Lake County Ohio GenWeb

Colbert Huntington

This biography is taken from History of Geauga and Lake counties; Williams Brothers, 1878.

Transcribed and submitted by Becky Falin, 1996.

Of the six children of Governor Samuel Huntington, all born in Norwich, Connecticut, two only are alive at this writing, and but one resident in Painesville. The children were Francis, Martha Devotion (wife of John H Matthews, M.D., late of Painesville), Julian Claude, Colbert, Samuel, and Robert Giles.

Julian Claude was until recently a resident of Painesville, but lately of Ashtabula, Ohio; and Colbert, the subject of this sketch, is now living in Painesville at the advanced age of over fourscore years, though as well preserved in mind and body as most men are at sixty or seventy. He was born at the governor's old house in Norwich, October 17, 1797, and came to Ohio with his father and mother in the first year of the century. He was married, May 8, 1833, to Ellen Paine, who was born May 9, 1809. Upon the death of his father, in 1817, Mr. Huntington came into possession of a share of the land originally purchased by the governor in 1807, from John Walworth and Charles Parker. This farm, described as being lot one in tract No. 2, has ever since been in his possession, and until the year 1861 was the place of his residence. His life has been that of a farmer, though he followed for several years the profession of teaching, and also for quite a number of years practiced surveying, being at one time county surveyor. Quiet, and comparatively without incident, his life has passed in a manner useful to himself and others. Reserved and retiring in nature, he took only such part in public affairs as he deemed it his duty to take for the advancement of the best interests of the community, and never sought anything like personal benefit or aggrandizement through the plea of laboring for the wellbeing of the people. Whatever he has done has been done without consideration of self and as quiet and unostentatiously as possible. He has always been looked upon by all who know him as a solid, substantial citizen, conservative and reliable. His character is blameless, and he has the unqualified respect of all who have known him, either through business connection or socially. Mr. Huntington removed from his farm to the place at present occupied by him, on Erie street, in 1861.