It was while living in Kinsman,
that researchers state.... "he was known as the village infidel,....". He was a devoted reader and an extremely
opinionated person. His
unorthodox ways even extended to building an octagonal house in Kinsman.Introduction: This is a most interesting and, I feel, an unusual family that lived in the 1800's. Three of the children were teachers, and one of those produced a noted physicist. Another child became one of the most noted and famous lawyers of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Ammirus Darrow's given name, like his grandfather's is written in many different ways. I have chosen Ammirus because that is the way his daughter, Mary, had it written on her marriage record.
There is also some difference of opinion on the year of birth of Ammirus. Some researchers say he was born in 1817 others say 1818. He has a sister born in 1815 and a brother born on 9 October,1819 so I am betting that Ammirus Darrow was born on 11 Nov 1817 in Rochester, NY. By 1825 his parents had moved to Trumbull County, Ohio and it is here that he grew into manhood. I have no idea what he did during those years of growing up but it can be assumed that he worked with his father as a woodworker and chair maker. At least these are the occupation he followed a short time after he was married.
In 1844 Amirius Darrow married Emily Eddy. The only information that I have on Emily at present is that she had a strong interest in books and education. I believe we will find that true and that it was a great influence on the children in the family.
About 1846 Ammirus was attending Meadville Theological Seminary in Meadville, PA. He was studying for the ministry. He graduated from the Seminary; and it has been written that he: "preached for only about a year and eventually became a 'bookish agnostic'".
In any event, by 1852, Ammirus and Emily, with their first two
children, were back in Kinsman, Trumbull, OH. There Ammirus took up the trade of
a chair maker, coffin manufacturer and undertaker.
It was while living in Kinsman,
that researchers state.... "he was known as the village infidel,....". He was a devoted reader and an extremely
opinionated person. His
unorthodox ways even extended to building an octagonal house in Kinsman.
Probably the most interesting part of this family is contained in the children it produced.
i. Edward Everett, b. 26 Oct 1846 Meadville, PA;
Edward Everett will be presented in biography with his family.
ii. Channing; b. Feb 1850;
Channing Darrow supposedly married Jennie Stacey in 1873. In 1900, Channing was living on West Jackson St., in Tucson, Pima, AZ. He was running an auction house at that time. Although Channing was married at that time, no wife was mentioned, however it was stated he had been married for 20 years. This indicates some discrepancy with his marriage to Jennie (Stacey). On 26 Sep 1904, a C. E. Darrow registered himself in the Bisbee District, Ward 3, in Cochise Co., AZ. On that register, he stated his age as 58, from Pennsylvania. As very few Darrow's had ventured into Southern Arizona by this time, and with it's close proximity to Tucson, it is probable this C. E. Darrow is Channing. Information received from the Arizona Historical Society in Tucson, AZ, stated that on 27 Sep 1905, an H. H. Darrow, age 45 years, was buried in the City Cemetery, Tucson, on order of C. E. Darrow. Since Channing was still in the auction business in Tucson in 1905, the C. E. is probably Channing. The year of burial, and the age of H. H. make this individual most likely Channing's brother, Hubert. It is known that Hubert died of tuberculosis in Arizona.
iii. Mary Elizabeth; b. 1852 Cleveland, OH;
H. Andrew Brown, a Darrow researcher states that Mary was born in Cleveland, OH. I have nothing that proves or disproves that place of birth.
Mary, following the learning of other members of her family, became a teacher. It is reported that Mary was fired from her teaching position by the Kinsman, OH School District for the way she taught. She sued that Board of Education and won her case. This must have been in the 1870's when she was still a young lady. One would assume that she must have been quite the woman to have accomplished this event in those days. At some time later she moved to Chicago, IL where she became the principal of McCash School, Chicago, IL.
While she was teaching or working in Chicago she met and married Olaf G. Olsen, son of Peter Olaf and Anne Peterson. They were married 6 Oct 1889 in the Methodist Church at 942 Wis. St., Racine, Racine, WI. She was 37 years of age when she married.
Her marriage certificate, #1.-Racine County, Vol.4, page 122, is shown below:
1.-Name of husband: Olaf G. Olson,
2.-Name of father of husband: Peter Olaf,
3.-Name of mother of husband: Anne Peterson,
4.-Occupation of husband: Tailor,
5.-residence of husband: 344 Lake Ave. Chicago,
6.-Birthplace of husband: Stockholm, Sweden,
7.-Full name of wife previous to marriage: Mary E. Darrow,
8.-Name of father of wife: Ammirus Darrow,
9.-Name of the mother of wife before marriage: Emily Eddy,
10.-Birthplace of wife: Cleveland, Ohio,
11.-Time when marriage was contracted: October 6th,1889,
12.- The place, town or township, and county, where marriage was contracted: 942 Wis. St. Racine,
13.-The color of the parties: white,
14.-By what ceremony contracted: M.E. Church ritual,
15.- names of subsribing witnesses: M.J. Garlock and Annie M. John,
16. name of person pronouncing marriage: D.C. John,
17.- residence of person last named: Racine, WIs.,
18.-Date of certificate or affidavit of marriage: October 6th, 1889,
19.-Date of registration: November 9,1889;Mary Elizabeth Darrow died 1901.
iv. Herbert Eddy; b. 1854.
Died in infancy.
v. Clarence Seward, b. 18 Apr 1857 Kinsman, Trumbull Co., Ohio; m. Jessie Ohl; div. Jessie Ohl.
Clarence Seward Darrow will be presented in his own individual biography.
vi. Hubert; b. 1 Aug 1860.
Nothing is really known about the early life of Hubert Darrow. It is supposed that he was born in Kinsman, Ohio. Apparently he contacted tuberculosis and went to Arizona where his brother, Channing was living in hopes of improving his health. This is all supposition but information was received from the Arizona Historical Society in Tucson, AZ, that on 27 Sep 1905, an H. H. Darrow, age 45 years, was buried in the City Cemetery, Tucson, on order of C. E. Darrow. Since Channing was still in the auction business in Tucson in 1905, the C. E. is probably Channing. The year of burial, and the age of H. H. make this individual most likely Channing's brother, Hubert. It is known that Hubert died of tuberculosis in Arizona.
vi. Herman C.; b. 1863.
The only information found on Herman is that he worked as engineer in the sewer department in Chicago, IL. He apparently had attended some institution of learning in order to become an engineer.
vii. Louise Jesse b. 1866 Kinsman, Trumbull, OH
Louise was also known as Jessie (Jennie) Darrow. She also became a teacher, like Edward and Mary. She moved to Chicago, Il and was teaching there when she met John Howard Moore, a fellow teacher.
Louise Jesse Darrow married John Howard Moore, son of W. A. Moore and Marie Barker, on 21 Jan 1899 in a religious ceremony in Racine, WI.
Notice that both Mary Elizabeth Darrow and Louise Jesse Darrow were both married in Racine, WI. Mary in 1889 and Louise in 1899. I thought it funny that both lived in Chicago at the time of marriage but both were married in Racine, WI, a distance of about 75 miles away. Molly Culver Jones, a fellow researcher, descendant of Henry A. Darrow and a cousin, came up with the answer. Racine was a resort town in the late 1800's. Many people from Chicago went there by train for vacation and to get married. That seems completely reasonable to me.
The marriage certificate is in Racine County, volume 5, page 421:
1.-Full name of husband: John H. Moore,
2.-Name of the father of husband: W. A. Moore
3.-Name of the mother of husband before marriage: Marie Barker
4.-Occupation of husband: Teacher
5.- Residence of husband: Chicago
6.-Birthplace of husband: Rockwell, Indiana
7.- Full name of wife previous to marriage: Louise J. Darrow
8.- Name of the father of wife: A. Darrow
9.- Name of the mother of wife before marriage: Emily Eddy
10.-Birthplace of wife: Kinsman, O.
11.-Time when the marriage was contracted: Jan. 21.
12.- The place, town or township, and county, where the marriage was contracted
13.- the color of the parties: white
14.- By what ceremony contracted: Religious
15.- Names of Subscribing witnesses: Mrs. D. Zewink, R. Wis. and Mrs. Olga Zewink
16.- Name of person pronouncing marriage: David Zewink
17.- Residence of person last named: 815 Huron St. Racine
18.- Date of certificate or affidavit of marriage: Jan. 21, 1899,
19.- Date of registration: Jan 28, 1899When her brother, Clarence, passed away in 1938, Jennie, along with Clarence's wife, Ruby, and his son, Paul, were at his bedside.
Amirius Darrow died on 22 Apr 1904 at age 85. Emily died 18 June 1872. It is supposed that both are buried in Kinsman, Trumbull, OH.