Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-24
zENAS KENT.
The Life and Death of n western Re-
serve Pioneer.

We condense from the Portage County
Democrat the following interesting bio
graphical sketch Of the late Zenas Kent,
Esq. Il
Zenas Kent, one of the oldest citizens of
this county, and almost, if not quite! the
last of the business men who became lden-
titled with it in its infancy, died suddenly,
on Wednesday evening last, ut MS resi-
dence In Kent, in the eightieth year OF MS
age. Mr.. Kent had been IN the ENJOY
ment of usual health until a few OF
his decease. Near noon on wednesday,
while packing his trunk for a contem-
plated visit to New York, he was seized
with severe pains about the stomach, the
immediate cause of which seemed to be
the eating of two orthree sugared non
Medical attendance was summoned, the
intense violence of the attack abated, and
so the time passed until about nine I. M.
when having disrobed himself, he went to
bed. In a very few moments he breathed
his last. The shock and surprise at the
event fell alike upon his family and the
outside world. Though having attained
a great age he retained all the activity and
| vigor of a man of sixty. Tall and remark
ably erect, of graceful carriage, dlgnltied
and courteous mien, the future seemed to
have as much in store for him as any man
who had seen "a half century. The fatal
disorder Is, by medical authority, pro
/ nouneed congestion of the stomach, with
slight arrangement of the heart.
Mr.. Kent was born in MiddletOwn,
Conn, July IL, l7s6. While amere child
his father removed to Leyden, Mass, where
the DAYS of his childhood ord -. man
hood were passed. He came of old Puri-
tan stock, his father having been a soldier
in the Revolutionary war. He enjoyed no
educational advantages but those afforded
by the common district schools, and was
bred to the trade of carpenter and joiner
by his father. At the age of twenty-five
he was united in marriage with PAMELA
Lewis, Il young lady Of seventeen. The
father of Miss Lewis was a Revolutionary
veteran, and also "A carpenter and joiner,
and resided at Vernon, Oneida county, N.
Y, though the daughter was born at
Northington, Conn. With these striking
similarities in the origin of each, the des-
TIMES of the youthful pair were united,
and never went apart, until, soon after the
anniversary of their golden wedding, they
were severed by the death of Mrs. Kent,
October 81, 1872.
In 1872 the father of Mr.. Kent removed
to Mantua, in this county, where, after
attaining a good old age, ne died. Young
Zenas accompanied the family on their
tourney to the western wilds, and soon
after he returned for his wife, with whom
he established his household gods in Hud-
son, then a township of Portage county.
There he engaged in work as builder,
and taught school on barrow street in the
winter.
At Hudson he formed the acquaintance
and secured the friendship of the late
Captain Heman Oviatt. In the summer
of 1915 he removed to Ravenna, choosing
this place in preference to Cleveland, as
the most promising town of the two. Cap
tain Oviatt furnished his young friend
with the capital to establish a store. The
Captain always regarded Mr.. Kent with
particular friendship and interest, and
years after, when he was a prosperous
merchant, referred to the fact that he "sot
him up" with great pride. In.commenc-
ing his mercantile career Mr.. Kent erected
a wooden store building upon the site. now
occupied by Second National Bank, work
ing upon it with his own hands. This
building, which at once became store and
dwelling, was years after moved way to
give place to a large structure, and is now
a portion of Aliens Block, on the south
side of Main street. The store building
finished, the firm of Oviatt 81 Kent conf
menced operations. The partnership ter
minated in a few years, when tho junior
of the firm was able to repay the capital
so kindly advanced by his early friend.
! npYn NJ ont tYnAarf,,l- q, hYil1Inn on
terprise after he commenced trade, the
only diversion of the kind heallowed him
self, for other parties, during his long mer-
camille career. In 1926 he took a contract
10 erect the preseni Court House in Ra-
VIENNA. This building was then the arch
itectural wonder of the local country, as
it is now one of the NEST substantial many
country county seat i'll the State.
In 1881 Mr.. Kent established Il store at
Hudson, placing she management III the
hands of II. A. Brewster then Il clerk in
his store here. Tie firm of Kent &
Brewster did business many years and
proftably-the partnership being Dissolved
in 1850.
In 1882 Mr.. Kent purchased in COM
pany with David Ladd five or six hun
dred acres of land in the township of
l. idAlhilll, GLlDI dCAliS JIG NdbCA BOhNA VI
the Cuyahora river at that placG,th the entire
lower and Il portion of the upper village.
In the same year he erected Kent's Flour
ing Mill, which for a third of a century
has enjoyed the highest reputation. The
connection of Ladd with this property
was only temporary, and MIR. Kent be
came sole proprietor. In 1886 he sold the
entire property to the Franklin Silk Com
--- =. E-- cnO NJ or,1,-I,,,- -, 4b,4
enterprise, being too shrewd to be daz-
zled with the slken fiction, he set about
the establishment of Il large tannery with
John Brown-afterward of Ossawatamie
fame-under the firm name of Kent u
Brown. 1t vas during this time that John
Brown built his hotel &c, and becoming
involved withdrew from the enterprise.
In 1887 Mr.. Kent built the large brick
row, containing a hotel, stores &c, near
the eastern bank of the Cuyahoga. In tie
winding up of the disastrous affairs of the
Silk Company in 1910 most of the original
property found its way back into the
hands of Mr.. Kent.
In 1915 Mr.. Kent sold his stock o fgoods
in Ravenna to his sons Marvin and Chas.
H. Kent, and after a successful career of
thirty years retired from active business.
After a ffi cen months business in Ra-
VIENNA the firm Of u. Kent y Co.sOld QUITO
S. A. & R. A. Gillette, who also purchased
the large brick store building of Mr.. Kent
senior. Subsequently the property adj
joining this store, used as II residence, was
purchased by II. L. Day, and with that
terminated the Identification of Zenas Kent
with Ravenna.
In ls49 the Franklin Bank, of Portage
County, was established, and Mr.. Kent
chosen its President. This position he
held until 1864, when the Bank was
changed to the Kent National Bank" OF
which he was also made President, holding
the position at his death.
In 1850 Mr.. Kent commenced the cree
ton of Il building for a cotton factory. and
at the same time, built a fine dwelling
house for his WI occupancy. When this
latter was completed in 1851, he removed
to Franklin, where his financial interests
had ali become centeTed.
The Cotton Factory bnilding stands q
monument of his enterprise, and the day,
we trust, is not far in the future when ii
will be filled with machinery and be put
, in active operation
In the spring of 1868, Mr.. Kent was
chosen Treasurer of the A. & CIV. y. R.,
,,b;ob n~osition he retained untiI Nav 1864