Obituary from the Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio), 30 Dec 1893, Sat

History of the Western Reserve, Volume 3
By Harriet Taylor Upton, Harry Gardner Cutler
Manley W. Axtell.—The late Manley Washington Axtell was born on his parents' farm in Russia township, Lorain county, Ohio, March 31, 1831, and he died on his farm at Amherst on December 28. 1893, after a life of

usefulness and honor. He was a son of Daniel and Jane (Wellman) Axtell, the father born in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and the mother in the state of Maine. They were married in Massachusetts, and coming, to Lorain county, Ohio, in 1824, they located on a farm in Russia township and spent the remainder of their lives there. Manley W. Axtell was the twelfth born of their fifteen children, ten sons and five daughters, and before reaching his majority purchased his time of his father and worked at the carpenter's trade during the summer months. In time he resumed his studies at Oberlin College, and later was under General McClelland on the Illinois Central Railroad. Entering the medical department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor he graduated and practiced medicine for a period in Missouri. While in the west he was also quite extensively engaged in railroad construction, and enlisting for the Civil war with the Chicago Light .Artillery, he was assigned to the department of the Mississippi and later was an assistant surgeon at Camp Dennison, Ohio, serving until the close of the conflict. Going to Northern Michigan Mr. Axtell was engaged in the wood and coal business for one year, and selling out there it was at this time that he received the contract for the construction of a part of the Northern Missouri Railroad. This work consumed about a year, and he was then engaged in railroad building for many years in Kansas. Returning to Lorain county, Ohio, in 1872, he purchased twenty two acres of land in Amherst and later bought twenty-two acres more, although not adjoining, and farmed his land until his death.

Mr. Axtell was married on October 22, 1865, to Catherine A. Whiton, who was born in Amherst township December 24, 1839, a daughter of Judge Joseph L. and Lavina (Wright) Whiton, he from Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and she from Springfield, that state. Since her husband's death Mrs. Axtell has resided in Amherst, and much of her time is spent in travel. She has one daughter, Agnes May, the wife of H. J. Moule, connected with the Cleveland Trust Company and a resident of Lakewood, this state. They have two children, Manley Axtell and Richard Harding. Mr. Axtell affiliated with the Democratic party, and was a member of the Masonic order in Chicago and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mrs. Axtell is a member of the Unitarian church.