Notes |
- VERMILLION - S. E. QUARTER.
by BENJ. SUMMERS, ESQ.
Deacon John Beardsley erected the first
log house back from the Lake shore in
Vermillion, on lot no. 12, 2d section, in
the year 1815. He settled first in 1810,
near the mouth of Vermillion River, but
the unhealthiness of the location and con-
sequent sickness of his family, induced him
to move hack to the less fertile but more
healthful ridges. Here his family soon re-
gained health. He was a good and useful
man. Though eccentric in some of his
views, and probably in error, especially in
his theory of preserving his family from
the contamination of the world by educating
them at home instead of at school - he
was liberal to a fault, very negligent of his
dress; of a tall and robust frame, fully do-
voted to his Christian duties. He first in-
troduced religious meetings into the differ-
ent neighborhoods round about by holding
reading meetings, which ho conducted by
singing, prayers, reading a sermon, &C
and which in the absence of regular clergy
was very beneficial in keeping up the forms,
and, to some extent, the spirit of religion,
and steadying the Ark of the Lord in the
wilderness.
The writer hereof distinctly remembers
the impressions of the first religious services
he attended in the wilderness. It was in
the Fall of 1817, at the dwelling of Joel
Crane, Esq., near the township line.
Deacon B. officiated. His dress was remarka-
ble to a person just from the refinements of
New England. Woolen shirt, flannel
wamus, tied by strings, and unmentiona-
bles of same material, without fulling or
dressing, and domestically colored with
butternut bark, composed the main fea-
tures of his wardrobe; and in the sum-
mer following, shoes and stockings were
generally dispensed with. A few years of
back woods experience brought the most of
us into uniform with our worthy deacon.
The Deacon was a pillar of the first Con-
gregational Church organized in his neigh-
borhood, and was also an almost indispen-
sible accompaniment of a log or frame rais-
ing. Cheerful and happy himself, he dif-
fused the same spirit around. He raised a
numerous family, most of whom died ere
middle age, and now rest by his side in the
grave yard donated by him to the public,
in the southeast part of the township,
called the "Ridge cemetery." He was
elected the third Justice of the Peace
of the Township, but by some mis-
take never was commissioned. His chil-
dren were Philo, Joseph Smith, (who died
in 1822) Ann, Clement, Sophia, Joseph
Smith 2d, Harriet, Seth - who died in
1848 - Maria, (in 1844,) John and Irene.
Ann married Capt. Elliot, and died in
1844, Sophia married Allen Eddy, and died
in 1849, Harriet married Mr. Blasdel, and
died in 1842, John married Leah Corkins,
and died in 1849. All who married left
issue. Philo removed west about 1830.
Irene, wife of D. L. Washburn, Esq.,
and Clement, who married Sarah Akers,
have numerous offspring, and still reside
in Vermillion, and are the only known sur-
vivors of the children. Clement is now
- 1858 - Commissioner of the county of Erie.
The deacon died of lockjaw in the year
1831, perfectly resigned and composed, in
full assurance of a blissful immortality, and
exemplified beautifully that
"The chamber where the good man meets his fate,
Is privileged beyond the common walks of life
- Quite on the verge of heaven."
His aged widow still survives him.
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