Fifty years and over of Akron and Summit County : embellished by nearly six hundred engravings--portraits of pioneer settlers, prominent citizens, business, official and professional--ancient and modern views, etc.; nine-tenth's of a century of solid local history--pioneer incidents, interesting events--industrial, commercial, financial and educational progress, biographies, etc., Part 103

Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department
Number of Pages: 1228

USA > Ohio > Summit County > Akron > Fifty years and over of Akron and Summit County : embellished by nearly six hundred engravings--portraits of pioneer settlers, prominent citizens, business, official and professional--ancient and modern views, etc.; nine-tenth's of a century of solid local history--pioneer incidents, interesting events--industrial, commercial, financial and educational progress, biographies, etc. > Part 103

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

REMOVAL TO CLEVELAND .- About this time, too, the question began to be mooted, among the alumni and the trustees residing in that city, about removing the college to Cleveland, the argument being that its location in so populous a city would bring to it an infinitely greater pupilage than could possibly be secured in a rural village like Hudson, and a wealth of money and influence that alone could make it what it should be, a first-class university. Responsive to this suggestion, a wealthy resident of Cleveland, Mr. Amasa Stone, made a formal offer to the trustees to donate to the college $500,000 (as a memorial offering to his deceased son, Adelbert), on condition that the college should be removed to. Cleveland, and its name changed to "Adelbert College of Western Reserve University ;" Mr. Stone, afterwards, also, providing in his will for a bequest of $100,000 additional.

HUDSON PEOPLE JUSTLY INDIGNANT .- To this proposition- munificent as was the offer-the people of Hudson and vicinity entered a most earnest and righteous protest. Established in times that truly "tried men's souls," and pockets, too, and maintained for over half a century amid the most appalling difficulties and perplexities, now that old Western Reserve College, of Hudson- well and favorably known everywhere-was really in the height of its usefulness, with all needed buildings and appurtenances, and

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COLLEGE REMOVED TO CLEVELAND.

requiring only a moderate degree of liberality on the part of its many weathy alumni, to secure to it perpetual future success, it seemed to them little less than sacrilege to not only remove the institution to another locality, but also to absolutely blot out the very name by which it had been so long and so affectionately and reverently known.

CAPTAIN JAMES H. SEYMOUR, -born in Colebrook, Connecti- cut, July 16, 1842; came with parents to Hudson, Ohio, in 1851; attended Hudson public schools, and Western Reserve College Preparatory School four years; 1858 to 1860, traveling salesman for his father in wholesale cracker business ; September 4, 1861, enlisted in regimental band of 2d O. V. C .; discharged by general order No. 91, war department, September 4, 1862; tendered commission in 12th O. V. C., but, being needed at home, declined the appointment; commis- sioned first lieutenant in O. N. G., in 1864, by Governor Brough, and while in camp in Cleveland, promoted to captain ; same year entered U. S. ser- vice in Q. M. department, at Duvall's Bluff, Arkansas; detailed as clerk and given charge of transportation on White and Mississippi rivers, and the military railroad between Duvall's Bluff and Little Rock; also, by appointment of Ohio State Commis- sion, superintended taking vote of troops and employes, in October 1864, soon after which the sudden death of his father necessitated his resigna- tion and return to Hudson ; engaging in the grocery and provision busi- ness, he was often elected a member of village council; served fourteen years as village clerk, fifteen years on board of education, fourteen years as cemetery trustee and treasurer, and otherwise devoted himself to the public welfare, being a charter mem-

CAPTAIN JAMES H. SEYMOUR.

ber of Sherman Post, No. 68, G. A. R., post commander eight years, and post adjutant seven years, with still higher honors in the order, both State and. National. In 1887, was elected treasurer of Summit county, and re-elected in 1889, serving four years. Captain Seymour was married July 24, 1865, to Miss Louisa Coe, of Hud- son, who died April 18, 1887, leaving one daughter-Anna C .; was again married, April 9, 1888, to Miss Martha L. Webb, of Springfield, who has borne him two children-Marian and Ruth.

THE DEED ACCOMPLISHED .- After many meetings and much tempestuous discussion, however, the majority of the trustees voted to accept Mr. Stone's proposition and the transfer was made in 1882. President Cutler, by virtue of his presidential incumbency in the old, continued at the head of the new institution, in addition to his presidential duties filling the Handy Chair of Intellectual Philosophy, and continuing in charge of the financial and business affairs of the University. After fifteen years of faithful service as president, with the added duties, devolved upon him, as indicated, President Cutler resigned the presidency and business cares at the close of the college year, in 1886, and assumed for a time the duties of teacher in the Handy professorship, above alluded to.

After an interregnum of nearly a year and a half, Rev. H. C. Haydn, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Cleveland, was elected to the presidency of the college in November, 1887. President Haydn after three years of faithful service, was succeeded

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AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

by Charles F. Thwing, D. D., who was inaugurated February 9, 1891, the new institution thus far (November, 1891) notwithstanding its more imposing title, and its more pretentious location, scarcely more than holding its own, in point of yearly attendance and graduations, with the venerable institution which it despoiled of its fair name and time-honored heritage.

HUDSON STILL A LITERARY CENTER .- The arrangements, as finally consummated, for the removal of the college, proper, to Cleveland, provided for the retention and occupation of the build- ings, fixtures, apparatus, etc., at Hudson, as a Preparatory School, under the title of "Western Reserve Academy," in which capacity, under the direction of the trustees of "Adelbert College of West- ern Reserve University," and with Professor Newton B. Hobart, as principal, and James S. Chamberlain, John Dickerman, Gillette Wynkoop and Miss Nanna Barclay, as instructors, it is still one of the very best academic institutions in the Western country, not only as preparatory to a college course of study, but as affording an opportunity to those not contemplating entering college, to acquire a thorough practical education, especial facilities being offered to those intending to follow the profession of teaching- both ladies and gentlemen. Average number of pupils 75. The old Western Reserve College buildings, now occupied as above, consist of a chapel, observatory, Athanæum, the north, middle and south college buildings and five dwelling houses. The village of Hudson has also a high school and four primary schools, under the superintendency of Mr. C. F. Seese; scholars in former, 36; in latter, 220.

THE COLOR LINE-CO-EDUCATION .- Western Reserve College, like all similar institutions of that early day, without any express regulation upon that subject, was supposed to be intended for white male students, only, though in point of fact, without any formal official action upon the question, colored students were from time to time admitted-one as early as 1832, who went through the regular college course of four years, graduating with honors, and spending one year in the theological department.

Previous to the accession of President Cutler, in 1871, the question of co-education of the sexes had been largely discussed in other colleges, and though as yet no applications of that nature had been made at Western Reserve, in his inaugural address, in 1872, President Cutler announced that women would be admitted to the privileges of the college on the same conditions as men, a number of young ladies afterwards being in attendance, both at Western Reserve and Adelbert.

But, in the year of Grace, 1887, in casting about for the cause of the declension of the college, since its removal to Cleveland, in spite of its wealthy and aristocratic environments, and its munifi- cent endowments, it was concluded that woman was the "Jonah" who was sinking the magnificent ship, and at the annual commence- ment in 1888, the trustees formally decided against co-education, but established a Ladies' Department, and so far as the writer is advised the affairs of the college are now harmonious and pros- perous.

HUDSON AS A RAILROAD CENTER .- In 1836, a charter was obtained for the construction of the Cleveland & Pittsburg road, through Hudson, but by reason of the immediate breaking down

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EARLY RAILROAD PROJECTS.

of the finances of the country, by the panic of 1837, the charter lapsed, before work was begun upon the line. A renewal of the charter was obtained in 1845, and the work was proceeded with, the people of Hudson subscribing liberally, in lands, for right of way, money, etc., the road being finally completed from Cleveland to Hudson in the winter of 1851-52.

`HARLES C. HINE,-son of Hial C M. and Mary (Pease) Hine, was born in Twinsburg, May 1, 1842 ; edu- cated in district schools and at Twins- burg Institute; raised a farmer ; October 8, 1867, was married to Miss Ellen M. Farrar, of Hudson, and located on a farm in that township the same Fall. In politics, Mr. Hine is an ardent Republican and active in all public affairs, having served as trustee of Hudson township for eight consecutive years. In October, 1885, Mr. Hine was elected county commis- sioner, entering upon his duties the following December; was re-elected in 1888, and is still (October, 1891), ably and intelligently filling that responsible position. Mr. and Mrs. Hine are the parents of one daughter, only-Florence Farrar Hine, born May 9, 1876.

JENEDICS

FCOCHA.

CHARLES C. HINE.

Meantime, the people of Hudson, Cuyahoga Falls and Akron had projected the "Akron Branch," now the Cleveland, Akron & Columbus railroad, on an amendment to the charter of the first named road, to which road, completed to Akron, in 1852, Hudson was also a liberal contributor. . The completion of these roads so favorably affected the business and agricultural interests of Hud- son, that they came to believe that they couldn't have "too much of a good thing," and were, consequently, more than ready to enter into any new project that seemed to give promise of increasing the boom that was then beginning to be felt in the business, industrial and educational departments of the town. Accordingly, when the "Clinton Line Railroad" from Hudson east to the Pennsyl- vania State line, which was to be one of the links of "The Great American Railway," from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific, was organized, in 1852, the people of Hudson were among its most active promoters, Professor Henry N. Day, of Western Reserve College, becoming its president, and very largely assuming its management, to the stock and right of way of which the people of Hudson unstintedly contributed. So, also, to the "Clinton Line Extension" link, from Hudson to Tiffin, organized in 1853, also under the presidency of Professor Day, and with Hon. Van R. Humphrey as principal trustee, like liberal investments were made in lands and money, by the people of Hudson. The "Hud- son & Painesville" project also, designed to be a continuation of the "Akron Branch" direct to Lake Erie, organized in 1853, with Judge Humphrey as its president, was also generously promoted by Hudson's public spirited inhabitants.

These three projects, in the furtherance of which Hudson had literally turned her pockets inside out, were simultaneously and

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AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

vigorously prosecuted for about two years, the official reports for 1855 showing that forty per cent. of the grading, bridging and masonry upon the Clinton Line had been done; that about $70,000 had been expended upon the eastern division of the Clinton Line Extension (chiefly between Hudson and Ghent), while a large proportion of the work upon the Hudson & Painesville had also been completed.

Expenditures exceeding estimates, monetary affairs tighten- ing down, together with the difficulty of raising additional local subscriptions, or even collecting maturing installments upon those already made, necessitated the suspension of work on all the roads named, early in 1856. While most of the impoverished con- tributors have gradually recovered from the financial embarrass- ments resulting therefrom, the three roads in question have since remained in statu quo, the lands on which they were located hav- ing mostly, if not all, reverted to the original owners; though there are semi-occasional rumors to the effect that, sometime in the near future, the visions which absorbed the attention and the wealth, of the good people of Hudson, a third of a century, ago, may yet be realized, by the resuscitation and completion of some, if not all, the roads in question.

HUDSON'S BUSINESS STATUS.

Primarily, the business of the township is bucolic-almost literally so-for while her thousands of fertile acres are capable of growing all the various cereals and vegetables, and the very best of fruits adapted to this climate, her most reliable and profitable industry has hitherto been stock-growing and the dairy, though we are pleased to note that within the past year many fine fields of wheat have been harvested in the township.

And, in this connection, it may be well to note the changes that a third of a century has wrought in the mode of handling and marketing the products of the dairy, in Hudson and other towns traversed by railroads, and contiguous to that modern lacteal institution, the cheese factory. Instead of being worked up by the old hit-or-miss process of setting curds, the uncertain pressure of the rickety old style hand press, and the manipulation of ye . ancient dashing and splashing hand-churn, and disposing of their unevenly made products to the local tradesman in exchange for merchandise at barter prices, hundreds of gallons of milk are now daily shipped to Cleveland from this single township, affording a small but steady cash margin to the producer, while other hun- dreds of gallons are daily taken to contiguous clieese and butter factories, at generally living prices, to be worked up, by uniform and scientific processes, into merchantable cheese and palatable butter.

Through the kindness of S. Straight & Co., we were furnished in 1887 with a statement of their cheese and butter operations for the year 1886, which, as showing Hudson's approximate interest in the matter we condense as follows: Of the three regular cheese and butter factories in Hudson, proper, one conducted by Messrs. Straight & Co., and one each by M. D. Call and W. A. Curtiss (the latter operated by McNeil & Cassidy), all, probably, doing about an equal amount of business, the previous year (1886), the Straight factory bought 1,226,254 pounds of milk, at the cost of

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HUDSON'S EARLY BUSINESS MATTERS.

$11,397.50 producing 101,387 pounds of cheese and 26,465 pounds of butter. According to Messrs. Call and McNeil & Cassidy, an equal amount of business, we have an aggregate of 3,678,762 pounds of milk, selling for $34,102.50, and producing 304,161 pounds of cheese and 79,395 pounds of butter. That year (1886) the milk industry reached its lowest point of depression in ten years, the average being fully 25 per cent. above the figures given, so that, with the Sweitzer cheese factory of Mr. John Mack and the ship- inent of milk to Cleveland, the total yearly average of that industry in Hudson would not fall much, if any, short of $50,000.

EARLY MANUFACTURES .- The first grist-mill, nearer than the Valley of the Ohio, accessible to the early settlers of Hudson, was at Newburg, erected in 1800, and access to this, through the dense forest, and over unbridged streams, was both difficult and danger- ous. The distance was but 22 miles, but three days' time-one in going, one in waiting for the grist and one in returning-were consumed in performing the journey. The first wheat harvested in the township was by Thaddeus Lacey, 183 bushels, on the nine acres planted for Mr. Hudson, on lot eleven, in 1799, Mr. Lacey receiving one fourth of the product for harvesting and threshing. Of the. remaining three-fourths, Mr. Hudson's share was about 34 bushels, the remainder going to his co-proprietors. Of this wheat, Samuel Bishop took a load to the Newburg mill, receiving one-half of the flour, feed, etc., for his trouble.

But Mr. Hudson had thoughtfully included in his orders for supplies a small pair of mill stones and, in 1801, in connection with Ezra Wyatt, commenced the erection of a mill on Tinker's Creek, in the northeastern portion of the township, Aaron Norton taking Mr. Wyatt's place in the enterprise before the mill was completed ; a distillery also being established in connection with the mill by Messrs. Hudson & Norton, both being completed in 1802, but a year or so later both were destroyed by fire. Captain Heman Oviatt and George Darrow also erected and for several years, both before and after the close of the War of 1812, carried on quite extensive distilleries in Hudson, it being found that the Indians were not the only persons fond of fire-water, even among the generally staid and sober pioneer settlers of Hudson. Several saw-mills were erected on the different streams running through the township and a number of tanneries were also established, the first that of Owen Brown, father of the immortal John Brown, of Harper's Ferry fame, that hero, himself, also working at the business for a number of years. The ashery business also, during the clearing up of the forests, was a prominent business of the town, the products, black salts, potash, pearlash, etc., finding a market in Pittsburg, Cleveland, Buffalo, etc.

EARLY HOTELS, MERCHANTS, ETC .- For several years every house in Hudson was a house of entertainment, the private latch- string always hanging out for the accommodation of the stranger and the traveler, though at quite an early day Captain Heman Oviatt formally opened his log cabin, a mile south of the village, as a house of public entertainment. The first regular inn, within the limits of the township, however, was the large frame house of Deacon David Hudson, a short distance north of the public square, opened to the public in 1813-the same house now occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Harvey Baldwin, and in which, when a girl in her

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AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

teens, she officiated as bar-maid and general assistant to her good mother, in the conduct of the house and in caring for the guests. In 1816, George Kilbourn opened a tavern on the Justin Kilbourn place ; about 1825 Augustus Baldwin opened a hotel on the site of the present Buss residence, and about 1833, the Mansion House, which still survives, was built, its first landlord being Samuel Edgerly, father of Mr. Charles H. Edgerly and Mrs. Sarah M. E. Battels, wife of Akron's well-known photographer Mr. B. F. Battels. This house has had many proprietors during the nearly sixty years. of its existence, and though at times, perhaps, a trifle too liberal in the dispensation of intoxicants, to suit the abstemious notions of the average Hudsonian, has generally been regarded as a good house by the traveling public, its present owner and keeper, 1891, being Mr. A .. A. Edson. The Hotel Delta, recently established on Peninsula road, opposite depot, is kept by Mr. Henry A. Bissell.

The first store was kept by Captain Heman Oviatt, in his log cabin, one mile south of the center, trade being mostly with Indians, exchanging blankets, shawls, powder, lead, whiskey, etc., for skins, which were transported on horses to Pittsburg, and his- stock replenished by the same mode of conveyance, from that city. In 1806 he removed to the center, where he did a lucrative business for many years, afterwards entering into partnership with Mr. Zenas Kent (father of Hon. Marvin Kent, of Kent), and opening a store at Ravenna; also being interested with Mr. Allison Kent, at Canfield, and Mr. Roswell Kent, at Middlebury.

As illustrating the mode of doing business in the absence of money, in those early days, the following document copied from the records of Portage county is reproduced :

"Received, Hudson, December 6th, 1800, of David Hudson, a certain three-year-old black cow which I am to keep for her milk until the first day of May next, and at that time return to said Hudson at his dwelling house, in good flesh unless said cow is- killed by lightning; or in case I do not return said cow on that day, I am to pay for said cow in good merchantable, yard-wide linen brown cloth at 331/3 cents per yard. The cow to remain Hudson's property until returned or paid for as above. The cow is valued at $14. Signed,

STEPHEN UPSON.

"EBENEZER SHELDON, Witnesses."

"GEORGE KILBOURN,

We can only give the names of a few of those who have carried on business in Hudson during the 91 years of its existence-the- many not even having an abiding place in the memory of the- present "oldest inhabitant." Besides those mentioned, Augustus and Frederick Baldwin, Dudley Humphrey, J. H. Crawford & Co., Hill & James, Kent & Brewster, Hamlin & Dawes, Anson A. Brewster, Hamlin & Ellsworth, Ellsworth & Buss, Hamlin & Buss, Buss & Bond, Hart Brothers, John Buss, Sawyer, Ingersoll & Co., D. Marshall & Co., J. C. Snyder, I. C. Dow, Morrell & Ingersoll, Win .. M. Beebe, H. R. Seymour, M. Dewey & Co., Farrar & King, O. W. Farrar, N. V. Wadsworth, John Markilie, Richard Hanson & Sons, Neibel & Cooper, Jacob Neibel, James H. Seymour, D. D. Beebe, Dr. A. E. Berbower, James K. Frost, John M. Seidell, etc., are remembered among Hudson's former business men, mercantile, mechanical and otherwise.

839

HUDSON'S BUSINESS REVERSES.

THE BOOM AND THE COLLAPSE .- The advent of the C. & P. and Akron Branch Railroads, and the projection of the several other railroad schemes elsewhere mentioned, in the early fifties, stimu- lated enterprise in other directions and the town and village entered upon an era of speculative improvements commensurate with its prospective importance as a great railroad center.

It was already the literary center of Northern Ohio, and why should it not become the business emporium also? Professor Henry N. Day, of the college, having some cash capital of his own, as well as having many capitalistic friends, built the large five-sided brick block, on Aurora street, known as the "Pentagon," in which, besides a number of mercantile operations, a large printing and book publishing house was established, with all the paraphernalia of presses, types, stereotyping, book-binding, etc., requisite for successful competition with the best Eastern houses, if business could be found to sustain it.

About this time, also, a large planing mill and lumber yard was established, near the depot, by J. W. Smith & Co., one of the mercantile firms of the Pentagon, for the purpose of supplying and working up the large amount of building material to meet the requirements of the boom. A large steam flouring inill was built and put in operation a little west of the present union passenger depot, by Henry A. Tallmadge and ex-Sheriff Lewis M., Janes, afterwards transferred to ex-Sheriff Thomas Wilson, but a few years later was destroyed by fire; large butter, cheese and produce warehouses were established, near the old depot by J. C. Snyder and I. C. Dow, and, altogether, Hudson was decidedly a live business . town for the period of about three years from 1853 to 1856.

The collapse of the three railroad schemes-the "Clinton Line," the "Clinton Line Extension" and the "Hudson & Painesville," in 1855, '56, also brought disaster to all the enterprises named, the Hudson Book Company making an assignment with liabilities greatly in excess of its assets, and J. W. Smith & Co., the Lumber Company, J. C. Snyder, I. C. Dow and Tallmadge & Co., going under with liabilities aggregating hundreds of thousands of dollars, also very seriously crippling many of the other business operators of the village, who had built upon the bright future presaged by the boom alluded to.

GRADUAL RECUPERATION .- Though for several years the depres- sion in the business circles of Hudson was very great, and though, in the intervening years, some serious mercantile disasters have occurred, the town has gradually assumed, and now maintains the average of the Western Reserve village of 1,000 to 1,200 inhabitants.

The population of Hudson township and village, in 1840, was 1,220, while the total of township and village as shown by the census of 1880 was 1,816, a gain of 597-nearly 50 per cent. in the forty years-notwithstanding the many reverses alluded to, the census of 1890 placing the figures at 1,797-a falling off of 20-the village itself numbering 1,143 souls.

The past third of a century, however, has wrought vast changes in the methods of doing business, as witnesses the account given elsewhere of the milk product of Hudson township. As an incident to, and a necessity of, this change of method, Messrs. S. Straight & Co. having come into possession of the. Pentagon property, fitted it up as headquarters for the immense cheese and

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AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

butter business established by them in 1867, embracing in 1887, fourteen factories in Hudson and contiguous townships.

In addition to the shelving capacity of the Pentagon block itself (about 15,000 cheeses) building 60x60 foot two story brick curing house, with basement, with shelving for 12,000 cheeses, and storage capacity for 250,000 pounds of butter, with ice house, air tubes, fan, engine, elevator, and all the necessary paraphernalia for handling, preserving, packing and marketing the immense yearly product of the several factories named. As showing the magni- tude of this interest, the firm report the aggregate business of their fourteen factories in 1886 as follows: Milk bought, 8,392,797 pounds; cost $65,782.62; cheese made, 700,227 pounds; butter made, 171,669 pounds, though we are informed that within the past year or two, Mr. Straight has sold the majority of his factories to other parties.

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Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905 Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department Number of Pages: 1228

Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department
Number of Pages: 1228