USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 44
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 44
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Coal has been found at various places in the township, and a few thousand tons have been recently mined at the ledge, but none has yet been found in sufficient thickness to warrant ex- tensive operations in mining.
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
The first settlement was made in 1799, by Edward Brockway, Isaac Jones, and Asahel Brainard, who spent their first night by a large tree, then standing about one-fourth of a mile north of the center of the township, nearly oppo- site the residence of the late Elijah Woodford, now owned by Oliver Perrine.
They commenced a clearing on the farm long owned by the late William Bond, Edward Brockway cutting the first tree. After having built a cabin and sowed a field of wheat, Brock- way and Jones returned East and brought out their families in the summer of 1800.
Brainard remained alone through the winter, engaged in clearing land. His nearest neighbor was Martin Smith, of Vernon. Settlement had been made previously at Vienna, Youngstown, and Warren. It was during this winter that two Indians, Flin and Kanoshua, came to Brainard's cabin, and after partaking somewhat freely of whiskey, left apparently on good terms, but soon after fell into an altercation, in which the former was killed. He was shot near the residence on the dairy farm of D. R. Chapman. After the transaction it was feared that trouble with the Indians might grow out of it, and Smith being best acquainted, started for their village near Greenville, Pennsylvania, to notify them and put the best face possible on the matter, but had pro- ceeded no farther than Orangeville, when he met them coming. The Indians having collected from the various encampments, a consultation was held, and after due deliberation, it was de- cided that " Indian no kill him, but whiskey kill him." He was soon after buried by them with the usual ceremonies, near the east line of the farm on which the first cabin was built. The
survivor, instead of departing for parts unknown, as it was feared he might, leaving the blame to rest on others, had informed his friends of the matter, who were coming to bury their dead. A few years later some medical students exhumed his remains, and his bones were kept by them for a long time in the office of Dr. Wilcox, at Burg Hill.
Isaac Jones settled at Burg Hill on the farm now owned by Osman Hull. Charles Merry came the same year with his family, and settled within the present limits of Orangeville.
William Bushnell, the pioneer settler in the south part of the township, bought three hundred and twenty-seven acres in lot thirty, of Holmes and Root, for a consideration of $816, the deed being dated December 31, 1800.
He came into the township with his family in June, 1801, and located on the diagonal road about half way up the hill. His first place of shelter was made by felling a large chestnut tree, taking off the bark, placing one end on the body of the tree and the other on the ground, thus making a shed under which the family found shelter for nine days, during most of which time a lain storm kept them closely "housed."
Titus Brockway also came into the township in 1800, and was land agent for Holmes & Root. He located in the central part, on the farm now in the possession of his grandson, U. H. Brock- way. His first cabin was built on the opposite bank of the run, a little north of the present resi- dence. It is said he was an unmarried man at this time, and with a hired man kept "bachelor's hall." Also, that Urial Holmes found it conven- ient at times to share his cabin, and partake of the plentiful game with which the immense forest abounded. One day they were so fortunate as to kill a bear. Thinking to have a little joke they put it into the hired man's bed, and with much gravity awaited the time for him to retire. We are left to imagine his surprise, and perhaps fright, and the uproarious laughter of the jokers.
In 1803 Daniel Bushnell located on lot thirty, near the present residence of John Craton.
Samuel Spencer located in Burg Hill.
Captain Thomas Thompson came from Farm- ington, Connecticut, in 1803. He purchased some five hundred acres, including two of the center lots of the township, and a portion of a third one, and located about one-fourth of a
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mile south of the center, where H. Bennett now resides. William C. Jones probably came in 1802, and located on the farm now occupied by A. D. Fell.
Asahel Brainard, previously mentioned, located at an early period on the farm where Jacob Kepner now resides, one-half mile south of the center.
Aaron Brockway first settled in Vernon in 1798, but in 1801 or 1802 changed his location to Hartford.
Asa Andrews purchased about one thousand acres of land and settled on lot twenty-seven, where John McFarland now resides.
In 1803 Robert McFarland and family settled on lot three on the State line, near the residence of his grandson, Thomas W. McFarland.
The following named persons also came into the township during 1804 and 1805. All but two or three of them were married men and brought their families : Richard Hayes, Thomas Bushnell, Asahel Borden, Andrews Bushnell, Asa Andrews, Jehial Hulburt, Samuel Tuttle, Captain Alexander Bushnell, Shaler Fitch, Asa- hel Borden, Jr., Elam Jones, Chester An- drews, Jehial Hulburt, Jr., William Rathburn. These were nearly all residents of Hartland, Connecticut. In 1804 a colony of some ten families left Hartland at the same time. The occasion of their departure from Connecticut was considered of so much importance that a meeting was held, a farewell sermon preached, and then the general leavetaking took place, as their old friends and neighbors bade adieu to their late homes and started on their journey of six hundred miles for the State of their choice. Some of them were men far past the prime of life, Revolutionary fathers; one had borne a part at Bunker Hill, that sad, yet glorious day, when Warren fell; another, barefooted at Valley Forge, had camped with Washington, yet rather than part with children and grandchildren, they con- cluded to forego the comforts of civilization, and endure the fatigues of a six weeks' trip to New Connecticut, as it was then called, to build up homes in a wilderness, not only for themselves, but for coming generations.
DUTCH RIDGE SETTLEMENT.
The southeastern portion of the township was first settled by families of German lineage from Cumberland county, in eastern Pennsylvania.
John Kepner was the pioneer settler. Ac- cording to tradition, he commenced a clearing in 1805 and built a cabin. The next spring it was burned, and a hewed log-house was then built, which stood until 1880, when it was replaced by a fine frame house erected by his grandson, Lucius Kepner. His deed was made July 2, 1806, for six hundred and thirty-six and one hundred and thirty-nine one-hundred and sixtieth acres of land in lot nine. The consideration was $1,785.
John Pfouts came in the fall of 1806 and settled on the farm now owned by his son Isaac Pfouts. The first cabin stood some forty rods southwest of the present residence. Frederick Shull located where Seth Carnes now resides. Michael Quiggle settled on the farm now owned by Orvis Shatto.
Later, settlement were made by Hull, Reeder, George and John Snyder.
INDIAN HUNTING CAMP.
The remains of a large Indian hunting camp were in existence for several years after the first settlement, on the west side of lot twenty-four, on the farm formerly owned by General Andrews Bushnell. Some of the lodges were apparently new, with all the appearance of having been oc- casionally occupied; others were quite old and dilapidated.
A DEN OF SNAKES.
During the year 1804, while Samuel Spencer was residing at Burg Hill, some travelers hav- ing called for water were directed to a spring near the house, but soon returned, having dis- covered a rattlesnake den at the head of it. The neighbors were called upon for assistance, and in digging them out it was found necessary to use a yoke of cattle to remove the stone sur- rounding the den. It was quite cool weather in early spring, and they had just begun to stir, and were not fairly active. The boys used flails in dispatching them. One hundred and seventy of the spotted reptiles were dug out and killed. Soon after Mrs. Spencer found one under the bed, which she dispatched; another fell from over- head to the floor, and last, not least, one day on going into the pantry and taking down a basin, she found one curled up within it-an uninvited guest, truly ! What would our modern belles say to an adventure like this ? I am afraid his
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snakeship would have had a better chance for his life than in the hands of Mrs. Spencer.
Early in the century the banks of Brockway run were quite a harbor for rattlesnakes. Edward Brockway was bitten by one of them, and came near losing his life in consequence, but by the aid of an old Indian's prescription, he finally re- covered. He, however, became the sworn enemy of the whole fraternity of snakes, and soon an agreement was made by those living in the vicin- ity, to hunt for snakes, whenever they crossed the stream at the proper season. It was his cus- tom, when going to and returning from church, to stop and hunt for them.
The northwestern part of the township, from the "marsh " for some distance south on the run, seems to be the favorite home of the mas- sassauga. Formerly large numbers were killed. Even in later years fair crops of them have some- times been harvested. Some forty or fifty have been killed on one farm, in a single year. The war still goes on, and it may be a long time be- fore they are entirely extirpated.
OTHER EARLY SETTLERS.
The following named persons came into the township during its early settlement, most of them probably from 1804 to 1811 : Titus Hayes, Russel Borden, Linus Hayes, Lester Hayes, Philo Borden, Nehemiah Andrews, Davis Fuller, Horace Flower, Sylvester Borden, Martin Gang- yard, Ebenezer Chapman, Elijah Woodford, Thom- as Dugan, David Lane, Lebbeus Beach, Levi Giddings, and Isaac Olmstead.
EARLY EVENTS.
Linus Hayes and Jerusha, daughter of Thomas Bushnell, were married September 11, 1805. They were the first couple married within the township. Previous to this time, however, in 1801, Titus Brockway, of this place, was married to Minerva Palmer, of Vernon. Harriet Merry, daughter of Charles Merry, was born in 1801, and died August 24, 1864. She was the first white child born in the township. She married John Burnett. They resided some years in Ver- non and then removed to Ravenna, Ohio, where she died, and was buried at Burg Hill.
William Bushnell, son of Colonel William Bushnell, born June 11, 1802, was the first white male child born in the township. He married Jane Potterfield June 19, 1828. They both
died at the same time and were buried in one grave.
The first death was that of a child of Isaac Jones, from small-pox. It was buried at Burg Hill, near the residence of Osman Hull. Mrs. Samuel Tuttle died soon after and was buried at Vernon. Lucy Andrews, a child of two years, was the next, and was the first person buried in the graveyard at the center. The site was se- lected after her death, and the grave was sur- rounded by an enclosure of logs in the forest. She died October 11, 1805. Mrs. Jerusha Hayes, wife of Linus Hayes and daughter of Thomas Bushnell, died in 1806, and was the first adult buried here, the next being Mrs. Dan- iel Bushnell, who died July 7, 1809.
Edward Brockway was elected as the first justice of the peace, in honor of having been the first settler and cutting the first tree, but not wishing to serve, Titus Brockway, his son, was elected and served as the first justice, and was also the first postmaster.
The oldest framed house in the township now standing, and said to have been the second, if not the first one built, is the present residence of Seth Thompson, Jr., standing on the top of the hill on the diagonal road. It was built by Colonel William Bushnell, who sold it to Rus- sel Borden, and a few years later it passed into the hands of the Thompson family, who have occupied it nearly seventy years.
The first dwelling house at the center of the township was built by Seth Thompson, Sr., in 1810. It was a log house and stood north of the "green," where James Stewart now resides, and the second was built some years later by Joseph A. Gould, on the west corner, who also built a blacksmith shop near it.
The first apple-tree which bore fruit in the township was planted by Titus Brockway, and is still standing, a little north of the residence of U. H. Brockway. The first crop consisted of one peck of apples, which were carefully put into the cellar, and when they were visited by their neighbors, two or three were brought up and ex- hibited, then carefully pared and cut into pieces enough to go around. So the peck furnished most of the people a sight and taste of the ap- ples. Soon, however, fruit became so plenty it had but little market value. Peaches were a drug in the market at a shilling a bushel, and
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large quantities were taken to Lester Bushnell's still, at the foot of Brockway's hill, to be made into peach brandy. Cider, at the nominal price of fifty cents per barrel, was taken to the same place to be made into "apple-jack," and then stored in the cellar, to be used in treating friends on extra occasions, as parties, weddings, etc., es- pecially after the ten or twelve barrels of cider, "all ripening in a row," in the cellars of most farm-houses, had run low.
At this time the privations and hardships of the early pioneers were growing less; fields of corn and wheat gave evidence of present abun- dance and a prospect of future luxury.
Additions were yearly being made to the set- tlement by emigration from the older States, of friends and neighbors, who hoped to better their condition by making a home in the West. Thus a few years swiftly passed away, with little to vary the monotony of frontier life, save an occasional foray upon the sheepfold by wolves, or being awakened from sleep by the squeals of a luckless pig, taken away from his sty by bruin, and borne away to make a toothsome repast for him- self, varied by his pursuit and capture, to pay him for his pains. Frame houses and barns were already beginning to take the place of log ones; orchards being set out, clearings enlarged, and roads improved, until the 18th of June, 1812, when the war cloud which had for a long time hung over the Nation, culminated in a dec- laration of war against Great Britain.
The necessary demands upon the pioneers for military service after Hull's surrender, and their location near the frontier, served to check emi- gration and general improvement until the close of the war.
EPIDEMIC OF 1813.
The epidemic which prevailed so extensively through the whole Western country during the year 1813, visited this township, and carried off fifteen persons, mostly elderly people, all the deaths of the year except two or three, result- ing from it. Among the deaths were Asa An- drews, Jehiel Hulburt, Titus Hayes, Russel Borden, and Mrs. Lucy Fitch, widow of John Fitch, the inventor of steamboats, whose de- scendants by one branch are still residing here.
A BEAR STORY.
In November, 1817, a large black bear was
caught in the woods of Daniel Bushnell. He was in the habit of visiting Mr. Bushnell's corn field at pleasure, going in and out at the same place until the corn was harvested. At length, finding no more corn he went to an adjoining field, where he helped himself to a fat hog weighing near two hundred pounds. After kill- ing it and eating as much as he desired he at- tempted to get it over the fence into the woods. Finding it too heavy to lift he covered it with leaves and left it in the corner of the fence for his next meal. Mr. Bushnell's son George (now Dr. Bushnell) finding the hog thought it best to put a stop to bruin's depredations, and obtained the assistance of two good hunters, William Waters and T. H. Thompson. They tied the hog to the fence and set two bear traps. At night he came, pulled the hog away from the fence, breaking the straps by which it was tied, dragged it over the traps, sprung them, and then ate his meal. The next night they chained the hog to the fence, and set the traps again. He came, and crawling up on the side rails of the fence avoided the traps, reached the hog and again got his supper. They then put the hog on the woods side, fastened it tight to the fence, staking around it with heavy stakes driven into the ground, and leaving a door just large enough for him to enter, planted or buried a twenty- pound trap outside and another of twelve pounds inside the door. That night he came, pulled up the traps with the log chain with which they were fastened, turned them over and sat down on them. The next night was nearly a repeti- tion of the last. Then moss from old logs was crowded under the pan of the traps to make them hard to spring, but this scheme availed nothing. He still sprung them and secured his supper as usual. They then built a pen of logs, about four feet by eight, with the door end be- tween two trees, securely fastening it to them with pins and withes. The other end was staked and withed as well as notched together. A door was made of split puncheons and the pen was finished with a log floor, and logs on top. They then fastened the hog to a stick, one end of which was put through the back end of the pen, somewhat like the spindle to a box-trap. A pole was then placed over the pen to the end of the puncheon door (which was raised above the entrance) and with a cord at the other end was
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tied to a top-piece which had one end put in a place in one of the logs, and the other into a notch in the stick or spindle, to which the hog was fastened-a huge log box-trap. The traps and chains were then put at the door to remove his fear of danger in the pen. At night he came, and this time his bearship was outwitted. He walked in and was caught.
He was kept in the pen a portion of the next day for exhibition, and many of the people of the township came to see him, as he had become quite noted among them for his sagacity and cunning. He had gnawed some of the logs half off and would steadily continue to do so, unless he was watched by some one to take his atten- tion. He would spit, snort, and scratch on the logs of the pen, jarring it until the tops of the trees to which it was fastened would shake.
Those who approached the pen would receive such a salute as would sometimes make them start and jump, to the great amusement of the spectators. Towards noon the bear was shot and taken on an ox sled to the house. His live weight was variously estimated from four hun- dred to four hundred and fifty pounds. He dressed three hundred and fifty pounds. His skin weighed thirty pounds. In his spine was found a half-ounce rifle ball, and a scar of an- other shot through the ribs, also an ounce ball and a buckshot in his neck. Thompson and Waters took the skin and one-half the meat for their share. Daniel Bushnell had the remainder, which furnished him sixty pounds of oil, in ad- dition to the meat. His family had doughnuts fried in bear's oil all winter, and bear meat in place of the pork he had intended to use. The meat is said to be between beef and pork in ap- pearance and taste. Strangers on eating the meat would sometimes pronounce it beef and sometimes pork, but always good meat, at the same time pehaps remarking they never could eat bear meat. After the meal they were generally informed of what they had partaken, when they would exclaim in great surprise : " Bear's meat ! impossible !"
This same historical bear is well remembered to this day (1882) by the postmaster, H. B. Thompson. At that time the roads were full of stumps which had been blackened by frequent attempts to burn them out. He, a little fellow of four years of age, returning from school, was
leisurely wending his way homeward down the diagonal road swinging his dinner basket and oc- casionally turning around to look back. He re- members well on one occasion of seeing an un- usual number of black stumps behind him, but did not understand the reason till next day it was explained to him by the excited children at school, who informed him that some men work- ing on Davis Fuller's barn, near the road, hap- pening to look after the boy saw old bruin walk out of the woods on the roadside and leisurely trot on a short distance behind him. Some of the men ran for their guns while the others kept watch. In the meantime the unconscious little fellow was walking on, occasionally looking back, at which times bruin would immediately sit down, then as the boy again walked on he would arise and follow. When the men had procured their guns, however, and started in pursuit, he sud- denly increased his speed and taking to the woods was soon lost to them. One can readily imagine the pleasure the boy experienced when he visited the trap and saw the old fellow caught at last.
BEAR HUNT.
A Mr. Hummason having recently arrived from Connecticut on a visit, was anxious to have a bear hunt, and Colonel William Bushnell, as anxious to gratify him, started with dogs and gun to accompany him. On reaching Yankee creek, below Asahel Borden's, they went north on the bottom lands, and very soon were so fortunate as to strike a bear track. They followed it, and soon the dogs treed a white bear a little north of Bates' corners on the hill. Before the men reached them, however, it came down, and was at length run into a thicket or wind-fall, near Parson's corners. Bushnell fired and wounded the bear. Hummason, much excited, got upon a log to get a better sight of the animal, when he slipped and fell. The wounded bear immediately pounced upon him. Bushnell did not wait to charge his gun, but turned in the powder from the horn, and in his haste got in too much. He went within three feet and fired at the head of bear killing him instantly, but burst his gun and injured himself. It was three months before Hummason recovered sufficiently to return home. This was the only white bear ever known to have been killed in this region. The skin was
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taken to Philadelphia, stuffed, and placed in a museum.
RING, OR WOLF HUNT.
The first settlers, having suffered in the de- struction of their flocks from the incursions of the wolves, as well as their cousins, the bruin family, who made their chief rendezvous in the cranberry marsh in the southeast corner of John- son (rattlesnakes and cranberries, with an un- limited amount of the former, being the princi- pal production), organized at different times, conjointly with the citizens of the adjoining town- ships, what was called a wolf, or ring hunt. Those in each township who wished to share in the sport met together and elected a captain for the occasion. These four men were to have en- tire control, and make all needful rules for the day. Before the time set for the hunt the cap- tains proceeded to lay out a line around the swamp by blazing the trees, usually comprising a circle of one-half or three-quarters of a mile in diameter. On the day appointed the men were to start at the highway leading from the center of one township to the other, and at a given time or signal move forward to the inside line, keeping as nearly equally apart from each other as possible, and drive all the game before them. By the time the line was reached the game, deer especially, would become aroused, passing rapidly around to find a place of escape, serv- ing the while as a target for the men on the line. Sportsmen were allowed to shoot square across or at right angles to the line, but not otherwise for fear of accidents. Occasionally some old deni- zen of the forest would make for a weak or un- guarded portion of the line, and succeeded in making his escape. After all were shot that sought to make their exit, the captains would select some of their most careful men to go and shoot all the game found with the lines. The game was then collected and sold at auction to buy whiskey to treat the hunters. At one hunt fifty deer were killed, besides bears and wolves. At another time nine wolves were among the trophies of the day. On the last occasion of the kind one man was severely wounded. In the fall of 1821 (according to George Hallock's diary), at one of these hunts four black bear, six wolves, two hundred deer, a number of turkeys, and considerable other wild game was killed.
THE OLD CHURCH.
The old church was erected in 1819 -- 20 by John Northrop and Oliver Stanford, of Board- man, for $1,310, materials being furnished, one- third of the amount to be paid in grain, cattle, and labor, and the balance in money. Daniel Bushnell, Titus Brockway, Richard Hayes, An- drews Bushnell, and Seymour A. Moses were the building committee. Contract signed Decem- ber 1, 1818.
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