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 130

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 130

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REV. DAVID BACON.

Bacon was the founder and pioneer. Mr. Bacon died at Hartford, Connecti- cut, August 27, 1817, in the 46th year of his age, Mrs. Bacon dying at New Haven, Connecticut, in 1850. Dr. Leonard Bacon, the son, after a long and useful life, as minister, educator and philanthropist, died at New Haven, December 24, 1881-the grand- son, Rev. Leonard Woolsey Bacon, D. D., being now pastor of the Second Congregational Church, at Norwich, Connecticut.

MR. BACON SHAKES THE DUST OF TALLMADGE FROM HIS FEET. -Realizing the failure of his pet scheme and deploring the unex- pected opposition to his general plans, both temporal and spirit- ual, not only from the "outsiders" who had found lodgment in the township, but from some of the members of the church which he had founded, and also having become somewhat financially embarrassed, Mr. Bacon, early in 1812, returned with his family to Connecticut, selecting for the text of his farewell sermon the ninth verse of the third chapter of Paul's Second Epistle to Tim- othy: "But they shall proceed no farther; for their folly shall be made manifest unto all men, as theirs was also," his remarks being very pointed, and somewhat bitter towards those who had opposed, and possibly thwarted, his cherished plans. Mr. Bacon died at Hartford, Conn., August 27, 1817, at the early age of 46 years, his son, Rev. Dr. Leonard Bacon, noted for his learning, piety, philanthropy and patriotism, five years of whose boyhood were spent in Tallmadge, dying at New Haven, Conn., December 24, 1881, at the age of 79 years, 10 months and 5 days. Through the courtesy of Rev. Leonard W. Bacon, D. D., of Norwich, Conn.,

1043

EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.

grandson of Rev. David Bacon, we are enabled to present to the readers of this work the accompanying most excellent portrait of the earnest and self-sacrificing founder of this, in all respects, model township-reliable Old Tallmadge.

Though the planting of the church was the first and para- mount duty performed by the pioneer settlers of Tallmadge, the cause of education was by no means neglected. The first school, in a small log house built for the purpose at the south four- corners, was kept by Miss Lucy Foster, afterwards Mrs. Alpha Wright, mother of Mrs. Homer S. Carter, the late Mrs. Sidney Edgerton, and Clement and Benjamin D. Wright. Other similar schools were opened in convenient localities, as the population increased, but who taught them is not now remembered.

ALPHA WRIGHT, - born at Winsted, Connecticut, Decem- ber 26, 1788 ; removed with parents to Ashtabula county, Ohio, in 1802, and to Tallmadge, in 1808, being among the earliest settlers of that township ; December 12, 1811, was married to Miss Lucy Foster, a native of Han- over, New Hampshire, who taught the first school in Tallmadge, in a log house, erected in 1810; in the War of 1812 was a member of Captain Rial McArthur's rifle company, April 18, 1814, being promoted from ser- geant to ensign ; in 1827, with others, ·organized a school for the instruction of deaf mutes (the first in Ohio), the Legislature, in 1828, appropriating $100.00 for its support, the pupils being transferred to the State Asylum ·011 its establishment at Columbus, in 1829. A great reader and a deep thinker, Mr. Wright was a leader in all religious, educational and moral enterprises, and especially in the largely prevailing anti-slavery senti- ment of his township; a fine singer and ready speaker, was the life and soul of religious and social gather- ings, and his home the seat of an enlightened and generous hospital- ity. Mr. and Mrs. Wright were the parents of twelve children - Philo, born October 2, 1812, died December 3, 1844; Rev. William Wheeler, born May 12, 1814, now deceased; Lucy Ann, now widow of Rev. Luther Shaw, in Tallmadge; Clement, died in

ALPHA WRIGHT.

infancy ; Abigail, now Mrs. . Rev. Loomis Chandler, of Holly, Michi- gan; Clement, for 40 years a mer- chant, and for thirty-seven years treasurer and many years postmaster of Tallmadge; Amelia, deceased ; Martha and Mary, Martha, wife of Mr. Honer S. Carter, of Tallmadge; Mary, late wife of Hon. Sidney Edgerton ; Benjamin Demming, now secretary Akron Underwriters' Association, still residing in Tallmadge; Handel, deceased ; Charles Storrs, deceased. Mr. Wright died March 1, 1856, at the age of 67 years, 2 months and 5 days, Mrs. Wright dying September 30, 1875, aged 85 years.

The first school house at the center was a two-story, 26x36 frame, upon the ground where the Congregational Church now stands, commenced in 1814, but not completed until the following year. The lower story was used for the district school, and the upper story as an academy, and for religious meetings and other public purposes. "Tallmadge Academy" was incorporated, by act of Legislature, February 27, 1816, Rev. Simeon Woodruff and Elizur Wright being among the earliest teachers. . The academy building was destroyed by fire on the night of January 12, 1820. A new building was erected, exclusively for an academy, upon the

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

1044

corner of the square and the southwest diagonal road, where the store of Mr. Clement Wright now stands, which building was afterwards removed to the place where it still stands, southeast of the N. Y., P. & O. depot, a separate district school house having been erected at the corner of the square and the southeast diag- onal road.

DR. AMOS WRIGHT,-born Octo- ber 8, 1808, the first white boy baby born in Tallmadge, his parents, Dr. Amos Wright, Sr., and Lydia (Kinney) Wright, natives of Connecti- cut, having settled in Tallmadge that year, after a residence of six years in · Vernon, Trumbull county ; educated at Tallmadge Academy till 14, and working on farm till 19 years of age, then read medicine with his father two years, in 1831 and 1832, attending lectures in Yale College; in 1833, opened drug store in Tallmadge, con- tinuing one year; then practiced medicine in Trumbull county two years, returning to Tallmadge in 1836, where he has been in continuous practice ever since, fifty-five years. March 31, 1831, Dr. Wright was mar- ried to Miss Clemence C. Fenn, of Tallmadge, having duly and appro- priately celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on March 31, 1891. Nine children have been born to theni- Stella, Ellen M., Julia I., Darwin E., now living, and H. M., Sarah E. and Alice, deceased. The doctor, at 83, is still hale and hearty, and can inter-

DR. AMOS WRIGHT.

estingly rehearse the many thrilling pioncer incidents with which his still unimpaired memory is filled.

The third academy building was erected on the ground now occupied by the Baldwin carriage shop, corner of the square and the north center road, this building also subsequently being burned. A town hall being built upon the south side of the pub- lic square about this time, an upper story was added, by voluntary donations, to be used for academical purposes (of which Hon. Sid- ney Edgerton, in the early forties, was principal) and was so used until that institution was superseded by the present graded school system, embracing a district a mile and a quarter square, when a nice four-room union school building was erected, a short distance north of the public square, the High School department graduat- ing a goodly number of thoroughly educated pupils every year.

In addition to the above, Mr. Ephraim T. Sturtevant, having bought the second academy building, and removed it to the place where it now stands, east of the depot, sometime in the middle thirties, for several years taught a select classical school, with very great acceptance to his pupils and patrons.

PIONEER DEAF AND DUMB SCHOOL .- In the middle twenties, among the children of the township, of school age, there were three deaf mutes, all daughters of Mr. Justus Bradley, and the question of providing them with an education was discussed. There was at the same time residing in Middlebury a young deaf mute by the name of Colonel Smith, who had been educated at the Deaf and Dumb School in Hartford, Conn. An arrangement

1045

TALLMADGE'S CHURCH HISTORY.

was therefore made with Mr. Smith to undertake the education of the three children in question, and such other mutes as might desire to avail themselves of his instruction. This school was opened May 1st, 1827, in a room at the house of Mr. Alpha Wright, one mile south of the center, on the farm now owned by Mr. Cor- nelius A. Johnson. This was, undoubtedly, the first deaf and dumb school in the State, if not the first west of the Allegheny Mountains. In 1829 the deaf and dumb asylum was opened at Columbus, Smith's pupils being sent thither, and the Tallmadge school discontinued.

PUBLIC LIBRARY .- In connection with educational matters, it is 'worthy of note, that a public library was established, in 1813, on the joint stock plan, supported by sales of shares, fines, assess- ments, donations, etc., which has maintained an unbroken exist- ence of over three-fourths of a century, and contains at the present time some 800 volumes.

CHURCH AND SPIRITUAL MATTERS .- Though the cherished plan of its founder was to make the township purely and exclusively Congregational, in religious sentiment and government, the effort was, as before intimated, a failure, not only believers in other forms of faith, but many non-believers, even to downright infidel- ity, finding a lodgment within the township; the overwhelming sentiment, however, remaining uncompromisingly orthodox with Congregationalism in the lead.

The first sermon in the township was preached by Mr. Bacon, in his own house, where, and in the houses of other settlers, as they were built, Sabbath and other occasional services were held for several years. The first church organization was effected in Mr. Bacon's cabin, January 22, 1809, Rev. Jonathan Leslie acting as moderator. George Kilbourn and his wife, Almira; Ephraim Clark, Jr., and his wife, Amelia; Alice Bacon; Amos C. Wright and his wife, Lydia; Hepzibah Chapman and Justin E. Frink being duly constituted a Church of Christ, the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper being then and there for the first time administered in the township, with the ordinance of baptism upon four children: Juliana and Alice, daughters of Mr. Bacon; Amos, son of Dr. Amos C. Wright, and Eliza, daughter of George Kilbourn.

The first regular pastor to the church was Rev. Simeon Woodruff, a native of Litchfield, Conn., who was installed, in the barn of Ephraim Clark, May 18, 1813, closing his labors with the church September 19, 1823. Successive pastors to the present time: Rev. John Keys, September 9, 1824, to April 16, 1832; Rev. Jedediah E. Parmelee, acting pastor, January 18, 1833, to April 14, 1840; Rev. William Magill, 1840 to 1843; Rev. Carlos Smith, acting pastor, 1847 to 1862; Rev. Seth W. Segur, 1862 to 1871; Rev. Charles Cutler, 1871 to 1875; Rev. Wm. B. Marsh, acting pastor, 1875 to 1885; Rev. A. E. Thompson, September, 1887 to September 1889; Rev. S. D. Gammell, December 1889 to present time, December, 1891. Present membership, 295; scholars in Sunday school, 298, with an average attendance of 190; benevolent contributions in the past year: by Sunday school, $135; by church, including one $500 legacy, $1,002.

SENSIBLE CHURCH DISCIPLINE .- As showing . the thorough church discipline maintained in the early days, as well as the sound horse-sense of its members, Mr. Daniel Hine relates the

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AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

following: The old Revolutionary hero, Captain Nathaniel Bettes, was summoned before the church to answer to the charge of hunt- ing on Sunday. The charge being read, and the statements of his accusers duly listened to, the Captain arose in his defense. "Breth- ren," said he, "I started for meeting on Sunday morning, and had gone but a short distance when I saw a nice fat buck standing right in my pathway. Being rather short of provisions, I asked the Lord if I might shoot that deer, and the Lord said 'yes.' So I went back to the house, got my rifle, killed the deer, took it home and dressed it, and then continued on to meeting. Brethren, did I do right or wrong in obeying the voice of the Lord?" The vote is- said to have been unanimous that the Captain did just exactly right.

THE FIRST CHURCH EDIFICE .- The first and only house of worship of the Congregational Society of Tallmadge, stands upon the north side of the public square, on the same site occupied by the original Academy ' building, and was erected in 1822. It is 44 x 56 feet in size, surmounted in front by a handsome belfry and tower 100 feet high, supported by massive columns, and was at the first a handsome structure, though sundry modern improvements,. both outside and in, have from time to time been made thereon. It was the fifth steeple church built upon the Western Reserve, and as it was then the very best, it will still, though nearly three score and ten years of age, compare favorably, in point of archi- tecture and ornamentation, with the majority of the rural church structures of the present time.

THE METHODIST DENOMINATION .- Under the ministrations of Rev. Billings O. Plympton, then preaching on the Canton Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal church, a society of that denomination was organized in Tallmadge about 1825, the first class, consisting of Jotham Blakeslee, Milo Stone, Sarah B. Stone (wife of Milo), Mrs. Martha Stephens, Shubel H. Lowrey and Anna P. Lowrey, his wife, with Jotham Blakeslee, as leader. The meetings of the society were held in the school houses and private residences of the neighborhood until 1832, when a plain house of worship, costing about $1,500, was erected some 200 rods from the public square, on the northeast diagonal road. This modest structure served the purposes of the gradually increasing congregation until 1874, when a larger and more attractive edifice was erected on the south side of the public square, at a cost of about $8,000. The old structure,. after its dismantlement as a church, was moved to near the north- east corner of the square and the east and west center road and for several years used as a carriage shop, and is now doing duty as a stable for horses used in hauling clay to the contiguous sewer pipe works of the Messrs. Sperry. .

A CURIOUS PRIZE, CURIOUSLY WON .- Though all good and pious men, the early settlers in Tallmadge, as was then the custom everywhere, regarded the use of spirituous liquors as indispensa- ble articles of domestic economy, and as particularly conducive to- social good cheer and public enterprise. Hence the whisky bottle was wont to " adorn" every family side-board and to pass freely at all raisings, huskings, trainings and other public and festive gatherings.

In the construction of the Congregational church, the timber for the frame was contributed by the land owners of the township

1047

FIRST RECORDED LABOR STRIKE.

generally, whether members of the church or not. The contractors for building the church were Sebbens Saxton, Lemuel Porter, Wylys Fenn and Joseph Richardson, with Reuben Beach as super- intendent of construction. Having previously selected and blazed the trees that were to be cut by the several contributors, with the length designated thereon, the 24th day of December, 1821, was appointed as the day for hauling in the logs, and as an incentive to prompt action, Superintendent Beach offered a gallon of whisky as a prize to the man who should be first upon the ground with his stick of timber.

Gen. Bierce, in his "Reminiscences," published in 1854, says that one Daniel Beach, while preparing none himself, hitched his oxen on to the stick that had been got in readiness by his neigh- bor, Mr. Justus Barnes, before that gentleman was astir, drew it upon the ground just as daylight was appearing, and got the whisky, while Hon. E. N. Sill, in his semi-centennial address, in 1857, says: "Before 1 o'clock in the morning, timber had been brought upon the site from each of the eight roads coming into the public square, Amadeus N. Sperry winning the honors of the occasion." Mr. Bronson is silent upon the subject.

STRONG TEMPERANCE SENTIMENT .- Early, however, the good people of the township began to take an interest in temperance matters, and for the past fifty years Tallmadge-always remark- able for sobriety and good order-has been in the very van of tem- perance reform, though it is even now hinted that an occasional occupant of her "sacred soil" is still rather too ardently attached to the ruddy juice of the luscious apple so abundantly grown in every portion of the township.

THE FIRST "STRIKE" ON RECORD .- Though in no sense agrarian or anarchical in sentiment, Tallmadge may justly claim the honor, if honor it be, of inaugurating the strike system now so common the world over. It was not a strike for an increase of wages, for everybody-mechanic and farm laborer alike-was then satisfied to work for from fifty to seventy-five cents per day. It was not a strike for shorter hours, for then everybody expected to work from sun to sun, and, in the Winter season, two or three hours by candle light. It was not a strike for cash payments, for nobody expected cash in payment for anything, for there was very little money afloat in those days, the "truck and dicker" system heretofore described, being everywhere in vogue.

But it was a strike for wool ! "A curious cause for a strike," says the modern reader, but not so curious to those familiar with early times and circumstances by which the first settlers of the western country were surrounded. The subscriptions for the building of the church, aggregating $3,500, were payable in labor, lumber, wheat and other farm produce, in installments of one, two and three years, wheat being the only commodity convertible into cash at all, and that only selling at about twenty-five cents per bushel-a little money, of course, being needed for the purchase of nails, hardware, glass, paints, etc., for the new edifice.

But clothing for the workinen and their families was also an absolute necessity, and wool was needed for its fabrication. The · local demand for wool being greater than the local supply, made it a decidedly cash article, non-purchasable with ordinary farm produce, and therefore impossible of procurement by the workmen

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AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

in exchange for the commodities in which they were paid. Hence the suspension of work upon the church, until the needed supply of wool should be forthcoming.

The building committee, consisting of Capt. Amos Seward, Asaph Whittlesey, Richard Fenn, Reuben Beach, Peck Fenn, Lemuel Porter and Aaron Hine, called a meeting to consider the matter, and, regarding the demand of the men reasonable and just, by an extraordinary effort, raised the quantity of wool required- he strike was declared off and the sanctuary duly finished.

ALSO ANTI-SLAVERY TO THE CORE .- The cause of the freedom of the down-trodden slave obtained an early hearing, and the most hearty co-operation in Tallmadge, the anti-slavery sentiment being stronger and more unanimous there than perhaps in any other township on the Western Reserve, excepting, possibly, the neigh- boring township of Hudson. Many are the traditions still extant among the people, in regard to the assistance given to fugitives from slavery, while timorously journeying through the pretended, to the real land of freedom-Canada-in spite of the threatened pains and penalties of the infamous Fugitive Slave Law: and as Mr. Bronson well remarks, the man who would betray a fleeing slave, or inform on his succorer, "would have found Tallmadge rather a warm climate to live in." And when, because of this sympathy, and because of the growing determination in the free North that the encroachments of slavery should cease, the oligarchy impiously struck at the life of the Nation, Tallmadge buckled on her armor and fought bravely in its defense, as will be seen by the full roster of her volunteer soldiery herewith given.

COAL AND MINING INTERESTS .- For what might properly be called a purely agricultural town, Tallmadge has also achieved marked success as a mining and manufacturing town. As early as 1808 or 1809, Mr. Jotham Blakeslee, working at his trade as a blacksmith, found coal on the land of Col. Meacham, in the south- east part of the township, which he used on his forge, and in 1810 procured coal from a vein found on the land of Deacon Elizur Wright, one mile west of the Center, a tradition running to the effect that this vein was discovered by means of small pieces of coal being brought to the surface by a woodchuck in digging his burrow. Other veins were soon afterwards discovered along the east side of what has since come to be known as "Coal Hill," and worked to some extent by Asaph Whittlesey and Samuel Newton, who, in connection with Messrs. Laird and Norton, of Middlebury Furnace fame, built and operated a forge for the manufacture of bar iron, at what is now known as the "Old Forge," about 1817.

Timber was so abundant in those days that there was very little demand for coal, as fuel, or for manufacturing purposes, and for a decade and a half, but little was mined. About 1825, Mr. Henry Newberry, the owner of 1,000 acres of land in the northwest corner of Tallmadge, discovered and opened a vein of coal near the northwest six-corners, and about 1828 tried the experiment of ship- ping it to Cleveland by hauling it in wagons to Lock 16, on the Ohio Canal. It did not, however, prove a very profitable venture, though, according to Col. Whittlesey, the canal receipts at Cleve- land for four years, and before shipments from Massillon and other points south of Akron, commenced (1833), being as follows: 1829, 108 tons; 1830, 178 tons; 1831, 294 tons; 1832, 431 tons.

1049

TALLMADGE'S INDUSTRIAL STATUS.

About the year 1832, Dr. Daniel Upson, of Worthington, Frank- lin county, O., where he had been several times honored with a seat in the Legislature, removed to Tallmadge, purchasing quite a property and engaging in farming. His attention being called to the coal indications alluded to, the Doctor, soon, by purchase and lease, secured control of a large portion of Coal Hill, a mile or more west of the Center, from which were mined, from 1833 to 1840, con- siderable quantities of coal for the Akron, Cuyahoga Falls and home market.

DR. DANIEL UPSON, - born in Southington, Connecticut, March 18, 1786 ; youth spent on farm, and in securing an education; taught school several years, meantime studying medicine ; on completion of studies, located in Hartford, Trumbull county, Ohio; in 1818, removed to Worthing- ton, Franklin county, during his fourteen years residence there, serv- ing several terms in the State Legis- lature ; in 1832, removed to Tallmadge, relinquishing his practice and engaging extensively in farming and coal mining, being the pioneer in the development of that industry in Northern Ohio; in 1836, '37, served as State senator for Portage county, later taking an active part in securing the erection of the new county of Summit; May 19, 1814, was married to Miss Polly Wright, daughter of Deacon Elizur Wright, of Tallmadge, who bore him six children-Dr. Fran- cis Wright · Upson, now deceased ; Julius B., died in infancy ; Julia Elmore Upson, wife of Prof. Elias Loomis, of Yale College, died in 1854 ; Daniel A. Upson, now occupying the old homestead; William H. Upson, now Judge of Circuit, for the past forty-five years a resident of Akron ; and James W., now living in Cleve- land. Dr. Upson, while teaching school and studying medicine, wit-

DR. DANIEL UPSON.

nessed the trial trip of Robert Ful- ton's first stearinboat on the Hudson river, in 1807, and lived to see steam universally applied, both to river and ocean navigation, and world-wide land travel and machinery propul- sion. Dr. Upson died June 21, 1863, aged 77 years, 3 months and 3 days, Mrs. Upson dying July 30, 1872, aged 87 years and 4 days.

EARLY RAILROAD ENTERPRISE .- In 1838, in anticipation of the completion of the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal, a charter was obtained from the Legislature incorporating the "Tallmadge Coal Company," the stock of which was principally owned by Daniel Upson, Francis H. Wright and Charles Whittlesey. This com- pany constructed a tramway from their mines to the canal, near what was known as the "Nine Locks," a distance of about two miles. The track was composed of large logs, faced on one side, laid lengthwise, on which four-inch scantling were firmly pinned for the trucks to run upon. The cars used had a capacity of about three tons each, a train of three or four cars being drawn by two and three horses from the mines to the chutes upon the canal.

Tallmadge coal was nearly, if not quite, the first coal used upon the Lake Erie steamers, the company in question furnishing the Northern Transportation Company with over 3,000 tons in 1841. Changes in the firm were made from time to time, D. Upson

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AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

& Co. succeeding the Tallmadge Coal Co .; Upson & Sons follow -- ing, and after the doctor's death, June 21, 1863, at the age of 77, the. business was continued by Upson Brothers, until, by reason of the- substantial exhaustion of the veins they were then working, and the dismantlement of the canal, the business was abandoned, except for purely domestic use and local supply, the mines, in 1887, being under lease to Philip Thomas, and worked to a limited extent by Henry Thomas & Co.

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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