History of the Western Reserve, Vol. II, Part 51

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 51

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On November 27, 1851, he married Caroline M. Hecock, who was born February 14, 1831,

in Herkimer county, New York, a daughter of George W. and Sarah (Davis) Hecock, who located in Sheffield township, Lorain county, in 1834. George W. Hecock, who served in the war of 1812 as a drummer boy, died Octo- ber II, 1876, surviving his wife one year, she having died September II, 1875. His father, Silas Hecock, a native of Connecticut, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, as was the father of his wife. Politically a Republican, Newton L. Cotton served as trustee of Sheffield township several terms, and for many years was justice of the peace. He belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic, and was a mem- ber of the Baptist church at Elyria. Eight 'children were born to him and his wife, name- ly : Clara M., wife of C. Thomas Foote, of Lorain : Elmer F .: Cora B., wife of William E. Hart, M. D., of Elyria ; Nellie B., wife of Stillman Cotton, of Cleveland; Lillie D., twin sister of Nellie B., died at the age of nineteen years; Martha R., wife of Charles Straw, of Elyria township; Ina S. married Frederick Avery, of Akron, Ohio, and Minnie L. married Samuel Bawden, a missionary in India.

Brought up on the home farm, Elmer F. Cotton obtained the rudiments of his education in the district schools of Sheffield township, completing it at the Elyria high school. A life- long farmer, he is exceedingly skilful and sys- tematic in his agricultural undertakings, and ranks high among the progressive and sub- stantial men of his community. "Ridgeview Farm." the beautiful estate which he owns and occupies, contains thirty-six acres of choice land, which he cultivates with both profit and pleasure. For the past sixteen years Mr. Cot- ton has served ably and acceptably as trustee of Sheffield township, and for a long time has been a school director. He is an active mem- ber of the local grange, Patrons of Husbandry, with which he has been prominently identified in an official capacity for a full quarter of a century. For six years he was a director of the Lorain County Agricultural Society, which he is now serving as president. He is secretary of the Lorain County Farmers' Institute Asso- ciation, and has been president of that organi- zation.

Mr. Cotton married Lydia M. Wilford, who was born in Juneau county, Wisconsin, a daughter of Joseph and Charlotte Wilford. Three children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Cotton, namely: Effie M., wife of Floyd P. Moulton, of Sheffield township; Leon W., and Luella B. True to the religious faith

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in which he was reared, Mr. Cotton is a con- of industry, care and practical knowledge, he sistent member of the Lorain First Baptist church, to which his family likewise belong and of which he is senior deacon. He is a member of the State Grange and in 1910 served as deputy master of the State Grange for Lo- rain county. He is also a member of the State Horticultural Society.

ALLEN M. BEANS .- A substantial agricul- turist of Randolph township, Portage county, Allen M. Beans is also a strong Repub- lican and a well known public official of that section. He is a son of Allen and Rachel (Beans) Beans, born January 24, 1853, and his parents are natives of Scotland. His father came to the Western Reserve when a young man, and in October, 1862, joined the Union army as a member of Company A, First Ohio Light Artillery.

Allen M., of this sketch, left home when only twelve years of age and located in Ran- dolph township as a farm hand, working by the month. He was thus employed at his marriage to Miss Emma A. Johnson, October 8, 1877, but afterward continued his calling. on a more independent basis, as befitted one in his new role. In 1887 he purchased the farm of seven- ty-nine acres in Randolph township which he still owns and operates and which is the main feature of his comfortable homestead. Both he and his wife were educated in Randolph township and are active in the work of the Methodist church. They have three children- Leora G., who married Harvey J. Dibble, a resident of Randolph township and has one child, Chester H .; Charles M., who is married and resides in the township, father of Harlow St. Clair and Don D. Beans ; and Searl F.

Mrs. Beans, who was born August 22, 1855, is a daughter of John Y. and Esther M. (Shewell) Johnson, both natives of Randolph township. Mr. Beans is not only a progressive farmer, but has long been influential in Repub- lican politics and public affairs, having served both as assessor and supervisor of his town- ship.

WILLIAM G. SIILLIDAV .- One mile south- east of Edinburg, Portage county, situated on the Diagonal road, is the large and beautiful country place owned by William G. Shilliday, a prosperous and intelligent Irish-American farmer, who came to that locality with his par- ents when a boy. By the continuous exercise

has attained a substantial position in the com- munity, in which his independence is crowned by the general respect of his neighbors and all his associates. Mr. Shilliday was born in Ells- worth, Mahoning county, April. II, 1852, and is a son of John and Martha J. (Wright) Shil- liday, natives of Ireland. The family first lo- cated at Canfield, Trumbull county ; afterward moved to Lorain county, and thence to Edin- burg, where a tract of 180 acres was selected for the homestead, the land being, in Edinburg and Atwater townships on the line.

In the district school of that locality, William G. obtained his education, and resided on the home farm until he was twenty-one years of age. He then learned the potter's trade, but returned to his father's farm and worked for some time prior to his marriage in 1881. For the succeeding eight years he was in the em- ploy of James Reed, at Deerfield, and then bought the 103 acres of land near Edinburgh, which the labors of himself and wife for the past twenty years have transformed into a val- uable farm and a charming home.

On June 25, 1881, Mr. Shilliday wedded . Miss Jennie Baldwin, and their son, Clarence, born June 25 of the following year, is taking a very thorough classical course in the college at Athens, Ohio. Mrs. Shilliday was edu- born in that part of Portage county August 21, 1855. She is widely known as a- lover and .. a successful grower of rare plants, her tastes in that direction going. far in the creation of the attractions which attach to the Shilliday place. For the past thirty years her family (the Baldwins) have maintained most enjoy- able and interesting reunions and Mrs. Shilli- day has long been secretary of the organization which keeps them alive. Both she and her hus- band are members of the Congregational church and are active in its work, as well as the centers of open, unaffected and pleasing hospitality.

WILLIAM G. BYERS, a prosperous farmer, an ex-soldier and a good citizen of Edinburg township, Portage county, is a native of Ohio, born at New Lisbon, Columbiana county, Jan- uary 31, 1837. He is a son of Jacob and Eliz- abeth (Stitzell) Byers, both natives of Penn- sylvania. Something like a century ago his paternal grandfather, Fred Byers, migrated from his home in that state and after making an overland journey through .the forests of northwestern Pennsylvania and northeastern

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Ohio, located on the present site of Fredericks- burg, Ohio. Settling with his wife and family on a tract of 250 acres, he commenced a long career of useful industry, and around his household gathered other home-builders to found what was appropriately named Freder- icksburg. The maternal grandparents (Stitzell) were both natives of Germany and located in Pennsylvania. After some years, the family moved to the western part of the state, and while on the road to Pittsburg Grandfather Stitzell expired at the age of one hundred years.

William G. remained with his parents until he joined the army at the age of twenty-four years. The family homestead was near Pal- myra and the boy received his education in the district school of that place. In May, 1861, he entered the Union ranks and, under his first enlistment, served until the fall of 1863, his second enlistment carrying him through the entire period of the Civil war. He was active- ly identified with two branches of the service, being with the Fourth Illinois Cavalry and the Sixtieth Ohio Infantry. Mr. Byers returned home at the conclusion of the war, and on Sep- tember 13, 1866, wedded Miss Emeline Bacon, and from that time he solely followed agri- culture. Three children, all living and mar- ried, were the fruits of this union. John W., George E. and Oscar A. Byers are also pros- · pering in the paternal avocation and reside near their father. Mrs. Byers was born at Palmyra June 2, 1839, and is a daughter of Gustavus and Christina (Woodard) Bacon, natives of Vermont and Pennsylvania respectively. In 1800 the families became established at Pal- myra and the old Bacon homestead, consisting of 160 acres, is still in the family. In politics, Mr. Byers is a Republican, and in his fraternal connections is identified with the Grand Army of the Republic.

EDWARD E. LAWRENCE .- A leading business man and popular citizen of Fairport, Lake county, where he is head of the Marine Supply Company, the largest concern of its kind on the Great Lakes, Edward E. Lawrence exemplifies in marked degree the progressive spirit so char- acteristic of America in this opening decade of the twentieth century, and he is thoroughly appreciative of .and loyal to American insti- tutions, though he is a native of "the right little, tight little isle," as Max O'Rell has been pleased to designate England.

Mr. Lawrence was born at Weston-Super-

Mare, Somersetshire, England, on February 14, 1865, and is a son of Edward and Mary Lawrence, who are now both deceased. Mr. Lawrence was afforded the advantages or Clarence school, a well ordered institution in his native town, and at the age of seventeen years he engaged in the meat business, in which he there continued for two years. He then, in 1884, came to America and soon after his ar- rival he located in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, where he was for two years manager for a large wholesale meat concern. He then re- turned to England, where he remained about one year, and upon coming again to America he took up his residence in Fairport, where he engaged in the meat business, in which he soon built up a large local trade, besides cater- ing especially to the demands of the numerous vessels securing supplies at this port. He also conducted for some time a branch establish- ment at Conneaut Harbor. In 1903 he secured the controlling interest in the Marine Supply Company, which handles all kinds of merchan- dise for lake vessels, and in this connection, as already stated, he has built up the most exten- sive business of its kind on the lakes, even in opposition to the great metropolitan ports. He is a man of much initiative and administrative power, and his success represents the diametri- cal results of his well directed efforts.

Mr. Lawrence takes a deep interest in all that touches the welfare of his attractive little home city, and here he has been called upon to serve in various public offices of trust. He is president of the Fairport board of education and also of the board of trustees of Painesville township. In politics he gives his allegiance to the Democratic party, and served as vice- president of the Painesville Chamber of Com- merce and is now director of the same and he has various capitalistic interests aside from those represented in the enterprise mentioned, and is the owner of valuable realty in Fair- port. Mr. Lawrence is affiliated with the Ma- sonic fraternity, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias, in which last organization he was formerly incumbent of the office of major in the uniform rank. He is a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal church and his wife holds membership in the Congregational church, to the support of each of which he is a liberal contributor.

In the year 1892 was solemnized the mar- riage of Mr. Lawrence to Miss Jennie Harder, and they have two children, namely : Edward and Ethel. He and his wife are prominent

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM GENUNG

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in connection with the social activities of Fair- port, where both enjoy the most unqualified popularity. He is now president of the Good Roads Society.

CHARLIE W. GENUNG .-- This representative business man of Madison township, Lake coun- ty, is engaged in the manufacturing of a varied line of garden implements, in which industrial enterprise he succeeded his .honored father, and he resides upon the old homestead, one mile north of the village of Madison. His well equipped shop is located on this homestead place, which comprises five acres. He is a rep- resentative in the third generation of one of the well known pioneer families of Lake coun- ty, with whose annals the name has been identi- fied for more than seventy-five years, and the family was founded in America in the early colonial days.

Amos Genung, grandfather of him whose name initiates this sketch, was born in Morris county, New Jersey, on October 18, 1786, and died in Madison township, Lake county, Ohio, on Christmas day of the year 1855. At the age of twenty-five years he took up his residence in Yates county, New York, becoming one of its pioneer settlers and serving as its first sheriff. He was a cripple from his boyhood days, as he lost a leg when eleven years of age, as the result of a fever sore. In 1836 he came from Penn Yan, Yates county, to Ohio, and located in Lake county, as a pioneer of Madi- son township. In 1836 he took up his resi- dence in the vicinity of what was known as Arcola Furnace, this township, and he passed the residue of his life in this township. He was a tailor by trade, and was also a success- ful teacher when a young man. His wife, whose maiden name was Polly Belknap, was a native of Penn Yan, New York.

Amos Genung was a son of Cornelius Ge- nung, of Morris county, New Jersey, who was a son of Thomas Genung, born in Flushing, Long Island, where the family originally set- tled upon coming to America. Jeremiah, father of Thomas, was a son of John Genung, a French Huguenot, who, fleeing from his native land to escape the persecutions incidental to the revocation of the edict of Nantes, finally found hospice in America, where he was the founder of a family which now has representa- tives in the most diverse sections of the Union. Amos Genung, the founder of the family in the Western Reserve, removed in 1838 to what is known as Genung's Corners. At that time

this was the center of the township, and the town house stood on the opposite side of the road from his house. Genung's Corners is one mile north of the village of Madison, and here his grandson now resides, and this constituted the home of Amos Genung until his death, the locality having received his name from collo- quial usage.

William Genung, son of Amos and Polly (Belknap) Genung, was born October 5, 1830, at Jemsetam Hill, Yates county, New York, and thus he was a child at the time of the family removal to Lake county, Ohio. From the age of eight years until his death he main- tained his home on the little tract of land now owned and occupied by his son Charlie W. He gained his early educational discipline in the pioneer schools and in his youth learned the trade of machinist and foundryman. His elder brother, Almon, had here started a small foun- dry, and William, when but fifteen years of age, began work in this little establishment, where he developed and perfected his natural mechanical skill and ability. He eventually suc- ceeded his brother in the ownership of the foundry, and for many years he was here en- gaged in the manufacturing of plows, as well as minor farm implements, besides conducting a general repair shop. Finally he invented and patented a garden-seed drill, and of this device he continued to be a successful manufacturer until his death. He had equipped his foundry with machinery and engaged in general shop work, and so the establishment was practically well equipped for the manufacturing of his drills, which are still manufactured by the son, Charlie W. Genung, of this sketch, and which find a ready demand throughout a wide trade territory, the products being sold in the most widely separated countries of the world. Will- iam Genung took out several patents on his drill, having made improvements on the orig- inal design, and he was also the inventor of other mechanical devices of valuable order. He was a man of sterling integrity and ever com- manded the unequivocal respect of the com- munity in which virtually his entire life was passed and to whose interests he was ever loyal.

In politics William Genung was a stanch adherent of the Republican party, and he served nearly twenty years in the office of jus- tice of the peace, his administration being such as to make the position justify its name. He was a lifelong and zealous member of the First Baptist church of Madison, whose church

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building stands on the opposite side of the road from his old home. The frame for this build- ing was raised the day he was six years old. He was affiliated with the time-honored Ma- sonic fraternity, in which he completed the circle of the York Rite bodies, having been one of the charter members of Eagle Com- mandery, Knights Templar, in Painesville, the county seat. He was a man of genial pres- ence and won to himself loyal and enduring friendships. He was long known as an expert shot, and was the inventor of a breech-loading gun, upon which he, unfortunately, never se- cured letters patent.

On October 27, 1853, was solemnized the marriage of William Genung to Miss Martha Pancost, who was born in Madison township, on August 18, 1834, and who now resides in the home of her youngest daughter, in Hud- son, Summit county, Ohio. Her father, Dr. Samuel G. Pancost, was born in New York City and was one of the foremost representa- tives of the dental profession in his day. He was for some time engaged in the practice of his profession in the city of Savannah and prac- ticed principally in Georgia. He became the owner of a valuable farm in Madison township, Lake county, Ohio, whence he eventually re- moved to Painesville, in which city he passed the remainder of his life.

Following are brief data concerning the children of William and Martha (Pancost) Genung: Kate is the wife of L. C. Strock, a representative farmer of Madison township; Charlie W., of this review, was the next in or- der of birth; Caroline E. is the wife of Delos Bates, who is a farmer and saw-mill operator of Madison township; Minnie is the wife of R. Stewart, of San Bernardino, California; Mat- tie died at the age of seven years; and Ger- trude is the wife of Wallace J. Parmalee, a farmer of Hudson, Summit county, Ohio.

Charlie W. Genung was born in the home- stead in which he now resides, in Madison township, on May II, 1857, and his early edu- cational training, was secured in the public schools of Madison and Madison Seminary. At the age of twenty-nine years, in 1886, he went to Arizona, where he continued to be identified with mining enterprises for the ensuing five years, at the expiration of which he returned to the parental home and assumed charge of his father's shop, of which he had supervision during the last year of the latter's life. Since the death of his honored father he has con- tinued the business with success, manufactur-

ing the garden-seed drill invented by his father, together with a full line of other garden imple- ments. The products are of the best grade and the business shows a constantly cumulative tendency. He is a progressive business man and is a citizen who is held in high esteem in his native county. His political proclivities are indicated by the loyal support which he accords to the cause of the best men, but he has never sought or desired public office. He and his wife are members of the same Baptist church of which his paternal grandfather was one of the founders, as well as a trustee, and Mr. Genung himself is at the present time a mem- ber of the board of trustees of this church.

On January 26, 1899, Mr. Genung, was united in marriage to Miss Cornelia Fox, a daughter of Emory and Eliza Fox, of Troy township, Geauga county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Genung have two children,-William and Mattie.

JAMES C. REYNOLDS, of Ravenna township and one of its native sons, born on July 14, 1861, is a son of James and Susan (Clarke) Reynolds, both natives of Ireland, the father born in County Leitrim and the mother in County Antrim. In 1849 James Reynolds came from his native land to the United States, and finally locating in Cleveland, Ohio, he was married there in 1859 to Susan Clarke. She had come from Ireland to Canada with her parents about the year of 1839, when she was but a year old. During many years of his life James Reynolds was employed as a rail- road builder for the different railroad com- panies of the country, including the Chicago and Pacific road and the Atlantic and Great Western road, which later became known as the Erie railroad. During many years he was also the road master on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad between Wheeling and Cleveland. and was serving in that capacity at the time of his death, on June 12, 1891, covering a period of over twenty years of faithful and efficient service. In about the year of 1868 he had purchased land in Ravenna township, the nucleus of this estate being 116 acres, but with the passing years he added to his farm land until at the time of his death he owned 350 acres. He survived his wife for many years, for she died in July of 1876. They were the parents of five children : James C., who is men- tioned below ; Robert E. and William, twins, the former of Helena, Montana, and the latter of Stockton, California ; Francis D., of Anis-

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ton, Alabama ; and Henry T., whose home is also in Helena.

James C. Reynolds attended the common and high schools of his home community and the university at Notre Dame, Indiana, and when eighteen years of age he began work as a fireman on the Cleveland, Lorain & Wheel- ing railroad, and after three years in that ca- pacity he became an engineer for the Big Four Company and was located at Mattoon, Illinois. After seven years tnere he gave up railroad work, and returning to Ohio went into business with his father in conducting a stone quarry in Harrison county, Ohio. But in 1904 they sold their interests there, and Mr. Reynolds then returned to the old home farm and has ever since remained here. In politics he sup- ports the principles of the Democracy, and he is a member of the Catholic church.

ALBERT D. GREENLEE, prominent among the farmers of Cherry Valley township, is a son of Moses H. Greenlee and a grandson on the paternal side of Jacob D. Greenlee, born at Mosiertown in Crawford county, Pennsyl- vania, January 22, 1800. In the spring of 1834 Jacob D. Greenlee came to Ohio and located in the town of Amboy, then called Westville, and lived there on a farm for forty years, dying on July 12, 1883, aged eighty- three years and six months. His wife Rachel, nee Chamberlain, died at Amboy on April 16, 1893. They were married on February 23, 1826, and became the parents of the following children: Ira C., who was born October 10, 1828; Moses, the father of Albert ; George W., born November 1, 1833; Elizabeth A., October 10, 1835; John Chamberlain, February 24, 1837; Arline Blanche, February 22, 1844; Philemon and Philena, twins, born September 25, 1846; Elias, September 14, 1848; and four whose names are unattainable.

Moses H. Greenlee, born September 14, 1830, in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, at- tended the high school at Kingsville, Ohio. He was brought by his parents to Ashtabula coun- ty when but four years of age, and in the latter part of the '6os he came to Cherry Valley township and bought the present Greenlee farm of 118 acres. He followed dairy farming prin- cipally, also raised stock for the market, and he died in Cherry Valley township on March 20, 1881, from illness contracted in the Civil war. He enlisted for service on March 22, 1865, entering Company D, One Hundred and Ninety-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and

after spending some time in the hospital at Camp Bradford, Maryland, he was discharged on account of illness on July 31, 1865. He had married on January 27, 1858, Helen Lindsley, from Andover township, and their children are: Eliza R., born March 30, 1860, who mar- ried Judson Yeoman, of Cherry Valley town- ship, and they have three children, Millicent, Clyde and Ralph ; Albert, was the second born ; and Edward, born July 27, 1868, married Ida Pershing and died March 12, 1899. Moses H. Greenlee was a member of the Grange, of the Republican party and of the Baptist church. His widow now resides with her son Albert.

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History of the Western Reserve, Vol. II, Part 51

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