History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II, Part 11

Author: Williams (H.Z.) & Bro., Cleveland, Ohio, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland : H. S. Williams
Number of Pages: 726

USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 11
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 11

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David Loveland, who was born and always lived near the site of the old furnaces, when in his seventy-fifth year wrote concerning them as follows :

The manufacture of iron in the Mahoning valley, now one of its most important interests, was first commenced near the mouth of Yellow creek, a short distance from Struther's sta- tion, and about five miles southeast of Youngstown, by two brothers, James and Daniel Heaton. These brothers were of an enterprising and experimenting disposition, and their faces will easily be remembered by many of the older settlers in and about Youngstown.

In 1805 or 1806 they erected, on Yellow creek, near the Mahoning river, a charcoal furnace, which soon went into active operation. Connected with, and belonging to, the furnace proper were about one hundred acres of well-tim- bered land, which supplied the charcoal and much of the ore for the works. The "blast" was produced by an appa- ratus of rather peculiar construction, and was similar in principle to that produced by the column of water of the early furnaces. It consisted of a square wooden hox set in a cistern, with an opening at the top for the ingress of water, and one in the side to conduct the air or " blast" to the fur- nace. The surplus water escaped underneath. The water, flowing in through a pipe at the top of the box, was accom- panied with air, which, being compressed by the continual flow, was forced through the side opening, and conducted from thence by a pipe to the furnace stack. The "blast" thus obtained has always, I am informed, been considered objectinnable on account of its damp and chilly character. At any rate it was the case in the present instance.

After this furnace had been in operation for some time James Heaton transferred his interest in the property to his brother Daniel, and went up to Niles where he built another furnace. Dan continued at the old works and manufact- ured considerable iron, much of it consisting of stoves, large kettles and other castings, the appearance of which might be considered rude in these days.

While thus engaged Robert Montgomery (with whom I think was then associated David Clendenin, our member of Congress elected in 1814) built a furnace on the same creek about a half-mile* below Heaton's. It was constructed sub- stantially in the same manner as the Heaton furnace, except that the blast was much better, being generated by a water- wheel, walking-beams, and two wooden cylinders.

Soon after the last named furnace went into operation Montgomery purchased the Heaton furnace property paying for the same $1,000 in land, and giving a mortgage for the balance of the purchase money. It went out of blast almost immediately after it changed hands. It then got into the courts, and after being in litigation for several years, was re- transferred to Daniel Heaton, its original owner, who about that time or shortly afterward had his name changed by act of the Legislature to Dan Eaton. It was never started up again, however, after its sale to Montgomery, and in all, never made iron for more than three years. Both furnaces went to ruin after the year 1812.

This, in brief, was the inception of our now great branch of trade. Though the writer might justly distrust his early recollections, he would add that they have often been verified by subsequent acquaintance and inter-communication with the Heatons and many of the older settlers and early pioneers of this region, and it is with pleasure that he now has the opportunity of testifying to the merits of those two brothers, James and Daniel Heaton, who, with indomitable will, first gave life to an industry which from a wilderness has created a city almost continuous for a score of miles along the valley of the Mahoning.

Bowen and Isaac Heaton established a furnace on Yellow creek, about one-half mile from its mouth, about the year 1836. Associated with them were Dr. Joseph Truesdale, Bostwick Fitch, Horace Elliot, and - Stofer. They had a stone stack, run the furnace by water, us- ing charcoal as fuel. They used the ore found on the creek. They made considerable iron, castings, etc., but the establishment soon became a total failure through the action of water and frost upon its foundations.

AN EARLY DEBATING SOCIETY.

The best evidence we have that the pioneers of this township were zealous friends of educa- tion, is the knowledge that schools were estab- lished almost as soon as there were settlers enough to support them. Here we wish to in- troduce another fact which clearly indicates the characteristic desire for self-improvement pos- sessed by the youth and men of those times.

A debating society which met evenings at the house of John Struthers, and probably at the houses of other members, was in existence in 1803. The names of those who organized it were John Struthers, Thomas Struthers, Alexan- der Struthers, Robert McCombs, William Mc-

* About a mile and a half, it should be.

TRUMBULL AND MAHONING COUNTIES, OHIO.

Combs, Samuel Wilkinson, William Campbell, James Adair, William Adair, and John Black- burn. Similar societies were kept up for some years, and during the long winter evenings the sturdy boys and gray-haired men discussed ques- tions of greater or less importance. These meet- ings were a source of pleasure to all the mem- bers, and doubtless many a young man gained skill and practice in the art of debate as well as some knowledge of parliamentary rules which enabled him in future years to preside at public meetings with ease and dignity-an acquirement which is of no little value to any citizen. The old-fashioned debating society was an educator which imparted valuable instruction to many young men.

THE FIRST MARRIAGE.

The following is from the writings of James Brownlee, Esq., published in the Collections of the Mahoning Valley Historical society :

The first marriage ceremony was near 1800, and took place on the farm then owned by John Blackburn. John Blackburn and Nancy Bryan had agreed to get married. The trouble was to get some one to marry them, as they were determined to have the wedding before the surveyors left after finishing the survey. No minister, no justice of the peace, in fact no one authorized to marry. They finally agreed that Judge Kirtland, having some kind of authority in Connecticut, where he emigrated from, should officiate. When that was settled upon it was discovered that no previous announce- ment had been made, as required by law, by posting notices ten days. Dr. Charles Dutton said he could remedy this. So he wrote four notices and posted one on each side of the log cabin. Then Judge Kirtland looked up his Episcopal prayer-book, which contained the marriage ceremony. The company in waiting, a stool was placed in front of the judge, and on it a white cover. Upon this the judge had placed his book. A slight delay occurring at the moment when all ap- peared to be ready, some one proposed that they should take a drink of whiskey all around before they were married. There were about seventy persons in attendance, and this was agreed to unanimously. While the judge was taking his drink some one stole the praver-book, leaving him without a guide. But he said if they were agreed to it they should say so. They were both agreed ; and thus ended the ceremony.

In 1802 Esquire Struthers at his house united in marriage a Mr. Kearney and a Miss Brierly. Kearney lived a half mile southeast of Poland village, on land now owned by Mr. C. F. Kirt- land, and his bride in the same neighborhood. In the evening after the happy pair had returned from the 'squire's, the neighbors far and near as- sembled at Kearney's to pay their respeets to them. During the festivities of the evening an accident occurred which dampened them to some extent. After the bride had retired to the

second story of the log house, which was reached by a ladder, the men, in endeavoring to assist the groom up the ladder, let him fall to the floor, breaking his leg.

FIRST DEATHS.

A man named Hineman died in Poland village In 1801. He was buried on land now owned by James McNalley. This was probably the first death in the township. A Mrs. Stone died in February 1802, and was buried near the road lead- ing to Boardman center, near where Mr. Scoville now lives. This is thought to have been the first female person that died in Poland.

A PANTHER STORY.

A story is related concerning Tom MeClees, the miller at Struthers' mill. Struthers had a large dog and McClees took it one day to go out hunting for deer. Aroused by the barking of the dog, he hastened to the spot from which the sound proceeded and discovered a large panther up a tree. He fired and brought the animal down. The panther rolled over a steep bank, and the dog after him, the panther landing upper- most. MeClees took the beast by the tail and pulled him off the dog ; then with the aid of the dog and a club dispatched him. He killed two more panthers the same day. This took place near Indian Rock in the Nebo gully.

"I know not how this thing may be ;

I tell the tale as 'twas told to me. "

EARLY SCHOOLS.

A school was started at Struthers at an early date. Perly Brush was one of the first, if not the very first teacher in the township. Other early teachers in that school were Rev. Mr. Cook, James Anderson, and others. The school was kept in a small log house, and was probably opened as early as 1801.

Later a school house was built and a school opened at Poland Center. The house was small, but many a time as many as one hundred per- sons were gathered there at singing schools and other meetings. Forty scholars was about the number in attendance.

Concerning her school days, Mrs. John Stew- art has written as follows :

My first day's experience in attending school is strongly fixed in memory. The school-house was at the Center, and two hundred acres of unbroken forest lay between our house and it, making it a serious undertaking for a child of six years. On the first morning of my attendance, May, 1819,

Elias Nings

muchas Ring.

TRUMBULL AND MAHONING COUNTIES, OHIO.

my mother said she was going on horseback to the village, and that she would carry me on the horse behind her, which she did. On her return she brought me a copy of Webster's Spelling Book, and made arrangements for the teacher lo board with us for some time on my account. He was an estimable young man, James Campbell by name, gone to his reward. The school-house was built on the southeast cor- ner of the eross-roads; built of round logs, with a clapboard roof, held on by weight poles. 1 do not remember to have seen a nail about the premises. On the north side was a window of four lights of eight-by-len glass. It was set high above the reach of the smaller juveniles, a wise arrangement for the protection of the glass. It afforded sufficient light for the teacher's desk under it. On the other three sides of the house were spaces made by cutting out a log, all except sufficient to hold up the corners. In this was a sash for eight by ten, one light high, but no glass. In the winter the sash was covered with writing paper, saturated with grease ap- plied to it by a hot flat-iron. These windows let in what was considered sufficient light for school purposes, and by the time the winter school was over there was but little paper left. The writing desks were large slabs, flat side up, sup- ported by pins set into the wall in holes made by a large auger. The seats were of narrower slabs, with supports made of dogwood saplings put into holes made near the ends by those same angers. There was a ten-plate stove in the center of the room, inscribed on each of the side- plates, "Dan Eaton, Hopewell Furnace." The stove was set on blocks of wood, protected by one briek at each cor- ner, between the wood and iron. The cast-iron supporters made for it were hanging on a wooden pin driven into the wall for want of sufficient iron to make two rods to hold them together. The stove-pipe was formed of what was called "col and clay." Its circumference was nearly that of a flour barrel, as it had several barrel staves around it which were held on by hoops that I suppose had once been on the ends of flour barrels. The pipe ran through the upper floor, and the smoke had to find its way through the roof.

MILITARY.

The militia were enrolled in 1802. John Struthers was elected captain and Robert Mc- Combs first lieutenant. There were eighty-seven names upon the roll, and at the first roll call every man was present. In 1805 the eastern part of the township formed one company and the western part another. The two companies met at the village on the same day for drill. There being some rivalry between the two com- panies it was proposed that there be a test to ascertain which had the best marksman, each company to select its best man, and he to have but one shot. The eastern company chose Tom Clees, and the western a man by the name of Garner. The distance was sixty yards, off hand, with a rifle. McClees fired first, then Garner; each hit the exact center, consequently there was no victory.

A partial list of those who were soldiers from 9'

this township in the War of 1812 includes the following names:

John and James Strain-John died during the war; Alexander Buchanan, who volunteered and died when not quite eighteen years old; Elijah Stevenson; Alexander McKeever was killed in a skirmish; Captain Isaac Walker and Alexander Struthers also died in the service; Major John Russel, William Brown, John Arrel, Isaac and Walter Buchanan, Eli McConnell, Francis Henry, William Reed, James Jack, John Sexton, William and Johnston Lowry, Hugh Truesdale, Alexander Truesdale, John and Alexander Cow- den, William Love. Mr. Love is still living, the only survivor.

POLAND VILLAGE.

This is a quiet little country village, prettily situated on the Yellow creek, about the middle of the west line of the township. It was first known as "Fowler's " taking its name from the tavern of Jonathan Fowler, built in 1804. Well supplied with shade trees, without the noise, dirt, and bustle of large places, Poland wears an air of repose especially alluring to those who wish to find rest and health.

In former years the village was a busy one, and its stores, mills, and hotels did a thriving business. It was at one time far ahead of Youngstown as a trading place. It was quite an important place in the days of staging, as the stages to Pittsburg both from the north and west passed through it. The building of the canal, passing at a distance of two and a half miles from the village, and later of the railroad, some- what changed the current of business life, and Poland suffered because of its location. The changes wrought by time and the important ac- cessories of labor and steam seem to have de- termined that the village, one of the oldest in the county, should not become a place of any great commercial importance; and so Poland re- mains to-day an attractive country village with a quiet and orderly population. It has an institu- tion of learning favorably known and liberally patronized, two churches, several good doctors, but no lawyers, two hotels, three dry goods stores, four groceries, one bank, one hardware store, two tin-shops, two drug stores, two wagon shops, a turning shop, one photographer, three shoemakers, three blacksmiths, a harness shop, a flouring-mill, and a saw-mill. By the last census

TRUMBULL AND MAHONING COUNTIES, OHIO.

the population of the corporation was three hun- dred and ninety-nine.

INCORPORATION.

Poland village was incorporated August 7, 1866. A petition signed by sixty-three voters had been presented to the county commission- ers and was acted upon favorably. The first mayor was Andrew Campbell; recorder, Seth H. Truesdale, elected to serve until April, 1867, when the following officers were chosen: John A. Leslie, mayor ; B. B. Stilson, recorder ; C. B. Stoddard, W. J. Ogden, Adam Case, John Barclay, Henry Burnett, councilmen; Michael Graham, marshal.

The officers at present are mayor, marshal, recorder, treasurer, street commissioner, and six councilmen.

POST-OFFICE.

The post-office at Poland was established at an early date. Jared Kirtland was probably the first postmaster. He was succeeded by Andrew Burgess. Other postmasters have been Hugh Duncan, H. K. Morse, E. F. Drake, Jackson Moody, Adam Case. George Allen, the present incumbent, has been postmaster for twenty years.

PHYSICIANS.

Dr. Ira Brainard was the first physician who located in the village. He remained about two years, and about 1822 removed to Canfield, where he died in 1823. Dr. Jared P. Kirtland, a graduate of the Philadelphia Medical college, settled in Poland in 1823. In 1829-30 he was a member of the State Legislature, and again in 1834-35. In 1832 he was appointed a State geologist. He became one of the faculty of the State Medical college at Cincinnati, and was afterwards a professor in the Cleveland Medical school. He died in Cleveland a few years ago. Dr. Elf Mygatt, who still resides here, entered into practice with Dr. Kirtland in 1829, and had a large and successful practice for many years. Dr. Joseph Truesdale settled in Poland in 1831, and practiced until his death in 1871. He was a graduate of the Cincinnati State Medical col- lege, and an honored man in his profession. He twice represented the county in the Legislature. Dr. Davis, an eclectic physician, now of Cleve- land, practiced here about six years. Dr. Calvin Truesdale, a nephew of Dr. Joseph Truesdale, studied with his uncle and graduated from the

Cleveland Medical school. He practiced in Po- land some years, leaving in 1854. He is now one of the leading physicians of Rock Island, Illinois. Dr. Onesettler, a native of this county, practiced six or seven years, beginning about 1865. There have been other doctors in Poland, each of whom remained only a short time. The present practitioners here are Dr. H. R. Moore, Dr. I. D. Bard, Dr. C. R. Justice, and Dr. A. C. Elliot, dentist.

A LAW COLLEGE

was started some years ago in the house now owned by B. F. Lee, Esq. Judge Chester Hay- den and M. A. King, of New York State, were the originators of the enterprise. They brought several students with them, and conducted the school about five years, but abandoned it on ac- count of a lack of support.

POLAND UNION SEMINARY.

In order to understand fully the history of this seminary it is necessary to go back more than fifty years, and trace from the small be- ginnings the slow, gradual, but certain growth and development of the educational interests of this community. The early settlers of this sec- tion fully realized the necessity of education, and had a due appreciation of its advantages. Convinced of this necessity, Rev. Mr. Bradley, a Presbyterian minister, opened a select school about the year 1830, where the classical lan- guages and higher English branches were taught. Thus was the seed sown which soon germinated. In 1835 Mr. John Lynch, a young man of limited means and a pupil of Mr. Bradley's, put up the building now occupied by Mr. Clark McGeehon as a dwelling, and opened an acad- emy, which was maintained for about ten years, when Mr. Lynch, because of financial failure, was obliged to discontinue the academy.

For a period of about four years the educa- tional interests of Poland seemed to be at a standstill. The cessation of growth was only apparent, however, for in 1848 Mr. B. F. Lee, a student fresh from Allegheny college, laid the foundation of an academy on the west side of the town, and began his school in the fall of the year 1849. Almost immediately another academy was opened on the east side of Yellow creek, under the especial care and patronage of the Presbyterians. Rev. Jacob Coon, Rev.

TRUMBULL AND MAHONING COUNTIES, OHIO.

Algernon Sydney MacMaster, D. D., and Pro- fessor George S. Rice were at different times at the head of this academy, which was very successful for about six years, when the build- ing took fire from an imperfect chimney-flue and was burned, and the school in consequence soon thereafter discontinued.

Mr. Lee selected a natural and picturesque mound for the location of his academy, erected a suitable building, and employed a competent corps of teachers, to-wit : Professor M. R. At- kins, principal; Miss E. M. Blakelee, precep- tress; Miss Elmina Smith, assistant ; and Miss Mary Cook teacher of music. It is with the founding of this school, known as Poland insti- tute, that the history of Poland Union seminary properly begins.

At the end of six years Mr. Lee led a move- ment to provide better accommodations for the growing academy, with a prospective endowment from the Pittsburg and Erie Annual conferences of the Methodist Episcopal church. The Method- ist Episcopal church of Poland, generously as- sisted by the citizens, erected, on a pleasant site not far from the building put up by Mr. Lee, a three-story brick edifice, 60 x 80 feet. The school was moved from its pleasant quarters on the mound to the more commodious building. The conferences being able to secure only a por- tion of the proposed endowment, it never became available, and the school was sustained by con- tributions from the citizens and tuition from the students.

The former building was purchased by Judge Chester Hayden and M. A. King, Esq., of New York State, and used by them for a law school, with which General Leggett was for a time con- nected. Many promising young lawyers were graduated from this school, among whom were Judge C. E. Glidden, Judge Van Hyning, H. G. Leslie, Esq., William C. Bunts, Esq., and Gen- eral I. R. Sherwood. After a number of years of general success, the proprietors, thinking the city a better point, removed the institution to Cleveland.

The college, as the school in the brick build- ing was now called, struggled to maintain an ex- istence, as all such institutions must, in a new country, for want of means, but it was kept alive and growing by the constant and earnest efforts of the citizens, Mr. B. F. Lee always taking a

prominent part, giving liberally of his time and means, down to the year 1862, when the various religious denominations of the town united and raised funds for the improvement of the build- ing. At this time the school was chartered as Poland Union seminary.

In 1871 the school was offered to the presby- tery of Mahoning upon condition that the pres- bytery make an earnest effort to secure an en- dowment of $15,000. When $10,000 were secured the seminary was to pass into the con- trol of the presbytery. Immediate action was taken by the presbytery and the board of trustees to secure the endowment, by appointing Mr. B. F. Lee financial agent, who, in canvassing about one half of the territory, secured the $10,000, which was invested as a permanent endowment, and the presbytery assumed control of the school, fraternizing, however, with other religious denominations.

Since the removal of the school to the brick building, the following educators have been at its head : Professor J. E. Cummings, Professor A. T. Copeland, Rev. G. B. Hawkins, Rev. J. N. Reno, Professor M. C. Butler, Professor H. J. Clark, Rev. William Dickson, D. D., and Wil- liam H. Tibbals, M. A., the present principal. Miss E. M. Blakelee was preceptress from the beginning in 1849 to 1880, except for a period of six years.

The seminary is now well established as one of the permanent literary institutions of the State, with an endowment of $15,000, $5,000 having been added by a recent bequest of Mr. George P. Miller, deceased.

It has had among its students many young men and women who have filled, or are now filling, places of trust and responsibility, among whom may be mentioned Revs. T. L. Sexton, D. J. Satterfield, Maxwell Cornelius, David Nes- bit, T. S. Scott, R. D. Scott, D. V. Mays, H. P. Wilson, H. W. Lowry, W. D. Sexton, Hon. Wil- liam McKinley, Member of Congress; Abner McKinley, Esq., Cecil Hine, Esq., Judge Van Hyning, W. B. Williams, Esq., H. G. Leslie, Esq., Hon. I. F. Mansfield, Hon. A. E. Lee, William J. Calhoun, Esq., John McClure, Esq., and James Kennedy, Esq .; W. S. Matthews, M. D., H. G. Cornwell, M. D., B. F. Hahn, M. D., J. M. Hamilton, M. D., S. D. Clarke, M. D., A. P. Kirtland, C. E., Julian and Hugh Kennedy,

TRUMBULL AND MAHONING COUNTIES, OHIO.

and the Morse Brothers, bridge builders and en- gineers.

The seminary provides two courses of study, a literary course for young ladies and young men who wish a practical education for general business, embracing a normal course, preparing them especially for teaching, and a college pre- paratory course. Graduates from this school have entered at Yale, Michigan university, Allegheny college, Oberlin, Westminster, Western Reserve, Wooster university, and others.

The number who have entered the profession of teaching from this seminary gives evidence of the excellent advantages it affords those who wish to prepare themselves for this profession.

The present instructors are William H. Tib- bals, M. A., principal; Miss Ida M. Tarbell, B. A., preceptress, and Miss Adelaide Simpson, M. E. L., assistant.

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History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II, Part 11

Author: Williams (H.Z.) & Bro., Cleveland, Ohio, pub Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland : H. S. Williams Number of Pages: 726

Author: Williams (H.Z.) & Bro., Cleveland, Ohio, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland : H. S. Williams
Number of Pages: 726