Although North Ridgeville wasn’t settled until 1810, we were part of the Ohio frontier and many soldiers of the Revolution settled here in town and in surrounding areas.  Here is a list of the known Soldiers of the Revolution who lived here at one time or are buried in North Ridgeville.

• Capt. John Barnum (1758-1819)  John Barnum served in the Connecticut Militia.  His unit was called to aid General Washington’s troops twice in 1776- and he got paid 20 shillings in advance.  He married Sarah Parrish in 1782, had 8 children and traveled to Ridgeville in 1814.  His death came five years later, and he became the first “new” burial in the Ridgeville Center Cemetery.  (Two earlier burials were in the Pioneer Burying Ground and later moved to the Center Ridge location when it became available.

• Sgt. David Beebe  (1747-1840)  David Beebe served as a private in the Connecticut State Troops. and later was Quartermaster Sergeant of the Connecticut Militia.  He would also serve in the War of 1812.  He became one of the founding fathers of North Ridgeville- arriving in 1810.  He and his wife Lydia (Terrell)  had 11 children.  He would be an active citizen here and died at the age of 94.  He is buried in Ridgeville Center Cemetery.

• Lt. Samuel Eldred  (1742-1826)  Samuel Eldred served in the Massachusetts Continental Army and had a distinguished war record.  He was captured by the British and held as a prisoner of war from December of 1777 until 1781, in Philadelphia at the current day Independence Hall.  Upon his release, he returned to his regiment.  He served under General George Wasington at Valley Forge, was present at the taking of General Cornwallis at Yorktown and was given permission to resign in 1782 by General Washington himself, whom he considered a personal friend.  He came to Ridgeville in 1811 and took an active role in establishing our town.  He is buried in Ridgeville Center Cemetery.

• Sgt. Jonah Hanchet  (1758-1845)  Jonah Hanchet served in the Connecticut Militia during the Revolutionary War and he also served in the War of 1812.  He came to North Ridgeville about 1824, moved to Richland County briefly, then to Dover (Westlake) and returned to Ridgeville in 1840.  He is buried in Ridgeville Center Cemetery.

• Pvt. Oliver Lewis  (1758-1839)  Oliver Lewis served in the 18th Regiment of the Connecticut Militia, and was also a Private in the Massachusetts Militia.  In 1783 he married Lucinda North and established himself as a builder- he was especially reputed to be a fine bridge builder.  He and his family moved to Ohio, settling in Matua for a time and in his later years moved to Ridgeville with his son Oliver, Jr.  He is buried in Ridgeville Center Cemetery.

• Sgt Aaron Sexton  (1760-1827)  Aaron Sexton served in the Vermont Militia.  Not much is known of his service, but he was a farmer following the war.  He and his wife, Jane (Jameson) had six sons and two daughters.  Several of his brothers and most of his children moved to Ohio in 1812 and he followed in 1816.  He is buried in Ridgeville Center Cemetery.

• Martin Schellhaus  (1759-1813)  Martin Schellhaus emigrated from Germany with his mother and brother prior to the war.  As part of the Connecticut Militia, he served at Valley Forge under General George Washington.  He was later wounded while serving in the War of 1812  as a Corporal.  He was a tanner by trade and came to Ridgeville with his son, Martin Jr. in 1813.  He was in poor health and had to be carried on a bed the entire route, and died just a week after his arrival.  He became the first burial in Ridgeville Twp. – in the Pioneer Burying Ground, then later moved to the Ridgeville Center Cemetery.

• Pvt. Elihu Terril  (1759-1844)  Elihu Terril was one of our original pioneers- coming with his brother, Joel, who was also a veteran of the Revolutionary War in the spring of 1810.  He served in the Connecticut Continental Line for nine months, and was discharged on Christmas Day 1776.  He was 51 when he arrived in Ridgeville. He moved to Columbia Twp. and served as a trustee there for a short time, then returned to Ridgeville in 1813, where he died.  He is buried in Fields Cemetery.

• Ichabod Terrel  (1763-1825)   Ichabod Terrel served in the Connecticut State Troops with others from his family.  He came to Ohio in the fall of 1810 with his wife, Rhoda and his family.  On their way here they helped cut a road from Rocky River to Ridgeville- twelve miles and they completed the task in 4 days. He and Rhoda were survived by 91 grandchildren!  He is buried in the Ridgeville Center Cemetery.

• Joel Terrel, Esq.  (1757-1825) Joel Terrel served in the Connecticut Militia and also the War of 1812.  He was the brother of Elihu, who was also a Revolutionary War Veteran.  He came to Ridgeville as one of the original settlers at the age of 52 in the spring of 1810.  Joel was known as a shoemaker, “bee hunter” and was the first Ridgeville Justice of the Peace.  He is buried in the Ridgeville Center Cemetery.

• Oliver Terrell  (1730-1816)  “Uncle” Oliver Terrell, as he was known, was an uncle to many of the early settlers both here and in Columbia Twp. He was a 1809 Columbia settler and a May of 1810 Ridgeville pioneer.  He served in the French and Indian War and was part of the Connecticut Militia during the Revolutionary War.  At the time of his death, he was living in West View- on the Columbia/Olmsted Falls border, and he is buried in the Beebetown Cemetery in Liverpool Twp. (Medina County).