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Following is a trancsription of a biographical clipping about Amos H. Royce filed in BPLH Room Card Catalog [no source citation was given nor was there any indication of the date of the clipping]
"ROYCE, AMOS H., Frederickson, retired, was born , Harwington, Litchfield, Connecticut, September 26, 1786. He is a son of Nehemiah Royce, a native of Connecticut, who was a graduate of Yale college. His first diploma was signed September 9, 1778. He was a soldier of the Revolution, commisioned a lieutenant by John Hancock, date January 1, 1777 and afterwards received a captain's commission, March 19, 1779. He also has in his possession the inventory of his father's estate, written February 24, 1792. The amount was three hundred and three pounds, six shillings and eight pence; also a land warrant for three hundred acres of land valued at thirty shillings [five dollars], located in Knox county, Ohio. Amos H. was the only heir. In the Fall of 1792 he was taken from Harwington, where his mother resided, to Berlin, Hartford county, Connecticut, to live with his gaurdian, and grandfather, Amos Hosford, after whom he was named. He remembered how he rode from Harwington to Berlin on horseback behind his uncle, and his reception at the time at his grandfather's, who was a farmer, a man of wealth for those times, also of influence, being a justice of the peace, which was an important position in those days.
He was elected to the assembly of the town of Berlin a number of years, at which time the subject of this sketch took him to the seat of government in a carriage, and when the session closed he had to bring him home. He was reared on a farm put to work as soon as he was old enough through the summer, and during the winter went to school and received a good common school education, sufficient at least to transact business. He gives a few items of interest that occurred when he was in his minority while living with his grandfather. The town of Berlin consisted of three parishes or societies, viz: Worthington, Kensington, and New Britton; Worthington was located on the main or turnpike road leading from New Haven to Hartford and consisted of one main street nearly one mile in length, containing the stores, taverns, manufactories, and private residences of the place, of which there were a respectable number.
In the north end of the street on a triangular piece of ground stood the Presbyterian meeting house, a large building which was generally filled every Sabbath. It was also used for a town house in the spring election of county and State offices.
On the main road about twenty rods from the meeting-house stood that ancient relic for the punishment of crime, the stockade and whipping-post, although seldom used. Yet he remembers that the ancient mode of punishment with the cat-of-nine-tails according to Mosaic law, was inflicted.
In the fall of 1804 he moved from Berlin, Hartford, county, Connecticut, to Lewis county, New York, occupied a house adjoining land that he bought the next season. He built a cabin on his own land, making such improvements as his means permitted.
In the fall of 1809 he received the land warrant for his father's services in the Revolution. He then came to Knox county and located his land in Berlin township. Before he returned he engaged, Jeremiah Brown to build a log cabin, but as the State road from Mt. Vernon to Mansfield was located before he commenced and as the road passed through the centre of his land, he omitted buildinguntil he moved out, when he selected a location. A few years later he found it necessary to build a larger and more convenient house.
In those times the citizens took but little interest in the name of their township, but when Berlin was organized it became a subject of general interest. Mr. Stephen Cole and Amos H. Royce, being emigrants from the town of Berlin, they consulted together and proposed to call it Berlin, which name was accepted by common consent. Mr. Royce was the first justice of the peace elected, and was reelected and served in said office over fifteen years. He was an independent man, a strong abolitionist during slavery times, and always a strong advocate of temperance. He never used tobacco in any form, and was a member of Methodist Episcopal church until the slavery question was strongly agitated, when he left the church; he never joined any church since, but has lived a very exemplary life. He resided on the same farm inn Berlin township nearly sixty years.
He never had any occasion to use spectacles, although a great reader. He has taken the Cincinatti Daily Gazette since 1860 and has read it daily, Sundays excepted, ever since.
Amos H. Royce was first married in 1804, to Nancy Danning. They had the following children, viz: Mary born in 1804, Samuel born in 1808, Emaline born in 1810, Sally born in 1813, Julia Ann born in 1815, Louisa L. in 1818, Alfred in 1820, Laura A. in 1823, Jane A. in 1824, and Lucy in 1826. Mrs. Nancy Royce died January 21, 1852. Mr. Royce's second wife was Maria Parly, who died in 1859. He afterwards married Marilla Johnson, who died in 1870. His fourth wife was Abbie M. Sherwood. Amos H. Royce ws a resident of Knox county during the War of 1812, and was drafted. They made their rendezvous at Mt. Vernon till they ordered to Mansfield, where they remained three weeks. He assisted to build the block-house at Trucksville [Ganges]. He was at New Haven during the massacre of the Copus and Zimmer families. He was also called out during the siege of Fort Meigs in 1813, also in 1814 when Fort Stephenson was besieged, but was soon relieved and returned home." |
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