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 119

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.)
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : Press of Leader Printing Company
Number of Pages: 726

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 119
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 119

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The islands thus situated were Island No. 6, also known as Cunningham's (now Kelley's) Island and the Bass, or Put-in-Bay Islands. The matter was finally compromised by the parties interested, the Fire-land proprietors agreeing to establish, as their north line, the south shore of Lake Erie, deducting, however, the waters of Sandusky Bay.

The Peninsula of Marble Head, in Danbury town- ship and a part of Van Rensalaer township, both now in Ottawa county, were, by this compromise, in- cluded in the Fire-lands, although, like the islands, were not considered of any particular value. Thus the Bass Islands and Cunningham's Islands, though "lying directly north of the Fire-lands and between that tract and the _territorial line, were thrown out and never became a part of the Fire-lands, but re- mained a part of the Western Reserve. Cunning- ham's Island, therefore, still remaining a part of the Western Reserve, was held by the company, as were some other townships, as an "equalizing " township so-called. The origin of these equalizing townships was, that in dividing the land of the Reserve com- pany among the different proprietors, the divisions were necessarily somewhat uneqnal, and these equal- izing townships were divided pro rata among such as

it was supposed had not received their share in the division. .

Thus Cunningham's Island, which at that time was supposed to be of little value, was divided in lots among the different individuals who were proprietors in the Western Reserve Land Company or their heirs, to whom, in this division of the Western Reserve land, the township of Carlisle, then in Huron, now in Lorain county, had been set off, and to which town- ship the island had been annexed for equalizing pur- poses. The cedar and mulberry stakes and trees marking the lines and corners of the lots into which the island was divided (thirteen in number) are some of them still standing, and one, a mulberry stake marking the corners of three lots, bearing the sur- veyor's mark and date of March, 1819, plainly legible, was in its place a year or two since.

This survey of the islands was made by Judge Jabez Wright, of Huron, and the aggregate number of acres in the thirteen lots, into which the islands was divided, was twenty-eight hundred and eighty- eight.

The data contained in the foregoing were obtained from several sources, but mostly from records of lands of the Reserve, preserved in the archives of the State of Connecticut, at Hartford.

We now leave the beaten tracks of recorded history and statistics, and emerge upon the fields of personal narrative and tradition.

The following narrative from the personal recollec- tions of Mr. Henry Ellithorpe, and the recollections and traditions of those who preceded him as inhabit- ants of the islands, will be found of interest to many of the present day, particularly these who will recog- nize the locations named, and is doubtless as authen- tic as any information that can be obtained at this late day, in the absence of any manuscript or other records. Such of the incidents as are related as coming under the personal observation of Mr. Elli- thorpe can be relied upon; and the discrepancies and inaccuracies that may occur will be those in which tradition takes the place of personal observation, and perhaps in some of the dates, as we must not look for entire accuracy in dates where no written record was kept, and when some of the dates, like portions of the narrative, are also traditionary.

CUNNINGHAM.

The first white settler upon the island, of whom anything is known, was a Frenchman by the name of Cunningham. He was an Indian trader, so called,

* By Wm. S. Webb.

(510)

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

buying of the Indians their furs, maple sugar and peltry, and furnishing them in exchange such articles as they needed or fancied, as blankets, trinkets, and doubtless also whisky, in those days considered a sta- ple article in the stock of an Indian trader. This Cunningham came to the island about the year 1808, as nearly as can now be ascertained. He made a small clearing, and built a cabin, or trading shanty, near the southwest corner of the present Estes farm; remained here until the year 1812, about the time of the declara- tion of war with Great Britain, which was on the 18th of June of the year when he left. There is a legend that he became involved in an affray with the Indians in which he was badly wounded but escaped to the peninsula where he soon after died of his wounds. But this was not sustained (according to Mr. Ellithorpe) by the accounts of Poschile and Bebo, who, it will hereafter be seen, came to the island some two years after Cunningham, and who claimed that he left the island at the same time they did, upon the breaking out of the war of 1812, and that he was killed in some one of the skirmishes with British and Indians on the peninsula.

From this man Cunningham the island took its name, not because he held any claim of ownership, but merely to distinguish it from the other islands in the vicinity. It, however, retained the name, "Con- ningham's Island," was known by no other, was so put down on the maps of the State and of the United States, until it was erected into a township of Erie county, and its name changed to the one it now bears, by act of the legislature, passed January 21, 1840, as in the course of this history will hereafter appear.

POSCHILE AND BEBO.

In the year 1810, two other Frenchmen (heretofore referred to), Poschile and Bebo, settled upon the island. Bebo cleared a piece of land, and built a cabin on the southwest point of the island, a little to the north of what is now known as Carpenter's maple grove. Poschile also made a clearing, which extended from the ravine near the residence of W. S. Webb, to a point near the present site of N. Kelley & Co's upper wharf.

The road running along the south shore of the island is north of the site of his cabin, which has long since been washed away by the waters of the lake. Bebo and Poschile both left the island in 1812. The former was taken prisoner by the Indians, during the war, but made his escape, or was released, and re- turned to the peninsula. Both of these persons died some years since. At the time of the war, and while in command of the "Army of the Northwest," General Harrison kept a guard stationed on the west point of the island, for the purpose of observing the move- ments of the British and Indians on the lake. The camp occupied by this guard was situated upon the clearing made by Bebo, and in 1828 the cedar tent stakes were yet standing, marking the site of the en- campment.

It was in the harbor, on the south side of the island, making preparations for the anticipated con- flict, which followed on the 10th day of September, 1814, that Perry lay with his fleet for a time previous to that event. Here he received on board the Thirty- six Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky volunteers from General Harrison's army; and here he was visited by General Harrison, who was accompanied by his aids, Cass and McArthur, for the purpose of holding an interview in relation to the expected naval engage- ment, ever afterwards known as the "Battle of Lake Erie," which resulted so gloriously to the American flag, and which, being followed by the victory of Harrison, on the Thames, over the British and Indians, under Proctor and Tecumseh, virtually closed the war.

KILLAM.

It is not known that there were any persons resid- ing on the island permanently from the time Cun- ningham, Poschile and Bebo left, in 1812, until the year 1818, when a man, named Killam, came to the · island with his family and one or two men. The houses which had been built on the island, by the set- tlers who preceded him, having been burned during the war, Killam built a cabin on the Poschile clearing, a short distance northeast from the site of the Poschile cabin. The foundation of the chimney, of the Killam house, is still visible.

The steamboat "Walk-in-the-Water," the first ever built upon the lakes, was built, or "came out " this vear (1818), and Killam was employed in furnishing her with fuel, which had to be "boated out" to the steamer; the timber was all red cedar, and was cut, the most of it, from the west half of lot six, the present county road, known as "Division street," bounding the eastern edge of the "slash," or clearing made in cutting the wood. About the time that Killam moved to the island (in 1818), a Captain Coit also came, with a sail boat, and found partial employment in ferrying passengers to and from San- dusky and the island for the steamboat, as the latter did not go into Sandusky every trip, but sent and re- ceived her Sandusky and Venice passengers in this way,-the latter, it is said, having, at that time, been as important a point as the former.

The "Walk-in-the-Water " was wrecked on the 19th of October, 1820, having gone ashore at Point Albino, and the trade in cedar wood was destroyed, as was also the passenger business, at least so far as the foreign travel by the steamboat was concerned, and it is not probable that the local trade in that line was very heavy or remunerative at that early day.

Killam and his family left the island in the year 1820, after the loss of "The Steamboat," as, being the first and only one, she was distinctively called, as did also Captain Coit, and it is not known that there were any permanent residents here until the year 1826.

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

BARNUM AND GRUMMETS.

There were, however, at times, between these dates, two men on the island who had been employed by Killam in getting out wood, but they could hardly be called residents after Killam's departure, as they made the island their home only as their necessities required, for the purpose of "appropriating" cedar and disposing of it in exchange for the necessaries of life, one large item of which with them was whisky. The names of the parties were Barnum and Grum- mets, as the latter was called, though this, it is said, was not his true name.

Barnum, after Killam's departure, built a cabin on what has ever since, from that circumstance, been called Barnum's Point, on the east end of the island, the location being not far from the beach on the J. E. Woodford farm. The bottom, or foundation logs, of red cedar, still mark the site of this cabin, a few rods northeast of the former residence of Mr. Wood- ford.

Some difficulty having arisen between these parties a bitter antagonism ensned, which resulted in the killing of Grummets by Barnum, as the latter stated it, by his shooting the former with a rifle at a mo- ment when he (Grummets) was, rifle in hand, watch- ing an opportunity to kill Barnum as he made his appearance at the door of his cabin. One cause of the trouble was stated to be a quarrel over some cedar. Another was said to be in relation to a certain female who occasionally came to the island, and lived with Barnum. It is probable that both had their influ- ence. Barnum himself informed anthorities of the killing: an examination was had, and he was dis- charged, there being no evidence beside his own and he claiming justification in the plea of self-de- fense. He stated that he disposed of the body of Grummets by placing it in a leaky skiff, which, bal- lasted with a quantity of stone sufficient to insure its sinking when it should reach deep water, he sent adrift during the prevalence of a strong southwest wind, thus precluding the possibility of Grummets troubling him any further. There was also a legend that the body of Grommets was found on the island at a place privately indicated by Barnum, and that it was taken possession of by a, then, prominent San- dusky physician for anatomical purposes. The killing of Grummets occurred in the latter part of 1825 or early in 1826. Barnum was living, a few years since, at some place in Connectient.

FIRST PERMANENT LETTERS.

In 1826, Elisha Ellis and Peter Shook obtained from Eldred, (one of the original proprietors under the Western Reserve Company), contracts for two small pieces of land situated in the southwest corner of lot ten. These contracts comprised a part of the farm now owned by James Estes,-Ellis' lands being lo- ented on the east part of the Estes' farm, and Shooks' on the west. Ellis built a house on his lot, and with

his wife moved into it. The chimney foundations of this house were visible a few years since a short dis- tance east of Mrs. Estes' former residence. Shook never settled upon the island; in fact, never re- turned after his purchase, made no payments nor improvements, thus forfeiting his contract. In 1827 Mr. Ellis and wife, and Samuel Beardsley and wife, (who lived in the house with Ellis), composed the total of the inhabitants of the island. In February of 1828 Mrs. Beardsley died, and was buried on the banks of the lake, a short distance east of the house. In June of 1828, Mr. Henry Ellithorpe came to the island for the purpose of engaging in the business of raising stock, the entire territory being then a "free commons. "

During the fall of this year, two young ladies, neices of Mrs. Ellis, Mary Kellogg and Abigail Brooks (who came to the Islands during the preced- ing summer), were taken sick at the house of Mr. Ellis. Mary Kellogg died and was buried near Mrs. Beardsley. Abigail Brooks was taken to Sandusky and died there soon after her removal. The place of interment of Mrs. Beardsley and Mary Kellogg has long since disappeared, having been washed away by the encroachment of the waters of the lake.

During the winter of 1828-9 Mr. Ellis and wife. Mr. Henry Ellithorpe, and Frank Saunders, who worked for Ellis, were the only inhabitants.

In the summer of 1829, Ira B. Henderson and family moved to the island, remained a short time, and left. During the winter of 1829-30 Mr. Ellis and wife, Henry Ellithorpe and E. T. Smith, (known as "Tinker Smith,") formed the total population, the latter having come here during the preceding sum- mer or fall. In June of 1830, Nicholas Haskins and wife, and eight or nine children, and soon after Luther Ladd, wife and four children, and William Goodwin, wife and three children, became residents of the island. Haskins built a cabin near the west edge of the South Pond, on the site known as the "Old Burying Ground" on the farm of Addison Kelley. Ladd built near the point where the Hunt- ington Quarry Railroad track crosses the road, and Goodwin moved into the house built and occupied by Killam.

On the 26th of December, 1830, Henry Ellithorpe was married, at Sandusky, to Elizabeth Neal. He re- turned to the island with his wife in January, 1831, crossing on the ice with an span of horses and sleigh, and also bringing with him six head of cattle. Mr. Ellithorpe and wife lived in the same house with Mr. Ellis during the balance of the winter, and in the spring of 1831 he built a cedar house on the bank of the lake, on the south side a few rods west of the mouth of the creek known as the "Tiber, " into which he moved about the middle of April, 1831. In this house was born on the sixth day of October, 1832, Cyrus Ellithorpe, son of Henry and Elizabeth Elli- thorpe, "The first white child born on the Island.', according to the narrative of Mr. Ellithorpe.

Sera Kelley

Datus Kelley

SARA KELLEY, daughter of Samuel and Mary Weller Dean, was born at West- field, Mass., April 5, 1789; removed to Martinsburg, N. Y., while quite young. At the age of twenty-two years was married to Datus Kelley, and removed directly to Rockport, Ohio, where she lived twenty-five years, one of the fore- most women in acts of benevolence, and in giving cheer and assistance to the despondent in the trials and privations of their new homes in the wilderness. Sha would often take her baby in her lap and ride, on horseback, six or eight miles to a neighbor's to take care of the sick. Her example in industry and economy had much to do in molding society, and in its culture and advance- ment.

In 1836 the family moved to Cunningham's Island (now Kelley's), where she again commenced a pioneer life, sod was the only nurse aud doctor for many years. The number of namesakes she has in various families on the island is B testimonial of the high esteem in which she was regarded. She died March 21, 1864, having survived her golden wedding three years.

Daniel Kelley, Jr., was a clothier, had some interest in a grist-mill, and was in comfortable circumstances for the times in which he lived; but finding him- Belf blessed with a large family of growing hoys,-six in numlier,-to better their fortune he resolved to try life in a new country, and in the winter of 1799, when Datus was hut one year old, he moved with his family to Lowville, N. Y. Here Datus remained until he was twenty-two years of age, when, be- lieving Lowvilla too frosty a region for prosperous agriculture, he concluded, in his tura, to migrate and seek a new and better country ; consequently we find that, in the spring of 1810, he took his pack upon his back and started on foot for the West, prospecting. He arrived in Cleveland, then a mere villages of three or four hundred souls and containing four frame honses, on July 1, 1810. He did not, however, find a place that entirely pleased him, and returned to Lowville the same season. He seemed, however, not to have been dis- couraged in seeking for a home in the West, for we find him the next spring, again ou foot, with his pack, at Oswego, from whence he sailed to Lewiston, and from there walked to Black Rock, and took a vessel for Cleveland, where he arrived io May. This time he was as unsuccessful as before in finding a place that suited his idea of a home, but was so wall pleased with the country in general that he concluded to return home, take to himself a wife, and run the risk of finding the desired location afterward; trusting, as all sensible swains should, in the greater wisdom of woman to " guide to the right place." Aug. 21, 1811, the family record statea: Datus Kalley married Sara Dean, of Martinsburg, N. Y. The following year Mr. Kelley and bride, with a Miss Dean, sister of Mrs. Kelley, sailed for Cleveland, in the schooner " Zephyr." They anchored off the mouth of the Cuyahoga, and were landed, together with their freight, in small boats, and at once commenced housekeeping in a warehouse until the right spot could he found to locate a farm. This was found about eight miles west of Cleveland, on;the lake shore. Here he pur- chased one hundred and sixty-four acres of land, at $3.18 per acre. The place is now known as the "Gov. Wood farm." The family immediately moved into a little cuhin on an adjoining farm until a house could be huilt, which took just ten days. At this time there was no nearer settlement on the east than Cleveland, aud on the west than Black River, twenty miles away. The Indians swarmed along the shore io aummer, but disappeared in winter.

When the great fright which followed Hull's surrender swept along the ahore of Lake Erie and depopulated all the settlements, Mr. Kelley thought the Indians too friendly to do much harm, and did not leave his home; but once he pulled the latch-string in, and put a nail over the latch for safety, but never repeated it; ever after his latch-string hung outside, and friend or fue could walk in or out nt nny time of day or night.

In, 1813, Mr. Kelley was drafted, but hired Chester Dean as a substitute, paying him his wages in addition to his puy from the government. Times were hard,-floor cost $20 per barrel, very poor cotton-cloth 75 cents per yard, and

everything else in proportion. Mr. Kelley resided here twenty years, during which time he converted his forest home into a beautiful and well-regulated farm. During a part of this time he assisted in making surveys of portions of the " Reserve."

In the year 1833, Datus Kelley, in connection with his brother Irad, bought Cunningham's Island (now Kelley's), in Lake Erie, with the view of bringing into market the red cedar timber with which much of the island was then covered. At this time there were only three or four families (squatters) on the island, and only six acres of cleared land. His trips from his home, in Rock- port, to the island were usually made on foot to the point on the main land, where he took boats for the island.

In 1836, Mr. Kelley moved his family to his island home, where he resided, surrounded by his children and children's children, until his death. His first effort, by way of public improvements, was in building docks for a steamboat landing, which were commenced in 1833, and much enlarged in 1835.

He always maintained that education and habits of industry and sobriety were essential means to success in life, and much of the prosperity of the island is due to his precepts and example in these matters. Hence, as soon as his ducks were made to answer the purpose, he turned his attention to the erection of a school-house. This was the first frame building on the island, and was erected at the expense of the two brothers. The house is still stand- ing, north of George Kelley's. His school-days were mostly spent in a new country ; hence his school-house education was somewhat neglected, but his reading was so extensive that few had s more general knowledge of history and geography, or of scientific and religious subjects. As an evidence of the interest Mr. Kelley felt in matters of public education, ja its unrestricted sense, he left behind him an enduring testimonisl. He erected at his own expense n commodious and neatly finished and furnished stone chapel or hall. This he gave into keeping of trustees, to be used by the islanders for school pur- poses, and for all worthy objects, both religious and secular.

As doer of the faith that was in him, Mr. Kelley was an energetic, practical man, and generally worked out his business plans successfully, insomuch that for many of the last years of his life he was in easy circumstances. In his moral convictions he was strictly honest and upright, and had a great desire for the well-being of his fellow-men. Datus Kelley died Jan. 24, 1866, aged seveaty-seven years and nine months.

Joseph Kelley married Lydia Lord, and was among the first settlers of Norwich, Cono.

Daniel Kelley, Sr., son of Joseph, was born in 1724, and married Abigail Reynolds, at Norwich, Conn.

Daniel, Jr., son of Daniel, Sr., was born at Norwich, Nov. 27, 1755, and mer- ried Jemima Stow. He died at Cleveland, Ohio, Aug. 7, 1831, at the age of seventy-six years.

Datus Kelley, son of Daniel, Jr., was born at Middletowu, Conn., April 24, 1788. He married Sara Dean, Aug. 21, 1811, at Martinsburg, N. Y. She was boro, April 5, 1789, at Westfield, Mass. They had born to them Addison, June 11, 1812; he married Ann Marilla Millard, Oct. 12, 1837 ; they had born to them five children. Julius, born Feh. 3, 1814, and married Mary A. Ilitch- cock, March 29, 1836; have had four children. Daniel, born Sept. 26, 1815, and died Jan. 4, 1836. Samuel, born June 23, 1817, and died Ang. 16, 1818. Emeline, born June 10, 1819; married George C. Huntington, Nov. 9, 1837; had four children. Caroline, born April 15, 1821 ; married Charles Curpeutar, Nov. 7, 1844; have had four children, Betaey, born Dec. 18, 1823; married Win. S. Webli, Sept. 10, 1845; have had three children. Alfred S., born Dec. 23, 1826; married Hannah Farr, May 21, 1857; have one child. William D., boru . Sept. 7, 1828, married Lydia Remington, Aug. 7, 1854, ond (second) married Marcella Dean, March 20, 1856 ; have two children.

513

HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

The site of this house, originally six or eight rods from the bank of the lake, has disappeared-the red cedar logs, of which the house was built, having been cut up and sold for fence posts nearly thirty years after its erection. It will be observed that in the state- ment, that "Cyrus Ellithorpe was the first white child born on the Island," the narrative of Mr. Elli- thorpe has been followed. In this connection it is as well to state that there was a legend that in the fall of 1814, a Mr. Allen with his wife came to the is- land, intending to make it their home, that during the winter Mrs. Allen and her child, a day or two old, died, and were buried by the husband and father, who, by this calamity, was left the only living being upon the island; that after performing alone and un- assisted the mournful duty of the interment of his wife and child he left, and it is not known that he ever returned. Of course, as at this late day any verification of this statement is impossible, it must be treated as a legend, and not as history.

In April of 1833, Benjamin A. Napier moved to the island with his family, and bringing with him five or six men, who came with the ostensible purpose of working for him. Napier had, in the summer of 1832, visited the island, and warned the inhabitants that (as he claimed ownership) they were all tres- passers upon his property, and that he should treat them as such by ejecting them from the island at no distant day.

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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 119

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.) Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : Press of Leader Printing Company Number of Pages: 726

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.)
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : Press of Leader Printing Company
Number of Pages: 726