Source:
Commemorative Biographical Records
of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio
- Illustrated -
Published: Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co.,
1894

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Charles W. Manahan	CHARLES W. MANAHAN JOSEPH ROE McKNIGHT Source: Commemorative Biographical Records of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated - Published: Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1894 - Page 196
J. R. McKnight	JOSEPH ROE McKNIGHT Source: Commemorative Biographical Records of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated - Published: Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1894 - Page 138
	CALVERT A. MEAD is descended from one of three Welsh brothers who were early settlers of Huron county.  His father, Edmund Mead, was born in 1788, in Putnam county, N. Y., and reared on a farm.  He received a good education, and was private secretary to a captain during the war of 1812.  He was married in is native State to Rachel Knapp, who was born in Delaware county, N. Y., and came to Ohio in an early day.       After moving to Ohio Edmund Mead bought 125 acres of land, situated one and one half miles of land, situated one and one half miles southeast of Norwalk. About the year 1832 he bought a tract of 150 acres in Section 2, Bronson township, a log house and a few tillable acres being the only improvement then made.  To this family were born nine children - four sons and five daughters - of whom five are yet living, viz:  Mrs. Elizabeth A. Mitchell and Mrs. Almira A. Merwin, both of whom reside in California; Alfred G., a farmer, surveyor and miller, of Michigan (has a family of five sons and two daughters) Charles E., living in Oklahoma (has one son and four daughters), and Calvert A.  The father was an active worker in the Whig and Republican parties.  He died in 1876 at the age of eighty-eight years, and in 1878 the mother was laid beside him, having passed her eighty-eighth year.      Calvert A. Mead was born June 9, 1834, on the home farm of Bronson township.  He attended the common schools, and from early youth has been associated with agricultural pursuits, having had charge of the home place since his twenty-fourth year.  On March 24, 1857, he was united in marriage with Ellen M., daughter of Eri Mesnard, and she has borne him the following children: Byron L., Albert S., Gertrude L., Clayton B., Henry B. and Frank W.  Of these children one is in Toledo, Ohio, two are living in Illinois, one in Buffalo, and Frank L., the youngest, died Sept. 29, 1893.      In 1876 Mr. Mead erected a commodious residence, situated on one of the most beautiful and picturesque spots in Huron county.  He has been a very successful farmer, and has made many substantial improvements on the place.  In politics he has been a Republican since the organization of that party, having cast his first ballot for John C. Fremont. Source: Commemorative Biographical Records of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated - Published: Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1894 - Page 417
	J. L. MEAD.  Many years ago three brothers of the name of Mead left their home in Wales, and sailed across the ocean to America.  On arriving in the New World they finally located in Huron county, Ohio, and one of them, Abram Mead, became the first white settler in Fitchville township.  Some years afterward he and his family moved to Norwalk township, where they became prominent settlers.  He was married four times, and died near Norwalk in 1852.      Joel E. Mead, youngest son of the pioneer just mentioned, was born in Putnam county, N. Y., and was brought by his parents to Huron county, Ohio, when but three months old.  He came with the family to Norwalk township when about fifteen years of age, and grew to manhood on the farm.  When a young man he selected a life companion in the person of Betsey A. Lewis, a native of the "Firelands," and she born him seven children.  The father died in 1870, at the age of fifty-three years, the mother on Dec. 31, 1888.      Jerome L. Mead, third child of Joel E. and Betsey (Lewis) Mead, was born November 7, 1850, in Norwalk, Ohio, where he was reared and educated.  He worked for several years, handling and shipping stock near to Norwalk, and now has charge of the grain, feed and seed store in Norwalk, formerly owned by Woodward Bros., and now the property of J. L. Mead & Co.  Our subject is also a partner in the grocery firm of D. O. Woodward & Co. at Norwalk.  On May 2, 1877, he was united in marriage with Miss Lucinda Woodward, who was born in Clyde, Sandusky Co., Ohio, and they have two sons, Ralph and Fred.  Politically Mr. Mead is a Republican; socially he is a member of the I. O. O. F., and Royal Arcanum; in religious faith he is a Presbyterian. Source:  Commemorative Biographical Records of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated - Published: Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1894 - Page 301
	LUTHER MEAD - See THOMAS L. MEAD Source:  Commemorative Biographical Records of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated - Published: Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1894 - Page 325
	THOMAS L. MEAD, grandson of Calvin Mead, was born in Greenwich township, Huron Co., Ohio, Nov. 28, 1830.  LUTHER MEAD, son of Calvin, was born on his father's farm at Greenwich, Conn., in 1790.  When a young man he married Annis Mead, a native of Westchester county, N. Y., and took her to his home in New York City, where he had previously established himself in mercantile life.  Subsequently he moved to Ludlowville, where he started a dry-goods store, and carried on business until 1826, when he and family went to Greenwich, Connecticut.      In 1830 Luther Mead, his wife and three children set out on a journey to the "Firelands" in Ohio, traveling via Albany and Buffalo to Sandusky (at that time called Portland), and thence by wagon via Norwalk to Greenwich township, where his father, Calvin Mead, had purchased 1,100 acres of wild land.  He deeded to Luther 500 acres, and on his tract the pioneers erected a cabin.  In this pioneer cabin were born two children, viz.: Thomas L., the subject of this sketch, and Annie M., a resident of Greenwich township.  The father of these children died on the original farm Jan. 11, 1876, and the mother in March, 1886, both being interred in the Fitchville cemetery.  Luther Mead was a Whig until the Republicans were organized, and for twenty years was a faithful adherent of the new party.  In religious connection he and his wife were early member of the Congregational Church at Fitchville, and among its most zealous supporters.  On one occasion Mr. Mead saw few boys desecrating the Sabbath Day by bathing in a mill pond, and approaching them invited them to his home to attend Sabbath-school.  The boys, now clean, good-natured and vigorous after their bath, accepted the invitation and appeared in due time at the Mead cabin.  The Sabbath-school was thus opened for the first time in Greenwich township.      Thomas L. Mead received an elementary education in the public school of his district, and passed a short term in the schools of Milan, Ohio.  School days over he worked on his father's farm until 1855, on November 30 of which year he married Allathea P. Finch, who was born Apr. 23, 1834, at Greenwich, Conn., daughter of Gilbert P. and Allathea (Peck) Finch.  She visited a sister who resided in Huron county, and here met Mr. Mead for the first time.  To them the following named children were born: Luther H., now overseer of Dr. Parker's elegant country seat at New Canaan, Conn.; Joseph A., a carpenter, of Cleveland, Ohio; Edward L., a farmer; Annis M., now Mrs. E. D. Nickerson, of Findlay, Ohio; Gilbert F., of Greenwich township; Allathea C. and Thomas L., Jr., residing at home, and Anna D.  The firstborn was a daughter unnamed, who died in infancy; another child, Marcus L., died in youth.  The present farm has been the family home since 1855, with the exception of two years, when the parents resided at Oberlin, Ohio, to superintend the education of their children in Oberlin College.  Mr. Mead is a man well endowed with common sense and good judgment, and is considered one of the leading citizens of his township.  Politically a Republican, he gives loyal support to his party, and has served as justice of the peace for six years.  He is a deacon in the Congregational Church at Greenwich, of which his wife and several children are also members, and for a quarter of a century he has discharged the duties of Sunday-school superintendent. Source:  Commemorative Biographical Records of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated - Published: Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1894 - Page 325
	WILLIAM GAIL MEADE.  Among the prominent and successful citizens of Bronson township none have won a higher place in the esteem of the community than this gentleman, the eldest son of Alfred Meade.      Grandfather Meade was the soldier in the Revolutionary war, and for his military services received 600 acres of land in Cayuga county, N. Y.  His son Alfred was born about 1786, in Cayuga county, N. Y., and grew to manhood on the home place, receiving a limited education, and learning the trade of cooper.  In 1807 he was married to Betsey, daughter of Paul Barger, a prosperous farmer of Cayuga county, who lived to be almost one hundred years of age.  The Barger family were remarkable for longevity, over four generations of the family name having been centenarians.  Alfred Meade was a soldier in the war of 1812, serving three years.  At the battle of Lundy's Lane he received a gun-shot wound, his left though being shattered, and from the effects of this injury he died fourteen years later.  In 1834 Mrs. Meade came to Ohio, where she died at the home of her son in 1883, at the age of ninety-four years, leaving four children, namely: William Gale; Paul, of Kent, Ohio; Mrs. Mary Smith, of Bronson township, and Mrs. Mary Close, who died in 1887.  The mother was a member of the Methodist Church during her later years.       William Gale Meade was born Sept. 3, 1808, in Genoa, Cayuga Co., N. Y., and there learned the carpenter trade.  In 1827 he was united in marriage with Hannah Smith, also a native of Cayuga county, and on June 4, 1833, the young couple moved to Ohio.  They proceeded to Buffalo via the Erie Canal, then by boat on Lake Erie to the mouth of Huron river, traveling thence to their destination by private conveyance.  He bought 125 acres of land located between the farm of George Lawrence and the present home of our subject.  On arriving in Huron county Mr. and Mrs. Meade lived with Benjamin Lyons (on the farm now owned by Josiah Lawrence) until their own log cabin was erected.   He hired help to clear the farm, which was heavily timbered, and continued to follow the carpenter trade for twenty-one years, and many of the oldest and most substantial buildings of Huron county are yet standing as unimpeachable evidence of his skill.  The first house which he erected in the county is the one now occupied by John Gardiner.  Game was plentiful in those days, and many were the hapless victims to his unerring ride, for Mr. Meade has been a famous hunter, supplying himself and neighbors with all the game they required.  Among the many interesting events of this period, he remembers having made a two-hours' hunt on nine successive occasions, each time returning with a deer.  When a young man he possessed a fine physique, being capable of doing a great amount of work, and since abandoning his trade has given his attention to the farm.  He has been a most methodical and successful agriculturist, as none can doubt who have had the pleasure of visiting his pleasant home.  A short time before the Civil war the county commissioners appointed a committee of three practical farmers to examine the farms and award a prize to the one found in the best condition.  Upon an examination of eight of the best farms, that belonging to Mr. Meade was unanimously conceded to be in the best condition, and he accordingly received the prize.  He served twenty-one years as justice of the peace, during which time he performed more marriage ceremonies than any one who ever held that office in Huron county.  He always discharged the onerous duties of his position with the utmost faithfulness, and is known by every person in the county as an upright genial citizen.  Politically, he is a Prohibitionist, and in religious faith has been a zealous member of the Methodist Church for fifty years, and has served as a class-leader.      Mr. and Mrs. Meade have had two children:  Betsey A., who died in her twenty first year, and Alfred N., who was born in 1841, on the home place in Bronson township, Huron county.  He attended Oberlin College two years, afterward graduating from Delaware College.  Just before the time appointed for their graduation, Alfred N. Meade and nearly every member of his class left the halls of the college for the battle field.  He served three years, two of which were employed in attending the prisoners on Johnson's Island, and while in active service he was unanimously chosen captain of his company.  On Oct. 1, 1862, he was married to Martha Morse, who has borne him three children - two sons and one daughter.  Alfred N. Meade is now a member of the firm of Bell, Cartwright & Meade, lumber merchants, of Cleveland, Ohio.  (Since the above was written William G. Meade was called form earth, the date of his death being Jan. 22, 1893. Source:  Commemorative Biographical Records of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated - Published: Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1894 - Page 408
	SAMUEL MILLER, a prominent representative citizen of Richmond township, first saw the light May 17, 1839, near Goshen, in Columbiana county, Ohio.      His father, also named Samuel, was born Oct. 26, 1806, in the State of Pennsylvania, where he was married in Lancaster county, about 1830, to Miss Elizabeth Kirkwood, who was a native of same, born Sept. 5, 1802.  In about 1835 Samuel Miller came to Ohio, locating in Columbiana county, where he remained until 1849; then removed to Richland county, where he resided but a short time, and in 1850 located in the northern part of Richmond township, Huron county.  He has always followed farming, and on coming to Richmond township purchased 100 acres of land, but four of which were cleared, where he lived in a log house.  He was obliged to go into debt for one-half of the thousand dollars this land cost him, but he set bravely to work and soon cleared the property.  Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Miller had children as follows:  Joshua, born Jan. 12, 1831, in Lancaster county, Pen., died Oct. 4, 1843, and was buried in Goshen cemetery, Columbiana county, Ohio; Hannah, born May 5, 1832, in Lancaster county, Penn., now the widow of Seymour N. Sage, lives in Richmond township, Huron county; Thomas, born Feb. 15, 1834, in Lancaster county, Penn., died in March, 1866.  The rest were born in Columbiana county, Ohio, as follows:  Catherine, born May 9, 1836, now Mrs. J. W. Sage, of Richmond township; Mary, born Jan. 25, 1838, now Mrs. Daniel Pollinger, of Richmond township; Elizabeth and Samuel (twins), born May 17, 1839, the former of whom is the wife of Otis Sykes, of Chicago Junction (her first husband was Andrew J. Sykes, a brother of Otis, who was killed in the army); Samuel is the subject of this biographical sketch; Susannah, born June 10, 1841, died Sept. 20, 1841; John, born July 18, 1842, now a farmer of Richmond township; and Jacob, born Dec. 10, 1845, also a farmer of Richmond township.  The father of this family was a Republican, but took now interest whatever in politics.  He passed from earth in July, 1875, his wife in January, 1880, and they are buried side by side in the Union Bethel cemetery, in Richmond township.  As a citizen he commanded the respect and esteem of hte entire community.  During the early days he endured many hardships; of his farm in Richmond township, only a few acres were cleared at the time he purchased it, and before his death he had transformed all of the remainder from the heavy forest to productive fields.  His family all reside in Richmond township, but a short distance from the old homestead.      Samuel Miller was reared to farming pursuits; he passed the first ten years of his life in Columbiana county, then came with his parents to Richland county, and one year later to Huron county.  He was put to work at an early age, and remained under the parental roof until reaching his majority, during chopping and other work in the woods.  On Dec. 23, 1863, he enlisted at Plymouth, Ohio, in Company C, One Hundred and Twenty-third Regiment O. V. I., and remained with the command at Martinsburg, W. Va., during the winter of 1863-64.  They then took part in the engagements of New Market, Winchester, Piedmont, Lynchburg and Berryville, Va., where on Sept. 3, 1864, our subject was wounded by a ball; he was first sent to the hospital at Sandy Hook, thence to Frederick, Md., and thence to Gallipolis, Ohio, where he remained until the close of the war, when he was discharged.  Returning home he worked around in various capacities, and traveled over the West through Iowa and Missouri, but not liking the country he came home.      On Feb. 23, 1871, Mr. Miller was united in marriage with Miss Aurilla Sykes, who was born Nov. 1, 1844, in Richmond township, daughter of Daniel Sykes.  To this union have come four children: Walter, Belle, William and Bertha.  After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Miller settled on their present farm, and here, with the exception of one year, they have ever since resided.  In his political affiliations Mr. Miller is a Republican, and is actively interested in the welfare of his party.  Mrs. Miller is a most kind-hearted, generous lady, and is highly esteemed in the community in which she resides. Source:  Commemorative Biographical Records of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated - Published: Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1894 - Page 378
	SAMUEL MILLER, a prosperous liveryman of Bellevue, was born, in 1810, in Lancaster, Penn., a son of Samuel Miller.  His parents were well-to-do, and his mother was well educated both in English and German; she died in Wisconsin.       Our subject passed his school days in his native State, receiving his education in the primitive schools of his neighborhood.  In 1832 he came west, seeking broader fields of labor and a home where he could put in practice the habits of thrift and energy that he had been taught at home.  With this object in view he settled in Ohio, which at that time was but sparsely populated, and where the pioneers were enduring many hardships and clearing land preparatory to cultivating the soil.  He lived two years in Fremont, working at his trade of shoemaking, and from there moved to Thompson township, Seneca county, where he farmed for two years, at the end of the time he located permanently in Bellevue, and engaged in the livery business, in which he has since continued, meeting with great success.  He is widely interested in buying and selling horses in connection with his regular business, purchasing car-loads of horses from all over the country for both himself and others.  His livery and sale stable are well stocked with fine horses.      In 1830 Mr. Miller was married to Miss Sarah Oswick, who was born in Pennsylvania, a daughter of George Oswick, a prominent agriculturist of that State.  Their union has been blessed by eight children, viz.: Reuben G. (deceased), Edward (who married Miss Hale, and lives in Bellevue), John (deceased), Charles (married, in partnership in the livery business with his father in Bellevue), Belle (who is married, and resides in Huron county), Sarah (deceased), Clara (Mrs. Weil), and Emma (who lives with her parents).  Mr. Miller was remarkably active in his youth, and has through every period of his life manifested energy and great business ability.  He took no part in the Civil war, being too old, but his sons Edward, and John are both in the service.  He is popular alike in commercial and political circles, and has served as marshal of Bellevue for several years. Source:  Commemorative Biographical Records of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated - Published: Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1894 - Page 479
	THOMAS MILLER, one of the best and most hustling business men of Norwalk township, and a prosperous, enterprising agriculturist, is a native of Huran county, born, in 1843, in Townsend township.      Levi Miller, his father, born near the Albany (N.Y.) salt-works, was a cooper, and at the age of twenty-five years removed to Richland county, Ohio, where for two years he followed his trade.  He then came to Townsend township, Huron county, where he was engaged in farming for ten years, dying in 1855 at the age of forty-five, having been born in 1810.  His first wife was a Miss Betsy Taylor, of Richland county, Ohio, and twp children were born to them, viz.: Elizabeth and Maria, now Mrs. Jacob Rickett, of Toledo, Ohio.  This wife died in 1838, and Mr. Miller subsequently married Miss Harriet Sanders, of Florence, Erie Co., Ohio, after which they came to Townsend township, as above stated.  The children of this union were Jane Jarrett, now of Berlin, Erie county; Levi, who was a member of the Thirtieth Ohio Cavalry during the Civil war, and died at Corinth, Tenn.; Thomas, subject of sketch; and Henry and Charles, farmers in Fulton county, Ohio.      Thomas Miller, whose name appears at the opening of this sketch, commenced active business life by selling farm machinery, and doing threshing, which he continued in till after his marriage, when he took up farming in Townsend township.  Here he remained twelve years, at the end of which time (1882) he came to his present farm in Norwalk township, and has since been successfully engaged in both farming and selling machinery.  He was married, in 1870, to Miss Arvilla, daughter of John Hunter, a pioneer of Huron county.  Mr. and Mrs. Miller have two children, viz.: Ellery L. and Gertrude May, both at home.      In 1864 Mr. Miller enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Sixty-sixth Regiment O. V. I., under Col. Blake, attached to the army of the Potomac, and stationed at Fort Barnard, Va., eighteen miles from Washington.  He has been a lifelong Democrat, as was his father before him, and has held various township offices. Source:  Commemorative Biographical Records of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated - Published: Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1894 - Page 494
	SAMUEL D. MORSE, of Norwalk township, is a native of the city of Norwalk, born in 1845.  He is a grandson of Ashel Morse, who in 1818 came from Ontario county, N. Y., to Huron county, locating in Ridgefield township, at which time the country was a veritable wilderness, wild animals and Indians being still numerous.  He was a carpenter, a trade he followed up to the time of coming here, after which he devoted his attention almost exclusively to agricultural pursuits.       After three years residence in Ridgefield township, he moved to Norwalk township, same county, where he owned in all some 260 acres of land.  He entered the ministry of the Baptist Church, and for about thirty years exhorted in the various localities he lived in.  His wife was Esther Eaton, of Herkimer county, N. Y., and they had three children, viz.:  Daniel, John and Elmira, the latter being deceased.  The mother of these dying, for his second wife Asahel Morse married Miss Lucy Raymond, of Ontario county, N. Y., and three children were also born to this union, named respectively Esther (deceased), May and Samuel.  Asahel Morse's father served in the Revolutionary War, himself in that of 1812, in which latter he was a captain stationed at Buffalo, N. Y.      Daniel Morse, father of subject, was born January 3, 1810, in Gorham, Ontario Co., N. Y., where his boyhood days were spent on a farm, and in attending the schools of the neighborhood.  Having learned the trade of a tanner, he followed same for some time, but farming was his chief occupation; he owned the old homestead until 1857, in which year he came to his present farm in Norwalk township, comprising 108 acres.  Mr. Morse married Miss Joanna Danforth, of Barnard, Vt., a daughter of Samuel Danforth, M. D., and they had six children, as follows:  Oscar, Samuel D., Asahel, Alice, Roland and Euphemia.  The father has been a Whig and Republican in his political sympathies, and he is a member of the Baptist Church.      Samuel D. Morse, the subject proper of this sketch, received a liberal education at the common and high schools of Norwalk, from which latter he graduated.  He then went to Toledo to fill the position of bookkeeper, and in that city enlisted, in 1864, in the One Hundred and Eighty-second Regiment O. V. I., serving one year, during which period he was promoted to second lieutenant.  From 1865 to 1867 he attended a commercial school at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., graduating therefrom in 1867.  Returning to Toledo, he kept books there three years, and then moved to his present farm in Norwalk township, Huron county, where he has since carried on agriculture.      In 1867 Mr. Morse married Miss Elvira Smith, daughter of Joel Smith, and one child has blessed their union:  Mary Alice, living at home.  Our subject is a member of and deacon of the Baptist Church. Source: Commemorative Biographical Records of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated - Published: Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1894 - Page 254

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