USA > Ohio > Lucas County > Toledo > Portrait and biographical record of city of Toledo and Lucas and Wood Counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the locality, together with biographies and portraits of all the Presidents of the United States > Part 21
USA > Ohio > Wood County > Portrait and biographical record of city of Toledo and Lucas and Wood Counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the locality, together with biographies and portraits of all the Presidents of the United States > Part 21
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Mr. Epker is independent in his political views, always voting for the best inan for office, He cast
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his first Presidential vote for John C. Fremont. In his religious connections he is a devout Cath- olic, as are also his wife and children. Mr. Epker is a public-spirited gentleman and a true and loyal citizen of his adopted country, and one ever ready to lend a helping hand in matters of public enter- prise and improvement.
T HEODORE ELIJAH WIGHT, who died at Millbury, August 14, 1892, was one of its most highly esteemed citizens. By indus- try and diligence in business he accumulated a good fortune, and at the time of his death owned a well improved farm, comprising ninety-six acres, in the vicinity of this village. At various times he owned lands in Ohio and Iowa to the extent of about one thousand acres. He was a charter meni- ber of the Knights of Honor lodge of this place, was the first to sign his name to the roll, and was the first to be claimed by death. For a quarter of a century he was a member of the Masonic frater- nity, being identified with Genoa Lodge No. 433, F. & A. M. Religiously he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which his widow also belongs.
Born March 15, 1832, in Saratoga County, N. Y., T. E. Wight was still an infant when his parents removed to Rochester. There the father ran a mill and speculated in city real estate, but by trade he was a mason, and in Saratoga County operated a farm. He bore the Christian name of Jacob Theodore, and his wife bore the maiden name of Amy Mallory. The former and his twin sister, Theodosia, were born August 2, 1786, probably in Vermont. Their parents were Jacob and Sarah (Youngglove) Wight, the former of whom was born July 20, 1755, and died December 22, 1813. Their other children were Thaddeus, Mehitable, Sarah, Eunice, Abigail, Jacob, Polly B. and Orson. The parents of our subject were married at Smith- ville, N. Y., April 4, 1822, and became the parents
of five children, namely: Birdsall, Wiley, Augusta, Theodore E. and Willard. The father died .Janu- ary 29, 1856, in Lorain County, Ohio, whither he had removed in July, 1842.
Theodore E. Wight was a boy of ten years when he came to the Buckeye State, and much of his ed- ucation was obtained in Columbia, Lorain County. He was married in Kent County, Mich., when in his twenty-fifth year, and settled on a tract of tim- ber-land in Clinton County, that state. He built a house and began clearing a farm, and during the three years which followed had removed the tim- ber from about forty acres. On account of poor health he removed to Byron, Kent County, Mich., where he lived for about a year, after which, in 1862, he came to Millbury, bought a house and lot, and prepared to become a permanent resident of the place. For several years he was interested in various kinds of speculation --- purchased a farm, which he carried on, operated a sawmill in com- pany with his brother, got out heavy timber for the first bridge across the Maumee, conducted a factory, and was a salesman for a firm manufactur- ing binders and mowers, and later for a windmill concern. From 1872 to 1877 he was an agent for several insurance companies.
November 8, 1857, Theodore E. Wight married Miss Mary E. Nichols, who was born in what was then Tioga County, N. Y., December 26, 1832, and whose parents, James S. and Abigail (Sherwood) Nichols, were married in that county in 1827. Mrs. Wight's eldest brother, Minor S., died in April, 1863, from exposure, soon after the battle of Mur- freesboro, in which he took part. Henry L., a re- tired engineer of Northville, Wayne County, Mich., was also a soldier in the Union army, as was like- wise Morris S., a retired business man of North ville, who draws a pension for severe wounds received at Bull Run, he being crushed by a large timber while building a bridge. Sylvia M. is the wife of Amos Smith, of Rocky Ridge, Ohio; and James W. died in childhood.
Lemuel and Sallie (Wakely) Nichols, parents of James S. Nichols, were both natives of Connecti- cut. The latter was born in the same state, Feb- ruary 22, 1801, and his wife, Abigail, was born January 2, 1802, in Fairfield, Conn, Mrs. Wight
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was only two years old when her parents removed to Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and her girlhood days were passed at Dover, where slie attended school until nineteen years of age, finishing her education at a private seminary. In the fall of 1853 she en- gaged in teaching in Kent County, Mich., and was thus employed until her marriage. She has be- come the mother of eight children, as follows: Willard E., of Delaware County, Ohio; Ladora E., who died at the age of twenty-nine years; Abbie E .; Augusta E .; Mary E., who died when in her sixth year; Henry E .; Fernie, whose death oceurred at the age of one year; and Florence Eva. Abbie was married, in 1886, to George H. C. Farmer, an agriculturist of Ottawa County, and they have three children, John E., Bernice M. and Dora Eliz- abeth. Willard was married, in 1886, to Miss Fan- nie Chamberlain, and they have had three children, Allen C., Mary Olive, and Theodore E., who is de- ceased. Henry E. was married, mn 1893, to Anna Pinniger, and they have one son, Archie E. La- dora married Isaae MeCrary, of Sandusky County, and became the mother of three children : Bernice M., deceased; Theodore D. and Vincent R. Her death occurred at Millbury, August 19, 1889. Mrs. Wight is a devoted member of the Methodist Church, to which her daughter Ladora formerly belonged, and of which her son Willard is also a member.
H ARRISON HATHAWAY, M. D., who is one of the most successful practitioners in the ranks of his profession in Toledo, has for nearly twenty years been engaged in gen- eral practice in this place. He is a member of the Toledo Medical Association, the Northwestern Ohio Medical Society, and also belongs to the Ohio State and the American Medical Associations. At the present time he is a member of St. Vincent's Hos- pital staff. He isa graduate of Miami Medical Col-
lege of Cincinnati, and bears an enviable reputa- tion both at home and abroad.
The Doctor was born in Scipio, Seneca County, Ohio, August 18, 1841, and is a son of Zephanialı and Lucina (Smithi) Hathaway. The father, who was a native of Massachusetts and of English de- scent, bore the same Christian name as did his fa- ther before him. At a very early day he removed to Seneca County, where he was one of the pio- neers. His wife was born in Seneca County, N. Y., . and was a daughter of Daniel Smith. The Doc- tor's father had a family numbering seven ehil- dren, five son's and two daughters, the result of two marriages.
The boyhood of the Doctor was passed in his native county, where he received his early educa- tion. Later he attended the county academy, and then entered Oberlin College, where he was a stu- dent at the outbreak of the Civil War. He en- listed in 1861, in the Fourteenth Ohio Infantry, Colonel Steedman having command of the regi- ment. He was sent to the front and took part in all the engagements in which the regiment partic- ipated. At the battle of Jonesboro lie was se- verely wounded, a bullet passing through his left lung and finally lodging in his knapsack. The injured man was taken to the hospital, where he spent eight months of suffering. On recovering a certain degree of his former health, he rejoined his regiment, which was then stationed at Alexandria, Va., and with them he marched to Washington and took part in the Grand Review. On the expira- tion of his term of enlistment he was honorably discharged, in 1865.
Soon after his return home Dr. Hathaway re-en- tered Oberlin College, there prosecuting his studies two years more. For a year afterward he was Su- perintendent of the Johnstown graded school. Dr. William Clendenen, of Cincinnati, was our subject's first preceptor in medical studies. In March, 1870, the young man graduated from Miami College. His first active practice was at Sherman, Huron County, Ohio, but since 1876 he has made his home in Toledo. He does not con- fine his attention to medical science alone, but is very fond of pursuing other branches of study, and is a member of the American Economical So-
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cicty and of the American Academy of Political Economy and Social Science.
In politics Dr. Hathaway is a Democrat. Fra- ternally lie is a member of Ford Post No. 14, G. A. R. With the Odd Fellows he is identified as a member of Corn City Lodge No. 734. He is also connected with Toledo Tent No. 8, K. O. T. M., and with Toledo Lodge No. 144, F. &. A. M. At the present writing he is one of the Trustees of the City Library Association.
In 1874 Dr. Hathaway was united in marriage with Miss Sarah L. Bloomer, of Sherman, Huron County, Ohio. Her parents were Cales A. and Charlotte (Jolinson) Bloomer. The Doctor and his wife have a pleasant home at No. 1233 Miami Street, where they take great pleasure in enter- taining their hosts of friends.
APT. SILAS SPRAGUE CANFIELD. The Civil War gave to our country many men of acknowledged valor, ability and mili- tary skill, of whom, had the Rebellion never oc- curred, nothing would have been known beyond the confines of their own homes. Such a one is the subject of this sketch, whose record during the war is one of which his descendants may well be proud. Not only is he a man of undaunted cour- age, but of literary skill as well, and he has re- cently published a complete and interesting his- tory of the Twenty-first Regiment of Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, a volume which has a place in our valuable war literature, and which has had a wide sale among the veterans of that regiment.
The history of the Canfield family is a most in- teresting one. Through the rescarchies of Prof. Averill B. Canfield, of South Britain, Conn., the lineage has been traced to the year 1350, when James De Philo, a French Huguenot of Normandy, France, emigrated to England and became a loyal subject of the Crown. For subsequent meritori- ous services in the One Hundred Years' War he
received from Edward III. a grant of land on the River Cam, with a new cognomen, Cam de Philo. In the course of time the name was shortened and Anglicized into Cam Philo, then Campfield, Cam- field and Canfield.
In America one of the earliest of the name was Nathan Canfield, who was Judge of the Court at Fairfield, Conn., in 1662. The earliest trace of the branch to which the subject of this sketch be- long's is in 1670, when Nathaniel Canfield was liv- ing at Norwalk, Conn. Through him the line is traced to Timothy (a son of Nathaniel A.), Tim- othy, Jr., and Amon, the latter being our subjcet's great-grandfather and a resident of Dutchess County, N. Y. In the French and Indian War he was a Captain of a company that marched over- land to Quebec and fought under the illustrious General Wolfe on the Plains of Abraham. Of his seven sons, the youngest was Dennis, our subject's grandfather. All of the sons served in the Revo- lutionary War. Dennis, who was but fifteen years of age at the breaking out of the war, and was small for his years, was twice rejected as a soldier, but was finally accepted and served three years and ninc montlis, being a member of an infantry regi- ment of Washington's army. He witnessed the execution of Major Andre, the taking of Yorktown and the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. The other brothers were scattered in different branches of the service, and the father, who was too old for mili- tary service, helped the colonies by giving infor- mation regarding the movements of the Tories.
The two sons of Dennis Canfield were Dennis, Jr., and Jared, both of whom belonged to an in- fantry volunteer company raised and commanded by Captain McClure, in service on the northwest- ern frontier of New York during the War of 1812. They participated in the battle of Ft. Erie, and served principally on the Canadian line, from Buffalo to Lewiston, in the campaign which ended in the burning of Buffalo by the British. At the close of the war they settled near Buffalo, where Dennis was engaged in preaching and Jared in farming. The latter first married Charlotte King, after her death was united with Phoebe Dart, and subsequently married Catharine Sly, by whom he had two, seven and seven children, respectively.
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They were as follows: Sarah, born May 30, 1813; Dennis K., September 19, 1814; Charlotte, De- cember 6, 1815; Chloe, January 15, 1819; Al- len, September 24, 1820; Roswell, March 21, 1822; Silas Sprague, Mareh 13, 1824; Noble, Marelı 20, 1826; Lafayette, December 19, 1827; Plicbe, January 10, 1832; Mahala, November 13, 1833; Henry C., February 16, 1836; Amon J., No- vember 14, 1839; Roselia R., July 13, 1842; Laura, April 10, 1846; and Oscar D., June 23, 1850. Roswell died when twenty-one, Noble in infancy, and Oscar when nearly of age, the latter being ac- cidentally killed on the railroad. The others lived past the meridian of life, and Silas, Lafayette, Phoebe, Mahala, Henry, Amon, Roselia and Laura still survive (1895). The mother of Silas was Phoebe Dart, the second wife, a descendant of the Dart family for whom Dartmouth College, in New England, was named.
Silas Sprague Canfield was born in Hamburg, Erie County, N. Y., March 13, 1824. Twice in childhood he narrowly escaped death by drown- ing. His first experience, which he was too young to now reeall, was that of falling in a well, from which he was rescued by his eldest sister; a few years later he fell into the pond where sheep had been waslied, and was taken out uneonscious. 'T'lie building in which he received the rudiments of his education was an old log structure, warmed by a Dutch fireplace and furnished with benchies of hewn slabs. Until thirteen years old he had no studies assigned him except in the spelling-book and reader. The winter before he was sixteen lie attended a seleet sehool, and a few months after- ward spent one term in a school to which he walked three miles every morning, returning home in the evening. These seliools were taught by Stewart and Southard and were at Water Valley. By the time he was seventeen he had passed an ex- amination as a teacher and taught one term of school.
Next we find Mr. Canfield a student in the academy at Hamburg, next under J. E. Pillsbury, who was a classmate of David P. Page, then Principal of the normal school at Albany, N. Y. Under Mr. Pillsbury he learned the system of teaching which he ever afterward followed. This
may be called the induetive method, and is valua- ble because it develops self-reliance, leads to the study of causes and teaches pupils to think. On the conclusion of his studies he engaged in teach- ing. At South Barre, Orleans County, N. Y., March 15, 1847, he married Matilda A., daughter of Josephi and Laura (Smith) Wctherell. Her ina- ternal grandfather, Moses Smith, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, being first in the infantry serviee. At the battle of Trenton lie lost his right hand, and when sufficiently recovered lie fitted himself with a "home-made" wooden arni, and took service on board a privateer as a steward. Captured by the Tories, he was long confined on board the famous prison ship "Jersey," in New York Harbor. From this lie effected liis eseape, reaching home just as peace was deelared. He be- came very dextrous with his wooden arm, which lie fitted out with various implements, including hammer and mallet, by serewing them into a soeket.
After liis marriage Mr. Canfield formed a part- nership with his brother-in-law, Benjamin Buxton, of Hamburg, and constructed a water-power saw- mill on Eighteen Mile Creek, in that town. Three years afterward he sold out his interest in the con- cern. In 1850 he was appointed Superintendent of Schools, and was re-elected at the expiration of his term. In 1852 he removed to Ohio and set- tled at Milan, Erie County, near the place where his father had previously loeated. At the time of making settlement there he purchased a traet of one hundred and twenty-six aeres of land in Wood County. In Erie and Huron Counties hie engaged in teaching and in business enterprises until the spring of 1857, when he settled in the vicinity of the lands he had previously purchased in Wood County.
Shortly after coming here Mr. Canfield pur- ehased of Amherst Ordway a steam sawmill and a small traet of land on Portage River, in Webster Township. The place was then known as Hous- holder's Corners, and is now Scotch Ridge. An in- debtedness of $2,400 was incurred in the transac- tion, but he and his brother Allen, whom he took into partnership, did sawing and paid one-half of it in 1860. In the spring of 1861 he was running
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the mill on that memorable day in April when a messenger from Perrysburg, their nearest railway station, twelve miles distant, came riding on a swift horse bearing the news of the firing on Ft. Sumter. Securing a paper from the messenger, Mr. Canfield shut down the mill and read the news to the assembled mill-hands. The sturdy young men demanded that he lead them to the front to battle for the Union, and this he did, abandoning his mill work for the defense of the Old Flag.
Meetings for volunteers followed, and a feature of the musters was that our subject's father, who had kept alive the military spirit of 1812 by that of the Mexican War, assisted in drilling the young men, while the music was furnished by our sub- ject's eldest son, a lad of thirteen. A company, one hundred strong, was soon in readiness, and it was demanded by the members that Mr. Canfield be the Captain. Having a family of small chil- dren, and his wife not being strong, he hesitated to accept, but finally, as the company would not go without liim, he joined them in their enlistment and was commissioned Captain of Company K, Twenty-first Ohio Infantry, the enlistment dating August 24, 1861. George S., his thirteen-year- old son, became the company musician. The farmn- ers turned out with teams and took the company to the regimental rendezvous at Camp Vance, Findlay, Ohio, where it was mustered iuto the serv- ice September 19, 1861.
The regiment went immediately to Nicholas- ville, Ky., and served in the campaign under Gen. William Nelson in eastern Kentucky, afterward being assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, in which it remained throughout the war. Captain Canfield commanded the company through all of its service and actions down to the battle of Chickamauga, where he assisted in command of the regiment. At the close of the second day's battle, on Sunday, September 20, 1863, he, with eleven other officers and one hundred and twenty men, was taken prisoner and confined at different times at Libby, Danville, Macon, Charleston and other Southern prisons, including that near Co- lumbia, S. C. December 10, 1864, he was paroled; March 20, 1865, was exchanged, and April 11,
1865, was honorably mustered out. His health was greatly shattered by his prison experience, but subsequently he fully recovered.
On entering the army Captain Canfield had dis- posed of his mill, so on his return home he re- sumed farm work, clearing land in Freedom Town- ship, which was soon changed from a wild tract into a comfortable home. Occasionally he taught school in the home locality, and also instructed the young people in singing. In his home was in- troduced the first cottage organ ever seen in that neighborhood. For several terms he was a Coun- ty School Examiner, and a regular instructor in the county teachers' institutes, in which his system of teaching was made a prominent feature. He con- tinued to teach at intervals until 1882.
During the last-named year Captain Canfield entered the Federal civil service by appointment under President Arthur as Deputy-Collector of In- ternal Revenue for the Toledo District. He was re-appointed in 1885, serving until June 11, 1887. His division was said to be the best of those in- spected by the agents.
Captain Canfield was bereaved by the death of his wife February 10, 1885. Seven children had been born unto them. George Spencer, the eldest, was born August 24, 1849, and August 17, 1886, married Nellie J. Fuller, by whom he has one child, George S., Jr. Helen Matilda, who was born September 26, 1850, was married, April 23, 1879, to W. H. K. Gossard, and they have three children, Florence, Harry and Gladys. Roswell Clinton, born September 21, 1851, married Ellen Amelia Mahony, January 11, 1882, and their chil- dren are Lawrence, Johu, Ellen and McFerren. Alice Charlotte, born November 9, 1856, married Edward E. McMillen February 18, 1894. Laura Genett, born September 20, 1858, was married, Oc- tober 23, 1884, to Rev. J. T. Caldwell, pastor of the United Presbyterian Church at Iberia, Morrow County, and their children are Roswell, Hazel, Ethel and Lois. Silas Smith, born August 18, 1861, married Jennie Bandeen, February 18, 1885, and they have three children, Evart, Alexander and Ruth. Henry Ward, the youngest of the fam- ily, who is County Attorney of Whitman County, Wash., married Allie Ferrington, June 20, 1892,
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and they have one child, whose birth occurred in July, 1894. The eldest son, George S., served nearly three years in the War of the Rebellion, leaving the service at the age of fifteen. He is now one of the editors of the Penny Press, of Minncap- olis, Minn. Roswell is a ranchman in southeastern Washington, and Silas is engaged in farming on the old homestead. Helen resides at Helena, San- dusky County, Ohio, and Alice lives near Ada, Hardiu County, this state.
In politics and in religious belief the Canfields are marked by independence, though in past years they have, as a rule, supported the Republican party, and formerly favored Whig principles. At the reunion of the Twenty-first Regiment, held at Rawson, September 7-8, 1892, Captain Canfield was appointed to write a history of its service and actions in the war, and this task, after great re-
search and indefatigable labor on his part, was ac- complished, the book being published the follow- ing year. It is an exhaustive, impartial account of the regiment, from the time of enlistment until the date of disellarge, and is a work possessing lit- erary merit as well as historical value.
B FRANK MALLETT became a resident of West Toledo, his present home, in 1892. For a number of years lie was in busiuess with his father as a broker and dealer in real es- tate in Toledo. Wheu lie was seventeen years of age he enlisted for the Civil War as a private sol- dier in the Twenty-third New York Independent Battery, and after taking part iu the engagement at New Raleigh, N. C., pursued Lee's army for a number of days, being in several skirmishes. He served until the close of the war, he being at the time at Chapel Hill. His final and honorable dis- ellarge was dated July 14, 1865.
The parents of the gentleman above mentioned were Benjamin and Julia (Mills) Mallett. The
father was born April 8, 1816, in New York State, and was of French extraction. To himself and es- timable wife were born four children, one of whom dicd in infancy. Anna, now deceased, was the wife of Milton Dorz, and Sherman, the youngest of the family, also died in infancy. Benjamin Mallett was born and reared on a farm, and at an early day, about 1828, emigrated from his native state to Oliio with his parents. When only twelve years of age he began earning his owu livelihood, and worked at farm labor, or at anything else he could find to do, often ehopping wood for twelve cents a cord. When he was in his twenty-first year he took up the painter's trade, wlicli lie fol- lowed for about four years. Subsequently he em- barked in the brokerage and real-estate business, in which he was prospered, and this occupation he followed up to the time of his deatlı, which occurred October 16, 1893. His remains were interred in the West Toledo Cemetery. He was a man of lib- eral public spirit and was respected by his fellow- citizens. In politics hie was a Republican, and religiously he iuclined toward the Methodist faith. His faithful wife and helpmate is still living, her liome being iu Toledo.
B. Frank Mallett was boru in Toledo, June 26, 1846, and was reared in this place. He received good school advantages, and continued his cduca- tion at the seminary of Maumee. Hisstudies were interrupted, however, by the war, and as soon as it was possible for him to enlist, he offered his serv- ices in defense of the Union. At the close of hos- tilities he returned liome and became interested with his father in business.
May 10, 1870, Mr. Mallett wedded Ella, daughter of G. H. and Jane (Pullan) Rattenburg. She was born in England and crossed the Atlantic iu 1850, settling in Detroit, where she passed her girlhood. Seven children have come to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Mallett: Eugene, who is now attending the medical college at Indianapolis, and who mar- ried Mary Heck; Beujamin F., an artist; George, a machinist; Sherman and Freddie, who died in infancy; Julia and Harry.
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