History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 105

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 105

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old she bear and two cubs, which took to their heels as soon as they saw him, being as much frightened as the Squire himself was. It is reported that he kept close to the surveying party after this.

This township is drained by the Wolf Creek and its tributaries. Wolf Creek enters the township from the north, in Lot 7, takes a southerly course in general, and empties into the Tuscarawas River from Lot 88. Its chief tributaries are (beginning at the north) Pigeon Creek, which enters the township from Copley in Lot 10, flows south and a little west of south through or across the corner of Lots 10 and 20, and empties into Wolf Creek in Lot 19. Van Hyning Run, which rises in a marsh near the north line of the township in Lots 3 and 4, takes a southeasterly course through Lots 14, 15, 16, 26, 27, 37, 38, and empties into Wolf Creek on Lot 48. Hudson Run rises partly in Wadsworth Township, Medina County, and partly in Norton Township, flows southeasterly through Lots 21, 31, 32, 42, 43, 53, 54, 64, 65, 75, 76, 77, and empties into Wolf Creek on Lot 78, near Wolf Creek Lock. Silver Creek, a branch of the Chippewa River, drains a small portion of the southwest corner of the township. Hubbard Run rises near Western Star, in Wadsworth Township, enters Norton in Lot 41, takes an easterly course through Lots 51, 52, 62, 63, 53, and empties into Hudson Run on Lot 54. A small lake, called Davis 1 Lake, in Lot 68, is the only lake in the town- ship. It has no visible outlet, and is fed by springs, it is supposed, from the bottom. It is about a mile in circumference, and a pleasant spot. The bottom is sandy, and it is conse- quently a favorite resort during the summer months for bathing.

The soil in Norton Township is somewhat diversified. The extreme eastern portion, north and east of Wolf Creek, is inclined to- ward a sandy loam, in some parts more sandy than in others. This land is very easy to till, and with care brings abundant crops. The land lying adjacent to the Wolf Creek is of a loamy, mucky nature, and, when first turned up by the plow, resembles decayed vegetable matter, of which, indeed, it is largely com- posed. West and southwest of Wolf Creek, we find the soil contains more clay, but in places so mingled with gravel and loam as to make the best of soil for agricultural purposes.

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

Drainage is sufficient in all parts of Norton with the exception of the south half of the Wolf Creek bottoms and a portion of swamp lying partly in this township and partly in Copley. At the building of the Ohio Canal, the waters of Wolf Creek were taken to feed the canal below Wolf Creek Lock. This caused a stagnation in the last few miles of its flow, which is the source of a great deal of waste wet land, and that the very richest soil in the township. The eastern part of the township is somewhat broken and hilly, al- though very little of it is so rough as not to be utilized. A ledge of sandstone just strikes the township on the northeast corner. Another ledge forms the Western boundary of the Wolf Creek bottoms, this last passing entirely through the township from north to south, and from one to two miles from the east line. This sandstone is quarried at several places, and makes the best of building stone. Among the quarries now open may be mentioned those of Shaw's, near Wolf Creek Lock ; Irish's, on Lot 47, and Miller's, on Lot 37. The principal productions of Norton Township are wheat, oats, corn and live stock and coal. This shows agriculture to be the chief occupation of the citizens. Considerable attention has been paid the past few years to the raising of stock. Some fine thoroughbred cattle are owned in the township. Among cattle-raisers, the name of A. D. Betz takes first rank, although others have made considerable advance toward fine stock. Norton has long been noted for its draft horses, and, at the fairs of the county, the farmers of Norton very rarely take the sec- ond place in the matter of horses. Norton is well supplied with villages, no less than seven being wholly or in part included in its terri- tory. New Portage is situated near the east line of the township, and midway between the north and south lines, on Lots 50 and 60. Loyal Oak, in the north part of the township. about one and three-fourths miles from the center ; Western Star, partly in this and partly in Wadsworth Township, on the county line between Summit and Medina Counties, two and one-half miles west of Norton Center ; Denni- son Station, one and one-half miles west and one mile south of Norton Center ; Johnson's Corners, one and one-half miles south of Nor- ton Center ; Hametown, one and three-fourths miles southwest of Johnson's Corners, on the

Wooster road ; and, last and least, Norton Cen- ter, situated in the geographical center of the township.

Norton Township, as we have said, was Town 1, Range 12, in the Western Reserve, and at its formation was named after Birdsey Norton, one of the original owners of the township. It was formed into an independent township in the spring of 1818 ; and at an election held on the first Monday of April, Joseph D. Hum- phrey was elected Town Clerk ; Abraham Van Hyning, Ezra Way, and Charles Lyon, Trust- ees. Among the Supervisors of Highways for that year, of whom there were five, we find the names of Joseph Holmes, Elisha Hins- dale and John Cahow. Henry Van Hyning, Sr .. was Justice of the Peace. Probably the first purchase of land was made by James Rob- inson, he having purchased Lot 19, as early as 1810, and built a hut on it. It seems, however, that he did not make this his permanent resi- dence. He was originally from Otsego County, N. Y. In 1815, he sold his lot to Mr. Henry Van Hyning, Sr. About the same time that Robinson came to Norton, John Cahow settled on Lot 20, about a half-mile east of Robinson's place, and erected a log cabin. It is a matter of some dispute, whether Robinson's or Cahow's house was the first one built in the township. Some authorities claim the former and others the latter. Cahow came from Maryland and had raised some crops before the war of 1812, and kept a hotel or tavern as it was then called, during that war; his place being on the great trail from old Portage, on the Cuyahoga, to the Scioto. No progress was made toward set- tling up the township until after the war of 1812, when a general rush of settlers found their way through the trackless forest. Among them we notice Philemon Kirkham, who set- tled on Lot 11; Seth Lucas, on Lot 12; the Bates brothers, who settled south of what is now Johnson's Corners at first, and soon after two of them removed to where Loyal Oak now is. Their names were Nathan and Lyman Bates. They each erected a cabin, one on the southwest and one on the northeast corner. The place took its name from them. Abraham Van Hyning came in 1814 and settled on Lot 75, now Johnson's Corners. His house stood on a spot about twenty rods nearly due west of the present storehouse, on the bank. John Bryan, or O'Brien, perhaps more properly, set-

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tled a little southwest of Van Hyning's place, near the present Wooster road, on Lot 85. About the same time, a family by the name of Clark settled at New Portage, and built a log cabin, partly in this and partly in Coventry Township. A son of this family, named Miles, afterward became the first physician of the township. In 1815, quite a number of families settled in the township, among them Henry Van Hyning, who, with his sons, played a most important part in the early history of Norton. Having purchased Lot 19, of James Robinson, he removed his family from North- ampton, where he had settled ten years before, to Norton, where he had intended to pass the remainder of his days. Van Hyning came originally from Saratoga, N. Y., and was of Dutch origin, his forefathers having emigrated from Holland to New York, when that was called New Amsterdam. His second wife was a direct descendant of the great Bogardus men- tioned in history. Van Hyning, with his fam- ily, left Saratoga for the West in 1805, with two yoke of oxen attached to wagons, and his wife riding horseback through the forest, driving three cows which followed the wagons and re- quiring little effort on her part. Their course lay through Buffalo, N. Y., to Erie, Penn., near which place Mr. Van Hyning built canoes, lashed them together and launched them on French Creek. He passed down this creek to the Allegheny, and thence to Pittsburgh, whith- er his teams were coming as fast as they could travel. From Pittsburgh they went across the country to what is now Canfield, Mahoning County, Ohio, where they stopped about two months. The family was here increased by one who was named Sylvester, and who is now liv- ing on the old homestead. During the stop at Canfield, Mr. Van Hyning went on to North- ampton to locate his home, whither he removed as soon as circumstances would permit. From Canfield they went to Ravenna, thence back to Warren where they laid in a stock of provis- ions, consisting of a barrel of pork, a barrel of flour and a barrel of whisky, with numerous other articles of necessity to a backwoodsman. From Warren they made their way to west- ward to the Cuyahoga River, which they crossed at a point called " Brady's Leap." The bridge across the stream at this place, consisted of two " stringers," or logs, placed across the stream (which was about twenty feet wide) and a split

puncheon floor. Over this they crossed and to Northampton they were obliged to cut a road most of their way. The journey, including the stop at Canfield, occupied about four months. These early settlers were subjected to many privations ; their provisions did not hold out until more could be produced and after a crop was raised they had no mill within a distance of thirty miles. When they went to mill they had to take a big load or the teams would eat it all up before they got back home. A few years, however, removed the difficulty. The mill and other comforts were added from time to time. This is a sample of the journey across the unbroken wilderness by the early settlers, and one will suffice as all were much alike.

About the same time that Van Hyning came to Norton, Benjamin Hoadley moved in and settled in Lot 15, near Loyal Oak. He was from Connecticut and had bought eighty acres of land, which he afterward cleared and where his widow still lives to tell of the hard- ships of their early life. In 1816, Joseph Holmes settled on Lot 67, having bought 197 acres in Lots 67 and 68. Holmes came from Mass- achusetts originally, but like a great many more had stopped several years in New York State, and from there moved to Ohio. Previous to this, the settlers had erected a log house near the line between Norton and Coventry for school and church purposes. Here Holmes landed and stayed a few days. He moved on to his land on a Wednesday, and camped beside a big tree which had blown over on a spot near where William George now lives. Next day, Thurs- day, he cut the logs for a cabin, on Friday the neighbors helped him " log it up," and on Sat- urday his family moved into it. This shows how expeditious these old pioneers were. Of course the house was not "chinked up." or plastered with clay, yet it was a dwelling, and sheltered the inmates from the chilling April storms. Our informant was one of the party who camped beside that big log. He says the wolves howled around them all night long, but they knew no fear, and suffered no harm from them. The same day that Holmes raised his house, Charles Miller, father of Cyrus Miller, now living near Norton Center, landed in the township. He settled a little west of Johnson's Corners on the south side of the Wooster road. Numerous other settlers came this same year, and small clearings began to spring up all over

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

the township. The years 1817-18 brought still more emigrants, and the foundation for some of the numerous villages were laid. Nearly or quite all of those mentioned hereto- fore were either from New York State or from the New England States, and they early showed their special traits of character in regard to social customs and domestic life. Much of their time was spent in cutting roads, clearing up the land and helping each other build their houses. When a road was to be opened, all turned out and helped to cut the trees and get them out of the way. If a man had a lot cleared, that is, cut, he invited his neighbors to help him roll the logs together and burn them. None were selfish in those days, for each one knew that he was dependent on the others to some extent for his own and his family's safety and comfort. Tallmadge, or as it is now called Middlebury, was the nearest trading-post, and goods were shipped there in boats up the Cuy- ahoga to that spot, or up the Muskingum to Upper Portage on the Tuscarawas, and thence to Middlebury by teams. These boats were long, narrow vessels, frequently " dng outs " as they were called, from twenty to forty feet long and from three to five feet wide, and pro- pelled by means of poles. Their capacity was ten to twelve barrels of pork, salt, flour or whisky. This last being a very important article of consumption in those early days. Stock of all kinds was scarce. Sheep could not be kept on account of the wolves, and many a family's supply of pork was prematurely ex- hausted by the hungry bears which prowled around the cabins of the settlers. For the ben- efit of butter-makers, we will relate the follow-

ing of Van Hyning's trip to this township. As already mentioned, Mrs. Van Hyning rode on horseback and drove three cows. Their milk which remained unused on breaking camp in the morning was placed in a large jug and deposited in one of the wagons. By night a niee chunk of butter would have been formed in the jug churned by the jolting of the wagon over the beech roots. Farming was poor busi- ness in those days. Corn was the main staple, as this could be fed to the cattle and pigs as well as the human beings; wheat was raised only for bread and seed, as prior to the open- ing of the Ohio Canal it cost more to get the wheat to market than it was worth after it was there. Beans were also a very important article

of production, since they could be used with- out being ground. Indeed many would cook shelled corn with the beans to make them hold out longer. But this was only the case prior to the building of mills within reach of the settlement.

The first birth within the present boundaries of Norton was a child of Lyman Bates, which, however, did not live long. Bates then lived south of Johnson's Corners. A few years later another was born, who lived. Soon after this, Bates house was burned and he removed to what is now Loyal Oak. The first death of a white person was Patty O Brien, daughter of John O'Brien, aged about two years. James Robinson and Lois Bates were the first couple married in the township. They were married at the residence of the bride's parents south of Johnson's Corners, by William Prior, a Justice of the Peace, of Northampton. This was in the fall of 1814. Probably the second wedding was that of James Cahow and Miranda Holmes, daughter of Joseph Holmes, which took place at her father's residence about a mile east of Norton Center, April 9, 1818, by Henry Van Hyning, Sr.

No Indians remained in the township after 1812, consequently the settlers were at peace, with the exception of a personal squabble onee in awhile. A few incidents and personal ad- ventures will illustrate the times of which we write : Soon after Benjamin Hoadley settled in Norton, he and Henry Van Hyning, Jr., went into the woods on a hunting excursion, as was customary when provisions ran low. In the course of their hunt they found a bee-tree, and, as it was in the fall of the year, concluded to leave it until the weather was colder, and then cut it down and convey the hidden sweets to their homes. Some time during the winter following they went forth to cut the tree. But lo ! the tree had fallen down, and the bears, who like honey as well as the human family, had got away with the whole of it. A few years after. the same parties again found a bee-tree over in the southeast part of what is now Sharon Township. This time they thought they would make sure of their prize, and accordingly the next day, armed with axes and a pail apiece, they made for the spot. The tree was soon felled, and the honey literally flowed. The pails were soon filled with fine white comb. There being so much left and the

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distance so great, they began to contrive means to take more of it, and not be at the necessity of making another trip, nor at the risk of losing the honey by the cunning bears, who would no doubt find it before they could make another trip for it. Van Hyning wore a long, loose sort of a blouse, and of this they contrived to make a sack, which they thought would hold comb honey. So they tied the blouse together at one end, filled it with the choicest honey, and secured the other end in a like manner. Slinging this with their pails on a pole which they had cut, and Van Hyning taking the lead, off they trudged toward home. But they had " reckoned without their host ;" the blouse was not very closely woven, and the jar caused by walking through the woods, over logs, and up hill and down. caused the honey to run out of the comb and drip out through the blouse. Hoadley was soon almost covered with honey, and never for- got this. the sweetest adventure he ever expe- rienced.

Henry Van Hyning, Sr., had two noted dogs, Bose and Gunner by name-very large and powerful, and very skillful in hunting bear. One time soon after Nathan Bates had erected the first cabin on the site where now stands Bates' Corners, Henry Van Hyning. Jr., went to see how he was getting along. When he got to Bates' place, Bates told him that there had been a bear seen in the woods not far away tile evening before, and suggested that they go and find him. Two of Bates' brothers were also with him at the same time. Van Hyning, al- though acknowledged a skillful hunter, had left his rifle at home that morning, and had only brought one dog with him. They therefore concluded to send one of the brothers down to Van Hyning's place for the rifle, and for " Bose," with instructions to meet thein on what was called the " Hog Back," a hill on the farm now owned by Jacob Wertman. Van Hyning and the two Bates went to this spot with "Gun- ner " and two rifles. Near the " Hog Back " was a spring, and just below the spring was a bed of sweet sicily. This was a favorite resort for bear, and for this reason, the men went to this place, when Gunner began to show signs of " bar." His bristles stood erect. He sniffed the air and whined as though impatient for the fray. " Well," said his master, " go for them, Gunner," and Gunner went. He had no sooner entered the marsh than he raised the roar, which told

the men that he had found a bear, and the sound told them which direction the bear and dog was taking. Snatching a rifle from Bates, Van Hyning started across the ravine to head off the bear. In this he succeeded by taking a route diagonal to that taken by the bear. As soon as the latter saw him he started toward him for a fight. Van Hyning reserved his fire until he could be sure of his aim. He was quite a distance from the rest of the party and had a rifle to which he was unused, which placed him in a serious position. The bear, when about ten or twelve feet from the hunter, threw his head down for a moment, and this moment was sufficient for Van Hyning, who fired. The bear turned a complete somersault and landed in a little hollow, but was not dead, although his neck had been broken by the ball. The Bates brothers now came up, and one of them placed the other rifle to the bear's ear with the intention of blowing his brains out, but the rifle missed fire. "Open the pan," said Van Hyning, and, priming the empty gun in his hand, he held the two pans together, and flashed the one, which ignited the other. This finished the bear. On dressing him and weighing his quarters. it was found that they weighed 500 pounds. It was the largest bear killed in all the country around, if not the largest in the State. Van Hyning, who still lives to tell the story, says he would not run the same risk again, and take the chances, for the whole of Summit County.

As we have stated, money was scarce and hard to get in those early days. Prior to the opening of the Ohio Canal, wheat was of no value except for food, and many had wheat stored up, some to the amount of several hun- dred bushels. But when tax-paying time came. some would take their rifles and shoot deer. take the hides on their backs to Cleveland, and thus get money to pay their taxes. The canal. how- ever, worked a great change in all this. Wheat went up first to 50 cents. then on to $1 per bushel. Some settlers had scoffed at their neighbors " who were spending their time sow- ing and harvesting more wheat than they needed for family use," and storing it up in their gar- rets. In at least one instance, the joist had to be propped up to keep them from breaking down. When wheat went up, however, to $1 per bushel, Joseph D. Humphrey, one of the scoffers, said to one of his provident neighbors : "Squire, 1 am just $1,000 out of pocket."

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

" Why so ?" said the "Squire." "Why," said Humphrey, " because I have not got 1,000 bushels of wheat to sell. I might as well have raised that much and stored it up as not."

New Portage was the scene of an epidemic from the years 1825 to 1828, which was called typhus or malarial fever. This nearly wiped the town out of existence. It seemed fatal, and those who had clung to it as the El Dorado of their hopes, were loath to leave, but were forced to do so, or die in their tracks, as scarcely any escaped the deadly disease.

During the early history of this township, a great deal of counterfeit money was in circula- tion, and a great deal of suspicion was attached to persons then living in Johnson's Corners. One De Coursey was generally considered the ringleader of the whole crookedness. He was a sharp, shrewd man-one who seemed to know all that was going on in the whole neighbor- hood-for no sooner did the Justice issue a war- rant for his arrest than he took to the woods, where he would remain until the storm had blown over, when he would again make his ap- pearance. At one time, when the Constable came with a posse to arrest him, De Coursey spied them coming, and quick as thought he pulled off his coat, tossed it to George Beach, who was with him at the time, saying, " Be quick, George. Put on that coat and streak for the woods." Beach did not wait to be told a second time, but " streaked." The Constable and posse took after him full speed. Beach ran until he thought he had carried the joke far enough, when he turned around and faced the music with the remark : " What in hell do you want ? what's the matter ? " "Sucked, by G -! " said the Constable. De Coursey in the mean- while had time to escape. About 1825, a young man named Henry Flickinger came to Johnson's Corners with about $300 in money, which was good, but not the kind that would pass at the land office where he wished to use it for the purpose of buying land. De Coursey then had a man with him named Downs. who, they said, could exchange money with Flickinger. This Flickin- ger was glad to do, but alas ! when Flickinger came to the land office with his money, it was found to be spurious Virginia money. He swore out a warrant for the arrest of Downs, before Esquire Van Hyning. It was served by Hen- ry Sparhawk, Constable, who found his man at Yellow Creek Basin, then a favorite resort for

counterfeiters and horse-thieves. Downs had a fine horse which he rode. They proceeded on their way to Norton, but had not gone far when Downs took to the woods, leaving the horse in possession of the Constable, who brought it to Norton, gave it up to the Squire, who in turn delivered it to Mr. Flickinger, who thus had a horse in exchange for his $300. Suspicion also pointed to one James Hender- shott, who once lived in a house on the high knoll just south of where Jacob Wertman now lives. When the house was torn down, soon after he left it, some counterfeit half-dollars were found in the cellar, supposed to have been left there by him, as he was the last and the only suspicions character who ever lived there.

At the organization of the township, only three Democratic voters were present. They were Abel Irish, Joseph D. Humphrey and Levi Way, who lived in the southeast part of the town. Now, the Democrats have a majority of about sixty in the township.

Norton Township is abundantly supplied with coal of a good quality, no less than four coal mines being in operation within the limits of the township at the present time. The first coal was found cropping out of the bank of a creek, near where the Bartges or Williams Brothers bank now is, as early perhaps as 1825. This coal was sold for $1 per load, and each one dug his own coal at first. Abont 1830-31, the bank on the northeast side of this creek was opened by Jason Jones and a man named Funk. About ten years afterward, Jo- seph Burgess opened the bank on the other side of the creek, and, years after, the one now in operation on his farm, south of Johnson's Cor- ners. In 1876, a coal mine was opened on the farm of Charles Stuver. In 1863, the Atlantic & Great Western Railway, now known as the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad, was opened through the township from east to west, and while grading this, coal was found in a cut at Dennison, which led to the opening of a coal mine at that place. Hundreds of thousands of tons of coal have been taken from this mine, and within the last three years two new openings have been made, and the old bank abandoned and allowed to fill up with water. This mine supplies the railroad with coal for their engines, at the chutes, near the mine, thus saving transportation on a great amount of coal.

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 105

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