SUMMIT COUNTY OHIO - BIO: HARRINGTON, Richard (published)


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                  Biography of Richard Harrington

Richard Harrrington was born in Rhode Island on April 22, 1756. He married 
Roba Perkins. Roba was born April 17, 1766 in Rhode Island. Some history 
publications give their marriage date as 1774, but I that could not be, 
considering her birth date- backed up by her son, Elijah’s, record book 
which gives her death date as January 4, 1832 and states that she was 65 at
time of death. As an educated guess I would give a marriage date of around 
1782- based on her age and the birth of their first child. Together they 
raised 15 children, I list them below with birth dates provided from a 
record book of one of the children, Elisha Harrington.

Asa Harrington: born March 1, 1783, Catherine Harrington: born October 13, 
1784, Hannah Harrington: born April 27, 1786, Leonard Harrington: 
born April 6, 1787, Lydia Harrington: born November 8, 1789, Pheba 
Harrington: born January 2, 1791, Job Harrington: born March 1, 1793, 
William Harrington: born November 10, 1794, Joseph Harrington: born May 8, 
1795, Roba Harrington: born November 27, 1798, Constant Harrington: born 
July 12, 1801, John Harrington: born November 22, 1803, Richard Harrington: 
born March 25, 1805, Alvin Seth Harrington: born February 9, 1807, and 
Elisha Harrington: born April 15, 1809.

    Richard served in the Revolutionary War as a private in Colonel Samuel 
Herrick’s Regiment of Volunteers for a short period in 1780 and as a private 
of the Militia in Colonel Ebenezer Walbridge’s Regiment for a short time in 
1781. Information from the Tallmadge Historical Society (Ohio)states that he 
was in Arnold’s expedition to Quebec, and also in the Battle of Stillwater. 
It is said that he loved to relate the events of that battle and declared 
that he was never more animated or more pleased than when fighting for 
colonial independence.*  Land records show Richard’s purchase of land in 
Sandgate, Vermont as early as 1789. In July of 1815 he moved the family to 
Ohio, buying a farm in from Elizur Wright Esq. and building a house and farm 
there.

    Richard was described by his children as a man possessing a very quiet 
and unobtrusive nature. Information from the Tallmadge Historical Society 
states that he was a disbeliever in the Copernican system of astronomy; for 
says he, does not the sun and moon move, don’t we see it move, and then to 
prove it he would say, what did Joshua command them to stand still for if 
they do not move; this was the end of the argument with him.  He died on 
his farm in Tallmadge on June 8, 1831 at the age of 75, and was buried in 
Northhampton, north of the mills at Grange Hall.  His wife, Roba, died 
January 4, 1832 and was buried with him. 

*from ‘Revolutionary Soldiers of Summit County’