BIOGRAPHIES
** Source:
1798
History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio
with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches
of its Pioneers and Most Prominent Men.
Publ. Philadelphia: Williams Brothers
1878.
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Mrs. Maria Bailey
D. L. Bailey
Residence in
Madison Twp.,
Lake Co., Ohio |
Madison Twp. -
DAVID BAILEY. The subject of this sketch was born in New
London County, Connecticut, Apr. 30, 1784. In early life he was
apprenticed to the shoemaker trade, in which he continued to work until
the age of twenty, when he suddenly formed a determination to visit the
West Indies, and accordingly embarked for that country, landing in
Demerara. He found employment as an overseer of a
plantation, and remained thirteen years, at the end of which time he
returned to his native State. He found employment as an overseer
of a plantation, and remained thirteen years, at the end of which time
he returned to his native State. Mar. 15, 1818, he was united in
marriage to Maria Latham, who was born in the same county, May 6,
1799. Immediately after this event he, with his bride, emigrated
to Ohio, and, adopting Madison as his future home, settled on the farm
now owned by his son, David L. Bailey. They were subject to
the various hardships and privations incident to pioneer life.
Their surroundings were in wide contrast to those amidst which they had
so recently resided. They both felt deeply the change, but,
without a word of complaint, they went to work with an energy born of
success to make for themselves a home, which they were not long in
providing. He returned to his native State to visit on several
occasions, always traveling with his own conveyance. The first
Fourth-of-July celebration ever held in the township of Madison was at
the house of Mr. Bailey, - that now occupied by his son, David
L. Bailey. That event occurred fifty-eight years ago, and a
very different affair it was from the noisy demonstrations witnessed in
our day. The stars and strips floated from the house-top, a pig
was roasted (which, neverthenless, disappeared afterwards),
and toasts were responded to by distinguished persons present.
Mr. Bailey was the father of six children, - two
sons and four daughters, - only two of whom are living, David L. and
Frances. The latter became the wife of Anson Sutherland,
of Buffalo, New York, in 1864, and now resides there. David,
a view of whose residence is given on another page, was
married Oct. 9, 1861, to Phronia R. Benjamin, of Madison, who is
a lady of much intelligence. To them have been born two children,
D. Newton and Russell L.
Mr. Bailey, Sr., died in 1858. His widow is
yet living, at the age of nearly eighty. She makes her home with
her son David, occasionally visiting her daughter in Buffalo.
Source: 1798 - History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio - Publ.
Philadelphia: Williams Brothers - 1878 - Page 22 |
Mrs. Harriet Beard |
Painesville Twp.-
MRS. HARRIET BEARD. Harriet Wolcott,
afterwards Mrs. Harriet Beard, was born in the year 1788, at
Hartford Connecticut. In the year 1810 she was married to James
Beard, a native of Derby, Connecticut, who was about twenty years
her senior. Mr. Beard had been a captain on the Atlantic,
but came to Ohio in 1796, with the first surveying-party of the Western
Reserve, and landed at Conneaut. Captain Beard and his
bride made a tour to Chicago by lake, and it was the first bridal trip
to that place, - now famous as a stopping-point for all newly-married
western tourists, - ever made. In fact, Mrs. Beard, was the
second white woman who visited Chicago, the wife of the commander of the
fort there being the first. At that time there was but one house
where the populous city of to-day stands, and the population was limited
to the garrison of the frontier military post, numbering about ninety or
a hundred men. Black River and Burton were the abiding-places of
Captain Beard and his wife for a short term of years, and they
came to reside in Painesville in 1823. The husband died in the
following year, and Mrs. Beard was left with a family of five
children to care for and educate. This she did well, as she was
fully qualified to by nature and by her superior culture.
It is a notable fact that Mrs. Beard lived for
over fifty years upon the same lot where her first home in Painesville
was, the present residence and property of her son-in-law, William C.
Chambers, Esq. Her death occurred here on the morning of the
9th of February, 1876, and had she lived until the 19th of the following
month she would have reached the age of eighty-eight years.
Mrs. Beard was a woman of fine education, wide information, and
carefully discriminating literary taste, as well as a close observer of
the public men and events of her time. Her fine qualities of mind
and graces of person and address fitted her for the society of the
highest classes, and she enjoyed the friendship and esteem of many
eminent men and women. She was in every sense of the word a lady
of the old school. Mrs. Beard was reverently religious, and
her life was practically conformed to her theory of piety. She was
for sixty-nine years a member of the Episcopal church, and the first
Episcopal service held in Painesville was at her house. Of her
five children, - two sons and three daughters, - all are now living.
They are James H., Harriet W., Julia E. (now Mrs. William
Blair, of Perry), Ann B. (Mrs. William C. Chambers, of
Painesville), and William H. Beard. James H. Beard is
eminent as a painter of animals, and his brother William, who is
perhaps even better known in this immediate vicinity, is also an artist,
his special line being the caricature of the vanities and foibles of men
through the portrayal of their prototypes in the animal kingdom.
Source: 1798 - History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio - Publ.
Philadelphia: Williams Brothers - 1878 - Page 224 |
Robert Blair |
Painesville Twp. -
ROBERT BLAIR was born in West Brookfield,
Massachusetts, Mar. 8, 1782. Removed with his family to Ohio in
1818, arriving in Kirtland Mar. 8, having made the journey of six
hundred miles in five weeks, on runners with two yokes of oxen, and
having good sleighing all the way until near his destination. His
family was the first to settle in the southeast quarter of Kirtland
township. He bought and cleared up a large farm, upon which he
lived seven years. In 1824 he built the first court-house
(excepting a log house) which was built in Geauga County.
In 1825 he became associated with James R. Ford,
Charles C. Paine, Eleazar Paine, Benjamin F. Tracy, and the
furnace business. The company was known as the Geauga Iron
Company. They commenced making iron in the fall of 1825, being the
first to get started in that business in northern Ohio.
Mr. Blair was manager of the business of this
company until its dissolution in 1851. In disposition he was very
kind, genial, and hopeful; and his long and active business life was
ever characterized by the strictest integrity and most faithful honesty.
He died, Aug. 27, 1875, in the ninety-fourth year of
his age.
Source: 1798 - History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio - Publ.
Philadelphia: Williams Brothers - 1878 - Page 225 |
Benjamin Blish |
Painesville Twp. -
BENJAMIN BLISH, eldest son of Benjamin Blish,
was born at Middlefield, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, June 9, 1784.
As stated in the foregoing sketch of Benjamin Blish,
Sr., he came to Ohio in July, 1805, and immediately purchased the
original farm of one hundred acres in Painesville, which he cleared up
and improved, and on which he lived till his decease. It was then
a dense forest, no roads or improvements of any kind between his farm
and Painesville village, then containing several families and but two or
three frame houses. In 1813 he was married to Artemisia Perkins,
of Solon, and taking with him an extra horse and side-saddle upon which
his bride rode back, making their "wedding-tour" through the wilderness
together to their new home in Painesville. He became a member in
early boyhood of the Baptist church east, and maintained his connection
with that denomination until 1828. During that year the Disciple
church was established in Mentor, under the ministrations of
Alexander Campbell and others, and he united with it, was made one
of the elders, and thereafter continued a zealous, consistent, and
prominent leader in that church to the close of his life.
He was especially interested and active in the local
affairs of his township and neighborhood, and while he took little
interest in general politics, he was chosen without regard to party and
held for sixteen years the office of justice of the peace, always
instrumental in preventing litigation rather than promoting it,
discharging the duties of the office with singular impartiality and
judgment, giving universal satisfaction.
As an agriculturist he stood very high, and joined his
brother, Judge Blish, in 1833, in the purchase and introduction
into this section of the first blooded cattle brought here, being four
head of young Durhams, from New York State, costing three hundred and
fifty dollars, a price at that date regarded as extremely unwise by
many, as good common cows were then selling at fifteen to twenty
dollars, and other stock in proportion. Their wisdom was very soon
acknowledged by the farming community, in the early realization of
larger prices for improved stock afterwards rapidly introduced into this
county.
His family consisted of two sons, George Blish,
who is now (1878) the only survivor, who owns and occupies the homestead
farm, and James M. Blish, who enlisted in the Twenty-third
Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in the beginning of the war of the
Rebellion, was made sergeant of his company, and died in Camp Ewing,
West Virginia, in November, 1861.
Deacon Blish was a devoted Christian, a kind
neighbor, an honored and revered citizen. He died Apr. 11, 1864,
aged eighty years.
Source: 1798 - History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio - Publ.
Philadelphia: Williams Brothers - 1878 - Page 221 |
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Painesville Twp. -
BENJAMIN BLISH, SR., one of the early pioneers of
this section of Ohio, was born in Botton, Tolland county, Connecticut,
Feb. 22, 1753. In 1774 he was married to Phoebe Skinner,
sister of Captain Abram Skinner (also one of the early settlers
of the Reserve), and moved to Middlefield, Hampshire county,
Massachusetts. In Feb., 1804, he started with his brother-in-law,
Captain Skinner, for Ohio, traveling by sleigh to Buffalo, and
thence on the ice of Lake Erie to Grand River. They spent the
spring and summer of 1804 in Painesville and vicinity, and purchased
lands and made some preparations for removing their families.
Returning in the fall of that year, Mr. Blish spent the winter
and spring at his home in Hampshire county, and on the 20th of June,
1805, he started with his family, consisting of his wife, six daughters,
and two sons, Benjamin, Jr., and Zenas, then aged
respectively twenty-one and twelve years, leaving one married daughter,
Mrs. Orris Clapp, in the East, who subsequently moved to Ohio.
After much delay, caused by terrible roads through New York State, they
reached Buffalo on the 7th of July. After leaving Buffalo, there
being no traveled road except along the beach of the lake, they made
slow progress by day, sometimes on the sand and sometimes compelled to
go into the water to avoid bluffs along the shore, frequently in great
danger from winds and waves, camping at night in the woods. They
reached Erie on the 16th of July. From Erie the sons, Benjamin
and Zenas, proceeded with the teams, and the rest of the family
embarked on a small flat-bottomed boat, working their way along the
shore as the winds favored, and hauling their boat ashore in adverse
weather. Leaving Erie July 17, after many narrow escapes they
landed at Fairport, disembarking at Skinner's Landing July 30, 1805, -
the boys having reached the house of General Edward Paine ten
days before, and crossed the river to Captain Skinner's, awaiting
the arrival of the boat. The family immediately found good
quarters with Ebenezer Merry, Esq., then living in a comfortable
log house on the farm now (1878) owned by Isaac Sawyer, Esq., and
proceeded to put up a log house on the homestead farm now owned by
Mrs. Horace Steele, eldest daughter of Judge Zenas Blish, and
which was occupied by the family in December of that year, and began the
work of clearing up the almost unbroken forest then existing west of the
little settlement at Painesville. At that time there were but two
or three frame houses in Painesville, and but one west of the town for
four miles; the only road being an irregular track cut through the
woods, running easterly and westerly considerable distance south of the
present Mentor avenue.
Surrounded by his large family, and rejoicing in the
fact that he had overcome the obstacles and privations incident to a new
country, he spent a peaceful and cheerful old age, and died on the 11th
of March, 1825, honored and universally beloved as a man of the highest
integrity and purity of character. His widow survived him, and
lived in the family of her youngest son, Hon. Zenas Blish,
retaining to the latest hour of her life, and in a remarkable degree, a
mind and heart clear and cheerful, intelligent and kind, and died Oct.
5, 1844, aged ninety-one years, ten days.
Source: 1798 - History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio - Publ.
Philadelphia: Williams Brothers - 1878 - Page 221 |
Hon. Zenas Blish |
Painesville Twp. -
HON. ZENAS BLISH youngest and second son of
Benjamin Blish, Sr., was born Oct. 20, 1793, at Middlefield,
Hampshire County, Massachusetts, and at the age of twelve came to Ohio
with his father's family in July, 1805, settling on the farm in
Painesville township, on Mentor road, at which time it was almost one
unbroken forest in Painesville and vicinity. Seven years later,
being infirm in health, he started upon a journey to Massachusetts and
to return by way of New York and Philadelphia, traveling all the
distance on horseback. A call being just made for United States
troops, in the war of 1812 with Great Britain, at the time of his
arrival in Philadelphia, he at once enlisted in the cavalry service,
under the command of General Scott, and served about three years.
Stationed most of the time on Governor's island, in New York city
harbor, and then procured an honorable discharge by furnishing two
substitutes, and returned with restored health to his home in
Painesville, and proceeded in the work of clearing up and improving the
farm, which he thereafter conducted and owned till his decease. In
October, 1820, he was married to Vashti Ingersol, second daughter
of Calvin Ingersol, Esq., of Mentor, who survived him but three
weeks. Soon after Lake County was organized he was appointed one
of the associate judges of the court of common pleas, which place he
filled for a term of years with honor to himself and satisfaction
to the people.
As an agriculturist he was always in the advance, and
was generally known as a "model farmer." In 1833 he, with his
brother, Benjamin Blish, purchased and brought from Canandaigua,
New York, four head of young blooded Durham cattle, paying three hundred
and fifty dollars for them, a price regarded by most farmers in this
section at that time as very extravagant, but the wisdom of which was
soon amply demonstrated in greatly improved stock and correspondingly
improved prices. Thoroughly imbued with its importance to the
farming interest, he was always deeply interested in agriculture, and
exerted great influence not only in promoting a better and more
practical and scientific method of crop-raising, but encouraged by his
example and influence the introduction in this section of higher breeds
of cattle, and upon these subjects his opinion and judgment were often
sought and gladly given, commanding always the highest respect and
confidence.
His family consisted of his wife and two daughters,
Lydia B. (now the only surviving member of the family), wife of
Hon. Horace Steele, of Painesville, and Lucinda B., wife of
Almon Sawyer, both now (1878) deceased.
Judge Blish was always interested in political
affairs and somewhat prominent. He was a Democrat in sentiment,
and was their candidate for Congress and for the State legislature
several times, and, though never an aspirant for any office, was
frequently preferred by his party (then as now greatly in the minority)
as their standard-bearer for various official positions. By the
strictest integrity and industry he not only became a prosperous and
model farmer, but built up an enviable reputation as a warm-hearted,
generous, and honored citizen. He died Apr. 5, 1870, aged
seventy-six years.
Source: 1798 - History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio - Publ.
Philadelphia: Williams Brothers - 1878 - Page 222 |
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Madison Twp. -
W.
W. BRANCH
Source: 1798 - History of Geauga and Lake
Counties, Ohio - Publ. Philadelphia: Williams Brothers - 1878 -
Page (Portrait of Residence on 234a |
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Madison Twp. -
L. D. BROCKWAY
Source: 1798 - History of Geauga and Lake
Counties, Ohio - Publ. Philadelphia: Williams Brothers - 1878 -
Page (Portrait of Residence on 234a |
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Perry Twp. -
A. T. BROWN
Source: 1798 - History of Geauga and Lake
Counties, Ohio - Publ. Philadelphia: Williams Brothers - 1878 -
Page (Portrait of Residence on 240b |
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Mentor
Twp. -
ELEAZAR BURRIDGE, one of the substantial citizens
of the county and identified with its history for more than half
century, Captain Burridge‘s career is one that is well
worthy of record. Born in Perry township,—now Lake County, but
then Geauga County, Jan. 14, 1822. He was the fifth child of
Samuel and Harriet Burridge. His parents were New
England people, his father being born in Boston, Apr. 5, 1783, and
his mother in Brandon, Vermont, in 1792; they removed to Ohio in
1814, at which time there were only three other families in Perry
township, where he settled. His father was worthy citizen, and
reared large family, whose names and births are as follows: Nancy,
born Oct. 21, 1810, at Moriah, Essex county, New York; Polly,
born Dec. 18, 1812, at Moriah, Essex county, New York, died July 17,
1845; Betsey, born Sept. 3, 1814, at Painesville, Ohio;
Samuel, born Dec. 25, 1818, at Perry, Geauga County, Ohio;
Eleazar, born Jan. 14, 1822, at Perry, Geauga County, Ohio;
Sarah, born Oct. 22, 1824, at Perry, Geauga County, Ohio;
David, born Dec. 11, 1826, at Perry, Geauga County, Ohio;
Levi, born July 15, 1829, at Perry, Geauga County, Ohio;
Eliza, born Sept. 24, 1831, at Perry, Geauga County, Ohio.
The subject of this sketch received an ordinary
common-school education, with term of three months’ study in New
York. His intention at one time was to enter the profession of
dentistry, but afterwards he changed his mind, and resolved to
become farmer. When about twenty-three years of age he went to
Illinois, and, near place now known as Warren, in that State, he
purchased an interest in an improved farm, Mr. Phineas
Wilcox being his joint partner in this purchase. The
price paid was five dollars per acre, and the land now lies
immediately adjoining the town site of the above-named town.
At this time the cholera was raging very seriously at Galena,
twenty-eight miles from his purchase, and number in his immediate
vicinity became victims to the scourge. He and companion—by name
John Minor thought it prudent for their own safety to get
away from the village or tavern, where deaths were daily occurring,
and they built rude retreat in the country; but his friend and
bedfellow was taken down with the dread disease the first night
after getting away from the hotel, and, despite all Mr.
Burridge could do for his relief, died in the morning, and, with
the assistance of others, Mr. Burridge buried him the
next night. He resolved to sell his farm at the very first
opportunity, and betake himself away from such imminent danger to
his life. His opportunity came, and with that which
represented his farm strapped about his person, in the form of belt
of gold, he started for Ohio, where he arrived safely after an
absence of about three years. On his return he purchased the
old Kerr farm, near the Mentor depot, consisting of
two hundred and twenty-five acres, and about five years thereafter
sold it and purchased where he now lives, then known as the Cobb
farm, and has gradually added to his original purchase of one
hundred and sixty acres, until he is now the owner of little more
than four hundred acres, and which is now one of the finest farms in
northern Ohio.
In the mean time he had the good fortune to find for
himself most excellent wife in the person of Miss Margaret
Macomber, whom he married Nov. 22, 1852. This lady was
then resident of Painesville, and is the daughter of Seranus
and Catherine Macomber. Mrs.
Burridge has ever been true helpmeet to her husband. With
excellent executive ability, business tact, and indomitable will,
she unites in high degree the qualities of true womanhood, and has
ever made Mr. Burridge’s hearth all that the word home
in its true and broadest meaning implies. The names of their
children are as follows: Levi S., born Jan. 11, 1854;
Sarah E., born Nov. 1, 1856; Emma H., born May 27, 1857;
Ehrich P., born July 15, 1859; Eleazar, Jr.,
born Apr. 12, 1865; Kittie L., Apr. 20, 1869.
When the war for the Union was declared, Mr.
Burridge, although life-long Democrat, and deeply regretting the
necessity of resorting to the arbitrament of the sword, was prompt
in offering his services in defense of his country’s honor and life.
He was very influential in raising men enough to form company, as
member of which he enlisted in August, 1861, and was mustered into
service the 28th day of September following, at Camp Giddings,
Jefferson, Ohio. His company, of which he was at this time but
private member, was named F," and was attached to the Twenty-Ninth
Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. On the 24th day of October
occurred the election of officers, by virtue of which his company
was officered, and he was chosen to the position of second
lieutenant, with John F. Morse as captain, and H. Gregory
first lieutenant, the colonel of the regiment being the gallant
Lewis P. Buckley. Leaving Camp Giddings on Christmas-day
of 1861, the regiment was ordered to Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio,
where it remained until the following January, when it was called
upon to enter active service. Upon leaving Camp Chase, though
it was in midwinter, no soldier was permitted to take with him but
single blanket for his protection against the cold. Besides,
they were allowed no tents. The regiment was ordered into West
Virginia, and the winter was indeed severe one. It was as
rigorous in that locality that year as along the shore of Lake Erie.
Mr. Burridge with stood the exposure well, and never
saw sick day or lost single drill while with his regiment. It
was no unusual thing for him and his comrades to lie down on mother
earth stretched upon board, if they were so fortunate as to procure
one, and awaking in the morning find themselves covered with mantle
of snow, perhaps several inches in thickness. The captain’s
Yankee ingenuity sometimes assisted him to an advantage others less
ready with expedients would not enjoy.
At Winchester, Virginia, occurred the first engagement
in which he was an actor, Mar. 23, 1862, and though Mr.
Burridge escaped without injury, he received one bullet through
his coat and another through his haversack. So gallantly did he
conduct himself that he was promoted to captain, April 13, following
closely upon the heels of the Winchester affair.
On the 9th day of June, 1862, his company and regiment
was brought into action in the battle of Port Republic, Virginia,
where he was severely wounded in the head by piece from an exploding
shell, fracturing the skull. He was taken to Washington, under
the care of Dr. Burrows, of Geneva, and when arrived
in Washington he was kindly taken to the home of lady living on
Pennsylvania avenue, and in the course of few weeks so far recovered
as to be able to return to his home. In October of 1862 he
rejoined his regiment; but finding that his wound had rendered him
unfittcd to withstand the severe duties of army life, he resigned
his captaincy Feb. 12, 1863, and returned home.
We have space here for but one incident from the
captain’s army-life, which is rich in experience of an interesting
kind, and which loses nothing of its enjoy able nature when one is
permitted to listen to its narration from the captain’s own lips.
One evening the regiment had encamped near the residence of lady who
was proprietress of rich plantation, and plenty of this world’s
goods. She was lady of the thorough southern type, and made an
earnest request of the officers of the regiment that guard should be
furnished her to watch through the night her hog-pen and hen-coop.
The former contained dozen or more fine porkers, and the latter fine
supply of chickens. Her request was granted, and to Captain
Burridge was assigned the important duty of protecting the
lady's property. The distance between pen and coop was several
rods, and the captain passed the hours of the early part of the
night in walking to and fro from the one to the other. About
midnight, when all was still, and just as he had reached the
chickens’ place of habitation, he heard pig squeal. He ran
hastily to its protection, but it had got beyond the reach of his
assistance before he reached the pen, when lo! the hens began to
cackle. Running back to rescue the fowls, an other pig began
to squeal. In his endeavor to save both pigs and chickens (and
there is no doubt he did his utmost) he found himself in the painful
dilemma, in very few moments, of having not pig nor chicken left to
guard. In the morning the lady reproached him for lack of
vigilance, exclaiming, It is too bad here you have been
guarding my pigs and chickens all night, and now they are all
stolen. "The captain expostulated that he had faithfully executed
his trust, and explained to her that the fault was wholly her own
for," says he, if you had kept guard with me, and had watched the
chickens while was protecting the pigs, then we might have saved
both, but how could be in the two places at the same moment?”
This seemed to satisfy the lady that at least the captain was not to
blame. The next morning he found in his tent fine large
chicken, splendidly cooked and though his heart grieved for the
woman his appetite had keen relish for the roasted fowl.
On the captain’s farm lived the first white man who
died in Mentor. His name was Phelps, and he was buried
at short distance to the southeast of Mr. Burridge’s
residence.
Mr. Burridge lacks nothing to make life
pleasant. His it is to enjoy beautiful home, living in the
midst of those who are devoted to him, and to whom he is as strongly
attached. Loved by his family, esteemed by his neighbors,
abundantly blessed with landed possessions, with pleasant
recollections of the past and bright anticipations of the future,
life for him is indeed as beautiful stream, whose waters, with deep,
strong current, flow peacefully on towards the vast and boundless
ocean.
Source: 1798 - History of Geauga and Lake
Counties, Ohio - Publ. Philadelphia: Williams Brothers - 1878 -
Page 252b (Portrait of Residence) |
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