USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > History of Ashtabula County, Ohio > Part 97
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The first meeting-house in Wayne was erected in 1816. A grave-yard was opened npon the tract of land purchased, as before mentioned, by Mr. Woodruff. The meeting-honse was in dimensions twenty-eight by thirty-six feet, built of logs hewn ouly on the inside. A board
pulpit, ascended by five steps, stood at the north end; a singers' gallery, six steps high, of the same material, extended across the sonth end, with wings abont ten feet along the east and west sides. A hearth of rough cohhle-stones, abont six feet square, in the centre of the build- ing, withont either chimney or stove-pipe, was the only fire-place previons to 1825. At first most of the seats were slabs withont backs; but they were crowded with true, faithful worshipers every Sabbath-day. They were not of the fair-weather kind. At the right of the pulpit sat the elder Deacon Leonard. He generally selected and read the hymns ; he was a nohle man, six feet in height, with flowing white hair, knee- and shoe-bnckles, fanltlessly clean, white bosom, rich, sonorons voice, and one of the best of readers. In the west wing of the gallery Elisha Giddings was the leading bass singer; in the centre, Captain Levi Leonard led the tenor, assisted by his nephew, Marvin Leonard, son of the deacon, and who, some time after the death of his father, which occurred in 1829, became a deacon of the church. Linus H. Jones was one of the prominent members of the choir, composed of ahont twenty persons. The music was of a high order, on account of the heart and soul it possessed. This meeting- honse stood on the identical spot where the Rev. George Roberts, a subsequent pastor, lived immediately before his death. It was burned down abont the year 1829. This church was highly prosperous, and its membership was increased to more than two hundred.
The chief obstacle to Mr. Woodruff's nsefulness as a pastor was the bronchial complaint that had compelled him to leave Coventry. This affected his utterance so much as to make it diffi- enlt at times to be heard by a large audience ; yet, it is doubtful if his efficiency and nsefulness as a pastor were much affected for many years; yet it detracted somewhat from his popularity as an orator, though his success and reputation as snch fully sustained the character asoribed to him by an eastern cotemporary, " He was an excellent pastor." He continned in the pastoral relation of the original church until abont 1835, when the infirmities of age, and the consequent failure of his vocal powers and hearing, induced him to resign, and attend church as a listener, often standing in a leaning position npon the front of the pulpit, so that his dull ears might not fail to catch each word that fell from the lips of the speaker. In a letter to his son Samuel, dated December 7, 1856, he says : "On the Lord's-day I get ont with my family, withont fail, and attend to my Bible-class of aged members, who gather together with great regularity, with the simplicity of little children, to receive instruction. I wait npon them with great delight." In further addressing his son in regard to his hope, confidence, and appreciation of the great refuge, as he was nearing the end of his days npon earth, in closing, he says:
"If thon, my Jesus, still art nigh, Cheerful I live, and cheerful die ; When mortal comforts flee, To find ten thousand worlds in Thee.
" Great King of Grace, my heart subdne ; I would be led in triumph too, A willing captive to my Lord, And sing the triumphs of His word."
Among the former residents of the township of Wayne no family is more kindly remembered, or associated with stronger ties of friendship and appreciation, than that of Ephraim T. Woodruff.
SIMON FOBES
FERDINAND F. FOBES
RES. OF O. P. FOBES, WAYNE TP., ASHTABULA CO.,O.
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HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.
Elliott Seeley, born in Wayne, April 2, 1855 ; Minnie Viola, born March 26, 1860, married Daniel L. Horton, of Wayne, January 31, 1877. Franeis, youngest son of Nathaniel Coleman, was born in Wayne, July 20, 1827 ; married Miss Mary R. Miles, of Weymouth, England, January 8, 1852; children, Al- phonso Miles, born iu Wayne, May 17, 1854; Clifton Royal, born August 16, 1855 ; Carrie, born January 19, 1862.
THE SIMON FOBES FAMILY.
Members of six generations from this family are buried side by side in the cemetery at the centre of Wayne. The first death among the carly settlers of Wayne was that of Mrs. Thankful Fobes, who died January 8, 1808; and three days later the funeral of her husband, Simon Fobes, took place. These aged people were married March 24, 1748. The husband was a native of England, and was a captain in the serviec of the English government. Their family con- sisted of eight children,-four sons and four daughters,-named Thankful, Joshua, Bethiah, Simon, Nathan, Ellis, Euniee, and one who died in infancy. Simon Fobes (2d) was born April 5, 1756. He was a soldier in the army of the Revolution, and fought iu the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775, and afterwards joined the expedition under General Benedict Arnold against Canada, and was engaged in the assault upon the city of Quebee, where he was taken prisoner of war. After suffering ahuost incredible hardships, he escaped from the British ou the 18th of August, and reached his home on the 30th of Sep- tember, 1776. He afterwards served as ensign in Colonel Levi Wells' regiment, and in April, 1780, accepted a lieutenant's commission in a matross company, and was stationed at Fort Trumbull, Connecticut. Continental money having so far depreciated in value that a lieutenant's pay would not provide his elothing, he resigned his commission and returned to his father's farm. But for his resigna- tion he would, in all probability, have been in Fort Griswold, where Colonel Ledyard and sixty of his men were massaered by the British, under Benedict Arnold, after they had surrendered. Simon Fobes married Miss Elizabeth Jones, of Somers, Connecticut, an only daughter of Benjamin and Eliza Jones, deseend- ants of some of the earliest settlers of that place. Their children were : Joshua, born in Somers, Connecticut, January 20, 1781, who was a captain in Colonel Hayes' regiment during the War of 1812; was the first settler in the township of Wayne, and died in that town September 16, 1860. Simon, born in Somers, Connecticut, August 16, 1783; was an ensign in Captain Joshua Fobes' company in 1812; married Miss Sylvia Huntley, of Pierpont, Ashtabula County, who died in Wayne in December, 1842. An old acquaintance of Simon Fohes (3d) says of him, " He was one of the most respected citizens of the township. He served many years as a justice of the peace, with credit to himself and satisfac- tion to his fellow-citizens, being esteemed as judicious and reliable. He stood as one of the pillars of sound morality aud virtue, a much-respected and honored member of the Congregational church, serving for many years in the capacity of deacon, and was regarded by all as one of the most perfect examples of con- sisteney, which gave him an influence in his community surpassed by but few." He died in Wayne February 8, 1861. Levi, third son of Simon Fobes (2d), was born June 24, 1786 ; died September 11, 1787. Levi (2d), born June 30, 1788 ; died in Wayne, November 5, 1869. Betsey, born July 3, 1790 ; married Rev. Nathan Darrow ; died in Vienna, Trumbull county, Ohio, December 31, 1822. Elias, born in Somers, Connecticut, February 5, 1792, who was a soldier in Captain Joshua Fobes' company, in the War of 1812, and was in the skirmish with the Indians on the Sandusky Peninsula. Aaron, born February 2, 1797 ; died in Kinsman, Ohio, March 16, 1877. Benjamin, born June 14, 1799 ; died December 28, 1802. Chloe, born May 19, 1802.
All of the children of Simon Fobes (3d) were born in Wayne. The oldest, Simon P., born January 2, 1815, married, October 10, 1837, Miss Catharine A., daughter of William and Amanda Fitch, of Wayne. Their children were Orlando Perkins, born in Wayne, June 17, 1838; married Miss Nancy L. Bing- ham, of Ellsworth, Mahoning county, Ohio, November 24, 1861. Their chil- dren were Hettie, born June 18, 1863, died in Wayne, February 20, 1867 ; Bertie Bingham, born December 21, 1865, died in Wayne, March 16, 1872; Bessie Sylvia, born March 22, 1869 ; Emily B., born October 13, 1874.
Eliphalet L., second son of S. P. and C. A. Fobes, was born in Wayne, De- cember 31, 1840 ; died March 6, 1841.
Ferdinand Francis, born in Wayne, July 10, 1842 ; enlisted August 12, 1862, in Company I, One Hundred and Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry ; died of disease at Murfreesboro', Tennessee, September 4, 1863. Lucius Lee, born October 9, 1844, married, October 15, 1868, Miss Margaret Ann McGranahan, of Wayne, who died September 27, 1877. Sylvia A., born December 29, 1846, married Albert C. Crosby, of Rome, Ohio. Their children are Lucy Amelia, born in Wayne, October 27, 1871; Katie E., born in Rome, September 16, 1873; Willie Fitch, born in Rome, November 25, 1874. Charles Fitch, fifth son of S. P. and C. A. Fobes, born in Wayne, July 6, 1852 ; married, March 2, 1878, Miss Rebecca F. Calahan, at Sacramento City, California. Their residence is now at Walnut Grove, California.
Lucy M., born in Wayne, September 5, 1854, married Orlandus Woodworth, of Wayne, November 2, 1876.
Amos H., second son of Simon Fobes (3d), was born January 14, 1816, and now resides in Mecea, Ohio.
Dr. Abial J., born January 29, 1818, married Miss Louisa Alford, of Wind- ham, Portage county, Ohio. Dr. Fobes died at Kingsville, Ohio, April 1, 1851, and his wife died April 8 of the same year, and at the same place. William, born July 14, 1822, was a surgeon in the army during the late civil war, and is now a resident of Flint, Miehigau. In 1849 he married Miss Romina Jennings, of Pierpont, Ohio. Lucy A., born February 12, 1825, married Frederick B. Fitch, of Brighton, California, May 1, 1856. She died at her home in Cali- fornia, December 1, 1877. Francis, born February 26, 1827, married Miss Cordelia Hopkins, of Pierpont, Ohio. Lois Lamira, born December 14, 1829, married Dwight Coc, of Hartford, Ohio. She died January 1, 1869. Maria Sylvia, born October 28, 1834, married Edmund Snow, of Ashtabula, Ohio, January 2, 1858.
WILLIAM KIDDLE.
This gentleman was the youngest of three, the children of Richard and Jane Kiddle, of Long Sutton, Somersetshire county, England, and was born on June 29, 1837. He came to America in 1858, landing at Bedford, Canada, July 31 of that year. On August 10, same year, he arrived in the township of Wayne, and located in the southeasteru corner of the township. He is by occu- pation a wagon-maker. His first purchase of land was but a part of his present fine estate. He has now some four hundred aeres of land, and is largely engaged in dairying and the raising of Durham cattle. In 1860 he returned to England, where he remained some five months. On the 23d day of April, 1861, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary, daughter of IIezekiah and Caroline Platt, who are at present both deceased, as are also his parents. The result of this marriage has been a family of five children,-three girls and two boys. Prior to the birth of his children (1869), he again returned to England, with his Yankee bride, and remained on this visit some two and one-half months. A fine view of his farm is given in connection with this sketch.
WINDSOR TOWNSHIP.
WINDSOR is the extreme southwestern township of the county, and is described as No. S in range 5. Its lands became the property of Simcon Griswold aud William Eldridge iu 1798, when the partition of the soil of the Reserve east of the Cuyahoga was made by lot among the members of the Connecticut land company. These original owners of Windsor were residents of Connecticut, and the latter, on the 21st of January, 1801, sold to the former the greater portion of his share, and the name of Griswold was thus connected in a material way with the destinies of this town, and, indeed, is a prominent one in every stage of its history. It is indebted for its name to the fact that the Griswolds were residents of Wind- sor, Connecticut. It is one of the best-watered districts in the county. Grand river, Phelps ereek, Indian and Crawford ereeks, course through different portions of the township, aud, with other smaller strcaius, form a network whose branches penetrate nearly every part of the town, and thus establish an excellent system of drainage. The soil is thus rendered fertile, and it is no exaggeration to say that some of the finest farms in the county may be found within the limits of Windsor, and that the improvements generally are of an excellent character, and betoken thrift on the part of its people.
EARLY SETTLERS.
.
The settlement of this township began at an early date, and but few distriets in the county can trace their history baek to a remoter period. Lying at so great a distance, comparatively, from the lake and from the Pennsylvania line, being more remote than any other township from the point where the surveying-party located to begin its labors on the 4th of July, 1796, and to which point the stream of immigration in its mareh westward would naturally tend, it seems strange at first thought that this inland district should have been among the very first in the county to feel the touch of the hand of civilization. Indeed, it is strange that in less than three years after the arrival of the surveyors the settlement of this remote township began, while other townships less remote date the time of their first settlement many years later. This anomaly is explained by the fact that the soil of Windsor fell into the hands of those who, as original owners, beeame immediately interested in its improvement. George Phelps and Solomon Gris- wold were the pioneers of Windsor. The latter was the brother and the former the brother-in-law of Simeon Griswold, the original proprietor of Windsor. The former arrived iu June, 1799; the latter in March, 1800. Both had been resi- dents of Connecticut. There were two routes of travel along which the stream of emigration flowed westward,-one the northern route, the other the southern. The former, extending westward from Albany up the Mohawk and along the southern shore of the lakes, or upon the lakes themselves, reached the Reserve at its northeast corner; the other, extending in a southwesterly direction from Albany across the Alleghenies to Pittsburgh. reached the Reserve along its southern border. Mr. Phelps, who came first, took the southern route ; Mr. Gris- wold, the northern. Phelps ereek owes its name to Windsor's earliest pioneer. Both these gentlemen, in their contest with the difficulties, hardships, and dangers incident to pioneer life, evinced qualities of the most sterling character. Mr. Gris- wold spent a long, useful, and prominent life as a resident of Windsor. Mr. Phelps remained but about four years, being elected clerk of the court of common pleas for Trumbull county in the fall of 1802, and removed to Warren, the county-seat. Mr. Phelps, while he lived in Windsor, resided in the southeastern part of the township, on the south bank of the creck that bears his name, settling upon lot 2 of the fourth range of lots in Windsor. Here he erected his log cabin in 1799, the first house built in the township, and occupied it with his wife and two small children. Mr. Griswold erected his cabin in 1800, on lot S, in the third range of lots, a part of the uortheastern quarter of the township. Upon his entrance into the township his family consisted of himself, wife, and six daughters, the eldest seventeen and the youngest four years of age. Mr. Gris- wold's cabin was long the resort of new-comers, and it is related of him that he was the most kind and hospitable of hosts, and did much to alleviate the suffer- ings and hardships of the early settlers. It will be observed that while Mr. Phelps' home was in the extreme southeast, that of Mr. Griswold was in the extreme northeast. Immigrants eoming by the southern route into Windsor would naturally find their way first to the house of Mr. Phelps, while those arriving by the northern route would seek shelter at the friendly fireside of Judge
Griswold. He was associate judge of the first county court organized in Ashtabula County, having previously served in the same capacity under the Territorial government, and administered the duties of his office with ability aud distinction.
The third family that settled in Windsor was that of Charles Jewell, Esq., who came from Virginia, and settled uear Mr. Phelps in 1802.
In 1804, Jonathan Higley became a resident of Windsor, taking up his abode on lot 7 of the fifth range of lots, not far from Judge Griswold's home. The Higley family is at present quite well represented, and the members thereof are deserving of great praise for the part they have contributed towards the permanent improvement of the township.
In November, 1804, Joseph Alderman and sons, Joseph Jr. and Alexander, having purchased of Simeon Griswold lots 6, in sixth range, 6 and 7 in eleventh range, 5 and 6 in eighth range, 5 and 6 in ninth range, and forty-seven aeres in east end of lot 5 in sixth range, eame to Windsor, and began improvements. In 1805, S. D. Sackett purchased of Solomon Griswold lot 8 in fifth range of lots, being one hundred and sixty aeres, and began to improve the same, where he resided for many years, living to a ripe old age. This same year marks the arrival of Oliver Loomis, who came from old Windsor, Connecticut, of Elijah Hill and Elijah Hill, Jr., and John White. The next year Michael Tomlinson and John Gladden, Benjamin Cook and Benjamin Cook, Jr., east their lot among the pioneers of Windsor. Ebenezer Lampson, who arrived in 1810, in his en- deavor to locate in Windsor was resisted by an obstruction, in the removal of which he, however, found abundant assistance. He had got as far on his way as Harperstown in Harpersfield, where he found his progress impeded by the results of a violent storm, which had uprooted numberless trees in the forest, and strewn them across the road leading towards Windsor. The news was brought to the set- tlers of Windsor that a family desiring to come into their township was obliged to remain at Harperstown by reason of the impassable condition of the road. Imme- diately they turned out, old men and young men, and, with axes and oxen, soon put the road in a condition to be traveled.
In 1805, Hezekiah Skinner located in the township. In 1807, Caleb Holeomb arrived. 1811 is the year that marks the arrival of Russell Loomis and Captain Giles Loomis. The largest accession to the settlement happened in the years 1812 and 1813, when thirteen families took up their abode in Windsor, all from Tol- land, Tolland county, Connecticut. The names of the heads of these families are as follows : John Norris and Cornelius Norris, Elijah and Gaal Grover, Samuel and Erastus Rawdon, Stephen aud West Winslow, Jonathan Clapp, Daniel Mor- gan, Moses Barnard, Gideon Morgan, and Francis Barnard. It will be seen that the pioneers of this township were almost exclusively from the State of Con- necticut. During the first fourteeu years thirty-two families had arrived, of whom at least thirty emigrated from that State. Windsor was now in a fair way to make rapid advancement. Nothing hindered its growth but the war which had broken out with Great Britain during the first year of this last important addition to the numbers of the little eolony. This hindered somewhat the work of improvement, but everything else favored. The settlers were all hardy men, eager to carve out for themselves and their children homes in the midst of the wilderness. There were but few drones, if any, and the rapid prosperity of the little settlement was now assured. The township already wore a different appear- ance from that which characterized it a dozen years before. The next dozen years were destined, however, to work still greater changes. These thirty or more fami- lies had not left behind them their pleasant Connecticut homes, braving the perils and hardships of the wilderness which were certain to be encountered, for the aimless purpose of folding their arms and refusing to strike a blow in the cause which their present condition, their future weal, their ambition, and their affec- tion, all, bade them heroieally undertake and vigorously proseeute. That the blows were manfully given, he who looks out upon the peaceful, beautiful homes that now meet the eye everywhere throughout the length and breadth of the township. in whatsoever direction he turns, ean have no doubt.
ORGANIZATION.
The township was organized in the year 1811. The meeting for organization assembled in the month of July, on the second Saturday thereof, at the house of Solomon Griswold, and Jonathan Higley, Sr., was called to the ehair. The fol-
250
RES.OF F. R.SMITH, ESQ., WINDSOR CORNERS, ASHTABULA CO.,O.
RES. OF S. C. WILSON, WINDSOR TP., ASHTABULA CO., O.
251
HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.
lowing officers were chosen : Ebenezer K. Lampson, township clerk ; Samuel Higley, Michael Tomlinson, Timothy Alderman, trustees ; Samuel Higley, Jona- than Higley, appraisers ; Elijah Hill, Jr., treasurer ; Oliver Loomis, Garry Saek- ett, and Thompson Higley, supervisors; Garry Saekctt and Andrew Loomis, overseers of poor ; S. D. Sackett, John Gladden, fence-viewers.
Jonathan Higley was at the time justice of the peace, and was succeeded by Elijah Hill, and he by Jonathan Clapp, Mr. Higley being called upon by his constituents to represent them in the State legislature. Lathrop Rawdon, son of Erastus Rawdon, served as justice of the peace for a period of seven years, from February, 1838, to February, 1845, in which year he was commissioned as asso- ciate judge by Governor Bartley.
The first marriage in the township was solemnized in 1806, the contracting parties being Jonathan Higley, Jr., and Miss Keziah Griswold. The name of the officiating officer is unknown.
The first death was that of Eli Porter, who died at the house of Solomon Gris- wold, December 27, 1801. Mr. Porter was a temporary resident of Austinburg, and had undertaken a journey to Mesopotamia, Trumbull county, to place himself under the immediate care of a physician at this place, but upon arriving as far as the house of Judge Griswold could go no farther, and expired before his wife and friends could reach him. He was buried on Mr. Griswold's farm, the burial service prescribed by the Episcopal church being read at his grave. His wife and child in Austinburg, who were sent for, eame with a party of eleven persons in a boat up Grand river to attend the funeral.
The first settled physician in Windsor was Dr. Ebenezer K. Lampson, who came to the township in 1810.
The first frame house in Windsor was ereeted in the year 1805, by Jonathan Higley, in the northcast corner of lot 8, range 7. The house, since rebuilt and added to, is now owned and occupied by H. Higley. The first brick house was erected by Nathaniel Cook, on lot 5, range 4, in 1822; since rebuilt, and now occupied by Elmer Cook.
FIRST BIRTH.
Eliza Griswold Phelps was the first white child born on the soil of Windsor, and there were some noteworthy incidents in her life. A residence of six months in the township of her nativity was followed by her removal with her father's family to Warren. Here, when she was two or three years old, while playing on the banks of the Mahoning, she fell into the river, and was reseued from drown- ing by a pet bear who often accompanied her in her playful sports, and on this occasion was her playfellow. She next had the misfortune, when yet of tender years, to lose her mother, then her father. She was then taken to Kingsbury, Connecticut, and became the adopted daughter of one Colonel Humphrey, who gave her a good education. Arrived at maturity, she became preceptress in a female seminary in Connecticut, serving ably in this capacity for fourteen years. In 1839 she became the wife of George March, and in the following spring re- moved with him to the land of her birth. Selecting a choice spot on lands left by her father, lying one-half mile south of the Episcopal church, on the banks of Phelps creek, she and her husband erected a fine residence thereon, and just as she was preparing to occupy it she was called to obey a summons to which there can always be but the one answer. Her demise occurred on the 15th day of December, 1840.
The first wheat grown in the township was sown on Mr. Phelps' land in the fall of 1799. After wheat was grown it was with extreme difficulty that it was converted into flour, and thus prepared for use. Prior to the erection of Hum- phreys' mill in Austinburg, and Gregory's mill in Harperstown, the settlers were obliged to depend mainly upon their own resources for the grinding of their grain. Long journeys were sometimes taken to far-distant mills, but these were extremely tedious, and attended with great and many dangers. The settlers' ingenuity was called into requisition, and the result was that temporary mills, rude in design and in structure, were formed and made to subserve their wants, which they did in an excellent manner. One of them was the invention of Charles Jewel, and proved to be of great benefit to the Windsor pioneers, to whom it became an object of almost sacred affection. It consisted of two buhr-stones of about two feet in diameter, dressed and prepared as similar stones in flouring-mills. One was placed upon a bench, or upon the floor, and was stationary, while the other, which was called the " runner," was placed above it, and was movable. Ncar the outer edge of the upper stone was a small hole, into which was inserted a gudgeon conneet- ing with a hand-staff, or pole, that extended through an opening in the upper floor above the stones. The operator would grasp the pole uear the stone with his right hand, and thus set the mill in motion, while with the other hand he would put in the grain to be ground. This mill became the property of the Messrs. Higley, but at the request of Joel Blakeslee, Esq., was carried to the court-house in Jefferson, on the 16th day of August, 1850, to be deposited as a
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