History of the Western Reserve, Vol. II, Part 106

Author: Upton, Harriet Taylor; Cutler, Harry Gardner, 1856-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago ; New York : The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 886

USA > Ohio > History of the Western Reserve, Vol. II > Part 106

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Bourdette Wood, a native of Onondaga county, New York, was a boy of thirteen years when his father died, and he proved himself of great assistance in helping his mother to maintain the family. He worked hard, saved his money, and in due course of time was en- abled to buy a tract of land in Groton town- ship, where he began his career as an inde- pendent farmer. Coming to Bellevue, Huron county, in 1844, he embarked in the real estate and loan business, and in his operations was unusually successful. He made wise invest- ments in real estate, at one time owning over 2,000 acres of land in Groton township alone and continued in active pursuits until within a short time before his death, which occurred in the eighty-seventh year of his age.

Bourdette Wood married Rhoda Harring- ton, who was born in Ashtabula, Ohio, a daughter of Seth and Huldah (Smith) Har- rington. Seth Harrington was one of the very early settlers of the Western Reserve. In 1810

I261

HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE

he removed from Ashtabula county to what is now Erie county, buying land on Pipe creek, about one and one-half miles northwest of Bloomingville, where there was a log fort in which the pioneer settlers took refuge from the frequent attacks made upon them by the Indians. There were then neither railways nor canals, the only markets being the lake towns, 100 miles or more distant. Building a log house on his land, Mr. Harrington cleared a good homestead, and there lived until his death, at the age of eighty years. His faithful wife and companion survived him, living to the re- markable age of ninety-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Bourdette Wood reared ten children, namely: Jasper, Emeline, Richard, Henry, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Sophia, Thomas Corwin, Susan and Julia.

Having completed the course of study in the public schools of Bellevue, Thomas C. Wood was given the use of the homestead farm by his father, and there commenced the battle of life even with the world. As a tiller of the soil he made his first money, and later enlarged his operations, becoming a dealer in cattle, sheep and horses, for a number of years carrying on an extensive and profitable business in that line. He gave it up in 1885, and the following two years was engaged in the grain and milling business, but since that time has devoted him- self entirely to the care of his private interests, which are extensive. Mr. Wood owns several arms in Groton and Lyme townships, and has valuable real estate holdings in the city of Bellevue, his property being large, and de- manding his whole time and attention.

On March 17, 1864, Mr. Wood was married to Fannie L. Hartz, the only child of Dr. John J. and Mary Cordelia Hartz. Dr. Hartz was born at Versailles, France, and in his youthful days received excellent educational advan- tages. He was subsequently graduated from the medical department of the Heidelberg Uni- versity, in Germany. On coming to America he traveled extensively through the south and was a resident of Charleston, South Carolina, for a time, then located in Philadelphia, where he practiced medicine for several years, migrat- ing from there to Portage county, Ohio. He spent a short time there, then moved to Upper Sandusky. At these places he had a very ex- tensive practice. He was a man of liberal culture, outside of medicine. In 1852 he came to Bellevue, Huron county, Ohio, and was here successfully engaged in the practice of his pro- fession, until his death in 1865.

Dr. Hartz married in Philadelphia, Mary Cordelia Duler, who was born in that city, a daughter of Peter Duler, a native of Bayonne, France, and a noted linguist who taught the languages in Philadelphia and Lancaster. Pennsylvania. Mrs. Hartz was a lady of much attractiveness and superior mental qualities. She passed away in 1884.

Mr. and Mrs. Wood have a pleasant home in Bellevue, West Main street, where they spend the greater part of the year, the remain- der of the time being devoted to travel. They are held in high esteem throughout the com- munity and are worthy members of the Prot- estant Episcopal church.

FRANK H. HAWLEY .- Three generations of the Hawley family have been identified with the Ohio Farmers' Insurance Company of Le- roy, Medina county-A. G. Hawley, grand- father of Frank H., who served as its secre- tary from 1858 to 1866; Amos H., who held the same position from 1866 until his death in 1890, and Frank H. Hawley, who has been identified with the company for a number of years, since 1909 as its treasurer. These rep- resentatives of the family, who have done so much to forward the interests of the agri- cultural community in this part of the Western Reserve, were all born in Ohio. The great- grandfather, Dr. Gideon Hawley, was a native of Vermont, who migrated to Madison county, Ohio, in the early portion of the past century. He became the father of A. G., Micah and Mary Hawley, of whom the only survivor is Micah, who resides in Canada. The first named was born in Madison county, Ohio, on August 18, 1814; married Miss Helen M. Brown, a native of Haverhill, New Hampshire, and in 1849 moved to Seville, Medina county. There he remained until 1857, then located at West- field and the following year became secretary of the Ohio Farmers' Insurance Company, serving thus until the fall of 1866. His son Amos H., who succeeded his father to the sec- retaryship of the Ohio Farmers' Insurance Company, was born in Worthington, Franklin county, Ohio, on December 14, 1840; was edit- cated in the Seville public schools and at Duff's Commercial College, Pittsburg, and, as stated. became identified with the Ohio Farmers' In- surance Company in the fall of 1866. He died at his home in Leroy, Ohio, in September, 1890, his obsequies being conducted under the auspices of the Methodist church and the Ma- sonic fraternity, with both of which he had

I262

HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE

been actively identified for many years. As a Mason, he had been advanced to the thirty- second degree, being a member of the follow- ing: Harrisville Lodge No. 137, A. F. & A. M .; Medina Chapter, Commandery of Massil- lon, of Eliadah; Grand Lodge of Perfection of Bahnrim Council of the Princes of Jern- salem; Ariel Chapter of the Rose Croix at Cleveland, and the Orient Chapter of Ohio, of Cincinnati.

On October 16, 1867, Amos H. Hawley mar- ried Miss Sarah E. Phillips, who was born in Medina county, February 13, 1848, and was a daughter of Ellery and Ellen (Doty) Phillips, both natives of New York. Mrs. A. H. Haw- ley died in 1908, mother of the following : Frank H., of this sketch ; Emma N., born Sep- tember 1, 1870, who became the wife of R. T. 1 urner and is now a resident of Detroit, Mich- igan ; and Robert A., born August 16, 1877, who lives in Cleveland and is engaged in the insurance business.

Frank H. Hawley was born May 24, 1869, and after passing through the public and high schools at Leroy attended Brooks Military Academy at Cleveland, finishing his studies at Williams College, Massachusetts. Upon his return home he assumed a clerical position with the Ohio Farmers' Insurance Company and in 1909 was elected its treasurer. He is one of the directors of the corporation and also a trustee of Baldwin University, at Berea, Ohio. In June, 1897, Mr. Hawley was mar- ried to Miss Grace Corner, of Malta, Ohio, daughter of George S. and Elizabeth (Gillis- pie) Corner. Their two living children are Robert Blake and Marjorie A. Hawley; one died at the age of two years. Mr. Hawley is domestic and sociable, but has not extended his fraternal relations beyond the order of Mason- ry, being a member of Seville Lodge No. 3 and Medina Chapter. He owns a fine resi- dence in Leroy and both himself and wife are highly esteemed for their good qualities and justly popular for their attractive ones.

GEORGE SCHIBLEY, a prosperous dairy and stock farmer of Amherst township, Lorain county, was born in Huron, Erie county, Ohio, Julv 26, 1857. He is a son of Michael and Catherine (Brandau) Schibley, the former born in Wurtemberg and the latter in Hesse- Castle, Germany. Michael Schibley came to the United States in 1851, and located in Penn- sylvania, where he worked on a farm one year, and then settled in Amherst township. He

worked two years in the first stone quarry and then removed to Huron, Erie county, where he married and resided a few years, when his house burned. He then located in Amherst, and soon after went on to a farm, which he rented six years and then purchased. Within a few weeks of his purchase he sold the farm at a good profit, and then resided for a few months in the village of Amherst, then pur- chased a farm in the southeast part of Amherst township, in 1865, and there successfully car- ried on farming until 1898, when he disposed of it and removed to Amherst, where he lived retired until his death, June 15, 1907. His widow now resides with her son, William H., of Amherst.

George Schibley lived at home until he reached the age of twenty-one years, then went to Cleveland, where he worked a year driving street cars, spent two years as coachman, and returning, to Amherst, rented a farm one year and conducted a milk route. He then pur- chased a farm of sixty-one acres, about one mile southeast of Amherst, upon which he has lived since 1886. He erected a handsome frame house and a good stock barn, and has made many improvements. He has always carried on general farming, and from 1891 until 1902 conducted a milk route in Amherst. He makes a specialty of dairy cows and Chester white hogs.

Though he received but a common school education, Mr. Schibley has become a well- read man, keeps himself informed on the gen- eral topics of the day, and in his political views he is independent, following the dictates of his . own judgment rather than the advice of a party. For many years he has served as trus- tee and steward of the Methodist Episcopal church, and since 1901 has been treasurer.

Mr. Schibley married April 20, 1882, Anna Mary Johnson, born in Christiania, Norway, daughter of Martin Johnson, who still lives in Christiania ; she came to Cleveland, Ohio, in the spring of 1880, to the home of a sister, where she lived until her marriage. Mr. Schib- ley and his wife have five children, namely : Amelia, wife of Verner Zilch, of Amherst township, and they have two children, Nelson W. and Dorothy ; John A., who married Edna P. Smith and resides in Amherst; and Anna Martha, Edward C. and Frank, living at home.

EUGENE SITES, one of the best known poul- try fanciers in this section of the country, was born at Tiffin, Seneca county, Ohio, Novem-

1263

HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE

ber 28, 1861, and is a son of David and Eliz- abeth (Nolan) Sites, both natives of Pennsyl- vania, the former born in Harrisburg and the latter at Hollidaysburg. David Sites' grand- parents were natives of Germany. He came to Seneca county, Ohio, about 1838-40, and drove a team, hauling potash from Sandusky to Columbus, when the old Mad River Rail- road was the only road (this is now a part of the Pennsylvania Railway System) ; at this time wild animals and Indians were plentiful. He was married in Seneca county; his wife was a sister of the noted Dr. Nolan, who had charge of the State Hospital for Insane at Toledo, Ohio. The Sites family came to the Western Reserve, locating first in Dover, Cuy- ahoga county, and resided there until 1888, when they removed to Geneva, Ohio, where Mr. Sites died in 1907, at the age of eighty- six years. His wife died in 1884, at Dover, at the age of sixty years.

The early days of Eugene Sites were spent on a farm. He received a high school edu- cation. In his youth he took great interest in good stock, especially poultry, and as a child took up fancy poultry, which is still of great interest to him. He has handled fine poultry stock of all varieties, and for the past twelve years has often been employed as official judge, his field ranging from New Orleans to Toronto. He has officiated five times in Madison Square, New York, and also in 1886 at the Garden Theater. He was a member of the International Jury of Awards at the St. Louis Exposition for judging poultry, and for his services received a gold medal. He has been judge at Buffalo, Cleveland and many other cities, of live stock of all kinds. He has acted in fifty large cities, about twenty places a year, east and west, and has the Old Mexico Agency for handling poultry. He received a loving cup from the Cleveland Fanciers' Club, in 1906, on his Plymouth Rock chickens. He has won over 8,000 prizes at shows for chickens and dogs. He breeds collies of the highest type, and also makes a specialty of Angora cats. In January, 1909, he exhibited poultry at the Madison Square show in New York, and out of twenty-two entries won twenty regular prizes, fourteen of which were firsts, three seconds, two thirds and one fourth prize. The books of this show will indicate that he has won more cash prize money than any other exhibitor. He is now general super- intendent of the Cleveland Fanciers' Club Company.

Mr. Sites came to Lorain county in the spring of 1888, and to his present farm in 1896. He has 150 acres on Murray Ridge, known as "Murray Hill Farm," one of the best im- proved farms in the county, southwest from Elyria. He is a member of the Carlisle Grange, and has been for twenty-three years a Blue Lodge Mason.

Mr. Sites married Frankie A., daughter of Charles W. Gilson, a pioneer of Sheffield town- ship, Lorain county, and they have two chil- dren, Bessie and Jessie.

ALONZO GRANT BALDWIN. - Prominent among the agriculturists and business men of Rootstown township and its vicinity stands Alonzo G. Baldwin, who was born here in Por- tage county June 4, 1853, a son of Richard and Amanda M. (Snyder) Baldwin, both from Ohio, the father born in Atwater township, Portage county, and the mother in Boardman township, Mahoning county. The grand- parents on the paternal side were Moses and Nancy (Burns) Baldwin, from Wallingford, Connecticut, while the maternal grandparents, John and Elizabeth (Russell) Snyder, were of German parentage. Moses Baldwin, in 1804, at the age of eighteen years, drove through with an ox team from Connecticut to Portage county, Ohio, and settled south of Atwater township on a timbered farm. He built one of the first frame residences in that township, which is yet standing, and in his later life he lived among his children until his death at the age of eighty-seven years. His son Richard lived on this home place until 1871, when he sold the land and bought a farm just north of Atwater station, where his death occurred on the 5th of January, 1902, his wife having died in 1897. Their four children are: Alonzo G .; Eliza Jane, the wife of W. G. Shilliday, of Edinburg township; John M., in Rootstown township; and Richard F., whose home is in Atwater township.

Alonzo G. Baldwin at the age of twenty-one years went to Bourbon in Marshall county, but after six months returned to his former home, and thereafter lived with his parents until his marriage. During the year and a half follow- ing that event he lived on a farm belonging. to his father in Atwater township, and his father then giving him forty-seven and three-fourths acres in Rootstown township he moved there- to and has since been engaged in the improve- ment of his farm and in general agricultural pursuits. Since 1902 he has been a fertilizer

1264

HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE

agent. He married on the Ist of May, 1879, Cora May McGowen, who was born at North Benton, Mahoning county, a daughter of Rich- ard and Harriet ( Mowen) McGowen, also from that county. Their children are: Arthur M., of Ravenna ; Edith May, the wife of W. F. Loomis, of Randolph township; Bessie Elva, the wife of W. L. Porterfield, of Ravenna; William F., also in Ravenna ; and Edward A. and Lawrence F., at home with their parents. Mr. Baldwin votes with the Republican party, and he has served his township as a member of its school board.

L. D. DAYTON, who is a leading man of busi- ness and public affairs at Painesville, Lake county, is now general manager of the Inde- pendent Coal Company, of that place. The company, which was promoted by him, incor- porated in 1909 and capitalized at $10,000, does not clearly indicate by its title the breadth of its business, for, besides dealing in fuel, it fur- nishes builders' supplies of all kinds and buys and sells farm produce. It has erected a ware- house and other buildings suitable for its pur- poses at the corner of Liberty street and the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, and is the first company of its kind ever organized in Painesville. Its officers are : L. D. Dayton, president and manager ; E. C. Witzman, vice- president ; J. A. Bechtol, secretary and treas- urer ; directors, besides the foregoing, R. E. Gregory and C. A. Jepson.

Mr. Dayton, the head of this enterprise, which already is flourishing, is of a family which has long taken a part in making the his- tory of the Western Reserve. His grandfather, Daniel Dayton, was one of the early pioneers who in the twenties of the nineteenth century settled on the west side of the Cuyahoga river in Burton township, where he cleared a space in the forest and made a home for his large family and himself. Reuben P. Dayton, his son, was reared on the old farm, married and raised a family of eleven children himself, of whom L. D. was the youngest. He was born on the old homestead in 1860, received his lit- erary training at Geauga Seminary, after hav- ing passed through the public school course, and completed his education by mastering. a business course. Mr. Dayton came to Paines- ville in 1902, first superintending the operation of the large steam plant of the Coe Manufac- turing Company for some two years. In 1904 he was elected a member of the city board of education on an independent ticket, but re-

signed in the spring of 1905 to accept the po- sition of superintendent of public school build- ings. After satisfactorily filling that office four years he resigned in order to give his undivided attention to the development of the business represented by the Independent Coal Company.

MICHAEL STUART .- It may be said without fear of contradiction that the patent of no- bility which rested its honors and distinction in the person of Michael Stuart came from the highest authority, since it was based upon fine character and marked ability. His life was marked by valuable and generous accomplish- ment in the legal profession and his measure of success was large, but greater than this were the intrinsic loyalty to principle, the deep hu- man sympathy and the broad intellectuality which designated the man as he was. He was the architect of his own fortunes, well merit- ing the title of self-made man, and his char- acter, moulded in the school of adversity and in earlier years touched by the lash of neces- sity, was strong, dominating and marked by pronounced individuality. He was one of those who could "stand alone amidst nature, imperturbed," and while his very idiosyncrasies threw his individuality into strong relief and in a way held him aloof from more intimate asso- ciations, none who came within the sphere of his influence could doubt his sterling. integrity of purpose or fail to accord admiration for his great ability. He devoted half a century to the work of his chosen profession, in which his learning was specially profound and compre- hensive, and at the time of his death, which occurred at his home in Ravenna, on January 20, 1899, he was not only the dean of the bar of Portage county but was also recognized as its ablest member from a purely professional standpoint. He was one who realized that the want of things is the axis of progress and in his career he gave evidence of the fact that the necessities of existence are what produce men worthy of the name.

Mr. Stuart was born near the city of Hart- ford, Connecticut, on August 15. 1827, and was the oldest child of Michael and Mary ( Viets) Stuart. both representatives of families founded in New England in the colonial epoch of our national history. The father held the office of general in the war of 1812, and was a man of strong personality and sterling integ- rity. He came with his family to Ohio in 1828, when his son Michael of this memoir was one year old, and settled near the present village

MICHAEL STUART

I265

HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE

of Streetsboro, in Streetsbroro township, Por- tage county, where he secured a tract of wild land and instituted the reclaimation of a farm. The old homestead is now owned by his son Charles, and the other two surviving children are Mrs. Charles Kilbourn, of Hudson, Ohio, and Mrs. Jane Snyder, a resident of the state of Kansas. On the old homestead the parents continued to reside until they were summoned to the life eternal. The father died July 17, 1862, at the age of seventy-two years, and the mother on October 23, 1888, at the venerable age of eighty-six years.

Michael Stuart, to whom this memoir is ded- icated, was reared on the home farm and early began to assist in its arduous work, while his preliminary educational training was secured bv somewhat irregular attendance in the pio- neer schools of the locality and period. At the age of sixteen years he entered the Western Reserve · College, in Hudson, and after com- pleting his academic studies in this institution he went to Akron, where he entered the law office of the late Judge Rufus P. Spaulding and began the work of preparing himself for the profession in which he was destined to at- tain much of distinction. There is eminent pro- priety in perpetuating in this history the fol- lowing appreciative extract from a memorial tribute prepared by Mr. Stuart and touching the life of his honored preceptor: "I trust you will pardon me the apparent egotism of this remark when I state I was a poor boy, without means, influence or wealthy friends, and he took me into his office and gave me my tuition ; he took me into his family and gave me sup- port ; he appointed the committee who ex- amined me for admission to the bar. In his presence, as a judge of the supreme court, I stood with uplifted hand while he administered to me the oath of office that made me a lawyer. On his motion I was admitted to the United States district court ; on his motion I was ad- mitted to the United States circuit court, and on his motion I was admitted to the United States supreme court at Washington, thus literally making me a lawyer at every step, and from the day of my admission to the day of his death he was to me in every sense a fosterfather, giving me advice and assist- ance with the same generosity and earnest- ness that he did his own children." Apropos of the above statements it can not be doubted that it was largely due to his appreciation of the kindly aid of his honored precep- tor, Judge Spaulding, that prompted Mr.

Stuart himself to extend his assistance with all of generosity to young and struggling law- vers after he himself had attained to eminence at the bar. Thus did he well repay the debt owed to his friend and patron, Judge Spauld- ing.

Mr. Stuart was admitted to the bar in the year 1847, and thereafter he was engaged as a teacher in the high school at Kent, Portage county, about one year, at the expiration of which, in 1849, he took up his residence in Ravenna and established himself in the active work of his profession. Here he continued in practice for a full half century, and he rested from his labors only when there came to him the inexorable summons of death. For more than thirty-years he was retained as local coun- sel for the Erie Railway Company and its pre- decessors, and for the same he won many im- portant victories, being known as one of the able corporation lawyers of the state of Ohio. At this juncture recourse is had to words of appreciation appearing in the Ravenna Repub- lican at the time of the death of Mr. Stuart, and in the statements only slight paraphrase is made: "For many years he was a regular at- tendant at the annual meetings of the Ohio State Bar Association, and several papers read by him were received with much favorable comment. Politically Mr. Stuart was a stanch Democrat. He believed thoroughly in the prin- ciples of his party and was an effective expo- nent of its cause. With due recognition of his superior ability, his name had been prominently mentioned in connection with the nomination by his party for the office of judge of the su- preme court of the state, as well as for appoint- ment to a federal judgeship. As an attorney at the bar of Portage county Mr. Stuart was regarded as by far the ablest member, and his counsels were often sought by the profession. Cheerfully did he render any assistance in his power to the younger members of the bar. never forgetting his own trials when first en- deavoring to obtain a foothold, half a century ago. Two cardinal principles were adopted by Mr. Stuart early in life .- industry and honesty-and that he always strictly adhered to them none who knew him will deny. These principles, coupled with economy, enabled him to accumulate a good competency,'

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of the Western Reserve, Vol. II, Part 106

Author: Upton, Harriet Taylor; Cutler, Harry Gardner, 1856- Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago ; New York : The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 886

Author: Upton, Harriet Taylor; Cutler, Harry Gardner, 1856-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago ; New York : The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 886