320. Josiah Pelton, Jr.5, fourth son of Josiah4, John3, Samuel2, John1, born at Chatham,
now Portland, Conn., March 5, 1772; married there December 19, 1793, Lucy Shepard.
From 1787 to 1811 he followed the sea as cabin boy, sailor, captain and owner, trading
principally with the West Indies and the Spanish Main, both in North and South America;
also with Brazil and the Guianas. In 1811, during the Mexican insurrection, under Hidalgo,
he was captured while commanding a vessel owned by himself and his brother, Moses, the
vessel and $30,000 in specie [specie is coins, coined money, Ed.] confiscated and he held
a captive.* Released after three years, he found his vessel sold and all his papers destroyed,
which prevented the recovery of his property. Abandoning the sea, he, in June, 1815, gathered
up his family, and with a wagon drawn by an ox team for a conveyance, started for Ohio, and
in August following arrived at Euclid, near Cleveland, O., where a cousin, Jonathan Pelton,
son of Joseph Pelton, 1st, of Chatham, Conn., had settled the year before. Here he bought land,
and here his wife Lucy (b. Aug. 1 (or 11), 1775) died September 2, 1815. In 1819 he bought land
with a small clearing and a log house, of John Sherrarts, in Vermillion [sic], Huron (now Erie)
Co., O., and removed to the new farm. At that time there was large game, dear, bears, wolves and
wild turkeys in plenty, with some Indians still roaming in the woods. Here he was a farmer. But
he could not forget the old vocation, and soon after his arrival built a small vessel, launched
her upon Lake Erie, and called her the "Franklin" after his youngest son. At that time the nearest
mills were at Cleveland and Cold Creek. He died at Vermillion July 8 or 9, 1834. Children, all born
in Chatham, Conn.:
I Lucy, born Nov. 2, 1794; married William Treat, of Glastenbury, Conn., who removed to Euclid, O., where he built many vessels. Children, three. Mrs. Treat died in 1819, Mr. Treat in 1872 or 1873.
II Phoebe, born Aug 10, 1796; married Sept. 28, 1816, at Euclid, O., Anson Cooper of Stockbridge, Mass. Lived at Brownhelm, Lorain Co., O.; was living in 1875. Children George, Lucy, Josiah, Mary, Allen P., Henrietta B., Henry, Julia, Ann, Sarah M., Charlotte. Mr. Cooper dies July 26, 1846. Mrs. Cooper, in 1878, lived within four miles of Vermillion. She died at Brownhelm, O., July 27, 1883.
343 III Josiah Shepard, b. Mar. 22, 1799; m. May 22, 1825, Sophia (Allen) Leonard; d. Jan. 5, 1886.
IV Nathaniel, born Dec. 14, 1800; died Apr. 7, 1801.
345 V Allen. B. Apr. 25, 1804; m. Mar. 25, 1827, Fanny Cuddeback; d. Jan. 27, 1882.
VI Charlotte, born Mar. 29, 1804; married Levi Parsons, merchant, of New Haven, Conn. Children: William Nelson and Sarah. Lived at Vermillion, O., where she died, Dec. 4, 1834.
345 VII Sylvester Augustin, b. Mar. 25, 1806; m. Dec. 31, 1828, Eunice O. Sturgis; d. Jan., 1891. [#345 likely a printing error since next number is 347. Ed.]
* Another account says he was taken and held captive by pirates.
347 VIII Austin, b. Mar. 10, 1808; m. (1) Aug. 11, 1834, Sarah Sturgis; (2) July 1, 1858, Caroline (Durand) Nye; d. May 27, 1888.
IX Julia Ann, born Oct. 6, 1810; married John Miller, a farmer, from Conn., who died about 1835. One child, John. Lived at Vermillion, O., and there died Oct. 6 (Feb. 16), 1832.
350 X Franklin, b. Nov. 13, 1814; m. (1) Dec. 13, 1838, Eliza Davis; (2) Dec. 24, 1854, Mary Elizabeth Cummings.