History of Portage County, Ohio, Part 67

Author: Warner, Beer & co., pub. [from old catalog]; Brown, R. C. (Robert C.); Norris, J. E. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago, Warner, Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 958

USA > Ohio > Portage County > History of Portage County, Ohio > Part 67

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SAMUEL TOWNSEND, ticket and station agent, Atwater, was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1836; son of Jonathan and Ann Townsend, of English and French descent, respectively. They came from Bucks County, Penn., and settled in Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1833, where they both died. Our subject was married in 1865 to Miss Lois Roller, of his native county. He was brought up on a farm and followed various occupations until his removal to Atwater in 1870. He was subsequently employed as assistant sta- tion agent until the resignation of H. Hillyer, in January, 1884, when he succeeded him, and has proved himself to be an efficient officer. He is well known and highly respected.

SILAS P. WALLER, farmer, P. O. Atwater, was born November 6, 1841, on the Waller estate, this township, in the old log cabin which his father first. occupied in 1837, since when two generations have been born within its hon- ored walls. His father, David G. Waller, was born in Palmyra Township, this county, August 12, 1812, and was married to Catherine Webber, born in Pennsylvania, October 17, 1804, daughter of Peter Webber, who was born September 4, 1779, in Berkshire County, Penn., a son of Christian Webber, a native of Germany who fled from that country when eighteen years of age to avoid being pressed into the army. To this union were born the following children, viz .: Hiram, Silas P. (our subject), and David Webber. David G. Waller's parents, Silas, Sr., and Betsey (Knappen) Waller, were natives of Connecticut and parents of thirteen children, only two of whom now survive: David G., and Mason, a native of Palmyra Township, where he still resides. Silas Waller, Sr., was a son of Joseph (who died in Connecticut) and Sarah Waller, who accompanied her three sons, Silas, David and Asel, with their families, who settled in Palmyra in 1805; she died February 21, 1815. Our subject was married June 2, 1870, to Miss Angeline V., daughter of Henry and Sophia Dawes, early settlers of Deerfield Township, natives of England

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and the parents of twelve children. To Mr. and Mrs. Waller have been born six children, four now living: Mary Sophia, Fannie Betsey, Cora Elizabeth and George Edmund. Our subject enlisted in 1861 in the three months' call, but did not go out. He re-enlisted for three years in Company G, Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was wounded in the battle of Cedar Mountain, Va., August 9, 1862, and was honorably discharged on account of same, March 16, 1863. After being discharged from the army he attended school at the Poland Seminary, Mahoning Co., Ohio, for one year, and during the winter of 1864-65 he attended the Iron City Commercial College, from which he grad- uated in the spring of 1865. In October, 1865, he removed to Lawrence County, Mo., and was engaged in teaching school for five years, during which time he assisted in organizing a teachers' institute, and establishing a teachers' library of over 350 volumes; was one of the prime movers in establishing a normal school at Marionville (the building costing $12,000). He was a mem- ber of its first Board of Directors, and Secretary of the Board of Directors for three years, and also one of the Building Committee. In the spring of 1870 he returned to the old homestead on a visit, during which he mar- ried Angeline Victoria Dawes, and in September returned with his bride to Missouri. During the winter he taught school. In the spring of 1871 he engaged in farming, in which he continued for five years, and during that time he held the offices of Township Clerk, Township Treasurer and Collector of Taxes; he was First Lieutenant of Company I, Missouri State Militia. During the fall of 1873 they lost their little boy, Edmund Guy, and in the spring of 1874 they buried their little boy, Henry Lester, over which his wife became very despondent. Her health remaining very poor all summer, she returned to Ohio on a visit the first of October, staying all the winter of 1874-75. During that time he was engaged in teaching school. In the spring of 1875 he returned to Ohio, and stayed all summer, during which time his wife's health greatly improved. In the fall of 1875 he proposed to his wife that they return to Missouri again, to which she objected, saying that she would rather live in Ohio in a log-cabin than in Missouri in a mansion. He then decided to return to Missouri, dispose of his property and come back and set- tle on the old homestead, and is now living in the old log-cabin which has been standing some sixty-five years, and in which the third generation is now living. He has been a member of the Township Board of Education for seven years, and has always taken an active part in public and private enterprises.

E. WARRINGTON, M. D., 'Atwater, was born in Butler Township, Colum- biana Co., Ohio, in April, 1821, son of Abraham and Keziah (Woolman) War- rington, who were the first couple married in Springfield Settlement, Colum- biana Co., Ohio, where they raised their family of ten children and resided the balance of their lives. Our subject was raised on a farm, receiving a primary education in Friends' select schools and at Mt. Pleasant Academy. After teaching twelve years and practicing surveying he began the study of medicine, and graduated at Cleveland in the Medical Department of the West- ern Reserve College in 1852. For five years he practiced his profession at North Benton, Mahoning Co., Ohio. In 1857 he settled in Atwater Center, where he has since been in constant and successful practice, and with two exceptions is the oldest living physician in the county. He has been a mem- ber of the Portage County Medical Society for sixteen years, ever since it was started; is also a member of the Northeastern Ohio Medical Association. During his twenty-eight years' residence in Atwater seven doctors at different times have tried to get a foothold there, but would remain only a short time. Dr. Warrington for many years back has used antiseptic method in the treat-

Edward Parsons

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ment of both wounds and diseases with marked success generally, and in some individual cases with marvellous results. In 1853 the Doctor was married to Miss Jane Sproat, who died in 1863, leaving two children-Richard and Jes- sie. He was married on second occasion in April, 1865, to Miss Elizabeth Ritchie, of Columbiana County, Ohio. Dr. Warrington has served as Town- ship Treasurer and on Board of Education. He is connected with the Con- gregational Church.

JAMES WEBBER, JR., farmer, P. O. Atwater Centre, was born on the homestead farm where he now resides in Atwater Township, this county, April 8, 1825, the second son of James, Sr., and Phebe (Mix) Webber (whose record appears in this book elsewhere). Our subject was married in 1855 to Mar- garet, widow of Isaac L. Webber, eldest son of James Webber, Sr. (by whom she had three children: James B., Charles E. and Lida L.), and a native of Harrison County, Ind. To our subject and wife have been born two sons: Robert L. and Howard H. Residing from birth on the old homestead, our subject's life has necessarily been uneventful. He has served as Justice of the Peace some years and in various other township offices of trust.

HIRAM B. WEBBER, merchant, P. O. Atwater Centre, was born in Atwater Township, this county, July 18, 1828, son of James, Sr., and Phebe (Mix) Webber, natives of Wallingford, Conn., whose history appears in this work. The subject of this sketch left home when seventeen years of age, and followed mercantile business at New Albany, Ind., where he was extensively engaged for upwards of thirty years. He was united in marriage in Indian- apolis, Ind., in 1856, with Miss Fannie E. Smith, of Bloomington, Ind., and who died in Atwater, this township, March 6, 1881. By this union there are three children, now living: Louis C., Mary J. and John L. Mr. Webber moved to St. Louis in 1872, and engaged in the sale of carpets, but in 1875 returned to his native place, where he erected his present place of business, in which he carries a general stock of goods. Mr. Webber was a stock-holder and Director in the Ohio Falls Iron Works at New Albany, Ind., and has been otherwise identified with prominent operations here and elsewhere.

FRIEND WHITTELSEY, farmer, P. O. Atwater, was born April 10, 1830, in Atwater Township, this county, son of Randolph and Clarissa (Mansfield) Whittelsey, of Wallingford, Conn., who were the parents of five children: Patrick, Edgar, Friend, Randall, and Clara, wife of Ambrose Goss. The paternal grandfather of our subject, John H. Whittelsey, also a native of Wal- lingford, Conn., of Scotch descent, settled in the woods near Atwater about 1807, on the farm now owned and occupied by John B. Whittelsey, Jr., his only living child. Our subject was married in 1856 to Miss Eliza Ballinger, of Atwater, who came from Cheltenham, England, with her parents in 1850, and who died in November, 1859, leaving one son-Elisha. Mr. Whittelsey was married, on second occasion, to Miss Susan B. Smith, of Deerfield, by whom he has two children: Susan B. and Edgar: Mr. Whittelsey occupies a part of the old homestead, having a farm of 260 acres. He is regarded as one of the substantial men of Atwater Township.

RANDALL WHITTELSEY, farmer, P. O. Atwater, was born on the home- stead farm, upon which he now lives, in Atwater Township, this county, August 30, 1842, the youngest son of Randolph S. and Clarissa (Mansfield) Whittelsey, natives of Wallingford, Conn., where the former was born Sep- tember, 1799, and the latter in November, 1800. They reared a family of five children, all of whom are now living: Patrick, Edgar, Friend, Randall, and Clara, wife of Ambrose Goss. Randolph S. Whittelsey came to this county when seven years of age, with his father, John H., who founded a home on the

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land in Atwater Township, now occupied by John B. Whittelsey. Our subject was married November 16, 1876, to Miss Lucy L., daughter of Royal Merwin, of Palmyra Township, this county, and whose family were pioneers of that township. The three children born to this union are all living: Lois, born June 11, 1878; Clara Jane, born August 7, 1880, and Royal, born August 1, 1882. The Whittelseys are among the most numerous of the pioneers, and are highly respected. Under our subject's able administration the homestead farm has become one of the finest in Atwater Township.

A. V. WILLSEY, Postmaster and merchant, Atwater, was born in Scho- harie County, N. Y., in 1823, son of Henry T. and Orpha (Snow) Willsey, natives of that State. The family located north of Atwater Center in 1840, and subsequently moved to Ashtabula County, Ohio, where Mr. Willsey died. His widow lived to attain her eighty-fifth year, and died in Atwater Township, this county, March 28, 1884. They raised a family of five children, all of whom are living, and of these, Moses, who served three years in the Union Army dur- ing the late war of the Rebellion, is now a resident of Ashtabula County, Ohio. The subject of this sketch learned the carpenter's trade in his native place, and followed this occupation in connection with farming until his appointment as Postmaster of Atwater by President Grant in 1871, which position he has filled continuously since that time. Mr. Willsey was married in 1843, to Miss Mary J. Clover, a native of Pennsylvania, by whom he has three children: Louisa, wife of Z. Crubaugh; Henry, and Delilah, wife of G. Gelhart. Mr. Willsey owns a farm in Atwater Township, this county, which he operates in connection with his other business. He has served six years as Justice of the Peace, and two ternis as Notary.

HOMER H. WOOLF, hardware merchant, Atwater, was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, October 24, 1851, son of George and Eliza A. (Baum) Woolf, natives of Columbiana County and Mahoning County, Ohio, respectively, and who had a family of six children, of whom five are now living: Preston G., Homer H., Maurice O., Clark E. and Wilson W. George Woolf came to this county in 1848, and followed farming until he retired from business. He is now a resident of Atwater township. His wife died December 2, 1880. Our sub- ject was brought up on a farm, and after attending Mt. Union College three years, taught school nine terms and then embarked in business. He was mar- ried in Ravenna, June 17, 1875, to Miss Carry V. Crumrine, a native of Mahoning County, Ohio, by whom he has three children: Edith A., A. Leslie and Elsie L. Mr. Woolf, with his brother Preston, established their present business in Atwater in 1874, and in March, 1882, Preston disposed of his interest to our subject, who has since carried it on alone and is doing a good trade, having a stock of about $3,000. He is now serving his third term as Justice of the Peace, and has filled other township offices. His father's fam- ily are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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REUBEN N. AVERY, farmer, P. O. Aurora, was born on his present farm in Aurora Township, this county, December 10, 1829, son of Reuben and Corrinna (Lewis) Avery. Reuben Avery, Sr., was born at Horseneck. Conn., March 7, 1772, and removed to this township in 1816 with his first wife, Rachel Baldwin, by whom he had ten children. After her death he was married to Mrs. Corrinna (Lewis) Faxon, widow of Isaac D. Faxon, by whom she had four children. She was born in Farmington, Hartford Co., Conn., December 23, 1789, came to Mantua Township, this county, in 1813, and in early life taught school. Her union with Mr. Avery resulted in the birth of six children: Amelia M., Minerva C., Augustus, Henry, Reuben N. and Betsey E. The father died May 22, 1873. Our subject was educated in the common school of his native township. He was married January 1, 1854, to Frances Hatch, born in Aurora Township, this county, December 14, 1835, daughter of Dr. John and Harriet (Gordon) Hatch, natives of Otsego County, N. Y., who removed to Aurora Township in 1826 and 1829 respectively, and where the former died in 1842- His widow is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Avery are the parents of six children, four of whom are living: Lawrence G., Willis L., John H. and Lillian F. Our subject is a farmer by occupation, and owns eighty acres of land. He has filled a number of the township offices. In politics he is a Democrat.

HARVEY BALDWIN, farmer, P. O. Aurora, was born in Geauga County, Ohio, April 14, 1823; son of Harvey and Laura (Kent) Baldwin, who were the parents of four children: Laura Ann (deceased), Harvey, Philander (deceased) and Oscar O., residing in Minnesota. Harvey Baldwin, Sr., was born in Dan- bury, Conn., in 1796, and came to Cleveland, Ohio, with his father and family in 1806, and the following year to Aurora Township, this county. At eighteen years of age he left his home and embarked upon his career in life, first taking a trip South, thence to New York. In 1819 he purchased a quantity of cheese and cranberries, which he conveyed overland to the Ohio River, thence by skiff- boat to Louisville, where he disposed of them. The following year he shipped a cargo to New Orleans, and continued in the cheese business for a period of twenty-five years, making frequent trips down the Ohio River, and as often as once a year to New Orleans. In 1830 he purchased land in Streetsboro, this county, and in connection with farming, engaged extensively in the manu- facture and sale of cheese. He died in February, 1882. His wife, the mother of the subject of this sketch, was born in Suffield, Conn., March, 1797, came to Aurora Township, this county, in 1807, and is now residing with our sub- ject. Mr. Baldwin, the subject of this sketch, was reared on the farm, and educated in the common schools. Leaving home when eighteen years of age, he engaged as farm-hand for Charles Harmon, and in 1847 commenced farm- ing for himself in connection with dairying, which he has since continued, excepting three years spent in California. In December, 1847, he mar- ried Emily Carver, who has borne him the following children: Ella F., wife of E. R. Merrill; Alice W., wife of F. A. Gould; Carrie E. deceased; Hattie E .; Anna Laura and Minnie C.

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GEN. NELSON EGGLESTON, farmer, was born October 3,1811, in Aurora Township, Portage Co .. Ohio ; son of Moses and Sally (Taylor) Eggleston. His father was born in Middlefield, Mass., in 1784. He came to this township with his brother Joseph in the spring of 1806; after arriving, and looking up the Jand for which their father's farm in Massachusetts was exchanged, they com- menced clearing away the trees, and making preparations for the arrival of the rest of the family the coming year. Among other labors, the ensuing spring, they made maple sugar, fashioning the spouts and buckets, for gathering sap, from basswood, with only their axes, knives and a sap gouge for tools. During the succeeding summer Joseph revisited Massachusetts, and returned with the Eggleston, Taylor, and Root families, in all, thirty-two in number. They came through Pennsylvania and by way of Pittsburgh. In 1810 Moses had made quite an opening on his land and erected a cabin; having provided it according to the fashion of those times, he proposed to Miss Sally Taylor to come and join with him in the labors and struggles of a border life. This place was one mile and a quarter northwest of the center of Aurora, on the old Cleveland and Newburg road. In the war of 1812 Moses enlisted in the service, and was sent to Huron with his company immediately after the surrender of Hull. His wife stayed at the cabin, not knowing what hour the British and Indians might defeat her defenders, and repeat again the scenes of the River Raisin. In 1824 he moved to the Center, where he remained until his death, August 6, 1866. He was formerly of the Federal, then of the Whig and Republican party, by which he was honored with repeated elections to the offices of Justice of the Peace and County Commissioner. He was an influential member of the Presbyterian Church, and his career that of a man of industry, economy and integrity. The mother of our subject was born in Massachusetts, in 1792, and died in April, 1838. She had three children, two of whom survive her-Nelson and Wealtha. The latter is now living in Tuscola, Ill., the widow of Simeon D. Kelley, by whom she had seven children, three boys and four girls; the sons,

Moses, Hiram, and Randolph, served through the late war of the Rebellion. Moses, settled at El Presidio, Texas, where he in a short time accumulated a handsome property, and became a prominent citizen, but was murdered about 1880. His two brothers still reside there. Our subject passed his early life on his father's farm, received a common school education, and spent some time at Hudson College, whence he graduated in 1831. He taught school in Cal- loway County, Ky., nearly a year, returned, and commenced to read law with Mathews & Hitchcock, of Painsville, Ohio; subsequently he studied with Humph- rey & Hale, of Hudson, and September 9, 1834, was admitted to the bar upon motion before the Supreme Court sitting at Ravenna. He was married, January 29, 1835, to Miss Caroline Lacy, daughter of Isaac J. Lacy. By this union there are two children, Emmett and Addis. Mr. Eggleston engaged earnestly in the practice of his profession for a time, but submitting to the demands made upon him by his father for help in the working of land, and receiving no pecuniary aid from him in the purchase of books, or in the erection of an office, for which things he was unwilling to run in debt, he flung up the law, and has devoted himself since to farming. In 1834-35 he was Adjutant of the cavalry regiment in the Twentieth Brigade, Ohio Militia, under Col. O. L. Drake, of Freedom; afterward was promoted to the Colonelcy, which office he held two or three years until his resignation. Still later he was elected to the com- mand of the brigade with the rank of General. Mr. Eggleston has a wide acquaintance with the early settlers of northeastern Ohio, and has been con- nected in various ways with its progress. He called the first meeting at his own house that was ever held to consider the subject of a railroad from

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Pittsburgh to Cleveland. The report of this meeting made by him and pub- lished, resulted immediately in a large convention at the center of Aurora, from all the towns on the route. He has earned a handsome competence, owning 500 acres of improved land in Ohio, and 1,200 in Missouri. He takes a lively interest in literature and polititcs, but does not permit them to interfere with his daily labor and the management of his farms. He is a disciple of Thomas Jeffer- son, and acknowledges no other master.

JOHN GOULD, of Aurora Township, Portage County the gentleman here in- troduced, a well known citizen of Aurora, is now in his forty-second year, having been born in Twinsburg, Ohio, in 1844, of New England parentage. His father, John W. Gould, came from Vermont to Ohio in 1837, and his mother, whose maiden name was Eliza Post, from Saybrook, Conn., removed to Ohio with her parents in 1821. Mr. Gould and Miss Post were married in 1839, which relation was broken in 1882, when the beloved mother died, leav- ing besides her husband, three children: John, Aaron, and Ettie. In 1848 the family removed to Aurora, where they resided an unbroken family until 1879. John, the subject of this sketch, led much the life of any farmer's son, going to township schools, and for several winters was under the tutorship of the Rev. Joseph S. Graves; being of a very studious turn of mind, he added to his limited school advantages a general fund of information gleaned from an extended reading of books, magazines and the best papers. In 1870 Mr. Gould became locally connected with the Cleveland Herald, and in 1873 was advanced to the position of traveling agent of the paper. The year following he became a staff correspondent, and in that capacity made extended tours, his travels in one year alone taking him into nearly a score of States. When the temperance movement known as the " Woman's Crusade" began, Mr. Gould was delegated by his paper to report it, and for over three months this was his exclusive duty, his observations taking him to nearly every corner of the State. In 1879 Mr. Gould was married to Miss Helen Ferris, only daughter of Dr. Osman Ferris, of Mantua, Ohio. Giving up journalism, they located at Aurora Station, Ohio, and farming became his occupation, but in 1880, upon the reorganization of the editorial staff of the Herald, he again became connected with the edi- torial force of that paper, with special assignment to its agricultural depart- ment, though his pen furnished many columns to other departments, and many long journeys were taken as a "special correspondent." The same year, by urgent solicitation, Mr. Gould also became dairy editor of the Ohio Farmer, and for years his writings for that journal over the pseudonym of " Sam," have been widely read. When Secretary Chamberlain, of Columbus, organized the lecture course known as "Farmers' Institutes," Mr. Gould was early assigned to a prominent place as a special lecturer upon dairy and kindred subjects, and during the winters of 1882-83 and 1884, he has visited nearly every part of the State in that capacity. While rarely ever speaking of the extent of his literary work, it is known that he is a frequent contributor to the better class of farm journals, and his writings are sought for, from East to West, by such papers as the New York Tribune, Rural New Yorker, Country Gentleman, Coleman's Rural, Prairie Farmer, etc. With the disappearance of the Herald in 1885, Mr. Gould was promptly offered a position upon the editorial staff of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Mr. and Mrs. Gould have always resided at Aurora Station, where they assert they shall always continue to reside, and in the future, as in the past, welcome their many friends to the hospitalities of their home.

SAMUEL F. HICKOX, retired farmer, Aurora, was born in Hartford County, Conn., September 9. 1810; son of Josiah and Betsey (Forward) Hickox, who were the parents of four children: Josiah V. ; Betsey, wife of Marcus Taylor; Sam-

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uel F., and Chauncey, deceased in 1836, Josiah Hickox, a native of Watertown, Conn., was born August 22, 1777, a son of Ebenezer Hickox, a soldier in the Revolutionary war, who was descended from one of three brothers, natives of England, who immigrated to America in the early part of 1700. The father of our subject came with his family to Aurora Township, this county, in 1818, and here engaged in farming until his death, which occurred August 2, 1840. His widow, who survived him until January 15, 1884, was born in Granby, Conn., June 18, 1787, daughter of Samuel and Susanna (Holcomb) Forward, also natives of Granby, Conn., who came to Aurora Township, this county, in 1803, and here died, the father in 1821, and the mother in 1830. Samuel F. Hickox was reared on a farm, and received a common school education. In 1840 he was married to Miss Emily Blair, born in Aurora, November 21, 1816, and died January 26, 1884, leaving four children: Oliver, Walter G., Henry M. B. and Olivia, wife of Albert Sheldon. Mr. Hickox is a Democrat in poli- tics; an active member of the order of A. F. & A. M.

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History of Portage County, Ohio, Part 67

Author: Warner, Beer & co., pub. [from old catalog]; Brown, R. C. (Robert C.); Norris, J. E. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Chicago, Warner, Beers & co. Number of Pages: 958

Author: Warner, Beer & co., pub. [from old catalog]; Brown, R. C. (Robert C.); Norris, J. E. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago, Warner, Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 958