USA > Ohio > Huron County > History of Huron County, Ohio, Its Progress and Development, Volume I > Part 33
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of professional ethics has won him the unqualified regard of his fellow members of the medical fraternity.
Dr. Wyant was married in 1895 to Miss Mary Doane, a daughter of Silas and Eudolpha (DeWitt) Doane, who were old and respected Huron county citi- zens. The father came to this county when young, settling at Hartland. Unto Dr. and Mrs. Wyant has been born a daughter, Hilda, whose birth occurred January 20, 1898. The Doctor's interests center in his home and yet he is not unmindful of the social amenities of life, finding pleasant relations in fraternal organizations, being a Knight Templar Mason, a Knight of Pythias and a Forester. His fellow townsmen recognize him as a citizen, dependable under all conditions, while his patrons manifest well merited faith in his professional skill and ability.
CHRISTOPHER G. GALLEY.
Christopher G. Galley, a substantial and representative agriculturist of Huron county, has resided on his present farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres in Greenfield and Peru townships for more than a half century. He is numbered among the worthy native sons of this county, his birth having occurred in Peru township on the 6th of August, 1829. His parents were George B. and Lydia (Wilson) Galley, the former being a native of New York, while the latter was born in Peru township, this county. The mother passed away when her son, Christopher G., was about seven years of age and since then the latter has never seen his father, who went to South Carolina about that time. Mr. Galley of this review was rcared by his maternal grandfather, Asa Wilson, who was one of the first settlers of Peru township, coming here with Henry Coy. He lived in a log house and had about six hundred acres of land, which he cleared with the assist- ance of his son and grandson, Christopher G. Galley. Both Mr. Wilson and Mr. Coy took a prominent and helpful part in the work of early development and upbuilding and when the former passed away in 1855, at the venerable age of ninety-two years, the county mourned the loss of one of its most respected and worthy pioneer settlers. Asa Wilson was a soldier in the war of 1812 and par- ticipated in the battle of Plattsburg.
Christopher G. Galley obtained his education in the district schools, and has devoted his attention to general agricultural pursuits throughout his entire busi- ness career. With the exception of a period of two years spent at farm work in Seneca county, this state, he has always made his home in Huron county. The farm on which he now lives has been his place of residence since 1857, and is a valuable and productive tract of land comprising one hundred and twenty-five acres, lying partly in Greenfield township and partly in Peru township. He pur- chased the property from Asa Hanes and for the first seven years, lived in a log house, but in 1864 erected the commodious and substantial brick dwelling. which is yet seen on the place. The many other improvements with which the farm is equipped all stand as monuments to his thrift and enterprise and every- thing about the place indicates the supervision of a practical and progressive
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owner. At the present time, however, he has largely put aside the active work of the fields and spends the greater part of his time in the care of his bees, hav- ing a number of hives. He has met with a gratifying and well merited degree of prosperity in his undertakings and has long been numbered among the most suc- cessful and enterprising citizens of the community.
Mr. Galley has been married twice. In 1854, he wedded Miss Kathryn E. Griswold, a daughter of George W. and Rose Griswold, of Norwich township. She met with a sudden and tragic end, being killed in 1881 at Havana, Ohio, by a Baltimore & Ohio Railroad train. On the 20th of February, 1883, Mr. Galley was again married, his second union being with Miss Elizabeth R. Ryerson, a native of Vernon, New Jersey, and a daughter of Nicholas and Serepta (Simon- son) Ryerson, who were likewise born in Vernon, New Jersey. The father, whose birth occurred in 1813, was called to his final rest in 1861, while the mother was born in 1817 and passed away in 1897. In the year 1841, when their daughter, Mrs. Galley was a little maiden of six years, they took up their abode in Peru town- ship, this county. Nicholas Ryerson acted as superintendent of the Baptist Sun- day school for more than twenty-five years. Unto him and his wife were born eleven children, namely: Elizabeth R .; Christopher S., a resident of Portland, Michigan ; Mary, the deceased wife of John Lattimore, of Norwalk, Ohio; John R., living in Norwalk, Ohio; Hannah, the deceased wife of John Hollaway ; Eme- line, who is the wife of Frank Brown, of Huron county ; Nicholas, of Peru town- ship ; Walter and William, both of whom reside in Norwalk, Ohio; Serepta, who has passed away ; and Margaret, who is the wife of F. E. Hickson and makes her home near Toledo, Ohio.
Of late years Mr. Galley has given his political allegiance to the men and meas- ures of the republican party and has served in the position of school director, the cause of education ever finding in him a stalwart champion. He has now passed the eightieth milestone on life's journey and, having spent practically the entire time in Huron county, no man is more familiar with its history or with events which have left their impress upon its annals and no man of this sec- tion of the state is held in more uniform respect and regard than is he of whom we write.
ADELBERT S. VAIL.
Adelbert S. Vail, who is serving as assistant in the auditor's office at Norwalk, was born on the 24th of April, 1889. His father, David Vail, whose birth occurred in Newfield, Tompkins county, New York, on the Ist of October, 1811, was long numbered among the most honored and respected citizens of Huron county, with the upbuilding and development of which he was identified from early pioneer times. In 1833, when a young man of twenty-two years, he emi- grated to Ohio, driving and walking all the way through almost a continuous wilderness. He located first at Elyria, which was a little settlement consisting of a meeting house and two or three small buildings. A few years prior to his death, in response to a letter received from the editor of a local paper requesting information regarding his pioneer experiences, Mr. Vail wrote, in part, as follows :
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"I passed through Elyria the last of November of 1833 with my uncle, Joseph Linderman, on my way from the state of New York to Carlisle, Lorain county, about six miles south of Elyria, where his brother-in-law had lived for some time. That winter I went to work at Elyria, cutting cordwood for a cast-iron furnace, which was situated at or near the junction of the east and west branches of Black river. The iron company kept a store and paid the hands in what was called 'iron money,' a bill which was redeemable in goods from the store. * * * I do not known what the population of Elyria was at that time, but there was besides the iron works, three or four stores, a boarding house and a church, the bell of which rang at the time it rained stars. That winter I went to Ober- lin (then called the Presbyterian Colony) to school, about two months, until the teacher became sick and the school closed. I went back to Elyria to work. staying until July, when I came to Huron county." While living at Elyria he helped to build the first road along the Black river into the village of Lorain. On coming to this county he settled at Olena and turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits, with which he was successfully identified throughout his active life. He likewise conducted a general mercantile store in Olean for several years and in all of his undertakings met with a commendable and well deserved measure of prosperity, being a man of excellent business ability and keen discrimination.
On the 7th of December, 1845. David Vail was married at Fairfield. Huron county, to Almira Adams, of Symphronius, Cayuga county, New York. She passed away on the 5th of January, 1887, leaving five children: David W., Leonard A., John J., Alice and Charles W. On the 10th of April, 1888, Mr. Vail was again married, his second union being with Miss Ellen Jeanette Sweet, who was born on the 29th of June. 1846, her parents being Charles R. and Elizabeth ( Hodges) Sweet. Her father, whose birth occurred 'in Onondaga county. New York, August 18, 1814, came to Huron county in 1844 and, pur- chasing a farm, was actively engaged in general agricultural pursuits throughout the remainder of his life. He was called to his final rest on the 17th of Septem- ber, 1870. On the 25th of January, 1842, he had wedded Miss Elizabeth Hodges, who was born June 24, 1823, and whose demise occurred on the 4th of September, 1866. Unto Mr. Vail and his second wife was born a son, Adelbert S., of this review.
When twenty-one years of age David Vail cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson, who had again been nominated as the presidential candidate of the democracy. In 1884. during President Cleveland's first administration, he was appointed postmaster of Olena, but when Benjamin Harrison was elected chief executive he gave up the office and served as a notary public for many years. When Cleveland was reelected president the postmastership was again tendered Mr. Vail, but he declined, preferring to live a retired life, free from business and official cares. At the time of his death he was one of the oldest residents in the county, and also one of the oldest members of the Baptist church, which he joined in early life. He passed away at his home in Olena on the 28th of Janu- ary, 1907, at the venerable age of ninety-five years, three months and twenty- eight days, and thus the county was called upon to mourn the loss of one of its most honored, esteemed and influential pioneer residents. In a review of his life,
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written by one of the local papers at the time of his demise, we find the following statement : "Mr. Vail was a good type of the old-fashioned York state stock, an honorable and sincere man who won respect by faithfulness, integrity and genial personal qualities and he doubtless never knew how considerable an impression his fine character made on his many friends and acquaintances." His aid and influence could always be counted upon to further any movement or measure instituted to promote the general welfare, for he was a most public-spirited, loyal and progressive citizen.
Adelbert S. Vail, whose name initiates this review, is a graduate of the Olena schools and also completed a course in the business college at Norwalk, in 1905. He is now capably discharging the duties devolving upon him as deputy in the office of the auditor at Norwalk and, although but twenty years of age, has already gained favorable recognition as a young man of much promise and ability.
GEORGE H. MAINS.
George H. Mains brought forth the first edition of the Wakeman Indepen- dent Press on the 10th of September, 1875, and since that date has not missed a weekly publication of the paper. He is well known as a representative of journalistic interests in this part of the state and through the columns of the Press has done much to further the welfare and promote the progress of the town in which he resides. He was born November 23, 1833, in Athens, Someisc: county, Maine, his parents being John and Lura Ann (Boston) Mains, who emigrated to Ohio in 1836 and settled in Russia township, Lorain county. In the family were twelve children, of whom the two eldest died in infancy, George H. being the eldest of those who reached years of maturity. The others were: Elvira : John : Emeline; Acquilla and Priscilla, twins ; Lura A .n, who became a noted evangelist of the Free Will Baptist church; Lorenzo; Sumner B .; and Mary. The last named is the wife of Gilbert Treadwell, a blacksmith of Union City. Michigan, while Emeline was the wife of Darwin Peckham of Lincoln, Nebraska, who went to that city when it was first laid out and became a prom- inent contractor and builder there, erecting many of the public buildings. He died there several years ago. John Mains, the father of this family, was a blacksmith and worked at his trade throughout his active life, following that pursuit in Lorain and Erie counties, Ohio, and afterward in Calhoun county, Michigan, to which place he removed in 1852. there spending his remaining days. His death occurred in Coldwater, Michigan, about twenty years ago.
George H. Mains was educated in the common schools of Erie county and as a young man learned the cabinetmaker's trade at Birmingham. Ohio. He accompanied the family on their removal to Michigan in 1852, but only re- mained in that state for three years, after which he returned to Erie county, Ohio, in 1856. There he continued to work at the cabinetmaker's trade and became well known in the community not only by reason of his business affairs but also owing to the fact that he took quite an active part in the campaign for Fremont and Dayton. He became one of the early advocates of the republican
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party and voted twice for Lincoln and once for Grant but in 1872 he supported Horace Greely and since that time has been voting the prohibition ticket, taking an active interest in promoting the cause of temperance along political lines and in private life as well.
In 1863 Mr. Mains gave up his trade as a cabinetmaker and turned his at- tention to mercantile pursuits, with which he was connected for a number of years. He was also a traveling salesman for a Cleveland house for three years and later he became a stencil cutter. being thus engaged for several years in Ohio and Michigan. In 1870 he began the publication of the Literary Pearl, a monthly paper in which were produced the writings of his two sisters, Elvira, who was a teacher, and Lura Ann, a missionary worker. This was continued until 1875 when he was induced by the merchants of Wakeman to remove to this town and establish a paper as the town was then without one and the mer- chants wished an advertising medium. Accordingly in August, 1875, he came to Wakeman and established the office and on the 10th of September, 1875, brought forth the first issue of the Wakeman Independent Press, which has since been produced weekly to the present time. The paper has wielded a wide influence for great good in the community, being the champion of every meas- ure calculated to promote public progress, reform and improvement. It has always been utilized for the dissemination of general and local news and now has both a good circulation and advertising patronage.
Mr. Mains has been married twice. In 1858 he wedded Miss Jane B. Harri- son, a daughter of Thomas Harrison, a farmer of Erie county. She lived for only two years after her marriage, her death occurring in 1860. In 1862 Mr. Mains wedded Miss Ann E. Cross, a daughter of Bartlett Cross. They had three children : Elmer E. and George B., both now deceased ; and Anson Perry, who is associated with his father in the publication of the Press. Mr. Mains has a nice home and a fine little truck farm in addition to his newspaper. He is a man, active in local affairs and was the first one to carry the daily mail from Birmingham to Wakeman, making the round trip, a distance of sixteen miles. for sixty-two and a half cents. This was in 1858. While he has always been interested in public measures he has never been a candidate for office. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church and has been interested and active in this work for a half century, serving almost constantly throughout this period as one of the church officials and as a Sunday-school worker, frequently acting as superintendent of the Sunday school. He stands for all that is progressive and beneficial in the community and his labors have been of far-reaching influ- ence in promoting Wakeman's welfare.
GEORGE AVERY.
George Avery, a farmer of Lyme township, Huron county, is the owner of seventy-six acres of land, upon which he has made his home for more than a quarter of a century. He was born in this township, April 19, 1851, the son of Luther and Susanna (Ford) Avery. The father was born in New London
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county, Connecticut, but came as a young boy with his father, Dudley Avery, to Ohio and settled in Lyme township, near Hunte's Corners. Here he pursued farming all his life, and the task and labor of cultivating the soil in a compara- tively early part of the history of the county was a much more difficult thing than it is today, and required the greater part of his time. He died February 22, 1895. A family of six children, however, soon grew up and were able to afford him considerable assistance. They were Henry A .; Mary, deceased; George : James O .; Edmond W .; and Addie R.
George Avery has spent all of his life in this township. He received his early training under the guidance of his parents at home and in the district schools, where he learned all that these institutions could impart to him. Farm- ing has been his occupation throughout life, for as a boy he did his full share about the home from the time that he was old enough to be intrusted with the responsibilities of the household chores and was able to carry water to those working in the fields, until he too was able to do a man's work ploughing or making hay. By the time, therefore, that he had compassed the period of youth he was fully competent to assume the full management of a farm of his own and was skilled in the best methods of winning from the land its most bounteous returns.
On the 29th of October, 1878, Mr. Avery was united in marriage to Miss Nellie C. Eaton, a daughter of Delos and Calista (Stebbins) Eaton. This family, like the Averys, were among the early settlers of this part of the county, where they have spent the greater part of their long and useful lives. There have been two children born to Mr. and Mrs. Avery : Ethel L. and Ralph.
During the thirty years that he has lived upon his present farm, Mr. Avery has considerably improved it and the quality of the produce he wins from it, for he is a man who is ever on the alert to grasp such means as will contribute to his own convenience and increase the efficiency of his working power. He professes the creed of the Congregational church, and his daily life bears evi- dence that his profession is not merely a form. He is highly thought of among those who have had relations with him, for he is a man whose quiet life, filled with hard work, contributes its share to the good citizenship of the county.
REV. JOHN A. SCHAFFELD.
Rev. John A. Schaffeld, pastor of St. Paul's church in Norwalk, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, a son of John Bernard Schaffeld, who was a native of Germany. In his boyhood days the father came with his parents to the new world, the family home being established in Baltimore. In 1867 a removal was made to Cleveland, where for twenty years .Mr. Schaffeld made his home, pass- ing away in 1886 at the age of forty-six years. In early manhood he had mar- ried Christina Teresa Koenig, a native of Rhenish Prussia, whose father was an officer in the French army. She is still living and is a well preserved woman for her years.
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Rev. John A. Schaffeld was reared in Cleveland, pursuing his early educa- tion in St. Peter's parochial school. His classical course was obtained at Cani- sius College in Buffalo, while his preparation for the priesthood was made in St. Mary's Seminary at Cleveland. Having determined to devote his life to the cause of the church he was ordained to the priesthood on the 17th of December. 1892, and then for eight and a half years was pastor of the church of St. Mary's in Fulton county, Ohio. On the expiration of that period he came to Norwalk. where he has since remained in charge of the parish of St. Paul's church. He is a genial and popular gentleman, high-minded, a liberal man interested in the cause of general education and most active and efficient in the work of the church. doing much for the spread of Catholicism in this locality.
CAPTAIN C. C. COOK.
Captain C. C. Cook, a well known and highly esteemed citizen of Bellevue, where he is conducting a fire insurance agency and is also serving as justice of the peace, which position he has capably and acceptably filled for about six- teen years, was born in a little log cabin in this city January 1, 1838, and therefore has been a witness of the growth and development of the city and county for more than three score years and ten. His parents were Nathan S. and Eliza ( Dixon) Cook, early residents of this part of the state. The father was born in Seneca county, New York, in 1809 and died in 1850 when returning from California. He was one of the first to go to the Pacific coast on the discovery of gold in that section of the country. He had come to Ohio in pioneer times and was closely, actively and helpfully associated with the work of early development and im- provement. His wife, who was born in Meadville, Pennsylvania, in 1816, died in Huron county in 1879. at the age of sixty-three years. They were the parents of six children : C. C .; Robert and Mary C., who are both deceased: James D ; and Charles G. and Ellen, who have passed away.
Captain Cook of this review has always resided at Bellevue, save for the period of his service in the United States army, spending his youthful days in his mother's home-hus father having died when the son was but twelve years of age-he pursued his education in the public schools of Bellevue and later in prepa- ration for a professional career entered the Buffalo Medical College, from which he was graduated with the class of 1867. He practiced medicine in Bellevue for one year. In the meantime, however, he had rendered active aid to his country as a soldier of the Civil War. lle watched with interest the progress of the events in the south, preceding the outbreak of hostilities, believed that no state had the right to withdraw from the I'nion and in April, 1861, at the first call for seventy- five thousand men, he enlisted at Bellevue and went to Camp Denison, where he joined the First Zouave Regiment. Becoming a private of Company D. he was soon advanced to the rank of sergeant and participated in a large number of bat- tles and skirmishes, including the engagements at Fayetteville, Virginia, and the Toland and Averill raid to West Virginia. He also went on the Hunter raid to Lynchburg in 1864 and up the Shenandoah valley under Sheridan. He was in-
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jured at Princeten and because of this was detailed for duty as hospital steward of the regiment. He remained at the front until the close of hostilities and was mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, in 1865, returning to his home with a most credi- table military record. It was subsequent to this time that he studied medicine for a year in Bellevue, but in 1868 he again proffered his military aid to the coun- try and entered the United States Regular Army, joining General Custer at Fort Harker, Kansas. He was in the regular service for about ten years, acted for a time as inspector on General Hancock's staff and visited all the forts from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Yuma and from British Columbia to the gulf. Promotion won him the rank of captain of cavalry and he worthily won his officer's stripes.
On retiring from the army, Captain Cook returned to Bellevue. He was married in 1879 to Miss Emma Murdock, a daughter of Hiram and Carolina Mur- dock of Oricans county, New York. Mrs. Cook, who was an estimable lady and enjoyed the friendship of many with whom she came in contact, departed this life in 1903.
Captain Cook is well known in Masonic circles, holding membership in the lodge, chapter and council at Bellevue and in the Knight Templar Commandery of Norwalk, Ohio. He also affiliates with the Royal Arcanum and the Knights of the Maccabees and is a past commander of the Grand Army Post of Bellevue. In the work of these organizations, he takes an active interest and finds special delight in the camp fires of his post where are recalled the scenes and incidents of warfare in the south. He went through all the usual experiences of the regular soldier on the frontier of the west and as commanding officer of his company, he enjoyed to the fullest extent the confidence and respect of those who served under him. Since resuming his residence in Bellevue, he has engaged in the fire insurance business, in which connection he has secured a good clientage. Dur- ing sixteen years service as justice of the peace, his decisions have ever been strictly fair and impartial and indicate that he is as loyal to the interests of his country in times of peace as when he followed the old flag on the battlefields of the south or protected the nation's standard upon the western plains.
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