History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, Part 81

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

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The first mill for dressing lumber and manufacturing flooring, siding, ete., in the township of Kingsville, was built by A. N. Case, in 1863, using steam-power. In 1871, Quiney A. Case was admitted as partner. The firm-name changed to A. N. Case & Son.

They have lately added machinery for manufacturing extension tables. They also make and keep for sale all kinds of cabinet-ware, and also have a full stock of undertakers' goods.

ORGANIZATION.

The first township election was held in a log cabin situated in the bend of the Conneaut, in the fall of the year 1810. William Ferguson, Israel Harrington, and Roger Nettleton were chosen trustees; Alpha Nettleton, clerk ; Silas Tinker, Jr., assessor ; and Thomas Kezartee, constable. At a subsequent election, during the same year, Israel Harrington was made justice of the peace. The following have been the officers in this township in addition to the above named. Some persons named have held the office more than once, although named but a single time :

Trustees .- Daniel Noyes, Charles Case, Daniel C. Phelps, Daniel Hibbard, Thomas Cook, Burnham Lyman, Russel Beckwith, Samuel Warey, Gideon Bush- nell, Smith Webster, Martin Kellogg, Samuel Ware, Samuel Newton, Zachariah Olmstead, Eden Wilcox, William Bushnell, Rowell Cook, John Titus, Artemus Luce, Orrin Wakefield, White Webster, Elijah Batchelor, Calvin Luce, Chaneey Tinker, Oliver Barrett, Charles E. Whelpley, Obed Dibble, Erastus Porter, Horace Luce, Jonathan Gillett, Stephen Munger, Ichabod Curtis, Joseph San- derson, Elisha Way, Wheeler Woodbury, Aaron Whitney, Hermon Reed, Jere- miah King, Seth Heath, Harvey Fitts, Lanson Hubbell, Newman Benson, Edward Hewit, Moses Pcase, Squire Ransom, C. Terrel, H. Newton, John Wheaton, Uriah Hawkins, Addison Sill, H. H. Webster.

Clerks .- Silas Tinker, Jr., Boswell Cook, Lewis Badger, Artemus Luee, Luia Byington, Thomas Cook, Gilbert Webster, Daniel M. Spencer, Harvey Nettleton, J. M. Davis, H. G. Thurbur, A. B. Luee, Sidney Luee, O. Luce, A. R. East- man, J. H. Kinnear, A. Bagley, P. L. Groover. J. II. Kinnear is the present clerk.

Treasurers .- Walter Fobes, Roger Nettleton, William Corwin, Harvey Sperry, Libbeus Hills, Artemus Luee, Gideon Bushnell, George G. Gillett, E. G. Luee, S. G. Osborue, Henry G. Thurbur, Thomas Cook, George IIarden, Elisha A. Way, S. P. Gillett, Nathan Parish, M. W. Wright, O. Barrett, A. E. Whitney, Robert Smith, A. B. Luce, who is at present the treasurer, and B. F. Phelps and M. W. Wright are at present the justices of the peace.

INDIANS.

The country bordering on the lake-shore was the favorite hunting-ground of the Indians, being apportioned by certain stipulations entered into and understood among themselves. The Ashtabula ereek marked the boundary between the eastern and western tribes. None of these tribes possessed any right to inhabit permanently this region, as the Indian title to the soil had been extinguished at the treaty of Greenville, in 1795; but in that treaty they stipulated that the right be granted to them of hunting and fishing in this locality for a certain number of years. They thus continued to occupy the country for that purpose as late as 1811, or until the commencement of the last war with Great Britain. During the hunting seasons they flocked here in great numbers, so that from

206

HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.

about the 1st of November until the 1st of April the number of Indians vastly exceeded that of the white settlers. They generally arrived in their bark canoes, took up their quarters at the usual places of rendezvous in the woods in season to avail themselves of the first tracking snows. They were generally cheerful and friendly in their intercourse with the whites, hut could not well conceal their displeasure and regret at sceing the forests disappear, and their game grow less and less abundant in response to the encroachments of civilization.

Before commencing to hunt and to fish, they were in the habit of paying a ceremonious visit to the settlers arrayed in their richest attire, and literally covered with silver ornaments. They invariably called at every house in the settlement, and to show that the rites of hospitality tendered by the whites were impartially received, they made a hearty meal at every house. The same visits were made upon their quitting the country in the spring. The white residents were thankful that they were not made more frequently than this.

This township, from the abundance of its game, was a favorite hunting-spot with the tribes, and an enterprising Indian hunter, during one season, would pos- sess himself of skins and furs to the value of three or four hundred dollars, besides the flesh and oil of the animals, which were esteemed by him almost equally valuable.

The lesson which had recently been taught the Indians at the disastrous battle of the Miami was still fresh in their memories, and made them desirous of culti- vating the friendship and esteem of the whites, who were thus happily exempted from those conflicts with the savages which have given a melancholy interest to most of our border settlements.

Notwithstanding this desire generally manifested to avoid collision with the settlers, instances were not wanting in the conduct of individuals evincive of their hatred, and that they were restrained from hostilities more from fear than from real good will. Harvey Nettleton, in his sketch from which the above facts are taken. says, " When a child I remember of being left with two younger sisters in the cabin. while the remainder of the family were in attendance upon religious wor- ship, and of receiving a visit from some eight or ten of the natives, who, on finding us alone. exhibited the genuine malignity of the savage by brandishing their weapons and threatening us with instant death. A young chief of the company, by the name of Po-ca-caw, or John Omick, cocked and pointed his rifle at us, moving the muzzle to correspond with our movements to avoid the shot. He likewise raised the tomahawk above our heads, as if about to strike, and then feeling of the edge. signified that the weapon needed sharpening, and compelled me to turn the grindstone while he gave to the tool the necessary edge. After thus inflicting us for nearly two hours with, and compelling us to realize, all the horrors of an Indian massacre, he possessed himself of a set of tea-spoons, a quan- tity of salt, with some other trifling articles from the house, and decamped with his party into the woods." For the fate of this Indian the reader is referred to the Morgan history.

Another instance is given in which an Indian by the name of Armstrong made his appearance on a certain day at the only cabin in the centre of Kings- ville, and was observed to be in great ill humor. He entered the cabin with his rifle in his hand, instead of leaving it at a little distance, a courtesy usually ob- served hy the Indians before entering the houses of the whites. Mr. Webster, the owner of the cabin, observing this circumstance, met him on his entrance, took hold of his gun, which he relinquished very unwillingly. Mr. Webster set it aside and invited him to take a seat. but he remained very unsocial and sullen during his stay. The family were all convinced that he was meditating some evil design, and were much relieved to see him soon rise from his seat and depart.

He then went to one or two more cabins in the other parts of the township, repeating his former movements, hut did not meet with any favorable opportunity of gratifying his evil intent.

At length calling at the cabin of one of the settlers who happened to be absent from his family, he made his introduction by seizing one of the children by the hair, drawing his knife and passing it near the child's throat, then twirling it dexterously above the child's head, representing the manner of cutting and tearing off the scalp. The child uttered violent screams, in which the other children joined. The mother, with great coolness, stood at the window anxiously looking for the coming of her husband, and exhorting the children not to be alarmed, as their father would soon arrive. Hearing this the Indian gave a grunt significant of its being time for him to go, and hastily snatching up his rifle, followed the ncarest path into the woods. The father soon arrived. The story made his blood boil. He hurriedly scized his rifle, inquiring which direction the Indian villain took. He was a determined man, fearless of danger, and the outrage to his little one stirred within him the deepest sense of the wrong of the brutal savage. The flight of the Indian was swift, but that of the outraged father was swifter. The result can be given in a few words. The Indian paid for his brutal folly with the forfeiture of his life.

One of the settlers residing on the banks of the Conneant had obtained what at that period was considered highly valuable, a fine drove of hogs, and although he was obliged in common with his neighbors to occupy the woods as a place of pasturage, he watched over them with great care, and to prevent the depredations of the bears, built them a bed near his dwelling, to which they were in the habit of returning every night. Notwithstanding his pains, he had the mortification frequently on their return of finding one or more of their number missing. His drove was rapidly diminishing. The settler soon perceived that this state of things must not continue, or the dreams of rich supplies of hog and hominy for the winter would soon vanish. Armed with his rifle, he started for the forest, resolved to punish the bears for their depredations. Placing himself at a conve- nient distance where he could watch, unperceived, any disturbance among his swine, he saw an Indian dart suddenly from a thicket upon one of the herd, but missing his hold, he again slunk back into the bushes. This manœuvre was re- peated several times with like results, when the patience of the settler was fully exhausted, and a rifle-ball was sent through the body of the Indian, and the hogs were no more disturbed.

Some of the pioneer settlers valued the life of an Indian very lightly indeed. Indeed, there was a class who entertained feelings of a deadly hostility towards the savages. They had passed the greater share of their lives upon the frontiers, witnessing their cold-blooded massacres, and had seen their nearest friends fall victims to the deadly tomahawk, and thus had sworn eternal vengeance against the race.

EARLY EVENTS.

Life in the woods, with all its attendant evils, had its enjoyments, and there are few early settlers who in later years, relating the events of those days, did not look back to the spot where stood the cabin, and to the friends who surrounded them at its cheerful fireside, with tender and hallowed recollections, and acknowl- edge that the years spent within its precincts were the happiest of their lives.

The quiet scenes of nature, the deep solitude of the forest, the murmuring of the brooks, the music of the woodland songsters, all these exert a chastening in- fluence on the mind, and restrain the grosser passions of men. The social gather- ings of the scattered settlers were enjoyed with a real delight. They were almost absolutely free from the collisions and strifes which too often distract larger com- munities, and the evils of their condition were diminished by being endured with a cheerfulness rarely equaled.

The first frame building in the township was a barn built by Daniel C. Phelps, in the year 1813. The nails for its covering were wrought by his own hands in the State of Connecticut. The second frame structure was a house built soon afterwards, in the same year, by William Woodbury, great-uncle to Judge Wood- bury, of Jefferson. In the following year both Walter Fobes and Roger Nettleton erected frame barns. All these buildings are in a good state of preservation, and are owned and occupied at present as follows: the first by D. M. Phelps; the second by Mrs. O. Cleveland; the third by William Callow; and the fourth by A. M. Nettleton.

SCHOOLS.

Early attention was bestowed by the inhabitants upon the founding of schools and the establishment of religious worship. To the primitive settler those, in- deed, were momentous subjects. Isolated from the great world, shut up in a dense wilderness, the facilities for obtaining the needed educational and religious instruction were matters of weighty consideration. In the first instance, the settlers' dwellings were used for school purposes. The first school taught in the township occupied a private room attached to the dwelling of Walter Fobes. This was in 1806, and Miss Rebecca Cowles was the teacher. She had seven pupils the first term. This building continued to be used for this purpose until the year 1810. From this small beginning, as the population increased, schools began to multiply, until the township came to enjoy facilities for afford- ing education to its youth scarcely equaled by any other township in the county. In 1810 a school was taught by Thomas Cook in the bend of Con- neaut creek. In 1812 the first school-house was erected in the township, was built of logs, and stood on Deacon Clarke Webster's land, now the property of William Carr, and was situated about forty rods to the east of the present town- house. Thomas Cook was the first teacher in this building. The first frame school-house was built at North Kingsville Corners in the fall of 1821, and was devoted to educational uses for fifty-three years. It is now occupied as a dwelling. At first, the district included the north half of the township, and about forty scholars were in attendance upon the first term of school. The late Hon. E. B. Woodbury was a pupil for several winters in the schools taught in this building. Of the forty scholars who composed the first school in the winter of 1821, but eighteen are now living (January, 1878), four of whom still reside in Kings- ville, whose ages are as follows : Burr Griswold, seventy-five; Mrs. E. _ 1. Butler, seventy-one; D. M. Phelps, seventy ; F. B. Phelps, sixty-one. The latter gentle-

RESIDENCE OF JOHN HOLMES, KINGSVILLE, ASHTABULA CO. O.

LULU FALLS CEMETERY,

NGSVILLE, ASHTABULA Co., O.

F.M. G. DEL.

RESIDENCE AND STOCK FARM OF J. F. BLAIR & SON, KINGSVILLE TP., ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO

----

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HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.

man, to whom we are indebted for the facts in relation to this first frame school building, in an article published in the Geneva Times, September, 1876, says, " If that school-house could talk, it might tell of the numberless apple-cores and paper-wads thrown at teachers' heads, and the tunes stepped out at the measure of witch-hazel gads as a consequence. The writer has stepped many a tune of this character in that old house, in which, as he thought at the time, there were altogether too many beats to the bar."

KINGSVILLE ACADEMY.

Such a deep interest was awakened in the cause of education among the early inhabitants of this township that, in the latter part of the year 1834 and the early part of the year 1835, a scheme was set on foot and matured for the estab- lishment of a higher institution of learning than the common school, and a joint stock company was organized for the erection of a suitable building. Sixty shares of stock of ten dollars each were subscribed for by the leading citizens of the township, and on the 6th day of Jauuary, 1834, the first meeting for the election of officers was held, resulting as follows : President, Daniel M. Spencer ; B. S. Noyes, Treasurer ; and Nathan Wakefield, Secretary. Trustees : Artemus Luce, Jonathan Gillett, and J. P. Eastman. Nathan Wakefield, Daniel M. Spencer, and Joseph P. Eastman were appointed a committee to draft a constitution, and the trustees were instructed to furnish a plan with estimates of thic cost of a building, and ascertain if a suitable site could be obtained. Mr. Gilbert Webster furnished a lot for the building, and in 1836 the first academy edifice was erected. Its dimensions were forty-two feet in length by twenty-eight in breadth, with two stories of two rooms each. The following are the names of the principals who have taught in this academy : Mr. La Hatt, 1836; Mr. Sharp, from 1837 to 1839 ; J. Graves, 1840; Z. C. Graves, from 1841 to 1852; I. J. Fowler, 1852; C. H. Haywood, from 1857 to 1861, assisted by Mr. Drake; A. J. and S. P. Barrett, from 1861 to 1868; J. B. Corey, from 1868 to 1870; and S. D. Bentley, from 1870 to 1872.

THE BURNING OF THE FIRST ACADEMY BUILDING.

On the 20th of December, 1847, the building was burned to the ground. Nothing was rescued from the flames. Suspicion was aroused that this unhappy event was the result of incendiarism, and the crime was finally fastened upon two students by the names of Kinner and Moore. It is said that both the boys con- fessed their guilt to Z. C. Graves, the preceptor at that time. Their parents ou their knees implored for the pardon of the young men. They escaped punislı- ment. Some years after this, Moore was hung in California for the crime of murder, and confessed upon the scaffold that the burning of the Kingsville academy was his first criminal act, which was followed by the murder of four of his fellow- beings at different periods in his wretched, wicked career.

In 1848 a new building was erected at an expense of one thousand three hun- dred and twenty-five dollars. A. T. Cone, controller.

The school for many years enjoyed a high degree of prosperity. From 1848 to 1868 the average attendance was more than one hundred and fifty. Professor Graves had at one time as many as two hundred and twenty-five students under his tuition. The people ever manifested a laudable public spirit towards this enterprise. The students from abroad were boarded at a mere nominal sumu, oftentiques securing their meals and comfortable lodgings for one dollar per week.

About the time the Akron school-law passed (1849), there began to spring up in neighboring localities rival institutions of learning, and the numbers that had hitherto been attracted hither were distributed in part among the other academics, and the Kingsville high school began to lose ground. In 1872 the patronage had come to be so small that the stockholders presented their stock to the township, and the building has since been devoted to the use of the public schools of the town. Mr. Frank Geer was principal in 1872 to 1873, and Mr. J. P. Treat from 1873 to 1876. G. B. Wilson succeeded Mr. Treat, and is at present the head teacher.

The comparative advantages of acquiring knowledge at the present period over those enjoyed by the early settlers will be better understood by an examination of the following list of the standard text-books and literary works in use at the time the first settlers began to arrive : Webster's spelling-book, and his third part of the "American Selections," Dilworth's arithmetic, Dwight's geography, "Trum- bull's Sermons," " Pilgrim's Progress," and "Sketches of the Lives of John Rogers," " Valentine and Orson," and " Baron Munchausen."

CHURCHES.

The woods with the early settlers were literally "God's first temple." They worshiped in the shades of the forest, and in the experience of many hearts the fire of true devotion was kept aglow with as pure a flame as ever ascended from the beautiful, richly-adorned churches of later days.

The first structures built for the purpose of religious worship were necessarily of extremely rude construction. Mr. Nettleton adds, "The scenes which have passed within their walls have sometimes been deeply solemn and impressive, made so by warked manifestations of the Divine Spirit." There were not wanting among the clergy those who were earnest, thoughtful, devoted, pious men, whose labors received the reward, not of a generous salary, but of that far better com- pensation, the consciousness of doing good, and with this thought and object alone before them cheerfully shared in the hardships and destitution suffered by their people.

THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

In August, 1810, the first organization of Christians in the township was effected by the Congregationalists, Rev. Samuel Crocker, their first pastor, officiat- ing. The membership was six, as follows : Walter Fobes and Amauda, his wife, James Montgomery and Mary, his wife, Lois Badger, and John P. Read. They worshiped for a time in each others' dwellings, and in 1821 erected their first church building where the town-house now stands. This structure was destroyed by fire in 1848, and there being then a predominant Presbyterian element iu the township, a new church organization was effected enibracing both the Congrega- tionalists and Presbyterians, and another church building was erected in 1848, on lot No. 20 Main street. Erastus Williams was the first pastor of this new church. L. L. Bickford is the present pastor.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH.

This body of Christians effected an organization in 1813, with a membership of eleven,-four males and seven females. They first held services in the log school- house, then situated on lot No. 17. In 1825 this building was destroyed, and they then held service in a public hall hired for this purpose until 1829, when they erected their present church edifice, at a cost of two thousand dollars. Elder Benjamin Barnes was their first pastor ; he was succeeded by Elder Jacob Bailey, who was succeeded by Elder Samuel Hough. Their present pastor is Rev. David Williams, and the present membership one hundred and fourteen. Rev. A. J. Bennett, at present the able pastor of the Rochester Lake Avenue Baptist church, and Henry Knapp, who went as a missionary to India, were members of this church.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

was organized in Kingsville in 1831, with sixteen members, in a school-house located on the site of the preseut academy building. The organization was cffected by the Rev. Samuel Ayers, the first pastor. Ira Maltby was the first class-leader.

The society worshiped in the school-house until 1834, when a small brick church was built costing about one thousand dollars, located near the site of the present edifice.

Joseph Maltby, Seymour Sloan, and Elijah Bachelor were among the first trus- tees. Previous to the erection of this building the congregation was sometimes locked out of the school-house by opposers, and services were then held in a barn.

The present edifice was built in 1856. Rev. S. L. Binkley is the present pas- tor, and the membership numbers one hundred and seventy-five.

AN INDEPENDENT CHURCH.

A church edifice was erected in North Kingsville, near the depot, in 1877, not wholly completed, wherein any minister of the gospel is at liberty to hold service who chooses so to do, and will receive the voluntary offerings of the membership for services thus rendered.

THE KINGSVILLE CEMETERY.

A more beautiful village cemetery is rarely to be met with. Its location, its surroundings, its natural advantages, contribute largely to its loveliness, though the citizens have done much to beautify it. The reader will find a large and elegant sketch of the cemetery in another part of this volume.

STATISTICS FOR 1877.

Wheat

645 acres.

9,766 bushels.

Oats.

863

27,239

Corn.

799

54,152

Potatoes.

309

16,915

Orcharding ..

37:

19,588 46

Meadow

I311 1,574 tons.

Maple-sugar

Butter.

11,095 pounds. 47,780 44

Number of school-houses, 10; valuation, $6500; amount paid teachers, $2189.89 ; number of scholars, 356.

Vote for President, 1876 : Hayes, 306 ; Tilden, 109.

Populatiou in 1870, 1750.

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HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

CARLOS EUGENE CURTISS,

whose portrait appears in connection with the view of the county infirmary, in another part of this volume, was born in Genesee county, New York, on the first day of June, 1825, and is a son of Ichabod and Sclima Camp Curtiss, origi- nally of Middletown, Connecticut. but who removed to Ohio in 1833, and are now deceased,-the father January 17, 1867, and the mother October 9, 1868. The education of Mr. Curtiss was acquired at the schools of Kingsville township, and his occupation has been that of farming. though in the year 1852 he caught the " gold fever," and the subsequent five years of his life were passed in the gold- bearing districts of California,-a portion of the time in the mines. He was also for a time partner in a store there, but acquired the greater portion of his wealth in hay speculations in the before-mentioned State. Returning to Ohio, he was elected to the office of superintendent of the county infirmary in 1860, and the fact of his having served in that capacity for cleven years seems pretty conclusive evidence that he is the "right man in the right place." He was elected trustee of Kingsville township in the year 1870, and has served five years in that position. On the 5th day of January, 1859, Mr. Curtiss was united in marriage to Miss Julia Elba, daughter of Allen W. and Betsey Wilder Niles, of Kingsville town- ship, from whom have been born to him the following children : Mary E., the date of whose birth occurred September 5. 1860 ; Halle N., born November 2, 1869 ; and Albert D., the baby, who was born on the 12th day of March, 1871.

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History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, Part 81

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