History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio, Part 59

Author: Williams Brothers
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 443

USA > Ohio > Lake County > History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio > Part 59
USA > Ohio > Geauga County > History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio > Part 59

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).

About these times came Lyman R. Miller, with a one-horse load of clocks, from Connecticut, of course; the first which went on tick, or otherwise, in Geauga County. He bought one hundred acres in lot twenty-seven, where his name still stands on the map of the township; a prominent member of the Methodist Epis- copal church, and an excellent man.

In the latter part of the winter of 1819 came Shelburn Bostwick, from Tully, Onondaga county, New York. He, too, came with an ox-team, and went on to a previously purchased one hundred acres, in lot twelve, in the southwest part of the township. He gave his name to " Bostwick's Corners." With him came a wife and family of five children, also a hired-man, Abel Washburn.

The elder Bostwick was a man of note in his day, and died at the residence of his son, Alpheus S., in Mentor, in 1865. His wife died in 1865. Theodore Bostwick moved West in 1841 or 1842. Sidney resides in Thompson ; is a man of force. His son, - Bostwick, is a lawyer, and the present popular prosecu- ting attorney of the county, residing at Chardon. One son resides on lot twenty- one, in Thompson; another in Painesville. The family shares the energy of the father, and is quite widely known.

Dr. Loyal Tillottson came in 1820. Was married the year before to Eliza San- ford, who accompanied him to Thompson. He bought two hundred acres in lot twenty-three, now occupied by his widow. Of the five children of this marriage, all are said to be living except a son, Augustus. Dr. Tillottson had Thompsonian ideas of medicine, and for many years had an extensive practice; was widely known. He died February 8, 1873. There were other Tillottsons in Thompson, among them Augustus, a man of wealth, character, and influence, and a commissioner of the county.

Of the older men, Esquire Noah Mosely is a man of wealth, high character, and deserved influence. David Mead, of the old firm of Smith & Mead, was an active man, and filled the office of commissioner. Calvin Church was among the busy men of Thompson in 1837, '38, and '39. Built a hotel and store at the centre, and failed at an early day. In his time a robbery was committed on his premises, and the plunder hid in the ledge, for which two young men were tried. The case made much noise, and some scandal, a great many years ago, as did the case of the larceny of Myers' money, at South Thompson, in 1840-41. In this last case, a thousand dollars, in five-franc picces, was carried off, out of the house, for which the Fishers and the younger Selby were prosecuted. After a year or two the prosecuting attorney suspected Myers' wife of complicity in the the theft, and refused to go further in the case. A suit for malicious prosecution was retorted on Myers. On the trial a verdict was returned against the plaintiffs. So far as the public was concerned, the matter, which made a great noise, remained a mystery.

ORGANIZATION.

By order of the county commissioners Thompson, named for some to me un- known man, was declared a civil township by that name, and the first election held on the 7th of April, 1817.

At this election Seth Hurlbut was chosen clerk, Mark Barnes, Leman Copley, and Martin Williams, trustees. Overseers of the Poor, David Pomeroy and Joseph Bartlett ; Fence-Viewers, Azor B. Sumner and Aretus Clapp ; Appraiser and Lister, Eleazer Pomeroy ; Appraiser, Retire Trask, Jr. ; Constables, Martin Williams and Joseph Bartlett.

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HISTORY OF GEAUGA AND LAKE COUNTIES, OHIO.

The first justice of the peace elected was Mark Barnes, who was commissioned in August of 1817.

The present township officers are : Clerk, A. M. Stocking; Trustees, W. R. Silver, Dwight Daniels, and William Tilley ; Treasurer, J. P. Pinney ; Assessor, Alonzo Blakeslee; Justices of the Peace, H. B. Palmer and A. E. Miller.

It is thus seen that of the present officers but one, Miller, bears the name of a pioneer.

SCHOOLS.

The first school was taught in the township of Thompson during the summer of the year 1809 or 1810, by Miss Lurena Hurlbut, in the double log house of Seth Hurlbut. There were perhaps one dozen scholars in attendance, at least all who were within reach. Without doubt the first building erected for school purposes was of logs, and stood in the limits of the present village; was also used for church and township purposes. The date of its erection we are unable to give, but it was at an early period. The cause of education in Thompson has not been neglected, but has kept fully up to that of neighboring townships. Select schools are held fall and spring at the village. The children within school ages in 1878 were, males, 164; females, 144; total, 308.

CHURCHES.

The first church organization was that of the Presbyterians; this was con- summated on the 19th day of November, 1820, by the Rev. Jonathan Leslie, of Harpersfield, with eight members. Meetings were held in the log building above referred to until 1828, when it was burned. In the spring of 1839 a meeting- house was built, on land purchased of George R. Emery, some thirty rods north of the public square ; this was forty by fifty-two feet square, fifteen-feet posts, and cost eight hundred dollars. In 1837 there was a division of the church, and one portion erected the building now occupied by the Spiritualists, near the south end of the public square. A union was effected between the two factions, and the old church sold. In 1860, Elias Strong, John F. Moseley, and George A. Moseley were chosen a building committee, and a church erected. This cost about eigh- teen hundred dollars ; dedicated in November following. This was burned Feb. 14, 1868, and the present commodious church erected the year following, dedi- cated in September, 1869, by the Rev. E. D. Taylor. The entire cost of this edifice was four thousand dollars. The present Sabbath-school of this church was organized as early as 1835. F. M. Leonard has been superintendent for many years. F. E. Benjamin is the present incumbent. The average attendance is seventy. Among the pastors of this church we find the names of Drake, Lyman, Swift, Roberts, Adams, Terry, Hall, Manning, Brinkerhoff, Williams, Taylor, and Richardson. They have no resident pastor now (1878). Church oficers at present are F. E. Benjamin and W. E. Bradly, deacons ; O. P. Pomeroy, C. G. Sumner, and F. M. Leonard, trustees; and S. C. Shepard, clerk.

The first Methodist Episcopal class was formed in the fall of the year 1829, by the Revs. John Crawford and Caleb Brown. There were perhaps one dozen members of this class, among whom were Mrs. Dolly Howe, the only one living ; Harris Glass and wife, Jerusha; Luther Davis, who was the first class-leader ; Dr. Emory and wife; and farther along Joseph Davis and wife, Mrs. Lyman Miller, Horace Davis and wife, and others. Services were held prior to the formation of a class at the house of Dr. George R. Emory, and afterwards in a school-house, the first framed one in the township, which stood just west of the present Meth- odist Episcopal church edifice. Among ministers are John W. Hill, John Mc- Clain, Isaac Winans, D. Goddard, B. O. Plympton, Thomas Stubbs, A. Callander, James R. Locke, H. Hunter, E. J. Kinney, and others. Present minister, Rev. J. K. Shafer.

The Disciple church was formed Jan. 1, 1848, by E. J. Benjamin, with thirty names. Jacob Norman and Simon Bauer, elders ; Paul Bauer and Hiram Stearns, - deacons. Rev. O. Gates was a frequent and efficient help, by whom many were added to the church. Pastors of this church, Rev. H. Reeves, E. Wakefield, J. W. Errett, J. G. Encell, R. G. White, J. W. James, Bartlett, Ingram, and Cook. Rev. Edwin Bauer is present pastor in charge. The meetings were held in school- houses. Their present neat church edifice, located on lot 33, the lands for which were donated by Paul Bauer, was erected in the summer of 1854. Present member- ship, some seventy. Charles W. Foote, Simon Bauer, and Henry Quail, elders ; Paul Bauer, Lewis Keener, and Henry Malin, deacons. John Housch, superin- tendent of Sabbath-school, Mrs. Paul Bauer assistant, to which the average attend- ance is fifty.

The Baptist church was organized at the school-house in sub-district No. 3, February 21, 1850, Thomas Bonney, clerk, with the following constituent mem- bers: Nathaniel and Margaret Phelps, Joshua, David, Jemima, Esther, and Eliza Morse, Lucy and Uriah Blakesley, Preserved and Naomi Bartlett, Thomas and Eliza Bonney, Ira and Martha Warner, Orvil and Sarah Churchill, Elijah and Mary Nye, Daniel and Betsey Folsom, Prudence Vanauken, and Oliver Pomeroy.

Present membership, forty-seven ; N. Snedeker, clerk ; M. Roberts, pastor, who is located at Madison. The church was erected the summer of 1854, by Josiah Wheaton ; cost, six hundred dollars; O. P. Pomeroy, Ira Warren, William Green, and Nathaniel Phelps, building commission ; located on lot No. 12; amount in- vested for organ and furniture, two hundred and fifty dollars. Sabbath-school during summer, forty scholars; David Morse superintendent. The following gentlemen have occupied the pulpit of this church : Elders Stoughton, Booth, Lock wood, Clark, Leavitt, Roberts, Pomeroy, Taylor, Jaynes, Warriner, and Rider.

There is also a Catholic church in the southcast part of the township, Father Barrie preacher in charge.

The first postmaster was Dr. George R. Emory, he living at the time on the corner now occupied by the Union House. We are unable to give the date. The present incumbent to this office is F. M. Leonard, Esq., who has held the office some ten years.

The first marriage occurred in the fall of 1808; the happy pair were Abner Stockwell and Lucy Bartlett. The next two weddings were Seth Hurlbut to Theodosia Bartlett and William Gee to Polly Pomeroy.

The first birth was a son to Abner and Lucy Stockwell, in 1810. He was named after his father, grew to manhood, married Sarah A. Hyde, of Thompson, and died some years since.

The first physician was Isaac Palmer, heretofore mentioned. George R. Emory was the next, who practiced for some years. Dr. Dunham followed, then Loyal Tillotson, and following him were Drs. Mitchell, Fuller, and Ashley. The present physicians are David C. Proctor and R. W. Sober.

Calvin Church opened the pioneer hotel at an early date (1846), on the corner where the Union House is now situated. T. E. Holman is the present proprietor of this house. He came into possession twelve years ago. Another hotel was erected on the Ledge some ten years since ; not now in operation.

The town-hall, which is a fine two-story wood structure, standing in the centre of the public square, was erected in 1870, at a cost of twenty-five hundred dollars.

The Union cheese-factory was established by Levi Olds, in the spring of 1871, and is located on lot twelve, at Bostwick's Corners. The milk of one hundred and twenty-five cows was worked the first season. In the spring of 1872, Messrs. O. & C. Pomeroy purchased the factory, and have worked it until the present. The season of 1877 it received milk from two hundred and fifty cows; made sixty- seven thousand pounds of cheese, which sold for nine cents per pound ; are run- ning the same this season as the previous ones.

Of other manufacturing interests we find the tannery of Truman Hardy, at Bostwick's Corners; steam saw-mill, one-half mile west of Centre, O. Talcott, owner; another on lot forty, Messrs. Earnst & Walker, owners; and another on lot six, J. Ogden, proprietor ; water-, grist-, and saw-mill, G. A. Stickney ; chair and furniture factory on lot No. 25, Fred. Breninger, proprietor. There are wagon-makers in the township as follows: S. C. Shepherd, J. D. McClain, and E. Sumner; blacksmiths, A. E. Sanford, William Corvin, T. Halley, C. G. Sum- ner, Ed. Morehouse, and H. B. Malin.

Without doubt the first merchant goods sold in Thompson were by Calvin Church, as early as 1842. They were displayed in the town-house. At present there are J. P. Pinney, J. Procter, and A. E. Miller & Co., general merchandise ; J. J. Comstock, groceries.

SOCIETIES.

Pebble Rock Lodge, No. 535, I. O. O. F., was instituted August 1, 1872, by Imri P. Axtell, D. G. M. Charter members, Joseph Smith, James Johnson, A. M. Stocking, S. N. Barnes, R. C. Smith, Horace Webster, S. W. Hickok, N. Garis, N. Stratton, Jr., R. M. Smith, and J. B. Cattam. First officers, S. N. Barnes, N. G .; James Johnson, V. G. ; R. M. Smith, R. S .; A. M. Stocking, P. S .; and Joseph Smith, Treasurer. Meetings on Thursday evening of each week. Membership, forty-eight. Officers for 1878 : H. M. Pike, N. G .; L. O. Billing- ton, V. G .; J. W. Smith, R. S .; R. M. Smith, P. S .; and R. C. Smith, Treas- urer (poor day for the Smith family). The lodge has a library of one hundred and fifty volumes. Is in a highly prosperous condition. They are now engaged in building a fine two-story hall building, which will cost complete, with furniture, fifteen hundred dollars. R. M. Smith, of this lodge, is D. D. G. M., for Geauga County.

Union Grange, No. 62, P. of H .- Charter dated Jan. 27, 1874. Members : H. R. and K. S. Beach, H., J. E., and William Wilbur, S. W. and Angeline Hickok, A. and M. J. Ford, J. Smith, O. P. Pomeroy, and J. S. Tuttle. Oficers for 1878: C. W. Ford, M .; George W. Wilson, O .; Edward Hulbert, Secretary ; Charles Hulbert, Steward; Harmon Bauer, Assistant; Nelson Garis, Chaplain ; Lewis Keener, Treasurer ; William Atkin, Secretary ; H. Wilbur, G. K .; Kate Toat, Ceres; Emily Hulbert, Pomona ; Laura Wilson, Flora ; Cleo Butes,

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Lady. Association meetings, Saturday evening of each week, in upper story of town-hall. Membership, seventy-five.

Thompson Division, No. 170, S. of T .- This institution was chartered .Feb- ruary 5, 1875, with forty-three names. Have been unable to procure further record.

In the year 1863 a number of prominent citizens of Thompson, believing that a healthy competition might be induced which would establish a higher standard of excellence not only in agricultural products, but also in manufactured articles, held a meeting, resulting in the formation of the society which took the name of the Thompson Agricultural Society. The following shows the entire list of officers : George C. Whipple, president ; M. S. Jewett and S. N. Dutton, vice- presidents; F. M. Leonard and W. J. Cornelius, secretaries; and R. R. Warner, treasurer, with an executive committee composed of eight persons. 1864, Henry Hulbert, president; S. E. Spencer, vice-president; Leonard and H. B. Hall, secretaries; E. Hulbert, treasurer. 1865, H. S. Matthews, president ; John B. Cattam, vice-president; secretaries and treasurer re-elected. 1866, S. E. Spencer, president ; James Warren and L. L. Benjamin, vice-presidents; Leonard and Wm. Attlin, secretaries ; John B. Cattam, treasurer. 1867, Spencer, president ; Warren and G. C. Whipple, vice-president; secretaries and treasurer re-elected. 1868, S. S. Hodges, president ; E. Hulbert and R. C. Smith, vice-presidents ; secretaries and treasurer re-elected. 1869, E. Hulbert, president; H. B. Palmer and D. Walcott, vice-presidents; Atkin and Rufus Hulbert, secretaries; treasurer re-elected. '1870, president, vice-president, secretaries, and treasurer re-elected; O. P. Pomeroy, vice-president. 1871, J. H. Palmer, president; D. Tillotson and W. Griffith, vice-presidents; secretaries and treasurer re-elected. 1872, no election. 1873, E. J. Clapp, president ; E. Hulbert and A. Blakesley, vice-presidents; re-elected, except H. B. Palmer, corresponding secretary. 1874, president, secretary, and treasurer re-elected; H. B. Palmer and D. Walcott, vice-

presidents; R. Hulbert, corresponding secretary. 1875, Clapp, president ; E. Hulbert and H. B. Palmer, vice-presidents; Atkin and James Strong, secretaries; J. B. Cattam, treasurer. The last meeting was held the fall of 1875. Finan- cially the "fair" was a success, and certainly promises the merit of drawing together people in greater numbers than any like institution in the country. It, in fact, became generally known as the " World's Fair." At all gatherings where great numbers assemble disreputable characters usually find their way, and it is, perhaps, owing to the fact that gamblers, pickpockets, and confidence men gener- ally patronized these fuirs they were abandoned. It is, however, highly probable they will " resume" the coming fall.

POPULATION.

By the three last censuses the inhabitants of Thompson are thus numbered : in 1850, 1211 ; in 1860, 1237; a gain of 36. In 1870, 1095, a falling off of 142 in ten years, a better showing than that of most of the townships. Of the population of 1870, 120 are of foreign birth, showing that a large number of native born have given way to those European Americans who have established a Catholic church in Thompson, the only one in the county.

There were also two colored people at that time in the township, with twenty- two in the whole county.

STATISTICS FOR 1878.

Wheat

293 acres.

4,254 bushels.

Oats

929

23,801

Corn

530

14,825

Meadow ..

2028

1,991 tons.

Potatoes ..

174

12,441 bushels.

Orchards

339

3,344

Butter ..

43,836 pounds.

Cheere .

67,543

Maple-sugar

13,845

PARKMAN TOWNSHIP .*

THAT tract of land originally known as township No. 6 in the sixth range, was first surveyed in 1796, by Moses Warner, in the interest of the Connecticut Land Company, at which time only the north and south boundary lines of the township were run.

In 1797 this territory of five miles square, and comprising seventeen thousand and thirty-six acres, was purchased of the company by lot by Samuel Parkman and William Shaw, of Boston, Massachusetts, and General Joseph Williams, one of the directors of the company. General Williams not long after sold his interest to Brown and Tracy, of whom it was bought by Mr. Parkman, who also bought that of Mr. Shaw, or exchanged other lands, till he became sole owner of the township. Pending these negotiations no settlement was attempted. At length, in 1804, the arrangements being completed, and the Indian title extinguished, Robert B. Parkman, Esq., of Cayuga county, New York, acting as the agent of his uncle, began the settlement of the new township. He was accompanied by his wife and infant son, and also by his brother-in-law, Alfred Phelps, then a lad of eleven years of age. They crossed Lake Erie in a sloop, and arrived at the mouth of Grand river on the 17th of June of that year. Leaving his family at the house of his friend Judge John Walworth, who then resided on the place which was afterwards the residence of Governor Samuel Huntington, he pro- ceeded at once to his place of destination.

Mr. Parkman had gone over the ground in 1801, and made a general survey of it, dividing the land into lots of six hundred acres, which were afterwards sub- divided into lots of one hundred and fifty acres.

In 1804 the legislature of Ohio appropriated fourteen hundred dollars towards the building of a road through Trumbull county, which then included Geauga; and Mr. Parkman's first object was to secure the location of this road at such points as would best result in benefit to the town. To this end, on his arrival, his first business was to go over the ground with the commissioner, in the hope of inducing him to lay the road through that part of the town where the natural advantages indicated the location of the future village; but greatly to his disap- pointment it was at length run across the northeast corner of the town, which at

an early day necessitated the building a road to meet it. This first road is known as the Mesopotamia road, and was laid out in 1805.

The water-power on Grand river determined the location of the first settle- ment, and accordingly Mr. Parkham, as soon as the question of the State road was settled, built himself a cabin for shelter. This cabin was built entirely of felled trees, and had neither floor, door, nor glazed windows. There were then two or three families in Nelson, and as many in Farmington, the heads of whom came to the "raising." The bread for the occasion was baked by Mrs. Umber- field, of Burton, and was brought through the woods on horseback, while young Alfred Phelps cooked the pork and beans.

This first dwelling was built near the river, on what is known as the Bridge road, on ground now occupied by the residence of George W. Hatch; and in five weeks after his first arrival Mr. Parkman saw his family installed in their new abode.

A saw-mill was next built on the river, near the site of the present flour-mill. It is probable that the men who worked on this mill came from Warren, as that was then the largest settlement in the county. The materials for its construction, other than those which the forest afforded, were brought from that place and from Pittsburg. For the want of a blacksmith, every article of iron, either to be made or mended, necessitated a journey to Warren, which consumed a day each in going and returning. Yet despite all hindrances, the mill was in opera- tion by the first of November.

As soon as the mill was finished, Mr. Parkman began the construction of a larger dwelling for himself. This was of logs, and was situated on what is now the western part of the public square. It had three rooms, and was furnished with floors and doors, and was finished and ready for occupancy by winter. The family were no longer alone. Mr. Samuel Ledyard, a brother-in-law of Mr. Parkman, with his wife, now joined them, and remained about two years, when they returned to Cayuga county, New York.

Early in 1805 Mr. Parkman contracted with Terbina Weatherbee, of Warren, to clear and fence one hundred acres of land, paying him in advance fourteen hundred dollars. The receipt for this money is dated January 23, 1805. The contract was promptly fulfilled, and in the following autumn the whole tract was

* By Mrs. Lyman.

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HISTORY OF GEAUGA AND LAKE COUNTIES, OHIO.

sown to wheat, from which, in the summer of 1806, was harvested one thousand bushels. This was the first wheat grown in the township, and as there were no appliances for winnowing it, sufficient for two grists was cleaned by rolling it in a sheet, which was carried to Painesville (probably by Alfred Phelps) to be ground. During the clearing of this land temporary cabins were built to accom- modate the men employed, and Mrs. Weatherbee came from Warren with her husband to cook for them.

This cleared tract extended northward from what is now the western portion of the public square, and included the space lying between the road running northward from the village and that known as the old Burton road. The first building on this land was a frame barn, which stood upon ground now owned by A. W. White, and was completed in time to become a store-house for the first crop of wheat.

Upon a portion of this land, in November, 1807, Mr. Parkman caused an orchard of thirteen hundred apple-trees to be transplanted. These trees were purchased of Albert J. Ferris, of Poland, and soon bore fruit, and were for some years the only source of supply to the settlers. A few of these trees are still standing on the sides of the street leading to the Burton road.

In the spring of 1805, Joseph Young and William Bateman, from Herkimer county, New York, came into the township. Mr. Young was a carpenter, and there is extant a bill for carpenter's tools purchased by him at Pittsburg, dated November 27, 1805, amounting to £2 198. 9d.

Mr. Bateman bought the farm afterwards owned by Judge Seth Phelps, near the centre of the town, and which is now owned, one-half each, by William Brown and Andrew Hosmer.

This was the first farm purchased in the town. In 1807 he went to New Or- leans in company with John Dustan, a surveyor, who had come to Parkman not long before. In 1818, Joseph Young went south as far as Natchez, at which place he built a saw-mill for the celebrated Lorenzo Dow. The following spring he, with Bateman, Dustan, and Dow, made the journey from Natchez to Nash- ville on horseback, then an almost unbroken wilderness. From thence Bateman and Young proceeded to Chautauqua county, New York, journeying still on horse- back. Mr. Bateman never returned to Ohio, being prevented from doing so by failing health. His death occurred in 1810.

His name is perpetuated in the town by a little stream which flows through his purchase, which is still called Bateman run. Mr. Young soon returned, and passed the remainder of his life in or near Parkman. He never married. He was very industrious, and was noted for never demanding any pay for work per- formed. If payment was offered he received it, otherwise the account remained unsettled. While on a visit to his relations in Chautauqua, in 1874, he died, at the age of ninety-four years.

Mr. Dustan, after his return from the south, remained in Parkman till the beginning of the war of 1812, at which time he was connected with the army. He varied his occupation as surveyor with that of teacher, and in one of the win- ters, when thus employed during the day, he cleared a piece of land lying north of the village, by chopping in moonlight nights. He finally settled in eastern Missouri.

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History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio, Part 59

Author: Williams Brothers Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Number of Pages: 443

Author: Williams Brothers
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 443