History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 38

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 626

USA > Ohio > Lorain County > History of Lorain County, Ohio > Part 38

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Harmon Bronson, one of the members of the Water- bury land company, visited the reserve, as early as

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, 01110.

1805. In that year he came from Waterbury, Con- necticul, to Cleveland, on foot, by way of Albany and Buffalo, and returned by way of Baltimore, Philadel- phia and New York, walking almost the entire dis- tance. In 1809, he again came to Ohio, also on foot, this time for the purpose of settlement. Hle was a carpenter and joiner, and on his arrival at Cleveland. engaged at work for a Mr. Murray, for whon he built a log house near the mouth of the Cuyahoga, on the east side of the river, and about where the govern- ment piers are now. His family, then consisting of a wife and Three daughters, and his mother, (his father, Seba Bronson, Sr., having come to Columbia three years previous), came on soon afterward on a little vessel called the " Ranger," Captain Hathaway, landing at the mouth of the river March 15th. Other members of the company, and their families, came al. the same time. Mr. Bronson made a settlement in Columbia, erecting a house on sub-fot four.

At the breaking out of the war of 1812, when it was generally feared that this part of the State would be overrun by Indians, Mrs. Harmon Bronson, with her three girls,-the oldest about thirteen,-and an infant son less than a year old, started from Cleveland in September, 1812, with a horse, saddle and bridle, and took her little family back to Waterbury, the heroic mother walking the entire distance. It re- quired four weeks lo make the journey.

She remained in Waterbury until late in the fall of 1815, and then set out in a lumber wagon for Ohio. At Bloomfield, in the State of New York, her funds run ont, and she hired out her two chlest daughters at fifty cents a week each, while she worked for her board and that of her two younger children. About. the ist of March, 1816, the journey was resumed, and the family reached Columbia in the latter part of that month.

Mr. Bronson kept a store in Columbia from 1816 to 1820. He removed to East Cleveland in Decem- ber, 1821, and lived there until July, 1824, when he moved into Boston township, then Portage, now Summit county. He died December 18th, 1853. He was the seventh of the fourteen children of Seba Bronson, Sr., all of whom lived to mature age and were married. Azor and Bela died in Columbia, in 1811, October 5th and 13th, respectively. Harmon was the last survivor of the family. His birth, mar- riage and death occurred in the same month and on the same day of the month-December 18th. He was seventy-nine years old at his death. His wife survived him four years and two months, and was something over eighty. Two of his family are now living-his second daughter, now seventy-eight years old, and the youngest child, a son, now sixty-seven- both residing in Peninsula, Summit county. From the latter, Mr. H. V. Bronson, we have obtained the facts here given.

David Eddy, born in New Jersey, came to Ohio while yet a single man, in the year 1804 or 1805. Le made a location in Enelid, Cuyahoga county, and

erected a cabin there. The following year his father and mother, with a son named Timothy, came on and took up their abode in the primitive habitation already prepared by David. Caleb Eddy, the father, spent the remainder of his days here, but David soon pushed on further west, and joined the infant colony in Columbia. Hle " stuck his stakes" on lot forty, and built his log house on the bank of Rocky river. In the early winter of 1814 he married Elizabeth Shirdine, of Washington county, Penn., and about two years subsequently began pioneer life in the little cabin previously mentioned. Eddy was a member of the militia, and was an occupant of the block house. Ilis life was one of many hardships and of arduous toil. He died, on the farin on which he first located, October 21, 1853, and his widow about a year after- ward, October 6th, 1854. Their children were four in number, two boys and two girls, viz : Jesse. Enos, Susannah and Eunice. Jesse married Caroline Cham- berlain, daughter of John Chamberlain, of Roches- ter, Lorain county. He, Jesse, is now living there. His wife died February 5th, 1855, leaving two chil- dren, Mary E. (Mrs Myers, ) and Hattie E. (Mrs. Mann). Enos married Cynthia Bradford, now de- ceased. Susannah married Myron Bradford, and both are dead. Eunice married, first, Hiram Brad- ford, and afterwards Samuel Hanley, with whom she is now living in the township of Rochester.

In 1810 Levi Bronson moved in from Euclid and took up his residence on sub-lot three, the first loca- tion of John Williams. Of him Rev. Dr. Bronson bears the following testimony:

" My father became interested in the lands of Columbia by purchase of his brother Azor, but both died before deeds were given or payment fully made, and matters were left in an unsettled state, and after a while became entangled with other land inatters. These have since been a prolific source of strife, and a rich field for lawyers. * *

* I drem it my duty to bear witness to the unyielding integ- rity, publie spirit and self-sacrifice of Levi Bronson. When all the land in Columbia would not have sold for more than enough to pay the taxes, he borrowed money, worked on the road, turned and twisted every way to save the property of his father and his deceased brother for their heirs."

In regard to other arrivais this year we mention the following: Asahel Osborn and Marshall Culver, his son-in-law, the former on the south park and the latter on the north part of lot thirty-seven. They came from Salem, Connectient. Osborn married Mary Hoadley, daughter of Lemuel Hoadley, Sr. He was a man of good natural ability, and of local influence.

Timothy Eddy cleared a piece of land on lot seven- leen, sowed it to wheat, and then returned to Euclid to live: James and Walter Strong chopped off a piece on lot fifteen: Samnel Hitchcock settled on lot forty, purchasing of Calvin Hoadley.

Asa Robertson made a beginning on the west part of lot one, then removed to Liverpool, Medina county, where he made a permanent location. Samnel Hea- cock also arrived in 1810, and located on lot thirty- six, but returned to Connectient the following year.

John Adams, father of Benoni, with his wife, five sons and a daughter, left Waterbury, Connecticut, for Columbia, in the fall of 1811, and moved in with

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

Benoni, on lol. fifty. Adams having sold his farm for twenty-five hundred dollars, and taken his pay in clocks at five dollars a piece, must turn his property into cattle and the cattle into money, which took up the time until October.

Ile brought his wife and boys, with some of the household goods, with a team and wagon, a young man by the name of Marshall Bronson accompanying the family with a team and wagon of his own, with which he brought a part of their goods. The dangh- ter, who was a child of a former wife of Mr. Adams, and a consin of Bronson, rode with the young man. In consequence of a violent snow storm they remained several days at a tavern a few miles west of Buffalo. The next honse on their route was Mack's tavern, eighteen miles distant, the road to which was along the beach until within four miles of the tavern, when it lead away from the lake through a dense forest. This is the road the collector of historical facts so frequently hears spoken of by carly settlers as the "four mile woods."

It was December, too late to travel along the beach with safety, as there were many rocky cliffs which extended out into the lake; and to get by them, the emigrants usually drove into the water. In attempt- ing to pass one of these points, Adams' team became frightened at the dashing of the waves, and refused to go, and he was obliged to ent them loose from the wagon in order to save his wife and children. After much difficulty, they succeeded in reaching the shore, and proceeded in the direction of the tavern, Adams evidently thinking that Bronson, who was ahead, had got through in safely. Not so, however: he had be- come involved in a situation more perilous than that from which Adams and his family had escaped. The wheel of his wagon caught fast in the scam of a rock, and the horses, in their struggle, became entangled iu the harness and were thrown down; and Bronson, almost paralyzed with cold and fear, could not release them. His situation would have appalled the stont- est heart. The roar of the angry waves, the horses struggling beneath them, and the cries of his com- panion, coupled with his utter powerlessness to aid her, tilled him with frantie terror. He determined to go for help. Reaching the shore with great ditli- culty, he hurried to the tavern and gave the alarm. Several men started for the scene of distress, meeting Mr. Adams and family on the way.

The mother and children were conducted back to the house by one of the party, while the father returned with the rest to the relief of his daughter. But it was too late-her lifeless body was found in the water, carried to the tavern, and buried in Mack's garden. Some time after, a passing missionary, on request of the family, preached a funeral discourse. The team of Bronson was drowned, and his wagon a complete wreck. Another was constructed out of the parts as they floated ashore, and then turned into cash. The other wagon, which was without serions damage, was also sold, and a sled purchased. A few

articles were gathered up as they floated ashore, and the surviving family resumed their journey. Arriving in Enelid, friends induced them to remain there till the following spring, when they moved into Columbia. A son of Mr. Adams is yet living in Olmsted, nearly eighty years of age, and preserves a clear recollection of the painful disaster.

Another prominent arrival in 1811, was the family of Azor Bronson. They left Waterbury, Conn., in June of that year. They experienced a tedions time getting through Cattaraugus swamp. Night over- took them in the "four mile woods," while yet a long distance from Mack's tavern, at Cattaraugus creek, to which they were making, and they were unable to proceed. Leaving the mother and children in the wagon, which was buried to the axletree in mnd, Mr. Bronson went to the tavern for help. The ever-accon- modating Dr. Mack, with a lautern and accompanied by a couple of friendly Indians, returned with Mr. Bronson for his family and assisted them to the tav- ern. In Middleburg, Cuyahoga county, their wagon broke down, and wife and children were thenee car- ried to Columbia on the horses. They arrived at the center of town July 4, 1811. Mr. Bronson died the next year after his arrival. Ransom and Albert Bron- son, residing in Olmsted, Cuyahoga county, aged seventy-three and seventy-six respectively, are the only surviving members of the family.

Samuel Pardee also moved in, in 1811, settling on the south part of lot thirty-six, and kept a tavern, the sign of which was a pair of deer's horns.

Jonathan Vaughan became an inhabitant of the township during this same year. The following year, he, with his brother Richard and E. Hickox, entered the service of the government and aided in cutting a road from Sandusky to Maumee. This was in war time, and the men, some three hundred in number, ent the road under the protection of a military guard. Vanghan was afterwards stationed for a time in Fort Stephenson. He subsequently married a daughter of Calvin Hoadley and settled in Middleburg, Cuyahoga county, residing there until 1834, when he purchased an interest in the Hoadley Mills, and returned to Columbia.

About this time also, Noah Terrell and Thomas Osborn came into town. Terrell was a valuable acqui- sition to the settlement, being skillful in the mann- facture of every kind of wooden dishes, such as milk- bowls, trenchers, cups and saucers, salt-cellars, pepper boxes, and little kegs which took the place of pails. Being a Terrell, he was of course a hunter, and sup- ported his family to a great extent by his gun. He subsequently removed to Ridgeville, where his daugh- ter Harriet was soon after born. She was the first child born in that township.

Osborn settled on the farm first occupied by Bela Bronson. He was a blacksmith, and carried on his trade in that early day under difficulties which would be thought insurmountable in this. This pioneer blacksmith went on foot through an unbroken wilder-

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

ness to New Lisbon, Columbiana county, a distance of about one hundred miles, to obtain his material, which, having paid for in labor, he then lugged home on his back. His untiring industry was eventually rewarded by a handsome competency.

B. Pritchard came into the town in 1813.

Reuben Lewis moved in from New York State in 1814. lle established in that year the first tannery worthy of the name in the county. It stood on lot thirty-four, on which also the first mill in the county, the grist. mill of Captain Hoadley, was built.

Adna Warner bought out Benoni Adams, on lot. tifty, and became a settler in 1814.

Ephraim Bigelow became an inhabitant of Colum- bia in 1816, settling on lot twenty-eight, and Amos Richmond, the same year, on lot twenty-nine.

Julius and Albert Bronson settled on lot twenty- three, on the north and south parts respectively, in 1817. and Thomas G. Bronson on lot eighteen the same year. Gideon Richmond located in 1818, and Sylvanus, the following year, on lot fifty.

Simeon Nichols arrived with his family in about the year 1820. He was also a Waterbury man. He started in the winter, and, when he got into the State of New York, the snow was so deep as to make travel- ing with a wagon dillicult. He therefore bought a sled, placed his wagon on the top of it, and thus resumed the journey. All went well until he arrived at what was then called the "Holland purchase," in that State. This was a newly cleared piece of land, and he could not pass among the thick stumps with his wagon; he therefore cui off the axles, He traveled without further impediment until he arrived in the eastern part of Ohio, when the snow left and he was obliged to provide himself with new axles. He arrived in Columbia in early spring and settled on lot forty- seven.

Nichols was an industrious and respected citizen. lle held the office of justice of the peace for a number of years, and was a leading member of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

Merritt Warner came in the same year, and located on The same lot.

We can but but briefly mention subsequent settlers. Heman Terrell on lot twenty-eight: Miles Seymour rented the Farm of Timothy Doan, in 1821; William Adams on lot four hundred and ninety-one; Abner Martin (and his distillery) on lot forty-seven. Solo- mon Hancock on lot twenty-seven, in 1822: Manly Hitchcock on lot forty-four: Hiram Richmond on lot Iwenty-six: Asa JJewett on lot sixty-four, in 1823; Sterling Goddard on lot seventy-six: James Mattison on the same lot; William Brown on lot seventy-four. in 1829: Amos Curtis on lot seventy-seven; Samnel Hoadley on lot twenty-one: Elihu Morgan on lot forty-seven; Ransom Bronson on lot thirty-nine, in 1825; Anson A. Goddard on lot sixty-three. in 1826; John Cole on lot eighty-eight; Simon and John Crockers on lot ninety. in 1828: S. 11. Frink on lot twenty-two, in 1831; David Chamberlain on lot

seventy-nine: John MeCreery on lot forty; Wakeman Beers on lot sixty; John Chamberlain on lot sixty; Seth and Bina Wood on lot sixty-one: Stephen Sabin on lot forty; Ezekiel Olcott on lot fifty-nine, in 1832; Samuel Gaylord in 1835.

Among the laler settlers are: Abel Goodwin. from New London county, Connecticut, who arrived in 1828, and located on lot eighty-eight. Ile died in June, 1841. Elisha and Richard Harrington. origin- ally from Vermont, came to Ohio in 1815, setiling in Cuyahoga Falls. They came to Columbia. Elisha in 1834, and located on lot eighty-six, and the latter in 1832, on lot fifty-seven. Elisha now lives on lot seventy-tive, and Richard on his original purchase. Norman T. Beers, from the Stale of New York, located in 1832, where the widow of Marcus Nichols now resides. fle died April, 1878, and his widow now lives on lot fifty-nine. Joseph Osborn became a settler in 1831, on lot lifty-seven. He now resides with his son Andrew, on the old homestead, and is eighty-four years of age -- the oldest mmn in the town- ship. William Brown located on Plum ereck, in 1827.

CHURCHES.

In regard to pioneer christianity in Columbia. Rev. Dr. Bronson says:

" The Bronsons were Episcopalians, and when they came to Ohio, they brought their prayer books with them. When they reached here they used those books, though they had no minister. My father gath- ered around him, as soon as he had neighbors, as many as he could and read the service and a sermon. When the grave closed over him, my grandfather took it up. When he passed away, Levi Bronson con- inned it; and after his death, it, for a while, devolved on me."

The first organized church society was of the Epis- eopal faith, some time in the year 1809, Bishop Chase officiating in its organization. The following named were the constituent members: Seba Bronson and wife, Bela Bronson, Levi Bronson and wife, and John Willians and wife. A meeting house was built on the east side of the river, on sub-lot three. as late as 1835 or 36.

METHODISW.

The first Methodist services held in town were at the house of the widow of Joseph Burke, in about. the year 1818. They were conducted by Rev's Messrs. Goddard and Booth. The following year a society was formed, by Rev. Mr. Goddard, of the following members: Calvin Iloadley, Julius Bronson and wife, Mrs. Joseph Burke and her two sons, Allen and Orrin, and Mrs. MeConkey. Julius Bronson was ap- pointed leader of the class. The church building at the Center was erected in 1830, and was the first house of worship in Columbia. This society is at present under the charge of Rev. J. W. Thompson. It has a membership of sixty. The Sabbath school has a membership of some seventy scholars, Frank Snell is superintendent.

There is also a Methodist Episcopal society at West View, the church having been erected in 1814. Ser- viees are held every alternate Sabbath by Rev. J. W. Thompson.

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

THE WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH OF WEST VIEW .- This church was formed April 1. 1843, with sixteen members, as follows: Ransom Bronson and wife, Moses (. Baker and wife, Jane Baker, Clark Hoadley and wife, Cornelius Smith and wife, Calvin Hoadley, Calvin R. Hoadley and Edwin Hedging (all of whom seceded from the Methodist Episcopal church of West View because of its alleged indiffer- once with regard to the question of human slavery) and Jesse Eddy and wife, Clarissa and Jane Bronson. Of this number only Ransom Bronson remains. The church building was erected in 1845, costing about one thousand dollars. The dedicatory sermon was preached by James Langdon. Jahial Porter and John MeCloud were the first regular preachers. The exist- ing membership is fifty-five. William B. Moody is pastor. The two churches unite in a sabbath school, which has a membership of forty-tive, with J. M. Geer as superintendent.

CONGREGATIONALISTS.

A Congregational society was organized about the year 1820 by Rev. Mr. Shaber of Richfield and was composed of the following members: Boltis Ruple, Marshall Culver and wife, Mrs. Mary Osborn, Mrs. Roxana Nichols, Sterling Goddard and wife, William Brown and wife. Sterling Goddard and Boltis Ruple were appointed deacons. This society never erected a house of worship.

BAPTISTS.

The First Baptist Church of Columbia, located at the Center was organized May 12, 1832, with nineteen members, as follows: John Stranahan, John Cole. Robert Fuller. Abel Goodwin, from the Bap- tist church in Liverpool, Medina county; Simeon Crocker, Jeremiah Chamberlain, who had letters from a church in the east : Mary Goodwin, Amelia Crocker. Clarissa Crocker, Nancy Bigelow, Margaret Chamber- lain, Prudence Stranahan, Olive Goodwin, Betsey Cole, Mary Cole, Constant G. Cole, William Cole. Robert N. Fuller, and John Cole. Jr. Eller James Ilovey officiated as moderator; Abel Goodwin was chosen clerk. Of the constituent members, two only. William Cole and John Cole, remain. The erection of the building was commenced in 1841, but was not completed until 1848. The church has at present a membership of one hundred and four. Rev. L. Yar- nell is pastor. N. N. Cole, clerk. and lohn Cole and Cyrus Ives, deacons. A Sabbath school was organized in 1844. The officers and teachers at present number eleven: scholars, eighty-three; superintendent, N. N. Cole.

SCHOOLS.

The first school was opened by Mrs. Sally Bronson, in her own house, in the summer of 1808. The number of her scholars was ten. The following win- ter her husband, Bela Bronson, taught a school in Lemuel Hoadley's blacksmith shop. Rev. Dr. Bron-

son, son of these pioneer educators, speaks as follows in regard to the opportunities afforded for acquiring an education more than rudimentary:

"My own experience will illustrate the difficulty of obtaining anything beyond what the district school afforded. In 1824 1 set out to obtain an education, An old Latin grammar was found and studied under the instruction of Rev. Luke Bowen of Strongsville. After a while a dictionary was needed We solt a cow for eight dollars and with this sum I mounted a horse and rode more than a hundred miles in a fruitless search for a Latin dictionary. This led to my going to Tallmadge and studying with Elizur Wright, Esq., where I could have the use of a dictionary. There I remained three months, working two days in the week for Francis Wright for my board, and two days in the month for his father to pay my tuition. After this I found the required hook and a teacher nearer home."

A private school was taught at the house of T. G. Bronson by Rev. C. P. Bronson, in 1825. The first school house in town was erected in 1817. on lot thirty-six. From the report of the clerk of the board of education for the year ending August 31, 1878, we present the following statistics:

Number of school houses, -2

Valued at. $1.500

Amount paid teachers $1,388

Number of scholars

EARLY EVENTS.

The first white child born in Columbia was Sally Hoadley, daughter of Lemuel Hoadley, Ir. This in- teresting event occurred September 26, 1808. She became the wife of Albert Terrel, who now lives in Ridgeville. On the itth of October following Calvin Geer, son of James Geer, was born, and his was the second birth in town. Mr. Geer is yet living, and resides in Olmsted. In the spring of 1809, Marens Terrell married Dillie Doan,-Esquire Nathaniel Doan, the bride's father, performing the ceremony. This was the first marriage. The next was that of Horace Gunn to Anna Pritchard, in June of the same year. The first death was that of a child of Lathrop Seymour, in 1809. It was buried on Nathaniel Doan's farm, east of the center. The first adult death was that of Mrs. Chloe Tyler, mother of Mrs. Lemuel Hoadley, in August, 1810. She was buried in Benoni Adams' orchard. The old burying ground was laid out in 1811. The first interment was that of Azor Bronson; the next that of Bela Bronson.

The first post office in town was established about the year 181%. The first post master was Thomas G. Bronson, who kept the office in his honse. The name selected was the Indian name for Rocky river, "('opokah." In the papers sent from Washington the word was mis-written Copopo. and the error was never corrected. The postal route extended from Cleveland to Liverpool, a man by the name of Mal- lett being the first mail carrier. He received fifty lollars per year, making the trip on foot once a week.

Harmon Bronson. in the fall of 1816, built the first frame house in Columbia, on sub-lot four. The first frame barn was built by Tin othy Doan, in 1826. The first brick house was that of Simeon Nichols, on lot forty-seven. Harmon Bronson brought the first mercantile goods into town in 1816. He kept his "store" in his house on the hill, half a mile

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OIIIO.

cast of the center. He also, the year following, brought the first cast iron plow ever seen in these parts. In 1819 the first bridge that ever spanned Rocky river, was built halt a mile south of the cen- ter. The first doctor was Zephaniah Potter, who be- gan to dispense jalap and calomel in 1809. In 1812 Potter was town clerk, and while his wife was out in the woods with her servant one day, gathering grapes, his honse burned to the ground and the town records were destroyed. The deed was supposed to have been committed by Indians, out of revenge, Dr. Potter having assisted Dr. Long, of Cleveland, in dissect- ing the body of the Indian Omik, who was hung there for the murder of two men in Huron county a short time before. The present doctor is Asahel Culver. The first shoemaker was Mrs. James Geer. She was the widow Parker, mentioned as one of the orginal party from Waterbury, Conn. She remained in Cleveland the first winter, and while there married James Geer, ller former husband was a shoemaker, and Mrs. Parker, in emigrating to this country, brought his ontfit of tools with her. She made shoes for the women, but the work of making boots, which were entirely sewed in those days, was too irksome for her, and after teaching her husband the trade she resigned the work to him. Lemuel Hoadley con- structed the pioneer fanning-mill of Columbia.

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History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 38

Author: Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia, Williams brothers Number of Pages: 626

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 626