History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 59

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 59

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

So great was Brown's popularity in his own neighborhood that he was repeatedly elected to township offices. He held the position of Justice of the Peace several successive terms ; in faet, was an incumbent of that office when, in 1846, the first check was put upon his career. It was largely due to this condition of things that it was impossible to secure his conviction by the ordinary methods of the lower courts. This was often attempted and as often failed, until it was generally recognized by every one else as well as himself and friends. Of this immunity he publicly boasted ; when at last, by the intervention of Federal processes, he was

brought to bay, he is said to have observed, " Well, boys, now the United States have taken hold of me, I may get floored, but I could have worried out a county." In 1846, William S. C. Otis was the Prosecuting Attorney for Summit County. That year proof was obtained that Brown was at the time engaged in counterfeit- ing the circulating coin of the United States.

Through the efforts of Otis, Samuel W. Mc- Clure, Esq., then a young lawyer of Cuyahoga Falls, was appointed a United States Commis- sioner for the State of Ohio (the State being then comprised in one district), for the purpose chiefly of instituting proceedings against Brown through the media of the Federal Courts, those of the State being found insufficient, as Com- missioner McClure issued a warrant for his arrest. While the warrant was yet in the hands of Sheriff Janes, then Sheriff of Summit County ; but, prior to its service, McClure had occasion to represent a party litigant before Brown in his capacity as Justice of the Peace. Brown reserved his decision of the case for further consideration. In the meantime, he was placed under arrest and imprisoned. McClure, in be- half of his client in the case, called upon Brown in the jail, before the day assigned for the pre- liminary examination. Brown then announced his judgment as Justice in favor of MeClure's client, and, at the same time remarked, that when his case should come before him (McClure) he hoped he would be able to render a judgment in his favor. The preliminary examination came on for hearing; the United States was repre- sented by Otis, and the defense by R. P. Spald- ing, afterward Judge Spalding of the Supreme Bench. The examination was held at the court house and continued several days. It resulted in Brown's being held to bail in the sum of $20,000 for his appearance before the Circuit Court of the United States at Columbus at its next session. In default of bail, he was re- turned to jail ; but afterward, upon application to a Federal Judge, the bond was reduced to $5,000. That amount was furnished, and Brown set at liberty. He appeared at Columbus for trial. The District Attorney was assisted by Mr. Otis. Pending the trial, affidavits were filed, satisfying the Judge that if at liberty when the verdict would be rendered, and that verdiet should be guilty, it was the intention of Brown's friends-of whom Columbus was full- to put him out of the way of the consequences.

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PORTAGE TOWNSHIP.

A bench warrant was issued, and he was again imprisoned. He was convicted, and, for the first time in his life, incarcerated in the Ohio Penitentiary, though he had run a career of crime for over twenty years. During the short time of Gen. Zachary Taylor's Presidency (March, 1849, to July, 1850), the Asiatic cholera broke out in the Ohio Penitentiary. Brown was himself an attendant in the prison hospital at the time, and such was the courage with which he cared for the cholera patients, and his unwearied attention to them, that he secured the influence of that institution, and some of the State officers, so that President Taylor was induced to and did pardon him. He returned to his former place of residence in Northampton, and was believed to be as extensively engaged in the counterfeiting business as ever, though it was not known that he then dealt in spurious coin. Experience had taught him that it was easier, more profitable, and less liable to detec- tion to manufacture false paper money than coin. It is said that he had a confederate in the very banking house which then stamped for and furnished bills to the United States Bank ; that through the agency of this pal, the genuine plates themselves were conveyed into Brown's hands, and immense quantities of the illegal issue (not exactly counterfeit, inasmuch as they were struck from the identical plates with the true, and, therefore, also not discoverable through any peculiarities of impression), par- ticularly of $100 bills, were accumulated. About this time, James, and a brother Daniel, engaged in the same enterprise, conceived a scheme of bold magnitude, and extremely flattering in promise. This was no less than to procure a suitable ship, load her with this spurious serip, and visit China and other oriental countries, where United States Bank bills circulated at par, purchasing a cargo of teas, coffees, silks, ete., to be disposed of again in England and upon the continent. They had associated with them in this device a man by the name of Tay- lor. They proceeded to New Orleans, obtained a vessel, filled it according to programme, and set sail for China. A discovery of their real character, however, was just then made, the vessel overhauled before fairly out of the Mis- sissippi, and the three rognes committed to the " calaboose." There they were detained some time. Daniel became sick, and finally died, as it was reported, but not generally believed, in

this section of the country. Certain it is, how- ever, that he never appeared hereabouts there- after, and so, possibly, the report may have been true. The wife of James, who, though believed to have had nothing to do with her husband's operations, remained faithful and devoted to him until some years beyond this period, traveled on horseback from Old Portage to New Orleans in order to be present at the trial, and use her influence in his behalf. Several other witnesses also went down from here to testify in his interest. Brown turned State's evidence, implicated Taylor, and himself escaped. This is one of the few really mean incidents related of him.

A few years later he was arrested in Michi- gan, convicted of the same crime, and sentenced to the Jackson Penitentiary. He there served a full term of three years, whence he returned to Northampton, but returned a broken-down man and a confirmed drunkard. Not until now did his fond wife give him up. His habits of drink rapidly grew upon him ; his good traits began to deteriorate, and finally departed alto- gether ; his wife obtained a divorce, and Jim Brown, who, had his abilities been honorably directed, might have been a man of great power and influence, became a perfectly worthless fel- low, not even commanding the respect of his associates in crime. Finally, in 1865, as he was one day returning from Cleveland upon a canal boat, he fell from the walking plank to the hold, striking his head upon a beam. The concussion rendered him unconscious ; from that state he never rallied, but died two or three days later. So miserably closed the life of a man of whom it was said that "he was as well known by reputation as any President of the United States."

Officers of the Township .- The following is a list of the officers elected on the 2d day of April, A. D. 1838, at a meeting held at the house of Mr. Warren H. Clark.

Trustees .- William B. Mitchell, Simon Per- kins, Jr., and George Babcock ; Clerk, Horace : K. Smith ; Treasurer, Samuel A. Wheeler.

Since that time the following persons have been elected and served as Trustees :

1839, William B. Mitchell, Simon Perkins, Jr , John Sherbondy ; 1840, Charles W. Brown, Jesse Allen, John Ayres ; 1841, Simon l'erkins, Jr., Jesse Allen, Charles W. Brown ; 1842, Si- mon Perkins, Jr., Eber Blodget, Charles W.

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

Brown ; 1843. Simon Perkins, Jr., Eber Blodget, Charles W. Brown ; 1844, Simon Perkins, Jr., Moses Smith, John Sherbondy ; 1845, Simon Perkins, Lucius V. Bierce, Silas M. Wilder ; 1846, Silas M. Wilder, Lucius V. Bierce, Justus Gale ; 1847, Henry Converse, Lucius V. Bierce, George Sherbondy ; 1848, Webster B. Storer, David Miller, John Ayres ; 1849, David Miller, Nathaniel Finch, George Sherbondy. In Octo- ber, Miller died, and George D. Bates was ap- pointed to fill the vacancy ; 1850, Nathaniel Finch, George Sherbondy, Joseph F. Gilbert ; 1851, Joseph F. Gilbert, Ira Hawkins, Robert Jackson ; 1852, Elias W. Howard, George Sher- bondy, Robert Jackson ; 1853, Joseph F. Gil- bert, Robert Jackson, George Sherbondy ; 1854, ; Ira Hawkins, Elias L. Munger, George Sher- bondy ; 1855, George W. McNiel, Elias L. Munger, George Sherbondy ; 1856, Benjamin McNaughton, George W. McNiel, Reuben Sher- bondy ; 1857, Charles Merriman, Clement J. Kolb, Webster B. Storer ; 1858, George Miller, Melchiah Sherbondy, Jacob Snyder ; 1859, Houston Sisler, Clement J. Kolb, John R. Buchtel ; 1860, Houston Sisler, John R. Buch- tel, Clement J. Kolb ; 1861, Houston Sisler, John R. Buchtel, C. Oberholtz ; 1862, Houston Sisler, John R. Buchtel, C. Oberholtz. In June of 1862, Houston Sisler died and Roland O. Hammond was appointed for the unexpired term ; 1863, John R. Buchtel, Simon Perkins, G. F. W. Fisher ; 1864, Simon Perkins, John R. Buchtel, G. F. W. Fisher ; 1865, Simon Per- kins, John R. Buchtel, G. F. W. Fisher ; 1866, John R. Buchtel, James F. Scott, Clement J. Kolb ; 1867, John R. Buchtel, F. T. HInsong, Joseph Babb ; 1868, Joseph Babb, F. T. Hu- song, Abraham Sichley ; 1869, F. T. Husong, Joseph Babb, Millard F. Hamlin ; 1870, Joseph Babb, Millard F. Hamlin, N. C. Hawkins ; 1871, Millard F. Hamlin, N. C. Hawkins, Abner C. Caldwell ; 1872, N. C. Hawkins, Millard F. Hamlin, H. Sherbondy ; 1873, H. Sherbondy, Millard F. Hamlin, Frederic Oberholtz ; 1874, A. L. Caldwell, Abraham Sichley, Henry Fred- erick ; 1875, Henry Frederick, Abraham Sicli- Tey, A. L. Caldwell ; 1876, Henry Frederick, A. L. Caldwell, Abraham Sichley ; 1877, Simon Perkins, Hiram Sherbondy, Abraham Sichley ; 1878, Stephen H. Pitkin, Avery Beardsley, John McCausland ; 1879, Stephen H. Pitkin, Albert H. Mallison, Ephraim Erdly. In July, Erdly died and Uriah Sherbondy was ap-

pointed to serve out the term ; 1880, Jacob Carpenter, Albert H. Mallison, Charles W. Brown ; 1881, Jacob Carpenter, Albert H. Malli- son. Millard F. Hamlin.

Clerks .- 1838, Horace K. Smith ; 1838, Jo- seph Cole; 1840, Nahum Fay ; 1841, William H. Dewey; 1842, H. C. Crosby ; 1843, William H. Dewey ; 1844, Nahum Fay ; 1845, Charles W. Tappan ; 1846, Charles W. Tappan ; 1847, Charles W. Tappan ; 1848, Tillman Wagener ; 1849, Tillman Wageman ; 1850, Edward W. Perrin ; 1851, Edward W. Perrin ; 1852, Rol- and O. Hammond ; 1853, Roland O. Hammond ; 1854, Roland O. Hammond ; 1855, Roland O. Hammond ; 1856, Roland O. Hammond ; 1857, Newell D. Tibbals; 1858, Jacob A. Kohler, 1859, Jacob A. Kohler ; 1860, George T. Mc- Curdy; 1861, George T. McCurdy ; 1862, George T. McCurdy ; 1863, William C. Allen; 1864, William C. Allen ; 1865, William C. Allen ; 1866, William C. Allen ; 1867. William C. Allen ; 1868. John McGregor ; 1869, John McGregor ; 1870, John McGregor ; 1871, John McGregor ; 1872, G. Tod Ford; 1873. G. Tod Ford ; 1874, G. Tod Ford; 1875, G. Tod Ford. In Septem- ber, Ford resigned and Charles Baird was ap- pointed to the office. 1876, Charles Baird ; 1877, Charles Baird; 1878, Peter J. Moersch ; 1879, Peter J. Moersch ; 1880, Peter J. Moer- sch ; 1881, Peter J. Moersch.

Treasurers .- 1838, Samuel A. Wheeler ; 1839, Lewis P. Buckley ; 1840, Samuel A. Wheeler : 1841, Samuel A. Wheeler ; 1842, Samuel A Wheeler ; 1843. Samuel A. Wheeler ; 1844, Samuel A. Wheeler ; 1845, Samuel A. Wheeler : 1846, Samuel A. Wheeler; 1847, Samuel A. Wheeler; 1848, Zebulon Jones ; 1849, Zebu- lon Jones ; 1850, Benjamin McNaughton ; 1851, Benjamin McNaughton ; 1832, Benjamin Mc- Naughton : 1853, Benjamin McNaughton ; 1854, Edward W. Perrin ; 1855, Edward W. Perrin ; 1856, Edward W. Perrin ; 1857, Houston Sis- ler ; 1858, John T. Good ; 1859, John H. Chamberlin ; 1860, John H. Chamberlin ; 1861. Charles Cranz ; 1862. Charles Cranz; 1863.

Charles Cranz ; 1864, Charles Cranz ; 1865, Charles Cranz ; 1866, Charles Cranz : 1867, Charles Cranz ; 1868, Charles Cranz ; 1869, Charles Cranz ; 1870, Arthur L. Conger; 1871, Arthur L. Conger ; 1872, Arthur L. Conger ; 1873, David R. Paige Jr .; 1874, Jacob H. Wise ; 1875, Frank B. Buchtel; 1876, Frank B. Buchtel; 1877, John McGregor ; 1878, John McGregor ;

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PORTAGE TOWNSHIP.

1879, John McGregor; 1880, John McGregor ; 1881, John McGregor.

Assessors .- The first Assessor elected was Minor Spicer in 1841; 1842, Justus Gale ; 1843, Justus Gale ; 1844, Justus Gale. Gale declined to serve and John H. Crawford was appointed in his stead. 1845, Albert G. Malli- son ; 1846, Nahum Fay ; 1847, Joseph F. Gil- bert; 1848, John Sherbondy ; 1849, Alfred R. Townsend; 1850, Nahum Fay; 1851, George Howe ; 1852, George Howe; 1853, John Sher- bondy; 1854, Nahum Fay ; 1855, Nelson C. Hawkins ; 1856, Ira Hawkins ; 1857, Alfred R. Townsend ; 1858, Frank Adams ; 1859, Alfred R. Townsend ; 1860, Nahum Fay ; 1861, Jacob H. Wise ; 1862, Jacob H. Wise; 1863, Nahum Fay ; 1864, Charles Hanscom ; 1865, Edward A. Barber ; 1866, Edward A. Barber ; 1867, Homer C. Ayres ; 1868, Augustus Curtis ; 1869, John G. Goble; 1870, Aaron Teeple; 1871, Aaron Teeple ; 1872, Albert H. Mallison ; 1873, George Miller ; 1874, Albert H. Mallison ; 1875, George Miller ; 1876, Hiram Sherbondy ; 1877, Randall McAllister; 1878, Randall McAllister ; 1879, Randall McAllister ; 1880, Joseph Schnee ; 1881, H. Sherbondy.

Justices of the Peace .- [The Justice has al- ways been a township officer, and therefore is elected by the voters of the township. His commission is for three years. ] Jacob Brown, 1836-39 ; Seneca L. Hand, 1836-39 ; Harvey

H. Johnson, 1837-40 ; Leander L. Howard, 1839-42 ; Ebenezer Martin, 1839-42; Harvey H. Johnson, 1840-43; William M. Dodge, 1842-45 ; Lewis P. Buckley, 1842-43 ; Henry Converse, 1843-46 ; Jacob Brown, 1843-46 ; William M. Dodge, 1845-48 ; George Babcock, 1846-49 ; Noah M. Green, 1846-49 ; Joshua C. Berry, 1848-51 ; George Babcock, 1849-52; Noah M. Green, 1849-52 ; Abel B. Berry, 1851- 54; Daniel B. Hadley, 1852-55 ; Noah M. Green, 1852-55 ; Joseph F. Gilbert, 1854-57 ; John W. Stephens, 1855-58 ; Noah M. Green, 1855-58 ; William L. Clark, 1857-60 ; John W. Stephens, 1858-61 ; John L. Robertson, 1858-61 ; Edward Allen (died in June, 1861), 1860-61 ; John W. Stephens (died in March, 1863), 1661-63; John Lugenbeel, 1861-64 ; William L. Clark, 1861-64; Lewis N. Janes (died in July, 1865), 1863-66; William L. Clark, 1864-67 ; William M. Cunningham, 1865-68 ; William L. Clark, 1867-70 ; Henry Purdy, 1868-71 ; William M. Cunningham, 1868-71 ; William L. Clark, 1870-73 ; Henry Purdy, 1871-74 ; Florence Weber, 1871-74 ; Dudley Seward, 1873-76 ; Thomas C. Brandon, 1874-77 ; Thomas H. Goodwin, 1874-77 ; Dud- ley Seward, 1876-79 ; Henry Purdy, 1877-80 ; Thomas C. Brandon, 1877-80 ; Dudley Seward, 1879 ; Henry Purdy, 1880 ; Thomas C. Bran- don, 1880.

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

CHAPTER VIII .*

CITY OF AKRON-LAYING OUT A TOWN-IMPROVEMENTS-THE CANALS-THE TOWN INCORP()- RATED-CITY OFFICERS-GROWTH OF AKRON-THE COUNTY SEAT QUESTION-INCIDENTS, ETC., ETC.

A KRON is by some held to be derived from à privative and xpovos time, its significance upon this theory being of " the unending," liter- ally, "without time." This highly poetic idea, pregnant with widest intimations of meaning, and so self-satisfying to the good citizen who en- tertains a generous pride in our county capital, and her flattering promise of growth and devel- opment, brought to the crucial test of fact, must give way to the undoubted intent of those who chose and formally declare the name, Akron, from akpos summit, this being upon the very ridge-top of the water-shed between Lake Erie on the one hand and the Ohio River on the other. Situated on an average 400 feet above the lake level, and 960 feet above the ocean, Akron is the summit city in point of elevation, the highest incorporated city in the State. More hills she covers than eternal Rome, and extravagant indeed is the man who would think to number or name them all. The surface con- formation is rolling. The immediate neighbor- hood, particularly at the Old Forge, presents a problem of remarkable geologic interest, and one as yet unsolved. To the visitor approach- ing from the north, east or south, by either of the three railroads here intersecting-the (Cuy- ahoga) Valley Railway, the Cleveland, Mount Vernon & Columbus, and the New York, Penn- sylvania & Ohio-the shifting scenes of the panoramic valley, along whose verge he enters, are strikingly beautiful. This valley, with a depth below the general surface of one to two hundred feet, constitutes the only considerable variation from what we have already designated the rolling contour of the vicinage. It is asserted by careful and competent geologists (and the investigation bestowed upon the topic warrants the acceptance of the belief as more than speculative theorizing) that away back in the past, before that history other than that "in nature's records writ" began, before mankind

peopled this world, during the Champlain peri- od, the nameless river which first excavated the channel whose bed is now so scantily covered by the modern Cuyahoga, like "a pigmy in a giant's clothes," instead of turning to the north at the abrupt bend two miles above the city by which it now almost doubles upon its course, in fact did continue southerly through the broad deep valley before mentioned, eventually losing itself in the synchronous parent of the present Ohio. The ancient channel has been traced from its point of deviation most of the way across the State. Numerous borings along its course have shown that it has been almost filled with earth and soil, the detritus pushed in by the slow grinding glaciers and washed down by the storms of later time, and that, as was to have been expected, within its entire length there is no exposure of rock in situ. Such was undoubtedly the origin of this lovely valley ; upon the south and west of it the subjacent sandstone conglomerate erops out at frequent intervals, as in the cutting of the Cleveland, Mount Vernon & Columbus road for some dis- tance north of Market street bridge, and along the bed of the Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal, where it circles the crest of the hill near the fair grounds, while upon the north and east there is an extensive table-land of richest soil, with not a rock or stone to be seen except the small rounded bowlders so characteristic of the former presence of the ice-river. In fact, north hill appears to have been a terminal moraine, and several of the gravel knolls at the Old Forge, by their stratification, show them to have been local or lateral deposits. The Little Cuy- ahoga now flows through the valley we have thus minutely described, in a converse direction, a tributary to the river proper. No wonder the Indians called the river "Cuyahoga "-" the winding ;" a glance at the map will demon- strate the eminent propriety of the name.

Under our State Constitution of 1802, mu-

* By Charles W. Foote.

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CITY OF AKRON.

nicipal corporations were classified as cities, towns, villages and special road districts. Un- til the year 1825, Portage Township had been the only territorial distinction recognized. At that time, during the construction of what was then regarded as a great commercial highway -the Ohio Canal-Gen. Simon Perkins and Paul Williams platted and laid out a town which they denominated " Akron," upon and sur- rounding the present intersection of Main and Exchange streets, in upper town. The only road in the new town was that one leading to Middlebury, about upon the line where Ex- change street now lies. In the fall of that year, 1825, the laborers on the canal put up about a hundred cabins along the line of work and within the town. The canal, when completed, gave a wonderful impetus to business, and at the same time afforded its needed facilities of transportation. South Akron grew rapidly for a few years. In fact until 1832 there was noth- ing of any consequence outside of that section of the town, but in the year just mentioned several buildings were erected at and near the intersection of Market and Howard streets, and gradually business was diverted to the newer locality.

A very great rivalry had for some time ex- isted between the two villages of North and South Akron. A committee of one, Erastus Torrey, was authorized by a number of the south end people to wait upon Mr. Hall and tender him the use of a large brick block in upper town, free of expense for a term of three years, if he would remove there. Mr. Hall, upon deliberation, declined the kind offer, and has never regretted his conclusion. In the ter- rible strain of the panic of 1837, Hall's was one of the three, out of fourteen stores in North Akron, which escaped a failure. By the time the town was incorporated, in 1836, the two villages of North and South Akron were not far from an equality, and considerable bitter- ness of feeling was aroused by their jealous rivalry. Upon the northwest corner of Market and Howard streets stood the " Pavilion," a hotel, and a large wooden building, kept by Charles B. Cobbs, Esq. Two or three years later, Mr. Cobbs became proprietor of the " Ohio Exchange," a noted landmark upon the site at present occupied by the Paige Brothers' hard- ware store. Upon the northeast corner of Market and Howard, and from there up to the trench

of the Water Power Company, stood a row of low, wooden buildings. The same was the case also upon the south side of Market street, ex- cept upon the corner, where was being erected a fine three-story stone block, and in which were afterward located the county offices, court room and jail, put up and owned by Hiram Payne. Thence southwardly, upon both sides of How- ard street, as far as to where Cherry street now enters, were one-story and a story-and-a-half wooden buildings closely contiguous. Then came a gap and a deep gully ; and finally, upon the corner of Mill and Howard streets, where the post office now stands, was a two-story wooden building belonging to Lewis P. Buckley. In addition to these was the house of Gen. Bierce, in process of construction, and that of Dr. Bartges, upon opposite corners of Market and High streets, the house which is now the third south from the corner on the east side of High, and one on the corner of Main street and Mill ; and with these we have enumerated all of North Akron's buildings. At that time, Leicester King and Gen. Simon Perkins owned pretty much all the land in this part of town. They together had a map published, which represents Akron as it then was, and which is elsewhere referred to quite at length. The house issuing this map was Messrs. Robinson & Co., of Reading, Vt. They had a branch office in Akron under the charge of Mr. Na- hum Fay, in Buckley's Block before alluded to. Early in 1837, the Map Publishing Company removed to a building of their own on North High street, upon the lot where James B. Storer now resides, and had a shop in the rear. To the north and east of them, there was only dense woods. When the old stone church (now occu- pied by the Baptist society, but built and first used by the Universalists) was erected by . Charles W. Brown, in 1838, the forest was so thick as that the church could scarcely be seen from Market street.

Akron had remained a "town " by courtesy and general consent, from its platting, in 1825, until 1836. March 12, of that year, there passed the General Assembly, at Columbus, an " Act to incorporate the town of Akron, in the county of Portage." By this act it was provided :

That so much of the townships of Portage and C'hventry, in the county of Portage, as is comprised within the following limits, to wit : Beginning on the south line of tract No. 8, in said township of

332

IIISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

Coventry, and at a point in said line which is three- fourths of a mile east of the southeast corner of the south town plat of Akron, as surveyed by John Henshaw; thence north to a line running due east and west, drawn ten rods north of Lock 16, of the Ohio Canal; thence west along such east and west line, one and a half miles; thence south to the south line of Tract No. 8, aforesaid; thence east, along said south line, to the place of beginning, be and the same is hereby created a town corporate, and shall henceforth be known and distinguished by the name of "The town of Akron."

Translating this into a form which shall con- vey a meaning to other people beside survey- ors, and indicating the same points and lines by landmarks recognizable to-day, we should bound and describe as follows: Beginning upon the present southern corporation line- that is, upon South street, at a point a little east of its junction with Spicer street ; thence north in a straight line intersecting Spicer street just below Exchange street, passing through the Fourth Ward a little west of Spicer street, through the Second Ward about on Fir street, through the First Ward in a continuation of the same right line, until the present north- ern boundary of the city is reached, a little be- yond the Little Cuyahoga River; thence due west along the northern boundary to the pres- ent northwest corner of the corporation ; thence south along the present west line of the city to the south line of Tract No. 8-that is, the southwest corner of the corporation ; and thence east along said tract line (with which the south side of South street coincides, so far as it ex- tends) to the place of beginning. Thus we see that the original survey of Akron, when incor- porated as a town, was a rectangular plat of one mile and a half breadth, east and west, and about two and a quarter miles length, north and south, therefore containing almost three and one-half square miles of area. We note, also, that the western boundary was identical with the present and also considerable portions of both the northern and southern lines. At this date, there were open to use, or platted, the following streets, bearing in a general east- erly and westerly direction : Furnace, Tall- madge, Market, Mill, Ash, Quarry, Water (now a portion of Bowery), State, Middlebury, a part of Carroll, Exchange, Cedar, Chestnut, Cather- ine, Second, Third and Bridge streets ; this last corresponding with Thornton street, of the present day. Bearing generally north and south were West street, Maple, Oak, Walnut,

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 59

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