USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > Memorial record of the county of Cuyahoga and city of Cleveland, Ohio, Pt.1 > Part 61
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His children were: Mary J., who was born December 5, 1838, and married first Henry
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Hoffman and afterward Daniel Gardner, who is now deceased; she is now a widow, living in Cleveland; Frederick W., who was born Octo- ber 19, 1840, and is now a wealthy orange- raiser of Florida; Lucy A., born February 28, 1813, married Charles Allen and is now the widow of William Wheeler, of Connectient; John 11., born October 10, 1814, and at present connected with the Akron (Ohio) Stoneware Company; Sharon P., whose name heads this sketch, was the next in order of birth; twin daughters, born February 13, 1849, died March 1 following; Sydney C., born June 29, 1852, is carrying on the drugs and hardware business on a large scale in Akron, Ohio; Ida B., born June 13, 1854, is a resident of Akron; Ahma A., born December 23, 1856, is now Mrs. Henry Nickerson, of Circleville, this State; Charles T., born September 21, 1859, is also engaged in drugs and hardware at Akron.
Mr. Sharon P. Inman, of this sketch, en- listed in the Union army September 15, 1862, at Cleveland, under Lieutenant Bailey, after- ward Captain, in Hoffman's battalion, and was detailed to do guard duty at Johnson's island, but in a short time was rejected on account of his youth. Having lost his father at the age of' seventeen years, when the estate was in debt, the care of affairs fell opou him and his brother John. Soon, however, our subject con- cluded to try military life again, and March 28, 1865, at Cleveland, he enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Ninety-eighth Regiment, under Lieutenant Raynor, and was sent to Camp Chase. Directly the news of the fall of Richmond came and the company was dis- banded. Then for a year Mr. Inman was traveling salesman throughont Indiana for G. G. Norris, of Cleveland.
December 25, 1871, he married Miss Destine E. Stocker, who was born in Boston township, Summit county, July 14, 1847, a daughter of Newell and Jane (Bailey) Stocker, farmers from New England. Since his marriage he has re- sided on the farm which he now ocenpies. IIc purchased the interest of his brother in this
farm in 1880. Besides agriculture he has also been engaged in the Immber trade to a great extent.
In his political sympathies he is a Democrat. Having an exceedingly retentive memory, he excels in the treatment of statistical matters, and when therefore he undertakes to make a point in an argument, he is hard to match. In his religious views, as one would infer from the foregoing statements as to his mental qualities, he is liberal, believing in practicing religion seven days in the week.
F RANCIS II. CHESTER, an honored farmer of Brooklyn township, was born December 5, 1835. His father, Simcon Chester, Jr., a native of Groton, Connecticut, made a trip to Brooklyn on foot as carly as 1822, selected and purchased a tract of eighty acres, and returned home the same way. August 23, 1823, he married Evaline Fish, also of Groton, and with a team of two yoke of oxen they emi- grated to their new home in the wild West, bringing along with them also his parents, three sisters and a niece. He erected a log honse for their habitation and proceeded to improve the farm.
The pioneers of the sonthern part of the town- ship had crected a log schoolhouse and desired Mr. Chester to teach for them, and to pay him for his services offered to clear off the timber on a part of his farm. This offer was accepted, and he became one of the first teachers in the only schoolhonse in Brooklyn townshipsouth of Clark , avenue, and probably the only one in the county west of the Cuyahoga river, with the exception of a similar structure near the intersection of Clark and Jennings avennes and one in " Ohio City," where at that time there were only three frame dwellings.
Angust 18, 1851, Mr. Chester died, in his sixty-second year, and September 19, 1859, his wile also died, in her sixtieth year. In their Family were four sons and two daughters, all of
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whom grew up and were married excepting one daughter, a teacher, who died Jannary 8, 1851, at the age of twenty years.
Of their children, Francis II., the youngest and the only one that was not born in the log cabin mentioned, has spent all his life here in his native town. At the age of twenty years he left the farm and learned and proscented for some time the carriage-making and carpenter's trades, but has for several years past been a farmer, in which ocenpation he takes an intelli- gent interest.
He has had an extensive experience in public affairs. During the war he was Enrolling Officer and Deputy Provost Marshal: also a member and secretary of the Eighth Independ- ent Battery, Ohio National Gnards, during its term of service. In 1861 he was elected Town- ship Clerk, Treasurer in 1865, and re-elected in 1866, Clerk again in 1867, a member and Clerk of the Brooklyn Village Board of Education in 1869, and in 1871 he was elected a member of the Township Board of Education, in which po- sition he has since served about twenty years, much of the time as its presiding officer. In 1874 he was appointed Treasurer to succeed the absconding treasurer, and was re-elected the two following years. In 1877 he was elected Trus- tee of the township.
Concerning the long and faithful services of Mr. Chester in the educational field, the Amer- ican School Board Journal of September, 1891, says: " Francis HI. Chester has been connected with the Brooklyn, Ohio, school board for twenty years and served as its presiding officer for thirteen years. He is a well-informed man on all general topics, thoroughly alive to the needs of the public school system, progressive, watchful and able."
As to the fraternal orders, Mr. Chester is a member of Glenn Lodge, No. 263, I. O. O. F., at Sonth Brooklyn, of which he has been the Permanent Secretary for ten years and an active member for over thirty years.
November 9, 1865, he married Miss Nancy A. Brainerd, the only daughter of Enther and
Marcia (Sprague) Brainerd, and granddaughter of Demas and Nancy Brainerd, of East Had- daum, Connectient, and of Avery and Annis (Johnson) Sprague, of Keene, New Hampshire. She was born in the house where she now lives, December 16, 1842. Amos Brainerd, a soldier of the war of 1776, who settled with his family in the southern part of this township in 1815, was Mrs. Chester's great-grandfather. The pio- neer schoolhouse above referred to was located on his farm, and it was upon this farm that the first furrow was turned, south of the Big creek, by his son Demas.
Mr. and Mrs. Chester's children are: Burton S., born September 29, 1866; Marcia E., No- vember 30, 1869; Simeon B., born November 4, 1873; Howard F., born July 20, 1879; and Rnth A., February 1, 1885, -- all of whom are at home, and, including their parents, were all born in Brooklyn and have been continuons res- idents there.
S TANLEY G. STONE, deceased, was born April 16, 1822, in the township of Mad- rid, St. Lawrence connty, New York, a son of Solomon and Nancy (Nash) Stone, who died in Lenawee county, Michigan. They owned a farm and reared a large family.
Mr. Stone, our snbjeet, came to Ohio in 1841, and worked as a farm hand, supporting his widowed mother, who had purchased a piece of land where his widow now resides. Returning to New York, he married, October 16, 1844, Miss Clarinda Jones, who was born February 10, 1823, in Madrid, and two weeks later came to Ohio, by boat and horse carriage to Niagara, thence by boat to Cleveland, and buggy to Brecksville township, where they located and ever after resided. At the time of their coming here Mr. Stone's mother, one sister and two brothers were living with him. A few years later he purchased the farm from his mother. At that time it contained sixty acres, but at the time of his death Mr. Stone had increased his acreage to 225. He died April 10, 1890, and
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was buried in Brecksville cemetery. He was an excellent business man, which quality he ex- hibited in the live-stock trade as well as in farming, etc .; and although he was a great reader and well posted he was not argumenta- . tive, and therefore was far more liberal than almost any one would give him credit for. He was very industrions, -- indeed so much so that he over-worked and thereby hastened his death. In his political principles he was a Democrat, and regularly attended the elections as a patri- otie citizen. Since his death Mrs. Stone has continued to reside on the homestead and man- ages, through an agent, the extensive interests connected with it.
B W. JACKSON of Cleveland, a member of the City Council, was born in Lorain county, Ohio, December 28, 1862, a worthy son of Barnabas Jackson, who settled in Lorain county nearly forty years ago. Barnabas Jackson was born " away down in the State of Maine," in 1818. In 1836 his father, Joseph Jackson, moved his family West and located at Liverpool, Ohio. From this point Barnabas made his way West farther still on an investi- gating tour, penetrating the frontier as far West as some point in Iowa. IJe was not long absent when he returned to Liverpool fully de- termined to make Ohio his home. He married, in the spring of 1849, Martha Farnam, and in the spring of 1853 he moved his family, inelnd- ing his widowed mother and a sister, to Lorain county. Here he purchased a fine farm and lived and died a prosperons and happy man. He invested in and improved property in Cleveland, and at his death Angust 8, 1889, he enjoyed a niee income and left a valuable estate to his children. They are: Charles; Ellen, wife of A. 1. Bingham of Lorain connty; Sarah, wife of C. J. Keltner; F. II. Jackson, of Cleveland; An- drew, of Lorain; B. W. and James, of Cleveland.
B. W. Jackson received a liberal education at the common schools of Lorain county and at
Oberlin College, where he spent two years. He came to Cleveland on reaching his majority and engaged in the retail grocery business. One year later he became proprietor of a feed and sale stable, which he conducted seven years. While in this business, by falling from the mow to the barn floor, Mr. Jackson was so injured as to incapacitate him for vigorons physical exer- tion, and his business has been confined since to dealing in hay in car-load lots.
In the spring of 1889 Mr. Jackson was elected to the Conneil from the First Ward. His next election was from the First district, to represent which he was re-elected in 1892. In the present Conneil he is serving on the committee on Finance, of which he is chairman, and he is also on the committee on Lighting. He is a faithful member and discharges his duties without fear or favor.
June 1, 1884, Mr. Jackson married, in Gar- rettsville, Ohio, Miss Blanche Nichols, a dangh- ter of P. C. Nichols, a prominent farmer, ex- County Commissioner, and a pioneer of Portage county. His wife was Miss H. C. Younglove, and their children are: Carrie, wife of B. II. French; Merrell; Grace, wife of Arthur Haven; Blanche; Panl; and Lney, wife of L. V. Miller. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have only one child, Le Roy Nichols, six years old.
Fraternally Mr. Jackson is an Odd Fellow.
C CORLETT, a member of a most highly respected family of Newburg's pioneers and a popular conductor of the Erie Rail- road, was born in Cleveland, September 25, 1846, and completed his school education at the Newburg high school, being once a papil of A. J. Spencer, the venerable secretary of the Cleve- land Fire Department. At the age of thirteen years he was employed by J. V. N. Tates as a stationary engineer, engaged in sawing stove wood. Next he was employed for four years by Poole & Johns, in their grocery; and then his railroad experience began, April 1, 1867, as a
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brakeman, nnder Conductor II. Corlett, now depot master for the Erie Company at Cleveland. For five years he set brakes and was making himself familiar with the operations of trains. lle was then made a train baggageman, where he remained until his promotion as freight con- dnetor, and after five years of experience in that line he was made passenger conductor. Being a man of comprehensive grasp, an " all-around" man, he is occasionally placed in charge of a yard in cases of emergency: was yard and train master in the Cleveland yard nearly two years. In the twenty-seven years of his connection with the Erie, Mr. Corlett has probably lost not more than two months from duty. Through no neg- lect of his has any passenger ever been injured, or even employee, and no record of suspension stands against him. He is a conspienons member of the O. R. C., serving in an official capacity, and is a believer in legitimate and worthy fraternities.
llis father, Daniel Corlett, is a retired resi. dent of Newburg, honored as an upright man. lle was born May 25, 1820; and his parents, of the isle of Man, descended from Belgian French who settled on that island in the sixteenth cen- inry, in the parish of Ballangh. Daniel Corlett, Sr., our subject's grandfather, was born in 1786; in 1848 he came to Ohio, and in 1873 died, on the farm which his son John had provided for him near Warrensville, Ohio. He married Mar- garet Corlett not a relative, and they had six children,-Daniel, Harry, John, Margaret, Jane and Kate,-all of whom located in Cuyahoga connty excepting Margaret, who married John Corlett, not a relative, and moved to Lake county, Ohio. John, born in 1817, came to the United States in 1840, was a stone mason by trade, and died in 1888. He was in charge of the aque- duct in New York city when it was in progress of construction, and also of the building of the Boston water-works; and, had not misfortune, a stroke of paralysis, overtaken him at thirty, he would have made a national reputation. Harry, the next born, emigrated to the United States in the '40s, was a prominent farmer in Warrens-
ville till 1859, when he went to California, prospected and speenlated, gathering a sung smin, and returned to his home in Warrensville; Janc, the next, married M. Wolverton; Kate married William Brew, a railroad man; Daniel Corlett came to this country in 1840, purchased the Quayle farm in Newburg, and divided his time between it and boiler-making until his re- tirement from business: he married Isabella Mollen, who was a native of Lagnacrave, county Monaghan, Ireland, and a sister of Christopher Mollen, Cleveland's first anctioncer. Daniel Corlett and wife were the parents of Henry; Christopher; Margaret, wife of Eli W. Can- nell; and Jennie, who married A. G. Mitchell.
Mr. C. Corlett, whose name heads this sketch, was married in Painesville, Ohio, October 5, 1876, to Miss Alice Jane Garrett, a danghter of Jolin Garrett and one of the pioneers of Lake and Geanga counties. Mr. Garrett was born in 1820, a native of the isle of Man, and was married to Letitia Clagne. Two children were born to them, namely: Alice and Josephine, the latter dying when two years old. Mr. Corlett's children are: John, born July 14, 1877, now a freshman in the Cleveland high school; Christo- pher, born January 23, 1879; Harry Winfield, November 3, 1880; Frankie, born July 16, 1882, died in 1884.
KAMES AVERY, a well-known citizen and probably as good a mechanic in his line as Brecksville ever had, if not better, was born in Kent, England, in 1821, a son of George Avery. (See sketch of William II. Avery.) Early in life Mr. Avery learned the blacksmith's trade, and in the spring of 1841 came to the United States, with his brother George. Sailing from London, they arrived at New York after a voyage of six weeks and three days, and they finally reached Cleveland, by water, whence they walked ont into Brecksville township. After his marriage in 1850, onr subject located on a farm where he now lives. For a while he car-
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ried on a blacksmith shop there, and then re- moved it and his residence to Brecksville center, where for twenty years he followed his trade. In 1882 he returned to his farm, where he has seventy-five acres of good land. Ile has been qnite snecessful, both as a mechanic and as a farmer. As a Democrat he is intelligent and loyal to his party.
January 2, 1850, is the date of his marriage to Miss Eunice M. Whitnall, who was born July 8, 1818, in Pompey, Onondaga county, New York, a daughter of Rev. Isaac and Eliza (Lewis) Whitnall. Her father, a native of Can- terbury, England, was educated for the Baptist ministry in his native country, and after his ar- rival in the United States he adopted the doc- trine of " free salvation for all mankind," and preached at various places during pioneer times -Strongsville, Cuyahoga connty, as early as 1828. In traveling he rode horseback, through the wild forests. Notwithstanding his change of doctrine he was never excommunicated by his church. lle was married in 1811, partici- pated in the battle of Trafalgar under Commo- dore Nelson, and finally died in Royalton, Orleans connty, New York, while engaged in pastoral duties. IFis wife died in Rockport, Cnyahoga county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Avery's children are: Hester L., born Angust 18, 1852, is now the widow of J. W. Rooks, of Brecksville township; Cassius C., born Angust 18, 1854, died September 20, 1855; and Cassins (second), born January 10, 1856, died August 12, 1861.
B. STEPHENSON, a highly respected and representative citizen and extensive farmer of Brecksville township, was born February 4, 1828, in Richfield, Summit county, Ohio. ITis father, IIngh Stephenson, was born in York- shire, England, March 22, 1791; and his father, William Stephenson, came to the United States in 1803, locating at Kinderhook, New York, where Hugh was reared to manhood, and July 15, 1817, married Elizabeth Hopkins Holland,
who was born May 22, 1789, in Colmbia county, New York: she was a consin of Martin Van Buren, President of the United States. Soon after his marriage Ilugh Stephenson came West, in 1818, and located in Richfield town- ship, Summit county, Ohio, which section was at that time a dense, wild forest. The old- Fashioned, typical log cabin was his home for many years, but the farm gradually showed signs of improvement, under the persevering hand of the owner. He moved to Brecksville in 1831, where he lived ontil 1856, when he died; and his wife died in 1865, and they both lie buried in Brecksville cemetery. These old pioneers shared all the hardships incident to pioneer times. Too much cannot be said in their praise as developers of comfortable homes in a wilderness despite innumerable obstacles. They were both for many years members of the Con- gregational Church of Brecksville.
Their children were: John C., born May 3, 1818, died when three years old; Jane E., born September 6, 1822, married Charles Kellogg, and died in this township; William M., born May 19, 1824, and now a farmer of Linn county, Iowa; I. B., whose name introduces this sketch, is the next in order of birth; Maria I., born February 10, 1830, became a schoolteacher, and died at the age of thirty-six years, nnmar- ried; and Frederick HI., born October 28, 1832, is a farmer in Traverse county, Michigan.
Mr. I. B. Stephenson, our subject, being brought up in the pioneer wilds of Ohio, of conrse had but little school advantages. Ile remained upon the parental homestead as a farmer's son until his marriage, December 10,' 1866, to Miss Maria Marsh, who was born May 24, in Colinbia county, New York, a daughter of Luther and Sarah (Rich) Marsh, who came to Ohio in 1831, locating in Brecksville town- ship. Since his marriage Mr. Stephenson has still continued the farmer's life. His place now comprises 153 acres, two miles sonth of the center of the township.
During the California gold excitement Mr. Stephenson, like thousands of others, started for
Charles A. Suzel.
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the source of the excitement, sailing on the ship Daniel Webster from New York to Nicaragua, and from the isthins to San Francisco on the Golden Age. After spending a year and a half in the Golden State he returned by the same route, sailing from San Francisco to the isthmus on the Golden Gate, and thence to New York on the Illinois, and came to his old home in Brecksville township in 1855. During the smimmer of that year he went to Michigan and was employed in sawmills near Grand Rapids for a short time, returning to his old home. Excepting these absences he has been in the neighborhood of his birthplace.
His children are: Rosa B., now Mrs. William Gosser of this township; Sarah M., who married William Noble of this township; and Frederick S. and Dwight C., both at home.
In his political sympathies Mr. Stephenson is a Republican, taking great interest in public af- fairs and being a regnlar attendant at the elec- tions. He is a successful farmer and a highly respected citizen.
C ILARLES A. KUZEL was born in Nev- jezic, Bohemia, July 4, 1859, as the oldest son of Francis and Agness (Sykora) Knzel. Both parents were born in Bohemia, where they were married. They came to the United States in May, 1866, with a family of three children: one child has since been born in their family. Of these only the three sons survive, the daughter having lost her life in 1869, by drowning. The parents came direct to the city of Cleveland, on their arrival in this country, and they have since lived here. The father fol- lowed his trade, that of tailor, up to about ten years ago, when, on account of old age, he re- tired and spent his last days in rost from con- stant labor to which he was so long used.
The subject of this sketch obtained a fair common-school education, bat from early life he has been under the necessity of employing his time in carning a support. To the sup-
port of his parents and brothers he was called upon for contribution in yonth, and hence a collegiato edneation has never been afforded Mr. Kuzel. He completed a course in book- keeping at the Cleveland Business College, and at the age of seventeen years accepted a posi- tion in the County Clerk's office, where he has since been an employee, arising from the low- est to the highest position in the office. Ile has been in that office since September 19, 1876, and is regarded as being thoroughly well acquainted with the detail work of the office. While in this office he has kept up his studies at night, and has thus become well-informed npon many subjects of interest, and has col- lected an excellent private library. Since carly youth Mr. Knzel has been very fond of books and study. Ile applied himself to the study of law and has continued the study at his opportunity for so doing while he has been in the office of the Clerk of Common Pleas.
In June, 1884, he was admitted to the bar. In politics Mr. Kuzel is a stanch Republican, and as a citizen he is highly respected.
June 20, 1887, he married Minnie A. Evans, of Cleveland, and they have two sons and a daughter.
AMES M. DILLOW, a retired farmer of Brecksville township, was born October 3, 1822, in Brecksville, Cuyahoga connty, Ohio. His father, Andrew Dillow, was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, November 10, 1790, was reared a farmer and was married there, March 29, 1810, to Elizabeth Farrar, who was born December 29, 1787. Ifis parents were killed by Indians, and he was taken by an old lady of the neighborhood to bring np, who took kind care of him. When yet a boy he came to Brecksville township, looked over the country, and returned to Pennsylvania, where he was married, and abont 1830 moved here with his wife and two children, namely: Mary, who married Henry Stebbins and diod here in Ohio; and George W., a farmer, who was mar-
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ried twice, first to Uceba Russel and afterward to Pearliette M. Fenn, and died in Brecksville. Mr. Andrew Dillow located at Center and was employed in the old Wyatt gristmill for forty years, resigning when his health failed. About a year after his arrival here ho purchased a tract of land, all woods, a mile east of Center, located upon it and made it his home for the remainder of his life. Ilis children were: Jane, who married Miranda Peck and died in Brecks- ville; Peter, a farmer, who married Eliza Rinear and afterward Arminda Norville; James, whose name heads this sketch; Eliza- beth, who married Francis Stebbins and died in this town; Catharine, who became the wife of Ira Fitzwater and died here; and Orlando, who died young. Mr. Dillow died November 16, 1877, and his wife April 9, 1865: both were buried in East cemetery. Mr. Dillow was a Whig and Republican, and his wife a member of the Presbyterian Church. As to his physical frame he was large and stont, and during his life did an immense amount of hard work.
The gentleman whose name heads this sketch, Mr. James M. Dillow, was reared npon a farm and obtained his modiem of education in the way characteristic of the wild period of pioneer times in Ohio. His father once willed the old farm to him if he would remain upon it; but this was both unsatisfactory to the other chil- dren and distasteful to him, and he surrendered the will and strnek out in life for himself um- aided. He had given all his carnings to his parents and assisted them in every way.
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