USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 21
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 21
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Mahnensmith, first ; Revs. Hess, Bechtley, Sigler, Grether, Mechtley, Otting, and others.
The Germans have the neatest and by far the prettiest church building in the township, and are evidently in a good condition, both finan- cially and morally.
THE METHODISTS.
The Methodists formed a society previous to 1830, and for some years held meetings in school-houses and private dwellings. They com- menced with very few members, prominent among whom were Joseph Davis and wife, Sam- uel Leonard and wife, David Parshall and wife. In about 1839 a house for public worship was erected at the center, through the efforts of the church people, assisted liberally by the leading citizens of various beliefs. Early preachers were Revs. Nicholas Gee, Stubbs, Prosser, Ingraham, Clark, and others.
Until within the past two or three years the society has held regular services each Sabbath. Now services are held once in two weeks. The church has about fifty members at present.
THE UNITED BRETHREN.
This denomination once had two churches in the township, and now has none. Had the two concentrated perhaps the church might have been alive now. The motto, "United we stand, divided we fall," applies to churches, as well as to political parties.
About 1835, the United Brethren organized and held meetings at the houses of Jacob Strong and Joseph Davis, south of the center. A few years later they built a house two miles west of the village. Among those who preached here were Charles Carter and Father Biddle. Promi- nent among the first members were Jacob Strong, Joseph Davis, and Jonathan Davis. About 1851 the United Brethren and Evangelical Association built a union church at Shelltown. Active members: Michael Hull, John Hull, Madison Traill, and Alexander McNutt. The society was small and short-lived. Carter's Zion drew away several members, and the few that remained were not able to pay a preacher.
MOUNT CARMEL EVANGELICAL CHURCH.
This is a small society, and is known from its location as the "Shelltown church." About the year 1850 the church was organized under the preaching of Rev. Barnhart. Among the early
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and prominent members are mentioned Jacob Shellenbarger and wife, Jonathan Cline and wife, Andrew Cline and wife, Mrs. Mock, and Cather- ine Hull. A year or two after its organization the society joined the United Brethren in their efforts to build a union church. A small house was erected, which these two denominations, and occasionally the Methodists, continued to use until 1873, when the Evangelical Association purchased of Jonas Barringer the house which was built for the use of the Zion church.
As the preachers of this denomination are itinerants, they have been quite numerous. The church comprises perhaps twenty-five mem- bers, and has service once in two weeks.
ZION CHURCH.
Charles Carter, a dissenter from the United Brethren, among whom he had been an elder and a preacher for several years, began preaching in Ashtabula in the interests of a new denomination of which he was the author and leader, if not the object of worship. Having succeeded in starting a church in Ashtabula he came here and by vigorous efforts secured enough members to form a class, which he styled the Zion church. Meetings were held in the house belonging to the United Brethren until an earnest protest from the members compelled the Zionites to seek new quarters. About 1870 a church was built- principally through the means of Jonas Barringer. But the disciples of Carter soon became weary and the organization died out. The house passed into the possession of the Evangelical denomination as is elsewhere mentioned. We would be glad to tell our readers the tenets and doctrines of the Zion church but we regard them as past finding out, as diligent inquiry failed to give us any light.
THE CHRISTIANS.
In 1867 the Christians, or Bible Christians, of Berlin, organized and formed a church. There were twelve members enrolled February 26, 1867. The number was increased to twenty- four during that year. Elder Miles Harrod was the organizer and became the first pastor of the church. In 1868 a house for public worship was erected.
The preachers in this church have been: Elders Harrod, Winget, Cameron, Middleton, McCowan, and Dunlap. There are about thirty
members at present. They have no regular services now.
CEMETERIES.
There are three small burying grounds in the township. That adjoining the German church is probably the oldest, though the graveyard near the center was probably laid out nearly the same time with it. In the German graveyard the earliest recorded death that is legible is that of Noah Boyer, died December 27, 1831. Doubt- less interments were made much earlier, but the all-effacing fingers of time have already blotted out some inscription: that were placed upon rude headstones of sandstone.
BERLIN BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
The following is believed to be a correct list of all occupations carried on in the township, other than tarming :
B. T. Stanley, merchant, center. J. Mock & Son, carriage and blacksmith shop, center. A. Willsdoff, tannery, center. R. H. King, hotel, center. J. M. Brown, saloon, center. John Lally, shoemaker, center. Blacksmiths : George Humphrey, west; B. F. Kirkbride, southeast. Saw-mill and grist-mill: George Schilling & Son, northwest. Steam saw mills: David King & Son, south; E. H. Miller & Son, northeast; Cline Brothers, northeast. Cooper: Samuel Jolly, west. Planing-mill and cabinet shop: Daniel Kimmel, east. Manufacturers of pottery : Stew- art Christy's heirs; Andrew Dustman, Christy's corners.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
DR. JAMES W. HUGHES.
No class of men experienced more fully the trials incident to pioneer life than the early phy- sicians of the Reserve. Their work required that they should be men of vigorous body, capable of great endurance, for such was the difficulty of travel that none but hardy natures could bear the constant exertions required of them. The roads and forest paths were in a state that for- bids description. Houses were few and far apart, and could only be reached by traveling on foot or on horseback. Besides, the people were generally poor and some families even destitute. There were no markets where agricultural prod-
Alenza Frango
William Strong, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Durham, Connecticut, and in 1806 removed with his wife, whose maiden name was Abigail Crane, to Atwater township, then Trumbull county, now Portage county, Ohio. There Alonzo was born in 1805 in Connecticut. William Strong, his father, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was seized with a fatal fever, of which he died in 1814, and he was buried on the shore of Lake Erie.
Mr. Strong is the only survivor of the three children, one being a daughter named Eliza, and the other a son, Luzerne, After the arrival of the family in Ohio he was sent back east
to attend school, and remained some two years. He then returned to Ohio and was bound out to Joseph Hartzell for eight years. After his term of service with Hartzell expired he learned the trade of cloth dressing but worked at it only about six months. He learned the carpenter's trade which he followed some six years, but finally engaged in farming on the place where he now lives. In 1828 he married Miss Christina Lazarus, by whom he had six children, as follow : Lovina, who married Elijah Whinnery, and resides in Salem, Columbiana county; William A., who married Miss Annie Marshall, and resides in Alliance; Levi (dead). Fred-
-
Elizabeth C. Strong.
erick (dead), Juha, unmarried, and a child that died in infancy. Levi was in the war of the Rebellion, enlisting in 1862, and in 1863 was taken prisoner. He was taken to Richmond, then to Andersonville where he died. Mrs. Christina Strong died in 1842, and in 1845 Mr. Strong was married again, to Elizabeth Whinnery, whose parents were · early settlers in Columbiana county, removing from Pennsyl- vania in 1804. By his second marriage he has had nine chil- dren, as follow : Serena, wife of William Heckler, resides in Illinois; Edward and Edwin, twins, Edward is living and
Edwin 15 deceased; Lovisa, wife of Alvin Smith, resides in Illinois; Ashley, who married Miss Annie Malmsbery, and resides in North Benton; Ophelia, unmarried; Leora E., wife of Henry Koch, lives in Columbiana county; Alonzo C., and Wendell P. Edwin, the only deceased member of the family. was drowned at the age of eighteen months.
Mr. Strong cultivates a large farm of two hundred and fifty acres, and gives particular attention to the raising of sheep. He has served one term as justice of the peace.
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ucts could be exchanged for money. As a con- sequence the physician received little hard cash to remunerate him for his hard and fatiguing labor. Their self-sacrificing spirit cannot receive too great a tribute of praise. These men, gen- erally liberally educated and thoroughly skilled, spent their lives amid the humble scenes of pioneer settlements, administering to the sick and afflicted, when, if they had chosen, they could easily have gained a lucrative practice in old settled communities, and at the same time maintained the highest standing in the upper circles of society. But instead, they adopted the life of a pioneer and labored arduously, riding night and day in the service of others.
Dr. James W. Hughes was one of the first settlers of Berlin. He was a native of Mont- gomery county, Maryland, and a graduate of the medical college of Washington, District of Co- lumbia. In the year 1832 he came to Goshen, where he practiced two years, after which he came to Berlin, which was then but newly set- tled, and entered upon the practice of his pro- fession, which he continued until his death in 1869. In 1834 he married Miss Paulina S. Brooke, who still survives. Their four children are Wallace K., Adaline V., Elizabeth H., and James B., all living except James B., who died July 25, 1881, at the age of thirty-five. Dr. J. WV. Hughes died of paralysis. He was long a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and did much toward supporting it. He was successful as a physician, and was a well known practitioner throughout all surrounding town- ships. Dr. Hughes was a man of much infor- mation, well versed in current literature, a fre- quent contributor to the religious and secular press and to medical journals. As a speaker he was gifted with more than ordinary ability. He was deeply devoted to his profession, and achieved in it a useful, honorable career.
During the war of the Rebellion Dr. Hughes not only gave liberally of his means, but gave the benefit of his medical skill gratuitously to the families of soldiers of his acquaintance. This is but one example of his many benevolent acts.
Dr. Wallace K. Hughes, oldest child of Dr. James W. Hughes, was born in Berlin township, now Mahoning county, Ohio, July 18, 1835. He passed his boyhood at home, and attended the
district school until of sufficient age to begin the study of medicine under the tuition of his father. After having pursued his studies for some time, he attended lectures at the Cleveland Medical college, and graduated therefrom in 1859.
After graduating he returned home and began practice. In the fall of 1862 he received his first appointment as assistant surgeon, and started to join the Thirty-eighth regiment, Ohio volunteers, which was then at Nashville, Tenn- essee. Owing to obstruction of the railroad between Louisville and Nashville, he was unable to report to his regiment, and by order of the surgeon-general he reported to General Wright, commanding forces at Covington, Ken- tucky. Here he was placed on detached service, and remained about five months, during which time he organized an hospital, afterwards known as the Greenup-street hospital, at the corner of Greenup and Front streets. From this place he was transferred to Camp Dennison. After three months' failing health he was compelled to re- sign, and he returned home in the spring of 1863. The 21st of May the same spring he married Miss Martha F. Smith. In the follow- ing fall he received a request from the surgeon- general desiring him, if he felt able and willing, to return to military duty. Having expressed a willingness to return, the doctor was appointed assistant-surgeon of the Twelfth Ohio volunteer cavalry, and entered upon his duties. After- wards the surgeon retired, and Dr. Hughes was promoted to that position, and filled it most ac- ceptably until the close of the war. He was mustered out November 25, 1865. He was with the force that captured Salisbury prison, and was also with the forces under General Stoneman that followed Jefferson Davis in his failing fortunes, from Virginia, through North and South Carolina to Macon, Georgia, where he was captured.
Dr. Hughes is a member of Perry lodge No. 185, Free and Accepted Masons, Salem, Ohio. As a physician he is deservedly popular, and en- joys an extensive practice.
Mr. and Mrs. Hughes have never been blessed with children, but they adopted a boy, Oscar, who died April 2, 1879, aged eight years. Upon him they bestowed the deepest affection, and his loss was severely felt.
Mrs. Hughes was born in Berlin township, No-
16.
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vember 22, 1834. She is the fourth child of Dr. and Mrs. Lavina Smith. Her father is one of the first settlers of Berlin township, and lo- cated on the farm now owned by David King. Those of the family now living are: Mrs. Esther Porter, residing in Missouri; Mrs. Elizabeth Beardsley, residing in Ellsworth; Mrs. Mary King and Mrs. Hughes, Berlin. Her father married for his second wife Abigail Meach. Their three children are all dead.
JONATHAN KING.
Jonathan King was born in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, January 5, 1804. His father, George King, was a native of the same State and married Sarah Sylvis, by whom he had a family of seven children, viz : Jonathan, the subject of this sketch; Christina (Frankfort), deceased; Elizabeth, deceased ; Mary (McCulloch), de- ceased ; Henry, a resident of Berlin ; Anna (Wahl), and Phebe (Ramsdell), both of whom are residents of Indiana.
At the age of fifteen Jonathan King was ap- prenticed to a potter. He served a full appren- ticeship but was dismissed without receiving the customary "apprentice suit" of clothes.
During the following winter he went with his uncle, John Wile, on a raft of saw-logs to Pitts- burg to trade for flour for his mother. Failing to get flour sufficient in exchange for the saw- logs to last till harvest, and having no money he returned home. But not discouraged he started with several others with a four-horse team for the West, stopping in Springfield township, Mahon- ing county (then Columbiana county), Ohio, where he engaged to work during the summer for wheat, which was paid in advance, and sent back to his mother with the persons with whom he came. In the fall of the same year he returned to Pennsylvania and removed his mother, brothers, and sisters to Springfield township, Ohio.
In 1825 he was married to Lydia Peck, and in April, 1826, removed to Berlin township, Ma- honing county (then Trumbull), Ohio, where he had purchased a farm the fall previous.
Ile settled upon his farm and devoted himself with diligence to the work of building up a home. His busy days and years of toil bore
fruit, and now in his old age (seventy-nine years) he can review his well spent life with the satis- factory reflection that none of his time has been wasted.
By strict integrity and economy Mr. King acquired considerable property, though he start- ed with nothing but nature's endowments.
Before the days of railroads he was a noted teamster and made frequent trips from Pittsburg to Cleveland, and from Cleveland to the mouth of Huron river, usually driving six horses. At one time he made a trip from Pittsburg to Erie, Pennsylvania, for which he received $75. But such was the condition of the roads at that time that the entire amount except $2.60 was required to pay the necessary expenses of the journey. The life of a teamster in those days was one of hardships, and none but the most vigorous could long endure it ..
In 1842 Mr. King was elected a captain of militia and held the office until the company disbanded.
He was the father of ten children, four of whom died in infancy and youth. The remaining six are as follow: David, who married Miss Mary Smith, and resides in Berlin; Catharine, married to George Kail, moved to Michigan, where she died ; Joseph, married to Miss Lu- cinda Greenamyer, and resides in Berlin on the farm upon which his father first settled; Susan- nah, married to J. B. Shively, and resides in Berlin ; Sarah, married to R. B. Engle, and re- sides in Salem, Ohio ; Hannah, married to J. B. Hughes (who served two terms as auditor of Mahohing county, and is now deceased), and resides in Youngstown.
Mrs. King was born August 13, 1806, in Le- high county, Pennsylvania, and moved with her parents to Springfield township, Mahoning coun- ty, Ohio, in 1808. She died February 22, 1875.
In religion, Mr. King was a firm adherent to the Protestant faith, and of deep conviction, zealous in good works and liberal in his contri- butions to the cause of Christ. He and his wife have both been lifelong members of the Evan- gelical Lutheran church. Pohtically he stood with the Democratic party, voting for General Jackson at the time of his second election, until the abolitionist Hale came before the people for their suffrages, when he voted for him. After the organization of the Republican party he
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George Carson -
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voted with it until 1881, when his strong temper- ance principles compelled him to cast his ballot for the Prohibition candidate.
Mr. King is one of the most social and agree- able of men. His cheerful disposition and his sterling worth make him a favorite among the old and young.
The King family possess considerable native ingenuity and skill in the use of tools. Jonathan King is quite proficient in blacksmithing, car- pentry, etc. His grandson, W. H. King, son of Joseph King, of this township, is the inventor of the King wind-mill, now so widely used throughout the Western Reserve. The manu- facturers of threshing machines are indebted to David King for many suggestions and improve- ments in grain separators and clover hullers. David King hegan threshing when seventeen years old, and still follows the business. Joseph King has also been the proprietor of a threshing machine for a number of years, running one now with a steamer.
David, and his son, Mervin W., are the pro- prietors of a steam saw-mill, which is doing an extensive business. David also owns a half in- terest in the planing-mill, in the eastern part of the township, known as the Kimmel & King mill, which is also doing an extensive business
Honesty and sobriety characterize the entire family.
ALONZO STRONG.
William A. Strong, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Durham, Connecticut, and in 1804 removed with his wife, whose maiden name was Abigail Crane, to Atwater township, then Trumbull, now Portage county, Ohio. There Alonzo was born the following year, in 1805. William Strong, his father, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was seized with a fatal fever, of which he died in 1814, and he was buried on the shore of Lake Erie.
Mr. Strong is the only survivor of three chil- dren, the others being daughters, named Eliza and Lucerne. After the arrival of the family in Ohio, he was sent back east to attend school, and remained some three years. He then returned to Ohio, and was bound out to Joseph Hartzell for eight years. After his term of ser- vice with Hartzell had expired, he learned the
trade of cloth dressing, but worked at it only about six months. He learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed some six years, but finally engaged in farming on the place where he now lives. In 1829 he married Miss Christina Lazarus, by whom he had six children, as follows : Lavinia, who married Elijah Whinnery, and resides in Salem, Columbiana county ; Wil- liam A., who married Miss Annie Marshall, and resides in Alliance ; Levi, dead ; Frederick, dead ; Julia, unmarried, and a child that died in infancy. Levi was in the war of the Rebellion, enlisting in 1862, and in 1863 was taken prisoner. He was taken to Richmond, then to Andersonville, where he died. Mrs. Christina Strong died in 1842, and in 1845 Mr. Strong was married again to Elizabeth Whinney (or Whinnery), whose parents were early settlers in Columbiana county, removing from Pennsylva- nia in 1804. By his second marriage he has had nine children, as follows : Serena (or Lorena), wife of William Hicker, resides in Illinois ; Edward and Edwin, twins -- Edward is living and Edwin is deceased; Lovisa, wife of Alvin Smith, resides in Illinois ; Ashley, who married Miss Annie Malinsby, and resides in North Benton ; Ophelia, unmarried ; Leora E., wife of Henry Koch, resides in Columbiana county ; Alonzo C., and Wendell P. Edwin, the only deceased member of the family, was drowned at the age of eighteen months.
Mr. Strong cultivates a large farm of two hun- dred and fifty acres, and gives particular atten- tion to the raising of sheep. He has served one term as justice of the peace.
GEORGE CARSON.
George Carson was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, August 19, 1812. His parents were John and Catherine (Wentz) Carson, who removed to Trumbull county, Ohio, in 1832, and first settled on the farm now owned and oc- cupied by James Weasner, in Berlin township. After residing there a number of years he moved to Milton, where he died at the age of seventy- four years. Mrs. Carson survived her husband a couple of years. They raised a family of seven sons and five daughters, named as follow : Sarah (dead), John, in Berlin; George in Berlin;
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Sophia (Hiser), in Michigan; Jacob, in Portage county; Harriet, dead; William, in the West; Samuel, in Michigan ; Robert, in Milton; David, in Michigan; Susan (Vaughn), in Ashtabula county.
George Carson was brought up on the farm. He was married in 1835 to Miss Catharine Gross, daughter of John and .Christina Gross, who was born in York county, Pennsylvania, July 17, 1818. After his marriage be settled near Schilling's mills, in Berlin, where he resided until his removal to a farm at Berlin center, some eighteen years ago. The same fall he was elected justice of the peace and has held that office continuously since with the exception of only a few months. Mr. Carson, besides his farın at the center of Berlin, still owns a part of the farm on which he originally settled, near Schilling's mills.
Mr. and Mrs. Carson have had eleven chil- dren, one dying young. The others are as fol- low: Catharine married Cornelius Mott and lives in Portage county; Harriet married John Cessna and lives in Weathersfield township; Uriah married Mary Jones and lives in Lords- town; David has been married twice and lives in Deerfield, Portage county; Emily married Law- rence Shively, in Berlin; Minerva married Frank Keiser, both deceased; Ella married Jere- miah Shively, and lives in Berlin; Elmer mar- ried Addie Newton, and lives at Berlin center; William F., single, of Deerfield center, Portage county, is fitting himself for the medical profes- sion ; Clara married Amos Hoyle, and lives in Berlin. Uriah volunteered at the first call for troops in 1861, going out with the Nineteenth Ohio volunteer infantry and served three years. He was also out in the one hundred days' service as member of the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Ohio National guard. David was also out in the same regiment.
Mr. Carson has always been an intelligent and industrious farmer and has prospered in his busi- ness. He and his wife are members of the Christian church.
HORACE ROWLAND
was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, February 18, 1805. He is the elder of two sons of David and Anna (Taylor) Rowland, the other son being
Orrin. Mr. Rowland came to Berlin township in 1831, and located on the farm now owned by John Cronick, where he resided for twenty-five years. He then removed to the farm where he now is. He married, December 15, 1829, Miss Fidelia Caldwell, who was the youngest child of James and Esther (Pierce) Caldwell, who were born respectively March 20, 1760, and October 11, 1766. Their family consisted of the follow- ing children, viz : Betsey, born March 10, 1790; James, March 14, 1791 ; Margaret, June 9, 1792 ; Beulah, September 18, 1793; Samuel W., December 27, 1794; Oby, March 12, 1796; Milo, April 20, 1802 ; Lovina, November 29, 1804; and Fidelia, October 11, 1807-all now dead except Mrs. Rowland. Mr. Caldwell was a native of Scotland, and he and his wife were members of the Episcopal church. Mr. Rowland has accumulated a goodly share of this world's goods through his industry and economy, and is now living in comfort and independence. Mr. and Mrs. Rowland have no children. They are worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal church, their connection with the church extend- ing over a period of about thirty years.
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