USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 22
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 22
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Rev. I. J. Miller was born in Springfield town- ship, Mahoning county, February 22, 1850. He is the son of George and Elizabeth (Wilhelm) Miller and grandson of Henry Miller, who with his father moved into the woods in the west central part of Springfield when but a boy, about the year 1800. His early days were spent on the farm and in the district school. At the age of eighteen he began school-teaching, teaching during the win- ter and prosecuting his studies during the spring and fall at Poland Union seminary. Subsequently he took a regular course of theol- ogy in the Theological seminary in connection with Wittenberg college, Springfield, Ohio. He was licensed to preach the gospel by the East Ohio synod of the Evangelical Lutheran church at Canton, Ohio, October 18, 1875, and ordained to the gospel ministry by the same synod at Ashland, Ohio, September 11, 1876. August 1, 1876, he took charge of the Berlin pastorate, consisting of two congregations-one situated in Berlin township, the other in Lordstown, Trum- bull county -of which he still continues to be the pastor (January 26, 1882). He has two brothers,
Horace Rowlands
Mrs. Didelia Rowland.
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viz: Eli and A. C., both of whom are graduates of Wittenberg college and seminary, and are regularly ordained ministers of the Lutheran church. Also six sisters, three of whom are married to ministers of the same church, viz: J. F. Sponseller, Elias Minter, and W. M. Smith. He was married to Miss Louisa Spait, of Beaver township, and has two children, viz: Clarke E. and Cora A., aged respectively eight and six years.
Hezekiah Parshall, farmer, Berlin township, Mahoning county, was born in Springfield town- ship, Columbiana county, now Mahoning, in the year 1812. His father, James Parshall, was a native of Orange county, New York, and came to Ohio in 1812 and settled in Milton township. His wife was Margaret Bacht, who bore him fourteen children. Mr. Parshall was one of the pioneers of that part of the county. He was a man of industry and reared a large family. They both died many years ago and are buried in Mil- ton. Hezekiah Parshall was married, in 1839, to Miss Maria Shaffer, and has had a family of seven children, as follow: Mary, Susanna, Mar- tha, Sophina, Solomon, Lewis, and James, all of whom are living but Sophina, who died at the age of five years. Mr. and Mrs. Parshall are members of the Lutheran church of Berlin.
John Eckis, the first of the family who came to Ohio, was born in Maryland in 1774, and about 1800 settled in Springfield township, then Columbiana county, now Mahoning. He settled in the woods, being among the first of the pioneers, built him a log-cabin, and there lived for upwards of twenty-five years, when he re- moved to Milton and purchased the place now owned and occupied by his son George. His wife was Catharine Lind, by whom he had the following children: Nicholas, John, Jacob, George, Daniel, Mary, Joseph, Susan, Catharine, Hannah, and Samuel. Joseph, Susan, Cather- ine, and Hannah are deceased. Mr. Eckis died in 1861, at the advanced age of eighty-seven. George Eckis, the fourth child of John and Catharine, was born in 1806 in Springfield town- ship, now Mahoning county. At the age of twenty-six he was married to Miss Elizabeth Kale, and has had six children, viz: Tobias, Joshua, Eliza, Frederick, Mary, and George, all living but Eliza, who died at the age of thirty- eight. Mr. Eckis is a farmer by occupation, but
is able to work but little on account of his age. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. Tobias Eckis, the eldest son of George and Elizabeth, was born in Milton township, now Mahoning county, in 1833. He lived at home with his parents until he was thirty-four years of age when he married Miss Sarah Forder, by whom he has two children, George and Charles; another died in infancy. Mr. Eckis lived in Milton some three years after his marriage, when he bought the place where he now resides in Berlin township. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran church.
Robert Kirkbride was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1800. He married, in the year 1824, Miss Sarah Shaw, and in 1832 removed to Ohio and settled upon the farm now owned and occupied by his widow in Berlin township, Mahoning county. There he resided until his death, and raised his family, consisting of nine children, two of whom are now deceased. Three died in infancy. The names of those who grew up are as follows: Nancy, Ferdinand, Mary, Benjamin F., Watson, James, Joseph, Asher, and Mahlon, all living but Mary and Asher. The latter enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifth Ohio volunteer infantry in 1862, and served until 1864, when he was mortally wound- ed at the battle of Lookout Mountain, and died in a few hours. The mother is still living, at the age of seventy-six.
Benjamin F. Kirkbride, the fourth child of the subject of the preceding sketch, was born in Pennsylvania in 1831. In 1853 he married Miss Lucinda Hoadley, who died in 1877. By this marriage there were no children. In 1878 Mr. Kirkbride was married to Miss Ellen Dickson, by whom he has had one child-Mabel. He fol- lowed farming until he attained his majority, when he went to blacksmithing, at which he still continues. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkbride are mem- bers of the Presbyterian church.
Houston Porter was born in 1822, and in 1847 was married to Esther Smith, who was a native of Connecticut, but came to Berlin township at an early date. The parents of Mr. Porter were among the early pioneers. He lived for fourteen years on the old homestead, and then bought the farm now owned and occupied by T. Camp- bell, where he lived sixteen years, and then re- moved to Missouri, where he now resides. He
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is the father of fourteen children, namely: Lovi- na C., Cecil S., Augusta A., Theda E. and The- ron W. (twins), Wilbur O., Leroy W., Almedus, Ella S., Birdie F., Ida L., Effie M., George W. B., and Ulysses S. G. Theron W., Ida L., and Almedus are deceased. Lovina C., the eldest child, who was born in Ellsworth in 1848, be- came the wife, in 1876, of Elias Beckman, of Sweden, Mr. Beckman came to America in 1869, and first went to Illinois, where he re- mained two years. He then came to Ohio. He is now engaged in the tailoring business at Ber- lin center. Mr. and Mrs. Beckman have three children, Martha F., Cora L., and Arthur Gar- field.
Eli Myers, the youngest child of Daniel and Anna Myers, was born on the farm where he now lives in Berlin township, Mahoning county, in 1837. His father, Daniel Myers, was a native of Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio with his parents in 1802, and settled in Springfield town- ship, the county then being a dense wilderness. He afterwards moved to Berlin township, where he also settled in the woods, on the farm now occupied by his son Eli. He was married at the age of twenty-five to Anna Mary Rummel, and had a family of nine children, as follows : Christina, Susanna, Elizabeth, Margaret, Lucin- da, Henry, John, Peter, and Eli. They are all living with the exception of Susanna and Lucinda. Mr. Myers was a hard-working and prosperous farmer, and lived to the good old age of eighty-two years. Mr. Eli Myers was married to Miss Barbara E. Reichards in 1859, and has eight children, as follows: John, Emery J., Henry, Clark, Elina, Serena, Martha J., and Anna Mary, all of whom survive. Mr. Myers has always followed farm- ing, and is now (1881) serving his first term as justice of the peace. He and his wife are men- bers of the Lutheran church.
Henry King was born in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, in 1811. He came to Ohio in 1823 and settled in Springfield township, where he resided some four years. He was then de- prived by death of his mother, whose loss was a severe blow to the family. He was then em- ployed for three years by a man by the name of John Carns, and afterward learned the cabinet trade, at which he worked until he was twenty- one years of age. He then went to Fremont,
Ohio, and worked at the carpenter and joiner trade. An epidemic breaking out there he re- turned to Berlin and settled on the farm on which he now lives. He was married in 1836 to Miss Julia Ann Shrontz and has had seven children, viz: Royal, Wesley, Emeline, Isaac, Zephaniah, Margaret, and Lucy, all living but Isaac and Zephaniah. At the time of Mr. King's settlement there was only a small clearing on the place. He built him a log cabin and in connec- tion with farming worked at the joiner trade, which he followed for about thirty years, when he was compelled by reason of his age to lead a less active life. He lived for three years in Deerfield, and while there, in 1873, his companion departed this life. She was a devoted wife and mother. Mr. King is one of the oldest and best known citizens of this township. He is a member of the Methodist Ediscopal church and a worthy citizen.
Adna B. Silver was born in New Jersey in 1800; married in 1821 to Miss Lydia Allen, and had a family of five children, viz: Sarah, Joseph, Elizabeth, Allen, and Mary, all of whom are liv- ing except the son Joseph. Mr. Silver came to Ohio in 1827 and settled in Berlin township, Mahoning county, on the farm now owned and occupied by his daughter Mary Linton. He erected his log cabin in the woods, as the coun- try was yet new. He was the pioneer black- smith in that region, and made most of the im- plements which his neighbors used in clearing their farms. His wife died in December, 1868.
CHAPTER VI. AUSTINTOWN.
PHYSICAL FEATURES.
Austintown is township two of range three of the Connecticut Western Reserve. It is bounded on the north by Weathersfield, Trumbull county, on the east by Youngstown, on the south by Canfield, and on the west by Jackson. The surface is quite level, excepting along the streams. The soil is similar to that in other parts of the county, is easily tilled, and produces good crops. Portions of it are stony, but there
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is a large number of excellent farms with good timber and pasture land. The Meander and several small creeks flowing into it drain the western halt of the township. The eastern half has four small streams, the largest of which is known as Four-mile run, flowing towards the Mahoning. Four-mile run rises southeast of Austintown center and flows north and north- easterly until it leaves the township near the corner. Meander creek winds along the western border of the township, a part of its course being in Jackson, and enters Weathersfield town- ship not far from the northwestern corner of Austintown.
The villages of the township are Austintown, West Austintown, and a part of Mineral Ridge.
ANCIENT WORKS.
On the farm of J. H. Fitch, near the village, was pointed out to the writer a spot which the early settlers believed to have been an Indian burying-ground. It is a space about three rods square, and at the time of its discovery by the whites, was loosely covered to the depth of sev- eral inches with small stones, which looked as though they had been thrown upon it. When these had been removed, beneath them were found stones closely packed together, the most of them being flattish in shape and set up edge- wise. These stones vary in size, some being no larger than a man's fist, while others are as large as a man's head. They are so closely im- bedded that it is a difficult task to remove them. Much of this curious structure yet remains un- disturbed and is believed to extend downward a depth of several feet. Why they were placed there and what they conceal still remains a mys- tery. On the trees which stood near the spot were noticed marks made as if by a hatchet, showing that the prehistoric people had a path to the place, marked, as were the white man's first roads, by blazed trees.
On the farm of Abraham Strock, west of the place above described, there is a work of similar nature, and likewise one on the Weaver farm, near West Austintown. The two last mentioned are somewhat smaller than that on the Fitch place. Some enterprising archæologist might find here material worthy of his investigation. These mounds or graveyards are all three situated near the Limestone run and were the densest part of the forest.
The early settlers say that the Indians had a lead mine somewhere on the Meander, from which they obtained large supplies of ore for the manufacture of bullets. They kept the spot a secret, however, and diligent search has failed to reveal it to the white man.
TIMBER.
The township was originally covered with a dense growth of timber. From the Meander to the center or the Salt spring tract, there was a magnificent growth of white oak. On the low lands were maples, and in various parts of the township, chestnut, beech, hickory, ash, cucum- ber wood, poplar, etc.
EARLY RECORDS.
The first records of the township have all been lost or destroyed. Only those of recent date are now in possession of the township clerk, there- fore the first officers' names cannot be given.
Among the first justices of the peace were James Russell, John Carlton, and William Trues- dale. The township was named after Judge Austin, of Warren, who was its land agent.
SETTLEMENT.
From the fact that many of the first settlers located here for only a short time, and then moved away, and owing to the meagre sources of information, the following account is not as complete as we should have made it, could we have found anybody at all well versed in the township's early history.
John McCollum bought the first land in the township in 1798 and erected a cabin upon it the same year. This cabin was on the farm now owned by his son Harvey, and was situated about one-half mile west of the township line, between Austintown and Youngstown. Here he moved his family in 1800. John McCollum was born in New Jersey, December 25, 1770. He married Jane (Hamson) Ayers, June 10, 1798. She was born in New Jersey, September 27, 1767, and married Robert Hamson, by whom she had five children : Elizabeth, Rachel, Michael, Jane, and Susan. By Mr. McCollum she had eight children: David and Mary (twins), Robert, John, Daniel, Anna, Ira, and Harvey. Mrs. McCollum was a woman of industry and economy, and largely assisted in paying for the farm by taking weaving to do. In the midst of an almost impenetrable wilderness, whose silence
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was unbroken save by the howling of wolves and the wild cries of bears, this worthy couple lived and completed their self-appointed task of se- curing a home for themselves and their children. John McCollum died April 7, 1849, a short time after his wife, who died March 19, 1849. Mr. McCollum was in the War of 1812 for a short time, under Colonel Rayen. He was for many years a Baptist, afterwards joining the Disciples. He was a life-long Democrat in politics.
Wendall Grove, from Pennsylvania, settled where his son, John Grove, now resides, in 1801.
Jacob Parkus settled on the farm of Jacob Leach at an early day. He sold out to Benja- min Leach, who spent his life in the township. John and Abraham Leach, brothers of Benjamin, also settled in the eastern part of the township, and remained several years.
James Russell was an early settler on land now owned by the widow Arms. After he left the place Jacob Miller, then Theophilus Cotton, owned the farm. Russell was a captain of militia in early times.
John Carlton settled on land now owned by the Webbs. He moved to Lordstown, thence to Brookfield.
The Webb family came to the township in 1819.
Edward Jones was an early settler on Four- mile run, who lived and died in the township. He brought up a large family. His son Seymour lived upon the old place until his death, some three years ago. Caleb Jones, a brother of Edward, was an early settler in the same neighborhood.
John Lane was an early settler on a farm part of which is now owned by Thomas James. He located in the woods, lived and died here. Henry, one of his sons, lived on the old place after him; moved to Missouri, and is now dead.
David Dillon was an early settler on the farm now owned by Jonathan Edwards, of Youngs- town. He was the first captain of militia in this township. He sold out and moved west in this State, where he died. William, Aaron, Asa, Jonathan, Jesse, Cyrus, and Eli were his sons. Several of them are yet living in different parts of Ohio.
Robert Russell, in 1806, settled on Stony ridge, in the southwestern part of the township.
His parents came with him. After locating here, Robert was married to Miss Hamson. James, who resides in Jackson township ; John, on the old place ; Hamson, and Samuel, who died a few years ago, were his sons.
John Duncan was an early settler on the Hammon farm, in the southeastern part of the township. He sold to Gaily.
Among the earliest settlers were George Gil- bert and family, who took up a farm adjoining the Russell farm on the east. There was a large family. George, the oldest son, settled in the western part of the township ; his brother Jacob lived upon the old place. Both are now dead. Others of the family settled in different parts of the county.
Henry Ohl located where D. Lawrence now resides, in 1803. The sons and daughters are now all dead, excepting, perhaps, one daughter. Several members of the family resided for some time in the township and vicinity. Henry, one of the sons, lived on a farm near the old place some years, and died in Canfield. David and Michael were drafted for the War of 1812, but got only as far as Youngstown when they were returned. Henry Ohl, Sr., was a blacksmith, and had a shop on the farm. He was possessed of a good property, and was considered a shrewd, careful business man. Michael, David, Jacob, John, Abraham, Henry, and Jonathan were his sons, and Eve, Mary, and Polly the daughters. When the family came to the township the road had just been "slashed out," and they were obliged to clamber over the fallen logs to reach their home. In very early times the women were sitting one day on the porch of their two- story log house, when their little dog came out from under the porch, barking fiercely. On in- vestigating to learn the cause of his excitement, they discovered a monster rattlesnake upon the stone steps. Eve, a female gifted with a differ- ent spirit from the first lady by that name, pro- cured a stick, killed the serpent, and hung its body upon the gate. The reptile was so long that it touched the ground on both sides of the gate.
James J. Russell, from Pennsylvania, came about 1806. He died in 1870. He was a sol- dier of 1812. He was the father of ten children, six sons and four daughters, seven of whom are yet living, only two of them in this township, viz:
David Anderson.
Hannah I Anderson.
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Mrs. Jane Moore and Mrs. Davis Randolph.
John Truesdale was an early settler about one-half mile southwest of the center. He brought up a large family, none of whom are now living. His sons, John, James, and Wil- liam, all married, lived, and died in the township upon the old farm.
Robert Fullerton settled on the southwest corner lot of the center, cleared up a farm and brought up a large family. His oldest son, Andrew, lived for a time in Austintown, then moved to Pennsylvania. The two next in age, Samuel and Joseph, sold their interest in the property to their youngest brother, Robert, who owned the whole farm a number of years. He died in Girard. None of the original family are now living.
William Wick, an early settler in the eastern part, had the first bearing orchard in Austin- town.
Anthony and Henry Weatherstay were early settlers near the Four-mile run. Their sons and daughters are all now either dead or moved away.
Jacob Wise was an early settler in the same neighborhood. His sons, John and Jacob, still live in the township.
Jacob Harding, son of John Harding, an early inhabitant of Canfield, located on the place now owned by his son John, in 1808. The farm had been somewhat improved and cleared previously by a family of negroes by the name of Sisco. Jacob Harding had one son and four daughters. The son and three of the daughters are still liv- ing.
Archibald Ewing settled on the farm now oc- cupied by his son John at about the same date. His children were Alexander, Thomas, William, John, Archibald, and Anna. Archibald lived and died in the township. Alexander and Thomas moved to Columbiana county, and Wil- liam to Pittsburg.
The Cotton family were among the first set- tlers. Joshua, a captain of militia, lived and died in the township. Theophilus settled on part of the old farm, resided there several years, then moved north. John took a part of the old farm, sold out and moved away.
James Henry lived and died upon a farm about one-half mile south of the center, and brought up five or six children. One of the 17*
daughters, Mrs. Mary Grove, still resides in the township.
Frederick Moherman in 1803 settled in the eastern part of the township. His sons, Daniel and Winchester, still reside in the township, and are reckoned among its prosperous farmers. Three sons also reside in Jackson.
Thomas Reed settled on the road running south from the center quite early. His widow is still living upon the old farm with her son Stephen. Amos also lives on the same road.
Henry Strack settled in the south part of the township; lived and died upon the farm now owned by Henry Crum, second. His sons were Henry, Samuel, John, William, Joseph, and Jacob. Several of his descendants now reside in the township.
Jacob Harroff settled in Canfield, then moved to this township. By his first marriage the chil- dren were John and Elizabeth, both of whom died in Portage county. By his second marriage the sons were Jacob, Andrew, William, and Lewis, all of whom lived and died in Austin- town. Susan, Leah, and Rachel were the three daughters.
Henry Crum was an early settler at Smith's corners.
Abraham Wolfcale and his sons, John and Abraham, were quite early settlers on the road east of the center.
Henry Brunstetter was an early settler in the southeast of the township.
George Fulk settled north of the center road in the western part of the township. The family scattered and died.
The Harshmans were also early settlers. Jacob, David, and Matthias resided in the township sev- eral years.
John Jordan, a native of Ireland, came to the township in 1813. Previous to his coming here he had resided a few years in Poland township. His farm was the one adjoining on the west that now owned by his son, J. S. Jordan. His family consisted of five sons and five daughters. Two of the sons are yet living-James Jordan, in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and J. S. Jor- dan. The father died in 1824, and the mother some years after. Abraham and James lived upon the old farm some years.
The Whitman tract, a part of the Salt springs tract, contained eight hundred acres, and be-
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longed to the Whitman heirs in Connecticut. Samuel Whitman cleared up a part of it, and settled at the center. Until about forty-five years ago no other clearing had been made upon the land.
In 1812 Frederick Shively settled upon the place where his son George, one of the oldest residents of the township, is now living.
The first white child born in Austintown town- ship was John McCollum, son of the first set- tler. The date of his birth was 1803. He set- tled in Milton township, where he died in the fall of 1881.
EARLY DAYS.
Every cabin was a factory where clothing was manufactured. Busy hands kept the spinning- wheel and loom buzzing and slamming early and late. The number of mouths to feed and bodies to clothe was large in almost every household. Shoes were used sparingly, for new pairs might not be forthcoming when the old were gone. Often the girls and women could be seen walk- ing to church barefooted, carrying shoes and stockings, which they put on when near the house. Tow and lmen, buckskin, and similar goods, " home made," were the clothing worn by males of all ages. The girls' best dresses were frequently spun and woven by the wearer. An old resident remarks that the young ladies were just as pretty in those days as now ; but could one of our fashionably dressed belles have stepped among them, some might have gone wild with envy and excitement.
Bears and wolves abounded, and it required the utmost vigilance to protect stock from then. Sheep, especially, often fell a prey to their rav- ages. At night the howling of the wolves could be heard in all directions. Deer were often shot, and furnished the early settlers an amount of meat of no small importance.
THE FIRST CHURCH
was a small log building, built by the Presbyte- rians on the Webb farm in the northern part of the township. It must have been built nearly seventy years ago Later they erected a small frame church mentioned elsewhere.
THE FIRST SCHOOLS.
Of these little can be learned. They were usually kept in some log-cabin, which the thrifty old settler had abandoned for a more comfort-
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