USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 79
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 79
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Vienna lies east of Howland township, north of Liberty, and south of Fowler. Brookfield ad- joins it upon the east. Vienna is the fourth township in the second range.
SETTLEMENT.
The territory now known as Brookfield and Vienna was originally owned by Uriel Holmes, Ephraim Root, and Timothy Burr, of Connecti- cut. Mr. Holmes was principal agent, and in 1798 came out with a surveying party to lay out the farms. The part of the country chosen for the first settlement was Vienna. After spending some time here the party returned to the East, and in the spring of 1799 came again to Vienna bringing others with them, for the purpose of settlement. Isaac Flower and Dennis Palmer brought their families ; no other families came until 1802.
Isaac Flower, according to good authority, made a permanent settlement in the year 1799. His second wife, the widow of Asa Foote, lived to be one hundred years old, and was the oldest person that ever died in the township. Dorothy Gates, mother-in-law of Solomon Payne, was the next oldest, and died at the age of ninety-nine. Lavinia Flower, daughter of Isaac and Bathsheba Flower, was the first white child born in Vienna. She was born in 1801, and died in 1881. She became Mrs. Steele and lived in Painesville, Ohio. Isaac Flower died in 1813, at the age of fifty-seven.
Levi Foote, step-son of Flower, came into this township early, but settled in Fowler.
Of Dennis Palmer but little is known, save that he was one of the surveying party in the employ of Mr. Holmes. Among this party was a young man named Samuel Hutchins, who had been brought up by Holmes. For his services rendered the surveyors he was allowed to choose one hundred acres from any part of the town- ship. He selected land on the east and west
Ichabod Paynes
Mrs Betoy J. Paynes
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center road, three-fourths of a mile west of the place now known as Payne's corners; this was probably the first farm owned by any inhabitant of the township. In 1802 he married Freelove Flower, and settled upon his land, where he lived until too old to labor ; then moved to Warren. His marriage was the first that took place in Vienna.
In 1802 Isaac Woodford and family settled south of the center on lot twenty-five. This made the third family in Vienna. They came from Connecticut by way of Pittsburg with ox teams and the old Yankee ox-cart, and the greater part of the way from Youngstown to Vienna, they were obliged to cut their way through the woods. Deacon Woodford, as he was generally called, was a pious, God-fearing man. At the age of twenty-four he united with the church in his native town, and throughout his life adhered to the motto, " As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." After his arrival in the new settlement, he commenced holding regular religious services on the Sabbath. Up to this time there had been no religious meetings of any kind. He not unfrequently was the only one to take the lead in the meetings and the Sabbath-school. He was also instru- mental in forming the Presbyterian church of Vienna. Deacon Woodford died at the age of sixty-four years.
The year 1802 also brought from Connecticut the families of Joel and Isaac Humason, Simeon Wheeler, Seth Bartholomew, and Sylvester Woodford. About the same time came Samuel Clinton, who located near the center. Joel and Isaac Humason settled on the farms now owned by George Patterson and Henry Fowler; Simeon Wheeler on the I. B. Payne farm; Woodford on the George Chamberlain farm; and Bartholomew on the Niles road. Some of these settlers had been in the township working upon their lands and preparing homes for their families every summer from 1798 until the time of their re- moval.
In 1803 or 1804 Samuel Lowrey and Samuel Lowery, Jr., settled on the Rogers farm west of the center. Other settlers of about the same period were Joseph and Abiel Bartholomew, Isaac Scott, William Clinton, and Calvin Mun- son. In 1805 these were followed by John Clark, Shelden Scofield, Andrew, Hugh, and
James Mackey, William Lafferty and his son John, Chauncy Hickox, and J. J. Truesdell. In 1807 Epenetus Rogers (one of the original sur- veying party) and Jesse Munson arrived. Few came in the years 1808-9-10. In 1811 Amasa Scoville and Job and Noah Wheeler settled.
Darius Woodford, who located on lot ten, a younger brother of Isaac Woodford, came to the township about the year 1804, and lived until he attained the ripe old age of eighty-eight years. He was among those who came in those very early days from Connecticut to Vienna, and by whose industry and energy the forests were con- verted into fruitful fields and comfortable homes, and a foundation laid for the present prosperity we find in all parts of the township. Mr. Wood- ford was one of the earliest temperance advocates in the township, and certainly this fact is worthy of record, for he lived when the times demanded for every half day of log-rolling or barn-raising a good quantity of whiskey. Those carly pioneers were very friendly, and during the first years of the settlement liberally assisted each other in erecting houses, barns, stables. The people would turn out en masse and in a single day would perform wonders. It has been stated in a reminiscence given by I. B. Payne that when Samuel Hutchins' barn was struck by lightning the neighbors for quite a distance turned out, hewed the timber for another, framed it, raised the barn, put on the roof, and siding, shaving the shingles (from the tree) finishing it all up and hauling in a load of hay in a single day. The barn was 28x38 feet and is still standing and in good repair. He says a barn for Mr. Giddings and a house for Jared Spencer were built in the same way, one day for each building. These were in the west part of Brookfield township, which was then part of Vienna. These whole- souled men, generous to a fault, needed restrain- ing influences of good men like the Woodfords to establish Christian principles for the coming generation.
James J. Truesdell, a native of Connecticut, came to the township in 1805, and settled in the southwestern part, where he remained until his seventy-seventh year, when he died in the year 1852. His was of the earliest families who came to the township. He was a prominent man of his day, and served as justice of the peace in all about eighteen years.
57*
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His son, Harry Truesdell, now residing a short distance north of Vienna center, is a representa- tive of former times, having been born the 20th of August in the year 1799, and is now in the eighty-third year of age. In 1834 he was mar- ried to Miss Emeline Woodford, the oldest living representative of Deacon Woodford, and a relative of Governor Woodford of Connecticut. Mr. Truesdell served as justice of the peace twenty-one years between 1842 and 1872.
Mr. and Mrs. Truesdell are in the enjoyment of remarkable health and strength of mind for people of their age. They possess powers of recollection to a remarkable degree, and have been useful members of society in their long earthly sojourn in this land.
The foregoing list gives the names of those early settlers who came at a time when the town- ship was an unbroken forest, abounding in all kinds of game-bear, wolves, deer, turkeys, etc .- from which the pioneers were supplied with all the meat they had. Rude cabins of logs were put up, covered with bark, greased paper serving in place of window-glass. Huge chimneys con- structed of sticks and mortar, with a fire-place, served as a place to cook their frugal meals and to warm them, the light of the fire serving to light the whole cabin. Cabins being erected, the next thing was to clear some land, and they went at it with a will. The forest began to melt away before the woodman's ax and let the sun shine in and around the cabins. Corn was planted, but coons, squirrels, and other animals shared with the settlers, leaving but little oftentimes for the harvest. Wheat was sown afterwards and with better success, but the one great difficulty with the new comers was the need of a mill where wheat could be ground. The most convenient one in the whole country was at Beaver, Penn- sylvania, and that was fifty miles away. The little settlement would send one of their num- ber with an ox cart loaded with wheat made up by the different families, each sending a little, to be ground. This trip usually took about a week's time, but the journey was so long, tedious, and irksome, that the hand mill was resorted to. This mill was simply a large mortar into which the grain was put and pounded with a large pes- tle until fine enough for use. The block was cut from some huge tree, and then by burning and cutting away the center a large hole was
made. The pestle was made from a sapling or piece of timber. The grain, after being pound- ed fine enough for cooking purposes, needed seasoning to render it palatable. For salt the settlers had to go to the salt springs in Weathers- field township with their kettles, and boil salt for a week or ten days, and then get but little.
About the year 1814 Alexander Stewart, from Center county, Pennsylvania, purchased quite a large tract of land in the southeast corner of the township and settled there with quite a large family. His descendants still living on the same lands are now quite numerous.
The settlement had received a serious back-set during the war with Great Britain, but after its conclusion many families arrived who, after hard labor, gained pleasant homes and prosperity.
ORGANIZATION.
In March, 1806, townships number four, in the first and second ranges, were separated from the remaining territory of Hartford and Vernon and constituted an election district under the name of Vienna. In 1810 this territory was di- vided and Vienna and Brookfield townships or- ganized.
The commissioners of Trumbull county, on the 6th day of March, 1806, ordered that an election be held on the first Monday of April following at the house of Simon Wheeler, now Payne's corners. Accordingly the qualified electors met at the time and place appointed, and then and there proceeded to elect township officers. The meeting was called to order and elected Robert Hughes, chairman; Samuel Clin- ton and James Montgomery, judges; Dennis C. Palmer and Jacob Humason, clerks. The fol- lowing is the ticket elected that day: Isaac Woodford, Isaac Flower, Jr., William Clinton, trustees; Robert Hughes, treasurer; Isaac Huma- son, constable; Dennis C. Palmer, township clerk; Samuel Hutchins, Robert Hughes, fence viewers; Joseph Bartholomew, Slevin Higby. overseers of the poor; Isaac Lloyd, lister; Isaac Lowrey, appraiser; Joel Humason, Jacob Mid- dleswath, supervisors.
On the 7th day of July, 1809, Shelden Sco- field was qualified as justice of the peace. The citizens of Brookfield obtained an order for the election of another justice to accommodate their part of the township; an election was held in July, 1809, and Robert Hughes, of Brookfield,
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was elected, and qualified on the 26th day of August the same year.
THE INDIANS
were quite numerous, though never troublesome, in the early years of the settlement. The forests lying between the Mahoning and Shenango rivers were favorite hunting-grounds with them. They left just before the war, and few, if any, ever returned.
HUNTING REMINISCENCES.
The pioneers of Vienna had the usual amount of trouble in keeping their hogs and sheep out of the clutches of the wild beasts. Unless sheep were put in strong pens every night some of the flock would surely be found missing in the morn- ing. One Sunday Samuel Humason, who lived in the eastern part of the township, heard his hogs making a great outcry, and on going where they were saw a huge bear attacking them. He drove it away, then went to his neighbors, David Wheeler and Abner Alderman, both experienced hunters, and told them of the bear's actions. Both were soon on the ground with their dogs and guns. The dogs soon found the animal and the hunters killed it without much trouble. It weighed four hundred pounds and was the largest bear ever killed in Vienna.
One morning in summer two boys, Alfred Wheeler and Upson Andrews, were cutting brush, when they heard the squealing of a hog, and running to ascertain the cause, found that a large bear had killed a hog which had been al- lowed to run in the woods. At this time a Mr. Lewis, the owner of a large dog, was at Wheeler's house, and the boys having told him what they had seen he was anxious to give his dog a little experience in bear hunting. Accordingly he took his dog and went with Wheeler to see a dog-and-bear fight. When they reached the spot the bear was still enjoying his dinner of fresh pork, and seemed annoyed at being molested. Wheeler shot and wounded the bear, then Lewis let his dog go. The enraged beast gave the dog one blow with his strong paw, tearing nearly all the flesh from one side of his body, and having no further opposition, took to his heels and escaped.
Ring hunts were often engaged in, though but little game was killed on such occasions, on ac- count of the great noise made by a large party
of excited men, boys, and dogs. Notice of these hunts was usually given to all the neighbors in surrounding townships, and on the appointed day all who wished to engage in the hunt-and usually everybody who had received notice came -met at a certain place, selected leaders, and surrounded a large tract, sometimes a whole township, endeavoring to drive all the game within it toward a common point. It is strange that no serious accidents occurred where so many hunters were likely to shoot their bullets in almost every direction.
SOLDIERS OF THE WAR OF 1812.
The soldiers who left their homes in Vienna to serve in the War of 1812 were, as far as known -Captain, Asa Hutchins; privates, Isaac Hum- mason, Chauncy Alderman, William Bartholo- mew, John Lafferty, Abijah T. Bolton, Isaac Woodford, Samuel Gleason, and probably some others.
FIRST EVENTS.
The first birth and the first marriage have already been mentioned.
The first death was that of Abiel Bartholo- mew, who was killed by a falling tree in January, 1805.
The first saw-mill was built by Samuel Lowery near the southwest corner of the township on Squaw creek.
The first store was opened in 1820, by Isaac Powers, at the center.
The first law-suit was tried before 'Squire Clinton in 1806. A wife entered complaint against her husband for maltreatment. Whiskey was the cause of the trouble.
The first orchard was set out by Simeon Wheeler on the I. B. Payne farm. Some of the trees are now fifty feet high and more than two feet in diameter. Fifty-six bushels of apples have been picked from a single tree.
The first frame building, a barn, was erected by Joel Humason, and the second frame barn by Simeon Wheeler. Both are still standing. Isaac Humason's frame house is said to have been the first erected in the township.
THE FIRST SCHOOLS.
The first school was taught a mile south of the centre in the summer of 1805, by Miss Tamar Bartholomew. It is stated that a hog-pen was temporarily used as a school-house. However
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this may be, it is certain that the building after- wards became a hog.pen. The following winter taught school in a log cabin on the farm of Sam- uel Clinton.
The first school house built in the township was a frame building 20 x 26 feet, erected at the centre in 1806. Andrews Bushnell, of Hartford, taught a school in that house the following winter, it being the only school in the township. Now the township has eleven schools, all well filled with pupils.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The organization of this society was effected by Rev. Thomas Robbins, a missionary from Connecticut, on the 22d of March, 1805, under the plan of union adopted by the Presbyterian and Congregational churches.
The original members were Isaac Flower, Ro- sanna Williams, Samuel Clinton, Ann Wheeler, Joseph and Sylvia Bartholomew, John and Lois Clark, Robert and Margaret Hughes, James and Jane Montgomery, and Isaac Woodford.
The meeting for the purpose of making the or- ganization was held at the house of Samuel Clin- ton, where Ambrose Truesdell now lives, and for the first few years the services were held at private houses and school-houses. In 1810 Rev. Nathan B. Darrow was called to the pastorate of this society, and was installed as such the follow- ing year, and served four years, when he re- signed in order to extend his usefulness as a missionary in Indiana. He returned in a few years, and labored both in the church and in the schools until his death, which occurred in 1828. He was born in New London, Connecticut, Au- gust 13, 1773, and spent his life as a faithful mis- sionary of the gospel in the Western Reserve. Rev. John Core succeeded him in the pasto- ral charge, and was ordained at Youngstown as pastor over three churches -- Youngstown, Vien- na, and Brookfield. In 1830 Rev. Chester Birge was installed as pastor-November 17th- and remained until June, 1835, when he was succeeded by Rev. E. B. Chamberlain, who was installed in October, 1839.
In October, 1843, a call was made to Xeno- phon Betts, who was installed by the presbytery of Trumbull at Vienna. He served the congre- gation for nearly twenty-eight years, when his decease occurred, May 18, 1871.
On his funeral occasion the following resolu- tion of respect was announced :
We acknowledge the grace and goodness of God in spar- ing our deceased brother to labor more than forty years in the work of the gospel ministry, enabling him to fulfil his course, setting us an example of Christian courtesy, patient continuance in well doing, devoted and self-sacrificing labor in his calling. In dying he leaves the church and people where he labored a precious legacy of Christian influence and of that faith which shall continue to speak to them long after their pastor's lips have been sealed in death.
The church was now for some time without a pastor, and among the supplies of this period were: Elder Wadsworth, of the Baptist church, Daniel Williams, and Willis Weaver.
On May 7, 1873, the present pastor, Rev. J. Rea Stockton, having been ordained April 24th of the same year by the Mahoning presbytery, at Canfield, was installed over the congregations of Vienna and Brookfield.
The first account of any officials of the church was in 1835, when Isaac Woodford was deacon ; and in 1837 Samuel Hutchins appears in the records as deacon; the following year Dexter Clinton was elected to that office, and the follow- ing persons have served in that capacity since, namely : Daniel Griffis and Orris Woodford, 1839; John Treat, 1848; H. Truesdell, 1850; Ransom S. Deming, 1862; James G. Scott, 1871.
On the evening of January 18, 1853, the church building was burned down and everything in it destroyed, but they immediately began the present building, which was completed and ded. icated May 3, 1854.
At a meeting held March 2, 1871, the follow- ing resolution was unanimously adopted :
Resolved, That this church adopt the Presbyterian form of government and discipline.
THE METHODIST CHURCH.
The Methodist Episcopal church of Vienna Is quite an old organization but we have been unable to learn when the first class was formed. Meetings were held in the southwestern part of the town- ship quite early, and the place came to be known as Methodist corners, a name which it still bears. Timothy B. Clark was an original member and a class-leader. A church was built at the corners. Ira Bartholomew, Elisha Booth, Maria Fuller, and Andrew Mackey were early members.
About 1820 Vienna became a circuit and was regularly supplied. Revs. Adams and Dunham were among the preachers of those days. The present meeting-house at the center was erected
Hero Eliza Sumason.
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about 1850. The society for many years has been large, strong, and flourishing.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Soon after the coal fields of Vienna began to be largely developed the advent of quite a body of foreigners caused the erection of a Catholic church east of the center. The Catholics, now much diminished in number, continue to have occasional services in this house.
THE CEMETERY.
The old cemetery at the center is the resting- place of many of the pioneers of Vienna. Root and Holmes, proprietors of the land of the town- ship, donated to the Presbyterian church two acres to be used as a burial-place. The remains of Abiel Bartholomew were the first buried in this cemetery. His death occurred in 1805. Common flag-stone was the material used for the first head-stones. Rude lettering and still ruder attempts at ornamentation can still be seen upon some of these old stones, but the devastating hand of time has already rendered many inscrip- tions illegible. Costly monuments of polished marble and granite now stand side by side with these humbler testimonials of respect to the memory of those who for long years have been resting here- their generous toil and life's task completed.
In 1872 the old ground being nearly all filled, it was thought advisable to enlarge the size of the yard, and an additional acre of ground was according purchased.
ODD FELLOWS.
Trumbull lodge No. 532, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Vienna, Ohio, was instituted July 24, 1872, with the following charter mem- bers : R. H. Law, J. L. Russell, H. H. Carey, J. B. McNaughton, H. Bittaker, George Young, L. Horn, W. Crollman, David Wilson, John P. Rosser, I. A. Beggs, John Bowen, A. C. Burnett, and E. E. Folsom. The first officers were I. A. Beggs, N. G .; J. B. McNaughton, V. G .; D. H. Wilson, secretary; J. L. Wilson, permanent sec- retary; and H. H. Carey, treasurer. The num- ber who have been initiated as members of the lodge since its formation up to March, 1882, is one hundred and five. Fifteen or twenty have also been admitted by card. The number of members in good standing is sixty.two.
ROYAL TEMPLARS OF TEMPERANCE.
Enterprise council No. 15, Royal Templars of Temperance, was organized September 12, 1879, with fifteen members, and the following were elected officers: Lucius H. Hatch, S. C .; G. A. Treat, V. C .; W. I. Stewart, P. C .; W. H. Terry, recording secretary; N. C. Terry, financial secretary, and G. A. Treat, treasurer. The pres- ent membership is forty-two.
TEMPLE OF HONOR.
Laurel Temple of Honor and Temperance was formed in 1877. On the 30th of July a charter was granted to fifteen charter members. The first officers were as follows : J. B. Kings- ley, W. C. T .; A. I. Powers, W. V. T .; Henry Powers, W. R .; J. L. Russell, W. A. R .; J. S. Bard, W. F. R., and K. Wortman, W. T. About sixty-five members of the order are now in good and regular standing, and the organization is in a healthy condition.
The Social Temple, a branch of the Temple of Honor, was formed in July, 1881, and is also prosperous.
ยท COAL MINING.
The coal mines of this township have yielded a large return to their owners and operators in years past, but the chief ones are now nearly or quite exhausted. Coal mining was begun in this township about sixteen years ago. On the com- pletion of the Vienna branch railroad to this township in 1869 the coal-fields began to be largely developed. In that year the Vienna Coal company, representing a capital stock of $300,- ooo, opened Vienna mines numbers one and two, and soon were giving employment to three hundred men and producing four hundred to six hundred tons daily. The principal mining op- erations in this township have been carried on by the Vienna Coal company and by C. H. An- drews & Co.
The first mine was opened on a corner of Hampton Kerr's farm. I. B. Mackey was the contractor and sank the shaft.
Banks are being opened and some are still working, but probably the most valuable deposits are worked out.
MANUFACTURE OF RAKES.
The manufacture of revolving horse-rakes at the center of Vienna is an industry of consider- able importance. The business was begun Sep-
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tember 2, 1872, by Woodford, Humason & Co. The building occupied was formerly a planing- mill, which was rebuilt and enlarged by this firm. The following February the establishment was bought by Mrs. J. A. Humason, who has since conducted the business. From $8,000 to $12,- ooo worth of horse-rakes and harrows are made and sold yearly. The industry is prosperous and the products find a ready sale in all parts of the country. About twelve men are employed on an average.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,
ICHABOD B. PAYNE.
I. B. Payne was a prominent and influential citizen and a representative of one of the oldest families in Vienna township. His father, Solo- man Payne, was a native of Amenia, Dutchess county, New York, and was born August 23, 1782. He was married to Polly Gates and re- moved to the Reserve, having purchased the farm on which Simeon Wheeler had made one of the first settlements in the township. Dortha Gates, Mrs. Payne's mother, at the time of her death, January 7, 1855, was the oldest person in the county, being in her centennial year. Solomon Payne died October 22, 1857. Polly Payne, his wife, died April 24, 1862, in her seventy-second year. The family consisted of seven children: David R. settled in Lawrence county, Ohio; Almon L. settled in Jefferson county, Indiana ; Charlotte was married to Benjamin Brainard, who lived in Gustavus township; Elihu R. set- tled in Jefferson county, Indiana; Sally L. was married to Alfred Russell, and is the only one living-her home is at Clear Point, Ashtabula county; Theophilus G. settled in Jefferson county, Indiana; Ichabod B., the youngest son who grew to maturity, was born in Vienna town- ship, February 18, 1824; he attended the district school till his eighteenth year and then began teaching; he taught about twenty terms in Brook- field, Weathersfield, Hartford, and Vienna town- ships. As a teacher he was held in high regard wherever known. Large and dignified, he gov- erned a school with ease, and long practice made him efficient in giving instruction.
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