OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 86 ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgenwebarchives.org ************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 August 15, 2006 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Historical Collections of Ohio And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio Tid-Bits - Part 86 by Darlene E. Kelley notes by S.Kelly ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid-Bits - part 86 George Cabot Huntington George Cabot Huntington, the son of Erastus Huntington and Abigail (Hyde) Huntington of Norwich, Connecticut came to Cleveland, Ohio about the year 1833, when he was 26 years of age. About the same time, he married Miss Angeline Porter, daughter of Asahel Porter of Waterbury, Connecticut. They had two children, when Angeline died at the birth of the second child, and was laid away at the Cleveland Erie Steet Cemetary. Both children died in infancy. Later the were removed and buried at Kelley's Island Cemetery. George Cabot Huntington was one of the earliest Cleveland merchants. He carried on a wholesale and retail business at No 5, Superior Street. In his advertisements, he called attention to his sign of a big pitcher, as a guide to his customers. On Nov 7, 1837, Mr. Huntington married Emeline Kelley, daughter of Datus and Sara ( Dean ) Kelley of Kelley's Island. She lived to be 80 years of age, dying on Christmas day, 1909 at Denver, Colorado. Two years after his second marriage and following the disasterous panic of 1837, Mr. Huntington removed to Kelley's Island where they remained until 1870, when they took up residence in New York City. He was one of the first to buy property on Kelley's Island and in 1842 was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace. He opened a quarry on his property nearby and commenced a dock in 1854. A ravine was on his property and he utilized it for a passage way. It afforded an easy grade and he laid a railway through it from the quarry to his dock. The track ran out to the end of the dock. The loaded cars ran by gravity from the quarry and the empty cars were hauled by horses. This was the first railway constructed on the island. His office was located on the bank overlooking the dock. This office was later removed and utilized by other residents. Mr. Huntington died in 1876 in Wallace, Kansas where he was visiting his grandaughter. He was buried on Kelley's Island. The children of this marriage is as follows; A.-- Erastus Huntington, who was born Nov 18, 1838 in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Oberlin College and married Elzina Hamilton, daughter of James and Sabrina (Titus) Hamilton, of Kelley's Island. He was a merchant on Kelley's Island until 1895 when he removed to Cleveland, Ohio and died there in 1907. They had two children; Simon Huntington, born Dec 21, 1866 and married Mary Kastning, Oct 4, 1888; Stella Huntington, born Dec 22, 1876. B. -- Simon Huntington, born Dec 15, 1839. He died Jan 19, 1863 from wounds received in the battle of Stone River, Dec 30, 1862. He was a Sargeant in Company "B." He lived at Kelley's Island and never married. C. -- Daniel Kelley Huntington, born March 28, 1845. Married Emma Farr, daughter of Aurelius and Louisa M. ( Follett ) Farr, of Rockport, Ohio, June 18, 1867. He was a Private in Company " K " at 19 years of age. They lived a while at Kelley's Island, and was a customs collector, then removed to North Olmsted, Ohio and engaged in fruit growing. They had 5 children; George Farr Huntington, born Feb 7, 1871 and died Aug 28, 1875; Fannie Huntington, born July 1876 and married Orson Sawyer Upp of Edgerton, Ohio Sept 22, 1897; Allie Wright Huntington, born Oct 24, 1879; Alfred Kelley Huntington, born Oct 24, 1879, and died Dec 17, 1880; Minerva Agnes Huntington born Sept 9, 1883. D.-- Joseph A. Huntington, born Feb 10, 1850 at Kelley's Island. He married Theophania Haynes, May 28, 1877, wo died soon afterward. They had one child, Theophania who was born at Kelley's Island. He removed to Denver, Colorado, where he was engaged in Real Estate business. He died at Denver, Colorado. He sold many properties in Denver, Colorado and many were business properties, which included lots in the downtown area. His name appears on many documents of interest. He was most prominent in Denver affairs. ++++++++++++++++++ The Huntington family is one of the most prominent in the annals of Connecticut. Among the Huntingtons of Norwich and neighboring towns were five or six judges, five members of Congress, one of them President of the Continental Congress, and Governor of the State, and six or seven who acquired the military rank of Colonels and Generals in the Army of the Revolution. [ See Caulkins Hist. of Norwich, also the Genealogical Memoir of the Huntington Family, pub by Rev. E.B. Huntington, of Stanford, Conn. ]. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ James A. Saxton The life and history of James A. Saxton is closely idetified with the history of Canton and Stark County, Ohio, his life long home. He began his remarkable career in that locality in the pioneer epoch and throughout the subsequent years he was closely allied with its interests and upbuilding. His life was one of a progressive citizen, and none more than he deserved a fitting recognition among those who knew them. The cause of humanity never had a truer friend than Mr. Saxton, who long since passed to the higher life. In all the relations of life -- family, church, society, and business -- he displayed that consistant Christian spirit, that natural worth, that endeared him alike to all classes. His integrity and fidelity were manifested in every relation of life, and in dealing with others, his word was his bond; deceit never entered into any transactions he had with his fellow-men. His plain, rugged honesty, his open-hearted manner, undisguised and unaffected, is to his dscendants a sweet and lasting memory. The example of such a life is always an inspiration to others, and his influence was long felt in the affars of Stark County, whose interests he always had at heart and whiich he did so much to promote during his active life here. James A. Saxton was born in Canton, Stark County, Ohio, on May 1, 1816, and he was the son of John and Margaret ( Laird ) Saxton, whose home, a substancial brick house, stood on South Market Street, on a part of the present site of the McKinley Hotel. He was reared under the parental roof and secured his education in the schools of his native village, for such as it was at that date. He early formed habits of self-reliance and industry, as is evidenced by the fact that at the age of eighteen years he embarked in business on his own account, opening a hardware store where now stands the courthouse. Devoting himself assiduously to that enterprise, he succeeded, by his energy and good business methods, in realizing gratifying finacial returns, so that some years later, he was enabled to found the Stark County Bank, of which he became president. This institution, under his wise direction and efficient management, became one of the most successful institutions in that section of the State. Of Mr. Saxton at that time, it has been said that " he devoted much attention to the study of monetary questions, and became familiar with every phase of fianance, theoretical and practical, and continued at the head of this bank for a number of years, during which his reputation was a sound, conservative, and eminently honorable business man added greatly to the standing of the institution in the financial circles of the State." Eventually, Mr. Saxton severed his connection with the Stark County Bank, and went to New York City, where he became identified with a number of important enterprises, in addition to which he settled up the estate of his old friend and former partner, Conrade Schweitzer, formally of Canton, who for a number of years had conducted a wholesale hardware business in New York. Upon completing this important labor, Mr. Saxton returned to Canton and, having acquired a competency, he retired from active business pursuits, spending his closing years quietly among his old friends and amid the scenes of his busy life, his death occuring on the fourteenth day of March, 1887. James A. Saxton was twice married, first on August 31, 1846, to Kate Dewalt of Canton, who was born on August 18, 1827, the daughter of George and Catherine ( Harter ) Dewalt. To this union were born the following chidren; Ida, born June 8, 1847, was married on January 25, 1871, to William McKinnley, afterwards President of the United States; Mary B., born December 15, 1848, was married on August 20, 1873 to Marshall C. Barber, of Canton; George D., born October 21, 1850, died on October 7, 1898. Mrs Kate Saxton died on March 14, 1873, and sometimes afterwards Mr. Saxton married Mrs. Hettie Medill, whose former husband was a brother to the late Joseph Medill, of Chicago, one of the leading journalists of this country. As was given at his funeral. "Politically, Mr. Saxton was formally aligned with the old Whig party, but later identified himself with the Republican party, in the success of which he was deeply interested. Through zealous in maintaining his political views and in promoting the success of the party, he was not ambitious for public office or distinction of any nature, though he was at one time induced to serve as a member of the city council, which he dignified by his membership and where he endeavored, as he did in all things, to faithfully serve his fellow citizens. It was characteristic of him that when he saw an opportunity to be of service to the community, he was not backward in proffering his support and assistance, though content to remain in the ranks and let others enjoy the honor and satisfaction of leadership. Nor was he erratic or spasmodic in these things, for he could be counted upon in his support of all enterprises or movements appealing to the public spirit. He possessed to a notable degree that rare quality of being able to forget self in his desire to benifit others, and was indfferent to any thought of self preferment. This very quality served to gain him a respect and admiration that would not have been his, probably, had he shown a less altruistic spirit. Although his life was a busy one, his everyday affairs making heavy demands upon his time, he never shrank from his duties as a citizen and his obligations to his neighbors and friends. Always calm and dignified, never demonstrative, his life was nevertheless, a persistant plea, more by precept and example than by spoken or written word, for the purity and grandeur of right principals and the beauty and elevation of wholesome character. To him home life was a sacred trust, friendship was inviolable, and nothing could swerve him from the path of rectitude and honor. He was a temporate, well controlled man -- the idol of his family. He was of a genial, social nature, full, at times, of a quaint, homely, simple humor, that had the freshness of childhood; he loved his children, and the young folks in general, and many a young man was helped and encouraged by him in starting out in life. He was a very agreeable companion, manifesting a desire to please those of whom he came in daily contact, and he left to his friends as his choicest legacy, the remenbrance of a character without a stain." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ida Saxton McKinley There was little resemblance between the vivacious young woman who married William Mc Kinley in January 1871 -- a slender bride with sky blue eyes and fair skin and masses of auburn hair -- and the petulent invalid who moved into the White House with him in March 1897. Now her face was pallid and drawn, her close cropped hair grey; her eyes were glazed with pain or dulled with sedative. Only one thing had remained the same; love which had brightened early years of happiness and endured through more than twenty years of illness. Ida had been born in Canton, Ohio, in 1847, the elder daughter of a socially prominent and well-to-do family. Her father James A. Saxton, a banker, was indulgent to his two daughters. He educated them well in local schools and a finishing school, and then sent them to Europe on the grand tour. Pretty, fashonable, and a leader o the younger set in Canton did not satisfy Ida, so her broad-minded father suggested tat she work in his bank. As a cashier, she caught the attention of Maj. William McKinley, who had come to Canton in 1867 to establish a law practice, and they fell deeply in love. While he advanced in is profession, his young wife devoted her time to home and husband. A daughter, Katherine, was born on Christmas Day, 1871; a second, in April 1873. This time Ida was seriously ill,and the frail baby died in August. Phiebitis and epilectic seizures shattered the mother's health; and even before little Katie died in 1876, she was a confirmed invalid. As Congressman and thea as governor of Ohio, William McKinley was never far from her side. He arraigned their life to suit her convenience. She spent most of her waking hours in a small Victorian rocking chair that she had had since childhood; she sat doing fancy work and crocheting bedroom slippers while she waited for her husband, who indulged her every whim. At the White House, the McKinley's acted as if her health were no great handicap to her role as First Lady. Richly and prettily dressed, she received guests at formal receptions seated in a blue velvet chair. She held a fragrant bouquet to suggest that she could not shake hands. Contrary to protocol, she was seated beside the President at State dinners and he, as always, kept close watch for signs of impending seizure. If necessary, he would cover her face with a large handkerchief for a moment. The First Lady and her devoted husband seemed oblivious to any social inadequency. Guests were discreet and newspapers silent on the subject of her " fainting spells." Only in recent years have the facts of her health been revealed. When the President was shot by an assassin in September 1901, after his second inauguration, he thought primarily of her. He murmured to his secretary: " My wife -- be careful, Cortelyou, how you tell her -- Oh, be careful." After his death, she lived in Canton, cared for by her younger sister, visiting her husband's grave almost daily. She died in 1907, and lies entombed beside the President and near their two little daughters in Canton's McKinley Memorial Mausoleum. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid-bits continued in part 87.