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Biographies
Source:
A Portrait and Biographical
Record of Portage and Summit Counties, Ohio
containing Biographical sketches of many
Prominent and Representative Citizens.
together with portraits and biographies of all the
Presidents of the United States and Governors of Ohio.
V. 2
Logansport, Ind.
A. W. Bowen & Co.
1898
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1898 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX
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ROBERT
W. THOMPSON, one of the substantial and reliable
citizens of Hudson, Ohio, descends from the pioneers of the
Western Reserve and from the old colonial Massachusetts
family of that name.
Isaac Thompson, grandfather of our subject, was
born in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, Dec. 10, 1774.
He was a farmer and married in Berkshire county, Mass.,
Polly Campbell, of Scotch ancestry. She was a
sister of Ely Campbell, a pioneer banker of Ravenna.
Another brother was Gen. Campbell, of Campbellsport,
Portage county, Ohio - the founder of that town; a sister,
Sarah Campbell, married Col. Frazier of
Ravenna. The Thompsons were of sterling English
ancestry and descended from the old Puritan family of
colonial times in Massachusetts. In pioneer times
murders were almost unknown on the Western Reserve.
The first murder at Ravenna was that of a peddler by a man
named crossed the Alleghany mountains, where they caught the
murderer, tied him to a horse and brought him back to
Ravenna. They were gone so long that their friends believed
them to have been killed. Upon reaching Ravenna Unks made
his escape, but being tied to his horse and handcuffed, he
could not well guide the animal, and was stopped by Isaac
Thompson and finally executed. This was the
first white man ever executed in Portage county.
Isaac Thompson and wife were the parents
of the following children, viz: Eliza, who married
Dr. Swift, of Ravenna. a prominent pioneer
physician; Harry C.; and Rev. Oren C., who
married Alice Thompson of Hudson. Rev.
Thompson was a graduate of the Western Reserve college—a
missionary to Detroit at an early day, where he preached
many years, and the church in which he preached in Detroit,
bears his name. The daughter, Mary, married
Dr. Sabine, of Michigan; Richard and Robert
were twins; then there were Charles, and Charlotte
who married Timothy Carnahan, of Ravenna.
Isaac Thompson was a farmer of Berkshire
township, Berkshire county, Mass., and in the spring of 1808
he moved with his family to Ohio, making the journey with an
ox-team with a horse in the lead, which was ridden by
Harry C. Thompson, then a boy of seven years of age.
When the pioneer family neared the town of Campbellsport,
Ohio, they met Gen. Campbell, the founder of
the town. Mr. Thompson had just taken
his son, Harry C., into the bushes for some boyish
misdemeanor, and applied a hickory sprout in the vigorous
manner of the olden days, and was much abashed that Gen.
Campbell should witness the loud effects. Mr.
Thompson bought 200 acres of land on which a little
had been cleared and a large two-story frame house had been
built, and in which was held the first court in Portage
county, which house is still standing in Ravenna.
Mr. Thompson lived in this house until his death.
This property is still in the hands of one of his
descendants—Mrs. Julia Hall, of Cleveland, Ohio.
Mr. Thompson cleared up this farm from
the wilderness, and here made a good home; the Mahoning
river runs directly through the land. Mr. Thompson
was a substantial farmer and one of the earliest settlers of
Ravenna and a member of the old-school Presbyterian church.
Politically he was a whig and one of the founders of the
republican party. He lived to be a venerable man of
over eighty years, and was noted for his straight forward
and honest character and for his hospitality. He was a
fine example of the early pioneers of the Western Reserve.
Harry C. Thompson, son of above, was the father
of our subject. He was born in Berkshire county,
Mass., Nov. 24, 1801, and came with his father to Ohio, in
1808. He received the usual common-school education of
his day in Ravenna, Ohio, and, when he was young, learned
the tailor's trade in Ravenna, which he perfected in New
York city. He was one of the earliest and at one time
the only tailor in Portage county, and was in this business
twenty years. He married, in Hudson, Ohio, Jan. 7,
1830, Harriet A. Ellsworth, born in Hudson, Ohio,
Nov. 23, 1809, daughter of Capt. Elisha and Betsey
(Oviatt) Ellsworth. Betsey Oviatt was born, Apr.
23, 1786. Elisha Ellsworth was born at
Torrington, Conn., Nov. 22, 1785. Mr.
Ellsworth was a pioneer of Hudson township. He
cleared up his farm and made a good home one and a half
miles north of Hudson on the old Cleveland road. He
was a deacon in the Presbyterian church, and well known as
Capt. Ellsworth, being a member of the old
Ohio State militia. He was an honored citizen and a
prominent man and died Sept. 13, 1859. Harry C.
Thompson and wife settled in Ravenna, Ohio, where he
followed his trade. In 1839 he settled on a farm of
118 acres in Hudson township, now owned by his son—Robert
W. Mr. Thompson lived on his farm until 1853, and
then moved to the home where our subject now lives and here
passed his remaining days. He was an excellent
business man, clear headed, of sound judgment and of
strictest honesty of character. He was an honored
citizen, acted as justice of the peace for a long time and
was also assessor. He was consulted by the people in
transacting legal business—the administrator of many estates
and the trusted guardian of children, and in the transaction
of all his legal business in settling estates out of which
lawsuits frequently sprang, he acted as his own lawyer.
Among the estates which-he settled was that of Owen
Brown, father of the famous abolitionist. For
many years he made a business of loaning money and his
charges were always fair and reasonable. He had one
rule, which he always followed, and that was six per cent.
per annum and the taxes, as he usually loaned on real-estate
security. He and wife were both members of the
Presbyterian church. Politically he was an old-line
whig and later a republican. He stood very high
throughout the county as one of the most honorable business
men of his day. He reached the age of seventy-six
years, and died Dec. 19, 1877, very suddenly, at his
residence in Hudson. His children are Robert W.,
and Elisha, born Mar. 30, 1842, and died Sept. 6,
1853, aged about thirteen years.
Robert W. Thompson was born in Ravenna, Ohio,
Aug. 10, 1833, received a district school education and came
with his father to Summit county, Ohio, when he was six
years old, in 1829, and learned farming when young, and when
about sixteen years old engaged in the business of
furnishing steamships at Detroit, Mich., for several years.
He married at Twinsburg, Ohio, Nov. 18,_1852,
Eunice Turner, born at Blandford, Mass., Feb.
28, 1830, daughter of Rev. Charles A. and Mary (Bailey)
Turner. Rev. Charles A. Turner was born at
Groton, Conn., May 20, 1796, son of Stephen and Lucretia
(Wight man) Turner. Both the Turners and
Baileys were of old colonial Puritan ancestry from
England. To this marriage were born the following
children: Hattie A., wife of Leo nard C. Wallace,
of Northfield, Summit county: he is a prosperous farmer.
They have two children—Arthur W. and Mable E.
Beside receiving a good common-school education she was
educated in music. Oren H., a practical farmer,
who married Miss Mary Cady, a native of Portage
county. They have only one child, Bertha B.
Mary E. is the wife of Horace A. Chamberlain, of
Northfield, Ohio. He is a farmer by occupation.
They have only one son, Walter, who is a student of
the Macedonia school. Charles R. is married to
Miss Mathilda Whapham, a native of England.
They reside on the old homestead and have two daughters—Florence
and Irene. He is one of the most prosperous
farmers in Hudson township. The youngest is Edwin B.,
who resides with his parents at Hudson, Ohio.
In Rev. Turner's times one of the
Bailey women, a great-aunt of Mrs. Thompson's,
when Benedict Arnold and the British made the
attack on New London, Conn., the colonial troops becoming
short of cartridges, tore up her red flannel petticoat for
material with which to make cartridges. The Baileys
were sea-faring men, and in the whaling business from
New London. They were captains of whalers for
generations. Capt. Giles Bailey,
while pursuing a whale, had his leg smashed by the whale,
which struck the boat with its tail. His leg was
afterward amputated.
Mrs. Thompson's father was the eldest of a
family of children born unto Stephen and Lucretia
(Wightman) Turner. Lucretia Wightman was a
daughter of Isaac and Lucretia (Parker) Wightman.
Isaac Wightman was a grandson of Valentine
Wightman, the founder of the first Baptist church in
Groton, Conn., it being also the first in the state.
Lucretia Parker's mother was Hannah
Avery, a descendant of the Avery who was one of
the first settlers of Groton. Stephen
Turner's father's name was Amos Turner,
who married Prudence Allyn, June 1, 1770.
Humphrey Turner, a farmer, was born in England in
1593, and, with his wife, Lydia Garner, and
eldest son, John (and perhaps other children), came
to Plymouth, Mass., in 1628. A few years afterward he
moved to Scituate, Mass., and was one of the founders of a
church there in 1635. His eldest son, John,
born in England, married, Nov. 12, 1645, Mary Brewster,
a granddaughter of Elder William Brewster,
who crossed the Atlantic in the the historic Mayflower.
They had several children; among them was Ezekiel,
born Jan. 7, 1651. He married, in New London, Conn.,
Dec. 26, 1678, Susannah, daughter of John
Keeney. He died Jan. 16, 1703 or 1704, and left
one son, Ezekiel, and ten daughters. This son,
Ezekiel, married Boradil Denison, and
settled in Groton. Boradil Denison,
daughter of Joseph and Prudence (Minor) Denison, was
born Feb. 14, 1712, and was married to Young
Brewster May 12, 1729. They lived in Groton,
Conn., and had the following children, viz: Theodore,
born Aug. 14, 1730; Prudence, born Mar. 8, 1732 (and
married Moses Palmer); Ezekiel, born
Jan. 27, 1734; Eunice, born July 22, 1740; Amos,
born Sept. 1, 1744. Amos Turner was the
great-grandfather, who married Prudence Allyn
in 1770. The children of Stephen and
Lucretia (Wightman) Turner were: Charles A.,
born May 20, 1796; Alfred, June 4, 1798; Melinda,
Oct. 24, 1801; Isaac Wightman, June 13, 1805;
Jane Emeline, Oct. 21, 1810, and James
Monroe, Dec. 23, 1816. The children of Amos
and Prudence (Allyn) Turner were:
Stephen, Rufus, Betsey, David,
Eunice and Young. The Wightmans
claim descent from Edward Wightman, the last
of the martyrs by fire in England.
Rev. Charles A. Turner was married to Mary
Bailey, in Groton, Conn., Mar. 8, 1818, by Ralph
Hurlbuth, J. P., the Turners being of English
descent. Rev. Turner was a Baptist
minister. He lived for some time at Groton, Conn., and
at Blanford, Mass. Rev. Turner later bought
land in Twinsburg township, and cleared his farm from the
woods, and here he remained until his death. Services
were held in the school-houses and at their homes throughout
the surrounding townships of Twinsburg, Aurora, Streetsboro,
Hudson, Northampton, Stowe, and Boston. The pioneer
Baptists were poor, and Rev. Turner never had
a salary for his work. He supported his large family
by his labor on the farm and gave all his children an
excellent education at the famous pioneer academy of Rev.
Bissell, of Twinsburg. Rev. Turner
was one of the faithful pioneer ministers who preached the
gospel in the wilderness without money and without price.
His children were Mary A., who married Rev.
Williams, a Baptist minister; Joel, who died in
California; Lucy; Charles, attorney-at-law,
who served throughout the Civil war, entering as captain and
coming out as brigadier-general, afterward judge of court of
common pleas at Pekin, Ills., where he died. Then
there were Emeline, Eunice, Jerusha,
whe died young, Elisha, attorney-at-law, and
Alcalde, of Jackson, Cal., who was shot in the court
house while making a political speech. Then Reuben,
who died aged sixteen years; Cordelia, and Daniel,
who served in the Civil war. Rev. Turner
reared a remarkable and excellent family, his sons becoming
prominent men. He died at Twinsburg, Oct. 5, 1874,
aged seventy-eight years. He was early a democrat, a
strong anti-slavery man, and became a republican on the
outbreak of the war.
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, our subjects, settled on
the Thompson homestead and lived there until
they moved to Hudson in 1884. Their son, Charles,
lives on the old home stead, and is a practical, prosperous
farmer. To Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have been born
Rosa, who died aged two years; Hattie A., Oren H.,
Mary E., Charles R., and Edwin B. —all married
except the last, who lives at
home. Politically he is a republican. Mrs.
Thompson is a member of the Baptist church at
Twinsburg. Mr. Thompson is a well-known
citizen and has prospered by his thrift and practical
business ability. He owns about 500 acres of land and
is engaged in loaning money and looking after his farms.
He is a straightforward man. Mrs. Thompson's
mother lived to be ninety-three years old.
Source: A Portrait and
Biographical Record of Portage and Summit Counties, Ohio -
V. 2 - Publ. 1898 - Page 918 |
MRS.
VIRGIL M. THOMPSON, is one of the lady pioneers of
Summit county, and is the widow of the gentleman whose name
she bears - Virgil M. Thompson, who was born in
Hudson township, Summit county, Ohio, Mar. 14, 1810, a son
of Dr. Moses and Elizabeth (Mills) Thompson.
Dr. Moses Thompson was
born in Goshen, Conn., and in that state married
Elizabeth Mills. He practiced medicine in Goshen,
Conn., until 1800, when he came to Hudson, Summit county,
Ohio, and became a well-known physician among the pioneers.
His children were Susan, Louvira, Ruth, Emily, Mary,
Sarah A., Martha, Elizabeth, Mills, Sylvester, Virgil M.
and Guy, the last named dying young. Dr.
Thompson was one of the early Masons of Hudson and a
prominent and respected man. He owned and lived on his
farm two miles south of Hudson for many years. This
land he bought in 1800 and cleared it from the wilderness,
making a good farm of 200 acres, and here resided until his
death, at the age of eighty years, in 1859. The farm
is still owned by his heirs.
Virgil M. Thompson, deceased husband of our
subject, received a good education, attending for a time the
Western Reserve college, and was reared a farmer. He
married, the first time, May 11, 1836, in Hudson township,
Maria Smith, who was from Vermont. There were
no children by this marriage. She died twenty-two
months after marriage, and Mr. Thompson next married,
in May, 1842, in Cuyahoga Falls, Marie Antoinette
Turner, who was born May 2, 1821, in Trumbull county,
Ohio, a daughter of William and Rosanna (Owen) Turner.
William Turner was born in Orange county, N. Y., Sept.
5, 1782. He came to Trumbull county, Ohio, in 1818,
bringing his family and making the journey via Pennsylvania
with wagons, and was six weeks on the way. He was a
carpenter and followed that work in Cuyahoga Falls, where he
settled in April, 1828. His children were Grant B.,
Edward B., Marie Antoinette, and Harriet O.
Mr. Turner was in politics a whig and republican.
He was an energetic, industrious and honorable citizen,
acquired a comfortable property, and brought up an excellent
family. He lived to be about sixty-five years of age
and died at Sea Falls in the year 1847.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Thompson settled on
the farm where Mr. Thompson now lives. Mr.
Thompson bought this farm in 1835, and partly cleared
it, especially the north half, which he purchased from the
Connecticut Land company. He prospered by his thrift
and energy, and finally acquired a goodly property,
consisting of 350 acres of valuable land, which is now owned
by Mrs. Thompson. Mr. Thompson was a
member of the Presbyterian church of Hudson, Ohio, and
Mrs. Thompson is a member of the Episcopal church of
Cuyahoga Falls. In politics he was an old-line whig
and afterward became a republican. He was an honored
citizen, served as township trustee, and also held several
other offices. He was a well-known and public spirited
gentleman, and highly respected for his sterling character,
uprightness and excellent morals, and died Jan. 11, 1894,
aged about eight-four years. To Mr. and Mrs.
Thompson were born three children, viz.: Celia
M., Mary A. and Emma P. Of these, Celia
M. married Henry H. Chamberlain, of Hudson, Ohio;
she is now deceased, leaving no children. Mary A.
married Mr. Chamberlain above mentioned; they have no
children; he is now in the milling business in Hudson.
Emma P. married Edward D. Ellsworth, a farmer
of Stowe township, now deceased, leaving two children -
Fred Thompson and Mary Antoinette. Mrs. Thompson
is now a venerable lady with an excellent memory and well
preserved faculties, having furnished the matter for this
biography.
Edward D. Ellsworth was born July 30, 1847, in
Hudson, Ohio, a son of Edgar B. and Mary (Daws) Ellsworth
- was of New England ancestry, and Edgar B. was a
merchant of Hudson, Ohio. Edward D. Ellsworth
received a common-school education and became a farmer.
He married Miss Thompson Mar. 27, 1867, and settled
on a farm in Stowe township. He was an industrious man
and good citizen, but is now deceased.
Fred Thompson Ellsworth, son of above, was born
Oct. 8, 18__, and married Nov. 4, 1893, Elizabeth B.
Harrington, a widow, (née
Dillon), a daughter of Nathaniel and Lucy (Connor)
Dillon.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Portage and
Summit Counties, Ohio - V. 2 - Publ. 1898 - Page 556 |
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