FORGOTTEN- NOW GONE!!!-Part two

by Loraine Ritchey thatwb@yahoo.com

Ironically May , according to Heritage Ohio, is Preservation Month-“This Place Matters” –
Does it matter in Lorain or Lorain County ?Or are we looking at “progress” from this 1879

to this 2008
Click on photos to enlarge Photo Henery Hawk

So do we care about Captain Samuel Flint– his story – his contribution to this community , to the lives saved because of him and his heroism?
CAPTAIN SAMUEL L. FLINT from HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY OHIO 1879

was born at Plattsburg, New york, February 18, 1830, being the sixth
child of John and Amy (Hammond) Flint of that place; all of Scotch ( ED NOTE this should be Scots descent as Scotch is the drink )
descent. When eight years of age he accompanied his parents to
Buffalo, New York, remaining there about two years, when they removed to Toledo, Ohio, where his parents spent the remainder of their days.
When nineteen years old Captain Flint commenced to work for
John P. Freeman, of Toledo, at the carpenter and joiner trade. After
attaining his majority he removed to Black River, this county, where
he became engaged as a ship carpenter, which he followed winters for
nearly twenty years, sailing on the lakes until the close of navigation every year, which latter occupation he still follows.

At an early period in his business career, Captain Flint became
interested in farming, and is now considered a good, practical
farmer, as well as an excellent navigator. Eight Years ago he
purchased the comfortable farm and residence, an illustration of
which appears elsewhere in this volume.

On the 20th of July, 1850 he married Helen M., daughter of Adam
Miller, of Black River. They had five children, of whom Alice L.,
Helen A. and Samuel L survive. Mrs. Flint departed this life May 3,
1864. After mourning the loss of his wife just one year, the Captain
married again, the subject of his choice this time being his present
excellent wife, who at the time of their marriage was Jane D. Tracy,
widow of R. F. Tracy, of Elyria, and daughter of Captain Luther
Dennison and Agnes Martin, the former born in Vermont, the latter at
Dykehead, Scotland. Mrs. Flint has two daughters by her first
husband, Louisa S., now the wife of John Maxfield, of Lamont,
Michigan, and Elizabeth E., wife of Captain H. W. Stone, of Cleveland.

Among other experiences of a nautical career, extending over
twenty-eight years, the following befel [sic] Captain Flint. On the
26th of August, 1874. the propeller Persian, then the largest vessel
on Lake Erie, and commanded by Captain Flint, took fire, from the
ignition of gas in the coal bunkers. After burning almost three
hours, she sunk, and all hands, — nineteen in number, including
Captain Flint, — took refuge on the hatches, upon which they floated
for two hours and a half, when they were picked up by the propeller
Badger, and thus saved from a watery grave.

You can access pictures of the Persian as she lies in her watery grave here
and
In 1850 federal census,

he was rooming (listed as a sailor) with Charles Baldwin, who was an engineer in Black River(Charleston Village)
His first wife was Helen M. Miller July 20,1850. She died n 1864,
he then remarried to Jane. His 1st wife Hellen, was staying with
Sophia Baldwin in Black River just before her marriage.

Capt.Flint bought the beautiful farm in early 1871 from an Emelius L. Stowe of Amherst. The Capt. Flint is buried in Elyria’s Ridgelawn Cemetery.
Cemetery Inscriptions for Lorain County. It reads as follows:

FLINT
Capt., Feb 8, 1828-Apr 10, 1894 GAR
Helen, wife, July 24, 1831-May 30, 1864
Jean, wife, Feb 5, 1821-Apr 25, 1901

In the Elyira Republican, April 5, 1894….

“Capt. Flint is seriously Ill. His daughter, Mrs. Stone and son Sam Flint of Cleveland are with him”.

So the pretty farm house of 1860 is gone- it is telling to me that in 1977 –The Lorain County Regional Planning Commission – Historic Preservation, Landmark Buildings and sites in Lorain County and Vermilion OH noted in its study of 1977
“COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THREATENS THE EXISTENCE OF THIS HOUSE” I disagree LACK of CARING by the study makers and the county and we the people took down this piece of Lorain’s history … but does anyone really care???? apart from the few tree huggers, crackpots , cranks and blowhards? DO YOU ?
The pdf file about the house study and information can be found clicking on the following:monday-april-28-20081

ED NOTE : THANKS TO NANCY MEYERS, DAVE COTTON, RENEE DORE, DIANE MEDINA AND HENERY HAWK FOR RESEARCH AND PHOTOS.