USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > Memorial record of the county of Cuyahoga and city of Cleveland, Ohio, Pt.1 > Part 47
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Like his father, Mr. Morrison affiliates with the Democratic party. He and his family are members of the Disciple Church.
S AMUEL BRITTON is one of the sne- cessful men of Solon township, Cnyahoga county, Ohio, and like many of the citi- zens of this place hails from the Emerald Isle.
Mr. Britton was born in county Tyrone, Ire- land, in August, 1847, son of James Britton, Jr., and grandson of James Britton, Sr., the latter being a Scotchman who located in county Tyrone, where he purchased 150 acres of land. The mother of Samnel Britton was before her marriage Miss Catharine Johnson, and she, too, was a native of county Tyrone. James Britton, Jr., and his wife passed their lives and died in Ireland. They were the parents of seven chil- dren, three sons and four danghters.
When he was eighteen years of age, Samuel Britton emigrated to the United States. Ife worked for one William Hutchings for three months, then was employed in a cheese factory for some time, and afterward worked on a farm
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in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, for three years for Julins S. Giles. lle was married in 1870, and after that lived on a farm at Bainbridge for three years. At the end of that time he came to Solon township, Cuyahoga county, and for some years lived on rented land here. In 1877 he settled on the farm on which he now lives, a mile and a quarter from Solon. Here he owns 1323 acres of excellent land, with good im- provements thereon. Ilis barn, 40 x 60 feet, with 20-foot posts, and basement, is one of the best in the township. It has a capacity for 100 tons of hay and grain. Mr. Britton has given no little attention to the stock business, and in this as well as farming has met with snecess. Hle now keeps a dairy of twenty-five cows.
Mr. Britton was married December 8, 1870, to Anna Jane Smyton, who was born in connty Tyrone, Ireland, daughter of John and Marga- ret (Johnson) Sinyton. She eame to this eoun- try when she was fourteen years of age. Her father died when she was ten years old, leaving a widow and three children, the others being Rachel and Alex, the latter being now deceased. Mrs. Smyton is still a resident of county Ty- rone. Mr. and Mrs. Britton have five children: May B., Carrie Anna, George William, Grace Elizabeth and Fred S. All have had the benefit of good educational advantages.
Mr. Britton's family are Presbyterians, and, politieally, he is a Democrat.
D. BATTLES, one of the prosperous farmers of Mayfield township, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, was born on the fam on which he now lives, October 1, 1836. IIe is the ninth child and sixth son of Inthox and Arthusa (Porter) Battles, and on his father's farm he grew up, and received a distriet-school and academic education. Two years before he reached his majority he began working ont by the month on neighboring farms.
November 1, 1860, he married Caroline Jacobs, who was born in this township, March
6, 1836, oldest eluld of Harmon and Harriett (Keyt) Jacobs. They have three children, one son and two daughters: Ewing, of this town- ship; Harriett, wife of James Short; and Viola, wife of JJames Rogers.
After his marriage Mr. Battles located on the farm where he now lives, and where he has since remained, with the exception of five years spent in Ashtabula comty, this State. Ile owns 322 acres of choice farming land and car- ries on general farming and stock raising, being very successful in his operations.
Politically, Mr. Battles is a Republican. Hle is now serving as Township Trustee and as School Director.
JAMES COVERT, who resides near Wil- son's Mills, Cuyahoga connty, Ohio, is the proprietor of the " Chagrin Valley Ponl- try Farm."
Mr. Covert was born in Mayfield township, this county, October 12, 1822, a son of one of the early pioneers of northern Ohio. His father, James Covert, Sr., a native of New Jer- sey, went from that State to New York when he was twelve years old, and in 1807 took up his abode in Cuyahoga conty, Ohio. At that time there were but few people in Mayfield town- ship. In the midst of the forest he secured a tract of land, built a log house, and became prominently identified with the early pioneers. lle and his wife, nee Martha Judd, had four- teen children, the subject of our sketch being the eighth born. He was reared on his father's farm, and received his edneation in the common schools of the district. Among the early set- tlers of the township were the Johnsons, Jndds, Smiths, Jacksons and Coverts. Many of the older members of these families have long since passed away, but their deseendants still remain here, and these names are found on most of the school records of the township.
In 1847 the subject of our sketch married Mary J. Sheldon, who died some years later, leaving three sons and two daughters: Frank-
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James Boucit.
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lin, Polly, Wayne, Elizabeth and Cordelia. Mr. Covert married for his present wife, in 1887, Miss Mary Maranda Higgins, a native of this township, and a danghter of Henry M. Higgins, who came to this county in an early day. Her only child died in infancy.
In early life Mr. Covert was a great hunter, and has also traveled a great deal. He made the journey to California, spent some time on the plains and visited various portions of the West. Ilis Chagrin Valley Poultry Farm, re- ferred to at the beginning of this sketch, was the first farm taken up in Mayfield township by Abner Johnson, comprises 150 acres, and is well equipped for the purpose to which it is devoted. For some time Mr. Covert has given his special attention to the raising of fine poultry, and in this enterprise his efforts have been attended with success.
Like his father before him, Mr. Covert's po- litical affiliations are with the Democratie party. Fraternally, he has been identified with the I. O. O. F. for three or four decades, having his membership at Chagrin Falls.
0 SCAR JACOBS, one of the prosperons farmers of Mayfield township, Cuyahoga county, has recently retired from his farmi and removed to Chagrin Falls. As one of the representative men of the eonnty, it is appro- priate that personal mention be made of him in this work. A resume of his life is as follows:
Oscar Jacobs was born in Mayfield township, Onyahoga county, Ohio, December 25, 1841. Harmon Jacobs, his father, who was born in Rutland connty, Vermont, in 1809, was when fonr years old taken by his father to New York, his mother having died in Vermont. He re- mained in New York until 1825, when, at the age of sixteen, accompanied by his brother, he started on foot for Geanga county, Ohio, carry- ing a pack of about forty-live pounds on his baek. Upon his arrival in Ohio he worked ont by the month on farms in various places until
he was twenty-two years of age, when he was employed by Halsey Gates to work in the mill, and remained in his employ six months. IFe then took charge of the mill, and for nine years ran it on the shares. After this he bought a farm in the southeastern part of Mayfield town- ship, where he spent the rest of his life and died. His death ocenrred in 1885. He was a man who was well posted on current events and oeenpied a leading place in the community in which he lived. For some time he served as Township Trustec. Politically, he was first a Whig and afterward a Republican.
Looking still further into the paternal ances- try of our subject, we find that the Jacobses are of English origin. Three brothers by the name of Jacobs emigrated to this country from Eng- land previous to the Revolutionary war. One of them, onr subjeet's great-grandfather, was a soldier in that war, fighting on the side of the colonies, while his two brothers remained loyal to the king. Aaron Jacobs, the grandfather of Oscar, was a participant in the war of 1812. This Aaron Jacobs came to Ohio nine months after Buffalo was burned, and settled in Trum- bull county, he being the first of the Jacobses to settle on the Western Reserve.
The mother of Osear Jacobs was before her marriage Miss Harriett Keyt. She was born in New York in 1814, danghter of Gideon Keyt, a native of New Jersey and of English descent. They eame to Cuyahoga county in 1832. She is still living, making her home with her youngest danghter and her son Oscar. They had a family of four children, all of whom grew mp, namely: Caroline, wife of Lorenzo Battles, of Mayfield township, this county; Margaret, deceased; Oscar, the subject of our sketeh; and Angusta, wife of Oliver Gary.
Osear Jacobs was reared in his native place, receiving his education in the common schools and at the seminary in Geanga county. He was married November 15, 1864, to Verlena Traver, who was born in St. Joseph county, Michigan, in 1845, daughter of Robert and Eliza (Jerome) Traver. Mr. Traver was a native
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of New York. He removed from Michigan to Ohio with his family when Mrs. Jacobs was quite small. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs have four children: Milan, Harmon O., Elmer C. and Zella A. Mr. Jacobs spent one year on his father's farm after he was married, and then moved to his own land. He owns 211 acres, on which nutil quite recently he was engaged in general farming and stock raising.
Politically, he is a Republican.
W ILLIAM BRITTON, a well-known citi- zen of Solon township, Cuyahoga conn- ty, Ohio, was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, August 6, 1831, son of James and Catharine (Johnson) Britton, both natives of that same county. James Britton, Sr., the grandfather of William Britton, was born in Scotland, and removed from there to county Tyrone, Ireland, where he purchased 450 acres of land, most of which is still held by members of the Britton family. The subject of our sketch is one of a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters, namely: Mary, who died in New York; William; Eliza, a resi- dent of New York city; Anna, who died in New York city; James, a resident of Ireland; Samnel, who lives in Solon, Ohio; Belle, who died in Ireland, Both parents are deceased, the mother having died at the age of fifty-six, and the father at sixty-seven.
William Britton remained in his native land imtil after he attained his majority, and in 1854 he emigrated to America, sailing from Londonderry to Liverpool and thenec to New York, where he landed after a voyage of twenty- six days. For two years he was engaged in teaming in New York city. From thero ho came to Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and was for some time engaged in teaming for William IIntel- ings. It was in 1865 that he located on his presont farm. Here he owns 101 acres of well- improved land, equipped with good house, barn,
stock sheds, ete. In connection with his farm- ing operations, he also keeps a dairy of some fifteen cows.
Mr. Britton was married April 20, 1858, to Rachel Johnson, who was born in county Ty- rone, Ireland, June 24, 1829, daughter of Joli and Rebecca (MeGinnes) Johnson, who were born, passed their lives and died in that county, both reaching advanced ages, her father eighty- four and her mother ninety-six. The names of their nine children are as follows: Margaret, Ann, Rachel; Robert, John, James (1), Arthur, Rebecca and James (2). They were members of the Church of England. Mrs. Britton came to this country nnaccompanied by any of the members of her family, and was seven weeks in making the ocean voyage. Mr. and Mrs. Brit- ton are the parents of four children, viz: Ida J., wife of Robert Thompson, of this township; Ira J., in the employ of the Brush Electric Light Company, of Cleveland; Annie R., de- cased; and Iney P., who has a position in the office of the Cleveland Railroad Company.
Mr. Britton's parents were Presbyterians, and he and his wife are also members of that Church. Politically he is a Democrat. For six years he has served as a member of the School Board. Ilis whole life has been charac- terized by the strietest integrity, and those who know him best esteem him most.
C. ROSSITER, chief clerk of the city water department, was born in Cleveland, October 21, 1852. He spent a brief period in the common schools, but not forming a re- markable liking for the routine work of the schoolroom, ceased to be a pupil at twelve years of age. He became office boy for C. R. Evatt, a coal dealer, at that age, and some time after- ward was left in charge of the business while that gentleman was absent on a three months' trip to Europe. On his return the business of the concern had been so well attended to that a present of an old $20 national bank bill was
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made to young Rossiter by Mr. Evatt. Mr. Evatt opened a branch coal office and at thirteen years old Mr. Rossiter was given charge of it, and conducted it seven years. He remained in the coal business with other parties, David Lneas, M. T. Thompson, and James Rossiter, his father, who purchased the business of Todd, Wells & Co., and is still a dealer.
J. C. Rossiter entered the water office as a clerk in 1881. Ile has remained continuously through the administration of both political parties, being promoted four times, the last one in 1891, when he was made chief clerk by Director Ilerriek and continued in the same position by Director Farley.
James Rossiter came to Cleveland in 1851, from county Wexford, Ireland. Ile married Margaret Cullen in the old country. Their children are: J. C .; P. F .; Mary (deceased), married C. B. Coon; J. W. (died at fifteen); Margaret, wife of Frank Fowler, a clerk for the United States Express Company; William J .; and Catharine, who died in 1889.
J. C. Rossiter married, November 15, 1875, in Cleveland, Catharine, daughter of Patrick Mahon, who was boru in Roscommon, Ireland, came to Cleveland in 1863, and engaged here as a enstom tailor. He married Ellen Washing- ton and reared thirteen children.
Mr. and Mrs. Rossiter are the parents of James (deceased), Nellie, John, William, Mar- garette and Catharine.
E ADWARD J. MAGINN, cashier of freight office of the Pennsylvania Railroad, has practically grown up in the service of this company. He entered it as a telegraph operator twenty-two years ago, and by close application to business and exemplary conduct has risen by degrees and passed through all in- termediate stations, arriving at the goal in 1888, when he succeeded Agent Andrus as cashier.
Mr. Maginn received a liberal education at the public schools of Milan, Norwalk and Akrou. At the last named place he learned telegraphy and was made night operator at Loudonville, on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, this being his first permanent position. Over- work so aggravated an injury of the hip which he received when a boy that he was obliged to quit work, remaining idle one year, and when he again became an employe of the company it was as previously stated.
Mr. Maginn was born in Glasgow, Scotland, December 15, 1856. In 1856 his father, James K. Maginn, came to Ohio and located in Milan. Ile was a ship carpenter and joiner by trade, and followed it (including two and a half years in the Government service during war), together with machine work, till retirement. Ile mar- ried Anna MeEwen, and Edward J. is the only living one of their two children.
October 13, 1880, Mr. E. J. Maginn married, in Cleveland, Maggie MeConville, whose father, Francis MeConville, resided in Sandusky. Their children are Bessie, Ethel and Grover C.
AMES F. WALSH, inspector of boilers for the city of Cleveland, was born in county Cork, Ireland, April 11, 1847. His father, Michael Walsh, an engineer, came to the United States in 1848 and made his home first in Piermont, Rockland conuty, New York. In 1854 he came to Cleveland and was employed with the Cleveland, Columbus, Cin- cinnati & Indianapolis Railroad Company, and was a trusted man, remaining twenty-seven years. From 1881 until 1884 he was on the pay roll of the Lake Shore Company. Ile is now retired, and is eighty-two years of age. For his wife he married Mary Irving, and they have seven children, the third one being James F.
The latter received only a fair English educa- tion from the Cleveland schools. On leaving them he became timekeeper for Blish & Gar-
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lock. Ile remained with them till 1860, when he went to Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, and entered on his apprenticeship as a boiler-maker with the New York & Eric Railroad Company. In Jannary, 1863, with trade completed, he ro- turned to Cleveland and worked for the C. & E. two years. He then went to Meadville, Penn- sylvania, remaining there till 1867 in the om- ploy of the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad. Ile left the Keystone State then, and after a two-years' service with the Lake Shore & Michi- gan Sonthern Railroad Company in Cleveland, returned to Petroleum Center, Pennsylvania, aud spent two years with F. J. Hanna & Com- pany, boiler-makers. On his final return to Cleveland in 1871 Mr. Walsh entered the em- ployment of the Cleveland Steam Boiler Works and remained till his arrangement with the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad Company, in 1874, when he was made assistant foreman of the boiler shops, holding this place till Jnly, 1893, when he was appointed by the director of fire department to his present position.
In 1870 Mr. Walsh married, in Cleveland, Miss Ellen, a daughter of James Marr, a tailor of this city. Their children are: M. J., a ma- chinist; J. F., Jr., W. T., Mary T., Elizabeth E., Maggie 11., John T. and Joseph R.
M. BURGESS, a farmer of Orange town- ship, this county, was born at Boonville, Oneida county, New York, February 6, 1822, a son of William Burgess, who was born at Pittsfield, Massachusetts, June 27, 1787. The latter's father, Joseph Burgess, was also a native of that State, and the family trace their ancestry to Thomas Burgess, who came to Mas- sachusetts in 1630. lle became one of the prominent and influential settlers of his locality. The family have always been active workers in churches, schools, different professions, and have been soldiers in the wars of this country. William Burgess, father of our subject, was
married in 1810 to Esther Williams, who was born in Lenox, Massachusetts, in 1791, and was also a member of a prominent family. After marriage they moved to Vermont, next to Boonville, Oneida county, New York, and in 1833 located in Bainbridge, Geanga county, Ohio. Mr. Burgess died there, at the age of sixty-two years, and his wife survived until eighty-two years of age. The former was a blacksmith by trade, was a Democrat in his political views, and both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They had nine sons who grew to years of ma- turity, viz .: Jolm Chandler, who died at Seran- ton, Pennsylvania; Allen, a resident of Russell, Ohio; Alvin, a prominent Methodist minister in Jamestown, New York, where he has served as Presiding Elder for a number of years; Joseph M., onr subject; Theodore; Charles W .; Jolm W .; Cornelins, engaged in railroad work at Cleveland; and D. Franklin, a resident of Solon, Ohio, who was a soldier in the late war, a member of the Sixth Ohio Cavalry. In 1862 the mother and nine sons met at Cleveland, which was the last time the ten were ever to- getlier.
J. M. Burgess, the subject of this sketch, came to Ohio when eleven years of age, whore he was reared to farm life, and attended the district schools of Bainbridge. At the age of nineteen years he was employed as mail and baggage master on the Hartford & New Haven Railroad, continuing in that position two years, and is now one of the oldest ex railroad men in Ohio. Mr. Burgess has resided on his present farm of 180 acres of well improved land for the past forty years. He has all the necessary im- provements on his place, and also has a sugar grove of 900 trees.
April 30, 1845, Mr. Burgess was united in marriage with Lonisa Fowler, who was born, reared and edneated at Bainbridge, Ohio, a danghter of Horatio Fowler, a native of Con- nectient. His father, John Fowler, was one of the early pioneers of Bainbridge. Horatio was married May 31, 1821, to Jemima Russell, a
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native of Middlefield, Massachusetts, and a danghter of Gideon Russell, who was born in Somers, Connecticut, December 25, 1760. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and was the first settler of Russell, Ohio, having located there in 1816. Gideon Russell married Jemima Al- vard, who was born at Hadley, Massachusetts, in 1762. Mr. and Mrs. Horatio Fowler had ten children, eight of whom grew to years of maturity, namely: Louisa, Marvin, Harriet, Emily, Norman, Laura, Justin and Alferd. During the late war Norman was a soldier in the Second Minnesota Infantry, and was killed at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Two children died when young, -John and Ed. Mrs. Fowler departed this life March 23, 1866, and her hus- band survived until August 21, 1873.
Mr. J. M. Burgess and wife have four chil- dren: John N., who received his education at Oberlin, Ohio, and is now a successful teacher in Los Angeles, California; II. N., now at home, who married Eva A. Straight; she died leaving one son, Clarence II .; Elmo J., wife of William A. Stewart, of Solon, Ohio; and Alice M., at home. Mr. and Mrs. Burgess lost two children by death: Emily, at the age of nine years, and a babe of one year.
Mr. Burgess votes with the Republican party, and has served as Trustee and as a member of the School Board. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
C F. EMERY, a farmer and stock raiser of Warrensville township, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, is a man who for a number of years has been prominently identified with the vari- ous interests of this section of the country. Some personal mention of him is therefore ap- propriate on the pages of this work, and a brief sketch of his life is as follows:
C. F. Emery was born in Jaffrey, Cheshire county, New Hampshire, April 10, 1832, son of Samuel and Mary ( Bailey) Emery, both na- tives of that State. Samuel Emery was a suc-
cessful farmer, was a quiet and unassuming man, and in his religious belief was a Univer- salist. lle died at the age of sixty-one years, his death resulting from blood poisoning; and previons to that sickness he was never sick a day in his life. After his death his widow came to Cleveland, Ohio, and spent her last days with her daughter, Ermina Kidd. Mrs. Emery was a woman of many estimable quali- ties. She was one of a family of seven, all of whom have passed away. The subject of our sketch was the fourth born in a family of seven children, four of whom are now living, namely: Louisa, widow of Samuel Bent, of Massachu- setts; Almon, of Cleveland, Ohio; C. F .; and Ermina, wife of Robert Kidd, of Cleveland.
C. F. Emery grew up in his native State. At the age of twelve he commeneed work in a cot- ton factory, attending common school in winter. When he was twenty he bought the time inter- vening between that and his majority, paying his father $150 for the same. At the age of twenty-one he came to Ohio, and his first em- ployment was in a chair factory in Newburg, where he remained until he was twenty-three, and during that time laid up $700. Then, on account of too close confinement in doors, he sought a change of occupation, and turned his attention to the butchering business, being en- gaged with William B. Falloasbee. IIe con- tinued in this business until he had saved up $10,000. Then, disposing of his interest in the meat market, he became a partner in the Ohio Chair Co., with which he was connected three years. Next, he began buying horses and selling the same to the Government, and in this enterprise was also successful. In the meantime the Civil war had been inaugurated, and he had sent a substitute to the field of action. Ile has continued buying and selling horses up to the present time. For years he has been engaged in heavy hauling for the Cleveland Rolling Mill Co. at Newburg.
Mr. Emery has for a number of years boon connected with the street railway system of Cleveland. In 1880 he was engaged in what
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was known as the Street Chariot Railway War, which lasted for three months. At its close he owned 125 horses and thirteen chariots, which were used to convey passengers on Woodland avenue from the work house to Bank street. When the trouble was finally settled the railway company put its road and cars in good shape, and two years later Mr. Emery was chosen president of the company, in which position he remained until it was consolidated with the West Side. Ile then occupied the position of vice-president until another consolidation was ell'ected, this time with the cable line. At this writing he is one of the directors of the Cleve- land City Railway Co.
It was in 1881 that Mr. Emery began farm- ing. Ile owns a large farm in Warrensville township, all well improved and used princi- pally as a stock farm, blooded horses being his specialty. Ilis place is known far and near as " Forest City Farm." During the past year he sold nine horses which were shipped to Russia, one which went to Liverpool, and at different times has made shipments to Canada and to almost every State in the Union. At this writing he has about 200 head of blooded horses. Besides the other enterprises men- tioned, Mr. Emery is also interested in the Taylor & Boggis Foundry Company, of Cleve- land.
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