USA > Ohio > Huron County > Norwalk > History of Norwalk township, Huron county, Ohio taken from Williams' History of Huron and Erie counties > Part 18
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Mr. Canfield and his associates arrived in Wakeman on the 23d day of May, performing the long journey in about three weeks. He settled ou lot number twenty-three in the third section, building his cabin nea . the location of the present residence of John G. Sherman. The house was fourteen feet square, built of rough logs, with a roof of elm bark and a floor of the same. Two large boxes, or trauks, placed to- gether constituted the only table in the house, and upon which the scanty meal was spread. The house being without a fire place, the cooking was done by a log fire outside. This primitive habitation was oecu- pied about six weeks, when it was replaced by a more substantial log house, in which the family lived until 1822. when it was sold. with seventy acres on the south part of the lot, to Justin Sherman. Mr. Can- field taking up his residence on the north part of the same lot. where he spent the remainder of his life. He died September 16. 1645. aged nearly sixty-five.
Mrs. Canfield died in February. lool, at the age of nearly seventy-two. They raised a family of five children. C. C. Canfield, the eldest, married Mary E. Hanford, daughter of Jabez Hanford. who settled in Wakeman in 1831. Mr. Canfield has resided in the township for a period of sixty-two consecutive years. Royal R. Canfield was a physician, and died in North Carolina. Sarah Ann (now Mrs. N. W. St. Johns) resides at Oberlin. Harriet (widow of Curtiss Burr), and Burton M. Canfield reside in this township.
The following incident which occurred in the smin- mer of 1811, when there were but three families in the township, will give some idea of the newness of the country at that time. While Mr. Canfield wilo assisting Captain Pierce in his logging, his family went over to spend the day. At night a thunder shower came up, and it being regarded hazardous for Mrs. Canfield and the children to undertake a journey of half a mile, they remained at Mr Pearce's over night. But there was a cow at home to be milked, aud Mr. Canfield had to go. He started on horse- back, with his little son Calvert on behind. After going a short distance he lost his path, and being utterly unable to find it again. had no alternative bat to make a night of it in the woods. The storm was of great violence, and there was no shelter to be had. He therefore took the saddle from the borse, and placing it on the riven end of a tree that had been blown down by the storm, formed a cover for the boy. while he himself bore the pelting rain, and thus they spent the night. When daylight appeared be found that he had wandered only about thirty rods away from the path.
Burton Canfield, who came in with Augustin Can- field and family, as previously mentioned. returned to Connecticut a few weeks afterward: remained there five or six years, when, with his family of wife and son, he removed to this township.
The next man that penetrated the forests of Wake- man was Amial P. Pierce. He arrived with his family, consisting of wife and four children, and a hired man, about three weeks after the Canfieldis', making the journey from Connecticut with an ox team. He made his location on the adjoining lot. number twenty-two. He always resided on this location.
He was a man of large size and of great physical strength, excelling in this respect, any other of the pioneers with the exception of Mr. Bristol. He had borne the rank of captain in Connecticut, and the title was applied to him here for many years, and until that of "' Squire." owing to his long service as justice of the peace, was substituted.
Mrs. Pierce is said to have been a woman of "strong emotions. firm Christian faith aud desp religious experience." She was the only professing Christian in the first three families, and her example and influence was most salutary. It is said that she found it very hard to become reconciled to the new hife myon which she had entered. The change from
ERI MESNARD
was born at Norwalk, Conn., Oct. 16, 1797. He moved with his father's family to Saratoga Co., N. Y., in the year 1800; thence, in 1818, to Onon- daga Co., N. Y., where he married Lucy, daughter of Ebenezer Hill, in the year 1826. His wife died in 1830, and in 1835 he married, for his second wife, Harriet, daughter of Seth Baker, of Lafayette, Onondaga Co., N. Y., and resided at Ithaca, N. Y., until 1836, when he moved to Fairfield, Huron Co., Ohio; thence, in 1843, to Norwalk, in said county, where he remained until the date of his death, Jan. 28, 1879, in the eighty- second year of his age. He was employed as civil engineer, about 1831, on the Ithaca and Owego
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Railroad, one of the first railroads built in the United States.
He officiated as county surveyor of Huron County for fourteen years, and did more or less surveying during all the years of his residence in Ohio, though he made farming his principal occupation, being proprietor of the fine farm now owned by his son, Capt. I. B. Mesnard, and located two miles south of Norwalk.
But few men were more widely linown or re- spected throughout the county. He was an exem- plary Christian, and a man of sterling worth and integrity. He leaves a son and three daughters, all residents of Huron County.
ANSEL BAKER.
Thomas Baker, the father of the subject of this notice, was a native of Massachusetts. In 1803 he removed with his family to Lafayette, Onondaga Co., N. Y., where Ansel was born, Ang. 4, 1818, being the eighth in a family of ien children. When fourteen years of age he went to live with a married sister in Lafayette, with whom he remained until he was twenty-one. He cast his first vote, at the Presidential election in 1840, for Gen. Harrison, and the next day started on his journey to the distant West, as Ohio was then regarded. After his arrival there lie began to work by the month at the hard work of clearing of that early time; working thus in the summer, and teaching school during the win- ter months, getting forty dollars for a tem of three months. At the close of his school-teaching he. began work upon the farm for Daniel A. Baker, now of the First National Bank of Norwalk, at eleven dollars per mouth, continuing two years, at the ex- piration of which he married Martha S. Foster, daughter of Moses S. Foster, of Peru township, Huron Co., who came from Vermont in 1832. She was born Dec. 21, 1823. After his marriage he rented the farm of his former employer, Mr. Baker, for two years, when he moved to the farm upon which he now resides, in the southeast part of Nor- walk township, having made his purchase some four
or five years previous. When he began there this part of the township was very new, the nearest im- provement being that of Ezra Wait, west of him, which was then the eastern end of the road. His first purchase of land was fifty-four acres, for which he paid eight dollars per acre. He has since added, and now owns two hundred acres, paying seventy dollars per acre for the last purchase.
His wife died Sept. 20, 1878, having borne him six children, who are all living: Mary Frances, born Jan. 11, 1848, married Chester Robbins in the fall of 1869, and resides on the southeast corner farm of this township; Moses F., born Nov. 26, 1849, has his second wife, and lives in Rice Co., Kan., where he was one of the first settlers; Nor- man, born Ang. 26, 1855, married Jennie Adams, May 15, 1878, and occupies the farm with his father. Charles Eri, born Jan. 15, 1860, Lewis, born Oct. 4, 1863, and Albert Thomas, born July 21, 1870, are living at home.
Mrs. Fanny Foster, the mother of the deceased wife of Mr. Baker, has lived with her son-in-law about twenty years. Her husband died a few years after his settlement in Peru. Mrs. Foster is now aged nearly eighty-nine years, and is entirely help- less, having sustained an accident to one of her limbs some twelve years since.
HON. JOHN A. WILLIAMSON,
son of the late James Williamson and Phebe Williamson, and, on the maternal side, grandson of Abizal Griffin, one of the early settlers of Greenwich township, was born Sept. 25, 1812, in the township of New London, Huron Co., Ohio. His parents were natives of the Empire State, having been born and reared in Hunter, Greene Co., N. Y., and, removing to Ohio at a comparative carly day, were here married in the year 1830. His father was a farmer by occupation, and the subject of this sketch was reared at the family homestead, the old farm still owned by him, upon which the Williamsons originally settled, and which lies in the townships of New London and Fitchville, into the latter of which the residence was transferred in 1852.
Mr. Williamson's youth was passed in a manner of life similar to that of many farmer boys, but, possessing a more than usually vigorous constitution, together with bright and acute intellectual qualities, he began early in life to manifest those traits of mind and character which, in their mature development, have rendered him eminent, professionally and politically. His was naturally an ambitious nature, and so it happened that he could not be satisfied with the education gained in the common schools, but when he had passed through their course of sindy, chose to avail himselfof further opportunities and fit himself for the occupation of higher positions in life than he could attain to without so doing.
At the age of sixteen years he entered upon a course in the preparatory department of Oberlin College, and two years later he became a member of the Freshman class of that insti- tution of learning. He remained until the completion of the Sophomore year, 1862, when that one of many exciting war alarms, the news that the Confederate Gen. Kirby Smith was about to make a raid upon Cincinnati, was flashed through the loyal North, and a call was made for the minute-men of the State to rally to the protection of its chief city. Mr. Williamson, being a strong supporter of the Union sentiment, and feeling that he should do anything that lay within his means to assist the overthrow of the power which menaced our free soil, notwithstanding the reluctance of parental solicitude for the safety of an only child, went out as one of that hastily-summoned and quickly prepared body of mien, as did also many of his class.
After returning from the service of that brief campaign, which by no means, however, promised to be short, he asked for and received an honorable dismissal from Oberlin, and be- came a member of the Junior class at Yale, from which col- lege he graduated with honors in the year 1804. Immediately . after finishing his academie course he entered upon the study of law in the Law School of the University of New York, at Albany, from which he graduated in 1865. The time inter- vening between this date and 1867 was spent in a law-office in Cincinnati, and in traveling and general reading.
On the 9th of February, 1867, he became deputy clerk of courts in Huron County, under A. B. Griffin, Esq., elerk, which position he held until his resignation, in 1868, for the purpose of entering into a partnership for the practice of law with IIon. W. S. Tennant, at East Saginaw, Mich. In 1869 he removed from East Saginaw to Toledo, where he residel until the spring of 1871, when he removed to Norwalk, in bis native county. At this point he has since lived prominently in the eye of the public, und in such manner as to have no cause to fear its watching. He engaged in the practice of his profession, and followed it assiduously and uninterruptedly until 1877, when he was elected to the Legislature as a mem- ber of the House of Representatives from Huron County.
Politically, Mr. Williamson is a Republican, and an earnest supporter of the men and measures of that party. He has been a worker for the success of principles and of the best men in the party, rather than a seeker of political preferment for himself. He has not sought place, and in accepting it has only done so in response to the clearly expressed will of his friends and the suffrage of the people.
Mr. Williamson is a man of fine as well as forcible intel- lectual qualities, an extensive reader and close thinker, of a remarkably practical cast of mind, and yet, withal, alive to whatever there is of beauty in the many refinements of sur- roundings and of being. He is cautious but arm in his judgments, and reliable. In manner he is social and friendly, and he possesses qualities that readily win admiration and respect, whether from his political compeers, or his private companions and acquaintances.
He was married to Miss Celestia N. Tennant, of Camden, Lorain Co., Ohio, Jan. 19, 1869.
GEORGE BUTT.
George Butt was born in the city of New York, July 24, 1834. At the age of six or seven years his father moved to Illinois, where Mr. Bott spent the carlier years of bis active life. While still young he manifested a taste for the fine arts, spending much time in a por- trait painter's studio, where be received many impressions that were lasting, and which had much to do with bis choice of a profession for life. His bent of mind did not receive encouragement from his parents; on the contrary, they discouraged him, and marked out another pursuit. He was still young when his parents died, an.l, having no desire for a trade, he grew up to manhood without any special business. His father had left some money for him, but he never received it. At the age of twenty-two, however, he acquired about $800, which, by judicious speculation, was increased to about $2000. With this he bought a large tract of land, and tried farm- ing, but was not successful. He lost heavily by the failure of the wheat crops in successive years, and, becoming discourageil, sold out at a great. loss.
While visiting Springfield, Ill., he became interested in the atubro- type business, and gave considerable time to the acquirement of the art ; but finally gave it up and returned home.
For a year succeeding he was in poor health. In the mean time photography had made rapid advances, and he onee more determined to learn the business. Placing himself under the best instructors, he took a thorough course, and again entered the field with very creditable success ; but, becoming dissatisfied with his knowledge, he determined to place himself where he could become a thorough master of the art. He accordingly entered a leading gallery as a workman, and labored industriously, and subsequently took private lessons from some of the best artists in the State. In this way he soon made rapid progress, and in a short time was enabled to command good wages.
He eventually, with a partner, purchased a fine establishment in the eity of Ottawa, Ill., which was remodeled and thoroughly refitted. but had only been in operation under its new proprietors for the space of three days when it was destroyed by fire, and he found him- self in very straitened circumstances. But he was not whoily dis- couraged, and, adopting the motto, " Where there's a will there's a
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way," he borrowed $150 of a friend, purchased a second-band travel- ing car, repaired and refitted it, and, locating himself on the public square, opened for business within a week of the disaster.
In this venture he was eminently successful; but, his quarters proving too narrow for his increasing business, he soon after entered into partnership with an artist of Ottawa. This, however, proved au unprofitable venture, and he very soon soll out his interest.
During the next two years he spent considerable time in Chicago. with the intention of entering into permanent business there. But he finally took the mistaken, though, well-meant, advice of a friend, and removed to Ohio, only to meet disappointment. After seching an eligible location for several months, he eventually located in Nor- walk, when he rentedl the gallery over the First National Dank, taking possession Oet. 1, 1869, and began business under very discouraging circumstances. For six months bis expenditures considerably ex- ceeded his receipts; but, continuing undaunted, at the end of one year his prospects had greatly brightened. In this location he remained five years, at the end of which period his business had entirely outgrown his facilities. He accordingly leased the second story over two stores in the new Finn block, and nitted the rooms at great expense in modern style, and at the present time has one of the largest and most conveniently arranged galleries to be found in any provincial town of the State.
Mr. Butt's reputation as an artist iz excellent and wide-spread, and his work extends to every State in the Union. His studio is tastefully arranged and decorated, and is famitirly known throughout the county. Ile makes the production of large pictures a specialty, and is ably secondedl in bis business by a competent corps of three or four employés which he keeps constantly at work. His establishment is an honor to the town, and has become a prominent place of resort. Mr. Butt also keeps on band a fine assortment of artists' goods and materials. His success bas been very gratifying.
It is proper, in this connection, to state that Mr. Butr er listed in the Union army, in 1862. He was counnissioned first lieutenant of his company, and remained until disabled by sickness, when he was sent to the hospital and soon after disebarged.
JOHN TIFFT, M.D.
The medical profession is the most arduous of all professions, and particularly is this the case in new and thinly-settled localities. Therefore, when we find a man who, for upward of a quarter of a century, and with persistent perseverance and labor, worked in the capacity of family and general physician, many traits of character of an admirable nature are presented. Away back in 1833, when Huron County was comparatively new, and the country consequently but sparsely settled, Dr. John Tifft removed here, and, until 1859, uninterrupt- edly practiced medicine in and around Norwalk.
John Tifft is the son of John and Martha (Roce) 'Tifft, the former of whom was born at Exeter, R. J., Oct. 11, 1775, and the latter at Stephentown, Rensse- lacr Co., N. Y., April 26, 1775.
John Tifft, the sub- ject of this sketch, was born at Scipio, Cayuga Co., N. Y., June 11, 1808. He received most of his literary education at the distriet schools, completing the same at Auburn Academy. Ou leaving the latter insti- tution he chose the prae- tice of medicine as a profession, and entered the office of Joseph T. Pitney, M.D., at Au- burn, for its study. He remained with Dr. Pit- noy about two years, and then attended the Berkshire Medical Insti- tute, at Pittsfield, Mass. (a branch of Williams College), from which he was graduated with honors, receiving his diploma, Sept. 5, 1832. He practiced his profession for about one year in York State, and then, in 1833, removed to Norwalk, Ohio, where he commeneed a practice which subsequently developed into an extensive and lucrative business.
From 1833 to 1846, Dr. Tifft continued in the allo- pathie school, but in the latter year he changed his mode . of practice, and soon became as successful in the homo-
pathie as he had been in the regular school. In 1859, losing his wife, he retired from active work, and has since attended to the management and supervision of his property. He is among the oldest living practi- tioners in Huron County, as he has been among the most successful. He has been twice married,-first to Louisa Fitch, of Auburn, N. Y., in May, 1833, who died Sept. 19, 1859; second, to Nancy V. Earl, Nov. 4, 1862, who is still living. He is a Democrat, and always belonged to that political faith, In 1860 he was chosen one of the delegates to the Charleston and Balti- more Conventions. He has held various offices, both professional and political. He was elected one of the trustees of the Homoeopathic Medical College of Cleveland ; was treasurer of Nor- walk township for soy- eral years; a member of the corporation council, and mayor of the village in 1872-73. Tle has oo- cupied the offices in the Cemetery Association of trustee, president, scere- tary. and treasurer, and to him is due, in a large measure, the present -ve- cess of that well-mau- aged institution.
In these various posi- tions of honor and trust thedoctor has invariably given satisfaction. He brought the same integ- rity and ability to the fulfilment of his varions official duties that made his professional life both popular and successful. All public enter- prises and interests tending to the material development of the community in which he has lived so long, and attained a reputation so eredita- able, meets with his ardent support and aid.
He is public-spirited, honest, and fair in his deal- ings with his fellow-men ; and, though affiliated with no particular religious denomination, yet he possesses all the essential qualities of the Christian gentleman and the enterprising citizen that his is.
CHARLES B. STICKNEY.
The subject of this sketch was born at Moira, Franklin Co., N. Y., Jan. 20, 1310. He was the oldest of twelve children, six sons and six daughters, of Charles and Betsey Stickney.
Ilis father, Capt. Charles Stickney, was born at Corn- wall, Addison Co., Vt., May 17, 1785, and his mother, whose maiden name was Pierce, at New Salem, Franklin Co., Mass., April 11, 1790. They were married in the town of Dickinson, Franklin Co., N. Y., April 11, 1809. Both are now dead. They were of English descent. His father's earliest aneestor in America was William Stickney, who came to this country, in 1637, from Hell, Yorkshire, Eng- land, and settled with his family at Rowley, Mass. From him it is believed that all bearing the name of Stickney in America are deseended.
Mr. Stickney's early years were required by his father on his farm, where he remained until his twenty-first year, engaged in hard work, and receiving only a district-school education, when he was given his time, $5.50 in money, and the blessing of his kind parents, with which he started forth to seek his fortune. 1
He entered the academy at Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., then in charge of Rev. Asa Brainard, where he remained nearly four years, supporting him- self in the incan time by teaching school winters.
His health having be- come impaired from close application, he reluctantly loft the academy and came to Ohio. He reached Ash- tabula County, where he was taken sick at the house of his maternal unele, Jesse Pierce, in the town of Say- brook, his sickness contin- uing for nearly six months.
Recovering his health somewhat, he adopted the teaching of penmanship as a means of livelihood, and taught in different places in Western Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Southern Ohio.
LITTLE
In the year 1841 he visited his brother, Hon. E. T. Stickney, at Scipio, Seneca Co., Ohio, and, meeting with a former fellow-student of Potsdam Academy, the late Jairus Kennan, Esq., who was then practicing law at Norwalk, he was induced to enter his office, and commence the study of law. He arrived at Norwalk, Nov. 13, 1841, and pursued his studies with Mr. Kennan. Was admitted to the Bar Aug. 1, 1844, and subsequently to practice in the Federal Courts, at Cleveland, April 12, 1860.
During his term of study he was associated with the late Ezra M. Stone in the preparation of a large number of cases in bankruptey, under the then existing bankrupt law of the United States.
After he commenced practice he was several times a can- didate for prosceuting attorney, always running ahead of his ticket, but not being able to overcome the party odds against him.
The new constitution of Ohio created the Court of Pro- bate, and upon its going into operation, in 1551, Mir.
Stickney was nominated on the Democratic ticket for the new office of judge of said court, and was elected over his competitor, Hon. F. Wickham, by thirty-one majority, having run ahead of his ticket about five hundred votes. He performed the duties of his office faithfully and satis- factorily to all for the term of three years, and was again nominated in 1854. The newly-formed Republican and Know-Nothing parties swept the field, the general majority of the party in Huron County being about sixteen hundred, but the majority for his competitor, Hon. F. Sears, was cut down to about eight hundred.
He has served several terms as a member of the com- mon council, and in April, 1874, was elected mayor of Norwalk, and served two years, being an acceptable and popular officer.
He was for several years school examiner for Harou County, and a member of the Board of Education of the Union School for four years, during which time he was clerk of the Board. He has at all times taken a deep interest in educational matters. He is also a member of the Whittlesey Academy of Arts and Sci- ences, of which he has been president.
He became a member, by initiation, April 30, 1845, of Huron Lodge, No. 37, I. O. O. F., and has been a prominent and respected member of the order, hold- ing many of its important offiees.
On Feb. 20, 1956, he was elected Most Worchy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, serving one torm with distinguished ability. For his faithful and eficient services in this office he received from the Grand Lodge its beautiful and costly medal.
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