History of Medina county and Ohio, Part 68

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Baskin & Battey. Chicago. pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1014

USA > Ohio > Medina County > History of Medina county and Ohio > Part 68

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Mines have been opened in four localities in the township : at Humphrey & Coleman's mine, on Seth Baughman's farm, the Wadsworth Coal Company's mine, on the Dormer farm, the Town Line mine, in the northeast, corner which extends into Sharon and Norton, and the Stony Ridge mine, opencd on the land of Don A. Pardee.

The first shipment of eoal on the railroad at Wadsworth was in 1863, brought from the Silver Creek mines in wagons till the eomple- tion of the Silver Creek Branch Railroad.

Coal is known to exist in minable quan- tities, on or under the following farms in Wads- worth Township : in the southeast quarter, the Whitman farm, the Dormer, the old Ritter, the

Dr. Simmons, the Dave Long, Seth Baughman's three farms, the Dutt farm and the Andrews farm ; in the northeast quarter, the old Spill- man farm and the Eyles and Simcox farms ; in thic northwest quarter, the Oberholtzer farm, the Hinsdale farm and the two farms of Don A. Pardee, also the Gehman and the McCoy farms. The area of land underlaid with coal in the township, must be in the neighborhood of 1,500 acres, a small portion of which only has been mined. This coal lies invariably under the first stratum o? sand rock which forms the most fa- vorable roofing for mining purposes, and the coal is generally found from fifty to one hun- dred and fifty feet under the surface, and vary- ing from two feet to five feet in thickness.

The village of Wadsworth was originally built up at what was called the center of the township, at the crossing of the north-and- south and east-and-west roads. The north-and- south road was early laid out as a State road from Coshocton to Cleveland, but had been formerly laid as a county road through Wads- worth Township-it lies two miles from the east line, and three lines from the west linc, of the township. The east-and-west road was also a State road, and was laid before the township was settled, about the year 1808. Wadsworth Village had grown up about these corners un- til after the railroad was established, when, on account of the increase of population, it was thought desirable to have it incorporated.

The movement commenced in 1865, Dr. C. N. Lyman acting as agent for the people. Ow- ing to a mistake in dates, it became necessary to make a second publication, so that it was not consummated till 1866. First election, April 4. The first officers under the corporation : Aaron Pardee, Mayor ; J. C. Houston, Re- eorder ; C. N. Lyman, William F. Boyer, John Lytle, W. T. Ridenour, and Luman P. Mills, Trustees.

The boundaries of the corporation are some- what irregular. Its longest dimensions, from

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north to south, about one and one-half miles ; and from east to west, about a mile ; the whole area, 896 aeres of land ; a little over one and one-third square miles, or about one-twentieth of the township.

The incorporation of the village necessitated the ereetion of a building for eouneil room, poliee eourt, jail, ete. This was provided by designing a plan for a township hall for hold- ing eleetions and publie meetings, with rooms for post office, eouneil hall, and " loek-up." The question of building a town hall was submitted to a vote of the people of the township, and the majority vote was for building. It was built by township tax in 1867, at a cost of $5,000. It is a substantial brick strueture, two stories high. The lower story has a eom- modious front room for the post office, and baek of it the room for eouneil room and poliee and village justiee's courts, and a room for se- euring prisoners, or lodging vagrants ; or, in eommon parlanee, "tramps."

The Atlantie & Great Western Railroad, a continuation of the Erie, was like that road of broad gauge running from Salamanea, N. Y., and terminating at Dayton, Ohio. Length, 389 miles. Arrangements were made with the C., H. & D. road, by third rail, to run to Cinein- nati. Distance from Wadsworth to Salamanca, 216 miles ; to Dayton, 173 ; to Cineinnati, 232 ; distance to New York from Wadsworth, 629. The Atlantie & Great Western Railroad has changed owners within the past year, and now is called the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railway. In June, 1880, it was altered from a six-foot gauge to the common width of other roads. The ehange was made the whole length of the line in one day. With the first location of this road, eommeneed the rapid growth of Wadsworth Village as a place of business. The existenee of the rich coal mines and the sur- rounding country with its general healthfulness, has done mueh toward building up the place and adding largely to its wealth and prosperity.

There are in Wadsworth Village four dry goods stores, two hardware stores, two drug stores, two shoe stores, three groeery and pro- vision stores, two eigar factories, three wagon and carriage shops, two planing-mills, one agri- cultural machine-shop, one oat-meal mill, two bed-bottom factories, two hotels, four doetors, three lawyers, one dentist, three blaeksmith- shops, five shoe-shops, two tailor-shops, two harness-shops, two meat markets, two barber- shops, two livery stables, two furniture and undertakers' stores, four millinery stores, three jewelers, two tin-shops, one bank, one printing offiee, one flour and feed store, two restaurants, three clothing stores, one grain merchaut's warehouse, two photographers, and one agricult- ural implemeut depot.

Western Star is on the township line, about equally divided between Wadsworth and Nor- ton, and lies just two miles east of Wadsworth Village Coruers. It contains, on the Wads- worth site, about 150 inhabitants. It was in- eorporated by act of the Legislature, about 1837, and embraced a territory one mile each way from the public well, which stood on the line of the county.

The place called Weaverville is in the ueigh- borhood of the Wadsworth Coal Company Mine, southeast corner of the township. Biglow Chapel is on the township line about one and one-half miles north of Western Star. Clark's Corners is two miles north of Wadsworth Vil- lage. The River Styx Bottoms oecupy about 3,000 aeres in the west part of the township, ex- tending from the north line to the south line of the township. Silver Creek Junetion, or Hum- phrey's eoal bank, is about one aud one-quar- ter miles east of Wadsworth Station.

Among the most celebrated pioneer hunters were Orrin Loomis, David Bloeker, William Simeox, Johu Waltz and Phineas Butler. It is said that Bloeker, from 1816 to 1833, killed and dressed over 800 deer; he shot and killed six in one day.

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HISTORY OF MEDINA COUNTY.

At one time, meat became exceedingly scarce, in consequence of the game all leaving the neighborhood; and the want of this indis- pensable article to the pioneer, produced a lamentable aching about the stomach of each. Suddenly, one Sunday afternoon, while David Blocker was lying on a bed of deer and bear- skins, in the cabin, the dogs sang out: "Tur- keys !" and, bounding off his bed and seizing the rifle and shot-pouch, he rushed to the door just in time to see the turkeys flying and alighting among the trees in every direction from the cabin ; for the dogs had rushed among them at first sight, and kept up a tremendous din of howls and yells at the turkeys, while the rifle went crack, erack, as fast as he eould load and shoot, until sixteen fat turkeys had fallen before his unerring aim. By this time the flock had disappeared, and, in their place, came Judge Brown (father of Rev. Edward), Squire Salmon Warner, Reuben F. Warner and Jacob Miller (father of George Miller, Esq., of Akron), all of whom had been at a prayer-meeting, at Squire Warner's, half a mile east of where the turkey-shooting took place; and which meet- ing was about closing, when they heard the successively quick, sharp reports of the rifle, and they knew it meant game. As they were all in want of meat, they gladly and thank- fully accepted twelve out of the sixteen turkeys killed on that occasion.

In the early part of the settlement of the township, rattlesnakes were plenty ; and, in one day, at a den of the snakes, Samuel Blocker and Jacob Miller killed 128 yellow-spotted rattlesnakes. At another time, when Samuel Blocker was reaping wheat, he cut off a mon- ster rattlesnake's head with his sickle, which probably struck at his hand just as he had gathered in the wheat straw to eut it off, for he did not see or know anything of the snake un- til he had dropped his bunch in its place, and, finding the snake headless, looked in his hand- ful of wheat, when lo! there was his snake-

ship's head, as handsomely cut off as if done by a surgeon.

One day David Blocker was pursuing a wounded bear, he met a buck jumping and snorting as if in some great trouble. Blocker walked up within a short distance; as the deer paid no attention to him, he leveled his rifle to shoot the deer, when he perceived one of the largest rattlesnakes he had ever seen ; the snake darted his fiery eyes at Blocker and at the deer, as if at a loss which to attack. Blocker aimed at the snake, and the deer bounded off; when the smoke had cleared away, he found the serpent nicely coiled up, with his head shot to pieees ; he reached down to take hold of the rattles of the snake, when the back of his hand, as quick as a flaslı, was touched with the remains of the snake's head ; he instantly let go, but he knew he was not bitten, although fright- ened. He took twenty-one rattles from that snake, indicating, as is supposed, the age of twenty-one years.

About the year 1818, Samuel Blocker had a valuable mare and eolt which were attacked by bears and driven off the point of a rock, on the north fork of the saw-mill dam, a few rods west of the house and lot now owned by William Brouse. It was nearly sixteen feet down per- pendicularly, at that time, where the mare and colt lay crushed by the fall, and the indications were that one or more bears had gradually driven them closer and closer, until they both pitehed off the precipice and perished.

Captain Lyman relates that at one time he killed, in one day, eight rattlesnakes, seven found in a hollow log, the eighth, a very large one, found alone by himself.

Joshua F. Shaw, in harvesting, was bitten by a rattlesnake, which alarmed himself and friends very much, but it is said that he was cured by a large dose of whisky.

Mr. Shaw once found a large deer in his wheat field. The field had a very high fence, and Shaw cornered the deer where he was una-

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439

ble to get over. As he attempted to leap the fence, Shaw caught him by the horns, and cut his throat with a pen-knife.

Orrin Loomis and Phineas Butler used to hunt in couples. Their principal and most profitable game was eoon, which they hunted for the skin. Their outfit was a couple of axes, a torch made of hickory bark, and three or four dogs. They would go out at evening, and be gone, sometimes nearly all night. When the dogs treed a eoon, the tree had to come down, and before it would fairly reach the ground the dogs liad the coon. Hundreds of the best tim- ber trees in all parts of the township were felled by these hunters in pursuit of coon, and thou- sands of eoon-skins were the result. A coon- skin was about the same as a lawful tender for 31 cents.

In 1819, the settlers of Wadsworth had turned out to chop the road through the unsettled township north, then known as "Hart and Mather's town," to meet a similar company from Granger, half-way; thus making an out- let to Cleveland. While thus engaged, one of the Bruin family put in an appearance. Several dogs, which had aeeompanied their masters, immediately made common cause against their common enemy. The bear showed desperate fight, rising upon his haunches and beating baek the dogs. Orin Loomis ran up, and, to protect the dogs, stuck his ax into the bear's mouth, while Judge Brown, coming immediately behind him, struck his ax into the bear's head, and the other choppers soon dispatched him with their axes; and each at evening returned home with a large piece of bear meat; no small item, in the general scarcity of provisions at that period.

In the fall of 1823, as Butler and Loomis were returning after midnight from one of their hunts, and had arrived within a mile or two of home, it was noticed that the dogs were miss- ing. Presently. a noise was heard, far back in the rear.

" Hark ! What was that ?" said Loomis. They listened awhile, and agreed it was the dogs, sure. "Orr, let's go back," said Butler. " No," answered Loomis, "it is too late." "But," said Butler, "I'll bet the dogs are after a bear ; don't you hear old Beaver? It sounds to me like the bark of old Beaver when he is after a bear."

Butler was bound to go baek, and so they started. The scene of the disturbance was finally reached, after traveling two or three miles. The dogs had found a bear, sure enough; but it was in the middle of Long Swamp, and the alders were so thick that there was scarcely room for man, dog or bear to get through. This did not deter Phin Butler, however. They got near enough to find out that the bear was sta- tioned on a spot a little drier than the main swamp, surrounded by alder bushes, and that she was determined not to leave it. The dogs would bay up elose, when the bear would run out after them. They would retreat, and then she would go back to her nest again.

"We can't kill her to-night," said Loomis, "we will have to go home, and come down again in the morning." "No," replied Butler, "I am afraid she will get away. We can kill her to-night, I guess. You can go and hiss on the dogs on one side, and I will come up on the other ; and when she runs out after them, I'll cut her back-bone off with the ax." They concluded to try this plan, and came very near succeeding. As the old bear rushed past, But- ler put the whole bit of the ax into her back, but failed to cut the back-bone by an ineh or so. Enraged and desperate, she sprang upon the dogs, who, emboldencd by the presence of the hunters, came too close. With one of her enormous paws she came down on old Beaver, making a large wound in his side, which nearly killed him. He was hardly able to crawl out of the swamp.

The fight was then abandoned until the next morning, as, without Beaver to lead the other dogs, it was useless to proceed. It was diffi-

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HISTORY OF MEDINA COUNTY.

eult to get the old dog home, but he finally got well. Early in the morning the hunters were on the ground. This time they had their guns with them, but found the old bear was gone. On examining her nest of the night before, her unusual ferocity was explained. She had a litter of cubs, which, however, she had suc- ceeded in removing, and must have carried them off in her mouth. In a short time, the dogs had tracked her out. She was found half a mile lower down the swamp, where she had made a new nest. Butler's rifle soon dispatched her, but her cubs, four in number, and not more than three or four weeks old, were taken alive, and kept for pets. * * * *

The following account of Leonard Brown's wolf-fight is given in his own words :

"It was in the month of June, 1827, a full moon and a clear night. I was seventeen years old. About 11 o'clock at night I was awakened by the barking of the dog, which was a com- mon occurrence, and we always went to his re- lief, and generally found that he had treed either a raccoon, a wildcat, a porcupine, an opossum, or a fox. (The gray foxes would climb trees as readily as coons.) This time his barking was unusually earnest. I got out of bed and put on my pants, but nothing more. Bareheaded and barefooted, I took my ax and started for the dog. When within a few rods of the spot, I found it was in the northeast corner of the field, where stood a sapling about twelve feet high. Supposing the game to be on that sapling, I could get on the fence and dislodge it from the tree, knowing that the dog would take it as soon as it reached the ground. I therefore laid down the ax aud proceeded within a rod of the place, when a large animal made an attempt to jump the fenee, but the dog caught it by the thigh and brought it back. It then tried to make its cscape aeross the field, but the dog eaught it by the neck, when it turned and gave battle. I then discovered that it was a wolf, mueh larger than the dog,

and, as they reared upon their hind legs like two dogs in a fight, I caught the wolf by his hind legs, and, with the help of the dog, laid him on his back ; but his jaws flow to the right and left so quick, it was very difficult for the dog to get a safe hold. I thought I had best get my ax as soon as possible, as I had no knife. So I started for the ax, but, before I had gone ten feet, the dog cried out in great agony. I knew he was hurt, so I picked up a stick and went baek. The wolf was on top. I caught him again by the legs and laid him on his back, and, by holding his leg with one hand, I jammed the stiek into his mouth with the other, and by that means enabled the dog to fasten to him by the throat. After I had carefully examincd the dog's hold and found all right, fecling assured that if he got away he would take the dog along, I hastened for my ax. When I re- turned, I found the wolf on his feet, and the dog on his back, the dog still keeping his hold. On my approach, the wolf made a desperate effort to escape, which brought the dog to his feet. He then laid the wolf on his back with- out my help. I then tried to knock the wolf in the head, but dared not strike for fear of hitting the dog; and, fearing the dog would give out, as he seemed nearly exhausted, as the wolf lay on his back I aimed a blow between his hind legs, and supposed I had succeeded in cleaving the hips, but it proved I had only wounded him in one thigh.

"The wolf then lay still, and I thought him dead. I bade the dog to let go his hold. He refused. I then put one foot on the wolf, and took the dog by the nape of the neck with one hand, and struck him with the other. The dog flew back as if there was a snake there, and the wolf jumped up suddenly and attacked me. His jaws came together very near my ueck, but the dog instantly caught him by the throat. I then struck him on the head with my ax, break- ing the skull ; and the dog released his hold of his own aceord.

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HISTORY OF MEDINA COUNTY.

"It was a black wolf of the largest sizc, measuring from the extremity of the fore to the hind foot, seven feet and nine inchcs. The dog was bitten through the thick part of the forc leg. I was minus a shirt-some seratched about the breast, with a slight wound on my left arm made by the wolf's teeth.' * * * * eķ * *

The Agard family .- Benjamin Agard, a na- tive, it is supposed, of Long Island, was born in 1769. Married Rhoda, daughter of Issachar Loomis, and sister of Joseph Loomis. He moved from Colebrook, Conn., in the winter of 1816, in company with his brother-in-law, Jo- seph Loomis.

He settled on the Sowers farm, and built the first frame house.

Alvin Agard, eldest son of B. Agard, was born in Colebrook, Conn., in 1797, and died July 29, 1837. For many years he kept a complete meteorologieal record, on a plan of his own, noting the temperature at 6, 12 and 6 o'eloek, the direction of the wind, and the rain and snow falls. A record that, if preserved by his descendants, might be valuable for ref- erence or comparison. He married Lucy, daughter of Salmon Warner. Dr. Aurelius Agard, of Sandusky City, was his son.

Roman L. Agard was born in Colebrook, Conn., in 1805. Married a Miss Wright; died June 3, 1846. No descendants of the Agard family now remain in Wadsworth.

Levi Blakeslee was born in Hartland, Conn .; son of Rev. Matthew Blakeslee ; was adopted in infancy and brought up by Owen Brown, Esq., of Hudson. Married Abigail Patchen ; second wife, Mrs. Ostrander. He set up the first tannery in Wadsworth; his first vats were troughs hewed out of whitewood logs, and his first bark-mill a huge wheel worked out of a granite boulder, attached to a revolving axle and turned by oxen. He died November 26, 1864. Children-Amelia Eliza, born March 9, 1820, married Donnely Hobart, and resides in

Cleveland ; Anson E. and Owen B. both reside in Iowa.

The Baughman Family .- Of this name there were many among the first settlers of Wads- worth and Chippewa. They were all from Le- high County, Penn., and of German origin.

Lorentz Baughman, brother of Adam, lived on the farm now owned by Dr. Simmons. Died in 1840, agcd 67. Sons-Henry, Lorentz, Ja- cob and Ezra. Daughters-Elizabeth, wife of Peter Waltz, Jr .; Rachel, wife of Abraham Koplin ; Lydia, wife of John Loutzenheizer ; Polly, wife of Christian Koplin.

John Baughman, nephew of Adam and Law- rence, came here in 1829. . Married Lydia, daughter of Paul Baughman. Sons-Stephen, William, Seth, Israel, Joel and John. Daugh- ters-Elizabeth, wifc of Samuel Miller; Han- nah, wife of Talbert Simcox ; Elizabeth, wife of John S. Yockey. Seth Baughman is one of the richest men in the township.

David Baughman, brother of John, came in 1830 ; married Elizabeth Blocker.

The Beach Families .- Abel Beach, son of John Beach, and fifth generation from Benjamin Beach, emigrant from England to Stamford, Conn., was born in Torrington, Conn., January 3, 1775 ; married Roxy Taylor ; came to Wads- worth in 1823 ; owned the farm now the north farm of William Brouse; built the first saw- mill in company with his son George, and Jo- seph and Sherman Loomis. He was a man of great mirthfulness and wit; died November 7, 1854. Mrs. Beach died August 30, 1846, aged 67. Children-Sylva, lost in the woods in 1824 ; George, born 1799; married Mary Delaber; came to Wadsworth in 1822 ; opened the farm now owned by William Cunningham ; lives in Clinton, Iowa.

Orlando Beach, brother of George, born De- cember 14, 1802 ; married Julia Pardee, who was killed by being thrown from a carriage in 1838; second wife, Susan, daughter of Judge Philo Welton, who died in 1878. He was aft-

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HISTORY OF MEDINA COUNTY.

erward married to Eliza J. Fisher. Mr. Beach died December 20, 1880. He had been an active business man in Wadsworth for nearly sixty years.

The Bennett Family .- Four brothers of that name came from Vermont. Timothy S. Ben- nett came with Leavitt Weeks in 1818; lived in the east part of Wadsworth ; married Rachel, daughter of Holland Browu.

Abel Bennett lived many years in Norton ; now lives in Royalton.

Stanton Beunett died in Wadsworth, in 1874, aged sixty-eight.

Elam Bennett fell dead while at work in the hay-field, in 1832.

The Blocker Family .- Samuel Blocker, a native of Pennsylvania, came to Wadsworth iu 1815, and settled on the farm east of the vil- lage, now owned by Seth Baughman. He was the first tailor of Wadsworth ; died April 2, 1844, aged seventy-six.

David Blocker, eldest son of Samuel, came with his father. Of his famous hunting ex- ploits, the readers of this work have been in- formed. He was unmarried ; died June 12, 1836, aged thirty-eight.

Eli Blocker, second son of Samuel, died at Norton Center, February 18, 1845, aged thirty- eight.

Shermau Blocker, third son, was born in Wadsworth December 15, 1819; attorney at law ; was for several years Justice of the Peace and Postmaster at Wadsworth. He mar- ried Sarah E. Adams; resides in Akron.

Lydia, eldest daughter, married Abraham Franks ; resides in Doylestown. Amanda, born 1812 ; married Nicholas Long, Jr .; died in Michigan. Elizabeth, born in June, 1814; mar- ried David Baughmau ; lives in Wadsworth.

The Browns .- Hon. Frederick Brown was a descendant of the fifth generation from Peter Brown, one of the pilgrim band, who came in the May Flower to Plymouth, in 1620. His father, Capt. John Brown, commanded a com-

pany of volunteer minute men, in the Revolu- tion, raised in Canton, Conn., who joined the army at New York, where he died September 3, 1776. He was born in Canton, Conn., Au- gust 14, 1769. He represented the town of Colebrook, in the State Legislature, during the war of 1812. He emigrated to Wadsworth in 1816; assisted in the first organization of the town ; was one of the first Trustees, and second Postmaster. On the organization of the county he was chosen Senior Associate Judge, which office he held from 1818 to 1832, fourteen years. In 1842, he removed to Circleville to reside with his son, Dr. Marcus Brown, where he died March 14, 1848. He was twice mar- ried ; his first wife was Catharine Case ; sec. ond, Chloe Pettibone.

Frederick Anson, eldest son, attorney at law, never lived in Wadsworth.

Dr. Marcus Brown, born in Canton, Conn., July 5, 1797, resides in Circleville.

Catharine, born iu Colebrook, Conn., in 1799. Married Timothy Hudson.

Chloe Volucia, born in Colebrook May 6, 1810. She died at Wolcottville, Ind., Septem- ber 14, 1840.

Dr. John Brown, born at Colebrook Novem- ber 12, 1812. Studied medicine with Dr. G. K. Pardce. Married Emily C., daughter of Capt. George Lyman ; he died at Haw Patch, Ind., January 24, 1842.

Rev. Edward Brown, born in Colebrook No- vember 1, 1814. Married Eliza Jane Johnson, of Palmyra, N. Y. ; second wife, Laura Jane Goodale, of Amherst, Mass .; children-Florence Amelia, born June 3, 1845, died August 5, 1866 ; Marian Eliza, born February 14, 1847, died November 28, 1864 ; Ellen died in infancy ; Marcus Aurelius, born October 9, 1853, at Wautoma, Wis .; printer.

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History of Medina county and Ohio, Part 68

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Baskin & Battey. Chicago. pub Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1014

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Baskin & Battey. Chicago. pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1014