USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 30
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 30
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craft overturned, and the dark waters received them.
Alexander Cowden heard their cries, but did not apprehend at the time that they came from persons in distress. David Brownlee reported having crossed the river a short time previous in that skiff, and that one of the oars or rowlocks was defective in some way, which doubtless was the cause of the disaster.
When they were missed an active search was commenced. The next day the remains of Dru- cilla were found fastened to a bush which grew on the river bank, one and one-half miles below where they embarked. Six weeks elapsed before the body of Emma was discovered. It was found at the head of an island near the Dickson farm.
Mr. J. R. Cowden has favored us with the above facts. He was one of the searching party from the first and until the body of Emma was found.
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
A majority of the early settlers of Coitsville were church-going people, yet there was no church edifice erected in the township until 1838. The inhabitants went to church in two different States, Ohio and Pennsylvania ; in four different counties, Trumbull and Mahoning in Ohio, Lawrence and Mercer in Pennsylvania ; and in eight different townships, Coitsville, Po- land, Youngstown, Liberty, and Hubbard in Ohio, and Shenango, Pulaski, and Mahoning in Pennsylvania. Many still continue members of churches in these various places. The Method- ists for some years held meetings in barns, school-houses and dwellings. In 1835 they ef- fected an organization, James McKinley, class- leader. This organization took place after a series of revival meetings held in Tobias Kim- ball's barn, in which Revs. Green, Preston, and others took part. They had no church building until 1838. Then Isaac Powers, late of Youngs- town, presented to the society a lot of land for a church site and cemetery, the lot lying on the old Youngstown and Bedford road, where the Poland road intersects it. John Bissel and James McCartney were very active in securing funds with which to build and complete the meeting-house. James McCartney, Abraham Jacobs, and John Bissel were the first trustees. Upon this land, deeded to the society in 1839,
the house was erected ; and a living, working congregation worshiped there in peace and unity. But when the agitation of the slavery question struck this little band, division and bitterness came with it. Troubles increased until in 1847 some Godless incendiary applied a torch to the church, and it was destroyed. The guilty wretch has never been detected. In 1848 a new build- ing was erected upon the same site, superior to the old in style and finish, and there the Method- ist Episcopals continue to hold their services.
The Presbyterians organized a congregation in 1836. A commodious edifice was erected at the village in 1836 or 1837, and Rev. William Nes- bit became pastor. John Jackson and John Lynn were elected ruling elders, and soon after Thomas McGeehan and George Harris were elected, and their names added to the session roll. Mr. McGeehan is the only member of the original session now left, and he is nearly four- score years of age. Since Mr. Nesbit, who re- mained several years, a number of clergymen have officiated as stated preachers : Revs. Dick- son, McCombs, Dobbins, Kerr, Price, McCrea- dy, and Rice. The present incumbent is Rev. Krush ; the present session, Thomas McGeehan, George Gray, and Joseph Hanna. The roll of communicants shows twelve males and twenty- five females. Is it not a question worthy of our consideration whether the above proportion of males and females will hold good in Heaven as well as here ?
In 1870 the old house was taken down and rebuilt in better style, and in a more substantial manner. The constitution of this church is dated 1839, and to it are attached the names of William Reed, John and Davis Jackson, J. I. Hirst, George Harris, Samuel Jackson, An- drew McFarlin, Ebenezer Corey, and James Kerney.
Of the early settlers the Lynns, Swans, John- sons, Moores, Martins, Bells, Coreys, Monteiths, Murdocks, Jacksons, and Wicks were Presbyte- rians; the Allens, Stewarts, Coopers, Houstons Milligans Beggses, Dicksons, McGuffeys, Mc- Brides, Reeds, Thompsons, and others were United Presbyterians; the McCartneys, Bissels, Kırks, Kimmels, Vails, McFarlins, Jacobses, and others were Methodist Episcopal. Various other denominations were also represented by Coitsville people.
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THE FIRST MARRIAGE
in the township was that of Ebenezer Corey and Polly Thompson, about the year 1803. The wedding festival took place in and about a little log cabin, which was standing until within a few years, on the farm of Ambrose Shields. This couple lived together until three children were born. Then the husband died. The widow afterwards married James Crooks and had a large family.
EARLY SCHOOLS.
The first school in Coitsville was taught in a log cabin on the farm of Joseph Beggs early in the present century. The cabin was a short dis- tance west of the center. Jeremiah Breaden, the father of Dr. Breaden, was the teacher. Many of the scholars resided at a long distance from the school-house. There were few roads, and many were guided through the woods by blazed trees. Some of the members of that school were afterwards representatives to the Legislature ; David Houston being one of this number.
The first school-house proper, was a little log building, damp and uncomfortable. It was situated in the northeastern part of the township, and was built about 1807 or 1808. The only branches taught were reading, writing, and arith- metic. The Bihle was the class book for reading. The more advanced pupils read in the Old Testa- ment and were called the Bible class. The younger readers used the New Testament. The Bible, Webster's Spelling-book, and Welsh's arithmetic, were the only text-books. When a scholar had mastered the rule of three his edu- cation was considered finished, though some of the boys did not stop when they had accom- plished this much, but finished the book. The old log school-house was removed about 1815 and replaced by a comfortable frame house, which was used for school purposes until de- stroyed by fire, about the time the State Legisla- ture took our schools under its protection.
Several other school-houses were built and used in the township, but none were so perma- nent as the Harris school. In winter male teachers taught and were paid by assessing a cer- tain rate per scholar. Summer schools were usually taught by ladies whose wages were raised by voluntary subscriptions. The township is now
divided into seven school districts, and is well supplied with good school-houses.
MILLS.
The first saw-mill in the township was erected by Asa Mariner, one and one-fourth miles north- west of the center, on Dry run. There was also a corn-cracker run in connection with the saw- mill.
The next mill was the MeFarlin mill in the south of the township. The building of mills continued until there were seven saw-mills in operation on Dry run, all propelled by its waters. But as the lands were cleared the water of the stream diminished, the mills became less useful each year, until all were abandoned. In later years steam saw-mills took the place of the old water mills. There have been ten of these op- erated in the township at different times and places. Now there are but two.
There was a good grist-mill erected by Asa Mariner, but it departed with the old saw-mills. There have been three mills in the township which were run by horse- or ox-power-Wilson's, Buchanan's, and Brownlee's-but they were in operation but a short time.
DISTILLERIES.
Here, as elsewhere, distilling was considerably carried on in early times. James Shields had the first distillery. Seven others were afterwards built, some of them of little importance; but four of them, namely, Loveland's, Brownlee's, William McFarlin's, and James McFarlin's, pushed their business with energy for some years, consuming about twenty-four bushels of grain daily at least one hundred and fifty days out of the year, thirty-six hundred bushels per annum, and putting upon the market nine thousand gal- lons, more or less, of ardent spirits.
MORALS.
Never was a drinking saloon in Coitsville suc- cessfully operated. A few attempts were made to start them, all resulting in failure, except in the northwest part of the township in a little mining village. When the coal was dug out the miners left, and the grog-shops failed for want of customers.
No one was ever accused of murder here ex- cept William O. Moore, who was tried and found guilty of murdering his sister-in-law, Sarah Stew- art, and sentenced to State prison for life. The
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beginning of the trouble was the violation of the seventh commandment. Moore served a num- ber of years in prison, then was sent home to die of consumption. Contrary to expectation, he grew fat and enjoyed his liberty some years. Except Moore only one other person has ever been sent to the penitentiary from this township. He was a tramp and horse thief, named Fair- brother, and had been in Coitsville only a few months.
BURIAL PLACES.
The cemetery near the Methodist church was located in 1836 or 1837. The first interment was that of a son of John Bissel, a merchant at the village. This burial was made in 1837.
The cemetery adjoining the Presbyterian church at the village was gotten up by private enterprise. Samuel Jackson purchased a piece of ground and donated it to the church for burial purposes in 1878.
The remains of most of the old settlers of Coitsville are buried in the Deer Creek Church cemetery, New Bedford, Pennsylvania.
THE VILLAGE.
Coitsville has two stores, two wagon shops, two blacksmith shops and a tannery. There is at present no hotel. Andrew McFarlin kept the first hotel, the "Temperance house," some years. John Bissel had the first store in the place in in 1831 or 1832.
The carriage works of Mr. D. P. Cooper are worthy of special mention. The proprietor is a young man of enterprise, and seems determined to win success. He is already doing a very good business.
EARLY JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
John P. Bissel, D. Monteith, William Hous- ton, and James Shields were justices of the peace previous to 1818.
POST-OFFICE.
The first post road from New Bedford, Penn- sylvania, to Youngstown was established in 1827. Mail was received once a week. William Bissel was appointed postmaster at Coitsville; John Shields, Andrew McFarlin, James Milligan, Thomas McGeehan, David Jackson, and An- derson McFarlin were his successors in office. Mrs. Joseph Hanna is the present incumbent.
TANNERIES.
The first tannery was operated by David
Shields. It was a failure and was soon aban- doned. In 1832 William Stewart and R. W. Shields commenced the business at the vil- lage and the tannery started by them has been successfully operated up to the present time. Mr. Stewart became owner by purchase of Mr. Shields' interest in 1855. In February, 1875, the building was destroyed by fire together with a large amount of stock and the machinery, the loss amounting to about $5,000. A new and much larger building has been erected, 86 x 40 feet and two stories high, and Mr. Stewart is doing a good business in company with his son D. C. Stewart.
INCIDENTS OF THE 1812 WAR.
William Crawford, who had first settled in the northeast of the township, was drafted into General Wadsworth's division of the northwest- ern army early in the fall of 1812, and marched to Camp Avery on the Huron river about six miles from the lake. On Sahbath evening, Sep- tember 28th, a runner came into camp with a dis- patch from Sandusky bay stating that a company of Indians had landed on the peninsula. A call for volunteers to proceed to that point was made instanter, and some sixty or seventy responded, Crawford among the number. They were put in command of Captain Cotton, and started for their destination in the night. They arrived at Cedar Point, on the bay, about daylight Monday morning, crossed over the bay, and reached the peninsula about sunrise. On their way they had been joined by others until they numbered abou ninety men. They then marched inland three or four miles, and discovered satisfactory evi- dence that there was a large number of Indians on the peninsula.
For some reason they decided to retrace their way to the four boats in which they had crossed, which boats they had left in charge of eight men. They had not gone far on their returning march when Indians concealed in the high grass began firing upon them. Captain Cotton or- dered his men into line of battle. Crawford hastened to the captain and remonstrated, telling him that they would all be shot down if thus exposed. An order was then issued allowing each man to do as he chose-" paddle his own canoe, take care of himself and pick off a red- skin at every opportunity." The firing was briskly kept up for a short time, then ceased, ap- -
James Milliganas
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parently by mutual consent. In this skirmish three of the soldiers were killed and three wounded. The dead were buried, and the wounded cared for, then the march toward the boats was again begun in good order. They had proceeded but a short distance, however, when the enemy again began to fire upon them. The fire was returned with spirit and with good effect, every soldier taking care of himself as in the previous encounter. The captain ordered a retreat. But Crawford and his friend John Burrell, another Coitsville man, were too eagerly engaged in the fight to hear the order. While concealed in the grass he noticed a movement near him and creeping a little closer, saw an Indian loading his gun. Crawford fired and the Indian lay stretched in death. Presently another savage was seen some distance away, nearly con- cealed from the soldier's sight by intervening grass and a tall weed near him. Crawford fired ; the weed doubled down and so did the Indian.
Burrell first noticed that the company had re- treated and notified Crawford of the fact. They at once made haste to overtake their comrades and soon came to a tangled pile of fallen timber, at each end of which an Indian met them. Mr. Crawford used to say that he never could tell how he got over those fallen trees, but he passed them safely, and so did Burrell. Soon they came up with a soldier carrying his brother, who was mortally wounded. They assisted him in car- rying the dying man to a cabin where they lifted up the floor, placed him beneath it and contin- ued their flight. They soon came to a house at which Captain Cotton and about half of his men had halted ; the other half had gone on to the boats, taking with them all of the wounded, eight in number. On arriving at the shore they found that the Indians had sunk two of their boats, while the men left on guard had taken the other two and escaped. They, however, came back, and the soldiers were transferred to Cedar Point. The wounded were then placed in the boats and sent on to the camp which they reached in safety. Tuesday Crawford said to Burrell that he would as lief be shot by the In- dians as starved to death, and as he had had no food since the previous morning, he proposed to reconnoiter and see if some means of relief could not be discovered. Burrell accompanied him. They went down to the bay and discovered an
old canoe concealed in the grass. They imme- diately returned to their companions and told them of their good fortune. Two experienced men were selected to go down the bay in the canoe and give notice at the camp of their situ- ation. This plan succeeded admirably and in due time reinforcements arrived with material aid and all were brought off in safety.
RELIGIOUS EXCITEMENT.
A strange, mysterious visitation came upon the Presbyterian churches about 1805-06. The excitement is said to have originated in Ken- tucky and spread northward through western Pennsylvania and northern Ohio, agitating many Presbyterian congregations. Hopewell, one of Rev. William Wick's charges, where most of the Coitsville people attended church, was touched by its influence. Its subjects were mostly young people and generally females. They first be- came excited in regard to their future state and their condition here as sinners against Heaven in the sight of God. Sobbings would convulse them; spasmodic jerkings and twitchings then ensued; finally they fell down prostrate and to all appearances unconscious. In this state they would remain for a long time, but when the con- gregation was dismissed they appeared to waken and gain their usual mind. At the time there was great controversy as to the cause of these remarkable occurrences, some holding that it was the influence of the Holy Spirit, while others held that it was the work of an evil spirit. Some assigned mesmerism as a reason; others fanati- cism. But soon all traces of the excitement van- ished to return no more.
NOTES OF SETTLEMENT.
James Milligan was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, March 15, 1806, and canie to this country with his parents, John and Mar- garet, when a lad of twelve years. Three brothers, John, Dixon, and Robert, came also at this time. The oldest brother, William, re- mained in Ireland with his grandfather Milligan. He was at length employed by a wealthy shipping company as clerk, and afterwards taken into partnership. He died April 2, 1882, having amassed a fortune of $2,000,000. Dixon settled in the western part of Ohio, where he became a successful physician. He died in February, 1874. Robert died in 1875. At the time of
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his death he was prominently connected with the Kentucky university. He was the author of several works on the Bible, and held a high position as an educator. John lived a quiet and honorable life on the homestead, and died Janu- ary, 1876. Isabel, Thomas, and Samuel were born after the family came to America. James possessed a great memory, and the recollection of his boyhood days was very vivid. The voy- age across the ocean was an intensely interesting event to the keen Irish lad, and many were the anecdotes he could relate in connection with it. The family settled in the northwest part of Coitsville township about two and one-half miles from the present city of Youngstown. In 1826 James married Catharine, sister of William Mc- Guffey, author of school readers bearing his name, and afterwards engaged in the dry goods business in Vienna. He afterward returned to his first place of residence, where he held the office of justice of the peace for three terms. In 1846 he was elected commissioner of Trumbull county. He was a Democrat in politics, and an influential member of the party. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, which he served in many capacities. In 1850 his entire family was prostrated by typhoid fever, at which time his wife and two children, Margaret and Alexander, died. The surviving children were Isabel, John, Sarah, and Mary. He married again Nancy M. Reed, daughter of William Reed. By this marriage there were two sons, Dixon and James. He was a public- spirited and influential man, and his death, which occurred March 30, 1881, was sincerely and widely lamented.
John Shields, Coitsville township, was born September 1, 1804. His father, James, a native of Ireland, came to the farm where Mr. Shields now resides in 1802, from Beaver county, Penn- sylvania. He was born November 26, 1773, died January 19, 1854. His wife, whom he married in 1802, was Margaret Walker, of Mer- cer county, Pennsylvania. She was born Octo- ber r, 1783, died February 14, 1852. They brought up a family of eight children, of whom two sons are yet living, John and James. The latter resides in Loveland, Colorado. A daugh- ter, Mrs. Mary Davidson, of Coitsville, died July 6, 1881, aged seventy-eight years. John Shields was married in 1829 to Sarah Davidson,
of Youngstown, born May 17, 1809. They have had four children, and the three sons are yet liv- ing, each of their farms being near the old home- stead. Names of children: James Davidson, born January 24, 1831 ; Ann Jane, June 5, 1834; John Gailey, june 15, 1843; Ambrose, August 18, 1849. Ann Jane died January 17, 1868. Mr. Shields and all of the family are Republic- ans, temperance men, and members of the United Presbyterian church. Mr. Shields has been honored by election to the following offices : county commissioner, coroner, justice of the peace, postmaster, etc. He has been an elder in his church for over forty years. His oldest son, one of our leading farmers, was married Decem- ber 12, 1865, to Mary Gilchrist, of Coitsville. The other sons are also married. J. D. Shields has a splendid farm residence, and the best barn - in the township. The Shields family is one of activity and integrity.
William Stewart was born in Coitsville, May 18, 1808. He is the son of William Stewart, a native of Adams county, Pennsylvania, who came to this county previous to 1804, and settled in the western part of Coitsville township, where he lived and died, bringing up five sons and three daughters. Four sons are still living, Eli- jah, Robert, William, and David. Elijah resides in DeKalb county, Illinois; the others in this township. William Stewart, S .. , was one of six brothers who came to the Western Reserve in early times and settled in Trumbull and Mahon- ing counties. All brought up families and lived to be old. Mr. Stewart, when eighteen years of age, learned the business of tanning, in which he is still engaged. He established his tannery at Coitsville in 1832, and is still doing business there. He married Jane Brownlee in 1833. Four of their children are living: Mary E. (de- ceased), Huldah, Morilla, David C., and Flor- ence; all married except Huldah. Mrs. Stewart died in 1863, aged forty-eight years. She was a devoted member of the United Presbyterian church for several years. Mr. Stewart is well and favorably known as a business man ; has held several township offices.
John S. Brownlee was born at Turfoot, Len- wickshire, Scotland, March 6, 1806. He came to America in 1830, and settled in Coitsville township, where he still resides, in 1831. He has a farm of over two hundred acres and a very
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pleasant and comfortable home. Mr. Brownlee was married April 19, 1830, to Janet Patterson, who was born in Strathhaven, Scotland, Septem- ber II, 1811. They have had eight children, three of whom are living, Margaret W., Ellen F., Jane F., John A., James P., Randal Scroggs, and William W. The second child, a daughter, died in infancy. Jane, Randall S., and William W., are yet living. Mr. and Mrs. Brownlee are members of the Presbyterian church. They are among the most respected citizens of Coitsville.
Robert Davidson was born in Youngstown in 1807. His father, James Davidson, a native of Ireland, settled in Youngstown previous to the year 1800. He was married before coming to the county to Margaret Croskery, a native of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. They brought up eleven children, eight of them still living, Robert Davidson being the fourth child. Mr. Davidson bought the farm on which he now lives in 1831, and moved there the following year. He has been twice married-first in 1832 to Anna Shields, daughter of James Shields, one of the first settlers in Coitsville ; she died in 1835. In 1839 Mr. Davidson married Catha- rine Lackey of Lawrence county, Pennsylvania. They have three children, Anna, Mary, and Frances. Mary is the wife of James Cowden, of Wheeling, West Virginia, and Frances is the wife of D. C. Stewart of Coitsville. Mr. and Mrs. Davidson have belonged to the United Presbyterian church for many years. Mr. David- son has been an elder in this church for over forty years. He is a sound Republican and a worthy citizen.
John H. Reed, farmer, was born in Coitsville township in 1816, and has always resided here. His parents, William and Martha Reed, were among the early settlers. They brought up a family of five children, three of whom are living, viz: John, William, and Nancy (widow of James Milligan). John H. Reed lives upon the farm settled by his father. The farm contains at pres- ent one hundred and seventy-two acres. Mr. Reed was first married in 1838 to Jane Kimmel, daughter of Philip Kimmel, of Coitsville. They had seven children, three of whom are living: Lycurgus S., born September 22, 1839, died March 14, 1864; Martha M., August 12, 1841, died August 28, 1859; Philip K., July 4, 1845, died July 19, 1859; William H., February 24,
1849; Susan W., April 20, 1853; Elizabeth T., Edward F., (twins), June 26, 1856. Elizabeth died November 14, 1871; Mrs. Reed died Feb- ruary 24, 1862. In 1863 Mr. Reed married Mrs. Samantha McFarlin, daughter of William McClelland, by whom he has two children: Al- thea, born April 23, 1865, and Pluma, June 20, 1866. Mr. Reed is a Republican. He has held the office of township trustee. He does an excellent farming business.
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