Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake, Part 43

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 43
USA > Ohio > Geauga County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake > Part 43
USA > Ohio > Lake County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake > 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).

Stanton, also natives of Connecticut, and her maternal grandparents, Jonathan Ufford and his wife, the latter being a Miss Gutridge before her marriage, were natives of New Eng- land. The parents of our subject were married in 1822, as above stated, and had a family of six children, as follows: Susan S., who died in August, 1847, was a teacher; Gilbert, who was engaged in farming in Sheffield town- ship, this county, died October 8, 1890, leav- ing a widow and daughter, Susan; John, who died March 16, 1892, left a widow and one son, Spencer S .; Andrew J., whose name heads this article; Perry M., who died from the effects of a hog bite at the age of thirty- three years; and Wilson S., a resident of Denmark, Ohio, married Lonie Custard, and has two children, Genevra and John.

Andrew J. Whipple was born in 1832, in Kingsville, Ohio, and remained with his par- ents until he was twenty-five years of age. For several years he taught school during the winter and worked on the farm during the summer, and with the money thus earned he purchased a farm of fifty acres, upon which he located when he was married in 1857. He married Martha Jane Richards, a native of Crawford county, Pennsylvania, who came with her parents to Ashtabula county, Ohio, in 1851, and remained with her widowed mother until she married Mr. Whipple. She is the daughter of Daniel and Maria (Olin) Richards. Her father was killed by falling from a wagon onto a pitch fork, and her mother died January 11, 1877, in Sheffield township. The latter, a native of Vermont, was the daughter of Ezra and Ruth Olin, who were also natives of the Green Mountain State, and who spent the closing years of their lives and died in New York. Mr. and Mrs. Whipple have had four children, viz .: Carlosse Z., who died in infancy; Bina A., a

368

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

resident of Denmark township, this county, married Stella Van Slyke and has two chil- dren, Andrew J. and Paul D .; Fred George, a farmer of Sheffield township, married Louisa Bates, and has one child, Guy R .; and Aldin R., at home. Aldin married Katie Lyons.

Mr. Whipple commenced work at $6 per month when he was fourteen years old. Fi- nancially he has been successful, and he is ranked with the prosperous men of his vi- cinity. Politically, he affiliates with the Republican party, and for twenty-three years continuously has held the office of Justice of the Peace, having also filled various other official positions. For a number of years he has been called upon to settle estates, and frequently in such cases is not required to give bond. He and his wife are active mem- bers of the United Brethren Church, of which he is a Trustee.

AHIAL PARMLY, a wealthy farmer of Perry township, Lake county, Ohio, was born in Augusta, Georgia, in April, 1830.

The Parmly family are descended from a noble Belgium house named Parmelie. Man- rice de Parmelie was a prominent reformer of the sixteenth century, who, about 1567, fled to Holland to escape the persecutions of the Duke of Alva, his estate being confis- cated. There he founded the house of Von Parmelee. His third son, Johanes, became Baron of Batavia. In the list of passengers for America, on the ship Elizabeth and Anne, is the name of John Parmelee, aged twenty. This was the first ship to enter the harbor at New Haven, Connecticut, 1635. John Par- melee is supposed to be the progenitor of all the Parmly families in America, and the

subject of our sketch belongs to the sixth generation in this country. Many of the Parmlys have occupied honorable and useful positions in life, and several have been min- isters of the gospel. The spelling of the name was changed in 1810.

Eleazar Parinly, the grandfather of Jahial, was born in Vermont. He was a farmer by occupation. In 1816 he removed to New York State, and in March, 1817, came to Lake county, Ohio, making the journey with horses and wagon on the ice along the lake shore. Near Ashtabula the ice broke through with him and he came near drowning. His' first settlement in the county was made on the river road in Perry township, and a year later he moved to the bank of the lake. Here he built a cabin in the woods, and in true pioneer style began life on the frontier. He had cleared some land and was making an impress on his surroundings, when his untimely death occurred, the result of a kick from a horse, July 4, 1825. His son, Jahial, the father of our subject, was born in Ver- mont, July 14, 1799, and was eighteen when he came with his parents to Ohio. He was large and strong and full of ambition, and the western life had for him many attractions. The Indians were numerous here then, and the forest abounded in bears and wolves. Young Parmly was noted in all the country round as an expert wood-chopper. The stump of a black-walnut tree he cut down when he first came here was still to be seen a few years ago. He helped to build the first sawmill on the creek here, the iron for which the settlers carried on their backs from Gran- don, on the Grand river, near Painesville.

In 1821 the father of our subject went to Boston to learn dentistry. After completing his studies he went South and began the practice of his profession in Georgia. His

369

OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.

professional career there was one of marked success, and from time to time he came North and made investments in real estate in Ohio, until he owned 6,000 acres of land in differ- ent parts of the State. He finally settled in Painesville, where he spent the residue of his life retired from active business, and died May 26, 1873. His wife, whose maiden name was Eliza A. Pleasants, was born in Richmond, Virginia, August 2, 1799, and died March 2, 1891, being nearly ninety-two years of age. They had nine children, six of whom-all sons-reached adult years, viz .: Jahial, James, Henry, Samuel, David and Leo. David is deceased. Henry and Samuel are wealthy real-estate dealers in Chicago. James lives in Painesville, and Leo in Florida.

Jahial Parmly spent part of his youthful days in the South. He attended school in Madison and Painesville, this county, and at the age of twenty-one entered the Baltimore Dental College. He practiced dentistry for four years. Leaving college, he located in Van Wert county, Ohio, where he was en- gaged in the lumber business until 1861. During that time he built the fourth steam sawmill in the county. From Van Wert county Mr. Parmly came to his present loca- tion, where he has 500 acres of land and is engaged in general farming. He has fifty acres of muck onion land, on which he raises immense quantities of onions. He also owns a gristmill on Harper creek.

Mr. Parmly was married July 5, 1855, to Martha J. Priddy, a native of Fayette county, Ohio. They had four children, as follows: Eliza A., now Mrs. Cramblett; Augusta G., now Mrs. Whitney; and Eugene P. and Cecil F., twins, the former having died at the age of fifteen years, and the latter at twenty- seven. Mrs. Parmly died February 16, 1892.

Her grandfather, a resident of Fayette county, this State, lived to be 106 years old.

Mr. Parmly's political views are in har- mony with the principles advocated by the Republican party.

N ELSON D. CORNING, a citizen of Mentor, and a member of a prominent pioneer family of this place, was born here July 12, 1831.

Mr. Corning's grandfather, Colonel War- ren Corning, was a native of Massachusetts. He came with his family to Lake county, Ohio, prior to 1812, making the journey here by wagon, and upon his arrival settled at what is now Mentor. This part of the country was then a dense forest. He lived to nearly the age of four score years, honored and respected by all who knew him. He was a Disciple, and took an active part in the or- ganization of that church in this locality.

Deacon Nathan Corning, the father of Nelson D., was about six years old at the time they emigrated to Ohio. He lived on a farm at Mentor, and was also extensively eu- gaged in the manufacture of brooms here. At various times he filled local offices, being County Coroner two terms. July 5, 1882, after a long life of useful activity, he passed from earth to his reward. His wife, whose maiden name was Phoebe Wilson, and who was a native of New York, died in August, 1878. They had six children, five of whom are living, Nelson D. being the second born.

Nelson D. Corning was reared on his father's farm, receiving his education in the district schools and the Kirtland Academy. His whole life has been spent at Mentor. IIe remained on the farm with his father several years after reaching his majority. Then be

370

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

bought land of his own. He has helped to clear and improve considerable land in this vicinity. He has now within the corporation of Mentor twenty acres, on which he is rais- ing small fruit. Some years ago he was largely interested in the manufacture of brooms.

Mr. Corning was married June 15, 1857, to Adelia Tyler, a native of New York. Their children are as follows: Frank B., married and living in Mentor; Emily, wife of P. G. Worcester, of Mentor; and Mary B., at home.

For nearly twenty years Mr. Corning has been a member of the Town Council, and for eighteen years he has served on the School Board.

W ESLEY TROWBRIDGE, a leading farmer of Johnny Cake Ridge, Con- cord township, Lake county, Ohio, is a native of Arcadia, Wayne county, New York, born November 28, 1834. He is of English descent, but several generations of the family have been residents of America. Great-grandfather Seth Trowbridge was a native of Connecticut and was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and Grandfather Minor Trowbridge was born in Rutland, Vermont. The latter was a farmer and lived to be ninety years old.

Seymour Trowbridge, the father of our subject, was born in Arcadia, Wayne county, New York, and in the fall of 1835 emigrated with his family to Solon, Cuyahoga county, Ohio. This part of the State was then a dense wilderness. He built his log cabin in the woods, and by dint of hard work and good management supported his family in pioneer style and cleared up a fine farm of 200 acres. When he first settled on this

place he worked out at 50 cents per day to get money with which to buy provisions. In 1863 he sold his farm and moved to Brook- lyn Village, Cuyahoga county, where he still lives, hale and hearty, at the age of eighty years. He has taken an active part in many of the leading enterprises which have mate- rially advanced the interests of his county. With the building of the street railway on Pearl street, connecting Brooklyn Village with Cleveland, he was prominently identi- fied, being a stockholder and director and the first president of the road. He served as Trustee of his township several terms, and two terms as Mayor of Brooklyn Village. He was married February 6, 1834, to Miss Sallie M. Johnson, a native of New York, who for sixty years has been his devoted companion. Both have been active and zeal- ous workers in the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years. Their two children are Wesley, whose name heads this article, and Deborah, wife of John Thompson, of Solon, Ohio.

Wesley Trowbridge attended the district schools until he was fifteen, after which he was for a few terms a student in the academy at Chagrin Falls, Ohio. The day he was nineteen he began teaching school, and taught four winter terms, the first term being in the old schoolhouse in which he learned his al- phabet.

In 1858 Mr. Trowbridge married Miss Elizabeth B. Foster, a native of Cuyahoga county, who died in 1877, leaving six chil- dren: Elmer E., deceased; George G .; Sey- mour D .; Armina M .; Alberta E., deceased ; and Warner W. In 1878 Mr. Trowbridge wedded Susan F. Galusha, his present com- panion, a native of New York.

Immediately after his first marriage he located in Solon township, Cuyahoga county,

371

OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.

and engaged in farming, which he continued until the fall of 1861. From that time until 1874 he made his home in Brooklyn Village, and since 1874 has been a resident of Concord township, Lake county. Upon locating here he purchased his present farm of 207 acres of choice land, to the improvement and cul- tivation of which he has since given his at- tention.

During the troublous times of our late civil conflict Mr. Trowbridge tendered his services to the Union cause. He enlisted in August, 1862, as a member of Company D, One Hundred and Third Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, and served almost three years, being mustered out in May, 1865. He was with his company and regiment at the front until after 1863, when he was taken sick, and upon his convalescence was detailed for hospital duty, serving in hospitals at Frankfort, Lex- ington and Covington, Kentucky, and sub- sequently being transferred to the general hospital at Cleveland, Ohio. His chief duty was keeping books in the surgeon's office.

Politically Mr. Trowbridge is a Republi- can. He has filled various minor offices in his township, but is not an active politician or office-seeker. He and his wife are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Painesville.

EWISWATERS, EsQ., of Orwell, Ohio, once an active farmer, a prominent and progressive citizen, energetic in his labors for the advancement of the interests of his town, faithful to the positions of trust imposed upon him, is now retired from ac- tive life.

This venerable man was born in Milford, Otsego county, New York, December 29,

1822, son of Judah and Ruth (Putnam) Waters. His parents were married in Mas- sachusetts, and passed the closing years of their lives in Ohio, where they died, the fa- ther in May, 1867, and the mother in June, 1869. They had a family of seven children, one of whom died in infancy. The others are as follows: Nathan, Sarah, Freeman, Harriet, Lewis and Olive. The senior Mr. Waters, was by trade a scythe and hoe maker, an oc- cupation which he followed in early life, sub- sequently turning his attention to milling. The boyhood days of Lewis. Waters were spent in doing chores around the mill, and in attending the district school. At the age of thirteen he became a full hand in driving team, hauling grain, flour, etc., for his father.

January 20, 1840, young Waters, with a single horse and wagon, left his native town, en route for Orwell, Ohio, arriving at his destination February 20. His parents joined him in this State about a year later. His father had previously purchased a farm here, and this land he at once went to work to clear and develop. The fall he was twenty he attended Welchfield Academy one term, after which he taught school for some time. After teaching in Ohio for a while he went to Missouri, where he was engaged in the same occupation, and where he formed the acquaintance of the lady, who, a year later, became his wife.

This lady was Miss Frances Sappington. She was born in St. Louis county, Missouri, June 18, 1818, the eldest of a family of eight children, the others being as follows: Will- iam J .; Overton S., who died and left a family ; Joseph B .; Nicholas, who was killed in a rail- road collision; Sarah, who died May 17, 1835; James, who died in Kansas and left a family; and Mary E., wife of Thomas Baker, died in December, 1882, leaving a family. The fa-

372

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

ther of this family was born November 23, 1796, and died April 5, 1885. The mother, nee Amney Wright, born in 1800, died in 1831. Mrs. Waters was only thirteen years old at the time her mother died, and, being the oldest of the family, upon her devolved the charge of the other children. She con- tinued at the head of their household affairs until her father married again. May 21, 1840, he wedded Miss Tabitha Pipkin, and they had one daughter, Margaret, who died at the age of thirteen years.

After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Waters came to Orwell, Ohio, and settled on a fine farm south of the town. Here they lived until the death of Mrs. Waters, which oc- curred July 23, 1884. This farm, 188 acres, is now under the efficient management of J. G. Kingdon, Mr. Waters' son-in-law. Mr. and Mrs. Waters had eight children, namely : James F., born December 30, 1845; Amney G. and Ruth P. (twins), born May 27, 1847; Ruth P., who died October 20, 1849; Olivia F., born December 30, 1848; George W., born May 5, 1850; Granville E., born April 4, 1852; Ida E., born October 8, 1853; Cora Idel, born August 7, 1858. Amney G. married Mr. J. G. Kingdon of Orwell, and they have two sons and o ne daughter. Olivia wife of Frank Bissell, of Orwell, has had one daughter, who died at about the age of eleven years. Mr. Waters makes his home with his daughter, Mrs. Bissell. Ida E. is the wife of John Runciman; and Cora I. married Will- iam R. Winters. Mr. and Mrs. Winters have one daughter.

The life of Mr. Waters has been an exem- plary one. Honesty, integrity, industry and generosity have been the chief charactistics of his life. Few men of this vicinity have done more to advance its best interests than he. For many years he has been interested

in the breeding of fine horses, and still owns some fine specimens of horse flesh. The first standard-bred stallion ever brought to Orwell was " May Day, " owned by Mr. Waters. Po- litically, he is a Democrat. He has always been identified with the best elements of his party and in various ways has rendered it valued service. During President Cleveland's first administration he served three and a half years as Postmaster of Orwell. For a num- ber of years he served as Justice of the Peace. During the Civil war he was appointed clerk for the Quartermaster's Department at Chat- tanooga, Tennessee, and after rendering effi- cient service as such for a short time was appointed General Superintendent of the Quartermaster's Department, at the same place, remaining in that position until the close of the war. He was then honorably dis- charged, with letters of commendation from his superior officers. Mr. Waters was Chair- man of the first County Board of Electors under the Australian ballot system. Socially, he is a gentleman of the highest order, kind and agreeable to all, and respected and es- teemed by both old and young. For over thirty-five years he has been a member of the I. O. O. F.

H IRAM J. MARSH, a dealer in coal, and one of the prosperous business men of Conneaut, Ohio, was born at this place, March 28, 1835, his parents being among the pioneers of Ashtabula county. He and an older brother, Steven W., are now the only ones of the family residing here. Of them we make the fol- lowing record:

Among the people from New York who came West to Ohio, in 1828, were Silas Marsh

373

OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.

and his family. Mr. Marsh was of Scotch de- scent, was born in New York, in 1792, and in 1818 married Miss Mary Williams, also a na- tive of that State, the date of her birth being 1800. He was a pearler by trade, and after coming to Conneaut worked in the ashery where the Shenango station is now located. His home was within a few rods of this spot. Mr. Marsh was a man of sterling qualities and was well known and highly respected here. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and during that struggle received a wound, from the effects of which he never recovered and which no doubt hastened his death. He died in the faith of the Christian religion, in March, 1861, aged sixty-nine years. His wife joined the church the year she was married, and hers was a beautiful Christian character. She passed to her reward in November, 1877, at the age of seventy-seven. They had a family of twelve children, namely : Jefferson, who died in Rochester, in 1859; Lucy, wife of B. Jones, is a resident of Valparaiso, Indi- ana; Sarah, wife of John Laferty, is deceased; Steven W .; Betsey, wife of Charles Condon, is deceased; David F., of Chicago; Hiram J .; Electa, wife of James Goldring; Lucius, who died in 1866; and two that died in infancy.

Hiram J. Marsh began life as a farmer boy, working for wages. The first pair of shoes he ever wore were a pair for which he and his brother earned the money to buy them by picking mulberry leaves, and they took turns in wearing them, he wearing them one week and the next week going barefoot while his brother wore them. After he was eleven years old he went on the lakes, being employed as cook, handy boy, etc., on various vessels until the war broke out.

August 9, 1862, the three brothers, Hiram J., David F. and Steven W., all enlisted in the Second Ohio Independent Light Artillery,

and their war record is perhaps without a parallel in the history of any country. They . were with the forces that operated in the West and South. To give an account of the engagements in which they participated would be to write a history of the greater part of the war. Suffice it to say that three truer, braver, more patriotic soldiers never went into battle; that all enlisted on the same day, served in the same command three years, returned 'home together on the same day ; and that none of them were ever wounded or taken prisoner, although they were often in the thickest of the fight with comrades falling all around them. The date of their discharge was in August, 1865, exactly three years from the day of their enlistment.

Hiram's health was so impaired after the war that the first winter he was unable to do much work. March 1, 1867, he was employed by the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad Company, and remained in the ser- vice of that corporation sixteen years, being first employed as baggage master, afterward as clerk and later as chief clerk in the freight office. Then he turned his attention to the coal business, in which he has since been engaged.

He was married March 12, 1854, to Miss Louisa Biffin, a native of England, and a daughter of William Biffin. Following are the names of their children: James H., who married Emma Culbertson, is a resident of Conneaut; Lina, wife of Joseph G. Salsbury, conductor on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad; Alice L., wife of Byron L. Gifford, of Conneaut; George H. married Mollie Darling and lives in Conneaut; Fred E., fireman on the Nickel Plate Railroad; and Clara Bell, of the home circle. Both Mr. and Mrs. Marsh are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a member of the

374

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

G. A. R. Mr. Marsh is one of the self-made and substantial men of Conneaut.

Steven W. Marsh, of whom mention has been made in the preceding sketch, is an- other one of the highly respected citizens of Conneaut.

He was born in Conneaut, July 25, 1829, six weeks after the family landed here. His war experience has already been referred to in the biography of his brother, Hiram J., and was very similar to that of his brother, with this exception, however: He was de- tailed at the Soldiers' Home in Vicksburg, through the recommendation of Mrs. Plum- mer, of Springfield, Pennsylvania, who in person went to the headquarters of General Grant and had him detailed to attend hospi- tal, which he did for fourteen months. By a mistake on the part of the lady in not giving him a duplicate of the detail, he drew no money for this service. During this time his good wife supported herself and two children by rolling cigars at her home in Conneaut.

On his return from the war, Mr. Marsh engaged in railroading, and was employed as baggage master of this station for fifteen years. Then he was engaged in draying for some time. He is now an invalid and not in any active business.

February 22, 1853, he married Minerva Clark, daughter of Norman S. and Amanda (Laferty) Clark. Her father and mother were natives respectively of Virginia and Pennsyl- vania, were married in New York, and came to Springfield township, Erie county, Ohio, about 1846. Mrs. Marsh is the oldest of eleven children, seven of whom are still living. Her father died in 1873, aged sixty-three years, and her mother in 1888, aged seventy- five. The latter was a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Mr. and Mrs. Marsh have two children: William H., of Cleveland,

married Mary E. Brown, and has two chil- dren, Arthur S. and Dora M .; and Kate I., wife of Stillman Vining, of Lisbon, Dakota. Mr. Marsh and his wife are among the oldest members of the Methodist Church of Con- neant, having united with the same in 1857. He is a member of the State Police and also of Custer Post, No. 9, G. A. R., he and his brother Hiram being charter members of this post.

A LBA B. MARTIN, secretary of the Geneva Tool Company, is a native of Ohio, born in Windsor, July 12, 1841, a son of Leonard and Louisa (Burnham) Martin. His father was born in Washing- ton county, New York, May 22, 1809, and for many years was successfully engaged in mercantile pursuits in Buffalo. Emigrating from that eity to Ohio, soon after his arrival, he settled upon a farm in Windsor, where he remained until the time of his death, July 22, 1882. He was a useful citizen, and held the confidence and respect of the community in which he dwelt.

Louisa Burnham was a native of Connecti- cut, and a daughter of Captain Burnham, for many years a prominent character in this vicinity, -- a man of exceedingly fine social qualities. They were the parents of six chil- dren; Sarah L., Milton, Edgar, our subject (Alba B.), Emma F., and Orlan J., all living and residents of Ashtabula county with the exception of Milton, who was burned to death in childhood.

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 43

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