History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, Part 52

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 458

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innovations. He was called a "Puseyite," and when he erccted a little cross in his church at Ashtabula it was said that he was on the point of " going to Rome." But he had no sympathy with Romanism, although he recognized the apostolic derivation of the orders of the ministry, as well as whatever was catholic in the doctrines and worship of the church of Rome.

He had no practical knowledge of that rich and reverent ceremonial worship of the English church, carried on through all the ages of its existence down to post-reformation times, and now being so extensively revived in England and America ; but the doctrines it symbolizes were " as familiar as household words" to him and his family forty years ago. He was a firm believer in the " real presence" in the blessed Sacrament, and taught that our Lord's declaration " this is my body" and " this is my blood" should be aceepted with unquestion- ing faith ; and that since He did not see fit to explain the manner of His presence in the consecrated bread and wine, it was unnecessary for man to know, and presumptuous for him to construct any theories concerning it.

He was a man of indomitable will, and would submit to any personal sacrifice rather than compromise a principle. When he became convinced that pew- renting was contrary to the teachings of Christ regarding provision for preaching the gospel to the poor, and the making merchandise of holy things, he refused to receive moncy realized in that way for his support. He advocated the support of the gospel exclusively from tithes and free-will offerings. He was scrupulously just in all his dealings, a rigid economist, and always had something to spare from his scanty income for the needy. He was a man of considerable personal magnetismn, an excellent parish visitor, and a sincere sympathizer with the poor and afflicted. He had a hasty temper, but possessed extraordinary control over it. He was impatient with hypocrisy and cant, but extremely tolerant of the honest opinions of others, however much they differed from his own. He was kind and indulgent towards the members of his family, and greatly beloved by them. While he lived in his son's family, after he became superannuated, he took great delight in giving literary and religious instruction to his grand- children.

In the latter part of his ministry his sermons were short, plain, practical, and incisive. He rewrote and abridged such of his earlier ones as he considered worth saving He kept a daily record of his doings, from which he compiled a very complete autobiography for the benefit of his children and grandchildren. He also compiled a genealogy of all the branches of his family from the time of his ancestors' emigration from Wales to the closing years of his own life. This cost him extensive correspondence and much labor. These precious legacies to his descendants were all destroyed in the house of his son at Chicago, in the great fire of October 9, 1871.

He made considerable contributions, from time to time, to the history of Ashtabula County and the Western Reserve, for the benefit of the Ashtabula County historical society, some of which were destroyed a number of years ago at Jefferson, in the county court-house when it was burned.

During the early years of his ministry he traveled extensively over the Western Reserve from the Pennsylvania line to Lower Sandusky (now Fremont), and was personally acquainted with most of the early settlers, at whose houses he was a welcome guest whenever he visited them.

He died at Ashtabula in 1869, in the eighty-first year of his age, and the forty- seventh of his ministry, respected by all who knew him, and loved and lamented by a large circle of relatives and friends.

HISTORY OF THE TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES

ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO. OF

CITY AND TOWNSHIP OF ASHTABULA.

THE name Ashtabula is the softening of an Indian term which was first applied to the river. It was the Indian name said to signify many fish. It was pronounced originally by the Indians Hash-tah-buh-lah.

The river was long known as the boundary line between the eastern and western tribes .- the Iroquois claiming the land of the east and certain Algonquin tribes claiming that to the west. This fact accounts for the different words which signify the same thing. The name Conneaut meant in the Iroquois language about the same as Ashtabula in Algonquin.

The name Ashtabula was applied first to the river. then to the town, and then to the county.

When General Moses Cleaveland, from whom the city of Cleveland derived its name, passed through here with his surveying company. in 1796, he proposed to give a name in honor of his favorite daughter, Mary Esther. Messrs. Porter, Warren. Shepard. and most of the surveyors were in favor of the Indian name Ashtabula. In order to secure his object, General Cleaveland offered to furnish two gallons of wine for the privilege of naming the river. The surveyors assented and the wine was procured, and so long as it lasted the name of the place was '. Mary Esther." As soon as the last bottle disappeared the creek assumed the old name. and has borne it ever since.

FIRST SETTLEMENT.

The first white man's habitation in the town of Ashtabula is said to have been a log cabin belonging to one Thomas Hamilton. It was sitnated a little above the mouth of the river, on the west side. It was erected in the year 1501. When the logs were ready for raising there happened to come into the mouth of the river a boat, with a family on board, which was bound up the lake. Hamilton persuaded the men to assist him in raising his cabin. It is supposed that this company were the Austins. as Judge Austin is said to have been the first settler who entered the harbor with a boat. Two citizens of Conneaut, Daniel Baldwin and Captain James Montgomery, afterwards helped Hamilton finish his cabin, covering it with a bark roof. This lonely hut stood with its single oceupant in this place with no habitation within eight or ten miles of it, and surrounded by the unbroken wilderness with the wild waves washing the unknown shore, for two or three years. Hamilton remained but a short time.

The first family which took up their residence in the place was, however. that of Mr. George Beckwith. who removed hither from Austinburg in the year 1803. The citizens of Austinburg assisted him in raising his house. Mr. Beckwith perished in the snow in January of the following winter. some forty or fifty rods north of the south ridge and a few yards west of the Saybrook linc. He had been to Au-tinburg after salt and provisions for his family, and was on his return. He was overtaken by a snow-storm, and. having been sick, was probably overcome by the difficulties of the way and the weight of the load which he was carrying on his shoulders. His wife had been left alone in the cabin near the harbor with their children. As her husband did not return she became anxious about him, and. leaving the children locked up in the house. she made her way through the snow to her old neighbors at Austinburg. a distance of twelve miles. On her arrival the citizens also became alarmed. and set out at once to find Mr. Beck- with. Following his track. they at last came upon the spot where he had fallen. They next discovered the package which he had dropped, and at last found his body prostrate in the snow, but stiff in death. Mrs. Beckwith. however, re-

mained in the cabin. and supported her children in part by assisting travelers to cross the stream. Her method was to paddle a canoe to the spot where the ford was, and then requiring the travelers to place their load at the top of their wagon, she would take a rope and fasten it to the end of the tongue, then paddle with it across the river. She then helped the travelers push their wagon into the creek and to drive the oxen across, when she would attach them to the end of the rope and so draw the load across. It frequently happened that the wagon would partly float and partly roll on the bottom. As it came out of the stream the load would drip with the water in which it had been pretty thoroughly soaked. Shortening up the rope again, she would draw the load up the bank, and then return with the canoe after the travelers.

ARRIVAL OF MATTHEW HUBBARD.

In the year 1804, Mr. Matthew Hubbard, of Trenton, Oneida county, Vew York, became the agent for his uncle. Nehemiah Hubbard, and started for this place. Here we give an extract from Mr. Hubbard's article. presented by him to the historical society in the year 1850 :

" On the 21st day of May, 1804, we left Trenton, accompanied by that rever- end and excellent man, Nehemiah Hubbard, Esq., as far as Whitestown, fourteen miles, where we received instructions, with his blessing, and parted. At this moment. as if to repair our loss, a happy incident followed : We fell in company with the Hon. Joshua Stow, of Connecticut, with one foot in the stirrup, ready to mount his horse for Ohio. He had been engaged in the company which sur- veyed the Western Reserve into townships ; was a resolute man of much practical experience and observation, possessing powers by which he could happily arouse the ambition of inexperienced youth, and inspire in his mind manly fortitude. The Mohawk valley appeared to me one of the most fertile and beautiful ever smiled upon by the sun. We now tendered our parting adieu. Myself and Pierce, almost for the first time, were passing beyond the view of the smoke of the family chimney. We had just given our hands a farewell shake with those friends we left behind, had been admonished that the south shore of Lake Erie was a continuous grave-yard, and that six months' exposure would insure a ten- antry therein, or a bleaching of our bones on its surface. Home feelings possessed our hearts. Home thoughts occupied our minds. Like Lot's wife, we were look- ing back upon the plains we had left, while our bosoms beat to involuntary sighs. Never can I forget the emotions which filled my bosom when first leaving the fireside to sojourn in a distant land, where no more the kind salutations of a father and an affectionate mother would greet my ears, and the playful sallies of brothers and sisters would mingle with my boyish eccentricities. Eveu our horses seemed at this time to sympathize with their riders. or perhaps upon their involuntary guidance it may have happened, for they actually came to a halt, when our friend in the advance. apprehending the difficulty, called out. ' Heads up, my young lads! this valley we are leaving is not a priming to what you will live to see in Ohio" This cheering appeal had the intended effect. We dismissed all regrets, and the stars of hope were lighted. Onr horses raised a sprightly trot, we hummed 'Over the hills and far away,' all clouds of depression cleared up. our spirits resumed their usual elasticity, and forbade a sigh for home comforts.

+. Western New York at this time was little less than an unbroken wilderness, but each day's travel brought us nearer onr destination, and we little heeded what might interpose in our way. At length the blue waters of Lake Erie at Buffalo caught our view. Buffalo was then comprised of some half-dozen small houses, and literally swarmed with Indians. Two days more, and we were brought to

# Written in most part by Rev. S. D. Peet.

130

RESIDENCE OF M.G.DICK , DIVISION ST. ASHTABULA , OHIO.

RESIDENCE OF DR. EAMES , PARK ST., ASHTABULA , OHIO.

131

HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.

Chautauqua, a distance of seventy miles, as then computed, passing one lone house only, which was located at Cattaraugus. Two days' additional ride, and we were at the mouth of the Conneaut creck, in Ohio. Here the few settlers were hauling in a net full of fishes. Among them was a muskelunge which weighed forty pounds. Proceeding one mile farther, we found a kind reception at Mr. Hanna- niah Brooks', where we feasted on the delicious muskelunge and lodged. On Friday morning, the 2d day of June, we were coursing our way along a line of trees, marked by hunters of wild game, to Ashtabula. The country exhibited a surface smooth and beautiful. There was a luxuriant growth of herbage and a profusion of wild flowers of every hue all around our deeply-shaded path, creating a landscape of enchanting loveliness. Pierce and myself were all eyes; not an object within our reach seemed to escape our notice. It was a new world to us. The formation of ground for a good road was perfected by the hand of nature, leaving for man to remove the burden of timber under which it groaned. The small runs crossing our route were apparently lost in the deepest kind of mud, filled with roots from the overhanging trees, into which our horses plunged at the hazard of legs and life. About the middle of the day the wild beasts of the for- est might have seen three persons, with their faithful horses, crossing the Ashta- bula creek and dismounting on the belt of bottom land near the location of the south end of the present ridge-road bridge. Here we parted with Judge Stow, a traveling companion in whom our hearts delighted. As he left us for the Cuya- hoga river our eyes sadly followed his wake until his form was hidden by the underbrush. Pierce and myself now began to scale the almost perpendicular height directly fronting us. When near the top the ground slid under my horse's feet, and, my hand being clenched in the bridle, we both rolled to the bottom. Having found a landing-place, and once more on our feet, I called out to my friend, ' All is well ! I shall settle in this country ; I have already made my pitch !' A second attempt at climbing proved successful. We proceeded along the bluff towards the mouth of the creek in search of the George Beckwith cabin, which we supposed was deserted; but, on heaving in sight, we found it occupied to the full. As we approached it was difficult to decide which party was the more surprised,-we, at finding these solitaries of our race, or they, at beholding travelers. To them it appeared like 'angels' visits, few and far between.' We were the first white travelers they had scen in twelve months. The party con- sisted of the widow of George Beckwith and her two little girls, Samuel Beck- with, and a Mr. Thompson and his wife, and they were the only settlers between Conneaut and the west line of Harpersfield, a distance of thirty miles. It was ten miles to the settlement in Austinburg. On the 3d day of June I selected land for a farm and a site for my cabin. On the 4th of June I rode through the woods to Austinburg, where I found a comfortable log house surrounded by a grass-plat,-no common luxury in that day with early settlers. But the house was silent as that of the dead ; not a soul to be found. I turned my horse to graze in the yard, entered the house, and took possession of the family arm-chair until near sunset, when I saw a numerous family emerging from the forest path on their return from a distant place of social worship. I met Judge Austin, the venerable sire, and presented a letter of introduction. Hle welcomed me cordially, and presented me to his interesting family, with an invitation to partake of the hospitalities of their roof. Their house became ury home at all convenient oppor- tunities. It was truly the abode of hospitality. The milk of human kindness flowed in their hearts in no parsimonious manner, and the fruits were of the most generous kind. Long after my first acquaintance with this household, I have known its ever-to-be-remembered and revered heads to rise at midnight and ad- minister comfort to hungry wayfaring men. A warm meal would be prepared, and all earthly compensation refused. This proceeded from high and holy mo- tives. Instances of this kind and other benevolent acts were of almost daily occurrence, and their labor of love can be attested by many who have shared and felt its warmth.

" We will now return to the incidents connected with the settlement of Ash- tabula.

" George Beckwith, whose untimely death has been referred to by others, was the first white resident of this township. He came with his family in the spring of 1803, erected a log cabin on the bottom land of lot No. 4, in fractional town- ship No. 13, in the third range. His family occupied this cabin, located about one mile above the mouth of the creek, until the spring of 1804. The land upon which it stood belongs at this time to Mr. Jabez Strong. The second was erected by Hubbard and Pierce, in the month of June, 1804, on the lot south, adjoining the Beckwith location. The third was put up during the same month, by our small group of humanity, for an itinerant by name of Garwood, on the west bank near the mouth of the creek. This site of the Garwood cabin is now occupied by a brick building erected by the writer. This was the first cabin put up at or · near the mouth of the creek. Garwood and family soon left in an open boat, with some emigrants, for parts to me unknown. About this time our little neigh-

borhood was broken up by removals, leaving Pierce and myself only. Soon after this, Samuel Beckwith returned to erect a cabin of respectable dimensions. On finding two solitaries only, he invited help from our nearest neighbors, at Conneaut and Austinburg, places twenty-five miles apart. No wedding-party ever obeyed an invitation with greater alacrity, although it was a two days' affair. Beckwith immediately left us after his cabin had been rolled up, for the season. Hubbard and Pierce were now successfully felling trees. The first felled of the primitive forest was a giant whitewood, an occupant of the soil before the discovery of America by Columbus, as we judged from the signs usually taken as indicative of the age of trees. The place where it stood can now be pointed out by the writer, notwith- standing the lapse of forty-six years. We had prepared ourselves with a yoke of oxen, a cow, and mush-pot, also some flour and corn-meal, which was packed on horseback from Youngstown, Trumbull county. We were also possessed of two tin cups, two jack-knives, two wooden spoons, the latter of our own workmanship, and with two axes. Thus equipped, we were in full tide of operation. Our beds were of cheap construction, being split from a log sufficiently broad for convenient lodging. We lay head and foot, and enjoyed refreshing sleep. Our cow soon left us, and we saw her no more, depriving us of an article then regarded among the lux- uries of life. We once during the summer indulged in eating a piece of elk flesh, presented by young Omick and his fellow-hunter; otherwise our dict consisted of mush and water, and musty at that. These red brethren had shared with us, on several occasions, the contents of our mush-pot. They ever met us with the kindly-sounding salutation, " Brother," to which we replied in the same kind manner. In a short time they formed a camp of several of their tribe near us. In the course of this season we put in eight acres of wheat, and had chopped and deadened over about as much more. Our seed wheat was bought of Major McFarland, of Harpersfield, and packed on horseback by way of Austinburg, the circuitous route then traveled between Ashtabula and Harpersfield. We dragged in our wheat with a crab-apple tree. We inclosed our field and finished our labor in October."

INDIANS.

Ashtabula river was one favorite resort of the wild sons of the forest. Scarcely any place in the county has a wilder aspect than has this very gorge, so full of dark shadows, lined with the tall, dark pine and the overhanging hemlock, which arc only made the more striking by the white, ghostly shapes of the great sycamores which fill up the valley. A weird, wild place, almost too fearful for human heart to attempt or for human footsteps to enter. Situated in the midst of the primitive wilderness, these deep gorges were still more shadowy than the forests themselves, fit resort only for the wild bear, the wolf, and other beasts of prey.

There are indeed evidences that an ancient race at one time made this wild fastness their resort, and that places of defense were erected on the summit of the overhanging cliffs, defense answering to defense across the deep gorge.

There are burying-places in the neighborhood of the valley, covering the sur- face of most prominent summits at the bends of the river and near the bank of the lake. It is also reported that the bones of a gigautic people have been exhumed from these ancient sepulchres. But of the people history knows uothing. The only knowledge we have of the former occupants has been gained from the few lingering remnants of the tribes which, broken and scattered, had removed from the region before the advent of the white man.

Fortunately for the first inhabitants, the land had been deserted by the wild Indians. before their advent, the title to the territory having again and again been ceded to the white conquerors of the country. Doubtless the presence of the forts on the lake and river at Presque Isle and at French creek had the effect to intimidate these savage people, the sound of the cannon and the sight of the pale-face sending fear into their hearts as much as if a race of supernatural creatures had intruded upon their wild domains.

It is said that the wild animals cannot endure the sound of a church-bell. There is that in the solemn reverberations through the echoing forests which sends terror into their frames. So before the advance of civilization an unconscious influence stood unseen, driving from the lonely forest both savage foe and prowl- ing beast. These creatures cannot bear the light and progress of civilization. They dwell amid the shadow and wild scenes, and flce at the approach of the white man's foot, and before the progress and improvement which follow his tread.

Yet there was at the time of the first settlement of this township a number of Indians still lingering amid the familiar scenes. Ashtabula river was the dividing line between the Senecas, Tonawandas, Cayugas, and Delawares, of the east, and the Chippewas, Ottawas, and Wyandots, of the west. In fact, the old line between the conflicting races, the Iroquois and the Algonquin, here remained long after all trace of this line had disappeared from treaties. The memories of indi- viduals kept up the old dividing-line between the races. It would seem almost that the spirits of departed ancestors were continually calling back the memory of their tribes to the old lingering scenes, and to the happy haunts of earlier days.

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HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.

Occasionally, after the coming of the white man and the appearance of his eottage on the banks of the river, little hands of these broken tribes were seen making their way up the stream and encamping on their favorite hunting-grounds. A single picture will be given. It is narrated by Mr. Wm. Jones, who settled in the place in 1807. He relates that, soon after his settlement in the south part of the present village, then in the wild forest, there came a party of twenty-five or thirty Indians from Cattaraugus for a winter's hunt. Immediately after their arrival, Mr. Jones followed his new neighbors down to the place selected for their encampment among the firs or hemlocks, a little up the creek, south of the village and east of his own dwelling. He found them merry and cheerful. and very friendly. The men immediately set about building some wigwams for shelter. This was done by driving forked stakes into the ground and laying poles across, resting them in the forks on the tops of the stakes, and covering the roof with hemlock-boughs resting upon poles. Thus, in the space of an hour, with their only tools their hatchets and long knives, they constructed two or three wigwams of ample dimensions for sheltering the whole company. The next want to he supplied was food. To obtain this they sent out two or three of their men, armed with rifles, to hunt for venison. In a few hours Mr. Jones was surprised to see the hunters return with so many deer. Mr. Jones expressed his surprise, saying that it often took a wbite man one or two days to shoot one deer. An old Indian replied, " White man know not how. He travel, travel, travel in woods : deer see him, run away. Indian no do so. He sit down ; deer come along. Indian shoot him ; sit down again ; 'nother come along, shoot him, too. Indian know how ; white man not know how."

The hard-beaten trail which extended along the south ridge, from the east to the west, remained for many years, and was known to the early settlers, but it will never be trod by the feet of this departed people.

An incident is told of this strange race which is particularly touching. It appears that a Seneca had for some reason hecome an exile from his tribe and people. As there was no other tribe left to which be could go, he made his home among the whites. His name was Standing-Stone, sometimes called Stanish- tone. He gained his living mainly hy fishing and trapping on the Ashtabula river. He had his hnt or wigwam in the valley, near where the bridge to East Village now stands. Rev. Mr. Hall tells the story, and we insert it here in his own language : " One delightful evening in May, 1812, as Standing-Stone was at his camp on the bank of the Ashtabula, he was aroused by the tinkling of a bell. He ran out and saw a squaw who had just put the bell upon the neck of her pony, and turned him out to feed for the night on the luxuriant herbage of the bottom.

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History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, Part 52

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.) Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : Williams brothers Number of Pages: 458

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 458