USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 51
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 51
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Randall moved from Pennsylvania down on the Ohio river, settling near Marietta, Washing- ton county, whence he came to Youngstown in 1800. In his frequent removals from place to place he acquired an extensive acquaintance with the Indians, with whom his dealings were always characterized by such exceptional kindli- ness and honesty as to invariably win their con- fidence and good will. At the time of the Mc- Mahan difficulty at the salt spring, elsewhere related, he went with Captain Hillman to visit the Indians, and endeavor to prevent the retali- atory measures which they seemed determined to inflict upon the whites.
Randall lived but a short time on the Perkins farm, removing to the farm which in 1806 he exchanged with John Allen for land in Ashtabula county. He resided in Ashtabula but a short time, returning to Kinsman and locating on Stratton creek. He continued to live in Kins- man until advanced in life, when he removed to Michigan, where he died at the age of seventy- two.
As a result of the contract between Mr. Kins- man and Ebenezer Reeve, previously mentioned, the latter exchanged his land in Norwich, Con- necticut, for land in Kinsman, and in 1802 moved out with his two daughters, Deborah and Hannah, and erected a log house opposite the site of the Sutliff frame house, where he lived until 1807. In that year he built a two-story frame house in front of where the house of Wayne Bidwell was afterwards built. This was the first two-story frame house erected in Kins- man. Here Mr. Reeve spent the rest of his life.
Besides those already mentioned a few families settled in 1802. Paul Rice and his mother settled on land which subsequently became the Webber farm. Alexander Clark began opera- tions upon his farm. Uriel Driggs located east of Driggs' hill.
In 1803 Captain Charles Case came into the township, and assisted in tending the Kinsman saw-mill. He was accustomed to give singing lessons, free of charge, and gained considerable popularity thereby. He removed to Williams- field, and died there.
The same year settlements were made as fol- lows : William Tidd, John Wade, John Little, Walter Davis, Isaac and John Matthews-with whom their sister Betsy lived-Robert Laughlin, Peter Yetman, George Gordon Dement, George Matthews, Joseph McMichael, Joshua Budwell, and his son Henry, and William Knox settled in the township. Several of these men brought families ; others were young men and single. Joseph Murray, a carpenter and a single man, arrived and lived with the Davises.
In July, 1804, after a journey of seven weeks, John Kinsman and family arrived in the town- ship. His family then consisted of himself and wife and four children-John, Joseph, Sally, and Olive. Accompanying him were several persons whom he had engaged to assist him in erecting a house and other buildings for his family. In this party of settlers were Chester Lewis and family, also his mother-in-law, Mrs. Manning, and her son Samuel. Lewis drove an ox team loaded with household furniture and farming imple- ments. Mr. Kinsman came with a number of teams. On his way he bought a stock of goods, and placed them in charge of Joseph Coit, who came out to act as clerk in the store. Louisa Morse, afterward the wife of Isaac Meacham, and Eunice Morgan, afterward Mrs. John L. Cook, came with the company ; also Cook and Jahazel Lathrop, carpenters.
In 1804 Plumb Sutliff settled on the creek, but moved to a farm on the center road a year later, where he died, in 1834, aged eighty-three. He married, the year of his settlement, Deborah Reeve, of Kinsman.
William Scott settled on the ridge in 1804.
Deacon William Matthews settled during the same year. He was a Revolutionary soldier. In 1808 he was appointed justice of the peace. Deacon Matthews was one of the most earnest of working Christians, and was largely instru- mental in promoting the cause of religion in the new settlement. He was always in attend- ance upon the religious meetings, whatever the weather, and frequently conducted the services,
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as clergymen were seldom in the township during its early years.
Thirty families comprised the inhabitants of the township in 1805, together with twenty or thirty young unmarried men, and twelve or fifteen young women, who were single. Some of the settlers whose names have not yet been men- tioned were John Neil, Thomas, John, and William Gillis, Stephen Splitstone, Captain Wil- liam Westby and his sons, James, John, and Ebenezer, William and Andrew Christy, Thomas Potter, Leonard Blackburn, David and Elam Lindsley.
John Allen, of Norwich, Connecticut, came to the township in 1806. The Allen family has played an important part in the affairs of this township.
David Brackin, a native of Ireland, located in this township in 1806. The same year came John Andrews. He married Hannah. the young- est daughter of Ebenezer Reeve, to whom eight children were born. Mr. Andrews was born in Connecticut, in 1782, and died at the age of eighty-one. About 1812 he engaged in business as a merchant. He was a useful member of so- ciety, and a warm supporter of schools and churches. As early as 1825 a boarding-school in Kinsman grew up under his patronage, and ten years later, at his house, built for such a purpose, a female boarding school was opened and suc- cessfully conducted until 1840.
Isaac Meacham came from Hartland, Connec- ticut, in 1806, Lester Cone in 1807, Peter Lossee in 1808, Jairus Brockett in 1809, Michael Burns in 1808, Ira Meacham in 1812, Joshua Yeo- mans in 1814, Obed Gilder in 1815, Ebenezer Webber, John Yeomans, Simon Fobes, and others later.
EARLY EVENTS.
In 1801 Ebenezer Reeve began work on a mill-dam, but it was swept away by the water the following spring. The next year James King, from Pennsylvania, as mill wright, built and com- pleted a saw-mill for John Kinsman. It was put in operation the same year.
In 1802 Mr. Kinsman brought a small stock of goods for the supply of his family and the set- tlers. David Randall and Zopher Case were employed to tend the mill, and Joseph Coit sub- sequently became clerk in the store. Mrs. Ran-
dall sometimes ran the mill and spun while the logs were moving through.
TROUBLE WITH THE MILL-DAM.
The mill-dam erected in 1802 proved to be very much of a nuisance. Those who dwelt near it were afflicted with malarial sickness of a severe nature. Zyphus and kindred diseases raged violently in this and neighboring town- ships. The dam caused back-water in the creek for a distance of three miles on account of the almost level bed of the stream, and so much stagnant water no doubt caused a most unhealthy atmosphere to prevail in the neighborhood. Loud complaints soon began to be heard, and in 1805 Mr. Kinsman was waited upon by a num- ber of representative men of Hartford, Vernon, and other places, among whom were Rev. Thomas Robbins and General Smith, who came to demand that the dam be destroyed. He treated them with hospitality, gave them a good dinner, plenty of brandy, etc., and in reply to their request said that it would but increase the evil to tear down the dam in hot weather; that he and others wished to do some sawing, but that the trouble should be removed early in the spring. The delegates went home satisfied ; but their neighbors were not, and accused them of having been bribed and made drunk, besides making other insinuations not complimentary to the characters of the distinguished gentlemen.
One night some self-appointed regulators came and cut the boards about the flume. Immedi- ate action prevented serious damage, and in a day or two the null was running as usual. Mr. Kinsman suspected who had done the mischief, but allowed no talk upon the subject, thinking that some of them would soon return to see what their work had effected. He was correct in his surmises. A short time after a man from Vernon, whom Mr. Kinsman had suspected, was seen on the opposite bank of the creek. Mr. Kinsman mounted a horse, forded the stream, and engaged in conversation with the visitor, in- viting him to come over to the store. The latter accepted, and the two entered the store together. After Mr. Kinsman had conversed with the fellow sufficiently to satisfy himself that he had the guilty party, he locked the door of the store, collared the man and gave him a sound flogging. Then knowing that he had acted unlawfully, he stepped behind the counter and offered to settle. The
Riverus Bidwell.
O
Mis. Cunicia Bidwell.
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proposition was accepted, and about $3 worth of goods patched up the wounded feelings of the would-be destroyer of the dam. But when the trespasser returned to Vernon he was threat- ened with another whipping for settling on such easy ternis.
Other threats were made, but the dam con- tinued to stand. In 1806 Chloe Gilder, of Gus- tavus, and Anna Cone, of Gustavus, were riding a horse near this dam when in some way the animal became frightened and Miss Gilder, who was behind, slipped off into the mud and water and was drowned. In March, 1806, the pond was drained and sickness abated. The road now runs on the top of what was the old dam.
The first apples raised in the township came from an orchard planted by David Randall, on the farm subsequently owned by John Allen.
George Gorden Dement built and put in op- eration a whiskey distillery in the southeastern part of the township in 1803.
The first mechanics among the early settlers were James Hill and Walter Davis, shoemakers; Captain David Randall, cooper; David and Elam Lindsley, Joseph Murray, John L. Cook, Jahazael Lathrop, carpenters.
In 1806 the Gillis brothers erected a saw-mill on Stratton creek, and subsequently a grist-mill.
The first frame house was erected for Mr. Kinsman. It was begun in 1804. The second frame house was built in 1806 by Plumb Sutliff.
A half mile below the Gillis mill Benjamin Allen and Abner Hall built a shop for fulling and cloth dressing. In 1813 a carding-machine was put in Gillis' mill and transferred to Allen's shop in 1814.
About 1806 William Henry, near Hartstown, began work as a tanner. He at first manufact- ured the lime which he used from shells found in the creek.
In 1813 John Andrews established a store and ashery for the manufacture of pearl ash.
In 1802 the first birth occurred. Twin daugh- ters, Sally and Phebe, were born to Mr. and Mrs. David Randall. Sally afterwards married R. Brown, and Phebe Charles Woodworth, both of Williamsfield.
The same year occurred also the first marriage. Mr. Kinsman, as justice of the peace, united in marriage Robert Henry and Betsey Tidd.
The first death was that of John Tidd, who
died in April, 1804, at the age of thirty-two. He was buried in the lot which afterwards became the old cemetery, on the corner near the church. The first death of an adult female was that of Mrs. Walter Davis, October 28, 1805. A child of Samuel Tidd died of a burn in September, 1805. William Westby and son died of typhus fever in 1805. Also a child of Urial Driggs died September 11.
The same year while David and Elam Linds- ley were clearing, a limb of a falling tree struck David and fractured his thigh. The wound was cared for by Dr. Wright, of Vernon, and Dr. Hawley, of Austinburg. The broken pieces did not unite and it was found necessary to amputate the limb. The operation was performed by Dr. Wilson, of Meadville, with a common handsaw and a carving-knife.
The first military company was organized in 1806. David Randall was captain, Zopher Case lieutenant, and George G. Dement ensign. Previous to this date the men of Kinsman had trained in Hartford and Vernon.
ROADS.
As in most thickly wooded new settlements, the first way-marks of the town were blazed trees, marking a line from one settlement to another. Afterward these lines were underbrushed. Still later they were cleared of their timber, and some of them at least, worked into highways. There is, however, scarcely a road in the town that follows the first paths traced by the early settlers. The roads commonly lay along the highest and dryest grounds, and had reference to the places most convenient for fording and bridging the streams. Afterwards as the woods were cleared away and the country settled, its thorougfares were laid out to suit the convenience of the people, and facili- tate intercourse between different parts.
The first road of any considerable length that was constructed in this region is what was called the "Old Salt road," laid out in 1804 by Bemis and David Niles. It began on the lake shore at the mouth of Conneaut creek, continuing south to the old county road, thence south through the first range to Kinsman's mill. It took a northerly course from Kinsman's store, along the ridge by the residences of George Mathews, Wil- liam Scott, and Marvin Leonard, of Williams field, somewhere between the present State and
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center roads, of the first range. South of Lake Erie a settlement had been begun at Monroe.
Midway between Monroe and Kinsman a temporary board cabin was erected, where men and teams might find shelter for the night. Salt was one of the pressing wants of the early inhab- itants of Kinsman and adjoining towns, and was one of the principal motives for the construction of this road; hence the name given to the road. Salt was manufactured in Onondaga, New York, and transported in vessels on Lake Ontario to Lewistown, below the Falls of Niagara; from Lewistown it was carted to Buffalo; from Buffalo it was brought to Conneaut in canoes and open boats. It reached Kinsman by means of ox teams, where its price was twenty dollars per bar- rel.
In 1806 a road from Johnson to Kinsman was laid out, beginning at the east and west cen- ter road, on the south side of lot number forty- five, in Johnson, and running thence to the Mer- cer road, near the house of John Kinsman. The same year a road was laid out from the house of John Kinsman east to the State line, near the house of William Mossman, by the farms of Leonard Blackburn and Thomas Potter. This is known as the Mercer road. In 1807 the State road was laid out. In 1808, a road from the north line of Warren Palmer's farm, in Vernon, was surveyed to the crossing of the Pymatuning creek, near the house of John Kinsman.
The petition, in 1804, for a road from the mouth of Conneaut creek south, shows that it was to terminate at Kinsman's mill, whereas the record of the survey makes it terminate at an oak tree, one mile south of the south line of Kinsman. It is conjectured that the first road was legally established only to Kinsman's mill, and the above piece is to make good the balance of the first survey.
In 1810 the record shows there was a petition to establish a road from Mr. Kinsman's toward Meadville. The record is imperfect, and proper legal action was not had. In 1835 new action was taken, and the road surveyed by Buel Barnes, surveyor, and the lines fixed from the tavern barn, near Mr. Kinsman's, on the line of the Meadville road to the State line, and the whole legalized by the commissioners.
In 1815 the Mill road, so-called, was estab-
lished, beginning at the Mercer road west of the house of Thomas Potter, by Gillis's mills to the State road, near the houses of Elizabeth Lewis and Nicholas Krahe.
In 1811 a road was laid out from the vicinity of the Griswold farm east, in Gustavus, to the house of Mr. Kinsman, via the farm of J. Burn- ham, Esq.
In 1818 a road was established from what was then known as the Clark farm to the northeast part of the township.
In 1819 a road was established by the farms of Simon Fobes and William Mathews to the Mead- ville road. Also the same year a road from the meeting-house (near Dr. Allen's), in Kinsman, west through the center of Gustavus to the west line of the county.
In 1820 the road from Johnson to Kinsman was altered and straightened. In 1821 the road beginning near the north line of Vernon, by Obed Gilder, was established. In 1822 the north and south center road was surveyed.
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
The first school in Kinsman was taught by Leonard Blackburn, in a log cabin. He taught a night-school, consisting of a few boys; also during the day, in the winter of 1805-6, in the log cabin of the Neals, on the Joshua Yeoman farm, or in the Yetman cabin, on the Seth Per- kins farm. In the winter of 1806-7 his school was in the Neal cabin. It was popular, princi- pally on account of its cheapness. As there were no public funds, and the "Yankee school " charged $2.50 per term for tuition, some of the people were displeased, and patronized the cheaper school.
The first school-house was built of logs, six- teen feet square, seven and a half feet in height, and stood on the bank of Stratton creek, oppo- site the house of John Andrews on the Randall farm, afterward known as the Daniel Allen farm. It had rough slab benches, and boards fastened to the wall by wooden pins for desks, altogether primitive in its fixtures and surroundings.
The first school taught here was by Jedediah Burnham, Esq., beginning January 1, 1806, and continuing one quarter. He taught also in the winter of 1806-7, at ten dollars per month, and took his pay mostly in grain and barter. He boarded from house to house; his scholars came from all the surrounding settlements. Benjamin
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Allen taught the first part of the winter of 1807 -1808. Dr. Peter Allen taught the balance of the winter; also in 1808, assisted by Joseph Kins- man, and the next winter assisted by John Kins- nian. Ezra Buell taught in this school-house one or two winters, from 1810 to 1814. Joshua Yeomans taught one winter, as late as 1815 or 1816.
Miss Eunice Allen (wife of Jehiel Meacham) taught the first summer school in 1807. Miss Lucy Andrews, afterward Mrs. Jones, of Hart- ford, and Miss Bushnell, afterward Mrs. Beecher, of Shalersville, were among the last who taught in that building.
The next school-house was of logs, erected near the township line, north of William Scott's, to accommodate families in Williamsfield. After- ward one was built south, near the site of the present Ridge school-house. The third was also a log house, and stood near where the stone house built by Seymour Potter now stands. Dr. D. Allen attended school there in the summer of 1818. At this time there was a school-house east of McConnell's, on the Penn- sylvania line, to accommodate settlers on both sides of the State line.
In 1820 the township was divided into dis- tricts, and the whole southwest quarter of the town was organized into district number one. The first frame school-house was erected by subscription, 20x24, feet and placed in the angle of the State and Meadville roads, on the site of the present hotel. The first school taught in it was by Daniel Lathrop (since Rev.), of Norwich, Connecticut, in 1820-21, for $15 per month. The common price for teaching winter schools was $10 per month. The building was a commodious and good one for the times. Afterward it was removed to a rise of ground, a few rods north on the Meadville road, near where the house of Eli- jah Beckwith now stands. Here it was occupied a number of years under the name of the Vil- lage school-house. Here D. Cadwell (afterward known as a distinguished lawyer, provost- marshal of the Northern district of Ohio during the civil war, and district judge of the Cleveland circuit) taught about 1840, and I know not how many others, who in after life filled honorable callings. After the erection of the present school-building, 1853, near L. C. Perkins's, the
old one was sold, and is now the dwelling of R. P. Hulse.
It was several years after the erection of this first frame village school house that the schools began to be aided by public funds. Only a few of the common English branches were taught in the schools, such as reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic, and, to a very limited extent, geog- raphy and gramma ...
About 1822 a log school-house was erected north of Esquire King's-not far from the pres- ent residence of Gordon Burnside. The second frame school-house was built in 1825, on the ridge, at the crossing, near George Matthews's. The one by David Brackin was built in 1828. The one near Mr. Crocker's, in the north part of the town, on the Meadville road, the one east, by Esquire Laughlin's, and the center school-house, near Henry Lilies's, were built in 1834.
KINSMAN ACADEMY.
This institution was incorporated during the winter of 1841-42, and its academy building erected in 1842, the land on which it stands hav- ing been donated by Mr. John Kinsman. The timber for the frame was given in the rough by Esquire Andrews. At the time of building the times were hard and cash scarce. Only $50 in money were paid for building purposes, although many turns and credits were made that answered the same as cash. The building was plain, well proportioned, commodious, neatly and substan- tially built. John Christy, Albert Allen, and Dr. Dudley Allen, were its first trustees and building committee. The stonework was pre- pared and laid by Robert and George Braden. P. S. Miner did the carpenter and joiner work, and Zephua Stone the plastering and flues. Its cost was not far from $1,500. In 1863 its rooms were remodeled, at a cost of about $400. It has done good service for the town and sur- rounding communities.
The following is an imperfect list of its princi- pals and assistant teachers: Charles F. Hudson, assistant; Miss Brown taught in [842-44; Charles C. Clapp, assistant Miss Clapp, 1844-46; John Lynch, 1846-49; Almon Sampson, 1849- 50; Robert F. Moore, 1850-51; John Myers, 1851-52; Miss Owen, 1852-53; Miss H. A. Holt, 1853; Dr. W. R. Gilkey, 1853-55; Miss Hannah P. Parker, 1855; Mr. and Mrs. W. P.
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Clark, 1855-58; E. L. Moon, assistant Mrs. Moon, 1858-59; E. P. Haynes and Miss E. C. Allen, 1859-60; Moses G. Watterson, 1860-61 ; Edwin L. Webber, 1861-62; Mrs. A. A. F. John- ston, 1862-65. Assistants: Miss Josephine C. Field, Miss Celia Morgan, Miss Mary Christy, Miss Louisa M. Fitch. Mrs. Johnston was prin- cipal of the academy for a longer period than any other teacher, and was greatly respected and be- loved by her pupils.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,
JOHN KINSMAN AND FAMILY .*
The ancestors of Mr. Kinsman, on his father's side, are traced from the time of their leaving England, embarking in the ship Mary and John, at Southampton, landing at Boston, settling in Ipswich, Massachusetts, as one of the Puritan fathers, in 1634. From that time the genealogi- cal record is traced by regularly executed re- corded wills of the ancestors of Mr. Kinsman down to and including the last will and testa. ment of his father ; and whatever of history is shown links them with the patriots of their day and generation. The ancestry of his mother is traced from John Thomas, who came over from England in the ship Hopewell, 1635, a boy four- teen years of age, under the special charge of Governor Edward Winslow, of Plymouth, from whom sprang an honorable and patriotic line of descendants. The name of Mr. Kinsman's mother was Sarah Thomas, sister of General John Thomas, of the American Revolution, one of the generals first appointed by the Continen- tal Congress.
Mr. John Kinsman was the son of Jeremiah Kinsman, a thrifty farmer of Lisbon, Connecti- cut. Here he lived, working on his father's farm, and receiving such education as the schools of that day afforded, until he was of age. At the breaking out of the Revolution, 1776, being then twenty-three years old, he enlisted in a company of Connecticut militia, destined to take an active part in the bloody and disastrous battle of Long Island. In that battle he was
taken prisoner and was confined for some time in one of the prison-ships in New York harbor. He suffered greatly from this imprisonment, be- ing inhumanly treated, and never fully recovered from its effects upon his health. With two of his companions he was finally released from the prison-ship on parole and allowed to mess in a room in the city of New York.
While in New York he acquired a knowledge of the hatting business that induced him, imme- diately on his release and return home, to embark in that business. He at once established a shop, placed in it an experienced workman, Mr. Cap- ron, as foreman, purchased a stock of goods, and devoted his time to the care of the store, furnish- ing the shop, and making sales of the products. He supplied the army largely with hats, and the trade generally proved to be successful, and was continued in Connecticut, with his farm opera- tions, until after the war.
In 1792 he was married to Miss Rebecca Per- kins, daughter of Captain Simon Perkins, of Lisbon, Connecticut.
In 1797, having been elected to represent his native town in the State Legislature, the office was continued to him by successive re-elections for three years. It was here that he became ac- quainted with many of the officers and stock- holders of the Connecticut Land company, and familiar with their operations, and concluded to become one of the proprietors of the company. It was also about this time that he first enter- tained the idea of a removal to Ohio.
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