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 28
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 28
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Mrs. Elizabeth Minn, formerly Reed, says (see Fire-lands Pioneer of March, 1859, page 48): "The first town meeting was held at our house, as near as I can remember, in 1818. The officers I do not re- member except Renben Pixley. He was town clerk."
The foregoing statements are all in conflict with each other, and leave the question as to date, in doubt.
Mr. Lewis is undoubtedly mistaken in fixing the date in 1816, for Norwalk was not set off from the township of Huron until February 18, 1817.
Mr. Kellogg evidently speaks from memory in fix- ing the date as April, 1817, and does not give the names of any of the officers officiating at the election he describes, nor the names of any of the officers elected. He speaks by the record in his account of the election of April 6, 1818, but puts them in a little thick when he gives us another election on April 13, 1818, only seven days after that of the 6th. In the number of votes and names of officers officiating, he exactly describes the election for governor and other officers held on October 13, 1818. There is no official record in any of the county offices, from which an inference could be drawn, that any election was held on April 13th; so he is probably incorrect in that statement.
He is, in part, correct in stating that part of the time between 1817 and 1822, Fairfield formed part of the election district "called Norwalk." From February 18, 1812, to March 8, 1820, Bronson and Norwalk were one organization named Norwalk; at the latter date, Ripley and Fairfield were attached to
Norwalk, and the four townships constituted an elec- tion district, five miles wide and twenty miles long, from that time until March 4, 1822, when Bronson and Fairfield were set off into an organization by the name of Bronson, and Ripley was attached to New Haven.
No poll book, nor certificate of election can be found in any of the county offices, relating to an election in Norwalk in 1817, but in volume one of the "Commissioners' Journal" of Huron county, showing the disbursements by the County Treasurer for 1817, appears the following entry:
VOUCHER 258.
1:17-June 4 .- To Abijah Comstock, for making returns of Justice elect. . $1 00
Voncher 258, now on file in the Auditor's office, reads as follows:
I hereby certify that Abijah Comstock made return of the election of a justice of the peace for the township of Norwalk, and that by said returns he was a judge of the election.
May 20, 1817. DAVID ABBOTT, Clerk Common Pleas.
In the probate judges office, at Norwalk, is a little old record book containing a medley of official memo- randa of estrays, store, tavern and ferry licenses, marriages, certificates of the organization of dif- ferent religious societies, and official qualification of justices of the peace; among which is the following:
June 4, 1817. David Gibbs sworn into office of justice of the peace for Norwalk township, before me, DAVID ABBOTT, Justice.
The foregoing entries and voucher fully corroborate and establish the correctness of Mr. Kellogg's state- ment, that the first election was held in 1817, and it is undoubtedly true that April was the month, and Hanson Reed's house the place, when and where it occurred.
Hanson Reed's house was situated on the east side of the road leading from near the water works to the Fairfield road, and about thirty rods from the latter road.
No poll-book can be found of the election of April 6, 1818, but an official certificate of an abstract of the votes cast at that election is on file in the county clerk's office, and is as follows:
WHEREAS, By poll-book transmitted to me, and opened in the pres- ence of David Abbott and David W. Hinman, two justices of the peace in and for the county of Hurou, it appears that at an election in and for the township of Norwalk, on the 6th day of April, 1818, the number of votes amounted to twenty-two, and that Robert S. Southgate had twenty- one votes and Samuel B. Lewis one vote, consequently the said Robert S. Southgate was duly elected a justice of the peace, in and for the township of Norwalk, in the county aforesaid.
We, the undersigned, do hereby certify that the above is a true abstract of the above mentioned poll-book opened by us.
Dated this 13th day of April, 1818. DAVIO ABBOTT.
DAVID W. HINMAN, Justices of the Peace.
In the Commissioners' Journal, account of disburse- ments for the year 1818, appears the following entry under date of May 27:
VOUCHER 360.
To S B Lewis for election return 64 cents.
Voucher No. 360, for that year, reads:
I do hereby certify that Samuel B Lewis made a return of the poll- book of the election of a justice of the peace, in and for the township of Norwalk, whereby it appears that Robert S. Southgate was elected a justice.
JAS. WILLIAMS, C. Pleas.
118
HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
The foregoing certificates and commissioners' entry form the only official recognition of the election of April 6, 1818. They fully corroborate Mr. Kellogg as to his statement of that election. It is probable that Samuel B. Lewis, Lott Herrick and Martin Kel- logg, were the judges, as stated by Mr. Kellogg, and Reuben Pixley one of the clerks, as stated by both Mr. Kellogg and Mrs. Minn.
The poll-book of the State election of October 13, 1818, (which Mr. Kellogg so exactly describes as hav- ing been held April 13.) is the first and oldest one found on the files in the county clerk's office. This is probably the election referred to by Mr. Lewis and Mr. Kellogg as the one held at the house of the former. The following is a copy:
POLL BOOK, OCTOBER 13, 1818.
Poll Book of the election beld in the township of Norwalk, in the county of Huron, on the thirteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen. Martin Kellogg, Sam- uel B. Lewis, and Lot Herrick, judges: and Reuben Pixley and Joseph Pearce, clerks of this election, were severally sworn as the law directs, previous to their entering on the duties of their offices.
No. of Votes
Names of Electors. No.
Votes.
I. Levi Cole.
29. Peter Tice.
2 *Eben Guthrie.
30. Simon Timermon.
3. Mulvery Inman.
31. Reuben C. Pixley.
4. Ezra Abbott.
32. James Wilson.
5. Burwell Whitlock.
33. *Lester Clark.
6. *Stewart Southgate.
7. Asher Cole.
35. Thomas Cole.
9. Hanson Read.
10. Joseph Pearce.
11. John Laylin.
12. Charles Laylin.
13. *William W. Beckwith.
14 *Joseph Crawford.
15. *Job T. Reynolds.
16. Carlton Hoskins.
44. *Abijah Rundell.
45. John Boalt.
18. *Lot Herrick.
19. *Martin Kellogg.
20. *Daniel Warren.
48. John Keeler.
21. Lucius Fay.
49. Henry Lockwood.
22. Samuel B. Lewis.
50. Louis Keeler.
23. *Robert S. Southgate.
51. * Daniel Clark.
52. Seth Keeler.
25. Jasper Underhill.
53. * Halsey Clark.
26. Jolin Welch.
54. James Mead.
27. * Reuben Pixley.
55. Abijah Comstock.
28. David Underhill.
56. Charles Taylor.
It is hereby certified that the number of electors at this election amounts to fifty-six
Attest:
REUBEN PIXLEY, JOSEPH PEARCE, Clerks.
SAMUEL B. LEWIS MARTIN KELLOOG, LOTT HERRICK, Judges of Election.
On the reverse side of the half sheet of unruled foolseap paper upon which the foregoing "Poll Book" is written, an abstract and certificate of the votes cast at that election are entered, as follows:
NAMES OF PERSONS VOTED FOR, AND FOR WHAT OFFICES, CONTAINING THE NUMBER OF VOTES FOR EACH PERSON.
Goveaxoa-
Thomas Worthington, number of votes. Ethan A. Brown, number of votes .. 53
REPRESENTATIVES IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE- Senate-John Campbell. number of votes. .. 49 Representative-Alfred Kelley, number of votes .
49
*Lived in Bronson, then part of Norwalk
REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS-
Peter Hitchcock, number of votes John Sloane, number of votes. . . 49
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS-
Erastus Smith, number of votes r
5
Bildad Adams, number of votes
50
We hereby certify that Ethan A. Brown had fifty-three votes for Gov- ernor, and Thomas Worthington had two votes for Governor; John Campbell had forty-nine votes for Senator in the State Legislature: Alfred Kelley had forty-nine votes for Representative in the State Legis- lature: Jobn Sloane had forty-nine votes for Representative in Con- gress, and Peter Hitchcock had six votes for representative in Congress; Bildad Adams had fifty votes for County Commissioner, and Erastus Smith had five votes for County Commissioner.
Attest:
REUBEN PIXLEY.
JOSEPH PEARCE.
Judges of Election.
Clerks.
POLL BOOK, APRIL 5, 1824.
Poll-book of the election held in the township of Norwalk, in the county of Huron, and State of Ohio, this fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-four. Platt Bene- dict, Eben Boalt and Asher Cole, judges; and John Tice and Abel Tracy, clerks, were severally sworn, as the law directs, previous to their entering upon the duties of their respective offices.
NAMES OF ELECTORS.
Andrew Woods.
Cyrus Butler.
Joshua Drake.
Names of Electors Ammi Keeler. Matthew W. Junkins. Alvin Barton.
Jobn Tice. Perry G. Beckwith. Abijah Comstock.
Hallet Gallup.
Platt Benedict.
Ruluf Andrus.
Lucius Fay . Isaac Herrick.
John White.
Ichalod Marshall.
Richard Huyk.
Edward Wheeler.
John Huyck.
James Wilson.
Luke Keeler.
Theodore Baker.
John Dillingham.
Erastus Butler.
Ezekiel Wells.
Pickett Latimer.
Henry Hurlbutt.
Samuel Henry.
Ebenezer Lane.
Alexander Dickson.
Harvey G. Morse. Timothy Baker. George Springsted.
Henry Lockwood.
Henry Huyck.
Hanson Read. Daniel Whitney.
John Keeler.
Daniel G. Raitt.
Seldon Isham.
Benjamin Hoyt.
Enos Gilbert.
Zachariah Marvin.
Benjamin Junkins.
Josiah Wells.
It is hereby certified that the number of electors at this election amount to sixty-seven.
Attest:
JOHN TICE,
ASHER COLE, EBEN BOALT,
ABEL TRACY, Judges of Election.
Clerks. Enos Gilbert, was elected Justice of the Peace.
Samuel Preston, was elected Township Clerk Eben Boalt, Platt Benedict and Asher Cole, were elected Trustees.
Timothy Baker, was elected Treasurer.
CENSUS OF 1819.
Enumeration of the male inhabitants of the town of Norwalk over the age of twenty-one years. EaEN BOALT, Lister.
Abbott, Ezra. Gallup, Hallet.
Potter, Thomas.
Ammerman. Simeon." Guthra, Eben." Prentice, Oliver .* Pettet, Edward.
Ammidon, Daniel. Gurley, M.
Arnold, Alfred. Herrick, Ezra. *
Benedict, Platt. Herrick, Ezra, Jr.«
Beckwith, Perry.« Hurlbutt, Henry.
Beckwith, William. ? Hoskins, John. «
Boalt, Eben. Boalt. John.
Hoskins, Carleton.« Hagerman, Thomas.« Houk, Henry
Southgate, Robert S. * Sypher, Peter."
Brunson, Hozeah.
Baily, Hyram. Herrick, Lott. « Sypher, Peter, Jr .*
Brownell, Abel. º Inman, Malvara. Smith, John.
Betts, John. Isham, Epaphroditus. Strong, Silas G.
Cole, Levi. Cole, Asher.
Kellogg, Martin. '
Isham, Seldon. Sypher, Henry .* Stone, Joel.
Jabez Clark.
Erastus Fenney.
John G. Taylor.
Abimel Dodge.
Thomas Buchannan.
8. Edward Wheeler.
36. Truman Rusco
37. John White.
38. Eben Boalt.
Malavery Inman.
Charles Laylin.
Samuel Preston.
John T. Hilton.
Asa Cole. John Laylin.
42. David Cole.
43. Abraham Powers.
Frederick Forsythe. Roswell Wells. Oliver Day. Epaphroditus Isbam. Daniel Samuveslane. Thomas Holmes.
Asher Cole.
46. Jabez Newcomh.
47. Luke Keeler.
PLATT BENEDICT,
24. *Jabez Demming.
39. Asa W. Ruggles.
40. *Nathan Tanner.
41. Seth Jennings.
17. Platt Benedict.
David Gibbs.
Abel Tracy . Ehen Boalt.
John Dounce.
34. * Nathan Sutliff
SAMUEL B. LEWIS, MARTIN KELLOGO, LOTT HEARICK,
6
Raitt, Daniel G Rundle. Abijah." Reed, Hanson. Reynolds, Job T .* Sutliff, Nathan .*
119
HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
Carpenter, John L. Comstock, Abijah.
Keeler, Luke.
Sanders, Stephen.
CENSUS OF 1827.
County Assessors returns of the white male inhabitants, above the age of twenty-one years in Huron county, agreeable to an act regulat- ing the mode of taking the enumeration of the white male inhabitants above the age of twenty-one years, passed January 10, 1827.
NORWALK 131.
Levi Wilson.
Ichabod Marshall.
Berjamin Junkins.
Samuel R. Gibbs.
Zachariah Marvin.
Matthew W. Junkins. .
Oliver Day
Benjamin F. Harman. Frederick Forsyth.
Oliver Woodhouse.
Read.
Caleb Gallup.
Barnet C'arkhuff.
Josiah Wells.
Ezekiel Wells.
Ezekiel Wells, Jr,
Lewis Keeler.
Jacob Tetter.
Andrew Woods.
Thomas Philips.
Obadiah Jenney.
John V. Buskark.
John V. Buskark, 2d.
Richard Numsin.
Joseph Wilson.
Thaddeus B. Sturgis.
Thomas Adams.
Jacob Wilson.
H. G. Morse.
Samuel Henry.
James Springstead.
Leverett Bradley.
Ebenezer Lane.
C. P. Bronson.
Josiah Botsford.
Joseph C. Curtiss.
Lewis M. Howard.
John Ebert, Jr.
Samuel Sherman.
James Wilson.
Jabez_A. B. Calkins.
Daniel Stratton.
Charles Laylin. Perry G. Beckwith.
Samuel B. Lewis.
Roswell Wells.
1
Harvey G. Morse
3
Seldon Isham.
1
Cyrus Butler
1
Epaphroditus Isham. 1
Erastus Finney
1
Samuel R. Gibbs.
1
Enos Gilbert
1
Daniel Stratton.
1
Daniel Tilden
1
Andrew Woods 1
Henry Buckingham.
L
Samuel B. Lewis 1 Moses Kimball.
1
Henry Hurlbutt
1
Platt Benedict.
1
Eben Boalt
1
Samuel Preston
2
Henry Huyck.
Samuel Henry.
I
John Dillingham Buck 1
1
William Benton
1
Ichabod Marshall
9
Daniel owers
1
Zachariah Marvin.
1
John Dounce.
1
1
Theodore Bangs.
1
Edward Wheeler 8
Nathan B. Johnson
1
Josiah Wells
1
Ebenezer Lane.
1
Asa Cole. . 2
Pickett Latimer
1
James Wilson
1
Timothy Baker.
3
Malvery Inman.
1
Luke Keeler 2
Charles Laylin 1
Lewis Keeler
1
John White. 1
David Gibbs
1
Hanson Reed.
Henry Lockwood
3
Lemuel Raymond.
1
Thomas Buchannon 1
Thomas Holmes 1 Alfred Arnold. 1
Asher Cole
3
John T. Hilton. 1
· Lucius Fay 1
1
Peter Tice ..
Abijah Comstock. 1
Frederick Forsythe.
Nehemiah Odway 1
Daniel G. Raitt 1
Ezekiel Wells
1
Edward Pettit
1
Andrew Millburn.
Union White.
Thomas Millburn.
John W. Haughton. Asa Cole.
Lucius Fay.
Asher Cole.
William Haughton.
Edward Wheeler.
Ruluf Andrus.
John T. Hilton.
Abel Brownell.
John Laylin.
John Dounce.
[The returns of other
Dr. Joseph Pearce.
John Dillingham.
Abraham Powers.
Jesse C. Brayman.
Henry Huyck.
Platt Benedict.
Michael F. Cisco.
Jonas B. Benedict.
Seth Jennings.
I, George Sheffield, Assessor of Huron County, certify that the fore- going is a correct list of the white male inhabitants above the age of twenty one years, taken by me agreeable to an act of the Legislature of the State of Ohio, passed January 10, 1827.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and official signature this 4th day of June, 1827. GEORGE SHEFFIELD, Assessor.
The "poll-book" of an election held in Norwalk on the 2d of April, 1827, shows that the following per- sons voted at that election, whose names do not ap- pear in the foregoing "enumeration:"
Stephen V. R. Bogert. Burrell Keeler.
David Lawrence.
Eben Boalt. David H. Sutton. Sylvester Pomeroy.
Alpheus Buchannan. William Miller.
Isaac M. Marvin.
Nelson Horton. John Huyck.
Seth Keeler.
William Buck,
Robert Morton.
NATHAN S. COMSTOCK.
At the time Norwalk, Connecticut, was burned (July 11. 1792) by General Tryon, in the "Revolu- tionary War," Thomas Comstock, of New Canaan, ex- tended shelter, and such assistance as his means per- mitted, to many of the Norwalk sufferers. Not having the means of repaying his kindness. Simeon Raymond and Gold Hoyt proposed to, and did release to him
Clark, Lester."
Keeler, John.
Taylor, Benjamin. «
Terry. Henry."
Cole, David. Clark, Holsey .* Crawford, Joseph .* Cole. Thomas.
Cole, Asa.
Carver, Aldrich.
Dickerson, Alexander. Loomis, Alman.
Demming, Jabez .*
Marshall, Ichabod.
Davis, Joshua.
Forsythe, Frederick.
Myre:, Adam. McLin, John. Newcomb, Jabez. Nims, Slaham.
Odway, Nehemiah.
Ruggles, Asa.
Gibbs, David.
Pearce, Joseph.
Rusco, Armon.«
Gibbs, Samuel R.
Pixley, Reuben.",
Southgate, Stewart.
Gilbert, Enos. Pixley, Reuben, Jr. .
Gallup. William. Powers, Abraham.
I do hereby certify the within to be a correct enumeration of the white male inhabitants of the township of Norwalk, in the county of Huron, as taken by me. EBEN BOALT, Lister.
NORWALK, May 24, 1819.
This enumeration shows a total of
109
Lived in Bronson, attached to Norwalk
34
Total for Norwalk proper
75
CENSUS OF 1823.
The enumeration of the white male inhabitants of Norwalk above twenty-one years of age. in 1823.
John Keeler.
Luke Keeler.
Malavara Inman.
Thomas Buchannan.
Ami Keeler.
Jonathan Jennings.
John White.
George Powers. Nathan Parks.
Jonathan Brown.
Levi Cole
Miner Cole.
Samuel Wheeler.
Norwalk 131.
towns omitted as not connected with Norwalk history ]
The whole amount of the white male inhabitants of the township of Norwalk is eighty. Attest by LUKE KEELER, Lister for the Township of Norwalk.
It is to be regretted that the foregoing "enumera- tion" was not more explicit in naming the inhabi- tants; nineteen person are counted without being named. It is probable the list is imperfect. Wil- liam Gallup, the head of a family, and within the class called for by the enumeration, does not appear. He did not belong in any of the families containing more than one person given above; the same is true of Benjamin Taylor, James Williams and some others.
Soles, Charles. Tice, Peter.
Cherry, Henry.«
Keeler. Lewis.
Clark, Jabez.“
Keeler, Seth . Lockwood, George. Lockwood, Ralph. Lockwood, Henry.
Tanner, Nathan.v Underhill, Jasper. Underhill, David. Wheeler, Edward.
Wells. Ezekiel. Wells, Roswell. Welch, Johu. Warren, Daniel W .*
White. John.
Wilson, James.
Roswell Wells.
Theodore Baker.
Picket Latimer.
David Gibbs
Enos Gilbert Augustus P. Tower.
Gilbert Brightman. Samuel Preston.
John P. McArdle.
William F. Kitterage.
Daniel G. Raitt.
John G. Tailor.
Nelson Haughton.
Horace Howard.
Asahel W. Howe.
Isaac Wilson.
William Benton.
William Gallup. John V. Sharp.
Henry Buckingham.
Aurelius Mason.
Benj. Carman.
John Tice. Lewis Curtiss.
Carlton B. Gane.
Samuel Barnes.
Thomas Holmes.
William W. Nugent.
John V. Vredenburgh.
Mathew Callaway.
Hallett Gallup. James Williams, Esq.
Joseph Wilson, Jr.
Charles L. Curtis.
Ery Keeler.
Henry Hurlbut.
John Miller.
Cyrus Butler.
William H Hunter.
Seldon Isham.
Daniel Tilden.
Moses Kimball.
David Suttou.
Epaphroditus Isham.
Timothy Baker.
Asa H. Beard.
Abraham Emmitt.
Felt, Joshua
Laylin, John. Laylin, Charles. Lewis, Samuel B.
Todd, Manning S. Shaddock, Joseph.
Fay, Lucius. Fay, Pollus
Keeler, Ami.
Hallet Gallup ...
1
John Layland
John Keeler.
Jacob Morton.
Henry Rider. James Minshel.
1 20
HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
any claims they might have against the government on account of their losses. As a result, he afterwards became the owner of a large tract of land in sections two and three of Norwalk, Ohio.
1806 .- In this year, his son, Nathan S. Comstock, in company with several others, started on an explor- ing expedition to "spy out the country" where their new possessions lay. They spent some time in look- ing over the country, but not being provided with suitable maps or guides, were not certain they found the particular land they were in search of.
1809 .- Early in the spring of this year, Nathan en- gaged the services of Darius Ferris and Elijah Hoyt to accompany him on a second expedition to Norwalk with the intention of making a permanent settlement. They started with a span of horses and wagon and such tools as would be necessary in clearing and build- ing. At Buffalo they found it impracticable to proceed further with their wagon, so a small boat was por- chased, into which their goods were packed, with the addition of a barrel of whisky. Two of them manned the boat, and proceeded up the lake. keeping near the shore, while the other took charge of the horses, and traveled overland, keeping near the lake. In this manner they reached the mouth of Huron river.
There were at that time quite a number of Indian settlements along that river, the largest of which was where the village of Milan now stands, and was called Pequatting. They were Moravians, in charge of a missionary named Frederick Drake, and had a mission house. Being very friendly, they offered the new comers the use of their mission house until a struc- ture could be erected to shelter them. A site was selected for the new house in section two, near a spring, and in the immediate neighborhood of the fine brick residence erected a few years ago by Philo Comstock. Esq., and now occupied by John Ran- dolph, Esq., in section three of Norwalk. After ent- ting the logs, the few white men then in the country, of whom F. W. Fowler, of Milan, was one, were invited to assist in putting up the house.
This was the first house erected by white men, in the township of Norwalk, of which any record can be traced, and was, most probably, the pioneer house. It was not covered by a mansard roof; the windows were not set with crown-plate glass; the front door was not of carved walnut, nor mahogany; the back door did not exist; its floor was not covered with a brussels carpet; there was no piano and no sewing machine within its walls; upon the marble-topped center table (which was not there) lay no daily morn- ing paper containing the latest telegraph news and the last time card of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Rail Road, nor even that of the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad Company. In fact. it was no palatial residence, but rough and strong, and made for service hke the strong-willed, iron-handed men whe built it. Its roof was made of "shakes;" its walls of rongh logs; its floor was the face of mother- earth, carpeted with the moss of the growth of ages;
the bedsteads were "bunks" with poles for springs, and their mattresses were sacks filled with leaves and mosses; its cooking range was a brass kettle hung on a pole supported by two crotched sticks driven into the floor, and its chimney was a hole left open in the roof. Rough, uncouth, homely, yet it was a home,- the first home of Norwalk.
The house having been erected, they next com- menced a clearing of about ten acres which they com- pleted, in a manner, and sowed to wheat that fall.
Nathan was a genuine Yankee, and possessed of the same fertility of genius that invented "wooden nntmegs." The Indians had got a taste of his whisky, and became frequent visitors; he improved the quan- tity of it by the addition of three gallons of water to each gallon of spirits, and the color and quality by adding burned maple sugar and wild cherries. This "doctored" compound he sold readily to the Indians as "French brandy" at one dollar a quart. It would be fortunate for the "red-nosed fraternity" of the present generation if they indulged in no worse brandy than was sold by Nathan S. Comstock in 1809.
While making their clearing, the three kept "bache- Jor's hall," and a common dish with them was pork and beans. One morning they set their pot of beans and pork over the fire, so as to have their dinner ready cooked when they should come in at mid-day, and then went to their work. When the sun marked noon, they returned in time to see two or three sneaking wolves disappear down a neighboring ravine, and found their fire burned ont, their dinner gone, and the unlucky brass kettle much the worse from having been used as a platter by several wolves instead of one. It is probable those hungry men then in- dulged in a few remarks, not complimentary to the four-legged tramps.
The clearing having been made, and the wheat put in, they returned to Connectient. Nathan intended to return the next spring with his family, and remain a permanent settler, but his health had become so poor in consequence of exposures and hardships ex- perienced on his return in the fall of 1809, and his wife being unwilling to risk the hardships and priva- tions of a frontier life, he resigned his interest in the west to his brother Abijah.
Nathan S. Comstock was the father of Philo Con- stock. Esq., now living in Milan, Ohio, and grand- father of E. A. Comstock, of this village, and Mrs. John Randolph, of this township, and an uncle of Giles, Stephen and Augusta Boalt, of this village.
ABIJAH COMSTOCK.
Abijah Comstock was born at New Canaan, Con- nectient, September 2, 1781, and in 1810 came to Norwalk, and by arrangement with his father and brother, Nathan S., took the interest of Nathan S. in the Norwalk land, and becoming an actual resi- dent .- in the house built by his brother the year previous,-harvested the crop of wheat which had been put in by Nathan and his two hired men.
121
HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
In the latter part of 1810 or fore part of 1811, he married Esther Iseft, sister of Hosmer Merry's wife, at that time living at the place which became what is now known as the "Old County Seat."
Ile brought with him from Connecticut two yoke of oxen, a wagon and the supplies necessary for his permanent sojourn, and was accompanied by a lad named Alfred Arnold, who is yet living in Townsend township, well advanced in years.
In 1812, his first child, Thomas, was born. When the child was only a day or two old, Alfred Arnold, who had been away on an errand through the woods, met, on his return, an Indian named Omick,* who stopped him and made very particular inquiry as to "How Comstock? How squaw? How pappoose?" The fact of the Indian being aware of the birth of the child, which had so recently occurred, surprised young Arnold, but he was quickly cured of that sur- prise by a greater one. The Indian seized him by the hair of his head and said, "Arnold no be fraid, Arnold good boy; Indian no scalp Arnold." He then released his grasp and plunged into the woods.
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