History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 81

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

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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY.

means, Henry Roop got possession of the char- ter, and under it re-organized the Bank of Gran- ville, and it appeared to be a success. Dr Bennett and Osee Welch, seeing the probable success of Roop's effort, got a charter through the Ohio Legislature for " The Universal School of Massillon." Bennett got into extremely bad odor and left for parts unknown, and was not heard of for many years, when he turned up as Maj. Gen. John Cook Bennett, Commander-in- Chief of the Nauvoo Legion. He had joined the Mormons at Nauvoo ; he made an unsavory record there, renounced Mormonism and wrote a book disclosing the iniquities of the Latter- Day Saints. The appearance of the book was the last that is known of Maj. Gen. John Cook Bennett, M. D., and Commander-in-Chief of the Nauvoo Legion.

The charter of the " Universal School of Mas- sillon," not being sufficiently liberal to allow all that Osee Welch desired as a banking insti- tution, a new charter was obtained for the Stark County Orphans' Institute. The object as expressed in the charter was to found an in- stitution for the benefit of orphans, somewhat upon the plan of the Charity School of Kendal. The first, almost, that the public knew of its existenee was the issuing of paper of the like- ness and similitude of bank notes dated at Fulton, by which the "Stark County Orphans' In- stitute" promised to pay the amount therein named to the bearer. It being an unauthorized banking institution, the paper would not circu- late ; Welch was unable to give it credit, having none of that article on hand for himself. Another difficulty was a defect in the engraving ; the notes were dated at Fulton, but the name of the State was left off, and the affair seemed to be still-born. It was not long, however, until new notes were engraved, dated at Fulton, Ohio, in which the " Orphan Institute's Bank " prom- ised to pay, etc. Welch, who was the first President, seemed to have stepped down and out. Marvin Oviatt, of Medina County, was President and John Black. Cashier. Almost every farmer in the neighborhood and many in the neighboring townships of Banghman, Greene and Chippewa, in Wayne County, were induced to take stock in the bank, and in order that all should go right, new men were to have the management. A man by the name of Richard IIubbell, represented to be a capitalist of almost fabulous wealth, was to be the manager, but

the plan woukl not nor did not succeed. Many of the honest and unsuspecting farmers who went into it were ruined. In 1842, suits were commenced against them under the provisions of an old law then in force, prohibiting unau- thorized banking, and finally the Stark County Orphans' Institute, and the Orphan Institute's Bank, with all its assets, real and personal, were sold out by the Sheriff. More than forty years have elapsed since the events connected with the institution transpired. Most of those who were connected with the unfortunate affair are dead. Their last days were embittered by relentless claimants, who brought suit in all the counties of the State wherein service of proe- ess could be had upon them. Many were re- duced from a competence to poverty. Welch took the benefit of the Bankrupt Act of 1841, and finally removed to Galena, III .. and has been dead many years. It took a long time for Fulton and the surrounding neighborhood to recover from the paralysis occasioned by the effort to establish a bank without authority of law and without pecuniary responsibility. It has, however, long since recovered, and is the peer of any village of its population-now about twelve hundred-in Ohio. Its railway connections and mineral and agricultural sur- roundings assure its continued prosperity. The township contains several hamlets erected by miners, principal among which are Youngstown IIill, Maple Grove, and Williamsburg, which includes Aberdeen Coal Mines.

The village of Lawrence, laid out in 1852, by the late Hon. Arnold Lynch and Philip McCue, Esq., on the southwest and southeast quarters of Section 20, is a village of grow- ing importanee. It is situate on both sides of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Rail- way, and is known in the list of post offices as North Lawrence.

Among the men of decided prominence in this township, of a later period, Cyrus Young will occupy an important position on the his- torie stage. He was, perhaps, as well known to the writer as to any person in the county, out of his own family or immediate connections. Mr. Young was descended from one of the oldest fam- ilies in Jackson Township. His grandfather, Frederick Young, was born in Bedford County, Penn., in 1777, and moved from there to Jackson Township, Stark Co., Ohio, and settled near Mud Brook, where he lived until his death. Adam -

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LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP.

Young. father of Cyrus Young, was born in Bedford County. Penn., December 23, 1799, and came to Ohio, where he resided with his father until twenty-six years of age, when he was married to Christina Sprankel, whose maiden name was Kirk, a sister of Jacob Kirk, one of the first two Justices of the Peace civet- ed in Jackson Township. Mrs. Young's first. husband is supposed to have been Christian Sprankel, who was killed by the falling of a tree. By her marriage with Adam Young she had two children Cyrus Young and Julia A. Young, now Julia A. Myers. On removing into Law- rence Township. Adam Young lived for a short time near the mill erected by Col. William Goudy. on Newman's Creek. since owned by Leonard Kerstetter. Alexander Culbertson. John Spran- kel and others. After leaving that place. he removed to the farm known as the Stauffer farm, in 1827; resided there two years. when he purchased the "Old Young Farm." now owned by John Myers, Esq .. where he resided until his death. Cyrus Young was born in Jackson Township October 23, 1824. and lived with his parents in a log cabin until eighteen years of age. taught school from seventeen until nineteen years of age, went to Indiana and taught one winter. then returned and followed farming until twenty-four years of age. In 1848. he was married to Margaret Sheaffer. and followed farming and threshing with a machine until 1853. when he moved to the farm on which he died. and which was known as the old Kerstetter farm. and one of the first elcared up after the organization of the township. The following notice of Mr. Young's death appeared in the Massillon American of April 27. 1881. and is deemed worthy of a place in the history of the township.

DIED.

YouG .-- Wednesday, April 20. 1881. in Lawrence Township, Stark County, Ohio. Cyrus Young. Esq .. in the 57th year of his age.

The death of Mr. Young occurred under circum- stances so peculiarly distressing as to almost ren der description impossible. In the morning of the day of his death he was seen on the streets of this city, attending to his ordinary business and in usual health, and went from here to Lawrence to attend to some business in connection with the running of a portable saw-mill near that place, and while, as is supposed, endeavoring to adjust some of the machin- ery connected with the steam engine, his clothing was caught, and he was drawn in and crushed to death in less time than can be imagined. Leaving

his house and home in the morning, in perfect health, he was taken back before noon a corpse! Although there were three persons, at least, about the mill, not one saw the terrible accident, and how it oc- curred is left to theories that may, or may not, be correct.

Such was the rapidity with which the machinery was running that he was stripped of all his cloth- ing, except his neck-handkerchief and a small por- tion of his underclothing. Mr. Young was a native of Jackson Township: born October 23, 182.1. By means of large coal interests, he had acquired an ample fortune, consisting of farms in Stark, Wayne and Medina Counties, and heavy coal interests in Stark County and in locking Valley, the entire value of which is variously estimated. He was a man of positive character and more than ordinary native ability. Starting out in life without any means, or but little, and marrying early. he met his responsibilities by hard labor, in which he was aided hy a most faithful and excellent wife, who, with nine children, survives him, and who, in their sorrow stricken condition, have the sympathy of hosts of friends. Few gentlemen, anywhere, have any more of life's comforts around them than had Mr. Young, and no one provided for his large family with more princely generosity. Taken away in the prime of his life, he leaves, in his circle of relatives and friends, a void that can never be filled. On Sabbath day his remains were laid away in the cemetery in this city, in the presence of an immense concourse of people from city and country, and where

" The holy calm that brenthes aronnd Bids every fierce, tempestnous passion cease ; In still, small accents, whispering from the ground, A grateful carucat of eternal peace.

" No further seck his merits to disclose. . Or diaw his frailties from their dread abode ;

There they alike in trembling hope repose, The bosom of his Father and his God "

On moving on to the Kerstetter farm, which which was the southeast quarter of Section 36, Mr. Young soon ascertained that he had a fortune in the far-famed Massillon coal. Mines were opened on the tract which yielded sufficiently to lay the foundation of the fortune which Mr. Voung had at the time of his death which was very large, there being few in the county equal to it.

Another family prominent in the settlement and organization of the township was that of Richard Hardgrove, who settled on the west side of the Tuscarawas River in 1812. He was one of the first two Coustables elected in the township, and bell other important positions, until his death, which occurred in 1813. He left a large family of sons and daughters, many of whom still reside in the township.

The brothers William and John Sheaffer were among the earliest settlers in the town- ship. after its organization. John was one of

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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY.

the earliest Abolitionists in the township. On prise. In July. 1873, a stock company was the subject of human slavery he was outspoken, and aided in organizing the old Free Soil and Liberty Party in the county, of whom so few are left. These brothers were farmers, and did as much to give character to the township as any whose names are found on its records.

Fulton, like every other place where the : ubiquitious newspaper has a "local habitation and a name," has been called on to witness the changes that follow in the wake of that great factor in advancing civilization. In these lat- ter days, no one thinks of being without his newspaper, daily or weekly. as eireuinstances may justify.

In 1872, a Mr. Roberts, from somewhere in Richland County, commenced the publication of a weekly newspaper at Fulton, called the Times, but being without means, did not get beyond the third number, and it is said that the three numbers he did issue were printed at other offices, and that ended the initial enter-

formed, known as "The Herald Publishing Company;" A. J. Baughman, of Mansfield, Ohio, was secured as editor and general business manager. He published the Fulton Herald for two years, but giving little attention to the business, the Herald went the way of the Times, and ceased to exist. Its circulation was always light. In August, 1875, J. P. Yockey, Esq .. took the material of the old office, added to it a complete outfit for a job office, and other new material, and commenced the publication of the Fulton Signal, and has continued it and made it a success. By close attention to his paper, he has got a steadily in- creased subscription list, does good job work, and is doing a paying business. The Signal has become an important factor in the business relations of Fulton. and will retain its position while under the management of its present energetie editor and proprietor.

CHAPTER XIX .:

NIMISHILLEN TOWNSHIP - ITS EARLY SETTLEMENT -- NAMES OF THE PIONEERS - INCIDENTS RELIGION AND EDUCATION-EARLY FRENCH SETTLERS-TOWNS, ETC .. ETC.

" I love everything that's old-old friends, Old times, old manners, old books, old wine." -Goldsmith.

N IMISHILLEN was named after the creek which takes its rise mainly in the town- ship. There is a tradition that the stream was named from the black alder which grew very abundantly along the bank, the Indian name of which is said to be Missilla. Prefix to this word wi, which probably meant stream, or water, and you have Nimissilla, since changed into Nimishillen. Col. Bouquet, a British officer stationed at Fort Du Quesne (now Pitts- burgh), in his published narrative of an expe- dition through this section in 1764, gives the orthography of the stream as Nemenchelus. Whatever may have been the original meaning of this word. it was evidently the one from which the present name has been derived.

half of Section 32 in 1803. and in the following spring. moved out with his family, and com- menced an improvement on the east quarter. In the winter of 1806-7. his son John. then a stout boy, was taken sick with a fever. There was no physician within reach, and, as the boy grew worse, and the family had exhausted their efforts to relieve him without success, they sent for the few distant neighbors, who were prompt to respond to the call. Their added experience and domestic remedies proved alike unavailing, and the poor boy died. It was a terrible shock to the family. The mother blamed it all upon the new country, and re- gretted having left their Eastern home. In this their hour of athiiction. the neighbors were doubly kind, and did what they could to con- sole them. A rough coffin was made out of an old wagon box, and the boy buried in the woods, some distance from the cabin. It was

The first settler in the township was John Bowers, from Maryland. He entered the south : a solemn occasion. long remembered by the few , in attendance. A tree was cut so as to fall

* Contributed by Dr. Low. Slusser

St. Mathias

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NIMISHILLEN TOWNSHIP.

across the grave, in order to protect the body from the wolves. Bowers sold this quarter to Bollinger, and made a settlement upon the ad- joining quarter west. While here. he was elected County Commissioner, and afterward Tax Collector. when the office was distinct from that of Treasurer. He is yet remembered pass- ing over the country from house to house with a cylindrical tin box strapped on his back. col- lecting the taxes. Some years later, he sold the balance of his land, and purchased a small improved tract in Canton Township. where he died. He was buried in Osnaburg.

John Gans, of Fayette t'ounty. Penn., en- tered the southeast quarter of Section 3, in 1806. and settled thereon same year with his family, consisting of a wife and four children. His son Benjamin, now a resident of Lake. was born in Nimishillen in 1807. Mr. Gans belonged to the religions sect known as Tunkers (from the German tunken. to dip), more prop- erly. German Baptists. He was a preacher among them, and a man of consideraable influence. Quite a number of the same de nomination followed him from Pennsylvania. and settled in central and eastern portions of the county. The Tunkers are a peculiar peo ple ; don't vote or have anything to do with polities : avoid lawsuits, and in giving testi- mony. do not swear. but always atfirm. They are opposed to war, and evade a draft. Usually wear the hair and beard long from a sense of religious duty. and the dress of both sexes is always plain, and never changed to conform to a popular fashion. As a class, they have not had a very high appreciation of education. especially an educated ministry, believing the Lord would inspire. It was their custom to hold preaching in barns. Latterly, they have taken to church buiklings of plain construc- tion. and favor a more liberal education.

The Mathias brothers. Daniel and Jacob. and their father. then a widower, came the same year and from the same county in Penn- sylvania as did Gans : they settled on Section 14. Unloading their cooking and farming utensils, the families bironacked under a tree. until the men erected a cabin. In October. 1806. a child was born to Mrs. Daniel Mathias. the first white child born in the township. Henry Sanor made an opening on the same section. He and Jacob Mathias often told the story of hearing the sound of a horn in the

north, when the wind was from that direction, and how they were puzzled to know whence it came, or what it meant. At length they deter- mined to find out. So one Sunday morning, they started in the direction they had heard the sound, and with an ax blazed their course on both sides of trees they passed, that they might be able to find their way back. In this way, they proceeded between three and four miles as they supposed, when they heard a dog bark. Following this sound, they came to the (Jearing and habitation of Jesse Wileman, and his son Mahlon, which place is now in Marl- borough Township. They had been there some weeks, and thinking there must be other emi- grants settling in the vicinity, they bethought themselves of occasionally blowing the horn, in order to communicate to others their wherea- bouts.

At this period, Indians were roaming over the country, and during the season of hunting and fishing, it was their custom to camp along the creek. They were inoffensive, but persist- ent beggars. They were particularly fond of whisky, and when once indulged with a taste, there was no cessation to their importunities for more " whisk," as they called it. Daniel Mathias brought a keg of several gallons from Pennsylvania. On the occasion of a call from several of the tribe. he treated them each to a drink. This soon spread among the rest, and it was not long until he was besieged by such numbers that his supply of the stimulant was soon exhausted ; nor would they accept his statement that he had no more, until he ex- hibited the empty keg, when they made fruit- less efforts to eke out a few more drops.

There was an Indian trail running east and west, that passed through the township. JJohn Thomas, a resident of Columbiana County, with the help granted by the Commissioners, had this trail widened so as to make it passable for teams. It was afterward known as the " Thomas Road." and was the first highway through the county. Much of the road still remains in use, from Lexington. ein Freeburg and Louisville. to Canton. Penticost & Scott, reputed lawyers, but more properly land speeu- lators, laid out a town on this road, on the southeast quarter of Section 28, and called it " Nimishillentown." Daniel L. MeClure, the sur- veyor, made a beautiful plat of the town. which was exhibited to everybody from the

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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY.

east as the county seat of the new county of Stark. It was laid off in rectangular form, with wide streets. a large square in the center in- tended for the court house and jail, and other lots appropriated for church and school pur- poses. They erected a large story and a half log house, which did not have a single piece of sawed timber ; all was split and hewn. The enterprise proved a failure, mainly because it was considered too far away from the center of the county. The ground was level, had been cleaned of all underbrush, and for years, during the summer months, was a place of resort on Sundays for the young men and boys living miles around. to play ball and pitch qnoits.

Henry Loutzenheiser and John Rupert, broth- ers-in-law. from Westmoreland County, Penn., came out in the summer of 1807. and. with the help of a hireling, made a clearing on the south- west quarter of Section 11. and erected a cabin about twelve feet square. Rupert made a clear- ing on the adjoining quarter, and built a cabin the same year. Loutzenheiser sold his land a few years after to Martin Houser, who bad been a soklier in the war of the Revolution, and bought the quarter section with all of Nimi- shillentown. Michael Rupert, uncle of Henry Loutzenheiser. married or lived with an In- (lian squaw ; she had by him several children. His brother, Martin Rupert, and cousin. Martin llonser, were both taken prisoners during the Revolutionary war by the Indians, while driv- ing cattle to the army.

In 1825. Henry Loutzenheiser built the two- story brick house yet standing in Louisville. the first building of brick in the township. For many years he kept tavern here, sign of the spread eagle; the house was well known. and was a popular stopping-place for travelers. that day, most of the traveling was on horse- back, and the usual charges for man and beast over night -- suppor. breakfast and lodging, and two horse feeds -was 50 cents. The locality was known as . Lontzenheiser's." and was one of the places where " general muster " was hekl at stated periods. John Augustine was the General: David Bair, of Paris Township. the Colonel, and Henry Loutzenheiser. Major. Those were gala days, both for old and young. The parade usually closed with a few fights. and in the evening there would be a dance.

Henry houtzenheiser was the father of twen- ty-tive children, all living at one time: the

product of three wives. Notwithstanding latter- day achievements, this feat stands unrivaled in the history of Stark County. His first wife was Elizabeth Rupert ; second. Polly Hoover ; third, Polly Spangler. Daniel Brown, living on Section 25. same township, was the father of eighteen children. During the summer of 1814. two of them. a boy and girl, the former eight, and the latter ten, were lost in the woods. They were sent to bring up the cows. Taking a path which led in the direction where the cattle were in the habit of grazing, they came to where it forked. Here they disputed which was the right path, and as they would not agree, separated. It appears both were mis- taken. as neither led in the direction of the cattle. As a consequence. both of the children wandered on until lost. neither being able to find the way home. The cattle returned with- out them The parents, becoming alarmed at their long absence, started to find them. Night overtaking them. they aroused the neighbors, and everybody that was able and coukt be spared turned out. Through the long and dreary night they kept up a din of noises, by shouting and blowing horns, in the hope of at- tracting the children. but no response came. It was feared they had fallen a prey to some wild beast, as at that time there were bears, panthers and wolves roaming the forest. Day- light came, and yet no tidings. More persons were procured, and the search continued. About noon, the boy was found at a cabin, in the east- ern part of Washington Township, which place he had reached but a short time before. The girl was not found until the second day, and when first seen was in a thicket gathering ber- ries, apparently as unconcerned as though she had just left home. When questioned about how she had spent the nights. her reply was, that she had slept on a bed of leaves. It ap- peared that she anticipated being looked for, and was apparently very little disconcerted.

Nimishillen Township was organized in 1809. The early records are lost, so that it is impos- sible to give a list of the first officers clected. There are those still living who remember Daniel Mathias as one of the first Trustees, and Jacob Tombangh as first Constable. John Hoover was an early Justice of the Peace. The north- eastern part of the township attracted the most settlers, mainly because of the beautiful timber. No larger chestnut and poplar trees could be

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NIMISHILLEN TOWNSHIP.

found in the county. The locality also abounded in ginseng. large quantities of which were col- lected and sold to the stores, from whence it was shipped East. It was quite a source of revenue. and. at that time, there was a popular belief that in China it was worth its weight in gokl.

The first grist and saw mill in the township was built by John Eby in 1811. on Nimishillen Creek, in Section 31. As the country cleared up, and the supply of water began to fall off, the power became insufficient, and both the mills were finally abandoned.

Among the early settlers not already men- tioned were Mathias Bowers, brother of John ; George Wertenberger, Ulrich Shively, John Thomas (the first blacksmith), Henry Breyfogle. Henry Warner, John Eby, Michael Trump (the first cabinet-maker and undertaker), John Wel- ler. Harman and Jacob Koontz, Dewalt Bucher (the first tailor), Daniel, David and John Brown (brothers), John Haney, John Hildebrand, Jacob Baughman, William Iloover. Jacob Tombangh. Michael Ringer, Christian Sollenberger, the Obenours, Hiveleys and Warners. About the first marriage was Abraham Metz to Sally Shively. They were the parents of Dr. Metz, of Massillon, who was born in this township.

The great eclipse of 1811. created quite a consternation among the settlers. As they had no previous knowledge of its approach. they were at a loss to account for the sudden dark- ness. Some thought it indicative of an earth- quake ; others, that it was the end of the world. Mrs. Mathews was away from home on that day. and, on her return. it began suddenly to change trom sunshine to darkness. It soon became so dark. that she was unable to see the path, and had to stop until the darkness passed away. She was terribly frightened. The falling stars of 1832, was another phenomenon that seriously disturbed those who had the opportunity of witnessing it. It oreurred between midnight and daylight, and some, who were out engaged in business not legitimate, regarded it as a manifestation of divine displeasure.

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History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 81

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