The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-04-15
Obituary..

DleQ, Ill WeHlugtOntAprlio D. io0it NouS' N""h'
aged 80 years and days.
Mr.. Lang was born in Epson, N. H., March
2S, 1901, and was the third Of thirteen children,
Of whom three are still living.
Before he was twenty years old he had serv
ed an apprenticeship at the carpenter and
cabinet making trade and had saved enough
to pay his expenses to the western country,
Ohio then being the far west. Upon leaving
home he promised his mother he would write
to her once year. oftener would have been
extrayagant as letter postage was Is cts. Az
ter doing some jobs Of work along the road he
reached Springfield, o., where he lived some
| time In the family Of Jesse Hart, q Vermont
farmer and married Amy Hart in 1923. Leav-
| ing Springfield on horseback to prospect for o
place to locate and work at his trade, he pas
sed over the site Of Akron where net tree
had been cut, to Cleveland, q village Of two or
| three hundred inhabita tants. He was there offer
| ed building lot near the heart OF the present
city for $50. but as the place was very sickly
| he decided not to purchase. He crossed the
Cuyahoga river on narrow bridge OF RATS
and went on to Elyrla, Lorain county where
he bought lot and built house.
ed In the county, small building for tempo
rary use. year later he moved his family to
Huntington where he bought partially cleared
land for Sl.50 per acre. A volume might be
written on his experiences during the next
twenty years. lie was supervisor when the
first wagon road south OF the center OF Hunt
ington was cleared. He built the first frame
and the first brick house in the township and
finished OF the first frame house built In Wei
| lington. Several monuments OF his handl-
work are still to be seen in the southern part
of Lorain county, among which are Mr.. Homer
Wadsworth's house, Mr.. Kent Warmers and
| Miss Martha Wadsworth's.
Mr.. and Mrs Lang reared n family OF nine
children, seven Of whom are living, namely:
]. b. Lang, Of Akron, ]. II. Lang, of 0berlln,
Geo. L. Lang, of Boston, Mass, NJ. W. Lang, OF
Wellington, Mrs. p. S. Wright, Mrs. c. W.
Horr and Mrs NJ. b. Lukens.
Mr.. Lang was man OF great physical
strength and endurance and several times he
walked from Huntington 10 Elyria and back,
fully forty miles, In day and fifty miles he
called fair days walking.
lie was man OF strong convictions and
took an active part In all the moral reforms
of the day; and although quite deaf he was
urged by his fellow townsmen into many posi-
tlons OF honor and responsibility. After Wig
orous effort he was the iirst TO succeed in rails
ing frame building in this vicinity without
the aid of whisky. Others followed his exam
pie and there was great rejoicing among the
temperance advocates. He was very decid-
ed abolltlonlst and helped many fugitive
slave on his way TO Canada and freedom.
At the age OF sixteen Mr.. Lang was convert
ed and was a consistent member of various
churches the rest fhis life For fifteen years
he was member OF the NJ. l.. church, acting
first as class leader then exhOrter, and fin-
ally local preacher. Seyering his connec-
tion with that church on account OF Its atti-
tude toward slavery. he Joined the Wesleyan
Methodists, with whom he worked for over
thirty years. or until the church dlsbanded af-
ter the civil war. lie then united with the
Congregational church. of which he was
member at the time of his death.
Some years ago Mr.. and Mrs. Lang, to be
nearer their children. removed to Wellington.
Seven years ago their Oldest daughter. Mrs.
Wright, came with her family from Michigan
TO care for them In their old age. She made
many sacrifices for their good and has been a
most devoted daughter and nurse and her
kindness is fully appreciated by the other
children.
The thirtieth day Of last January Mr.. and
Mrs. Lang celebrated the slxty-elghth ami
versary Of their marriage and 1t is doubtful II
parallel case has been known In Lorain
| county. On the twenty.elghth Of last
March Mr.. Lang was 30 years old and he re-
ceiyed congratulatory letters from many rel.
atiyes and friends As he had suffered some
years from paralysis, his faculties were very
| much impaired, but he understood what the
letters meant. From that day he gradually
failed and seven days later quietly passed
away.
Those who are familiar with Mr.. Lang's long
and laborious life know that In his dealings
with bis fellow men he was always scrupulous.
ly honest and as liberal as his means would
Justify. Throughout his life he set an exam.
pie Of energy. industry and economy that
might be prohtably followed by the present
generation.