Migragtion

From "Pioneers' Progress:
The First 25 Years of Lyme Township
and Strong's Ridge"
by Adeline Wright
MORE TALES OF SETTLERS

It was a chance meeting that led the Samuel Bemiss family to come to Strongs Ridge in 1823. The Bemisses were originally from Connecticut, but had been living in Massachusetts where James Bemiss, father of Samuel, died in 1801. Samuel had married Nancy Searles before leaving Connecticut. In 1812, they sold their Massachusetts farm and started for Ohio, but the uncertain conditions during the War of 1812 caused them to make a stay of some 11 years in Genoa, New York, where they bought land. But Samuel Bemiss had never forgotten his original plan to go to the fertile land of Ohio, so when Major Strong made a visit to the area, Strong had no difficulty in persuading Samuel Bemiss to come to Huron county. The New York farm was sold, and Mr. Bemiss started out again. He was 52 at the time. With him were his wife, their three daughters, Polly, Anna and Rhoda, their sons Elijah and Rodney, Rodney's wife and Samuel's sister Ezuba. Hiring extra wagons and teams, they all drove with their baggage to Buffalo. There they separated. Elijah, Polly, Anna and Aunt Ezuba continued overland with their wagon and team, but the rest of the family and most of their household luggage went aboard the steamer Superior to go to Portland (Sandusky). They had good weather, but were miserably sea sick. Years afterwards they were to tell how their distress was increased when the ship's cannon was set off to announce their arrival off shore at Erie and Cleveland. "We thought the noise would take the tops off our heads!" they recalled. There was no dockage as yet in Erie or Cleveland, so a cannon was used to signal that passengers were being put ashore in small boats. In Sandusky, however, they found an unstable looking log dock which proved to be more solid than it appeared: and once ashore, the Bemisses found themselves welcomed because Major Strong had sent teams to take them and their possessions to Strongs Ridge.
The Bemiss family stayed for a time with the Rashes. (Later Rhoda Bemiss married Livy Rash.)[In Sandusky, Ohio CLARION on 2 Apr 1825, 'Rash, Livy to Rhoa Bemis, in Lyme Twp.'] In the meantime, Samuel Bemiss bought from Nathan Strong with farm with the "first framed house".
Elijah Bemiss went back to New York in 1824 and returned with a wife, Sophronia Branch. This was just before the opening of the Erie Canal, so they drove their own team and wagon the entire distance. Elijah joined the Lyme Church in 1831, as did other members of the family. He became a member of the standing committee, and was a ruling elder. He was superintendent of the Sabbath School for many years and was active in temperance and anti-slavery movement.
Two of Samuel Bemiss's daughters, Polly and Anna, married brothers, Asahel and Lyman Strong. Polly died early, but Anna Bemiss Strong lived for many years undaunted by troubles. Lyman became blind and lost his property, but she arranged a move to Cleveland where she cared for patients of a doctor in order to pay for treatments of her husband's eyes. Fortunately he did recover his sight and eventually built up a prosperous marble business in Cleveland. Later their son and their son-in-law both died, with the result that the two widows and their children (each had two) lived thereafter with Anna and Lyman Strong.
The daughters of Elijah Bemiss married Lyme men: Elzuba married Henry Seymour, and Ruth Ann, Alfred Barnard. Elijah's son, Samuel (II), remained in the Bemiss homestead. He was progressive in his interest in practical agriculture and in raising cattle of good stock. In fact, he became president of the Erie County Agricultural Society.

To Samuel Bemis

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