USA > Ohio > Lorain County > History of Lorain County, Ohio > Part 51
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Ebenezer Abbey, when thirteen years of age, re- moved from Windham county, Connecticut, to New York, where he resided until the year 1830. In December of that year he removed with his family,
26
202
HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
consisting of wife and eleven children, and a grand- child, to this township, making a temporary location of about two months on Butternut ridge. He then moved to Carlisle, settling on the east line of that town. Hle bnili an ashery the first or second year of his set- tlement, on the little stream near his house, and for many years was engaged in the manufacture of pot- ash, pearlash, and saleratus. He became a settler in Eaton in 1833, erecting, a short distance north of the present residence of his son, Lemuel Abbey. a house which he used jointly as a residence and cooper-shop. Five years subsequently he built the frame house now occupied by his son Lemnel.
In December, 1836, Mrs. Susanna Wight look up her residence on lot thirty-five, purchasing a portion of that lot, and now resides there with her son Har- rison, who is unmarried, and a mathematical genius, by the way. Mrs. Wight was born in Saratoga, New York, April 4, 1793, and was married to Reuben Wight, July 17, 1814. They removed in August, 1834, with their ten children, from Fowler, St. Lawrence county, New York, to Rockport, Cuya- hoga county, Ohio. Mr. Wight died of cholera, the twentieth of that month, and was buried at midnight. in the Alger settlement burying ground. a box of rough whitewood boards containing the remains. Mrs. Wight is now in the eighty-sixth year of her age, and reads without the aid of spectacles.
Samuel Alexander emigrated to the United States from England in 1835, and located in St. Lawrence county, New York, remained tive years, and then removed to Elyria. The purchaser of his farm in New York was unable to pay him until long after the date stipulated, and he, and his wife also, were com- pelled in consequence, to work at whatever they could find to do, after their arrival in Ohio, in order to obtain the necessaries of life. Mrs. Alexander was a daughter of John Elbro, an English nobleman, and because of her marriage with Mr. Alexander, was dis- inherited by her father.
After a residence of a few years in Elyria, he re- moved to Grafton, locating two miles southeast of that village. Ile erected a log house, which he oceu- pied before it was " chinked," and while yet without a floor or chimney. He subsequently moved to this town. His first erection here was a log house, which, in more prosperous days, gave way to a frame, which is yet standing, though unoccupied.
In 1837, Timothy Cooley located on lot thirty-four. Ile was formerly from Hampshire county, Massachu- setts. At the early age of twelve, circumstances com- pelled him to work out for a living. With his fast employer he remained seven years, according to con- traet, by which he was to receive, at the end of his term of service, one hundred dollars in money. When the day of selflement came, his employer asked him if he was ready to receive his money. The thought of possesing such an immense sum in cash, appalled the young man. Having determined to emigrate to Ohio, visions of robbery and murder haunted him.
lle therefore determined to make his late employer his banker, until he should find use for his funds; and then, with his bundle of clothes on his shoulder, he started forth on foot, determined to go where he could obtain some land of his own. This was in the fall of 1817. Arriving in Geauga county. he pro- cured work on a farm near Welshtield, and purchased forty acres of land in the township of Newbury, in that county. He went, soon after, to Portage county, and purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty aeres. About two years after his arrival, he sent for his money, which his employer promptly sent him. Soon after his settlement in Portage county, he married Sally Lewis, whose brother, Oliver II. Lewis, has long been a resident of Ridgeville. After a residence of some fifteen years in Portage, he removed to Ridgeville, and located on Center ridge. Five years afterward, he came to Eaton, arriving in the year above stated. Hle purchased a farm of one hundred and fifty-one acres, and erected his shanty a short distance west of his present residence. This farm Mr. Cooley still occupies.
In November, 1838, a little daughter of Mr. Cooley wandered away from home, and became lost in the dense woods. A few days afterward, a hunting party found the child just across the Columbia line, about three miles from home. She had nearly perished from hunger and cold.
Mr. Cooley is eighty-two years of age, and resides on his original purchase, with his son, Truman Cooley. His wife died in the fall of 1876.
Chester Cooley was also an early settler of this town.
CIVIL ORGANIZATION.
At the time of the organization of Ridgeville, in 1813, that township embraced Eaton, then called Hol- brook, and the union was continued until December 3, 1822, when number five, range sixteen, was detached by order of the commissioners of Cuyahoga county, on petition of the inhabitants, and organized as an independent township under the name of Eaton.
The first election of township officers was held in the spring of 1823, when the following were chosen: Ira B. Morgan, clerk; Merritt Osborn, Archibald Har- per, Asa Morgan, trustees; Silas Wilmot, David M. Tyler, overseers of the poor; Eleazer Day, appraiser; William Beebe, Dennis Pahner, fence viewers; Levi Mills, lister; Sylvester Morgan, treasurer; Freeman Burr, constable; A chibald Harper, Jr., supervisor of highways. We find no record of a justice of the peace being chosen at this time.
Township officers for 1878 are as follows: R. F. Tucker, clerk; JJob Alexander, Gilbert Fields, Ed. Hance, trustees; Win. II. Giles, treasurer; Wm. H. Phillips, assessor; Wm. II. Phillips and R. F. Tucker, justices of the peace.
RELIGIOUS.
The earliest meetings of this character were held at private houses, and were attended by the inhabit-
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203
HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
ants generally, being unsectarian in character. At these meetings some missionary or Methodist cirenit preacher would usually officiate. We have been una- ble to ascertain when the first class or society was formed. Probably the first church edifice erected in town was by the Roman Catholics. It was a small frame building situated on the west line of the town- ship. The Methodists erected a frame building on lot forty-five, in 1846, by voluntary contributions in work, and was used until the erection by the Congre- gationalists of the present frame structure at the Center in 1857, which the two societies have since nsed in common.
Stephenson Burke was an early Methodist preacher in Eaton. On one occasion, while preaching at the house of Almond Loomis, he abruptly finished his discourse, informed his bearers that they were ineapa- ble of appreciating tulent, closed his Bible, and, in disgust, quit the ministry and the town. He tried the law with snecess, and afterwards served as judge of common pleas for Lorain, Medina and Summit counties. Hle is now a prominent member of the Cleveland bar.
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
was organized not far from 1839, but with what mem- bership we are unable to state. The society, in mem- bership, is at present very weak, there being at this time about a dozen members. Timothy Cooley is deacon. Rev. Mr. Hyde of Grafton, preaches every alternate Sabbath. The present church edifice was built in 1857, at a cost of about eight hundred dollars. A union Sabbath school of this and the Methodists exists, numbering some fifty or sixty scholars. Tru- man Cooley is superintendent.
TIIE DISCIPLES CHURCH.
In regard to the earlier history of this church we get the following facts from Hayden's "History of the Disciples on the Western Reserve." It was first established in North Eaton. Mrs. Chloe Tucker, who came to Eaton from Windham, in 1833, while visiting her native place in 1840, entreated a young preacher of the church, by the name of M. J. Streator, to come to Eaton and conduct a series of meetings. He came in October of that year. Meet- ings were held at the brick school house and resulted in the conversion of two sons of Mrs. Tueker. Meetings were again held by Mr. Streator in March following, and also in October, 1842, when an organ- ization was effected, with a membership of twenty- five. J. D. Swift was appointed overseer. and J. A. Ferguson, deacon. In the fall of 1843 the location of the church was changed to the center, on which occa- sion Jared Patchen was chosen overseer, and Chester Cooley, deacon. In 1845 the church building was erected. J. D. Benedict, formerly a Baptist minister, then a lawyer filling the position of prosecuting attor- ney for Lorain county, officiated at the opening of this
church. The congregation increased until a larger house was required and in the fall of 1862 a new edi- fice was erected at the center. Brother J. II. Jones, chaplain of the Forty-second regiment Ohio volunteers, under Colonel Garfield, conducted the dedicatory service. The church continues to be prosperous, hav- ing at present a membership of one hundred and fifty- five. Brother W. H. Scott is the resident preacher. S. M. Streator, A. Rollin, and R. Hinkley are over- seers, and A. Dawley and R. Haven, deacons. It also has a Sabbath school of about one hundred and fifty scholars, of which James Robinson is superintendent.
MORMONISM IN EATON.
Eaton was for a very brief period afflicted with this religious fanatieism. In 1842-'43, Lyman Wight preached the doctrine at. La Porte, while his son, Orange, held forth in Eaton, in that portion of the town then known as the "Island." Several other Mormons also preached there. Nearly all of the in- habitants of the "Island" were converted to Mormon- ism and baptised by immersion. Their last assem- blage was at the house of Almond Loomis, at the center, February 14, 1843, when a doctrinal discus- sion arose between their leaders and a Campbellite preacher who was present. Soon after this they dis- solved, some of the recent converts joining the Disci- ple church, more went back to the world, while a few went to Nauvoo, and subsequently to Salt Lake. And thus ended Mormonism in Eaton.
SCHOOLS.
The first school was taught on Butternut ridge by Julia Johnson, daughter of Phineas Johnson, of Car- liste, in the summer of 1819. A son taught the suc- ceeding winter, and another daughter the second summer. Maria Terrell, a man by the name of Cad- well, D. C. Wilmot, and Deborah Phillips, who sub- sequently became Wilmot's wife, were also among the early school teachers in town. The first frame school building burned down in February, 1832. The pres- ent brick building was erected in the summer of 1859.
The school district at the center was organized Jan- nary 16, 1834. At a meeting convened for that pur- pose, Joseph Fanver, Horace J. Terrell and Richard Crowell were chosen directors, N. H. Crowell clerk, and Nicholas Taylor treasurer. It was voted that a tax be levied for the purpose of building a school house on lot forty-six. This primitive house was a log, twenty feet square, and was located about twelve rods north of the center, on land belonging to Ed- mund Holden, and was used as a town house also, until 1842, when it gave way to a frame costing about two hundred and fifty dollars. The present brick structure at the center, was erected in 1868, at a cost of three thousand eight hundred dollars. It is a two story building, thirty by forty feet in size, the upper story being used for a town hall, and the lower for school purposes. The report of the board of educa-
204
IHISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
tion for 1878, contains the following information in regard to the schools of this township :
Number of houses, . 8 Value, $4,400
Amount paid teachers,
$1,298
Number of scholars, 249
CHIEESE FACTORIES.
This industry is extensively carried on in this township. During the last season, there have been four, and a part of the time five, factories in operation.
THIE EATON FACTORY,
localed a short distance south of the center, is the oldest. It was established by Nichols, Haven and others, in the fall and winter of 1868, at a cost of abont four thousand dollars. In the winter of 1823. a feed mill was added, which was destroyed by fire in the March following, but was immediately rebuilt. It was again burned in November, 1876, together with the factory, and three hundred and fifty dollars worth of cheese, besides the engine and boiler, cost- ing eleven hundred dollars, were ruined. New build- ings were erected the following winter, by the enter- prising proprietors, at a cost of two thousand, eight hundred dollars. The Following is the report of the factory for the season of 1827, as made by its efficient secretary, Harrison Wight:
REPORT OF EATON CHEESE FACTORY FOR 1877.
MONTHS.
MILK, CHEESE RA- POUNDS. POUNDS
TIO.
TOTAL CASH REC'D.
PAID PATRONS.
PAID FAC- TORY.
INCI- DIVI- DENTAL DEND EXPEN-
SES.
April.
116,920 10,407
11.23
$1,213 67
$1.083 58
$130 09
.9368
May ..
....
302,940 19,276
10.53
1.779 48
1,538 53,
240 95
.7581
June. .
212,700; 23,157
10.48
1 545 72
1,996 59
2.18 03.
.5342
1 10
July
216,736
20,390
10.63
1,736 68
1.481 81
251 87
.6837
August.
150,500
13.980
10.77
1,643 05
1,468 30
174 75
.9756
September
140,400: 13,987
10 01
1,678 47
1,503 G3
171 84 1.071
October
112,490
11,982
9.39
1,318 07
1,168 30
149 77 1.0386
November.
52,350,
5,792
9.04
593 69
576 29
71 10 .986
5 00
Season .... 1,235,036 118,971 10.38 $11,508 83 $10,057 03 $1,415 70 .814
6 10
WILITE CLOVER FACTORY.
located on the west line of the township, was estab- lished in 1869, by Thomas Bennington and Lemnel Abbey. The building was erected at a cost of about one thousand dollars. Capital now employed in the business, about one thousand four hundred dollars. During the past season the consumption of milk averaged about six thousand pounds daily, making fourteen cheese of forty pounds each.
THE STREATOR FACTORY.
This is located between the Center and North Eaton station, and is owned and operated by S. M. Streator, by whom it was established in the spring of 1850, with a capital of about two thousand dollars. It is much less now, owing to depreciation of property. The building was erected in 1821. The past season the business averaged about four thousand pounds of milk daily, manufacturing eight cheese of fifty pounds each per day.
ORCHARD FACTORY
is situated on Butternut ridge, and was established by Oel Durkee, Jr., in the spring of 1872. Two years subsequently it was purchased by Charles Jack . son, who, with S. Stephens, now owns it. It has worked about two thousand pounds of milk during the season of 1878. The factory has done a very lim- ited business during the last few years, and will prob- ably soon be discontinued, there being too many cheese factories in this section to render the business profitable.
SAW MILLS.
The first saw mill in town was built by Rice and Smith of Litchfield, Medina county, in the fall of 1851, and was located on lot forty-three. This mill is now owned and run by Philo Bannister. There are two other saw mills in the township, that of Angelo Rawson, in the southwest part of town, and one near North Eaton station, owned by John Page.
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS FOR 18.8.
Wheat, 1,000 acres
18,339 bushels.
Corn,
1,289
39,160 ..
Oats,
.41,766
Potatoes, 160 .
20,470
46
Orchards, 281
3,308
Meadow, 2,492
2,491 tons.
Butter. .40,900 pounds.
Cheese.
278,153 ..
VOTE FOR PRESIDENT, 1876.
Hayes.
205 | Tilden. 81
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
LEMUEL ABBEY.
The life of the pioneer, with its manifold struggles and privations, offers an interesting study, and one replete with instructive lessons. It admirably illns- trates the old aphorism "Industry is the parent of plenty:" for we rarely find one who toiled to reclaim the wilderness, and cultivate the soil in the primitive days of the settlement, but that accumulated a com- petence, who, if blessed with a ripe old age, which is generally the case, enjoy the fruits of his labors and frugality. The subject proper of this brief narrative came of a pioneer race. His parents, Eben- ezer and Mary (Blanchard) Abbey were of New England origin, and possessed the requisite quali- fications of early settlers. The former was born in Tolland county, Connecticut, June 9, 1781, and died March 19, 1862; the latter in Rutland, Ver- mont, December 19. 1787, she preceding her husband to the grave by but ten days. They lived together nearly fifty-seven years, having been united in mar- riage April 6, 1803. They had a family of fourteen children, of whom ten grew to maturity.
PHOTOS BY LEE, ELYRIA, 0.
OEL DURKEE
MRS. OEL DURKEE
RESIDENCE OF OEL DURKEE, EATON TP, LORAIN CO., OHIO.
205
HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OIIIO.
1 Polly A. born March 10, 1806.
8 Nelson, born October 18, 1816.
9 Volton, = March 30, 1818.
10 Marinda, " September 8, 1819.
' January 23, 1821.
5 Lucy M. April 22, 1812.
t Alonzo, August 20, 1813.
13 William, February 15, 1827.
7 Lyman, " Juue 19, 1815.
14 Emma A. " August 20, 1821.
Six of the sons were teachers in common schools, two became physicians, one a lawyer, and four farmers. Mrs. E. A. Abbey Brush is well known as one of Elyria's most devoted women in the cause of tem- perance.
Ebenezer Abbey was a man of somewhat remark- able business ability. In 1794, he accompanied his parents to Otsego county, New York, where they became respected and influential citizens. December 15, 1830, he commenced the then laborions journey of removing to Ohio. January 15, 1831, found him on Butternut ridge, North Eaton, Ohio, -his large family and worldly effects on two wagons, drawn by one span of horses, and one pair of oxen,-with but seventy-five cents in his pocket, which he paid out. for a bushel of wheat, Then commenced the trial in earnest with the wilderness. Ile selected a place for his future home, where his son Lemuel now resides. It was not, however, until April 6, 1831, that he per- manently located thereon. His purchase consisted of one hundred and thirteen acres, of which seventy- five were located in Carlisle township, and thirty- eight in Eaton. He is accredited with having hanled the first load of wheat from Wayne county, Ohio, which he distributed among the settlers.
While in New York State he had been extensively engaged in the manufacture of pot and pearl ashes, and had also learned the cooper's trade, both of which industries he carried on after settling in his new western home. His father had once been in comfort- able circumstances, but he sold his property in the east, taking in payment four thousand dollars of con- tinental money, just prior to the congressional act of repudiation. He lost everything, and, on return- ing to Otsego county, then an old man, he never recovered either his health or his fortune. Hence, it fell upon Ebenezer to make his own way in the workl, which he did, meeting with many reverses, among others, losing a large number of barrels of ashes by the embargo placed on American products, during the war of 1812. With a perseverance commendable of his race, he moved to the then " far west," as above stated, and there resumed his old time avocations, utilizing the surplus timber, and bringing into the then infant settlement considerable money for his ashes.
November 9, 1840, he commenced building a saw mill on Black creek, sawing the first log therein on the day of General Harrison's inauguration as presi- dent of the United States, March 4, 1841. Mr. Abbey was a man of but little school education, but of native shrewdness and natural ability. After accumulating enough to make his family comfortable, he applied his surplus to paying some old debts from
his old home in New York, of more than two hundred dollars, thus freeing himself from all old obligations, and allowing him to enjoy a clear con- science for the remainder of his days. His wife was of the same family of Blanchards as that from which sprung Mrs. President Hayes, and in her humble sphere did equal honor to her respectable ancestry.
Lemuel Abbey, son of the above, was born in Otsego county, N. Y., January 23, 1821. He was early taught sound practical lessons of industry and self-reliance, which have since been of great benefit to him. On the 25th of March, 1859, he married Sarah, daughter of William Lawson, of Eaton, formerly of Yorkshire, England. She was born August 29, 1826. They have had no children. In early years, Mr. Abbey was taught to "follow the plow," and has most of his life been engaged in agricultural pursuits. lle is a man of sound judgment, and of an intelligent and inquiring nature. In political faith, he is a staunch and unswerving republican, and in religious belief, a liberal thinker, and not a member of any particular denomination. His sterling integrity and the even rectitude of his life require no orthodox affiliations to bring him within the pale of consistent christianity, nor do any who as closely live up to the Golden Rule as does he.
OEL DURKEE.
The Durkee family in America traces its ancestry to three brothers who left Scotland at an early day and settled in New England. Prior to the com- mencement of the present century, we find Joseph Durkee, grandfather of our subject, settled in Con- necticut, where Alba Durkee, son of the latter and father of Oel, was born. They were a hardy and industrious race, and also possessed the quality of economy, that has become a well-known characteristic of their race. The mother of Oel Durkee was Thank- ful Whitcomb, and she died at Pottsdam, St. Law- rence county, New York, in 18It, when he was but four years of age. On the death of his wife, Alba Durkee returned to Pittsfield, Rutland county, Ver- mont, where he had resided previous to his removal to New York State. Two of his daughters rode horseback, and Mr. Durkee carried on a pillow an infant of only four months old.
Oel Durkee was born in Pittsfield, Vermont, Octo- ber 28, 1802. 1Tis early boyhood was passed in Stock- bridge, Windsor county, in the same State, where he lived until he was about seventeen years of age. Ou his parents' removal to York State, he was an infant, and, on his father's return to Vermout, he rode be- hind him on the same horse. He then went to live with an uncle, Norman Weber, and resided with him until he was about fifteen. His sisters made their home with Ebbe Durkee, an uncle. The father mar- ried again and returned to Pottsdam, New York,
2 Ebenezer, " July 17, 1807.
3 Smyth, July 12, 1808.
4 Orsemus, February 21, 1810.
11 Lemuel,
12 Almina, .. May 26, 1822
206
HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
where he remained a few years, returning temporarily to Pittsfield, and subsequently removing to Bethany. Genesee county, New York, where he died. His second wife's maiden name was Sarah Newton. By her he had six children ; by his first wife, seven, namely: Elizabeth, Joseph, Cynthia, Thomas, Lucy. Oel and Nancy, of whom the first, third, sixth and seventh named survive.
At the age of seventeen. Oel went to Nashua, Now Hampshire, and worked on the canal five years. He met with many reverses. He made his home, winters, at Stockbridge, Vermont. He afterward removed to Allegany, now Wyoming county, New York, where he engaged as a farm laborer. He there married Betsey Terrey, in 1830. Four years later, he came to Ohio, and settled on the farm where he still resides, in Eaton township. Their children num- bered eleven, of whom six are living. They were Mason A., born November 12, 1831; Nancy, born July 16, 1833; (two dying in infancy unnamed): Fi- delia, born June 20, 1838, died July 17, 1871; Hiram, born January 2, 1840, killed at South Mountain, Maryland, September 14, 1862; Persis, born March 12, 1841, died February 29, 1848; Oel, dr., born De- cember 2, 1843; Betsey Eveline, born February 18, 1845; Horace A., born June 29, 1848; and Oscar A., born August 1, 1849. Those deceased are Fidelia, Persis and Hiram. Those living are all married, and are respectable members of society. Mr. and Mrs. Durkee have three great-grand children and twenty- two grand-children, with fair prospects of having these numbers largely augmented. Mrs. Durkee was born in the town of Pike, Allegany county, New York, .Inne 12, 1810. ller father was Peleg Mason Terry; her mother, Betsey Swift. They were married on Thanksgiving day, 1808. They had three children: Lorinda and Betsey, the other dying in infancy. The Terrys moved into Ohio in 1836, settled in Eaton township, and lived and died there-Mrs. Terry dying in 1838, and her husband Jannary 28, 1875. He married the widow of a Mr. Nye, and she survives.
Mr. Durkee can recall the time when there had not been a tree cut Trom a half mile south of Butternut ridge and Rawsonville, the whole territory being cov- ered with a dense forest. On arriving in Eaton, he moved into a log shanty, with eight others, all living in one room, and continued to live in this way for almost three months. The shanty served as a habita- tion for almost two years, when he built a small frame house, which was succeeded in 1849, by his present residence-an illustration of which appears on another page of this volume.
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