History of Delaware County and Ohio, Part 118

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 818

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L. S. COOK, harness-maker, Sunbury ; is a son of Spencer and Lydia (Green) Cook; his father `was born in Massachusetts in 1793; came to Ohio about 1856, and settled in Delaware Co .; he was

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a harness-maker; his wife was a daughter of Tur- pin Green, born in Rhode Island but lived mostly in New York ; they had a family of seventeen children ; all survive. Mr. Cook, the subject of this sketch, was born in July, 1820, in Saratoga Co., N. Y .; at the age of 15, he began learning the harness business with his father ; in 1843, he left York State and came by railroad and canal to Delaware Co., Ohio, where he soon engaged as a journeyman, working with Samuel Peck at Sun- bury; he worked for him about three years ; in 1846, he bought one-half of the shop and con- tinued in partnership with Peck about two years ; he then bought Peck out, and continued the bus- iness some time ; in 1850, he built the present shop, and has continued harness-making ever since. He has held the office of Town Clerk six years and Trustee four years. Was married in 1847, to Martha Myers, a daughter of Lawrence Myers, an early settler and one of the founders of Sunbury. He also kept the first hotel in the place ; he, per- haps, built the first brick house in Delaware Co. Mrs. Cook died in 1850; by her he had two chil- dren-Edward L., died on the same day his mother died ; Mattie died at the age of 9 years. He was married again in 1856, to E. K. Wilcox, daughter of Crondle Wilcox, a merchant, tanner and hotel- keeper ; by her he had five children-Mary, Henry (who is working with his father in the harness business), Carrie, Charles and William (deceased).

H. C. & W. P. FROST, farmers ; P. O. Berk- shire ; are sons of Daniel and Mary (Fassett) Frost ; their father was born in 1795 in Connecti- cut, and came to Ohio in 1840, settling in Berk- shire Township; he died in 1842; their mother was born in 1785 in Connecticut ; they had four children, three of whom are living. W. P. Frost was born Jan. 12, 1825, and came to Ohio with his parents when 15 years old; at the death of their father, they were thrown upon their own resources ; at the age of 19, W. P. began teach- ing, continuing five years, and then engaged in driving cattle and hogs to New York from this county, making a trip through in from sixty- five to ninety days; in 1849, he engaged in merchandising with J. D. Carney, at Berkshire Corners, continuing three years ; he then withdrew and engaged in driving and shipping stock ; he then engaged in farming with his brother; he now owns 200 acres. He was married, Oct. 23, 1851, to Delia M. Crawford, daughter of Maj. J. C. Crawford, of the old Ohio militia, who was born in 1801 in Butler Co., Penn., and came to Ohio

in 1811, with his people ; settled in Berkshire Township in 1826; he is now living in Illinois. Her mother was a daughter of John Benedict ; she was born Jan. 29, 1800, and died in 1868. Her father was a cabinet-maker, carpenter and joiner, and assisted in building the Protestant Episcopal Church of Berkshire ; he and brother turned the posts used in the building by hand. He was Post- master of Berkshire for twenty-five years. Her grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier. WW. P. Frost has held the office of Township Clerk, four terms ; Trustee and Assessor each one term, and School Director twenty years. They are church members, he of the Presbyterian, and she of the Protestant Episcopal, Church. H. C. Frost was born May 21, 1823, in Luzerne Co., Penn., and came to Ohio Oct. 4, 1840 ; he attended school in his younger days as much as convenient ; he fol- lowed farming until April 28, 1846, when he started in the employ of J. S. Hutchins, with a drove of cattle for Boston, and was fifty-six days on the road ; he then returned to Ohio by way of Buffalo, where he met Charles Robinson, to whom he hired, and drove 200 head of cattle to New York ; he then took an interest, buying 108 head of cattle and 700 head of hogs, which they drove to Albany, N. Y., and then shipped to Boston ; he was thus principally engaged until 1863, when he began devoting his time to farming, which he has continued in connection with stock-raising. He was President of the Delaware, Berkshire & Sun- bury Pike for four years, and Justice of the Peace five years. He paid out over $400 for the war ; his brother, W. P., paid out $1,100. Mr. Frost was married, Dec. 28, 1870, to Mary J. Ramsey, daughter of Samuel A. and Mary A. Ramsey ; her parents were from New Jersey, and came to Ohio at an early day, and are living in Porter Township ; she was born in 1843 in this county, and has taught school ; they have two children-David R., born Jan. 13, 1877; Henrietta, born Dec. 27, 1878. Mr. Frost is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Berkshire.

ALONZO FISHER, farmer; P. O. Berkshire ; is a son of George and Phoebe (Hopkins) Fisher ; his father was born May 4, 1788, near Washing- ton, Penn., and came to Ohio in 1806, settling in Berkshire Township ; he came from Pennsylvania by teams and was compelled to cut roads through the forest, as he came. At various times, the red man would pile brush for him, and take bread and milk for compensation ; he built the first frame house in this township, which is still standing.

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His wife was a daughter of Stephen Hopkins, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, for which his wife received a pension ; she lost, at one time, $500, through a mail robbery ; it was afterward found buried; she was born Dec. 22, 1794, and came to Ohio in 1808, with her mother ; married Mr. Fisher Jan. 17, 1811; she died Aug. 15, 1865; he died March 21, 1869. Mr. Fisher, the subject of this sketch, was born Jan. 11, 1834, on the present farm, where he has always lived and assisted his father in making a home. He mar- ried, Sept. 7, 1864, Susan, a daughter of George Roberts; her father was born May 13, 1818, in Ohio, and is now living in Harlem Township; her mother was a daughter of J. Edwards, and was born Jan. 28, 1823 ; her parents had four chil- dren. Mr. Fisher is now owner of 280 acres of well-improved land, 114 acres of which was willed to him by his father and the remainder he purchased ; he makes a specialty of raising stock. They have a family of four children-David, Al- bert, Daisy and Phoebe. They are members of the M. E. Church at Berkshire, of which he is class-leader, and has also been connected with the Sabbath school of the same denomination.

HENRY FISHER, farmer; P. O. Berkshire ; is a son of George and Phoebe Fisher, and was born on his father's farm in 1819, in Berkshire Town- ship, where he has spent most of his life, engaged in farming. In 1841, he was married to Julia Spear, daughter of Elias Spear, of Vermont, by whom he had three children, two living-Emma and William ; Dora (deceased) ; his wife died in 1864. He was again married, in 1869, to Mary A., daughter of Charles Case, whose sketch ap- pears in this work ; by her he has three children -Louie, Cora and Liverta. Mr. Fisher owns 117 acres of well-improved land, which is a part of the old homestead of his father; his farm is finely adapted to stock-raising, which he makes a spe- cialty. He has held several township offices, but the most of his life has been devoted to his farm- ing interests.

life, except three years in which he was engaged in the grocery business. He was married, Nov. 13, 1828, to P. S. Fassett; they have had six children ; all are living, five in Ohio and one in California-John M., Nathaniel C., A. E. (now married to Philip W. Loveridge), Mary A., Irene (now Mrs. Gregg), and Elvira L. (now Mrs. Lamp- man). Nathaniel C. was married to Nancy Chadwick Sept. 30, 1869, by whom he had two children-John M. and an infant (deceased.) ; his wife died March 3, 1876; he again married, Aug. 14, 1879, Emma L., daughter of John and Re- becca Powell ; she was born in November,, 1849, in Knox Co .; he was born Sept. 11, 1831.

O. E. FOSTER, grain merchant, Sunbury ; is a son of John and Anna (Cooper) Foster; his father was born in Maryland, and came to Ohio in 1840, settling in Licking Co., engaging in agriculture ; his mother was a daughter of Tego Cooper, of English descent, and was born in 1820 in Maryland ; they had a family of twelve chil- dren, eight of whom survive, and all in Delaware Co. The subject of this sketch was born in 1838 in Maryland, and came with the family by team to Ohio; he lived on a farm until 19 years old, and then attended school at Delaware for one year ; in 1861, he began reading law with Col. Reid of Delaware, continuing two years ; he had, however, before reading law, attended college at Wester- ville, Franklin Co., Ohio ; in 1868, he engaged in civil engineering at Chillicothe, Livingston Co.,Mo., three years. and farmed in Missouri four years ; in 1875, he returned to Delaware Co .; he at once engaged in the grain business at Galena, until 1878, when he began the same business at Sun- bury, where he occupies as a warehouse a two- story frame building, 80x24 feet ; he has now on hand a large quantity of grain, in addition to which he handles several other products ; his bus- iness aggregates from $200 to $400 per day; he is young and active, and puts his whole attention to his business, which insures success. He was married in 1863, to Permelia Conklin, a daughter of Matthew Conklin of New York ; they have three children-Ralph R., Annie and Eddy. Mr. Foster has taught school eleven terms.

JOHN M. FROST, retired farmer, Berkshire ; is a son of Stephen and Mary (Cogswell) Frost, both of whom were natives of Connecticut. Mr. RICHARD GRIFFITH, farmer ; P. O. Con- stantia ; is the son of Richard and Amelia (Hayes) Griffith ; his father was born in Ireland about 1809, and came to Ohio in 1839, where he engaged in farming and railroading; his mother was born in Ireland in 1814, and came with her husband to Frost, the subject of this sketch, was born in 1801, in Brooklyn, Windham Co., Conn., and moved with his parents to Pennsylvania in 1805; in 1837, he came by team to Delaware Co., Ohio, and settled where he now resides, on his farm of 150 acres ; he has followed farming during his | Ohio; they had eight children. Mr. Griffith, the

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subject, was born in 1850 in Cleveland, Ohio ; his younger days were spent in farming and at- tending school ; he was also employed railroading for some time ; in 1871, he was married to Addie Hotchkiss, a daughter of Lyman Hotchkiss ; her parents were both from Connecticut ; her mother was a teacher in an early day in this county ; her grandfather walked to Ohio from Connecticut dur- ing the war of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Griffith have had two children-Allwood, born Nov. 3, 1872 ; Winford, July 20, 1877; after marriage they set- tled on their present farm of 288 acres.

GEORGE GIBSON, merchant, Berkshire; is a son of Robert aud E. (Bartlett) Gibson ; his father was born in 1793, in Pennsylvania, and moved to Ohio at an early day ; was in the war 1812 ; he died in 1867 ; his mother was born in New England; had a family of twelve children, five of whom now survive. Mr. Gibson, the subject, was born in 1818, in Washington Co., Ohio ; when 14 years of age, he moved with his parents to Berkshire Township ; they were in moderate circumstances ; Mr. Gibson was compelled to work out to provide for himself; he worked for from $4 to $9 per month. In 1847, he was married to Elma, daughter of Cornelius Roloson ; she was born in 1824 ; they soon settled in what is now Morrow Co., and there farmed for seventeen months, and then moved to Delaware Co .; in 1863, they moved to Berkshire Township ; his first tax, after marriage, was 75 cents; he is now a well-to- do farmer, owning 300 acres, and some fine prop. erty in Berkshire, together with an interest with Finch & Webster in the dry-goods and notions business ; the dwelling in which he now lives is the oldest brick house in Delaware Co. Mr. Gib- son owns stock in the gravel road running from Delaware to Sunbury, of which he has long been Assistant President. His wife is a member of the M. E. Church at Berkshire ; they have had four children-Juliana, Elivana, died when young ; Henrietta, died March 9, 1878, and Fannie, now living at home ; by energy and economy he has accumulated a large fortune, which he is now en- joying in his pleasant home.

CHARLES GINN ; P. O. Galena ; is a son of James and Effie Ginn ; his father was born Sept. 12, 1795, in the State of Delaware, and came to Ohio Nov. 6, 1811 ; he married, Feb. 18, 1819, Effie Brown ; she was born June 16, 1798, and died in March, 1860. His aged wife survives him. Mr. Ginn, the subject, was born in 1836 in * Delaware Co., which has been his home most of

the time ; at 22, he began farming in Trenton Township, and was married, in 1860, to Clarinda Cochran, a daughter of James Cochran, of Ohio ; she was born in Ohio, but is now dead ; had one child, James, born March 23, 1861 ; he was again married Oct. 21, 1869, to Mrs. Julia A. Badger, a daughter of John and Sarah Pros- ser ; she was born June 11, 1837 ; she had two girls-Helen M. and Dora D. (Badger); their father died in 1864 ; in 1866, he bought the pres- ent farm of six acres, upon which he has made fine improvements ; they have fifty acres adjoin- ing, inherited by his wife ; she is a member of the M. E. Church at Galena. Mr. Ginn's great- grandfather was killed by the Indians during the Revolutionary war, and his grandfather was taken prisoner, but was released, bearing with him the sad intelligence that his father, sister, mother and two brothers had been killed by the savages.

GEORGE GRIST, retired farmer ; P. O. Sun- bury ; is a son of John B. and Abigail (Pray) Grist ; his father was born Jan. 9, 1780, in New Haven, Conn., and moved to Pennsylvania when 4, and to Ohio in 1807, where he died in 1841 ; was in the battle against Tecumseh. His mother was a daughter of Hezekiah Pray; she was born in Pennsylvania about 1790. They had twelve children. Mr. Grist was born in 1814, in Berk- shire Township, where he has spent almost his al- lotted three score and ten, and still bids fair for a few more years of usefulness ; his younger days were spent in clearing away the forest and attending school, eight months of which he was at Worth- ington, Ohio ; he helped to teach a school under Dr. Denison's instruction ; he became interested in book-keeping, and has always kept a book account of his farming, which has mostly been his voca- tion during life ; he has been robust and hearty since he was 7 years old. At the age of 22, he began farming for himself, renting from his father and Atherton. In April, 1839, he was married to Mary A. Carpenter, daughter of Squire Carpen- ter ; she was born in Licking Co. In the spring of 1840, he moved on M. Perfect's farm in Tren- ton Township, and lived there about three years ; he then cleared ten acres of a thirty-acre tract which his father had given him ; this thirty acres he traded for forty-three acres in Trenton Town- ship, in the mean time buying 100 acres of the Spinning tract, and traded it for 120 acres in Steuben Co., Ind., which he then traded for some land in Trenton Township, adjoining his forty- three acres ; he soon after began trading in stock,

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which he continued eighteen years. In 1855, he went to Iowa, and cleared $4,000 in farming and trading ; he then returned to Delaware Co. in 1857, selling his farm in Iowa in 1857. In 1871, he sold his farm in Berkshire Township for $17,000, which he invested in loaning and buying property. He owns eleven town lots in Sunbury, and four acres of land adjoining the town, to- gether with a fine dwelling and the hotel now oc- cupied by Bryant, and the business room of Payne & Rose; has also one lot, 80 feet front and 192 feet deep, on High street, Columbus. He had eleven children by his first wife, two of whom are living. She died in 1862. He again married in 1865 to Mrs. Fowler, daughter of Joseph Pat- rick, who came to Ohio about the same time Mr. Grist's father came ; by her he had one child, Charles M. Mr. Grist has been Township Trus- tee, and was elected Justice of the Peace in Iowa, but resigned when moving back ; he has been an active worker in the temperance movement ; he was once connected with the Sunbury Bank, and once sold goods in same place for three years, but met with misfortune through other parties failing, compelling him to pay $3,000 security. He has taken the Delaware Gazette since Griswold be- came editor, and is perhaps the oldest subscriber to that paper in the county. He is also the oldest child born in Berkshire Township.

O. D. HOUGH, farmer ; P. O. Sunbury ; born in Vermont Oct. 23, 1808, and is one of thirteen children born to Sylvester and Sarah (Williams) Hough ; his father was a native of Connecticut and a physician ; in 1812, he emigrated from his native State, and settled in Genoa Township, where he practiced in his profession, and added the business of milling. Mr. O. D. Hough spent his youth with his father, assisting in the mill and on the farm, until he had reached the age of 24, when he married and took charge of his father's farm for a year, at the expiration of which he moved into Brown Township, where he carried on the milling business for fifteen years ; like all the mills of this county, his was dependent upon the stream upon which it was situated for its motor power, which proved insufficient six months in the year ; during these seasons of en- forced leisure in the mill, Mr. Hough employed his spare time clearing a farm of 114 acres ; after the death of his father, he bought the old home stead in 1847, and, after living there several years, sold it and bought 342 acres of Peter Van Sickle; he afterward bought 117 acres of Bricker,

and made his home on it for some six years ; later, he purchased the Prince farm, to which he added 140 acres of the Prince estate; he is now one of the large landholders of the county, possessing 900 acres of some of the finest farming land in the county ; this property he has acquired by an active life of hard work without outside assist- ance, save $192, which fell to him from his father's estate; this life of activity has not, with its abundant success, warped his judgment or nar- rowed the scope of his generous impulses, and the village of Sunbury, or the county at large, has no readier sympathizer or a more efficient worker with influence and money, than Hon. O. D. Hough ; he is a Director of the Sunbury Bank, a position he has held ever since its organization ; he was one of the stockholders and originators of the Del- aware, Berkshire & Sunbury Pike; he has held the office of County Commissioner for six years, and has been Treasurer and a magistrate for twelve years ; at the resignation of J. R. Hubbell, he was elected to fill his vacancy in the Legisla- ture, and, in 1866, the county again honored itself by his reelection. Mr. Hough has been twice married ; in 1832, to Miss Corintha C. Thrall, who was born in Greenville, Ohio, July 3, 1813, and died April 1, 1878; by this marriage he had five children-Clarissa A. (who married O. H. Will- iams, a farmer and merchant), Charlotte A. (who married a Mr. Walker, who was a railroad agent at Richmond, Ind., Hamilton, Ohio, and at Day- ton in the latter State, dying in 1877 at Columbus, Ohio, his. widow now living in Delaware) ; two children died in infancy, and a third-his only son, died April 5, 1879; his widow, whose maiden name was Miss Mary Linn, survives him with two children-Benjamin W. and Leonard. April 15, 1879, Mr. Hough was married to Mrs. McMillen, widow of Dr. McMillen ; he is now living at Sun- bury, retired from active pursuits, devoting his time to the care of his large estate.

JOHN J. HUBBARD, retired farmer; P. O. Berkshire ; is a son of Jacob and Hannah Hub- bard; his father was born in New York, and was of German descent; his mother was born in Con- necticut. Mr. Hubbard, the subject, was born May 9, 1800, in Connecticut; he attended school in his younger days, and in 1814 engaged in the last war with Great Britain; he took the young "Sea Horse," starting from New Haven, and was taken off the coast of Nova Scotia, and imprisoned in Halifax, for three months ; he was released, in exchange for prisoners, in 1816; he farmed, in

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York, in connection with mill-wrighting and car- pentering. In 1841, he came to Ohio, and settled in Delaware Co., where he has since resided. Was married, June 25, 1826, to Sallie E. Collins, daughter of David and Amarilla Collins ; she was born in New York, and came to Ohio with her husband ; they had seven children, five of whom are living. He has a fine house and lot where he now resides.

JOHN KNOX, farmer; P. O. Sunbury ; is a son of Titus and Margaret (Sinnett) Knox ; his father was born Oct. 8, 1784, came to Ohio about 1819, with the Granville Company, and to Dela- ware Co. in 1837, settling in the forests, at which time wild animals and game of all kinds filled the woods ; he was a descendant of Gen. Knox, of the Revolutionary war; the mother of John was born Nov. 1, 1794, and died Aug. 7, 1859; she was a member of the Baptist Church, as was also her husband, who died in 1866. The subject of these notes was born March 9, 1821, in Licking Co., Ohio, on his father's farm, at which time it was eight miles to the nearest neighbors; at the age of 15, he moved with his parents to the present farm of 380 acres, which he bought in 1872. He was married in 1846 to Esther Vansickle, daughter of John Vansickle, of New Jersey ; she died in Octo- ber, 1865 ; had by her six children ; one is living -Alonzo; he is a member of the Barrack Band, at Columbus; graduated at Warren, Ohio. Mr. Knox again married, July 5, 1866, Lucinda F. Babcock, a daughter of Gurdon and Almira Bab- cock ; she was born Sept. 17, 1832, in Canton, N. Y .; her parents make a home with them. Mr. Knox taught school during the winter months for twelve years ; he has been Justice of the Peace and School Director, and has held offices in the Baptist Church, of which he has been a member forty years and has donated over $3,100 to church and benevolent purposes ; he also takes an active interest in the temperance movement, the mission- ary work, and in the Sunday school, of which he has been Superintendent. His wife is an enthusi- astic worker and was sixteen years a school teacher. His farm of 380 acres is one of fine improvement and well adapted to cattle-raising, to which he largely devotes his attention ; on this farm can be seen an orchard, the grafts for which were brought from New Jersey, over sixty years ago, in saddle- bags. Mr. Knox is at present guardian for the Henry and Rachel Foster heirs. He was a Whig, and at the formation of the Republican party, he became a member of it.

J. F. KEMPTON, jeweler, Sunbury ; is a son of Henry and Louisa (Wright) Kempton ; his father was born in Maine and emigrated to Sun- bury, Ohio, about 1839, where he died, in 1853; his mother was also born in Maine, and was the mother of five children-Henry, Louisa (who died in 1877), Miranda (she died in 1861), Sarah and J. F., who was born in Maine March 11, 1837, and came with his parents, by team, to Sunbury ; at the age of 15, he began working at the cabinet- maker's trade, with Nathan Marble; in about three years, he went to Michigan and worked in the iron mines ; returning in about one year, in the fall of 1859, he engaged in the saw-mill busi- ness, at Condit, in partnership with Henry Wilson and Joseph Matthews, and was thus connected, until Sept. 25, 1862, when he enlisted in Co. D, 25th O. V. I., and served three years, during which time he was engaged in some of the sever- est contests of the war, such as the battles of Shi- loh, Vicksburg, Jackson, Miss., Black River, Raymond, Baldwin Station, Champion Hills, Ken- esaw Mountain and the siege of Atlanta, where the company was taken prisoners, only Dr. Speaker ard Mr. Kempton escaped, by breaking through the lines ; took part in forty-one engagements; was discharged May 30, 1865, at Washington. He then returned home, and was engaged in the jew- elry business with his brother-in-law, John P. Decker, at Delaware, about three years, since which time he has been at Sunbury, in the jew- elry business and repairing sewing machines, mak- ing a specialty of selling the Howe and Victor machines. He carries a complete stock of jewelry, and is prepared to do fine work in repairing, or satisfy his customers in everything that pertains a first-class jewelry store. Mr. Kempton was mar- ried in 1859, to Mary E. Decker, a daughter of Moses and Charlotte Decker; she was born in 1836; they have had five children-Hattie I. and Frank (deceased), Fred. E., Harry O. and Burt. They are members of the M. E. Church at Sunbury.

J. H. KIMBALL, merchant, Sunbury ; is a son of Elisha and Tryphena (Ticknor) Kimball ; his father was born in New Hampshire in 1783; and came to Delaware Co., Ohio, in 1828, where he died about 1873. He was a member of the Congregational Church of Boston, Mass .; his mother was a daughter of Elisha Ticknor, a farmer of New Hampshire; she was born in 1785, and died in 1873, about six months before her hus- band ; they had a family of eight children ; Mr.

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History of Delaware County and Ohio, Part 118

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 818

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 818