My Genealogy Hound

JOHN P. BAXTER. One of Chautauqua county’s early residents, a gallant defender of the Nation, and whose early death may be attributed to exposure and suffering during his long term of service in the Union army was John P. Baxter, who died August 9, 1872. He was a son of Cyrus and Maria (Cooley) Baxter, and was born about 1828, in the town of Hanover, Chautauqua county, New York. The paternal grandfather, Baxter, was one of three brothers who came from England. Abner Cooley (maternal grandfather) was a native of New England but came to Chautauqua county and settled in Hanover town about 1806, being among its earliest settlers. He was one of the most affluent men in the town and lived there the remainder of his life engaged in farming. The Whig party got his support in all matters where he considered them right. He married and reared four sons and two daughters. Cyrus Baxter was born in 18 — , followed farming and died in the town of Hanover. He married Maria Cooley, by whom he had two sons and one daughter.

John P. Baxter as a boy showed marked ability. He attended the public schools and acquired a good business education. His mature life was passed in farming with the exception below noted. He lived at Forestville until he married and then went down into Warren county, Pa., where he lived for a time. In 1862 he returned to Chautauqua county and leaving his family at Ripley enlisted in Company I, 14th regiment, Pennsylvania Cavalry, and was sent to the front. Mr. Baxter was in many battles and skirmishes under General Averill and was wounded while engaged at Rocky Gap, August 26, 1863. When the war was over he returned home and followed farming until his decease.

On the 17th of January, 1850, Mr. Baxter married Marjorie Ferry, who was born May 6, 1831. She was a daughter of the late Captain Joe Ferry, a sailor of renown along the shores of Lake Erie about 1830 and subsequently’ till his death in 1844. Capt. Ferry was a mariner who knew the whole of Lake Erie like a book but at the last date mentioned his boat was caught in a storm and foundered taking with her all on board. Capt. Ferry married Polly A. Pattison, a daughter of John Pattison, who was one of the old settlers that located in Hanover and they had two children, both daughters: Helen, the youngest, married and is now the widow of Hiram Burrows. She lives in Ripley. The other is Mrs. Baxter who bore her husband two sons: Fred, married Nannie Aspinwall, and is now a farmer in Ripley, the father of five children — John, May, Ford, Carl and Marjorie; and Frank, who resides at home.

From this brief history it will be seen that some of the oldest as well as the most loyal blood of the State of New York flows in the veins of the Baxter family. John P. Baxter was a man above reproach or suspicion. Since his death his widow has lived upon the farm he left, conducting it with her son’s assistance. Mr. Baxter lies buried in Ripley cemetery.