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DAVID GORDON. For more than half a century the name of Gordon has been closely identified with the growth and
progress of Ottawa county, and more particularly with Salem township. The family is of Scotch ancestry on the father's
side, the mother's people being Yankees.
The parents and grandparents of our subject were natives of Somerset county, N. J., and the first members of the
family to settle in Ohio were John and Rachel (Smith) Gordon, who removed from Somerset county, N. J., in 1831,
and located in Salem township. After residing here some six months they removed to Harris township, where they
remained for three years, and returning then to Salem township made it their place of abode during the remainder
of their lives. They were honored and respected people, and had a large circle of warm friends. The father passed
away November 7, 1851, the mother on March 3.
It will thus be seen that the family has been identified with Ottawa county since pioneer days, and David Gordon
is now the oldest living resident of Salem township. He is numbered among the prominent and progressive farmers
and stock raisers, and has a home pleasantly situated about one mile and a half from Oak Harbor. Born in Somerset
county, N. J., March 19, 1827, he came to Salem township with his parents when only four years old, and since 1831
has been a continuons resident of the farm he now owns. The township in those days was an unbroken wilderness,
without roads and without schoolhouses, the latter being at that time considered a needless luxury. In consequence
David Gordon received very meager privileges for obtaining a literary education. From early life he was obliged
to engage in the arduous duties of developing a new farm, a work that had to be accomplished with rude machinery,
for the wonderful inventions in farm implements were then a thing of the future. He perseveringly continued his
labors, however, and is still engaged in farming, now on an extensive scale, being numberbered among the most prosperous
agriculturists of his adopted county.
Mr. Gordon was married, December 1, 1851, in Erie township, Ottawa county, to Miss Caroline Redding, who was born
in Warren county, N. J., February 9, 1827, daughter of David B. and Anna (Engler) Redding, natives of New Jersey,
who located in Ottawa county in 1839. Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Gordon, but the eldest died when
only a few hours old. The others are John, who was born September 10, 1854, and is now a prominent farmer of Erie
township; Rachel and Cornelius (twins), born February 22, 1857, of whom Cornelius was drowned February 27, 1859,
and Rachel is the wife of W. A. Eisenhour, who was clerk of Ottawa county, and is now a farmer of Erie township;
David and George (twins), born January 9, 1859, the former a resident of Montana, the latter a prominent farmer
of Salem township, Ottawa county; Evaline, born February 3, 1860, deceased in infancy; Catherine, born July 26,
1862, who died in infancy; Marian, born September 15, 1864, who also died in infancy; and Helen, born May 16, 1865.
Mr. Gordon is a charter member of Oak Harbor Lodge No. 495, F. & A. M., and belongs to Fremont Chapter No.
64, R. A. M., and Fremont Council No. 61, K. T. He and his family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in
politics he is a stanch supporter of the Democratic party. He is numbered among the honored pioneers of Ottawa
county, who have witnessed its growth and development from the days of its infancy, and in the work of progress
and advancetnent he has ever borne his part as a faithful citizen.
From:
Commemorative Biograohical Record
of the Counties of
Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio
J. H. Beers & Co. 1896
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