USA > Ohio > Erie County > History of the Fire lands, comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers > Part 66
USA > Ohio > Huron County > History of the Fire lands, comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers > Part 66
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In July, 1867, Mr. and Mrs. Drake and their eldest daughter, united with the congregation of Christian people, known as "Disciples," in Fairfield, Huron connty. In January, 1868, measures having been taken to organize a similar congregation at Norwalk, in the same county, they transferred their connection to that organization. Mr. Drake was, at the outset, made "deacon" of the new body-an office which he held during the remainder of his life. He is spoken of, by his neighbors and fellow communicants, as a zealous Christian man, active in every good work looking toward the moral and religious improvement of the community in which he lived.
He was an industrious, skillful and successful far- mer, having devoted the greater portion of his life to the cultivation of the soil. IIe had, however, a prac- tical knowledge of the carpenter and joiner's trade, which he learned and practiced in early life.
A few years ago he received a somewhat serious injury in his left side, from a young horse which he was training. Taking a violent cold. a short time before his death, from exposure in a severe storm. it settled in the injured side. and resulted in the fatal disease, typhoid pneumonia, which ended his days on the 3d of April, 1817-at which time he lacked but six days of being fifty years old. "He died quietly in the midst of his family, greatly beloved by them and his friends and neighbors, all of whom attested their affection and respect for him by their presence in great numbers at his burial."
35
2.1
HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
REUBEN PARKER.
Joshua Parker and two sons, James and Renben, came from Lincolnshire, England. The father and son James settled in Indiana and died there. Reu- ben, the subject of this sketch, came to Ridgefield in Angust, 1851, and purchased the John Brown farm on the ridge in section three. He married Miss Mary E. Roe, and, by economy and steady, persever- ing effort. has now a fine farm of one hundred and forty-six aeres under profitable cultivation, for which
he paid twelve thousand five hundred dollars. They have a family of eight children, whose names are as follows: Homer, Nellie, Charles, Rosa, Frank, Anna, George and Alice. A son, Joshua, Jr .. came to Ridgefield in the spring of 1845. He has been twice married; lives in Monroeville. In 1861, three other children came on: John, who married Ann Clark, lives in Bronson; Mary A., who married Joseph Holden, lives in Ridgefield, and Jesse, who married Rachel Smith, and lives in Lyme township.
CLARKSFIELD.
DURING the war of the revolution, the British troops committed many depredations in the east, among which was the burning of the towns of Danbury. Nor- walk, Fairfield and other places in Connecticut. The State, in view of the sufferings of those who had sus- tained losses by fire, made them a donation of lands in Ohio, being the same now comprised mainly in the conties of Huron and Erie.
ORIGINAL OWNERS.
For an explanation of the following tables the reader is referred to the history of Wakeman town- ship:
CLARKSFIELD, TOWN NUMBER THREE, IN RANGE TWENTY.
CLASSIFICATION No. 1, SECTION 1.
Original Grantees.
Am't. Loss.
Classified by.
Am't Classed.
Peter Hendrick
399
6
8
William Walton ..
399
6
S
Abraham Andrews
430
0
0
Abigail Desbrow
9
11
8
9
11
8
Major Taylor
462
12
Timothy Chitten- den, Jr. ..
262 21
0
0
Ebenezer Baker
21
18
0
3
0
4.
19
16
0
John Walerous
3
12
0
44
3
12
0
Jeffery Wellmith
23
19
10
23
19
10
Nehemiah Mead, Jr.
9
3
9
8
3
Zebediah Taylor
10
0
0
44
19
0
Robert Nutt
14
16
18
13
3
0
0
..
46
28
5
15
8
Abr amCamp's heirs 142
13
3
142
13
3
James Whelpley
5
1
4
5
4
Mary Harvey
14
11
0
16
0
5
16
005
Footing of Classification No. 1, £1,344
CLASSIFICATION NO. 2, SECTION 2.
Original Grantees.
Am't Loss.
Classified by
Am't Classed.
James Clark
521
3
4
James Clark, Esq.
3
840
Wakeman Burr
363
14
0
Joseph Trowbridge
363
14
9
Jolın Allen
545
12
G
272
16
9
545
19
6
Capt John McLean Timothy Chittenden,
148
16
11
Thomas Darrow John Rogers
17
5
2
Jr.
5
13
5
Justns Hoyt
0
..
3
5
1
Caleb Hoyt
1
13
10
11
13 10
0
Footing of Classification No. 2, £1,344
CLASSIFICATION No. 3, SECTION 2.
Original Grantees.
Am't Loss.
Classified by.
Am't Classed.
€
S.
d.
€
S.
d.
Thadeus Benedict, Esq.
349
7
4
John Dodd
222
13
1
David Wood
288 12
14
0
L. Philips, wife of L. H. Phillips Philo Calhoun
12
6
Daniel Church
10
10
40
10
Comfort Hoyt
50
Stephen Jarvis
43
6
43
6
Joshna Knapp
13 1
19
1
19
GC
Daniel Taylor, Esq.
636
11/
Jadock Starr 131
0
Benjamin Sperry
113
18
3
64
11
18
3
Thomas Tavlor, Jr
10
1-1
Timothy Chittenden,
Jesse Raymond
147
Jr.
147
27
Nathan waring
32
14
32
14
7
Thomas Darrow
17
5
416
Daniel Minor
206
6
Isaac Benedict
4
4
6
4
641
6
Samuel Taylor, Esq
2
1
22
1
2
Thomas Taylor
5
1
4
30
3
11
Footing of Classification No. 3 £1.344
CLASSIFICATION No. 4, SECTION 4.
Original Grantees.
Am't Loss.
Classified by.
Am't Classed.
Comfort Hoyt, Jr
478
15
Comfort Hoyt Jr. 478
15
7
William Balger
19
6
0
3
6
0
Samuel Andrews
8
8
0
Matthew Benedict 218
10
12
10
40
12
10
Abijah Benedict
1
18
44
7
18
0
Timothy Benedict
10
10
046880 6
44
4
14
Samnel Benedict
Benjamin Boughton
10
0
0
10
1
3
10
Joseph Burchard
1
12
10
1
12
10
Sarah Basset
..
18
8
18
8
Caleb Church
3
19
11
0
..
3
19
10
8
Philip Corbin
10
14
-
10
5
Amos Collins
1
1ª
-
0
..
Elisha Dibble
4
6
1
1-4
Wait Disbrow
9
11
5
16
0
3
1-
..
1 4
1
5
0
Noah Hoyt
5
6 08604130 4 0 0 8
4 .
3
11
Isaac Caller
4
Enos Camp
3
19
4
10
8
5
1
6
14
6
524
3
Curtis Clark
300
0
John Elliott
Jacob Finch
James Fielding
0
William Griffin
14
Rachel Gregory
4
18
616
13
10
C
Oliver Benedict
14
Thomas Hobby, Jr.
13
0
0 11
Jabez Ferris
28
5
11
40
14
16
4
5
6
8
Matthew Barnum
0
Samnel Brown
1
3
John Rockwell
5
John Rogers
41
1
6
19
0
8.
d
d.
£
8
d
3
S.
d.
19
7
Antony Angevine
3
18
0
Benjamin Allen
5
3
5
3
3
Joseph Stehbins
19
16
12
6
0
12
6
5
616
Lemuel Benedict
10
Thomas Benedict
13
1 44229 2 9
Comfort Barnnm
0
Rebecca De Forest
15
3
19
Seth Comfort
4
1-4
9
Jonah Benedict
206
6
46
4.
43
2
Eleazer Hoyt
Thomas Tavior
11
44
10 5
2
0 4
Seth Shove
5
8-83904 7 0 4
4.4
50
7
0
44
..
64
3
7
1
Sarah Benedict
5
1
4
Joshna Benedict
12
12
18
Joseph Benedict, Jr
7
John Conch
Joseph Broadbrooks
0
0 086
£
8
d
1
34
2
8
1
1
0
Jonathan Hays 11
199233 1 % 8
5
16
6
Benjamin Daily
$
3
18
Titus Palmer
10
1.1
11
3
11
1-4
7 0
Eliphalet Barnum
14
158
Abraham Hays
3
275
HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
£
£
d.
Horace Knapp Aaron Knapp
15
Comfort Hoyt Jr. ..
15 18
0
Timothy Ketchum
6
6
6
Samuel Lambert
3
19
1
9
0
..
David Northrup
3
14
3
8
-
8
Abiel Pickel
3
14
6
3
14
6
John Sturdivant
1
11
0
..
1
11
John Stone
1
16
8
16
10
..
1
10
10
Benjamin Taylor
2
15
1
5
5
7
15
Matthew 'Taylor
23
19
6
11
19
Elias Taylor
1
0
...
4
2
Thomas Wildman
3
11
9
11
Elijah Wood
2
8
8
10
Jos. H. Gregory & heirs 8 Ezra Dibble
8
10
Daniel Comstock
9
6
17
Ezra Starr
1214
Benjamin Sperry
113
1
14
83
0
Matthew Starr
9
2
12
0
Jeshua Mead
11
Elizabeth Moore
2
0
7
2
0
Thadeus Lockwood
54
18
5
54
18
5
John Wyllys
18
11
17
18
11
Michael C Timpany 76
46
76
14
8
Jhsiah Thatcher
400
6
512
15
9
816
Edmund Mead
11
9
11
11
9
11
Footing of Classification No 4. £1,344
0
Township number three in range twenty is bound- ed on the north by Wakeman township; sonth by New London; east by Brighton township, Lorain county, and west by Hartland township. The town- ship is generally level and well watered. The soil consists of a mixture of clay, a little sand, and a goodly portion of black loam, which together consti- tute a soil well adapted to agriculture. The Vermil- lion river is the principal water course in the town- ship. It rises in Richland county, has two branches, and flows in a northerly direction until it empties into Lake Erie. The west branch enters this town- ship on lot twenty-five in the fourth section, and flowing a general northeasterly direction, crosses the north township line on lot five in section three. The east branch is formed from two small streams which enter the south part of the township on lots six in the fourth section and eleven in the first section, which unite on lot twenty-three in the last-named section. The stream flows northeasterly to lot twelve in the second section, where it turns westward and flows from the township on lot twenty in the second section. The banks of this river furnish an excellent quality of sandstone for building purposes. There are a few other streams, of which Spring brook is the chief, but they are unimportant, and generally dry in the summer season.
NAME.
This township derived its name from a gentleman named James Clark, who was a " sufferer" to the amount of £1,048 6s. Sd. The name was subse- quently changed to Bethel, and shortly afterwards to its present name of Clarksfield.
INDIANS.
Among the Indians, the Wyandottes and Senecas were probably the most numerous, and often visited the settlement, bringing in venison to exchange for produce, whisky, etc. One of these Indians, having one day imbibed a little too freely while on a visit to the " hollow," called at the house of E. W. Barnum,
and, supposing him to be "one Frenchman," insisted on killing him. He was, however, put in duress for the night, one of his own tribe aiding in tying him up. Next morning he was permitted to depart, a little more sober if not better natured. They were in general, however, civil and well disposed toward the settlers, whisky causing nearly all the exceptions.
SETTLEMENT.
In the summer of 1817, Samuel Husted and Ezra Wood came from Danbury, Connecticut, to Ohio, and during the summer erected the first house in Clarksfield township. This was constructed of the materials usnal in pioneer times-logs,-and was situated on the hill near the site now occupied by the residence of Murray Stiles. After the completion of this house, the two returned to their homes in the far- away east. While they were preparing for a final re- moval to Ohio, two hardy sons of New England ar- rived in Clarksfield, and became the first families to locate there. Their names were Smith Starr and Simeon Hoyt. The former of these settled on lot number eight in the third section, where he passed the remainder of his days. He died July 13, 1856. Mrs. Starr died December 16, 1846. During the first winter in the township, their nearest neighbor was some miles away. The family consisted of John T., who now lives in Kansas; Mary, Rory and Peter who are dead; Deborah, who lives on the old homestead; Smith who received an injury in the saw mill, from which he died; William K., who married Jane Arnold, and also resides on the old farm.
Simeon Hoyt came by wagon drawn by two yoke of oxen and a horse. Six weeks were consumed by the toilsome journey. In October, Clarksfield town- ship was reached, and a settlement was soon effected on lot number six in the fourth section. Here the family remained until 1860; then removed to Florence, Erie county, where the father died some three years later. The wife died in 1858. She was the widow of John Knapp, and had seven children when married to Hoyt. Three children were born of the last mar- riage. Their names were: Lyman who married Ar- villa Curtiss, lives in Clarksfield; Hiram who is dead; William who married Emma Webb, and lives in Clarksfield; Henry, who is dead; Caroline and Emeline (twins, ) the former of whom married Sherman Smith, and lives in Clarksfield: the latter married Dr Tracy Cone, and lives in New London; Eliza, who married Major Smith, and lives in Clarksfield; J. Frederick, who married Mary J. Andre, and lives in Michigan; Dolly who married John Dean, also lives in Michigan; Lucy Ann is now the wife of Benjamin Pierce, of Florence, Erie county.
Samuel Husted came, with his family, in 1818. He came by the slow transit method, oxen and wagon, and was nine weeks on the road. Arriving in Clarksfield, the family ocenpied the log house for a time. Mr. Husted afterward built a frame house in the "hollow," the first in the township, into which
3933 3
14
Amos Northrop
2
2
14
Anne Northrup
David Northrup
6
940808 0 8 0
041614008 4 6 8
6
..
17
7
11
Ezra Dibble, Jr.
1
11
84
2
9
8
4
11
15
Nathan Taylor, 3d
15
0
7
Joseph Gregory
16
Oliver Taylor
4
6
d. 0
18
0
216
HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
the family removed. This house is now occupied by William Reynolds. Mr. Husted became prominent in the pioneer improvements of the township. He died May 10, 18 -. Mrs. Husted is also deceased. The children are : Hiram, who married H. A. Slocum, of South Carolina. and died there ; Edward E. and Samuel W. are dead ; Thomas F., living in Michigan; Hoyt and Betsey are dead ; Mary J., who married George H. Signor, and lives in the hollow ; (To this lady the writer is indebted for the facts of this family. ) Obadiah J., who married Mary W. Hurlbutt, and lives on lot seven, in the third section : Hester Paul. an adopted daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Husted, came with the family, and became an important person at the first wedding.
Ezra Wood married Nancy Rowland, in 1816, and reached Clarksfield, November 18, 1818. He settled on lot number seventeen, in the second section. (this farm is now owned by David R. Wood. ) where he remained, nearly continuously, until his death, September 18, 1815. Mrs. Wood died Jannary 7. 1878. Ezra Wood was an expert hunter, and a sort of missionary among the Indians. He was connected with many early industries in Clarksfield. The children were : Maria C .. who married S. R. Day, lives in Clarksfield ; David E. and William H. are deceased ; Nathaniel E. who married Julia A. McCord, lives in New London township, and Daniel R., who married Mary J. Ronk, lives on the old farm, and has three children-Ezra J., Edwin B. and Nancy May.
Benjamin Stiles, of Danbury, Connecticut, arrived in Clarksfield township on July 3, 1818. He purchased some six hundred and forty acres of land, and located on lot number twenty-two, in section three. His first wife was Anna Morris, who died previous to his coming to Ohio, and he married Hannah Trowbridge, who died in Ohio, and he married Rhoda Root, who died in 1852 or '53. Benjamin Stiles died in Clarksfield in April, 1812. The children are as follows : Ann, died Feb- ruary 9, 1841; Henry, died May 19, 1866; Joseph B., died September 20, 1842, and Lucy B., died February 22, 1835 : Samnel, who married Harriet Livermore, and lives in Iowa ; William W., who married Sarah D. Tyler, and resides in Clarksfield ; (This gentleman is county commissioner. ) Hannah M., who married Alfred Mead, and lives in Michigan, and Edmond R., who married Angie Bruce, also lives in Michigan.
Solomon Gray came from Danbury, Connecticut, with oxen and wagon, to Ohio, in 1818. He first settled on the farm now owned by John Hayes. He next located on lot number nine, where he died in April, 1845. Mrs. Gray died a few years subsequent. The children are : Parmelia, who married James Green, and lives on lot nine : George W., who married Mahalia Spurrier, and lives on lot twenty-five, have five children living, (Martha J., Jeannette R., Ella B., Mina, Agnes and James D.); James has been twice married, and lives on lot nine.
Aaron Rowland was born in Danbury. Connecticut, November, 1729. January 1, 1799, he married
Deborah Dean, of Putnam county, New York, and locating in Southeast. same county. he followed the milling business on the Croton river, until latter part of September. 1818, when he removed to Clarksfield, and settled on lot number eighteen in the second sec- tion. His family at this time consisted of wife and six children. The journey was performed with oxen and wagon, and some six weeks' time was consumed. Mrs. Rowland died in December. 1866; and Mr. Rowland, in February. 1868. The children are : Ezra. who married Ann Stiles ; she died, and he married Mrs. Catharine Doran. He died in 1868. The family live in Clarksfield. Jemima, who mar- ried Linas Palmer, she now lives with a son in Fitchville. William, who married Harriet Wright; she died, and he married Abby Riekman, and lives in New York city. Wildman, who married Harmony Blair and now lives in Oberlin, Ohio. Tamazon. who married Samnel Husted: after his death she married Martin Pulver, and lives in Clarksfield. Betsey, who married Joseph Stiles, who died. and she became the wife of Thomas Pelton. now living in Berlin, Erie county, Ohio. Charles, who married Lney Seagur, and after her death, Jane Grey, and now lives in New London, this county; and Daniel, who married Har- riet Chaffee, and now lives on the old homestead in Clarksfield township.
Obadiah Jenney whose nativity was New Bedford, Massachusetts, left Cavnga county, New York, for Ohio early in March, 1818. and with a horse and eut- ter, made the journey in an incredibly short time, arriving in Clarksfield township on March 11th. He was a mill wright, and the following summer. assisted in building the mills at the hollow. On December 25, 1821, he married Miss Hester Panl. He had, previous to this time, bought one hundred acres of land in lot fourteen in the third section. In 1825, he removed to Norwalk. and in 1828. he bought the hotel, at the village, known as the Mansion House. He is yet living living in Norwalk. The children are: Eliza A., who is deceased: Enoch S., who now, lives in California; Cornelia, deceased; Ce- celia, who resides at home; Mary and John are de- ceased: William H. and Frank L .. (twins) the former was a physician, and is deceased; the latter married C. L. Loverien, and resides in Kansas City.
In July, 1819, two brothers, Eli and Ebenezer Barnum, arrived in Clarksfield township from Dan- bury, Connecticut. Eli settled on the farm now oc- cupied by Mrs. Collins, where he remained a number of years: eventually, however, he removed to Nowalk. He was superintendent of the county infirmary, where he died. Mrs. Barnum is now deceased. The chil- dren are: Levi. Horace, David. Henry. Luey and Mary. Ebenezer, located on the farm now owned by Mrs. Fisher, and after a short time, removed to the farm now occupied by Ransom Camp, where he settled permanently. In 1857, he removed to the "hollow" where he died March 4. 1868. Mrs. Barnum is still living. and in the enjoyment of her faculties, although
.
277
HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
eighty-one years of age. The family consist of Francis and Mary who died in infancy, prior to locat- ing in Ohio; John N., who married Catharine B. Croxford resides at the "hollow." He has been en- gaged in merchandizing for the past twenty-five years. Joseph S., who married Sally A. Bacon, and lives in Missouri; William L., who married Maria Scott, and lives in Ontario, Indiana; Stephen G., who married Lucinda A. Norton, and lives in Memphis, Missouri; Ebenezer M., Jr., who died in infancy: and Sarah A., who married Levi Stuck, and died in Missouri.
A few years subsequent to the arrival of Eli and Ebenezer, a third brother, Levi, came. He settled on lot number twelve where he died many years since. His wife is now deceased. Children: Mary A., who married William A. Patch, and lives on the old farm; Elizabeth, who married O. P. Furlong, and lives in Tennessee; Fanny, who married Hiram Smith, and ives in Norwalk; Thomas is dead; Joanna, who mar- ried John Lucas, and lives in Detroit, Michigan; Margaret, who married Harriet Bentley, and lives in Wakeman, and Catharine, who married Wilson Cur- tiss, and now lives in Michigan.
Ezra Wildman came from Danbury to Ohio in 1820. His wife was Anna Hoyt, daughter of one of the pro- prietors of the township, who had received from her father a deed for one-half of lot number nine in the third section. Mr. Wildman purchased the remainder of the lot, and in 1828, located his family thereon. He died February 26, 1858; age eighty-three years. Mrs. Wildman died on the 10th of the following June, at the age of seventy-nine years. The family were: Mary Ann, who married Daniel Stone, and lives in Clarksfield; William H., who is now living with his second wife, ocenpies the old homestead; Frederick A., who married Marietta Patch. He was a cap- tain in the Union army during the rebellion. (His family are three sons and two daughters.) The next child of Ezra Wildman was Cornelia E., who married Alfred R. Segur, and lives in Norwalk. A sister, the eldest of the family, died prior to removal to Ohio.
Three brothers-Sherman, Clark A. and Major Smith, came to Huron county in the fall of 1815. Their parents, Elisha and Margaret Mathews Smith had removed from Bristol, Connecticut, to Springfield, Clarke county, Ohio, in 1810, and three years later both died, and the three children came north, as stated. Sherman was aged twenty, Clark eighteen, and Major six years; a sister, Betsey, aged twelve years, was left with stranger-friends at Springfield. Sherman contracted for land in New London town- ship, upon which he erected a log house, and then sent for the sister, who came on and kept house for the boys. The following spring the house and its con- tents were burned.
In 1821, finding that a good title could not be ob- tained, the land was given up. Clark had died in the meantime, and Sherman bought seventy-one acres of land in lot two, section four; built a log house and
.
frame barn, (the third in the township); married Car- oline Knapp, and began in earnest the work of acquir- ing a competency. Major continued to live with him until he, too, married. His wife was Eliza Knapp. They live in Clarksfield: have had one child, now deceased. Sherman subsequently purchased the farm in lot six, where he now resides. The children are: Sarah, who married George Bissell, and lives in New London; Saba, who married; Benjamin F. Fanning, lives in Clarksfield: Mina, who married G. A. Fox, and lives in New London, and Emeline, who married Andrew J. Blackman, and lives in Clarksfield. The sister, Betsey, married Lotus Barrett, of New London, and died, leaving two children.
Eli Segur, at an early date, settled on the farm now occupied by Isaac Johns, where he died. The wife died in Bronson township. None of the family are now living in the county. The children's names are: Mary Ann, Alfred R., Albert W., Amarillas, Lucy, and perhaps one other.
Asa Wheeler was the most frequently settled man in the township, never remaining more than a year or two in one place. He finally died on the farm now occupied by S. Ronk. Of his family Lavina and Bathia are deceased; Anson W. and Lemuel live in Kansas.
Abram Gray came from Connectient to Ohio, arriv- ing in Clarksfield, September 14, 1825. He settled on the farm now owned by Hiram Pierce, which he cleared and upon which he died, March 7, 1842. Mrs. Gray died June 20, 1844. Children: Smith S., deceased; Erastus, who married Eliza Parker, lives in Norwalk; Deborah, who married E. E. Husted also lives in Norwalk; Peter S., who married Alice Knapp. lives in Iowa: Lydia, who married S. S. Barnes, lives in Clarksfield; Parmelia Ann, Sarah and Harriet are dead. Samuel D., who married Anna C. Husted, and lives in Clarksfield, and Hiram H., who married Jane Rogers, and lives in Kansas.
Nathan Harris came from Genessee county, New York, to Jessup, now Florence township, Erie county, Ohio, in 1815, arriving on October 20th; next went to Berlin township, and in 1847 to Lake county, Indi- ana, where he died. Mrs. Harris died in 1845. The children are: Anna, Thomas, Hiram, Hiram, 2d, who married Betsey Hendrick, has five children, and re- sides at the center of Clarksfield: Emma. Betsey, Maria, and Harriet. Nathan Harris was one of the men who laid out the road from Florence center to Norwalk.
FIRST EVENTS.
The pioneer baby in Clarksfield township was a son to Benjamin and Hannah Stiles. This event, in the annals of our infant colony, occurred on November 13, 1818. The infant was christened Samuel, grew to manhood, married Miss Harriet Livermore and removed to Iowa, in which State he now resides.
The first couple married in the township was Oba- diah Jenney and Hester Panl, an adopted daughter
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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
of Mr. and Mrs. Samnel Husted. The contract was solemnized by Benjamin Stiles, Esq., at the residence of the bride's father, December 25, 1821. This couple are now living in Norwalk, where they occupy a respectable position in society.
The first death that occurred in the township was Ephraim, a youth some twelve years of age, the son of Eli and Jane Seger. He was picking up chips to put on a log heap, and was bitten by a rattlesnake. The boy was warm by previous exertion, and the virus took immediate effect, rendering every effort to save him ineffectual. He died on the third day after- ward.
Soon after this, Henry Vandevere, while chopping, perceiving a cow feeding just within the range of the tree he was about to fell (and which had already started to fall), ran to drive her away, but was caught by the tree-top and crushed in a horrible manner.
Horace Bodwell was drowned in a well, in the sum- mer of 1820.
A post office was established in Clarksfield town- ship (at the hollow), in the winter of 1819-20, with Smith Starr as postmaster, who continued to occupy the position many years. A mail route was laid out from Norwalk to Medina-a Frenchman, named Seboo, carrying the mail through the woods on foot, between these points. G. W. Jerauld is the present postmaster.
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