History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 68

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

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Wilber Cahoon purchased his lands in Avon, of Orrin Ensign, (who had surveyed the township, and received in payment certain tracts, lying in different sections of the township), paying therefor in eastern lands. He had in addition to the three hundred acres in section eleven, abont two hundred acres in section six. Mr. Cahoon did not live to witness the completion of the first frame house in the township. Suddenly and swiftly came the pale messenger; while in full health he was stricken down with apoplexy. and in one brief hour was dead. This was in 1826. The wife and mother survived him many years: she died in 1857.

The lands of Nicholas Young, consisted of one Indred aeres in section twenty-two; now owned by Dr. N. S. Townshend. Upon this a log dwelling was constructed during the summer of 1815, by himself and his son William. When it was ready for occu- paney, Mr. Young returned east for his family, with whom he arrived in Avon in the month of October. He had. at this date, five children. Several more were added to the family circle during the years he lived in Avon. He exchanged his farm in section twenty-two for lands in section fifteen, at the center, upon which he remained until 1835, when he disposed of his property, and removed to Wisconsin.

Lewis Austin settled on fifty acres of land, in sec- tion twenty-seven, then owned by Waterman Sweet, and now the property of the heirs of William Hurst. Mr. Austin's family were a wife and seven children, none of whom now remain in the township except Renena, now Mrs. Justin Williams, and Elsie, wife of John Tomlin.

The summer of 1815. the three families who ro- mained at Ashtabula joined our little colony. Eph- raim Keyes was originally from Tyringham, Massa- chusetts. He settled on the west side of section eleven. His family were a wife and three children, none of whom are now remaining in the township.

The Messrs. Cooper became the owners of the en- tire lands contained in section one. Spink Cooper and wife both died in about 1833, leaving no children. The wife of Reuben Cooper died soon after settling in Avon, and he married a young wife, by whom he had two children. In June, 1826, he and family were returning from an adjoining township, and, while attempting to cross Black river (then swollen to an unusual height by recent rains) in a cart drawn by oxen, the conveyance was overturned, and he and one child drowned, as was also a young girl, Rachel Potter, who was with them. The wife afterward married Levi Wetmore, and finally removed to Michi- gan.

Three brothers, Abraham, Oliver and Lodowick Moon, reached Avon at about the same period the Coopers did, and, a short time after, Amos Moon, another brother, arrived. Colonel Abraham Moon married Gerissa Durand in 1819. She was a native of Essex county, New York, but had located in Henrietta, this county, prior to marriage. Colonel Moon purchased three hundred acres of land, in sec- tions one and two. He erected a double log house, and, in time, planted an orchard of five hundred frees, covering a space of ten acres. He died in Sep- tember, 1831. His family consisted of three sons and one daughter. The eldest son. E. G. Moon, was born in 1831. Ile married A. E. Wilder in 1844, and still resides on section one. The other two sons were D. C. and S. Moon. The daughter married E. S. Jack- son in 1844.

Elah Park, whose place of nativity was Tyringham, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, married Elizabeth Moon, of the same place. Ile settled on section twenty- one, in Avon township, in the fall of 18t5. Mr. Park was a prominent public man, and held many positions of honorable distinction, beginning with the office of justice of the peace, to which he was many times elected. Ile was recorder of Lorain county from 1841 to 1843, and State representative from 1846 to 1848. He died in Avon, October 22, 1866. Mrs. Park died March 14, 1869. The children of this couple are Etna E., who died at the age of six years; Plumb M. (mute), who married Charlotte Peck, re- sides at Columbus, Ohio; Theresa M. married James S. Brown, who superintended the building of, and was superintendent of the institution for mutes, at Indianapolis. Indiana: he held the same position at Baton Rouge until public sentiment forced him north; Candace E. married Thomas E. Foot, and resides in Amherst, this county; Sarah II. married John Yaryan, a distinguished lawyer at Richmond, Indiana; Clarissa married David Skillnan (deceased); Etna E., 20, married Jay Terrell, proprietor of "Lake Breeze" summer resort. Sheffield township: Margaret married Janus HI. Me Neely, and resides at Evansville, Indiana; Alice H. (mute), married Martin M. Hanson (de- ceased): and llarriet C., who resides at Evansville, Indiana.

Waterman Sweet came from Norway. Herkimer county, New York, to Avon, in the year 1812, arriv- ing on July 18th of that year. He located on three hundred acres of land in section twenty-seven, and built his log house upon the site where now stands the residence of a son George W. With Mr. Sweet came his aged father and mother, Jesse and Huldah Sweet, a widowed sister who married Daniel Wileox, and his own family. then a wife and three children, William, Calvin and Laura. Four children were born subse- quently to his locating in Avon: Eliza, Henrietta, Cinderella and Mary Ann. Waterman Sweet died November 14. 1822, and Mrs. Sweet. July 28, 1843. The following is the record of the children: William, the eldest, died some two years subsequent to the

EDWIN SNOW.

EDWIN SNOW'S BARNS OPPOSITE HIS RES.

RESIDENCE OF C. H. SNOW

RESIDENCE OF T. L. SNOW

RESIDENCE OF EDWIN SNOW, AVON TP. LORAIN CO., OHIO

273

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

arrival of the family in Avon, from the effect of the kick of an ox; and Calvin, the next child, mar- ried Bricene Chadwick, of Lee, Massachusetts; she died May, 29, 1863. The three eldest children of this couple, Luther Alfred, Theodore Parish and William Edward were soldiers in the Union army during the rebellion. The eldest was a non-com- missioned officer in company E., Forty-second Ohio volunteer infantry, and died at Memphis, Tennessee, March 27, 1863. The other children are Calvin, Melville (deceased), Bricene Etta, Mary Malvina, Waterman, George and Charles Denison. The next. child of Waterman Sweet was Laura, who married Dr. Samuel M. Hopkins, now residing in Black River township. Of the children born in Ohio, Eliza mar- ried James E. Brooks, and lives in Elyria: Henrietta R. married Charles Caryl (deceased); Cinderella married James Towner and resides in New York, while Mary Ann died in infancy.

John Steele was the first settler on French creek. He came in 1817. ITis log honse was erected on the site of the present parsonage. He had a family of six children, who now reside, the majority of them at least, in California.

Adam Miller and Gaston Young were the first permanent settlers on the lake shore. Mr. Miller located on section six: Mr. Young moved into the Davis cabin. Of other settlers along the shore we find that .Joseph Moore, from Middletown, Connec- ticut, settled on section eighteen. John Mastin, Edmonds, - Colby. Britton and others were early settlers in this locality, but we were unable to learn anything further of them.

Larkin Williams and family, of a wife and eight. children, came from Berkshire county, Massachusetts, in the fall of 1817. He settled on the ridge east of the center.

Albin Stickney made the trip from Cornwall, Vermont, to Ohio, in 1815, traveling the entire dis- tance on foot. He remained in Madison, Lake county, until the year 1817, when he removed to Avon. He settled on one hundred and fifteen acres in section twenty-two. His wife was Miss Clarissa Moon, of Avon. They died upon this farm-she May 3, 1866, and he February 17, 1867. Three children were born of this union: S. R., married Catharine M. Crow, and lives on the old farm, (he has five children); Serepta R. married Rev. L. D. Johnson, of Olena, Huron county; and Sidney A .. married Julia M. Gohlsmith, of Vermillion, Erie county. He also lives on the old homestead, and has two children.

John Burlingame came from Rutland, Vermont, to Ohio in the fall of 1822, locating on one hundred acres of land in section seven, directly on the bank of the lake. Mr. Burlingame was single when he came to Avon, but was married about one year subse- quently to Sophia, daughter of Joseph and Hannah Moore of former mention. The children of this

couple are: Hannah, now Mrs. Sheldon Comfort, living in Wisconsin, and Melvin and Esther, deceased.

Joseph B. Jameson, wife and three children, from New England, settled in Avon in 1824. Their loca- tion was on the ridge, some half a mile east of French creek, now occupied by Malcom B. Jameson. Of the children, two are deceased; the eldest, Jane Thankful, is now the wife of Ora B. Cahoon. Mr. Jameson ‹lied in Avon in June 1867.

John Schwartz and Catharine his wife came from Bavaria, in Germany, and located in the wilderness, on section twenty-three. The family consisted of tive children, namely: Joseph, who married, and still ro- sides on section twenty-three; Anna, Mary, Catharine and Frederick. The date of their settlement was December 24, 1833. Jacob Miller and Paul Faber, with their families, came with Mr. Schwartz. They located near, and were the only settlers direct from Germany for some years. In 1840, a brother, Peter Schwartz, with a family of seven, settled in this locality, and soon German settlers began to locate rapidly in this vicinity. They are a frugal, thrifty people. John Schwartz died January, 1870, aged eighty-four years, and Mrs. Schwartz in July, 1858, aged sixty-five years.

FIRST EVENTS.

The pioneer baby in Avon township was a son to Wilber and Priscilla Cahoon, the date December 1, 1814. This child is Leonard Cahoon, who married Mary Titus, and now resides in Elyria village.

First marriage : This highly interesting event occurred in the fall of 1816. The parties most in- terested were William Richmond and Miss Rhoda, adopted daughter of Renben Cooper ; Joel Terrell, Esq., of Ridgeville township, made the twain one flesh. This couple are both deceased.

The first doctor to locate in Avon township was LIeman, son of Larkin Williams. Dr. Williams is spoken of as a gentleman of fine ability and superior professional attainments. The present medical staff of Avon consists of Dr. Beers, Daly and Smyth.

The first death was Lydia MI., daughter of Larkin Williams, January 11, 1818. Her remains were the first interred in the cemetery at the center.

It is believed that the first post office was established in 1825, and that Dr. Williams was the first post- master. The present postmaster is James West, at French creek.

The first wheat sown was by Wilber Cahoon, on section eleven, in the fall of 1815. The previous sea- son a crop of corn was raised on the same ground.

The spring following his settlement in Avon, Wil- ber Cahoon planted an orchard of one hundred trees on section eleven. The trees were procured at New- burgh, Cuyahoga county. The greater part of this orchard is still standing.

Samuel Carpenter opened the pioneer store in Avon, at. French creek, in 1824 or 1825. His venture does not appear to have been a success, as he soon closed

224

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

out and removed from the township. The present business at this point is as follows : General mer- chandise, John Burgett and John Lansing ; groceries, Lewis Keeler ; tinware and stoves, James West ; boots and shoes, George Fisher. There is also a harness and tailor shop. At the center Peter Ostermann has a dry goods and grocery store, G. Dingler, boot and shoe shop. There are also a blacksmith, a carriage- maker and a painter.

The first, blacksmith in Avon township was a man named Cheeney. He removed from the township prior to 1818. Adolphus Garlick succeeded him in 1818 or 1819. This was at French creek. Cyrus Buel came soon after. There are now several of these useful artisans at this point.

The first hotel was kept by John Steel, at French ereck, soon after the settlement. The Avon house at this place is kept by Lewis Keeler. A distillery was erected at French ereck quite early in the settlement, by two men from Dover township, Cuyahoga county. This was in operation only a few years.

ORGANIZATION.

On the 27th of October, 1818, the land at presut comprised within the limits of Avon township, to- gether with the annexations before mentioned, was set off from Dover, and organized a separate township by the name of Froy, by the commissioners of Cuya- ahoga county. At this date, the river from the point. where it passes into Sheffield, north to the lake, was the boundary line between Huron and Cuyahoga counties.

A special election was ordered for township oflieers, to be held November 9, 1818, at which time the fol- lowing persons were elected: Elah Park, John Wil- liams and Lodoviek Moon, trustees: Larkin Wil- liams, clerk; Abraham Moon, treasurer: James B. Fitch and Tyler Williams, constables. June 22, 1819, Jabez Burrell and Wilber Cahoon were elected justices of the peace.

The officers for 1878 are, Ezra Jackson, Luther Hicks and Laurence Heckle, trustees; Horace Wilcox, clerk; E. E. Williams, treasurer; H. JJ. Cahoon, assessor: Oscar Wilcox, Lemuel Stickney and John Osterman, constables; H. J. Cahoon, Joseph Creitzer and A. W. Sherbonda, justices of the peace.

CHURCHES.

BAPTIST CHURCH.

The first religious service in Avon township was held at the house of Nicholas Young, immediately after a settlement was commenced, by a local preacher of the Baptist faith, named Jashar Taylor, then residing in Dover township, Cuyahoga county. A church was not formed, however, until the summer of 1817. In June of that year Elder Hartwell, from the east, making a missionary tour through this portion of the Reserve, held meetings at the house of Witbur Cahoon a few times, and traveled westward. Returning some two or three months later, he found

that the seed sown on his first visit had brought forth fruit, the result of which was that the following persons were formed into a church: Nicholas Young and wife and Jared Barr, of Avon; Jashar Taylor and -Alwell and wife, of Dover: Dean

and ----- Alexander and wife, of Rockport. In 1818 a log school house was built at the center, and in this regular services were held. The first ordained minister to settle in Avon was the Rev. John Tuttle, who remained until his death, some four years. He was followed by the Rev. Mr. Teachout and others, whose names are forgotten. In the year 1826, or 1827, a large block meeting house was built by the members and friends of this church. In it meetings were held by all denominations, and it was a great convenience. This was accidently burned in 1837 and again this congregation was withont a place of worship. The present church was erected in 1839 or 1840, and is thirty by forty feet in size. It has been repaired, painted and otherwise improved at a recent date, the cost of which was twenty-five hun- dred dollars. The present pastor is Rev. D. R. Owens, who has eared for this flock for four years past. The church officers are II. H. Williams. J. B. Cahoon and Selam Moon, trustees: Burton C. Jame- son, clerk: William Nesbett and Milo Williams, deacons; Everett Williams and D. L. Sawyer, super- intendents of Sabbath school, upon which there is an attendance of sixty scholars. The foregoing history of the Baptist church is furnished from memory by O. B. Cahoon and wife.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The first class of the Methodist Episcopal church was organized as early as 1820. Mr. Calvin Sweet furnishes the data from which the following brief history is prepared: This class was composed of Keyes Carpenter and wife, Waterman Sweet and wife, Ephraim Keyes and wife, Amasa Chapman and wife, Elah Park and wife, Willis Potter and wife, William Richmond and wife, and Mrs. Polly and Mary Cooper, wives of David and Reuben Cooper. Keyes Carpenter was ctass leader, Rev. Mr. Smith, a local preacher, organized this class and was the first minister of this denomination to locate in Avon. In the year 1834 the first Metho- dist Episcopal church was built. This was in size twenty-six by thirty feet, cost five hundred dollars, and stood on the site of the present church. The old church was sold upon the completion of the present one in 1855, and was converted into a dwelling. The neat edifice now occupied by the denomination eost two thousand dollars. The Rev. Newel Close is the present pastor ; the membership is sixty. The stewards are Calvin Sweet, Ezra JJackson, George Bliss and John Benham; class leaders, George W. Sweet and William Wilder; superintendent of Sabbath school, Clemant Snow.

The following list of ministers who have presided over the Methodist Episcopal church, in Avon, is fur-

PHOTOS BY J C & WR POTTER

ELYRIA O

WM. HURST

LUCINA HURST

RESIDENCE OF G. W.AND W. O. HURST, AVON TP., LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO

275

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OLIIO.

nished from memory from 1820 to 1836, the remainder is copied from the records: Orren Gilmore, James Goddard, Walker Brothers, - Alesbury,

Coners, Z. Costin, Ronark, - Havens, Elliott, Berry, Colclasier, Elnathan Gavitt, Taylor, Carpenter, William Reynolds, William Billings, James Wheeler, Thomas Barkdull, Samnel Allen, William Hudson, Daniel Conant, William Harris, M. L. Starr, Leonard Parker, William C. Pierce, John L. Tibbals, Hugh L. Parrish, T. L. Pope, Peter Sharp, Zara C. Norton, L. M. Pounds, Orrin Mitchell, Joseph Wykes, N. Worden, William Hitchcock, John R. Jewett, C. L. Foote, D. D. T. Mattison, Jacob A. Brown, Samuel M. Beatty, L. F. Ward. William C. Huestiss, J. W. Redding, John Sites, Tracy L. Waite, George W. Dunn, Omar Lawrence, James Evans, Orlando Pearce, Z. Kauffman, O. Milton Ashbaugh, Elijah H. Dissell, John McKean, and Newell J. Close who is the present minister in charge.

THE HOLY TRINITY CHURCHI.

The first settlers at East Avon were Catholics, na- tives of Bavaria. Germany. Those who formed the church were as follows: Jacob Muller, Paulus Faber, John Schwarz, settled in 1835; Peter Schwarz, John Nagel, and Peter Biermacker, 1841; Simon and Adam Zeh, Nicholas Matsch and P. Kraus, 1842: John Nagel, second, Nicholas Maringer, and Peter Scheit. who came in 1845, joined immediately afterward. The first church was erected in 1843, and was a sub- stantial frame structure, thirty by forty feet in size, and stood on what is now the cemetery. Soon the church became too small, and under the direction of Simon Zeah as treasurer, and Peter Wirsch, Nicholas Maringer and Henry Seibert, building committee, the present church was erected. The original dimensions were thirty-five by sixty feet. The cost was about three thousand dollars. The old church was joined to the rear of the new one, making a total length of one hundred feet. This now serves as a sanctuary and sacristy. The building was finished in 1862. There is a neat parsonage in connection; and a pretty brick school house, in which school is taught by the pastor, Rev. T. Heidegger, ten months in the year. The income of the church is thirteen hundred dollars per year. There is another Catholic church, at French creek, but of this we have been unable to procure the data necessary for a history.

There was at one time quite an extensive Congre- gational church in Avon. This has long since ceased to be.

SCHOOLS.

The first school house in Avon township was erected in the summer of 1818. The material of which it was constructed was logs, and the site was at the center of the township, near the present residence of William Ellison. The subsequent fall, Larkin A. Williams began school in this building. There were twenty-five children in attendance, mostly from the

families of Cahoon, Cooper, Williams and Steel. From the report of the board of education of Avon township, for the year 1878, we find the present items of school interest, as follows: There are ten school houses, which are valued, with grounds and fixtures, at ten thousand dollars. The total amount paid to teachers was twenty-five hundred and ninety-three dollars; and the whole number of youth of the requi- site school age, four hundred and seventy-seven.

INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS.

The first saw mill was erected on section eleven, in the fall of 1815, by Wilber Cahoon. The waters of French creek were utilized to propel the rude ma- chinery of this mill. which was in operation full tifty years; now there is scarcely a vestige of it remaining. Another saw mill was built on the same stream, by Messrs. Jameson & Hemingway Brothers, in the year 1824. This is still in operation.

In the summer of 1818, Mr. Cahoon built a grist mill near the saw mill mentioned above, the water, propelling which, being supplied from the same pond. There were two run of stone. This mill was finally abandoned in consequence of a scarcity of water.

The large steam flouring mill on French creek, now in successful operation, was constructed by H. H. Williams in 1852. This is equipped in first class style throughont, and has three run of stone. The engine is of fifty horse power. The entire cost of mill, real estate and machinery was eight thousand dollars. The steam saw mill adown French creek was built by Mr. Williams the same season.

The first cheese factory was erected on section twenty-eight, in about 1865, by Messrs. Jamesons, Snow & Phelps. It was not a success, and was dis- continued after one season.

The " French Creek Factory " was built in March, 1845, by Wilber and Joseph B. Cahoon, on section eleven. The first season there were one hundred and twenty-five eows in contribution. There is at present a capital invested of fifteen hundred dollars. During the season of 1878, the milk of two hundred cows was used.

CARRIAGE MANUFACTORY .- In the year 1850, John Benham came to Avon, and locating at. French ereek, began in a small way the manufacture of wagons. This increased until in 18:3, when the business had assumed extensive proportions. He had some twelve thousand dollars invested, and employed an average of fourteen workmen. manufactures an excellent grade of carriages. The depression of the past few years has materially effected the business. Ile employs at present six workmen.

ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS.

When the settlement was made in Avon, there was on the west bank of French creek, on section eleven, quite a remarkable embankment. It was constructed of stone, circular in form, of some six or eight feet in height, and perhaps four rods in diameter. The stone

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

were of small size, and were not regularly laid, but. were simply piled up.

Farther down the creek was an immense mound of stone, the most remarkable feature of which was, that it was composed of small sized " cobble-head " stones, and was located in a portion of the township where this kind of stones do not abound.

On the ridge, where now stands the Methodist Episcopal church, were a number of mounds. These, on being opened, were found to contain human bones. These were leveled to the earth, and the stones com- prising the fortifications were drawn away as required. until nothing now remains to mark the spot,

AGRICULTURAL. STATISTICS FOR 1878.

Wheat,

1,508 acres. 28.043 bushels.

Oats,

1,171

59,603

Corn,

1,562 ..

Potatoes, 200 ..

21,617

Orchards, 441

9,030

Meadow, 2,516

2,961

Butter.

37,347 pounds.

('heese.

13, 275

Population in 1800

1,921

VOTE FOR PRESIDENT IN 1826.

R. B. Hayes. 169 | S. J. Tilden

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

EDWIN SNOW.

Early tradition says three brothers came from Eng- land in the Mayflower. From them came the ancestor of Edwin Snow.

His grandfather, Oliver Snow, resided at Beckett, Massachusetts; removing from there, he settled in Auburn, Geauga county, Ohio. About the year 1825, he died at Auburn,

Franklin Snow, his son, and father of Edwin Snow, was born at Beckett, Massachusetts, January 27, 1279. . His business was farming: he married Miss Lydia Olcott. Eight children-tive girls and three sons- were born to them. Mrs. Lydia Snow died in 1820. and was buried at Mantua, Portage county, Ohio.

Mr. F. Snow remaining, had issue, one daughter. Hannah Snow. Burying his second wife at Avon, Ohio, in 1856. he, respected by all, died at Avon, Ohio, in 1863; aged eighty-four years and ten months.

Edwin Snow, son of the above, was born at Portage county, Ohio, February 12. 1809. He removed to Avon, Lorain county, Ohio, in 1837. When purchas- ing four hundred acres of land, he commenced life as a farmer, which he has ever since been engaged in with great success: married, in the year 1843, to Julia. daughter of Trueman and Lucy Lewis, of Orange- ville, Wyoming county, New York. Five children. viz: Theodore L., Oliver S., Clemon H., Florence II. and Ley L., all living, perpetuate the many vir- tues of their parents.

Mr. Snow has been honored by his fellow towns- men with the office of trustee of the township, and now with every comfort around him, he looks back to the past with no regrets; to the future for the "All (ood."

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History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 68

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

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