History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 77

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 77

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).

them in carrying forward the general principles upon which the settlement was founded. There was in all this, however, no spirit of asceticism. The New England pleasures of the husking- bee and apple-paring were added to the West- ern logging-bees and spinning matches.

"When toil remitting lent its turn to play, And all the village train, from labor free,

. Led up their sports."

Dancing was a common form of amusement. There were plenty of violins and many a hard day's work in the field and cabin was supple- mented by a night's scarcely less vigorous ex- ercise in dancing. The first ball in Cleveland was attended from all the surrounding settle- ments, and among the rest Hudson sent her complement. The occasion was the 4th of July, 1801, and R. H. Blinn, of Hudson, was one of the " managers." An old chronicle says : " Not- withstanding the dancers had a rough puncheon floor, and no better beverage to enliven their spirits than whisky sweetened with maple sugar, yet it is doubtful if the anniversary of Ameri- can independence was ever celebrated in Cleve- land by a more joyful and harmonious compa- ny than those who danced the scamper-down double-shuffle, Western swing, and half-moon forty-six [eighty] years ago in the log cabin of Maj. Carter." The only record we have of the observance of this day in Hudson was on July 4, 1800. There were then just forty-two souls in the settlement, the most of whom had come in the preceding month. These all sat down at a table of elm bark, in the woods on what is now a part of the public square, a few rods north of the actual center of the township, and a very little west of the north-and-south road. Their fare may be imagined; their guests were David Hudson, his wife Anna Hnd- son, their children, Samuel, Ira, William N., Milo L., Timothy and Abigail L. Hudson ; Thaddeus Lacey, his wife Rosanna Lacey, their children, Isaac H., Ann and Susan Lacey ;

*Contributed by J. H. Battle.

427

HUDSON TOWNSHIP.

David Kellogg, his wife Mrs. Kellogg, their children, Eleanor, Hiram and an infant ; Sam- uel Bishop, his wife, Mrs. Bishop, their chil- dren, Ruth, David, Luman, Reuben, Joseph, Phœbe, and a maiden sister of Mrs. Bishop, Ruth Gaylord; Elijah Noble, his wife, Anna Noble and child, Ira Noble. Those not having families at that time, or whose families were still in the East, were Joel Gaylord, Heman Oviatt. Dr. Moses Thompson, Stephen Perkins, William Leach, Reuben Parker, George Dar- row, Joseph Darrow, Gordon Crandall and John Wood.

The property of the early community was very evenly distributed, and there were none who could be termed wealthy, even by the standard of that day. A few would be, per- haps, accurately placed by that New England term of " fore-handed farmers." The accumula- tions of a well-advanced life-time invested in the cheap lands of the Reserve made a somewhat imposing show, but all were blessed with large families, among whom the parents sooner or later divided their property, so that there was but little difference in the size of their farms. All fared on the same food. The woods fur- nished freely to all an abundance of game, berries, honey and nuts, while none were so poor after a few years' residence that he could not raise his own pork and supply his own table with milk, butter, cheese and flour. The most marked difference perhaps was in the su- perior comfort of some of the dwellings, and the fact that some wore shoes the year round. But even this difference brought with it the compensating burden of responsibility and risk to its possessor. The first, and perhaps the most pretentious house in the village was the hewed-log cabin built by Mr. Hudson, on Bald- win street. This was supplied with glass win- dows, and was in its appointments a fitting residence for the principal man of the town. In 1802, his growing family and his duties of hospitality demanded a larger cabin, and he set about putting it up, choosing a site a few feet east of the first one. This he had completed and had moved a few beds and other things into it, and being in the middle of "moving " the family slept in their new home, the children leaving their clothing in the old one. An arbi- tration had been held in the old house until quite late at night, and a roaring fire had been maintained on the hearth. A short time after

closing the business and Mr. Hudson had retired to bed in the new building, he was aroused by the flames showing in the chamber of the old cabin. The old " cat-and-clay" chimney had proved rec- reant to its trust, and the chamber loft had been set on fire. Mr. Hudson saved his valuable papers, but everything else was lost, including a large stock of supplies intended to provide for his family and such of the settlers as would need them for a full year, and even his chil- dren's shoes. His loss was estimated at a $1,000, and was the more serious from the fact that the nearest market was Pittsburgh, which could only be reached by traversing miles of trackless woods. There were others, like Chris- tian Cackler, Jr., who found consolation in that traditional old lady's philosophy, " blessed be nothing." On moving from Hudson in 1816, "our furniture," says he, " proved no incon- venience ; my wife had a bed, I had an ax, I added to this by purchase of Zenas Kent three white cups and saucers costing 75 cents, three knives and forks and a wooden pail. The woman who lived with us gave three wooden plates, and a kettle to cook our victuals in. My wife's father also gave us a table which completed our ' set out.'" (In 1870, his prop- erty was estimated at $30,000). Such a distinc- tion was obviously too slender a foundation upon which to build a spirit of caste. Indeed, the whole fabric of society rested upon an aris- tocracy of labor, and none were so high or so low that he did not minister to his necessities with his own hands. The fathers of the com- munity wrought in the fields with their sons, and were not less strong in action than wise in counsel. Their endurance is the marvel of later generations.

In 1802, Mr. Hudson was called to Goshen on business pertaining to the land which he held in company with Mr. Norton. He started out on horseback and alone, carrying his pro- visions with him. It was in July, and after going some fifty miles he found his horse jaded by the journey and used up by the flies which were the scourge of animal life in the new country. He accordingly sold his horse. and slinging his pack upon his shoulder he pro- ceeded on his way on foot. On reaching the Cattarangus Creek, which was considerably swollen with rains, and finding no one there to aid him, he determined to cross on his own ac- count. It was not far from its mouth and the

HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

428

current was dangerously rapid, but taking an old half-rotten sled that chanced to be near, he lannehed out for the other shore. Unfortunately he had miscalculated the force of the current and he found himself borne rapidly toward the open lake. To proceed far in this way meant death, and taking advantage of the course of the current he leaped from his raft upon a shifting sandbank which the current was piling up near the bank and after severe effort secured firm ground on the same side of the stream from which he had started, a wet but wiser man. Going some distance up the stream, he forded it in safety, continued his journey to Bloomfield, in New York, where he bought a horse and completed his journey and back to the settlement in safety. This was the exploit of a man over forty years of age.

The matrons were of a not less hardy race, and are no less a marvel to the women of these "degenerate days." "Carpets, or even painted floors, were not then found even in the houses of comparatively well-to-do families, but the floors were kept scoured to a snowy whiteness, and in the best rooms were neatly sanded and then marked into fantastic figures. Crockery, or queensware, as it was then called, was too expensive for the tables of the yeomanry, and the dresser was supplied with pewter platters, which must be kept polished to a silvery white- ness. The thrifty housewife kept her deal ta- bles and benches and unpainted doors washed to immaculate cleanness. The towels, table- linen, bed-linen, and most of the summer clothing of the family were the products of home industry. The mothers and daughters hatcheled the flax, at a small wheel spun the thread, and afterward their hands threw the shuttle that formed the durable fabrics, the re- mains of which are held as heir-looms by the descendants of the old families, and proudly shown as proofs of the handiwork of hands long since laid to rest. Spinning, knitting and weaving linen, and braiding straw hats and bonnets, were a large part of the regular work of the winter. Bleaching, cutting, making and fashioning these ready for use was spring work. Then came cleansing, picking and carding the wool into bats ready for spinning on the large wheel. The yarn was woven into blankets for bedding. Some was made into checked flannel for aprons and dresses for the women, and died red for the children's dresses. Part

of the flannel was fulled for clothing for the men and boys. Then there must be many skeins of yarn of divers shades and colors for the hose and mittens and comforters of all. Knitting occupied the evenings of the grand- mother and daughters in the family of the olden time, and she was considered a poor knitter who could not show a well-shaped sock or a double mitten as the result of a winter evening's work. Summer gloves or mitts were made of linen thread with a hook similar to the modern crochet needle. Nor were these branches of home industry confined to the families of farmers. No woman was held of much account whose hands laid not hold of the spindle and distaff, and who looked not well to the ways of her household, or could even be suspected of eating the bread of idleness. The strength of these women was equal to their day, and their work did not hurry them so that they could not occasionally make and receive visits of half a day with neighbors and friends. They were able to attend two long services in church on the Sabbath, and to stand through the longest prayer that was ever offered."* There was present in the early so- ciety not only the plain virtue of helpfulness, but there were some homes that without losing this, foreshadowed the culture which to-day is Hudson's crown of glory.

The fathers of the colony were not men of learning or of courtly demeanor. With tastes formed by the experiences of New England farm life, and the echoes of that controversial conflict which was characterized more by the power exhibited than by the culture of the combatants, their intellectual tastes preferred "sound common sense" to the elegant ac- complishments. But they brought with them an earnest appreciation of and desire for edu- cational advantages, which attracted those like-minded, and early cast over the commu- nity here an air of culture that was to be found nowhere else on the Reserve. By the permis- sion of Miss Emily Metcalf, we are permitted to look in upon one of these early homes, which she has sketched with such a "tender grace." Mrs. Metcalf eame to Hudson in 1814. "The first ten years of her married life were spent in a house of hewed logs, its four rooms neatly hung with newspapers ; an article only procured

* Memoir of Mrs. Lucy D. Brown, widow of llarman Hinsdale and Owen Brown.

429

HUDSON TOWNSHIP.

in sufficient numbers through the generosity of her ministerial friends and her legal friend, Judge Parkman. Its windows were of glass instead of oiled paper, which ranked the ap- pointments of the house as decidedly superior, nor was it wanting in a certain air of refine- ment, which could not be absent from a house of which she was mistress. The house stood near the woods, a mile from the nearest neigh- bor. Wild animals from the forest often vent- ured near, and Indians frequently called to light the pipe and beg a mug of cider. Her husband's ride in the practice of medicine was * over several contiguous counties.

At such times the wife, left alone with her small children, had no diversion from intense solicitude except in reading ; and, in the scar- city of books and papers of general interest, she resorted to her husband's medical library In the long nights, when anxiety forbade sleep to the defenseless wife and mother, these med- ical works were read and re-read, until, without aiming at such acquisition, she had gained a very creditable knowledge of medicine, which became of great value to hier, both in rearing her own family, and in kindly offices for the sick in other families, when her services were ever esteemed above price." Mrs. Met- calf, before her marriage, had pursued a course of study in the academy at Westfield, Mass. Here her fine mental powers, stimulated by that unquenchable thirst for knowledge which characterized her whole life, ranked her high in every department of study. Especially did the artistic chord in her nature respond re- joieingly to the æsthetic culture of the school, and, after a period of nearly sixty years (1870), she leaves as heirlooms several paintings and pieces of finest ornamental needle-work, exe- cuted by herself at that time."*

Dr. Jonathan Metcalf came to Hudson in 1812. After a long tour of inspection on horseback, he came to Aurora, and was about to leave for Pittsburgh, when he was met by David Hudson, who persuaded him to visit the Hudson settlement. The place pleased him, and he took up his abode with Mr. Hudson on the 6th of June. Two weeks later, the little community was startled by the intelligence that war had been declared with Great Britain. The militia which had been formed a few years previous were ordered out. A company formed

from Hudson and the several adjoining town- ships, had its headquarters here, and was under the command of Amos Lusk as Captain. A good deal of uneasiness prevailed in this front- ier settlement, although there seemed no necessity for any public measure of safety save to remain constantly on the alert. Late one Saturday evening in August, a messenger from Newburg entered Mr. Hudson's house, bringing the news of Hull's surrender, and the further rumor that the British and Indians in great numbers were making their way down the lake in flatboats.

The whole community was thrown at once into a fever of excitement. Preparations were made for placing the women and chil- dren in a place of safety, and the company of militia was summoned to their place of rendezvous. On the Sabbath morning follow- ing, Capt. Lusk paraded his company on the green, prepared to act upon the first informa- tion or order, when a messenger from the Com- mittee of Public Safety at Cleveland announced that the forces approaching were the paroled troops of Gen. Hull. At this juncture, Capt. Lusk called for a volunteer to carry the news to Warren, to which Dr. Metcalf responded, as he was provided with a good riding horse. " There was then only a bridle path by marked trees to Warren, and no bridges across the streams, and he was an entire stranger to the country. He left Hudson about 11 o'clock with a letter of introduction from Capt. Lusk to Col. Edwards, of Warren, and rode forty miles on a sultry August day, swimming the Mahoning River two or three times, the water coming nearly to the seat of the saddle. He reached Warren about dark, found Col. Ed- wards at the house of Gen. Perkins, delivered his communication, and was invited to stay all night at the house of the former. In the morn- ing he found an Eastern acquaintance who was trading in Warren, who informed him that Col. Cotgrave, who was then encamped with his regiment on the common, under marching orders, had raised a great excitement the pre- ceding night. It was alleged that Metcalf was a British officer in disguise, and had brought the message to delay the marching of the regi- ment and gain time for the British. It was intimated, moreover, that if he had not enjoyed the protection of Col. Edwards, his life would probably have been sacrificed by the excited

* Memoir of Abigail L. Metcalf.

430

HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

soldiers."* Fortunately, the excitement was allayed by morning, and Mr. Metcalf returned to Hudson in safety. Capt. Lusk's company was ordered a little later to old Portage under Gen. Wadsworth's command, and afterward to Huron and Sandusky, being out some three months, but saw no active service. While in the service. Dr. Metcalf accompanied them as Surgeon in charge. These troops were armed with such weapons as cach man owned, and something of their effectiveness may be learned from an incident that occurred at old Portage. A company of some twenty men practicing in tiring by platoons fonnd only one gun that did not miss fire at the first shot. The peace establishment after the war was entered into with enthusiasm by the Hudson people. A company of "light infantry " was organized, which was the pride of the colony and the envy of the regular militia at general musters in Ravenna.

The political organization of Hudson was very early. The settlement here was, at that time, the largest on the Reserve, and the townships of Stow, Boston, Twinsburg, Aurora and Mantua were attached to it for township purposes. It has been agreed among the original proprietors that the township should be named after its founder, and, in 1802, the Commissioners of Trumbull County, sitting at Warren. the county seat, organized this territory with the name of Hudson. On the 5th of April following, twenty electors gathered at the cabin of David Hud- son, and elected Thaddeus Lacey, Township Clerk ; Heman Oviatt, Ebenezer Sheldon and Abraham Thompson, Trustees ; Elias Harmon and Samuel Bishop, Poormasters ; Aaron Nor- ton, John Oviatt and Jotham Atwater, Fence Viewers ; Joel Gaylord and Elias Harmon, Ap- praisers of Houses; George Kilbourne, Moses Pond and Moses Thompson, Supervisors of Highways ; Ebenezer Lister, Aaron Norton and Rufus Edwards, Constables. Of the election, Mr. Hudson was Chairman, and the voters were D. Hudson, J. Darrow, G. Darrow, Dr. Thomp- son, T. Lacey, William McKinley, A. Norton, H. Oviatt, E. Sheldon (of Aurora), E. Nobles, S. Bishop, J. Gaylord, A. Thompson, Deacon S. Thompson. Robert Walker (of Stow), Elias Harmon (of Mantua), Jotham Atwater, Moses Pond, Rufus Edwards and George Kilbourne. In 1801, Gov. St. Clair appointed Mr. Hudson,

Justice of the Peace, and his first official act bears date of March 24, 1801, with the follow- ing entry on his docket : "Issued a writ of arrest in favor of Thaddeus Lacey against Thomas and Daniel Judd, to balance book ac- counts ; said Lacey having made oath that, in his opinion, he is in danger of losing the debt due him from said Judds." It is proba- ble, that in his opinion he was mistaken, for there is no further entries upon that subject, or, in fact, in that year. His official services were called into requisition, however, during the lat- ter part of that year, but hardly in a way to call for a docket entry. This was on the occa- sion of the marriage of George Darrow to Miss Olive Gaylord, which he legalized on the 11th of October, 1801. On the 5th of November following, he performed the same functions for Stephen Perkins and Miss Ruth Bishop, all of Hudson. These marriages were before pro- vision had been made to record such events, and they are found noted upon the fly-leaf of an old land record book in the Recorder's office at Warren. In the first case, Mr. Hud- son is said to have been considerably embar- rassed, and was obliged to correct himself re- peatedly before he could satisfy himself that he had discharged his duty in the premises. The lady in the case did not exhibit so much trepidation, and showed her housewifely care, by dropping the hand of the groom at a criti- cal point, and proceeding across the room re- moved a "thief" that was "guttering" the candle. On resuming her position, the cere- monies went on. The story is told of her, that a little later, when the first census taker called on her with his usual bundle of interrogations, her ouly response was, "George and I live here," and with this the enumerator was forced to satisfy himself. The year previous, a log schoolhouse had been erected, and this served for years in the threefold capacity of meeting, town and school house. The early records are in an excellent state of preservation, but they present nothing of any interest to the present generation. There was very little parade made by the governing powers, and, save the record- ing of " ear-marks," and noting the proceedings of each "annual meeting," there was no call for records. The April election was an impor- tant event, however, in the township, and was scrupulously attended by the male portion of the community. The business was generally

* MSS. of Miss Emily Metcalf.

431

HUDSON TOWNSHIP.

opened with prayer, and the day spent as a holiday. After surveying the whole township into one hundred lots, following the plan of New England villages, the proprietors laid out a public square on the geographical center of the township. This consisted of two acres in a square form, taken equally from the converg- ing corners of Lots Nos. 45, 55, 56 and 46. There was, then, according to the record, " laid out to the proprietors of said town of Hudson, of mechanic lots, each lot containing two and a half acres, being 5.00 square, bounded south on the east and west center line ; west on Lot No. 54; north on the remaining part of David Hudson's Lot No. 55 ; east on the public green ; said lots taken off 5.00 wide from the south side of said Hudson's Lot, No. 55. Also seven me- chanic lots laid off from the south side of Lot No. 56 ; bounded west on the public green ; north on the remaining part of said Hudson's Lot No. 56 ; east on Lot No. 57 ; south on east and west center line ; each lot containing two and one-half acres, being 5.00 square. Also seven mechanic lots taken from the north side of Lot No. 46 ; bounded west on the public green ; north on the east-and-west center line ; east on Lot No. 47 ; south the remaining part of Lot No. 46 ; the above said mechanic lots divided by posts and lines at 5.00 distance. Thaddeus Lacey, surveyor ; David Hudson, agent for proprietors." The earliest road which opened this settlement to the outside world was that one leading to the boat landing in Boston on the Cuyahoga. This was the only outlet, and was used for several years. In 1802, Ed- ward Payne laid out what is known under the various titles of Aurora road, Payne road or Old State road, from Painesville to Chillicothe, then the capital of the State. This passed through Kirtland, Chester, Bainbridge, Aurora, Hudson, etc. It entered the latter township where the Aurora road does, and followed its course until it struck the village, when it changed its course and followed the center road south, about a mile from the village, where it branched off to the southwest, touching a little later Cuy- ahoga Falls and then on to old Portage. About the same time, or perhaps a little earlier, the road from Cleveland to Canton passed through Hudson on the north-and-south center road, which is yet known as the Cleveland road. It was in this year also (1802) that Mr. Hudson, at the request of Capt. Olmsted, the proprietor

of Franklin Township, laid out the Ravenna road. The work was set on foot by petition to the Commissioners in February, and it was the last of December before he was ready to build a bridge where the road crossed the Cuyahoga River. On the 31st of December, he secured nine volunteers-S. Bishop, E. Lindley, W. Mc- Kinley, A. Thompson, H. Oviatt, MI. Parker, G. Darrow, W. Leach and T. Lacey, to accompany him to construct a bridge across the " Narrows," near the scene of Brady's leap. This was no slight undertaking, poorly provided as they were with tools and machinery. A tree stand- ing on the bank near at hand was first felled across the stream, and with this start, aided by three yoke of cattle and some volunteers from Ravenna, the structure was completed in two days, and was the first bridge constructed in this vicinity. The men took their provisions with them, camping out until their work was accom- plished, and though each one thought he was contributing his labor, Mr. Hudson secured them pay at 50 cents per day. The general line of this road is still marked by Ravenna street and its ex- tension. Some years afterward, the east-and- west center road was extended to Warren. The town thus early made accessible, took on a vigorous growth. The road thus laid out brought considerable through travel to Hudson, which could not fail to build up its business in- terests. A stage route was established from Cleveland to Pittsburgh as early as 1825, pass- ing through Hudson. Jabez Gilbert was the earliest of a long line of stage-drivers who are remembered by the older residents of the place. He drove at first a two-horse vehicle, which with the increase of business was exchanged for one drawn by the regular four-in-hand, with frequently a half-dozen "extras " following it. The great drawback to this enterprise here as elsewhere, was the almost impassible condition of the roads during the inclement seasons. These were often in places too muddy to travel at all, and it was a common occurrence for teams passing on the Aurora road to make a detour on the high ground that is found to the north of it.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 77

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