W. H. Bettes
W. H. Bettes, farmer. P. O. Randolph, was born in Summit County, Ohio, July 10, 1824, son of Silas and Fannie (Ryder) Bettes. Silas Bettes was born in Massachusetts July 16, 1791, and immigrated to Ohio, where he remained until his death, December 31, 1832. His widow then married, in 1834, Frederick Dye, who died in 1855. She next married S. B. Spellman in 1866, and he, also, died, leaving her a widow for the third time. Our subject was married, June 25, 1856, to Lodema Brockett, born in Randolph Township, this county, December 13, 1829, daughter of Albert and Betsey Brockett, former a native of Connecticut, latter a native of England, Mrs. Brockett died in Portage County,Ohio, August 5, 1843, and Mr. Brockett then married, October 12, 1844, Fannie Ward, who lived only a few days; afterward, in March, 1846, he married Frances Hanson, who is still living. He died February 6, 1878, in Portage County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Bettes are parents of four children: Charlie E., born October 23, 1857; Carrie L., born October 2, 1859; Viola L., born October 21, 1866, and Mae A., born October 5. 1868. Mr. Bettes, wife and three eldest children are members of the Disciples Church. Our subject taught school during the early part of his life, his wife being a teacher also. Since then he has engaged in farming. He was in the late war of the Rebellion. Commissioned as First Lieutenant, May 11, 1861, in an independent company of militia, known as the Randolph Guards; enlisted in September, 1861, as a private in the Sixth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry; commissioned as Second Lieutenant in November, and promoted to First Lieutenant in December; resigned commission in April, 1863; was commissioned as Major, August 23, 1863, in the Third Regiment of Militia in Portage County; re-enlisted in the United States service in December, 1864, and was commissioned as First Lieutenant in Company H, One Hundred and Eighty- fourth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. Mr. Bettes was commissioned Justice of the Peace April 25, 1859; re elected January 22, 1866, and again October, 1882. He was Democratic candidate for Representative in 1875, but was defeated; was renominated in 1877, and again defeated by a majority of 250 votes, the rest of the ticket being defeated by 500 and over. In 1879 he was nominated for Probate Judge, and defeated by a small majority. Our subject owns eleven acres of splendid land in this township, where he and his family reside.
From History of Portage County, Ohio, Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885