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EDWIN BARBER, retired farmer, P. 0. Brimfield, was born in Litchfield, Conn., June 28, 1797; son of Joseph and Abigail (Coe) Barber. On May 8, 1819, he arrived in Brimfield Township, this county, but in January, 1820, revisited Connecticut, returning to Brimfield Township in 1822, and settling on the farm where he now resides and which he cleared and improved. He was married, August 5, 1823, to Elvira, daughter of Nathan and Sarah Benedict, of Cornwall, Conn., by whom he had three children: Frederick (deceased), Ozias, and Elvira (deceased). Ozias is a resident of Akron, Ohio, and married to Harriet Campbell, of Tallmadge. Mr. Barber is one of the few pioneers now left in Brimfield Township. After a wedded life of nearly sixty-one years, he lost his wife, who died, May 9, 1884, in her eighty-second year. Mr. Barber has been a member of the Baptist Church over fifty years. He has been Justice of the Peace of Brimfield Township one term. In politics he is a Republican.


ELI E. BENEDICT, farmer, P. 0. Kent., was born in Litchfield, Conn., March 8, 1828, son of Eli and Marcella (Stoddard) Benedict. His maternal grandfather, Levi Stoddard, was an early settler of Perry, Lake County, and in 1830 removed to Brimfield Township, this county. The parents of our subject settled in what is now Northampton, Summit Co., Ohio, in 1830, where his father cleared and improved a farm on which he lived until his death in 1876; he died at the age of seventy-seven. His widow then removed to Brimfield Township, this county, and resided with the subject of this sketch until her death, March 8, 1884; she died at the age of eighty-five. They had a family of fourteen children of whom grew to manhood and womanhood: Levi (deceased), Matilda (Mrs. George Allen), Melissa (Mrs. A. Cummings), William, Eli E., Henry, Edwin, Lewis (deceased), Martha (deceased), and Charlotte. Our subject lived in Northampton until 1842, since when he has been a reiident of Brimfield Township, this county, living on the old homestead of his grandfather, Levi Stoddard. He was married in 1851 to Harriet, daughter of Horace and Harriet Barton, of Shalersville, by whom he has four children: Julia (Mrs. A. Wilder), Charles, Albert and Lucy. Mr. Benedict is one of the representative farmers of this county. In politics a Democrat.


JOHN BOOSINGER, farmer, P. 0. Brimfield, was born in Brimfield Township, this county, May 8, 1818, son of John and Barbara (Williard) Boosinger, who settled here in 1816. Mr. Boosinger was raised on his father's farm, one mile west of Brimfield Center, where he resided until he was twenty-three years of age. He has been twice married, first, November 4, 1845, to Caroline, daughter of Conrad and Mary C. (Kline) Neff, by whom he had two children: Vernon L., born July 16, 1847, and Lucy C., born March 5, 1853, married to George H. Meachem July 31, 1879. Mrs. Caroline Boosinger died April 10, 1853; aged twenty-nine years, and August 1, 1853, Mr. Boosinger was married to Juliett Neff, sister of his deceased wife, who has borne him three children: Edward C., ,born April '7, 1854, married Miss Mary E. Spencer, December 24, 1884; Omer C., born January 5, 1858, married Emma J. Brown March 9, 1882, and Zaidee B., born January 29, 1863, married Will M. Moulton November 21, 1882. Mr. Boosinger is a Democrat in politics; has


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had a family of eleven children: .Rebecca, born April 15, 1815; Henry and John (twins), born November 20, 1816, and died respectively February 15, 1832, and April 20, 1817; Mary A., born November 21, 1818; Sarah, born May 24, 1820; Samuel, born June 25, 1821, and died December 18, 1825; Caroline, born December 27, 1823, and died April 11, 1853; La Fayette, born in November, 1826, died August 2, 1828; Juliette, born February 3, 1829; John, born January 22; 1831, and died February 13, 1885, in Osceola, Iowa and Lucy Ann, born October 20, 1834. The father of this family was reared in the Presbyterian faith, though in later years of his life he became more of a Universalist in thought. He died December 5, 1866, aged seventy-two years, ten months and nineteen days; his wife died July 15, 1865, aged seventy-two years, seven months and five days. She was reared in the Lutheran faith. Both are buried in Brimfield.


HIRAM G. BRIGGS, farmer, P. 0. Brimfield, was born in Palmyra Township, this county, May 25, 1835, son of Asa and Abigail (Tuttle) Briggs, the former of whom was a native of Vermont and an early settler of Ravenna, where he cleared a farm, afterward settling in Palmyra, where he also cleared and improved a farm, and in 1845 removed to Iowa, where he died the following year at the age of sixty-nine. Asa Briggs was twice married; by his first wife, nee Miss Williams, he had four children: Lestina, Sarah, Emily and Ira. His second wife was Abigail Tuttle, of Palmyra, by whom he had three children, Hiram G. being the only one now living. Our subject returned to this county immediately after his father's death, and served an apprenticeship at the shoe-maker's trade, which he followed up to 1859. He was married, March 4, 1859, to Lucy A., daughter of Conrad and Mary C. (Kline) Neff, of Brimfield Township, this county, by whom he has three children: Norris, C. Clark and Mary G. Mr. Briggs located his farm in Brimfield Township in 1859, where he has since resided. He has held various minor township officer, and served as Trustee two terms. He is a F. & A. M. In politics a Democrat.


REUBEN BROBST, wool buyer, Brimfield, was born in Lehigh County, Penn., January 22, 1824, sum of Daniel and Mary (Brobst) Brobst. His paternal grandfather was Michael Brobst, of Lehigh County, and a farmer by occupation, and his maternal grandfather was John Brobst, of same county, a prominent farmer and merchant. Our subject was reared in Lehigh County until sixteen years of age. He then went to Washington, Penn., where he served an apprenticeship of five years at the tinner's trade. In 1847 he settled in Brimfield, this county, and worked at his trade in connection with putting up eaves troughs, for fifteen years. He then embarked in his present business, in which he has since been profitably engaged. Mr. Brobst was married in 1848, to Orra, daughter of Nathaniel Packard, an early settler of Brimfield Township, and by this union there are four children: Electa, wife of Henry Ewell; Orpha, wife of Peter Snyder; Alice and Edward D. Mr. Brobst is a F. & A. M. In politics a prominent Democrat.


JACOB BROWN, retired farmer, Brimfield, was born in Marlboro, Stark Co., Ohio, March 28, 1818, and is a son of John and Catherine (Niswwanger) Brown, who settled in Stark County when it was a wilderness, and cleared and improved the farm on which they lived and died. Our subject was reared on his father's farm and received a limited education. He was married in 1841, to Lavinia, daughter of John and Sarah Baumbarger, of Stark County, by whom he had six children, three now living: Frank, a physician in Petoskey, Mich.; Amanda, wife of Jacob Kline, in Fianklin Township, and Emma J., wife of Homer Boosinger, in Brimfield. Mr. Brown settled in Rootstown in 1842, where he cleared and improved a farm of 225 acres, on


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which he resided up to 1881, when he removed to Brimfield Center, and here he has erected an elegant residence. He is independent in politics; a worthy citizen.


SAMUEL BUELL, farmer, P. 0. Kent, was born in Berks County, Penn., June 11, 1809; son of Samuel and Barbara (Godfrey) Buell, who settled in Columbiana County, Ohio, in 1826, and lived and died there. They had eleven children, of whom but two are now living—Elijah and Samuel. Our subject was married, November 14, 1833, to Catherine, daughter of George and Catherine (Esker) Freebye, of Coventry, Ohio, and the issue of this union has been six children: Henry A., killed in the ;ate war of the Rebellion; Maria (deceased); George; Annetta (Mrs. Eli Leonard); Marvin (deceased); and Samuel, Jr. The latter settled in the southeastern part of Brimfield Township, this county, in 1834, where he cleared and improved a farm. In 1838 he

removed to Shalersville, where be lived until 1847, and then returned and located on the farm where he now resides. Mr. Buell and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Kent. In politics he is a Republican.


JOSEPH L. CARRIER, farmer and Justice of the Peace, P. 0. Brimfield, was born on the farm where he now resides, November 24, 1839; son of Lucius and Orilla (Emerson) Carrier. His paternal grandfather was Elisha Carrier, a native of Connecticut, who settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1835, on the farm now owned by our subject, a part of which he cleared and improved. He lost his mind in the latter part of his life, and died in August, 1845, at the age of seventy-seven years. The maternal grandfather of our subject was Joseph Emerson, a native of Vermont, and a soldier of the Revolution. Lucius Carrier died in 1842, at the age of twenty-two and his widow in 1862, at the age of fifty-two. Our subject, who is their only child, was married, June 13, 1861, to Mary M., daughter of Benjamin 0. and Catherine (Caris) Edson, of Rootstown, this county, by which union there are five children: Arthur W., Elmer E., Joseph M., Frederick L. and Ethel I. Mr. Carrier has given his children the best educational advantages. His three eldest sons are now teachers, Arthur W. being Principal of the select school in Brimfield and considered one of the best egicators in the county. Mr. Carrier has held the office of Town Clerk and other minor offices, and is now serving his sixth consecutive term as Justice of the Peace. He is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity; in politics be is a Democrat.


JACOB CARSON, farmer, P. 0. Kent, was born in Dauphin County, Penn., November 26, 1817; son of John and Catherine (Vance) Carson, who settled in what is now Berlin, Mahoning Co., Ohio, in 1831, where they cleared and improved a farm. They were owners of several other large farms in that county, where they lived and died. The father of our subject, who served in the war of 1812, was of Scotch descent, a son of George Carson and a cousin of the celebrated scout, Kit Carson. Our subject went to Mahoning County when fourteen years of age, and when twenty-five years, old moved to the farm in Berlin OD which his father had first settled, where he remained for seven years. In 1849 he settled in Deerfield Township and improved the farm there on which he resided for sixteen years. In 1865 he removed to Brimfield Township, to the farm he now owns and where he has since resided. He was married, November 27, 1843, to Elizabeth, daughter of Jonathan and Ellen Kinsey, of Columbiana County, Ohio, by whom he had eight children: Annetta, wife of Samuel Risk; Mary, wife of Frederick Edson; Catherine, wife of W. D. Roth; Oliver P.; Helen A., wife of Albert Shuman; Cecelia, wife of Marcy Russ; Charles; and Josephine, wife of Warren Meloy. Mr. Carson is one of the representative farmers of Brimfield Township. He has served the township as Trustee two terms. In politics he has always been a Democrat.


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CONSTANT CHAPMAN (deceased) was born in Westbrook, Conn., December 27, 1761; a son of Deacon Jedediah Chapman, Jr., and a descendant of Robert Chapman (of the seventh generation) who was a son of Robert Chapman, Sr., born in 1616 and who came from Hull, England, to Boston, Mass., in 1635, settling in Saybrook, Conn., in November of the same year; and died October 10, 1687. Our subject, when sixteen years of age, chose the occupation of a sailor, and followed the seas up to the time he settled in Brimfield, in 1821, and for runny years was a ship Captain; during the war of the Revolution and while in the marine service, he was taken prisoner by the French Government and his ship and cargo confiscated. He was taken to the Island of Guadeloupe and kept a prisoner over a year, when he was exchanged. The American Government afterward made the French pay for the loss of his vessel and cargo. He was married, January 27, 1785, to Jemima, daughter of Silas Kelsey, of Killingworth, Conn., by whom he had nine children: Lydia K. (deceased); Thurot F. (deceased); John K. (deceased); Anna F. (deceased); Chloe P., wife of Henry Smith; Mary C. (deceased); Joseph G. (deceased); Jemima T., wife of Gardner Wing, and Henry C. (deceased). Mr. Chtipman was the first Postmaster of Brimfield, and died here in 1847, aged eighty-six years.


CONSTANT H. CHAPMAN, farmer, P. 0. Brimfield, was born February 24, 1825, in Brimfield Township, this county; son of Joseph G. and Elizabeth (Boszor) Chapman, who had a family of five children: Constant H., Mary (wife of Stephen Webster), Leory M., Thurot K., Elects E. (wife of George W. Bow). Joseph G. Chapman was a native of Connecticut and settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1820, clearing and improving the farm now owned by his daughter, Mrs. Stephen Webster, where he lived and died. Our subject's paternal grandfather was Constant Chapman, a native of Westbrook, Conn., who settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1821; his maternal grandfather, Henry Boszor, a native of Maryland, settled in Brimfield Township in 1816. Our subject has always lived in Brimfield, with the exception of two years that he resided in Illinois. He has been twice married. By his first wife, Permelia, daughter of Lybia and Julia (Minard) Underwood, of this township, he had one child—Morris S. On June 28, 1863, he married his present wife, Elizabeth, daughter of John and Jane (McCloughan) Warner, of Suffield, this county, by whom he has two children—Nellie and Edd. Mr. Chapman has owned several farms in Brimfield Township, and has made many improvements on them. He served the township as Justice of the Peace for fifteen years; in politics he is a Democrat.


MORRIS S. CHAPMAN, farmer, P. 0. Brimfield, was born April 14, 1850, in Brimfield, this county; son of Constant H. and Permelia (Underwood) Chapman. His paternal grandfather, Joseph G. Chapman, settled in Brimfield in 1820, and was a son of Constant Chapman, a native of Westbrook, Conn., who settled in Brimfield in 1821. His maternal grandfather, Lydia Underwood, a son of Alpheus Underwood, settled in Brimfield in 1817. Our subject was reared in Brimfield Township and educated in its common and select schools, and took a course in the Commercial Department of Mt. Union College. He was married October 4, 1871, to Viola A., daughter of Russell R., a native of Providence, R. I., and Mary A. (Wolcott) Ross, of Kent, this county, by whom he has two children: J. P. Ionia., born December 1, 1875, and Aimee R., born November 16, 1883. Mr. Chapman has always been engaged in farming, and prior to 18'75 also taught school seven consecutive winters. He is a member of the K. of P.; was elected to the office of Justice of the, Peace in April, 1883; in politics he is a Democrat.


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JAMES F. DAVIDSON, farmer, P. 0. Brimfield, was born in Buffalo Valley, Union Co., Penn., February 19, 1809; son of William and Mary (Forester) Davidson, who settled in Springfield, Summit Co., Ohio, in 1816, where they remained four years, settling in the spring of 1820 in Brimfield Township, this county, on Lot 52, now owned by J. W. Sherman, where they built a log-house and barn and cleared about thirty acres. They lived here eleven years, when they moved to the farm now owned by Joseph Fitch, and there lived and died. They had nine children: Jane H., Dorcas F., Betsey C., James F., Hetty M., John F., Mary M., William F. and Harriet T., all now deceased but James F. Our subject located on the farm where he now resides in

1859, and that portion of Lot 58 now included in his farm he cleared and improved himself. He is one of the representative farmers and citizens of Brimfield Township. In politics he is a Republican.


JOHN EVITTS, farmer, P. 0. Kent, was boin in Lancaster County, Penn., Januery 24, 1827; son of Daniel and *Sarah (Stone) Evitts, who were the parents of six children: Margaret, wife of Perry Merton; Mary, wife of Samuel Cotton (deceased); Magdalena, wife of Martin Brazor (deceased); John, Joseph (deceased) and David. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Evitts located in Springfield Township (now in Summit County), in 1832, clearing and improving a farm on which they lived until 1842, when they settled in Brimfield Township, this county, on the farm now owned by William Gettes, which they cleared and improved, and where they lived and died. Our subject remained with his parents until nineteen years of age, and for the succeeding four years worked by the month as a farm hand. He was married February 21, 1850, to Catherine, daughter of Joseph Williard, who settled on the farm now occupied by our subject in 1826. To this union were born three children: Electa C., wife of Thomas Lighton; Ida C., wife of Frank W. Koon (deceased); and Flora A. (deceased). There are three grandchildren: Clyde E. Lighton, Evitts G. P. Boon and Frank W. Koon, Jr. Mr. Evitts has served his township one term as Trustee. In politics he is a Democrat.


AARON FERREY, farmer, P. 0. Kent, was born in Belchertown, Mass., July 6, 1808, a son of Aaron and Elizabeth (Gilbert) Ferrey, who settled in Franklin Township, this county, in 1831. His father located on the farm now owned by Harley Judson, most of which he improved, and here he resided up to 1850, when he removed to what is now Kent and there lived until his death. By his first wife, Elizabeth Gilbert, of Belchertown, Mass., Aaron Ferrey, Sr., had eleven children: Eliza (deceased), Aaron, Moses (deceased), Mary (deceased), George (deceased), John (deceased), Ann (wife of George Williams, in Wisconsin), William, Charles (in Indiana), Emeline (deceased) and Frank. His second wife was Mrs. Mary McPherson, nee Dickinson, by whom he had two children: Eliza, wife of Henry Swan, and Byron. Aaron Ferrey, Sr., died in 1860, at the age of seventy-eight years. Our subject was reared in Amherst, Mass., until ten years of age, when his parents removed to Virginia, there they remained five years and then returned to Amherst, and here his father engaged in the manufacture of brick, our subject assisting him until twenty-one years of age, when he embarked in the same business for himself, which he continued for several years in different sections of New England. On May 9, 1837, he was married to Judith, daughter of George and Judith (Hastings) Nutting, of Amherst, Mass., by whom he has had eight children: George W., Charles E. (deceased), Mary E. (deceased), Frank H., Julia A., Fred A., Will D. and John H. In 1842 Mr. Ferrey came to Portage County and engaged in the manufacture of brick in Franklin, furnishing the material for the large building now known as Kent Worsted Mills. In 1846 he removed to Franklin


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Mills (now Kent), where he resided for twenty years, doing an extensive business, and in 1866 he located in Brimfield, on the farm where he now resides, and in connection with farming, carried on a brick-yard up to 1880, when his sons took charge of that department. Mr. and Mrs. Ferrey and daughters are members of the Congregational Church. In politics he is a Republican.


REUBEN HART, farmer, P. 0. Brimfield, was born in Goshen, Litchfield Co., Conn., May 2, 1803, son of Reuben and Ruth (Ives) Hart and grandson of Nathaniel Hart, of Wallingford, Conn., a carpenter and cabinet-maker by trade. Our subject was reared on his father's farm in Goshen, Conn., and learned the carpenter's trade of his father, which occupation he followed many years after he came to Brimfield Township. He settled here in 1826 on the farm now occupied by his son Charles, where he resided up to 1864, when he purchased the farm adjoining, and here he has lived ever since. Mr. Hart was married July 2, 1829, to Nancy A., daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Hotchkiss) Law, formerly of Woodbridge, Conn., who settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1818, and to this union have been born four children, two of whom are now living: Charles and Lois (Mrs. Edwin J. Glass). Charles married Eleanor Stillwell, of Brimfield Township, this county, October 27, 1863, and had four children, three of whom are now living: M. Gertrude, Harry S. and Jennie L. Mr. and Mrs. Hart are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has filled several offices in the gift of his township, and served as Justice of the Peace one term. In politics he is a Republican.


HENRY KING, farmer and iron manufacturer, P. 0. Kent, was born in Franklin Township, this county, in June, 1833, son of Robert and Rhoda (Bishop) King, who had a family of three children: Henry, Charles and Helen A., wife of Henry Heyd. His paternal grandfather, William King, a native of Hampden County, Mass., settled in Ravenna, Portage Co., Ohio, in 1811. He was the owner of a large tract of land in Charlestown Township, which he had purchased of the Western Reserve Land Company, and lived there a year or more, disposing. of the same in parcels. He returned to Ravenna in 1814, and engaged in hotel business up to 1839, and was one of the best known landlords in this part of the State at that time. He died in 1843, aged about sixty-five years. He had four children: Robert, deceased; John B., deceased; Eli P., deceased, and Mary, wife of Dr. A. Woodworth, now of St. Louis. Robert, his eldest son, resided in Ravenna nearly all his life. He was a prominent farmer and business man, and was at one time engaged in bank. ing, dealing also in live stock on an extensive scale. His wife was a daughter. of Deacon Bishop, of Blandford, Mass. Our subject was reared in Ravenna from five years of age, and there received a liberal education for his day, being principally educated by Mr. Calhoun, a Yale graduate and relative of John C. Calhoun, of South Carolina. In 1850 he was engaged in the Civil Engineer Corps of the C. & P. R. R., with whom he remained one year, and then was employed in the locomotive works at Cleveland for four years. He was married February 11,. 1856, to Rebecca, daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Antrim) Sharp, of Salem, Ohio. In 1855 Mr. King went to Salem, Ohio, and embarked in the foundry and machine business there for fifteen years, and during that time, in connection with Pittsburgh parties, was also engaged in the manufacture of pig iron in Columbiana County, Ohio, and in Armstrong County, Penn., in which he is still interested. He was a resident of Pittsburgh for ten years, and in the fall of 1883 located in Brimfield Township, this county, on the farm where he now resides. In politics Mr. Bing is a Republican.


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ALMON LANPHARE, farmer, P. 0. Brimfield, was born September 25, 1821, in Brimfield Township, this county, son of Abner H. and Sophia (Moulton) Lanphare, who had eight children: an infant son (deceased), Almon, Eunice (deceased), Eliza A., Nathan (deceased), infant twins (deceased) and Martha a O. Abner H. Lanphare was a native of Woodstock, Vt., came to Brimfield Township, this county, in October, 1816, and the following winter taught the first public school in Franklin Township, this county. He afterward bought 200 acres of land in Brimfield Township (a part of which is now owned and occupied by our subject), clearing and improving a farm on which he lived, and died October 4, 1879, in his eighty-fourth year. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Jeremiah Moulton, settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1817. Almon Lanphare was reared in Brimfield Township, where he has always resided. He has been twice married, his first wife being Caoline, a daughter of Peletiah and Hannah Bard,of Brimfield, and by her he had two children: Charles, who served through the late war of the Rebellion and died, of consumption six months after his discharge, and Henry A.,

deceased. His present wife is Flora A., daughter of Col. Bissell and Artemesia Austin, of Randolph Township, this county. By this union there are two children, Jennie and Stella. Mr. Lanphare and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has held various offices in the gift of the township, in politics he is a Democrat


AARON P. MALLORY, farmer and carpenter, P. 0. Kent, was born in Brimfield Township, this county, March 14, 1821, son of Benjamin and Johanna (Harris) Mallory, natives of Litchfield County, Conn., who settled here in 1817 on the farm now owned by our subject, and which they cleared and improved. They were the parents of four children: Margarett Ann, deceased; Aaron P.; Benjamin, deceased, and B. 0. Plymton, deceased. Benjamin Mallory died October 18, 1859, aged seventy-one years, and his wife October 18, 1848. Our subject was reared on the old homestead, where he has always resided, and was married December 24, 1848, to Fidelia E., daughter of James and Betsey (Avery) Blake, formerly of Cornwall, Litchfield Co., Conn. and who settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1826, locating half a mile east of Brimfield Center, where they cleared said improved a farm, on which they resided until Mr. Blake's death; he died March 7, 1872, at the age of seventy-three years. His widow died in 1881, aged eighty years. They reared a family of six children: Orville, a clergyman of the Free-Will Baptist Church, who was a Representative in the Ohio Legislature for four years (now deceased), Fidelis E., Buel A., Sherman M. (deceased), Judson A. and Charlotte (wife of John I. Hastings). Mr. and Mrs. Mallory are the parents of four children: Frank N., deceased; Emma J., wife of A. T. Nighman; Nettie, wife of Cyrus Osborn, and Benjamin. Our subject has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since he was fourteen years of age. In politics he is a a Republican.


JAMES MOULTON, farmer, P. 0. Brimfield, was born May 30, 1825, in Brimfield Township, this county, son of Augustus and Sarah (Osborn) Moulton, who were the parents of three children: Louisa A. wife of Silas Shannon (have four children living: Maria, Warren, Charlie and Josie, latter wife of Richard Bunker), Warren (now deceased) and James. Augustus Moulton settled on a quarter section of land (a part of which is now owned by our subject and his sister, Mrs. Silas Shannon,) in 1822, where he cleared a farm from what was an unbroken wilderness and lived there until his death. He died in 1863, at the age of sixty-five years. Our subject's paternal grandfather was Jeremiah Moulton, a native of Munson, Mass., who settled in Brimfield in 1817, clearing


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and improving a farm where he lived the balance of his life. He was a prominent man in his day, and served the county as Associate Judge for seven years. He reared a family of ten children: George (deceased), Augustus (deceased), Anson (deceased), 'William J., Sullivan, Lucy (wife of John Abels), Nancy (deceased), Sophia (deceased), Betsey (wife of Chauncey Tupper) and Emily. (deceased). The maternal grandfather of our subject was Peter Osborn, of Connecticut, and whose sons, Peter and Joseph, settled in Brimfield in 1821, where they lived for many years. James Moulton, the subject of this sketch was reared on the home farm where he has always resided, with the exception of seven years, during which he lived in Suffield, this county. He married, March 11, 1843, Betsey, daughter of Russell and Betsey (Jones) Meacham, of Suffield Township, this county, by whom he has had the following children: Martha E., wife of John Sylvester; Sarah A., wife of George Maloy (have one child—Clarence A.); Minnie A., wife of E. Ladenslayer (have one daughter— Nellie); Cora, wife of Calvin Miller (have two children: James I. and Clara A.); William M.; Emma W.; Bertha A., and Hannah R. (deceased). Mr. Moulton has served his township as Justice of the Peace one term. In politics he has always been a stanch Democrat.


JOHN Q. MOULTON, farmer, P. 0. Brimfield, was born on the farm where he now resides, November 14, 1846; son of Elbridge G. and Almira J. (Dunning) Moulton. His paternal grandfather, Harrison Moulton, settled in 1817 on the farm now owned by our subject, which he cleared and improved. He had six children: Wyles, William (deceased), Elbridge G. (deceased), Susan (deceased), Maria (Mrs. Albert Underwood), Sophia (Mrs. Albert Dawley). Elbridge G. had three children—A. Jeannette (Mrs. J. W. Sherman), Lucy M. (deceased), and John Q. Our subject has always resided on the old homestead. He was married, January 4, 1871, to Eliza A., daughter of Elias and Mary A. Heckman, of Brimfield Township, this county, by whom he has one child, Nina E. Mr. Moulton is a representative farmer and citizen of Brimfield Township. In politics he is a Republican.


JOSEPH P. PARKER, butter and cheese manufacturer, Brimfield, was born in Windsor, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, June 30, 1818; son of Daniel and Sarah (Bartlett) Parker, natives of East Windsor, Conn., who settled in Ash- tabula County, in 1813, where Mr. Parker cleared and improved a farm on which he resided up to 1832. He afterward lived in different parts of the State, and died in Ashtabula County, in 1852, at the age of seventy-eight years. Our subject came to Shalersville, this county, in 1837, and here for three years worked by the month; the three years following this he rented a farm in the same township, and then purchased a small farm in Shalersville Township, where he lived until 1849, and then removed to Michigan. In 1851 he engaged in farming in Streetsboro Township, this county, where he remained up to 1876, then located in Brimfield Township, and embarked in his present business of manufacturing butter and cheese. He has been twice married; on first occasion, September 9, 1842, to Harriet, daughter of Newton and Molly (Hotchkiss) Morris, early settlers of Shalersville Township, this county. By this union there were two children: Alice, wife of William Beasley, and Ellen, wife of Joseph Quinn. On January 1, 1859, Mr. Parker married Annie, daughter of James and Lucy (Barber) Rose, of Kent, who bore him six children: Frank, Hattie, Addie (deceased), Willie, Lettie and Eleanor (deceased). Mr. Parker is a F. & A. M. In politics he is a Democrat.


EDWARD PARSONS (deceased), who was a pioneer of Brimfield Township, this county, was born in Northampton, Mass., March 14, 1797, son of Moses and Esther (Kingsley) Parsons, also natives of Massachusetts. The


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Parsons family is a very old one and the name appears often in the early history of the old Bay State. They were originally of English extraction. The subject of this sketch lived in his native village until a man grown, in the meantime learning the trade of his father, that of a carpenter and joiner. At this place, when about twenty-nine years of age, he made the acquaintance of Miss Clementine Janes, then teaching school at Northampton, a daughter of Peleg Cheney and Martha (Coy) Janes, of Brimfield, Hampden Co., Mass., where Mr. Janes was a large mill owner. The Janeses were of English extraction, and the Coys of Irish origin, though both families for generations previous were natives of Massachusetts or Connecticut. This acquaintance resulted in the marriage of Mr. Parsons with Miss Janes on January 1, 1828, and two years and a half afterward Mr. Parsons with his wife and son, Edward A., born in Northampton, Hampshire County, Mass., January 25, 1829, moved to Ohio, iand first settled at Brecksville, Cuyahoga County, for one year; thence went to Cleveland, remaining six months, and finally, in the fall 1831, took up their residence in the township of Brimfield, Portage County, here Mr. Parsons worked at his trade at odd intervals, but never to any extent, making farming his main occupation, at which he was very successful, for although buying only fifty acres at the start, he afterward became the owner of 200 or more acres near the village of Brimfield. He was one of the most substantial and highly respected citizens of the township. In 1868 he retired from active farming, and moved to 'Kent, where he resided until his death, April 6, 1874. He was from early manhood a devoted member of the Episcopal Church (as was his wife), himself and a Mr. Cogswell being the founders of the first church organization of this denomination in his native village of Northampton, Hampshire Co., Mass., where he was Junior Warden. At Kent

he took the same interest, and was one of the organizers of the Episcopal Church in the village, and for the erection of this house of worship he contributed liberally of his means and served as Church Warden for many years. In politics he was originally a Whig, and in sentiment a believer in liberty and the equal rights of man, and on the formation of the Republican party, he always acted and voted with that party. On the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, two of his sons volunteered and served in the Union Army: Timothy G., for four years, most of the time in the Quartermaster's Department; and William C., for ten months as an artilleryman. Mr. and Mrs. Parsons reared a family of six children: Edward A., born January 25, 1829; Timothy G., born September 17, 1832; Harriet J., born June 24, 1835, died October 2, 1876; Martha Kingsly, born April 1, 1838; William Cheney, born February 19, 1841;' Clementine, born September 30, 1843. All the children were born in Brimfield, Ohio, except Edward A., who was born at Northampton, Mass. Mrs. Parsons is now eighty-two years of age, and is an exceedingly amiable and worthy lady, well preserved for her years, retaining all her faculties. She resides with her daughter, now Mrs. Clementine Barber, wife of Charles H. Barber, the present Postmaster of Kent.


JOSEPH RUSS, farmer, P: 0. Brimfield,was born in Brimfield Township, this county, February, 5, 1832; son of Beverly Y. and Bertia (Emerson) Russ, natives of Vermont. His father came to Ohio in 1829, and purchased a tract of land in Brimfield Township, this county, on which he settledlin 1831,cleared and improved and where he resided until his death. The farm is still the property of his descendants. He had five children: Joseph, Seraph (deceased), Van (deceased), Viola (deceased) and Emma (Mrs. S. Samuel Buell, Jr.). Our subject has been a resident of Brimfield Township, this county, most, of his life,and has lived on his present farm upward of twenty-seven years; he was married February 23,


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1854, to Mary E., daughter of Gideon and Elizabeth Marlett, of Elkhart, Ind., by whom he has had five children: Marcy H., Delos P. (deceased), Marion (deceased), Ernest L., and Herbert L. Mr. Russ has held several townshili offices in Brimfield. In politics he is a Democrat.


EDWARD A. RUSSELL, farmer, P. 0. Brimfield, was born in Perrysburg, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., July 21, 1818; son of Edward and Love (Spencer) Russell, the former of whom, a native of Washington County, N. Y., died at our subject's residence in December, 1883, aged ninety-two years; the latter, a native of Rapert, Bennington Co., Vt., died on the old homestead in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1845. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Capt. William Russell, a son of Ebenezer Russell, a native of Branford, Conn., whose ancestors settled there in 1660. He was the first Treasurer of Washington County, N. Y., and held the office for fifty consecutive years. The maternal grandfather of our subject was Phineas Spencer, a native of Vermont, and a farmer by occupation. The parents of our subject settled in Brimfield Town. ship, this county, in 1829, on the farm now owned by William Kruger, which they cleared and improved. They had eleven children: Phineas S., Martha L (deceased), Edward A., Mary L. (deceased), William, John (deceased), Frank F., Delia M. (deceased), Eliza J. (Mrs. E. Osgood), Nancy S. and an infant (deceased). Our subject was married, June 2, 1846, to Ann, daughter of John and Julia A. (Harris) Furry, formerly of Dutchess County, N. Y., who settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1817, and to this union were born five children: Homer B., Albert E., Warren A., Merritt E. and Myra J. (twins). Mrs. Russell died November 24, 1884. Our subject has always resided in Brimfield Township, this county, where he followed his trade, that .of a wagon- maker, for eight years engaged in farming, and has resided on his present farm since 1855. He is a Republican in politics, he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.


OLIVER SAWYER, farmer, P. 0. Kent, was born in Jaffrey, Cheshire Co., N. H., April 21, 1804; son of Uriah and Sally (Spafford) Sawyer, natives of Massachusetts, who settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1817, locat. ing on Lot 20, part of the farm now owned and occupied by our subject, where they lived and died. The paternal grandfather of our subject was William Sawyer of Berlin, Mass., who had seven children: Amos, Oliver, Asa, Uriah, Nabby, Polly and Hannah, all now deceased. He (Grandfather Sawyer) and two brothers settled about 1740, on an elevated piece of land in Berlin, Mass., which has always gone by the name of " Sawyer's Hill." These three brothers lived and died there, and raised large families. Oliver Sawyer visited the spot in 1857, and found the local school was attended by about sixty scholars, over forty of whom were -named Sawyer. Our subject's maternal grandfather was Job Spafford, also of Berlin, Mass. Uriah Sawyer had ten children, of whom eight grew to maturity: Oliver, Henry (deceased), Lock- hart (deceased), Uriah (deceased), William B. (deceased), Benjamin F. (deceased), Sally (Mrs. John Walker) and Hannah. Our subject has always lived within half a mile of the old homestead, having when twenty-three years of age purchased the farm three-fourths of a mile south of his present residence, where he lived for over forty years. He has been twice married, on first occasion November 29, 1827, to Sophia, daughter of Asa and Eunice Sawyer, by whom he had four children: Luke (deceased, George L. (deceased), George L. (second) and Jane A. (deceased). August 1 , 1862, he married his second wife, Martha L. (Russell) Furry. Mr. Sawyer came back to the old homestead in 1862, where he has since resided with his only surviving child, George L., who is married to Mary J., daughter of Henry C. Chapman and grand-daughter of Constance


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Chapman, who settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1821, and who was a soldier of the Revolution. To George L. Sawyer and his wife have been born be children: Elam (deceased), Elmer, Sumner, Dora and Sophia. Our subject is the oldest living pioneer of the township; in politics he is a Republican.


HENRY D. SAWYER, farmer, P. 0. Kent, was born in Brimfield Township, this county, July 4, 1838, son of Asa and Caroline A. (Lincoln) Sawyer. His paternal grandfather, Asa Sawyer, was a native of Massachusetts, who settled here in 1818 on the farm now owned and occupied by I. J. Shuman, where he resided until his death in 1845. His maternal grandfather was Dr. Lake A. Lincoln, the first resident physician of Brimfield Township, this county, having settled in 1820. Asa Sawyer, the father of our subject, settled on the farm now occupied by his widow, which he cleared and improved and on which he lived until his death. He died November 4, 1881, at the age of seventy-nine years. Our subject, with his mother, resides on the old homestead, where he was born and reared and has always followed farming as an occupation. He served in the late war of the Rebellion, enlisting in August, 1861, in Company L., Second Ohio Cavalry, and was honorably discharged in 1865, having participated in all the engagements in which his regiment took part, except the last battle of Richmond. He is a member of the G. A. R. ; in politics a Democrat.


VICTOR P. SAWYER, farmer, P. 0. Brimfield, was born in Brimfield Township, this county, September 12, 1848, son of Uriah and Caroline (Pike) Sawyer. His paternal grandfather was Uriah Sawyer, a native of Massachusetts, who settled in this township in 1817. His maternal grandfather, Jeremy Pike, also a native of Massachusetts, settled here in 1820. Uriah, the father of our subject, when he started in life for himself, settled on Lot 20, Brimfield Township, where he cleared and improved the farm now owned by George Tritt, and there resided up to 1860, when he removed to the farm now owned by our subject, where he lived until his death. He died November 2, 1881, aged seventy-one years. His children were Adelaide R. (deceased), and Victor P. Our subject was married September 27, 1870, to Eunice S., daughter of William R. and Lucy (Sawyer) Kelso, of Brimfield Township, by whom he has two children: Lucy C. and Addle C. Mr. Sawyer is a member of the Universalist Church. In politics he is a Democrat.


JOHN W. SHERMAN, farmer, P. 0. Brimfield, was born in Brimfield Township, this county, October 29, 1834, son of Capt. Harris and Sallie (Morgan) Sherman, who settled here in 1831, locating on Lot 52, which they cleared and improved and where they lived and died. His paternal grandfather was Thomas Sherman, son of Thomas Sherman, he a son of Dr. John Sherman, the latter a son of Rev. James Sherman, descendants of Dr. John Sherman, a native of England who settled in Watertown, Mass., in 1634. Our subject was married September 7, 1862, to A. Jenette, daughter of Elbridge and Almira J. (Dunning) Moulton, and grand-daughter of Harrison Moulton, who settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1817, and to this union have been born two children: Florence A. and Howard C. (deceased). Our subject was reared on the homestead which he now owns, and where he remained until 1881, when he moved to the place he now occupies. He and his wife are attendants of the Universalist Church. He is a F. & A. M.; in politics he is a Republican.


ABRAM J. SHUMAN, farmer, P. 0 Kent, Portage Co., Ohio, was born in Clarence, Erie Co., N. Y., December 31, 1814, son of Henry and Hannah (Johnson) Shuman, natives of Pennsylvania and New York respectively, who settled in Stowe Township (now in Summit County, Ohio), in 1834, where they


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cleared a farm and lived until their death. They were the parents of eight children: Abram J., Catherine (deceased), Nancy (Mrs. James C. Kelso), Erastus, William, Mary (deceased), Henry (deceased), and Elias (deceased). Our subject settled in Brimfield Township, this county, in 1836, and was married November 29, 1840, to Sarah, daughter of Asa and Eunice (Bruce) Sawyer, who settled here in 1818. The issue of this union was ten children: Alvina (deceased). Albert, Alvina (Mrs. Peter Carline), Loretta (Mrs. J. Otis Nighman), Amelia (Mrs. Frank Maloy), Asa, Mary, Dora (Mrs. Adam Cline), an infant daughter (deceased) and Henry. Mr. Shuman has lived on the old Sawyer homestead since his marriage, and has held several offices in the gift of the township. In politics he is a Republican.


BARNET STILWELL, farmer, P. O. Mogadore, Summit County, was born in Bergen County, N. J., in 1802; son of Ezekiel and Mary (Earl) Stilwell. He was left an orphan in his infancy, and lived with his relatives in New Jersey until fifteen years of age, when he went to western Pennsylvania and worked as a farm hand by the month for two years. He subsequently leased farms in that vicinity until 1827, when he came to Brimfield Township, this county, and settled on the farm (at that time an unbroken wilderness) where he still resides, and all of which he has cleared and improved. He was mar; sled, April 25, 1824, to Jane, daughter of David and Jane (Jackson) Hall, of Armstrong County, Penn. The'issue of this union was ten children: Mary, wife of Norris Miller; David; Ezekiel ; Eliza (deceased); Smith (deceased); Warren (deceased); Philena, wife of Cornelius Weston; Elenor, wife of Charles Hart; Byron and Alice (latter deceased). Mr. Stilwell is a worthy citizen and one of the few pioneers still living in Brimfield Township. In politics he is a Republican.


LAMBERT TWITCHELL, farmer and clergyman, P. O. Kent, was born in Brimfield Township, this county, August 12, 1827, on of Arba and Sally (Barber) Twitchell, natives of Massachusetts and Litchfield, Conn., respectively. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Jonas Twitchell, who came to Brimfield Township, this county, in 1817; he had but two children— John and Arba. Arba Twitchell came here in 1816, and was hired by Henry Thorndike to make a clearing on the old Boszor Hill, a half mile north of the Center, and to him belongs the honor of having made the first improvement in the township. Not long afterward he settled on the farm now owned and occupied by our subject, which he cleared and improved and lived on until his death. He had one child—Lambert. Our subject has always resided on the old homestead where he was born and reared. He was educated in the common schools, the Kent Academy and Oberlin College, and was married in November, 1851, to Julia M., daughter of Sedley and Maria (Barber) Sill, of Danville,. N. Y., by whom he had three children: Russell W., Maie, and Josephine (deceased). Mr. and Mrs. Twitchell are members of the Baptist Church, of which he was ordained a minister some twelve years ago. He served as pastor of the Kent Baptist Church for six years, and organized the present church of that place. Through his labors and exertions the church was built and now has a thriving congregation. In politics Mr. Twitchell is a Prohibitionist.


ALPHEUS H. UNDERWOOD, farmer, P. O. Brimfield, was born September 22, 1827, in Brimfield Township, this county, sou of Lybia and Julia (Minard) Underwood. His paternal grandfather was Alpheus Underwood, a native of Munson, Mass., who settled in Brimfield, Portage Co., Ohio, in 1817, locating on the farm now known as the Needham Farm, which he cleared and improved, and on which he lived and died. His family consisted of seven


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children: Marcia, Alvira, Pamilla; Lybia, Freeman, Albert and Elam, all now deceased. The maternal grandfather of our subject was Champlin Minard, who settled in Atwater Township, this county, in 1817. Lybia Underwood, after he became of age, settled on the farm now occupied by his widow, which he cleared and improved, and where he resided until his death. He was thrice married. By his first wife, Julia Minard, he had eight children: Mary A. (deceased), Juliet (deceased), William P., Alpheus H., Pamilla (deceased), Elam, Bruce and Walbridge (deceased). His second wife was Mrs. Ruth E. Baldwin, nee Minard. By Maria Edson, his third wife, he had one daughter —Pamilla, wife of Charles Maloy. Lybia Underwood, who was a prominent citizen of Brimfield, serving as Justice of the Peace for many years, died in 1877. The subject of this sketch was reared on the old homestead, and, after he became of age, he, in company with his brothers, worked his father's farm for several years. He was married, May 16, 1854; to Perces C., daughter of Rufus and Martha (Canis) Huntley, of Brimfield, by whom he has had two children: Harmon E. (deceased) and Vernon E. Mr. Underwood has resided on his present farm since 1858. He has filled various offices in the gift of his township, and is now serving his third term as Township Trustee. In politics he is a Democrat.