USA > Ohio > Huron County > History of Huron County, Ohio, Its Progress and Development, Volume I > Part 20
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THE FIRST FRAME BUILDING.
The first frame building on the Sandusky county side, was erected by Chapman & Amsden, on the ground where the Bellevue bank now stands, and was used by them as a store, T. G. Amsden using the upper portion of this building as a dwelling house. The next frame building on the same side was a dwelling house built by N. Chapman, about 1829, in the rear of Goodson & Hubbard's drug store. When the present block was erected this building was moved to the corner of Castalia and North streets. The third frame house Mr. Return Burlinson erected on the lot now owned by Mrs. Herl, where it still stands. Hiram Baker built the first frame building on the Huron county side, in the year 1831, on the land on which the Tremont block is situated. This building was burned shortly after. He immediately built another frame house on the same spot, which was occupied by himself and Mr. D. H. Fitch. That building now comprises the east part of the long building east of the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1834, Mr. Fitch built another frame building.
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THE FIRST ROAD THROUGH BELLEVUE.
In the fall of 1815, when Mr. Baker came here, there were scarcely any public roads, although Indian trails were very thick. He and his son, Hiram, cut a road through the woods from Russel's Corners to Strong's Ridge, where they lived, to the stone quarries, about one mile west of town, and in the spring of 1817 Hiram Baker was one of the party who commenced the road through to Burd's, near Clyde, at which place, and also at Cook's Corners, they put up guide boards, directing travelers to and from Lower Sandusky through Strong's settlement, as it had usually gone from Cook's Corners to Pipe creek and up the North Ridge. At this time there was not a settler between here and Fremont, or Lower Sandusky, as it was then called.
FIRST STORES.
Thomas G. Amsden, who came into this country in December, 1819, in company with Nathaniel and Frederick Chapman, has the honor of starting the first store, which was opened in November, 1823, in a good sized log build- ing. When he first came into the country, he was engaged in traffic with the Indians and French.
FIRST HOTELS.
It was very essential for the weary traveler to have some place to rest and refresh himself, and to provide for this, Mr. Elnathan George threw open the doors of his log "mansion" and invited all who were in need of refreshments for the "inner man," to make themselves at home under his roof. This was done somewhere about 1816, from which time the first hotel takes its date. In 1829 the Exchange was built and opened by Chapman & Harkness.
FIRST DEATH, BIRTH AND MARRIAGE, SERMON AND CHURCH.
In the spring of 1817, Mrs. Mark Hopkins was bitten by a massauger, caus- ing her death very shortly after. A few hours before her death she gave birth to a daughter-Jeannette Hopkins. The child grew up to womanhood here. Said birth and death were the first in Bellevue.
The first marriage was that of Israel Markham to Louise Leonard, in 1818, at a house on the lot recently owned and occupied by H. M. Sinclair as his residence.
The first sermon was by Rev. Lot B. Sullivan, in 1818 or 1819, at the house of Elnathan George.
The first meeting house was on the lot where the Congregational church now stands, and was built about A. D. 1837.
FIRST SCHOOL.
The first school was opened about the year 1830, at which date the first school house was built, or rather the log building formerly used by Mr. Kinney as a blacksmith shop, was remodeled. It stood in the angle of intersection of Monroe and West streets.
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MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
The first manufacturing establishment was a blacksmith shop, owned by Return Burlinson. Next was the shoe shop of H. Baker. After this Nathan Colwell built a wagon shop. His brother soon followed him and made wagons in a log building a few rods cast of the Methodist Episcopal church. A saw mill was next erected by Chapman & Amsden, near the distillery. A postoffice was established here in 1830, with Frederic Chapman as postmaster and went by the name of "York Cross Roads." In 1831, Chapman & Amsden put in operation a tannery. The first cabinet shop was opened by David and Benja- min Moore, who for some time were the only furniture dealers in Bellevue. The first practicing physicians were Drs. Harkness and Lathrop, and a Mr. Kent opened the first law office.
The first mill in Lyme township, was built in 1818, by John Baker, and was used only to grind corn. Its construction was as follows: In the first place he took a large white oak stump, perfectly sound, and built a fire on the top or rim of the stump, with chips, etc. This he kept burning directed in such a manner as to form a hole, mortar like, which would hold about one-half bushel of corn. He then set up a crotch a short distance from it which supported a spring pole. To the end of the hole he attached a pestle, with a pin through the handle. About three quarts of corn was put in the mortar at a time, and the churn-like operation of grinding would commence. People used to come miles to grind corn enough to keep them alive until such times as they could get to Cold creek. The finest of the ground corn was used for cake, and the coarsest for mush.
FIRST ELECTION IN LYME TOWNSHIP.
The first election in Lyme township was held in a log school house, on the Ridge in April, 1820. The following were the officers elected: James Hamilton and George Sheffield, justices of the peace; Nathan Strong, Gurdon Williams and Chester Hamilton, trustees; Joseph and Zadoc Strong, overseers of the poor; J. Strong and J. Hamilton, fence viewers ; Gurdon Williams, Lester G. Williams and E. Hamilton, appraisers of personal property ;. G. Williams and C. Hamilton. constables ; Frances Strong, treasurer, and George Sheffield, clerk.
"RATTLESNAKE DEN OR CAVE."
This cave, situated near the west border of Lyme township, was discovered by Gurdon Woodward, in 1817. While hunting one day he saw a wild cat run into a hole. and on removing a stone, discovered the cave. "It is one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet in depth. At that part the clear water of the sub- terranean stream, or river, runs north. The cave appears to be formed, or part at least, by the washing away of the rocks or stones underneath, and the falling down of them from above. This process going on from year to year, will remove a large amount of stone. The descent into the cave is sometimes steep and difficult, and in other places it is a greatly inclined plane. The open- ing is not in one room, but diversified. It extends north and south with the
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NEW EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION
OLD EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND BENEDICT CHAPEL
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course of the water a considerable distance. Its width is from one to four feet. In former times, hundreds of rattlesnakes made this their den."
THE FIRST PAPER.
Bellevue's first paper was started in 1851, by G. W. Hopkins, in a small room in the second story of the Howard Mansion, on Monroe street. It lived only three or four months. It was a five column sheet, and bore the title of Bellevue Gazette, and Huron, Seneca, Erie and Sandusky Advertiser. Its motto was "Open to all." The next attempt to establish a paper was made by a Mr. Chap- man, about thirteen years ago, which also proved a failure. His paper was called the Bellevue Independent. In '67, E. P. Brown started the Bellevue Gazette, which has been prospering ever since, and is now one of the ablest con- ducted local journals in the United States.
THOROUGHIFARES.
By a treaty between the United States and the Indians, the latter among other stipulations, ceded to the former the right of way for a road one hundred and twenty feet wide from the "west" line of the Western Reserve, to the foot of the lower rapids of the Miami of Lake Erie, also the land to the extent of one mile on each side of said roadway. The United States afterwards ceded the same to the state of Ohio for the same purpose. In 1824 said road was laid out and established on its present line, making its eastern terminus here in connection with the "Strong's Ridge" road, and its construction immediately commenced. This was the great starting point towards making a village here. From Thomas G. Amsden the place was called "Amsden's Corners," and when the principal roads were established here, it was called "York Cross Roads." The last name was the one by which it was known abroad and received in the transmission of letters and goods. The first postoffice here was called "York Cross Roads."
The Kilbourne road through the influence of Colonel .Kilbourne and prin- ciply under his management was laid out and established about 1830, from Sandusky City to Upper Sandusky, running in a right line some sixteen or seventeen miles from Sandusky City to near the line between Sandusky and Seneca counties, where was a slight change in its direction to Melmore, etc. It crossed the west line of the Firelands just ten miles from Sandusky, and passed into Sandusky county, going about two miles west of Amsden's Corners, and near the present residence of Amos Carver, and thence on, as aforesaid. Frederick Chapman and others at once took measures to change its location, and in 1832 procured a change, so that, starting at a point in its original line about eight miles southwest, it was laid directly to York Cross Roads, and in approaching the place, the chimney of the "Stone House," (now Exchange hotel,) was an object of direction of its central line. Between Sandusky City and said point of deviation to this place, the "Kilbourne" was never opened on its first line. Said change in its direction bringing its terminus here gave the "Corners" an-
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other lift. Soon after a road was laid out hence to Sandusky City, on a route near Parkertown, and corresponding very nearly with the subsequent line of the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad. But this was reviewed and changed. re- sulting in the establishment of the present road to Cold Creek or Castalia.
The old Strong's Ridge road, or more properly "trail," at first ran along the high ground south of Alfred Stebbins', to the sawmill, near the present site of Woodward's distillery, and thence to where Main street now crosses the county line. This accounts for the awkward angle at which Monroe street comes to the center. The Strong's Ridge road was afterwards straightened upon its present line and thus we see how it is that there is no known line in the village which conforms to any point of the compass known to the science of navigation. Up to this date the town had grown up "by guess."
WHEN BELLEVUE WAS SURVEYED AND LAID OUT.
In the year 1835, the land on the Huron county side consisting of fifty acres. owned by Gurdon Williams, was purchased by F. Chapman, James Hollister, Josiah Hollister, Thomas G. Amsden, L. G. Harkness and Pickett Latimer, and during that year was surveyed and laid out into village lots by David Camp. The lots varied in size and price, fifty dollars being the average price for a quarter acre lot. In 1839 Chapman & Amsden, who at that time owned a large quantity of land west of the county line, had it also surveyed and laid out. These lots were somewhat larger. In order to induce people to locate here, they put their prices at the lowest figures possible, giving long time, at the same time taking great care never to sell to parties who wished to buy the land to speculate on, their principal object being to build up a village.
MAD RIVER AND LAKE ERIE RAILROAD.
The Mad River & Lake Erie railroad, was completed from Sandusky City to this place in 1839. James H. Bell, a civil engineer in the employ of said rail- road company, was authorized to nanie the station here. He called it Bellevue, as at once suggestive of his own name, and his idea of the appearance of the place. Said railroad was extended to Republic and Tiffin, in 1841, and soon after reached its connection with the Little Miami railroad at Springfield. The line of the Mad River & Lake Erie railroad was changed between Tiffin and San- dusky, and laid by way of Greenspring, Clyde and Castalia, in 1855, and the track upon the Bellevue route taken up.
INCORPORATION OF BELLEVUE.
The town of Bellevue was incorporated by the act of the legislature, passed January 25, 1851, and its charter limits were about a mile from east to west along Main street, and extending about one-quarter of a mile on either side of the same, embracing nearly equal portions of Huron and Sandusky counties. A government was organized February 24, 1851, with the following officers: mayor, Abraham Leiter; recorder, Samuel Z. Culver; trustees, Eliphalet D.
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Follett, Benjamin F. McKim, David Armstrong, Joseph M. Lawrence and Thomas G. Amsden.
The Toledo, Norwalk and Cleveland railroad was located through this place in 1852 and completed the following year. A new era was now dawning in the history of the village, and from the time of the completion of the Lake Shore road, dates the substantial progress of Bellevue. The quick eye of the enterprising settler was equal to the emergency. Shops and business establish- ments were erected with characteristic energy for the manufacture of such commodities as the exigences of the place and its growing facilities rendered necessary. When the town was incorporated, its population was about eight hundred, but at the present time it numbers three thousand, five hundred and is constantly increasing with corresponding vitality, and evidences of commercial progress are manifested on every hand. In 1869 its corporate limits were much enlarged, being made about one mile and a half square, and still being nearly equally divided by two counties. We have not set forth in as nearly as possible their order of occurrence the principal business events which have happened in the history of Bellevue since the arrival of the first settlers, in 1815. Every event we have stated, carries with it some present interest in connection with the city's rise and progress, especially to old settlers. Could the little company of set- tlers in 1815, amid the privations of their log cabins and the hardships of forest life, have been told that in fifty years from that time Bellevue would be what it now is, it would have required a strong faith to believe it. Most of the early settlers have passed away, but their memories and works live green in the hearts of many left behind. There are still a few remaining, however, in whose breasts doubtless, linger happy memories of their early struggles, as with a glow of par- donable pride they gaze upon the prosperity of the city they have helped to build up, and witness her rapidly extending importance and probable destiny. Capital and enterprise abound, and on every hand there teems evidence of a vigorous prosperity, the end of which the future alone can reveal. The history of the past few years is the index to that future and judging by the past, it is but just to say that, under the protecting guidance of a beneficent Providence, Bellevue is destined to become one of the most accumulative and progressive cities in northern Ohio.
BELLEVUE OF TODAY.
Bellevue today can justly boast that she has within her borders over five thousand souls, a prosperous industrial activity and untold wealth in the agri- cultural community surrounding. The growth of Bellevue has not been of a mushroom variety, but a steady, substantial increasing in the number of homes and residents. Contrast the classified business list of Bellevue in 1873 with that of today, and the reader has a most forcible exhibit of the increase in mer- cantile pursuits. The past thirty years have been fraught with most important developments. Three railroads in addition to the one then existing have been laid through the town, and the longest electric line in the world traverses our main street. Manufacturing has become an important factor in our welfare, and the future seems to hold all things desired by the most optimistic.
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The people of Bellevue have been lavishly liberal for public and civic im- provement. We feel safe in saying that no town of equal population has spent so much money for public betterments and social conveniences than our little city. Within the last seven years a reservoir has been added to our waterworks equipment at a cost exceeding thirty thousand dollars ; a water conduit costing seven thousand dollars has enlarged our water shed; water mains have been extended until the whole town is afforded ample fire protection and all who wish, can have use of city water. This later work has entailed an expense approaching twenty thousand dollars. This year a contract was let for reinforcing our reservoir banks with concrete walls, and this work, when completed, will reach fifteen thousand dollars in expense.
Several miles of street paving has been laid, and this year four streets have thus been improved and the aggregate cost of this work for the last few years is over one hundred thousand dollars. Bellevue can boast that she has as many miles or more miles of paved streets than any town of its size in the state.
A new city hall and fire department headquarters have been erected in the time specified and their total cost was over twelve thousand dollars. Sewers and sink-holes have been constructed and drainage improved with consequent ex- pense. All other work incident to a growing town has been prosecuted promptly and successfully and permanently accomplished.
The people of Bellevue gave generously to the establishment of a Y. M. C. A. and a free public library. Both of these institutions, to which all of our citi- zens may point with pride, were financed in one brief period, three years ago. We doubt if such a thing could be accomplished in a town twice the size of Bellevue in the same length of time. Bellevue's contribution to these institutions was close to twenty thousand dollars-a liberal giving to a worthy cause for our advancement. Last year one of the central school buildings received alterations and additions, that cost nearly twelve thousand dollars. The new central school building which was erected, but a few years ago, caused an outlay of over thirty thousand dollars.
Private individuals have also spent money in that time in the improvement of real estate holdings. Manufacturers have added to their plants and new plants have been established.
PLYMOUTH.
Plymouth was founded without design, and is situate at the intersection of the State road and Beall's trail, thirty-five miles south of Sandusky. The main street of the village is the county line between Huron and Richland. Owing to its situation a number of houses were built at the intersection of the roads mentioned, and in time the question of organizing a village was successfully mooted.
The town was first called Paris, but upon its organization in 1825 its name was changed to Plymouth. The village was incorporated in 1834, but the records previous to 1855 are not in existence. The postoffice of the village is south of Main street, which places it in Richland county.
Although the town is about half and half in each county, perhaps the greater number of business houses are on the north, or Huron county line. To show the interest taken by the founders of the town in education, it is only necessary to state
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that the same year the town was laid out a school house was built, and in 1830 a ladies seminary was founded, and the young ladies of the surrounding country very generally took advantage of the opportunity afforded them of acquiring a seminary education.
In 1875 the common schools were opened in a fine new building of six rooms and three hundred and fifty pupils were enrolled.
Plymouth now has two steam railroads and a trolley line.
At irregular intervals for years past reports have been made of the discovery of coal near Plymouth. But such "discoveries" never materialized. And reports have been circulated that the shaft had been "salted." It is a legitimate part of the work of the geological survey to expose and prevent frauds, but not to assert that any particular individual has perpetrated a fraud. Thin seams of carbonaceous matter or beds of bituminous shale may be reached by boring. Coal, if discovered in that locality, would have to be found below the carboniferous conglomerate, be- neath which stratum coal has never been found in paying quantities.
In the ante railroad days, "going to the lake" meant a trip to Portland or Huron by teams and wagons, and these teams passed through Plymouth in long pro- cessions enroute to the lake. What a change the inaudible and noiseless foot of time has made since then.
Monteith's lake, two miles south of Plymouth, is the head waters of the Huron river.
The Sandusky, Norwalk & Mansfield trolley line passes through Monteith's grounds, and the place is now a picnic and summer resort and is called the Huron Valley Amusement Park.
LIST OF TOWNSHIPS IN HURON COUNTY. Nineteen in number. (Alphabetically arranged.)
Bronson, Clarksfield, Fairfield, Fitchville, Greenfield, Greenwich, Hartland, Lyme, Norwalk, New London, New Haven, Norwich, Peru, Richmond, Ridge- field, Ripley, Sherman, Townsend, Wakeman.
BRONSON TOWNSHIP.
Bronson township still retains its original name. In the spring of 1817, Nor- walk and Bronson were incorporated as a township for business and held their first election at Hanson Reed's.
The township derived its name from Isaac Bronson, one of the principal owners of the land.
The township, while generally kvel, is diversified by the branches of the Huron in the western part. In this portion of the township the soil is a loamy clay mixed with gravel, while the eastern half is mostly clay. Sandstone of the newer forma- tion underlies a considerable portion of the township, and is quarried in some portions to a considerable extent. The varieties of timber were whitewood, hick- ory, beech, white ash, black walnut, the oak in several varieties, butternut, bass- wood, elm, sycamore, chestnut, and some other kinds of less importance. Several of the eastern branches of the Huron river run through the township, their general
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course being northwest. The stream called East branch crosses the southwest corner of the township, and another crosses the northeast corner, while High Bridge creek flows from the southeast part to the northwest.
The animals of the forest were the bear, deer, wolf, wild cat, fox, raccoon, opossum, etc. The wild turkey was the principal bird, and was quite abundant. Bears were not infrequently seen, but were not often killed. Deer were numerous, and venison was a common article of food with the earlier settlers. Their skin was an article of clothing, as well as of trade. Two deer skins would suffice to make a pair of pantaloons, and one would face a pair. The facing was done by sewing the neck of the hide on to the seat, and the half of the balance on the front of each leg, with a strip around the bottom.
The woods abounded in wolves, and they were a great annoyance to the farmer. It was usual to pen their sheep up at night, in rail pens, built near the house, for to leave them out at night was to insure their destruction.
Rattlesnakes also were very numerous in the first settlement of the township, more especially in the vicinity of the streams.
The first habitation erected in Bronson, for the abode of civilized people, was the log cabin of the squatter, John Welch, built in the summer of 1815. He came from Pennsylvania with his family and located west of the creek, opposite Mr. Kellogg's. His parents and his brothers came in soon after, some of whom located in Peru, but none of the family made a permanent settlement.
OLENA VILLAGE.
In the southeast part of the township, on the Hartland line, is the village of Olena, the first house in which was built by William H. Burras, in 1832. He purchased sixteen acres of land on the southeast corner of the cross-roads, and put up a log house. He married Ruth Palmer, daughter of Abijah Palmer, of Fitch- ville, September 22, 1835, and moved into his log cabin, previous to which he had occupied with his parents.
Samuel Burras, an older brother of William, came with his family from the state of New York a short time afterward, and first located on the old State road. but soon after bought a short distance southeast of Olena and erected a log house, which was one of the first buildings in the place.
Among the earliest houses built at Olena, besides those mentioned, were those of Joel Wooley, on the southwest corner of the cross-roads; Hiram Allen, on the northwest corner, and John Moore a short distance west of Allen.
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