History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 99

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 99

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not. If not, like a cat, it possessed nine lives ; for it is now as strong and full of life as could be expected. A Methodist society was organ- ized on the State road as early, perhaps, as 1825. This, however is not known with cer- tainty. In after years it became well known, and was well attended. But little could be as- certained concerning this church. Religious services have been held from time to time in the schoolhouses in and near Boston Village, but no church has been erected and no perma- nent society organized in that portion of the township.

In March, 1837, a post office was first located at Peninsula. It was secured largely through the influence of H. V. Bronson, one of the most prominent and respected citizens of the place, who was commissioned first Postmaster, an office he retained until 1845, when Billings Chaffee succeeded him. The post office at Boston Village was secured as early as 1830, mainly through the instrumentality of William Mather. One was secured at " Johnnycake " a few years later.

CHAPTER XXII .*

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP-ITS PHYSICAL FEATURES-EARLY SETTLEMENT- MINERAL WEALTH- POTTER'S CLAY-VILLAGES-CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS-INCIDENTS.

THREE-QUARTERS of a century ago, this division of Summit County was a wilder- ness, undisturbed by the enterprise of the Anglo-Saxon race. But with the year 1807 the history of Springfield actually begins. The in- flux of population that commenced with the dawn of that year, ceased not until all the va- cant land was occupied. The early settlers of Springfield Township, forgetful of their own ease, at a time when years of toil could reason- ably have demanded repose for their declining days, they braved the difficulties of the un- known wilderness, that their children might achieve that wealth and greatness their faith pictured in the future. The broad lands, rich and fertile, the thousand homes, adorned with the comforts and luxuries of an advanced civilization, the vast resources of mineral wealth that abound, not only in this township

but throughout this section of country, are among the memorials that attest the wisdom of their choice. The inducements which invited the immigration of the pioneers of Springfield was all that the most exacting could demand, or that Nature in her pleasantest mood could offer. Fine forests, streams of flowing water, productive lands, and, as afterward discovered, vast stores of mineral wealth. Such advantages as these were not to be overlooked in the se- lection of homes.

Springfield is situated in the east tier of town- ships, and but one from the southeast corner of the county. It intrudes its northwest corner into the city of Akron, and is bounded on the north by Tallmadge Township ; on the east by Suffield Township, in Portage County ; on the south by Green Township; on the west by Coventry Township, and is designated as Town- ship 1, Range 10. The south line of Spring-

* Contributed by W. II. Perrin.

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

field is on the southern boundary of the Western Reserve-the forty-first parallel of latitude. This causes a slight jog in the east line of the county, as the townships south of the Reserve are of a different survey. The surface of the township is rolling ; but not sufficiently so to be termed broken, with one or two small ex- ceptions. It is drained mainly through the little Cuyahoga River, in the north part, and the Tuscarawas in the south part and their tributaries, together with a number of little lake- lets in different parts of the township. The largest of the latter is Springfield Lake, in the geographical center of the township, and is about a mile in length and half a mile in width. Of this little lake, Gen. Bierce says : " A com- pany at Middlebury, a few years ago (1854), got a special act of the Legislature authorizing them to raise Springfield Lake six feet, and lower it four, from its natural level. This rise and fall affords a sufficient supply, on which to draw when other sources fail. The right is now owned by the mill-owners of Akron." The soil of Springfield is a rich, sandy loam, and well adapted to wheat growing, although other small grain. as well as corn, are produced in more or less abundance. Stock-raising also receives some attention, but is not made a specialty by the farming community. The timber consists of the kinds common in this section viz., beech, maple, ash, elm, poplar, hickory, white oak, walnut, etc. Coal-mining was rather extensive at one time. This, however, with the potter's clay industries, will again be referred to in this chapter. An extensive cranberry marsh was in Springfield in early times, near Springfield Lake, and embraced some 200 acres ; but this has been cleared np, thoroughly drained, and is now as productive corn land as there is in the township. "Springfield was an equalizing township, and was surveyed by Simon Perkins in the summer of 1806. He first ran a north- and-south line through the center, the east half of which was set to Town 4, Range 8, to make that equal with the average. A strip off the west side was attached to Shalersville. It was drawn and belonged to Mr. Shaler, of Middle- town, Conn., father of Judge Shaler, of Pitts- burgh."* Shaler sold the east half to Messrs. Olds, Collar and More, of what is now Mahoning County, and the strip off the west side to Henry and Charles Chittenden.

The first permanent settlement in Springfield Township was made by one Ariel Bradley, in 1807, on Lot 12, of the " Shaler Tract," where he died years ago. His family are all gone from the neighborhood, though, we believe, his youngest son is yet living in Lucas County, Ohio. Gen. Bierce gives the following interest- Ing sketch of Mr. Bradley : " He was born in Salisbury, Conn., in 1767. Naturally of a strong, discriminating mind, he was employed, with success, when a boy, in scenes and business which would have appalled older and more ex- perienced heads. Just before the battle of White Plains, in 1776, young Bradley, being then only nine years old, was employed by Gen. Washington to enter the British camp as a spy. He took an old horse, and, putting a load of grain on his back, got astride of it himself, and boldly passed within the British lines under pretense of going to mill. He was arrested, as he expected to be, and taken to the British camp for examination. Here, without exhibit- ing any unusual curiosity, he observed all that was going on. A long consultation was held by the officers, as to what should be done with him ; but young Bradley acted the 'Johnny Raw' so completely that they finally dismissed him, thinking him more fool than spy. As he was leaving, one of the officers remarked, 'I believe the little devil will betray us.' The mill-boy made his way back to the American camp, with the desired information. In 1801, in company with Belden and Simeon Crane, he removed to Canfield, Mahoning County. They left Salisbury on the 14th of June, 1801, and arrived in Canfield in August following. He remained in Canfield until 1805, when he re- moved to Suffield Township, in Portage County, and settled on what is known as the old Kent farm; and, in 1807, settled in Springfield, in what is now Mogadore. When he first came to Canfield, but little could be obtained, north- west of the Ohio River, to alleviate hunger, except by the chase. Wheat and flour were brought on pack-horses from Georgetown, on the Ohio ; and salt was an unknown article. In 1802, Bradley went to Georgetown for bread- stuff; but was unable to get a pound of flour or meal. A man there had raised a little wheat, and Bradley got the privilege of pounding out some, with which he started home through the woods. On his way back, and, when about thirteen miles south of Canfield, his horse was

* Gen. Bierce.

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taken siek, and he was compelled to camp out in the woods. He hitched his horse, and, for his own security, climbed a tree. Soon after dark, the wolves surrounded him, determined to have him or his horse ; but Bradley was not disposed to surrender either, and, descending from the tree, he procured a good club, with which he stood sentry over his horse and cargo of wheat. As the wolves would come near him, he would strike at them, and they would retreat. Near morning, one more brave than the rest, came so near that he hit him over the head. The fellow sounded a retreat, and the rest fol- lowed with tremendous yells.

The same year that saw Bradley settle in Springfield witnessed the coming of Benjamin Baldwin, Nathan More and Reuben Tupper, all of whom were originally from Salisbury, Conn., the native place of Bradley. Baldwin settled just across the town line, west from the Kent farm, where he died in 1847. More and Tupper also died in the township. John and James Hall, brothers, came from Pennsylvania in 1807, and were the next settlers in Spring- field ; John was about eighteen years old and his brother was still younger, and they remained alone in the wilderness the first year. Their cabin was built near a spring half a mile east of the Presbyterian Church of North Spring- field, and, at the time, there was not a road to or from it in any direction. As Indians were plenty, they dare not sleep in the house, but, at night, would make up a fire in the house and then take their guns and go into a corn-field to sleep, stationing themselves so that they could see any one entering the door. In this manner they passed the first summer and fall. John, the elder of these two brothers, died in Marion County, and James went to Huron County. John Hall, a lawyer in Akron, is a son of John Hall referred to above. Robert Hall, also from Pennsylvania, came next and settled on the place now owned by Peter Lepper. He died in the summer of 1808, from the bursting of a blood-vessel, and was the first death in the town- ship. He was buried in the cemetery northeast of Middlebury.

The old Keystone State contributed the fol- lowing Pennsylvania Dutchmen to the settle ment of Springfield Township : Rev. Thomas Beer. Thomas Metlin, -John Vallandingham, James McKnight, Samuel Wood, Capt. William Foster, Abraham DeHaven, Francis Irvin, Dea-

con Ewert, Joseph Scott, Jacob Winters, Sam- uel Hinson, James Wertz, the Bairds, Judge Robert Clark, George MeGrew, Patrick and Ar- chie Christy, the Smiths, Deacon McWright, the Ellets, Robert Smith, - - Henderson, James McCormic, and perhaps others. Mr. Beer was a Presbyterian preacher of the strictest old- school principles ; he moved away and is dead. Metlin settled in 1814, and moved into Norton Township, where he died. Vallandingham settled in 1811-12, and moved to Holmes County and died there. He was an unele to Hon. Clement L. Vallandigham, who, when a boy, used to visit his unele in Springfield, and is well remembered by many of the older resi- dents of the neighborhood. McKnight was a brother-in-law of John Vallandingham, and came in 1814, moved to Stark County and died, Wood was the father of John B. Wood, of Ak- ron ; came in early, and died many years ago. Capt. Foster was a brother-in-law of Wood, and died in the township at the age of eighty-seven years. DeHaven came in 1809, and died many years ago. Mrs. Clark, of Akron, is a daughter of his. Irvin and DeHaven were brothers-in- law. Deacon Ewert came about 1809-10, and died on the place of his original settlement, at an advanced age. Joseph Scott settled in 1811 ; died about 1830, while making a visit to Penn- sylvania ; he was brought home and buried by the side of his wife in the Kent burying-ground. David Scott, of Akron, is his son. Winters came with Wood and Metlin, and was from the same place ; he died in Richland County. Hin- son came in early ; he met with a melancholy accident which resulted in his death ; returning from Middlebury one evening, his horse ran away with him and threw him with such vio- lence that he died in a few hours from the ef- fects of the fall. Wertz died on the place of his settlement many years ago. The Bairds were a large family, of whom Joseph, James George and Robert were brothers, and came in abont 1809 or thereabouts. Judge Clark also came in 1809, and was one of the first Justices of the Peace in the township, and one of the first Surveyors in Portage County ; he was also Associate Judge of Portage County. McGrew came in 1809-10, and died in the neighborhood as did also his wife. The Christys were early settlers ; Patrick died in Akron and Archie moved back to Pennsylvania. The Smiths, as . they are everywhere, were a large family, and

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

came in about 1811 ; there were Thomas, Jacob, George, James and Caleb, who were all brothers. Thomas fitted out a flat-boat at Massillon, loaded it, and started for the Crescent City via the Tuscarawas and Muskingum Rivers, to the Ohio. He arrived safely at Natchez, Miss .. with his boat, but was there taken sick and died. Dr. Smith, of Akron, is his son. Jacob Smith was a hatter, and used to follow his trade in Spring- field.

Deacon MeWright came in about 1809- 10, and was one of the original members of the Presbyterian Church. The Ellets were early settlers, and comprise quite a large family. The old gentleman of all was a Revolutionary soldier. A Mr. Henderson was an early settler in the extreme south part of the township. Robert Smith, another family of those men- tioned above, came in shortly after Bradley and cleared up the first farm in Springfield. McCor- mic also came the same year, and settled in the corner of the township. It will thus be seen that Springfield was settled originally mostly from Pennsylvania.

Peter Norton, who came in quite early, was from Connecticut, and came to Trumbull County, Ohio, at an early day. In 1809, he moved over into Tallmadge, and, four years later, came to Springfield and settled in the woods. He died there in 1822. Two sons are still living-Lester, now eighty-three years of age, and "Tommy," as everybody calls him, who is seventy-five years of age. George Carroll settled near Springfield Lake. It is not known where he came from, but it is supposed he was from Germany, as he could speak very little English when he first moved in. He lived and died upon the place of his settlement. John Weston ranks among the early settlers of Springfield. He was considered well off at that early period, because when he came he had a wagon and two yoke of oxen. He stopped with Norton until he got a cabin put up to go in. A son, Francis Weston, is still living on the old homestead, an old man now himself, and near- ly ninety years old. The old gentleman was a Revolutionary soldier, and died at the age of eighty-three. Henry and Charles Chittenden, mentioned as having bought the west side of the township, came from the East (probably from Connecticut) and were early settlers. Pe- ter Rodenbaugh came in about 1815, and Capt. Fulkerson in 1820. Many others settled with-

in the next few years, and soon there was no vacant land left in the township.

At the time of the organization of Spring- field as a township, it was a part of Trumbull County, as the first records are headed, " At a meeting held in the township of Springfield, county of Trumbull and State of Ohio." It then embraced, besides its present territory, Randolph and Suffield, in Portage County, and Tallmadge, Portage and Coventry, in Summit. At the election held on the day of organization, Josiah Ward, of Randolph, was one of the Judges ; John Foster, of Mantua, Clerk ; John Goss (of Randolph), Benjamin Baldwin (of Springfield) and Stephen Upson (of Tallmadge), Trustees. The following is a transcript of the township records, and shows their mode of doing business : " At a meeting of the Trustees, on the first Monday in March, in the year of our Lord 1810, they settled with all and balanced accounts ; Supervisor James McCormic, ex- cepted. Found due from him, $2.40, for which said James gave his note, payable in labor on some county road in Springfield, on or before the 1st day of April next, at the rate of 623 cents per day." On the 13th day of March, Benjamin Baldwin was sworn in as a Justice of the Peace, being the first Justice elected in the township. Robert Baird was probably the next Justice of the Peace in Springfield ; Aus- tin Weston was an early Justice of the Peace, also, in this township.

Springfield Township affords some fine mill sites along the Little Cuyahoga and Tuscara- was Rivers, which run through the township, and npon the outlet of Springfield Lake. One branch of the Little Cuyahoga has its source in this lake, and the other in Suffield Lake which makes the flood of water very uniform. As an example of the fine water-power, the water in the race opposite the Empire House in Akron, is 172 feet below the level of Spring- field Lake, and the latter is nearly 700 feet above the level of Lake Erie. The following incident is related of this beautiful little sheet of water : "In the spring of the year, just be- fore the breaking up of the ice on Springfield Lake, there is often heard a curious, moaning sound that is audible, at times, for miles. The first time it was noticed was in 1813, by James McKnight, while out hunting. He supposed it to be some huge animal, and started with his gun and little boy in pursuit. The sound ap-

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peared to be near the outlet, at the northeast part of the lake. In crossing the lake on the ice, when near the deepest part, it being very dark, he stepped into an 'air-hole' and went entirely under ; but holding on to his rifle, which reached across the hole, he drew himself out by it and thus saved himself. The longest cords that have been tried, or that can be pro- eured, cannot sound the lake in its deepest parts." But to return to the water-power. One of the first mills in Springfield was built by James Brewster, the father of Alexander Brewster, in the extreme south part of the town, and is now known as the Fritts Mill. The next one, perhaps, was MeCormie's, at Mog- adore. Clinton also built a mill very early, but it has long sinee passed away, and another, known as "Gilchrist's Mill," has been built in its place. DeHaven built a mill in 1830, on the Massillon road not far from the " White Grocery," on the outlet of Springfield Lake. Another of the early mills was built on the Tusearawas in the south part of the township. There were mills built in Middlebury very early which were well patronized by the people of Springfield.

Springfield Township is intersected by the Valley Railroad, which enters at the northwest. corner and passes out near the center of the south line. While there is no station in the township, it is of great benefit to the people, as Middlebury is within easy reach and has good roads leading to it from all parts of Springfield.

There are several hamlets laid down on the map of Springfield, but none of them amount to much in the way of towns. Indeed, they have not even arrived at the dignity of villages. This, perhaps, arises from the fact that other villages and trade-centers sprang up, leaving but little or no necessity for villages in the township. Middlebury, a portion of which is in Springfield, was, at one time, the most im- portant place in Summit County. It com- manded the entire trade on this side of the county, far beyond the present county limits. The nearest approach to a village in Spring- field, outside of Middlebury, is Mogadore, on the east line of the township, and about as much in Portage County as in Summit. It consists of a few dozen or so of houses, a store or two, shops, several potteries and a couple of churches, and, as we said, is on both sides of

the county line. The Disciples and Methodists have churches in the village, though we believe the Methodist Church is over in Portage Coun- ty. The Disciples' Church has been there for a number of years. Alexander Campbell, him- self, was the first to preach that particular doe- trine at Mogadore, and established the church, which has ever since continued. One of the first merchants was Henry Sawyer, who had a small store there many years ago. Several others have had stores since, and Robert Atchi- son has one there at the present time. Thomas- ton is a coal mining place, and consists of a few straggling houses and a post office. It is on the line and mostly in Coventry Township, and is too near the city of Akron to ever amount to anything of a town. North Springfield, or North Center, is another small collection of houses, sometimes honored by the name of vil- lage. It is situated just north of Springfield Lake, and is known as the township center, because Springfield Lake oecupies the geo- grapieal center, and the only means by which the official center of the township could have been placed in the geographical center, would have been to have it like the city of Mexico, in the midst of a lake. And, in this case, the danger would be that, as the lake is said to be bottomless, the town house might have gone down to China, sometime in the midst of an im- portant township meeting. There is no store at North Center or Springfield, but the place consists of a few houses only, the town house, a pottery and the Presbyterian Church. Mil- heim is a hamlet in the south part of the town, and as regards population and importance, is on a par with North Center and Thomaston.

One of the first coal mines opened in Summit County was opened in Springfield Township, by Abram DeHaven, in 1808. It cropped out on his land, and was accidentally discovered by him. He mined it there for years, and the coal was hauled away in wagons. About 1842, Philpot leased the mines and built a horse rail- road to them, and thus facilitated the work. These are the only mines that have ever been worked to any extent in the township. A small one is owned by L. Sumner, but has not been worked very extensively.

The clay used in the various potteries is of far more importance in Springfield Township than coal mining. There is an almost endless number of potteries in the township, turning

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

ont annually, it is estimated, not far short of 1,000,000 gallons of manufactured stoneware. As the clay is inexhaustible, this is an industry destined to cut a large figure in the history of Springfield. Says Gen. Bierce : "Immense amounts of the clay are carried to other States, and even to Canada. In fixing a tariff of duties for Canada, John Bull laid a heavy duty on stoneware manufactured in the States, but not on clay. The enterprising Yankees came it over him by carrying the clay to Canada and manufacturing it there." The first of this clay discovered in Springfield was by Fisk, about 1828, who manufactured the first stoneware in Springfield, under the firm of Fisk & Smith. Mr. Fisk discovered the clay on a four-acre lot, owned by a man named Cutchel. Fisk & Smith bought it of him and started a pottery. Since then, almost hundreds of potteries have been established, and the amount of stoneware, sewer-pipe, drain-tile, etc., etc., made each year, is simply immense, and must be passed with this brief notice.

The Presbyterians organized the first church in Springfield as carly almost as any settle- ments were made. Rev. Thomas Beer was the first preacher, and was of the most unadulter- ated old school, believing in all the strict ten- ets of that strict sect. As an old gentleman informed us, he " believed in fore-ordination, predestination and infant damnation." A church was built by them at North Center about the year 1812. This building was burned and another erected, which lasted some time, when the present one was erected. The last one is said to have been built in 1828, and hence is a rather old church building. Rev. Beer was the first Pastor, and was followed some years later by Rev. Benjamin Penn. Other early ministers. who preached in this old church, were Revs. Lathrop, Merriman. Han- ford, Sheldon, etc. The membership has de- creased within the last decade by death and removals, but the church is still prosperous. A Methodist Church was built at North Center about the year 1831, but it did not last long, and was finally torn down and moved away.

A post office was established in the southeast corner of the township about the year 1818, with Benjamin Baldwin as Postmaster. He was a Whig in politics, but kept the office for many years through Democratic administra- tions as well as Whig. Samuel Ellet was

the next Postmaster in Springfield, and kept the office at his residence on the Canton road, about ten miles from Middlebury. It was established in 1835. The first white child born in Springfield Township was Jane Hall, a daughter of Robert Hall, born in 1809, who, when grown, was married, and removed to Indiana. The first marriage was John Hall, a son of Robert Hall, to Margaret Blair. The marriage took place in 1810, and afterward they removed to Huron County, where they both died. The first death recorded in the township was Robert Hall, in 1808, who died from the effects of bursting of a blood-vessel, and was buried in the cemetery northeast of Middlebury. Samuel Hinson was another of the early deaths, and died from the effects of a fall from his horse, which ran away with him.

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 99

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