Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/705

 CITY OF MANSFIELD.

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��Mary (wife of Dr. Geo. Mitchell), John Caldwell, Kate, Jerrie H. and Barna G.

BUSHNELL, WILLIAM, physician. The family from which Dr. Bushnell descends dates back, in America, to early in the sixteenth century. Sometime in that period, Francis Bushnell came from England to Amer- ica, and located in Guilford, Hartford Co., Conn.; he died in 1646, as the records show, his death being the first authentic date in possession of the family. He left five sons — Francis, William, .John, Richard and Isaac. The second son, William, married and settled in Con- necticut, and, at his death, left four children, the second of whom, Ephraim, also lived in Connecticut, and raised a family of seven children. His third child, James, was born March 12, 1716, and, about the year 1736, married a Miss Dudley. He was a seafaring man, and, soon after his marriage, went to sea on one of his voyages, and was never afterward heard from. It is supposed his vessel was lost at sea. After his departure to sea, his only son, Alexander, was born June 2, 1737. Feb. 12, 1761, he married Chloe Waite, a member of the W^aite family of Lyme, Conn. (Chief Justice Waite, of Ohio, is a descendant of the same family). Miss Waite was born June 20, 1738. She lived to be 94 years old, dying Oct. 28, 1832. She became the mother of eleven children. The sixth child, Sterling G., the father of Dr. Bushnell, was born in Hartford Co., Conn., in 1781. The exact date is not known, as the record has been lost. Mr. Bushnell came to Trumbull Co., Ohio, in 1805, and to Vermillion Township, Ashland Co., May 20, 1820. His family then consisted of eleven children — Betsey, Lury, Will- iam, Collins, Sedelia, Jotham, Huldah, Rosella, Horner, Olive and Thomas. Of these, six are now living — Bet- sey, William, Sedelia, Huldah, Rosella and Thomas. Mr. Bushnell lived in this township until August, 1847, when his destth occurred. He was 70 years of age. His wife lived several years after her husband's death, dy- ing in the old homestead ; she lives with her son Thomas, who is there yet. Mr. Bushnell was a man of scholarly attainments, and great force of character. He was a surveyor, and surveyed parts of the Reserve in the counties of Ashtabula, Medina and Lorain ; while living in Trumbull Co., he surveyed a good deal of its territory there. William B. remained at home in Ver- million Township, teaching school about one year, assisted in opening the farm, and studying medicine ; he then went to Trumbull Co. to study medicine ; in 1825, he went to the old Ohio Medical College, at Cin- cinnati, where he remained about one year at the medi- cal school ; at the end of the time, he went to New Orleans, and settled at Point Coupee, where he practiced medicine one year ; while there, he taught in an acad- emy seven months: from there he returned to this county, and located in Mansfield ; this was in July, 1828. The Doctor has since lived here, engaged in the practice of medicine. When Dr. Bushnell was a boy, he took a small part in the war of 1812. He was quite ambitious of military life then, as were all boys of the day, and enjoyed at least one adventure. After Hull's surrender, when in his 12tli year, the 1st Regiment of the 3d Brigade, and the 4th Division of the Ohio Militia, on its way to the frontier, halted and took dinner at the residence of his father, who was Adjutant of that regi-

��ment. William, believing he was old enough to go with the troops, pleaded his cause so earnestly to accompany the regiment, that he was allowed to do so, and marched with it to the vicinity of Cleveland, where the troops were encamped. A battle being imminent with the Indians, his father told him he must go back home. He obeyed very reluctantly, as he desired to take a hand in the fighting. He retraced his steps alone through the dense wilderness, guided only by the trail left by the regiment.

April 5, 18? 6, Dr. Bushnell married Mary, only daughter of Gen Robert Bentley, a man of much abil- ity, who resided in this county. Of their children only one is living — Martin B., a resident of jNlansfield. Dur- ing his long and successful career as a physician. Dr. Bushnell has also devoted himself to public business, and held several places of responsibility. Many of the internal improvements in the northern portion of the State were either projected by him, or owe their exist- ence to his energy and influence. He was one of the Directors of the Alantic & Great W'estern Railway, not only during its construction, but for some years after its completion. In 1849, Dr. Bushnell was elected a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, and sub- sequently re-elected, and served several terms in that legislative body. After the establishment of the Cleve- land Medical (.'ollege, he was connected with it as a Censor for about fifteen years. He is a member of the American Medical Association, and also of the Ohio Medical Association ; and, as a physician and surgeon, he ranks with the most eminent in the State. Possessed of a remarkably vigorous .constitution, he has been enabled to perform an unusual amount of work. In the early days of his practice, with almost impassable roads to travel long distances, it required the constant exer- cise of those virtues. He is possessed of an exceed- ingly dignified and pleasant appearance, and commands the respect of the community where he has lived so long, and with satisfaction to his constituents, whom he has represented. In .June, 1878, he was appointed by Gov. Bishop the Delegate of Ohio to the International Congress on prison reform, called by and under the auspices of Sweden, to take place in Stockholm on the 29th of June. The Doctor took passage on the Inman steamer City of Chester, to attend to the duties of his delegation, and at the same time enjoy a European tour. Since his return, he has been quietly living in the city, enjoying the fruits of a long and busy life.

CAIRNS, ROBERT, was born on the McFall corner, in Mansfield, Feb. 3, 1815; at the age of 3 years, his ■ parents removed to the opposite corner, now occupied by M. L. Miller; he has always resided in the city and county. He was married, in 1835, to Elizabeth Gor- don, by Rev. James Johnson, the first minister of the U. P. Church in Mansfield. Mr. and Mrs. Cairns are the parents of nine children — four boys and five girls — all living. Mr. C. comes of a family remarkable for longevity, size and activity; they were all prominent actors in the history of this county. His father, .Joseph Cairns came to this county from ^luskingum County directly after Hull's surrender; he acted as a Captain in a regiment in the early part of the war of 1812. Mr. C. is of Irish parentage, rugged, hardy and active, and bids fair to live m-iny years to relate the incidents

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