USA > Ohio > Lorain County > History of Lorain County, Ohio > Part 59
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Mr. Sayles is a self-made man in the broadest sense of that term. He secured his education by personal efforts, and the same energy and determination to succeed that characterized his endeavors in that direc- tion, has attended him in his subsequent business career. From January 18, 1864, until 1875, he occu- pied the position of superintendent of the Antwerp Iron Works, located in Paulding county, Ohio, and retains an interest in the same at present.
In early life he was an old line whig; and in the formation of the republican party espoused its princi- ples as being best calculated to perpetuate popular government and our American institutions. He was elected a justice of the peace in 1876, and still holds that office. lle has also been township treasurer, assessor, ete., at different times. A fine illustration, surmounted with the family portraits, appears else- where in this volume, which forms an appropriate page in the history of Brownhehu.
JOHN H. HEYMANN
was born in Nassau, Germany, Angust 13, 1828. He was the third son in a family of eight children of George Heymann. The whole family emigrated to
America in 1848, and settled in Lyme township, Huron county, Ohio, where they purchased a farm of two hundred acres, upon which John H. worked three years. In 1851, he went to California by way of the Isthmus, where he worked at blacksmithing, mining and teaming. He remained there until 1855, when he returned to Lyme township and purchased a farm, upon which he remained until 1868, when he bought a flouring mill, a saw mill and other buildings adjoining, situated in Brownhelm Hollow, on Ver- million river, an illustration of which mills, etc., is given elsewhere in this volume. In 1875, he obtained a half interest in the Amherst flouring mill, and three years later purchased the other half and became sole proprietor of it. The mill in Brownhelm Hollow was destroyed by fire in October, 1876; it was rebuilt the following year, and is one of the finest mills in the county. It contains all the modern improvements, and is capable of turning ont as good grist as any mill within a radius of tifty miles.
In August, 1855, Mr. Ileymann and Miss Katherine Schied were united in marriage. She was born in Nassan, Germany, January 12, 1832. Her parents were natives of the same place. She had three broth- ers and two sisters, all of whom came to this country in 1854, and settled in Peru, Inron county, Ohio, where Mr. Schied bought a farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres. They all now live in Huron and Erie counties, except the father, who is dead.
Mr. and Mrs. Heymann have had ten children, seven danghters and three sons, all of whom are living. The oldest son is married, as is also the old- est daughter.
Mr. Heymann is one of the substantial and res- pected men of his township, and enjoys a good general reputation for industry, honesty and economy.
ITENRY BROWN.
Judge Brown was born in Stockbridge, Massachu- setts, June 3, 1723. In his youth he commenced a course of liberal education and entered Harvard col- lege, but by reason of the failure of his health when in his sophomore year he was compelled to discontinue his studies. After partially restoring his health by travel, he engaged in merchandise in his native town and continued in the business until his western inter- ests required its abandonment. In the fall of 1816, he visited the tract of country, then simply known as number six in the nineteenth range (now Brownhehn) and on hisreturn east he entered into contract with the Connecticut Land Company for the purchase of three- fourths of the township, and with the Messrs. Rock- wells, of Colebrook, Connecticut, for the rest. Under his lead many of his old neighbors in Stockbridge removed to his western purchase and settled. Col. * Brown, as he was formerly called, selected for himself a tract of about a mile square, in the northeast corner
JOHN H. HEYMANN.
MRS. CATHARINE HEYMANN
THE AMHERST MILL
T
RES. AND MILL PROPERTY OF JOHN H. HEYMANN. BROWNHELM HOLLOW, LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
of the town, and sent out, in the winter of 1816-17, several young men to erect him a house and to com- mence the improvement of his land. Ile removed with his family in the summer of 1818, and took up his abode on the lake shore in the house previously built.
Upon the organization of the county of Lorain, Col. Brown was appointed one of the three associate judges of the county, a position which, both by reason of his business experience and the natural bent of his mind, he was well qualified to fill. Not unfrequently, in the absence of the presiding judge, he was obliged to proceed with the business, even to charging the jury. He was always equal to these emergencies. Judge Brown's record on the bench was an exceedingly creditable one.
He was a man of enterprise and public spirit, lib- erally supporting with his means and time every object tending to the improvement of society. Long before his conversion, which occurred at a compara- tively late period in his life, no one was more carnest in the support of the gospel, and few members of the church more regular in their attendance upon its appointed services. When the people in Brownhelm began to think of inviting a minister to settle among them, he proposed to pay one-eighth of the expense. After a few years he united with the church, his wife and some of the children having previously joined. Ilis habit of punctuality in everything, especially in his attendance at every meeting, directly or indirectly affecting the church, was remarkable. It is said by one who knew him well "that during a whole winter, two evenings in a week, when nearly seventy years of age, he came through mud and rain, snow and frost, to attend a singing school; and up to his last attend- ance on public worship he was always to be found in his place in the choir."
He was frequently a delegate from the presbytery to the general assembly of the Presbyterian church, and in one year spent not less than five months, in- eluding his attendance at a church trial in Philadel- phia, and the convention at Auburn.
Judge Brown also took an active part in the estab- lishment of a college in the Western Reserve, attend- ing the meeting at Hudson, called for the purpose. "Indeed," says a writer on this subject, "but for him and another friend of the college, no such charter would have been obtained as the friends of the insti- tution would have accepted. There was deadly hos- tility to it in the Legislature; and the charter which they asked was so altered in its provisions as to prevent the possibility of securing religions instruc- tion, and as such was passed through the house. Intelligence of this was communicated to the friends of the institution. Judge Brown and the other ( Rev. Caleb Titkin) went with haste to Columbus, and arrived just as the bill was about to be read for the third time. They suceceded, by the aid of a friend, in arresting this; and after days and evenings of patient waiting upon the opponents of the contem-
plated institution, they succeeded in oblaining the charter as they had asked, with the exception of two trustees, against whom there was such personal hos- tility as no arguments could overcome."
Judge Brown was afterwards a member of the board of trustees of this college, and continued in the otlice until the intirmities of age compelled him to relinquish it.
lle was a man of many social qualities, and of much intelligence. His hospitality was unbounded. His log house on the lake shore was the general ren- dezvous of the carly emigrants and in many other ways they were the recipients of his practical benev- . olenee.
He died December 10, 1843, in the seventy-first year of his age, and the family is now extinct in the township.
REV. ALFRED H. BETTS.
Rev. Alfred H. Betts took up his residence in Brownhelm in January, 1821. He was born in Nor- walk, Connecticut, September 2, 1786. November 2, 1809, he was united in marriage to Sally Harris, daughter of Captain Luther Harris, of Bridgeport, Connecticut. In early life, he adopted the profession of medicine, and practiced for ten years in Danbury. In the fall of 1816, he and his father-in-law came to Ohio, and selected a place for settlement in Florence, Erie county. After the erection of a cabin, Captain Harris returned east for their families, with whom he arrived the next season. Dr. Betts spent the first two or three Sabbaths with Deacon Beardslee and family, who, a short time before, settled in Vermil- lion. They had a few religious exercises, such as singing, prayer, and a sermon, read by Dr. Betts. Hle was soon invited by others in their neighborhood to come to their dwellings, and hold similar meetings, at which a few families would be invited to attend. And thus began his "reading meetings."
In a short time, Dr. Betts had regular appoint- ments at Birmingham, Florence, Vermillion, and other places. In consequence of the detention of his freight at Buffalo, until the next spring after his arrival, Dr. Betts had but one suit of clothes, which, having to wear in the woods through the week, was hardly suitable for the pulpit on the Sabbath. Long before the arrival of his goods, his old coat needed repairing, and Deacon Beardslee's wife would mend it as best she could, with the means she had. Some rents were drawn up, and some covered with patches of such cloth as she had, which was not always of the same color. In the spring his boots were gone, and a neighbor made him a pair of moccasins. The condi- tion of his apparel greatly disturbed him, and he began to question whether he had better continue in his old clothes, or suspend the meetings until the arrival of his goods. Ile consulted a few of his friends in regard to the matter, who told him that, as he had
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IHISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
gone on so long. it was hardly worth while at this stage to be proud.
After his stock of printed sermons was exhausted he prepared discourses of his own: yet he did not call them sermons, and he was always careful to assure his anditors that he was not actually a minister. A mis- sionary hearing of Dr. Betts' labors called upon him for the purpose of satisfying himself as to the denom- ination to which he belonged. "I came to Vermil- lion." he said, 'and asked a young man if they had any preaching?' lle said .no.' 'Have you any meet- ings?' 'Yes, a man comes from the Ridge and holds meetings on the Sabbath.' 'What is he?' Don't know; guess a Methodist?' Of another I made the same inquiries who guessed you was a Baptist. An- other still, thought you was a Universalist. "And now," said he, "I want to know from you, yourself, what you are?' " Dr. Betts was able to satisfy him and he departed.
In the summer of 1819. Dr. Betts went to Hudson, Portage county, to prepare himself for the ministry. Ile remained until April. 1820, when he was licensed
by the Presbytery. He returned to Florence, where his family had remained, and continned the meetings formerly held by him. In the winter of 1820-'21, he received a call from the Congregational church in Brownhelm, which he accepted and was ordained and installed April 5. 1821. He continued pastor of the church twelve years. when he was dismissed at his own request. Dr. Betts was one of the busiest and best known men in the country. For years he trav- eled all over this region, having visited every township on the fire lands, assisting in organizing churches and performing the duties of colporteur and Bible distributor. On the occasion of a donation visit at a late period in his life, by his friends from many of the towns comprising the field of his early labors, it was remarked by one of the visitors that a great many people had assembled. "Yes," said Dr. Betts, after a moment's reflection, "and there is not a family rep- resented that I have not lodged with."
His busy and useful life came to a close September 8, 1860. Of his thirteen children ten lived to mature years. Six are now living; two of them in Brownhelm.
HENRIETTA.
PHYSICAL FEATURES.
THE TOWNSHIP is described on the county rec- ords as town number tive, in range nineteen of the Connecticut Western Reserve. Its position in the county is in the western tier of townships : to the north. Brownhelm : to the east Russia; to the south, Camden; to the west, the county line. The surface in its general features is quite level, with pleasing undulations in those portions through which its small streams run, partienlarly in the northwest corner. The soil is generally a clay loam, with a more sandy soil in small portions. The water courses are Chance creek in the eastern part, Econard brook in the western. both tributaries of the Vermillion river, which makes a detour into the northwest corner of the township, from Erie county. The east branch of the Vermillion traverses the southwest part. There are a few other smaller streams, mere rivulets, one of which is Division brook, in the northern part. The principal original kinds of timber were whitewood. white oak, hickory, walnut, white and black ash, beech. elm and basswood. At an early period, evi- dently long previous to settlement, a terrific hurricane swept through the township, by which all of the larger timber, for over a hall' a mile in width, was blown down. This district is called " The Windfall." It
is plainly indicated by the younger and more uniform growth of the timber than that of the adjoining territory, the varieties consisting chietly of white and black ash, chn, oak, hickory, maple and cherry.
SURVEY.
The township was surveyed by Edward Durand in connection with other territory. The three northern tiers of lots, constituting about one-third of the area of the township, formed a part of Brownhelm until the year 1827. when they were set off to Henrietta; and, on the county map, it will be noticed that those lots are numbered continuously with those of Brown- helm. The remainder of the township was surveyed in connection with territory lying south of it. The survey began at the southern boundary of the Western Reserve, in the township of Troy, then Lorain county, now Ashland, and the land divided into fifteen tracts, numbers twelve, thirteen, fourteen and fifteen being in this township. These were subdivided into lots. That part of the gore embraced in Henrietta is divided into lots twenty-three, twenty-four and twenty-five. The part detached from Brownhelm was origin- ally owned by Col. Brown, by contract with the Connecticut Land Company, and the rest of the town- ship by different persons.
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IHISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
SETTLEMENT.
The family that is generally accorded the honor of being the first settlers in the township was that of Simeon Durand. Durand was a native of France. At the age of sixteen years, he and a brother, Merari, accompanied La Fayette to America, Simeon acting as the general's interpreter, and, in that capacity. continued to serve him until the close of the Revolu- tion. Ile married soon after the close of the war, and settled in Essex county, New York. He lived there until the winter of 1817, when, with wife and youngest child, the older children coming subse- quently, he removed to Henrietta. He settled on lot ninety-eight, and the family lived under a shelter made of poles and covered with bark until a more civilized habitation could be provided. His purchase comprised one hundred and sixty acres.
The life of this hardy pioneer came to a close on his original farm, May 25, 1831. His wife survived him many years, and reached the advanced age of ninety. Her death occurred in the year 1854, at the house of her son Merari, in the township of Russia. She possessed, in a marked degree, those qualities nec- essary to a snecessful combat with the hardships of pioneer life. The remainder of the children came into the township subsequently. Lucinda, the oldest, mar- ried Joseph Powers in New York, with whom she removed to HIenrietta from the State of Vermont a few years after the first settlement. Deacon Powers, as he came to be called, kept a public house here for many years, and was also a leading member of the Baptist church. His location was on the same lot on which Durand located. He lived for a time in Wisconsin subsequent to his settlement in Henrietta, but returned and died here. ITis widow died in New Jersey.
Diram Durand, the next ohlest of the children. with his family, settled on a part of his father's farm. He did not remain long in the township, however, removing to Illinois and, subsequently to California. Louisa married a cousin Durand. They, many years ago, removed to Michigan. Edward was one of the most prominent citizens of Henrietta, and was well known throughout the county for many years. He has held the offices of county surveyor and county auditor, justice of the peace and other township offices. Ile removed with his family to Wisconsin, and died there soon after of cholera. He was twice married: first to a danghter of Thompson Blair, of Amherst. She died some fifteen years afterwards, and he subsequently married a widow Burrell, of Sheffield. The next of the children was Teressa. She is now a widow, living in Avon. Betsey married Charles Wells, of Henrietta; afterwards removed to Illinois, and died there. Merari, the youngest, mar- ried twice and was the father of twelve children, ten of whom are living, and one, Dorleski, wife of L. N. Higgins, in Henrietta.
The next family that settled in town was that of
Calvin Leonard. He was a native of Bennington county, Vermont, removed to Cayuga county New York, when eighteen years of age, whence, in the summer of 1816, on foot and alone with his pack on his back, he came to Henrietta. He purchased some three hundred acres on the lot (ninety-seven) next west of Durand, and twenty-five (gore). Choice of location with the first settlers was determined not so much by the quality of soil as by a desire for new neighbors, and we usually find them locating upon land adjoining, or near, that on which a settlement had been made. Young Leonard cleared a small piece on lot ninety-seven, built his log cabin, and, the following winter, returned to New York to consum- mate an arrangement previously made with Miss Tryphena Root, immediately after the fulfillment of which he set out for the far west with ox-team and sled and a few household goods. His wife came by stage to Buffalo, and there joined her husband. The weather was propitions for this primitive bridal jour- ney. It is authentically stated that the first snow, that season, fell the day before they started and dis- appeared the day after their arrival in Henrietta. Where Elyria now is, a bear was seen to cross their path a short distance in front of them. That part of the county was then an almost unbroken wilderness. Mr. Leonard was better off, as regards ready means, than perhaps any of the earher pioneers. He had the money to pay for his land, and that can rarely be said of the settler in that early day. He was, moreover, an enterprising, industrions farmer, and eventually became well off. Their family consisted of three chil- dren, Jeannette, Cuyler and Hervey. The daughter became the wife of Rev. Oliver W. Mather, a Pres- byterian minister who was a graduate of Yale College. At the time of his marriage he was located at Bir- mingham, Erie county, but preached also at other points. Ile eventually returned to Connecticut, and died there. Mrs. Mather died many years previous, at the residence of her brother llervey, in Henrietta. Cuyler graduated at Hudson College, remained a tutor there for two years, then studied law, and was for many years a leading member of the bar of San- dusky City. He married a young lady of high social rank in Danbury, Connecticut. His death took place in 1859. Hervey Leonard resides in Oberlin, having, a few years since, removed there from Henrietta, where he had resided on the farm, on which he was bom, for forty-nine consecutive years. His first wife was Maretta O. Wheden, of Washington county, New York, originally but subsequently of Oberlin, where she graduated. She died in 1868, and Mr. Leonard married, three years afterward, Mrs. Helen MI. Dart, of Oberlin, with whom he is now living.
Next in order came Ruluff Audress and John Den- ison, and their families, in the fall of 1817. They were also from New York, as were nearly all of the early settlers. The women and children came by boat from Dunkirk to the mouth of Black river, and were thirteen days on the water, and experienced an
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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
almost unprecedently rough voyage. Their store of provisions was exhausted on their arrival at Black river, having nothing in that line, except half a bar- rel of salt beef, which Denison had put aboard. 1 Andress and Denison came through with their teams, and arrived at the month of Black river, where they expected to find their families, three days in ad- vance of them.
Andress located east of Durand, taking up a hun- dred and sixty acres. He was a carpenter and joiner, and was much employed in the building of mills, bridges, etc. He built for Perez Starr, of Birmingham, the first dam across the Vermillion. He also built a mill for Mr. Starr. Andress subsequently removed to Huron county, where, in a little place called Pucker- brush, he kept hotel for a time. His wife died while there, and he afterwards returned to Henrietta, where he died in about the year 1855. His was a busy, use- ful life. Of his nine children, four are yet living. The oldest of these, Almon, lives in Birmingham, who, although feeble in body, retains his memory unimpaired, and we are indebted to him for many facts relating to the early settlement of the township. Milo is a Mormon, living in polygamy at Salt Lake. Charlotte (Mrs. Abbott) and Harriett (Mrs. Lang) reside in lowa.
Mr. Denison made his location just west of Henri- etta Hill. lle was possessed of some ready means on his arrival, but instead of paying for his land, he kept. his money for possible contingencies. A combination of adverse events exhausted his resources, and he was finally dispossessed of his land, by which he lost all that he had expended in the improvement of it. He then rented land of Calvin Leonard for a number of years, and then, his wife having died. he took up his abode with his daughter, Mrs. Bristol, in Birming- ham, with whom he spent the remainder of his life. He died March 11, 1866. His wife died February 12, 1826. She was carried to the grave upon an ox cart, on which the mourners also rode. Four of his six children are living, viz: Mrs. Lewis, in Ridgeville; Mrs. D. C. Marsh and Mrs. Charles A. Bristol, in Birmingham; and John S .. in Henrietta. The latter has lived in the town longer than any other present resident of the township.
Joseph Swift moved into town this same year, from Connecticut, and settled in the northwest corner of the township, then the southwest corner of Brown- helm, on lot eighty-one. le eventually owned a large amount of land on the Vermillion bottom, on which he raised immense crops of corn, and that locality claimed to be called " Egypt." llis product of this cereal one season was live thousand bushels, which he sold for one dollar per bushel. He was an enterprising. successful farmer, and acquired a large property. He built a house as early as 1840, which cost some five thousand dollars. It was a grand struc- ture for the time, with pillars which were brought all the way from Albany, New York. This house is now occupied by Nicholas Wilbur. Swift married a sister
of Mrs. Calvin Leonard, Elizabeth Root, and had a family of six children, four of whom are living, as follows: Joseph, in lowa: Elisha and Mrs. Cooley, near Jackson, Michigan; and Mrs. Griggs, in Detroit. Mr. Swift died at Grass Lake, Michigan, about three years since. and his widow now resides there. Almon and Jedediah Holcomb and their families moved in, in the spring of 1820. They have now no descendants in the township.
Uriah Hancock joined the settlement in 1820, Hle was a wheelwright, and had a machine shop on Leon- ard brook, in an early day. Hle subsequently removed to Illinois, and died there. His second son, Smith Hancock, was killed in a somewhat singular manner. He was riding in an ox cart loaded with hogs, one of the wheels of which coming into collision with a stump, the cart was overturned upon him, killing him almost instantly.
Squire Abbott joined the settlement in June, 1825. lle was originally from Massachusetts, but removed to New York at an early date, and thence to Kings- ville, Ashtabula county, Ohio, and subsequently to this township, as stated. Ile made his location on Henrietta Hill, and strnek the first blow ever made there. His habitation ocenpied the spot on which is now the residence of Ansel llales. Mr. Abbott was a Baptist preacher, and was the first settled minister in town. His wife was Annie Spatford, also of Mass- achusetts. Ilis death occurred in December, 1853, at the age of eighty-one years and six months. His wife died in January, 1845. Their daughter Weal- thy, is the wife of Almeron Stedman, of Henrietta, who came into the township in 1827. Mr. Stedman had previously made a journey from Litchfield, Con- neetient, to Kingsville, in Ashtabula county, for The purpose of visiting an unele, and while there met Miss Abbott, whom he afterwards married in Henri- etta.
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