USA > Ohio > Huron County > History of Huron County, Ohio, Its Progress and Development, Volume I > Part 16
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It is bounded on the north by Erie county, on the east by Lorain and Ashland. on the south by Ashland, Richland and Crawford and on the west by Seneca and Sandusky counties. It has nineteen townships, as follows: Wakeman, Clarks- field, New London, Townsend, Hartland, Fitchville, Greenwich, Norwalk, Bronson, Fairfield, Ripley, Ridgefield, Peru, Greenfield, New Haven, Lyme, Sherman, Nor- wich and Richmond.
As the county is now constructed it seems strange that Norwalk. the county seat. should be located so near to the northern boundary. It must be remembered that when the county seat was located at Norwalk, Erie county was then a part of Huron county, and when the division was made the northern boundary came very close to Norwalk. For many years the settlers in the southern and central parts of the county had hopes that the county seat would some day be removed to North Fairfield. And when the Clinton Air Line Railway was in course of construction, bright visions of a magnificent courthouse sprang up before them. But when the railroad project failed their cherished hopes were blasted and their spirits died within them. North Fairfield now has a trolley line and the people are measur- ably happy.
Settlements were made in some of the townships as early as 1810, but it was from that time until 1825 before settlements were made in all of the townships, Ripley and Richmond being the last on the list. Greenwich township was settled in 1817.
The first authentic census of the county I have been able to find was taken by townships in 1827 and shows the county at that time to have a population of nine thousand, one hundred and ten as against a population of thirty-two thousand, three hundred and thirty in 1900.
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PICTURESQUE CLARKSFIELD
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A large majority of the early settlers of Huron county like those of other parts of the Western Reserve were of Connecticut birth. This gave a fixed character to the inhabitants. The old stock has given way to younger generations, but the same traits of character remain unchanged to any great extent. It is therefore not strange that many of the people of the county today are so nearly like, in many ways, the people of the Wooden Nutmeg State.
The early settlers of Huron county were a good people; generally speaking I believe they were Christians, yet they indulged in habits that didn't unchristianize them then, but would do so now. I refer to the use of strong drink. Everybody drank then. Even preachers imbibed and nothing was thought of it. But if a preacher used it as a beverage now he would lose his ministerial standing and pastorate as soon as the fact was known. I am speaking of Huron county. Whis- key was regarded as one of the necessary adjuncts of a log-rolling or a house- raising. No one dared for several years to undertake either without having the well filled jug in evidence. But the time came when the Yankee settler was con- vinced that the use of whiskey, even on these occasions, was evil and only evil and determined to put it away. But he thought of his slashing covered with logs ready to be put into heaps to burn, and his log barn which he could not get along without, yet, true to his convictions, when the invitations to his log rolling or raising went out, he said "no whiskey." He was told that his logs would not be rolled nor his building raised but they were, possibly with less help, but we venture with more safety. So the time honored custom was gradually wiped out and today the whis- key jug is not a drawing card, especially to the rural people of our county.
It is difficult for us to understand the trials and hardships that the pioneers of this county had to undergo in a journey from the east to this place. No public conveyances, no railroads, and even the stage coach was only thought of as a future possibility. The journey then required weeks and sometimes months, and was supposed to be full of danger from start to finish, and the danger was not over when here for the country was infested with wild animals while roving bands of Indians were a menace to the lives of the early settlers. In view of these facts we do not wonder that the "good-byes" were often pathetic in the extreme.
A lady and her husband emigrated to Huron county in 1829 and settled in Ripley township where they builded for themselves a home which they occupied until called to the one not made with hands. I have a letter in my possession bearing date of November 26, 1829, written by this lady to her friends in the east, after she was settled in her little log cabin in her Huron county home. In this she recounts the sad partings from her friends, the trials and perils of her journey and the hardships attendant on the beginning in those days of a home in the woods. Seventy-five years later a granddaughter of this lady went 'round the world with less misgivings and forebodings on the part of herself and friends.
The Indians frequently committed depredations and the lives of the settlers that came within their power were not always safe. A true incident which oc- curred in another part of the county illustrates what I mean. The story is of a woman, and I have it from her own lips, who was alone in her cabin one bright day and while seated at her little wheel spinning an Indian came in at the open door and stepping to her side with raised tomahawk, said in his broken English, "Me tomahawk you." The lady made no outcry and her wheel kept running, but the
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Indian who regarded the situation as one of bravery on the part of the woman said, "brave woman, me no tomahawk you." The Indian left the cabin and the woman was unharmed save a bad scare. The settlers most of all feared the wild animals and the Indians, now the fear of the country people is about equally di- vided between the lightning rod agent and all other members of that family, the trolley car and the automobile.
The spinning wheel was a necessity and used in every household, but now if in the house at all it is stowed away in the garret out of sight or in the parlor as an ornament, according to the taste of the owner.
The food of the settler was of the plainest kind, consisting chiefly of mush and milk, Johnny cake or bread of coarsely ground flour or meal. Venison was common and a little later on shack fatted pork was not hard to obtain. In the course of time more dainty dishes were in evidence, especially for company. The following incident occurred about this time, if it ever did occur :
A young man called unexpectedly on his best girl. The evening family meal was about ready, but now that they had company something better must be pre- pared, so the mush and milk were set aside. When supper was called the young man was asked to say grace and this is what he said: "The Lord be praised how I'm amazed to see how things have mended ; short-cake and tea for supper I see, where mush and milk were intended."
Dogs did not figure in the carly history of the county for then they were not taxed, so we have no means of knowing how many there were, but according to the auditor's late report there are now one thousand, one hundred and ten. It is fair to presume, however, that some got away just before the assessor made his rounds.
Then there were no railroads, now there are one hundred and sixty miles of main track and ninety-eight miles of siding, making a total of two hundred and fifty-eight miles, with a valuation of two million, four hundred and ninety thous- and dollars, which brings a revenue to the county by way of taxes of fifty-two thousand, two hundred and four dollars.
Money was scarce among the early settlers and hard to get. About the only money crop was black salts or potash. This was made from ashes obtained by the burning of leg heaps and had a market value. Now our money comes through other and various sources. Then the matter of postage was burdensome to the settlers, sometimes being as high as twenty-five cents per letter. Now two cents will carry a letter anywhere within the domains of "Uncle Sam." Besides we have free rural mail delivery, which was not even in the dreams of the early set- tler. Then telegraphs and telephones were unknown, now they are so common and useful that they have long since ceased to be a novelty.
The observance of Christmas time was brought to this county by the early pioneers. The children were not forgotten on these occasions. I fancy I see a row of little stockings hanging in the little log cabin in the woods. They hang near the fire-place to be convenient for Santa Claus who was supposed to come down the chimney. Stockings are hung now and filled with gifts more elaborate and costly, yet the children then were no less happy than now.
Sometimes sadness comes to our homes even on these occasions ; now more frequently than then because there are more chances for accidents. A little boy
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in Cleveland on the day before last Christmas went shopping for Christmas toys. On his return home in getting off the car in some way he fell under the wheels which crushed his lower limbs and otherwise severely injured him. As they picked him up he said, "I'm killed, I'm killed," but raising one hand, in which he tightly held a little cart, he said, "This is for brother Willie; give it to him and tell him I bought it for him."
It must be remembered that Huron county was heavily timbered and a portion of which must be cleared away before even the cabin of the settler could be erected ; then, acre after acre must be cleared for the growing of crops. From our point of view this would seem like a Herculean task and but few if any of our young people today would have the courage to undertake it. But the heroes and heroines of nearly a hundred years ago labored on overcoming obstacle after ob- stacle and as a result of their well directed efforts we have today fertile farms, pleasant and happy homes dotted all over Huron county. We owe a debt of grati- tude to these people the fruits of whose efforts we so richly enjoy.
MEMORIAL DAY MUSINGS.
The graves of soldiers are, in a certain sense, like those of the saints, on an equality. The place where an officer is buried, like that of a private, is simply the grave of a soldier. Death obliterates all rank, class and distinction. The grave of an humble christian is on an equality with that of a prelate, for-"The graves of all His saints He blest." While in death all are equal, each while living has his individual part and place.
Upon a bloody page of history is recorded American bravery and devotion to principle excelled nowhere else in the annals of the world. It is the story of the Alamo. For several days the Mexican army under Santa Ana had bom- barded the fortress, and on February 23, 1836, the Alamo was stormed-four thousand infuriated Mexicans against one hundred and eighty-three Americans (Texan patriots). Charge after charge had been repelled and for every pa- triot killed, a dozen Mexicans bit the dust. When the Mexicans entered the last enclosure, but six of the defenders of the Alamo were alive-Crockett and five of his comrades. Santa Ana's chief of staff then implored Crockett to surrender and thus spare the lives of his comrades and himself. But Crockett would not surrender. And when the Mexicans made the final charge, the last man of the little band of patriots was shot down. The Alamo was taken, but its capture cost Santa Ana one thousand and five hundred of his army of four thousand men.
Every man of the little American band of the defenders of the Alamo died at his post. Thermopyla had its messenger of defeat-the Alamo had none.
"Remember the Alamo," was the rallying cry of the Texan patriots when General Houston defeated Santa Ana at Jacinto, which victory assured the in- dependence of Texas and its annexation to the American Union.
Gen. Sam Houston, in after years, in a speech at San Antonio, said that. "Whatever state gave us birth, we have one native land and one flag." This patriotic sentiment struck a responsive chord in the vast audience before him, and as the American flag was displayed from the Alamo, thousands of smaller flags were waved-the greatest flag scene in American history. The thunder of
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cannon was answered by the thunder of voices and the clapping of hands. In answer to this demonstration, Governor Houston said: "Far off, far off, yet louder than any noise on earth, I hear from the dead years and the dead heroes of the Alamo the hurrahing of spirit-voices and the clapping of unseen hands."
Patriotism has ages for its own, and the history of heroic deeds lives after nations perish.
There was a law in ancient Greece that "He that receives his death while fighting in the front battle shall have an annual oration spoken in his honor." But Americans need no decree to honor their soldier dead. Prompted by the fulness of grateful hearts they decorate their graves each returning May time. No matter if those graves are beneath the sleeping shadows of the pines or be- neath the sun-kissed verdure of unsheltered sod, whether in the beautiful ceme- teries of the North, or whether they are simply unmarked graves in the chastened South, or in the islands of the sea, whether the storms rage over them or whether the birds fill the air with the melody of their songs, the hallowed graves of American soldiers are everywhere revered and honored.
WAR EVENTS AND INCIDENTS.
The first battle of the civil war was fought at Phillippi, West Virginia, June 3, 1861. In that engagement the Union troops, under command of Colonel Kelley, defeated the rebels, killing fifteen of their men. While this battle was comparatively small in the number of men engaged, it was of great importance in shaping the events which followed and occupies a conspicuous place in the history of the war of the rebellion. The victory there won was as inspiring to the North as it was discouraging to the South.
Phillippi is an historical name. This is not the Phillippi where Brutus fell, but the Phillippi where the Union troops conquered. There was a Scotch tra- dition that-
"Which spills the foremost foeman's life, That party conquers in the strife."
The fate of the battle was often anticipated in the imagination of the com- batants by observing which party first shed blood. It is said that the Highlanders under Montrose were so deeply imbued with this notion, that on the morning of the battle of Tippermoor, they murdered a defenseless herdsman, whom they found in the fields, merely to secure an advantage which they thought was of so much consequence to their party. They also believed that the fate of a war hung upon the result of its first battle. This Scottish tradition was verified in the Ameri- can war of the rebellion, as it had frequently been in the clannish contests be- tween the Highlanders and Lowlanders of Scotland centuries ago.
The day following the morning after the battle of Phillippi a captain of the Fifteenth Ohio Infantry had charge of the troops picketing one of the roads. .with instructions to arrest any person who attempted to enter or leave the town. While the people of that vicinity knew that Colonel Potterfield and his rebel force were stationed at Phillippi, and that the Union troops were in possession of Graf- ton, and that the armies being so near to each other a battle might be expected at any time, when the cannonading began at early dawn upon the 3rd day of
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June, it awakened the country people of Barbour county as they had never been aroused before. After the noise and smoke of battle had ceased and passed away, men attempted to go to town to learn the result. In so doing, twenty-three men were placed under arrest by the Richland. county officer before mentioned. The officer took his prisoners into the town and reported at headquarters. He was ordered to take them out and have them shot. War business was new to all then, and there had been no time to learn the rules, regulations and laws govern- ing the same. This order seemed an unnecessarily murderous one, and the young captain was reluctant to carry it into execution. Then his knowledge of the law came to his relief, that although he had been ordered to have the men shot, no time had been set for the execution. Therefore, he concluded to defer carrying out the order, hoping to have it revoked. It happened during the day that a higher officer took command at Phillippi, to whom the Richland county captain presented the case and the order was revoked and the prisoners were permitted to return to their homes.
It was fortunate for those prisoners that the Richland county captain was .a gentleman of humane feeling. Some officers might have hastily executed the order without an effort to have it reconsidered and recalled.
A story is told that early in the eighteenth century, in a Scotch camp, an orderly who had charge of burying the dead after a battle, reported to the young laird of Lochnow, who was in command, saluted and said: "Sir, there is a heap of fellows lying out yonder who say they are only wounded and won't let us bury them like the rest. What shall we do?"
"Bury them at once," replied the commander, "for if you take their word for it they won't be dead for a hundred years to come." The orderly saluted and started off to carry out the order, and the commander had to dispatch a counter order in haste to prevent his joke from becoming a tragedy.
Another incident has been given. Prisoners were once brought before Sir William Howard, who was an enthusiastic mathematician. Sir William was deep in his studies when the prisoners were marched into the castle court yard, and a lieutenant ran in to get orders for their disposal. Enraged at being interrupted in his studies, Sir William exclaimed, "Hang the prisoners!" and went on with his work. After he had finished his problem he went down to learn about the prisoners and with what they had been charged, and was horrified to learn that his exclamation, "Hang the prisoners," had been taken for an order and that the prisoners had all been executed.
A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.
A Huron county romance in real life, although ungarnished in the narration, may be more interesting to many readers than would be an embellished tale of foreign fiction.
Thomas Ream and Kathryn Rolfe were children and schoolmates in the ante- bellum years and their parents were neighbors and owned farms in one of the most beautiful townships of Huron county.
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The children were friends from their infancy. Their confidence in and attach- ment for each other showed the beauty of that faith and love which sometimes sets two hearts voyaging on the wondrous sea of the future.
Thomas was born in 1840 and Kathryn a few years later. A school incident occurred in the winter of 1850 that was as amusing to the scholars as it was embarrassing to Thomas and Kathryn. He had written her a note which was against the rules of the school, and being intercepted by the teacher, was read aloud, as follows :
"Dear Kate: I take my pen in hand to inform you that I slipped a big red apple in your dinner basket and when you eat it please think of me.
The pizen vine climbs a holler stump, And you are as sweet as a sugar lump. Your lover, TOM.
The scholars laughed when this was read, which the teacher thought was the proper thing for them to do, but Kate cried and Tom looked defiant. However, the incident only drew them closer in the bonds of affections and increased their attachment for each other.
Those were the good old school days of a generation agone, when children went to school to work-to study and to recite-with corn-pone and spare-ribs for a noonday lunch, with an occasional recreation of an hour on the dunce block, for discarding "thumb-papers" and soiling books, or for other acts of omission or commission.
"Oh were you ne'er a schoolboy, And did you never train To feel that welting on the back You hope ne'er to feel again!"
Thomas was a bright, capable boy, and his parents intended him for one of the learned professions. But how differently things turn out often from what was intended-how people are moulded and changed by circumstances and events !
The memorable spring of 1861 ushered in the great war of the rebellion, just as Thomas was preparing to enter an eastern college. The patriotic blood of a revolutionary ancestry flowed warmly through Thomas' veins, and he promptly responded to his country's call for troops to defend its flag. That war is long since a thing of the past, and since then the north and the south have marched together against a common foe, and step by step have kept time to the mingled notes of the "Star Spangled Banner" and "Dixie," blending into the noblest battle hymn that ever thrilled and inspired soldiers to deeds immortal.
Thomas was one of the first to enlist and in a few days he must leave for the front. But first he must bid Kathryn good-bye, and felt as though he could not leave until he first had an open avowal of the love he knew to be his. He called at the house, but was informed that Kathryn had gone down the gravelled
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walk towards the stream. He followed and found her sitting upon the bank, looking pensively over the sparkling waters of the Huron river, as they rippled over the pebbled bottom and coursed gracefully with a musical murmur between the green banks.
There was a sadness in the greeting of these young people, for each felt that that was their last meeting-at least for years. They talked at first upon indifferent topics, each dreading to mention the subject of the war, and as he sat and watched her sweet face in a fading sunlight, he almost regretted that he had placed himself in a position that forced him to leave her. The sunset faded out and the moon threw the shadows of the trees at their feet, and a spell of peace seemed to hover over the earth, making them almost forgetful of the coming war and of the uncertainties of the future.
Love interviews, proposals and betrothals are difficult to narrate and de- scribe, especially by one who has never passed through nor witnessed such scenes ; therefore, suffice to state sententiously that ere this couple parted, they were en- gaged, looking forward to their marriage at the close of the war. And thus they separated, she to go to her quiet home, he to take his place in the grand army of the Union, as it went forth to put down the rebellion. Six years later Thomas and Kathryn met again, but under unlooked-for circumstances and conditions.
In one of the great battles of the war, Thomas was wounded, captured and confined for two years in a southern prison and for many months all his friends in the north knew of him was that he was among the "missing."
During the interim, other trouble was added to Kathryn's sorrow. Her father's health failed, and a change of climate-a trip to California-was recom- mended. Kathryn was to go with him and this, she felt, would place her farther from her soldier-lover, whom she confidently believed still lived, and as she pre- pared for the journey, she hoped each evening that word would come from him on the morrow. But none came, and it was months after she was on the Pacific coast ere news reached Farmer Ream that his son was in Libby prison. But Thomas lived through that terrible imprisonment, was finally exchanged, took his place again in the ranks and served from the beginning to the end of the war.
If Thomas ever wrote to Kathryn after he was taken prisoner, she never received his letters and time and events drifted them from each other and kept them apart.
Kathryn's father's health came back to him and he concluded to make Cali- fornia his permanent home, and while the daughter rejoiced over her father's restoration, she still grieved for her lover and was in doubt and suspense as to his fate. She, however, found comfort in her household cares and consolation in the observance of her Christian duties. She regularly attended religious serv- ice and one summer evening she was especially devout, and as she looked at the cross, the chancel lights seemed like resplendent stars casting a halo of glory upon the altar. She knelt and worshipped, forgetful of earthly cares and of earthly sorrow. But, presently she was startled, imagining she heard her lover's voice in the litany responses. In vain she looked over the small congregation, but he was not there. She then realized it was only a fancy or delusion caused by the mind being over-strained with anxiety and suspense-an auricular phan- tasm resultant from tense of brain and nerve.
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After four years of war peace came again to the land, and the boys in blue came "marching home." Thomas was with the number and was the hero of that neighborhood, and was loved by the young maidens for the dangers he had passed.
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