History of Lorain County Ohio United States of America

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Railroad Contractor, Manley Washington Axtell was born, March 30th, 1831, on a farm in Russia township, near Oberlin, Lorain county, Ohio, and is descended from one of three brothers, who came to America with the Puritan fathers, and settled in Massachusetts; one of them was killed in the King Philip wars two hundred years ago. Manley was educated in Oberlin College, and afterwards learned the carpenter trade, in Amherst, Ohio, but did not fancy the business, as he could not advance quickly in the narrow field where he then resided. He removed to Chicago, where he disposed of his tools, and after expending nearly all his funds, he obtained a situation as foreman on the Illinois Central Railroad. When he first applied for the situation some objection was made on account of his age; but upon his expressing that he felt confident that he could give satisfaction, he was placed in charge of a portion of the line, and three months after was promoted to the position of Chief Foreman of the entire road. He remained so connected for six years, and then resigned. He next secured a contract to build the Iron Mountain Railroad, and from this time his reputation as a railway contractor increased, and he subsequently received and executed contracts with the North Missouri, the St. Louis & St. Joseph, and the St. Joseph & Denver Railroad Companies, beside several other than railways, and from all these he succeeded in making a handsome competence. He was the contractor for the stone to be used in constructing the bridge across the Missouri river at St. Joseph, and he purchased a quarry to fulfil the stipulations of the contract. The total amounted to $66,000, but he lost considerably by the operation. At the outbreak of the civil war he entered the army in an Illinois three months' regiment, and was honorably discharged from the service at the expiration of five months. He then studied medicine at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and graduated in 1863, and shortly after became an Assistant Surgeon at Camp Dennison, Ohio. He has travelled through every State and Territory in the Union, east of the Rocky mountains. During the latter part of the war he was residing in Missouri. On one occasion, being absent from home, a party of five soldiers came to the house and demanded dinner, making many threats, and brandishing their revolvers in the faces of the women, and alarming them very much. The meal was, however, prepared, and the squad had just seated themselves as Mr. Axtell reached home. He took in the situation at a glance, and sat down with them. As each man had a revolver beside his plate, the host produced his toothpick, remarking, "We six men are good for three women"--thus shaming them. He then ordered them out of the house, and they left at his command, minus the dinner. Another incident is related of his coolness and bravery. While sojourning in Dacotah Territory in 1872, a party of "regulators" stopped at his house and ordered him to get them a pail of water. He pointed to a pail near by, and remarked, "There is the pail, you can get it yourselves." Whereupon they drew their revolvers and repeated the request. He then said he had changed his mind, and would get it. Stepping within the house, he obtained his pistols, cocked them and placed them in the pail, and went out, saying, "I have changed my mind again, and I think I won't get the water." The leader of the squad laughed at their dismay when the cocked pistols were seen, and told the others, "Get the water yourselves; he don't scare worth a cent." Having made a large fortune, he finally retired from active business pursuits in 1874, and has settled in Amherst, Ohio, to enjoy the fruits of his labors. He was married in 1865 to Catharine A., daughter of Judge A. L. Whiton.

From: The Biographical Encyclopedia of Ohio of the Nineteenth Century. Columbus, OH, USA: Galaxy Publishing Co., 1876.

History of Lorain County Ohio

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