USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Strongsville > History of Strongsville, Cuyahoga County, Ohio ; with illustrations > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12
THOMAS GIBBONS emigrated from Wingham, Kent, England, and came to Strongsville in June, 1855, settling on the farm which he bought of Joseph Saunders. He died in January, 1879, leaving three children: Thomas H., now of Wellington, Ohio; Richard, of Strongsville, and Elizabeth, Mrs B. C. Kirk, of Chanute, Kansas.
66
Richard Gibbons was born in Wingham, and has
for years been a resident . of Strongsville, holding many positions of trust in the township and in the Church. His first wife was Miss Anne Robbins, a daughter of Mr. John Robbins, of Strongsville. After Mrs. Gibbons' death, Mr. Gibbons took for his sec- ond wife Miss Mary Jane Robbins, a sister of his first wife. Their three chil- dren are Alonzo, of Cleveland; Mrs. Emma Jacobs, of Michigan; and Alta.
ISAAC I. GIFFORD .- The subject of this sketch was born Sept. 13, 1833, at Wingham, Kent, England. At the age of 19 he, with his parents, three sisters and one brother, came to this country. The family first came to Royalton, but shortly afterward located in Strongsville. In 1853, occurred his marriage to Miss Matilda Pay, who, at the early age of 22 years, died, leaving an infant daughter, who soon followed her mother. In November, 1856, Mr. Gifford married Mary A. Life, of Roy- alton, who was also a native of England, her birthplace being Manches- ter, Lancashire. Mrs. Gifford's sweet temper and hopeful disposition won for her many friends. The young couple settled on a farm in the western part of the township. Here Mr. Gifford carried on the business of butchering in connection with his farming.
In 1853, Mr. Gifford united with the Congregational Church, of which he was a consistent member, contributing largely to its support, always working for the promotion of good purposes. He was regular at all of the church services, being in his accustomed place, no matter how stormy or dark the night. He was a very benevolent man: to the needy, the widow and the fatherless, he was always a friend in many substantial ways, although he was very reticent about his charitable deeds. Their family of four children are; Edward I, of Strongsville, Trene who married Mr. John Allen of Berea, Laura C., who became Mrs. N. W. Spafford, of Strongsville, and Annie L., who is the wife of J. W. Sanderson of Strongsville. Mr. Gifford died April 13, 1896, only a lit- tle over two weeks having elapsed since the death of his devoted wife, and thus ended the life of a man whose sense of honor and integrity of purpose none that ever associated with him could doubt.
D. M. STRONG
MRS. D. M. STRONG
DR. BALDWIN
JOHN S. STRONG, JR.
67
MRS. ORRILL C. GRAVES, daughter of Jehiel and Lovisa Cross, was born September 9th, 1827. Her young days were spent in Albion with the Lathrops and other friends. At the age of nineteen, she went to Kenosha, Wis., where she spent five years as a successful dressmaker. On her return to Strongsville she married Horace M. Graves. In 1857 they moved to Windsor, Wis., where they lived until the death of Mr. Graves, which occurred in 1861, when Mrs. Graves returned to Strongsville, with her four children, one son, George W .. having preced- ed Mr. Graves in death. These four children, Mortimer H., Ruby W., Charles J., and Ettie L., who married John Allen of Berea, have all died, and Mrs. Graves is living in her home with her son's wife and children. She has seen life in all its variety, and the struggles and trials of life she has borne with remarkable courage and bravery, always looking on the bright side, and greeting all with a smile and a welcome. She has al- ways taken an interest in the people and in the advancement of the town. Her life has been one of untiring industry, as she has worked at her trade-that of dressmaking-which she follows up to the present time, at the age of 74 years.
GOV. LOUIS POWELL HARVEY, when a lad 8 years of age came with his parents, David and Almira Harvey, from Haddam, Ct., to Strongsville in 1827. At the age of 19 years, he had saved enough money to enter Western Reserve College, where he worked as he stud- ied. A lack of books and clothing forced him to leave school for a time, and ill health prevented his graduation. He was teacher in Kentucky for a time, and afterwards became instructor at Woodward College, Cincin- nati. In 1841 he moved to Kenosha, Wis., and opened an Academy. In 1843 he was editor of the American, a Whig newspaper. Mr. Harvey married, in 1847, Miss Cordelia A. P. Perrine, and in the same year mov- ed to Wisconsin. He was elected to the Constitutional Convention in 1847, and helped frame the constitution of that new state. In 1848 he erected a large flouring mill at Shupiere, Wis., where he was a great help in the building up of the place. From '53-'57 he served as State Senator, being one of the ablest men and the best debater in the senate, and rapidly became one of the rising men of Wisconsin. In 1859 he was
68
elected Secretary of State, and in 1862 was inaugurated Govornor of the State. After the battle of Shiloh, three months later, while on his errand of mercy to Wisconsin's sick and wounded soldiers, he was acci- dentally drowned. Besides being a man of good education and remark- able ability, Gov. Harvey was large hearted and philanthropic to an em- inent degree. He was a practical, generous Christian, ever ready to right any wrong he may have done, and to help the poor, weak and suf- fering.
MRS. CORDELIA A. P. HARVEY .- Soon after the death of Governor Harvey, his wife, Cordelia Harvey, felt that the path of duty led her to the help of the wounded soldiers. With the intention of de- voting herself to this work, she asked permission to visit hospitals in the western department as agent for the state of Wisconsin. Her request was granted and she set out for St. Louis in 1862. Here she devoted her entire time to ministering to the sick and relieving their wants by deeds of mercy and words of comfort and cheer. Patients breathed in- to her ear messages for loved ones at home, and her ready sympathy was extended to all. After work among the First Wisconsin Cavalry, Mrs. Harvey, in the spring of 1863, proceeded to Vicksburg where she fell a victim to camp fever, which necessitated a rest.
In 1864 work was again resumed, this time among the Second Wis- consin Cavalry on the Mississippi. The survivors, in evidence of their ap- preciation of her services, gave her a watch set with diamonds. Of Mrs Harvey's earnest and sucessful work for crippled soldiers and orphans, we need say nothing, for her fame has extended through many states. Mrs. Harvey married Dr. Chester, a clergyman of Buffalo, N. Y. After a long illness this brave woman died in Shupiere, Rock Co., Wis. in 1895.
AHIJAH HAYNES, SR .- Ahijah Haynes was of the sixth gen- eration in regular descent from Sir Walter Haynes, who sailed from Eng- land in the ship Confidence in the year 1638. Sir Walter was a Welch nobleman and wore his coat of arms to America. He was authorized by the king to survey the northern half of >udberry, Mass., and give titles
69
for the same. One hundred and ten came with him, the greater part of whom settled in Sudberry, the remainder in Connecticut.
Anijah Haynes was born in Sudberry, April 10, 1768, and came to Strongsville in January 1817, after having spent twenty years in Wil- mington, Vt., and a year in New York. He married Jerusha Willis of Sudberry, October 22, 1793, and to them were born nine children: Abial, Theodosia (Mrs. Sartwell), Susan (Mrs. Carpenter), Reuben, Ahijah, Jr., Jesse Willis, Jerusha, Israel and Lucy (Mrs. Goodrich). Mrs. Jerusha Haynes died January 15, 1849, aged seventy-five years. At the age of eighty one, Esq. Haynes married Mrs. Lois Carpenter, with whom he lived happily until his death in 1852, at the ripe age of 84 years.
ABIAL HAYNES was born October 13th, 1794, in Sudberry, Mass. The following year, his father, with the family, moved to Wil- mington, Vt., where they resided until he was twenty-one years of age. In December 1815, they moved to the West, his father, with a team of horses, taking the family, and he following with two yoke of oxen and five cows. When they had crossed the Genesee River, they found the snow sixteen inches deep, the way blocked, and the wagons useless. They worked all night, by candle light, building sleds, and by daybreak were
ready to start on their journey. After traveling thirty days in this primitive style, they arrived at Jamestown, N. Y., their proposed desti- nation. Here the family remained one year. The son, Abial, however, pushed on, and settled in Strongsville in October 1816, his father and family following in January 1817. At the age of twenty-nine Mr. Haynes married Miss Huldah Carpenter, who was the mother of seven children, five living to adult age. Israel died in Illinois in 1863: Pliny is a citizen of Akron, O .; Alden died in 1849 in Wisconsin; Clarinda (Mrs. B. Hathaway) is living at Agosta, O .; Huldah (Mrs. V. C. Stone) is now living in Berea, O. The mother died in 1835, and in 1836 Mr. Haynes married Miss Sarah Freeman of Parma, O. She was the mother of six children, three of whom grew to womanhood: Sarah, wife of Hen- ry Whitney, died in 1864; Lois, who married Mr. Thomas Callahan, died at Mt. Victory, O, in 1898; Susan married Mr. Wesley Robinson, and af-
1
70
ter his death became the wife of Mr. Theo. Hammond, with whom she lived until her death in 1892.
Mr. Haynes was a man of great strength and industry, an honest Christian citizen, always ready to assist in any good work and was much loved by his neighbors and friends. He was a resident of Strongsville until 1886, after which time he lived with his daughter Lois in Hardin Co., Ohio. He died in Berea, O., March 9th, 1891.
Mrs. Sarah Freeman Haynes, daughter of Major Samuel Freeman, was born in Sturbridge, Mass., Feb 14, 1807. She was converted when a child, and united with the Presbyterian Church, always maintaining a blameless Christian life. In 1836, she married Mr. Abial Haynes, tak- ing upon herself the care of five motherless children, which duty she performed with great fidelity. She was of a cheerful and kindly dispo- sition, making her home a happy one. She died in Mt. Victory, Hardin County, Ohio, February 1, 1895.
AHIJAH HAYNES, JR., who died September 14, 1887, aged eighty-one years, was among the last of Strongsville pioneers. He was born in Vermont, March 12, 1806, and in 1817, came to Strongsville. Mr. Haynes was a man of decided opinions which he fearlessly express- ed and as warmly defended. Of course he met with opposition, but no one doubts the sincerity of his life and Christian character. Mr. Haynes was a strong Abolitionist and many slaves were helped on the under- ground railroad by him.
In 1829, he married Roxanna Stevens, a daughter of William Pitt Stevens, whose family was the fifth to locate in Brunswick, having moved from New Marlborough, Berkshire county, Mass., in 1816. Mrs. Haynes was a typical New England woman and possessed a very active temperament. For twenty years before her death in 1856, she was an invalid. Four children were born to this family; Milo Stevens in 1830, Edward in 1832, Nancy in 1840, and Malinda in 1845. Edward mar- ried Mary Rust, a teacher from Oberlin, in 1860, then moved to Ober- lin where he died in 1880. Nancy died at Saratoga Springs, N. Y. in 1861. Malinda married Lyman Freeman and died in Strongsville in
ASA DRAKE
ZARA D. HOWE, JR.
71
1879. In 1857, Ahijah Haynes married for his second wife Clarinda Freeman of Oberlin. The Freemans were pioneer's of Parma, Ohio, hav- ing moved there when the township was named Greenbrier. Mrs. Haynes took an active interest in educational and religious work, measuring each by the high standard of her own life. She died in 1888.
REUBEN HAYNES, second son of Ahijah Haynes, Sr., was born in 1803 and came with his father to Strongsville. He was a great lov- er of music and some of his children are especially favored with fine voices and are known as good musicians. Mr. Haynes was a mechanic of high order and had made some important inventions. About 1835 he married Miss Phebe Babbitt and afterward moved to Oberlin, where he died. His children are: Angeline, Mrs. H. Swift of Oberlin; Milton B., of Mankato, Minn .; Phebe C., of Oberlin; Delos, who lives in St. Lou- is; Caroline, of Mankato, Minn .; and Louis of Chicago, Ill.
HON. MILO S. HAYNES has ever been among the foremost in all improvements, having been especially identified with the Experi- ment Farm, the High School and Brick Road. He is known among his extended circle of acquaintances as a well informed man. Mr. Haynes was born July 14, 1830 and received a good education. At the age of nineteen he taught a term of school. After working at blacksmithing for three years, he turned his attention to farming and stock raising. Being a good judge of live stock, the best can always be found on his farm. Mr. Haynes was elected a member of the 70th General Assembly of Ohio in 1891, and introduced the bill providing for the establishing of the West Cuyahoga County Fair. For many years he was chorister of the Presbyterian Church, freely giving his services when needed. April 9, 1862, Mr. Haynes married Miss Elizabeth Hobbs. The children were Florence R., who was the wife of Ellsworth Sanderson and who died September 12, 1895; Tamzen, a successful teacher; Josephine, who mar- ried Mr. Wm. O. Fetterman of Cleveland, and Elsie, who died in 1881, aged two years.
1
72
Elizabeth Hobbs Haynes was born in England in 1832, and at the the age of six came with her parents to Strongsville. After instruction in the schools of the township, she studied at Oberlin, and for nine years was a most efficient teacher. Many pupils, now influential citizens and business men, can testify to the thoroughness of her instruction and wisdom of her management. These qualities were manifested in her home life. Her death occurred March 19, 1897, at her home in Strongs- ville.
JOHN HEAZLIT and wife Catherine and family came from Cay- uga County, New York, to Strongsville in 1831 and settled in the east- ern part of the township. The members of the family were five sons and two daughters: David, Edwin, Laban, John F., William, James F., Sarah and Martha. All the sons were representative citizens of the town for many years. They were sturdy pioneers and by their own toil and hardship saw the vast wilderness wrought into fertile fields.
Laban was a carpenter by trade, and James was a banker. The other sons were owners of fine farms. For many years John F. and Wil- liam had a shingle manufactory. The cutting of the shingles was done by horse power, and shingles were hauled to Cleveland and sold for sev- enty-five cents per thousand.
John F. was married to Myra Bosworth in December 1844. The summer before her marriage she taught a summer school at seventy- five cents per week. His second wife was Miss Kezia Roughton. Of the six children, Burton B. and Liff
farmer -
are farmers of Strongsville; Perry is a in Paulding County, Ohio; Electa, who became the wife of A. J. Windsor of Berea, now of Strongsville, Elsie, James and Allen have died. Mr. Heaz- lit died in 1891.
Laban Heazlit married in 1835 Miss Anne E. Bryant, and after her death was married to Miss Jane Wilkinson. One daughter, Miss Bertha Heazlit, survives her parents.
Wm. Heazlit married Miss Sally Stevens who survives him.
73
Their two daughters, Emma, who became the wife of Mr. Porter Lyman, and Clara, who married Mr. John Gallup, have both died.
HOWE FAMILY-Five generations of this family have lived in Strongsville. The Howes in America date back to James Howe who settled in Ipswick, Mass., in 1637 and died in 1702, a son of Robert Howe of Broad Oak, Essex, England, and from him the present gener- ation trace their ancestry in the following order: Abraham Howe (1649- 1718); Captain Samson Howe, a Captain during Queen Anne's War; Rev. Perley Howe, a graduate of Harvard College and a Congregational Min- ister at Killingly, Connecticut; Captain Perley Howe who was a Captain in the French and Indian War; Zara D. Howe, Sr .; Zara D. Howe, Jr .; Frederick G. Howe; and Carl G. Howe.
Zara D. Howe, Sr. was born De :. 20th, 1771, at Killingly, Connecti- cut, and in 1817 he came to Strongsville and purchased of J. S. Strong 160 acres of land in lots 24 and 37. He then returned to Otisco, N. Y. where he had been a surveyor for a number of years, and in the follow- ing year returned to Strongsville, bringing his family consisting of his wife who was Miss Abigail Hewitt, and their six children all of whom were born in Otisco, namely; Charlotte, Manser, Tamar, Minerva, Augus- tus and Zara D., Jr. Mr. Howe died Sept. 21st., 1828.
Zara D. Howe, Jr. was born Feb. 21st, 1811, and in Feb. 1837 mar- ried Miss Mary O. Bartlett. To them were born four children; Minerva, Francis B., who married Mr. John Bedford; Frederick G ; and Ellen Jane. Mrs. Howe having died, Mr. Howe married in 1855 Mrs. Martha H. Fos- ter, a sister of Mr. Obed Hoyt. Mr Howe died in Strongsville, Febru- ary 1892, and Mrs. Howe passed away in Cleveland, Ohio, in March, 1896.
Frederick G. Howe was a carpenter by trade and was a member of the Board of Trustees of the township for about twelve years. He was born November 27th, 1844, and in February, 1868 married Miss Emily Bedford. Mr. Howe's death occurred August 1st, 1895. Mr. and Mrs. Howe had one child, Carl G. Howe, who is a member of the firm, Howe & Clement, of Strongsville, and who holds an important position as trav- eling salesman for Armour & Co., of Chicago, Ill.
74
OBED HOYT .- A history of Strongsville would be incomplete in the minds of many, without a brief mention of the life of Obed H. Hoyt and incidentally, of Elijah, his father, and his family.
The Hoyt family, father, mother, and seven, out of ten children, came to Strongsville about the year 1840, Obed, the eldest, already married to Miss Malinda Stebbins. They were natives of Deerfield, Mass., where the family had lived for several generations. They settled in Strongsville upon the farm now owned by W. J. Poots. The names of the children are Obed, Oscar, Martha, wife of Z. D. Howe, Abigail, Mrs. H. W. Steb- bins, Gratia, who after the death of her sister married H. W. Stebbins, Wm., who married Miss Julia Bassett of Middleburg, and Ralph.
Obed H. had been a teacher before coming to the West, and all his life retained his love for reading and study. For many years the school library of the township was in his charge, and he took great interest in advising the boys and girls in their selection of books. He was a plas- terer and brick mason by trade, and it is probable that in many of the older houses of the town, there can be found, still standing, some of the chimneys, which it is said he built with much skill. He was not a man cal- culated to make money, but the esteem in which he was held in the town is shown by the fact of his having been chosen to fill the office of town- ship clerk for 25 years in succession. He died December 12, 1887, at
the age of 86. His wife will be remembered by some of those now living as "Aunt Linda," this title being given her by old and young alike. Although somewhat eccentric, she was ever ready to respond to . every call upon her services, and the home, invaded by sickness or death found her a most invaluable help. At the time of the severe epidemic of 1856, Mr. and Mrs. Hoyt closed their own home and devoted their en- tire time to the care of the sick and dying. Mrs. Hoyt died November 7th, 1878.
OSCAR HOYT .- Oscar Hoyt was for many years a prosperous farmer, living upon the farm formerly owned by his father. He also took an active part in all township affairs. He married Miss Mary Well- m in, and their adopted daughter Jennie is now the wife of Mr. Alfred Crane of Cleveland, Ohio.
MRS. O. C. GRAVES
MRS. JANE BRODIE
75
JOSHUA A. HUDSON .- Joshua Allen Hudson was born in the then almost inaccessible wild region of Northern Michigan, in the old mission house at Mackinaw, in 1827. When seven years of age, he with his parents and sister, located in Strongsville on the turnpike south of the center. His mother was a woman of rare gentleness and sweetness of character. He was a bright intelligent lad, fond of his books, and especially fond of music for which he had more than an ordinary talent. In 1853 he married Miss Mary Metcalf, and their home was one of com- fort and happiness.
In 1870 the family moved to San Jose, Cal., where they have since resided, with a daughter and son settled near them. In the intensely in- teresting life of the new West, Mr. Hudson entered with great zest. For many years he continued in his chosen profession as teacher in Califor- nia as he had done in Ohio.
STEPHEN AND RUTH KELLEY of Erie Co., N. Y., settled in Strongsville in 1836 with a large family and bought a small farm in the south-eastern part of the township. They built a large house now owned by Mr. J. E. Clement, where they lived until the death of Mr. Kelley which occurred Apr. 26th, 1852. Mr. Kelley was a mason by trade, and helped build many of the old brick houses in Strongsville and Royalton. Mrs. Kelley died in 1862. Of the children Polly and Sylvia married Almon and Stephen Meacham respectively. Martin and Frank went west. Lucretia married Mr. Brainard. Jane became Mrs. Oaks, and Lucinda was Mrs. West. Cornelia was Mrs. Brainard, and Cordelia married Mr. Hamilton. Lydia became the wife of Mr. Geo. Johnson of Royalton and Harriet also lived in Royalton the wife of Mr. Frank Searles.
REV. A. W. KNOWLTON was born in Leroy, Genesee Co., New York, December 7th, 1828, and when about four years of age was brought to Cuyahoga County, Ohio, by his parents. They settled first in Dover and afterwards in Olmsted Falls, where most of his boyhood was spent. Afterward they moved to Hinckley and then to Brecksville.
76
When 17 years old, Mr. Knowlton commenced studying with a view to taking a college course. He studied at Richfield Academy in the spring and autumn of each year, working on a farm during the summers and in the winters, teaching. In 1854 he graduated at Western Reserve Col- lege then located at Hudson. He had charge of Brooklyn Academy for one year and was for the same length of time superintendent of the Berea Public Schools. He graduated from a Theological Seminary at New Brunswick, New Jersey, after which he supplied several churches along the Hudson. From 1860 to 1864 he was pastor at South Ha.np- ton, Pa., at which time he went as a member of the Christian Commission to help care for the sick and wounded soldiers at Alexandria, Va.
Early in 1865 he with his family moved to Strongsville where he was pastor of the First Congregational Church for twelve years, when, by the consent of all parties an arrangement was made by which the Rev. J. W. Turner, who was preaching at the Free Congregational church should preach alternately at both churches. Mr. Knowlton was later at Parma, then was at Jackson for five years; afterward at Hanover for two years. In 1886 he returned to the vicinity of Creston from which place he has supplied many churches for longer or shorter periods, but on account of the great number of applicants for vacant pulpits by the younger ministers, has never, since his return from Hanover, sought a set- tlement as a pastor. Mr. Knowlton, during his first pastorate, received into the church one Sabbath, seventy adults on confession of their faith, and baptized thirty-five, just one half of them, this being the first time he administered the ordinance of baptism.
Mr. Knowlton was married Apr. 12th., 1860, to Miss Jemina, Hawes Wight by her pastor, the noted Dr. Burchard in New York City. Their children, with the exception of one who died in infancy, were born in Strongsville. Charlotte Janetta has been for seven years a teacher of the Normal Department of Dorchester Academy, a large school in south- ern Georgia, for freedmen; Albert A. is an assistant Prof. in Franklin College at New Athens, Ohio; Jessie M. for three years a teacher in Dorchester Academy is at home this year on account of her mother's ill health; William A. is a practising physician located at Independence, O .;
77
Edgar H. is a medical student in Cleveland; Naomi L. is the wife of Mr. Sliffe of Shalersville.
HERMAN LEROY WILLIAMS LEONARD was born in Cherry Valley, Otsego Co., New York, and while yet a boy removed with his parents to Genesee Co. Not long after, descending into a well and standing too long in the cold water, a chill resulted, leading to a fever sore in the knee and to a final stiffening of the joint, causing a lameness for life. He was then and always a great reader, and exceedingly fond of good literature. Being so seriously crippled, he concluded to pre- pare himself for the career of a physician, and took a complete course of study in Buffalo Medical College. He was married, about the time of graduation, to Miss Eliva E. Conger. His first office was opened in Pen- dleton, Niagara County, to which township his parents had recently re- moved.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.