History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio, Part 74

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

USA > Ohio > Lake County > History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio > Part 74
USA > Ohio > Geauga County > History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio > Part 74

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).

In the autumn of 1832 the first class in the Methodist Episcopal church was formed by Rev. Mr. Richer, of the following persons : Mr. and Mrs. Henry B. Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Doolittle, and a Mr. Mott. Mr. Davis was chosen leader. This was in the Fox neighborhood. There was another class at the centre, and a third in the Beals settlement. In 1836 the Rev. John Crane consolidated these classes, and organized the church at the centre. Its church edifice was erected there about 1840.

The following clergymen have ministered to this church in the order of time mentioned : 1837, Reeves and Crum ; 1838, Thomas Curr; 1839, Thomas Carr and Worralo; 1840, Worralo and Clock ; 1841, Father Aylworth and Hiram Kellogg; 1842, Rich and Stow ; 1843, Ahab Keller and Albert Norton; 1844, Ahab Keller and Geo. W. Maltbie; 1845, Holmes and Sullivan ; 1846, Sulli- van and Rogers; 1847, Reeves and Walker; 1848, Reeves and Walker ; 1849, John J. Steadman and Wm. Sampson ; 1850, Cole and Kellogg; 1851, Thomas Tait and Jno. W. Hill; 1852, Lewis Clark and Ira Eddy; 1853, Excel and Hulbert; 1854, Excel and Gray ; 1855, Wm. Bear and Ingraham ; 1856, Bear and Ingraham ; 1857, Albert Norton and Dr. Brown; 1858-59, Cyrel Wilson ; 1860, Williams; 1861, Cole ; 1862; Kellogg ; 1863, Kellogg; 1864-65, Cham- berlain ; 1866-67, J. B. Hammond; 1868, Hiram Kellogg ; 1869-70, Flower ; 1871-73, Schaeffer ; 1874-75, B. C. Warner; 1876, Charles Elliott.

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION.

The first school in the township was taught by Mrs. Barrett, a widow, and a daughter of Jacob Welsh. A. H. Fairbanks taught the first winter school in the Beals settlement, in a little log school-house.

The first framed school-house was built near the residence of John Nash in 1818. Nathaniel Colson taught in it the first time.

At first the township composed one school district. In 1829 there were four; with ten householders in the 1st, twenty in No. 2, nine in No. 3, and seven in No. 4,-a total of forty-six in the township.

In 1878, there are eight, with a total enumeration of two hundred and thirteen pupils on the 17th of September, 1877. Of these one hundred and ten are males, one hundred and three females, with fifty-four between sixteen and twenty- one years of age.

Generally, the school property is in good condition, the teachers selected with care, and the interests of education kept quite abreast of the well advanced in the county.

Alden J. Nash built the first and only hotel in Troy, about 1841 or 1842. Dr. Foster added to it.

It is said that Samuel Burroughs, Sr., was the first blacksmith. I. E. Wales, V. S. Sperry, D. L. Dean, and D. Barber are the present smiths.

Henry Wales was the first carriage-maker, and S. J. Esty and H. E. Wales carry on the business now.

At present there is but one saw-mill in the township. This is about one and a quarter miles north of the centre, owned by H. W. Hosmer, and propelled by both steam and water. It is a shingle-machine, and located on the farm of Amos Burroughs.

MERCHANDISING.

When Captain John Fox came to Troy, in 1819, he brought a team-load of goods, calico, shoes, etc. He boarded with Mr. Whitcomb, and in one corner of his log house, which had but one room, he put up some shelves, and on these displayed his goods to the wondering eyes of the settlers. This room was store, parlor, kitchen, bedroom and hall. After these goods were disposed of, he retired from the risky avocation of the merchant to that of tiller of the soil.

The present stores are owned by H. Kellogg & Son and D. L. Pope & Son, general merchandise ; J. E. Wales and D. Warner, groceries.

Postmasters .- S. W. Kellogg, at Centre; D. Warner, at the Grove, who has been postmaster since the office was established, some five years since. Black- smiths .- J. E. Wales, V. S. Sperry, D. L. Dean, and D. Barber. Wagon- makers .- S. J. Estey, H. E. Wales.

The first cheese-factory in Troy township, and among the first in the county, was erected by D. L. Pope, who has since acquired a wide reputation in connection with the dairy interest. It was located on lot No. 18, was thirty by one hundred and ninety feet in size, and three stories high ; capital, four thousand dollars. The patronage the first year was eight hundred cows, the second year twelve hun- dred, which was the largest for any one year. During the season of 1878 the fac- tory is utilizing the milk from six hundred cows; average daily make of cheese, twelve hundred pounds. Mr. Pope has another factory, at Madison, Lake County.

E. P. Latham has the Spring Brook factory, some one and a half miles north of the centre, built during the season of 1869. He has this season eight hun- dred cows; average daily make of cheese, fifteen hundred pounds, and some two hundred pounds of butter.

Maple Grove factory was built by a stock company about 1870, and is owned by L. Parker, who has four hundred cows; average daily make, eight hundred pounds of cheese.

East Troy factory, built about 1813, is owned by Miles Goff, who has three hundred and fifty cows. His daily make is seven hundred pounds.

There was organized, in the spring of 1870, a post of the G.A.R., with L. P. Barrows commander; and, although the order was discontinued after perhaps three years, yet the outgrowth has been the establishment and continued obser- vance of Decoration-day. There have also been several divisions of Sons of Tem- perance, Good Templars, etc., although not now in operation. Troy has always been noted for its temperance principles.

Welshfield Grange, No. 1293, was organized November 9, 1876. Charter members, G. W. Bartholomew and wife, S. L. Chapman and wife, R. Burton and wife, E. A. Mumford and wife, E. G. Corliss and wife, Levi and Leroy Pool and wives, H. E. Wales and wife, W. G. Welsh and wife, J. Button and wife, A. K. Houghton and wife, J. C. Burton and wife, H. L. Hosmer and wife, D. H. Hill and wife, B. S. James and wife, W. H. Chapman and wife, G. H. Fairbanks and wife, Henry Morton and wife, E. C. and C. T. Nash and wives, D. H. and H. O. Truman and wives, D. A. Reed and wife, Laban Patch, Timothy Fox, and Miss Victoria R. Mumford. First oficers : W. H. Chapman, Master; G. H. Fairbanks, O .; R. Burton, Lec. ; S. L. Chapman, Sec .; and D. H. Truman, Treas. Membership, seventy-six. Meeting, each alternate Tuesday evening at town hall. Officers, 1878: W. H. Chapman, M., also Cor. Sec. and Dist. Dep. ; E. A. Mumford, O .; L. P. Barrows, L .; C. H. Turner, Sec. ; and D. H. Tru- man, Treas.

FIRST TOWNSHIP ELECTION.

The separate civil organization of the township was perfected by an order of the commissioners of the county, March 6, 1820.

The first election was holden on the first Monday of that year, at the house of Jacob Welsh, of which Jacob Welsh, John Nash, and John Dayton were the judges, and Jacob Burroughs, clerk. The three judges of the election were elected the first trustees. Adolphus Paine and John Beals, oversoers of the poor; John Osborn and Hiram Dayton, fence-viewers; Benjamin Hale, lister and ap- praiser, and Henry Pratt, appraiser; Amos Burroughs, Hiram Dayton, and Israel Dayton, supervisors of highways.

There seem to have been plenty of Daytons in the township of that day, and many good ones.

The township officers for 1878 are D. H. Truman, E. A. Mumford, and John Cutler, trustees ; S. J. Estey, clerk ; S. W. Kellogg, treasurer; S. L. Chapman, assessor ; H. E. Wales and E. C. Nash, constables ; S. J. Estey and J. F. Nash,

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HISTORY OF GEAUGA AND LAKE COUNTIES, OHIO.

justices of the peace ; and twenty-five supervisors. There are eight school districts, controlled by the following Board of Education : J. G. Durfee, president ; D. H. Truman, H. E. Wales, L. P. Barrows, James Thrasher, W. H. Pierson, J. F. Nash, D. T. Bradley. S. J. Estey, clerk of the township, is also, ex-oficio, clerk of the Board of Education.

Population in 1850, 1164; in 1860, 959 ; in 1870, 832. Of these last 18 were of foreign birth and 2 colored. This shows a falling off between 1850 and 1860 of 205 ; since 1860 of 127,-a total in twenty years of 332 .*

STATISTICS FOR 1878.

Wheat

323 acres. 5,243 bushels.

Oats ..

469

20,313

Corn ..

398

27,366 =

Potatoes.

185

16,496 ..

Orchards

117

539

Meadow

1710

2,069 tons.

Butter ..

51,900 pounds.

Cheese

Maple-sugar

1,190

HUNTSBURG TOWNSHIP.t

HUNTSBURG is known as No. 8, range six, and adjoins Ashtabula county on the east. It is bounded north by Montville, south by Middlefield; Claridon on the east. It was purchased in 1803 by Eben Hunt and John Breck, of North- ampton, Massachusetts, and named after the first and the larger of the proprietors. It was subdivided in 1806, by Thomas Bond, into one hundred equal lots ; a de- sign was to limit the sales to one lot to each actual settler. Like all attempts everywhere to limit the acquisition of land this was not found practicable, perhaps not desirable.

Without being broken or hilly, the township presents a pleasant variety in its surface, furnishing admirable drainage and beautiful outlooks. It is claimed that the centre is the highest point between lake and river.

The township is on the whole well watered, without large streams, the most considerable of which, Phelps' creek, runs eastward into Ashtabula creek, while the eastern branch of the Cuyahaga meanders along its western border. Nothing in nature is more curious than the rise and flow of water-courses. Streams often have their head-waters flow almost interminglingly, while their mouths may be in remote seus.

The soil is clayey, with a tendency to loam, having a sprinkling of sand in some localities; the native timber, maple, birch, ash, white-wood (tulip), oak, with hickory and some chestnut. Like most of the Reserve, the township has been too much denuded of its fine forests, and, as everywhere, no decided effort has yet been made to repair this early mistake. In production and climate Huntsburg is little marked from the surrounding country. She could not fail of being among the most healthful of her sisters.

SETTLEMENT.

A hermit named John Findley is said to have been the first white inhabitant of the township; when found there in 1802, he occupied a small hut on a stream, since known as Findley's creek, on lot twenty-four, near the present resi- dence of Mrs. M. J. Moss. Little was ever known of him. He had some three acres under cultivation, and a flat stone is still pointed out as his thrashing- floor: Like other denizens of the woods, he drew most of his supplies from the chase, and his dress and mode of life were the fruit of his surroundings. He was said to have been a native of remote Maryland, had been an Indian-hunter and trader in Kentucky, and knew Daniel Boone and was with Wayne; bore evidence of culture; religious, and given to reading the Bible; was unsocial and reticent as a well-conducted hermit should be, and suddenly disappeared in 1814 ; was said to have joined the army, bearing the secret of his life-isolation, if any he had, with him. His occupancy was but an episode, having nothing to do with the history of Huntsburg, and but lightly rests on its first page.

The first actual settler was Stephen Pomeroy, of Northampton, Massachusetts, who, with knapsack on back, made his way into the woods in 1807, and, with the aid of Captain Isaac Thompson, of Middlefield, he built a cabin on lot four, near the present residence of his grandson, H. S. Pomeroy. Returning to Massachu- setts, the next year he brought on his family, a wife and six children, making the passage in the conventional six weeks' time. His oldest daughter, Lucretia, was the first bride,-became such in 1813, when she was joined in marriage with Theodus Miller, by Squire Augustus Burton (of Burton).} As in duty and right she be- came the first mother, and the first male child, Stephen B. Miller, was born of her the ensuing year. After the birth of a daughter, the young wife and mother died

in her forest home, and was laid under the shadow of the still near woods. Elijah, the eldest son, became a carpenter, married a daughter of Aaron Scott, and built a house near his father. Horace grew to manhood, and married Velita Kiele, and settled on the home-place. Melinda became the wife of Charles Clapp. Stephen B., after a residence in Huntsburg, removed to Claridon, where the sons of Horace, Horace S. and Dr. Orange Pomeroy, now reside. Horace was a famous hunter. The youngest daughter became the wife of Thomas Clapp, and settled in the north part of the township. Stephen Pomeroy was one of the judges of the first elec- tion ; became a pious deacon of the Presbyterian church ; was a steadfast man, of cheerful temper; lost his wife in 1837, of whom I would gladly say more; and died at the ripe age of eighty-five, in 1854.

Paul Clapp, from central New York, was the second pioneer in the Huntsburg woods, where he set up his tabernacle in 1808, bringing with him a family of five children. He taught the first or second school of the township, which held its sessions in the evenings.§ He was subsequently the teacher of a select school. In 1815, while using an adze he received a severe cut in the ankle, and became a cripple. He was a man of energy, impulsive, full of activity, and the first in en- terprises of public spirit and neighborhood usefulness. He was clerk of the first church organization, was elected justice of the peace three times, and died in 1847. His daughter, Electa, was the first female child born in Huntsburg. The event occurred in 1813.

Elnathan Wilcox, also from New York, was the third immigrant into Huntsburg, coming in the same year with Clapp, near whom he settled (on lot six). Of slen- derly health, he died in 1839, at fifty-six. Being unused to the rifle, he em- ployed Captain Thompson, referred to above, to kill him some venison, who offered to furnish it at one cent per pound, Wilcox to receive it at the place of slaughter, at one and one-half cents if delivered. Wilcox preferred to receive it at his house. He, as is said, walked less than five rods, where he shot and delivered the meat. Wilcox looked upon this as a " trick of trade." His son Bennett and daughter Louisa removed from the township. This year, 1808, also came Guy Carlton, John Bigalow, and David Townsly, all young men.

In 1810, Samuel Hardy and Samuel Herriman arrived from Vermont. Hardy built on lot thirty-five, opposite the "old burying-ground." The same year his little daughter, Sophia, died, and was buried back of the house,-it was the first death in Huntsburg. Herriman built near Hardy, on the corner now owned by Allen Cleveland, on lot twenty-six. They remained but a short time, and removed farther west.

The same year an old couple, Darius Carlton and his wife, came in, and opened a small clearing on lot sixteen, near the site of the Burns school-house. The hardships of forest-life were too severe for them, and they died in 1815. They were succeeded by their son, Guy, who remained and reared a large family.

1811 was marked by the advent of Abner Clark from Vermont, who brought a family of nine children. He settled on lots forty-five and forty-six. He at once became a prominent man in the township and church, was a teacher of singing, and lived to the age of eighty-four. None of his numerous family remain in Huntsburg.

Simon Moss arrived in 1812 from Connecticut, and built a cabin on lot twenty- two, southwest part of the township. He was an industrious, useful citizen, dying in old age, leaving his two sons, Charles N. and Theodore B., well off. William Reed must have come in before the war, and settled on lots twenty-three and thirty-eight. He is said to have built the first grist-mill.

* See Russell, under population, where this subject is discussed slightly.

t From notes of S. Clapp.

# Elijah Pomeroy says the first marriage was Elmira Carlton, the first birth Electa Clapp.

¿ Elijah Pomeroy says the first was kept in 1809, by Lucinda Walden.

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368,898

HOMER MILLS.

SARAH MILLS.

DR. O.W. LUDLOW

AARON SCOTT.

JOHN FRENCH.

LYMAN MILLARD.

STEPHEN POMEROY. [ FIRST PIONEER OF HUNTSBURO)

LITH BY LIN.EVENTS, PHILA PA

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191

HISTORY OF GEAUGA AND LAKE COUNTIES, OHIO.

It is thus seen that the township settled slowly, and the later generation can hardly realize the importance of a new arrival which came to break the " bound- less contiguity of shade" of the primitive forest, and bring an added charm of neighborhood and the sense of companionship in the lonely wilderness. Hunts- burg had the Hull scare and rally with Middlefield and Parkman. Huntsburg had a military company of twenty-five men, under Captain Isaac Thompson, of Middlefield. An order came to him to call out and march his command to Cleve- land. He received it on Saturday night, and Sunday morning saw him on the march. The Huntsburg men were Stephen Pomeroy, Guy and John Carlton, John Townsly, Theodore Miller, and Elnathan Wilcox. After remaining in Cleveland about three weeks, the Carltons, Townslys, and Millers volunteered, and joined General Harrison's army. Pomeroy and Wilcox felt obliged to return to their families.

In 1816 came John Howell, also Joseph Clark and Moses Tucker. Then came Charles Clapp. After a year's sojourn in Mentor, pushed into the still unbroken forest of the north part of the township, and "took up" lots eighty- five and eighty-six. He is described as a man of limited literary acquirements, active, energetic, enterprising,-such men as make the most useful colonists. He lived to see the forest become fair and fruitful fields, and died at seventy-seven, in 1870. His widow, Silphia Pomeroy, survives. They had one son, Sylvester, of whom I may say he is a superior man, of fine culture, an able educator, enjoying the esteem and confidence of a wide accquaintance ; also two daughters, Eliza and Sophia. An old-time wolf-story is told of Mr. Clapp.

Thomas Clapp came the same year (1818), established himself, courted and married Lydia Pomeroy. They became the parents of five children. It is said that four of these died suddenly, and nearly at the same time. Thomas Clapp himself died in 1854. The widow and surviving son live on lot eighty-five.

The autumn of 1818 saw the arrival of Aaron Scott, his wife and six children. He settled on lot seventy-eight. He was from Connecticut, and proved to be an active, public-spirited man. He exerted himself to secure a township organiza- tion ; was elected the first justice of the peace, which office he held for eighteen successive terms.

Here my chronicle skips to 1825, when I find that Alvin Kile became a citi- zen of Huntsburg. He was a useful accession to the community ; was an active and influential member of the Methodist Episcopal church, a man of much force of character, a stanch Democrat, to which party he has adhered without waver- ing or shadow of change. A man who could do this, through all these years, must have the prehensile grasp of a strong nature.

Among the Huntsburg pioneers deserving special mention are Simon and John Evans, who in 1834 settled on lots eighty-seven and ninety-three; also their brother Andrew, who in 1837 planted himself on lot eighty-eight, and J. M. Clark, who built the first brick house in 1838, on lot sixty-five. To these should be added Ebenezer Clark, Solomon Paine, David Clark, John Howell, and others, who settled in Huntsburg between 1818 and 1821, during the beginnings of things, and themselves became genesis.

Lewis Hunt, son of the largest proprietor, succeeded to his father's estate in the township, and took up his residence there in 1817. A bachelor, a man of rich culture improved by travel, with a large knowledge of men and the world, of fine manners and polished address, he was not only the most conspicuous man of his rude neighborhood and county, but of the Western Reserve, where he be- came widely known and universally respected and esteemed. On his arrival he planted himself in the northeast corner, where he commenced a model farm on lot forty-five. Something he did in arboriculture, especially in the line of fruit, and made himself quite a benefactor by furnishing valuable varieties of apples, peaches, etc. He put out an orchard of choice fruit, which in time became quite celebrated. Whoever passes this place will be struck by the beautiful elms, which are said to have been planted by his own hands. In 1833, Mr. Hunt visited Massachusetts, and on his return he was accompanied by Samuel Bodman, who became superintendent of Mr. Hunt's farm and property. Not long after, Mr. Hunt was stricken with paralysis and died. The loss was great to Huntsburg and the county. His memory is warmly cherished, and many pleasant anecdotes are still told illustrative of his character, culture, and benevolence.

Mr. Bodman purchased lots ninety-five and ninety-six, became not only one of the foremost men of the township, but of the county, and filled more than one of its most important offices.

ORGANIZATION.

The order for the civil organization of the township passed the board of county commissioners on the 3d day of April, 1821. The first election was holden on the ensuing 16th of April. The place of holding it has not been given me. Stephen Pomeroy, Wm. Reed, and Amos Morse were the judges of the election. Paul Clapp and Asa Church were clerks. The following were elected the first township officers: John Howell, Eben Clark, and Guy Carlton, trustees; Aaron

Scott, justice of the peace; Paul Clapp, clerk ; David Clark and Abner Clark, overseers of the poor; Solomon Paine and E. Wilcox, fence-viewers; Stephen Pomeroy and Paul Clapp, appraisers. The first was also the lister. Of these offices, fence-viewers and appraisers by that name ceased many years ago. It is said that a county and State election were holden at the same time. The reason for this unusual action does not appear. It is said that the poll-list of that first election shows one hundred and fifty names, of whom but one, Elijah Pomeroy, survives. The first national (presidential) election was in 1824, in the great con- test between the younger Adams and General Jackson, resulting in the election of Mr. Adams by the House of Representatives.

The present officers of the township are: S. P. Clark, D. Tucker, S. Bloomis, trustees ; H. P. Kile, treasurer ; D. S. Sperry, clerk ; N. C. Woodward, trea- surer ; T. F. Clapp and A. Beardsley, constables ; A. E. Millard and S. E. Clapp, justices of the peace.

Politically, the dominant party on the Reserve has always largely prevailed in Huntsburg. Although there has always been a small knot of tough, hardy Dem- ocrats, they have never been able to make themselves felt in the township. With the nomination of Taylor, in 1848, all the younger Whigs at once became Free- Soilers, and necessarily graduated Republicans. From the first agitation of slavery there was a very small showing of political abolitionists. The avowed disunion features of their faith precluded their growth in Huntsburg, as in the county generally.

From the one hundred and fifty voters of 1821, the number has varied, till they swelled to the two hundred and twenty of 1878.

Huntsburg has always been quite abreast of the best of her sisters in the char- acter and quality of her prominent men, and below none in the general intelli- gence and good morals of her people. She has contributed her fair share to the official positions of the county. On the division of the county in 1839-40, by & Democratic legislature, it became necessary to elect an entire new set of associate judges of the common pleas court, and the same assembly selected Colonel J. W. Brackett, of Huntsburg, for one of the vacant seats. He was well known in his party, had been colonel of the Third Regiment of the brigade of militia then commanded by General J. H. Paine, who had shortly before ordered a court- martial upon him for alleged disobedience of orders. This court tried and dis- missed him the service, which seems to have attached little of disgrace to his name. Samuel E. Bodman, already mentioned, received the same honor at the hands of the Whigs as one of the successors of the Democrats. He has been a commis- sioner, and was also elected county treasurer in 1874, which position he still holds. Warren Loomis, an early settler, for many years a merchant, a prominent citizen of Huntsburg, and widely known, was elected county treasurer in 1850. James M. Clapp was elected sheriff, and died soon after entering on his duties. His brother, S. E., was elected sheriff of the county in 1871, and served two terms. O. M. Barns, of that township, is one of the present board of county commis- Bioners. All of these were among the most able and efficient of the officers of the county.

MANUFACTURES.

The beginning of things suggests the most primitive of water saw-mills. The first to attempt an enterprise in this form was Aaron Scott, at the uncertain date of " an early day," on Finley's creek. This seems not to have been an enduring success.

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History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio, Part 74

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

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