History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 118

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 118

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

River. The township is drained almost wholly by Tinker's Creek. This stream enters near the southeast corner and flows northwest, leav- ing one mile east of the northwest corner. There are several valuable falls, the principal one being at Millville. In early years, in the northern part of the township, the bed of the creek widened out to three or four times its ordinary width, thus creating what might be termed a lake on a small scale. There is con- siderable quite level land, which, when the country was new, was very wet, affording but little satisfaction to those who were obliged to cross it. Since the opening of the forests has let in the heat of the sun, the soil is found to be in about the proper condition to work. The soil is mainly destitute of clay, consisting mostly of a dark loam, which contains a large proportion of decaying vegetable ingredients. Large quantities of stone are being taken out at the quarry one mile north of the Center.

Much of the early history of this township has already been written by some of its earliest and most reliable citizens. While much of this must be repeated, not only from its value, but from the fact that it is unusually complete, new items of historical importance, which have been carefully gathered and selected, will be added. The writer has taken pains to collect additional information on those subjects which are treated quite fully by Ethan Alling, Luman Lane and Gen. Bierce. In a few instances, those writers have made mistakes, some of which have been discovered and will be avoided. Other subjects have not been treated as thoroughly as their historical value de- mands, resulting no doubt from the primary nature of these records. Again, other impor- tant topics have been altogether overlooked. The writings of the above-named men are valn- able, and are mainly followed.

The original proprietors of Twinsburg were Mills & Hoadley, who owned the south and southeasterly parts ; Henry Champion, who owned the west and northwesterly parts, and Moses and Aaron Wilcox. who owned the north and northeasterly parts. The principal stream in the township was named by Gen. Moses Cleaveland, in honor of the principal boatman, Joseph Tinker, who accompanied the first ex- ploring expedition sent to the Western Reserve by the Connectieut Land Company. While par- ties of the surveyors were running the merid-

ians in the castern part of the Reserve, during the summer of 1796, Gen. Cleaveland, accom- panicd by Joseph Tinker, went up the lake on an exploring voyage, as far as the mouth of the Cuyahoga, and then up that river until they discovered a large creek, which, in honor of his boatman, Gen. Cleaveland named "Tinker's Creek." Tinker was engaged the following year in the same capacity, in the second explor- ing expedition to the Reserve. In the fall, when the company was returning down the lake, the boat containing Tinker was capsized, and he was drowned. But the stream still bears his name, and will until the end of time.

In 1816-17, Lewis Alling, of Connecticut, purchased 400 acres of land of Mills & Hoad- ley, lying in the southeast part of Millsville Township (now Twinsburg). On the 3d of March, 1817, he sent his son Ethan, then a strip- ling aged sixteen years, to this land in the Re- serve to commence an improvement. Three young men-Zeri Alling, Rodolphus Wolcott and Lex Johnson-were hired and sent out at the same time to assist him. After a muddy journey, except one day's travel on the ice from Buffalo to Dunkirk, this little party of four ar- rived at the cabin of Mr. Post, in Hudson, on the last day of March. The next day the party, accompanied, or rather guided, by Mr. Mills, started north to have a look at the land, upon which they were destined to undergo many hard days' labor. Following a line of marked trees, they at last reached a spot which Mr. Mills in- formed them was the center of the township. They all sat down and rested under a beech tree which stood just at the southeast corner of the square. The spot was muddy and uninvit- ing, and the party followed up the creek until they came to " the falls," where they found some sticks of hewed timber which had been drawn there by settlers of Hudson who designed build- ing a saw-mill. The project, however, had been abandoned, although a small, partly finished log cabin had been erected, which was yet standing, au emblem of desertion and loneliness. After returning to Hudson and remaining there two weeks, clearing in the meantime a piece of land to be planted in corn, the boys selected a hill known now as the Hawkins farm, the land being a portion that had been purchased by Lewis Alling, and began clearing off the timber. On the 15th of April, they "moved " to the half-finished log cabin already referred to,

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taking with them a barrel of stale pork that had been bought of Capt. Oviatt for $25, a barrel of flour that had cost $8, ten bushels of pota- toes that had cost $5, and a gallon of whisky that had cost $1.50. They were supplied with a bake-kettle without a bail, two tin pans, one case knife, one iron spoon, and were compelled to use chips for plates and sharp sticks for forks. Ethan Alling kept house, doing the cooking, etc., not only for his party but for va- rious visitors who were attracted to the spot, in order, perhaps, to get a " square meal." On the 7th of July, Lewis Alling and his family ar- rived, and moved into a log house that had been erected by the boys about the 1st of June. This building was the home, during the year, of the Alling family, and also of several others, num- bering in all fourteen persons. The house was two-storied, having one room above and one below, and, although everything was in the most primitive fashion, yet all seemed to live well and enjoy themselves. Provisions were very costly, though venison could be had without much trouble. Pork sold for about $8 per hun- dred, while the same quantity of venison could be bought for $1. Salt was $10 per barrel, cot- ton shirting 50 cents per yard, and calico 75 cents per yard.

Toward the latter part of May, 1817, Maj. Elisha Loomis, E. W. Mather and Lester Davis arrived from Connecticut, and, after stopping a few days with the Allings, built a log cabin at a place since known as Loomis Mills. Mr. Loomis had been a sailor on the ocean for many years, having sailed twice round the world in the ship Oneida. Frederick Stanley came in about the same time Loomis did. On the 1st of July, Lewis Alling, Jr., Gideon Thompson and Zenas Alling arrived with a drove of 104 merino sheep, having driven them, in thirty days, 660 miles. It was thought that sheep-rearing could be made profitable, but the owners were doomed to disappointment. The wolves killed many of them, as did also the dogs, while others died of strange diseases which baffled all care. The flock were soon all gone. At the close of 1820, the following set- tlers had found homes in the township : Lewis Alling. William Allen, Elisha Loomis, Elias Mather. Joel W. Thompson, Josiah Myric, Noah P. Nichols, A. J. Palmer, Henry Bennett, Amos C. Taylor, Lyman Richmond, Reuben Chamberlain, Frederick Stanley, John Bassett,

Samuel Vail, Edwin Vail, Homer Vail, John Dodge, Isaiah Humphrey, Roman Humphrey, Nestor Hurlbut, Ezra Osborn, Preston Pond, Samuel Alger, Cyrus Hodskin, N. S. Barnett, Cotton M. Leech, Levi Leech. Emery Alger. Elijah W. Bronson. Asa Upson, Orrin Tucker, Leonard Kilbourn, Oliver Clark and Messrs. Perkins. Sawyer, Davis and Darling.

The township was organized in 1819. An election was ordered to be held in April of that year, by the Commissioners of Portage County. and on that occasion nineteen voters were pres- ent. Frederick Stanley was chosen Clerk. and a few other offices were filled; but it was found nec- essary during the following autumn to elect the the remainder, at which time Lewis Alling and Samuel Vail were chosen Justices of the Peace. receiving their commissions from the county court. Elisha Loomis was the second Clerk. E. W. Bronson third, and Luman Lane fourth. the latter serving in 1822. The township was named in 1819, in honor of. and at the sugges- tion of, the Wilcox brothers, who were twins. These brothers did not come West until 1823 ; but owning as they did several thousand acres in the northeastern part, they proposed giving six acres at the center for a public square, and $20 toward building the first schoolhouse. pro- viding the township was named Twinsburg in their honor. Their proposal was accepted : but prior to that time the township was known either by its range and number, or as Millsville. Elijah W. Bronson was the real estate agent of the Wilcox brothers, being authorized to dis- pose of their land previous to their coming to the township. Luman Lane was the first. or one of the first, to erect a dwelling on the Wil- cox tract. Maria Stanley was the first child horn. that event occurring November 23. 1819. The first death was in the spring of 1819. and was that of a child of Reuben Chamberlain. The first marriage occurred March 19. 1821. between Emery W. Alger and Eliza Dodge, Lewis Alling, Esq .. performing the ceremony in backwoods fashion.

In 1817, Elisha Loomis erected a saw-mill in the southeastern corner on Tinker's Creek. natural fall in the stream. of some ten feet. aided by a strong dam, furnished a fine water-power. Water was supplied by means of a race, and the mill continued to do good work for a num- ber of years. In 1818, E. W. Mather built a frame grist-mill at the same place, on the op-

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posite side of the creek. This mill was oper- ated until about 1840, when it ceased from lack of patronage. The presence of these two mills at the falls served to attract settlers to that locality, and several dwellings were soon seen on the adjoining hills. This proceeding met the approval of the proprietors of that tract, who had already placed on paper a plat of the prospective village of " Millsville." They saw a general disposition on the part of the settlers to locate there, and determined to profit by it. They accordingly laid out a number of lots, and offered them for sale at prices ranging from $50 to $200; but they had greatly miscalcu- lated, as scarcely a lot was sold. There were but few mechanics in the country then, and they sought larger villages in which to ply their craft. And then the price asked was ten times too much for that early period of the growth of the village. All shunned the village, and at last, when the proprietors awoke to the true state of affairs, they were too late to remedy the evil. There was no demand for the lots then at any price. The tradesmen, mechanics and merchants had gone elsewhere, leaving the proprietors to repent in sackcloth and ashes for their short-sightedness. The mills, at this antici- pated village, were not the only ones in Twins- burg in early years. Apollos White built a dam across Tinker's Creek in about 1835, and erected thereon two mills-one for grinding grain and the other for sawing lumber. Both did fair work for a number of years. White finally sold the grist-mill to a man named Gibbs, who, after operating it a few years, sold to other parties. It finally burned down in about 1865, George and Alfred Ledgsham being the owners at the time. These mills did good work, and had an extensive patronage in their day. It was an accommodation to get flour and lumber so near home, for it saved tiresome journeys through roads whose bottom was too far down to be reached with comfort.

Roads were important considerations when the country was first settled. If a path was cleared through the woods for that purpose, it seemed as if all the stagnant water for rods around was sure to settle there. The turnpike was largely graded by the owners of the land across which it ran. Mills and Hoadley worked the turnpike along their land, as did also Henry Champion. These men evidently had an ob- ject in view in this proceeding, as they after-

ward charged an additional dollar per acre more for the land adjoining the turnpike than for other portions. The citizens gave from $10 to $50 each to assist in defraying the expense of constructing this road, the amount given reach- ing very nearly $3,000. In 1821, the citizens living on the road running north from the Cen- ter, pledged themselves to labor on that road each alternate Saturday afternoon, or forfeit a half-gallon of whisky. Tradition tells us of a great many forfeits paid ; but does not utter a syllable as to what became of the whisky. In spring time, when Tinker's Creek was raging, the settlers living on the opposite side found it extremely difficult to cross over to the Center. This finally led to the erection of a bridge more than forty rods in length, which lasted for a number of years. Brush and stone and logs were placed in muddy spots in the roads ; and, some time in the distant future, when these places are invaded, and portions of the wood found in a fair state of preservation, newspaper speculations as to how long they have been there will be in order.

In 1825, Ethan Alling began the dairy busi- ness with twenty-two cows, several of which had been bought for $12 each. The butter made was taken to Akron once each week, and sold at 8 cents per pound for the use of the canal laborers. Considerable cheese was also made, but from a lack of suitable places in which to keep it, a large portion was lost. Six hundred pounds, however, were sold at Aurora for 5 cents a pound. This was the first cheese made in Twinsburg. In 1828, Joseph Cham- berlain also began making cheese and butter from the milk of some thirty cows. About the same time, several others began the same occu- pation, which was conducted so extensively that money began to flow into Twinsburg, in- stead of out of it as before. About $1,000 came to the township in 1833 from this source alone. Twinsburg has since been noted for its interest in dairy matters. The sales steadily increased until, in 1860, they amounted to more than $75,000, and in 1880 to nearly $100,000. It is difficult to conceive how scarce money was in pioneer times, and how people managed to get along without it. When the settlers first rushed to the township, there was considerable money for a few years ; but when a lull in the immigration occurred, the ready money flowed away like water, leaving the set-

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tlers to discover some means of getting along without it. At first, when money was abund- ant, prices were very high ; but when the money had served its purpose and gone to distant places, prices gradually went down until they became very low. The settlers, who afterward came drizzling in (if the expression may be allowed) brought ready money, and the settlers already there were anxious to become their bosom friends. This rapid change created two distinct prices-one called the trade price, and the other the cash price. Promissory notes, due at some future day, were made payable in horses, cattle, hogs, wheat, potatoes, etc., etc. Quite a number who came early were induced to promise to pay $5 or $6, per acre for their farms. Some succeeded, but most of them failed, and were obliged to leave the farms, several of which, with all their improvements upon them, were afterward sold for $3 an acre. Early in the spring of 1821, Joel W. Thomp- son, seeing around him a strong demand for liquor, erected a small distillery at a spring in the southeastern part of the township. Con- siderable rye whisky was made for a short time, which was carried away in gallon bottles, as fast as it was made. In 1826, a strong im- pulse was given to the temperance cause in Summit County, or what is now Summit County. Societies for the suppression of liquor-traffic and liquor-drinking were organized in every township, not only in this county, but through- out the eastern part of the Reserve. Great en- thusiasm prevailed among the workers, and scores of persons ceased to manufacture and sell ardent spirits. A branch society, with headquarters at Cuyahoga Falls, was organized in Twinsburg in about 1830, and, three years later, the society boasted of 224 members-all living in the township. Those who were sell- ing liquor at the Center were induced to close up their business and join the society, which could soon boast that there was no place in the township where liquor was sold. It was about the time of the organization of this society that the first effort was made to secure the raising of log-buildings without whisky, but the movement was met with violent opposition from those who thought liquor one of the neces- saries of life. These men refused to appear at such raisings, but, when their temperate neigh- bors refused to assist them, unless whisky was omitted from the programme, they finally either

dropped the use of liquor on such occasions, or sought associations more congenial with their intemperate habits. A spirit of hostility was thus created between parties, which termi- nated only when the temperance cause pre- vailed.

Many interesting incidents are told by old hunters or their descendants concerning advent- ures had with bears or other wild animals. Ezra Clark was one day chopping on a piece of woodland belonging to Mr. Lane, when sud- denly he heard a hog, off some twenty rods distant, begin to squeal as though in the great- est distress. Clark instantly surmised that a bear was endeavoring to carry off the hog, or was killing it on the spot. Though unarmed, he instantly made up his mind to prevent, if possible, the untimely death of the Sus scrofa. He hurriedly cut a heavy club, and, seizing it, he ran rapidly forward to a large log, behind which he beheld a scene which was often enacted in the backwoods. A savage-looking bear of average size had thrown a full-grown hog on the ground, and was busily engaged in tearing its flesh with teeth and claws. A large hole, from which the blood freely flowed, had been torn in the hog's shoulder, and, when first seen, the bear had just fastened his long white teeth in the tender flesh, with the design of tearing out another large mouthful. Mr. Clark was at first in a quandary what to do, whether to consult his own safety in flight, or to cour- ageously attack the bear. His ax was still in his hand, and, after hesitating but a moment, he approached with the intention of striking it into the bear. But the moment the bear be- held his approach, it leaped back from the hog, and, rearing up on its hind feet, in the act of defense, faced the woodsman with a savage growl, showing two rows of gleaming teeth discolored with blood. The man stopped short, as he had no desire to encounter the em- braces of the animal. He threw his club, low- ever, with all his strength, fairly striking the bear, which dropped on all fours and shambled off a few rods, when it turned, showed its teetli, and, after viewing the intruder a moment, turned and made off as fast as it could through the forest. On another occasion, a bear was seen to pass across the southern part of the township, going north. An alarm was given, and a party of men with dogs and guns started rapidly in pursuit. The bear was overtaken

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by the dogs, and treed near the cabin of Aaron Post. The men came up, when one of them fired, bringing the bear to the ground. It was badly wounded, but had plenty of life and flight remaining, and the men, knowing that it could not escape them, determined to have some fun, if it could be called fun. The dogs, five or six in number, were urged on ; but whenever they came within reach of the bear, they were knocked about like foot-balls. They soon learned, by sorry experience, to keep at a respectable distance, contenting themselves with sudden approaches and nips, when the bear's back was turned. The animal handled its fore feet with remarkable strength and dex- terity, wheeling round and round to escape the sharp teeth of the dogs, and occasionally send- ing one of them end over end a rod or more away. At last, one of the men, with gun cocked, went close to the bear, and fired di- rectly at its head, expecting to stretch it dead in its tracks ; but, just as he fired, the bear made a sudden movement, and thus escaped the shot unhurt. Another tried the same ex- periment, and succeeded in killing the wounded animal. It is related by Mrs. Elizabeth (Walker) Lappin, of Boston Township, who is the oldest settler living in the county, having been born in October, 1788, and who came to Hudson in 1802, that, on one occasion, a man named Cackler, while hunting in the woods in Twinsburg, as early as 1808, came very nearly being killed by a bear. While following its trail rapidly, with head bent down, he came di- rectly upon it so suddenly that he had no time to raise his gun or retreat. The animal reared up on its hind feet, with a fierce growl, and struck a fearful blow at the hunter with its fore-paw, but, luckily, he leaped back far enough to avoid the stroke. He raised and cocked his rifle. probably in the same move- ment, and, as the bear was upon him, he thrust out his gun, with the intention of making a quick shot, and, as luck would have it, the muzzle was plunged into the animal's mouth. The trigger was instantly pulled, and a ball went crashing through the brain of the huge animal, which, a moment later, fell upon the ground in the agonies of death. Had it not been for the lucky thrust of the rifle, it would have fared hard with the intrepid hunter. Mrs. Lappin says that her father, John Walker, killed sixteen bears after coming to the county,

and that, on several occasions, he had narrow escapes from death. He had a large butcher- knife, which he invariably carried with him, and, whenever a bear was killed, a notch was cut on the deer-horn handle. This knife is now in possession of Mr. Walker's grandson, who lives in Indiana, and upon the handle are the sixteen notches, cut there more than half a century ago by the fearless old bear hunter. Many other interesting stories of a similar na- ture might be narrated.

It is probable that Elijah W. Bronson, the land agent of the Wilcox brothers, erected the first house in the village of Twinsburg. The exact date is not remembered, but was prior to 1824. The second house was built by Mr. Myric, and was a frame structure, located on the south side of the public square. The Bronson building was on the east side, and was constructed of logs. In 1824, Leverett Clark bought the Myric property, the latter moving East. A man named Gould lived about ten rods west of the square in 1824. In 1823, Moses and Aaron Wilcox built a small frame house on the north side, and here the brothers "bached" for a short time, selling, in the meantime, portions of their land, and using their best efforts to induce settlers to locate at the village or farther north on their tract. They did not commit the mistake that resulted so disastrously to Mills & Hoadley. They had already given land for the public square, and $20 toward building the first schoolhouse, and they now not only sold their village lots at a low figure, but gave lots to tradesmen and mechanics who would locate there permanently. The result was that in five or six years, ten or twelve families were living at or near the Center, and various industries had arisen, giving the place a business-like ap- pearance. While " baching," the brothers em- ployed Mrs. Clark to bake their bread ; but they otherwise, very probably, did their own cooking. In about 1826, each of the brothers built a small frame house on the north side, and both of these buildings are yet standing in a fair state of preservation, and both are occupied. In the fall of 1825, Ethan Alling, after quitting the dairy business, commenced building a tavern at the Center, and the follow- ing year, the structure having been completed, Mr. Alling moved in about the 1st of Decem- ber. The tavern was formally opened on Christmas with a ball, and music and dancing

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ruled the hour. This building is yet standing, and composes a part of the large, low frame

structure which stands, dark and deserted, on the southeast corner of the square. In the bar of this tavern, liquor was kept for sale, a universal thing in those days. The Wilcox brothers had succeeded in getting a Post Office at the Center as early as 1825, and Moses Wilcox was com- missioned first Postmaster. At his death, which occurred in the autumn of 1827, Mr.

Alling applied for the appointment, and was commissioned October, 1827. Mail was then obtained from Hudson once a week. The total amount of postage received in 1828 was $36.01 ; in 1839, it was $256.67, and in 1860, about $400. Twenty periodicals came to the office in 1828 ; about seven hundred came in 1860. At that time a well-traveled stage route, running from Hudson to Cleveland, passed through Northfield Township, bringing an enormous custom to hotels there, and filling every industry with life. Mr. Alling and others in Twinsburg saw this, and became envious ; or, at least, they resolved to make the effort to have the stage route changed so as to pass through Twinsburg Center. With this object in view, Ethan Alling and Jabez Gilbert. in 1828, bought out the entire stage property. The sequel is easily guessed. The route was immediately changed, and the splendid impetus given to every industry at the village soon pro- duced a marked result. New life was infused into every undertaking; mechanics and teach- ers appeared, and the outlook for the village seemed highly favorable. It was one of the most important events occurring in the history of the township. A tri-weekly mail was thus secured, and from one to five stages passed over the route daily. The road was exten- sively traveled by persons going to Cleveland to market, who had previously gone by some other route. It is said that very often as high as fifty horses were kept over night at the tav-

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 118

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