History of the Western Reserve, Vol. II, Part 48

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 48

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).

On the 3d of May, 1884, Mr. Paddack mar- ried Abbie H., a daughter of the late Hugh Mills, of Ridgeville township. He was born January 5, 1826, and died on the 18th of Octo- ber, 1808, a son of Samuel Mills, born on the 5th of May. 1794. and died on the 24th of June, 1839. He married Sallie VanAtten, born July 15, 1802. Hugh Mills married on De- cember 30, 1858, Charlotte Merrill Johnson, who was born May 8, 1834, and died on the 15th of October, 1897. Their children are: Alfred Lathrop, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work: Abbie Huntington, who was born January 4. 1861, and she is now Mrs. Paddack : Clara Merrill, born May 8, 1864, married M. G. Harwedel ; Millie Harvey, born March 16, 1866, married William Donaldson : and Walter Hugh, born March 23. 1868, and he died on the 6th of August, 1870. Four children blessed the marriage union of Joseph H. and Abbie H. ( Mills) Paddack. George Alfred Paddack, the eldest, was born July 31.

1885, and he is associated with the Morgan Engineering Works at Alliance, Ohio. He married Mabel Ensign, a daughter of the late Charles Ensign, a former sheriff of Lorain county. They have two children, Gladys MI. and Donald G. Harvey Mills Paddack. the second son of Joseph H. and Abbie Paddack, was born on the 11th of September, 1886, and died on the Ioth of May, 1901. Hugh Shel- don Paddack, born October 18, 1888, is with his mother on the farm. Charlotte MI., the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paddack, was born on the 21st of July, 1893, during their residence in Payette, Idaho. Mr. Paddack was one of the representative and honored residents of Ridgeville township.

ELBERT J. BELL .- A representative of one of the sterling pioneer families of the Western Reserve, and recognized as a citizen of ability and enterprise. Elbert J. Bell is numbered among the successful farmers and stock-grow- ers of Medina county, where he is the owner of a fine landed estate of 275 acres, eligibly located in Guilford township and near the thriving town of Seville. He is giving his at- tention to the great basic lines of industry upon which the stable prosperity of our nation rests. and his farm is one of the best improved and ably managed in this section of Medina county. being equipped with substantial buildings and all the machinery and accessories required by a progressive agriculturist of the best class.

Mr. Bell is a native son of the township in which he still maintains his home and his entire active career has here been one of consecutive and fruitful identification with agricultural- pursuits and stock-growing. He was born on the old homestead of his father in Guilford township, Medina county, on the 9th of Janu- ary, 1856, and is a son of Robert and Margaret (Gray) Bell.

So far as authentic data indicate, the orig- inal progenitor of the Bell family in America was Deacon James Bell, who was a native of England. He came to America when about ten years old and remained at the Home for Orphans until a home was found for him. He established his home in Vermont, from whence he later removed to Cortland county, New York, where he remained until 1818 or 1819. when he came to the Western Reserve, where he passed the residue of his long and useful life, having been a man of great piety and of noble attributes of character. He died on the 8th of February, 1865. in Medina county, Ohio,

Robert-Bell

957

HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE

at the patriarchal age of ninety-six years, one of the most venerable of the pioneer citizens of the Western Reserve. His wife, whose maiden name was Isabel Harkness, was sum- moned to the life eternal on the Ioth of March, 1849. They became the parents of five sons and three daughters, namely: William, Na- thaniel, John, James A., Jacob, Margaret, Mary Ann and Martha. Concerning William. the grandfather of him whose name initiates this review, further mention will be made in another paragraph. All of the family came to the Western Reserve and settled in Medina county in the second decade of the nineteenth century, and all of the children except Will- iam, James and Jacob later removed to Wis- consin. James was born at Rupert, Vermont, on the 20th of June, 1809, and he passed the closing days of his life in the city of Chicago, where he died on the 30th of March, 1900, when nearly ninety-one years of age. Jacob A. was born in Vermont, on the IIth of Octo- ber, 1811, and died at Delaware, Ohio, both he and his brother James having been laid to rest in the cemetery at Seville, Medina county, this state. Nathaniel and John, as well as the three daughters, died in Wisconsin.

William Bell, grandfather of Elbert J. Bell, was born and reared in Vermont and as a young man he accompanied his parents on their removal to Cortland county, New York, where he remained until 1817. when he joined the tide of immigration to the west and became the first representative of the family in the West- ern Reserve. In company with his young wife he came to Medina county, where he secured a tract of heavily timbered land and set to himself the herculean task of reclaiming the same to cultivation. In course of time he de- veloped a comfortable pioneer farm, but he lived little more than a decade after coming to Ohio, his death having occurred on the 13th of July, 1829. He was one of the first settlers in Guilford township and his name merits an enduring place on the roll of the honored pio- neers of Medina county and the fine old West- ern Reserve. In the state of New York was solemnized his marriage to Miss Harriet Owen, who was born in Massachusetts, and they be- came the parents of five children, of whom four survived the father, all being now de- ceased. A number of years after the death of William Bell his widow married his brother John, and in 1844 they removed to Walworth county, Wisconsin, where they passed the resi- due of their lives.

Robert Bell, father of him to whom this re- view is dedicated, was born on the old home- stead farm in Guilford township, Medina county, on the. 28th of September, 1827. Rob- ert Bell gained his early education in the pio- neer schools of his native township and was about seventeen years of age when he accom- panied his mother and step-father on their re- moval to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in which state he remained until he had attained to his legal majority, when he returned to Me- dina county. In the winter following his arrival in his native county he found employ- ment as clerk in a general store in Medina, and later he was similarly engaged at Seville for twelve or more years. In 1863 he pur- chased a farm in Guilford township, where he eventually developed one of the valuable farms of the county. He was a citizen of sterling character and ever commanded the unqualified esteem of the people among whom he lived and labored for so many years. He was influential in local affairs, though never a seeker of pub- lic office, was a stanch Republican in politics after the organization of that party, prior to which time he had supported the cause of the Whig party, having cast his first presidential vote for Honorable John P. Hale, of Maine. He became one of the leading sheep-growers and wool producers of Medina county, and was also a pioneer in the raising of tobacco in this section, having shipped his products of this order to the city of Cincinnati. He con- tinned to reside on his homestead farm until his death, which occurred on April 30, 1903, and he left the priceless heritage of a good name. He was not a member of any church, but his wife was a member of the Congregational church. On April 17, 1854. was solemnized the marriage of Robert Bell to Miss Mar- garet Gray, who was born at Salem, New York, on March 20, 1828, being a daughter of Isaac and Mary L. (Russell) Gray, who came to Medina county, Ohio, when she was a child, here passing the remainder of their lives. Robert and Margaret (Gray) Bell became the parents of two children, of whom Elbert J. of this sketch is the elder : Helen M., the younger, died on August 21, 1879, at the age of eighteen years, being in the very flower of gracious young womanhood when she was thus sum- moned to the life .eternal. Mrs. Bell now re- sides in Seville, being eighty-two years of age at the time of this writing, 1910.

Elbert J. Bell was reared to the sturdy and beneficent discipline of the home farm and he

958

HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE

has had the good judgment never to sever his allegiance to the great basic art of agriculture, through association with which he holds pre- cedence as one of the essentially representative farmers and stock-raisers of his native county, where he is held in high esteem as a capable business man and as a loyal, progressive and upright citizen. His educational advantages included a course in the public schools of the village of Seville and he continued to be asso- ciated with his father in the work and manage- ment of the home farm until 1895, when he purchased 108 acres of land in Guilford town- ship, one and one-half miles east of Seville, where he soon gained recognition as one of the enterprising and successful agriculturists of this section, devoting his farms to diversified agriculture and to the raising of high-grade cattle, horses and sheep. With these effective lines of enterprise he has since continued to be actively and successfully identified. After the death of his honored father he purchased also the old homestead farm, so that he now owns 275 acres of most productive and finely im- proved land, a portion of which he rents. On his home farm he has a commodious and at- tractive residence, a large and well equipped barn, a large tobacco house and other sub- stantial buildings required in connection with the various departments of farm work. Though not imbued with office-seeking proclivities Mr. Bell gives a stanch allegiance to the Republican party and takes a lively interest in all that con- cerns the general welfare of the community. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Royal Arcanum, and his wife holds membership in the Baptist church.

On February 9, 1884, Mr. Bell was united in marriage to Miss Alta Foster, who was born in Milton township. Wayne county, this state, and who is a daughter of Buell G. Foster, now a prosperous farmer of Guilford township. Medina county. Mr. and Mrs. Bell have five children,-Helen, Hallie, Margaret, Luella and Cora Evangeline. Miss Helen is now a suc- cessful and popular teacher in the public schools of her native state and the other chil- dren remain at the parental home.

ALBERT H. JOHNSON .- The late Albert H. Johnson, so long identified with the develop- ment of banking at Oberlin and for a time a prominent figure in the administration of rail- road property in Arkansas, was an active and honored citizen of Lorain county for more than a quarter of a century. He was born in

Elyria, Ohio, on the 19th of August, 1838, and was a son of Isaac M. and Cornelia ( Mus- sey) Johnson, both of whom are also deceased. The father was well known for many years as a dry goods merchant of Oberlin.

From private schools the son, Albert H., passed to Oberlin College, but before the con- clusion of his junior year in the latter the First National Bank of that city was organ- ized and the youth left his studies to enter a long financial training as cashier of the insti- tution named. While a student he had been associated with the private bank of Mr. Sam- uel Plum, organizer and first president of the First National, so that Mr. Johnson had al- ready enjoyed considerable practical experi- ence in his chosen field. His faithful and able work for the First National was so fully appreciated that he finally advanced to the presidency and to a place of pronounced lead- ership in local finances.

In December, 1872, Mr. Johnson went to Helena. Arkansas, and some time afterward became interested in the Arkansas Central Railroad, which became the Arkansas Midland Railroad and went into the hands of a re- ceiver. At this crisis Mr. Johnson and his interested friends bought the property at pub- lic sale, and the former was placed in his charge as president of the corporation. In that capacity he evinced his skill as a financier and executive by establishing the railroad on such a paying basis that it was sold at a de- cided advantage. In 1891 Mr. Johnson again became president of the First National Bank of Oberlin, and continued in that position for the remainder of his life. It should also be added that he served as president of the Ober- lin Gas and Electric Company, was a trustee of Oberlin College, and a deacon in the Sec- ond Congregational church. It was the un- timely and widely-mourned end of a useful and honorable life when Mr. Johnson met his death in an accident on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, December 4, 1899.

Early in life Albert H. Johnson married Miss Rebecca Jenkins, of Mount Pleasant, Jef- ferson county, Ohio, a member of a Pennsyl- vania Quaker family of long establishment in Jefferson county, Ohio. Her maternal great- grandfather (Updegraff) was one of the framers of the Ohio Constitution, and there- fore an acknowledged founder of the com- monwealth. The offspring of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Albert H. Johnson are as fol- lows : Cliffe Updegraff, M. D., who is a grad- mate of the Cleveland Homeopathic Medical

959

HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE

College, and of the medical department of Wooster University, and in 1909 married Dr. Walter H. Merriam, of Cleveland ; and Albert Mussey Johnson, a graduate from the civil engineering department of Cornell University, who is now president of the National Life In- surance Company of the United States of America, of Chicago.

DECATUR HOEG .- The substantial and pros- perous citizens of Ashtabula county have no more worthy representative than Decatur Hoeg, who, in partnership with his brother, Madison Hoeg, is successfully employed in farming on the homestead which his father, Madison Hoeg Sr., settled upon in pioneer days. He was born on the old home farm, August 22, 1847, and has here spent his life.

Madison Hoeg Sr. came to Ohio when young and lived for a few years in Warren, Trumbull county. There he married Louisa Lovell, they being twenty-five and twenty- seven years old respectively, at the time of wedding, and immediately settled in Ashta- bula county. Buying a tract of land from which never a tree had been felled, he and his bride here began housekeeping in a rude log cabin. He cleared a large part of his forty acres of timber, and in 1833 built the main part of the present dwelling house. Here he carried on farming, at the same time work- ing, as a mason by trade, keeping busily em- ployed until his death in 1855, aged forty-four years, ere reaching manhood's prime. His widow was a woman of much force of char- acter and of superior business ability, fully equal to cope with the responsibilities thrust upon her, and in addition to continuing the improvements already begun on the estate, she brought up her children to habits of industry and thrift, and gave them good common school educations. She subsequently married for her second husband, Heman Hickok, and con- tinued her residence on the home farm until her death, at the age of eighty-six years. Mr. Hickok died before she did, passing away at the age of four-score years. She was strong and robust, and cared not only for her hus- band in his years of sickness, but kindly and cheerfully looked after his mother and sister. both of whom died of consumption. Madison and Louisa (Lovell) Hoeg became the parents of five children, namely : Emily, wife of George Atkin, of Harpersfield ; William R .; Decatur Whittlesey, engaged in farming in Trumbull township; and Madison.

William R. Hoeg, the oldest son, born in

June, 1844, attended Jericho Seminary when young, and under the instruction of Platt R. Spencer became an expert penman, receiving in 1863 a diploma for his proficiency in pen- manship, the diploma now ornamenting the Hoeg home. He subsequently taught writing school winters, first in Ashtabula county, then in Erie, finally in Cincinnati. Serving in the Civil war, he was wounded in battle, and sub- sequently, through his good penmanship, se- cured a clerkship in Washington, D. C. For a number of years thereafter he conducted William R. Hoeg's Business College, which he established in January, 1865, managing. it until failing health compelled hin to retire from active work. Returning then to Geneva town- ship, he died in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. three years later, May 19, 1904. He married Adelaide M. King, of Painesville, Ohio, who survived him but three years. Both are buried in Lake View cemetery, Cleveland.

Decatur Hoeg and his brother, Madison Hoeg, as above stated, have always resided on the parental homestead, and are carrying on mixed husbandry with satisfactory results, reaping a reasonable harvest each season. Madison Hoeg has never married. Decatur Hoeg married November 12, 1868. Susan Atkin, a daughter of Peter and Nancy (Davis) Atkin, natives of Harpersfield township.

AUGA LETTA DAGGETT COE is a member of the tenth generation in lineal descent from John Daggett, who came from Boxford, Suf- folk, England, in the good ship "Primrose," Captain Mayhew, in the year of 1620. She was born at Stonington, Connecticut, August 14. 1868. Her mother, Frances Breed, of Titusville, Pennsylvania, was a daughter of Franklin and Augaletta (Daggett) Breed, for- merly of that place. Mrs. Coe was educated at the public schools of Painesville and at Mrs. Matthews' school for girls (now discon- tinued). also of that city. She is a member of the First Congregational church of Paines- ville and also of the hospital board of that city, of which she was at one time secretary. and is an active worker along charitable lines. as well as in whatsoever cause she may enlist. On February 7, 1888, she married Harry Proc- tor Coe, son of the late veteran of the Civil war, musician and successful inventor, Henry Hayes Coe, and his wife, Lucy Proctor Coe. At the present they reside on Bank street. Painesville. They have no children.

James Lyman Tabor. Mrs. H. P. Coe's father. was born in Herkimer county. New

960

HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE

York, and served as private in the One Hun- dred and Thirty-sixth Volunteer Regiment of Pennsylvania throughout the entire four years of the war of the Rebellion. He was an active citizen of Painesville from 1876 to the date of his death, January 26, 1891, at the age of forty-eight years. He was the senior member of the Tabor & Ingrim Livery and Transfer Company of that city; was the first agent of the County Humane Society, and for a num- ber of years was connected with the local mail department. His parents were Methodists, but he never joined any church. In politics he was a Republican. Mrs. Coe's sister, Millicent Tabor Sawyer, also of Painesville, and their brother. Franklin Breed Tabor, of Cleveland, are the only representatives of the family in this locality, F. B. Tabor being secretary and auditor of the Telling Manufacturing. Com- pany of Cleveland.

Harry P. Coe is president and active man- ager of the extensive works of the Coe Manu- facturing Company, of Painesville. The out- put of this great factory may be found in al- most every timber region in the United States and in many foreign countries.

JOSEPH C. RODGERS, county commissioner and stave manufacturer at Colebrook, Ohio, was born at Bradys Bend, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, February 23, 1859, son of Will- iant and Mary L. ( Petit) Rodgers. William Rodgers was the fifth of a family of nine chil- dren, three sons and six daughters. His par- ents, Andrew and Martha ( Rodgers) Rodgers, of Scotch-Irish descent, came from Ireland about 1827, when he was five years old. The father died not many years after coming to the United States, leaving the mother with several small children, in Armstrong county. Pennsylvania. The brothers of William Rodgers were: Samuel and Captain Joseph, the latter late of Armstrong, county. Captain Rodgers raised a company in a Pennsylvania regiment, at the time of the Civil war. When sixteen years of age. William Rodgers served an apprenticeship as blacksmith at Butler, But- ler county, Pennsylvania, and later went to work at the Great Western Iron Works. at Bradys Bend, as puddler. Soon after he mar- ried Catherine Crow, who died, leaving two children, one having previously died. The two surviving were Martha and Andrew, the for- mer now Mrs. Humphrey, of Mckee's Rock, Pennsylvania. Andrew lived in Colebrook. Ohio, and died at the age of fifty-eight years.

About 1850 William Rodgers married ( sec-

ond) Mary L. Petit, of Noblestown, Pennsyl- vania, where she was born March 26, 1830, and she now resides with her son, Joseph C. After spending twenty-four years in front of a puddling furnace, Mr. Rodgers resumed his trade at Bradys Bend, and in 1855 he and his brother Joseph went to the gold fields of Cali- fornia, where for three years they prospected and carried on placer mining. He returned with sufficient money to purchase a farm of eighty acres in Fairview. Butler county, Penn- sylvania, running a shop in the village near the farm. In 1872 he sold this farm to the Reno Oil Company, reserving the coal rights, and operated a coal mine on the farm two years. In 1872 Mr. Rodgers purchased land in Colebrook, Ashtabula county, Ohio, and in 1874 removed thereto. The farm consisted of 428 acres, about half of it cleared. He died on this farm, September 20, 1895. He had twelve children by his second wife, eight of whom survived him. They are: William H., of Cambridge, Pennsylvania : Joseph C. ; Sam- uel E., of Middlefield, Ohio: David E., of Blaine, Washington ; Daniel C., of Colebrook. Ohio: Mollie Allen, of Blaine, Washington ; Maud Allen, of Deerlodge, Montana ; and Gay- land F., of Colebrook.

Joseph . C. Rodgers received a common school education, and in December, 1885, started a stave and saw mill on his farm one unte east of Colebrook Center. His first year's output was one and one-third millions of staves for nail kegs, and it reached a magnitude of three and one-half and even four millions an- nually. He employed at first fourteen to twenty, and later forty to 100 men, directly and indirectly in the mill alone, and his ex- penses averaged about forty dollars a day for the year ; he also spent twelve to fifteen thou- sand dollars for timber and outside expenses. He continued this business until 1898, and in April, 1899, engaged in general merchandise at Colebrook Center. In 1897 he had erected a limestone building, at a cost of $3.000, and upon selling his mill he decided to occupy same instead of renting. He has successfully car- ried on his business since, and since 1906 the hrm name has been Rodgers & Andrews, his partner being „his stepson, W. F. Andrews. They have an annual trade of from twelve to fifteen thousand dollars. This is the only store in Colebrook township. Besides his mercan- tile interests, Mr. Rodgers still retains 100 acres of his farm, part of his father's original purchase, and he also has a home of fourteen acres at center of the township.

Chas ff Thomson

961

HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE

Since attaining his majority Mr. Rodgers has always taken an active interest in politics, and he has served in many township offices. At present he is justice of the peace and school director, and he has been constable and trus- tee. In 1904 he was elected a county com- missioner, taking office in September, 1905 : in 1908 he was re-elected, and his second term began in September, 1909. During his term of office $50,000 have been spent on public buildings, such as the county farm, court house, etc. He has served as delegate to local county conventions, senatorial and state con- ventions for twenty-five years, and has at- tended them at his own expense. When he received the office he now holds he was nomi- nated by acclamation, and was solicited to ac- cept the office, not being an office seeker. He takes. a strong stand for what he believes to be right, and will not change his attitude until convinced of his mistake. He has used his influence to secure the macadamizing of the roads and for many other improvements. He has the confidence and fullest regard of his fellow-citizens, and is popular with all parties. For thirty years he has been a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and has taken the degrees of the chapter, com- mandery and shrine, and is also an Elk, be- longing to Ashtabula Lodge. He served eight years and one month as postmaster, and re- signed the position to take his present office. He was deputy state counsellor of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics for five years, and counsellor of his home lodge six years.

In November, 1881, Mr. Rodgers married Maggie, daughter of Samuel and Charlotte Kelly, of Colebrook, who died February 27, 1887, leaving one child, Martha Beryl, now the wife of A. H. Cook, of Colebrook. In 1889 Mr. Rodgers married Emma O. An- drews, nee Thurber, and they have four chil- dren, namely : Charlie, died in infancy ; Joseph C., attending school; Mason Thurber; and Carmen Emma. Mrs. Rodgers had four chil- dren by her former marriage as follows: Guy LeRoy, an engineer of Pittsburg, Pennsylva- nia ; Myra Mahala, married Eslie A. Webb, of Colebrook; Lulu May, died in infancy; and William F., partner with Mr. Rodgers.

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 48

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