Having come into possession of large landed interests in the meantime, he entered ex- tensively into farming and stock-raising, grazing many cattle, horses and sheep, and doing a large dairy business, which fruitful enterprises after all these years have left him scarcely nothing to hope for or desire in the way of temporal acquisitions. He has been a director in the First National Bank since its organization, and to his financial ability and known business integrity is due much of the phenomenal success of this institution.

Mr. Giddings was married in 1858 to Miss Mary Curtis, an accomplished lady of Shef- field, Ohio. They have one son and three daughters, all of whom have enjoyed liberal educational advantages, the son being now one of the leading farmers of Ashtabula county.

Politically, Mr. Giddings was first a Whig and afterward a Free Soiler, since which time he has been a Republican.

Thus is briefly given a few facts germane to an eminently busy and useful life, which has been crowned with the world's fullest success.

H. CLARK, a farmer of Ashtabula county, was born in Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, November 9, 1836, a son of John K. Clark, a native also of that county. His father, John Clark, was born of Irish parents, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and his death occurred in Williamsfield township, Ashtabula county, Ohio, in 1857, at which time he had attained the age of eighty-three years. The mother of our sub- ject, nee Emily Harris, was a native of Pitts-

burg, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Joseph and Anna Harris, pioneer settlers of that place." The mother effected the opening of the first store at Warren, Ohio. In 1838, John K. Clark, father of our subject, located in Williamsfield township, Ohio, where he remained until 1879, and in that year went to Greenville, Pennsylvania. He still resides at that place, aged eighty years. His wife died in 1857. Mr. and Mrs. Clark had five children: William, J. H., Henry, Mary and Travilla. After the mother's death, the father married Mrs. Elizabeth Cook.

J. H. Clark, the subject of this notice, was reared on the old home farmn. In 1860 he went to Illinois, and in 1861 enlisted in the Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Rosecrans and Major R. B. Hayes, and was in the same regiment as was William McKinley. Mr. Clark participated in the bat- tles of Antietam, South Mountain, Winches- ter, and many others, and was honorably discharged from service in July, 1864. He now owns 167 acres of fine land in Ashtabula county, and a sixty-four acre farm at Kings- ville. The latter is known as the old Daniel Smith place, is one of the oldest farms in the county, contains a good residence, a barn 38 x 50 feet, a sugar grove of 650 trees, and numerous other improvements, resultant of time and labor. In his political relations, Mr. Clark is a Republican, and has held the position of Township Trustee eight years.

He was married July 9, 1863, to Annette Smith, who was born on the farm where she now resides, a daughter of Daniel and Mary (Reed) Smith, natives respectively of Massa- chusetts and Pennsylvania. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Clark, William Reed, was a soldier of the war of 1812. At one time his wife was lost in the woods, and was obliged to spend two nights in the branches

218

BIOGRAPHIICAL HISTORY

of trees with a child two years old in her arms. A panther followed their path the second night out, and came under the tree and gave a most unearthly scream and then retraced his steps. They finally came to some raftsmen on the Shenango river, who kindly took them home.

Daniel and Mary Smith had five children: Corintha (deceased), Emeline, William, Dan- iel and Annette. The mother died at the age of eighty years, and the father at the age of eighty-five years. The father was a farmer and fuller by occupation, a Republican in his political views, and religiously a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have three children: Lizzie, J. Reed and Mary E., all of whom are successful teachers. Mrs. Clark is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Socially, our subject affiliates with Kile Post, G. A. R., and is one of the prominent and popular citizens of Ashtabula county.

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.

Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake, Part 26

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1094

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1094