USA > Ohio > Erie County > History of the Fire lands, comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers > Part 105
USA > Ohio > Huron County > History of the Fire lands, comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers > Part 105
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Jonathan Bryant, the same year, settled in the second section, a short distance south of the Harrison burying-ground. He soon after moved to Birming- ham, and resided there the remainder of his life. Mr. Bryant was, for many years, a justice of the peace of this township.
John Denman, a native of England, came to Florence from Sullivan county, New York, in 1816, making the journey afoot, with his knapsack on his back. Three years afterward, he married Marinda Blackman, and settled on lot number seventy-eight, in the first section, erecting his cabin where the apple orchard now is, southeast of the present frame house.
That orchard he planted from seed that he brought from the East in his knapsack. Mr. Denman died on his original location, March 23, 1878, within two days of eighty-seven years of age. Mrs. Denman still occupies the old homestead, aged seventy-six. They had a family of fifteen children, who lived to mature age, and were married. Twelve are now living.
In the same year. Harley Mason, and his brother Chauncey, with a one-horse wagon and a few tools,
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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
came in. Harley was a millwright, and had started for Cincinnati to obtain work at his trade. When he got to Florence, he found William Blackman engaged in the erection of a saw mill on the Vermillion, and he went in partnership with him. After the mill was built, he traded his interest in it to Blackman, for the farm now occupied by Hiram Smith. December 29, 1819, he married Susan Cahoon, daughter of Wilber Cahoon, a pioneer of the township of Avon, Lorain county. Mr. Mason was one of the active business men of the township. He was much engaged in milling, and was also a large owner of land. He died in February, 1851. His widow still survives, and lives with a son, a short distance north of the place on which her husband first located. There were twelve children, five of whom are living, viz .: Wilber T., Norman and Lodema, wife of John Poyer, in this township; Charles, in Clyde, 'Ohio; and Huldah (Mrs. John Marsh), in Iowa.
Chauncey Mason, who came in with his brother, Harley, lived on rented land for a number of years, and then removed to Michigan.
In the fall of 1816, Bowen Case came to Florence, from Auburn, New York, with Aaron Parsons and family. Parsons settled where Job Fish now lives. He finally moved to Wakeman, and his widow now resides there. Mr. Case married, December 25, 1829, Amanda Brumdadge, of Vermillion, and settled half a mile north of Florence corners. He resided there until twelve years ago, when he moved to the corners, where he has since resided. He is now aged seventy- four, and is living with his second wife.
The first settlers at Birmingham, formerly called Mecca, were Perez Starr and Uriah Hawley, whe settled there in 1816. Starr came from Portage connty, and his brothers, William, Jared and Dudley, came in about the same time. Hiram, a son of Perez Starr, occupies the place on which his father settled. Hawley located on the place now occupied by Charles Bristol. He subsequently moved to Brownhelm, and finally to Iowa, where he died. Starr and Hawley were both active business men, and some of their enterprises are elsewhere mentioned.
Isaac and John Furman and their families came into the township in 1817. The former settled a short distance east of Sprague's corners, and always lived there afterwards. John settled on the river, but finally moved to Richland county.
In the fall of the same year, Richard Brewer and his brother Peter, and his family, moved in from Delaware county, New York. Peter Brewer located where widow Harrison now lives. Richard married Nancy Shaeffer,, daughter of Lambert Shaeffer, and began pioneer life on the hill just north of his brother. He now lives west of Birmingham, on the road to Florence corners, aged ninety years-one of the oldest residents of the township.
Asahel Parker and family settled near where Mrs. James Wood now lives, in the year 1818. He died
many years ago, and his son William W., residing in Florence, is the only survivor of the family.
In the summer of 1818 William Carter and family moved in from New York and settled at the " forks of the river," above Birmingham. He died there in 1853.
Jedediah Higgins and several sons and their fami- lies came into the township in 1819 and settled in the same locality. Aaron Higgins established a tannery there at an early date, but subsequently moved it down the river to Birmingham, where he afterwards erected a large frame building and carried on shoe making in connection with his other business. The works were finally destroyed by fire.
Chester King and family emigrated to Florence from Hartford, Connecticut, in 1819, the journey, which was made with a horse team and wagon, con- suming six weeks. Mr. King first settled on the present location of the Mason family burying ground. A few years afterwards he changed his location to Chapelle creek, where he subsequently had a saw mill for a number of years. He soon after moved to the place now occupied by his son, Joseph King, and there spent the remainder of his days. In the early years of his settlement Mr. King was much of the time at work in his mill, and often remained at work there until late into the night. Once, when returning home with a piece of venison, he was pursued by a pack of wolves, the hungry animals crowding so closely upon his footsteps that he was compelled to abandon his meat and run for dear life for his home. Mr. King was born in Hartford county, Connecticut, in 1784. He married Jemima Smith, of Lyme, Con- necticut, and was the father of seven children. He died in Florence in March, 1861, and his wife in Feb- ruary, 1854. Four of the children are now living, as follows: Chester C., in Vermillion; Hiram, at Hills- dale, Michigan; Rosanna E., married John E. Fuller (deceased), and resides at Norwalk; Joseph, living in Florence on the old homestead, married January 1, 1850, Melona Masters, of Berlin. They have two children living and one deceased.
In 1824, Jacob Shoff came into the township from Guildhall, Vermont. January, 1829, he married (his first wife having died in Vermont) Sally Haise, whose father, John Haise, settled, about the year 1826, a mile north of Florence corners. Mr. Shoff settled on the farm adjoining that of his father-in-law on the north, where Jeremiah Baker now lives. He resided here until abont thirty years ago, when he moved a little west of Birmingham, where he lived until his death, May 9, 1859. Mrs. Shoff survives, aged seventy-two. There were five children, four of whom are living, and three in this township. Horatio N. Shoff is the proprietor of the Shoff House, on the old Russell stand, in Birmingham. He erected the build- ing in 1872, the former building occupying the same site, having burned down the fall before.
George W. Clary has resided in this township for nearly forty years. His father, Colonel Elihu Clary,
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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
was among the earliest pioneers of the Fire-lands, being the first settler of Peru township, Huron county. Mr. Clary was married to Eliza Chandler in 1844, and resides a mile south of Birmingham.
John Hill, a native of England, emigrated to the United States in 1819. He resided in Cayuga county, New York, until 1824, when he removed to Florence, having, the year before, purchased a farm on lot forty-eight in the fourth section. He died on this place March 5, 1879. His first wife died in 1842, and he subsequently married the widow of Henry Bishop, formerly Miss Clark, whose widowed mother came to Florence in 1811.
Silas Wood was a resident of the township for a number of years, and was prominently identified with its industrial interests. He came to Ohio from Penn- sylvania, with his parents, in 1824, who settled in Greenfield, Huron county, He soon after began work for Seba Mather, who was, at that time, operating a fulling factory, on Huron river, east of Greenfield Center. Mr. Wood continued in his employ until he was twenty-one years of age. He then entered into the employ of Hawley & Whittlesey, proprietors of a clothing factory at Terryville, and a year afterwards became a partner. That was in the fall of 1826. In 182", he married Hannah Ennes, whose parents had come to Birmingham a few years previous. After continuing in the clothing factory some six years, he sold and removed to Berlin, where he lived on a farm for a year, and then purchased and settled in Henrietta, on the Calvin Leonard farm, where he resided about twenty years. He then took up his residence at Birmingham, where, the year before, he had established a store in connection with L. S. Griggs. He soon after erected the present stone grist mill at Birmingham, and subsequently the saw mill, having previously disposed of his store. A year or two after the completion of the mill, he sold a half interest to Hiram Arnold, and a few years later the rest to a Mr. Bartlett. He then re-engaged in trade at Birmingham, in which he continued until his death. He died suddenly, with goods in his hands, October 30, 1866. Mrs. Wood died on the 22d of November, 1873.
Mr. Wood was a man of great energy of character, and acquired a fine property. He was the father of five children, four of whom are living, viz: Mrs. Althida Arnold and George S. Wood, at Birmingham, and Mrs. Hannah A. Kline and Mrs. Sarah A. Strauss, at Oberlin.
David L. Hill settled where he now lives. (lot num- ber eleven, section three), in 1832. The country was still quite new in that quarter, and he had nothing to begin with in the woods but his ax. He has labored hard all his life, and his industry and economy have been rewarded by the acquirement of a fine property. He was born July 22, 1791, and was a soldier in the war of 1812. His first wife died December 18, 1875, and he married for his second wife, December 31, 1817, Mrs. Hall, widow of Aaron Hall, with whom
he is now living. Mr. Hill is the father of eight children, three of whom are living.
EARLY EVENTS.
Caroline, daughter of Ezra Sprague, was the first white child born in the township. The date of her birth was May 13, 1810. She became the wife of H. F. Merry, of Sandusky City, (now deceased). Mrs. Merry is now hving with a daughter at Sandasky.
The first marriage was that of Thomas Starr and Clementina Clark. They were married in the spring of 1814, by Esquire Abijah Comstock. The ceremony took place at the residence of the bride's mother, in the old block-house. It is said that every body in the township attended, and the house was not crowded either. The next couple married was John Brooks, Jr., and Adaline Squire. They were married by Rev. Nathan Smith, the first minister in the place. The date of the marriage the writer is unable to state, but it probably occurred in 1815 or 1816,
The first person that died in the township, was the mother of Judge Meeker, the date of which is not known. She was buried on the banks of the La Chapelle. The second death was that of Sally Brooks, daughter of John Brooks, Sr. She died in 1813.
The first burying ground was on Uriah Hawley's land. a short distance south of his house, where he buried his wife, September 18, 1818. Ten or fifteen persons were subsequently buried there, but as there was no road leading to the ground, the present burying place was selected, and the bodies removed there, from the old burying ground, in 1825.
A man by the name of Wolverton started the first blacksmith shop, which was of rather a unique char- acter. He had his anvil on a stump, and rigged his bellows up between two trees. He frequently changed his location, so that, it is said, his shop was co-exten- sive with the township. A traveler passing along one day, lost a shoe from his horse's foot, and inquired of a man he met if there was a blacksmith shop near by. " Yes," was the reply, "you are are in it now, but it is three miles to the anvil." Wolverton also opened at Florence corners the first public house. He was succeeded, a short time afterwards, by J. Baker, who kept a tavern at the corners for many years. He built the large framed building there, on the southeast corner, which he formerly kept as a tavern. now occupied as a dwelling by his son. At Birmingnam, Charles L. Russell kept hotel, where the Shoff House now stands, for many years.
EARLY SCHOOLS.
The first school house was built at Sprague's Corn- ers on land owned by John Brooks, Sr., lot number thirty-seven, section four. The first teacher was Ruth Squire, daughter of Joab Squire, and afterwards wife of Erastus French, of Wakeman. The school derived its support from the parents of the scholars, who paid in proportion to the number sent. The school bonse was subsequently taken down, and rebuilt on the
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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
south side of the road. Adaline Squire, a sister of Ruth, who afterwards became the wife of John Brooks, Jr., was also one of the earliest teachers.
The second school house built in the township was located half a mile west of Birmingham, and Rhoda Root kept the first school in it. Her practice of opening the school with prayer was the cause of some displeasure to a certain individual, and a school meet- ing was held on one occasion, to consider his griev- ance, which resulted in the teacher being sustained. A few years after, a school house was erected in the village of Birmingham.
CHURCHES.
The earliest religions meetings were held at the house of Eli S. Barnum, at Florence Corners, at which itinerant preachers officiated.
The first religious society organized was of the Con- gregational order. The meeting was held at the house of Mr. Barnum, a missionary by the name of Loomis officiating on the occasion. The society included members from this township, Vermillion, Wakeman, and Clarksfield. The present Congregational church at Florence corners was organized January 7, 1832, by a committee of the presbytery of Huron, consist- ing of J. B. Bradstreet, Xenophon Betts, and Samuel Dunton. The following are the names of the mem= bers who joined at the time of the organization: Charles Whittlesey and wife, David Shaver and wife, Simeon Crane and wife, Uriah Hawley, Mrs. Mary A. Baker, Mrs. Tryphena Leonard, Mrs. Ruth Hines, Mrs. Mary Barnum, Mrs. Sarah M. Dunton, Mrs. Alice Olds, Mrs. Hannah Haise, Mrs. Betsey Thomp- son, John Phillips and wife. Uriah Hawley was chosen clerk.
The church building was completed in 1842, cost- ing two thousand and twelve dollars, the lot for which was donated by Jessup Wakeman. The church for several years after its organization was supplied by preachers from neighboring towns. The first regular pastor was the Rev. Eldad Barber, who was called October 10, 1842. He officiated as pastor of the church for nearly thirty years, and his labors ended only with his death, in the spring of 1871. He was followed by Hubbard Lawrence, who continned until April, 1828. Rev. Mr. Hale then preached for the church until August of the same year, since when Rev. Mr. Wright has officiated as pastor. The pres- ent membership of the church is fourteen. Thomas A. McGregor is church clerk.
The First Congregational church, in Birmingham, was originally of the Presbyterian order, and was or- ganized in the year 1838, by a committee consisting of Philo Wells and Mr. Xenophon Betts, of Vermillion, and Joseph Swift, of Henrietta. The members were: Philo Wells and wife, Calvin Leonard and wife, Joseph Swift and wife; Xenodhon Betts and wife, and a few others whose names are not remembered. In February, 1845, the church, by amendment of its charter, adopted the congregational form, but con-
tinned under the care of the presbytery until Jan- uary, 1874, when it withdrew therefrom. Eldad Barber was probably the first preacher. Rev. Good- ell and Carlisle preached at a later date, after which Mr. Barber again officiated. The last pastor was Rev. C. C. Creegan, of Wakeman. The membership at present is about twenty-five. Charles Graves is clerk and A. Lawrence, deacon. The society do not hold regular services at present, and their building is occu- pied by the Methodist Episcopal society, Rev. Mr. Royce officiating once in two weeks. The Sabbath school numbers about sixty scholars. David Leonard is superintendent.
The Methodists held meetings at the old log school house, one mile south of Florence corners as early as 1816 or 1817, at which Rev. Nathan Smith. the first preacher in the township, usually officiated. There are now two societies of this denomination in the township, one at Florence corners and another at Birmingham. The writer is unable to give the facts of their organization, although applying personally to many who were supposed to be able to furnish the necessary information. And a letter, with postage enclosed, addressed to the pastor of the church at Florence corners, who is said to have the early records of both churches, fails to elicit the courtesy of an an- swer.
A Baptist church was organized in 1818, at the house of Luther Norris, by John Rigdon, a minister from Richland county, and their meetings were held alternately at the house of Mr. Norris and at Florence corners. About the same time, a Baptist society was formed in Henrietta, Lorain county, where meetings were held in the school house about a mile east of Birmingham, and the Baptists in Florence subse- queutly united there. In July, 1837, by resolution of the church in Henrietta, a branch was organized at Birmingham, consisting of the following members: James and Catharine Daly, Henry and Mary Howe, John and Ann Blair, Richard and Catharine Langh- ton and Hannah Brown, and the society was called the "Henrietta and Birmingham Baptist Church." In May, 1840, the branch at Birmingham organized independently.
The Disciples church at Birmingham, was organ- ized in 1845, with about forty members. It continued prosperous, under the labors of able men, the mem- bership increasing to about seventy, when Sidney Rigdon, one of its preachers, embraced the doctrine of Mormonism, and drew off about one-half of the church. A house of worship was erected the same year, in which the society was organized, costing about twelve hundred dollars. Almon Andress, now of Birmingham, was the first elder of the church, and has continued as such for nearly fifty years. Jonathan Bryant officiated in the same capacity for some time. and Silas Wood was deacon. No regular services have been held for some time.
The Evangelical church, in the the first section, was formed about twenty years ago, at the school house
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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
just east of Mr. Clary's, with a membership of about twenty. In 1866, the present house of worship, on the county line, was erected, and cost about nine hundred dollars. The membership at present num- bers about what it did originally. Rev. George Has- senfing is pastor.
POST OFFICE.
The first mail route through the township extended from Cleveland to the old county seat on Huron river. The post office was at Florence corners, and Eli S. Barnum was the first postmaster. He kept the office in his dwelling, and continued postmaster for many years. His successors have been William F. Perry, Jeremiah Baker, and George P. Baker who continues to hold the office.
Cyrus Butler was the first postmaster at Birming- ham. G. W. Chandler is the present incumbent.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
Florence was organized as an independent township April 7, 1817. The first election for township officers was held at the log school house one mile south of Florence corners. Joab Sqnire was elected clerk; Eli S. Barnum, John Brooks, Sr., and Isaac Furman, trustees; Ezra Sprague, justice of the peace. The number of votes polled was seventeen.
The township officers elected on April, 1879, are as follows: W. J. Rowland, clerk; E. B. Peck, George Taylor and A. B. Denman, trustees; John H. Poyer, treasurer; Charles A. Heale, assessor; H. G. Thomp- son and N. G. Taft, justices of the peace.
MILLS AND MANUFACTURES.
In the summer of 1809, Almon Ruggles and his brother, in fulfillment of a contract with the propri- etors of the township, erected a grist mill on the Vermillon near the south town line. The mill was no sooner put in operation, than a sudden freshet swept mill, dam and everything before it. In 1811, the Messrs. Ruggles began the erection of another mill, on the La Chapelle, near the north line of the township, which was completed the next year. The mill proved a great convenience to the settlers not only in this, but in adjoining and more distant townships, as no grinding could be obtained short of Newburg or Cold creek. The proprietors subsequently added a saw mill. A number of years afterwards, the mills were bought by Harley Mason, who also built another saw mill on the same stream, a short distance above. The first saw mill in the township was built by Eli S. Barnum, on the La Chapelle, in the summer of 1810. On the same creek a saw mill was built, at an early date, by Job Smith. Smith was an early settler in Berlin, but afterwards removed to Brownhelm. The mention of his name recalls the following story: He is said at one time to have purchased a stock of goods in New York, for which he agreed to pay the owner five hundred coon skins, "taken as they run," by which the merchant naturally understood an aver-
age lot. But it appears that Smith attached, in this instance, at least, a very different meaning to the phrase. The skins not being delivered, the dealer came on to investigate the matter, and inquired of Smith when he would fulfill his contract. "Why." said Smith, "you were to take them as they run; the woods are full of them, take them when you please !"
The mill built by Smith, was afterwards owned and run for many years by Chester King. In 1816, William Blackman erected a saw mill on the Ver- million, above the forks of the river, where the stone quarry now is. Before completing it, Harley Mason came in and purchased a half interest. Soon after it was finished, Mason sold his interest to Blackman, receiving in exchange a farm of eighty aeres, now occupied by Mr. Hiram Smith. This proved a for- tunate transaction for Mason, and equally unfortunate for Blackman, for shortly afterwards a freshet carried away the dam. mill and all, leaving the owner without a dollar in the world. He then removed to New London, where he bettered his fortunes.
In 1816, Perez Starr, and his brother Dudley, erected a saw mill, and the next year a grist mill, on the Vermillion, on or near, the site of the present grist mill at Birmingham. Perez bought his brother out shortly afterwards, and carried on the business for a number of years, when they were bought out by Cyrus Butler, who operated them until his death. The next owner was Ahira Cobb, who subsequently traded then, with other property, to a man of the name of Dunham, of Cleveland, for property in that city. The mills burned down while Dunham owned them, and the mill-seat was afterwards purchased by Silas Wood, who, at the time, owned a stone grist mill farther up the river, built by Wines & Walker. This he then took down and moved to Birmingham, and erected the present grist mill, having, the year previous, in 1854, built a saw mill there. These mills are now owned by G. H. Arnold.
EARLY STORES.
The first store in the township appears to have been opened at Birmingham, by Erastus Butler. In the county assessor's list of merchants and traders, with their assessed capital, in Huron county, for the year 1826, he is the only trader mentioned for this township. The amount of his capital as given was eighteen hundred dollars. In 1828, the name of Cyrus Butler appears with only a capital of five hundred dollars. In 1829, Ferris & Wood, of Florence Cor- ners, were assessed on seven hundred and fifty dollars. In 1830, J. V. Vredenburg with six hundred dollars, J. L. Wood, six hundred dollars, and Charles P. Judson, seven hundred dollars, are mentioned.
Cyrus Butler, a pioneer merchant of Florence, and at one time the owner of the old mills at Birming- ham, had, at one time, a forge, a short distance below the mills, and manufactured bar iron for a few years, the ore for which was obtained in Vermillion. The works finally went off in a freshet. An ax factory
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IHISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
was formerly carried on there, for a short time, by a man by the name of Pratt.
Birmingham, as we have seen, from the mention of some of its early enterprises, was once a place of con- siderable business activity. It had, among its busi- ness men, such men as Perez Starr, Ahira Cobb, Uriah Hawley, Silas Wood and others,-men of great energy, business experience and property. The vil- lage neglected the opportunity, once presented, of securing a railroad and its glory has long since de- parted. And at Terryville, where onee was heard the busy hum of industry, is now a collection of only a few old houses.
Birmingham is now a place of some two hundred and fifty inhabitants, with three churches, two school houses, one grist mill, one saw mill, one hotel, one
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