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- http://www.archive.org/stream/commemorativebio00jhbeer/commemorativebio00jhbeer_djvu.txt
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http://www.archive.org/stream/commemorativebio00jhbeer/commemorativebio00jhbeer_djvu.txt
Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio
GEORGE N. ROUNDS. a prominent, progressive citizen of Hartland township, is a native of New York, born October 12, 1820. His father, Isaac Rounds, was the son of a Vermont farmer, and grew to manhood on the home farm. When a young man Isaac went to Ontario county, N. Y., and there married Polly Waldron, who was born in that county in 1802. The Erie Canal, which was commenced July 4, 1817, was under construction when he settled in New York State, and there was little difficulty in find- ing work to do on any of the sections. Youncr [Young?[ Rounds went to work with a will, and proved himself a most valuable man. The foreman discovered that he could wheel more clay in a barrow than any of bis fellow-workmen, and considered him a model laborer. The children born to Isaac and Polly Rounds in New York State were: George N., the subject of this sketch; Harriet, who married Aaron Pixley, and died in Clarksfield township; Mary Ann, who died when eight years old in New York State; Benjamin, who died in Hartland township, Huron Co., Ohio, when young; Hiram, who died a few weeks after; Isaac and Jacob (twins), farmers of Hartland township, and Lydia, the widow of James Conoley, of Hartland township. After the removal of the family to Huron county, the following named children were born: Eleanor, widow of Irkskine Horr, of Barry county, Mich.; Olive, married to Joseph Briggs, died at Keokuk, Iowa; Arvilla, Mrs. Matthias McKin, of Iowa; Jane, who died just six weeks after the death of the father, at the age of eight years; and Armenthia, Mrs. George Bostwick, of Prairie City. Illinois. About 1835 Mr. Rounds and his family moved to Cattaraugus county, N. Y., where they resided until June, 1840, when they made the journey to Ohio. Traveling by wagon road to Buffalo. N. Y., they embarked for Sandusky, Ohio, but while on the lake a storm arose, and the boat was driven into harbor at Erie, Pennsylvania. Sailing again they found that a landing could not be made at Sandusky, and the captain headed the boat for Detroit. After the high winds had subsided, the return trip to Sandusky was made, and the family landed. Without delay they proceeded to Hartland township, Huron county, where Mr. Rounds rented a tract of land. Within a year or so he purchased a small farm in Clarksfield township, and later bought a second small farm in Hartland township. The care of these lands, together with other tracts which he worked on shares and laboring for others in clearing land, occupied his attention up to the time of his death, February 15, 1850, when a tree fell upon him, crushing his head to a pulp. The tragic affair cast a gloom over the entire township; for the father of a large family, and a most industrious man, was removed from the circle of pioneers. Politically he was a Wliig? and one who took a lively interest in local and national affairs. His widow afterward married Simeon Chandler, and died August 81, 1878, in Illinois, where she was buried. George N. Rounds was about sixteen years of age when he accompanied the family to Ohio. Already a bread-winner, the change from New York to Ohio was an agreeable one to him, and in Huron county he worked vigorously to make a home for the family. On December 25, 1849, he married Mary Elizabeth Knapp (a daughter of pioneer parents), who was born in Hartland township in 1831. To this marriacre came the following named children: George F., born November 7, 1850; Angie L., Mrs. O. T. Case, of Clarksfield township, and a son who died in infancy, unnamed. The mother of this family died October 13, 1886, and was buried in Hartland Ridge cemetery. At the time of his marriage, Mr. Rounds had practically nothing save good health and strong arms. After his father's death, in 1850, he returned to the homestead and took charge of the farm. Today he owns 186 acres of good land, together with a good home and excellent farm buildings, distancing many of the men for whom he worked prior to 1849, in the acquisition of real estate. His success is due to incessant toil, untiring industry and economy. He now holds a place among the leading farmers of the county, and no one is held in higher respect or esteem. His life goes to prove the logic of the old proverb, " where there's a will there's a way," and will stand a practical demonstration for his descendants. They may learn of the hardships and privations of the pioneers, but never can they endure them. After seventy years of work, Mr. Rounds stands like a giant tree in the forest of weather- worn pioneer oaks. Years have been given to him to witness the settlement and improvement of Ohio, from river to lake, and from Pennsylvania to Indiana, and in surveying the scene he may look round him and say: "I have taken a man's part in bringing about this change, and no one in Huron county has labored for it more earnestly than I have." In April, 1893, Mr. Rounds again visited Cattaraugus county, the scenes of his childhood, and while there met an acqauintauce of his youth in the person of Mrs. Sally Hopkins, a widow, whom he brought back as a wife. George F. Rounds (eldest son of George N. Rounds) has now the entire management of the farm. For some years he was a traveling salesman, and while thus employed journeyed over a large area of country; but in 1885 he returned to the homestead, which has since claimed his close personal attention. He is a musician by nature, and his ability in this direction is as well recognized throughout this section of the State as his ability as an ao-ri- cullurist is in Hartland township. On April 2, 1892, he was married to Jeanette Jarvis. In politics he is a Republican.
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