History of Edgartown, (Dukes County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Biographies:

Ephriam Cutler, pioneer was born in Edgartown, Mass., April 13, 1767; eldest son of Manasseh and Mary (Balch) Cutler. He was brought up by his grandparents in Killingly, Conn., as a farmer, and acquired a knowledge of mathematics and surveying. He was agent of the Ohio company in which his father was interested, obtained for the enterprise twenty subscribers, and was appointed their representative in 1788, to look after their interests in the distribution of the eight-acre lots drawn for at Providence, R.I., April 8, 1788. In 1790 he engaged in merchandising and not being successful, he determined to settle on land on the Muskingum, which he had acquired through his connection with the Ohio company. With his wife and four children he left Killingly, reaching his new home June 18, 1795, after an adventurous and tiresome journey of more than a month. He located at Waterford above Marietta, and engaged in surveying the lands as distributed by the company, and in manufacturing salt. Governor St. Clair appointed him judge of quarter sessions and of the court of common pleas. In 1797 he exchanged his property at Marietta for an estate in Ames township in the wilderness, where he cleared a few acres, built a log cabin and aftended court at Marietta. He presided over three courts periodically and received as compensation during his seven years' service barely enough to pay his expenses when away from home. He caused to be incorporated a public library for Ames and Dover townships, tbe first in the west, obtaining funds for its support by the sale of furs procured by native hunters. He wrote: History of the First Settlement of Amestown, and The First Settlement of Athens county; published in Hildreth's Pioneer Settlers. He died in Amestown, Ohio, July 8. 1853.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Jervis Cutler, pioneer, was born in Edgartown, Mass., Sept. 19, 1768; second son of Manasseh and Mary (Balch) Cutler. He was educated in the village school and entered commercial life under Capt. David Pearce of Gloucester, who sent him to Europe. When nineteen years old he was one of the first band of settlers who left his father's house at Ipswich, Mass., Dec. 3, 1787, under the patronage of the Ohio company to settle the lands on the Muskingum river in tbe Ohio territory. In tbe midst of the pestilence, famine and debt which overtook the settlers he returned to New England, reaching home in 1790. He was married in 1794 to Philadelphia, daughter of Capt. Benjamin Corgill. He returned alone to Ohio in 1802 and engaged in the fur trade on the Miami river, selling his furs in Boston. He was elected captain of a rifle company in May, 1806, and soon after major of Colonel McArthur's regiment of Ohio militia. On May 8, 1808, President Jefferson appointed him captain in the 7th U.S. infantry with orders to open a recruiting office in Cincinnati, Ohio. On Feb. 23, 1809, he was ordered to New Orleans, where he was attached to the command of Maj. Zebulon M. Pike. He was prostrated with yellow fever and returned to Massachusetts, where he took up engraving on copper. In 1812 be published "A Topographical Description of the State of Ohio, Indiana Territory and Louisiana, with a concise account of the Indian tribes west of the Mississippi, to which is added the journal of Mr. Charles Le Raye while a captive with the Sioux nation on the waters of the Missouri river." He illustrated the book with copper plate engravings and printed about one thousand copies. His work on this book gained for him orders for engraving from Boston and Salem publishers. In 1814 he made the journey to and from Ohio on horseback and in 1817 moved his family there in wagons. His wife died Oct. 6, 1820, and in 1824 he was married to Mrs. Elizabeth S. Chandler of Evansville, Ind., and removed to Nashville, Tenn., where he engraved plates for banknotes and illustrated "Taunehill's Masonic Manual." In 1841 he removed to Evansville, Ind., and died there, June 25, 1844.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor