History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 88

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 88

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There is one supernumerary preacher, J. C. Castle ; and one local preacher, Richard Blood.

In connection with the church there is a well- organized and efficient Sunday school, having an average attendance of 150. Officers-Super- intendent, Dr. H. W. Carter ; First Assistant, Arthur Lewis ; Second Assistant, Mrs. Mathew Crawford ; Secretary, Mrs. David Brown ; Treas- urer, Mathew Crawford ; Librarians, Isaac Reid and Mary C. Weidner.

" The Congregational Church of Cuyahoga Falls," wrote Birdsey Booth in 1861, " was or- ganized February 14, 1834, by Rev. B. C. Bald- win (then residing at Middlebury), and Rev. J. C. Parmelee, of Tallmadge. Ten persons, five male and five female (five by letter, and five by profession), united in the organization. Of the ten thus uniting, one removed his connection ; six are no more, for God has taken them, they having died in the faith ; and three remain to this day. The whole number which have been received into connection with the church, is 287, of whom 188 were received on certificate, and 99 on profession (about one-third by pro- fession).

" Of the 287 which are, or have been, mem- bers, 41 have died ; 123 have removed their connection ; 23 dismissed for prolonged absence ; 14 have been excommunicated ; leaving pres- ent number 86, of whom some 14 are probably permanently absent.

" Twenty-four adults and twenty infants have been baptized since April, 1841, previous to which there is no record of any.

" From the organization to January 1, 1835, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. B. C. Baldwin, preaching every alternate Sabbath. From Jan- uary 1, 1835, to October of the same year, by Prof. Long, of Western Reserve College ; from October, 1835. to May. 1836, by Prof. Gregg, of Western Reserve College ; from May, 1836, to November 23, same year, by various individ- uals ; from November 23, 1836, to May, 1838, by Rev. Joel Byington ; from May, 1838, to October, same year, by various individuals. October 24, 1838, Rev. William C. Clark was ordained and installed Pastor of the church. Mr. Clark continued his services with the church down to April 5, 1847, about eight and a half years, when, on account of ill health, he re- quested to be released from his pastoral labors, which, the church acceding to, was dissolved by action of Portage Presbytery called for that purpose. (It should be remarked here, that the church was organized in connection with Port-

486

HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

age Presbytery, and until the meeting above re- ferred to, had been regularly represented in that body. On this occasion, the church presented to Presbytery a resolution previously adopted, requesting a dissolution of its connection with that body, which was granted at the meeting aforesaid. Since then, the church has been an independent Congregational body, except as it has entered into mutual relations with other Congregational Churches.)

" From April 5, 1847, to October 12 of the same year, the pulpit was supplied by various indi- viduals, but chiefly by Rev. William C. Foster, whom the church and society invited to become their pastor, and was ordained and installed by Council, October 12. 1847. The relation thus en- tered into continued until May 28, 1849 (a little more than a year and seven months), when the relation terminated by his request, acquiesced in by the church and action of Council, called for the purpose. A few Sabbaths after, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. S. P. Leeds, who. having supplied the pulpit for two years, ac- cepted the call of the church and society, and was ordained by Council June 18, 1851. Mr. Leeds continued the relation thus entered into, until June 23, 1855 (four years), when it was terminated by his request, reluctantly ac- quiesced in by the church and Council. From the termination of Mr. Leeds' labors, June 23, 1855, down to May 2, 1858, the pulpit was sup- plied by many different ministers-for several months by Prof. H. B. Hosford, of Western Re- serve College, and for one year by Rev. J. L. Tomlinson ; subsequently, by Prof. H. N. Day, of Western Reserve College, for several months to May 2, 1858, when Rev. Dr. T. S. Clark, who is still with us, commenced his labors.

"January 1, 1838, Jabez Hamlin and Ogden Wetmore were chosen Deacons of the church. On the 8th day of June, 1841, Deacon Wetmore died, and, on the 24th of November following. B. Booth was chosen his successor. January 7, 1858, Deacon Hamlin, by reason of the infirm- ities of age, requested a discharge from further duties of the office and a successor chosen. Whereupon Mr. Charles Clark was chosen his successor.

" Mr. E. N. Sill was the first Clerk of the church, and held the office to May 24, 1841, when Mr. Charles Clark was chosen Clerk. Mr. Clark held the office to October 5, 1842, when B. Booth was chosen.

" The church was organized in a schoolhouse standing on the same lot or near where the present church edifice stands. The next year a building was erected on an adjoining lot by the citizens of the village. for public assemblies, called the Lyceum, which was, however, under the control of our church for religious pur- poses. In this house the church worshiped until the spring of 1847, when the present church edifice was dedicated.

"There was a revival in the spring of 1840. while Rev. W. C. Clark was Pastor, the fruits of which were added to the church by profes- fession, at the communions in April and July, twenty-five persons. One in the spring of 1848, under Rev. W. C. Foster's pastoral labors, whereby there were added to the church in April and July, thirteen by profession. One under the pastoral labor of Rev. S. P. Leeds. in 1854, when in July seventeen were added to the church by profession."

Since that time, 215 have been added to the church, 137 by profession. The present num- ber of members is 165-male, 50 ; female, 115. Hon. E. N. Sill is the only remaining one of the original ten members.

Dr. Clarke's labors terminated June 8, 1862. During the two years following, the pulpit was supplied by various individuals-from June 19, 1864, to April 1, 1866, by Rev. D. M. Rankin. Oc- tober 28, 1866, Rev. E. V. H. Danner commenced his labors ; was ordained and installed January 3, 1867, and is still the Pastor. In 1870, the church edifice was enlarged and improved, at an expense of $6,121.56. The Sunday school was organized in 1838, and has been held uninter- ruptedly since then. Organizations under the management of the ladies of the church, sew- ing societies, or dime societies, have existed al- most from the organization of the church, and have proved very efficient aids in raising funds for the church. In March, 1875, two ladies' missionary societies (one for young people) were organized, and are still active. Annual contributions are made by the church to the American Bible Society, the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions, the American Home Missionary Society, the Amer- ican Missionary Association, the Education So- ciety, and the Congregational Union. During the pastorate of Rev. S. P. Leeds, this church and Pastor were active in the formation of the Puritan Conference.

487

CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP.

The Church of Christ is the youngest of the church organizations at Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, its existence as an independent church body dating from the 27th day of March, A. D. 1881. The history of the efforts made by the disciple that led to the organization of the church, cov- ers a period of about two years.

In the month of January, 1879, upon the in- vitation of the Ohio Christian Missionary So- ciety, District No. 15, and the church at Stow, Elder T. D. Garvin, of Columbus, Ohio, visited Cuyahoga Falls to hold a series of meetings. James' Hall (now called Apollo Hall), was ob- tained for this purpose. The weather during these meetings-which continued nearly four weeks-was excellent, and the members of the church at Stow attended nearly all the meet- ings. James' Hall was filled night after night to the close. Rev. T. D. Garvin's labors on this occasion were rewarded by quite a num- ber of additions to the church. The expenses of the meeting were borne jointly by the mis- sionary society and the Stow church.

In the spring of 1879, the members of the Stow church, who were living at the Falls, or- ganized a mission, rented the hall over J. L'Hommedieu's store, and held regular meet- ings, for social worship, preaching and com- munion.

These meetings were continued during the year with rather indifferent success. A. S. Wheeler, Elder of the Stow church, had charge of the mission, and the money necessary to sus- tain it was contributed by the missionary so- ciety and the members of the church resident at the Falls.

In December, 1879, Elder T. D. Garvin held a second series of meetings in Apollo Hall, which continued till January 12, 1880. Like the meetings of the previous winter. these were largely attended, and resulted in some thirty additions to the church at Stow. The expense of the meetings, which was about $8 per day, was paid in equal parts by the missionary so- ciety and by the brethren and friends of the mission.

In February, perhaps, of 1880, the mission rented the hall over Giles L'Hommedieu's store, where it has since held its meetings. In April of the same year, William Southmayd, an El- der of the Stow church, moved to the Falls and took an active part in the work of the mission. A Sunday school was organized in connection

with the mission on May 1, 1880, and William Southmayd was chosen Superintendent. A good corps of teachers was secured, and with an enrollment of about twenty-five (which at this writing, May 28, 1880, has grown to nearly fifty), the Sunday-school work of the mission was begun.

About April 15, of the same year, Leonard Southmayd was employed to preach regularly for the mission. He preached regularly from the time of his employment up to the date of the organization of the church, every Lord's Day morning, with one exception. The expense incident to this period of the mission's life was borne by the members of the mission, the mis- sionary society and the church at Stow.

In December, 1880, Elder C. C. Smith, of Akron, held a protracted meeting in G. L'Hom- medieu's hall, which resulted in a few accessions to the church. The church at Akron gave El- der Smith's time, Elder Southmayd supplying the Akron pulpit during Elder Smith's labors here. A pleasant feature of the close of this meeting was the presentation to the Mission Sunday School by Elder Smith, in behalf of the Akron Sunday School, of the beautifully-framed mottoes which now adorn the walls of the Sun- dav-school room.

On February 7, 1881, at the request of mem- bers of the mission, the State Evangelist, Elder R. Moffat, called a conference to take into con- sideration the propriety and practicability of organizing a church. At this conference which met at William Southmayd's, there were present from Stow, Ulysses Marvin, Eli Gaylord, L. Har- tle, C. B. Wetmore, Josiah Wetmore, J. O. Will- iamson, Joseph Whittlesey, L. Southmayd and A. B. Griffith ; from the Falls, A. S. Wheeler, William Southmayd, John Jones, O. M. Hart. Zeno Culver, J. T. Ream. In addition to these there were present R. Moffat, State Evangelist of the Ohio Christian Missionary Society, Linus Rogers, C. C. Smith and A. E. Myers, State Evangelist of West Virginia.

The unanimous conclusion of the conference was that a church be organized at the Falls, provided such act met the approval of the brethren of the mission.

The Elders of the Stow Church gave their consent to the transfer of some fifty-seven names from their church record to the record of the church at the Falls whenever organ- ized.

488

HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

Subsequently the members of the mission concluded to effect an organization. With that end in view, the State Evangelist, Elder R. Moffatt was invited to hold a series of meet- ings at the hall of the mission, which he did beginning on Saturday evening, March 18, 1881, and closing on Sunday evening, March 27, 1881. On March 27, 1881, by appropriate exercises, the church was formally organized, though not legally incorporated as the Church of Christ, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and the following officers were chosen : A. S. Wheeler and William Southmayd, Elders ; O. M. Hart, John Jones and T. J. Ream, Deacons ; W. M. Griswold, Treasurer, and Charles Fillius, Clerk.

There are in Cuyahoga Falls but few secret societies. Howard Lodge, No. 62, I. O. O. F., was instituted March 12, 1846, by O. P. Stid- ger, D. D. G. M., of Canton, Ohio. The char- ter members were Philemon Bliss, Richard Creighton, George Rouse, Augustus Einger and Daniel M. Curtiss. Their charter was surren- dered August 27, 1862. The lodge, however, was re-instituted August 1, 1872, by H. Y. Beebe, P. G. M., of Ravenna, Ohio. The new charter members were John Grimm, D. H. Jones, William Daugherty, Andrew Schmidt, W. H. Dailey, A. M. Musson, John Little, E. L. Babcock and C. Kittleberger. The present officers of the lodge are: I. N. Reid, N. G .; George Williams, V. G .; George W. Rice, Sec- retary ; W. H. Dailey, Recording Secretary ; W. M. Griswold, Treasurer. The Trustees are George J. Parks, George W. Rice, A. C. Goble, Humphrey Parkin, W. I. Clarkson. The names of the Past Grands now connected with the lodge are D. H. Jones, John Grimm, Will- iam Daugherty, Andrew Schmidt, E. L. Bab- cock, W. H. Dailey, George W. Rice, Nelson Holcomb, E. A. Inskeep, A. C. Goble, Thomas Garrety, C. Kittleberger, George J. Parks, W. S. Hough, George F. Patterson, W. I. Clarkson, John D. Thomas, David Forbes and Joseph Jones. The present number of members is seventy-three. Their night of meeting is Tues- day ; their place, Loomis Block, northeast corner of Front and Portage streets.

Letters of dispensation were granted to Star Lodge, F. & A. M., by the Grand Lodge of the State of Ohio January 9, 1850. The first offi- cers of the lodge were: Richard Creighton, W. M .; H. N. Gillett, S. W .; H. Dowd, J. W .; G. L'Hommedieu, Treasurer; John Davis,

Secretary ; A. M. Manchester, S. D .; I. Lewis, J. D .; William Wright, Tiler. The lodge re- ceived their charter from the Grand Lodge of the State of Ohio the 17th day of October, 1850.

The following were charter members of the Lodge : Richard Creighton, Harrison M. Gil- lett, Henry Dowd, Charles W. Whetmore, Giles L'Hommedieu, John Davis, Alonzo N. Man- chester, Isaac Lewis, William Wright, Timothy Brainard, George Allen and Robert Peebles.

The following members were Past Masters of the lodge : R. Creighton, J. Chamberlain, A. M. Manchester, C. W. Whetmore, P. V. Curch, S. Comstock, John Hinde. R. Peebles, I. James, M. Crawford and E. L. Babcock.

The lodge holds two regular communications a month in the Buck Block, on the corner of Front and Portage streets.

The present officers of the lodge are : Will- iam Sidwell, W. M .; William Blong, S. W .; J. M. Craffts, J. W .; C. Kittleberger, Treas- urer ; C. A. Hall, Secretary ; D. Forbes, S. D .; C. Clarke, J. D .; H. M. Stanley, Tiler ; J. H. Insande and J. 1. Reid, Stewards.

Royal Arcanum, Enterprise Council, No. 234, was organized January 3, 1879. The charter members were E. L. Babcock, W. S. Hough, John I. Jones, P. H. Standish, T. F. Heath, J. J. Moore, George Paul, Thomas Garrety, George F. Patterson, E. A. Inskeep, W. A. Tay- lor, W. A. Harrington, A. J. Vaughn, T. J. Fran- cisco, E. A. Chamberlin, W. O. Beebe, W. M. Griswold, J. C. Reid, H. E. Howard, George J. Parks. The first officers were E. L. Babcock, Past Regent; T. F. Heath, Regent ; A. J. Vaughn, Vice Regent ; W. O. Beebe, Collector ; W. M. Griswold, Secretary ; John I. Jones, Treasurer. The Lodge meets twice a month in G. A. R. Hall, in the James Block. The pres- ent officers are : W. S. Hough, Past Regent ; Thomas Garrety, Regent ; W. S. Hough, Col- lector; W. M. Griswold, Secretary ; E. A. Chamberlin, Treasurer.

The Council is one of many similar councils of secret organization, extending nearly all over the United States, organized for the purpose of mutual insurance on the assessment plan, each member paying, according to age. Upon the death of a member in good standing, the heirs are paid from the fund raised by the assess- ment the sum of $3,000.

It also has a social interest for which pro-

Shares HP Brown

489

CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP.

motion its stated council meetings are held. Besides its assessments, each council collects its quarterly dues for defraying its running ex- penses and creating a fund from which each member is entitled to not less than $1 per week in case of sickness.

On the 8th day of June, 1867, the following citizens of Cuyahoga Falls-L. W. Loomis, I. N. Reid, G. M. Patterson, Amos Wills, W. H. Shaffer, D. Shumway, M. V. Burt, R. M. Hin- man, W. H. Carloss and B. B. Tremblin-former soidiers of the late war, met for the purpose of organizing a Post of the Grand Army, and signed an application for a charter which was forwarded to the headquarters of the then Eighteenth District, at Cleveland. On the evening of July 5, 1867, they met and were regularly mustered in by Col. George L. Childs, District Commander. The names of Josiah Brown, A. S. Emerson, J. H. Shewey were added to the charter list.

The officers elected at this meeting for one year were A. S. Emerson, Post Commander ; R. H. Hinman, Senior Vice Commander ; D. Shumway, Junior Vice Commander ; B. B. Tremblin, Post Adjt .; L. W. Loomis, Post Quartermaster ; W. H. Shaffer, Surgeon ; G. M. Patterson, Chaplain.

The name chosen for the Post was Eadie (Post No. 232), in honor of the Eadie boys- John, James and Henry-who lost their lives as soldiers during the rebellion. The number was afterward changed to No. 37.

The first meetings were held in the old Tem- perance Hall, but in a few weeks the Post made arrangements to occupy the hall in the Loomis Block with the I. O. G. T.

The organization grew rapidly during the years up to 1870. In that year the Post had increased from fourteen members to over one hundred and twenty-five. But in the year 1869, it pleased the National Headquarters to intro- duce a new system known as the "Three Grades "-(1st) recruit ; (2d) soldier ; (3d) vet- eran. For soldiers, this system did not work well. In consequence, recruiting about stopped, members became delinquent, and, finally, in December, 1873, the old Post ceased to exist. While it flourished, no member that belonged to it need be ashamed of its work. They col- lected, outside of the regular fees and dues, from the years 1867 to 1873, about $1,200, and used the same for charitable purposes. They took

care of their own sick and poor ; they buried their own dead, and helped to establish the Sol- diers' Orphan Home. Many a strange soldier was sent on his way rejoicing through the kind- ness of the comrades of Eadie Post. The last work they did was one of practical benefit to Cuyahoga Falls, the donating of the last $100 in the treasury to establish the free reading room, which is an honor to Cuyahoga Falls.

In March, 1880, there met in the office of George Paul, a number of the old members of the G. A. R. and old soldiers, and signed an application for a new charter. The meeting for organization was held March 17, 1880, in the old Temperance Hall, and the Post was duly organized by Judge L. C. Williamson and comrades from Buckley, of Akron. Twenty- six members were regularly mustered in.

The officers elected from the charter list for the first year ending January 1, 1881, were W. O. Beebe, P. C .; J. A. Ramp, Sr. V. C .; H. Ingals, Jr. V. C .; C. T. Parks, Adjt. ; J. C. Reid, Q. M .; G. M. Patterson, O. D .; M. H. Diffendorf, O. G .; W. S. Hough, Surg .; J. A. Craffts, Chap- lain ; H. Steele, Sgt. M .; M. C. Tifft, Q. M. Sgt .; George Paul, Dept. Aid de Camp.

The old name and old number was adopted, " Eadie Post, No. 37, Department of Ohio."

Since April 1, 1880, the Post has occupied a lodge-room in Apollo Hall block. The Post has steadily increased in the last year, having now about fifty members, good and efficient officers, and well-attended meetings. In fact its future never was brighter than at present. There is but one grade ; the object is fraternity, charity and loyalty. Since the re-organization, the Post has lost by death one of our most valued members, Adjt. W. J. Patterson, a brave soldier, and the most efficient Adjutant that has occupied that office since the Post was es- tablished in Cuyahoga Falls. The death roll as near as is known since 1877, of the Post is John Williams, Christopher Post, Frederick Bethel, Frank Brainard, William Cooper, A. H. Goble and William J. Patterson.

In 1812, Kelsey & Wilcox built a dam across the Cuyahoga River at the place in Cuyahoga Falls where the railroad bridge crosses it. At this point they erected a grist-mill and a saw- mill. These were the first in the village. After the war with Great Britain of 1812-15, the property was purchased by Stow & Wetmore, and an oil-mill built.

490

HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

It is well known that, at an early day, there was a portage or carrying-place between the waters of the Cuyahoga and those of the Tus- carawas used by the Indians and traders to transport their canoes and peltries within the present Summit County. This portage was an important path, even after the country was occupied by the whites. At a point on this carrying-place was erected by the United States Government a military post, and what was called a "navy yard," and supplies were gathered here for their maintenance. These were drawn from as far south as Chillicothe, being brought up to the head-waters of the Muskingum and conveyed overland to the Cuy- ahoga. William Wetmore was appointed Com- missary of this post, and all the lumber neces- sary to supply the wants of the Government at the station was supplied by the saw-mill at the "old village," near, as we have seen, where the railroad bridge crosses the river.

In the course of time it was discovered that a "power" existed farther down the river much to be preferred to the one which had thus been improved ; so the last named gentlemen commenced in April, 1825, to make improve- ments at the latter place. William Wetmore, Jr., acting for Stow & Wetmore, gathered thirty men from the surrounding country, who were set to work to construct a dam where the upper one now stands. This was finished in June following. Here was erected a grist-mill, also a saw-mill and an oil-mill. As the erection of this dam flooded the one above, the mills first built were taken down.

In 1830, Stow & Wetmores (the father of the latter was then dead) built a paper-mill upon the east side of the river. The first sheet of paper was run off on the 8th of December of that year. Previous to this, the tannery, now occupied by C. Kittleberger, was erected.

"On the 1st day of April, 1825," writes Henry Wetmore, " Brother William and I came to what is now the village of Cuyahoga Falls from the banks of Silver Lake, in the township of Stow. We cut away the alders on the bank of the river, where Israel James' flouring-mill was afterward erected, to take a look at the river, and the wild scenery on each side. The next day Father came to line out the 210 acres which were subsequently the Stow Township part of the village, and to take a level of the fall of the river, to ascertain the height of the

dam he was to build. All around was an un- broken forest. On the 30th of April we had a house up, and a goodly number of men em- ployed in cutting and hewing timber for our dam and saw-mill. flour and linseed oil mill, all of which were built in the year 1825-26.

" In December we completed our paper-mill, it being the first mill in the State to make paper by the method of gathering the pulp on a cylinder. There were three or four small hand mills in Ohio which made paper with seives by dipping up the pulp and shaking it. Joshua Stow, of Middletown, Conn., was our partner, under the firm name of Stow & Wet- mores. In March, 1837, I sold out my interest in the firm to Mr. Stow. Since then the de- stroying hand of time and decay wore out the paper-mill frame and timbers, and it was pulled down. Some fiend burned the flouring-mill, and the oil-mill was discontinued for want of seed to stock it.

" In 1836, a gentleman came to Cuyahoga Falls to locate in business. He liked the place much, but he had heard of a place called Chi- cago, and he would go and see it before locating. On his return, he said Cuyahoga Falls was doing the most business, and would always continue to do so ; so he located here !"

While Stow & Wetmores, in 1825, were con- structing their dam and building their mills as before mentioned, Henry Newberry was engaged in making improvements in the lower part of . the present village. What is now Turner, Parks & Co.'s dam was built by him during that year. The next year he erected on the west side of the river a saw-mill, and on the east side an oil-mill. The latter was carried away by a flood in 1832, but a new mill was immediately put up, and was used by E. N. Sill and Ogden Wetmore. It was afterward sold to John Rumrill, who disposed of it to Prentiss Dow, the latter converting it into a paper-mill. Dow ran it in company with Rum- rill, under the firm name of Dow, Rumrill & Co. This partnership was closed after a time, and then run by P. & G. Dow. The building was finally removed.

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 88

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