History of Ashland County, Ohio, Part 20

Author: Baughman, A. J. (Abraham J.), 1838-1913. cn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1012

USA > Ohio > Ashland County > History of Ashland County, Ohio > Part 20

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The Messrs. Mason, Young, Crouse, and Joseph Bishop all appeared with their families in October, 1814.

William Patterson made his first visit to Orange township in the spring of 1815, and entered at the federal land office the northeast quarter of section 7, Orange township. During the same year, he returned to his native place, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and in 1818 revisited the country with a view of making the land he had entered the place of his future residence. In that year he "tomahawked," to use a current phrase of the country at that time, ten acres of his land. By this term "tomahawked," the unsophisticated of this time will understand to mean, that he cut down, with his axe, from that number of acres, the timber of eighteen inches in circumference and under, and arranged the brush around the base of the trees that were above that size.

During this winter, the families of Martin and Jacob Mason, having ex- hausted their supplies of breadstuffs, availed themselves of a deep snow that had fallen, and left home on sleds for Stibb's mill. The only road to Wooster led by way of the old Indian village called Jerometown, near where Jeromeville now stands. On arriving at the mill they were grievously disappointed to find its operations suspended by the ice. This winter, it may be here observed, was one of remarkable rigor, the snow, during a period of forty days, remaining upon the ground to the depth of at least a foot. Realizing the necessity of immediately supplying their families with something in the form of breadstuffs, they pro- cured a few bushels of shelled corn and started on their way home. The families were without meat, butter, milk, or potatoes. Their only cow, a noble animal, and which had been the main reliance of the family of Martin Mason for food, had died a short time previously from "browsing" upon Buckeye buds. The sole dependence of the families, therefore, was upon their corn. Of this they made hominy, and with the single exception of salt, and the meat of a raccoon, the two families subsisted upon this food a period of two weeks. They were

indebted for the 'coon mentioned, to an Indian named James Lyons, who had tracked and treed the animal, and offered the meat to his white friends if they would secure it and give him the skin. His offer was gladly accepted-the tree (an immense one) cut down-the animal killed and dressed, and its meat divided between the two families. A few days after this, two other Indians, Jim Jerk and Billy Mature, came into the house of Martin Mason with a bear, for the meat of which he paid them eight silver dollars. This meat Mr. Mason divided with his brother's family, and the hominy being cooked in bear's oil, made sumptuous fare, and in a few days the weather relaxed so that they were enabled to procure cornmeal from Stibb's, and venison and other wild meats

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

from the Indians. During the spring some bacon was purchased of Robert Newell, for which twenty-five cents per pound was paid.

The first meal making implements of which nearly every family had one, were hominy blocks, a hole burned in a stump, with a sweep so fixed that two men could pound corn into meal; the sieve was a deerskin stretched over a hoop, with small holes made therein by the point of a hot iron.

Philip Fluke came to Orange township in 1816. Although Mr. Fluke had previously resided in an old settled country, he referred to his experience in the wilderness of Orange township as embracing the happiest period of his life. The health of himself and family, with the exception of ague attacks during the first year, was good. He realized from his first year's tillage sufficient wheat and corn to subsist his family and stock, and to supply, to a limited extent, new neighbors that came in. Prosperity attended all his efforts, and the accumula- tions of this world's goods, and the exchange of his old cabin home for the fine brick dwelling in which he for many years resided, did not, according to his own testimony, add to his stock of happiness.

Jacob Hiffner, Jr., emigrated with his family, consisting of his wife and three daughters, from Franklin county, Pennsylvania, to Orange township, in November, 1817. Four families from Pennsylvania traveled in company, and settled in Orange township at the same time, namely, those of his father, Jacob Hiffner, Sr., of his brother, Frederick Hiffner, and of his brother-in-law, Ridenour.

Mr. Hiffner erected a temporary cabin upon the land of his father, which afforded shelter for his family during the winter of 1817-18. In the mean- time he had constructed a rude cabin upon his own place, and in April, 1818, removed his family and scanty stock of household effects into it, and engaged in the improvement of his land. When he commenced housekeeping, his cabin was without a door, chimney or floor-the fire being made upon the ground in the center of the cabin, and the smoke finding its way out chiefly through an open place in one end of the roof designed for the future chimney of the cabin. Mr. Hiffner averred that the best pone he ever ate was made of soft and rotten corn, purchased at Stibb's mill, and eaten with an appetite sharpened by a long fast and severe bodily toil. Being skilled in the use of the rifle, his family never suffered for want of venison or other wild meat. Good breadstuffs, however, were not in the country, and the most miserable quality, which the swine of this day would reject, could only be obtained at a great distance, and at one dollar per bushel. His severest trials passed away with the first year.

In the early settlement of the township the milling was done at Beam's, on the Blackfork, and down on the White Woman. The trip to the last named mills was made in canoes. It generally required thirteen days to make it, and, in the first years of immigration, very little corn being raised, it was purchased at the mills at one dollar per bushel. In later years purchases of salt, leather, iron, etc., were made at Sandusky City, or Portland, as it was then called. Coffee sold for fifty cents, in specie, per pound.

Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Fast came to Ohio from Pennsylvania when their son Wilson Fast was a small boy. During the Civil war Wilson was a Union soldier in the One Hundred and Second Ohio Infantry, and was on board the

Orange Street, Ashland, Ohio

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

ill-fated Sultana on his way home when that awful disaster occurred, but he successfully battled with the waves, and at last reached his home, where he was warmly welcomed by his relatives and friends.

The first schoolhouse, in 1820, was on the old Crouse farm, built of logs, and taught by the late Sage Kellogg.

The first four blacksmiths were Solomon Urie, 1816, and Peter Biddinger, 1818, Robert Lincoln, 1818, and John King at a later period.

Robert Ralston, Sr., was the first carpenter and cabinet maker, in 1820. Alanson Walker and Robert Russell learned the trade of him.

The first wheelwright was George Hall, in 1822.

The first wagon maker was Jacob Young, in 1815.

The first gristmill was erected by Martin Mason, in 1815.

The first Methodist Episcopal church, at Orange, was a frame structure, built in 1829, by Robert Williamson and John P. Anderson. The church was erected under the preaching of Rev. Haney and Hazzard, local preachers.

The first Presbyterian church was the old Hopewell, west of Ashland one and one-half miles. Rev. Matthews and a few members built the church. There was also occasional preaching near Philip Flukes', in Martin Hester's house, in 1828.

The first Baptist service was at the house of Christian Fast, in the west part of Orange township, by John Rigdon, in 1825.

The first turner in wood was Jacob Fast, in 1817.

The first coopers were Thomas and Solomon Urie and John Y. Burge who also made wooden moldboards for plows, as well as plows themselves, from 1820 to 1830.

The first regular wagonmaker in Orange was Fred Nichols, in 1829.

The first doctors in Orange were: John Hannah, 1834; William Deming, 1836 ; Dr. Alden, 1839; John Lambert, 1848; A. McClelland, 1850; J. Deal, 1862; J. Hahn, 1865; and Dr. Crowell, 1871-80.

The first stores: Isaac Cutter, 1828; Cutter, Metcalf, Norris & Co., 1829; Thomas Smurr & Co., 1833; Charles R. Deming, 1835; George W. Urie and Daniel Campbell, 1841.

The first tanners were : Christian Rugh, 1834; Philip Fluke, Jr., 1838; Isaiah Crouse, 1840 to 1845.

The first postmaster at Orange was Vachtel Metcalf, in 1828.

The first tailor in Orange was Brown, in 1829, who made buckskin breeches, moccasins, etc., and Mrs. John Murray, who also made gloves and moccasins of deer skins.

The first shoemakers were C. Biddinger and Philip Biddinger, in 1820-21.

The first gunsmith was Peter Biddinger, who had a shop north of Orange two to three miles, at Culberson's corners.

RUGGLES TOWNSHIP.

Ruggles township was organized in 1826, and until the erection of Ashland county in 1846, belonged to Huron county. It derived its name from Almon

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

Ruggles, who settled in Huron county in 1808, and who, in 1815, laid out the town of Norwalk.

In 1820 its territory was included in Bethel township, which had a popula- tion that year of one hundred and sixty-four. The population of Ruggles in 1830 was two hundred and seventy-one and in 1840 it was one thousand two hundred and forty-four.

Ruggles township, as well as the whole of the original territory of Huron county, was within the "Fire Land" district. These fire lands embraced a tract of country containing seven hundred and eighty-one square miles, or nearly five hundred thousand acres, in the western part of the Western Reserve. The name originated from the circumstance that the state of Connecticut had made a grant of these lands in 1792, as a donation to certain sufferers by fire, occasioned by the invading English during the Revolutionary war, particularly at New London, Fairfield, and Norwalk. This tract was surveyed into town- ships of about five miles square each; and these townships are then subdivided into four equal quarters, No. 1 being the southeast, No. 2 the northeast, No. 3 the northwest, and No. 4 the southwest. And for individual convenience, these are again subdivided, by private surveys, into lots of from fifty to five hundred acres each, to suit individual purchasers. The surveys were made in 1808.

Daniel Beach immigrated to Ruggles township on the 2d of August, 1823. He died in 1862. His was the first family that settled in the township. He was born in Connecticut.

Aldrich Carver and family, consisting of three persons, settled in Ruggles, in 1825. His was the fourth family then in the township. He had emigrated from Cayuga county, New York.

Bradford Sturtevant and family emigrated from New York in 1816, and settled in Ruggles township, Ashland county, in 1823, being the second pioneer in the township. The lands of the township at that time, Mr. Sturtevant said, were monopolized by non-residents-speculators. A daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sturtevant's, born May 17, 1825, was the first white female child born in the township.

Salmon Weston came to Ruggles township in June, 1825, and was the first white settler in the eastern portion of the township. He removed from Con- necticut, and occupied one month in traveling from his old home to his new. The journey was made from Warren, Connecticut, to Albany, New York, in wagons; from Albany to Buffalo, on the Erie canal, from the latter place to Sandusky City, on the schooner Superior, and from Sandusky to Ruggles in wagons.

At a meeting of the Firelands Historical Society held at Norwalk, December 12, 1906, Russell Godfrey said he would be a resident of Huron county yet, if Ruggles township had not been sliced off and given to Ashland. He further said :

"I want to make a few remarks. When Ethan Pray's name was men- tioned, it brought to my mind a little incident that transpired many years ago that gave a coloring at least to my life. In the winter of 1840 and 1841, Ethan Pray taught school in North Fairfield. I was a pupil in that school. I was about six years old at that time. The teacher, Mr. Pray always opened the school

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

with prayer. I was a small boy and full of mischief. One morning while he was engaged in that service, I had a piece of chalk in my pocket. I took it out. His back was turned, and I marked down the back of his old blue swallow tail with that piece of chalk, little thinking that he felt it. When he got through, he pulled off his coat, went and got his whip and I think he gave me as good a dressing as a boy ever got. But that whipping was the best lesson I ever learned in school. It taught me never to interfere with public worship of God in any form from that day to this, and I feel thankful today for that lesson. About ten years ago, I met Mr. Pray here on the square and was introduced to him. I told him of this inci- dent. 'Well,' he said, 'if it did you any good, I am glad of it.' "'

RAPE OF RUGGLES TOWNSHIP.

From the Firelands Pioneer.

The following from the Firelands Pioneer shows the high regard in which Ruggles township was held by the people of Huron county :

The law to erect the county of Ashland passed the General Assembly of Ohio on the 24th of February, 1846. Its present territory originally formed the townships of Vermillion, Montgomery, Orange, Green and Hanover, with parts of Clear Creek, Milton, Mifflin, and Monroe,* in Richland county; also, the townships of Sullivan and Troy, in Lorain county; all except the eastern tier of sections of the townships of Jackson, Perry, Mohican, and the fractioned townships of Lake, in Wayne county, and the whole of Ruggles, in Huron county. The counties from which Ashland was made contained originally an aggregate of two thousand nine hundred and forty square miles and ninety- three townships. The several dates of their organization and number of civil townships were as follows:

Counties.

When organized.

Square miles.

No. of townships.

Richland

1813

900

Wayne

1812

660

Lorain

1824

580

Huron

1815

800

2940

For many years after its organization Richland county possesed the larg- est of any county in Ohio. This fact gave rise to a multitude of new county schemes. There was scarcely "a laid-out" town outside a limit of twelve miles from Mansfield that had not annually beleagured the legislature with applica- tions for new counties for the benefit of town lot owners. Within what is now Ashland county, there were numerous schemes which proposed to effect the territories of some of the counties from which Ashland was finally made-prom-

*Monroe was subsequently retroceded to Richland county.

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

inent among which were the proposed new counties of Ellsworth, with the seat of justice at Sullivan; the county of Mohican, with the seat of justice at Lou- donville; the county of Vermillion, with the seat of justice at Hayesville; also, applications from Jerome, Orange and Savannah for new counties, with the seats of justice at their several towns; and at a later date, a new county for the benefit of real estate owners at Ashland. The success of the last-named pro- ject, by the passage of the act of the 24th of February, 1846, and by the vote of the electors of the new county on the first Monday of April of the same year, was regarded as a final settlement of all rival schemes; but the erection, at the legislative session of 1847-48, of the County of Morrow, a long pending and rival "claim," was a yet further invasion of the territory of " Old Richland." The checks imposed upon the general assembly by the constitution of 1851, with respect to the erection of new counties and the removals of county seats, are among the wisest provisions of that instrument, and destroyed the occupation of a horde of mercenary lobbies, whose corruptions had attained such magnitude as generally to control the legislation of the state. The constitution of 1802 simply prescribed the minimum area to four hundred square miles, without any guarantees for private rights involved in the changes of county lines and county seats. The legislative power over these subjects was supreme. One legislature could "permanently establish," and their successors could, and often did, as permanently unsettle and unmake "as a breath hath made." Rights which might be truly termed "vested," acquired under the most solemn legislative sanctions of former years, were wantonly in- vaded; and in an hour of fancied security men would find the accumulations of years virtually confiscated by "solemn" legislative enactment-an enact- ment secured by the corps of "lobbies" who held control of every avenue leading to the law-making halls-and not only that, but had invaded the sanc- tity of the premises within the legislative bar and dictated the votes of the worse than "wooden men" who were often sent as "representatives of the people." Unless other abuses have recently reappeared at Columbus; and the lobbies found other prey, the corruptionists have had a long fast at Ohio's capital.

TROY TOWNSHIP.

Troy is a comparatively new township. having been organized in 1835. Population in 1840 289

Population in 1850 849

Population in 1860. 931

For many years the settlement of Troy was retarded to a greater degree than the adjacent townships on the north, east and west, in consequence of the ownership of the land by Eastern speculators. For some years prior to 1845, the system of legislation prevailed in Ohio. the effect and probably the design of which was to confiscate lands of non-resident owners, or cause them to sell the same. For some years the lands of non-residents were valued for taxation the same as improved farms. The roads were made and improved by a tax of a certain amount per acre, the wilderness lands of the speculators being taxed the same per acre as were the best and most improved farms of the settlers. The

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

same rule applied in the erection of schoolhouses and in the support of the schools. This legislative policy soon brought the lands of non-residents into the market, and the lands were taken up by actual settlers and improved, adding much to the wealth and increasing the population of the township. The only town in the years agone in Troy township was Troy village, the name of which has been changed to Nova.

JACKSON TOWNSHIP.

# Jackson township was surveyed in 1807, by Mr. Ludlow and was organized February 12, 1819, out of the territory of Perry township. The population of the township in 1820 was two hundred and thirty-six .. The whole number of voters at the first election was sixty-seven. The following is the list :

Martin Shaffer, Michael Morkle, Thomas McBride, George Long, John Bryant, Jacob Kiplinger, Jesse Matthews, John Kiplinger, Adam Keny, Shad- rach Bryant, Joseph Chilcoat, Daniel Bryan, Michael Kiplinger, Lawrence Swope, Peter Kiplinger, John Tanyer, William Brosser, John Meason, Isaac Lyons, John A. Smiley, Robert Smilie, Wm. Harris, Moses Kitchen, Jacob Hellman, Jacob Berry, Peter Kane, John Kelley, Hanson Hamilton, Nicholas Shaffer, Tate Brooks, Philip Brown, Daniel Goodwin, Amos McBride, Jonas H. Gierhart, Samuel Chacy, John Johnsonbaugh, Adam Burge, Noah Long, Thomas Smith, Solomon Mokle, James George, XNathaniel Lyons, William Smith, John Duncan, Henry Kiplinger, Benjamin Drodge, Martin Fast, Josiah Lee, Samuel McConahey, Peter Henry, Matthias Rickle, Henry Kiplinger, John Harbaugh, John Nelson, Thomas Cole, John Rickle, John Laflor, James Fulton, Peter Berk, William Anderson, John Vavalman, Charles Hay, Michael Rickle, Henry Shissler, Hankey Priest, James Durfy, Stephen Cole.

Charles Hoy removed with his family to Jackson township in May, 1817. At the date of the arrival of Mr. Hoy in the township the following named persons were the heads of families that constituted its population, viz: Isaac Lyons, John Jackson, Daniel and John Davoult, and Noah Long. The family of either Isaac Lyons or Noah Long were the first inhabitants. Of the heads of families above named, not one is now a resident of the township.

Josiah Lee immigrated to Jackson township from Ontario county, New York, in July, 1819. Mr. Lee often traveled from his home to Wooster and back, a distance of forty miles, within a single day. In two instances, himself, Mr. Lafler, and Mr. Mason, were required to attend "militia musters" on the Big (Blachleyville) Prairie, a distance of twenty miles. They were ordered to be at the place of rendezvous at ten o'clock a. m. and would be dismissed at 4 o'clock p. m. This travel of forty miles, and at least five hours drill, were accomplished on foot within the same day and night. Prior to 1830 there were no markets at the lake for grain or other farm produce. During this year, however, a demand was created, by a large immigration to Michigan, for produce, and wheat at the lake ports this year sold at fifty-six cents per bushel; oats twenty-two cents. Charleston at the mouth of Black river, was regarded as the most favorable point for reaching the lake, for the reason that the streams

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

were less difficult to cross than those which intervened between here and Cleve- land. The farmers were greatly elated in consequence of the prices of this year, and as the demand was expected to continue another season, an unusually large breadth of ground was sown in wheat during the fall of 1830; but the expectations of farmers were not realized, as in 1831 wheat fell to forty cents per bushel, and for oats there was no demand.

A FATIGUING MARCH,

Charles Hoy removed his family from Stark county to Jackson township, Ashland county, in May, 1817. At the time of their arrival there were but five families in the township. In March, 1819, Mr. Hoy, after his purchase of the quarter in section 27, which was then in a wilderness condition, at the close of the day he had raised his cabin, (hands to obtain which were procured from neighborhoods as far distant as where Rowsburg now stands,) he undertook to return to his family, a distance of five miles. He had only blazed trees to guide him. When he had accomplished about half the distance, a violent snowstorm and darkness suddenly arrested his progress. He undertook to find the blazed trees by feeling with his hands ; but soon found this impracticable, and came to the conclusion that he would be either compelled to spend the in- clement night in the forest or search out the bed of Wolf run, and follow its course to the Muddy Fork, and then up the latter stream to his home, which stood upon its banks. By the devious course of these streams, the distance was nine or ten miles, over fallen timber and brush, and encountering the whole route a' violent storm; and, when he finally reached home, it was between twelve and one o'clock in the morning. He found Mrs. Hoy sitting up, unable to sleep, and terrified with the fear that her husband might fall a victim to the inclement weather or savage beasts. Mr. Hoy had seen service in the war of 1812 and had endured some other hardships; but he says that never, before or since has he performed a more exhausting march.

There were very few horses in the country at that time, and comparatively little use for them, as there was no surplus produce for market, and no attain- able markets, even had there been horses, wagons, and roads, suitable for transportation. Religious meetings (which, there being no church buildings. were always held at private houses) and social visits were made on foot -- men and women often traveling a distance of five or six miles (carrying children in their arms) for these purposes.

GREENTOWN.

"All along the winding river And adown the shady glen, On the hill and in the valley, Are the graves of dusky men."

To understand the founding of Greentown, something must first be given

MAIN STREET, RESIDENTIAL SECTION LOOKING WEST, ASHLAND

FOURTH ST ASHLAND

FOURTH STREET, ASHLAND

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

of its predecessor, Helltown. Helltown was an Indian village, on the right bank of the Clearfork, a mile and a half below Newville. Small mounds are still discernable there upon a knoll where it is supposed Indians are buried. The name "Helltown" is said to have meant village of the clear stream. How long the town existed is not known, but in its day it was the home of Tom Lyon, Thomas Armstrong and other leading Indians of the Delaware tribe.

The site of Helltown was well chosen; the ground sloped to the east, and the river laved the base of the plat upon which the town was built. From a bank a stream bubbled forth a stream of cool water, which rippled musically down the declivity of the hill to the river below.

"Here the laughing Indian maiden Has her glowing lips immersed, And the haughty forest hunter Often here has quenched his thirst."

More than a century has passed since the Indians, to whom the hunt and the chase were alluring, roamed over the hills and along the valleys of the Clear- fork, and still-

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History of Ashland County, Ohio, Part 20

Author: Baughman, A. J. (Abraham J.), 1838-1913. cn Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1012

Author: Baughman, A. J. (Abraham J.), 1838-1913. cn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1012