OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List Issue 280 *********************************************************************** 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. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 280 Today's Topics: #1 Bio - 1885 - Portage Co, OH, Garre [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, 19 Sep 2000 13:57:12 -0500 From: Betty Ralph To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <2.2.32.20000919185712.007336e4@HiWAAY.net> Subject: Bio - 1885 - Portage Co, OH, Garrettsville # 3 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Bios: Ferris, Hawley, Leezer, Maxson, Merwin - Portage County, Ohio, from "History of Portage County, Ohio" published by Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885 ************************************************************************ 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 OSMON S. FERRIS, attorney, Garrettsville, was born in Versailles, Wyandot Co., Ohio, June 1, 1843, son of Osmon and Lydia (Streator) Ferris, natives of Portage County, Ohio, and who shortly after marriage removed to Wyandot County. Both are now deceased. The former, who was a practicing physician of Mantua, Ohio, died October 10, 1884. Our subject for some time attended the Eclectic Institute, of Hiram, and then entered Hillsdale College, of Michigan, where he graduated in 1870. While not engaged with his studies he taught school, and in 1872 graduated from the law schools of Cleveland, Ohio. In January of the year following he came to Garrettsville, this county, and entered upon the practice of his profession. Mr. Ferris was married November 9, 1876, to Miss Ellen Rhinehart, of Union, Cass Co., Mich., born October 9, 1853, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Rhinehart, natives of Virginia and Ohio respectively. By this union are two sons: Arthur R., born September 4, 1879, and Mark S., born April 27, 1884. Mr. Ferris was elected to the office of Prosecuting Attorney in 1877 and filled that office one term, during which he prosecuted the case of Ohio vs. Mathew Powers, who was convicted of manslaughter. In this case Mr. Ferris was assisted by Alfonzo Hart, ex-Lieutenant-Governor of Ohio. The opposing counsel were John McSweeney, of Wooster, and W.B. Thomas and I.T. Siddal, of Ravenna. Our subject has been twice Mayor of Garrettsville, has also served as Clerk and Solicitor, and is now holding his third commission as Notary. He is a member of Garrettsville Lodge, No. 246, F.&A.M. ASEL C. HAWLEY, retired farmer, Garrettsville, was born December 9, 1814, in Berkshire County, Mass., eldest of the family of seven children of Asel and Esther (Clark) Hawley, natives of Massachusetts, who came to this county in 1829, when our subject was fifteen years of age, and settled in Freedom Township. Here Asel C. grew to manhood, fully acquainted with the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life. His education was limited to what could be obtained in the common schools of that early date. Mr. Hawley was married in 1836, to Sarah M. Gross, of Grantville, Conn., who died October 5, 1874. He was married on second occasion, July 1, 1875, to Betsey Clark, of Collins, Erie Co., N.Y., who was born October 2, 1831. Our subject entered upon his career in life as a farmer, and has always followed this pursuit, until 1874, when he retired from active labor, and removed to Garrettsville, Ohio, the better to enjoy the fruits of a well spent life. He was ever an energetic enterprising man, and considered one of the practical as well as substantial farmers of Freedom Township. N. WRIGHT LEEZER, photographer, was born in Noble County, Ohio, November 12, 1859, son of William C. and Sarah E. (Hill) Leezer, natives of Morgan County, Ohio, the former of whom is a mechanic and pattern-maker by trade, at present engaged with his son in the photographing business. They were parents of three children: Wright, Maud, and Ella (deceased when but three years of age). The subject of our sketch was brought by his parents to Athens, Athens Co., Ohio, where he received but a common school education. Mr. Leezer's first business enterprise was manufacturing confectionery, but he eventually gave that up and learned photography. He first entered this industry in Athens, Ohio. In order to perfect himself in the art, he soon entered a large studio at Logan, Hocking Co., Ohio. The following year he removed to Attica, Seneca Co., Ohio, where he stayed for about one year, then returned to Athens, Ohio. In 1882 he came to Garrettsville, Ohio, and entered the employ of C.M. French, photographer. In 1884 he embarked in the photographing business for himself and has since followed the art with good success. In 1883 he became a member of Portage Lodge, No. 456, I.O.O.F, and is one of the charter members of the Young Men's Temperance Council (Y.M.T.C.), Religiously he is a member of the Congregational Church. He was married August 13, 1884, to Almeda Stearn, who was born in Salem, Columbiana Co., Ohio, October 22, 1859. EDGAR W. MAXSON, lawyer, Garrettsville, was born at Troy, Geauga Co., Ohio, February 3, 1844; son of William and Salina C. (Mumford) Maxson; the former a farmer by occupation, born in Connecticut, in 1813, and who came with his parents to this county in 1822; the latter a native of Otsego County, N.Y., where she was born in 1820. They had two children: Edgar W., and Victor R., a farmer now living on the old home farm in Hiram Township. William Maxson died September 20, 1876. The Maxson family are of English descent. Daniel Maxson was one of three brothers: Edward, John, and Daniel who came to America about the middle of the seventeenth century and settled in Rhode Island, where Joshua Maxson, the grandfather of our subject, was born. His grandmother was a Morris, and was a descendant of a Welsh family of that name who date back to the early pioneers of New York State. Our subject was raised on a farm in Hiram Township, where his parents removed while he was an infant. His time between the ages of ten and seventeen years were spent in Hiram College and in school teaching. In 1863 he went to Michigan University at Ann Arbor and graduated from the Law and Literary Department in 1865, and was admitted to the bar in that State the same year. He then returned to Ohio and was shortly after admitted to the bar, but for three years following was engaged in teaching graded schools in Michigan and Illinois. He was married November 27, 1867, to Miss Elizabeth C. Mull, a school teacher by profession, and a native of Otsego County, N.Y., who died September 10, 1875, leaving to his care one daughter - Maud. Mr. Maxson then married, December 14, 1876, Miss Eudora Lockwood, also of Otsego County, N.Y., and a near relative of his first wife. In the spring of 1868 he returned to Garrettsville and entered in the practice of his profession, in which he has since been engaged. He has been Solicitor of Garrettsville for seven years and has refused several offices of honor, which at different times he has been urged by his friends to accept. He is Past Grand of Portage Lodge, No. 456, I.O.O.F., and an active member of Garrettsville Lodge, No. 246, F.&A.M. He has been connected with the Congregational Church about four years. HENRY NOBLE MERWIN, produce dealer, Garrettsville, was born in New Milford, Litchfield Co., Conn., February 25, 1818; son of Daniel and Laura (Marsh) Merwin, who were of Welsh and English descent respectively (both now deceased) and parents of four children: Susan A., Abbie M., Henry N. and Amos M. The Marsh family were among the first settlers of New Milford, Conn. Amos Marsh, grandfather of our subject, was commissioned District Attorney of Vermont by George Washington. Our subject was raised on a farm and received a common school education. He was married November 27, 1845, to Miss Betsey N. Hine, born February 11, 1822, daughter of Isaac and Alta (Riggs) Hine, both now deceased, all natives of New England. In 1850 Mr. Merwin removed to Newton Falls, Trumbull Co., Ohio, where he engaged in farming for a period of twenty-two years. In 1873 he retired from farm labor and removed to Garrettsville, where he purchased a manufacturing establishment, formed a partnership with three others, and engaged in manufacturing butter tubs, etc., for one year. Since then he has dealt more or less extensively in produce. Mr. Merwin is serving his second term as Justice of the Peace. He and his wife have been consistent members of the Congregational Church for forty years. He is connected with Portage Lodge, No. 456, I.O.O.F In politics he is identified with the Republican party. -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V00 Issue #280 *******************************************