Henry Wilderson

This nice photograph of our great great grandfather, Henry Wilderson, was found in his daughter Mary Wilderson Lewis' scrapbook. That's why it has the "My Dear Father" label. 

Instead of telling you my version of Henry's long life, I am including this rather thorough obituary from the Warren Chronicle.

"The funeral of the late Henry Wilderson took place Thursday 1 p.m., Rev. R. W. Wyrick officiating. It was largely attended by those who wished to testify their respect for the memory of this old and useful citizen.  Deceased would have been 94 years old had he lived till next June 11. He was born in York county, Pa., and came to Ohio in 1834 and to Newton township in 1837. He cleared the farm where he ever afterwards lived and died. He was married in 1846 to Rachel Barnhisel, who survives him, together with four out of seven children, as follows: Mrs. Mary A. Lewis, Cleveland; Mrs. D. Casper, Newton Falls; John Wilderson, Warren, and Ella Wilderson, who is engaged in hospital work in the East.
Mr. Wilderson was a man of rigid morality, great kindness of heart, and steadfastness of purpose, whose influence for good cannot be estimated."

I especially like the last paragraph of the obituary.  (Henry died on the 27th of February in 1905.) 

 It should be of interest to my readers to know that the Wilderson family's trek to Ohio was via covered wagon pulled by oxen. At times, the road was nothing more than an Indian trail through the woods. It took them four weeks to reach their destination from Baltimore, Maryland to Beaver Township, Columbiana, Ohio.

Henry was buried in the Wilderson cemetery and he shares this monument, pictured below, with his wife, Rachel:

Henry Wilderson
Born: 20 Jun 1812 Manheim, York, PA
Married: 20 Sep 1846 Weathersfield, Trumbull, OH
Died: 27 Feb 1905 Newton, Trumbull, OH
Sources: Warren Chronicle newspaper articles; Census of 1800-1900; marriage certificate; land records.