OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 813 Today's Topics: #1 Bio - 1885 - Portage Co, OH, Deerf [Betty Ralph ] #2 Bio - 1885 - Portage Co, OH, Deerf [Betty Ralph ] Administrivia: To unsubscribe from OH-FOOTSTEPS-D, send a message to OH-FOOTSTEPS-D-request@rootsweb.com that contains in the body of the message the command unsubscribe and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. ______________________________ ------------------------------ X-Message: #1 Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 17:59:22 -0600 From: Betty Ralph To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <2.2.32.19991130235922.009af2d4@HiWAAY.net> Subject: Bio - 1885 - Portage Co, OH, Deerfield # 6 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Bios: Spiers, Tibbals, Woodward - Portage County, Ohio, from "History of Portage County, Ohio" published by Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885 Copyright C 1999 by Betty Ralph. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. bralph@hiwaay.net ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net ************************************************************************ WILLIAM P. SPIERS, retired farmer, P.O. Deerfield, was born in Steeple Clayton, Buckinghamshire, England, in 1820, son of John and Rebecca Spires. He has been a resident of Deerfield Township since the family made their settlement in 1833. Mr. Spires served an apprenticeship at carriage-making, and worked over forty years at the business, but subsequently abandoned his trade and is now living a retired life, occupying a pleasant residence with seventeen acres of land. He was married in 1846, to Miss Mary, daughter of John Diver, a native of Deerfield. To this union two children were born, both now living: Ethelbert B., and Emma, married to Edward Lazarus (they have three children: Nellie A., Bertha and Lottie). Mr. Spiers is one of our oldest and most respected pioneers, and is well and favorably known. JOHN SPIRES, farmer and manufacturer, Deerfield, was born in Buckinghamshire, England, December 13, 1800, son of Thomas and Ann (Perkins) Spires, who reared three sons and two daughters, John and James being the only survivors. The parents came to this county in 1833, and settled in Deerfield Township, but the father only lived about thirty days after his arrival. The mother died in August, 1852. Our subject came to America in 1832, stayed one year in New York, and then followed his parents to Deerfield Township, this county, where he began the struggle of life empty-handed. But he was sagacious, frugal, ambitious, full of energy and blessed with a rugged constitution. He was married, in 1820, to Miss Rebecca Parker, a native of Buckinghamshire, England, by whom he had nine children, of whom are now living: William P., James,. Ann P. Eddy (in Racine, Wis.), Hannah, Richard, Thomas J. and John A. Mrs. Spires died in 1881. Our subject in 1837 was enabled to purchase thirty-five acres of land. He now owns about 100 acres in Deerfield Township and 900 in Atwater Township, this county. The pottery at Atwater, Ohio, carried on under the firm name of John Spires & Sons, was purchased of the administrators of the late W.F. Burns in 1880. His first enterprise was to a supply pottery at Limaville, Stark County, with clay in the year 1849. In the same year he built a saw-mill on Yellow Creek in Deerfield, which was used twenty-one years. It was then moved to its present site in Atwater, where it is now run by the firm. Mr. Spires, though well advanced in age, enjoys the best of health. During his residence here he has cleared 500 acres of land, most of which is under cultivation. FREDERICK D. TIBBALS, farmer, was born on the homestead farm in Deerfield Township, this county, November 24, 1825, son of Alfred M., born in Granville, Mass., August 14, 1797, and Martha (Swim) Tibbals, born in Burlington, N.J., November 26, 1800. They were married January 20, 1820, and were the parents of four sons, all now living: John L., Frederick D., Curtis and Newell D. Alfred M. Tibbals was killed by a falling tree February 26, 1858. His widow, though now advanced in years, is strong and vigorous in mind and body. The grandparents of our subject were Moses and Ruth (Spelman) Tibbals, the former born August 6, 1767, the latter March 24, 1773. They were married April 18, 1790, and in 1804 they came to Deerfield Township, this county, from Granville, Mass., bringing with them a team of oxen and a favorite cow. They settled on land still occupied by their posterity, cleared a space in the wilderness, and erected a rude hut, in which they lived until the brick house was built in 1816, and which is in use at this time. Moses Tibbals secured several hundred acres of land from Granger & Phelps, but subsequently disposed of all but 160 acres. The parents on both sides are deceased and buried in Deerfield. The Tibbals are of English descent, the first of this name settling in Massachusetts. Our subject was married, November 15, 1858, to Miss Celia A., daughter of Peter Mason, a native of Deerfield, who died June 4, 1881, aged fifty-one years. Mr. Tibbals is mostly engaged in stock dealing. JOHN D. WOODWARD, farmer, P.O. Deerfield, was born in Fayette County, Penn., in 1830, son of Amos and Mary (Mallaby) Woodward, natives of Pennsylvania, who settled in Milton Township, Trumbull County, in 1848, thence removed to Palmyra, Portage Co., Ohio, where Mr. Woodward died in 1856. His widow resides on the homestead, the mother of eight children: Mary, wife of M. Sutton; John, married to Lucinda Wilcox (have two children: Alice A. and Blanche); William, married to Cornelia Wilcox (have six children: Rowland, Cora, Mary E., Maude E., Joseph and Gertie); Elizabeth, widow of William Earnest (have three children: Reuben, Oliver and William); Albert, married to Julia Westover (their children are Ransom and Jane); Eliza J., wife of Evan Jones; Amos, married to Martha Jenkins (have two children: Wallace and Lemuel); Richard, married to Sarah Wilson (have two children: Conas E. and Archibald). Of these John and William settled on the present estate of 300 acres in Deerfield Township in 1864. Politically they are Republicans. They rank among the enterprising farmers of the county. ______________________________ ------------------------------ X-Message: #2 Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1999 05:39:57 -0600 From: Betty Ralph To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <2.2.32.19991201113957.009a870c@HiWAAY.net> Subject: Bio - 1885 - Portage Co, OH, Deerfield # 7 & final Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Bios: Wilcox, Wilson - Portage County, Ohio, from "History of Portage County, Ohio" published by Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885 Copyright C 1999 by Betty Ralph. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. bralph@hiwaay.net ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net ************************************************************************ WILCOX FAMILY. It is impossible to trace the genealogy of the Wilcox family to a very remote period, not farther than 1745, at which time Abel Wilcox, a resident of Connecticut, moved from Hebron, that State, to Sandersfield, Mass. His wifes maiden name was Susannah Hall. To them were born six children: Abel, Abijah, Jerusha, Hetty, Susannah and William. Abel, Jr., was united in marriage with Lois Chamberlain, of East Windsor, Conn. This union was blessed with three children: Amos, Abel and Jerusha. When quite advanced in life he with his family removed to Erie county, Penn., where he remained until his death. Abija, the second son, was drowned. William, the youngest son of Abel and Susannah Wilcox, was born in Sandersfield, Mass., August 7, 1777. February 23, 1803, he married Lucinda Gibbs, of East Windsor, by whom he was the father of seven girls and five boys. Austatia, born July 27, 1805, died April 27, 1806. George, a bright and promising youth, born March 22, 1811, died July 29, 1821, aged ten years. The remaining children lived to manhood and womanhood, all settled in Ohio and became heads of families. In 1816 William Wilcox sold his farm to a man named Granger, who had previously been to Ohio and "taken up" several hundred acres of land lying in the northeastern part of the State, near where the city of Akron now stands. William Wilcox, highly pleased with Grangers description of this land and of the surroundings, bought it before seeing the property. They packed their goods, not for passage by railroad, but for passage by wagon behind ox teams, and started for their Western home. The teams consisted of three yoke of oxen, besides one horse; these drew two heavily laden wagons. Among the things in them were 200 pounds of wool, which Mrs. Wilcox carded, spun, and in two summers had woven into cloth. After due preparation, she made it into garments for family use. The journey through the wilderness - for it was forest - was long and tedious. At one time they were delayed a week by the illness of one of the children, and an accident to Mr. Wilcox, whereby he hurt his knee, also detained them. Forty-one days from the time they left Massachusetts they arrived at their destination. They were sadly disappointed when they saw the land, for it was not what it had been represented. Granger at that time had a brother living in Deerfield, Portage Co., Ohio, and there was an exchange made between him and Mr. Wilcox, but not without sacrifice on the part of Wilcox, and early in the spring of 1818 they left for Deerfield, their future home. This property, situated in the eastern part of the township on the Mahoning River, they were well satisfied with, and Mr. Wilcox said "I have blundered on a good farm." Mr. Wilcoxs health failed,, and June 22, 1828, at the age of fifty-one, his spirit returned to God who gave it. His remains rest in the cemetery in Deerfield. Mrs. Wilcox lived to the advanced age of seventy-eight years, dying September 16, 1862. A noble Christian woman. She sleeps by the side of her companion. Seneca, son of Lucinda and William Wilcox, born February 25, 1804, was married to Samantha Wilson, of Palmyra, June 22, 1830 (to them were born seven children: Desire, Emeline, Caroline, Lucinda, John, Cornelia and Melissa). He died November 23, 1863. Julia, born February 17, 1807, widow of Riley Halleck (she was married November 15, 1827, and became the mother of eleven children: Gibbs, Louisa, William, Lucy Ann, Marion, Joel, Betsey, Erwin, Harriet, Elijah and Benjamin). Emily was born April 18, 1809, widow of Jesse Rogers, married March 25, 1832 (seven children were the result of this union: Eliza, Edwin, Linus, Maria, Henry, Harriet and Alice). Harriet, born December 17, 1814, widow of Caleb Steele, married June 26, 1836 (at present she resides in Alliance); William L., born April 16, 1817, died August 5, 1851, was married to Clarissa Sheets, of Berlin (they had two children, daughters); Newell D., born May 15, 1819, married December 16, 1841, to Amelia Hall, of Palmyra (two sons, Wallace and Curtis, were the fruits of this marriage), died March 1, 1881; Mary M., born August 22, 1821 married, November 12, 1845, to Linus Sheets of Berlin, Ohio (the result of this union was seven children: Maria, Newell, Clara, Emma, Warren, Eddie and Ellen), she died January 20, 1878; Lucinda, born February 8, 1824, married Joseph Diver, of Deerfield, November 26, 1846 (of their children, eight are living: Edwin, Ella, Gertie, John, Wallace, Julia, Minnie and Eugene), died March 4, 1877; Clarissa, born December 27, 1825, was married March 8, 1849, to Elias Mowen, of Deerfield (their children are: Alma, Marsha, Ursula, Judson and Wealthy). Alexander H. Wilcox, born in Sandersfield, Mass., November 27, 1812, acquired what education he could in the log-schoolhouse. Bereft of a fathers care at the age of fifteen, he turned his energies to the trades of carpenter and joiner. Now, at the age of seventy-two years, he displays his genius by inventing a patent fence, which is providing a success. Mr. Wilcox has built bridges over the Mahoning River, and has erected many dwellings (the first house he built was one done without recompense for his widowed mother). Of the incidents of note that have transpired during his life was the capture of two horse thieves: one he captured at Georgetown, the other at Deerfield. He returned both horses in the possession of the thieves to their owners, and received a reward of $50 for the last one taken. He was married in 1837 to Betsey, daughter of John Diver, who died August 6, 1850, leaving six children: Julia A., born February 17, 1838 (she was married November 24, 1858, to William B. Wilson, of Palmyra; died April 5, 1872); Harriet L., born September 6, 1839, widow of Henry Carver, Married August 4, 1867; George A., born October 2, 1841, married, October 3, 1866, to Calista E. Kibler, of Palmyra; Joseph, born July 20, 1843, a young man with bright prospects, died at his home May 16, 1865, in his twenty-second year; William B., born May 20, 1845, married Adelia Haines, of Deerfield, March 4, 1879; Susan C., born January 11, 1847, died September 5, 1850; Charles E., born August 5, 1849, married to Ida Packer September 28, 1872. Mr. Wilcox was married, on second occasion, in 1851, to Adaline Barrack, of Maryland, by whom he had three children: Sarah, born November 20, 1851, died November 3, 1861; Cornelius, born June 7, 1853; James B., born March 20, 1856, married July 2, 1882, to Susanna Shively, of Deerfield. Mr. Wilcox is among the few living pioneers of this township. In politics he is a stanch Democrat. He attended Clevelands inauguration and visited Mt. Vernon. Casting his first ballot for Jackson, he has never lost but one Presidential vote, and that was for Horace Greely. Although the hand of time touched his hair with silver threads, Mr. Wilcox has lost none of the fire of ambition, or the vigor of his earlier manhood; his health is good, his frame elastic, and his capacity for endurance seemingly as great as ever. He is a highly esteemed and much respected citizen of Deerfield. JOHN S. WILSON, farmer, P.O. Deerfield, was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, in 1817, son of Isaac and Sarah (Givens) Wilson, natives of Delaware and parents of the following children: John S., Isaac, Elizabeth, George and Joseph. Isaac Wilson, a paper-maker by trade, was appointed Superintendent of a mill on Little Beaver Creek, Columbiana Co., Ohio, by Cramer & Spear, of Pittsburgh, Penn. Accepting this position he located there in 1814. He subsequently established a small stock of goods in a room, and his wife attended to the sale of same while he ran the mill He was afterward admitted a partner in the concern and carried on the milling business until 1824, when he bough a farm of 175 acres near Franklin, Stark County. Misfortunes came upon him soon after; his barn was struck by lightning and burned, and his son was caught beneath a falling tree and lost his limb. Returning to commercial pursuits, he opened a tavern, which he conducted some years. Subsequently he removed to Salem, established himself in business there, and remained the balance of his life. He died August 1, 1846, aged sixty-one years, At the time of his death he had twelve stores under his control in different portions of the State. Our subject married in Mahoning County in 1841, to Miss Sarah Everett, of New York, by whom he has had twelve children, seven of whom are now living: Mary, wife of S. Caldwell; Martha, wife of I. Diver; Frank, married to Bertha Benedict; Hartzell S., married to Sarah Hahn; Anna M.; Morgan C. and Joseph. Mr. Wilson came to Deerfield Township in 1846, and for some years engaged in mercantile business. Prior to coming here he carried on a grist and saw-mill in Berlin Township, Mahoning County. He settled on a farm in the eastern part of this township, comprising over 300 acres, and still owns 159 acres of same. In the spring of 1881 he occupied his present estate, comprising twenty-two acres of well-improved land. Although advanced in years our subject is strong mentally and physically. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church. ISAAC WILSON, merchant, Deerfield, was born in Liverpool, Columbiana Co., Ohio in 1821, son of Isaac and Sarah (Givens) Wilson. He came to Deerfield in 1840, and took charge of the business which he has since continuously and successfully carried on. He has a stock worth about $10,000, and enjoys a large and lucrative trade. He was married in1844 to Miss Juliette, daughter of J.W. Farnham, of Deerfield. Though they have no children of their own the death of Mr. Wilsons younger sister gave them an adopted son - William H. Wilson, who married Miss Nellie Misner, of Deerfield Township, this county. Our subject is a man of pronounced business ability, unassuming in his every-day life, and possessing those genial qualities of mind and heart that have won for him hosts of friends during his long career in business. Mr. Wilson has filled various offices of trust, and served as Postmaster of Deerfield for upward of twenty-five years. -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V99 Issue #813 *******************************************