USA > Ohio > Wood County > Commemorative historical and biographical record of Wood County, Ohio : its past and present : early settlement and development biographies and portraits of early settlers and representative citizens, etc. V. 2 > Part 60
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On January 25, 1887, Marshall R. Gorrill was married to Ida A. Gast, daughter of George W. and Elizabeth (Lahman) Gast, of Troy township. They are farming people, natives of Pennsylvania, married in Ohio, and in 1887 moved to Alabama where they are now making their home. They had a family of six children, two of whom are living-Mrs. Gorrill, and John Mc., who is a merchant at Huntsville, Ala .; Emery, Joseph, George and Anna are deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Gorrill have been born two children: Irvin
A., May 8, 1889; and Grace, March 13, 1893. Our subject is a Republican in politics, and so- cially is affiliated with Phoenix Lodge No. 123, F. & A. M., of Perrysburg, also of Fort Meigs Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Perrysburg. He holds membership with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is serving as steward and trustee therein.
SIDNEY B. VAN TASSEL, who occupies a fine and well-improved farm in Washington township. is numbered among its well-to-do farmers, and from a small beginning has gradually worked his way upward, making all that he now possesses by his own well-directed and persevering efforts. He is a native of the Buckeye State, born in North Amherst, Lorain county, November 30, 1830, and is a son of Luke and Sallie (Richmond) Van Tassel.
The father was born in 1795 in New York, of Holland parentage, while the mother's birth oc- curred in Rhode Island, in 1800. They were married in 1818, and to them were born eleven children: Amelia, widow of A. H. Plant, of Manmee, Ohio; Lyman, who was born Decem- ber 4, 1820, and resides with our subject; Isaac and Olive, both deceased; Ann, a resident of Wood county, and the widow of Josiah Kuder ; Harriet, deceased wife of Hiram West; Silas, a farmer of McClure, Henry Co., Ohio: Sidney B. and Leroy A., both farmers; Luman, who works for the Toledo Blade, and resides in Bowl- ing Green; and Reuben, also a resident of Bowl- ing Green. By occupation the father was a farmer, and on coming to Ohio in 1837, located in Plain township, Wood county, but after one year removed to an Indian mission farm, on the banks of the Manniee river. at the mouth of Ton- togany creek, where he made his home for four years. His death occurred December 2, 1860. on his farm of sixty acres. one mile north of the present home of our subject. The mother died in September, 1874.
Sidney B. Van Tassel (during the family's residence at the Indian mission, he found as Inis playmates the little Indians) obtained his liter- ary education in the district schools of Washing- ton township, and besides aiding in the work of the home farm also worked for others, his wages going toward the support of the family until he was twenty-five years of age. He then had 110 capital with which to start ont in life, owning nothing but his clothes. At first he rented land. and besides general farating began raising stock both horses and mules. He finally sold enonghi of his stock to purchase forty acres of the land.
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WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
on which he now makes his home, though he continued to operate rented land for several years, and, in the meantime, however, he cleared eleven acres of his tract, to which he subse- quently added twenty acres, and, as his financial resources increased, added still another tract of thirty acres. With the exception of five acres of timber land, his place is now under a high state of cultivation, improved with good buildings, and is one of the model farms of the neighborhood. For the past five years he has also dealt in Jer- sey cattle, having now a fine herd of thirteen. He also gave some attention to sheep raising, having as many as two hundred in his flocks, but owing to the low price of wool has given up that enterprise.
In 1855 Mr. Van Tassel married Jane Ann McCauley, a daughter of Capt. John and Betsy (Hart) McCauley, farming people of Washington township. One daughter graced this union-Ann Elizabetlı, born June 7, 1858, is the wife of Will- iam Mawer, a farmer of Washington township, by whom she had four children, only two of whom are still living-Septimus and Sidney R. Mrs. Van Tassel died in June, 1884. For his second wife our subject married Letta Moore on August 9, 1887, and they have a daughter, Jennie, born in June, 1888. Miss Moore was the daughter of J. C. and Mary Ann (Green) Moore, and by her first marriage became the wife of Mr. Dunbar, by whom she had two children-Hattie May, born August 9, 1883; and Cecil Urania, born Novein- ber 29, 1885. Mr. Moore, the father of Mrs. Van Tassel, was formerly a prominent farmer of Washington township, but later engaged as a machinist in Blissfield, Mich. In his family were five children: Ellen, wife of A. O. Neifer, of Weston township, Wood county; Sarah Frances, wife of John Bullis, of Tennessee; Hat- tie, wife of D. C. Credicott, of North Baltimore, Ohio; J. W., a farmer residing in the southern part of Missouri; and Mrs. Van Tassel. The fa- ther now makes his home in Weston, Ohio, but the mother departed this life February 16, 1884. She was born in England in 1821, and when quite young was brought to America by her par- ents; her mother died when she was but eleven years of age, leaving her and her father the care of six children, with the Indians of the neighbor- hood as their only advisors.
During the Civil war Mr. Van Tassel was a strong Republican, but later voted the Demo- cratic ticket, and now intends to give his alle- giance to the men and measures of the Peoples party, whose principles he strongly endorses. For two terins he served as trustee, was consta-
ble seven years, and for a number of years was school director, ever discharging his various duties with promptness and fidelity. Socially, he holds membership with Tontogany Lodge No. 755. I. O. O. F., and formerly was a member of the Grange, of which for two terms he served as mas- ter, and the same length of time as overseer. His religious belief is that of the Spiritualists. He has ever been a hard-working, industrious man, and well deserves the success which now crowns his efforts. Each year, on August 16, the family hold a reunion.
GEORGE ROBINSON, a farmer and fruit raiser, of Troy township, came to Wood county in 1870 from England, his native land. He was born in 1843, in Cambridgeshire, and is a son of Na- thaniel and Martha (Wright) Robinson, who were the parents of six children, five still living. In order of birth they are as follows: Charles; George, of this sketch; Mrs. Sabina Gatson, of England; Lizzie, deceased; and Henry and Mrs. Salena Howard, also of England. The father was born in Haddenham, Cambridgeshire, fol- lowed gardening as a means of livelihood, and died in his native land in 1880. The mother still survives, and has never left England. She had a brother, George Wright, who came to Perrys- burg, Ohio, in 1853. and the following year lo- cated on the farm where our subject now resides. There his death occurred, in 1879, and his wife died in 1887, at the same place.
Mr. Robinson, of this review, received the benefit of a common-school education in his na- tive land, and was otherwise fitted for the battle of life. At Haddenham, Cambridgeshire, in 1866. he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Whet- stone, a native of Cambridgeshire, and a daugh- ter of James and Frances (Moxon) Whetstone. Her parents, who were also born in Cambridge- shire, crossed the Atlantic in 1871, locating on a farm in Des Plaines township, Cook Co., ill., but in 1895 removed to Minnesota, where they now reside. Seven children came to bless the union of our subject and his wife, but Charles died in November, 1879, at the age of twenty-seven months. Those living are: Emily Jane; Nathan George: Lizzie, wife of Hiram Cabel, of Lime City, Ohio: James; Salena; and George.
In 1870 Mr. Robinson emigrated to the New World, locating first in Perrysburg, where he worked for some time, bat in 1884 removed to his present farm, where he owns thirty-three acres of lime-stone land. He gives special attention to fruit culture, and his products find a ready sale in the market. He is not an active politician,
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WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
but, as his sentiments and beliefs dictate, votes with the Republican party. His wife is a sincere and faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
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CURTIS PLOWRIGHT, who is among the pros- perous young farmers of Plain township, is of English descent, his parents, Henry and Mary (Cross) Plowright, both being natives of that country. Henry Plowright was born August I, 1821, and his wife July 21, 1829. They came to America in 1850, first settling in Huron county, Ohio, and fifteen years later coming to Wood county, where Mr. Plowright purchased a farm, which he put under good cultivation and made into a valuable piece of property. He died November 3, 1891, and his wife is still living. They were the parents of eight children, as fo !- lows: Susan died when eight years old; Bertha is the wife of L. Stoots; Elizabeth married J. Manges; Willie died when three years old; Ida is the wife of Henry Kramp; Curtis is the subject of this sketch; Cora is the wife of John Philips; Mary is at home.
Curtis Plowright was born in Huron county, Ohio, December 6, 1863, and was reared to man- hood on his father's farm in Plain township, where he obtained a fair education in the district schools. He was married October 6, 1887, to Miss Mary Vernon, whose birth took place in Plain township, January 28, 1863. Three chil- dren have blessed their union, namely: Ethel A., born March 1. 1889; Otho C., October 11, 1892; and Harold V., May 18, 1894. After his marriage Mr. Plowright settled on ten acres of land which he owned in Plain township, and on the death of his father, he purchased from the heirs the old homestead on which he has since resided. He is a man of much energy and enterprise, and has made a success of farming. being considered one of the best and most thrifty of the younger class of agriculturists in the county. In politics he is a Prohibitionist, and is an active worker in the interests of his party. He is a man of integrity, highly es- teemed by his associates, and with his amiable wife holds an enviable place in the community.
MYRON CHAMBERLAIN, a prominent educator of Wood county, and one of the well-to-do agri- culturists of Webster township, was born in Lo- rain county, Ohio, November 1!, 1849.
His father. Luther Chamberlain, was a native of Ontario, Canada; but in early manhood he came to Ohio and purchased sixty acres of land in Lorain county, where he remained some years.
afterward removing to Hardin county. Here he continued his occupation of farming until 1877. when he came to Wood county, and bought a farm in Webster township. He was married in 1848 to Miss Emily Smith, and they reared a family of eight children, of whom our subject is the eldest. The others are Jesse, Willard, Phil- lips, Louis, Frank, Bert and Lorin. Both par- ents are still living at the old homestead, where our subject's father has been for years one of the leading members of the Democratic party, and an active worker in all public movements, and especially in educational affairs, having been school director for many terms.
Mr. Chamberlain met with a sad accident at the age of sixteen, while feeding a cane-crusher with his hands, both were caught and so injured as to necessitate their amputation. He prepared for teaching as a life work, completing his educa- tion at the Normal University at Ada, Ohio, and for twenty-seven years has followed his profes- sion. His fine mental gifts and professional training make him an unusually successful in- structor, and he has taught in every district in his township with universal satisfaction, and is still teaching. Through his own efforts he has bought and paid for fifty-four acres of the finest land in Webster township, located near Fenton, and most of it is under cultivation. On April 3, 1877, Mr. Chamberlain was married to Miss La- villa Loomis, of Scotch Ridge, who was born June 5, 1850. Six children were born to them: George L., January 15, 1878; Kenneth and Ben- jamin (twins): Permelia Ray, Fred and Winn E.
Mrs. Chamberlain died in ¡888, her early de- mise bringing deep grief to her many friends as well as to the smaller home circle, who miss her loving ministrations. In all pablic affairs Mr. Chamberlain's advice and influence are given to the side of progress. As a justice of the peace, he has served the people of his township for three years with ability and impartiality.
GEORGE W. HARTMAN, farmer and stock raiser, Plain township, was born in Center town- ship, May 26, 1841. He grew up on his father's farm, receiving his education in the common schools of his native place. In 1863 he enlisted in Company H, 67th Regiment, O. V. V. I., for the Union cause, and served nearly two years, doing duty at the siege of Richmond, Va., where his regiment was under fire for nearly a whole summer. The 6;th was kept in Virginia, getting the State under martial rule, until December to 1865, at which time Mr. Hartman was discharged. He was fortunate enough to escape without
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WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
receiving a wound. After the war he sheathed his sword, came home and returned to pursuits of peace. Shortly after he returned he bought his present excellent farm in Plain township. He was married in October, 1871, to Miss Bar- bara Apel, who was born in Sandusky, Erie Co., Ohio, March 27, 1849. They have had three children: John, born May 21, 1873, died June 6, 1895; Walter, born November 19, 1878; and Irene, born March IS, 1881.
Mr. Hartman has continued to live upon his present farm since the war, and has been en- gaged in general stock and grain raising, his farm giving evidence of careful cultivation. It is fer- tile, and capable of producing a large amount of grain. Our subject~is recognized by liis fellow- citizens as one of the opulent men of the county. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics is a Republican.
Jacob Hartman, father of our subject, was born on the Lower Rhine, Germany, May 26, 1808. He came to America when about twenty- three years of age, and married Miss Margaret Listenburger, who was born in Germany, and who is still alive. They moved to Perrysburg in 1833, later to Center township, where they made their home.
ELLIOT M. WARNER, who is engaged in fruit culture in Ross township, belongs to a family that was early established in Connecticut. Near New Milford, that State, his grandfather, Martin Warner, was born April 27, 1781, and was the third of five sons born to Martin Warner, Sr., the others being, Orange; Solomon, who was married and had one son, Asa; Ruggles, who had two sons, Ashbel and Hiram, both of whom grad- uated at Yale College; and Lemuel, who also had two sons, Luzon and Elmer. There were also two sisters in the family, one of whom married a son of Rev. Brooks, a Congregational minister, for whom Brookfield, Connecticut, was named.
On November 20, 1803, the grandfather led to the marriage altar Miss Nancy Hart, daughter of Lewis and Anne Hart, and they became the parents of the following children-Elliot, Henry, Martin, John H., George L., Mary, Eliza, Har- riet, Margaret, and Sarah, who were born in Brookfield, Derby, and Huntington, Conn. In I Soo the grandfather began farming on a thirty- three-acre tract, two miles northeast of Brook- field, in Fairfield county, Conn., and twenty- three miles from Bridgeport. In 1811, in com- pay with his father-in-law, he built a schooner of 170 tons burden, which was sailed by Lewis Hart, and in the war of 1812 was shot and fired
by the British, off Bridgeport, Conn., but, after being run down. the fire was extinguished and the vessel saved. It was named the "Nancy." and was partly wrecked off the coast of Nan- tucket Island, but was repaired at a cost of $500.00. Martin Warner removed to Derby, Conn., in April. 1815, where he engaged in dis- tilling rum and whisky, which at that time was thought to be consistent in a Christian and dea- con in the Church. Reverses of fortune followed. and in November, 1823, he went to Rochester, N. Y., making the journey partially by canal, which became frozen. On January 1, 1824, he proceeded to Black Rock: but on May I, re- moved to Buffalo, locating on Pearl street, one and a half squares northwest of the junction of Main and Niagara streets. His wife and three children had joined him at Black Rock. and the same year they removed to Lyons, Wayne Co., N. Y., where he engaged in carpentering. In 1824, his son Elliot sailed as cabin boy on the "Red Jacket " and the .Erie," the former of which was sent over the Falls with a black bear on board. In 1827, the grandfather purchased 119 acres in Rose township, Wayne county, for $6.00 per acre; but in September, 1833, with his son, Elliot, and his son-in-law. James Barber, he came, by way of Buffalo and Lake Erie, to Perrysburg, Wood Co., Ohio. However, in the latter part of October of the same year. he re- turned to New York, and the family came by way of Detroit to Perrysburg on Capt. Asa Hart's schooner. The grandfather built the first frame dwelling in Washington township, Wood county, in which religious services were held in 1835 and 1836, by Rev. Benjamin Woodbury, who organized a class of Presbyterians in Plain township, Martin Warner and Jacob Minton be- coming deacons. In 1838 a house of worship was erected in Section 12, Plain township. In Washington township the grandfather departed this life November 14, 1854.
Henry Warner, the father of our subject. learned the hatter's trade, of Van Vorhes, at Lyons, N. Y., in 1827, and came with the family to Wood county in 1835. He was born March II, ISIT, and died April 24, 1894. On January 19, 1841, he was united in marriage with Jane Elizabeth Wright, whose birth occurred in Hardin county, Ky .. in June, 1820, and to them were born five children -- Liberty P .. born May 11, 1842, became a member of the 2ist O. V. I., during the Civil war, and was killed at the battle of Chickamauga; Elliot M. is the next in order of birth; Eliza J., born November 23, 1845, is now the wife of Charles E. Allen: Mary W.,
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born September 15, 1847, is now Mrs. William Rhymers, living at 895 Bancroft street; and Hat- tie, who was born November 20, 1851, died at the age of ten years. For twenty-two years the father engaged in the work of the Methodist min- istry, preaching at the following places in this state-Findlay, Bucyrus, Congress, Copley, Doylestown, Fostoria, Mt. Blanchard, Mellmore, Port Clinton, Bryan, Sylvania and Waterville. In September, 1859, he located in Washington township, Wood county, where he made his home for fourteen years, when he retired to Perrysburg, where he resided for twenty years. He was a conscientious Christian gentleman, be- loved by all who knew him.
Elliot M. Warner, whose name introduces thissketch, was born January 23, 1844, in Waynes- burg, Wayne Co., Ohio. On attaining to man's estate, he married Miss Margaret E. Brown, who was born on Beaver creek, in Weston township, Wood county, in November, 1843, and is a daughter of Alexander Brown, of Grand Rapids township, this county. They now have three children-Howard N., a fruit grower, born De- cember 25, 1872; Otis Arthur, also a fruit grow- er, born March 26, 1874; and Jennie E., all at home. Until 1874, Mr. Warner devoted his at- tention to general farming, but since that time has engaged in fruit culture, at first having twenty-five acres, to which he has since added fifty-seven acres, which he has thoroughly cleared, drained, and erected thereon good buildings, in- cluding a fine residence. The following is the average production of his fruit farm-500 bushels of peaches, 400 of pears, 125 of plums, 100 of apples, 60 of cherries, 25 of currants, 10 of quinces, 8 of gooseberries, and 4 tons of grapes, all of the best varieties. He rents the remainder of his farm, for which he receives one-third of the crop raised, and his corn generally yields 100 bushels to the acre.
Mr. Warner is a member of the Clark street Methodist Episcopal Church, of Toledo, Ohio, in which he has served as trustee and class leader; has always been a Republican in politics, to which party his ancestors also belonged, after the dis- solution of the Whig party, which they had for- merly supported. For sixteen years he capably served as trustee of his township, and for several years was also school director.
On May 2, 1864, Mr. Warner enlisted at Perrysburg in Company B, 144th O. V. I., nnder Lieut. Miller, Capt. Luther Black and Col. Hunt, and participated in the engagements at Monocacy, Md., and Berryville, Va. Out of seventeen, twelve were captured by the Rebels,
our subject being among the five who escaped, and in September, 1864, he was honorably dis- charged at Columbus, Ohio. He now holds membership in Ford Post No. 14, G. A. R., at East Toledo. His brother Liberty, who was killed at the battle of Chickamauga, was buried in the National Cemetery, at Chattanooga, among the thousands marked " Unknown."
EDWARD BALDWIN, a prominent and well- known grain dealer and agriculturist, of Weston, was born November 28, 1843, at Townsend, Hu- ron Co., Ohio, and is the son of Watson and Almira (Church) Baldwin.
To some inen there is no such word as fail. Unkind fortune may buffet them about, they may be now on the topmost wave of prosperity and to-morrow in the depths of adversity, but their courage never falters, and obstacles and disap- pointments seem to bring ont all the force of their character, and to incite them to still more strenuous efforts. Mr. Baldwin has had a checkered career, but, thanks to his undaunted energy and unflagging perseverance, he has con- quered all difficulties, and sees before him smooth sailing, it is to be hoped, for the remainder of his life. The history of such a inan is worth reading for the lessons it teaches.
The father of our subject was born November 2, 1805, at Wilkesbarre, Penn., and was there married April 15, 1832, to Almira Church, who was born April 27, 1814. He was a farmer, and also kept store at his native place. In 1837, he came with his wife and four children to Ohio, locating at Townsend, Huron county, where he bought a large farm. This he carried on for a year, when, owing to the fact that another person had a prior claim on the property, he lost it. and all he possessed. He afterward engaged in mer- cantile business, and also carried on the manufac- ture of potash. In IS46 he came to Wood conn- ty, making the trip, which occupied an entire week. with an ox-team. He purchased sixty acres of land in Portage township, afterward buying fifty acres more of wild land, which he improved. He resided on this place for nine years, and in 1852, when our subject was thirteen years old. he removed to Weston township. Here he carried on the manufacture of potash for two or three years. and then rented a farm. He traded the property. he had at this time in Weston, for a farm east of Portage, on which he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring January 15. 186 ;. His widow then disposed of this farm, and returned to Weston, where she purchased property and re- sided until her death in 1892.
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The four children born to this worthy couple in Pennsylvania, were: Elinor E., born Jan- uary 26, 1833, who died in infancy; Ruth Ann, born March 21, 1834, was married February 14, 1854, to D. A. Gunn, and died October 21, 1873; Helen E., born August 28, 1835, was married June 8, 1853, to Francis Franklin, and died October 21, 1873; Byron C., born December 6, 1836, was married February 4, 1864, to Emeline Clark. He was a soldier in the Civil war and was killed at the battle of Franklin, Tenn., November 30, 1864. The flag which he carried, and which was stained with his life's blood, is now in the Capitol at Columbus, Ohio. The children born in Ohio were: Charles B., born August 1, 1839, in Townsend, Huron county, was married June 20, 1874, at Weston, to Miss Ella Jeffery; Abid V., born April 11, 1841, was married January 29, 1866, to Miss Jane E. Cas- well; Edward is the subject of this sketch; Wil- son M., born March 22, 1845, died September 25, 1855; Mary J., born February 12, 1848, died July 23. of the same year; Sarah E., born June 13, 1849, was married December 17, 1868, to John Freyman, and died October 7, 1881; Alice G., born June 28, 1852, died November 29, 1852. The youngest children died in infancy. Of this family, Charles, Avid, Edward and Will- iam were born in Huron county, and reside in Wood county.
Edward Baldwin obtained his education in the schools of Weston and Portage, at which he was a student until he was seventeen years old, his leisure time being employed in assisting his father upon the farm. After leaving school the young lad determined to make his own way in world, and, following the advice of the poet to "seize the duty that lieth nearest," he took up the first occupation that presented itself, which was sawing and splitting wood. He worked at this until he had finished six cords at fifty cents a eord, which, at the rate he worked, gave him about ten cents a day. This was, however, the means of getting him a good job in a store, the proprietor of which admired the boy's pluck. He worked for this man three years, his wages the first year being $5.00 a month, $S. 33 1-3 the second year, and $12.00 the third year. Out of this he saved $60.00, with which he speculated in produce with good success, making $300 from fall until spring. The next summer he bought potatoes at fifty cents a bushel, on the advice of a stranger, who promised to buy them of him: but the price fell, and Mr. Baldwin shipped them to Cincinnati, where he realized $138 from their sale.
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