USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 81
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 81
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RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.
The pioneers of Newton were not long with- out public religious exercises. John Suther- land, Sr., soon called those of his neighbors of like inclination, and organized a weekly prayer- meeting, which met alternately at the different houses. In the summer of 1808 Rev. James Boyd, a Presbyterian minister who was sent as a missionary to the Western Reserve from New England, found his way to the River settlement, preaching the first gospel sermon in the town- ship, in the open air, on the farm now owned by Joseph G. Strock. An effort was then made to secure the services of Rev. Boyd as minister to the River and Duck Creek settlements and War- ren, which was successful. He spent his life in ministerial labor with his people, and was laid to rest near the spot where he delivered his first sermon to the pioneers of Newton, in March, 1813. It is related of him that once as he was riding from this place to Warren to fill his ap- pointment that day-it being Sunday-he hap- pened to glance backward and saw a wolf follow- ing fast on his track. He put spurs to his horse, and on the way dashed through a swollen stream which otherwise would have been unfordable, and but for the wolf the congregation at War- ren would have been without a preacher that day
DISTILLERY.
In 1816 Stephen Oviatt moved his distillery from Braceville ridge, and established it in a rock excavation, where water was plenty, near the pres ent site of Eagle mills. In 18r8, with Bildad Hine as partner, it was moved to the east of the river to what has been known as the Patterson farm, and about 1823, seeking a central location, a brick distillery was erected on the Joseph Wilson
farm, which finally came into the possession of Judge Price.
INCIDENTS.
In 1813 the citizens of Newton and Brace- ville agreed to co-operate in procuring a supply of salt, and Newton furnished a wagon and one yoke of oxen, which were procured of John Lane. Braceville furnished a second pair, which constituted the joint team. A third pair of oxen were sent by Edmund Oviatt to trade for the salt at Fairport. Bildad Hine was selected as agent and ox driver, and after a week's absence returned alone on foot to the settlement and re- ported that he had traded the oxen for six bar- rels of salt, but that in crossing Eagle creek below Garrettsville the wagon stuck in the mud. The next day the citizens turned out in force and with teams, shovels, hoes, etc., proceeded to Eagle creek and brought home the salt in triumph.
About the year 1818 Robert Price, afterwards judge, bought the Holliday mills and logically claimed Holliday's interest in the Presbyterian church near by ; and finding one Parker, a Helsian preacher whose views were sufficiently liberal, Price engaged him to preach the share of the time belonging to him as a separate con- gregation. On one Sunday morning when Father Beer had occupied the pulpit, and during the usual intermission preceeding the afternoon ser- vices. Price said to Parker: "Now go over and take the stand, and when you are through singing and praying I will come over and hear you preach." Parker went but found that he was too late as the afternoon services had begun, and he took a seat in the audience. Presently Price came in and seeing the Helsian seated as a hearer only, and thinking probably that he had been refused the pulpit, cried out, "What the h-1 does this mean ?" and forthwith mounted the pulpit and brought the minister down, strug- gling, under his arm. He then said to Parker, "Now my little man go up there and preach." Elder John Craig attempting to interfere was promptly ejected from the house, after which it is inferred that the services were allowed to proceed.
INDIANS.
The early settlers were often annoyed and sometimes not a little in fear of the depredations of bands of Indians that wandered up and down the river. In 1809 the Indian chief Paqua, with
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his squaw and a tribe of ten or twelve Indians and a white boy encamped for some time oppo- site where Kistler's saw-mill now stands and spent some days in drying venison into "jerk ;" and in 1816 two Cornplanter Indians, called Abram and Jonathan, spent some time and became familiarly known at Newton Falls. The only monument of this race (of which a more general history will be found elsewhere in this work) in this locality was known as the "Indian grave." It was a structure of stone, evidently erected by human hands and ingenuity; built in the shape of a cone, fifteen feet in diameter and ten feet high. When first discovered this eleva- tion was heavily covered with a growth of hem- locks, and was situated on the rock bank of the west branch of the Mahoning river, a few rods above where Porter's flour mill now stands. This was a favorite place for holiday resort for the children until in quarrying for stone to build the canal the mound was destroyed.
WILD GAME.
Eagle mill-pond afforded a sliding place for the children of early days in their winter sports. On one occasion when Noble Hine and a num- ber of other boys and girls were skating on this pond, a large buck took refuge from the dogs by running to the children on the ice. The dogs were driven away, and the young folks amused themselves by sliding around the deer and pull- ing his hair. He might have been very indig- nant at this treatment, but could not help him- self on the slippery ice. After tiring of the fun the deer, being too lean for table use, was driven to the shore and allowed to escape.
On another occasion Mr. Vale saw a fine deer chased into the river. It sought safety in an open hole in the ice. He shut down his mill, and after driving away the dogs he crept out to the opening in the ice and the deer swan to him. He helped it out of the water, and put- ting his arm over its shoulders, went up the bank with the deer at his side. The neighbors soon gathered and were desirous of dispatching the deer, to which Mr. Yale positively objected be- cause it had come to him for safety. He or- dered all to stand back, and then stepping back- ward a few feet he slapped his hands and the deer bounded into the forest.
Jacob Miller had a hand to hand engagement with a large buck which he caught in his arms
as it attempted to jump a fence, and held it un- til Captain John Sheffleton cut its throat, but all that was left of Miller's clothes was "collar and hames."
The last deer seen in the township was killed by Judge Porter in 1835, on land now owned by William Green in the east part of the township.
Venison formed a large part of the provision of the early settlers, and the books of Messrs. Hine & Yale show that for many years it was an article of common traffic at from one to three cents per pound; and buckskin was a quasi legal tender.
SETTLEMENT AT NEWTON FALLS.
The proprietor of the lands in the locality of Newton Falls was Judson Canfield, of New Haven, Connecticut, who early contemplated the building of a rural city near the falls on the Ma- honing river, in order to utilize the immense water-power which the two branches of the Ma- honing river here afforded. For the purpose of inducing settlement the land was surveyed into lots of ten acres each, in the year 1807, and im- migration was earnestly invited.
In the autumn of this year John Lane built his log-cabin residence in the new city, on the bank of the West river, on what is now Martin's grocery lot. On the 16th of June Bildad Hine and family arrived and were welcomed with true pioneer hospitality into the mansion of Mr. Lane. For this emergency the house seemed to have been especially planned, as it was one story high, 16x18 feet in size, and contained ample accommodation for a family of thirteen. The milk-house belonging to this house is now in good condition, except the door, it being a cave in the rock, projecting over the river, at the rear of Stocking's wagon factory.
In the summer of 1808 a Mr. Canfield, with Mr. Ruggles, built a saw-mill where Allen Hoyle's woolen factory now stands, and, accord- ing to the recollection of Barney C. Allen, in February, 1811, started the first grist-mill, and ground the first grist of wheat for Joseph Allen, the flour being afterwards bolted at home through a hair sieve.
The mill-stones were quarried in what was then called " Redding hill," in Hiram town- ship. A part of one of these stones now lies at the door of Porter & Son's flour-mill.
The first mill was burned down in December,
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1817, by a drunken man who had taken lodging in it for the night, who was obliged to wade the frozen river to escape the fire. The mill was not rebuilt, but, in 1829, Horace and Augustus Stephens erected the old Eagle mills, on the opposite side of the river.
James F. Porter & Sons afterwards erected the present flouring-mill adjoining the old one ; the drawings of which were made by William H. Porter, son of J. F., who sent the drawings to Wilcox, Shinkle & Miller, who from these draw- ings alone made the works ready to be put in place; sent them on and erected the mill.
From the ledger of Benjamin B. Yale it is shown that he came to Newton in 1808 from Canfield, to the house of Samuel Oviatt, and was engaged as mill-wright at one dollar per day; was at the erection of the first mill, and afterwards was engaged as miller for Canfield & Ruggles, then for Canfield & Gilson in 1812; and in 1813 and 1815 he charges John Lane for work done on the grist- and saw-mill.
In 1814 he worked for Jesse Halliday in his mill, now owned by J. M. Callender, on the south line of the township, and from December, 1816, to July, 1817, operated the Falls mill for one Hopkins. The latter had purchased the mill from Cornelius Duboise, of New York, who had came into possession from a Mr. Fluellen, who had become indebted to him (Duboise) for goods. It seems that Mr. Hopkins was not ac- customed to pioneer life or was very economical, for, as it was the custom as well as the necessity, to cut down the trees to furnish browse for the cattle, he could not quietly see the timber wasted, and he had it cut and carried home on the backs of his sons.
In 1813 the first bridge was built over the west branch by subscription, and about ten years after a second was built in the same way at the "narrows," above the Indian grave. In 1832 C. Duboise sent from New York the drawings of a lattice bridge, of which William North and Solon Trescott made a model of laths, and Barney C. Allen took the contract for the stone and timber work and completed the bridge-one hundred and twenty-five feet long-for $440; and $300 of this money was raised by subscrip- tion, the balance was paid by the county. This is said to be the first bridge of the kind in the county.
In these times wages as well as prices of all kinds were low, except salt, which, as will be seen, was very high. Mr. Yale in his ledger charges a customer $5.50 per bushel, and $16 per barrel. As late as 1823 the trustees resolved to allow fifty cents per day for a team of horses or oxen on the road, and the same for a wagon.
In addition to those already named as early settlers were Levi Jacobs, Jacob Storey, Ira Tres- cott, and Russell Trescott, who lived on the west side of the river. Henry Harsh, William John- son, and John Bridges, soon after the above, arrived in the settlement. Of those who took part in the election of October, 1833, only four, William N. Hine, Joseph Nichols, and John Miller, are now living in the township.
NEWTON FALLS VILLAGE
is pleasantly situated between the east and west branches of the Mahoning river, in the north- eastern part of the township. The falls in the west branch of the river, from which the village takes its name, were originally about six or seven feet high, and formed of layers of stone, thus affording natural foundations for a mill dam, for which it is now utilizcd. The village is the only center of trade in the township, and all the branches of merchandise are well represented, and the indications of active business operations are amply evident. The many branches of busi- ness cannot be here specialy noticed, but special lines of manufacture will be noticed elsewhere. Several attempts have been made in Newton Falls "to supply a long felt want " by the estab- lishment of a newspaper, but without permanent success. The formal incorporation was made after some difficulty and no little strife; the achievement of the object, however, now mects with general approval, and the little city gives ample promise of future prosperity.
Newton Falls village was incorporated March 10, 1872, by T. I. Gilmore, J. N. Ensign, W. L. Hosier, and C. G. Graham, agents for the incor- poration.
The first election was held April 1, 1872, which resulted in the election of the following officials : Lyman T. Soule, Henry Taylor, and James F. Porter, trustees; H. S. Robbins, mar- shall; C. G. Graham, clerk and treasuer.
J. N. Ensign became mayor by virtue of his office as justice of the peace.
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The population of the village at the time of incorporation was five hundred and five, and in 1880 five hundred and seventy-four.
SURVEY OF VILLAGE.
In 1806 Ezekiel Hover made the first survey and plat for Mr. Canfield, and in 1829 Joshua Henshaw made a second for C. Duboise, and had much difficulty in finding the lines, and the number of the lots, and finally failed by many acres, in his estimate of the number of acres conveyed by Canfield and other parties. In 1836 the lines were adjusted by F. E. Stow for Dr. H. A. Duboise. The latter proposed to change the name of the village to Duboiseville, but afterwards put on record the amended map made by Mr. Stow, with the present name.
CHURCHES AT NEWTON FALLS.
The first church building at Newton Falls was erected by the Associate Reform (Seceder) church, under the pastorate of Rev. William Douthett. This society has long since passed away, and the house has since been occupied by the Regu- lar Baptist society, which also has disappeared. Afterwards the Episcopalians remodeled the building, in which they held services, but they also have long since disbanded, and the building is now used as the town hall.
THE PRESBYTERIAN AND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH ORGANIZATION.
On the 4th of September, 1836, agreeably to previous appointment a number of individuals favorably disposed to the cause of Christ, met at the house of Horace Stephens in the village of Newton Falls, for the purpose of consulting in reference to the establishment of a church in that place. Rev. John Treat, of the Presbyterian church, being present, presided over the meet- ing. Some fifteen or twenty persons were pres- ent, and an organization of a church of Jesus Christ was decided upon. It was also decided to invite Rev. Joseph Treat, of Portage presbytery, Rev. Josiah Town, of Trumbull presbytery, and Rev. Chapin, of Cleveland presbytery, to assist in the organization, and also that the church should take the form of worship of the Congre- gational church, and become attached to the Trumbull presbytery. Accordingly, December 4, 1836, the church was organized, called the Church of Jesus Christ. Joseph Treat and Chapin Clark were the ministers in charge, and
effected the organization. The following persons presented themselves for membership, viz: Hiram and Martha Hinman, of Dutch Reform church, Luther Lyman, of Congregational church, John Payne, of Presbyterian church, Amelia and Martha Beebe, of Presbyterian church, Luey Babbitt, of Presbyterian church, Pamelia Kidder, of Congregational church, Amelia Stevens, of Presbyterian church. Also Horace Stevens, Reuben Babbitt, Henty Hutson, Emily Lyman, Amelia Stevens, and Susan and Margaret Patter- son presented themselves for admission on con- fession of faith. The first public worship was held on December 15th, and the sermon was preached by Rev. Clark fron Luke XIV: 28, "For which of you intending to build a tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost."
The committee was appointed to prepare a Confession of Faith, which was presented, being the same, with some changes, as the one recom- mended by the presbytery of Portage, and was adopted at this meeting. December 24, 1836, a meeting was held at the house of Horace Stevens, and he was appointed clerk, and Hiram Hinman and Luther Lyman leaders, to conduct religious meetings and prepare rules for the regulation of the church.
KULES PRESENTED.
I. Standing committee not less than two or more than seven to take cognizance of public offenses and manage the prudential concerns.
2. Powers of the members of this committec same as elders in Presbyterian church to those avowing their prefer- ence to that church.
3. Committee to examine applicants for admission.
Inconsistent to admit members of distant churches to 4. communion who have resided in community less than one year.
5. Prohibiting ardent spirits.
7. Prohibiting hauling hay or grain, making sugar, haul- ing milk or making cheese, attending any business, visiting friends, except in sickness, on Sunday.
The rules were presented by Hiram Hinman and Luther Lyman, committee. First delegate to presbytery was Luther Lyman, December 16, 1837, and at same meeting E. Lyman, M. Beebe, and H. C. Soule were appointed to se- eure "a supply of preaching," and Rev. C. R. Clark appears as the first "supply" in December, 1840, and Rev. Bennett Roberts the following year. February 19, 1840, a subscription paper was started to solicit aid in building a house for the use, as stated in the paper, of "the Presbyte- rian society and church of this village and vicin-
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ity," to be erected on the lot then owned by Isaac Stanley, where the house now stands. This subscription paper bears this motto in cap- itals-"Privilege to all-Exclusion to none." The church was dedicated March 16, 1842, by Professor Day, of Western Reserve college, preaching from the text-"And the glory of God filled the house."
Rev. Robert C. Learned was minister in 1842, and Daniel Emmerson in 1843. In the latter year the church adopted a rule giving the pulpit in charge of the minister, excluding from the house all shows, models of new inventions, exhi- bitions for the purpose of speaking dialogues, comedies, orations or the like, "decorations cal- culated to excite the gaze and call off the atten- tion of the congregation," all political and other meetings, unless permission be given by a vote of three fourths of the congregation at a called meeting. In 1843 Rev. Solomon Stevens was called and his services began July ist. Among the ministers who have served this society were Dr. Pratt, J. A. Woodruff, W. R. Stevens, Eras- tus Chester, Benjamin Walker, George Pierce, Augustus Cone, Isaac Hall, S. D. Taylor, Henry Farwell.
In 1868 it was proposed at a meeting called for that purpose to change the organization to a Presbyterian church, to which assent was made by a vote of thirty-three to eleven, and in the following June John Leonard, C. Price, William Herbert, S. A. Austin, and H. C. Soule were elected elders.
In 1879 a meeting was called, presided over by P. Baldwin, in which, by motion of J. W. Lit- tle, it was decided to change the organization to be known as the Congregational church, and the rules of the Windham Congregational church were adopted, and the organization now holds worship here under the pastorate of Rev. D. Waugh.
THE DISCIPLES CHURCH, NEWTON FALLS.
The organization from which this church is an offshoot was first effected as early as 1820. In the fall of 1819 Thomas Miller, a Baptist minis- ter, preached at the house of Benoni Johnson in Braceville, where F. L. Mervin now lives, and Marcus Bosworth and wife were baptized. In the following year the church, under the minis- try of Rev. Miller, was organized with Marcus Bosworth as deacon, and the following were the
original members: Marcus Bosworth and wife, Amos and Lucinda Clark, Henry and Elizabeth Harsh, Malinda Pells, Henry and Olive Hulen, Jane Pells, Deborah and Huldah Bosworth, Asaph and Rachel Stanley, Billius and Olive Newton, Benoni and Amanda Johnson, Diana Johnson, John and Eunice Conkling, Reuben North, Mindwell Roberts, Ursula Allen. Mar- cus Bosworth was the deacon and recognized leader in the church, and afterwards became an efficient minister. In 1825 Rev. Jacob Osborn came to this locality and gave a new impetus to scriptural investigation, resulting eventually in the reorganization of the church as "Christians," which was effected March 12, 1828, being the first formal adoption of the divine platform as the only basis, by the church in the Western Re- serve ; and Marcus Bosworth was elected over- seer. In 1839 the church at Newton Falls was completed, when the congregation there began to worship, and of which Amos Clark, Joel Brad- ford, Henry Harsh, and Benoni Johnson served as overseers.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
This church was originally organized in 1837 with seven members, as follow : William Earle and wife, Widow Harris, Mrs. John Hutson, and others whose names cannot now be recalled. The ministers forming the organization were Arthur M. Brown and E. J. L. Baker. The fol- lowing winter they held a protracted meeting in the Disciples church and a great number were added to the church. In 1840 Lorenzo Rogers, assisted by John Robertson, conducted a meet- ing which resulted in eighty additions, and the present church building was erected. From this time until 1875 this society belonged to the same circuit with Braceville, and the same ministers served both churches.
In the above year the church at Newton was separated from Braceville with a membership of forty-six. The following ministers have served this congregation since that time: C. V. Wilson, J. H. Starrett, W. A. Clark, E. P. Edmunds, W. L. Davidson, John Tribby, and the present pas- tor, Rev. J. J. Wallace. The present member- ship is one hundred and forty-four, and the church is in a good state of prosperity.
THE LUTHERAN AND GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH.
This society was organized by Rev. F. C.
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Becker, the present Lutheran pastor, in 1835. Rev. H. Huet and P. Mahnenschmid had preached here several times previous to the or- ganization by Rev. Becker. The school-house in which the early meetings were held, and in which the organization was effected, was located about one-fourth mile from the present church building, which stands east of the center of the township.
The first officials were: Leonard Miller (Lutheran) and Jacob Feister (German Reform) as trustees. The original members were: Leon- ard, Jacob, and John Miller, George, Jacob, and David Longenberger (Lutherans), and Jacob Feister and John Loab (German Reformed). The first house of worship was erected in 1837, and the present one in 1850. Father Becker, the present pastor of the Lutheran church, has served this people for now almost fifty years, and is well known throughout the community as an able, zealous, and efficient pastor, and the work of his hands in the moral and religious welfare of his people will live after him.
The ministers who served the German Re- formed congregation were: Revs. Mahnen- schmid, Rahhauser, Ruhl, Reuter, Fair, Reuter, Fair, Grether, Perkins, and Otting. The two congregations hold services alternately in the present church building, which is locally known as Miller's church.
CEMETERY.
The original burial ground was donated by Bildad Hine and Jonathan Jacobs, each giving one-fourth of an acre. The first interment was that ot Captain Reuben Bostwick, brother in-law of Mr. Hine, who died July 16, 1813, aged sev- enty-eight years. With the later additions made to the grounds, in all about three acres, and many other improvements, they now present a very beautiful country cemetery, and will soon be in- corporated under the jurisdiction of the town- ship trustees.
SCHOOLS.
In the summer of 1812 the first school was taught at Newton Falls by Miss Draper, who af- terwards became Mrs. Collar, a relative of Dr. Harmon. It is related of her that she forbade her scholars to kill innocent striped snakes and so strengthened her mandate by pleas of mercy and justice that two of her scholars, well-known
men in this community, Herbert Hine and Bar- ney C. Allen, have never killed one from that day to this, and Mr. Allen has made it a rule to dismiss from his employ any one guilty of such an offense. In the winter of this same year the school was taught by Jonathan Trescott, and the following winter Hervey Stow, of Braceville, was teacher. Edmond Yale (deceased) used to tell how well he remembered getting a whipping from his teacher for refusing to sit between two little girls as a punishment for some previous of- fence.
Hon. Eben Newton, then a beardless boy, gave young America a winter's training in this school-room.
It seems he was more accomplished in litera- ture than in navigation, as the following incident will illustrate. Having spent "an evening out " on the east side of the East river, in attempt- ing to return at an early hour he became lost in a cranberry swamp and was compelled to remain under the shelter of a tree until morning, when, in great haste to get to his school, he came to the river, which had been swollen by the rain during the night and the current was rapid; he entered his boat, seized the only oar and attempted to cross. When about in the center of the stream the oar broke and the boat began drifting rapidly towards the falls. He saw no way of helping himself only to pull at the mooring rope and halloo for help. David Huffstetter was soon on the bank and directed the helpless teacher as follows : "Walk to this end of the boat and then run to the other," which he did, and the motion produced by the feet drifted the boat to the shore.
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