Ashtabula County, Ohio - Chapter 41: Miscellaneous, 1924 (part 5 of 5)

On Dec. 24, 1899, Mr. Close was married to Mrs. Gertrude M. Stines, a native of Mercer, Pa., born Oct. 29, 1862, and a daughter of Rev. John Ross and Mary (Rutherford) Findley. Reverend Findley was born at Antrim, Ohio, in 1827, and was a Presbyterian minister. He was the son of Dr. Samuel Findley, also a well known Presbyterian minister. Rev. Findley died Sept. 29, 1907, and his wife died June 1, 1902. They were the parents of five children: Mary Elizabeth, died in 1924; Samuel R., lives at Conneaut; Mrs. Close; Walter T., lives at Cleveland, and Anna, died in infancy. By her former marriage, Mrs. Close had three children: Margaret R. Stines, married Roy N. Huff, lives at Orlando, Fla.; George Findley Stines, a druggist, lives at Eagle Rock, Calif.; and Grace Elizabeth Stines, married Dr. Charles N. Flitton, a dentist, lives at Los Angeles, - Calif. Mrs. Close has two grandchildren, Patricia Ann Stines, who was born in 1923 and Charles N. Flitton, born July 9, 1924.

James Horton Judson, retired, is among the prominent citizens and successful business men of Ashtabula County. He was born at Conneaut, Sept. 28, 1848, the son of Hiram and Azuba (Horton) Judson.

Hiram Judson was born in New York in 1812, the oldest of three children of Elisha Judson, his two brothers being Ephriam and Isaac. Ephriam went to Michigan, where he died when about 21 years of age. Isaac died in Elkhart, Ind., in 1886. The mother of J. H. Judson was born

Dec. 10, 1809, the elder of two children of James and Asenath (Mann) Horton, natives of Connecticut and Massachusetts, respectively. The other child, Sarah, was born'in May, 1811, and became the wife of S. A. Pelton, of Connecticut, and she died March 1, 1883. After the death of her mother, which occurred when Azuba was three years old, she went to live with her grandparents, Nathan and Elizabeth Mann, by whom she was reared. Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Judson were married March 6, 1835, and in 1840 settled in Conneaut. Of the three children born to them only James H. is living. Elisha, the oldest, born June 10, 1888, died at the age of 17 years, and Sarah, born Oct. 22, 1844, lived only four years.

Hiram Judson, deceased, was one of the earliest settlers of Ashtabula County. For a number of years he and Asa Shepard conducted a woolen mill and store on South Ridge, and in 1859 he moved into Conneaut and engaged in merchandising, E. A. Higgins being his partner. He also, with Hiram Lake as a partner, carried on a lumber business. With the discoyvery of oil in Pennsylvania, he went to the oil fields and for a number of years was one of the busy men in that busy section. He returned to Conneaut, however, in 1864. At the death of Mr. Lake, James H. Judson, the subject of this sketch, came into the firm, and he and his father continued a successful business in lumber until the time of Hiram Judson's death, Oct. 19, 1890. Mr. Judson was instantly killed when he fell from a train while en route to California. His widow died in March, 1896.

James H. Judson was educated in Conneaut, for a time receiving private instruction under William F. Hubbard, of Ashtabula, Ohio. He has been identified with the interests of Conneaut for many years, beginning his business career as a clerk in the store of Mr. Keyes. Afterward he and Mr. Keyes were engaged in the fish business, next he was in the shoe business with Joseph Douglas, and still later became a partner in the dry goods business with Mr. Higgins. The firm of Higgins & Judson continued to do a successful business until 1884, when Mr. Judson sold out. He then engaged in the lumber business until the time of his retirement, when he sold his interests to Mr. Parker.

On Aug. 11, 1870, Mr. Judson was united in marriage with Miss Louisa Houck, a native of Buffalo, N. Y., and the daughter of Michael and Mar- - garet (Pflau) Houck, of that place. Mr. Houck died Jan. 12, 1879, and his wife died April 25, 1871. To Mr. and Mrs. Judson five children were born, as follows: Hiram, who died at Conneaut in May, 1923; Clara, married Horace Fesmire, lives in Philadelphia, Pa.; Azulah, deceased, was the wife of Harry N. Williams, superintendent of the Chicago Division of the Nickel Plate Railroad, lives at Fort Wayne, Ind.; Margaret, lives with her father; and Ruth, died at the age of seven years. There are three grandchildren: Judson, Louise and Paul Fesmire; and two great grandchildren, Marion and William Fesmire.

Mr. Judson has always been a Republican. He and his wife are the founders of the Church of Christ, Scientist, at Conneaut and Mr. Judson was its first reader. He is a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner. The Judson family is widely known and is one of the highly esteemed pioneer families of Northern Ohio.

Otis L. Brewster, a well known building contractor of Conneaut, is a member of one of Ashtabula County's oldest families. He was born on a farm in Monroe Township, July 18, 1877, and is a son of Fred and Sylvania (Levitt) Brewster.

Fred Brewster was born at Monroe, Ohio, May 9, 1839, the son of Harry and Almira (Palmer) Brewster. Harry Brewster was born in Rutland County, Vt., March 30, 1800, and came to Conneaut in 1830. He became a prosperous farmer of Monroe Township and owned 250 acres of land. Mr. Brewster lived on the same farm for 64 years and died in 1894. To Harry and Almira (Palmer) Brewster the following children were born: Isaac and Henry, deceased; Edwin, deceased; Fred, father of the subject of this sketch; Mary, married John Pitts, both deceased; Horace, deceased ; and Charles, who lives retired at Conneaut. Fred Brewster was a pioneer business man of Ashtabula County, being engaged in the lumber business at Monroe for a number of years. He served as justice of the peace for 15 years and in politics was identified with the Democratic party. Mr. Brewster died Dec. 5, 1910, and his wife died Feb. 28, 1909. They were the parents of three children: George E., born April 13, 1868, a carpenter, lives in Cleveland; Alice, born in August, 1870, married G. W. Starks, lives at Monroe, Ohio; and Otis L., the subject of this sketch.

Township and began life as a farmer. When he was 24 years of age he learned the carpenter's trade, which he has since followed. Mr. Brewster is a leading building contractor of Conneaut.

dall and Florence (Kinney) Spaulding, natives of Cherry Hill, Pa. Mr. Spaulding was a veteran of the Civil war and died Jan. 25, 1919. His wife lives at Conneaut. Mrs. Brewster has two brothers: Fred, a farmer, lives at Albion, Pa.; and Dexter, postmaster at Conneautville, Pa. To Otis and Gena (Spaulding) Brewster have been born three children: Homer, born March 16, 1904, was graduated from Conneaut High School in June, 1923, and is now employed by the Standard Oil Company at Conneaut; George, born June 27, 1911, and. Marion, born July 20, 1920.

Mr. Brewster is a Democrat and belongs to the Masonic and Elk lodges. He and his family are members of the Christian Church and are well and favorably known to the community.

John Erb was a native of Germany as was also his wife. At an early date he settled at Meadville, Pa., where he worked at his trade that of a carpenter for 'many years. He died in 1885. His wife, who was born in 1828, died in 1923. They were the parents of the following children: Charles, lives retired at Meadville, Pa.; Elizabeth, married George Gehring, both deceased; Eva, the widow of Henry Martin, lives at Meadville, Pa.; John, died in infancy ; Catherine, deceased; Fred, the subject of this sketch; Louis, deceased; George, lives in Youngstown, Ohio; Mary lives at Meadville, Pa.; and Margaret, married George Smith, deceased. She left a son, Donald Erb Smith, who was born in 1908.

Fred Erb was educated in the schools of Meadville, Pa., and when a boy learned the tailoring trade, which he has followed successfully for 53 years. In 1884 Mr. Erb became a business partner of Myer Goebricher, and this partnership continued for 17 years. He then continued in business alone for several years, after which he purchased a farm. The old Harper farm is six miles west of Conneaut. After operating this farm for nine years, Mr. Erb returned to Conneaut and opened his present tailoring establishment, located in the Mutual Loan and Trust Company building on Main Street.

~ In 1881, Mr. Erb was married to Eva Martin, a native of Germany, who came to the United States when a girl. To Fred and Eva (Martin) Erb three children were born: Flora, married Robert Taylor, lives at Conneaut; Earl Lewis, married Edith Reynolds, lives in Cleveland; and

John Irvin, married Edith Harvey, who recently organized a coal business in Conneaut. He was inducted into service for the World War. The Armistice was signed while he was in camp in Georgia. Mr. and Mrs. Erb have seven grandchildren.

Mr. Erb is a Republican, a member of the Christian Church and belongs to the Masonic lodge. He has been a resident of Conneaut for 40 years.

John Soet, who is successfully engaged in the insurance business at Conneaut, is a native of Ashtabula County. He was born Aug. 27, 1886, and is a son of Lubert and Hattie (VanEssen) Soet.

Lubert Soet and his wife were natives of Holland and pioneer settlers of Ashtabula County. They lived in Ashtabula where Mr. Soet served as dock foreman for many years. He died in 1917 and his wife died in 1910. They were the parents of the following children: Wilhelmina, married Marius Brink, lives at Ashtabula Harbor, Ohio; Abraham, lives retired at Geneva, Ohio; Anna, married Charles Christ, lives at Ashtabula; Johnson, lives at 'Conneaut; Nellie, died at the age of 16 years; Hattie, married*J. J. Coogan, lives at Ashtabula; John, the subject of this sketch; Louie, a conductor on the New York Central Railroad, lives at Ashtabula; and two children died in infancy.

John Soet was educated in the public schools of Ashtabula and Conneaut and since 1919 has been engaged in the insurance business. Previous to that time he had been engaged in the clothing and confectionery business in Conneaut.

On Dec. 27, 1919, Mr. Soet was married to Miss Austa O. Rhoads, who was born at Austinburg, Ohio, Dec. 8, 1895, the daughter of Jackson and Elizabeth (Rhinesmith) Rhoads, the former a native of Lancaster County, Pa., and the latter of Elkhart, Ind. Mr. Rhoads settled in Conneaut in 1890 and engaged in the lumber business. He and his wife live at 355 Harper Avenue, Conneaut. They are the parents of the following children: Zella, married J. Hogle, lives at Conneaut; Mrs. Soet; Bertha, and George, deceased; Clement and Cleo, twins, the former having died in 1921, and the latter lives at home.

Mr. Soet is a Republican, a member of the Baptist Church and belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Elks lodge. He is a substantial citizen of Ashtabula County, and is highly esteemed.