History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio, Part 77

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

USA > Ohio > Lake County > History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio > Part 77
USA > Ohio > Geauga County > History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio > Part 77

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).

The first log house was that of Bildad Bradley, of which mention has been made elsewhere. It was built in 1815, on the town-line, between Newbury and Auburn, on the farm now owned by Lorenzo Reuwees.

The first framed house was built by Joseph Woodward, about one-half mile west of the centre, on the farm now owned by Wm. Brown.

The first saw-mill was built by Henry Canfield in 1822. Mr. Canfield moved in with his family in 1820, built, and moved on to the land he had previously bought, and which is situate on the southeast corner of the Root tract, and through which runs Bridge creek, on which was a mill-site. Mr. Canfield built a saw-mill as above stated. Mr. Canfield was a good carpenter, and a very indus- trious man ; he built a frame house and barn, ran his mill for several years, and sold to his brother Elijah, who lived in the State of New York.

J. P. Bartholomew is said to be the first blacksmith in Auburn. He came on in the year 1819, purchased on the Root tract, returned, married, and occupied his Auburn home. Later, when the south tract came into market, he purchased, moved there, where he remained till his death, in 1865. Three of his sons were in the Union army.

Ethan Brewer, the well-known Esquire Brewer, built the first tavern at the Corners in 1829,-a long, narrow, low, one-story building. This was transferred to Charles Wood, a son of Benj. Wood, in 1832. In 1834 Watts succeeded Wood, and Daniel Ethridge purchased it in 1835. He died in 1859, and was succeeded by his son Grandison. A new house was built-a front to the old- in 1840. The property went into the hands of C. G. Hayes in 1864.

Sidney Royce built another at the corners in 1833, long since discontinued. The only hotel in Auburn is the one first named.

Of the justices of the peace Ethan Brewer was elected the first Monday in April, 1817. It may be well to notice some others who succeeded him in the office. John Jackson was next elected. He served two terms and died. David

Smith succeeded him ; he was also the first postmaster. Then followed Pardon Wilber, Charles Hiukley, George Wilber, son of Pardon Wilber ; David Smith, Jr., Austin Richards, and others.

S. L. Wadsworth is the present postmaster.

The Auburn box-works were set up about 1869, by G. W. Barnes. He con- ducted the business two years, and formed a copartnership with G. W. Stafford. They continued in business two years, and Mr. Barnes retired. April 14, 1874, the factory was consumed by fire. Mr. Stafford changed the site, moving the factory near the centre of Auburn, where he erected a large building, perhaps the largest and best of the kind in Genuga County, where he continues the business, employing many hands, and turning out work satisfactory to himself and customers. Mr. Stafford is an enterprising business man, and prosecutes his business with zeal and energy. A view of his factory and mill may be seen in this work.

The first cheese-factory built in Auburn was what is known as the old Hood factory, located one and a half miles south and one-half mile east of the centre, now said to be owned by Boughton & Ford, of Burton, and Jacob Lyons, of Auburn.

There are some five other factories in the town. Perhaps the next oldest one is located two miles east of the centre, and run by the proprietor, Philip E. Haskins. This factory was rebuilt, with a large curing-house added to it, in 1874. It is now on a good footing, unequaled by many, and perhaps unsurpassed in the county. The others are said to be doing well.

The first store opened in Auburn was that of William Baker, in 1829 or 1830. Lester Perkins had another there quite as early ; then came Barnes & Herrington, in 1830 or 1831. This was a general retail house, with character, capital, and en- terprise. After about three years they built the store-house now owned and occupied by W. N. White. Fifteen years after Barnes sold his interest to Herrington, who continued it five or six years, and sold to John Mayhew. Different parties continued the business until W. N. White purchased the building and stock, and is now doing a prosperous business. There are three other stores at the corners,-one groceries, one hardware and tin, another groceries and millinery goods, owned respectively by J. R. Stewart, W. F. Balke, and M. E. Haskins.

At Auburn centre the first and only family store opened was in 1872, by J. A. Stafford. Harvey Herrington, of the old firm of Barnes & Herrington, was a man of superior intelligence and high character; sold out and went away many years ago. Barnes retired on to a large farm, is said to be in Cleveland, and would be well off wherever he is.

ORDERS AND SOCIETIES.

Auburn Lodge, No. 226, I. O. O. F., was instituted July 14, 1853. The charter members were as follows: D. L. Pope, G. M. Baird, John H. Williams, A. G. Ethridge, O. L. Gilson, Jerome Hinkley, F. Wilmot, L. C. Ludlow, Miles Pun- derson, George Parker, L. Patch, and J. Patch. The first officers were Laban Patch, N. G .; D. L. Pope, V. G .; F. Wilmot, R. S. ; A. G. Ethridge, P. S .; Jerome Hinkley, Treas. The present officers are N. M. Goff, N. G .; T. C. Bartholomew, V. G .; C. S. Herrington, R. S .; W. N. White, P. S .; C. C. Carlton, Treas. Charter members now living : D. L. Pope, L. C. Ludlow, Miles Punderson.

This lodge was never in a more prosperous condition than at the present time. It owns a one-third interest in the building and real estate which they now and have occupied since their organization, in 1853. They leased the hall for a term, we believe, of twenty years. After the expiration of this term a new lease was given, but the society bought as stated. A part of the building is owned by a stock company, who purchased and repaired it very fittingly as a free hall. Per- sons could congregate and express views on any moral subject free of charge, there being a feeling in the churches somewhat adverse to giving the use of their houses except for religious worship.

The first that the township records show in regard to township officers dates back to 1827, when we find the following list of officers : Township Clerk, Lorin Snow; Trustees, Charles Hinkley, Joseph Webster, and Roger W. Antisdale; Overseers of the Poor, Zadock Reuwees and David Smith ; Fence-Viewers, Ephraim Wright and Joseph Woodward; Justice of the Peace, David Smith ; Constable, William Squires; Supervisors, Lorin Snow, District No. 1; Asahel Kent, No. 2; Morgan Orton, No. 3; Joseph Bartholomew, No. 4; Jeremiah White, No. 5; Abner Colvin, No. 6.

The present officers of the township are Justices of the Peace, George Dutton and C. A. Mills; Township Trustees, William Wilber, A. T. Wing, and William C. Dutton ; Assessor, H. E. Andrews ; Clerk, C. A. Mills ; Treasurer, G. W. Stafford ; Constables, H. M. Andrews and G. Canfield.

We record the deaths of some of the first settlers. John Jackson died January 13, 1824; his wife died August 3, 1861; Zadock Reuwees died August 25,

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1862; Charles Hinkley died March 25, 1842; Amariah Keyes died February 10, 1824 ; Roswell Rice died February 11, 1861 ; Austin Richards died January 14, 1867 ; William Craft died August 26, 1876 ; David Craft died November 19, 1852; Benjamin Woods died February 27, 1853; Oliver Snow died August 5, 1841, aged ninety-three; Moses Maynard died October 16, 1865, aged ninety- eight.

INCIDENTS-ACCIDENTS.

Philip Ingler, an early settler and a famous hunter, met with his death under circumstances that may be here noted. In September, 1830, as young Eggleston, on his way from Mantua to Auburn, was passing at nightfall through the Auburn and Mantua woods, covering a large tract of the contiguous borders of both, in the twilight saw and heard by the roadside what he supposed to be a bear. In alarm, he hurried back to a small inn kept by Amasa Turner, in Mantua, where he found a young man just from the East, who had a rifle and was eager for a chance at a bear. The two turned back under the singular infatuation that it was a bear, and would patiently wait to be shot. On their approach, there was the black form, not unlike a bear, and there came the low growl. Going as near as he dared, the youth discharged his gun with a too accurate aim, and the bullet passed through the body of Ingler, who, intoxicated, had deposited himself by the wayside, accompanied by a small dog, whose growling helped to produce the delusion of the weak and foolish youths.

The fatal burning of the Reuwees' cabin has been mentioned.

A good many years later, and still many years ago from this (1878), the house of a family by the name of McLouth, residents of Auburn, was burned, and in it were consumed three or four small children.

STATISTICS FOR 1878.

Wheat

306 acres.

4,451 basbels.

Oats.

581

24.413

Corn

517

29,491

Potatoes.

149

13,279

Orchards

285

2,129

Meadows.

2662

3,039 tons.

Butter ....

69.100 pounds.

Cheese ..

585,447

Maple-sugar ...

47,623

POPULATION.

The three last censuses show the population to be, in 1850, 1184; in 1860, 942; in 1870, 784. These figures are startling,-a falling off, from 1850 to 1860, of 242; from 1860 to 1870, 158; in twenty years 400,-only surpassed by the decrease of Munson. One looks forward to the next census with curiosity and anxiety.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

GEORGE SQUIRE

was born in Mantua, Portage county, Ohio, January 22, 1817. He is the sixth child of Ezekiel and Clarisy Squire. The father died September 5, 1822, while the mother died November 1, 1853. The father of Mr. Squire came to Mantua probably in 1816. He was a practicing physician, and his ride extended over Mantua, Hiram, Nelson, Parkman, Welshfield (now Troy), Auburn, Russell, Chester, Aurora, etc. Dr. Squire died in the forty-first year of his life, when it seemed the community needed his services most. George remained at home, :getting, as best he could under the circumstances, a common-school education, until soon after he became of age, when he bought a farm in Mantua, with his brother, A. J. Squire, of some two hundred acres. After some two years he dis- posed of this farm and went to Missouri, remaining some three and one-half years, when he returned and commenced the study of medicine, which he practiced some four or five years. About this time, on April 30, 1850, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary C. Palmer, of Mantua. As the fruits of their marriage, four children were born, namely, as follows: Alice C., Arthur G., Cora L., and Orris Grant. Alice and Arthur are married, the former living in Solon, Cuya- hoga county, and the latter in Auburn, Geauga County. Cora L. and Orris Grant are still enjoying the comforts and pleasures of the old home with father and mother. Mr. and Mrs. Squire have, by application, economy, and industry, amassed a sufficiency of this world's goods to make them financially comfortable through the remainder of their lives, owning a fine farm of two hundred and sixty acres, a view of which may be seen in this book, faithfully illustrating the old home. The father of Mr. Squire came from Massachusetts to Aurora, in 1810, coming the whole distance with an ox-team, the mother riding on horseback, car- rying, much of the way, one child in her arms, and another behind her on the horse; which, we are wont to think, in these days of coaches, palace-cars, and carriages, would be very tiresome to the model wife and mother. Mr. George Squire is now sixty-one years of age, and at present writing is in very good health, and enjoying the society of his family.

WILLIAM CRAFTS.

There is no finer or more striking head and face in all the varied specimens of the good found in this volume than we present with this sketch. Not unlike that of Henry Clay, with something that reminds of the poet Whittier. He might have been a poet, statesman, or philosopher. He was a comparatively un- lettered farmer, an early settler, one of the pioneers of Auburn.

He was born at Boston, Massachusetts, December 21, 1789. He died at Auburn, August 25, 1876, aged eighty-six years, eight months, and four days.

WILLIAM CRAFTS.

His first American ancestor, Griffin Crafts, came in Governor Winthrop's colony in 1635, from England, and settled in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Many of his descendants are still found in that vicinity. Honorable William A. Crafts, seventh from Griffin, lives in the old homestead of the family. William Crafts is the sixth. His father's name was Edward, a zealous patriot of the Revolution, who did stout service for the country. Although many of the family in their days and generations have filled high positions in various legislative bodies, and occupied the seats of learning in colleges, the Auburn branch cherish with more warmth the memory of Edward, the patriot soldier, thau that of all the honor- ables and professors of the name beside. He married Miss Eliot Winship, of Boston. Of these were born four sons and five daughters. The sons were Ed- ward, John, Thomas, and William. All of this family have passed away. It had a good standing, and was well off. The father rose to the rank of major in the army, and enjoyed the confidence and esteem of a wide circle. I believe the major in some way fell a victim to over-confidence in continental money, or some form of paper security, and dropped from affluence to a depressed condition, and in consequence removed to western New York, when William, the youngest of the family, was four years old. They settled in Ontario county, as wild as Auburn when William pushed his fortunes thither in 1815. Major Crafts seems never to have recovered his fortunes. Of course the young boy shared the hardships and privations of the boys in the woods; the gravest, and the effects of which are the longest continued, were a lack of the means of even the commonest education. He never attended a school but three months in his life, though qualified to transact ordinary business, and he kept one of the first schools in Auburn, had much skill in drawing contracts and papers, had large native good sense and judg- ment. His mind was clear and vigorous.

At the age of twenty-two he was married to Catharine Millspaugh, and she bore him one son, Daniel, born in 1812. She seems never to have recovered from the illness consequent upon his birth, and died in less than a month after- ward, leaving William with his young infant.

On the 1st of August, 1815, the young widower, then twenty-five, tall, broad- shouldered, well made, and powerful, with a strikingly manly face and blue eyed, shouldered his traveling-pack and walked to Auburn, a small undertaking for the men of his day. This was just after the close of the war of 1812. A graphic account of this journey, as well as of the pioneer history of Auburn, was written by Mr. Crafts, and published in the Geauga Democrat, of December 9-16, 1868, largely the source of our history of Auburn. He found Norman Canfield dig- ging the first well at Chardon. Six miles south, he found Judge Vene Stone, there he stayed that night. The next morning he pushed on, and the next house was that of Samuel Barker, near the " Big Pond." Beyond he found Punder-

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son's grist-mill, the miller's house, Punderson's house, Uncle Josh Burnett's, and then Coe's fulling-mill and Adonijah Bradley's shop, on the little creek south. He found Bildad Bradley next, and still beyond, the new cabins of Reuwees and John Jackson ; save these no man had struck a blow in the Auburn woods. He inspected the region, liked the land, the water, and timber, found that Punderson had the agency of that which he liked best. In doubt what part of a central tract of eleven hundred and seventy-six acres he should ultimately like best, he purchased the whole at two dollars and a quarter per acre.

Having selected his farm, or the land he intended to choose from, he walked back to Gorham. As one of the essentials for the colonization of a new country and its peopling, on the 9th day of July, 1816, he married Drusilla Hays, an estimable young widow lady of twenty-one, with one child, a son. He made the journey with an ox-wagon, and drove a cow, being accompanied by Joseph Keyes, a nephew of his wife. He traveled some of the way on the ice of Lake Erie, and had many experiences. He seems to have reached Auburn upon the 12th of March, 1816, and found shelter in the house of John Jackson till he built his own.

Of his original purchase he finally selected four hundred acres, the farm now owned and occupied by his son Edward, named after the Revolutionary grand- father. Familiar with pioneer life, its rough ways, its primitive means, its simple habits, its economies, its thrift, its hopes, and warmth of feeling, he and his young wife, with their two boys, began the work in earnest. They built log buildings, chopped and cleared land, raised flax, purchased sheep, and Drusilla spun and wove, or procured some other woman to weave the cloth, which she made into her husband's garments. And here they lived their laborious, thrifty, useful, honest, virtuous, true, and simple lives, through. Friends and acquaint- ances came, strangers came, Auburn became settled, populous. The woods dis- appeared, and framed houses were erected. Prosperity attended industry, and wealth came with thrift; and the Crafts with children about them, honored and respected, grew to middle life, old age, and died, honored and greatly esteemed.

The acquisitions of Mr. Craft were the pure fruit of industry, economy, and thrift. Labor was the true foundation of all wealth. He had no faith in specu- lation, nor any taste for it; nor would he have expected the proceeds of a lucky hit would become the stable source of profit. It did not accord with his philoso- phy of life. He so managed his business as to never have occasion for the counsel of a lawyer, and left a large property,-much as General Jackson said he left the people and government of the United States : " free from debt, prosperous, and happy." The son of the first marriage, Daniel Craft, resides in Troy.

Of the children of the second,-Jerry Craft, born October 28, 1816, lives in Hiram, Portage county ; Almira, born October 26, 1819, resides in Auburn ; Edward, born August 22, 1822, lives on the homestead; his wife is Helen, daughter of Seth Johnson, of' Newbury (see the Johnson history of Newbury) ; Hosea, born May 15, 1824, lives in Michigan; Evelina, born May 19, 1826, lives in Parkman.

The Crafts and their numerous kindred are a vigorous, hardy, sensible race of people, who fill well their places in life.

W. H. MILLS.

We are now about to chronicle a few events in the life of W. H. Mills, an old and honored resident of Auburn township. The present subject of our sketch was born in Nelson, Portage county, Ohio, Aug. 23, 1807, and was the fifth child of Asahel and Cynthia Wright Mills. On the death of his mother, Jan. 21, 1812, being thus left motherless at the tender age of seven, he became an inmate of the family of Judge Elias Harmon, of Mantua, with whom he lived during his minority. On March 15, 1832, he was joined in the holy bonds of matrimony to Miss Sarah Granger, of Ashtabula, Ohio, with whom he has since lived, mutually sharing their joys and sorrows, prosperities and adversities, until the present day. About four weeks after his marriage, Mr. Mills, with his young wife, made a short wedding tour over into Auburn township, where he located in the then unbroken wilderness; the trip was made with an ox-team and stone-boat, and wife and goods were all landed safely on the farm upon which he now lives. By a diligent use of the axe and ox-team that wilderness has long since blos- somed like the rose, and peace and plenty crowned the board. Mr. and Mrs. Mills are the parents of two children, Francis Harvey, whose farm joins that of his father, and Mary H., who died young. And now, after threescore years and ten have passed, and the sear and yellow leaf has graced his brow, we meet him to-day in the old home, a view of which may be seen in this book, looking the picture of content and plenty. Mr. Mills has never united with any church organization, and, to use his language, he can't tell whether it is better for the church and worse for him, or worse for the church and better for him.

Asahel Mills, father of Homer, was born March 28, 1775; died October 3, 1831. His wife, Cynthia Wright, died January 12, 1812.

MUNSON TOWNSHIP.

ORIGINALLY the township was called McDonough. The name was given it by Messrs. Carey, Hotchkiss & Boone, who purchased the south tract not long after the battle of Plattsburg. In 1817, McDonough and Canton (Claridon) were or- ganized by the county commissioners a civil township, with the name of Burling- ton. In 1820 or 1821, at the raising of the first framed house, that of Elijah Hovey, the people assembled, voted to change the name to Munson, after the town of the proprietor's Massachusetts residence, which is spelled Monson. The com- missioners accepted this as the name. It lies next south of Chardon, with New- bury still south of it. Claridon lies east, and Chester west of it. On the map of the Western Reserve it is township eight, range eight. Its business point, south and west of the centre, is Fowler's mills.

With two considerable streams, Munson is one of the best-watered sections of the county. Bass lake, as it is now called, is a considerable body of water in the northeast part, with low-lying shores and bordering narrow marshes. It receives five or six small streams, nearly all rising within the township. From its south- westerly angle flows a considerable branch of the Chagrin, which, after receiving several small confluents, passes out of the township across the south line a little east of the southwest corner, making one or two water-powers, at one of which are Fowler's mills. Another, the eastern branch of the Chagrin, rises, by various small branches, in the northwest part, passes along the western border of Chardon, and flows northwesterly. Butternut creek rises in the eastern margin, gathers up two or three tributaries, flows east into the western branch of the Cuyahoga.

The lake is a rare and beautiful sheet of water, only rivaled by Punderson's

pond, in Newbury. Its outlet is an attractive stream, and these, together with other features renders the surface of the township one of great variety and attrac- tion, the numerous streams giving the charm of several very pleasant valleys.

While the township has the prevailing qualities of the county, much of its lands along the streams are of a fertility unsurpassed by any, and equal to the best in Auburn and Troy, though the township generally is not above the average. The common flora of northern Ohio had specimens in the Munson woods, some varieties, as the black-walnut and cherry, were of the finest growth, and many clumps of the now extinct paw-paw were found nurturing its rare fruit on the rich alluvium of her water-courses.

Before the land was occupied, three roads traversed the unnamed township. The first, from Burton to Cleveland, starting at Beard's mill, running west by north, crossed Maple hill where it now does, but the Chagrin at a point below the present crossing. The second, from Chardon to Ravenna, running through or near the east line, and never changed. The third, from Chardon to Chester, long since discontinued, save a short section, which coincided with a later east and west road.

SETTLEMENT, 1816.

However inviting, Munson was among the later settled, dating nearly with Russell and Montville in this respect. Samuel Hopson is the conceded first settler. He built the first cabin in the summer of 1816. Hopson was one of the earlier settlers of Burton, removed from there to Mesopotamia, where he remained two years, when he penetrated the Munson woods, built his cabin, in which he placed

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his family the autumn following. This first white man's residence stood some thirty rods in the rear of the present residence of Thomas Carroll, a mile or 80 southwest of the centre. His family consisted of a wife and four sons. He was a man of note in those days. For many years he had the agency of the lands of Titus Street, a proprietor of the township, until he was superseded by Sea- bury Ford. His name occurs among the supervisors elected for Burlington, in April, 1817, was the first justice of the peace, was an intelligent, hospitable man, a member of the Presbyterian church, well to do, and died about the year 1840, followed by his wife two or three years later. His sons' names are Lucien, Addison, Calvin, and Samuel P. A daughter was born to him two years after settling in Munson. Samuel P. removed to Mississippi, and was engaged in devising means for the destruction of the " northern hordes" in the first years of the Rebellion .* The rest of the family have disappeared from the vicinity of their Munson residence.

Lemuel Rider also became a settler in Munson, in 1816. A native of Con- necticut, a resident of Vermont, a rover on the seas as a cabin boy in his youth, which he quit on reaching manhood. Being a sensible man, he came to Munson, and took up six hundred acres of land on the north line, in section one. He drove in a team of oxen, brought his wife and five children,-William, Betsey, Stephen, Adna, and Edward. Four were born to the parents later,-Laura, Truman, Lemuel, and Culvin. Of these, Edward is now a resident of Mentor ; Adna, wife of Albert Hoyt, resides in Stockton, Illinois; Lemuel also in Mentor; and Calvin on the homestead, only survive. Lemuel, Sr., died in June, 1848, aged seventy-two years, and his widow in February, 1872, aged ninety. They were buried in a family burying-place on the farm owned by Edward. Lemuel Rider was a useful man in his day. He collected the waters of several springs, formed a water-power, and set up a grist-mill and carding-machine in 1822. These important structures were many years since destroyed by fire, of unknown origin.

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History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio, Part 77

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

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