USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 65
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 65
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The surface of the township rises gradually into rolling highlands from both sides of Pymatun- ing creek, and is more or less undulating throughout. On the east side of the creek the highlands roll away in rich table lands of clay loam highly productive of wheat and other cereals common to this section of the State. Throughout the western part the soil consists mostly of clay, but inclined to be more damp and heavy but generally productive. The Pyma- tuning valley extends along the course of the creek by the same name, with a variable width
of less than one mile, the soil of which is a sandy loam and affords the best farming land of the township.
DRAINAGE AND RAILWAYS.
Pymatuning creek, the most important stream, enters the township from Kinsman at the central part of the north boundary line and winds through the central part and leaves the township at the southeast, emptying finally into Beaver. Sugar creek, a smaller stream, extends across the northwest corner.
The Mahoning coal road extends across the northwest, and the Atlantic & Great Western railroad runs through the southern part with the main station at Burg Hill.
POPULATION.
The original settlers of Vernon were mostly trom the State of Connecticut, and the present inhabitants are largely the lineal descendants of the pioneers, though New York, Massa- chusetts, Pennsylvania, and other eastern States are represented.
The larger farms are mostly in the north and west part of the township, gradually growing smaller as they approach the north and south centre road. Along this road the former settle- ments were made, and the present centre of population is distributed ; growing in density, however, from Vernon center toward Burg Hill, which is now the central point of business in- terests and trade.
The census of 1860 gives Vernon a population of 964, which is reduced in 1870 to 930, but in- creased again in 1880 to 1,018.
The prospective outlook for Vernon in point of equality in respect to future standing with the other townships of Trumbull county, is to say the least, fair. Her people are quiet and steady in all their ways and for the most part peaceful, in- dustrious and provident. The industries belong mostly to the agricultural department, though there are some branches of manufacture. The manufacture of cheese is the most important ; there are at this time four factories for this pur- pose in the township.
The one flouring mill and several saw-mills, together with some attention to raising cattle for the dairy, and also sheep, will embrace the in- dustrial operations.
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EARLY SETTLEMENT.
In the spring of 1798 Thomas Giddings and Martin Smith, the first white men to come with- in the bounds of the township for the purpose of making a settlement, paddled up the languid current of the Pymatuning in a canoe, having rowed all the way from Pittsburg. Their course in the creek was often obstructed by the accumu- lation of drift and logs, and they frequently were compelled to cut away the obstructions before they could proceed, and becoming entangled in the drifts they were at times obliged to swim or wade ashore. The craft which they thus slowly and tediously propelled toward their destined settlement in the wilds of the Reserve was laden with bacon, flour, and that other necessary article of consumption-a barrel of whiskey. They finally landed at a point south of the present center bridge, on the land now owned by Havi- lah Smith, where between two trees they built a fire and probably remained one night. Here they stored the provisions as securely as possible and began the exploration of the wilds of the then dense forests of Vernon. They naturally followed the course of a little branch whose clear waters flowing into the Pymatuning led them to suppose that it flowed from a spring of good water, which was then a very necessary ad- junct to a new settlement. Following the devious and unknown course of the little brook they found its fountain-head in a spring near the present residence of Thomas Jennings- lot number two of the Wilcox tract. The fol- lowing day they proceeded to the south line of the township (then marked by blazed trees) at a point near the present residence of Samuel Merry, and cutting a pole for a measuring stick proceeded to lay off toward the north what they supposed to be the land of Mr. Wilcox, of whom they had purchased. This brought them to the spring above mentioned, where they concluded to build a log-house for temporary shelter while they cleared a place for more extensive improve- ments.
They began at once to cut the logs and roll them together without hewing, and thus con- structed a rude building. The first tree fell be- fore the axe of Thomas Giddings and was rolled in position as the foundation for the first human habitation in Vernon. The sides of this building were thus made of unhewn logs, while the roof
was made of thatched brush and leaves. It now appears that by some means they had either brought a horse with them, or, perhaps, bought it from a party who had made settlement south of them in Vienna or over the line in Pennsyl- vania, but they had no harness. This necessity, however, was soon supplied by stripping the bark from an elne tree, from which they con- structed the necessary gearing. Two poles were then procured and lashed together for shafts, which extended long enough to drag on the ground, and thus answer for a rude sled on which the provisions, including whiskey, were dragged from the first landing place on the Pymatuning to the more secure shelter of the new house. While they were engaged in chop- ping in the clearing the sounds of their axes nat- urally attracted the attention of the Indians, who would come to them and invariably ask for whiskey. Mr. Giddings would tell them that he had none and would try to appease the appetite of his red neighbors with bread and such other eatables as he might have, but the presence of the barrel of whiskey (on which Mr. Giddings always sat as a guard during these interviews, and on the head of which the Indians would tap and say "heap full ") was a standing witness against him, and in this way gave him much an- noyance, so much so that he finally rolled it un- der a large brush heap and hid it from view.
Soon after the settlement of Giddings and Smith, Aaron Brockway, Colonel Holmes and Mr. Ely came, the former bringing his family, and his wife was the first white woman in the settlement. The first permanent cabin was then erected for Brockway in July, 1798, and was built by Giddings, Smith and Ely, and stood near the present burial grounds at Vernon cen- ter. At the raising of this cabin beside some men who came up from the settlement in Vienna, there were six Indians and one white woman. Martin Smith, after sowing a field of wheat returned to Connecticut with Colonel Holmes, for his family, with which he returned the fol- lowing spring. He was accompanied on his re- turn by Joseph DeWolf and Paul Rice, com- ing by way of Pittsburg and bringing valua- ble acquisitions consisting of two horses and an ox team. After leaving Beaver on the return they were compelled to cut their way through the woods and underbrush to Vernon.
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At harvest time they cut the wheat that Smith had sown, and after threshing a grist took it to the mill at Beaver, which required an absence of nine days, and before they succeeded in obtain- ing wheat flour the settlers subsisted on wild meat and corn pounded in a hollowed stump with a spring-pole and pestle. In the fall of 1799 Caleb Palmer and his son Warren, with Dr. Wilcox, and the family of Joseph DeWolf arrived in the settlement. The beginning of the year 1800 found only the families of Smith, Brockway, and DeWolf in the Smithfield settle- ment. Afterward immigration may be said to have set steadily in, and the township soon showed evident signs of general settlement.
In the spring of 1800 Rev. Obed Crosby came and his family arrived the following year. In June of this year Jeremiah Yemans, a lad of about nineteen years of age, was in company with several other men and boys bathing in the the Pymatuning, and being unable to swim he got beyond his depth and sank. He was seen to rise the third time, but there seems to have been no one there with sufficient courage to go to his assistance. The alarm that was given brought Martin Smith to the scene of the accident, and he immediately entered the water to find the body. After making several dives he finally succeeded in bringing the body to the shore and it was car- ried to the house of his sister, Mrs. Aaron Brock- way. It appears that at this time the arrival of the first native born settler of Vernon was seri- ously expected at the house of Mr. Brockway, and on this account the dead body of the brother was laid in an out-house. That same evening a very heavy thunderstorm arose, and amidst these unfavorable circumstances the little stranger was born. But it was not permitted to live, and the little community was called upon to attend this double funeral and open the first grave in the new settlement. The following morning the se- lection was made for a cemetery, which was lo- cated on the grounds donated by Mr. Brockway on his farm, about a half-mile south of the cen- ter on the west side of the center road.
The first person born in the township who lived to maturity was Zachariah Palmer, who was born in the fall of 1800.
In June, 1800, Abner Moses came with his children-Abner, John, and Polly. After them the families of Caleb Palmer and his son War-
ren, also Thomas Giddings after a brief absence, returned to the settlement with his newly mar- ried wife. In 1801 the settlement consisted of the above families and their cabins ranged along the present center road. Thomas Giddings lived nearly opposite the present residence of Havilah Smith, which was then the site of the cabin of his father Martin. Caleb Palmer's cabin stood where William Thompson now re- sides; Joseph DeWolf where Mr. Fulton's house now stands; Obed Crosby where A. Woldrof lives; Abner Moses near the present residence of Dr. King; and Aaron Brockway where Mat- thew Davis now lives. These were all log cabins of the rudest kind with no floor but "mother earth." They served as temporary lodgment for the hardy pioneers until the forests that sur- rounded them were subdued and the cleared fields answered in abundance to their industry, and the old logs were removed and more com- modious residences took their places.
In the early times Andrew Burns was the hat- ter and caaried on his trade east of Joseph De- Wolf, with whom John Langley, then a lad of ten years of age, worked at scraping the fur from coon, muskrat, and other skins, of which was constructed some wonderful head-gear for the gentry of the times, especially for the militia officers, whose high-cocked hats and waving plumes were startling to behold and no doubt struck terror to the hearts of their foes at very long range.
It was not often that a beaver was caught, and then generally by the Indians, and a hat made of this fur brought to the revenue of the pioneer hatter the sum of $10.
Some time prior to 1810 Percy Sheldon came with his wife and one child and settled on the farm on which he lived and died.
Plumb Sutliff about the same time took up the farm south and adjoining Sheldon. Samuel Sutliff also settled on the farm where he lived until his death in 1840. Dr. Amos Wright set- tled on the land south ot Plumb Sutliff, now owned by Ralsa Clark. In 1803 Luther and Thomas Thompson made the first improvement on the east side of the Pymatuning, on the farm now owned by James Brown.
Morgan Banning was also an early settler on the east side south of Thompson. Ewing Wright settled near the present Baptist church.
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He was a blacksmith, and also manufactured bells.
The first wedding in the township occurred about 1802 under rather singular circumstances. It appears that Josiah Pelton, of Killingsworth, Connecticut, had made purchase of a section of land in Gustavus, and after a visit to the wilder- ness he proclaimed that he would give one hun- dred acres of land to the woman who would first make her home there. This offer was quickly accepted by his son Jesse in behalf of Ruhamah DeWolf of Granby, Connecticut. She came with her father to Vernon, where the marriage ceremony was performed by Martin Smith, Esq. She remained in Vernon till a clearing was made and a log cabin erected on her farm in Gustavus. The cabin was raised by the men of Vernon on July 4, 1802. Mrs. Pelton did not move to the cabin until December of that year, and ber hus- band, while at work on the farm, brought all his bread from Vernon. On his visits back and forth he met with many incidents, among which it is related that at one time he came across a panther in a tree on the bank of the Pymatun- ing. He had no gun with him, but leaving his dog and a "paddy," made of his hat and coat, to guard the animal, he returned a distance of about three miles for his gun. On his return he succeeded in killing the animal, which measured nearly seven feet.
The first saw-mill was built by Joseph DeWolf in 1800, on Mill creek, and was located about one mile northwest of Vernon center.
General Martin Smith was the first justice of the peace, in 1800, and his commission was signed by Arthur St. Clair, and dated at Chilli- cothe. Titus Brockway was constable this same year. The marriage of the latter to Minerva Palmer was the second wedding in Vernon.
Joseph DeWolf framed the first barn for Mar- tin Smith. It was covered with white oak boards two feet wide, rabitted on the plate. On them was a cleat four inches wide, fastened with spikes made by the blacksmith. John Boswell constructed the first loom for Mrs. Rutledge, sis- ter of Mrs. Aaron Brockway, who lived where Richard Brown now lives. At the completion of this structure the neighbors from far and near, especially the women, gathered to see if the machine would work, as it was something much needed in the settlement. The tim-
bers for the loom were hewn out roughly with a common axe, and were sufficient for the construction of an ordinary house in these days, but it proved to be a good one, and the garments of the early settlers were nearly all produced from this rude loom.
SCHOOLS.
The first school-house was built about 1801-2 on lot number four of the Wilcox tract, on the site of Samuel De Wolf's present residence, in which Electa Smith first taught in the summer of 1802, with eight scholars. Amos Wright taught the next winter, and his sister Sarah the following summer. Mr. Gilpin taught as early as 1803 -- 4, and after him Ebenezer Chapman at Vernon center. The books used in this school (1812) were the well known text books which com- prised the curriculum of the early schools, Lindley Murray's grammar, and Webster' speller. Mr. Chapman had many peculiarities, but was in general a good teacher. He is remembered as being very watchful of his scholars, and even in his devotional exercises, which he conducted regularly every morning, he did not forget the Scriptural injunction "to watch as well as pray," for in the midst of his devotions he would sud- denly open his eyes and detect the impious pioneer youngsters in their tricks. When thus detected the punishment that followed was very severe ; so much so that the law was frequently appealed to for the purpose of settling many difficulties thus arising.
The cause of education has not been neglected in Vernon. The various districts, six in number, are all supplied with the ordinary requirements of the common schools. In late years a graded school of two departments has been established at Burg Hill.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Rev. Joseph Badger, the Connecticut mis- sionary to the Reserve, made the first efforts to- ward the organization of the "Church of Christ in Hartford, Vernon and Kinsman," as early as 1802. In the following year, Friday, September 16, 1803, a meeting was called at the house of Martin Smith, at which Rev. Badger presidcd, and the following persons formed the first or- ganization, namely, Edward Brockway and Sarah, his wife; Timothy Crosby, Aaron and Sarah Bates, Titus Brockway, Plumb Sutliff, Susannah
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Palmer, and Sarah Smith. On the following day the above persons, with the exception of Aaron Bates, adopted the commonly received Congregational confession of faith and covenant, and were constituted a Church of Christ. On the Sabbath following, there being no building large enough to accommodate the people, the first communion was held in a grove. Rev. Tait, of Mercer, Pennsylvania, preached the sermon, followed by an address by Rev. Badger, after which the communion was dispensed to about forty persons. The society then adopted the "plan of union," proposed by the general as- sembly of the Presbyterian church and approved by the general association of Connecticut. The "plan of union" was evidently regarded as a tem- porary arrangement, but proved a disappointment to both Presbyterians and Congregationalists. It did not make the churches Presbyterian nor Congregational, but rather stood in the way of both. The admixture of these different elements often proved disastrous to the welfare of the organized work of spreading the gospel, by the different religious views being tenaciously held and exercised by sticklers to church polity.
Rev. Harvey Coe was pastor of the church thus formed, having been installed April 4, 1814. The following is the first subscription for his sup- port by the people of Vernon: Aaron Bates, $10; Henry Bignal, $5; Wilson Clark, $1.50; Samuel Sutliff, $7.50; Martin Smith, $ro; Stephen Linsley, $8; Elam Linsley, $3; Isaac Gibbs, 50 cents; Ezra Hyde, $3; William Hull, $2; Charles Clark, $4.50; Tully Crosby, $2; Luther Thomp- son, $8; Calvin Smith, $2; Benjamin W. Tanner, $2; Jeremiah Wilcox, $12; William Chapman, $8; S. G. Bushnell, $5; Festus DeWolf, $2; Ira Case, $5; Charles Merry, $1.50; John Moses, $3; James King, $2; H. V. W., 75 cents; I. C. Wil- cox, $4; William Brown, $1.50; Charles Trun- key, 75 cents; Asahel Banning, $3; Thomas Beckwith, $3. The subscriptions of Chauncey H. Wilcox, Horatio DeWolf, and Henry C. Aiken cannot be deciphered. The total amount was $120.50. The church was under the charge of Hartford presbytery up to the time of Rev. Coe's pastorate, of which Revs. Badger, Bar, Leslie, Darrow, Wick, Hughs, Tait, etc., were members.
Rev. Coe continued as pastor for sixteen years, the first nine of which embraced the congre-
gations of Hartford, Vernon, and Kinsman. His pastorate was very successful, especially in the year 1820, in which time one hundred and eleven were added to the several congregations, embracing in their numbers many heads of fam- ilies and many of the leading members of society. The number of baptisms recorded during his ministry is over four hundred; two hundred and fifty-four were added to the church ; one hundred and seven marriages were solemnized. The amount received for his services in solemnizing marriages were, Adam Wright, of Mercer, Penn- sylvania, gave $10; seven others $5 each, some $3, the remainder $2 and under, and one in a border State generously promised a peck of po- tatoes.
A large proportion of the cases of discipline in the church were occasioned by the free use of intoxicating drinks, and more were expelled from the church for this cause than for all other causes combined. Special effort to arrest this evil was made by the church in 1829, and a temperance society was organized.
The large two-story brick church that now stands at Vernon center was built by this organ- ization about 1825, but it is now deserted and fast falling to decay. The members of the old church, many of them, with their pastor, have long since passed away, but their works still live -not in plaster and stone, perhaps, but in the work of moral reform, the basis of true pros- perity, for which they labored long years ago.
THE FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH.
This society was organized by Elder Ransom Dunn, March 9, 1840, and was called the Hart- ford and Vernon Free-will Baptist Church of Christ. The original members were Wilcox and Lucinda Aikins, Amos, Herman, William, and Rosella Eastman, Horace and Lucinda Hayes, Loyal and Betsey Thompson, Orin and Electa Nephew, Loring, William, and Lucinda Miller, Edmund Burr, Mary S. Chase, Eunice Burr, Sally Hull, Cynthia Crawford, Ursula Beecher, Eliza Gilbert, Eliza Canfield, Edward Root, Peter Miller.
The first quarterly meeting was held April 11, 1840, at which the following officers were elected: Amos Eastman, deacon; Horace Hayes, clerk; and Wilcox Aiken, secretary.
At this meeting it was resolved to send a rep- resentative to the next session of the Ashtabula
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quarterly meeting and request admission to that body; and Amos and William Eastman and Ben- jamin Perham were elected delegates.
In September, 1840, Rev. Ransom Dunn ac- cepted a call as pastor to the church. In 1841 Wilcox Aiken and Amos Eastman were elected deacons; Horace Hayes, treasurer; W. Aikens, B. Perham, P. Miller, and O. Nephew, visiting committee.
The following May Edward Root was granted " power to hold meetings and improve his gift as God shall direct."
The present church building at Burg Hill was erected in 1871. The first meeting was held in it May 26, 1871, and the house was dedicated May 28th. The dedicatory sermon was preached by A. K. Matton assisted by Elder E. H. Hig- bee. The church is located near the Hartford line in central part of the township and the membership reside in both Vernon and Hartford. Elders Higbee, A. H. Case, Jeremiah Phillips, the present pastor, have served this congregation.
UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH.
This society was organized about 1860 by Rev. Silas Casterline, in the house of Weston Smith, about one-half mile west of the present church building. Among the original members were Edmund and Sapronia Burr, John and Sarah Smith, Richard, Minerva, Jesse, Lydia, Calvin, and Mary A. Mizner, Sullivan and Anna Ralph, Weston and Julia Smith, Bissell Spencer, Ransom, David and Hannah Ralph.
The present church building was erected about one year after the organization and is located in the southwest part of the township on the west side of the west road. The trustees were Ed- mund Burr, John Smith, and Calvin Mizner. The former of these also held the office of class- leader and John Smith was also steward. Among those who have served this congregation as min- isters are W. H. Miller, H. F. Day, David Traver, Samuel S. Evans, A. Berzee, I). F. Reynolds, Rev. Riley, J. E. Brown, R. Watson, N. Lewis, D. W. Sprinkle, and B. A. Bonewell. The con- gregation now belongs to Fowler circuit and numbers about forty members. The union Sab- bath-school held in the church numbers about fifty, with Eva Williams superintendent.
Owing to recent changes in the circuit the society is now without a pastor and the general
condition of the organization is not so good as in former years.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH (BURG HILL).
In the spring of 1800, Rev. Obed Crosby, a local preacher of this denomination, came to Vernon from Hartland, Hartford county, Con- necticut. In the following year he brought his family, and some time during this year he organ- ized a class consisting of himself and wife, Ew- ing Wright and wife, and Eunice (Brockway) Bushnell. The first quarterly meeting was held in Rev. Crosby's barn, and on this occasion the eccentric presiding elder, Jacob Gruber, preached, and the organization thus completed is said to be the first Methodist organization on the West- ern Reserve.
The society met for some time at the house of Rev. Crosby, and afterwards in the log barn belonging to Colonel Richard Hayes, which stood on lot number twenty-eight in Hartford. In 1804 a log school-house was built on the same lot, in which services were held until a frame school-house was built on lot twenty-two (Hart- ford) in 1809. This house was moved across the street in 1822, near a spring a short distance south of the Orangeville road. Services were held in this house until the brick school-house was built in 1827-28, on lot twenty-two (Hart- ford), where services were held until the Meth- odist Episcopal church was built at Hartford.
Regular services were not held at Burg Hill until Rev. A. N. Craft organized a class in 1866. The class numbered about sixty and met at the Burg Hill school-house. The first Methodist Episcopal church building was erected in June, 1872, and dedicated September 7, 1876. Rev. Niram Norton preached the dedicatory sermon from Luke vil: 5, and Rev. R. M. Bear dedicated the church. The building is of modern design, located at Burg Hill.
About 1816-20 a class of this denomina- tion was formed at school-house number four, on lot number three (West Shepherd tract), and this was a preaching place for some twenty years. John Waldorf, John Fell, Chauncy Jones, and Anson Coe were prom- inent members here. The brick church at the center was used by this class until 1867. Among the ministers who have preached to this denomi- nation here were the Revs. Joseph Shane, Robert R. Roberts (afterward bishop), Asa Shinn (after-
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