USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 35
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 35
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The first hotel was opened by Michael Fred- erick, about 1833. The first store was opened in what is now Railroad Tavern, by Jacob Stoffer, who was appointed postmaster upon the estab- lishment of the post-office, in 1836. He was succeeded as postmaster by Jacob Borton, Henry Estep, George R. Hillburn, John B. Stover, Samuel Greenwold, and John R. Stover.
Peter Miller was the first blacksmith who opened a shop. Before removing to Washington- ville he resided one year at New Lisbon, where he built the first brick house. About 1828 John Miller, a blacksmith, began the manufacture of edge-tools, which he continued for about ten years.
NEW ALBANY.
New Albany is situated about two miles and a half west from Green village, and contains a store, post-office, blacksmith shop, and twenty- two dwellings. The first steam mill in the coun- ty was built at this place by Wilson Teeter and Edwin Webb, by whom the town was laid out. The post-office was established prior to 1853. The first postmaster was Henry Thulen, who was succeeded by Joshua Webb, Daniel Beam, Charles Taylor, Lemuel Hixson, Solomon Rus- sell, David Coy, and Lewis Pow.
SCHOOLS.
Soon after the settlers came to the township an effort was made among the widely scattered families to assemble the children for purposes of education. Elisha Teeter gave for school and burying purposes a piece of ground situated on the east side of section twenty, and a log school- house was built, about 20x24 feet in size, with a puncheon floor and a door with wooden hinges.
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The children from sections seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, and twenty attended school at this house. The first teacher was Edward Bonsall, who was succeeded by Rachel, his wife, and Priscilla Fisher, wife of William Fisher-both daughters of Abram Warrington. John Cowdin, Patrick Smith, and Daniel Stratton were also teachers before the adoption of the district school system.
The first school-house for children living in the north middle part of the township was on the New Lisbon road, on section ten. This was a log-house built by Henry Pyle. It was fitted with slab seats, and with desks fastened against the walls with wooden pins. In 1814 Samuel McBride was hired to teach. George Pow suc- ceeded him. No school was taught there after Mr. Pow retired until the district schools were opened, in 1827. The children from other sec- tions, far and near, attended school in this log building.
The first school in the center of the township was held in the log church west of Green village. A log school-house was built on section thirty- four, on land belonging to Jacob Stofer. Henry Zimmerman was the first teacher of this school, about 1815. William, Rachel, and Sam- uel Schofield, sons and daughter of David Scho- field, afterwards taught in a second log school- house, built on the same ground.
At Washingtonville a school was opened about 1818 in the log church built by Michael and Baltzer Roller. John Roller and Henry Gilbert were among the first teachers.
Owing to the imperfect records of schools in the early days but little information can be ob- tained respecting them.
The following is from the earliest existing records (in 1844) :
Twelve schools taught in township; number of teachers, IO; number of children between the ages of four and twenty- one years, 338 males, 346 females; number of children en- rolled, 295 males, 241 females; average daily attendance, 169 males, 131 females; amount paid to teachers of common schools from public fund-to males, $367.83; to females, $125. Amount paid from other sources-males, $23; females, $23,50. Branches taught: reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, geography.
The township has an Evangelical Lutheran church at Washingtonville, and one at Green village; a German Lutheran church; a Sweden- borgian church at Green; Concord Presbyterian
church on the line of Goshen and Green; a Baptist church; a union church on section four; a Disciple church on section twenty-one, with a burying-ground attached; and an Evangelical Association church at Loveland station.
The Niles & New Lisbon railroad traverses the township in a general north and south course, and has three stations in the township-Love- land, Green village, and Washingtonville.
CHAPTER XIII.
SMITH.
The township of Smith is of range num- ber five township eighteen north from the Ohio river. It is bounded north by Deerfield, in Port- age county, and Berlin township, in Mahoning county ; east by Goshen, in Mahoning county; south by Knox township, Columbiana county; and west by Lexington, in Stark county. The general surface of the land is undulating, and in the northeastern part hilly, where the greatest elevation is attained. The center, within the ra- dius of two miles from the town-house, is the most depressed portion of the township, the land gradually rising as the township lines are approached. The township is drained by the Mahoning river and its tributaries. The Mahon- ing proper passes northwesterly across the south- west corner of the township, which it again enters on section six, at the northwest corner, crossing it in a northeasterly direction.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Probably the first white man in Smith town- ship, by whom any material improvements were made, was James Carter, from Pennsylvania, in the year 1803. His advent was entirely an acci- dent. Carter having purchased land on what is known as the Western Reserve (of which the north line of Smith township forms part of the southern boundary) entered and cleared a portion, and built a log house on what he supposed to be his own lands. The same year William Smith pur- chased from the government section three, con- taining six hundred and forty acres, and went with his family to occupy the same in 1804. On his arrival he found that Carter had by mistake built
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his cabin on his (Smith's) land. Smith paid Carter for the improvements he had made, who soon after left to occupy the lands he had in fact purchased. Although the first improvements were made by Carter in 1803, and the first house built by him at that time, the distinction of first permanent settlement properly belongs to Wil- liam Smith and his family. William Smith died in 1841, aged seventy-three years ; his wife died in 1845, aged seventy-two years. Both were in- terred in the family burying-ground on the hill, near the present village of North Benton.
James C. Stanley, of Hanover county, Vir- ginia, was one of the pioneers of Smith town- ship, and probably the second settler. He came in the year 1805, and located on section twenty- four, which he had purchased from the Govern- ment, and which lies about four miles southeast of William Smith's section, in what was after- wards called the "Stanley neighborhood." He brought with him a wife and eight children. The house built by the pioneer James C. was the second in the township, and the first south of the center line.
In the year 1811 Edmund, oldest son of Thomas Stanley, of Hanover county, Virginia, in company with John White (a colored family servant), came to Smith and built a log house in the eastern part of the township, preparatory to the coming of the family. Thomas Stanley ar- rived with his family in the spring of 1812. His children were John, who died in 1877; Elijah, who died in 1836; Frances, who married Isaac Votaw, and died about 1818; Edmund, who died in 1842; Millie, who married Joshua Crew, and came with the Stanley family or a few weeks later. Joshua Crew died about the year 1845, after which his wife went to Iowa, where she died about 1868. These were the children of Thom- as Stanley by his first wife. His second wife was Priscilla Ladd, and their children were Isaac, Thomas Binford, Sarah, who married Thomas Woolman, and Micajah. Micajah Stanley mar- tied Unity Coppack, by whom he had eight chil- dren.
John Detchon, son of Oswell and Annie (Carr) Detchon, pioneers of Trumbull county, came to Smith in 1822. In 1824 he married Maria Hoadley, seventh child of Gideon Hoadley.
Gideon Hoadley, with his wife and children,
settled in the township in 1823. In 1824 Henry Hartzell's family settled here.
In 1812 Levi Rakestraw and his wife Rebecca (Bryan) came from New Jersey and located in Goshen township, where they lived until Novem- ber 10, 1825, when they moved to Smith town- ship, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Joseph Snods came from the same State in 1824 with his wife and three children. His son William now lives in Smith township.
One of the most prominent of the early set- tlers was Benjamin Votaw, who settled perma- nently in Smith township in 1829. He oper- ated the first mill in the township before his settlement, built on Island creek about 1823 by James Smith, "son of Judge William Smith, the pioneer.
Samuel Oyster was the first settler of the west- ern part of Smith township, locating on section thirty-one in 1826. He raised a family of four- teen children.
Among the old families of the township was that of Nathan Heacock. He settled near Salem, Columbiana county, in 1816, coming from Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and in 1825 came to Smith, bringing a family of ten chil- dren.
Peter Wise came from Pennsylvania to Smith in 1832 with a large family.
In 1810 James Cattell, of New Jersey, located in Goshen township, and in 1833 moved to Smith, where he died in 1860.
James M. Dobson came to Smith in 1833 with his wife and one child-John.
George Atkinson was a resident of Goshen in 1816, and one of his sons, William, afterward became a resident of Smith.
Other early settlers were Solomon Hartzell, Jacob Paxson, Job Lamborn, Christian Sheets, William Johnston, Hugh Wright, and John Thompson.
There were families among the early settlers whose history is not recorded. Of these some are dead, others have left the township, and no authentic record of the date of their settlement, death, or departure can be obtained. On infor- mation from the oldest living residents, the names of many have been obtained as follows: Mathias Hollowpeter, Jonathan Hoope, John Cowgill, the Cobbs, Hugh Packer, John Trago, Abram Haines, Leonard Reed, Abram and Samuel Miller, Adam
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McGowan, William Matthews, John Hillerman, Amos Allerton, John Schaffer. These were probably settled in the township prior to 1830; yet it is possible that some were later, as in 1828 there were but twenty-three voters in the town- ship.
ORGANIZATION.
Smith township was organized at a meeting of the Columbiana county commissioners in the month of March, 1821, upon the petition of Judge William Smith, one of its pioneers, in honor of whom it was named. The books of the township, containing records of the first meetings and of the election of the first officers, are lost or destroyed. Notice of the organiza- tion was found in the old commissioner's journal. James C. Stanley was probably clerk of the first town-meeting.
NORTH BENTON.
The village of North Benton was surveyed and laid out on the 27th and 28th days of March, 1834, under the proprietorship of Wil- liam Smith, Dr. John Dellenbaugh, and James Smith. The map or plat was recorded March 31, 1834. Although not till then formally laid out, yet as early as the year 1830 a number of buildings had been erected, and the village was a general gathering place for the people in that vicinity. North Benton was named in honor of Thomas Benton, a " hard-money " Democrat of the time, who had many friends and admirers in that community. "North" was prefixed in order to distinguish it from another place of that name. The first hotel was built in 1832 by one Fitch, and called the " Benton Exchange."
The village has a population of about two hundred and fifty, comprising about seventy families, and has two churches, a school, several stores, and business interests of various kinds.
WESTVILLE.
In the year 1831 the town or village of West- ville was named and partially laid out, under the proprietorship of Aaron Coppack, and then was composed of a portion of sections thirty-five and thirty six. The map was recorded September 27th ot the same year. In 1835 an addition was made, and portions of sections one and two of Knox township included within the village limits. This was done under the direction of Aaron Coppack, Samuel Coppack, Joseph Cobbs,
and Edward Randolph, proprietors. The plat was recorded October 15, 1835. The village continued to grow until about 1850, and became a convenient trading centre, having a saw-mill on section thirty-five and a general country store. Since that time there has been no material in- crease in population.
BELOIT.
This hamlet, although never regularly laid out or incorporated as a village, is indebted for its existence to the building of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad, in the years 1848- 49. It was originally called "Smithfield Station," and a post-office established there under that name. In about 1863 the name was changed to Beloit, there being then another Smithfield vil- lage in the State. Within the limits of what may properly be called Beloit are a church, saw- mill, two stores, a wagon manufactory, and a blacksmith shop. The village has a population of about one hundred and fifty.
EAST ALLIANCE.
East Alliance, as it is called, is but one of the suburbs of Alliance, Stark county, resulting from the growth of the latter place. In 1879 East Alliance was made the second election district of Smith township.
CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.
Smith township has four churches. The first erected was in 1829 by the Friends on section thirty-four. This building was also used for a school, taught by Hannah Courtney. A Method- ist Episcopal church was erected at North Ben- ton in 1840. A Presbyterian congregation formed in Deerfield, Portage county, moved to Smith, and elected a church near North Benton in 1851. A union church was built in 1859 on section twenty-six, but was sold to the Presby- terian society in 1870.
The first school of the township was taught in an old log-house on the site of North Benton, but by whom is not known. Margaret Davis taught the school at a very early day. The township was originally divided into four dis- tricts, but now comprises ten. The annual cost of the maintenance of schools is about $2,500.
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CHAPTER XIV.
SPRINGFIELD.
The township is bounded on the north by the south line of the Western Reserve ; on the east by the State of Pennsylvania; on the south by the township of Unity; and on the west by the town- ship of Beaver. It is designated in the Govern- ment survey as town nine, in range one. It was one of the oldest townships in the county, having been organized for civil purposes in 1803. In 1846 Springfield was attached to Mahoning county.
The general surface of the township is broken by hills of moderate height, between which are intervales and lowlands, originally somewhat swampy. The whole township was covered with a fine growth of the common woods, and a liberal supply of timber yet remains. Building- stone may be obtained in various localities, and coal is unusually abundant.
The principal streams are Honey creek and several small ereeks, flowing southeast from the central and the western parts of the township; and the Little Yellow creek in the northwest, having a northerly course. Numerous springs abound, and the natural drainage is generally sufficient to afford an arable surface. The soil varies from a sandy loam to a heavy clay, along the streams being more or less of an alluvium. The whole is fertile and well adapted to the prod- ucts of mixed husbandry. The people are chiefly engaged in agriculture.
PIONEER SETTLERS.
The early history of Springfield is somewhat obscure. None of the original settlers remain, and what little recorded history they had has been destroyed. The recollections of the de- scendants of those who came to the township as pioneers are not clear, and their statements con- cerning that period are contradictory. It ap- pears, however, that the township was permanent- ly settled about 1801, and that Peter Musser was the first to establish himself in what is now Springfield. He came from York county, Penn- sylvania, and having considerable means pur- chased the four sections in the southeast corner of the township, living a little north of the pres- ent village of Petersburg. Here he built small grist- and saw-mills, and made other desirable
improvements. He died in 1808, leaving a family of four sons and two daughters. The oldest son, John, succeeded to the mill property, but after a few years removed to Missouri. Peter was the proprietor of the village site, and the founder of Petersburg. He removed to the northern part of the State. The third son, Jacob, lived in the village, selling there the first goods. He enlisted in the army of 1812, and afterwards in the regular army of the United States, serving as drum-major ; he finally settled in Missouri.
One of Musser's daughters was married to Israel Warner, who came with his father-in-law in 1801, and settled on the farm now occupied by his son Ellis. Other sons of Warner were John, George, Peter, David, Israel, William, and Jacob. Some of these yet live in Springfield and the adjacent towns. Israel Warner was a captain in 1812. The other daughter of Musser married Jacob Rudisill, and lived north of the Warner homestead.
James Wallace was one of the first and fore- most settlers and is yet well remembered as a merchant. Having been elected judge of Ma- honing county, he removed to Canfield. To that place, also, removed Hosea Hoover, one of Petersburg's early settlers, who was elected county treasurer.
On the farm now occupied by C. B. Wilson John Pontius was the original settler, and was followed by his son John. East of the village, on the farm yet occupied by his family, Henry Miller settled at an early day ; and north of the place the Bock, Beight, and Dressel families were among the first settlers.
In the western part of the township Daniel Miller, from Adams county, Pennsylvania, was the earliest settler, coming in 1802, and settling on section eighteen.
The same year C. Seidner and his son-in-law, C. Mentzer, came from Hagerstown and settled south of Miller. A few years later this locality was settled by Jacob Shafer, George Macklin, Jacob Christ, John May, Hugh Chain, John Robinson, and Peter Shreiver.
Section six was settled in 1801 by Adam Hohn, who soon after put up a saw-mill there.
Section four was settled before 1863 by George Stump and his sons George, Henry, Abraham, and John, and section five was settled in 1802
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by John Summers of York county, Pennsylvania. One of Summers' sons-in-law, George Elser, set- tled on the same section in April, 1806, where he died in 1847.
In the northeastern part of the township the early settlers were: John Shoemaker, about 1804; Henry Myers, on section twelve, in 1803; Peter and Henry Raub and Peter Benedict, on section eleven, about the same time ; and before 1806 settlements had been made by men named Empie, Taylor, Barnard, Parsons, and Messerly.
In the neighborhood of New Middleton were the Burkey, Kuhn, Schillinger, Gray, Cublin, and Schiller families, some time before 1810, and after that period Joshua Hahn, Simon Mar- tin, the Welker, Beard, and Ilgenfritz families took place among the prominent settlers. Immi- gration was so great between 1805 and 1815 that it is impossible to gather up the names of all who became pioneers of Springfield.
CIVIL LIST.
The records of this township from its organiza- tion in 1803 until 1868 have been lost in some way, making the compilation of an accurate civil list impossible and necessitating the omission of much valuable and interesting matter.
THE COAL INTERESTS
of the township deserve brief mention. Al- though coal generally abounds in the township but little effort has been made to develop its riches outside of the territory in the northwest part of the township along Little Yellow creek. East of that stream mining was carried on to some extent on the Ruhlman, Kurt and Heine farms; but the principal product is on the west side on section seven, where three mines are in successful operation, whose united output is two thousand five hundred tons per year. The first mine in the township was opened by the Sum- mers family and is still worked.
PETERSBURGH.
The oldest and most important village in the township was founded before 1810 by Peter Musser, on section thirty-six, and named in his honor Petersburgh. It now has a population of five hundred, and is a busy, bustling little place.
The post-office was established first with name of Musser's Mill, and in 1811 Jacob Musser was postmaster. It subsequently received the pres- ent name and has had the following officials :
Peter Musser, F. Spaeth, Colonel James Miller, Martha Miller, O. H. P. Swisher, Robert Wal- lace, C. C. Swisher, Lewis Sholl, Gideon Schiller, George Herr, T. S. Guy, and Henry Myers. Mail is received twice a day.
It is said that Jacob Musser sold the first goods in the place in the building now the resi- dence of J. P. Swisher, the oldest frame house in Petersburgh. James Wallace was the first to engage regularly in trade, opening a store where is now the post-office building, about 1815. He converted that house into a hotel and opened a store on the north side of the street, where he remained about thirty years. W. C. Dunlap was a cotemporary merchant, opening a store where is now S. Ernst's residence. The principal mer- chants that followed them were : Robert Forbus, Spaeth & Swisher, J. G. Leslie, O. H. P. Swisher, David and John Shearer, James Mathews, Ernst & Hahn, Hoover & Seidner, and others. The place now has three good general stores, a drug store, harness shop, furniture store, and boot and shoe store.
A foundry was established by R. C. Bean in 1870, and is still carried on in the manufacture of plows, light castings, and in repair work. The village has two tanneries employing steam power. The first tannery was carried on by John Em- brie and has gone through a number of hands since. The place has also two carriage shops, as well as other indispensable mechanical indus- tries.
As early as 1803 Peter Musser put in opera- tion saw- and grist-mills, a little north of the vil- lage, on the site of the present old mill on Honey creek. John Musser, John Pontius, and D. Whitmyer were among its subsequent owners. About 1825 a mill was put up near the State line on the same stream, by John Miller, which was operated by him and his family until a few years ago. Between these sites John Musser put up a mill, which was operated until 1860.
In 1874 a steam flouring-mill, having three runs of stones, was erected near the center of the village by Maurer & Edler Brothers. It is now successfully operated, but by other men. A steam saw-mill, erected west of the village in 1870 by Ernst & Rauch, is still in operation; and in the village a saw-mill, planer, and machines for making bent work were put in operation in 1875 by Faller Brothers & Miller.
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The first public house was kept by Peter Mus- ser on his farm, now owned by A. Kneasel. The next was kept in the J. P. Swisher residence by Kinneman, Douglas, Pontius, and others. James Wallace was a well known landlord for many years. Henry Kale opened a public house where the Lochiel house stands, and was succeeded by Kelley, Mathews, Conrad, George Kneasel (who changed the house to its present comfortable condition), and others.
Dr. Luther Spellman was probably the first physician to locate permanently in the village. Dr. B. F. Adams died here. Others in practice have been : Drs. Jehu Stough, John D. Coffin, John Wise, John McCook, Ferdinand Casper, P. H. Swisher (since 1828), George W. Pettit, P. W. Welker, and perhaps others.
Richard Smith practiced law here a short time. Jacob Musser was the justice of the peace from 1845 to 1875, and was succeeded by William F. Stoll.
Dr. G. W. Pettit, physician, Petersburgh, Ma- honing county, son of Samuel Pettit, was born in New Lisbon, Columbiana county, March 21, 1828. Samuel Pettit was a native of Chester county, Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio in 1808 with his parents, who settled at New Lisbon. He died in 1873. His widow is still living. Dr. Pettit studied medicine with Dr. McCook at New Lisbon and graduated at the Cleveland Medical college in 1852, having practiced for two years previous. He began practice, after re- ceiving his degree, at Marlborough, Stark county, where he remained ten years. He then came to Petersburgh, where he now lives. He has an extensive practice, and is a successful physician. He was united in marriage in 1855 to Miss Emily, daughter of Ebenezer Stevens of Stark county. They have had three children, two of whom are living. Mrs. Pettit is a member of the Methodist church.
Solomon Ernst, merchant, Petersburgh, Ma- honing county, was born in Springfield town- ship, Mahoning county, then Columbiana, April 20, 1830. He is a son of Peter Ernst, who was a native of Maryland, and came to Ohio in 1826 or 1827 and located in Springfield township. He was by occupation a farmer. Solomon Ernst followed farming until he was twenty-one or twenty-two years of age, then engaged in mer- cantile business at Middleton where he re-
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