History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 80

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

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The only streams of water in the township are Beaver and Little Beaver creeks, so called, because the early settlers found in them large numbers of beaver. Both streams are small. They ran a north- erly course through the township, and are nearly par- allel.

The soil upon the ridges is sandy, and between them it is principally clay with a black loam under- neath.

ORIGINAL PROPRIETORSIIIP.

Amherst was drawn by Martin Sheldon, Calvin Austin, Oliver L. Phelps and Asahel Hathaway. Tract number two consisting of four thousand acres in Black River, was annexed to equalize it. In con- neetion with the present townships of Black River, Brownhelm and Russia, Amherst was in 1817 organ- ized into a township under the name of Black River. . This was by order of the Commissioners of Huron county, issued in February of the above year. The organization was effected in the following February. Brownhelm was detached and incorporated as an in- dependent township in 1818, and seven years later the territory, now included in Russia township, was sep- arated. From that time until 1830 the present townships of Amherst and Black River were included in one under the latter name.

INDIANS.

When the first settlers came into the township, Indians were quite numerous. They looked upon the whites as an enemy, but the exhibition of ill feeling was not decided or bold. There was never any serious trouble between the pioneers, and on the contrary there was an occasional interchange of kind civility. George Disbrow, one of the early settlers of the South Ridge, says that he often had dealings with the Indi- ans, and was on very pleasant terms with some of them. Ile never drew a rifle upon an Indian but once, and then was not obliged to fire. There was among the whites general a feeling of distrust to ward their nomadic fellow human beings, and they never felt perfectly secure until the last red man had removed from their vicinity.

Ezekiel G. Barnes, a pioneer and celebrated woods- man, relates an incident that occurred as late as 1826. There was at that time a growing dislike for the In- dians among the young hunters, caused, perhaps, by the fact that the former killed too many of the deer, which the whites regarded as exclusively their own. Young Barnes came to the conclusion that something must be done to cause the Indians to clear the coun- try. He thought the matter over and decided to go to them, tell them in a friendly way of their unpopu- larity among their white brethren, and drop a hint as to the nature of what might oceur if they remained longer in the vicinity. He accordingly went to their encampment and advised the Indians to journey toward hunting grounds farther west, adding that there was such a feeling among the whites that they would be in danger of their lives if they longer remained here. The Indians listened stoically to the story, and Barnes went home to await developments. A few days afterward, learning that they still re- mained in their camp, he got together six or eight young men living within a few miles of his home, and, late at night, the party started into the woods, following a narrow pathway to the Indian hut. Barnes was captain of the attacking army. lle desired a bloodless victory, consequently he had all, except one man in whom he had plenty of confidence. load their rifles without ball. He put lead as well as powder in his own gun, and thus forearmed against the savage dogs, of which the Indians were known to have several, the party silently approached their enemy's hut. Contrary to their expectation, the dogs were not aware of their approach and made no sound. The whole squad approached so close to the little

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

bark structure that they could almost touch it with their long rifles. All was as still as death. The Indians slept as soundly as only people of elear con- science are popularly supposed to. Suddenly, how- ever, they were aroused from oblivion, and rudely, too. The silence of the forest was broken by the sharp crack of eight guns, and eight flashes of fire leaped out against the bark wall of the hut. The little party of adventurers then filed back to their starting place as silently as they had come, and dis- persed to their homes in the tirm belief that the Indians had been so frightened that they would leave the country; and they judged correctly, for, on the following day, the camp was deserted. The Indians firmly believed that the attack had been made by men who wished to take their lives, and it was no more than natural they should have thought so, for they found, as they declared. holes in the side of the hut made by rifle balls. They left for Sandusky, but threatened, before they went, to return with all of their tribe they could get together in that vicinity, and scalp every man, woman and child in the settle- ment. It was feared by many that the savage threat would be carried out; but the party never returned, and but few Indians were afterward seen in AAmherst township. These Indians were of the Seneca tribe, and belonged to the Sandusky branch. Some time before the ocenrrence related, Mr. Barnes and another young man drove out a small party of Indians, fol- lowing them several miles ritle in hand.

SETTLEMENT.

The first settler in the territory now included in the bounds of Amherst township, was Jacob Shupe. lle came into Black River in the year 1810, and a year later moved to a point on Beaver creek, about a mile and a half north of the present village of North Amherst. He was of Dutch or German descent; was born in Pennsylvania in the year 1778, and conse- quently was thirty-three years of age when, in 1811, he made the first clearing in the township. He built, in 1813, the first mill in the county of Lorain. Pre- vious to this time the settlers in Black River had been compelled to carry their grist, either to Chagrin Falls, forty-eight miles distant, or to Huron River, thirty miles west, in either case making a journey of three days' duration In 1815 Mr. Shape started the first. distillery, and was quickly followed by some of the other settlers who came into the neighborhood. Mr. Shupe was the father of eleven children, who were born in the order in which their names are here given: George and John, who died very young; Louis, also dead; Peggy, wife of Stephen Gunn, of Michigan; Polly, Betsy, William and Catharine, all dead; Ann, now a resident of Grand Haven, Michigan; Harriet who is still living in Missouri, and Isaac, fifty-four years of age, at the present writing a resident of Amherst village, in which (lot twenty-five) he owns a farm of forty-five aeres. Jacob Shupe, the pioneer, was a somewhat peenhar man, very active in his

habits, energetic and untiring. His life was ent short by accident. When he was fifty-four years of age, he was killed, while engaged in repairing his mill, by the fall of a heavy stick of timber. This was in 1832. His wife survived him until 1870, dying in her ninety- first year.

Reuben Webb and family came in the year 1814 or 1815, and settled in the locality now known as Webb's corners, but for some time lived near Jacob Shupe's for the sake of society. Adoniram Webb was a son of Renben, and he in turn had a son named Reuben, and a daughter who married George Bryant, a native of England, who came to this country in 1830, and, settling in Amherst, took a farm npon the south ridge, or what is now known as the telegraph road. Reuben Webb died in 1820, and Adouiram not many years later.

Chihab Smith, of Tyringham, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, arrived in Amherst in October, 1815, bringing his wife and five children. He had three sons and two daughters, Warren, David, Sylvester, Lucia and Florinda. They are all dead but Sylvester, who lives at Council Bluffs, lowa, and the only de- seendants of the old pioneer living within the county, are three children of David Smith, Mrs. Wm. Annis, of South Amherst, and L. B. Smith and Miss. L. E. Smith, of Elyria. Chiliab Smith, on coming into the township, settled on the south ridge road, abont four miles west of Elyria, and there kept the first tavern in the vicinity. He died in 1842, and his wife in 1824.

Roswell Crocker came from Oneida county, New York, and settled on lot number forty-four. He had three sons and five daughters, all of whom, with the exception of Eliza Ann, afterwards the wife of O. Barney, were born in the township. She was born while the family were on the road, in New York State, only one day's journey from their starting place. Mr. Crocker lived in the township for twenty-seven years, and then went to Lake county, where he died in 1868, aged seventy-one. Ilis sons, Alonzo and Lorenzo, are now residents of the township.

Caleb Ormsby came from Becket, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, in 18t2, or the following year. lle built a log house at the corners, now North Amherst, upon the exact spot where now stands the residence of d. M. Worthington.

Jesse Smith settled on the north ridge in 1815, and cleared the first farm in that part of the township, the one now owned by Henry Todd.

Stephen Cable came also in 1815. He had been living before that in Ridgeville. He took up the land lying about the corners, at one time known as Hul- bert's corners, six miles west of Elyria. lle kept a log tavern which afforded a temporary home to many of the settlers who came into the county later.

Ezekiel Crandall and family settled near Cable's.

The Onstines, -father Federick, and seven sons, Daniel, Frederick, George, Henry, John, Michael and Philip, -arrived at about the same time as the above

PHOTOS BY H Nº PLATT OBERLIN O

J.J RICE.

MRS J. J. RICE.

RESIDENCE FROM SOUTH WEST

RESIDENCE OF J. J. RICE.& FOUNDRY OF J.J. RICE & CO., AMHERST TP., LORAIN CO., O

PHOTOS BY PLATT, OBERLIN G

L. R. COOK. ( DECEASED )

MRS EMELINE COOK

LATE RESIDENCE OF L.R. COOK AND RESIDENCE OF EMELINE COOK, AMHERST TP. LORAIN CO.,O

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

named settlers. They came into Amherst township from Buffalo, but were originally from Canada. They lelt that country to avoid impressment into the army, and abandoned a property of considerable value. Several of the sons went into the United States' army, and in consideration of their services the family was granted by Congress a tract of land lying in the northwest part of the township, and consisting of nine hundred acres. This action on the part of the government was suggested by Mr. Whittlesey, then a congressman.

The Onstine family burying ground is upon a sandy knoll at the end of a rocky ridge. Here are buried a number of the family in surroundings fit to guard the long last sleep of the pioneer. The place is lonely and romantic. All about seems serene and stately, and no sound is heard but the laughing of the wind in the ancient trees that overshadow the little group of graves.

Ezekiel Barnes, of Worcester county, Massachu- setts, came to Amherst township in 1817, with his wife, a son-in-law, and eight children. He settled on lot forty-three, and afterwards bought a portion of lot forty-four. He was born in January, 1770, and died in his ninety-first year, 1860. His children were Ezekiel (., Sardins D., Palina, Fanny, Amanda, Lovina D., Juliette and Charlotte. Palina married Roswell Crocker, and is still living. Fanny married David Smith, son of Chiliab Smith. She is the mother of three children, L. B., Livonia, and Lovira E., the latter now in Elyria. Livonia married Wil- liam Annis, a son of Stephen Annis, and is the mother of six children; Adelbert, living on the farm adjoin- ing his fathers', and five danghters, two of whom are married. Amanda Barnes married Warren Smith, who afterward joined the Mormons and was killed in the raid on Nauvoo. She is now living in Salt Lake City.

Ezekiel G. Barnes, born in 1799, is still living. He has resided on lot fifty-seven, on the middle ridge. for forty years. Mr. Barnes has four children living in Amherst: Gilbert 11., Louisa, ( Mrs. I. Gawne), Gard- ner Monroe, Henry, and S. N., the latter ou a fine farm in lot forty-five, middle ridge road. Mr. Barnes was, in his younger years, a great hunter, and was known through a wide stretch of country as "Nim- rod," more people probably recognizing him by that. title than by his name. The first season that he be- gan hunting he killed, beside small game, eight or nine deer. The next season he had so improved in woodcraft and marksmanship that eighty-three were brought to earth by his rifle, and the third season he killed, incredible as it may seem, one hundred and twenty-five of these animals.

The most notable man who arrived in 1818. was Josiah Harris. He was a remarkable and truly great man-great not alone in ability, tact and enterprise, but in justice, purity and honesty. Much of that which is admirable in the institutions and the people of Amherst, is so from the result of his labor and

example. His history is written upon the township. and his strong personality seems still to pervade the scenes among which was passed his busy, manly life. Hle was, during a long life, the object of universal respect, and his memory is revered by all who knew him. No man in the township exerted a wider or more potent influence for good; no man was more active in promoting the best interests, material and moral, of the community. No man was longer or more closely identified with its growth and improve- ment, and no man, living or dead, has a larger share of the popular appreciation and admiration, than Judge Josiah Harris. He was born in Becket, Berk- shire county, Massachusetts, November 30, 1783, and died March 26. 1867, aged eighty four years. He made journeys to Ohio in 1814 and 1815, purchased land, and in 1818 came lo Amherst, arriving July 2, and immediately began the work of building a log hut upon Beaver creek. Mr. Harris was elected jus- tice of the peace in 1821, and served for thirty-six years. Hle was the first sheriff of Lorain county, served seven years as associate justice, being appointed in 1829: was a member of the general assembly of Ohio in 1822, representing Cuyahoga county; repre- sented Lorain and Medina counties in the House, and afterwards was elected to the State Senate from the same district. Judge Harris was probably the oldest postmaster in the United States. He was appointed by Postmaster-general Meigs, back in the twenties, and held the office continuously to the time of his death, (over forty years) except when in the legisla- ture. Judge Harris assisted in various ways the de- velopment of the country. He was agent for a num- ber of eastern land owners, and in this capacity he was enabled to do many a kind turn for the new com- ers. Ile gave them the best terms that he could, aided them in selecting good locations, and was liked by all, because every purchaser knew that he was in no danger of any oppression in default of payment on arcount of sickness or misfortune, as long as Judge Harris stood between him and the owners. As a magistrate he urged the settlement of suits, and through his counsel parties litigant often left the court with all ill feeling removed, and their canse amicably adjusted. The children of the Judge were four in number. Josiah A .. the eldest, who was for many years the editor of the Cleveland Herald, is now dead; Loring P. is in Texas; Milo is a leading and influential citizen of North Amherst, and Em- eline C. is living in Philadelphia. A notable faet in regard to the Harris family, is that three of its mem- bers have held the office of sheriff of Lorain county. Judge Josiah Harris was the first sheriff; his son. Josiah A., hold the office at a later period, and Milo Harris was sheriff in 1861.

Eliphalet Redington, or Captain Redington as he was generally called, came to the township in February, 1818, became widely known. took a prominent part in many public affairs ; led an active life and exerted a strong influence in the community. He was a

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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

native of Berkshire county, Massachusetts, but came to 'Amherst from Trumbull county, where he had re- sided for a short time. He was one of the committee appointed by the legislature to locate the road leading from the Miami of the lake road to Elyria. Eliphalet Redington settled on the South Ridge road. He had four children, Myra, now dead, who married Thomp- son Miles : Ransom, also dead, who married Pamela Manter ; Tersa, who married Addison Tracey, and A. HI., whose wife is Jane Bryant. Mr. A. H. Redington's home has been most of the time in Sonth Amherst. though since 1875 he has been a citizen of Elyria.

Elijah Sanderson came at the same time as Captain Redington, worked for him and soon after settled near by.

Reuben Allen settled about this time at what is now Kirkbride's corners, and Jeremiah Ferris west of him upon the main road.

Stephen Johnson and his sister Abbie, also came into the township and settled in this locality, not far from the time of the above named pioneers. Among others who came in the same or following year, may be named Israel Cash, Thompson Blair and Jesse Smith, Elisha Foster and his sons Elisha and Leon- ard, and Daniel Cornwell,

Elisha Foster was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, in 1265, and originally, upon coming to Ohio settled in Avon, then in Cuyahoga county, in the year 1816. He bought land in the locality now known as Foster's corners. Elisha, Jr., took up one hundred and twenty acres near his father, and Leonard took the farm now owned by Ephraim Towne. Daniel Corn- well bought a farm now owned by James Nichol. He was undoubtedly the first shoemaker in the township. Jesse Smith remained but a short time, and then moved into Russia township, where his son Loren now resides.

Jonas Stratton came in 1819. Ile was born in New Hampshire in 1791. He settled near Webb's corners. His children were H. Dwight, Lemuel B., Amanda and Lucy. Dwight married Pamela C. Bryant, and Lucy became the wife of 11. B. Bryant, and thus was formed the association of families which was really the beginning of a partnership which became celebrat- ed through the length and breadth of the United Sates. Bryant & Stratton's commercial colleges and their system of book keeping are known every where.

Nathaniel Bryant, semor, was born in Eastington, Gloucestershire, England, in the year 1749. He came to America in 1829, and settled in South Am- herst with his son, John Bryant, in 1830. He died in South Amherst in 1835. His children were John, born in Sussex, England, in 1789. Mary (Mrs. Gil- man), born in Coventry, Warwickshire, England. in 1495. Robert (Rev. R& Bryant), born in Coventry. England, in 1997. Nathaniel, Jr., born in Coventry, England, in 1499. John Bryant was married to Pamela Collins in King Stanley, Gloucestershire, England, in 1813. Pamela Collins, wife of John Bryant, was born in King Stanley, England, in 1987,

and was the daughter of John Collins. She died in Amherst, August 24, 1864. John Bryant's children were: George, born in King Stanley, England, No- vember 1, 1814; Jane, born June 1, 1816; Ann, born in 1819; John (., born in December, 1821; Ilenry B., born in April, 1824; Pamela C., born in 1826. This family came from England to America, in the fall of 1829, and remained in Philadelphia during the winter. Moved to Norwalk, Ohio, in the spring of 1830, and thence to Amherst in the fall of the same year.

Elias Peabody settled in the extreme southwestern corner of the township in the year 1819. He was born in 1791, in Middleton, Massachusetts, and is still living, being in his eighty-seventh year at this writ- ing. His residence is now in Russia township.

Ebenezer, Joseph L. and Daniel G. Whiton all came to the township before 1820. Ebenezer and Daniel settled in 1817, and Joseph L., though buying in 1818, did not come to reside continuously until 1832. The farm which he purchased was in lot forty-seven, which is to-day the only undivided lot in the township, and the property of his son, Joseph L. A daughter, Mrs. M. W. Axtell,. is also a resident of Amherst. Joseph Lucas Whiton was born in Lee, Massachusetts, in the year 1799. ITis wife was Lovina Wright, of Spring- feld, Massachusetts. Mr. Whiton was one of the prominent men of the township and county. He served seven years as an associate judge: was a justice of the peaee for twelve years, and was a member of the legislature in 1851 and 1852.

Ebenezer Whiton came to Amherst in 1817, the month of June, and removed to Elyria in 1824, in which year he was appointed clerk of the court. He served in this office and that of recorder until his death in 1834. Mr. Whiton and wife, Samantha, were both from Lee, Berkshire county, Massachus- setts. Mrs. Whiton died December 13, 1878, aged eighty-four years. She died in St. Charles, Minne- sota, of which place she had been a resident sinee 1855.

Harvey Redington purchased lot thirty-two, of Cable, in 1819, and sometime during the following year settled upon it. One of his children had a very narrow escape from death when the family was cross- ing Rocky river, on the way to Amherst. One of the wagon wheels went off the bridge, and the sudden jolting movement threw the baby from the wagon. The shawl in which it was wrapped fortunately caught upon some blackberry bushes, and the little one was thus saved from being dashed to pieces in the bed of the stream below. Redington was a jus- tice of the peace from 1822 to 1845, and the docket kept during the early years of his service shows that people were not more slow then than they are now in going to law. Sums of less than one dollar we frequently sued for. There are some entries, how- ever, of a nature not usually met with upon justices' records in late years. For instance, the ancient docket shows that complaint was made by William D.

SAMUEL KENDEIGH

MRS. JANE C. KENDEIGHI.

l'hotos. by Lee, Elyria, O.

SAMUEL KENDEIGH

was born in Westmoreland Co., Pa., July 17, 1823, and is the second son of John and Nancy Kendeigh, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, as also was the grandfather of Samuel, Henry Kendeigh, who was born in Lancaster County, in that State, in January, 1796, and died Aug. 13, 1836. The name as formerly used in Pennsylvania was Kentisch or Kintigh, and is of German origin.

In the year 1824, Henry Kendeigh, the father of him of whom we write, emigrated to Ohio, and settled in the town of North Amherst, Lorain Co., in the spring of that year. The farm upon which he located was situated about four miles southwest of Black River. He remained there about three years, and then moved on to the place now occupied by the widow of his eldest son, John J. Kendeigh, where he continued to reside until his death, in 1835 or 1836.

Samuel Kendeigh spent the early years of his life as a mechanic, aiding in the construction of build- ings in the vicinity of his former home. On the 27th of January, 1854, he was married to Jane C., daughter of John R. and Esther Strickler, of Fayette Co., Pa. Six children have been born to them, namely,-Charles D., Milo, Esther Ann, Jennie, Lula, and Lottie (the last two being twins), all living. Shortly after marriage he purchased a farm contain-

ing one hundred and fifty acres in Henrietta town- ship. Upon this he remained about seven years, clearing the land and making improvements. He subsequently exchanged the farm for mill property in North Amherst, which he owned and managed for about eighteen months with reasonable sueeess, and then traded it off for the well-known Younglove farm in Elyria township. At the expiration of a year and a half he sold out and moved to North Amherst; and from thence on to the Peter Rice farm ; and from there to his present farm, which is pleasantly located about seven miles west of Elyria. His place is a very comfortable one, and has commodious and well-arranged ontbuildings, as shown in the illustration of it on another page of this volume. Mr. Kendeigh also owns a farm of ninety- seven acres (adjoining the famous quarries of Halde- man & Son), which, owing to the superior quality of grindstone and building rock, is very valuable. He also possesses a farm of one hundred and thirteen acres in Russia township. Mr. Kendeigh is a self- made man, and the very fact of his accumulating so extensive a property as he at present owns, speaks well for his enterprise and business sagacity. The aggregate of his landed possessions foots up three hundred and thirty aeres, including some valuable village building lots.

LATE RES. OF GEO. DUDLEY.

KPI

THE

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RESIDENCE OF SAMUEL KENDEIGH, AMHERST TP., LORAIN CO., 0.

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IHISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OIIIO.

Edson against Asahel Crandall and Mr. Lambert for profane swearing. Another entry shows a fine of two dollars imposed for Sabbath-breaking. The family of the Redingtons consisted of ten children, as follows : Nancy ( Mrs. John Frost), Ransom N. (on the old homestead). Lorinda (Mrs. Wm. Hurl- burt), Louisa ( Mrs. Brundage), Harmonie (Mrs. Noah Eldred), Henry II. (in Cambridge, Iowa), Myra (who was fatally injured by a fall), Terrissa (Mrs. Joshua Simmons, of lowa), Mary Ann ( Mrs. Westley Morris, of Illinois), and Alfred J. (of Cam- den township).

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History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 80

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

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