USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > Memorial record of the county of Cuyahoga and city of Cleveland, Ohio, Pt.1 > Part 62
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April 22, 1847, he married Sarah J. Clifford, who was born April 20, 1830, in Northfield, Summit county, Ohio, a daughter of William and Ennice (Cranmer) Clifford; her father was from Beaver county, Pennsylvania. After his marriage Mr. Dillow lived a year with his father, then bought a farm from Theodoro Breck, when he had not a dollar to pay for it! Mr. Breck was kind enough to lend him $75, and gave him as long a time as he wished to return it and pay for the land. One horse, hitched to a mnd boat, was able to hanl all his
earthly possessions! but with a determination to succeed he set to work and paid the above debts before they were due! Soon afterward he purchased ninety acres adjoining. He has been a farmer all his life. In later years he removed to the south of Center, to 'seck a more healthful location and afterward he moved to Center. In December, 1892, he moved to his present place, where he is enjoying a retired life. He has owned several farms, and still has 140 acres of land. Ilis amiable wife, who has been of great assistance to him through all their struggles, is is a member of the Congregational Church. Mr. Dillow has been a man of exemplary habits, nover having used tobacco or intoxicating liquor. Politically he was a Republican before the war, and since then a Democrat. He has been Constable four years, Judge of Election, etc. He has worked very hard all his life, and has never " worn out the seat of his pants."
Ilis children are: Andrew C., who died at the age of five years; Ella J., who is living at home; Julia E., who also died when live years old; George, who died young; Eddy J., who died when ten years of age; Clark J., a farmer of this township, who married Isabella Wal- lace, of Northfield, Summit county, Ohio; Myrton U., who died when two years old; and Frank II., who married May King, of Cleveland, and settled in that city.
HI. COATES, a merchant of Brecksville, is of English ancestry. Ilis father, John Coates, was born in Yann, Yorkshire, Eng- land, in 1801; and his father, also named Jolm, emigrated with his family to the United States in 1803, settling in Genesee county, New York, leaving England because of the domineer- ing rule of the aristocrats. IIe was a wealthy man, and in 1815 exchanged his Genesee county property for a tract of 3,300 acres of land in North Royalton, Ohio. In the winter of that year he and his son John came here on horse- back, built a house upon the land and returned
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home; and during the ensuing summer, with wagons and teams of horses the entire family moved here, arriving in North Royalton after a journey of six weeks.
In November, 1827, John Coates, Jr., mar- ried Lucy Ann Weld, who was born in Guil- ford, Connecticut, in 1806, and they came and occupied the house at North Royalton. Mrs. Coates died in 1852, at the house before men- tioned, and Mr. Coates in 1873, at Brecksville, not members of any church; he was a zealous Republican. Their children were: Edmund, born in 1828; James M., 1830; James II., whose name heads this sketch, born in 1832; Mary Weld, who died in infancy, was born in 1834; Mary A., now living at Brecksville, born 1837; Frank M., born in 1848, is a doctor at Berea; Louis W., born 1845, now at Lincoln, Nebraska; and William R., who was born in 1851, and is now mayor of Brooklyn, Ohio.
Mr. J. II. Coates was born in the northeastern corner of Royalton township, this county, and when fourteen years of age entered the store of B. II. Wood & Company, of West Richfield, Summit county, this State, where he remained two or three years; next he was at Sharon three years; at Akron a year, employed in Old Stone Block for MeCurdy & Michner, merchants; and finally came to Brecksville township.
In 1855 he married Miss Maria L. Storrs, a native of New York State and a danghter of Elijah Storrs, who settled in Summit county in pioneer times. After his marriage Mr. Coates located in the village of Brecksville. In 1857, his health being poor, he moved to Grand Haven, Michigan, where he remained five years, a portion of which time he was in the Immber business, and while a resident there a daughter was born in the family, named Julia M., who is now the wife of II. C. King. He is a professor at Oberlin (Ohio) College, where she graduated in July, 1879. She has spent one year at Berlin, Germany, pursuing an ad- vanced course of study.
In 1863 Mr. Coates returned to Brecksville township, moved to the center and at once
launched into mercantile business. In Brocks- ville township Ben E. was born, who also is now a merchant at the center. In 1893 he also made a journey abroad, being gone about six months. He is a leading business man of the place, being very popular, etc.
When the subject of this sketch returned to Brecksville he opened a store in compliance with a request of a number of customers. Ilis capital was limited, but his energy and good judgment enabled him to prosper, and he re- mained in business there until 1889, when he retired and left his son to continue the business, as head partner. For the entire time he has been merchant there he has also been Post- master, and is now holding that position. The office is still continned in the building, which is now rented.
Mr. Coates has always been a Republican. Has been Township Treasurer for thirty years, Township Clerk in 1830-'51 before his mar- riage. In all his public relations he has given good satisfaction, establishing a reputation that may be envied by almost any one. Ile and his wife and son are exemplary members of the Congregational Church, of which body he has been Treasurer for many years, and in which he has held other offices, and is now Deacon. He has a very pleasant home, north of the village. Is one of Brecksville's most highly respected citizens, influential in the community and a successful business man.
C ONSTANT ROOY, a prosperous farmer of Royalton township, was born August 21, 1840, in Holland, in the province of Seeland, the son of Adrian Rooy, also a farmer. Brought up to the same vocation, our subject had but fifteen months' schooling. With the aid of money sent him by friends in the United States, he was able to come to this, the land of opportunity, in 1868. Sailing on the ship Pennsylvania, in eighteen days he landed at New York. For more than a year he lived at
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Cincinnati, in the employ of a milk dealer, and later was employed in the chemical works there, the managers of which sent him to Cleveland in their service, in which capacity he remained until the spring of 1874. He then purchased a ' tract of land, with a view of farming, but was unfortunate in the bargain, as the land proved too poor, and in 1879 he located upon his present place of 196 acres, where he is prosper- ing by his industry and good management. His energy and ceconomy are characteristic of his nationality. He votes with the Republican party.
April 22, 1871, he married Miss Christina Ilasseloo, who was born in Holland, in the province of Gelderland, October 25, 1845, and came to the United States with her widowed mother and children. Mr. and Mrs. Rooy com- menced housekeeping in Cleveland, and during life have had the following children: Adrian; Johanis, at home; Ilerman, who died October 2, 1893; William and Jennie G., also at home; losie, who died young; and Annie C., who is an inmate of the parental home. The parents are members of the Lutheran Reformed Church of Cleveland, and are highly respected citizens.
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OEL B. CAHOON, deceased, was in his life-time an honored citizen of Dover township. He was born in Herkimer, Herkimer county, New York, Angust 28, 1793. His father, Joseph Cahoon, was born in Rhode Island, married in Massachusetts, and removed to Herkimer, New York, and after residing in varions places settled in Vergennes, Vermont, where he lived until he emigrated with his family to Ohio, settling in Dover township, Cuyahoga county, in October, 1810. His wife, whose maiden name was Lydia Kenyon, was a native of Massachusetts. Joseph Cahoon and wife died in Dover township.
The subject of this sketch, Mr. Joel B. Cahoon, came with his parents to Cuyahoga county in 1810, when he was seventeen years of
age. Ile remained on the farm with his father until he enlisted, in March, 1813, in Captain D. Mills' company of Ohio militia, and served in the war with Great Britain until its close. After spending a short time at home he engaged in contracting for public works until 1842, when he returned to Cuyahoga county, and con- tinned to reside in Dover township until his death, September 28, 1882.
Ile was married in Frederick City, Maryland, July 14, 1831, to Mrs. Margaret. Van Allen, nee Dickson .. She was the widow of John D. Van Allen and a daughter of John Calhoun Diekson, and was born in Washington, District of Columbia, February 8, 1810. Mr. and Mrs. Cahoon became the parents of eleven children, viz .: Thomas HI., J. Joseph, Lydia E., D. Ken- yon, Oscar, Laura E., Martha W., Leverett J., J. Marshall, Mary E. and Ida M.
₾ OSEPH FETZER, Township Trustee of Warrensville township, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, dates his birth on the river Rhine, Germany, in the year 1843. His parents, Frank and Elizabeth Fetzer, were natives of that country, and there he spent the first eighteen years of his life, receiving a good education in his native language.
At the age of eighteen the subject of our sketch emigrated to the United States, locating first in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a year later coming to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, and settling in Bedford. Ile is now the owner of 115 acres of choice farming land, upon which in 1888 he erected an elegant residence, at a cost of $2,800. Ile has two barns, one being 40 x 60 feet, and the other 30 x 60 feet, with rock base- ment. In connection with his farming oper- ations, he also deals in stock, and in both has met with marked success. Among his stock is found a fine dairy.
Mr. Fetzer was married at Bedford, Ohio, in 1867, to Miss Mary Friound, who was born and reared in East Cloveland, this county, her
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rather being Valentine Friend, a native of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Fetzer have four children,-Edward, Lewis R., Gust and Katie. The oldest son is engaged in farming near home.
Politically, Mr. Fetzer is identified with the Democratic party and is one of its active work- ers here. As Township Trustee he is perform- ing faithful and efficient service. Mrs. Fetzer is influential in religions work.
F FRANCIS HI. WAGAR, a prominent farmer and horticulturist of Lakewood Hamlet, Cuyahoga county, has passed his entire life in that section of the Buckeye State where he now resides, his birth having occurred March 15, 1827, in Rockport township, as the district of Lakewood Hamlet was then known. Ile was the youngest son and the fifth in order of the six children of Mars and Katurah ( Miller) Wagar, who were pioneer settlers in Rockport township, and concerning whose lives a more detailed mention is made in connection with the sketch of their son, Adam M., as appearing elsewhere in this volume.
In the locality where he still abides, an hon- ored and useful citizen, the subject of this re- view was reared to manhood, receiving such educational advantages as were afforded and profiting duly by the same. Reared to the pursuits of the farm he has ever continued his connection with that most important industry, bringing to the work progressive methods and a careful supervision of all details, thus attain- ing to the full measure of snecess in the enter- prise, which has yieldled the most prolific re- turns as rewarding his industry and well directed efforts. Ile has devoted no little attention to horticulture and in this branch of his work he has met with particularly felicitous success. Ile has erected a fine residence on Detroit street, Lakewood, where he is surrounded by the com- forts and luxuries of life. His fine farmstead comprises 100 acres, most of which is situated in Lakewood Hamlet.
On the 22d of September, 1853, Mr. Wagar was united in marriage to Miss Serena Theker, a native of Richland county, Ohio, where she was residing at the time of her marriage. The date of her birth was February 11, 1833.
Of the seven children born to our subject and his wife five are living, namely: Mars E., mar- ried Miss Rosa Slaughter, who died November 12, 1891; he was again married in November, 1893, to France Grant, of Pomeroy, Ohio; Lee II., who married Miss Caroline Woodbury; Forest II .; Hattie M .; and Effie S. The two deceased are Ida and Carl, both of who died in childhood.
In political matters Mr. Wagar holds inde- pendent views. He has never been an office seeker, but such is his personal popularity and such the confidence reposed in him by the resi- dents of the community that he has been called upon to serve in various exeentive capacities, having filled the offices of Township Assessor and Constable most ably and acceptably. In his religious views our subject holds to the broad, liberal spirit, being neither aggressive nor intolerant.
THOMAS JAMES, of Parma township, Ohio, was born on Staten island, New York, January 26, 1831, a son of the late Matthew and Mary ( Moles) James, who emigrated from Staten island in the spring of 1841, and settled in the township of Parma, where they lived till their death. The father died April 28, 1876, and the mother died No- vember 13, 1877. They had ten children, six sons and four daughters, of whom Thomas was the third.
He was ten years old when he came with his parents to Ohio. After remaining at home un- til 1854, he went to California for the purpose of mining, remaining in the mines till 1858, when he returned to Ohio and purchased the larm where he now lives, on York street, in Parma township. Since that time he has been
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engaged in agricultural pursuits. Ilis farm, consisting of 100 acres, is in a fine state of enl- tivation and well furnished with the required equipments. As to public station, Mr. James has served as School Director.
He was married in Trumbull county, Ohio, October 27, 1861, to Miss Ann Bratten, who was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, Sep- tember 11, 1836, a daughter of James and Jane (Hamilton) Bratten. Her parents, who died in Warren, Trumbull county. Ohio, had eleven children, of whom Mrs. James was the sixth. She came with her brother John to Warren, Ohio, in 1851. Mr. and Mrs. James are the parents of four children, three of whom are liv- ing: Loa E., Lettie E. and Eva. The deceased child, Maggie, died in infancy.
W. EDGERTON, of Royalton, Cuyahoga county, was born May 19, 1845, a son of John Edgerton. The latter was born in Massachusetts in 1804, but in 1838 came to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, in company with sev- eral brothers. John Edgerton was married in Massachusetts to Philena Perry, a native of the town of Savoy, that State, and they had the fol- lowing children: Mary, George, J. Wayland, Lucy, Almon, Carrie and Clarence. The latter died in infancy. Mr. Edgerton was a successful farmer, and a well-known and respected citizen. In political matters, he was a stanch Republi- can. His death ocenrred November 11, 1883, and his widow resided in Royalton township until her death, which occurred February 21, 1894.
J. W. Edgerton, the subject of this sketch, received his education in the schools of his na- tive county, his first teacher having been Cor- nelia Elliott. He remained on the home farm until eightcen years of age, then worked for Rufus Perry in Kankakee county, Illinois, spent one year in Ohio, and then, in company with his brother George, returned to Illinois. While there Mr. Edgerton Farmed on rented land one
year, and then came to Ohio and served an ap- prenticeship at the carpenter's trade, under S. N. Nelson, having worked for that gentleman three years. After his marriage he followed his trade two and a half years in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1870 he came to this township and purchased his present farm of John Simpson, and four years afterward erected a wagon repair shop on his place, to which he has since added blacksmithing, conducting business under the firm name of I. W. Edgerton & Son. In 1885 our subject erected one of the finest residences in the township.
January 1, 1868, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Cartwright, who was born No- vember 17, 1848, a daughter of Richard and Harriet (Pembrook) Cartwright. By this mar- riage there are three children: George S., en- gaged in business with his father; and Nellie and Emery, at home. In political matters, Mr. Edgerton votes with the Republican party, and has served as Township Trustee for four years. Both he and his wife are members of the Bap- tist Church, in which the former holds the position of Deacon.
E ICKSTEIN CASE, a prominent resident of Cleveland and a member of a distin- guished family, and, holding a position of conspicuous order as secretary and treasurer of the Case School of Applied Science, is particu- larly deserving of attention in this connection. Hle was born at Carlyle, Clinton county, Illi- nois, July 9, 1858, and there he was reared to mature years. Ilis father, the late Zophar Case, was a native of Ohio and a brother of the late Leonard Case, Sr., one of the most prominent business men of Cleveland for many years. The father of our subject was born at Warren, Trumbull county, January 5, 1504. Hle re- moved from his native State to Illinois about the year 1829 and located at Carlyle. In his later days he resided in Cleveland, where he died, August 2, 1881, his remains being taken
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for interment to Carlyle, where he had lived for so many years and where he had attained a po- sition of unmistakable prominence. He had been an ardent and active supporter of the Dem- ocratic party, and was conspienons in the polit- ical affairs of the community in which he lived, having held many of the more important county offices. He was a prominent Royal Arch Mason and also an active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He married Mary Ellen Halstead, who died in 1882, at the age of sixty- four years. They became the parents of thirteen children, eight of whom are living. They were of German and Holland descent re- spectively, their ancestors having come to America about the middle of the eighteenth century. Mrs. Case was a lineal descendant of Governor Richard Nichols, of New York.
The subject of this review attended school in his native town until he had attained the age of Fourteen years, and in 1878 he gained a cadet- ship at West Point Military Academy, where he remained for two years. He left West Point to engage in the study of law, commencing his course of reading at Carlyle, Illinois, in the fall of 1880. In July of the succeeding year he came to Cleveland and entered the law office of Judge J. E. Ingersoll, with whom he remained one year, after which he continued his studies for an equal length of time in the office of Ran- ney & Raney. In the fall of 1883 he entered the senior class of the law school of the Univer- sity of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, and gradnated at that institution in March, 1884, at which time he was admitted to practice at the Michigan bar. Returning to Ohio, he was admitted to the Ohio bar, at Columbus, in May of that year. Ile forthwith engaged in the practice of his profession in Cleveland, devoting his attention principally to the settlement of estates. In this line of practice he appeared chiefly before the probate court, though his general practice was of some extent.
In July of 1887 he accepted the position as secretary and treasurer of the Case School of Applied Science, to the discharge of the l'une-
tions of which incumbency he has since devoted his attention. The school, whose work is one of great practical value, was endowed by his cousin, Leonard Case, and the institution holds high rank among those of similar province in the Union.
Politically Mr. Case is a Democrat. He is a thirty-second-degree Mason, and from 1887 to 1890 held the position as Secretary of the Scot- tish Rite bodies of Cleveland. He is a member of the Greek fraternity, the Phi Delta Phi.
Mr. Case is a man of fair education, having graduated at Ann Arbor with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, and having been closely identi- fied with the Case School of Applied Science he has done much effective work in advancing the canse not only of science but of education in general.
D M. CALKINS. - One of the oldest em- ployees of the "Big Four " Railroad Company, located at Cleveland, is its general baggage agent, D. M. Calkins. Ile became a railway employee as early as 1854, as brakeman on the Cleveland & Sandusky Rail- road, now a part of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railroad system. He broke one year on a mixed train from Cleveland to Sandusky, and then secured a regular run from this city to Toledo, as train baggageman, remaining four years, retiring in 1857 with S. F. Tinney, master of transportation, and entering the service of the St. Louis, Alton & Terre Hante Railroad as train baggageman. In the fall of 1858 Mr. Calkins returned to Cleveland and began rail- roading again, this time for the Cleveland & Columbus Railroad as freight brakeman, which he continned till the breaking of his arm by ac- cident at Shelby one year later. Recovering, he was made check recorder at the old passenger depot in Cleveland, and served till just about the close of the war, when he was appointed depot baggage agent. In this capacity he ren- dered service until 1876, when he was promoted as general baggage agent of the Cleveland,
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Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railroad, since made the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, or more familiarly the " Big Four."
Mr. Calkins was born in Jefferson county, New York, June 16, 1836. His father, Amos Calkins, was a farmer and instructed his son in the husbandman's art until 1852, when he brought his family West and located them in Cleveland, where our subject attended the St. Clair school for about two years. Amos Calk- ins returned to New York in 1880 and died in Jefferson county, New York, in 1588, at the age of seventy-two. He married Susan, the daugh. ter of Mark Adams, originally a New Englander from Connectient. Mrs. Calkins died in 1851. She was the mother of three children, two of whom lived to maturity, D. M. and Mrs. Mary Nichols, who died in New York in 1889.
September 1, 1860, D. M. Calkins married, in Mentor, Ohio, Maria M. Fenton, whose father, Horace Fenton, was a builder of this city. Two children were born of this union, a son and a daughter: Jay Bert, a clerk of the general baggage agent; and Nellie.
Fraternally Mr. Calkins is P. M. of Cleveland City Lodge, No. 15, A. F. & A. M., a member of Webb Chapter, No. 14, and of Holyrood Commandery, No. 32, Knight Templars.
C 11. BUSHNELL .- The Bushnell family trace their ancestry to 1639, and number among its members many noted people. William Fitch Bushnell was born at Lisbon, Connectient, November 13, 1793. He was mar- ried in 1815, to Jane Parish, who died in 1829, leaving him with six children. Ile was married to Betsey Wood, in 1830, by whom he had two children. In 1836 they came from Rome, New York, and located on a farm two miles south- west of Independence, Ohio, on which a small clearing had been made. After arriving at In- dependence they spent the night in a small log cabin, which was located on land now included
in the cemetery, and Mr. and Mrs. Bushnell were afterward buried almost on the same spot. Ile died November 20, 1877, and Mrs. Bush- nell survived until 1885. Of his eight children, the first, Dr. Andrew 1. Bushnell, sleeps in an honored grave in Cincinnati, the beloved phys- ician, the carnest advocate of education, temper- ance, and the friend of the poor. The second son, Albert, was a missionary to Africa for thirty years, and died on the Guinea coast. His third son, William A., was connected with P. T. Barnum, also accompanied Jennie Lind in her tour of this country. He was married to Catherine Hayes, and now sleeps in his lonely grave in the south of France. Francis Wright, who had an honorable name in Oberlin as a Christian, carly entered into rest. His fifth son, Simcon Martin, will loug be remembered as the friend of the slave. For resening one he suf- fered long in prison, his health was impaired and he died in 1861, at Oberlin. His daughter, Mrs. Jane E. Fitch, is now living at Brooklyn, New York; George C. is still living on the old homestead in this county.
The youngest son, Charles Henry, was born May 29, 1840, and died March 12, 1892. Hle received his education in the common schools, and at Oberlin College, after which he tanght for a number of years. September 12, 1862, he enlisted for services in the late war, entering the lloffman Battalion, which was afterward merged into the One Hundred and Twenty- eighth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was stationed at Johnson Island to guard the Rebel prisoners. At the close of the war he returned home and was engaged in school-teaching until he embarked in the mer- cantile business. Ile was Deputy County Treasurer of Cuyahoga county for twelve years.
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