Horace Ensign

He was the son of William Ensign and Mary Wadhams.

His father, William Ensign, a native of Massachusetts, was a large landowner, and for some time resided at Dalton, Berkshire county, Mass., where he had about 300 acres of land. Selling out all his interests there, he came to Ohio in 1815, and in Lake county, retired from active life, he spent his closing years and died at about the age of eighty-six.

His son Horace, who was born in Dalton, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, came to northeastern Ohio when a single man, making the journey here on horseback as early as 1812. He first settled in Ashtabula county, but, not liking the country there, came tb Lake county a few months later. Upon his arrival here he bought over 200 acres of land just west of Madison, and here settled in the woods.

He was an industrious man, worked hard and cleared his land and developed his farm, and at the time of his death was well off. He died here April 6, 1880. His wife, whose maiden name was Celestia Raymond, was a native of Sherburne, New York, and a daughter of James Raymond, who was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, and who came here with his family and settled in Unionville when Mrs. Ensign was a young girl.

Horace Ensign and his wife reared two children, Frances A. and E. F. The former was the wife of Simeon Waters, a graduate of Yale College and a minister of the Congregational Church. Both Mr. and Mrs. Waters are deceased. Mrs. Ensign died at the age of seventy-four. She and her husband were among the most prominent and highly respected people of this community.

Mr. Ensign was one of the founders of the Congregational Church here, and was the first Sabbath-school superintendent in Madison. He also took the lead as an Abolitionist in this part of the country, and as the keeper of a station on the Underground Railroad he assisted many a poor colored man to make his escape to Canada. He was one of the original founders of the anti-slavery party, working with such men as Wade and Giddings, whom he secured to lecture here. During his long life he affiliated with various political organizations, belonging successively to the Whig, Liberty, Free Soil and Republican parties.

In 1812 he removed from Dalton, Mass., with his father's family to Madison, Ohio. He was early identified with the Anti-Slavery party, andin 1840 cast the only vote in his town for James G. Birney, the Presidential candidate of that party. He was one of the original founders of the anti-slavery party.

His hospitable mansion, The Evergreens, was the resort of the most noted Abolitionists of that day, including Theodore Weld, Joshua R. Giddings, Benjamin F. Wade, William Lloyd Garrison, James G. Birney, and others, all of whom were his warm personal friends. As a Director of the Underground Railroad he aided many a poor fugitive slave on his way to freedom. He was one of a band who rescued Milton Clark from slave hunters at Madison, Ohio in 1842.

He was one of the founding members of the Congregational Church in Madison.