William is the third child of William & Margaret (O'Brien) Cantwell. He is also the husband of Nancy Ann (Williams) Cantwell and father of 12 children some whom are buried on the family plot in Mansfield Cemetery and some whom are buried in other cemeteries located in Richland Co., Ohio.


WILLIAM CANTWELL

Father Cantwell was emphatically one of the fathers. He was born in Baltimore County, Maryland, November 22, 1776. While he was quite young his father moved to Brooke County, Virginia, where he was married to Miss Nancy Williams, November 30th, 1797, with whom he lived more than fifty-two years, she having departed this life in great peace and good hope of eternal glory, Jan. 4th, 1850. In the spring of 1801 Father Cantwell removed into Jefferson County, Ohio whence he came to, or near Mansfield, Ohio, November 23, 1820, where he continued to reside till his death, February 18, 1858, in holy hope of immortal life having been more than fifty-four years a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which he was attached with the ardor of a life-love. He was pre-eminently a working man. Since the death of Mother Cantwell in 1850 his Bible has been peculiarly his companion, and his religion the solace of his heart. His strength gradually failed, till his benumbed and enfeebled body so affected his mind as to nearly, and in some cases entirely efface from the memory the recollection of his former friends. But in his most debilitated state. when I visited him, I would introduce the name of Jesus and immediately his mind would rally and his soul evince that upon its altar the living fire of God's saving love continued to glow with inextinguishable flame, and then in the eighty-second year of his natural life, he fell asleep in Jesus gone to live with him forevermore.

H.L. PARRISH
Western Christian Advocate, March 17,1858