BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History of Portage County, Ohio
Vol. 2
by Warner, Beers & Co.
1885
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Garrettsville Twp. -
OTIS S. NEWCOMB, retired farmer, Garretsville, was born in Ontario
County, N. Y., Mar. 13, 1814; eldest child of Orrin and Pamelia (Robison)
Newcomb, natives of New York and Connecticut respectively, and who had a
family of twelve children. Orrin Newcomb, who was an early
settler of Geauga County, Ohio, a farmer and shoe maker by occupation, died in
1836. His widow died in 1878, aged eighty-five years. Our subject
was raised on a farm and obtained a limited education. His parents removed
to Geauga County, Ohio, in October, 1818, and he grew to maturity fully
acquainted with the vicissitudes of pioneer life. He entered on his career
of life as a farmer, and followed agricultural pursuits until 1873, when he
retired from active labor and removed to Garrettsville, where he built a fine
residence in which he now resides. He was married in November, 1841, to
Mary A. Wright, of Geauga County, Ohio, born in 1819 and died in 1864, the
mother of five children: Selah W. (died in Perryville, Ky., Oct. 8,
1862): Neri, engaged in the Buckeye Works at Akron, Ohio; Wallace E.
and Andrew B., farmers, and Aurie V., wife of W. S.
Freeman. Mr. Newcomb married on second occasion, October, 1864,
Lucy A. Chapman, who died Mar. 2, 1884, leaving to his care two children,
George A. and Gertie A. Our subject has never been a politician
or office seeker, but has been content with the plain home life of a farmer.
He may be considered a self-made man, and was one of the practical as well as
substantial farmers of Geauga County, Ohio. He is a member of
Garrettsville Lodge, F. & A. M.
Source:
History of Portage County, Ohio - Vol. 2 - by Warner,
Beers & Co. - 1885 - Page 729 |
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Atwater Twp. -
HENRY NICHOLS, farmer, P. O. Atwater Centre, was born in
Fairfield, Columbiana Co., Ohio, September 20, 1825, son of Nasin and
Elizabeth (Gould) Nichols, natives of New York State, where the former died
when our subject was but two years of age. The widowed mother, with her
son, came West and located in Ellsworth, Mahoning Co., Ohio, and three years
later removed to this county, settling in Edinburg Township, where she was
married, on second occasion, in Columbiana County, to Mahlon Siddall, by whom
she had eleven children, nine of whom are now living: Marilda J., George W.,
Matilda A., Louisa and Elisha (twins), Lovinia, Keller, Isaac
and Melissa. The subject of this sketch has been a resident of
Atwater and Edinburg Townships, this county, since 1834 and experienced all the
hardships incident to pioneer life. Between his residence and Atwater
Center the road covers hidden timber which he helped to fell in order to obtain
a pass through the woods. He has been twice married, first in 1850 to Miss
Mary K. Lynn, born in Limestone, Fayette Co., Penn., Sept. 29, 1831, and who
died in 1874, the mother of two children, both now living: Frances J.,
wife of Jerome Huxley, of Princeton, Kan. (have two children: Dallas
H. and George E.) and Samuel E., residing in Atwater, married
to Ada Wireman (have two sons: Bernard H. and Walter).
Mr. Nichols was married on second occasion, in 1875, to Miss Eliza
daughter of Jesse and Emily Rogers, a pioneer family. Mr.
Nichols in 1866 settled on his present estate, comprising 126 acres, where
he has established a permanent home. He and his wife are connected with
the Disciples Church of Edinburg.
Source:
History of Portage County, Ohio - Vol. 2 - by Warner,
Beers & Co. - 1885 - Page 585 |
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Streetsboro Twp. -
ORRIN NIGHMAN, farmer, P. O. Earlville, was born in
Streetsboro, this county, Nov. 10, 1832; son of Frederick and Parmelia (Van)
Nighman, who were the first couple married in Streetsboro. His
paternal grandparents were Adam and Betsey Nighman, formerly of
Westmoreland County, Penn., and who settled in Franklin Township, this county,
in 1809. His maternal grandparents were Absolem and Abigail Van,
the former of whom was a native of Vermont and an early settler of Stowe, now in
Summit County, Ohio. Our subject was reared in his native town, where he
has always resided. He was married, July 2, 1863, to Mary, daughter
of Abram B. and Jane M. (Clark) Nash, of Streetsboro, natives of
New York and Pennsylvania respectively. Mrs. Nighman's paternal
grandfather was Jonathan Nash, a native of Great Barrington, Mass., a
farmer by occupation, who settled in New Hartford, N. Y., in1802, but removed to
Ohio in 1834, and died in Penfield, Lorain County, Jan. 15, 1838. her
maternal grandfather was Robert Clark, a native of Pennsylvania, and an
early settler of Streetsboro. Mr. and Mrs. Nighman have had three
children: Gertie L., an infant son (deceased) and Alvin W. They
reside on the old homestead on which his father settled in 1832. Mrs.
Nighman is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics our
subject is a Democrat.
Source:
History of Portage County, Ohio - Vol. 2 - by Warner, Beers & Co. - 1885 - Page
891 |
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Garrettsville Twp. -
JAMES NORTON
Source: History of Portage County, Ohio - Vol. 2 -
by Warner, Beers & Co. - 1885 - Page 729 |
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Atwater Twp. -
JOHN NORTON, farmer, P. O. Atwater,
one of the oldest native residents of Atwater Township, this county, was born
here in 1813; son of Jerry and Rachel (Hubbard) Norton, who journeyed
from Connecticut in 1812, with ox teams and one horse. They had two
children with them, were six weeks on the road, and located in Atwater Township,
this county. They had a family of twelve children, of whom five are now
living: Sarah, wife of Daniel Hall, in Richmond,
Mich.; Mary, wife of Isaac Elliott; John; James;
and Ellen, wife of Henry Beebe. Jerry
Norton in the latter years of his life removed to this county, March 11,
1846, to Miss Elizabeth Elton, of Atwater Township. Their only
child (adopted), Martha, married Z. Strong and has three
children: Willie, Henry and Landa. Mr.
Norton lives on the homestead farm consisting of 100 acres. He has
served his township as Treasurer.
Source:
History of Portage County, Ohio - Vol. 2 - by Warner,
Beers & Co. - 1885 |
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Ravenna Twp. -
S. D. NORTON, attorney, Ravenna. The name Norton,
a contraction of North-town or North-ville, is of English origin. It
is properly Norville, and the first known to bear it in this country were two
brothers, Richard and Thomas, the former landing in America in
1620, the latter in 1635; one settling in Massachusetts, the other at Martha's
Vineyard. The great-grand-father of our subject, Bethuel, was an
explorer, employed by the British Government. He served in the French
English and the Revolutionary wars, and was one of the soldiers who scaled the
Heights of Abraham. Our subject was born in Springfield, Summit Co., Ohio,
in 1825; son of Thuel and Harriet (Harrington) Norton, the former of
whom, with his father, Peter, immigrated to this State in 1807, and
settled in Summit County, thence removing to Hiram Township, this county, in
1832, where he died. He was a carpenter by trade, and raised a family of
nine children, eight of whom are living. Our subject was reared on a farm
and learned the blacksmith trade, which he abandoned for the law, the study of
which he pursued after having received a common school education, and was
associated with Charles W. O'Neil, one of the best lawyers of the State,
his practice being largely in Allen and Hancock Counties. He located in
Garrettsville in 1858, and five years later removed to Ravenna, where he has
since resided. He was married, in 1845, to Miss Maria Wetherell, a
native of New York, and they are the parents of the following children:
Adelaide, wife of George Nichols; Julia M., wife of S. R.
Poe; Lilia, wife of N. P. Catlin; and Emma. He has
served two terms as Mayor of Ravenna; is at present Justice of the Peace; has
been twice run for Probate Judge and came near being elected, though his party
is largely in the minority, and is a man well known and highly respected.
Source:
History of Portage County, Ohio - Vol. 2 - by Warner,
Beers & Co. - 1885 - Page 841 |
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