History of Medina county and Ohio, Part 71

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 71

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soon selected the site upon which his present residence now stands, and where he has resided for more than threescore years. Having thus found the spot upon which, as he says, "he felt that he would be content to live and die," he returned to Tallmadge, where he remained until fall, visiting this place twice more during the summer. In October, he started on foot for New England, where he arrived in due time, when he made an estimate of the distance he had traveled, and found that he had taken a nice little walk of 2,000 miles. The following incident, as related by him, illustrates very fairly the average ideas of Eastern people re- specting life in the "Far West." He says: " When my mother gave me the parting hand and blessing, as I was leaving home for the first time, she also charged me to be very care- ful not to enter any house where the people had fever and ague, as I might take it. Con- trary, however, to my mother's injunction, as we were traveling through the woods one hot, sultry day toward the last of June, we stopped at a house for the purpose of resting, and, upon entering, to our astonishment, beheld a man sitting, or rather crouching, over a blazing fire, with a large blanket thrown over him, his whole frame shivering, his teeth ehattering, and his general appearance indicating that he was very cold, while we were suffering with the intense heat. We found, upon inquiry, that this man had fever and ague. I then recollected my mother's cautioning eharge, but it was too late. I was exposed to the fever and ague. It was the first case of the kind we had ever seen." During the few months that he remained at home, there was, doubtless, much talk in the family and neighborhood about this new Ohio country, of its natural beauty, fine soil, excel- lent water, abundance of choice timber, etc., the result of which was the forming of a little band of young people who concluded to leave the comforts of eivilization, and the " dear ones at home" and "follow the star of empire."

Harmin AGE 88 YEARS.

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HISTORY OF MEDINA COUNTY.

Accordingly, on the last day of December, 1816, Heury Hosmer, Chester Hosmer and Mary Y. Hosmer, brothers and sister, Shubacl Porter and his sister, Abigail, Moses Noble and Lyman Munson, started with a two-horse team for Ohio. It being in midwinter, traveling was very tedious, as a matter of course, and yet, under all of the discouraging circum- stances attending their enterprise, those brave boys and girls severed the ties that bound them to their friends and the scenes and associations of their earlier years and faced the darkness and dangers of the wilderness toward which they were traveling.

After having been upon the road about a month, they arrived at Wadsworth, within what is now Medina County, and stopped with Salmon Warner, who had settled there in 1815. On the 4th of February, 1817, leaving the girls at Wadsworth, the young men started to come to this place, but encamped upon the center road near the Hubbard Creck.

On the following morning, they came down the valley to where Seville now is. An Indian village, consisting of about a dozen lodges, oc- cupied the south bank of the Hubbard, and one of these lodges they purchased, giving therefor two canisters of gunpowder. This lodge they fitted up for temporary use, and at once com- menced building a log cabin on the creek bank, a few rods east of the present railroad track. As their axes were about the only tools they possessed, the building of their cabin progressed slowly, but, being finally completed, on the last day of February Chester Hosmer and Shubael Porter started for Wadsworth with the teams to bring over the girls and the household goods. On the morning of the 1st day of March, they accordingly started for their cabin, and, as they were crossing the River Styx, the weather hav- ing become much warmer, the ice broke, precip- itating the horses into the water. Having suc- ceeded in getting them out, and not knowing just how to proceed, Porter started for the cabin

for assistance, while Hosmer remained to guard the team and goods. The girls, be- coming impatient, started on foot for the cabin, thinking it but a short distance, while they had, in fact, about six miles to walk.

On being informed by Porter of the sad state of affairs at the Styx, Henry Hosmer and Ly- man Muuson hurried away to Chester's assist- ance, and, when near the present center of Guil- ford, met the girls, tired, in tears and with their clothes loaded with snow and mud. After chcer- ing them on their way, the young men pressed on to the scene of the disaster, and, ou arriving there, proceeded to fell a tree across the stream, upon which they carried their goods across. One end of a long rope was then tied around the neck of a horse, and the other end carried across the stream, when, by a united pull and push, they succeeded in getting the animal into the water and over upon the other side. The same process was repeated upon the other horsc, the sled dragged through, the goods reloaded and another start made for the cabin, where they arrived at 10 o'clock in the evening, the girls having arrived a few hours in advance of them, wcary and discouraged.

Such was the arrival of those young people at the wilderness home of which they had talked and speculated in their New England homes. Not only was their arrival of a discouraging nature, for they soon found themselves in some- thing of a dilemma, as the breaking-up of the ice had destroyed all means of egress from their settlement except on foot, and their provision chest needed replenishing, as they had brought but a small supply with them, intending, as soon as they were settled, to send to Cauton for a fresh stock. Shubael Porter, having learned that some hunters had killed a bear some distance up Hubbard Creek, went up the valley, found the carcass, and carried a portion of it home, thus affording temporary relief. Henry Hosmer and Moses Noble then went to Wadsworth and there learned that one David

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HISTORY OF MEDINA COUNTY.

Slanker was erecting a mill some distance south- west of that place, and that some other families had gone on still farther west. They started for the new mill, which was on the land now owned by Mr. Hershey, and, on arriving there, learned that one William Doyle liad gone into Milton, and that he had bridged the Styx on a line due west from that point. Following on, they soon reached the bridge and crossed over, but as the only visible trail led in a southerly direction, they started, without guide or com- pass, through the dense forest for home. Tak- ing a northerly eourse and marking the trees as they proceeded, they at last reached the pres- ent cemetery hill east of Seville, and were then soon at home. They having thus marked the trees, all hands turned out next day and cleared a road through to Doyle's bridge, after which they felt that they once more had communica- tion with the outside world. This road was very much used for several years, as all new settlers came in that way to this place, West- field, etc., and all supplies were hauled over it. As soon as it was opened, Moses Noble started for Canton with the team for a supply of pro- visions. To make this trip, required about four days. As he was returning, he arrived at the Doyle bridge just as night eame on, and, the darkness soon becoming so intense that he was unable to keep the road, he turned the horses loose, while he, wrapping himself in his blanket, crept under the wagon and composed himself for a night's rest. On the following morning, having found and harnessed the horses, which had strayed away some little distance, he took a new start and was soon at home, where he arrived in time for breakfast, aud was greeted by the entire colony, the great joy evidently being oecasioned both by his safe return and the sight of his precious load.

At that time there were several Indian vil- lages in this vicinity, besides the one already referred to-there being one at Chippewa Lake, one on the land now owned by J. A. McCoy,

one ou the Little Chippewa and one on the Killbuck. These villages each consisted of about a dozen lodges of Wyandots and Dela- wares. The Indians were all very friendly to the new settlers, and furnished them with all the meat they desired at a very low price. Though visiting the cabins quite often, they were never in any way uncivil. They would not approach a house until they had apprised the occupants of their presence, when they would strike their tomahawks into trees and advance unarmed, thus indieating their friend- ship. Henry and Chester Hosmer commenced chopping near where the business portion of Seville now stands, their clearings extending across the Hubbard and west to the Chippewa. Moses Noble commenced near where the lower mill now stands, and Shubael Porter a short distance therefrom in a southeasterly direction. As spring opened, the sun's warm rays fell un- obstructedly upon many a spot that had never been reached by them before. An opening had been made in the forest that indicated the pres- ence of the white man and the near approach of industry and civilization. The Indians stood, lazily looking on, sad at heart, no doubt, from seeing such havoc being made of the dear old woods where they had lived, fished and hunted, perhaps from their youth, and the wild animals, as they galloped over trails well known to them, stood upon the edge of the clearing, amazed at what they could not under- stand, and then, taking fright at the sound of the axes and falling timber, fled away to the depths of the still undisturbed wilderness. The fires were kindled in the brush and log-heaps, and fine oaks, poplars and black walnuts, that would now be of great value, were burned sim- ply to get them out of the way and off of the land. The rubbish was cleared away, and of those fine trees, among whose branches the winds had played but a few weeks before, there remained nothing but the stumps. Many of these were very large, and so thickly did they

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stand, that, under different eireumstances, it would have seemed but of little use to eultivate the soil between them, but here the plow, har- row and hoe were introduced at onee. Early in May, William H. Bell and Samuel Owen eame to the settlement from the East. Mr. Owen remained but a few days, when he re- turned East. Shubael Porter did the first plowing, near the Chippewa Creek, south of the road leading to the lower mill. About fifteen aeres in all were cleared and planted, and, when the warm days of June eame on, the first corn, oats, potatoes, etc., that had ever shown signs of life in the Chippewa Valley, modestly peeped forth from the virgin soil. As soon as the planting was done, Henry Hosmer, Moses No- ble and Mr. Bell started for their old homes in the East, Noble and Bell going for their fami- lies, and Hosmer for his father, William Hos- mer, and his family. After spending the suni- mer in the East, they started upon the return trip on the 22d day of the following September, and arrived at the new home in Ohio, after having been upou the road forty-five days. Chester Hosmer erected a large log honse north of Hubbard Creek, ou the site of A. G. Bar- nard's present residenee, and thither the elder Hosmer removed with his family.

In October, 1816, two brothers, David and John Wilson, eame from Bristol, Trumbull County, and located in the uortheastern corner of Guilford, they having there found a place where considerable timber had blown down, and upou the roots of which were large quantities of soil which was to .them a sure indieation of great fertility. About the same time, William Moore eommeneed a elearing about one mile east of the Chippewa, on what is now known as the Jesse Smith place, now owned by Capt. Bates. Mr. Moore afterward settled in West- field, where he lived until his death, which oe- eurred in 1865. The Wilsons purchased land where they first settled, paying therefor $4 per aere. They eommeneed work immediately, and

with their axes, their only tools, they erected a log cabin, ten feet long by six feet wide. They then cleared and logged about two acres of land, and hunted with the Indians for amusement. Having killed a great amount of game, they salted down quite a quantity of the meat in a trough made of a basswood log, and hung up the balance around the sides and roof of the cabin to dry. As winter was approaching and they were illy prepared to endure cold weather, they fastened up their eabin and returned to Bristol to await the opening of spring. During the suceeeding winter, the wolves and bears were very troublesome, the former killing the sheep, and the latter the hogs and calves. Early in the spring of 1818, as Henry Hosmer went to the door of the cabin one morning, just after breakfast, he observed a deer in Hubbard Creek, not more than thirty feet distant from him. He says : " I had no gun, but had a very good dog. Upon seeing me, the deer immedi- ately started away in a northerly direction, fol- lowed by the dog. Arriving at the brush fenee that lay on the north side of the elearing, about where Washingtou street now is, I saw that the deer had stopped, and soon discovered, at a little distance, a large wolf that was evidently waiting for its approach. I endeavored to set the dog upon the wolf, but he evidently had too much discretion to obey. The deer then started east, and the wolf followed. I also started on in the same direction shortly afterward, and, after having gone up the ereek about fifty rods, I found them at a short distance from me, and saw that the wolf had caught the deer, killed it, and was then engaged iu sueking its blood. I thereupon frightened the wolf away, and seeured the deer for myself. The wolf had evidently been in pursuit of the deer for some time, and it had gone into the water to avoid its foe." The Wilson brothers returned from Trumbull County as spring opened, and brought with them some provisions. Their flour they left with Mrs. Warner, of Wadsworth, who baked

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their bread for them, they going for it once a week. But they were sorcly disappointed when they found that in their absence the wild- cats had broken into their cabin and devoured all of their stock of meat except such pieces as were hung up beyond their reach. The woods were full of game, however, and bee-trees were numerous, and, as they were good marksmen, they soon had a supply of fresh meat and honey.

In May, they were cutting "shakes" with which to cover their house, and at noon, as they were going out to their work after dinner, in passing up through a rocky glen. David sud- denly discovered a huge rattlesnake just in front of him. Being unused to such reptiles, he paused and called to his brother John " to come over to him, as there was a big snake there." John started upon a run, but before he got there, David discovered another and yet another of the reptiles lying about in the sun. Says Mr. Wilson : " John came running down the steep descent, and, before he was aware of it, he landed with both feet square upon one of those squirm- ers, and, with a profane expletive, he bounded into the air and sped onward, down the hillside, the snake flopping and squirming over and over and around John's feet, he giving it scv- eral unintentional kicks as they went. They finally landed at the bottom of the hill, both so thoroughly frightened that neither seemed dis- posed to hurt the other. In fact, we were both badly scared, but, after recovering from our fright, we killed, at that time, over thirty snakes, and, returning each day at about noon, when the reptiles were out sunning themselves, we killed, in all, over eighty rattlesnakes."

They continued their clearing, and, during the summer, built a new house, which was 22x18 feet. They soon formed the acquaintance of the young Eastern people who had located in the western part of the township, and often vis- ited them. Philo French eame in and settled near the Wilsons. Timothy Phelps made an opening just north of William Moore, and Will.

iam Walcott, where Nathaniel Gray now resides. Medina County was created, and, at the first meeting of the Commissioners, a petition was presented to them, asking for the opening of a road from Medina to the south line of the county. The petition was granted, and Chester Hosmer, William Walcott and James Cahow contracted to chop all trees along the line of the road that did not exceed six inches in diam- eter, clear away all fallen timber, build a bridge across each stream, and make more than one hundred rods of causeway, for $100, the amount appropriated by the Commissioners for that pur- pose. This they accomplished, building log bridges over both the Chippewa and Hubbard Creeks, near, if not in the same places, where the iron bridges now are. At that time, Henry and Chester Hosmer were the owners of a large sow that had a fine litter of pigs. They kept almost a constant watch upon her, and were careful not to allow her to wander far from the cabin. But, in their absence one day, she went down the creek about forty rods and made a nest for herself and pigs. Here she soon had an unwelcome visitor. A large bear presented himself, killed the sow, carried her across the creek upon a large oak tree that had turned out of the bank by the roots, ascended the root, which was fully six feet high and about twelve feet from the bank, got the sow over and carried her about thirty rods, where he ate as much as he wished and then went away.

It seems that the Wilson brothers found their new-made friends very interesting. Such, we may judge, at least, of David, as he informed his brother John, one day, that " he had con- cluded to relieve him of the irksome duties of housekeeping." " Accordingly," says Mr. Wil- son, " on the 18th day of December, 1818, Miss Abigail Porter and I were married. We were married at the house of Lyman Munson, who lived at Seville at that time. As Mrs. Munson, who was a sister of the prospective bride, was sick at the time, Abigail did the honors as

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hostess herself. Brunswick, Medina, Wads- worth, Mogadore and Seville were fairly repre- sented by wedding guests. After dinner had been served and the house put in order, the bride made her toilet, almost unaided. Her little dressing-room was partitioned off from the rest of the house by quilts. She wore a steel-colored silk dress, her hair in finger-puffs, and she looked charming." Esquire Warner, of Wadsworth, was the officiating officer, and, on the day following the wedding, Mr. Wilson took his wife home with him, they both riding upon one horse. They were the first couple of white people that were ever married in Guilford Town- ship. Although Mr. Wilson had scarcely any- thing iu the world, except some new land, his ax and a horse, yet this brave girl uuited her destinies with his, well kuowing that if ever they had a comfortable home of their own, by their united toil they must make it. And this they did, though many were their discouragements, and in that home they lived happily together for almost half a century. They raised a fam- ily of intelligent ehildren, several of the sons being at the present time distinguished profes- sional men. Mrs. Wilson died in 1866. Mr. Wilson still lives, though very feeble, being al- most uinety years of age. At one time, as Mrs. Wilson was alone iu the house with her ehild, she heard the hogs coming at full speed from the woods, and, supposing that they were pur- sued, she seized a hoe and met them at a gap in the fence that surrounded the house. A large bear was close at their heels, and, as he came to the fence, she raised the hoe and struck upon the rails as hard as she could, and, at the same instant, screamed at the top of her voice. This halted Bruin, who stood and looked at her for a short time, when he turned and went away. Such a spirit of unflinching bravery as she there exhibited equals that of the Spartan mothers of old. When contemplating such events, the question is often asked, " What would the girls of to-day do were they to be placed in similar

circumstances ?" and the question is usually auswered by a significant smile. But he who searches the pages of history for recorded in- stances of the shrinking of American women from any duty, either in carly or more recent times, even under the most perilous circum- stances, will surely search in vain.

In 1819, Dr. John Smith settled near Wil- son's Corners, and was for some time the only physician in the township. William H. Bell, who had been here in 1817, now came with his family, and settled just north of Seville, where Moses Shaw now lives. John and James Crawford settled farther north, where their de- seendants now reside. Samuel Owen. also re- turned, and Jonas Stiles settled west of Seville. A son was boru to William Walcott. This child was uamed William, and lived to be five years old, when it died from the effects of a caneer in the eye. This was the first white child born in the towuship. Guilford Township was or- ganized this year and named, though reference has been made to it as such before, for con- venience. At the first township election, John Wilson, William H. Bell and Lyman Munson were elected Trustces, and Jonas Styles, Town- ship Clerk. The following are the names of the voters at that election: John Smith, Will- iam H. Bell, Timothy Phelps, Samuel Owen, John Crawford, William Waleott, Jonas Stiles and John Wilson. Another wedding was cel- ebrated, the contracting parties being Miss Jerusha Hosmer and Cyrus Chapman. This couple were married in Chester Hosmer's log house, north of Hubbard Creek. They settled in Harrisville. Henry Hosmer built a two- story, hewed-log house on the brink of the hill west of Chippewa Creek. This was by odds the most imposing cdifice in the township. He also erected a small frame barn on the flats south of Seville, which was the first frame building ereeted in the township. The incon- venience and danger experienced for the want of a resident physician is well illustrated by

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the following anecdote told by Henry Hosmer. lle says: " Being the owner of the only horse in the little settlement, I always had the privi- lege of going for the doctor, when he was re- quired, and this seemed invariably to occur in the night. In the fall of 1819, at about 11 o'clock at night, I was aroused from my slum- bers by a loud rap at the door, and was in- formed that the doctor was wanted, and that I must make all possible haste. I proceeded to arrange a torch, mounted my horse and started for Dr. Smith. The wolves soou began to howl around me, and my torch was rather dim, which made them still bolder. When I had gone some two miles, I was obliged to renew iny torch, and, while huuting around for a hickory tree from which to obtain bark, the light of my first torch went out, leaving me in almost total darkness. The wolves at once be- came perfectly silent, but I could tell that they were tramping in a circle around me, as I could see the glare of their eyeballs and hear the snapping of their teeth. Having found some bark, I raised a light and remounted. All was still for a moment, when they sent forth a tre- mendons howl, as if disappointed at being cheated out of their anticipated meat of hu- man and horse flesh. My horse was terribly frightened, and the same sensatiou came over me to an alarming extent. I made the trip in safety, however, and returned with the doctor at 3 o'clock in the morning."

In 1820, the following additions were made to the inhabitants already here: Jacob Mun- son, Jotham Curtis, John Bell, Nathan Scran- ton and Jonathan Nye. An election for a Justice of the Peace was held on the 20th of May, at which time it was found, upon count- ing the ballots, that John Smith had received six votes, Timothy Phelps two votes, and John Crawford one vote, whereupon Smith was de- clared elected. Henry Hosmer and Lucy Hays were married at the residence of Dr. Hiram Williams, in Avon. Lorain County. Mr. Hos-

mer brought his bride home on horseback, after the new-country style, but, on their return here, quite in the fashion of nowadays, they took a wedding trip East, where they remained through the winter. Jonas Stiles and Maria Owen were also married. A State road was laid out from Wooster to Cleveland, over nearly the same ground occupied by the county road previously mentioned. The State made liberal appropriations for improving it, and private individuals contributed freely for the same purpose. The new-comers in 1821 were James Bell, Robert Wilson, Lewis Wilson, Moses Shaw, H. N. Pool, Jacob Van Vleet and Chauncey Barker. Moses Shaw is still living. Chauncey Barker opened the first dry goods store, in a log building on the hill west of the Chippewa, and upon the site now occupied by Michael Deven's dwelling. The store was an addition upon the west end of the building, the main part being occupied by Barker as a dwelling. The enterprise soon proved a fail- ure, as the inhabitants at that time manu- factured their own clothes from wool and flax, made their sugar from the fine maple groves that surrounded them, and, as money was very scarce aud produce very cheap, trade was so light that the venturesomc merchant bade adieu to the woods and returned East. At Wilson's Corners, John Wilson erected a grist-mill, his motive power for which was a yoke of oxen, placed upon a large horizontal wheel some fif- teeu feet in diameter, and inclined so as to con- stitute a tread-power. This was the first mill of any kind erected in the township, and with it he ground the grists for a large community for several years. A schoolhouse was also erected this year, upon the west side of the road, and near where the flax-mill now stands. It was simply a log cabin, with a chimney of clay and sticks at one end, a clapboard roof, the boards of which were held ou by weight- poles; punchcon furniture aud floor, two small greased-paper windows, aud a clapboard door

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History of Medina county and Ohio, Part 71

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