History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Part 125

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 125

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).

BAPTIST CHURCH.

This body was organized May 27, 1832, with the following members: Gideon Watrons, Royal Millard. John Dike, Fanny Watrous, Amelia Robinson, Sarah IFerrington, Anna Millard, Lydia Dike and Fannie M. Nichols.

In 1838 a dissension arose, when several members withdrew and organized a new church on the opposite, or west, side of the river. The dissenters engaged Rev. Moses Ware as a settled minister, but their sepa- rate organization lasted only a short time. Abont 1842 they returned to the mother church.

The latter received from 1832 to 1842 one hundred and twenty-five members, but in the last named year the congregation had so far declined in strength that regular worship was abandoned. A further lapse of two years, failing to disclose any aenewed vitality, the few remaing members met on the 20th of February, 1850, and formally voted to dissolve the organization. A commodious meeting-house had been erected by the society, being completed in June, 1846. This house of worship-long known as " the Tabernacle"-has, since 1850, been given over to free public use for re- Iigions worship, public entertainments, etc., and has for many years been in active demand, especially on Sabbath days. The Baptists gathered from time to time, after 1850, for worship in the tabernacle, and had frequent preaching about 1860 and afterwards, but no reorganization of the church has been effected.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

This church was organized in 1835, but very little can be said touching its early history. Its existence was limited to a few years, and the records of those years are lost,

The church was revived and reorganized, however, on the 24th of July, 1859, when Benjamin Mastiek, Russell Hawkins, Lydia Hawkins, Louisa Trisket, Mary C. Kinney, Silas Gleason, Labrina Gleason, Andrew Kyle and Susannah Kyle comprised the num- ber who were received into membership. The first deacons under the reorganization were Ezra Bassett

and Silas Gleason, and the first pastor was Rev. N. Cobb. His successors were Revs, J. B. Allen, E. T. Fowler. O. W. White and E. H. Votaw, the latter being the pastor in charge in July 1, 1879, when the membership was thirty-five.

In October, 1869, the church dissolved the con- nection which it had previously maintained with the Presbyterian organization, and was taken into the Sul- livan, Ohio, Congregational Association. The church building now in use was erected in 1861. The pres- ent trustees are L. A. Palmer, William Andrews, and A. Barter; the deacons, William Andrews and A. Barter: the clerk, B. Barter,

THE FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH.

A Free Will Baptist church was organized in Rock- port about 1840, and in 1843 included the following members: Obadiah Munn and wife, John Warren and wife, Jeremiah Gleason and wife, Joseph Coon and wife, Prosser Coon and wife, J. M. Plimpton and wife. Thomas Alexander and wife, Israel Kidney and wife, James Kidney and wife, Sarah and Joseph Hall.

Elder Reynolds, the first minister, preached until about 1844. He was succeeded by Eller Prentiss but afterward returned and preached a second term. After him Elders Beebe, Pelton and others supplied the pulpit. After worshiping in school-houses nn- til 1846, the congregation built a church on Hilliard avenue, opposite where the Good Templar's Hall now stands. At no time very prosperous, the society de- clined materially in strength for two or three years previous to 1858, and in that year was dissolved. The The church building served until 1822 as a place of worship for various denominations, when it was pur- chased by Mr. F. Wagar, who removed it to his farm and converted it into a store-house.

ROCKY RIVER CHRISTIAN MISSION ( DISCIPLE).

This was not regularly organized until January 5, 1879, although a house of worship was built in the winter of 18tt and 'S and dedicated June 16, 1878, The original members were James Cannon and wife, J. C. Cannon and wife, William Southern and wife, Joseph Southern and wife, Peter Bower, Miss Ella Woodbury, Miss Lon Atwell. James Cannon was chosen trustee; and Elder J. C. Cannon, who was the first preacher, continues to occupy that relation. The membership on the 1st day of July, 1819, was thirty-seven.

FIRST NEW JERUSALEM (SWEDENBORGIAN) CHURCH.

Previous to 1841 there were several families of the Swedenborgian faith in Rockport, James Nicholson and Mars Wagar being leading believers. Rev. M. MeCarr, of Cincinnati, was invited to come out and form a church, which he did on the 4th of September, 1841, in a school-house near Rocky river. The first members were W. D. Bell and wife, Osborne Case, James Nicholson and wife, I. D. Wagar and wife, Delia Paddock, A. M. Wagar, Boadicea and Diantha

LEWIS NICHOLSON.

The ancestors of this gentleman were from Massa- chusetts, and removed in the carly part of this cen- tury to the unsettled country of the West. Hailing from a State that early had the reputation of produc- ing men of education and culture, in removing to other localities they carried the same characteristics with them. Our subject's father, James, was born at Chatham, Barnstable Co., Mass., April 16, 1783. When four years of age his father changed his resi- dence to Connectient. Arriving at the age of manhood he emigrated to Trumbull Co., Ohio, where he was married, May 5, 1812, to Miss Betsey Bartholomew, who was born at Waterbury, Conn., Nov. 9, 1793. In 1818 he removed to Rockport, Cuyahoga Co. At that time there was but one house between his residence and the west bank of the Cuyahoga River. He was engaged in agricultural pursuits, and ended a peaceful life Nov. 11, 1859. His wife survived him nearly a score of years, but departed this life Jan. 8, 1879.

Lewis, the second son of the above couple, was born in the town of his father's adoption, Feb. 6, 1820. His education was limited to what could be procured at the public schools, with two terms passed at an academy located at Kirtland, Lake Co., Ohio.

After leaving school he determined to devote himself to the vocation in life pursued by his father, and ac- cordingly purchased a farm of one hundred acres in Rockport, which is the same on which he now re- sides. In 1850 he embarked in the nursery business in connection with farming, and has given much at- tention to that branch ever since.

Mr. Nicholson has been twice married. Sept. 8, 1840, he married Adelaide, daughter of Adnah Van Horn, of Rockport. She was born May 11, 1820, at Providence, R. I .; for nearly a quarter-century she was his companion, but passed away Dec. 10, 1870. Becoming tired of his lonely life, he married, Sept. 1, 1874, Miss Amanda Sears, a native of Dela- ware Co., N. Y., who was born Feb. 29, 1828.

Republican in politics, Mr. Nicholson has been called by his fellow-citizens a number of times to fill local offices.

In religious belief he is an earnest follower of the doctrines of Swedenborg, and is a member of that church.

Mr. Nicholson is one of the true sons of the soil, who in all things is conscientious and unpretending, and not ambitious above his vocation in life, in which he has had a full measure of success.

507

ROCKPORT.

Thayer, James Newman, Jane E. Johnson, Susanna Parshall, Mars Wagar and wife, James Coolahan and wife, Asa Dickinson and wife, Richard Hooper and wife. Matilda Wagar, Mary Berthong and John Berry.

The first trustees were W. D. Bell. James Nichol- son and I. D. Wagar. The first ordained minister was Rev. Richard Hooper who had been a Methodist preacher in Rockport, and who is said to have been suddenly converted, at a camp meeting, to the new faith. He was ordained directly after the organiza- tion just mentioned, and labored vigorously four years as the pastor. Succeeding him the ordained minis- ters have been Revs. W. G. Day (who preached ten years), L. P. Mercer, D. Noble, John Saal, and Geo. L. Stearns, the present incumbent, who was ordained in 1876. The church membership now numbers ahont forty.

The society worshiped in the Rocky River school- house until 1848, when the present house of worship (remodeled and improved in 1828) was built. The trustees now are Ezra Nicholson. A. M. Wagar and Alfred French.

Incidental to the religious experience of James Nicholson and Mars Wagar it is said that upon their awakening to the new faith they, with their wives, rode in a two-horse wagon all the way to Wooster to be baptized into the church.

DETROIT STREET METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

About 1850 a small band of .. Bible Christians " used to worship occasionally in the Free Will Baptist church and continued to do so for three or four years. The first class contained sixteen members; its leader being Mark Tagardine. Rev. Richard Roach, of Cleveland, used to come out and preach for them. as did others whose names cannot now be recalled. Members of the denomination known as the United Brethren also had meetings in the Baptist church at that time, and after the Bible Christians discontinued worship. the Wesleyean Methodists formed a class with Mark Tagardine as the leader. Their first min- ister was Rev. Mr. Crooks.

Later, the Wesleyans gave place to a Methodist Episcopal class of twenty members and of that, too, Mark Tagardine was chosen leader; the Rev. Mr. Jewett of Berea preaching the first sermon. A church edifice known as the Detroit Street M. E. Church was built in 18;6, at which time Rev. Mr. MeCaskie was the pastor. After him Rev. Wm. Warren took charge. The present membership is one hundred and twenty-five. The class leaders are James Primat, John Webb, Stephen Hutchins and Mark Tagardine, and the trustees are Archibald Webb, James Bean, Jos. Parsons and Peter Clampet.

ST. PATRICK'S (CATHOLIC) CHURCH.

This church, which has a house of worship in the southern part of Rockport, is an Irish Catholic organ- ization. Previous to 1852 its members were able to

enjoy only irregular service. In that year the church building now used was dedicated by Bishop Rappe, at which time about thirty families were included in the congregation. The priest first placed in charge was Rev. Lewis Filiere, who also preached at Olmstead Falls and Berea. He served about ten years and was followed by Rev. Fathers Miller, Ludwig, Hyland, Quigley, O'Brien and Kuhbler. Father Kuhbler, the present incumbent, has charge also of the German Catholic church of Rockport. The church of St. Patrick is moderately prosperous and has a congrega- tion of sixty families.

GERMAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH.

In 1851 Rev. Philip Stemple, a preacher of Bright- on, was invited to visit Rockport and to organize a German Protestant church, about fifteen families be- ing anxious to join the proposed organization. Mr. Stemple organized the church and for fifteen years afterward preached in a school-house, once in three weeks, to the German Protestants of Rockport. By 1867 the organization had grown quite strong and numerous, and in that year a commodious brick church was built at a cost of about 85,000, besides labor contributed by the members of the society. Rev. Franz Schreck, from Wisconsin, was the first pastor after the completion of the church. The pres- ent pastor is Rev. Wm. Locher and the congregation contains about thirty families. The first trustees of the church were Peter Reitz, William Mack and Annacher. The present trustees are Henry Brondes, Frederick Brunner and George Zimmer.

THE GERMAN METHODIST CHURCHI.

This was organized in 1842, and in 1851 the pres- ent church edifice was built. Valentine Gleb was the first class-leader, and William Mack, John Mack and Henry Dryer were the first trustees. Between 1847 and 1851, Revs. Messrs. John and Klein were the preachers, and a school-house was the place of wor- ship. After the building of the church the preachers were Rev. Messrs. Baldlaff, Reicher, Berg, Weber, Detter, G. Nachtripp, Reiter, C. Nachtripp, Buhden- baum, lleidmeyer, Snyder, Nuffer, Nast and Borger- deng. Latterly the church organization has lost much of its membership and has for some time been without regular preaching. The present trustees are Valentine Gleb. Jacob Knopf, Henry Dryer, Michael Nenehter, and Bartlett Stocker. Valentine tileb, who was in 1847 the first class-leader, still fills that office, in which he has served uninterruptedly since 1852.

CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION (EPISCOPAL).

This edifice which bears the above name, is a chapel of Trinity parish of Cleveland. It was opened for worship in 1845, and was consecrated on Ascension Day, 1849, by Bishop Bedell. Rev. J. W. Brown, D. D., of Trinity, is the rector, and Mr. Charles P. Ranney, of Cleveland, is the lay reader in charge. The

508

THE TOWNSHIPS OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY.

communicants number sixteen, and the attendants abont fifty.

ST. MARY'S (CATHOLIC) CHURCH.

This German Catholic organization worships in a fine briek church edifice in the German settlement, close to the southern line of the township. The first church building, a plain framed structure, was com- pleted in 1854, when about fourteen families attended services. The congregation includes now thirty- three families. Fathers Graessner, Kuhn, Miller and Kuhbler, with others, have served the church since its organization. The brick edifice, now in use, was built in 1864, at a cash cost of about $8,000,-al- though its actual value-by reason of volunteer labor, was much more. The present trustees are George Betts, Jacob Ammersback and Mehnrad Nicholas. The officiating priest is Father Kuhbler.

SCHOOLS.

One of the earliest school masters-although he scarcely merited the dignified appellation of teacher- was Jonathan Parshall, a house-carpenter, who lived on a small piece of land adjoining Mars Wagar. He was not over intelligent, nor was he an especially in- dustrions citizen, but it appears that he considered himself fitted to instruct the tender youth and in the year 1829 taught a few scholars in the back part of Mr. Wagar's house. The neighborhood tradition is that Parshall was a decidedly poor teacher. and that his experience in that line lasted but a few weeks.

In 1830 a log school-house was built nearly opposite where Ezra Nicholson now lives, in which the first teacher was a lady from Olmstead. The brick struct- ure which replaced the log house not long afterwards, is now used by Walter Phelps as a dwelling.

Rockport now enjoys an excellent and liberal sys- tem of public education. There is a special school district which extends from Rocky river east to the township Ime, and is composed chiefly of residents on Detroit street. This district manages its own school affairs under the act of 1871, and has three fine briek school-buildings. One contains a graded school, for which a new house, to cost 86,000, is to be com- pleted by January 1, 1880. The other two buildings together cost at least 82.000. The average daily at- tendance at the three schools is one hundred and sixty. and the amount raised for school support in 1879 was $3.000.

Apart from this special district, the amount raised for the support of township schools in 1829 was $1,900. The township contains eight school-houses (seven of them being of brick) valued at $19,500. The total number of children of school age is six hundred and thirty-three.

SOCIETIES, ETC.

The Rockford Christian Temperance Union, which was organized in 1828, has since then been doing

good work, and now is in a flourishing condition with thirty members. The officers are S. H. Brown, president: James Potter, Mrs. S. HI. Brown and Mrs. HI. Crossley, vice presidents; Miss L. Jordan, seere- tary: Mrs. J. W. Spencer, treasurer; Miss Annie llutton, corresponding secretary. The business meet- ings are held in the Methodist Church, on the west side of the river.

There is a similar organization on the east side of the river known as the Temperance Sunday School. Meetings are held each Sabbath in the tabernacle, and the members are very zealous in behalf of the temperance cause. The organization is under the direction of a managing committee. Strong temper- anee movements were set on foot in Rockport in I862, and resulted in the organization of two lodges of Good Templars, which after a brief era of prosperity ceased to exist in 1823.

THE FRUIT INTEREST.

Fruit growing is one of the most important and remunerative industries in Rockport. The region especially devoted to it is that contiguous to Detroit street between the township line and Rocky river. whence lange supplies of all the kinds of fruit raised in this elimate are annually conveyed to the Cleveland market.

Dr. J. P. Kirtland was one of the earliest, if not the earliest, to engage to any extent in fruit culture in Rockport, setting ont a number of various kinds of trees in 1850. Not long afterward Lewis and Ezra Nicholson and others began a liberal cultivation of fruit. The business developed rapidly and in a short time assumed considerable proportions along the line of Detroit street, and engaged the attention of all the dwellers upon that thoroughfare.

According to the published statistics, the value of fruit sent to Cleveland from Detroit street in 1867 was $10,000, while in 1822 it was no less than $50,000. Frnit enlture is by no means a losing busi- ness elsewhere in the township, but the peculiar char- acteristies of the soil on the northern ridge makes that the most profitable locality.

BURIAL PLACES.

The first graveyard laid out by white settlers in Rockport occupied the site of the Cliff House. Here, it is said, were buried the bodies of a number of sail- ors drowned off the " point " in 1812. Henry Alger was buried there as was also Daniel Miner, two of the pioneers, but their bodies were afterward removed elsewhere. Traces of this burial ground remained until the erection of the Cliff Honse obliterated them.

The burying ground on Detroit street was laid out about 1840, and among the first to be buried there were Mrs. Sarah Ann Brewster and an unknown man who was found dead in the woods-supposed to have been murdered. Rockport now has several cemeter- ies, many of which are very neatly kept and beanti- fully adorned.

Israel 1 Wagen

509

ROCKPORT.

RAILWAYS,

Three lines of railway, the Lake Shoreand Michigan Southern, the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis and the Rocky River Railroads, traverse Rockport, the two former passing diagonally across it from northeast to southwest, and the latter, run- ning due west from the township line to Rocky river, one of its termini. This latter road was built to accommodate the tide of pleasure hunters which flows in great volume in the summer season to Rocky river and to the lake shore in that vicinity .. It is also a very great convenience to people residing along its line, and from them derives no inconsiderable part of its support,

MANUFACTURES.

The manufacturing interests of Rockport are very few. William Maile on Detroit street began in 1861 to manufacture drain tile and common brick. The brick business he soon gave np, but for seven years after 1861, he made about three hundred thousand drain tile annually. In 1869 he resumed the manu- facture of brick, in connection with the tile business, and at present-in June, 1829-he is making drain tile and l'enfield pressed brick, employing three hands.

Mr. John W. Spencer is extensively occupied in the western part of Rockport in the manufacture of tile and brick, in which he engaged in 1874, with his brother, F. J. Spencer. The latter retiring in 1822, J. W. Spencer has since carried on the business alone. He employs four men, and manufactures annually two hundred thousand drain tile and one hundred thousand briek.

ISRAEL D. WAGAR.

Mars Wager was a son of Peter and Lucy Wagar, and was born in Saratoga county, New York on the 23d day of September, 1191. He was well educated having studied at the academies at Lansingburg and Troy, New York, being not only proficient in math- ematies, but also well versed in several languages, In 1813 he removed to Phelps, Ontario county, New York, where he was married on the 31st of December, 1816, to Katurah, daughter of Adam and Anna Mil- ler, a native of New Jersey, born July 13, 1794. Two years after his marriage he emigrated west and finally settled in Rockport in November, 1820, where he be- came one of the most enterprising settlers. Ile re- sided there until his death, which occurred on the 30th day of August, 1841. Ile was not an aspirant for political honors, but was a staunch Whig in the political contests of those days, lle was a leader in the Swedenborgian church, and was much esteemed as a man and a Christian. He left a widow who still survives, being now in her eighty-fifth year, and a family of six children.

Israel D. Wagar, the second child and son, had

then just attained his majority, having been born in Avon, then called Troy, Lorain county, on the 21st day of February, 1820, llis early life was passed like that of most of the sons of pioneer families, in assisting to clear off the heavy timbered land, and converting it into a productive farm. Being prevented hy reason of his father's limited means, from receiv- ing a classical education, he obtained such as could be procured at the district schools, together with a short academic course, the whole supplemented by very thorough self-culture, On arriving at the age of manhood he traveled in the West and South teaching school and familiarizing himself with the manners and customs of the people of those sections. Return- ing after a time to his home in Rockport, he turned his attention to farming and fruit growing, which, in connection with buying and selling real estate, have been his occupations since that time. Through his own industry, perseverance, foresight and economy, aided in all respects by his most estimable wite, he has accumulated wealth sufficient for all his wants, and now enjoys in comfort the fruits of his labors.

In 1876 his love of travel and desire for informa- tion again took him from his home, this time to Great Britain and the continent of Europe. Ile re- mained abroad several months, not traveling merely as asight-seer, but filling his mind by close observation with useful knowledge of those countries and their inhabitants,

On the 1st day of January, 1843, Mr. Wagar was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Michael and Isa- bella Pile, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, Sep- tember 7, 1822. They have had eight children, whose names and the dates of whose birth are as follows: Laura M., born October 12, 1843, now the wife of Dr. C. D. Ashley, of Meadville, Pennsylvania: Adah I., born March 14, 1846, now the wife of M. G. Browne, a lumber dealer in Cleveland; John M., born Angust 1, 1848, at present engaged in trade in Texas; Jessie 1., born January 31, 1851, now the wife of George E. Loveland, paymaster of the Cleveland and Pittsburg railroad; George E., born April 26, 1853; Alta E .. born September 3, 1855; Caroline D., born May 9, 1858, and Charles Willard, born October 27, 1860. The four last named are still living at home.

Born and brought up in the Whig party, Mr. Wa- gar voted and acted with them until 1856, when he joined the Democrats, and has since co-operated with them, filling numerous town offices, including that of justice of the peace.

Mr. Wagar is a type of the American farmer, con- servative in his ideas and opinions, a close observer of human nature, possessing shrewdness, good judgment and business tact, by means of which he has placed himself and family beyond the reach of want. At the same time he is fully recognized in the commu- nity where he lives as an excellent parent, neighbor and citizen. His religions faith, like that of all the rest of the Wagar family, is Swedenborgian. but is broad, liberal and comprehensive.

510

THE TOWNSHIPS OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY.

CHAPTER LXXXIV.

ROYALTON

Boundaries, ete -First Settlers-Mr. Clark-Robert Engle-An Aged Emigrant-T. and H. Francis-John Coates Jonathan Bunker-C. A. Stewart-John Ferris-Boaz Granger John B. Stewart-A Large Ac- cession- David and Knight Sprague Royal Tyler's Store-The Tows- leys and Nortons-York Street-Mills First Marriage Going to Mill under Difficulties Early Taverns-Civil Organization-Origin of Name

First Officers- List of Principal Officers-Post Office- Royalton C'en- ter-First Baptist Church Free Will Baptist Church-The Disciple Church-The Meth dist Church-St. Mary's Church-Schools-Early Teachers-Present Condition of Schools-Cheese-making, etc .- En. pire Lodge-C'emeteries.

ROYALTON, noted at one time as a very important dairy township, and still of considerable consequence in that respect, consists of a valuable farming region and contains a connuunity of prosperous people. It is survey township number five in range thirteen of the Western Reserve and is bounded on the north by Parma, on the south by Medina county, on the east by Brecksville and on the west by Strongsville. The east branch of Rocky river, which is there but a small stream, flows across the southwest corner of the town- ship, and although still smaller water courses are plentiful yet mill-power is very scarce.

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 125

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