CAPTAIN CRAWFORD LARGE,
a well-known master mariner who sailed out of Ashtabula many years
ago, now retired from active life on the lakes, is agent for the
Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, also of the United States
Casualty Company. In addition to this business he performs the
duties of constable, to which office he was elected in 1897.
He was born Mar. 23, 1833, a son of William B. and Lydia (Benham)
Large, both natives of Connecticut. The mother was a
sister of the late Capt. Samuel Benham of Cleveland.
During the early years of his life, while working with his father on
the farm near Ashtabula, Ohio, young Crawford attended the
district schools in the winter months.
In the summer of 1847 Crawford Large shipped as
boy on the schooner John F. Porter, which he left on arrival
at Buffalo, and shipped on the schooner Vermont but after a short
time transferred to the schooner Industry, of Cleveland, and when
she laid p that fall in St. Clair river, Captain Bedford, who
had formed quite an attachment for our subject, took him home with
him for the holidays, after which the lad went home and remained
until the spring of 1849, when he joined the noted brig Banner, as
boy, with Captain Scoville, closing the season on the brig
Clarion and also joining her the next season. In 1851 he went
as Seaman on the little topsail schooner T. G. Colt, with Captain
Downs, until August, when he was appointed mate, and in
September, the captain wanting to quit the schooner, put our subject
in charge of her, securing as mate for him J. Davidson.
He objected to this arrangement on account of his youth, but
Captain Downs prevailed as he was owner of the schooner, and
young Large finally gave a good account of the little vessel.
The next season he shipped in the Chief Justice Marshall,
continuing in her until 1853, when he was made mate with Captain
Moray on the schooner Atlas, which was sold to Detroit parties
that fall, our subject keeping his berth on her the next season
until September, when he was appointed master. That fall he
took into Erie, on the Atlas, the first two cargoes of ore that had
ever been transported on the lakes east of Detroit. This is
accounted for by the fact that it had been for a number of years the
custom of passenger steamers coming down to carry ore with which to
trim. This they threw out on the docs at Detroit until quite a
large quantity had accumulated, sufficient to make two cargoes for
the Atlas. In the spring of 1855 he shipped before the mast in
the Chief Justice Marshall for a trip to Saginaw, where he joined
the schooner Benjamin F. Wade, as mate, Capt. John Paine, and
remained on her until the fall of the next season, when he was
promoted captain of the scow L. B. Fortier, owned by Capt. J.
Butler, of Buffalo.
In the spring of 1857 Captain Large was
appointed mate of the brig Caroline A. Bemis, followed by a season
as mate with Capt. Harvey Hall on the brig Lucy Blossom.
He then stopped ashore until 1860, when he and his brother,
William bought the scow Union from their uncle, Samuel Benham.
The Union had gone ashore the previous fall above Sturgeon Point and
lay there all winter. The new owners raised and rebuilt her,
and Captain Large sailed her until the fall of 1861, when he
purchased a third-interest in the schooner-rigged scow Nebraska, and
took command of her, sailing her until the close of 1863. He
then sold his interest, and bought into the bark Sam Ward with
Messrs. Haskill, and sailed her seven years. In the spring
of 1871 he was appointed master of the bar Sunshine, holding that
berth two seasons. He then became the marine manager of the
line, and took command of the propeller Buffalo and sailed her two
years. In the winter of 1874 he sold his interest in the Sam
Ward, and although he was appointed to the steamboat in the union
line, he declined with thanks in order to take charge of Strong &
Manning's coal dock No. 1, and that fall opened a restaurant in
Ashtabula, Ohio.
In 1876 Captain Large purchased a building at
the harbor, and went into the restaurant business. The
freshet* in Ashtabula river in the fall of 1877 carried away his
building, and he then turned his attention to politics in a mild
way. In 1878 he was elected constable and policeman, and was
appointed harbor master also, holding that composite office until
1881, when he was appointed postmaster at the harbor by President
Hayes. He located the office in his own store, and
connected a news depot and notion business with his post duties
until President Cleveland was elected, when he was relieved
of the duties of postmaster, the other branches of his business
being continued, together with the agency of the Adams Express
Company, however, until President Harrison was elected, when
he was again appointed postmaster. At the end of this term
Mr. Cleveland again appeared on the scene and, in spite of his
former friendship for our subject in Buffalo, Captain Large
was again removed. As has been said he then engaged in the
insurance business, adding to it the duties of constable.
Socially he is a Master Mason and has been a Royal Templar for
twenty-one years.
On Feb. 24, 1853, Captain Large was united in
marriage with Miss Susan B., daughter of James and
Catherine McKenzie, of Saybrook, Ohio. The children born
to this union are Capt. Kenneth M., who lives at Naples, Lee
Co., Fla., owns and sails a small schooner in Florida waters, runs a
boat house, is postmaster and carries the mail; Kate M. is
the wife of C. L. Merrill, superintendent of the eastern
division of the Pullman Palace Car Company, stationed in Pittsburg;
John B. and William are both railroad engineers;
Hattie J. is the next of the family; and Minnie is the
wife of Ed. S. Henry, superintendent of the Minnesota ore
docks at Ashtabula harbor. Mrs. Large died in March,
1892, and the Captain was again married, his second wife being
Mrs. Kate (McKinzie) Webster. The family residence is at
No. 26, Vine street, Ashtabula, Ohio.
 Source
8: History of the Great Lakes - Illustrated - Vol. II - Publ.
Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1899 - Page 156
* SHARON'S NOTE: freshet: the flood of a river from
heavy rain or melted snow. ie a rush of fresh water flowing
into the sea. |
CHARLES
LAWYER, Jefferson, Lawyer. Born Pennline, Pa., Dec. 7,
1857. Educated in the common schools, Jefferson Educational
Institute and Michigan University, Ann Arbor, Mich. Engaged in
the practice of law. Was Prosecuting Attorney for Ashtabula
County, 1890-1897. Member of Upper House of 77th General
Assembly. Elected in 1905. Director and owner of a street
railway. Member of the Elks, Knights of Pythias and I. O. O.
F. Politically a Republican.
Source: Progressive Men of Ohio - Publ. Cleveland, Plain
Dealer Publishing Co. - 1906 - Page 74 |
DANIEL
LOOMIS, a prosperous retired carpenter and builder of Bowling
Green, was born in Springwater, Livingston Co., N. Y., Aug. 14,
1825.
His paternal ancestry was English, but his father,
David Loomis, was born in Connecticut. He went to New York
State in early manhood, where he met and married Miss Celia
Grover, and a few years later moved to Ohio, locating first in
Conneaut. Here his wife died at the age of fifty, and in 1832
he removed with his son to a farm in Huron county, where he died in
1836, when fifty-four years of age. He was a Democrat in
politics, and an intelligent and original student of the problems of
the day. In religious faith he was a Universalist.
Our subject spent four years in New York State during
his boyhood, attending school for three years spending the rest of
the time as an apprentice to a cabinet maker. Becoming
dissatisfied, he returned home and assisted his father until the
latter's death. July 19, 1852, he was married to Miss
Emaline Wyckoff, who was born in Canada, July 9, 1833, and they
have three children. After his marriage Mr. Loomis
remained for some time in Huron county, engaged in carpentering, and
then moved to Enterprise, Ohio. In 1861 he came to Wood
county, and lived near Portage for seven years, finally settling in
Bowling Green. As a conscientious, industrious workman, he has
met with the success which he deserves, and holds the confidence and
respect of all who know him. The family are among the leading
members in the M. E. Church, and take an interest in all the various
lines of social and religious advancement. In politics Mr.
Loomis is a Republican.
Source: Commemorative Historical & Biographical Record of Wood
County, Ohio - publ. 1897 - Page 1210 |
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