USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne county, Ohio, from the days of the pioneers and the first settlers to the present time > Part 71
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Rev. Samuel Irvine, D. D., was born in County Tyrone, Ire- land, June 25, 1787, his parents immigrating to America June 25, 1788, two years thereafter settling in Huntington county, Pa. He labored on the farm until 1810, when he entered college. In 1815 he attended the theological seminary at Servia, Pa., where he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Philadelphia, in 1819. In 1820 he came to Wooster, and received a call from the congrega- tions of Saltcreek, Wooster, Newman's creek and Mohican, which he accepted, and was ordained at the Court House, in Wooster, March, 1821. He finally relinquished the two latter charges, re- taining Wooster and Saltcreek until 1835, when he resigned the former and went to Millersburg, retaining his relation with the Saltcreek church until his death, April 28, 1861. He was married January 22, 1822, to Maria Glasgow, of Beaver, county, Pa., who,
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with three sons and four daughters, survived him. His second son, S. P. Irvine, became a minister. His first Elder in Wooster was John McClellan, Sr .; in Mohican, Nathaniel Paxton; in New- man's Creek, Colonel McDowell; in Saltcreek, William Trusdale. He had charge of the first select school ever opened in Wooster, and taught upon the premises where E. Quinby, Jr., resides.
United Presbyterian Church of Fredericksburg .- This congregation, prior to 1858, was called the Associate Presbyterian, or Seceder. Some of the first Associate families were John Sorrel and George Miller, who settled in the neighborhood in 1812 or 1813; William Truesdale, John Lytle and Henry Caldwell in 1815, and James Truesdale in 1817, and Samuel Miller, David Knox and George Boon. Some of the first ministers who supplied these people with preaching were Revs. John Walker, W. M. Wilson and James Ramsey, D. D.
The congregation was organized by Rev. William Wilson in 1818, with Messrs. John Sorrel, George Miller and William Truesdale as Elders. The organization was effected and the Elders elected in the house of Mr. Robert Knox. The first house of worship was built of logs, commonly called a log house, and stood near the old Associate burying-ground on the hill, south of where Mr. Smith Peppard now lives. This was commenced soon after the organization of the congregation.
In 1820 Rev. Samuel Irvine, D. D., was called to take charge of the congre- gation, and in March, 1821, he was ordained and installed pastor of this and three other congregations. For quite a number of years he ministered to this, in con- nection with other congregations in the neighborhood. But the last few years of his life were devoted to this congregation exclusively. By his death the congrega- tion was left without a pastor in the spring of 1861, and continued so, being minis- tered to by a large number of men until 1866. In 1866 Rev. T. J. Kennedy was called from Jamestown, Pa., and took charge of the congregation; continued in charge until the fall of 1869, when he was released. In July, 1870, a call was made for R. R. Atchison, who entered upon his duties as pastor the following Jan- uary, and still continues in charge. The congregation now worship in a brick church in the south-western part of the town, which was built in 1838. Present officers : Elders-Messrs. Thomas Smith, Joseph McElroy, Francis B. Lytle, James Kerr, Thomas McCaughey, Arthur Anderson and Samuel McCoy.
The first Methodist church in Fredericksburg was built in 1830, and stood south of town, where William Barnes now lives, and the first minister was Rev. H. O. Sheldon. The second edifice was built in 1860. Some of the earlier of the mem- bers of this church were John Miller and family, David Griffith and family, Samuel Brown and family, Robert Armstrong, Sr., Robert Armstrong, Jr., J. R. Armstrong, Jacob Kiser (the singing shoemaker), Stinson McWilliams, Nancy Sefton and family, C. P. Tennant and family, R. S. McEwen and family.
[ The sketch of the Presbyteriau Church was unfortunately lost.]
B. C. Smith was born in Paint township. His parents, Moses and Keziah Smith, were natives of Fayette county, Pa., his mother coming to Wayne county when a child with her parents, Bazaleel and Mary Tracy, in 1814, and his father in 1822, at the age of 24, and soon thereafter settled on the north-west quarter of Paint township. Here the subject of this sketch was born, and his
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
early life passed. After quitting district school he entered the Academy at Edinburg; then studied in Vermillion Institute at Haysville, and after being a short time at Oberlin College, he established the Fredericksburg High School. In 1859 he was ap- pointed a member of the County Board of School Examiners, a position he has continued to fill, with but little intermission, to the present time.
Fredericksburg High School .- This was established in 1852, by Prof. B. C. Smith, commencing with forty pupils, and in a few years thereafter had won a wide and enviable reputation as an educational institution. The rolls show an attend- ance of from 150 to 175 for years. The martial excitement at the opening of the civil war had a depressing effect upon institutions of learning everywhere, and Prof. Smith chose to close his school for a time. In the fall of 1862 he re-opened the institution with 25 pupils, and although the war was fiercely raging, and terrifying drafts impending, in the years 1863 and 1864 the number of students increased to 60 and 80: But in the summer of 1866 Prof. Smith's health failed, and he was compelled to abandon his labors as teacher, since which time the Fredericksburg High School has been known more in name than in fact. His assistant, from 1856 to 1859, was Rev. S. McAnderson, of the Presbyterian church, who assumed the Professorship of Language and Moral Science. Prof. Smith's assistant teachers afterwards were young men who had been educated within the walls of the institu- tion, and among these may be mentioned J. M. Huchison, S. D. Miller and P. F. Graham, all now clergymen, the first a Presbyterian, the others Methodist.
Peter Franks, a native of Fayette county, Pa., was born May 21, 1797, and came to Wayne county August 7, 1820, although he had visited the county in 1816, and that year helped to raise a barn at Robert Hackett's. He remembers the names of those present at that raising, to wit: James and George Hackett, Basil and George Tracey, John Beerbower, Isaac Sowers, George, Solomon and Daniel Firestone, Thomas, William and James John- son, John and George Brown, James Numbers, David Clark, George and Philip First, Job Lee, Dan Merriman, John S. and Robert Brown, Abner Geddis, Leonard Langell, John and Andrew Moore, and Peter Franks. Besides Mr. Franks, all are dead save Andrew Moore, George Hackett and Robert Brown. Mr. Franks was married September 5, 1819, in Fayette county, Pa., to Julia Fletcher, who died May 6, 1871. She was a member of the Methodist church. He has had nine children, viz: William, Sarah, Naomi, Jacob, Manoah, Thomas, Samantha, Solomon and Lemuel.
The Fredericksburg Cemetery Association was organized November 16, 1872, as follows: Original members-John Richards, Andrew J. Knox, John Dobbins,
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Noah Brown, William T. Barnes, James Martin, John S. - , S. C. Franks, W. S. Peppard, Joshua Brother, George Gardner and Rev. W. J. Park. First Trus- tees-George Gardner, John Richards, Noah Brown, Wm. T. Barnes, W. S. Pep- pard; S. C. Franks, Clerk ; W. S. Peppard, Treasurer; James Martin, President. It embraces fifteen acres of land, on the hill east of town, purchased of V. Menuez. Margaret Cramer was the first person buried therein.
Fredericksburg Lodge No. 391, 1. O. O. F .- Date of dispensation, July 10, 1867. Charter members: N. J. Close, John Rechert, M. H. Steel, G. J. Rhodes, J. H. Vananda, E. H. Millhon. Present officers : C. N. Gastill, N. G .; O. J. Sea right, V. G .; S. S. Rutter, R. S .; A. C. Bayless, Permanent Secretary; D. Swine- hart, Treasurer. Whole number initiated since organization, 78; present member- ship, 28.
James Martin, M. D., was born October 20, 1824, on Martin's creek, on the old Edward Martin homestead. The subject of this notice remained upon the farm until he was twenty-two years of age. He attended the public schools about three months in the winter, until he was eighteen years of age, then the select schools at Fredericksburg for several years, when he began teaching school.
He read medicine with T. B. Abbott, of Massillon, and during this time availed himself of a course of lectures then being given by William Bowen, of Akron, Ohio, subsequently graduating at the Jefferson Medical College, of Philadelphia. He began the practice at East Rochester, Columbiana county, in August, 1850, remained there three years, when he removed to Fredericksburg in 1854, where he has since resided in the active pursuit of his pro- fession. He was married Nov. 13, 1851, to Miss Elizabeth Craig, of Columbiana county, Ohio, and by this union had seven children, only five of whom are living -O. E., Jessie F., Frank H., Mary J. and James S. Dr. Martin, wife and all his family are members of the Presbyterian church.
Dr. Martin descends from an old and most worthy pioneer fam- ily of Ohio. He is a thorough gentleman, and one of the most popular and best educated physicians in the county. His abilities and skill have achieved for him an enlarged reputation and associ- ated him with the foremost practitioners in his section of the coun- try. He is a courteous, affable and estimable gentleman, and has reared an intelligent and worthy family, several of whom have at- tended the Wooster University, to which Dr, Martin largely con- tributed.
Sinclair Johnson, son of James Johnson, was born February, 1824. Having obtained a good degree of common school educa-
49
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
tion, he commenced the work of life by teaching school when sev- teen years of age. By studying during recesses of teaching, he completed his academical studies in 1849, at the Edinburg Acad- emy, and entered the Junior Class at Jefferson College, Pa., where he graduated with marked honor in August, 1851. From that time he followed teaching until 1871, when he retired from that pursuit, and is now living at the old homestead, overseeing the work of the farm.
William Peppard was born in New Jersey, and removed with his father, Jonathan Peppard, to Beaver county, Pa. He was mar- ried to Nancy Gaston, of Finleyville, Washington county, Pa. In 1823 he removed to Wayne county, Ohio, settling, upon his arrival, in Saltcreek township, two and one-half miles north of Fredericksburg, and in 1836 settling in the village. Here he re- mained until 1864, when, his wife dying in 1863, he made his home with his son, William S. Peppard. He had eight children, to wit: Samuel G., Elizabeth, Francis W., Hiram H., Margaret, William S., Mary and Amanda. Mr. Peppard was elected Justice of Saltcreek township several terms, and served in the Ohio Legislature from December 4, 1837, to December 2, 1839, having been re-elected in 1838.
William S. Peppard, his son, was born in Saltcreek township March 24, 1829. His earlier years were spent in going to school and teaching, having attended the High School, under Rev. Ed- ward Geary, brother of Governor Geary, of Pennsylvania. He has taught school for thirteen terms, and established a reputation for efficiency in the school-room and scholarship. He is now ac- tively engaged in the practice of the law. His mind is of the cool, calculating and reticent order, and he is not inclined to un- fold his purposes or meaning until the occasion suits him. He has an independent mind, a methodical brain, and transacts busi- ness carefully and cautiously. He was married July 23, 1861, to Miss Mary A. Giauque, a classmate at Vermillion Institute of the writer, a lady of culture and refinement, and an excellent scholar in both the French and English languages. They have five children, viz: Arbor V., Florena M., Maggie E., Evange- line and Florian G.
Henry Barnes, a native of Maryland, immigrated to Wayne county in 1811, settling on the farm now owned by Gilbert Sea-
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right. He died March 19, 1848. He had the following children : Peter, Catharine, Robert, Hugh, Boston F., Jesse, William, Lu- cinda and William H., five of whom are living.
Reminiscences of his Son, Peter Barnes .- I was born February 8, 1805, in Beaver county, Pa., and came to Wayne county with my father in 1811. I have been a farmer and school-teacher-taught my first school in 1826-had a good English education. I was married January 6, 1831, to Margaret Guthrie, and had seven children, viz: Joseph M., Henry C., Mary J., Eli S., Catharine, William G., and Maggie E. I am a member of the Presbyterian church. My impression is that James Sorrels, a native of Pennsylvania, was the first Justice of Saltcreek township, and that Richard Buckmaster was the second. The Buckmasters, Joseph, Wilson, Joshua, Richard and John, came to Saltcreek township in the fall of 1813. It was necessary in those days for some people to be whipped, and the Buckmasters could do it. Henry Buckmaster, M. D., was born in Saltcreek township, read medicine in Millersburg, became Probate Judge of Wayne county, went to Missouri and died there. William Truesdale came to the township in 1815. Mary, Hugh, James W., Mary, Jane, Phoebe, Elizabeth, John and David were his children. Caleb Brown, the Dunhams, Hatfields, Traceys, Johnstons, Thompsons, Hutchisons, Lytles, Cald- wells, were early settlers. Eliza Searight was the first person who died in the pres- ent limits of Saltcreek township; Sarah Willowby the first person who was buried in the Presbyterian graveyard, and John Hamilton and Margaret Castor the first couple married.
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
CHAPTER XXXI.
CANAAN TOWNSHIP
WAS organized May 5, 1819, and was named by Dr. Isaac Barnes. Its population in 1870 was 1,997. The following is the list of offi- cers of the township as appears upon the official record:
Justices of the Peace- Jason Jones, April 23, 1831 ; John Miles, November 17, 1834; Jason Jones, April 18, 1835; John Blocher, April 28, 1837; John Paul, Sep- tember 6, 1837; John Blocher, April 16, 1840; George N. Cady, August 31, 1840; John Blocher, April 13, 1843; Ed. Burns, September 28, 1843; John Blocher, April 21, 1846; George Cady, September 14, 1846; John Blocher, April 12, 1849; Wm. Barton, October 20, 1849; Wm. Stratton, April 11, 1850; Wm. Shoemaker, April 21, 1852; John Hough, October 27, 1853; John Hough, October 25, 1856; Ahi Zuver, October 18, 1858; John Hough, October 20, 1859; Ahi Zuver, October 22, 1861 ; John Hongh, October 25, 1862 ; Dan Stratton, April 15, 1864; Ahi Zu- ver, October 15, 1864; J. B. Halloway, April 8, 1867; J. B. Halloway, April 12, 1870; Jos. McGlennen, April 14, 1873 ; Demas Summers, October 22, 1873; Jos. McGlenen, April 13, 1876.
1866. Trustees-J. R. Naftzger, A. Parmenter, F. N. Haskins; Clerk-F. Glime; Treasurer-Jonas Heckert; Assessor-G. W. Byers.
1867. Trustees-F. N. Haskins, C. R. Kenney, A. Parmenter; Clerk-F. Glime ; Treasurer-Jonas Heckert; Assessor-J. A. Penoyer.
1868. Trustees-F. N. Haskins, C. R. Kenney, James Norton; Clerk-F. Glime ; Treasurer-Eli Snell ; Assessor-John Wells.
1869. Trustees-F. N. Haskins, James Norton, Wiram Hoisington; Clerk- C. Ewing ; Treasurer-Eli Snell ; Assessor-J. A. Penoyer.
1870. Trustees-F. N. Haskins, James Norton, Wiram Hoisington; Clerk- C. Ewing; Treasurer-Eli Snell ; Assessor-J. A. Penoyer.
1871. Trustees-William Stebbins, Wiram Hoisington, Jacob Gearhart ; Clerk -C. Ewing; Treasurer-Eli Snell; Assessor-F. N. Haskins.
1872. Trustees-William Stebbins, Jacob Gearhart, C. R. Kenney ; Clerk- Samnel Merryman ; Treasurer-Eli Snell; Assessor-Elmer St. John.
1873. Trustees-S. F. Kearns, George Matthias, Daniel Stratton; Clerk-J. McIntire ; Treasurer-Eli Snell ; Assessor-Philip Whonsettler.
1874. Trustees-George Mathias, Andrew Ramich, S. Kearns; Clerk-John Snell; Treasurer-Eli Snell; Assessor-James Norton.
1875. Trustees-George Mathias, Andrew Romich, S. F. Kearns; Clerk-John Snell; Treasurer-Eli Snell ; Assessor-Elmer St. John.
1876. Trustees-S. F. Kearns, Thomas Armstrong, F. A. Johnson ; Clerk- John Snell; Treasurer-Eli Snell; Assessor-Elmer St. John.
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1877. Trustees-Thomas Armstrong, John M. Glennen, William Burns; Clerk -James McGarvey ; Treasurer-Eli Snell; Assessor-Demas Sommers.
Reminiscences of Isaac Notestine .- By whom or when the first entries of land were made in this township is not known ; but perhaps the first were in 1808. The first settlement was made and a cabin built in 1812 by William Ewing, Sr., on the farm now owned by his son Simon. About the same time James Rose, a Scotch- man, and Thomas Armstrong settled in the township. Joseph Stratton settled in 1817 on the farm 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 from the memory of George Sommers, a citizen, but not a voter then, were William Ewing, Sr., William Ewing, Jr., Thomas Armstrong, Joseph and Daniel Stratton, Eleizer Perago, Nathan Hall, David Plumer, Dr. 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-Dr. Barnes and Joseph Stratton; Trustees- Dr. Barnes, Joseph Stratton, Thomas Thrapp ; Clerk-Nathan Hall, who held the office afterwards some twelve years ; other officers not remembered.
Immigration now became more rapid, so that in ten years from the organization of the township at least one-half of the quarter sections that could be farmed had on them one or more cabins. In the year of the organization George Sommers settled in the township, the only resident of that time still living who was not a minor. About the same time John McIlvaine and James Smith moved in, settling near each other, a mile west of Jackson. Soon after Daniel Oller, Henry Kopp, Simon Kenney, James and William Haskins and Enoch Gilbert, and a number of others from the New England States and New York, came in.
Charles, son of James Rose, was the first white child born in the township. Simon, son of William Ewing, Sr., was the second, and still lives on the homestead, the oldest native Canaanite. Susan, daughter of William Ewing, Sr., now the wife of Michael Totten, of Wooster, is supposed to have been the first person married in the township to her first husband, Ramsey, who was killed at a mill-raising, near Wooster. The first school-house was on James Rose's land, in which James Bu- chanan, a Scotchman, taught the first school.
Almost every family, men and women, wore " home-spun " at home and abroad. The only difference between the dress to go to "meetin' " and that of the field or the clearing was in being fresh washed for the former. The diet, too, was of the plainest kind, quite limited in variety, and frequently also in quantity. Corn, in its various forms, whole or ground, with buckwheat, potatoes, beans, pork, venison, and other wild meats, were the chief articles of food. Game abounded, and many families depended upon getting their meat from the forest. Though the pioneers could get but little for the wheat they sold, the articles they bought cost much more than at present. As late as 1825 salt sold for eleven dollars per barrel, and before this cost still more. William Ewing used to pack it from Canton on horseback, traveling all the way through the woods.
If the times of settlements were recorded by decades from the first coming of William Ewing in 1812, the first, up to 1822, would find from twenty-five to thirty families in the township; and this may be regarded as the true pioneer decade ; whilst the next, until 1832, would be of immigration, which during this time poured in, in streams, so that by 1832, of lands suitable for occupation not more than
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
twenty-five quarters were unoccupied. During this second decade came many of the most substantial and useful citizens, among them mechanics and men of capital. Some of those who came during this period, as now remembered, were: John and Justin Miles, Smith and David Hoisington, Simon Kenney and the Shanklins, Jonas Notestine, Henry Shuffling, John D. Heckert, David Wiles, John, Henry and Dan- iel Frank, Jason and Sylvanus Jones, Zenas Z. Crane, Joseph, Henry and Jacob Zarer, the Wells, and many others equally prominent, whose names do not now come to mind. At the close of the second decade, as near as can be remembered, the last entry of land was made in the township. Among these settlers last men- tioned was John Kearns, a man of sterling worth, industrious, skillful, and of con- siderable ability for business. He settled a mile north of the Center, on the farm now owned by Henry Smith. He was an ardent supporter of the church in general, and of his own, the Methodist Episcopal, in particular. At his death, in 1839, he was one of the wealthiest men in the township.
Wooster was the nearest point of trade, but it was a poor place to sell produce of any kind. Wheat and flour were often hauled to Cleveland, and hogs were driven there as the nearest market.
There are five villages in the township: Burbank, Golden Corners, Windsor (or Canaan Center), Jackson and Pike.
George Sommers was born November 23, 1795, in Rockingham county, Virginia, and moved with his parents to Pennsylvania when six years old. In 1816 he came to Canaan, entered land and made some improvements and settled there permanently in December, 1819, on the south-west quarter of section 32. By in- dustry and economy he soon got a comfortable home for himself and family, and at present is the oldest living of the pioneers. He had the following children: Demas, Joseph, Abraham, Levi, Philip, Jonas, Rebecca and Mary. He read and spoke the Ger- man and English languages, always a good citizen, an active mem- ber in building up and maintaining the church, and served for sev- eral years as township Trustee.
John Hough was born February 26, 1805, in Pennsylvania, and immigrated to Wayne township in 1822. In 1839 he removed to Canaan township. April 28, 1828, he was married to Magdalena Feightner, by whom he had six children. For a number of years he taught school, teaching both English and German. He served as Justice of the Peace for thirteen years. Esteemed by all who knew him, he died April 24, 1877.
John D. Heckert, born in Virginia, of German origin, settled in the western part of Canaan township about the year 1828 with his wife and family. He died in 1844, having, by untiring labor and prudent management, acquired a competency and won the
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reputation of being a public-spirited, enterprising, benevolent and honorable man.
Joseph Stratton was born in Sussex county, New Jersey, May 16, 1788, and in December, 1817, immigrated to Canaan township with his wife and five children, settling on the southwest quarter of section 17. Few men were ever more implicitly trusted and es- teemed by his neighbors than "Uncle Joseph," as he was famil- iarly called. At the first election in 1819, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and twice afterwards elected to the same office, hold- ing, also, other offices. He was an active friend of schools, and a zealous member of the M. E. Church. His death took place De- cember 20, 1836. He was the father of eleven children, five of whom are living, Daniel residing on the old homestead, and two others near by.
Simon Kenney was born in East Hartford, Connecticut, Sep- tember 29, 1790, but lived in New York state when he removed to Ohio, in the fall of 1822, first settling on the Killbuck, ten miles north-west of Coshocton, where he had entered land. After remaining there a year he removed to Wayne county, settling on the place where he and his son Champion now live, where he entered 160 acres and purchased more, until at one time he possessed 420 acres. He was twice married, first to Polly Daniels, who died in seven years, leaving two children, who also died; second, to Sarah Shanklin, a native of Oswego county, New York, by which marriage he had three sons and two daughters, as follows: Sarah, Thomas, John, Champion and Urilla. Simon Kenney was a sol- dier in the war of 1812, and is a Government pensioner for that service.
Canaan Academy,-This was one of the first institutions of learning in Wayne county, located in Windsor. The building, a two-story frame, 36x48, was erected in 1842 by a stock company. The Academy was controlled by a Board of Direct- ors, the first Board consisting of John Paul, M. D., Jonas Notestine, Justin Mills, Harvey Rice and Alfred Hotchkiss. The school was opened December 3, 1843, with forty-seven pupils, under the instruction of Prof. C. C. Bomberger, A. B., who taught three years. Revs. Barr and Barker had charge during the summer of 1847 ; succeeded in the winters of 1847 and 1848 by Prof. Isaac Notestine, who, with short intervals, remained in charge until 1863. After that year the school was taught by a number of Professors until 1875, when it was, perhaps, permanently closed, Professor J. W. Cummings then having charge. While Professor Notestine was teaching, in the winter of 1851, the house was burned down, and the present brick building erected. It is conceded that the Canaan Academy has been an im portant factor in the educational work of this and adjoining counties.
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