History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 102

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1104

USA > Ohio > Summit County > History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio > Part 102

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ett. This firm carried on business until E. V. Carter bought out Hanford, when the firm be- came H. S. & E. V. Carter. E. V. sold to his partner, who carried on the store until Clement Wright took an interest, and the firm became Carter & Wright. Carter finally withdrew, and Wright still continues the business. A man named Clark opened a store about the year 1835, in the house now the residence of Benja- min D. Wright, which was continued for some two years or more. A post office was estab- lished in Tallmadge April 9, 1814, with Asaph Whittlesey as Postmaster, a position he held uniil his death in 1842. His son, S. H., suc- ceededed him as Postmaster, and he was suc- ceeded by H. S. Carter. During Buchanan's administration, Heman K. Parsons was ap- pointed, who resigned at the beginning of Mr. Lincoln's administration, and H. S. Carter was again appointed, who retained the office until the appointment of Clement Wright, the pres- ent Postmaster.

The first church society organized in the township is known as the " First Congrega- tional Church of Tallmadge," and has borne that title for sixty years. Rev. David Bacon preached the first sermon, not only in Tallmadge but in Springfield and Suffield, for the few scat- tered inhabitants of the three townships would gather on the Sabbath Day, at the cabin of some settler, and Mr. Bacon would officiate as a vol- unteer missionary to the little congregation. The first meetings were held in his cabin, and after- ward barns were used as temples of worship. It is supposed that Rev. Jonathan Leslie was the next preacher to Mr. Bacon. He was a mis- sionary, and sent out in the interest of the missionary society of Connecticut. Rev. Sim- eon Woodruff was another of the early minis- ters who proclaimed the word to the pioneers of Tallmadge, and the first regular Pastor of the church. Rev. Jonathan Leslie preached his first sermon on the 20th of January, 1809, and, on the next day, which was Saturday, a number of persons met together for the pur- pose of forming a " Church of Christ," Mr. Les- lie acting as Moderator. The following is the record of the Sabbath meeting, January 22, 1809 : " Met according to adjournment. Pres- ent, George Kilbourn, Almira his wife ; Eph- raim Clark, Jr., Amelia his wife ; Alice Bacon ; Amos C.Wright, Lydia his wife; Hepsibah Chap- man and Justin E. Frink. The persons above

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named presented themselves to be constituted a Church of Christ. A system of faith was then read, to which they gave their consent. They were then led to the solemn adoption of a cov- enant, in which they engaged to keep and walk in the ordinances of the Gospel of Christ. They were then declared a Church of Christ, com- inended to His blessing, and charged solemnly to keep covenant and walk worthy the follow- ers of the Lord Jesus, the head of the church. (Signed) Jonathan Leslie, Moderator." This organization took place in Mr. Bacon's cabin, and, at the same time, the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered for the first time the township. The ordinance of baptism was also administered on four children, viz., Juliana and Alice, daughters of Mr. Bacon ; Amos, son of Dr. Amos C. Wright, and Eliza, daughter of George Kilbourn. The last one of the original · nine members died in Hudson. This was the venerable George Kilbourn, who died there March 14, 1866, at the age of ninety-six years. The spot whereon Mr. Bacon's house stood and in which this church was organized has been marked, and is looked on as almost sacred. Here it was that the Scriptures were first read in the township, here the first sermon was preached, and here the first church society was organized -almost equal to the spot on which King Sol- omon's temple stood, which had been " thrice dedicated to the one true and living God." The Congregational Church of Tallmadge is claimed to be the eleventh church organization on the Western Reserve, a fact that is probably beyond dispute. The first is the First Presby- terian, of Youngstown, which was organized in 1800-this following in 1809.

There were some of Mr. Bacon's ideas that were not by any means popular with the mass of the people, and eventually proved impracti- cable. He found theory was one thing and practice another. One of his cherished ideas was that none should receive land but those who were either members of the Congregational Church or in sympathy with its principles, and $2 were to be paid on each one hundred acres of land, the sum to go toward the support of the Gospel. This provision was inserted in some of the early contracts and deeds, but never went into general use. The clause was as follows : "Reserving an annuity of $2 on each and every 100 acres of land sold, to be paid on the 1st day of January of each year

forever, to the committee of the Society of Tall- madge for the support of the Gospel Ministry of the Calvinistic faith, and of the Congrega- tional order of said society forever, with a right and power to distrain for the same in case the same be in arrear. Which annuity we, for di- vers good considerations, especially for the sum of $1, received of the society in Tall- madge, in the county of Portage, do for our- selves and our heirs hereby give, grant, sell, assign and transfer the aforesaid annuity of $2 on each and every 100 aeres of land in the said society of Tallmadge, and to their successors forever ; to hold and receive the same in trust, for the use and purpose of supporting the min- istry aforesaid in said society forever. (Signed) David Bacon." As we have said, this provision did not go into general use. Edmond Strong re- fused to pay the sum thus levied on his land, and Mr. Bacon commenced a suit against him as a test of the legality of such contracts. Pe- ter Hitchcock, of Burton, since a Member of Con- gress and Judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio, was Mr. Strong's attorney. Mr. Bacon lost the ease, and thus ended the perpetual land tax to support the church in Tallmadge. This suit took place about the year 1811. But, notwith- standing these little difficulties, a majority of the people were Bacon's warm, true friends, and he was held in high estimation in the commu- nity. Early in 1812, he made his arrangements to return to Connectieut with his family. The people assembled in the schoolhouse at the four corners on top of the hill, near Jesse Sprague's, to hear his farewell sermon. He chose for his text 2 Tim., iii, 9 : " But they shall proceed no further : for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was." From the account given of this sermon by Mr. Blakslee, who was present, Mr. Bacon did not spare the little flock, and was very pointed and emphatic in his re- marks to Ephraim Clark, Jr., and Mr. Sprague for the course they had pursued in opposition to his cherished plans. Mr. Bacon died in Hart- ford, Conn., August 27, 1817, at the early age of forty-six years.

The first regular Pastor of the Congrega- tional Church of Tallmadge was Rev. Sim- eon Woodruff, already alluded to incidentally. He was a native of Litchfield, Conn., and a graduate of Yale College. He studied theol- ogy at Andover, and was licensed to preach in 1812. In 1813, he was sent to the Western

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

Reserve as a missionary, and on the 18th of May of that year he was installed Pastor of the church in Ephraim Clark's barn, a building that is still standing. His pastorate closed September 19, 1823, and he died in Bainbridge, Mich., in August, 1839. The second Pastor was Rev. John Keys, a native of New Hamp- shire, and a graduate of Dartmouth College. He was installed Pastor of the Tallmadge Church by the Presbytery of Portage Septem- ber 9, 1824, and continued until April 16, 1832, when his connection ceased. He died in Cuyahoga County in January, 1867. Rev. Jedediah E. Parmelee succeeded Mr. Keys, and began his duties as acting Pastor of the church January 18, 1833. Owing to failing health, he resigned his charge April 14, 1840, and died in New York in June, 1841. Rev. William Magill commenced his duties as Pastor of Tallmadge Church in 1840, and was regularly installed as Pastor August 16, 1841. He remained until 1843, when his connec- tion ceased; he is yet living. Rev. Carlos Smith was the next Pastor, and commenced his ministrations July 25, 1847. By vote of the church he was called to the pastor- ate, but was never installed as such. He labored as Pastor elect until January 14, 1862, when he received and accepted a call from the Second Congregational Church of Akron. He died in Akron April 22, 1877, at the age of seventy-six years. Rev. Seth W. Segur suc- ceeded Mr. Smith as Pastor of the Tallmadge Church, and commenced his labors on the Sth of June, 1862. He continued until April, 1871, when he tendered his resignation, which was accepted, and, on the 30th of the month (Sabbath), he preached his farewell sermon. He was invited to attend the semi-centennial of the church held September 8, 1875. He came and participated, but was very unwell, and after the services went with Mr. Daniel Hine to his home, where he died on the 24th. He was the first of the Pastors of our church buried in Tallmadge. At this time (1881) there are sleeping in the little graveyard at Tallmadge Center nine ministers of the Gos- pel, viz .: Rev. Aaron Kinne, Rev. Aaron Kinne Wright, Rev. Fayette D. Matthews, Rev. Will- iam Hanford, Rev. Elisha S. Scott, Rev. Will- iam Monk, Rev. Benjamin Fenn, Rev. John Seward and Rev. S. W. Segur. The next Pas- tor of the Tallmadge Church was Rev. Charles

Cutter, who commenced his pastoral duties September 1, 1871, and closed his work with the church May 30, 1875. The present acting Pastor is Rev. William Blackmore Marsh.

The Congregational Church of Tallmadge erected a temple of worship in 1822. It is 56 x44 feet in dimensions, surmounted by a steeple 100 feet high. The building was raised and inclosed in 1822, but not finished until 1825. On the 8th of September of that year, it was dedicated to divine worship. The exact cost of it is not known, but will probably approxi- mate $8,000. It was remodeled in 1849, and re-dedicated in 1850. At the time of its first dedication, it was considered the best house of worship on the Western Reserve, and upon re- search was proven to be the fifth built with a steeple, after the New England fashion. The first of these five was built at Austinburg (now in Ashtabula County) in 1816; the second in Euclid, now known as Collamer, about the year 1817; also in the same year, the old brick meeting-house at Aurora was begun, but was not finished until 1825; the fourth was built in Hudson in 1819. All of these ancient temples have passed away before the march of improvement, but those of Tallmadge and Col- amer. The number of communicants of the Tallmadge Church at the present time are 105 males and 169 females. The Sunday school was organized probably about the spring of 1822, although classes had been taught after the manner of Sunday schools previous to that time by Deacon Elizur Wright and others. Previous to 1835, the school would disband at the beginning of winter, and resume work in the spring, but since that time (1835) has con- tinued in active operation throughout the en- tire year.

The Methodist Episcopal Church is the only religious denomination, aside from the Congre- gational Church, that has ever been represented in Tallmadge by an organized society. The first introduction of Methodism into the town- ship occurred somewhat as follows :. Milo Stone and Jotham Blakslee, not fully agreeing with the Congregational doctrine in every particular, went over to Middlebury to listen to the words of wisdom falling from the lips of Rev. Billings O. Plimpton, at that time preaching on the Canton Circuit of the M. E. Church. Being well pleased with the liberal doctrine promul- gated by Rev. Mr. Plimpton, they invited him

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to Tallmadge Center to expound the truth in that locality. He accepted the invitation, and preached his first sermon in the schoolhouse, which then stood west of the Center road, nearly in front of the town hall. He contin- ued his labors at intervals, and near the close of the year formed a class at the Center con- sisting of Jotham Blakslee (class leader), Milo Stone, Sarah B. Stone, his wife, S. H. Lowrey, Anna P. Lowrey, his wife, and Mrs. Martha Stephens. Mr. Plimpton was returned to the Canton Circuit the next year (1826), and Tall- madge Center became one of his regular ap- pointments. At this time it was in the juris- diction of the Pittsburgh Conference, and so remained until 1837, when it became a part of the Akron Circuit, Ravenna District, and Erie Conference. The first meeting-house was a plain structure, about forty feet square perhaps, costing some $1,500, and stood about two hun- dred rods northeast of the public square ; built in 1832, and completed and dedicated the next year. The dedicatory services were performed by Presiding Elder Rev. W. B. Mack. It was occupied by the church until 1874, when a lot was purchased on the south side of the square, and the present elegant edifice erected at a cost of $8,000, and dedicated on the 4th day of April, 1875, by Rev. J. H. Vincent, D. D. The present Pastor is Rev. E. A. Simmons, with a large and flourishing membership. A Sunday school was organized in 1830, which has been continued to the present time. It is a note- worthy fact that these two denominations have always worked together in harmony and love, holding Thanksgiving services alternately at each church, and the ministers frequently exchanging pulpits. The cause of temperance has always had many warm friends and sup- porters in Tallmadge, though sixty years ago it was not considered derogatory to the character and standing of a family to use spirituous liquors as a beverage. Very many farmers would exchange their grain for whisky, and often would have a barrel of it in their honses. But about 1828-30, many began to abandon the use of it altogether as a beverage, and this feeling has continued to the present day. It is highly creditable to the people of Tallmadge that there has never been but one distillery within the town limits, and this existed but about two years, and was near the northwest six corners.

The church and the schoolhouse were always leading points in the minds of the Puritans of New England, and wherever they went they al- ways carried these principles with them ; first, to organize a church, erect a building suitable for holding meetings, and, next, to erect a school- house. Mr. Bacon, in his plan of settlement of the town, was, as we have scen, to provide for the preaching of the Gospel and its support, and also was to provide for common schools and academic instruction. In the survey made by Ensign there was to be at the Center and at each six corners erected district schoolhouses, while at the Center was to be located the acad- emy. On the hill now occupied as a cemetery, where sleep so many of the pioneers of Tall- madge, Mr. Bacon located in his mind the Western Reserve College, the Yale of New Connecticut. The first attempt at a school of which we have any account was in the spring of 1810. A small log building was erected for school purposes at the south four corners. A meeting was called at this place, as the writer was informed by Jotham Blakslee, but two men got into an altercation, and it was broken up without accomplishing anything. But so deeply interested was Mrs. Blakslee in having a school, that she undertook the duty of visiting the settlers upon the subject. She also went to Martin Kent's, in Suffield, and hired a Miss Lucy Foster as a teacher. She came and taught school during the spring and summer of 1810, which was doubtless the first school in Tallmadge. She afterward married Alpha Wright, and spent the remainder of her long and useful life in Tallmadge, and died Septem- ber 30, 1875, at the ripe age of eighty-five years. It is thought that a schoolhouse was built in the fall of 1810, on the hill at the southwest four corners, and a school kept in it during the winter of 1810-11. A similar house was built at the south four corners, and another in the east part of the township, soon after those already mentioned. The first frame schoolhouse was built on the public square, on the spot now occupied by the Congregational Church. It was commenced in 1814, but not finished until the next year ; was 26x36 feet, two stories high, the lower story being occupied by the district school, and the upper story by the academy, and also for religious worship. The academy was opened with Rev. Simeon Woodruff as teacher or Principal, and was suc-

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ceeded by Elizur Wright and others. An act incorporating the Tallmadge Academy was passed February 27, 1816. The academy building was burned on the night of January 12, 1820, and a new building erected the same year, especially for the purpose. A separate building was erected for the district school, southeast of the town hall, and it was in this building that the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized. As the population and wealth of the township increased, frame school build- ings were erected in other districts, and some have been replaced with handsome and com- modious bricks. When the new town hall was built, the people, by subscription, raised a suf- ficient amount to build the second story for the academy, and for several years competent teachers were employed in this department. But the system of graded schools finally super- seded the academy. A special district was formed at the Center June 11, 1870, and a lot was purchased and a building was erected, which was used until it was burned. It was speedily rebuilt, at a cost (building and furniture) of $4,500. There are four departments, occupying four rooms, with competent teachers.

The Deaf and Dumb School of Tallmadge was an institution that should have a place in the township's history. This project was in- augurated in consequence of there being a family in the neighborhood in which there were three children who were deaf mutes. A meeting was held March 19, 1827, to look into the matter, and a committee, consisting of Rev. John Keys, Deacon Elizur Wright, Dr. Philo Wright, Garney Treat and Alfred Fenn, with power to act and devise means for a

school. They finally adopted a measure for organizing a deaf and dumb school, secured rooms and employed Col. Smith, who had taken a thorough course in the Deaf and Dumb Asy- lum at Hartford, Conn. The school was opened May 1, 1827, in a room of Alpha Wright's house, one mile south of the Center. Tuition was $6 per quarter, and the session was for six months. In 1829, the Deaf and Dumb Asylum was established at Columbus, and the school was transferred to it. But Tallmadge claims the honor of establishing the first institution of the kind in the State.

A library was organized in Tallmadge in 1813, and continued in existence for over fifty years. The idea of a public library was brought from New England. It was supported by shares of stock, or memberships, fines, bids, donations, etc., etc., and it continued to in- crease until it contained over three hundred volumes of standard works. Plays and novels were excluded, and the best of works only allowed. The good accomplished through this means cannot very well be measured.

Perhaps we should not close the history of Tallmadge Township without a brief notice of anti-slavery. a question in which Tallmadge felt the most lively interest. A large number of the people were in sympathy with the anti- slavery movement, and a man who would in- form upon or arrest a colored individual under the Fugitive Slave Law would have found Tall- madge a rather warm climate to live in. The cause gained strength gradually, and, when Fort Sumter was fired on, in 1861, Tallmadge was ready for her part in the great battle for humanity and the Union.

567

NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP.

CHAPTER XXIV .*

NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP-OUTLINE OF PHYSICAL FEATURES-RISE, PROGRESS AND DECAY OF INDUSTRIES-IMPORTANT STATISTICS FROM OLD RECORDS-INSTITUTIONS FOR MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL IMPROVEMENT - VILLAGES.

N ORTHFIELD was one of the equalizing townships. It was originally called Town 5, Range 11; and the reason of its being classed as one of the equalizing townships will be found elsewhere in this volume. It was iu- cluded among the few townships which were su- perior to the average, and each proprietor was anxious to have a portion of it ; consequently, it was divided into shares of 160 acres each, and parceled out among the New England pro- prietors, who, not having seen the land, and believing that, from its stated superiority, it should be retained until time had assured the settlers of its value, refused to sell for a num- ber of years, thus accounting for the tardy appearance of this portion of the county in market. It may also be stated that some of the original proprietors died, leaving their pos- sessions in this township to minor children, thus preventing the disposal of the land until after these children had arrived at their ma- jority. The fact of its being one of the best townships in the Reserve served to prevent its early appearance in market. It will be noted in this connection that, while average townships were not altered or cut up into seg- ments and distributed to others, on the other hand, townships both poorer and better than the average were parceled out as has been de- scribed. Northfield was accounted one of the best sections of country in the Reserve, and the various reasons for this view will now be carefully noticed.

Its location was thought at that time to be excellent. Along its entire western border was a river that could be navigated by boats of the largest size, thus favoring the township with easy and constant communication with Lake Erie and all the towns upon its shore. At that time, twice the present volume of water swept down the river, and it was not dreamed in the philosophy of the early settlers, that the quan-

tity would ever be materially decreased, at least to such an extent as to prevent extensive navi- gation. The valley of the river on the North- field side was sloping and well drained, giving abundant promise that future years would dis- close a soil of unusual fertility and strength. The bluffs bordering the valley, though too abrupt and precipitons to be turned up by the plow in the future, were sufficiently sloping to afford fine pasture land. Back of the hills was as fine a land for the agriculturist as lay beneath the sun. Though sufficiently flat to be too damp for the farmer in early years, it was also sufficiently rolling to promise that, when the heavy woods were removed, and the cheer- ful light and heat of the sun were permitted to drink up the superficial waters, a soil would be found of excellent adaptability to agricult- ural purposes. The soil is largely alluvial, and contains an unusual percentage of par- tially decayed vegetable material, though years have elapsed since it was first brought under cultivation. It contains less clay and more organie remains than almost any other portion of the county ; and for this reason, as well as for the fact that there is but little waste land, the township was classed by the examin- ing committee as one of the finest in the entire Reserve.

The river on the west affords the principal source of drainage. It has various small branches, which traverse the township with sufficient fall, in many places, to furnish fine water-power. Of these branches, Brandywine Creek is the main one. This stream flows from near the southeast corner toward the north- west, until the village of Little York is reached, when it is joined by Indian Run, and takes a course toward the southwest, dipping across what was once the township line into Boston, but returning toward the northwest, and finally uniting with the river on Lot 70. Indian Run rises near the northeast corner, and flowing a

*Contributed by W. A. Goodspeed.

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

trifle west of south, unites with Brandywine Creek at Little York. Much of the northern part is drained by Sangamore Creek, while the western part sends its waters to the river by means of numerous small unnamed streams. There are several valuable stone quarries in Northfield, though from their remoteness from the river, they will not prove as profitable as those from which the stone can be loaded with- out much expense on the canal boats. A few, however, are found bordering the river ; these in time will secure merchant work, though at present, the stone is mostly used at home.

The first settler was Isaac Bacon, a native of Boston, Mass., who, in 1806, purchased 160 acres (Lot 63) in Northfield, and the following year, in April, came with his family to their forest home. No settler lived within six or eight miles ; and, as Mr. Bacon was a total stranger, and was uncertain where to go to secure help in rearing his log cabin, he at last concluded to undertake it alone. This was no light undertaking, as the logs were much too heavy to be raised by one man to their elevated positions on the wall. Mr. Bacon was there- fore compelled to resort to some skillful pro- cess, whereby the needed assistance might be avoided. Large skids were braced against the wall, and then, by means of a long rope, which passed over the half-finished building, a yoke of oxen pulled the heavy logs to the required position. At the end of five days the cabin was raised, and covered with a roof made of bark ; the family living, in the meantime, in the wagon, which stood near. With no neigh- bor nearer than Tinker's Creek for three years, with the privilege of seeing white faces only by traveling many miles, the family of Mr. Bacon lived here isolated and alone. Mrs. Bacon was afterward often heard to remark, that for six months after their arrival she saw the face of no white woman, save the one re- flected to her eye when she looked in some clear pool of water. Many incidents of the dangers and privations endured by this family ere the township received other settlers have been gathered ; and a few of these, which illus- trate the lonely, deserted and dangerous sur- roundings of the forest will be narrated. At this period, almost every stream of any note which flowed into Cuyahoga River was the site of numerous Indian encampments, which varied in size from one wigwam, which sheltered one

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 102

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848- Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1104