Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume II, Part 24

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio
Number of Pages: 916

USA > Ohio > Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume II > Part 24

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).

This county was first settled by the whites in 1796. In the fall of 1795 Ben- jamin Springer came from Kentucky, selected some land about a mile north of Amity, on the west bank of Big Darby, which stream was named by the Indians from a Wyandot chief named Darby, who for a long time resided upon it, near the line of this and Union counties. Springer having made a clearing and built a cabin, moved his family to the place in the spring of 1796. The next year William Lapin, Joshua and James Ewing, settled in the same neighborhood. The last-named is now living.

Springer settled near Alder, and taught him the English language, which much endeared the latter to him. He reciprocated this benefit, by not only supplying him with meat, but others of the early settlers, who, had it not been for him, would have been in danger of starvation. He also, on different occasions, saved some of the settlers from being killed by the Indians.

In 1800 Mr. Joshua Ewing brought four sheep to his place, which were strange animals to the Indians. One day an Indian was passing by, when the dog of the latter caught one of the sheep, and Ewing shot him. The Indian would have shot Ewing in retaliation, had not Alder, who was present, with much difficulty prevailed upon him to refrain.

On the outbreak of hostilities in 1812 the Indian chiefs held a council and sent a deputation to Alder, to learn which side to espouse, saying that the British wished them to go and fight for them, holding out the promise that in such case they would support their families. He advised them to remain at first neutral, and told them they need not be afraid of the Americans harming their women and children. They followed Alder's advice, for a while remained neutral, and event- ually became warm friends of the Americans.

PLAIN CITY is eighteen miles northeast of London, at the Union county line, and on the C. St. L. & P. R. R. It is the main business point for the rich farms on Darby plains. Newspaper : Dealer, Independent, J. H. Zimmerman, editor, C. W. Horn, proprietor. Churches : one Methodist, one Presbyterian, and one

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MADISON COUNTY.

Universalist. Banks : Farmers', Z. T. Lewis, president, C. F. Morgan, cas ... er ; Plain City, Alvah Smith, president, C. B. Smith, cashier.

Manufactures and Employees .- W. I. Ballinger & Sons, flour, etc., 5 hands ; Andrew & Koehler, grain elevator, 4; E. H. Dry, carriages and buggies, 6; Barlow, Kent & Co., furniture, 32; McCune & Beard, lumber, etc., 7; Beach & Dominy, flooring, siding, etc., 4; K. L. Wood, wrapping paper, 23 .- Ohio State Report, 1888. Population in 1880, 665. School census, 1888, 294. Capital in- vested in manufacturing establishments, $68,000. Value of annual product, $137,000 .- Ohio Labor Statistics, 1888.

WEST JEFFERSON is ten miles northeast of London, and fourteen miles west of Columbus, on the P. C. & St. L. R. R. Bank : Commercial, Gregg & Colli- ver, J. B. Hill, cashier. Population, 1880, 720. School census 1888, 253. At an early day a block-house was built on the east bank of the Little Darby, about twenty rods sonth of where the national road crosses the creek, near the village.

MOUNT STERLING is fifteen miles southeast of London, on the C. & C. M. R. R. Newspaper : Tribune, Independent, J. W. Hanawalt, editor and publisher. Churches : one Presbyterian, one Methodist, and one Christian. Bank : Farm- ers', William McCafferty, president, J. G. Loufbourrow, cashier. Population, 1880, 482. School census, 1888, 244; L. W. Sheppard, school superintendent. Capital invested in industrial establishments, $80,300. Valne of annual product, $150,500 .- Ohio Labor Statistics, 1887.

MIDWAY is eleven miles south of London. Postoffice is Sedalia. Population, 1880, 284. School census, 1888, 128.

SOMERFORD is five miles northeast of London. Population, 1880, 323.

SOUTH SOLON is eighteen miles southwest of London, on the O. S. R. R. News- paper : Standard, Independent, J. C. Morrow, editor and publisher. Population, 1880, 262.

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MAHONING COUNTY.

MAHONING.

MAHONING COUNTY was formed from Trumbull and Columbia, March 1, 1846. It derived its name from Mahoning river. The name Mahoning is, ac- cording to Heckwelder, derived from either the Indian word Mahoni, signifying " a lick," or Mahonink, "at the lick." The surface is rolling and the soil finely adapted to wheat and corn. Large quantities of the finer qualities of wool are raised. The valley of the Mahoning abounds in excellent bituminous coal, which is well adapted to the smelting of iron ore. There are fifteen townships in the county ; the five southernmost, viz., Smith, Goshen, Green, Beaver and Spring- field, originally formed part of Columbiana, and the others the southern part of Trumbull, the last of which are within the Western Reserve. Area about 420 square miles. In 1887 the acres cultivated were 105,207; in pasture, 70,454; woodland, 33,881 ; lying waste, 2,076 ; produced in wheat, 181,007 bushels ; rye, 3,359 ; buckwheat, 995; oats, 501,949; barley, 1,489; corn, 469,737 ; broom corn, 300 lbs. brush ; meadow hay, 36,623 tons; clover hay, 9,610; flax, 51,600 lbs. fibre ; potatoes, 95,773 bushels ; tobacco, 100 lbs. ; butter, 695,277 ; cheese, 79,450 ; sorghum, 637 gallons ; maple syrup, 33,942 ; honey, 19,649 lbs. ; eggs, 371,039 dozen ; grapes, 20,265 lbs .; wine, 267 gallons ; apples, 188,271 bushels ; peaches, 16,413 ; pears, 3,335; wool, 251,921 lbs .; milch cows owned, 7,521 .- Ohio State Report, 1888.

Coal mined in this county, 231,035 tons, employing 496 miners and 71 outside employees ; iron ore, 13,779 ; fire clay, 400 tons ; limestone, 53,627 tons burned for fluxing, 14,000 cubic feet of dimension stone .- Ohio Mining Statistics, 1888.

School census, 1888, 16,908 ; teachers, 336 ; miles of railroad track, 168.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880.

Austintown,

1,245

2,502

Green,

3,212

1,794

Beaver,

1,973

2,150

Jackson,

1,124

948

Berlin,

1,284

862

Milton,

1,277

688

Boardman,

933

906

Poland,

1,561

2,512

Canfield,

1,280

1,528

Smith,

2,029

1,941

Coitsville,

1,016

1,231

Springfield,

1,994

2,474

Ellsworth,

988

715

Youngstown,

999

15,435

Goshen,

1,397

1,445

Population of Mahoning in 1840, 21,712; 1860, 25,894; 1880, 42,871 ; of whom 26,672 were born in Ohio; 5,418, Pennsylvania ; 593, New York ; 311, Virginia ; 93, Indiana ; 56, Kentucky ; 3,280, England and Wales ; 2,494, Ire- land ; 1,471, German Empire ; 705, Scotland ; 280, British America ; 65, France, and 90 in Sweden and Norway. Census, 1890, 55,979.

In our original edition we said, " The following sketch from a resident of the county not only describes interesting incidents in the life of one of the first settlers on the Reserve, but gives facts of importance connected with the history of this region."

Col. JAMES HILLMAN, of Youngstown. was one of the pioneers of the West, and rendered essential service to the early settlers of the Western Reserve. He is still living, and at the age of eighty-four enjoys good health and spirits, and walks with as much elasticity of step as most men thirty years younger, He was born in Northampton,

Pa., and'in 1784 was a soldier under General Harmar, and was discharged at Fort McIn- tosh, at Beaver town, on the Ohio in August, 1785, after the treaty with the Indians.

His acquaintance with the country now known as the Western Reserve commenced in the spring of 1786, at which time he en- tered into the service of Duncan & Wilson,

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MAHONING COUNTY.

of Pittsburg. They were engaged in for- warding goods and provisions upon pack- horses across the country to the mouth of the Cuyahoga (now Cleveland), thence to be shipped on the schooner Mackinaw to De- troit. During the summer of 1786 he made six trips-the caravan consisting of ten men and ninety horses. They usually crossed the Big Beaver, four miles below the mouth of the Shenango, thence up the left bank of the Mahoning, crossing it about three miles above the village of Youngstown, thence by way of the Salt Springs, in the township of Weathersfield, through Milton and Ravenna, crossing the Cuyahoga at the mouth of Break- neck, and again at the mouth of Tinker's creek, in Bedford, and thence down the river to its mouth, where they erected a log hut for the safe-keeping of their goods, which was the first house built in Cleveland.

At the mouth of Tinker's creek were a few houses built by the Moravian missionaries. They were then vacant, the Indians having occupied them one year only, previous to their removal to the Tuscarawas river. These and three or four cabins at the Salt Springs were the only buildings erected by the whites between the Ohio river and Lake Erie. Those at the Salt Springs were erected for the ac- commodation of persons sent there to make salt, and the tenants were dispossessed during the summer of 1785, by order of General Harmar. During this year, 1786, Kribs, who was left in one of the cabins to take care of goods belonging to Duncan & Wilson, was murdered by the Indians, and his body was found by Hillman's party, shockingly man- gled by the wolves. During the same season James Morrow and Sam Simerson, returning from Sandusky, were killed by the Indians at Eagle creek, west of Cleveland. Mr. Hill- man was married in 1786, and in 1788 settled at Beaver town, where Duncan & Wilson had a store for the purpose of trading with the Indians.

From 1788 to 1796 Mr. Hillman resided in Pittsburg, and traded with the Indians in Ohio, principally on the Reserve, bringing his goods in canoes up the Mahoning. His intercourse with the Indians during these eight years, and before, afforded him the op- portunity of acquiring a knowledge of their language and gaining their confidence, both of which he obtained, and by means of which he was enabled afterwards to be of great ser- vice to the early settlers of the Reserve.

In 1796, when returning from one of his trading expeditions alone in his canoe, down the Mahoning river, he discovered a smoke on the bank near the present site of the vil- lage of Youngstown, and on proceeding to the spot he found Mr. Young (the proprietor of the township), who, with Mr. Wolcott, had just arrived to make a survey of his lands. The cargo of Mr. Hillman was not entirely disposed of, there remaining among other things some whisky, the price of which was to the Indians one dollar a quart in the currency of the country-a deerskin being a legal tender for one dollar and a doeskin half

a dollar. Mr. Young proposed purchasing ~ quart, and having a frolic on its contents during the evening, and insisted upon paying Hillman his customary price for it. Hillman urged that inasmuch as they were strangers in the country, and just arrived upon his ter- ritory, civility required him to furnish the means of the entertainment. He, however, yielded to Mr. Young, who immediately took the deerskin he had spread for his bed (the only one he had), and paid for his quart of whisky. His descendants in the State of New York, in relating the hardships of their ancestors, have not forgotten that Judge Young exchanged his bed for a quart of whisky.

Mr. Hillman remained with them a few days, when they accompanied him to Beaver town, to celebrate the Fourth of July, and Mr. H. was induced to return and commence the settlement of the town by building a house. This was about the first settlement made on the Western Reserve. In the fall of 1797 Mr. Brown and another person came on. It was during this season that Uriah Holmes of Litchfield county, Conn., and Titus Hayes arrived in Youngstown the same day, both having started from Connecticut on the same day, the one taking the route through the State of New York, via Buffalo, and the other through Pennsylvania.

The settlement of the country proceeded prosperously until the murder of the two In- dians, Captain George and Spotted John, at the Salt Springs, by McMahon and Story. This affair had nearly proved fatal to the set- tlements, and probably would but for the efforts of Mr. Hillman. The next day after the murder, for such it undoubtedly was, Colonel Hillman, with Mr. Young and the late Judge Pease, of Warren, who had just arrived, went to the Salt Springs with a view of pacifying the Indians ; but they had gone, not however without having buried the bodies of their murdered companions. Colonel Hill- man and others expected trouble, and in order to show the Indians that the whites did not sanction the act, judged it advisable to take McMahon and Story prisoners ; which they accordingly did the same day at Warren. Colonel H. had McMahon in custody, but Story, who was guarded by John Lane, es- caped during the night. On the next day McMahon was brought to Youngstown, the settlers resolving to send him to Pittsburg, to be kept in confinement until he could be tried.

The affairs of the settlement were at that time in a critical and alarming state, so much so that all of the inhabitants, both of Youngs- town and Warren, packed up their goods and were upon the point of removing from the country, as they had every reason to appre- hend that the Indians would take speedy vengeance. It was at this juncture that the firmness and good sense of Colonel Hillman was the means of saving the infant settlement from destruction. He advised sending a deputation to the Indians then encamped on the Mahoning, near where Judge Price's

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MAHONING COUNTY.

mills now stand, and endeavor to avert the threatened danger. It was an undertaking imminently hazardous. Few men would have dared to go, and it is quite certain no other man in the settlement would have had any chance of success. He was acquainted with their language, and knew their principal men, and was aware that in his trading inter- course with them he had acquired their con- fidence, and therefore felt no fear. Although urged to do so, he would not take any weapon of defence, but, accompanied by one Ran- dall, started very early the next morning on his hazardous enterprise, and came in sight of the Indians before sunrise. The Indians, seventeen in number, were asleep, each with his gun and powder-horn resting upon a forked stick at his head. Being in advance of Randall he came within three rods of them before he was discovered. A squaw was the only one awake. She immediately gave the alarm, which started every warrior to his feet with gun in hand. But seeing Colonel H. and his companion riding into their encamp- ment without arms, and unsuspicious of treachery or harm, they dropped their guns and immediately gathered around their vis- itors.

Onondaigua George, the principal man or chief, knew Hillman, and the late murder became the subject of a very earnest conver- sation ; the chief exhibiting much feeling while talking about it. Hillman told him frankly the object of his visit, and talked freely of the affair, condemning McMahon and assuring him that McMahon was then on his way to Pittsburg, and should stand a trial for the murder he had committed. Nothing could be done, however, until Capt. Peters should arrive with his braves. They were then encamped farther up the river, near the present site of Deerfield, and were expected to arrive that day, a message having been sent for that purpose.

In the course of the day they came. The countenance of Capt. Peters, as soon as he saw a white man present, scowled with hatred, revenge and defiance. Hillman endeavored to pacify him, but with little effect. During the interview, a conversation was had between Captains George and Peters in the Seneca language, in which Capt. Peters endeavored to persuade the other that they ought to kill Hillman and Randall, and before the whites could unite in defence dispatch them in detail. But Capt. George would not agree to it, unwilling that Hillman, to whom he had con- ceived a liking. should be killed. It was not known to either that Hillman was acquainted with the Seneca language, in which this conversation was held ; he was, however, and it may be conceived with what interest he listened to it. Hillman succeeded after sev- eral attempts in drawing Capt. Peters aside, and offered him a considerable sum, if he would go to Cuyahoga on some business for the whites. This bribe, it seems, had its desired effect. The Indians retired a short distance and held a consultation, during which Randall became so much alarmed that he

proposed that each should take his horse and endeavor to make his escape. Hillman would not go, but observing that the Indians had left their guns leaning upon two trees near by told Raudall to station himself, and if, on their return, one of their number should be painted black (which Hillman knew was their custom when one was to be killed) then each should seize upon the guns and sell his life as dearly as possible.

After a long time, however, they returned; Capt. Peters holding up a wampum belt with three strings, and saying that they had agreed to hold a council with the whites, on con- dition that three things should be done, as their wampum indicated. Ist, that George Foulk should act as interpreter ; 2d, that the council should be held within six days ; and, 3d, that McMahon should be kept until the council. These things being agreed to, Hill- man and Randall returned the same day to Youngstown, where they found all the inhabi- tants assembled, waiting in anxious suspense to learn the result of the expedition, and every preparation made for a sudden flight, in case it should have proved unsuccessful. Great was their joy on seeing Hillman and his companion arrive in safety, and telling what had been done.

The inhabitants immediately set themselves about making the necessary preparations for the council. On the day appointed, two Indians made their appearance, and were conducted by Mr. Hillman to the place pre- pared to hold their council. After the cere- mony of smoking, commenced the speeches, and it was generally conceded that Capt. Peters had the best of the argument, and throughout the whole of the consultation showed a decided superiority over the whites opposed to him, in adroitness and force of argument. although our people had appointed three of their best men for that purpose (the late Judge Pease, of Warren, and Gov. Huntington being of the number), all of whom had prepared themselves for this encounter with Indian shrewdness. The re- sult of the council was satisfactory to both parties ; that McMahon should be tried by a jury of his own color, according to the laws of his own country. There were about three hundred people present at the council, among whom was Mr. Hudson, of Portage county, and Mr. Ely, of Deerfield. Thus was tran- quillity restored, mainly through the instru- mentality of Mr. Hillman, a service which was so highly appreciated by Ephraim Root, the agent of the Connecticut Land Com- pany, that he agreed on the part of the company that he would give him one hundred acres of land ; the promise, however, was never redeemed.

Soon after, McMahon was sent by order of Gov. St. Clair, under a strong guard, to abide his trial at a special court ordered for that purpose, to be held in Youngstown by the Judges, Return J. Meigs and Benjamin Ives. Gilman, Backus & Tod were attorneys for the people ; and Mr. Simple, John S. Edwards and Benjamin Tappan for the pris-

178

MAHONING COUNTY.

oner. The court was attended by persons from a great distance, and it was generally believed that many had come with a deter- mination to rescue McMahon, in case he should be found guilty. He was, however, acquitted, principally upon the testimony of one Knox, who swore that McMahon re- treated a step or two before he fired, which probably was not true, and was not believed by those who had visited the spot on the day after the affair. Capt. Peters was upon the bench during the whole trial, and was satis- fied that he had received a fair trial, and should, according to the laws of the whites,

have been acquitted. As soon as Knox swore that McMahon retreated before he fired, Capt. Peters gave a characteristic "ugh," and whispered to Judge Meigs that the jury would acquit the prisoner.

Thus terminated this critical affair, after which the settlement increased with great rapidity, and Col. Hillman from that time has enjoyed the confidence and respect of his fellow-citizens, twice expressed in electing him sheriff, under the territorial government, and in various other ways, and still lives respected and beloved by all.

Youngstown in 1846 .- Youngstown is the largest and most flourishing town in Mahoning county, beautifully situated on the north bank of the Mahoning river, sixty-five miles from Pittsburg, Penn., nine miles from Canfield, the seat of justice for the county of Mahoning, fourteen from Warren, the county-seat of Trumbull county, thirty from Ravenna, Portage county, and twenty-seven from New Lisbon, Columbiana county. It contains about 1,200 inhabitants, has 12 mercantile stores, 3 warehouses for receiving and forwarding goods and produce on the canal ; 4 churches-1 Presbyterian, 1 Episcopal Methodist, 1 Protestant Methodist and 1 Disciples. The Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal passes through the village, and the products of the surrounding country are sent here for ship- ment. Few places in Ohio are more beautifully situated; few have greater facilities for manufacturing, or bid fairer to become places of wealth and im- portance.

Bituminous coal and iron ore abound in the immediate vicinity of the village and along the line of the canal, adequate, it is believed, to the wants of a large manufacturing place. Several of the coal banks are already opened and success- fully and profitably worked. The mines of the Hon. David Tod furnish about one hundred tons of coal per day, and those of Crawford, Camp & Co. about sixty, all of which have hitherto found a ready market at Cleveland for steamboat fuel. It has recently been ascertained that the coal in the valley of the Mahon- ing is well adapted in its raw state to the smelting of iron ore, and three furnaces similar to the English and Scotch furnaces, each capable of producing from sixty to one hundred tons of pig-metal per week, have been erected in the township, and near to the village. A large rolling-mill has been erected in the village, at which is made the various sizes of bar, rod and hoop iron ; also sheet iron, nails and spikes. The " Youngstown Iron Company " and the " Eagle Iron and Steel Company " contemplate the erection of machinery for the purpose of making the T and H rails ; and it is more than probable that the various railroads now pro- jected in Ohio and the adjoining States will be supplied with rails from this point. In addition to the above, there is quite a number of small manufacturing establishments for making tin-ware, cloth, axes, wagons, buggies, etc., etc. The amount of capital invested in the manufacturing of iron is probably $200,000.

The view given was taken from the southeast, a few hundred yards to the left of the road leading to Pittsburg, and near the residence of Mr. Homer Hine, shown on the right. In front appears the canal and Mahoning river : on the left the rolling-mill of the Youngstown Iron Company. In the distance a part of the town is shown ; the spires seen are respectively, commencing on the right, those of the Presbyterian, Disciples and Episcopal Methodist churches ; near, on the left of the last named, appears the Protestant Methodist church .- Old Edition.

YOUNGSTOWN, county-seat of Mahoning, is on the Mahoning river, midway between Pittsburg and Cleveland, sixty-eight miles from each and about one hundred and fifty miles northeast of Columbus. It is located in a rich coal and iron region, is a manufacturing and railroad centre, being the first point

179

MAHONING COUNTY.

west of New York city where the three great Western trunk lines meet, viz. : L. S. & M. S., N. Y. P. & O., and P. Ft. W. & C .; besides these there are the P. P. & F. and P. & L. E.

County Officers in 1888: Auditor, Thomas E. Davey ; Clerk, Zebulon P. Curry ; Commissioners, Frank White, Louis Gluck, David T. Moore; Coroner, C. Carlos Booth ; Infirmary Directors, Nelson K. Gunder, Cyrus Rhodes, Obadiah Peters ; Probate Judge, Elliott M. Wilson ; Prosecuting Attorney, Disney Rogers; Re- corder, Abram S. McCurley ; Sheriff, Samuel O. Ewing ; Surveyor, Edwin D. Haseltine ; Treasurers, George W. Caufield, John W. Smith. City Officers in 1888 : Sam'l A. Steele, Mayor; Jno. M. Webb, Clerk; Wm. A. McLaine, Solicitor ; Wm. A. Williams, Marshal ; Jas. M. Reno, Civil Engineer ; Johu Gibson, Street Commissioner ; Geo. W. Caufield, Treasurer ; Wm. H. Moore, Chief Fire Department. Newspapers : Telegram, Republican, Youngstown Print- ing Co., editors and publishers ; Rundschau, German Independent, Wm. F. Magg, editor and publisher ; Vindicator, Democratic, Webb & Magg, editors and publish- ers; Mining World, Mining, Mining World Co., editors and publishers. Churches : 3 Episcopal, 1 German Evangelical, 1 Congregational, 2 Presbyterian, 1 United Presbyterian, 2 Jewish, 2 Methodist Episcopal, 1 German Reformed, 1 African Methodist Episcopal, 2 Lutheran, 2 Catholic, 1 Welsh Congregational, 1 Dis- ciples and 3 Baptist. Banks: Commercial National, C. H. Andrews, president, Mason Evans, cashier ; First National, Robt. McCurdy, president, Wm. H. Baldwin, cashier ; Mahoning National, H. O. Bounell, president, J. H. McEwen, cashier ; Second National, Henry Tod, president, Henry M. Garlick, cashier ; Wick Bros. & Co., Thos. H. Wilson, cashier.

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Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume II, Part 24

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893 Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio Number of Pages: 916

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio
Number of Pages: 916