History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Part 103

Author: Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co.
Number of Pages: 716

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CHURCHES.

According to the best recollection of Brooklyn's carly settlers, the first religions services in the town- ship were held by a traveling Univeralist preacher whose name has been forgotten. He preached the Smeral sermon of the mother of James Fish in 1816, and preached twice in Brooklyn after that event. About that time Rev. Messrs. Booth and Goddard, Methodist circuit riders, preached in Brooklyn, and under the auspices of the latter, about 1817,

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF BROOKLYN was organized in a log house which stood in the rear of the site of the present Methodist Episcopal Church

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THE TOWNSHIPS OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY.

and which was used as a town house and a place of worship for both the Methodists and the Congrega- tionalists.

The first Methodist Episcopal class, however, had already been formed in 1814 at the house of Ozias Brainard, where the Methodists used to assemble for weekly prayer and conversation, before the coming of any minister. Ebenezer Fish, Sylvanus Brainard and Seth Brainard were the first three members of the class, which, however, was shortly increased to six- teen. Ebenezer Fish was The first class leader, and when it was agreed to divide the class into two sec- tions-a part, meeting on the north, and a part on the south side of the creek-Seth Brainard was chosen as the second class leader.

The first presiding elder was Charles Waddell, and the carly ministers of the church were Rev. Messrs. James Taylor, John Crawford, Solomon Menier, Adam Poe, II. O. Sheldon, James MeIntire, - Dick- son, Elmore Yokum, - Hazard, - Howe. The later pastors have been Rev. Messrs. N. S. Albright, Joseph Mattock, Alfred Holbrook and the Rev. Mr. Hoadley, the latter being the pastor September 1, 1879.

The church has now a membership of one hundred. The trustees are A. W. Poe, J. W. Fish, Ozias Fish, II. Richardson, R. Pelton, L. G. Foster, S. R. Brain- ard and J. Tompkins. The class leaders are George Storer, S. Strowbridge, J. Tompkins, W. Woodard, S. Wallace, A. W. Poe. The Sunday-school has about one hundred scholars, and is in charge of T. K. Dissette.

The congregation worshiped in the log town-house until 1827, when a framed church-edifice was erected upon the site of the present structure. The latter was built in 1848, the old one being moved, and be ng now used as a private residence.

THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

This is located at Brooklyn village and was organ- ized July 23, 1819, with the following members: Amos Brainard, Isaac Hinckley and Sallie his wife, James Smith and Eliza his wife, and Rebecca Brain- ard. The organization took place in the town-house, and was effected by Rev. Messrs. Thomas Barr and William Ilanford, who were sent for this purpose by the Cleveland presbytery, to which the Brooklyn church was attached. Previous to the organization Isaac Hinckley-who was the first deacon chosen by the church-used to conduct religions meetings at the house of Moses Fish, where the Congregationalists often assembled for worship.

The membership was not inereased until October 3, 1819, when Ozias, Mary, Ira and Phobe Brainard were taken into the fold. The Cleveland presbytery supplied preachers occasionally for some years; services being held, as a rule, once a fortnight. We learn from the records that down to 1847 the ministers who preached for the church were Rev. Messrs. William MeLain, T. I. Bradstreet, Randolph Stone, B. B.

Drake, - Fox and -- Foltz. In 1847 the con- gregation-being much reduced in strength-ceased to assemble for worship and remained inactive until 1851, when public services were renewed under the ministry of Rev. Calvin Durfee, who was followed successively by Rev. Messrs. James A. Bates, E. II. Votaw and J. W. Hargrave, the latter being now in charge.

In April, 1867, the church united with the Cleve- land Congregational conference, having till that time been attached to the Cleveland presbytery. In 1830 the congregation left the old loghouse and worshiped in a new church which was built in that year. It is still used, being one of the oldest church buildings in Ohio, but will probably be vacated in November of this year (1829) for a new and handsome brick church, now nearly completed. The church member- ship is now eighty-four. The deacons are Hiram Welch, A. S. Hinckley and Ebenezer Fish, and the trustees are M. L. Mead. I. N. Turner and Ebenezer Fish.

BRIGHTON METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

For some years previous lo 1844, the Methodist residents of Brighton and vicinity worshiped at the church in Brooklyn village, but in that year they effected a church organization of their own. They purchased the building previously used by the Re- formed Methodists, and there they still worship .*

The present membership is eighty. The trustees are Asahel Brainard, Charles Gates, Leonard Fish, II. C. Gates, George Brainard, Demas Brainard, Thomas Davies, Martin Oviatt and Albert Ingham; the stewards are J. K. Brainard, Abel Fish, Luther Brainard, Charles Gates, George W. Brainard, Wil- liam Avaon and Asabel Brainard: the class leaders are George W. Brainard, William Avann, Thomas Davis, JJ. M. Brainard and Russell Brainard. The pulpit is being supplied at present by Rev. E. Il. Bush.

THE EVANGELICAL PROTESTANT CHURCH.

This is a German organization, located at Brighton, which was formed abont 1840. Pubhe worship was first held in a school-house a mile east of Brighton village, the first minister being Rev. Mr. Allard, of Cleveland. In 1844 the church erected at Brighton the substantial house of worship now used. About one hundred families comprise the congregation, which is under the charge of Rev. Mr. Locher. The trustees are George Riedel, Caspar Janney, Martin Walter, Gottleib Merkel and Christian Haas.

CHURCH OF THE LADY OF THE SACRED HEART.

This Roman Catholic church was organized at Brighton in 1875, by Rev. P. F. Quigley, D. D., in which year a handsome brick house of worship, cost-

* The Reformed Methodists had seceded from the Methodist Episcopal church of Brooklyn, and started a church on the south side of the creek in 1840, but dissolved three years later. The prominent members were Julia and Ogden Hinckley, Cyrus Brainard, and Joseph and Ma. tilda Williams.

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ing $10,000, was built. Although Brighton then contained many Catholics, their number has latterly been materially lessened by removals, and for nearly a year (since December, 1828) the church has been opened but once for public worship. The last pastor of the church was Rev. T. Marshall, who succeeded Father Quigley in 1816.

THIE DISCIPLE CONGREGATION.

Early in 1879 a number of the members of the West Side Disciple Church, residing in Brooklyn village- (among the prominent ones being II. Brown and Wm. Towsley)-agitated the subject of organizing a church in Brooklyn, and in May held their first meeting in the Brooklyn Opera House, on which occasion a large number of persons participated in the exercises. An independent church has not yet been formed, but reg- ular Sabbath meetings have been held in the Opera House since that time, the congregation, for the pres- ent, being attached as a mission to the West Side church, whence the preaching is supplied. About forty members are included in the congregation, and it is probable that a church will speedily be estab- lished.

Miss Dorcas Hickox, sister of Abraham Hickox, a blacksmith of Cleveland, taught school in Brooklyn as early as 1818, in the house of James Fish. She had eight or ten scholars, of whom I-aiah W. Fish is still living.

Miss Hickox, who was probably the first school-teacher in those parts, taught but one summer. Who her immediate successor was is not clear, but it is moderately certain that Diodate Clark wiekled the birch not long after Miss Hickox's time, and a famous pedagogue he was. After Clark, Stephen Brainard taught in a little log school-house on David Brainard's place, and then Lyndon Freeman, of Parma, was for a while the leader under whom the aspiring youth of the day climbed the rugged hights of learning.

Apart from the villages of Brooklyn and West Cleveland-which manage their own school affairs- the township has now live school districts and six schools, with an average attendance of one hundred and seventy-two, out of an enrollment of two hundred and sixty-four scholars. The number of teachers em- ployed is seven, and the yearly expenditure for school purposes about $3,300. The members of the board of education are Frank II. Chester, Carver Stickney, Henry Perrin, Claus Fiedmann and J. Featherstone. The value of school property in the township districts in 1829 was $13,500.

Brooklyn village, which under the union school law has managed its own school affairs since 1869, has a line brick school-edifice, in which there five depart- ments, including a high school. The daily attend- ance of pupils averages one hundred and seventy-six, and the teachers-including the superintendent- number five, to whom $2, 400 are paid yearly.

The village of West Cleveland has three school- houses-on Detroit street, Jones street and McCart

street-with five schools and five teachers. The at- tendance averages nearly three hundred, and the cost for school support is nearly $4,000 yearly. The pres- ent board of education is composed of Messrs. Alex. Forbes, M. B. Nixon. G. B. Mills, W. P. Ranney, A. W. Fairbanks and Oliver King.

THE BROOKLYN ACADEMY.

In the year 1840 Moses Merrill, a New York school- teacher, and sometimes Methodist preacher, happened to visit Brooklyn about the time certain of its promi- nent citizens were agitating the subject of starting an academy. They secured Merrill to teach for them, put up a framed building on the lot now occupied by the Brooklyn village school, ealled it the Brooklyn Academy and opened it as a select school of some pre- tensions. It flourished for several years as an impor- tant institution of learning, but gave way eventually before the rapid strides of the public school system and disappeared. The old academy building is now used in part for the village post office.

THE BRIGHTON ACADEMY,

was founded by Samuel II. Barstow about 1840. when Brighton was regarded as a place with a brilliant fn- ture before it. The brilliant future failed, however. to reveal itself, and the Brighton Academy went down within a brief season.

BRIGHTON.

The village of Brighton was laid out originally upon land occupied by Warren Young's farm, and additional surveys were made from time to time. Its progress was unmarked by special incident until 1836, when, under the influence of the energy of Samuel H. Barstrow, matters began to look up. Speculation in lots began to grow earnest, and to fur- ther stimulate the spirit of the hour, Mr. Barstow procured the incorporation of the village. At the first election, carly in 1832, twenty-three votes were cast for mayor, Nathan Babcock receiving fourteen and Sam'] II. Barstow nine. A. S. Palmer was chosen as recorder, and a Mr. Clemens as marshal and street commissioner. In less than a year, however, Brighton came to a stand-still. When the next elec- tion time came the villagers concluded that the new departure was a failure, and declined to hold an elec- tion, and the charter went by default.

Since that time the progress of Brighton has been slow, yet in all it has been considerable. It has a population of perhaps eight hundred, is abundantly supplied with stores and hotels, has three churches. and does a small business in the manufacture of wagons. The stores have a good trade with the sur- rounding country, which contains numerous thrifty and substantial farmers, many of whom are Germans, as are also many of the villagers.

BROOKLYN VILLAGE.

Brooklyn Village (originally called Brooklyn Cen- ter) was laid out in part in the year 1830 by Moses Fish, an early settler and the owner of considerable

THIE TOWNSHIPS OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY.

land in what is now the center of the village. Fish laid out twenty-five lots, and directly afterward Ebenezer Fish, his brother, also a large land owner, began a survey for the same purpose. Hle sold off only a few lots, however, before disposing of the resi- dne of his property to Betts & Bibbens, land specula- tors, who platted an extensive tract. This was the first work of importance in the way of starting the village. Later, at various times, it was followed by unmerous additional surveys by a dozen different parties, some of whom have yet to realize on their in- vestments.

Although the village began thus early to push itself into notice, and thrived apace, it was not incor- porated until August 5, 1867. The persons who have served as village officials from that date to 1879, inclusive, are as follows:

1867. Mayor, Bethuel Fish; recorder, Leonard Foster: trustees, A .. W. Poe, J. S. Fish, Adam Kroehle, C. B. Galentine, Geo. Storer; mar- shal, John May.

1868. Mayor, Bethuel Fish : recorder, Leonard Foster: treasurer, Levi Fish ; trustees, A. W. Poe, Adam Kroehle, Seymour Trowbridge, L. C. Pixley, J. M Curtiss; marshal, O. M. Wallace.

1869. Mayor, Seymour Trowbridge; recorder, Wesley Trowbridge; treasurer, John S. Fish; trustees, Lewis Roberts, Eliphalet Wyatt, Alanson Clark. A. P. Wirth, Geo. Storer; marshal Samuel B. Root.

1870. Mayor, Seymour Trowbridge; clerk, Wesley Trowbridge; treas- urer, J. S. Fish ; council, I. W Fish, Henry Fish, Wm. Towsley, Lewis Roberts, A. P. Wirth, J. M. Poe; marshal, O. M. Wallace.

1871. Mayor, Seymour Trowbridge: clerk, Wesley Trowbridge: treas- urer, J. S. Fish; council, Lewis Roberts, A. P. Wirth, J. M. Poe, S. D. Phelps, L. C. Pixley, JJ. H. Storer; ma shal. M. J. Truman.

1872. Mayor, E. H. Bush; treasurer, H. Fish; clerk, L. G. Foster: council, L. (' Pixley, J. H. Storer, S. D. Phelps, A. W. Poe, Ozias Fish Adam Kroehle; marshal, Shelby Luce.

1873. Mayor, Win. Towsley; clerk, L. G. Foster: treasurer, H. Fish ; council, Adam Kroehle, A. W. Poe, Ozias Fish, Jas, Gay. L. ( Pixley, We -ley Trowbridge, marshal, Shelby Luce,

1871. Mayor, Albert Allyn; clerk, R. W. Whiteman; treasurer, J. S. Fish : council, Wesley Trowbridge, L. C. Pixley, Jas, Gay, E. Wyatt, F. ('lifford, J. Schneider: marshal, Shelby Luce.

1875. Mayor, Albert Allyn: clerk, R. W. Whiteman; treasurer, J. S. Fish, council, E. Wyatt, F. Clifford, J. Schneider, Jas. Towsley, Calvin Allyn Carlos Jones; marshal, Shelby Luce.

1876. Mayor, Henry Ingham; clerk, R. W. Whiteman: treasurer, R A. Brown; council, Jas. Towsley, Calvin Allyn, Carlos Jones, A. Mande ville, Aug. Esch, Theodore Paul; marshal, A. L Van Ornnm.

18;7. Mayor, Henry Ingham; clerk, R. W Whiteman; treasurer, R. A Brown; council. Ang. Esch, A. Mandeville, Theo. Paul, Lewis Roberts. Thos, Quirk, M. H. Farnsworth; marshal, A L. Van Ornum.

1878. Mayor, J. S. Fish; clerk, J. H. Richardson; treasurer. Russell Brown; council, M. H. Farnsworth, Thos. Quirk, Lewis Roberts, J. W. Naff, Chas. Robinson, Peter Vonder Au; marshal, A L. Van Ornum.

1879. Mayor, J. S. Fish; clerk, J H Richardson; treasurer, Russell Brown; council, J. W. Naff. Chas. Robinson, Peter Vonder Au, I. N. Turner, J. H. Storer, G. R. Davis; marshal, A. L Van Ornum.

Brooklyn village is now a thriving place of about fifteen hundred inhabitants, contains many fine resi- dences, has some important manufacturing establish- ments in and near the borough, and will doubtless improve in various ways after the completion of the Valley railroad.

WEST CLEVELAND.

The village of West Cleveland, with a population of one thousand five hundred, joins the city of Cleveland on the west, having its northern front on Lake Erie. That portion of Brooklyn was not settled until a com- paratively recent date, and had at first nearly all its habitations along the line of what is now Detroit street. That thoroughfare is still the main avenue of West Cleveland. It stretches, within the village, two miles

and a half west of the city limits, and is embellished with many handsome suburban residences of ('leve- land merchants. West Cleveland was incorporated in 1820, as a defensive measure-so it is said-against a prospective absorption by Cleveland. As the vil- lage records, down to a very late date, have been lost, we can only give a list of the mayors and clerks, as fol- lows: 1870-mayor, II. W. Davis; clerk, Charles M. Safford. 1842-mayor, S. F. Pearson; clerk, Charles M. Safford. 1874-mayor, William Mitchell: clerk, Alfred Lees. 1876-mayor, Alex Forbes: clerk, Al- fred Lees. 1848-mayor, L. II. Ware; clerk, John Ilawley.

Although the village is quite populous, it is so closely allied to Cleveland in a material sense that it is simply a city suburb. Its inhabitants are mostly engaged in business in the city, and attend religions worship there. There is no religious organization in West Cleveland, and bnt one place where religious services are held-a mission chapel where Sabbath meetings are maintained under the auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association, for the benefit of all denominations.

THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FARM.

This is located on Detroit street, in West Cleveland, and covers sixty-one acres, upon which there are sub- stantial buildings. In 1868 the widow of Simeon Jennings gave to the Children's Aid Society of Cleve- land eleven acres of land and the buildings upon it, to be used as an industrial school farm. The society obtained by donations sufficient money to purchase fifty additional acres, and since that date the place has been devoted to the noble purpose of providing for destitute and homeless children, training them in useful knowledge and eventually placing them in comfortable homes. During 1878 the children re- ceived numbered one hundred and forty-seven, of whom eighty-eight were placed in good homes. The average number of children in the institution is forty.

LINNDALE.

Linndale, is a station on the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis railroad, and was at one time a place regarding which many bright anticipa- tions were indulged in. Three hundred acres of land were purchased, in 1822, by Robert Linn, and others of Cleveland, a town was laid out, building lots were freely sold and .Linndale made a promising start. The Linndale Stove and Hollow Ware Company ex- pended seven thousand dollars in erecting a foundry there, began operations on a capital of fifteen thousand dollars, and with a force of tifty hands soon gave a business appearance to the place. Quite a number of dwellings went up. a newspaper called the Linndale Enterprise, under the editorship of Mr. Robinson, was called into existence, and a hotel and several stores went into operation.

Unhappily, however, for the project, the financial crisis of 1873 stopped the growth of the new town,

Martin DEellayy

MARTIN KELLOGG was born in Easthampton par- ish, Chatham, Middlesex Co., Conn., on the 16th of February, 1793. His ancestors were Irish, and settled in this country at an early date.

His father, whose name was also Martin, was a native of Marlboro', Conn., having been born there about the year 1765. He was a man of great in- tegrity and enterprise; was often called upon for advice and counsel, and, although not a member, was a constant attendant and liberal supporter of the Episcopal Church, He married Rachel Hosford, daughter of Dudley Hosford, of Marlboro', by whom he had six children, viz .: Rachel, Martin, Joel, Alfred, Rechelsea, and Lucy Ann. The latter is the only member of this family now living. Mr. Kellogg died in Easthampton in 1825. His wife survived him twenty-five years, and died in January, 1850.

The subject of this sketch received a common- school education, and, until he reached his majority, remained upon his father's farm. He was then em- ployed in laboring by the month, which he continued for four years. In 1817 he came to Ohio, and re- mained one year. Returning to Connecticut, he was married, on the 2d of June, 1818, to Laura Adams, daughter of Benjamin Adams, of Colchester, New London Co. They at onee set out for Ohio, in company with the families of Judge Barber, Mr. Watkins, Mr. Branch, and Mr. Ansel Young.

They traveled the entire distance with ox-teams, the journey consuming forty days. Arriving at Cleveland in July, Mr. Kellogg settled in Brooklyn, on the place now owned by his son Alfred, and situated on Scranton Avenue. He immediately commenced clearing his farm, and, although sub- jected to all the hardships of pioneer life, was never discouraged. At the end of a comparatively few years he possessed a comfortable home, and on ac- count of its location his land subsequently became very valuable.

In 1856 his wife died, and he was married on the 8th of March, 1860, to Mrs. Laura Walker, who died July 17, 1863. He only survived her a little more than one month, his death occurring on the 25th of August following.

Mr. Kellogg was a man of staunch integrity and high moral character; an enterprising citizen, and one who took an active part in forwarding local improvements and the best interests of the com- munity in which he lived. Formerly a Whig, when that party gave place to the Republican organization he naturally gravitated to its ranks. Although taking an interest in political movements, he never held nor sought public office.

Mr. Kellogg had four children,-Alfred, Horace, Charles M., and Sanford B., all deceased except Alfred, the eldest, to whom this memoir and the accompanying portrait are due.

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which at its best contained about eight hundred in- habitants. The land company, which had absorbed Mr. Linn's interests, failed to meet its payments on the land: purchasers became alarmed eoncerning the titles and many of them forsook the place. The com- pany forfeited its lands to the original owners and Linndale staggered under the blow. The paper suspended, the hotel and stores closed, and the Linn- dale Stove Company, which maintained a somewhat longer struggle for existence, went down in 1845 in utter failure.

Win. Buckholz, who had a small manufactory of portable feed-mills, carried on his business in the town until the spring of 1839, when he removed to Cleveland. Since 1825, Linndale has been a very small and very quiet village, but faith in its future still animates some sanguine hearts, and certainly there is nothing improbable in its becoming a pros- perons town.

CEMETERIES.

The first burials in the old township of Brooklyn were made in a lot near the present graveyard on Seranton avenue, in Cleveland. These burials were four in number, and the next one-that of Mary Wil- cox, mother-in-law of James Fish, was made in 1816. upon a half-acre lot owned by Mr. Fish. That lot Mr. Fish subsequently donated to the township for use as a publie graveyard, and it is now a part of the Scranton avenue cemetery. The four graves above referred to were obliterated long ago, and occupied it is thought, a spot of ground now traversed by the avenue. The next public burial ground was laid out in 1844, east of the Methodist church in Brooklyn vil- lage. There are now six or seven burial grounds in the township, including Riverside cemetery, a sketch of which will be found in the history of Cleveland.

POST OFFICES.

A post office was established in Brighton in 1836. which until 1867 was the station for Brooklyn village. It is known as Brooklyn post office, and has had as postmasters, from 1836 to 18;9, the following: Sam- uel Il. Barstow, Geo. W. Hibbard, William J. Case. C. H. Babcock, G. Woodruff, Daniel Selzer, A. Van Derwyst and Chas. Huhn. Brooklyn Village post- office was not established until 1862, since which time the posmasters at that point have been J. M. Poe. A. W. Poe, E. H. Bush, Samuel Sears and John Reove. West Cleveland post office was established in 1827, (. E. Terrell being the first appointee. His succes- sors have been Messrs. Beebe, Sweeny, and Oldfelder: the latter being the present incumbent.

THE CLEVELAND DRYER COMPANY.

This company, which is carrying on an extensive manufacture of super-phosphate near Brooklyn vil- lage, originated in 1863, when P. B. Bradley and Cop Brothers, under the name now used by the corpora- tion, began to make super-phosphate on Mill creek, near the line of the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis railroad. There they employed

about twenty men in their works, which were de- stroysd by fire in 18;4. After that event the partners organized " The Cleveland Dryer Company " as a corporation, with a capital of 850,000, and built the works now used by it, on the line of the proposed Valley railroad. The company ocenpies eleven acres of land at that point, employs tifty men, and confines itself to the manufacture of the Buckeye and Forest City brands of super phosphate.

THE LAKE ERIE DRYER COMPANY.

This is a firm composed of G. W. Dart and W. H. Gabriel, manufacturers of the Excelsior super-phos- phate and poudrette at a point about a mile east of Brooklyn village. The works cover about two acres on the creek, and give employment to twenty men. A Mr. De Mar was the first to start these works, about 1865, being succeeded in 1869 by Joseph Cook, who soll ont in 18;6 to the firm now in possession.

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History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Part 103

Author: Johnson, Crisfield Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co. Number of Pages: 716

Author: Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co.
Number of Pages: 716