History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 152

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1104

USA > Ohio > Summit County > History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio > Part 152

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L. D. OSBORNE, M. D., physician, Hudson ; was born in Onondaga, N. Y., Aug. 16, 1820; he was the son of Levi Osborne, a cloth- dresser. While the subject of this sketch was yet in infancy his mother died, leaving three children, two of whom lived to maturity, but are now deceased ; his father married a second time, by which union there were three children, two of whom reside in Allegany Co., N. Y., and one in Cleveland, Ohio. The family came to Ohio in 1833, and located in Willoughby, Lake Co., where Mr. Osborne died several years ago. Onr subject, Dr. Osborne, entered a pri- vate school conducted by Mr. A. D. Lord, of Lake Co., and was also a student of Senator Allen, thus obtaining the preliminary course of his education ; he entered the Lake Erie Medi- cal College, since merged into the Starling

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Medical College of Columbus, and graduated in 1845 ; during his collegiate course, he read medicine privately with Dr. John Delamater, who was a professor in the college ; he began the practice of his profession with his pre- ceptor in Willoughby, in 1843, where he re- mained about five years, when he moved to Warsaw, Wyoming Co., N. Y., there remaining about three years ; on account of failing health, he resolved to return to Ohio, and accordingly did so, locating in Portage Co., where he prac- ticed about four years. In the fall of 1854, he established himself in Hudson, where he has practiced the healing art ever since. He mar- ried Miss Mary Elenora Johnson Aug. 22, 1848. Mrs. Osborne was the daughter of Enoch Johnson, of Charlestown, Portage Co., where she was born. October. 1828. They have three children, viz. : Mary E., Hattie E. (wife of Rev. T. S. Scott, of Rockford, III.), and Luln.

NEWTON PECK (deceased) ; was born in Brockfield, Vt., July 25, 1808; he was the sixth of a family of ten children, two of whom survive-Reuben and a sister, Mrs. T. S. Paine, of Vermont. When quite young Prof. Peck evinced a strong desire for knowledge, and when the work of his father's farm pre- vented him from attending school he would eagerly improve every opportunity with his books ; when quite a small boy and driving his father's oxen at the plow, he would carry his Latin Reader, " Liber Primus," which he studied at intervals while the animals were resting, thereby getting some knowledge of Latin; at 17 years of age, he began teaching school in Vermont ; he spent one year a student in a university there, and, by ardent study, he soon mastered Latin and Greek ; he became a good Hebrew scholar, and was said to be one of the best readers of Sanscrit in the United States. He conversed in French, could read German, Spanish and Italian. Considering his ability as scholar and teacher, he was one of the most unassuming of men ; he was thorough in the higher branches of mathematics, and ac- quired some knowledge of astronomy ; while teaching in West Virginia, he caleulated ac- curately the details of the solar eclipse of 1837 ; he was a careful student in the natural sciences, and particularly fond of botany and geology. In 1837, he founded the Marshall Academy at Guyandotte, West Virginia, which has since developed into a college ; he came to

Ohio in 1832, and spent the first year in study at Western Reserve College, Hudson ; but graduated from Augusta College, Kentucky, in 1837. His limited means compelled him to teach at intervals to procure the necessaries of life during his collegiate course ; he was ap- pointed tutor in Kenyon College at Gambier, in 1834. He married Aurelia K. Brewster, of Ravenna, Oct. 16, 1834 ; she was a sister of Anson A. Brewster, one of the pioneer mer- chants of Hudson. After a few years residence at Ravenna, he went South, but returned to Ohio and located permanently at Hudson in 1858. He taught for a period about forty years in the States of Vermont, Ohio, West Virginia, Ken- tucky and Tennessee ; and among his pupils, who have gone into official public life, we men- tion the late Henry A. Smith, of Minnesota ; Gen. E. B. Tyler ; S. D. Harris, of the Ravenna Press ; and D. Lyman, Chief of the Division of Navigation at Washington, D. C. Mr. Peck was a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, being confirmed in Vermont when 22 years old. He passed away July 6, 1880, leaving a widow and two children, viz. : Thos. K. Peck, of Wa Keeney, Kan., and Eleanor A., who resides here with her aged mother.

M. C. READ, attorney at law, Hudson, was born in Williamsfield, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, Aug. 21, 1825. His parents, Ira and Mary (Smithi) Read, were natives of Massachusetts ; they moved to Ohio in 1813; Mrs. Read car- ried their only child on horseback the entire distance from Massachusetts to Ohio. They here turned their attention to farming, and suc- ceeded in hewing out a comfortable home in the forest, where they reared their children, viz .: Albert N., Daniel W. (deceased,) Newton S., Matthew C. and Mary C .- twins-she the widow of Selby Bemen. and Emeline R., wife of J. J. Gray, of Ashtabula. Mr. and Mrs. Read finally removed to Trumbull Co., Ohio, where they passed their later years, being spared to see and know that their early efforts to pro- cure a good home, and fit each member of their family for his separate place in society were not in vain. He died in 1861, in his 72d year, and she in 1869, in her 79th year. Mr. M. C. Read was engaged until 18 years of age, like most young men who are reared on the farm. About that time he entered the Western Re- serve Academy at Farmington ; later the Grand River Institute at Austinsburg, Ohio. In 1844 -

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he entered the Western Reserve College at Hud- son, from which he graduated in 1848. He taught a select school in the city of Columbus, Ohio, which was well patronized by the best citizens of the place, but was broken up by cholera, which was then prevailing in the com- munity. Mr. Read was taken seriously ill with the disease, and returned to his home, placing himself under the care of his brother, a physician in Ashtabula, where he remained about one year. Having regained his health, he taught the Academy at Gustavus, Trumbull Co., for one term. He read law in the office of Chaffee & Woodberry, of Jefferson. When his study of law was completed, he was called to Hudson to edit the Family Visitor, a journal which was published here at that time. While connected with the Family Visitor he taught the Grammar School in Western Reserve Col- lege for one year. He then began the practice of law and continued until the outbreak of the war, when he was called with the Sanitary Com- mission, and was with the Army of the Cum- berland until they reached Chattanooga, Tenn., where he was stationed until the war closed. On his return he was appointed Deputy Rev- enue Collector, during President Johnson's ad- ministration. In 1869, he was appointed on the State Geological Surveying Corps, and con- tinued a member in field work until the survey was completed. He was appointed to lecture on zology and practical geology in Western Reserve College. His time is now occupied in the practice of his profession and special geological surveys. He married Orissa E. Andrews, daughter of Wm. Andrews, an attor- ney of Homer, N. Y., Aug. 28, 1851. Their eldest son, William H., is a graduate of the Western Reserve College, and now a member of the Toledo bar. The other children are Chas. P., Mary O. and Susan J.

N. P. SEYMOUR, LL. D., professor in the Western Reserve College, Hudson; born in Hart- ford, Conn., Dec. 24, 1813, was the fifth child and second son born to Charles and Catharina (Perkins) Seymour. In 1830. at the age of 16 he entered Yale College, graduating four years later. After spending two years in the Hart- ford Grammar School, he was appointed Tutor in Yale College. In 1840, he accepted the professorship of Latin and Greek, in the West- ern Reserve College, a position he filled for thirty years. On the occasion of his resigna-

tion in 1870, the committee of the Board of Trustees appointed to prepare a minute in rela- tion to his resignation reported the following, which was adopted by the board : " Prof. N. P. Seymour having at a previous meeting ten- dered to the board his resignation of the pro- fessorship of Greek and Latin, and the same having been reluctantly accepted, the board cannot permit a connection so long continued, and which has been so highly advantageous to the college to terminate without recording their high sense of the great value of his services, and their conviction that by his wise counsel, his eminent attainments as a scholar, and his self-denying devotion to the best interests of the institution for thirty years, he has largely contributed to its usefulness and prosperity, and to the high standard of scolarship and thor- ough course of instruction for which it has been distinguished. And in the hope that the college may still to some extent enjoy the benefit of his counsel and labors, he has been appointed Eme- ritus Professor of Greek and Latin, and is invited to give lectures from time to time, as may be agreeable to him upon subjects connected with his late department of instruction." Prof.

Seymour has thus retained his connection with the college, and lectures at times upon the same subject in other institutions. In 1867, he re- ceived the degree of Doctor of Laws, conferred by Kenyon College. In 1841, he married Miss Elizabeth Day, daughter of Hon. Thomas Day, of Hartford, Conn. Of their union, three chil- dren was the issue, their eldest son Charles, is a member of the bar in Knoxville, Tenn., where he established himself soon after the late war ; Sarah is now the wife of Win. C. Parsons, of Akron ; Thomas, the youngest, was appointed professor of Greek language in Yale College in July, 1880.

CHARLES STONE, farmer; Streetsboro Township, Portage County ; P. O. Hudson ; was born one mile east of Hudson, January 12, 1812. His father, Nathaniel, and mother, Sally (Holenbeck) Stone, were natives of Con- nectient. They removed to Ohio in 1810. Mrs. Sidney Collar was their only child, at that time, a mere babe. Mr. Holenheck, the father of Mrs. Stone, came from Connectieut at the same time; they drove through with two ox teams and a single horse, spending two months on the journey. They arrived at Hudson in November, 1810, and, purchasing some land,

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began to prepare a home thereon. They reared twelve children, ten of whom lived to maturity, viz., Carolina, Charles, Sidney J., Emeline (de- ceased wife of R. Cobb), Randolph, Helen, Be- linda, Roswell, Orlando and Chelsey. The family removed from their first location to their pur- chase in the east of Hudson Township and across the line into Portage County. where the old folks died, he in 1861, and his wife about four years later. Charles married Sabrina Draper, April 18, 1837. They began farming on about 60 acres which he got of his father. and built a log cabin. To this land he added by purchase, until he owned 200 acres. They had seven children, viz., Harriet E., Frederick, Salina, David, Moses, Mary L. (died when about 3 years old), and Clarinda S. Frederick enlisted in the 9th Ohio Battery, September, 1861, and served until March, 1862, when he died in hospital at Somerset, Ky., after a short illness. Salina is wife of Charles Cash, of Hud- son ; David married Annie, daughter of Wil- liam Wilson, of Medina County-he and his brother Moses have control of the farm ; Har- riet E. and Clarinda S. are also at home with their parents. Mrs. Charles Stone was the only child of Moses Draper by his first wife. She was born in Washington County, N. Y., June 3. 1818. Her mother died when she was a mere infant. and her father married a second wife, by whom he reared several children ; they all emigrated to Ohio in 1831, and the following year Mrs. Stone came to her father's with a family who were coming here at that time. They have been very successful, and look back on pioneer life with much satisfaction. On the night of the 5th of February, 1847, a sad calamity happened in the burning of his father's residence, in which Belinda, a young lady about 21 years of age, perished in the flames ; the other members of the family barely escaped with their lives. It was one of the primitive log-cabins. and stood a little south of where Carles' residence is located. The acci- dent is supposed to have occurred by the re- newal of the fire when the last ones retired, for the purpose of keeping the house warm through the night.

CHIARLES J. SMITH, Professor in West- ern Reserve College, Hudson. was born in Clarendon, Ohio, Oct. 16, 1844. He is the second son born to Josiah and Martha (Has- kell) Smith, who were natives of Connecticut,

but came to Ohio with their respective fami- lies in the early settlement of the State, and located in Geauga County. At from 16 to 19 years of age. Prof. Smith began teaching a dis- trict school in the winter months, during the summer season his time being occupied on his father's farm. He then accepted a position as teacher in the Bloomfield Academy, where he remained one and a half years. He entered the Western Reserve College in 1866, and gradu- ated therefrom in 1870, in the fall of the same year, being appointed Professor of Natural Philosophy. He married Miss Julia E. King Aug. 23, 1871. Their children are as follows : Esther K., Charles K. and Charlotte P. Mrs. Smith was born in Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, Aug. 20, 1845. She was the daughter of Lester King, who was the son of JJudge King, of Warren.

SYLVESTER H. THOMPSON, retired ; Hudson, more familiarly known as Judge Thompson, was born in Hudson, Ohio. July 28, 1808. He was the fifth child born to Dr. Moses Thompson (who is mentioned in the township history, as being the first physician of Summit County). Dr. Thompson was mar- ried to Elizabeth Mills in Connecticut, in 1795; they moved into the State of New York imme- diately after their marriage, where they lived until 1800. when he came to Ohio and selected land in the vicinity of Hudson ; then returned to New York for his family, which con- sisted of wife and one child ; they arrived here and settled permanently in 1801. They were blessed with eleven children, viz., Eliza L. (deceased) was wife of Horace Metcalf; Susan, (deceased) was wife of Horace Hol- brook ; Mills, now deceased was a prominent farmer : Emily (deceased) was wife of Samuel Woods ; Sylvester H .; Virgil M., of Stow Township ; Ruth, wife of Leander Starr, of Hudson ; Mary. widow of John Hazeltine, who with her daughter resides west of Hudson ; Sa- rah A. (deceased), who was the wife of Chas. Aikin ; Martha, died in youth. and Elizabeth. who is unmarried. Over half a century of Mrs. Thompson's life and labors were well spent in this community. Besides the care in- cident to rearing of her own numerous family. it would require a volume to do justice to her memory, as respecting her humane and benev- olent characteristics and acts toward the sick or needy, during the days of meager supplies,

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with the pioneer settlers ; her life work closed on Nov. 20, 1851. Dr. Thompson survived his wife until Nov. 17, 1858. There was nothing remarkable in the early life of Judge Thomp- son ; he attended school in boyhood, and got a fair education in the old primitive schools of his early life. His brain was spared the con- fusion of college classics, but was possessed of an abundance of practical good, hard sense, which with strict integrity, eventually placed him in the front rank of honored citizens. When he was about 22 years of age, he began farming, on his own account, on 80 acres for which his father paid $420. He was married to Carolina D. Peck, May 14, 1833. She was born in Connecticut, Dec. 6, 1808, and came here from Waterbury, Conn., on a visit to her brothers, who were contractors and builders, and who built the Congregational Church in Hudson. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, viz., Charles S. (deceased); Sherman P., Martha E. (now Mrs. P. G. Clark, of East Cleveland) ; Theodore F. and Albert S., and two who died in childhood. Mr. Thompson was the first Assessor in Hud- son Township, and has held other offices which were the gift of the people of the town- ship. He was elected Justice of the Peace, and after serving one year he resigned, to accept the appointment of Associate Judge, in 1845, which office he held until the new State Consti- tution was adopted, with provisions which abolished the office of Associate Judge, in 1851. In 1864, he was appointed. Commis- sioner for this county on the Cleveland & Pitts- burgh Railroad. He was connected with the City Bank of Akron, Ohio, of which he was President for thirteen years. The first apples which were grown in this vicinity, were prob- ably those on Dr. Thompson's premises, trees produced from seeds taken from a piece of pomace. which the Doctor picked up where he stopped to feed his ox team when coming here through Pennsylvania, in 1801, formed nucleus of an orchard. Judge Thompson re- members distinctly the first apple which was borne thereon, in 1813. That was the first, and only one produced on their trees that year, and as it increased in size and reddened with the sun, like the "apple" of old, it was the source of considerable temptation to the children to taste it and not " transgress," so they devised a means : two pulled the slender tree against the

house, to which it stood close, a third one would climb, scrape a hole in the apple with his finger nail and carry the scrapings down to those doing service at the stem until all would have a taste. Although in advanced years, the Judge is in robust health and enjoys in a re- tired manner, the fruits of his early industry, as well as the high esteem of his fellow citi- zens. His wife, who was his great helper in his much varied life, died Nov. 23, 1876.

STEPHEN THOMPSON. deceased ; was born in Goshen, Conn .; he married Abigail Hutchinson. They, with three children. Will- iam, Hiram and Elijah, emigrated to this town- ship in the fall of 1801. They reared a family of eleven children in all-William, Hiram, Eli- jah, Serena, Lucretia, Alonzo, Uriah. Premila, Amos, Alonzo 2d, and Abigail. The old folks (Stephen and his wife), died many years since, in the east of Hudson Village. Hiram was born in Goshen, Conn., Aug. 30, 1797. When he was about 17 years of age, he began to work for himself, and paid for 50 acres of land where he now lives. He married Sabrina Danforth, Jan. 23, 1823. She was the eldest daughter of Enoch Danforth ; she was born in New Hamp- shire, Jan. 26, 1806. They reared nine chil- dren. viz .: Lorenzo, now in Kent Co., Mich .; Amelia, wife of Dr. E. Meyers, of Uniontown ; Harriet, deceased, wife of Henry Sandford ; Jeremiah, now in Le Mars, Iowa ; Laura L. is wife of William Bell ; Mary, deceased, wife of Charles Case ; Louisa, wife of Orrin Rey- nolds, of Chicago, Ill .; William was killed by the cars when thrown from the track, near Hud- son, in 1864; Emma, wife of E. Cartwright. Mr. Hiram Thompson added to his first pur- chase until he owned 161 acres of good land. He never worked a team of horses on farm work, but used oxen instead all his time. Mr.

and Mrs. Thompson have retired from the act- ive duties of the farm, and left the same to the care of their daughter and son-in-law, William C. Bell. He was born in Pennsylvania in March, 1841. and came here in 1859; he en- listed in the late rebellion, in August, 1861. Co. A, O. V. C. Hle got his discharge Dec. 31. 1863, and re-enlisted as veteran in same com- pany and regiment, and served until the close of the war, and got his final discharge Sept. 11, 1865. He had two horses shot from under him, one of which fell on him and disabled him, in September, 1864, near Charlestown. ()n

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his return, he married Laura L. Thompson. They have three children, viz., Willie L., Emma A. and Frederick W. At the time Stephen Thompson and his family came, they brought several cows and about eighteen sheep, which they drove all the way from Connecticut. They had hard work in protecting their sheep from the ravages of wolves in those days, as lambs and pigs were frequently carried off. Wild tur- keys were plentiful, and Hiram has shot several at their barn, substituting corn for shot when the latter could not be procured.

HARRY C. THOMPSON, deceased. He was born in Berkshire Co., Conn., Nov. 24, 1801. He was the son of Isaac and Polly (Campbell) Thompson, who moved, with their family of eight children, from Connecticut to Ohio, in 1814, locating at Ravenna. Their chil- dren were Eliza, now widow of Dr. Swift, living at Ravenna ; Harry C., deceased; Charles B., deceased : Orrin C. T., now a Presbyterian Minister in Detroit, Mich .; Robert W., deceased ; he and Richard J., who resides on the old home- stead at Ravenna, were twins; Mary, in Ra- venna ; Charlotte, deceased. When Harry C. was about 21 years of age, he discontinued farming, and apprenticed himself to a tailor in Ravenna. When his apprenticeship expired, he went to New York, and there worked at journeywork until he became perfectly ac- quainted with the business. In about two years, he returned to Ravenna, and opened a tailoring establishment-the only one of the kind in the place. His trade increased until he employed eight hands and conducted a very successful business. In 1836, his health failed, from too close application to his business, ne- cessitating a withdrawal therefrom. He was married to Harriet A. Ellsworth, Jan. 7, 1830. She was the daughter of Elisha and Elizabeth (Oviatt) Ellsworth, who came here from Con- neetient in 1811. Mrs. Thompson was then a child about 2 years of age. She was born in Connecticut Nov. 23, 1809. When Mr. Thomp- son closed out his tailoring establishment, they opened a boarding-house in Ravenna, which they conducted with success for many years ; this he afterward sold out, and purchased a farm north of Hudson, where they resided twelve years. In 1868, they moved into Hudson, where they anticipated a life of rest in their lives' evening-time, apart from the hustle and toil of the world. Mr. Thompson was elected Justice

of the Peace after coming to Hudson, and served eight years. He has been appointed administrator of twenty-four different estates. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson were parents of two children, viz .: Robert W., who resides on the farm ; and Elisha, who died at the age of 12. Mr. Thompson's worldly cares ceased in death Dec. 19, 1877. Mrs. Thompson is one of the few who came here in pioneer days, and, al- though well advanced in her 72d year, has a good memory and a vigorous constitution.

AMOS THOMPSON, farmer ; P. O. Hudson, is the son of Stephen Thompson, who came from Goshen, Conn., with his wife and three children. settling here in 1802. Amos was born in this township, Sept. 13, 1812. Through- out his whole life he has been a well-to-do farmer without any desire for notoriety in pub- lic life. He has been twice married ; first in 1836, to Miss Laura Smith, of Randolph. By this union there were six children, three de- ceased and three living. Those surviving are Henry O., Ada A. and Arthur N. Their mother was a native of the State of New York, and came here with her parents about two years previous to her marriage; she died Sept. 13, 1874. Mr. Thompson's second marriage was with Mrs. Lavina Sandford, widow of the late Peter Sandford, of Kent. The present Mrs. Thompson was twice married prior to her union with Mr. Thompson ; she has one child, Emma Arrow, by her first husband, John Arrow.

S. E. TOWNSEND, farmer ; P. O. Hudson ; was born on Oct. 8, 1825, in New York, from which place his parents, Eli and Sarah (Kenyon) Townsend emigrated to Ohio with two children, viz. : Cynthia and himself, in 1833. They lo. cated in Richfield, and, after our subject had passed his majority, he learned the carpenter and joiner trades which he engaged in suc- cessfully. He has been twice married ; first to Miss Vanilla Smith, who died leaving four chil- dren, three of whom survive, viz. : Charles E .. Mary E. (now wife of Clifford Axtell) and Lewis S. ; his second marriage was with Mrs. Sarah Farnum, Oct. 18, 1863; they have one child-Myron E. Mrs. Townsend was born in Massachusetts in 1827, and came to Ohio with her parents in 1842. Her first marriage was with Darwin Farnum, of Richfield, in 1851 ; died May 18, 1859. In December, 1879, Mr. Townsend purchased and moved to his present

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CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP.

home, which consists of 90 acres of excellent agricultural land, lying immediately west of the corporation limits of Hudson. With its

advantages and improvements, besides the natural beautiful location, it is all that could be desired.

CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP.

EPHRAIM BLOOD, retired, Cuyahoga Falls; was born in Saratoga Co., N. Y., May 27, 1821. His father, David Blood, was a farmer by pursuit, and married a lady by the name of Mary Hewitt. When scarcely of age, the subject of this sketch went to the trade of carpenter and joiner, which he followed steadily until 1852. He then engaged in millwrighting, which he continued to work at until 1876, at which time the firm of Snyder & Blood, builders and contractors, was formed. Both being practical carpenters, and possessing a thorough knowledge of their bus- iness, they immediately assumed a prominent position, and their trade annually increased. In January, 1881, Mr. Blood withdrew from business entirely, and is now leading a retired life. His marriage was celebrated Ang. 18, 1847, Miss Mary A. Reece becoming his wife. Slie, too, is a native of the Empire State, and was born March 18, 1822.

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 152

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848- Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1104