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 49

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 49
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 49

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

NAME.

The town was originally called " Vredenburg," from the circumstance that William J. Vredenburg was a large owner of its soil. Hebought up the claims of the "Sufferers" until he obtained the ownership of three-fourths of the township, viz .: Sections two, three and four. Section one was owned by various persons in the east, from whom the earliest settlers in that portion of the town purchased their lands. The place continued under the name of "Vredenburg " until the winter of 1820, when at a meeting called for the purpose, and held at the house of Joseph Ruggles, the name of Peru, under which a post office had been established, was substituted.

SETTLEMENT.

The earliest settlements in the township were made on the first section. The first white settlers were Elihu Clary, Henry Adams and William Smith, who together arrived on lot number five in section one on the 15th day of June, 1815. Adams, who was from Marlborough, Vermont, had come to Cleveland in the winter previous with team and wagon, and remained in the vicinity at work until his removal to Peru, then called Vredenburgh. At Cleveland he was joined by Clary and Smith in the spring of 1815 who came from Deerfield, Massachusetts, on foot. From Cleveland the journey was made by all three on foot. They en- tered the township on the east line, crossed the East Branch of the Huron river, a few rods below the bridge that now crosses the stream in Macksville, and traveled on until reaching the house of Bildad Adams in the township of Greenfield. With him they board- ed for a few days until they could roll up a log house

on lot five in section one. Henry Adams had shipped a barrel of flour from Cleveland to Huron and soon after his arrival in Peru he went there after it with a wagon and two yoke of oxen. He found, however, that the flour had been carried to Detroit and he had to remain two weeks awaiting its arrival. He brought home with him also a barrel of pork for which he paid thirty dollars. Mr. Adams states that he was unable to find during the entire journey enough straw for a single bed. He wrote back to his wife that his bed consisted of the "soft side of a basswood punch- eon." The men kept bachelor's hall in the first cabin built until the following October, when they erected a better log house a few rods further west. A part of their furniture consisted of four tables made from a whitewood tree, one of which Henry Adams used in his own house for several years.

On the twenty-third of that month, the wife of Clary arrived and they were the first family that set- tled in the town. Mrs. Clary came from Deerfield, Massachusetts, with an uncle of her husband. They traveled as far as Buffalo in a wagon with which she brought to that point a few household goods. The roads, west of Buffalo, being in an almost impassable condition, the goods were shipped by water from there to Huron, and the travelers completed the journey on horseback. Mrs. Clary rode in a man's saddle a distance of two hundred and fifty miles, making the journey in seven days. She kept house for the men while they prosecuted the work of clean- ing. They lived thus until the following spring, when they moved to their selected locations. Clary located on lot number eighteen, section one, where Brown Fisher now lives. Some years afterwards he moved to the village of Macksville, where he kept a tavern for a number of years, and then removed to near Albany, New York. His wife, Pearly Clary, died in Macksville June 18, 1830, and he married again in New York, and subsequently returned to Ohio, but soon removed to Bedford, Monroe county, Michigan, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was born in Montague, Massachusetts, in the year 1788, and died in September, 1871, aged eighty- three. This pioneer family experienced the various hardships incident to the settlement of a new country. In a letter written by Mr. Clary in 1857, he says the family lived for three weeks, in the spring of 1816, on pudding and molasses, "not for want of money, which was then very plenty, but provisions were not to be had m Huron county, and the roads to the south were at that time impassable with teams; but soon the warmth of the sun dispelled the clouds and dried up the mud, and teams came in with pork and flour: a drove of cows arrived, and we again had plenty."

Mr. Adams settled on lot twenty-nine in the first section, and he now (January, 1829,) occupies his original purchase. Ilis first cabin stood a short dis- tance north of where he now resides. It was sixteen feet square, with a roof of " shakers, " puncheon floor,

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

and a door made also of puncheons. His bedstead consisted of two poles, some eight or ten feet in length, one end of which was stuck into a log in the wall of the house, a few feet apart, and joined to a stake at the other end, triangular in shape. He used elm bark for bed-cord, and this rude arrangement consti- tuted a bed which the young people of to-day would hardly regard as conducive to a good night's rest. His family, consisting of his wife and infant daugh- ter, arrived in the fall of 1816, coming with the wife of Newell Adams and her father, - Bliss. One of the horses with which the journey was made partially gave out at Buffalo, and from there to Pern the two women traveled on foot.

Henry Adams was born in Windham county, Ver- mont, October 16, 1790. He married Annis Barr, who was born in Roe, Franklin county, Massachu- setts, February 5, 1788. She died in Peru, December 5, 1859. They had a family of nine children, four of whom are now living. Emily married Asahel Wilcox, who died of cholera in 1849, since when she has lived with her father. Caroline is the wife of Rev. Silas D. Seymour, a methodist minister, and lives in Greenwich. Jane became the wife of E. F. Adams, who died in May, 1876, and she now lives at the old home. Melissa has been insane for nearly thirty years. Mr. Adams has resided in the town for a pe- riod of nearly sixty-four consecutive years, and has been a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal church for fifty-four years.

Smith made his location on the farm now occupied by P. Barnum, on lot number nine, section one. He subsequently married Lovina Pierce, daughter of Al- den Pierce, an early settler of Greenfield. Smith finally removed to Illinois where he died. Alexander Pierce and Polly Curtiss were married in Massachu- setts, November 14, 1815, and a month after emigrated to Ohio, arriving at the cabin of Clary, Adams and Smith on the last day of January, 1816. Mrs. Clary regaled her visitors with a meal consisting of roasted raccoon and boiled turnips. On the 14th of February following, Mr. and Mrs. Pierce took up their abode in their cabin, on lot number fourteen in the first section. Their first meal in their new home consisted of pigs feet and hulled corn, the corn costing one dol- lar per bushel. Mr. Pierce died in Peru in 1836. His widow afterwards lived for a number of years in Sherman township, but finally came back to Peru and died here September 26, 1865. "Aunt Polly," as she was familiarly called, was a rare character. She pos- sessed an inexhaustible fund of anecdote and reminis- cences of pioneer days and could talk well in public. She was a daughter of Ebenezer Curtiss and was born in Leverett, Massachusetts, in 1798. At the age of seventeen she married Alex. Pierce, and became the mother of four children-three sons and a daughter.

It is possible now to obtain but little information concerning some of the early settlers. We find that Simon Raymond came into the township about the same time of Alexander Pierce and wife.

Newell Adams, a brother of Henry, arrived in the summer of 1816. but his wife remained at the east until sometime in the following fall when she came on, the family of Henry Adams coming at the same time. He located on lot twenty-seven where Commo- dore Perry now lives. He subsequently sold to Fred Delano and removed to Illinois where he is now living. Another brother by the name of Alden, who was un- married at the time, came in subsequently and mar- ried Jane Delamater and settled on lot twenty-two. He afterwards sold out and removed to the west and died there some four or five years ago.

Thaddeus Raymond and family moved into the township in Novewber, 1816, and settled on lot num- ber thirty, and Joel Clark about the same time set- tling on lot twenty-six. Clark remained in the town only a few years when he removed to Michigan. Daniel Mack arrived in the fall of 1816 and made his location where the village of Macksville now is, and which derived its name from him. He built a saw- mill on the stream there a year or two after his arrival in which he had a run of stone for grinding grain. A few years after he removed to Cold creek, and en- gaged in the milling business there. About this time James Ashley and Eli Nelson joined the settlement.

Thomas Tillson came into the township in the sum- mer of 1816, making the journey from Hampshire. county, Massachusetts, on foot. He selected his lo- cation on lot twenty-eight, section one, and immedi- ately began the work of clearing and improving his land, making his home meanwhile with Henry Adams whose family had not yet arrived. He sowed some three or four acres to wheat in the fall and then re- turned to Massachusetts for the money to pay for his land. He came by way of the lake from Buffalo to Sandusky and arrived in Peru on the 28th of June, 1817. His family, consisting then of wife and one child, arrived in 1821, coming with Alden Pierce and family. Mr. Tillson's original cabin stood across the road from and west of the present residence of his son Rufus. He built the latter house in 1829 and occupied it until his death in 1844. His wife survived him a few years. They had five children, three of whom are living, and one-Rufus-in Peru. Stephen resides in Iowa and Thomas is an inmate of the insane asylum at Columbus.

Levi R. Sutton, writing in the Fire-lands Pioneer, concerning the early settlement of Peru, speaks as follows of the first settlements west of the river: "Isaac Sutton, Levi R. Sutton and Elias Hughes were the first three settlers west of Huron river, who com- menced making improvements in the latter part of March, 1817, and moved into their cabins on the 2d of April following. Isaac Sutton settled on what is now lot number eleven, W. Weed's partition, but R. Eaton having bought the land at the east, he gave up possession to him, and left the township in a year or so. Levi R. Sutton settled on the hill west of Huron river, on E. T. Troop's partition, on what is now called lot number thirteen. Elias Hughes lived

MRS.RICHARDSON EATON.

RICHARDSON EATON.

RESIDENCE OF RICHARDSON EATON , PERU TP., HURON CO., OHIO .

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

and worked with L. R. Sutton some two or three ycars, and then bought a piece of land on the center road and commenced blacksmithing. He worked at that business for a few years and then left and died in Indiana."

Levi R. Sutton was born in Fayette county, Pennsyl- vania, September 7, 1794, and removed with his father's family to Knox county Ohio, in 1812. He married, November 28, 1813, Catherine, daughter of Peter Kile, of Mount Vernon, and removed to Lyme township, Huron county, in May, 1816. The next April he settled in Peru. He occupied his original location up to the time of his death, in September, 1872. He was justice of the peace of the township for twenty-five or thirty years, and town clerk for an equally long period. His widow is yet living, but at this writing, January, 1879, is in a very feeble con- dition. She is in her eighty-seventh year. There were seven children, six of whom are living, as fol- low:s Mrs. Richard Gardner, in Peru, Jacob, in Clyde, Mrs. Sarah Deyo, in Fulton county, Betsey, unmar- ried, with her aged mother, Mrs. Adaline Harper, in Illinois, and Esther Davenport, in Michigan.

Richardson Eaton first visited the township in June, 1818, coming from Lodi, Cattaraugus county, N. Y. He selected and purchased of Walter Weed about five hundred acres in lots number one, two, ten, eleven and twelve, mostly in section number one. In July next following he returned to New York for his family, consisting of wife and two children, with whom he arrived in Peru in February of next year, performing the long journey with wagon and ox team. A log house had been rolled up and roofed over by a man sent on from New York for the pur- pose. It stood on the west bank of the Huron river, on lot number eleven. It was, indeed, a very primi- tive habitation, when the family began life in it, and w.is without a door, window or chimney, until the fall · following its occupancy. Mr. Eaton resided here seven or eight years, and then moved into the frame house just cast of the brick house which he now occu- pies, on lot number twelve. He now owns lots eleven and twelve. Mr. Eaton has experienced the various hardships incident to the settlement of a new country. He bought his land on time and was twenty-five years in clearing it of debt.

The hard times arrested emi- gration, and there was no home demand and no outlet for the produce of the farmer, and for a time wheat would not bring ten cents a bushel. Mr. Eaton says a wagon load of it, at one time, would not buy a pound of tea. The completion of the Erie canal, however, inaugurated a better condition of things. Wheat went up to fifty cents per bushel, and other things in proportion, and the settlers were then "ont of the woods."

Mrs. Eaton died in 1858. Of the four children, only one is now living. This is Emeline, who is un- married and resides with her father, whose eighty- ninth birthday occurred April 11, 1879. Mr. Eaton served in the war of 1812.

James Vantine and family took up their residence in Peru on the 24th day of June, 1818. He pur- chased a thousand acres of land of E. T. Troop in the second section. The family settled on the east end of the purchase on lot number twenty-eight.

Arunah Eaton, a brother of Richardson, arrived with his family in the winter of 1819, and located just north of his brother. He afterwards sold to his son-in-law, John A. Patterson, and took up his abode with a daughter, Mrs. Aro Clapp, in the township of Norwalk, where he spent the remainder of his life.

Elijah Clary (father of Elihu, the first settler) and family arrived in Peru in the fall of 1812, after a journey of fifty days, from Deerfield, Massachusetts. The season was a very wet one; and the roads, usually intolerable, were worse than ever at this time, and the progress of the emigrants was very slow. West of Cleveland there were no bridges over the streams, and they were so swollen by recent rains that the family would have to wait sometimes two or three days for the water to fall so that they could cross. The travelers finally reached the cabin of the son Elihu, November 6th of the year above given.

Mrs. Sanders, a daughter, says in regard to the settlement of her father's family: "We found my brother and family well, who had been here more than two years, and, as they thought, living very comfortably, their condition being so much better than when they first came. But, accustomed as we had been to the luxuries of a New England home, we thought it rather hard fare (though I must aeknowl- edge that the beef and turnips were very good). But there were very few necessaries that could be obtained, and those so high-priced that few could afford to have them. My father paid twenty-five dollars for a bar- rel of pork that had seven half heads in and shanks in proportion." Mr. Clary settled just south of Alex- ander Pierce.

Joseph Ruggles and family, of Hampshire county, Massachusetts, left their native place for the far west in the fall of 1816, with an ox team and wagon, and one horse ahead. Arriving in Otsego county, New York, where several brothers of Mrs. Ruggles (who was a Tillson) had settled, the family remained there through the winter and then resumed their journey to the Fire-lands. They reached the place of desti- nation April 27, 1817, taking up their abode in the log house of Thomas Tillson, which had been put up previously by Daniel Mack, from whom Tillson bought the land. The family lived here several years, and then moved to the farm now owned by a son, George. Mr. Ruggles resided here the remainder of his life. His death occurred in June. 1849, his wife surviving him three years. There were ten children, five of whom are living, and two-Henry and George W .- in this township.

Charles and Richard Gardner, brothers, came to the township of Ridgefield, Huron county, from Ste- ventown, New York, in the spring of 181 ?. They made the journey with an ox team and wagon, and

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

were six weeks on the way. They made a beginning on the farm now owned by the heirs of Allen Lindsey, in Ridgefield, but soon after exchanged it for land in the northeast corner of the township of Lyme, where they remained some three years, and then came into Pern andbuilt the saw mill now owned by Charles Smith. They run this in partnership some five years, when Charles bought his brother's interest, and a few years subsequently put up a woolen factory and carding machine at the same place. He married in 1823, and settled where he now resides, aged eighty-six. He helped to build the first house in Norwalk-the log cabin of Platt Benedict.

Richard, after selling his interest in the mill, worked at his trade-that of carpenter and joiner-for a couple of years, and then bought the farm where he now lives, lots five and six in section two. He mar- ried Maria Lawrence in 1826, and first commeneed housekeeping in the house now occupied by the fam- ily of Levi R. Sutton,- (deceased) the building then standing just north of where his brother, Charles Gardner, now lives. His first wife died October 13, 1828, and he married, four years subsequently, Maria Sutton, daughter of Levi R. Sutton, with whom he is now living. They are aged, respectively, eighty- three and sixty-four.

One of the prominent early settlers in Peru, was Thomas Parker. He purchased, in 1819, nearly seven hundred acres of land in the fourth section, and the next year he and Luther Hodges-his son-in- law-and their families, moved from Cayuga county, New York, and settled on the tract aforesaid. They made the first improvements in that portion of the township. In 1821, Mr. Parker planted the first apple orchard in that that section of town, and the next year, Josiah Root erected for him, on the west part of his purchase, on the Huron, a saw and grist mill. He died in Peru, September 3, 1839. He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, October 16, 1767. He married, in Cuyuga county, New York, October 16, 1196, Sarah Elliot, who was born in Dover, Duchess county. New York, August 13, 1769. They raised a family of twelve children, none of whom now live in the township. Seth and Benjamin were ministers of the Baptist church, and the former was a prominent member of the Fire-lands Historical Society for many years. His widow now resides at Greenfield center.

Rev. Harry O. Sheldon, a well known pioneer preacher of the Fire-lands, and now almost an octo- genarian, residing in Oberlin, came to Peru in the spring of 1819. His father bought a farm for him in the northeast part of the township, and he began farm- ing there June 19, 1819, and as he says in a note to the writer, on "temperance principles." His neigh- bors expostulated with him, saying that he never could get a house put up. nor his grain harvested without the aid of whisky. But the young man was firm, and replied that he would do without a house, and let the grain rot on the ground before he should furnish

whisky. But the cabin was raised without it. One man was very indignant at the innovation of the time- honored custom, and refused to attend; and he subse- quently died an inebriate.

Mr. Sheldon married Ruth Bradley, of Genoa, New York, Mareh 15, 1820, and in the following fall, began housekeeping in the cabin in the Peru woods. Jeptha Lawrence joined him on the south, and Sylves- ter Brownell joined him on the north. Mr. Sheldon remained but a few years in the township, but during that time his influence was felt in the settlement. He was an efficient helper in everything tending to build up society on a correct basis, and was largely instrumental, although not then a professing christian, in the erection of the first house of worship-the Presbyterian log meeting house-and was chosen the clerk of that society. He also took an active part in establishing the academy at Macksville, and was the clerk of the board of trustees of that pioneer educa- tional institution. He was converted in December, 1823, and officiated as an exhorter, at meetings at various places in the country roundabout, until June, 1825, when he was heensed to preach, and removed from the township. His subsequent career is well known.

Moses Smith came from Massachusetts to Peru township about the year 1820, and settled on what is now known as the Charles Roe farm. His family consisting of wife and five children, came on the fol- lowing year. The family eventually moved to Green- field where the mother died in 1833. Mr. Smith died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Timmer, in Nor- wieh, in 1859. There were five children, two of whom are now living.

Isaac Johnson, Josiah Root, James Smith, Wyatt Cook, William Best, Hibbard Smith, Perry Easton, John A. Patterson, Oliver Patterson and others whose names are now beyond recall, were early set-, tlers. Johnson settled just east of the present brick residence of Joseph Smith, on the north and south center road. He died there a few years after; his wife at a later date, and there are now no descendants living in the town. Root was from New York, and took up his location on the Parker tract. Smith had a log distillery at Macksville at an early day; he after- wards moved to the west part of the town, where he is still living. Wyatt Cook was a Vermonter, and arrived in Pern as early as 1818. He worked the first year for Henry Adams, afterwards married and raised a family. Ile is now living in Fairfield, well advanced in life. Best came in with Vantine; his widow is still living. Marcus Johnson and family moved into the township in 1822, after a residence, the previous sea- son, on a rented farm in Greenfield. They were formerly from Genesee county, New York. Mr. Johnson located on the farm now ocenpied by his son, Luther B. Johnson, and occupied it until his death, which took place in March. 1834. He was the first person interred in the burying ground at the center. His widow died in Peru in 18:5. Six of the children

RICHARD HINDLEY ..

Among those who were prominent in the early settlement of the township of Peru was the subject of this sketch. He was born in Lincolnshire, Eng- land, on the 6th of December, 1794. He spent his early life in the mother-country, following the sea for a livelihood. Becoming weary, at length, of maritime pursuits, he emigrated to America in 1832, being then thirty-eight years of age. Coming di- rectly to Ohio, he settled in the township of Peru, purchasing the farm of one hundred acres, which is still owned and occupied by his widow.

He was twice married, losing his first wife on the 27th of September, 1852. His second wife, whom he married June 13, 1856, was Elizabeth H., daughter of George and Hannah E. Scothan, of Cleveland, Ohio. He had no children, but adopted as his daughter a niece of his second wife, Miss Nellie L. Scothan. This adopted daughter is mar-

ried, and resides at the old homestead. Their daugh- ter, Annie Lydia, who was born April 27, 1873, is the only child born on the farm since it was cleared by Mr. Hindley.

In politics Mr. Hindley was a Democrat, and at various times during his life he served his fellow- townsmen in different local offices. He never made a public profession of religion, but was always an attendant and supporter of the Methodist Church. The improvement of his farm, on which he made the first clearing, and the elevation of the standard of morality in the community around him, were the worthy objects to which he devoted his life.

He died on the 2d of September, 1864, being then in his seventieth year. He was widely known as a prudent counselor, and a ready helper of the weak and suffering. In his death his widow lost a kind husband, and his neighbors an obliging friend.

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

are now living. One only resides in Peru, Luther B., who lives on the old homestead.

Cyrus Simmons, originally from Washington county, New York, moved to Peru from Richland county, Ohio-where he had resided six years-in the year 1829. He settled near the north line of the township, where his son George now lives, paying four dollars an acre for his land. At the time of his settlement, there was not a stick of timber cut in this part of the town, except on the line of the roads. The last payment he made on his land was a hundred dollars received for building a hundred feet of the mill dam at Standartburg. He occupied his original purchase up to the time of his death, which occurred September 25, 1853. His wife died October 29, 1866. Seven of the ten children born to them, are now living. Henry, Mrs. John Morse, Sophronia, George and Mrs. Henry West, are residents of this township. Mrs. John Sneer lives in Iowa, and Fredus in Nor- walk.

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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 49

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