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BIOGRAPHIES
 Source:
Biographical History of Northeastern Ohio -
Publ. Chicago - The Lewis Publishing Co.,
1893
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RUFUS L. RHODES, one of
the representative pioneers of Montville township, Geauga county, Ohio,
was born at Westhampton, Massachusetts, Aug. 20, 1810, a son of
Samuel Rhodes, a native of Chesterfield, Massachusetts, and a
descendant of an old New England family. The father emigrated to
Ohio in 1833, and passed the remainder of his days in Montville
township, at the home of his son Rufus; he died at the age of ninety
years; his wife whose maiden name was Lyman, was a native of
Massachusetts; she died at the age of sixty-two years, the mother of
four sons and two daughters, Rufus L. and Sidney being the only
surviving ones. Rufus L. Rhodes attended school during the
winter season, and in the summer worked on his father's farm. He
was at one time employed in a woolen factory, receiving $120 a year as a
salary. He determined to come West, and in 1832 he set out on the
journey, walking to Albany, New York, and thence by canal to Buffalo,
and on by boat to Fairport. He bought fifty acres of land on which
he still resides; it was an unbroken wilderness, and wild game was
plentiful. He went to work with a will, and as his means increased
he invested in additional land until he had acquired 1,000 acres.
He was united in marriage in 1836, to Elizabeth
Clark of Vermont, who had been brought to the West by her parents
when a child of four years. Mrs. Rhodes died in
1886, leaving a family of five children: Elizabeth, wife of
Rev. S. L. Wilkins, has one son; Leander is married and has
live children; Sarah and Charles died in infancy;
Chauney G. is married and has one child; Ida is the wife of
Wayland Clark, and they have four children; Clark A.
is married and lives on a farm adjoining his father: he has three
children.
Mr. Rhodes was married a second time, in
1886, espousing Margaret J. (McGill) Hurry, whose parents
emigrated to Ohio in pioneer days; she was first married to Andrew J.
Hurry, a native of Pennsylvania who died in 1882. Mr.
Rhodes votes with the Republican party, and has been Trustee of
his township, serving with excellent satisfaction. He has divided
his land among his children, retaining only about 200 acres. He
has lived in Montville sixty years, and has witnessed the changes that
have come with the onward flow of emigration. Although he started
at the bottom of the ladder he has attained a position of financial
independence.
Source:
Biographical History of Northeastern Ohio - Publ. Chicago - The Lewis
Publishing Co., 1893 - Page 980 |
GILBERT
A. RICHARDS, who is well known throughout Geauga county and
who is ranked with the wealthy farmers of Auburn township, was born
here, Nov. 8, 1825. Of his life and ancestry the following
facts have been gleaned:
Austin Richards, his father, a native of
Massachusetts, was married in that State, and in 1818 moved to Ohio.
He first went to New York State, making the journey by ox team and
after spending two years there came on to Ohio, completing the trip
with horses. Upon his arrival in Geauga county, he bought a
tract of wild land and built a log cabin. There were few
settlers here at that time, and no roads at all. They found
their way from one place to another by blazed trees. Mr.
Richards helped to chop down trees and make some of the first
highways. He did his trading at Chardon, going back and forth
on horseback. He was a man of strong constitution and was not
afraid of hard work. Not only did he clear seventy-five acres
of his own land, but he also cleared considerable land for others.
He died here, at the age of seventy-five. He and his wife, whose
maiden name was Sallie Chadrick, and who was a native
of Massachusetts, had nine children, seven of whom readied adult
years. Mrs. Richards lived, to be eighty-eight.
They were among the early members of the Freewill
Baptist Church here. In politics, Mr. Richards
was first a Whig and afterward an Abolitionist.
Gilbert A. Richards was the youngest son and
eighth child in this family. His education was that received
in the log schoolhouse of the period, and when he was only sixteen
he launched out in business for himself, buying his time of his
father for $75. He worked out by the day and month until he
was twenty-one. After his marriage he bought his father’s old
homestead of twenty-three acres, and settled upon the same. In
1856 he purchased the old Oliver Snow farm,
where he has since lived. From time to time, as he was able, he made
additional purchases until he became the owner of over 550 acres.
Recently, however, he divided some of his land with his children,
retaining 230 acres. He never made any money by speculating.
All he has has been earned by honest toil. He has been engaged
in general farming and stock-raising, keeping a large dairy and
giving special attention to sheep and horses. For some twelve
years he operated a cheese factory. Before he divided his land
with his children he was said to be one of the wealthiest men in
Auburn township.
Mr. Richards was married Nov. 14, 1858, to
Mahitable B. Snow, who was born in this township, Feb. 3, 1828,
being the second daughter of Lorin and Serintha
Snow, who are among the first settlers in Auburn township,
where they successfully conducted farming operations. Mr.
and Mrs. Richards have had four children, of whom we make the
following record: Eliza S. was born Sept. 20, 1852, and is
the wife of Oliver E. Ludlow, youngest son of Dr. O. W.
Ludlow, of Auburn: they have five children —Hoyt G., Wick O.,
Day L., Rex E. and Belle E.; Ella P. Richards was
born Feb. 1, 1855, is the wife of O. W. Giles, a prosperous
farmer of Auburn: they have had two children—Minnie, who died
at the age of two years, and Hazel G.; Lorin G. Richards
was born Jan. 17, 1860, married Vernie, the only daughter of
Lothrop and Betsy Reed of Burton, Geauga county, Ohio; he now
resides just across the road from his old home, where he is quite
extensively engaged in farming, cultivating about 500 acres, and
being also interested in the raising of horses; Lura S. was
born February 16, 1865, and died at the age of three years.
Mr. Richards has for many years - in fact
since the organization of the association - maintained a great
interest in the work of the Geauga County Agricultural Society,
whose fairs are held in Burton. For the past twenty years he
has been a member of the executive board, having served as
president, vice-president and director, being one of the directors
at the present time. In his younger days he was one of the
most enthusiastic and extensive exhibitors of cattle at the annual
fairs.
Source:
Biographical History of Northeastern Ohio - Publ. Chicago - The Lewis
Publishing Co., 1893 - Page 821 |
DANIEL
S. ROBERTSON, cashier of the First National Bank, Geneva, was
born at Montville, Geauga county, Ohio, May 29, 1845. His
parents, Daniel M. and Louisa (Garrett) Robertson, were
natives of New York and Ohio respectively. The father was
identified with the Democratic party, and served as Postmaster
several terms; he was also engaged in keeping hotel for about
fifteen years at Montville and Middlefield. The maternal
grandfather of Daniel S. Robertson was a soldier in the war
of the Revolution, serving as Captain in Washington's army; the
paternal grandfather was in the same war, being employed as
artificer.
Mr. Robertson is the older of two children, the
younger being Mrs. F. C. Fassett, of Ashtabula. He
attended the common schools of his native town, and at the age of
sixteen years enlisted in the service of his country as a member of
Company K, Sixth Ohio Cavalry (Sheridan's Cavalry Corps.) The
date of his entering the army was Oct. 24, 1861, and he participated
in the second engagement at Bull Run, at Cedar Mountain,
Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Spottsylvania, and many others of less
note. He was mustered out July 8, 1865, as Sergeant. He
is an active member of the G. A. R., Post 28 of Geneva, and is
deserving of those honors due the men who so bravely fought for the
"stars and strips."
When the war was ended Mr. Robertson entered the
Commercial College at Poughkeepsie, New York, where he completed the
full course; he was employed as book-keeper until 1887, when he
became cashier of the First National Bank at Geneva. He has
served this institution with great fidelity, his duties being
performed with that promptitude which marks the true soldier.
He was married Feb. 23, 1870, to Miss Elvira M.
Hulbert, of Painesville, Ohio. They have one child, Guy
A. now in the Central National Bank, of Cleveland, Ohio.
In politics Mr. Robertson is an ardent Democrat; he is an
efficient member of the school board, and belongs to the Royal
Arcanum, the Knights of Pythias, the Foresters and the Knights of
the Maccabees.
Source:
Biographical History of Northeastern Ohio - Publ. Chicago - The
Lewis Publishing Co., 1893 - Page 279 |
MATHEWS C. ROCKAFELLOW
was born in Livingston county, New York, May 19, 1837, a son of
Jeremiah M. Rockafellow a native of New Jersey, born Mar. 23,
1810. John Rockafellow, the grandfather, was also a
native of New Jersey, born Dec. 5, 1779. The first members of
the family in this county, New York, where he followed his calling.
He was married Nov. 8, 1832, to Clarissa Guy Chandler who was
born in New York. In the fall of 1837 they removed to Geauga
county, Ohio, and located in Chardon township. Here
Mr.Rockafellow took up land, which he lived to clear and
improve. He died in October, 1866. He still worked at
his trade in connection with his farming, but gave more of his time
to agricultural pursuits. His wife died March, 1888.
They were both worthy members of the Baptist Church.
M. C. Rockafellow is one of a family of four
children, two of whom survive. He has lived on the old
homestead since he was an infant six months old. He attended
the district schools and worked with his father in the old
blacksmith shop from the time he was old enough to swing a hammer.
When the demand came for carriages and wagons he built a shop which
lie has operated in connection with the blacksmith shop. He
owns 129 acres of excellent land, and is numbered among the
progressive citizens of the township of Chardon.
Mr. Rockafellow was united in marriage,
July 3, 1858, to Angeline C. Coman, a native of Lake county,
Ohio, and a daughter of Uriah Coman. Mr. and
Mrs. Rockafellow are the parents of three children: Ardelia
C., who died at the age of live years; Victor Lowell, who
died at the age of twenty-two months; and Louise May. Our
subject and his wife are consistent members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. In politics Mr. Rockafellow is an
uncompromising Republican, and he is a member of the Masonic order.
Source:
Biographical History of Northeastern Ohio - Publ. Chicago - The
Lewis Publishing Co., 1893 - Page 904 |
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