Pioneer History of Clarksfield, pages 151 - 162
Uriah T. Arnert was born in New York state in 1806 and came to Hartland with his wife and one son, Henry, in 1832. About 1850 he lived in Clarksfield west of George Case’s. In 1860 he went to Townsend and then to New London, where he died in 1863.
Charles Day, a half brother of Ephriam, came here about 1850 and lived just west of Rowland’s corners and died there a good many years ago.
Eber Jones came here from Brighton in 1850 and lived in the McKenney house. He was the father of Sam and Harley Jones, who clerked in the Cobb store, and of Mrs. Barker, who lived here, and of the mother of Samuel and James DeWolfe.
In 1850 William H. Taylor lived on the Butler road.
Oliver Johnson, a harness maker, lived at Clarksfield as early as 1850, and died at Baldwin City, Kansas.
Collins Hendrickson, a brother of James Hendrickson and of Mrs. Andrew Daniels, lived here about 1850, and he married a daughter of Erastus French, of Wakeman.
Jackson Chilson, a son-in-law of Henry Stiles lived here in 1850.
James Vanator, (properly Van Ator,) lived in Clarksfield from about 1850 until 1856. He had seven boys and one girl. The eldest son, Benjamin, had come here in 1847 and settled on the west side of the Butler road, on what is now known as the Lang farm and he lived here until after 1851 and moved to Clyde where he and his wife died. John Vanator, a son of Benjamin, came here with him, and he had married Phidilla Hunter in Marion County, O., in 1843, and he was a blacksmith by trade, but lost his eyesight when only twenty- two years old, and lived on the Butler road in a house just north of his father’s until his death in 1861; he had four children, David, Benjamin, Martin and Edith. David died young. Benjamin lives in Wellington. Martin lives in Michigan, where he follows the business of edge tool maker, learned from his uncles, the Hunters. Edith lives in Clyde. One of the family says that he could not understand why his people settled in such a "God-for-saken" country as the Butler road was at that time, being inhabited by bullfrogs, snakes and mosquitos, largely, with swamps and brush between the houses, but the land was cheap and living was correspondingly cheap. Now, the land is cleared and drained and comfortable houses and barns abound.
In 1851 Samuel Whitman and his son James lived on the east side of the Butler road, just north of the Whitefox corners.
In 1851 Alexander Byers lived just south of William Bissell’s.
William W. Spear was a son of Nathan Spear, of Hartland; he came here from the west and was living here in 1851, but died soon after that date.
George W. Silsbee lived in the house opposite the Methodist church in 1851 and worked in the foundry; he moved to Michigan.
Charles Pierce, a free-will Baptist preacher, lived in the Gilpin house in 1851-52; he moved back to Oberlin.
Daniel D. T. Lewis, a tinner, came here about 1851 and lived here for several years.
John W. Foreman came here about 1851and lived on the west side of the road south of Whitefox; he traded farms with William Phillips and lived on the Jones farm until some time after the war; his children were Sam, William and a crippled boy, besides Christina, who married James Converse.
Martin Ellis was a cooper and worked in a shop near William Starr’s house, in 1851; his wife was a Chamberlain; he afterward lived in Wakeman and went to Traverse, Michigan, where he died January 13, 1901.
About 1851 Orrin Carpenter came here and lived west of Whitefox next to Elijah Hale’s.
In 1851 three brothers, Charles, Jeptha and Daniel Ackley, came here from Vermillion and lived on the farm south of Sedgwick Barnes’.
Albert Sawyer was here in 1851 and lived with Benjamin Vanator for a couple of years.
Jesse Jones, a brother of Alex, lived just south of his brother’s in 1851; he and his only son, Alexander, died soon after the war from injuries received in the army.
About 1851 Stephen Hill lived in the old Manoah Hunter log house; he came from Florence; he was a very easy-going man, a great joker and quick at making rhymes; his son, Silas, lived here at the same time but now lives in Michigan.
George Perham lived here from 1851 until the breaking out of the war, in a little house across from Uriah Tucker’s; he enlisted in the army and died in Andersonville prison; his family went to Birmingham.
James H. and Oliver Ames, brothers of Nat. Ames, lived in the old Amasa Finch log house in 1851.
Nathaniel Lyon, a shoemaker, lived across the road from David Lee’s; he went to Ruggles township and died there in 1800 at the age of 86.
Daniel and Chester Burgess lived here in 1851. They were sons of a sister of Mrs. Amasa Finch. They were born in Tompkins County, N.Y., and moved to Fairfield township in 1835. Daniel married Zoraddy Rodgers and died in Kendalville, Ind. Chester never married and died in Fairfield.
Noah Broughton lived on the Butler road near Adam Shank’s.
Josiah George lived east of the Edwards corners.
Oliver Whitton, who had two daughters, Love Ann and Lucy Ann, lived at Rowland’s corners in a log house as early as 1829.
William Sherman also lived there in 1829.
In 1851 Levi and William Fulmer, who married sisters; Edward Dennison, Clark Bracey and Marvin Cannon lived on the Butler road. Alson Allen, Augustus C. Allen, Thomas Bicker, S. Bishop, F. A. Churchill, Richard Matthews, A. D. Millis, John Parrish, Col. Reynolds, Festus Sawdey, Henry Shoaf, Alexander Syers and P. F. White lived in the township, in 1851.
George W. Jerauld was a unique character who deserves mention although he came at a later period than that covered by this history. He was a son of Stephen, son of James, son of Dr. Dutee, son of Dr. James Jerauld, who came from France to New England about 1680. Douglas Jerrold, the noted English writer, was a relative. In 1853 Seger-McKenney purchased a panorama of the "Burning of Moscow" and engaged Mr. Jerauld to come from Boston, where he was living, to assist in setting it up and exhibiting it. He arrived in Clarksfield, September 9, 1853. The panorama was set up in the upper room of the Congregational church and Jerauld went to work at painting or retouching the figures of the soldiers and Willard Watkins, who was assisting, gave him the name of "Colonel" in sport, but the name stuck to him the rest of his life. The panorama was so unwieldy an affair that but few rooms large enough for an exhibition could be obtained, so it was abandoned. The "Colonel remained in Clarksfield and operated the engine of "Mechanics Hall" for James Hendrickson to turn wooden bowls. About 1858 he began clerking in Dr. White’s drug store. In 1860 "Jack" Bissell was appointed Postmaster and Jerauld attended to the office, and received the appointment for himself the next year, and held the office until 1885. He was Township Clerk from 1858 until 1871. In 1886 or 87 he went to Cleveland to live, but his money became exhausted and he went to the infirmary and died there. No friends claiming his body, it went to the dissecting table. He was never married and boarded with different persons. As long as his mother lived he went to Boston to visit her every year. He was well educated, very methodical, an excellent book keeper, sociable and known to everybody for miles around. "Requiescat in pace."
In 1834 Asa Wheeler, Jr., sold to Samuel Husted and David Tyler the strip of land at Clarksfield between the river and the east and west road running from Spring Brook west to the north and south road, for $50. Husted and Tyler built a sawmill at the west end of this land. The power was derived from water brought by a race from the grist mill race. The mill cost $342.28, as shown by one of Husted’s books. This mill was operated until about 1888, but has now nearly disappeared from the face of the earth. On March 5, 1836, this property was sold to Virgil Squire and Ebenezer Warner (of Florence,) for $1,500. On the same day Samuel Husted sold to Squire and Warner the old gristmill property, including the pond and race, for $1,500. On September 30, 1836, Squire and Warner sold both properties to George Lawton and David Tyler for $4250 and on November 16, 1836, Starr sold to Lawton and Tyler the store and two acres of land afterward occupied by J. J. Cobb, for $750. On March 4, 1837, Lawton and Tyler sold to Virgil Squire a one third interest in their property for $2500. In the same year John Hayes sold to Squire, Lawton and Tyler the land where the present grist mill stands, including his store and privilege of water from the mill race, and at the same time Samuel Husted sold to them the triangular piece of land bounded by the New London road, where it angles to the east, the lot line and the east and west road, with the point near the top of the hill, for $100. Mr. Tyler soon sold out his interest. In the fall of 1837 Squire & Lawton began the erection of a grist mill on the premises and it was completed the next year, about Sept. 1st. On the day when the mill was started there was quite a gathering of the inhabitants of the place and, as was usual upon such occasions, the men were ready to indulge in sports. Myron Furlong attempted to jump across the race, which was sixteen feet wide and full of water but he undershot the mark and landed in the water. This created a laugh and he excused himself by saying that no man could jump across and that he should have known better than to try. This led to a banter and a bet that a man could be found who would jump across. Ben Patch, who was not a man grown, was sent for and when he came Almanza Hamlin told him what was wanted and patted him on the shoulder, saying "Bennie, I would rather lose a hundred dollars than have you fail." He did not fail, but made the jump easily and the laugh was on Furlong again. The machinery for this mill was hauled by teams from Huron, to which place it had probably been shipped from Pittsburg. It had four runs of stone and was capable of doing a good deal of business while the water lasted. It was driven by a large overshot wheel, which was replaced by a turbine wheel in a later years. About 1850 a stream engine was put in for use when the water did not suffice. A few years ago modern roller process machinery was put in and since then all of the stones have been removed and the water power discarded entirely. It still does a large business with the farmers. Squire & Lawton did not have capital enough to carry on the business successfully and the property was heavily mortgaged. In 1842 Lawton sold his interest to Squire for $500. In 1844 the debts against the property were found to be $5,745.13, besides taxes, costs, etc., and the property was sold by the sheriff to C. L. Boalt, of Norwalk, one of the mortgagees, for $4000. In 1845 it was sold to Abraham Yeaman, but he did not get his deed until 1854. In paid $5500. In 1869 he sold to Lewis & Sons for $7500. John N. Barnum and Lewis Hayes next bought it, then Hayes sold his half to Barnum, who sold it to J. E. Manley in 1899. It is now owned by H. A. Lowe, and is the best paying property in town. On November 25, 1837, Squire & Lawton sold to David Tyler a tract of land 52x100 feet, including a building upon it, which stood 26 feet east of the mill then building, "with a water privilege of as much water as would spout through an aperture 3 ft. 6in. by 2 inches, with two feet head, but reserving the right to run four stones and two saws." This building is where Mr. Tyler carried on the business of making furniture, drums, coffins and almost anything which could be made from wood. This shop was burned in 1841 and another was erected in the same place, but it has been moved away and converted into a barn. In 1837 Samuel H. Gibson entered into a contract with David Tyler and Samuel Husted, in which Tyler agreed to Let Gibson have the "privilege of water on said Tyler’s land for use of propelling a wheel for carding and cloth dressing, and also agreed to furnish a shop and fit it in order for the above and put in a fulling mill and furnish one half of all outgoes, wood, candles, soap, dye wood, dye stuffs, etc., and in turn was to receive one fourth of the avails of the business." Mr. Husted agreed that when the water should not be sufficient to carry the grist mill and cloth works, to secure the water for the cloth works for the consideration of one half of Tyler’s avails, at the time his water was used for said works. The business of cloth dressing was carried on in the basement of Mr. Tyler’s shop until it was burned. Silas Earl then built a cloth mill across the river from the grist mill and carried on the business until a freshet came on New Years Day of 1847 and wrecked the machinery. He used horse power at first but put in a steam engine later. Virgil Squire kept a store at Clarksfield in 1835, in a building which stood near the foot of the hill north of Smith Starr’s, and the business was continued by Squire & Lawton. On June 26, 1837, Samuel Husted gave them credit for "sundries per bill" to the amount of
$577. 49. He might have purchased part of their stock of goods. In 1837 or 38 Husted’s old store building was torn down, to make room for the mill race, and the goods were moved into a building across from the hotel. From 1837 until 1841 S. H. Gibson was in partnership with Samuel Husted in the store. In 1841 J. J. Cobb bought out the store of Squire & Lawton. The building used to face the north, but Cobb had it turned around to face the west and had it painted anew, and he put in the best stock of goods which had been brought to the town. He had a partner, Mr. Buckingham, of Norwalk, until 1843. In 1848 he had the store building moved back and a large two story building with a basement was erected and then Mr. Cobb enlarged his business until he drew trade from all the surrounding country. Excepting a store at Wakeman and another at King’s corners, (now New London) Clarksfield offered the chief faculties for trade in this part of the country, until the advent of railroads changed the order of things. Mr. Cobb bought anything which the farmers had to sell and supplied them with nearly everything which could be bought in stores at that time. The most of his produce was shipped at Milan and his goods came from there. He kept several teams busy most of the time. When he moved away he sold out to Tyler & Seger and they were followed in 1858-9 by Sam and Harley Jones. William Stiles carried on the business from 1859 to 1865, followed by J. N. Barnum, Seneca Ronk and Frank Wildman. The building has not been occupied for several years. Winslow Fay opened a store here in 1839 in a new building, which he erected on the hill south of Smith Starr’s house. He had a partner, one Albert Sherwood, until 1845. Fay sold out to him, but put up a smaller building by the side of the one sold to Sherwood, and carried on a store there for a short time. The first building erected by Fay was fitted for a school house some years after Fay moved away, and now stands at the foot of the hill east of the Cobb store. The second building erected by Fay was cut in two and one half of it stands just at the foot of the hill south of the old Cobb store, the other half stood on the lot north of the Congregational parsonage until recently, when it was torn down. When the Vermillion & Ashland R. R. Co., was building its road north of this place, it bought the Husted store and hired Simeon B. Sturges to carry on the business, but after the company failed the store was sold to Abel D. Howe at Sheriff’s sale. Seger & Curtiss kept store there at one time. In 1820 Ezra Wildman came from Danbury, Conn., to Clarksfield bringing a load of goods and he made several trips afterward, until he moved here in 1828. It is likely that his brother-in-law, Capt. Husted, sold out the goods for him. When Johnson Wheeler bought the Barnum mill north of Rowland’s corners, at what came to be known as Hayesville, he carried on a store in one corner of the mill, until a building was put up on the east side of the road on the north bank of the ravine, called the "Mansion House," when one room was used for a store. He also carried on a distillery. Albert Seger carried on a foundry at Hayesville for some time and then he and Walter Bates built a foundry at Clarksfield on the north side of the road just west of where the old grist mill used to stand. The land was bought of Hoyt Husted in 1842. Almeron McKenney went into partnership with Seger in the business afterward. There was another building on the same lot, known as "Mechanics’ Hall," where wooden bowls were made at one time. A cabinet shop was carried on there also and Henry Kress, Hoyt Husted, Henry Husted and others used to work there. In 1837 Ezra Dunham began the erection of a saw mill upon his farm, but sold the frame to Benjamin Stiles before it was completed, and it was moved to "Stilesburg," just south of where the Medina road crosses the river. The dam raised the river for a long distance back and Mr. Stiles bought of Daniel Bills the privilege of making a pond on his farm. This mill did a good deal of business in sawing lumber out of the choice trees which were in great abundance. In 1847 Mr. Stiles built a grist mill on the north side of the Medina road on the east side of the river, near the present site of the Warner Stone Quarry. It was operated for a few years and was then taken to New London. In 1846 Hiram Cunningham and Jesse Mead built a saw mill on the east branch of the Vermillion River, on Mead’s land. The foundation was sandy and the dam was washed away a few times and then the project was given up. There were several asheries in the township, the most important being S. W. Husted’s, Joseph Potter’s, Alex Jones’, Allen Blackman’s, Simeon Blackman’s, etc. David Lee, Benajah Furlong and Jason Wing operated tanneries. At some time about 1835 Samuel Husted built a hotel across the street from his house, and the building is still used for hotel purposes. Hotel licenses were granted as follows: Henry Potter, 1835; S. W. Husted, 1837 to 1840; Ezra Livermore, 1841; Lyman J. Richmond, 1843; Ansel Badger, 1843 and 1845; William Burr, 1844.
About 1839 the people of this part of the state began to be interested in a project of building a railroad from Vermillion to Ashland and meetings were held and stock subscribed for by many who had to go in debt for the payment. The work began at Vermillion about 1840 and by July 1842 the road had reached Clarksfield. The method of building was far different from that adopted afterward. In the first place heavy oak posts were driven into the ground by a steam pile driver and upon these were fastened, by wooden pins, cross ties and oak rails bolted upon these. The pile driver was mounted upon wheels and ran upon the wooden rails while at work. When the road was completed it was designed to lay flat iron strap rails upon the wooden ones. Many of the oak posts are still to be found where they were driven sixty-five years ago. The road came by the way of Florence, past Ezra Wildman’s to the top of the hill at Daniel Stone’s and the pile driver was left standing there for some time. On the 4th day of July 1842, a great celebration was held at Clarksfield on account of the building of the road. The enterprise failed and no cars were run upon the road and all the money raised by subscription, as well as $44,000, given by the state, was wasted. It was not until forty years afterward that Clarksfield had a railroad.
There was a society of Free Will Baptists here at one time. When the Millerite doctrine began to be preached here, some of the members of the Baptist church embraced the new faith but when the prophecy that the world would come to an end on a certain day in April 1844, did not prove to be true, some of these joined the Congregational church under the preaching of John Todd. There was a larger society of Close Communion Baptists here among whom were J. J Cobb and wife, Robert W. Hurlbut and wife, Ezra Wood, the Fletchers, Aaron and Levi Rowland, Esex Call and family, Asa Percy, William Wood, Ransom Day and wife, Mrs. I. B. Scott and Mrs. Henry Kress, the last two being the only ones to hold their membership when the society disbanded. In 1845 a new school house was built across the street from the Congregational church and the building which had been used was made over into a church. J. J. Cobb helped much in the work. Elder Hall was the first minister in the new church building. The church society was kept up for about ten years and then there was a division and some of the members withdrew and organized a society at Rowland’s corners. About 1837 a Methodist church was organized at East Clarksfield and a church building was afterwards erected at Whitefox corners and is still in use. We have been unable to get any history of the early days of this church. Two other Methodist churches have been built in the township, one at Barrett’s corners and the other at West Clarksfield.
Undoubtedly scores of persons whose names do not appear here lived in the township during the period of this history --- 1817 to 1851--- but we believe that none of them made a permanent settlement or remained here any length of time.
ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS.
The biography of Levi Rowland is given on page 78 and by an error was written again and printed on page 81. On page 95 the date of the marriage of Warren Cooley in wrong; see page 100, under date of marriage of Frederick Wildman. On page 74 the date of birth of Peter Gregery should be 1818. On page 59, second column, the names of Day children, commencing at Sarah, are children of Ransom Day. On page 75 the date of death of Anna Maria Gregory should be 1874. On page 46 the history of the Sexton brothers is somewhat incorrect. William was married and had one child when he and Platt came here. They bought the farms afterward owned by Daniel Bills and Ezra Dunham and lived in a house on the latter farm for a couple of years until William’s wife became frightened by some Indians, when Platt bought out his brother’s interest and the latter moved back to Carlisle. In 1822 Platt sold this land and then bought the farm northwest of Clarksfield where he spent the rest of his days. His eldest daughter, Mary Ann, was born on the Dunham farm. His eldest daughter, Mary Ann, was born on the Dunham farm.
Leander Cooley lived at Major Smith’s in 1844.
J. P. Chamberlain, who owned a house just east of William Starr’s, later than 1851, was the father of several daughters, five of whom married Clarksfield men; Octa married Edward Croxford and lives in Wakeman, Orilla married William Croxford, Oresta married Mindall Henry, Eliza married Aaron Sexton, and another married Martin Ellis. Eliza, the mother of this family, died in Clarksfield in 1864.
Isaac C. Scott, after the death of his first wife, married Annie Obitts and died at Lagrange, Ohio.
In 1844 Peter Harris lived on the Butler road. His children were Martin, Louisa, Clarissa, Martha J., Levi and David W. He sold his farm to Charles Shipman in 1847.
Purdy Smith lived here from 1836 until 1839. He lived near Jacob Clawson’s part of the time, and on the Butler road. He and George Hopkins married sisters.
Frederick Hamlin was an early settler in Wellington, and not in Clarksfield, probably, see page 53.
Justus Barnes spelled his name "Barns" and Horace Porter spelled his "Horris.
In the history of Leander Hinman, on page 125, the name of the youngest daughter, Inez, was omitted. She married Ernest Bradish and died 20 years ago.
Thomas Taylor came here in 1834, instead of 1843, as stated on page 94.
A Mr. Grist died at the home of Joseph Nickerson in 1831 or early in 1832, and Samuel Husted furnished the coffin at $3.00. He was probably Mrs. Nickerson’s father.
Samuel Gray had a daughter, Jennie, also, see page 63.
On page 49, line 15 from the bottom, in the second column, "to" should read "of.’’
On page 110 "Sliza" Young should read "Eliza."
A more complete history of Samuel Husted and his family gives the following points: Andrew Husted, born in Connecticut, May 22, 1755, married August 8, 1775, Martha -----, born June, 9 1757. She died on Independence Day, July 4, 1776. Mr. Husted was again married November 13, 1777, to Sarah Hoyt, daughter of John Hoyt, and who was born March 26, 1757. Their children were, Samuel born Feb. 11, 1779, Martha, Anna, Triphene, Platte, Katherine, Andrew, Seymour, William Hart and John Benedict, Andrew Husted died April 12, 1812, his wife Sarah, January 7, 1826.
Hiram Wildman Husted, eldest son of Samuel Husted, was born June 9, 1802, he graduated at Yale college in 1823; he practiced law at Raleigh, N.C., where he was U.S. District Attorney; his wife was Harriet Adeline Slocum, daughter of Jesse Slocum, Member of Congress from N. C., 1817 to 1820. Their only son, Delano W., was born in 1833, graduated from University of N. C., at Chapel Hill, in 1854, and practiced law at Gainesville, Alabama; he was first lieutenant of the 5th Ala., heavy artillery, in the Confederate army and was killed June 26, 1862, while leading his company in a charge of Archer’s brigade, near Richmond, Va. Hiram Husted died at Raleigh, Dec. 20, 1868, and wife in 1875.
Harry Starr, a brother of Smith, was born July 26, 1795; his wife, Ann French, died in 1848. Mr. Starr then came to Clarksfield and lived with his brother, until the death of the latter, when he returned to Connecticut and died at South Norwalk, Sept. 1, 1870. Three of his sons served in the Union army during the civil war, two of whom, Frederick and Capt. W. D., having lost their lives in the service. The third one, Samuel, rose to the rank of Captain, also. William and Samuel lived at Bellefontaine, O.
William Hart Husted (see page 124) was born Sept. 30, 1797, he was married to Caroline Starr, June 5, 1817, at Danbury, Conn., she was a daughter of Comfort Starr, a distant relative of Smith Starr, and Abigail Barnum, and was born Feb. 11, 1802. In 1817 Comfort Starr and family and Hart Husted and wife emigrated to Canfield, Mahoning, Co., Ohio. They had eight children, some of whom did not live to maturity. Henry Husted died in 1903. Mary Starr, who was Orrin Knapp’s wife, was a daughter of Ethel Starr, a brother of Caroline. She was born in 1827 and died in 1875.
John Wriker, who lived here in 1826, was of Holland descent; his mother was a Van Buren, a cousin of Martin Van Buren. He came from the state of New York to Ohio when a young man; he once owned the land where the city of Newburg, a suburb of Cleveland, now stands, and sold it for a few hundred dollars. He was born Sept. 16, 1792, and was married to Betsy Harris (a sister of Hiram Harris, a resident of Clarksfield at his death,) May 2, 1823. They began housekeeping in the south part of Clarksfield, then moved to Berlin and he died there Dec. 4, 1857. His wife was a daughter of Nathan Harris, a pioneer of Berlin township and was born Mar. 21, 1807 and died Mar. 1, 1870. Their children were Erma and Volna (who were both soldiers in the war with Mexico) Ana, Olive (Ensign) Amasa, Ezra, Catherine (Minor) Ca, Cynthia (Bacon) Rachel (Hubbell) John, Sarah (Pollock) and Weltha (Hubbell).
The history of L. M. Bodwell on page 54 is not quite correct. He did not live on the farm north of the village when he first came here. After he came back here from New York in 1832 he lived on a farm on the west side of the New London road, opposite Essex Call’s; he moved from there to Wisconsin and came back and then lived on the Patch farm, north of Clarksfield, moving from here to Kansas. Levi and Joseph only are living.
Julia Rounds, a daughter of Darius Rounds and Nancy Waldron, was born Feb. 24, 1838. She first married Richard Brewer, of Birmingham, and had a daughter, Lily. She separated from Brewer and was married to James M. Gray in 1868. She died in 1874. Darius Rounds was killed while pitching quoits, and his widow married William Church, the father of Daniel Church, of this township, and lived north of Sexton’s corners, in Wakeman. When Mr. Rounds died he left an infant son who was taken by a family by the name of Northup and he has always borne the name of Hiram Northup. The Rounds family generally spelled the name as here given, but the correct way is "Round."
On page 76, first column, 3rd line from the bottom, for "settling" read "setting."
Winslow Fay was a son of Lyman Fay, who came from Vermont to Milan, O., in 1815 and married Caroline Kellogg in 1816. He was born in 1817, and came to Clarksfield in 1836 and married Mary Ann Brooks, of Florence, in 1837; and he must have bought out Capt. Husted’s stock of goods and rented his store of him, as shown by the entry in Husted’s account book, charging him with goods to the amount of $250, in 1838. In 1839 he charged him with four months labor in the store, and board, $56, and with rent of store for 14 months, $70. In 1839 Mr. Fay built a store on the hill across the street south of Smith Starr’s house, and lived in the back part of the building and kept a stock of goods in the other part; he took in one Albert Sherwood for a partner and sold out to him in 1843. There was a long building near the store, which had been used for a tin shop, perhaps, and Mr. Fay then put a stock of goods into that and bought out Lyman Gilpin in 1845, who owned the house back of the Congregational Church, and lived there. In 1849 the parents of Mrs. Fay died of Cholera and they sold out here and moved to the Brooks home, south of Florence, and lived there until the death of Mrs. Fay in 1878. Mr. Fay then went to Elyria, where his sons were living, and died there in 1884. The eldest son, Joseph Lyman, died here in infancy. Another son, W. Lamartine, was born here, and another, Willis, in Florence. Another son, Dr. Joseph Fay, died in early manhood. Mrs. Fay was a daughter of Joseph Brooks and a granddaughter of Major Eli S. Barnum, of Florence.
Albert Sherwood lived here three or four years.
Abraham Thompson lived on the Medina road, a half mile east of the New London road, in a log house. It is said that he never changed a shirt to have it washed, but wore it until it was worn out. His children were Samuel, Moulton and Preserved.
Asa Curry was born at North Hector, Tompkins County, N. Y., in 1807, and married Delia Snook in 1830. They arrived in Clarksfield, Jan. 12, 1836, and settled on a farm one and one half miles east of the Hollow, where T. J. Brown now lives. Mr. Curry, better known as " Squire," died on the farm in 1886. His wife was born in New Jersey in 1809 and died in 1889. Their children were Albert P., who married Maria Tower and died on the homestead in 1881; Levi, who lives in California; Elizabeth, who married Samuel B. Reynolds, died in Wellington; Julia A., who married Charles H. Reynolds and lives in Michigan; George W. who married Roxana Tower and died in Kansas; Mary, who married Fred Ames and lives in Wellington; Mercy Louisa, who married Henry Vincent and died in 1880; Adeline, who married John Sinclair and died in 1886.
John C. Clawson, a brother of Jacob, came from North Hector, N.Y., to Clarksfield in 1836 and lived in a log house on the east side of the New London road, next south of Jacob Clawson’s, where Henry Clawson now lives. His wife was Clarissa Gleason and they had two children when they came here, Garry B. and Caroline. Another son, Henry, was born here. Mr. Clawson was a carpenter by trade and was head carpenter in building the frame of the grist mill at the Hollow. The family moved to Milan in 1839, where several more children were born.
Since the first 140 pages of this book were printed a number of deaths have occurred. Among them are the following: Peter L. Gregory, O. J. Husted, E. B. Nickerson, Adeline Wilson, in 1900; John and William Barnum, J. B. Bissell, Sarah Parker, Lucretia Wheeler, Harriet Rogers, Henry Hayes, Mary Blackman, Mary Hurlbut, Abraham V. Smith, James Starr, in 1901; Samantha Starr, Henry Bassett, William Bissell, Rowland Clark, Abbie Gregory, Deborah Knapp, John Hand, William Phillips, Ben. Rowland, Adam Shank, Joseph Tremain, in 1902; Noble Call, Mary Ann Webb, Henry E. Husted, Anson Wheeler, in 1903; Elizabeth Norton, Sabra Smith, Eber Rowland, George McKim, Elon A. Stone, in 1904; Carlton Clark, Edwin Cunningham, Samuel and Hiram Gray, Ursula Day, Isaiah Norton, Horace Porter, Joel Rogers, Jairus Sheldon, Eliza Knapp, Mary McMillan, William Twaddle, Major B. Potter, in 1905; Catherine Patch, Lucinda Norton, Mary Sexton and the widow of Ransloe Edwards, in 1906. Other deaths are Sally Norton, Dolly Knapp, Henry Nickerson, Harvey Hayes, Rachel Spurrier, Munson Hinman, Esther Husted, Libbie Seger, Ben. Patch, George Potter, Reuben Galusha, Marshall O. Waggoner, Susan Case, Hattie White, Mordecai Thomas, Margaret Gifford, Fannie Knapp, Maria Hayes and Harriet Hayes.
This marks the end of pages 151 - 162, and the conclusion of "Pioneer History of Clarksfield".
Transcribed by Lowell Dunlap