Great grandfather Daniel G. Huffman was born in Clear Creek Township in Ashland County, Ohio. From the book, "History of Defiance County", page 299, published 1883, Hicksville Twp. section, it says:
" D.G.Huffman, born in Ashland Co., December 9, 1829, was the 8th of 10 children of Abraham and Margaret (Cuppy) Huffman. His father was the second person who settled in Clear Creek Twp., Ashland Co., in May, 1813."
Clear Creek's splendid hunting and fishing opportunities, and for several years the maple sugar season, attracted a few of the Indians to the community each springtime. Sprott's Hill (pictured below) is an Indian mound, an important archaeological site and a burial ground of natives who lived supposedly during the glacial period in what is now Clear Creek, Ohio. See Wikipedia
In the 1850 census of Ashland County, Ohio, Daniel is living with his parents and is a school teacher, possibly in the school that his father donated land for in the early years of settling the area. On the 13th of March 1852, Daniel married Fannie J. B. Carver in Ashland. They had the following children:1852 John I. born in Ohio
1856 Fannie Josephine born in West Union, Fayette, Iowa and so were the next three children...
1858 Susan P.
1859 William
1860 Anna P.
Fannie Josephine, our ancestor, lived until 1930. The other four children died in Hicksville, Defiance County, Ohio before their 30s. Their mother also died in that same time period of 1871-1882. After reading some newspaper articles about Defiance County during this time, it seems as though there was an epidemic of typhoid fever that may have been the cause of these deaths.
When the family lived in West Union, Fayette, Iowa in 1860 , Daniel was a merchant with $1,000 in real estate and $1,000 in personal estate. In the 1870 Federal census, the family is living in Washington, Defiance, Ohio and Daniel is a farmer. The family evidently moved to Hicksville before April 1871 because mother, Fannie J. B. Huffman, died on the 15th of April 1871 in Hicksville. Daniel joined the Hicksville Odd Fellows Lodge in 1872 for probable much-needed companionship.
In the 1880 Federal census, Daniel is widowed and living in Hicksville, Defiance, OH with two daughters, Fannie J., age 23, a milliner, and Annie, age 19. (Annie died in February 1881.) Daniel is listed as being in the lumber business.
"[Mr. Huffman] was a consistent Christian and for years had been a member in high standing in the M.E. church. Universal regret is felt at his death. Although he had more than his share of the sorrows of life, none but his intimate friends ever heard him complain of his lot, although he often said that but for the sunshine there was he would certainly have to give way to the darkening shadows which had hovered over his life. His high moral and Christian character enabled him to bear up under more affliction than is usually allotted to man. " A quote from the book entitled "Biographies of Defiance County, Ohio" published in 1880.
Huffman, Daniel G. died 29 Nov 1887, age 57 in Hicksville, OH. He was born in Ashland Co., OH. Cause of death, heart disease. Residence: Hicksville, Defiance, OH (from the Defiance Probate Court, Record of Death)
"Daniel G. Huffman died at his home on Smith Street last Saturday morning at one o'clock, from heart disease, after an illness of a few days. He was aged 57 years, 11 months and 17days." [Daniel's obituary from an unknown newspaper of Hicksville, OH.]
DANIEL G. HUFFMAN
BORN: 9 Dec 1829 in Clear Creek Twp., Ashland, OH
MARRIED: 13 Mar 1852 in Ashland, Ashland, OH
DIED: 29 Nov 1887 in Hicksville, Defiance, OH
SOURCES: Federal Census of 1820-1880; Book: "Biographies of Defiance County, Ohio" pub. 1880; Record of Daniel's Death from Defiance Probate Court; Book: "History of Defiance County"; Shepard/Huffman Genealogy booklet by Mary Kirsch and her son, David Kirsch, descendants of the D. G. Huffman family.
