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WHO WAS WHO in PLUM TOWNSHIP
~ Titusville Herald ~
April 26, 1963
By H. W. Strawbridge

WAbiel A. Eddy

Abiel Aikens Eddy was born in the state of Vermont on Dec. 5, 1794. The names of his parents are in doubt, but his father is thought to have been John Eddy, one of nine children of Abiel and Constant Torrey Eddy, who first lived in Massachusetts, but later moved to Londonderry, Vt.

The elder Abiel Eddy, a veteran of the French and Indian War, was a great-great-great grandson of Rev. William Eddy, who was vicar of Cranbrook, Kent, England. He died in 1616.

Several of his children sailed to America, the first to arrive having been his two sons, John and Samuel Eddy, who arrived at Plymouth, Mass., on the ship “Handmaid” on Oct. 29, 1630.

The son, Samuel, was married, and his family settled in Plymouth. However, he lived with his sons at Swansea, Mass., in his last years where he died in 1687. It was through Samuel’s line that the subject of this sketch was descended.

Abiel A. Eddy, born 1794, is thought to have been one of ten children. He had a brother Henry, who died in Sandwich, Ill., and a brother, John, who was killed somehow in New York State.

Sometime before reaching maturity, Abiel arrived in New York State, probably in Oneida County. He took up the occupation of a shoemaker.

On Aug. 23, 1814, he enlisted as a private in the War of 1812, serving as a substitute for one D. Shaw from Oneida County. Abiel’s service was with Capt. John G. Weaver’s Company of New York Militia. A part of his service was under a Capt. Fillmore and Lt. Edward Grannes. He was discharged at Sackett’s Harbor, N.Y., on Nov. 17, 1814.

On April 20, 1821, Abiel was married to Miss Millicent Tripp, who was born June 23, 1803. Nothing is known about her family.

They apparently began housekeeping in Rutland, which is in upper New York State. They later moved to Morristown on the St. Lawrence River where they remained for a few years, then moved to Turin, farther south in that state, remaining there several years.

On Sept. 23, 1837, the family moved into a schoolhouse on the land of one Mr. Mershon in Springfield Township, Erie County, Pa., remaining there until the winter of 1840, when they moved into Plum Township. The exact place was in the extreme eastern part of the township in the Fairview settlement. Their house sat more than half a mile west of the Fairview Church, just across the little bridge and on the left. It has been gone now for scores of years. Even the spring has dried up, and only a walnut tree marks the spot today.

Abiel either rented or leased this place of 96 acres from John C. August and D. D. Goodwin. A few years later he was listed for only three and thee-fourths acres.

While here Abiel mainly carpentered, like framing barns and houses, for different area men including Dorastus Guild, Joseph Proper, Abe Williams, John C. August, Samuel Alcorn, Robert Alcorn, Philip Smith, Jared Welsh, Sr., Henry Hoover and Thomas Prather.

Mrs. Abiel Eddy was subject to periodical illnesses, and on March 5, 1848, she was sitting by the fire and fell dead onto the stove. She was buried in the Old Alcorn Cemetery on the Stone Springhouse Road. There hasn’t been a burial in that abandoned cemetery for 85 years.

They had the following children: Luke Eddy, Nov. 7, 1821; Abiel A. Eddy Jr., April 13, 1823; a daughter, Jan. 20, 1825; Alexina Evaline Eddy, Aug. 29, 1828; Andrew Jackson Eddy, June 20, 1831; Julius T. Eddy, Sept. 13, 1838; and John C. Eddy, April 29, 1841.

Luke was married on June 25, 1846 to Miss Sarah Ann Green. He was a carpenter, and he built the historic “Diamond House” tavern in Diamond. He was an early active member of the Diamond U.B. Church. They later lived in Titusville. He died March 8, 1877 and she on May 23, 1885. They are buried in the local Woodlawn Cemetery. They had several children, Mrs. Minetta Tracy, R. Green Eddy, Walter Eddy, William H. Eddy, Holbrook Eddy, John M. Eddy, Luther Eddy and Rosalie B. Eddy, all are deceased.

Abiel Jr. was married on April 18, 1844 to Lydia Benn of Troy Township. They eventually moved to Audubon, Iowa. He was a circuit preacher of the Methodist faith. It is said they had a trying time to preach during the Civil War era. At times he had to hide in walls to avoid the enemy. He died Jan. 26, 1914 in LaGrange, Ill. They had at least five children. Thomas Benn Eddy, Mrs. Isabelle York, Mrs. Mary Beers, Mrs. Clara Grooms and Mrs. Gertrude Sharer, all are deceased. The writer was pleased to get in touch recently with a descendent of that family, Mrs. Doris Christensen, of Kimballton, Iowa.

The next child, the baby daughter, died three days after her birth in Morristown, N.Y.

Alexina was married on Jan. 27, 1853 to Hezekiah Thomas of Wallaceville. His lifelong occupation was that of a blacksmith. He had shops in Wallaceville, Gresham and Diamond. They were active members of the Wallaceville M.E. Church. She died June 12, 1894 and he on June 12, 1913. They are buried at Wallaceville. Their children were Mrs. M. Alida Kightlinger, D. Frank Thomas, Mrs. Onissa McClelland, Valorus E. Thomas, Mrs. Capitola Thomas, John M. Thomas, Adelbert M. Thomas and Will V. Thomas. All are deceased.

Andrew was married on Feb. 17, 1852 to Miss Almeda Williams. He farmed near Troy Center, and was active in the Troy Center M.E. Church, and helped to construct the worship edifice in 1876. He died on Oct 1, 1900and she on Oct. 11, 1907. They are buried at Troy Center. Their children were Mrs. Celestia Grove, Mrs. Eliza McCurdy, Mrs. Ameretta Proper, Will Eddy, Mrs. Alexina Scott, Lee Eddy, Mrs. Elda Gillette, James Eddy, Miss Winnie Eddy and Luke Eddy. All are deceased.

Julius was a fine singer. When he attended the Fairview school, other pupils bribed him to sing with goodies to eat. He had had the rickets and his head became larger than normal. He died of typhoid fever on Aug. 5, 1854, at the age of 15. He was buried beside his mother.

John left home about 1861 and went to Ohio where he enlisted in the Civil War on Sept. 1, 1861, as a private in Company K of the 38th Ohio Infantry. He was later taken prisoner but paroled near Decatur, Ala., on Aug. 7, 1862. He also contracted asthma due to the rigors of service near Chattanooga, Tenn., in December, 1863. He took part in the battles in the state of Georgia the summer of 1864. He was discharged July 12, 1865, at Louisville, Ky. He was married on Sept. 12, 1869 to Miss Sarah Heckman of Gorham, O. They finally settled in Fayette, O., where she died on Nov. 30, 1894, and John on April 8, 1897. They had three children, Mrs. Cora Balding, Florence Eddy and Harry A. Eddy. The daughters are deceased and likely Harry is also.

Abiel A. Eddy Sr. was married a second time on Dec. 5, 1848, to Miss Patience August. The wedding took place at the home of her parents, Benjamin and Mary Miller August, at Diamond with W. W. Davison, justice of the peace, of Sunville officiating. Patience was born Nov. 2, 1810 in Brokenstraw, Warren County, having been the third of a family of 14 children. Her father was the first settler in Plum Township in 1798.

Abiel and Patience had two daughters, both of whom were born in their Plum Township home. They were Mary Eddy, March 17, 1850 and Alice Almena Eddy, Nov. 23, 1851.

Mary was married on Jan. 11, 1871, at Erie to George Markley of Trop Township. MR. Markley engaged in the several occupations of a farmer, cooper, blacksmith, carpenter and fertilizer and dynamite agent. He died on Feb. 23, 1928 and she on Sept. 22, 1938. They are buried at Troy Center. They had eight children, Abiel E. Markley, William H. Markley, W. Leonard Markley, George C. Markley, Mrs. Mae Whitman, Mrs. Edith Strawbridge, John G. Markley and Frank J. Markley. All are deceased except Frank who resides in Troy Township. This writer is a great-great-grandson of Abiel A. Eddy, and is descended through this particular branch of the family.

Alice was married in July 1875 at Troy Center to Hamilton P. Willey of that place. He had worked in the oil Fields in the earlier years. He also farmed, but he principally teamed, cut and removed timbers for commercial uses. He had rafted on the Allegheny from Warren to Pittsburgh. He died on Feb. 5, 1919 and she on May 21, 1946. They are buried at Troy Center. They had the following children: A. Eddy Willey, Guy A. Willey, Ray H. Willey, Clarence B. Willey and Mrs. Inez Herb. All are deceased except Inez who lives in Pittsburgh. She had an account book of her grandfather Eddy, and a Civil War letter written by John G. Eddy.

In 1858 or ’59 Abiel and his family moved from Plum into Troy Township. He located on the road between Diamond and Troy Center on what has been known as the Wheeling farm in recent years. Abiel’s son, Luke had owned this land besides a number of adjoining acres. Luke finally gave a deed of 40 acres for a very small sum to his father in 1872.

Abiel, besides carpentering and farming, also made furniture for people. He had a lathe which he used to make round pieces for certain furniture. He and his son, Luke, are said to have helped construct the buildings of the Diamond U.B. Church and school in 1868 and 1869, respectively.

Frank Markley, his grandson, has an old tool chest that Abiel had. On it is inscribed, “A. A. Eddy, Conneaut, Pa.” No one knows why that town is on it. Perhaps Abiel stayed there a short while.

Abiel always kept a yoke of oxen. One particular pair liked to run away if the opportunity presented itself. Once they ran away with Abiel’s son-in-law, George Markley, who began crawling on the tongue of the wagon to get at their heads to stop them. He slipped and hung onto the tongue upside down. Seeing he was in a perilous position, he decided to drop into a mudhole, which he did and the wheels passed by him without touching him.

One time one of Abiel’s oxen died. Being determined to complete the work he was doing, he got his bull and hitched it beside the other ox and completed the work.

He started building a good sized frame barn, but for some reason never finished it. The frame stood for many years.

Abiel was a very religious man. He was a member of the Troy Center M.E. Church. He used to have a sheepskin book into which he wrote records of many sermons he heard. He would not permit any type of work in his home on Sundays. Enough stove wood had to be carried in on Saturdays to do over until Monday mornings, and Sunday meals had to be mainly prepared on Saturdays.

He conducted daily workshop in his home, and everybody kneeled around either the bed or table. Occasionally two certain grandsons took the opportunity at family worship time to steal pinches of their grandfather’s “Fine Cut” tobacco out of a pail under his bed.

His old Family Bible, possessed by a descendent, Mrs. Neva Coleman of Titusville, was printed in 1845. Inside the cover Abiel had written this verse from Jeremiah 2:14: “ Is Israel a servant? Is he a homeborn slave? Why is he spoiled?” This particular chapter apparently was very interesting to Abiel. It deals with God’s expostulation with the Jews. In the Bible is a lock of Abiel’s hair when he was 66 years old. It shows he was fairly brown-haired at that age, only very few gray hairs present.

Mrs. Coleman’s sister, Mrs. Helen Gardinier of Greenville, also possesses a number of interesting records of the Eddy family.

Abiel was five feet, 7 inches all, with dark complexion. He became bald in his later years.

Politically, he was a very staunch Democrat. He was quite disappointed at Lincoln’s election and he dislikeed Lincoln and his policies. He was a believer in the supremacy of the white race, thus he wasn’t in accordance with the purpose and aims of the Union at the time of the Civil War. This caused some confliction within the family, and the youngest son, John, left home and went to Ohio where he enlisted in the Union Army. It as years before there was forgiveness between the two.

At the time of the Gettysburg the people in this area were very worried in case Lee would be victorious. Abiel’s family feared he would be drafted in to the Union Army if the Confederates were victorious, even though he was 68 years old at that time.

During Abiel’s last five years he doctored constantly with Dr. C. N. Van Sickle of Wallaceville. The total amount of his doctoring amounted to $237.50 – a staggering figure back in that day. Record does not indicate what was the exact ailment. This writer possesses the old doctoring and medical statement, containing several pages.

However, descendents claim that what was more or less the direct cause of Abiel’s death was blood poisoning from a “corn” on his foot.

His death occurred on Sunday evening, July 5, 1885, at about 7 o’clock. He was 90 years old. His funeral took place in the Troy Center Church, and he was buried across the road in the church cemetery.

Patience died in the present H. D. Shriver house in Diamond on March 12, 1901, also aged 90. Her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Willey, then lived there. She had been confined to her bed for a year. She was buried beside Abiel at Troy Center.

Transcribed by Penny Kulbacki Minnick
minnick862@verizon.net

Disclaimer:there may be errors due to transcription ofinformation from both early and late (current contributors) work.