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for the ord bo wboaeii point* Mttntlj i £a; knowl-Thej , Ger-family , Ohio, f great 2. Her Periled point-T on*latter »«pn-e withdlo In good dUtin-West, porter, dpkia, i borne toward b rank lily nt ifellci-—who ils*. of from»r own Lag to • of nfound•11 u.orally pin no •even, wentj ud it by no d was nd, a d ten-ion.L. and ormer •billy far ot theMS Of iU toi by■t be o sail )f his is sis-0 of a whoibowntcked.moatattainbloaclearJentlysuchenced1 neara jost *rnnk-ginals ivings n that d forrd In o had hared ower, tie orought wand sintly Titer, toald asset aw era entry ow to aaeo id ded inaaa.The late Russel B. Webster.To tbo Editor of tb« Ermraiu.Ou the 31st day of January lost, there passed from the shores of tiiue the spirit of Russel B. Webster, a notloe of which was announced In this paper of the next Issue thereafter.As Mr. Webster was oue of the pioneer settlers of Wellington, and was a man of remarkable strength of character, of WebsterUn intellect, it has often oc-cured to the writer that something more then the obituary notice then given, would be fitting.He was born at Otis, Mass., on the 25th day of April, 17/0, and died hi Wellington, January 31, 1881. Of hU eighty-two years, sixty were spent in Wellington. He saw its beginning, he shared the privations and evils of Its pioneer life. He helped clear the forests and reared for himself and a large family a comfortable home. He helped to mould the Institutions of the township, and give character to the cominuulty ir. which he lived.In 1821, at the age of 22 years, he came to Wellington from Oils. Stalwart, of iron nerve aud frame, he walked from hit home In Ma*sachusetts, to found his new home in Ohio, with liis w orldly effects in bis pack of sixty pounds, which he carried upon his buck. The earliest settlers came in 181U, preceding him only two years in lliclrattack upon the wilderness.When Mr. Webster came, the flr*t Sunday the settlers gathered at the house of Harmon Klugibury, to talk with him of, the frieuds. tuey had left at Otis, and learn the dews from that then tar-off land. The day was speut In^ocUl converse, and in visiting an Indian camp In the forest.Mr. Webster's sense of the fitness of things at once told him thst was no fit I wav of spending Sunday; if Sunday was ignored because there was no preacher and but one professor of religiou in the settlement, the day would soon pas* j away from memory and children would growup regardless of God or man. He, 1 though not a professing Christian, went from settler's cabin to cabiu and made arrangements for religious meetings on Sunday thereafter and uppolnted a meet- 1 Ing at the house of Mrs. Bradley, where E. W. Houghton now lives. When Sunday came, at the given hour the settlers came together. Harmon Kingsbury did the praying and Russel B. Webster read 1 the sermon from a book of sermons found in the colony. That was the first | meeting ever held In Wellington—held the second Sunday after he arrived.He returned to Massachusetts the next year, aud married MU* Orpha Hunter, » who still survives him. He joined the I First Congregational Church of Walling j ton, Oct. 16,1832, and from that time to his final exit from time, he was a constant and scalous member. lie was not excitable in his religions experience, but uniformly sedste and even-minded. With unwavering footsteps he trod the Journey of life to the end.In sickness and In distress his friendship was She solace to many broken hearts. HU cares were never so numerous or pressing but that they gave way at the call of the sick. Night and day he stood by the pioneer’* bed-side, and with hands as gentle as a woman's, ministered to hU wanU. His care and tenderness saved more than the physician's skill.In'politics be was a Whig until the dissolution of that party and organ-of IhofirvroT ouratnlHOPIf yo13,%It I I 1life.■avelt;drediIRicharm all dvs the for heartbiIRlt;recomr a certrLAIRlt;blood, new lilLOSWrite useful iB2a:iiatlon of the Republican. In aif the hard-fought battles of these organisations, be occupied advancfd ground. In the antl-elavery struggle, he bore his part, sod w hen the war came he gave bis sons to the cause, himself Joining In every movement and effort to aid the soldier. He gathered supplies: his hand distributed and forwarded to the soldiers from Wellington many a dainty morsel which, In ho«pltal and camp, was most gratefully received.HU memorv U fondly cherished by all wbo knew him. He was most thoughtful of others aud most forgetful of self. He never turned a deaf ear to the call of dUtreas; he never closed his eyes upon the wants of others, lie did not languish out this life. Though so advanced In years he was active and full of energy until the last. On one of last winter's coldest days a friend was visiting at his house. The friend left a shawl by raUuke. He, wUhont an overcoat, seised the shawl and ran with it to the Depot. He chilled aud sickened and died.Rtquiticat In p*c«.HEfnrUrr:P»*U. i« f •rnw,.CheapMrs. St-great amTRIthat hasI31 X*tir dlt;door * hi
Newspaper Details
Wellington Enterprise
Wellington, Ohio, US
Thu, May 05, 1881
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Linda L.
NA, 10 Jul 2022
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Wellington Enterprise
