Gen 1: Rowley >> Gen 2: Nancy Rowley >> Gen 3: Eunice (Terrul) Damon >> Gen 4: Cyrus B. Damon >> Gen 5: Eunice A. (Damon) Smith >> Gen 6: Cyrus E. Smith >> Gen 7: Cleona E. (Smith) Lamb
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On June 23, 1880, Nancy (Rowley) (Terrul) Rockwood celebrated her 100th birthday in Bath, Ohio. In a speech Rev. E. S. Bower presented Nancy's life story as follows:
"Nancy Rowley was born in New Canaan, New York, one hundred years ago to-day, June 23, 1780. Her mother's ancestors were of Irish descent, and especially noted for their longevity of life, her grandmother living to the extreme age of one hundred and four years. Her father was from the New England stock. Her advantages for a school education were limited, but for the stern battles of life she was well equipped. At the early age of 14 the entire responsibility of household affairs fell upon her shoulders. At that age her father was in Canada in quest of a home. Her sister, her sister's husband, and her mother all lay sick of a fever. There were no neighbors within three miles of their home, and the care of these invalids fell upon Nancy alone. Her mother became so ill, however, that she was compelled to apply to their nearest neighbor for aid. He carried her mother to his home, where she stayed one week, and departed for the spirit world.
Two years later, at the age of sixteen, Nancy married Jerald Terrul. The result of this union was six children, only three of whom are living. Their oldest, Electa Rolph, is 82 yeas of age; the next two are dead. Lyman Terral died at the age of seventy-five and Eunice Terral Damon, wife of our venerable father Damon, died at the age of fifty-seven. Maria Terrul Hurlburt, to whom I am indebted for these data, and who, to us today, looks so youthful, is in her 77th year. Their next child, Sally, died at the age of 13, and their youngest son [Jarred D. Turrel], who is grandfather to some of theses children, is only seventy.
Soon after marrying Terrul, Nancy moved with him to E. Bloomfield, N.Y. Their neighbors here were principally wolves and other wild beasts. During her stay of ten years in this place she had hard work to preserve her dignity. These hideous neighbors were inclined to be very familiar. Many a time did she have her hands full to keep the wolves from attending the baby. They would enter the house and, but for her courage and self-possession, would have rendered her home childless. About the year 1808 General Wadsworth offered one acre of land to any family who would settle in Geneseo, or where that city now stands. His object was to secure a settlement sufficiently large to defend themselves from the savages by whom this district was surrounded.
Jerald Terrul and his wife and family were among the first to accept the General's offer. Here the courageous mother found herself confronted by an enemy equally daring and much more cunning that that with which she had had to contend in East Bloomfield.
At the beginning of the war of 1812 Terrul offered his services to defend the country's honor; but before the close of that year, his service ended and his life was given to expiate the misery of our people. Mourning the loss of her husband, with but little of this world's goods, the widow Terrul now sets herself about providing for the maintenance and education of her children.
'Toiling, rejoicing, sorrowing,
Onward through life she goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees its close.'
Thus she continued for 16 years, when her family had passed from childhood to manhood and womanhood.
In the year 1828, feeling that she was comparatively alone in the world, as her children no longer needed her care, she married Ammilo W. Rockwood. About five years later they came with ox-teams to Ohio. Their first home was on the Smith road were Chas. Williamson has recently been living. Afterward they lived in Granger, then removed to Bath, on the farm now occupied by her venerable son-in-law, father Damon. Here in 1849, Rockwood died, but she was lived on to the present. Here she is with us to-day, the object of our admiration, that she so obeyed the laws of Nature, as to be permitted to live thus. She says she does not know why the Lord has let her live so long. Now he may take her when he pleases. She is full of years and good works, and now she is
'Only waiting till the reapers
Have the last sheaf gathered home;
For the Summer time is faded,
And the Autumn winds have come.
Quickly, reapers, gather quickly
For the bloom of life is withered,
And I hasten to depart.'" [1]
Nancy died about 3 months later: "Mrs. Nancy Rockwood died at 11 A.M. Saturday in Bath, aged a few months over 100 years. The funeral as held at Hurd's Corners, Monday at 2 P.M." [2]
She was buried at Moore's Chapel Cemetery, Bath, Summit County, Ohio, USA [3]
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[1] The Summit County Beacon, Akron, Ohio, 30 June 1880, Wednesday, Page 5 [Newspapers.com]
[2] The Summit County Beacon, Akron, Ohio, 22 September 1880, Wednesday, Page 6 [Newspapers.com]
[3] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79597976/nancy-rockwood