In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1912) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio .. (1902), History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1912)
TARLINGTON B. CARSON.
Tarlington B. Carson is now serving as postmaster of New Washington and is one of the honored pioneer settlers of Crawford county, whose growth and progress he has witnessed from an early period, having located within its borders when civilization had hardly gained a foothold, much of the land being in its primitive condition, while the work of development and improvement lay in the future. A wonderful transformation has since occurred, and the forests have been replaced by having fields of grain, giving evidence of the care of enterprising agriculturists; towns and villages have also been founded and have been supplied with all of the accessories known to the older east.
Mr. Carson was born in Venus township, Seneca county, Ohio, June 7, 1837, his parents being" Samuel and Elizabeth (Willoughby) Carson, both of whom are of German-Irish descent, and were natives of Virginia, but were married in Harrison county, Ohio, in 18 14. In 1835 they removed to Seneca county, locating in Venus township. The father entered a section of land and erected thereon a double log house, which served as the family residence for several years and was also used as a place of religious worship. Later a log schoolhouse was built in the neighborhood and it was used for church as well as school purposes. Samuel Carson was a distant relative of the celebrated trapper and Indian fighter, Kit Carson. A man of very decided views and excellent judgment, he was in his day considered one of the most prominent "and intelligent residents of northern Ohio. In politics he was a Democrat until the election of Buchanan to the presidency. Entertaining strong abolition views and not being pleased with Buchanan's administration, he enlisted under the banner of the new Republican party which was formed to prevent the further extension of slavery, and was identified with that organization from the early days of its history until his death. His fellow townsmen, recognizing his ability, frequently called him to positions of public trust, yet he was never an office-seeker. He had the high regard of his neighbors and friends and he left the impress of his individuality upon public thought, feeling, progress and advancement. His wife died in February, 1866. She was very devoted and considerate in her relations with her husband and children and won the love of all. Her husband survived her until June of the following year, when he, too, passed away and was laid to rest by the side of the woman who had been to him a faithful companion and helpmeet on life's journey. They were both active and consistent members of the Methodist Protestant church, Mrs. Carson being most influential in carrying forward all church and charitable work. They became the parents of eleven children, namely: Robert, Jackson W., Annie, Harrison H., George, Margaret, Sarah, Hannah, Eliza, Samuel and Tarlington B.
The last named is the immediate subject of this review, and is one of the well known citizens of Crawford county. His school privileges in youth were very meager, for he probably never attended more than forty days in any one year. At the time of his birth there were but five families in the school district, the country round about being a vast wilderness. He, however, mastered the common branches of the English course, and when twenty years of age he began teaching, which profession he followed for four years. Desiring to still further perfect his own knowledge, he then entered the Seneca Academy and he was also materially assisted in his studies by his two older brothers, who were teachers, and by his brother-in-law, Alanson Cory. who at that time was one of the ablest educators of this portion of the state. He had two brothers, Elarrison H. and George W., who were ministers of the Methodist Protestant and Freewill Baptist churches, respectively, and four of his sisters and three of his brothers were teachers. Mr. Carson eagerly continued his pursuit of knowledge, often studying far into the night, and by this means he acquired an excellent education. On the breaking out of the
Civil war he responded to his country's call and joined the boys in blue of Company H, Fourteenth Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, being mustered into the service on the 5th of September, 1861. Not long afterward the regiment joined the Army of the Cumberland, and he served his country faithfully throughout the war and participated in many engagements, among the most prominent of which were the battles of Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Jonesboro, Wild Cat, Spring Mills and many others of lesser importance. He was also in the skirmishes around Pittsburg Landingand was in the battle of Tuscumbia, Alabama. He sustained two flesh wounds, one at Missionary Ridge and the other at Chickamauga, and on the close of his three years term of service was honorably discharged September 9, 1864, returning home with a most commendable record for valor and loyalty.
After again reaching Ohio Mr. Carson purchased eighty acres of the farm upon which he was born, but in 1868 sold that property and for a year resided upon what was known as the Joseph Summerland farm. Later he removed to a farm of eighty acres, now owned by Samuel Willford, having purchased this property at the time he sold his first farm. He cleared and improved it, making it his home for seven years, when he found a purchaser for the property, and having disposed of it invested his money in another farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Cranberry township, which he still owns. Duringthe ten years of his residence thereon he cleared eighty acres, placing the tract under a high state of cultivation, but in March, 1886, he rented his land and removed to New Washington, taking up his above in his present residence, which he rented for a year and then purchased.
On the 2d of May, 1861, Mr. Carson was united in marriage to Miss Sarah R. Smith, a native of Venus township, Seneca county, and a daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Bigam) Smith. By this marriage were born seven children, of whom three are yet living. During the earlier years of his business career Mr. Carson also engaged in teachingin the public schools for twelve years in connection with his farming operations, and many of the prominent men of New Washington and vicinity were among his pupils. On the 15th of May, 1889, without solicitation on his part he was appointed postmaster of New Washington, and occupied the position until October 1, 1893. On the 1 st of September, 1897, he was again appointed to the office and is the present incumbent. In his political views he is a stanch Republican, unswerving in his advocacy of the party which upheld the Union cause during the Civil war, and has ever been found on the side of progress and reform.
In 1894 he was solicited by many of his friends to become a candidate for the office of township trustee. At length he consented, and although the township is strongly Democratic he was elected by a majority of fifty-five votes. His party would have again given him the nomination, but he refused uncompromisingly to become a candidate. A member of the Methodist Episcopal church, he is an earnest Christian gentleman, whose business record, public career and private life are likewise above reproach or condemnation. To the duties of the home, in commercial circles and when in office he is as true and loyal as when he was a Union soldier upon the battle-fields of the south.
As printed in A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio .. (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
T. B. CARSON, who now lives in comfortable retirement at his home situated on South lvibler Street, New Washington, O., for many years was a public official here, before which he was a faithful soldier through the great Civil War. He was born in Seneca county, O., June 7, 1837, and is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Willoughby) Carson. Both the Carsons and Willoughbys originated in Ireland and both families came early to Ohio. Grandfather Robert Carson served through the Revolutionary War under General Washington, while Samuel Carson, the father of T. B. Carson, served through the War of 1812 and survived all its dangers, subsequently settling in Ohio, marrying and rearing his family of eleven children in Seneca county. Of these but two survive, the youngest son and the youngest daughter.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
After his honorable discharge from the service, Mr. Carson returned to Seneca county, where he engaged in teaching school and in farming. Samuel Carson, father of our subject, entered 24.0 acres of land three miles north of New Washington. T. B. Carson devoted his summers to his land and in winter time taught school, live terms in Seneca county, one term in Huron count v and eleven terms in Crawford county. In iSbq he bought 80 acres in Cranberry township, which lie cleared and improved and then sold, after which he bought 160 acres one-half mile to the east, to which he added 80 adjoining acres and spent his time engaged in farming until 188G, in which year lie moved to New Washington, where he was interested in the real estate business until 1889. Samuel Carson erected the buildings on his farm on what is known as the old military road between Mansfield and Tiffin, this road having been laid out to run on west to the Ohio river, file situation of his home made it a convenient depot for what was once known as the Underground Railroad and as he had been reared with a hatred of human slavery, he often sheltered escaping slaves in the old days and on many occasions assisted them at night through the woods to the next stopping place, Sandusky City, from which depot they made their way to Detroit, Mich., and from there, if Jortunate, soon reached freedom in Canada. There is no doubt but that many prosperous and respected people live in the Dominion of Canada at the present day whose grandparents were once in American slavery and were helped over the border by such philanthropists as Mr. Carson.
As indicated above, Mr. Carson imbibed anti-slavery vicwvs in his youth and later, when the Republican party was formed lie became identified with it and has so continued. I11 1889 he was appointed postmaster at New Washington and served in that important office for over 18 years although not qute continuously. I le w as postmaster from 1889 until 1893. In September, 1897 he was reappointed and continued until March 2r, 1911, when he was succeeded by the present official, S. A. Pugh. Many changes in the service came about during Mr. Carson’s long incumbency, including the establishing of the rural mail deliver)' service. J fe inaugurated reforms and made improvements at different times and through these raised the class of the office and insured more satisfactory conditions lor the public. Mr. (‘arson has never accepted any other public office although, as one of the local party leaders, many have been tendered him. When he came to New Washington he was one of the seven Republicans in the voting precinct.
( )ii May 2, 1 80 1. in Seneca county, ( Mr rt> ii J.{I.ui i) _ Mi * i. /
Carson was married to a schoolmate, Miss Sarah Rebecca Smith, who was a daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Bigam) Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Carson had seven children, three of whom are living, the others dying in infancy. Those living are: John W., Violet E. and Mabel. John W. married Lillie Smith and to them have been born five children— Lloyd, Nellie, Ethel, Irene and Robert. Violet E. was married first to A. J. Schwartz and they had two daughters, Mildred and Marie; she was married secondly to B. E. Long. Mabel O. is the wife of Edward Neis. The mother of the above family died Dec. 24, 1904, and her burial was at Swamp Center Cemetery, three miles north of New Washington. She was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which Mr. Carson also belongs. He is a member of the G. A. R. Post at New Washington and for many years has belonged to the Knights of I ’ytliias.
As printed in History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1902. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.