Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake, Part 90

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 90
USA > Ohio > Geauga County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake > Part 90
USA > Ohio > Lake County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake > Part 90

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).

that firm five years. At the end of that time he formed a partnership with E. A. Keyes and opened out in business at the old Keyes stand at the foot of Main street. A year and a half later, in 1860, he sold out to Mr. Keyes. Then he engaged in the general merchandise business by himself at the stand where he first began clerking. With $350 in his pocket he set out for New York to buy goods, on the day Fort Sumter was fired upon. At the house of Butler, Cecil, Ross & Co., in that city, his honest face and straightforward manner ingratiated him at once. Mr. Cecil, the financier of the firm, after a short interview with him, remarked: " Young man, you have a small capital with which to start in business, but you look to me like a young man of energy and honesty and one who would succeed in business. Buy all the goods you want." And during his long business career he bought more goods from that house than any other. He made many visits to New York during the exciting times of the war, and did a successful business un- til the fall of Vicksburg, in July, 1863. For five years after that date he barely held his own. He continued in the general merchan- dise business here until 1887, and at various times had interests in branch stores else- where. He still has some mercantile inter- ests in the county, being a member of the firm of E. T. Dorman & Co., and also of the Andover firm, Smith & Baker.

In the meantime he merged into manu- facturing, buying the Conneaut paper mill at the foot of Main street in 1872. After con- ducting the mill for some time he discovered that it could be run on a more paying basis. Accordingly he put in new machinery and made a specialty of the manufacturing of paper flour sacks, completing and printing the sacks and selling them direct to millers.

He put in six printing presses and employed a large force of hands. In this enterprise he was very successful and continued to do a paying business until one night in December, 1889, when the mill, while in operation, was burned.

During this time Mr. Smith formed a part- nership with Thayer & Lake, the firm name being Lake, Thayer & Smith, and in 1880 they began a private banking business, Mr. Lake being president. After the death of Mr. Lake the bank was reorganized into a national bank, and Mr. Smith has since been its president. In 1885, when the American Bag Company was organized, with Senator R. Kell of New York as president, Mr. Smith was chosen as one of the directors, he holding a large portion of the stock.

Besides the business affairs already referred to, Mr. Smith has also been interested in real estate transactions. He purchased several tracts of land in this vicinity about the time the Nickel Plate division was located here, in the establishment of which road he took an active part, making frequent trips to New York in the interest of the line. In 1880 he purchased the Herald, which he conducted for ten years, when, by reason of the destruction of his plant by fire, he joined with the Reporter, securing an interest in that office, from which both papers have since been issued-the Her- ald on Friday and the Reporter on Tuesday.

Mr. Smith was elected, on the Republican ticket, Mayor of Conneaut in 1875 and served one term of two years, declining a second term. In 1890, he was again elected to this office, and in 1892, was re-elected by an over- whelming majority. His present term will expire in April, 1894. From a leading pub- lication we clip the following: " The munici- pal government, with S. J. Smith, Esq., as Mayor, is characterized for prompt, thorough

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and conservative legislation, while the general status of the city is excellent. Real estate is held at reasonable prices, there are countless attractive sites obtainable and the citizens have already evinced their willingness to en- tertain and substantially encourage any legit- imate manufacture that may bring liberal increase to the local population." Within his administration the water works and sew- erage system of Conneaut were constructed.

Mr. Smith was married December 7, 1859, to Miss Alitcia Lake, daughter of Hiram and Lois (Gifford) Lake, of Conneaut. She died May 28, 1889, aged fifty-three years, leaving two children, namely: Hiram L., who has succeeded his father in the merchandise busi- ness in Conneaut; and Lois, wife of E. T. Dorman, also of Conneaut. Mrs. Smith was a member of the Congregational Church for many years. Mr. Smith's second marriage occurred December 7, 1891, the lady of his choice being Mrs. Daphne (Jones) Loomis, daughter of Mrs. Hiram Lake by her former marriage to Solomon Jones, a well-known and highly esteemed citizen of Conneaut. Mr. Smith has adopted his niece, Elsie, who is the daughter of his sister Amelia, who is deceased, as is also her husband, Nathan Guthrie.

Mr. Smith built his residence, corner of Main and Mill streets, in 1865, the timber for which he hauled from his father's farm, twenty-five miles south of here, helping to cut down the trees himself. In 1868 he built the Lake & Smith Block, corner of Main and Harbor streets. At this writing he is build- ing a three-story block, which will be arranged for banking and store rooms below and offices above, the building to be fitted with elevator and all modern conveniences.

Mr. Smith and his wife are members of the Congregational Church, of which he has been a Trustee for a number of years. He

was a member of the building committee of his church in Conneaut, the other three mem- bers of the committee being G. J. Record, M. D. Townsend and Hiram Judson. This committee cleared over $1,700 in one day in running an excursion to Niagara Falls, July 4, 1876, which sum was paid over to the building fund. In politics Mr. Smith is a Republican, and is an earnest temperance worker. He has traveled extensively and is well informed on the general topics of the day. After the death of his first wife he took a trip across the continent. In 1892 he and his wife made an extended tour through Mexico and Southern California. He was a delegate for the Nineteenth District of Ohio to the Republican National Convention at Minneapolis, which nominated Harrison for President.

A M. GATES, who has been a resident of Rome, Ohio, for the past ten years, and who has, during this time, been engaged in the patent-right business, is one of the representative men of the place. His specialty has been the sale of a patent singletree, in which enterprise he has met with eminent success.

Mr. Gates was born in Lenox, Ohio, July 26, 1858, son of Albert and Ruby (Hunter) Gates. His parents had a family of four chil- dren, namely: Walter S., born in April, 1856, died in October, 1857; Amos W., who was born December 23, 1860, married Hattie Stoegt; and George A., born October 4, 1864, married Effie Wright, who died in 1888. Mr. Gates' father was born in Albany, New York, August 24, 1824; came to Ohio in 1828; was married in 1854. He, is a car- penter and carriagemaker by trade, but has been engaged in farming for some years.

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as was also his wife, who died in September, 1890.

A. M. Gates was married in 1882 to Sarah J. Woodworth, daughter of Andrew and Julia Ann (Giddings) Woodworth. Her parents had six children: Lamira, born in 1847, died in 1869; Stella, born in 1849, is the wife of L. Mathews; John W., born in 1851; Ester L., born in 1853, is the wife of F. E. Phillips; Comfort A., born in 1856; and Sarah J, born February 21, 1860. Mr. and Mrs. Gates have had six children, their names being as follows: Albert, born in August, 1883, died in October, 1884; Sadie L., born in May, 1885; Walter M., Novem- ber, 1886; Willie A., May, 1888; Ruby A., April, 1891; and an infant, 1893.

Mr. Gates holds a prominent place among his fellow-citizens. He takes an active in- terest in educational affairs and all matters pertaining to the best interests of the com- munity. He served as School Director one term.

W ILLIAM S. HARRIS, engineer on the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, and a worthy citizen of Conneaut, dates his birth in Jefferson coun- ty, this State, August 15, 1843. His parents, Nathan S. and Susan (Smith) Harris, were natives of Ohio, and for many years were resi- dents of Jefferson county, where they were married and where they reared their family. Nathan Harris owned a farm and flonring mill and for over thirty years ran the mill, doing custom work. He was well known and highly respected, and at various times held minor offices in the county. Both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His death occurred Octo-

ber 15, 1870, at the age of forty-nine years. His first wife, the mother of our subject, died August 17, 1859, aged twenty-eight years. They had seven children, as follows: William S .; Jennie, wife of Thomas Keiger, Barnes- ville, Ohio; Anna, wife of Samuel Cecil, died February 2, 1891, aged forty-seven years; Lizzie, wife of E. A. Miller, Conneaut; Emma, wife of Josiah Quillin, died August 3, 1890, aged thirty-eight years; Ella, wife of David McKever, Conneaut; and Susan, wife of H. F. Brown, Conneaut. By his second mar- riage, to Anna Clark, Mr. Harris had one daughter, Grace, now the wife of John Shearer, of Leesville, Ohio. Mrs. Harris makes her home with this daughter.

William S. Harris farmed in Jefferson county until he was twenty-five years old. He entered upon a railroad career about 1869 as fireman on the Pan Handle, and for the past twenty-two years has been serving as en- gineer. He continued with the Pan Handle until 1882, when he resigned his position with that company to accept one with better pay on the Nickel Plate. No further evidence of his efficiency and fidelity is needed when his long continuance with the company is known.

Mr. Harris was married September 17, 1873, to Miss Anna Mary Andrews, a native of Franklin county, Ohio, and a daughter of John W. and Permelia (Tharp) Andrews. Her father was born in New Jersey, July 3, 1825, and her mother was a native of Euclid, Ohio. They were married in Middletown, this State. Mrs. Harris is the oldest of their six children, the others being as follows: George, Martin Lewis and James W., the second, third and sixth born, are all married and living in St. Louis, Missouri, all employed as painters. Joseph H., the fourth born, died in 1852, aged eighteen months; Alice, the fifth, is the wife of George W. Smith, of

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Cedar Falls, Iowa. The mother of this family died June 17, 1862, aged thirty-six years. She was a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church. Mr. Andrews' second marriage was to Sarah Smith. Their two children are Cyrus, a fireman on the Vandalia Railroad, and Ida May, wife of Dr. Beaver, of Decatur, Indiana. During the late war Mr. Andrews was a member of the Forty sixth Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, serving in Company A, and being in nearly all the battles of the Army of the Potomac. For some time his health has been poor and he is now in the Soldiers' Home at Sandusky, Ohio. Mrs. Harris is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Poli- tically, Mr. Harris affiliates with the Repub- lican party, having cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln.

W ILLIAM J. RAYNOR, locomotive engineer on the Nickel Plate Rail- road, Conneaut, Ohio, was born in Painesville, Lake county this State, October 17, 1859, son of William E. and Ann (Fin- neran) Raynor, natives of New York and Ire- land respectively.

William E. Raynor was one of the pioneers of Painesville, at which place he was married. For nearly thirty-five years he has been a railroad engineer, and now, at the age of sixty years, is still in railroad employ, run- ning a switcher. He and his wife are both members of the Catholic Church. Following are the names of their children: Mary Eliza- beth, wife of John Garvey, foreman in the Nickel Plate shops at Buffalo, New York; William J .; Charles, an employe on the Nickel Plate, made a misstep between the cars in the dark and was instantly killed, May 10, 1886; Louis has been employed as engineer on the

Nickel Plate the past three years; Nellie, wife of William J. Leyer, foreman and book- keeper for the Erie Show Printing Company, at Erie; Anna; Mamie; John, who died of black diphtheria in October, 1892, at the age of nine years; and three others who died in early childhood.

William J. Raynor started out in life as a plumber and worked at that trade three years. Since then he has been engaged in railroading. He began as fireman on the Philadelphia & Erie, was thus employed on that road for five years, and June 14, 1882, was promoted to the position of engineer. He came to Conneaut in October, 1883, and has made this place his home ever since. He began service with the Nickel Plate at the time he located here, and his efficiency at once brought him into favor with the com- pany and gained for him a permanent posi- tion.

Mr. Raynor was married May 2, 1882, to, Mary Foley, daughter of Thomas and Mary. Foley, of Painesville, she being a native of Massachusetts. Her parents were born in Ireland, came to America in early life and were married in Boston, where they lived for, many years. Her father, a tanner by trade, lived to be fifty-four years of age and died November 9, 1888, and her mother is still living, aged sixty, an honored resident of Conneaut. Mrs. Foley is a devout Catholic, as also, was her worthy husband. Four of the Foley children died in early life. Nicholas Henry died October 4, 1885, aged twenty- eight years. Mrs. Raynor and her two sis- ters, Lizzie and Nellie, are the only ones of the family of eight who are now living. She was the second born. Mr. and Mrs. Raynor have six children, William Erwin, Frances Mary, Lonis Henry, Leo, Thomas and Charles Ed- ward.

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

He and his wife are members of the Cath- olic Church. He is a member of the B. of L. E. and also of the C. M. B. A., being president of the latter organization. He af- filiates with the Democratic party, while his father was a Republican.

Mr. Raynor has a splendid record as a good citizen as well as a skilled engineer. He has made his own way in life. He, like a very large number of other engineers as well as conductors, of the Nickel Plate, when in Con- neaut have but little time to spend elsewhere than at home. This is best accounted for by the fact that they have such cozy, well furnished and comfortable homes, such pleas- ant, refined and winsome wives whose high- est ambition is to make home a little more pleasaut than any other place, and that their children, too, always loving and affectionate, are pleased to see "papa" return in safety, and to meet him with a smile and a kiss. The engineer and conductors of Conneaut, for the most part, have homes that are models in neatness, and impress the stranger favor- ably as places well deserving each the name of home. The same thing obtains with the Nickel Plate shop men. They seem to be persons who have come to stay and have thought it best to fix up a place worthy to be called home in a town that can show as much good citizenship to the square foot as any town in the State.

OHN PELTON, a well-to-do farmer and representative citizen of Willoughby township, Lake county, Ohio, was born in Willoughby, this county, March 6, 1844. Henry Pelton, his father, was born in Genesee county, New York, in 1806. Ac- cording to tradition, he was descended from

one of three brothers who emigrated from Scotland to America at an early day. Little, however, beyond this is known of his ances- tors. He moved West to Willoughby, Ohio, in 1831, bringing with him his wife and two children. He farmed here for some time, and also kept a hotel at Willoughby one year. Then he went further West, traveling by team through Michigan and northern Illinois, and passing through what was then the village of Chicago, now one of the great cities of the world. Not being favorably impressed with that section of the country, he came back to Ohio and located in Mayfield township, Cuya- hoga county, where he lived for a short time. Then he came to Willoughby and purchased a tract of land adjoining the village. It had been partly improved at the time he purchased it, and here he engaged in farming. Subse- quently he went to Michigan, from there some years later to Missouri, and afterward to Nebraska. He died in the last named State, in 1891. While a resident of Lake county he served as Trustee of Willoughby township several terms. His wife, the mother of our subject, was by maiden name Miss Margaret Hamilton. She was a native of New York. Her death occurred June 15, 1889. They had nine children, five of whom grew to maturity, and four are still living. John is next to the youngest.

Mr. Pelton and his youngest brother took charge of the home farm when the former was nineteen, and on this place he has lived nearly ever since. Here he has 148 acres of good land, six acres being devoted to a vine- yard and a few acres to a pear orchard. For several years he has also kept a dairy in con nection with his other farming operations.

In March, 1869, Mr. Pelton married Lo- gena Baker, a native of Mentor, Ohio. She died in 1885, leaving three children: Alma,

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Howard and Frank. In 1888 he married Ella Dewey, his present companion, a native of Willoughby.

Fraternally, Mr. Pelton is identified with the Knights of Pythias. Politically, he is a Republican. He has been a member of the "Council of Willoughby for several terms. Mrs. Pelton is a member of the Disciple Church.

C H. SAWDEY, a prominent liveryman and progressive citizen of Jefferson, Ohio, was born in Jamestown, Penn- sylvania, September 29, 1849. His parents, Willard and Sophia (Gregory) Sawdey, were natives of New York State, where they were married. They shortly afterward removed to Jamestown, Pennsylvania, which was their home until 1850, at which time they came West to Kinsman, Trumbull county, Ohio, where they resided until their death. The father was principally engaged in farming. He and his worthy wife were the parents of ten children, four sons and six daughters. After a well spent life, each died at the home near Kinsman, the father in 1874, aged seventy-one years, and the mother in 1878, at the age of sixty-seven.

The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, and owing to the large family and the limited resources of his parents, was early forced to rely upon his own efforts for a live- lihood. His educational advantages also were limited for the same reason, although he se- cured a good common-school education, which, as supplemented by natural intelli- gence and extensive experience, has answered all practical purposes. Most of his life, until he became of age, was passed in farm work by the month, after which he left Kinsman and went to Austinburg where he secured

employment in grafting fruit trees. He was thus engaged for two seasons, part of which time was spent in Michigan. Subsequently, he spent four years in a meat market in Aus- tinburg. He then went to Michigan with a stock horse which he sold aud remained in that State during the winter of 1876, when he came to Jefferson, where he has since re- sided. He here conducts a livery, feed and sale stable, besides which he is largely en- gaged in buying and selling horses, hand- ling fancy carriage horses, for which he finds a ready market in the East. He has also, for the last few years, dealt considerably in fine carriages and sleighs, doing in that line a profitable business.

January 13, 1873, Mr. Sawdey was married to Miss Verna L. Baldwin, an estimable lady of Austinburg, and they have one son, Luman.

Thus from laboring by the month on a farm, by energy and perseverance, Mr. Saw- dey has raised himself to his present pros- perous position, furnishing an excellent ex- ample of what intelligent effort can accom- plish when honestly applied.

E UGENE L. MULLEN, proprietor of the Maple Shade farm, of Jefferson township, was born in Williamsfield township Ashtabula county, in June, 1856, a son of William S. and Lucy A. (Woodruf) Mullen. The father was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, January 31, 1833. His parents died when he was young, af- ter which he lived with a sister in Hart's Grove township, Ashtabula county, Ohio, and later in Williamsfield. He received the best school advantages the county afforded, and learned the trade of a wheelwright and

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

carriage builder. He was married in Will- iamsfield in 1854, and immediately began work at his trade on his own account at that place. In 1884 he began work at his trade in Jefferson, where he still resides. He is identified with the Republican party, and for a number of years served as Justice of the Peace of Williamsfield township. In February, 1835, the mother of our subject was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, where she grew to womanhood, and was married at the age of nineteen years. Mr. and Mrs. Mullen have had three children, two of whom still survive, Eugene L., our subject; and a daughter at home. The latter received her education at the Jefferson Educational Insti- tute. The mother still survives, and has been a consistent member of the Methodist Church from childhood.

Eugene L. Mullen, the subject of this sketch, grew to manhood in Williamsfield township, and received good common school advantages. He also graduated in 1875, at the Grand River Institute, of Austinburg, where he was a classmate of E. L. Lampson, present State Senator from this district. Af- ter graduation, Mr. Mullen learned the trade of carriage painting and afterward took charge of that branch of his father's business during the summer months, and taught pen- manship in the winters. Two years later he moved to a farm two miles south of Jeffer- son, but a few years afterward traded that place for an interest in the city flour mills at Jefferson. Mr. Mullen immediately turned his attention to the upbuilding of the mill, and was given the position of bookkeeper, but later became the traveling representative of the firm. In 1881 our subject sold his interest in the mill and moved to his father's farm in Williamsfield township. In the fall of the same year he bought his present home,

the Maple Shade farm, consisting of 120 acres of choice farming and grazing land. Mr. Mullen has a sugar orchard of about 400 trees, and produces annually 200 gallons of high grade maple syrup, a part of which is sold to local customers, and the remainder shipped to St. Louis. He has sixty head of high grade Shropshire sheep, and a herd of Jersey cows. In 1887 he built a good barn, 82 x 30 feet, later a stock barn, 42 x 30 feet, and has a sugar house 18 x 30 feet.

In 1875 our subject was united in mar- riage to Miss Ida A. Newman, who was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, in July, 1856, a daughter of J. A. Newman, of Jefferson township, this county. Mrs. Mullen when nine years of age, came with her parents to Austinburg township, Ashtabula county, Ohio, where they purchased large tracts of land. She attended the Grand River Insti- tute of Austinburg, and afterward taught. school several terms. Mr. and Mrs. Mullen have had six children: G. Karl, born in July, 1878; Emma May, in December, 1879; Maud L., in October, 1881; Homer A., in 1883; Walter S., in March, 1885; and Hugh, in December, 1887. Mr. Mullen is a mem- ber of Tuscan Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 342, of Ensign Lodge, I. O. O. F., of the County, Grange, and holds the office of Overseer of the Subordinate Grange.

W. ROBERTS, an attorney of An- dover, was born in Kinsman, Trumbull county, Ohio, August 3, 1858, son of Lorenzo W. and Mary (Waid) Roberts, natives of Vermont and Ohio, respectively. The father spent his boyhood days in Lake county, this State. During the late war he was a member of the Tenth Ohio Cavalry,

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and was wounded in the leg by a bullet on the same day Lincoln was killed. He was a blacksmith and farmer by occupation. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts now reside in Trumbull county.

J. W. Roberts, the eldest in a family of five children, and the only one of the family in this county, was reared in Trumbull county. He received an academic education, and also spent four years at the Jamestown (Pennsylvania) Seminary. He then taught school ten terms. During this time Mr. Roberts also studied law, and, May 3, 1881, was admitted to the bar at Columbus, Ohio. After completing his engagement as teacher in the Brookfield, Ohio, high school he en- gaged in the practice of his chosen profession at Holgate, Henry county, Ohio, but he soon afterward removed to Andover, Ohio, where he has since resided. Mr. Roberts has been engaged in the general practice of law in this city since the fall of 1883, and is also engaged in the insurance business. In 1884 he erected a fine residence on Prospect street.

Our subject was married in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, to Clara C. Brockway, a daughter of Jerry and Caroline (Harriett) Brockway. To this union has been born two children-Ethel E. and Burke B. In his political relations, Mr. Roberts affiliates with the Republican party. Socially, he is a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F., Andover Lodge, No. 728, and of the A. F. & A. M., No. 506.

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Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake, Part 90

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