History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 132

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1060

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L. W. BUTLER, farmer; P. O. Alli- anee; was born in Burlington Co., N. J., Sept. 15, 1797. His grandfather, John Butler, when about 16 years old, in com- pany with another boy of similar age, left their home in Ireland, unknown to their folks, and emigrated to this continent, settling in

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New Jersey. John Butler married and ro- mained there. Ile had only one son, Benja- min, who lived to maturity. When he (Ben- jamin) arrived at manhood, he married Han- nah Webster, daughter of Lawrence Web- ster, of English descent. Of this union, the subject of these notes was first-born of their nine children. About the year 1804. the fam- ily moved from New Jersey and located in what is now a surburb of the city of Phila- delphia; there they remained until 1811, when they removed to Ohio and settled east of Da- mascus, Columbiana Co., and the following vear located in Goshen Tp., now Mahoning Co., where his parents died; his father in his 66th year, and his mother at 85 years of age. They belonged to the orthodox society of "Friends, " as did all the family reared in that faith. His early secular education was such as the ordinary subscription schools of his time afforded. March 20, 1820, he was married to Sarah Votaw, daughter of Moses Votaw, a pioneer of Columbiana Co. Mr. and Mrs. Butler started out on life's " jour- ney " together, in the woods, with very lim- ited means; but although their log cabin was a rude affair, it was surrounded by luxuries which gold can never purchase-an air of con- tentment and happiness, which caused even the wilderness to smile. In their humble and unassuming way they toiled and prospered, and saw the fruits of their labor accumulate until they were in good financial circumstan- ces. To them were born nine children, viz .- Moses, now in Cedar Co., Iowa; Hannah, wife of David Tatum, of Cleveland; Mary, de- ceased; Lewis, now of Toledo, Ohio; Joseph and Benjamin, twins, the latter in Morgan Co., Ind .; Joseph removed to Arkansas, where he died: Eunice is the wife of Flemming Stanley, of Michigan, and John is in Kansas, Mr. Butler succeeded in business, and accumula- ted considerable property in his life-time, but has of late years distributed it liberally amongst his children, giving each a fair por- tion to enable them to start for themselves; and was somewhat unfortunate in going as surety for $5,000, which amount he was obliged to settle. When younger and more able to stand the hurthen of worldly care, he was energetic and active in business, a ready discerner of character, possessed of good judgment, and was firm in his friendships.

Ilis wife died in 1866, and in October of 1868, he married Ann Beck. He attends to, or oversees, the work on his farm, and notwith- standing his advanced age, he is a man of re- markable vital force and physical ability.

GEORGE W. CLARKE, A. M., professor of Greek and Latin, Mt. Union College; Mt. Union; was born in North Springfield Tp., Portage Co., now Summit Co., Ohio, July 24, 1825. IIe is the third child of a family of twelve children born to Robert L. and Nancy I. (De Haven) Clarke. The Clarke and De Ilaven families were both early pioneers in that section of the State, and were among the most prominent and influential citizens of the Western Reserve, where they located about the year 1810. The parents of Mr. Clarke were farmers, and in the duties consequent upon that vocation, and attending the com- mon school of the neighborhood his boy- hood days were spent. He was the third of their twelve children, nine of whom lived to mature years. When about 16 years of age, Mr. Clarke attended an academy at Kent, Ohio, and through the winter months taught school, and worked some on the farm. He entered the Allegheny College, at Meadville, Penn., when about 22, and supported himself throughout his collegiate course by teaching at intervals, as opportunity afforded, and by doing chores for his unele, who was professor of Greek and Latin in that institution at the time. In July, 1852, he graduated, third in a class of thirty-two, with the honorary degree of A. B. The following August he took charge of an academy at Conneautville, Craw- ford Co., Penn., where he taught almost two years. On account of the failing of his uncle, Prof. Clarke, in the Allegheny College at Meadville, our subject was appointed for a time in his place as tutor of Greek and Latin, with his ahina mater; and while in that place was chosen to the professorship, which he now holds, in 1854, where he has labored contin- uously ever since. He has frequently assisted in branches other than the languages, viz .: astronomy, botany, physiology, eloention and classic vocal music. He has also served as secretary of the College Faculty for the last twenty years. April 6, 1862, he married Ehz- abeth M. Hill, of Summit Co. By this union two children were born, viz .- J. Wilbert and Mary Ida. They both graduated at the same

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time; he in the classics, and she in English literature and music. J. Wilbert studied law with W. C. Pippitt about two years; was considered an accomplished scholar and pos- sessed of more than ordinary ability for his time; but he was stricken by cerebro-spinal meningitis, and survived the attack but a short time, dying May 10, 18:2, in his 23d year. Miss Clark is a fine musician, and de- votes her time principally to teaching that art, and it is generally conceded that she is one of the finest pianists in the State.

ELIAS ELLETT, farmer; P. O. Alliance; was born in Salem Co., N. J., Jan. 20, 1812; he was the fourth child of nine children born to James and Catharine (Sickler) Ellett. He was brought up to the various duties of farm life. He married Elmira Sarash in Novem- ber, 1835, and in 1838 they removed from New Jersey to Columbiana, now Mahoning Co., Ohio; they followed farming in that county until 1843, when they removed to Lex- ington, Tp., Stark Co., and purchased 90 acres where Mr. Ellett now resides. December 30, 1858, Mrs. Ellett was called away by death, leaving twelve of their thirteen children, ten of whom lived to maturity, viz .- Mary, Cath- rine, W. K., Sarah A., John E. (deceased), Re- becca J., A. J., S. P., E. J., A. F., and three died in childhood. Mr. Ellett married again, Mrs. R. J. Fogg, in June, 1861 ; by this union there is one child, Henry B. His present wife was the widow of the late Aaron Fogg, of Alliance, who sustained fatal injuries on the railroad. His oldest son, W. K., enlisted Ang. 7, 1862, in the 115th O. V. I., in the late war, and served three years. Besides attending to his farm, Mr. Ellett dealt in horses for a period of twenty-five years, frequently shipping to the Eastern markets. As stated elsewhere, he is a charter member and President of the Lexington Mutual Aid Association. He has been a faithful member of the Baptist Church these forty-seven years past, both himself and first wife uniting with the church in New Jersey, in 1834, and for the last twenty-five years he has officiated as deacon in the Bap- tist Church of Alliance, of which his present wife has been a member for the past sixteen years.

SHADRACH FELTS, deceased ; was born in Sussex Co., Va., May 22, 1794. His father, Jesse Felts, wife and two children, viz .-

Shadrach and a sister, constituted one of the Seven families who in company, removed from Virginia to Ohio in 1807. The party consist- ed of about fifty souls, viz .- Jesse Felts, wife and two children ; Charles Hamlin and five children (his wife having died in Virginia); William and John Hamlin, each with a wife and five children ; Joseph Sebrell, wife and seven children ; Thomas Wood, wife and two children ; and Judson Jones, wife and two children, &e. On April 22, 1807, they set out in their wagons to traverse the country and cross into Ohio, in search of a home in the new and unsettled West. They arrived at Salem, Columbiana Co., the following June. There they encamped on a lot which had been partially cleared, and were the recipients of much kindness at the hands of some few set- tlers at that point. Taking Salem as a basis of operations, they began to look around for permanent locations. Jesse Felts and Charles Hamlin soon set out on a prospecting tour, and wandering into what is now Lexington Tp., Stark Co., accidentally found the "Stan- ton" settlement, which had been made near the Mahoning, near Lexington village, several years before. The Stantons persuaded Felts and Hamlin to settle in their vicinity, and ac- cordingly each made an entry of land on what is now Sec. 10: Felts 160 acres and Hamlin 320 acres; and to this place they removed their fam- ilies, from their temporary encampment at Sa- lem, in the "fall" of 1807. Charles Hamlin's son, Stephen, by this time had married the only daughter of Jesse Felts; they too came to this section, constituting another family. The Joneses and Sebrells moved in afterward, un- til the settlement was considerably enlarged. After about two years' residence here, busi- ness called Charles Hamlin to return to Vir- ginia, and on his way back here he took ill at Salem and there died suddenly. Jesse Felts died here in 1818, his being one of the first interments made in Lexington cemetery ; his wife survived until 1840. January 30, 1817, our subject and Mary, daughter of Charles Hamlin, were nnited in matrimony, and began the battle of life for themselves on the farm where Mrs. Felts resides to this day. It was a portion of the original entry, and has never been out of the hands of the family. They had nothing to begin with except the home- stead and able and willing hands. For several

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years the only product which they had for exchange, for any other article they were obliged to have, was sugar made from the sugar-maple. They struggled along and bore many hardships of toil and privation incident to pioneer life, but in their time have seen many and extreme changes. They had five children, viz .- John, Jesse, Charles, Edwin and Richard E. Of these only John and Jesse survive. Charles died here in 1868, leaving a widow and two children. Edwin and Richard E. both enlisted in the late war ; the former died at his home, Ft. Wayne, Ind., from disease contracted in the army, and the latter died in Kentucky from a similar cause. In 1850 Jesse, then a young man of 24 vears, went with an emigrating party to Cali- fornia, and has been there and engaged on the frontier as a freighter for over thirty years, at times being years without correspondence with his parents, many of his friends believ- ing he was dead. But Time itself could not shake that maternal faith and desire of Mrs. Felts to see her son once more ; in which she was gratified on a December evening of 1880, when to her, her long-lost boy walked in, not exactly like the youth of twenty-odd sum- mers who left her in 1850, but a man of mid- dle age, of venerable look and whitened locks. As it were, he providentially arrived a few weeks before the demise of his father, which occurred in January, 1881, who had long wished and waited " for to see his boy again." Mrs. Felts is one of the few pioneers of the county who still survive; she was born in Virginia April 29, 1794 ; now well advanced in her 88th year, she is a woman of remarka- ble vitality, although of quite slender phys- ique, is possessed of extraordinary nervous force, combined with good common sense and considerable executive ability, and one of those women in whose vocabulary the term "fail" or "can't" never had a place. Her eldest child, John, has always remained single and at home with his parents, and is well ad- vanced in years, not being in a robust state of health. They pass their time quietly on the farm where Mrs. Felts has lived seventy- four years.

ELI GRANT, farmer ; P. O., Alliance ; was born in this township, Oct. 9, 1833. lle is the third of a family of eight children, born to Stacey and Jemima (Rockhill) Grant.

His grandfather, John Grant, came from New Jersey to Ohio with his wife and two oldest children. They located at Salem, Columnbi- ana Co., where the family was increased in due season by six more children; in all there were-Harriet, who married and removed to Indiana; Thomas, to Williams Co., Ohio; Stacey, who remaine I here and is the father of several heads of families, who reside in the vicinity; Clayton in Indiana; Eliza, Hannah, Ann, and Sarah are the children of John Grant, who came to Lexington Tp., and lo- cated on what is now the western portion of Alliance, on what is now the farm of J. R. Haines, in about 1812. He was a wagon maker by trade, and an ingenious wood or iron worker, and many of the first wagons made in this section of the State, were the production of his mechanical skill. Stacey also worked at that business with his father, and together produced some of the first bug- gies ever manufactured in this part of Ohio. As stated elsewhere, John Grant passed the closing days of his life with his son-in-law (J. R. Haines) on the old homestead. Stacey Grant, the father of the subject of these lines, was born April 12, 1802; and May 25, 1828, he married Jemima Rockhill. She was born in New Jersey, Feb. 6, 1811; of six children of David Rockhill, Mrs. Grant was the only daughter. Previous to their marriage Mr. Grant had purchased some land, all in woods, to which they repaired, and immediately be- gan the necessary improvements, and at in- tervals, did considerable work at the black- smith's trade. Thus variously employed, he conducted his affairs successfully, and remain- ed on the same farm on which he began for himself, until his death, which occured, Nov. 1, 1867. They reared eight children, seven lived to maturity, viz .- Juliana Maria, now Mrs. Dr. 1. L. Lamhorn; Eli, Joseph, Henry (deceased), Annetta and Samuel. Mrs. Grant still survives, and is admirably well preserved, both physicaly and mentally, for one who has passed " the allotted span " of time. Eli was the oldest son. He received a fair education in the common schools, and spent some time at the Mt. I'nion Seminary. Aug. 27, 1857, he married Malinda Babb. She was a daughter of Harrison Babb of Chester Co., Penn. They have had three children, one living- Henry E. Ile engaged in the mercantile

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business with Teeters & Bates, which lasted three years. He then went into the Agricul- tural Works, through which he sustained some pecuniary loss. In 1871 he purchased a small farm, having severed all connection with the Agricultural Works Co., for whom he had been traveling salesman for some time. He now owns 52 acres of good land, west of the city, which is underlaid with a valuable vein of coal, which he is working.

JOSEPH GRANT, farmer; P. O. Alliance; was born Jan 29, 1836. He is the second son and fourth child born to Stacey and Jemima (Rockhill) Grant. His early education was that received at the common schools, and a short time at the Mt. Union Seminary He was desirous of obtaining a thorough educa- tion, but ill health, induced by sedentary habits incident to constant study, compelled him to return to greater exercise on the farm, to which he has ever since devoted his atten- tion. Oct. 10, 1858, he was married to Mary Keyser, whose father, Daniel Keyser, eame from Pennsylvania a young man, and married Maria Bryfogle, and settled in Marlborough Tp., Stark Co. Mr. and Mrs. Grant began for themselves where they now reside, on about 67 acres, which he got off his father's estate; but by their unceasing industry, they have added by purchase, until they now own 130 acres of good land, in an excellent state of cultivation, and with farm buildings not excelled in Lexington Tp. They had two children, both of whom died in childhood. They have one adopted son-Samuel J., whose name they had changed from that of his nat- ural parent to Grant. His natural father- Fry-left here several years ago, leaving a wife and several small children, to look out a proper location in the West, but was never more heard of. Mr. and Mrs. Grant are members of the United Brethren Church, of which he has been a steward for some time.

REV. ORVILLE NELSON HARTS- HORN, LL. D., President of Mt. Union Col- lege and Professor of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy and International Law, whose portrait appears in this work, was born Aug. 20, 1823, in Nelson, Portage Co., Ohio. He is the second child and eldest son of five chil- dren born to Norris and Asenath Hartshorn. Mr. Norris Hartshorn was born April 1, 1785, in Torrington, Litchfield Co., Connecticut;

and after the close of the War of 1812, in which he was a soldier, he emigrated to Ohio, and located in Portage Co., where he was married to Asenath, daughter of Samuel and Abigail Backus, and died at Mt. Union, at the age of 75. Mr. Backus was born Aug. 20, 1264, in Pahner, Northampton Co., Mass .; and, having served as a soldier in the Revolu- tionary War, moved from Massachussets in 1810 with his family to Deerfield, Portage Co., Ohio, and died July 20, 1854, near Alliance, Stark Co., Ohio, at the residence of his daugh- ter, Asenath, at the advanced age of nearly 90 years. The subject of this sketch, Presi- dent Hartshorn, was brought up to farm life, and there received only a moderate common school education. To his devoted Christian mother, he is chiefly indebted, under a kind Providence, for the normal development of his intrepid and decisive character. Hle not only inherited from his cultured mother her remarkable and naturally strong straits of character; but, from infancy even to manhood, he daily received from her skilled hand emi- nently practical, affectionate and positive training. This regular and strict training- embracing religious and systematic home in- struction given by his mother during his first twelve years, not only in the common branches of an English education, but especially in the immutable and eternal principles of truth and right, and in the daily and voluntary practice of stern duty, self-reliance and self-govern- ment in strict accordance with the laws of his entire being-laid the solid foundation of his sterling character, and gave an irresistible impetus in the direction of all his subsequent actions and marked achievements. It was also his heroic mother who taught the first public school which he attended, she having taught in the public schools during the ten years preceding her marriage. This salutary home-training thus early received from his devoted mother, supplemented by that of the Sunday School in which she was also his teacher, was the chief means, under Provi- dence, of early leading him to Christ, and of form'ng correct habits, and subsequently of using patiently and conscientiously the requisite efforts to acquire liberal qualifica- tions for liis active life's work. Though most of his youth was cheerfully devoted to phys- cal labor on the farm, and at intervals to car-

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pentering, vet he attended district school a portion of the winter months, and for some- time a high-school near his home, at Deer- field. Then he took a further course of three years of faithful study at the Atwater Lin- naan Academy in his native county. Ho then attended Allegheny College at Mead- ville, Pa., another three years; and after there prosecuting and completing its Classical course of four years' study, he there graduated in the decree of Bachelor of Arts; and, three years later, in the degree of Master of Arts. While a student both at the Academy and the College, he defraved his entire expenses, partly by manual labor during short intervals, but chiefly by teaching public schools during the winter season. Seli'-support by honest and thoughtful labor, and self- reliance, with humble yet implicit trust in the infinitely perfect One ; also fidelity to duty and love for his neighbor, have always characterized his generous, positive, enter- prising and intensely active life. Oct. 4, 1846, he organized at Mt. Union, Stark Co., Ohio, an institution known as Mount Union Seminary. The surroundings for a school seemed inauspicious, and at the beginning there were only six students; but the number in- creased until the roll showed the first year an average of twenty students. Under his judi- cious planning, persevering energy and well directed care, this aggressive institution regu- larly grew in substantial patronage and favor, even beyond his fondest hopes, thus adding zeal to his well-considered, firm and conscien- tions purpose to lay broadly the foundation of an educational institution of national use- fulness, based on the principles of truth and right, and the actual needs of our American people, and having as its distinctive object, the rendering of an integral, liberal, Christian edu- cation, easily and equally accessible to every honest and enterprising young man and young woman, however lowly or self-dependent. Ile conducted this progressive seminary with eminent prudence, patience, ability and sur- cess until January, 1858, when it was regu- Jarly chartered as a college. It had become a college in fact, lacking only the authority to confer degrees, and the accumulation of suffi- cient funds to place it on a firm basis. How- ever, many intelligent, generous and wealthy persons,-who had observed this institution

during its first few years struggling bravely for honorable existence and recognition, now becoming an eligible place of sound learning of no secondary importance,-responded with living sympathy, wise counsel and liberal do- nations, thus giving it a good, substantial foundation. (Spe the College History in gen- eral chapter). At its opportune and effi- cient organization in 1858 as a college, Dr. Hartshorn was elected President of its Fac- ulty ; also President of its Board of Trust- res. After successfully serving for ten years this college of the people, by the peo- ple and for the people, in both these capaci- ties, he resigned June, 1868, in favor of Hon. Lewis Miller, of Akron, Ohio, the Presidency of the Board of Trustees, in order that he might give his whole energies to his increas- ingly responsible duties as President of the Faculty. Having in his early manhood devo- ted considerable time to the study of law un- der the instruction of Hon. Chester Hayden, LL. D., of Cleveland, there have been since then a number of students of Mt. Union Col- lege, who have read law privately under Dr. Hartshorn's instruction, and were admitted to law schools for completing their course or graduation, on his examination and recom- mendation. His earlier impressions had in- clined him to the practice of law, but his more deliberate convictions of duty, involving en- larged usefulness to American youth, even to the most lowly and self-dependent, finally in- duced the settled purpose to study theology in connection with the practical truths of sci- ence, and to enter in earnest the united, ardu- ous and self-denying duties of the Christian ministry, and the liberal instruction of youth, being profoundly imbued with the belief that the actual work of the faithful teacher of sci- entific or natural truth is not only compatible with, but is quite as needed and sacred as are the truly consecrated and responsible ser- vices of the devoted teachers of Biblical truth. After due study and preparation he was, in 1852, regularly licensed to preach by the Methodist Episcopal Church, and subse- quently was properly ordained and elected a member of the Pitts urg Conference of that church, which relations to the church he still retains, except that under a gen- eral rule he became a member of the East Ohio Conference, in 1876, upon its or-

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ganization by authority of the General Con- ference. In 1868, he was elected by the Pittsburg Annual Conference, a delegate to the General Conference of the church, which in that quadrennium met in Chicago. After visiting and carefully examining most of our American colleges, Dr. Hartshorn was, in 1867, appointed by the College Trustees to visit the various countries of Europe, in order to inves- tigate their educational systems, museums and institutions; also to investigate plans and methods, and secure specimens and apparatus for the Mt. Union College museum, cabinets and laboratories. The Ohio College Associa- tion, also the Ohio Teachers' Association, had elected him to procure European educational facts and methods, and to report the result to each of these bodies, which he did. Accord- ingly, he started July 7th, 1867, on this Euro- pean tour, and returned in the forepart of the next year, after faithfully and acceptably accomplishing this responsible mission, having visited all the principal countries, museums and institutions in Europe; in the meantime spending a few days inspecting the Paris International Exposition of 1867. It is proper to say, in brief, that this foreign visit was pro.luctive of eminently valuable results, in securing not only a vast amount of impor- tant and practical information, but especially in obtaining rare and invaluable specimens and apparatus, and in establishing superior methods and means for continuously collect- ing both natural and historical specimens of rare educational value from all parts of the habitable globe, and thus to accumulate and regularly extend economically and systemat- ically, through the agents established on the plan of the British Museum, in all countries of the world, the museum of Mt. Union College, thereby progressively making this free educational museum of science and art second to none other in this country. In 1855-6, he was chosen to edit the Family and School Instructor, a monthly magazine of forty pages, published by the professors and students of the institution. This educational journal was both ably conducted and well received. To his ready pen we are also indebted for numerous essays and public addresses, and a large amount of valuable contributions to our periodical literature, as well as publications of more permanent form;

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History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 132

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1060

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1060