ERIE COUNTY OHIO - And Then They Went West (published 1897) [Part 6]
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Darlene E. Kelley
http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374
April 24, 1999
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Historical Collections of Ohio                    
The Kelley Family Book
compiled by Hermon Alfred Kelley  1897    
And Then They Went West by D. Kelley  1998     (Part 6)
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                                                  On Nov 7th,1844,
occurred the marriage of Caroline Kelley, daughter of Datus and  Sara
Kelley to Charles Carpenter.  It was the first marriage to be celebrated
in Datus Kelley's new home and the first occurring on the island.  The
young couple occupied a small log house near where was the Wine Cellar
dock on the south west shore.  The dock was originally built by Horace
Kelley, but it was known for years as Carpenter's dock.  This old log
house was later converted by Mr. Carpenter into a wine cellar.  Edmund
Ward, a son of John Titus, arrived on the island in 1845 with his wife
Nancy, who he had married in 1835 in New York State.  Their son Uri, was
born on the island in 1845. Also in this year occurred the marriage of
Elizabeth the third daughter of Datus and Sara Kelley, to William S.
Webb, a man of exceptional brilliancy, whose literary ability was to be
striking manisfested in his contributions to the ' Islander " and to
various histories of Erie County.  Several events took place in 1846.
That which had the greatest effect on the destinies of the island was
the setting out the first acre of grape land by Charles Carpenter.
Grapes had been introduced on the island by Datus, who brought roots and
cuttings of Isabella and Concord from his Rockford home.  But the
commercial possiblities of grape culture was developed by Mr. Carpenter
and demostrated by this experimental acre.  It is not certain whether
more than one variety was planted in this acre, but it is known that he
obtained Catawba vines of Judge Ely of Elyria and soon had demonstrated
the excellence of this grape and the particular suitability of the soil
and climate of the island to bring this slow maturing but superior
quality grape to perfection.  The demand for cuttings and rooted vines
increased rapidly from that time, and Mr. Carpenter and the islanders
were kept busy for many years supplying them.  Charles Carpenter, was
born at Norwich, Connecticut, Oct 19, 1810.  His ancestor, on his
father's side, came to America in the ship, " Bevis " about 1655. His
father, Gardner Carpenter, a resident of Norwich, Conn., was for a short
time paymaster under General Washington;  was postmaster of Norwich for
fifteen years; was an extenive merchant and ship owner in the west
Indies and European trade; but, by disasters at sea during 1812-15, lost
nearly all his property.  He died April 26, 1815. His father married
Mary Huntington, Oct 29,1815.  This lady, mother of Charles Carpenter,
was decended from the first white male child born in Southeastern
Connecticut.  The Carpenter family were heirs to the great Carpenter
estate in England and the family coat-of arms is cut upon some of the
tombstones in Massachusetts.  Charles was a prominent horticulturist,
and was appointed by the Grape-growers' Association to represent the
Ohio Legislature the necessity of obtaining and publishing the grape
statistics of the State. to which was added agricultural statistics as
now taken.  He assisted F.R. Elliott in organizing the fruit and floral
department of the first Ohio State Fair at Cincinnati, and has since
been identified more or less with it,-- frequently solicited to
superintend it.  He was an honorary member of the Cincinnati and other
horticltural societies.  From an early day he took a deep interest in
the artificial propagation of fish; was active and prominent in inducing
the State to experiment in the propagation of white-fish, and was charge
of the branch of the State Fish Hatchery which was located on Kelleys
Island.  He was an enthusiastic advocate of grape-culture, and the
pioneer in this portion of Ohio, having planted the first acre of grapes
on the island; and, perhaps , no person has had a greater variety under
cultivation at one time. Mr. Carpenter and his wife Caroline (Kelley)
Carpenter resided on the farm purchased by him for over 35 years on the
Island.  Much of the sucess in fruit culture,to which Kelleys Island is
largely devoted, is due to him.