History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 87

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 87

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Jacob Loutzenheiser, who afterward became influential and prominent in the township. arrived in 1806, with several pack horses, and left his family for a short time with the fun- ninghams. During the same year. there came in Valentino Weaver. Peter Dickerhoof, George Bossler. George Haney, George Miller, Simon

Essig. Henry Warner, John and David Eby, Conrad Buffner, and. perhaps, others. About the same time, or soon afterward, came George, Jacob and Christian Werstler, and their father, Henry Werstler. Christopher Palmer. Jacob Slurneberger, Abraham Van Meter, the Bairs, Spielmans. Gafts, Willemans, Everhards. David Cunningham, Jacob Hoster, and many others. Mr. Weaver's three eklest children were daugh- ters. who went to work felling timber, cutting logs, splitting rails, plowing, sowing, reaping and threshing. It is said that Betsey Dicker- hoof. when the road between New Berlin and Greentown was opened, took a contract to elear ten acres of timber for John Wise, and complet- ed the contract satisfactorily. What do the damsels of the present day think of that ?

Peter Willeman owned the land where the village of New Berlin now stands. After these (lates the settlers came in rapidly, the most of them coming directly from the Keystone State, with but little or no money. but with an abund- ance of self-reliance and unswerving determi- nation to create a comfortable home in the wil- derness. The land was pretty much all taken by 1815. at least all the better portions. In June. 1809, a tax was levied to meet the cur- rent expenses of the county. There were no roads, the best being but cut and corduroyed paths through the woods, the routes being established without any regard to section or township lines, but wholly through dry locali- ties, winding around on the upper lands. So much annoyance was occasioned by poor roads, that the tax levied was designed to be used in improving and constructing highways; and the record of the Commissioners, from beginning to end. especially in early years, is one contin- uous chain of roads viewed, created and altered, or improved. The tax on horses was 25 cents, but soon afterward other domestic animals were also rated as taxable property. Jacob Shone- berger was the first Collector in Plain, and on the 15th of January. 1810. his tax duplicate showed that he had collected $32.20. George Miller. Collector for the following year, reported 862.05, which sum included his compensation. On the 5th of March, 1810, all the land then in Plain Township, west of the Tuscarawas River, was created, with other land, into a separate township. On the 8th of April. 1811, it was ordered by the Commissioners, that Township 12. Range 8. Townships 11 and 12. Range 9,

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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY.

and all the remaining part of Townships 1 and 2, Range 10, be severed from Plain, and created a separate township called Green. Since that date, Plain has retained its present geograph- ical boundaries. It has always been one of the most valuable townships in the county. On the 3d of December. 1810, the Commissioners ordered viewed a road that had been properly petitioned for, extending north from Canton as far as the county line, and in a direction toward Ravenna. The Viewers were John Shorb, Abra- ham Galloway and William Williams. These men, assisted by George Clark, Surveyor, com- pleted the work, and reported favorably the fol- lowing March, whereupon the Commissioners ordered the road to be laid out " forty feet wide, causewayed and finished so that travelers and carriages could pass." Several other roads, ex- tending across the township, were soon afterward surveyed and put in passable condition. Henry Everhard was one of the early County Commis- sioners, was County Collector in 1817, and oecu- pied other positions of honor and trust. The citizens were generally industrious and saving, and several of them accumulated large fortunes, and their descendants are now reaping the ben- efits. The following list of land-holders, who were in the township in 1828, is given to pre- serve the names of the early settlers, several of whom, however, left the township before that period : Frederick Albright, John Arnst, John Andrews, Abraham Bair. Henry Butterbaugh. Daniel Bender, Abraham Barnhart, Jacob Bech- er. David Brady, John Bair, Jacob Bair, Sam- uel Bair, Baltzer Bentzel, Jacob Beard, Jacob Bachtel, Samuel Coulter, Andrew Crist, William Coleman, Isaac Cairns, Phillip Duek. Jacob Dissler, Abraham Dissler, John Essig, Simon Essig, Adam Essig, Jacob Essig, George Essig, George Everhard, Henry Everhard, David Eby, Thomas Eby, Joseph Eby, John Fast, Nicholas Firestone, John Feather, Jacob Funk, Jacob Gaskin (colored), James Gaff, Jehu Grubb, Peter Grupe, Solomon Grogg, Jacob Hower, George Hower, John Hower, Ferninand Fluck- stall, Jaeob Ilentzel, Michael IFoltz, Peter Hou- sel, Abraham llolin, Christopher Haney, George Haney, William Haney, Jacob Hoy, Jacob Harter, Christian Hain, John Hall, Phillip IIol- lebaugh, James Ilarry, George A. Ilontz, George llontz, Phillip Homan. Jacob Iloman, William Hill, John Hains, John Harris, John D. Hlacken, Thomas Hill, Jacob Kouser, John Kryden, John

Kendall, Isaac Kootzner, Jacob Lontzenheimer, Abraham Lantzer, David Landis, Abraham Landis, Jacob Livingston, Jolm Long, Nicholas Murray, Abraham Miller, John Miller, James Miller, Henry Miller, Henry Markee, Henry Myers, Joseph Mishler, Andrew Myers, Daniel Mooser, Robert Mc Clelland, Moses Nelson, Adam Oberlin. Christian Palmer, Frederick Pontius, Mr. Paulus, James Packer, Paul Rider, John Reese, Henry Rabert, Samuel Roofner, G. 1. Rex, Conrad Roofner, John Rice, David Risher, William Reynolds, Anthony Roof, John Reichart, Jacob Spangler, Michael Spangler, Benjamin Spangler, Joseph Spangler, John Sni- ner, George Snider. George Smith, Samuel Smith, John Smith, Jacob Shoneberger, Valen- tine Spielman, John Swigart. Jacob Stoffer, Frederick Shaeffer, Daniel Smith, Christopher Sidnor, Jacob Sell. George Swihart. John Ster- ling, David Shook. David Shriver, John Trump, Peter Trump. Peter Troxal. John Thomas, Christian Warshler, Jacob Warshler, Henry Waltman, Tobias Wise, Abraham Wise, Peter Wise, Conrad Willeman, Peter Willeman, Jacob Willeman, George Willeman, Thomas Ward, Barnabas Weller, George Warshler, Adam War- ner, JJohn Winger, Adam Wise, Michael Weaver, Samuel Weaver, Valentine Weaver. Joseph Weaver. Henry Weaver, George Unger. Henry Zeigler and Phillip Zeigler. These were the resident land-holders in 1828. Other early settlers were Ezra Pepple. Frederick Slusser, Joseph Bishop, Samuel Schrantz, Michael Sehrantz, Jacob Mohler, George Bossler, and many others whose names are forgotten.

The first thing to be done after arriving in the wilderness, was to provide food and shelter for the families. Trees were immediately felled, cut the desired length, and everything got in readiness for the raising, at which time the neighbors would come forward, and the build- ing begun in the morning was often ready for the family the following night. Sometimes it was impossible to get the desired assistance, in which ease the owner was obliged to resort to the tedious process of building his log cabin alone. To do this he must have a team, with which to draw the heavy logs, not only to the building. but upon it. The logs for the foun- dation were properly notched, and rolled to their places, after which strong skids were placed upon this frame-work and the ground, and then by means of long ropes or chains

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passing over the slowly rising structure, the logs, one by one, were drawn up to their des- tined positions. This process often consumed more than a week, and often. in the meantime. the family were obliged to live either in the wagon, in the cabin of a neighbor. or in tem- porary buildings or wigwams constructed of poles, bark and blankets. As soon as the building was completed, the family were moved therein, and then the clearing must go rapidly on, to prepare suitable fields for the coming crop. Then it was that a life of hard work and continuous privation was begun. A section of woodland, probably ten acres, sometimes forty, was leveled with the ground, and the trees were felled in windrows with their tops together. After the desired butt cuts had been rolled out of the way, and the branches had become suf. ficiently dry to burn, the fire was lighted from heap to heap much the same way that a prairie fire is started. Nights were often selected for this work, and then the scene was spirited and grand indeed. While watching the fire, the settler would split the preserved butt cuts into rails. to be used to inclose the field. Some- times the settler went to work and leveled twenty or thirty acres with the ground, after which the neighbors were called in to roll the logs into heaps to be burned. These rollings were the principal means of bringing the settlers together, and the merriment always ran high. like the waves of the sea. The man who could do the most work was the hero of the occasion. If some circumstance occurred to interrupt their work, games were projected. wrestling matches were formed, or target practice was indulged in. A rolling without whisky was a sorry occasion, and, in fact. the settlers refused to assist unless they were supplied with this essential factor for a hard days work. Often some poor fellow would get too full (or fool) for utterance, when he would retire to some secluded spot to dream of bacchanalian bliss or blizzards, and to sleep off the effects of King Alcohol. It was usual for the women to assem- ble to do the cooking for this " raft" of men. and their sport was scarcely inferior to that of the men.

The food was an important item to be taken into consideration among the early settlers. There were no Dr. Tanners in those days ; neither were there any dyspeptics ; but every person was possessed of a voracious appetite.

The digestive apparatus were equal to those of falcons ; but the possessors were often obliged to go hungry, and to fill themselves like alla- condas when they were supplied with an abun- dance. Hundreds of hogs soon ran wild in the woods, the great majority being without ear- marks or any known owner. These were shot down whenever incat was desired, and the cabins were usually supplied with pork. such as it was, which is saying a great deal. Large numbers of deer were in the forest, and juicy venison steak was a common dish placed before the hungry settler. Venison, however, is dry and tasteless without plenty of grease, without which the meat is partially unpalatable. The flesh itself does not contain the necessary fat. Wild turkey's were numberless, and sometimes were so fat. it is said. that when they struck the ground, after being shot from the top of high trees, the skin upon their backs burst open like a ripe bean pod. Many wolves were in the forest, and were a great pest to those who tried to keep sheep. These tender animals had to be housed by night and guarded by day, and even then the climate and other cirenmstances com- bined to kill them. When the county was first organized, the Commissioners offered a bounty of 50 cents for wolf and panther scalps of ani- mals under six months old, and $1 for those animals above that age. So troublesome were the animals that a year later the Commissioners doubled the bounty, and then it became profit- able to hunt them. A skillful hunter would make better wages than a farmer. The streams and lakes abounded in musk-rats, minks, bea- vers and a few otter, and during the winter sea- sons large numbers of these were trapped, and the furs sent East, where there was a growing demand for them. Bears were numerous, and were very troublesome. as they boldly ap- proached the cabins in the night, and some- times in the day, and carried off hogs. ealves, sheep, or other small domestic animals. A large one would seize an unfortunate Sus scrofa, and, despite its squeals and struggles, carry it off into the forest, and the next day its indig- nant owner would find its partially consumed careass. Many interesting stories are told con- cerning adventures with bears and other fierce animals, a few of which will be narrated. It is related that one of the settlers in the northern part, on one occasion, went to Canton for a few groceries, and, becoming belated, night over-

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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY.

took him shortly after he started for home. He was afoot and alone, with a bag containing his purchases on his back. It was a bitterly cold night in winter, and the snow covered the ground to the depth of some six inches. The moon was shining brightly, and the icy wind sighed through the branches of the trees, and dashed the drifting snow into eddies through the forest glades. The traveler hurried on, anxious to reach the shelter of home. As he was moving swiftly along the obscure path. he suddenly heard a peculiar sniffing sound at a short distance to one side. and a few moments later a large animal ran out of a clump of bushes. and bounded off' at full speed through the woods, uttering a peculiar ery at ever jump. Mr. Willeman had no gun. but he knew that the animal was a panther, and although he was considerably scared. he hallooed at the top of his voice, and was still more scared when he discovered that the cries had ceased, and the panther was coming back toward him. The fierce animal took a circle out to leeward, and after sniffing and following the traveler for about half a mile. it finally veered off and was soon lost to sight and sound in the depths of the snow-clad forest. At another time. a party of settlers living in Osnaburg Township. started a large bear with their dogs, and, having chased it to near the Wise Mill in Plain, succeeded in disabling it. They came up with their dogs, and, knowing that the bear could not escape them, they resolved to have some fun. They got long clubs, and circling around the wounded animal. would dash in and deal a severe blow. and then retire as suddenly as their safety de- manded. The dogs were urged on, but the bear, frantic with pain and rage, soon settled them. One blow from a powerful paw was suf- ficient to either half-kill a venturesome dog. or prevent its second appearance on the scene. Finally, after the men became tired. the bear was dispatched by a bullet through the head. Prior to the war of 1812. bands of Indians wandered through the woods, camping tempo- rarily on the streams for the purpose of hunt- ing and trapping. Many of the arts of the chase were learned from them by the white hunters.

Within a few years after the township was first settled, industries began to spring up to furnish much needed articles nearer home. The township was supplied with excellent water- power, for all the streams were about double

the present size, although the flow of water is probably swifter at present. Two large streams flow across the township, the West Branch of the Nimishillen and the Middle Branch. The former enters the township from the north, and flows across Sections 5, 4. 9, 16, 17, 20, 29 and 32, while the latter crosses Sections 1. 2. 11, 12. 14. 13. 23, 26. 27 and 34. The former has quite a large branch entering it from the west, and all these creeks and their branches furnish excellent drainage. The township is not only a first class agricultural section of the county, but it has scarcely a rival for manufacturing facilities. It is underlain with exhaustless beds of fine coal, three or four mines being worked at present. though, from the fact that the rail- roads have been built within the last few years, this valuable feature of the township is not yet fully developed. Time will bring a vast reve- nue to the owners of the soil. The soil in dif- ferent places discloses fine sandstone and lime- stone, which have been quarried to a limited extent in past years. A fine article of lime has been burned, and is burned at present. Taking all these things into consideration-the strength of the soil for agricultural purposes, the abun- dant supply of limestone and sandstone, the in- exhaustible beds of bituminous coal, the fair water-power, and the healthfulness of the cli- matic features-the township is a pleasant and profitable place in which to live.

As early as 1810, A. Van Meter built a saw and chopping mill in the township. The build- ing was built of logs, and was divided into two apartments, one in which the sawing apparatus was placed being little better than a shed. A set of rough and coarse " nigger-head " stones was placed in the other. but the miller did not pretend to be able to furnish first-class flour and meal. He could grind the grains, after a fashion, and did for a short time : but, owing to the weakness of the dam he had constructed, at the end of a year, a sudden freshet swept away his mill, and it was not afterward rebuilt. In the summer of 1811, G. A. Rex built a grist- mill on Nimishillen Creek, water-power being secured in the usual manner, by means of a race. Mr. Rex was an enterprising man, and had some property at his command. He brought from Georgetown a set of fine French buhrs, that cost the then very large amount of $800. This set was placed in the mill, and so excellent was the flour and meal turned out. that the

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PLAIN TOWNSHIP'.

miller soon had all he could do. His mill be- came known for twenty or thirty miles around ; and as the owner saw his business steadily in- crease, he improved the water-power as much as possible, and almost doubled the capacity of his mill. Still he found plenty to do. A saw- mill was built in connection with the grist- mill, and was operated with water from the same dam. A few years after this mill was built, Jacob Holm placed, in a small apartment set off for the purpose, a small stoek of goods, the first ever offered for sale in the township. They were probably not worth more than $200. Ile kept ealicoes, a few groceries and notions, and some hardware, including axes. How long he continued is forgotten or unknown. In 1812, Henry Everhard built a grist-mill ou West Branch. This was located at a spot where the dam flooded considerable of the bottom, and where a small quantity of eran- berries grew in early years. This mill became well patronized, and furnished a fair article of flour. A saw-mill was built and operated on the same dam. Other mills were built prior to 1814, by David Wise, Conrad Ruffner and John Trump. Adam Wise, as some say, built a grist- inill at Middle Branch, as early as 1815. He also built a saw-mill at the same place. In about the year 1819, he opened a small store in his mill, and for a number of years conduet- ed the combined pursuits. His mills and store became the central point, around which quite a section of country revolved, as it were. lle succeeded in getting a post office quite early, but for some reason unknown, did not lay out and plat a village, as he might have done to his pecuniary advantage. Nothing of the kind was done through the long lapse of years until the present. On the 29th of January, 1881. John Pontius, the owner and proprietor of the land, had surveyed and platted the village of Middle Branch. Sixty lots were properly laid ont, by W. H. Martin, County Surveyor, on parts of the northeast and southeast quarters of Section 2, Township 11, Range 8. This was ‹lone by reason of the presence of the Connotton Valley Railroad. A station was located at that point, whereupon Mr. Pontius laid out the village, as stated, and offered the lots for sale. In time, quite a little village will grow up at that point.

The first death was that of a cabinet-maker. who was killed by a falling tree. John Andrews

was an early tanner. In 1820. Abram Hohn opened a tannery that he conducted quite ex- tensively for many years. It was located in the northeast corner of the township. John Bowers collected the tax in 1807. and reported with it to the Commissioners of Columbiana County, of which Stark then formed a part. The tax on quarter sections was then $1.75 ; it is now more than 880. It was customary in early years, when a pauper turned up in the township, to sell the keeping of the same to the lowest bidder; one was thus sokl. It is said that when Bechtel, an early Constable, was sworn in, be made the following exception to the form of the oath : "To swear when he pleased, and to hunt on Sunday." Joseph Somers built and operated an early saw-mill.

The land upon which the village of New Ber- lin now stands, was originally owned by Peter Williman. Who built the first house is as difficult to discover as a needle in a hay-stack ; both remain lost; somebody, however, was guilty, as there was a first house built. That is a safe conelnsion, at least, but that is about as far as conclusions can go and be logical and consistent. Probabilities are much more satis- factory on this point than conclusions, and will be indulged in. It is likely that a cabin was built there by some one as early as 1815, as the location was pleasant and desirable. At all events, in 1830, several families resided there, and it, about that time, dawned upon the minds of those in that vicinity, that a village was about to spring up. The question was dis- cussed, and the owners of the land finally eame to the conclusion to follow the example set by Romulus and Remus, sons of the war-god, Mars, some two thousand years before. John flower was the owner and proprietor, and on the 18th of February. 1831, he employed Sam- nel Bechtel, surveyor, and laid out twenty- three lots, the most of them being in the acute angle formed by the junction of Market and Portage streets. The lots were offered for sale. and erelong the population bad run up to forty or fifty. Long before that, however, the vil- lagers had become elamorous for a store and post office, and a few years later, Josiah Sher- rick (or perhaps Peter Schick) was indueed to embark on the mercantile sea. Ile did not venture far from shore, however, as his stock of goods was worth only about $200. A few years later he was succeeded by Peter Schick.

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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY.

who continued for quite a number of years, and kept a good country store, receiving a fair trade from the surrounding country. It was prob- ably through the instrumentality of Mr. Schick that the post office was secured, although this is not absolutely certain. Quite a number have, at various times, sold goods at New Ber- lin, among whom are Peter Brilhart, Emanuel Ensminger, Samnel Witwer. Bechtel & Pierson, Mr. Young. John Hill, Daniel Holl, Bechtel & Brother, William Schick and George Spon- seller, the present merchant, who has on hand nearly $10,000 worth of a general assortment of goods. He has a large and valuable trade. and is the present Postmaster. John Hower was the first blacksmith. Not long after the village was laid ont, Peter Schick made con- siderable of an addition to it. and still later Samuel Sehlott made another. These combined, furnished over a hundred excellent building lots. After this the village grew quite rapidly ; various other industries, besides those men tioned, sprang up through the medium of genius and necessity. The latter is the mother of inven- tion. and no sooner is a want felt by the American people, than some means to meet it are devised. The world is filled with men who would be properly elassed among the great, were it not for some flaw or blemish in their otherwise fair capabilities. One man will possess transcend- ent genius in some branch of human endeavor, but, lacking the power to apply it properly. he passes through life comparatively unknown, and his death is unsung by the wise and great of earth. G. G. Nodle, of New Berlin, is a me- chanie of rare powers, gifted with that peeul- iar east of mind that can see, through neces- sity and want, the means of supplying them. He has invented several interesting and valu- able mechanical contrivances. A number of years ago, he invented a valuable improvement on Lamb's knitting machme, prepared his model and sent it to the Patent Office, but a short time afterward discovered that his patent had been entered by some other person. Whether another man had invented the same improve- ment a little earlier, is not yet determined, but. Mr. Nodle thinks otherwise. He works in any metal, ivory, bone, stone or wood. lle has lately invented a combination door-lock. that, for simplicity and value, is without a rival. In proper hands, a fortune could be made with it. Several other valuable inventions have been

developed. one of them being a machine for cutting cogs, and another for filing saws.

In about the year 1867, Joel Stephens erected suitable bniklings, and began the manufacture of various sorts of pottery, among which were erocks, jars, jugs, etc. The material was obtained near by, and, for a number of years Mr. Ste- phens did extensive work, and under his manage- ment the industry was profitable to him, and a credit to the village. Some two years after starting, he sold out to Isaae Stripe, who dropped the pottery business, and ventured in that of manufacturing tiles and sewer pipes. He em- ployed one or two steady hands, and, at busy seasons of the year, several others. le discon- tinned the occupation in a short time. In 1865, William 11. Hoover, who owned and conducted a tannery, began manufactaring horse collars on an extensive scale. He had the means at his command for supplying all necessary materials at a small cost, and his sales at home and abroad soon placed him in the catalogue of wholesale manufacturers. His sales from tan- nery and factory reach the satisfactory amount of about $40,000 per annum. He employs from seven to ten laborers. This is, perhaps, the most extensive and important industry ever in the township. It is certainly a credit to New Berlin. In 1880, Peter Pierson & Son, with a capital of nearly $10,000. opened a lumber yard in the village. The piles of lumber give the place the aspect of a city. This firm keeps on hand an abundance of ready-made doors, win- dows and other materials necessary in the erec- tion of buildings. They have both hard and soft woods, and are operating a saw mill in connection with their lumber yard.

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History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 87

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