History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 82

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

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Edward Carl. direct from " Ould Ireland," settled in the township in 1811. He was a shoemaker and tanner, and started the first tan- vard. The Motlit brothers, James, Patrick. Rich ard and Thomas, carly settlers, were clever men. and influential. They were the first ('atholies, and frequently held worship in private houses.

In the spring of 1826, five French families of Alsace, by occupation agriculturists, gathered together their household utensils and farming implements, took ship at Havre de Grace, and, after a six weeks' voyage, landed in New York. Before the colony were ready to leave New York, one family had only a single five-franc left. nor were any of the rest in a condition financially to help them, so the destitute family was compelled to remain in the city. and engage in work until they could earn sufficient to pay their way farther West. The balance left via Hudson River, New York & Erie Canal to Buf- falo, and thence by schooner to Cleveland, " a small town on a hill," as described by one of the company. Here the families remained a month, quartered in a baro, while the men were traversing the country, looking up a place to settle. It was in the heat of summer, that Theobald Frantz, the leader of the colony, and one other approached Canton from the north, when, at the first view of the town, he saw the cross on St. John's Catholic Church, and ex- claimed, " Je n'irai pas plus loin ; c'est ici que j'ai trouve la premiere crois depuis que nous avons quitte Nou York, et c'est ici, pres de cette croir, que je m'etablirai.

They straightway returned to Cleveland, and began making preparations to move their tami- lies and goods into Stark County. This was before the construction of the Ohio Canal, and, as their route was overland. and as they had brought along wagons and harness from France, the first business in order was the purchase of horses. In these, they were shamefully swindled, as, of the five purchased. not a single one could be relied upon as a true puller. They would all balk, and several were vicious kickers. In the first efforts to break them to work, JJoseph Badeau was kicked in the bowels, from the effects of which he died in a few hours. Not- withstanding these misfortunes and all their mishaps, they kept up courage and persevered. In their trip to Canton, the horses in going up a hill. would frequently balk and refuse to pull. exhausting every effort to persuade them to pull. and failing, there was no alternative but to unload, and then all bands woukd assist. and by dint of pushing and pulling succeed in at- taining the top of the hill, after which the wagon had to be reloaded. They finally reached Can- ton, and obtained possession of a vacant house on East Tuscarawas street for the families to

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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY.

occupy until the men could purchase permanent homes. After reconnoitering the country on foot and on horseback, Theobald Frantz, Louis Gar- rot, Jean P. Moinet and the widow of Joseph Badeau all settled in Nimishillen Township, purchasing in Sections 10 and 15. One of the five, named Jonare. purchased and settled in ' Jackson Township. These were the first Catho- lic French who settled in the county. There were a few Omish (Mennonite) French in the county a year or two before. The reports they wrote back to their friends in France of their impressions of this country induced others to follow, and among the early French settlers of Nimishillen may be mentioned François Bellot, Zeidor, Faufaunt, Pierre Cunira, Perrot, Chenot, Gerandeau, Favier, Barlet, Abadie. Garandot, Duprea, Favier, Cuniea, Adie and Mongary.

It should be mentioned that by the time the families who came over first were settled, their money was exhausted, and some were compelled to engage in labor from home, in order to ob- tain means for support. Frantz had eight chil- dren ; two of the girls worked out. and two of the boys helped to dig the Ohio Canal, at $14 a month. The father tramped out wheat for the neighbors, for the tenth. Mrs. Badean was enciente at the time her husband was killed. She invested her means in the purchase of forty acres of land, and was working in the clearing when taken in labor. In the woods, without shelter and alone, she had her child, now Frank Badean, over fifty years of age. He is probably the first Frenchman born in the county.

There must be, at this time, several hundred French families residing in Nimishillen Town- ship, forming an observable feature of the population. As a class, they are industrious. social, inclined to hilarity, law-abiding, honest. pay their debts, and make good neighbors. They readily assimilate with our native-born, and about the third generation their distinctive peculiarities are obliterated.

Harrisburg was the first town in the town- ship. It was laid out in 1827. by Jacob Harsh. A lame man by the name of Patterson brought the first store. Following him, Jacob Wolfe and Jonas Hoover started a store and tavern to- gether. Wolfe took special charge of the tav- ern, and it is said to have been kept not unlike the one run at a later day, by his namesake in the West, of which it is presumed our readers

have heard. David W. Rowan had a store in Harrisburg, in 1832, and after him, H. H. My- ers, both from Canton. The early physicians of the town were Dr. Aberham Stanley and Dr. Soloman Shrive. Henry and Jacob Stam- baugh, both farmers, supplied the preaching in the neighborhood. They belonged to the Unit- ed Brethren Church, and held worship in ' schoolhouses and barns. Harrisburg was a more important place and was more widely known fifty years ago than it is now. The railroad towns have drawn away the trade. A post office was established under the name of Barryville, May 18. 1830, and Jacob Wolfe ap- pointed Postmaster. It was called Barryville because there was already a post office in the State named Harrisburg, and there cannot, under the rules of the Post Office Department, be two offices of the same name in the same State.

Louisville was located in 1834, by Henry Loutzenheiser and Frederick Faint, joint pro- prietors, as land belonging to each constituted a part of the plat. It was originally named Lewisville, after a son of Loutzenheiser, but on application for a post office, it was ascertain- ed there was already an office of that name in the State, and at the suggestion of the Post Office Department, the orthography of the names was changed to Louisville. The post office was established March 11, 1837, and Solomon A. Gorgas made Postmaster.

The first organized church in the township was Catholic. It should be mentioned that be- fore this. a building designed for a church and schoolhouse was erected near Harrisburg, through the united efforts of members belong- ing to the Lutheran and Reformed Churches. Services were held in this building at irregular intervals, by both these denominations, but there never was a legal organization of either. There was a Methodist Church erected in Har- risburg at an early period.

About 1836, a building was erected in Louis- ville, upon land donated by James Moffit. under the supervision of the Dominican Father at that time in Canton. The first priest stationed in Louisville was Rev. Mathias Wurtz, from Lor- raine ; next came Rev. L. de Goesbriand. Dur- ing his pastorate, the congregation consisted of abont forty French families, twenty German and twelve Irish-in all about 400 communi- cants. During his stay the church building was enlarged, a tower built and a bell pur-

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NIMISHILLEN TOWNSHIP.

chased. In 1846. Rev. P. Pendeprat officiated. He remained four years, and was succeeded by Rev. Marechal. who remained but one year. Then came Rev. L. F. D'Arey, who was an enterprising, liberal and zealous man, as he built a schoolhouse, repaired the church and improved the grounds around. spending his private funds for the benefit of the congrega- tion. Rev. 1. Hoffer. the present incumbent. succeeded D'Arey in 1861. Since his advent. an academy and college has been erected, and the congregation materially increased.

There were living in the township as early as 1836. professors of religion who take the i a partner in the business, William Flinn, and name of " Brethren in Christ." Jacob Sollen- berger, and a neighbor by the name of Roth- rock, were among the first. They did not have a building of their own until a late period.

What is known as a Reformed Church was organized in Louisville in 1863. The first members were Jonathan Slusser and wife. Adam Fogle, wife and daughters, Elenora and Emma. John and Andrew Soll. The first pastor was Abram Miller, who served five years. He was succeeded by Joshna II. Derr, who remained two and a half years. Following him came ... J. Leberman, who has continued since, now over eight years. Number of communicants. 190.

The United Brethren have a church in Lonis- ville. but the statistics of their organization failed to reach us in time for publication

Nimishillen Township has, up to the present time, enjoyed but little of the county official patronage, and that little was more in the way of honor than profit. John Bowers was County Commissioner from 1819 to 1826. when the pay was from $20 to $25 a year. and no per- quisites. John Hoover served as Associate Judge one term, and two terms as a member of the Legislature, in 1822 and 1823. At that time, the Legislature met on the first Monday in December. With a few changes of under- clothing, packed in a pair of saddle-bags, the member-elect would start from home on horse- back a week before the opening of the ses- sion. It would take him four or five days to make the journey. Then he wanted several days to look around for a boarding house, and find a place to winter his horse. Once settled, he never thought of leaving his post of duty until the close of the session. Such was the custom of our legislators in those primitive days. Contrast them with the present.

Among the leading attractions of Louisville is the woolen factory of Taylor & Stewart. I was during the spring of 1872 that a joint stock company was organized for the purpose of establishing a woolen mill at that place. The stockholders were C. L. Juilliard. II T. Finney, John Werner, Elias Essig, J. W. Wer- tenberger. Dr. J. P. Schilling, L. T. Myers and Edward Schilling. The mill was erected at a cost of about $17,000, including a 35-horse power steam engine. The mill was soll to William Taylor in 1877, and he has remained the owner to the present. Mr. Taylor took as two years afterward their connection was dis- solved. Owing to a desire on the part of Mr. Taylor to retire from business, the factory was leased to his son, John HI., and John Stewart. who have actively carried on the business ever since. Under the management of Messrs. Tay- lor & Stewart, the partnership has been quite successful. producing a superior quality of flan- nels and yarns. They are making the manu- facture of flannels a specialty, adhering to the plan of producing pure woolen goods, and this. no doubt, is one of the causes of their success. Their fabries are found in all the leading dry goods houses of Stark and adjoining counties. Although young men, the proprietors of this establishment have, by their undivided atten- tion, made it one of the best mills in the county, and one of the chief attractions of the place in which it is situated.

In 1868, D. M. Slusser and J. W. Wertenber- ger commenced the manufacture of Ellis' patent baskets in what is now the plaining-mill of Es- sig & Shengle. After a partnership of about eighteen months. Elias Essig was admitted into the firm. Shortly after this. Mr. Slusser with- drew. and Wortenberger & Essig carried on the business until they were succeeded by Essig & Sluss. It is now in operation under Essig & lang in the same building in which it first originated.

Elias Essig and Jacob Shengle formed a part- nership, in 1875, for the purpose of establish- ing a planing-mill where Essig & Hang have their basket factory. They ocenpy a two-story frame building, 30x50, with an engine-house and boiler-room 18x30. also a warehouse about 20x10 feet. They have all the requisite ma- chinery for carrying on their business in its various branches, which is operated by a 20-

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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY.

horse power steam engine. They do a general lumber business, supply building material, lath, shingles, sash, doors, blinds, etc. The firm han- dle annually an average stock of 600,000 feet of rough and dressed lumber, 1,200,000 shingles, 1,300,000 lath, and they transact an annual business of not less than $15.000. The wagon and carriage shop of C. Bonnot & Son was first started as a Champion P'low manufacturing es- tablishment by JJ. 11. Penney, M. Gibbs and Mon- roe Siberling, in 1871 ; but after a short period. the business was discontinued. In 1874, this building was leased to Keim. Finney & New- house, who placed in the proper machinery and commenced the manufacture of linseed oil. In 1876. Juilliard & Co., purchased the business, and this firm in turn was succeeded by Keim & Sons in 1877. Owing to a disadvantage in ship- ping, together with considerable breakage of machinery, this firm discontinued the business in 1878, and oil manufacturing in Louisville has not since been revived.

The flouring mill of S. Flickinger was estab- lished in 1851 by Daniel Chapuis, who con- dueted the business a number of years, and was succeeded by Louis Faber, who in turn was succeeded by Xavier Paumier. After him, the mill passed into the hands of the present owners, S. Flickenger and C. A. Newhouse. This partnership continued about ten years, when Mr. Newhouse withdrew from the firm, and Mr. Flickinger has since been sole owner and proprietor. He is a first-class miller, and with the help of his son, carries on a large trade of custom grinding.

Geib & Pontius have a large merchant mill now under construction. This building will be a two-story frame with stone basement. 40x60, and a one-story engine room attached, 20x40 feet. There will be a run of five stone in this mill ; three for wheat, one for chop-feed, and one for middlings, all to be operated by a 70- horse power steam engine. The resources of the surrounding country will prove this to be one of the leading mills of its kind in the county.

P. B. Moinet erected a brewery in 1865. lle was succeeded by George Dilger, in 1876, who admitted Simon Menegay in 1878. This firm turns out about about 2.000 barrels of beer per annum.

Brick manufacturing is carried on quite ex- tensively by A. V. Pontius, and Murley. Dupont & Co. These two yards keep employed a force

of about twenty-five men, and turn out a supe- rior quality of brick. The supply is unequal to the demand.

Rogers & Warstler, druggists of the place, manufacture the Peerless Condition Powders, a drug that is considered, among leading stock- men, the best of its kind in the market. It has a wide sale, and is steadily growing in public lavor.

Besides the above, cigar making is carried on to a considerable extent by Peter C. New- house, J. C. Hartman. William Weber and Jacob S. Oberdorff. Rinehart & Sons and C. Bonnot & Sons manufacture and repair wagons, buggies, etc. G. F. Baumann & Sons, tin and copper smiths. dealers in stoves, etc., have a large run in roofing houses with slate and tin. S. Paquelet deals in and manufactures furni- ture, and J. G. Prenot is the Louisville harness maker. There are two hotels in the town --- the Commercial and the Washington House. The former is kept by J. D. Baker, and the lat- ter by Geo. Nunamaker. Both are doing well.

The place supports two first-class livery sta- bles ; one owned by Lycurgus Wilson, the other by Mathias Walker. They both keep first-class turnouts, and are reasonable in their charges. The merchants of the place are Keim & Sons and Pierson & Metzger, hardware ; Julius Thorin, Julius Schwob, D. M. Sluss and L. F. Davis, dry goods and groceries ; D. M. Slusser and J. M. D'Ostroph, groceries and provisions ; Schilling & Son and Rogers & Warstler, druggists ; Hannah Conrod and O. Clark, restaurants. Mrs. A. Friday and Sluss- er & McCoy supply the neighbohoord with millinery. Louisville Deposit Bank was es- tablished the spring of 1881, by Keim & Sons. They do a general banking business For the past ten years the Keims have done more to build up the town than any other firm. They are enterprising and intelligent citizens, and a credit to the town in which they reside. Taking in consideration the wealth of the sur- rounding country, and the enterprise of the citizens of the town. Louisville can truly he said to be one of the leading towns of its size in the State. Its present officers are-Mayor, J. H. Penney ; Clerk. R. T. Rothrock ; Treas- urer, Joseph Moinet ; Marshal, C. Gaume ; Street Commissioner, M. S. Stambaugh ; Councilmen, C. L. Juilliard, Elias Essig, Lewis Newhauer. A. Poupney, L. P. Menegay and N. Bonvolot.

Thomas Mball

460

SANDY TOWNSHIP.

CHAPTER XX .*

SANDY TOWNSHIP-GENERAL DESCRIPTION - SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION - INDIAN INCI DENTS PIONEER INDUSTRIES OFFICERS-WAYNESBURGH LAID OUT- INCORPORATED CHURCH HISTORY, ETC.

YANDY TOWNSHIP, the most easterly of the southern tier of the townships of Stark County, is situated in longitute 40' 15' west from Washington, and latitude 10- 12' north. It is watered by a system of small streams tind ing their source in Osnaburg and Canton Town- ships and flowing south into Big Sandy Creek, a tributary of the Tuscarawas River. The names of these minor streams are as follows, viz .: Little Sandy Creek, which is the most considerable in size. takes its name from the general character of the land through which it flows. It occupies the eastern portion of the township, and its waters were made to do good service in early times, to drive several saw and grist mills, and at Waynesburgh a woolen fact- ony was operated by it until within the last dee- ade. Indian Run, which derives its name from the fact that its banks were a favorite camping- place for the untamed sons of the forest, who made this neighborhood either home or hunt- ing-ground, flows through the center of the town- ship. Its waters were utilized as power for a small saw-mill. on the land now owned by Jef ferson J. Welker. A few decaying timbers is all that remains of this pioneer enterprise.

Hypocrite Run is said to have taken is name by general consent from the personal character- isties of a man whose name it formerly bore. There was once a saw-mill on its banks, but all these smaller mills have given place to more improved establishments at Magnolia and Waynesburgh, where the Big Sandy, having gathered to herself the waters of the two former streams. forces them, with her own eur- rent, through the wheels of a more modern structure, accomplishing with improved saws. buhrs and processes, a much greater and better work than before the universal Yankee, with his ""tarnel improvements," came this way. The land of Sandy Township is remarkably fertile. the hills being generally a rich clay loam. and * Cottil uted by Charl .s H. J nt es.

the plains and valleys alluvial loam, producing abundantly all the crops common to this lati- tude, of quality generally much above the average of perfection.

The early settlers in "Sandy " found noble forests of oaks. ash, chin. walnut, chestnut, hick- ory, sycamore, linn and other valuable woods occupying the higher lands of the towhship, while " the plains" were covered with young oaks, growing up amongst rank prairie grass. These latter lands, now our best and most val- uable farms, were not sought after by many of the earliest settlers, being deemed the reposi- tories of agues and fevers unlimited. besides the hills were found abounding in springs of pure water, near and toward which all things seemed to attract.

The official organization of Sandy Township took place at C'anton on the 16th of March. 1809, and, as then construeted, it contained five scetions north and south, and six sections east and west-in all thirty sections and it re- mained of this size until January 1. 1833. when the Legislature having passed an act erecting the county of Carroll. two rows of sections were taken from the east side of the township, with Rose. Brown and Harrison Townships (then a part of Stark). to help form the new county. This circumstance does not seem to have been a matter of such importance as to gain a record in the books of the Township Trustees of that date, to which the writer has access. An interesting item in this okl book is a record of the financial situation on March 5. 1832, the last settlement before Sandy gave her ten sections to Carroll County. It is as fol lows :

Balance in treasury, March, 1831. 29.00

Received of William Fogte, township tax. . $17 75.07

Total receipts. $18 01.01

Total paid on orders. 17 65.07

Balance in Treasury 39 00

470

HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY.

From the books of the Township Clerk for 1880, we take the following synopsis, for the purpose of comparison :

TOWNSHIP FUND.

Balance in treasury on settlement$ 39 44 Received from all sources 726 84

Total received. $766 28

Total expended. 717 54

SCHOOL FUND.

Balance in treasury. $1,321 46

Received from all sources 1.034 41

Total received

82.355 87

Total expended 889 69

Balance. $1.466 18

Total balance $1.514 92

Of the early officers of Sandy Township, the writer has not been able to find complete records. The first election was held at the house of Isaac Van Meter, near where JJoseph Flickinger's residence now stands, but what officers were elected does not appear in the old records of the township now extant. The oldest book in existence, so far as known, being a Township (lerk's book, bearing date June 16. 1818. James Hewitt was the first Justice of the Peace, and elections were often held at his house, which stood in what is now Brown Township. Carroll Co .. on land owned by William Denny Robertson, south of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railway. For the following story of the first coming of permanent settlers, we are indebted to the graphic pen of Hon. John (. Croxton, of Canal Dover, Ohio, who was for many years a resident of this township, and was well acquainted with many of its sturdy pioneers. Mr. Croxton's wonderful memory of names and dates is so well known in this com- munity as to make him an acknowledged au- thority. Like all good story-tellers. he begins at the beginning, and his story shall not be spoiled by abridgement. He says :

Jefferson County was the fifth county in the then "Northwest Territory." It was created by Gov. St. Clair, July 29, 1779, its original limits including the country west of Pennsylvania and the Ohio River, and east and north of a line from the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, southwardly to the Musking- um River. The town of Steubenville was laid out in 1798, as the county seat, by Bezaleel Wells and the Hon. James Ross, of Pittsburgh, and here the first land office. for the sale of Government lands

in the Northwest Territory, was established. Can- ton was laid out in 1806. by this same Bezaleel Wells, who had previously entered the land on which the town was located and the fractions of land around the lake, west of the town, now known as Myer's Lake. Wells opened the first road or trail from the Ohio River to Canton, which trail or road, as it soon became, passed through the whole length of Sandy Township, and this was the first "white man's trail" from the Ohio River that crossed the old Indian or Tuscarawas trail, which, at this point, ran in a westerly course along the val- ley of the Sandy. As the means were not at hand for making roads along the sides of hills, they went straight over them, and as the hill at the place where Waynesburgh now stands was too steep for safe descent, the party returned to what is known as the old Fox farm. now the property of Mr. Gus- tavus Deringer, and turned west. through the old Bratty, Boory and Elsass farms, and passed through the plains, on the east line of Capt. James Down- ing's farm, and then passed on to the old Mottice farm, now owned by Creighton Rodgers, Esq., on the present road from Waynesburgh to Canton. Capt. Downing then lived across the Ohio River, in Virginia, opposite the mouth of Yellow Creck. Having had some difficulty as to the title of his property. he concluded to leave it and settle in the beautiful valley of Big Sandy, whose fertile plains and grand forests had pleased him mightily when he was serving the Government as a 'ranger,' in 1793. Ile accordingly came and entered a quarter section of land on the before-named road, and built him a fine log cabin house, and moved into it. He set about the improvement of his land, enter- tained travelers and traded with the Indians, who were, at that time. quite numerous. This was in 1805. The following year, Mr. James Laughlin, a brother-in-law to Downing, and his two sons-in-law, Isaac Miller and Benjamin Cuppy, came also from Virginia. Laughlin entered land on the same road, the farm being now known as the Boory farm. Miller chose the west side of the creek, close to where the village of Magnolia now stands, and opened a house of entertainment, and kept a ferry boat to take emigrants across Sandy Creek. lle built a toll- bridge, also, which was the first bridge over built across the Sandy. This bridge was built in 1814. A man named Joseph Handion, who entered the land now owned by James Boyd, laid out a town in the plains, near where Mr. James Boyd's house now stands. Ile called the town Hamburg. but he seems to have been mistaken as to the needs of the times, for the town is no more, In 1814, Ilandlon had the " Bethlehem road." as this first road was called, straightened, from the ohl Fox farm through to Peter Mottice's land.

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History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 82

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