USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 35
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NAVIGATING THE KILLBUCK AND SALT CREEK.
The subjoined was a reminiscence furnished by Nathan W. Smith, of Wooster, for Douglas' History of Wayne County ( 1878) :
"In 1812 Philip Smith despatched a boat load of goods up these streams from the Ohio river, with his sons, George and Philip, and James McIntire
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in charge. The boat was a 'dug-out,' sixty-eight feet long by almost four feet in width, carved out of one solid log. It was constructed several miles up Cross creek, in Ohio, where it was launched and passed down the river to within three miles of Wellsville. Here the cargo was placed on board, consisting of four wagon loads full of goods, and on March 20, 1812, they embarked on the trip for the then far-distant Wayne county. They moved down the Ohio to the Muskingum, and up that stream and its branches to the mouth of Killbuck creek; thence up that stream to the mouth of Salt Creek, near Holmesville; thence to a point above Holmesville, where the goods were unloaded at Morgan's residence, at the Big Spring.
"About one month was occupied in making this passage. This was the first craft that had navigated the Killbuck, which passage was accomplished with great difficulty, as they frequently had to cut their way through drift- wood."
A REMINISCENCE.
The following was written in 1872, by Frederick Leyda, a pioneer of Wayne county, then residing in Minnesota, and was published in the Wooster Republican :
"Great things transpired during 1816. Killbuck, the beautiful, that flows so rapidly west of Wooster and winds its way so majestically south until it mingles its waters with the great Father of Waters, was this year declared navigable, and it was not thought improbable that the day would come when the 'Mohicans' would be conveyed to the Killbuck bridge, and Wooster become the head of navigation. Owing to the great navigation to this part, grain became scarce and the demand increased. A benevolent spirit entered the heart of John Wilson to seek food for man and beast, and it was on this wise: He laid the matter before one William Totten, who had been a man of renown among the watermen of the Ohio in days of yore. William thought it good to go and choose some of the more valiant men to accom- pany him. It occurred to him that in the White Woman's country there was much corn and to spare, and the captain of this boat led the way to that land where the corn grew, and he procured a craft called a 'keel-boat." The size of this boat was fifteen feet in length, the width ten feet and its depth six feet, with a cabin thereon. All things now ready, the captain went forth among the inhabitants of this land of corn, and laid bare the wants of his brethren that dwelt north, even toward the lakes, and after they heark- ened unto his voice their hearts softened toward their kinsmen and they said
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unto him : 'Thou hast come unto thy brethren of the south to get provender for man and beast, and thou shalt not surely go away empty, for we have here an abundance and to spare.' The captain answered and said: ‘We have not come here, my brethren, to ask alms, for we have the coin to satisfy thee. What wilt thou tax us for the provender? How much per bushel?' Then the brethren to the south answered and said: 'Truly, we are in need of the coin, for we have not seen the like before in this land. Ye shall surely have it at fifteen cents per bushel.' So it was agreed that the boat should be filled, and it was even so. The captain called forth his men and said unto them: 'Up, we will haste to our brethren with the corn, that they faint not.' The craft was pushed up the stream in this way: On the other side of the cabin there was a footway with slats nailed on from bow to stern cross-wise. Men on each side, with poles, commenced at the bow, placed one end of the pole to their shoulder and the other end in the stream, then pushed, and as the boat ran ahead they kept stepping until they reached the stern; then wheeled, walked back and did the same over again, one man remaining at the helm to steer. They succeeded, but with much difficulty. having to cut drift-wood and trees that fell across the stream; often only two miles a day were made. They finally landed the boat above the Killbuck bridge, south. It was then noised abroad that the effort was a success, and great was the rejoicing. The occasion was celebrated in the partaking of the 'ardent.' The writer of this was considered competent to take charge of said boat and contents during the night, and as the shades of evening drew near there came forth from their hiding places a numerous quantity of mos- quitoes-the number no mortal man could tell-and if anybody ever did suffer from these little Killbuck imps it was me. Having nothing to make a smoke with, I was completely at their mercy. The corn was hauled to the town and disposed of at one dollar and fifty cents per bushel.
"Joseph McGugan bought the boat, ran it down and was about to load it when the rains descended, the floods came and that boat, with the men on board, broke its moorings and was carried off. The men got hold of limbs, climbed up the trees and were there thirty-six hours before they were released. Thus ended the corn speculation.
"During the next season a load of salt arrived from the Ohio river. which was disposed of at twelve dollars a barrel, and Killbuck was declared navigable.
"I was somewhat acquainted with the old chief Killbuck, and he occa- sionally visited Wooster, always accompanied by his daughter, quite an
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interesting girl. The stream was named for this chief. He was a beautiful specimen of the red man as taught and trained by the white men-a perfect bloat-and as homely as the devil, lacking the cloven foot. Killbuck, you are not responsible for being named after the old chief! Nor yet for your slug- gishness, nor for your slopping over occasionally to afford a good 'skating park' for young Wooster! Thou wast here, winding thy unrippled way, carrying off the noxious effluvia and draining the low, rich lands along thy borders for the husbandmen that are to cultivate that "Nile,' as yet un- touched by man. Proud mortals may stand on thy banks and cast a reproach- ful eye or an epithet on thy appearance, and say, Why was it not thus and so? Ah! has man filled the great object of his existence? Nay, verily, but thou hast."
CHAPTER XIX.
TOWNSHIP HISTORY.
Wayne county is subdivided into sixteen townships, and the following is a historical sketch of each:
CHIPPEWA TOWNSHIP.
This township was organized September 4, 1815, and is situated in the extreme northeastern portion of the county, with Medina county on its north, Summit county on the east, Baughman township, Wayne county, on the south, and Milton township on its western border. It contains thirty-six full sections of land, much of which is underlaid with coal, of which further mention will be made.
The first to effect a settlement in Chippewa township were Nicholas and Adam Helmick, Henry Franks, Sr., Uriah, Henry and John Franks, Thomas Fredericks, Henry Houts, Michael Brouse, Paul Baughman, Jacob Hatfield, William Hatfield, John Reichildifer, Stephen Fisher, Joseph Springer, Mr. McConkey, John Adams, William Doyle, Frederick Gale- house, Isaac Montgomery, Michael Huffman, James and Adam Shatto, Rev. George Weygandt, George Christian, the Whitmans, Michael Feister, Samuel Pierpont, M. D., John Rouston, James Boak, "Major" South, James Hutchinson, Peter Bradenbaugh, Jacob Heffleman and some others whose names are now unknown in the records of this part of Wayne county. Michael Basinger came to the township in 1815. Pioneer Hatfield is the authority for the statement that Rogue's Hollow was named by a Doctor Crosby, who owned the ground and had it laid out. Daniel Slanker built the first mill, a grist mill of the early-day type, and to it was also attached a saw mill; it was west of Doylestown. Mike Greenoe had the first, Fred Galehouse the second and after them George Wellhouse and Michael Brouse had distilleries. The first graveyard was at Easton, and Lucindia Heckerton was the first person to be buried there. Jonathan Coleman of Canton, a married man, was drowned in Donor's lake in 1830.
(23)
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Henry Franks, a settler of 1816, was born in Fayette county, Pennsyl- vania, and settled south of Doylestown. Henry Franks, known as "Old Henry," with some others, was taken prisoner on the Ohio river by the Indians when he was a young man, and held in captivity by them. He was tall, straight and powerfully built. His captors immediately fancied him and by ceremonies introduced him to Indian citizenship. Its first condition was to run the gauntlet, and at the end of the race he was, to save his life, forced to strike an Indian with his hatchet, whom he nearly killed. This successful and daring act on his part ingratiated him with his captors, who exclaimed, "He make good Indian." Mr. Franks receiving a wound in the test of his manhood, the Indians instantly took charge of him, nursing and treating him kindly until he thoroughly recovered. After the capture of Crawford in Ohio, and during the excitement of his horrible death, all of which Mr. Franks witnessed, he made an effort to escape, in which he was successful. He fled to the lake shore, boarded a British vessel, went by water as far as Montreal, crossed to the American side, and thence on foot to Philadelphia. From the last city he wended his way to Pittsburg, and thence on to his home in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, after a captivity of five years.
Frederick Galehouse, one of the pioneers of the township, a German by birth, emigrated to America in 1786, going first to Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, settling in Chippewa township, this county, in 1823. He re- sided in Wayne county thirty years, removing to Doylestown, where he died in 1865. His oldest son, Frederick Galehouse, born in New Lisbon, came to Wayne county with his father and was brutally murdered by a Canadian named Amos Clark, who struck him down with a poker, in January, 1840. The father, Frederick, had a contract with the government to superintend the construction of a public road from New Lisbon to Lake Erie for the use of artillery, and when the news of Hull's surrender came, he told all to scatter, which they did.
The village of Chippewa was surveyed for Stephen Ford by Daniel McClure in the month of May, 1816. Capt. John Rouston erected the first house in the place.
The village of Slangerville was laid out by Jacob Slanker, Reuben Dressler and John Gartner in February, 1843. This place, since the com- pletion of the railroad, is known as Easton.
Doylestown, the chief place of the township for many years, was platted by William Doyle, December 9, 1827. August 6, 1867, the place was in-
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corporated. The first house in the village was a log structure built by Wil- liam Doyle, and in it Doyle conducted a tavern, sold whisky and permitted many dances to be held there. The first physician of the place was Doctor Pierrepont. who, while on a visit East, stole a horse and for the crime was sent to the penitentiary. The first election for the Doylestown incorporation was held in December, 1866. The first officers elected were : Mayor, A. H. Pur- sell; recorder, William Reed; treasurer, Samuel H. Miller; councilmen, Elias Galehouse, James H. Seiberling, Henry A. Soliday, Jacob Shaffer and R. B. Wasson.
Doylestown was supplied with a newspaper by George W. Everts in 1874, when, on July IIth, he issued the first number of the Doylestown Journal.
William G. Foster served as postmaster at this village from 1828 to 1847.
Among the enterprising spirits of Doylestown was Elias Galehouse, who in his young manhood established a hotel at Doylestown, continued propri- etor for eight years, then engaged in the general merchandise business: built a foundry, in company with John Gates, and made stoves, plows and other farm implements ; also run a carriage manufactory at the same time. Sub- sequently, he went into the coal mining industry and built a grist- and saw- mill in Doylestown.
Doylestown has been the seat of several useful and successful factories, including that of reaping and mowing machinery. In the early days of such machinery, 1861, Peter Cline, John F. Seiberling and John H. Hower formed a partnership to manufacture what was known as the "Excelsior" dropping reaper and mower, of which John F. Seiberling was the inventor. The works were enlarged from time to time until 1865 and others were associated with the works. A part of the plant was moved to Akron and a part was still conducted at Doylestown. From 1865 to 1875 the annual output of these machines was about nine hundred. After 1875 they built a new design of machine known as the "Empire" reaper and mower, invented by the same Mr. Seiberling. One factory was maintained at Doylestown and another at Akron. Of this plant the local writer of 1878 had this to say: "This firm at Doylestown is the most solid and reliable manufacturing institution in Wayne county, or in northern Ohio. It has thus far weathered financial cy- clones, monetary upheavals, and panic simoons, its reputation unquestioned and its credit above challenge or suspicion. It employs about seventy-five workmen in its works."
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The population of Chippewa township in 1900 was two thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven.
The coal mining interests of this township have been very extensive and valuable. This coal measure is located in the northern, eastern and central parts of the county, north of Chippewa creek, but this mineral wealth is found here and there throughout the township. It is of the bituminous, best quality type, such as the Mahoning and Briar Hill grade. More concerning these mines will be found elsewhere in this work in the Geological chapter.
MILTON TOWNSHIP.
Milton township is the second from the eastern line of Wayne county and in the north tier of townships. It is six miles square. It dates its organization by the commissioners in session October 5. 1818. One of the early pioneers, Jacob Kiefer, went to Wooster to see about having it named, and suggested to the board of county commissioners that it be styled "Center Swamp township," from the fact that there was a large swamp in the center of its territory. Commissioner George Bair objected to this name, saying it would induce odium upon the township, whereupon, at the suggestion of Mr. Bair, it was called Milton township. In 1870 the population of this township had reached one thousand five hundred and twenty-four; in the federal census of 1900 it was given as one thousand nine hundred and seventy- eight.
The first to settle in the township, with a view of making a permanent home, was Isaac DeCourcey, perceptibly of Indian blood, who, with his wife and two children, was living on the Knupp farm as early as 1813. After about eight years' residence in the townshp he moved to Allen county. While he was styled a farmer, he devoted most of his time to hunting, fish- ing and trapping.
Among the first events of importance, may here be narrated the fol- lowing: The first deaths were those of Sarah Fritz and her young son, Adam Fritz, who died and were buried in the Knupp graveyard in 1817. The third person to die in the township was David Trump. The first school was taught by William Doyle, who taught in a log cabin in 1817; the build- ing stood where later the Knupp church was erected. This school building was twenty by twenty-four feet, built of round logs scutched inside. It was so cold that in the winter time ink would freeze in the bottles while a pupil was in the act of writing. It was a subscription school, this being ahead of the free, common school system.
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The first church building in the township was the Lancetown Baptist church, the pioneer ministers being Elder Freeman and James Newton. Free- man was a Revolutionary soldier, and a missionary, conducting services at private houses usually. Newton, however, was the first regular ordained preacher in the township.
The first saw and grist-mills were built by Thomas Huffstetter on the Little Chippewa. The next mill was built by Philip Fritz on the river Styx.
The pioneer doctor was a Mr. Donahue, who was also a tailor by trade, and practiced medicine as well as tailoring.
William Doyle, founder of Doylestown, was the first justice of the peace in Milton township, and the second was John Dawson, the commissions of both bearing date of April 27, 1819.
The first distilleries were the property of Messrs. Hartshorn, Gilmore and John Lance.
The first postoffice was at Christian Krupp's place, and was called New Prospect.
The earliest election was held at William Doyle's. At the first election, old Mr. Trump had to be carried to the polls to make a necessary number to hold the election.
Among the early settlers may be named Martin Fritz, Christian Lance, John, William, James and Henry Lance, Andrew Waggoner, Thomas Daw- son, Abner Johnson, Samuel Slemmons and others who came into the town- ship about the same time.
More than a passing mention should be made of Martin Fritz, who was born in Alsace in 1757, and emigrated from France in 1771. Not having the necessary funds to pay his passage, he was sold, according to the old custom, to a Mr. Ray, for whom he worked three years for the payment of the debt. Soon after he had served his time the Revolutionary war broke out and he enlisted under Washington for five years, being engaged in several battles, including Brandywine. After the war he married in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, and moved to Venango county, and from there removed to Milton township, this county, in June, 1814, when there was but one other settler within the township, the quarter-breed DeCourcey. He died, aged ninety-four years, in 1851. His son Philip, born in 1804, had lived longer in Milton township, in 1878, than any other man within its borders.
The towns of Milton township are : Johnson's Corners, called Amwell, named for Abner Johnson, who made the first improvements in it. John Scoby, of Truxton, New York, was the pioneer doctor, and Goodsill Foster was the first postmaster. Adney Bessey named the town Amwell.
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Russell was named after the Russells of Massillon, who purchased the property there and gave it the name. A postoffice was established there at an early day, but its name was Amwell.
Milton Station began as a town in 1869 when the first house was erected by David Shook. In July, 1870, C. M. Murdock started the first business, and in the same year the postoffice was removed here from Shinersburg (New Prospect ).
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Shinersburg was named after this manner: Michael Hatfield bought the first lot there from Philip Fritz, and built a house on it, and started a grocery store, selling drugs, beer, whisky, etc. One day Michael got drunk and in one of his ecstatic moods was heard saying, "When I get to heaven I will shine as bright as anybody"; hence the name Shinersburg.
Lancetown, called after the large family of Lances, has long since been defunct.
The present towns of the township are Sterling and Ritman, in the northern part. Ritman has a savings bank, with S. M. Brenneman presi- dent, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars.
Sterling is a good town, with the Farmers Banking Company, with D. I. Simmons as president and S. A. Simmons as cashier.
FATAL BOILER EXPLOSION.
A fatal boiler explosion occurred March 1I, 1870, in Milton township. It was a steam boiler in the saw-mill near Shinersburg and it resulted in the death of seven men. On the day of the explosion the mill was being operated by Jacob Knupp, John Fritz, Lewis Hoover and David, his brother. Robert McConnell and son, Frank, and David Shook were at work on a house as carpenters a few rods west of the mill and, a rain coming on, they sought shelter in the mill. In ten minutes after they reached the mill the boiler ex- ploded and all were instantly killed, except David Hoover, who lingered a few hours.
A REMINISCENCE BY PHILIP FRITZ.
"When my father removed to Milton township, in 1814, he had to cut out the road where I now live [written in 1878]. Bears, wolves, wildcats, porcupines, wild hogs, deer and turkey were plenty. We often shot the wild hogs, as they made good meat. Porcupines were numerous ; the dogs would
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attack them and we would pull out the quills with bullet-moulds. We made sugar by the barrel in our camp, took it to Canton and sold it. The wolves on one occasion chased us all out of the sugar camp. Times looked pretty blue when we came here to Milton township. We had to go fourteen miles to Rex's mill to get grinding done. I helped to grub out the land on which Knupp's cemetery is located. In the early days I hunted a good deal, and often with the Indians. They would come to our house and get corn, and bring venison to exchange for it. They weighed it themselves, the corn in one hand and the venison in the other.
"Samuel and John Fritz, Isaac DeCourcey, John Huffman and myself went up the country to Chippewa lake to hunt, and took our provisions with us. I was left in charge of the eatables, and the balance went to the woodsef hunt. While I was watching the provisions eight Indians approached ng and I was terribly frightened. , The, at once commenced laying off the knives, gans and tomallawho, and advancing to where I had a large fire buil one of them would speak in English, saying, 'White man foolish; makes big fire and sits away off ; Indian makes little fire and sits up close.' They thei went to the edge of the lake and began jumping on the muskrat houses, anc just as fast as the inmates popped out they popped him over, and so they kept on until out of one of the largest mud-houses sprang a beaver, which was instantly killed, and then they whooped and danced and drank. Its hide was worth sixteen dollars. When our hunting party came in the Indians wanted to buy their dogs. An Indian squaw went into a marsh to pick cranberries. She had her papoose with her and, tying it to a board, set it down. While she was in the marsh a dog came along and killed it. She lamented and yelled fearfully. When we came here there were a good many Indians about here-they called themselves the Delawares, Shawnees and Wyandots. They had quite a town on the south side of Chippewa lake, probably thirty fam- ilies. I used to go the settlement often, saw the little Indian boys roasting gammons of meat and gnaw at them; saw them shoot pieces of silver out of split sticks, with bows and arrows, and never miss. They captured a good deal of wild honey and carried it in deer skins turned inside out. They would cut down a tree, carve out the stump, crush their corn in it, and then put it in pots and boil it, and then put in the meat. An Indian never uses salt. Within about ten rods of where river Styx-north branch of the Chippewa- empties into Big Chippewa, an Indian was found dead in the drift, shot through the waist, and it seems about that time the Indians got scared and very suddenly disappeared."-From Douglas' history, published in 1878.
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CANAAN TOWNSHIP.
In the northern tier of townships, and the second from the western line of the county, is Canaan, the territory of which is six miles square. It was organized May 5, 1819, and was named by Dr. Isaac Barnes. In 1870 it had a population of almost two thousand people. According to the United States census in 1900 it had two thousand four hundred and one people.
About thirty years ago, the following reminiscence was written by Isaac Notestine, and as it brings out so many early-day points connected with the history of this township, it is here reproduced :
"By whom or when the first entries of land were made in this township is not known ; but perhaps in 1808. The first settlement was made and a sł : in built in 1812 by William Ewing, Sr., on the farm later owned by his n Simon. About the same time James Rose, a Scotchman, and Thomas armstrong settled in the township. Jo"pr Patton settled in 1817 on the arm owned by his son Daniel and about this period the Weed' brothers, joshua and William, and Thomas Thrapp came in. Then Daniel Blocher and Swartz and Nathan Hall. Quite a number of families were now located.
"In the fall of 1819, the first election was held in an ashery that stood nearly a mile south of the present village of Windsor. The electors as given by George Sommers, a citizen, but not a voter then, were William Ewing, Sr., William Ewing, Jr., Thomas Armstrong, Joseph and Daniel Stratton, Elizier Perago, Nathan Hall, David Plumer, Doctor Barnes, Chapman, Daniel Blocher, Swartz, John Templeton, James Rose, Jones, B. F. Miller, James Buchanan, Joshua and William Reed, Thomas Thrapp, and one Adams, all of whom are dead. The officers elected were: Justices, Doctor Barnes and Joseph Stratton; trustees, Doctor Barnes, Joseph Stratton, Thomas Thrapp; clerk, Nathan Hall, who held the office afterwards some twelve years ; other officers not remembered.
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