The Hicks-Shaw-DeMaranville Reunion
From family reunion article in the “Conneaut Reporter” [Conneaut, Ashtabula Co., OH], 18 Sep 1889
The reunion of the Hicks-Shaw and DeMaranville families was held this year at the residence of Lewis Ward, one and a half miles south of Conneaut, on August 30th, it being the 103d anniversary of her who was Miss Orange DeMaranville, the wife of David Hicks and Nathaniel Shaw. Since our last meeting, held one year ago at Sylvester Tinker’s in Monroe — time has dealt kindly with us, as our circle has only been broken by the death of one, Mr. John Hutton, though some walk with more uncertain sight.
The number in attendance was 115, nearly all of whom were relatives, the lives of some reaching back nearly to the 18th century. It is with much delight and trust to all our band that we look forward to each recurring anniversary, and hope they may be continued with kindly feelings towards all, keeping ever in view the one grand object of so uniting ourselves in friendship here that we shall be unwilling to be separated beyond the grave.
This year our gathering was enlivened by the presence of Rev. Henthorne and family of Conneaut, to whom were are very grateful for his efforts to make the day both cheerful and profitable to all.
The exercises were begun by a reading of a concise and interesting history of the Hicks-Shaw and DeMaranville families, prepared by Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hicks. After this followed various declamations and recitations, principally by the children, all of whom did well, at times provoking us to laughter, then again unlocking the fountains of tears. Although it was a day calculated to cause one to look back to life with a sweeter joy, and onward to Heaven with a fonder hope.
Ed. Hicks, President.
F. M. Bugbee Sec’y.
Note. — Those wishing a picture of this assemblage will please call at H. P. Pritcher’s gallery; Liberty street, Conneaut, O.
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History of the Families
Brothers and Sisters:
We feel, in the language of scripture, that it is good to be here.
This is our eighth reunion. It may not be inappropriate on this occasion to briefly sketch the record of our meetings and give an outline of the history of the Hicks-Shaw and Maranville families, so as is now known.
Our first reunion was held at the home of Gilbert Sweet, Aug. 30th, 1875 and was kept up each year until the death of Aunt Orange, which occurred Sept. 1st, 1879. She was born in Grafton, N.H., Aug. 30th, 1786, making her 93 years and 2 days old at the time of her death.
Our reunions were then dropped until August 30th 1886, when a few of the family met at the home of Martin Messenger, near Girard, Pa., having a first-rate good time.
The next year we met at the home of Edwin Hicks, at Conneaut, and last year at the home of Mr. Sylvester Tinker, in the southwest part of Conneaut. The most of those now present have attended some of these meetings and can recall the good times that we had.
The next meeting we had at Gilbert Sweet’s. There were present five generations; more than we ever had before at any reunion.
We will now go back to the history of some of the families here represented: DeMaranville is a French name and Louis DeMaranville came to Dartmouth, or Hanover, N.H., at a very early age; from all accounts, as early as 1680. He married and settled at Grafton, N.H., and of his sons two came to Conneaut in 1808, Charles and John. John died at the home of Aunt Orange some time about 1834. Granther Charles Maranville married Miss Debby Lumber in Grafton, and was blessed with thirteen children, Charles, Jabez, Orange, Susan, Lewis, Polly, Debby, Betsey, Stephen, John, Sally, Fanny and Calvin. Lewis was drowned at Bemis’ Mill, two of the other boys died in the war of 1812, and about the same time two or three died of fever at home. They settled where Nehemiah and his sister now live.
Granther Charles Maranville was a sea captain and followed the sea, till he moved to Conneaut in 1808. Charles, Jr., married Miss Abigail Clifford in Grafton, N.H., and moved to Conneaut with his father. They had five children, four of them still living. Asa died a few years ago. Orange was married in 1810 to David Hicks. It is said to be the first marriage on record in Ashtabula county. They had four children, Josiah, Stephen, Electa and Almira. Only one, Almira, is now living. David died about 1819, and a year or two after Orange married Nathaniel Shaw and had two children by him, Sidney and Harriet.
Sidney died about 1850 of Panama fever. Some said it was small pox, but if so no one took the disease from him.
Of the others, John Maranville married Sally Brown and went to Michigan, and there lost his wife and most of his children. They were thought to be poisoned. Two boys were left, Ferris and Roma**. I do not know if they are living.
Uncle John [as every one called him] was a remarkable man in some things. He had been seen to pick up a sixpence from underneath his heel with his mouth; also bite in two a three penny nail. He had double teeth all around. He died about 1870.
Susan married John Fox and they settled where his son Lewis now lives. They had eight children, Alvin, Horace, Amanda, Candace John, Lewis, Darius and Laura. Both died on the old place.
Aunt Susy, as she was called, told fortunes for the young people, but she was terribly frightened one night while telling fortunes, and she made a vow that she would never touch another card and she kept her promise.
Fanny died a few years ago at the home of A.C. Dibble, in Amboy, who married her daughter Dama. Dama died about the same time, leaving two children, Edwin and Debby, who are still living. Mr. Dibble was a justice of the peace for many years, and also township assessor for a number of terms and real estate assessor in 1880.
The Hicks are supposed to have been of English origin, as Hicks is an English name. They came to Conneaut, then called Salem, about 1809 from Canada, and settled near Amboy. There were three brothers, David, James and Joseph. David, as has been said, married Orange Maranville and died some years after, leaving her with four small children, the oldest, Josiah, being only about 8 years. They then lived on the hill south of Farnham’s mill.
Josiah, when a small boy, went to live with Aunt Peck, who lived about where O. A. Rockwell now lives. He like all other boys, wore out his pants very fast, and Aunt Peck, to make they last longer, patched them on the knees and afterpart with sheep-skin. Si. was very indignant about it, because the other boys laughed at him; and when he went home his mother said she could do as well as that by him herself. Aunt Peck was considered rich for those days.
James Hicks married Miss Lois Alexander, and lived at or near South Ridge for a good many years. They had a large family, eight children. James, Clinton, Joseph, Betsy, Henry, Asa, Caroline and Eunice. James married and moved west at an early day, having several children. Clinton married Miss Wealthy Stevens. Joseph went to Illinois about 1840 and married there. Betsy married William Durkee, and had two children, William and Julia. Henry married Miss Harriet Goodsell, and they went to Wisconsin about 1845. Asa was married a few years ago in Wisconsin. Caroline married Williams and died on the way to Illinois, near Chicago. They were in the company with her father. Mr. Williams now lives in Ashtabula. Eunice married John P. Manny in Illinois about 1850. Mr. Manny was one of the several Manneys who invented the great reaper, and they all became very rich. Their only son was married within the last year.
James Hicks will be remembered by a good many of the old residents as a dealer in most all kinds of farm products, black salts, etc. He was the main builder of the Free Will Baptist Church at South Ridge. It was built with some difficulty, as there was much opposition to it. But Uncle James said it must be built, and it was. Some one cut off his 40 ft. pole every few nights, expecting there would be some bad mistake when they came to raise it, but he said nothing about it to any one, but quietly measured his pole every morning and the frame went together all right.
Joseph Hicks married and went to Illinois about 1844 with his six children, Mary, Martha, Edward, William, Fayette and Wealthy. Little is known of them.
The Fox family were early settlers in Conneaut, coming here about 1808. They were all very fond of a good horse and always had them, and also were fond of trying their speed; but in those days it was running instead of trotting. I think they are not averse to seeing a good race now, as the writer was in their neighborhood a few days and stopped at one of their houses. A man there told him they had gone to Ashtabula “to see a man,” but I heard soon after that there was a horse race at Ashtabula that day. Of course they did not go to the race.
Josiah Hicks married Miss Julia Ann Badger and had five children, Edwin, Cordelia, Huldah, Lucius and Frank. Lucius died while a little child and Cordelia in 1870. The others are living. Josiah died Aug. 28th, 1883.
Stephen married Miss Polly Mitchell and had five children, Marcia, Melinda, Loren, Ellen and Cornelia. Marcia died several years ago. The others are still living. Stephen was a very strong man. It was said he could wheel the largest load of brick on a wheelbarrow than any man in this part of the county. When working in Erie he wheeled 400 green brick, weighing nearly 2,800 pounds. He died in 1865.
Electa married Larenzo Scribner and had five children. One died when an infant. The others were Matilda, Caroline, Harley and Carlos. Matilda died about 1846. Electa died in 1878.
Almira married Ransalear Bugbee, and settled in Kingsville. They also have five children, two dying in infancy. There others were Henry, Frank and Oliver. Henry died about two years ago. Mr. Bugbee died in 1860 and his wife was married to Lewis Ward, at whose home we meet today.
Harriet married Gilbert Sweet and had five children, Celestia, Lucy, Elizabeth, Loretta and Bert: Celestia died in 1849. The rest are living.
Aunt Orange lived with Harriet the latter part of her life, and I have often heard her say that Gilbert was very kind to her in her old age, never speaking a cross word to her.
To digress a little, Mrs. Josiah Hicks was a granddaughter of the Rev. Joseph Badger, who setting in Ashtabula county about 1800, coming from the east in a wagon. He drove the first wagon through from Buffalo, cutting his own road as he came.
Edwin Hicks, Gilbert Sweet, Alvin Fox, Committee
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** Ferris ended up in Lewistown, Fulton Co., IL, as did a number of his De-less Maranville cousins. Roma Maranville d. 18 Feb 1907 in Calhoun Co., IA.
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Note: The DeMaranville history as reported in this newspaper is how family members remembered it in 1889, with some obvious errors. Not all statements should be taken as fact.
Contributed in 2003 by Carol Page Tilson
Page updated March 2024