USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 34
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 34
USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 34
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Mr. Dean was married in 1849, in Mecca, to Miss Elizabetlı Davidson, a member of a highly respected family, and a woman of rare social and domestic qualities. To her timely assistance and cheerful companionship he attributes much of the success lie has at- tained in life. She was born in Boardman, Mahoning county, Ohio, January 20, 1827, daughter of Samuel and Betsey (Drake) Davidson, both natives of Connecticut. Her father was twice married, and by his first wife had four children: George, Elizabeth, Henry and May. The mother of these children died in 1835. For his second wife he wedded Mrs. Martha Mason, nee Chaffee, daughter of The- dosia (Fletcher) Chaffee. By this second marriage he had four children, three of whom, Lurena; Elwood and Flora, are living. Lu- vina died at the age of four years. Samuel Davidson lived to be seventy-five years of
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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.
age, and died at Bristol, Ohio, where his widow still resides. He was a member of the Disciple Church. Mr. and Mrs. Dean have reared two children; Emma Stone Dean, who came into their home when she was two years old, and Ruby, a niece, whom they ad- opted in infancy. The former has been twice married, her first husband being Mr. L. Bel- den; her present husband, Charles Benton, of Mecca. Ruby is now the wife of E. Shaf- ner, and lives in this township. Miss Leda Belden now makes her home at Mr. Dean's.
Mr. and Mrs. Dean are members of the Disciple Church, and his political views are in accord with Republican principles. He is one of the highly esteemed citizens of Mec- ca township.
A SAHEL BELDEN .- With the mi- gratory spirit which so animates the average American of this progressive nineteenth century, it is really refresh- ing to encounter an incident where a person has been content to remain upon the ancestraal acres and in the locality where first he ope'd his eyes to view "a naughty world." To have attained honor "in one's own country" implies a life of rectitude and a regard for those with whom his lot is cast. Long-tinie acquaintances are invariably the most exact- ing and the most critical, and tributes of respect and honor come from them not in overleaping tumult, but rather "grudgingly and of necessity." Thus to a man who has passed his entire life in one province, a rig- orous test is applied. Such have been the circumstances in the case of one whose name initiates this paragraph. Asahel Belden, son of Asahel and Anna (Brnce) Belden, was born in Farmington township, Trumbull county,
Ohio, December 12, 1818. His parents were natives of Connecticut, the father having been a tinner by trade. In the remote days of 1813, when Ohio yet stood upon the frontier and was yet given over to the wind-swept and virgin forests, this Asahel Belden, Sr., with his wife and one child, left the old east- ern home, and with his rude pioneer equipment which was that utilized by those who mnade this change, he set forth for Ohio, six weeks being consumed in the journey. He first settled on wild land and built the first log house in the vicinity. After clearing a farm he returned to New Jersey, where he died, at the age of thirty one years. His widow sub- sequently married J. W. Belden, a brother of her first husband. She died on the old farm, aged seventy years.
Our subject was one of three children of the first marriage, and by the second marriage his mother had eight children. He is the only survivor. He remained at home until he attained his majority, having been ac- corded only such educational privileges as were afforded by the early district and sub- scription schools. In his life on the farm he had become familiar with the details and ar- duous duties of pioneer husbandry, and at the age of twenty-one years he commenced working on a farm by the month, continning in such occupation for seven months, at a sal- ary of $11 per month. He then widened his field of action, by taking contracts for cutting wood and clearing up wild land. In the course of time he bought a farm of unre- claimed land, cleared and improved the prop- erty and sold at a profit. This operation was once or twice repeated, and by unflagging industry and the careful conservation of all financial resources, however meager, he suc- ceeded in making for himself a home and in attaining a position of independence.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Mr. Belden was born at Farmington, De- cember 12, 1818. He was married Septein - ber 20, 1843, at Farmington, to Sarah, a daughter of Hiram and Sally French. They had four children: Alphonzo W., born No- vember 19, 1848; Alpheus, July 17, 1851; Flora Inez, January 28, 1859; Ansta, June 30, 1864; all living but Alpheus and Flora. Mrs. Sarah Belden was born August 27, 1820, and died April 16, 1889. Mr. Belden supports the principles of the Republican party. Both he and his wife were believers in the Spiritualistic faith.
Asahel Belden, Sr., came with his father David Belden, to Ohio. His wife was Lois Wolcott. Three brothers of Asahel, Sr., accompanied him to Ohio, Burridge, Harvey and David, all locating in the same township. The two former lived and died there, and the latter died in Kansas. Burridge. had six children: Daniel, Selma, James, Sarah Ann, Lois and Susan. Harvey had eight chil- dren: Amney, Harry, Calvin, David, Ozro, Andrew, Kingsley and Elvira. David had six children: Ansel, Lucius, Lucina, Hamlet, Waldo and Celeste.
W ILLIAM HATCH SMILEY, a mem- ber of the law firm of Taylor, Upton & Smiley, Niles, Ohio, is promi- nently identified with the more recent history of Trumbull county, and is well worthy of representation in this volume. He is a native of the Pine Tree State, born at Oakland, Ken- Lebec county. In his youth he entered the office of the Lewiston (Maine) Journal, per- forming the duties of that most indispensable personage, the " printer's devil." Later, as a journeyman, he was employed in many of the largest cities of the Union. His career as a
printer ended in the Government printing office at Washington, District of Columbia, from which he was transferred to a War De- partment clerkship. Then came the oppor- tunity to prepare himself for a profession; he took a course in the Columbia Law Univer- sity as a night pupil, and continued his studies successfully to the end of the course, taking a diploma and a degree in 1883. At the same time he was also doing work for various publications in both prose and verse, the latter receiving the most commendatory notice in the leading journals of the North. He wrote many editorials for Washington papers during this time, and thus was brought into the most friendly relations with the members of the press. He was present as a newspaper correspondent at the execution of Charles J. Guiteau, the murderer of Garfield, and at many other notable events.
In the spring of 1884 he resigned his position in the War Department, and came to Warren, Ohio, where he purchased the Tribune, which he conducted seven years as an uncompromising Republican paper. This journal, under his editorship, stood at the head of and was a model for the country press; was a powerful lever in rolling up Re- publican majorities, and was a strong force in creating Republican sentiment. He was active in Republican club work, was one of the organizers of both the Nineteenth Dis- trict Garfield Club and the Giddings Club of Warren, and was the first president of the latter organization. Both these clubs have become permanent institutions. In 1891 he disposed of the Tribune, in order to devote his entire time to the practice of his pro- fession, associated with Hon. Ezra B. Taylor and Mr. George W. Upton. He is studious and well read in the law, and is held in high esteem by his brothers at the bar. Mr.
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OF NORTHIEASTERN OHIO.
Smiley has been innchi upon the stump, and is in great demand as a forcible and effective speaker. At the first annual banquet of the Republican League, held in Columbus, Ohio, where spoke Senator Sherman, General Alger, Governor Foraker, General Gibson and Jndge West, Mr. Smiley had the honor to deliver a speech which was received with tumultuons applause. He is widely traveled in the East, West and Sonth, and being a close observer of people and things lias gathered a vast amount of the most interesting information concerning the people of his own country.
The Smiley family is of the old, substan- tial Quaker stock, coming from England in the early settlement of New England. Charles A. Smiley, father of William H., a native of Sidney, Maine, was an editor on the staff of the Portland Transcript. He enlisted in the Union army, and died in the service. He married Sarah, danghter of William Hatch, and to them were born two danghters and a son: Helen and Florence, residents of Oak- land, Maine, and William Hatch Smiley.
EORGE HASSEL has resided on his present farm in Brookfield township, Trumbull county, Ohio, since 1868. Of German birth, he possesses the characteristics of his countrymen, being classed with the thrifty men of his vicinity.
Mr. Hassel was born in Germany, Novem- ber 12, 1834, son of Conrad and Margaret Hassel, and one of their ten children, eight of whom are living. His father served some time as a soldier in the German army, was af- terward a coal miner, and still later a farmer. Ile was a straightforward, honest and upright man. George Hassel landed in America in 1853, and located in Sharon, Pennsylvania,
where he engaged in coal mining. He came to his present location in 1868. He continued mining until fifteen years ago, since which time he has devoted all his energies to work on the farm, cultivating his own land and also working for others.
Mr. Hassel married Eliza Dresch, and their children are as follows: George, Con- rad, Charlotte, Gus, Charles, Louis, Kathe- rine, Eliza and Amelia. Two of their chil- dren are deceased. The second son, Conrad, has been a Clergyman of the Reform Church for the past four years. He and his wife are active members of the Reform Church and are liberal supporters of the same. He is a Republican, and at one time was identified with the I. O. O. F.
OHNSON GROVES, who for thirty-five years has been the village blacksmith of of Brookfield, Ohio, was born at this place, April 16, 1833, son of James and Anın (Caulfield) Groves. His parents had a family of seven children, all of whom are living. Their names are John, William C., Johnson, James W., Freedon K., Mary and Earnest A. The father was a native of Ireland and a weaver by trade. He was one of the very earliest settlers of Brookfield township, Trumbull county, and took an active part in shaping affairs here. He was a Democrat in politics, and both he and his wife were mem- bers of the Disciple Church.
Johnson Groves was reared at his native place. In 1850 he entered npon a three years' apprenticeship to the blacksmith trade, and after he had served his time, worked two years longer for the same company. He then set np in business for himself at Brookfield, where he has since continned at the anvil.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
He was married, in 1857, to Harriet S. Bishop, who was born June 29, 1836. They had four children, namely: Curtis, born in 1857, died in 1858; Carrie E., who married William M. Stewart, has two children: Charles H., married Bertha M. Taylor and is a resident of Brookfield; and Anna F., who lives with her father. Mrs. Groves departed this life January 31, 1893. She was a mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church, was a true Christian woman and was beloved by all who knew ler.
Mr. Groves is a Presbyterian and a Re- publican. He is generous and active in church work, and takes a commendable in- terest in the public affairs of his town. He served as Township Assessor four years.
S AMUEL CARLILE, Postmaster of Cortland, Ohio, is probably one of the best-known men in this part of Trum- bull county. Like many of our prominent and distinguished men, he comes from the north of Ireland, Belfast being his native place, the date of his birth, January 20, 1834. William Carlile, his father, was also a native of Belfast, and his mother, nee Eleanor Cooper, was born at Dundonald, county Down, near Belfast. William Carlile was born on Lord Dufferin's estate. In 1848 the Carlile family emigrated to the United States and located in New Philadelphia, Tus- carawas county, Ohio. This family was com- posed of five daughters and two sons: Mary Jane, Agnes, Eliza, Samuel, Saralı, William J. and Margaret E. The father was a man of education, was a painter by trade, and was . engaged in teaching for some years in Bel- fast. He died in Ohio at the advanced age of eighty-five years.
Samuel Carlile was educated in his native city and at New Philadelphia. In 1853 he came to Trumbull county and engaged in work at his trade, that of plasterer, which he. has followed most of his life.
He was married September 28, 1855, in Bazetta township, thiis county, to Emnily Headley, born and reared here, a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Blair) Headley, prom- inent pioneers of the township, both natives of Pennsylvania, and both now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Carlile have four children, namely: William, a resident of Sharon, Penn- sylvania; Lizzie, wife of J. H. Post, of Cleveland, Ohio; Ella, wife of Alva Green- wood, of Fowler, Ohio; and Fred R., at home.
Politically, Mr. Carlile is one of the active Democrats of this part of Trumbull county. He was chairman of the county convention in 1892, and has served as delegate to both county and State conventions. He received the appointment as Postmaster of Cortland in 1885, and served during Cleveland's first administration; was re-appointed in May, 1893, and is still filling the office to the en- tire satisfaction of all concerned. His office is neat, clean and tidy, and his two clerks, Fred R. Carlile and Miss Ella Powell, are both efficient and accommodating.
He is one of the official members of the Congregational Church, and is also a Knight of Pythias.
(OHN JACOBS, is another one of the thrifty farmers of Brookfield township, Trumbull county, Ohio, who is of Ger- man birth. Of him and his family we make the following brief record:
John Jacobs was born in Bavaria, Ger- many, July 23, 1854, son of David and Bar-
.
your amorty E. A. Taylor
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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.
bara Jacobs, the former born in Germany, February 2, 1800, died in his native land September 1, 1870, and the latter, born at the same place April 14, 1815, died there October 2, 1864. They had a family of six children, namely: Elizabeth, born in 1833, was married, in 1852, to John Steinert; Mar- garet, born January 15, 1838, was mar- ried, in 1862, to Andrew Helder; George, born in 1839, married Barabara Fincel, and lives near the subject of this sketch; Anna M., born in 1845, is the wife of John Bates. John was the fifth born, and the sixth is deceased. David Jacobs was engaged in farming and stock-raising all his life, and for some years also operated a distillery. He acquired a competency and occupied a prom- inent position in the community in which he lived, having filled various local positions of prominence and trust. He was a member of the Lutheran Church, as also were his wives. He was married three times, but survived all of his wives, and when he died left his wealth to his children, the subject of our sketch receiving about $2,500.
Jolin Jacobs landed on American soil June 29, 1871, and since his arrival here has been engaged in farming in Brookfield township, where he owns forty-eight acres of land. He makes a specialty of raising sheep, and also keeps some good horses. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, and in politics is a Democrat.
H ON. EZRA B TAYLOR .- In every generation there arise those who tower above their fellowmen, whose superiority draws to them that defer- ence which mankind naturally yields to great ability, men who are destined to become
leaders and directors of public thought and framers of popular sentiment, and such is Hon. Ezra B. Taylor, of Warren Ohio.
Before entering into a review of the career of this distinguished citizen, it is fitting that reference to liis parentage should be made. His parents were Elisha and Theresa (Couch) Taylor, who came from Berkshire county, Massachusetts, to Ohio in 1814, and settled in Nelson township, Portage county. They were poor, and the difficulties and hardships incidental to pioneer life, necessitated hard struggling. To them came the most common blessing to the poor, a household of children, and July 9, 1823, their son, Ezra B., was born.
In those days school facilities on the fron- tier were slight, and the subject of this sketch was at a great disadvantage in secur- ing a thorough education. He attended the district school of his vicinity during the winter months until he was seventeen, but the greater part of his education was ob- tained by self-culture and close application at home. He early in life manifested a love for books and a decided ability in the acquire- ment of knowledge. He soon became am- bitious to fit himself for a professional career, and predilection led him to the study of law, which he began at an early age,-a profes- sion suited to his temperament and character of mind and one affording greater opportun- ities for distinction to the ambitious. This study he pursued under the instruction of Hon. Robert F. Payne, then of Garrettsville, Ohio, and such was his progress that in 1845, at the early age of twenty-two, in spite of many disadvantages, Mr. Taylor was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of the State, at Chardon.
In 1847, Mr. Taylor settled at Ravenna, Portage county, where he was engaged in the active practice of his profession until 1861,
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
in which year he removed to Warren, which has ever since been his home and where lie has spent many years in the prosecution of his professional work. He soon obtained prominence in his calling and grew in popu- lar favor both as a citizen and lawyer. So much so was this, that, in 1849, he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for Portage county, the duties of which responsible posi- tion, it is needless to say, he discharged with integrity and ability, alike creditable to him- self and to the wisdom of those who saw fit to entrust them to his competent hands.
Responsive to the call of his country in need, Mr. Taylor enlisted, in 1864, as a private in the One Hundred and Seventy- first Ohio National Guards, who served three months, and so great was his popularity in the regiment that it elected him its Colonel after his return home.
On settling in Warren, in 1862, Mr. Taylor formed a partnership with L. C. Jones, in the practice of law, which union was dissolved in 1876. In 1877, on the death of Judge Servis of the Court of Common Pleas, Mr. Taylor was tendered the vacancy thus occasioned, but declined the offer. He was subsequently greatly surprised to learn that nearly every lawyer, both Republican and Democratic, in the sub-district composed of Mahoning, Trumbull and Portage coun- ties, had signed a petition for his appoint- inent, which the Governor made and Mr. Taylor accepted. Judge Taylor was elected, in the fall of the same year, to succeed him- self, and re-elected continuously on the bench until 1880. He honored his office and has always enjoyed the profound respect of the bar and the people. As a jurist, he was clear- headed, impartial, quick to discern the merits of every case, and the manner in which he dispatched the business won for him the dis-
tinction of being one of the ablest judges who ever presided at this court.
Since the founding of the Republican party, Judge Taylor has been an earnest and effi- cient Republican, having rendered valuable service in many hard fought compaigns. He is cool and sagacious in counsel and a forcible and eloquent speaker, the strength and purity of his diction and his skill and force in the presentation of facts and arguments, ren- dering his addresses both interesting and powerful.
In the winter of 1880, when the lamented General Garfield, who had for so many years ably represented the Nineteenth Congress- ional District in Congress, was elected United States Senator, the Warren Tribune proposed that IIon. Ezra B. Taylor should become General Garfield's successor in Con- gress. This suggestion was received with much favor, and Judge Taylor soon became a leading candidate, although he took no part in the canvass preceding the nominating convention, but confined his attention en- tirely to his duties as Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. As his competitors for nomination to Congress were Hons. S. A. Northway, and W. P. Howland, of Ash- tabula county; Hon. Peter Hitchcock of Geauga county ; and Hon. J. B. Burrows, of Lake county ; all good and popular men, it is not only a high tribute to Judge Taylor's standing, but also a fair index to his friends' enthusiastic work, that he received the nomi- nation by the District Congressional Con- vention, held at Warren, August 12, 1880. On receiving the nomination, Judge Taylor resigned his position on the bench and took an active part in the campaign preceding the election. It must be remembered that Gen- eral Garfield was a member of Congress when he was elected United States Senator,
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and before he had been qualified as such and elevated from his place in Congress, he was elected to the Presidency. Judge Taylor, having been triumphantly nominated and elected to the Forty-Seventh Congress, was also nominated, without opposition, and was elected to fill General Garfield's unexpired term in the Forth-Sixth Congress.
For thirteen years thereafter, Judge Tay- lor served in Congress. In 1892 he was strongly urged to again accept the nomina- tion of his party for Congress, but for per- sonal and family reasons, he positively de- clared his purpose to withdraw from public life, and hence Hon. S. A. Northway, of Ash- tabula county, became his successor in Con- gress. As a member of Congress, Mr. Tay- lor was modest and seldom made speeches. Nevertheless, he was an unflagging and effi- cient worker, and did more to shape legisla- tion than many members who made more noise.
In the Forty-Sixth and Forty-Seventh Con- gresses, he served on the Committee of Claims; and in the Fifty-First and Fifty- Second Congresses, he was on the Committee of Manufactures. In the Fifty-Second Con- gress, he was a member of the Committee to investigate the Homestead riot, of Pennsyl- vania, and the sweating system of making clothing, cigars, etc. In the Forty-Seventh Congress, Mr. Taylor was one of the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, and in the same Congress, he was appointed a member of the Judiciary Committee, on which he served during the whole of his stay in public life, acting in the Fifty-First Congress as chair- man of that committee. His work as a inem- ber of the Committee on the Judiciary, con- sisted largely in examining and settling ques- tions of law, constantly arising, for the pur- pose of avoiding bad and unconstitutional
legislation. He was regarded by bis fellow- members as one of the ablest and mnost effi- cient of committeemen.
During the discussion of the bill to restrict Chinese immigration, Mr. Taylor delivered a speech in the Forty-Seventh Congress, against the bill. His speech attracted much attention and called fortli as much, if not more, praise than any other speech delivered during the long and able debate on Chinese bills.
After his first Congressional election, Judge Taylor never had any contest far a re- nomination, but was renominated by accla- mation each and every time, and it is believed this would have been repeated in 1892, had he not strenuously declared that he would not again enter the race for Congress even though his party should renominate him. It is worthy of note that the same Congression- al District was represented successively by Hon. Elisha Whittlesey twenty years, by Hon. Joshua R. Giddings for twenty-one years, by General Garfield for seventeen years, and by Mr. Taylor thirteen years, a length of time in the aggregate for four successive incum- bents almost unparalleled in the history of the United States.
Since his retirement from Congress, Judge Taylor has given his entire attention to his law practice in Warren, having associated with him his son-in-law, George W. Upton, a lawyer and citizen of excellent reputation.
In 1849, Judge Taylor was married in Ravenna, Ohio, to Harriet M. Frazier, a lady of education and refinement, and they had two children, a danghter and son. The former is now the wife of Mr. Upton. She is highly educated and has gained quite a reputation in literature as a writer, several of her produc- tions having been favorably received, but perhaps the most praiseworthy of her works
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
is that devoted to the lives of the Presidents of the United States and their families, which was published by D. Lathrope, of Boston. She has throughout her life been devoted to her father, and while he was in Congress, she was in Washington with him, where she became a favorite in society, both on ac- connt of her literary ability and her amiabili- ty of character. H. K. Taylor, the Judge's son, is a representative lawyer of Youngs- town, Ohio, and bids fair to emulate his father, if not in honors at least in ability. In 1876, Judge Taylor was called upon to mourn the death of his wife, who had been for so many years a devoted mother and friend, since which time he has found his greatest consolation in the society of his children, who are in every way a blessing and a joy.
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