USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 75
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 75
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of Ephraim Baldwin, born June 21, 1827. They have had a family of ten children, of whom seven are living, viz: Willard C., a merchant of Cortland; Alice L., wife of L. Sig- ler, of Cleveland; Mary R., wife of Calvin Claw- son, of Cortland; Afton E., born November 20, 1857; Olive M., born April 15, 1860; Carrie L., August 20, 1863; Lottie May, October 5, 1868. The three deceased are, Ella, born November 28, 1855, died May 12, 1857; Grant L., born May 1, 1866, died June 22, 1875; J. Edward, August 16, 1872, died in infancy. In January, 1849, Mr. Silliman settled on the family homestead in Fowler, which he occupied until the spring of 1881, when he moved to Warren, where he now lives. During his active business life Mr. Silli- man was largely engaged in the buying and ship- ping live stock as well as in farming. The home place is now occupied by his son, Afton E. Silli- man, who took charge upon the retirement of his father in the spring of 1881. December 23, 1880, he married Miss Georgie Hathaway, of Cortland, born March 14, 1862. The farm con- sists of two hundred and sixty acres, and is fine- ly improved.
Ezra S. Ames, oldest child of Benjamin and Euretta (Shaff) Ames, was born in Jefferson county, New York, on the 7th of August, 1801. He came to Ohio with his parents in the spring of the year 1826, the family settling one-half mile north of his present residence in Fowler township. Benjamin Ames was a successful farmer, a school-teacher for several years, and also for several years township clerk. He reared a family of twelve children, of whom three only are living. He died on the farm which he had cleared up, about the year 1870, aged eighty-four. His wife died March 1, 1878, aged eighty-six. Mr. Ames was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was stationed at Sackett's Harbor. Ezra S. Ames was brought up upon a farm and enjoyed such educational opportunities-limited enough-as were to be had in that day. He married De- cember 4, 1834, Catherine Campbell, born Feb- ruary 5, 1807. After his marriage he remained on the old home place one summer, removing to his present residence in the spring of 1836. His first wife died March 17, 1873, and on Au- gust 18, 1874, Mr. Ames married his present wife, Phila H. Stocking, born in Connecticut April 2, 1836. Ile is the father, by his first
wife, of three sons, only one now living, to wit : William C., born August 22, 1837, died April 14, 1873 ; he married November 26, 1863, Lozetta H. Patch, and had two children. Hor- ace B., born June 14, 1840, enlisted in the Forty-first Ohio volunteer infantry September 4, 1861, and was killed at Pittsburg Landing, his first battle, April 7, 1862. Cyrus D., born Feb- ruary 10, 1842, is a well known farmer of Fowler township. He married in 1875 Ellen Hoover. Mr. Ames, the subject of this sketch, has been township trustee some five or six years. During the Rebellion he was active in raising the quota. Mrs. Ames is a member of the Congregational church.
David M. Butts, oldest son of Jonathan and Eleanor Butts, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, December 4, 1818. With his par- ents he came to Ohio in the spring of 1819. The family settled in Brookfield township, Trumbull county, Ohio, where they remained till the spring of 1829, when they removed to Fowler township. David M. Butts obtained an ordinary education in the common schools, and at the age of fifteen began an apprenticeship, serving some six years at the blacksmith trade. He worked as journey- man one winter, when he commenced the busi- ness for himself at Fowler center, and continued for ten to fifteen years. March 15, 1842, he was married to Melissa, daughter of Gideon Watters, an early settler in Fowler township. Mrs. Butts was born in Fowler February 1, 1820. Mr. and Mrs. Butts have had three children, two daughters and one son-Malvina, born August 4, 1844, and died November 5, 1865; Cyrus C., born May 2, 1846, now a resident of Fowler center, and was married in 1878 to Eva J. Rand, daughter of Sylvester J. Rand, of Fowler, and has one daughter, Gracie B., born August 25, 1880; Phobe Maria, born July 9, 1855, and died December 11, 1862. Mr. Butts settled upon. the place where he now lives in the spring of 1850. He owns over one hundred acres of fine land, which is well improved. He was for four or five years en- gaged in milling. He was elected justice of the peace three terms at various times, and has been township treasurer five terms. Has also been trustee. The family are members of the Disciple church.
Austin N. Silliman (deceased), son of Abijah
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Silliman, was born in Fowler township, Trum- bull county, Ohio, December 18, 1829. He married in 1870 Lucy A., daughter of William H. and Melinda (Humason) Clawson, born in Vienna township, Trumbull county, August 25, 1842. With her parents she removed to Mer- cer county, Pennsylvania, about 1843, where they resided until the spring of 1865, when they returned to Trumbull county. Mr. Sillliman was a successful farmer and stock dealer of Fowler township, owning three hundred acres of land at the time of his death. He died March 17, 1875. He was the father of three children, two daughters and one son-Barton N., born December 28, 1870; Mella N., January 27, 1873; Hattie M., February 27, 1875. Since her husband's death Mrs. Silliman has resided at Fowler center, where she erected a substantial residence in 1880.
Edward Oatley was born in Bazetta township, Trumbull county, Ohio, May 15, 1830, youngest son of William and Sophia (Rhodes) Oatley. He resided at home until he was eighteen, when he commenced an apprenticeship of three years at the blacksmith trade in Farmington; worked as journeyman some four years in various places. He was united in matrimony April 18, 1856, to Helen Morse, born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, in 1832. The result of this union was six chil- dren, of whom are living as follows: Edward P., born January, 1859; Charlotte E., 1862; Leota, 1864; Abiah, October, 1871. The mother of these children died September 24, 1873. June, 1874, our subject was married to a daughter- Mary-of Rev. William Kincaid, a well-known resident of Farmington township, where Mrs. Oatley was born in 1838. Some three years after his marriage Mr. Oatley resided in Minnesota. In the spring of 1859 he made a trip to Pike's Peak. Returning to Trumbull county he en- gaged at his trade in Cortland, continuing there four years, when in the fall of 1864 he pur- chased fifty acres where he now lives in Fowler township, where he also established a shop and has since carried on the business in connection with farming.
Richard Steer, son of Elisha and Lois (Ald- rich) Steer, was born in Hampden county, Mas- sachusetts, November 4, 1800. He came to Ohio in the fall of 1830, settling on the farm where he still lives, in Fowler township. The
farm was then but little better than a wilderness. He erected a log house which he occupied until about 1835, when the present residence was built. Mr. Steer was married to Anna Gillett January 6, 1829, by whom he had four children, viz: Mary, born January 25, 1830, now the wife of James Weir, of Johnsonville; Sarah A., July 4, 1832, wife of Rev. Milton Smith, a resi- dent of New York State; Smith G., born March 15, 1836, living on a farm adjoining the home- stead; Emma A., June 15, 1838, now the wife of John Steer, a resident of Massachusetts, Mr. Steer's first wife died March 19, 1852, and Oc- tober roth of the same year he married Mrs. Agnes Gillett, who was born in Massachusetts March 28, 1806. At the time of her marriage to Mr. Steer she was the mother of four children, three of whom survive. Mr. Steer owns one hundred and forty acres of land and has aided his children. He was justice of the peace dur- ing a residence of some six years in Geauga county. The family are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, himself an active mem- ber for over sixty years. His father was a Rev- olutionary soldier.
Isaac A. Smith, youngest son of William V. and Sarah E. (Townsend) Smith, was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, January 15, 1813. He remained at home until he was sixteen, when he served an apprenticeship of some three years in Pittsburg at the cabinet trade. He came to Trumbull county in 1831, settling at Fowler center in the fall of 1832, working for Wesley Hoge, the first cabinet-maker of that place. After working for him some two years he com- menced the cabinet and undertaking business for himself at Fowler center, where he has since continued. He was married February 25, 1836, to Mary Hawley, daughter of Chandler Hawley, born November 13, 1818. He is the father of six children, of whom are living Sarah, wife of Hiram Post; Orpha, wife of Henry Sheldon; Emogene, wife of Marshall Scovill; Vanzant I., who conducts the home farm; and Adell Lily, wife of Artual Dawson. Mr. Smith was ap- pointed postmaster at Fowler center at an early day, and was for twelve years township treasurer.
Orlin H. Hayes, oldest son of Enoch and Aseneth (Gillette) Hayes, was born in Hartford county, Connecticut, March 20, 1812. His father came with his family to Trumbull county
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in the fall of 1832, and settled on the place now occupied by James McIntyre. Enoch Hayes was the father of six children. Of these but two are living, the subject of this sketch and Richard A., a farmer of Mecca township. Mr. Hayes, Sr., died in 1867. Orlin purchased the farm where he still lives about 1837. He married January 6, 1841, Miss Mary Ann Fox, who was born in Hartford county, Connecticut, May 6, 1820, daughter of Joel and Jannet (Mason) Fox. Mrs. Fox was born in Chester, Connecti- cut, June 13, 1786, and is still living with her daughter, and is a remarkable specimen of mental activity and bodily vigor.
Lewis G. Lampson, eldest son of Milo and Martha A. (Cook) Lampson, was born in Fow- ler township, Trumbull county, Ohio, August 29, 1836. His father has been a resident of the county since 1823, when he settled on the ridge road, locating on his present place about 1850. He has raised a family of eight children, seven of whom are living. He is still a vigorous and hearty old gentleman. Lewis G. was educated in the common schools and obtained a fair edu- cation. He was brought up to farming, and worked out some for others. He now owns seventy-seven acres which he has acquired by his own industry. He bought his present place in 1865. He had some war experience during the rebellion, was in Kentucky, and was engaged in several skirmishes.
William Cratsley was born in Hunterdon, New Jersey, October 29, 1817; oldest son of Frederick and Emma (Chamberlain) Cratsley. The family removed to Ontario county, New York, in 1825, and thence to Ohio in 1837, locating in Vienna township, where the father died in 1859. Wil- liam derived a good common school education and taught school during seven winters. Novem- ber 4, 1841, he was married to Miss Sabrina Kingsley, daughter of John F. Kingsley, born in Fowler township in 1824. They were the parents of eight children, of whom six are liv- ing-Mary E., wife of Hugh Lowry, of Cort- land; Martha J., wife of J. S. Webster, residing in Michigan; Olive M., wife of Moses Cooper, same State; Lucy, wife of Joseph Holland, also in Michigan; John F., a carpenter and joiner of Fowler center, born December 22, 1851, mar- ried in 1872 to Artelissa Rand, who was born in Mecca in 1853, and has two children : Frank,
born December 29, 1855, a book-keeper in a large mercantile firm in Toledo. Mrs. Cratsley died in 1873. Our subject pur- chased a place and settled in Fowler township, and engaged in farming, clearing up a place and living there until about 1874. In 1878 he re- moved to Fowler center, where he has since re- sided and led a retired life. He was elected township clerk first in 1846, which office he held ten years; was elected justice of the peace in 1856, and served in that capacity fifteen years; was county commissioner in 1871; also assessor three years and notary public seven years.
Charles F. Hallock was born March 19, 1838, in Fowler township, Trumbull county, Ohio, youngest son of George and Phebe Hallock, of Long Island, New York. George Hallock was born November 23, 1798, and emigrated to the Reserve in the early years of the present cen- tury, locating in Brookfield township, Trumbull county, Ohio. He was engaged in mercantile business in Brookfield, and for two or three years subsequent to his removal to Fowler center. He located on the farm now owned by the subject of this sketch about the year 1836, where he spent the balance of his life. The place was then unimproved with the exception of a log house and a small clearing. He died April 18, 1870. He was a man well and favor- ably known throughout this region, and of more than ordinary energy of character. Was justice of the peace one or more terms. At a celebra- tion July 4, 1824, held at Hartford, he was the orator of the day. His widow still resides on the home place, vigorous in mind and body. Charles Hallock remained at home until of age, when he took charge of a cheese factory at Fowler center, which he conducted successfully some ten years. He was married in 1872 to Miss Ella, daughter of Lewis Alderman, born April 29, 1854, and has one son, Asel J., born July 13, 1877. After his marriage he located upon the home place, where he still resides.
Noah Belford, youngest son of John and Sally (Tanner) Belford, was born in Fowler town- ship, Trumbull county, Ohio, August 15, 1839. Mrs. Belford was a daughter of William Tanner, an early settler of Fowler. She died January 5, 1869. She made her home with her son, the subject of this sketch, during the latter years of her life. At fifteen Noah was thrown upon his
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own resources. At the age of eighteen he learned the carpenter trade; he continued that trade some eighteen years, during which time he has built many fine buildings in Fowler and else- where. In the fall of 1873 Mr. Belford pur- chased the Tyrrell Hill flouring mills, which had not been used as a mill for some years. He enlarged and remodeled the buildings, putting in modern machinery, including a new engine and boiler, and doing an extensive business.
Josiah Enos, son of John and Theodosia (Bushnell) Enos, was born in Genesee county, New York, July 18, 1818. John Enos was a soldier in the War of 1812. Josiah served an apprenticeship at the blacksmith trade'at Buffalo when eighteen, and after learning the trade came to Ohio in 1839. He worked as journeyman at Warren, Trumbull county, for a time, where he was married December 12th of the same year to Sarah Neere born in Portage county, Ohio, by whom he has had six children-Mary A., born March 4, 1841, still at home; Elizabeth, born May 25, 1843 ; Emily, September 5, 1847; Cor- nelia, February 28, 1849, wife of John McFet- ridge, residing in Pennsylvania; Josephine, born September 5, 1852, wife of John Burnett, resid- ing in Pennsylvania; Alice, June 7, 1855, wife of William Lewis, of Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Enos commenced the blacksmith trade at Fowler im- mediately after his marriage, and has since car- ried on the business there. In 1861 Mr. Enos enlisted in the Eighty-seventh Ohio volunteer in- fantry, afterwards enlisting the Twelfth Ohio cavalry, and took part in some of the principal engagements of the war, such as the Second Bull Run, Pittsburg Landing, and other battles. He served until the close of the war, and was mus- tered out at Chattanooga, Tennessee, in Septem- ber, 1865. He was present at the surrender of Joe Johnston. He has been a member of the Disciples church for thirty years, and his wife was also a member of the same church.
Lester A. Clark, oldest son of Leonard Clark of the preceding sketch, was born in Fowler township, Trumbull county, Ohio, June 18, 1843. He attended the schools in Fowler until he was eighteen, when he went to Hiram college one term. He was brought up on the farm, where he remained until he was twenty-two or twenty-three years of age. October 15, 1866, he married Ellen Coleman, born in Lorain county,
Ohio, in 1843, by whom he had three children, viz : Almira, born in 1867, died February 5, 1875; Coleman C., born August 1, 1870; Lillie M., born November 15, 1871. His first wife died November 3, 1875, and October 23, 1878, he was married to Miss Malinda, daughter of W. H. Clawson, of Fowler. She was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, June 8, 1851. One child is the fruit of this marriage, Lettie M., born October 8, 1878. After his marriage Mr. Clark remained on the homestead one year and was also a resident of Hartford one year. He located on his present place in the fall of 1868. In connection with farming he does an extensive business in the manufacture and sale of wood pumps.
Daniel Trowbridge was born in Palmyra, Port- age county, Ohio, July 8, 1826, youngest son of Wheeler and Anna (Shaw) Trowbridge. He was thrown upon his own resources at an early age; worked out, and also bought live stock. He removed to Fowler township, Trumbull coun- ty, in the fall of 1845. He purchased the place where he now lives in the spring of 1854, then only partially cleared, now fully improved. June 21, 1854, he was married to Anna Baldwin, daughter of Ephraim Baldwin, one of the early settlers of Fowler township, where Mrs. Trow- bridge was born in 1835. Mr. and Mrs. Trow- bridge are the parents of six children, viz: John F., proprietor of Fowler hotel at Fowler center; Frederick M., Celestia M., Ernest A., Jessamine, and Carlton E .; the last five at home. Mr. Trowbridge has a farm of one hundred acres, and while engaged in farming has dealt largely in the business of buying and shipping live stock.
E. J. Forward, oldest son of George and Or- phia (Hawley) Forward was born October 19, 1828, in Southwick, Hampden county, Massa- chusetts. Besides his attendance at the common school in his native State he went one term to an academy in Southwick. He came to Ohio in 1850, and January 19, 1853, was united in marriage to Maria Sigler, daughter of Philo and Esther Sigler, who settled in Fowler township, Trum- bull county, as early as 1812. Mrs. For- ward was born there January 30, 1833. After his marriage he settled on his father-in-law's place, where he remained till the spring of 1868. He is the father of five children, of whom one is deceased. The survivors are Alice M., born
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October 5, 1853, now wife of Adelbert Card, of Fowler; Philo H., born March 30, 1858, now engaged in clerking; Minnie M., December 19, 1861 ; George M., August 13, 1863. Amelia A., died when five years old.
CHAPTER XIII. LIBERTY.
In 1806 the people residing in range two (south) and town three, by petition to the prop- er authorities gained their Liberty, and the land situated south of Vienna, with Hubbard on the east, Mahoning county south, and Weathersfield west was organized as a township, taking the name of Liberty.
The north part of the township is generally level ; the east and southeast rolling and more broken between Church Hill and Girard. In the north the soil is of heavy clay, but toward the east it is more of a gravel or sandy nature, and the south is generally of clay. The usual farm products are produced here with good average yield with other sections of the county. Coal is the chief production, and this is strictly a mining region, the chief industry be- ing in this line. It was first discovered and the first mine was opened in 1860 on the farm of Alexander McCleery. The land was leased by one Strain, from Mr. McCleery, and operations were commenced. The first drilling was made without success; another start was made and a five foot vein was struck which was worked out, but as it did not prove to be profitable the lease was sold. Governor Tod afterward visited the mine, which was obstructed by "horse-backs." He made some effort to encourage the work by advising the owners to work around the obstructions, but the mine was abandoned.
About 1864-65 the Church Hill Coal com- pany was formed and opened a bank at the vil- lage, which has been successfully operated since.
The Briar Hill company afterwards opened the Kline coal bank in 1868, which is also in suc- cessful operation.
The Garfield bank, on Wright's farm, the Hancock bank, on the farm of Calvin Denison, and Bank No. 9, have all been opened recently.
The Mahoning river flows across the south- west corner of the township, into which the land in the northwest part is drained by Squaw run. The western part is drained by Crab creek and its tributaries. The Lake Shore & Michigan . Southern and the Atlantic & Great Western railroads extend across the southeast corner, and the latter has a branch, which with the Ashtabula, Youngstown & Pittsburg and Painesville & Youngstown railroads extends across the south- west.
POPULATION, ETC.
The mining interest has naturally attracted a large element of the working class who reside in close neighborhoods near the coal banks, and among which the foreign element predominates, in which the Welch is largely represented. Gi- rard and Church Hill are villages of some note, the former being the larger and most important, neither of which have been incorporated.
The discovery of coal, and the manufacturing interests about Girard have been the means of increasing the population from 1,367 in 1860 to 2,420 in 1870, and 3,657 in the year 1880.
In very early times grist-mills were of great importance to the pioneer, and the introduction of a mill capable of grinding the corn for meal was hailed with special pleasure by the early set- tlers. One Mr. Steen in very early times built a mill near the forks of the road south of Powers' plat, which was propelled by water-power re- ceived from a tributary of Crab creek. This mill supplied as best it could, with the limited facilities, the wants of the settlers in this locality.
The first mill built on the Mahoning river at this point was erected by Mr. Wilkinson where the road crosses the river west of Tod's plat.
Another was erected near the present farm residence of E. Mahan, and another on Squaw creek, near Holliday's, in very early times. To these rude apphances for crushing corn and wheat the settlers made their regular visits with their frugal grists, and when a boy was old enough to go to mill he was then considered an important personage in the settlement, as the lonely journey required no little amount of cour- age, and the success of his journey a very im- portant consideration to those who depended upon the scanty supply of meal for subsistence.
THE PLATS.
The several plats indicated on the map of this
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TRUMBULL, AND MAHONING COUNTIES, OHIO.
township were laid out in anticipation of locali- ties forming near the mines, and some of them have been successful in inducing settlements, but the uncertainty of coal mines have made it necessary for miners' families to be often re- moved, and hence there are many vacated premises. Tod's plat, Kline's plat, and Powers' plat were all designed for communities of work- ingmen, and are more or less settled.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
It is not known with absolute certainty who was the first settler in Liberty. The late Samuel Dennison is authority for the statement that Jacob Swager was the first, and as Mr. Dennison was about sixteen years of age when he came with his father in 1801, his recollections are en- titled to great credit. Robert Stewart, now liv- ing in Brookfield, who came with his father in 1800, and was nine years old, thinks that Henry Swager, a cousin of Jacob's, was the first to com- mence the subjection of the wilderness of old Liberty.
Valentine Stull came in 1799, and from his grandson, John E. Stull, it is learned that when his grandfather came to Liberty there were but four families here, and that Henry Swager was one of them, and must have been here as early as 1798.
Mr. Swager settled on what was known after- wards as the Henry Ricard farm, immediately west of Church Hill, on the east and west center road, on the northeast corner of lot number eight. He lived here for several years, when he sold to Jacob Boyd and purchased a farm of one hundred acres in the southeast part of the town- ship, where he lived until the age of over ninety- seven, when he died. He was a great hunter, and many were the bears, deer, wild turkeys, and other game that fell victims to the unerring aim of Liberty's pioneer marksman.
James Matthews came in 1798, and settled in the southwest part of the township on lot num- ber one, where he continued to reside until 1825, when he removed to Warren township. Mr. Matthews kept the first public house in early days, and also erected and operated the first distillery in the township.
John Stull came in 1798, and settled about one-half mile from Girard toward Church Hill.
Valentine Stull came alone in 1799, and pur- chased a half section of land, lots eleven and
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