History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio, Part 92

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

USA > Ohio > Lake County > History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio > Part 92
USA > Ohio > Geauga County > History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio > Part 92

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).

Mr. Wood became a member of the society of Free Masons in the year 1822, in old Temple Lodge, then located at Unionville, and continued through life a prominent and influential member. He was buried under the auspices of the order, a large concourse of the fraternity from adjoining lodges being in attend- ance at the burial.

He was a member of the Democratic party, and prided himself on being a Douglas man. Eminently public-spirited; he was foremost in everything tending to the growth of the village which was his adopted home. He was a man honest, upright, conscientious, a true friend, a kind husband, and an affectionate father.

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CONCORD TOWNSHIP.

NUMBER ten of the eighth range, as the township is designated on the county records, was in the drawing of the lands by the Connecticut Land Company, divided into tracts, and these were added to such townships as were considered of less than the average value.

SURFACE, SOIL, AND WATER-COURSES.

Concord township presents a general broken, and for the greater part, hilly appearance. On that portion designated by residents as the " Chestnut ridge" the soil is gravelly and highly productive. In the northern part is another ele- vation known generally, we believe, as " Johnny-cake ridge." Here the soil is of the sandy nature, which predominates to a certain extent in all the lake towns of Lake County. Concord is traversed by numerous small streams. Kellogg creek, the greater of these rivers in the southern portion of the township, flows a northeastern direction, emptying its waters into Grand river, in Painesville township. Big creek has its rise in Chardon, enters Concord some fourth of a mile from the southeast corner, and after many tortuous windings reaches the river at or near the same point as the former creek. Both these streams afford water-powers which have been fully improved.

SETTLEMENT.

We are unable to ascertain to a certainty who were the pioneer settlers of Con- cord township; from the recollection of descendants we gleam the following of the earlier settlers, and in some instances the later emigrants are yet living and gave us the data personally. In the spring of the year 1802 William Jordan, of Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, arrived in the township of Concord, purchased one hundred acres of land in lot No. 10 (now owned by the heirs of Simeon Winchell), erected a log house thereon the following summer and sent for his family, who arrived late in the fall, transporting the necessary household goods on pack- horses, of which they had three. Some three weeks' time was consumed on the journey. The " family" consisted of a wife and eight children, of whom we learn that Margaret married Clark Parker, a pioneer of Mentor township; William, the next child, removed to Columbiana county, married, and settled there; Mary married Ralph Bacon, another Mentor pioneer; Emily married Noah Anderson ; this occurred in 1807. (Of the children of this couple two are deceased, the remainder reside, George, Seth, and Absalom in Concord, and Leonard in Paines- ville.) Hannah Jordan married Dexter Bacon, of Mentor; Thomas married Betsey Quiggle, of Hambden; Clementine died single; and Isaac, the youngest, left home some fifty years since, and nothing was ever heard from him. Of this numerous family the only one who is known to be living is Thomas, who resides in Ashland county. John Hewitt settled in Concord township as early, it is believed, as 1805. Robert Martin and Elisha Loomis about the same time; also David and Samuel Ellison, David Huston, Reuben Stockham, E. Holcomb, Asa Mallory, Roland Searls, - Creighton, and - Valkenburg. John Murray, from Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, came to Ohio to see the country in 1810, returned, was married, and late in the fall of 1811 started, with an ox- team, for Ohio again ; arriving at Beaver, Pennsylvania, his team gave out. Leaving his wife, he came on, procured teams and returned for her, and in the spring of 1812 arrived in the township of Concord, locating on the farm now owned by Thomas Murray. Reared a family of eight children, the greater part of whom yet reside in the township. Mr. Murray died in 1870. Noah Ander- son, from Canterbury, near Dover, Delaware, arrived in Concord township late in the fall of 1809. In 1811 he purchased the farm now owned by his sons, Seth and Absalom, and upon which he died, November, 1852.

The first settler upon the ridge, in Concord, was Wm. Rollin. Westley Trow- bridge now owns this farm. Spencer Phelps removed from Le Roy, and settled in Concord in 1811, also on the ridge; the farm upon which he located is now owned by William Merrill. In June, 1817, George Mitchell, from Madison county, New York, arrived in the township and located on lot No. 9. He still resides in the township, and is hale and hearty, although eighty-one years of age. Hosea Brown, originally from Massachusetts, located in Concord in the early summer of 1817. His family at this time consisted of a wife and five children (five children were born in Concord). He purchased two hundred acres of land in lots Nos. 5 and 16, and remained upon it until his death, December, 1859. The mother died some

two years previous. Of this numerous family but four are now living in the town- ship. These are Abigail, Searles, Elijah H. (who occupies the old homestead), Hosea and Alvah T., a view of whose farm is given in another part of this work. Simeon Winchell, of Litchfield county, Connecticut, settled in Concord, on the farm now owned by the youngest daughter, Jannette. This was in the fall of 1817. He died in August, 1847.

Wm. B. Jenkins came from Ware, Massachusetts, to Ohio in 1815, and settled in Concord in an early day. Joseph Tuttle, to whom we are indebted for many items of early history, was born in Oneida county, New York, in 1796. He came to Ohio with his parents and located in Palmyra, now Portage county, in 1807, remained there two years and returned. Hezekiah Woodruff emigrated from Connecticut, Oct. 10, 1822, and arrived at the Winchell farm in Concord November 15 following. Search was immediately instituted for the land he had purchased, and with the assistance of Judge Kerr, at that time a surveyor living in Paines- ville, the location was ascertained to be in that most fertile and delightful spot now known as Woodruff's Corners.

Truman Griswold, born in Litchfield county, Connecticut, 1776, removed to New Lisbon, Otsego county, New York; married Rachel Darrow; located in Mentor in 1810 (now Concord), near west line, on old stage road ; had five chil- dren ; one, Eliza (deceased), Isaac D. and Hannah M. (twins). The former mar- ried Mary Foster ; lives in Chardon, near Little Mountain. Hannah married Nathan P. Goodell; Hiram (died); Caroline married Charles Tuttle, lives in Painesville, with son, A. D. Tuttle. (See her history of grandfather Tuttle.) Chil- dren born in Ohio: Henry married Betsey Ackley (deceased) ; Amanda, single, lives with her brother Isaac; William married Ellen Fox, lives in Mentor ; Emily, single, lives in Painesville. Mrs. Griswold died in April, 1823, and Mr. Griswold married Polly Emerson, had three children,-Miranda, Elvira, and Osborne,-all living. Mr. Griswold was a successful hunter, trapping wolves, bears, etc. ; was a hard-working, honest man. Died in the fall of 1855.

In about 1820, Jacob Morse, from Boston, Massachusetts, located in Concord, and in 1826 erected on Jordan creek the tannery at present operated by his son and grandson, under the firm-name of J. Morse & Son. In 1852 the buildings were added to, and in 1871 they were further improved, a fifteen horse-power engine and the machinery necessary for its successful operation being added. The buildings now cover a space sixty by eighty feet. There are twenty-six vats. Four workmen are kept in constant employment. The annual business is sixteen hundred heavy hides and four hundred calf-skins. About two-thirds of the former are finished as harness-leather, the balance marketed in Boston in the rough. The total capital invested at present in buildings, machinery, and real estate is six thousand dollars.

John Taylor, an early settler in Concord, was a native of Ireland, and emigrated to the United States when nine years of age, landing at Boston prior to the Rev- olution. From there he traveled to Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and, after a residence in that State, although in different portions of it, removed to Concord, arriving in the spring of 1815, and settling where widow Flavin now resides. He sold this farm in 1832, and moved to Monroe county, Michigan, where he died about ten years afterwards. While residing in Pennsylvania he was married to Polly Reed, and he became the father of seven children, of whom two are living, Samuel and John R. The latter resides in Monroe county, Michigan, and the former in Le Roy, in the eighty-first year of his age. He was born in Frank- lin county, Pennsylvania, June 25, 1798. He was united in marriage, in Sep- tember, 1827, to Mary Wedge, who was born January 25, 1808, in Hamilton, Upper Canada. They became the parents of eleven children, seven of whom, the following named, survive: Andrew J., born May 30, 1828, now a resident of Lorain county, Ohio; Edwin W., born January 12, 1830, lives in Le Roy ; Rhoda, born May 18, 1831, became the wife of Cyrus Huston, deceased. The widow resides in Nebraska ; Corolyn, born February 22, 1835, married George Huy, and now lives in Minnesota; Samuel W., born May 3, 1837, lives in Ne- braska; Lucy L., born May 19, 1843, is the wife of E. G. Huntoon, and is a resident of Madison ; Lorin G., born February 17, 1848, lives in Concord.

Without doubt the first dwelling-place erected by a white man within the limits of the present township of Concord was on lot No. 8, tract one, and now generally remembered as " Perkins' camp." General Perkins, when he came into

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HISTORY OF GEAUGA AND LAKE COUNTIES, OHIO.

the township to make the necessary surveys, must needs have an abiding-place, and soon constructed a log house, which was occupied by him and his force until they had completed their undertaking. This building was afterwards occupied for elections and public meetings. The ground upon which it stood is about all that now remains.

SCHOOLS.

We have been unable to obtain much information of the pioneer schools of Concord. Mr. Murray states that the first school-house was erected, he is quite positive, in the spring of the year 1815. Its location was on lot No. 4, now owned by Hugh Doran, the house standing perhaps twenty-five rods northeast of his present dwelling. The summer subsequent to its erection a term was taught by Miss Lorena Hulbert, of Thompson. In about the year 1825 a house was built for school purposes of sawed material; this stood on the site now occupied by the town hall.

CHURCHES.

December 29, 1834, a meeting was held at the school-house at Wilson's Corners, and a church of the Congregational belief was organized. The following are the original members: John and Sarah Murray, Luman and Ann Whiting, S. C. Smith, Willis and Icy Woodruff, Mr. and Sally Hayden, Levi Leonard, Mrs. Merrill, Francis M. Leonard, Miss Caltha Whiting, and Alpheus Morrill. The Revs. Pepoon, Witter, and Austin were present on the occasion. February 8, 1835, seventeen members were admitted. The Rev. Job Broughton was the first resident minister. We find no record of this church later than February, 1845. These meetings were held from its organization in the school-house at Wilson's Corners. Gradually the membership diminished, until at a period not far re- moved from the above date services were entirely discontinued.

In the year 1818 was organized, by the Rev. Ira Eddy, a class of the Metho- dist Episcopal church, which was the first religious organization in Concord township. There were but five members, as follows: Lemuel Baldwin, leader ; Asa and Mrs. Mallory, Caroline Clark, and Simeon Winchell. Services were held at the time, and until the erection of a church, first in a small log school- house, which stood northeast of the present church, and afterwards in the frame school-house. In the year 1839 a small frame building was erected on the site of the present church. In this meetings were held until 1874, when the neat church edifice was completed, the cost of which was twenty-seven hundred dollars. This church has a membership numbering something over forty, and a flourishing Sabbath-school. The Rev. Mr. Shafer, of Thompson, is the minister in charge.

The first record we find of a post-office was April 1, 1824. Zenas Wilson was postmaster at that time, and paid the department, as the earnings of the office for the quarter last past, fifty-three cents. Mr. Wilson was succeeded as post- master by Dr. Morrell, and he in turn by Wilson again. The present postmaster is Roswell Burr, who succeeded Mr. Wilson in 1846. The office is kept at Wilson's Corners, near the centre of the township.

The first grist-mill in the township of Concord was erected by William Jordan in the year 1803. The building was of logs, and was located on a trib- utary of Big creek, which flowed through lot No. 10. The pioneer saw-mill was undoubtedly that erected and put in operation by Daniel Kellogg on the creek bearing his name, but when constructed seems past finding out. The present saw-mills are one owned by Heman Williams, and another by the heirs of Almon Church. Grandison Searles has a mill on the same stream (Big creek). 60

Thompson's chair-factory is situated on a tributary of this stream. This was built for a hoe and fork factory by Messrs. Ovett & Son. Mr. Thompson is run- ning his factory in a small way, and turns out a substantial class of work.

As these mills seem to be of historic interest, we will state that the first one on this site was erected by Robert Martin in about 1805. This was constructed of logs, and at first was owned by a number of individuals. About 1847, Jonathan Stickney came into possession, and he replaced the old mill by the present sub- stantial frame structure. Mr. Stickney also built a saw-mill at the same point. In 1853, Horace Fay became the owner, and has thoroughly refitted the mill throughout, built a new dam, etc. This mill has now three run of stone, with cus- tom and merchant patronage. The capital invested in real estate, building, etc., is ten thousand dollars. Farther up Big creek is a woolen-factory, built by Messrs. Howe & Rogers in about 1835. It is now owned by George Steele, and not in operation. In 1826 there was near the factory site a furnace, put in operation by Messrs. Fields, Stickney & Co., and was run for about ten years.

The first adult death of which we are able to learn any definite details occurred March 14, 1820, although there must have been others at a much earlier date. The deceased was the wife of Erastus Merrill (who lived on the farm now occu- pied by James Murray), and died in apparent health. There was no place of burial, and Simeon Winchell and Zenas Wilson donated a piece of ground for the purpose on lot ten. The neighbors turned out, chopped the timber, and pre- pared a place of interment. The funeral obsequies were conducted at the house of the deceased by the Rev. Mr. Loomis, of Painesville. This was the first body interred in what is now the cemetery at Wilson's Corners.

The first physician was one Dr. Dearborn, who settled at an early day, and remained a short time. Drs. Merrill, Stoddard, and Butler have practiced since in the township.

ORGANIZATION.

It was at the March meeting in 1822 ordered by the commissioners of Geauga County that so much of township number ten in the eighth range of townships in the Connecticut Western Reserve as lies within the following boundaries, to wit,-beginning on the west line of township number ten, fifty-five chains and fifty-five links south of the northwest corner thereof; thence east parallel with the north line of the township to the centre of Grand river; thence up said river, in the centre thereof, to the east line of the township; thence south on the east line of the township to the southeast corner thereof; thence west on the town- ship line to the southwest corner thereof; and thence north on township line to the place of beginning,-be set off from the township of Painesville, and erected into a separate township by the name of Concord, and that the qualified electors meet at the house of John Carrell on the first Monday of April next to elect township officers.

STATISTICS FOR 1878.

Wheat.

271 acres.

3,980 bushels.

Oats ..

495

15,419

Corn ..

423

15,163

Potatoes.

102

8,851

Orchard ..

301

2,905

Meadow

1486

1,419 tons.

Butter

26,550 pounds.

Cheese

800

Maple-sugar

4,505

The vote for President for 1876, as shown by the report of the secretary of state, was: R. B. Hayes, 150; S. J. Tilden, 34.

Population, 1870, 797.

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PERRY TOWNSHIP.

THIS is described on the records in the office of the county auditor as township No. 11 in the seventh range of the original Connecticut Western Reserve. It was one of the four townships selected by the Connecticut Land Company, prior to the drawing of the lands on the " Reserve," and was divided into one hundred lots, and these distributed among the original stockholders. The southern boundary was on a line with the northern boundary of Thompson; but as there were no bridges across Grand river, and the spring elections occurring at a time when that stream was usually swollen to a height that rendered crossing extremely difficult, that portion of Perry lying south of the river was attached to Le Roy ; this makes one of the smallest townships in Lake County.

The surface of the township is generally level, with a gradual descent from the south ridge to the lake. The extreme southern portion is irregular, with a soil in which clay is the principal element. Along the lake shore the soil is clay and sand, and the remainder is described as a sandy loam. When the first settlement was made much of the land of the central portion, a strip east and west between north and south ridge, was of a swampy nature, and was accordingly generally shunned. By a judicious system of draining the township has become one of the best in the county for agricultural purposes.

STREAMS.

As already stated, Grand river flows along the south side of the township, forming the boundary. This stream is too well known to need description. Mill creek, the next in importance, rises near the southeast corner of the township, on lot No. 42, and, flowing a general northwest course, empties into the lake near the centre of the coast-line. Another small stream has its rise on lot No. 35, and after flowing a short distance north takes a general west by northwest course, reaching Grand river in tract No. 5, Painesville township.

SETTLEMENT.

It seems beyond our power to ascertain who was the first settler in Perry township. It is quite probable, however, that Ezra Beebe is entitled to this distinction. He located in the southern portion of the township, near the river, and died soon after. The date of this settlement was prior to 1810, as was that of Lemuel Ellis, Elijah Hanks, David Allen, - Bates, and a family named Simonds.

In the fall of the year 1810, Thomas L. Wright removed from Schoharie county, New York, to Harpersfield, Ashtabula county ; thence to Perry, locating on the farm now owned by Ferdinand Haskell. He remained here some three years, when he purchased the farm adjoining that of Datus Abel, which he afterwards exchanged for that now occupied by Francis Woodhead, upon which he lived until his death.

Eleazar Parmly, Sr., originally of Connecticut, removed to Braintree, Vermont, when twenty-one years of age, and about a year subsequently married Hannah Spear. In 1811 they removed to Canada, where they remained about three years. Hannah, the fourth child and second daughter, was married to Samuel Burridge, of Moriah, Essex county, New York, in 1809. They removed to Canada also, whence they emigrated to Ohio in the year 1814, arriving in Perry in June of that year. Two years afterward Mr. Parmly, leaving his family at Buffalo, made a journey to Ohio in order to learn of the whereabouts of his daughter, from whom, owing to the condition of the country at that time, he had received no intelligence for a long period. Liking the country, he decided to settle here, and accordingly returned for his family, with whom he arrived in March, 1817. They resided for a short time on the river road, and then re- moved to the lake shore, where they made a permanent location on the lands now owned by the heirs of Jahial Parmly, deceased. In 1826, July 3, Mr. Parmly, Sr., was kicked by a horse, which resulted in his death the following day. Of the five boys, comprising one-half of the number of this interesting family, four became practitioners of dentistry, worked their way to the head of the profession, and eventually acquired great wealth. There is but one of the sons now living. This is Samuel, who resides in New York city, but annually returns to this county, and spends the summer season in the beautiful city of Painesville. Two of the daughters are also living, viz., Mrs. Hannah Burridge, in Painesville, and Mrs. Eunice Pleasants, in Perry.

Gideon Moshier and family arrived in Perry from Genesee county, New York, in 1817, purchasing the farm now owned by William Blair. It was upon this farm that Messrs. Thorndike and Drury erected the railroad furnace.

Benjamin Vesey, an early settler in Perry, emigrated from Vermont with his family, consisting of his wife and eight unmarried children. A married daugh- ter, with her husband, was also one of the party. Another married daughter arrived two or three years following. He purchased of Hugh Graham (2d) a portion of lot twenty-four and settled thereon. He died about 1827 or 1828, and his widow about 1822. Of their children only three survive, viz., James M., George W., and Jonathan. Jonathan resides on the old homestead, and is now in the eighty-second year of his age. He was married June 30, 1822, to Sophia Cone, and to them were born twelve children, five of whom are deceased. James M. and George W. reside, the former in Michigan, and the latter in Indiana.

E. C. Coltrin came into Perry about the year 1820, remained a short time, and then removed to Cuyahoga county. After residing there a few years, he re- turned to Perry and remained about ten years, when he again moved out of the township. He is at present residing in Illinois, and is about eighty-five years of age. S. P. Coltrin, his son, is a resident of Perry.

Isaac Perry came from Genesee county, New York, to Perry in 1822, and planted himself where Jahial Parmly now resides. He was united in marriage to Anna Morse, the result of which union was a family of twelve children, of whom John, Jesse, Oliver, Joshua, David, Benjamin, and Mrs. Z. P. Bennett live in Perry ; Edmund resides in Montville, and Mrs. Robert Smith in Thomp- son, Geauga County, Mrs. Parvis Cole in Painesville, and Thomas in Madison. Sally is deceased. Mr. Perry died some sixteen years since, and his widow about ten.

Moses Hurlburt emigrated from Braintree, Vermont, to Perry in 1816. He and his family (wife and one child) came with the family of Eleazar Parmly, the father of Mrs. Hurlburt, as far as Buffalo. Here they separated, Hurlburt and family going to Pittsburg to visit a brother, after which they came to Perry, he traveling on foot, and she with the child on horseback. They settled on the lake shore, near Eleazar Parmly. He used nearly all the means he possessed at that time in the purchase of a lake-vessel, the " Eagle," which, in 1820, went to the bottom of the lake, near Fairport. This was a severe loss to him. His wife died in Perry in 1826, and he in Iowa in the year 1864, his death being caused by an accident at the age of eighty-one. His family consisted of four children. Han- nah became the wife of Royal Gurley, of New York city; she is a widow, and now lives in Painesville; Elizabeth is dead; George lives in Perry, as also does Jahial, of whom we speak more fully in a biographical sketch.

John McMurphy, prior to his majority, with a friend, a young man, emigrated from New Hampshire to Genesee county, New York (whither his father had pre- ceded him), in about the year 1815. Here he remained four years, and then alone set out for the Western Reserve, arriving in Perry in August, 1819, he being then twenty-one years of age. During the journey by boat from Buffalo to Fairport he became acquainted with a gentleman who was then a resident of Perry (Daniel Olds) who owned a tavern on the south ridge. He accompanied Mr. Olds to his home, spending his first night in Ohio there, and the next day hired out to him, and continued to work for him for about two years. He then, in 1823, married Harriet, daughter of Henry Weaver, who was the first post- master in Perry, and a few months afterwards purchased a farm-the central portion of lot twenty-nine of forty acres; erected thereon a log house, and went to housekeeping. He contiued to reside here for about ten years, and then, sell- ing this, bought the farm on which he now lives. He is now eighty years of age, and his wife seventy-three. Of eight children, two (Mrs. David Vesey and Mrs. Henry Abels) reside in Perry ; three, Henry, Mrs. Caleb Ford, and Catharine (widow of Sylvester Colwell), live in Wisconsin; Edwin F., in Missouri; and Caroline, in Painesville, unmarried. A daughter, Lucy, died a few years since.

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History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio, Part 92

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

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