OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List Issue 281 *********************************************************************** 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 281 Today's Topics: #1 Bio - 1885 - Portage Co, OH, Garre [Betty Ralph ] #2 Bio - 1885 - Portage Co, OH, Garre [Betty Ralph ] #3 RE:Alexander family in Butler Co. [Mary Jane Draeger To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <2.2.32.20000921164747.0073beac@HiWAAY.net> Subject: Bio - 1885 - Portage Co, OH, Garrettsville # 4 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Bios: Newcomb, Norton - 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 OTIS S. NEWCOMB, retired farmer, Garrettsville, was born in Ontario County, N.Y., March 13, 1814; eldest child of Orrin and Pamelia (Robison) Newcomb, natives of New York and Connecticut respectively, and who had a family of twelve children. Orrin Newcomb, who was an early settler of Geauga County, Ohio, a farmer and shoe-maker by occupation, died in 1836. His widow died in 1878, aged eighty-five years. Our subject was raised on a farm and obtained a limited education. His parents removed to Geauga County, Ohio, in October, 1818, and he grew to maturity fully acquainted with the vicissitudes of pioneer life. He entered on his career of life as a farmer, and followed agricultural pursuits until 1873, when he retired from active labor and removed to Garrettsville, where he built a fine residence in which he now resides. He was married in November, 1841, to Mary A. Wright, of Geauga County, Ohio, born in 1819, and died in 1864, the mother of five children: Selah W. (died in Perryville, Ky., October 8, 1862); Neri, engaged in the Buckeye Works at Akron, Ohio; Wallace E. and Andrew B., farmers, and Aurie V., wife of W.S. Freeman. Mr. Newcomb married on second occasion, October, 1864, Lucy A. Chapman, who died March 2, 1884, leaving to his care two children: George A. and Gertie A. Our subject has never been a politician or office seeker, but has been content with the plain home life of a farmer. He may be considered a self-made man, and was one of the practical as well as substantial farmers of Geauga County, Ohio. He is a member of Garrettsville Lodge, F.&A.M. JAMES NORTON, real estate, insurance and collection agent, and Notary Public, Garrettsville, was born September 9, 1833. His parents were then living in a log-house on their farm, on the west part of Lot 29, in Hiram. At an early day the homestead was changed to a farm on Lot 49, in the south part of Hiram Township. Here the subject of our sketch passed his childhood and youth, except four or five of his earlier years. When thirteen years of age a great misfortune came upon him, the result, as supposed, of being thrown from a horse about a year before. For several months his life hung upon such a slender thread that the community were in daily expectation of hearing that he had passed away. A surgical operation was performed upon the injured limb December 31, 1846, by Dr. De Wolf, of Ravenna. Not until the spring following did it appear that he could possibly survive the fearful attack disease had made upon him; an iron constitution alone was in his favor. For three years his health was so poor, and his disability so great, that he did not attend school at all. At sixteen, his health being still very far from good, he recommenced his studies at the district school in Freedom, about one and a half miles from home, to and from which he walked with crutch and cane. The advancement of those who had been his class-mates and associates before his sickness, caused a very dark cloud to envelop him. To hear them recite about numerator and denominator, reduction ascending and descending, and use other terms which it seemed to him he could never comprehend or understand, brought humiliation, sorrow and weeping. Energetic and determined application to his books soon dispelled the darkness and gloom, and at the close of the term he was fully up with his class. Thereafter every resource available for improvement was made use of, and at the commencement of the autumn term in 1851, he was permitted to enter the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute, well advanced in the common branches. During this term a physician, learning of the existence of an unhealing and dangerous sore of some years' standing, upon an arm of our subject, engaged with his father for a stipulated price to effect a cure. After about six months the doctor's efforts were rewarded with permanent success. The acquaintance with young Dr. Smith (who died the next year) our subject looks back upon as being the highest importance to him. About a year later, after three terms' attendance at the Eclectic Institute, he engaged as teacher of a district school in Freedom, on the Freedom and Ravenna diagonal road. After this and until the close of the year 1861, his time was occupied in attending school and in teaching. Most of the time he attended school at Hiram, but one term he attended the academy at Shalersville. He took a commercial course at the college in Cleveland, and took lessons in penmanship of P.R. Spencer, Sr., at his log-writing academy in Geneva, Ohio. He taught the district school at the center of Shalersville three terms, taught two terms in different districts in Hiram, and in 1858 commenced as teacher in Garrettsville, and there remained as teach of the fall and winter terms until December, 1861, when he resigned as teacher to enter the Recorder's office at Ravenna, to which the citizens of the county had elected him in October by a proud majority. Much of his day school work was supplemented by evening lessons given in penmanship. Of his services as Recorder we find the Portage County Republican-Democrat of January 8, 1868, speaking as follows: Mr. James Norton retired from official connection with the County Recorder's office on Monday, after a six years' term of service. Mr. Norton had proved himself a model Recorder, and there is no risk in pronouncing his records as handsome and accurate as any in the State. Mr. Norton entered upon the duties of this office January 6, 1862, and up to January 6, 1868, has recorded 6,302 deeds, 2,039 mortgages, 134 leases, 409 soldiers' discharge papers, and released 1,705 mortgages. When it is taken into consideration that every deed, mortgage, etc., contains, say 700 words, some estimate of the amount of work performed may be arrived at. In the entire six years Mr. Norton has not been absent from his office one single business day, and has made nearly all the records himself." Our subject declined to go into the convention as candidate for a third term, because there were several disabled soldiers seeking the place at that time. The suddenness of the change from years of close application to business to days of leisure, subdued the anticipated enjoyment and comfort of the latter. A line of business did not readily open up to our subject. He therefore spent the summer and autumn of 1868 in reviewing his studies at the Commercial College in Cleveland. It was his desire and purpose to go into the real estate agency business in the city, but no satisfactory opportunity presented itself or was found, he engaged with others, in the winter of 1868-69, in organizing a banking institution at Garrettsville, and for a time was its Cashier. The perils incident to banking in those days, added to other harassing features then existing, were a severe strain upon his undisciplined and overly sensitive nerves, and he withdrew from the business, one of the acts of his life, as he says, upon which he looks back with regret. A vacancy having occurred in the superintendency of the Garrettsville schools in the midst of a school year, he engaged as Superintendent and occupied that position four terms. Subsequently he has twice been elected Justice of the Peace, twice as Mayor of the incorporated village of Garrettsville, four times as member of the Board of Education, and has also been Clerk of the Board many years. He has often acted as Executor, Administrator, Assignee and Guardian in the settlement and management of estates. In politics Mr. Norton is a Republican. In 1848 he united with the Disciple Church at Hiram, and had his membership with that denomination at Hiram and at Ravenna. There has been no disciple Church in active working condition in Garrettsville for several years, and he has therefore worshipped with the Baptists, the church wherein his wife was reared. For five years he was Superintendent of the Baptist Sunday-school, and for many more years was teacher of the Bible class. December 17, 1859, he was married to Miss Ann Eliza Taber, at the home of her parents in Garrettsville, which was also the home of her birth. Her father, John Taber, was born in Providence, R.I., April 29, 1798, and died suddenly when on his way to worship, March 12, 1871. Her mother, whose maiden name was Mary Henrietta Greene, a realative of Gen. Greene, of Revolutionary note, was born in Barre, Mass., June 21, 1799, and died June 2, 1884, in Garrettsville, in the house where she had lived a little more than half a century. John Taber and Mary H. Greene were married in Providence, R.I., October 19, 1819. Mr. Taber was carpenter on board of ship, and made some very long sea voyages. His ship was at Callao when Bolivar entered Peru with his Columbian Army. They took a ship load of royalists to Cadiz, Spain, with immense quantities of gold and silver. This was a six years' voyage, mostly in South American waters. The next was a three years' voyage, chiefly doing a coasting business in European seas. In early life Mr. and Mrs. Taber were members of the First Baptist Church of Providence, which was founded by Roger Williams. They moved to Ohio in 1829, and after a residence of four years in Mogadore, Summit County, they moved to Garrettsville. Mr. Taber spent about three and a half years among the gold mines of California, starting for that then far-away country in the spring of 1850. Mr. and Mrs. Taber were the parents of four children: Mary Henrietta, born November 15, 1929; John Herman, born August 10, 1832; James Hunter, born June 21, 1835, and Ann Eliza, born September 23, 1837. The first three, after living to mature years, deceased before their parents. Mary Henrietta (Mrs. Dr. A.M. Sherman) died in Garrettsville, October 26, 1853; John Herman died in Council Bluffs, Iowa, November 8, 1856, and James Hunter died in Adrian, Mich., December 5, 1866. Three sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. James Norton. The first born and died in infancy and is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Ravenna; James Edgar was born in Ravenna March 18, 1866; John Herman was born in Garrettsville February 12, 1869. James Edgar graduated from the Garrettsville High School in 1883; the subject of his graduation oration was "The Heirs of the Ages." He is now upon a classical course at Hiram Collage. John Herman is still (1885) in the Garrettsville High School. There is a chart and record of the Norton families reaching back nineteen generations. Originally the name was Norville, a corruption of the French "Nord-Ville" (North-Villa or North-Town), and Nor-ton or Norton was subsequently adopted. The family have published a pamphlet showing the Norton families back seven generations. This is as far back as most people care to trace the ancestral line. To those, however, whose curiosity may lead them, the chart and record is accessible, although but few copies are known to the families here to be in existence. Thurel Norton was born at New Hartford, Oneida Co., N.Y., March 10, 1801. He was third son of Peter and Elthina (Thompson) Norton. He died in Hiram, April 2, 1880, in a few hours after, and from injuries received by, being thrown from a buggy by a runaway horse. When he was six years old his parents moved to Ohio, stopping two years in Vernon, Trumbull County, a short time in Tallmadge, and then located permanently in Springfield, then in Portage County, but now Summit County, a short distance east of Middlebury, the old home farm being still occupied by his brother Thomas. Here Thuel grew from childhood to manhood. Where the city of Akron is now was dense forest then. He shot his first deer upon the hillside in the vicinity of where Howard Street is now. At hunting large game, however, he was never as successful as his older brother, Almeron, although for a close shot he had no superior in those days. He learned the carpenter's trade and put up many buildings in and about Middlebury and Tallmadge. He was an expert at scoring and hewing timber, and in "bossing raisings." He was a man of powerful muscle, and often would astonish the people at "raisings" by picking up and carrying to its place a stick of timber that ordinarily would require two men to carry. As a framer of timber he was notably a close workman. At Hiram, August 4, 1822, Thuel Norton was married to Harriet Rebecca Harrington, who was born July 15, 1803, at Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn., but the most of whose childhood and youth was passed in Utica and Rochester, N.Y. Her father's name was John Harrington, and her mother's maiden name was Asenath Marvin. Her father was a boot and shoe-maker, and lived in Hiram a short time, nearly sixty years ago. Her mother is buried in the family lot at Hiram. John and Asenath Harrington were the parents of a large family of children. One year Mr. and Mrs. Norton resided in Rootstown, this county, nine years in Springfield, Summit County, and in 1832 they moved to Hiram, first locating on a farm on the West center road, but subsequently moved to the south part of the township, and there lived upon a farm many year. Although Mr. Norton preferred the carpenter's trade to farming, he gradually quit the former and took up the latter. But his fondness for timber work was somewhat gratified by operating a saw-mill which he had upon one of his farms. It was more of a diversion, however, than a money-making business. When old age had come upon Mr. and Mrs. Norton, they left their home farm and lived the remainder of their years at the center of Hiram. In August, 1880, Mrs. Norton went to visit a son and a daughter in Garrettsville, and while at the home of the latter she became worse and died in the evening of August 30. Their remains rest in the family lot in Hiram Cemetery. Thuel and Harriet R. Norton were the parents of ten children, as follows: Anna, born October 21, 1823; Seth D., born August 19, 1825; Edwin, born July 16, 1827 and died September 8, 1827; Amelia C., born January 4, 1829; Julia M., born April 24, 1831; James, born September 9, 1833; Lois E., born November 28, 1835, and died in Trenton, Mo., April 27, 1866; Emily E., born May 6, 1838; Richard C., born June 16, 1840, and Harriet R., born January 28, 1846. Seth D. is an attorney-at-law, living in Ravenna. Richard C. is President of South East State Normal, at Cape Girardeau, Mo. ______________________________ ------------------------------ X-Message: #2 Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 16:28:47 -0500 From: Betty Ralph To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <2.2.32.20000921212847.00737664@HiWAAY.net> Subject: Bio - 1885 - Portage Co, OH, Garrettsville # 5 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Bios: Ober, Reed, Smith, Sweet - 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 R.H. OBER, Mayor and furniture dealer, Garrettsville, was born October 30, 1849, in Newbury, Geauga Co., Ohio, son of Hermon and Hannah (Hall) Ober, former born August 15, 1807, in Hollis, N.H., died August 20, 1862, coming to Ohio when a young man; the latter born August 10, 1808, in Salem, N.H., and is still living. They were parents of eight children: John, born in 1832; Almira, in 1833; Sarah, in 1836; George, in 1838; Melissa, in 1840; Charles, in 1845; Mary, in 1847, and R.H. The parents were Congregationalists. Zachariah Ober, the father of Hermon, was born in 1775 in Tewksbury, Mass., and married Abigail Hardy, born in 1775 in the same State. Our subject remained on the farm, attending the country schools, and worked in a machine shop with his brothers, John and George, until eighteen years of age when he entered school at Hillsdale, Mich. He soon after bought one-half interest in a saw-mill with his brother-in-law, C.W. Wright, and assisted in operating the same at Newbury for three years. He then engaged in shipping lumber with his brother, C.H., until 1874, when August 20, that year, he was married to Martha Patterson, born August 20, 1855, in Troy, Ohio, daughter of Nelson Patterson, born April 8, 1812, in Hanover, N.Y., and Eliza (Wales) Patterson, born April 8, 1812, in Gettysburg, Penn., parents of six children: Avery, born July 9, 1834, and died October 10, 1863, at Chattanooga, Tenn., of a wound received at the battle of Chickamauga September 19, 1863; Francis, born August 16, 1836; William, born September 30, 1841; Zylphia, born November 20, 1847; Mary, born November 15, 1849, and Martha. The mother was a member of the Disciples Church, and both parents are deceased. To our subject and wife were born four children: Edna, born August 6, 1876; Ethel, born January 5, 1879; Harmon, born December 29, 1881; Elgy, born December 16, 1883. Soon after marriage Mr. Ober came to Garrettsville and opened a furniture store on a small scale. By economy and strict attention to business he has been enabled to add to his enterprise until he now owns one of the best establishments of the kind in Portage County. In 1884 he was nominated by the Prohibitionists for Mayor of Garrettsville, endorsed by the Citizens' Convention, and was elected. He has served the city well in that honorable position. He was united with the Congregational Church when twelve years old, and has held various offices in the organization; is at present Superintendent of the Sunday-school. He is a member of the Y.M.T.C., and has held the highest office in the same. His estimable wife is also a worthy member of the Congregational Church. Mr. Ober is in the prime of his life, and the various positions his talents may merit his being called to by his neighbors and friends will be chronicled in the coming years. THOMAS REED, policeman, Garrettsville, was born in Ireland, August 13, 1823, son of William and Margaret (Nelson) Reed, natives of that county, who were parents of seven children, of whom Thomas is the youngest. He came to America in 1842, and located in Philadelphia, where he remained two years engaged in wharf building. He then came to Geauga County, Ohio, and hired to a man for five years as a farm hand. He purchased a small farm near Cleveland in 1854, but sold it six years later and bought a still larger farm in Trumbull County, where he remained until 1873, when he came to Garrettsville with the intention of retiring from active labor, but for a year or two dealt in stock. In 1855 he married Miss Caroline A. Pierce, of Geauga County, and by her has three children: Marc A., a graduate of Scio College, who has taught school nine years, and is at present Superintendent of Schools in Girard, Ohio; Della, also a school teacher for six years, and who is a graduate of the Garrettsville schools, and Guy W. Mr. Reed received an appointment by the Council as Night Policeman, and has held that position nine years, and has also served as Constable five years. In April, 1880, while trying to quiet a drunken row he received a blow on the head, fracturing his skull, from which six pieces of bone were taken. It was a narrow escape, but he still continues to keep the peace in the streets of Garrettsville to the full satisfaction of the people. He is a member of Garrettsville Lodge, No. 246, F.&A.M. E.C. SMITH, hardware merchant, Garrettsville, was born October 19, 1829, in Hart's Grove, Ashtabula County, Ohio. His father, Norman Smith, was born in 1801 in Sherburne, Vt., and came to Parkman, Ohio, in 1818, and later to Nelson Township, this county, where he died in 1850. His wife, the mother of our subject, was Sallie M. Hickok, born in New York State, and who came to Ohio in 1820. She is the mother of the following children: E.C.; M.H., a physician in Manchester, Ill.; Maria L., wife of H.C. Crawford, and living at Troy, Ohio; Ellen, wife of S.C. Bates, in Clinton, Iowa; Mary A., widow of James Guthrie; George D., residing in Garrettsville; Sarah, wife of Jerrerson McConnell, residing in Manchester, Ill. Our subject, who was educated in the country schools and township academy, began teaching when twenty years old at $16 per month. He farmed for a while, and later clerked in a drug store at Garrettsville. January 27, 1852, he, in company with Ebenezer Earl and others, went to the gold mines in California, remaining there five years. He was married, August 27, 1857, to Marion B. McClintock, born July 4, 1829, in Trumbull County, Ohio, daughter of William McClintock, born in Whitehall, N.Y., in 1793, and Chloe (Ferry) McClintlock, born in 1798 in Brookfield, Orange Co., Vt., and came with her parents to Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1814. They came to this county in 1832, settling in Garrettsville, where they died, the father August 7, 1873, and the mother June 17, 1878. They were members of the Baptist Church. The father had been a teamster in the war of 1812. They were parents of nine children, of whom six are now living: Polly, Sallie, Marion B., Helen, John C, and William W. In 1858 Mr. Smith engaged in the hardware business in Garrettsville under the firm name of Barber & Smith, and has been very successful. He began his career in life with a willing heart and strong hands, and of the large amount of property which he possesses in hardware, mines, bank stock, etc., he is certainly the artificer. He has served as Mayor and Councilman of Garrettsville, and has been put forward at times by his friends for the Legislature, a position he may yet covet, and one he would surely full with honor to himself and credit to his constituents. He has been Vice President of the First National Bank of Garrettsville since 1870, and is also a Director in the same. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. and is a K.T. Portage County has but few, if any, more substantial, upright and honest citizen than him whose names heads this biography. ELLIAS C. SWEET, drayman, Garrettsville, was born in Summit County, Ohio, February 14, 1835; seventh in a family of eight children born to Alfred and Clarissa (Capron) Sweet, the former of whom, a native of Pennsylvania, came to Ohio in 1824 and died October 14, 1872, his wife having preceded him in 1838. Our subject early in life learned the cooper's trade and opened a shop in Bath, Summit Co., Ohio, where he remained four years, thence went to Copley, same county, and two years later to Wellington, Lorain County, and from thence to New London, Huron County, where he built the first cooper shop in the place. During the late war of the Rebellion he enlisted in the 100 days' service in Company B, Nineteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and after his return home he married, September 22, 1861, Delia J. Niles, born in Lorain County, Ohio, May 22, 1842, daughter of Albert and Sophia (Loveland) Niles, natives of Massachusetts and early settlers of Lorain County. Mr. Sweet subsequently returned to Bath, Ohio, and farmed in connection with his trade. In 1869 he removed to Garrettsville, this county, and worked as a carpenter and cooper. He then spent a year on a dairy farm in Nelson Township, this county, and finally returned to Garrettsville, to his present place of residence. Here he has a small farm, and is engaged in the express and dray business, and since 1882 has carried the mail from trains to the postoffice. He has been a member of the I.O.O.F. about nine years. ______________________________ ------------------------------ X-Message: #3 Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 22:08:22 -0400 From: Mary Jane Draeger To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <39CABF16.6782EC49@execpc.com> Subject: RE:Alexander family in Butler Co. of 1850 and Lonare Twp Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit John Alexander 50 M. Pa. M> Mary Ann 50 N.Y. M/ Rebecca 22 Ohio F. 20 Ohio ? John 17 Ohio M. Sarah A. 11 Ohio F. Henry 11 Ohio F. Hannah M.J. 6 Ohio F. Mary E. 4 Ohio F. -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V00 Issue #281 *******************************************