USA > Ohio > Medina County > Chatham > Chatham sesquicentennial, 1818-1968. > Part 5
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A parsonage property was bought in Chatham about 1870, but was disposed of some years later. The present parsonage property, situated across the street from the church, was purchased in 1902. Since then the old house has been removed, and replaced by a new and modern parsonage which was built in 1922. At the same time the church build- ing was remodeled and redecorated. An old balcony or choir loft, which at sometime had been closed, was reopened and made into class rooms. The new entrance to the church was also built.
Feeling the need of a social room for use in the church, the Ladies Aide Society saw the opport- unity when the township schools were centralized in 1916. They purchased one of the country school houses, had it removed to its place beside the church, remodeled and equipped it for a dining room and kitchen.
The shrubbery around the church property was planted during the ministry of Rev. Leonard Smith. This was made possible by the gift of funds by former members of the church.
At the time of World War I, the pastor of this church, Rev. Mr. Proceons, was called to the service of the country. He left for camp in the early summer of 1918. The remaining months of the conference year the pulpit was supplied by Rev. Boyd Tucker, who is now a missionary in the Foreign Field.
Ira Gillette, a missionary in South Africa spent his youth in Chatham and united with the Methodist Church in early boyhood.
An outstanding revival in the history of this church occurred during the ministry of Rev. E.L. Smith in the winter of 1886. The meeting continued for seven weeks. The interest was good with large crowds in attendance. There were many conversions, and the spiritual life of the church and community was greatly strengthened.
In 1951 a new Hammond organ was purchased to replace the old piano; at the same time plans were started for modern basement, to furnish classrooms. In 1953, the basement was completed and an oil fur- nace installed. The Methodist Youth Fellowship was responsible for the new worship center built at Easter time, 1953.
October 17, 1954, the centinnial was observed with a capacity crowd.
In 1960 the sanctuary was re-plastered and decorated. The new floor was laid by donated labor of the V.F.W. Post. New pews replaced the old ones. The annex was built in 1956 with a modern kitchen, rest rooms and furnace room; also space for class- rooms above. These were furnished in 1964. The approximate cost of all these improvements was $26,750.00.
In the summer of 1967 new sidewalks were laid near the parking area with walks leading to outside entrances. The church was given two coats of paint and the church steps were repaired; also a new enclosed front porch built on the parsonage.
by: Miss Emma Webber
PAWNEE
The two locations, known at different time by this name, are about three miles apart. The general area includes parts of four townships-Spencer, Cha- tham, Homer and Harrisville. The Germanic ancestry of the early settlers is attested by the three chur- ches they founded, which were originally known as German Baptist, German Reformed and German Lutheran. I shall write first of the earlier Pawnee, and in this story, in describing locations I shall use the road numbers now in use.
The older Pawnee was located at a crossroad, at which is now the east end of Co. Road 195. This is where Mr. Esselburn built his store -- said to have been at that time the largest in the county. It was said he would buy anything anyone had for sale and supply almost anything that might be wanted. He also carried on what amounted to be a banking business. This also was the location of the Pawnee postoffice. Store and post office were both out of business be- fore my first acquaintance with the place. The store building stood in place until about 1914, when it was removed. The relocation of the B & 0 Railroad, work on which started in 1905 with a deep cut at this point, made necessary the razing or removal of every building on the south side of the old road and the relocation of part of the road. There are now about a half dozen houses in this place, now known as Esselburn's Corners. There never was a railroad station at this place.
The W & L E railroad was built through this sec- tion about 1881. It crosses Co. Road 28 directly north and nearly three miles distant from the hamlet about which I have been writing. It appeared that here was an opportunity to obtain better mail ser- vice, and a movement was started to get a postoffice located here. Jonas Markley seems to have been the leader. The movement was successful. Judge Albert Munson, of Medina, had been helpful in handling the necessary proceedings, so the new postoffice was named Munson. Many people called the whole neighbor- hood by that name for years. Three postmasters served here; George Barnard, Daniel Leong and Charles Stroup, in that order.
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Some time later, two brothers, George and Jacob Barnard, built a small building near the crossing and set up a general merchandise business. They arranged with the railroad officials to have their shipments delivered at this point, which was named Pawnee Station. Later the work "Station" was dropped from the name.
Pawnee Station was designated as a signal stop for passenger trains and a platform erected for pass- engers and freight shipments. It was never made a regular stop, but for a number of years, when the place was at its greatest, it was rare for either a local freight or passenger train to go through with- out stopping. There was never a depot or agent. The business was handled by the agent in Spencer.
By 1893, the store business had outgrown the building. It was then owned by Daniel Long and Wm. Brinker. They erected a new and much larger build- ing.
About 1895 it was felt that a blacksmith shop was needed. A building was erected and a man named Loomis came to operate the shop. After about three years it was given up and closed.
About the same year, a need was felt for a service track where cars could be set in for loading or un- loading. Railroad officials agreed to build the track if the people would contribute the price of the steel. Their money was to be returned if and when the track had handled enough business to equal that amount. Several years later their money was returned.
About 1897, E.E. Brinker set up a saw mill and feed mill north of the station in the valley, opp- osite the east end of Co. Road 84. This mill was the scene of the worst accident ever to occur in this vicinity. One June morning in 1906 the boiler ex- ploded, killing Mr. Brinker, and badly injured his two sons, Fred and Ed, who were working with him. The boys however, soon recovered.
About 1900, Charles Long, who was the owner of the general store, again found it too small. He built an addition at the rear, which nearly doubled the space. Establishing of Rural Delivery so reduced
the business of the post office that it was closed in 1905.
About 1399, Sylvester Billman had erected a building near the service track, in which he conducted a busi - ness similar to what we now call an elevator business. There was no machinery. Cars of grain were loaded by means of a cart which held perhaps ten bushels; it was shoveled full, then run out over a bridge to the car.
In 1906, the W & L E completed building somewhat more than a mile of side track, thus using the space formerly occupied by the service track, and built a new service track over on the north side. This made it necessary to move the "elevator" building over ' across the tracks to a new location. Will Auble, Of Spencer, who had purchased the building, had it moved and remodeled, but it fell into disuse for sev- eral years.
The W & L E, after building the new siding, set up a small telegraph office. It was not a commercial office but handled only railroad business. It was closed in 1908. During the years there were many changes in ownership of the store, which are not mentioned here.
In 1909, F.A. and E.L. Falconer, having purchased both store and elevator, began operating both under the name Falconer Bros. They enstalled the necessary equipment in the elevator and made it a thriving bus- iness. About two years later, F.A. Purchased his boother's interest and operated both businesses until 1919, when he sold the elevator to Harvey Fike.
The Falconers also dealt in hay, which was then a major crop and source of farm income. At one time twenty-eight carloads were shipped from Pawnee in one month.
In 1911, J.W. Sanders purchased what had been a one-room country school house and moved it to a loc- ation near the station and equipped it as a hardware store. He bought out the hardware department from Mr. Flaconer and started operation. The business was moderately successful for several years.
PAWNEE HARDWARE WYSANDERS
Hardware Store Pawnee, J.W. Sanders, Prop.
General Store Pawnee, Charles Long, Prop.
After J.W. Sanders' death, two sons, Elmer and Glenn, undertook to carry on under the name Sanders Bros. Due to a combination of circumstances they found it impossible and closed the business in 1925.
In 1909, another blacksmith shop was set up, which was operated for about ten years and then closed. In the winter of 1906-07, H.B. Sanford set up a temporary saw mill on a farm about a quarter mile south of the station. He sawed for some spe- culators who had bought a large amount of timber in the vicinity. The lumber was shipped from the stat- ion. Some of it was said to be destined or shipped to Germany, for cannon poles. I have wondered if we faced those cannon in 1918.
About 1912, an effort was made to get a depot and an agent at the station. About the same time, since the one-room schools were being abandoned in favor of something larger, and it was hoped, better, an effort was made to have a special district cre- ated and a school located at Pawnee. Both efforts failed, which, as we see it now, was just as well.
When Harvey Fike purchased the elevator from F.A. Falconer, he did not want the grinding business, so it was sold to P.E. Heilman. He moved the equip- to a building erected for the purpose next to his saw mill, which he had set up several years earlier. The location was the same spot Mr. Brinker's mill had occupied. Harvey Fike operated the elevator for about a year. Then, having other plans, he wish- ed to sell the business. A number of persons in the community organized The Pawnee Equity Co. and bought it. This venture was not successful and was abandoned in 1924.
In 1920, Mr. Falconer sold the general store to P.E. Heilman, who operated it until 1937, when he sold it to a Mr. Akins, who operated the business for a short time, then sold it to Jack Welsh. Welsh died in 1940. At his death the store was closed and never reopened.
In 1918, the W & L E erected a small shelter for passengers and freight shipments. The store and
elevator buildings have been razed, the service track and shelter removed, and the second Pawnee, like the first one, is a memory.
The first telephones come into the neighborhood about 1899. The line came from the Lodi exchange of the Star system. In 1904, the new Chatham Telephone Co. built a line to Pawnee and the other line was abandoned.
These items are not directly connected with the story of Pawnee, but since they occurred in the same general area, they may be of some interest.
1. Years ago, some one whose name is forgotten, had a small water-powered mill on the little stream which crosses Co. Road 28, at the intersection of Co. Rd. 84. Most of the old earthen dam can still be seen.
2. Co. Road 76 once extended eastward across Black River as far as Co. Road 69. Difficulty in maint- aining a bridge caused the eastern section to be abandoned.
3. Co. Road 99 was originally laid out only as far west as Road 29. Later it was extended westward to Road 28 to give more direct access.
4. About sixty years ago, Wm Briggs and Sylvester Billman conducted an undertaking business for several years under the name Briggs & Billman.
5. For several years, about 1900, Tillman Koons op- erated a boot and shoe repair shop at his home, west of the station.
6. In 1916, when Spencer Twp. schools were being centralized, the part of Chatham Twp. lying west of Black River was attached to the Spencer district. Several years later it was transferred back to Chat hamo
7. Simon Hartman once had a cider mill at his home, distance north, off Road 102.
8. Later, E.J. Sanford built a much larger mili fur- ther east on the same road. It was really three mills -a cider mill, a saw mill and a feed mill. It was powered by steam and equipped to boil the cider or make apple jelly if desired. It was destroyed by fire in 1912 and only the cider mill was rebuilt. Later the equipment from this mill was purchased by Henry Steele and set up at his place on Road 29. H made cider there for a number of years, but has now ceased
to operate.
9. About 1914, The Prospect Hall Progressive Farmers Club was organized. The name was taken from the district school on Road 102, where the meetings were held. When the school was abandoned, community events of all kinds were held there for many years. Eventually interest died out and the school build- ing was sold. It is now a residence.
10. The little cemetery at the intersection of Roads 28 and 84 was the private cemetery of a fam- ily named Browand, who lived at the place many years ago. There has been no burial there for about 75 years.
11. It was thought at one time that there might be coal in this vicinity. One of the early settlers, named Rittenhouse, had a blacksmith shop where he ' did such work as the pioneers required. Friendly Indians supplied his coal, but no white man ever learned where they got it. It may have been a long way from there.
12. Many years ago, at a date which must have been in the 1870's or 1880's, some one promoted the idea of a factory for the making of Swiss cheese. Funds were subscribed and a building erected at a site on Road 29, just north of the intersection with Roads 28 and 68 at what is known as Five Points. Some cheese was made, but for some reason not now clear, the project was abandoned.
THE HISTORY OF OIL IN CHATHAM
In June of 1918, E.R. Edson leased several farms with the purpose of drilling for oil. He started on W.H. Ripley's farm, drilling the first oil well in Chatham. He drilled the Berea sand, which had a good showing of oil. More wells were drilled, which produced barrels of oil. This started the oil boom in Chatham. Soon other companies came into Chatham and leased more farms and drilled more wells. In 1918, 1919 and 1920 there were about 35 drilling rigs drilling for oil. There were more than several hun- dred wells drilled in the early oil boom, some were good and some were dry.
Nearly every house was occupied by two or three families. Many housewives kept roomers and boarders. Beds occasionally were occupied day and night by alternating shifts.
As more wells were drilled, more money came into the township. Farmers quit farming, they were receiving -one-eighth royalty from their oil. They made more from their oil than from farming. Some farmers received $1,000 per month, others did not receive as much. Some people receving good royalties remodeled their homes, and others bought stocks and bonds.
To sell the oil, it had to be pumped with steam boilers and pumped to Lodi, into railroad tank cars and shipped to Cleveland. Later Buckeye Pipe Lines put in storage tanks and pumping stations south of Chatham. Then the oil companies pumped their oil into Buckeye Storage tanks and then Buckeye station pumped the oil to Berea from there to Cleveland. Since 1967 the oil has been trucked out to Canton and Wakeman, because of the closing of Buckeye station.
First wells were drilled with steam operated rigs. The boilers were fired with coal, later gas- oline engines were used to run the drilling rigs. Wells were shot, tubed, and pumped with a central power run with a gas engine.
Some of the first wells were shot with rock
bust powder. Now, oil wells are shot with nitro- glycerin. The depth of the wells are from 275 feet to 600 feet. Nitro-glycerin is kept in a storage building called the magazine. The shooters would pick it up and take to to the well to be shot. In early days it was transported with horses and wagon. Later they made trucks which had rubber padded boxes to keep gylcerin cans apart. If the cans would leak it would be very dangerous.
In 1939 E.R. Edson aold all his leases to Dymo Oil Corporation from Olean, New York. Dymo Oil was the first to use a new method to recover more oil by using water pressuring, which is a process of pushing oil ahead of water. This started another oil boom in Chatham. Royalty owners royalties in- creased again and the oil companies payed a great deal of taxes into the township and county.
Pressure water plants were built and water piped to intake wells, from one lease to another by pipe lines. New wells were drilled in rows; a row of water and a row of oil wells with spacing of 300 to 500 feet apart in a five spot pattern. The water wells were drilled the same depth as the oil wells. The water used in this method, is re- cycled to be used over and over, to keep the water from polluting the area. Separation tanks are used to separate the water from the oil.
A few wells have quit producing oil and some farms or leases where oil has been taken and the wells have been abandoned, the farmers are now raising crops. Some of the wells that were dril- led in 1918, 1919 and 1920 are still producing oil, including the first oil well drilled in Chatham.
By: Mr. George Kreiger
CAMP COURAGE
Camp Courage for Mentally Retarded Children is located on Medina County Rd. 28 between State Rt. 162 and Medina County Rd. 4, in Chatham Township. At the present time the facilities are used at no charge for all mentally retarded children from the Greater Cleveland area and the surrounding counties in the northern part of Ohio. It is non-denominatioal and non-sectarian.
The Camp is comprised of forty acres of land which includes 10 acres of woods, just right for hiking, not too dense but dense enough to be beau- tiful. Three creeks wind through the woods and come together to make an island which is bridged on one side. The creeks are shallow and children may wade and catch tadpoles. Another part of the camp com- přises a spring fed lake which is stocked with sev- eral kinds of fish. The children have shown much interest in fishing, and as this is not a competit- ive sport, it is exceedingly beneficial for them.
The animals on the farm are all so tame they can be fed by the children. Children ride on three full grown ponies and can feed two baby ponies. Larger children ride the full grown horse which is very gentie, and the ambulatory children can be put in the sulky that the very funny and jealous don- key, "Dusty" pulls around the grounds. They can feed "Arnold" the pig and the bunnies, "Thumper" and "Dum Dum", and the big white ducks, "Tommy", "Herman" and "Gloria"; also, the mallards with their little ducks which are hungry all the time.
The children use the camp during the summer in conjunction with the program being carried out in the greater Cleveland area. The camp has seven counsellors on hand at all times. These are teen agers who have volunteered their time as they are interested in becoming teachers or social workers upon completion of their schooling and want the op- portunity of working with mentally retarded children. The fall features hay rides, the winter-ice skating, sledding on the just right slopes, and an old-fashion- ed sleigh that "Dusty" pulls. In the spring a sugar bush is in use for the children to see the tapping of
the maple trees, the cooking of the sap and the final product. We have a shelter house that is heated by an old fashioned stove and the children have a place for play during inclement weather.
The officers of the camp include: President: Sam Rapisarda; Bob feller, the very famous baseball play- er, as Vice President;and George Kampman is the dir- ector of the camp. Also on the staff is Dr. Leonard Nagle of Spencer and Wellington, while a camp nurse is on the grounds at all times.
During the past year, over 1500 children have attended the camp at no charge. Weekends the whole families are encouraged to come out and use all the facilities, and many do come every weekend. Our future plans include facilities for the whole family to camp.
The Camp is operated strickly on donations and contributions and this past year has featured benefits which included the "Count Basie Show", held at Music Hall in Cleveland, with the proceeds going to the camp for continued operation. At the present the camp is trying to raise funds for the building of a recreational hall which will house a therapy pool for the children and dormitories so the camp can be used by many children as a place to stay during a home crises or the necessity of the parents being away.
The camp came into being through efforts of the 145th Infantry Regiment Organization, a vet- erans group from World Warr II, which adopted in their original charter, the purpose of helping needy children.
One of their first endeavors was to help St. Emerics School for Retarded Children and besides many outings, which included the Cuyahoga County Boat Ride, Pony Rides, they had a "Las Vegas Night" which enabled them to provide new desks and equip- ment and a station wagon for the school. In help- ing St. Emerics the interest in the mentally re- tarded grew and they branched out into helping more of the mentally retarded children and the need for a camp became more evident.
'After much searching this property was found. The funds for the property was raised through the making of a record by the army band of the 145th. Overv 10,000 of these records were sold by a house to house calling. Any donation was acceptable and the property was purchased
By: Mrs. George Kampman
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CHATHAM GRANGE
In the autumn of 1928, Mr. and Mrs. John Kelser Medina County deputie's, came to Chatham for the pur- pose of creating interest in starting a Grange. There being no other farmer's organization in the township at that time it was not difficult to secure forty- nine Charter members and the formal organizaion was effect May 5th, 1929. For the first several meetings Brother and Sister Kelser traveled the miles from their home in Montville township to our meeting place in Chatham School Cuditorium and coached us in the proper way to conduct a Grange business meeting and explained the meaning of the precipts of the order.
We are also indebted to various members of Montville Grange who came with the Kelsers and presented Musical numbers, talks and skits which make up a typical grange program and were a great encouragment to us. When the Kelsers finally left us to carry the responsibility alone we greatly missed their presence, but the new members responded so well to their teaching that we were able to pre- sent the 1st degree at the appointed time. We also had our new regalia for this first degree meeting. Our community projects have been putting on plays for the benefit of the Farmer's Institute, helping with the Memorial day exercises, we have presented music to the local church choirs, books to the school library, cooking utensils for the school kitchen and chairs for the auditorium; also, have helped in furnishing some of the stage equipment. We are grateful to the Chatham school board for permitting us to use the auditorium for our meet- ing. Perhaps our most ambitious project was fill- ing in and grading the square in the center of the village and planting it with shrubbery. We have answered all appeals for aid from other granges and have assisted our own members when in need of aid, and have remembered the sick with flowers and other attentions.
Our peak in membership was one-hundred and thirty three in 1941.
We have participated in the County, State and National contests and have arranged a grange exhibit
at the County fair each year since that project was started. A feature of our annual Booster night pro- gram is an extensive flower show.
A Juvenile Grange was organized during the early years and continued successfully for some time. When the State Grange met in Cleveland in 1940, Chatham Juvenile presented the table aux for the Juvenile degree work, Just now we regret that this Juvenile is dormant.
The present subordinate grange is the successor to an earlier grange organized in 1896. This fermer grange also started with forty-nine charter members and continued until about 1910.
No presidents have been nurtured in our grange but we share with Harrisville grange the honor of having had in our midst Col. Joseph Brigham, who was born in Harrisville township and at six years of age moved with his parents to a farm in Chatham, where his boyhood was spent. Col. Joseph Brigham later served nine years as Master of the National Grange, and was appointed assistant secretary of Agriculture during the administration of President William Mc- Kinley.
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