USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio > Part 113
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1875. Trustees, Ervest Melchor, David Waters, S. Woodmansee ; clerk, Jos. Day: treasurer, Morris Porter; assessor, Lucins Snuth.
1876. Trustees, Ernest Melchor, David Waters, H. M. Eddy : clerk. Jos. Day ; treasurer, A. (. Gardner; assessor, S. S. Armstrong.
1877. Trustees, H. M. Eddy, Geo. Smith, Justice Shaffer; clerk, E. P. Haskell: treasurer, A. ( Gardner: assessor, S. S. Armstrong.
1878. Trustees, David Waters, George Smith, Justice Shaffer; clerk, Stephen White: treasurer, E. D. Pelton: assessor, S. S. Armstrong.
1879. Trustees. Justice Shaffer, George W. Smith. William Marshall; clerk, S. White: treasurer, E. D. Pelton; assessor, S. S. Armstrong.
CHAPTER LXXVI. INDEPENDENCE .*
Boundaries and Physical Features-The Pioneers-George Comstock-
The Mortons-Frazee and Dickson Z. Hathaway- Fisher and Brower. Cuchrain, Miner and others-John I. Harper-Rail MeArthur -- West of the River-The Skinner Family Abraham Garfield Resident Land Owners in 1843-Civil Organization-First Officers -Principal Officers- Roads Canal and Railroad-Mills and Manufactures-Cleveland Acid Works-The Quarries-Kinzer Quarry-Hurst Quarry-Other Quarries -Independence Village -- Post Offices-Physicians-Hotels-Trade- Schools-Religious Societies-Presbyterian Church-Evangelical Asso- ciation-St. John's Lutheran Church-St. Michael's Church.
INDEPENDENCE is described in the original survey as Township C, range 12. It is bounded by Brooklyn and Newburg on the north; by Bedford on the east; by Brecksville and a small part of Summit county on the sonth, and by Parma on the west. The Cuyahoga river, flowing from a southeasterly direction, divides the township into two unequal parts: nearly two- thirds of the area lying west of that stream.
Excepting the valley of the Cuyahoga, the average width of which is about half a mile, the surface of Independence presents an elevated and broken appear- ance, although small level plateaus abound. Sand- stone and blue-stone of excellent quality generally nn- derlie the soil, and sometimes manifest themselves in bare ledges. The soil is generally fertile and appears to be well adapted for mixed husbandry. Besides the Cuyahoga, the streams of the township are Tinker's creek, flowing from the east; Hemlock creek, near the center, flowing from the west, and some small brooks in the northwestern part. The latter have deep channels, often forming gorges the steep sides of which hear a stunted growth of evergreens and pre- sent a picturesque appearance. Numerous springs abound, and the natural drainage is usually sufficient to render the soil tillable.
PIONEER SETTLERS.
The eastern part of the township was surveyed as early as 1808, and there, along Tinker's creek, the first settlements were made a few years later, probably in 1811, although the time and place cannot be exactly determined, as the earliest pioneers did not remain long in the township. To a more permanent class of settlers belonged George and Merey Comstock, who came about 1812, and made their home on lot seven of tract four, where they resided during their lives. They had three sons: Peter, who lived on the place next east; George, whose home was on the present farm of William Honeywell, and Fitch, who remained on the old homestead. Another Comstock family settled on lot two about the same time, where the head of it died in 1815, leaving several sons, two of whom were named Fitch and Joseph. On tract four, lot four, lived Daniel Comstock as early as 1813, who died there, leaving three sons, Albert, Stephen and Leonard, all of whom moved away.
In the Comstock neighborhood Samuel Wood was one of the earliest settlers, rearing two sons, Silas and
*The story of the temporary residence of the Moravian Indians in this township is told on pages thirty-three to thirty-five of the general his- tory.
461
INDEPENDENCE.
Harry, the latter of whom is yel living In Northfield. About the same time (the early part of 1813) Lewis Johnson, a blacksmith, located in that settlement. He had a large family: one son only by the name of Thomas is remembered. Philander Ballou lived on the south side of Tinker's creek near its mouth, about the same period.
In the valley of that creek came among the early pioneers, Daniel Chase and Clark Morton. One of the daughters of the latter was drowned while cross- ing the Cuyahoga in a canoe. He had two sons named Daniel and Silas. There were other Mortons, living in the township about this period, viz: Thomas, Samuel and William.
William King was among the first to come to In- dependence. He lived on tract four a number of years, and then disappeared mysteriously.
In the southeastern corner of the township Stephen Frazee and James Dickson settled soon after 1812. and for many years were among the prominent pioneers. In the valley of Tinker's creek A-a and Horace Hungerford were also leading citizens at an early day.
Farther north, on the old State road, Zephaniah Hathaway, a Vermonter, settled in 1816, and resided there until his death, at more than ninety years of age. He had two sons named Alden and Zephaniah. who also remained in that locality. The sons of the former were Lafayette, William, Rodney and Edwin: those of the latter were James and Milo: most of these yet live in that neighborhood. On the same road Jonathan Fisher, another Vermonter, settled in 1816, living on the place now occupied by his grandson. Lloyd Fisher. North of Fisher, Elisha Brower set- led about 1817, but soon afterward died, leaving four sons named John, David Pinckney, Daniel and William. Still farther north, near the Newburg line, lived a man named Ives, who died in 1819. He had a son named Erastus, David Skinner was an early set- tler in the same neighborhood.
In the northern part of the township, near the river, settlements were made about 1813 by the Coch- rain, Miner. Brockway and Paine families. One of the sons of the first-named family. Marvin, became a prominent citizen of the township. William Green came from Brecksville in 1814, and settled on the Fos- dick place. He had five sons named Harvey, Elijah. Jeremiah, Herod and Frederick, and several daughters, one of whom, Emily, became Mrs. Fosdick. Farther up the river John Westfall, a shoemaker, settled the same year. In 1823 he sold out to Smith Towner and his son, D. D. Towner. A son of the latter, Clark Towner, now occupies the place.
In 1810 John 1., Archibald and William Harper, sons of Colonel JJohn Harper a celebrated Revolu- tionary soldier who lived in Delaware county, New York, came to Ashtabula county. in this State. and in 1816 John I. emigrated from there to Independ- ence, settling on tract two, near where the canal now runs, where he died in August, 1849. He reared two
sons, Erastus R., who yet lives on the homestead; De Witt C., who moved to Michigan; and three daughters, one of whom married HI. G. Edwards, of Newburg. John Maxwell, a boy indentured to J. I. Harper, moved to tialena, Ilinois, after he had at- tained manhood, and while discharging his duties as sheriff was killed by a man whom he attempted to arrest.
East of the Harper place a man named Case settled abont 1814: a few years later he met his death at a rais- ing at Peter Comstock's. He had four sous. named Chauncey, Asahel, Harrison and -- Samuel Roberts was a squatter on the present Omar place, selling out in 1825 to Nathaniel P. Fletcher, who moved. after 1833, to Oberlin, and there helped to found Oberlin College. Farther south Ephraim S. Bailey and John Rorabeck made settlements before 1816. The latter had served in the war of 1812.
Colonel Rial MeArthur became a resident of the township in 1833, but returned to Portage county in 1844. Ile was the surveyor of the eastern part of Independence in 1808, and attained the rank of colo- nel in the war of 1812. In 1810 JJohn Wightman became a resident of Cleveland, living there until his death, in 1837. His daughter, Deborah L., became the wife of William H. Knapp, who settled in Independ- once in 1833, and both are yet living on the place they then occupied.
West of the Cuyahoga the land was not offered for settlement early, and but few families found homes there prior to 1825. In the northern part lehabod L. Skinner settled as early as 1818. He reared three sons, named Gates, Prentice and David P. The lat- ter was murdered at his home a little south of the present acid works.
On the road south of Skinner, Abraham Garfield, father of Hon. JJames A. Garfield, lived a few years prior to 1820; and in the same neighborhood was Caleb Boynton, who died there in 1821: leaving four sons. Amos, Nathan, William and Jeremiah. Other settlers on the west side were William Currier, John Darrow, Jasper Fuller and Jand Fuller.
In 1843 the resident land owners in this part of the township were the following: Conrad Schaff, Peter E. Swartz, Joseph Beichelmeyer, Sanford Foot, Ichabod L. Skinner, J. L. Skinner, John Walsh, Henry Wood, Hiram Pratt, John T. Gaw. Joseph Rose, David Yost, Martin Dirrer, L. Stewart, Peter Young, Jacob Walters, Nelson Loud, Benj. Wood, Moses Usher. Elijah Danser, David Barney, Harvey Green, John Foltz, Wm. Bushnell, Wm. Buskirk. Wm. Walter, John Shearer, John Schneider, Nathan- iel Wyatt. Mathew Bramley, James Miller, S. M. Dille, David Stewart, H. Orth, Alvah Darron, An- thon Gaw, Andrew Hartmiller, M. Sherman, Abra- ham Gable, Daniel Alt. Peter P. Crumb, Elihu Hol- lister, Amos Newland, E. Clark, Wm. Ring. Elisha Brooks. Wm. Currier, Elijah Green, Jacob Foltz, Jacob Froelich, Mathias Froelich, John Froclich, Samuel Hayden, John Leonard, L. Wright, John
462
THE TOWNSHIPS OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY.
Wolf, John Derr, J. Green, A. Newland, Thomas Cook, James Martin, Wm. G. Adams, Asa Hunger- ford, Ezra Fuller, John Needham, Rufus Johnson, Philip Gardner, Joseph Cunningham, Mathew Bar- ker, Nathaniel Stafford, Robert Cook, Wm. Van Noate, Jacob Warner, Jasper Fuller, John Moses, J. F. Leonard, Mathew Gardner, Ezra Brewster, Jere- miah Gowdy. Lewis Kohl.
On the east side of the river the land owners in that year were as follows: Jacob Krapht, Joseph Miller, Marvin Cochrain, David D. Towner, Jonathan Fisher, Findley Strong, Zephaniah Hathaway. E. Gleason. H. G. Edwards, Abram Wyatt, G. Richmond, Wm. Giles, Moses Gleeson, William Gleeson, Roger Com- stock, Wm. Green, Waterman Ells. Alfred Fisher. John 1. Harper, Silas A. Hathaway, E. R. Harper, Benj. Fisher, Samuel Hinkley. L. Campbell, Allen Robinette, Horace Hungerford, Stephen Frazee, Rial Me Arthur.
CIVIL ORGANIZATION.
The records of the township from its organization till 1834 have been destroyed by fire. In that year the election for township officers resulted as follows: Trustees, John I. Harper, JJ. L. M. Brown, Marvin Cochrain; clerk, William H. Knapp; treasurer, Jon- athan Fisher; constables, Orange Me Arthur. JJona- than Frazee; overseers of the poor, Enoch Seovill, William Green; fence viewers, Alvah Darrow, Na- thaniel Wyatt. The number of votes polled was sev- enty-one. Enoch Jewett, Stephen Frazee and S. A. Hathaway were the judges of the election, and Geo. Comstock and Alvah Darrow served as clerks. On the 2nd of August, 1834, an election for justice of the peace was held at the house of William Il. Knapp, when David D. Towner received forty-one votes, Wm. 11. Knapp sixteen, and Stephen Frazee, nine.
Since 1834 the principal officers have been as fol- lows:
1835. Trustees, Alvab Darrow, Jr., J Z -phaniah Hathaway, Jasper Fuller; clerk, Alfred Fi-her; treasurer, Jonathan Fisher.
1436 Trustees, Euos Ilowkins, Zephaniah Hathaway, Jasper Fuller: clerk, Alfred Fisher: treasurer. D. D Towner.
1837. Trustees, Elihu Hollister, John I. Harper, John Rowan; clerk, Alfred Fisher; treasurer D D. Towner.
183% Trustees, Alfred Fisher, Enoch Seovill, Samuel Durand; clerk, Wm H. Knapp: treasurer, D. D. Towner.
1439 Tenste's, Alfred Fisher, Win Buskirk, Samuel Durand: clerk, HI very Me Arthur: treasurer, D. D. Towner.
1810. Trustees, Mirvin Cochrain, John Phillips, Wm F. Bushnell; clerk, Win, H Knapp; treasurer, Erastus R Harper.
ISH. Trustees. Alfred Fisher, Daniel E. Williams, Elias M. Gleeson; clerk, Hurry MeArthar; treasurer, Erastus R. Harper.
1542. Trustees, Finlay Strong Win. Van Noate, Isaac Packard; clerk, Ilarry MeArthur: tre isurer, Erastus R. Harper
1443. Trustees, Jonathan Fisher, Alvah Parrow, W'm. F. Bushnell; Clerk, Harry MeArthur; treasurer, Erastus R. Harper
1814 Trustees, Jonathan Fisher, Alvah Parrow, Wm. F. Bushnell; clerk. Harry Me Arthur: treasurer, Erastus R Harper
145. Trustees, D. D. Towner, Alvah Darrow, H. McArthur: clerk, B. H. Fisher: treasurer Erastus R. Harper.
1816. Trustees, D D. Towner, Win. Buskirk, II. Me Arthur; clerk, B. H. Fisher: treasurer, Erastus R. Harper.
1847. Trustees, D. D. Towner, Wm. Buskirk, Joseph Cunningham; clerk I. L. Gleeson; treasurer, Erastus R. Harper.
1818. Trustees. Jacob, Foltz, Silas A Hathaway, Joseph Cunningham; clerk, I. L. Gleeson: treasurer, E astus R. Harper.
1849. Trustees, Jacob Foltz, Alfred Fisher. Alvah Darrow; clerk, L. D. Hathaway; treasurer, Erastus R. Harper,
1850. Trustees, John Schofield, Alfred Fisher, Wm. Van Noate; clerk, Benj. Wood; treasurer, Erastus R. Harper.
1851. Trustees, E. R. Harper, James Miller, Wm. H. Perry : clerk, I. L. Gleeson; treasurer, John Schofield.
1852. Trustees, Jacob Foltz, James Miller, I. L. Gleeson; clerk, Benj. Wood; treasurer, John Schofield.
1853. Trustees Alvah Darrow, Jonathan Frazee, William Green 2d; clerk, Benj. Wood: treasurer, I. L. Gleeson.
1854. Trustees, E. R. Harper, Jonathan Frazee, John Foltz; clerk'
J. K. Brainard; treasurer, I. L. Gleeson.
1855. Trustees, James Miller, E. M. Gleeson, Ezra Brewster: clerk, J. K. Brainard: treasurer, I. L. Gleeson.
1856. Trustees, James Miller, E. M. Gleeson, Ezra Brewster, clerk, J. K. Brainard; treasurer, I. L. Gleeson.
1857. Trustees, Watson E. Thompson, John Foltz, Elihn Hollister; clerk, J. K. Brainard; treasurer, I. L. Gleeson.
1858. Trustees, Watson E. Thompson, John Foltz, Elihu Hollister; clerk, J. K. Brainard; treasurer. I. L Gleeson.
1859. Trustees, Wm. H. Perry, Wm Green 2d, Albert Comstock; clerk J. K. Brainard; treasurer, I L. Gleeson.
1860. Trustees, Win. HI Perry, Edward Hynton, Albert Comstock; clerk, G. B Pierce; treasurer, I. L Gleeson.
1801. Trustees, Edward Heinton, Elihu Hollister, Jacob Lotz; clerk.
J. K. P'rainard treasurer. I. L. Gleesen.
1862. Trustees, Edward Hrinton, Seneca Watkins, Milo N. Hathaway ; clerk, Wm. B. Munson: treasurer, I. L. Gleeson.
1863. Trustees, Edward Heinton Horace Hungerford, John Froilich; clerk. E. R. Harper; treasurer. I. L. Gleason.
1804. Trustees. H. C. Currier, John Swartz, L. D. Hathaway; clerk, Wm. B. Munson; treasurer, Geo. W. Green.
1-65. Trustees, A. Alexander. E Hollister, Horace Hungerford; clerk, O. P. M. Villan; treasurer, E. R. Harper,
1866. Trustees, A Alexander, Edward Heinton, Seneca Watkins: clerk, O. P. McMillan; treasurer, E. R. Harper.
1867 Trustees, William Green, Edward Heinton, Seneca Watkins;
clerk. C. H. Bashnell; treasurer, E. R. Harper.
1868. Trustees, J. Frazee, Edward Heinton, Wm. Buskirk; clerk, C. H. Bushnell; treasurer, E. R Harper.
1869. Trustees, John B. McMillan, Edward Heinton, George Gabilla : clerk, C. H. Bushnell; treasurer, John Bender.
1870. Trustees, John B. MeMillan, Clark Towner, George Gabilla: clerk, C. IF Bushnell; treasurer, John Bender.
1×71. Trustees, John B. MeMillan, T. F. Gowday, John Packard; clerk, D. S. Green; treasurer, John Bender.
1822. Trustees, George Cochran, B. D. Schrain, John Packard; clerk. Frank Brown; treasurer. (. Brown.
1843. Trustees, E. R. Harper, C. J. Green, Levi Summers : clerk, C. H. Bushnell: treasurer. ( Brown.
1874. Trustees, Geo. W Green, D. L. Phillips, George Summers; clerk, C. H. Bushnell; treasurer, C. Hannum.
1875. Trustees, John B. MeMillan, F. Litzler, James Watkins; clerk. Wm B. Munson: treasurer, C. Hannum.
1876, Trustees, John B. Mc Millan, Max Buhl, John Giles; clerk, C. H. Bushuell: treasurer, C. Hannum.
1877. Trustees, D. Fullerton, J. A. Hathaway. H. France; clerk, J. B. Waltz; treasurer, George Lambacher.
1876. Trustees, D. Fullerton. T. M Gowday, H. France: clerk, C. H. Bushnell; treasurer, George Lambacher.
1879. Trustees, D. Fullerton, T. M. Gow.lay, H. France; clerk, D. Gindlesperger: treasurer, George Lambacher.
The township owns a good hall, located in the pub- lie square, at the center, and maintains several fine places of burial. The largest of these-Maple Shade Cemetery-consists of four aeres, on the State road, north of the center, and was purchased in September, 1865, of Sebastian Blessing. It contains a fine vault, and has been otherwise improved. Several of the religious denominations also maintain small but at- tractive places of sepulture.
PUBLIC THOROUGHFARES.
Several of the early State roads passed through the township from points farther south to Cleveland, and considerable attention was paid to the improvement of these highways soon after their location. In 1834 Henry Wood, Manly Coburn, John I. Harper, William Moses, Abram Schermerhorn, Zephaniah Hathaway, William Van Noate, Nathaniel Wyatt, and J. M. L.
463
INDEPENDENCE.
Brown were appointed road supervisors. The town- ship has had to pay a heavy bridge tax to keep in place the structures which span the Cuyahoga. At present these present a substantial appearance. In 18;9 the levies for roads and bridges were one and one-third mills on the valuation of the township, and the su- pervisors were E. H. Koening. Michael Halpin. N. Burmaster, Joel Foote, Hugh Gowdy, George Lam- bacher, George Bushnell. J. Walter. H. Giles, 1. Comstock. T. Frantz. C. Mehling, J. F. Miller, Wil- liam Fulton, C. II. Bushnell, and F. Beebe.
The Ohio canal was located through the township in 1825. William IL. Price being the resident engineer. Two years later it wasopened for travel. It is on the east side of the Cuyahoga, and has in the township a length of about seven miles, with four locks, num- bered from thirty-seven to forty inclusive.
On the opposite side of the river, and following a course nearly parallel with the canal. is the line of the Valley Railroad. now being constructed. Work Was begun in 1813, but various causes have prevented its completion until the present year, before the end of which it is expected that the last ra'l will be laid. These avenues give or will give the township casy communication with the rest of the world, and the best of shipping facilities.
MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.
The township did not have any early gristmills nor factories. On Hemlock ereck sawmills were erected by Ring & MeArthur, and Clark & Land. On the site of the null owned by the latter firm there is now a steam sawmill which is operated by J. G. Wing. It has a run of stone for grinding feed, and is also sup- plied with a machine for threshing grain.
About 1835, Finney & Farnsworth constructed a dam across the river at William H. Knapp's, and for several years a sawmill was operated there quite ex- tensively. Below that point M. Sherman put up a sawmill and machinery for turning and polishing sandstone. The sawmill is yet operated by John Geisendorf. On the site of the acid works. Harry Wood had a steam gristmill, which was destroyed by fire: and near there the Palmer Brothers had a steam sawmill, which is still carried on. In the southeast- ern portion of the township A. Alexander erected a good gristmill, which is yet operated by him. and is the only gristmill in the township.
Cabinet organs were made in the northern part of Independence until 1826 by the Palmer Brothers. The building is now occupied for the manufacture of "Currier's Section Sharpener," a very simple con- trivanee for sharpening mowing-machine knives without removing them. The material used is Inde- pendence sandstone, which, it is claimed, will not become coated with gum on being used for sharpen- ing purposes. The firm also manufacture oil stones.
THE CLEVELAND ACID WORKS.
This important establishment was put in operation in 1867 by W. R. Anderson. for the purpose of restor-
ing to available form the sulphuric acid existing in the refuse matter of oil refineries. Since 18;2 R. H. Emerson has been the proprietor of the works, which have been superintended by J. C. Burmaster. The establishment embraces a number of large and well- arranged buildings: it is capable of producing six thousand carboys of acid per month, and it employs about thirty men. The spent acid is brought to the works by canal when navigation permits. The re- storing process requires the use of two thousand tons of coke and about double that amount of coal annual- ly. Among the peculiar features of the place are one hundred and sixty glass retorts, holding fifty gallons each, and five storage tanks, the united capac- ity of which is six thousand barrels.
THE QUARRIES.
Aside from the agricultural pursuits which engage a majority of the people of the township. the chief industry of Independence is the quarrying of stone. West of the river the surface is underlaid by a ledge of superior sandstone, the composition of which is so fine that it makes the very best of grindstones. To quarry and manufacture these gives occupation to hundreds of men and constitutes a business of more than $400,000 per year. Most of the products are shipped by canal, but a considerable quantity are drawn by team direct to Cleveland.
THE KINZER QUARRY.
This is on the county road, two and a half miles west from the center, and was opened in 1848 by Joseph Kinzer. Ile at first got out but a few grind- stones, which were ent into shape by hand. Ile in- creased his business, however, from year to year until he had a good-sized gang of men at work. In 186; Joseph Kinzer. Jr., succeeded to the business, and the following year employed machinery for turning his grindstones the motive power being steam. The lathe was first operated on the Darrow place, but has lately been removed to near the Kinzer quarry. From four hundred to one thousand tons of grind- stones are produced in addition to large quantities of building and flagging stones.
THE HURST QUARRIES.
These were opened in 1847 by the owner of the land. Hiram Pratt. In 1860 he sold to James F. Clark, who associated with him Baxter Clough. The latter operated the quarry until 1822. when it became the property of J. R. Hurst, of Cleveland, the present proprietor. The grindstones were first prepared by hand. but in 1866 a lathe operated by steam power was provided, which has since been used to turn stones weighing from three hundred pounds to four tons. The quarry is supplied with two derricks, and gives employment to forty men.
At a point farther east, near the same road, Mr. Clough opened another quarry in 1867, which also became the property of Mr. Hurst, and at present
464
THE TOWNSIHPS OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY.
gives work to thirty men, who are employed chiefly in quarrying building-stones. North of the center, stone was quarried as early as 1840 by M. Sherman, Erastus Eldridge and others. Mr. Eldridge operated the quarry quite extensively, building a horse rail- road to transport the products to the canal. Here were procured the pillars of the Weddell House in Cleveland. Other operators in those quarries were A. Rothermail, Joseph Blessing. J. Merkel and Harry James. The latter erected a good morning lathe at the canal, and also built a wharf for loading canal boats, These and the quarry at the center have been leased by Mr. Hurst, and are now operated in con- nection with his other interests in the township under the superintendence of Marx Buhl.
West of the village are the quarries of the Wilson & HInghes Stone Company, employing a large gang of men, and operated since 1860; of Thomas Smith and of Ephraim West, each being worked by a gang of men. East of the center are quarries at present worked by J. Smeadley and Joseph Windlespecht: and southeast are the T. G. Clewell blue stone quar- ries, from which stones of superior quality for flag- ging purposes have been procured. A mill has been erreted to saw the stone in any desired shape, and lately a lathe for turning grindstone has been added. Many other quarries are worked more or less, but the foregoing sufficiently indicate the importance and ex- tent of the business.
INDEPENDENCE VILLAGE.
This place, sometimes called the Center, is the only village in the township. It is situated on the State road about equi-distant from the north and south bounds of the township. It has a beautiful location on an elevated plateau which slopes gently southward toward Hemlock ereck. In the early settlement of this part of the township, the proprietor, L. Strong. set aside a tract of land for a publie square and vil- lage purposes, but the place made a slow growth, and never assumed much importance as a business point. At present it presents a somewhat scattered appear- ance, and is composed mainly of the humble homes of those who find ocenpation outside of the village. It contains a Roman Catholic, a Presbyterian and an Evangelical church, a fine school-honse, the town-hall and several hundred inhabitants.
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