Pioneer History of Clarksfield, pages 111 - 120
Dr. Hiram Bunce was a son of Isaac Bunce and Anna Sherwood and was born in Connecticut in 1802. He was a student at Yale College, and studied medicine with his uncle, Ebenzer Sherwood. He married, 1st, Margaret Kennedy and they had four children, William H., Augustus, Mary Jane and Marshall. In 1832 he married, 2nd, Mary Stevens, daughter of John Stevens, a sea captain of Connecticut. They came to Ohio with the four children, settling first at La Porte, Lorain county, and in Wakeman two years later. The parents of Dr. Bunce, with one son and some daughters, had moved to Wakeman in 1832. In 1836 Capt. Husted charged Dr. Bunce for twelve weeks board and he moved to Clarksfield the same year. He bought a house of Asa Wheeler, which stood at the foot of the hill on the west side of the road south of the mill bank. It was afterward owned by Andrew Daniels. Dr. Bunce sold this house and built another on the north side of the river, the one now owned by Dr. F. E. Weeks. Here the family lived until October, 1851, when they moved to Oberlin and in 1856 to Toledo, Iowa, where the doctor died in 1864 and the wife in 1879. The children of the second marriage were Charles, Sherwood, Sarah, Theodore, Edwin, Mary, Edwin W., and Carrie. William, Augustus and Theodore followed in the footsteps of their father and became doctors. William married Ellen Conant, Rochester, O., and practiced at Clarksfield for a short time, then moved to Oberlin and became one of the most skillful physicians in this part of the country. He died in 1892. Augustus married a Miss Field and died in Oberlin in 1864. Mary died young. Marshal clerked in the Cobb store at Clarksfield. He married Mary Elizabeth Patch and died in 1850 a few months after his marriage. Charles went to Toledo, Iowa, and died in 1864. Sherwood died at Winchester, Va., in 1862, from the effects of a wound received in battle. Sarah married Edwin F. Oldroyd and is living at Shreve, O. Theodore married Julia Pierce, of Wakeman and practiced in Wakeman, Cleveland, Oberlin, etc., and died at Ashtabula, O., in 1885. Edwin and Carrie died young. Edwin W. lives at Marshalltown, Iowa.
Edward Ferris lived here from July to October, 1836, boarding with Capt. Husted.
Captain William Blackman, an uncle of Simeon, was a native of Connecticut, but moved to Tonawanda Creek, N.Y., in 1802, and settled near Buffalo before the war of 1812. He saw Buffalo burned by the British. He served as an American soldier during the war. About 1815 he moved to Florence, first living in the block house where the Sprague brick house stands, with the widow Clark and her family. He soon moved to Vermillion township, at Joppa, but he and Harley Mason built a sawmill in the forks of the river in Florence township. He traded his farm in Joppa for Mason’s interest in the mill and built a log house near the mill and lived there until a freshet swept away the mill. He then moved to New London township, where he erected the first grist mill in the township, which was operated by hand, the stones being made out of sandstone. This was about 1826. He lived south of the Peter Justice farm, on the south side of the road, but moved across the road into Clarksfield township some time before 1841. The house stood on the point between the creek and the road, where Homer Barrett’s barn stands. His son, Daniel, bought the land in 1836 and sold a portion of the farm to his father the next year. Mr. Blackman built a horse mill while living here and one of the stones is yet preserved, as a relic, by D. L. Justice. Mrs. Blackman died here in 1850. Mr. Blackman moved to Indiana after this but was sick and finally returned to Ohio and died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. John Denman, in Florence. He and his wife, Philenda, had four sons and five daughters. Almira married William W. White, of Clarksfield and they lived here for some years, until about 1851, when they moved to New London, where she died. Clarissa married Isaiah Post and died here some twenty-five years ago. Philida married George Case and died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. E. J. Harland, in Clarksfield. Ann married William T. Cole and they lived in a house which stood between Royal and Ephriam Gridley’s. Some time after 1846 they went west. Marinda married John Denman of Florence, in 1819 and died about 1889. Daniel went west with his father and returned to Florence and died there. Albert died in youth. Jerome went west and died in Nebraska a few years ago. Charles also went to Nebraska and was killed a few years ago by his horses running away.
Levi Gifford was of Scotch parentage and was born in Rhode Island but afterward lived in the state of New York. He married Patience Jaqua, a sister of Samuel Jaqua, afterward of this township. They came to Ohio at an early day and settled in Crawford county when it was a wilderness. They moved from there to Michigan and came to Clarksfield in 1837, settling on the farm next south of David Lee’s, on the east side of the road. About 1859 they moved to Minnesota, where both died. Mr. Gifford was well known as a Justice of the Peace. They had six children. Margaret married Jay Bradish and lived in this township for many years, dying here in 1902. Bithynia married Solomon Hubbard and after his death, Daniel Hosmer. They lived on the John Anderson farm and she died there several years ago. Phebe married William Fellows, of this township and died in Michigan. Abby Jane married Mr. Warburton and lives in Minnesota. Samuel died in Salisbury prison during the war. Marshall died in Minnesota.
James Harvey Hand was a native of Galen, New York state and moved to Fitchville and to Clarksfield in 1837, settling first near Ezra Dunham’s and later on the Sedgwick Barnes farm on the Butler road. He moved to Michigan and back several times. He and his wife have long been dead. They had seven children. Mary married Ebenezer Nickerson and spends her time between her place in Clarksfield and the home of her son at West Liberty, O. Abraham married Melinda Barnes and is dead. John married Clarissa Fletcher and lives in Wakeman township. Experience, or "Speedy," as she was called, married Giles Scott and died in Clarksfield in 1899. Elvira married Levi Scott and lives in Michigan. Cyrus died in Michigan in 1899. William was accidentally killed many years ago.
David Hinman came with his family from Connecticut to Litchfield, Ohio, and owned and operated a steam sawmill. This was destroyed by fire. He lost his first wife and married Mary Squire, a daughter of Joab Squire, of Florence. He came to Clarksfield as early as 1837 and bought the John Hayes farm a half mile east of Clarksfield village and lived there until 1839. He also bought a piece of land east of the farm of Abraham Edwards. Mr. Hinman had been a Methodist preacher in his younger days but gave up the ministry on account of a partial failure of his voice. He was a handy workman and did manufacturing in a small way in a shop which he built near his house, where he had turning lathes and other machines. Of the children, there are living, Mrs. Martha Bradley, Wilber F. and Munson S., the latter having been born in Clarksfield. Mr. Hinman moved to Ashland, then Elyria, then Brunswick then to Berea in 1847. In 1862 he went to Louisville, Ky., to serve as an army nurse, but returned in a few weeks and died in the same year, at the age of 66 years. His wife died at the home of her son in Cleveland in 1871. Mr. Hinman was a strong anti-slavery advocate and gave some aid to the "Underground Railroad."
Thomas B. Knapp lived at Danbury, Conn., and married Mercy Seger. He was a relative of Smith Starr’s wife and his wife was a relative of Eli Seger. He died and the widow with six children, Elbert S., Betsey, Alice, Deborah A., Thomas B., Jr., and Orrin W., came to Clarksfield in 1837. They first lived in a log house across the road from the Methodist church. One of the daughters, Fannie, had married William H. Wildman in New York state and was living here. Elbert followed farming for several years, but when Edward Husted was elected Sheriff, he appointed Mr. Knapp deputy, which office he filled as long as Mr. Husted was in office. Mr. Knapp lived in Norwalk. He married Frances Bump, of Portage county, O., and died in 1853. Betsy married Norman G. Furlong and died in Norwalk in 1898. Alice married Peter S. Gray and died in Iowa. Deborah married Eleazer Hamlin in 1840 is living in Norwalk, with her sister, Fannie. Thomas B. was a lad of twelve years of age when the family came here. He attended the schools here, then went to the Norwalk Academy, then worked one summer with Lyman Gilpin at the trade of mill wright. In 1841 he went to Alabama and clerked in a store for several years. In the winter of 1848- 49, at the time of the California gold fever he started for California, via the Isthmus of Panama. He was ship wrecked in the Carribean Sea and reached an island off the coast of Yucatan and at last reached the coast of Central America. At Belize he embarked for Chagres, crossed the Isthmus and reached San Francisco in August, 1849. In 1853 he returned to Clarksfield and went to Iowa Falls, Iowa, in company with J.J. Cobb, Eleazer Hamlin and Peter S. Gray and is still living there. He signs his name with an Hon. before it. Orrin Knapp, when he was old enough, learned the carpenter’s trade of Warren Cooley and followed it for several years. He married Mary Starr, of Geauga county, O., moved to Norwalk and to Illinois and finally went to Iowa where he died in 1897.
Elon Stone lived at Poughkeepsie, N.Y. His wife, Esther, became insane and the family was broken up. Their children were Philo, Laura, Daniel, Elton, Jr., Alvin, John, Demmon and Abigail. Daniel married Mary Ann Wildman, Abigail married Hoxsie Vincent. Alvin had two daughters who lived here, Anna, who married Joseph Fletcher and Amanda, who married Andrew Frazier. Elon, Jr., once lived in the Lyman Gilpin house but moved to Florence, at "Tater Hill," and died there in 1856. Philo and Laura came to Clarksfield about 1837. Philo, who never married, bought a farm next south of Hoxsie Vincent’s, where Platt Vincent now lives. Laura kept house for him until his death in 1842 at the age of 45. Some time after this she married Jonathan Washburn and died in 1879 at the age of 76. Elon Stone, Sr., came here some time in the forties and lived with Laura until his death in 1852, at the age of 85. His wife had died in 1845.
In Cattaraugus county, N.Y., there lived a family by the name of Rounds. One of them, Isaac, came to Hartland township. One of his sons, Nelson, died in Clarksfield in 1900. A daughter, Harriet, married Aaron L. Pixley and died in Clarksfield in 1843. Jacob Rounds, a brother of Isaac, came to Clarksfield in 1838 and lived near Whitefox, but returned to New York. A daughter of his married her cousin, Nelson Rounds, and lives in New York, since the death of Mr. Rounds. Another Rounds family, cousins of Isaac and Jacob, also lived in New York, of whom five sons and one daughter came to Clarksfield about the same time, 1836-37. Isaiah married a sister of Mrs. John Converse and they lived on the Butler road north of Whitefox until 1840. He died in Wisconsin. Darius married a sister of Seymour Waldron and died in Michigan. William W. married Esther Higgins, a daughter of Jonathan Higgins, and they lived just east of Hamlin’s corners, then moved to Wakeman township, then to Wisconsin, where they died. Their daughter married William Converse and is living in the west. Cyril lived here until 1845. He once lived in Dr. McMillan’s log house south of Hamlin’s corners, then on the Butler road near John McDonald’s. His children were Orton, Mary, Margaret and Elizabeth. He died in Wisconsin. Lane Rounds lived here until 1840, but died in New York. Esther Rounds was the wife of Freeborn Letson. Two younger brothers, Washington and Nelson, lived in this vicinity, but probably not in this township.
Freeborn Letson and his family came from New York with the Rounds family. He once lived south of Hamlin’s corners but later bought a small farm on the Butler road across the way from John McDonald’s, which is now a part of the Fish farm. His children were William, Cornelia, Andrew, Philander and Perry. Philander died about 1849. The family moved away some time after 1851.
William Letson, a brother of Freeborn, married the widow of Jonathan Higgins and died on the farm next west of Ezra Gray’s.
Starr Hoyt was a nephew of Simon and came to Clarksfield village in 1837. He was a harness maker and worked in a shop which stood in front of where the grist mill now stands. He lived first in a house just east of the Cobb store, but later built a house on the next lot east, which house was burned while George Signor lived in it. Hoyt had three daughters, Issabella, Josephine and Caroline. The family went back east about 1851.
Daniel Bullock lived south of Milton Bissell’s in 1837. One daughter is living at Valparaiso, Ind.
John Titus Homer lived in New London township in his youth, but was a resident of Clarksfield from 1837 to 1855. In 1844 he married Mary Knapp and they lived a little more than a half mile south of the center of the township, just south of where John Knapp afterward lived. They sold this place and moved to the New London road, near Lyman Knapp’s. In 1855 they moved to Michigan, where the wife died Jan. 16, 1901. She was born July 15, 1829. Mr. Hosmer still lives in Michigan. They had two sons, Hiram, born in 1846 and Major, born in 1848. The latter died in 1864 from a wound received in battle during the war.
William W. White was a son of Thomas White, a pioneer of Fitchville, and was born in 1813. His wife was Almira Blackman and he lived in Clarksfield as early as 1837. In 1838 he bought 40 acres of land north of where William Blackman lived. In 1848 he bought a farm on the Butler road where Adam Shank afterward lived and built the house there. He lived here about four years and then moved to New London, where the wife died. Their children were Thomas, Alfred, Andrew and James. Mr. White married again and died in Michigan in 1898.
Ira B. Scoville lived at Clarksfield from 1837 until 1841.
Moses Yale, a son-in-law of Levi Rowland, lived here in 1837 and taught school. He moved to Norwalk and lived there many years, until has death.
Other men who lived here in 1837 were Darius Allen, Abram Hinkley, Harry Kimball, George Langhey, Ira Mason, James Makee, Nathaniel Redd, Jeremiah Service, William W. Shaw, Charles Sherman, Moses Smith, George Van Ortwick and Abraham Van Ortwick.
David Stevenson, a native of Plattsburg, N.Y., came to Clarksfield about 1838 and first lived in a log house back of Mr. Furlong’s, then in another log house which stood on the brow of the hill across the road from the Methodist church, but later built a frame house a little further east, where Mr. Wing’s house now stands. He built a shop across the road from his house and kept a number of men at work making boots and shoes. He afterwards had a store south of the Cobb store and also kept the hotel. About 1855 he moved to Iowa, where he died. His first wife Hannah, died in 1842. He then married Mary Bivens. She died in 1844 and he then married Evaline Kress, a sister of Henry Kress. She died in 1876. The children of the first wife were Harry, Albert and Justin. The second wife had no children. The children of the last wife were John, Susan and Rinaldo. Harry and Justin went to California. Albert married Cynthia Jane Carpenter and died in Iowa. John and Rinaldo live in Iowa and Susan is dead.
Philo Stevenson, a brother of David, was born at Plattsburgh, N.Y., in 1793 and was married to Lucena Ellsworth in 1816. In 1833 he moved from Middleboro, Vt., to Huron county, O., first living in Norwalk township, then in Ripley and coming to Clarksfield in 1843. He was a shoemaker and worked for his brother and lived in the house next east of David’s shoeshop. He died in 1873 and his wife in 1876 at the age of 75. Their children were Amanda, born in 1821, William T., born in 1824, Oscar Philo, born 1827, Andrew M., born in 1830, Jane, born in 1832 and Calista, born in 1839. Amanda was married to George Parker in 1839. He was a peddler who lived here before Mr. Stevenson came here. He abandoned her and she married a Mr. Johnson, in Washington Territory, and died in Bellevue, O., in 1871. She had a daughter, Malvina Parker, now a resident of Milton, Wis. Philo was married to Ann Hough in 1848 and they had a son, John, who goes by the name of Hough and lives in Iowa. They separated after a time. Stevenson went to California and Washington Territory and was accidently killed there in 1863. William married Lois Hakes, of Fitchville, in 1851, and died in California in 1855. Andrew married Joanna Starr in 1868 and died in Clarksfield in 1902. Calista married Frank Carpenter, of New London, and died at Glenville, near Cleveland, in 1884. Jane was taken sick with typhoid fever in 1845, the year so many were sick with the disease, and while delirious wandered away and was not found until she reached Peru township. She died not long afterward.
James Stevenson, a brother of Philo and David, lived south of William Bissell’s place, on the east side of the road. His wife, Patty, died here in 1842, leaving several sons. The family moved to Illinois and Mr. Stevenson died near Chicago.
Martin Blodgett taught school here in 1838. He was a molder by trade and worked for Hiram Allen in the furnace at Rowland’s corners, at one time, but he taught school the most of his life. He never married and in his old age lived in an old house just north of the Jonathan Baldwin place and died there, alone, a few years ago.
David Williams, an Englishman, and a first class shoemaker, lived in Clarksfield from 1838 until 1846, and then moved to Norwalk. He lived in the Rory Starr house, east of Squire Starr’s. His children were James, Victoria, David, William, Charlotte and Bert. Charlotte married a sailor by the name of Lawton and died in Clarksfield. Bert married George Gray’s daughter, Nettie. Mr. Williams and his wife died in Norwalk.
William J. Harland lived in Ontario county, N.Y., and was a school mate of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon church, and lived within half a mile of the place where Smith claimed to have found the Mormon bible. He came to Clarksfield in 1838 and bought out Hessel P. Ryerson. He first lived in the house which Ryerson had built but afterward bought the Isaiah Post farm and lived there until his death in 1850. His wife died in 1884. His children are James, living in California, Mary (Blakeman), living in Michigan, and Edward, who married Sarah Case and is living on the old homestead.
Samuel Collingwood, a brother of Jonathan, a single man, lived here in 1838. He died in Hancock county, O. a few years ago.
Jonas Martin came to Clarksfield in 1838 and rented a house of Capt. Husted. He afterward lived on the Medina road where Elijah Dutton lived later. About 1844 he moved to Wakeman township and from there to Iowa, where he died. His wife, Emily, died in 1862 at the age of 56. Their children were Olivia, who married Eli Hale, of Clarksfield, and is dead, Angeline, who married Sylvester Hale and lives in Iowa, Cynthia, who also lives in Iowa, and Horace, who is dead. Jonah Martin, who lived north of Rowland’s corners in Wakeman, was a twin brother of Jonas.
Almeron McKenney, a son of John McKenney was born in New York January 10, 1812. In 1836 he was married to Jane Tibbitts, of Cleveland. She was born in Ogdensburg, N.Y., March 30, 1819. Between 1836 and 1838 they came to Clarksfield. Mr. McKenney built a house south of the one afterward occupied by E. M. Barnum, and lived there. He was a shoemaker and worked in a shop which stood across the street south of the Congregational church. This was burned. He was engaged in several kinds of business. He was in company with Richard Fanning in selling patent rights. At one time he was in company with Albert Seger in operating the foundry here. His children were Ellen, Mary, Elizabeth, James S., Flora Jane and Allen. In 1856-7 the family moved to Oberlin, to Maumee City, O., three years later and to Chicago in 1877. Mr. McKenney died May 26, 1897. The wife is living there with her son. Almeron died in the army during the civil war. Ellen lives at Santa Cruz, Cal. Mary lives at Rockland Lake, N.Y., Flora in California and James and Allen in Chicago.
In 1838 Silas Earl bought of Hiel Scott and S. S. Gray 1 ¼ acres of land at Clarksfield, near the river. He carried on the business of dyeing and dressing cloth in a building on the north side of the river, west of the road, about where the stone wall now stands. He first used horse power but later put in a steam engine, the first in the township. He used the field on the east side of the road for stretching the cloth in the operation of fulling it. In 1841 a freshet nearly wrecked the building and carried the great dye kettle down the river. He lived ina house which he built near the shop and kept a little store on the same premises. In 1847 he sold out to S. H. Gibson and went to Savannah where he kept a store and hotel, but finally went back east.
Jacob Signor came from New Haven, Connecticut, in 1838 and lived in the "Mansion House" at Rowland’s corners for a time, but moved to the Hollow later. He was a carpenter by trade, but operated the carding machine at Yeaman’s mill part of the time. His daughter, Betsy Ann, married Norman D. Waterhouse, an adventurer who worked for Benajah Furlong in his tannery. After they had been married for some time and had a daughter, Frances, the fact came out that he had another wife. He left in a hurry for parts unknown. Betsy then married Hiram H. Rowley, but they separated and she married Henry Fox, a wagon maker who had come here from Camden in 1850 and whose wife (first) had died here in 1854. They moved to Topeka, Kansas, and both died there. Frances Waterhouse went with them and married Johnson Quinby, of Vermont, and they lived in Tacoma, Washington after their marriage.
George H. Signor, a son of Jacob, had come here about 1836 and set up business as a tailor in the upper room of Mr. Tyler’s shop. He followed his trade here until his death in 1887. He married Mary Jane Husted and they were living in the Starr Hoyt house when it burned. Their children were Mary, Anna, Louise, Emma, Georgiana, Juliet and George.
Jonathan Washburn, who was a brother of Isaac C. Scott’s wife, came to Clarksfield about 1838 and lived west of Ransom Day’s and also south of Clarksfield about a half a mile north of the section line. His wife died here July 18, 1842. Some time after this he married Laura Stone and became the owner of the Farm of Philo Stone, now owned by Platt Vincent, and lived there until his death in 1869. The wife died in 1879. They had a daughter, Laura, who died in 1867, at the age of 21.
William T. Cole lived here from 1838 until 1846. His wife was Ann Blackman and his children were Sally and Amelia.
John Rogers, a nephew of Joel, lived in this township in 1838. His brother, Draper lived here from 1840 until 1848. They were cousins of Hiram Tower and probably lived with him or near his home.
Harvey Tripp was a blacksmith and lived at Clarksfield in 1838.
Dennis Higgins voted here in 1838. Dennis, Joel and Andrew Higgins were brothers and lived with their father on the farm where Jonathan Powles afterward lived. They went west after living here two years. Probably the Dennis who voted was the father.
John C. Booth lived here from 1838 to 1841. In 1838 John Buskirk, Ansel D. Bryant, Robert Reed, Seth and Warren Hackett and Sewel Hosford voted here.
Simeon Blackman was a son of Josiah Blackman and came from Cortlandt county, N.Y., to Florence, with his father’s family, in 1815. A few months later he bought 150 acres of land on the southeast corner, at Barrett’s corners, in New London township. Here he began to clear the land, set out an orchard and built a frame barn. In 1824 he was married to Wealthy Barrett, a sister of Zelotus Barrett, and who had come to New London with her brothers in 1822. They lived on the farm until 1833, when they left it and lived in Lorain and Erie counties until 1839, when they came to Clarksfield. Mr. Blackman traded a farm in Vermillion for Isaac Van Houton’s farm, a little more than a mile south of the center of Clarksfield township, being the south part of the farm now owned by Andrew Blackman. Mr. Blackman died here in 1864 at the age of 65 and his wife in 1890 at the age of 91. Their children were Stephen, Orinda, Elvira, Wealthy, Andrew, Mary and George. Stephen died young. Orinda was born February 12, 1825 and married Oliver Pearl in 1844. She lives in Berlin. Elvira was born May 5, 1827 and was married to John Milton Pierce in 1850 and died March 12, 1890. Mr. Pierce was a writing teacher and lived in Clarksfield and Oberlin for many years but moved to Iowa where the wife died. Mr. Pierce died in Akron a couple of years later. Wealthy was born December 11, 1828 and was married to Elaida Barrett September 30, 1849 and lives in Iowa. Andrew J. was born December 10, 1830 and was married to Emeline Smith September 1, 1855 and they live in Clarksfield on the farm next north of Simeon Blackman’s, formerly owned by Daniel Bills. Mary A. was born March 26, 1833 and was married to John Knapp May 25, 1853. She died in Iowa March 21, 1901. George W. was born March 1, 1837 and married Diana Starr. They lived in Michigan. Chester Blackman, a brother of Simeon, lived with him until his death in 1850.
Jeduthan J. Cobb came from Madison county, N.Y., to Berlin with his father’s family in 1832. A few years later he met with an accident which disqualified him for farm labor, so he entered a store at Milan as clerk, then went to Norwalk and about 1839 came to Clarksfield and engaged in mercantile business in company with Mr. Buckingham of Norwalk. This partnership was dissolved after a few years and he carried on the business alone. Later he took in Henry P. Tyler as a partner and the business was continued until 1852, when Mr. Cobb went to Iowa and later to Colorado. In 1840 he was married to Elizabeth Hamlin. They had no children. He died in Denver in 1893 in the 76th year of age.
Jesse H. Mead was a native of Berkshire county, Mass., and was born in 1800. In 1822 he was married to Harriet Wright, of the same town, and they soon moved to Wayne county, N.Y., soon moving back to Massachusetts where the wife died, leaving four daughters, Arvilla, Eunice, Julia and Harriet. In 1836 Mr. Mead married Laura Dutton, a daughter of Elijah Dutton. In 1839 the family came to Clarksfield and settled on a farm between Ezra Wood’s and Ranson Day’s on the east side of the road. Here Mr. Mead built a brick house, the first in the township. The wife died in 1875 and Mr. Mead in 1883. There were two children by the second marriage, Charles and Mary. Mr. Mead carried the mail from Wellington to Clarksfield and from Norwalk to Clarksfield, on alternate days, for many years.
Arvilla Mead married Robert H. Hurlbut and lives in Iowa. Eunice married Jairus Sheldon and is living in Illinois. Julia married Orson Wight and died in Iowa. Harriet married Wm. Somers and died in Nebraska in 1876. Charles married Jennie Hoag, of Clarksfield and lived on the corner opposite Ransom Day’s for a number of years and then moved to Missouri, where he still lives. Mary married John W. Johnson of Clarksfield and they live in Clarksfield near Rowland’s corners.
Eli Benjamin come to Clarksfield about 1839. He was married to Hannah Wheeler, a daughter of Asa Wheeler, Sr., on January 31, 1839. He bought the Barkdull house in 1842 and lived there until his death in 1855. He did teaming for Mr. Cobb much of the time. His children were Lucy, Edwin and Willie. The widow and her children went to Michigan and she died there. William lived in Iowa not long ago.
James A., and Ariel D., Gibson, brothers, came here from the state of New York in 1839. James was a blacksmith and worked at the Hollow. He went west and died. Ariel had been engaged to a girl in the east, Hannah Carley, by name. He was sent to the penitentiary and he and the girl were told that the other was dead. After he came here he married Polly Mead and they lived in the house back of the E. M. Barnum house. After a time Hannah Carley was visiting in this part of the state and she and Gibson found out the deception which had been practiced, and went west together. Gibson’s wife starved herself to death, leaving a child, which the father came and got, afterwards. He died many years ago.
Mortimer Fay, a bachelor, laborer and handy man at almost anything, lived with his sister, Mrs. Abraham Thompson, from 1839 to 1844.
Alva and Harley, Halbert, brothers, came here in 1839 with their mother and lived here until about 1845. They first lived on the east side of the New London road, south of where Richard Fanning died. They built the frame of a house in Clarksfield village, where Isaac B. Scott lived in later years, but did not finish it. Harley had two sons, John and James. The men were nearly blind.
Henry Hart came here before 1839 and lived in the old log house built by Stephen Post, Sr., near the southwest corner of the township. Mrs. Hart’s parents, Isaac and Charlotte Lewis, lived with Hart. The old house was destroyed by fire and Mr. Lewis nearly lost his life by being burned. A new house was built and the family lived in it and Mr. Lewis died there. Some time after 1841 Hart moved to Michigan. Mrs. Lewis died at the home of a relative on the Butler road. Mr. Hart’s children were Harvey, who used to live on the Butler road where Lafayette Johnson now lives; Charlotte, Isaac, Rodman and Hiram.
Andrew Daniels married Nancy Hendrickson and came to Clarksfield village in 1840 and lived in the Dr. Bunce house just south of the mill race. Mr. Daniels was a blacksmith and worked in a shop back of Cobb’s store. They moved away in a couple of years, but returned in 1847 and bought and occupied the same house again. Some time after this he bought the foundry property and a house made out of the fanning mill factory of Cleveland and Howe, and lived there until his death. The Bunce house was moved so as to stand over the race and made into a blacksmith shop. Mr. Daniels afterwards worked in a shop west of the Capt. Husted house. He died in 1891 at the age of 77 years and his wife died in 1898 at the age of 74. Their only child died in infancy.
Marcellus Booth, a cabinet maker, came here about 1840 and lived at Clarksfield for a time. He married a sister of Lucius M. and Henry Curtiss and lived on a farm near Birmingham at the time of his death.
Stephen and Asa J. Fisk were brothers and came to Clarksfield about 1840. Asa was a blacksmith and built a house on the north side of the river, just north of Dr. Bunce’s. Stephen was a stone cutter and boarded with Squire Starr some of the time. He married a sister of Hiram Gray’s wife and lived in Norwalk until his death. The brothers went away after 1845. S. S. Fisk, who died in 1850 at the age of 63 years, and Nancy, his wife, who died in 1850, also, at the age of 69 years, are buried in Hartland, and were undoubtedly the parents of Stephen and Asa.
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Transcribed by Lowell Dunlap