USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 23
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 23
USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 23
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church work he was also prominent, being a member of the Baptist Church and an officer in the same for many years. Politically, he was a Republican. To know him was to re- spect and esteem him. Indeed, few men in the county had more friends than lie, and his untimely death in 1872, at the age of forty- nine years, was a shock and a bereavement to all. He was found dead in one of the vats in his tannery. The cause and particulars of his death were never known. He had been complaining of dizziness during the morning and it is supposed he in some way lost his balance or tripped. His widow, born Janu- ary 29, 1829, is still living, well preserved in body and mind. She, too, has been a mem- ber of the Baptist Church for many years. This worthy couple had a family of six chil- dren, A. O. being the oldest. Frank L., a merchant of Edinborough, Pennsylvania, married Miss Louise Thompson, of that city. Marion Adel, wife of A. S. Venen, and a resident of Oregon, has five children; Linn died at the age of five years; R. T., a partner in the store of A. O. Hoskins & Co., married Lizzie Griffin and has one child, Benjamin Harrison; Nina J., the youngest, has been an efficient clerk in the store for some time.
A. O. Hoskins has been in the mercantile business for a number of years. At the age of fifteen he went behind the counter as clerk for T. S. Winship, of Pierpont, and remained in his service for five years. Then he clerked for S. J. Smith, of Conneant, five years, at the end of which time he became a partner in the business, under the firm name of Smith & Hoskins, at Pierpont. Two years later Mr. Smith sold out to Mr. Hoskins, who continned the business under his own name seven years. Then, disposing of the store at Pierpont, he established himself in business at Conneaut under the firm name of
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A. O. Hoskins & Co., Mr. Smith representing the silent interest for one year. Then Mr. Hoskins bought out .Mr. Smith's interest and took in his (Hoskins') brother as partner. The firm carry a full stock of dry goods, gro- ceries, boots and shoes, crockery, etc., and are doing a successful business. Mr. Hoskins has served as Councilman of the city two terms.
He was married May 31, 1872, to Miss Emina Bartlett, daughter of N. W. Bartlett. She died in July, 1885, at the age of thirty- one years, leaving an only child, Lois Pearl. Mrs. Hoskins was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Hoskins affiliates with the Masonic fraternity, and in politics is a Republican.
RANCIS B. BLOOD, a prominent and wealthy farmer and stock dealer of Conneaut, Ohio, was born in Venango county, Pennsylvania, August 31, 1837, son of John and Caroline (August) Blood.
John Blood was born in Franklin, Venango county, Pennsylvania, January 4, 1807, and died December 31, 1892, lacking four days of being eighty six years of age. Left an orphan when he was six months old, he was adopted by Francis Buchannan, of Corn Planter town- ship, Venango county, and was reared by him. December 7, 1828, he married Elizabeth Masterson, who died in 1834, leaving three daughters. A year after her death he mar- ried Caroline August, daughter of Benjamin and Mary August, and witht her he lived in ever growing affection for fifty-six years. She, too, was born in Venango county, Penn- sylvania, is still living, and will be eighty- two years old her next birthday, September 22, 1893. She has been a member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church for over forty years. Few men in northeastern Ohio were better known or more highly esteemed than John Blood. Fifty-four years of his rugged life were spent in Pennsylvania. He moved to Ohio in 1861, and here for thirty-two years he went out and eame in, a man among men, much respected and beloved, a man of sterling integrity, fearless in defending what he believed to be right, at heart as sweet and tender as a child. He was converted in 1843, and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which church he lived to adorn its fellowship and communion for over a half century. In this church he lived and died, -nay, not died, but sweetly fell asleep. His song on earth is hushed. His chair in the church is vacant. He will not soon be for- gotten. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord.
John Blood and his second wife had a large family of children, five sons and eight daughters, of whom we make record as fol- lows: Two of the daughters, Caroline and Julia A., are deceased, the former, the wife of Adison Bugby, dying at the age of forty years, and the latter at the age of eight years. Those living are Hiram, the oldest, who mar- ried Belle Read; John, who married Sarah Baker; William L., who married Lucy Root; Benjamin, who married Alice Ashley; Mary, wife of William Pierson; Nancy, wife of James Pierson; Margaret, wife of Iloward Brooks; Almira, widow of William Lilly; Jane, widow of R. Rockwell; and Hattie, wife of Charles Sharley.
Francis B. Blood began life on his own re- sponsibility when he reached his majority, having had 200 acres of land in the oil regions of his native State willed to him by the gentleman for whom he was named-Mr. Francis Buchannau, his foster grandfather,
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who died about 1848. On this land he oper- ated in the oil business himself, and had others to sink wells from which he received a royalty. In this enterprise he was very successful. Selling out in 1864, he came the following year to Ashtabula county, Ohio, where he has since been extensively engaged in farming. He has three farms, altogether containing 400 acres. One of 160 acres is located just across the . Ohio line in Pennsyl- vania. The other two are near Conneaut, one west and the other south of the city. These are rated with the best land in the county, and will soon be laid out in town lots. Mr. Blood has given considerable attention to bnying, selling and raising stock, sheep, cattle and horses.
As a public-spirited and enterprising man, Mr. Biood ranks with the leading citizens of the county. He is. now serving his sixth year as Township Trustee, his term to expire in April, 1894. He is a stockholder and one of the directors in the Conneaut Mutual Loan Association. In educational affairs he lias ever taken an active interest, having served as School Director for fifteen years. Politically, he is an ardent Democrat. He is prominently identified with the Masonic fraternity, being a member of the blue lodge, chapter, coun- cil and commandery, and at various times holding official position in the same. During the Denver conclave he was the only Stand- ard Bearer who carried the banner from be- ginning to end of the parade without being overcome by fatigue. Mr. Blood is also a member of the Knights of Honor and other fraternal organizations.
Mrs. Blood is a lady of culture and refine- ment and presides with ease and grace over their charming country home. Her maiden name was Miss Angeline Steward, she being one of a family of eleven children and a
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Steward, all natives of Venango county, Pennsylvania. She and her brother James are the only ones of the family living in Ashtabula county. Mr. and Mrs. Blood were married February 18, 1862, and have five sons, namely: Charles C., who resides on the Pennsylvania farm above re- ferred to, and who is married to Nellie Lam- phier and has one child, Pearl; Francis B. and John C., residing at home, are associated with their father in his farming operations; Otis K., a mechanic of some notoriety; and Ralph A., a student in the public schools.
Mrs. Blood has been a member of the Christian Church for nearly twenty years.
AMES E. ALLEN, the efficient and popular Sheriff of Ashtabula county, Ohio, residing in Jefferson, was born in Norfolk, Connecticut, November 12, 1844, and is a son of Russell and Annie (Fossett) Allen. His father, a native of New York, was a cooper by trade. He followed the west- ward tide of emigration to Trumbull county, Ohio, in 1857, moving thence to Ashtabula county in 1864, where he and his worthy wife passed the remainder of their days.
The subject of this sketch was reared on a farin and received a common-school education. He early began to work out until he secured sufficient means to commence farming for himself, which he continned until 1876. He then removed to Jefferson, where he entered the butcher business, but a short time later embarked in the livery business, which lie successfuly conducted for fourteen years. During all these years his sturdy qualities of mind and heart had been making friends for him, and in 1887 he was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Ashtabula county, which position
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he held for four years. He then became candi- date for Sheriff on the Republican ticket, to which office he was elected in 1890, and served the interests of the people so well that they re-elected him to the same position in 1892, for a second term of two years, which he is now filling.
Mr. Allen was married in 1867, to Flora M., daughter of Sylvester and Eliza (Coleman) Ward, of Ashtabula county. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have one son living, Ward, who is now Deputy Sheriff.
Fraternally, Mr. Allen is a Master Mason and a member of the Knights of Pythias. As a citizen and man he is intelligent, progres- sive and honorable and enjoys the highest re- gard of his fellow men.
H ON. HENRY FASSETT .- Few men of Ashtabula, Ohio, have been more closely identified with her advance- ment, or contributed more fully to her gencral welfare, than the subject of this sketch, who has fought for her cause as no knight of old ever battled for lady fair.
His remote ancestors figured conspicuously in the colonial history of this country, being residents of the New England States. His great-grandfather, John Fassett, removed, in 1761, from Hardwick, Massachusetts, to Ben- nington, Vermont, of which town he was one of the earliest settlers, and in the history of which and of the State he took a prominent part. He was a member of the first legisla- ture held in that State, and was clerk and choir leader of the First Congregational Church of Bennington, the same being the first church organized in Vermont. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch, Jonathan Fassett, was a youth when he came
with his father to Bennington, where, in manhood, he took an active part in public matters, and served as an efficient officer in the Revolutionary war. His son, Samuel Montague Fassett, father of Hon. Henry Fassett, of this notice, was born in Benning- ton, Vermont, October 5, 1785, where he was reared to manhood. October 18, 1807, he was married to Dorcas Smith, daughter of John Smith, one of the earliest settlers of West Rutland, Vermont. Abont 1810, he removed to Western New York and subse- quently to Canada, in which latter country he died November 3, 1834. He left seven children to perpetuate his memory: Silas S., Harriet M., William, Henry, Mariette, John S. and Samuel M., all of whom, with their mother, removed to Ashtabula, Ohio, in Oc- tober, 1835, except the eldest son, Silas, who had preceded them to this city a year pre- vious, and who died April 17, 1893, in the eighty fifth year of his age.
Hon. Henry Fassett was born in Beverly. Canada, September 14, 1817. When of suf- ficient age he was sent to the St. Thomas (Canada) Seminary, where he studied until he was fourteen, when he became an appren- tice in the office of the St. Thomas Journal, the earliest paper ever published in that city. He continued to follow the newspaper busi- ness in Ashtabula, Painesville, and Newark, Ohio, until January 1, 1837, on which date he became one of the proprietors of the Ash- tabula Sentinel, with which paper he was connected, most of the time as proprictor and editor, until January 1, 1853, at which time he sold the establishment and it was removed to Jefferson, the same State. While con- nected with this paper, Mr. Fassett took strong grounds in favor of the anti-slavery movement, which was just then beginning to attract attention; and it is mainly to him and
16
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
the Sentinel that Ashtabula county is in- debted for arousing marked public sentiment on the slavery question. Mr. Fassett was, politically, from youth until 1848, an nncom- promising Whig, but at this time abandoned the party, because of its adhesion to the slave power, and became an ardent Free Soiler, which he continued until the organization of the Republican party, in which he has ever since been an earnest and influential worker. From the time he sold out until September, 1859, he was engaged in general business, but at this date was appointed Probate Judge, which office had been left vacant by the death of Judge Plumb. On the expiration of his term in the following October, he was elected to that office, which, rather than remove his family from Ashtabula, he resigned at the end of a year. On the organization of the internal revenne department of the Govern- ment in September, 1862, Mr. Fassett was appointed Collector for the Nineteenth Ohio District by President Lincoln, which position he held until the consolidation of districts in 1876, when the business was removed to Cleveland. Few, if any, of the collectors of the country stood higher with the department than he, the special compliments of the Com- missioner having been extended to him for the ability and integrity with which he dis- charged the duties of this office. For eight years prior to 1880, Mr. Fassett was Chair- man of the Republican Congressional Com- mittee of the Nineteenth Ohio District, a position which brought him into frequent personal intercourse with General Garfield, who represented the district during those years, and for whom Mr. Fassett learned to entertain the deepest regard. Mr. Fassett was active in the organization of the Ashta- bula National Bank, of which he was for many years President. He was a Director
and the Secretary of the Ashtabula and New Lisbon Railroad Company, and rendered val- uable assistance in finally transferring it to the Pennsylvania Company, thereby securing for Ashtabula its present system of railroad connection with the coal and oil fields of Pennsylvania.
March 23, 1842, Mr. Fassett was married to Mary Nellis, youngest daughter of J. I. 'D. and Elizabeth (Clock) Nellis, and they had five children: Hattie E., who was mar- ried to D. W. Haskeil, and died September 7, 1862; George H .; John N., who died Oc- tober 18, 1871; Samuel M. and Henry. Jannary 5, 1859, this happy family were called upon to mourn the loss of the devoted wife and mother, whose Christian virtues had gained for her the esteem of all who knew her. October 3, 1860, Mr. Fassett was married to Maria Jones, an estimable lady, daughter of Colonel Lyndes Jones, but this happy union was destined to be of short duration, for on December 20, 1865, the be- loved wife and mother passed from earth, leaving the son, Willie J., who was then two years old, and who died September 23, 1872. June 12, 1867, Mr. Fassett married Mrs. Lucia A. Williams, whose death occurred July 8, 1881, causing deep sorrow to her many friends. April 16, 1884, Mr. Fassett married Mrs. Mary C. Post, eldest dangliter of John B. Watrous, a late prominent resi- dent of Ashtabula.
In religion, Mr. Fassett has been true to the faith of his New England ancestors, and, on May 12, 1838, he united with the Pres- byterian Church of Ashtabula, at that time congregational in its government. He was for several years one of its Elders, and in 1852 was elected, by the Grand River Pres- bytery, a delegate to the General Assembly, which met that year in Washington city.
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On the organization of the First Congrega- tional Church of Ashtabula, May 9, 1860, Mr. Fassett and twenty-five others united with that body by letters from the Presby- terian Church, and he was chosen one of its Deacons, in which office he has served to the present time. He was elected in 1871, by the Grand River Conference, a delegate to the National Conncil, held at Oberlin; and, in 1874, was a delegate to the National Coun- cil at New Haven, Connecticut.
Mr. Fassett labored earnestly to secure for Ashtabula the union-school. system, and served some 'thirteen years as one of the Board of Directors, and most of the time as President.
He has been at all times an earnest snp- porter of the temperance cause, in which he has faithfully labored, as well as in all enter- prises tending to promote the public welfare.
P LATT ROGERS SPENCER, celebrat- ed as the founder of the "Spencerian" system of penmanship, was born Sep- tember 7, 1801, in Dateliess county, New York, the son of Caleb Spencer, a native of Rhode Island and a soldier of the Revo- Intion. The name of Platt's mother before marriage was Jcrusha Covell, and she was from the town of Chatham, on Cape Cod.
Platt, the youngest of a family of eleven children, nine of whom were brothers, was reared mainly among the beautiful hills of eastern New York. It was while living in Windham, Greene county, New York, that the boy, at the early age of seven years, be- gan to exhibit his peculiar fondness of the art in which he afterward rendered himself so noted. Poverty prevented him from enjoy- ing any advantages whatever, and even before
he began to handle the pen he would criticisc chirography with remarkably good taste, and penmanship reform so constantly occu- pied his mind that even while playing as a boy he would spend much time in practicing graceful outlines in the sand with a stick, or even with his toes. Up to the time he was seven and a half years old he had not been the happy owner of a full sheet of paper. At that time, having fortunately in his possession a cent, he dispatched it by a lumberman to Catskill, which, though twenty miles distant, was the nearest market, for the purchase of the coveted full sheet of paper. The lumber- man returned to the residence of the boy about midnight, with the sheet tightly rolled up and tied with a black thread, and it was considerably wrinkled, as he had carried it all the way in his bosom; but with all this young Platt was especially happy in behold- ing the treasure. He was considerably dis- appointed, however, with his first efforts at writing upon it.
His father dying in 1806, his mother moved with her family to Jefferson, Ohio, in 1810, and soon after the older boys began to find business and homes elsewhere. The enthu- siastic boy found much pleasure in spending his leisure time on the lake shore, practicing his favorite art and studying the graceful outlines of nature. He had in him the ele- ments of a true poet. It is indeed doubtful whether a person brought np in a city can be- come poetical; but certain minds, in the lone- liness of rural retreats, are sure to be " born again" into the kingdom of poetry, in which they ever after linger despite all the vicissi- tudes of life.
In his twelfth year our lad enjoyed bis first year at school, at Conneaut, where he par- titioned off his desk in a corner that he might pursue his studies undisturbed, and make the
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most of every opportunity. He furnished the copies for the school, with the accompany- ing instructions, and here also he made his first attempts at versification, in which during all his life he frequently indulged, with con- siderable ability and taste. Being anxious to study arithmetic, he walked twenty miles barefoot over a frozen road to obtain a copy of Daboll. On this trip his only food was a raw turnip, which he chanced to find. Night overtaking him on his return, he, being too bashful to ask for lodging at a residence, sought lodgment in a barn.
After leaving school he clerked awhile in stores, where he had much opportunity to practice his penmanship. Before he reached his twentieth year he invented what has ever since been known as the " semi-angular" sys- tem of penmanship, which proved so graceful that it served all the purposes of beautiful chirography and gave the inventor a noto- riety throughout the United States.
For many years Mr. Spencer taught pen- manship in a small log schoolhouse south of Geneva, and afterward removed to a better building in the town. The first publication of his system by himself was in 1848, and in the form of copy slips with printed instruc- tions. In this he was associated with Victor M. Rice, a former pupil, who afterward be- came Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of New York. In 1859 he was induced to present his system in a copy-book form. In 1861, in connection with his sons and J. W. Lusk, he revised his system, which was published by Phinney & Co. of Buffalo, and afterward by Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor & Co., of New York. Since Mr. Spencer's death the care of the system has fallen to his sons, who do it honor.
During life Mr. Spencer adopted the tem- perance and anti-slavery reforms. Taking
also a deep interest in historical subjects, especially in those relating to his own locality, he joined the Ashtabula Historical and Philo- sophical Society, and remained a member until his death, which took place May 16, 1864, after an illness of several weeks, -the event being mourned by all who ever knew him, and that circle of acquaintance was remarkably large. Ile was a gentleman in every good sense of that term, a man of sweet spirit and irresistible influence for all that is noble.
W ILLIAM M. MORRIS, foreman of the Nickel Plate machine shops, Conneant, Ohio, is a man of high moral standing and in every way a most worthy citizen. He is a true Welshman, re- modeled on the American plan.
William M. Morris was born in Wales, June 24, 1850, son of John and Jane ( Davis) Morris, both natives of Wales. In his na- tive land John Morris served an apprentice- ship of seven years at the trade of machinist, and worked at his trade there and in Ireland. He was also an engineer in Ireland for some time, having charge of engines in the mines. He came to America in 1853, and after making his home in New York city two years, came west to Columbus, Ohio, where he found employment in the shops of the Little Miami Railway, and subsequently, for four or five years, ran an engine in the Columbus yard. In 1861 he went to Cincin- nati, in the employ of the same company, which had moved its shops to that city. In 1872 he went to Dennison to work for the Pan Handle, and remained in their shops two years, going from there to Delaware, where he was in the employ of the Big Four six
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years. The last work he ever did was at Columbus, for the Pennsylvania Railroad company. He died at Columbus, Ohio, at the age of sixty-one years, and his wife passed away at the age of sxity-seven. They were highly respected people, and were attendants of the Welsh Presby- terian Church. In their family of ten children William M. was the sixth born. He has two brothers and one sister still living. All three of the brothers are machinists, having learned the trade of their father. John, the oldest of those living, is in the employ of the Pan Handle at Columbus; married Anna Rutherford, and has two children. David D., of Conneaut, works in the same shop as does our subject; he married Anna Owens and has one child. Their sister Margaret resides at the old homestead at Columbus, Sarah Jane, a bright and accom- plished young lady, and a popular teacher in the schools of Columbus, died at the age of twenty-one years. The other children died young.
Under the direction of his father, William M. Morris learned his trade in the Little Miami shops at Cincinnati, commencing in August, 1867. He worked there until 1873, after which he spent four years and a half in the Big Four shops at Delaware, Ohio. Next, we find him at Columbus, working for the John L. Gills Plow Works and other indi- vidual concerns. He spent six months in the wood-work machinery shop of J. A. Fay & Co., of Cincinnati. Returning to Column - bus, he was employed in the Pan Handle round shops, under the present master me- chanic of the Nickel Plate shops, E. A. Miller. He came to Conneaut in the fall of 1882 and has been working in the shops here ever since, and in his present position for the past five years.
Mr. Morris was married September 28, 1882, to Miss Clara Hurrell, daughter of James and Ellen (Kain) Harrell. Her father, who served as a private in the late war, is now a resident of Columbus, being about fifty years of age. Her mother died when about thirty-five. Mrs. Morris is the second of their children, the others being Frances A., and William, Frances A., wife of George Wolpert, died at the age of about twenty-two years, leaving an only child, George. William, a coal dealer in Columbus, Ohio, married Tenie Longhenry and has two children, Clara and Mary. The maternal garndinother of Mrs. Morris, Jane Kain, is a resident of Dresden, Ohio, being now eighty- seven years of age. For many years she has been a member of the Baptist Church. She has had eleven children, only one of whom, Dwight, with whom she is living, still sur- vives. Mr. and Mrs. Morris have four children, viz .: Harry, William M., James Hiram and John Raymond.
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