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Biographies
Source:
- 1808 -
History
of
THE FIRELANDS,
comprising
HURON and ERIE COUNTIES,
OHIO
with
ILLUSTRATIONS and BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
of
Some of the Prominent Men and Pioneers
W. W. Williams
- 1879 -
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PERCIVAL B.
SALISBURY Source: 1808 History of The
Firelands
comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, Publ. by W. W.
Williams, 1879 - Page 469 |
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COL. FRANKLIN
SAWYER Source: 1808 History of The
Firelands
comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, Publ. by W. W.
Williams, 1879 - Page facing 135 |
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DR. A. D.
SKELLENGER Source: 1808 History of The
Firelands
comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, Publ. by W. W.
Williams, 1879 - Page facing 372 |
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JOHN SKINNER Source: 1808 History of The
Firelands
comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, Publ. by W. W.
Williams, 1879 - Page 317 |
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ERASTUS SMITH and HIRAM SMITH.
The Smith family, of Greenfield, is one of the oldest upon
the Fire-lands, and its history will be found interwoven
with that of the township.
Erastus Smith built the second house in
Greenfield. He arrived there in 1811, from Trumbull
county, Ohio, and during the short term of years intervening
between his settlement and his death, did much to establish
a correct moral tone in society, and to encourage the growth
and improvement of the settlement. He was a man
admirably adapted to pioneer life, having great energy and
perseverance, and a certain ability to make others as
enthusiastic in the work of developing the country as
himself. His example was of great benefit to the
infant settlement in many ways, and he is reverently
remembered by the few persons still living who knew him in
pioneer days. He was born Jan. 7, 1784, and married
Fanny Spencer, Dec. 19, 1805. When the
couple came to Greenfield they had three children -
Martin, Lydia and Truman.
Subsequently there were born to them four more - Erastus,
Lester, Hiram and Henrietta.
Erastus Smith, the father of these children, died
from congestion of the brain July 16, 1820. His widow
is still living, at the age of ninety-four years, with her
son Hiram Smith, surrounded by all the
comforts that old age require, a fitting compensation for
the toils, privations and cares of her pioneer life. A
view of this home appears elsewhere in this work. Its
owner, Hiram Smith, was born Nov. 21, 1816,
and was, consequently, at the time of his father's death, in
1820, but four years of age. He went to live with his
grandfather Spencer, and remained there until he was
sixteen, becoming accustomed to farming, the occupation
which he has most of his life followed, although he was also
engaged four years in the mercantile business at Steuben or
Greenfield center, and was an extensive dealer in stock.
His business and farming interests have been the principal
objects that have engrossed his attention, and he has taken
but little part in the affairs of his township. This
has been rather because of a retiring, quiet nature, than
from lack of interest and due regard for public welfare.
He is regarded as one of the substantially worthy men of
this part of the county, - scrupulously honorable in all
things, generous to those in need, and kind to all. He
is one of the few men who seem to have passed through a long
life, actively engaged and constantly mingling with men, and
yet been exempt from reproach - to have received no scar, to
have remained untarnished. His education has been
mostly self-acquired, and he posseses a well balanced, well
stored, mind, practical in its cast, yet finely tempered
with the reflective quality.
Mr. Smith was married, Dec.
31, 1840, to Polly Rockwell, daughter of Thaddeus and
Polly Rockwell, then of Greenfield, but formerly of New
York. The offspring of this union were six children,
viz.: Emma Fannett, Hiram J., Henry Dayton, Sarah
Francis, George Rockwell and Fanny Eliza, the
last three now residing at the old homestead. Emma
Fannett married Harry C. Sturges; Hiram J.
married Sarah A. Wheeler, and lives in the township
of Greenfield; Henry Dayton married Jenny Winspa,
and is living in Washington Territory.
Source: 1808 History of The
Firelands
comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, Publ. by W. W.
Williams, 1879 - Page 225 - Greenfield |
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LEISTER SMITH.
Was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, Nov. 27, 1814. His
parents, Erastus and Fanny (Spencer) Smith, were from
Connecticut. Some interesting reminiscences of the
Smiths and Spencers, and of their early
settlement in Ohio, are recorded in the history of
Greenfield township, to which the reader is referred.
Mr. Smith was married to Mary A. Hamilton,
Dec. 31, 1847. They have four children: Willey H.,
Julia E., Edward B. and Mary G., all of whom are
living.
Mr. Smith commenced his business life as a
tiller of the soil, following the occupation of his father,
on the portion of the paternal estate which fell to his
share. Here he returned until 1865, when he sold out
and bought a farm in Peru township. This he exchanged
in 1868 for another farm, which he still occupied.
Having been enabled, by patient and honest industry, to
procure for himself and family a comfortable living, he
rightly regards this as a satisfactory success in life.
Not being of an eager, or grasping disposition, he has not
aimed to be rich, but has contented himself with the
calm enjoyment of life as it passes, considering the golden
mean, "neither poverty nor riches," for which Agur prayed,
as a greater blessing than the cares of wealth.
Recognizing the hand of Divine Providence, in the almost
constant bestowment of health and happiness upon himself and
family, and especially in the exemption of his family circle
thus far from invasion by the fell destroyer, he has always
acknowledged the debt of gratitude and sought to repay it by
contributing, according to his means, to the support of the
christian religion and for all charitable purposes.
Early in life he was taught to believe in the existence
of God, and in the general doctrines held by the
Presbyterian Church; but not being able conscientiously to
accept all its principals, he did not identify himself with
any church till the year 1873, when, with his wife, and
oldest son and daughter, he found what has proved to them a
congenial ecclesiastical home in the First Universalist
Church of Peru.
His first vote was cast for Harrison, in 1840, and
since the formation of the republican party he has always
acted with it, and voted for its candidates. He has
never aspired to any public office, but, at the solicitation
of his fellow citizens, he has accepted a few of the minor
ones, whose duties he has never failed to perform in such a
manner as to secure the cordial approval of his
constituents.
Having now entered upon that period of life in which
men, whether willing or unwilling, must accustom themselves
to the not always welcome appellation of old age,
Mr. Smith has the enviable satisfaction of looking back,
upon his past life, with the consciousness that he has
always been honored and trusted by his fellow men, and with
the comfortable assurance that it will be so to the end.
Source: 1808 History of The
Firelands
comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, Publ. by W. W.
Williams, 1879 - Page 239 - Bronson |
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SHERMAN SMITH
and wife.
Sherman Smith, now a resident of the township of
Clarksfield, Huron county, Ohio, was born in the State of
Connecticut, Hartford county, Sept. 24, 1795. His
parents were both natives of the same State. His
father, Mr. Elisha Smith, was born in Plymouth,
Hartford county, in 1766; his mother, Margaret,
daughter of Moses Matthews, of the same county and
State, was born in 1776. They were married in 1794.
Elisha Smith was by trade a blacksmith. In
1805, he and his family moved to Onondaga county, New York,
about eight miles southwest of where now is the city of
Syracuse; and in 1811, with a team and wagon, the family,
now consisting of Mr. Smith, wife, three sons and one
daughter, started for Southern Ohio by way of Buffalo, New
York, to Erie, Pennsylvania, thence across the wilderness to
a place called Beef, on the Alleghany river, where a boat
was purchased, and all, team, wagon and family shipped
aboard to Pittsburgh; thence down the beautiful Ohio to
Cincinnati, then only a small village of less than two
thousand six hundred inhabitants; thence by team,
seventy-five miles to Springfield, Clark county, Ohio;
having been more than forty days making this journey to
their western home. During the war of 1812-14, he
served as an artificer, shoeing oxen and horses. He
died September, 1814, his wife having died July 28th of the
same year.
Sherman Smith was the eldest of this family of
orphan children, and had seen service for six months in the
army.
His brother, C. Austin, was born in Connecticut
August, 1797, and died in New London, August, 1827.
His widow, now a widow of Squire Barrett, lives in
Huron, Ohio.
His sister, Betsey, was born July, 1802, in
Connecticut; was the first wife of Capt. Z. Barrett
(and mother to Philander and Smith Barrett), died in
New London, Ohio, May 25, 1839. His youngest brother,
Major, was born Aug. 17, 1809, in Onondaga county,
New York, and now resides in Clarksfield, Huron county,
Ohio. These three brothers, in the fall of 1815, (in
company with J. P. Case and family, Simeon Munson
and family and others, came and settled in New London,
on the farm now owned by George Jenney. Sherman, now
twenty years of age, acted as both parent and guardian to
and for his younger brothers. The patient endurance,
labor, cold, hunger and a thousand wants poorly supplied,
none, save those similarly placed, can or ever will realize.
Major has told the biographer that for years
the only garment of clothing he wore, was made of domestic
tanned buck or deer-skns!
His sister, Betsey, did not come to New London
with her brothers. She had been, upon the death of her
parents in 1814, bound out to a Baptist preacher by the name
of Michael French, who, according to the sayings of
those who knew, was "a better judge of the horse and
horse-trading, and drinking whisky than he was of preaching
the gospel," and the girl was very ill treated in
this family; and in July, 1818, her brother, Sherman,
resolved on her rescue from worse than negro bondage,
and bravely did he steal, (if such a word may be
employed for so noble an act,) and, on an old horse which
she rode, and he on foot whipping the old jaded animal
through the woods, did both, after many hungry and weary
days and nights, arrive in New London. He was pursued,
and at home arrested for kidnapping his sister. While
under arrest, upon the giving of his individual note to
French, for the sum of one hundred dollars, he was released.
The note was never collected.
In the spring of 1819, while all the family were
absent, (Betsey visiting at A. Miner's, and
the boys at a raising of a potash factory for Dr. Samuel
Day,) the house and its contents, including the township
and family records, were entirely consumed. Upon the
organization of New London in 1817, Sherman was made
township clerk, which office he held till 1822.
HIS WIFE.
Miss Caroline Knapp, daughter of
John Knapp, was born in Fairfield county, Connecticut,
Aug. 9, 1809; came with her stepfather, Mr. Simeon Hoyt,
in October, 1817, and began living on lot number six,
section four, in the township of Clarksfield, and she and
Mr. Smith now live on the same. Sherman Smith
and Caroline Knapp were married in New London, Ohio,
by Isaac P. Case, Oct. 17, 1825. Sherman
now sold to his brother, Austin, his place in New
London, and he and his wife went into the woods in
Clarksfield, on lot number two, fourth section, where
James M. Crandall now resides. They cleared up
this farm, and remained on it till 1862, since which time
they have lived at their present house. This couple
have lived long, peaceably and happily together, and are the
parents of four as good and respectable girls and women as
the county is proud of as citizens. The children are:
Sarah, (now Mrs. Col. George Bissell) born
Apr. 5, 1827, and married Oct. 15, 1842, and lives in New
London. Sabra (now Mrs. B. G. Fanning
living in Clarksfield), born Jan. 12, 1829, and was married
July 4, 1846. Mina (now Mrs. G. A. Fox,
of New London), born Dec. 27, 1831, and was married Sept.
25, 1848. Emeline (now the wife of Andrew J.
Blackman, Esq., of Clarksfield), born Apr. 10, 1834, and
was married Sept. 1, 1856.
Mrs. Smith is now a healthy, handsome, well
preserved old lady; very proud of her aged and kind,
generous and benevolent husband, and, if possible, manifests
more satisfaction in being the mother of four so
good, healthy and respectable daughters, (and the daughters
love and are equally proud of their parents).
She requested her biographer to say for her: "I have
brought up four as good and respectable
girls as were ever raised; and I never compelled one of them
to go to a Sabbath school a single day, but I left them
entirely at liberty to go or not to go as they chose."
And, when enquired as to what church she belonged, replied:
"TO DR. SKELLENGER'S CHURCH."
As pioneers, the family experienced much of its
privations, including education and much of the joys, and
pleasures and happiness known and enjoyed in the earliest
days of the first settlers. Mr. Smith, now
almost eighty-four years of age, does his labor on the farm,
and enjoys excellent health. He has filled honestly
and well several public positions, and is a pensioner.
One of the qualities that distinguish Mr. and Mrs. Smith
is generous hospitality, ever delighting in the happiness
and comfort of all their many friends. Benevolent,
kind, generous, industrious, honest and happy, they are.
May they happily continued to live.
A. D. S.
Source: 1808 History of The
Firelands
comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, Publ. by W. W.
Williams, 1879 - Page 280 |
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HENRY P. STENTZ Source: 1808 History of The
Firelands
comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, Publ. by W. W.
Williams, 1879 - Page 271 |
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GIDEON T.
STEWART Source: 1808 History of The
Firelands
comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, Publ. by W. W.
Williams, 1879 - Page 176 |
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JUDGE CHAS. B.
STICKNEY Source: 1808 History of The
Firelands
comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, Publ. by W. W.
Williams, 1879 - Page facing 126 |
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A. D. STOTTS Source: 1808 History of The
Firelands
comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, Publ. by W. W.
Williams, 1879 - Page 326 |
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BENJAMIN SUMMERS Source: 1808 History of The
Firelands
comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, Publ. by W. W.
Williams, 1879 - Page facing 479 |
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JOSEPH SUTTON Source: 1808 History of The
Firelands
comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, Publ. by W. W.
Williams, 1879 - Page 350 |
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