USA > Ohio > Stark County > Combination atlas map of Stark county, Ohio, compiled, drawn and published from personal examinations and surveys > Part 7
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The first justice of the peace was Daniel Matthias. The first school-bouse was built on Ulrieb Shenley's land, about 1814. The school was taught by Lewis Probst, and numbered twenty pupils.
An old trail from Canton to Georgetown, through Louisville, was straightened and known as the State road. Tho surveyor was Michael Stump; the viewers, John Whipple, John Augustino, and Thomas Anderson. The first religious oxcroises were held by the Dunkards, led by Rev. Gants, at their houses. Mect- ings of other sects were bold evonings, experiences related, hymns sung, nud prayers offered. Roman Catholics built their first church in Louisville during 1830, Louis Grois, pastor. The society have a fine structure, and about nine liun. dred persons are attached te that helief. Edward Carroll was the first Catholic to zottle in Nimishilles. Louisville's first postmaster was Samuel l'etree, in 1835, and Ilenry Loutzenhoiser built the first brick house in tho town. The people are quiet and sociable, diligent end enterprising. A lodge of Grengers meets in the town. In portions of the township one sees spacious red painted barns, und curiously enough tho houses are frequently much the poorer babitation.
MARLBOROUGH TOWNSHIP.
The organization of Marlborough Township took place March $, 1816. It origi- nally formed part of Lexington, and with it hes an identical history. In tho yenr IS06, Abraham Wileman out the first stick of timber in the township. Tho land of this, as well as otber townsbips, was entered at two dollars per acre, payable in three installments at the land office in Steubenville. In the reiluetion of price for Government land to one dollar and twenty-fire cents per sore, there was a elnume in the net permitting all who had forfeited their land, by not paying tho sccemil and third installments, to re-enter otber trneta, at the rato of one dollar and twenty-fivo ocuts per acre, to the amount they bad paid on their forfeited entries. News, tben, did not come by telegraph, and the early settlers wero long ignorant of the new clause. Rascals took advantage of this to buy, for a fow dollars, tho settler's ontry-papers, bo thinking them worthless, and then using themu to enter new lands. Fortunes bad their origin in this sbarp practice, and one real estate oporator, who started in this way, died worth a million and a half dollars.
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Indians were numerous, but, douling with the Friends, disciples of Pean, were alivnya penceable, until the war of 1812, when they stopped intercourse with the whites, and fioally withdrew altogether, save nu ocensional individual on a journey. They had no settlements, but trapped in Deer, Beneh, and the Mahoning, and mme maple sugur from the compact grores of sugar-trees in this section. Up to 18 to, settlers lielieved that leail existed in this vicinity. A primitive Indian mill cen- sisted of w bollewed stump, n bont sapling, and a thong-bound stene ns pestle to crush tho maize. Wild gante was plenty ; beaver soon disappeared ; otter ivere found till 1813. Bears were troublesome fues to the swine, gnawing them by the Deck und driving them to the woods, nmil there feasting. The Inst benr wns seen in this ucighborhood in 1830. Deer were plenty till ISli's great ice-crusted snow, when, precludeil from travel, they perished by hundreds. Wolves were numerous, and raised their dismal howl as the shades of erening fell : wild turkeys were seen in flocks of hundreds. Jobn Meese killed one hundred and eighty from one flock, and sold them at a few cents apiece at New Lisbon. Poroupines were rery plenty. Rattlesnakes wero numerous; in 1812, John Grani lost na ex by the bite ef one. The last one remembered was seen in Lexington Township, in 1850. Becs were plenty. Iloney came next, ns n ensh article, to maple sugnr. The pioneers beenme expert in finding the rich treasures of the hollow trees. Squirrels became u pest in 1827. A squirrel-hunt was lind, and seventeen hundred killed in one dny. Thewas Grant, of Lexington, shot nearly Two hundred himself, aud won the prize offered. The first harrel of salt over teamed into the township was in 1814, and cost twelve dollars. Previously it had been packed on horseback. Salt-works were started ou Yellow Creek, and reduced the price to six dollars.
The township is six miles square ; it is well watered, and to the northwest con- tains an immense bed of peat. There are tivo towns within its borders: New Baltimore, near the centre of the northern part of Section 4, and Marlborough, in the centre of Section 14. Willinm Poanoek, Sr., settled in the north west of this section in 1818 ; his sons, William and Musos Pepnoek, Dempsey Johnson, unit Samuel Ellison Inid out the town of Marlborough, in 1827. The first church IFAs crecteil by the Quakers, in 1924, and in 1825 the Grat school-house was huilt, aboul one mile east of the town. The first rond luid ant raa from Marlborongh to Canton. It was grnoted en the petition of Ocorge 4. Rex, and surveyed hy MeClure about 18Of. The two first justices, serving fer the entire northern purt of the County, were J. Loutzenheiser and J. F. Leonard, elected, in 1807, to serre three years. Jawes Ooff and George Wike succeeded them.
PIKE TOWNSHIP.
Three men enine and looked upon the lund thickly studded with hills nad friaged over with strnight, alnost branchless, tiaber in the carly duy, and concluded to tanko it their home. Their names were John Shutt, Jacob Keruery, and Ocorge Young : the first died at the age of ninety-seven ; the last departed this life in his ninety-third year.
Prior to 1812, Philip Siffert, Michael Holm, Henry Bordaer, and Joseph Keel had made setttetnents ; Jeseph Keel, Jr., aided his father in elcaring the first furni. Amus Jennings was founder of Sparta, nbont 1820. Judge Hazlett was an early store- keeper: Philip Weaver kept tavern in 1826; Luther Drury had n forge nenr Sparta nhout 1818. During the year 1817, John Holm was married te Elizabeth Shutt by Rev. Weir, a Lutheran minister.
Schooling was neglected until the common school system was enacted, and ut once schools sprang up all over the township. An old log church was the pioneer building of its class. The Lutberans and Germann Reformed united in its construc- tion, and gave it the name of Melsheimer Church, Atnos Jenniags constructed aud ran the first and only mill in the township.
Sheep-ruisiag was once a specialty, and now flocke of fine-wooled sheep are numerous. Attention has been turned to oxhuming the masses of cool which underlic every hill. Thirty-one banks are now boing worked, and every former, at his option, can hare his coal-mine. There are several fae limestone quarries. " Kidney" ore is found on the hill-tops.
In the early years ilistilleries were many ; there was much drinking and frequent lawsuits. Musters were regarded as fitting occasions for settlements, and many a hard battlo teok place. Now, no liquor is sold in the township ; the people are engaged solely in their daily toil, and give their children tho advantages of good schools.
Joseph Medill, a mayor of Chiengo and a representative man, had his birth- placo in Pike Township, on the farm now owned hy Henry Stands, in the vicinity of the Sundy River.
The towuship was slow of settlement ; as late as 1810 not a grub was ent between North Industry vad Canton. The winter's snow bent down the bushes over the roadway, and prevented the passage of tho hugo wagons of that time.
Tho township is strongly Republican ; of two hundred and sixty votes, Que hun- dred and sixty are given to the dominant party. Pike had no post- office until 1855, when Joha Croft received an appointment under Pierce's administration, and showed his gratitude by bestowing tho nppointer's name upon the office.
During the war Pike Township was always ahead of her quota, und nover sont drafted inan to the field. Of two hundred aad forty-eight voters in 1802, ono hundred and forty wore in lho army. While the ono huudred days' men were out the township was stripped of men.
It may bo interesting to some to know that Rev. Hollowny, Methodlist, organ- ized Pike's first Sunday-school in the old log church. Jacob Miller was the first leailer of class. John Miller was the first oon version, and for twenty or more yenre was class-leniler iu the church.
The first session of common schools was held on March 14, 1853. Seven months' schools were voted, and a self-imposed taxation of half a mill on the dollar for their support.
Pitney Guest was justico of the penco, July 22, 1816, and Abraham Sheplar township olerk. The first recorded election took placo April 1, 1816, but n prior election had been held, since the towaship was organized from & purt of Canion Township, on March 6, 1815, aud tho first elcotion ordereil to be held at the house of Henry Borduer.
The second election, held at William Rider's, resulted in Abram Tout and Amos Ginney for trustees; Bazil Thompson, treasurer; James Chopin nud John Shutt, supervisurs; Harmon Vanderston and William Eckler, listers; Honry Mills and George Allman, constables; Jacob Anspaugh and Mathew Brothors, fence-riewers; and John Sherman und Henry Bordner, overseers of tho peor.
MEN OF PIKE WHO DIED FOR THE UNION.
B. T. Steiner, captain Co. D, 107th, shot at Octtysburg.
Jeremiah Holm, ordorly sorgeant Co. G, 107th, killed at Oettysburg.
William Iliekwan, sergeant Co. D, 107th, died at Washington.
tleorgo Reedy and William Holuy missing at Chancellorsville, and never heard of.
David Metzker, 76tb, died at Pilot Knob, Missouri. J. W. Smith, 76th, came homo and died.
Leonard Shroger, of tho 4th, Jacob Crawford, 26th battery, Jacob Au, Mosca Darr, David Tant, Henry Clark, Michael Kiefor, Roero Keel. Fifteen men in all.
CANTON TOWNSHIP.
To a great extent the history of the city pictures the county. A farmer at once needs supplies, and necessitates therolante; and the growth of Coaton evi- ilenees neighboring resources in abundance. Prior to this the reader has learned the names of the enrliest settlers, nad become familiar with cily and county progress.
Tho towaship is in lange 8 and Township 10. It consists of thirty-six sec- tions ; is well watered by the Nimisbillen and its tributaries, and is remarkable for a prevailing happy custom ef giving names te farms, nmorg which one hears of tho " Garden Grove," " Mivernl Ceal," " Mendew Rreok," and "Our Father's llowie."
The greater part of the carly settlers came from Pennsylvania, onil are of Oer- man doscent. A Germunn school was taught as early ws 1809, in a born duriog tho sumaer, at a furin une mile nad a half enst of Conten seltlement.
Two and three-fourth miles northwest of Canton, in the corner of the town- ship, is a fiao shoot of pure soft water, known as Myors's Lake, From it Canton obtains its water supply.
The Inke is ubout fifty feet above the city. To obtain greater power, a perma- Dent dam, with eighty feet overfati, was constructed ou West Nimishillen, with bead-lock and enpal one mile in length, to conduet the water to the pipe, and seoure a thirteen-foot fall upon lwo streng turbine- wheels, propelling two Holly rotary water-engines.
This gives a power warroated to throw six streams of ivater from as many hydrnots one hundred feet in the air, and is a reliance in case of fire. One lun- dred of these hyilrants are located on Canton street-crossings. To obtain a press- ure of eighty pounds to the square inch, hydraats are opened and the governor at the cagine-house: the large wheol-mores, and a strenw spurts upward from ono hundred to one hundred and fifty feet.
The Pittsburg, Fort Wayne nad Chiengo Railroad traverses tho township to the northwest, and many ronds frum every point of the compass centro towards the eity
Åbent 1838 na attompt was made by John Hurris to raise the mulberry for silk cutture, but it was unprofitable and soon abandoned. Small fruits are raised in considerable quantities by Thomas Lloyd, J. R. Mathews, J. Myers, Peter Chance, nnil otbers. T. Lloyd raised two hundred bushels of strawberries from less than nn acre of ground in the summer of 1874, and sold thew ut feur dollars per bushel. Six or eight coal-banks have been opened, und from them n portion of Cnnton's supply is obtained. Farming is of a miscellaneous churnetor, as all grains and fruits which will prove rumnaerativo are raiseil.
CITY OF CANTON.
Canton is beautifully situaled upon an eminence, in the midst of an extensivo plain ; itis one hundred nail twenty miles northeast of Columbus, nud lies between the forks of the Nimishillew. It was laid out in 1800 hy Bezaleel Wells, of Steu- henville, and the first house was erected in the summer of 1800.
The original plat, us recorded in the clerk's office in Columbiana Couoty, to which the territory then belonged, was bounded on the north by North Street; cust, by Enzt Alley ; south, by South Street; and on the west, by West Alley. Dis- putes arese concerning boundaries, and Mr. Wells, in 1823, had the plat recorded in the clerk's office in Contou, and, as explanatory, appended a uote, of which the following is an abstract: " Said proprietor declares that in laying out said lots, in order to cover any inaccuracies which might be made in mensurements, the chain used was a few inches lenger iban the exact length of a common sur- veyor's chain ; by which it appears that there is no excess in the size of the lots when they came to be subjected to strict mensurements ; and lastly, the said pro- prietor dees declare and make known that ho relinquished all elaims to said excess of grounil, nad desired that it tuny be considered as the property of the present owners of said lots respectively, and such was his originnl intention in laying out snid lets." The southwest block of lots were ilonated for a "grave- yard ;" the last bleek en Tuscarawas Street, south side, " for a house of worship ;" and the hloek opposite "for an academy or publio school." Neither of these lots is numbered in the originnl plat. The first building in Canton was on Market Street, east side, between Fourth and Fifth, on the lot owued by Isano Stripe. It was a log cabin, about eighteca feet square, creoted in the fall of 1806, by Gar- reti Crusca, for s tavern. It contained but one room, and had tire surall shed- additions; ono was used as a bedroom, aod the other as a eullar and store-house. The large room was appropriated for a bar, kitchen, dining- and sitting-room. The following summer, James F. Leoanrd erceted tho brick house staniling on the southwest cornor of Market and Seventh, which was the first builling of that material in the County. Vou Meter's saw-mill was running on the west branch of the Nimishillen, and furnished tho lumber for several framo buildings ereeteil during this season.
At this time the subject of n new county was agitated. Osnnhurg, five miles cast, land been luid out, aud got a start of Canton. Many offered sorions objee- tious to tho Intter place, beewuse of its location in lho " Plains," the supposed scarcity of building material, and the imaginod severity of the colil winds. A warm rivalry arose betweon the towns, Mr. Wolls, proprietor of Contou, had an excellent reputation, andl, having hoen a member of tho convention that frained the first constitution of Ohio, had an extended and powerful influence. This fiet, cuanected with a proposal to donato to the County ono hundred and fifty lots, influoneed the Commissioners to locate lho County sent nt Canton. From the salo of tho donated lots the County realized nhout five thousand dollars.
The first storo was opened in 1807, hy Abraham Kroft, in a small building, corner of Market nadl Fifth Streets. The goods were kept in a back room, and enstemers had to pass through tho front room, which was used in common ns a kitchen, dining- and bedroom. Tho slock was wagoned from l'ittsburg, and comprised only suoh articles as would likely be needod in a new country. John Shurh started the second store the same your, in the brick house built by Mr. Leonard. Next spring Shorb removed his atoro to n building ho had erected on tho lot now occupied by tho Eaglo Blouk. The prices of stuple articles nt that time wore us fullows: salt, three lo four dollars per bushel; nails, twenty-five conte per pound; window glass, 8 x 10, twelve and n half conts per light; coffee, fifty conts por pound; iron, twenty cents per pound ; and solo leather, fifty conts per pound. A post-office was established in 1808, and Samuel Coulter was ap- pointeil to attend to its duties. The only mail received was from the East, ou horseback, onco a week.
In 1834 a canal from Canton to Sandyville was chartered. It wns Thoughi a greut enterpriso, and roal estate adjacont sold onormously high. Tho caanl was oxenvated the entiro lougth of Walnut Stroot. The Nimishilleu, tapped near Rood's bridgo, was to bo hend feeder; hut a financial crisis ovorran tho country, the stockholders fnilod to pay installiuonts, tho work oonsod, aud iu time all traces of tho work bavo heoomo oblitoratod.
Tho first addition to the original plat of Canton was made by Heury Slus- ser, in 1836. In 1846, Cantou had a daily mail, which brought from six to twelve lottora and o few pupers, but no daily. Now, thore uro four mails each week-ilay ; two thousand lottore wailed aud roceived daily at the post-offico, and tiro thousand two hundred and thirty popors daily coch weck (not counting
papers printed in the Couaty, and papers received by newsdealers and Sabbath- schools). Four hundred and fifty dailies are received in the city. ·, The real growth of the town seemoil to commenco about 1850.
INCORPORATION OF CANTON.
Under un net of March 12, 1838, Canton was ro-incorporated, and divided into four wards. April i, John Myers was elected mayer ; Arnold Lynch, recorder ; Peter Kaufman, Mr. Boltz, Harmon Stidger, Arabulu Lind, Eli Sewers, George Breysncher, Daniel Gettshall, and John Slusser, the first trustees.
On the 17th of March, 1851, no not of Legislature organized the town of Canton as a city of the second class, aod the recoriler beenmo elerk. In April, 1852, B. F. Leiter was elected mayor ; J. B. Estep, recerder er clerk ; J. Hartman, trens. urer; and Jonathan Oldfield, marshal. A hundred additions have been accepteil by the City Council.
The population in 1840 was 2136; in 1850, 2740; in 1860, 4442; and in 1875, about 12,000. There are fourteen city churches, of which some history has boon given. The City Union School consists of high school, grammar school, feur ecoondaries, und fourteen primaries ; four school- houses and twenty-eight tenehers, exclusive of superintendent.
MANUFACTURING INTERESTS OF CANTON.
Ot tho many, we name a few as samples. Ballard, Fast & Co. organized in 1864. Makors of knives and sickles, seat-springs, and saws. Vuluation of shops. $200,000; annual labur account, $90,000; business done, $500,000.
Wrought Iron Bridgo Co. began existenco in 1805. Sinco then 1000 hridges of their make havo been erected Through the country. Their largest bridge is 910 feet long, Ovor 200 hands are employed. Vulnation of works, $225,000; labor necount, $40,000; business annually, over $500,000.
Rucher, Oibbs & Co. Imperial plow works, founded by J. Danpor & J. R. Bucher, in 1861. The first year 450 " Monitor" plows woro made and suhl. At present, 50 "Imperial" plows are mado daily. There are 50 hnode, whose wages are $35,000 : sales, $150,000; value of works, $60,000.
Ricehele's Soap Manufactory. Started 1849. Present capacity, 20,000 pounds of sonp por week and 1000 pounds of enndles.
Willis, Benskin & Co. Sash, door, and blinds. Started in 1869. Capacity to complete 2500 light of sash, 75 doors, and 60 pairs of blinds daily. Frem 10 to 20 hands.
Ball's Plew-Shops. Copital, $100,000. 5 moulders kept at work ; 25 plows turned out ivily ; valuation, $62,000.
Cnaton City Flour-Mills. Built ahout 1832; they are the oldest in the city. Will grind 12,000 barrels per year. Besides, there aro The Snow-Flake Mills, 10 barrels a day, and Buckeye Mills, 75 barrels every twenty-four hours.
C. Aultman & Co. manufacture mowers and thrashers. Their stock is worth $1,000,000. They employ 475 men, and in 1874 turned out 5000 reapers and inowers and 1100 ibrasbers.
C. Russell & Co. mannfacture reapers and mowers. Incorporated in 1870. Steck, $400,000 ; employ 150 hands; will turn out 3500 reupors this season.
Diebald, Norris & Co. Lock nod safe works. Employ 300 hands; capital in- vested, $250,000 ; annual sales, 81,000,000 ; average n safe an hour. The com- paoy mado for the Deposit Company, of San Francisco, California, the largest sufe in the ivorhil ; within it are 4600 burglar-proof safes.
It would require a volume thus briefly to notice all Stark's various industries. Commerce flourishes, all trades have developed as needed. For the sick, thore are thirteen physicians; for the litigious, there are eighteen attorneys to choose from, and othor professions necerdingly.
With her rich store ef neighboring mineral and agricultural resources, and her ensy exit for manufactured products, the future of Canton is unclouded.
PLAIN TOWNSHIP.
Ilugu Cunningham and family settled on tho northeast quarter of Section 34. Henry Friday, oue of Plain's first constables, settled near Myers's Lake; these came in 1805. In the spring of 1806, Jacob Loutzenheiser mored, with n cart and half a ilozen pack-horses, to Plain; left his fwwily with Cunningham till a cabin was built, then moved home and went lo work. Two or three weeks went by, when Mr. Leutzenhoiser snid te his wife, "Shenna bergers' have loaded ;" and sure enough another family had arrived from the Keystone State.
Settlers of 1806 were Christopher Palmer, George Miller, - Duffaw, Henry Warner, the Bairs, the Wastlers; these settted from the centro to the northeast parts of Plain.
In 1807 emne the Spielmens, the Oafts, the Warners, and Duvid Cunningham, who took lands in the southeast. The samo year, Jacob HIoslor, the Willamans, tho Weavers, and the Everbards settled near New Berlin, whoso site was owued by Peter Willuman. The village has considerable sizo; has schools, churches, and other requisites of n live, orderly place.
All first settlers wero "tavern-keepers," and necommodation was expected at any cabin, although sowe made a specialty of it, and boro tho nome.
'The first birth in Plain was a daughter to II. Cunningham; its life was brief, and its death the first. The second birth was that of Sarah Loutzenbeiser, Mnrel 5, 1807. The first man to ilie was a cabinet-makor, who lost his life by a falling tree.
Mr. Stevons, in tho fall of 1807, started tho first sohool in an old onbin ; ho hud nineteen scholars, mostly young men, who brought along their rifles to chance the killing of a deer on their way home.
In 1807, hy petition of Ilonry Everhard, the Cleveland road was sorroyed. A road called the "Friday road" ran from Manchester to Canton. Cross-roads were laid out as tho growing number of settlers was ablo to work them. The Luthernas and German Reformed wero the pioneer roligions scets. The first meeting for worship wns hold, in the fall of 1806, hy Elder Stough, at Jacob Loutzenheiser's. The first regular church was built on Wastler's land, and took from him the namo of " Hoary's Church." It was of logs, creeted in 1909, and used by Rers. Wier nnd Foust ; it was replaced by a frame, oreoted by David Ellor. Tho " Lion Church," in the northwest of Plain, was another point for the preachers anmed.
The "Dunkards" at that time hnd meetings in their houses; but few of them remain. A. Vonmeter built the first saw- and " chopping mill" in the full of 1806; it was but a light peu, and was swept away by the spring freshet. The next mill, by G. A. Rox, began work in the summer of 1810. Ilis burrs were the first brought into the County ; it was in 1812 that they wero convoyed from Georgetown here, al n oust of eight hundred dollars, and gave his mill an excellent reputation anul liberal patronago from twouty miles away. Henry Evorhard's mill, to which bo had a road survoyed nud laid, was built in 1811. Mills wero the principal things those days; other things could be got along with by pationt home-work.
John Andrews gathered a few skins, principally of tho deer, and tanned them in his enbin, und so took the lead in that industry. A regular tunnery, by Abram Holm, wus started in 1820, in the nortboost cornor of tho township.
The first tax, levied in 1807, was collected by John Bowors, and the money carried to Columbinun County.
Quartor sections which, in 1812, yielded a tax of one dollar and soventy - fivo cents, now return the treasury over eighty dollars.
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The first rogular storo wna kept at the Rex Mill, by Jacob Holm, In 1812 or 18131 who had quite an assortment of all necessary articles. Adam Wiso kept a store ut Middlo Branch about 1819, aud Mr. Schick had a storo and post-effico nt New Berlin, and these were all tho stores in tho township.
Overseors of tho poor had little to do; but ouo poupor was over sold, and she soon died. Poor families, of doubtful ability in the line of self-support, wero ordered to " keep moving." Township offices were hold ne posts of honor, and little, if any, charges wero minde for services.
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