Following a blazed trail, Edward T. Hovey came and settled here 140 years ago on a farm now owned and operated by this grandson, 83-year-old Fred L. Ellison.
Today, Mr. Ellison and his wife, the former Clara M. House, live on a 45-acre plot, part of 127 acres in the original farm which lies astraddle three roads leading from Hartfield to Dewittville, Centralia and Stockton.
The house in which they live was stared in 1876 by Fred's father David L. Ellison and finished during the winter of 1877. The present owner moved into the building with his parents in the spring of 1877 and has lived there continuously ever since.
Mr. and Mrs. Ellison, who observed their 48th wedding anniversary last Feb. 25, now have four Guernsey cows. When Mr. Ellison was younger he kept from 12 to 15 cattle, mostly Jerseys. In addition to the cattle, the present owner raised oats, corn, hay and some vegetables.
According to Mr. Ellison, his grandfather is believed to be the first person to follow a trail which had just been opened by surveyors. He settled in Hartfield in 1811, and with his brother, Josiah, purchased the original 127 acres for $105.19.
The pioneer built a log cabin on the site of the present 35-acre William Hall farm, across the Centralia Road from the present farm. The first barns were built on the 45-acre plot where Mr. and Mrs. Ellison live now.
Mr. Hovey moved with his family to a corner lot on the farm in 1855 and operated a hotel there from 1854 to 1860. He had been postmaster from 14 years before he started the hotel.
His daughter, J. Agnes Hovey, who was born in the log cabin, married David L. Ellison, father of the present owner.
The couple lived on the Elm Flats road in the early years of their married life.
David L. Ellison had come to this part of the country from Orange County at the age of 11 with the Case family, settling on nearby property.
When Fred L. Ellison was two years old his family moved from Elm Flats Road to the present farm and into a farm building, since moved several hundred years south, and now owned by Burton Scriven. The family also lived in a second farm home on the present property which was also moved to the Scriven place and used as a barn.
The third move on the same farm, made by the present owner's father, was into the corner building owned by Mr. Hovey.
In 1876 Fred's father bought the 45-acre plot from his mother-in-law, Mrs. Hovey, along with two 15-acre tracts located on both sides of the Stockton Road and now owned by Clarence Harrington and Archie Foster.
Two other portions of the original farm are now owned by Harold Cady and Mr. Scriven. They border old Route 17 from Hartfiled to Dewittville.
Fred Ellison married the former Myrtle Adelaide Wood in 1895 and a daughter, Ruth Elizabeth, was born. Both Mrs. Ellisonand the daughter are deceased.
In 1903 Mr. Ellison married Clara M. House. They have two children, Mrs. Ila Kling, Mayville, and Mrs. Agnes Johnson, Brocton.