History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 107

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 107

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The first settlement made at Norton Center was by Joseph D. Humphrey. He was a grad- uate of Yale College, and had studied law. He settled at Norton Center about 1816-17, and began clearing up Lot 66. He was after- ward elected as first Township Clerk of Norton Township, in the spring of 1818. In 1823-24, Mr. Thomas Brown came from Bates' Corners and built, or started to build, the house still standing on the southwest corner of the public square. It was intended for a store and dwelling. Brown, however, died before it was completed, when Henry Van Hyning, Jr., bought it and finished it up. Soon afterward, he rented it to a man named Gillet, who occu- pied it as a store and dwelling-house for many years. A log-house was built soon after the above on the northwest corner, and, after a number of years, one on the northeast corner. Three acres of land were deeded to the town- ship by Birdsey Norton's heirs and Deacon David Hudson for a public square, as early as 1818. A schoolhouse was also an early acqui- sition. The first was a log structure, which was superseded by a frame building, this again by brick, and last a substantial frame school- house, the largest and best in the township, with a belfry and spire. During the last twenty years of its history, Norton Center has

been a dull place. In 1869, Mr. Lewis Seig- fried built a hotel on the northeast corner of the square, into which he moved on the last day of March, 1870. For years previous to this, he had kept a hotel about a mile east of the Center. In 1871, Mr. Aaron Hartzell and M. M. Dickson opened a store in partnership. A storehouse was built, a stock of goods bought and placed in it, and on May 1, 1871, the store was opened to the public for business. In the fall of 1872, the stock was moved to Johnson's Corners, as the room had grown too small for the business carried on. In the spring of 1877, Mr. A. G. Seas moved his stock of goods from Johnson's Corners to Nor- ton Center, into this same building. M. L. Shook was taken in as a partner, and together they did a small business until the spring of 1879, when the stock was closed out and the partnership dissolved. The post office was established at a very early day, but the date and the first Postmaster's name have not been ascertained. Thomas Young was Postmaster for many years, until the year 1872-probably the winter of 1872-73-when it was trans- ferred to George Lahr, who had it until the fall of 1873, when J. J. Stauffer was appointed Postmaster. He moved away from the Center the following spring, and the post office was discontinued. During the fall of 1877, an effort was made by the citizens of the Center and vicinity to have the office again estab- lished, which was finally successful, and, in the spring of 1878, Mr. A. G. Seas received his appointment as Postmaster. He retained the office until the 1st day of October, 1880, when M. L. Shook was appointed in his place, who still retains the office.

During the spring of 1876, an effort was made by several prominent farmers of Norton Township to organize a grange. Their efforts were finally successful, and, on the 1st of June, 1876, a grange was organized at Norton Center, with E. H. Viers, Master ; A. D. Betz, Overseer, and Reuben Stauffer, Secretary. It was called Summit Grange, P. of H., and num- bered 1,283. Meetings were first held in the store building owned by A. Hartzell. The organization, strong in numbers from the start, slowly increased, and, the following year, a large hall was built on the southeast corner of the square. The hall is 28x50 feet, and two stories high, with a cellar under the south half

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of the building. The lower story is finished for a kitchen and dining-room. The upper floor has two comfortable ante-rooms and lodge-room proper, with arched ceiling and ros- trum. The acoustic qualities are exceptionally fine, and, all in all, it is one of the best halls for the purpose outside of the cities. The grange is still in a flourishing condition, with about sixty members square on the books. Present Mas- ter, Henry Tippery ; Overseer, A. D. Betz ; Secretary, Wellington Miller ; Treasurer, Jo- seph Burgess.

Prior to the year 1830, the population of Norton Township consisted principally of New England people or their descendants, with a few Irish and a few English interspersed. But about that time a thrifty, industrious class of Pennsylvania farmers began to show them- selves, and, attracted by the fertility of the soil, soon we find them buying out the Yankees and superseding them in all manner of business. Among the first Pennsylvania Dutch families we find Nathan Seiberling, 1831; Abraham Koplin, 1831; Lautzenhiser, 1831; the next year brought still others, until among the farming community we find at present more than 75 per cent of Pennsylvania people and their descendants. According to the census of 1880, the population of Norton is 2,067. Among them we find 81 persons over sixty-five years of age ; 54 over seventy years of age, and 9 over eighty years of age. Twelve pairs of twins were enumerated, of whom two pairs were both females, seven pairs both males and three pairs of one male and one female. Two hundred and eight farms were enumerated, averaging seventy-two acres per farm, and in the crop report for 1880, we find seventy-two farmers reporting 57,276 bushels of corn in the ear, averaging ninety bushels per acre. Seven- ty farmers reported 23,126 bushels of oats, or thirty-eight bushels per acre. Seventy-eight farmers report 28,551 bushels of wheat on 1,035 acres, or 27.5 bushels per acre. Sixty- nine farmers reported 18,285 bushels of apples (estimated).

The first organized church in Norton was a Methodist society formed as early as 1816, in the northeast part of the township. The carlier Class-leaders were natives of Coventry Township. They held their meetings in pri- vate houses for a number of years. James McMahan and John P. Kent were the circuit

preachers at that time. John C. Brooks came on in 1817, and was instrumental in bringing about a great revival of religion in that year. We next find Dennis Goddard and a Mr. Booth on the circuit, with James B. Findlay as Pre- siding Elder. About this time the log-church building in the woods north of New Portage was erected, where powerful work was done for the cause of religion. Under the direction of Brooks, a Methodist society was formed at Bates' Corners, soon after the great revival of 1817. This was at one time a very strong society. A church was built and the society was prosperous for a considerable number of years. Next after the Methodists, the Baptists got a footing at Bates' Corners, and organized a society, but by whom is not known. They, in their turn, were succeeded by the Disciples and Congregationalists, and in 1847 a Union, or more strictly speaking, a Lutheran society was formed with about forty members. Daniel Bauer and David Moser were the first Elders, with Charles Miller and William Sweitzer, Deacons. John Ruhl, a Reformed minister, was the first one employed regularly. Mect- ings were held in the Disciples' Church until 1851, when the Evangelical Lutheran and Ger- man Reformed united and together erected the church building now in use. The corner-stone was laid about the 10th day of May, by Revs. D. Rothacker and J. W. Hamm ; the latter had been serving the society some time before. The church is built of stone and finished with a gal- lery on three sides, at an expense of about $2,300 ; was dedicated in November, some time toward the close of the month. Rev. Rothacker was employed by the Evangelical Lutheran society at that time, and continued to serve them until October 1, 1875, when the Rev. J. H. Smith was called to the pulpit, and has served them since. Father Hamm served the German Reformed society from 1849 till 1862. Rev. C. H. Reiter, 1862 till 1868, since which Rev. S. C. Leiter has had charge of the flock. Present number of communicants : Lutheran, 190 ; Reformed, 140.

At Western Star, a Methodist Church was organized about 1835, or perhaps later. Among the early circuit preachers were Rev. Lorenzo Bevin, in charge of the society at this place. No regular church building was erected, al- though a lot was deeded to a religious associa- tion by Nathan Starr and wife, of Middletown,

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Conn .. which was to revert back to the grantors if not used for the purposes and in the manner specified. In 1878, the United Brethren formed a society at this place, with a membership of fifty-two, and, the following year, a church building was erected, at a cost of $2,200. It

was dedicated by Bishop Weaver. Revs. Sprang and Whitney served the congregation the first year, and at present Revs. Sprang and Moody have the charge. Present membership, about fifty. In 1838, a union society of Ger- man Reformed and Evangelical Lutheran com- municants was formed in the southwest part of Norton Township, with some members in Chip- pewa Township. A site was secured, and a building erected by Peter Burkert (now living in Akron). The building was quite large, with gallery on three sides. It was used as a church for thirty-five years, and originally cost about $1,700. In 1873, a new church was built on the opposite side of the road in Wayne County, at a cost of $3,200. Father J. W. Hamm served this charge for thirty-three years in succession, having been the first Re- formed minister installed as Pastor of this church. The present Pastors are Rev. S. C. Leiter and Rev. Mr. Sponseller. At Johnson's Corners a Methodist society was organized, as already mentioned, in 1835-36. A church building was erected in or about 1841, and used as such until 1871, when a new church was built for the same society at a cost of $5,000. It was dedicated by Rev. Mr. Osborn, of Akron. Present Pastor, William S. Fitch ; number of communicants, forty. The old church was at first seated with rough boards laid across poles, with legs put in by boring holes in the poles and inserting a short stick. These served as seats for some time, when Thomas Reese finally put in better seats.

The Reformed Church at Johnson's Corners was organized in 1852 by Rev. P. J. Spangler, with David Waltz and Henry Yaukey, Elders, and John Hoffman and Michael Wise, Esq., as Deacons, and about twenty-five lay members. Their meetings were held in the old Methodist Church until 1868. Prior to the organization of this society, Rev. George Schlosser, a German Reformed minister, had preached at and around this place in schoolhouses. He was a power- ful speaker, talented and able in debate. Span- gler was also a good speaker and served the

society seven or eight years ; he was followed by Rev. Jesse Schlosser, who remained about two years ; next came Rev. David H. Reiter, who also served the charge about two years, then Rev. Jesse Hines about four years, Rev. J. J. Excell not quite two years, when S. C. Goss took the charge, and has retained it ever since. He was educated at Heidelberg College, Tiffin, Ohio. In 1868, the society erected a house of worship of their own, which was dedi- cated about the 1st of November. The church cost about $2,200, is a medium-sized, com- fortable building ; present membership about seventy-five. In 1868, a church was built at New Portage for the Methodist society of that place, which cost $2,500. It is well finished throughout, and stands on a hill overlooking the surrounding country. The present number of members is about seventy-five, under the charge of William S. Fitch. The history of the churches of Norton would be incomplete without the mention of the great Mormon ex- citement between 1832 and 1838, and even con- siderably later than that. When Joseph Smith settled at Kirtland, Ohio, to establish his earthly Zion, one of his followers (who afterward be- came an Elder), Sidney Rigdon, began to work as a missionary. Around New Portage meetings were held, frequently at private houses, and people joined the Mormons by the score. A great love feast was held by them at one time, at which Joseph Smith himself was present. Rigdon suffered considerable persecution for his faith, having at one time been treated to a coat of tar and feathers at Kirtland, along with Smith. Rigdon was the originator of the "spir- itual wife" theory, which afterward led to polygamy. Upward of twenty-five souls left Norton and followed the Mormons on their Westward journey in search of Zion, and many more remained behind whose faith in Mormon- ism remained apparently unshaken.

Norton Township supports eleven schools, most of which are in session nine months in the year. During the year 1880, $2,707.60 was expended as tuition for an average daily attendance of 400 scholars. Average price per month paid to teachers was to males, $28 ; females, $20. Total enumeration between the ages of six and twenty-one, 664 ; total value of schoolhouses and grounds, $8,350.

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GREEN TOWNSHIP.

CHAPTER XXVI .*

CREEN TOWNSHIP-PHYSICAL FEATURES -SQUATTER-HUNTERS-AN INCIDENT -SETTLEMENT -

PIONEER HARDSHIPS - MILLS AND OTHER INDUSTRIES-SCHOOLS-

CHURCHES - GRAVEYARDS -VILLAGES, ETC.

G Y REEN TOWNSHIP is situated in the southern part of Summit County, below the forty-first parallel of latitude, which is the southern limit of the Western Reserve. This township is bounded on the north by Coventry and Springfield ; on the east by Lake Township, of Stark County ; on the south by Jackson Township, of Stark County, and on the west by Franklin Township. Green is Township 12 of Range 9, in what is known as " Congress land." It is six miles in extent from cast to west, and about five and one-half miles from north to south, containing nearly if not quite thirty three square miles of land. The general character of the land might be considered rolling, but toward the southwestern portion the undula- tions are much higher and these elevations are called " hills " by the inhabitants. The town- ship is naturally well drained by several small streams and creeks, which wind around the hills and through the vales, but this natural drainage has been improved by numerous ditches. The water-shed between the Missis- sippi Valley and the St. Lawrence basin ex- tends into this township and divides the waters which descend from the heavens. This can plainly be seen on several different farms. A short distance west of the Gongwer School- house, near the center of the township, are two small swamps ; the overflow from one finds its way to the Gulf of Mexico, while the waters of the other reach Lake Erie, on their route to the sea. The soil of the township is very fertile and well adapted to farming, and Green ranks with Springfield and Franklin Townships among the richest agricultural townships in Ohio. Sev- eral of the farms are underlaid with beds of rich coal, and the owners of other tracts sus- dect that the vein is also hidden beneath their lanp, but their fears of disappointment pre- vent them from prospecting for the desired treasure. A mine has been worked on Wise's

farm, in Section 24, for some twelve years, and another on Whitacre's land, about one half- mile south of Greentown Station, for nearly, if not quite, three decades. Some thirty rods east of the township line they discovered a vein of iron ore, many years ago, which they mined for a short time, but failed to find a sufficient amount to make the mine a profitable invest- ment. Several veins of coal have been struck while miners were prospecting on various farms in Green Township, but the results obtained did not please the operators, and the mining was discontinued. Among these abandoned shafts is one on John Kepler's farm, southeast of the village of East Liberty.

On Sections 7 and 18 of this township, is a portion of Turkey Foot Lake, the greater part being situated in Franklin Township, on Sec- tions 12 and 13. This body of water is about one mile in length from east to west, and varying in its width. At the narrowest point, directly on the township line, it is but little over a quarter of a mile in width, but, at both ends, it is from one-half to three-quarters of a mile in width. It is called Turkey Foot Lake because the shape of the sheet of water resembles the foot of a turkey. Just north of this lake is the " Reser- voir," a portion of which extends into Green Township, on Section 6. Another small lake or pond is situated in this township, upon Sec- tion 33. This sheet of water, which would pos- sibly be more correctly termed a marsh, lies be- tween the hills, and is about one mile in extent from north to south and very irregular in width. The southern portion seems to termi- nate in a sink-hole, which is said by some to be bottomless, but, by more reliable authority, from sixty to eighty feet in depth ; the sink- hole covers an area of about three acres. There are also three very deep little lakes or sink-holes on and near the southwest corner of Section 20, which have destroyed many head of cattle in times past that approached too near them and

* Contributed by Thomas P. Hopley.

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

were swallowed in the miry muck which sur- rounds the ponds. Tritt's pond, on Section 31, and Heckman's mill-race on Section 13, are ar- tificial reservoirs, which serve as water-power for mills. Gen. Bierce says : "One of the great- est curiosities of the township in the early settle- ment was 'Rattlesnake' Spring, on Section 25, first owned by John Yarrick. It is on the road from Greentown to Greensburg. When Yarrick first purchased this land, the spring was a great resort for rattlesnakes. The water issues from a crevice in a limestone rock, overlaid with a hold bank of about twenty feet high. In the fall of the year, the snakes would resort to this spring and enter the crevice of the rock, where they remained through the winter. When the warmth of spring revived them from their tor- por, they would emerge from their winter quar- ters to bask in the sun. At this season they fell an easy prey to the destroyer. Yarrick and his family would kill hundreds of them, then pile the snakes on a log-heap and burn them. By this wholesale butchery the spring was soon rid of rattlesnakes, but it ever afterward bore the name of its first venomous inhabitants."

For many years previous to the settlement of Ohio by the whites, Green Township must have been a favorite resort of the aboriginal race which then inhabited the State, for in the early day, many remains of their handiwork were found. Gen. Bierce says : "The northwest quarter of Section 25, on land purchased by Cornelius Johnston of the United States in 1813, appears to have been a favorite hunting- ground of the Indians, as arrow-heads, hatchets, skinning knives and other implements have been found there in great abundance. From the numerous flint chips found on that quarter of the section, it would seem to have been a place for manufacturing their stone hatchets and arrow-heads. Where they found the stone is unknown. This spot seems to have been se- lected on account of its being light-timbered, clear from underbrush, and elevated a little above the surrounding lands. Scattered over this elevated plateau were found piles of stones, varying in size from a man's fist to his head, and arranged in heaps of from four to six feet to a little larger or smaller. Tradition assigns to them the honor of holding the aslies of some warrior or chief, but as no bones or human re- mains have ever been found in them, I am in- clined to think them altars, on which they sac-

rificed to their gods, and the spirits of their departed braves. Among all the tribes sacri- fices were common. Tradition says that one of the early settlers in Green attempted to desecrate one of the altars, but after throwing down three or four feet of it, and when he was, as he supposed, about to accomplish his object, he was seized with a supernatural fear, and abandoned the enterprise." Previous to the war of 1812, Indians were quite plenty in the town- ship, but as they sided with the British they were compelled by the white settlers to leave, and since then an Indian has rarely been seen within the limits of Green. Many families who located after the war declare the red men had all left when they came from Pennsylvania. The remains of their old forts and wigwams were seen as late as 1855, according to Gen. Bierce, at the head-waters of the Nimishilla, on Sections 36 and 25. They also occupied sev- eral camps near Turkey Foot Lake, and what, is now the reservoir, in 1809, when the Kepler family first located in the township. " Among the celebrated Indians who used this township for a hunting-ground was a chief called by the whites ' Beaver Hat.' He had a settlement at what is how the south part of the village of Wooster, where the Baptist burying-ground now is. His Indian name was Paupellnan, and his settlement he called ' Apple Chanquecake,' or apple orchard. He was a bitter enemy of the whites, and, when drunk, he would take out a string with thirteen white men's tongues on it, dried, and exhibit them with much pride. One day he got out his string of tongues, and began to shake them, when George Harter took his rifle and started after him, saying he would go and kill a buck. The report of a rifle was soon after heard, but he brought baek no game, nor was Beaver Hat ever heard of more."-Bierce. Harter lived immediately south of Section 16 land for a few years at an early day. Most of the original permanent white settlers of Green Township were Pennsylvania Dutch and their descendants, and the cast and tone of morals and society still retain a decidedly German character. The citizens are honest, frugal, in- dustrious and wealthy. Although the dialect of the Pennsylvania Dutch is to a great extent the medium of communication between the residents of the township, it is seldom an in- habitant is found who cannot understand when asked a question in English, and these excep-

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tional cases are generally the aged and infirm. Many of the early settlers and their children refused to adopt the advanced ideas and new improvements advocated by the genius of the most progressive nation known to history, and many of these old fellows died still clinging to their old notions of the past, but occasion- ally one still living and blessed with wealth will declare how little he cares for those glories of the nation as shown by mighty works of archi- tectural grandeur ; and this poor mortal will expect you to accord to him a meed of praise and make a virtue of his ignorance. But the descendants of these men have, by mingling with a different race, caught the spirit of prog- ress which will in future years bring forth a rich harvest, for by uniting to the bone and muscle the industry and frugality of the Ger- man, the refinement and progressive spirit of the Yankee, a generation will be born in Green that will rank with the best bone, musele and mind of the country.

Green Township was for many years the hunting ground of several families, mere " squatters" on the land, who were as nomadic in habit as they were transient in location. They lived chiefly by hunting and fishing, and many of them paid very little attention to farm- ing. Among these were Johnny Holmes, an old fellow who was raised with the Indians and was possibly a half-breed. He married an In- dian squaw, and they lived with Williams, an Indian, who camped on Williams Run. When the war of 1812 broke out, Williams was anx- ious to leave for Upper Sandusky, but Holmes did not wish to go, and this created bad feeling between the two. Williams left with his wife and after two days sent back for Holmes, re- porting that he had reached a place where much game abounded ; this had the desired effect upon Holmes, and he left with his wife for the favored locality, but upon reaching the place found that Williams was still feeling savage toward him, for at supper time he refused to let Holmes have anything to eat, but supplied Mrs. Holmes and his own wife. This to Holines was a very bad sign, and he left that night for his old home by a different route from the one he had previously traveled. By special agree- ment his wife returned another way ; they met at a secret place in the vast wilderness which was known to both ; they were then tired and hungry. so famished that they were willing to

feast, on a hedge-hog which Holmes shot. This old fellow afterward settled near New Portage, and after living there some years moved away.

There is considerable ignorance among many old pioneers of Green in regard to the first family that settled in the township. Gen. Bierce in his history stated that "it was John Kepler, who came in the fall of 1809." This is a slight error ; Kepler was the first person to purchase Government land and make a perma- nent settlement, but when he arrived in 1809, there were several families temporarily located on Section 16 land. These were John Cruzen, David Hartman, Bazil Viers, the Dixons, the Triplets, and their families. This statement is made on the authority of Jacob Kepler, son of John, Mrs. Mary Paulner and Mrs. Sarah War- ner, daughters of Andrew Kepler, and John Buchtel. The former three are over seventy- five years of age, and came with their parents in 1809 and 1810. Mr. Buchtel was twelve years old when he settled in Green, shortly after the Keplers did. Both John and Andrew, sons of Andrew, deny this statement and de- clare that no other families were living in Green Township when the Keplers came, but Andrew was not born till 1815, and consequent- ly obtains his knowledge through other parties, and John says he was only three years old when his father moved to Ohio. Very little is known of some who located temporarily on these school lands at an early day. They were generally very poor, and the Trustees of the township permitted them to live on Section 16 lands if they would each year put a certain amount of improvements upon the farms they occupied. There is some doubt in regard to which family first located on these lands. Mrs. John Hunsberger, of Greensburg, a daugh- ter of William Triplet, relates that her father always claimed that either he or John Cruzen was the first settler of the township. The wives of these two men were cousins. Cruzen had a large family of children. He once killed an elk near a small stream which was afterward named Elk Run. This spot was one mile and a half southwest of Greensburg Village on the farm now owned by Widow Beltz. It is claimed that this was the only elk ever killed in this section of the State, but a pair of elk-horns were afterward found on old Philip Hartong's farm. Cruzen remained in Green Township

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 107

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