Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/746

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��BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

��Helen Agusta, Feb. 21, 1868, and Gertrude A., Feb. 10, 1870. Prof. Simpson graduated at Jefferson Col- lege, Penn., in 1858 ; he entered the Hayesville Insti- tute, as a teacher, about the year 1860 ; he was soon installed as Professor of mathematics, and lecturer on physical geography ; in this department he distin- guished himself, until he was recognized as one of the best instructors and ablest mathematicians of the State; he subsequently became President of the institute, and continued in this capacity until 1871 ; he then entered the public schools of Mansfield ; after a little more than a year's experience of his ability, the Board of Education elected him Superintendent, a position which he has held with marked success for the past seven years, and to which he has been unanimously reelected by the board. The wide reputation of Prof. Simpson has been fitly recognized by the Faculty and Trustees of the University of Wooster in their bestowal upon him, at their annual commencement, of the honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

SMITH, HIRAM R. ; retired merchant. His father, Asa Smith, was born at Albany, N. Y., September, 1760; died on his farm near Huron, Ohio, Aug. 30, 1815. His mother (her maiden name Hannah Richmond) was born at Providence, R. I., March 21, 1774; died at Sandusky City Aug. 30, 1842. His parents with their family — four daughters and two sons — emigrated to Ohio just before the war of 1812 ; they embarked on a sail-boat (before any steamer was on the lake) at Buf- falo for Ohio, and landed at the mouth of Huron River, where they located their farm adjoining the present village of Huron ; here they remained during the war, encountering all the privations of a pioneer life and dangers from the Indians, who were prowling all over this section of country at that time. Here the subject of this memoir, Hiram R. Smith, was born, on the banks of Lake Erie near Huron, Ohio, Jan. 7, 1813. He came to Mansfield September, 1824; lived with Hugh McFall, tending store morning and evening, and went to school during the day ; his teacher was Col. Alexander Barr, who kept in the old frame school- house of one room, known as the Big Spring School- house, on the ground where the soap factory now stands. He lived with Hugh McFall fifteen years as salesman in a general stock of goods. From 1824 until the opening of the New York Canal, there was no market for the products of the country ; therefore no prices to remunerate the farmer — wheat, 25 cents ; corn, 12^; oats, 10; flour, $1.50 per barrel; pork, fl.50 per hundred ; butter, 5 to 6 cents per pound; eggs, 3 to 4 cents per dozen. Goods were bought in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, loaded on big Pennsyl- vania wagons with six horses in Philadelphia, and hauled through to Mansfield, which took from five to six weeks ; on the return of the team they loaded with ginseng, beeswax, feathers, cranberries, butter and maple sugar. During the time he was with Hugh McFall he served as Deputy Postmaster for eight years and six months ; did all the business in post-office department : through his fidelity, economy and energy he succeeded in accumulating some means ; then en- gaged in business for himself in general merchandise, as was usually the custom in those times. He was married in 1839 to Ann C. Leiter; she was born in

��Washington Co., Md. ; died in Mansfield June 7, 1850. They had the following children : Henry, born March 31, 1840 (enlisted in the army during the rebellion; died in Arkansas in 1862) ; Mary Felicia, born June 25, 1842, died July 20, 1876, (her death cast a gloom over the entire community ; she had the qualities of true womanhood — religious and social — also a gentle and kind disposition ; she endeared herself to many friends and had no enemies ; she was a Christian and an earnest Sabbath school worker) ; Richmond Smith, born Dec. 14, 1844; Clara Ann, Feb. 8, 1848; died July 26,1875; Miss Smith was for some time a teacher in the public schools ; she also won many friends through her kind and gentle disposition ; she was always ready to lend a helping hand in matters pertaining to the good of those around her ; although her sufferings were intense, she bore them with Christian resignation and departed in great peace. Mr. Smith's second marriage occurred May 16, 1854, to Ann Ward; she was born in Richland Co. ; they have two children : Ward Smith, born Oct. 1, 1856, was married to Mattie Hart, of Mansfield, Nov. 9, 1879; Rena May, born Aug. 8, 1860, she resides with her parents in Mans- field. Mr. Smith has been engaged quite extensively in the mercantile business, has filled different positions of trust and honor, and has proven himself worthy ; also has added greatly to the improvements of this city ; has erected several fine buildings, among them the Opera Hall building ; he has always encouraged every public enterprise that would be a benefit to the community and especially add to the advancement of the city ; he has also borne a portion of the pioneers' burdens, and can look back when Mansfield was in its infancy ; he has grown up with the progress of the city, has participated in the work of progression, and has been one to help Mansfield raise up to her present status — sne among the number to say : "Let us have a good pioneer history of our county," with a helping hand ; he ranks among the first on the list ; this is characteristic of H. R. Smith.

SMITH, WILLIAM (deceased) ; he was born in Washington Co., Penn., Nov. 5, 1788, and was de- scended from an old Washington Co. (Penn.) family; he came to this county in the fall of 1822, and first settled on a tract of land about two miles east of Mans- field, where he lived several years, when he purchased an interest in what was then known as the Tingley & Phearson carding machine and woolen factory, then located a short distance north of town ; he continued in this business nearly three years, when he removed to Mansfield ; two years later, he purchased of Robert McCombs a tract of land situated one and a half miles east of the court house, on the Rocky Fork of the Mohican, at that time covered with a dense forest ; this he partially cleared, and on it he built a house, where he lived and continued to improve the land ; some years afterward, he erected a carding machine and fulling-mill on the stream, which he operated a few years, and tiien started a flouring and grist mill, in which business he was engaged until 1844, when he removed to Mansfield, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred May 5, 1846. William Smith was married in Washington Co., Penn., June 23, 1814, to Miss Sarah Lyle, a native of that county, who

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