History of the Western Reserve, Vol. II, Part 79

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 79

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W. F. Vrooman & Son, of Painesville, was established there in 1900, and they manufac- ture annually about eight thousand dollars' worth of onion topping and sorting machines, employing in their factory from one to five men. The machines operate in a manner simi- lar to a corn husker, but the functions per- formed by the combination of parts are en- tirely different, inasmuch as the onion topper severs the tops from the onion and not the husks or shucks. They are of three sizes, the smallest having a capacity of five to seven hundred, the medium size one thousand, and the largest, two thousand bushels per day. The machine is covered by patents, and the first one was made by the Vroomans for their own use, they being extensive growers of onions, and they began the manufacture for sale direct to users. The work is done better than by hand, and the machines are guaran- teed. At first they operated the few machines manufactured by them, but as the demand increased they confined their attention wholly to the manufacture. It took several years to develop and perfect the machine for sale, and since the first ones turned out several improve- ments have been made, each covered by a patent. The larger machines are so made that they can be operated by gasoline engines when desired. The demand for these wonderful machines is constantly increasing, and the out- look for the future business of the concern is very promising.

GEORGE W. PRINDLE was born in Rootstown township, Portage county, February 23. 1832, and he is a member of one of the first families to seek a home within the borders of this county. G. H. R. Prindle, his father, was

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born in Charlotte, Vermont, April 2, 1803, and in 1807 he was brought by Hyram Roundy to Rootstown township, and he remained in his home until the age of maturity, at which time Mr. Roundy gave him seventy acres of timber land. This the young man cleared, and when he was twenty-one years of age he walked back to Vermont to see his father, Gideon Prindle, who gave him a horse and wagon with which to return to his home. He married on the 16th of December, 1825, Mary Williams, who was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, December 28, 1798, a daughter of George Williams. After his marriage, Mr. Prindle settled down to farm life on his little tract of seventy acres, but with advancing years he added to this small beginning until at the time of his death he owned an estate of 250 acres. He was called to the home beyond in 1862, and his wife survived until 1887. They became the parents of two children, but the elder, Rob- ert, died at the age of twelve years. He was born on October 2, 1826, and died on Sep- tember 23, 1838.

George W. Prindle remained at home with his parents until his marriage, in the mean- time receiving a district and select school edu- cation, and he began life for himself in the Roundy house, near his father's farm, while after the death of this parent he moved to the old Prindle homestead, which became his through inheritance, and he has ever since re- sided there, engaged in general farming and stock raising, although one of the special fea- tures of this place for many years has been the raising of peaches. He owns 250 acres of rich and fertile land, all in one tract, and 200 acres are under cultivation.

Mr. Prindle married on January 2, 1860, Caroline Esty Gurley, who was born in Roots- town township October 15, 1837, a daughter of Asher and Permilla (Judson) Gurley. Asher Gurley also had his nativity in Rootstown township, and his father was one of its first settlers. Mrs. Prindle died on June 26, 1905, after becoming the mother of five children, namely : Hyram A., who was born September 28, 1860, and died June 7. 1905 : Belle E., the wife of Robert Howdon, and a resident of Cleveland, Ohio; William G., whose home is in Tuscaloosa, Alabama ; Blanche F., who died at the age of thirty-two years, and Robert G., on the old Prindle farm with his father. Mr. Prindle, Sr., served his township for one term as a trustee, and he was a Republican voter. During many years he had membership rela-

tions with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He died June 13, 1909.

ALMON S. DUNNING is perhaps one of the oldest living residents of Portage county, as well as one of its best known and most hon- ored residents. He was born here in Roots- town township April 12, 1827, and twelve years of his life were devoted to the steel in- dustry, and for a like number of years he has lived on the old homestead. His father died when he was but eleven years of age, and he was thereafter obliged to help his mother on the farm, securing in the meantime what edu- cation he could in the district schools. Going to Newburg in 1869, he secured the position of timekeeper with the Bessemer department of the steel mill, and in 1871 was given charge of the mill. In July of that year he was sent to Chicago, Illinois, to install a branch mill, and although the memorable fire occurred there in the following October, the mill was saved, and he continued there until December of 1872, when he left Chicago to install a mill at Joliet, that state. He continued there for seven years, and during the time made won- derful progress along that line of work. He served as a superintendent of mills at several places, and during that time originated several patents, the principal one being the Bessemer converter, now in use in all the steel mills throughout the country. Since 1882 Mr. Dun- ning has resided on his farm in Rootstown township, where he owns 164 acres. For a man of his years he retains his physical ability to a wonderful degree, and his mind is yet clear and active.

Almon S. Dunning is a son of Amsa and Polly (Squires) Dunning, both born in Bridge- port, Connecticut, and a grandson of More- land Squires. Amsa and Polly Dunning were married in Connecticut, where three children were born to them, and from there they drove with team and wagon to Rootstown township, in Portage county, Ohio, and bought 103 acres of timber land, but the husband and father was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, for his death occurred October 15, 1838. He was born January 11, 1788. The widow, who was born February 5, 1792, survived until July 31, 1866. The four children of their union were : Samuel L., born June 17, 1808, died January 31. 1858; Eliza, born in 1815, died August 27, 1879. the wife of John S. Clark, of Kent, Ohio : Almira J., born February 12, 1815. died October 13. 1900, the wife of Elbridge Moul-

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ton, of Brimfield township; and Almon S., of this review.

Almon S. Dunning married on December 29, 1847, Edith Ann Holcomb; who was born in Palmyra township April 19, 1829, a daugh- ter of William A. and Lydia (Olmstead) Holcomb, from Massachusetts. Mrs. Dunning died December 26, 1904, after becoming the mother of two children: Anna D., born April 4. 1850, and Frank A., born April 15, 1857. The daughter is the widow of Neil N. Wal- lace, who died February 15, 1895, and she lives with her father. The son is an insurance ad- juster in Chicago, Illinois. He married Mat- tie Alexander, of Joliet, Illinois, and their chil- dren are: Edith M., who married Frederick Massey, of Albany, New York, and they have a son, Frederick Jr .; Marshall A., born Octo- ber 25, 1882, of Chicago, Illinois; and Irene, at home with her parents.

MIRS. CELESTIA FRICK .- A grand-daughter of Eli Prince, an early settler in the Western Reserve, and a daughter of the late David Scribner, Mrs. Frick comes from substantial New England stock, some of the best blood of Maine and Massachusetts families coursing through her veins.

Eli Prince was born, in 1778, in Windsor, Massachusetts, and among the invigorating breezes of the Berkshire hills grew to a sturdy manhood. He married in his native county, Rhoda Rosson, who was born in Berkshire county, in 1785. After the birth of their third child, in 1816, he and his wife came with their little family to Ohio, journeying by way of the Erie Canal to Buffalo, thence by Lake Erie to the port at which they disembarked. Locat- ing in Pierpont township, Eli Prince bought ninety acres of timbered land from the Con- necticut Land Company, it being the very farm now occupied by Sidney Prince. There he car- ried on general farming until his death, about 1850. His wife survived him, passing away in 1855. She was a natural-born nurse, and used her knowledge of herbs and simple rem- edies in doctoring her neighbors and friends, her services being often in demand in the rooms of the sick and afflicted. Both Eli Prince and his wife were consistent Christian people, and assisted in organizing the Pier- pont Free Will Baptist church. They became the parents of seven children ( four of whom were born in Pierpont), namely: Hannah, Almira, Julia, Sophia, Olive, Porter and Ansel.

Hannah Prince, born in Windsor, Massa-

chusetts, July 15, 1804. died February 27, 1889, in Pierpont township, Ashtabula county. A girl of twelve years when she came with her parents to Pierpont township, she here completed her early education, and subse- quently taught school in her district, the school being kept in a private home. In 1827 Hannah Prince married for her first husband Leonard Curtis, who was born in Parkman, Ohio. Their married life was comparatively brief, Mr. Cur- tis having been accidentally drowned, in March, 1832, while crossing a stream on a log. Their only child, Leonard Curtis, Jr., born in 1832, lied in 1856.

Mrs. Hannah ( Prince) Curtis married sec- ond, in 1837. David Scribner, who was born, June 19, 1775, in Portland, Maine. He served® as a drummer in the army during the War of 1812, and afterwards came as a pioneer to Ohio, settling in Monroe township. He was a farmer and shoemaker, carrying on a extensive business, and was also something of an astron- omer, having a good knowledge for those days of the heavenly bodies. He died in Pierpont township, January 16, 1863.

Mr. Scribner was twice married. He mar- ried first, in New York state, Betsey Hibbard, by whom he had eleven children, one of whom died in childhood, the others being as follows: Thomas, who married Hettie Bushnell, lived as a farmer in Monroe township; John, who moved to Kansas, married first Betsey Hogel, by whom he had seven children, and married second Maria Nobles; Samuel, who went to Michigan; David Jr .. settled in New York; Welcome, located in Michigan; Lorenzo, who engaged in farming in Monroe township, mar- ried Electa Shaw, and they became the parents of three children ; Noah, a farmer in Monroe township, married Julia Prince, and they be- came the parents of three children ; Simeon, a farmer in Monroe township, married Eliza Sargent, and to them five children were born ; Jacob, settled in Michigan; Betsey married John Hutchins, a farmer, and they had two children.

Mr. Scribner married second, July 11. 1837. Mrs. Hannah ( Prince ) Curtis, a well educated and accomplished woman, having a superior knowledge of the domestic arts. being espe- cially noted for her skill in weaving. By this union four children were born, namely : Rhoda, born June 14. 1838: Celestia, born March 27, 1843: Eli, born January 21, 1840, lived but four years; and Eli the 2nd, born November 23, 1845, lives in Wisconsin. Rhoda Scribner

M. W. Drick

Celestia off. rick

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married first, September 10, 1854, Elias Dur- fee, who died in 1864, leaving three children. She married second, in 1865, William Roath, of Monroe township. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Roath, namely : Hannah, who died at the age of seven years; and Eli. Eli Scribner, now a resident of Wisconsin, married first, in Ashtabula, Ohio, Eliza Parm- lee, who died leaving two children. He mar- ried second, in Wisconsin, Belle Russell. Mr. Scribner was a Whig in politics, and served many years as school director. Both he and his wife were active members of the Free Will Baptist church.

Completing her early studies in the Pierpont High School, Celestia Scribner was for two years employed as cigar maker. On Septem- ber 28, 1865, in Conneaut, Ohio, she married Michael Frick, the marriage ceremony being performed by Rev. Kyes, and at once settled on her father's home farm. Born May 19, 1835, in Armstrong, county, Pennsylvania, and reared there, Michael Frick was engaged as a young man in boating on the Allegheny river. On March 31, 1864, he enlisted in the Four- teenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and served in companies M and F. On November 12, 1864, in the engage- ment at Nineveh, Virginia, he was severely wounded. On August 24, 1865, he was hon- orably discharged from the service, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was a Republican in politics, and after taking up his residence in Ashtabula county served as a school director. He died, June 27, 1908, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Lee Platt, aged seventy-three years.

Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Frick, namely: Joseph E., born December 13, 1866; Myrtie, born February 22, 1868; Nellie G., born July 15, 1876, and David H., born April 27, 1879. Joseph E., a substantial farmer of Pierpont township, living on the old home farm, married Nancy G. Terrill, of Nashville, Tennessee. She died January 20, 1906, leaving two children, Wilson A. and Walter L. Main. Myrtie Frick, who died July 7, 1900, was the wife of the late Stuteley Parmerter, a brake- man on the Nickle Plate Railroad. Nellie G. Frick, who was educated in the Hardy school. married, November 23, 1902, Lee Platt, and lives on a farm in Pierpont township. Mr. and Mrs. Platt have three children, namely : Celestia H., born March 10, 1904; Addie M., born September 3. 1905. and Otto F., born

June II, 1907. David H. Frick, the youngest child of his parents, married Rillabelle Palmer, of Monroe township, and they have two chil- dren, Mildred M. and Margaret E.

Mrs. Frick now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Platt. She takes an active and intelligent interest in the promotion of the educational affairs of Ashtabula county, and has been especially prominent as a school offi- cial, having served her district most efficiently as school director, clerk of the school board, and as truant officer. She has. also the dis- tinction of having been the first woman to solicit aid of the people in centralizing the schools of her district. She is a valued mem- ber of the Free Will Baptist church of Pier- pont, and is president of its Ladies' Aid So- ciety.

CHARLES BRIDGEMAN .- Although a typical American citizen, thoroughly in harmony with the spirit of the Republic, Charles Bridgeman is a native son of the mother country, Eng- land, where he was born at Bristol on May 10, 1833, to Thomas and Ann (Collins) Bridge- man. He was a young man of twenty-one when he left his native shores for America, and, locating near Lyons, in Wayne county, New York, he farmed there until returning to his native land. He married, October 10, 1861, Esther Epps, who was born in Kent, England, April 20, 1834, a daughter of George and Mary (Male) Epps. George Epps died in England, but his widow came to the United States and located in Ravenna township, Port- age county, Ohio, in 1870, and she died here in November of 1885. Mrs. Bridgeman came to Lyons, New York, in 1857, but after some years returned to England with her husband. They came again to the United States, and a few years afterward located in Cleveland, where Mr. Bridgeman worked in an oil re- finery. In 1868 they came to Ravenna town- ship and bought a farm of thirty-six acres, a mile and a half southeast of the city of Ra- venna. . A log cabin had previously been erected on the land, and in 1897 Mr. Bridge- man replaced it with his present splendid frame residence. He followed a general line of agriculture, but since 1907, owing to ill health, he has laid aside much of the labor of the farm. Two children blessed the marriage union of Mr. and Mrs. Bridgeman, Henry .Augustus and Margaret E., born respectively July 6, 1862, and October 17, 1866, and both

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are at home with their parents. Mr. Bridge- man's political views are in harmony with the principles of the Democratic party.

Henry A. Bridgeman as a lad of eighteen accepted a position with the Riddle Hearse Company at Ravenna as a carriage black- smith, and three years later became the gar- dener for W. J. Hayes' residence and farm for ten years and superintendent for two years. From that time until October, 1907, he was a motorman for the N. O. T. Company between Akron and Ravenna, and since the latter date has had charge of his father's farm. He is a Mason, and a member of the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows, in which he has served as a noble grand and as chief patriarch of the encampment, and he is also identified with the Foresters of America at Ravenna. Margaret E. Bridgeman was with the Colonial Electric Works of Ravenna for five years, and the re- mainder of her life was spent at home.

THOMAS THOMPSON .- Ranking high among the native born citizens, a record of whose lives fills an important place in this volume, is Thomas Thompson, a prominent and prosper- ous farmer and stock-raiser, who during the half century that he has resided on his present farm, in Perry township, has been one of the foremost in advancing the agricultural and in- dustrial interests of this part of Lake county. A son of Moses Thompson, he was born, Oc- tober 8, 1831, in Painesville, of Revolutionary stock, his grandfather, also named Thomas Thompson, having served in the Revolutionary war.

Thomas Thompson, born in Halifax, Mas- sachusetts, enlisted when but fourteen years old in the Revolutionary army, but being a boy he was not allowed to enlist for any speci- fied time. His patriotic ardor was in nowise diminished, however, by the refusal, and he re-enlisted twice, serving three short periods, during the memorable struggle for indepen- dence. After his marriage to Ruhamah Bar- rows, he removed to New Hampshire, living there until 1814. when he settled in Stowe, Vermont, where he spent his remaining years. His wife died at Perry, Ohio.

Moses Thompson was born in New Hamp- shire, March 15, 1800, and after the removal of the family to Vermont learned the trade of a brickmaker. In 1831 he started with his family for the extreme western frontier. in- tending to settle there permanently. While en route he stopped in Lake county, Ohio, to visit

a cousin, Mrs. Norman Griswold, and was so favorably impressed with the country round- about that he was easily persuaded to locate here. Accordingly he bought, in December, 1831, a farm in Perry township, on the Nar- rows road, and at once took possession of the log house standing in the small opening that had been previously made in the woods. Work- ink with courage and perseverance, he cleared a large part of the land, and in the brick kilns that he erected near Richmond manufactured much of the brick used in this locality during that period, including that used in building the old court house. Here he spent the remainder of his life, dying November 2, 1891. He mar- ried Rachael Dutton, who was born in Stowe, Vermont, October 13, 1800, and died on the homestead, in Perry township, July 21, 1861. They were the parents of nine children, as follows: Norman died in childhood; Mathew D., died at the age of twenty years; Charles N., born April 19, 1826, died July 8, 1889; Louisa, who became the second wife of the late Newton Watts, was born October 5, 1827, and died September 14, 1891; Lois, born March 23, 1829, married Newton Watts, being his first wife, and died June 15, 1865 ; Thomas. the special subject of this brief biographical sketch ; Elizabeth, who was born June 15, 1833. and died June 4. 1883, was the wife of Alonzo Wheeler, who died in April, 1901 ; John, living on the old homestead, on the Narrows road : and Mary Anna, born February 26, 1842, died August 4, 1847.

Growing to manhood on the farm which he assisted his father in redeeming from the wil- derness, Thomas Thompson early 'learned the lessons of industry, economy and integrity. In 1852, fired by the enthusiasm that character- ized the emigrants of 1849, he went by way of the Isthmus of Panama to California, where he was engaged in mining with fair success for about three years, when about 1855, he returned east, coming back the Nicaraguan route. Locating then in Bremer county, Iowa. he bought land and remained there eighteen months, then returned to Perry and engaged in grafting and selling trees for two years. Trading then his Iowa land for his present farm, Mr. Thompson carried on this land, and also the parental homestead, for several years being in partnership with his brother John. In 1864 Mr. Thompson enlisted in Company E. One Hundred Seventy-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for a term of one hundred days, but during the time saw very little field service. In

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1866 the partnership between himself and his brother was dissolved, and he has since man- aged his affairs alone. He has one hundred and fifty-seven acres of choice land, well tilled and mostly under cultivation, and as a general farmer is exceedingly prosperous. He takes great interest in the raising of fine stock, mak- ing a specialty of horses, sheep and cattle, and as a breeder meeting with excellent pecuniary results.

On November 1, 1859, Mr. Thompson mar- ried Carlista A. Call, who was born, November 4, 1836, in Perry township, a daughter of Am- herst Call, an early settler of Lake county. Her grandparents, Rufus and Lydia (Ellis) Call, migrated from Vermont to Ohio in 1815, locating in Perry township when the country roundabout was in its primitive wildness, with only here and there an opening, in which stood the cabin of the pioneer. Here they both spent their remaining days, laboring earnestly in their successful efforts to reclaim a home- stead. Both rounded out a long life, the grandfather dying March 6, 1869, but a few weeks before the day that would have been the hundredth anniversary of his birth, which occurred in July, 1769, while the grandmother lived ninety-one years, passing away in 1856. Amherst Call was born in Vermont, February 24, 1804, and as a boy of eleven years came with his parents to Perry township, and here resided until his death, in 1869. He married, in 1832, Olive Sinclair, who was also born in Vermont, her birth occurring January 5, 1804. She died at the age of seventy-seven years, on July 2, 1881, the day that President Garfield was shot. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Call, namely: Statira, born in 1834, was the first wife of Mr. Thompson, and died soon after her marriage, her death occurring in March, 1857; Carlista, now Mrs. Thomp- son; Arit died in Perry township, in 1886, aged forty-eight years ; Addison died in North Dakota in 1891, aged fifty years; Amherst, living in Cleveland; and Solon, residing in Perry township.

Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are the parents of three children, namely: Statira A., born Sep- tember 16, 1860, married Rev. George Orcutt, pastor of the Wade Park Methodist Episcopal church in Cleveland, has three children, Hazel, Wilbur, and Margaret: Natalie, born Novem- ber 29, 1864, married Henry A. Tuttle, of Painesville, Ohio, a commercial salesman, and has one child, Crawford Tuttle; and Amherst

M., born April 5, 1867, married Ada Cham- pion, and now has charge of the home farm.

ANDREW JACKSON NEWMAN .- The sub- stantial and respected citizens of Jefferson have no more worthy representative than An- drew J. Newman, who has accomplished a satisfactory work as an agriculturist, and is now living retired from active business, en- joying the fruit of his many years of toil. Born in Steuben county, New York, August 17, 1829, a son of Abraham and Charity (Se- bring) Newman. His parents were born and reared in Seneca county, New York, and spent the first few years of their married life in Steuben county. They subsequently re- moved to Pennsylvania, living first in Girard, and then in Waterford, from there coming to Austinburg, Ohio, where both spent their re- maining days, his death occurring when he was seventy-three years old, and hers at the age of four score and four years.

His parents removing to Girard, Pennsyl- vania, when he was seven years old, Andrew J. Newman was there educated in the district schools. About 1846 he accompanied the family to Waterford, Pennsylvania, and later came with them to Ashtabula county, locating in Austinburg. In 1867 he settled on a farnı west of Jefferson village, and was there en- gaged in mixed husbandry until 1893, when his stock and all of his buildings, with the ex- ception of his dwelling house, were burned, the loss being estimated at $5,000. Mr. New- man immediately removed to Jefferson and has since rented his land, having rebuilt the buildings. His farm comprises two hundred acres of rich and productive land, one hundred and five acres of which being a part of the old farm in Austinburg. Mr. Newman made a specialty of raising and feeding stock and of dairying, being especially skillful in each line of industry. He also owns a fine fruit farm of twelve acres, which is located in Con- neaut township, on the shores of Lake Erie. Politically Mr. Newman is a sound Repub- lican.

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History of the Western Reserve, Vol. II, Part 79

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