Charles Wolds Seymour
Charles Wolds Seymour, was born 31 November 1860 at Crestline, Sandusky Twp., Richland County, Ohio, son of George Seymour (Born ZIMMER) and Christianna Merrill. George worked on the railroad from ca 1860 -1876. Charles had one brother named William Edwin Seymour, born 1864 at Crestline also, who worked in the grocery store of his paternal Uncle in law, Mr. Blocker at Sandusky, Erie Co, Ohio and migrated to Pittsburgh, Kansas. George Seymour was born 1839 at Kent, Franklin twp, Portage County, Ohio son of Joseph Walter Zimmer born Steinhaus, Hess Darmstadt, Germany, and his wife he married 1837 Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, who was Francis Brick/Brisk/Frick/Frisk born in Germany. Joseph Walter and family moved to Peru and subsequently to Ridgefield twps, Huron County, Ohio. During the Civil War Joseph and George sold horses to the U.S. Cavalry. Family lore says that while doing so George met Christianna and fell in love with her. George married Christianna about 1860 probably in Richland County where her mother Rachel Merrill resided but this is a guess. Sadly, Christianna's father, John Merrill born 1805 in Maryland, died 1848 and her mother Rachel Slusser Merrill, then residing in Mercer County, was forced to adopt her children out. Christianna as adopted by a LaPar family. Grandma said her father was a voyageur. By 1860 Christianna is married to George and Rachel had moved back to Bellville. When Charles was 4 years old his mother, Christianna Merrill Lapar Seymour, died April 1864. Christianna is buried in the St Joseph Roman Catholic Church Cemetery. According to the St Joseph's Church records, the lot of her burial is unknown. There is no gravestone there now. She was age 22 years old when she died. Charles went to live in Bellville with his maternal grandmother Rachel Merrill where he remained till about 1883. He is listed on the census as a newsboy for the railroad and with his father was on the Pacific Express train of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad during the tragic Ashtabula Bridge Disaster of 1876 where he suffered a broken arm and scar to his face (which my mom never noticed). Of the 159 passengers on the train, 92 died by drowning, fire and fatal injuries due to the bridge collapse, which was deemed by a special commission, due to the railroad. On 3 February 1884 Charles married Miss Lydia Kathryn Richards of Utica, Oneida County, New York. Lydia was the daughter of John Richards and his second wife Mrs. Mary (Jones) Jones of Utica, and a member of the 1st Presbyterian Church of Utica. The newlyweds moved to Plattsburgh, Clinton County, NY and raised a large family. Only three daughters survived the diphtheria, scarlet fever and small pox which killed 5 brothers and an infant sister. Charles was owner of a fine grocery catering business and Lydia owned a millinery store until about 1903 when they moved to Utica where Lydia opened a millinery store at 1025 Bleaker Street and Charles was a conductor for the railroad and a chief at the Utica State Hospital. The 6 deceased children of Lydia and Charles were re interred, from Plattsburgh, at Forest Hills Cemetery in Utica where their parents also lay in eternal rest. Lydia died 20 May 1924 and Charles died 30 December 1936. Their last residence was 1000 Churchill Avenue in Utica. Three surviving daughters were Mrs. (George) Marjorie Alice Smith of Utica, Mrs. Mary Dorothy Bond of Battle Creek, Michigan and Mrs. (Willard) Lillian Irene Doty of Cleveland, Ohio. Surviving sisters to Lydia were Mrs. (Leanzer) Alice Richards Sweet of Northville, Franklin County, NY.
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