USA > Ohio > Lorain County > History of Lorain County, Ohio > Part 85
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CASPER DUTE
was born in Ruttinburg, Germany, on the 28th of January, 1827. He was the only child of George and Ann Catharine (Miller) Dute. The latter (George) had one brother and four sisters; the brother died in Germany and two of the sisters emigrated to this country, whither George Dute also came in 1834, landing at Black river on the 18th of September of that year, and located in Black River township, about one mile and a half north of the present residence of his son Casper, and half a mule from the lake shore. A rude log cabin, floorless and generally dilapidated. was then standing on the farm, which, with slight repairs, was used by the family for a dwelling for nine years. They then sold the place and purchased the one upon which Casper Dute now resides. An opening had to be made in the then unbroken forest, and a log house was erected for the use of the family. The farm contained fifty-one acres. The parents of the subject of this brief sketch are both dead. His mother died December 22, 1868, and his father Au- gust 9, 1845. They were a worthy and highly respected couple, and were among the pioneers of the town in which they passed so many years of their lives. Casper Dute married Mary Heidenreich March 1, 1850. By this union were born fifteen children, of
whom fourteen are living, namely: J. George, Cath- arine, Elizabeth, John A., Anton, Ann Martha, .J. Henry, Valentine, Julius, Annie Dora, Anton An- gust, Mary Orelia, John Harvey, Henry Jacob, Cas- per Cleine, Orlie Ferdinand (deceased). Of These, two are married-J. George and Catharine: the for- mer to Mary Shupe, the latter to Ferdinand Esch- truth.
In politics Mr. Dute is a democrat, and has always acted with that party. He has been a liberal con- tributor to religions as well as to educational inter- ests. By unremitting industry and careful manage- ment of his affairs, he has become possessed of quite an extensive property, consisting of over three hun- dred acres of land. A sketch of his farm and build- ings is inserted in this work, as one of the finest in the town. Mr. Dute has always held a prominent position among his own countrymen.
CAPTAIN E. P. FRINK.
Among the prominent navigators and ship owners on Lake Erie, none have had greater general success or enjoy a fairer record than the subject of this sketch. He was the son of Eli and Hannah (Squires) Frink, both natives of Massachusetts. They had eight sons and one daughter, of whom six sons and the daughter survive. At an early day they removed to Rochester, New York, where Mr. Frink erected the Strong's flouring mills. He died there about 1829. one of the most respected citizens of the then com- paratively small place. Two or three years after the death of her husband, Mrs. Frink removed, with her family of seven children, to Elyria, arriving there m 1832. They came from Buffalo to Cleveland on the steamer Superior, the second steamer sailing on Lake Erie.
Captain E. P. Frink was born at Rochester, Monroe county, New York, December 27, 1822. Ile accom- panied his widowed mother to Elyria when about ten years of age. From 1832 to 1834 he worked for a half sister in Carlisle township. and also for an unele in Elyria township. During, or about that time, he was apprenticed to a tailor, but, not liking the trade, he only remained about four weeks, concluding to move and do for himself. He proceeded to Black River township, where he remained until about 1839, during which year he first went on the lake, busying himself in the meanwhile as best he could. lle learned the caulker's trade about 1839. From that time until the present he has been interested in sail- ing and maritime matters, having an interest in four sailing vessels. He has been quite successful, never having lost but one vessel. He has bought and sold several farms, mostly at a pecuniary advantage.
In October. 1846, Captain Frink was united in marriage with Aurilla Gillmore, of Amherst town- ship. Her parents were of New England ancestry.
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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OIIIO.
She had eight sisters and five brothers, of whom five of the former and four of the latter are living. Her mother used to relate how she rode all the way through the woods to Elyria to get married. They were among the pioneers of Amherst, and all their family were born in that township. The father was a farmer, and a good practical business man.
Captain Frink stayed ashore during the season of 1828, for the first time since he commenced sailing, about forty years ago. In politics he is a republican, and liberally supported the government during the war of the rebellion, being true to the principles of his party and the best interests of the country. Ile
never affiliated with any religious organization; neither did Mrs. Frink, although both are true christians in the broadest and best sense. He has generally sup- ported all religious enterprises, donating one hundred dollars toward the building fund of the Methodist house of worship at Black River, among other similar acts of generosity. He is noted for his boundless charity, particularly to the poor and needy. In his business career his motto has been square dealing. and the triteness of the phrase is significant of a broad interpretation; for personal honor and a regard for righteous dealing have characterized all the actions of his business life,
JACOB HILDEBRAND.
MRS. JACOB HILDEBRAND.
RESIDENCE OF D. L. WADSWORTH, NORTH MAIN ST., WELLINGTON TP., LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
WELLINGTON.
IN THE thirty-eighth draft by the members of the | purposes is unsurpassed. There is not an acre of Connecticut land company, April 4, 1807, Ephraim Root and James Ross drew township number three in range eighteen, with other tands, and in the division, Ephraim Root became the original proprietor of Wel- lington.
The township contains an area of twenty-two and one-half miles and a fraction over-by the original survey, thirteen thousand nine hundred and twelve aeres of land. It was divided into forty-eight original lots.
It was six lots deep, running from south to north, and thence from north to south, and num- bered in this order conseentively. It is eight lots in length east and west. They are of unequal size; the lots west of the center road are the larger. The first tier of lots is on the east side of the township. The southeast corner lot is number one, numbering thence north consecutively: number six is the northeast cor- ner lot, returning thence on the second tier of lots to the south line; so back and forth, ending with lot forty-eight, in the south-west corner.
February 18, 1812, the general assembly of the State of Ohio fixed the territorial limits of the county of Medina by an act of that date, wherein it was pro- vided that all that part of the Connecticut Western Reserve lying west of the eleventh range, south of number tive and east of the twentieth range, shall be attached to and be a part of the county of Portage.
The territory thus set to Medina embraced town- ship number three, range eighteen-Wellington. On the organization of Medina county in January, 1818. it was a part thereof, and so remained until the organ- ization of Lorain county, January 21, 1824.
At the organization of Medina county, the sound of the woodman's axe had never been heard within the township. The only works of civilization were the blazed trees indicating the lot lines made by the surveyor's hatchet. The wilderness was unbroken. The Wyandots were still here, and here remained for several years after the arrival of the first settlers. Remains of their old wigwams, near an orchard of wild plums in Penfield township, were seen as late as 1840.
The township is traversed by several affluents of Black river, Wellington creek in the eastern, Charle- mont ercek and the west branch of Black river in the western and northern parts. It is therefore well watered, and has a diversified soil of alluvium and upland. The surface is level, and much of it back from the streams was originally regarded as swale lands, but their adaptation for meadow and grazing
waste land in the township. In the eastern part are still seen the remains of an old beaver dam, which in an early day served to flood an extent of fifty or seventy-tive acres, and was known as Wellington swamp. It afforded a secure retreat for wild ani- mals. It was the haunt of the bear and the wolf. Its impenetrable thickets afforded an effectnal screen from the hunter's vigilance. The wolf, for miles away, when closely pursued, headed for Wellington swamp, and it was a struggle of skill and endurance on the part of the hunter to cut him off from that retreat. The east and west center road, when con- structed, crossed it in the middle. The road was made by felling the brush upon the surface of the morass, upon which stringers were placed length wise upo. cross pieces placed on the brush; over these stringers the corduroy covering was laid. The road was literally a bridge, which, as used, would gradu- ally settle below the surface, when other stringers were placed and more corduroy was laid. It was too narrow for teams to meet and pass thereon. ff two met, the lightest loaded was unhitched, load removed, wagon uncoupled and crowded to one side, team backed to terra firma, while the other pushed on. Such hindrances rarely occurred, however, for the noise of the jolting wagon upon the rough corduroy gave timely notice that the road was occupied.
To-day the site of that swamp is occupied by well cultivated fields of unsurpassed and exhaustless fer- tilitv.
The Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indian- apolis railway traverses the township diagonally, from the northeast to the southwest corner. It is crossed by tive roads running north and south, and by three east and west. It is about midway between Elyria on the north, Ashland on the south, Medina on the cast, and Norwalk on the west, and on the most direct road to each. This fact, at an early day, gave Wel- lington importance its the center of local trade, and rendezvous for land owners and settlers.
Ephraim Root, the original proprietor of Welling- ton, sold the township to Colonel Francis Herrick, Harmon Kingsbury, Frederick Hamlin, and Norton and Stocking, of Berkshire county, Massachusetts. In the record of transfers of Medina county, for the year 1819, the first transfer from Ephraim Root to Francis llerriek of three thousand five hundred and sixty acres, township three, range eighteen, is entered. From the same to Joseph Kingsbury, two thousand two hundred and seventy-eight acres. In 1820, the
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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
same to Amos Adams, six hundred and fifty acres; to AAdams, Norton and Stocking, three thousand four hundred and seventy-eight acres; to Lyman and San- ford Brown and Frederick Hamlin, two thousand acres; to John Clifford, three hundred and fifty aeres; to John Clifford, Jr., seventy-five aeres; to John Howk, seven hundred and thirty-four and three- fourths acres. These transfers were made to actual settlers. And it was a happy thing for Wellington that these lands did not fall into the hands of speculators.
FIRST SETTLEMENT AND SETTLERS.
In March, 1818, the first settlers arrived. They were: Ephraim Wilcox and Charles Sweet, who came out in the employ of Frederick Hamlin: John Clif- ford and Joseph Wilson, of Berkshire county, Massa- chusetts; and William T. Welling, of Montgomery county. New York. The first four left Berkshire county in February, with packs and tools loaded upon a cutter, drawn by one old mare. One drove while the others walked. Welling joined them en route. In March, they reached Grafton, the most advanced out-post in the direction of their lands. They at once commenced entting a " trail " to township num- ber three, of range eighteen, and entered the township at the northeast corner thereof, and thence to the center lots.
They reached their destination in the latter part of March, at night-fall. They camped for the night, and the next day commenced and nearly completed a temporary cabin, which was to be their home for weary months. It was erected near the corner of lots twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-seven and twenty- eight, upon the ground where the house of Mrs. . t. P. Nickles now stands. They made benches for chairs; matresses of dried leaves for beds, placed upon bed- steads made by driving four crotched stakes into the ground, with stringers stretching from stake to stake, and white oak shakes crossing from stringer to stringer, upon which the leaf matresses were laid. These rude beds soon gave place to more luxurious couches, made by the pioneer with axe and anger, consisting of four posts, four straight poles for the side and foot rails, extending from post to post, of requisite length and width, inserted in anger holes and interwoven with basswood bark, which, until the bark got too dry and brittle, made a bed a king might envy, if prepared for its enjoyment by the toils of pioneer life.
Their temporary cabin completed, they at once commenced work upon their lands, finding them by the surveyor's plat, and the marks upon the corner stakes of the lots, Ephriam Wilcox upon lot twenty- eight: John Clifford upon lot sixteen: Joseph Wilson upon fot fourteen: and Charles Sweet, for Frederick Hamlin, upon lot twenty-seven. By the 1st of April the ringing of the woodman's ax, the crash of falling trees, gave token of the advent of civilization, of the dawn of that struggle to plant the institutions of New England in the forest, which it took a generation to complete.
On the 4th day of July, of that year, they were joined by the family of Ephraim Wilcox, consisting of wife and child, Theodore Wilcox and sister, Miss Caroline Wilcox, accompanied by Dr. Daniel J. Johns, Frederick Hamlin, and Austin Kingsbury. The log house was ready for their reception, into which they were received on this glad fourth of July. after a separation of five months, passed by the hus- band and father in the depths of the forest, far from the sound of woman's voice, or children's prattle.
These women were the first white women in Wel- lington. The site of their first home, -that first log cabin,-is still seen, about three-quarters of a mile northwest of the center of the township. An old peach tree, an apple tree, a hop vine, the ruins of the old stone and clay chimney still mark the place in a field now owned by Daniel JJ. Johns. It is remote from any road, for it preceded roads. No lovelier place for a home could have been chosen, facing the east, upon a gentle declivity, at the foot of which a bubbling brook sent up, in those days, the music of its unceasing murmur, and near by, an unfailing spring sent forth an abundant supply of the purest water. To such a home and such scenery were these women welcomed. The welcome and lovely scene was not nnappreciated by them, which appreciation was manifested by Mrs. Wilcox in the most timely and fitting manner possible, to wit: by the presenta- tion to her husband and infant colony of a man child, John W. Wilcox, born on the twenty-fifth day of September. A. D. 1818, the first white child born in the township. He grew to manhood, and died here, leaving a widow and two sons, Stanley and Arthur.
The journey of these last arrivals was performed from Massachusetts, in just four weeks' time. They came with horses and wagons, bringing such house- hold goods as were absolutely necessary. Dr. Johns was then just twenty-one years old. and from that day to this has been closely identified with every inter- est of Wellington and the surrounding townships. He was for years the only physician in a circuit of fifteen miles. Here he purchased and cleared a farm, built a home, married and reared a family of chil- dren. He helped to organize the township and the county, filled various township offices, and was an associate judge of the Lorain court of common pleas from February, 1838. to February, 1845, inclusive.
No further accessions were made to the settlement until in the late fall of that year. One morning the tinkle of a strange cowbell was heard from the direc- tion of the center. Curious to see from what it. pro- eceded, the sound was followed, and an emigrant's team was found grazing, and the first shanty erected was found occupied, not by strangers, but by friends from their old Massachusetts home, JJosiah Bradley and wife, John and AAlanson Howk, and their mother, Miss Electa Howk, and a sister and "Dean, " a female servant. a relie of Massachusetts slavery, who had continued to live with her old mistress after the adoption of the constitution of 1780, and had fol-
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JAMES SHELDON.
MRS. JAMES SHELDON
RESIDENCE OF JAMES SHELDON, WELLINGTON. TP., LORAIN CO., 0.
PHOTOS BY W F SAWTELL.
WELLINGTON,O.
1
Mrs MA, Bacon
L
1. 1.
S. D. Buson
RESIDENCE OF S.D. BACON, WELLINGTON, OHIO.
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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
lowed her into the wilderness. They had reached the center of the township after dark the night be- fore. Their trail ended there. The deserted shanty was found and occupied until morning should reveal the whereabouts of the settlers. They were never accorded a more joyful welcome than that which then was given them. The meeting of those pioneer women in the depths of the forest, months having intervened since two of them had looked upon any of their own sex save themselves, was one of intense emotion. Encircling arms, fear-dimmned eyes were the expression of a joy too great for utterance. Alanson Howk settled upon lot twenty-two ; John Howk upon lot fifteen, and Josiah Bradley upon lot number forly.
Frederick Hamlin, having completed his log-house on lot Lwenty-seven, that fall returned to Massachu- setts for his family. The next year he returned with his wife, Mrs. Nancy Hamlin, and four children, viz: Frederick M., Ineius, Homer and Jane.
The providence that sent this family into the wil- derness was beneticent to Wellington. Active in the organization of schools, earnest in promoting the interests of society, prominent in the civil affairs of the township and county. filling some of the most. important places of public trust in both, the name of Frederick Hamlin, and after him of his son Fred- erick M., appears on every page of its history for the tirst forty years. The father was one of the first common pleas judges of the county, sat upon the bench at the first term of conrt ever held in the county, May term, 1824, and continued lo serve until the March term, 1831. In after years, when the county had become populons and wealthy, the son, Frederick M., was chosen treasurer of the county for Two successive terms. He entered into the office in September, A. D., 1865, and retired Septen- ber, 1869, and no man ever served the public therein more acceptably.
Homer Hamlin removed to lowa after seeing the township all settled and a large village springing up around the very spot where the old log house, the home of his childhood, stood. They have all passed away now, the work of their hands, and a fragrant memory are all that remain to speak for them.
On the 13th of November, 1819, Abner Loveland, from Otis, Massachusetts, came. He journeyed the entire distance on foot, reached the settlement on Friday, hired to Judge Hamlin on Saturday as a wood- chopper, and commenced his job on Monday. Ile finally settled in Brighton, but returned to Welling- ton in after years, where he lived until his death, in March, 1879. At a very early period of the anti-sla- very movement he identified himself therewith, and suffered bonds and imprisonment because of his de- votion to the cause of human liberty. This same year came Lyman Howk, who located upon lot ten, where he continued to live until his death.
In May, 1820, John Clifford, who had returned east in the fall of 1818, after making a small clearing,
returned with his family, consisting of his wife and ten children, six sons and four daughters, viz: John Clifford, Jr., Daniel, Luther L., Elijah M., George W .. Benjamin F., Hannah, Theodosia, Harriet and Polly, a noble force for the work in hand. They at once commenced the erection of a log house, and in one week their house was ready. Shortly after, an addition was built to it, and here was taught the first school, by Miss Caroline Wilcox, Mr. Clifford furnish- ing not only the house but over half the pupils. In this house was preached the first sermon, by Rev. Mr. Me Mahon, presiding elder of the Methodist Episcopal church. And here Rev. Adam Poe preached his first sermon. The old log house, in a few years, gave place to a substantial frame house, in which Mr. Clif- ford lived from thence to the day of his death, Sep- tember 11, 1869, aged ninety-two years, surviving his sons, Luther L. and George W. This was the first frame house buili.
This year Mr. Hamlin opened a small store in a log house at the center, and here the first post office was kept by him, the first postmaster.
In 1847, Rev. Ansel R. Clark delivered an historical sermon to the First Congregational church of Wel- lington. Speaking of the progress of the settlement, he said that in the beginning of the year 1821, there were thirty-seven inhabitants in the township. That year came Amos Adams, Milton Adams, and their sister, Miss Athumira Adams, who married Austin Kingsbury, Russell B. Webster, Ithel Battle, Whit- man De Wolf, Loren Wadsworth, Andson Wadsworth, William Foote, Damel Smith and Josiah B. Munley. The lutter, with his wife and three children, journeyed from Massachusetts with an ox team, and was forty days in making the journey, the last night of which was spent in the woods within four miles of the set- flement. without food for themselves or team; sur- rounded from dark till dawn by legions of howling wolves. They arrived at the settlement at carly dawn, and found every man absent.
LOST IN THE WOODS.
The word had been sent the night before from Sul- livan, that a child was lost in the forest, and help was wanted to search for the wanderer. These lidings, by faithful messengers, were forwarded to adjacent settlements in Brighton and Pittsfield, with a request. that all should engage in the search and they assembled at Sullivan at sunrise on the next morning to organ- ize. Many had come a distance of fifteen miles. It was a bleak November day, but that morning beheld a column of men three miles long, assembled at the place of designation. As the child had last been seen cast of the dwelling of its parents, the commander of the forces conceived the idea that the little wanderer was to be found east. The order to march was given, and the line moved forward into the depths of the wilderness. They crossed Black riverand penetrated into the wilds beyond, where no child could possibly go. In the afternoon a violent snow storm came on.
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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
It was thought the child must perish: a backward march was made and the child was left to Ins fate. The next spring its remains were found, partially eaten by the wolves. The child had crawled under the body and upturned roots of a fallen trec, evidently for shelter, and there had perished, west of the house and within half a mile thereof. Among those from Wellington was Russell B. Webster, a young man of stalwart frame, with great powers of endurance, and possessed of mental force to match. Exhausted with the long tramp to Sullivan in the night, the fruitless march, and the return tramp home, some of the com- pany sank down exhausted by the way. Webster lifted, led or carried these to places of safety, where rest could be had. Webster besought the leader to let the company search the woods around the house ou all sides first, but was unfortunately overruled.
To get lost in the woods was no uncommon ocenr- renee to the pioneers themselves, but over children such careful watch was kept that it was rare, and but few instances of the kind happened. If a man at night- fall did not return it was surmised he was lost. T'in horns were blown and guns were fired to direct his course, should the sound reach him, while the man himself would climb a tree the better to catch the sound he knew his friends would make, and if no sound reached him the branches of the tree were his resting place till morning, unless the rigors of the season demanded constant walking to prevent freez- ing. The craft of the experienced woodmen soon taught them when the sun was hidden lo follow the water courses; sooner or later these would lead to a settler's path. Every man's house was a home, the latch string always hung out, the wanderers, the weary and the hungry always were welcomed with a hospi- tality that puts to shame the cold civilities of more modern life-the hospitality of the heart.
Wolves were numerous, their nightly howls were hideous, their havoc among sheep and domestic ani- mals ruinous. The sheep, for better protection from them, were nightly housed in folds, and woe to the Hock if this precaution was neglected. They often fol- lowed at a safe distance the pioneer's footsteps, rarely, if ever, attacking him. Their attitude was one of per- petual threatening, but like all cowards, never execut- ing, ready and willing to make an attack, opportunity presenting, and hunger pressing. At last the legis- lature of the State legistated the wolves to that land from whose bourne no wolf returns. A state bounty of four dollars and twenty-five cents for the sealp of every wolf over six months old, was offered and paid, and for those under six months, two dollars and fifty cents. As this was about the only way of getting money, except connterfeiting, which latter method was confined to Akron, mainly, every man, theoret- ically or practically, became a wolf-hunter. Old worn out horses and diseased cattle were conveyed or driven into the loneliest depths of the forest and slaughtered, and their carcasses surrounded with wolf traps, hid- den among the leaves, chained to heavy clogs, that
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