History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 53

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

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The book containing the record of this election was rescued by Edmund Gillmore, the present town clerk and justice of the peace, from a party of boys in Lorain, who were about to use it for a mark in their target practice. From it we find that, in pursu- ance of the aet above referred to, a meeting of the electors of the township of Black River was held at the house of John S. Reid, on Monday, the 5th day of April, 1830. Quartus Gillmore, Samuel Gilbert and Barna Meeker were appointed judges, and Daniel T. Baldwin and John Myers, clerks of the election,

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

which resulted as follows: Daniel T. Baldwin, clerk; Quartus Gilmore, Samuel Gilbert and Barna Meeker, trustees; John S. Reid and Eleazer Crawford, over- seers of the poor; John S. Reid and Eleazer Crawford, fence viewers; Morris Jackson, treasurer; John S. Reid, Thomas Wymans, George Kelso and Eleazer Crawford, supervisors of highways; Sidney Mitchell, constable. We find no election of a justice of the peace until the following year, April 4, 1831, when Quartos Gillmore was elected to that office.

The following named are the present inenmbents of the respective township offices: Edmund Gillmore, clerk; W. II. Aiken, Elias Baumhart and Frederick Friend, trustees; Thomas Gawn, treasurer; P. B. Delany, assessor; Chas, Friend and John Aschenbach, constables; Edmund Gillmore and S. C. MeMillen, justices of the peace.

There were originally two post offices in the iown. One was located on the South ridge, now South Am- herst, and called "The Black River Post Office." The other was named "The Mouth of Black River Post Office," and was kept at the mouth of the river. Eliphalet Redington was the first post master of the former office, and John S. Reid of the latter. Henry Chapman is the present incumbent of the Lorain post oflice.

SCHOOLS.

The first school in Black River was opened at an unascertainable date in an unoccupied log house of Edmund Gillmore. The teacher was David Smith, of Amherst. The first school house was erected not long after, on the farm of William Martin, the first school in which was taught by Lucia Smith, a sister of David. According to the report of the board of education for Black River for the year ending August 31, 1818, there are in the township outside of the village of Lorain, two school houses, valued, includ- ing the ground, at one thousand two hundred dollars; amount paid teachers, five hundred and seventy-four dollars; pupils enrolled, sixty-eight.

The initiatory steps in the ercetion of the handsome and commodious brick school building in Lorain, were taken at a special election held May 30, 1874, when it was voted almost unanimously to bond the village to the amount of fourteen thousand dollars, to be used substantially as follows: Two thousand dol- lars for the purchase of a site, ten thousand dollars for the building, and two thousand dollars for main- taining the schools the first year. The building was erected in 1874-5. The first principal of the schools in the new building was Miss IFattie Ayers. J. R. Rogers is at present occupying that position. There is also a frame school builling, recently repaired.

From the report above referred to we learn the fol. lowing facts as to this, the "Lorain Union School Distriet:" Number of school houses, two, which, with the grounds, are valued at thirteen thousand dollars; number of teachers employed, six; number of pupils, two hundred and sixty-five; amount paid

teachers, two thousand one hundred and eighty-seven dollars. The following named are the present mem- bers of the school board: E. C. Kinney, T. W. Fancher, S. A. Andrus, John Stang, II. Hageman, C. S. Vorwerk.

CHURCHES,

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

We experienced much difficulty in obtaining exact information concerning the history of this church, and regret that we cannot give it more complete.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Lorain was organized in the spring of 1856, by the Revs. Hard and Griffin, and was the result of the remarkable revival meetings conducted by them the preceding winter. There were ninety-nine persons who united at the time of organization. In 1864, during the pastorate of Rev. G. A. Hughes, there were forty additions made to the membership. The present membership is something over one hundred. The present pastor is Rev. Uri Richards, resident at Berea. G. I. Baldwin is superintendent of the Sabbath school, which is large and prosperous.

The church building was erected in 1872, costing three thousand dollars. A parsonage is at the present writing in course of erecetion, to cost when finished about one thousand dollars.

EVANGELICAL CHURCH,

There was an organization of this denomination many years ago, in the northwest part of the town- ship. The society built a meeting house on the farm of George Drudy. The church was subsequently disbanded and the meeting house sold, most of the members uniting with a similar society at North Amherst. The rest of the members continued their meetings, usually holding them at the log house of widow Brown, in Lorain, and in a few years organized the present church, and erected a building which cost six or seven hundred dollars. The members were Jacob Vedder and wife, Mrs. Mary Brown. son and daughter (John and Elizabeth), and a few others whose names cannot now be recalled. The church now numbers about forty members. Rev. Jacob Ilunniker is pastor, and Henry Wiegand and John Horn, class leaders. The Sabbath school numbers about one hundred pupils, with H. Wiegand, super- intendent.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

For the facts in the following statement, we are indebted to Rev. J. B. Stocking, a former pastor of the church :

The Congregational church of Lorain, was organ- ized .fuly 23, 1822, by a council called for the purpose, with Rev. Samuel Wolcott, D. D., as mod- erator. The following churches were represented in the council: Oberlin First, Oberlin Second, Amherst, and Ridgeville. For some time previous to the call- ing of the council, there had been a growing feeling

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OIIIO.

in regard to the organization of a new church in the place, the Methodist being the only church in the village, with the exception of a small German church. There were a number of Presbyterians and Congrega- tionalists living in Lorain, and after a careful consider- ation of the proposed movement, the organization was decided upon and effected, as stated, largely through the efforts of Mr. Fitzgerald. The church was com- posed of nine members, of whom Deacon Roland Osgood was the only male member. The others were Laura Osgood, Cassie Osgood, Ruba Prince, Elizabeth Peachy, Ann Gillmore, Mary J. Gillmore, Elizabeth Brown, and Margaret Cunningham. A confession of faith, which is still used by the church, and a covenant, which has since been revised, were drawn up by Dr. Wolcott. To these, assent was given, and the little band was recognized as a church.

They found a place of worship in a little old building, one of the first frame honses built in the place, which had once been used as a boarding house,-subsequently and for many years as a house of worship, success- ively by the Baptists, Presbyterians and Methodists, and still later as a town hall. It stood originally in the hollow, near the foundry, but was afterwards removed twice, in order to better accommodate the societies that worshiped in it. In 1842 it was moved from its original location to the lot now occupied by the Methodist church, and subsequently to the lot on which the Congregational church now stands, where it is still standing, and affords a strik- ing contrast to the imposing edifice that has sup- planted it.

For some time, all the officers of the church, except that of deacon, were filled by individuals who were not members of the church, and to whom great credit is given for their efficient help, when it was so greatly needed.

The first pastor was Rev. A. T. Reed, now the successful pastor of the largest and perhaps the most prosperous church in Medina county. He was a very faithful and efficient pastor. During his connection with the church, there was not a house, hotel. saloon or any building in which people lived or congregated. into which he did not go and present the cause which he represented, and almost every communion service witnessed accessions to the church.

In the winter of 1821-72, there was an extensive revival, and the March following, thirty-three addi- tions were made to the church, nearly all of them on profession of faith. Mr. Reed's labors closed that spring, and for some time the pulpit was supplied by different individuals.

In the fall of 1843, Rev. B. N. Chamberlain was called as pastor, and was ordained and installed November 6th. He remained only until the follow- ing May, the failure of his health compelling him to relinquish his work. He was a man of deep, earnest piety, and had the prosperity of the church at heart. Soon after his resignation, Rev. Mr. Upton was called to supply the pulpit, and except a short period.

preached until the spring of 1875. During his labors the church was built up, not so much numerically as spiritually. In the midst of his labors. the following winter, he was called away by the sickness of his father, whose death, a short time after, made it neces- sary that he sever his connection with the church, which he did the next spring. He was followed by Rev. J. B. Stocking .* who officiated as pastor for two years and a half. His pastorate was. marked by a rapid growth of the church, its membership being nearly doubled. His labors were unremitting for the temporal and spiritual welfare of his people. The unfitness of the old building used by the society as a house of worship, and the growth of the congregation, rendered necessary the erection of a new building, and in the summer of 1826. on a pledge of four hun- dred dollars, the same was begun, but for want of funds, was not completed sufficiently to be dedicated until November 13. 1878. Rev. Dr. Wolcott, of Cleveland, preached the dedication sermon. The cost of the building was abont seven thousand dollars, three thousand, six hundred dollars of which was secured on the day of dedication. The building is a handsome one, and reflects great credit upon those to whose energy, perseverance and liberality its erection is attributable.

Mr. Stocking remained pastor until the fall of 1877, when he resigned, and was immediately succeeded by Rev. Frank MeConanghy, of Oberlin, who was or- dained pastor, and has continued until the present. ITis pastorate has been a very efficient one. The suc- eess which has attended the building of the present house of worship, is largely due to his untiring inter- est and labor. The present membership is abont one hundred. The officers are: Roland Osgood and Beaver Brown. deacons: Edward C. Kinney. Sher- man A. Andrus, and Beaver Brown, trustees; Row- land Rowley, clerk; Beaver Brown. treasurer. The Sabbath school numbers about one hundred and twenty-tive. Sherman A. Andrus is superintendent.

DISCIPLE CHURCH.

This church was organized December 17, 1826, with the following membership: Alanson Gillmore and wife, W. A Wire, wife and daughter Emily, V. H. Osgood and wife, F. F. Field and wife, D. S. Craw- ford and wife, Mrs. S. D. Porter, Mrs. Emma E. James, Mrs. M. E. Bowles, Mrs. C. B. Doty. Mrs. Jane Swartwood. Mrs. Irena Mapes, Mrs. Sophia Field. The meetings were held in the second story of the Edison store building until the fall of 1872, when a house of worship was built, at a cost of about one thousand dollars, and which was dedicated by Brother Garvin, of Columbus. The present member- ship numbers about sixty, with W. A. Wire, elder, and F. F. Field and V. II. Osgood, deacons. There is a flourishing Sabbath school, of which D. S. Craw- ford is superintendent.

* Rev's Messrs. Reed, Upton, and Stocking, while pastors, were not ordained.

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

THE VILLAGE.

Although the village of Lorain is of comparatively recent growth, its antecedent history dates back to an early period. About the year 1830, the mouth of Black river began to assume importance as a point for the shipment of grain to the east by the lake. This was before the era of railroads and canals in Ohio, and the harbor of Black river became the outlet for the cereals of a large section of country, the grain being hauled in wagons from as far away as Medina county. This of itself produced no little activity, and the little settlement known as Black River soon began to assume the semblance of a village, and, although "Charleston," under which name the village was sub- sequently incorporated, is now chiefly remembered as only a happy illustration of the glorious uncertainty of land speculation, an account of its "rise and fall" may properly have a place in the history of this town- ship.

The Ohio Railroad was surveyed in the year 1832, the first attempt at railroad building ever made in the State, and the route as surveyed led through the vil- lage. The following year work was begun on the Ohio canal, whose terminus, it was confidently ex- pected, would be at this point. The expected early completion of these two great commercial enterprises gave a great impetus to the activity of the place, and especially as to the price of real estate. A part of the John S. Reid farm, at the month of the river, was surveyed and laid off into lots in 1834, by Edward Durand, and soon afterwards land for a considerable distance around the Center was held as high as a thou- sand dollars an aere, while village lots were almost beyond reach. For some inscrutable reason the canal went to Cleveland, and, while this was felt as a loss, it was not of sufficient importance to chill the ardor of the people of Black River as to the future great- ness of their village. With land adjacent to town at a thousand dollars per acre and village lots beyond the possession of all of ordinary resources, its destiny was fixed, and the failure to secure a canal was a mat- ter of minor importance; besides, the railroad was sure, work upon which was afterwards, in 1837, actu- ally begun.

'The mania for land speculation which had seized the citizens of Black River is thus described by a writer* then on the spot:

"In early spring, 1836, State Engineer Dodge, with his corps of assis- tants, came in from Coshocton, ria. Wooster, surveying what was termed the Kibuck and Black River Canal. As the engineers came down real estate went up. About this time Dr. Samuel Strong put in an appearance. His first purchase of real estate was some five acres of land taken from the farm of Conrad Reid, adjoining the village plat of Black River. This was mapped out on paper, with streets, lanes, etc., and sales commenced. Every person in Black River that could write, and had any leisure time, was set to writing out articles of agreement for the doctor and his purchasers. The five acres were soon exhausted and the doctor bought six acres from the same farm, adjoining the five acres. All the Black River clerical force was again employed writing land contracts. About this time the great patroon, H. C. Stevens, put in his appearance and gobbled up all that was left, that was for sale. He purchased the residue of the Conrad Reid farin, entering into con-

tract to pay for the same seventy-five thousand dollars. He also pur- chased of Quartus Gillmore a one-third interest in the original plat of Black River for a liberal sum. We all dabbled in city lots more or less, and nearly every body in Black River, and a good many in Elyria got rich-on paper-in a very short time. H. C. Stevens claimed to be worth half a million-in fact we were all rich."

In 1835 the following were the principal business men of Black River: William Jones, merchant; Gates & Green, general merchandise; Delos Phelon and O. Root, forwarding and commission merchants; Daniel T. Baldwin, farmer; Barna Meeker, proprietor of the old Reid House; A. T. Jones, blacksmith; E. Miller, shoemaker; Thomas Brown, tailor; W. E. Fitch, stave dealer; Quartus Gillmore, farmer and justice of the peace; Conrad Reid, postmaster.

In 1836 the village was honored by the legislature with a corporation charter by the name of Charleston. and in the spring of 1837 the first and only charter election under that name was held. We are unable to give the names of the officers chosen, who, for some unknown reason, never entered upon their offi- cial duties.

The Ohio railroad scheme resulted in an ignomin- jous failure. The funds of the company. never bur- densome, gave out, an appeal to the legislature for aid was denied, and the city of Charleston had to keep along with its old wagon trade, the importance of which had almost been lost sight of in the excite- ment over the projected great enterprise of previons mention.

Its monopoly of the grain business for this section of the State continued, and Charleston kept on grow- ing until it reached a population of several hundred, with stores, grain warchouses, hotels, etc., and prop- erty was still held at a high figure. In 1851 its grain trade was seriously curtailed by the building of the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati railroad. Then for the first time the village realized what it had lost in the failure of the Ohio railroad scheme. In 1853 the Cleveland and Toledo road was begun. Unable to offer pecuniary inducements for a lake shore ronte. Charleston saw in her adversity, only eight miles dis- tant, Elyria with a railroad assured, wealth and many natural advantages, starting off in a manner indicative of a prosperous future. Its fall is thus referred to by Major Hammond, in the Black River Commercial:

" It died without a struggle. Its hotels were practically closed; its merchants departed; its warehouses were almost given away to farm- ers for barns and fences, and even its corporate organization was ahan - doned; its name blotted out by common consent, and its memory placed in the catagory of western paper-city failures."

Some of the owners of property were unwilling to thus ingloriously and ruinously end the struggle, be- gun under circumstances so favorable, and strennous efforts were made to revive the place; notably by Il. R. Penfield, who, at almost his own expense, had a survey made from Rocky river to Vermillion, through Black River (as the place again came to be called) for the proposed Cleveland, Port Clinton and Toledo railroad, but capitalists could not be induced to foster the scheme. S. O. Edison, also a large owner of land, established a charcoal furnace and built a saw mill on

*N. B. Gates in Elyria Republican.

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

the river nearly a mile from its mouth. The furnace was afterwards burnt down. It was not, however, until the commencement of the Lake Shore and Tus- carawas Valley railroad that the place began to show signs of returning life. When the point was reached that the early completion of the road was no longer a matter of speculation, a remarkable revival of activity immediately began, and since that time the growth of the place has been steady and constant, until it now has, according to a recent school census, a population numbering fifteen hundred and forty-tive.

At the regular meeting of the county commission- ers, in the latter part or January, 1824, that body unanimously granted to Black River a charter of incorporation, under the name of Charleston, but the authorities at Washington refused to give the town a post-office with that name, as there was one or more of a similar name in the State; and on request of the citizens, " Lorain " was substituted. The first elec- tion of the re-incorporated village was held the 6th of April, 1824, when the following named persons were chosen for the respective offices, viz: Conrad Reid, mayor: E. Gregg, treasurer: H. A. Fisher, clerk; E. (. Kinney, civil engineer; Quartos Gillmore, mar- shal; R. J. Cowley, street commissioner; E. Gillmore, Thomas Gawn, E. T. Peck, John Stang, James Por- ter and F. W. Edison, councilmen: R. O. Rockwood, M. D., A. Beatty. M. D., James Connelly, E. Swart- wood. Wm. Cunningham and Beaver Brown, board of health. The village officers, elected in the spring of 1878, are as follows: T. W. Fancher, mayor; Otto Braun, clerk: John Stang. W. A. Jones, F. Hogan. Chas. B. Chapman, Adolph Braun and C. S. Vorwerk, conneilmen: Alanson Bridge, marshat; and Beaver Brown, street commissioner.

BUSINESS HOUSES OF LORAIN .- M. Z. Lampman, hotel and enstom office: Reid House, Conrad Reid, proprietor; Lorain House, -- , proprie- tor; Boarding House, of S Pahler; S. A. Andrus, drugs, books and stationery: Gardner & Davis, drugs and stationery: Wiegand Bros, boots and shoes; C. Shoemaker & Co., boots and shoes; A. II. Babcock, groceries; F. J. King, groceries; (. S. Vo werk, groceries; M. J. Far- well, groceries; Lester Smith, groceries; Peter MeBride, groceries; W'm. M Cunningham, merchant tailoring and gents' furnishing goods; Union Clothing Store, Thomas Bowen, proprietor; William Tulp, furniture; William A. Jones, general merchandise; J. B. Linderman, dry goods: Root Bros , feed store; Hla A. Rollin, millinery ; Mes. E. Car- ney, millinery; Marcella O'Conner, fancy goods; Edison & Fancher, hardware; Davidovitch & Capp, meat market; Henry Short, meat mar- ket; John Pureupile, blacksmith; J. H. Pierce, wagon shop: H. Chap- man, wagon shop; Harry Jones, bakery ; two barber shops; G. Hogan, real estate; I. D. Lawler, "Lorain Monitor; Physicians, Drs. Harris, Bowman, Smith and Reamer,

STOVE MANUFACTORY.

This enterprise was inaugurated in the summer of 1875. A stock company was formed by some of the leading citizens of Lorain and two manufacturers of stoves in Troy, New York. The association Withs called the "Lorain Stove Company." June 2d, of that year, a board of directors was chosen, composed of the following stockholders: J. C. Henderson and Jacob Shaver of Troy, New York, S. O. Edison, Francis Warriner and G. Hlogan, of Lorain. Officers were chosen by the board of directors as follows: J. C. Henderson, president; S. O. Edison, vice presi-

dent; G. Hogan, secretary; T. S. Nelson, treasurer. Buildings were erected, which, with the ground and machinery, cost some fifteen thousand dollars. The enterprise did not prove a success, for the reason, chiefly, that the Troy parties, to whom, on account of their experience in the business, the management of the enterprise was resigned by the company, con- dneted the business for the especial benefit of their New York factory. A change of officers was made, the New York parties being ousted; but the enter- prise had begun badly, and could not recover the ground thus lost. An assignment was subsequently made, and the property sold. The factory is now owned by private parties, and is being operated under a long term lease by the Co-operative Stove Company of Cleveland. This is an important enterprise for Lorain. The company employ at present forty-five men, the money paid to whom is largely disbursed in the village. C. HI. Baldwin is resident manager.

PLANING MILLS.

The planing mill of BROWN BROS. & Co. was built in 1873. It is a large two-story building, and is re plete with the necessary machinery, propelled by a fifty-horse power engine, for the manufacture of sash. doors, blinds, molding, and for scroll sawing. The firm have, in connection with the mill, an extensive lumber yard, and also do a large business as con- tractors and builders.

The planing mill of E. SLANGHIT & SONS was also established in 1823. The building is a one story with iron roof. The machinery is run by a fifty-horse power engine. Doors, sash, blinds, etc., are manu- factured. In 1846, a grist mill with two run of stone was added.

Orrin Dole is erecting an ice house, near the site of the old blast furnace, one hundred by fifty feet in size.

THE HARBOR.

The natural advantages of the harbor of Black river are not excelled, if indeed, they are equaled, by those of any other on the shore of Lake Erie. For three or four miles up the river the stream is over two hundred feet wide, with an average depth of about fifteen feet, and is therefore navigable for the largest craft that sails on the lake.

The following figures taken from the books of the Deputy Collector of the port, M. Z. Lampmon, who has served in that capacity since 1856, shows a re- markable increase in the business of the port since the completion of the Lake Shore and Tusearawas Valley railroad, in 1842.

For the months of July, August and September, 1823, the total receipts were thirty-four dollars and forty cents. For the same period in 1828, they were four hundred and forty-seven dollars and tive cents.

SHIP BUILDING.

This has always been an important industry of this port. It commenced with the building of the sloop

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

"General Huntington," in the year 1819, and contin- ned with great activity until 1843. In common with other branches of industry this interest has been greatly depressed by the hard times inaugurated by the panic of that year, and it will be seen in the appended list of vessels built here that but relatively few have been built since that date.

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History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 53

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

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