Sylvester G. Viall

As printed in 1908

SYLVESTER G. VIALL, who is cultivating a finely imijroved farm of forty-three acres in Boston Township, was born ilareh 13, 1844, in Northampton Township, Summit County, Ohio, and is a son of Sullivan and Mary Ann (Freeby)Viall. He attended his first term of school in the old log schoolhouse with split log floors and 'eats, and after his father's death removed with his mother to Richfield Townsliip, where Mr. YxaW purchased a small farm. In 1864 Mrs. Viall sold this place and Sylvester G. started out in life for himself, his mother marrying Stephen Dales of Copley Township, where.she died. In 1864 Mr, Viall worked in Bath Township, but soon thereafter married, and started housekeeping at Peninsula, where he was engaged in teaming for two years. He then removed to Copley Township and began farming a rented property, but in 1883 located on his present tract, which he had purchased some time previously. In this year he built his house, and in the following spring his barn. He now has growing fruits of all.staple varieties and in addition raises wheat, corn and potatoes. He makes a specialty of breeding thoroughbred Poland China hogs.

Mr. Viall was married October 15, 1864, to Mary E. Ozmun, who is a daughter of Hector Ozmun of Boston Township. He and hiwife have been the parents of seven children, namely: Florence, wife of F. C. Lee, a resident of Brunswick Township, Medina County, Ohio; Theda, who is the wife of David C. Ilarpham, of East Akron, Ohio; Ward, who died when twenty-two years of age; Fred, of The Akron Plumbing & Heating Company of Akron; Rutherford H., also a member of the same firm; Maud, the wife of James Crum, of Brunswick Township, Medina County, Ohio; and Mabel, a.stenographer, who lives at home with her parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Viall are identified with the Congregational Church, of which the former has been a deacon for the pa.st sixteen or seventeen years. They are also members of the Richfield Grange, No. 1260, of which Mr. Viall has been master, and he has also been overseer of Summit County Pomona Grange for six consecutive years. In political matters he is a Republican, and he was personal property appraiser for three years and real estate appraiser during the last appraisement, which occurred in 1900.

Nathaniel Viall, grandfather of Sylvester G., was born March 28, 1782. After his death his widow Betsey, who was born December 14. 1768, in Vermont, came to Northampton

Township with her son Sullivan, with whom she made her home until her death.

Sullivan Viall was born in Vermont March 3, 1811, and received his education in the common schools. He came to Middlebury, Ohio, which is now a part of Akron, and thence he went by team to Pittsburg, hauling dour there and returning with dry goods. In this business he was engaged for many years and accumulated in it about $4,000, which he lost through the failure of a private bank. He then decided to engage in agricultural pursuits, and accordingly purchased a farm, on which the remainder of his life was spent. He met with a sudden and accidental death, being gored to death by a savage bull in 1851. He was one of the first Whigs in this county, and served as township trustee, and for nearly the full period of his residence in Northampton Township was a member of ihe School Board. Sullivan Viall was married August 28, 1836, to Mary Ann Freeby, who was born in Pennsylvania,.august 28, 1813. Her father, George Freeby, was a shoemaker and farmer who came to America from Germany and died in Indiana about 1855. Mrs. Viall died March 21, 1890, having been the mother of three children, namely: Henrietta, Avho is the widow of Isaac Smith, of Portage Township; Sylvester G., who.se name stands at the head of this article; and Damaris, who is the wife of Dr. F. N. Chamberlin, of Stow Township. Mr. and Mrs. Viall were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

As printed in Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.