History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 100

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1060

USA > Ohio > Stark County > History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio > Part 100

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ings were made and taken to Messrs. Hart & Brown, of Massillon, where they were criticised and pronounced satisfactory, if about $25 worth of paint and varnish was added. Here it was that, from the criticisms on his labors, Mr. Ball became a skilled pattern-maker. About this time he began wooding cast-iron plows. A horse-power for the thresher was made, but the machine had to be sent out of the county to be tested, to escape an execution in the hands of the Sheriff. After being tested, the machinery was pronounced imperfect and un- satisfactory, and was finally sold, and the pro- ceeds used in paying off the execution. In February. 1840, Mr. Ball and his three brothers, having obtained a promise from their father for $400, concluded to build and con- duct a foundry. Their intentions were ridi- culed by the citizens, who looked upon the undertaking as wild and visionary. Every- thing was got in readiness, and. finally, in June, 1840, the citizens, to the number of several hundred, assembled to see the "big fizzle " at the first casting. When the castings for three plows, a dog-iron or two, and a few skillets, were taken in good shape from the moulds, it is said the citizens would scarcely believe their eyes, but handled the various articles to see if indeed they were genuine pot-metal, and sound. It is said that Mr. Ball, Sr., was so pleased with the result that he bought a bottle of whisky and treated all hands. It was extremely difficult to get pat- terus for the different articles of machinery, as the prices were very high.' and the Ball brothers were without money. Necessity com- pelled Mr. Ball to devise some for himself. He finally made one for a plow from a piece of tough. knotty maple plank: and. so excel- lent were the plows made from this pattern, that hundreds were sold all over the county, and even in distant places. All this business was done in the face of executions and judg- ments that poured in as soon as it was dis- covered that Mr. Ball was handling a little money. There were eleven executions held against him at one time. The brothers man- ufactured cooking stoves, plows, hollow-ware, and a few threshing machines. One day sev- eral men came to Mr. Ball and offered him $600 for his foundry; but the latter, knowing

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that it was worth much more than that. refused to take less than $1,000. They threatened that if Mr. Ball did not sell for $600 they would build a rival establishment. This was finally done, and the first thing Mr. Ball knew, his rivals had purchased the right to manu- facture the plow upon which he had been en- gaged. This left him almost helpless, but he went to work, and finally devised a pattern of his own, which, in the end, proved as valable as the one he had lost. After a time Mr. Ball began manufacturing the Hussey reaper, six being made at one time. Three of these were sold in the county. and three were taken to Illinois. This was in about the year 1845. Twelve were constructed in 1849, and the harvest was almost over before one was sold. One was taken to Louisville, where a public exhibition of its workings was given before a motley crowd of men, women and children. The farmers saw with astonishment how nicely the standing grain went down before it. The owner of the field immediately pur- chased the reaper, but his cradlers were so bitterly opposed to it, declaring that it would leave them, like Othello. without an occupation. that it was finally returned to keep peace in the family, as it were. Other public exhibi- tions were given amidst much opposition and numerous discouragements but, in the end. ten ont of the twelve reapers were sold. at low prices, and on time. Mr. Ball constructed a few separators about this time. The moter for his foundry was an old horse, named " Prince." This now venerated animal was apparently subject to fits and starts, sometimes running the motion of the machinery up to a frightful rapidity, and then suddenly lowering it so that no motion, or but little, could be per- ceived. At last a ten-horse-power engine was purchased, at Cuyahoga Falls. for $400; this proved to be a great improvement on the old horse. In January, 1851, Mr. Ball's partners sold their interest in the foundry to C. Ault- man and David Fouser, and, in April of the same year, George Cook and Lewis Miller were added to the partnership, which then became known as E. Ball & Co. Soon after this, the whole business was transferred to Canton, but just before this occurred, Jacob Miller became a partner, and the firm name was

changed to Ball. Aultman & Co. The subse- quent wonderful career of this partnership will be found in another portion of this vol ume. The enterprise begun by Mr. Ball under so many discouraging circumstances, and against such opposition, has spread its branches over all the earth. More than 11,- 000 reapers have been manufactured in a sin- gle year, and shipped to all parts of the world. A valuable lesson, well worthy of perusal, may be read in the history of this enterprise.

But little more remains to be told of Green town. Among the physicians at the village have been Stough, Ogden, Parliman, Dolwick, Chittenden, Ashman. Jones. Stephens, Bom- berger, Belding, and J. E. Dougherty, who has been at the village for some thirty years. His son. L. E., a graduate of the Columbus Medical College, is at present associated with him. Almost every physician in the township has been of the allopathie persuasion. Among the tavern-keepers have been William Rupp, Mr. Roberts. G. H. Wise, Henry Shanafelt, Sr .. Peter Shanafelt, Israel Schlott. C. F. Dunseizen, Sammel Getz, H. B. Herr. Gerhart Leed, Benjamin Eby, Urias Weidman, Samuel Miller, Sanmel Botz, Samuel Shriner, Haak & Shanafelt, Ruck & Haak and Mr. Green- walt. H. P. Houck built a raw-mill in the village twenty-five or thirty years ago. It has changed owners several times, but is yet in operation. The Greentown Coal Company and the Mogadore Coal Company are mining black diamonds near the village. The former employs some fifty hands, and mines not far from one hundred tons daily, while the latter is yet in its infancy. Ferdinand Schu macher, of Akron. has lately completed a large warehouse at the station, where a little village is in the act of springing into life. About six years ago, Isaac Strife legan burning drain tiles, red and fire bricks, near the station. Hiram and James Stripe have just began to manufacture sewer-pipes, fire bricks and roof tiles. Daniel Myers buys and ships quite a number of cattle during the winter months.

Schools were early instituted in Lake Town- ship. It is probable that several terms wore taught before schoolhouses were erected, the sessions being held in dwellings or in de- serted buildings. Much of the early school

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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY.

history has been forgotten. Too bad. If ac- counts are correct, the first schoolhouse in the township was a hewed log building, erected in Uniontown about the year 1820. This house was used many years and for all pur- poses; it had a broad fire-place, and rude seats that soon became smooth and polished by continued use. When the weather was cold, and a blazing fire was roaring on the hearth. the room was pleasant to contemplate. More than one old settler will remember this old house, as the first place where he heard the word of God preached, or where he re- ceived his first instruction of a literary char- aeter. It was a homely room, but within its venerated. if not classic, walls, minds that have since shaped the records of the township, first caught glimpses of the multiplex affairs of the busy world. In about the year 1826. another schoolhouse was erected, but it was not intended to take the place of the former. The citizens were not willing that their ehil- dren should forget. or be deprived of learning their native language. One of the schools was to be English, and the other German. Teachers were employed, and for a number of years the villagers boasted of having two schools in session at the same time. Some fifteen or twenty years later, both houses were abandoned, and an old church that had been built by the Methodists was secured and devoted to school purposes. However, it must not be understood that before this both the English and German schools were kept in session continuously. The German school was somewhat irregular, and did not continue many years after about 1826, when it first started. The present school building was erected some twelve or fifteen years ago. It is not remembered with certainty when the first school building was built in Greentown. It is likely, however, that it was erected soon after 1820; at least, in 1835, a respectable log schoolhouse, in which was a ten-plate stove, was used by the villagers. Inasmuch as another house was built between 1840 and 1845. it is to be presumed that the building referred to was the first erected, and had been used since soon after 1820. A man named Goss was one of the early teachers in the old house; he was accustomed to adopt unusual

modes of punishment, compelling troublesome scholars to stand or sit in extremely unpleas- ant and excruciating positions. It is said that he sometimes put red pepper in the mouths of bad children. On one occasion of this kind, while he was administering the pepper punishment, the scholar, in a rage, bit his fingers severely. The teacher did not die of hydrophobia, neither did the scholar suffer from the bite he had taken. other than by means of the "licking" that probably fol- lowed for the unscholarly act. N. W. Good- hne, an attorney of Akron, taught the first school in the second building. This house was a comfortable frame structure; it was used until a few years before the last war, when the present building was constructed, at a cost of about $1.800; it is a one-storied building, and has two rooms. Two teachers are employed a portion of the time. The country schools sprang into existence between 1820 and 1830. Some of these were German schools, and it was only after the lapse of time that their character was altered. The township is well supplied with good schools.

The Methodist Church, in Greentown, was erected a short time before the last war, and cost in the neighborhood of $2,500: it took the place of one that had been built in an early day. A short time before the second house was built, the old house was purchased by Houck, Morgan & Co., who converted it | into a machine shop, mention of which was made a few pages above. The present mem- bership of this society is large. The Reform- ers and Lutherans built a church in the west- ern part of Uniontown some fifty years ago: this church is yet in use, although a short time ago the members remodeled it so that it now has the appearance of a new church. It is a large, fine-looking frame building, with a ! steeple that rises, perhaps, seventy-five feet in the air. The membership is quite large. The Methodists early built a church in Union- town. The building was a small concern. and, as stated above, was finally converted : into a schoolhouse. After that the Methodists had no organization worthy of notice until about twenty years ago, when two societies - the English Methodists and German Meth- odists (or Albrights)-united means, and built

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a comfortable elarch; this is yet used, and the two societies are in a thriving condition. The English Reformers built a church in Uniontown nearly forty years ago, which was used until during the last war, when their present building was constructed. Some thirty years ago, the Methodists built at Hart- ville, but after about twenty years, sold to the Reformers, who are now in possession of the church, and are quite strong. About six years ago, the Lutherans also built at Hartville; this society is in a prosperous condition. The

Dunkards built a church north of Hartville a few years ago. Another society of this denomination, about twenty-five years ago, built a fine little church south of Hartville. These societies are said to be prosperous, with a good average membership. The Lutherans and Reformers have a church at Cairo, which is said to have been built at an early day. The township has some ten church societies, and twelve school districts. This speaks well for Lake. Can any other township equal it in this respect ? If so. we will pause for an answer.

CHAPTER XXX .*

MARLBOROUGH TOWNSHIP-COMING OF THE PIONEER-ROLLINGS AND RAISINGS-LIST OF OLD SETTLERS-MILLS AND FOUNDRIES - DISTILLERIES AND DRINKING CUSTOMS-THE QUAKERS AND THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD -VILLAGES -- EARLY SCHOOLS AND CIH'RCHES-AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL SOCIETY.

" Atas for them ! their day is o'vr. Their fires are out on hill and shore ; No more for them the wild deer hounds. The plow is on their hunting grounds : The pale man's ax rings through the woods. The pale man's sail skims o'er their floods : Their pleasant springs are dry :

Their children-look, by power opprest.

Beyond the mountains of the West. Their children go to die." Sprague.

THE common experience of old age is an ear- nest wish to live over again the life that is swiftly drawing to a close. How many mis- takes have been made! how many hours have been unprofitably spent! how blind to good advice and influence! The stealthy and inev- itable approach of death baffles the desire for a renewal of youth and fills the heart with bitter remorse at the thought of what might have been. Youth is always bright with hope and expectancy; but, as the years glide by. the scales fall from the eyes, and the sorrowful experiences of earth trace wrinkles of care upon the brow and bend the once stalwart form toward the grave. No rocking vessel on life's great sea can escape the angry rain that dances upon it, or avoid the bitter winds that check its course.

"Contributed by W. A. Goodspeed.

" Sweet are the uses of adversity. Which, like a toad, ugly and venomon-, Wears yet a precious jewel in its head."

Let us learn from the wretched experience of others learn from the lives that have gone down amid the gales of sorrow that encompass the earth, to shun the shoals and quicksands that beset our course, that the sunset of life may be gilded with the gold of eternal joy.

There is a strange attraction in reviewing the occurrences of past years, and in noting the wonderful improvement that has resulted from the expanding intelligence of man. Within the short space of the last half-century. the United States has experienced almost unpar- alleled growth in all that makes a people great. Inventions in all departments of progress have succeeded one another with great rapidity, until the means of sustaining life are vastly num- erous, and within the reach of all. No State in the Union has seen greater change during this period than Ohio. The forests have dis- appeared: the swamps have been drained: costly residences have gone up where once stood the log cabin: riding and gang plows have succeeded the old wooden mold-board; harvesters have succeeded the sickle; knowl edge has driven ignorance from the land; a

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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY.

broader charity has sprung up in the religions workl; intemperance has been greatly reduced : railroads and canals have usurped the duties of the old stage; telegraph lines have bound distant lands together; and thousands of other changes have taken place. Philosophiers con- tend that happiness is the real object after which all mankind are striving. Some find temporary happiness in one thing, some in another; but, as yet, abstraet happiness has not been found. Man, as yet, is not truly | happy. He imagines himself to be, and, for a time, relishes a mock enjoyment; but, after a time, his happiness is gone, and he must seek farther for the alleged object of life. Philos- ophers say we worship God with the selfish object of our own happiness in view, and not because we delight to glorify God. At least, the latter is a secondary consideration. This view aecords with their theory regarding happiness. They say that real happiness consists in doing good-that all our enjoyment is imaginary until we can appreciate the sublime gratifica- tion of a noble act. All have experienced, in a slight degree, that fine feeling which results from having done an unusually good deed. When all mankind shall " cease to do evil and learn to do well," unalloyed happiness is at hand, and the millennial days have come with perfeet joys.

Marlborough was not universally settled as early as most of the other townships in the county. While some few settlers arrived very early, no great rush was experienced until after the war of 1812. This was largely due to the fact that the township, covered with water as it was, and containing many marshes and swamps, was not regarded with especial favor by those who were seeking homes in the West. It could not be expected that, when dry and elevated land could be secured at a low figure, settlers would choose that which was swampy and covered with water. And it must be remembered that lands which at pres- ent are low and marshy, were in early years covered with water. The removal of the for- ests has let in the heat of the sun, and exten- sive systems of drainage have let ont the sur- plus water. Perhaps one-fourth of the town- ship could not be cultivated in early years, owing to the large amount of land that was

covered with water. And this obstacle to cul- tivation has been only partially removed up to the present time. Large portions of land in the northwestern and southwestern parts are yet to be reclaimed. Some portions probably never will be, as they are covered to the depth of two feet and over with a heavy peat bedt that will resist the efforts of the husbandman. The township is situated on the Ohio water- shed, as a portion of its water reaches Lake Erie and another portion the Ohio River. Deer Creek, in the northern part, is the only stream of any note, although in early years several others contained considerable water. This creek reaches the Mahoning River. A portion of the swamps in the northern part is drained by irregular inlets of Congress Lake, while the greater portion of the south- ern part is drained by the branches of Nimi- shillen Creek. Sufficient drainage, either for cultivation or for sanitary measures, was not secured in the western part until large sluices were dug; but now the farms are encroaching on the low, marshy lands, and in some in- stances small swamps have been reelaimed and turned up by the plow. The soil is rich, the controlling or prevailing element being a fine I sand, which is found so necessary for the proper growth of the smaller grains. Marl- borough has considerable land which eannot be cultivated. That which can be eultivated is very rich and productive.

Many things concerning the early settlement have been forgotten. Lexington Township, which at first included Marlborough, was cre- ated in 1816, at the March term of the County Commissioners. Prior to this, and before the county of Stark was organized, this portion of the State was within the jurisdiction of Co- Imbiana County. In June, 1821, the follow- ing action was taken by the Commissioners:

Ordered, That agreeable to a number of petitioners of Lexington Township, the same be divided, and the twentieth township in the seventh range, be named Marlborough, and the nineteenth township in the sixth range be named Lexington. Also Ordered, That an election be held in the township of Marlbor- ough, on the 25th day of August, 1821, for the pur- pose of electing officers of the same.

This action was followed by the election of township officers, but their names have been unfortunately forgotten. In March, 1823,

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the following curious proceedings were en- acted :

WHEREAS, The Board of Commissioners of Stark County, in the year 1821, at their June and Decem- ber sessions, struck off, and by their order organized two new townships in said county, called Marl- borough and Washington ; and, as there have been some doubts about the legality of said order, it is now

Ordered, That the 20th original surveyed town- ship in the 7th Range be stricken off and divided from the 19th Township in the 6th Range, named Lexington, and that said 20th Township be organized and called by the name of Marlborough, and the election in said township continue to be hell at the same place it has during the past year.

Since this date, so far as known, no further change has taken place in the geographical limits of the township. Those who purchased the first land in the township paid $2 per acre, but, after a few years, the price was reduced to $1.25 per acre. The following is a com- plete list of patentees of Government land in the township in the year 1810: S. D. Cope, Peter Baum, D. Markley, Mahlon Wileman, R. Beeson, John Brown, David Brown, Will- iam Cop-land, P. Banm, J. Enlow, J. Snider, B. Harna, David Johnson, Martin Houser, J. Heiser, William Hoover, Nathan Haycock, Phillip Hollingbaugh, Christian Hoover, Abra- ham Harmony, Jacob McIntifer, Christopher Markley, John Miller, James McGirr, John McGirr, Christian Palmer, Elijah Price, Thomas Price. C. Fontz, Abraham Wileman, Jacob Wileman and Samuel Winger. In the year 1820, the following land-holders were residents of the township: Jerub Baldwin, William Beeson, Conrad Brombaugh, William Cozens. James Enslow, Elisha Everett, Chris- tian Houser, Nancy Harpley, Amos Holloway, Phillip Hollobaugh, Exum Johnson, Joseph Brown, Peter Banm, John Brown, David Brown. Isaac Elliott, Timothy Gruwell, Dan- iel Houser, William Hoover, John Hamlin, Nathan Haycock, Martin Houser, and others. Among the early residents of the township, in addition to those named above, were the fol- lowing: William Pennock, Israel Scott, Mar- tin Bractingham, Matthew Vanghan, John Hardy, R. B. Wells, Samuel Welch, Jeremiah Shaw, Robert Hamilton, Nathan Price. Amos Coates. Abraham Troxel, John Lyman, Thomas Crockett, Joseph Taylor, Abram Niswonger,

Henry Niswonger. Samuel Weary, John Stellenberger, Peter Shellenberger, John Whitstone, Nimrod Smith, Jacob Replogle. Jonathan Nees, Jacob Nees, Mr. Clingaman, Michael Young, David Keiser, Jacob Immel, Eli Shriver, Mr. Logue, Abraham Shriver, Mr. Paulus, Mr. Rondabush, Mr. Seagley, Joel Bair, William Allman, Christian Beard, Henry Shaffer, David Thomas, Peter Lilly, William Hatcher, Jacob Harper, Edward Brooke, and several others.

Mahlon Wileman was the first permanent settler in the township. He came with his father during the autumn of 1805, and erected a rough log cabin on Section 1, after which the father returned to Columbiana County and did not return until the following spring. Mahlon remained alone at the cabin during the winter of 1805-06, clearing, in the mean- time, some six or eight acres of land around the cabin. He did his own cooking largely, although, every two or three weeks, he went to Columbiana County for supplies of bread and like articles. The greater portion of the meat eaten by him was obtained from the woods by means of his rifle. It is said that Mahlon Wileman was one of the most powerful men ever in the township. This, combined with good sense and undaunted courage, rendered him one of the most prominent of the early settlers. He was a Quaker, as were also some two-fifths of the early settlers. In the spring of 1806, Abraham, the father of Mahlon, came to the township with his family, and soon afterward Mahlon went south to Section 23, where he cleared and improved a farm. and where he subsequently died. Abraham Wile- man died in his ninety-ninth year. Many in- teresting incidents are related concerning Mahlon Wileman, which have not, as yet, been made public. Of course, the woods at this time (1805 to 1810) were filled with a great variety of wild animals, such as wolves, bears, wild-cats, panthers, deer, turkeys, hogs and Indians. It is related by Mr. Brooke, who has made the history of the township a study, that. Mahlon Wileman, when he went to Columbiana County for supplies of provis- ions, fearing that thieves would carry off his utensils, etc., gave them in charge of an In- dian chief, whose band was encamped on Deer

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Creek, until he should return, at which time every article was given up in good order. ac- eording to agreement. Mahlon went out hunt- ing one day, and, seeing a large buck, ean- tiously approached, and shot it. The animal fell to the ground, and Mahlon approached to eut its throat. But the animal had been only stunned by the shot, and, leaping to its feet, made for the hunter with head down and hair erect along its spine. To avoid it, the hunter leaped behind a tree, but the angry buck pur- sued him round and round, until at last he was compelled to face the situation, which he did by seizing its antlers and endeavoring, with all his enormous strength, to throw the animal on the ground, that he might dispatch it with his knife. For a time the contest was doubtful, as the buck was large and strong, but at last the hunter, by a change of position, was enabled to use his knife, and a few mo- ments later the buck was dead. At another time, when Mr. Wileman was on his way north to Atwater Township, as he was passing along the rude bridle-path in the northern part of Marlborough Township. he suddenly saw full-grown bear in the branches of a large chestunt tree. When sufficiently close, Mr. Wileman took deliberate aim and shot the bear dead. It came to the ground with a crash, and immediately afterward the settler saw two others, either in the same tree or in others near by. This was the sort of sport Mr. Wileman admired; so. as quickly as he could load his rifle and fire, he brought both of the bears, in turn, to the ground. Mr. Wileman's brother-in-law, Jos- eph Marshall, who resided just across the northern line in the other county, one day captured three deer that had ventured upon a body of very smooth iee, and, unable to stand, had fallen down. The son of William Hatcher relates that one day his father. in the short space of about three hours, killed three deer. What renders the fact noteworthy is that this took place not far from 1830, at which time almost the whole county was quite well settled, or at least, deer had become quite scarce. An occasional herd of six or eight was seen, but the animals were shy, and seemed to be chang- ing their locality. It is related that Mr. Warst- ler was one day returning from Canton on

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History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 100

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1060

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1060