Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake, Part 51

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 51
USA > Ohio > Geauga County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake > Part 51
USA > Ohio > Lake County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake > Part 51

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).

Stephen and Frank, in Ashtabula. In 1890, Mr. Burnett was bereaved of his wife, and April 15, 1893, he also died, universally and sincerely lamented.

His son, D. D. Burnett, whose name heads this sketch, was reared in his native county and attended the common schools in his viein- ity. He was trained to farming, which oc- cupation he followed until the commence- ment of the war. In the fall of 1860, he went to Iowa, where he enlisted, the follow- ing year, in Company D of the First Iowa Cavalry. The command rendezvoused at Burlington until uniformed, when they were ordered to St. Louis, Missouri. They partic- ipated in a slight skirmish at Lexington, where Mr. Burnett was shot in the hand and disabled for six months. He then rejoined his regiment at Clinton, Missouri, and was with the wagon train during the battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas. He helped to drive General Marmaduke out of Missouri, in May, 1863, and in 1864 was discharged at Daven- port, Iowa. He then immediately came to Ohio, and was married, after which he re- turned with his wife to Iowa. A year later, he decided to make Ohio his home, and ac- cordingly settled in Ashtabula, where he en- gaged in carpenter and joiner work, which he followed until 1872. At this time a rail- road accident deprived him of his right foot, and for the next ten years he confined his work to the shop. He then decided to try a new business, and engaged in merchandising, which he has since followed with gratifying success, his business being conducted on the merit of his goods and with the strictest regard to the highest business principles.

February 22, 1865, Mr. Burnett was mar- ried to Louisa Dickenson, an intelligent and refined lady, daughter of E. M. Dickenson, of whom extended notice will follow. Mr.

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and Mrs. Burnett have had five children: Myrtle E .; Anna L .; Ada D., who married A. J. Dittenhaver; Julia K .; and Bessie I., who died at the age of eleven years.

Fraternally, Mr. Burnett affiliates with the G. A. R., and his family are active members of the Congregational Church. All enjoy the highest esteem of the community in which they reside, and of which Mr. Burnett is a representative citizen.

E. M. Dickenson, Mrs. Burnett's father, now deceased, was an early settler of Ashta- bula county, Ohio, and took an active part in its development. He was born in Weth- ersfield, Connecticut, September 17, 1806, and was the youngest of nine children of Waitstell Dickenson, who was a farmer and a worthy patriot. He joined the Colonial army, serving faithfully and efficiently for seven years under General Gage and Baron Steuben, thereby contributing much luster to the family name. He was a Whig in poli- tics and a typical American, most temperate in his habits, never using either wine or to- bacco, was highly industrious and enterpris- ing and a Scotch Presbyterian in faith. He removed with his family in an early day from Connecticut to Onondaga, New York, where they resided many years. Thence they re- moved to Lagrange county, Indiana, and in 1841 made a final move to Ashtabula county, Ohio, settling in Kingsville. Here Wait- stell Dickenson died in 1842, at the age of eighty six years, sincerely lamented by rea- son of his many sterling traits of character. E. M. Dickenson resembled his father in character and disposition, and like him was a Whig in politics, with the addition of strong anti-slavery proclivities, being a member of the underground railway association, his home having sheltered many fugitive slaves. He was a man of superior ability, well versed

in current events and most just and upright in character, his religious faith being that of the Congregationalists. Mr. E. M. Dicken- son was married in Kingsville, Ohio, to Eliz- abeth Brown, daughter of Peter Brown, of Vermont, who was an early settler of Ash- tabula county, of whom mention will be made again. Five years after his marriage, Mr. . Dickenson sold the farm on which he had been residing and bought that now owned by the family. There his death occurred Feb- ruary 22, 1859, his loss carrying sorrow to many hearts which appreciated his worth. Peter Brown, his wife's father, also a pioneer of Ashtabula county, was born in Stafford, Orange county, Vermont, in 1780, where he was reared and married and followed the tan- ner and currier's trade. He also participated in the war of 1812, and fought in the battle of Lake Champlain. He came to Ohio in 1826 and died in Ashtabula county in 1856, his wife following him to the tomb in 1863, at the age of eighty six years.

Mr. and Mrs. Dickenson had six children: Louisa C .; Charles, who died in California, February 26, 1890; Edward P .; Willie H., who died March 26, 1891; George B., resid - ing in Denver; and Katherine S. All who survive occupy positions of honor and trust and are worthy descendants of respected par- ents.

M ANVILLE F. PARKER was born March 15, 1839, in Madison, Lake county, Ohio, a son of Silas and Phoebe (Beckwith) Parker. The father, a native of Connecticut, was born April 22, 1811, and was reared to agricul- tural pursuits; he emigrated with his parents to Ohio in 1830, locating in the western part of Madison township, Lake county. At the

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age of twenty-four years he was married, and afterward bought a farm in Leroy township, Lake county. By his first marriage he had five children: O. C. was born in 1836 and has a family of six children, five of whom survive; in early life he was engaged in mer- cantile pursuits, but now raises small fruits; Loren was born October 2, 1837; he was a farmer and followed this occupation for several years; at present his whereabouts are unknown; Manville F. is the third-born and the subject of this notice; Silas, Jr., was born in 1846; he enlisted in the Union army in December, 1861, as a private in the Fifteenth Ohio Battery, a bright young man full of promise; he was mustered in at Camp Chase, Ohio, and was soon after stricken with measles from which he did not recover, his death occurring February 14, 1862; Harmon C. was born in 1848, he is successfully en- gaged in the culture of small fruits. The father was married a second time in 1858, and two children were the result of this union, only one surviving; his third marriage was in 1865, and his death occurred October 23, 1879. Manville F. Parker passed his boyhood and youth on the farm, and had lim- ited opportunities for acquiring an education. He left the parental roof at the age of ten years, and before he was twelve years old left the schoolroom to assume the more serious responsibilities of life. For eight years he was employed on a farm, and at the age of eighteen was united in marriage to Ann P. Rice, this event being solemnized September 25, 1856. Mrs. Parker is the daughter of Lyman H. and Hulda C. Rice, natives of the State of New York; they removed to Ohio in 1800, and the following year Mr. Rice re- turned to New York to make a visit; he reached Buffalo, and was not heard from afterward.

For a year after his marriage Mr. Parker was employed on the railroad; he removed to Michigan in 1857 and engaged in milling, conducting a successful business until De- cember 30, 1863, when he surrendered his private interests to the Nation's need, eulist- ing as a private in Company E, Nineteenth Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He joined his regiment at McMinnville, Tennessee, the middle of January, 1864, and was in active service until the battle of Resaca, Georgia, where he was wounded May 15, 1864. He lay upon the ground eight hours; was then carried into the woods, where he laid seven days on a rubber blanket with his wound un- dressed; he was then taken to the general field hospital, and May 24 he was carried back to Resaca. July 1 he was sent to Chat- tanooga, thence to Nashville, thence to Jeffersonville, Indiana, and finally to St. Mary's hospital, Detroit, where he was dis- charged October 5, 1864, having undergone a thigh amputation. He returned to his home in Kalamazoo county, and again em- barked in the milling business. In 1867 he returned to Geneva, Ohio, and for sixteen years was manager of a large sawmill. Dur- ing the past eight years he has been unable to conduct an active business.

Mr. and Mrs. Parker have had a family of six children, four of whom are living: Ara A., was born August 30, 1857; he was mar- ried in 1877 to Ada A. Young, who died January 8, 1880; he was married a second time, March 15, 1883, to I-abella Taylor; Ira I. was born February 4, 1860; he mar- ried Adell Stone, and they had two children, one of whom died at the age of six months; Delia D. was born March 24, 1862; she was married December 24, 1881, and had one child; she was married a second time Angust 29, 1891; Myron M. was born April 14,

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1864, and died January 26, 1869; Jay O. was born November 29, 1872, and died February 24, 1873; Clyde L. was born July 13, 1878. Mr. Parker is a member of Bowers Post, G. A. R. In politics he supports the issues of the Republican party. He is a man of ster- ling worth and a most loyal citizen of the Republic.

C CHARLES PELTON, a well known farmer and stock-raiser of Willoughby township, Lake county, Ohio, was born in this same township, July 22, 1832. His father, Henry Pelton, was a native of Liv- ingston county, New York, as was also his grandfather, whose given name was John. The father of the latter, however, was of En- glish descent, and emigrated from Connec- ticut.

Henry Pelton removed to Ohio in 1831, and engaged in farming in Willoughby town- ship. He subsequently removed to Michigan, afterward to Missouri, and finally located in Nebraska, where he died in 1890, at the ripe old age of eighty-six years. He was a man of great physical strength and power, and his life was characterized by great industry and energy. In time he grew to be quite well- to-do and was prominent among the pioneers who called upon him at various times to hold local offices of trust and honor. His wife, who before her marriage was Margaret Ham- ilton, was, like her husband, a native of Liv- ingston, county, New York. She was called to the home beyond in 1889, when she had attained the age of eighty-five years.

The subject of this record is the first in order of birth in a family of five children, who grew to mature years, and four of whom are still living. His education was such as

was afforded by the common district school of those days, after which he attended for one term the famous old Kirtland Academy. When eighteen years old he began to " paddle his own canoe." He was entirely without means and literally had to begin at the bot- tom of the ladder. He rented land for awhile, and finally purchased a farm on the lake shore. After cultivating this property for some years he disposed of this also, and, for the follow- ing seven years lived in Willoughby, retired from active business.

Mr. Pelton's next move was to purchase the old Woolsey farm near the village, on which he has now resided for about ten years. This valuable farm was one of the first places settled in the township and comprises 150 acres, in addition to which our subject owns thirty-five acres in another body. An old frame house, which is still standing on the place, was one of the first erected in this township. Our subject has always taken great interest in raising good stock and is a successful agriculturist.

A most important event in Mr. Pelton's life occurred in the fall of 1854, when he married Fidelia Campbell, who has been a faithful and efficient helpmeet to him. Mrs. Pelton is a native of Willoughby township and is a daughter of James and Lucy (Rooker) Campbell, the former a native of the Empire State and the latter born in this township, February 20, 1812. Mrs. Campbell is still living and is probably the oldest surviving person born in this town. Her husband's death occurred in 1879. One child came to bless the union of our worthy subject and his amiable wife. This was a daughter, Ella, who was born March 29, 1857, and who be- came the wife of G. F. Houliston November 15, 1877. She was called from this life Feb- ruary 5, 1890, leaving one son, Charles.

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In regard to the matter of politics, Mr. Pelton supports the Republican party. He has filled various local positions within the gift of the people, was for several years Town- ship Trustee, and in 1880 was appointed Land Appraiser. He is public-spirited and has always manifested great interest in everything tending to advance the welfare and promote the prosperity of the community in which he has made his home for so many years.

G EORGE W. RATHBUN, a venerable citizen of Conneaut, is one of the old- est native residents of the town. Of his life and ancestry we make the fol- lowing record:

At an early day three Rathbun brothers came to America, landing at Plymouth Rock. Two went back to Liverpool, whence they came. The other remained, and all the Rath- buns of the United States are supposed to be descendants of his. George W. Rathbun's grand parents, Joseph and Olive (Pearson) Rathbun, had a family of five sons and eight daughters, all of whom lived to be married except one. Joseph and Edmund (the latter died in Cleveland some years since) were both Revolutionary soldiers. Joseph lived to be ninety-three years old and Edmund was nearly a hundred when he died.

Our subject's parents, Erastus and Sallie (Lilley) Rathbun, natives of New York and Vermont respectively, were married in New York in 1815, and came direct to Ohio, set- tling in Newburg. For many years Erastus Rathbun was engaged in milling in Ohio, having learned that trade after he came to this State. While in New York during the war of 1812, he enlisted in the service of his country and was called out at Buffalo. He

was taken sick about that time, however, and never saw any active service. He was born in 1798, and died in 1884. His wife was a member of the Free-will Baptist Church. She died at the age of sixty-three years. Of their children we make record as follows: Sylvester L., the oldest, married Fanny E. Kent, reared a family, and died in Amboy, Ohio, August 6, 1885, aged sixty-eight years; Lavina and her husband, William Tinker, are both deceased, their only child being William Tinker, Jr .; George W., the third born; Joseph, who died at the age of three years; and Adelia M., wife of L. L. Skinner, Pierpont, Ohio, has two children, Edgar R. and Lillie L.

George W. Rathbun was born in Conneaut, January 15, 1825. He began milling in Monroe and Sheffield townships, this county, and, like his father, was for many years en- gaged in the milling business. In February, 1861, he moved to Conneant and has con- tinued to reside here ever since, being now retired. He owned the Union Mills of Con- neant until 1892.

Mr. Rathbun was married June 15, 1851, to Miss Maria Collins. Her father, Thomas Collins, a native of England and a shoemaker by trade, came to America during the war of 1812, as a soldier of the Crown. He was taken prisoner and held at Cleveland, and after he was exchanged never returned; really, he deserted, preferring to remain in the United States. He was married in Newburg to Susan Rathbun, and lived in Cuyahoga county the rest of his life. His death oc- curred in 1835. Some time afterward his widow became the wife of Ambrose Lock- wood. Both are now deceased. She passed away in 1870, aged seventy-one. She was a member of the Disciple Church. . Mrs. Rath- bun is the only one now living in a family of

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eight children. Four of the oldest died in infancy. The fifth, Milton, was drowned, at the age of eight years, while out skating on the canal. Mrs. Rathbun was the sixth born. Orley, the seventh, died at the age of two years. Mary Jane, wife of George Skinner, died at the age of twenty-five years. Mrs. (Collins) Lockwood had two children by her last husband,-Clark I., of Illinois, and Sadie, who died in childhood.

Mr. and Mrs. Rathbun have two children, namely: Mary Eleanor, wife of W. S. Mont- gomery, of Conneaut, has two children, Carl F. and Ernest O .; and William Ernest, who married Minnie Reels, has two children, George W. and Florence E.

He and his wife have been members of the Christian Church for over twenty years. He has also long been a member of the Masonic fraternity, having taken the degrees in the blue lodge, chapter, council and command- ery. In all these he has held official position, and for the past two years has been General- issimo in the commandery. He was a dele- gate to the Grand Council which met at Chillicothe, Ohio. Politically, he is a Dem- ocrat.

A RDELIA C. KING, a resident of Mad- ison township, Lake county, Ohio, and a native of this place, is a member of the Cunningham family, early pio- neers of the county. The Cunninghams were prominently identified with the interests of this section of the country. They were peo- ple of education and refinement, and while they cleared away the forest and cultivated the soil they were also prominent factors in shaping the social and educational affairs of the community. Few, indeed, of the early

pioneers took a more active part in develop- ing the best interests of this vicinity or wielded a wider influence than did the Cun- ninghams.

Captain John Cunningham, the grandfa- ther of Mrs. King, was a man of distinguished ability. In early life he lived at Spencer, Massachusetts, but subsequently removed to Plainfield, Hampshire county, in the same State. He was a Captain in the war of the Revolution, and at one time he repre- sented his district in the Legislature of Mas- sachusetts. Governor Strong of that State offered to trade him land in the Western Re- serve for his Massachusetts property, and in 1809 the Captain sent two of his sons, Cy- rus and Artemus, out to Ohio to look at the land. They made the journey on horse- back as far as Madison county, New York, and from there to Ohio, on foot, and returned with a favorable report of the coun- try. The trade was made, and in 1811 Cap- tain Cunningham and his family emigrated by wagon to the land he had thus acquired, reaching their destination March 5. This land, located in the northeastern part of Madison township, comprises several thou- sand acres. It extended from the Middle Ridge to the lake and was one mile wide and four miles long. He built his log cabin in the woods just north of where Unionville is now located, and at once began to clear the land. At that time there were not to exceed half a dozen families in Madison township. A few straggling Indians wandered through the country, and deer, bears and wolves were numerous. For the first few years the early settlers had to go to Erie, Pennsylvania, a distance of sixty miles, to mill, and the near- est store was at Austinburg, Ashtabula county, where also a mill was built after a time. After residing on the first place of

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settlement two years, he relinquished it to the family of his son James, who had died suddenly in Madison county, New York, and whose family had come out here immediately after his death. The Captain then started anew on another part of the tract. He was a hard-working man all his life, his active career ending with his death, August 20, 1829, at the age of eighty-four years. His wife, nee Anna Thomson, a native of Massa- chusetts, died February 23, 1813, being a victim of a terrible epidemic that swept over the country. They reared five children, namely: Lucy, Artemus, James, Amos and Cyrus. The daughter, Lucy, married Dr. Torrey, and resided in the East. The three surviving sons settled upon different portions of the land above described, Artemus mak- ing his home on the lake shore near the mouth of Cunningham creek; Amos on the North Ridge. near the county line; and Cy- rus, father of Mrs. King, on the land which she now owns and which has been her home during her whole life.

Cyrus Cunningham was a native of Plain- field, Hampshire county, Massachusetts. He was fitted for college under the tutorship of the Rev. Mr. Halleck, and entered Williams College when he was seventeen, with a view to a professional career. However, after be- ing in college two years, he was obliged to return home on account of ill health. It was soon after this that he and his brother came West, as beforestated. After his return from this trip, he was married to Miss Hannah Colson, of Massachusetts, and in 1811 they came with his parents to the Connecticut Western Reserve. Here she died January 12, 1812, less than a year after their arrival. In 1814 Mr. Cunningham married Miss Mary W. Crary, who was born in Preston, New London county, Connecticut. She had been

a resident of Berkshire county, Massachu- setts, where she was engaged in teaching school, and had intended to come West with her father, Christopher Crary, who, in 1811, settled in Kirtland township, Lake county, but she decided to teach for another year in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and, accord- ingly postponed her western trip until 1812, when she came to Ohio in company with the Warners. Her father was a veteran of the Revolutionary war.

Mr. Cunningham and his second wife had five children, four daughters and one son, namely: Edwin, who died at the age of six years; Mrs. Amanda C. Sawdy, deceased; Mrs. Octavia C. Walker; Mrs. Ardelia C. King; and Mrs. Emily Wetmore, deceased.

After the surrender of Detroit by Hull, there was a call for all men capable of bear- ing arms to meet at Unionville and there form a company to go to Sandusky and make a stand against the British and Indians. Cy- rus Cunningham joined the company, shoul- dered his musket, and, with the company, proceeded to the point where Cleveland is now located and there waited for further or- ders. At that time Cleveland was but a mere hamlet in the forest, with only a cluster of houses of that unpretentious order that was typical of that time and section. After a time word came that the British and their Indian allies had been repulsed, and the volunteers returned to their homes, after having been absent about fifteen days. At the time of the battle of Lake Erie, in 1813, the Cunning- ham family could distinctly hear the cannon- ading at their home, but it was several days before they received news of the result, as there were no roads or mail routes at that time, the only guide through the pathless forests being that furnished by the trees which had been blazed. Of the early pioneer days

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Mrs. King recounts that she has often heard her father speak of having taken a load of corn to Austinburgh, where he exchanged it for a barrel of salt, and she called atten- tion to the notable change in comparative prices of the two commodities since that time.

Cyrus Cunningham taught the first winter school in this vicinity, and his wife the first summer school. His death occurred here August 30, 1862, and hers March 5, 1858. Both were members of the first Congrega- tional Church established here, and were lib- eral supporters of the same. He was a Jus- tice of the Peace for many years and also Assessor of Geauga county for six years. At that time the present county of Lake had not been detached from Geauga, which originally comprised both.

Mrs. King attended the early pioneer schools and for four terms was a student in the Western Reserve Seminary in Kirtland township. She taught eighteen terms of school here, and her sister Octavia taught over thirty terms. She was married in 1858 to Andrew J. King, who was born in Orange county, New York, in September, 1815, and came with his father, Thomas King, to Ohio in 1818 and settled on the North Ridge in Madison township. Mr. and Mrs. King had two children: Minnie W., now Mrs. Craine, who resides with her mother; and Thomas, a resident of Montana. Mr. King was well- known and highly respected. He died Jan- uary 20, 1891.

C HARLES H. QUAYLE, M. D., one of the most prominent physicians and surgeons of northeastern Ohio, resid- ing in Dodgeville, was born in Madison, this State, July 9, 1863. His ancestors were

German and Manx, his grandfather, John Quayle, having came to Painesville, Ohio, from the Isle of Man, and was for many years employed in the old Geauga furnace. Here, Henry, father of the subject of this sketch, was born November 1, 1834. About eleven years later, in 1845, the family re- moved to Madison, at that time a forest, and purchased a large tract of land, which they soon converted into a productive farm. Here grandfather Quayle passed his last days in peace and comfort. Henry, his son, father of Dr. Quayle of this notice, assisted in clearing the farm and worked upon the place for a number of years. He was married, August 30, 1862, to Mary E. Bower, daughter of Paul and Hannah Bower, who emigrated from Germany to Ohio in pioneer days. About 1877, Henry Quayle sold out his interest in the home farm and removed to within a mile of Thompson, in Geauga county, where he purchased a farm of 300 acres, which, under his vigorous efforts, became one of the finest places in that vicinity. Commodious, modern buildings have been erected on it, orchards, vineyards and evergreens planted, and all that money and labor can do to convert it into a model home, has been effected. Henry Quayle was the father of six children: Charles H., the oldest, whose name heads this sketch ; Perry W., residing on the old homestead, a mile east of Thompson Ledge, began the study of medicine, which he was forced to abandon on account of the failure of his eyes; John H., the youngest son, is attending the Cleveland Homeopathic College, and bids fair to equal his distinguished brother, of this notice, in his profession. He has already so far won the confidence of the faculty as to be appointed first assistant to Dr. Bigger during the first year of his course. Rhoda H., the oldest daughter, married A. F. Allyn, a prom-

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Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake, Part 51

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