Pioneer History of Clarksfield, pages 101 - 110
Truman S. Cartwright, who married Betsy Hunter, lived in Clarksfield for some time, then lived at East Norwalk for a numbers of years, then moved to Michigan. He died there about thirty years ago. They raised a family of ten children.
Luther Cooley, Jr., who married Polly Hunter, came from Vermont, with his wife and one daughter, Huldah, in 1836, with Mr. Hunter’s family, and purchased a piece of land on the road south of Bissell’s, next south of the Jaqua place, and lived there until his death in 1849. He left three girls and one boy. Huldah married F. Bristol and they moved to Michigan and she died a couple of years later. Fanny married Will Thair and lives near Norwalk. Cordelia married Lewis Stevens and lives in Norwalk, a widow. Joel married Lydia, a daughter of Levi Hunter, and lives in Michigan. Mr. Cooley’s father, also named Luther, lived here with his wife and they both died here and are buried on William Bissell’s farm. He died January 1, 1842. He was a soldier of the Revolution. His wife was a widow Davis and had a son, Benjamin, who was a simple minded man, who wandered about the country and finally died in the poorhouse.
Hiel Hamlin was born at Sharon, Connecticut, and his wife was born at Stamford, Connecticut. Their children were, Eleazer, Noah and Elizabeth. The family came to Clarksfield from Sharon, in 1835 and settled a mile east of the Hollow, on the opposite of the road from Almanza, who was a brother of Hiel.
Eleazer married Deborah Knapp, of Clarksfield, June 11th, 1840. About 1853 he moved to Iowa, then to Norwalk, Ohio, where he died in 1896 at the age of 72. Noah married Adelia Marion Couch in 1836 and lived on a part of the William Bissell farm, building the house there. He followed farming and school teaching. He went to Norwalk in 1849, where his wife died in 1896. He is still living there with his daughter, Theresa Pebbles. Elizabeth C. Hamlin married J. J. Cobb in 1840, and died at the home of her brother, in Norwalk, in 1888 at the age of 65. Hiel Hamlin died at Iowa Falls, Iowa, in 1868 at the age of 76, and wife died at the same place in 1883 at the age of 87.
Samuel Jaqua was born near Montreal, Canada, July 4th, 1795, and died in 1872. His father was born in France. Samuel moved to Yates county, New York, and from there to Indiana, and in 1836 came to Clarksfield. He bought a piece of land of Almanza Hamlin in the first section, across the road from the farm afterward owned by Simeon Blackman, the farm now being owned by Charles Burrows. Here he lived until 1846, when he sold out to David B. Prosser, a brother of his wife, and moved away. The children were George, Abraham, Pertheny, Phebe, Elizabeth and David. All are dead excepting George, who lives in Minnesota, and Elizabeth, the latter lost her sight and lives with her brother.
Michael Shays, a native of Ireland, came here about 1836 and did teaming and farming for a living. He hauled the machinery for the Squire and Lawton mill from Huron. By pure hard labor he became the owner of several farms before his death. His first wife was Elizabeth Porter and they lived on the New London road opposite Lyman Knapp’s. Their children are George, Elmer and Marion, all of this township. After the death of his wife he moved to New London and married again. He died in 1899.
About 1836 John Seldon Leet came to Clarksfield from Euclid near Cleveland and lived in a log house on the opposite side of the road from Ephraim Gridley’s. He had children Lucius and Adeline, of school age. One of his daughters had married Joseph C. Post, a brother of Parley, and they came here with Mr. Leet’s family and lived together until after 1846, when both families went to Wisconsin where the parents died.
Daniel Lee, a cousin of Benjamin Hill’s wife, lived just east of Clarksfield village at the forks of the road where Seth Cooley afterward lived. He moved to Fitchville about 1835.
Purdy Smith lived here from 1836 to 1839. He lived near Jacob Clawson’s and also on the Butler road. His sister was the wife of George Hopkins.
Otis Munn, a widower and his son-in-law, John Power, with his family, came here from the east about 1836 and settled on the farm next south of Hiel Scott’s, on what is known as the Dr. White farm, the log house standing just north of where the railroad now runs. After a time the men had a disagreement and Power moved into a log cooper shop which had been built by Silas Biggs. In 1840 Power had an illness and when he felt better, ate so much apple pie that he had a relapse and died. It is probable that Munn died soon afterward as we find no mention of him after 1840. The rest of the family west back east. Mr. Power’s children were Adeline, Martha and Alvin.
Joseph Terwilliger lived here from 1836 to 1838. He was a blacksmith and worked in a shop east of Cobb’s store.
Robert Fletcher came from New York state to Clarksfield in 1836 and settled on the Butler road just north of the Edwards corners, and lived there until his death in 1875, at the age of 84. The wife had died in 1860, at the age of 69. Their children were Clarissa, Joseph B., Lydia, Smith, Susan, Lovina and Harriet. Clarissa married John Hand and died in 1898. Joseph married Ester Stone in 1842 and they lived on the homestead. The wife died in 1893 and Mr. Fletcher in 1896 at the age of 78. Lydia married Asa Percy and died in 1887. Smith lived in Wakeman township and died a few years ago. Susan married Israel Bursley and they lived in Clarksfield a few years, then moved to Wakeman township and died there. Lovina married Samuel Boies and lived in Clarksfield, then in Camden, then in the western part of this state, and the wife died there. Harriet did not come here until after the rest of the family. She married William Thompson and lived on the Edwards corners. He had a fit while on a roof at work, and was killed by falling to the ground. This was in 1858. She then married H. G. Hammond and died in Camden. Her son, George Thompson, was drowned in the "Little Lake," in Camden.
William Fletcher, a brother of Robert, moved to Bronson township first, then came to Clarksfield in 1839, settling on the opposite side of the road, next north of Robert’s, where his son, Harley, now lives. His children were W. H. Harrison, living in Wakeman, George, Charles H., deceased, Mary Jane, deceased, Andrew, Daniel, deceased, and Harley, William Fletcher died in 1872, at the age of 72 and his wife, Maria, in 1872 at the age of 61.
There was a family of Lawtons, eight in number, at Buffalo, N.Y., of whom five members lived in Clarksfield. George, who was born Oct. 12, 1806, was a millwright by trade and worked on a mill at Birmingham, O., and then came to Clarksfield about 1836, entering into partnership with Virgil Squire in a store and they also bought and operated the Husted gristmill and sawmill. On December 4th, 1836, he was married to Miss Catharine Daley, of Henrietta, Lorain county, O. Mr. Lawton was acquainted with the family of David Tyler, in Clarksfield. When Mr. Tyler lived in Henrietta he was a neighbor of Mr. Daley. Lawton was in the habit of making his headquarters at Mr. Tyler’s when he was courting. One Monday morning the Tyler boys overheard Mr. Lawton telling Mr. Tyler that he had proposed and been accepted. Mr. Tyler asked what Mr. Daley said, and the reply was, "the old man, he laughed." Of course the Tyler boys made the most of the remark, to the discomfiture of Mr. Lawton. Mr. and Mrs. Lawton began housekeeping in a house which stood near the bank of the race, in front of the present gristmill in Clarksfield. A son, Manley Chapin Lawton, was born to them here on May 5, 1838. Two or three years after the building of the mill here Mr. Lawton went to Canada to work on a mill and then moved to Venice, Erie county, O., where he repaired a mill. Their second son, Henry Ware Lawton, was born March 17, 1843, undoubtedly at Venice, although the father was working in Lucas county, and they moved there after the birth of the boy. A third son, George D., was born in 1848. In 1854 the family was living at Birmingham while the father was in California. The wife died there and the family was broken up. Mr. Lawton went to Indiana and died at Ft. Wayne in 1867. The eldest son, Manley, went to Texas and became a civil engineer. He was forced into the Confederate army and was captured. He went to California after the close of the war and died there.
Henry W. Lawton attended school at Ft. Wayne and enlisted in the 9th Indiana regiment in 1861, with the rank of sergeant and was promoted to the rank of brevet colonel at the close of the war, for gallantry on the field. He obtained a discharge and began the study of law, which was interrupted by his appointment as second lieutenant in the 41st U.S. Infantry. In 1886 he led the troops who captured the noted Apache chief, Geronimo, after a most exhausting campaign in the fastnesses of the mountains of Mexico. For this service he received the appointment of Inspector General. At the outbreak of hostilities with Spain in 1898 he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General of volunteers. He was chosen to open the military operations at Santiago and captured El Caney. He was one of the comissioners to arrange terms for the surrender of Santiago, Cuba. He was promoted to the rank of Major General in July, 1898, and in December was sent to the Phillipines where was very successful in his operations against the insurrectionists. On the 19th of December, 1899, he was shot through the heart at San Mateo, Luzon, while encouraging his men on the firing line. He was one of the most trusty of the generals in the field and great hopes were entertained that his influence would greatly help to put down the insurrection. He was an ideal soldier, of commanding presence, and one who obeyed orders without criticisms.
George D. Lawton, the third son, while a youth, entered the U.S. army just at the close of the war and received injuries in Indian territory which finally caused his death in 1871 at the home of his uncle, James Daley, in Clarksfield.
In 1837 Daniel and Charles Lawton, brothers of George, came to Clarksfield and worked on the mill. Daniel was married and bought a lot here and built a house on it, the one lately owned by Dolly Tremain. He died in Indiana. Charles had studied in the Norwalk Seminary, intending to enter the ministry, but he gave it up and worked with his brother as a millwright. In 1842 he was married to Abby Daley, a sister of Catharine. He and his wife died in Indiana.
Maria Lawton lived with her brother George in Clarksfield, for a time. She married and lived in New Haven township, Huron county, until her death in 1871.
Another sister, Hannah, was married to a man by the name of Dodge and they lived in Clarksfield on the Patch farm north of the Hollow, and also north of Ezra Wildman’s. She died at Port Clinton, O. A girl by the name of Ruth Dodge lived at Joseph Nickerson’s in 1844. She might have been a daughter of Hannah Dodge.
Abraham Edwards was a son of Abraham, son of John, son of Thomas Edwards of Wales, and was born at Worthington, Mass., May 6, 1783. He was married to Olivia Daniels Jan. 22, 1804. She was a daughter of Dan. Daniels and was born at Worthington, Nov. 19, 1786. They lived at Worthington until May, 1831, when they moved to Norwalk, O., living on the David Gibbs farm. In February, 1835, they moved to Clarksfield, settling on a farm one half mile east of Rowland’s corners, where Mrs. Beebe now owns. They built the first house on the place and this was the first house east of Rowland’s corners, in Clarksfield. Their children were all born in Massachusetts and their names were George G., 1st, Daniel, Philander, Lucy, Olivia, Mary, Ransloe D., Samuel, Louisa M., George G., 2nd and Ezra S.
The two elder sons remained Massachusetts, in fact, the elder George died before the second George was born. The rest of the children came to Norwalk with the parents. Philander, born in 1808 married Mary Keeler, of Norwalk, and died in 1874. Lucy, born in 1810, married Allen Brown and died in Dartford, Wis. in 1887. Olivia died in Norwalk in 1831. Mary, born in 1816, married Joseph Wilson, and is yet living at Toledo, Iowa. Ransloe D., born May 19, 1819, married Mary A. Book, of Norwalk, in 1842. They once lived on a farm north of the father’s farm, in Clarksfield, then moved to Norwalk about 1847. The widow still lives, near Milan. Samuel, born in 1821, came to Clarksfield and lived until 1854, then he went to Coldwater, Michigan and married Elizabeth Church, then went to Toledo, Iowa, and lived until his death in 1883. Louisa M., born in 1823, married John Nickerson, of Clarksfield, and is living at Kearney, Neb. George G., 2nd, born in 1827, married Lucy Ann Dowd, of Clarksfield and lived in Clarksfield until 1855, when he moved to Iowa and died in 1869. He became a Baptist preacher and was a chaplain during the civil war. Ezra S., born in 1829, married Louisa S. Phillips, a sister of the first wife of John McDonald, in 1851. He became a Baptist preacher. He moved to Toledo, Iowa, in 1855. They are yet living at Lorimor, Iowa.
About 1854 Abraham and Samuel Edwards went to Toledo, Iowa, and bought land, and moved there the next year, and also Philander, Ransloe, George and Ezra. The wife, Olivia, died there in 1865 and Abraham in 1872. Philander, Ransloe, Samuel and George all died at Toledo.
The Robert Edwards, who left an estate of 77 acres of land in New York City, (now valued at three hundred millions of dollars) was a great uncle of Abraham Edwards.
Samuel H. Gibson came here, probably from Greenwich, Ohio, about 1836, and boarded with Capt. Husted, but was soon married to Bathsheba Sheldon, of Greenwich. They lived in the upper part of the Tyler shop. He worked at cloth dressing, carding wool etc., in the lower part of the same building, his power being derived from a water wheel which received its water from the mill race. He afterward lived in a house across the street from Smith Starr’s, where Emma Spurrier now lives. Mr. Gibson was in partnership with Capt. Husted in the store from 1837 to 1841. The Tyler shop was destroyed by fire in 1841and Mr. Gibson soon moved to Wakeman township, then to Milan and finally to Greenwich. He might have worked for Silas Earl a short time after the shop burned. His children enumerated here in 1848, were Jerome, Mary and Isaac. Caleb Hendryx used to work for Mr. Gibson in the carding mill.
Captain Joab Squire was a sea captain, a native of Connecticut, and came to Florence in 1815. He was the father of sixteen children, three of whom, William, Virgil and Charles, became residents of Clarksfield. William married Pamelia Gray in 1837 and they lived north of Ezra Wildman’s. He was a basket maker and worked in the Tyler shop. They were the parents of six children, George, Annie, Hiram and three others, triplets, of whom two died in infancy and William grew to maturity. The family moved to Iowa in 1858 and came back a couple of years later. Mr. Squire died here and the family then moved to Grinnell, Iowa, where the mother died. Virgil Squire was born in Connecticut in 1808 and was married to Rebecca Peck, of Florence, about 1835. They began housekeeping in the old Husted store building, which stood near the sawmill race and here their eldest son, Charles, was born. Mr. Squire carried on a store in the small building which is now the back part of the Barnum store. He also built an ashery in 1835. In 1836 he became associated with George Lawton in the mercantile business and built a mill which will be described later. The business was a financial failure and Mr. Squire moved to Defiance, O., about 1842 and finally became well off. He died in 1874 and his wife in 1895. Their two sons, Charles and Edward are living in Defiance. Charles R. Squire lived in Sandusky. He died about 1855.
Zebina Russell lived on the east side of the New London road next south of Lyman Knapp’s, from about 1835 until his death between 1844 and 1850. His children were Charles, Henry, George, Almon, Delavan and Lucia. Charles, Almon and Delavan died in Fitchville. George died near Sandusky. His son, George, lives in Clarksfield. Henry lived in Fitchville but died in Clarksfield a few years ago. Lucia married Arthur W. Curtiss, of Fitchville, and died in the west. Zebina Russell married the widow, Electa Stocking, for a second wife, but they did not live together long.
Armon, or Harmon, Rusco lived in Norwalk in 1819 and in Bronson in 1822. He or another of the same name settled near the "plum swamp" on the west side of the Butler road south of Whitefox. He was a basket maker and found it difficult to make a living. He was one of the first members of the Whitefox church at its organization in 1837 and he used to exhort at some of the meetings. His children were Sarah, Alfred, William, Clara, Juliet, Nelson and Charles. Sarah married Mason Hand, a son of Enoch. Clara married Eppa Owen. Some time after 1844 the family moved to Hardin county, O. They were not related to Boughton Rusco.
Isaac Lawton (not of the family of George) came to Clarksfield in 1837 from New York state, and built a house at Rowland’s corners. He was interested in the foundry with John Hayes. After a few years he went back east.
Martin Pulver was a neighbor of Lawton and came here and lived in Lawton’s house for a short time, but went back east. He returned to Clarksfield in May, 1839, and bought out David Hinman, a short distance east of Clarksfield village, and lived there until 1843, when he sold out to Jonathan Huestis. He then bought out Benjamin Hill, across from the Methodist church, and lived here until his death. He was born at Cokake, N.Y., November 27, 1804, and died in 1880. His wife, Rebecca, died in 1860, at the age of 54. He then married Mrs. Tamzon (Rowland) Husted. Mr. Pulver was a mechanic and used to work with Norman Furlong at making grain cradles, fanning mills, wagons, etc. He was a fine man and enjoyed the respect of the entire community.
There were three Pixleys (not of the family of Eli) who came from Cataraugus county, N.Y., to Clarksfield with the Rounds family. They were Lott, his son Horace and grandson, Aaron L. They lived east of Rowland’s corners, just across the river. Lott was very fond of hunting foxes and used to spend much time at this sport when an old man. Aaron was married to Harriet Rounds, of Hartland, February 20, 1842. She died here a year or two later and he married Julaney Converse. About 1860 he went to California, abandoning his family. Their son, Henry, is yet living.
In 1837 Nelson Warren Phillips lived on a small farm south of James D. Smith’s and his brother, Hugh, lived on the William Bissell farm.
Myron Morris was the eldest son of John Morris, a half brother of Parley Post, who lived in Hartland just north of Mr. Post’s. He married Alvira Blodgett and lived in Clarksfield east of his father’s place in 1837. He moved to New London after a few years and lived until his death.
Abel D. Howe, a native of the state of New York, bought a piece of land in Clarksfield south of the farm of Peter Justice, in 1837. He probably did not live there but about this time, August, 1836, came to Clarksfield village and lived in the back part of the Husted store building, keeping a small stock of goods in the front room. In 1844 he bought the store which had been owned by the Vermillion & Ashland R. R. Co., at sheriff’s sale, for $400, and kept a store here for a short time. He was also interested in the marble business with John Hayes. In 1845 he moved into the house next west of the hotel. He was in company with George M. Cleveland in the manufacture of fanning mills. In 1850 he moved back to New York and a couples of years later to Lexington, Michigan, where he died in the 70’s. His wife was Harriet Solis, a daughter of David Solis and Elizabeth Cary, of Oneida county, N.Y., and she died a few years before her husband. Their children were Elizabeth, who married and died at Lexington, Amelia, who married Charles Hudson, one of the captors of Jefferson Davis, and who died many years ago; Anna, who died at Lexington, unmarried; Charles, living at Lexington; Fred and Frank, sailors on the lakes. The oldest son, Murray, died in 1838, at the age of 8 years.
Jonathan Higgins, a tinner by trade, and whose widow, Clarissa, married "Uncle Billy" Letson, lived here in 1837 and died on the farm next west of Ezra Gray’s. His daughter, Esther, married William Rounds.
Alva and Daniel Heath were sons of Arden Heath, of Washington county, N.Y. There were nine sons and four daughters in the family. Alva was born in 1800 and was married to Jane Frazier in April, 1820. They moved to Clarksfield as early as 1834 and possibly as early as 1833, living in a log house which stood on the corner where the Whitefox schoolhouse now stands. This house was burned and he then built a house near Dr. McMillan’s and lived there until about 1842, when he moved into a log house across the road from Jesse Wheeler’s just over the line in Wakeman township and lived there until 1853 or 54, when he moved to Sparta, Wis., where he died in 1834, he and wife having lived together nearly 64 years, and she lived until 1894. They had no children. Daniel Heath married Caroline Thompson, a descendant of Miles Standish, and they came to Clarksfield as early as 1837, taking up a farm at the Whitefox corners, afterwards owned by Layton Cunningham, now owned by John Lee. He carried on an ashery and his brother may have been in company with him. His children were William, Nathan, Mary, Jane, Amarilla and Frank. About 1845 he left Clarksfield moving to Palo, Michigan, in 1850-52. Mrs. Heath died in 1873 and Mr. Heath in 1889.
George Bolton lived near Ezra Wood’s from 1837 to 1843. He made brick on Mr. Wood’s farm.
Asa Gleason came here in 1837 and lived in the log house on Pamela Green’s farm and died there. His wife was a widow Peyton, the mother of James Rowland’s wife, and a sister of Robert Fulton, the famous inventor.
In 1837 Ezra Dunham came here and bought out John Day, who owned the farm south of that of Daniel Bills, now owned by W. H. Winans. He built the house now on the farm. He was twice married. The children of the first wife were Eliza P., who married W. H. Jaques and died at Joliet, Ill., in 1852; John H., who became a millionaire merchant and member of congress, at Chicago, and died a few years ago; Thomas P., who lived in Michigan a few years ago, and Ann. The children of the second marriage were Jane, who married a man by the name of King and went west; Delia, who married Levi Thomas, Jr., of Hartland, and died in 1863, and Samantha, who married Benajah Dolbee and died at Olena, some years ago. Mr. Dunham died in 1853 at the age of 63 and his widow died in New London in 1863 at the age of 64.
Asahel Dowd was a son of Asahel Dowd and Tabitha Peace and was born at Tyringham, Mass., Feb. 15, 1799. He was married to Fannie Morley in February, 1823. About 1830 he, with his parents moved to Wayne county, N. Y. In 1837 he moved to Clarksfield, purchasing 50 acres of land on the east side of the New London road, south of Cyrus Livermore’s. In 1850 he moved to Cook’s corners, Huron county, O., where he died in February, 1855. The wife, who was born in Massachusetts, February 24, 1794, died June 1, 1854, while on a visit in Clarksfield. She was a daughter of Derrick Morley and Thankful Morse. Their children were Sabrina M., born in 1824, married Charles Bunce, of Wakeman, and died at Toledo, Iowa, July 6, 1887; Harriet M., born in 1825, married Mr. White and died at Norwalk, O., in 1882; Lucy A., born in 1826, married George G. Edwards, of Clarksfield, and died at Toledo, Iowa, Sept. 6, 1860; William A., born in 1828, lives at Toledo, Iowa; Eleanor B., born in 1831, died in 1833; George Newton, born in 1835, lives at Carroll, Iowa; James Watson, born in Clarksfield in 1837, starved to death at Andersonville prison in 1864. Solomon Dowd voted here in 1838, but was no relative of Asahel.
Ira Day, (not a relative of Ephraim) lived on the Butler road from 1837 until 1840. He was a brother of Levi Bodwell’s second wife. He married Emily Cochran, a sister of Augustus Barrett’s wife. He went to Fremont and became insane. He died in Michigan.
John Converse was born in Otsego county, N.Y., in 1805. His wife, Margaret Maykee, was born in Delaware county, N.Y., in 1807. They came from Cataraugus county, N.Y., to Clarksfield, in 1837. They lived on the Medina road, east of Whitefox corners, then on the Butler road north of the corners, then just east of the Whitefox corners. Mr. Converse died there in 1888. His wife died at Rochester, O., in 1900. Their children were Julaney, who married Aaron L. Pixley and died in Clarksfield in 1861; James living at Urichsville, O.; Lewis, living in Iowa; Sumner, who was killed by the cars some years ago; Rachel, who lives at Rochester, O., and William, who married, 1st, Josephine States, 2nd, Mary Rounds, and died on the old homestead in 1899.
Ebenezer Sekins lived here from 1837 to 1839.
Thomas Frazier, of Highland Scotch descent was born in Ireland in 1769. He came to America in 1786. His first wife was Nancy McMillan, an aunt of Dr. McMillan. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom Margaret, Webster, Jane, John, Andrew, Agnes, Thomas and Mary came to maturity. The second wife was Levice Gorsline and they had five children, Alexander, George, Clinton, Elizabeth and Allen. Mr. Frazier came to Clarksfield some time prior to 1837, in which year he died in a log house which stood near the river on the Bodwell farm a half mile north of the village. After his death the family moved to Indiana and the widow died there in 1851. Margaret married Joseph McCumber and died in 1840. Webster and John married sisters and died in Indiana many years ago. Jane married Alva Heath and died at Sparta, Wis., in 1894, at the age of 94. Agnes, or "Nancy," as she was called, married Thomas F. Husted on February 3, 1835, in the little school house which stood just north of the river, at Clarksfield. She died in 1839. Andrew married Amanda Stone and they lived in Clarksfield, where he died in 1851, at the age of 35. Mary married S. Griswold and died at Sparta, Wis., at the age of 76. Alexander, who was apprenticed to Ephraim Day in 1840, went to California in 1849 and died there in a few years. George, who was apprenticed to Thomas F. Husted in 1839 and to Smith S. Gray in 1840, became a lawyer and lived at Warsaw, Ind. He represented his county in the state legislature and was appointed Governor of one of the territories, but died in 1872, at the age of 48, before he entered upon the duties of his office. Clinton died at Litchfield, Minn., in 1878, at the age of 50. Elizabeth married a Mr. Needham and died at Mishawaka, Ind., in 1899. Ellen married a Mr. Baintree and died at South Bend, Ind., in 1858.
Dr. G.H. Darling lived here in 1837 and another Dr. Darling lived in the Dr. Bunce house after the doctor moved away.
Thomas Southwell was a blacksmith and lived in Clarksfield village from 1837 to 1845. In 1844 he bought a house of S. H. Gibson but sold it the next year to Albert Buckley. He moved to a small town near Cincinnati, but was superintendent of the Infirmary at Sandusky, O., in 1857. He had a son, George, when he lived here.
Josiah Coats came from Buffalo, N.Y., to Clarksfield in February, 1837 and lived in two or three different houses, in a log house south of Hiel Scott’s, on the old Ira Peck place, and at the Hollow. In the next year he bought a place east of New London and lived there until his death. The children who came here were Harmon, Ransom, Jael, John, Reuben, Julia A., Nancy A., Frank and Dynatha. Malvina was born here in October, 1837. Benjamin Ranson Coats was married to Mary Ann Webb, Feb. 26, 1838. They lived in this township for a time. Reuben lived here in 1841 and John in 1844. Only two of the Coats children are living.
Lewis Scott was a bother of Isaac C. Scott and came from Connecticut. He lived in Clarksfield in 1837, part of the time in a log house west of Ransom Day’s and part of the time across the road from Ezra Rowland’s. He had three children, Cynthia, who was the first wife of Albert Judson, of Florence, Lyman, who died in Wakeman a few yeas ago, and Alexander D., who lived in Clarksfield for a number of years but now lives in Cleveland. Mr. Scott died in Wakeman and his wife, who was Sliza Young, died in Florence.
Thomas Barkdull was the youngest son of Joseph and Mary Barkdull and was born in Columbiana county, O., June 24, 1813. In 1829 he left his home and went to Wooster, Ohio, and in 1834 attended school at the Norwalk Seminary. In February, 1834, he was licensed to exhort and the next year was licensed to preach and was admitted on trial in the Ohio Conference (Methodist) and was appointed to the Elyria circuit. On October 11, 1836 he was married to Caroline Hendry, of Elyria. His next appointment was to Norwalk and in 1837 he came to Clarksfield. He bought ¾ of an acre of land of Andrew Frazier a little east of Dr. McMillan’s and across the road. He built a house on the land but lived here only a year or two. While he was the pastor of the M. E. church here, the society built a church, largely through his efforts, which building is still standing and is still the home of the M.E. church. After this time he had different appointments in northern Ohio. He died at Mt. Vernon, O., January 4, 1869.
William Barnes and wife and a family of nine children came to Clarksfield in 1837 and lived on the road east of Milton Bissell’s on the farm owned by David Fox at his death. The children were Anson, John, George, Robert, William, Louis, Mary Ann, Sarah and Edmund. John lived on the Butler road on what is known as the Newhall farm. His children were Emiline, Cortes, Silas, Melinda, Angeline and Frances. Emeline married Joseph Nickerson, Melinda married Abraham Hand, Angeline married William Cunningham, Silas married Elizabeth Clark. The family moved to Michigan, where the parents died. Anson also went to Michigan and his relatives have lost track of him. George married a Minkler girl, from Berlin and they had son, Seymour. They moved to Michigan in 1859, where they died. He was called "Devil George" because he was so full of fun and to distinguish him from another George in Wakeman. Robert was married to Mary (Polly) Twaddle January 31, 1839 and they lived on the farm next west of the father’s until his death in 1832, at the age of 75. Their children were Emily, Nancy, Jane, John and Frank. Emily and Frank died years ago. John lived on the homestead until his death in 1901. Nancy Jane married J. M. Byron and after his death, Edwin Prosser and lives in Wakeman township. William Barnes married Helen Bissell in 1837 and they lived on the farm next east of the father’s, but later moved to the Sturgess Hayes farm on the Butler road, where he died in 1886 at the age of 76. Their children were Melissa, who married John Haynes and died some years ago; Wealthy Ann, married John Howard and died in 1902; Charles, who lives on the old place, unmarried, and Johua B., who married Belle Kemp and also lives on the old place. Louis Barnes moved to Michigan in 1853. He had five children, Mary, George, Louis, Frisby and Harriet. Mary Ann Barnes was married to Delos Battle January 31, 1839 and lived in Brighton, Ohio, where she was killed by being thrown from a carriage. Sarah, or "Aunt Sally" as she was called, never married but lived with her relatives and died not many years ago. Edmund Barnes married in the state of New York and lived on the father’s place, but moved to Indiana in 1846. They had a family of eleven children. William Barnes, the elder, and his wife moved from here to Camden township, where the wife died and he then went to Michigan to live with Louis and died there.
End of Pages 101 - 110
Transcribed by Lowell Dunlap