History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 79

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

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Sometime in 1823, Albert Niles, then of Welling- ton, and a native of Berkshire county, Massachusetts. was married to Sophia, danghter of Leonard H. and Margaret Loveland. The ceremony was performed at Mr. Loveland's log cabin, by Squire Ephriam A. Wilcox, of Wellington, and was witnessed by about twenty or twenty-tive persons, or the entire popula- tion of the township. In the evening, a substantial supper was served, all present sitting down to the table, which was more sensibly set than those which groan under the weight of modern marriage feasts. Steaming meats, home-made bread, and wholesome vegetables were in abundance, but cakes, confections, and ices, with French names, did not have a place upon the board. The young married couple settled in Brighton, upon lot seventeen, fract seven, where they remained for a number of years. Both have been dead for some time.

The first school was tanght by Paima De Wolf, wife of Abner Loveland, after their marriage, and was held in the log house which they occupied. She gave instruction, to the best of her ability, to about a dozen children, and received therefor the sum of six shil- lings per week. This was previous to 1827. In that year a log school house was built, about three-quarters of a mile cast of the center. Polly Warren was the first teacher of the school held in this building. The first frame school school house was built in 1836,-the frame being erected by the free labor of John Dunbar and his two sons, llosea and Simeon, who took the timber from the woods. It was completed through repeated subscriptions by the citizens, and for several years served as both church and school house, until the Congregational church was built. Brighton is now well abreast of her sister townships in the ex- cellence of her schools, as well as in general improve- ments.

In the earliest days of the settlement. the pioneers . were obliged to go as far as Liverpool to obtain their mail, or to dispatch letters. Afterwards they were able to get their mail in Wellington, and in 1824, or 1825, they had a regular mail, carried by one Bovee. A man by the name of Wyatt carried the first mail that ever went through the township. He came through on the east and west center road on his first trip, March 13, 1821.

Alfred Ilall went into service as postmaster at Brighton about 1830. He was only nominally post- master however, for Ransom Foote, the deputy, had the real work to do, and kept the few letters and pa- pers that came to the settlers at his house near the center, because Hall lived a mile and a half away. Jefferson Whipple is the present postmaster. lle was appointed in 1876.

The first store was opened at the center about the year 1839, by Samnel Jones who continued in bnsi- ness some time. A large general store is now kept by Whipple & Hall who are the successors of Richmond & Whipple.

William Battle opened the first hotel in 1850, and kept a well conducted temperance honse. George Peasley now offers food and shelter to the wayfarer and the stranger.

The first road of travel Through the township was the east and west center road. This was laid out in 1819. The north and south center road was opened ten or twelve years later, and the various roads par- allel to these two were laid out at different times as the number of inhabitants increased, and there was demand for new means of communication.

The township has but one cemetery, besides the several private burial places where were laid the re- mains of the first few persons who died in the settle- ment. The town cemetery is upon the west side of the road, just a few rods south of the center. The land was donated by Austin Kingsbury in 1845.

The Lovelands. father and sons sowed the first wheat in the fall of 1821. They put in eight acres, and the next summer harvested a wonderful crop. They also planted the first orchard, the trees in which were started from seed brought by them from Mas- sachusetts. Several apple trees were still living, and bore fruit in 1828.

ORGANIZATION.

"The township was organized at the spring election of 1823. Joseph Kingsbury, Avory Hall and Calvin Roice, were elected trustees: Leonard H. Loveland, clerk: Abner Loveland, treasurer; and Abner Love- land, Jr., justice of the peace. There were twelve electors, just about the number of persons required to fill the offices in those days. The township belonged to Lorain, as then formed, but, with other townships. remained attached to Medina county, until the organi- zation of Lorain was completed."*

The following are the township officers of 1878: Clerk. D. M. Hall: treasurer, J. C. Whipple; assessor. L. W. Hart; trustees, E. Anderson, C. D. Stocking, O. Peabody: justices of the peace, D. M. Hall, O. A .- Johnson; constable, O. E. Johnson.

THE RELIGIOUS BEGINNING.

In the death of the infant son of Leonard II. and Margaret Loveland, we find the cause of the bereaved

* Boynton.

RESIDENCE OF JAMES WHIPPLE , BRIGHTON, LORAIN CO. OHIO.

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

parents' conversion, and, were we able to trace the sequence, should doubtless discover, in this taking away of life, the initial impulsion in a long series of causes and effects resultant in great good. There is here an illustration of the mysterious means of Provi- dence. Mr. Loveland and his wife were the first persons to experience religion in Brighton. When their child died they began thinking that they. were not good enough to follow him into the future world, and the result was that they accepted the teachings of the Bible as their guide, and tried to conform their lives to its precepts. The first religious service ever held in the township was at the grave of the little one taken from these parents. Not very long afterwards meetings were held in the vicinity, and, in 1823, or the following year, what was known as the Black River circuit was laid out and a Rev. Mr. Coston rode through a number of the townships, preaching wherever he could get together a dozen listeners. As the little clearings in the wilderness became larger and more numerous, the need of re- ligious fellowship was felt by several, and hence, in the fall of 1827, it came about that the class was organized which was the beginning of

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

of Brighton. The church was organized by Rev. A. Brainard, and the preaching which its members at- tended during the first year of its existence was by Rev. Henry O. Sheldon, who was then traveling the circuit which included this point. Meetings were held at Loveland's and at the center, though most frequently at the former place. The constituent members of this church were: Abner Loveland, Lois his wife. Leonard HI. Loveland, Margaret his wife, Pamelia Loveland, Minerva Loveland. Elizabeth Whit- lock. Erastus HIall, Sarah Hall and David Fox. Leon- ard H. Loveland was class leader. As time wore on, the church received accessions, and it was found that the congregation had outgrown the capacity of a dwelling house, and must have a proper place of meeting. Accordingly, a neat but plain structure, the one now in use, was built at the center. The frame was erected in 1850, but on account of sick- ness of the workmen, and for want of means, it was not inclosed until the following spring; when, by the earnest efforts of T. Hall and E. S. Bidwell and oth- ers, the work was carried on to completion. It was dedicated, free from debt, November 6, 1832. The present membership is forty-five, and would be much larger, but many residents of the southern part of the township, of the Methodist denomination, attend the church at Rochester station. The present pastor is Rev. E. A. Warner, and the class leaders, O. Peabody and William Ward. The stewards are D. M. Hall (recording steward), Freeman Green and II. S. Seeley. The following are the trustees of the church property: D. M. Hall, Freeman Green, Simeon Dunbar, Wit- liam Ward and H. S. Seeley.

THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

was organized in 1836, and the first meetings were held in the school house east of the center. The original members were: Justice Battle, and his wife Esther, his son's wife Bathsheba, Selden Hall and wife, Joseph Kingsbury, Austin Kingsbury, W. R. Strong and wife, Philip L. Goss, Serena S. Goss and Peter Dickinson. The first regular minister who preached in this church was Rev. Mr. Kellogg, from New York state. Much of the time, the pulpit was supplied by students from Oberlin. The first deacons of the church were Philip L. Goss and W. R. Strong. The society built a church at the center in 1840. The church now has a membership of thirty-five, the only ones upon the rolt who were among the first members being Philip L. Goss and his wife. Rev. D. T. Wil- liams is pastor; Lewis Hart and James S. Jones, dea- cons. The trustees are; J. Bennett, Otis Goss and Mark Smith; clerk of the church, Lewis Hart; clerk of the society, Maurice Goss, who is also acting treas- urer.

PHYSICIANS.

There is reason to believe that Brighton is at pres- ent an unusually healthful place. It has no resident physician. In the past the men of medicine were not numerons. The few who came into the township re- mained but a short time cach, and none of them became so wealthy from their practice as to be able to retire. Dr. Holcomb was the pioneer practitioner, but did not come in until 1848. lle was an excellent physician. After a moderately successful practice, extending through five or six years, he moved away, and his place was taken by a Dr. Gilson, who, after a very short time, was followed by Dr. William Elder, whose practice in the township was concluded in about. three years. Dr. Cannan, now of Camden, practiced in Brighton for a few months.

INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS.

Brighton is essentially a farming township. It has no manufacturing interests save those which are com- monty found in the townships of Lorain county, viz:

CHEESE FACTORIES AND SAW MILLS.

The Brighton cheese factory, owned by Goss & Jones, is located upon the center road, a short distance, perhaps a quarter of a mile south from the center. It receives the milk of about five hundred cows, which is mostly manufactured into cheese. Only a small quantity of butter is made. The factory was tirst projected by Goss & Company, in 1864, and after running a number of years was burned down. The present factory building was erected in the season of 1874-5.

Horr & Warner, of Wellington, have a cheese factory on the town line road, adjoining Wellington, and nearly a mile from the southern boundary of the township, on lot thirty-one. They receive the milk

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IIISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

of about four hundred cows. This factory was started in 1872, by William D. Miner.

The Centennial cheese factory, so named from the fact that it was started in 1876, is the property of Henry Wood, who also owns the farm upon which it is located. This is what is known as a "full cream factory," and the proprietor does not manufacture any butter. Not far from three hundred and fifty cows are milked for this factory. Mr. Wood is a na- live of Cheshire, England.

The first saw mill was built by a man named Foote. some time previous to 1825, upon the western branch of Black river, and was washed away by a freshet. The next was upon the same stream and was the property of Solomon Kingsbury and Nelson Converse. There is now one steam saw mill in the township, owned and run by Otis Goss. It is located south of the center, upon lot sixteen.

TEMPERANCE.

As early as 1836, Brighton organized a temperance society, with the usual pledge of total abstinence from all intoxicating liquors (except wine and cider). Philip L. Goss was president of said society. A new impulse was given in the year 1841, under the name of the Washingtonian movement. Reformed drunk- ards related their experience in the degrading habit of drink, and of their new life in reformation, inspir- ing with hope the fallen, declaring total abstinence from all intoxicating drinks the only safeguard of sobriety. First among this class of reformers was one Captain F. Turner. Deacon Philip Goss was president. At the next annual meeting John V. Whitlock was elected president. In the summer of 1843, the county quarterly meeting was held at Brighton, Mr. Cheney, of Elyria, president. The Rev. Ansel Clark, of Huntington, and Mr. Van Wag- oner, were the principal speakers. At the close of the lecture, Mr. Van Wagoner gave a description of how a person would act in a fit of delirium tremens. At the next election, in the year 1845, HI. B. Dunbar was elected president of said society. He served live years, and obtained four hundred and thirty-seven signatures to the pledge. Deacon Eher Jones was next president of the society; and ever since, there has been, and is now, a temperance organization in Bright- on. Although it has not been able to entirely sup- press intemperance, yet its influence has kept the township free from the unmitigated curse of a saloon or place where intoxicating liquors, with the excep- tion of cider, could be bought. The selling of cider to be drunk, is not reputable in Brighton.

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

Wheat, 238 acres

3,608 bushels.

Potatoes, 33 .

2,799

Oats, 360

14,735

Orchards, 119 .€

760

Corn, 162 .

31,495

Meadow, 1,170

1,480 tons.

Butter.

46,568 pounds.

Cheese

446,717

Maple Sugar

1,525

508 Population in 1870.

VOTE FOR PRESIDENT IN 1876.

Hayes

128 | Tilden.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

JAMES WHIPPLE

was born in the town of Pomfret. Windham county, Connecticut. March 16, 1811. His father, Charles Whipple, was born at North Providence, Rhode Island, April 28, 1779. Ilis mother, Harriet Whipple, was born at North Providence, Rhode Island, November 14, 1786. In the year 1807, they moved to Pomfret, Connecticut; and in 1815, to Westmoreland, Oneida county, New York., where they resided until death. Charles Whipple died January 16, 1866, aged eighty- six years. Hannah Whipple died December 6, 1863, aged seventy-eight years.

In the 22d year of his age, May 24, 1833, James Whipple came to Brighton, Lorain county, Ohio, having tirst bought in Brighton one hundred acres of land, known as the Loomis farm. He has at present over two hundred acres. He was married to Melinda Dunbar, November 13, 1839; she was born at Sandy Lake, Rensselaer county, New York. September 6, 1819. Her father's name was John Dunbar, who was born at Bridgewater, Norfolk county, Massachusetts, June, 1477; he was of Scotch and English descent. Lle lived with his parents at Bridgewater until he was sixteen years of age; then he moved with them to Grantham, Sullivan county, New Hampshire; and in 1800, he married Sally Annadown, daughter of Joseph and Dorcas Annadown, of Southbridge, Massa- chusetts; she was born September 29, 1226. lle resided at Grantham until February, 1818, and then removed to Sandy Lake. From there. he removed to Ludlow, Windsor county, Vermont, in 1820; and in 1831, he removed to Minerva, Essex county, New York. He came from Mernava to Ohio, the latter part of May, 1835, and located in Brighton, September, 1835, where he resided until his death. Jannary 18. 1838, aged sixty-one years. He was a farmer, and his farm lay about three-fourths of a mile north of the center. Sally Dunbar, wife of John Dunbar, died Sep- tember 22, 1854, aged seventy-eight years. Melinda was sixteen years of age when her parents removed into Brighton. She had a common school education. Since her marriage she has always resided on the same farm where they now live They have had four children, as follows: Jefferson C. Whipple, born August 18, 1841; Anzonette Whipple, born February 8, 1851; Emma Whipple, born April 2, 1857: Manette C. Whip- ple, born October 31, 1861. Emma died .hine 12, 1859, aged two years, two months and ten days; Anzonette died June 12, 1859, aged eight years, four months and nine days. The homestead is situated one and one-half miles from Brighton. The owner early identified himself with the religions and politi- cal interests of the town, bearing his share of the common burdens, and sharing in its general pros- perity.

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OIIIO.

LEONARD H. LOVELAND.

MRS. LEONARD H. LOVELAND.

LEONARD H. LOVELAND

was born in Southfield. Berkshire county, Massachu- setts, October 3, 1794, and lived with his father, Abner Loveland, until he attained his majority. Ilis educa- tion was confined to that of the common schools, but by studing at night, while others slept, he qualified himself for the honorable calling of teaching, and for two years taught school, with marked snecess. He then married Margaret V., daughter of Luke and Elizabeth Whitlock. She was born in Connecticut, June 25, 1794; and died August 18, 1855, This union resulted in three children, one son and two daughters, namely : Abner, born January 2, 1821, in South Brunswick, New Jersey ; died October 13, 1821. Cordelia, born November 12, 1823, in Lorain county, Ohio : died March 23, 1852. Emiline M., born March 4, 1833 ; died October 30, 1874.

Abner Loveland, father of him of who we write, was born in Connecticut, April 18, 1764. Ile was mar- ried to Lois, daughter of Benjamin Hodge. In 1821 he removed with his family to Ohio. There were six children, namely : Dolly, Lovma, Parmelia, Minerva, Luman E., Loring, Luther, Leonard HI, and Abner, At Buffalo they took a sister of Mr. Loveland's in their wagon. The brothers and sisters are all deceased, the last brother dying at Wellington, Ohio, March 2, 1879. Abner Loveland died September 6, 1847. He was a man of many excellent qualities, and his death was a sad event in the then rather thinly settled country, where he settled, labored and died.

On the 18th, of Angust, 1855, E. H. Loveland sus- tained the loss of his wife. which was a sore bereave- ment to him and the children. For his second wife he married Mrs. Anna Rulison, widow of James Rulison, and daughter of Moses Allen ; a lady very generally esteemed by her acquaintances and friends. Mr. Loveland has followed farming nearly all his life, .

and has attained the dignity of being considered one of the best practical farmers of Brighton township : as be is also one of its most substantiat citizens. His unswerving personal integrity, and the general recti- tnde of his life, have gained for him an enviable repu- tation in the community where he is best known, and where his many qualities of head and heart are duly appreciated.

SELDEN HALL, SR.

Avery Hall, father of Selden, came to Brighton, Lorain county, Ohio, in the year 1823, being among the pioneer settlers of that town, He was married in Meriden, Connectient, December 24, 1800, to Miss Sarah Foster. She died in 1803. He was married a second time in Woodbury, Connecticut. September 1, 1805, to Miss Lucy Bacon. She died October 28, 1852. A few years after, he married. for his third wile, Mrs. Leach, -she only living three years after this marriage. He died at the age of seventy-four, and was buried in Brighton. He had two children by his first wife, viz: Selden, born September 19, 1801; Alfred born May 21, 1803. His second union was blessed with eleven children, viz: Erastus, born July 28. 1806; Sarah, born November 11, 1807; Edwin, born April 9, 1809; Avery, born February 28, 1812; Lucy, born April 12, 1814; Orrin, born April 5, 1816; Julia, born April 19, 1818; Theophilus, born May 15, 1821; John W., born August 26, 1823; William, born April 11, 1825; Clarissa, born August 22, 1829.

Mr. Selden Hall was born in Meriden, Connecticut, September 19, 1801, and died November 28, 1818. In 1822 he, in company with his brother Alfred, traveled on foot from Meriden, Connecticut, to Brighton, Lorain county, Ohio, preceding his father

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

and family by a year. When they reached their des- tination, they found but four white families in the township to bid them welcome to an unbroken wilder- ness, where marked trees were the only guides to dis- tant thoroughfares. He had come for the purpose of farming, and soon settled on a piece of ground one- half a mile west of the center of the town, built a substantial log cabin, and in 1828, he was married to Miss Emily A. Smith, who lived with her widowed mother and brothers on the old Smith farm, on the town line between Wellington and Brighton.

Under the management of this stirring pioneer, and his worthy wife, this forest home began to put on the look of a thriving homestead. They were the pa- rents of five children, viz: Fidelia N., the eldest, born June 11, 1829, was married December 10, 1846, to Jason W. Gillett, the eldest son of Octavus Gillett. Hle came to Brighton with his father's family, when a boy of twelve years. The fruit of this union was three children. The eldest, Anice M., was born September 12, 1847, and was married on the twen- tieth anniversary of her mother's wedding day, De- cember 10, 1866, to Howard HI. Hall, the second son of Avery Hall. He served his country for more than two years, during the late rebellion, enlisting m the Twelfth Ohio volunteer cavalry, October 13, 1863, and mnstered out with the regiment December 15, 1865. They have one child, Charlie M., born October 21. 1870. The second daughter, Minda .J., was born August 28, 1851, and was married November 10, 1815, to Robert D. La Dow, youngest son of Abraham La Dow, of Camden. One daughter came to bless this union, -- Maude A., born JJune 23, 1878. The third child, Oetavus M., was born March 3, 1853, and was married December 10, 1844, to Miss Mary L. Griggs, youngest daughter of John S. Griggs. One daughter was the fruit of this union,-Eda B., born August 6, 1876. The second daughter, Angusta M., was born February 14, 1832, and was married May 4, 1858, to James M. JJones, formerly of Pennsylvania. She died May 14, 1864. At the time of her death, her husband was fighting for his country, being in an

engagement on the day of her death. He was a mem- ber of the One Hundred and Third regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, served three years, and was mus- tered out with the regiment in June, 1865. She left two boys,-Willie W., born March 3. 1859, and Frank S., born May 8, 1860. The third child, Lo- renzo J., was born February 3, 1836, and was married November 25, 1862, to Miss Redia Griggs, eldest daughter of John S. Griggs. He died December 29, 1866, leaving one child,-Horaee E., born September 29, 1864. The fourth child, Louisa C., born March 26, 1842, and was married November 29, 1866, to James M. Jones, the former husband of her late sister (Augusta). "They have one child, Emily A., born June 2;, 1875. The youngest child, Selden S., was born March 26, 1843, and was married May 9, 1866, to Lorinda M., only daughter of Theophilus Hall. He also was a faithful soldier of the rebellion, receiv- ing a severe wound in the shoulder, at the battle of Resaca. Notwithstanding this, he served his three years, and was honorably mustered out with the regi- ment. He was in the One Hundred and Third Ohio volunteer infantry, a regiment whose record Lorain county may well be proud of. Two sons blessed this marriage,-Eber W., born March 21, 1868, and Eddie E., born February 28, 1871.

On April 24, 1867, Emily, wife of Selden, Sr., died from that dreaded disease, cancer, after pro- tracted suffering for more than a year. April 29. 1868, he married Mrs. Roswell Smith, of Wellington. From that time until his death, he resided at the Smith homestead. He was a faithful husband, a lov- ing father, a warm friend, and a good neighbor. Many an orphan in need has had reason to remember him with gratitude, for his kindly deeds and titly spoken words. Early in life he made a profession of christianity, and for the past fifty years he has tried to be a faithful follower of his Master, and died with the full assurance of a glorious immortality, retaining his consciousness to the last. The thanksgiving he had planned to keep with dear ones at home, was spent with loved ones gone before.

Lovina Bailey, - Curtis Bailey

RESIDENCE OF C. BAILEY, AMHERST TP, LORAIN CO., O.

AMHERST.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

AMHERST is township six in range eighteen: lies in the northwestern section of Lorain county, a dis- tanee of three miles from the lake, and is bounded on the north by Black River, on the east by Elyria, on the south by Russia, and on the west by Brownhelm. Its surface is moderately uneven, and it is traversed from east to west by three ridges which run the entire length of the lake, the ancient beaches upon which old Erie's waves spent their force in ages of which no man knows the beginning or the end. It is prin- cipally in these ridges, the north, middle and south, that the Ohio sandstone which has made the name of Amherst world famous, is found cropping out or com- ing so close to the surface as to make quarrying prac- ticable. In some places along the north ridge, the rock rises in mounds or ledges. These elevations, undoubtedly, were once bare, bleak islands in a vast inland sea-fortresses of rock which have withstood the fierce onslaught of the north winds' advancing hosts of waves, through centuries. In some places the effect of the wave washing can be clearly scell.

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History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 79

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

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