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Willoughby Twp. -
JACOB V. VIALL. The subject of this sketch
was the sixth of a family of seven, the children of Nathaniel and
Sarah (Wilson) Viall, and was born in Pittstown, Rensselaer county,
New York, Dec. 15, 1807. When two years of age his mother died,
and his father afterwards inlisted in the war of 1812, after which he
was never again seen by his children, the younger of whom became the
wards of their grandparents, who removed to Mentor in the year 1815, and
settled on the farm now occupied by Dr. Robinson. He
acquired his education in the primitive log school-house, with greased
paper for window-glass and puncheons for a floor. After the
marriage of a sister (to Daniel Christy) he took up his abode
with them in Willoughby, remaining some six years subsequently thereto,
after which he "worked around." Jan. 31, 1834, he was united in
marriage to Cynthia Jones, daughter of William and Clarissa
Jones, of Willoughby (then Chagrin), who was born June 11, 1816.
They were from Middlesex county, Connecticut, whence they removed to
this township, in about the year 1817. The father died in 1827,
and the mother resides on the old homestead, at the age of ninety years.
To Mr. and Mrs. Viall have been born eight children, of whom the
following named are living: Edgar W., who resides in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and is the owner of a large property in that
thriving city; George, who is a resident of New York city and is
a practicing dentist; Clara J. and Fred V., who have not
yet left the parental roof.
After his marriage, Mr. Viall made his first
purchase of one hundred acres, about two and a half miles south of
Willoughby village, now owned by John Ward. He has never
relinquished farming, although he has been engaged in other pursuits.
In 1835 he bought of Joseph Coe the grist- and saw-mills, distant
about two and a half miles from Willoughby village, up the Chagrin,
which he operated some three years and then sold them. He then
embarked in the mercantile trade in the village of Willoughby, in which
he continued about two years, and a year subsequently bought back the
mill property, which he carried on six years more, and then finally
disposed of them.
He was elected to the office of constable of Willoughby
in 1836, and re-elected every year for the five or six years following,
when he was elected justice of the peace, in which capacity he is now
serving his eighth term, - a larger period, we believe, than that of any
previous incumbent of the office in the township. Mr. Viall
possesses, in an eminent degree, the qualifications which are requisite
for an efficient discharge of its duties. In 1860 he was elected
sheriff of Lake County, and re-elected in 1862. During Lincoln's
administration he was appointed deputy United States marshal of the
district of northern Ohio.
In politics he was formerly a Whig, with strong
anti-slavery proclivities. Hence it goes without saying that he is
now a Republican of the best type. Socially Mr. Viall is a
pleasant gentleman, courteous and affable to all, and possesses the
esteem and confidence of his fellow-citizens. In 1854 he purchased
of Elizabeth Viall, now Mrs. Isaac Moore, the farm on
which he now resides.
Source: 1798 - History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio - Publ.
Philadelphia: Williams Brothers - 1878 - Page 258 |
