Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 78

Author: Doyle, William B., b. 1868
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Ohio > Summit County > Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens > Part 78

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Tracing the Upson family back on the pa- ternal side, the ancestral record is as follows:

Rufus P. Upson descends from Thomas Up- son, who came from England and settled at Hartford, Connecticut, at an early day, where it is on record that he enjoyed the right to get wood and keep his cows on the Common. About 1638 he is listed as one of the original proprietors of Farmington, Connecticut. He married Elizabeth Fuller, in 1646, and died July 19, 1655. His children were: Thomas, who died at Saybrook, Connecticut; Stephen ; Mary ; Eliza, and Hannah, the latter of whom died July 20, 1655.

Stephen, second son of Thomas and Eliza- beth Upson, was married December 29, 1682, to Mary, daughter of John Lee, Sr. of Farm- ington, Connecticut, and died in 1735, aged

85 years. Ilis wife died February 15, 1715-16. Prior to his marriage he moved to Waterbury and became a proprietor December 29, 1679, to the amount of fifty pounds. He became a' man of affairs there and was one of a com- mittee to settle bonds with Woodbury, in April, 1702, and was made surveyor, com- mitteeman and grand juror. He was three times deputy to the General Court, in May, 1710, in October, 1712, and in October, 1729. In 1715 he was a sergeant and in 1729 he had a seat with the volunteers in the new meeting-house. His children were: Mary, born November 5, 1683, married Richard Welton, son of John; Stephen, born Septem- ber 30, 1686; Elizabeth, born February 14, 1689; Ilannah, born March 16, 1695, mar- ried (first) Thomas Richards, (second) John Bronson, and in 1751 was living a widow; Tabitha, born March 16, 1698, married John Scoville; John, born December 13, 1702; and Thankful, born March 14, 1706-7, married James Blakesley.

Thomas Upson of the third American gen- eration, was a son of Stephen and Mary (Lee) Upson. He married Rachel, daughter of Thomas Judd, and they resided on Cole street, Waterbury, Connecticut, until 1732-3, when he sold and moved to Farmington, later to Southington, where he died respected and esteemed. His wife Rachel died July 13, 1750, aged 56 years, and he died September 29, 1769, aged 68 years. The following chil- dren were born to Thomas and Rachel Upson : Thomas, born December 20, 1719; Mary and John, twins, the latter of whom died in 1741, the foriner of whom married Josiah Newell, of Southington; Josiah, born January 28, 1724, died in 1725; Asa, born November 30, 1728; T. W., born October 8, 1731; Amos, born March 17, 1734; Samuel, born in March. 1737; Freeman, born July 24, 1739, died in 1750.

Thomas Upson, son of Thomas and Rachel (Judd) Upson, married Hannah Hopkins. daughter of Timothy Hopkins, of Waterbury, May 28, 1749, and settled one mile north of Wolcott Center, and died in 1798, aged 79 years. His wife died June 6, 1757. They

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY

had the following children: Benoni, born February 14, 1750; Charles, born March 8, 1752; Sylvia, born June 7, 1756, died in 1764.

Charles Upson, known as 'Squire Upson, son of Thomas and Hannah Upson, married Wealthy Hopkins, March 26, 1773, who died December 8, 1783. He married (second) the Widow Mary Moulthrop, March 24, 1784. He resided on the homestead and was a man of considerable influence in the community, and in 1805 he had the largest tax list of any man there. He subscribed the largest sum for the settlement of Reverend Woodward in 1792, and for many years he was a justice of the peace. He was accidentally killed when riding into his barn on a load of hay, April 29, 1809, aged 57 years. Ilis widow died March 30, 1826, aged 76 years.

The children of Charles Upson by his first wife were: Washington, born September 2, 1775; Lee, born May 7, 1778; and Gates, born July 18, 1780. By his second marriage he had the following children: Thomas, born September 23, 1785; Charles Hopkins, born July 18, 1788; Mark, born October 24, 1790; Wealthy H., born April 18, 1794, married March 30, 1817.

Dr. Lee Upson, son of Charles and Wealthy (Hopkins) Upson, married Roxanna Lewis and they had the following children: Anson, Sarah, Israel and Olivia. All of the children remained in Connecticut except Anson. Dr. Upson and wife died in Connecticut, the former, February 7, 1851. He was a member of the Congregational Church.

Anson Upson, son of Dr. Lee and Wealthy (Hopkins) Upson, was born at Walcott. Con- neeticut, December 21, 1801. In 1825, prior to marriage, he came to Tallmadge township, Summit County, where he remained two years and then returned to Connecticut and worked in a cotton factory for Seth Thomas, who later became distinguished as a clock-maker. In 1832 Anson Upson returned to Ohio, and in 1833 he was married in Tallmadge Township to Polly Upson, who was born at Waterbury, Connecticut, June 9, 1806, and died Novem- ber 1, 1884. She was a daughter of Reuben and Hannah (Richardson) Upson. Their

children were: Rufus P .; Maria P., residing in Tallmadge, married George H. Root, and they have two children; and Helen L. and Harriet II., twins, born October 18, 1842. Helen L. married Roland Hough, of Roots- town, and they have five children. Harriet II. married Festus Sanford and they also re- side at Rootstown, Portage County, and have one child.

Anson Upson settled in Tallmadge Town- ship, where he bought a farm of seventy-two acres, which was then all forest land, and there he lived until his death, February 7, 1851, aged forty-nine years. He was a mem- ber of the Congregational Church and a trus- tee. In politics, he was first a Whig and later an Abolitionist. Like other members of his family, he was a man of unswerving integrity.

Rufus P Upson attended the schools of Tallmadge Township in his boyhood, where he laid the foundations of his education which years of practical experience and con- tact with his fellow-men has widened and broadened. He was reared to agricultural pursuits and followed farming on his father's land until 1891. when he settled on the farm which he has operated ever since. This con- tains 100 acres of most excellent land and he has improved it greatly by erecting commo- dious and substantial buildings. He carries on a general farming line and has been re- warded for his industry by continued prosper- ity. His second farm is equally valuable and he is justly considered one of the substantial as well as competent agriculturists of Tall- madge Township.

On October 22, 1861, Rufus P. Upson was married to Mary Upson, who was born May 20, 1836, in Tallmadge, and is a daughter of Edwin and Betsey (Blakesley) Upson. Ed- win Upson, father of Mrs. Rufus P. Upson, was born May 21, 1804, at Waterbury, Con- necticut, and was a son of Horatio and Han- nah (Cook) Upson, who was a son of John Upson.

Edwin Upson came to Tallmadge Town- ship, Summit County, Ohio, a youth of twen- ty-two years, in 1822, accompanying his un- ele Reuben Upson, Calvin Treat and Abra-

C. G. HIGH

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ham Hine. The party came on foot, making the journey as far as Buffalo, New York, in eighteen days. Subsequently, Edwin Upson returned to Connecticut, where he married Betsey Blakesley and in 1833 he came with his family, to Tallmadge and settled on a part- ly improved tract of land in the north part of the township. The farm contained 107 acres and fifteen had been cleared and a log house stood on the place. Mr. Upson cleared the remainder of the land and developed a fine property. His parents accompanied him when he settled permanently in Ohio and they died on this farm. Edwin Upson lived to the age of eighty-one years, dying May 1, 1885. His wife lived many years longer, dy- ing May 4, 1902, aged eighty-four years. Up to the close of her life she retained remarkable eyesight, never having required the assistance of glasses until within a very few years of her death, although she delighted in fine sewing and embroidering. Both Edwin Upson and wife were members of the Congregational Church. The children of Edwin and Betsey Upson were: Mary M .; Jacob E., who died aged five years and nine months; and Joseph E., residing at Cleveland, who married Cor- nelia Lyman.

Rufus P. Upson and wife have had the fol- lowing children: Addie M .; Amelia A., who married Walter L. Mallory, of Cuyahoga Falls, have had five children, Ruth, Ernest Leroy, Helen, Donald D., and Blanche, de- ceased: Edward A., residing in Tallmadge Township, engaged in farming. married Min- nie Skinner; Henry S., who died March 25. 1887; George L., residing on the home farm with his parents, married Jessie Southmayd; and Bessie L., residing at home.

Mr. Upson is one of the original Repub- licans of Tallmadge Township and voted for Abraham Lincoln when he was first the nomi- nee of this party. and he has never changed his political allegiance. For nine years he has served as township trustee and both in and out of office has taken pride in being a good citizen in all that the word implies. He is a useful member of the Tallmadge Histor- ical Society.

U. G. HIGH, county treasurer of Summit County, Ohio, and president of the Johnson Hardware Company, of Barberton, was born in 1868, in Coventry Township, Summit County, and is a son of Alem and Elizabeth High.

The father of Mr. High has been a resi- dent of Coventry Township for the past sixty years and is still hale and hearty, although he has passed his eighty-fourth birthday. He accompanied his parents from Pennsylvania to Summit County in 1831, and can still re- call many of the incidents of the wagon jour- ney through the unsettled regions. He has followed agricultural pursuits all his life.

U. G. Hligh was educated in the local schools near his home and later at Lebanon, and then taught school for six years, when he was made deputy auditor of Summit County, serving in that office for five years. Mr. High resigned that position in order to become assistant cashier of the Barberton Savings Bank, where he remained for four years, resigning August 12, 1906, in order to again resume the duties of public office. Ile was appointed treasurer of the county to fill out the term of Treasurer F. E. Smith, who had resigned the office, and his efficiency has brought him many marks of public con- fidence and approval. Mr. High has always taken an active interest in public matters in his community, has served five years on the Barberton Board of Education, and has con- sistently promoted the movements which have been designed to be of benefit to this section. He was the first Republican clerk elected in Coventry Township in twenty years. Ilis business interests are also important, and for a number of years he has been president of the Johnson Hardware Company.

In 1899 Mr. High was married to Laura B. Miller, who is a daughter of John Miller, of Portage County, and they have two chil- dren : Laura Lucile and Wayne Miller. Fra- ternally. Mr. High is identified with National Lodge, F. & A. M .; Barberton Tent. K. O. T. M., and Barberton Lodge, B. P. O. E. He is a member of the High Street Methodist Episcopal Church, of Barberton.

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY

W. G. ALLEN, general manager of the Niagara Fire Extinguisher Company, with of- tices in the Hamilton Building, Akron, is one of the city's capable business men, and has been a resident here since 1900. Ile was born at Dundee, Michigan, in 1872, and was reared and educated in his native state. During al- most the whole of his business life, he has been in his present line of business. For four- teen years he was connected with the Auto- matie Sprinkler Company, of Chicago, as de- partment manager, leaving there in 1900, in order to become general manager of the Niag- ara Fire Extinguisher Company, at Akron, where the company has a factory for the man- ufacture of automatic sprinkling appliances. The output of this factory is of standard ex- cellence and the sale of the company's goods, under Mr. Allen's progressive business meth- ods, is constantly increasing.

In 1897 Mr. Allen was married to Jessie D. Bryden, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and they have one child, Jeanette M. Mr. Allen is a man of social tastes and belongs to all of Akron's exclusive clubs.

C. S. IIIDDLESON, M. D., one of Akron's leading medical men, who located here after a number of years of professional experience in other places, was born at Randolph, Portage County, Ohio, in 1860, and there ob- tained his literary training to the extent of graduating from the Randolph High School.

After some preliminary medical study, he entered the Western Reserve University at Cleveland, and in 1883 he received his medi- cal degree from the old Ohio Medical Col- lege at Cincinnati. Dr. Hiddleson then lo- cated at Randolph, where he practiced for four years. He subsequently went to Atwater, where he remained for seventeen years, and then took a post-graduate course in the New York Post Graduate School. Coming after- wards to Akron, he has remained here since, taking a prominent place among the skillful medical practitioners of this city. Ile is a member of the Summit County Sixth Coun- eilor District, and also of the Ohio State, the

Northeastern and the American Medical So- cieties.

In 1885 Dr. Hiddleson was married to Ella M. Mendenhall, of Randolph, Ohio. They have two children, Robert M. and Dorothy, both students, the former having just entered upon his second year in Western Reserve Uni- versity, after a vacation tour of Europe. The family belong to the West Hill Congregational Church of Akron. Dr. Hiddleson is a Royal Arch Mason, a Knight of Pythias and a Mac- cabee ; he belongs also to the Masonic club of Akron.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HOFFMAN, one of l'ortage Township's leading citizens, who has served as township trustee since 1901, resides on his well-improved farm of forty- two acres, which is situated on the North Howard Street extension, just north of the city limits of Akron, and which Mrs. Hoffman inherited through her mother. Mr. Hoffman was born in Norton Township, Summit County, Ohio, August 12, 1843, and is a son of Philip and Amelia (Feller) Hoffman.

Philip Hoffman and wife were both born in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, and were married at Wadsworth, Medina County, Ohio. They went to housekeeping near Doylestown, Wayne County, but later moved to Norton Township, Summit County, where Philip Hoffman owned a small farm, and also carried on shoemaking. Both ke and wife died on another farm, of eighty aeres, to which they moved when Benjamin F. was twelve years old.

Benjamin F. Hoffman attended the country schools and worked in the neighborhood until he was eighteen years of age, when he went to work for Superintendent Frank T. Husong, at the Summit County Infirmary, where he remained until he was twenty-one. He was mainly engaged in teaming until 1870, when he went to work at the Excelsior Works and remained two years, after which he became an employe of the Buckeye Reaper and Mower Company, and continued with that concern for twenty years. In 1893, he pur- chased his present farm and has been con-

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cerned in its cultivation and improvement ever since. Mr. Hoffman also owns four acres of very valuable land on the corner of Tallmadge and Schiller Avenues, Akron, which he is selling in town lots. In 1893 he erected his commodious frame residence and gradually has built all necessary farm build- ings.

In 1865 Mr. Hoffman was married (first) to Clara Brumbaugh, who died in 1869, leav- ing no children. She was a daughter of David Brumbaugh. He was married (sec- ond), in 1870, to Almira Zeller, who is a daughter of William Zeller, and they have had eleven children, all of whom survive ex- cept Joseph, the next to the youngest, who died when two years old. Those living are: Charles W., residing at Akron, is engaged in the plumbing business; George P., residing at Akron, is in the plumbing and building block business; Frank P., residing at Akron, is a bookkeeper; Harry, residing at Detroit, is a baker by trade; Edward, residing at Akron, is collector for the People's Telephone Company; Oliver, residing at Akron, is a plumber by trade; and May, Clyde, Eli and Ruth, all residing at home. The older sons are all married, and all are doing well.

Politically, Mr. Hoffman is a Democrat. He has always taken a good citizen's interest in public matters. In 1901 he was elected township trustee and has been continued in office to the present time, giving his fellow citizens careful and faithful service.

A. LINCOLN CARPENTER, residing on North Howard Street, Akron, owns a fine farm of eighty acres, just outside the city lim- its, and is one of the substantial citizens of Portage Township. He was born on the old Judge Pitkin's farm. just east of his present one, August 15, 1863, and is a son of Abra- ham and Eliza (Wise) Carpenter.

Abraham Carpenter was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of Ga- briel Carpenter, who came to Stark County, Ohio, when Abraham was about eight years of age. Gabriel Carpenter was a day laborer. His wife died in Stark County. He contin-

ued to reside there until within five years of liis death, when he took up his residence with his sons, Abraham and Jacob, in Summit County.

Abraham Carpenter was reared in Stark County, and in early manhood married Eliza Wise, who was born in Stark County and was a daughter of George W. Wise. A few years later, Abraham Carpenter and wife came to Portage Township, his father-in-law having purchased a farm of 320 acres, which he farmed on shares for many years, a large part of the property subsequently coming into the possession of his family. Mr. Wise died on the Wise farm, a part of which A. Lincoln now owns. The Carpenters had three chil- dren : Alfaretta, who married Levi A. Lancas- ter, resides at Akron: Jennie, who married Joseph Schnee, resides at Akron; and .1. Lin- coln. The mother of the above family died at the age of seventy-five years. The father still survives, at the age of seventy-seven years.

A. Lincoln Carpenter was reared on the home farm, and with the exception of the first four years of married life, when he rented a farm in Copley Township, he has never lived out of sight of his present farm. He attended the country schools near his home and when we was seventeen years of age. he entered the Empire Mower and Reaper Com- pany and worked in the blacksmith shop for eleven years. He was employed also, for one year, in the Buckeye Mower and Reaper Works. Leaving out these twelve years, Mr. Carpenter has devoted himself exclusively to farming and dairying. He has made a suc- cess of the latter industry through hard work. He started in with a milk route, buying his milk from other parties, and peddled it for some five years before he purchased any cows. He now own twenty-eight head and has a good business. In 1902 he moved to his present farm and in 1906. he built his hand- some and commodious cement-block house. His farm has an excellent tenant house on the place, that he built in 1902, and he has erected all the other substantial buildings, no improvements being here when he purchased the land. Mr. Carpenter has shown great

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good judgment in locating the site of his resi- dence. It overlooks the Cuyahoga Valley and on a clear day the view extends to West Richfield, seventeen miles away. His fertile land yields readily to culture and he makes something of a feature of gardening and growing choice berries.

On April 29, 1886, Mr. Carpenter was mar- ried to Laura Viers, who is a daughter of B. J. Viers, and they have two children: Ford L. and Adele, both of whom are students at Buchtel College.

JOHN W. SEWARD, a representative citi- zen, formerly county surveyor of Summit County, now living at Tallmadge Center, was born in Tallmadge Township, Summit Coun- ty, Ohio, October 14, 1826, and is a son of Amos and Asenath (Dudley) Seward.

Mr. Seward traces his ancestry to an old English family which was first represented in New England by Lieut. William Seward, who was married to Grace Norton, April 2, 1651. He died March 22, 1689. John W. Seward is in the seventh generation from this ances- tor.

Nathan Seward, the paternal grandfather, was born October 18, 1758, and married Mar- tha Gridley. They moved to New Hartford, Connecticut, where he died November 15, 1815. He served for five years with the Con- tinental Army in the Revolutionary strug- gle, and was given a colonel's commission in the War of 1812, in which he served several months.

Amos Seward, father of John W., was born at Cornwall, Connecticut, February 19, 1786, and died in Tallmadge Township, Summit County, Ohio, November 12, 1859. He mar- ried Asenath Dudley, who was born at Mid- dletown. Connecticut, November 28, 1787, and died September 20, 1852. Her parents were Isaac and Anna (Woodhouse) Dudley, the former of whom was born April 8, 1761, and died September 9, 1843. He was a de- scendant of William and Jane (Lutman) Dudley, of Oakland, England, and came with the original colony that settled at Guilford, Connecticut, in 1639.

In 1817 Amos Seward came to Tallmadge Township, Summit County, where, as the lay of the land suited his fancy, he bought a farm and then returned to his former home, Whitestown, New York, from which place he removed his family and established his home in the new location, March 10, 1818, where he spent the remainder of his life. Four of his children grew to maturity, John W. being the youngest and the only one born in Tall- madge Township, of which he is now the old- est surviving native-born resident. The other three children, all born at Whitestown, New York, were: Frederick, who was born in 1811, married Nancy Carrell; Amos, who was born April 19, 1815, married Pleiades Bar- ber, July 14, 1840, and they reside in Cali- fornia; and Sarah Abbott, who was born No- vember 5, 1817, married Rev. James Shaw, October 22, 1850, and died in December, 1904.

In many respects, Amos Seward was one of the most prominent men of his day in Tallmadge Township, and for years was a factor in the public and political life of Sum- mit County. About 1830 he was appointed one of the appraisers, at the time that Congress appropriated several thousand acres of school lands for the Western Reserve, these being mainly situated in HIolmes County. In 1835 he was elected to the State Legislature from Portage County, and in 1842 was elected from Summit County. In 1847 he was elected to this body from both Portage and Summit Counties. In the spring of 1840, when Sum- mit County was formed, he was appointed county assessor and at the regular election in the fall of the year, he was elected for a period of two years and was the only man who ever held that office in the county, as the law was then changed, giving assessors to each town- ship. In the meanwhile he had been ap- pointed by the governor of the State to mem- bership on the State Board of Equalization. He was an active member of the Tallmadge Historical Society and was its first president. In all that pertained to his section he was ac- tively interested throughout his long and use- ful life.

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John W. Seward attended the district schools of Tallmadge Township and enjoyed one terin at Middlebury (now the Sixth Ward of Akron) and spent one term at the acad- emy at Tallmadge Center. He continued to assist on the home farm up to 1851, in the meanwhile teaching several sessions of the dis- trict school in his neighborhood. From No- vember, 1850, to June, 1851, he served as a guard in the Ohio Penitentiary at Columbus, when he resigned on account of his health. He had given some attention to the study of general surveying and when the C. A. & C. Railroad extended its survey through this section, Mr. Seward became a member of the engineering corps and continued with this body until the road was completed as far as Millersburg. After his marriage, in 1858, Mr. Seward continued on the home farm for several years, after which he engaged in a foundry business at Fredericksburg, Wayne County, for almost five years. In 1864, he served four months in the Federal AArmy, as a member of Company G, 166th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was honorably discharged in September of that year.

On account of his father-in-law's feeble health, Mr. Seward then returned to Tall- madge. and he engaged in carpenter work and paid some attention to surveying. gradu- ally giving that ealling the larger part of his attention. His capacity and efficiency were soon recognized, and in 1874 he was eleeted surveyor for Summit County, and during his three years in the office did a large amount of important work. For a period of thirty years he did all the surveying for the Akron cemetery, and on account of his accuracy and experience, he was called upon to do a great deal of private work in this line. For some years Mr. Seward has been a notary public and for eighteen years he was a justice of the peace.

On April 22, 1858, Mr. Seward was mar- ried to Urania D. Ashley, a daughter of An- son and Miranda (Fenn) Ashley. The Ash- ley family ean be traced baek for many gen- erations. Oliver Ashley, paternal grandfather of Mrs. Seward, was a son of Oliver, son of

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Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 78

Author: Doyle, William B., b. 1868 Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1150

Author: Doyle, William B., b. 1868
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1150