Lake County Ohio GenWeb

David R. Paige

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

Transcribed and submitted by Becky Falin, 1996.

David R. Paige was among the active, energetic, influential men of Painesville. He was a farmer, merchant and general man of business; but retired from active life in 1863. He was born in Rutland, Vermont, in the fall of 1806, and removed to Madison, Lake County, Ohio, where he went into the mercantile business in 1832. He remained there thirty years, removing to Painesville in 1863. He was one of the associate judges of the court of common pleas, holding his position for seven years. When the Cleveland, Painesville, and Ashtabula railroad was originated, Mr. Paige took an active part in organizing the movement, and was one of the first erectors of the company which established this line, afterwards developed into the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern railroad. He was active in public affairs, and gave strong support to various institutions and interests of the places in which he dwelt, among these Lake Erie Seminary. In politics he was a Democrat, and one of the most influential in his section of the country. He was a member of the convention of 1856, which nominated James Buchanan, and during the war gave support to the Union cause in various ways, being instrumental in raising a company of men, of which he was offered the captaincy. He originated the Painesville Savings and Loan Association, of which he was a director, and contributed in other ways to the business of Painesville. His religious preferences were with the Episcopal Church, of which he was a member for many years and a vestryman. Mr. Paige died at his home in Painesville, July 7, 1877, aged seventy-one years. He was married in 1837 to Nancy J. Kimball, of Madison, and had seven children, of whom four are now living, - David R. and Albert in Akron, and Charles C and Ralph K in Painesville.