History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 73

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 73

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An early writer has this to say of Middle- bury : "From 1815 to 1828, business of all kinds increased, and the village became the center of trade and fashion for all the sur- rounding country. It seemed destined to be- come the leading town on the Reserve. As Akron had no habitation, not even a name, Middlebury became the resort of the enterpris- ing and business men, who were bidders and con-

tractors on the Ohio Canal. So great was the business at that time (about 1825), that there were no less than sixteen stores in the village, and all doing a good business. Mills, factories, and mechanical shops sprang into existence as if by magic. On the location of the canal, Akron sprang up with its immense water-power, and, for a time, entirely overshadowed Middle- bury. Several of the carly friends of the village died. Others looking to immediate effects, became discouraged, and with their capital, left the place. The factories closed, the grinding ceased, the thronged streets were transferred to Akron, and the epitaph of Carthage was almost inscribed on her monument. The friends of Middlebury then discovered that prosperity did not lie in speculation nor fashion, but in industry and enterprise. Mechanical estab- lishments began to increase, and the valuable water-power was improved. A company was incorporated by the Legislature of Ohio, called the Middlebury Hydraulic Company, and au- thorized to raise the natural surface of Spring- field Lake, in which the Little Cuyahoga had its rise, six feet, and lower it four feet below the natural surface. This gave to the water- power of the village a permanency and suffi- ciency that could at all times be relied on." Aaron Norton, one of the founders of the vill- age, did a great deal in early years to improve it. The same writer continues, " While the Judge was upon the bench, a fellow who had been em- ployed in the Middlebury Mills was indicted and tried for stealing a log-chain. His defense was former good character, to sustain which he called on the Judge who swore his character was about as good as that of millers in general. After the adjournment of court, Gen. Wood- ward, of Franklin, who was a miller took Nor- ton to task for what he called an impeachment of the character of the millers. 'I was bound,' said Norton, 'to swear to the truth. I believe his character for honesty is as good as millers in general, but I believe he stole the log-chain.'"

The first tavern was opened by Peleg Mason. In about the year 1815, this man brought a small stock of goods to the village. About three years later, Orrin Pitkin began with a stock. Several others came in within the next two years. By 1825, ten years after the first store was opened, there were, as stated above, sixteen stores in the village. Among the more prom- inent were H. & H. A. Howard, dry goods, gro-

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ceries, hardware, crockery, glassware, stone and hollow-ware, tinware, drugs, medicines, surgical instruments, etc .; Hiram Johnson & Co., the same. (These firms bought all sorts of produce, flour, pork, whisky, pot and pearl ash, giving in exchange their goods or paying their money.) McClure Brothers, general assortment ; John McMillan, ditto ; Kent & Oviatt, ditto; MeNor- ton & Cleveland, ditto. Besides these there were H. Briggs, boots and shoes ; James Ross, soap and candle factory ; M. Johnson, druggist and physician ; H. Loveland, attorney at law ; G. F. Norton, ditto ; Barlow & Allen, wool-carding and cloth-dressing ; William Bell, saddles, harness and bridles ; L. Chatfield, fancy and dining chair factory ; Hard & Sumner, wool-carding and cloth-dressing ; H. Rhodes, tavern keeper ; G. Powers, Jr., attorney at law ; McNaughton & Cleveland, tanners ; Mrs. L. Wheeler, mil- liner ; Phineas Pettis, plow manufactory ; John McMillan, grain buyer ; Zenas Chase, boot and shoe maker ; Alva R. Chapman, painter ; B. A. Allyn, cabinet-maker ; Payne & Squire, distil- lers at Old Forge ; Linus Potter, tailor ; Humphrey & Kirkum, attorneys at law ; John & Legrand Hanford, hat manufacturers ; Ed. Sumner, tavern keeper ; McNorton & Cleve- land. grain buyers ; Erastus Tarrey, ditto ; Daniel Crist, boot and shoe maker ; and a multitude of others, in for a short time at various pur- suits.

A Masonic lodge was organized in about the year 1822. It was known as "Middlebury Lodge, No. 34." It participated in the cere- monies of the laying of the corner stone of the first college building erected at Hudson. A post office was secured at an early day, and soon a tri-weekly mail was obtained. Hem- perly & Sumner ran stages between Middlebury and the villages of Cleveland, Canton and Wooster. While the canal was in process of construction, large quantities of flour, pork and produce were purchased, to be consumed by the laborers. When the canal was opened in 1827, several companies of men began buying enormous quantities of grain preparatory to being shipped away when the canal was opened. But the greater portion of this business died out, when Akron sprang full-fledged into life. There was a company of firemen organized at Middlebury in an early day. From the fact that McMillan & Dodge were engaged in the manufacture of " brake engines," the value of a

fire organization was rendered at once easy and desirable. According to the statements of Julius A. Sumner, a " bucket company " was also organized. Whether these firemen had much work to do is not recorded. The Sumner Brothers engaged quite extensively in buying and shipping cattle and horses. Julius Sumner says he crossed the mountains eight times while engaged in this business. Oxen were purchased for about $40 a yoke, and three-year- old steers for some $10 or $12 a head. The brothers rode all over the country, buying 100 or 150 cattle, which were driven to Philadel- phia or New York. Mr. Sumner says he made $500 on his first drove, and continued the occu- pation until over a thousand cattle had been thus purchased and disposed of. A few droves of horses were also bought and driven to New York, whence they were shipped mostly to the West Indies, to be used on the large sugar plantations.

An independent rifle company was organized in Tallmadge during the war of 1812, many of its members residing in what is now Middle- bury, a considerable portion of which belonged to the former township. It was under the command of Capt. Rial McArthur. The fol- lowing correspondence between the citizens and Gen. Wadsworth is interesting, as showing the exposed situation of the country at the com- mencement of the war of 1812 :

TO THE HON. MAJ. GEN. ELIJANI WADSWORTH, EsQ. :

Sir: We, your petitioners, humbly pray that you will take into consideration the defenseless condition we are in; therefore, we pray your Honor to issue orders for Capt. Rial McArthur's Independent Company and the Fourth Company of the Independent Battalion, Fourth Brigade and Fourth Division of Ohio Militia, commanded by Capt. Samuel Ilale, to be retained for public safety, as we are on the frontier ; that said companies be drilled one day in each week, and hold themselves in constant readiness in case of an attack to march at a moment's warning. Those families that were to the west of us have moved into the settlement, and we are left on the frontier ; therefore, we, your petitioners, wish you to take this into considera- tion, and aet as in your wisdom you shall see fit,

(Signed) PILILANDER ADAMS, NATIIANIEL CHAPMAN,

JESSE NEAL, AARON NORTON,

CHARLES CHITTENDEN, DAVID PRESTON,

HENRY CHITTENDEN, AMOS SPICER,

ELIZUR WRIGHT, HOSEA WILCOX,

JOHN WRIGHT, JONATIIAN SPRAGUE,

PETER NORTON.

SPRINGFIELD, July 13, 1812.

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MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP.

This communication proves that the citizens in the vicinity of Middlebury were thoroughly aroused to the fact of their exposed situation ; but subsequent events proved that their fears were almost wholly groundless. It may be supposed that the following letter afforded universal satisfaction :

CAPT. RIAL MCARTHUR :

Sir: You doubtless are sensible of the critical situation of our country at this time. War being declared by the United States against Great Britain, it becomes necessary, as we have become the front- ier, for the whole body of the militia to be in per- fect readiness to meet the enemy ; and, sir, yours being an independent company, I place great confi- dence in your ability and activity in being ready with your company to march and meet the enemy of your country at a moment's warning. You will, therefore, please to order your company to meet at any place you may think proper and convenient, one day in each week, and in the most perfect man- ner possible. See that every man furnishes himself with arms and ammunition, and other necessary accouterments for actual service. You will please to inform me after the first meeting of your com- pany of their actual situation,

ELIJAH WADSWORTH, Maj. Gen. Fourth Division Ohio Militia.

Soon after this correspondence was held, the Independent Rifle Company was ordered, first to Cleveland, and afterward to Old Portage, the headquarters of Gen. Wadsworth, and, finally, to the camp of Gen. Simon Perkins, a temporary post on the Huron River. They returned during the spring of 1813, after a short, bloodless, though arduous, service in the field. There were forty-eight men in the com- pany, as follows :

Captain-Rial MeArthur, Lieutenant-Wiley Hamilton. Ensign-Charles Powers.

Sergeants-Alpha Wright, Justus Barnes, Daniel Kennedy, Samuel Cheney.

Corporals- Edmund Strong, Shubael Lowery, John Campbell, Justin E. Frink.

Drummer-Stephen Butler,

Fifer-Ara Gillett.

Privates-Philander Adams, Samuel Allyn, Sam- uel Atkins, Christian Cackler, Jr., Titus Chapman, Nathaniel Darrow, Liverton Dickson, Thomas Ellett, David Ellett, Samuel Fogger, Jesse Neal, Asa Draper, David Powers, Samuel Preston, Lot Preston, David Prior, Amos Spicer, Jr,, Joseph Towsley, Jonathan Williams, Abner Green, James Thompson, Henry King, Elisha Perkins, John S. Preston, Norman Sackett, John Wright, Jr., Eph- raim Clark, Jr., Aaron Norton, Joshua King, James Bradley, John Collins, Drake Fellows, Henry Bierce, John Castle, David Preston, Jr.

When the above company was first ordered into the service, it comprised but forty-four men, several of whose names do not appear above, and were as follows : Luman Bishop, Charles King, Stephen Perkins and William Prior. The following men were not members of the company during the first enlistment : Samuel Atkins, Asa Draper, David Prior, Jona- than Williams, Abner Green, James Thompson, Ephraim Clark, Jr., Aaron Norton and Joshua King. This company first volunteered, and were ordered into the service of the United States for the protection of the frontiers, on the 22d of August, 1812. Their first term of service ended February 22, 1813. Although the company was then out of service, it did not disband, but kept drilling about once a week.

On the 17th of April, 1813, Gov. R. J. Meigs wrote to Gen. Wadsworth, advising him that " The Fort at the rapids of the Miami (Fort Meigs) is threatened with an attack from British and Indians," and ordering him im- mediately to detach "one flank company to strengthen the post at Lower Sandusky, as the post at the rapids is, I fear, too weak." In pursuance of this order, Gen. Wadsworth, on the 20th of April, 1813, ordered Capt. MeAr- thur's company to march to Lower Sandusky immediately, and to take with them five or six days' provisions, or a sufficient allowance to take them to that place. Gen. Wadsworth says in his order, "You will be shortly relieved. as a large number of troops are on their march to re-enforce that army." This was the company whose names appear at length above. It will be noticed that many members of the company lived at old Middlebury. Immediately after the surrender of Detroit by Gen. Hull, in August, 1812, Gen. Wadsworth was ordered to organize a brigade of 1,500 men. To effect this, volunteers were called for, and, finally, the General was obliged to resort to a draft. The company above mentioned, with one or two exceptions, volunteered. Among the drafted were Reuben Upson, John Caruthers, Norman Sackett, Moses Bradford, Ara Gillett and Joth- am Blakeslee. Old Portage was the head- quarters of these forces, and became celebrated on that account. In later years, Col. John C. Hart organized a regiment of cavalry militia at Middlebury and the surrounding country. It will be observed that almost all the members

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

of Capt. McArthur's company lived in what is now Summit County.

It is now necessary to go back and notice other matters relating to the early history of Middlebury. The village comprises land for- merly belonging to the townships of Tallmadge, Springfield, Coventry and Portage. Some of the first owners of the Middlebury land were Capt. Joseph Hart, Aaron Norton, Liverton Dickson, William Neil and Ara Gillett, in Tall- madge ; Peter Norton, Rial McArthur and others, in Springfield ; Amos Spicer and Jesse Allen, in Coventry ; and Amos Spicer, Jr., in Portage.

During all the early history of the vil- lage, and for eleven years after the comple- tion of the canal, the electors residing in the village met to poll their votes in their respeet- ive townships-the four mentioned above. The original village was in the southwestern corner of Tallmadge ; but, as it gradually enlarged, portions of the other three townships were occu- pied, after being surveyed into lots. Among the early residents of what afterward became Mid- dlebury, were the following, although this is neither a complete nor a perfect list : Capt. Joseph Hart, Judge Aaron Norton, Rial MeAr- thur, Liverton Dickson, Samuel and John Pres- ton, Amos Spicer, Sr. and Jr., Ara Gillett, Peter Norton, William Neil, Barney Williams, Mr. Graham, William J. Hart, George Simcox, Peleg Mason, Orrin Pitkin, John McMillan, Elijah Mason. Mr. Hazen, Thomas Sumner and his sons, Charles, Holland, Joseph, John, Increase. Edward and Julius A., the latter yet living at Akron ; Nathan Gillett, probably the first Post- master, and many others. The village was first regularly laid out into lots, and probably re- corded at Ravenna, in 1818, by William J. Hart. That portion of the village known as W, was probably the first laid out, as it is recorded in Book F, at Ravenna ; while E and S are re- corded in Books S and K, respectively. It is likely that over fifty lots were laid out by Mr. Hart, to which additions were made as the rapid growth of the village required. The " boom at the time of the building of the canal no doubt vastly increased the number of lots, as it did the number of buildings of all kinds.

It is likely that the village was incorporated by a special law of the Ohio Legislature, enacted during the session of 1837-38, as the following, quoted from the Middlebury records,

would seem to imply, if it does not explicitly state :

At a meeting of the qualified electors of the vil- lage of Middlebury, held in said village on the first Tuesday in May, A. D., 1838, agreeable to an act to incorporate the village of Middlebury, for the pur- pose of electing officers of said corporation, Roan Clark, Henry Chittenden and William L. Clark were chosen Judges, and Theron A. Noble was chosen Clerk of said election, whereupon, the following officers were elected: Henry Chittenden, President of the Council; Theron A. Noble, Recorder; Ros- well Kent, Jesse Neal, Gregory Powers, Thadeus H. Botsford and Harry Pardee, Trustees.

(Signed) T. A. NOBLE, Recorder.

These officers were immediately qualified, and entered upon the discharge of their several duties. The following committees were then appointed : T. A. Noble and Gregory Powers, on by-laws ; and R. Kent, Jesse Neal, Harry Pardee and T. H. Botsford, on appointments. At a session, May 6, 1838, the " set of rules for the regulation of the Council " was unanimously adopted ; also, Smith Burton was appointed Marshal ; Roswell Kent and T. H. Botsford, Committee on Streets, Highways and Nuisances ; Jesse Newland, Harry Pardee, Committee on Revenue and Expenditure ; and Gregory Powers and T. A. Noble, Committee on By-Laws and Ordinances. Soon afterward, John H. MeMil- lan was appointed Treasurer ; Daniel McNaugh- ton, Assessor ; and William L. Clark, Surveyor. The records reveal the fact that the Council be- gan at this time to make a vigorous attack upon all nuisances, and passed several stringent ordi- nances looking to the abatement of the same. On the 21st of July, 1838, it was enacted by the Council " That the Chief Warden be author- ized to procure a suitable number of hooks and ladders at the expense of the corporation, to be made and finished as he may direct, to be used in cases of fire and not otherwise." The five fire wardens appointed a short time before were Ambrose Cotter, Daniel McNaughton, Samuel Newton, Harry Pardee and John Johns. In 1843. Philpot and Camp were permitted to build a horse railroad through certain streets of the village. the road to be used for the passage of coal obtained in Springfield. In 1845, the first stone bridge over the Little Cuyahoga was con- structed, under the contract of Increase Sumner, who erected the stone work for $1.74 per perch, the whole cost amounting to $578.55. So far as can be learned, the village electors voted in their respective townships until the act of incor-

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MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP.

poration was passed ; after which, the village, having been constituted an election district, they met there to poll their votes. The follow- ing is quoted from the records of November, 1846 : " The Council did not meet at the office of the President in Sherman's building accord- ing to adjournment, because the President was out of town on business, with the key in his pocket. (Signed) George W. McMillan, Re- corder." The second stone bridge was built in 1847, by Abraham Rhodes, at a cost of $350. The total cost was, however, much greater than that amount. The inference from the following, taken from the records of 1849, is, that the sani- tary regulations of the village were inoperative or neglected : " Resolved, That $10 be appro- priated for the use of the Marshal in procuring fifty bushels of lime, as required by the ordinance relating to nuisances." It is also to be inferred that the desired results were not secured ; for two months later, it was " Resolved, That each member of this Council be appointed a special committee to examine and report what is neces- sary for a thorough cleansing of this town, and to report at the next meeting." The records of a few succeeding meetings, show active work in the right direction on the part of the select committees.

Early in 1857, the citizens of Middlebury petitioned the County Commissioners as fol- lows : "The undersigned householders residing in Middlebury, in said county, respectfully pe- tition your honorable body to ercet and set off a new township, to be composed of the terri- tory embraced within the corporate limits of the village of Middlebury, in the county afore- said." This petition was signed by eighty-four householders of the village. Attached to the petition was " The undersigned, Trustees of the townships interested in the formation of a new township, as proposed in the above petition, hereby give our consent that the said new town- ship may be erected and set off in accordance with the prayer of said petition, to be composed of the territory embraced within the corporate limits of Middlebury." This was signed by a majority of the Trustees of each township. The County Commissioners, at the March session of 1857, proceeded as follows : " The Commission- ers, being satisfied that the majority of the householders residing in the village of Middle- bury had signed the petition, and that the con- sent of a majority of the Trustees of the sev-

eral townships affected by the creation of the new township had been obtained, and that the necessary legal notices had been given, Or- dered, That the territory comprised within the corporate village of Middlebury be set off from the townships of Coventry, Portage, Springfield and Tallmadge, and be hereafter known as the township of Middlebury." Notices were also issued by the Commissioners for the qualified electors of the new township to meet at the town hall in Middlebury, on the first Monday in April, 1857, for the purpose of electing town- ship officers. Thus the village remained until the spring of 1872, when the question of its an- nexation to the city of Akron, as the Sixth Ward, was submitted to the electors in both towns with the following result : Votes in Akrou-for annexation, 1,042 ; against annexa- tion, 16. Votes in Middlebury-for annexa- tion, 140 ; against annexation, 26. The neces- sary number of affirmative votes having been secured, each town elected a committee to con- fer with that of the other town, to unite on the terms of annexation. These terms are too vol- uminous to be quoted here, yet it may be said that both towns will be benefited, in the end, by the annexation. The later history of Mid- dlebury will be found in another chapter.

The first schoolhouse in Middlebury was erected near the site of the present one, in about the year 1811. It was a small one-sto- ried frame, 20x25 feet, with a broad fire-place in one end. The first teacher is not remem- bered ; but, in 1813-14 and 1814-15, J. P. Skinner, from near Ravenna, taught. This inan was a skillful disciplinarian and a competent instructor. He received his pay by subserip- tion, at the rate of some $12 or $15 per month. The three R's were largely dwelt on, and woe unto the scholar with a neglected lesson. Whis- pering was prohibited, and, in case the rule was violated, dire and summary correction was sure to follow. The old-time school-teachers were very strict about their rules. They usually succeeded in creating an understanding among their scholars that the violation of a rule of the school was an unpardonable offense, and it was often amusing to see how the guilty one lan- guished. Sometimes young men were severely feruled, and more than one school has terminat- ed in a promiscuous fight. One day Mr. Skin- ner, annoyed from having so much laughter in the room, made a rule that the first one that

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

laughed out should take the ferule and hand it to the next one that laughed out, who was to do likewise, and so on, and the scholar having the ferule when school was dismissed, should be feruled by the teacher. A short time after- ward some one laughed, whereupon the teacher handed him the ferule, of which he must get rid, or he would be punished when school closed. It passed through several hands, and finally went to Ira Dixon. The rule was, by this time working altogether too well to suit the teacher. He, therefore, announced that the next one who laughed should ferule Dixon, and the latter should ferule him. Almon Brown and Ira Dixon were great friends, and, when the former saw that the latter was in for sure punishment, his mirth knew no bounds. He endeavored to repress the tide, and his efforts resulted in volcanic peals of laughter. That instantly precipitated events, and the teacher told the boys they must ferule one another. This each one did, laying it on with a gusto not at all appreciated by the other. By this time, the gravity of the whole school was seriously affected. Mutterings were heard here and there, and at last a young man named Denison Williams burst into a roar of laugh- ter. He was feruled by the teacher, greatly to his mortification, and then the rule that had played so much mischief was declared annulled. Such scenes often transpired in the early schools, and even in later ones. There were fifty-nine scholars enrolled dur- ing the winter of 1814-15, at which time the above funny, though serious, event oc- curred. This schoolhouse was used, summer

and winter, until 1828, when J. A. Sumner and others were employed to construct what is known in history as the "Old Brick." Both of these houses were used for school, church, town and other purposes. In 1826, Mr. I. N. Mason taught a "select grammar school " in the village. Other terms were subsequently taught. In 1853, the old brick schoolhouse was purchased by the Village Council for $255, and converted into a town hall, to which use it was devoted for many years. It is likely that the present school building was erected about the same time, although nothing is before the wri- ter of this chapter proving that to have been the case.

From the fact that Tallmadge was blessed with good churches, and that many of the early residents of Middlebury belonged to these, no efforts looking to the organization of religious societies in the village were made until about the year 1830. Many of the villagers were laborers in the various shops, and were not professors of religion ; while the few who were professors preferred going to Tallmadge to church, instead of sustaining the cost of erect- ing a building of their own. However, soon after the completion of the Ohio Canal, several religious societies sprang into existence. The Methodists started up at an unknown date. The Presbyterians put up their church in De- cember, 1831, and the Congregationalists, in December, 1845. Other religious organizations have been established, and Middlebury is now well supplied with churches. Many other in- teresting historical events in the village will be found narrated in other chapters.

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 73

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