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 88

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 88

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).

In about the year 1821, also, a glass factory was established at New Portage, on the Norton side of the line, by Colonel Ambrose Palmer, in which quite a fair quality of domestic articles were

712

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

made, the late Talinon Beardsley, having had a bottle in his possession, turned out of that establishment in 1822. The business, however, did not prove remunerative, and was abandoned in a few years, the proprietor afterwards embracing the Mormon faith and emigrating to Utah.'

The northeastern portion of the township now being within the corporate limits of the city of Akron, embraces quite a num- ber of manufacturing and mechanical establishments, notably the Roofing and Tile Works of J. C. Ewart & Co., in the Fourth ward, and the Brick Works of J. B. De Haven, in the Sixth ward, of R. B. Walker, in the Fourth ward, and a large number of manufac- turing establishments, erected south of the city limits within the past three years, more particularly described in Chapter XVIII of this volume.

ISRAEL ALLYN,-born in Groton, Conn., December 24, 1790; raised to trade of carpenter, with good com- mon school education ; in the War of 1812 served a short time as a soldier ; August 1, 1812, was married to Miss Lucy Gallup, and in March, 1819, came to Ohio, settling on a farm in the north part of Coventry, now occupied by his two daughters, Lucy R., and Hannah S. Mr. and Mrs. Allyn were the parents of seven children -- George H., born October 31, 1814, died March 5, 1857;' Israel M., born June 20, 1818, died May 13, 1885; Abel G., born October 4, 1820, whose portrait and biography are given elsewhere ; Lucy R., born September 15, 1822, now residing on the old homestead in Coventry ; Austin, born August 20, 1828, died April 15, 1871 ; Lydia, born June 16, 1831, first wife of General Alvin C. Voris, died March 16, 1876 ; Hannah S., born Angust 15, 1833, still residing with her sister Lucy, on the old homestead Mrs. Allyn, born March 22, 1789, died July 2, 1850, aged 61 years, 3 months and 10 days, Mr. Allyn dying May 7, 1873, aged 82 years, 4 months and 13 days. Mr. Allyn was one of the most enterpris- ing farmers of his day, as evidenced

ISRAEL ALLYN.

by his finely appointed home sur- roundings, and nicely cultivated fields, was patriotic and liberal in all public affairs, and the recipient of many local honors from his fellow townsmen.

MILLING OPERATIONS .- Previous to 1820, Benjamin Haines, a son of Coventry's pioneer settler, Daniel Haines, erected a small grist mill near where the present north and south road, south of Swartz's Corners, crosses the Tuscarawas river, traces of the dam, race and mill foundation, being still visible. Another early, and in those days very necessary, industry, was a distillery, erected by Adam Falor, in the north central portion of the township, a little south of where the Akron Iron Company's rolling mill now stands, his son, Abram Falor, afterwards building a saw-mill upon what has since been known as Falor's run, at which, by a judicious husbanding of the waters of the run, quite a business was done for several years. Another early grist and saw-mill enterprise was that of Daniel Rex, near the present feeder dam of the Tus- carawas reservoir. John Buchtel, Sr., also, constructed a dam and

713

RESERVOIRS-STATE MILL, ETC.

race and commenced the erection of a mill in the eastern part of the township, half a mile west of Wesley Chapel, but for some reason not now apparent, it was never completed.

The present well-known mill belonging to the Brewster Brothers, previously called Steese's mill, but still earlier known as Wylie's mill, was built about 1835, by Mr. John Wylie, afterwards a highly prosperous farmer in the township of Copley, recently deceased. It has always been a good mill, and under its present management, is supplied with the most approved modern machin- ery, and, besides having an excellent run of custom trade, produces annually a large amount of first-class flour for the general trade.

BEL G. ALLYN, - son of Israel A and Lucy (Gallup) Allyn, was born in Coventry Township, October 4, 1820; educated in district schools ; raised a farmer, working on old homestead until 1847, when he pur- chased a farm a short distance further west, which is now a part of the city of Akron; in addition to gen- eral farming making dairying a specialty in supplying the citizens of Akron with milk. October 10, 1847, was married to Miss Adeline Capron, daughter of Ara and Eliza (Sweet) Capron of Bath and Copley Town Line, who bore him six children- Addic, born July 23, 1848 (married February 20, 1866, to Preston Barber, of Akron, who died December 13, 1886); Charles, born May 25, 1851, now a farmer in Summit, Greeley county, Nebraska, of which place he has officiated as postmaster for several years; Ida, born February 15, 1854, now wife of States A. McCoy, a native of this county, now a prosperous far- mer in Leonidas township (Mendon P. O.), St. Joseph county, Mich .; Leora, born May 14, 1860; Ettie, Jan- uary 28, 1863, and Gertie, November 24, 1869, now a teacher in Leggett school. Mr. Allyn is one of the solid men of his native township, having held several of its most responsible

ABEL G. ALLYN.

offices, and being for some or twelve or fifteen years Coventry's member of Board of Directors of Summit county's highly prosperous Agricul- tural Society. Mrs. Allyn died August 24. 1888, aged 59 years, 8 months and 3 days.

THE CELEBRATED OLD STATE MILL.

The construction of the reservoirs, as above stated, with their several feeders, destroyed most of the minor mill-privileges of both Coventry, Franklin and Green townships. A partial remedy, however, was provided in the creation of quite a permanent water- power in the southern central part of Coventry, at the point where the water flows from the reservoir into Long Lake, from which, in turn, it is fed into the canal a mile or so further north. There had previously been a grist mill at this point, with rather a lim- ited fall and power, but by whom erected is not now remembered. Mr. Talmon Beardsley's recollection, however, was that at the time the reservoir was projected, it was the property of the late Ebene- zer Pardee, of Western Star, and that he drove so sharp a bargain with the board of public works, in their appropriation of private

714

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

property for the reservoir, that they paid him some $25,000 for the mill and power in question, though Doctor John Hill, who sub- sequently married the widow of Mr. Pardee, informed us that the consideration was only $7,000, and that the State, by the subse- quent elevation of its dams and embankments, now occupies con- siderably more land belonging to Mr. Pardee's estate, than it orig- inally purchased.

JEORGE ADAM FALOR, -- born G' July 17, 1798, in Lower Smith- ville, Northampton county, Pa .; removed with parents to Stark county, O., in 1809; five years later locating on what was later known as the Thornton farm, now a populous portion of the city of Akron; remained with father till 25, when he bought the well-known Falor farm, in Coventry, which, in addition to somewhat extensively plying his trade of stonemason, he successfully cultivated for many years. Mr. Falor was three times married, his wives being sisters, respectively named Nancy McCoy, Rachael McCoy and Mrs. Jane (McCoy) Wilson. Several years before his death Mr. Falor, re- tiring from the active management of his farm, took up his residence in Akron, where he died of dropsy, June 29, 1868, aged 69 years, 11 months 12 days. Mr. Falor was the father of 17 children, 13 of whom survived him-Milo J., since deceased ; James M., Lucinda R. (now Mrs. John Gott- walt); Hiram Silas, George W., now deceased ; Oliver Perry, Mary Ann (now Mrs. J. A. Long); Thomas J., William Wallace, deceased ; Henry Clay (died at Massillon, December

GEORGE ADAM FALOR.

27, 1890); Martha Ellen (now Mrs. Henry Acker); Lilly Annette, (now Mrs. George L. Adkins); Perry Tod, now a resident of Michigan.

On the completion of the reservoir, the State either built a new mill at this point, or enlarged or improved the old one, which, by increase of water and fall, was now one of the most permanent mill privileges in this part of the State. Soon after its completion, the State mill was leased, in perpetuity, to Mr. Theobold Baugh- man (father of our well-known citizen, Mr. Harry Baughman), who successfully carried it on, until his death, in 1866, nearly a quarter of a century.

This mill, during Mr. Baughman's lifetime, was a very popu- lar place of resort for the farmers of the surrounding country, who, while awaiting the grinding of their several grists, would, in turn, grind out large grists of neighborhood gossip to each other, or enter into friendly, but oftentimes spirited, discussions upon the social, moral and political questions of the time, the conduct of the war, etc.

The State mill was, also, for many years, quite a fishing and pleasure resort, Mr. Baughman keeping quite a large number of boats for hire, while the large shady grove east of the mill, bor- dered by the clear and sparkling waters of the reservoir, furnished delightful camping and picnic grounds-stabling and feed for

715

COVENTRY'S BUSINESS STATUS.

horses, and also the most bountiful and toothsome meals for their drivers, being provided by Mr. and Mrs. Baughman, when desired. The State mill, after Mr. Baughman's death, though run by a member of the family for some years, was not properly kept up, though its ancient water-wheel is still running, its present lessee being Mr. Robert Mitsell, a ride, westward, from the old Steese coal bank, around the head of the reservoir, following its innu- merable and shady sinuosities, past the old State mill to Lockwood,s Corners, being one of the most delightful drives in Summit county.

FIRAM SILAS FALOR,-born in Coventry, March 22, 1829; com- mon school education ; harness maker in Akron 15 years; in 1860, clerked in wholesale store in San Francisco, worked in mines and established pioneer harness shop in Virginia City, Nev .; in 1861, orga- nized and as captain tendered Vir- ginia City Guards to the government, but for lack of transportation facili- ties offer declined; 1863 returned to Akron,5 years later removing to farm in Coventry, where he has since resided ; was several years foreman of one of Akron's pioneer fire com- panies ; deputy village marshal two years ; secretary Summit County Ag- ricultural Society two years and assistant secretary two years; mes- senger in office of State Treasurer Joseph Turney, at Columbus, 1880-84; member of police force, in charge of music hall during Ohio Centennial Exposition in 1888; member of Masonic order 35 years ; filling all the offices from the lowest to highest in Summit Lodge, No. 50, I. O. O. F .; was U. S. census enumerator for Coventry in 1890. Mr. Falor was married to Miss Bertha E. Agard, July 4, 1854, who bore hini four chil- dren, two of whom, only, are now living - Claude Emerson, now in regular army, at Fort Sam Houston,

HIRAM SILAS FALOR.

Texas, and Minnie Florence, now Mrs. Elmer C. Ellsworth, of Coven- try. Mrs. Falor dying January 4, 1873, Mr. F. was again married, to Mrs. Phoebe A. Lutz, of Westfield, Medina county, July 16, 1873. They have two children-Hiram Garcelon, born August 12, 1879, and Phæbe Fanny, born March 6, 1881.

THE ANCIENT METROPOLIS .- New Portage, in the early twenties, before the Ohio Canal had been projected, or the city of Akron ever dreamed of, was regarded of so much business importance, as to require the service of one or more lawyers, and here the late Van R. Humphrey (father of C. P. Humphrey, Esq., of Akron), afterwards, front 1837 to 1844, president judge of the Third Judi- cial District, embracing Ashtabula, Trumbull, Portage and Sun- mit counties, first hung out his professional shingle.

Simultaneously with the building of the Ohio Canal, in 1826, '27, a new impetus was given to the ancient metropolis, hitherto nearly all on the Norton side of the line. Here the late Jared Jennings (step-father of court-bailiff, Andrew McNeil) did, for inany years, quite an extensive mercantile and commission busi- ness, another similar establishment being, also, carried on by a party whose name is not now remembered. A commodious hotel and other branches of business were also carried on, there being,

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AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

later, at this point, quite an extensive business done in the manu- facture of friction matches, by Mr. George Strawhacker, still resid- ing in the neighborhood. At the south end, also, in later years, Mr. Jacob Welsh, now of Colorado, besides selling merchandise and officiating as postmaster, carried on quite an extensive pot- tery, a similar establishment having also been carried on upon the canal, south of Summit Lake, between Akron and New Portage.

Within the past few years, Akron capitalists, established an extensive strawboard and straw lumber manufactory, mammoth sewer pipe works and other important industries, upon the Nor- ton side of the line, giving employment to a large number of men and teams; so that, with the store, postoffice, railroad stations, and other minor branches of business carried on there, New Portage is now enjoying a higher degree of prosperity, than for the past forty years.

JOHN BUCHTEL,-born in Myers township, Center county, Pa., November 6, 1797 ; came with parents to Ohio 1816, settling in Coventry ; a few years later removing to Green township. January 18, 1821, he was married to Miss Catharine Richards, of Green township, who bore him five children-three daughters and two sons, the latter of whom, only, John R. and William, whose portraits appear elsewhere, are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Buchtel pluckily began their marital life in a log stable, until a more comfortable dwelling could be provided. After 13 years residence in Green, they sold their farını there and bought another in Coventry, where they happily lived for 41 years. In 1875, Mr. and Mrs. B. re- moved to a small place just north of Akron city limits, where Mrs. B. died July 9, 1882, aged 85 years. Mr. B., now in his 95th year, and still in possession of all his faculties, except good eye- sight, is kindly cared for by his youngest son, William, at 807 East Market street. Mr. Buchtel has been a consistent member of the Evangeli- cal church for nearly 50 years. In

JOHN BUCHTEL.

politics he was originally a Jackson Democrat, but on the breaking out of the slave-holders' rebellion, became an earnest Republican, to the prin- ciples of which party he still gives a vigorous support.

COVENTRY IN WAR .- There were, undoubtedly, quite a number of ex-Revolutionary soldiers and pensioners among the early set- tlers in Coventry, though only the names of Thomas Granger, Lambert Clement and John Harrington, as such, have been handed down. Nor are we much wiser in regard to the War of 1812, the only name falling under the eye of the writer, in that connection, being that of Peter Buchtel (grandfather of Messrs. John R. and William Buchtel, of Akron), though there must have been several other defenders of the frontier among her pioneer settlers, before, if not after, their coming thither. We are also entirely in the dark in regard to the Mexican War.

But in the War of the Rebellion, Coventry, at first a little tardy, finally most gallantly woke up to her whole duty in the prem- ises. Up to July 24, 1862, Coventry had been credited with 26

.717

COVENTRY IN WAR.

recruits, but not responding so promptly to subsequent calls, was twice subjected to draft, her quota, under the first draft, October, 1862, being 69, the larger portion of whom were supplied by volun- tary enlistments, or by procuring substitutes before the draft took place. In the second draft, her quota was one, only, which was, of course, speedily secured. This makes a total of 96, but many of the earlier enlistments being made outside of the townships where volunteers resided, the town where they belonged not always receiving the proper credit therefor, it is safe to say that Coven- try's contribution to the Union army was fully one hundred men, / the assessors' returns for the years 1863, '64, '65, giving the names of 84 of her volunteers as follows:

TONATHAN H. BREWSTER,-sec- ond son of James G. and Martha (Hassen) Brewster, among the earliest settlers of Coventry township, was born January 11, 1834; educated in district schools; raised a farmer, and now lives upon same farm upon which his grandparents, Stephen and Lydia (Bellows) Brewster settled in 1811. A portion of the farm being underlaid with coal, for a number of years the Brewster Brothers car- ried on quite extensive mining operations, and are now proprietors of the old original Wylie Flouring Mill elsewhere described in this chapter. They are also largely in- terested in the Buckeye and Summit Sewer Pipe Companies, (Mr. J. H. Brewster being president of the former and a director in the latter), the United States Stoneware Com- pany, and several other industrial enterprises. In politics Mr. Brewster is a stanch Republican, and though his township is overwhelmingly Democratic, he was once elected justice of the peace, acceptably fill- ing the office three years; was town- ship real estate assessor for the year 1870, and also held the impor-

FCaCHI.

JONATHAN H. BREWSTER.

tant position of county infirmary director three full terms (9 years) from 1866 to 1875, the last four years as president of the Board.

Sylvester Adams, Christopher Beck (died in service), Urias H. Buchtel, Benjamin F. Buchtel, Ephraim Bellows, Daniel Boyer, Philip Burgy, W. F. Brown, William Buchtel, Henry Curtis, Har- rison Crosier, Charles Clark, John W. Crosier, Alexander Camp- bell, James Crosier, Edwin N. Clough, Walter Clough, Peter Cro- sier, Freeman Cormany, Lorenzo Crosier, James S. Dickson, Jacob, Foster, Edward Farr, Aaron Farr (died in service), Jacob Filtz, Daniel France, John Gougler, James Getz (died in service), James B. Haynes, James Head, William D. Haynes, Solomon Hen- line, John Holley, J. D. Heathman, George Heintz, William Havoc, John Huffman, William Hartong, William H. Jones (died in ser- vice), James Jones, David Kittinger, Levi Kittinger (died in service), William Leach, George Ley, John Ley, Samuel McCoy, Benjamin McCoy (died in service), John Male, Sr., Henry Mandebaugh, Adam K. Marsh, Ephraim Marsh, Michael McQueeney, Eli Moore, John Male, Jr., States A. McCoy, Henderson Mendenhall, Hiram Neil,

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AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

Benjamin F. Pontious (died in service), Samuel Pipher, Jacob Rosenbaum (died in service), Freeman Robinson, Henry Robinson, L. B. Raber, Adam Rinehart, William Seigfried, Benjamin F. Stall, Charles Steese, J. Shaffer (died in service), Joshua Sellers (died in service), William Seigfried, Daniel Stetler (died in service), William H. Tooker, Charles G. Tooker, William L. Turner, Charles D. Tift, A. A. Triplett, Valentine Viers, Samuel Winkleman, Adam Weaver, Jonathan Weaver, Oliver Wagner (died in service), George Weyant, Elijah Yarnold, Abner H. Yonker.

EORGE W. BREWSTER,-fifth G son of James G. and Martha (Hassen) Brewster, was born in Cov- ventry, March 21, 1837; raised on farm, with common school educa- tion; in the middle fifties spent sev- eral years in California, on his re- turn engaging with his four brothers, Stephen, Jonathan H., James G., Jr. and Hiram, in coal mining, and later in milling, manufacturing sewer pipe, stoneware, etc. Mr. Brewster was married, October 19, 1876, to Miss Marie L. Kent, daughter of Josiah and Lucia (Miller) Kent, pioneer settlers in Suffield, Portage county, who was born June 1, 1843. Four children have been born to them-Georgie Marie, born Septem- ber 20, 1877: Hiram Wallace, born September 27, 1879, died May 4, 1881; Arthur Kent, born December 20, 1880, and Bessie Bell, born December 20, 1883. During the War of the Rebellion the Brewster brothers were inost lib- eral contributors to the various bounty and sanitary funds, and otherwise active in securing recruits for the Union army, and averting the draft. Though an active Repub- lican from the organization of the party, Mr. Brewster has never sought

OF COCHI.

GEO. W. BREWSTER.

office, but in 1890 the Republican County Convention voluntarily, and with great unanimity, placed him in nomination for coroner, to which re- sponsible position he was duly elected for the term of two years, and is still ably serving.

COVENTRY IN PEACE.

HON. CHARLES SUMNER, father of Miss A. Louise Sumner, and brother of the late Julius A. Sumner, after a service of nine years in the same capacity in Portage county, was appointed by the Legislature of Ohio, one of the first associate judges of the new county of Summit, on its organization in 1840, and as all probate business was transacted by the Court of Common Pleas, mostly by the associate judges, Judge Sumner rendered very faithful and efficient service to the people of the new county up to the time of his death, June 19, 1845.

JARED JENNINGS, an early and successful business man of New Portage, on the Coventry side of the line, was, in 1849, elected recorder of Summit county, filling that office very acceptably for the period of three years.

AVERY SPICER, one of the most thorough-going and prosperous farmers of Coventry township, was, at sundry times, between 1849 and 1866, elected to the important office of Infirmary director,

719

COVENTRY'S CIVIL SERVICE RECORD.

holding that position in all 13 years and 3 months, and it is no disparagement to others to say that Mr. Spicer was as competent and faithful an overseer of the poor, as Summit county ever had.

NOAH INGERSOLL, Esq., father of Charles F. Ingersoll, of Akron, and George W. Ingersoll, of Coventry, besides serving two full terms, from 1859 to 1865, as justice of the peace, was the very care- ful and pains-taking coroner of the county for two consecutive terms from 1857 to 1861.

NOAH INGERSOLL, ESQ.,-son of James and Mary (Hoyt) Inger- soll; born in Stanford, Dutchess county, N. Y., April 18, 1783; common school education; raised on farm; married to Miss Mary Stickels, April 3, 1814; soon after marriage removed to Albion, Orleans county, N. Y., where he filled many important local official positions; in 1836 came to Ohio, settling on a farm in Copley, afterwards removing to Coventry, the last year of his life being spent in Akron, his death occurring April 7, 1870, Mrs. Ingersoll having passed away some five years earlier. Mr. Ingersoll ably served as justice of the peace for Coventry two consecu- tive ternis-1859 to 1865, and was also elected coroner of Sununit county in 1857, and re-elected in 1859, holding that important position two full ternis. Mr. and Mrs. Ingersoll were the parents of seven children, five of whom are now living-Mrs. Eliza Folger, of Elyria; Mrs. Tamma Par- melee, of Kent; Miss Mary Ingersoll, of Akron, George W. Ingersoll, a farmer in Coventry and Charles F. Ingersoll, insurance and real estate agent, Akron; the oldest son, Walter, a resident of Detroit, dying inAugust,

NOAH INGERSOLL, ESQ.

1885, and a daughter, Caroline, in June, 1842. In religion Mr. Ingersoll was a consistent Congregationalist; in politics a zealous Republican, and in social life, upright, affable and gentlemanly.

JONATHAN H. BREWSTER, for three successive terms, of three years each, from 1866 to 1875, was a prompt, humane and efficient member of the Infirmary board, of which body he was president from 1868 to 1872. '

HON. JOHN R. BUCHTEL, besides serving his native township three years, from 1853 to 1859, as justice of the peace, was, in 1872, presidential elector for the 18th Congressional District, composed of Summit, Wayne, Medina and Lorain counties, casting his vote in the electoral college for Ulysses S. Grant for president, and Henry Wilson for vice president, though an ardent personal and denom- inational friend of Hon. Horace Greeley, who that year accepted a nomination at the hands of the Democratic party. Mr. Buchtel was also appointed by Governor Hayes one of the original direc- tors of the Ohio Agricultural College at Columbus, and was very active in, planning and constructing the buildings, laying out the grounds and organizing that institution, while his liberal gifts to the college in Akron, which bears his name, his open-handed benevolence, his public spirit and indomitable enterprise are well known to all.

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AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

HIRAM S. FALOR, born in Coventry, March 22, 1829, and now residing on a portion of the original family homestead, by appoint- ment of council, served two years, 1853, '54, as assistant marshal of the incorporated village of Akron, also served as deputy sheriff, under Sheriff Seward, during the Parks murder trial in 1853-54; and from 1880 to 1884, faithfully and efficiently performed the responsible duties of messenger of the State treasury, in Columbus, during the administration of Treasurer Joseph Turney, and retain- ing the position two months under " Uncle Jo's" Democratic suc- cessor, Hon. Peter Brady.

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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