Lake County Ohio GenWeb

Dewitt C. Pierce

This biography is taken from Biographical History of Northeastern Ohio, Embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake; Lewis Publishing Company, 1893.

Transcribed and submitted by Becky Falin, 1996.

Dewitt C. Pierce, an enterprising farmer whose country home is located in Willoughby township, Lake county, Ohio, was born in Oneida county, New York, September 12, 1835. He is a son of John W. Pierce, also a native of Oneida county, New York, and grandson of William Pierce, who was born in Wales.

William Pierce emigrated from his native land to the United States at an early day and settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from whence he subsequently removed to Oneida county, New York, and engaged in farming. He died at about the age of eighty years. John W. Pierce was born in 1798, being one of a large family. He became the owner of a large tract of land and was successfully engaged in farming in Oneida county, where he died in 1877, at the age of seventy-nine years. His wife, Catherine (Fuller) Pierce, was born in the Empire State in the year 1800, being the daughter of Simeon Fuller. She died in 1886, at the age of eighty-six. They had eleven children, Dewitt C. being the seventh born and one of four who are still living.

The subject of our sketch was reared on his father's farm, and received his education in the district schools and the college at Carlisle. He remained at home several years after reaching maturity, working at intervals in a sawmill, but for the most part being engaged in farming. In 1873 he went to Gilman, Illinois, where he conducted a meat market for two years, and from there, in 1875, he came to Ohio and purchased his present farm in Willoughby township, Lake county. This farm comprises sixty-three acres of choice land, well improved. He has six acres in vineyard, and has a fine orchard, in which are 300 peach trees, fifty apple trees, and pears and other fruits.

Mr. Pierce was married in 1861 to Margette Spencer, who was born in Oswego county, New York, daughter of Harvey and Roxana Spencer, both natives of New York. Her father was a farmer, and her parents both lived to an advanced age. Mrs. Pierce died January 12, 1890, leaving two children, William G. and Hattie I.

Mr. Pierce is another example of the selfmade made. He began life with limited means, and to his own energy and judicious management is due the success he has attained. Politically he is a Republican.