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 122

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 122

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).

A RIEL BRADLEY,-Springfield's

first settler, was born in Salis- bury, Connecticut, December 30, 1768 ; common school education ; raised a farmer; married September 27, 1792, to Chloe Lane, of Killingworth, Con- necticut, born October 22, 1770. In 1800, came to Ohio, via the Southern route, over the Allegheny mountains, being over a month on the journey, arriving in Canfield, now in Mahoning county, in June; in March, 1806, moved into a cabin on the Kent farm in Suffield, the same Fall buying a quar- ter section in Range 10, Tract 8, Town 1, Lot 11, on the east line of what is now Springfield township, a portion of which is still occupied by his grandson, Mr. James Bradley, his house, occupied in March, 1807, being the first erected in that township. Mr. and Mrs. Bradley were among the most thrifty and highly respected of the pioneer inhabitants of the West- ern Reserve. They had eight chil- dren-James Lane, born November 25, 1793; John Anson, January 3, 1796 ; Phœbe Marille, March 18, 1798; Robert Edgar, March 23, 1800 ; Harlow Robert, November 20, 1802; Heman Allen, December 15, 1804; Ariel Bird, May 4, 1811; Amelia Emma, December 1,

ARIEL BRADLEY.

1815, the first four born in Connecti- cut, the last four in Ohio, all of whoni, good and honored citizens in life, are now deceased. Mrs. Bradley died in 1848, aged 78 years; Mr. Bradley, whose portrait, taken at the age of 85, is given herewith, dying in April, 1857, at the age of 89 years.

It will be impossible to give the advent, and trace the individ- ual histories of all the early settlers in Springfield within the limits of this chapter, even if the data for the same was now avail- able. They were of mixed nationality and descent, as the names, in addition to those given, will indicate, among them being Abraham DeHaven, William Foster, Samuel Wood, James Mc- Knight, George Vallandigham,, Thomas Metlin, Rev. Thomas Beers, James McCormick, Samuel, John, Jehu and David Ellet, John Crotzer, Peter, Almeron, Lester and Thomas Norton, Pat- rick and Archie Christy, Robert Clark, George McGrew, Joseph Scott, Jacob Winters, James Wirtz, Samuel Hinston, Joseph D. Baird, Francis Irvin, John and Francis Weston, Timothy Holcomb, Deacon Ewart, etc .; not altogether "Pennsylvania Dutchmen," as stated by a former local historian. George Vallandigham, or "Col."

981

ORGANIZATION, POPULATION, ETC.

Vallandigham as he was called, was for many years quite a prom- inent character of the township, and was uncle to to the after- wards notorious Clement L. Vallandigham, (a native of Colum- biana county), who, in his younger days was.well known to many of the people of the towship as a frequent visitor at the house. of his uncle George.

JOHN HALL, 2ND,-born in Penn- sylvania, February 17, 1791 ; edu- cation limited; raised on farm; in 1807, came to Ohio, settling on an uncleared farm half a mile east of Springfield Center, "2nd" being added to his name, because of an elder cousin of that name in same neighborhood. In January, 1815, was married to Miss Jane Shields, of Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, who came to Ohio in 1812. They had nine children-Rebecca, born May 14, 1816, married to Robert G. Boyd, of Marion, February 8, 1841, died August 25, 1888; Jane Jackson, born February 10, 1818, married to Jacob Thompson, March 18, 1847, now a widow in Akron; Margaret Shields, born December 29, 1819, married to Jacob Ream, Novem- ber 29, 1838, died October 3, 1854; Eliza, born March 2, 1822, married to John M. Boyd, of Marion, January 1, 1846, now, a widow in Akron ; David, born April 28, 1824, died in 1851; Mary Boyd, born July 7, 1826, married to Henry Thomas, April 8, 1850, now in Akron ; John J., born July 27, 1828, married to Cynthia A. Jones, April 13, 1854, now a prominent attorney in Akron ; Harriet Newell, born Septem- ber 16, 1832, now, unmarried, residing in Akron; Sallie M., born June 11, 1835, married to Matthias Harter, Octo- ber 16, 1855, now living in Akron. Mr. Hall was a zealous advocate of riglit

JOHN HALL, 2ND.

and justice-organized the first tem- perance society in Springfield, while his house was a prominent station on the " Underground Railway," during the dark days of American Slavery. Mr. Hall died, in Marion, March 28, 1876, aged 85 years, 1 month and 11 days, Mrs. Hall dying September 17, 1876, aged 82 years, 5 months and 16 days.

ORGANIZATION, GROWTH, ETC .- In April, 1808, the township of Springfield, in connection with Tallmadge, Suffield and Randolph, was organized. The trustees then elected were, John Goss, of Randolph; Stephen Upson, of Tallmadge; and Benjamin Baldwin, of Springfield. The first justice of the peace for the territory named was Benjamin Baldwin, entering upon his official duties, March 13, 1809. The precise date of the organization of Spring- field, as a distinct township, is not now ascertainable.

Settlement was quite rapid, so that by the year 1830, the town- ship must have contained nearly, if not quite, 1,500 inhabitants, the census of 1840 giving the population, including that portion embraced in the village of Middlebury, at 1,663; the census of 1880 giving the total number of inhabitants, exclusive of the territory named, at 2,332, which is a much larger increase for the 40 years, than the average townships of the county, or of the Reserve. The succeeding ten years, however, didn't make quite so good a show- ing, the census of 1890, placing the population at 1,966, a falling off of 366.

982

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

TOPOGRAPHY, RESOURCES, ETC .- Springfield is what might be- termed gently rolling, with no very steep hills or precipitous gullies,. though traversed by several considerable streams-the Little Cuy -- ahoga river across its entire northern end, and the Tuscarawas- athwart the southwest corner, and several other smaller streams, together with a fine body of water, some three miles in circumfer -- ence, known as Springfield Lake, at the exact geographical center- of the town. This lake, supposed to be supplied from subterranean

sources, was not only originally a tributary of the Little Cuyahoga river, but has, for the past fifty years, been a reliable feeder of the- race that supplies the Akron mills with water, the mill owners- having the legal authority to raise the water six feet above, and lower it four feet below, the normal level. Though in places very deep, with a very soft bottom, the statement of a former writer that it cannot be fathomed is probably without adequate foun -- dation.

R OBERT L. EWART, - born in Springfield, now in Summit county, March 18, 1812, and is the oldest living native, and one of the very first white children born in the township ; educated in the pioneer log school house, and bred a farmer, which vocation he has always fol- lowed. March 10, 1836, Mr. Ewart was married to Miss Mary Ann McKnight, of Springfield, who survived their marriage a year or two, only. June 18, 1839, Mr. Ewart was again married, to Miss Martha Lemmon, of North- field, who died June 6, 1857, leaving three children-Joseph C., now a prominent manufacturer in Akron, whose portrait and biography appear elsewhere; Jennie A., now Mrs. Jona- than Sprague, of Marysville, Noda- way county, Missouri, and William L., now a successful fruit grower and horticulturist in Springfield. March 4, 1858, Mr. Ewart was again married, to Mrs. E. A. B. McCain, of Suffield, Portage county, who has borne him one son-Francis M., now operating the home farm, in Springfield. Though not a place-seeker, Mr. Ewart has always taken an enlightened interest in public affairs, and given

ECG CHI

ROBERT L. EWART. .

a ready and cheerful support to all of the patriotic, educational and moral enterprises of his native township,. and of the county, state and nation.

Besides being, in all respects, a first rate agricultural town -. ship, producing the very finest crops of wheat and other cereals,- fruits, horses, cattle, sheep, swine, poultry, etc., the streams alluded to have furnished, in the past, and yet continue to furnish, a num- ber of most excellent mill sites, which have been of inestimable value to the people, while several coal mines have also been profit -. ably worked within the past twenty-five or thirty years.

But Springfield's most prolific source of industry and wealth,. has been, and continues to be, its inexhaustible beds of potters' clay, giving employment to hundreds of men, and producing millions of gallons of fine and common stoneware, annually.

PIONEER PRIVATIONS, INDIANS, ETC .- At the time Springfield first began to be settled, flour and other family supplies were very

983

INDIANS AND OTHER PIONEER MATTERS.

scarce, and procurable only from a great distance, so that the pioneers had to largly depend upon the wild game of the forest and the fish in the streams and lakes for subsistence, until they could raise crops and the various domestic animals of their own for food. And even the right to this wild game was largely dis- puted for several years by the Indians that still lingered in the neighborhood, though having parted with their title to the lands and streams nearly a quarter of a century before.

Though it does not appear that any very serious difficulties occurred between the two races, the whites, except when in pretty close proximity to each other, had very natural fears for their safety, particularly at night. It is related that because of this feel- ing, John and James Hall, of more than ordinary courage, the first Summer of their stay in Springfield, used to sleep in their corn- field at night-one watching while the other slept-rather than remain in their cabin. As neighbors accumulated this timidity gradually wore off, and finally ended entirely with the departure of the red-skins to ally themselves with the British Army in the War of 1812.

COL. JOHN C. HART, - born in Cornwall, Connecticut, April 17, 1798; at four years of age removed with parents to Genessee county, New York, and in May, 1815, to Middle- bury, Ohio ; at 15 enlisted in a cavalry company, at Rochester, and was in the battles at Chippewa and Lundy's Lane and at the burning of Buffalo, in the War of 1812; afterwards raised a regiment of cavalry in and about Middlebury of which he was inade colonel; bred a farmer, with but limited education ; at 21 went South, rafting on Ohio river and working in saw-mill and brick yard near St. Louis; on return home purchased farm south of Middlebury, which he cleared and successfully cultivated for many years, later largely engag- ing in buying and selling stock, dealing in real estate, loaning money, etc. February 24, 1831, Col. Hart was married to Miss Margaret A. Sterling, who bore him six children-George W., retired farmer, Cuyahoga Falls, born July 12, 1832; John S., farmer, Akron, born November 5, 1833; Charles S., insurance agent, Akron, born December 23, 1835; Esther Eliza- beth, born February 13, 1838, died March 15, 1841 ; Hiram Johnson, born May 5, 1840, died September 11, 1869, from disease contracted in army as

COL. JOHN C. HART. 1

member of 19th O. V. I .; and Frances Augusta, now Mrs. Clinton Ruckel, of Portage township. Mrs. Hart dying May 17, 1869, Mr. H. was again married, to Mrs.Mary Sterling,Decem- ber 25, 1870, who still survives, Mr. Hart dying August 20, 1880, aged 82 years, 4 months and 3 days.

One incident, connected with the exodus, is worth relating here. From the mysterious movements of the Greentown Indians, preparatory to leaving, in June, 1812, it was believed that they were about to raid the white settlements, and massacre the inhab- itants. The alarm spread from township to township, and from settlement to settlement, and immediate steps were taken to place the women and children beyond danger, and prepare for defense.

984

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

Springfield's place of refuge was a block-house, standing on the farm of James McKnight, father of Francis McKnight, still, at the age of 88 years, living hale and hearty upon the same farm, in the middle eastern portion of the township. But instead of making the expected attack, the Indians, like the proverbial Arab, "quietly folded their tents and silently stole away," thenceforth, so far as Springfield and contiguous townships were concerned, leav- ing the people in security and peace. But after the scare was all over, it was discovered that Mrs. Henry Chittenden, living on what is now the Brittain farm, was, with three young children, entirely overlooked, her husband having gone back to Connecticut to bring his father and mother to his new home. Mr. and Mrs. Chittenden were the parents of Mrs. Dr. E. W. Howard, of Akron, the three little ones, thus imperilled with their mother, having all died before Mrs. Howard was born.

JOSEPH MOORE,-son of John and Nancy (Goff) Moore, was born in Lake township, Stark county, Decem- ber 6, 1815; educated in district schools, and raised on farm; July 3, 1832, moved with father's family to Springfield, teaching school, near Greentown, during the winter of 1832, '33 ; followed farming in Spring- field until 1868, when he removed to Akron, still superintending his farm, conducted by a tenant, for several years. Mr. Moore was for several years a director of Summit County Agricultural Society ; has been the Second Ward assessor of personal property eleven years, and city school enumerator seven years. In 1887, he was elected a director of the County Infirmary, discharging the duties of that important office, with such fidelity, that he was re-elected in 1890, for another term of three years, being now president of the board ; January 4, 1837, Mr. Moore was married to Miss Sarah Fulkerson, of Springfield, born in that township, November 30, 1818. They are the parents of four children -John F. Moore, now a farmer in Copley ; James G. Moore, of Akron ;

EDICT

BEN

dea CHI.

JOSEPH MOORE.

Amanda V., now Mrs. Samuel Steese, of Akron; and Milton W. Moore, of Oregon.

SINGULAR FAMILY COINCIDENCE .- The first death in the town- ship is said to have been that of Robert Hall, who died from the rupture of a blood vessel, in 1808; the first birth was that of a daughter (Jane Hall) to Mrs. Hall, after the death of her husband, in 1809, and the first marriage in the. township, that of John Hall, son of Robert, to Miss Margaret Blair, in 1810.

VILLAGES, HAMLETS, ETC .- Besides that portion of the north- west corner, so long part and parcel of the ancient village and township of Middlebury, and now attached to the city of Akron, Springfield's only other considerable business point is Mogadore. It is located near the northeast corner, and is on the line between Summit and Portage counties. The writer has no special data as to when or by whom the village was first laid out, but from his knowledge of it, with its hotel, stores, mills, churches, etc., for more

985

SPRINGFIELD'S BUSINESS CENTERS.

than half a century, it must have had an existence of over sixty years. The preponderance of population and business, with churches, potteries, postoffice, etc., being upon the west side of the line, it may properly be regarded as a Springfield village.

The name, Mogadore, is said to have been given to the village by James Robinson, an Irishman, a general mechanical genius of the time, who, on completing the chimney of a large two-story house (still standing) for Mr. Martin Kent, uncle of Mr. George F. Kent, now of the Sixth Ward, Akron, and who had probably read in " Riley's Narrative," or " Mungo Park's Travels," of the town of that name in Africa, with a swing of his hat, exclaimed, " Hurrah for Mogadore!" and Mogadore it has been ever since, though there was an effort made many years ago, to change it to Springville.

Manufacturing, as it does, hundreds of thousands of gallons of stoneware, and millions of smoking pipes, annually, its greatest drawback has been the necessity of hauling it, by wagon, to Akron, for shipment. That inconvenience is now largely obviated by the completion of the Connotton Valley (now the Cleveland & Canton) railway, upon its eastern border, with a fair prospect of direct railroad connection with Akron, at an early day.

K ING J. ELLET,-son of John and . Elizabeth Ellet, natives of Mary- land, was born in Springfield town- ship, December 27, 1831, his parents settling there in 1810 ; raised a farmer, and educated in township district schools; March 16, 1854, Mr. Ellet was married to Miss Lucinda E. Norton, daughter of Lester Norton, who emi- grated from the State of New York to Springfield, in 1808. Mr. and Mrs. Ellet are the parents of three chil- dren-Mattie, wife of Mr. Milo White, of Springfield; Cora J., wife of Mr. Frank Weston, of Springfield, and Fred. K. Ellet, still at home. Though a stanch Republican, and living in a strong Democratic township, Mr. . Ellet has been honored with many local offices; was elected county commissioner of Summit county, in 1883, and re-elected in 1886, holding the position two full terms of three years each, and without disparage- ment to others, it may be truthfully asserted, that Summit county never had a more energetic and pains- taking officer on its board of county commissioners than King J. Ellet. After his retirement from the board, in 1889, Mr. Ellet was, in March, 1890,

KING J. ELLET.

appointed by the constituted authori- ties, a trustee of the Summit County Children's Home, which position he is now ably and humanely filling.

THE "BURGH," as it was universally called, or North Spring- field, according to the name of its postoffice, is a small hamlet, one mile north of the geographical center, which, as before stated, is covered by the lake. Here is located Springfield's original church edifice (Presbyterian) built about 65 years ago. Some 50 years ago the Methodists also built quite a large frame church at this point, on land donated by David Ellet, himself a rigid Presbyterian, but about 30 years ago the building was moved a mile and a-half to the westward' and converted into a glue factory. The Burgh has

986

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

also, at different times, maintained a hotel, a store, blacksmith: shop and several potteries, but at the present time but little busi- ness is transacted there, aside from its postal and official necessi- ties, the town house being located here, which is the only voting: place in the township.

TON. THOMAS WRIGHT,-son of Thomas and Lucy Wright ; born in Tompkins county, New York, Feb- ruary 22, 1830; moved with parents to Springfield, Summit county, Ohio, in Spring of 1836; common school edu- cation ; at 20 taught school in Cov- entry, two terms; has since followed the occupation of a farmer; in 1864, served 100 days in defense of the National capital, as a member of Company H, 164th Regiment, O. N. G .; is a member of Buckley Post, G. A. R., and a member of the State Grange, Patrons of Husbandry ; has been a member of the Pleasant Valley M. E. Church about forty years, and the superintendent of its Sunday School for many years. A zealous Republican, from the organization of the party, in November, 1889, as the colleague of Hon. Henry C. Sanford, of Akron, was elected Representative to the 69th General Assembly, for two years ; October 5,, 1852, was married to Miss Elizabeth Henderson, daugh- ter of James and Jane Henderson, pioneers of Springfield township, who has borne him six children, three

HON. THOMAS WRIGHT.

only of whom are now living-James F., now at home; Lucy Jane, now Mrs. H. S. McChesney, of Springfield ; and Edwin S., of Springfield.

MILLHEIM, is a small hamlet in the south part of the township, having a grist mill, blacksmith shop, church and school house with quite a cluster of contiguous private residences.

THOMASTOWN, is a considerable village on the line between Springfield and Coventry, two miles south of Akron-composed . largely of coal miners, mostly Welsh, who have for several years worked the coal mines of that vicinity-with church, school house, store, postoffice, etc.

BRITTAIN (formerly for many years known as "White Grocery"), one mile east of the city limits, on the Mogadore road, has had a hotel or two, store, postoffice, school house, wagon shop, black- smith shop, clay-mill, etc., with private residences to correspond.

AN ABOLITION "RIOT."-Although there was not, perhaps, a single negro within her borders, in common with a large propor- tion of the inhabitants of all the border States, many of the people of Springfield, in the early days, were remarkably sensitive in regard to the question of the abolition of slavery, then beginning to agitate the public mind. Yet among her population were quite a number of earnest and fearless anti-slavery men, one of the most notable among them being John Hall 2nd, (father of Summit. county's well-known Democratic lawyer, John J. Hall, Esq.,) whose house was for many years the well-patronized station upon the "Underground Railroad," over which many fugitives from bond- age were safely conducted to the land of freedom-Canada,-the:

987

PRO-SLAVERY AND PRO-WHISKY RIOTS.

late Solomon Purdy, and his three stalwart sons, Fitch, Guerdon and Henry, being also earnest and outspoken opponents of the accursed institution.

Late in the Winter of 1837, '38, Rev. Thomas Graham, of the Methodist Episcopal church, being upon that circuit, gave notice that on a given evening he would deliver an anti-slavery lecture in the Methodist meeting-house at the center of Springfield. This. announcement caused great excitement in the neighborhood, quite a number of Mr. Graham's own church-members declaring, with others, that no such meeting should be held in the church.

STORMING THE CITADEL .- Consequently, when the people began to assemble, at the time appointed, it was found that the enemy had by some means gained access to the house and barricaded the door. At that time the late Fitch Purdy-though in the later years of his life a very free-thinker and talker-was not only an abolitionist, as he ever afterwards remained, but a Methodist of the strictest sect, and one of the trustees of the church in question. Armed with the key, Fitch sought to gain access to the house, but finding his entrance barred, and no attention paid to his command to those inside to open the door, Fitch and his backers, using a heavy piece of scantling as a battering ram, broke in the door, and after a short but sharp and decisive scrimmage, succeeded in oust -- ing the intruders. Though the house and the people were pelted with snowballs, and other missiles, and though a hideous din was- kept up during the evening, the lecture was given and listened to. by a fair-sized congregation.

FREE SPEECH VINDICATED .- The next day the routed barricaders employed attorneys-the late David K. Cartter, for 20 years, until his recent death, Chief Justice of the District of Columbia, then practicing law in Akron, and Seneca L. Hand, Esq., of Middle- bury-and procured warrants to be issued by Justice Andrew Harris, of Springfield, against Fitch, Guerdon and Henry Purdy, and Ralph Russell (and perhaps others), charging them with riot ..

'Squire Harris calling to his assistance Justices Harvey H .- Johnson, of Akron, and Elijah Mason, of Middlebury, the trial was held at the office of the latter, in Middlebury, the late Judge Will- iam M. Dodge, defending. The trial lasted a full day, eliciting as- much interest and creating as much excitement as a first-class- murder trial would do in these latter days. Though Cartter was at his happiest, in his well-known powers of vituperative denuncia- tion, and though duly supported by his colleague, Hand, the quiet conduct of the defense, by Dodge, prevailed, and at a late hour of the evening the learned justices very properly decided that there was "no cause for action"-the defendants having both the key to the door and the authority to open the house, finding themselves. barred out by unauthorized parties, having an undoubted right to. use the means they did to gain entrance to the building.

AN ODORIFEROUS AFFAIR .- Apropos of the foregoing demon- stration against free speech, temperance, as well as abolitionism,. met with vigorous opposition in many places about those days. It was in theearly forties, while the Washingtonian excitement was on, that the late Colonel Reuben McMillen, of Middlebury (father-in- law of Mr. David E. Hill), a fluent and effective speaker, consented to talk on temperance, on a given evening, at a school house in or near Millheim. The weather was warm and the windows being

988

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

raised for ventilation, the outsiders, almost if. not quite out-num- bering the insiders, kept up an incessant din, to which the speaker paid no heed, though at times his stentorian voice was nearly inaudible to his hearers. At length an addled egg was hurled with great force through one of the windows, which, passing within a few inches of the speaker's head, discharged its odorifer- ous contents against the opposite wall. Pausing a moment, the Colonel turned to the secretary of the Society and inquired: " Mr. Secretary, how many eggs did they throw?" "Only one, I believe," replied the secretary. "My stars!" exclaimed the Col- onel. "Is it possible that one small egg can stink like that!" and resumed his discourse as though nothing had happened. There were perhaps a few other slight attemps to interrupt anti-slavery and anti-whisky meetings, but for the past 40 years Springfield has been as orderly, and as tolerant of free speech, as any other community in the State of Ohio, or elsewhere.

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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