Lindol Sprague
Lindol Sprague, a native of Cooperstown, Otsego County, New York, was born October 12, 1798. His father was a Rhode Islander, a trades- man and farmer, and removed to the Empire State in 1794, and with whom his son remained until 1815.
Mr. Sprague first commenced public life by clerking in a store in Hartwick village, a few miles from where he was born, kept by Dr. John Seymour, with whom he read medicine three years. Before going west, he taught school one term of three months, for which he received in round numbers $36.00, having boarded with the scholars. His capital consisted of $33.00 when he departed from home, arriving at Columbus, Ohio, May 24, 1818, a distance of seven hundred miles, which he made on foot.
From Columbus he immediately pushed to the country, eight miles distant, where he began teaching school, teaching five consecutive terms.
He next went to Columbus to acquire a fuller knowledge of his trade, that of jeweler, working under instructions from William A. Platt one year. On the 9th of November, 1820, he came to Wooster, since which time he has resided here. He formed a partnership under the firm name of Lindol & Hezekiah S. Sprague, which continued until 1829, when Hezekiah removed to Newark, Ohio.
He was married December 23, 1828, to Margaret Lippincott, of Belmont County, Ohio. In 1838 he built the brick house which he now occupies on the corner of Walnut and West Liberty Streets.
When Mr. Sprague came to Wooster, in 1820, Cox and Avery were the only lawyers, and McPhail and Daniel O. Hoyt the only doctors here, and stores were kept by Benjamin Jones, William McComb, Bentley and the Larwills.
Mr. Sprauge has been a member of the Presbyterian church for forty years, and is a worthy and respected citizen.
From History of Wayne County, Ohio, From the Days of the Pioneers and First Settlers to the Present Time, by Robert Douglass, 1878