USA > Ohio > Erie County > History of Erie County Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 53
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HURON TOWNSHIP.
Since its organization there have been received into membership some three hundred and fifty-four people, of whom two hundred or more are still mem- bers. During revivals in 1873 thirty-four conversions were made, and in 1887 twenty-five. The first superintendent of Sunday-school was Mr. J. Tracy, whose name was mentioned in connection with the first regular place of wor- ship.
A Baptist Church was organized at Grangers', or Haley's Corners in 1833, and services held in the school-house for many years.
The present very strong Episcopal society was started in 1837, Rev. F. M. Levenworth beginning his labors here at that time. The work was taken up in 1839 by Rev. Samuel Marks, a man of sterling qualities, fine education and affable disposition. He was dedicated to the service of Christ by Bishop Mc- Ilvaine, at Philadelphia, Pa., and seemed to have an inspiration proportion- ate to the directness of his ordination from the aknowledged head of his re- ligious denomination. Fully equal to a much more important position he remained until his death a few years ago, in the service of his little flock at Huron.
The name of this honored servant of Christ has been commemorated by both the Masonic and Odd Fellows Societies, of each of which he was a member, honored beyond the common degree by his brethren. But there is no honor that can outshine or outlive the loving pastoral service which he rendered both in and out of the pulpit. Many a loving friend both at Huron and in other parts of the State will echo the sentiment of the writer, and add many a veri- fying example of his faithful service.
The Methodist Society in 1871 erected their present church and have regu- lar services.
There are two German churches, a Lutheran and an Evangelical, each of which is flourishing, and there is a prospect that a Catholic Church will be erected during the coming summer, grounds having recently been purchased with that end in view.
The German Lutheran Society was organized in 1862, and their house of worship erected in 1868.
Mr. John Graham, with neighbors and friends in "West Huron," near the western line of the township, erected a church for the Methodists of that sec- tion, and considerable interest has been manifested in its success from time to time by outside parties, as well as by local friends. Gustavus Graham and John Graham, jr., are descendants of the founder of this place of worship. Erie county people know both these gentlemen too well to need an introduction by the writer.
Alvin Coe, in 1810, is said to have taught the first school in this section, and his successor was Miss T. Ruggles.
In 1815 Wm. Chapman opened a school on lot twenty-five, section three,
الحدودية
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
and conducted it with gratifying results for several years. Winthrop H. Wrigh:, before mentioned, remembers attending this school some time after it was first opened.
The present schools are fairly well graded, and supplied with an excellent corps of teachers; Miss Rena Halladay, a graduate of the Milan Western K .- serve Normal, under the principalship of Prof. B. B. Hall, has charge of the High School; Miss Allie Snyder, a teacher of twenty year's very successful experience at Vermillion and elsewhere, has charge of the A Primary School : Miss L. Spore, a young lady of recognized ability, has charge of the Gram- mar School, and Misses M. Kiefer, and Mary Hall, a lady of many year- successful experience in her special line of work, conduct the two lower primaries.
Superintendent Dougal, a stranger among the professional teachers in this part of the State, has undertaken to introduce some improvements in the school course. He is credited with bringing about a change in the time of graduation.
The school-house is a fine new brick building, erected in 1886 at a cost ap- proximating $20,000. The special district boundaries are identical with those of the village corporate limits. The enrollment reaches from two hundred and fifty to three hundred.
Prominent among the early papers of the reserve was the Commercial Ad- vertiser, published in Huron. It began its short course in January, I837 ; was burned out in 1838, resumed in 1839, and discontinued in 1842. Volumes one and two, published by H. C. Gray & Co., were shown us. It is a four page paper, six columns to the page, and largely made up of clippings. The markets are reported as a matter of course, and some effort is made to keep up with local port entries and clearances, but the present style of general local news is almo -: entirely wanting. One number contains an account of the appearance of az wolf on the ice in the harbor, and the efforts of hunters to capture the brute. Among the literary clippings is an account of General Santa Anna's visit to Louisville, Ky., and the statement by a Cincinnati Whig correspondent that an irate citizen of Cincinnati went gunning after the distinguished Mexican, but failed to get him because of a change of route, occasioned by an ice gorge in the river. Under "Late and interesting news from Texas," this journal tells eight days after the occurrence, of the interment of General Austin; it also mentions indications of a rumpus between Mexico and the United States over affairs connected with the Republic of Texas. The issue of February 21, 1837. contains an account of a public meeting for the purpose of preventing blacks and mulattoes from coming to Sandusky, in violation of an express statute law. Dr. G. R. Morton is reported as chairman and Albert S. Cowles as secretary : committee on resolutions Messrs. Wheeler, Brown, Cowles, Lester and Hull. A local correspondent calls attention to the fact that Huron, while behind only
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469.
HURON TOWNSHIP.
one town (Cleveland) on the lake shore between Buffalo and Detroit, and while building two and three steamers costing from thirty to seventy thousand dol- lars each, has not a fit place in which to worship the God vouchsafing her ma- terial blessings. The issue of March 21, 1837, contains Martin Van Buren's Inaugural Address. April I Ith of the same year announces the opening of the Welland Canal upon the fifteenth of that month. April 25th contains a proc- lamation concerning public lands by Samuel Houston, president of the Repub- lic of Texas. May 30th announces that there are all told forty-two steamboats plying on the lakes, and expresses great satisfaction at the increase during the preceding twelve years, from one to the number stated. The issue of Tuesday, July 18, 1837, says, " Daniel Webster arrived in Huron on Friday, on the steam- boat Thomas Jefferson. A goodly number of our citizens went on board, but the lateness of the hour deprived many of the opportunity who wished to see him. He is, as we learn, hastening on his way homeward." Many clippings in this paper from contemporaries would be of interest to readers of United States History, as it covers the Seminole War, Texan struggle with Mexico, and the Patriot War in Canada, but in a local history it does not seem advisable to go into further detail on these subjects. As a local paper, though not up to the present standard in local matter, and of course slow in outside news like others of its day, it may still be considered a very excellent paper for those times.
The facilities for travel may be compared with those of to-day by noting the time (six days) in which the steamboats proposed to make the round trip with passengers from Buffalo to Detroit, during the summer of 1837. All their advertisements are the same in regard to this matter, and of course the distance could not have been made in so short a time by any other means of trans- portation.
The Huron Beacon was published from 1853 to 1854, but no copies are ac- cessible.
The Huron Times was a local publication, started in 1876, but afterward removed to Sandusky by its editor, J. D. Sweeney.
The present Huron Reporter began its course in the spring of 1879, Mr. T. M. Clock, son of the present proprietor having it in charge. It was then a four page paper, but in the following December, D. H. Clock, the present editor, took it in charge and enlarged it to an eight-page paper, securing a local edi- tor in the towns of Vermillion and Berlin as well as at Huron, and devoting a page each to matters of special interest to the respective villages. As a county paper, it is very creditable to its energetic and able editor, and is securing a full share of the patronage accorded to local papers by the intelligent population for which this section is noted.
To the newspapers, as usual, the author of these lines is under obligations for dates and noteworthy events that could have been secured in no other way.
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470
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
For the use of volumes one and two of the Commercial Advertiser the writer is indebted to A. J. Brainard, an old and respected citizen of Huron. whose name has not before been mentioned in this article. He came here about forty years ago and has been one of those quiet, useful citizens whose unosten- tatious good works are never appreciated until it is too late.
For access to valuable data we are under obligations to D. H. Clock of the Reporter and others. Were this an essay on newspapers and newspaper men in general, the writer might wax eloquent over the many past courtesies as well as the present favors. But it is merely local and we forbear.
Mark's Masonic Lodge is one of the old established institutions of the town, named in honor of Rev. Samuel Marks, and embracing in its membership the best of men, and those whose names might have been much more widely hon- ored under more propitious environments than they have enjoyed in this quiet section of our great Republic.
Lake Erie Lodge I. O. O. F., was established in 1887, and is, as far as can be determined at this early stage of its existence, destined to shine among sim - ilar organizations in the near future.
Morse Post G. A. R., was also established in 1887, and is in quite a flour- ishing condition.
The Knights of Labor have established a prosperous lodge which began its course in September of the same year. Three new lodges in a single year is a record not often beaten by towns of Huron's size.
The first physician located at Huron was Dr. A. Gutherie, who settled here in 1813, remaining until 1817, when he removed to the Dominion of Can- ada, and for some years the village was undoctored as it were, except by Dr. McCrea, who lived in the western part of the township.
Dr. Charles Legget came here in 1830, and remained until his death, in 1832. The doctor and his wife were accidentally drowned in the Huron River, near Wint Wright's farm, by the upsetting of a row boat. Their bodies were not found until the next day, when their unaccountable absence from the vil- lage called out a searching party.
In commenting on the medical practitioners who followed Dr. Legget at Huron, Dr. G. S. Haskin, to whom we are under obligations for data of con- siderable importance on several subjects, says that numerous physicians were attracted to Huron by the great marshes which were considered mits- matic. But he adds, all is not gold that glitters, and the enticing swamps were delusive, as they were on a level with Lake Erie, and the waters were pure and refreshing.
Dr. Haskins was a pioneer, and came to the Reserve in 1831, locating at Huron in 1832, and practicing here until his death in 1886. He w ... quite universally esteemed as a physician, and had many warm personal friends.
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HURON TOWNSHIP.
Dr. J. Caldwell settled in Huron in 1833, and continued to practice until 1866, when he died.
Dr. J. T. Cushing came in 1865, and Dr. E. H. McNutt in 1874; both have since removed to fairer fields.
At present there are three practicing physicians. Dr. J. B. Esch (son of Dr. Esch, of Cleveland lately deceased, and brother of W. J. Esch who has just succeeded to his father's extensive practice in that city), is one of the most popular and able physicians in Erie county. He came to Huron some eight or ten years ago, and is the oldest resident doctor in the village.
Dr. E. G. Goodsel, who began here in 1882, is enjoying a good practice, and Dr. F. W. Morley is quite widely known and employed. He located here in 1884 or thereabouts.
Attorneys have never seemed to have a particular desire for Huron ozone. Whether this peculiar coldness of the profession was due to the very peacable character of the people or some other equally potent cause, we are not pre- pared at present to state, but for some reason lawyers have always been scarce here, and this is sufficient for present purposes, without discussing the reasons further.
Mr. T. Alvord, the only member of the legal fraternity now at Huron, is a young man of acknowledged ability, and far brighter prospects than any of his predecessors. He secures a share of the practice before the Court of Common Pleas at the county seat (Sandusky).
Among prominent families who came here in a comparatively early day, and whose descendants are a part of that staunch and intellectual farming com- munity for which Erie county is noted, are the families of J. Van Benschoter, E. M. Granger, John Hughes, Wolvertons, David Everett, Swifts, Starrs, Rose- kelleys, Jarrets, Isaac Collins, B. B. Jones, the Harris families, Edwin Stowe, the Coles, the Scotts, the Hardys, the Cowans, Quayles, Dales, Crisses, Car- penters, Meekers, Ryans, Lakes, Krocks, Brooks, and many others whose names are prominent in the village affairs, but do not at present come to mind.
The present population of Huron village is about thirteen hundred, and that of the township outside of the corporation is somewhat less, making a total of not far from twenty-three hundred, or about half that estimated by the authors of a history published a few years ago.
Before the completion of the Milan canal, the prospects for Huron's ad- vancement were very bright, except that there was a great deal of suffering and death from cholera in 1834. The five physicians residing here at this time labored manfully for a time, but continuous influx of foreign immigrants, in many cases bringing infected goods and those sick with the dread disease, had its effect even on the medical practitioners, and when one of their own number died, the others, excepting the valiant Dr. G. S. Haskins, left for more congenial parts.
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
After this scourge had departed, as it did with early winter, business inter- ests began looking up and immigration increased until within the next decade a population of over two thousand had settled here, and business during the first half of the time had been very-extensive and profitable, but as intimated in the History of Milan, the business men began moving up to the new head of navigation, and a great shrinkage in real estate values followed, involving several active and wealthy men so deeply that they never entirely recovered.
Property that had been nominally worth thousands of dollars was sold for taxes, and destructive fires (said in some cases to have been set for the sake of securing the insurance) were quite common. During these conflagrations the records of the village were destroyed, and this fact has been a matter of con- siderable inconvenience to the city fathers as well as to us.
Betrayed in a certain degree by her early friends who sought better invest- ments at Milan, and hampered for lack of sufficient capital and enterprise, Huron has still her great natural advantages and some stirring and successful business men. Among the few men who have remained with Huron during adversity and success ever since his first settlement in the village in 1833, is Jno. W. Wickham. A very great loser by shrinkage in real estate values during the dark days already mentioned, Mr. Wickham has never flagged in his efforts for and interest in the commercial development of the town.
The old gentleman is eighty-two years old, but his intellectual vigor and social powers are unimpaired. No pleasanter hour was spent by the writer in search of data for the present work than that with Mr. Wickham at his com- fortable fireside. His wife, a daughter of S. Van Rensselaer, one of the pioneers of Huron, is a lady remarkably well preserved for her advanced years. She attended the Erie County Teachers' Association held in Huron April 14, 1888.
Jno. W. Wickham, jr., conducts the large business established in 1833 by his father and at present covering all the principal lines of trade carried on in Huron. Mr. J. Winchell is intimately connected with the management of the business, having assisted in the office for years.
This firm handles pine lumber in considerable quantities, and also buys and packs a great portion of the catch of Huron fishermen. The fish interests at this point are far from insignificant, indeed they are quite important and give employment to a large number of men. Wickham & Co. also handle salt, sand, lime, plaster, etc., and buy many thousand bushels of grain during the year.
There is also a large elevator at the L. S. and M. S. crossing which handles a great deal of the grain of this section. This business is controlled mainly by a company of dealers more specially interested in grain and potatoes.
The village has two hotels. The Aicher House, an establishment run for years by John Aicher, now deceased, is at present under the proprietorship of John Aicher, jr., a very well informed and thorough young business man, who
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KELLEY'S ISLAND.
is bringing it back to its old-time reputation as a comfortable, well-kept hotel.
The Shepards have started a hotel recently in the new brick block on Main street, and are doing a fair business considering the size of the town and the limited amount of travel. These gentlemen are also somewhat interested in the fishing business.
The Lake Shore Railroad passes through the town from east to west, this being that part of the main line known as the northern division which branches at Elyria and runs via. Sandusky to a junction with the southern division at Millbury, near Toledo.
A branch of the W. and L. E. railroad leaving the main-line at Norwalk, terminates here. This company has quite extensive dockage here, and great quantities of coal and iron ore are handled during the summer season. Sage's Grove, just east of the river, perhaps a mile from town, is quite a lovely little picnicing ground, and attracts many rural visitors from further inland during the heated part of the year.
The O. N. G. boys occasionally camp at the grove during the summer and indulge in sham soldiering, sham lovemaking, and champagne to their heart's content.
Whatever may be Huron's future, there'is no disputing the fact that she has as many natural advantages and as few disadvantages as any port on Lake Erie.
Her society includes many who might honor the social circles of any city in the land, and her hardy fishermen and sailors are noted for their courage and the tender hearts that beat beneath the rough exterior. Thanking her citizens for uniform courtesy and kind assistance in the difficult task of secur- ing reliable data for this work, the writer hopes sincerely that the time may come when Huron can truthfully say again that she is second to but one Ohio lake port city.
CHAPTER XXV.
HISTORY OF KELLEY'S ISLAND.
T HIS beautiful island, the gem of Lake Erie, so well known to tourists and travelers of the present day, is situated a little to the northwest of San- dusky in latitude 41º 35' north, and longitude 82° 42' west from Greenwich.
Until 1834 this island was known as Cunningham's Island, and for a con- siderable time was thought to belong to the fire-lands, which were to be bounded on the north by the territorial line, which was also the boundary be- tween Canada and the United States, and should include all the islands of
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Lake Erie lying east of the west line of the Western Reserve. These were Cunningham, the Bass or Put-in-Bay Islands. After a long and bitter contest the matter was compromised in such a way that this island remained a part of the Western Reserve, but was not to be considered a part of the fire-lands. The earliest official record of what is known as Kelley's Island, was when township No. 5 was drawn, in the division among themselves, of the Connec- ticut Land Company's purchase, which covered the whole of the reserve, and was divided by lot among them. When a township of lesser value was drawn something else was thrown in, and thus when township No. 5 was drawn Cun- ningham's Island, thought to be of little value, was added and divided among the thirteen owners.
Of all the history prior to this time there are relics and traces of Indian life that form conclusive evidence that different tribes lived here for a time, and were then driven off and banished. Near the residence of Mr. Addison Kelley have been found arrow-heads, broken pipes, implements and other articles of rude workmanship, that point to a time when a large village existed on the spot. On the Huntington farm are still to be found remains of a circular earth work, which must have enclosed seven acres of land. It would be diffi- cult to find a locality so full of prehistoric interest as this of Kelley's Island, and the present owners are cordial in their efforts to assist all in the work of search of forgotten history. The writer well remembers the cordial welcome extended on a hot summer's day, and the bits of history gleaned from Mr. Kelley, as he showed relic after relic that had been found on his land. Per- haps no object of interest however, equals the "Inscription Rock," on the south shore of the island in Lake Erie, just east of the steamboat landing. It
is of great value and perhaps greater interest than anything of the kind in the country. The following description of this wonderful rock is from the pen of Mr. Kelley: "The rock is thirty-two feet in length, twenty-one in breadth, and eleven feet above the water. It is part of the same stratification as the island from which it has been separated by lake action. The top presents a smooth, polished surface, like all the limestone of this section when the soil is removed, suggesting the idea of glacial action. Upon this surface the inscrip- tions are cut, the figures and devices are deeply graven in the rock."
Its symbols are readily interpreted. Human figures, smoking groups and scenes of daily life, portray negotiations, tribe councils and turmoils that tell a story of by-gone times, of changes in Indian history, and tragic scenes of thrill- ing interest. The occupation of this section of country by the Eries, the com- ing of the Wyandots, the final triumph of the Iroquois, are all there. The rock has been visited by thousands and is already becoming worn.
There are several other rocks that tell of the rude skill of these natives ; many of them covered with saucer-like depressions, worn there by the process of manufacturing stone hatchets or flesh knives, of which great numbers have
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KELLEY'S ISLAND.
been found. In the year 1851 drawings of the inscriptions of the large rock were made by Colonel Eastman, United States Army, who was detailed by the government to examine them. Copies of them were sent to Shimgvank, a learned Indian, who was well versed in pictography, by whom they were de- ciphered and translated, but the translation is too long to give in this article.
This interpreter, after careful investigation of the subject, decided that they related to affairs of which he knew nothing, but that belonged to the time af- ter the whites had become acquainted with the Indians of Lake Erie. One of the strongest proofs of this was a symbol of a hat which appeared three times, but that they had not yet seen fire-arms he thought conclusive from the fact that there were no representations of any to be seen. When it is remembered that the general opinion is that the Iroquois first received guns from the Dutch at Albany, in 1614, and that the Lake Indians did not receive them from the French until some years later, it is easily seen that the date of these inscrip- tions cannot be earlier than 1625. From this time until the present century the history of this island is a blank.
In 1808 a Frenchman, by the name of Cunningham, settled upon the isl- and, and for a quarter of a century after it was known by his name. He traded with the Indians, buying from them maple sugar, skins, etc., and giving them in exchange blankets, trinkets, and probably whisky. He built a rude cabin and here he lived until 1812. The fate of this man is uncertain, but it is gen- erally supposed that he left because of the opening of the war, and was killed in the skirmishes with the Indians and British. During the war General Har- rison kept a guard stationed at the west point of the island, for the purpose of watching the movements of the enemy on the lake. The guards' camp occu- pied a clearing made by a Frenchman, whose name was Bebo, in 1810. He had come with a man named Poschile, and each made a clearing. That of Bebo was a little to the north of Carpenter's maple grove. Poschile's was near the present site of Kelley's upper wharf. Both of these men died some years since, but a few years ago the stakes were still standing that marked his boun- daries.
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