USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > A twentieth century history of Trumbull County, Ohio; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 48
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In 1876 a frame schoolhouse, at the corner of Market and Ashland streets, was built on land purchased from Abner Os- borne. William Ellis was architect : Hawn Brothers, builders. and it cost $1,800. At that time A. W. Kennedy was superin- tendent, while the directors were C. A. Johnson, S. 11. Wilson, T. W. Case, Evan Morris, IT. N. Donaldson, Allen Byers, Edgar Crandon.
In 1887 a brick building located on State and Elm streets. on land purchased from Abner Osborne for $1,000, was built. Ousley and Boncherle were the architects. Seventeen thousand dollars worth of bonds were issued. This covered also a small schoolhouse erected in Mosier. The last of these bonds were paid in 1900. The contractors were L. L. Beck, C. Manser and James Squires. The board of education consisted of W. F. Allison, president ; W. J. Wallis, W. W. Wilson, C. D. Goodrich ; J. A. Jones, treasurer; Allen Patterson, clerk. A. W. Kennedy was superintendent. The house in the beginning had three rooms, a recitation room and a superintendent's office. In 1905. at the cost of $13,000, four rooms were added. The plans for
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this addition were drawn by J. Marens Miller, William Marion and Heller Brothers Co. being the contractors. The one-room building erected at Mosier in 1887 was erected on a site pur- chased from the Tod estate for $225, the building costing $800.
In 1905-06 the last brick school building was erected on land purchased from E. L. Hanser for $2,800. It is an eight-room building with an auditorium and eost $46,000. J. Mareus Miller was the architect, Louis Andavasio & Co. and Heller Brothers, contractors. Directors at the time the bonds were issued for this building were W. J. Zellar, W. J. Wallis, T. R. Mateer, James Welch and Isaae Vaughn. Later Welch and Vaughn re- signed. and E. D. Crum and W. R. Deemer were appointed to fill their nnexpired terms. B. D. Hirst is the superintendent.
In 1907 Blanche Caufield, the wife of George Caufield, was elected a member of the board of education. This was the first time a woman had served upon the board. In 1908 she moved to Cleveland and her place on the board has never been filled.
Teachers of Girard Public Schools, 1909.
North Avenue: Charles Brooks, Grace Krehl, Anna Har- ris, Phyrne Gilmore, Marie Elliot, Grace Planton, May Oriel.
Wilson Avenue: Mary Marshall, Marian Ovens, Eva Waggoner, Anna Morrison, Emma Green.
Abbey Street: Zora L. Spear, Mary Williams.
Mosier: Myrtle Williams.
High School: W. Ray Wheeloek, principal; Elizabeth Wallis, W. G. Alexander.
Members of the Board of Education: W. J. Wallis, presi- dent ; D. R. Williams, M. D., W. J. Zeller, E. D. Crum: W. R. Deemer, clerk ; James G. Lewis, treasurer.
As we have seen in other chapters, there were missionaries on the field, preaching to little groups of people, and it is doubtful whether the dates given for the first meetings are early enough. The Rev. James Dunean, who was pastor of the associated congregations of Mahoning, Little Beaver and Brush Run, was at Churchill as early as 1803, and preached to the people of the country round abont. Among these listeners was William McKinley Sr. The Presbyterian organization in Liberty was one of the oldest on the Reserve. In previous chapters we have recorded the two or three of this denomina- tion. The first elders of this church were William Stewart and
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James Davidson. There were pretty nearly fifty members. They chose a lot in Liberty offered by James Applegate, which land was in his family for long afterwards. The site was a beautiful one, but for some unknown reason the original in- tention was not carried out but land offered by Alexander Me- Cleery was accepted and the Presbyterian church has stood in that spot ever since. In 1858 this association became "The United Presbyterian Congregation of Liberty." The next year about eighteen members took letters to the Youngstown con- gregation which was then formed. These Presbyterians held their first services in a tent, and this is the only record we have of a church holding services that way. They almost always went into a dwelling, a barn or a schoolhouse. This tent was moved from one spot in the neighborhood to another as it was necessary to clear off the land round about. After a time it rested on the original spot, so that here where the first com- mmion was had, the church tent was superseded by a log house and afterwards by a better building. When they did build the log church they did not like it very well, preferring the tent and the dwelling. Sometimes, however, they held services there, but the logs on which they had to sit were hard and the air was close and altogether it was unattractive. In 1811 the second house was erected but before it was finished men were called into service and it was some time before it was com- pleted. It, too, was made of very large hewn logs. This build- ing was enlarged and improved in 1825, and in 1836 was torn down and another one erected which was remodeled in 1869. Mr. Duncan continued to be pastor for many years. It seems he was liberal in his beliefs for that time and after awhile some members of his congregation "told on him" and he was brought before the proper authorities and tried. He did not believe to the fullest extent the doctrine of atonement, intercession, etc. He acknowledged his guilt and was forgiven and went back to his congregation. Here the author digresses. She wishes to ask a question which she hopes someone will answer. Why is it that men collectively, or rather men in organized bodies, modify the views they hold outside of organized bodies? The author has known ministers who believed in church union to go into the general synod and vote against it. She has known Episcopal priests who eared little for apostolic succession and admitted the same to friends in the congregation, who voted against another priest who had said that it mattered not
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whether priests received their anthority direct from the apostles or not. Men who believe in reform measures,-actu- ally believe in them,- as soon as they are inside of the legisla- tive doors vote against them. Either the devil lurks in bodies of men or some dominant mind controls them. Why is it though, if it is the latter, that it is a conservative mind? The liberal, a man who has thought ont questions carefully, doesn't seem to accomplish this.
Bnt to return to Liberty township. When the Rev. Mr. Duncan returned to his people, that is, when he got into normal condition, he said that he did not acknowledge his error before the synod except in one particular. Although there were no telegraphis nor telephones nor automobiles, little postal service, this news soon spread to the anthorities and he was suspended from his church and the communion. He was then "down" and like all men that were down, great tales were told about him. Some said he was careless in money affairs, that he did not provide for his family and, worst of all, he chewed tobacco; he chewed it every day, he chewed it on Sunday. When he waxed warm, he chewed it in the pulpit. Once at least he left his sermon and went into the congregation soliciting a piece from one of his church officers. He is the second minister so far as we know in old Trumbull County who was expelled from the Presbyterian church where the filthy weed entered in. After this gentleman of fine physical proportions, strong mind, instructive and social companions, laid down his clerical robes. no regular pastor had the congregation for five years; then the Rev. Robert Douglass was installed. He served three years, dying in 1820. He was so beloved by the congregation that they erected a tombstone to his memory, and he now sleeps in the Poland cemetery. For twenty-six years Rev. David Goodwillie was pastor of the Liberty and Poland congrega- tions. In 1859 he ceased to preach in Poland and lived the rest of his life in Liberty. He says that during his pastoral charge he received into the church 721 persons, dispensed communion 318 times, baptized 36 aduits, solemnized 229 marriages and preached at least 5,000 sermons. He was the son of a minister and his eldest son was a minister. His youngest son. Thomas. was for many years a member of the firm of Hapgood and Goodwillie of Cleveland.
Either we are misinformed as to numbers, or the class formed by Rev. Dillen Prosser at Churchill was one of the
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largest of the beginning classes in Trumbull County. There were sixty members. As the Methodist records are more im- perfect than the records of most churches, the author has striven to put in names of this denomination for future refer- ence. The names of those we know of this first Churchill class were Edward Moore and wife, Edward Mahan and wife, Peter Kline, wife and family, William Trotter and wife, John, Naomi and Caroline Scott, William B. and Eliza Leslie, William Smith and wife, Matthew and Mary Trotter, Alexander Wright and wife, John Wright and sister, Jolm Hindman, William Hen- derson and wife, Jerome Monroe and wife, Irvin, William, Thomas and Eliza Moore, Maria Wannamaker, Salome IIen- derson, Edward Ladd, John Clark, and William Trotter. Trotter was the class-leader and he was succeeded by John Clark. The first church erected later became the town hall, It was used by the congregation until 1873, when the present church edifice was built. Among the men who early served this congregation, we find the name of Rev. Peter Horton, who afterwards made a reputation on his cirenit. He and Ezra Booth were both uncles of Ezra B. Taylor or Warren, and when the Rev. Mr. Horton was serving the church in this local- ity his son, P. D. Horton, afterwards an attorney in Ravenna and a member of the constitutional convention of Ohio, was horn. The Methodist church building, when it was constructed. cost $13,000 and had all modern conveniences. The Methodist church in Girard was among the first organized in that village. It was brought abont through the efforts of Rev. Dillen Pros- ser. Samuel MeMillan was the class-leader and among the members were Abigail Osborn, Betsy McLean, and the Holl- ingsworth family. The first meeting's were held in a log school- house which stood where Obediah Sheadle's home was. Some of their meetings were held in Mr. Hollingsworth's store and after awhile when the new schoolhouse was built, they met there. In 1852 a small plain church was built, and the present church is one of the most commodious and attractive of any in the village. It was dedicated in 1880, is in Gothic style and cost $4,500.
The Disciples of Girard were organized very much later in Girard than in other townships. It was 1867 when Orin Gates, a missionary, organized the church. The elders were Charles C. Fowler, James Shannon, and Ambrose Mason. William Shannon, S. H. Miller and John Patton were deacons. The
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present building was erected in 1871. The ministers who have served this congregation were well known throughout Trum- bull County. Among the early ones were E. D. Wakefield, Henry Camp, James Van Horn, T. S. Hanselman, N. N. and S. S. Bartlett.
One of the buildings noticed by all travelers along the state road was the plain, old-fashioned church building which stood on the hill and next to which is the cemetery. This was the old Lutheran church. Here the Germans of Girard worshiped earnestly and faithfully for many years. They were men and women possessed of stalwart character and were rigid in their beliefs. Their children were obliged to go to church and Sun- day school and this early discipline undoubtedly had much to do with the stability of character which the second generation possesses. It must be said, however, that these Sunday school scholars are not now supporters of the Lutheran church and some of them are not church-goers at all. Among the attend- ants at this early church were the families of the Hausers, the Loetzes, the Krehls, etc. Some years ago this old church build- ing was abandoned and to the regret of all students of Trum- bull County history and old residents as well, this church build- ing was sold and moved to another part of town where it now serves as a stable. The present Lutherans erected a church on Main street about fifteen years ago, where they now hold serv- iees. The minister is Rev. Harvey Simon.
After the development of coal in the township of Liberty and the rise of the iron industry, many Catholics moved into the township, and in 1868 the first mass was celebrated in Girard at the home of John Kinney. A church was not erected, however, until 1892. It was called St. Rose and has been a prosperous church of the valley. The priests who have served this parish are Revs. E. J. Conway, P. McCaffery, T. J. Henry, F. McGovern, J. P. Barry and J. J. Stewart. A men- tion of St. Rose church cannot be made without referring to Father Stewart. He is one of the staunchest citizens of the valley. He is beloved by his congregation, his acquaintances and even by those of us who do not personally know him. He has never failed to stand for the thing that is right. He has been a loyal temperance worker and has studied the philosophy of mental action on the body and has been a guide and helper to his people and to the Protestants as well. If only all priests of the greatest religions organization in the world, the Roman
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Catholic, were like Father Stewart, the feeling between Protest- ants and Catholics would be hardly known.
A rather unusual church organization exists in Girard. It is known as the Apostolic Christian Assembly. Organiza- tion was effected in 1878 by Rev. J. Bollinger. Before the organization meetings were held at the home of William Ludt. The original members were Mr. and Mrs. William Lndt, Charles and Mrs. Schenoenfeld and Mrs. Mary Fachield. In 1878 a church costing $1,600 was built and the society is now in a pros- perous condition.
CHAPTER XLV .- LORDSTOWN.
SMALL HOMESTEADS IN THE BEGINNING .- A LAND DEAL .- BAILEY'S CORNERS .- WELL KNOWN FAMILIES .- SCHOOLS .- RELIGION.
Range 4, number 3, the smallest township in Trumbull Connty, called Lordstown for Samuel P. Lord, was the last to be settled. The owners seeing the great prosperity of the other parts of the county, decided to hold it for speenlation. When it was at last offered for sale, it was settled by those near at hand, many of the purchasers being Pennsylvania Dutch.
The first cabin was built by Henry Thorne, from Virginia. The second by a man named Durgy, although this information is not thoroughly corroborated. In 1818 Andrew Longmore built a house of logs and moved his family there from Brace- ville. They had eight children, fonr girls and four boys. He was a weaver by trade. His son George lived on the old farm many years. Mrs. Longmore walked through the woods, carry- ing on her head the butter which she had prepared for the Warren market. On Quinby Hill she sat down and put on her shoes and stockings and continued her journey. The skin would grow on her stubble-seratched feet. but not so her shoes.
In 1824 John and Robert Tait settled north of the center. They were blacksmiths.
Two years later Thomas Pew bought a place south of the center, and he and his family lived in the vicinity for many years.
The residents of this township were frugal people of little means in the beginning, who bought small traets, and, as they could afford it, added to their possessions. Thus the farms became larger and larger, and the population smaller. This was true of some other townships in old Trumbull County. Elderly men testify that in their townships a large number of houses which were occupied in their boyhood were torn down. or allowed to deeay.
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Sometime in the early '30s James Scott, Cyrus Bosworth and Asael Adams purchased one-fourth of the township, some 6,500 aeres. This belonged to the heirs of Lord estate. They were equally interested. The land sold slowly. Mr. Bosworth, who had other large interests, became nervous and proposed to Mr. Adams that he take his third, assuming the debt with it, and if in the end the venture proved profitable Mr. Adams might give him $100. This Mr. Adams agreed to do, and soon the settlers began coming in greater numbers. Within three years the land was all sold. Mr. Adams then acquainted Mr. Bos- worth of these facts and told him he was ready to pay his $100. Mr. Adams then wrote a check for Mr. Bosworth, and when the latter presented it at the bank Mr. Ralph Hickox, the cashier. counted out a $1,000. Mr. Bosworth explained that the check called for $100 only. Mr. Hickox then showed him the check. So sure was Mr. Bosworth that Mr. Adams had made a mistake that he left the money in the bank and went to see Mr. Adams. Then he learned that Mr. Adams and Mr. Scott had talked the matter over and concluded that it was but fair that Mr. Bos- worth should have more than the written contract called for.
William Pew came from Pittsburg to Lordstown. He had six children, having married Isabella MeRora. Four of these children died young, he himself in '68 and his wife in '69. She lived forty years on the same farm. The son, John C., married first Elizabeth Pew. of Warren, and then Mary Ernest, of Braceville.
'One of the best remembered citizens of Lordstown was Isaac Bailey, who settled in the township in 1829. Ifis first log cabin stood where the cooper-shop later was, near the crossing of the Miller and Newton Falls road. This spot was known as Bailey's Corners and has ever since held the name. His wife was Rebecca Weaver, and she and he carried their first baby to C'anfield to have it baptized. They reached the church at ten in the morning and walked home the same day, making a round of thirty miles. The women of Lordstown apparently did more outdoor work than the women in the northern part of the county. Mrs. Bailey used to shear all of the sheep, running from twelve to fourteen head a day, beside doing her own house work. She used to help in the harvest field, keeping pace with the men. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kistler lived in the same house with the Baileys, used the same fire for their cooking and the same implements.
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Among the earlier settlers of Lordstown were the Packards and the Fulks. Thomas Packard was the first road supervisor of Trumbull County and lived in Austintown at the time he was appointed. Mrs. Packard was Julia Leech, of New Jersey. They began their married life in Austintown, moving to Lords- town in the early '20s. Their home was in that part of the town- ship known as "Woodward Hill," and William was the first postmaster Lordstown ever had. Their son, Warren Packard, had in his possession papers issued to his father from the gen- eral postoffice dated 1837. Mr. and Mrs. Packard had nine sons and four daughters. Most of them grew to adult age, Warren, Jack, John, Ellen (Mrs. Campbell) and Mary being well known to the people of Trumbull County. Mr. Warren Packard was one of the successful business men of the city, and Mary, the youngest, was one of the best teachers the Warren schools ever had. She was also employed in the schools of Washington where she achieved quite a reputation as an instructor. "Grandma" Packard, as she was familiarly known by the present citizens of Warren, was in her early days an ardent Presbyterian and for many years rode her horse to Warren, accompanied by one of the older children, to attend the Presby- terian clurch. Her later days she spent on Monroe street in Warren in a home provided by her sons, and cared for by her daughter, Mary. Her grandchildren living in Warren are W. D. and J. W. Packard, Gertrude Alderman and Irene Loveless.
Thomas Duncan, like many other residents of Lordstown, came from Austintown, his father having lived in Washington county. John Duncan was one of the very first settlers of the county, reaching Austintown in 1799. The family came to Lordstown in 1837, where they lived north of the center for many years. Thomas Duncan had ten children. He married Susan Leech of New Jersey. He was justice of the peace for nine years, and an ardent Democrat.
Leonard Woodward, of Pennsylvania, settled in 1831 on the farm where his son later lived. He was a carpenter by trade and married Ann Moherman of Austintown. They had a large family of children, some of whom became interested in progres- sive questions and stood for their principles. Mrs. Woodward was a quiet, gentle woman and an expert spinner. Mr. Wood- ward was justice of the peace for many years.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Grove were among the early settlers who had to put up with the inconveniences belonging to a much
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earlier time. Their house consisted of one room, without floor or door. However. she was the possessor of a very beautiful calico dress which cost thirty-seven cents a yard.
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Crun began housekeeping under abont the same conditions as did Mr. and Mrs. Grove. They took their meals from the top of her husband's chest, and she helped him mow, pitch. stow away and thrash the grain.
When Maria Grove became Mrs. Dil Newhard she had, in the line of preserves, one gallon of preserved pumpkin and one of entrants. Her wedding dress cost twenty-five cents a yard. When she was a girl she earned, by drying peaches around the fire, enough money to buy a black silk dress. When she was seventeen she had a pair of cotton gloves, which she bought by selling chestnuts. Mr. and Mrs. Newhard lived to have a bean- tiful home, and although we know little abont them. we cannot help but think this thrifty tendency which the girl of seventeen manifested, must have been partially responsible for their later success.
John Tait married Catherine Lane, who was the widow Church. They early settled in Warren, and Mr. Tait was among the party that went to Salt Springs at the time of the murder there. In 1826 Mr. Tait put up a double log house on his Lordstown farm. They had no floors, no doors, no win- dows. They cooked out of doors. Mr. Tait continued his busi- ness, that of blacksmith, in Warren for a time, but later settled upon the farm. In the cool days Mrs. Tait used to fill the iron kettle full of hot coals and attempt to warm this doorless house.
Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Harshman, with nine children, located southeast of the center of Lordstown in 1836. Their house, of course, was a log cabin with a small loft, two rooms, in one of which was a fire place. In the loft were the beds for the chil- dren and the stores of all kinds. This large family was a gay one; they took ox-sleds and drove to Anstintown to singing school, went ten miles on foot to quarterly meeting. in Berlin, and as they each had their sweethearts with them they made up quite a little company. George Harshman, in 1896, said that when he, his brothers and friends were dressed for state occasions they had blue swallow-tailed coats, bell-crowned hats with fur an inch long, and red bandana handkerchiefs. "Some. however. wore homespun with pewter buttons, old Frazier's make." He does not seem much better able to describe ladies' clothes than do most men. for he says " The ladies dressed in clothes of their
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own manufacture with high baek combs." "The merchants of Warren at one time bronght on a stock of paper bonnets, made after the fashion of the old Pennsylvania wagons, and stamped 'imitate Leghorn.' They generously gave one to each of those who bought goods at the store." He then tells how the girls arrayed in these bonnets started for meeting in Ohltown, were overtaken by the rain and found themselves "adorned in slouch paste-board bonnets as was never before nor sinee seen in Lordstown."
The homes of the Dean, the Benninger, the Ravers, the Wever families were all about the same. Mrs. Wever, who was early left a widow, reared nine children, and to do this, of course, she had to toil early and late, spinning and weaving, to get food for her little folks.
Mr. C. G. Beardsley was one of the reliable citizens of Lordstown who came to that township in 1840. He rode a horse and had fifty cents in his pocket. His father, who was born in Conneetient, came to Ohio in 1814, went back to Connecticut and finally located in Canfield, where he lived and died. C. G. Beardsley married Elizabeth Wetmore of Canfield, who was one of the substantial citizens of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Beards- ley worked hard during their early life and saved money which they enjoyed in their later years. She was a Spiritualist. They had no children but adopted LeRoy Mathias, who lived on the old homestead.
James Preston and his wife, Rachel, were Pennsylvanians who came to Lordstown in 1827. Mrs. Preston died in 1845. and Mr. Preston married Elizabeth Crawford. They had a small family of children.
The first school distriets in Lordstown were laid out in 1828. Changes were made in these in 1830. The first schoolhouse in the township was built in the first distriet, on Moses Haskell's farm. It was of logs and was tanght by Mr. Everett.
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