USA > Ohio > Portage County > History of Portage County, Ohio > Part 70
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JOSEPH RUSS, farmer, P. O. Brimfield, was born in Brimfield Township, this county, February, 5, 1832; son of Beverly Y. and Bertia (Emerson) Russ, natives of Vermont. His father came to Ohio in 1829, and purchased a tract of land in Brimfield Township, this county, on which he settled in 1831, cleared and improved and where he resided until his death. The farm is still the property of his descendants. He had five children: Joseph, Seraph (deceased), Van (deceased), Viola (deceased) and Emma (Mrs. S. Samuel Buell, Jr.). Our subject has been a resident of Brimfield Township, this county, most of his life, and has lived on his present farm upward of twenty-seven years; he was married February 23,
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1854, to Mary E., daughter of Gideon and Elizabeth Marlett, of Elkhart, Ind., by whom he has had five children: Marcy H., Delos P. (deceased), Marion (deceased), Ernest L .. and Herbert L. Mr. Russ has held several township offices in Brimfield. In politics he is a Democrat.
EDWARD A. RUSSELL, farmer, P. O. Brimfield, was born in Perrys- burg, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., July 21, 1818; son of Edward and Love (Spen- cer) Russell, the former of whom, a native of Washington County, N. Y., died at our subject's residence in December, 1883, aged ninety-two years; the latter, a native of Rupert, Bennington Co., Vt., died on the old homestead in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1845. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Capt. William Russell, a son of Ebenezer Russell, a native of Branford, Conn., whose ancestors settled there in 1660. He was the first Treasurer of Wash- ington County, N. Y., and held the office for fifty consecutive years. The maternal grandfather of our subject was Phineas Spencer, a native of Vermont, and a farmer by occupation. The parents of our subject settled in Brimfield Town- ship, this county, in 1829, on the farm now owned by William Kruger, which they cleared and improved. They had eleven children: Phineas S., Martha L. (deceased), Edward A., Mary L. (deceased), William, John (deceased), Frank F., Delia M. (deceased), Eliza J. (Mrs. E. Osgood), Nancy S. and an infant (deceased). Our subject was married, June 2, 1846, to Ann, daughter of John and Julia A. (Harris) Furry, formerly of Dutchess County, N. Y., who settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1817, and to this union were born five children: Homer B., Albert E., Warren A., Merritt E. and Myra J. (twins). Mrs. Russell died November 24, 1884. Our subject has always resided in Brimfield Township, this county, where he followed his trade, that of a wagon- maker, for eight years engaged in farming, and has resided on his present farm since 1855. He is a Republican in politics, he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
OLIVER SAWYER, farmer, P. O. Kent, was born in Jaffrey, Cheshire Co., N. H., April 21, 1804; son of Uriah and Sally (Spafford) Sawyer, natives of Massachusetts, who settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1817, locat- ing on Lot 20, part of the farm now owned and occupied by our subject, where they lived and died. The paternal grandfather of our subject was William Sawyer of Berlin, Mass., who had seven children: Amos, Oliver, Asa, Uriah, Nabby, Polly and Hannah, all now deceased. He (Grandfather Sawyer) and two brothers settled about 1740, on an elevated piece of land in Berlin, Mass., which has always gone by the name of "Sawyer's Hill." These three brothers lived and died there, and raised large families. Oliver Sawyer visited the spot in 1857, and found the local school was attended by about sixty scholars, over forty of whom were named Sawyer. Our subject's maternal grandfather was Job Spafford, also of Berlin, Mass. Uriah Sawyer had ten children, of whom eight grew to maturity: Oliver, Henry (deceased), Lock- hart (deceased), Uriah (deceased), William B. (deceased), Benjamin F. (deceased), Sally (Mrs. John Walker) and Hannah. Our subject has always lived within half a mile of the old homestead, having when twenty-three years of age purchased the farm three-fourths of a mile south of his present residence, where he lived for over forty years. He has been twice married, on first occasion November 29, 1827, to Sophia, daughter of Asa and Eunice Sawyer, by whom he had four children: Luke (deceased), George L. (deceased), George L. (second) and Jane A. (deceased). August 16, 1862, he married his second wife, Martha L. (Russell) Furry. Mr. Sawyer came back to the old homestead in 1862, where he has since resided with his only surviving child, George L., who is married to Mary J., daughter of Henry C. Chapman and grand-daughter of Constance
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BRIMFIELD TOWNSHIP.
Chapman, who settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1821, and who was a soldier of the Revolution. To George L. Sawyer and his wife have been born five children: Elam (deceased), Elmer, Sumner, Dora and Sophia. Our subject is the oldest living pioneer of the township; in politics he is a Republican.
HENRY D. SAWYER, farmer, P. O. Kent, was born in Brimfield Town- ship, this county, July 4, 1838, son of Asa and Caroline A. (Lincoln) Sawyer. His paternal grandfather, Asa Sawyer, was a native of Massachusetts, who settled here in 1818 on the farm now owned and occupied by A. J. Shuman, where he resided until his death in 1845. His maternal grandfather was Dr. Luke A. Lincoln, the first resident physician of Brimfield Township, this county, having settled in 1820. Asa Sawyer, the father of our subject, settled on the farm now occupied by his widow, which he cleared and improved and on which he lived until his death. He died November 4, 1881, at the age of seventy-nine years. Our subject, with his mother, resides on the old home- stead, where he was born and reared and has always followed farming as an occupation. He served in the late war of the Rebellion, enlisting in August, 1861, in Company L., Second Ohio Cavalry, and was honorably discharged in 1865, having participated in all the engagements in which his regiment took part, except the last battle of Richmond. He is a member of the G. A. R .; in politics a Democrat.
VICTOR P. SAWYER, farmer, P. O. Brimfield, was born in Brimfield Township, this county, September 12, 1848, son of Uriah and Caroline (Pike) Sawyer. His paternal grandfather was Uriah Sawyer, a native of Massachu- setts, who settled in this township in 1817. His maternal grandfather, Jeremy Pike, also a native of Massachusetts, settled here in 1820. Uriah, the father of our subject, when he started in life for himself, settled on Lot 20, Brimfield Township, where he cleared and improved the farm now owned by George Tritt, and there resided up to 1860, when he removed to the farm now owned by our subject, where he lived until his death. He died November 2, 1881, aged seventy-one years. His children were Adelaide R. (deceased), and Victor P. Our subject was married September 27, 1870, to Eunice S., daugh- ter of William R. and Lucy (Sawyer) Kelso, of Brimfield Township, by whom he has two children: Lucy C. and Addie C. Mr. Sawyer is a member of the Universalist Church. In politics he is a Democrat.
JOHN W. SHERMAN. farmer, P. O. Brimfield, was born in Brimfield Township, this county, October 29, 1834, son of Capt. Harris and Sallie (Morgan) Sherman, who settled here in 1831, locating on Lot 52, which they cleared and improved and where they lived and died. His paternal grandfather was Thomas Sherman, son of Thomas Sherman, he a son of Dr. John Sherman, the latter a son of Rev. James Sherman, descendants of Dr. John Sherman, a native of England who settled in Watertown, Mass., in 1634. Our subject was married September 7, 1862, to A. Jenette, daughter of Elbridge and Almira J. (Dunning) Moulton, and grand-daughter of Harrison Moulton, who settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1817, and to this union have been born two children: Florence A. and Howard C. (deceased). Our subject was reared on the homestead which he now owns, and where he remained until 1881, when he moved to the place he now occupies. He and his wife are attendants of the Universalist Church. He is a F. & A. M .; in politics he is a Republican.
ABRAM J. SHUMAN, farmer, P. O Kent, Portage Co., Ohio, was born in Clarence, Erie Co., N. Y., December 31, 1814, son of Henry and Hannah (Johnson) Shuman, natives of Pennsylvania and New York respectively, who settled in Stowe Township (now in Summit County, Ohio), in 1834, where they
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cleared a farm and lived until their death. They were the parents of eight children: Abram J., Catherine (deceased), Nancy (Mrs. James C. Kelso), Eras- tus, William, Mary (deceased), Henry (deceased), and Elias (deceased). Our subject settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1836, and was married November 29, 1840, to Sarah, daughter of Asa and Eunice (Bruce) Sawyer, who settled here in 1818. The issue of this union was ten children: Alvina (deceased). Albert, Alvina (Mrs. Peter Carline), Loretta (Mrs. J. Otis Nighman), Amelia (Mrs. Frank Maloy), Asa, Mary, Dora (Mrs. Adam Cline), an infant daughter (deceased) and Henry. Mr. Shuman has lived on the old Sawyer homestead since his marriage, and has held several offices in the gift of the township. In politics he is a Republican.
BARNET STILWELL, farmer, P. O. Mogadore, Summit County, was born in Bergen County, N. J., in 1802, son of Ezekiel and Mary (Earl) Stilwell. He was left an orphan in his infancy, and lived with his relatives in New Jer- sey until fifteen years of age, when he went to western Pennsylvania and worked as a farm hand by the month for two years. He subsequently leased farms in that vicinity until 1827, when he came to Brimfield Township, this county, and settled on the farm (at that time an unbroken wilderness) where he still resides, and all of which he has cleared and improved. He was mar- ried, April 25, 1824, to Jane, daughter of David and Jane (Jackson) Hall, of Armstrong County, Penn. The issue of this union was ten children: Mary, wife of Norris Miller; David; Ezekiel ; Eliza (deceased); Smith (deceased); Warren (deceased); Philena, wife of Cornelius Weston; Elenor, wife of Charles Hart; Byron and Alice (latter deceased). Mr. Stilwell is a worthy citizen and one of the few pioneers still living in Brimfield Township. In politics he is a Republican.
LAMBERT TWITCHELL, farmer and clergyman, P. O. Kent, was born in Brimfield Township, this county, August 12, 1827, son of Arba and Sally (Barber) Twitchell, natives of Massachusetts and Litchfield, Conn., respect- ively. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Jonas Twitchell, who came to Brimfield Township, this county, in 1817; he had but two children- John and Arba. Arba Twitchell came here in 1816, and was hired by Henry Thorndike to make a clearing on the old Boszor Hill, a half mile north of the Center, and to him belongs the honor of having made the first improvement in the township. Not long afterward he settled on the farm now owned and occupied by our subject, which he cleared and improved and lived on until his death. He had one child-Lambert. Our subject has always resided on the old homestead where he was born and reared. He was educated in the com- mon schools, the Kent Academy and Oberlin College, and was married in November, 1851, to Julia M., daughter of Sedley and Maria (Barber) Sill, of Dansville, N. Y., by whom he had three children: Russell W., Maie, and Josephine (deceased). Mr. and Mrs. Twitchell are members of the Baptist Church, of which he was ordained a minister some twelve years ago. He served as pastor of the Kent Baptist Church for six years, and organized the present church of that place. Through his labors and exertions the church was built and now has a thriving congregation. In politics Mr. Twitchell is a Prohibi- tionist.
ALPHEUS H. UNDERWOOD, farmer, P. O. Brimfield, was born Sep- tember 22, 1827, in Brimfield Township, this county, son of Lybia and Julia (Minard) Underwood. His paternal grandfather was Alpheus Underwood, a native of Munson, Mass., who settled in Brimfield, Portage Co., Ohio, in 1817, locating on the farm now known as the Needham Farm, which he cleared and improved, and on which he lived and died. His family consisted of seven
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CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP.
children: Marcia, Alvira, Pamilla, Lybia, Freeman, Albert and Elam, all now deceased. The maternal grandfather of our subject was Champlin Minard, who settled in Atwater Township, this county, in 1817. Lybia Underwood, after he became of age, settled on the farm now occupied by his widow, which he cleared and improved, and where he resided until his death. He was thrice married. By his first wife, Julia Minard, he had eight children: Mary A. (deceased), Juliet (deceased), William P., Alphous H., Pamilla (deceased), Elam, Bruce and Walbridge (deceased). His second wife was Mrs. Ruth E. Baldwin, nee Minard. By Maria Edson, his third wife, he had one daughter -- Pamilla, wife of Charles Maloy. Lybia Underwood, who was a prominent citizen of Brimfield, serving as Justice of the Peace for many years, died in 1877. The subject of this sketch was reared on the old homestead, and, after he became of age, he, in company with his brothers, worked his father's farm for several years. He was married, May 16, 1854, to Perces C., daughter of Rufus and Martha (Caris) Huntley, of Brimfield, by whom he has had two children: Harmon E. (deceased) and Vernon E. Mr. Underwood has resided on his present farm since 1858. He has filled various offices in the gift of his township, and is now serving his third term as Township Trustee. In politics he is a Democrat.
CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP.
LUTHER L. BROWN, son of Benjamin and Mary (Millman) Brown, who settled in Nelson in 1806, was born August 7, 1804, and came to Charlestown in 1830, settling one-half mile south of the Center on the King farm; moved to the Center in 1840. Among the residents here when he came were Leverett Norton, H. P. Curtis, John Bill and William Aull. Mr. Brown built his house here in 1840. He was married, October 25, 1829, to Minerva E. Hall, daughter of Joel and Elizabeth Hall, who settled here in 1815, coming from Massachusetts. Mr. Brown was elected first Probate Judge and served two
terms. Under the old State law he was Associate Judge of the county, Justice of the Peace for fourteen years, and filled all the town offices. Of his children, Julian married John Holden, February 25, 1855; Sophia M. E. married Spencer B. Morris, April 29, 1860, and Arthur L. died in infancy. Judge Brown was teacher for some time of the Center School.
THE COE FAMILY. Capt. David L. Coe came to Charlestown Town- ship, and settled one-fourth of a mile north of the Center. His sons were Ran- som, Lyman, Adna and Heman. Claudius L. Coe came several years later, and Sophia, Sally, Phoebe, daughters of the Captain, also came at that time. Mrs. Sarah (Pratt) Coe came from Massachusetts with her husband. Ransom Coe was married, October 1, 1825, to Rebecca M. Austin, daughter of Nathan- iel Austin, of Litchfield, Conn., who are the oldest settlers now living in the town. The family of Coes came with the Hinckley colony, and its members were among the very first settlers. Heman and Rev. Lyman died many years ago; Adna and Claudius settled just north of the David Coe homestead, and their representatives reside here still. The house erected by Capt. Coe is the home of his son Ransom. John A. Wadsworth, who died May 1, 1884, son of Zenophon Wadsworth, of Windham, was married March 1, 1849, to Miss Char- lotte, eldest daughter of Ransom Coe. Mrs. Wadsworth still resides at Ravenna.
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CHARLES CURTIS, SR., came to Charlestown Township with the Hinck- ley colony accompanied by his brothers, Linus and Joel. The children of Charles Curtis, Sr., were Chauncey, Charles L., Henry, Lewis, Denis (who died about 1813), Polly, Lucretia, Harriet, Maria and Lucy. Polly married Lev- erett Norton, still living in Connecticut, where her husband died. Lucretia married Horatio Austin, and after his death was married to Mr. Hart. She died some years ago. Harriet married Charles Austin; both are dead. Chauncey was married to Clarissa Loomis, subsequently to Mrs. Barnes, and lastly to Mrs. Soule. Charles L. married Aurelia Loomis, in February, 1825. Charles Curtis came in 1811, and died in 1813 from disease caught at Cleveland while serv- ing as sutler. The old homestead is opposite the Coe homestead, but occupied by the Worden family now, since the death of Chauncey Curtis, eight years ago.
CHARLES L. CURTIS, son of Charles. the pioneer settler, was born July 31, 1801, and married in February, 1825, Aurelia Loomis, daughter of Asa Loomis, Sr., who was born April 17, 1798. He died March 21, 1848. Mrs. Curtis died August 25, 1873. Their children are Caroline A., born April 17, 1834; Charles L., born February 13, 1836; Emerson G., born Novem- ber 2, 1838, and Austin P., born April 11, 1841. Austin P. Curtis married Amelia H. Bostwick October 3, 1870. His children are Lewis P. Curtis, born Decem- ber 30, 1871; Ray and Zada. (Ray P. Curtis died September 10, 1876). He has served as Justice of the Peace about twenty years. He resides on the old Curtis lands on Lot 29.
WILLIAM FOX, JR., son of William and Elizabeth (Myers) Fox, both natives of Pennsylvania, was born August 16, 1829, in Columbiana County, Ohio, where his parents had settled in 1811. In 1833 the family moved to this county, making a settlement in Charlestown Township, opposite Alpheus Baldwin's claim, and resided in the neighborhood until the death of William Fox, Sr., March 15, 1853, and of Mrs. Fox, Sr., November 28, 1877. Mr. Fox moved to Ravenna in 1850, and to Hiram Township in 1860, where he pur- chased the Mason homestead farm. This he conducted nineteen years, sold to Mr. Rice in 1879, and moved to his present home in Augerburg in 1879, where he purchased the Farnham homestead and residence. Mr. Fox was married April 29, 1854, to Miss Nancy HcHenry. He enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served through the term. He holds the offices of Infirmary Director and Justice of the Peace.
JOSEPH LOOMIS, of Litchfield, Conn., came to Charlestown Township shortly after the arrival of the Hinckley colony in 1811, and resided in the town until his death in 1827. Ralzimon Loomis arrived here shortly after the Hinckley colony. He was a son of Joseph Loomis above-mentioned. His wife was Nancy Colt, of Connecticut. Willard (died after coming here), Clarissa (married Chauncey Curtis), and Sophia were also children of Joseph Loomis. Asa Loomis, a nephew of Joseph Loomis, came in 1822 from Connecticut, and in 1823 settled just west of the present Lewis Loomis farm. His children, who came with him, were Eliza. who married Andrew Haymaker; Lewis, who mar- ried Charity Hough, of Atwater, April 3. 1833; Beulah, who died about twen- ty-five years ago; Martha, who married Mr. Richards, of Garrettsville; Mary, who married R. Hinman, of Edinburg Township; Harriet, who married Henry Woodruff, of Trumbull County, and Abigail, who married Denison Bostwick, of Edinburg Township. Of the children born here Cornelius was married to Milly Moore, daughter of Zebina Moore, of Franklin, October 21, 1850. Uriah B. Loomis, now residing on the homestead, was married to Elizabeth Boly, daughter of David Boly, of Rootstown; Addison Loomis, now of Clair- mont, Iowa, and Addison (first) Loomis, who died in youth.
A. M. Powers
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DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP.
LEWIS LOOMIS, son of Asa Loomis, was born in Litchfield County, Conn., in 1809, came with his parents to Charlestown Township in 1822, and was married to Miss Charity Hough, of Atwater, April 3, 1833. In 1834 he purchased his present farm on Lot 35, from Sheldon Farnham. His children are Martin, married to Amorett, daughter of Chester Howard, of Aurora; Cornelia, married to Henry Gilmore; Amna, married to John Whitney, of Freedom Township.
DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP.
M. BOSWORTH, miller and farmer, P. O. North Benton, Mahoning Co., Ohio, was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1846; son of Thomp- son and Annie (Curtis) Bosworth, a pioneer family of Trumbull County, where the former died in 1849. They were parents of three children, two of whom are now living -- Mark and Thompson. The widow and her family sub- sequently removed to Deerfield Township, this county, where our subject received his primary education and grew to manhood. He was married in 1871 to Miss Mary, daughter of John and Margaret Hartzell, of Deerfield Town- ship, this county. By this union there are the following children now living: John, Delmer and Charles Rosco, the latter born January 8, 1885. Mr. Bos- worth became associated with D. Lazarus in the milling business in 1876, which partnership still continues. He is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Republican party. A member of the Presbyterian Church of Benton.
H. E. DAY, farmer, P. O. Deerfield, was born on the banks of the Maho- ning River, in Deerfield Township, this county, November 23, 1804. His grandfather. Lewis Day, with Mr. Ely and Daniel Diver, came to this county in 1799, subsequently returned to the East, but came back here in 1800, bringing their families, and were the first to settle in Deerfield Township. The Day's settlement was east of the Center, and there two generations have lived and passed away. Munn and Lucy (Ely) Day, the parents of our sub- ject, were natives of Massachusetts and Connecticut respectively, and were parents of eight children, six of whom are now living. Our subject was mar- ried, first in 1830, to Miss Minerva Scranton, of Atwater, who died in 1838, leaving three children: Dudley M., born on the homestead in 1831, and who married Miss Mary Smith, of Portage County, Ohio, in 1856 (have three children); Edgar M., and Lucy H., wife of A. M. Crosser. Mr. Day was mar- ried on the second occasion to Miss Martha Wakefield, of New York State, who bore him four children: Ewing W., who enlisted in Company D, Sixty- fifth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. and was killed in the battle of Stone River ; Louisa, wife of Charles Newton ; Laura E., wife of F. Hart- zall; and Heman L. Mr. Day was engaged in the tannery erected in Deerfield by Jesse Grant, father of Gen. Grant, with whom he had pleasant business associations. Our subject is Trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has been a consistent member for many years.
SAMUEL DIVER, farmer, P. O. Deerfield, was born on the homestead farm at Deerfield Center, January 16, 1817; son of John and Christena (Hart- zall) Diver, whose history appears elsewhere in this volume. Our subject was married in this county in 1840, to Miss Miriam, daughter of Peter Mason, a pioneer of this county, and of which she is a native. The children born to
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this union, who are all living, are as follows: Mary P., wife of Charles Shaef- fer; Rosella, wife of Oliver Mowen; Alvira, wife of A. McGowan; and Almira, wife of I. Hartzell. Mr. Diver has a farm of 110 acres on which he settled in 1840, and which he has brought under a high state of cultivation. He may be said to be a model farmer, and a true type of pioneer stock. The family is noted for its industry, all the members having borne a part in clear- ing the lands and beautifying their homes. Mr. Diver is a member of the Disciples Church. In politics he is a stanch supporter of Republican principles.
JOSEPH DIVER, farmer, P. O. Deerfield, is a descendant of one of the oldest pioneer families in Deerfield Township, this county, where he was born in 1823. His grandfather, Daniel Diver, was a native of Germany, who along with Lewis Day and Mr. Ely traded for a large tract of land, divided it into lots, put the tickets into a hat and made a drawing of same, Daniel Diver securing the center. Here the family made a settlement in the wilderness in 1801, and around their cabin home sprang up a prosperous village. John Diver, of Blandford, Mass., father of our subject, resided with his father and assisted him to clear the land. About 1834 he erected the "Diver House " and conducted the hotel nearly to the close of his life. He carried the mail on horseback between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, having to pass through eighteen miles of wilderness. On one occasion he found a man left by a brook to die, took him home, and by careful attention saved his life. He was married on first occasion to Miss Laura Ely, who bore him three children, of whom Osman only survives. His second marriage was with Christena Hartzell, by whom he had nine children, of whom are now living Samuel; Polly, wife of William Spires; Joseph; and Christena, wife of N. Gillis. He lived to attain the age of eighty-four years, and when he died left each of his children a small farm with which to begin life. Our subject was married in 1847, to Miss Lucinda Wilcox, a native of Deerfield Township, this county. Eight children born to this union are all living: Edwin, Ella, Gertrude, John, Wallace, Julia, Minnie and Eugene. He succeeded his father as proprietor of the "Diver House," but subsequently leased it and devoted himself to farming. He has been very successful and his acres have accumulated until now he is one of the promi- nent farmers and landholders in the township.
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