History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Part 120

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

USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio > Part 120

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

During this period Lemuel Hoadley and Crosby Baker built the first gristmill and sawmill in the township, on the west branch of Rocky river, just above the junction with the east branch. A small society of the Methodist Church was organized and occasional meetings were held. Clearings were made here and there in all parts of the townships except the southwestern section, which was the last to be settled.

Old Indian wigwams were still standing, and In- dians frequently came and set their traps for the various fur-bearing animals which still abounded. D. J. Stearns found an old Indian sugar-bush on the place afterward occupied by Mr. A. Tyler. ILither the Indians were accustomed to come annually to make sugar-or, rather, the squaws made the sugar and the Indians ate it. They made sap-troughs out of birch-bark, which they brought with them from Sandusky, there being no birch in Olmstead. Kettles to boil the sap in must have been procured from the whites, but after they had " sugared off" they were accustomed to make a great store-trongh of the elm bark, which would hold twelve or fifteen barrels. Ilere the sugar was kept for common use, while the tribe remained in that section; the remnant being carried with them when they returned to Sandusky.

In the forepart of 1823 number six, in range fifteen, was formed into a civil township by the name of Lenox, and on the 14th of April in that year it was organized by the election of its first officers. The principal of these were Amos Briggs, Watrous Usher and Hosea Bradford, as trustees; D. J. Stearns, clerk, and Isaac Frost, treasurer. Lenox continued in exist

487

OLMSTEAD.

ence two years at this time. In 1825 it was cut in twain, and the east half of it again attached to Mid- dleburg, while the western portion was made a part of Ridgeville, Lorain county.

This state of affairs continued two years more, when the west half of the township was set back into Cuya- hoga county, the two halves were united, and the breath of municipal life was again breathed into the defunct form of Lenox. The first election in the re- suscitated township was held on the 18th of June, 1827, E. C. Frost, Thomas Briggs and Harry Bar- num being the judges of the election. As this is the first complete list we have of officers chosen in the territory now constituting Olmstead, we give it en- tire. Besides, it will show a good portion of those who were residents of the township in 182%. as it must have taken half of them to hold the offices. The list is as follows:

Trustees, Truman Wolf. Alvah Stearns and Elias (. Frost; clerk, D. J. Stearns: treasurer, Isaac C. Frost: constables, Joel B. Lawrence and Elliott Stearns; overseers of the poor, John Barnum and Elias P. Usher: fence viewers, Olden Thompson and Harry Shults; supervisors of high ways, Daniel Bun- nel, Hezekiah Usher, HI. F. Adams and Elliott Smith. Besides these, Watrous Usher was a justice of the peace. The first tax was half a mill on the dollar. Immediately after the organization the town- ship was divided into three school districts.

About this period Watrous Usher built a sawmill at Olmstead Falls, being the first improvement at that now thriving village.

By this time the rifles began to be a little too thick even for the bears, which had previously flourished in great abundance. In fact, it seems as if Bruin was more prosperous for several years after the advent of the white man than he had been before: for in a short time after his arrival, nearly every settler had fif- teen or twenty hogs roaming through the woods, and nothing suited better the taste of the bears, who killed and devoured great numbers of them.

But, as has been said, the rifles were getting too thick for them. Our friend Stearns, whom we have so often referred to, was not a "mighty hunter, " hav- ing observed that mighty hunters seldom made good farmers. Like nearly everybody else, however, he kept a rifle, and one day he loaned it (to hunt squir- rels) to a youngster who was at work for him, who seems not to have been very bright for a pioneer boy, and who must have been a new-comer.

After hunting awile he found something in a hollow tree, which he supposed to be a monstrous black squir- rel. Stieking his rifle into the hollow, close to the animal's head, he fired. The " black squirrel " came out growling, and sorely wounded-not so badly, how- ever, but that he could conquer and mangle terribly the dog which was with the youngster, and which was bold enough to attack him. Astonished and alarmed at such obstreperous conduct on the part of a "black squirrel," the youth made his way home as fast as pos-

sible. As soon as he saw his employer he cried out (calling him by the name by which he was com- monly known):

"Oh, Johnson! I seen the monstrousest biggest black squirrel ont in the woods that ever I seen in all my born days."

Mr. Stearns directed him to describe this wonderful squirrel, and immediately recognized it as a bear. The next morning he and three of his friends started out to slay the animal. Being piloted by the boy to the tree before mentioned, they found it marked with blood six feet from the ground, where the creature had stood up and rubbed his wounded head against it. The hunters began to think that they, too, were mistaken as well as the boy, for the marks seemed to indicate something rather too large even for a bear.

However, they followed the trail, which was plainly marked with blood, for several miles, and at last came up with the " squirrel." They found it to be a bear, bnt the largest one, Mr. Stearns says, which he ever saw in all his pioneer experience. One of the party shot and killed him, and it was then found that the bullet of the blundering boy had passed through his nose and broken one of his jaws.

After 1830 the bears rapidly disappeared. Deer, however, remained, though in constantly decreasing numbers, and occasionally one was to be seen as late as the building of the Cleveland, Columbus and ('in- cinnati railroad. Wild turkeys, too, abounded, even to a still later period, and the number of their bodies yearly brought to the tables of the settlers might at one time have been counted by hundreds.

For two ye rs after the second organization of Lenox, the township continued to bear that name. During the year 1829, however, Mr. Charles II. Olm- stead, who had become the owner of the north part of it as the heir of Aaron Olmstead. deceased, offered to make the people a present of a library if they would change the name of Lenox to Olmstead. The offer was accepted at a township meeting, the name was duly changed by the proper authorities, and the hbra- ry was duly presented. The first election under the name of Olmstead was held in 1830.

In 1831 four young men, brothers, by the name of Fitch, settled in the central part of the township, and these were followed a year or two later by three more. These seven brothers were Chester, Eli, Horace, Chauncey, Elisha, Daniel and Sandford Fitch. The families planted by them and by the Stearns brothers have grown and flourished mightily, and from that day to this Olmstead has been celebrated for its Fitches and its Stearnses: it being almost impossible to find a list of Olmstead men associated in political, religious or social life which did not contain some members of both those families.

It was abont this period (1830) that Major Hoadley and his son-in-law, John Barnum, built a sawmill on Plum creek at Olmstead Falls. Barnum moved thither to attend to the business, and as there was no house he proceeded to make one in short order. He

488

THIE TOWNSHIPS OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY.

ent down a large whitewood tree near the bank of the creek, and this formed one end of his house. A few smaller logs were laid up, some saplings placed on top to support a temporary roof and the mansion was complete. However, Mr. Barnum speedily con- structed a more commodious residence. His son. Luther Barnum, a well-known citizen of Olmstead Falls, was then a year old.

Uriah Kilpatrick soon after built a little " packet " gristmill, also on Plum ereek. Both the mill and its owner were of a slow and easy nature, and the pa- tience of his customers was sometimes severely tried. A poor fellow named Powell, sharp enough naturally, but with shattered intellect, who used to string verses together for the edifieation of people, oure applied to Mr. Barnum, who was a justice of the peace, for a warrant against Kilpatrick for some imaginary of- fense. Barnum refused it, but to divert Powell's mind told him he might make some verses against the offender, which would be just as effective as a warrant. The rhymester, desirous to hit the justice as well as the miller, studied a few moments, and de- livered himself as follows:

"Iron beetles are seldo. found, But basswood justices here abound. On the banks of Rocky river Tall Kilpatrick's nose doth qniver: There he sits in his slow mill, Which most folks think is standing still."

Kilpatrick's little mill was kept up ten or twelve years and then abandoned. Hoadley & Barker's gristmill, down near the junction, was transferred to Loyal Peck, but this, too, has long since ceased to exist. Shortly after Kilpatrick, Peter Kidney built a gristmill on the river, below the mouth of Plum creek.

N. P. Loomis, who came to Olmstead Falls in 1834, says there was then no road ont through the village: nothing but a path along the river bank. The main road, however, was " slashed ont," but was not ready for use. Where the Union school house now stands was a frog pond, and there were only six houses on the ground now occupied by the village.

Some of the pioneers had made a practice of keep- ing travelers when necessary, but it was not until about this period that there was a regular hotel in the township. It was kept by William Romp, who erected a large framed building for the purpose, near the river, below Butternut Ridge. He also carried on the first store in the township, at the same point, ex- cept, perchance, a few goods kept for sale in the houses of settlers.

It was about 1835 that the first church edifice was erected in the township. It was a nuion church, built by the Presbyterians, Methodists and Universal- ists, each denomination raising what they could, and the time which each was allowed to occupy it being in proportion to the amount subscribed. It was sub- sequently used as a town house, being located at what was called town-house corners, some two miles north of Olmstead Falls. It was used for that purpose

until about 1849, when the town business was re- moved to Olmstead Falls.

The first Sunday-school in the township was estab- lished on Butternut Ridge in 1833 or '34. The ridge was settled by a very enterprising, wide-awake set of people, and all intellectual and moral improvements found ready encouragement at their hands. As early as 1837 a lyceum, or debating school, was formed in school district number one, toward the east end of the ridge, being the first institution of the kind in the township. Something of that class has been main- tained there almost ever since, and we will have some- thing more to say of it a little farther on.

Meanwhile the township was rapidly assuming the ontward garh of civilization. The elearings on each farm, at first small, were extended so as to include the larger part of the area; log houses gave place to frames, pumps appeared instead of the picturesque but inconvenient well-sweeps which were previously seen in every door-yard, and a hundred minor changes indicated by the end of the first half of the century that the pioneer period had changed into the farming period. Yet deer were still sometimes seen in the southwest part of the township, and occasionally one strayed into other sections, and the young men had not lost the skill of their fathers, so but that they were soon out in arms to make venison of the unlucky intruder.

In 1849, the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati railroad was built through the southeast part of the township. This gave a still greater impetus to settle- ment, and the last of the wild animals soon disap- peared before the shriek of the locomotive. In Jan- mary, 1853, the Toledo, Norwalk and Cleveland rail- road (now a part of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern) was opened for use; running almost exactly east and west in a straight line through the center of the township.

Villages grew up around the two depots; that on the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapo- lis road being called West View, while that on the Lake Shore road retained its old name of Olmstead Falls. On the ;th of April, 1856, the latter village was incorporated under that name, although at its first election only twenty-six votes were cast. The next year the embryo village of Plum Creek was added to Olmstead Falls; making a town which cov- ered a very large area in proportion to its population, but which has been steadily though slowly filling up over since. West View is a smaller village, a store. two or three shops and about thirty houses. In 1856 the basement of the Methodist church at Olmstead Falls was purchased by the township for a town house, at a cost of two hundred and fifty dollars.

The part taken by the soldiers of Olmstead in the war for the Union is told in the records of the Cuya- hoga county regiments, in the general history of the county. Since the war the history of the township has been uneventful, as is the case with most farming communities, after the close of the pioneer era. The

489

OLMSTEAD.

most important event has been the opening of quar- ries of building stone along the banks of Rocky river, of the same quality as the celebrated Berea stone, which is taken out only a few miles distant.

A quarry was opened near West View in 1820, which has been successfully carried on ever since. It employs about twenty five hands, and a railroad has been built to carry the stone from the quarry to West View station. Two quarries were also opened at Olm- stead Falls, and for live or six years employed fifty men each, but were closed in 1826. The following is a list of the various business places, shops, etc., at the Falls; General stores, four; drug stores, two; tailor shop. one; blacksmiths' shops, three; shoe shops, three: tin shop, one: grist mill, one; broom factory, one; felloe shop, one: lumber yard, one. The popula- tion of the village is about seven hundred.

We will now give some sketches and statistics which could not well be incorporated in the general story of the township.

THE UNIVERSALIST CHURCH ( BUTTERNUT RIDGE).

This church was organized by Rev. Harlow P. Sage as early as 1834, being one of the first Universalist churches in this section. Rev. Stephen Hull was the first minister, and preached from that time some twelve or fifteen years. He was succeeded by Rev. Isaac R. Henry, who officiated about ten years. As before stated the Universalists, soon after the forma- tion of the society, united with the Methodists and Presbyterians in building a union house of worship. In 1847 they erected one of their own: a commodious framed edifice on Butternut Ridge, which has ever since been occupied by them.

After Mr. Henry the pulpit was occupied in suc- cession by Messrs. Tillotson, French, Shipman, Sykes. Rice, Weeks and Canfield. In 1828 a lady, the Rev. Mrs. Danforth, was called to the pastorate, which she has since acceptably filled. The church now numbers a little over sixty members. It was legally organized in 1868. Its present trustees are Buel Stearns, Jona- than Carpenter and John Foster.

THE WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH ( WEST VIEW ).

This society was formed on the fourth day of April, 1843: the first members, whose names are preserved, being Ransom Bronson and Harriet M .. his wife; John Adams and Maria, his wife; Lucius Adams and Electa, his wife; Mary Banarce and Sarah Banarce. James Pearson and William Becham were then the circuit preachers. The organization was called Hoad- ley's Mills church, or station, until 1861, when it re- ceived the name of West View. Frem such records as can be found we learn that in 1863 the ministers on che cirenit were A. W. Sanders, W. B. Moody and G. C. Hicks; in 1864 and '65, E. D. Fink; in 1866 and '67, Thomas F. Hicks; in 1868, '69 and '70, J. Nettle- ton: in 1821. 42 and 23, J. E. Carroll; in 1864, '25 and '26. J. Nettleton: in 1827. William Snell; in 18;8. William Moody.

The stewards are H. Walkden, Joseph Reed and J. Case: the clerk and treasurer, O. P. Smith: the trus- tees, R. Bronson, T. Price, J. Adams, A. J. Pickard and B. Ruple. Since 1865 the church has been a part of Rocky River circuit (previously of Strongsville). which is composed of West View and North Olmstead churches.

NORTHI OLMSTEAD CHURCH (WESLEYAN METHODIST).

The church edifice belonging to this society is situ- ated in the extreme northeast corner of the township of Olmstead, but its congregation comes principally from Rockport and Dover. Its ministers since 1865 have been the same as those above given as officiating at West View.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH (OLMSTEAD FALLS).

There had been early preaching by the Methodists in Olmstead, but no society was regularly organized until 1843. From that time forward services were punctually held, and in 1851 the present framed church building was erected at Olmstead Falls. The latter preachers, who are all whose names we can ob- tain, have been Uriah Richards, in 1872, 43 and '44; Banias Ushower, in 1825 and '76; James Burleson, in 1828.

The trustees are Lester Bradford, Charles Monks, Chauncey Fitch, William Butlin, Asahel Osborn. The stewards are the same, with the addition of David Wright and Freeman Bradford. The church is now a part of Olmstead and Columbia circuit.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (ON BUTTERNUT RIDGE).

The church edifice occupied by this society was originally built for the use of the Methodists over thirty years ago. In the course of time, however, most of the members of that denomination in that vicinity died or moved away, and in 1822 the build- ing was transferred to the Congregationalists, who have since held regular services in it. The first pastor was HI. C. Johnson, who remained one year; E. P. Clisbee, one year; - Westervelt, one and a half years; D. M. Bosworth, one and a half years: Richard Grosvenor, one year; and Rev. John Patchin, who began his services in 1878. The deacons are Richard Carpenter, James Garrison, Mr. Youngs and Benjamin Salisbury. The church is now in a pros- perons condition and numbers about fifty members.

ST. MARY'S CHURCH (CATHOLIC).

In the year 1855 Father Louis Filiere organized St. Mary's Church, and the same year the congregation erected the commodious church-edifice at Olmstead Falls. Father Filiere remained in charge as priest. until 1824. Ile was succeeded by Father Edward J. Murphy, who remained until 1826, when he gave place to Father James M. Cullen, the present incum- bent. The church-building was originally erected in the north part of the village, but has been moved to a pleasant site in the southern portion. A stone

490

THE TOWNSHIPS OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY.

parsonage stands near it, and there is also a school- house, in which a school has been kept for the last few years. The councilmen are John Dalton, Patrick McCarty and Joseph Ward. There are now about forty families connected with the church.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (OLMSTEAD FALLS).

This was the first church organized in the town- ship, of which any record is preserved, the date of its formation being the 16th day of April, 1835. The first members were Mary Ann Fitch, Jerusha Loomis, Cynthia House, Catharine Nelson, Abner N. Nelson, Sylvester Nelson, Sumner W. Nelson, William Wood, Mary Ann Wood, Rachel Wait, Emeline Spencer, Lydia Cune, Jotham How, Anna S. How, Harriet Dryden, Esther E. Kennedy.

The fortunes of the church have been very change- ful; some of the time no pastor has been employed, and still more of the time no records have been pre- served. It was at first connected with the Cleveland presbytery, but soon after joined the Congregational association. Rev. Israel Mattison was the first regular pastor, beginning his services in 1831. Among those who have followed him have been Rev. James Steele in 1844; Rev. O. W. White in 1854: Rev. E. P. Clisbee in 1857; Rev. Z. P. Disbrow, at various times from 1862 to 1820; Rev. Q. M. Bos- worth in 1876: Rev. Richard Grogan in 1877: Rev. John Patchin in 1828. The church buikling was erected in 1848. The trustees are Hugh Kyle. O. W. Kendall and N. P. Loomis.

OLMSTEAD FALLS UNION SCHOOL.

This very creditable institution has about a hun- dred and fifty scholars, and is graded in three depart- ments, primary, intermediate and high school, though sometimes only two teachers are employed. The school-house, a very fine brick building for a village of that size, two stories high, with ample and con- venient rooms, was erected in 18:4.

LYCEUM, SCHOOL, ETC., IN DISTRICT NO. ONE.

As we have stated in the general sketch of the township, a lyceum, or debating school, was organized in this distriet in 1837, and the people of " the Ridge " were somewhat noted for their fondness for whatever intellectual exercises could be indulged in in a secluded situation. In 1852, on the occasion of building a new school-house in district No. 1, eight young men and boys put their loose change together, bought the old house, and moved it on to the land of V. and E. Stearns to be used as a meeting-place for the lyceum. It was used for that purpose until 1860. The Good Templars were then given the use of it. and ocenpied it about fifteen years. In 1828 it was transferred to the district board of education, and is now used for the higher department of the grade school which has been organized in district No. 1.

OLMSTEAD FALLS VILLAGE.

First election April 2, 1856. Officers elected: Thomas Brown, mayor; Wm. S. Carpenter, recorder; HI. S. Howe, N. P. Loomis, William W. Smith, Thos. Broadwell and George C. Knight, trustees.

List of Mayors: Wm. S. Carpenter, 1856 and '57; Wm. Giddings. (Chancey Mead elected in May) 1858; O. W. Kendall, 1859 and 60; N. P. Loomis, 1861; John bay, 1862; Elisha Fitch, (W. S. Carpenter cleeted in May) 1863; D. H. Cottrell, 1864; O. W. Kendall, 1865; H. K. Minor, 1866 and '67: L. B. Adams, 1869, 40 and 71: Luther Barnum, 1872. 23 '44 and '25; L. B. Adams, 18;6 and 42; re-elected for two years in 1828.

PRINCIPAL TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.

(SO FAR AS THEY CAN DE OBTAINED FROM THE RECORDS).

1823. (Lenox) Trustees, Amos Briggs, Watrous Usher, Hosea Brad- ford; clerk, D. J. Stearns; treasurer, Isaac Frost.

1824. Not recorded.

1895 and '26. Township annulled and divided.

1827. (Lenox reorganized.) Trustees, Truman Wolf, Alvah Stearns, Elias (. Frost : clerk, D. J. Stearns; treasurer, Isaac Frost ; overseers of the poor, John Barnum, Elias P. Usher.

1828. (Lenox) Trustees, Davis Ross, Alvah Stearns. Lucius Adams; clerk. D. J. Stearns; treasurer. Thomas Briggs; overseers of the poor, E. C. Frost, H. Bradford.

1829. (Lenox) Trustees, D. Ross, A. Stearns, L. Adams; clerk, D. J. Stearns; treasurer, Buel Peck; overseers of the poor, Peter Romp, Ar- dello Harris.

1830. (Olmstead) Trustees, Noble Hotchkiss, Davis Ross, Vespasian Stearns; clerk, D J. Stearns (declined, and Jonas Clishee appointed ); treasurer, A. Stearns; overseers of the poor, E. C. Frost, Jonathan Thompson.

1831. Trustees, Vespasian Stearns. Elliott Smith, Amos Briggs; clerk, Jonas Clisbee: treasurer, A. Stearns; overseers of the poor. E C. Frost, Thomas Briggs.

1832. Trustees, A. Briggs, J. Barnum, John Kennedy ; clerk, J. C'lisbee; treasurer, John Adams.

1833. Trustees, J. Kennedy. N. Hotchkiss, J. Carpenter; clerk, J. Clisbee; treasurer, J. Adams: overseers of the poor, D. Ross, George Keeler.

1834. Trustees, D. J. Stearns, N. Hotchkiss, L. Adams: clerk, Orson Spencer: treasurer, J. Adams: overseers of the poor, Elhot Stearns, J. Adams.

1835. Trustees, D. J. Stearns, William Wood, Nelson Hoadley ; clerk, O. Spencer; treasurer. J. Adams; overseers of the poor, N. Hotchkiss, J. Carpenter.

1836. Trustees, William Wood, Jonas Clisbee, Hiram Frisbee: clerk, 0. Spencer: treasurer, Nahum Rice : overseers of the poor, Amos Briggs, Cyrus P. Dryden.

1832. Trustees, Hiram Frisbee, Vespasian Stearns, Nelson Hoadley : treasurer, Thram B. Gleason: clerk, Chester Phillips: overseers of the poor, William Wood, Nahum Rice.

1838 Trustees, Peter Kidney, Vespasian Stearns, John Kennedy ; clerk, Jotham Howe; treasurer, H. B. Gleason; overseers of the poor. J. Carpenter, Sanford Fitch.

1839. Trustees, Hiram Frisbee, Sanford Fitch, John Kennedy ; clerk, A. W. Ingalls; treasurer, Jotham Howe; overseers of the poor, O. W. Hotchkiss, Abner Nelson,

1840. Trustees, Vespasian Stearns, Chauncey Fitch, William Wood: clerk, Jotham Howe; treasurer, Elisha Fitch; overseers of the poor, John Carpenter, Alden Thompson.

1841. Trustees, John Kennedy, Horace F. Adams, Chauncey Fitch; clerk, J. Howe; treasurer, Elisha Fitch; overseer of the poor, Amos Thompson.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Part 120

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