Annals of the Early Settlers Association of Cuyahoga County, number I, Part 28

Author: Early Settlers Association of Cuyahoga County
Publication date: 1880-
Publisher: [S.l. : The Association
Number of Pages: 656


USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Annals of the Early Settlers Association of Cuyahoga County, number I > Part 28


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It is but eighty-eight years to-day, since Moses Cleaveland set his Jacob staff not far from this spot and with an eye single to the prospects of the future, concentrated his vision through his telescope and spied out this land, marked lines and made field notes that have become guides for all who followed him.


Most of us have lived here more than half of eighty-eight years, and our eyes have beheld what has been accomplished during that period of time. It may be, there are those who would have preferred the first forty-four years of Cleveland to the last, but we had better be content with what we have, than long for what we never can get. It is possible, if we had followed Moses and his chain we would never have stuck a stake and located qnite so near lake Erie and the Cuyahoga as we are to-day. If the cultivation of the soil had been our aim, we would, most likely, have followed the judgment of that clear-headed set of New England farmers who went farther south and east, settling in that rare section which surrounds the Mahoning river.


The early settlers are sure to analyze the soil before they locate, although some look for a mill site, a place for a saw mill, or a grist mill, or a distillery. When the new comers here placed their cowhide boots into the unproductive white sands of this plateau, they would naturally say that this was not the soil they sought, and hence they concluded to go hence. Who was there in those early days that thought or cared whether this point of land would, in one or two or even three generations, produce a population of so


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close an approximation to a quarter of a million as we now see ? The keen eye of the land speculator did not warrant an investment in corner lots, in the hope that it may double and quadruple in a given number of years.


It matters little to us now respecting our aims or hopes, we are all here, and are compelled to make the most of it.


Upon the occasion of our first annual meeting Mr. Samuel E. Adams, in his able address, gave ample reasons why we should hold in grateful remembrance the 22d of July, and make that day the one we celebrate. It was the day that Cleaveland, in 1796, set foot upon this soil, in order to lot it out for a pros- pective city. That date appears to be so well grounded in our faith, that it is now established as an immovable festival. It will be remembered that the same orator, upon the same occa- sion, advanced the idea that we, as the grateful followers of the early Moses, are in duty bound to erect some fitting monument, to commemorate the memory of the second Moses who spied out this land of ours, and left his name to adorn the most beautiful city on the continent.


Respectfully submitted,


GEO. F. MARSHALL, Chairman.


REPORT OF THE TREASURER.


Dnes from old members $257.25


Dues from new members 72.25


Total


$329.50


Expenses


$315.50


Balance on hand


$ 14.00


SOLON BURGESS, Treasurer.


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REPORT OF THE MONUMENT COMMITTEE.


MR. PRESIDENT :-


You selected a committee who are rather too discreet. They did not importune men to part with their money. During the first six months of the year we could not get two of the committee together at one time, hence we have done nothing and solicited nothing. We have waited until the money market should not be so tight, and I now move that the committee be discharged and a new one appointed. R. P. SPALDING, Chairman.


On motion, the committee, R. P. Spalding, Bolivar Butts, and Dudley Baldwin, were re-appointed, and John A. Foote and A. J. Williams added to the committee.


REPORT OF THE CHAPLAIN.


The following are the names of members of the Early Settlers' Association, so far as ascertained, who have died since its last annual meeting : James F. Clark, Mrs. Harriet Dan Coakley, Benjamin R. Beavis, Mrs. Mary C. Given, James W. Fitch, H. B. Hurlbut, Judge E. Hessenmueller, Alexander McIntosh, Thomas Thompson, Samuel Williamson, W. J. Warner, Martha S. Wilson, Orlando P. Cutter, David Proudfoot, Thomas Cannell, and Zophar Case.


They were all persons of excellent character, so far as known to me. Some of them were prominent personages well known to the public. . It is a matter of regret that brief biographical sketches of each of them cannot now be given, but the difficulty of obtaining the necessary facts has prevented me from undertaking the task. It is to be hoped, however, that the personal friends of the deceased, who could furnish the facts, will either do so, or prepare sketches, with a view to their future publication in the " Annals " of the Association.


THOS. CORLETT, Chaplain.


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EARLY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.


ELECTION OF OFFICERS.


Upon motion made by Hon. John A. Foote, the following officers of last year were reelected for the ensuing year :


President, Hon. Harvey Rice.


Vice-Presidents, Hon. John W. Allen and Mrs. J. A. Harris.


Secretary, Thomas Jones, Jr.


Treasurer, Solon Burgess.


Executive Committee, Messrs. George F. Marshall, R. T. Lyon, Darius Adams, John H. Sargent and M. M. Spangler.


Chaplain, Rev. Thomas Corlett.


Mr. H. M. Addison offered the following resolution, which was adopted :


Resolved, That in view of the importance of obtaining as much as is yet possible of the early history of Northern Ohio direct from the early settlers themselves, we invite all kindred associations to cooperate with us in obtaining such, either printed, written, or oral, in the most prompt and efficient manner.


On motion, the following persons, resident in Ohio, were unani- mously elected honorary members of the Association: Gov. George Hoadly, Cincinnati ; Hon. John M. Edwards, Youngstown ; Hon. Lester Taylor, Claridon ; Rev. Samuel Bissel, Twinsburgh ; Rev. Dr. James A. Bolles, Cleveland ; Daniel Punderson, Esq., South Newbury; Laurel Beebe, Esq., Ridgeville; Rev. Albert B. Green , East Cleveland, and Mrs. Mary Wood, wife of the late Gov. Wood, Rockport.


Mrs. Wood, being present, was escorted to a seat on the platform and introduced to the Associatian by the President. She grace- fully acknowledged the compliment. For some years past, she has resided with her daughter in California, and had but recently returned. She is now in her 87th year, and is still quite vigorous and active.


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The following historical contributions were then read by their authors in the order in which they appear :


RECOLLECTIONS.


BY GEORGE B. MERWIN.


MR. PRESIDENT :-


My father, Noble H. Merwin, and family, consisting of my mother and two children, arrived at Cleveland in the month of February, 1816, having passed the previous winter in the town of Palmyra, Portage county. Such was the condition of the roads that we were three days in making the distance of fifty miles.


At that time, on the corner of Vineyard lane, now called South Water street, was the tavern of George Wallace, a small, two-story frame building, adjoining was the hat store and manufactory of Geer and Walsworth, next came the house of Mr. Henderson, a one- story and a half building, in the next one-story house lived Mr. Hanchett, who was engaged in the bakery business, his shop being on the lot where the Atwater block now stands; next came Dr. David Long's office, now occupied by the American House, he lived in a double log-house back in the garden, built by Gov. Samuel Huntington, the barn was built by Samuel Dodge of Euclid, and was the first frame building erected in the village, the job was done under a special contract, for the payment of which he gave him eleven ten-acre lots fronting on Superior street, there were several large pear trees about the house, Elisha Norton, some of whose grand children are now living in Cleveland, resided in the house, owned by Ashbel W. Walworth, who was postmaster, collector of the port, justice of the peace, and to whom was confided in 1826 for disbursement, the first five thousand dollars appro- priated by Congress for the construction of the piers at the mouth of the river, keeping all these offices in the front room of the house.


The mails were carried on horse back, and came once a week from the east and west, he was also the first letter carrier Cleveland had, for he carried the letters in his hat, and when three or four letters came he would go around and deliver them, then lock up the office and go fishing with the boys.


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EARLY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.


The duties of these offices were not very arduous in those days, and they were not as much sought after as they are in these degenerate times; the house stood back a little from the street with a row of poplar trees in front.


Judge Daniel Kelley, with his sons Irad, Thos. W. and Reynolds, lived in the next house, which was built of brick and stood opposite the head of Bank street. Then followed the stores of Stephen Dudley and Almon Kingsbury; the latter gentleman had some ideas about doing business quite different from those of our modern merchants, it was said that a man went into his store and inquired if he had any hand saws for sale, he said he had but one and did not wish to sell it, as it would break the assortment, in his store. I saw the bones of Omic, the Chippewa Indian, which were anatomized by Dr. Long. He had great horror of being hung, he called it swinging and often begged Major Carter to shoot him, but finally agreed to quietly submit, if he would give him a pint of whiskey on the day of his execution ; this was done and he was executed on the 26th of June, 1812. The gallows was erected in front of the old red Court House, which was a short distance in front of the Stone Church and had been cut down, but the chesnut stumps were still standing. On the corner of the Square now occupied by the Forest City House, was a small two-story frame building kept by Mr. Mowry as a tavern, no other families lived on the south side of Superior street.


Beyond the Square on the north side lived Mrs. Dewey, near her was the residence of Mrs. Johnson, mother of the late Capt. Levi Johnson, her son Benhue drove an old white horse and cart, furnishing the citizens with water from the river at two shillings for a load of two barrels, and was in great requisition on Mondays; he amused the boys by always singing the tune of the " Roving Sailor," and occasionally kicking his horse with his wooden leg.


Further on lived uncle Abram Heacox, his shop stood just east of Kingsbury's store, on one side of his sign were the words, "Uncle Abram works here," on the other was represented a gentleman riding up and asking, " Can you shoe my horse ?" The reply underneath was, "Yes Sir." This sign was painted by old


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Capt. Allen Gaylord, a war veteran of 1812, who lived in Newburgh, a selftaught artist and undoubted genius, he did the house and sign painting. and white-washing for the town, and also carved serolls and figure heads for vessels. The sign of Geer and Wals- worth represented an Indian aiming his rifle at a beaver sitting at the root of a tree across the river. A gawky rustie from Brooklyn passing along one day, stood looking at the sign several minutes, holloed "Why don't you shoot, you d- fool, you have been aiming long enough." On the east side of the Square, where now stands the Hoffinan block, was the saddle and harness shop of Amasa Bailey, all east and north of that were serub oaks and hickory saplings with now and then a large chesnut tree, on the north side near where the fountain now is, was the old red Court House and Jail built in 1812, kept by Mr. Auchinbaugh; Eleazar Waterman was his successor for many years afterwards, the cell was about twelve feet square, constructed of hewn logs, and was in the southwest corner, the upper room was used for holding courts, and also used by the free masons for masonic purposes, religious services were also held here. whenever a passing missionary remained in town over the Sabbath. The blacksmith shop of David Burroughs was on the corner now occupied by Webb and Butts, jewelry store, his stock of geese rested in the middle of the street, there was a puddle whenever it rained, in which they would disport themselves; the hay scales were on the corner now occupied by Crittenden's jewelry store, the roof projecting over the street.


The Cleveland Herald, established in 1819, was published in the back room of the same building, edited by Mr. Logan ; once being short of paper, one edition was published on foolscap.


About half way between Seneca and Bank streets was a two- story tavern kept by George Wallace, afterwards by Michael Spangler. On the corner of Superior and Bank streets, the Com- mercial Bank of Lake Erie was established in 1817, and occupied a small red building, Alfred Kelley, President, and Leonard Case, Cashier ; he lived in a small house on the same lot. A year or two afterwards Mr. Case purchased the two acre lot, where the Post Office and City Hall are, for the sum of forty dollars ; the Weddell


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EARLY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.


House lot was enclosed with a. rail fence, which extended to St. Clair street, where the Weddell House now stands. One morning I picked up sixteen pigeons, killed by my father at one shot.


The south side of St. Clair St. was enclosed by a rail fence to the west line of Ontario street, on the lot joining the Kennard House. The first school house was built in 1817, the number of scholars on the opening was twenty-four; the young men in the town were assessed to pay the master for the amount of his wages for the children of those parents, who were unable to do so. Religious ser- vices were regularly held here, Judge Kelley offering prayer, a young man read the sermon and my mother led the singing ; sing- ing school was also kept here, taught by Herschel Foote, who came from Utica, N. Y., and established the first book store in town in the store formerly occupied by Dudley. At that time there was not another building on that side of the street until you came to the residence and store of Nathan Perry on the corner of Water. A band of Indians who lived on the west side of the river used to sell their furs and peltries every Spring to him. He spoke their language fluently.


On the west side of Water street, near the brow of the hill, was the tavern of Phineas Shepard, built by Major Carter for a block house, and afterwards covered with clapboards ; on the south cor- ner of this street and St. Clair was the residence of Judge Samuel Williamson, his brother Matthew had a tannery at the foot of Union Lane, Mrs. Major Carter lived in a house on the brow of the hill north of St. Clair. On the light-house lot lived John Burtis, whose business was lightering freight to and from vessels, which generally anchored about a mile from shore. The mouth of the river was sometimes nearly choked up by drifting sand driven in by the north-west and north-east gales every Fall and Spring. I have waded across the mouth of the river many times. One Fall, late in the month of November, a bear was seen to cross the mouth of the river, there being about three inches of snow on the ground, he was tracked by some sportsmen as far as Doan's brook, but not seen. The last house on the west side of Water street, was the brick residence of Alfred Kelley, this the last old landmark on the 2


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street was taken down about twelve years ago; I have seeurgh, acres of wheat growing between the house and bank of the nand the corners of the fences were filled with stumps and elder bushel quarter-mile scrub races were sometimes run on this street.


Dr. Donald McIntosh lived on St. Clair adjoining Nathan Perry's garden, and kept a tavern, called the Navy Hotel. Capt. Levi. Johnson lived in a house on the corner of Water and Lake streets, north of this was the residence of William G. Taylor, built about 1831 ; he came from Michigan, a lawyer by profession, and connect- ed himself with the notorious counterfeiters James and Daniel Brown in a scheme to purchase a ship at New Orleans with count- erfeit United States bank notes, go to China and purchase a cargo of tea ; they were all arrested at New Orleans, and committed to prison, where Dan Brown died, Jim and Taylor were released by a writ of habeas corpus. had a trial and were discharged, as it was not proved that they passed any counterfeit money. The house was owned and occupied by the late Deacon Stephen Whittaker ; a few rods north of the house under a chestnut tree, that eccentric per- son Lorenzo Dow preached a sermon one Sunday afternoon in July. 1827, he sat at the roots of the tree during the delivery of his discourse, his first words were, " Well, here you all are, rag, shag and bobtail," he made a prayer and sang a hymn unaccompanied.


At the foot of Superior was a log warehouse occupied by Jabez Kelley, used for the manufacture of soap and candles ; Uncle Jabe, as he was called, was a peculiar character, and had a habit of winking his eyes and snapping his fingers very often, partic- ularly so when mellowed by a little wine at a Fourth of July celebration, he would rise, drink to every toast, wink his eyes, . snap his fingers and shout, "Glory to God !" There was a small frame warehouse at the foot of Lighthouse street, owned and occupied by Capt. Levi Johnson, he had a small schooner, and in 1825 built the first steamboat of two hundred and fifty tons on River street, called the "Enterprise." There was a ferry at the foot of Superior street kept by Christopher Gunn, the boys named him " Old pistol," price of ferrying a shilling for a team, sixpence for a footman.


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EARLY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION .;


Hoy "bout the year 1830 Superior street was graded from the west


CI ie of Bank to the river, the cutting at the Atwater building was twenty-one feet, Robert Cather, who kept a tin shop, was con- tractor.


The first church, built in 1828, was Trinity Church on the south- east corner of Seneca and St. Clair, a commodious frame building that was destroyed by fire about the year 1853.


During the Winter of 1821-2, my father built a schooner of forty-four tons at the foot of Superior street, she was launched in March 1822, and was enrolled in the District of Cuyahoga Sept. 11, 1822, under the United States Revenue Laws, her chain cable was made by a blacksmith named Daniel Jones, an excellent work- man; in order to test its strength it was fastened to a butternut tree near the residence of Capt. Johnson and pulled upon by twelve yoke of oxen. After several heavy strains it parted, but was thought by Capt. Belden, her first master, and several other vessel men, sufficiently strong to hold her in the heaviest gale. When she was launched, I stood on the heel of her bowsprit, and as she touched the water, christened her by giving her my mother's name, " Minerva," and broke a gallon jug of whisky over her bows, as was the custom on similar occasions in those times, as she slid on her wage, Uncle Jabe Kelley jumped on board from the roof of his factory ; she was dispatched to Mackinac loaded with provisions for the garrison on that island, and made the round trip in four weeks, which at that time was regarded as a wonderful achieve- ment. The same Winter Philo Taylor built the schooner "Pru- dence," 39 tons, on the side hill on the Newburgh road, near mother Colahan's cabin, about half a mile from the Public Square.


When she was launched, so steep was the declivity, that a stream of fire issued from under her bows, and she went across the river and stuck fast in the mud, requiring the strength of the crowd who had assembled to see the launch, to pull her off.


Near the cabin a spring of most excellent water came out of the bank.


John Burtis built the schooner " Lake Serpent," 25 tons, the next Winter, across the river near Columbus street.


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Afterwards the schooner " Macedonia " was built on the farm of Sam'l Dille, about two miles out on the Newburgh road, was brought in on wheels, launched at the foot of Superior street, and after- wards purchased by the late John Blair.


The celebration of the completion of the Ohio canal between Cleveland and Akron took place on the 7th July, 1827. It was considered a very important event for the future prosperity of Cleveland. My father went to Buffalo and purchased the canal- boat Pioneer ; she was towed up by the Walk-in-the-Water, taken around Case's point, the tow-path eut and put into the canal. The lower ship-locks being made larger than ordinary canal-locks to allow vessels to pass through to a dry dock which had been con- structed near where the stone mill was afterwards erected. A large party of ladies and gentlemen went up the eanal several miles and were met by a boat from Akron, named, Allen Trimble, in honor of Gov. Trimble, who was then in the Executive chair.


The Governor, the Canal Commissioners, and a large party of ladies and gentlemen were on board ; each boat was provided with a small swivel, salutes were exchanged and loud cheers were given, the hills echoing back the joyful sound, as the general congratula- tions took place.


Among those on board the Pioneer, was Horace Perry and wife ; he was very much opposed to the canal, and said it would greatly increase the taxes in the State and do great injury to his farm, which was about two miles out on the Newburgh road, by separat- ing the meadow land from the high-land.


In some way Mrs. Perry's leghorn hat got off and fell into the canal, he exclaimed : "There, I knew the d- canal would be the ruin of me, there goes my wife's bonnet which cost thirty dollars." An elegant banquet was prepared by James Belden, and served under a bower in the garden of the Mansion House, in the evening there was a grand ball in Belden's assembly room, the managers were C. M. Giddings, H. H. Sizer, William Lemon, S. J. Andrews, J. W. Allen, our worthy Vice President, who is the only survivor.


At the foot of Bank street there was a star-shaped stockade Fort, built of chesnut puncheons, capable of holding two hundred men, this was built during the war of 1812; it was named Fort


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Hungerford by the soldiers, owing to the very polite attention shown by the commanding officer to a widow of that name, who lived near by.


It was said that Gen. Harrison, on his way to the forts on the Maumee river, came to this fort, having, I believe, the reputation of being as gallant as he was brave, called upon the widow one evening ; some of the boys, seeing hin go there, placed a pail of soft soap at the back door and knocked at the front door ; the General made a hasty retreat, and, as the saying is, put his foot into it.


I have seen the broken chesnut puncheon coffins of the poor fellows who died there, projecting from the bank of the lake as it caved down from them, their martial cloaks were army blankets.


Inflation, or the rag baby currency, had early friends in Cleve- land. In one of the early years after my arrival here, small change became very scarce ; silver dollars were cut into nine pieces, half dollars into five, pistareens, worth eighteen and three quarter cents, into two, and each piece passed for a shilling.


To relieve the wants of the people, the township trustees passed an order to issue and issued one hundred dollars in shin-plasters, as they were called, of the denomination of six and a quarter, twelve and one half, and twenty-five cents, the bills were signed by Daniel Kelley, President, and Horace Perry, Clerk of the Board of Trustees.


It was pretty cheap living in Cleveland in those early days, and for some years after ; the price of flour was from two to two and a half dollars per barrel, eggs six pence per dozen, butter eight to ten cents per pound, corn thirty cents per bushel, wheat fifty cents, oats fifteen, and whiskey twenty to twenty-five cents per gallon.


In those times four and six horse covered wagons, from Stark and Wayne counties, loaded with pork, flour and whiskey, filled Superior street from the Atwater buildings to the Public Square, the men slept in their wagons and generally brought their pro- visions and horse feed with them, and tied their horses to the pole of the wagons.


I have seen my father roll a barrel of salt out of the ware-


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house and receive in return two barrels of flour and one dollar in money.


In the early agitation of the temperance movement, its friends thought that a temperance 4th of July celebration would have a beneficial influence upon the question ; arrangements were accord- ingly made, and committees appointed to carry it out. Col. Tim- othy Ingram was selected for chief-marshal, the late Geo. A. Bene- diet and myself, assistants, an oration was delivered in the stone church, a procession formed and marched to the table under a bower on the Public Square. The day was very warm, in the afternoon the leaves on the branches overhead having withered, the hot sun came pouring through upon the table, and to add to the discomfort, the ice water had given out, one of the toasts, exciting my patriotism, I said, "now gentlemen, all fill your glasses and drink to this very patriotie toast ;" the late Richard Winslow, one of the early and most respected citizens, took the vinegar cruse and mixed some vinegar with the water; Col. Ingram read the toast at the head of the table, Benedict read it in the centre, I voiced it with emphasis at the foot; all arose and drank. Mr. Winslow, who stood near me, exclaimed, "Slops by Java, Mr. Merwin ; " what benefit to the cause was gained by this celebration, its friends have never informed me.




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