LAKE COUNTY OHIO - BIO:  GERALD, Abel (Fitzgerald)

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This biography is taken from Biographical History of Northeastern Ohio, 
Embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake; Lewis Publishing Company, 
1893. 

Abel Gerald (Fitzgerald)

	Abel Gerald (the name being originally Fitzgerald), who is now deceased,
but was for many years one of the most prominent and popular farmers and stock 
men of Saybrook township, Ashtabula county, Ohio, was born in Austinburg in 
1819. He was of New England ancestry, his father, Edmund Fitzgerald, having been
a native of Connecticut, born in the latter quarter of the eighteenth century. 
The father of Edmond was a loyal patriot of America, who helped to fight the 
battles which freed her from British misrule. In going to the point of 
enlistment for this service he took with him his son, Edmund, to whom was 
entrusted the driving home of the team. On the return trip young Edmond, then a 
lad of half dozen summers, was captured by Indians, and he was not heard from 
until seven years had elapsed. The war was over and peace declared, and the boy 
was given up by his parents as dead, when a party of Frenchmen, who were trading
with the Indians, saw the boy, discovered his nationality and bought him, in 
which way he managed to reach his family again. His father subsequently 
emigrated with his family to Ashtabula county, Ohio, where he died about 1840, 
aged about eighty-five years. Edmund, his son, father of this sketch, learned 
the trade of making woodenware, and on his arrival in Austinburg established a 
factory for the prosecution of this business, which proved a most profitable 
industry. Edmund was accompanied on his westward trip to Ohio by his 
father-in-law, Ambrose Humphreys, the journey being made in a jumper. They 
afterward returned to the East for their families. Mr. Humphreys was a 
millwright by trade and erected the first mill in Austinburg, the mill being 
the first in the county. Edmond and Amanda (Humphreys) Fitzgerald had seven 
children: Harriet, who married Baldwin Morris; Henry: Abel, whose name heads 
this sketch; Olive, now Mrs. Barney Lyons; Hiram; Rebecca, who married James 
Callaway; and Ruth, now Mrs. A. J. Brakeman.
  	The subject of this sketch received slight education advantages, 
attending school; it is said, only about three months in his life. He had, 
however, a naturally active and retentive mind, and by self-culture overcame 
these early disadvantages, becoming a well-read prosperous man. So well had he 
managed, by industry and economy, that by the time he had attained maturity and 
had chosen his life companion, he had already secured a home and other means. He
early engaged in the stock business, buying and selling fat cattle and 
butchering and shipping the product to California. He was a member of and the 
prime mover in a company formed for the purpose of butchering and handling 
cured meats. He made money rapidly and was liberal with it, no worthy or 
charitable cause failing of assistance at his hands. He thus gained the deepest 
affection and gratitude of the people. He was domestic in his tastes and devoted
to his business interests, and did not participate in public affairs, preferring
to be of the governed rather than to become responsible for his actions to 
others. He was too old for military duty in the Civil War, but gave a son to 
the ranks. He was a member of the Methodist Church and a strong supporter of 
all worthy objects.
	  He was married twice, first in Ashtabula in 1831, to Lucinda Ellis, 
and they had six children: Mary Jane, who married Orange Lockwood, of Tonganoxie,
Texas; Helen M., wife of Henry Wilkinson, of the same place; Susan Amelia, wife 
of Charles Collins; Pruilla Eliza, wife of A. J. Beckwith; Abner; and William 
H., who ran away from school at the age of fifteen and joined the army dying in 
camp at Columbus, Ohio. In May 1857, the family was called upon to mourn the 
death of the loving wife and mother, whose life had been one of devotion to 
their interests. August 10, 1859, Mr. Gerald married Amanda Lavina Humphrey, 
widow of Harvey Humphrey and daughter of Dr. Nathaniel Leonard Church, a native 
of New Haven Connecticut, and a physician and surgeon in the war of 1812, who 
died August 14, 1863, universally regretted, by reason of his many brilliant 
qualities. His wife before marriage was Thirza Wheeler, a woman of superior 
ability and energy, and a member of an old and honored family. They had six 
children, the surviving members of whom occupy prominent positions in business 
and society. Mrs. Gerald had one child by her first marriage, Lulu, wife of Dr. 
L. B. Bartlett. Her son by the second marriage is Fred C., who is a prosperous 
and well-known stockman. He married Jennie Garner, and they have four children; 
Austin, Percy, Susie and Ralph. May 20, 1876, death once more entered the family
and left its members bereaved of the devoted husband and father, who was widely 
known and fully appreciated as great and good man. Few have done more to benefit
the community, and none more justly deserve the esteem of all worthy people. His
life was a success in the best sense of the term and his noble, upright example 
cannot fail to exert great influence on the present and rising generation.