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BIOGRAPHIES
A Standard History
of
Erie County, Ohio
An Authentic Narrative of the Past, with Particular
Attention
to the Modern Era in the Commercial, Industrial,
Civic and Social Development. A Chronicle of the People, with Family
Lineage and Memoirs.
By
HEWSON L. PEEKE
Assisted by the Board of Advisory Editors
Volume I.
ILLUSTRATED
The Lewis Publishing Company
Chicago and New York
1916
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JOHN H. POYER.
Some of the lines of relationship of the late John H.
Power were established in this part of Northern Ohio
almost a century ago. John H. Poyer himself
was a splendid type of the substantial farmer citizen,
was a man of intrinsic patriotism and held a commission
in the Union army during the Civil war, and it is only a
proper tribute to his memory that the following sketch
should be introduced into this history of Erie County.
The Poyer home comprises 100 acres on the
state road in Berlin Township, where Mrs. Poyer
is still living. It was there that John H.
Poyer passed away Jan. 16, 1905. He was born
in Vermillion Township of Erie County, Mar. 2, 1837, a
son of Tilly and Mary (Curtis) Poyer. His
father was born in Ontario County, New York, and came to
Erie County with his parents. The mother was born
in the State of New Jersey and also came to Ohio with
her parents, the Curtises having settled in
Vermilion Township as early as 1816. Tilly
Poyer married for his first wife Mary Houck,
who died in the prime of life, leaving two daughters,
both of whom married and are now deceased. The
story of early pioneer life applies to the families of
Poyer, Van Houghton, Houck and Curtis,
representatives of all of whom came here when there were
few clearings in the wilderness, and their early labors
have helped to bring about the conditions their
descendants enjoy. After Tilly Poyer was
married he became a farmer on the large estate, and his
wife, Mary Curtis Poyer, died there about four
years ago. This third wife survived Tilly
Poyer, who passed away at the age of forty-three.
The family were all members of the Florence
Congregational Church. The late John H. Poyer
was the second in a family of five children, the others
being: Dwight, who died at the age of twenty-one;
Julia, who married Alfred Smith of
Vermilion, a farmer, and died leaving three children:
Carrie, who died unmarried at the age of fifty; and
Cordelia, who died as the wife of William
Greenough, leaving three children.
In the country district of Vermilion Township John
H. Poyer grew to manhood and acquired his education
partly in the district schools and also graduated from
the Norwalk High School. For five years he was
clerk in a store at Jonesville, Michigan, for Bennett
Tucker, but from there returned to Erie County and
at Florence established a general store. His
business as a merchant at Florence was continued with
increasing prosperity until 1883. At that date he
sold his store, and moved to Berlin Township, where he
acquired 100 acres of land on the state road, about
midway between Berlin Heights and Florence on which his
years were passed in quiet industry and comfortable
circumstances until his death more than thirty years
later.
In 1862, while a merchant at Florence, John Poyer
raised Company G for the Seventy-second Regiment of Ohio
Infantry and became its lieutenant under Captain
Fernald and Colonel Buckland. His
active service covers eleven months, at the end of which
time he resigned. He was engaged in the great
battle of Pittsburg Landing, where his company suffered
severe losses, though he himself escaped injury.
He was honorably discharged and given a recommendation
as a brave and faithful soldier and officer. For
many years Mr. Poyer gave his stanch support to
the republican party, but when Mr. Bryan became a
candidate he accepted his leadership and remained a
democrat until his death. For two terms he served
as assessor and for two terms as treasurer of Berlin
Township, and for many years performed the duties of
justice of the peace.
In Florence Township on Oct. 12, 1857, John H. Poyer
married Miss Lodema Mason She was born in
Florence Township, Apr. 7, 1840, and was reared and
educated there and at Milan and Elyria, and from the age
of sixteen was a teacher until her marriage.
Mrs. Poyer has always been known as a woman of many
capabilities, a devoted wife and kind mother, and has
successfully managed the estate and farm left her by her
husband. She likewise represents a family that has
had fully a century's residence in this part of Ohio.
Her parents were Harley and Susie (Cahoon) Mason.
Her father was born at Castleton, Massachusetts, in
1796, and her mother in Sheffield, Massachusetts, in
1797. They came to Avon in Lorain County, Ohio,
along with the first group of settlers, and were married
in that township, but spent many years of their lives in
Florence Township of Erie County, where they died on
their farm. Harley Mason was a
millwright and constructed many mills in this section of
Ohio. He died in 1850 at the age of fifty-five,
and his wife passed away in 1880 in her eighty-fourth
year. They were active workers in the Baptist
Church and he was a democrat. Harley
Mason was a son of Thadius Mason and Anna
(Warren) Mason, both of Massachusetts.
Harley Mason came to Erie County in 1816 and
his parents followed him about two years later to
Florence Township. In coming west the Mason
family traveled overland as far as Albany, New
York, made a large part of the journey from there to
Buffalo by water, and embarked on the lake boat
Walk-in-the-Water for Sandusky. The Masons
established their home on forty acres which Harley
Mason had located in the wilderness of Florence
Township, and before his death Harley Mason
acquired 600 acres of land in the same township, Mrs.
Poyer has a sister, Huldah Marsh,
wife of John Marsh, both now living at
Port Dodge, Iowa, Mr. Marsh at the age of
ninety or more and she past eighty-six.
To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Poyer only
one child survives. Wilber J., who was born
in Florence Township, Mar. 25, 1860, was educated in
Oberlin College and for several years was a teacher, but
has been chiefly successful as a farmer and is now
manager of his mother's estate. He has also been a
factor in local affairs, and is chairman of the school
board. He was married in Vermilion Township, Apr.
4, 1881, to Miss Cora Ball, who was born there
Oct. 24, 1860, a daughter of Jesse and Mary A.
(Hubble) Ball. Both her parents were natives
of New York State, and were brought as children in their
respective families to Erie County. Both the
Balls and the Hubbles originally lived in
Connecticut, and spent many years in Erie County.
It was characteristic of them that nearly
all members attained advanced years, and Jesse
Ball and wife were about eighty years old when they
died. They were active members of the Methodist
Church. Mrs. Wilber Poyer was one of six
children, three sons and three daughters, all of whom
are married and still living. Wilber
Poyer and wife have two children. Jesse J.,
born Feb. 26, 1882. was educated in the public schools,
assists his father in managing the farm, and in January,
1905, married Eunice Witter of Berlin
Township, and they have one son, Douglas E., now
one year of age. John W., the second son,
was born in 1883, and married Faye Durling
of Birmingham, Ohio. They live at Oberlin. Mrs.
Poyer is a member of the Christian Science faith.
Source: The Standard History of Erie County,
Ohio - Published 1916 - Page 596 |
NOTES:
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