Obituary of Mrs. Hannah Sperry

ROCKPORT

Died. At 8 A.M., of August 24th, at the residence of her son-in-law, Mr. John P. Spencer, Mrs. Hannah Sperry, at the advanced age of 99 years, 11 months and 20 days. Mrs. Sperry was born at North Branford, Connecticut, on September 4th, 1777, but little more than one year after the Declaration of Independence, and nearly two months previous to the surrender of Burgoyne, at Saratoga. Her parents were poor, like most of the patriotic people of New England at that day, but they possessed great courage, energy and perseverance, and a never wavering trust in God, qualities for which Mrs. Sperry was always greatly noted. Her early education was necessarily quite limited, but she was well trained in the art of housekeeping as well as spinning, weaving, etc., and was taught that the command to labor six days was equally as binding as to rest the seventh. She was first married at the age of 22 years, to Mr. Junia Beach, with whom she soon after emigrated to Danby, Tompkins county, New York, from whence they came to Ohio, in the fall of 1816, performing the journey to Buffalo by team, and from thence to Painesville, on a Schooner, after which they again started by team, with their two little children, travelling through the then almost unbroken wilderness to Cleveland, from whence they continued their journey, crossing Rocky River at the old Vanscouter fort, near the Hogs Back Hill, and from thence, westerly on the Middle-ridge road, (which was the only road opened in that direction), through Dover to Ridgeville, arriving in November, where they found a temporary home with Judge Eldred, during which time Mr. Beach, with the assistance of a few others, went some two miles beyond Elyria, and put up a rude log house, in which the family took up their abode as soon as it was so far completed as to be habitable. The following spring they built a frame house.

On the 10th, of September 1817, their fourth child was born to them, he being the first white child born in the vicinity of Elyria. The father was taken sick with chils and fever in the autumn of the same year, and died November 22d, 1817, and after which they returned to Ridgeville, and again found a temporary home with the good Judge Eldred, but soon after, moved into a vacant log school house, near by, where they remained until the next year (1818), when Mrs. Beach was married to Mr. Amos Sperry, of Dover, a widower in good circumstances and who was greatly respected by all who knew him, with whom they took up their abode, and found a comfortable and permanent home.

During their residence at the Sperry place, they kept a tavern, which was the stopping place for the stage coach which then made regular trips between Cleveland and Detroit. Said tavern being noted for its good cheer and the generous hospitality of the host and hostess. In February 1847, Mr. Sperry died, having lived to the advanced age of 85 years. After his death, Mrs. Sperry lived at the old home most of the time with her son Henry, (being well provided for in the will of her husband), until December, since which time she has lived with her daughter, Mrs. J.P. Spencer, near Coe Ridge.

During her long life, she enjoyed remarkably good health, and was much noted for the great amount of labor she performed as well as for endurance. She having once made a journey of 66 miles on horse-back, carrying a child in her arms. She was also quite as much noted for her courage, having stayed all night with her little children alone in her home in the wilderness, with an Indian in the house, who came unbidden, and left at his pleasure, without however offering inquiry or insult. At the age of 91, Mrs. Sperry rode to Cleveland, with some assistance, walked up three flights of stairs to Nock's gallery, and sat for her Photograph, receiving an excellent likness of herself, which as it hangs in its place on the wall, seems almost to speak, it is so life-like. She was agreeable in conversation, having good judgment, quick wit and a memory well stored with events transpiring during her life.

She was a consistent Christian, lived in the love and fear of God, being a member of good standing in the Congregational Church of Dover, with which she was united by letter in 1821, soon after its organization as a church. She sprang from a long lived ancestry, her mother having lived to the age of 92. She had a strong hold on life, never having, during six months of constant suffering, expressed a wish to die, although she frequently remarked that she could not live, and finally passed away apparently conscious and almost without a struggle.

The funeral services were held at 11 A.M. on Sunday, August 26th, by the Rev. Mr. Votaw of Berea, and were largely attended by the neighbors and also by many others more remote, among whom were many of the olden time acquaintances of the deceased. After services the remains were taken to the burial place near her old home, and deposited by the side of her first husband, and her child, who died in infancy. Mr. Sperry, her second husband, and also his first wife, are buried in the same grounds.

Mrs. Sperry left four children, Mrs. Electa M. Spencer, Philo and Henry Beach, and Junia Sperry, and also a large number of grand and great-grandchildren to mourn her loss. It is a remarkable fact that this is the first death that has occurred in Mr. Spencer's family in forty-five years.

contributed and transcribed by Janis Garcia -