History of Portage County, Ohio, Part 68

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 68

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CHESTER R. HOWARD, farmer and mechanic, P. O. Aurora Station, was born February 3, 1812, in Hartford, Conn .; son of Freeman and Eunice A. (Ris- ley) Howard, natives of Hartford, Conn., and a descendant of Thomas and Susanna Howard, who emigrated from England to America, and settled in Ipswich, Mass., in the year 1634. Freeman Howard, subject's father, was born in 1789; was a carriage-maker by trade, and in 1828 came to Aurora and erected and controlled a saw-mill and grist-mill. He died in Chardon, Ohio, February 3, 1867. His wife was born June 15, 1788, died June 26, 1866, at Chardon, also. They were the parents of the following children: Freeman, Jr., Chester Risley, Eliza, Celestia and Julius Field. Our subject remained at home during his minority, assisting his father in farming and in the saw-mill. In 1846 he bought the property his father had first owned in Ohio, and has since continued to occupy it. He has been twice married, on first occasion to Harriet Benjamin, who died July 10, 1864, leaving the following children : Emer. ett, Emerson, Elmira and Eliza. He subsequently, September 7, 1865, married Harriet, daughter of Robert and Rhoda (Henry) Root. Mr. Howard has always quietly and assiduously devoted himself to his private affairs, except when he has been called by the citizens of his township from time to time to discharge . the duties of District Assessor, and other local offices.

ELISHA HURD (deceased) was born March 10, 1822, in Aurora Township, Portage Co., Ohio, son of Hopson and Betsey (Lacy) Hurd, who had a family of seven children: Maria, wife of P. H. Babcock, of Cleveland, Ohio; Elisha; Hopson; Eliza, wife of S. C. Greene; Frank; Cornelia, wife of J. E. Williams, and a daughter deceased. About 1815 Hopson Hurd, accompa- nied by Roman Humphrey, came over the mountains with a stock of goods and embarked in business in Aurora. Mr. Humphrey in a short time withdrew from the firm, and the business was then carried on for many years by Mr. Hurd alone. He accumulated a large fortune and died in Aurora in 1869. The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in Aurora Township, and here married, October 13, 1852, Louisa Williams, born in Newark Valley, N. Y., May 13, 1830, daughter of Stephen Williams, of Tioga County, N. Y. Four children were born to this union: Eliza, wife of Frank Aldrich, in Cleve- land, Ohio; 'C. Williams; Fred S .; and Mcclellan, also in Cleveland. Mr. Hurd remained at home assisting his father on the farm until he was twenty- nine years of age, when he engaged in cattle dealing on his own account, and about 1857, in company with his brother Frank, embarked in mercantile trade. and at the same time attended to his dairy, live stock and farming interests, This firm continued until the death of Elisha, when Frank carried on the bus-

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iness until 1879, and then sold out to Fred and William S., sons of Elisha Hurd. Mr. Hurd was a Republican in politics. By industry, tact and perse- verance he accumulated considerable property, and owned over 700 acres of land at the time of his death, June 17, 1868.

ZENO KENT, farmer, P. O. Aurora, was born on his present farm in Aurora Township, this county, February 20, 1821, son of Zeno and Emily (Granger) Kent, natives of Connecticut, who made a permanent settlement in Aurora Township, this county, in 1810. They were the parents of eight chil- dren, three of whom are now living: Julius, a farmer in Chagrin Falls, Ohio; Zeno, and Delight, wife of Mr. Gillman, of Iowa. Mr. Kent died March 27, 1837, and his widow, February, 1865. Our subject was reared on the farm, and received such an education as could be obtained at the schools of Aurora and Ravenna in those early days. In 1848 he was married to Miss Almira, daughter of Thomas and Rebecca Gould, who were natives of Vermont. Mrs. Kent died November 27, 1867, leaving six children: Helen H .; Leroy Zeno; Charles E .; Emily D., wife of Arthur Stanton; Dora and Nora. Keno Kent is one of the oldest living residents and natives of this township. He has followed the occupation of a farmer during his life, and is now owner of 340 acres of good land, besides having given each of his sons a farm to start them in life.

SOLOMON LITTLE, farmer, P. O. Aurora, was born on the farm where he now resides in Aurora Township, Portage Co., Ohio, December 27, 1825, son of Warren and Susanna (Spencer) Little. Warren Little was born April 16, 1780, in Middlefield, Mass. He was thrice married, on the second occasion to the mother of our subject, also a native of Middlefield, where she was born September 12, 1781, and who bore him seven children, three of whom are now living: Harmony, wife of Seth Sawyer; Nancy, widow of Oliver Smith, and Solomon. Our subject's father and mother both died in Aurora Township, this county, the former November 8, 1868, the latter July 30, 1838. Our sub- ject was reared on the farm upon which he now resides, and in 1864 he mar- ried Myra Ward, born at Middlefield, Mass., January 13, 1840, daughter of John and Phobe (Church) Ward, also natives and residents of Middlefield, Mass. To this union have been born three children, two of whom are now living: Elma and Harry. Mr. Little, who is a farmer by occupation, owns one of the best farms in the township, comprising 330 acres of fine land. He and his wife are members of the Congregational Church.

HERBERT T. SHELDON, Sheriff and farmer, P.O. Aurora, was born April 17, 1842, in Aurora Township, Portage Co., Ohio; son of Ebenezer and Sarah K. (Sizer) Sheldon, who were the parents of six children: Horace S .; Herbert T .; Arthur E .; Sarah A. (Mrs. C. W. Hammond), in Hubbard, Ohio; Ruby E. (Mrs. Seymour Higley), in Windham, Ohio; Charles S., in Yellow Springs, Greene County, Ohio. The father of our subject was a native of Aurora Township, this county, born April 30, 1811, and was reared, educated and married here; he engaged in farming and merchandising, was a Republican in politics, Clerk of the township for a number of years; he died February 7,1876. His widow, who was born in Massachusetts, March 13, 1818, came to Mantua with her parents in 1831, and died in Aurora in August, 1881. Our subject passed his early life at home, and was educated in the common schools of the township. When twenty years of age he engaged in farming for a year on his own account; February 20, 1862, he was married to Ella G., daughter of Ros- well and Dorothy L. (Ellsworth) Bissell, who has borne him two children: Maud, wife of William Reed, of Bainbridge, and Claude E. In 1853 Mr. Sbeldon entered the store of G. L. Hoor & Co., remaining with them four

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years, after which he canvassed for the sale of fruit trees in West Virginia. In 1868 he purchased a farm one mile east of Aurora Center, where he remained nine years, but in the spring of 1877 removed to a farm of C. R. Harmon's and engaged in farming. He is a Republican in politics, has served as Trustee of the township several times, and for years has been Township Clerk. In August, 1884, he was nominated Sheriff by his party, and in Octo- ber, 1884, was elected Sheriff, and took his seat, January 5, 1885.

OLIVER SPENCER, retired farmer, P. O. Aurora, was born in Middle- field, Mass., August 25, 1801; son of Samuel W. and Lucy (Fisk) Spencer, who settled in Aurora Township, this county, in 1812, but after living here one year went back to Massachusetts. After the death of his wife, Samuel W. Spencer returned to Aurora Township, where he remained the balance of his life. He was the father of twelve children, four of whom are now living: Oliver, Selden, Thompson and Nelson. The paternal grandfather of our sub- ject, John Spencer, of Middlefield, Mass., settled here in 1812, and lived with his son Brainerd until his death. In 1829 Oliver Spencer settled in Aurora Township on the farm where he now resides, all of which he cleared and improved. He has been twice married, first, in 1823, to Sally Little; on the second occasion, September 3, 1829, he was united in marriage with Anna, daughter of Sylvanus Eldridge, of Aurora Township, this county. They have had three children: Melinda (deceased), Matilda (Mrs. O. J. Payne) and Rus- sell. Mr. and Mrs. Spencer are members of the Congregational Church, with which he has been connected for upward of forty years, and for thirty-five years has been a Deacon in same.

WORTHY TAYLOR, retired farmer, Aurora, was born in Hampshire County, Mass., January 10, 1797; son of Samuel and Sarah (Jaggers) Taylor. The father of our subject was a native of Springfield, Mass., a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and came to Aurora Township, this county, with his family, in 1807, and died in 1813. His mother was a native of Hebron, Mass., and died in 1853, leaving eleven children, of whom are now living, Worthy, Col. Royl and Marcus. The subject of this sketch received a common school education in Aurora Township, this county, and upon attaining his majority engaged in farming, which occupation he has since continued. On February 17, 1817, he was married to Miss Harriet Kent. In 1872 Mr. Taylor removed to Aurora Center. where he is now residing. He is a member of the Disciples Church; has served the people of his township as Justice of the Peace for twenty- seven years. In politics he is a Republican.

MARCUS TAYLOR, farmer, P. O. Aurora, was born in Middlefield, Mass., September 22, 1805; son of Samuel and Sarah (Jaggers) Taylor (see biography of Worthy Taylor). In 1807 he accompanied his parents to Aurora Town- ship, this county, locating on the farm which he now occupies, and which has since been in the name of the Taylor family. In 1828 he purchased the home- stead of his elder brother, Samuel, who had become its owner after the death of their father. Our subject was married, September 22, 1833, to Betsey M., daughter of Josiah and Betsey (Forward) Hickox (see biography of Samuel F. Hickox), by whom he has had two children: Sally M. (deceased) and Chauncy M., who married Emma Stanton, of Streetsboro, and resides on the home farm, having three children. Mr. Taylor is one of the oldest settlers and cit- izens of Aurora Towhship, and has served in several positions of trust.

James To Davidson

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BRIMFIELD TOWNSHIP.

EDWIN BARBER, retired farmer, P. O. Brimfield, was born in Litchfield, Conn., June 28, 1797; son of Joseph and Abigail (Coe) Barber. On May 8, 1819, he arrived in Brimfield Township, this county, but in January, 1820, revisited Connecticut, returning to Brimfield Township in 1822, and settling on the farm where he now resides and which he cleared and improved. He was married, August 5, 1823, to Elvira, daughter of Nathan and Sarah Bene- dict, of Cornwall, Conn., by whom he had three children: Frederick (deceased), Ozias, and Elvira (deceased). Ozias is a resident of Akron, Ohio, and married to Harriet Campbell, of Tallmadge. Mr. Barber is one of the few pioneers now left in Brimfield Township. After a wedded life of nearly sixty-one years, he lost his wife, who died, May 9, 1884, in her eighty-second year. Mr. Barber has been a member of the Baptist Church over fifty years. He has been Justice of the Peace of Brimfield Township one term. In politics he is a Republican.

ELI E. BENEDICT, farmer, P. O. Kent, was born in Litchfield, Conn., March 8, 1828, son of Eli and Marcella (Stoddard) Benedict. His maternal grand- father, Levi Stoddard, was an early settler of Perry, Lake County, and in 1830 removed to Brimfield Township, this county. The parents of our subject set- tled in what is now Northampton, Summit Co., Ohio, in 1830, where his father cleared and improved a farm on which he lived until his death in 1876; he died at the age of seventy-seven. His widow then removed to Brimfield Township, this county, and resided with the subject of this sketch until her death, March 8, 1884; she died at the age of eighty-five. They had a family of fourteen chil- dren, ten of whom grew to manhood and womanhood: Levi (deceased), Matilda (Mrs. George Allen), Melissa (Mrs. A. Cummings), William, Eli E., Henry, Edwin, Lewis (deceased), Martha (deceased), and Charlotte. Our subject lived in Northampton until 1842, since when he has been a resident of Brimfield Town- ship, this county, living on the old homestead of his grandfather, Levi Stod- dard. He was married in 1851 to Harriet, daughter of Horace and Harriet Barton, of Shalersville, by whom he has four children: Julia (Mrs. A. Wilder), Charles, Albert and Lucy. Mr. Benedict is one of the representative farmers of this county. In politics a Democrat.

JOHN BOOSINGER, farmer, P. O. Brimfield, was born in Brimfield Township, this county, May 8, 1818, son of John and Barbara (Williard) Boosinger, who settled here in 1816. Mr. Boosinger was raised on his father's farm, one mile west of Brimfield Center, where he resided until he was twenty- three years of age. He has been twice married, first, November 4, 1845, to Caroline, daughter of Conrad and Mary C. (Kline) Neff, by whom he had two children: Vernon L., born July 16, 1847, and Lucy C., born March 5, 1853, married to George H. Meachem July 31, 1879. Mrs. Caroline Boosinger died April 10, 1853, aged twenty-nine years, and August 1, 1853, Mr. Boosinger was married to Juliett Neff, sister of his deceased wife, who has borne him three children: Edward C., born April 7, 1854, married Miss Mary E. Spencer December 24, 1884; Omer C., born January 5, 1858, married Emma J. Brown March 9, 1882, and Zaidee B., born January 29, 1863, married Will M. Moulton November 21, 1882. Mr. Boosinger is a Democrat in politics; has

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held several offices in the township. He and his wife have been members of the Universalist Church for about twenty years. Mr. Boosinger still resides on the farm which he cleared and improved when first married.

GEORGE W. BOOSINGER, farmer, P. O. Brimfield, was born in Roots- town, this county, September 16, 1827, son of John and Barbara (Williard) Boosinger, who settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1816, the first family who settled here. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Conrad Boosinger, a native of Germany, who settled in Ravenna Township in 1800 and who in 1809 removed to Tallmadge, Summit Co., Ohio, where he resided until his death. John Boosinger, the father of our subject, was born in eastern Virginia March 17, 1785. In December, 1813, he married Barbara Williard, a daughter of Philip Williard, an early settler of Rootstown, and reared a family of eight children (see sketch of Philip Boosinger in Franklin Township). Mrs. Boosinger died March 28, 1867, at the age of seventy-seven years, and Mr. Boosinger died March 16, 1875, in his ninetieth year. Our subject was reared in Brimfield Township, this county, where he received a common school educa- tion. When twenty-two years of age he worked his father's farm, continuing with him until his death. He was married December 25, 1851, to Amanda M., daughter of Moses and Elizabeth Burdge, of Brimfield Township. By this union there were nine children: Elsie M. (Mrs. Joseph Meloy), Charles N. (deceased), Banks W., Charlie Q., Hoyt F., Frank L., Ida M., Henry S. and Hattie L. Mr. Boosinger came on the farm where he now resides in 1875, though he had owned it several years previous to that time. Both he and his wife are members of the First Universalist Church of Brimfield. He has held various offices in the township; in politics he is a Democrat.

THE BOSZOR FAMILY were among the early settlers of Portage County, and were of German origin. Boszor came from his native country to America about 1772, and settled at Baltimore, Md., where he married Barbara Stoyer. He died at Baltimore in 1798, and the widow subsequently came to this county and died in Brimfield Township. Their son, Henry Boszor, settled at Ravenna in 1804; he was a shoe-maker by trade, but after coming to this county his principal occupation was farming. He at once bought fifty acres of land a short distance east of Ravenna, and in 1805 was married to Polly Boosinger, a daughter of Conrad Boosinger, a pioneer of this county. The following year he sold this farm and bought a farm by the Stark County line, but a year or so afterward he sold out and bought a place in the northeast part of Springfield Township, this county, where he lived for several years, and in 1816 bought a farm one mile west of Brimfield Center, and for the remainder of his life was a resident of Brimfield Township. The last-mentioned farm was afterward known as the " Israel Thorndyke " farm, and a year or so after his purchase he traded his place with Mr. Thorndyke for a farm of 100 acres one- half mile north of Brimfield Center, which became his homestead up to the time of his death. Some five or six years after his last trade he discovered that this farm had been heavily mortgaged previous to his purchase of it, which involved him in a heavy additional expense, and he was obliged to pay for it a second time. This to a man with a young and growing family was quite a hardship, but he may be said to have surmounted all obstacles-raised a family of nine children, and at his death in 1862 left a comfortable property to his widow and children. He was a representative pioneer and a highly esteemed and trusted citizen. From the records it would appear that he served the township in various local offices, such as Trustee, etc., etc. He was for- merly an old-line Whig, but in the later years of his life he adhered to the Democratic party. During the war of 1812 he was drafted and hired a sub-

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stitute; only a short time afterward, however, he volunteered, and was on his way with others to re-enforce, and was only a short distance from Gen. Hull's army at the time of its surrender, but the company of which he was a member escaped. He died in August, 1862. His widow, Polly, died February 11, 1874. They were both members of the Lutheran Church. They were the parents of the following named children: Elizabeth, born in 1805, died in 1881; John, born December 28, 1807, died in August, 1884; Jacob, born December 26, 1809; Polly, born in 1811, died in 1835; Barbara, born in 1813, died November 20, 1875; Susan, born in September, 1815; Henry, born August 1, 1818; David, born February 2, 1821, died May 6, 1861; Martin, born June 2, 1824; Simon Peter, born in 1830, died in 1831.

HENRY BOSZOR, son of Henry and Polly (Boosinger) Boszor, P. O. Kent, was born August 1, 1818, one mile west of Brimfield Center. He lived with his parents until twenty-six years of age, in the meantime having received a fair common school education. November 20, 1844, he was married to Miss Sarah Neff, daughter of Conrad and Catharine (Kline) Neff, natives of Penn- sylvania, and on April 16 following they commenced housekeeping in a little log-house on a farm of ninety-seven acres which they purchased that spring, located on Lot 17, Brimfield Township. On this farm they have ever since resided. Except the log house mentioned and some twenty-five acres upon which the trees had been girdled and the land in part cultivated sufficient to raise enough to afford a bare subsistence to the former owners, this farm was in a wild state, and as the purchase was made nearly all on credit, the young couple not only saw before them the prospect of many years of patient indus- try in order to improve the land and build up a home, but also to create the wherewithal to pay for the same; but they set themselves to the task with a right good will. The log-house has long since disappeared, and in its place, a short distance west of the spot, stands a neat and commodious frame resi- dence and out-buildings, surrounded by well-kept fences and attractive grounds, while the twenty five acres of girdled trees and land covered with bush and briers have given place to over seventy acres of cultivated and highly productive land, and the homestead has grown to 110 acres, while a short dis- tance away Mr. Boszor owns another farm of 100 acres, nearly as valuable as the homestead, which at a reasonable valuation would be worth $100 per acre. A very attractive feature of Mr. Henry Boszor's home is a green-house, built on the east end of his residence, to which Mrs. Boszor devotes much care. A curiosity in this climate is a lemon tree that Mrs. Boszor set out thirty years ago, which for the past twenty years has borne excellent fruit, much better than can ordinarily be bought, as the lemons thoroughly ripen and drop from the branch. No two people in the county are held in greater respect for their many excellent qualities. They have ever been ready, in a quiet way, to do their full part toward promoting all those enterprises which are calculated to benefit society. Mr. Boszor has served his township three terms as Trustee, and Assessor one term. He was for some time a Director of the bank at Kent, and for the past ten years has been a Trustee of Bouthtel College, an institution to which he has donated nearly $2,000. Mr. Boszor ascribes his success in life to the fact that he made punctuality in all business transactions his motto. Mr. and Mrs. Boszor are members of the Universalist Church. Politically he is a Democrat. The grandfather of Mrs. Sarah (Neff) Boszor was Conrad Neff, a native of Sweden, who came from Pennsylvania to Ohio with his wife and seven children in 1805, and settled in Canfield Township, Mahoning Co., Ohio, in 1830. He died in Canfield, that county, and his wife followed a few years later. They lie buried side by side. Conrad and Mary Catharine Neff

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had a family of eleven children: Rebecca, born April 15, 1815; Henry and John (twins), born November 20, 1816, and died respectively February 15, 1832, and April 20, 1817; Mary A., born November 21, 1818; Sarah, born May 24, 1820; Samuel, born June 25, 1821, and died December 18, 1825; Caroline, born December 27, 1823, and died April 11, 1853; La Fayette, born in November, 1826, died August 2, 1828; Juliette, born February 3, 1829; John, born January 22, 1831, and died February 13, 1885, in Osceola, Iowa; and Lucy Ann, born October 20, 1834. The father of this family was reared in the Presbyterian faith, though in later years of his life he became more of a Universalist in thought. He died December 5, 1866, aged seventy two years, ten months and nineteen days; his wife died July 15, 1865, aged seventy-two years, seven months and five days. She was reared in the Lutheran faith. Both are buried in Brimfield.

HIRAM G. BRIGGS, farmer, P. O. Brimfield, was born in Palmyra Town- ship, this county, May 25, 1835, son of Asa and Abigail (Tuttle) Briggs, the former of whom was a native of Vermont and an early settler of Ravenna, where he cleared a farm, afterward settling in Palmyra, where he also cleared and improved a farm, and in 1845 removed to Iowa, where he died the follow- ing year at the age of sixty-nine. Asa Briggs was twice married; by his first wife, nee Miss Williams, he had four children: Lestina, Sarah, Emily and Ira. His second wife was Abigail Tuttle, of Palmyra, by whom he had three chil- dren, Hiram G. being the only one now living. Our subject returned to this county immediately after his father's death, and served an apprenticeship at the shoe-maker's trade, which he followed up to 1859. He was married, March 4, 1859, to Lucy A., daughter of Conrad and Mary C. (Kline) Neff, of Brim- field Township, this county, by whom he has three children: Norris, C. Clark, and Mary G. Mr. Briggs located his farm in Brimfield Township in 1859, where he has since resided. He has held various minor township offices, and served as Trustee two terms. He is a F. & A. M. In politics a Democrat.

REUBEN BROBST, wool buyer, Brimfield, was born in Lehigh County, Penn., January 22, 1824, son of Daniel and Mary (Brobst) Brobst. His pater-

nal grandfather was Michael Brobst, of Lehigh County, and a farmer by occu- pation, and his maternal grandfather was John Brobst, of same county, a prominent farmer and merchant. Our subject was reared in Lehigh County until sixteen years of age. He then went to Washington, Penn., where he served an apprenticeship of five years at the tinner's trade. In 1847 he set- tled in Brimfield, this county, and worked at his trade in connection with put- ting up eaves troughs, for fifteen years. He then embarked in his present bus- iness, in which he has since been profitably engaged. Mr. Brobst was married, in 1848, to Orra, daughter of Nathaniel Packard, an early settler of Brimfield Township, and by this union there are four children: Electa, wife of Henry Ewell; Orpha, wife of Peter Snyder; Alice and Edward D. Mr. Brobst is a F. & A. M. In politics a prominent Democrat.

JACOB BROWN, retired farmer, Brimfield, was born in Marlboro, Stark Co., Ohio, March 28, 1818, and is a son of John and Catherine (Niswan- ger) Brown, who settled in Stark County when it was a wilderness, and cleared and improved the farm on which they lived and died. Our subject was reared on his father's farm and received a limited education. He was married in 1841, to Lavinia, daughter of John and Sarah Baumbarger, of Stark County, by whom he had six children, three now living: Frank, a physician in Petoskey, Mich .; Amanda, wife of Jacob Kline, in Franklin Township, and Emma J., wife of Homer Boosinger, in Brimfield. Mr. Brown settled in Rootstown in 1842, where he cleared and improved a farm of 225 acres, on

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History of Portage County, Ohio, Part 68

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