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 52
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Vol. 1-37
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HISTORY OF TRUMBULL COUNTY
Thompson, who was a blacksmith, and attached it to the end of a stout pole. The dogs would drive the bear up a tree, Sutliff would shoot it, and often when wounded the bear would be too much for the dogs, and Sheldon would then nse his bear-spear to save the dogs. Wolves, deer, turkey, and all game was very plenty.
In 1804 I sold the farm I had taken up, to William Chapman, the grandfather of Erastus, who, with his wife and their son William and wife and their family, had come from Connectient. I then took up the farm between Samuel Sutliff's and Perry Sheldon's, owned now by Archibald Black. In April, 1805, I got a log house raised on that place, and the same day we raised Perry Sheldon's frame house, the first frame house in the township. In February, 1807, I sold to Stephen Linsley, and moved on the farm I then took up, on which I have since lived, a mile east of the center of the township.
In the fall of 1803, while living on the farm sold to Chapman in 1805, I went to Washington county, Pennsyl- vania, to purchase sheep, and there found much excitement upon what they called "bodily-exercises." They were hold- ing freqnent and general meetings in that settlement. as there told, in which men as well as women and children would suddenly fall down, and when again on their feet frequently fall again and again, without any perceptible cause. There were three resolute young men there at that time who said they would go and see for themselves, whether a man could fall down without any cause, and they attended one of the meetings. And all of them, the same as many others at the meeting, suddenly fell one by one, and one or two of them and perhaps all three, fell again and again upon rising to their feet; and without being able to give any reason for it, said they could not prevent it. The same thing, as I have heard, extended along the settlements north in Pennsylvania to the settlement a few miles east of Vernon, where Mrs. Brockway, my wife's sister, on a visit to Mr. Linche's family, found this "bodily" exercise had made its appearance, and was herself, while there, the subject of it. Upon her return to my house, my wife, and the family of General Smith, our nearest neighbor, became afflicted in the same way as they were in Washington county, as were others in our settlement. I have seen General Smith's
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daughters, then little girls five, six, and seven years old, in the winter of 1804-05, in coming across to my house, fall face down suddenly in the snow, and jump up and go along a few rods, and fall again, without any apparent cause. They complained of no pain, nor were they frightened; but those affected in this way would thus, in meetings and at other times, suddenly fall. Their health seemed good, and not affected. The thing continned for two or three years. Neither the preachers or doctors could explain it or prevent it. To hold or attempt to restrain when they were thus attacked only made the matter worse. Their health seemed good and their behavior neither better or worse by being so affected.
When I first came in 1798 there was a small tribe of Indians that had an encampment in the southeast corner of Gustavus and southwest corner of Kinsman, from 75 to 100 in numbers. Ten or twelve of the tribe, in the spring of 1806, were near the spring on the farm of Samnel Sutliff. the next farm to the one I then lived upon. In the fall they would dig on potatoes nights to supply themselves. I tracked them with my dog to their encampment, and told them they should not steal, that Sutliff and I would each give them, if they would come and ask us when they were hungry, or wanted anything to eat. After that, while they stayed, they would come and ask for corn or potatoes, and we gave them, as we had promised, and they stole nothing afterwards.
Mathews, the preacher in Kinsman, about that time undertook to teach the tribe to work, how to plant and work. and to read. Some of them learned to read, and by the time the war occurred in 1812 Mathews had taught and improved them very much. On the commencement of the war, how- ever, they all disappeared, or nearly all, and went, as sup- posed, to Canada, as we could never hear of the tribe after- wards.
Myra K. Pelton prepared for the Woman's department of the Cleveland Centennial Commission an excellent article in regard to Vernon, from which we quote directly and indirectly as follows :
The first woman who braved the hardships of a journey to the unbroken forests of this section and helped to raise
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the first log cabin was Mary Willian Emmons, daughter of Dr. Jeremiah Emmons, the first practicing physician of Hartland, Connectient. She was born March 11, 1776, and married Aaron Brockway, of Hartland, June 30, 1796, and with him came to New Connecticut, Gen. Martin Smith and Thomas Giddings being in the party. They arrived June 19, 1798.
Her brother, Jeremiah Emmons, was drowned in the Pymatuning, and the night after in the midst of a terrific thunder storm a babe was born, which uttered no cry, for life had fled. Hers was the first child born in Vernon. In 1803 Mrs. Brockway died, leaving a son, Jeremiah, who was given to the care of Mrs. Ruhama Pelton, of Gustavus, with whom he remained until after the return of his father from Connecticut, where on February 1, 1804, he married Lucy Bushnell.
One night Mrs. Pelton dreamed that Jeremiah was sick and died. She awoke, then slept and dreamed as before. Squire Hawley, of Austinburg, was at Mr. Pelton's that night, and getting up to see to his cattle, asked Mrs. Pelton what was the matter, as he saw she had left her bed. She told him her dream. The next day Squire Hawley.went to Vernon, remained over night, and on his return told Mrs. Pelton that Jeremiah was dead.
"Martin Smith converted his Revolutionary sword into an ax, and came to prepare a home for his wife (Sarah Kellogg) and their seven children." In the fall of 1798 he went back to Connectient, Hartland, and the following spring brought his family, Mrs. Smith riding on horseback, carry- ing little one-year-old Charlotte. They arrived in April, and must have been most gladly welcomed by Mrs. Brockway, who had lived for months without seeing the face of a white woman. The Smith family was an influential one from the beginning. The daughter, Electa, taught the first school in 1802, near the southwest corner of Samuel De Wolf's farm. She also taught in Beaver, Pennsylvania. Charlotte and Henrietta lived together in the old house built by their father north of the homestead. "They kept their maiden names, but the novelist of today could take incidents which oc- curred in their lives and weave them into a romance." Mrs. Martin Smith, the mother of this family, was on very friendly terms with the Indians. "They would request
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her to allow them to take her baby, Havilah, born in 1801. to their camp on the Pymatuning for the day, and they in return would loan a papoose. No harm befell him, and towards evening the little fellow would be returned."
Rev. Alvin Coe came to Ohio in 1809 with Rev. Joseph Badger. He married Sarah Smith. Both were set apart as missionaries in 1822 by the Western Missionary Society of Pittsburg, and set ont to labor amongst the Indians. They located in Iluron, taught school at Fort Mackinaw ; she taught at Sault St. Marie. All the settlers who knew Mr. and Mrs. Coe speak of them with the greatest tender- ness. They seemed to be welcome in families wherever they went. Governor and Mrs. Cass, of Detroit, often en- tertained them. "On one occasion a number of girls were gathered to hear Mrs. Coe tell about the squaws and the pappooses whom she had been teaching. One little instance she mentioned impressed her name indelibly on my mem- ory. l'pon being asked by one of the papooses what her name was she told her it was Sallie Coe, whereupon the child repeated .Sally Coe, Sally Coe, that makes me think of calico.' "
The author of this work is informed that Mrs. Coe died in the infirmary of Trumbull County. It hardly seems possible that she could have been so neglected and forgotten by the people of the county. Probably in those days there was no fund for the dependent members of ministers' families.
In this history we have noted many sad things which hap- pened to the early emigrants, and Miss Pelton writes of Abner Moses, his wife and four children, who accompanied General Smith and Joseph De Wolf when they came to the township in 1800. Mrs. Moses " had ridden as usual one day and was sleep- ing in the wagon with her children." In the morning she was dead. "For some reason, probably because they were only immigrants. the town authorities refused to bury her." The party started on with her remains, and when they reached the foot of the mountain they made a grave and laid her away. The father and children, dumb with sorrow, proceeded with the party. Two of the De Wolf children, Catherine and Ruhama. secured daffodils and "crown imperials" from the mountains on their journey and they are still blooming on the old homestead.
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Vernon township furnished many men who have been known in county, and some in state history. Corydon Palmer, of War- ren, one of the most skillful dentists of the state and known thronghont the United States by the students who studied den- tistry in Baltimore, was born in Vernon.
In 1800 Ambrose Palmer and his son Warren came to Vernon from Litchfield, Connecticut. Warren had married Ennice Spencer, after much protest on the part of her people, first because she was so yonng. and second because he was com- ing into the wilderness to live. This objection was not heeded. They were married in 1797, and the following year had twins, who looked "so nearly alike that their mother put badges on them to distinguish them." Minerva Palmer, sister of Warren, accompanied the family, riding her horse. She was engaged to marry Titus Brockway, and he rode with her. They were married a year later and their wedding was the first in Vernon. Charlotte and Harriet Palmer, the twins above referred to, were fun-loving girls and used to exchange dresses in order to confuse their friends. One evening Elder Jonathan Sheldon visited. as he supposed, Harriet, but it turned ont afterwards that it was Charlotte arrayed in Harriet's raiment. These young women married and removed to different parts of the country. One day Charlotte (Mrs. Perry) was at a hotel in Cleveland, and was delighted to see her sister Harriet (Mrs. De Wolf) approaching. Hurrying toward her, she reached ont her hand, exclaiming, "Why, Harriet how did you get here?" Her hand touched a mirror and not Harriet. Another member of this gifted family was Sylvia, who was an artist of no mean reputation. The anthor has seen some of her work, wild flowers, which was exquisitely delicate. Dr. Corydon Palmer, above referred to, was a brother of Harriet, Charlotte and Sylvia.
Dorothy Bates Holcomb married Ralsa Clark. Vernon's wealthiest resident. Mrs. Clark lived in Vernon about seventy years. Her daughter, Wealthy, married Dr. Robert Brackin, of Kinsman, and Julia, Dr. James Brackin, of Warren. Three danghters of the latter, Mrs. S. B. Palm, Miss Laura Brackin and Mrs. Mary Streator, now reside in Warren.
The most remarkable woman who founded a home in Vernon in 1804 was Ruth Granger, wife of Deacon Samuel Sut- liff, who came from Hartland, whence came so many of those hardy pioneer mothers. Deacon Sutliff assisted Rev. Badger to organize many of the early Congregational churches of the
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Western Reserve, and held the office of deacon in the church until his death. Mrs. Sutliff was a relative of Gideon Granger, postmaster general during the administration of Thomas Jef- ferson. and was descended from a family distinguished for patriotism and intellect. With no means of obtaining an edu- cation, she did what but few of those busy women thought of doing-taught herself, and assisted her sons when they com- menced their studies. Her six sons honored her and the place of their birth by their lives. From their mother these boys inherited strong intellectual qualities, and four of them became lawyers. Milton graduated at Western Reserve College; he was state senator and chief judge of the supreme court of Ohio. Levi was admitted to practice in all the courts of this state. Calvin G. was a partner of Milton, and later of Hon. John Hutchins, now of Cleveland. These three located in Warren, Ohio. Flavel died young. Hon. A. G. Riddle made him one of the characters of his story of northern Ohio, but with a slightly altered name. Mrs. Sutliff's attainments were varied, and Judge King, who was acquainted with her, said she was the strongest-minded woman he ever knew. Her knowledge of his- . tory was extensive, and she was a woman of great piety, the Bible, Milton's poems and Pilgrim's Progress being among her favorite books. Owing to her strict observance of the Sabbath, a hear escaped being killed. Thomas Giddings saw one near the east of where Mr. and Mrs. Sutliff lived, and went to the house to get a gun. Mr. Sntliff was at church and his wife would not loan it because it was Sunday. She entered the higher life in 1844.
Dr. John I. King, of Vernon, had a horrible and peculiar experience when a lad. He lived with his father and mother in Plattsville, Wisconsin. When he was two years old his father died in California, and his mother, in due time, married Harvey H. Jones and had two children. In the spring of 1854 Mr. Jones, with his family, started from Wisconsin, across the plains, to Washington territory. They stopped near Seattle, and on the 28th of October Mr. Jones and his wife were mur- dered by the Indians. Mr. Jones was shot in the house and his body burned with it. Mrs. Jones was butchered outside. Young King was then about seven years old. Ile took his half-brother and his half-sister, one nearly four and the other about two years old, to the wigwam of some friendly Indians, two and a half miles away. These Indians took the children to Seattle
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in a eanoe that night, and in 1856 they were brought back east. The Jones children were left in Wisconsin, and although they lived three miles apart and had not seen each other for three weeks, they died within three days of each other, of diphtheria, in 1864. Dr. King's boyhood days were spent in Vernon town- ship, and he is now a practicing physician there.
To him the author is indebted for the following informa- tion : In 1800 Rev. Obid Crosby, from Hartland, Connecticut. located lands in township 6, range 1, first ealled Smithfield and later Vernon. He selected lot 6 in the Wileox traet and remained during the summer. In the spring of 1801 he returned with his family, moving into a cabin which he had assisted his brother Timothy to build the year before on lot 7. The location of this eabin is of much interest because in it was organized a Methodist elass which was the first to exist, not only in Trum- bull County, the Western Reserve, but in a goodly part of Ohio as well. This log honse stood a little southeast of the present (1909) Hotel Dilley, in the village of Burghill. Mr. Crosby and his family, his daughter states, remained in that eabin six months. During that time Mr. Crosby was erecting a house of hewed logs upon the exact site of Mr. Robert Milliken's home.
The persons composing this first class were Rev. Obid Crosby; Jerusha, his wife; Ewing Wright and wife; Eunice Brockway, who afterwards married Daniel Bushnell-five in all. Ewing Wright and his wife may not have been members at the start, but it is supposed they were. This elass met in Mr. Crosby's new house, and here, for a year or so, preaching was had. After that, class meetings with preaching were held in a log barn, in the northern part of Hartford township. oppo- site the present residence of Enoch James. This barn stood a mile and a half south of Mr. Crosby's hewed house ; it belonged to Col. Richard Hayes. Services were held in this place until 1804, when a log schoolhouse was built in front of the house where James Jones now resides, that is, upon old Burghill. The class continued to mect in that log schoolhouse for five years, when the frame schoolhouse was built. The latter stood upon the east side of the road, southwest of where Enoch James resides. The site of this frame schoolhouse is still plainly seen. It was moved to the west side of the road and placed sonth of the spot where the Orangeville road begins. This frame school- house wa's used for Methodist services until the two-story brick
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HISTORY OF TRUMBULL COUNTY
schoolhonse was built in 1827-28. This brick schoolhouse stood a few rods north of the township line within the present limits of the cemetery and on the east side of the road. In 1849-1850 it was torn down and a frame schoolhouse erected on its site. In 1885 this frame schoolhouse was moved a mile and a quarter south and is now used as a barn on the old farm of Dr. Miner.
In 1816 an offshoot of this first Methodist class was organ- ized at number 4, now Deneen's Corners, on the Kinsman and Orangeville road. This class was divided, or abandoned, after twenty-five years' existence. part going to number 3, at Superior. on the Kinsman and Orangeville road, and part to Orangeville. Number 3 was gradually absorbed by Vernon Center and by Kinsman. In 1835 the portion which was at Orangeville was organized into a ehmreh. In 1836 the Hartford class drew off and built a church. This growth of branch classes depleted the parent elass at Burghill. In 1848 "the burg" was aban- doned as a preaching place and a class was formed which met in the old brick church (Congregational, built in 1826) at the center of Vernon. In 1853 the Methodists fitted up a room in the warehouse which stood on the south side of the road leading east from the center of Vernon. This building stood across the street from the present residence of Edward Gilmore. After staying a year in that bnikling the class went back to the brick chnreh.
Although the first class was formed in Vernon at such an early date, it was not until 1864 that a regular appointment by the Methodists was made at Burghill. Meetings were had in the frame schoolhouse, and Rey. Josiah Flower divided his time between Burghill and Vernon Center. The latter was aban- doned as an appointment in 1867. At that time Rev. J. R. Shearer was the minister. In 1869 the class rented Bennett's Hall. This is now occupied by F. H. Pruden as a hardware and furniture store. September 24, 1871, is the date upon which the Methodists began using the Grove Holcomb house, which they moved from the center of Vernon. It stood between the places of Daniel Coe and Dr. King. In June, 1872, the first Methodist Episcopal church building was ereeted in Vernon upon the land bonght by Rev. Obid Crosby in 1801. This building was used until 1897, when it was sold, and the money appropriated towards building the church at the center of Vernon, where
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services have since been held. The church erected in 1872 and sold in 1907 is now known as "Citizen's Hall."
Rev. Obid Crosby, the leader of the first class of Methodists on the Western Reserve, was probably born in Hartland, Con- nectient; at least it was his early home. He was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, serving under Washington. He was small of stature, had blue eyes and sandy hair which he allowed to grow quite long. He was an eloquent speaker and a good singer. Ile was born in 1753, his wife, Jerusha, four years later. They both died in Vernon and are buried in the old cemetery near the center.
Miss Pelton says :
"The Hartford and Vernon Free Will Baptist Church of Christ" was organized March 9, 1840, by Elder Ransom Dunn, and in September of the same year Elder Dunn accepted the pastorate of the church. Services were held in a brick building erected in 1827-28, with a school room on the first floor and a room for church purposes above. sonth of the Hayes cemetery. Burghill. This gave place to a frame schoolhouse on the same site, which was used by the society until a church was erected near the north line of Samuel Merry's farm during the pastorate of Elder E. H. Highee.
Elder A. K. Moulton delivered the dedicatory address May 28, 1871, and was assisted by Elder Higbee, who was pastor of the church for sixteen years.
In 1897, when the society was in charge of Rev. F. E. Mantle, himself a member of the Disciple church, the church building was removed nearer to Burghill station and remod- eled. At the rededieatory services, which were held Febru- ary 13, 1898, Elder Ransom Dunn, who had organized the society fifty-eight years before. officiated.
The charter members numbered thirty-seven, and there were fifteen additions the following year. The membership is thirty-three at the present time, and includes one charter member. Wales Henry, who is over eighty-seven years old.
The Vernon Presbyterian church, like many of the early Congregational and Presbyterian churches, was called "The Church of Christ." The first effort at organization was made in 1802. In September, of 1803, Edward Brockway and Sarah,
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HISTORY OF TRUMBULL COUNTY
his wife, Timothy Crosby, Sarah Bates, Titus Brockway, Plumb Sntliff, Susannah Palmer, and Sarah Smith gathered at Mar- . tin Smith's house, Rev. Badger being present, and the church was organized. On the following Sunday the first communion was held in a grove. Rev. Tait, of Mercer, who so often asso- ciated with the Rev. Mr. Badger, preached the sermon. This society, like many of the societies of the time, adopted "the plan of union," which later proved distasteful to both Pres- byterian and Congregational. Rev. Harvey was installed pastor of this elmirch in 1814, and continued in that capacity for six- teen years. Part of the time he preached in Hartford, Vernon and Kinsman. In one year he added one hundred and eleven people to his congregation. We are told that more people were expelled from the church for using intoxicants than for any other one thing. A brick church was built in the center of Vernon in 1825 and eventually the church disbanded.
Again we quote from Miss Pelton:
Electa Smith, daughter of Gen. Martin Smith, one of the first settlers of the township, taught the first school in the summer of 1802, the schoolhouse having been built on the Joseph De Wolf farm on the site where now stands the Samnel De Wolf house.
Dr. Amos C. Wright taught the following winter and some of the De Wolf children studied Latin under him. Sally Wright, sister of Dr. Wright, taught in the summer of 1803. Then a Mr. Gilpin, followed by Ebenezer Chap- man.
Other early teachers were Harriet Hull, Anna Bab- rock. Anna Lindsley, Asahel Jones (father of Dr. Allen Jones), Charles Pickett, Milton Morse, ( Hon.) T. A. Thomp- son, Mary Ann Reed, (Hon. ) Edmund A. Reed, Samuel Galpin, Elizabeth E. King, Mary E. Crocker. Ephraim Kee, John D. King, Theodore Ward ( father of Mrs. Schuyler Colfax) two winters at Vernon Center, Edward Waid (afterwards member of Congress) one winter at the Center, Sarah A. Beach, Annette Clark, Harriet Reed, Caroline Russell, Edmund Borden, Frederick Partridge, Moses Beach, - Taylor, -- Bartlette, C. P. Barnes.
In 1901 the district schools were abandoned and the cen- tralized system inaugurated. It has proved a success.
Mrs. Lilian A. Davis, Mrs. Elizabeth Beach, and Mrs.
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Ellen Rutledge have served on the board of education. The members of the present board are John S. Pelton, presi- dent ; Wm. J. Martin, elerk; David Lees, Mungo Brownlee and Mark Rudkin.
The teachers are Superintendent J. E: Boetticher; as- sistant high school teacher, Mrs. Lena Noxoa Boetticher; grammar, Miss Edna E. Lowrie; intermediate, Miss Elsie Neikle; primary, Miss Zum Davis; assistant grade teacher, Miss Mary Hobart.
Caroline Gray, afterwards Mrs. Daniel Miller, taught school here when the schoolhouse stood south of where the road diverges to Orangeville at the late Alvan Hayes farm. She ent notches in the benches, and the girls' dresses were not allowed to lie over them. She had a whip with a pin in the end which she used on the pupils who did not sit up straight. When the girls swept, she would complain of the floor not being elean. If they exensed it by saying dirt had been tracked in since the sweeping was done, she would reply, "I can see old dirt."
George Hallock, who came from Rhode Island and set- tled in Fowler, also taught in this schoolhouse.
Sylvia Haines, the daughter of Asa Haines, was also one of the early school teachers. She taught in Vernon in 1830, just north of the Sutliff grove. Her sister Harriet taught in the brick schoolhouse in Burghill. Sylvia Haines was the mother of Judge D. R. Gilbert, and spent her last days in Warren.
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