Brighton Township

Brighton Township

Brigiitun consists of tract seven, and portions of tracts six and eight, in range nineteen of the original Western Reserve. It is uj)on the extreme west of the county, and is bounded upon the north by Camden, east by Wellington, south by Rochester and west by the township of Clarksfield, Huron county. The soil in the northern part is clay, principally, but in the southern portion a gravelly soil is found. The surface is more uneven than that presented to the eye in must of the southern townships of Lorain county, the west branch of the Black river having cut its way through the territory from a point near the southwest corner of the township to the eastern boundary, whore it emerges about one mile south of the Camden line. Its course is very irregular, and .its stream has left broad and very fertile bottom lands, which are as i;(i(id for the general purposes of farming as any in the county.

The Original Proprietors

of the lands now included in Bi'ighton were Lemuel Storrs, Ephraim Root, James Ross, Peter Brooks, .lohn C!all, William Shaw, George Black and Pennewel Cheney. Tract seven, extending through the center of the township from east to west, and containing four hundred acres, was the property of Root & Ross. It was by them sold to Harmon Kingsbury and others, and was the portion first put into the market for sale to the settlers. Storrs, the owner of tract eight and the several owners of tract six sold to, or exchanged lands with, Tuekerman Brothers, of Boston, Norton and Stocking of Hartford, Connecticut, Frederick Hamlin of Berkshire, Massachusetts, Deming and Alford. Levi Bliss, of Massachusetts, bought out Tnckernum Brothers. The surplus lands upon the west side of the township were originally owned by Goodrich of Hartford, and several others. Brighton is what is known as an equalizing township. Its name was bestowed by Abner Loveland at the time of organization.

were quite numerous when tiie first sei tiers came in and all accounts agree as to their friendliness to, and fair treatment, with few exceptions, of the whites. They were of the Seneca and Wyandot tribes. Befoi'c the time of settlement, these Indians were in the custom of camping upon what they called the "big bottom," upon the farm which is now the property of Leonard H. Loveland, but after the first settlers arrived they seldom had an encampment within the territory now included in the townshij). They traded very frequently with their pale faced brothers, bringing fine venison hams, which they were always delighted "to exchange for bread or ]>ork. Leoiutrd Loveland remembers seeing with them, upon one occasion, a very old, though remarkably well preserved man, who was said l)y the Indians to hiive seen the sun of one hundred and fort_y-five summers. It is probable that this was not far from being correct, for events that the Indian sjioke of as occurring in the

Settlement

'riio iiioiu'cr 1)1' Urightoii was Alinoi' Loveland, Jr. He ciiterecl tiic forest alone in the fall of 1820, witii the intention of hecoiiiing a perni.inent resident, and built n|)on lot one, in tract seven, the first luiinan habitation, save the lints and wigwams of tlie Indians, in the territory included a few years later in the limits of Brighton. He carried upon his back the poles of which he built his cabin. In tlie spring of 1831, he started for tlie east, bnt a great snow storm made it impossible for liim to pursue his journey, and he stop)>ed in (irafton, wliei'e he I'emained until fall, working for vai-ious settJers. In the fall he again prepared to go to his liouie, but, receiving a letter from his father, saying that he had bought land in Brighton and wanted him to begin clearing it, he went back to the place which he had originally selected ami jirepared for the coming of his father and the family by erecting a log house. In July of 18'>1, came the father, Abner Loveland, Sr. , his wife Lois, four daughters, So])hia, Lovina, ramelui, Minerva and a son Leonard H. with his wife Margaret Whitlock. They made this journey, with an ox team, in six weeks. The Lovelands were natives of Otis, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, Aimer, Jr., the first arrival, ma<le the journey from liruiiswick. New Jersey, upon foot. His wife was I'aima DeWolf, and he had by her five children, three of whom arc now living, Celestia A. in Wellington, (Jort^lia J. (Mrs. I). Reamer) in Oberliu, and Franklin in New York. Abner Loveland, Jr., renu.)Ved from Brighton to Wellington in 1834, and, his wife tlying, ho married some time afterwards, Mrs. Anna Kimmel. He is still living, at the age of eighty-two years, being born in 1796. Leonard H. Loveland still lives iipoi lot one, tract seven, a few rods from the site of the first log house built in the towiishiji, and is eighty-four years of ago. His children, lieside WMiitlock, who died when a babe, were (!ordelia, born Novemlier 12, 1S2I3, and died March ;5, 18.")2, and Kineline Margaret, born March 4, 18.");!. Mr. Ijovelaud, like his brother, is living with his second wife, and he is lier second husband. Her iiiaiilen name was Fanny Allen. tSlic was from Vermont, and her Inisband facetiously claims that she was a connection of Ethan Allen, "the Green mountain lioy." Abner Loveland, Sr., and his wife have been dead for many years. Both were born in 17f;4._^

The Kingsbiirys' arrived after Abner Loveland, Jr., and before all the others of this family. Joseph Kingsbury was the second settler. He was the father of Harmon Kingsbury, before mentioned as one of the original owners of the land. He came early in 1821, from Otis, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, bringing his wife, four daugliters, one of whom died young, and two sons, Solomon and Austin. One of the daughters married Loren Wadsworth, another . Eber W. Hubbard, and Louisa A. married Calvin Roice. Josei>li Kingsbury settled on lot thirteen, Solomon on lot ten, and Austin on lot nine - all in tract seven; which, as has been heretofore stated, was the only portion of the lands offered for sale. Harmon Kingbury was never a resident of the township, but was a frequent visitor. Austin Kingsbury reared a family of six children, of whom Mrs. Orrin Hall (Tjouisa A.) is one. A sister resides in Wellington. William Harvey is in Oberliu.

The next settlers, after the Kiiigsburys, were the Halls. Avery Hall and wife, and their grown-up sons, Alfred and Ori'in, with Selden, who was of age soon after coming into the country, emigrated from Great Barrington, Massachusetts, in 1822. Other children in this family were: Lrastus, Sarah, Edwin (now in Eiyria), Theophilus (in Litchfield), Julia (in Perrysburg), John and William. Avery Hall, upon arriving, settled upon lot two, and his son Alfred on lot six. Selden afterward settled on the same lot; he married a daughter of Luke Whitlock, and removed some years after to Wellington, where he died in 1878. Orrin Hall settled on lot nine, where he still lives. Alfred Hall removed to Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Soon aftei' the Halls arrived, a man named ]5ailey came into the Bcttlement, but made no ]>urcliase of land, and remained but a short time. Another squatter came at the same time, but like Bailey left no mark upon the jieople among whom he had a brief residence, or upon the map of Brighton township.

H(n'ace, John and Joseph Crosby, the latter not of ago, and another brother who died (juite young, came with their mother soon after the arrival of the Halls, from Tyriiighain, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and settled upon lot three. John was married in 1825 to Locitte Sage.

Luke Whitlock came in the spring of 1822, and his brother John, at a later date. They settled upon lot seven. The Whitlocks were from Soxith Brunswick, New Jersey. 1'he family of Luke Whitlock consisted of his wife Elizabeth, a son John, who died eai'ly, Ellen, now Mrs. Augustus Fox, residing near the center, and Jane, who married Koswell Smith, and afterwarils Selden Hall, now living in Wellington. Luke Whitlock died suddenly and among strangers. He was in Pittsburgh upon his way home and was stricken dead upon the street and buried before his relatives, who left for that city as soon as the sad news reached them, had arrived.

Justice Battle, Sr., and wife, and Justice Battle, Jr., and wife were among the first settlers, but the date of their arrival cannot be definitely ascertained. They came from Tyriugham, Berkshire county, Massachusetts and located upon lot sixteen.

first settled in Wellington. On coming into Biigliton he lociitoil u])on lot ten. Ho married a daughter of Joseph Kingsbury, by whom he had three children, - Boughton, now in Clarksville, Eunice, in Avon, and Sarah.

There wei-e sevei-al who arrived in the townshii) soon after tlic lirst settlement was made but wlio could not be called settlers. Among these was Elijah Fox, a worthy man from Berkshire county, Massachusetts, who came in 1833 and l)oarded for some time with Leonard H. Loveland. He took up land a number of years afterwards. His son E. S. Fox now resides upon lot eight, in tract seven. David Fox, the aged father of Elijah, was a Methodist exhorter of considerable ability. Daniel Smith came to Brighton in the latter part of 1S31 or early m tiie following year and worked for Joseph King«bury.

Of tiie later settlers we can only speak Ijriefly. After the organization of the township and after the land in tracts six and eiglit were put into the market, the number of inhabitants rapidly inreascd. There being no land but that in tract seven, - the center tract, ^ offered for sale until 183.3, many were deterred from coming into Brighton from apprehension that it would not for many years become a well settled township. It wa»s this fear that led Abner Loveland, the pioneer, to sell out his land and remove into Wellington. It was liought by Daniel Clark, of Litchfield, Connecticut. Albert Niles came into tlic township between the time of organization and the year 1830. He owned altogether and at different times fifteen farms. - Fisk settled about the same time as Niles. Loren Lovi^land a brother of Leonard H. and Abner, came in a little later. Dr. Eber W. Hubbard and his father wlio were among the first settlers in La Grange, were residents of this township for a few years, and resided on the Kingsbury farm. James Whipple, of Whitestown, New York, came and locateil on lot twelve in 183;5. Erasmus ,Tudd and wife settled as early as 1833 on lotsix, and brought u]i a family of five children. They were from Litchfield, Connecticut. Isaac Everson settled in the summerof 1833, upon lot twenty-one. Henry Converse, his wife and five ehil dren became residents in 1833, settling upon lot ten. His childreu were Nelson, Lucinda, Harrison, Maria and Emma (Mrs. Jacob Wheeler, of Rochester). Nelson was drowned in the Black river, Jiaving been swept over his saw mill dam in a dug out. He is said to have been a phenomenal swimmer, and his drowning could only be accounted for upon the supposition that he was hurt in some way by his fall. Octavus Gillitt settled upon lot sixteen in the gore, m 1830, and his brother, (reo:ge, near him soon after. Jolin Dnnbar, his son, Simeon, and Harriet, the wife of the latter, came from Wayne county. New York in August, 1835, :ind located upon lot eight in tract seven, .lames Humphrey, his wife and three children settled about the same time upon the same lot. They were from (I real Barrington, Massachusetts.

Philip L. Goss, a native of Winchester, New Hampshire, settled on lot seventeen, in 1836, coming from Brecksvillo, Cluyahoga county, where he had resided for a short time. He was one of the substantial, influential men of the town, and always prominent in its institutions until his removal in 1878, to Wellington, where he and his wife, Serena, at present reside with their married daughter, Mrs. Dr. Rust. He has a son, Charles P., in Oberlin, and another daughter, Sarah, who married a son of Dr. Beach, of Pittstield. David Goss, bronher of Philip L., arrived in 1843. His sons, Maurice and Otis, reside in Brighton, and his daughters in Illinois, and Huron county. Ohio.

Smith Stocking and Harry Haws came into the township in 1837, the former settling upon lot fifteen, in the gore, and the latter u])oii the same lot, a little to the north, where D. .Tohnson located two years later. Wm. Bunee and Samuel Lamb took up farms about the same time, upon lot one in tract seven, building houses u|)on the east and west road.

Cornelius Seeley ca.me into Avon in 1831, and originally emigrated from Westmoreland, Oneida county. New York. His wife's maiden name was Rachel Smith. They had fourteen children, twelve of whom lived to maturity. H. S., the eldest, settled in Brighton, on lots thirty-oue and thirty-two, where he now resides. Morrell E., Anna, and Dwight, his childreu, now live in Brighton, the first named upon the Loveland farm.

The earliest settlers of Brighton endured many hardships. Food was for a time exceedingly scarce, and could only be liad in small variety. When the wheat was harvested it was often found full of smut, and as there were no machines in those days for cleaning it, the smut went into the Ijread, making it so black tliat the Indians often refused to eat it. The nearest j)!ace where the pioneers could get a grist ground was at Clarksfield. Leonard Loveland was once pursued by wolves while returning from the mill in that place. These jiests of every new country were very plentiful. 'L'hey were not usually regarded as a source of danger, but of annoyance. They would often surround a settler's cabin and make night hideouH with their horrible howling. Deer were found in the woods in large numbers, and venison was so common upon the tables at which hard working, hungry men sat down, tliat it was looked upon with no more favor than jtork. As many as fifty deer have been seen in a single herd in Brighton. Enormous flocks of wild turkeys wei'e often met with, during the first few years after the woods were invaded by white men, and all kinds of small game was found in abundance, but most of the pionee'rs had too much work to do with the ax and plow to spend their time in hunting. There were few who carried the rifle except when the larder was low.

First Events

The first death was tliat of Whitlock Loveland, a nine months old chdd of Leonard II. and Margaret Loveland. He was born .January 2, 1820, and died on the 13tli of October. Tlie burial was upon the clearing maJe by the Lovelands, a few rods south of their log house, and of Leonard Loveland's present honu'. Otiior nieml)ei's of the family now lie by tlie side of the little one for whom the first grave was made. The funeral was attended by only two or three persons beside the family, among them being tlie Rev. Mr. Parmele, a Baptist minister of Sullivan, who s})oke the few words of com fort, and offered the prayer at the grave.

Sometime in ls2o, Albert Niles, then of Wellington, and a native of Berkshire county, Massacliusetts. was married to Sophia., daughter of Leonard il. and Margaret Loveland. The ceremony was performed at jSI'r. Loveland's log cabin, by Squire Ephriani A. Wilcox, of Wellington, and was witnessed by about twenty or twenty-five persons, or the entire population of the township. In the evening, a substantial suj)per was served, all present sitting down to the table, wliicli was more sensibly set than those which gi-oan under the weight of modern marriage feasts. Steaming moats, home-made bread, and wholesome vogetaljles were in al)uudance, but cakes, confections, and ices, with French names, did not have a jjlace upon the board. The young married couple settled in Brighton, upon lot seventeen, tract seven, where they remained for a number of years. Both have been dead for some time.

The first school was tauglit by Paima De W'olf, wife of Abner Loveland, after their marriage, and was held in the log house which they occupied. She gave instruction, to the best of her aliility, to about a dozen children, an(.l received therefor the sum of six shillings per week. This was previous to 1827. In tliat year a log school house was built, about three-ijuarters of a mile east of the center. Polly Warren was the first teacher of the school held in this Ijnilding. The first frame school school house was built in 183(], - the frame being erected l)y the free labor of John Dunbar and his two sons, llosea and Simeon, who took the timber from the woods. It was completed through repeated subscriptions by the citizens, and for several years served as both church and school house, until the Congregational church was built. Brighton is now well abreast of her sister townships in the excellence of her schools, as well as in general improvements.

In the earliest, days of the settlement, the pioneers were obliged to go as far as Liverpool to olitain their mail, or to dispat.cli letters. Afterwards they were able to got their mail in Wellington, and in 1824, or 182.5, they had a. regular mail, carried liy one Bovee. A man by the name of Wyatt carried the first mail that e\er went through the township. He came through on the east ami west center road on his first trip, ilarch 13, 1821.

Alfred Hall went into service as postmaster at Brighton about 1830. He was only nominally postmaster however, for Ransom Foote, the deputy, had the real work to do, and kept the few letters and papers that came to tlie settlers at his house near the center, because Hall lived a mile and a half away. Jefferson Whip]ile is the present postmaster. He was appointed in 187G.

The first store was opened at the center about the year 1830, hy Samuel .Jones who continued in business some time. A large general store is now kept by Whipple & Hall who are the successors of Richmond & Whipple.

William Battle opened the first hotel in 1850, and kept a well conducted temperance house. (Jeorge Peasley now offers food and shelter to the wayfarer and tlic stranger.

The first road of travel tluough the township was the east and west center road. This was laid out in 1819. The north and south center road was opened ten or twelve years later, and the various roads parallel to these two were laid out at different times as the number of inhabitants increased, and there was demand for new means of communication.

The township has but one cemetery, besides the several private burial places where were laid the remains of the first few persons who died in the .settlement. The town cemetery is ujion the west side of the road, just a few rods south of the center. The land was donated by Austin Kingsbury in 184:5.

The Lovelands, father and sons sowed the first wheat in the fall of 1821. They put ii eight acres, and the next summer harvesteil a womlcrful crop. They also planted the first orchard, the tr'cs in which were started from seed brought by them from Massachusetts. Several apple trees were still living, and bore fruit in 1878.

"The township was organized at the spring election of 1823. .Joseph Kingsbury, Avory Hall and Calvin Roice, were elected trustees; Leonard H. Loveland, clerk: Abner Loveland, treasurer; and Abner Loveland, Jr., justice of the ])eaco. There were twelve electors, just about the number of porsons rei|uired to fill the offices in those days. The townsliip belonged to Lorain, as then formed, but, with other townships, remained attached to Medina county, until the organization of Lorain was completed."'* parents' conversion, and, were we able to trace the sequence, should doubtless discover, iu this taking away of life, the initial impulsion in a long series of causes and effects resultant in great good. There is here an illustration of the mysterious means of Providence. Mr. Loveland and his wife were the first persons to experience religion in Brighton. Wiien their cliild died they liogan thinking tliat they. werenot good enough to follow him into tiie future world, and the result was tiiat they accepted the teachings (if the Bible as their guide, and tried to conform their lives to its precepts. Tiie first religious service ever iield in the towushiit was at the grave of tlie little one taken from these parents. Not very long afterwards meetings wore held in the vicinity, and, in 1S33, or the following year, what was known as the Black River circuit was laid out and a Rev. Mr; Coston rode through a number of the townships, preaching wherever he could get together a dozen listeners. As the little clearings in the wilderness became larger and moi-o numerous, the need of religious fellowship was felt by several, and hence, in tlie fall of 1S"27, it came about that the class was organized which was the beginning of of Brighton. The church was organized by Rev. A. Brainard, and the preaching which its members attended during the first year of its existence was by Rev. Henry 0. Sheldon, who was then traveling the circnit which included this point. Meetings were held at Loveland's and at the center, though most frequently at the former place. The constituent members of this church were: Abner Loveland, Lois his wife, Leonard H. Loveland, Margaret his wife, Pamelia Loveland, Minerva Loveland, Elizabeth Whitlock, Erastus Hall. S:ira,h Hall and David Fox. Leonard H. Loveland was class leader. As time wore on, the church received accessions, and it was found that the congregation had outgrown the capacity of a dwelling house, and must have a proi)er place of meeting. Accordiugly, a neat but plain structure, the one now iu use, was built at the center. The frame was erected iu 1850, but on accouut of sickness of the workmen, and for want of means, it was not inclosed until the following spring; when, by the earnest efforts of T. Hall and E. S. Bidwell and others, the work was carried on to completion. It was dedicated, free from debt, November G, 18.53. The present membership is forty-five, and would be much larger, but many residents of the southern part of the township, of the Methodist denomination, attend the church at Rochester station. The present pastor is Rev. E. A. Warner, and the class leaders, 0. Peabody and William Ward. The stewards are D. M. Hall (recording steward), Freeman Green and H. S. Seeley. The follovviug are the trustees of thechureh property: D. M. Hall, Freeman Green, Simeon Dunbar, William Ward and H. S. Seeley.

The Congregational Church

was organized in 183G, and the first meetings were held in the school house east of the center. The original members were: Justice Battle, and his wife Esther, his son's wife Bathsheba, Selden Hall and wife, .Joseph Kingsbury, Austin Kingsbury, W. R. Strong and wife, Philip L. Goss, Serena S. Goss and Peter Dickinson. The first regular minister who preached in this church was Rev. Mr. Kellogg, from New York state. Much of the time, the pulpit was supplied by students from Oberlin. The first deacons of the church were Philip L. Goss and W. R. Strong. The society built a church at the center in 1840. The church now has a membership of thirty-five, the only ones upon the roll who were among the first members being Philip L. Goss and his wife. Rev. D. T. Williams is pastor; Lewis Hart and .Tames S. Jones, deacons. The trustees are] J. Bennett, Otis Goss and Mark Smith; clerk of the church, Lewis Hart; clerk of the society, Maurice Goss, who is also acting treasurer.

There is reason to believe that Brighton is at present an unusually healthful place. It has no resident physician. In the past the men of medicine were not numerons. The few who came into the township remained but a short time each, and none of them became so wealthy from their practice as to be able to retire. Dr. Holcomb was the pioneer practitioner, but did not come in until 1848. He was an excellent physician. After a moderately successful practice, extending through five or six years, he moved away, and his place was taken by a Dr. Gilson, who, after a very short time, was followed by Dr. William Elder, whose practice in the township was concluded in abont three years. Dr. Cannan, now of Camden, practiced in Brighton for a few months.

Industrial Pursuits

Brighton is essentially a farming township. It has no manufacturing interests save those which are commonly found in the townships of Lorain county, viz:

Cheese Factories And Saw Mills

The Brighton cheese factory, owned by Goss & .Jones, is located upon the center road, a short distance, perhaps a quarter of a mile south from the center. It receives the milk of about five hundred cows, which is mostly manufactured into cheese. Only a small quantity of butter is made. The factory was first projected by Goss & Comj^any, in 18G7, and after running a number of years was burned down. The present factory building was erected in the season of 1874-5.

Horr & Warner, of Wellington, have a cheese factory on the town line road, adjoining Wellington, and nearly a mile from the southern boundary of the township, on lot thirty-one. They receive the milk

The Centennial cheese factory, so named fmm the fact that it was started in 187G, is the property of Henry Wood, who also owns the farm upon which it is located. This is what is known as a "full cream factory," and tiie proprietor does not manufacture any butter. Not far from three hundred and fifty cows are milked for this factory. Mr. Wood is a native of CUieshire, England.

The first saw mill was built by a man named Foote, some time previous to 1825, upon the western branch of Black river, and was washed away ijy a frcslict. The next was upon the same stream and was the projierty of Solomon Kingsbury an<l Nelson Converse. There is now one steam saw mill in the townsiiip, owned and rnn by Otis Goss. It is located south of the center, upon lot sixteen.

Temperance

As early as ISoG, Brighton organized a temperance society, with the usual pledge of total abstinence from all intoxicating li<piors (oxce)it wine and cider). Pliilip L. Goss was president of said society. A new impulse was given in the year 1841, under tiie name of the Washingtonian movement. Refurmed drunkards related tlieii- experience in the degi'ading Jiabit of drink, and of tiieir new life in refornnUidu, inspiring with hope tiie fallen, declaring total abstinence from all intoxicating drinks tiie only safeguard of sobriety. First among this class of reformers was one Captain F. Turner. Deacon Pliilip Goss was president. At tlie next annual meeting John V. Wliitlock was elected ])resident. In the summer of 184:3, the county (puirterly meeting was held at Brigiiton, Mr. Cheney, of Elyria, president. The Rev. Ansel Clark, of Huntington, and Mr. Van Wagoner, were the [inneipal sjieakers. At the close of tiie lecture, Mr. N'anWagoner gave a description of how a jierson wiiuld act in a fit of delirium tremens. At the next election, in the year 1845, II. B. Dunbar was elected president of said society. He served five years, and obtained four hundred and thirtv-seven signatures to the jiledge. Djacon Elier .Jones was next president of (he society; and ever since, there has been, and is now, a temperance organization in Brighton. Although it has not been able to entirely suppress intemperance, yet its inllaence lias ke[)t tiie townsiiip free from the unmitigated curse of a saloon or place where intoxicating liquors, witli the exi^eption of cider, could be bought. The selling of eider to be drunk, is not reputable in Brigiiton.

James Whipple

was born in the town of Pomfret, Windham county, Connecticut, March IG, 1811. His father, Charles Whiiiple, was born at North Providence, Rhode Island, April 28, 1779. His mother, Harriet Whipple, was born at North Providence, Rhode Island, November 14, 1786. In the year 1807, they moved to Pomfret, Connecticut; and in 1815, to Westmoreland, Oneida county. New York., where they resided until death. Charles AVhipple died January IG, 18G(), aged eiglitysix years. Hannah Whipple died December G, 18G.3, aged seventy-eight years.

In the 22d year of his age. May 24, 1833, James Whipple came to Brighton, Lorain county, Ohio, having first bouglit in Rrighton one hundred acres of land, known as the Loomis farm. He has at present over two hundred acres. He was married to Melinda Dunbar, November 13, 1839; she was born at Sandy Lake, Rensselaer county. New York, September C, 1819. Her father's name was .John Dunbar, who was born at Bridgewater, Norfolk county, Massachusetts, June, 1777; he was of Scotch and English descent. He lived with his i^arents at Bridgewater until he was sixteen years of age; then he moved with tliein to Grantham, Sullivan county. New Hampshire; and in 1800, he married Sally Annadown, daughter of Josepli and Dorcas Annadown, of Soiitlibridge, Massachusetts; she was born September 29, 177G. He resided at Grantham until Eebruary, 1818, and then removed to Sandy Lake. From there, he removed to Ludlow, Windsor county, Vermont, in 1820; and in 1831, he removed to Minerva, Essex county. New York. He came from Mernava to Ohio, the latter part of May, 1835, and located in Brighton, September, 18'db, where he resided until his death, January 18, 1838, aged sixty-one years. He was a farmer, and his farm lay about three-fourths of a mile north of the center. Sally Dunbar, wife of John Dunbar, died September 22, 1854, aged seventy-eight years. Melinda was sixteen years of age when her parents removed into Brighton. Slie had a common school education. Since her marriage she has always resided on the same farm where they now live They have had four children, as follows: Jefferson C. Whipple, liorn August 18, 1841; Anzonette Whipple, born February 8, 1851; Emma Whipple, born April 2, 1857; Manette C. Whipple, born October iil, 18G1. Emma died June 12, 1859, aged two years, two months and ten days; Anzonette died June 17, 1859, aged eight years, four months and nine days. The homestead is situated one and one-half miles from Brighton. The owner early identified himself with the religions and political interests of the town, bearing his share of the common burdens, and sharing in its general prosperity.

was born in Soutlifiekl, IJerksliire county. Miissaeliusetts, October:!, 1794, and livetl witb bi.s"fatlier,Abiier Lovohmd, until he attained his majority. Ilis education was confined to that of the common schools, but by studing at niglit, wliilo otliers slejit, he qualified iiimself for the honorable calling of teaching, and for two years taught school, with marked success. He then married Margaret V., daughter of Luke and Elizabeth Wliitlock. She was born in Connecticut, June 25, 1794; and died August 18, 1855. This union resulted in three children, one son and two daughters, luunely : Abncr, born January 2, 1S21, in South Brunswick, New Jersey ; died October 13, 1831. Cordelia, born November 12, 1833, in Lorain county, Ohio ; died March 33, 1853. Emiline M., born March 4, 1833 ; died October 30, 1874.

Abner Loveland, father of him of who we write, was born in Connecticut, April 18, 1764. He was married to Lois, daughter of Benjamin Hodge. In 1831 he removed with his family to Ohio. There were si.v children, namely : Dolly, Lovma, Parmelia, Minerva, TiUman E., Loring, Luther, Leonard 11. and Abuer. At Buffalo they took a sister of Mr. Loveland's in their wagon. The brothers and sisters are all deceased, the last brother dying at Wellington, Ohio, March 3, 1879. Abner Loveland died September 6, 1847. He was a man of many excellent qualities, and his death was a sad event in the tlien rather thinly settled country, where he settled, labored and died.

On the 18th, of August, 1855, L. H. Loveland sustained the loss of his wife, which was a sore bereavement to him and the children. For his second wife he married Mrs. Anna Rnlison, widow of James Rulison, and daughter of Moses Allen ; a lady very generally esteemed by her ac(juaintances and friends. Mr. Loveland has followed farming nearly all his life, and has attained tlie dignity of being ctmsidered one of the best j)ractical farmers of Brighton township ; as he is also one of its most substantial citizens. His unswerving personal integrity, and tlio general rectitude of his life, have gained for him an enviable re])utation in the comnumity where he is best known, and where his many ([ualities of head and heart are duly appreciated.

Avery Hall, father of Selden, came to Brighton, Lorain county, Ohio, in the year 1833, being among the pioneer settlers of that town. He was married in Meriden, Connecticut, December 34, 1800, to Miss Sarah Foster. She died in 1803. He was married a second time in Woodbury, Connecticut, September 1, 1805, to Miss Lucy Bacon. She died October 38, 1853. A few years after, he married, for his third wife, Mrs. Leaeli, - -she only living three years after this marriage. He died at the age of seventy-four, and was buried in Brighton. He had two children by his first wife, viz: Selden, born September 19, 1801; Alfred born May 31, 1803. His second union was blessed with eleven children, viz: Erastus, born July 38, 1806; S.irah, born November 11, 1807; Edwin, born April 9, 1809; Avery, born Feljruary 38, 1813; Lucy, born April 13, 1814; Orrin, born April 5, 1816; Julia, born April 19, 1818; Theophilus, born May 15, 1831; John W., born August 36, 1833; William, born April 11, 1835; Clarissa, born August 33, 1839.

Mr. Selden Hall was born in Meriden, Connecticut, September 19, 1801, and died November 38, 1878. In 1833 he, in company with his brother Alfred, traveled on foot from Meriden, Connecticut, to Brighton, Lorain county, Ohio, preceding his father iind family hy a year. When they reached their destination, they found but four white families in the tovviisliii) to bid them welcome to au unbroken wilderness, where mariv-ed trees were the only guides to distant thoroiighl:'ares. He had come for the purjjose of fanning, and soon settled on a piece of ground onehalf a mile west of the center of the town, built a substantial log cabin, and in 1828, he was married to Miss Emily A. Smith, who lived with her widowed mother and brothers on the old Smitli farm, on tlie town line between Wellington and Brighton.

Under the management of this stirring pioneer, and his worthy wife, this forest home began to put on the look of a thriving homestead. They were the parents of five children, viz: Fidelia N., the eldest, born June 11, 1829, was married December 10, 1840, to Jasou W. Gillett, the eldest son of Octavus Gillett. He came to Brighton with his father's family, when a boy of twelve years. The fruit of this union was three children. The eldest, Anice M., was born September 12, 1847, and was married on tlie twentietli anniversary of her mother's wedding day, December 10, 18G(i, to Howard H. Hall, the second son of Avery Hall. He served his country for more than two years, during the late rebellion, enlisting m the Twelfth Ohio volunteer cavalry, October i;j, 180.3, and mustered out witli tlie i-egiment December 15, 180.5. 'I'hey have one child, Charlie M., born October 21, IST'O. Tlie second daughter, ilinda J., was born August 28, 1851, and was married November 10, 1875, to Robert D. La Dow, youngest son of Abraham La Dow, of Camden. One daugliter came to bless this union, - Maude A., born June 22, 1878. The third child, Octavus M., was born March 3, 1853, and was mai'ried December 10, 1874, to Miss Mary L. Griggs, youngest daughter of John S. Griggs. One daughter was the fruit of this union, - Eda B., born August 0, 1870. The second daughter, Augusta M., was Ijorn February 14, 1832, and was married May 4, 1858, to James M. Jones, formerly of I'ennsylvauia. She died May 14, 1864. At the time of her death, her husband was fighting for his country, being in au engagement on the day of her death. He was a member of the One Hundred and Third regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, served three years, and was mustered out with the regiment in June, 1865. She left two boys, - Willie W., born March 3, 1859, and Frank S., born May 8, 1800. The third child, Lorenzo J., was born February 3, 1836, and was married November 25, 1862, to Miss Redia Griggs, eldest daughter of John S. Griggs. He died December 29, 1860, leaving one child, - Horace E., born September 29, 1864. The fourth child, Louisa C, born March 26, 1842, and was married November 29, 1866, to James M. Jones, the former husband of her late sister (Augusta). They have one child, Emily A., born June 27, 1875. The youngest child, Selden S., was born March 26, 1S43, and was married May 9, ISOO, to Lorinda ]\I., only daughter of Tlieophilus Hall. He also was a faithful soldier of the rebellion, receiving a severe wound in the shoulder, at the liattle of Resaca. Notwithstanding tliis, he served his three years, and was honorably mustered out with the regiment. He was in the One Hundred and Third Ohio volunteer infantry, a regiment whose record Lorain county may well be proud of. Two sons blessed this marriage, - Eber W., born March 21, 1868, and Eddie E., born February 28, 1871.

On April 24, 1807, Emily, wife of Selden, Sr., died from that dreaded disease, cancer, after protracted suffering for more than a year. April 29, 1808, he married Mrs. Roswell Smith, of Wellington. From that time until his death, he resided at the Smitli homestead. He was a faithful husljand, a loving father, a warm friend, and a good neighbor. Many an orphan in need has had reason to remember him with gratitude, for his kindly deeds and fitly spoken words. Early in life he made a jirofession of Christianity, and for the past fifty years he has tried to be a faithful follower of his Master, and died with the full assurance of a glorious immortality, retaining his consciousness to the last. The thanksgiving he had planned to keep with dear ones at home, was spent with loved ones gone before.