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ROLLIN ALBERT HORR and SARAH AMANDA AMES

(H12 and H13)

17 Feb 2002

Born: 26 Nov 1830 (one of twin brothers) at Waitesfield, VT^[1], son of Roswell Horr and Caroline Turner. 

Died: 31 Dec 1894 of Brights disease at Wellington, OH^[2] , and was buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Wellington.^[3]

Marriage: 13 Jun 1853 to Sarah Amanda Ames^[4] at Huntington, OH.  She was b. 2 Oct 1832 at Becket, MA. and d. 1 Jan 1895 at Wellington, OH, followed by burial at Greenwood Cemetery in Wellington. However, cemetery records indicate Sarah, at age 77, was buried 25 Sep 1909.^[5]  She was the daughter of Pliny and his second wife, Abigail Nichols.  Pliny Ames was b. 11 Nov 1796 in Becket and was the son of Joel and Azubah Putnam Ames. Pliny may have been first married --Oct 1817 to Lucy Nichols, daughter of Isaac Nichols of Becket.  Pliny d. in Becket on 27 Nov 1886 of "old age."^[6]

Children:

(1) Abigail (Abbie) Caroline, b. 5 Jul 1854, d. 2 Jul 1940 at La Grange, IL^[7], and buried 5 Jul at Greenwood Cemetery, Wellington.^[8]  She married Henry H. Hamlin 8 Jan 1873 at Wellington.^[9]  He was b. --1850 and d. --1921.  The 1990 census shows them residing in Wellington.  His parents were Almanza Hamlin, b. 21 Nov 1797, d. 1 Jan 1854, and Mary R. Webster, b. 13 Jul 1811, d. 4 Jan 1899. Henry's brothers were David Almanza, b. 8 May 1849, d. 5 Apr 1859 and William, b. 4 Jan 1853, d. 20 Sep 1854.  Henry was the administrator of the estate of Abigail's mother.  All of the above persons were buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Wellington.^[10]

In 1850 several Hamlins lived in Wellington:

Noah, age 34 b. in CT, merchant, property valued at $1200

Adelia, his wife, 32, b. in NY

Orrin P., son, age 9 b. in OH

John, age 40 b. in CT, railroad laborer, living with Henry Allen

Caroline, 50 b. in MA, living with Milton Adams

Sarah, daughter, 16 b. in OH

Mary, daughter, 8 b. in OH

Abbie lived in Wellington in 1894.^[11]  Abbie left her old home in Wellington in 1926^[12] and came to La Grange, IL, to be with her brother Charles Phelps Horr and sister Nell Ames Horr.  However, her first listing in the La Grange Directory was not until 1929 when she lived at 422 South Madison.  She remained at that address for a few years until 1937 when she was at 75 South Seventh Ave. and living with her sister Nell.  In 1939 her residence was at 94 South Seventh Ave., (with Nell), and there she died the next year.^[13]

(2) Roswell Pliny, b. 1 Feb 1858, d.  28 Feb 1858.  He was buried in Old Huntington Center cemetery, Huntington township and his gravestone inscription read he was the son of “RD and SA” and that he d. 18 [sic] Feb 1858.  His maternal grandparents are buried in the same plot.^[14]

(3) Rollin Cortland, b. 15 Aug 1859; d. by 1896.^[15]  He was educated at Cornell University where he was a Delta Kappa Epsilon.^[16]  He married Jennie [Jane L.] Sawyer on 8 Feb 1883 at Bellevue, OH.  She d. suddenly and unexpectedly on 8 Oct 1884.  Jennie was b. c1860 in Lyme township, Huron Co., OH.  Her father was Stephen Sawyer, b. 1815 in Essex, Kent, England, and d. 26 May 1873 in Lyme township.  Jennie’s mother was Mrs. Jane K. Tice, b. 1819 PA and d. 1 Dec 1879.  Stephen’s father was, again, Stephen, b. 30 Sep 1786 in Essex, Kent, England, and d. 7 Jan 1870 in Norwalk, Huron Co., OH.  His wife was Dorothy Lansdale, b. 1 May 1787 in Essex and d. 6 Jun 1867 in Lyme township.^[17]

In 1894 Rollin was in the stone or paving business in Philadelphia, PA, and was serving   his third term as member of the city council of Philadelphia.^[18]  Rollin and Jennie had one son (whose relationship needs to be documented) and a daughter:

Frank Chapman, b. 5 Dec 1881, d. 25 Aug 1984, married (1) 22 Nov 1906 to Grace Langeland. b. 26 Sep 1882, d. 23 Feb 1939 and (2) Coila Stemple, b. 4 May 1881. d. 10 May 1969.

Gipsy ("Gyp") Sawyer, b. 23 Aug 1884, d. 3 Oct 1969.  Upon her mother's sudden death Gyp was sent to Wellington to be raised by her grandmother Sarah Horr (Ames).^[19]  The 1900 census shows them (and the VanCleefs which follow) in Wellington.  Gyp married in 1903 William Kent Van Cleef (b. 12 Jul 1883, d. 21 Mar 1963), son of Edward Anson Van Cleef (b. 4 Aug 1856, d. 10 Jan 1933) and   Josephine Chapman Van Cleef (b. 2 Sep 1856, d. 29 May 1950).^[20]  They lived in Toledo, OH (they were there in 1951^[21]  The couple had a son:

Edward Lansdale, b. 13 May 1904.  Edward d. 20 Sep 1993 and his last residence was Columbus, Franklin Co., OH, 43212.^[22]

All of the VanCleefs were buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Wellington.

(4) Warner Mott, b. 14 Aug 1863.  He graduated from Wellington High School.  In 1894 he was a bookkeeper and lived in San Francisco, CA.^[23]

(5) Walter Scott, b. 14 Aug 1863.  He graduated from Wellington High School.  He married 8 Jul 1886 to Julia M. Bacon.  In 1894 he was a stenographer by profession, and lived in Duluth, MN.^[24]  His sister Nell probably lived with them at some time prior to 1945.

*(6) Charles Phelps, b. 19 Jan 1868 at Lorain, although his parents were living in Wellington.^[25]  d. 14 Mar 1936 at La Grange, IL.  (See separate file)

(7) Nellie Ames, b. 27 Sep 1871 at Wellington,^[26] d. from a stroke 10 Feb 1951^[27], at Sacred Heart sanitarium in Milwaukee, WI.  She was buried at age 79 on 16 Feb 1951 in Greenwood Cemetery in Wellington.^[28]  She graduated from Wellington High School and in 1894 was still at home.^[29]  She did not marry.  The 1900 census shows her in Wellington. 

Her elementary education in Wellington was followed by study in Boston and elsewhere in dramatic art and voice culture. After graduation she traveled with the Redpath bureau for several seasons. 

For six years she was head of the dramatic art department of National Park Seminary in Washington, DC.  She resigned that position so that she could take care of her mother during her last illness.  Later the seminary made her the field secretary with the duty of visiting former and prospective students throughout the country.  For many years she conducted studios in interpretive drama in Chicago, Duluth, MN (she was there from 1919 to Oct 1927^[30]), and La Grange.  She pioneered the Little Theater movement in connection with her studios.  Many of her students became professionals in theater and in radio, among them Amos and Andy, the comedians.  Nell made frequent trips to Broadway in New York and was the link between there and theatrical activities at home.  She presented courses to the La Grange (IL) Woman's Club.^[31]  She also presented courses at the Masonic Lodge in La Grange.^[32]

At the time of her death Nell had been a resident of La Grange for many years, first found in the village directory in 1927 at 43 South Spring.  In 1929 she was proprietor of her suburban studio at 24 South Fifth Ave., and she lived at 422 South Madison (previously occupied by newlyweds Arthur W. and Louise Sprague)  She was at the same addresses in 1930-32, and was listed as engaged in "Expression and Dramatic Art."  In 1935-1937 her residence was at 75 South Seventh Ave. and in the latter year was listed as "Teacher of Dramatic Arts."  In 1939 her home was at 94 Seventh Ave.  Two years later she lived at 209 South Eighth Ave.^[33] In 1945 and thereafter she made her home with her sister-in-law, Mrs. Charles P. Horr, at 334 South La Grange Rd.  She was buried 15 Feb 1951 at Wellington, OH, in her family's plot at Greenwood Cemetery.^[34]  The Sprague children in La Grange knew her simply as Aunt Nell; they never were informed of her skills, background, or relationship^[35]

Biography:

Rollin received an elementary education in the public schools, and became a clerk in a store in Huntington, Lorain County.  He subsequently entered the cheese business and farming and stock dealing there, and made that his home for fifteen years.  In 1850 Rollin lived in Huntington township.^[36]  In 1860 Rollin, Sarah, Abbie (who attended school that year), and Courtland lived at Huntington.  He was a farmer and employed a servant, Julia Spalding (age 16) and a laborer Samuel Pilcher (age 20); both lived with the family and attended school within the year.  Rollin had real estate valued at $5,000 and a personal estate valued at $3,370.^[37]

He assisted in the organization of the First National Bank of Wellington in 1864, and in the spring of that year moved to Wellington, where he lived the rest of his life.  He was cashier of the First National Bank for twenty-seven years, becoming vice-president by 1894. By 1870 the family  included Rollin, Sarah, Abbie, Walter, and Charles.  Also living with them were Caroline Robinson (age 65, b. in VT and possibly a relative) and Hattie Marshal (age 22), a domestic servant.  In 1870 Rollin had real estate valued at $12,000 and a personal estate valued at $4,000.^[38]

Rollin was for a time a member of the extensive lumber firm of W. R. Santly & Co., and besides being a vice-president of the First National Bank he was (as of 1894) secretary of the Clarksfield Stone Company.  He was nominated by the regular Republican caucus, and elected to the State Senate from the 27th and 29th Senatorial Districts in 1879, serving during the sessions of 1880-81 and 1882-83.  As a State Senator he at some time served as president pro-tem of the Senate.^[39]  He was, subsequently, the Republican nominee from the 14th Congressional District.  On 8 Oct 1891 he was appointed special employee of the United States Treasury Department by Secretary Foster, and served in that capacity until 1 Jun 1893, when he was removed by the Democratic administration.  In the 1890s Rollin was a man of medium height and large proportions.^[40] 

^[1]Death Records, Probate Court, Lorain County, OH

^[2]Death Records

^[3]Grave marker at the cemetery

^[4]Early records use the spelling Eames.

^[5] Linda Boyles Navarre, Records of Greenwood Cemetery, Wellington, Ohio, 1862-1995.  Wellington: 1996

^[6]"Inhabitants of Becket," handwritten genealogy records at Becket Athenaeum, Inc., Becket, MA.  Information furnished by Ethel Niecune, librarian, 4 Apr 1989.

^[7]La Grange Citizen, 4 Jul 1940

^[8]Grave marker at the cemetery

^[9]Most of the data regarding the children is from Norton T. Horr, Descendants of Hezekiah Hoar,

^[10]Monument at the cemetery

^[11]Application for Letters of Administration, Probate Court, Lorain Co. Case 4056

^[12]Citizen, 4 Jul 1940

^[13]Ibid.  Addresses are from the respective annual La Grange directories

^[14] Cemetery Inscriptions of Lorain County, Ohio.  Lorain County Historical Society, Elyria, 1980

^[15]Case 4056

^[16]Anecdote told by Marian Horr to A. W. and Nancy Sprague

^[17]LDS, Ancestral File

^[18]Commemorative Biographical, p. 649.  He resided in Philadelphia at the time of his father's death.  Case 4056

^[19]Marian Horr

^[20]Grave monument, Greenwood Cemetery, Wellington. The VanCleaf date of marriage is questioned because by 31 Dec 1894 Gypsy was already stated to be the wife of William Kent VanCleaf of Toeldo.  Case 4056

^[21]Citizen, 14 Feb 1951

^[22]His birth date confirmed in Social Security Records, Rootsweb. His SS# was 271-07-7233

^[23]Commemorative Biographical, p. 649.  He resided in San Francisco at the time of his father's death.  Case 4056

^[24]Commemorative.  He resided in Duluth at the time of his father's death.  Case 4056

^[25]Birth records, Lorain County Court House, Elyria, OH

^[26]County Record House

^[27]Records of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, La Grange, IL

^[28] Navarre

^[29]Commemorative Biographical, p. 649.  She resided in Wellington at the time of her father's death.  Case 4056

^[30]Citizen, 20 Oct 1927

^[31]Citizen, 14 Feb 1951

^[32]See summaries in La Grange Citizen, 15 Nov 1928 and --Feb 1929

^[33]Addresses are from respective annual La Grange directories.

^[34]Nell's death is recorded in the register of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, La Grange, but it is not clear if any service was held for her there

^[35]Recollection of A. W. Sprague, Jr.

^[36]U.S. Census 1850 for OH, p. 322 (needs to be checked)

^[37]U.S. Census 1860 for OH

^[38]U.S. Census 1870 for OH

^[39]Post card from Cortland Horr to A. W. Sprague, Jr.,19 Apt 1974.  Cortland said Rollin's picture was in the Senate lounge at the state capitol in Columbus, OH.

^[40]Commemorative Biographical, p. 648